Serena.
Have you been here the whole time?
I think I am going to say, 'I only just arrived'.
- Better that way, no? - Perhaps...
Listen, if you've come about your portrait...
I'm afraid I have to confess I haven't done much work on it since our last sitting.
No. I haven't come about the portrait.
It's something I saw in here the other day... Quite by chance.
- Do you mind? - No.
Voila... here it is.
Who is this?
It seems you know very well who that is.
Oh, Yes? How do I know?
Intuition.
Yes... Yes, as a matter of fact I do know.
Lea de Castro... I see...
Well, I've got to go.
- So soon? - Yes, so soon.
I'll leave you to your models.
They seem quite terrifyingly naked.
...at times they are.
Amuse yourself.
Work well!
Let's work.
So are you mad at me?
No, you aren't.
Thank you... steady now...
You haven't made a rendezvous with her?
Turn your face a little...
But no, but no, but no.
Is she still in Paris?
Very still...
Sometimes I wonder if the real Lea even exists.
Good.
I want to get married.
Are you serious?
No. Well, actually yes and no...
A free marriage.
I've got another piece of news for you.
You've just had a child.
- A daughter. - What? No!
With who?
Mizzi.
I have a daughter?
Yes.
I have a little daughter.
- Yes! - That is wonderful news!
Gustl!
Little red riding hood's great grandmother
had a love affair with a wolf...
So her daughter was born... half wolf and half human.
She became a wolf when she grew up.
So it was she who swallowed little Red Riding Hood.
As she did so she sang a song...
From the lambs I prefer the head.
From the humans I prefer their bottom.
The throat is what I like best of the chickens.
Their calmness is what I like best with the rabbits.
Mizzi, it's me...
- You want to see her? - Of course.
She's in there.
No... I won't.
Why not?
I should prefer not to just at the moment.
- She doesn't bite. - I'll see her when she's older.
As you wish... Herr Klimt.
What have you got there?
It's just a gift from someone... in a very poor taste.
A gift from someone in a very poor taste.
Gustav, I have to talk to your father.
Go and play in the yard!
Come on, Come on.
Herr Klimt.
My father came to see me.
He wanted to talk to me about...
Well... you see he...
He wanted to...
He needs money?
Oh, no... no.
No, it's not about money he...
He would like the children to be brought up in the Jewish faith.
Fine, so long as he takes care of it.
- You're not shocked? - No, why?
- I thought you were a Catholic? - I'm nothing at all.
But if your father wants to amuse himself
by putting the fear of God into his grand children
and you're not against it, it's fine by me.
- What a relief. - A relief?
Well I... I wasn't sure how you would react.
Thank you Herr Klimt... a thousand, thousand thanks.
Gustl!
Gustav!
Gustl!
I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times.
Next time you will get more than a slap.
What's he done?
There is something wrong with that boy.
He prefers to play with a little chink.
- He knows he's forbidden to. - Why is it forbidden?
Herr Klimt.
I ask you a question.
Well, you know...
We don't know where they come from.
China?
You can be terribly cruel.
Sorry, but I'm going to have to disturb you.
Not now Midi, please.
You're angry, irritated, sad.
- I'm also late. - I have to talk to you.
- No, tomorrow. - You've seen the photographs?
You were followed by a photographer.
You can be seen quite clearly,
There's no doubt it's you sashaying through Vienna with a painting under your arm.
Dear old Gustl, stealing his own painting.
What?
Shit!
- I'll pay them back. - And what will you use for money?
- I've no idea. - Gustl, Gustl...
I don't give a shit about those critics...
And the Academics.
They can take their shitty little opinions and their shitty little theories...
.. and shove them up their shitty, little assholes...
Oh, my I've never seen little Gustl so angry.
I care about the people who buy my work.
And believe me, I promise you,
those people I'm going to reimburse.
Yes, I'm laughing.
Sorry Gustl.
I'm laughing because I know you really mean it. That's a joke.
You think it's a joke?
Little Gustl is used to getting his own way. That's what's so funny.
To tell you the truth Midi.
To tell you the truth I... I don't know what to do.
Your friends will clean up after your mess. They usually do.
Thank you, Midi.
...Gustl!
Kissing anywhere but on the lips is like smoking without inhaling.
I'll keep that in mind.
I have to work.
Don't worry, I'm going.
Ah, non!
Yes!
Where are you?
Or for that matter, who are you?
I was waiting outside.
Then I met pussy.
So I followed her in here by the back door.
Why aren't you in Paris?
Paris?
Paris is a long way away.
I note that you haven't asked for news of Mademoiselle Lea.
Oh, you mean the false Lea?
She's the one you're in love with.
Or am I wrong?
I wouldn't know.
Perhaps they're both false.
Both?
All three of them. Who can tell?
Duke Wollf Helenia, you know...
He's a Viennese to the tips of his manicured finger-nails.
He just adores imbroglios.
He adores to set the cat among the pigeons.
So...
So?
Why don't you go to her since she's waiting for you.
You said 'she', not 'they'.
I know, tricky isn't it?
Now you must excuse me.
Well, well, well look who's here.
I was expecting you.
Actually, it wasn't you I was expecting.
It was him.
Oh hello, hello.
Oh my poor friend.
I can see you're completely discombobulated.
You have my sympathy.
But come in. Come in.
Please, come in.
Bonsoir, Monsieur.
Bonsoir.
Where is Lea?
There is no one here...
I mean no one but me and you and your double.
Is there anything I can offer you?
Do make yourselves at home.
This is my home, you know? It's my studio.
I rent it out from time to time to the Duke or else to one of his acquaintances.
Or maybe I should say accomplices?
Where is Lea?
Sit down my friend, sit down. There are chairs for everyone.
Forgive me, I've a memory like a sieve.
Cheers, good health...
And I can't seem to remember anything at all about poor Lea.
Wait though.
I have what you might call mnemotechnical hands.
Why don't we interrogate them?
Now where have my scissors got to?
You're holding them, dear Melies.
Ah, yes so I am. Alright, let's see.
Light.
Lea.
It's Idiotic!
It's simply idiotic.
It could be that I am an imbecile...
Idiot means that you are self enclosed, a prisoner of yourself, of your 'sense data'.
And an imbecile is someone who has no sense...
What about him?
which can be expressed in less than three words...
- How can you say that? - I say it because it's true.
May I join you?
Ah, Schiele. It's you. Yes please.
They say you've found a new Chinese style.
Do you have a pencil?
I'll draw the first line and you draw the next and so on.
Who's winning?
No one.
Who's drawing is this, yours or mine?
Do you know what those young people say?
They say that you have to stand outside of history.
This history is a nightmare.
And that there's absolutely nothing else to be said about it.
And who are they?
I don't know. They sound like philosophers.
Except they say philosophy is rubbish.
Yes, of course.
News ladies and gentleman
News about the war.
News from the Front.
Schiele!
You're in here - outside is the reality!
Here it's coffee hous philosophy!
Nothing but frothy coffee!
Calm down.
What are you reading?
Dante.
And you find Dante helpful do you?
And what does that have to do with you?
Nothing. Nothing...
so very sorry to have...
As a matter of fact I do find it helpful.
I see, I see.
Here you are professor.
May I offer you something?
No, thank you, professor. I've had enough to drink this evening.
I'm not a professor, Herr Klimt.
I am nothing.
Virtually nothing.
Once upon a time I was actually doing what Klaus does now.
I knew I'd seen you before.
My name is Hugo...
Hugo Moritz.
To your very good health.
I have spent thirty years at this table listening to the drivel of these gentlemen.
What is beauty? What is ugliness? What is function?
Everything is beautiful everything is ugly
nothing is functional.
To your very good health, sir.
Police have only just left and they're at it again.
Really these gentlemen are seriously beginning to get on my nerves.
In my day I'd have had them slung out on their backsides by now.
Come, let's be off.
I think I'll go home.
Nonsense! Far too late to stay, far too early to go.
Come, I live just across the way.
Bring your glass.
As I say, it's a mere matter of crossing the street.
And please don't concern yourself about the bill,
it's all taken care of.
I have got a permanent tab here.
I trust the incense doesn't bother you.
My son simply can't live without it.
Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to get dressed.
Actually I think I should be on my way, but I can find...
Oh, no, no, no, no. I won't hear of it.
Too late Herr Klimt, too late.
Here is the little genius of the family.
Thomas is a great admirer of yours, Herr Klimt.
He's not wholly unlike you either.
For he too represents a certain evolution in the artistic process.
In just fifteen years
he has gone from writing music which was almost archaic...
To music of the utmost modernity.
Play us something, Thomas.
You see, what nowadays we'd call early music...
And now... Thomas!
That'll do.
Now it's starts to get really up to date.
And now total modernity.
In his most recent compositions, he has actually gone beyond modernity.
Beyond everything.
Thereby coming full circle.
That'll be all for this evening.
I love you.
I love you to death.
Come... come... come with me...
Come... I love you...
Over there.
Yes.
My name is Anna.
Alright.
Moritz, is he your husband?
Let's say he's my supplier.
I see.
Don't be too hard on him, the poor thing.
And do you do this every night?
Yes, every night.
We were meant to recreate your painting,
we weren't successful so he's not happy.
No.
Where did you disappear to? You scared me.
I'd forgotten I had a rendezvous with a lady.
Ah, there she is.
She wanted to come. Actually, so did I.
I wanted you to know.
Mizzi, how are you?
- You know we're a couple. - Congratulations.
See, I told you.
You are not angry?
No, why should I be angry?
What's the matter with her?
Nothing. She's always been like that.
There she is the mysterious lady.
- The professor's wife. - The professor's wife?
Thomas is the professor's wife!
Tubby little Mozart!
Then who is she?
A client.
There's a different one every evening.
You understand?
Yes.
- It's wonderful. - Isn't it.
We haven't yet got it right but we're almost there.
The main problem is finding the exact colouration
that will help us to detect the bacilli.
We'll get it eventually.
It really is very beautiful.
Oh, it's better than that. It's useful.
Thank you, Rolf.
Come back in whenever you want, I'm here every day.
Now...
There is something else...
...I'd like to show you.
Yes, please.
Herr Klimt.
Times are hard.
Oh yes...
...It really is me.
I was just thinking how long it's been since the last time we ran into each other.
Well we're all extremely busy at the moment.
Busy at the Ministry of Culture?
You do fuck all.
Well, there you're mistaken.
At the moment our task is prevent people from creating anything.
Which, believe me,
takes a great deal more energy than helping them create something.
But why am I telling you all this?
I no longer work for the Ministry of Culture. I work for the Ministry of Finance.
Taxes you see.
And I should warn you they're beginning to take an interest in you
Tell me just out of curiosity.
A painting, a portrait say, how long does it take you?
Are you checking on my finances?
Yes, I'm afraid I am - apologies.
- Right here. Right now? - Yes, again. Apologies, again.
Do you find it at all odd that we've known each other all these years
and I still don't know your name?
Let's keep it that way shall we for the moment?
Still working for the Duke?
The Duke?
Mademoiselle De Castro's benefactor.
Strange, saw him just the other day.
He asked me to pay him a visit.
Since his accident he doesn't get about as much as he used to.
To tell you the truth he doesn't really invite you, he summons you.
And what I discovered was that it's you he's after.
He asked me to have a word with you and...
I was going to say 'invite', summon you, to see him.
You won't even have to make an appointment.
He never gets anywhere these days. Here's his address.
Now you must excuse me.
Yes, yes, yes.
I've been watching you.
Is everything alright?
Yes, everything's fine.
You were talking to yourself.
No, no, no I was...
oh, remember me. paris Melies? I was you.
Herr Klimt, they are waiting for you.
Lea.
Lea, where are you?
Who are you?
You know it never ceases to amuse me...
...to see how easily people will fall into my little traps.
Traps that are after all scarcely what you would call Machiavellian.
Or should the word be Mephistophelean?
Or even Angelic.
Which I have to say would be my own word for it.
Whichever, here you are.
You have fallen headlong into my trap.
It's a really rather simple, little trap.
Especially for a man like you.
A 'ladies man', so they say...
If you knew how often I have been asked that embarrassing question..
And I'm even tempted to call it a stupid question.
Except that that would be extremely disobliging to you, would it not?
But from what I hear, you're a rather frank and forthright sort of fellow.
Doesn't suffer fools gladly, that sort of thing.
Which I have to say, is not at all my first impression of you.
And when might all of this have happened?
How old is Lea?
She's not old my friend, she's dead.
Murdered.
Murdered in her bed, where else?
I need a glass of water.
There were even those who said that I did it.
No one could prove a thing, of course.
I tell you, I wouldn't have minded ending my days in a prison cell.
It was you I was with a little while ago wasn't it?
I don't know.
I really do believe it was you I was with.
Why does it surprise you, my dear Herr Klimt...
that there should be so many different Leas?
Why do you keep wondering which is the real one?
You have doubles too, after all.
Are you the real Klimt?
Perhaps you're only the latest one.
That's it!
Bad news from the front!
Good gracious! Can it really be? Gustav Klimt?
Thank you.
No. no. There's no need to thank me.
I am honoured, Herr Klimt.
Really most honoured to be of assistance to you.
But I bet you don't remember me?
No
Herr No. That's me!
Of course! Herr Otto Messerschmitt von Ommit.
Exactly so, dear sir. Exactly so.
Herr No.
- Is there something I can do for you? - No.
Well, at least let's walk a little way together.
- Nothing broken, I trust? - No.
- Well, I'll see you home. - No.
- I bet you despise me. - No.
No, no, no, no, no. The correct answer is, yes.
They all despise me. And they always have.
But there's absolutely nothing I can do about it.
I simply can't resist saying no.
As a matter of fact my entire career has been built on this...
...natural tendency of mine to say, no.
To every question I am ever asked.
And it's true you voted against me for the School of Fine Arts?
That's right.
It was thanks to me you were never appointed professor.
And you voted 'no' on every jury of every competition I've ever entered?
Exactly so. Me and my notorious 'no'.
Nevertheless, you have to admit that without me and my 'nos'...
Vienna would be now be a graveyard of ugly monuments.
Ugly because they are beautiful.
For too much beauty in my view is far worse than too little.
No, we simply don't have the space for so much beauty.
The old would have to be endlessly demolished...
to make room for the new.
I proudly present Marco Polo.
My next song is dedicated to someone
who happens to be listening to us at this very moment!
To a great artist!
Goodbye my little guardsman...
Goodbye, may good fortune be with you...
It's all over.
All over?
Ave Maria...
Pray for us
Grieving Mother
- Flowers. - Pray for us
Pray for us from heaven...
Death is all around us.
How terrible.
Isn't it a shame about the weather, Gustav?
Yes, it is.
And I was planning a costume fitting for the fancy dress ball.
Look, I have found this.
Isn't it beautiful?
But because of the weather
they have decided to cancel the Primavesi masquerade ball.
Midi?
What time is it?
Late, I'm sure.
Poor Gustav, he doesn't know where he is. He's lost.
Yes, she's here. It's my surprise.
Lea is here...
- The real Lea. - I don't think we ever met...
Did we?
I don't know.
Poor Klimt,
he doesn't know where he is.
He's lost.
You are not going to kiss her?
She's come from far away to bid you 'adieu'.
There you are, at last.
- I'm so pleased to see you again. - And you.
It's so much nicer here, don't you agree?
I'm trying to find the way out.
It's that way.
Just turn left, then left again, keep turning left...
Left, left, left... and then hey presto, you're there.
Who are you?
My name is Sylvia. I am lost, just like you.
Do you like to get lost?
Just like you. Everyone's looking for me, just like you.
Come on, it's this way.
We've got to hide.
Were you talking to yourself?
No. I was talking to him.
To a corpse?
And what were you two talking about?
Flowers.
'Who art thou?' asked the guardian of the Night...
'From crystal purity I come' was my reply...
'And great my thirst Persephone...
Yet heeding thy decree I take to flight and turn...
and turn again forever right.
I spurn the pallid cypress tree.
Seek no refreshment at it's Sylvan spring...
But hasten on towards the rustling River of Mnemosyne.
Wherin I drink to sweet Satiety.
And there, dipping my palms between the knots and loopings of its mazy stream
I see again as in a drowning swimmers dream...
All the strange sights I ever saw...
And even stranger sights no man has ever seen.