What is that? - My elixir.
Your great-grandfather had one too and, just like him,
I've searched for it all my life.
Schnapps? Distilled for the occupier?
You know damn well we never sold any.
Weren't we good enough? You filthy whore!
And during the war, when George and Alfred were in the camps,
you had a relationship with a German.
She doesn't look a bit like you, George. - No, no.
You don't look like Daddy.
Sorry, Grandma.
The war is over, Helena!
We are free to come and go and do as we please.
I can't forget him.
It's as if he's here.
You love me. - We'll make the best of it.
Jesus! Reeckmans! What a surprise!
Go and pack your case.
I think that...
she's going to be George's assistant.
How will you do that? You need a distribution network in Wallonia.
Maybe Marchoul can help me. - D'you think that's a good idea?
Maybe not. But I haven't got a better one.
I cancelled all the orders.
Who stands at the window when the ice-cream man comes round? Marcel!
Stop!
No! Marcel!
Alessandra, are you ready to hear the truth?
I think I already know the truth.
George isn't my grandpa because he was in the camps with Alfred
when my mother was conceived.
So... my grandfather's name is Klaus.
But your grandma didn't have an affair with him.
He forced himself on her.
Raped her.
So my mother is the result of rape?
Right, remember your forehand! A nice, flowing movement.
Right. Here it comes. There.
Look at that! Perfect! It's out, but that doesn't matter.
Sorry. - That's OK. That's OK.
Now the other side. What's it called?
Run. Well done! Excellent! That was good.
That's enough.
No.
My wife thinks something's going on between us.
And? - And what?
What did you tell her? - The truth, that we're just friends.
But that's not true, we're more than just friends.
I love you.
And you love me too, I know you do. - Yes, but that's different.
It's not different. But you don't dare admit it to me.
You certainly don't dare admit it to yourself.
You're getting far too clever for me. - And I'm going to get even cleverer.
Cheers!
Are you coming to the genever museum? - Yes, of course.
They needn't think they can keep me in here.
It's your tasting, I have to be there.
Tell the doctors, tell the sterile sterilised sterilities.
I'll tell them.
But you have to be honest with regard to my flavour.
I'm always honest.
Oh, George.
We missed you. I thought you must've found something better elsewhere.
No, not at all, Françolse.
One can find everything one needs here, this is a very refined establishment.
Are they new?
You know very well that the merchandise is always fresh here!
Do you like them? - Very much. Especially the redhead.
Juliette, take care of George. - Thank you.
Good morning.
You stink! - Mum!
Martine, Louise, go to work.
I haven't finished yet. - Now!
Is something the matter?
Yes, something is. You disgust me.
You know how it goes. I had a meeting... - Be quiet.
I know all about it. - Do you? Then you know more than I do.
Don't be so arrogant. - I'm not being arrogant.
Aren't you? So what is being particularly witless
and parking outside a brothel when you're supposedly at a customer's?
I'd call that the height of arrogance.
I don't know what you're on about. - I do, and that's more than enough.
Or do you think I'm deaf, dumb and blind?
Maybe I was visiting a customer. - Shut your mouth!
And even if you were to think that I'm deaf, dumb and blind,
you should know that I've got a nose, George.
And I can smell the cheap cigars you smoked last night
and I can smell the cheap perfume of those cheap sluts.
Because 4711 is and always will be a cheap, common scent.
Oh, you're not going to deny it?
A man looks elsewhere for what he can't find at home.
You've got your Louise. That should be enough.
And you can stop turning Martine against me.
You're wrong about Louise. And I'm not turning Martine against you.
She's going to conquer Wallonia with me and Louise.
Martine is my daughter. And she works for me. Wallonia won't come to anything.
I'll prove to you that Wallonia... - No.
Did your talk go well?
Have you forwarded the shipments? - Yes, I'm on to it.
I want to know if the talk went well. - No.
Do you love him? - Has Accounts seen the account books?
The books have just come back from Accounts. I asked whether you love him.
And me.
Do you love me?
Mum?
What have I ever done to you? - Nothing. Not you.
Ask Accounts to check the account books. That's not right.
Mum is far tooold-fashioned.
At least Dad has new ideas. Mum is afraid of everything that's new.
Yes, but she doesn't have an easy time of it with George.
What do you mean? Dad isn't difficult.
No, d'you know what the problem is? Something inside her is broken.
I don't think it can be mended.
Do you know what it is?
Pardon? - Do you know what is broken?
I think you've peeled enough potatoes.
I'm really pleased that you have finally taken the first step, George.
We had our problems in the past
but I think we're old enough now to do business with each other.
Yes, you're right.
And anyway, your idea to distribute cheap genever is excellent.
But it's too simple. I've got a better idea.
I've got a very good friend in Flemalle and he wants to come in with us.
What are we going to do?
We'll give him 5,ooo De Keyser labels. He'll stick them on his bottles,
he'll fill the bottles and we'll sell them cheaply.
What d'you reckon? - Why not Marchoul labels?
Honestly, Reeckmans! Marchoul is far too well known in Wallonia.
We can't afford to sell below the normal price. People would be suspicious.
What will you put in the bottles? - That's not important, Reeckmans.
Genever is like aspirins. It's there to sell, not to swallow.
One moment.
Goon, faster, faster. Faster, damn you, faster.
Goon, faster. Goon, goon. Faster, faster, faster!
Dammit! I don't believe it! Sod it!
Bloody race!
Useless bloody waste of time. Right...
Sorry.
Where were we? Oh yes.
So there is 5o,ooo francs in it for you. Does that sound OK?
We'll give it a try and if it works, we'll do another 5,ooo bottles.
What if Helena finds out? - Helena isn't interested in Wallonia.
Everyone knows that. Helena won't find out.
If you like, we can go and see my friend in Flemalle tomorrow.
For old times' sake. - What?
I'll pick you up first thing tomorrow morning from your hotel. OK?
It's not small amounts, it's large amounts.
Substantial amounts.
I don't understand why my accountants didn't spot it.
That is the reason why external auditors like Teugels & Son exist.
We use double-entry bookkeeping. That way all irregularities show up.
Right, Mrs De Keyser,
it is clear that larger and larger sums of money have disappeared
but if it happens gradually it usually takes a while before anyone notices.
Do you have any idea who could have their hands in the till?
Yes, I do have an idea.
Off to bed already, Reeckmans?
It's late. - No.
It's early.
You were going to pick me up tomorrow. - It is tomorrow.
I'm tired. - That's cos you don't sleep at night.
In business you should be awake during the day. The others are.
Understand? - Yes, I understand.
Come on then. You can sleep off your hangover in the car.
Jesus, Marchoul, how on earth can you listen to such rubbish?
It's not rubbish, it's pop music.
Let's find another station. One where you can hear some jazz.
There. At least that's got rhythm. - The Flemish are unbelievable!
During the war they toady up to the Germans.
And now they are sucking up to the Americans.
You don't know what you're on about. - I know exactly what I'm on about.
Hi.
What have we come here for? - To have a drink. And do business.
Look who's there! - How are you?
The number one businessman in Flanders and Wallonia.
How are you? - Be quiet, you!
You old scoundrel!
Hello.
George Reeckmans. - Oh yes, George Reeckmans, yes.
I've heard a lot about you.
That's Nicky.
My secretary.
The first part of the distillation process, the first runnings,
is polsonous. So we have to ensure it is separated
and doesn't end up in the food chain.
It gives you a headache. At least, it does me.
And the last part of the distillation process, the tail.
We also have to make sure that is separated too.
As you know, in fact.
We're going to make sure that people drink a bit more
and, above all, drink a bit more of our products.
Do you think the competition will allow that to happen?
They'll have to, we'll sell it at half price.
How? - We'll come to an arrangement.
With the wholesalers, with the cafè owners. One by one.
What do you mean? - We'll make them an offer.
They'll get a good cut. If they're not interested, too bad.
That's a great idea. - It's not a great idea, it's life.
Homo hom¡n¡lupus.
Do you know what that means? - I don't speak Flemish.
It's not Flemish, pumpkin, it's Latin. It means that man is a wolf to man.
If we don't devour our competitors, they'll devour us.
OK, OK, I understand. But d'you think that is legal?
George...
If they try to put us in prison for it, we'll say it was his idea.
And d'you know what's funny? It was his idea!
What exactly is his idea? How come the price is so low?
Methanol. - But that's polsonous!
We can't supply good quality stuff for that price, George!
You're mad. Methanol is lethal. - That's an exaggeration.
We'll add some water, get the amounts right.
You just don't have to drink too much of it.
I don't like it.
I'm telling you it's illegal. - Illegal, illegal.
Pissing against the church wall is illegal but people do it every Sunday.
Then there is the De Keyser name and that of Marchoul & Son.
They mean quality. They're proof of quality.
You will be rich. Very, very rich. Isn't that what you've always wanted?
To have your own money. Not your wife's money.
Goon, George, goon. - Goon.
You're not going to pass up the chance of a lifetime?
No, I'm going to say yes.
Right.
A flavour should be able to speak for itself.
So maybe I should keep quiet.
But I'd like you to know I'm anxious to hear what you think of it.
There is a lot of myself in this flavour.
And if you know me at all,
maybe you will be able to guess which herbs I have added.
Bloody hell, Marchoul. When I said I wanted to earn some money,
you never said we had to drive the van too.
We're just starting, Reeckmans.
We have to forge contacts with the customers. Gain their trust.
Later we'll have others to do it. Right, let's get to work. And smile.
Come on, George, come on. - I'm coming!
Here, take this.
Hold on, hold on. - What?
There.
Come on then.
Jesus! If I'd known this! - If you'd known what?
That I'd have to do this. - What would you've done if you had?
I wouldn't have come. - Well, you're here now. Come on!
Hi, Andrè. It's us.
Congratulations!
Can I try it too? - Yes. Smell it first.
Congratulations!
Look, Reeckmans. We had eight customers.
Not bad, eh?
There aren't many sectors where you can make so much profit.
The idea seems simple, but it's brilliant, eh?
Fake genever in genuine bottles.
That's 99.9% profit.
There aren't many sectors where you make 99.9% profit.
And d'you know the best thing? We won't be paying excise duty.
It's all for us.
What's the matter? Are you sulking?
Don't you think we made enough profit?
Money is great, but there are other things in life.
Are there? What? - Taste, Marchoul.
Taste.
SORRY, I'LL BE A BIT LATE. MUM.
Sorry. I don't know anything about it, but it tastes wonderful.
Really? - Yes, there's something...
mysterious about it. I don't know.
Oh no, where's the emergency exit?
Mario, this really isn't a good time. - I've come to apologise.
Hit me back. Wherever you like. As hard as you like.
Now's not the right time, Mario. - No, it's OK.
Let's forget it. - No, no. Goon. Here. Hit me.
No. It's OK. - No, it's not OK.
At least tap me or something. - This isn't the place, Mario.
This is a tasting session. Leave it.
Can we go into the room next door then? - No.
Don't be so feeble! This is getting embarrassing, don't you think?
I won't hit you back, OK? - I'll tell you what.
Go into the room next door and hit him. Then it's over and done with.
I've been looking forward to this tasting for a long time, don't spoll it!
Well?
It's not bad. But, above all, it's not good.
You've got talent, Alessandra. But this is far from perfect.
I told you I hadn't got very far.
You certainly haven't got as far as I thought.
There's something missing.
Something essential.
What? - Something of yourself.
What I taste here isn't an honest flavour, Alessandra.
When are you going to tell Ruben you're carrying Mario's child?
When are you going to tell Mum you were carrying Klaus's child?
Hello. - Hello, Customs and Excise.
Inspectors Blerot and Demolder,
Namur and Hainaut section, Alcohol Inspection Division.
So we work in the same sector. - Don't try to be clever.
Can we see the permit for your merchandise, please?
The permit. George, the papers. The papers, George.
He's left them at the office. - He's left them at the office!
D'you take us for idiots? You haven't got a permit.
We've been following you since this morning. We've got photos, witnesses...
And soon we'll have the results of the analysis of the contents of the bottles.
We've all done well today. Maybe we can settle this amicably.
Hey, Blerot, add a corruption attempt to the file for that gentleman.
Jesus.
What'll happen now, Inspector? - That's very simple, sir.
We'll make a note of your identity.
Then we will confiscate your vehicle together with the merchandise.
Then we will start an investigation and you will be asked to explain.
And after that? - After that, sir,
it'll be up to the judge to decide, not us.
But you can be sure you will certainly get a hefty fine.
The keys to the vehicle, sir, please.
Give the keys to the vehicle and your ID papers to my colleague, please.
And your identity cards too.
Hit me.
Goon, hit me.
Come on, man. Hit me! Come on, hit me then!
Honestly! - You with your big mouth.
Well, pal? Where's your big mouth now? Eh?
Come here. Hit me. Hit me. Here. Goon.
Goon, hit me! Hit me, hit me then! - I'm off.
Jerk!
Can you take me home, Alessandra? I'm feeling rather tired.
Where's Ruben?
I know nothing, I'm from Barcelona. - Mario!
He's left. He was scared.
The future father of my child was scared.
Who says it's your child?
I'm a lawyer, Alessandra, I know my rights. That child is mine!
You said so yourself.
So? - So?
If you deny it, I'll make you carry out a DNA test after it's born.
And then I'll go to court to demand my rights.
And then I'll automatically become your child's father.
Alessandra? - Not now, Martine!
Mum? - Not now, Martine!
Alessandra... you were right.
I'll talk to Martine. I'm sorry.
OK.
I'll drop you off at home and I'll talk to Ruben.
Dammit!
What do you want from her, Mario? Do you want her back?
No. I'm over her. But I demand my rights as far as my child is concerned.
She'll come round. - I doubt it.
She's as stubborn as your mother.
Have you spoken to her about her will? - I've already told you.
De Keysers believe in honesty, eh? - She's just out of hospital.
She's very ill and should be in bed. - Exactly. The same stupid stubbornness.
A body riddled with cancer but still walking around. What?
Shall I be honest about something else? - Yes. Goon then.
I'm attracted to you. - Mario, that stinks. Sorry.
It's making me feel ill. Sorry, sorry.
I'm far tooold for you. - Tooold?
No. I think you're scared I'm too young for you.
Too young? No, no. I lived in Sicily for years.
With Beppe, Alessandra's father.
No, no. I've had my fill of Italian guys.
I'm fed up with Italians.
Stop beating about the bush.
Say what it is you want to say.
Your father, my dear friend, always got straight to the polnt.
Well, Public Prosecutor,
I wanted to help out a friend who I thought was someone I could trust.
And I didn't know his papers and everything weren't in order
when we were stopped by Customs and Excise.
It's very serious, Marchoul. The law is the law.
I'm here to enforce it. You cannot ask me not to do that.
No, no, that's not what I wanted to ask you.
The only thing is, it involves genever from De Keyser from Hasselt.
It's George Reeckmans, De Keyser's son-in-law, who I helped.
I lent him one of our vans, I helped him unload, that's all.
All I'm asking you... - I'd like to know.
...is for a second chance. Do it for my father.
You should have thought of this before.
Marchoul & Son has an excellent reputation in the region...
I'll see what I can do.
But whatever the case, the fine will be a heavy one
and I won't be able to do anything about that.
If that's how it is, so be it. - That's how it is.
One more small detail. Everything was taken off us, all our stuff,
including a van belonging to Marchoul & Son.
I would like to get it back. - I'll see what I can do.
Goodbye, my friend. - Thank you, sir.
Here. With mayonnaise for you. - Yum-yum!
What? What's the matter?
Are you OK? - No.
Shall I take you to a doctor? - No. To a police station.
Gentlemen. What's going on? - Mrs De Keyser?
Your installations are being sealed in execution of a writ.
What exactly is this about?
We only seal installations in very serious cases.
So this must be a very serious case.
I don't understand. We've been producing the purest of products for years.
I'd like to see these analyses. - We will see them eventually.
Your husband, George De Keyser... - Reeckmans.
...has committed a number of serious offences.
Involving tax infringements and endangering public health.
I know his dealings are sometimes dodgy.
But I let him get on with it because I'd rather he stayed away from here.
Are you aware of what he's been dolng? - No, no. Not at all.
What exactly has he done?
I'm entitled to know. My distillery has been sealed.
We are bound by professional confidentiality.
All we can do is ask you some questions. - Ask them then.
OK.
Were you... Just answer yes or no.
Were you aware of your husband's activities or not?
I already told you. No.
I thought it was more like just a bit of mischief.
A bit of mischief rarely endangers people's lives.
What do you mean? Did he tamper with the merchandise?
You could say that.
What is this about? - Filth.
Methyl alcohol.
How come you left so quickly? You could have waited for me.
Yes, I know we're crazy, Ruben. It's because we're De Keysers.
Look. There's something I should tell you
and should have told you before. It's very important. Ruben, I'm...
Nothing. Forget it.
THIRD DEATH DUE TO METHYL ALCOHOL PolSONING
GEORGE REECKMANS FROM DE KEYSER DISTILLERY ARRESTED
Two boxes of matches. A packet of cigarettes.
A wallet plus contents.
A wristwatch. A bunch of keys. And... a wedding ring.
Come on.
Louise? - Yes?
I'll keep it brief. I have something to tell you.
Do I have to leave? - That's what it bolls down to.
The factory is sealed, there's no work for you.
And I can't stand you being here any more, you remind me too much of George.
I'll leave. But I have never done anything wrong.
Take this trumpet with you. George will be glad of it where he is.
Excuse me.
Hi.
You look a bit dazed. Is something up? - No.
Yes.
All kinds of stuff.
What did you have to tell me that was so important?
Nothing. I'll tell you another time.
I phoned the Army Museum's archives. They're not open to the public.
But they claim they've got the personal files of prisoners-of-war.
We'll go along tomorrow. - We'll never get in.
From now on I'm not going to let anyone or anything stop me.
Have you ever?
I don't care what they do in Liège, Reeckmans, we're not in Liège.
Here we do what we have to do. And that is put you in prison.
After what has happened, three cases of fatal methyl alcohol polsoning.
And all three just happen to be in the area you visited so extensively.
Help me a minute. Here. No, higher.
That's not what you'd call just a bit of dodgy dealing. Thanks.
It's murder! And you're going to be locked up for that for a long time.
A very long time, if I have a say in it. - They set me up.
I haven't got anything to do with it.
I was just the driver. That's all.
Come on, Reeckmans. Do you actually believe that?
You've been seen in and around Liège for some time.
Cafès, casinos, bars, brothels, they know you everywhere!
And you've delivered your filthy muck everywhere, with De Keyser labels on it.
Marchoul's filthy muck.
I advise you to cooperate with the investigation.
Charges against Marchoul have been dismissed in Liège.
I've got nothing to say.
That doesn't matter. We already know everything.
Improper use of the name of the De Keyser distillery,
diluting genever products with methanol,
endangering public health,
resulting, in three cases, in death.
We therefore maintain that the accused, Reeckmans, committed a crime
and must be held responsible for the death of the three victims.
As Public Prosecutor, I demand the application of criminal law
and that the accused be sentenced
to minimum twelve years in prison.
Illegal trade practices, systematic evasion of excise duty.
Systematic non-payment of tax.
Improper use of equipment belonging to the distillery.
Improper use of the De Keyser name. Diluting genever products with methanol.
Endangering public health resulting, in three cases, in death.
I don't understand. My father isn't like that. He's careful.
You don't understand? Three people are dead.
Not quite careful enough, eh Martine?
Right. I'm going to look you straight in the eye.
I doubt whether our bank can continue to support your company.
What are you going to do? Close the factory?
No, Martine. Mr van Opstal isn't going to close the factory.
We'll increase the capital. And that will be financed by his bank.
Pardon?
We'll move the factory to a new location.
And we'll keep the cost down by renting an existing plant.
Something that makes a good impression, something hygienic.
And we'll turn it into a modern company.
But, most importantly, we'll also change the name.
De Keyser will disappear and become DKD. De Keyser Drinks.
Welcome to the twentieth century.
That'll cost millions. Who's going to pay?
You, Mr van Opstal. - Pardon?
I'm well aware that your bank has invested a lot of money in this company.
But if you don't do anything then it will all be lost.
You invest.
And we'll turn it into a healthy business again, Mr van Opstal.
That can go in the first room. OK.
Hi, beautiful. Where should I put this? - Pardon?
Where should I put this D? - No. What did you say before that?
Hi? - No, after that.
Oh! Beautiful. - I'm not your beautiful.
The D goes on the roof. It's one of the letters from DKD.
And I'll give you a hint. It's not the middle one.
Feisty!
Hey, beautiful. How about coming to the cinema with me this evening?
What? Just like that? - Yes. Why not?
Bye!
Goon past. - One moment. Thank you.
The management, the members of the government, the governor, the mayor...
All corpses. All dead.
Suffocated. Thousands of metres below ground,
all suffocated by the toxic fumes of capitalism.
My dad is buried there. Somewhere in the mines of Marcinelle.
They never found his body. Never.
And now the mine is being closed.
They are closing my father's grave.
Now and then, when I... throw coal into the stove...
and I see the coal... then I think...
bye, Dad.
Goodbye, Father. - Oh, that's terrible.
That's awful, Beppe.
You beautiful girl.
My beautiful girl.
You shouldn't believe everything that people say.
My dad's got a pizzeria in Bouillon. - Oh, you bastard!
Playing with my emotions like that! - Hey, I'm Italian!
Beautiful.
Come on, Mario, come on.
Mario. Sorry, baby. - Don't answer it.
Yes, yes. I've got to, Mario.
Easy, baby. Easy.
Mum. Yes, Mum, yes.
No, no, no. Everything's fine, Mum.
Yes. OK, Mum. I'm coming.
Sorry. - Can't it wait?
No, she says it's really urgent. - Urgent? Maybe she wants to sell.
Maybe she does, baby. But it's not necessary any more.
DKD isn't going to be sold, baby. - What?
Love me.
Stay here.
Hi, Dad.
Does your mother know about this?
How's she taking it?
Is it true you have to stay in here for twelve years?
Yes. But I shouldn't be the only one in here.
That bastard Marchoul and his chum took me for a ride!
Are you a murderer?
I'm an idiot.
I got involved in a shady deal and it went wrong.
Those people are dead, Dad.
Yes.
If only I could turn the clock back a month.
Do you believe me?
A bit. - It doesn't matter. You're my dad.
You won't want any. - I will.
No, leave it alone. Martine!
Was that necessary, by the canal?
What canal? - What canal? Martine!
The whole of Hasselt saw you half-naked on top of that Sicilian!
So? - So? So? Ever heard of discretion?
Did you have to, in public? - D'you want me to do it in secret?
What can I smell? - Stew. With beer and brown bread.
No, it's not ready yet, Mum!
You haven't put mustard...? - Mustard in it, yes!
I went to see Dad.
Who gave you permission to do that?
I'm old enough and wise enough to go and see my father without your permission.
How is he? - Not good.
He's falling apart.
And he says he didn't do it.
No, he didn't do it.
George has never done it.
Where are we going? - To the old oak.
Why are we here?
The end of my life... isn't far off. - Don't say that.
I don't want you to say that.
My body's telling me two to four weeks.
And I reckon that's about right.
I feel nothing but pain, Martine. I'd love not to feel anything any more.
Haven't they given you any pills? - Painkillers?
Yes, of course. But they can't relieve the pain I feel.
Do you want to die?
Maybe I'm already dead. Yes, I want to die.
I'm not ready for you to die, Mum. I need you.
Alessandra and I need you. - I don't believe that, Martine.
Man is a solitary being.
Man comes into the world alone and departs the world alone.
And in between, Mum? There is something in between.
I missed that bit then.
You've had a good life. - A life full of lies.
Do you know what made me ill, Martine? - No.
I'm ill because here, inside me,
there are so many terrible things, so many secrets.
And they make me ill, every day.
Every morning when I get up and every evening when I go to bed.
And every time I look in the mirror.
And every time I see you, Martine.
And every time I hear George's name.
I know what you're going to say.
George wasn't your father. - Did he know?
He was the love of your life once, wasn't he?
Alfred Lenaerts was the love of my life and George took him away from me.
That's not true. George didn't do that. He didn't do it.
Martine, I...
I don't know any more. I don't know anything any more.
So who is my... real father?
Klaus. A German officer who was living with us at the time.
Klaus.
Did you have an affair with him? - He forced himself on me.
Twice.
Is he still alive? Did you see him again?
I shot him. Killed him. At the time.
Mum! - Hmmm, Martine...