Capitaine Marleau #35, "Le secret d'Alba" (Alba's Secret), runtime 1:44:19 Subtitles download link
In this episode Marleau is in the Montpellier area investigating a murder connected to the Bernac glove factory, a family business presided over by the matriarch, Countess Alba de Bernac. The factory is struggling and Eloi, a new partner with money, has been lined up. But he is a Solana, a family from a modest background, with whom Alba has long been at odds. |
| Masiero with Philippe Bas |
Soon he turns up dead. Class warfare and grudges left over from the 17th century Protestant-Catholic schism are both in the equation. The suspects: Anselme, Countess Alba's estate manager; Linda the shop steward; Bernard Sire, the Solana son-in-law; Jeanne the pastor ('shepherdess'); the Countess herself.
Catherine Hiegel-not-Heigl plays Alba, and Philippe Bas (Profilage) plays her son Martin.
NOTES
There are no towns in France named Marlot (0'07 ").
Catherine Hiegel is probably best known stateside for her role as Dany in the film French Twist (1995).
Schist (5'25") is the name for a type of rock, often mixed with cement and used in construction.
Ch'ti (7'14") is a Romance language spoken in the northern Calais-Lille region, it is also called Picard. Marleau is militantly pro-Ch'ti.
'Nino Hagen' (8'26") is a reference to everyone's 1970s-80s punk godmother Nina Hagen.
Aurillac (8'37") is a city of 25,000 is south-central France and about 100 miles northwest of Montpellier.
I'm leaving the translation of pastourelle (11'54") as 'Shepherdess' because it's secty-er, and Jeanne is very sect-y.
Besides 'police station' and 'gendarmerie,' Maréhaussee (12'46") has several definitions to choose from for humor: constabulary, mounted police, and Johnny Law.
Le rabbi fait pas le Jacob, 'the rabbit doesn't act like Jacob' (14'22"), refers to a 1973 cult comedy film, The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob . In it, a bigoted rich man is forced by circumstances to pretend to be a rabbi.
The punk-pop group Fatals Picards (14'49") were France's entry in 2007 Eurovision.
Calling the punk busker 'Nono Future' (15'12") is a mash-up of 1) the Sex Pistol's chorus 'no future' and 2), nono, meaning 'knucklehead.'
Biloute (16'38") literally means 'cock,' but translates to 'mate'-- which is too English for me (so much so that 'old cock' is British slang for 'mate'), so I've put 'bud.'
Saint Sarah (18'13") refers to Sara-la-Kali, an Egyptian and early Christian who is patron saint of the Romani. However, the Catholic Church does not consider her an official saint.Traditionally, Sarah was the maid to one of the three Marys at Jesus' tomb. The Church of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer near Arles is where Sarah and the Marys are honored by pilgrims.
Cesare Pavese (19'52") was a writer and critic, regarded as one of the most influential Italian writers.
Marleau is showing off her English, and then the only thing she has left is a U2 song (23'32").
Marleau says en robe plus, 'in a dress' (24'56") like she's throwing a tarp over the whole room. She's making a blanket declaration that the room is sealed.
Barbie Girl (25'00") was a 1997 single by Aqua.
Marleau interrupts Paulin doing some tai chi, she says Tai chi dur, tai chi mou, mais tai chi dans trou, 'Tai chi hard, tai chi soft, but tai chi in the hole' (27'08"). This is another of her horrible puns, substituting tai chi for chie ('shit') in the old saying 'Shit hard, shit soft, but shit in the hole.'
Triplets of Belleville (29'38") is a reference to the eponymous 2003 animated film.
'Le du Manoir' (30'05") must refer to a tournament held at the Yves-du-Manoir stadium in Colombes. It was built for the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Tutute (30'11") is the word for 'pacifier,' I've put 'Yay team' to fit the context. I guess it could describe sucking down some beers.
Marleau fake-mocks the kids practicing rugby, 'If you won't pass the ball,' bah, aussi on va await la acater, Babache (30'18"), 'well then we'll wait for the purchase, dummy!' which I take to mean trading for another player.
Again just a standard ringtone (32'33") for Marleau instead of La Marseillaise .
Linda de Suza, 1948-2022, (33'15") was a fado and pop singer who sang in both her native Portuguese as well as French.
34'04": The writers miss an obvious opportunity for a 'if it doesn't fit, you must acquit' joke.
Verbaudet (36'26") is a French manufacturer of infant and children's clothing. Marleau is referring to a 2½-month strike in 2023 by the all-female workforce at the factory in the Lille area.
Paulin says Les nuits sont port, ' Nights are wearing' (37'59"). I assume he means the night shift, although that is usually quart-, equipe-, or service de nuit.
The back-and-forth of Marleau's chat with Paulin (38'02") is fast and overlapping, so I've made the subtitles here side-by-side.
'I must tell you, madame, that among those people' ( 39'56") references the Jacques Brel song Those People. The narrator is gossiping about a certain family, sings that line, and then says:
'Bad luck' is one of the least common definitions of manque de peau (41'35"). You can imagine what skin has to do with a person's fortunes.
I've never heard this contraction before: garde à vue, 'custody ,' shortened to garde av' (42'01")
Quiche (45'52") in this case means 'fool.'
Marleau remarks that the biker wearing the yellow vest is either "aware of danger or is politically aware" (49'38"). This refers to the 2018-2020 'yellow vest' weekly protests in France, which started over high gas prices, high cost of living, and economic inequality. Drivers in France are required to carry a high-visibility yellow vest, so it becomes an apt uniform for the protesters
An incestuous family is called tuyao de poele, 'stove pipe' (53'45"), because stove pipes are assembled by fitting them together.
A piece repartée , a patch or insert (54'27"), is slang for an in-law.
John Calvin (56'23") was a Reformation theologian who was a big believer that we'd burn in hell because of original sin, therefore it was incumbent on us to study scripture. Calvin was French, I never knew that.
The Saint-Barthélemy "revival" (56'52") almost certainly refers to the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572) which targeted the Huguenots, and not to the French island in the Caribbean.
The relevant passage from the Sermon on The Mount (57'11") is, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be fulfilled.
'49.3' (57'27"), and Marleau's protest slogan/greeting '49.3 today, 49.3 always!' (65'26"), refer to Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, which allows the Prime Minister to pass a law in the Assembly without a vote. But the Assembly can block it with a vote of no confidence in the government, meaning a new government must be formed. So 49.3 is a powerful weapon.
Catherine Hiegel-not-Heigl plays Alba, and Philippe Bas (Profilage) plays her son Martin.
NOTES
There are no towns in France named Marlot (0'07 ").
Catherine Hiegel is probably best known stateside for her role as Dany in the film French Twist (1995).
Schist (5'25") is the name for a type of rock, often mixed with cement and used in construction.
Ch'ti (7'14") is a Romance language spoken in the northern Calais-Lille region, it is also called Picard. Marleau is militantly pro-Ch'ti.
'Nino Hagen' (8'26") is a reference to everyone's 1970s-80s punk godmother Nina Hagen.
Aurillac (8'37") is a city of 25,000 is south-central France and about 100 miles northwest of Montpellier.
I'm leaving the translation of pastourelle (11'54") as 'Shepherdess' because it's secty-er, and Jeanne is very sect-y.
Besides 'police station' and 'gendarmerie,' Maréhaussee (12'46") has several definitions to choose from for humor: constabulary, mounted police, and Johnny Law.
Le rabbi fait pas le Jacob, 'the rabbit doesn't act like Jacob' (14'22"), refers to a 1973 cult comedy film, The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob . In it, a bigoted rich man is forced by circumstances to pretend to be a rabbi.
The punk-pop group Fatals Picards (14'49") were France's entry in 2007 Eurovision.
Calling the punk busker 'Nono Future' (15'12") is a mash-up of 1) the Sex Pistol's chorus 'no future' and 2), nono, meaning 'knucklehead.'
Biloute (16'38") literally means 'cock,' but translates to 'mate'-- which is too English for me (so much so that 'old cock' is British slang for 'mate'), so I've put 'bud.'
Saint Sarah (18'13") refers to Sara-la-Kali, an Egyptian and early Christian who is patron saint of the Romani. However, the Catholic Church does not consider her an official saint.Traditionally, Sarah was the maid to one of the three Marys at Jesus' tomb. The Church of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer near Arles is where Sarah and the Marys are honored by pilgrims.
Cesare Pavese (19'52") was a writer and critic, regarded as one of the most influential Italian writers.
Marleau is showing off her English, and then the only thing she has left is a U2 song (23'32").
Marleau says en robe plus, 'in a dress' (24'56") like she's throwing a tarp over the whole room. She's making a blanket declaration that the room is sealed.
Barbie Girl (25'00") was a 1997 single by Aqua.
Marleau interrupts Paulin doing some tai chi, she says Tai chi dur, tai chi mou, mais tai chi dans trou, 'Tai chi hard, tai chi soft, but tai chi in the hole' (27'08"). This is another of her horrible puns, substituting tai chi for chie ('shit') in the old saying 'Shit hard, shit soft, but shit in the hole.'
Triplets of Belleville (29'38") is a reference to the eponymous 2003 animated film.
'Le du Manoir' (30'05") must refer to a tournament held at the Yves-du-Manoir stadium in Colombes. It was built for the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Tutute (30'11") is the word for 'pacifier,' I've put 'Yay team' to fit the context. I guess it could describe sucking down some beers.
Marleau fake-mocks the kids practicing rugby, 'If you won't pass the ball,' bah, aussi on va await la acater, Babache (30'18"), 'well then we'll wait for the purchase, dummy!' which I take to mean trading for another player.
Again just a standard ringtone (32'33") for Marleau instead of La Marseillaise .
Linda de Suza, 1948-2022, (33'15") was a fado and pop singer who sang in both her native Portuguese as well as French.
34'04": The writers miss an obvious opportunity for a 'if it doesn't fit, you must acquit' joke.
Verbaudet (36'26") is a French manufacturer of infant and children's clothing. Marleau is referring to a 2½-month strike in 2023 by the all-female workforce at the factory in the Lille area.
Paulin says Les nuits sont port, ' Nights are wearing' (37'59"). I assume he means the night shift, although that is usually quart-, equipe-, or service de nuit.
The back-and-forth of Marleau's chat with Paulin (38'02") is fast and overlapping, so I've made the subtitles here side-by-side.
'I must tell you, madame, that among those people' ( 39'56") references the Jacques Brel song Those People. The narrator is gossiping about a certain family, sings that line, and then says:
I must tell you, Sir,
that among these people,
we don't think, sir,
we don't think,
we pray.
'Bad luck' is one of the least common definitions of manque de peau (41'35"). You can imagine what skin has to do with a person's fortunes.
I've never heard this contraction before: garde à vue, 'custody ,' shortened to garde av' (42'01")
Quiche (45'52") in this case means 'fool.'
Marleau remarks that the biker wearing the yellow vest is either "aware of danger or is politically aware" (49'38"). This refers to the 2018-2020 'yellow vest' weekly protests in France, which started over high gas prices, high cost of living, and economic inequality. Drivers in France are required to carry a high-visibility yellow vest, so it becomes an apt uniform for the protesters
An incestuous family is called tuyao de poele, 'stove pipe' (53'45"), because stove pipes are assembled by fitting them together.
A piece repartée , a patch or insert (54'27"), is slang for an in-law.
John Calvin (56'23") was a Reformation theologian who was a big believer that we'd burn in hell because of original sin, therefore it was incumbent on us to study scripture. Calvin was French, I never knew that.
The Saint-Barthélemy "revival" (56'52") almost certainly refers to the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572) which targeted the Huguenots, and not to the French island in the Caribbean.
The relevant passage from the Sermon on The Mount (57'11") is, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be fulfilled.
'49.3' (57'27"), and Marleau's protest slogan/greeting '49.3 today, 49.3 always!' (65'26"), refer to Article 49.3 of the French Constitution, which allows the Prime Minister to pass a law in the Assembly without a vote. But the Assembly can block it with a vote of no confidence in the government, meaning a new government must be formed. So 49.3 is a powerful weapon.
André Leploge (58'07") appears to be a made up person.
Chapka rouge (61'10") means red hat, I don't know what she means, it doesn't seem to be a rugby term.
In Ben-Hur (65'05"), Messala was Ben-Hur's best friend as children, but who ended up responsible for sending Ben-Hur to prison.
Bande donneurs (65'23") is an odd one. Donneur is 'donor,' but in this case it means 'idiot,' and bande donneurs is 'bunch of idiots.' She also greets her comrades this way in the episode "Clear Darkness/Claire's Dark Side," although there I translated it as 'stupid bastards.'
La banane , 'banana' (81'42"), means 'very happy' or in a good mood-- presumably because a banana is curved like a smile.
'Three knocks are struck' (83'29") refers to the French theater tradition of using a stick called a brigadier to rap on the stage three times before the curtain rises, as Marleau describes.
Les petits cornes? Les boules, eh? (84'35") is unfamiliar idiom, 'little horns' and 'the balls.' Les boules can mean 'angry,' so given the context 'little horns' may mean getting angry like a bull, her horns are coming out.
C'est l'hôpital qui s'fout de la charité, (86'45"), means 'the pot calling the kettle black,' or 'You're in no position to talk.'
'Dagobert putting his pants on backwards' (89'23") refers to Good King Dagobert, a nursery rhyme. You could safely write anti-monarchist ideas if the monarch lived long ago, which the rhyme did, with Dagobert standing in for Louis XVI, who was king when it was written in the late 1700s. Its presence in this episode is appropriate because Saint Eloi figures prominently, although the king's sexual proclivities are not addressed. Today, Good King Dagobert is one of the basic nursery rhymes in France, and is used to remind kids not to put their pants on backward.
In Ben-Hur (65'05"), Messala was Ben-Hur's best friend as children, but who ended up responsible for sending Ben-Hur to prison.
Bande donneurs (65'23") is an odd one. Donneur is 'donor,' but in this case it means 'idiot,' and bande donneurs is 'bunch of idiots.' She also greets her comrades this way in the episode "Clear Darkness/Claire's Dark Side," although there I translated it as 'stupid bastards.'
"What else" (67'07") refers to an old series of George Clooney commercials for Nespresso. What emergencies have to do with it I don't know, unless she means ER.
La banane , 'banana' (81'42"), means 'very happy' or in a good mood-- presumably because a banana is curved like a smile.
'Three knocks are struck' (83'29") refers to the French theater tradition of using a stick called a brigadier to rap on the stage three times before the curtain rises, as Marleau describes.
Les petits cornes? Les boules, eh? (84'35") is unfamiliar idiom, 'little horns' and 'the balls.' Les boules can mean 'angry,' so given the context 'little horns' may mean getting angry like a bull, her horns are coming out.
C'est l'hôpital qui s'fout de la charité, (86'45"), means 'the pot calling the kettle black,' or 'You're in no position to talk.'
'Dagobert putting his pants on backwards' (89'23") refers to Good King Dagobert, a nursery rhyme. You could safely write anti-monarchist ideas if the monarch lived long ago, which the rhyme did, with Dagobert standing in for Louis XVI, who was king when it was written in the late 1700s. Its presence in this episode is appropriate because Saint Eloi figures prominently, although the king's sexual proclivities are not addressed. Today, Good King Dagobert is one of the basic nursery rhymes in France, and is used to remind kids not to put their pants on backward.
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