A chamber drama exploring the political and moral negotiation between two French statesmen to restore the Bourbon monarchy.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Occupied Paris and the Invitation
Post-Waterloo Paris faces occupation and political vacuum. Fouché leads the provisional government while Talleyrand extends a late-night supper invitation to discuss the nation's survival.
Key Events
Post-Waterloo Paris Occupation — Paris is occupied by English and Prussian troops after Napoleon's defeat. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Paris
Fouché's Provisional Leadership — Joseph Fouché heads the provisional government amid public unrest. Characters: FouchéLocation: Paris
Late-Night Supper Invitation — Talleyrand invites Fouché to a late-night supper to discuss France's future. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Paris Streets — Occupied city streets reflecting national instability. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Paris
Talleyrand's Town House — Elegant residence serving as the political negotiation chamber. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Provisional Government Context — Establishes Fouché's current political authority and constraints. Characters: FouchéLocation: Paris
The Bourbon Proposal and Historical Clash
Talleyrand outlines his plan to restore the original Bourbon monarchy, dismissing other political alternatives. Fouché resists, citing his past role in executing the king and repressing royalists.
Key Events
Political Proposal: Bourbon Restoration — Talleyrand argues for restoring the original Bourbon monarchy to satisfy occupiers and citizens. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Rejection of Alternative Regimes — Talleyrand dismisses continuing Bonaparte's line, returning to the republic, or the Orléans branch. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Fouché's Historical Resistance — Fouché resists, citing his 1793 vote for the king's execution and royalist repression. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Mutual Historical Accusations — Fouché counters by highlighting Talleyrand's role in the Duke of Enghien's execution. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Champagne — Served during the initial political proposal phase. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Duke of Enghien Execution Reference — Historical reference to the 1804 abduction and execution of the royal prince. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
The Political Bargain and Amnesty
Talleyrand offers Fouché amnesty and his former police minister post in exchange for cooperation. Fouché, facing limited options, reluctantly agrees to join the new government.
Key Events
Amnesty Offer and Political Bargain — Talleyrand promises amnesty and Fouché's former police minister post in exchange for cooperation. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Fouché's Reluctant Agreement — With few options, Fouché agrees to join the new Bourbon government. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Childhood Reminiscence: Talleyrand — Talleyrand shares his aristocratic background and struggle with a club foot. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Cognac — Drank while transitioning from politics to personal reminiscence. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Shared Pasts and the Moral Verdict
The conversation shifts to personal reminiscence as both men discuss their difficult childhoods, clerical origins, and romantic lives. The film closes with Chateaubriand's memoir framing their alliance as a moral compromise.
Key Events
Childhood Reminiscence: Talleyrand — Talleyrand shares his aristocratic background and struggle with a club foot. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Childhood Reminiscence: Fouché — Fouché recounts his origins as the son of a slave ship captain. Characters: Fouché, TalleyrandLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Shared Clerical Origins — Both discuss their initial ordination into the Catholic church. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Romantic Life Reflections — They discuss finding happiness with younger women, including Talleyrand's niece. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
The Bourbon Succession Plan — The agreement solidifies around installing the executed king's brother. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Dinner Conclusion and Toast — The supper concludes with a toast to their new political alliance. Characters: Talleyrand, FouchéLocation: Talleyrand's Town House
Chateaubriand's Memoir Extract — The film ends with Chateaubriand's memoir describing the pair as Vice and Crime. Characters: ChateaubriandLocation: Narrative Frame
Story Breakdown
Historical Context — Establishes the post-Waterloo political vacuum and foreign occupation of Paris.
Post-Waterloo Occupation — English and Prussian troops control Paris after Napoleon's defeat.
Provisional Government Crisis — Fouché leads a fragile interim administration amid public unrest.
Political Proposal — Talleyrand outlines his strategy to stabilize France through monarchy restoration.
Bourbon Restoration Plan — Advocating for the original royal line to satisfy occupiers and citizens.
Rejection of Alternatives — Dismissal of Bonaparte's line, republic, and Orléans branch options.
Historical Accountability — Both men confront their past crimes and moral compromises during the debate.
Fouché's Regicide Past — Fouché cites his 1793 vote for the king's execution and royalist repression.
Talleyrand's Ducal Execution — Fouché counters by highlighting Talleyrand's role in the Duke of Enghien's death.
The Bargain — A transactional political deal is struck to secure mutual survival and power.
Amnesty Offer — Talleyrand promises legal pardon and Fouché's former police minister post.
Reluctant Agreement — Fouché accepts the terms due to limited political alternatives.
Personal Reflections — The conversation shifts from politics to shared human experiences and vulnerabilities.
Childhood Origins — Both recount their difficult upbringings and class backgrounds.
Romantic Parallelisms — They discuss finding happiness with younger women outside their political lives.
Narrative Framing — The film concludes with an external literary perspective on their alliance.
Chateaubriand's Memoir — An extract frames the pair as Vice and Crime emerging together.
Moral Legacy Assessment — The historical quote contextualizes their political compromise as a moral burden.
France, 1815. After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon heads for exile. Royalists occupy Paris and attempt to restore the monarchy. However, the battle doesn't seem to be over. On July 6, Talleyrand, a shrewd politician of flexible convictions, invites chief of police and zealous revolutionary Fouché to supper and tries to convince him to serve the king. Over the meal they insult each other, accuse each other, and, at first sight, look like mortal enemies. But they definitely have one thing in common: they are both power-hungry.
