How did you keep them from finding you at dawn?
Maybe it was a mirage. -There is no desert there.
Save your excuses for the military tribunal.
I suppose you know what's in store for deserters.
The firing squad.
Alfredo has sold his title in order to save him.
The Meridian Circle didn't accept us? -The best hotels of Southern Europe.
The members of the Meridian Circle, each and every one of them...
ask you to forgive them.
They propose to make you the president of the Meridian Circle...
from the very first official meeting, at midnight on New Year's Eve.
The judge summons you as party to the murder of don Carlos Alarcón.
Why did you do it? -I had no choice.
You were paid for falsifying the death certificate.
The person who paid me to attest that it was a natural death...
was Ángela Salinas. -Arrest her.
Grand Hotel
The judge is still undecided and wants a final confrontation.
So there's still hope. -Not much.
I don't think Ángela will be victorious. -No.
I'm sorry I started all this. -You didn't know it would end like this.
It doesn't have to end badly. -What can we do?
Why do you give me that look?
For months you did all you could to clarify your father's death.
I didn't take it seriously at first, but you were right, your father was killed.
I'd rather have been wrong, inspector. -But you were right.
And I think you're also right about the identity of his murderer.
I suppose you'd also rather have been wrong about this.
I know. But the time has come to finish the job, you understand?
Only one testimony remains that can convince the judge.
Yours.
I call doña Alicia Alarcón de Murquía to the witness stand.
You know you're here to testify against doña Teresa Aldecoa de Alarcón...
your mother?
Yes. -With permission.
Señora Murquía, do you believe your father was killed?
I know he was killed.
Do you believe your mother killed him? -Yes.
Tell me, what is that conviction based on?
My mother came to hate my father. I suppose he gave her reasons for it.
He tried to poison her.
When my father died, she altered the date of death from the 10th to the 9th.
She did so to invalidate a letter from my father.
The letter in which he recognized Andrés Cernuda as his son.
My mother did all she could to obtain that letter.
When she finally had it in her hands, she burned it.
She also ordered my father's body to be dug up to get rid of the evidence.
I can confirm each of these facts, Your Honour.
Señora Murquía, do you believe all this is enough to prove your mother's guilt?
There's more. -Continue.
When I left the same bottle of poison that had killed my father in her room...
It was you. You killed my father, with the same poison he'd been giving you.
and I told her that I knew what she'd done...
my mother destroyed the evidence.
How will you prove it?
The way she talked to me and what she said...
made it seem like she admitted it and was challenging me to prove it.
Is what your daughter says true? -She'll tell you it's not.
And tomorrow another maid may come to say she was there when she wasn't.
Or anything else that suits my mother. -Doña Alicia, please. Stick to the facts.
Madam, what do you have to say to this?
It's true that my daughter made a scene.
And it's true that I lost my temper. -Why?
She's my daughter. I raised her, I gave her everything.
And she's spent months trying to prove that I'm a murderer.
Don't you think that's reason enough to lose one's temper?
If you're not guilty, then why are you trying to pin it on an innocent person?
Why did you bribe doctor Bernárdez? Or Belén?
Doesn't it seem strange to you that my mother fired Belén...
only to rehire her right after she testified here?
Is that true?
The hotel needs a new housekeeper. -Which could be anyone, Your Honour.
Don't expect my mother to speak the truth.
This is also terrible for me, Mother.
How do you think I feel, knowing that you killed my father...
or that you'd let Ángela die just to avoid paying for your crime?
You know it all, don't you? You know the truth.
When did you decide it was all your mother's fault?
You killed my father. I don't care what this court says.
Because now I know who you are and what you did.
And I won't rest until the whole world knows.
You've never been even close to the truth.
If there's anyone here who's trying to send an innocent person to death...
it's you. -Me?
I didn't kill your father. Don't you realize?
So who did? Ángela? Or will you now accuse someone else?
Do you want to know the truth?
Yes, I told the doctor to change the date and cause of your father's death.
And yes, I concealed his infidelity and his letter recognizing Andrés.
Imagine what it would have meant for the name of our hotel.
What would have become of your father's name if the truth were known?
What truth? That you killed my father? -I didn't kill your father.
I didn't poison him.
But do you think the insurance would have paid us if they'd known about it?
The debts would have forced us to close. It would have been our ruin.
What irony, as that's exactly what's going to happen now.
The insurance firm will reclaim the money they paid out to us...
and which we no longer have.
You can be proud of yourself. -So who killed my father?
Doña Teresa, if you don't answer, I'll have to believe it was you.
Finally...
Finally you've done it, daughter.
You've managed to let all I've done to protect this family...
be in vain. -Who killed my father?
It was suicide.
That can't be. -Can you prove it, señora Alarcón?
I can try.
He wrote a farewell note.
He killed himself because he thought he'd be declared unfit.
The verdict was negative. -I lied to him.
I made him believe I'd won the case...
and he took his own life.
I never thought he'd do such a thing, but he did.
I quickly made the note disappear...
and had the poison and all other evidence removed.
To claim the insurance money?
It was a suicide, Your Honour.
They'd have denied him a sacred burial.
Everyone would have known. It would all have been made public.
My failure as a wife, and as a woman.
He'd been unfaithful to me. He'd had two sons with another woman.
He'd tried to kill me.
And finally he took his own life, seeing that I was going to take over the hotel.
Please, put yourself in my place.
Wouldn't you have done whatever was necessary...
to conceal something like that from the world...
and from those most dear to you?
Your Honour, if the defendant still has that suicide note...
I reckon it would be useful to present it in court.
You reckon well, inspector. Let her tell you where it is and bring it here.
What should have been here isn't here anymore, if it ever was.
There's no way to tell if your mother told the truth.
Has she ever done so? Even if they condemn her, she'll stick to her lies.
Give her the benefit of the doubt. -Why? Because she's my mother?
No, because for want of this evidence...
what your mother has said has a virtue that inventions rarely possess.
It's consistent with everything we know.
Inspector, the judge needs you. He just called.
Excuse me.
Your mother seemed sure we'd find that note.
I no longer know what my mother thinks.
If she didn't lie and the note was there, it must have been taken recently.
By whom? -I don't know.
But whoever it is, if he wants to put it to use, it's clear who he has to talk to.
What are you doing here?
I've come to bring your key to freedom.
Everything at its time, madam.
As you can see, it's a donation.
You give me your share of the hotel, and I'll spare you the scaffold.
You're a swine.
I don't think that surprises you, madam.
What good will it do you if I give you a lost cause?
How will you prevent closure?
I'll get our creditors to wait a little.
After all, now there are mines that will cover all debts.
So I'm also giving you the mines. How generous of me.
Give me the note.
What are you doing here? -Alicia.
I came to bring this to your mother.
Why did you have the suicide note of don Carlos?
I went to look for it when I heard that doña Teresa had revealed the suicide.
So you knew about its existence. -Doña Teresa had told me about it.
I'd sworn to keep it secret, unless it was necessary to reveal it, like now.
Do you know when don Carlos wrote the note?
I wasn't there when he did, of course.
'This family and this hotel have been my life. I've given it my all, but in vain.
This is not my place anymore, and I have nowhere else to go.'
Take it to the calligrapher. This is the text he has to copy.
This is the handwriting and signature of my wife.
Let him use it for the copy.
Your wife's death is best for all of us, don Carlos.
I hope you're right. -Trust me.
If they find out she died of poisoning, this will make it look like suicide.
Sir.
Did you know don Carlos had tried to poison his wife?
I discovered it by chance.
I did all I could to dissuade don Carlos from such a folly.
I don't feel like I'm getting better. -Be patient, dear. You'll soon recover.
She may be a little weaker, but no one would think she was dying.
That's the plan, she has to get worse little by little. We need to be patient.
That way no one will suspect the truth, and if they do, you have a suicide note.
And you the directorship of the hotel.
The directorship of the hotel, and Alicia's hand.
And Alicia's hand?
Do you know if don Carlos is busy? -He's on the phone, sir.
It's up to Alicia who she will marry.
It's the 20th century, Armando. You'd better get used to it.
I don't know who she will marry, but I assure you, not Diego Murquía.
Take it to the calligrapher. This is the text he has to copy.
This is the handwriting and signature of my wife.
Let him use it for the copy.
If they find out she died of poisoning, this will make it look like suicide.
What you're taking isn't what you think, madam.
You're being poisoned.
Your husband's trying to kill you.
I know you have no reason to believe me, but stop taking the medicine.
If you're not better in a few days, it means I'm wrong.
Done?
Your book, my dear.
And if I get better? -Then I'll have saved your life.
And I'm sure you'll find a way to reward me.
In any case, you did become director of the Grand Hotel...
and married doña Alicia Alarcón.
Whatever one thinks of doña Teresa, she's a woman who keeps her word.
Hers and that of her husband.
I'd like to believe she gave me her trust to honour don Carlos's wishes.
I suppose you're glad you trusted me.
No one would say you were ill. -I no longer am.
And don't worry, I'll make good on my word.
My husband has unwittingly given me the definitive proof.
What judge wouldn't declare him unfit because of this?
Any idea when don Carlos could have taken the poison that killed him?
Or how he obtained it? -I'm sorry, Your Honour.
I don't even know where the arsenic is kept at the hotel or in what vessel.
Have a good trip, don Diego. -Thank you.
Antonio, tell Benjamín I won't be back till tomorrow.
Yes, sir.
Why would don Carlos have wanted to kill himself?
I imagine that hearing that his wife wanted to have him declared unfit...
he thought he was going to lose everything...
and couldn't stand the idea of facing such public humiliation.
But the verdict was in his favour. -He never knew that.
His wife made him believe the contrary. And I...
I should have told him the truth, but I didn't.
That's something I keep regretting every day.
Because every day I'm reminded of him, of his voice, his way of looking.
As I told you, don Carlos Alarcón was like a father to me.
Thank you for your testimony, señor Murquía.
Inspector, I'm afraid...
that there is no case against doña Teresa Aldecoa.
It's clear that don Carlos Alarcón committed suicide.
Francisco Rodríguez.
I want to ask you a favour.
When they release you, go see my fiancée and give her this.
She gave it to me.
All the best.
Load.
Aim.
Fire.
Mother.
I'm sorry.
But if you'd only told me the truth... -That hasn't been my only mistake.
Do you think your husband gave me that note for free?
I should never have trusted you.
Now he's the owner of the hotel and the rest of our property.
And you handed it to him on a plate.
Now you know who you're married to.
Mother. -My son.
Are you alright, Mother? -Yes.
Why are you dressed like that? The party's already begun. Get changed.
I was waiting for you, Mother. -Go on.
Welcome back, doña Ángela.
You must be as surprised to see me as I am to see you.
Now I'm the housekeeper here. If you don't like it, talk to doña Teresa.
Doña Teresa has fallen out of favour, and I can't say that I'm sorry.
You don't believe me? Why else would I be here?
From now on don Diego Murquía will be in charge of the hotel.
I'm sure he'll want to reward you as well.
Now you have everything.
Except what I most want.
You know what I mean.
I've ordered them to move your things to our room.
This absurd situation has been going on much too long, my love.
I'm not coming back to you, Diego.
I don't love you, Diego.
I never loved you, and I know I never will.
Maybe you're not able to love anyone.
I am.
I'm able to love someone so much that I'm willing to give up all I have.
To incur my family's disapproval.
And even to tell you this:
I'm in love with someone else.
When he comes close to me, he makes me tremble.
I dream about him every night.
About his hands, the way he smells.
You don't know how pathetic you seem compared to him.
Come with me.
I'm telling you to come with me.
Come here. -No.
Let go of me.
Diego, you're hurting me.
Stop. You're hurting me. Please...
Madam, aren't you going to put on your new dress for the party?
I hadn't planned to go downstairs. -The journalists from Madrid are here.
That's Diego's concern now, like everything else.
Don Diego went to see doña Alicia, and the journalists are waiting.
Where are they?
Good evening.
Señora Alarcón, as president of this new organization, what do you expect?
For now I'm happy with the foundation. The other members will soon be here.
Where are the hoteliers?
Send someone up to ask them to come down for dinner.
They haven't occupied any of their rooms.
Haven't they arrived yet? -They all confirmed, but no one came.
That can't be. They didn't send any telegrams?
No telegrams or calls. Nothing, doña Teresa.
Call their hotels to make inquiries. -Yes, madam.
Sir.
What's the matter?
I was thinking of my first night here.
At that time you were a waiter and I a gentleman.
Champagne? -Thank you.
What's the matter?
Nothing. Everything went the way I wanted.
My mother is back, Belén isn't at the tavern anymore, and Camila...
Yes, I don't know what to do about Camila, Julio.
I know, Camila is wonderful. She's good and she loves me.
Anyone else in her place wouldn't give me the light of day. And what do I do?
No, Julio. I've been stupid. But the moment has come to act like a man.
I'm going to see her and tell her... I won't tell her anything.
But I'll give her a New Year's kiss she'll remember for the rest of her life.
Thank you, Julio.
What do you want?
Have the hoteliers called? -None of them traveled to Cantaloa.
And one of them has said he didn't have travel plans.
But their envoy's still here, right? -Since Tuesday. He has room 37.
Follow me. -Yes, madam.
Madam. -Doña Alicia is in her room.
This is her room. -The one she shares with don Diego.
I saw him take her with him.
He took her with him?
That son of a bitch.
Julio, no.
Have you seen the hoteliers of the Meridian Circle?
When did he leave? -He didn't check out, madam.
I don't believe he intends to come back.
the man with the thousand faces
The man with the thousand faces?
An actor.
I come on behalf of the founders of the Meridian Circle.
What's going on?
Dear friends, I'm very happy to be here tonight.
I want to thank you all for coming, some of you from far away...
to join our family for the celebration of the beginning of a new year.
The new year will herald the birth of the Meridian Circle...
the greatest, most important and most prestigious hotel association...
of all of Europe.
Did I say Europe? I meant of the entire world.
Thank you. And now I ask for the lights to be turned off.
Let's give a due welcome to the beginning of 1907.
Friends, please join me in the countdown.
Officer. -At your service, Captain.
Who has to be executed? -The next one is...
Javier Alarcón.
Am I being released?
Where are you taking me?
No, that can't be. It must be a mistake. I've been pardoned.
Twelve.
Eleven.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Prepare your weapons.
Seven.
Six.
Ready.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Aim.
Two.
Julio, no. -One.