1 Paris - Mother of the Arts - - 2 Bohemia - the Latin Quarter - where young talent suffers and starves...and waits for fame..... 3 More certain than love or fame - the visit of the landlord on the first of the month - 4 Marcel would have starved to produce a masterpiece...as yet he had succeeded only in starving. 5 Rodolphe ... who had hopes of becoming a great playwright. 6 "Ah! - Such a figure! - ah! - divine - ravishing! - aaah!" 7 "Silly old goat - what do you know about a figure?" 8 "I am the landlord - and this is the first of the month!" 9 "Your memory is as bad as your manners - the first of the month was just a week ago!" 10 "My rent -- my rent! Where is it?" 11 "The devil knows! - We haven't even a franc to pay the model - - and she has a frightful temper!" 12 "Pay up tonight - - or out you go!" 13 "Zut! - I'm an honest girl - I don't work for love! - Zut!" 14 "Well - to pay the rent, I suppose I must write that silly article for the editor of the Cat and Dog Fanciers' Journal!" 15 Mimi, the embroiderer... Orphaned, friendless... facing life with a glorious courage..... 16 "Pretty little hands! - What a pity to spoil them...when you have such a pretty face!" 17 "M'sieu, please! - a few more days and I can pay you." 18 "If she does not pay up tonight - - put her out!" 19 "You ought to call that note back and tame it!" 20 "What beautiful eyes you have! And you have suffered, too!" 21 "How much do you want to borrow, Schaunard?" 22 "Borrow is a vulgar word. I offer you the honor to render temporary pecuniary assistance to genius." 23 "Gladly - but you'll have to wait until my first play is accepted!" 24 "Farewell, little piccolo - the pawnshop is calling!" 25 "Oh, Art she is a jolly tart, She's the wench who broke my heart! La, la, la! la la!" 26 "Oh, Art she is a fickle jade, If you work for her, you'll ne'er be paid! La, la, la! la la!" 27 "Oh, Art she is a lovely rake, We gladly starve for the old girl's sake! La, la, la! la la!" 28 "If I could lose the habit of eating, I'd never have to write stuff like you!" 29 Where saint and sinner, genius and guttersnipe, meet as equals - - the Mont de Piété, municipal pawnshop of Paris. 30 "I asked you for a ten inch article on a cat - and you give me eight inches on a rabbit!" 31 "Shades of genius - - must I sell my brains by the yard?" 32 "Give me something sentimental about a cat - or get out!" 33 Vicomte Paul, a true aristocrat, who did nothing, but did it very gracefully. 34 "I beg Mademoiselle to forgive my horses - they are only beasts - they do not appreciate exquisite beauty - -" 35 "Thank you, M'sieu, but I live here." 36 "Ten francs for the greatest painting ever rejected by the Salon! It's an outrage, thank God!" 37 "I sold my book for a franc - and then I saw one I'd been seeking for ten years. Forgive me - I bought it!" 38 "What a man can't do, a monkey can! A tin cup - - and behold, the rent!" 39 "To the landlord - may his wife have thirteen children - and not one of them French!" 40 "Sorry, M'amselle Mimi, but M. Bernard insists on the full amount - or the room." 41 "Here's the rent for the four of us - and one cent tip to celebrate!" 42 "Now that our rent is paid, we can all starve to death comfortably." 43 "I wonder what monkey stew tastes like?" 44 "Come, Marcel....dinner is served....and I love you!" 45 "My little pigeon! My sweet Musette! She loves me! And she has food!" 46 "God has sent me Musette - but he has neglected you, my friends. Let's see what we can do - -" 47 "Cherie, you are so beautiful! So generous! May I invite a friend to dinner?" 48 "Queen of beauty and kindness! - Such food! - and so much of it! - May I ask a friend of mine to dinner?" 49 "I almost forgot! You are kind and beautiful - and there's a friend of mine out there in the draft!" 50 "Your little hands are so cold!" 51 "Since you would not come to the feast, the feast has come to you!" 52 "The poor little one! She was so cold! And she looked so hungry!" 53 "Let's send her in a big plate of food - -" 54 "Wine, Rodolphe - wine for the little one - that will warm her!" 55 "To Mimi we give our friendship - our love - a share in everything we have!" 56 "Beautiful ..... very beautiful!" 57 "Ravishing!" 58 "Mimi - Schaunard has just sold his new song - - We're all celebrating in his studio! Come on!" 59 "One dozen handkerchiefs... Two embroidered shawls... Six lace collars." 60 "I am a most generous patron - but - er - I request - er - a little particular attention -" 61 "Forgive me....I have no right to be jealous....but I can't help it...." 62 "He is rich....he could give you so much.... why should you not prefer him....?" 63 "Foolish one....foolish, foolish one...." 64 Easter .... and to the world and its sorrow....comes another Spring.... 65 ....The country calls.... and like light-hearted, emotional children.... the artists answer.... 66 "Methinks he does not trust us!" 67 Her first picnic! Mimi's heart fluttered with excitement .... and suspense at what she read in Rodolphe's eyes. 68 "Mimi....Mimi....why did you run away?" 69 "...because...because... I love you..." 70 He was in love. Now his dreams had a focus, his words an object, his play a motive. 71 She was in love. Now she had someone to care for, to cherish, to serve as only a woman can. 72 "Rodolphe? Is he still alive? He is four weeks too late for last week's edition!" 73 "But, Monsieur under- stands - - he is so busy now on his new play - -" 74 "Monsieur understands that Rodolphe is a fool - wasting my time on his plays - - he is through - discharged!" 75 Rodolphe must not know he had been discharged...all the way home Mimi planned her generous deception.... 76 "There's your money, dear. The editor was so pleased - he said you are a genius!" 77 "Did you count the money? He'd cheat you, the old skinflint!" 78 "These few francs mean much to us now....my success....our happiness." 79 "My play...I've finished the first act! Never was there an inspiration like you, Mimi!" 80 "My Rodolphe! You're wonderful!" 81 For Mimi, there were long night hours of toil...when only love gave her strength to keep up the deception. 82 "You can't fool us with blankets! You worked all night again!" 83 "Your face is so thin - look what you are doing to yourself!" 84 "You will lose your looks...and then he will not care for you any more!" 85 "You remember Nanette... She worked night after night - and you know what happened!....." 86 "I don't mean to frighten you....but...." 87 "Soon everyone will be talking about Rodolphe - as they now talk about this man Victor Hugo!" 88 "I love her - Mon Dieu, I love her!" 89 "The author is a friend of yours?" 90 "Perhaps I can interest a theatrical manager in the play - you know a word from me, would mean a great deal -" 91 "You are so kind, Monsieur. The play is not quite finished yet - but I can show you how it goes - -" 92 "- a work of genius! - You will convince the manager! - You must come to the theatre with me - - ?" 93 "Don't forget - - the manager - and come alone - -" 94 "You wanted to be alone with that fop!" 95 "That's why you locked me in! - -" 96 "You know I love you madly! How can I write...how can I live... if you are faithless?" 97 "He wanted to help? Damn him! I'd starve first!" 98 "...where are my keys?" 99 Rodolphe had sought to forget his bitter- ness by fleeing - - but flight is a poor substitute for love. 100 "I haven't been home for four days - what's the use - I can't write - nothing interests me any more -"" 101 To the desperate Mimi, the one hope of Rodolphe's encouragement lay in Vicomte Paul's promise... and Musette, wise in the ways of nobility, arranged everything. 102 "Musette dressed me up....." 103 "I have the play. Please, can we see the manager now?" 104 "Could you advance me five francs against my next article?" 105 "You must be drunk! You were discharged five weeks ago!" 106 "I cannot understand it! Mimi delivered the articles....and brought back the money." 107 "These women - I never knew where Musette got her money either -" 108 "You have his address? You will see him? And tell him to keep on?" 109 "If you come to me, you will never have to concern yourself about trifles like this play." 110 "You have been out with Vicomte Paul! - Answer me! I want the truth!" 111 "I - I was delivering orders. And I took your last article to the editor...he was so pleased with it." 112 "Don't lie to me any more...The editor told me tonight I had been discharged...five weeks ago!" 113 "Don't be angry! I did it for you - for your play...I want you to be a success....." 114 "But the money you brought me....where did you get it? From Vicomte Paul? Answer me!" 115 "No, no, Rodolphe. I have been working nights - I don't want you to give up your play - I am happy doing it!" 116 "So it was all lies - every word - !" 117 "Where did you get these clothes? You are like Musette....a light woman....!" 118 "From now on I'll take care of you - I'll give up my play...earn money! You shall get well!" 119 "But you mustn't...I am all right...don't worry about me...." 120 A frantic search for a doctor...a sudden realization of her sacrifice.... 121 For months Rodolphe searched...but found no trace of Mimi. And out of his bitter despair came a great play..... 122 ...Hidden in the slums of Paris, Mimi worked... and waited... 123 "There is one who should be here tonight. Let us drink to her." 124 "I can do nothing. She won't live through the night." 125 "Mimi - - come back to me!" 126 "....I am tired....so tired...." 127 "Your room has been kept, Mimi....just as you left it." 128 "Mimi, my love...you've come back - - you've come back - -" 129 "It is growing so dark, Rodolphe....I can't see you....and I want to see you...." 130 "I'm here, Mimi...you mustn't cry...you're going to be strong... your pretty cheeks will be rosy again...." 131 "Pretty...will I ever be pretty again?" 132 "Wait and see! You'll be the loveliest lady in all Paris....!" 133 "....your play.... Rodolphe....?" 134 "...a success...and all because of you!" 135 "This is just like...old times. My Rodolphe... my dear, dear friends... all smiling...all happy..." 136 "- - and there is yet another friend - one who will sing when he sees you - -" 137 "Why do you weep, Musette? Rodolphe... success...I'm so happy... So...happy." 138 "No...no...she can't leave me now! I won't give her up...ever... ever!"Home