"[Man] One million." "One million, six hundred." "One million, six hundred thousand dollars." "Bid to you all now." "One million, six hundred" "One million, six hundred and fifty thousand." "One million, six hundred and fifty thousand." "One million, six hundred and seventy-five thousand." "Is that a bid, sir?" "Don't be shy." "All right, then I'll take it." "One million, seven hundred." "One million, seven, twenty-five." "One, seven, twenty-five." "One million, seven-fifty." "Thank you." "The bid is one million, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars." "One million, seven hundred and seventy-five on my left." " Mr. Morritz." " Please don't let me forget this." "Was that a bid, sir?" "No?" "One million, seven hundred and seventy-five thousand on my left." "Against the telephone now." "Against you, sir." "One million, seven hundred and seventy-five thousand." "One, eight hundred and ten." "One million, eight hundred and ten thousand." "One, eight-fifty." "One, eight hundred and seventy-five on my left." "In the room." "One, nine hundred." "One, nine, two." "In the room." "Yes, I got you, sir." "One, nine, forty." "Not yours, ma'am." "Neither of yours." "One million, nine hundred and forty thousand dollars." "I'll take ten." "Do you want back in, sir?" "ls that a yes?" "No?" "The Stradivarius now at $1,940,000." "One, nine-fifty, on my left." "Down to you two." "One million, nine hundred and fifty." "Not yours, sir?" "Not yours?" "One million, nine hundred and fifty." "All done, then?" "Fair warning." "I'm selling now at $1,950,000." "And... sold-- to the lady on my left." "[Applause]" "The last sale of the evening, lot number 72, on the turntable there, the star of the night, and, uh" "Where is she?" "The last violin of Nicolo Bussotti, 1681." "A masterpiece of the golden age." "And if she will give us the pleasure" "Here she is now, lot 72, the so-called "Red Violin."" "And this time, the last order bid is at $250,000." "A lot of interest here, of course." "So now, let's open the floor, and who will start us off?" " [Bells Tolling]" " Two hundred and sixty-thousand" "Two hundred and seventy thousand." "[Bells Tolling]" "## [Woman Humming]" "## [Humming]" "## [Continues Humming]" "[Speaking Italian]" "Nicolo" "[Speaking Softly]" "[Rooster Crows]" "## [Anna Humming]" "## [Humming]" "## [Humming Continues]" "[Sharp Groan]" "[Moaning]" "[Bells Tolling] [People Chattering]" "[Women Shouting ln Italian]" "[Speaking Italian]" "[Sobbing]" "[Cesca Continues Sobbing]" "[Groans]" "[Crickets Chirping]" "One million, six hundred and fifty thousand." "One million, six hundred and seventy-five." "Is that a bid, sir?" "Don't be shy." "All right, then I'll take it." " One million, seven hundred." " Excuse me, Mr. Ruselsky?" "The Stradivarius now at $1,725,000." "Paul?" "At $1,750,000." "One, seven hundred and seventy-five, on the left." "Against the telephone, now." "Against you, sir." "One million, seven hundred and seventy-five." "One, eight-ten." "One million, eight hundred and ten thousand." "One, eight-fifty." " [Continues]" " Son of a bitch." "He knows nothing." " Who?" " Morritz." "One million, nine hundred and forty thousand dollars." "One, nine-fifty, on the left." "All done, then?" "I'm selling now at $1,950,000." "And... sold-- to the lady on my left." "Now, ladies and gentlemen, the last sale of the evening, lot number 72." "The star of the night-- Where is she?" "The last violin of Nicolo Bussotti, 1681, a masterpiece of the golden age." "If she will give us the pleasure" "And there she is now," "Iot number 72, the so-called "Red Violin."" "The last order bid is at $250,000." "Now, who will start us off?" "Two hundred and sixty thousand." "Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky." "## [Minor-Key Fugue]" "[Children Laughing, Chattering]" "[Squawking]" "[No Audible Dialogue]" "[Man Speaking German]" "[Speaking German]" "## [Fugue Resumes]" "## [Fast, Clear Tones]" "[Labored Breathing]" "[Cesca Speaking Italian]" "[Speaking Italian]" "[Man Shouting] Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" "Hyah!" " [Whip Cracks]" " Hyah!" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "## [Singing]" "## [Singing Continues]" "[Speaking German]" "## [Playing ln Minor Key]" "[Poussin] Mm-hmm." "[Horses Trotting]" "[Poussin Speaking German]" "[No Audio]" "[Poussin Shouting] Antoinette!" "[Speaking French]" "[Speaking French]" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "[Georges Speaking French]" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "[Speaking French]" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking German]" "## [Up-tempo, Major Key]" "Non, non, non!" "[Speaking French]" "Ja." "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "[Ticking]" "[Fast Ticking]" "[Georges Speaking French]" "[Sighs]" "[Georges Speaking French]" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "[Speaking German]" "[Antoinette] Doktor!" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking German]" "[Speaking French]" "[Georges Counting ln French]" "## [Faster]" "## [Faster]" "[Heavy Breathing]" "Amen." "## [Kaspar Singing Violin Piece]" "[Speaking French]" "## [Singing]" "## [Both Singing]" "[Muttering]" "Kaspar Weiss." "[Speaking German]" "[Whispering]" "[Irregular Heartbeat]" "[Heavy, Ragged Breathing]" "## [Violins Playing Dirge]" "[Man Speaking Latin]" "Amen." "[Mourners] Amen." "[Cesca's Voice]" "[Speaking Italian]" "## [Violin Playing ln Gypsy Style]" "## [Continues]" "## [Gypsy Style]" "[People Clapping, Shouting]" "## [Continues, Fading]" "[Man] Yes, I see." "Well, put her through when you can, please." "[Beeps]" "[Speaking German]" "[Voices Over Speaker Phone]" " [Woman On Phone] Father Viktor, good morning." " Good morning." " This is Suzanne." " [Auctioneer] Fair warning." "They're just closing now on lot 71." "Can you hear the auctioneer?" " [Auctioneer, indistinct]" " Sold-- to the lady on my left." " [Applause On Phone]" " Yes, I can hear him." "Suzanne, how do I tell you when I want to" "Leave it to me, sir." "Just tell me when you want to stop." "[Auctioneer] ...a masterpiece of the golden age." "[Continues, indistinct]" "[Speaking German]" "...last order bid at $250,000." "So now, let's open the floor, and who will start us off?" "Two hundred and sixty thousand." "Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky." "Two hundred and seventy thousand, Suzanne." "On the telephone, 280,000." "Back to you, sir." "Three hundred thousand." "I see you, Suzanne." "[Chuckles]" "What a marvelous violin." " What do you want?" " I was lured by the music." "It drew me across the heath." "Oh, yes?" "Maybe you can go back the same way." "I'm your host." "This is my land." "Now I see." "My mistake." "We will not be a trouble." "We'll be leaving here by nightfall." "That won't be necessary." "I'm sure we can come to some arrangement." "## [Orchestra Warming Up]" "Excuse me, sir." "I must ask you to leave." "We have an invitation." "You can read?" "Personal invitation." "[Speaks ln Foreign Language]" " Evening, Percy." " Good evening, ma'am." " He's in the dressing room, warming up." " Not without me, I hope." "Victoria." "I need you." "I feel a composition coming on." "So do I." "[Audience Applauding]" "Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention." "Mr. Pope has asked me to announce... that he will be performing this afternoon... on an antique instrument of the Italian school... which has revitalized his affections for the violin." " ## [Violin, Fast] - [Victoria, Frederick Moaning]" "I... hope that... whets your appetite somewhat." " ## [Violin, Fast] - [Moaning Continues]" " ## [Violin Playing] - [Moaning Continues]" " [Moaning Continues]" " Mr. Pope, sir, whenever you're..." " [Victoria] Oh, darling." " ready." "[Applause]" "[Taps Baton]" "[Audience Gasps]" "I'd like to play for you a new composition... which came to me recently... in a moment of... inspiration." "[Grunts]" "[Grunts]" "[Grunts]" "[Exhales]" "[Victoria Narrating] How did it come to this?" "Saints in heaven." "How did it happen to him?" "An artist who could not be denied." "A poet, in fact." "But a murderer?" "No." "Yet the looking-glass image was hard to refute." "His fingers and cuffs were still ruddy with gore, and as he watched in horror," "the speckles of blood seemed to multiply before his eyes..." "like maggots on a fetid corpse." "What would become of him now?" "Where would he run to and where would he hide?" "The options just then were depressingly few." "Indeed, his mind was already racing... east across the frozen continent," " Darling." " and over the frozen steppes," " Darling." " back to the refuge of his childhood estate." "I have a theme I want to work out," " "To Russia," he heard the Cossack call." " that needs to be addressed." "[Sighs] Can't you see I'm trying to work?" "[Sighs]" "[Sighs] You're so selfish." "It was mutual inspiration I had in mind." "Can't you see I don't need any?" "I was writing here like" " My love, don't be angry." " Oh, please." "You've only yourself to blame." "It's your beauty that summons the music." " And when it comes, I must play." " [Breathes Deeply]" "Damn you." "[Moans]" "[Pants]" "Is this what you wanted?" "Is this what you wanted?" "[Victoria] East, east, across the frozen continent and over the frozen steppes... back to the refuge of his childhood estate." ""To Russia, to Russia," he heard the Cossack call." "Frederick?" "My darling, my one inspiration." "I have something terrible to tell you." " Terrible?" " The worst." "It must be most terrible for you to tell me now... and ruin this perfect moment." "[Chuckles]" "Jack has killed the minister." " It was an accident." " I see." "He's now fled to Russia." "Self-imposed exile." "I see." "You're leaving me." "I've never been there." "I wouldn't know what to write." "I have to follow him." "I can't go." "I have concerts." "I know, darling." " Are you very angry?" " Why should I be?" "[Thunder Rumbling]" " [Clicks Tongue] Hyah." " [Whinnies]" "[Victoria Narrating] Dearest Frederick, I have just passed the church... near Charrington where Jeffrey was baptized, and I'm quickly approaching the Rutherford Bridge." "In other words, darling, we have parted for under ten minutes and already I'm lost." "I return to my writing in the hope... that these few honest words might rejoin our lips." " [Richard] Darling Victoria, - [Victoria] Bring back your hands to my shivering skin." "you trust in words and the comfort of letters in a way that I simply do not, and no matter that thine which no words can convince me that you are not gone." "[Victoria] Finally, my love, it's Moscow at last, and my very first night was unspeakably dreary." " [Victoria] Can any one nation be quite so abysmal?" " What is this nonsense?" "[Victoria] Or is it just simply that you are not here?" "[Frederick] Do not expect me to sigh for your woes." "If everything truly is as dismal as you say, then heed my simple remedy." " [Victoria] Frederick, darling, I long for your touch." " Return at once, betrothed love." " [Victoria] I still seek your scent on my clothes." " Come to me now... or I never will free you." "[Frederick] I should have pinned you to the mattress when last I had the chance." " [Frederick] Like you were the butterfly, I was the pin." " [Victoria Continues]" "[Victoria] Embroidered together, heart against heart." "[Frederick] Victoria, listen." "Our moment is dying." "[Frederick] What is this nonsense?" "The music is gone." "Like you were the butterfly." "Everything precious is passing, my love." " [Victoria Continues]" " Where everything I said to you... and everything I might ever say could be contained in these two words-  [Victoria Overlapping]" " Come back, Victoria." "Come back." "Do not write to me any more, love." "[Applause]" "Ladies and gentlemen, [Clears Throat] thank you for your patience and understanding." "Unfortunately, I have just received notice... that Mr. Pope has been... afflicted by an illness..." "[Audience Groans] and unfortunately cannot be with us today." "Of course, we will refund those who desire, but for those who do stay, we are pleased to play my arrangement... of favorite English madrigals." "[Crowd Groaning, Chattering]" "[Victoria] Darling Frederick, I have seen the truth at last." "Eternity has passed since we were parted." "One full week without your letters and I am shriveling here like a flower in the desert." "I will not suffer more." "Are you not reading as well as not writing?" "Then you'll miss this crucial report." "I'm coming back, my love, by any means I can, tomorrow morning if I'm able." "And then will you forgive me, my love?" "The wasted time, my selfish folly." "Will you take me in your arms again... and with one kiss eradicate each hour apart from your embrace?" "## [Violin Playing Somber Melody]" "I long for your love." "I long for your touch." "We can't stay apart." "Victoria." "[Both Moaning]" " Savage." "Extreme, rude, - [Girl Gasps] cruel, not to trust!" " Victoria." " Your sluttish muse." " Who is she?" " Quiet!" " Victoria, please." "Don't try to explain." "It's not your fault." " [Gasps]" " Or yours." "Victoria, listen." "[Strings Popping]" "[Frederick Narrating] Do not despair, Victoria." "This is the last page of our correspondence." "I am only writing to let you know of my plans for suicide-- by poison or drowning, I've yet to decide." "All my estate I'm leaving to you." "I have some personal debts that I intend to honor, but everything else will be yours to dispose of." "Do with it what you will." "It matters little to me." "Regretfully yours, Frederick." " I'm dying." " [Taxicab Radio, indistinct]" "Dying." "Do you know anything about music?" "Have you heard of Frederick Pope?" "Lord Frederick Pope, composer, genius." "The only goddamned virtuoso the nation of England ever came up with." " In a few minutes, his violin is going to be sold, - [Horns Honking] and if I don't get there because of your driving... or this goddamned traffic, I'm going to lose my precious testicles." " Do you understand?" "I'm going to be castrated." " [Horns Honking]" "Please hurry." "[Speaking French]" " What, that's it?" " [Mumbles]" "Why didn't you tell me?" "I need a receipt." "[Auctioneer Speaking, indistinct]" "Hello." "Nicholas Olsberg." " I'm late." " Yes, you are." "Please don't let me forget this." "Olsberg, Nicholas." "I registered by telephone." " Check again under "Pope Foundation."" " Pope." " Last violin of Nicolo Bussotti, 1681." " [Clerk] There we are." " Please sign." " [Pen Scratching]" "There you are." "[Auctioneer] Here she is now-- 72, the so-called "Red Violin."" "Last order bid is at $250,000, so we'll open the floor." "And who'll start us off?" "Two hundred and sixty thousand." "Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky." "Two hundred seventy thousand, Suzanne here on the telephone." "Back to you, sir." "Here, 300,000 at the back of the room." "Thank you." "Three hundred and twenty thousand." "Suzanne, I see you." "Four hundred thousand at the back of the hall." "Four hundred thousand." "[Continues, indistinct]" "[People Chattering]" "[High-Pitched Ringing]" "[Speaking ln Chinese]" "[Bells Jingling]" "## [Children Singing]" "[No Audible Dialogue]" "[Microphone Feeds Back]" "[Feeds Back]" "[Feeds Back]" "[Chan Gong Speaking]" "[Chanting]" "[Chanting Continues]" "[Strings Popping]" "## [Drums Pounding]" "[Crowd Chanting]" "[Voice Over Loudspeaker]" "[Muffled Rap]" "[Shouting, Chanting]" "[Chanting]" "[Chanting Continues]" "[Voice Over Loudspeaker]" "## [Violin]" "## [Continues]" " ## [Stops] - [Scratches]" "## [Drums Pounding]" "[Speaking ln Chinese]" "[Speaking ln Chinese]" "## [Man Singing]" "Chou Yuan!" "Chou Yuan!" "[Thunder Rumbling]" "[Auctioneer] Hold up, men." "We're selling now for $1,950,000." " [Chanting]" " Sold to the lady on the left." "The last sale of the evening, lot number 72, on the turntable there and star of the night" "Where is she?" "The last violin of Nicolo Bussotti." " 1681." "A masterpiece of the golden age." " Do you see it?" " No, not yet." " If she will give us the pleasure" "And here she is now, lot number 72, the so-called "Red Violin."" " And the last order bid is at $250,000." " It's not how I remember it." " They've cleaned it up." " So now, let's open the floor." "And who will start us off?" "Two hundred and sixty thousand." "Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky." " Two hundred seventy thousand, Suzanne on the telephone." " Maybe if I heard it again." " Two hundred and eighty thousand." "Back to you, sir." " Here." "Three hundred thousand at the back of the hall." "Suzanne, I see you." "Three forty, I have you here." "Three hundred eighty thousand, Mr. Ruselsky." "[Siren Wailing]" "[Sirens Wailing]" " And how was your flight?" " Very good." "On time." " Sorry to cut your holiday short, but" " It's quite all right." "I'm excited, actually." "Like Christmas." "Won't take too long." "We already divided them up and assessed them." " Right." "Ballpark." " And all that I want is for you to confirm it." " I got it." " A second opinion." "I've done this sort of thing before." "Can't wait to see it, actually." "Bon jour." "Um, yes." "New York." " You know what you're doing?" " Oh." "Why, yes." "I certainly hope so." "These peoples from Duval's have given us some figures, and we have figures from the government of China." " So, what we need now is, uh" " A professional opinion." "No, a signed affidavit." "That's what I'm here for." " Show me to the Strad." " They all look the same to me." "Ah, but they're not." "Please don't let me forget this." "Over there." "[Chuckles]" "Ah, here she is." " It's a beautiful specimen." " Mmm." "I'd say about 1683." " Reminds me of the Cobbitt." " Well, these are the best quality pieces... we found in here." "Over here, if you'd like to take a look." "Of the less promising entries, some of them are pretty bad." "So I see." "So, I guess I'll leave it to you then." "I've taken care of the luggage." "I have a driver waiting." "All right." "I shouldn't be long." " Bon jour." " Bon jour, Monsieur Morritz." "Everything is ready as you asked for, I hope." " Same room as always?" " We have the same room, but one story down." "If it's not the same floor, it's not the same room, is it?" "No, sir, but it's the same as the other one." "Oh, sir, I have a message from your wife." "Merci." "Thank you." "Room 2703." "Uh, New York City, please." "316-2799." "[Line Ringing]" " Hello?" " Carrie?" "Charles Morritz here." "I have a little gumshoe work I need you to get onto." "Cremona." "Bussotti." "Get a pen." "[Slide Projector Clicking]" "[Man] Made a cast of this after we set the table." "Swiss." "So, here we are." "Here's the before picture." "Take a look at the corners." "Not too bad." "I don't think we have to touch them." "Some-- some really nice perfling here." "Lot of work to get it this far." "Turn-of-the-century hack job with some horse glue and a patch, so I had to reset the neck-- that was the big job." "Sound post, tail piece." "New bridge, of course." "But the body itself is remarkably good, so I'm just gonna clean it up, strip back some varnish here" " Uh, no, no." "No." " No what?" "I told you before." "Don't touch the varnish." "[Sighs] Well, that's not gonna be easy." "Well, if there's a problem, I'll do it myself." "Um, look, the auction's in two weeks, you know?" "I have 16 other instruments." "Leroux is all over my ass." " I still have a Stein I haven't even touched." " I want complete L.I.G.'s, a resonance test, mass specs, and let's get some varnish samples off to the lab, okay?" "This instrument is not a priority, okay?" " Every minute of my day is full." " That's fine." "We'll do this after hours, all right?" "[Sighs]" " These are the estimates?" " Uh, no, the reserves." " That we proposed to the Chinese." " Right." "And, uh, what about these?" "Those are some contentious items you might not want to put on the block." "Um, they're badly preserved and hard to attribute." "What about that red one?" " Red one?" " Leroux seemed to think it might be a Bussotti." "Oh, oh, yes." "It might be, but the label's obscured... and the varnish is odd-- it's slightly opaque." "And I'm afraid as it stands, with no documentation" " That's all you expect?" " Mm-hmm." "You ever heard of the Red Violin?" "Sure, sure." "The what, the" "The Frederick Pope Bussotti?" "Sure, I have, stories." " How about copies?" " Uh, there's one in London, the only one I know of." "Supposed to be a copy commissioned by Pope." " You know who has it?" " Some private collection." "You think I could... buy it without tipping them off?" "Tipping them off to what?" "Well, we know for sure we have a Bussotti." "I can date it within the year." "We still have this varnish that doesn't configure, but we can run some comparison tests and see if this is... the source of the copy." "Y-You know I should probably tell my employer." "If what you're saying is any way true, people could get a little... excited." "You know I could lose my job over this." "Yes, I know." "You can go if you want to." "I can finish this myself." "[Clears Throat]" "Madame Leroux says that she has to have the catalog proofs for today." "Mm-hmm." " Are you finished?" " Yes, they're back at my hotel." "I've been working at night." " Is there something else?" " Oh." "Your wife called again." "Close the door, please." "[Line Ringing]" "Yes, is this the University of Montreal?" "Well, may I have the Archaeology department, please?" "[Line Ringing]" "Hi." "This is Charles Morritz over at Duval's." "Uh, I sent you some varnish samples on Tuesday." "Yeah, I wanted you to isolate an organic compound." "[Knocking On Door]" "[Knocking Continues]" " [Keys Jingling, Lock Turning] - [Sighs]" "[Woman] I'm sorry." "Excusez moi." "Can I have the manager, please?" "Yes, the manager." "Well, fine, put him on. [Sighs]" "Yes, this is Mr. Morritz in 2703." "Listen, I want to make something absolutely clear." "I don't want anyone coming to my room." "You understand?" "Not the maid, not to check the minibar, no-no-no chocolates on the pillow." "I'm giving the staff sort of a-a-a break." "Understand?" "No one is to come in my room unless I request it." "Thank you." "[Ringing]" " Yes." " I got it." "It's coming." "I just talked to London." "Well, you know, a little bit of smooth talking, a little bit more money." " Your money." " Thank you." "Uh, yeah, well you better make those phone calls." "Um" " Yeah, I uh-- Me too." "Well, actually, I had some ideas." " Wonderful." " Yes." "I have the recording." "Pretty good Strad, don't you think?" "I feel it is a bit tight on the top." "A little bit strangled over the break." "Ah, to me it's very clean and precise." "Of course, it would have to be played by a master." " [Chuckles]" " What do you guess?" " One point seven, one point eight million." " Not bad." " Trust me on this." " What else do you have?" "That's about it." "But thanks for coming." " I hope you don't have an orchestra waiting." " Well, they can wait." "They can wait." "No problem." "What about this here?" "Mmm, no, not that one." " Nice little piece." " But not for you." " I will try it." " No, no, no." "Don't play it." " Why not?" " Yes, why not?" "Well, I just repaired it." "It's still fragile." "I don't even know why it's here." "I'll be very gentle." "Don't worry." "## [Pizzicato]" "Yes, I see what you mean." "Nothing special." "[Low-Pitched Hum]" "How's it going?" "[High-Pitched Hum]" "What do you want me to do with that one, uh, the Pope copy?" "I'll take it back to the hotel with me." "Well, you got your money's worth." "That is a very good copy." "Nice violin." "But nothing like this one." "This... is the single most perfect... acoustic machine I have ever seen." "Amazing." "Guess I never thought I'd find it." "The ultimate..." "thing, as I see it." "The perfect marriage of... science and beauty." "[Whispering] lmpossible thing." "Now what?" "What do you do when the thing you've most wanted-- so... perfect-- just comes?" " Do you have children?" " What?" "Children-- do you have any?" "No." "No, I don't, but I know what you mean." "I would love to have this baby for myself." "Really?" "What would you do?" "Take it apart, find out how it works." "Take some eigenbaud readings on the individual plates" "[Laughing] I don't think you get it." "[Scoffs] Oh, yes." "Yes, I do." "Take a look at this." "This is mode 1.06 kilohertz." "Watch the response curve here." "[Humming, Whining]" "I'll ease it up slowly for you." "[Pitches Rising]" "[Continues]" "[Rattling]" "Mode two." " [Rattling lntensifies] - [Groans Sharply]" "Stop it!" " Bonjour, Monsieur Morritz." " Bonjour." "Oh, and I have an envelope for you from University of Montreal." "This says this arrived at 7:00." "I was in my room." " Yes, sir." " Well, why wasn't I notified?" "Sir, you told us not to disturb you." " Not for a courier." " I didn't know, sir." "If a courier comes, you call me." " If a fax comes, you call me." " Yes." "It's important." "Do you get it?" "You knock on my door and you put it in my hand." "Comprende?" "I need you to acknowledge." "Yes." "This is my business." "[Knocking]" "Mr. Morritz, I'm sorry." "You'd better come up." "They're waiting for you." "All right." "So nice of you to join us." "I hope you don't mind us starting without you, but there was the question of some unusual expenses, both here in the office and at the hotel." "[Chuckles] Did you check my mini-bar too?" "It is our card." "We are paying." "You made me wonder what was going on down here, so we decided to come down and have a look." "And my-- you have been busy." "With the courier bills and DNA tests" "Very curious procedures." "Leroux has a theory." "Tell me if she's wrong." "Is, uh, our little red violin the Red Violin?" "Yes." "I just wanted to be sure before I told you." "Well, this is very good news." "I'll send off the press release." "Good work." "Thank you." "Why don't you take these last few days off-- before you go home." "No." "No!" "I won't forget!" "He lied." "He lied to me." "And I knew it as soon as I saw it." "And I said it." "This instrument should be mine." "Son of a bitch." "[Speaking French]" "Absolutely." "Before we begin, it is my duty to direct you to the conditions of sale... that you'll find at the front of the catalog." "I will not read them out loud at this point, but consider yourselves warned." "Now, ladies and gentlemen, we'll begin with lot number one, showing on the turntable on my right, a fine French cello." "And we'll start with $10,000." "Ten thousand dollars." "[Sighs]" " Anything else?" " No." " Which airport, sir?" " Dorval." "There is one stop we have to make." "Four hundred thousand at the back of the room." "The Stradivarius now at $400,000." "Against the telephone, four-twenty." "Four hundred and fifty thousand." "Against you, sir, 500." "Five hundred, back to the front." "Five hundred." "Five hundred thousand." "Wait here." "I'll just be a minute." "I might have to go around the block." "All right, if you have to." "One million, one hundred thousand." "One million, two hundred thousand." "Is that a bid, sir?" "Don't be shy." "All right, then I'll take it." "One million, three hundred thousand." "One million four." "Five." "Yes, sir, I've got you." "One million, six hundred thousand dollars." "Not you, sir?" "One million, six hundred and fifty." "Ah!" "One million, six hundred and seventy-five." "[Continues, indistinct]" " Mr. Morritz." " Please don't let me forget this." "Against the telephone now." "Against you, sir." "One, eight hundred and ten." "One, eight-fifty." "One, eight hundred and seventy-five thousand in the room." "One, nine hundred." "One million, nine hundred." "One million nine hundred on the telephone." "One million, nine-twenty in the room." "One million, nine-twenty." "I've got you, sir." "Thank you." "One million, nine-forty." "Not yours, ma'am." "Neither of yours." "One million, nine hundred and forty thousand dollars." " Son of a bitch." " I'll take ten." "Do you want back in, sir?" "ls that a yes?" "No?" "The Stradivarius now at $1,940,000." " Not yours, ma'am." " [Whispering]" "Neither of yours." "One million, nine hundred and forty thousand dollars." "Against you all in the room." "Is that all, then?" "Fair warning." "One, nine-fifty on my left." "Down to you two now." "One million, nine hundred and fifty thousand." "Not yours, sir." "Not yours, Paul." " It is $1,950,000 against you all." " Did you clean this?" "Who's responsible for-  [Tag Clatters To Ground]" " Excuse me." "I have to get the last lot now." "[Both Talking]" " What's going on?" " I'm sorry, but we're going to have to-  [Indistinct]" " And... sold-- to the lady on my left." "[Auctioneer Continues]" "Where is she?" "The last violin of Nicolo Bussotti, 1681." "If she will give us the pleasure" "And here she is now, lot 72, the so-called "Red Violin."" " Here we go now." " The last order bid is at $250,000." "So we'll open the floor, and who'll start us off?" "Two hundred and sixty thousand." "Good evening, Mr. Ruselsky." "Two hundred and eighty thousand." "Back to you, sir." " Here." " Three hundred thousand, the back of the hall." "Three hundred and twenty." "I see you, Suzanne." "Three forty." "Three forty now in the front." "Four hundred thousand at the back of the hall." "Four twenty." "Five hundred." "Five hundred thousand, against the telephone now." " Five hundred?" " Stop it." "No?" "Against you, sir?" "Six hundred thousand." "Seven hundred thousand." " [Continues, indistinct] - [No Audible Dialogue]" "Eight hundred thousand dollars." "Nine hundred thousand dollars." "One million dollars, Mr. Ruselsky." " One million, one hundred thousand." " [Indistinct]" "Not you, sir?" "Ma' am?" " One million, two hundred thousand." " Are you sure?" "One million, three hundred thousand." "Four hundred." " One million, four." " [Indistinct]" " [Man] Mr. Morritz?" " Down to you two now." " Two million, Mr. Ruselsky." " [Man] Mr. Morritz?" "Mr. Morritz?" "Two million, one hundred thousand." " Two million, two hundred thousand." " Mr. Morritz!" "[Horn Honks, Tires Squeal]" "Excuse me." "Is this what you're looking for?" "Down to you two." "Two million, two hundred thousand." "Yes." " Your coat." " Two million, two hundred thousand." "Two million, three hundred thousand." " Two million, four hundred." " Merci." "Two million, four hundred thousand dollars." "Is that all, then?" "Two million, four hundred thousand." "You may have it." " All done, then." " Are you okay, sir?" " Yes." "Take me home." " Right away." "Fair warning." "I'm selling now... at $2,400,000." "And... sold-- to Mr. Ruselsky." "Congratulations." "[Sighs]" "Hey, baby, it's-it's-it's me." "Yeah." "I'm sorry." "Yes." "Yes." "Yes, I wanted to, every day, but" "Well, something came up, uh" "But it's over now, and I'm coming home." "Oh, yeah." "Yeah, may I speak to her?" "Hi, honey." "It's Daddy." "How are you?" "Oh, I miss you too." "[Laughs] I'm coming home." "And honey?" "I'm bringing you something very special." "[Cesca's Voice]"