 Starring Charles Boyer in The Gentleman from Paris on The Cavalcade of America, sponsored by Dupont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Ladies and gentlemen, a few days ago, Winston Churchill stood before a joint session of the Congress of the United States and declared that the new world stands as a beacon of hope to the exhausted peoples of the old world. He was not the first European to say this. Our play tonight concerns the man who was the first to say it and in his time he too was a symbol of liberty for two worlds. He was the Marquis de la Fayette and history has recorded for all time the high resolve, triumphant over every obstacle which brought him to the shores of the new world. Here in America he saw and was a part of the birth of a new order of freedom, a precious privilege for which men would gladly sacrifice and fight and die. Dupont presents Charles Boyer as the Marquis de la Fayette in The Gentleman from Paris. Versailles, the year 1776, the Imperial Court of France. Ladies and gentlemen of the court, Her Majesty, the Queen. Bonsoir, Marquis de Provence. Your Majesty. Oh, Monsieur de La Fayette. You are alone this evening? The Marquis begs your indulgence, madam. She isn't disposed. And so is His Majesty. Therefore you will be my escort this evening. I am honored. Tell me, Lafayette, how goes your present rebellion in America? High rebellion, Your Majesty. You see, Monsieur de Provence, the Marquis has no interest in it whatsoever. Perhaps I have been misinformed, Your Majesty. Not entirely, Monsieur de Provence. I did not say I had no interest in the Americans, Your Majesty. Indeed, my interest is considerable. Ah, then tell me, Marquis, what sort of men are these colonials? Oh, I know little of the man, but I'm... but the idea... Idea? What idea? The idea of freedom, of equality among men. Oh, Lafayette, I fear you are one of those Republicans who would send your poor king and queen off to the provinces and have some sort of a dictator from the rabble. Your Majesty will knows my affection for herself and for the king. Besides, it is no dictator, the Americans desire. Oh, then what is it? That is only to have a share in governing themselves and a voice in choosing who shall govern them. Do you really believe, Marquis de Lafayette, that peasants and artisans are capable of governing? If they wish it, and I could learn, slowly, perhaps. Ah, what a weight off our poor shoulders if the people really could take care of some of this tedious detail. Indeed, Your Majesty. It would relieve you of much responsibility and care and think of the joy of your people. It will amuse us to see how your Americans succeed in this, Lafayette. Certainly, I cannot blame them for trying, living under that perfectly mad English king. Tell me, is it true he often fancies himself a foxhound? I have heard worse than that, madam. At least he is not mad enough to tolerate treason among his subjects. Please, Monsieur de Provence, this talk has not been serious. Pray to not be more royal than the king. Lafayette, you, for example, have larger states. Hundreds of serfs and peasants who bring you revenue. Yes. What would become of you if this rabble were not kept in check? I sometimes wonder. Then I will tell you. They would hang you to the nearest oak tree. Not if I joined with them. Joined with them? Yes, if they sought liberty and freedom. Then either you deceive yourself or you lie to us. Really, gentlemen. Did I understand you to say I lie, Monsieur? You did. Monsieur. Monsieur de Lafayette, it is a long time since a member of the court has been struck in the presence of the queen. I suggest that you return to your states until your temper shows improvement. I beg that you allow him to remain, at least until my second time. There is no objection to their calling at my estate. My most sincere apology is your majesty. Good day. Lafayette? Lafayette. Speak with me outside. Well, you're on a fine mess now, my young hot spur. Well, why did you provoke me? Why? You think this business of a rebellion against a European king is merely a matter for polite conversation? But I meant no insult. Why should it not be a matter for talk? Because of the American succeed, every king in Christendom will tremble for his crown. Every nobleman in France will fear for his money in his life. Are you serious, the cub? I have never been more serious. But what do you know of these Americans? I know that they're fighting, and they're fighting for the greatest ideal since Christianity. They believe that all men are created equal, have equal rights to what they themselves create with their sweat and blood. And if the Americans win? Yes, if they win. They need money and offices. It's like a dream, the cub. It is as though I were seeing a vision for the first time. A vision of something brave and noble and enduring that men will die for. Not yet. Would you? Yes. By all that I hold sacred. Yes, I would. Now then, Gilbert, what is this new excitement? I want to share it at once. My darling wife, how shall I begin to tell you? Surely it's not so desperate. At the end, darling, I'm going to America. Gilbert, you're mad. No. I'd be mad to stay here when the kind of world I want, the kind of world we want is being fought for in America. But, Gilbert, why should you risk everything for a lot of peasants and savages? Oh, tell me, not peasants and savages. They are a whole new race of men. The king would have you thrown into prison before he'd let you go. Look, I bought a ship. We'll tell him it's for a holiday. He'll never know. Leave me to face Versailles alone. No, of course you're coming with me. No. No, I can't. Why? I... I've no choice in the matter, Gilbert. But why? I thought you were... Big Martin, Highness. The baron decalbers calling. He says it's urgent. Oh, show him in, Henry. Adelienne, perhaps you'd better... No, Gilbert. I... I want to stay. Never yet. Decal, how are you? You do. Forgive my muddy boots. I have to take the back roads. Even so, the king's men may have followed me here. Quickman, what's the news? The victoire stands ready to sail. Good. Adelienne, that's our ship. Yes, I know. Decal, how many of our friends are sailing? Some 20 of us. The American agent has agreed to a commission of Major General for you. If you care to join us. Major General? You see, Adelienne, they do want... You'll have to decide quickly. I have confidential news that the king has issued an order to prevent your sailing. He'll stop at nothing. We'll see about that. Gilbert, you mustn't. You might be killed. I'll wait for your answer in my apartment in the morning. A decision is now with you, Lafayette. Not me. Us. My wife and I. Then... Then bid him reconsider, madame. He has all the world to lose. And nothing but a dream to follow. Nothing but a dream to follow. But what a dream to cub. That all men are created free and equal. And may one day win that God-given freedom. Well, then... Until we meet, Lafayette. Adieu, madame. Au revoir, Monsieur de Cobb. Gilbert, what does it all mean? It means your husband is in the fight for humanity from 5,000 years of slavery with a rank of Major General. I'm so proud of you, Gilbert. Darling, there is a whole new world to establish. And France will be part of that new world. Gilbert, there's something I must say to you. I would go to America with you, but I can't. I... I'm going to have a... Oh, Adieu. I... I hadn't meant to tell you like this. Oh, but, dearest, I haven't you told me before. You've been so worried and abstracted lately that I didn't want to upset you. I know. And no, darling, forgive me. Well, I'll send a message to the cub tonight and tell him I'll not be sailing with them. We'll forget the whole business. Oh, no, Gilbert. You mustn't forget it. This dream, as the Baron called it, it's giving you back your joy of living. It's brought new purpose and inspiration into your life. And if it should be only a dream, would you ever forgive me for leaving you to follow it? There's nothing to forgive if you love me, Gilbert. I do. I do love you at the end, now and forever. Then go, my darling. I'd keep you from going if I could, but since I can't, I'll say goodbye to you in the morning in a manner becoming the wife of a soldier. What's that? Open in the name of the king. Nuffie, yes, ma'am. Hey, Kevin, they didn't find you. What is all these, again? The king's men left yet. I saw them as I was leaving. And I know they have a warrant for your arrest. My arrest? The king discovered your plan to go to America. Come on, Marquis. Out the back way. I have horses. Wait. Well, quickly, Gilbert. Quickly. I'll detain the soldiers until you're gone. Goodbye, darling. I love you. God bless you. Goodbye, Gilbert. Goodbye. Both swarms soon. Both swarms. You wish lodging for the night. Why, uh, I know. Well, that is my friend here. He's in bad shape. Uh, he was a servant under bond to the, uh, Duke of Provence. Now, uh, if he can get to Spain, he'll be free. What's your name, bondsman? Eh, uh, no, I. Ferdinand, no, I. Follow me, monsieur. I know a safe place, and I'll fetch you a suit of my brother's clothes. Anyone would recognize the Marquis de Lafayette and those. What? You know me? All France knows you, heinous. And wishes you a safe voyage to America. Listen, what's that? A horseman coming this way. Have your musket ready. Shall I order him to halt? No, no, drop your arms, man. It's only a poor cloud of bass pleasant. Let him pass. You may pass. Oh, thank you, monsieur. A thousand thanks. One moment. Did you see that saddle, Lieutenant? What about it? They had a crest. The Noire crest. Lafayette's crest. After him, then, shoot him down! Tell him he did. Lafayette, you're here at last. We'd given you up for a loss. We were near to sailing without you. For shame. You would disappoint our commander-in-chief. Here's some hot rum, man. Thanks. Let's drink to our commander-in-chief. General Washington. To General Washington. And so Lafayette escapes King Louis XVI and imprisonment, escapes to America and his dream of democracy as the curtain falls on the first act of The Gentleman from Paris, starring Charles Boyer. This play is brought to you on The Cavalcade of America sponsored by Dupont, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. As we continue, the young Marquis de Lafayette, played by Charles Boyer, is waiting in an anti-rum of General George Washington's headquarters outside Philadelphia. I tell you, Marquis, the general can see no one today. He has a review of the Pennsylvania regulars scheduled for this morning and expressly ordered... Oh, Colonel, please. I've come a long way to see General Washington. Oh, here. The letter from the Congress. Show him that. I don't mean to be rude, Marquis, but these letters are common courtesies to foreigners. Then, Colonel, I shall have to command you to take me to General Washington. Command? My dear sir. Here is my commission. As Major General in the Continental Army, sir. I see. Very well, sir. Follow me. I thank you. General Washington. One pound a inch. I expressly... I had no choice, sir. This is the Marquis de Lafayette. It seems he holds a rank in our army. Hmm. Gentleman from Paris, eh? May I see your command, Marquis? Well, I have no commanders yet, sir. Only the commission. And that's a commission you bought and paid for with the ministry in Paris. I dare say... Well, General Washington, I'm at a loss to understand my treatment at the hands of your countrymen. I came here because I believed in your cause and have been shot from pillar to post, treated like a spoiled child. And you think you aren't? What, sir? Well, no matter. My Pennsylvania regulars are about to pass in review, Marquis. Will you receive their salute as our honored visitor from abroad? I shall be proud to do so. Believe me, sir. And you may tell them to commence the review, Mr. Tench. I will, sir. After you, Marquis. Ah, thank you, sir. Forgive us if our ranks are not so well-disciplined as your King Louis men, but you see, these men are not professional soldiers. You may count that a blessing, sir. We do. We do, but will you, when you see them, hmm, here they come now, Marquis. Peace to your eyes on the soldiers of liberty. But these are civilians, General Washington. Do the soldiers come later? These are the soldiers, Marquis. Soldiers? Many of them have no uniforms. Some of them have no boots. Such is the army of freedom, Marquis. Return my salute. Yes, sir. I hardly know how. I thought as much. Colonel Tench, see that Major General Lapid yet gets a safe conduct back to Philadelphia. Yes, sir. I will excuse you from this ordeal, sir. But I don't want to be excused. I want to help. I have money, General Washington. Too much money for any one man. I'll give half of it to see these men in proper boots and uniforms. Marquis de Lafayette, you cannot buy your way into this army. These men fight for something, something you would not understand. Oh, there is a winter ahead. They'll need warm clothing. See the quartermaster about that, Marquis. I have no further time for you. Good day, sir. I'll see you to your carriage, Marquis. No. All right. Very well, Colonel. Good day, General Washington. This way, Marquis. One moment, Colonel Tench. Yes, sir? Colonel, I feel somehow that you are my friend. Can you hear me for a moment? If I can help you, Marquis? Well, tell me, why does General Washington resent my presence? And even if he does, how can he refuse my offer to clothe that wretched tube? General Washington doesn't show his feelings much, Marquis. He could weep for having to refuse your offer, believe me, could. And I, too, for that matter. And why? I can afford it and much more. And I want to help. This man's army is proud, Marquis, proud to a man. They'd wear sackcloth before they'd wear royalist boots. Oh, I'm not a royalist. I'm a Republican. I believe you, Marquis. But all these men know is that you're a rich foreigner who's sorry for them. Your title of Major General's got to be earned in these parts, Marquis. I'm blessed if I know how you'd go about that. You mean they would accept my help if I were one of them? Possibly. But you're not, or ever will be. I wonder. So, Marquis, still with us, I see? Oh, General Washington, give me a few moments for what I have to say. Hear me out, please. Good Lord, man, there's a war to be fought. Philadelphia's close to falling. And you asked me with all that weighing upon me to soothe your hurt feeling. No, I do not. I ask you to let me fight in your army without title, without pay. Forget my nationality and the mistakes I've made. Let me start as one of those men out there. Let me prove myself to them and to you. They'd never accept you, Marquis. Why not? Because you're not one of them. You're the Marquis de Lafayette. You came here for adventure like the young nobleman you are. This is no adventure, Marquis. It is the greatest adventure humanity has ever engaged upon. General Washington, I mean to be a part of it. Ah, these posturings of the young gentry are wearisome to me. General Washington, when I return to France, I return to prison, for I came here against the King's command. I left a wife in France, a wife whom I love more dearly than anything on his earth. Left her with child to come here because I thought his freedom you're fighting for is more than anyone man's happiness. I made her believe it too. If I've done all this in vain, I'm afraid this love will never be the same again. I love that way once. Long time ago, you hit me where it hurts most Lafayette. It's either your uncanny French cleverness or else. Well, there's hope for you, my boy. Then you will give me a chance to prove myself? We engage the enemy tomorrow at Brandywine Creek. Ride out with me at dawn. May have, there'll be a job to do. Ready, Marquis? Ready, sir. We'll ride slowly to the crest of the hill, men. There may be cause to spare our mounts. Yes, sir. All right, boy. You look fit enough, Marquis. Ah, dispensable in your hills with the sun of mourning on them. What a beautiful country, sir. And treacherous when the snow falls. You've never known such cold in France as we know here when the wind blows from the wilderness. The air is clear and sharp in old Washington. Good air, fresh air for your child of liberty to go up in. Here's the crest. Draw up for a moment, Marquis. Come any hoax? There's Sullivan's troops ahead there. That's Chad's Ford over there. The main enemy wedge will come through there. They come now, sir. Now, our men are calling before they can engage them. It's the barrage. They're beginning to outflank us. The lines are scattering, sir. Take command of this troop, Lafayette. You will be in reserve to support the right flank. I'll wait here for tension. Yes, sir. Poverty forward! General Washington. I'll go to our other column. All right, flanks turning, sir. Have you time to reform routes? I doubt it, sir, unless that reinforcement can hold them off above, we're not even able to achieve an orderly retreat. Everything depends now on that reinforcement. Good lord in heaven. What is it? What's the trouble? I sent that young fool, that Frenchman, to command that column. He's leading them right enough, sir. Have a look through this glass. By God, he is. Trench. We found a real soldier. The enemy's paying for every foot they advance, sir. But he's a fool riding so far ahead of the troops while he'll be killed. He must bear a charmed life, sir. He's slicing at their forward men with a sabre now. Trench. Our flank has reformed. It ranks. Oh, if Lafayette can only hold them off for a moment longer. But, general, look, sir. What is it? What is it, Trench? Tamaki is wounded. He must have been wounded at the outset. His saddle's sopping with blood and the whole flank of his horse has stained bright red. Come on, Trench. Let's go out and help him. That's nothing, general Washington. Look. The enemy's retreating. I know Lafayette, but you're done in. Come, Trench. Give him support, yes, sir? No. It's not necessary. Trench, he's falling. She's got to get him, sir. And what a gallant fighter he is. Trench. This day was saved by one man. I hope he'll live to tell the tale. He's badly hurt, sir. Shall I ride him in? Better take a stretcher. And, uh, Trench, one thing more. Yes, sir? The men at the hospital. They might be a little unfriendly because of who he is. Tell them he's to be treated as if he were my own son. Dear boy, I hope this is au revoir. Not farewell. It is not farewell, sir. I go back to France with good reason. I know you do. That young wife of yours. How I should like to meet her. She could not love you more for meeting you, sir. You've had a letter since I saw you. Yes, I have. May I read it to you? By all means. By all means. Well, it says, darling, our little son is six months old now. I know you will be glad to know he was christened yesterday. I named him for our adopted father. His name is George Washington Lafayette. If you knew what this means to me. And she says, all France is buzzing with your exploits in America. Even Versailles is impressed. The king won't dare put you in jail. And this, this I'm almost afraid to put in a letter. But things have changed here very much. I think France will be America's ally before the year is up. I pray we'll be able to hold out until then. You will, sir. Lafayette, you came to us a boy looking for adventure. You leave us a man carrying honorable wounds in a great cause. And I say to you now, if we should never meet again, and if I and our ragged army should perish under the snows of this winter or the next, in years to come wherever men speak of liberty, they'll speak your name, Lafayette. General Washington, you must know how humble, how grateful I am to you, and to you, America. You will win this wonderful freedom. You must. For the shackles of 5,000 years of slavery are yours to destroy. The fate of my own people is invisibly bound to you. For who knows, perhaps there will come a day when the free peoples of America shall give of their mightest strength and inspiration to France. A France of courage and wisdom will hold her head high in the majesty of eternal freedom. Thank you, Charles Boyer, for your stirring performance tonight on the Cavalcade of America. Ladies and gentlemen, in a few moments we shall hear again from our star Charles Boyer. Meantime, Gain Whitman has some interesting information for you about young men and DuPont. The war casts a new light on the DuPont Company's continued grant of funds this year to 21 American colleges and universities, which will in turn award fellowships supported by these funds to 28 graduate students of chemistry and chemical engineering. Wars are fought with brains. That has always been true. And in this war, more true than ever, science and technical know-how are paramount weapons. We'd like to tell you something about these fellowships which are awarded entirely at the discretion of the various institutions and which enable a number of young scientists year after year to continue their independent research and study. Since the DuPont Company began to help promising graduate students of chemistry with cash awards, fellowships have been granted to 478 American college students. In addition, for several years past, numerous awards have been made to students who have already obtained their doctor's degree of chemistry for further advanced work. This investment in the future of America has been a gratifying thing to the DuPont Company. Without singling out a few for individual mention, we can tell you that these highly trained men have gone out into the service of the American people and are now contributing their technical skill to such industries as aeronautics and transportation. They are serving as heads of departments in our leading universities, have gone into various branches of government service, while still others are directors of laboratories of American companies which are in the forefront of the drive to make America the arsenal of democracy. We haven't time to tell you what all 478 men are doing, but this random listing is typical of the jobs being done by the fine young scientific minds at work in the United States today. Two things about these fellowships granted each year by the DuPont Company are especially worthy of mention. One is that they have no strings attached to them. They go to many different universities and the appointments are made not by the DuPont Company but by department heads of the universities themselves. Nor is there any expectation that the men will come back to work for DuPont after they finish their college courses. The DuPont Company is confident that the universities will choose the men who deserve the awards and that they in turn will go on in later life to whatever jobs will make the best use of their individual talents. The other thing of significance as the record proves is that these fine young scientists are a national resource of the highest order. Their skill in time of war is of inestimable value to the nation and more important still in the long run their achievement as time goes on must increasingly enrich the future of a peacetime America. In that peacetime America to which we shall return they will work shoulder to shoulder with all the men and women of the chemical industry producing an increasing abundance of better things for better living through chemistry. And now tonight's star Charles Boyer. I hardly need to tell you the emotions I have felt in playing the role of Lafayette on your cavalcade of America. That same feeling was shown I think Mr. Boyer when the president just recently renamed the liner Normandy the Lafayette. Exactly. That is why in portraying Lafayette tonight on the cavalcade of America I felt that France was speaking to America again. Oh not merely the echo of history but the voice of a nation which will again be liberated someday to fulfill Lafayette's pledge of human freedom and to live again in the glorious tradition of American democracy. Thank you Mr. Boyer. Now a word about next week's show when we bring you another great Hollywood star Betty Davis in a play written and directed by the well-known radio dramatist Arch Obler. Mr. Obler will direct the distinguished screen actress in a new version of his radio play An American is Born an imaginative and powerful interpretation of what it means to all of us to call this my own my native land. Tonight's play The Gentleman from Paris was especially written for cavalcade by Robert Talman. The original score was composed and directed by Robert Armbruster. Don't forget next week Betty Davis in An American is Born written and directed by Arch Obler on the cavalcade of America. This is John Easton sending best wishes from DuPont. This is the national broadcasting company.