“Heads you Lose”
France, 1792
Four years into the French Revolution and King Louis has been beheaded. The landed gentry are the next group to be targeted by the republicans.
JESS is a servant in the Chateau of PIERRE MANDIN. The republicans approach. PIERRE is forced to flee but can not find his son, PHILIPPE. PIERRE gives JESS a gold coin before departing.
The republicans reach the Chateau and break down the door. The group includes ISABELLE, who is in charge of the operation, and the streetwise ALBERT.
JESS and ALAIN, a less loyal servant of PIERRE, come across PHILIPPE who has drunkenly fallen asleep amongst the hay in the stables. JESS helps disguise him as a servant in a spare tunic. PHILIPPE is snobbish and ungrateful. ALAIN leaves just before the republicans discover JESS and PHILIPPE in the stables.
Before being questioned, JESS tells PHILIPPE to stay mum. The gold coin, given to JESS by PIERRE, falls from his pocket. The rebels believe that JESS is PHILIPPE in disguise and take him prisoner, likely to be executed. The real PHILIPPE is released.
ISABELLE questions JESS again; she has some apprehension about his guilt. ISABELLE tosses JESS’ gold coin to determine whether he will be executed or not. JESS loses the toss.
ALAIN bullies PHILIPPE into helping him loot the Chateau. They are caught looting by republican JEAN. He takes them to ISABELLE and ALBERT who interrogate them. The question arises as to which of the men in the room is actually MASTER PHILIPPE. ALAIN grasses on PHILIPPE, pointing to him and saying “That’s Master Philippe.”
JESS, in an act of bravery, lies and says that he is himself Master Philippe. The republicans appear convinced that JESS is the master and release ALAIN and PHILIPPE.
Some weeks later, JESS is set to be executed. On the day of the execution he is transported to the Guillotine on a cart with other prisoners. Suddenly, a woman in a robe, ISABELLE in disguise, stops the cart and demands that the prisoners are released. She is aided by a number of hooded sidekicks.
Back at an inn, ISABELLE explains what had actually happened after Jess’ capture. ISABELLE had deduced JESS’ innocence from the look on PHILIPPE’s face as JESS selflessly surrended himself. PHILIPPE had been moved to tears in gratitude and had subsequently admitted his guilt to ISABELLE.
PHILIPPE and ISABELLE both realised that they had wronged and conspired to kidnap JESS.
Later, ALBERT and his guards burst in on the inn, but ISABELLE, JESS, PHILIPPE and the other kidnappers have fled the scene. ALBERT and his guards are given their comeuppance by the revellers at the inn.
