Claude de Passione

Synopsis---Claude de Pasionné

Claude de Passioné (pronounced pashen-ay) is the son of an old established aristocratic French family. His parents are misfits. The father, Marquis Charles is a philanderer and the mother, Marie-France a domineering psychotic who is unable to concede giving Claude his own life.

The family has owned huge vineyards and wineries for generations and resides in a large ancient Chateau on the estate.

While it is the Marquis' desires to have Claude take over the business he shows no inclination as a young man. In an effort to calm Claude, the parents send him to the Sorbonne to study business and art. With the freedom, he experiences away from the parents Claude is initially uncontrollable. As studies intensify, Claude takes a more serious approach to life. Unwilling to return to the Chateau during a summer break, Claude takes a job at an art gallery and innocently is implicated in a huge stolen antique and art smuggling and trafficking ring which stretched across several continents. Following his arrest, he is jailed and suffers serious hospitalizing injuries when beaten by a fellow prisoner.

While completing his studies, Claude decides not to immediately return to the Chateau or work in the family business. He decides to travel the world for two years. On a trip home to advise his parents of his plans, he stumbles into a meeting between bankers who are visiting the Marquis. The bankers are concerned about an investment they made into some other vineyards and wineries that are troubled and try to convince the Marquis to purchase them from their bank.

After listening to the bankers and their plans, Claude assists the Marquis in an analysis of the wineries business, using the knowledge he gained at the Sorbonne. The family finally purchases the vineyards and wineries. Claude is surprised to have enjoyed the task.

After completing his studies at the Sorbonne, Claude embarks on a journey through Europe and to the South Pacific. During his travels, he meets Claire, who becomes his fiancée much to Marie-France's chagrin.

He returns to a vastly different situation. He has inherited a huge fortune and uses some of the money to purchase certain luxuries, one being a Ferrari 250LM sports car. Marie-France has developed dementia and the Marquis has died. Claude has inherited the Chateau and the business. Claude immerses himself into the business. He diversifies the operation and purchases a large wine estate in the Napa Valley in California and moves to California.

Eventually, Claude decides to propose the Claire but fate intervenes and she is killed by a hippie student when leaving the restaurant where Claude intended to propose. Claude is also injured.

It is during a period of physiotherapy treatments that he falls madly in love with Misty Moon, his physiotherapist. All seems well until her past is revealed when Claude and his vintner partner are informed of the sordid details of her past are revealed. Claude faces a tough decision which leaves him in a quandary.

Notes

Claude is a debonair olive-skinned young man with longish black hair, dark eyes, and mustache. He is just over 6 feet tall and a lean build. He presents well and attracts the attention of desirable women. He has a penchant for fashion and dresses in puffy white regency shirts and black matador trousers with cowboy boots.

The Chateau is old and stately.

The vineyards in France are behind the Chateau and slope away.

In California, his new winery, Passion Field Estates has a grandiose house set amongst a large stand of trees and a eucalyptus-lined driveway.

Misty Moon is part Asian and a beauty with long dark hair.

The restaurant they visit for Claude's proposal is in real life, The Tides at Bodega Bay (Made famous as it is where Alfred Hitchcock filmed The Birds, and the restaurant is today the same as when it was featured in the film.)

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