Original subtitles

Back up.

Turn around.

"THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO LOVE"

Crew!

Slowly.

Go lower.

Close in on her.

Don't move, Nadine.

Cut!

What are you doing here?

Put your head down here.

This is very important. He's half dead, but he still represents life for you.

You hold his head and say, But I love you.

We'll just rehearse the close-up.

Then you fuck him, take him!

He'll keep his trousers on now...

When we shoot it'll be much easier when he takes them off.

Go ahead, tell him you love him.

Go ahead, tell him!

Say it!

- I... I love you, I love you. - Again!

I... love you.

Again!

You feel him, it turns you on...

That's why yousay: I love you!

Try it! Go on!

Feel him and say: I love you.

Again!

- I love you. - Again!

- I can't do that, it's... - Yes, you can!

No, I can't! It's too much!

You're getting paid for it.

- But... - No buts, go ahead.

Feel him!

Put life into it, you love him.

More!

More, you love him!

I love you.

More... more!

No photos please.

I'm an actress, I do good stuff.

I only do this to... to eat. So please, no photos.

Please.

- Cut!

No photographs...

Get off the set!

I said no photographers on set!

Confiscate the film!

Give us the negative.

Come on!

- We re going to shoot it now with his pants off!

And the camera.

Where the hell have you been?

We said 10 o'clock!

The kid was busy.

Or getting too up market?

Why do you say that?

You know what you are?

A dirty bitch!

You exaggerate. After all we've done for you.

Without us, kid,

what would've become of you?

The receipt please.

He not talk?

He's a limey.

With the 40 bucks from Thursday, that's it.

Tell Mr. Mazelli,

I fulfilled my contract.

Well kids, shall we get it on?

Does he have to finish his book?

If it weren't for Mazelli...

Yes I know, I'd be...

There.

Did I wake you?

Yes. We were shooting the whole night.

I'm sorry.

Do you remember me?

I took some shots of you yesterday on the set.

I sold them fora very good price so I...

I should take more.

You should?

Yes. To hit a cover... a very important magazine.

Photos of you without yesterday's shit.

Yeah buddy, its been a long time since I've hit a cover, with or without shit.

That's a good reason.

It's beautiful here. Is it yours?

A crazy old Austrian saw me once in a film and lends it to us.

As long as she's alive.

It's great!

Quite a place for a photo-shoot, isn't it?

It's time.

Time? What time?

No idea.

That changes everything!

Sorry to barge in like this, but, your telephone's out of order.

No, it's been cut off.

Coffee everyone?

My husband is good at making coffee.

Coffee?

Ah, yes, thank you.

I'm at your disposal, sir.

No make-up? Won't you comb your hair?

- Get more... - No.

Why? I have the face I have. I'm 30. You don't like it?

It s not that... I really want to put you on a cover.

To sell a cover, one needs...

Something more...

raw.

Wait a minute.

Like this?

- More?

Like this? Some ass?

That's it. Let's make use of the light.

Come here, yes. Lift your head.

Tilt your head back...

Yes, like that.

Hold it. Yes, that way.

Give me more profile.

Great...

Jacques Chevalier.

Servais Mont.

Do you workfor an agency?

Several. I free-lance.

I'm interested... indirectly, I'm a collector.

Of agencies?

Of photos... Louise Brooks, Baclanova, Marilyn, Marlene Dietrich.

This kind of stuff.

James Dean.

Excuse me.

Vitruve, the architect, says extended arms equal one's height

from chin to cranium, one eighth of one's height,

the width of the shoulders represent one quarter of a man,

and from the nipples to the head, precisely one quarter of a woman.

Leonardo da Vinci.

Be gentle with my wife, she's pregnant.

My husband will say anything.

What was your last film?

In Italy... nothing good.

I don't agree.

What was the title?

It was first called The Turkish Dog, then...

Nymphocula, which is a lot better.

Tell me...

I dreamt you were pouring Coca Cola in my ear. A nasty death!

Stop it Jacques, we have to work.

So work, kids.

Anyway,

having coffee in my bath is a must.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Let's stop if you want.

Did you get all the photos you wanted?

If I ask to see you again, will you throw me out?

Immediately.

When?

Tomorrow, St. Germain, at 4?

Here at 3.

Okay?

Good.

It's you?

The electrics are fried in my block, the elevator has been bust for ten days.

Seven flights when I was your age was peanuts, but now...

So, you want to stay, right?

Hey, I just don't want to get under your feet!

Just say the word and...

I'll climb my seven flights!

Drop it. I'm really tired today.

Well, I got a call from Mr. Mazelli.

So Mazelli wouldn't be the name of your elevator, by any chance?

See, as soon as I open my mouth, you lose it.

He just talked to me. He's offended.

He's got a point.

I paid him back, so fuck him.

Mr. Mazelli can go fuck himself!

Life's not only about money.

You prefer to see me scrabbling in shit as long as Mazelli buys your beers.

Is that what you want?

Who do you think you're talking to? Don't lecture me!

Same to you!

Take the couch.

There are sheets in the closet.

I have to unpack my shirts.

I don't owe you anything anymore.

I'm saying...

Oh, shit!

You're here?

Yes.

No, not anymore. I'm going back.

Good night. Just slam the door when you leave.

Today...

I met a girl.

She works next door,

at Wimpy's.

She makes french fries.

Sh's a Negro, well... she s a mix.

She's nice.

She has a little boy.

The father walked out on him.

And you know what? His name is Gerard... like me.

Well?

- What kind of role do you... in the film? - 3 days, kind of.

Am I bitter?

It comes with age.

From where I'm standing you'll be 50 tomorrow.

I'm 30.

That's the second time you've told me.

I'm really sorry I screwed up the photos because

you are... beautiful.

Here we go.

I've made myself up, I've combed my hair.

I've dusted the room

and my husband's at the movies.

Thats it.

Well since we're here, let's do things properly.

Properly?

Yes, this should be the moment you bring out your medieval liqueur?

Tell me where the bar is, I'll serve you a drink.

Why? Yo're not okay?

I'm fine.

Listen, I haven t much time and we're not here for that.

We're here for what?

To be together, no?

So?

Now you're wondering what you're going to say?

Yes, and...

you're not making things easy.

On the contrary.

Isn't it now you drag me to bed?

Yes.

More or less.

It's rather less than more, no?

You're used to this sort of thing, no?

You too.

You've been married long?

- Six years. - What does he do?

You really want me to talk about him?

No but... Its better than talking about something else and thinking about him, no?

I wonder.

Well, what do we do?

I wouldn t know.

If we don't make love and if you don't go,

we have to do something, no?

Such as?

Talk.

Talk?

About what?

About... ourselves.

And you think it'll help us?

What?

To be together

since being together is why we're here.

You start.

Well,

I can start by telling you...

...about myself.

What do you want me to tell you? About what I saw in Algiers and Vietnam?

Are you really interested?

You see!

Too bad!

You know what time it is?

I m sorry to disturb, but I've got to see Nadine.

- What is it with you? It's 5a. m. - It's urgent.

- No, I'm sorry, it's a no-go. She's asleep. - No, sorry!

Fuck off.

Fuck off.

How's life?

Life's shit!

Kind of early, no?

It's 8 o'clock.

Then I'm glad you came.

Cause I don't usually get up til noon.

I don't feel so good!

It's 8 AM, not PM.

Is Luce sick?

It's not about her.

Another woman?

And it's me you've come to talk to?

Yes, I've realized you're the only person I can talk to at all.

Funny, no?

Not at all.

It's extremely interesting.

Is she an intellectual?

No. An actress.

If she's an actress then you're right,

this is the way one should act in real life.

In fact you want me to help you to betray my wife?

- I never loved your wife. - That's not my fault!

Oh well, everything is my fault!

Okay, let's not be fussy.

Your so-called actress, what's her problem?

The problem? Shit...

I barge in here at 8, act like a jerk,

where's the problem?

I don't know what, but I've got to do something for her.

Why should I be part of it?

It's because you fuck my wife... I get it.

Lets think then, we're in the Western World, so the solution will be capitalistic.

How much do you love her?

What?

When I was small, a century ago,

my mother used to say, in her sickening way: You love your Mom?

And me, already a whore, I'd answer, Oh, I love Mom a lot.

But that wasn't enough for her.

So she'd insist: How much do you love her?

10 cents... 100 cents?

So, I am asking you: How much do you love her?

- I don't get you. - Do you want to screw her or not?

Cause if you do, you have to pay. That's the way it goes with a young lecher like you.

You wan ta quick fix? I've got one for you.

I know this crazy guy who's trying to put on a play nobody cares about.

And he's seriously broke.

A play... get it?

The theater!

The three strokes!

The Curtain!

O despair! O cursed old age!

So then... you buy it?

Are you still drunk, or completely nuts?

She's an actress, right?

Actors have to act.

Since you are a dumbass who don't love my wife, you have to pay.

I'll call the guy and get you an appointment.

Sure you're not taking me for a ride?

I'm not sure of anything and it kills me - put it in the back of your head.

Excuse me.

- It's beautiful. - Lapade call you about me coming?

Ah yes, he did. Karl Heinz Zimmer.

Servais Mont.

May I dry my hair while listening?

- You're an actor, right? - No, not at all.

Too bad.

I came about an actress...

Nadine Chevalier.

- Isn't it beautiful? - Yes, very.

I brought photographs of her.

Superb!

Beautiful!

Lapade told me...

He will soon die like my brother.

You know what he died of?

Of disgust.

Yes, but we do have problems.

I know.

He knows.

I invested in the production.

The director got a city subvention.

You see...

we are reduced to the exigencies of cinema.

No stars, no money.

And the little fame I had in Germany hasn't followed me here!

Karl Heinz Zimmer!

Does my name mean anything to you? Shit!

Isn't he a bore?

Your girlfriend... it's the director with whom you should talk.

I'm only an actor.

Where can I see the director?

Why, right here!

He moved here. His heating system broke down.

It's not about ambition, you see,

it's about power, the machinations of power.

Shakespeare's machiavelic virtues are astonishing.

Providing you're not drowning his play in incoherency.

I just want to know if you have a part for Nadine Chevalier?

The only important part in Richard the Third is...

Lady Ann, one of the greatest female roles.

Is she skilled?

What does that mean?

Well, has she played anywhere?

Is she classical?

She was in a film called Nymphocula.

But of course! Two dykes in a castle with a dwarf!

That was a Pontoni! Sublime!

How was she?

She was good... I mean great.

So that changes everything.

But we ve still got the financial problem.

- How much is missing? - $20,000.

What's the production cost?

Including us? $100,000.

Okay, but on one condition:

She must never know I've got my finger in the pie.

Got it?

Listen!

Don't judge by appearances, Messala is one hell of a director.

Ask around in Paris. He's the best.

Here you are, my boy!

How are you?

You're asking me? It's me who's been asking about you everywhere.

My boy!

We'll settle this problem in Geneva!

Hector called.

He says you've gone up market.

When he thinks up market, he means ungrateful.

I said: No Hector,

he's just a nice kid, still a little young, that's all.

You need me?

A little party at my place on the 31st.

A few important friends. We want to keep souvenirs.

Okay. I need money.

All I want is to be generous.

No problem, boy.

The girls can't come before Friday.

I said Wednesday.

They're stuck in Munich. Customs.

- Serious? - No.

Then kiss the kid and scoot.

You've lost weight... you don't eat.

I eat.

Come to eat when you want.

Okay.

You won't come.

How much?

$20,000.

That's a lot of dough. You're in trouble?

I'm sick.

You'll have to work well,

not like before.

Money's expensive nowadays,

you'll have to take more risks.

You'll have to forget your up market stuff.

You accept?

Don't bug me.

There we go!

By the way, your dad cheated me out of...

Does he know you saved his hide?

Let's open a new account.

- How much did you say? - 20.

Alright for $20,000.

And your dad, how's he?

...and her father, not all so much for love

As for an other secret intent by marrying her

which I must reach unto. But yet I run before my horse to market,

Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns:

When they are gone, then I must count my gains.

Set down,

set down your honorable load,

If honor may be...

shrouded in a hearse,

Poor key-cold figure

of a holy king!

Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood!

Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost...

Just a minute! Excuse me!

Would you mind, darling children, if I said we're going head first into disaster?

I say that because I'm happy you're here.

What we'll do will be good.

We'll be among ourselves for a few weeks.

One day we'll face the audience.

The audience!

And we'll say: We worked for them.

We'll have to ask ourselves:

Will they like us?

I want to warn you, as they are not yet here...

Don't give them what they want. They don't know what they want.

Don't seek them out, you'll get lost trying to find them.

I am expecting you, never, never, never

never to be satisfied with yourselves.

Reach the most demanding depth

you can find in yourselves.

You will then have a chance

to be accepted. Please, my little one.

Let's continue.

More... direful hap be tide...

That makes us wretched by the death of thee,

Than I can wish to adders,

spiders, toads, or any creeping venomed thing that lives!

If ever he have child,

abortive be it, Prodigious,

and untimely brought to light

Whose ugly and unnatural aspect may fright the hopeful mother...

If ever he have wife,

let her be made

As miserable bythe death of him as I am made...

I can't... any more...

Stay here! I'll go.

Keep calm.

Gentlemen, please!

Let's take scene III.

Calm down!

It's happened to all of us.

He wasn't talking about you.

We're all puppets with screwed up lives and dead end careers.

Why do you think we're all here?

We're all like you, when the right stuff comes along, we just fall apart!

I'm lost!

- Do you understand? - No, I don't.

I feel old... I'm tired.

No one tried harder.

No one tried harder.

No one tried to give more...

That's all I can do for you.

I'm not joking.

Me, I don't choose.

I'm not looking.

I don't follow any direction.

I accept myself.

Look at yourself. You're beautiful.

I'd give anything to be like you.

Understand?

Come.

Come on...

The fat one on the right. She needs to be recognizable.

See her? Go ahead.

Now the old one with the two guys.

Wait, wait... It's coming.

Look at the brunette with the trannies...

Make sure you get her!

- Don't get upset. - Look! Isn't that a disgrace.

Calm down, you'll burst a blood vessel again.

Can't help it. It makes me sick.

It's dough... but it's disgusting.

Oh, look at that bitch.

Is the music keeping you awake?

I'm out of sleeping pills.

I have to go near my place... they know me at the pharmacy.

There's some chicken in the fridge.

I'm not hungry at all.

I'm glad, with Mazelli, it worked out.

One never has too many friends in life.

What happened with your Wimpy girl?

Down the drain.

She's now with the cook. A fat Italian.

She trusts me with her kid from time to time.

I took him to the park this afternoon, and you know what?

He's in love with a bitch his age.

She refuses to play with him.

He just stares at her with his big eyes like an idiot.

And he suffers... 5 years old. You hear?

You know, with your mother... it wasn't always bad.

To hell with my mother!

Sorry.

At the beginning, when I worked for Mazelli and all.

Before you were born,

we were happy... not for long, but still.

She was beautiful.

Time fucks up everything.

Its when we don't know where we're going...

Be wary of how time flies...

Don't become an old schmuck like me.

Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.

Fare devil for God's sake,

Get out of here

and trouble us not.

For thou hast made the happy world thy hell,

Filled with cursing cries and deep exclaims.

If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,

Behold this pattern of thy butcheries.

- Oh gentlemen, see, see! - One moment.

Excuse me.

Jacques, would you mind stepping into the coffin?

It would help your wife in this scene.

Well darling, what are you waiting for? Continue.

Thou lump of foul deformity

For tis thy presence

that exhales this blood from cold and empty veins,

O God, which this blood mad'st, revenge his death!

Lady, you know no rules of mercy, which renders good for bad?

Blessings for curses.

Villain, thou knowest no law, nor of God nor of man.

Fouler than heart can thin thee, thou canst but hang thyself!

Very good!

But be forceful!

You don't carry it enough. Not enough!

Oh shit, what more do you need?

But there will be stage hands building an iron cage around you!

They'll be usinga blow-torch!

- A what? - A blow-torch.

He's sick.

I'm working for a sick man.

Let's continue.

I need to recuperate!

I'm recuperating!

Take 5 minutes.

I have to go now.

I was good, no?

I said: 5 minutes.

Go to hell.

The ghost has returned.

This time I'll talk to him.

Good morning, mister, did you like it?

Hi.

So it s you who comes here every day.

Yes, I'm a friend of Messala, the director.

I see...

Maybe an army buddy?

So, you're here for him?

Yes. Well, no... it's...

It's what?

I'm cold.

- Every time I act, there is a ghost.

A man who sits in the last row,

who watches...

And no one knows why he's there.

This time I know the ghost.

Do you like theater?

Listen to me,

I'm neither a victim nor a prisoner.

My life is what it is

even if you don't think it adds up to much.

About the ghost in my last play, six years ago.

I married him and I love him.

Look! It's the man who breaks down doors at 5 in the morning.

Hello, you read Le Figaro, right?

It's the only paper that mentions that Nadine's in the play.

He's a friend of Messala's.

Afriend of Messala's,

it's obvious...

just look at him.

Look at what I found...

A South American record, Georgio Cassati... fantastic!

I have to go.

Nice, isn't it?

Tell me... why don't you come and have dinner at our place?

No thank you.

But I'm doing the cooking.

Wait, Nadine...

Come here.

Tell him... tell him to come.

He's right.

Come tomorrow evening, please.

Why not?

Fuck me.

Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!

Jacques, please.

You're nuts, I haven't taken the pill.

Love me.

What's the matter?

We've eaten cat food

and it hasn't agreed with us.

The can said that there were good things in it.

What's that?

My old bats...

If you want my opinion, they're going to croak soon.

They snore all night and stare at me all day.

How can I sleep under such conditions?

Could you take the dog, I"m afraid to drop her.

That's nice of you.

Can you walk?

Yes... I'm alright.

Solitude is the food of the soul.

How are things with your stage girl?

We're together.

So I blew it totally, right?

Luce will never forgive me.

Delirium tremens. Nothing to do with what he ate.

His liver is this big.

I guess he knew what he was doing.

I came as soon as you called.

Can I see him?

He's just come out of coma.

I've done for, man! It happens to the best people.

Parasites wind up in collectives.

Look at that.

I don't want to go to the hospital! They give you shit to eat!

Tell them!

You're not sorry for me.

You're perfectly right.

People have no more destiny because they have no morals

and they have no morals because they have no illusions.

And my best time was this!

And you...

you don't exist.

You think you're king of the earth

but you're nothing but a dead man and I curse you!

You'll take care of Doriot? She's with the concierge.

Yes, don't worry.

I could've left her with Luce,

but I don't want my two bitches together.

And since you got the first one

I can croak in peace.

It's long.

I hate to tell you this...

but I think I'm gonna barf.

Be careful, you're among loons here.

We started a film magazine last year. Just four issues - but they were good.

Then, I was switchboard operator and driver for tea-tasters.

I studied medicine before to be like my uncle,

who's an ambulance driver. It didn't work.

Then I met Nadine, and took care of her.

Actresses are fragile, they break easily.

She was on a downhill slope at the time.

Debauchery, fornication... fooling around...

And then, Zorro came to the rescue.

You see.

She was sure you wouldn't come.

Clear the table for dinner.

What is this... Seventh heaven?

We were just winding u pour little swap shop.

Servais Mont, this is Roger Beninge...

Raymond Manuel Rosenthal.

He's dreaming. My best de Carlos

against lousy Columbia Studio re-prints.

- You call these re-prints. - They're crap!

You call thata re-print?

Look closer.

Be careful with those plates! Are you crazy?

This is Miriam Hopkins.

- In what film? - She Loves Me Not.

Who with?

With... Bing Crosby.

And Kitty Carlisle.

OK, I got it...

It'll cost a lot, no?

Yvonne de C?

All of them?

Wha tdid you think?

Seen anything more beautiful?

It s beautiful, isn't it?

Beautiful... sepia print.

This goes directly into the safe.

He's the only one who's still into Bing Crosby.

Bastard. All Yvonne de Carlo.

Salome is enough for him...

Forgive me, Yvonne.

Shit, the food's burning!

Do you remember?

- What? - Rue de Verneuil.

A tiny room with a tiny thing to cook on.

Everything was tiny.

The bed was so narrow, we both had to turn over together.

Now we have a large one and we still turn over together.

That's marriage.

Right, darling?

The little Austrian sticks to her routines.

Don't you find her provincial?

You don't know her.

Help yourselves!

Take some of this!

- I don't feel like it. - You're too much.

No wonder your breasts are falling down. You never eat.

Look at her, when I met her it was three packs a day.

Nicotine was coming out her ears.

But then, Zorro came to rescue the old girl, no?

You think Messala wants to lay her?

- Who? - Nadine.

He got all his actors, the play was cast. Suddenly he fires the girl for Nadine.

Don't you think that's strange?

He's gay.

So what? I'm gay too,

with your little boy's ass.

Small, round and juvenile.

- I saw Nymphocula six times.

- A few good shots...

- Did you see Nymphocula? - No.

You don't like porn films?

I like them.

Nadine does them but doesn't like them because she's a puritan. Understand that?

She's done everything and showed everything and is getting more and more puritanical.

She discovered she had principles.

Now, you can strip her of her pants, but not her principles.

She couldn't explain her principles.

They're just there... like rails

and Nadine sticks to them

even if they burn her feet

like right now.

Are you scared so much?

It's embarrassing and useless.

I'm so sorry, I forgot I had an appointment at the agency.

Please excuse me, but I have to go.

Thank you.

- Did you speak to him? - Yes.

Can I buy you a coffee?

No, I'll stay here.

I didn't leave him for you.

Yes, I know that.

Tell me something.

Are we through?

What is it?

I don't know. I don't know.

Something's happened.

I don't really understand...

I'm frightened of doing harm.

I'm in a bind.

Because I feel that...

if I go further,

I'll do some harm

and if I stop,

I II do even more.

Now is the winter of our discontent

made glorious summer by this sun of York

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths

Our bruised arms hung up for monuments

Our stern alarms changed to merry meetings,

Our marches to delightful measures.

Grim-visaged war

hath smoothed his front

And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds

He capers nimbly

in a lady s chamber

To the lascivious charm of a lute.

But I,

that am not shaped for sportive tricks,

I...

cheated of feature by dissembling nature,

Sent into this breathing world

Scarce, half made up

And that so lamely and unfashionable

That dogs bark at me as I halt by them.

And then, one hears a rooster back stage.

As usual Antoine shouts: Terrible!

The stage manager runs to him, holding a real rooster by the neck.

This is a real one, Mr. Antoine, a real one!

And Antoine answers:

He's terrible, we must replace him.

What is she doing?

She should be here by now.

I'm in no hurry.

- I had to wait, it came late. - Give me that!

Do you know everyone here?

My wife. Sit down.

What can one say for such a fiasco?

That others did well where Messala got lost.

Excessive, dark, over the top,

Expressionistic without reason,

his directing is a mish mash

of contradicting intentions and random ideas to the point of which

the only point is chaos.

I first discard Nadine Chevalier,

who deserted a certain type of films

about which, out of charity, I will remain silent.

As for Zimmer:

He gave the poorest performance

I have ever been given to see.

Stop directing, Messala. You like it... but it doesn t like you.

Trash!

The verdict of the Oracle!

That's Bilimerle. The others will have to admit that...

Shut up!

Back to the job ads.

My overcoat, sir.

Pardon?

My overcoat, sir. You touched it.

So what?

So what?

I paid a lot for this overcoat!

Since I'm a well-bred homosexual,

I care a lot for my things.

Silence.

I don't like your type.

You touched me with your proletarian fingers.

If thats what you want...

You touched me again.

So what?

Let go of me.

- Karl, watch out!

If you're as vulgaras he...

it will be perfect.

Good night!

Poor Karl, he never could take a bad notice.

I really liked it.

You couldn't care less, right?

Of course I mostly looked at my wife.

It's amazing what you got out of the old girl.

Those screams, howls... all of that.

It must be what you people call life.

I'd always wondered, what it is,

now I know.

And him... the photographer.

What's he doing here anyway?

All I can say

is that all of you are really

starting to piss me off.

Darlings...

I mightas well say it now: It's a flop.

All the reviews will be more or less like this one.

With luck we'll do the 30 compulsory performances.

Maybe we won't.

Selling the costumes,

I may manage to repay the people who trusted me.

That sall I had to tell you.

I'm sorry.

Did he say anything?

Yes, a few verses from Rimbaud.

Turmoil originated your Poetry

Immense forces served you

Your entrails burst, death menaces

Chosen City!

Consume your shrieks in the Deaf Trumpet.

Weird, isn't it?

Yes.

Where's Raymond Lapade?

In the elevator.

She left immediately.

There he is.

A man opened the door for me.

He told me to wait inside.

I preferred waiting here.

He said he wouldn't be back

and that he had told you all he had to say.

This is Doriot, the second wife of the play's translator.

I'll give her to some dog lover.

She deserves better than me.

Coffee? That's all I have.

I came to pay my debt.

I have one toward Jacques,

a very big one.

I'd be real trouble if I hadn't met him.

I'd be... I don't know.

A whore.

Do you understand?

You see,

you were right.

A woman can always be bought. Whatever they say.

And then you'll leave, right?

Yes.

Does he know you're here?

You'll never tell him?

No.

Then, it's better you leave now.

I went to Servais...

to sleep with him. He refused.

How's his place?

Rented; sinister.

You must give me a reprieve.

It's been six years we ve been having breakfast together,

so you must give me a reprieve.

All I ask you for is a little time, a month or two.

I was just trying to breathe.

One mustn't breathe.

So, you agree?

Nadine told me everything.

Why are you here then?

Are you a complete blockhead?

I'm giving you the good friend one.

I'll tell you my whole sordid life story.

The more I'll cry in your lap, the more you'll pity me

and the less tricks you'll pull.

Don't make a mountain out of pity.

And I don't want to pull tricks.

Don't you understand that this is just as crappy for me?

Nadine promised she won't try to see you again.

Well then,

there's no problem.

What do you mean, no problem?

Congratulations! Hats off!

Refusing to go to bed with my wife,

how impressive!

You want to know? I love it. I love it, honest to God I do.

It drives me crazy.

Okay, tit for tat.

I'll ask you a favor.

Go to hell!

Help me.

Help me, shit! Do something!

You're a move

and I'm not.

You see, Nadine owes me a reprieve.

Do I owe you anything?

Yes...

because you didn't sleep with her.

I'm bushed.

I went to see a Maciste film I had missed.

Any good?

Some interesting things.

Special effects mostly.

Did you get a crowd?

45 people. 20 paid.

The big hit!

Yes,

the big hit.

You should have seen those Cyclops

fighting Titans,

chucking whole mountains at them!

The Titans were retaliating with whole countries.

All of this blended nicely in juicy music, Minestrone.

Great camera work, you get the idea.

Strange. I'm tired.

I work and I'm tired.

Do you understand that?

The reprieve is still on?

Don't forget to say your prayers.

My God,

I'm fed up.

Thanks for coming.

How are you doing?

What's the matter with you?

Why do you hide your breasts?

Hey you! You won't stay here doing nothing all day long!

- She was getting on his nerves.

He got her under control.

But why does she hide her breasts?

He must've cutsome off

to be more convincing.

Interesting.

I came to say goodbye.

I'm leaving for Manaos.

The Sarah Bernhardt theater.

I'm playing Vladimir in Godot.

It's all over then?

A kir, please.

Listen, I'm rich. Family money.

Please accept this.

For me it s nothing.

I think it s a lot for you.

I don't want your dough.

I'm very fond of Nadine.

You're mad.

No.

Rich.

Philosophically speaking, if you don't count St. Thomas Aquinas

the medieval period was a catastrophe

but we owe it a certain conception

of woman's dignity.

This calls for a drink.

Get lost!

I took care of him.

Listen, you should have called. We could ve met elsewhere.

I tried. Your phone is still cut off.

Shit, no wonder it doesn't ring often.

Can I talk to you both?

Are you OK?

I'm here for Jacques.

Coffee, tea, wine, cognac, whisky?

Fernet, ham, butter, my briefcase?

No thanks, Jacques.

We're listening.

Watch what you're doing.

You don't get it.

He's doing this for me.

For me, no?

It's for me.

That's him!

Saint Francis of Assisi in person!

Strong...

and handsome.

I'll be able to keep my collection.

Marilyn, Louise Brooks.

Nadine, you must thank the man.

You have to thank him.

Thank him, go ahead!

Go on!

Won't you kiss me?

I'm here! I'm here!

Can you be at Petit Louis tomorrow at 4?

Where?

Of course, she forgot.

The café, rue de Verneuil.

You remember?

I remember.

I'll have things to tell you.

Another five minutes, and I'd have called the fire brigade.

I'm late.

A guy killed himself on the subway, I was stuck for half an hour.

Nothing's changed here.

What have you done today?

I've managed to get a job.

I'm dubbing Jane Fonda.

Fantastic!

Jane Fonda? Barbarella.

When do you start?

On the 14th.

- Coffee with... - With rum.

Yes and with... but without.

You know what the lousiest thing is?

The most disgusting?

No.

Pity.

Why?

Because it's terminal.

I know what you think of me.

Of all my bullshit.

There's a word for it.

I found it in my leather bound and gilded dictionary.

Contempt.

I don't have contempt for you, Jacques.

Oh shit...

What's happening to us?

I don't know anymore.

I'm always here...

waiting.

I want you so much. I need you so much.

There is no one, no one in the world I love more. No one.

So,

you mustn't leave me alone. You mustn't.

I can't be alone.

Where are you? Where? Here?

I don't know where you are.

I can still give you a lot. Everything.

But I don't want to feel...

to feel that life is elsewhere.

I can't.

I can do anything for you.

Anything.

Anything except...

Except what?

Live.

Can I say I love you.

I love you means nothing!

Nothing, nothing, nothing, you understand?

It means nothing!

You understood everything.

Everything.

Is that all?

What do you mean by all?

Many women would find it a lot. Especially in Yemen.

May the gods

scatter roses on your path.

I have to make a phone call.

See you at home?

Where do you think you are?

Look at all that shit!

Unbelievable!

Is this the agency?

Servais Mont, please.

Thats it.

Come with me.

What a jerk!

What a jerk!

Why did he do it? Why?

He should have done it before!

Before he met you!

Why did he do it?

He should have done it before knowing you!

Do you understand?

Help me.

Come.

He sold all his photographs

except these.

No one wanted them.

He put the money in the bank in my name.

They gave me a shot to make me sleep.

I want to be alone.

I'll go when you sleep.

It's fucked for us, don't you know?

It s the shot. It won t last.

I hope not, it gets on my nerves.

Now remember, my face must not be seen.

Oh shit!

It happens, it's nothing, we'll start soon.

She'll be alright.

He'll do a good job?

You can trust him, he s a specialist.

Hey, my boy!

We haven't talked about our next meeting.

I've arranged something for Friday.

Enough. You'll have to make do without me. Your grandma dyke makes me puke.

Don't you think it makes me puke too?

But they're all alike. High time you get used to it...

Do I need to tell you what man is like?

He's like the ugliest things he can do. He's like when he sits on the can.

Force yourself to look at what disgusts you.

When you see yourself in a mirror, do like me: Think about something else.

I'm done!

I've had enough.

Not so fast...

When I met you, you were that small.

I could have crushed you like a tadpole.

It s a pity you didn't.

Maybe, but remember your father, to say the least, hasn't got much of a spine.

Therefore, if you're now big and strong, it's thanks to me.

In a way, I'm a father to you, no?

Think about it...

I'm like a father to all of them.

They tell me their miseries.

I listen.

They disgust me but I like them enough.

So, like God, I II say: You're free.

Nobody was ever forced to work with Mazelli.

You forgot to talk about the day you saved my life during the war,

and risked yours stealing a bottle of milk from the Germans.

Go to hell!

You owe me a lot of dough, kid.

If you quit working for me, you'll have to pay me back.

I'll give you ten days because I like you.

You know, God...

only took six days to create the world.

As you see, I'm not a mean shit!

It's us.

So kid,

playing hide and seek with Mazelli?

I said, ten days.

Do you know how many it's been?

Eleven days, kid. Eleven days of anxiety for good old Mazelli.

I can pay you back.

The money is on the mantel.

What did I tellyou?

Look at his little face.

I knew you weren't eating. Do you sleep at least?

When you don't eat, you must get your sleep.

We always have a bed for you.

You'll never get your head around it.

It's not a matter of money but of principle.

I was wrong about you

and Hector was right.

You've gone up market.

You know what's coming to you? What was due to your dad three years ago.

You know kid, normally people like us don't exist.

I know it but I'm the only one.

Each morning when I see myself, I say: This is not real.

So, since we don't exist

we must find a way to be accepted, right?

That's what you're doing now.

You're accepting.

So long kid.

I really liked you.

I love you.