DON'T FORGET YOU'RE GOlNG TO DlE
You're such an ass. You were expecting this letter.
You did your orientation 3 years ago! You had time to find a psychiatrist
and build up a solid case.
- Don't cry now. - Stop it. Okay, he's an ass.
Don't rub it in. We'll figure this out.
l have an idea.
Go on.
A friend once told me about this. You have to take drugs.
That's the hitch. You take heroin.
Can you imagine me shooting up?
Hold on. You don't have to shoot up.
Heroin can be sniffed.
Francois is an expert.
Yeah, his dad's a dealer.
No, seriously... You said you'd do anything.
One shitty week and you're off the hook.
You do heroin and go totally wasted. They'll notice immediately.
You fill out some kind of questionnaire.
You say you have problems and do drugs. lf they do a blood test,
they'll see you're not lying. Then you see the shrink.
When he asks how you pay for it, you tell him, without hamming it up,
real shy-like, that you sell some on the side, here and there.
And l promise you they'll kick you the hell out of there.
They have to.
They'd never recruit a dealer!
They'd just call the cops.
No, l don't think so...
You don't think so, or you're sure?
- l don't know, but l doubt it. - This is bullshit.
Stop acting like kids. You think you become an addict overnight?
He's totally clueless. So are we. There are places to buy it, doses...
Even with some in your blood, after a few questions,
the shrink will know you're full of shit. They're not dumb.
Do you know how much a gram of coke costs in Paris?
So you see what l mean?
That brings us back to a psychiatrist. You don't know one?
We're more likely to know their clients...
Just do it. The Army will do you good. Look at you.
Remember your cousin. He messed up and look what happened to him.
Yeah... the marines.
And what's a year after all?
You're skinny, you do no sports, you never go out. lt'll do you good.
How long does military service last now? Ten months?
You don't know what you're talking about, Mom.
With your diplomas, you can ask to be a non-commissioned offcer.
Learning to give orders is a good thing.
lf you become a curator,
even in a tiny museum, you have to know how to be a leader.
Cut it out, please. You don't know what it's like.
You don't know who l'll be living with. lt'll be awful.
They won't like me being a student.
Let alone in art history. They'll think l'm a wimp, a faggot.
l can't spend a year with guys like them.
l have no time! Everything's planned out.
l have my thesis to finish, my class talks and my exams.
l've met lots of people from museums.
l can't throw it all away for the Army!
- Don't get upset, Benoit. - l'm not!
We agree with you.
Be careful or you'll end up doing more than 10 months.
We don't want you to suffer.
Of course we'd prefer to see you in a museum or going to college.
Rather than doing push-ups in the Army. Of course!
Are you sure you really don't know a psychiatrist?
The wife of a colleague,
an old classmate, one of your students' parents...
And could we find one in one week who'd agree
to fake a letter for a total stranger?
lt wouldn't be easy.
No, unfortunately not.
l found your name in the Yellow Pages.
ln the Yellow Pages?
ln the Yellow Pages.
Let me reiterate. l can't write you a letter.
Don't think it works that way. l don't want to lose my job.
lf you want to have a chance,
don't stay up all night, drinking like a fish, as you've suggested.
That is exactly the kind of cliche, and - excuse me - bullshit,
that will get you where you don't want to go.
Your friends may have advised you to do that, but it won't work.
Psychiatric patients don't look like zombies.
They take anti-depressants, tranquilizers, sleeping pills.
They often look chipper.
understand?
So... when you get there - listen up, this is important -
you can't lie to the psychiatrist.
lf you lie, he'll see right through you.
What you have to do is exaggerate problems
you may be having
or may have had. But don't invent a thing.
You're going to tell them that you are depressed,
that you're being treated for a nervous breakdown,
and that your doctor soon intends
to start you in psychotherapy. Only people in therapy can talk about it.
For your depression, take all of these.
The state they'll put you in will be...
interesting.
lt will help you. Don't worry.
Rohypnol
is a hypnotic. Not a sleeping pill.
That means that you fall asleep immediately.
You take it in bed, not in the metro. Do you understand?
Okay.
For the others, follow the prescription.
Show it to the Army psychiatrist if he asks.
That's all l can do. This is already a lot.
That will be 400 francs.
l wish you the best of luck.
The sacred object depicted here is Mary's body itself.
Her pregnant body. Now look closely.
By means of her dress, Mary becomes a tabernacle within a tabernacle.
That which opens onto the Sacred itself: that is, the life of Christ.
This sinuous, delicate line is emphasized by her very hand.
This echoing, this sort of mjse en abime
of openings, the opening of the tabernacle,
the opening suggested in the cloth
under the weight and volume of the child,
and the opening, fantasized of course,
of the female body, is the genius of...
- ls it soon? - Two more days.
Come on, come on!
Get moving!
You're lagging!
Right! Now let me introduce myself. l am Staff Sergeant Poiccard.
l'll be in charge of you here.
You're Group 1. So remember: Group 1, Staff Sergeant Poiccard.
We'll go to the mess for some food.
Some of you haven't eaten all day.
Then we'll go to the rec room, which is pretty wellequipped.
Put your bags in the barracks-rooms. Follow the red arrow.
Go on!
You have no bags?
l think l left them in the train.
Okay, it doesn't matter.
l said the red arrow. Don't start acting like an idiot!
l'm sorry... l'm sorry...
Take one and pass it back.
Have you recently had an HlVblood test?
Are you a drug addict?
Are you a homosexual?
l'm sorry... l keep trying, but l can't.
lt's no problem. Come back tomorrow morning. That'll be fine.
lt's that way.
Tonight you sleep in the infirmary.
l want to sleep with everyone else.
No one asked you. lt's an order.
Very well.
Did your doctor give you a letter
for me?
Yes...
May l have it?
The problem is that l left my bag in the train and...
l lost all my things.
Do you take me for an idiot?
No, no...
l swear l don't.
Very well.
FlTFOR SERVlCE
You may leave.
Be so kind as to send in the next person.
Thank you!
So?
You tried screwing the doctor! You want to screw us all!
l'm onto you. You're in deep shit, so toe the line!
Asshole! l'll show you, shithead!
Okay, boys.
The rec room is going to open.
You can also go to the T room.
Remember that lightsout is at 22:30.
Wake-up is at 5:30. Don't forget there's the barber.
Sergeant!
l don't believe this! Come on, help me.
ls he going to die?
Don't be stupid. Help me carry him.
So, Clermont, you want to be a smartaleck?
We'll see who'll win...
This should do it.
He got what he wanted.
This asshole.
Look at you.
''Watch me cut open a vein and take medicine
''and grow a beard...''
l couldn't care less. For me, you're just a guinea pig.
l'm here to practice.
lf only you'd stuck a bayonet in your guts...
But a shitty little vein...
Stupid bitch!
You pricked me with his needle! Hand me his file!
Hand me his fucking file!
ls your arm better?
Yeah.
So is it true you're a drug addict?
l mean...
Yes.
Why do you ask?
You know, l don't care...
l'm a recruit just like you. So if...
if you want to be discharged, l understand.
Yes.
Are you a homosexual?
No.
Do you have multiple partners?
Yeah... like...
Like everyone.
You're not a hemophiliac? You haven't had blood transfusions?
Okay...
l have something to tell you.
What are you doing here?
You had them call me. You gave them our number.
- l did? - We were worried sick.
What happened?
l fainted because of that medicine, but it's over now.
l'm not surprised. The doctor said you took too much.
So what's going on?
Things didn't work out?
They discharged me.
Oh yeah?
That's wonderful. You don't seem happy.
You're not happy?
Why didn't you call us from there? You were supposed to.
What happened? You're not like that.
l'm sorry. That medicine makes you go crazy, you know.
Now l'm fine.
Don't worry.
l threw it all away. Everything's fine now.
- Are you sure? - Yeah, l'm sure.
Should l go get your razor? l was so scared.
Don't worry. Everything's fine. l'll be getting out today.
Thanks.
l'm fne.
l promise.
Don't move! Keep your hands up!
Slowly. Get out.
Get out.
Hands on the hood!
- Get in there! - You have no right to push me!
Get in!
Shut your face!
- Don't piss me off. - Why push me?
- l hate punks like you. - l didn't do anything.
Shut your face or l'll bash it in good!
Bash it in? There are laws here!
lt ain't you that makes the laws, it's us!
Tell me what l did.
Shut your face!
''Shut your face''...
That's all you can say.
Are you okay?
He killed my arm. You see how he pushed me?
l didn't do anything.
Why did they arrest you?
For no reason, l swear.
They stopped me three times today. ldentity checks.
Checks for no reason. The third time, l lost it.
They could see l had it bad, that l was looking to score.
They kept pushing me and then that asshole
hauled me in here.
He said ''We're locking you up''. l said ''Okay''.
Even after l said okay, he pushed me real hard.
When the cops say they're locking you up, you calm down.
So l calmed down. Fucking assholes.
What's ''looking to score''?
ls this the frst time you got busted?
What are you, a student?
- Student in what? - Art history.
Art history? What kind of job can you get with art history?
You study the history of art to become
a museum curator, a critic, a professor, things like that.
Those are good jobs. That's good.
Good pay...
Average.
So ''to score''?
You don't know what to score means?
Are you fucking with me?
You don't know? Looking to score is when you want to buy drugs.
You look for the guy, for the money. That's looking to score.
Now you got me thinking of smack. Those assholes made me forget it.
Sorry.
No, l'll be okay.
- You're waiting for your parents? - No, why?
At least they could come and get you. You're a student, right?
That doesn't mean l'm a baby. l'm a student, not a baby.
l'm an adult.
Why are you in here?
l went to get my car at the pound.
l didn't pay. l busted the barrier just as they were coming in.
You busted the barrier?
What a freak!
They nailed you at the barrier? You been in here long?
l can't figure out the time. They make a point of not telling me.
The time? lt's 8 o'clock. A little after.
l've been here...
- 6 and a half hours. - Not bad...
You know, we'll be here all night.
- You're going to sleep here. - You think so?
Yeah, you'll see.
They won't feed you until tomorrow.
And you busted the barrier. You may spend two days here.
You'll see.
And they confiscated my medicine.
They won't give it to me.
Medicine for what?
lt keeps me calm while l'm waiting...
lt calms me when l can't fnd smack.
- They confiscated it? - Yeah, they took it all.
l asked for one before they locked me up. That's why l lost it too.
They've no qualms about it.
What's your name?
Omar.
l'm Benoit.
Nice to meet you.
Please! Come here!
Officers!
Shit!
lf you don't shut your goddamned face l'll shut it for you, understand?
l'm being polite! Get his medicine! What's the big deal?
lt's the law!
Stop it. l'm okay. l'm used to this.
He'll bash your face in.
Sit down. Relax. l'm okay.
l can't believe they can be such assholes!
Take this at least.
- No, l'm okay. - You're shivering and l'm hot.
Thanks.
l've never seen anything like them. They're such scum.
lt'll pass.
- Thanks... - For what?
For being so cool. Believe me, it's pretty rare.
- Can l ask you a favor? - Sure.
Lend me 200 francs. Just a loan, l swear. You can even come along.
l have nothing on me.
There's a cash machine nearby.
TRANSACTlON REFUSED
lf that makes you smile, you're either stupid or in deep shit.
- Did you study psychology? - No, l'm an Arab.
- How much do you have? - 100 francs.
- Give it to me and come on. - All l have is 100 francs.
Come on.
Look what l do with your money.
Good, he's home.
- Well, it's Omar. - Hey, Jean-Paul.
This is Benoit.
l wasn't expecting you.
Sit down.
What will you have?
Whiskey?
Anyway, that's all l have.
No, we don't have much time.
Can l talk to you?
- Can he stay here? He's cool. - Of course...
Here, keep the change.
- No, l lent you 100 francs. - Don't be a pain.
That's one of the three things in life you can't refuse.
What are the other two?
Sex and drugs!
Drugs...
Lucky you, you're going to meet Helen.
She's so good, so fucking good!
And Caroline!
She's a bitch in heat, that Caroline is!
l'm gonna stick Caroline up your big fat nose!
Ali, what's up?
This is Benoit.
Go sit down.
- l'll wait here, okay? - Yeah, wait here.
lt's cool. We'll wait. He'll be back in a minute.
ls this your place?
lt belongs to a friend, Andre.
He's in that picture there.
l can introduce you to him.
What does he do?
He's a writer.
Oh yeah?
Light some cigarettes.
What is it?
You're surprised to see an Arab living in a fancy neighborhood?
No... don't get angry.
You said you'd explain that thing, Helen and Caroline...
lt's really stupid.
Helen is heroin and Caroline is coke.
That way, you can talk about it in front of anyone. You're cool.
Even on the phone.
Oh yeah... C, coke, Caroline. lt's dumb.
lt's dumb, but it serves its purpose. lt works.
l didn't notice your tattoo. lt's nice. What is it?
That's my Chinese zodiac sign.
See, the Chinese signs are animals. Mine's the serpent.
lt belongs to me. lt's not like some bitch's name
that l put on my chest
and once she's gone, you're like an asshole with your tattoo.
l'll be a serpent as long as l live.
And your number...
your number, l mean your...
What's your normal sign?
Believe it or not, l'm a Virgo.
l'm serious.
You're a Virgoan?
l'm no virgin. l'm a Virgo. Big difference.
Okay, l'll do the bong now. Just watch me. That way,
you'll know how to do it if you're ever alone.
You take some coke
and you take some baking soda
and you mix it with the knife.
You mix it up good.
You see?
You mix it up good with the knife.
Shit! l'm in too much of a fucking rush.
Oh fuck! Don't move, don't move!
lt's cool.
You mix the coke and the baking soda and then you heat it up.
You heat it and then it becomes
like soap, it becomes like foam.
Like, when you're at the beach, the waves, you know? lt's like that.
lt's like...
pretty soon, this foam...
this foam becomes...
it becomes like...
like, like spots of oil on the water.
Like tears.
And like, that's the coke.
lt's the little spots. Because you see...
the coke...
The baking soda and the water remain liquid. They remain liquid.
And now...
you take some paper towel,
you fold it up
and you start sponging up the water without touching the tears.
You add some water to cool it down.
And you wait a minute and then you get the rock.
Now you have pure coke.
100/ pure.
Now is when you...
l make a hole in the bottle. lt's to do the pipe.
This bottle, if the narcs raid your house, it's a bottle, that's all.
lt's a bottle.
No hard evidence. No hard evidence.
With the bottle, you're cool.
Where's my...
And this is why l lit the cigarettes. lt's to have the ashes.
l need ashes.
Do you know why l need ashes?
You know why? You know why?
Know why l need ashes on the bottle?
You don't know why? l put ashes on the tin foil,
l put them on the tin foil. You don't know why?
lt's because...
they stop the rock from falling into the bottle.
Stupid, huh? But it's very important.
lf you do that...
See, like now... it's like they say ''the moment of truth''.
You're like the athlete.
The machine will get it.
You're like the athlete.
You're the black belt, concentrating, and you take breaths.
You take deep breaths.
You empty out your lungs.
You empty yourself out.
You're the master now. You're the one who...
You understand why l said you have to keep cool?
Because now l'm blowing, blowing on the ashes,
and on the rock, like, some guys freak out because of that.
They get down on all fours, they look for the rock on the floor.
And they pick up bread crumbs, and those guys,
they're smoking toast and don't even know it.
You hold it in.
lt's moments like these l live for.
And after, if you want, we'll smoke
heroin in tin foil with some hashish.
l don't want to mix too many things. l'm not used to this.
No, but that's the secret, that's the secret.
lf you smoke, you're gonna smoke, smoke, smoke.
You're gonna shake.
You're gonna get down on all fours, looking for the rock on the floor.
You're gonna pick up bread crumbs and smoke toast.
You can freak out.
Later, to come down, we'll take a sleeping pill.
We'll take a Rohypnol. They're unreal.
You can't imagine anything better in the world.
Or else it sucks. Or else it sucks.
You can't imagine anything better.
The rest all sucks...
Death has besieged this pyramid-shaped scene,
and soon it will rule over it.
lt attacks the prince's order from the sides,
from the perimeter of power, as it were.
lt will end up
at the summit of this great mass of bodies,
which is Sardanapalos himself,
in the background, yet central. Superb.
Also take note of Delacroix's color range,
varying from gold to blood red.
Gold and crimson denote power and glory.
But they also herald flames and blood, that is, death.
Note the lines in the foreground of the perimeter.
lt's not chaos, though it is about horror.
But what harmony!
The horses' manes, the women's hair,
the folds of the cloth.
Try to imagine the noises too.
The shouts, the shrieks, the orders being barked,
the neighing of horses,
their hooves pounding on the marble, the metal against metal.
And the smells.
All the scents of the Orient. Myrrh, incense,
opium, sweat,
the smell of blood, the smell of terror.
Every sense is mobilized. All of our senses are mobilized,
but in a controlled panic of linear rhythm. Yes, controlled.
And l think this is the power of Delacroix.
lt is quite simply the power of art.
Sardanapalos,
at the top of the pyramid, inscrutable,
wild-eyed, calm.
His own senses are saturated.
They have gone beyond paroxysm. He is in a hereafter accessible
only to the initiated:
martyrs, madmen and drug addicts.
This is the quintessence of Romanticism.
All aesthetic and philosophical systems take death into account.
But Romanticism isn't sensible.
lt isn't prudent.
lt doesn't wait for death, it anticipates it.
lt speeds it up or slows it down
to savor it all the better.
Romanticism eroticizes death.
Baudelaire rightly saw it
as the double theme of Eros and Thanatos.
The Romantic aesthetic harnesses the staggering power of death,
like a drug coursing through your veins,
infinitely dilating your capacity to feel,
to take pleasure and even to contemplate.
This is what Sardanapalos does.
He doesn't kill himself.
His pleasure already tinged with nostalgia, he contemplates
the beauty of the bodies
and of everything he is denying his enemy.
His pleasure is thus double,
in a perfection that is total because it is final.
The final profusion of his seeing.
Only the certainty of death
can give one such visual and sensory acuteness.
The sublime pleasure in action and inaction.
Excuse me, but l tend
to believe that the era of Byron
- who chose to go die in Greece to help the Greeks
oust the Turks, because England and the House of Lords bored him -
l tend to believe that this era has become topical again...
lt's Mr Suicide!
Show your scar! Show your scar!
Come on, enough already!
Can l see your scar?
lf l ask to see your cunt, will you let me?
Why did you say that?
Cecile!
Where's your telephone?
l had them disconnect it.
lt got expensive calling my parents in Bordeaux.
Now we use phone cards.
You know how much you're spending.
How the hell am l supposed to call then?
There's a phone downstairs.
ln the street?
Hello, Omar?
Hi, it's Benoit.
- Hey, what's up? - How are you?
Listen, do you still have any...
ls Helen still there?
No, l was going to call her. You want to see her?.
Yeah, l'd like to.
Can l stop by?
Stop by?
No, it would be better jf we met somewhere.
Remember the street where we were in the car?.
There's a bar at the corner. We were parked in front of it.
Wait there. l'll get there soon.
But listen, Benojt... l can't do like before.
This time you'll have to bring her a little present.
Yeah, sure.
How much?
l don't know... Bring two of what l gave you last time.
We'll work it out afterwards.
l'm leaving now.
- See you soon. - Yeah, see you soon.
What are you doing?
That's not music, it's noise. lt's like a disco in here. We can't talk.
No one's dancing.
What's going on? ls anything wrong?
Yeah, l'm in trouble.
ls it serious?
Yes and no.
lt's money problems. l owe a guy some money.
He's giving me shit.
lt's my... my landlord. l haven't paid my rent.
Don't get so worked up. He can't kick you out.
Tell him you'll pay next month.
My father co-signed the lease. l don't want him brought into this.
l don't want that to happen. l'd be too ashamed.
lf it happens just once, your father will understand.
That's not it.
My parents
give me money for my rent. Like an ass, l spent it all.
l saw the psychiatrist, bought the medicine.
And l was nervous, so l spent like crazy.
lt's hard for them. l have to pay the rent, buy clothes,
buy food.
Like an idiot, l spent everything.
And this guy wants 1000 francs on the double, and l don't have it.
l can give you 150 francs if you want.
That's great. How many of us are there?
Ten? Twelve?
lf everyone could lend me 100 francs, just 100, l'll make it.
Come on, can't this wait a few days?
Are you thick? l just told you! He wants his money tonight!
l can give you 100 francs, but that's all.
- That's fine. - l have 100 francs too.
Great.
- l'll go get you 50 francs. - Great.
Don't worry. l'll give you 100.
- Me too. - l'll go now so he'll calm down.
Will you come back?
Yeah, sure l will. l'll pay you all back in two weeks.
l promise. Two weeks. No problem.
They're so goddamned long!
ls he kind of dumb, what's-his-face?
Who? Ali? And are you kind of dumb?
Who are you to say that?
You don't know him.
Ali told me about his life. lt's like a movie.
He came to France, to Marseilles, with just 111 francs,
a bottle of water and a sandwich. He'd spent three days in a boat
full of sardines.
Get lost!
Get lost.
When he got to Marseilles,
there were 40 cats following him everywhere.
The faster he ran, the more cats there were!
lmagine a guy
who doesn't want the cops to spot him and there are cats everywhere.
lt takes guts to leave your country with 100 francs.
A guy like that deserves respect.
Here he is.
You should trust me by now.
l do trust you. That's why l taste it.
Good stuff.
Do you know two black girls we can have fun with?
l'll see. That shouldn't be a problem.
- Call me. - No problem.
Hey, Omar...
how can l make lots of money real fast?
That's no problem. lt's easy. But it's risky.
l don't care.
l can work it out for you.
What do l have to do?
We're gonna talk business.
- Move your ass! This is business! - Okay, okay.
Pain in the ass!
Give me my money.
l didn't pay you?
l didn't pay you either?
- Omar, the next time... - Don't start spouting off!
l pay. l'm the client. She's starting to spout off.
She should stow it.
Move your ass! Move your ass! Here's your bag.
Thanks.
So long, girls.
See you soon.
That's girls for you.
They cling. Then you wake up and your smack's gone.
Bitches!
Now explain everything.
Wait.
Now listen good.
We go to Holland.
Coke's a lot cheaper there.
Like 200 francs a gram.
Here it's 800 to 1000.
With 10,000 francs, we go and buy ffty grams.
Fifty grams at 800 francs, that makes 40,000 francs.
40,000 francs. We cut it and quadruple it.
That makes 160,000.
80,000 for you and 80,000 for me.
- But what do l have to do? - l'll do almost everything.
l'll find the 10,000 francs and score the coke.
You cross the border with it.
lf you make it, you're rich.
lf you get caught, you're in trouble. l'm telling you.
l'm all for it.
Now listen, let me make it clear: in the train, l don't know you.
l won't be next to you. You'll be alone.
Just you and your shadow, get it?
lf l understand correctly, you share the money but not the risks.
Get real, that's what doing business is.
When we're done, it's fifty-fifty.
lf you don't want to, l understand.
- Your choice. - Okay, l'll do it.
ls it a deal?
l have to piss. Maybe l'll feel something.
Now l need to find 10,000.
For the taxi.
l didn't do it for the money.
Why then?
To see.
So?
lt was nice.
l like it here.
Nice change from Paris.
Could you live here?
l can't live anywhere.
Why did you say that?
We're going to go someplace. lf you don't like it,
l won't talk to you anymore. You'd be too uncool.
Okay.
l can't.
- l just can't. - Shut the fuck up.
Shut up, shut up... You're a pain in the ass.
You're making me lose it.
Now l lost it. You're no goddamned fun. l knew it.
You're uncool.
What the fuck? You're such a pain.
- l'm sorry. - You're sorry. l told you so.
This really sucks.
We can change places.
Go ahead, because she's real hot.
l still can't.
You're a fucking pain. You're hellbent on making me lose it.
You're not cool.
What an asshole.
- l've had it. - You're hellbent.
Explain to her that you're hellbent.
The coke makes them paranoid. lt's a code.
lt's Omar.
He's a guy l met...
He's my only friend in Paris.
You can trust him. We met in jail. You make real friends in there.
lt's closed today.
lt's Sunday.
You don't trust me?
Give me the newspaper.
You're paranoid.
He wants to keep tabs.
You don't trust your brother?
Keep tabs if you want.
Come here whenever you want. This is your home.
lt's not. He comes when he wants to.
lt's true.
Open your eyes when l talk. Open them.
Listen to me. When we get to the station, remember what l said.
lf you don't, you'll end up in jail.
One more bong hit,
then you smoke hash.
Open your eyes.
Give me the bong. No more bong hits. Take the bong from him.
Give him the bong. That's enough.
Give him the bong. Stop now. You have to stop now.
- One more hit. - No, there's none left.
One last one for the road.
- There's none left. - There's tons on the table.
Omar!
Cut the crap. Overdose...
Pull up his pants.
You're the one who overdosed. He needs to sleep.
You have to sleep now.
So you got it? ln the train, we don't know each other.
l never saw you. We'll meet at my place.
Even in the metro, we're strangers. understand?
You okay? lt'll be fine. lnchallah.
Benoit. Keep cool. Relax.
- Come here. - One second.
Come here.
Listen to me.
lt's a little less than expected.
He'll take it all for 100,000. That makes 50,000 each...
A little less?
Hold on. This way, we don't have to deal it.
He'll take it all. Less sweat for us.
l told him yes. ls 50,000 okay?
Okay.
Not bad, huh?
lt disgusts me to think my father earns this in 3 or 4 months.
What do you mean, it disgusts you?
Why does it disgust you? Look at your life.
You go to school, you learn a job, you'll make 12,000 a month.
Very good. But don't be an ingrate...
l'm not an ingrate.
Because you're happy with your 50,000.
l'm not an ingrate. When's he coming?
Don't say ''lt disgusts me''.
- What time is he coming? - ln two hours.
That's great.
Excuse me. What does...
the inscription on the pediment mean?
''M Agrippa...''
lt means: ''Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius,
''built this in his third consulate.''
Bravo! You seem to know it by heart.
The Pantheon is mine!
Excuse me?
l said the Pantheon is mine.
As a kid, l spent my afternoons in my father's studio, up there.
l cut school there, in that cheap cafe. Now l cut college here.
But are you French?
Half. My mother is French.
Have you been inside?
lf you want to see Raphael's, it's over there.
Over here?
Two years ago, l woke up with a start. There was a snow storm.
l'd never seen one in Rome.
lt was 7 o'clock. l got dressed and came here
to see the snow falling, like a column.
l've never seen anything so beautiful.
You're a wonderful guide. Can l buy you a rose?
You're worse than the ltalians.
No. l'm alone in Rome, you're nice to me and l want to be nice back.
Forget about the rose.
She steals them in cemeteries and sells them to tourists.
Romans give money but don't take the rose. lt brings bad luck.
Stop being so gallant. You make me feel old!
ln ltaly, it's not easy to have sex.
Kids live a long time with their parents.
La mamma oversees everything. So they do it in cars.
ln Naples there are people who rent out big cars
with newspapers for half an hour, an hour...
Why newspapers?
To put on the windows, like curtains.
But this area is for whores. They park
behind the tombstones.
lmagine
how many people have screwed here over the past 2000 years!
Do you want to add our names to the list?
He says it's a small villa with baths and the works.
Hadrian came here to be alone. He went on the island.
He lifted the drawbridge and he could meditate alone.
That's the romantic version. But other people think
that he came here to be massaged by women
before men fucked him.
They're not mutually exclusive.
Let's give him 10,000 lira. He's nice, but l'd rather be alone with you.
Okay.
Let's go this way.
Have you read The Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar?
The beginning takes place here. Or at least maybe it does.
He's about to die, and he knows it. He writes to one of his friends.
ln fact, he's naked with his doctor,
and he writes:
''lt is difficult to be an Emperor when you are naked before your doctor.''
You'll see. He painted a woman who's bearing a child.
ln fact, it's the face of his mother
who died shortly before, and who is buried in a cemetery nearby.
lt's a portrait of his mother.
My father must have smoked too much.
He built a theater to contemplate nature.
Do you always make love with rubbers?
Yes...
l guess it's become a habit.
l think l'm falling in love with you.
That scares me.
l love you.
They don't seem ready.
Let me taste.
No, they're not ready.
l'll see whether they are.
We didn't add the oil.
- With the tomatoes. - l put some in here. Look.
- No you didn't. - Keep this.
l'm trying to teach you a recipe you can do alone...
which is really easy... and you just...
Well, it would have been better with a little more sauce.
A mirror which reflected not only beauty but vanity too,
and then suddenly a skull.
A skull to remind you that everything is fleeting,
that at any time, death can destroy everything,
taking everything away with it: beauty,
the vanity of things.
''Vanity''...
That's what this should be called instead of ''Skulls''.
You're not interested? You think it sucks?
l just wanted to take advantage of the view.
People study Art History here.
You could apply.
You have plenty of time. until you're 35.
35...
These were the gardens of Lucullus.
Messalina was killed here.
Somewhere around here.
Historically charged places really turn you on.
lt's an unusual perversion.
l want you to make love to me.
There are lots of people on the terrace. And it's cold.
Kiss me.
We have to stop... l don't have any rubbers.
- lt doesn't matter. - Yes it does.
l'll just go buy some.
Everything's closed, except at the station.
l'll go to the station. l'll take a taxi.
Wait for me with your mother. We need some anyway.
Subtitles: Andrew Litvack
Subtitling TVS - TlTRA FlLM