Special youth award
'Perspectives of French Cinema' Award, Cannes festival 1988
Award for the best screenplay 1986
Margaret Menegoz Les Films du Losange
Centre National de la Cinematographie Sofica Investimage present
Sound and Fury
Photography
Written and directed by
"Blood hath been shed 'ere now, i' the olden time,
'Ere human statute purged the gentle weal";
Gallieni metro station -> Home
Don't be afraid, Superman. We're here.
Excuse me sir, do you know where Mme Scamperle lives ?
Ah, you're Bruno! Wait, your mother gave me something for you.
- 15th floor, Appartement 152. - Thanks.
- That's a cute canary, what's its name? - Superman.
Don't take the lifts, they're out of order.
Oh, someone set my doormat on fire!
- The doormat's on fire! - Yours too?
Yes.
Oh shit!
The fucking idiot, he's set fires everywhere!
Bastard! Let me go! Ow!
Swine! Rotten caretaker! My father'll kill you!
I'm new but you'll learn who I am.
Let him go!
Ah, you are his father!
Do you know what your lousy kid did?
He clobbered me.
Nobody has the right to beat my sons.
Nobody but me.
If you talk trash about my family again, you'll wish you had never been born.
Clear off, you moron!
WELCOME MY DARLING.
- Hello? - Bruno?
Hello, mum.
You see, you found the way by yourself.
I really couldn't come.
Were there many people at granny's funeral?
No. Not that many.
You'll see how happy you'll be with me.
We'll be together, even if I'm not there very often.
- Are you sad? - No. Where am I gonna sleep?
In the back bedroom, off the corridor.
I left some money for you on the TV. Buy yourself some food.
Don't wait for me tonight, I may not come home.
I have to work so that we can move house.
Goodbye, my darling! I love you very much.
Bye, mum.
Here I am again in the deep of Vincennes' wood, happily driving to my suburban home
Where mother's waiting for me with tears in her eyes and joy in her heart
You didn't bring your school stuff.
I forgot.
For the moment your academic ability is a little weak.
We're going to place you in...
the 7th class, it's an experimental one.
If in a month or two your grades improve, we'll move you.
In this class, you'll have just one teacher, except for english.
You'll find her very understanding.
Shut your faces! The headmaster's here!
The headmaster! He's gonna speak.
Today, I bring you a new classmate, Bruno Scamperle.
I count on you, well, try at least to put him a little in the picture.
Good morning, Headmaster.
- Good morning, Bruno. - Good morning.
Ah, he hasn't brought his book and pencil case.
I hope someone will be kind enough to lend him theirs for today.
Please, keep the noise down. You're disturbing the other classes.
Bruno, go and sit near Nelly.
Nelly, give him the timetable and the list of the class rules.
Sit down.
- Have you got a pen? - No.
- Here. - Thanks.
Samira, Dalila and Karim, please, distribute the maths exercises.
Alright.
- Don't you want to take your jacket off? - I'm cold.
- With that sun? - I don't want to!
- And you, Sami, where are your things? - I don't have them, madame.
Borrow from your neighbour.
So, a cahier de correspondances. Wait, I'll write it for you.
- Hey, drop dead! - Shut up, you bitch!
Stop pissing me off with your crap!
- Ok, ok, my darling. - What's going on?
- He pinched my ruler and pen. - She wouldn't let me borrow them.
- Enough. Sit down. - I didn't even have my stuff now!
- I'm no sucker! - And you, where are your things?
- I don't have them. - He never gives them back anyway.
Take a look at your maths exercises.
Can you give me your seat for a minute, Nelly?
Sure.
- What are you looking at? - Nothing, madame.
Do you know what the problem is about?
Did you understand?
Well, read the first sentence again.
Luc, Patrick, Olivier and Philippe
decide to run around a courtyard several times.
So?
What's a "courtyard"?
A playground.
There are four boys running around a playground.
Good, go on.
Madame, come, I haven't understood.
I warn you. If you don't get her dough, I won't go in the basement to suck you off.
- And I'll break your neck! - Cut your crap!
- What are you doing up here? - Hm, he didn't want to lend me his pen.
Now you've got one. Go back to your seat.
Too bad. It didn't work, but the next time it'll be ok.
Come.
What do you want?
Hey guys, hide us. Check out the teacher.
Come on, touch.
- Not here. - This evening in the basement?
My darling, think about... And first of all : don't forget school!
See you later, Superman.
Hey Scamper!
- Are you ok? - How are you?
- What are you doing? - Can't you see!
It's yours?
- Wanna sit behind? - Where are you going?
In the basement, I'll wait for Maria. All three of us will have some fun.
- Come on. Are you afraid? - Yes.
- She's your classmate? - Yeah.
What a fucking bitch!
Hey Mina, look what I found on him?
- Shall we cut his balls off? - No.
You're on our territory.
And you'll see the cost of it.
You see, I could make what you wanted from me.
Are you happy?
Can you read what you've written for us?
I spent my early youth at the FAF.
That stands for the Family Allowance Fund.
It is for children like me who have family problems.
The FAF has a reputation for louts, thieves and bandits.
But I think it is just unhappy guys like me because of their parents like me.
One day a boy came to the FAF.
And he had a canary which he had found.
Everybody was saying that the canary, he is bad luck,
but the boy, he was keeping him always.
One night, the boy gave me his bird and after that,
when everyone was sleeping, he stole a knife and killed himself with it in the toilet.
All the boys wanted to kill the bird.
But I looked after him well.
I put him in another cage.
Now and then I let him fly in the house.
I care for him.
He sings for me and he loves me.
I love him too.
Now and then he transforms himself
or he works miracles, for me.
But people never believe me,
so I never say that anymore to anyone.
- So you're pleased with the moped? - Yep.
- If you want, I can give you another one. - No, no. It fuels up, that's ok.
- Is that your dog? - No, but he follows me everywhere.
Let me see.
Tutur, come!
Great, wait.
- What are you doing? - Wait, we'll have fun.
What a bastard!
Hey!
What's the matter with you?
- What's the matter with you? - I don't like it when you hurt animals!
- It's not you who's being hurt! - I don't like it, that's all.
You're weird.
Come on. I'll show you something funny.
Park the moped over there.
They're not dogs, are they?
Hey, your arse is on fire!
Hey, you stupid fuckhead!
Won't your parents say something?
You see! I'd have had you.
Don't ever forget! Always be on your guard!
You see? He's great, my dad.
He's severe but he understands life.
Hello, mister.
- Wanna see a movie? - Yep.
- Ah, hi uncle. - Marcel's here?
Yeah.
Hi, little brother.
Say, you seem out of sorts. What's the matter, are you sulking?
Come on, let's train.
Jean-Roger, give your uncle a hug.
Pass!
Hello uncle. That's a great jacket!
Hey! You're just in time!
Come and train with us.
Daddy may I?
Get lost!
So, what's wrong with you today?
Someone swiped my car.
Your old Volvo? It wasn't worth a nail. I'll get you another one.
Not my old Volvo! I flogged that to some idiot last week.
I bought myself a brand new BMW.
If I ever catch the bastard who swiped it...
What's the registration plate?
2520 WWA 93.
What's the matter with you?
Are you crazy or what?
You okay?
Did you swipe it?
Why didn't you tell me that you bought yourself a new car?
Come on, we're gonna play pinball.
Come on, step on it.
Shoot at the feathers.
- Sucker, you didn't even touch it. - Bloody hell!
How are you, grandpa?
Good day, mister.
Do you want something?
Are you in pain?
Only my mother can understand him a little.
- What's wrong with him? - Something with the throat.
He can only drink a little.
You might say he'd melted.
Poor old man, why isn't he at the hospital?
Oh, my father prefers him to be with us.
Oh, the neighbour!
Oh shit!
Hey! You people are nuts!
This is the last straw!
- I'm gonna call the caretaker! - Sandrine, come and help me.
You bitches! Bitches, that's what you are!
And I tell you now, I'm moving!
Sandrine and the missus, get your butts over here!
Fucking rifle! Can you get me yours!
Oh no! A brand new hair-drier!
Slog away all day just to get in such a mess!
Oh you've gone too far! Look, broken! And they're laughing! Very funny!
Look at those suckers!
Come here.
Hey, your daughter is getting to be awfully pretty!
Be careful, she's sacred.
You! Come here.
I have big plans for her.
Oh no! You won't spoil this one!
After all, you can fill the hole all alone!
Dirty old wife!
I'm fed up with that frump. Let's go to your place. Bring the rifle.
Well, alright.
Thierry!
If you're a man like your old man, come and train with us at your uncle's place.
I'm sick of your crap.
Did you hear this dummy?
He's not like us anymore!
Give us a drink.
Hey, cheers.
And he works! And he doesn't drink anymore. Doesn't smoke either. And do you know why?
All because of a chick! And a chick who's working too!
My own son!
Admit it - he's your favourite.
Hey dummy, I hope you're at least fucking your wench when you're done working!
Take this.
Now you're gonna come with us.
Look at yourself.
Look at yourselves all of you.
Don't you understand that if I stay here, I'll blow my brains out?
Move over, you drunk!
I'll blow my brains out! Is that what you want?! I'll blow my brains out!
I'm gonna give him a good thrashing.
You there, downstairs! Idiots! We're all gonna die here!
All those jackasses there...
Hey! I'm not gonna jump! Idiots!
Shit!
Come on, let's take the guns and clear off.
You, get back home.
Little darling, don't wait for me tonight. Don't forget about school. Love, mummy.
Dear darling. Think about your homework, your dinner. Go to bed early. Kisses, mummy.
Are you hungry, Superman?
- Alright, get your things out. - Which book?
"Maigret and the Tramp". Chapter four.
- I don't have it, madame. - Well, share with your neighbour.
What did you leave?
Pages 81,82, 83.
Read these three pages carefully. You'll be tested on them later.
- Bruno, this isn't your seat. - Madame, he doesn't have his book.
Alright, but, return to your normal seat for the next lesson.
Jean-Roger. Jean-Roger, wake up!
You're not here to sleep!
My job is to make you work. If you don't obey, I'll have to punish you.
First of all, I'll work only if I want to. And no fucking rotten teacher will tell me what to do.
Don't hit me, bitch!
Calm down. Be seated.
Bruno, what are you doing?
The same as everyone else, madame!
If Jean-Roger jumped out the window, would you do the same?
Great, guys! I'll jump out the window. And you'll all follow!
Revolution! Revolution!
Oh shit!
- Ah, mister deputy director. Has everyone left? - Yes, almost.
Bruno, you may leave too.
- How about the social worker? - She's coming, she's two minutes late.
You, don't move from here.
If I want to.
Listen, Headmaster - I'm fed up with Jean-Roger Roffi.
Bring together the disciplinary committee. I insist on him being expelled.
School attendance is compulsory until 16.
- So, you're compelling me to keep him? - Miss, I'm not the one who writes the law.
Couldn't we propose an exchange with the school nearby?
Do you really think they'll accept a member of Roffi's family?
We could suspend him for 8 days.
We should write requesting an assessment.
It would be better to leave the administration out of all this.
One day, maybe two. I think it should be better.
I did the school a favour when I agreed to take this class.
If only I'd known...
Headmaster. Deputy director. I'm sorry I'm late.
Well then, what do you propose?
Two days suspension for a start.
He'll only spend that time with the gangs
which overrun the estate. You realise that, don't you?
I'm sorry Miss, but that's a problem for the police, not for me.
And what do you want the police to do?
In other words, I have to keep him but I don't have the right to punish him?
Listen...
I'll pay the family a visit and then we'll take it from there.
Anybody home?
May I come in?
Death to the social worker!
Why the hell are you hassling us here?
Bitch.
If you come and try to bother us again, you'll wish you'd never been born.
Do you understand?
Now get lost!
Ah did you see her expression?!
What's so funny?
Stop laughing!
You too.
You morons, here it is!
Tomorrow I'll test some of you on the text.
What are you doing?
It's time Madame. It's 4:05 already.
- Wait for the bell. - Eh, it already rang!
- It rings at 4 o'clock sharp. - Hey shit!
You! You're expelled from this class for a week, starting tomorrow.
You'll work in my office doing exercises.
- What about the social worker? - She resigned.
And there's nobody to fill in for her.
In the meantime, you come with me.
Can't you tell the time? I'm leaving.
Hey, easy!
Or I'll make you wish you'd never been born.
I go to school when I want and I clear off when I want.
Can you wait a minute, Bruno?
- Did you dig out your old school books? - I did.
Can you show me?
That's good.
Hey, you were a good student. You had good marks.
What's the matter?
You said that before I was a good student?
So?
I thought that I was good for nothing.
Did you?
So it's true, it's really true? I'm not a failure?
Of course not!
How could you believe such a thing?
Bruno, come and see.
Do you know what I'd like you to do?
I'd like you to come and see me after the lesson,
and tell me if there's anything you didn't understand.
If you want.
I learned very late in life to love birds. I regret it a little
but now it's all arranged we understand each other
they don't concern themselves with me I don't concern myself with them
I look at them I leave them alone all the birds do their best
There's a whole passage here I could't understand. May I go on?
Of course.
birds set an example
a proper example
the example of birds the example of birds
the example of the feathers the wings the flight of birds
the example of the nests the voyages and the songs of birds
the example of the beauty of birds
the example of the heart of birds
the light of birds
Jacques Prˇvert.
That's good.
Pack up.
Can I take a flower, madame?
Of course.
Wait, you're gonna spoil it that way.
Are you coming, madame?
This film's ace!
Hey, is it true that Thierry wants to leave us?
It is.
Give me his work address.
I don't know it.
I know!
Can we go with you, dad?
Come on!
Come on! I'll show you another one with real murders.
Come!
What a sucker!
Hey you, what are you laughing at?
Hi, what are you doing here?
And you, what are you doing here?
Can't you see?
- And what is she doing here? - She's a journalist.
With her help I'll join the printing workshop within a month and then the templates.
Do you know how much I earn?
Twice as much as a guy in a factory.
And it'll only increase.
Soon we're gonna move in together up there.
Wait here.
Why doesn't he speak to me?
Why doesn't he ever put his hand on my shoulder like a friend?
Forget it, it's not important.
I can't understand you.
You can have all the dough you want with me.
If you believe you'll be happier out there, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Those people, they're not like us.
When you're done fucking her, what will the two of you talk about?
You'll find yourself imprisoned for the rest of your life in a golden jail.
If you're lucky.
I want peace.
A real job, and to be esteemed by respectable people.
Like a slave.
All your life.
I saw corpses, piled, thrown in the mud in heaps, halved,
kids with their eyes gouged out, scabby old women tortured...
We counted the dead by the number of trucks.
In the army?
You've never talked about that before.
I've never told anyone, no.
There's no god, no punishment. There's nothing, my boy.
Nothing but the big black hole at the end.
There will always be war, everywhere. It will never end.
I won't ever bust my ass again for those people.
And I don't want you to either.
The only thing that counts, is yourself.
Laws are for suckers.
Be like me - don't set your sights too high.
You'll have both money and freedom.
By taking it out on poor guys like us?
Use kids under 18. Just like Mina does, like all of us do.
You're safe and so are they.
Don't tell me you're afraid of jail?
If you're caught, you won't go down for long.
And it won't be worse than getting up every day just to slog away in a factory.
The difference is that when you get out,
you'll enjoy the light, the sun.
While others will slave away like suckers all their life.
Go away.
Go to the countryside for a week or two.
Go without the girl and think about it.
If he doesn't clear off to his chick's place; if he ever stays at home again, I'll skin him.
- What are we gonna do tomorrow madame? - I think I'll have you recite your poem.
- Must we learn it by heart? - Yes, of course.
The whole poem?
Aren't you ashamed to go to school with all these jackasses?
Come on, let's have some fun.
Hey, look.
They're looking for Mina's gang. Come on, we've got to warn them.
- Go on, open it! - What is it?
You'll see.
Stop!
How are you guys doing?
You, clear off!
We have nothing against you, but if we learn that you badmouthed us, you're dead.
Come on, get lost.
Hey Scamper, don't worry.
Now you'll have to prove to us that you're a real man.
Gee, a calm orphan, I am become Rich only in my tranquil eyes.
Toward men who live in great cities:
Nor am I evil born, as some.
At twenty years new pain to bear,
Under love's flame most dutiful, I found the women beautiful
But they did not find me fair.
So that, not having land or king, And braver than my love unhealed,
I wished to die on war's red field. But death passed by so slight a thing.
Am I born too early or too late?
What has the world for me to do?
My pain is deep - O all of you,
Pray for poor Gaspard and his fate.
Paul Verlaine.
Will you help me?
Madame, how do people in China not fall off?
Where?
Bring the globe over here. And the little toy, too.
So, what do you want to know?
How come people in China don't fall off?
First of all, China is not in the southern hemisphere.
This is China, here.
Do you see?
Yes but how come people here don't fall off?
When you leave the Earth, there's no more ground. You float.
But when you're on Earth, you're attracted as if by a magnet.
Towards the center.
Yes but how people do in China not fall off?
Great!
That's cool, madame!
Can't you take off your walkman?
- What did you say, madame? - Where's your brush?
I don't have one.
Ask your neighbour.
Clear off.
Are you coming with me after school?
No, I don't feel like it.
You're stupid!
Are you jealous because the gang didn't choose you?
Come in. Bring it here. Thanks.
Are you in love with her since she started giving you lessons?
Bruno, come and see.
Come.
You see, even people from the other side are attracted and walk on the ground just like the toy.
Yes, but they see the sky upside down.
For the little man, where is the bottom?
Good. And where is the sky?
Here.
It means we're all attracted by this ball?
After that, there are the clouds and the void.
And then the stars. But they're far away. Very, very far away.
It means we're all so tiny?
Get back to your seat.
What's that madame? Great.
It's a little man who is walking around the Earth.
Madame, gravity, what is it?
Gravity is the magnetic force exerted by the Earth.
Are you coming with me later?
- Why did you bring it here? - To show you.
Why does he walk like that, with his head upside down?
- Hey, what the hell are you doing here? - I thought we were friends.
I've never had friends! Clear off.
Have you got an envelope? Give me one.
I've only got one and it's stained.
Gosh, you could be clean. That's disgusting, really.
Write!
I'm gonna dictate. You can spell, can't you?
Mister Headmaster...
...you'll write it up later...
What's next?
So, "the teacher of the 5th B class"
"is making dirty things with a pupil in the evenings, after school".
- It's the Kings' valley, is it not? - It is.
- Is it nice? - Very.
And then you'll sign - "a friend who just wishes to help you".
When you shoot, you must aim without breathing.
Okay.
Go on!
- What were you aiming at? - The bottle.
Who taught you?
My father, he says that I'm a natural.
I think he's exaggerating...a little.
Come on, set up some more bottles.
Do you know what I'm gonna do one day?
I'm gonna climb onto the roof with a scope rifle
and I'll shoot every passerby I see.
And when the cops come,
I'll shoot them down one by one.
Are you becoming crazy?
You're right!
How could I come down from the roof after that?
You're a real friend.
Wait, stand still.
I recognize you, you are Thierry's brother.
- Where's he gone? - To the countryside.
I need to see him right now. Give me his address.
What for?
We're moving in together, so I need his address.
It's at l'Ile aux Moines, in Kerno. in the Morbihan's gulf.
Thanks.
That bitch does my head in.
- Is he gonna die? - No, don't worry, he's always like that.
- So, shall we go? - In a minute.
Alright, I'll play pinball in the meantime.
Here it is.
Well, boys, I was happy to work with you.
Same here.
If you have another deal to propose...
Sandrine! Bring us something to drink.
Hey, Jean-Roger, go and get your uncle.
He'll toast with us.
- What are you drinking? - A beer.
- Hey, you have a cute daughter. - Don't touch!
Let her go...
Let her go!
Father! Come and help me!
Come and help! Take a bottle and smash him in the gob...
He's dead...
What's happening here? Oh, shit!
Take these guys up to your car.
- Aren't they dead? - No, it's nothing.
Help him, Jean-Roger.
And grandfather?
The old man, he took this out,
then I saw him, he turned a little,
as if he was hesitating...
then he said : "I'm in you, you're in me.
Tell them we're all brothers.
Pray for me and for us."
And then he passed away.
Go away.
At the palace's steps, at the palace's steps,
There's such a beautiful girl lon la!
such a beautiful girl!
She's got so many lovers, She's got so many lovers,
that she doesn't know whom to take, lon la doesn't know whom to take.
It's an humble cobbler, It's an humble cobbler
who had the preference lon la, who had the preference.
Belle, if you just wished, Belle, if you just wished,
we could sleep together lon la, we could sleep together,
in a king-size bed,
covered with white linen, lon la,
covered with white linen.
Madame, I'll never manage the waltz.
- Can't you teach me something else? - What?
- Rock and that sort of thing? - Yes.
Miss!
Leave us a minute, will you? Go.
That's a kid who's had some fun.
It's a letter from Jean-Roger Roffi. He's very dangerous.
Go on and you wil croak beech
You're still here!?
Come on, son. Go home.
Go, I said!
Can I still come in the evenings?
No, not for the moment.
I forgot my things, may I fetch them?
Let me come up with you.
I have to talk to him alone.
- Hi Jean-Roger. - Hi Mina.
Now we're gonna get our kicks.
You'll see, Jean-Roger, We'll hand you a chick.
Come on...
So, which one do you want?
Those chicks aren't attractive or what?
You'll have to prove to us that you're a man anyway.
... my brother's girlfriend...
- Really? Is she cute? - Yep.
In the street? Okay.
You can let these ones go.
You've always been the only one, my Superman.
Superman, come back!
You've chosen to be a slave
all your life.
Remember, there's nothing but the big black hole at the end.
You were right, she is beautiful.
Do you want her?
Come on, lie down!
Hey, this one has had some effect on you!
Go on, Jean-Ro! Leave us some! Come on, Come on...
Come on, Jean-Roger! Come on! Look at how good she is!
Superman?
Superman? Come back!
Jean-Roger!
Take this and beat the shit out of him!
Stop!
Did you see what he did?
We'll have to teach him a good lesson.
So that when he wakes up, he won't do it again.
Let's light a bonfire.
Bring him here.
Leave that...
We're gonna tickle him a little.
You three, come here!
Come on.
If anyone else touches my son, I'll gut them!
Clear off!
Are you hurt?
Take off. I'll join you later.
Hey, you, come here!
Come down here!
Don't move!
Put that down.
Oh shit, he's gonna kill me.
What the hell are we gonna do now?
Why don't you work miracles?
You do work sometimes.
You, hide the bodies. After that we'll clear off.
You, you're coming too.
I'll meet you later! Clear off.
- What are we doing then? - He's crazy. Let's go.
Hey, bird!
Why couldn't you work miracles?
Behind the big gates of light?
I'll join Superman again? And grandmother too?
I might kiss her?
So what are you up to these days, Samira?
I'm in a tech school in the accounting section. It works well. Well, I like it.
- Everything's alright, then? - Yes, it's alright.
So I heard that you're only teaching French now?
It's my speciality.
Hm, that's a shame.
I almost forgot - the receptionist asked me to give you this.
- Thank you. - Good bye.
Good bye, Samira.
I hope you are fine
and that you don't have too many problems with difficult students like me.
Here everybody is nice. They teach me like in school and there are doctors who I talk to a lot.
But sometimes, I get bored. And a bit sad.
But I took the ball-point pen
to tell you something else. Something I think about all the time and I can't say.
Do you remember last year? When my friend Bruno passed away?
Well, I'm sure I heard him talking that night with a lady that nobody could see.
Then as I got closer, I saw he was with the lady and his canary was on his shoulder.
I was really afraid.
It's strange,
but I was quite sure that I'd killed his canary when I shot it.
And yet I could see him on Bruno's shoulder and he was singing.
Then Bruno showed me a star in the sky and he told me:
"I'm going up there, I'll look dead but it won't be true.
I can't carry my body away. This body, it's too heavy".
Then he hugged me, showed me his star once again and left.
For sure I've been dreaming, I was so drunk that night.
But often I look up at that star and hope he'll come back soon.
I also wanted to say that I regret everything I've done to you.
Hug. Tight and respectful.
If you want to write to me, here is my address:
Jean-Roger Roffi.
Juvenile Offenders' Section, Fleury's Prison.
Poplars' Avenue. 91 Fleury Merogis.