How's work?
You asked me already.
You OK these days?
Pretty much.
I feel a change.
I had two heart attacks, an abortion, did crack
while I was pregnant.
Other than that, I'm fine.
Good.
Something wrong?
No, nothing.
Your gnome's gone.
Is he back in the tool shed?
Moscow.
There. See?
No explanation.
He wants to see the world?
I can't understand it.
LOST
BAG
PHOTOS
Any normal girl would call the number
meet him, return the album
and see if her dream is viable.
It's called a reality check. The last thing Amelie wants.
I say!
Could she be falling in love?
Where's the boss?
Sleeping in the cauliflower.
What?
Sleeping in the cauliflower.
You want me want what?
A scratch card, please.
How does it work?
Tell you what.
Let's both do one together.
You scratch it here
sideways.
Nothing. You?
Me, neither.
Unlucky at cards
So they say.
I have to get back.
Yes.
Porno Video Palace.
I'm calling about the ad.
- You're over 18? - Yes.
- Shaved? - Sorry?
Are you shaved? Fur pie doesn't sell.
How's life, Mrs. Wells?
When you've nothing to live for
Come on, life's great!
Dream on, kid.
Hello, Mr. Dufayel.
Here's your order, Mr. Dufayel.
I doubt it. I hate artichokes.
You shouldn't. Watch this.
Take it.
That's better.
Lucien, you're a wizard!
Courtesy of Mr. Collignon.
Mister Collignon?
Sorry, it slipped out.
Practice, Lucien!
Practice! Repeat after me.
Collignon, down the john.
Your turn now. Collignon
Collignon, big moron!
See? You can do it.
Collignon, dead and gone!
Very good!
Collignon, big moron, down the john!
OK! That's enough for today.
Lucien, that's enough!
Very good.
I found this under your mat.
Still no win!
Me, neither.
May I?
There's a little
You're gorgeous when you blush.
Like a wild flower.
It's my dyspepsia.
Morning, all!
Beautiful day.
Pack of Gitanes, please.
Bravo! Vive la France! You scalded me!
Ten out of ten! Bull's-eye!
It was Amelie, she
When they went up Mont Blanc
the silicon in her face froze up.
Her face was a festering mass!
Mulled wine and spice cookies.
I was too hard on the girl with the glass.
Tell me about that boy she saw. Did they meet again?
They're into different things.
Luck is like the Tour de France.
You wait, and it flashes past you.
You have to catch it while you can.
Can I help you?
Excuse me. I found this in the street.
Nino will be glad!
He was so sad the other day.
I almost prayed to St. Anthony!
Is Nino here now?
On Wednesdays he works at the funfair.
How long has he had this collection?
Since I got him the job here, last year.
Before, he collected footprints. He worked nights.
In the daytime, he took pictures of footprints in wet cement.
He's a funny guy.
When we met, he was a Santa Claus.
Other things, like
whenever he heard a funny laugh, he'd tape it.
Gosh!
Must be hard for his girlfriend.
He never keeps them long.
Times are hard for dreamers.
Eva! Are those coffees coming?
Gotta go. Thanks for the album.
It's OK. I have time to take it to the funfair.
Suit yourself. The Ghost Train. Ask for Nino Quincompoix.
Is Nino here?
He doesn't get in till 7:00.
Is there no way to see him before?
Sure. 20 francs.
See you next Wednesday.
5 p.m. Tomorrow, Montmartre carousel.
Bring 5 francs.
Want to know about her?
- You know her? - You bet!
She put us in her shirt pocket.
Next to her breast.
- Is she pretty? - Not bad.
- Beautiful. - No. Pretty.
- Beautiful! - Pretty.
- What does she want from me? - She's broke.
She wants a reward for the album.
Or else she collects photos, too.
She wants to trade us for a one-eyed man with glasses!
No, you dope!
She's in love.
- I don't even know her. - You do.
Since when?
Since always.
In your dreams.
You! Man with the plastic bag! It's for you.
Follow the blue arrows, Mr. Quincompoix.
The fool looks at a finger that points at the sky
I know the stranger in the pictures.
He's a ghost. He's invisible!
He only appears when the film is developed.
When a girl has her photo taken
he goes "Wooo!" in her ear
while he fondles her neck.
That's how he got caught, Mr. Quincompoix!
Who are you?
Page St.
DO YOU
WANT
TO MEET ME?
Listen to this. "Boy of 6, while parents sleep
"drives off in a pedal car.
"Found on a highway in Germany
"he told police he wanted to see the stars."
Ain't life beautiful, though?
Love. The only bug she hadn't caught.
- Nobody's immune. - It gives me a break.
Love's a great beautician.
What's she like? Tall, small? Fair, dark?
Let's say average height.
Not a dwarf or a giraffe. Normal.
Pretty, for her type.
As for fair or dark, it's hard to say.
She wasn't a redhead. Unless
Forget it.
I remember she casually asked about your girlfriend.
And?
I said you weren't interested, right?
You didn't!
What do you care? You don't even know her.
- Exactly. It's the mystery. - You won't find mystery here.
A pound of nectarines.
The ones here are the prettiest.
Trust him. He's an artist.
He goes home with a ton of unsold stock.
What for? Is he stewing a pig?
No, sir! He's studying art!
Sells leeks all day long and paints turnips all night!
The boy's a useless vegetable!
With a prompter
in each cellar window whispering comebacks
shy people would have the last laugh.
At least you'll never be a vegetable!
Even artichokes have hearts.
You'll never be a vegetable. Even artichokes have hearts!
"Darling Mado, I miss you more and more each day.
"I'm an exile in a world of dreary khaki.
"I can't sleep, can't eat
"This camp was the mistake of my life
"depriving me of my beloved for five long weeks.
"I think of you endlessly. Your Adrien."
"I turned down my last month's wages instead of giving notice.
"I dream of better times ahead.
"An orange-colored day. Remember, my love?
"Your everloving Adrien."
"Good news, sweetheart.
"Soon I'll be able to afford a car
"and drive home every night.
"Till then, meet me on Friday, and we'll go out."
MOTHER
Psychiatric Helpline.
WHERE & WHEN?
One hour later, on Boulevard St. Martin
Amelie walks into a party goods and costume shop.
At the same time, a man leaves his home on Rue Lecourbe.
26 minutes later, Amelie is at East Station.
Simultaneously, the man in red shoes parks outside.
The time is exactly 11:40.
At this precise moment
only Amelie has the key to the riddle of the mystery man.
How's it going, Mrs. Wells?
Not so bad when it's not raining.
- This is for you. - Me?
"Dear Mrs. Wells, we recently recovered a mailbag
"that was lost in a plane crash
"on October 12th, 1969, on Mont Blanc.
"We are forwarding the enclosed letter to your address
"with our apologies for the uncustomary delay.
"Jacques Grasjeau, Customer Services."
"Darling Mado, I'm in exile. I can't sleep, can't eat
"I think of you endlessly.
"I know I've made the mistake of my life.
"I turned down that woman's money.
"If all goes well, I'll soon be able to afford a house.
"I dream of better times ahead
"when you'll forgive me and join me here
"one orange-colored day. Your everloving Adrien."
Another package for you.
You heard about the concierge?
She got a letter.
From her husband, 40 years late.
That's a lot, isn't it?
I'm not big on still life, Mr. Dufayel.
Then work on your lean layer.
Fat over lean. Always!
I heard there'll soon be a new star.
You're into stars now?
I saw it on TV at my ma's, that's why.
I dunno if it's true.
In America
they'll take rich people's ashes
put them in a satellite
and shoot it into space.
It's going to shine forever.
And Lady Di
will they do the same for her?
Lady Di! Lady Di! Give it a rest!
I can't concentrate!
Lady Di! Lady Di!
Renoir!
I don't understand.
Brilliant! You were perfect.
Did it work?
It's getting there.
Ask me again anytime. The harm's done.
- Harm? - Everybody calls me Snow White!
The Two Windmills at 4 p.m.
Could you stand in for me at 4:00?
Again?
What's eating him?
- I smile too much. - He'd rather you frowned?
With other men, yes.
Nino is late. Amelie can only see two explanations.
1 He didn't get the photo.
2 Before he could assemble it
a gang of bank robbers took him hostage.
The cops gave chase.
They got away but he caused a crash.
When he came to, he'd lost his memory.
An ex-con picked him up
mistook him for a fugitive and shipped him to Istanbul.
There he met some Afghan raiders
who took him to steal some Russian warheads.
But their truck hit a mine in Tajikistan.
He survived, took to the hills
and became a Mujaheddin.
Amelie refuses to get upset for a guy
who'll eat borscht all his life in a hat like a tea cozy.
- What can I get you? - Coffee, please.
TODAY'S MENU
He's understood.
He's going to put down his spoon
dip his finger in the sugar
turn around slowly and speak to me.
Is this you?
Yes, it's you.
- More coffee? - No thanks.
So it's this man here, with his hand up?
Is she in love with him?
I think it's time she took a real risk.
She might. She's devising a stratagem.
She's fond of stratagems.
In fact, she's cowardly.
That's why I can't capture her look.
Dufayel's attempts to meddle are intolerable!
If Amelie chooses to live in a dream
and remain an introverted young woman
she has an absolute right to mess up her life!
What are you doing?
Tell me, Lucien.
For deliveries, do you keep keys to all the apartments?
One of your booths is out of order.
It seems to be jammed.
East Station ticket hall.
Buy a video, get one free?
Samantha?
Can you stand in for me at
Photo booth. East Station. Tuesday 5 p.m.
Almost done.
The mystery man wasn't a ghost or a man scared of aging
but simply the repairman
a normal technician doing his work.
He keeps spying on me. It's making me sick.
4:05: Blatant female conspiracy.
Gosh, you're tense!
Good luck. You'll need it.
Excuse me. Did you put this in my pocket?
- Yes, but it's not from me. - I know. Where is she?
She's at her father's.
It bothers me. Can I talk to you?
I get off at 6:00.
- Can you come back? - OK.
See you then.
4:08: Docking scheduled.
A blond guy in a camel coat. Absent-minded, too.
How come?
He came back three times the same day.
1:12
Camel coat.
2:50
Camel coat.
- 4:17. - Stop it!
My rash has come back! Look. Suzanne!
My rash is back. He's driving me nuts!
Lay off!
Her conscience is at fault.
I've had it! I'm going home.
Psychos are the last straw!
Stop smothering them. Women need air.
You give them air, they blow you off.
Fresh air's healthy.
Cram it, failure!
Failed writer, failed life
I love the word "fail."
Failure is human destiny.
It's gasbag time!
Failure teaches us that life is but a draft
a long rehearsal for a show that will never play.
I bet he stole that.
I do have some original ideas
but people always steal them.
Same as your women.
Meaning?
You'd better get used to it.
Speak for yourself, you
- What's going on? - Nothing much.
Georgette went out, Joseph got mad.
"Went out"?
Like Gina. You know who Gina's with?
The guy with the plastic bag!
I saw their little game.
The note in the coat pocket.
4:08.
Back he comes, and hey presto! Out they go.
I'm worried for Amelie because I like you.
What do you mean?
By and large, the men I like are mentally unsound.
I'd like to know more about you.
Ask me.
One swallow doesn't make?
A swallow?
A summer.
Practice makes
Perfect.
- Curiosity - Killed the cat.
- Haste - Makes waste.
- Rolling stone - Gathers no moss.
- It's a sin - To steal a pin.
- Absence makes - The heart grow fonder.
- Not bad. - You collect them?
At home, we say a man who knows proverbs can't be all bad.
Pretty girl from the fifth floor, listen to this!
- You believe in miracles? - Not today.
You're in for a surprise.
What if I told you that a team of climbers
on Mont Blanc had found
hard proof that my husband loved me?
Lucien, I need some yeast.
For Miss Amelie? She's baking her famous plum cake?
Collignon! Go!
I'll be right back.
I'll be back.
Go into the bedroom, Miss Poulain.
So, little Amelie
your bones aren't made of glass.
You can take life's knocks.
If you let this chance go by
eventually, your heart will become
as dry and brittle as my skeleton.
So
go get him, for Pete's sake!
"Without you, today's emotions
"would be the scurf of yesterday's."
International airport.
September 28, 1997. It is exactly 11 a.m.
At the funfair, near the ghost train
the marshmallow twister's twisting
while in Villette Park, Felix Lerbier
learns there are more links in his brain
than atoms in the universe.
At the Sacre Coeur
the Cardinals are practicing their backhands.
The temperature is 24 degrees Celsius.
Humidity, 70%.
Atmospheric pressure, 999 millibars.
{{{the end}}