Hi Germain. - Hi Paulo.
80, 90, 100...
That's not right!
* - Have you forgotten something?
- You're not only a jerk you're a thief
It's not the right amount. * - You'd have had it....
* ..if you'd finished your work.
- I HAVE finished the work.
I'd said 10 hours, but I did it in 8.
The job's done.
You piece of shit! You shit!
* - Fuck off you dummy.
- Shut ya gob, you thief!
He owes me money.
10 heures.
He's stolen 2 hours.
One, two, three, four...
..five, six... - Nineteen.
- Are you talking to ME?
- Yes, young man. There are nineteen.
Why are you laughing?
- You said ''young man''.
-You're young compared to me.
-D'you come here often?
- Almost whenever the Good Lord allows.
Something intrigues me.
Why do you count the pigeons ?
- To see if some are missing or there are new ones.
The little one with a white feather is new.
He wasn't there on Saturday.
- I'd noticed. I call him White Feather.
You give them names? - So's to recognize them.
If you look carefully, no two of them are the same.
They all have their own personality.
Like little street-kids. - Do you have children?
- No. Do you ?
- No.
- So if you would've had children,..
..you wouldn't get them mixed up.
- If I'd had 19 of them that'd be the case.
So tell me the names of the others.
- The others? There's ..ah...
...'Sparrow' and 'Chicky' who're having a little kiss.
Off to the side is 'Stubborn'.
'Blowfly'.
Here's 'Rusk'.
That one who wants to have the upper hand is Johnny.
The one holding the feather is Thief.
He takes all the feathers.
And the little one acting like a smart-alec,..
..that's Marguerite.
- Same as me! - Really?
- I'mm also called Margueritte.
With a double T.
When my father registered me at the town hall...
...he couldn't spell very well.
Then my mother wanted to keep the name...
...for fun.
I was born out of a love story...
...like everyone else. - No!
There are those born by mistake.
I gotta go.
- 'Til another day, perhaps.
- Yeah...
I'm delighted to have made your acquaintance.
Thanks for having introduced me to your family.
- Yeah.
Don't leave ...
...your bag. Some hooligan'll grab it.
- For what little's in it!
- You can't tell from looking at it.
[Italian accent] - One small glass.
- Hi Germain. - Ah Germain !
- Ah !
- Your bubbly's good!
- It's blanc de blanc.
-how old?
- Not allowed to say... it's a state secret.
- Hi Youssef.
You bugger!... my dancing shoes!
You shit!
- Monsieur Landremont, a small glass?
- No. I don't drink alcohol.
A king who lost his head. Five letters...
- One spaghetti pomodoro.
- You guys catch the chick? Hot stuff, eh?
- Can't see.
- It's the nurse from the health centre.
I really got the hots for her.
I... - Capet !
Louis Capet. Louis XVl beheaded in 1793.
-Which one?
- Two 'brawns' and a 'special'.
- One more 'special' coming up.
- Who's the 'pomodoro' for?
- The lady..
...in front of the window. - Let me take it.
- We'll never meet again, ever!
That's not the issue you son of a bitch!
No...son of a bitch!
- He's setting you up.
- Who's this for? - Me.
What? Let me speak.
I can't hear you! Stop talking!
- What are you drinking? - Glass of red.
Yeah, yeah... I hear you better now.
- Are you Marie-Christine?
- No, Stéphanie.
- She's in the middle of dumping her guy!
A glass of Côtes du Rhône!
Go to it! Her name's Stéphanie.
- You're a brick! Should I make a move now?
- Of course! Not tomorrow!
Francine, put it all on my tab.
- So when are you paying me?
- Can't tell you! It's a state secret!
- State secret...
Youssef !
- Can I feel it? What?
- Come here.
Have you finished playing games?
- Just lightening up the atmosphere.
- They're for the domino table.
-Love me? Give 's a kiss...
- Not now.
- Handbook...
...of Maupassant?
One, two, three, four, five.
Ah yes...GUIDE... GUY DE Maupassant!
- What ?
I know the Guide Maupassant. It's like the Michelin Guide.
- Oh no!
The Guide Maupassant ?
No...that's great. Like the Guide..
..Michelin ?
Oh, what a brain!
- What? - Nothing.
Arsehole!
- Camembert, the mechanic has a high-school diploma!
- Well then, Chaze...
Don't you know the answer?
Mr Chazy's very hazy!
The problem with Chaze, his head's in a daze.
A very heavy daze.
Isn't that so, Chaze ?
- You got mail.
You got mail, here!
I'm leaving it here. You're a pain!
Look at the mess! - Leave it.
I'll fix it. - I'll do it.
Move!
He makes me look as if I'm stupid. And I'm quite refined.
They had to get it out with forceps
Ten hours labour.
As big as an animal.
Ten pounds.
You know what that makes??
Five kilos.
That's like : a bag of potatoes, a packet of rice,..
...a litre of oil,..
... a pound of margarine.
And I finish up with that!
It eats, it costs money...and it's dirty.
With nothing in compensation!
- ''That''.
She talks about a person saying ''that''.
If I had a dog,..
..I'd name the dog
''That''.
- It's me. - Yeah.
People should think twice before having children.
A kid isn't a mutt you can dump in the street.
- What are you mumbling about ?
- I'm mumbling that...
I was thinking...
...to hell with this!
- What?
- Are there any families where there's affection?
Where you tousle the kid's hair...
..saying "he's the image of his father".
I'm the image of my father's nuts.
- Don't talk about your father like that.
- Whadda you expect...
For every 15 words I say about him 12 are swear-words.
Bad words that make things dirty.
I know that. I can't talk about him any other way.
He doesn't exist for me any more.
I didn't have a role-model.
I had to work out everything for myself.
- I'm happy you exist.
I tell myself I'm lucky.
- Why?
- Because I like you... Sweetie-pie!
- I love it so much when I'm inside you.
It's so the best for me.
So soft, so hot...
Like being wrapped in silk...
...or feathers.
D'you know the Guide Maupassant ?
- Germain ?
- What? - Who is it?
- It's Julien.
- You gotta come and help me! It's Landremont!...
...he's crying, he's screaming, he wants to do himself in.
- Shit!
I'm coming!
Ah, fuck it!
This happens now and again.
He's been hopeless... ever since his wife died.
- When?
- 3 years ago. From cancer.
What a pain!
- He called me for help but he won't open the door.
- Shit.
- You weren't alone? - Annette.
- Sorry 'bout that.
- I've had a gut-full! I'm sick of everything!
- He's full... and not of water.
- Come on! - Open up!
Landremont !
- Shit on you all... got it!?
- Open up you silly bugger!
Drinking won't bring her back!
- She's dead!
- Don't say that. - What?
- I can't go on...
- Just open the door and things'll be OK.
- Open the door! You don't want us...
...to have to smash the window... - Landremont!
- Give us that.
Don't be silly.
- Landremont...
Yeah?
- I'm gonna piss.
- OK then. Off you go.
He's pissing.
- He's doing it again!
Germain !
I don't believe it! [War memorial]
You just can't do that! I've had enough of you!
- I have to. You keep on cleaning it off.
- It's a public monument.
- So why can't I put my name on it?
- It's only for the dead!
Can't you understand?
- You have to be dead?
- Yes. Dead from fighting in war.
- Oh dear...
- Why do you do it? Tell me!
- To be an arsehole.
- Hullo Monsieur Chazes.
All accounted for? - They're all there.
- Do you like to read?
- I had the opportunity to learn but didn't work out.
Cootie... take it easy.
- What was that?
- Cootie.
- That doesn't...
...help me.
- Louse if you prefer.
- You mean like 'lice'... as in pubic lice?
- Yes.
It's also what they call street urchins.
They grab onto you and don't let go.
It can be very irritating.
- Ah... yes.
Just like lice.
- That's right.
You've got it!
- Yes, I've understood you...
- just like that, I've got a pal,..
..'Jojo-the-cook', who called his parrot 'De Gaulle'.
Because he'd say ''I understood you''.
- Ah...
Is your friend a chef?
- You know him?
- I haven't had that pleasure.
- So how did you know?
- You said ''Jojo-the-cook''.
''The cook'' ...that's English for a chef.
- Ah !
''The cook'', that's like...
Ah yes... of course!
Like the guy with a deli called Dupâté.
And the carpenter...
... called Plank.
Jojo the chef, but in English.
Ah...yeah... of course!
I don't know if HE knows that!
Jojo, it's just as well...
...that you're a chef. - What?
- Bah! Yeah... - Gimme a hand.
- Where do you want it?
- In the middle of the room. We've got a wedding party tonight.
- A wedding..
Hey, Landremont...
Jojo was lucky to be a chef.
He's called ''the cook''.
- So what?
- Don't you understand?
''The cook'' is like chef in English.
Did that go over your head?
-Bugger me dead... you're as thick as a plank.
- My name's Pelletier.
You see?
Joël Pelletier.
''The cook'' was because I've been in England.
It's a nickname.
Fair enough...OK.
- Like we could call you "The Moron".
-You taking the piss?
- Cut it out!
He's no more of a moron than you are.
And he's a nicer person.
What are you drinking my pet?
- A small white. Would I be able to borrow your van...
...for the market ?
- Of course...as always!
- Hi Germain!
- Howdy Youss!
Ooh-la-la! You're wearing perfume!
Got a date?
- Yes...with me!
- Ah, Stéphanie !
Hi, Stéphanie.
This is Julien.
He's your sort of guy. Whadda you think?
He really digs you.
And better still. - Please...
- He's shy. - You're being an idiot!
- If i were you,..
...I wouldn't hesitate.
There's a waiting list!
- Go and get some tomatoes from the garden with Jojo.
- We've got plenty.
- Get some more. More.
It's urgent.
- Of course!
Come on...we're going.
- Au revoir, Stéphanie.
Youss really smells weird.
Look at her.
Just help yourself! No-one's stopping you!
Go to it!
If I give her stuff, she throws it back in my face..
...she prefers stealing.
-You plant your shit in my place,..
... I can help myself.
- You smoke too much. Though I shouldn't have to tell you.
- So don't tell me... just shut up!
- A mother like that...
...I wouldn't like to be her son. - I didn't get to choose.
She neither. - I can see why you moved out.
But why did you stay so close?
You should get away.
- I could go to the end of the world,..
..between my mother and me,..
..the distance is in the mind.
It's ...
- Symbolic.
- That's it. And see,..
...I've got my kitchen garden. Come and see.
I've got everything here. You'll see.
Cabbages, endive, leeks...
Look at the greenhouse, I built it myself.
You want tomatoes...
Just say what you want.
Beefheart.
Crimean Black.
And this and that...
Look here. What sort is it?
- Marmande.
- Yeah.
Come on, come on! Ladies and gents over here!
My tomatoes are beautiful.
Beautiful tomatoes leeks and turnips !
And what lettuce!...oak, batavia...curly...
..curly...
...like Mademoiselle.
- What would you like?
- Four leeks. - Take your pick.
You like the big ones.
- Any melon? - No melon...I've got clo-clo.
...and to go with it, Monsieur Seguin over there...
...has a special wine.
You've taken the big ones? That comes to 2.20.
Do you have 20 centimes?
Beautiful Curly-locks!
Remind me to bring melons on Friday.
- I can't make it...
...on Friday. I'm having a blood test.
- Again! That nurse's a vampire
How is she with you?
- Evasive.
- She was already like that.
Come on Madamoiselle!
The seat's taken.
Whadda you mean it's taken?
The hide!
- Gooday Monsieur Chazes!
- You can call me Germain if you like.
- Really? - Of course.
- It's just that...
...you'll have to call me Margueritte.
- If you insist, that's fine with me.
- I insist.
- So all agreed!
- I've been delayed by my nephew and his wife...from Belgium.
They've dropped in without warning. Apparently some problem with money.
You see,..
... I tell you everything, as though we were on a date.
- Like we were lovers?
- Mmmm !
That sounds nice.
- Like some? - No thanks.
I've just had lunch.
It's unusual at this time of day...
...to see a man in the park. Are you...
...out of a job?
- No, I've got several jobs.
I've just pressed the PAUSE button!
- I thought of you last night..
- Me? Why?
- About you and our pigeons.
You know what it's like when you tidy a bookshelf...
You flick through one or two at random.
So there...I found a sentence...
Which now I've forgotten...
I'll find it again.
"Can you imagine, for instance, a town without pigeons
no trees or gardens,
where you hear no flapping of wings, nor rustling of leaves,
in other words a thoroughly negative place?"
''The change of seasons can only be read in the sky
''Spring can only introduce itself by the feel of the air...
..''or the baskets of flowers brought by pedlars
..''from out of town....
''A spring that's sold...
..''in the marketplace.''
You like that?
- Yes, but could you...
Start again... but not so fast.
- With pleasure, wait...
'Can you imagine, for example,..
..''a town without pigeons,..
..''no trees or gardens,...''
- That doesn't exist.
But it's not bad.
What's it called? - 'The Plague'.
by Albert Camus. - Ah.
Albert, like my grandfather.
- I'll lend it to you. - Ah...no...
You know...reading for me...
''We left 500 strong...
..''but by reinforcements..
..''we were 3000 on reaching...
..''tharbour.''
- On reaching..
..'tharbour'?
Bravo !
Even when he reads, Monsieur Chazes makes spelling mistakes!
- Shall I read some more?
- Yes... fine by me.
- That suits me. I do like to read aloud.
It's only that the passers-by, seeing me ..
...spluttering to myself...
They take me for an old... - For an old crazy.
- Yes... an old crazy.
A bit hazy and a bit crazy...eh?
You have to go?
- It'll keep.
- So we'll set off blindly.
I'll skip the first pages,..
...to get into the action.
The story takes place in Oran, in Algeria.
-I know.
- You've read it?
- No, I know that Oran's in Algeria
My friend Youssef's parents are down there.
- Ah...good... good.
So off we go...
''Because, from April 18,..
...''the factories and warehouses...
..''spewed out quantities of dead rats.
''In some cases it was necessary to put down those rodents,..
..''that were still suffering.
''Wherever our fellow citizens met ,..
..''the rats were there in heaps, in bins,..
..''or in long lines, in the gutters.''
Are you asleep?
- No...I was picturing it.
Go on...go on.
- ''But the situation worsened in the following days..
'There were more and more dead vermin in the streets..
''...and the collectors had bigger truckloads every morning...
'On the 4th day,..
..''the rats began to come out and die in batches.
''From basements, cellars, and sewers.
..''they emerged in long wavering files ..
..''into the light of day, swayed helplessly, then did a sort of pirouette,..
..'and fell dead at the feet of the horrified onlookers.''
It's...
...finely written, eh?
- Since the beginning I've been grabbed by the ears. Like a rabbit.
Those swollen, smelly, shrieking rats,
...squeaking all around...
It's if I was seeing them.
Rats disgust me.
- You never read Camus ?
''The Stranger'', ''The Fall'' ?
- Don't remember it.
- Shall we go on?
-Yes.
But another time.
I've brought ou some fruit.
- Did you wipe your feet?
-How many have you smoked?
- 350...and go to hell! - Why're you doing that?...
... on Uncle Georges ?
- I'm sick of his ugly mug.
- He's family.
- All arseholes!
- You've forgotten to get your mail again.
- My pension!
You want...
...to pinch it!
Give it here!
Look what you've made me do!
You great oaf!
- Come and sit down.
- Let's see what'll suit you. Not the blue...
With your Spanish looks...
....your flamenco dancer...
You like to dance? - I love it.
- Suits you wonderfully...
....and that's not just to flatter you.
- But I can't afford it.
You've already paid me with your loving looks.
- Cut it out.
- And the location? - What of?
- Your site for my caravan.
- That'll be fixed up.
I can also cook for...
...Monsieur Gardini.
- Jean-Mi.
- What are you doing... sticking your nose in here!
Go to the shop instead of staring at me
with those idiot-eyes.
That boy is wearing me out.
Go, or you'll catch one!
- ''Hearing cries of joy rising in the city,..
...''Rieux remembered that this joy...
..''was always threatened.
''As he knew from his reading
..''what that joyful crowd was unaware of.
''And perhaps the day would come where, from the bane
..''and the teaching of men,..
..''the plague would wake up its rats..
..''and send them forth to die in a happy city.''
There.
- It's finished? - Yes.
We've been reading it for 10 days
Except for a few passages.
- YOU read it.
- Don't you believe it.
You're an excellent reader.
Reading is also listening.
- Listening? - Yes, look...
...at children. For them to learn,..
...they learn by reading out loud.
If they read well and listen well,
..they want more and they need more,...
- They get hooked... like a druggie.
I've never taken drugs... .
...never taken books.
- I'll give you this one.
This time, keep it.
Yes. I insist.
Voilà.
We're no more than passers-by.
I'm passing you a book.
I've marked...
...the bits that we've read.
- Thanks again.
- Don't mention it...
...it's nothing.
I'll help you discover writing
that I love myself...
Would you like it?
- You know how to get a man stirred up!
With your "Would you like it?".
The Plague...
''The following day...
..''the seventh of April''...
- A terrible earthquake struck the south of the country.
- As you can see, it is shocking.
- Crying babies...
- They really get the shitty end of the stick down there...
When it's not...
... bombs, it's a damned earthquake.
- And there's the times they're hit with cholera.
- Or the plague...like in Camus's book.
- You've read Camus?
- Not all... just The Plague, The Fall, The Stranger.
- Since when have YOU read anything?
- What's up with Francine ?
- Youssef's left.
- Where to?
-Not "where"..."with"... with Stéphanie the nurse.
- I didn't know. I thought that you...
- nobody saw anything... then...bang!
- Don't give me that look.
- Hard luck!.
- Are we feeling sad or playing cards?
- There, there...
...don't cry...
...sweetie. It's OK...
He'll come back.
How old are you ?
- 50.
- How old ? - I'm 50 years old.
- Even so...! - Whadda you mean..."even so"?
I didn't know there was such a difference.
He knew that old pots...
...cook the best.
- I've just two words: ..
...Hoo-Ray!
- I'm just trying to help.
There'll be others.
It's like that Simca the doctor had.
You know him, he comes here. His car was run down,...
...but he found a buyer.
- You're truly inspired! I think it must be all that reading...
- I'm going. I've got shopping to do.
- And books to read !
- Take your time.
Don't hurry back.
What a jerk!
- Those arseholes...
it's no laughing matter...
Readings complicated... let me tell you...
...'cause you make fun of me.
You read a word...fine!...
You understand it. And the next one too.
And you go on.
Your finger counts off the lines. 8, 11, 12...
Up to the full-stop. And when you get there,..
...you're well on your way.
The problem is you want to put the words together,..
..but they're loose.
Like a lot of nuts and bolts thrown in a box.
You understand?
For people who know...
...it's easy for them...
like...
...Margueritte...
...if you could see that little grannie.
40 kilos,..
...wrinkled like a poppy...
But in her head are thousands of shelves...
... full of books and books and more books.
...and she knows them all.
- Hi. - How ya going?
- Your vegetables are beautiful. You should do that for a living.
Be a gardener.
- I wanted to be a glazier
- Glazier?...
That's not even a word! - Yes it's a word.
- You want to get slapped?
- Calm down.
Where'd you get that idea from? - At the church.
Its stained glass window.
It's beautiful.
- You could get an apprenticeship at Pyrex..
I know an accountant there.
- I want to make stained glass windows, not bowls.
- Stained glass windows. That's not a trade.
What is it?
You're not to touch my kid!
Shut your mouth!
I've finished. It was disgusting.
What did you say? Apologise now!
What....excuse me?
Want another one?
What are you doing with that... picking up manure?
I'm throwing the manure out... get out!
You're blocking my view.
I told you to get out...now!
Son of a bitch, you're crazy!
Out! I'll count to three.
- One! - If I leave, you'll never see me!
- Two! - Stop fooling....I'm sorry!
You'll regret this!
You'll be hearing from me and it won't be good.
You'll be hearing from me!
- G'day Jackie. G'day young man.
- Monsieur Mayor
- You didn't answer the phone.
- It's down. - A Monsieur Gardini...
...has called my office about a caravan...
... that you've stopped him from moving.
He wants it back.
- He's welcome to come himself.
- I was lead to believe he's living here.
- Lived.
- What did he do?
- He hit my kid!
And me.
- Do you want to file a complaint?
- I'll manage my problems by myself.
- You haven't threatened him?
- Who? Me? No.
- Then there's no more to it. Au revoir.
- Au revoir.
- By the way do you have a pitchfork?
-No...nothing like that.
- How long had you both known each other?
About five weeks.
- Don't do anything stupid...all right?
- No.
- What about fertilizer? - What?
- Yes, fertilizer.
- Fertilizer, fertilizer...
It can choke the soil...
...it can stop things growing.
You'll harvest next to nothing.
If you have good black healthy soil,..
...thick and lumpy that sticks to your hands...
it'll produce anything you like to put in your stomach.
No need for fertilizer.
What is it?
- You're a very good man, Germain.
Thank you for all this.
But how am I going to carry them?
- I'll carry them home for you.
Where do you live? - At 'The Poplars'...
The retirement home on the edge of town.
- Oh...there!
A friend of my mother's lived there.
She spent her time playing scrabble..
...and chewing the letters.
On day she swallowed a Z... and died.
- I'm sorry Germain, I...
That WAS sad!
I didn't mean disrespect to your mother's friend.
It was an unfortunate accident.
I'm very comfortable in the retirement home.
There's a good atmosphere...
The staff are very attentive.
You know...
Old age is a nuisance more than anything else.
But the advantage of age, is that when you get bored...
...you know it won't last for long.
- There's a phrase in our novel which sticks in my mind.
''To howl like a dog at your mother's grave''.
- Are you sure?
- Yes, yes, quite sure.
''To howl like a dog at your mother's grave''.
- Ah, yes it's here. You're right.
''Always returning to howl at your mother's grave...
...''like an abandoned dog.
Very impressive!
You have an excellent...
...auditory memory.
- No, no...most of all I remember what I hear.
What about me...?
...I'd like to hear it too. - Sorry. I'm mixed up.
Please forgive me.
'It's not good to be loved so much so young, so early,..
..''It can lead to bad habits.
''You look, you hope, you wait.
''Maternal love creates in the dawn of your life...
..''a promise which can never be kept.''
- That's the name of it.
The title.
''Dawn's Promise''.
Yes.
Because from the start...
...life makes promises that it can't keep.
- That's exactly it.
There's maternal love,..
...and later...
''Every time a woman holds you in her arms,..
..''and presses you to her heart,..
..''these are just condolences, before
''always returning to howl at your mother's grave,..
..''like a abandoned dog.''
That's it.
- Yes.
- ''Never again, never again...
..''never again...
...''adorable arms enclosing around your neck...
''..and sweet lips speaking to you of love.''
That was from, Romain Gary.
He loved his mother with a passion.
- Why?
It's not made up?
- No.
It's the story of his life.
- Ans what if it'd been the opposite?
- The opposite? - That's right.
If he hadn't been loved by his mother.
What would have happened to him?
- I don't know.
If someone hadn't received enough love in their childhood,..
..something remains to be discovered...don't you think?
- Don't know about that.
- Do you still have your mother?
- Sort of.
- How was she with you as a child ?
- She didn't give a damn.
- And now?
- She still doesn't give a damn.
I'm nothing to her.
She's nobody.
- That's a terrible thing to say.
Indifference is the worst thing.
Yes.
As Jojo said, she doesn't have what it takes.
She never had what it takes.
For her, I was just a mistake.
A 14th of July mistake.
A quick bang.
- What's your name? - Jackie.
- Ah, the leeks!
The leeks!
The leeks...
- What're you into now?
What're you doing?
- Get back in your hole!
-What are you doing with my leeks?
She's really starting to worry me.
She pulled out...
...my leeks and threw them away.
She wanted to repaint the cat.
- another colour.
New hairdo?
Looks better. - Haven't changed it.
- What about a retirement home? - Who?
- Who else?...for your mother.
- She wouldn't want to.
- Take her there by force.
- You go try it on her. You'll see what force is!
- OK then. - It's his mother,..
...he's only got one.
- Fortunately.
- She's not so bad.
She's gone a bit dotty.
- She's like a fish,...
...she goes rotten from the head down. - Hey!..that's my mother you're talking about.
- I was only joking.
- OK then.
- What a bunch of idiots!
- Gracia Francine.
- I really like it when you wait for me at the stop.
Do you like meatballs?
- You should know.... I like everything about you.
- Oh, my sweetie-pie.
- Watch out!
You going to stay the night?
- Why not.
- Could you make me a baby boy?
Several if you like.
- No, seriously.
Who'd want me as a father?
Didn't finish primary school...
Can't put 3 words together.
A big zero.
What can I bring you?
- Love.
- How is it with Francine?
- Give you my opinion?
She cries a lot. - Oh, shit!
The thing is... Stéphanie's young, but she's boring.
Francine too, but she's safer.
What would you do? - I'm not in your shoes.
It's hard enough being in my own.
In every case, one way or the other,..
...we go back to howl at our mother's tomb.
- That's very true. You're right.
- That's right.
You been golfing?
- No, it's for you.
Something for me? - Wait.
- What is it? - There you are.
Open it.
- A dictionary. - It's not very new.
I've used it a lot.
You don't need it. You know everything.
- Not at all. But I've passed the travelling age.
With a dictionary, you can travel.
From one word to another.
You can lose yourself in a maze.
You stop...you dream.
Do you like it?
- Yes, truly.
It seems to me that we haven't read anything since..
..''Dawn's Promise''. - That's right.
- What would you like to hear now?
I don't know... An adventure story?
A crime thriller?
How about Amazon indians?
- Good!...Why?
- I used to have a comic that showed how they lived.
They have a beautiful life.
They walk around completely naked with just a pouch to hide their...
- Their sex.
- That's right.
They wander around doing nothing.
They play the flute and smoke pipes.
The watch the topless girls.
A small feather on...
- I have just the thing in my library.
A novel.
But you'll need to come to my place.
At last at my place...
- I don't want to be a bother.
- A bother? Not at all.
Let's say Tuesday, for tea.
- Tea? - Yes.
- Come for tea.
- to find a word you have to know how to write it.
Let's look up, ''labyrinthe''.
L, A..
Labyrinthe...
Laby...
Labyrinthe.
L, A, B.
L, A, B, l...
One 'R' or two?
Whadda you think? How do you write it?
It's not here.
Let's look up peoples' names.
How about 'Marguerite'.
Marguerite.
Mar...
With one 'T'.
Marguerite.
Name of a flower. [daisy]
Who wouldn't know that!?
Thanks for telling me! Name of a flower!...
Annette.
That's not how it's written.
That means fennel.
So...
...we'll look up Germain.
Where is it now…?
G, E, R...
Here it is. Germain.
Cousin-germain, etc...
Inhabitant of Germany. Germans.
Burgundians..
..Franks,..
..Goths,..
..Lombards,..
..Saxons, Teutons.
Vandals. Yes my pet...Vandals.
So there,..
...we're not alone, eh, Jeremy my boy.
We'll have a look at 'tomato' and then we'll go to bed.
Tomato, tomato, tomato.
Tomato, tomato. Here we are.
So-la-na-ce-ous plant.
Solanaceous. See 'olivette' tomato.
Don't they have any other varieties?
The Marmande ? The Saint Pierre ?
The White Beauty? Just to name a few.
Why? Are they out of season?
let's see 'solanaceous'...
Plant family...
..di-col-te...
De-col-de...
Shit!
Bugger this! It's all bullshit.
All double-dutch. Not for us.
A lot of words are missing.
And there's too many others.
This is not for us.
I'll give it back to Marguerite.
- I've brought your clothes.
See you tonight.
- What d'you say?
What?
My shirts...
- Goddamn weather!...
...and the taxes we pay.
- Share it around... A bit of rain for you all.
- Flowers for.... ? - Not for you.
Let's see now.
4,5,6. -it's a fix!
You buy that from the fruit salad shop?
- Piss off.
- You guys seen the meeting hall?
Graffiti everywhere. Arseholes !
- Who's done it ?
- Young idiots.
It'd just been repainted.
-What'll it be?
A strawberry.
..diabolo.
Vandals !
-Vandals, Lombards.
- Loubards? - No, Lombards.
Or Burgundians, Franks, Goths.
- Any more? - Saxons.
Swabians.
Vandals.
- You're getting to be a pain in the neck. - Where'd you get all this stuff?
Implanted knowledge.
What's that?
- Don't you dare touch it!
Or I'll kill you!
- Are you crazy or what?
- I won't have you lot in here if you carry on like this.
- Ciao Youssef. - Ciao.
- Oh Youssef.
- Bravo, Youssie darling!
I didn't really want any ruined bread.
Go and dry it out.
You too.
- Is he back?
- You saw him. It wasn't his twin brother.
-That's what all the......was about!
- It's like I said before about...
...the old...
Cut it out!
You nuts or something? You need to see a doctor.
I was saying... - You're not saying anything!
Don't say anything. - Well... if I can't even talk...
- Play. - Play.
- G'day.
I've come to see Margueritte.
- Marguerite who? There are several Marguerites here.
-With two 'T's.
- Ah...Madame Van de Velt.
She's expecting you?
- Yes. For tea.
- First floor. At the end of the corridor.
- Thanks very much.
- Germain.
... from my garden. - Thank you.
Flowers from your garden.
Come in.
....You go walking with your dictionary?
- I'm returning it...
I can't use it. It's of no use to me.
- Not at all?
- If I don't know how a word's written, I can't find it.
And besides that... I don't agree with it.
Things I know about for example...
Tomato varieties.
There's only one there: the olivette.
None of the others get a mention.
- I agree, Germain.
It's very incomplete.
I looked for 'cootie' and I looked again.
It's not there. - See what I mean!
- I haven't asked you to sit down.
Not there!
It's too late for me.
No need to cut down rain forests to make dictionaries...
...that are of no use to idiots.
It's like giving a pair of glasses to...
...someone who's short-sighted.
Suddenly you see too much.
All the defects...the holes.
With you I tried to learn...
...but it's painful.
It was better when things were blurry ...and simple.
- I'll make some tea.
It hurts me when I hear you talking like that.
- Is that you there?
In the photo. - Yes.
- Well, well, well.
You were a bit heavier than you are now.
Where were you camping?
-It's in Zaïre. Used to be called Congo.
I was there for...
... a medical mission.
for WHO. - What's that?
- The World Health Organisation..
- Hold on. Allow me.
I'll help you.
So you're an ex-scholar?
- let's just say...
...scientist. That's enough.
Can I pour?
- Thanks. Not too much.
It's nice here, isn't it.
- Yes.
But it's very dear.
My nephew helps me, but for how long?
His wife doesn't agree.
So...have we given up on them?
- Who?
- Our Amazon indians.
I found this novel...
..by Sepulveda.
He's a writer from Chile.
It's a story...
...of natives in a faraway country...
...accused of murdering...
...a white hunter.
The real culprit...
...is a majestic panther.
There.
We'll let our indians go back to their forest.
- Wait...
...What's it called?
- ''The old man who read love stories''.
''Feeling dizzy, he stood up...
...''brandishing his machete in both hands...
...''waiting for the final attack.
''Above him the female
...''wagged her tail frantically...
''Her small ears twitched, catching every sound in the forest.
''But she didn't attack.
''Surprised, moved slowly to pick up his rifle.
''Why don't you attack?
''Are you playing a game?
''He cocked the hammer...
...''and aimed. At this distance
...he couldn't fail...
- And then?
- Next episode.
- Yes.
You're tired.
- It's just that...
I don't think I'll be able to go on reading for a long.
- Why?
- I don't see very well.
I suffer from macular degeneration due to old age.
I see spots in the center of my eyes. .
They're going to get worse.
I can hardly read.
- That's why you use a magnifying glass.
- Yes.
Soon, my dear Germain...
...will disappear into the shadows.
I won't be able to count the pigeons.
- Isn't there an operation?
- My sight's dying. You can't operate on death.
I'll need to get a cane...
...to find my way past the obstacles in the street.
- Ah yes. No, wait.
I'll take care of the cane.
- Who were they for?
The flowers... I thought they were for me.
I've been waiting all day.
I watched for you.
- Why would I be giving you flowers?
Why.
Who were they for?
Eh?!
I'm no Francine!
You can't treat me like Youssef.
Do you love her?
What's her name?
- Her name's Margueritte. The flowers were for her. And this is too.
She's 95 years old and yes, I love her.
Satisfied?
- You're crazy.
- Sit down.
Sit down.
-Why haven't you told me anything?
- In what order ?
An old lady who counts the pigeons.
A dictionary where you're named Fennel.
A town overrun with rats.
Nobody'd believe it.
- But I believe you.
- If you saw her.
So delicate on her fragile legs.
Like those little glass animals...
...like a doe in the window.
I could break her like that.
Now...
She'll soon be seeing in black and grey and then just black.
Does it seem fair?
- She's going blind?
-Yes, she's going blind.
What can I do?
Get her windscreen wipers
..to clean her eyes?
- Calm down Germain.
- What'll become of her?
With her peep-holes conked out...
what use'll her books be to her?
Reading's like breathing for her.
So when she stops reading...
- You can read to her
- What?
-Yes, if she can't do it anymore.
- I can't
- You should try.
Let me see.
- it's for her cane.
- Wonderful.
- Can I help you?
I'm looking for a book.
- You're in the right place.
What's the title...author?
- No, any book.
- Non-fiction,...
...fiction ?
- I'd like...
a book that tells a story.
- What sort of story?
- Short.
- A novel?
- That'd be good.
Not too thick and easy to read.
- A novel...
Not too thick. Easy to read...
Yes.
- ''How was this floating street made ?''
Doesn't make sense but I'm getting there.
''What marries...'' - Mariners.
- Ah...yeah.
''What mariners with the help of what architects,..
...''built it in the mid Atlantic...
..''on the surface of the sea, above a chasm 6000 metres deep.''
Bugger me, that's deep!
6000 metres... that's 6 kilometres.
- Thanks.
- It doesn't mean the Atlantic is very high.
''A long street, slate roofs,..
...''several shops...
...''humble and immutable''.
Shit. Now it's started and I haven't got a dictionary.
- “Immutable's” when things don't budge.
Like you when you disagree.
You're immutable. - Ah!...immutable...
''How did it stand...
..''without being shaken...''
Shaken?
Oh yes, by the waves...
''Shaken by the waves.
''The child believed...
...''she was the only little girl in the world.
''She only knew that she was a little girl?
..'' little girl?''
- What don't you understand?
- It's just...
I'm thinking of that little tot lost in the middle of nowhere,...
...she's like Margueritte...
a sparrow.
''As if he was living, loving...
..''and always finding himself...
..''on the point...
..''of dying,..
..''a being..
''cut off for ever in that..
..''watery solitude.'' - Faster.
read it again.
''As if he was living, loving...
...''and always finding himself on the point of dying...
..''a being cut off for ever in that watery solitude''
- Stronger.
- Like when we're making love? - How?
- You say: ''Faster, stronger...''
- Stop it, Germain!
- What?
- I like doing it... but not talking about it.
Go on.
- What are up to now?
You're round the bend!
Give me that.
You're soaking me! - Let me alone!
Leave me alone!
I'm warning you... I'll call the police.
- But not yet. Get back inside.
- Help!
- Get upstairs! - I'm your mother!
Shit!
Get off me!
You're hurting me!
- Stop it! Get upstairs!
Watch your head.
- Ouch! You're hurting me!
Moron!
I'm so tired!
You wear me out!
- Stretch out.
Like so.
- I'm tired.
- I'll get some coffee.
- I'm going to tell you who your father is.
It's Luis Mariano!
- I used a soldering iron
to make the eyes black.
Then I sand-papered it.
and polished it with a chamois.
Then I varnished it.
How do you like it?
- I don't hate it.
That's a litotes.
Like when you say "Not bad at all"...
to mean "She's very pretty."
That's a litotes.
I don't hate it..
...means I adore it.
I adore it, Germain.
- Keep your eyes shut...
I have a surprise.
- What is it?
- Close your eyes!.
So...
''What mariners...
''What mariners with the help of what architects ..
..''built it in the mid Atlantic...
.. ''on the surface…
..''of the sea above a chasm 6000 metres deep.''
Child of the Deep
- by Jules Supervielle. Go on.
''A long street,
slate roofs,..
...''several shops... ...humble and immutable''.
''How did it stand...
..''without being shaken...''
You like it?
- Very much.
- Shall I go on? - Go on.
- Eyes shut.
''The child...
..''believed she was the only little girl in the world.
''She only knew...
..''that she was a little girl?''
- ''Save-a the world'' ? When you've finished,..
...have another turn.
Okay ?
Yours.
- Seigneurs,...
Seigneurs, he calls us!
- No chance to get even?
- I haven't got time.
- No time for what... to talk with your pals?
What?
You're not drinking. You use words .
you don't understand... You walk out on us.
When's it gonna stop? - You've changed.
We preferred you the way you were.
- You're not screwing any more.
Poor Annette.
- You're right. I'm not screwing her any more
We're in love.
If I know a few more words ...bad luck!
If you can't laugh at me, you're pissed off. And that's not a litotes.
- One special.
- Oh bugger.
She's left all the lights on.
Couldn't you turn off downstairs?
* - It's Monieur Chazes
- Oh...I forgot about him.
I was expecting you.
My condolences. Please take a seat.
Let's see now.
Your mother didn't have any other heirs,..
...the house becomes yours.
Otherwise, there's an amount...
- The house?
-Her house. - It was rented,..
- It had been.
She bought it together with...
...Monsieur Blondeau. By saving every cent...
By working overtime...
Day and night...
And she was right: ..
...suddenly old Blondeau dropped dead.
So it's all...
...yours.
You didn't know? - No.
There's this box which I have for you.
I swear...
...I haven't opened it.
Your father?
- They're my parents.
What's this?
- Waht?
- This plastic.
I said i hadn't opened it, but...
When I saw that...
from her, it's a bit of your umbilical cord...
your umbilical cord.
Can you believe it?
Never mentioned a word.
Never.
Over all those years.
She was devoted to putting aside money for me.
Can you believe it?
- I can believe it.
- What am I going to do with this junk?
Apart from the photo...
-Have a look.
- They were young and good looking.
How long were they in love?
- Oh…a long time.
Long time...
...at least 5 minutes.
- I'm pregnant.
- Pregnant.
Take it easy!
Look out!
Stop here. - What?
- Gotta tell Marguerite.
Hang on to the box.
See you tonight.
- She's left.
- What?
- Her family...
...came and fetched her.
- Why? - They couldn't afford it.
- When did they come? - This morning.
- Without warning?
- They'd warned us.
Not her.
- Will she ever come back? - Don't think so.
They took everything... granny, furniture, books.
- Do they live far away?
-In the middle of nowhere.
- Where's that? - North-east Belgium, near Holland.
I've got an address and phone number.
- She didn't leave me a note?
- She left this.
- Thanks
Ah Princess...
Lolly, Pierrot.
Chicky, Lucky.
Rickety.
Fatso...you're back.
Marguerite.
I've come to see Margueritte.
She's not here.
- You're her nephew? - She doesn't live here.
- Where is she?
- You're...who?
- I'm her friend Germain Chaze.
- Oh yes.
We helped her as much as we could. We couldn't keep her here.
We're not millionaires. - So where is she?
- Chou, you've got the address?
We'll give it to you.
- Madame Van de Velt ?
Van de Velt !
Was it polite of you to run off like that?
It's not done!
- What a lovely surprise.
- Do you have a car?
- What are you doing? - Off we go!
- You don't realise what you're doing.
It's abduction without the proper papers.
Without family permission.
Without leave.
What an imbroglio. - Imbroglio ?
I'll find out what the word means...
...when we get home to our place.
- Our place? I don't have a home.
...My place. - Ah, Germain!
Your sandwiches always look so impressive.
- Want some? - That would be very nice.
- Thank you.
- Bon appétit!
Subtitles by Fatplank / RLB