Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
In this period of economic growth...
...the construction of a European highway network...
...is very relevant.
Mr Roubier, the well-known French representative...
...has joined us to elaborate on his views regarding this matter.
Mr Roubier, please tell us...
...whether you will also negotiate with the Italians about this contract.
No, sir. A French company is already on it.
And I'm not in the habit of thwarting my competitors.
Will you limit yourself to France?
Yes, and I'm proud of it, sir.
For this project, people will have to be evicted.
Or is that a rumour? -I know what you're trying to say.
A couple of bungalows won't stop progress.
I think general interest is more important than private interest.
In the meantime, in San Remo, in contrast with what he said...
...Henri Roubier, the opportunistic business man...
...stole from his competitor, Lejeune & Co., the order...
...for the construction of a European highway network.
In his usual discrete and energetic manner...
...he secretly obtained...
...the approval of initiator Enrico Mazzini.
This news just came in...
Highways: customs personnel continue their protests.
We'll discuss this in our studio with...
...Mr Lejeune and his partners.
They will inform us about their project to build a European highway network.
When will you negotiate with Mr Mazzini?
Right away.
Since Roubier, our competitor...
...was good enough to retire from this project.
At the first opportunity we'll get...
...we'll show him how grateful we are.
PERCHED ON A TREE
Bastard.
What's that?
What's happening?
What's going on? Wait a minute.
What's happening? -The truck drivers are on strike.
Why are you on strike?
We're protesting against the customs officers, because they're on strike.
So what? -They're on strike because we are.
What are you doing?
Come on, get out. -Wait, I need to have a rest.
You tried to run me over. -What?
You almost did. -Come on, out!
Attempted murder, premeditated.
The police will take this very seriously.
What? -Where are you going?
Out. -No need to tell me.
I love surprises.
Oh sir, that's great.
Your friend told me everything. I don't know how to thank you.
So you're going to Cassis as well?
I'm not going to Cassis at all. -Yes, you are. Remember? Cassis?
I'm not going to Cassis. -Yes, you are, You are.
Not at all. Oh no...
You'll say it's bad but it's stronger than me.
When I want to gamble, I have to do it.
My husband forbids me to go to any of the casinos in France.
So I'm using this opportunity to go on a business trip to San Remo.
Serves him right.
Forbids! Forbidding should be forbidden.
Cut it out. -My husband's very old-fashioned.
He's wrong. Life's one big game.
It's a matter of being lucky or not.
What do you say, Mr Roubier? -Are you Roubier? How terrible.
An industrialist like you. A politician.
You presented your own book on TV: "I Did It On My Own".
It was ridiculous and pompous.
Nobody does it on their own.
In life, you're lucky or unlucky.
Life's about making an effort.
Will power...
...work.
There's no such thing as bad luck.
Hello, sir.
-Who are you?
I don't know. And you?
I don't know.
But what are you doing in my bed? -I don't know.
And what's she doing here? She's also in my bed.
Is she your wife? -No, she's your wife.
No, my wife is like this...
But what are you two doing in my bed?
That's mine.
I say.
But where are we? Where are we?
We were driving on the road. -How do you know?
The bend.
Yes, I remember. The bend. I went like this...
What a fright. What a fright.
You're right.
Do you think... I'm crazy to ask you...
...but we're not dead, do you think?
I don't think so.
Then I don't understand.
Where are we? Where?
Where on earth are we? I'll have a look.
Don't move. Don't move. This is dangerous.
Is it me or are we swaying?
We're balancing.
We're swaying a lot.
Where on earth are we?
What shall we do?
No, we were doing fine. Don't move. Don't move.
Never mind. We're alright like this. We shouldn't ask for too much.
Now what do we do?
It's best to wait until daylight.
And most of all, let's not move.
Don't move an inch.
Don't move. -No, no. It's cold.
There's a draft.
What are you doing?
Very carefully. Don't move.
Like that. No, no. Don't move.
We landed on a tree. We landed on a tree.
It's better to land on a tree than to hit it.
See that luck exists?
You're right.
As long as the mistral doesn't start.
God bless.
Thank you. -I didn't say that for you.
When she wakes up, we'll have to be very careful.
What shall we tell her?
That we wanted to enjoy the view.
Do you hear that?
They're looking for us.
Stupid animal.
Here, here. No, not there.
Are we there yet?
Did we arrive?
Yes, we're just getting out.
Quidou?
But Quidou. -I'll go there.
What are you doing there?
My poor Quidou.
What are you doing there?
I want to get out! I want to go!
I want to get out.
Who are you? -It's me. Don't you recognise me?
No. -Look, look. See?
No, it's him. Still the same.
It's him. There.
Quidou?
Where is he? -Quidou?
It was so quiet here. Let her be.
She'll calm down. -What do you mean, calm?
Yes, she'll calm down. -Of course she will.
Have you got something to drink? -Yes, water.
Now he's going nuts. Calm down. Calm down.
Calm down, please. You're not leaving, are you?
The water.
Calming, relaxing.
The ideal remedy for the overwrought business man.
Yes, I'm going.
What happened to me?
Nothing, you just fainted. Nothing serious.
Drink this. It'll do you good. You'll see.
Where are we?
We're here.
Everyone's here.
Feeling better?
Oh, yes.
Really? -Oh, yes.
You're taking a nap.
So we have some peace and quiet.
Right, since the car's quite stable...
...let's think about what our options are.
Every problem has a solution, every solution...
So we could just stay here and starve to death.
No, somebody important like you. It would be noticed.
They're looking for you right now.
That's impossible, because I was travelling incognito.
I was working on a billion dollar deal.
And now you're on a tree.
I'm meeting the minister at 11 am.
What time is it now? Oh, there's plenty of time.
I'm getting out. I'm going. -This belongs to you.
What's that? -It belongs to you.
Oh, yes, it does. It's mine.
Help! Help!
Help!
Hot record! -Where?
Is the car getting hot?
Do you want to dance? -She's gone insane.
What's hot? Stop, stop.
It's breaking.
Look, look. This is a disaster. This is a disaster.
How do you want to get out? What a disaster.
We're doomed.
The truth is we're already dead.
No, come here. Reality's here. There.
Oh, how beautiful!
This is magnificent.
Come, let's fly. I'll fly.
What are you doing? I'll smack you.
Sit down. I'll smack you. -Why?
We're not going to fly. -But you're all...
That's it for today.
You stay here. Like it or not. With us.
You're not very nice.
You won't let me do anything. -I'll smack you.
I can't dance, I can't fly.
I woke up for nothing.
Listen, now that we're a bit stable again...
Hey, do you have to do that? Be patient. Not right away.
No, or else I leave. Choose. She or me.
Listen, now that we're a bit stable again...
...we need to think about what we're going to do.
Each problem has its solution, each solution...
I already know. We can only wait and starve to death.
For me, for me. -No.
Enough. -Thanks.
For me, for me.
Sir, I'm sorry about earlier.
You couldn't know, but I'm a very sensitive woman.
Suddenly finding yourself on top of a parasol is a shock.
It's alright. -I'm calm again.
I even feel fine.
I think this adventure is quite poetic.
Anyway, I don't regret a thing.
Me neither.
Really, not at all. -Quidou, Quidou, he ate everything.
He ate everything. Good. -That's not so bad, is it?
There he is. Smack him. -Yes, right.
Good.
I hope your husband's not worried.
He thinks I'm cheating anyway.
He won't believe I spent the night in a tree.
Is he jealous?
Oh là là. No, he's an admirable man.
But I don't like him. He's a bit like you.
Well, I say. -Yes.
He's very ambitious, but he has no sense of humour. Just like you.
I beg your pardon.
I only saw my husband laugh once.
Yes, I saw him laugh on TV.
It was about your election campaign.
Have you gone mad? -It was about your election campaign.
I'm leaving.
We were cracking up and forgot all about the movie they showed afterwards.
I'm leaving.
He was great.
Did you see it too?
Don't get angry.
What happened to Henri Roubier?
That's a mystery at the moment.
Was he so overworked that he lost his memory?
Has he gone insane?
Did he commit suicide?
Did he work for a foreign power?
What an idiot. -Has he been kidnapped?
We interviewed Mrs Rombier at her home.
Mrs Rombier?
I just know my husband hasn't strayed from the right path.
His name is not on any list of traffic victims...
...so I came to the conclusion that he has been kidnapped.
Whoever you are...
...I forgive you.
But I beg you to spare my husband's life.
Give him back to us alive.
I'm still alive.
No matter what the ransom is...
...we'll pay it.
Oh, no. Don't pay!
Henri Roubier. Yes, a man who did everything on his own.
In a time when many authors produce hollow words...
...Henri Roubier's message spoke of actions.
I Did It On My Own, a real manual for success...
...was awarded because of its effectiveness.
I Did It On My Own is about a man who started with nothing.
The author says: Yes, I started with nothing.
I started as a cyclist. This sport teaches you to be energetic.
A lesson in loyalty and fair play.
Sport stimulates the noble side of people.
It teaches you to act without cheating.
My life as a business man...
...was always a reflection of my sports career.
What a report.
Henri Roubier married rich banker's daughter Marval de Beaufort.
This beautiful love story incited a lot of jealousy.
Roubier says that money isn't everything...
...but that it should also not be an obstacle for a lover and business man.
He quickly made fame as the self-made man of asphalt.
My first highway was my first victory, wrote Roubier.
Of course, Henri Roubier went into politics.
I'm not in politics to do business, but...
...to defend freedom.
I speak to you in the name of freedom, neither from the right, nor from the left.
I belong to no party.
For me, there is only one party...
...France. And France, that's you. Everyone who's listening.
But there is no freedom without highways...
...I mean without authority.
Did you see that?
The latest news.
The escaped maniac, nicknamed the Camping Vampire...
...has not yet been arrested.
Entertainment. We end this news broadcast...
...with a scene from Vlasko Briski's latest movie...
'Waltz of the Vampire'.
It's currently being shown in cinemas in Paris.
This film is not suited for young viewers.
I might have picked him up on the highway.
Just my luck.
Good to see you again.
They're still there.
We're quite comfortable here.
Quite comfortable.
A boat.
-Where?
There!
A boat.
I've got it. Don't move anymore.
This can't have done that.
My God.
"Much later..."
We're doomed. We're all doomed.
Don't you have anything more to drink?
Anything to eat?
Such a full backpack.
We're dying. We're dying.
Not at all. Not at all.
In India, there are yogis who don't eat...
...for forty days. Nothing.
Yes, but they're trained for it.
Maybe.
He's nice and chubby.
This monster wants to eat my dog.
Good...
...at least I can do some sunbathing.
I'll die with a nice tan.
Am I giving you any ideas?
Yes, I have an idea.
We're saved.
We're saved. We're saved.
Look. See that tree? -Which tree?
The tree right underneath us. If we can get there, we're safe.
Because then we can go down via those trees.
Did my sunbathing give you that idea?
Yes, we'll make a rope by tying our clothes together.
That way, we can get to the first tree.
And after the first tree? -What after?
Then we can climb from tree to tree.
And then we'll be free. Come on.
We're saved. We're saved.
Climb back up.
Good to see you again.
You saved my life.
It was a reflex.
Anyway, that proves you're not him.
That he's someone else.
Good to see you again.
My skirt.
If they find us half naked in your car...
...what would my husband think?
He's able to kill all three of us.
Oh no, I'm sure your husband's very nice.
Very gentle.
He must be a poet. Very nice.
I'd like to meet him if I'll still be alive.
Ex colonel Müller, husband of the woman who disappeared...
...is apparently being charged.
Ex colonel Müller is charged with placing a bomb near the TV station...
...that linked the disappearance of his wife...
...to industrial Henri Roubier.
Well, I'll be!
See? I wasn't exaggerating.
If you want, I can testify. -What, testify?
Get the bazooka. -Cut it out.
If your husband saw us...
We're again talking about the highways of Gascony.
Mr Lejeune of Lejeune & Co...
...is shocked by the disappearance of Henri Roubier.
And he assures us that he'll do all he can...
...to solve this mystery.
A psychic told me I'll die at the age of 80.
That leaves two possibilities.
Either you're older than you look...
...or the psychic wasn't good at math.
Waiter.
A big glass of water...
...with ice cubes.
Thirsty? -Perrier
St. Peter, good St. Peter.
Thank you, St. Peter.
Quickly. We have to get rid of the water.
A bottle in the ocean. -Where?
No, this bottle. Look.
I'll throw it in with an SOS.
It'll break on the rocks.
Alright, that makes three bottles. -No, two.
Sorry, but I can count to three.
We only had two. -And that one?
Listen... -What, listen?
It's empty, so it was full. -That doesn't prove anything.
That proves the bottle was emptied, drunk.
And if it was drunk, it has to be paid.
Officer, come here please.
I have a small problem with this gentleman and this lady.
How many bottles do you see on the table?
Three.
The third one landed with a parachute. -With a parachute?
With a parachute.
And you'll land at the police station.
It's my car. It went off the road.
In a bend.
Landed on a parasol.
At one kilometre of Cassis.
Good heavens.
I'm warning you. If this is a hoax...
...you won't have a sunstroke at the end of your holiday.
There! Up there!
Look, they're all naked.
Come on. Come.
I'll have to inform the chief.
There. There.
When I received your message, I was on duty of course.
I found the message and then...
You should know how happy we were.
I came closer and I saw them and I said...
...we have to warn everybody.
Henri Roubier and the wife of ex colonel Müller...
...had their love nest on the Côte d'Azur.
Excuse me.
We're going live to our colleagues in Marseille.
I'm at the location of the event. What a tragedy.
It's terrible. A car on a tree. You should see it.
You should see it. You should see it.
Hello Marseille. What's happening? I get no more video.
Alright. It's coming back. I have video again.
Important business man Henri Roubier was found half naked...
...with the wife of ex colonel Müller...
...in a car, hanging on a tree.
In the company of a mysterious man.
Which strange event were they returning from, so scantily dressed?
Henri Roubier is an excellent driver. If he lost control at this point...
...he was probably not sober.
Operation Parasol has just started.
I'm told that Operation Parasol is commencing.
Stay with us and listen.
Hello, hello. Operation Parasol has started.
Keep your spirits up. We're coming.
Thanks.
Dear viewers, I'll pass the microphone.
I've just been told that special experts...
...have arrived in the studio...
...to provide commentary for Operation Parasol.
Back to Marseille. -Are they really as good as dead?
I'm afraid so.
The rocks are steep there and the tree roots have come out in part.
Can't they lower the swing and get them up one by one?
No, that's no way to save them.
Why not? Idiot. -You're about to be rescued.
We're having the Super Puma crane brought over from Martigues.
But it only does 12 kilometres per hour.
It will be here in 24 hours.
Everything's fine. Don't worry. We'll get you out.
And that tree? Can it hold the weight?
Probably not.
Do you think they're lost? -It looks bad.
I'm not surprised. The engineer says there's little they can do.
We can believe him.
What a disaster. -A huge crash.
My God. My God.
Please give us a miracle.
Hello, hello. Mr Henri Roubier.
Your wife wants to speak to you.
It's touching to see how the family unites over this tragedy.
They show that their emotions can be bigger than fate.
Even in bad times.
Mrs Roubier reminds us, with her restrained grieving...
...that real emotion is silent.
Out of respect for her, we'll now be silent.
Film this. She's so beautiful.
Look, she's a real Mater Dolorosa, painted by the young Goya.
Film this. Zoom in on her tears.
Madam, I'll be silent now.
Make sure you get it.
Madam, I'll be silent.
My darling...
Your device isn't working.
One, two, three.
Press this. -Alright, thank you.
My darling...
...I've found a place for my sadness.
I can't judge you.
Only God judges.
I'm innocent.
I'm only here...
...to pay respect to your soul.
You may die soon.
And you live in mortal sin.
At dawn...
...I'll send a priest.
No.
My darling.
Goodbye, my darling.
Lucienne.
Lucienne, where are you?
My darling, where are you?
Come down, Lucienne.
Father Jean-Marie Marval de Beaufort is among those present.
He's accompanied by his sister, Mrs Roubier.
Let me remind you that she's also a Marval de Beaufort.
Father Jean-Marie is listening to his sister attentively.
And he's leaving the central stage.
No matter which religion or political conviction we have...
...we cannot but admire the courage of this priest who's going down...
...to save a soul.
That's the only reason why he's going down.
This is a fantastic example.
Isn't this the way martyrs sacrifice themselves?
Why don't you use the swing...
...to get the others up?
Because the swing cannot get close enough to the car.
The smallest pressure on the trunk...
...will make it snap.
With a crane, you can get to them.
The weight should go straight onto the car.
Straight, yes. -They all have to go at the same time.
So they can't go one by one?
No, if you pull one up, the car would come up.
The tree would snap and you'd get a huge roller coaster.
Alright, father.
Forgive me, father. I know you have a pure soul, my son.
I don't. -Yes, you do.
I was always faithful to my wife. -That's important to the Lord.
I absolve you.
But I haven't finished. -Excuse me. I'm going back up.
Don't you have an electric hoist? -Yes, but it's broken.
He'd rather send others to heaven than himself.
Anyway, your wife's no longer worried.
Young lady, I hope your husband is as religious as my wife.
My husband. He's religious alright...
...but in a rather bloody way.
The father seems to think God works in a mysterious way.
Dear viewers, the reality of father Jean-Marie...
...who experiences the beauty of his task...
...invites us to think about the mystery of life, about love...
...money and the end of our lives.
Ah, the special rope arrived from Grenoble.
Preparations are ongoing.
Everybody's helping as best they can.
There's an atmosphere of feverish excitement and caution.
We're all ready.
Well, almost all.
On this highway...
...more than 3000 people died in 10 years.
One Roubier more or less.
Gentlemen, do not insist. I gave my word to Henri Roubier.
I do not negotiate with others while he's still alive.
What if something tragic happens?
We'll discuss that when it happens.
It's just a big advertisement.
A famous person like Roubier does this for an advertisement?
Some people don't know when to stop.
This isn't candid camera, is it?
But I recognise you, Mr Jacques Gellogra.
The people in the car seem to have resigned themselves to their fate.
It takes courage to stay so calm.
Will you vote for him?
If he survives and decides to run, definitely.
You've seen the car by now. You can't look any longer.
What if it falls?
This is the most dangerous part of the rescue operation.
Instead of getting them up, rescue workers will...
...let them descend towards sea level.
Where divers will be ready to help in case of any danger.
You will witness the rescue operation as if you were here.
Hello, can you hear me?
Tie yourselves together.
The main mountaineer will go down to direct the rescue operation.
He'll hand you a double rope that will lead you towards the ocean.
Using a double rope in the classic manner.
Who can still maintain that mountain climbing is a useless sport?
We've almost reached the moment when they'll be rescued. The climax.
We'll get back a man strengthened by today's ordeal.
And if Henri Roubier will decide about the fate of the country tomorrow...
...at least he'll know that big people need little people.
He fell down. Now there are four people in the car.
The tree. The tree might break. This is terrible.
I can't watch.
Do you remember the police man? If somebody gets out...
...it'll come up. The lethal roller coaster. It's terrible.
I can't watch anymore.
So now we have four people in a car. On top of a tree.
What happened?
It must have been the rope from Grenoble.
It snapped. -Into the camera, please.
It must have been rolled up wrong.
Listen.
A helicopter. We'll be rescued. Our last chance. Our only hope.
One gust of wind and the helicopter will crush against the rocks.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The helicopter flies like a huge...
...eagle to its nest.
The device that grabs the car has arrived at the dangerous location.
Dear viewers, we need a miracle.
Yes. No. They can't have lasted this long and fall to their deaths now?
They must be rescued. I feel... I know they'll be rescued. I just know it.
The device that grabs the car is no longer in position.
Two people are hanging above the abyss.
And they're turning around and around.
A dizzying merry-go-round.
Oh, they're back. It worked. Thank God.
They're back in the car. They've been saved.
My heart. This is costing me years of my life.
Just in time. They're attaching the cables.
There's a fire. Fire, fire. The fire brigade.
Fire. -Attach the last cable.
It can't be true. Such bad luck. Fire. Gendarme, call the fire brigade.
All resources are being used. It's great.
The firemen connect the hoses and assume their positions.
The tree would have been on fire if the fire brigade hadn't been on the alert.
This family, dignified in their grief...
...deserves to be called 'great'.
They've been saved.
The tree gave in, but their nerves didn't.
There they are. Saved from hell, from the abyss.
The rescue operation ends like a Tale of a Thousand and One Nights.
The flying car. Aladdin's car.
The helicopter flies a victory round. Yes, it is a real victory round.
They get a big applause.
But what's happening? The car flies away from the abyss.
The helicopter goes to open sea. It can't be true.
Have they been kidnapped? Is this air piracy?
Oh no. This is terrible. Horrible.
You will hear the latest developments during our news broadcast.
Dear viewers, and you too, officer...
...I think we can say in all fairness: "Operation Parasol, I was there.'
I did it on my own. I did it on my own.