La veuve Couderc (1971) - full transcript

THE WIDOW COUDERC

FASCIST MENACE MUST BE CRUSHED

DEMERGUE CHEERED IN PARIS

CIVIL WAR

BLOOD SPILLED IN PARIS, WHICH HAS
LIVED THROUGH DESPERATE HOURS

That'II be fine, thanks.

Are you going far?

No. Just over there.

Want some heIp?

GIadIy.

Oh, it's heavy.



Thirty kiIos.

Do you want to rest?

What's inside?

Some concrete bricks for insuIation.

To insuIate what?

It's an incubator.

Baby chicks?

Yes.

My sister in-Iaw.

There's a town in ItaIy
with a Iot of these bridges.

Where?

In ItaIy.

Are you ItaIian?

No.



I thought maybe you were,

because Iots of men come up
from ItaIy these days.

They're here Iooking for work.

I'm French.

WiII you have some wine?

Henri?

Henri!

Why don't you come
when somebody caIIs you,

instead of aIways sneaking around?

Here, put this in the paddock
and tend to the cows.

This one is my brother-in-Iaw.
He can't hear.

He speaks onIy when he wants to.
Isn't that right?

That's PoIish, isn't it?

My grandmother was PoIish.
Are you Iooking for work?

Yes.

WeII, I have a IittIe,
a coupIe of days' worth.

You Iive here aIone
with just your brother-in-Iaw?

Yes, I'm a widow.

My name's Yvette Couderc.
What's your name?

Jean.

Then you're hired.

I pay eight francs.

Jean?

This is my father's room.
This is mine.

We couId make up this room,
but for the short time that you are here...

It wouIdn't be worth it.

Right. Here.

You'II have to give me a IittIe heIp here.

Open the door.

Go to sIeep.

Open up.

No! What wouId the neighbors say
if you died from it?

I don't care about those fooIs.
Open up!

It's not true!
You're afraid of them!

You're the one who's afraid!

What wiII they say when they find out
you took in a tramp?

- What did you say?
- I didn't say anything.

Anyway, this is my house, isn't it?
I've taken care of you pretty weII.

Oh, yes, but you have to.

No, I don't.
Not anymore, Henri.

Now, go on. Go to sIeep.

Morning.

You don't seem to say very much.

And you?

Oh, weII, I have nothing to say.

Neither have I.

Neither have I!

She's not back yet?

You have to come, Father.
We must taIk.

- No.
- That's enough, Papa.

We have to taIk.

Everything's fine.
Fran?oise spoke to the Iawyer.

Now wait. Don't speak
in front of strangers.

You, come on, now!

Hey! Here she is!

They came here for him, didn't they?

He didn't want to go.

They're trying to make him
seII the house.

They want me out of here.
But I'm not going.

They're aIways coming here.

He's a good-for-nothing.
WeII, I mean, he has no profession.

He wouIdn't have a job
if he wasn't a friend of the mayor.

As for her, she's never been abIe
to forgive me for marrying her brother.

I was 14 when I came here as a servant.

The oId man raped me,
and the son got me pregnant.

AII for nothing because the baby died.

And after that, I waited on the mother.

I took care of her tiII she died.

Then I became my husband's nurse maid
and now I'm his widow.

Isn't that right? I took care
of aII of you, didn't I?

Nursed you, washed you, wiped you.

Never a day's rest for me here.

I washed the dishes and I cooked!

I pIowed the Iand,
took care of the Iivestock

Isn't that right?
I've every right to be here!

It's my home now!

Because I earned it with my sweat!

Am I right?

I don't know.

WeII, I know it.

Huh!

Thanks.

You work fast.
You seem used to it.

That's right.

But you're no farmer, are you?

No.

TeII father to bring the cows in
and feed them.

AII right.

They don't Iike you.
Leave them aIone.

It's because they don't know me.

You going to stay here Iong?

As Iong as there's work

I...I don't know!

Put the eggs in one by one.
It hoIds 60.

FiII the Iamp with fueI
making certain that the wick is cooked.

Then fiII up the water pan.

Water pan, water pan.

That's it.

No, it's here.

Make sure that at aII the times the Iamp
remains Iit during incubation and...

I think I'II go up to the attic
so I can see it working.

Right now?

Yes.

Time to go to bed, Father.

The probIem is the number of eggs.

UnIess we have a try with a dozen onIy.

Oh, yes.

But if it doesn't work right,
I Iose a dozen eggs.

We'II have to try, though.

Who's the young girI
who Iives over there?

F?Iicie. She's their daughter.

Good night.

Good night.

WeII, then, you're not in bed yet?

No! I toId you no!

Is it 'cause he's here?

Don't be stupid, you fooI.

Is it a boy?

What did you name him?

I don't know. It depends.

That's right, go back over there!

Go find some bargeman to sIeep with!

Why were you so mean?

Because she's a whore.

Her son has no papa.

Anyway, she's not sure.

What's the difference?

She seems to Iove the baby, right?

She doesn't Iove anybody.

Do you?

You're not from around here, eh?

No.

You see, I think this board has sweIIed.

What's your profession?

I was going to be a doctor.

What do you mean,
''was going to be''?

Because I'm just out of prison.

No, he...he won't hear you.

Was it murder?

I was very young.

And now you don't want to be a doctor?

I don't want anything now.

Yes, I do.

I want sun

and wine.

That's what I want.

The cops were over there yesterday.

They came to see Desir?.

But they weren't after anyone.

The cops are aIways after someone.

Were you innocent?

Want to take out the ashes?

Sure.

No, no. That happens aII the time.
They have a chiId with coIic.

What are you doing here?

Turn out the Iight.

I just wanted to say...

It was awfuIIy mean of me, wasn't it? Eh?

Yes.

I'm not mad at her for fIirting, but....

...but in my home, no.

FIaunting that pretty figure.

If I'm a IittIe jeaIous...

...you understand?

Sure.

You'II Iike it better here. You'II see.

- And her?
- Don't worry about her.

Anyway, she'II have to go.

Oh, when I think that she gave him
her husband's cIothes!

It's disgracefuI! And who knows
what eIse she gave him.

THE FRENCH ACTION

Nobody knows who he is,
where he's from, or anything.

You know Papa's deaf.

When he wants to be.

Where you off to?

I am going back.

WiII you make him sit down?

You stay here with us.

TeII him if he doesn't sit down,
I'II Iock him in the wooden shed.

You're going to go
with me to see the notary.

Listen, Papa, you onIy have
to sign a few papers, and she's out.

No.

You oId fooI, you!

You're a fooI, too, Iike him!

They're both onIy interested in one thing...

just getting into bed with somebody
and it doesn't matter who.

They came and got him.
And you did nothing.

What did you want me to do?
Shoot 'em?

It's none of my business.

You're right.
I'm going to go get him.

SIut!

Bitch!

Whore!

WouIdn't give him back.

It Iooked that way to me.

Thinks he's so goddamn smart.
I'II take care of him, you wait!

From now on
you can swim across, you whore!

Who knows what eIse they say about me?
Who knows?

If you want me to, I can stay a IittIe Ionger.
Maybe they won't bother you as much.

I better fix up that other room, then.

Oh, why bother?
The attic suits me fine.

If that's what you want.

HeIIo.

Have you not a name
or are you the same as the baby?

- F?Iicie.
- Ah.

Why have you shaved it?

For a change.

Too bad. It was pretty.

Now, I'm going to go
cut the grass...for the rabbits.

It'II be Sunday tomorrow.

What do you do around here on Sunday?
Go dancing?

Sometimes.

Sometimes or often?

Often.

You aIways dance with the same guy?

No.

You mean you're fickIe?

I don't know.

And maybe not.

Don't you Iike animaIs?

- Yes.
- WeII, why'd you do that?

What did I teII you? These gentIemen
want to see your papers.

That's aII right with me.

Born in Paris?

That's what it says.

What kind of work do you do?

I'm working on farms
and seeing the country.

That sounds Iike vagrancy.

Oh, come on, now.
He's my empIoyee.

And I have the right amount
of money on me.

Have some.

Shaft's not big enough.
The wick doesn't fit.

- WeII, can you fix it or not?
- ProbabIy not.

We'II have to find another one the same
exact size.

Then throw it in the garbage.

It'II be okay.

Did you take that revoIver?

Yes.

I didn't want anybody
to find it.

Your papers are faIse, eh?

No.

Then...

...you weren't Iet out
of prison.

You escaped.

Eh?

Yes.

So they're after you.

And how Iong can you
keep running?

UntiI I can get back home again.

And where do you Iive?

Maybe you'II never get there.

I don't know. Maybe not.

Do I frighten you?

No.

What are you doing here?

Waiting for the bus, of course.

You stiII have work to do.

Did you forget about this?

You know what to ask for?

No.

WeII, there you are.

THE HOUSE OF GOD
IS NOT FOR JEWS.

Sunday's a funny time
for a strike, eh?

My father had a Hotchkiss.

He was a pharmacist.

At night he pIayed the vioIin.

And your mother?

Do you stiII Iive
in the same town?

I don't know.

I was born not far from here.

My mother kept house

in a pIace something
Iike that one.

She didn't want me to Iive
in the city.

So I'm now a country girI.

And I'm a country boy.

Aren't you eating?

In a second.

No, that's pIenty for me, thanks.

You feeI aII right?

Yes, sure.

Is it because you went to town?

ExactIy.

No, I have to go home.

Do you Iike the widow Couderc?

Why do you ask me that?

She's hard.

It's an act.

Just an act.

Has anyone ever toId you
you have pretty skin?

No.

Nobody ever said that?

No.

That sounds Iike
your baby crying.

You stupid IittIe whore!

They're Iaughing about you
over there!

Leave me aIone!

I'm going to put the fear of God in you!

- No! Oh, I don't know anything.
- By God you wiII Iearn!

Yes. His name is Jean.

You think I'm a fooI?

I know.

Wait.

What do you know?

You were out Iate.

The work's aIready done.

And your money's over there,
on the tabIe.

Very weII.

Where were you aII night?

With F?Iicie.

You know I was with her so why ask me
stupid questions?

What attracts you to F?Iicie?

Her youth.

And you teII me that?

Yes.

Listen. I can't Iie.

I can Iie to everyone eIse,
but not you.

That's something, eh?

I mean, you treat me Iike
a young girI.

But when a reaI one comes aIong, you say,

WhiIe I weep,
you teII the truth! Why?

Do you want me to cry?

We went to bed. Why?

What are you after here?

What do you want?

I don't know.

The waIIs.

The fire.

And you, too.

I Iike this house because
it's Iike you.

I can't see you anymore.

You're joking.

I can't see you anymore.

Okay.

But give me my revoIver.

No. I won't give it to you.

Look, I know where it is.

It's within your savings.

You see?

A criminaI....
one who kiIIs and steaIs.

Who steaIs...and who kiIIs.

WeII, I'm going to fix
the incubator,

because if I don't, you'II never get the
damn thing to work.

You're gonna fix what?

The incubator.

Don't you want me to?

No?

Anybody there?

They didn't even see me
come across the bridge.

I managed to get hoId
of this stuff.

I may have Ieft a shirt.

- You want to come back?
- Yes, I do.

So...you're not happy over there?

I mean, she is your daughter.

I'm sure she Ioves you.

Oh, she Ioves me aII right
but not you, I'm afraid.

WeII, I remember when she was smaII, she
hated me then.

What?

She hated me when she was
a baby, and she hates me now.

I can't heIp that. So what?

So now you'II go and teII.

I'm not going to teII them anything.

I don't want to see them again.

You teII those shits

the way I'm treated,
I treat them.

And me?

You don't want me anymore?

But this house, it's my pIace.

It's their decision, not mine.

- They don't want me here.
- WeII, there you are.

Yes, there I am.

SIut.

Who was that?

The oId man.

You mean he got away?

No.

He went back over there.

He wants you to Ieave.

Ah.

Where is he?

Back over there.

Too bad for him.

If I teII you aII I know

can I go back home?

AbsoIuteIy.

WiII you Iet me?

Yes, we are onIy doing this
for your benefit.

We have to Iook after you.

You remember it aII?

Repeat it for me then.

The man who seduces
my daughter-in-Iaw

and put me out of the house
is a criminaI.

And what eIse...F?Iicie?

Oh, yes.

The man who seduced
my daughter-in-Iaw

and raped my granddaughter
is a criminaI.

With my own ears
I heard him say he kiIIed

Uh he said he gave it uh--
he said he gave them coIic.

- Are you sure of that?
- He knows what he heard.

Go on.

And, eh, to heIp you, I have uh,

A photo

What photo?

Don't worry about it.

F?Iicie? Come here!

And you keep quiet, eh?

Come on in.

Don't! She's at the wash house.

And you know she won't see.

Otherwise you wouIdn't
have come over.

Eh? My IittIe Iiar.

I'm not a Iiar.

- Jean.
- Hush.

Why don't you caII him
Frederick or Christopher?

Or AIexander?

I see your friend's on the prowI again.

Oh, she's aII right.
Besides, it doesn't matter.

Come see.

It's been working for 26 hours.

I fiIIed it up.
It hoIds three quarts.

BeautifuI, eh?

In 21 days, you'II have
60 more chickens.

Then we'II have to get some of those
those--

some of those speciaI boxes.

- Yes.
- And we put them in

when they're three days oId.

And we seII them for
two francs a piece.

2 times 60...120 francs.

If we had two of these...

If we had 2 of these
we'd have 240 francs.

240 francs every 21 days!

And if we had ten of these...

If we had ten...
we'd enIarge the farm...

and buy the canaI...

and buy the bridge...

and throw out
your sister-in-Iaw!

Everyone in the viIIage is nervous
about him being here.

And he's been here how Iong?

NearIy two weeks.

Uh-huh.

What you've toId me
is serious, you know.

I've checked them over, Inspector.

These papers are faIse.

Thank you. Take a car.
You'II have to go to Paris.

If I find anything, shouId I phone you from
headquarters?

NaturaIIy. Oh...the photo.

May we go?

No. You wait here.

What did he say?

You stay here.

I toId you to go back.

What the heII are they up to?
What are they doing?

Wait for me.

Everything is ready, Sir.

Surround the farm.

You can't start before sunrise.

That's the Iaw,
and we must obey it.

You can count on me, Sir.

MaIIet.
What are those cars back there?

Are they from Paris.

Who informed them?

I'II find out, Sir.

If they're here from
CriminaI Investigations, fine.

Otherwise, get them out.

GentIemen, gentIemen.

CoIoneI La Gureve
from Mortemont.

at your service, Commissioner.

AIIow me to pIace my men
at your disposaI, Sir.

Listen, Sir--

It's the duty of everyone
in France to guard her

from her adversaries!

- Is he a Jew or a YugosIav?
- Neither of them.

Now, if you'II pardon me, gentIemen,

there's work for me to do,

and your heIp is not needed
at this time.

We have to humor them.

I don't want another
Prince affair in my department.

Can we go home?

Not yet.

You're there.

Uh-huh.
Just watching you sIeep.

Nobody wouId understand,
wouId they?

Nobody ever understands.

It's F?Iicie.

What is it?

Get out of here!
The poIice are everywhere!

Get dressed, quick!

You go on.
You're not wanted here.

No! That way.

Here. Now, go.

He Ieft the house.

In that case,
shoot him on sight.

Stop!

Get out!
They'II fire on the farm.

No. No, I'm not Ieaving.
It's my farm.

Come back here!
Come back!

Miss!
Get away from there!

Jean Lavigne!

The farm's surrounded!

You have one minute to come out
with your hands up.

Or we'II come in!

Anyone heIping you
wiII be charged with compIicity!

You never toId me
your name was Lavigne.

I'd forgotten.

Somewhere eIse,
everything's beautifuI.

- I'm going out!
- No.

No!

In 1992 Jean Lavigne,
son of physicist Etienne Lavigne

was fataIIy shot during a formaI reception
of two high personaIities.

To the president of the court,
who asked him the reasons for his act,

he answered, ''I'd had enough.''