Brief Crossing (2001) - full transcript
Desire for a subject that functions like a brief fling with no future as such, yet embellished by that very fact. Because something fleeting and futureless is not necessarrily pathetic or trivial. A brief crossing, perhaps an initiatory trip. Filming a guy's "first time", filming him like a girl. Gut level skin deep... Nostalgia for vast ocean liners, for places "beyond the law" where you can venture outside of life, safe within an interlude. Describing a passion while respecting classical tragedy's unity of time and place, setting the stage for the eternal play of Masculine/Feminine. A hot-blooded Latin temperatment versus an apparently cool English one. A ship - one night - Sudden intimacy between an Englishwoman whose complexion is frosted by bitterness and a teenager whose gaze glows like ardent coals.
Bloody hell
Damn
Your ID is torn. And it's not valid
- How old is it?
- It was issued in 1990
It's just not strong enough
You have to use a plastic cover
- Is it OK?
- Yes, it's OK
Captain Shutland and his crew...
... welcome you on board the
Pride of Le Havre to Portsmouth
We'll be leaving the harbour
in a few minutes
Children should not run
on the ship...
... or use the lifts unless
accompanied by an adult
We wish you a pleasant crossing
Excuse me, do you need a...
I feel stressed
I speak French
I only bought a packet with my mates,
to show off
I didn't think I'd get hooked
At home, everyone smokes
My mum smokes with me
in the evening. She likes it
- She likes it?
- Yes, she does
She's been smoking
since she was 14
She's never managed to quit
All my mates smoke too
Kids with uncool parents smoke
in secret
They say their parents are stupid
- Your mum’s cool?
- Yes, very cool
My dad always moans
she's too soft on me
- What does he do?
- He's an auditor
He's not cool, but he's OK
He's nice
But not as nice as my mum.
She adores me
Still, she went mad when I fucked up
my GCSEs
She wasn't happy
- Fucked up?
- Failed
I didn't study. Usually I wake up
in the last term and work like mad
This time I didn't wake up
so I did nothing
That's not clever
You should have seen my teachers.
All idiots
They can't all be idiots
Yes, teaching is a stupid job anyway
- Are you a teacher?
- No, a photographer
Imagine going back to school to repeat
the same crap to pupils who don't care
There are more exciting jobs
It doesn't even pay well
All our teachers suck...
- So we don't want to learn
- You still have to attend classes
That's what mum says,
but I still didn't study
So now I have remedial classes
It stinks, but it serves me right
- How old are you?
- I'm 18
You’re 18?
No coffee?
It stops me sleeping
Nothing stops me sleeping. Not even
ten cups. My problem is waking up
Life is so boring
Endless and boring
But, at the same time, it goes
so quickly. Years pass like weeks
You don't have time for anything
The question is how can you be making
a living since you’re not doing anything
I don't do anything
Any idea what you want to do?
Don't you wonder how adults finance
their cars, flats and country homes?
They cost a fortune
You can't understand where all that
money comes from. It's not from a job
It's not from the courses you can
choose. There is no choice
Except teaching
Or being a doctor, a vet, a solicitor...
That's scary when you’re young, right?
You’ve no idea what you want to do
But everyone's determined
to help you choose a career
By being pushed one way and the other,
you end up nowhere
But you mustn’t worry.
It comes naturally...
...with age
Just be confident and don't worry
about the future
They make a fuss about the future
as if it needed mapping out
But it comes naturally.
It's given to you
You just need the gift...
...to know when opportunity knocks
Adults clip Your wings and sometimes
you can't catch up with Your future
You’re born whole, but other people
mutilate you with their fears...
...about security, full employment
and sensible things
Isn't modern life horrible?
No, you just have to think very
seriously about what you want to do
A well-paid job in a not too crowded
industry. It's pointless...
...doing sociology or law
just to get cast off
What matters these days is looks.
It is
All women above 30 worry
It depends
Even men fear being thrown
on the scrap heap
Plastic surgery is the way to go
All oldies want to have their faces
done even if they say they disapprove
I don't know. When I need to, maybe...
Everyone wants a facelift sometime
And then I'll be the perfect,
dedicate surgeon
Thomas Seigner
I'll take 10 years off you,
but I'll take all Your savings
I'm joking, but you can make a lot.
The prices aren't fixed by the NHS
£4,000 per operation
If I do two or three a week, it's OK.
I can live on that
But studying until 30 isn't for me
That's because you’re so young.
30 isn't old. You get there very quickly
Another coffee?
- You’re right. Why not try the bars?
- You want to drink?
We're on a ship for the night,
so it would be a shame to go to bed early...
...and not do anything romantic
- Would you do something men hate?
- What do men hate?
Everything, but most of all shopping
Ladies and gentlemen you have
ten minutes left...
... to purchase spirits wine and
cigarettes at excellent prices
- I thought I'd lost it
- Now's not the time
Guaranteed to turn you
into an alcoholic
Help me. All these wines are French
I've no idea. I only drink coke
They force us to buy wine...
...since you’re allowed two bottles
instead of one for whisky
Moulton Cadet. That's very good
And for me, Champagne.
Bubbly and tasteless. Perfect
It's twice the price in England
You don't care, do you?
How about some mint chocolates?
It's a speciality
Marmalade. You can't get it in France
Don't bother to justify Yourself
You must think I'm a jerk
No, 16 is nearly 18
No, it's not. You must think I'm grotesque
It's pointless me talking
I'm going to ruin Your evening
Look, there are only teenagers.
It's no coincidence
You’re wrong. Look behind me
That's even worse
Did I say the wrong thing?
Unforgivable
I don't find them young.
They're just conforming
They're pretending to be posh.
Even the girlfriend is just for show
But they don't give a shit
They just act posh.
It's all part of the look
Did you hear their conversation?
It's pathetic
I'll get myself a brandy
You shouldn’t have
Leave it
- Or I'll be cross
- I'll get the next one
After this, I'll start feeling
a lot better
You think I'm crazy because I drink?
When you’re young, you want to be old.
When you’re old, you want to forget
- You’re not old
- I am. That's why I drink
You don't drink a lot
Two neat brandies is quite a bit
You’d be on the floor
I'd have to carry you to bed
But I can hold my drink
I can drink a lot more
without it showing
- It's the privilege of the old
- You’re not that old
"Not that old," he says
meaning not that young
Because disappointment is inevitable
Not always
Yes, always
We don't know what's better
The magic moment lasts only
while men want to seduce us...
...and you frolic in green meadows
It's miraculous
But then you end up in the cowshed
like a cow chewing old dry hay
It's over
The couple is in place. You’ve had it
That's a tough view
It's our fault as well
We women know men are as bad as
each other. We shouldn’t get caught
We're too romantic.
We can't help believing in love
We won't admit that once
they've screwed us, men lose interest
Aren't I right? Aren't men like that?
Aren't you all like that?
You’re right. It's Your strength
Being in a couple is appalling
But you’d rather keep what you have
than be alone
It's better for a woman to be married
than alone
I don't know
I'm single. I made a mistake
I couldn’t find fault with my husband.
He wasn't even unfaithful
That was even worse.
He'd totally lost interest in me
I was part of the furniture,
like a chair you sit on
Is it normal to treat a person
like a thing?
Is it bearable?
Should I have stayed?
I should have stayed, but it was like
a concrete screed. I was suffocating
Imagine the eyes of the one you love
lighting up...
...only when they see someone
other than you
And when they look at you, their eyes
become terrifyingly opaque...
...hard and ugly,
so they can ignore you
We're balls and chains to them
Men don't want to live with us
as couples
It's unfair
But they're attached to us
when they've made us like that
They never expect us to leave
I really got the bastard
It'll take him a while to get over it.
I was the one who left
It's not in my nature to leave, though
But I dumped my husband yesterday
I should have done it sooner
Imagine wasting eight years...
...with a man who can't look
at you after three months
Why do we do it?
We don't even have children
He always took precautions
A man who loves a woman
doesn't take precautions
You see what it means? Isn't it sordid?
Why should you care? You’re young.
Things might work out better for you
Things have to change. They'd better
- Will you have another drink?
- No, thanks
I will. It's my first night
as a single woman
No, I'll go
On the sea, we're above the law
You’re right
Shall we drink to Your studies?
- To Your love life
- Nothing to boast about
- He didn't deserve you, that's all
- Who?
Your husband. He must have been
an arsehole
It's not that simple
Maybe they're simple
and we're complicated
Bloody hell, not a stupid show
That's not enough. To prove you don't
exist and take up too much room...
...the guy makes you disappear
He sticks the swords in Your body.
That's a parable. A real one
Nothing is more real than parables
He bows...
...and we clap.
He's as proud as a peacock
The bastard! Men really are cleverer
than us
It doesn't bother him that
she's suffocating in the box...
...and does all the dirty work
The man stays whole.
He's magnificent
Life only mutilates women because
they're more generous
Contrary to belief, they age better
Women never become bald, paunchy
or full of themselves at 40, do they?
You’re protected by Your youth.
You’re still safe
Watch out
It might not last
But Your hair is nice and thick
It's beautiful
It's an asset
But be careful. You can lose it at 25
No hair left. Only a smooth
pink bottom
It changes everything
Still, you have a round skull,
so it would be more bearable
Yes, but it would freak me out
You can lose Your hair and still be
a great person
But you must escape the male condition
Men's contortions and arrogance.
You must exist. Men don't exist...
...because they can't reproduce.
That's their problem
So...
They invent ways
to bring women down...
...and to make themselves feel powerful
Bureaucracy is a man's job
It produces nothing
No wealth
Just pathetic feeble power
Like a premature ejaculation
A fat belly and a chubby little smile
You think all men are like that?
All those we meet, yes
All those I've met anyway
They're all the same
Only strangers are remotely interesting
You’ve chosen very badly the men
you’ve...
What?
Nothing
Let's dance
Not my style
Don't abandon me now
I fall in love
That's obvious since they're men
Are there really no good men?
Maybe very young ones
who are still romantic like girls
Lips like ripe fruit
I'll really have to get used to it.
It's not my thing
Usually, I prefer tough virile beasts
That's what I claim anyway
But I always go with the opposite
Boys who could be my sons
aren't my thing
Why not?
I know it's silly
I should let myself go
It wouldn’t even count
I'd never fall in love with someone
who can't hurt me
It would be exquisite,
but I'm masochistic
You don't like kind men?
I prefer those who make me suffer
I suppose I like a good fight
I don't understand. I love tenderness
Cuddling is lovely
Cuddling is awful. It's pointless
That's not what excites you
It's better to be alone
than with the wrong person
Don't you ever think it's lovely to be
with someone?
Sometimes, but I'm wrong
You’re a hard woman.
I thought you were sweet
When I saw you, I found you sweet.
I wanted to take you in my arms
So men can be wrong too
You’re hard. You make fun of me
because I love you
One day I'll be older
And you’ll be really old,
sorry and alone
I'm sorry
It's OK
When the water's dark,
I'm drawn to it and I fall in
When I was little I always fell
in ponds watching goldfish
Be careful. I won't rescue you
- You won't rescue me?
- I don't want to die for nothing
How dare you?
It's true. The water is 15°C
and it's dark
We wouldn’t last 10 minutes
I can be chivalrous, but not stupid
It's OK. I'm not asking
for a survival lesson
I'm asking you to be romantic
I want to sleep with you
Very romantic. You think you just
say that to a woman and it works?
Sorry if I'm being crude
With you, I don't know how to be
Women like crudeness...
...contrary to belief
Women don't want subtlety
What are you looking at?
Nothing. I'm waiting
You need to learn it's up to men
to make the first move
It's not for women to help them
It's exciting to disconcert them
and see how they return to the attack
Let's go
Do you have a room?
This is the dreaded moment when
you have to get down to business
Let's go to my cabin
We won't be disturbed
But there's always a risk
we'll be interrupted...
...and we won't want to start again
Maybe we should stop here,
with good memories
- It's great. There's a porthole
- Yes, I have a porthole
It's silly. Even luxury cabins
don't have double beds
- Maybe this isn't a good idea
- Don't say that
I'm awful.
I just can't make things easy
I'm feeling shy
It's incredible at my age
I can't bring myself to cheat
on my husband
But it's over
Have you ever been in love?
But I've never been all the way
I can't go all the way.
Something stops me
When did you split up?
Three months ago, but we were together
for eight years
- I'm sure that doesn't stop him
- Really?
- Three months...
- You think he's cheated on me already
It's likely
The bastard
You really are all bastards
There's no love. Only words
to get what you want
And we women are so stupid
we take it at face value
You’re all bastards who take us
for pieces of flesh
I dreamt of seeing Your breasts
I love breasts
Easy
Don't be fast like all the others
Easy. The best way to make love
to a girl is with a slow rhythm
Gently quivering inside
I like Your soft skin
You’re soft all over
You’re just like a child.
I can't believe how young you are
- You look like you’re 16
- Really?
It's amazing how young you look
But I have crow's feet
That doesn't matter.
You look young anyway
Maybe because I'm very young
in my head
- Stay
- I'm too hot
Do you have lots of girlfriends?
Things are very different these days
They can't be that different
They are. We don't have steady
girlfriends
No big dramas
No dramas?
No dramas
How do you love each other then?
You wouldn’t understand.
It's much more casual these days
If Your girlfriend's not there,
you can go out with another...
And then you can go out
with Your girlfriend again
Go out? Go out again?
Interesting vocabulary
Can you turn it off? It's unbearable
If I turn it off, you’ll go back to sleep
I want to say hello to you again
With you lot, it's all or nothing
You either wake up triumphantly
or you go back to sleep instantly
It's bestial
I hate it when you say: "You lot."
I like it when you’re sweet
I'm not sweet
I know I'm far too sweet.
You only like nasty men
- That's not true
- Yes, it is
Hurry up. You’re such a slowcoach
You men are so slow
Stop saying: "You men."
It makes me feel I'm not me
Hurry up. Don't be like the others
I'm not the others
True. You’re much more charming
- Let's have our photo taken
- No way
Closer together
Smile, please
We look good
Will you write something nice?
It's on me
Captain Shutland informs you...
... that we will be coming alongside
Portsmouth harbour in 40 minutes
At 5.30 English time
and 6.30 French time
You’re hungry?
We're arriving
We've got time
Can't you wait for us to part?
Passengers with vehicles...
Don't take any notice
You’d better go and get Your case.
You must have one somewhere
Hurry up. Stop dithering
You’re not making things easy for me
Swear you will