Holy Motors (2012) - full transcript

We see a few seconds of a black and white, silent art film. There is a dark movie theater filled with people watching this film. The camera mostly remains on the audience. Cut to a man sleeping on twin bed with a sleeping dog next to another empty twin bed with the same sheets. He gets up and looks out the window and we see he is next to an airport. One of the walls is covered in wallpaper with skinny bare trees. He puts his ear to the wall. There is a hole in the wall and he looks through it but we don't know if he can see anything. He has a metal instrument on the middle finger of his right hand. He sticks the instrument into the hole in the wall. His hand shakes a little and he turns the instrument. This allows him to open a door in the wall. The dog joins him as he steps through the door. There is a set of double doors and he steps through them. It seems as though he has stepped through the fire exit on the balcony of a movie theater, presumably the theatre that the film opened in. The balcony is empty but the lower part of the theater is full. Cut to a new scene; daytime, a house, a family outside. The bids farewell to his children as he leaves for work. The man walks to a limo. The driver, Celine, is waiting for him. The man's name is Mr. Oscar.

Bye, Daddy.

- Morning, gentlemen.
- Good morning, sir.

See you tonight, Dad!

Work hard!

Good morning, C?line.

Good morning, Mr. Oscar.

Many appointments today, C?line?

Nine, Mr. Oscar.

The first file's next to you.

Hello, Serge.

187%, I think.



At 5009.

6 point 6 by 7-2-2.

Indexed, indexed.

Yes, they're after our hide.

We get the blame for their pain.

It whips people UP-

A sign of the times.

I had Defrasnoux on the phone
from Wilkinson & Sons.

He was very clear.

Bodyguards are no longer enough.

We've got to get guns, too.

Fast.

He suggests Caracal 9x19s.

Semi-automatic, 86 mm.



OK, this evening at Fouquet's.

Have a good day, Serge.

Yes.

For years and years,
it's all I've seen,

stone and feet.

No.

Nobody loves me, nowhere.

But I'm alive anyway.

I am so old...

I'm afraid...

I'll never die.

Mr. Oscar...

The file for your second
appointment's next to you.

Motion capture 3 and 8.

3 and 8.

Infrared.

Markers detected.

I'm ready.

Treadmill.

I'm ready.

What's going on?

I felt dizzy.

A breather, then we'll carry on.

Shit.

Mr. Oscar,
we'll be a few minutes late.

OK.

Should I let the Agency know?

Don't bother.

I'll try and make up some time.

Speed things up at this appointment

so we're in time for the next ones.

C?line?

No appointment in the
forest this week?

Not this week, Mr. Oscar.

Too bad.

I miss forests.

Monsieur!

Keep back!

Hello.

I'm Jamie,

photographer Harry T-Bone's assistant.

Do you speak French?

Well, we're doing a shoot
for Wave magazine

with Kay M the top model.
Heard of her?

Harry thinks it'd be great
to shoot you together.

A shot that's kind of "strange"...

A bit "Beauty and the Beast".

You see?

Do you know Diane Arbus
for example?

A great American photographer.

She took photos of dwarves,

giants, monsters...

Photos that are really "human".

Hi, Dad.

Hi, sweetie.

Got glitter on you?

Aren't we taking a friend home?

Yes. Sonia.

But she got her mum
to fetch her an hour ago.

She was bored.

Poor Sonia.

She's usually so easy-going.

Look in the glove box.

Might be something for you.

A cream puff!

Did you have a good time,
my Ang?le?

Yes, I did!

Well, how was it?

I don't know...

Just really good.

We stayed in Paris
for your first party

so tell me how it went.

You look beat, Dad.

Yeah, appointments all day long.

One after the other.

So... Did you dance?

Of course.

Yeah? Who with?

You don't know them.

Vincent, Tiago, Max...

You'll soon forget your old
dad for some overgrown jerk.

Stop it!

My little sprout,

growing up.

Who was that?

Don't know.

Probably a boy from the party.

Here we go.

Sonia.

It's your friend.

Aren't you at home?

Did you just ring her?

She's fine, she's with me.

Your mum's fetching you? Good.

Bye, Sonia.

Why did you lie to me?

What about?

The party, Sonia being "bored"...
everything.

I don't get it.
Why did you lie to me?

I don't know.

Nothing you told me was true?

No.

None of those boys was real?
Ang?le, look at me.

I want the truth.
What really happened at the party?

I hid in the bathroom, that's what.

Why, for God's sake, why?

Didn't know what else to do.

Why didn't you ask
me to pick you up?

Out of pride.

Pride? Skulking in the toilet?

Your friend Sonia was the one
dancing with Max, Tiago and...

Right?

Yes.

She danced and you...

Why, for fuck's sake?

She's popular, I'm not.

Don't be such a moron!

How could you be popular,
hiding like that?

I'm just not attractive.

Stop it!

You'll be attractive all right.

Like your mother.

People say I take after you.

"Not attractive."

Who put that into your head?

Boys don't like me.

Because you're not...

easy-going enough, probably.

Why can't you be more easy-going,
like Sonia?

You realize I'll have to punish you?

Yes.

Are you sorry you lied to me?

Yes.

I can't even tell if you're sincere.

Look at me!

If you were sure I wouldn't find out,
would you lie again?

I think so.

Tell me why.

We'd both be happier right now, Dad.

You've let me down, Ang?le.

Very badly.

Go on, get out.

Go home.

What about you?

Me?

I'm going for a drive.

I'll be punished?

Yes.

Your punishment,
my poor Ang?le, is to be you.

To have to live with yourself.

Now get out, please.

INTERVAL

3! 12! Shit!

YOUR VICTIM (Th?o)

YOUR WEAPON

Hello, Alex.

Hi, Madame Ling.

I've come to see Th?o.

Everyone better get out of here.

It was an accident, Alex.

You know I didn't do it deliberately.

You should've deliberately
not done it.

I think...

Good evening, Oscar.

Good evening.

You did a good job tonight.

But?

If you're here, there's a "but".

But tell me this, do you
still enjoy your work?

I'm asking because some of us think
you've looked a bit tired recently.

Some don't believe in what
they're watching any more.

I miss the cameras.

They used to be heavier than us.

Then they became smaller than our heads.

Now you can't see them at all.

So sometimes I too find it
hard to believe in it all.

Isn't this nostalgia
a bit sentimental?

Thugs don't need to see the security
cameras to believe in them.

Trying to make us all paranoid?

Aren't you already?

I am. Very.

For instance, I've always
been sure I'd die some day.

What is it you want?

Nothing. You know I like your work.

But some of us...

Who the hell are you talking about?

Let me ask the questions!

What makes you carry on, Oscar?

What made me start,

the beauty of the act.

Beauty?

They say it's in the eye,

the eye of the beholder.

And if there's no more beholder?

Are you OK, Mr. Oscar?

C?line...

Some days one murder is not enough.

Monsieur!

Do you want dinner before or
after your next appointment?

Later, thank you.

Look how beautiful Paris is tonight!

He was greatly in love with you.

You don't hurt me.

You make me very happy.

You don't hurt...

C?line, stop the car, please!

Right now!

What's going on, Mr. Oscar?

Where is he?

Hey, banker!

Now it is done.

Aim for the crotch!

Excuse me.

Let me through, please.

Mr. Oscar...

Mr. Oscar, come on. We'll be late.

Forgive him, there's been a mix-up.

Good evening, Mr. Vogan.

Good evening, Mr. Vogan.

Thank you very much.

I forbid you to lie!

You should've deliberately not done it, Theo.

I am alone

and they are everybody.

I have a plan,

to go mad.

Ah, you're really here.

Don't say anything.

- I think I feel better.
- Don't tire yourself.

What does it matter if I'm tired now?

There's no harm in making an
effort when it's the very last.

Don't people always feel better
just before the end?

I've often heard that.

I was afraid you'd get tired of waiting.

I've been waiting for three days.
You had a fever.

I would've waited far longer.

I thought you would come

but I wasn't sure.

Such a long journey, L?a.

L?a...

You've been like an angel by my bed.

You know they talk about
the angel of death,

the most beautiful of all.

You've been like that.

As if you were waiting for me.

I wasn't waiting for your death.

I was waiting for this
moment together.

This is not death, dear uncle.

Not for you, no.

Nothing makes us feel so alive
as to see others die.

That's the sensation of life,

the feeling that we remain.

What you have been to me!

What you did for me!

You did something once.

You know that.

You've been everything to me!

I would die myself not to lose you.

You won't lose me.

You'll keep me.

Life is better, L?a,
for in life there is love.

Death is good,
but there's no love.

So it is true?

That you made me rich?
That all I have is from you?

Don't speak of that.
It wasn't a happy decision.

I believe I ruined you instead!

- He married me for my money, yes...
- He was greatly in love with you.

Yes, but he wouldn't have
married me had I been poor.

I don't want to hurt you,
I just want you to understand.

I always understood.

You don't hurt me.

You make me very happy.

You wanted to look at life for yourself,
but you were not allowed to.

- You were punished for your wish.
- Yes, I've been punished.

But I don't want to know or think.

Just to be with you is enough for now.

And I want you to be happy,
not to think of anything sad.

Only to feel that I am near
you and that I love you.

Why should there be pain?

In such hours as these
what have we to do with pain?

That's not the deepest thing.

There is...

something deeper.

That's not the deepest thing, no.

But still it is very, very deep.

I don't know why we
must suffer so much.

Perhaps I shall find out soon.

There are many things in life.

- You're very young.
- I feel very old.

You'll grow young again.

That's how I see you.

I don't believe...

No need for words now.

I don't believe...

that a mistake as generous as yours

can hurt you for long.

I'm very happy now!

And remember

that if you've been hated,

you've also been loved...

L?a.

Adored!

Dear uncle.

Excuse me.

Sorry I can't wait.
I've another appointment.

Of course.

I've got another appointment, too.

See you again, I hope.

I hope so, too.

What's your name?

Elise.

Thank you, Elise.

C?line?

This'll be my last appointment?

Yes, last one for today, Mr. Oscar.

Still not hungry?

No, thank you.

You're ill.

I think I caught a cold
killing the banker.

I'll switch the fire on.

What an idiot!

Ectoplasm on wheels!

I'm sorry, Mr. Oscar.

I was asleep...

It's you?

I think so.

I've got 30 minutes.

Have you got 30 minutes?

Yes.

I've got 30 minutes.

Come with me, then.

I thought you'd quit
working long ago.

You disappeared.

No, I never really disappeared.

Is that your hair?

No, not yet.

They made me older.

Are those your eyes?

No.

They're Eva's eyes.

Eva Grace.

An air hostess living her
last night tonight.

Good evening, Miss.

Come.

They gutted it.

They're turning it into
a luxury hotel.

I'll leave you, Miss.

Thank you.

I came here once to
buy you some bras.

You were always so kind to me.

But say no more.

I won't speak either.

My partner will be
here in 20 minutes.

We have 20 minutes
to catch up on...

20 years.

Take my hand.

Let's walk.

Most likely we'll never
see each other again.

20 minutes.

Jean...

There's something you don't know.

About you?

About us.

Yes.

Time is against us.

I'll be going.

Yes. He'll be here soon.

It's better he and I don't meet.

Yes.

Mr. Oscar...

You're drinking and
smoking God knows what.

You really must eat something!

It's nearly midnight.

Midnight?

C?line...

We have to laugh before midnight.

We'll do our best, Mr. Oscar.

Who knows if we'll laugh
in the next life?

Everything OK up front?

Yes, fine.

Been a long day, hasn't it?

Nearly over.

How about you back there?

We're having a ball in
the back of beyond.

We're all drunk...

Dead and drunk.

Come and join us, C?line.

We could dance.

A slow dance?

Maybe some other evening, Mr. Oscar.

You know, I was a dancer once.

Once?

No, I didn't know.

Are there any pictures?

I don't think so.

A dancer...

That must be wonderful.

Quick, taxi! Follow that pigeon!

Taxi...

Pigeon...

Mr. Oscar?

It's getting late.

You should get ready
for your last appointment.

OK.

YOUR HOUSE

YOUR WIFE
YOUR DAUGHTERS

It's almost time.

The money for today.

The key for tonight.

See you tomorrow, Mr. Oscar.

- Same time?
- Same time.

Good night, C?line.

Thanks for everything.

We would like to

Live again

But that means

We'd like to relive

the same thing

Make the long journey once more

Touch the point of no return

And feel so very far away

from our childhood days

And when we're cold, when we cry

Even then we think

That by heaven's leave we'd like to

Live again

That means

We'd like to live

the same thing afresh

Our time has not yet come to rest

We have to do what we love again

Dive once more
into the cold liquid days,

all the same

It's me!

Darling!

How's our baby Luce?

Darling,

let's go see Aude.

I've got something to tell you.

We'd like to

Live

Relive...

My dears.

I've got some very good news for us.

Our life's about to change!

We see ourselves stand

Start again, feel

the sap rise inside us

But it cannot be

No, it cannot be

No, it cannot...

I'm coming home.

As sharp as ever, Miss 3423-AC-92!

You'll soon have loads
of time to sleep!

Won't be long till they
send us to the junkyard.

We're becoming inadequate.

In-what?

Quiet!

Old 5700-BC-78 is speaking the truth.

Men don't want visible
machines any more.

Yes, don't want no more engines,

no more action.