La vengeance de la femme en noir (1997) - full transcript

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MYSTERIOUS KIDNAPPING

A businessman disappears
under the nose of the police

AUGUSTIN MARLEAU
questioned by the police

Hey! Wait!

Hey!

Wait! Don't run away!

Wait!

I... I...I didn't mean
to scare you.



I'm not...

It's just that...
I've a question to ask you.

Just one.

That's it, Marleau.

Don't be scared.

The weight of your suspicions is...

Cut! Damn it!
Cut! Cut! Cut!

That's not Styrofoam.

It doesn't make sense!

Flop.

A complete flop.

Come and help me.

No, no, no, no, no.

No. It doesn't work.
It's not that.



At all.
We don't feel you.

Where are your guts, Marleau?

What are you waiting for
to put your heart into it?

Yes, but there, I almost
lost it out for good.

Look.

It's cast iron. It's not Styrofoam.
I almost got killed.

Listen to me.

You're an actor, aren't you?

Yes, yes.

Well then, leave the hardware
to the technicians.

It's their business.

Concentrate on your character.

OK? Marleau!
- I want to.

Ah, Marleau, Marleau,
your look is empty.

There are no sparks.

I want that look.

I want it.

Understand?
- I'll give it to you.

Promised.

Watch it! Watch it. Don't tear it.
I don't have a copy of that!

Do you have copies of my dad?

If he'd been crushed,
would you have patched him up?

How dumb do you have to be
to make movies?

I hate Marleau.

Édouard,

forget Marleau. He's not important.
He's not worth it.

That's it, that's it, defend him!

Do you know what he made me lose?
- If you persist,

we'll lose our partners' trust.

It's not yet time.

You still love him, right?

Not since I've met you.

There's nothing to do.
What can I tell you?

We're screwed.

It's true, it's not great,
your look, Marleau.

It should be...

ice cold.

If my eyes met yours,

I should melt.

Augustin Marleau,

you're under arrest.
- But...

Whether you say anything or not,
be sure it'll be held against you.

Hey, bozo, out. You've no right
to interrupt my shooting.

I'll complain.

To whom?

The police?

What are you doing?
- Sorry.

Where are you taking him?

Let go.

Hey! Leave my dad alone,
he hasn't done anything.

I bet you don't even have
a warrant.

You cast that actor?

No way, your office insisted
on having him.

We didn't, anyway.
You saw his face?

He ruins the whole concept.

Arson is...

What do you want me to tell you?
I wasn't there.

Hey, hey, hey, don't put us on.

Well, nobody saw me.
So, I guess I wasn't there.

We wrote a nice statement
for you, sign it.

Is that clear?
- Damn!

How can one be so stubborn?

You discourage me!

Will you leave me in peace?

I don't even know
what you're talking about.

I had nothing to do with it.
You have to believe me.

Hey,

fix me this with...

a wireless mike, OK?

Marleau, Marleau, Marleau.

Do you really think
I'll swallow your lies?

I wasn't born yesterday.

You're in it up to your neck,
Marleau.

I know it, I smell it.

It stinks like an old cheese.
That doesn't lie.

How many times
do I have to tell you?

I'm an actor
trying to earn a living!

And my $3,000 contract
has just disappeared thanks to you.

Disappeared? Contract?

Strange.
- Why, strange?

Yes, yes, strange.

Why strange?
I have to sign a contract,

I'm a member.
- Yes,

let's talk about your contracts!
Thursday, July 23,

you're shooting a commercial
for Continental Trust, no?

Yes.
- Owner: Henri de Bailliencourt,

former finance minister
of Burkina-peso?

The same night, the former minister
now a millionaire

disappears during a show
at the Caf'Conc' Cabaret.

He's sitting smack in the middle
of the hall. Suddenly!

He vanishes.
Like a magic trick.

Does it ring a bell, Marleau?
- I don't read the papers.

No?
- I find them too depressing.

Yes?

Yes.

It's true that...

Thursday, August 20,
you shoot another commercial

for Chiche-Mobilité.

The same night,
Chiche-Mobilité's CEO

disappears during a show
at the Caf'Conc' Cabaret.

Two commercials,
two abductions.

How do you explain that,
Marleau?

Well, I...
I never go out on Thursdays.

It wasn't me.

It was you, you hear?
You'll see that next to me,

a Pitbull is as sweet as a Poodle.
It'll hurt, Marleau.

Blood will flow,
but you'll spit it out, I swear.

Lay off me!
I didn't do anything!

I didn't do anything! Let go of me!
- Inspector!

Inspector Grasselli.

May I see you a moment?

Listen, we're tired.

Cooperate.
Just a little signature.

Come on.

Are you sick?

Don't tell me you arrested
that guy again?

It's not serious!
What are you thinking, Grasselli?

The other times,

I covered you, but this time,
Grasselli, I wash my hands of it.

Grasselli!

Not inspector anymore?

We're friendly now that you had
a promotion?

And you,

it's jealousy
that drives you crazy?

Yes! I'm sick with jealousy, Paul.

Sick with jealousy!

I'm the one

who should have been
appointed captain. Me!

You can't imagine
how jealous I am of you, Paul.

If you only knew
how little you're losing.

I spend all my time
shut in an office.

It's not very exciting.

Every day, I regret the time
we were a team,

Inspector.

Paul, trust me.

Give me a chance.
Marleau's the culprit.

I know, I'm sure of it.

I've let him stew long enough,
he's ready to be picked now.

You've nothing against him.

You just don't like
the look of him.

Yes, for sure.
He's two-faced.

Don't let me down, Paul.

Not after what we lived together.
- I can't do anything.

Think of all the years
we spent together.

That's a lot of investigations.
We were great detectives.

You remember the exhilaration
of shadowing?

The excitement of raids?

The ecstasy of questioning?

You enjoyed questioning,
didn't you, Paul?

Do you remember the math test?

Yes!
- We were sly, weren't we?

Listen, smart-ass,

we'd like to ask you a question.

Very easy.

Two plus two makes what?

Well, it makes...
- Wait, careful,

don't answer too fast.

Think before you speak.
You might get it wrong.

Four.

No, it doesn't make four!

What do you mean, not the right
answer? Two plus two makes four.

Ouch! Ouch!

It doesn't make four?

Oh, it feels good.

OK, this time,

answer very carefully.
The inspector's giving you

another chance.
- Only one.

Two plus two makes what?
- Four.

Five?

Excellent!
You see that you can.

We made them understand
it was better to answer

what we wanted to hear.

We are a team? Right?

You'll help me nab Marleau?

We are a team, Inspector.

Something else, Paul.

Now that we're a team,

I'd like you to call me "sir".

It'd please me so much.

If you want, sir.

Good evening, ladies.
Sorry we're late.

Say, Édouard,
what was the point of

this afternoon's murder attempt?
How did you dare do that?

A murder? How vulgar!

It stinks of small-scale
improvisation.

That's not how we'll make our crimes
works of art.

You think so?

Really?

Remember that in Italy,
under the Borgias,

for 30 years,
there was war, terror,

murders and assassinations.

And that gave Da Vinci,
Michelangelo

and the Renaissance.

In Switzerland,
they had brotherly love,

five centuries of peace
and democracy. What did it give?

The cuckoo clock!

The cuckoo clock.

Cuckoo!

Édouard is a big child.
- The cuckoo clock!

He promises to be wiser
from now on.

He won't bother with Marleau
anymore.

Since the beginning,

you persist in involving...

this Marleau in our business.

Why?

What distinguishes him?

Édouard,

are you hiding anything
from us?

Why?

You want to know why?
Really?

You're our adviser, Édouard.

Show us the art of crime,

but don't keep secrets
from us, OK?

Relax, Édouard.

Tell these ladies
Marleau is unimportant.

Forget him.
It was a whim.

Very well! I'll tell you everything.
Marleau...

Marleau?
Marleau is... Mar...

Marleau naturally has
a guilty face.

A bandit look. When the police
keep an eye on him,

we run fewer risks.

Tonight then...

Tonight, it'll be up...

It'll be...

It'll be up to you
to lure him

where he shouldn't be.

WRECK STREET

They're all little balls, right?

Yes.
- They look like BB shots.

A 12-gauge shotgun cartridge
emptied in oil.

Darker,

but not as hard, I hope.

It doesn't smell much either.

Where does Florence get that?

Not Florence, Denise.

Florence and me, it's over.

My new mistress is Denise.

She's the one who works
at Radio-Canada?

Yeah.

She's class, Denise.

A real lady.

She has to be. Not just anybody
can get into Radio-Canada.

Even to do cleaning.

She gets that from
the office of a big shot.

He has a cupboard full,
it seems.

It's smart.

I bought the bottle though.

How long had you been shacking up
with Florence?

Eight years.

But I broke it up.
It was starting to go to her head.

She wanted me to leave my wife.
No way.

I'm a Catholic.

Take a shot.

Mmm! That's good!

Hey! It's Marleau!

Quick, quick! Get the headphones.
Give me the headphones!

Raise the volume.

Volume raised.

Come on!

Come on.

Good.

This isn't the time
to have no brakes.

What's that?

It must be the police's
doughnuts.

What is he saying?

Doughnuts... Police...

I don't see the relation.

Will the day ever end?

It's unending!

What's that doing there?

Come on, it can't be.

Come on!

I gassed up? I only had a 20.
I had a 20 left.

Oh no!

Where's my head?

Do we arrest him...

for that?
- No, stupid! Not right now.

Raise the volume, I can't hear
anything. I don't hear well.

Volume at maximum.

Oh no!

I lost my most lucrative commercial
on top of that.

What a rotten day!

Hey, there's nobody.
- What?

You could have looked
where you were going, dickhead!

Hey, I'm not a dickhead.

Besides, you were driving.

So what? Does it stop you
from looking?

Come on!
This car's a goner.

We'll find another one.

Augustin Marleau.
Is that you?

Yes.

I was waiting for you,

Marleau.

There! There's someone
at the window!

No, no, no,

it's a decoration.

Mister Marleau, help me.

My husband's in danger.

Stay calm.

Where? What?

I'll take care of it.
I'll dial 9-1-1.

I already programmed it.
I only have one key to press.

It's much faster for emergencies.
- Don't joke.

It's you I need.

Me? To do what?

Johnny Pizza Delight,
The best pizza in town.

24-hour delivery
in 20 minutes.

Your order?
- I pressed the wrong key.

I'm sorry.

Yes, I have a light.

I want you to
follow my husband

to protect him.

He hides it from me,
but I know he's in danger.

What can I do?
I know nothing about husbands.

As soon as I get involved,
everything gets muddled up.

With my luck, your problems
will only get worse.

Please, don't pretend
to be simple-minded.

I inquired about you.

I know who you are.

And you proved it to me
just now

by throwing yourself
into my arms.

I apologize. I'm sorry.
It's because...

today I worked with an actress
who made eyes at me. Well, I think.

A really superb woman.
When I saw you,

I thought, that's it,
it's my lucky day.

Because you're really
very, very beautiful.

I'm rather lonely these days...

Do you speak like this
to all women,

Marleau?

Well, not to all
at the same time, no.

How uncouth

you are!

Love is the triumph
of imagination

over intelligence.

I'll make you an advance then?

Ah, yes.

It'll do, I hope.

And a ticket
for tonight's performance.

Hey! Hey, madam!

Wait! I'm an actor,
not a detective!

I don't get your story, madam!

Her husband, I don't even know
what the guy looks like.

Dad worries me.
Not only is his life in a shambles,

but a sick cop insists
on persecuting him.

He can't take it anymore.

He's on the blink.
He'll end up completely nuts.

Don't exaggerate.

Your dad has a duck's back.

Bad luck rains on him,
but he never gets wet.

I don't know
what good I could be.

You could boost his morale.
It'd do him good

to know his ex-wife's still thinking
of him. I'm telling you,

he's depressed.
He's going nuts.

He worries me.

Well, we decided we shouldn't see
each other anymore.

He was full of himself. Since he's
not in control of his life,

he strives to make himself believe
he has a word to say.

You're going past!
- I know. I saw Grasselli.

We'll go around,
and enter by the back door.

It's dad's car burning!

Surely,
a self-destruction phenomenon.

I bet you that, optimist as he is,
your dad bought enough insurance

to get three limos.
Lucky him.

That's what you did
to get this car?

No, there are means that are
more sportsmanlike.

It's impossible.

All I want is that
nothing happens to me.

Well, no.

It's not enough for a brick
to fall on my head,

the whole building has
to tip over.

Why does bad luck dog me
like a bulimic leech?

What can one do
against bad luck?

What can I do
when I'm in up to here?

Avoid opening your trap,
stupid.

Who? Who said that?
Who's there?

Calm down, Marleau.
Calm down.

It's only me,
your conscience.

My what?

Your positive conscience.

Or, if you prefer,
I'm what you could have been.

Hey! Be careful, little man,

I'm sensitive.
You better believe me.

I'm what you could have been
if you'd decided

to feel good about yourself.

License in marketing,
masters in communication.

Vice-President of the hottest
advertising agency in town.

Intellectual,
financially well-off.

Yuppie in full rise.

No existential problem either.

All women are after me.

I'm willing to believe
you are what I could have been.

But you could at least look
physically like me.

It's enough to be
the conscience of a guy like you,

if, on top of it,
I have to have your face!

Did you ever see yourself
in a mirror, Marleau?

With a face like yours,
only in Alcatraz

could you ever succeed.
But you're out of luck,

Alcatraz is closed.
- You have the face of someone

who would succeed in life?

Sure. Above all, I've the right
frame of mind.

I don't chase bad luck.
I'm not always whining. I react.

What's a positive conscience?

Does that mean I also have
a negative conscience?

Well, yes. But it's gone
to work elsewhere.

With you,
it had nothing to do.

On that,

you're right.
I'm spineless.

I never succeed at anything
in life.

But is it my fault
if everything is against me?

Say, you're my positive conscience!
Instead of sinking me,

aren't you supposed to protect me?
Advise me? I don't know.

That's the job
of a guardian angel.

No luck,

guardian angels
never existed.

Okay, I confess,
I'm fed up with you.

It's simple, you get on my nerves.
I tried my best, but nothing works.

You're a victim.
You act like a victim,

think like a victim.
Always helpless,

hampered by your secret fears,

big or small, real or unreal.

The rot has already set in,
your destiny is mapped out.

I've been whispering to you
what to do for 39 years.

Results: zilch, zero.

I've come to tell you not to
count on me anymore. OK?

I'm resigning.
I will no longer get involved.

Well, that's it!
Get out!

Careful! You don't know
what you're saying.

If you think your life is a mess,

wait to see what it'll be like
without me.

You have no idea how many times
I intervened to help you.

Your life without me won't be
an easy matter. You'll see.

Well, I warned you.

I can leave
with a clear conscience.

Hey, not so fast.

Perhaps we can talk about it.

Dialogue can fix many things.

Oh, then. Good riddance!
Without you,

my life can't be
any worse. It's impossible.

Dad, wake up.
- A trombone!

Are you okay?
- What are you doing here?

I came to see if everything
was all right.

Are you okay? You're sure?

Yes, yes, I'm okay.
I just had a nightmare.

Hi.

I know, we weren't supposed to see
each other anymore. Josée insisted.

Don't worry,
I'm not here to baby you.

Just to help you as a friend,

if you need.

We went to bail you out at the
police station, but they'd already

released you. You're sure
you're okay now?

Are you okay?
- Yes,

I'm managing. The inspector
has nothing against me.

I even think the captain
gave him a real telling-off.

What's all that money?

You robbed a convenience store?

No. No, it's not real.

No, it's...

It's fake. It's nothing.
Actually, I have...

I have a show to...
A ticket to a show.

It's very important.
It's like an audition.

I have to meet someone
very important.

I just have time to jump
into my car.

Dad, there's a problem
with your car.

What?

It's burning
at the end of the street.

Well, I'll take a cab.

We can drive you.
- No, no, no, I'll take a cab.

Don't forget to close up.

You see?

That's it.

His neurons are disconnected.

He's suddenly aggressive and the
next minute, nothing bothers him.

That man's all mine.

Eight years of my life,

and he ditches me.

We don't live like others.
- Why does he do that to me?

Sometimes,
we need small compensation.

Twenty years of marriage,

the stress of our work,

you understand.

In such conditions,
a man needs to

put a little garlic butter
on his bread.

You know what I mean?

With Florence...

I'll put garlic butter
on your bread,

bastard!

I'm telling you that with her,
there was swell in the waterbed!

The problem with women is

that things don't look good
for very long.

With Denise, my new girlfriend,
no more clouds on the horizon.

Bastard!

Your wife doesn't suspect anything?

God, no.
Are you crazy?

She can't.
She's Catholic too.

There would be a cyclone.
There would be a hurricane.

There he is.

Go slow, slow, slow.
I don't want him to spot us.

Disgusting!

They're all the same!

I need a change of air!
And the air is you!

Air? Air! Do I look like air?

Here, take that!

That's it, go away!
Good air, bastard!

Don't bother coming back!
- You bet I won't!

I'm not saying goodbye, silly bitch!
I'd rather work than see your face!

100 IMPORTANT QUOTATIONS BY
THE WORLD'S TOP PHILOSOPHERS

"Man is superior

to the Universe.

Even if the Universe
were in league

to destroy Man,

Man would survive
because he would know

the Universe is in league
against him,

while the Universe
would not know

that Man knows."

Hey, egghead,

did you get that?
- Yeah.

I'm not asking you if you heard,
I'm asking you if you understood.

I understood.
It means that

the guy who doesn't know I'll hit
him will get a real thrashing.

The Universe, dummy,
the Universe, not Joe Blow.

Joe Blow, the Universe,
it's the same. Bring 'em on.

You're so dumb.

Hey, I'll whup you.
- You're just frustrated.

What do you mean?
- The tragedy with you is

that you're tall, strong,
slow and dumb.

What?
- Careful, careful.

Goddamn scumbag,
I'll burst his bubble.

He'll pay for it.
I'll finish him.

I'll burst his bubble.

Come on!

He plays in two commercials
for two big companies.

By a curious coincidence,
the owners of those businesses

are kidnapped
on the day of the shooting.

I cross-checked,
you understand.

This morning, I questioned
Marleau's agent on the q.t.

He told me he had two more to do,
today and tomorrow.

So? It's not a reason
to act without thinking.

I admit, I admit.
I got carried away.

I shouldn't have arrested him
so fast.

It's better to do...
- Shit.

...what we're doing now:
tail him.

What did I tell you?
- You said it.

It'll be the good one.

Maybe...
- I made a mistake...

Innocent!

I'll make him pay,
the dirty rat.

I'll butter your garlic bread
with slugs.

Come on!

Shit!

Hey, listen to this one:

"We call good

what is likely to bring us

pleasure

and we call evil

what is likely to bring us pain."

Did you understand that?
- No.

Ouch!

Hey, you hurt me.

Yes! Yes!

But it brought me pleasure.
So it's good.

You see the difference between
good and evil. Come here.

Listen,

when we hit,

it's good because it pleases us.

But we have to avoid getting hit
because it's...

Evil?
- Yes. You see,

philosophy isn't so hard
to understand.

Come,

we'll go do some good.

Hey!

Dummy.

Ladies and gentlemen...

No, no, save your applause
for the rest of our show.

You'll need it.
As you know,

variety itself is the show here.

One moment, I have my ticket.

Tonight, we're catering
to all tastes!

It's full?

Will this do?

What do we do, Inspector?

We don't have tickets.

We have better than that, Paul.

A universal pass.

It's good for everything.

Opera, movies,

restaurants, rock shows,

strip clubs, massage parlours.

Inspector?

How did Florence take it

when you broke up?

Women bawl for nothing.
She'll get used to it.

She's not the first woman
to be dumped.

Inspector?
- What?

Florence!
What is she doing there?

Come, we'll go
by the stage door.

She'll still recognize you.

Come on, move!

Pardon me,
is the seat taken?

Thank you.

Watch. He'll pay for it,
I'm telling you. Excuse me.

Do you want to tell me
where he's hiding?

Come on, where can he be?
I'll have a drink.

Oops!

I'll have a little pick-me-up.

No ice.

Thank you, thank you.

OK, Paul, there's nobody.

Come on, follow them,
follow them, follow them.

Make sure you're not spotted.

Come on.

Wait. Wait.

That's a nice hat.

We can't see anything in the hole,
Inspector.

Come on, go down.

BACKSTAGE

...and his clownish musicians!

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
Careful!

It shouldn't take long!
- Where are we?

How should I know?

I hear them, I hear them.
We're close.

I can't see, Inspector.

It's that way. It's that way!

I didn't know local artists
would be in our act.

It's a North American custom.

They even have an improv league.

Come on, come.

You know, Inspector.

I've been dreaming of this
since I was a kid.

Of what? Being a clown?

Singing.

I see him, he's there.
He's okay, it seems.

There are as many cops here
as at a police benefit show.

What do you mean?

Police! Police!
Block the exits.

Come, Paul, he's mine!

He's mine!

Eh? What's happening?

No! It's me!

Ouch! I'll...

Bunch of thickheads!

There are too many people.

It's not me, it's not me!
- Are you okay? Are you?

What are you doing here?

I wanted to see
if everything was okay.

I'm not a schoolchild!
I can manage by myself!

Will you stop babying me? Come.
We have to get away from here.

How did you follow me here?
- The countess knew

you were coming here.
- How did she know?

I didn't tell anybody.
- She saw your ticket.

I didn't think I'd shown it to her.

She's here also?
- Yes, she's inside.

You were in the balcony?
- Yes.

Did you have time to see
a well-dressed man go out...

It's her! She's the one
who gave me the ticket.

What?
- Yes.

Let's follow them.

What?
- Dad, come, we'll take that car.

Come on.
- I'm telling you, come.

Hey! You have no right to steal
this car. We were here first.

Go on, Dad, go on.

You don't understand.
We hide here

waiting for people to come.
Then, we steal their cash.

That's good, guys.

When I was small, my dad always
came to fetch me at school.

He was never late.

Yet, he kept losing his car keys.
- OK, we got it!

Orgasmic, really.

Incredibly enjoyable.

You know,
before I knew you, Édouard,

I didn't think I'd be so fond
of strong emotions.

It's certainly worth
the modest fees

our services cost you.
Right?

You deserve much more.

Especially since our husbands
are paying!

What a brilliant idea to force them
to bring us a ransom!

And we still kidnap them!

There, I see them!

My dear,
don't hold it against me.

I'm sorry for your...

protégé. I hope he didn't
suffer too much.

Not at all.
- Good.

As luck would have it,

the police has arrested two lunatics
dressed as clowns.

What?
How is it possible?

Édouard?
- Yes.

Is something wrong, Édouard?
- No, no, no.

We'll never catch up
with them,

with this clunker.
- We don't have

to catch up with them. We just want
to see where they're going.

We have to be pragmatic.

Pragmatic. You understand?

That is, turn away from
abstract thought

and turn towards concrete thought
and effective action.

Édouard,
I believe we're being followed!

Really?

How unfortunate!

But don't fret,
I've something here

to remedy this
foreseeable factor.

GRENADE LAUNCHER - ROCKETS
SMOKE - EXPLOSIVE NAILS,

SOPORIFIC
EXECUTION OF THE PROGRAM

Excellent idea, Josée.

It really ends my day well.

I couldn't have done better.

Damn!
The engine's flooded.

Use that word again
and I'll blow you away!

What word, "flooded"?

I knew it. These small cars
are indestructible. Come. Get in.

Christ.
- Come on, get in.

Damn,
I'll have to write a report.

Humiliated, Paul.

Humiliated.

Sixteen years
working my arse off.

No one even recognized me
at the station.

Inspector...
- Sure,

I was disguised, but still.

I've never been so humiliated,
Paul, never.

Blind, short-sighted,

a regiment of moles,

a squad of ungrateful joes.

Inspector, you should think
of putting on your...

A night in lockup, me,

the pillar of the squad,
the dean of the station.

Inspector, don't forget...
- Did you hear Johnson?

"Did you see the fool
who takes himself for Grasselli?

It's true he looks like him.
He looks like a clown."

I have his badge number.
Calling me a clown!

I'll cook him up one,

you can be sure of that.

I'll tenderize him,
and it won't be a cream pie.

I'll put him through
the meat grinder.

"What we call the blues

often is only an eclipse
of our illusions

and a flash of our lucidity."

A flash

of our lucidity...

"Silence is..."

You're so goddamn dumb!

Go to hell.
- You could have taken them

the right size!
For what stolen tires cost!

We got a fine police force today,
I'm telling you.

Inspector, you still think
it was Marleau?

Because yesterday,
he didn't do anything.

I'm telling you it's him.
He's a madman,

capable of anything.
Don't let me down, Paul.

You promised.
And I promise you we'll nab him.

Inspector?

You left too fast, Inspector.
You forgot to change...

Give me that!

I have a feeling
the radiator's leaking.

You think?

Come on, come on, go.

OK, calm down! Calm down!
What's happening?

You were sleeping well.
You had a clear conscience.

What are you doing here? Weren't
you supposed to be gone for good?

They turned down
my resignation.

They're forcing me
to finish my contract.

What contract?
- It seems there's nobody

to replace me. They won't get me
again, I know the trick now.

They make you sign a contract
written in invisible ink.

Many provisions you never saw
start showing up!

Leave me alone!

Scram!

I've enough problems,
I don't want to hear about yours!

OK, OK, take a deep breath.

I know you'd rather
not have a conscience.

The easy life, no remorse.

Don't worry. I used to be positive,
I'm now passive.

My contract forces me to be here,
but I won't intervene anymore.

I'm not raising a finger.
I work to rule.

That's it!

Go away!

Hello.

Hello, Marleau?
- Mister Lacroix?

What time is it?

Shit! I'm late for the shooting
of Alumétal?

No, no. Alumétal is postponed.
I'm not calling you for that.

You found me a new contract?
- Listen, Marleau, things are bad.

We have to see each other.
It can't wait.

We have to stop everything.
You understand?

I can be at your office in a half-hour.
No, no!

Not at the office, they would know.
It's too dangerous.

Meet me in an hour,
and above all,

don't tell anybody you spoke to me.
Come alone, right?

Hangar number 6,
the set of yesterday's shoot.

Don't write anything.
Don't leave any trails.

Yesterday's shoot.
I know where it is.

I'm an actor...

No, it starts again.

Come on!

Wardrobe must have complained.
They must think I stole it.

It'll be hell to repair!

What's...

Never mind, I'll pay for it.

What are we hearing?
Is water seeping in?

There he is!

Paul, that's it! Something's going
to happen, I can feel it.

Go, Paul!

Slow down, slow down.
- Not so loud, Inspector,

I've a headache.

Dad?

Dad?

At least he sleeps like a log.

But he snores like a rhino.
He's not here. We'd hear him.

You know,

I was totally wrong
about your father.

He's not at all
the man I had imagined.

Too bad.

Still...
- Hey.

He's very gifted.
He's lucky.

I envy him for that.
- Do you want to tell me...

Well, they wired him.

Wait, what's that?

Look, it's the Rolls Royce
of yesterday!

That's a piece of luck.
Yesterday's lady in black,

it's her.

It's logical. Once rid
of her husband,

she takes control of his fortune.
You understand?

Totally, there's no doubt.
It's a master coup.

It's obvious.

But who can we explain that to?
Certainly not inspector Grasselli.

Do you have an idea?

Sorry to knock you out, Josée.

You understand too fast.

You force me to give you
a handicap.

We'll see each other
at the finish line.

In due course.

"Nothingness is
that hole of the being

made of falls of the being-in-itself
towards the oneself,

by which is formed
the being-for-itself."

Wow!

Hey, pinhead,
do you understand that?

I don't see what a bunch of beans
has to do with that.

Hey, somebody's coming.

Wasn't I right, Paul?

Look at him, look at him.
Isn't that shady?

It's still too early
to squeeze him.

But we can't cut down
the cooking time.

We'll let him stir the sauce

and stay right on his tail.

OK, come.

Come on, come on.

Shush! Paul, stop it!

It's stuck, Inspector!

Anybody here?

Shut it up, Paul.

Mister Lacroix?

What's that racket, Marleau?

Ah, you scared me.

You're sure nobody followed you?

That? It's nothing.

Car alarms always go off
for no reasons. I'm used to it.

But Mister Lacroix,
why are you leaving?

Hey! Hey, Mister Lacroix?
Wait! Mister Lacroix!

These small cars are indestructible.
Hop in, hop in.

Goodbye! Goodbye!

Where is he?

I hear him, he's over there.
- No, no.

I've a good ear.
He's over there.

No.
- Come on.

Mister Lacroix,
why do you hide from me?

Mister Lacroix!

Yoo-hoo!

Mister Lacroix?

Mister Lacroix?
Mister Lacroix, don't be scared.

Mister Lacroix?

Mister Lacroix!

Mister Lacroix?

Mister Lacroix,
give me another chance!

You know, the trench coat
wasn't really my fault.

You were there.
They didn't give me time to change.

I can pay!

Don't worry.
I'll take care of all that!

Mister Lacroix,

I swear it'll change
starting tomorrow.

With you, I feel
my career is taking off.

I'll give you 20 per cent!

Mister Lacroix?

Mister Lacroix!

Mister Lacroix, don't be scared.

Yoo-hoo!

Mister Lacroix?

It's not fair!

You have to give me
an answer.

Hey! I'll do the maximum.

You'll see.

You didn't hit too hard, I hope?

He's an artists' agent.

Those people are reputed
for being hardheaded.

To such a point?

I didn't quite get
what Édouard is looking for.

Why does he want us to do this?

Geniuses have reasons

that reason ignores.

Very pretty your veil.
- Thank you, dear.

I'll give you 25 per cent.

30 per cent?

Mister Lacroix?

Marleau!
Hey, let go of me, Marleau!

The rope will break!
- No way!

I'll get you out of this!
You'll see, it won't be long.

I almost have it!
- Marleau, it's become

too dangerous.
You have to quit the agency.

Don't take it like that!
It was your idea to meet here!

Will you understand in the end?
- You must swing!

The commercial contracts,
I'm not the one who found them.

He gave them to me!

He wields enormous influence

and can impose you on the biggest
advertising agencies.

Damn, I let him stew in his
own juice too long. He evaporated.

Inspector.

What's that, Paul?
He hanged somebody.

Not content with seeing
him strangle himself,

he hangs on him
to make him suffer more.

What did I tell you?

Marleau's a madman.

Yes, you were right, Inspector.

Come on, come.

I'm coming!

Don't move, Marleau!
Or I'll blast your arse!

No! Don't come nearer!

Nothing broken, Paul?

Nothing, Inspector.

But I feel funny.

Yes.

And it smells funny.

Oh, my God!

Hey, Marleau.
He'll get away.

Marleau, where are you?

Marleau! I'll get you.

You won't
always get away like this.

Are you okay, Mister Lacroix?
Nothing broken?

Don't touch me, Marleau.
Will you finally understand

it's too dangerous for me?
Do you want me dead?

Why do you say that?
Things aren't so bad.

Three ads in three months.
My career's picking up,

I feel it.
- You didn't get it, Marleau.

I don't want to see you
at the agency. You hear?

I'm no longer your agent.

I just wanted to warn you.

I've nothing to do with that.

OK, OK, I took the money.

But how could I know?

He's too strong.

What money?

Who gave you the contracts?

Who?

Go away! Go away! Go away!
Leave me alone!

Marleau!
I'll get you, Marleau!

I'll finally get you,
you'll see!

We have to get out of here!

Alumétal, Alumétal,

Alumétal.

WHO'S WHO

Bryan Bouchard, president.

He's through laughing at me.

We're hiding.

Well, he'll have a very,

very nice surprise.

FREE PARKING

He'll pay for it.

I'll take care of him.

OK, let's go, Florence.

What I don't understand,
Inspector,

is why does he take the seat
of the man he's supposed to kidnap?

Crime-wise, Marleau's sly.

Smell the coffee, Paul.

There never was a kidnapping
during the show.

You understand?

Marleau knocks out his victims
in the parking lot or elsewhere.

Then, he dresses up
to make it look

like the victim's here
during the show.

When the lights go off, he removes
his disguise. He becomes

the innocent Marleau again. You see?
Wizardry, like at the circus.

Where is he?
Where is he?

Where is he hiding?

Wait till I find him.

Where is he hiding?

You'll pay for it.

It's in the bag.
- Let's hurry up and go home.

Those strong emotions
have exhausted me.

Édouard's strategy is brilliant:

threatening to kidnap our husbands
if they refuse to pay a ransom.

They're so tight-fisted!

It's a dirty trick,
but pleasant.

There.

I was forgetting the bag.

Paul,

he's no longer there.
He's no longer there.

Police! Nobody moves!

Marleau, I got you, bastard!

Come, show yourself!
The club is surrounded.

All exits are blocked!
You don't stand a chance, Marleau!

Come out with your hands up!
- There's nobody, Inspector.

He must have a costume, a false
beard, something. Comb the hall.

Nothing at all, Inspector.
Nothing.

What do you mean?
Nothing. Come on.

Inspector!

I'll die.

Oh, my love.

My God, let my love...

Giuseppe!

Giuseppe!

What are you doing here,
my love?

Why did you leave me,
my big teddy bear?

Forgive me, Giuseppe.

Look, Inspector.

The bullet stopped
on your real wife's picture.

Put that away,
put that away!

Ouch! Ouch!

What is it?

Ouch!

Heavens! He's not my husband!
- I warned you, ladies.

This man is very dangerous.

Édouard Elkin?
- Perhaps.

But where is my husband?

Patience. We'll see to that later.
He's got it coming to him.

I insist. It's my husband's turn.
I already accepted that he be last.

I don't want to wait anymore.
- Come, my dear,

your husband can wait a little.

After all, he was not
as bad as our men.

Of course,
you always had an eye on him.

Ladies, ladies, please.

So? Surprised to see me,
Marleau?

The ups and downs of life.

You understood many things
tonight, Marleau.

Do you want to know the rest?

Well, at this point...

Well, I work for these ladies.
Yes, I'm their adviser.

I guide them in their
criminal activities.

You see,
we grew weary

of our sterile wealth.

Our ordered existences

and our husbands forever
absent for business.

Laze, caviar, limo!

It's hard to be rich.

We were bored.

And to amuse ourselves,

we decided to form
an association...

of malefactresses.

Charming idea,
don't you find?

After all, crime is the least known
of the Fine Arts.

Some cultured minds need to
devote themselves to it.

It doesn't make sense!
They could do good.

You could help charities,
the destitute, the homeless.

I don't know.

Well, it's true.

No. It's precisely for the good
of humankind that we commit evil.

You see, in truth, Marleau,
people feel they exist

only through the misfortune
that happens to them.

People don't want to be happy.
No, it's too distressing.

We worry sick
thinking it won't last.

Plus, happiness makes one insipid.

One never has anything
interesting to tell.

While all goes well
with hardship.

Everybody feels sorry
for the unfortunate.

In return, the latter feel
appreciated, envied, supported.

But happy people are to be pitied.

They're so alone.

Thus, for the welfare
of humankind,

we have to make as many
as possible unhappy.

You're just an...

an intellectual!
- Oh, no!

Careful what you say, Marleau!

Ladies, have you reached a verdict?

A verdict?

What verdict?
- Marleau, don't play innocent.

You're here before a tribunal
duly constituted

according to these ladies' ill will.

Don't worry,
justice doesn't drag its feet here.

Ladies, your verdict.

Guilty.
- Guilty!

Guilty.
- Guilty.

Guilty.

Countess?

You here?
- Yes.

What do you want?

I also need strong emotions.

Plus,

I have a terrible weakness
for people of wit and learning.

Guilty? Guilty?
Guilty of what exactly?

It doesn't matter.
We're always guilty of something.

Guilty of being scared.
- Guilty of

lacking audacity.
- Guilty of mediocrity.

Pride and selfishness.

Self-centredness, vanity.

Guilty of getting it wrong.

Guilty of knowing too much.
- Come on!

I didn't do anything.
I didn't do anything bad!

I'm just trying to rebuild my life.
I'm not harming anybody!

That's not justice. I don't even
have a lawyer to defend me.

A lawyer?

A lawyer to defend you, Marleau?

How foolish you are, Marleau!

Well, so be it,

I'll be your lawyer.
No, don't make that face, Marleau.

You're in very good hands.
Unlike a lawyer,

your fate is very close
to my heart.

Ladies,

I appeal.

I want to introduce
a new witness.

I support the defendant's request.
Let's make the pleasure last.

All right.

Let's hear the witness
and be done with it.

I call Josée Marleau,

the only child of the accused.

What are you doing here?

Come closer.

Speak with confidence, child.
Here, he can't do anything to you.

Tell us the truth
about your father.

When I was small,
he was never home.

He never had time to play with me.
He was shooting his TV series.

I didn't like television
because of an evil bandit.

And one day,
I was old enough to realize

the bandit who scared me so much
was my father.

That's why I dropped everything,
Josée.

It's not my fault.
It's my face.

All they ever gave me
were bandit parts.

In school, all the kids
hated you, Dad.

And they took revenge on me.

I still loved you.
I tried to get close to you.

But I realized
you were a weakling.

You cultivated your failures.
You're a loser, Dad.

Thank you!
The witness has been heard.

Do you agree
to review your verdict?

No.

The verdict is upheld.
- Sorry, Marleau, I tried my best.

I know.

It's true. I'm a failure.

I never achieved anything.

It's in my blood!

I'm hopeless,

pathetic!
I don't deserve to exist!

That's good!

That's good, Marleau!
Very good!

You have to repent.
It's very, very, very good.

It'll be much easier for you
to accept

what's awaiting you.

What I have in store for you

is a very special treatment.

Nobody move!
Hands up!

Enough with parlour games.
You lost!

Paul, Paul, did you see
the fine brochette?

It gives me an appetite.

It's the greatest coup of my life.

If I don't become police general
with that...

Bravo, Inspector.
- Paul, take care of Marleau.

Come, guys. We'll try and figure out

who those pretty
ladies in black are.

Josée?

I know I've been a bad father,
but do you still love me a little?

Come, Dad, you know I don't believe
a word of what I said.

The idea was to gain time.

Look, I found this bug
in your place.

I know. Grasselli tapped my phone
as if I were a bandit.

For once, it's lucky.
Without it,

the police wouldn't have come.

So, madam,

could I have
your name and address?

It's just to please you

that I yield

to force.

You're my hero, Dad.

But drop your loser's face.
You piss me off!

What distressing lack
of imagination, Marleau!

You disappoint me,
despicably calling

the police at the sublime moment

of my vengeance. Disappointing,
very, very disappointing.

How's that?
I didn't do anything!

I'm giving you a last chance.
You and me,

on equal terms.
- How, on equal terms?

Behind the columns, my spare chairs.
Follow me if you dare.

Watch it, he's running away!
Catch him!

Don't just stand there!
He'll run away. Come!

Come. Quickly!

There.

Don't shoot! I want him alive.
I want him to come clean.

Hurry up! To the cars!

You, in the paddy wagon, wait for
the women. The others, you go ahead!

Watch out! Move away!
Get out of the way!

Get out of the way!

Watch it!

Life makes no sense.

It doesn't mean anything.
Everything is empty.

We're like prisoners
at the bottom of a cave.

All we see are

the shadows of those outside

on the walls of the cave.

And we think
that's the truth.

The truth is nothing but
subjectivity.

Damn, what's happening to you?

Have you lost contact
with reality?

You're right.

It's that existence in itself

has no reason to exist.
You and me, we're nothing!

We don't count.
On the scale of the Universe,

we're two big zeroes.
- Yes, well, silence your reason.

I'm not just
an anonymous fly dropping

on the highways of the Universe.
Is that clear?

Isn't it disgusting?

Not content
with Natives and Blacks,

now they run
after the handicapped.

Step on it!
- I can't go any faster!

Patience, patience.
I want him alive.

What does he want?

What do you want?
- Everything is in place.

Perfect. We got him,
the roadblock is in place.

Watch it, the roadblock!

Who assigned me such a bunch of
incompetent morons?

A crippled in a wheelchair
and you can't stop him!

Bunch of idiots! Zeroes!

You're just bumblers!
Don't you see anything?

Peabrains!

You need glasses!

Open your eyes!
- My teddy bear! Darling!

Darling!
- What is it?

Look.

Watch out, watch out,

everybody in formation!

We'll pluck the little duck.
We'll stuff his wings with slugs.

Watch out!

Shit! Damn!

Hey, it's my dad!

It was the handsome
Paul Leboeuf!

How's that,
the "handsome" Paul Leboeuf?

Paul.

Yes!
- I got him!

Could someone go see my dad
over there?

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Mission accomplished,
Inspector.

Bravo.

Paul.

Paul?

Wake up, Paul.

Paulo?

Paul!

I hope he has nothing broken.

Paul!

Careful, be careful.

He's injured.

What about my dad?

Do something, and hurry up.

Come, everybody.

Bring the stretcher.

I'll take care of you.
- Yes?

Yes.

Yes.
- Yes?

Still,
life is a very curious thing

for those who know to look at it
between midnight and sunrise.

Are you okay?
- Well! I could be better.

Don't worry, it's just
a difficult time to go through.

Who are you?

I'm your new conscience.

The other finally got his transfer.

A new conscience!
A lot of good that does me!

It gives you a funny face anyway.

We'll get along fine,
you and me.

We're of the same blood.

If you need me,
I'll always be behind you

like your shadow.
- Excuse me,

just one question:
who appoints you, consciences?

Who's responsible?

That?

If you saw our administration,
you'd understand

why humankind has long had
problems of conscience.

Where? There.

Inspector, he's that way.

Dad?

Well, will you get me
out of here?

My neck is breaking.

Dad, you're alive?

Yes, I think.
- He's really lucky.

Lucky, me? No but...
- Come on, get him out of there.

Is it true that I'm lucky?

Ouch! Ouch!

Édouard?

I got it! I got it!
I got it!

That's it, I got him! Right?
I'm avenged.

Tell me, dear, did you have
something to do

with the arrival of the police?

Me? I only want
your good, Édouard.

Don't doubt it. Besides, I've come
round to what you think of Marleau.

He's dangerous. In the future,
I hope you'll avoid him.

No, no. No, I haven't said
my last word.

Save it for a better day,
Édouard.

In the circumstances,

saying anything foolish
could be fatal to us.

And...

those ladies' money
is in my car.

Come, sweetie,
let's get out of here

before they try to stop us.
- Yes!