Mes Petites Amoureuses (1974) - full transcript
A study of minor events in the adolescence of a boy growing up in small towns. Daniel lives with his grandmother and, after one year of high school, has to go to live with his mother in the south of France. She is a seamstress living in a tiny apartment with her lover Jose, a Spanish farm worker. Daniel would like to continue school, but his mother cannot afford it, so she sends him to work as an apprentice in a moped repair shop. Daniel wiles away his time in the shop, and learns about girls from the other boys in town. When he returns to visit his grandmother next year, it is obvious that he has grown up faster than his old friends.
More bread and butter?
Bye.
MY LITTLE LOVES
In Memory of Odette and
Louis Robert
Hey, Masini!
Taking Communion today?
Behave!
I know him from school
He was the biggest
and strongest in our class
But he never fought
For no reason,
without knowing why... I hit him
I looked in his eyes...
he wasn't even angry
I felt myself getting an erection
I pressed up against her
Guess what we learned today
You breathe with your mouth
and nose and with your asshole!
I don't believe it
It's in my book
"Two types of respiration...
pulmonary and cutaneous"
That means with the anus...
your asshole
When you're my age,
you'll learn it, too
It's a Paramount movie
Paramount movies are dumb
You never saw one!
Going to see it?
Any danger?
No
Sometimes they hide farther on...
never mind
Meet you later?
All right
Grandma, a circus!
Again?
He wants everything he sees...
I'll go fix his snack
I caught a goldfinch
I'll check out the circus
And your homework?
That's a vulture
Look at that hunk of meat!
Christian!
Christian?
She often mistook me for someone else
I should've done something,
but I was afraid
You didn't bring any
rubbing alcohol or gasoline...
so you won't see my entire act
You'll only see my broken-bottle trick
I'll smash these bottles
before your very eyes!
I break them...
Step up and see for yourselves...
each piece of glass is a killer!
I shall now lie on them
I invite the heaviest people
in the audience...
to come sit on me
No faking here
Our cards are on the table!
Turn over the worst pieceas
Okay, it's safe
Now you can sit on me
There, ladies and gentlemen,
blood, but no pain!
My act is over,
thank you for coming
You're next
No
Scared?
I just don't want to
She's scared!
Let's see how strong you are
It's nothing... Jump!
Go on!
Somebody's coming. Let's go
I know that girl
- Your sweetheart?
- No.
I had seen her and talked with her
Why did she pretend not to know me?
lend me your capgun
A cap, quick!
I'm proud of you.
I have to kiss you
Why?
You passed into secondary school
How'd you know?
It's in the newspaper
Mrs. Duloup read that I passed
They always publish the exam results
We'll buy a paper and keep it
Can I buy ice cream?
If you shoot capguns
at my daughter again...
I'll deal with you!
- Me?
- Yes you!
If you shot her for real,
she couldn't tattle
A single cone
You don't kiss like in the movies...
you use your tongue
How?
You both open your mouths...
and move your tongues around
That's disgusting!
The next year, my mother
came to visit with a man...
she hadn't mentioned in her letters
How do you do?
You can call him Jose
I brought you a pen
and a picture-book
Come on, it's ready
Give your mama your room
We'll set up a cot for you
Mama raved about the weather
where she lived
In October, even November,
I go out with no sweater
He was Spanish
and never talked
I'm studying Spanish in school,
maybe you can help me with my accent
Will you run some errands?
I'm busy
Jose will go
Don't be silly
Go with Jose,
he doesn't know the stores
Show him which is our butcher
One of my brothers is a
mason... another one is in bikes
What do you mean?
Bicycles and motorcycles...
He sells and repairs them
That sounds good
And you?
I'm a farm laborer
I go out to the fields...
and vineyards
After the school year,
I was to go live with my mother
He's over there
What's he doing?
Ignore him.
We're not running after a man
Do what I'm doing
Follow my lead
That's it, stay like that
Going on a trip?
I am. Grandma's just seeing me off
Where to?
To my mother's
For the summer?
No, for good
Mama, he's going away for good!
Leaving?
Not me. He's going alone
Your mama will meet you,
don't worry
I'm not worried
Do you have a good seat?
His first train trip?
His first long one
Got your ticket?
Here it is
That's the wrong one
I have it
Write as soon as you get there
Kiss your mama!
There...
That's the Labor Ministry
That's the market
A movie theater?
There are four of them
That's the high school
Is that where I'll go?
We'll see
The place is very small but the landlord
promised us the room next door
It's bigger, but it's not free yet
We'll put a mattress
on the floor for you
Let's hope we won't wait too long
for that room
And Jose?
He's working. He gets back about 7
I was sure I saw
disapproval in his eyes
It's a nice day
Get up now
We'll go shopping
and you can see the town
I have work to do
You can amuse yourself.
Read, or go for a walk
You've seen where we live
It's easy to find our house
What do I do?
Throw it back or give it to the kid
Want it?
No
You on vacation?
Now I am, but I'm going to live here
Your folks from here?
No... My uncle is
What's his name? Maybe I know him
Ramos
A Spaniard... No, I don't know him
So you're Spanish
I'm not... He's not really my uncle
Your mother's husband, is he?
How about your father, is he dead?
Did you like it?
Yes
Not me, I don't believe that stuff
I hate adventure films
Started high school yet?
Yes
You coming here to live?
I'll go to school here
Good. If we're in the same class,
we can be friends.
What are they doing?
Just strolling
All in the same spot
It's tradition
That's how boys and girls meet.
It's always been that way
Cut it out,
I told you not to do that!
Why don't we walk along the boulevard?
It's a meeting-place
for every idiot in town
Everyone goes:
old people, young people...
Someone told me it's tradition
Jose doesn't have his divorce yet
His wife wants to make trouble
He can't show himself just anywhere
As I already knew,
but refused to admit...
she had no intention
of sending me to school
Why not, since it's free?
School is, but not the rest
There are books and supplies and clothes
You have to dress well
to go to school
When I was your age,
I was ambitious, too
Now I'm stuck here all day
Just the same, we never go hungry
Food doesn't fall from the sky
And Jose...
he'd have liked a better job, too
Think he chose to farm
for other people?
He's happy just to find work
I had answers for her,
but I kept my mouth shut
Any idea what you'd like to do?
No
You must have some interests
I don't know, I never thought about it
You once said radio
was a good profession
Yes, maybe Jose can find somebody...
who can teach you on the job
He knows lots of people
But it's not easy in a small town
Meanwhile, you have to do something
We thought...
you could help Henri in the workshop
So are you going to school?
I don't know
Vacation is almost over...
your folks better get you enrolled
I'll tell them
See you soon
I knew I would avoid him in the future
You know about tools?
All of them?
Not all, but a lot
Can you use them?
I think so
Attachments and spare parts
are in these drawers...
and catalogues, with prices
You'll learn your way around
I'm going out, you watch the stop
If anyone comes in to buy...
I'll be back about noon
If it's a repair job,
note down what's wrong
Write it in here
The boss here?
He'll be back
My light doesn't work,
can he fix it?
Leave it here. I'll tell him
Any customers?
A woman... the light was out on her bike
I fixed it
Seems fine.. You already knew how?
No, but I figured it out
His bill seemed very high to me
He gave you money?
You shouldn't have accepted
it wasn't him, it was a tip
Know what he charged
for a repair job I did?
Shall we have a drink?
Peppermint and water
And two beers
On Sundays,
it was a whole new life
But I was ill-at-ease
Think she's your size, kid?
No, he's very serious
So I went to the dancehall...
the first time since I got married
Right off, I felt like a jerk
in my suit and tie
Boys nowadays, in their
unpressed pants and no jackets...
go behind the girls
and feel their asses
They dance, and that's it
In my day, there were rituals
You checked a girl out
before dancing with her
And if you didn't have a suit on,
forget it
Those were the rules...
It's all changed now
The kid's working out?
You bet! The day he doesn't...
How's business?
Are you kidding?
You'd laugh at what I made last month
And I quit the factory
to go it on my own!
I could have a deal on
with some friends...
but I can't abandon the shop
Can't the kid take over?
Fire him if he doesn't shape up
I can't
He's my brother's nephew
The boss around?
Not right now...
he'll won't be long
I was passing by... How are you?
And your family?
Not bad
Can't you stand up?
There's no work to do
That's no reason!
Get up. How does that look
to the customers?
He's a friend, not a customer
It makes no difference...
Get up!
Kids sure are fresh nowadays
No respect for anything
I make mine go to school,
but he goofs off
He has time, he's young
Time...!
My father had me in the fields at his age
You been to school?
Yes
And you don't work
any better than anyone else
A waste of your parent's money
I know, I should've continued
Continued what?
School.. I should've gone on
If you'd been good enough,
you would've
I don't think that's the reason
You act smart, but you'll
end up like this.. a poor sap
Remember anything you learned?
Lots of things
The alphabet, for instance?
Of course
Say it, just to see
You want me to recite the alphabet?
Since you know it...
A...B...C...D...E..F..G...
Is that how you learned it?
How did you learn it?
A...Bay...Say...Day...E...Fee...Gee...
that's the alphabet!
Absolutely!
Get the pushcart and...
Where you going?
To get the pushcart
And then?
You'll tell me
I deliberately took
narrow, crowded streets
I'd have a strange dream...
in which the past months
were one long nightmare...
and I woke up happy and safe
at my grandmother's
She often went by the shope
I got used to seeing her...
and began to wait for her
Don't you know her?
She's the daughter of
that Spanish refugee
She resembled the movie
star I had a crush on
I'd go to sleep thinking of her
They were there every evening,
always at the same time
All at once I realized
it was a different boy
I need tire patches and some glue
it was enormous, all black!
The windows were tinted,
blue or gray
Two big antennas, front and back...
with lights on them
And huge tires!
One antenna was for a TV,
the other for a telephone
How can you watch TV while you drive?
Someone said a car like that
lasts 20 years...
and never once breaks down
It had everything
a desk top write on...
a bar, a refrigerator...
And a place for your bullshit?
No, because it wasn't mine
But when I tell Titin about it...
Titin? When?
During the vacation
So you're going back there on vacation?
You make your own decisions now?
It was just an idea
Until you're old enough
to do as you like...
you'll do as you're told
I'm old enough to work
while others go to school...
but most workers at least earn money!
You lost a good chance to shut up!
If Henri...
wasn't Jose's brother...
you'd have been out of a job long ago!
I wouldn't be any worse off
Balcony, please
You'd better hurry
It just started
That was a heavenly ride, Stefan
When do you want to get married?
Tomorrow
What's the date?
March 9th
The 9th day of the 3rd month
of the year
A moment I'll never forget
I'll marry you the 3rd day
of the 9th month of the year
If you still want me
You may hate me by then
I'll always want you
What was he saying to her?
I couldn't hear
Anyone there?
Ship ahoy!
Officer of the watch...
where are you?
Is no one on board?
I breathed hard
to attract her attention...
I even blew in her hair
Do you think we're going to... die?
You said you weren't afraid
This moment is so beautiful,
I want to prolong it
I want a year... a month...
a few more days
Pandora...
It's as if we were enchanted...
outside of time, for all eternity
Eternity...
My love...
A violent storm blew up...
not unusual in that region
No one doubted that the boat had sunk
A regrettable accident
People said:
"On the eve of her wedding..."
I'll never know
why I left before the end
The girls?
I left them at the exit
How were they? I didn't see
Old hags
Yours was okay
Not in the light
I had often seen him going to work
Why not come to the cafe?
I don't know
They treat us right
and they have good pinball
Been to the movies?
Yes, the Alhambra
What's playing?
Pandora
I saw it, it's an oldie
Did you see a movie too?
Nothing appealed to me
I felt like relaxing at a gory
thriller with plenty of action
Coming?
Time for my quick-change act
I'll be back as a motorcycle dude
Who's he?
Louis. He sells fuel... a wheeler-dealer
He's old
He's okay.
He talks to us, no hangups
Don Juan, the heart-breaker
Your woman's prowled by
at least 10 times
Let her, I'm fed up with her
Watch out, she looks ready to kill
There she is
Now he's in for it
You used to date her,
I saw you
For two years... I met her parents
You broke it off?
Two years with no action...
Sunday promenades with her mother
You used to kiss at the movies
With her mother right behind us
I couldn't even feel her tits
Now she's changed her tactics,
but not her objective
How's that?
She wants to get married...
they all want to get married
Women are all the same
They won't sleep with you before.
She'll find someone
She can marry Longa
We've found you a bride!
Buy a round, Longa?
Finished?
No, as you can see
See you later?
Yes
He was the only student
among the cafe regulars
I wanted to talk to him
You in school?
Passed your finals?
Not yet
When you get your degree,
what then?
A high-school degree isn't much...
you can go on
More school?
University... the "big-leauge" schools
What are they?
They're the best... not everyone gets in
You have to be a top student?
You have to have pull strings, too
If I worked seriously
and regularly at home...
with the right books,
could I apply?
Now law against it
But is it really possible?
Possible, but difficult
Some subjects
you can only learn in class
Foreign languages are hard, too
Yes, languages
Still, it should be possible
I read a book...
about this guy's high school years
He said his French professor
really made him sick
When he lectured about passion
in the works of...
Racine and Corneille...
he said the same things
year after year
Finally the words had no sense,
no heart
That professor had no business
talking about passion
He knew the plays inside-out,
but he'd never lived them
Whereas the student...
felt he would live those passions,
later on.
Any opinion?
That you run off at the mouth
Coming to the cafe?
Want to go to the sea?
The sea... how far?
10 miles... Sundays there's a dance
Count me out
You'd rather see a movie
You rather play by yourself
Don't smoke when you play pinball
Ruins your concentration
Another Peppermint Jet
Mind if I join you?
Got a job?
I work for a mechanic
You're into machinery, are you?
Not at all
So the pay's good?
No
It's not a bad line of work
The mark-up on spare parts,
inflated invoices...
Also the tips, but forget that
Penny-ante stuff
It doesn't matter what you work at
The main thing is to
have money behind you
Then you do like me:
2 or 3 Peppermint Jets...
every day of your life,
if you feel like it
If I don't have
a few thousand francs in my pocket...
I feel poor and I get uptight
That much? Let's see
Don't believe me? Look
Want to touch it?
See my lighter?
When I give a woman a light,
I have to get real close
If she asks me again,
it's in the bag, she's hooked
Stick with your mechanics,
you'll do fine
I've worn white shirts
since my First Communion
With my motorbike...
whenever it's o the fritz,
there goes my shirt
Caught in the gears every time
Another shirt down the drain
Now when it breaks down,
I don't touch it
It take it to be fixed.
In 10 years...
more guys will wear white shirts
Boys like you will clean up
Know her?
How about you?
Not interested?
Did you know he had all that money?
Yes, you saw it
Where does he get it?
I told you, from deals
So it's true
Catching a movie?
No
Got any plans?
I'm staying here
I'm going
Where? I might change my mind
I don't know
It's the choir from Sainte-Marie
Had the old lady seen anything?
She ran off as if she'd met the Devil
Henri's closing up shop
for the summmer
You'll have that vacation
you're so set on
You always get your own way
Nothing else counts
A bit much, don't you think?
I ordered them like this
Your cigarette!
Shit, shit, shit!
Have it rewoven... it's expensive
How much?
A fortune, but they'll be like new
Come to Sainte-Marie?
There's a dance. There'll be girls
Where'd you say?
Sainte-Marie
Just a minute
I'll be back
May I go with some friends
to a village?
It is far?
A few miles.
Can I take Jose's bike?
Be careful with it.
No passangers... and be back by 8.
What if the others want to stay late?
They can do as they like.
You be here at 8.
I will
We'll have to go
get the boat ourselves
Let's not all go in.
Beer and lemon soda...
Okay
We'll split the cost
I have no money
You're not getting any
We'll take the Salinas road
Leave them... follow the girls
With them around, we'll
never score. Go casually
I'm dying of thirst
If we wait, we're screwed
They said the Salinas road
Sure... to signal us
They never looked at us
It's a come-on, believe me
It was deliberate?
Girls are like that...
ask them and they say no
Start the action
and they say nothing... or yes
I was afraid. I stalled for time
You taking the short one?
The tall one...
but shorty has fabulous eyes
Yes, I saw them
Sainte-Marie reminded me of the
girl I'd caressed at the fair
The girl ahead of us...
had been singing in the choir
What do we say to them?
Talk about the weather...
try to make them laugh
Let's go, before the others get here
Isn't it fairer to wait for them?
All's fair in love and business
Think they'd wait for us?
I'll move in after you
Move in now or you'll lose the game
You taking the Salinas road?
How did you know?
When you went by, I thought...
"I bet they'll take the Salinas road"
You left your friends?
What friends?
The boys with you
They're boring
Take it from me, don't trust them.
If you see them coming, hide
Maybe we shouldn't trust you
As you like, but don't say
we didn't warn you
Ask your friend
She's my sister
Sister?
You do look alike,
I hadn't noticed
The hole in your pants is
in the wrong place!
It's a nice day
I didn't know what to answer
Yes
Don't you talk?
I have nothing to say
Are you too stupid to make conversation?
Maybe...
but you go ahead and talk
I'll find an answer
if it's not about the weather
The boys talk, as a rule
Maybe it's a bad rule
Here they come
Your friends?
I felt relieved
I'd wanted them to come,
then I hadn't... now I didn't know
Marius gets to Saint Peter
Peter says:
"You record's not that great..."
"but I'll let you into Heaven"
They go down a corridor
Marius looks in all these rooms...
with gorgeous naked women
and bottles of champagne
He says...
"Is this Heaven"?
Peter: "No, that's Hell"
Marius: "That's for me!"
Peter: "I don't advise it..."
"because..."
His story seemed to be working
So that's the trick
"...the bottles have holes
in their bottoms and the women don't!"
It was too late. I'd lost the game
Beat it, okay?
Done whispering?
I fast-talked her!
When I went up to her,
I had no idea what I'd say
I closed my eyes
to shut out the others
I wished I could close my ears
I wanted to look at her,
but she kissed me
What's your name?
Francoise, and yours?
Me?...Daniel
Want to see me again?
Yes
Ever go to town?
On market days, with my mother
Never alone?
No
How can we do it?
Come back here next Sunday
Sunday I'd be gone
on my long-awaited vacation
But I had no illusions
The others would be back
You'll come?
Yes
What are you after?
I knew what was on her mind
But my gesture had been innocent
Had she already slept with a boy?
No
Don't want to?
No
Why not?
We shouldn't
Yes, we should
No, we have to go out together first...
get engaged to be married... And then...
It seemed to me I'd heard it all...
that I knew the whole thing by heart
Understand?
Yes
Lie down
What for?
No reason... so I can look at you
How long were we there?
Two hours?...More?
I made this dress...
the hem's only basted
Wait for us!
We can't go back together,
we'll be seen
I'll go with my sister,
you wait here
We'll be at the dance tonight,
but so will our parents
Come have your snack
That's all you have to tell me?
Tell you?...What do you mean?
Here are you friends...
Hello
You've grown...
Did you go on with school?
No, I'm working as a maechanic
Let's go to the forest
I was stronger than you!
I let you win
I knew you'd sulk otherwise
The man came, that saved you
Is that so?
No
Don't
Well? What're you going to do?
Bye.
MY LITTLE LOVES
In Memory of Odette and
Louis Robert
Hey, Masini!
Taking Communion today?
Behave!
I know him from school
He was the biggest
and strongest in our class
But he never fought
For no reason,
without knowing why... I hit him
I looked in his eyes...
he wasn't even angry
I felt myself getting an erection
I pressed up against her
Guess what we learned today
You breathe with your mouth
and nose and with your asshole!
I don't believe it
It's in my book
"Two types of respiration...
pulmonary and cutaneous"
That means with the anus...
your asshole
When you're my age,
you'll learn it, too
It's a Paramount movie
Paramount movies are dumb
You never saw one!
Going to see it?
Any danger?
No
Sometimes they hide farther on...
never mind
Meet you later?
All right
Grandma, a circus!
Again?
He wants everything he sees...
I'll go fix his snack
I caught a goldfinch
I'll check out the circus
And your homework?
That's a vulture
Look at that hunk of meat!
Christian!
Christian?
She often mistook me for someone else
I should've done something,
but I was afraid
You didn't bring any
rubbing alcohol or gasoline...
so you won't see my entire act
You'll only see my broken-bottle trick
I'll smash these bottles
before your very eyes!
I break them...
Step up and see for yourselves...
each piece of glass is a killer!
I shall now lie on them
I invite the heaviest people
in the audience...
to come sit on me
No faking here
Our cards are on the table!
Turn over the worst pieceas
Okay, it's safe
Now you can sit on me
There, ladies and gentlemen,
blood, but no pain!
My act is over,
thank you for coming
You're next
No
Scared?
I just don't want to
She's scared!
Let's see how strong you are
It's nothing... Jump!
Go on!
Somebody's coming. Let's go
I know that girl
- Your sweetheart?
- No.
I had seen her and talked with her
Why did she pretend not to know me?
lend me your capgun
A cap, quick!
I'm proud of you.
I have to kiss you
Why?
You passed into secondary school
How'd you know?
It's in the newspaper
Mrs. Duloup read that I passed
They always publish the exam results
We'll buy a paper and keep it
Can I buy ice cream?
If you shoot capguns
at my daughter again...
I'll deal with you!
- Me?
- Yes you!
If you shot her for real,
she couldn't tattle
A single cone
You don't kiss like in the movies...
you use your tongue
How?
You both open your mouths...
and move your tongues around
That's disgusting!
The next year, my mother
came to visit with a man...
she hadn't mentioned in her letters
How do you do?
You can call him Jose
I brought you a pen
and a picture-book
Come on, it's ready
Give your mama your room
We'll set up a cot for you
Mama raved about the weather
where she lived
In October, even November,
I go out with no sweater
He was Spanish
and never talked
I'm studying Spanish in school,
maybe you can help me with my accent
Will you run some errands?
I'm busy
Jose will go
Don't be silly
Go with Jose,
he doesn't know the stores
Show him which is our butcher
One of my brothers is a
mason... another one is in bikes
What do you mean?
Bicycles and motorcycles...
He sells and repairs them
That sounds good
And you?
I'm a farm laborer
I go out to the fields...
and vineyards
After the school year,
I was to go live with my mother
He's over there
What's he doing?
Ignore him.
We're not running after a man
Do what I'm doing
Follow my lead
That's it, stay like that
Going on a trip?
I am. Grandma's just seeing me off
Where to?
To my mother's
For the summer?
No, for good
Mama, he's going away for good!
Leaving?
Not me. He's going alone
Your mama will meet you,
don't worry
I'm not worried
Do you have a good seat?
His first train trip?
His first long one
Got your ticket?
Here it is
That's the wrong one
I have it
Write as soon as you get there
Kiss your mama!
There...
That's the Labor Ministry
That's the market
A movie theater?
There are four of them
That's the high school
Is that where I'll go?
We'll see
The place is very small but the landlord
promised us the room next door
It's bigger, but it's not free yet
We'll put a mattress
on the floor for you
Let's hope we won't wait too long
for that room
And Jose?
He's working. He gets back about 7
I was sure I saw
disapproval in his eyes
It's a nice day
Get up now
We'll go shopping
and you can see the town
I have work to do
You can amuse yourself.
Read, or go for a walk
You've seen where we live
It's easy to find our house
What do I do?
Throw it back or give it to the kid
Want it?
No
You on vacation?
Now I am, but I'm going to live here
Your folks from here?
No... My uncle is
What's his name? Maybe I know him
Ramos
A Spaniard... No, I don't know him
So you're Spanish
I'm not... He's not really my uncle
Your mother's husband, is he?
How about your father, is he dead?
Did you like it?
Yes
Not me, I don't believe that stuff
I hate adventure films
Started high school yet?
Yes
You coming here to live?
I'll go to school here
Good. If we're in the same class,
we can be friends.
What are they doing?
Just strolling
All in the same spot
It's tradition
That's how boys and girls meet.
It's always been that way
Cut it out,
I told you not to do that!
Why don't we walk along the boulevard?
It's a meeting-place
for every idiot in town
Everyone goes:
old people, young people...
Someone told me it's tradition
Jose doesn't have his divorce yet
His wife wants to make trouble
He can't show himself just anywhere
As I already knew,
but refused to admit...
she had no intention
of sending me to school
Why not, since it's free?
School is, but not the rest
There are books and supplies and clothes
You have to dress well
to go to school
When I was your age,
I was ambitious, too
Now I'm stuck here all day
Just the same, we never go hungry
Food doesn't fall from the sky
And Jose...
he'd have liked a better job, too
Think he chose to farm
for other people?
He's happy just to find work
I had answers for her,
but I kept my mouth shut
Any idea what you'd like to do?
No
You must have some interests
I don't know, I never thought about it
You once said radio
was a good profession
Yes, maybe Jose can find somebody...
who can teach you on the job
He knows lots of people
But it's not easy in a small town
Meanwhile, you have to do something
We thought...
you could help Henri in the workshop
So are you going to school?
I don't know
Vacation is almost over...
your folks better get you enrolled
I'll tell them
See you soon
I knew I would avoid him in the future
You know about tools?
All of them?
Not all, but a lot
Can you use them?
I think so
Attachments and spare parts
are in these drawers...
and catalogues, with prices
You'll learn your way around
I'm going out, you watch the stop
If anyone comes in to buy...
I'll be back about noon
If it's a repair job,
note down what's wrong
Write it in here
The boss here?
He'll be back
My light doesn't work,
can he fix it?
Leave it here. I'll tell him
Any customers?
A woman... the light was out on her bike
I fixed it
Seems fine.. You already knew how?
No, but I figured it out
His bill seemed very high to me
He gave you money?
You shouldn't have accepted
it wasn't him, it was a tip
Know what he charged
for a repair job I did?
Shall we have a drink?
Peppermint and water
And two beers
On Sundays,
it was a whole new life
But I was ill-at-ease
Think she's your size, kid?
No, he's very serious
So I went to the dancehall...
the first time since I got married
Right off, I felt like a jerk
in my suit and tie
Boys nowadays, in their
unpressed pants and no jackets...
go behind the girls
and feel their asses
They dance, and that's it
In my day, there were rituals
You checked a girl out
before dancing with her
And if you didn't have a suit on,
forget it
Those were the rules...
It's all changed now
The kid's working out?
You bet! The day he doesn't...
How's business?
Are you kidding?
You'd laugh at what I made last month
And I quit the factory
to go it on my own!
I could have a deal on
with some friends...
but I can't abandon the shop
Can't the kid take over?
Fire him if he doesn't shape up
I can't
He's my brother's nephew
The boss around?
Not right now...
he'll won't be long
I was passing by... How are you?
And your family?
Not bad
Can't you stand up?
There's no work to do
That's no reason!
Get up. How does that look
to the customers?
He's a friend, not a customer
It makes no difference...
Get up!
Kids sure are fresh nowadays
No respect for anything
I make mine go to school,
but he goofs off
He has time, he's young
Time...!
My father had me in the fields at his age
You been to school?
Yes
And you don't work
any better than anyone else
A waste of your parent's money
I know, I should've continued
Continued what?
School.. I should've gone on
If you'd been good enough,
you would've
I don't think that's the reason
You act smart, but you'll
end up like this.. a poor sap
Remember anything you learned?
Lots of things
The alphabet, for instance?
Of course
Say it, just to see
You want me to recite the alphabet?
Since you know it...
A...B...C...D...E..F..G...
Is that how you learned it?
How did you learn it?
A...Bay...Say...Day...E...Fee...Gee...
that's the alphabet!
Absolutely!
Get the pushcart and...
Where you going?
To get the pushcart
And then?
You'll tell me
I deliberately took
narrow, crowded streets
I'd have a strange dream...
in which the past months
were one long nightmare...
and I woke up happy and safe
at my grandmother's
She often went by the shope
I got used to seeing her...
and began to wait for her
Don't you know her?
She's the daughter of
that Spanish refugee
She resembled the movie
star I had a crush on
I'd go to sleep thinking of her
They were there every evening,
always at the same time
All at once I realized
it was a different boy
I need tire patches and some glue
it was enormous, all black!
The windows were tinted,
blue or gray
Two big antennas, front and back...
with lights on them
And huge tires!
One antenna was for a TV,
the other for a telephone
How can you watch TV while you drive?
Someone said a car like that
lasts 20 years...
and never once breaks down
It had everything
a desk top write on...
a bar, a refrigerator...
And a place for your bullshit?
No, because it wasn't mine
But when I tell Titin about it...
Titin? When?
During the vacation
So you're going back there on vacation?
You make your own decisions now?
It was just an idea
Until you're old enough
to do as you like...
you'll do as you're told
I'm old enough to work
while others go to school...
but most workers at least earn money!
You lost a good chance to shut up!
If Henri...
wasn't Jose's brother...
you'd have been out of a job long ago!
I wouldn't be any worse off
Balcony, please
You'd better hurry
It just started
That was a heavenly ride, Stefan
When do you want to get married?
Tomorrow
What's the date?
March 9th
The 9th day of the 3rd month
of the year
A moment I'll never forget
I'll marry you the 3rd day
of the 9th month of the year
If you still want me
You may hate me by then
I'll always want you
What was he saying to her?
I couldn't hear
Anyone there?
Ship ahoy!
Officer of the watch...
where are you?
Is no one on board?
I breathed hard
to attract her attention...
I even blew in her hair
Do you think we're going to... die?
You said you weren't afraid
This moment is so beautiful,
I want to prolong it
I want a year... a month...
a few more days
Pandora...
It's as if we were enchanted...
outside of time, for all eternity
Eternity...
My love...
A violent storm blew up...
not unusual in that region
No one doubted that the boat had sunk
A regrettable accident
People said:
"On the eve of her wedding..."
I'll never know
why I left before the end
The girls?
I left them at the exit
How were they? I didn't see
Old hags
Yours was okay
Not in the light
I had often seen him going to work
Why not come to the cafe?
I don't know
They treat us right
and they have good pinball
Been to the movies?
Yes, the Alhambra
What's playing?
Pandora
I saw it, it's an oldie
Did you see a movie too?
Nothing appealed to me
I felt like relaxing at a gory
thriller with plenty of action
Coming?
Time for my quick-change act
I'll be back as a motorcycle dude
Who's he?
Louis. He sells fuel... a wheeler-dealer
He's old
He's okay.
He talks to us, no hangups
Don Juan, the heart-breaker
Your woman's prowled by
at least 10 times
Let her, I'm fed up with her
Watch out, she looks ready to kill
There she is
Now he's in for it
You used to date her,
I saw you
For two years... I met her parents
You broke it off?
Two years with no action...
Sunday promenades with her mother
You used to kiss at the movies
With her mother right behind us
I couldn't even feel her tits
Now she's changed her tactics,
but not her objective
How's that?
She wants to get married...
they all want to get married
Women are all the same
They won't sleep with you before.
She'll find someone
She can marry Longa
We've found you a bride!
Buy a round, Longa?
Finished?
No, as you can see
See you later?
Yes
He was the only student
among the cafe regulars
I wanted to talk to him
You in school?
Passed your finals?
Not yet
When you get your degree,
what then?
A high-school degree isn't much...
you can go on
More school?
University... the "big-leauge" schools
What are they?
They're the best... not everyone gets in
You have to be a top student?
You have to have pull strings, too
If I worked seriously
and regularly at home...
with the right books,
could I apply?
Now law against it
But is it really possible?
Possible, but difficult
Some subjects
you can only learn in class
Foreign languages are hard, too
Yes, languages
Still, it should be possible
I read a book...
about this guy's high school years
He said his French professor
really made him sick
When he lectured about passion
in the works of...
Racine and Corneille...
he said the same things
year after year
Finally the words had no sense,
no heart
That professor had no business
talking about passion
He knew the plays inside-out,
but he'd never lived them
Whereas the student...
felt he would live those passions,
later on.
Any opinion?
That you run off at the mouth
Coming to the cafe?
Want to go to the sea?
The sea... how far?
10 miles... Sundays there's a dance
Count me out
You'd rather see a movie
You rather play by yourself
Don't smoke when you play pinball
Ruins your concentration
Another Peppermint Jet
Mind if I join you?
Got a job?
I work for a mechanic
You're into machinery, are you?
Not at all
So the pay's good?
No
It's not a bad line of work
The mark-up on spare parts,
inflated invoices...
Also the tips, but forget that
Penny-ante stuff
It doesn't matter what you work at
The main thing is to
have money behind you
Then you do like me:
2 or 3 Peppermint Jets...
every day of your life,
if you feel like it
If I don't have
a few thousand francs in my pocket...
I feel poor and I get uptight
That much? Let's see
Don't believe me? Look
Want to touch it?
See my lighter?
When I give a woman a light,
I have to get real close
If she asks me again,
it's in the bag, she's hooked
Stick with your mechanics,
you'll do fine
I've worn white shirts
since my First Communion
With my motorbike...
whenever it's o the fritz,
there goes my shirt
Caught in the gears every time
Another shirt down the drain
Now when it breaks down,
I don't touch it
It take it to be fixed.
In 10 years...
more guys will wear white shirts
Boys like you will clean up
Know her?
How about you?
Not interested?
Did you know he had all that money?
Yes, you saw it
Where does he get it?
I told you, from deals
So it's true
Catching a movie?
No
Got any plans?
I'm staying here
I'm going
Where? I might change my mind
I don't know
It's the choir from Sainte-Marie
Had the old lady seen anything?
She ran off as if she'd met the Devil
Henri's closing up shop
for the summmer
You'll have that vacation
you're so set on
You always get your own way
Nothing else counts
A bit much, don't you think?
I ordered them like this
Your cigarette!
Shit, shit, shit!
Have it rewoven... it's expensive
How much?
A fortune, but they'll be like new
Come to Sainte-Marie?
There's a dance. There'll be girls
Where'd you say?
Sainte-Marie
Just a minute
I'll be back
May I go with some friends
to a village?
It is far?
A few miles.
Can I take Jose's bike?
Be careful with it.
No passangers... and be back by 8.
What if the others want to stay late?
They can do as they like.
You be here at 8.
I will
We'll have to go
get the boat ourselves
Let's not all go in.
Beer and lemon soda...
Okay
We'll split the cost
I have no money
You're not getting any
We'll take the Salinas road
Leave them... follow the girls
With them around, we'll
never score. Go casually
I'm dying of thirst
If we wait, we're screwed
They said the Salinas road
Sure... to signal us
They never looked at us
It's a come-on, believe me
It was deliberate?
Girls are like that...
ask them and they say no
Start the action
and they say nothing... or yes
I was afraid. I stalled for time
You taking the short one?
The tall one...
but shorty has fabulous eyes
Yes, I saw them
Sainte-Marie reminded me of the
girl I'd caressed at the fair
The girl ahead of us...
had been singing in the choir
What do we say to them?
Talk about the weather...
try to make them laugh
Let's go, before the others get here
Isn't it fairer to wait for them?
All's fair in love and business
Think they'd wait for us?
I'll move in after you
Move in now or you'll lose the game
You taking the Salinas road?
How did you know?
When you went by, I thought...
"I bet they'll take the Salinas road"
You left your friends?
What friends?
The boys with you
They're boring
Take it from me, don't trust them.
If you see them coming, hide
Maybe we shouldn't trust you
As you like, but don't say
we didn't warn you
Ask your friend
She's my sister
Sister?
You do look alike,
I hadn't noticed
The hole in your pants is
in the wrong place!
It's a nice day
I didn't know what to answer
Yes
Don't you talk?
I have nothing to say
Are you too stupid to make conversation?
Maybe...
but you go ahead and talk
I'll find an answer
if it's not about the weather
The boys talk, as a rule
Maybe it's a bad rule
Here they come
Your friends?
I felt relieved
I'd wanted them to come,
then I hadn't... now I didn't know
Marius gets to Saint Peter
Peter says:
"You record's not that great..."
"but I'll let you into Heaven"
They go down a corridor
Marius looks in all these rooms...
with gorgeous naked women
and bottles of champagne
He says...
"Is this Heaven"?
Peter: "No, that's Hell"
Marius: "That's for me!"
Peter: "I don't advise it..."
"because..."
His story seemed to be working
So that's the trick
"...the bottles have holes
in their bottoms and the women don't!"
It was too late. I'd lost the game
Beat it, okay?
Done whispering?
I fast-talked her!
When I went up to her,
I had no idea what I'd say
I closed my eyes
to shut out the others
I wished I could close my ears
I wanted to look at her,
but she kissed me
What's your name?
Francoise, and yours?
Me?...Daniel
Want to see me again?
Yes
Ever go to town?
On market days, with my mother
Never alone?
No
How can we do it?
Come back here next Sunday
Sunday I'd be gone
on my long-awaited vacation
But I had no illusions
The others would be back
You'll come?
Yes
What are you after?
I knew what was on her mind
But my gesture had been innocent
Had she already slept with a boy?
No
Don't want to?
No
Why not?
We shouldn't
Yes, we should
No, we have to go out together first...
get engaged to be married... And then...
It seemed to me I'd heard it all...
that I knew the whole thing by heart
Understand?
Yes
Lie down
What for?
No reason... so I can look at you
How long were we there?
Two hours?...More?
I made this dress...
the hem's only basted
Wait for us!
We can't go back together,
we'll be seen
I'll go with my sister,
you wait here
We'll be at the dance tonight,
but so will our parents
Come have your snack
That's all you have to tell me?
Tell you?...What do you mean?
Here are you friends...
Hello
You've grown...
Did you go on with school?
No, I'm working as a maechanic
Let's go to the forest
I was stronger than you!
I let you win
I knew you'd sulk otherwise
The man came, that saved you
Is that so?
No
Don't
Well? What're you going to do?