Un enfant dans la foule (1976) - full transcript

A CHILD IN THE CROWD

Paul, that's enough!

Stop crying, Paul.

In 1937 Paul was
seven years old.

Instead of giving it
to a regular school,

Mother preferred to choose a
Catholic seminary run by priests.

It was a boarding school
on the outskirts of Paris.

and every Sunday evening,
when parents brought him,

drama was played out.

- I'm sorry, we're late.
- Nothing, I'm taking him to the bedroom.

- Are you coming for me on Saturday?
-Oh sure. Behave yourself.



Good-bye, Dad.

- Good night, Mama.
- Pleasant dreams.

To defeat the Huns, the Romans
agreed with the Franks,

they elected Clovis King.

e...

Teacher, teacher, teacher...

Quietly, keep silence.

In the year 1480

Clovis

Clovis passed the rite of baptism

in Reims.

In the year 1496.

In 1496

soon



Gaul

Gaul

completely became

completely became

one

No no!

The only

the only

the Christian kingdom

the Christian kingdom

Perra, if you do not learn a lesson,
you'll stay here on the weekend.

You want to be home
on Sunday, right?

Yes teacher.

Then deserve this with hard work.

You can collect things.

No noise!

Those who got food can start

The rest are built in two rows

Thank you teacher.

Thank you teacher.

Thank you teacher.

Thank you teacher.

Open the door and go out.

Well.

Now the correct length.

Turn around.

Have you already completed
your homework on Monday?

Yes mama.

- Did you learn the lessons?
- Yes Yes.

Very good

Is it too tight in the chest?

No. Can we get to mass
tomorrow in Metz?

We will see.

Did you behave yourself?

Yes mama.

Go take off your coat.

How do you? I'm not staying.

Guy arranged for me
to meet with his boss

He believes that I could
conduct their accounting.

- Then you will not stay with us?
- No no. I am now with him.

Okay.

What are you doing?

I place my soldiers.

Do not touch my things.

Mama, mama. Go quickly here!

I do not care. You are to blame.

Not true, I just put them aside.

What's happening?

Mama, he confused all my books.

Paul, do not bother your sister.

She needs to put her
books somewhere.

And what about me?

And you will manage.

So there is no place
for me at all?

Do not snap.

Go to the table - everything is ready.

Something to put, Mama?

No thanks.

Mama, can I go to
Jacqueline by bike?

As you want. And what about your brother?

I would like to stay
at home with you. Can?

No, go with your sister.

I need to talk to my grandmother.

I would like to stay with you.

Paul, be a good boy,
listen to your mother.

Grandma, are you still going
to be here when we get back?

Yes, yes, I'll see you again, children.

While mama. While mama.

Go back to six. Dad should take
Paul to school before dinner.

All right, Mama.

Why are you always alone?

I miss the house.

And why are you homesick?

I miss my mama.

Do not you go home on Saturday?
- I'll go.

Well and good.
Come, let's play together.

As you want.

To be built!

Build!

Distance!

Head!

Shoulders!

More dense!

Forward!

Paul remained at the boarding
school until the war was declared.

His parents divorced.

As soon as his father left,

mother decided to take Paul to her.

They moved to St. Denis, closer
to the house of my grandmother.

He began to go to a regular school.

Mama, wake up. Faster.

Paul, get up.

Faster, Mama.

Come on, quickly!

Fast!

Paul, get up. Get down to us.

Beer, you understand? Three.

One two Three.

Yeah I understood? Yes, I understand.

Three beers, thank you.

Hey guy!

Two for me, right?
Yes.

Two, yes?
Yes Yes.

Here. "
Thank you.

And return the bottles - for them a pledge has been left.
All right, Monsieur.

Good-bye, Monsieur.
Bye.

You want to swallow, too?
Yes.

"Please, cigarettes for the father"
Yes Yes.

Many thanks.

Do you wake up early?

Today at 5 am.

Are you for long?

I have some business to do.

Do you have enough grocery
cards for this week?

Yes thank you. As yet there is.

- Do you have new customers?
- Everything has died down now.

And how are the children? OK?

Michelle tries very hard. This month
she became the best in the class.

And Paul?

As usual, he staggers through the streets.
He's a boy.

- What are you doing here?
- I was kicked out of the class.

Again?

Monsieur Baru, I am taking Paul to my office.
- Very well, Monsieur.

Let's go to.

Mama, "couru" is written with two "r"?

I do not know, ask your sister.

"Couru" with one or two "r"?

Leave me, I'm doing Latin.

With two "r" or only one?

Of course with one.
Thank you.

Door!

You know that every Sunday I
need help during the service.

We must prepare for
the first communion.

You have to pray every day.

You have to pray all your life.

Can we make it so that our
whole life will be a prayer?

As Jesus Christ said,

"Love thy neighbour",

"Strive to do good,"

"Help the suffering."

And if people do not want?
If they behave badly with each other?

It is not always easy to understand whether
people want to do this in reality.

Sometimes we understand what they want.

But it is often obvious that they do not
realise that they are doing poorly.

And again, in the words of Jesus Christ:

Boys, forgive them, for they do
not know what they are doing.

So, dear children, my
time has come to an end.

Stand up.

Let's read the "Our Father" together.

Our Father, Thou art in heaven...

Two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight.

- Here.
- Thank you bye.

- Mademoiselle, how much does it cost?
- 1.75 francs.

- I take. Could you pack it?
- Of course.

- You are welcome.
- Thank you.

Bye.

Please excuse me.

- What do you want?
- I came to my mother.

Do not you know that you
can not come when we work?

Come on, do not stay too long.

- Good afternoon, Monsieur.
- Hello, Paul.

Hello mother.

- Take it, Mama. I brought you a gift.
- To me?

Put it on the table, I have not finished it yet.

Paul, come here.

Sit down.

Eating. They did not even touch the food.

Thank you.

- Good music.
- Yes.

My wife.

Yes.

My daughter, Christina.

Small, four years.

My son, Klaus.

He is 12 years old.

And you? How old are you?

I'm also 12.

Very good, like my son.

Please, cigarettes for the father.
Yes, yes.

Thank you.

One more?

The curfew has already begun.

The boy will not be able to return home.

Then he should stay.

He can sleep here.

You sleep here.

Curfew.

You can not go outside. Too late.

Sleep here.

Do you understand?
Yes I understand.

Goodnight, Paul.
Good night.

I'm sorry, Madam Perra.

I have already talked about
him with the class teacher,

and I have nothing left
but to exclude him.

He missed a lot of lessons
without good reason.

He sets a bad example for classmates.

What should I do?

Try to give it to the "School
of the Guardian Angel."

And they will accept it?

I do not know, but if they do, it
will be a good chance for him.

- Do you believe that?
- It is quite possible.

You see, Madame Perra.

Your son at an age when the
lack of parental authority

especially harmful.

Unfortunately, many children
have been imprisoned in Germany.

But I believe that in the case
of Father Paul, this is not so.

No, he's in Paris.

He does not see him?

He had not seen him for five years.

Does not he want to see him again?

No, he sends us
alimony, that's all.

Mama, I'm done.

Collect the newspaper from the floor and
put them in the trash in the kitchen.

- Where?
- At the end of the corridor.

- Mama, can I help you with something else?

No, I'm almost done.
You can go.

I was expelled.

I already know.

Somebody told me.

I took the bicycle from the basement.

- Do you want to see it?
- Come on.

You see, it's just under you.

Are you sure that your parents will not
say anything that you gave the bike?

No, they do not mind.

They are very generous.

Do you have where to put it?

I'll ask the gatekeeper to
leave him at the entrance.

When you pass the exams, we
could go for a walk together.

Yes, that would be great.

- Do you collect stamps?
- Yes.

When money appears, I buy albums
and sort them by country.

- And you have a pile of books.
- Yes.

My sister also has a lot.

- And you have?
- I do not have.

- You do not read?
- I'm reading. Sometimes I buy comics.

Do not read this nonsense.

Wait, I'll give you something.

Take it, "Around the world in 40 days."

When you read, I'll give you another one.

Thank you.

Pull out your hand.

I'll open it, take it off.

- Excuse me, Madam Perra, Paul is at home?
- Yes, and what's the matter?

Something happened.
I'm sorry to say this,

but he came to my store today,
and after his departure

I found that he stole
my album with stamps.

Please come in. "

Paul, did you stole the album
in Monsieur Petit's store?

I? No, I did not steal.

Criminal! He disappeared at the
same time as your departure.

- It is not true. It was not me.
- If not you, then who?

Immediately give me the album.

I already said that it was not me.

Immediately return it!

I do not have it.

Help me, Monsieur Petit, we
will take him to the police.

Let go, it hurts.

We'll find where you put
the album, bastard.

Michelin, help us.

Let go. You have no right.

It's too late to run!

Mama!

Mama, open it!

It's me.

Open up, Mama!

- Who's there?
- It's me, Paul.

- What happened?
- Mother does not want to let me.

And I do not know where I sleep.

Come on in.

Just do not make any noise.

My parents are sleeping in the next room.

- What have you done?
- I can not tell you that.

As you know.

You will have to leave early
until my parents wake up.

Good.

Undress and get into bed.

- You do not want to tell me what you've done?
- No I do not want to.

Do not worry, nothing serious.

- Have you read "Around the World in 40 Days"?
- I'm already in the middle.

Turn off the light.

Have you already started putting
the stamps on the album?

Yes, already started.

Where did you get this album?

Do not worry about that.

You stole it?

Yes.

You will have problems.

Will not be.

So that's why your mother
did not let you in?

Yes, that's why.

The State Council?
Yes, for problem children.

- Have not they closed them yet?
- Somewhat.

They still have
specialist consultants:

doctors, teachers...

They know how to handle this.

Do not rush to make a decision.

And why wait?

Already and so it took a long time.

I do not want. I'm sick of it.

There's something wrong with this guy.

He's not normal.

But I will not tell him anything.

In any case, it is difficult.

I do not want to go to school.

I'll run away from there.

Are you sure they talked about
the correctional school?

I heard it myself.

But you have to do something
very bad to get there.

And you did not do anything like that.

- My mother says that I'm not normal.
- She's out of her mind.

This is not normal.

I'm over it.

Come on, Paul.

She will definitely change her mind.

It can not be in any other way.

She only thinks how
to get rid of me.

No, my friend.

No, it can not be.

They will not send you
to correctional school.

You are a good boy.

In what happened, it's not your fault.

Paul, do not cry.

Calm down.

Everything will be fine, believe me.

Spit on everything, Paul!

Stop crying.

The fields were not sent to
the correctional school.

At the last moment his
mother changed her mind.

He often saw Jacques,
but the next day

the boy and his family left Paris.

Paul did not know why.

Now he is a member of the national group

voluntary youth,

which helps the victims of the bombing.

The Allied forces landed on the shore
and are already approaching Paris.

It's a vacation now.

A friend of the Field on the
group came to tell him,

that at 9 am it is necessary to
report to the police station.

Come on.

Why did they tell us to come?

I came on foot from the port of Orleans.

And I'm from San Den.

There is no more subway or bus.

What do we do?

We are members of a national group.

We were asked to come.

What happened?

They will explain everything to you.

Go to the extension.

- How old are you?
- Thirteen and a half.

Do your parents know
that you came here?

Yes.

Take me, I want to help.

Well, stay with them.

Do you know where the checkpoint is?
It's not far.

Ask the head of Diran.

- Good.
- All right, good luck.

Hey! Guys, beware.

Here goes the tank.

He will drive into the courtyard.

Have left.

- You are welcome.
- Thank you, lad.

- Go eat, next to the courtyard.
- Thank you.

All right, lad. Now go home.

We can not let you stay with us.

How can I do it?

And where do you live?

In San Den, it's far.

You need to leave.

It will be dangerous here.

Okay.

Hey, you. You can not wander around here.

- Where are you going?
- To your place, Monsieur.

- And where do you live?
- To San Den.

Faster, you can not stay here.

Do you hear?

Fast!

- Mama.
- What?

I was on the streets,

and all day in the basement

with resistance.

Leave me alone.
Go to bed.

- It's done.
- Very good, Mother. Simply fantastic.

If your sister found out that I
made a flag out of her shirt.

Okay, she would not complain.
She always loved holidays.

- Can I post it outside?
- Yes if you want.

Long live de Gaulle!

Long live freedom!

Long live de Gaulle!

Mama, go look.

Well, is not it great?

We did a good job.

A shame!

A prostitute!

She's the daughter of a prostitute!

On knees!

A prostitute!

On knees!

Give the address of your hairdresser!

Hey, cutie. Want a comfortable chair?

- And your friend in Berlin?
- No! He's in the morgue.

You will forever remain a whore.

Daughter of a prostitute.

We're looking for your friends.
So tell them.

Paul, do you want a cigarette?

No thanks.

My wife, Marguerite.

She's beautiful.

Yes she is very beautiful.

- Do you want to take a walk?
- Okay.

- Do you want a cud, Paul?
- Yes please.

- Here you go.
- Thank you.

Do you have cigarettes
for my father?

I put you some packs.

You will find houses.

Thank you.

- What is your name?
- Frank.

- Have you got holidays?
- Yes.

- And when do the lessons begin?
- In 15 days.

- Then a good life begins.
- Yes.

- And what do you do for days?
- I'm hanging out with my friends.

- Do you have a lot of friends?
- There is a little.

- Are you also going out with the girls?
- I do not know any of them.

- And now where are you going?
- Home.

- What's your name?
- Paul Perra.

- And how old are you?
- Thirteen and a half.

You're already a big guy.

- And where do you live?
- To San Den.

- Do you need to return right now?
- No.

You are lucky.

- And your parents do not say anything?
- No no.

- You do not abuse trust, do you?
- Not really.

- Do you like films?
- Oh sure.

- Do you want to watch a film?
- Right now?

- Yes, why not?

- You do not need to go home,
but I have nothing to do.

As you wish.

- Are we leaving at the next station?
- Good.

Did you participate in the resistance?

He helped the Jews.

On the first day of the mutiny,
I was with a national group

in the vicinity of Paris.

And what did you do there?

He loaded the machine guns.

- It's good.
- I have been in the basement all day.

- So you did a lot of things?
- Yes.

Now you must leave.
I need to change.

I have a meeting.

You would not be able to take me?
I'll wait in the bar nearby.

Will not work.
I'll be free very late.

Call when you want.

I promise, next time
we'll go to the films.

Good. I'll call you.

Come out quietly.

I would prefer that the
porter does not see you.

- Why do not you want him to see?
- Please do as I say.

- Come on. Good-bye.
- Good-bye, Monsieur.

Hey, Paul. Come here, Paul.
Come on.

Quick, Paul, faster.

Climb on my shoulders.
Let's try.

Come on. We jump once more.

We're here, Paul.

I do not think I'll
ever see you again.

"Tomorrow we are leaving"

Yes.

"Jomani".

Germany

Oh my God!

I'm tired.

I'm so tired.

War is a terrible thing.

You understand me?

Do you understand?

War

War

Yes

I would like to stay
with you in Paris.

Oh shit.

Shit.

Paul, when I return, you and I...

We're going to the pool, right? Good?

Good.

Good luck.
Good luck.

Goodbye.

And this is at a New Year's party.

In Chamonix, in the 36th year.

Do you recognise who is next to me?

Of course.

Biarritz, the summer of 1938.

Again Biarritz, at the Villa Rusenna.
Just wonderful.

- Is this François Terro?
- Yes.

1939. Two months before the war.

This is Prince Cartier.

An exceptional, unforgettable evening.

Laurent, your friend
Paul seems to be bored.

Is he always like this?

It depends.

- Not always. Is not that right, Paul?
- Yes.

He's charming.

And this is a cruise
on the Schneider yacht.

Crew of a hundred people.

Nice during the occupation
with an Italian friend.

And what a handsome
military man next to you?

Deletnan Petrits, my boyfriend.

Not bad.

And that's what you say, sweetheart.

OK! It's already nine o'clock.
I have to go.

Paul, if you want, you can stay.

No, I would like to go with you.

Stay a little, you have time.

Make Yvette the company.

She's taking you
home, is not she?

Of course.
Paul, stay awhile.

We'll have a little drink together.

Okay.

- Bye, Paul. Call me.
- Good.

Laurent, I'll lead you.

Everything will be fine, you'll see.
He's very nice.

I already understood this.
Tomorrow morning I'll call you.

Do not forget.

- Bye.
- Bye.

What would you like to drink, Paul?

Soda with lemon, if you can.

Have a drink "Chartreuse". It
contains alcohol and is very sweet.

As you say.

Sit down close to me.

What did you do to get it?

Here is another piece of soap.

Americans give it to everyone.

Mama, you like American
cigarettes, do not you?

You know that I
already smoked them.

- Now the farm is on you.
- Yes.

- Do you want to earn some money?

How?

In the shop asked to find young
people for the holidays.

For carrying goods.

Of course, when to start?

I'll ask them.
Can you get up early?

Yes.

It's good.

Mama, take it. This is the
money that I myself earned.

This is your first earnings,
are you satisfied?

Yes, but tomorrow I will not go there.

Why?

The work was only for one day.

They do not need me any more.

Here. Well, returned to the class?
Everything is fine?

Yes, Monsieur.

And what did Rene tell me, really?
That you were a prisoner in Germany.

How did you escape.

Tell him.

Yes its true. But, you see, there is
nothing extraordinary about this.

How did you manage it?

During the translation.

At night.

I with the friend have
jumped out from a train.

We walked a few days.

They were hiding.

Almost nothing to eat.

We were helped to cross
the Swiss border.

And then what happened?

We returned to France.

I was in hiding with the Francorira.
(resistance movement)

Did Renee know this?

No, we did not know anything.

Snacks are ready.

Well, boys, free up space.

Mama, a French teacher told us
to buy a grammar textbook.

How much does it cost?

Small classic, it is inexpensive.

Take the money from me in my purse.

And what is the "grammar"?

Too long to explain.

You know, I want to get a good
evaluation for the composition.

All right, daughter.

While mama. Until the evening.

Until the evening.

Gilles!

Gilles!

The quiet Ocean destroys the land
and completely covers the Earth.

What is "dry land"?

"Dry land" is continents.

This is all that forms
the ground relief.

Or, if you want,

all that has risen from the water.

Oh good.

Paul, tell me. Did you have
many friends before me?

No.

And who was the first?

Friend.

He lived next door.

He loved me very much and
gave me his bicycle.

- Do you still see him?
- No.

He was a Jew, and he was exiled.

He died there.

I often think about it.

And the guy who approached
you on the subway?

Laurent?

Yes, Laurent.

I do not see him any more.

- Why?
- He did not love me.

Gilles, will you teach
me how to tie a tie?

Yes, let's show.

You end this end over this.

Then you turn this way.

Stretching from the inside.

Like this.

You're tightening up.

Leisurely.

That's ready.

He's very good for you.
I give it to you.

Do you believe that I love you?

You're not that...
You are married and you have children.

Why do they live in
Leone, and you in Paris?

It's very difficult, Paul.

And what are your children's names?

Nicole and Bertrand.

- Where are you going?
- For the desktop, but I'll be back.

What are you doing?

I check that I have not forgotten anything.

I need to correct the documents.

Ah... All right.

Tell me, Gilles.

You said you were taking me
to the French Comedy Theatre

look "imaginary patient."

I promised, so we'll go.

But please, Paul, let
me finish the job.

I need only 5 minutes.

Do you want to read something?

Oh sure.

Take it.
These are reproductions of paintings.

Tell me what you like best.

- Will you come with me?
- Yes if you want.

- That's a failure. Well, until tomorrow.
- Till tomorrow.

Good afternoon, cure.

Good afternoon, Paul.
How are you?

You can not see in the Sunday school,

nor during the service.

Yes, I rarely go.

- Not every Sunday?
- No.

Come to my school,
talk a little.

All right, cure.

You know, many of your
friends are always coming.

They go in for sports,
organize hikes...

And now they are putting the
play along with the girls.

Come to me.

All right, cure.

Good-bye, Paul. See you soon.
Promise?

- Yes, the cure.
- Good-bye, cure.

- Michelin!
- What?

Your brother is not
accepted into a new school.

It can not be.

I do not understand why the
director did not take him.

What are we going to do?

He will have to go to work,
but he is only 14 years old.

He can only go to apprentices.

He will not be late anywhere.

If he were older, he
would go into the army.

Later they can take him.

Who will tell him that it's already enough?

Will you talk to him?

We need him to do something.
I'm ashamed of him, Mama.

A spoiled little boy.

Why can not we meet again?

I'm going back to Lyon.
For me there is a place in the new institute.

Forever?

Likely.

Will you ever return to Paris?

No I do not think so.

Clear.

Listen, Paul.

It's not true.
What I'm telling you.

I lied to you. I'm not leaving.

But we can not meet any more.

I do not like being deceived.

You're pretty reasonable
to understand.

Listen to me.

We have known each
other for some time.

It will not be so painful
if we stop everything now.

Later it will be more difficult.

I can not take this
responsibility on myself.

I can not help thinking
about yours and my age.

I love you very much, Paul,
but you can not do that.

If only I could
help you somehow.

You need to know that
someone loves you.

But we can not
continue this way.

I can not do anything
for you, Paul.

So much the worse for me.

Are you mad at me?

No.

Hello, Paul.

It's very nice that
you came to visit me.

- Hello, cure.
- Sit down.

Well, Paul, how are you doing?

I was kicked out of school.

Why? What did you do?

I had a pass.

And what did you do?

Nothing.

And why did not you
come to me earlier?

I do not know.

And what does your mother say?

That I need to look for work.

It seems reasonable to me.
You're old enough.

What would you like to do?

I do not know.

- I do not know...
You do not know anything except this.

You must be strong.
You're already a man.

You never see your father?

No.

Listen, Paul.

I promise that I will
do my best to help you.

But you also have to help me.

You must not lead a secret life.
You understand me?

Yes, I understand.

Okay.

I'll think about your problem.

But I need time to figure
out what I can do.

Come to me again at the end of the week.

Look, Paul, it's good here.

Do not be upset.

These boys you know.

Some of them are already working.

Here everyone is happy.

They know each other all their lives.

You see, they are happy.

Yes, the cure.

Come to me again on Saturday,
and think about what I said.

Bye.

Go away. You can not
be seen with me.

Why?

Since you were kicked out of school, my
parents do not want us to be friends.

Come on, leave.

Listen.

And found the papers with
the address of his father.

It's not far.

I'm going to see him.

Do not you want to come with me?

No, I just said why I can not.
Bye.

Bye.

Nerd.

Take it.

What is it?

A letter for you.

Turn off the iron.

Mama, do you want me to go to
the store before I leave?

It's too early.
The shops are still closed.

Okay... Then I'll go.

- While mama.
- Till.

You know, I'll study
cinematography.

What to do?

Children are being
recruited into the crowd.

If I take, then I will be paid.

You can try.
And what kind of film?

"Children of Raika"

When you go to bed, do not
make noise like last time.

Good.

Good-bye, Mama.