Zero for Conduct (1933) - full transcript

After the holidays, Caussat and Bruel are going back to the boarding school, where their life is sad, dull, as all prisoner's ones. But there is plot setting up for a revolt...

ZERO FOR CONDUCT

LITTLE DEVILS AT SCHOOL

VACATION IS OVER.
IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL.

He's dead!

Let's get out of here!

Look. It's Old Tightass.

No fun this year either!
- Don't think so?

Colin, we had a dead guy
with us on the train!

- He's sulking.
- Leave him alone.

Vacation's over, Caussat.

This way.



Let's go!

I'm sorry, sir. Ren? Tabard
will be back tomorrow.

He's feeling sad tonight.

A dead man, I tell you.

Prove it.

He's right over there.

I'm the new monitor.

Huguet.

Silence! Double file!

Ren? Tabard: absent.
Staying with his parents tonight.

He'll return
with the day students tomorrow.

Good night, Housemaster.

Dupont, to the foot of my bed!

Who's there?



- Caussat, sir.
- Bruel, sir.

Colin, sir.

Where's Dupont?

I didn't call you three,

but now you'll stay there until 11:00!

- My stomach hurts, sir.
- May he go, sir?

Sir, his stomach hurts.

My stomach hurts!

Sir, may he go?
His stomach hurts.

Hey, can he go or not?

Go on.
Don't worry about the old fool.

Caussat, Bruel, and Colin,
are you there?

Go back to bed.

Look out!

Right! Left!

- Where's he going?
- Get back in bed!

Shut up or he'll drop dead!

Shut up!

Everybody up! Quickly now!

On your feet!

Are you deaf?

You there,
what are you waiting for?

Get up!

Stop bothering me!
Leave me alone!

Bruel, Caussat, Colin...
zero for conduct, detention on Sunday.

Damn it!

Darn it!

Come on, Bruel.
You're always behind.

Hurry up back there!

You want a zero for conduct too?

Let's go!

THE CHILDREN'S PLOT

Here's the plan, boys.

The plot's ready.
We're suffocating in here.

We get detention every Sunday.
We've gotta get out.

Here's the attic
and the ammunition.

Rougette found the food.

He's a snitch.

We'll beat him up.

What's Tabard looking at?

- Watch out... a monitor!
- Huguet's a good guy.

Watch out!

On the big day, we hoist the flag.

- What about ammo?
- Here comes Beanpole!

Bastards!

Take your seats.
Hurry up now.

Colin!
My chocolate's gone!

He went through our things.

Again?
Give me your glue pot.

- I don't have one.
- Give me yours.

Your glue pot.

That's it. Easy now.

Watch this.

Bring me the paper from the drawer.

And some ink.

Put the pen in my hand.

Look how handsome Beanpole is.

Give me that.

Take your seats.

Caussat and Colin,
bring me your algebra books.

No, never mind.

Zero for conduct.
Detention Sunday.

The headmaster's coming.

The headmaster's here.

Headmaster, sir.

Off you go, gentlemen.

Please come to my office,
Housemaster.

Our commemoration day
is approaching,

our little celebration.

Let there be no trouble, no pranks.

By the way,
Bruel, Caussat, and Colin...

As for Mr. Huguet,
whom we thought so suitable,

what you tell me is disturbing.

To conclude, Housemaster,

you tell me Tabard and Bruel
are behaving like little children.

That won't do at all.

Do you realize the enormity
of our moral responsibility?

Mr. Huguet is back alone?

What about the boys' excursion?

This is intolerable!

There... together again.

This friendship is getting out of hand.

You were right, Housemaster.

We must keep an eye on them.

Come in. Ah, it's you.

Sit down.

My boy, I'm almost
like a father to you.

At your age,
there are things that, well...

In a word, Bruel is older than you.

There's your character,
your sensitivity.

Then there's his:

a neurotic psychopath...

and God knows what else!

Come sit beside me.

Caussat and Colin,
to the visiting room!

You want more detention?

Did you see my good Sunday bow?

I'm staying here
in the kitchen with Mother,

while you go see
your little chickadee.

SUNDAY... CAUSSAT
AT HIS GUARDIAN'S HOUSE

COLIN WITH MA BEANS, HIS MOTHER

Tabard, come here.

- Colin, give Tabard the chocolate.
- What are you doing here?

Shh. My mother.

Leave us alone!
- He's no snitch!

He's a pal. Caussat's wrong
to keep him out of the plot.

I'm telling you. I mean it.

First of all,
he's got a hiding place.

You'll see.

He'll help us.

He doesn't like monitors.
I swear!

Ah, Housemaster.

Yes, beans again.

Always beans!

I can't give the boys
beans all the time!

Beans again, Ma?

Little devil!

Quiet!

Well?

It was great today!

Down with Ma Beans!

We hate beans!

Quiet!

Tabard has a hiding place.

- What hiding place?
- I don't know.

Then stop going on about Tabard!

Bruel wants him in on the plot.

Tabard's a sissy.

He hasn't been the same
since seeing the headmaster.

He's a sissy, I tell you.
What good is he?

How very amusing!

Well, I don't care for it one bit.

My boy, aren't you
taking notes this morning?

That's better.

Very good.

Leave me alone!

My boy, I was only saying...

And I say you're full of shit!

Tabard.

My boy, the disciplinary
committee has agreed,

under pressure
from your kind-hearted teacher...

such magnanimity, Mr. Viot...

out of consideration for your family
and concern for you,

and in view of
our commemoration day tomorrow,

to excuse your behavior.

Besides, you came to me
of your own accord

to offer your apologies,

but those apologies are worthless

unless repeated before your peers.

We're waiting.

Come now.
What do you have to say?

Tell us!

I say you're full of shit!

War is declared!
Down with monitors and punishment!

Long live rebellion!

Liberty or death!
Hoist our flag on the school roof!

Stand firm with us tomorrow!

We'll bombard them
with rotten old books,

dirty tin cans, smelly boots,

and all the ammo
piled up in the attic.

We'll fight those old goats
on commemoration day!

Onward!

THE NEXT MORNING...

FATIGUE IS THE FOUR BOYS'
ACCOMPLICE

Sir, the boys have barricaded
themselves in the attic.

This is unprecedented!

Dear Lord, what a celebration!

The prefect just took his seat.

- Let's go see him.
- This is terrible!

One, two, three! Hurry!

Victory!