Original subtitles

Don't forget to bring back some bread.

PARIS PICK-UP [THE SERVICE ELEVATOR]

PARIS PICK-UP [THE SERVICE ELEVATOR]

PARIS PICK-UP [THE SERVICE ELEVATOR]

PARIS PICK-UP [THE SERVICE ELEVATOR]

"The widow Jeanne-Marie Herbin"

"The widow Jeanne-Marie Herbin"

"The widow Jeanne-Marie Herbin"

*- First some big news:

I won't be alone in reporting to you.

The talking doll,

This doll you all love so much, will be with us

- A night like that, He wanted to go out at 6:30.

In administration, we go out early.

Mommy, I want a hacksaw.

Mommy, I want a hacksaw.

Quiet, or I'll sock you.

looks like he's delivering papers in his tuxedo tonight.

I know a little club with some Martiniquians.

What? I got annoyed.

Some blacks, Lots of them are nice.

A vacuum cleaner is practical. I feel like taking it.

She's rather have money. Say nothing about my mother.

Ladies and gentlemen. Bonjour, madame.

This one is nice.

How much for the plane? 15 francs.

You won't embarrass yourself. oh, look

Give me a little bird. Merry Christmas.

How much?

2 francs. 2.

Have you a Christmas tree? Yes.

I'll wrap it for you. Don't bother.

That makes 17. 17.

Yes sir.

- There you are. Thank you.

Good-bye. Good-by sirs, Merry Christmas.

Sir?

- Let me have that.

Will that be all?

Yes. Alright.

2 francs, sir.

He looks like Herbin's son.

- When I was office manager,

If Parliament, following the advice of Council president,

Had ratified the brave projects of the general delegation,

In 1927 we would have had the bombings.

Mr President, it was in 1944 that we had the bomb.

Remember the sabotage. So what?

Here are

the ladies.

Around here, our pride and joy!.

He's 82. Politics keeps you young.

They're celebrating now, at 8pm.

Because everyone at that age, Goes to bed at 10pm.

And you, my sweetheart,

For dessert, Would you like a pudding?

Don't worry, the rum is from the faucet, not from Jamaica.

How about a nice pudding?

Christmas has a funny influence. It's not me?

No.

Bring her a pudding, if you would.

A coffee for me.

You mustn't cry like that. Santa Claus is coming.

Have you ever seen him?

No?

2 orchestra seats, please.

*- He killed her, commissioner. Laurent killed my daughter.

He's mad, an idiot, An immoral person!

You must arrest him.

- Calm down, madame.

- It's all clear to me.

He has not lived with us for 3 weeks.

But last night, he came to get his things.

When Danielle saw he was leaving her She tried to stop him.

Laurent will stop at nothing

to get rid of her, to get her out of his sight.

So he shot and killed her. And he ran off.

I swear to you that's how it happened.

Nice of you. I live across the bridge.

She was sleepy.

Merry Christmas!

Hey! Merry Christmas!

Yes. It's my husband's factory.

Must be warm inside.

Have a drink?

I'd like that.

Alright.

Wait a second.

I shut off the alarm. Come on.

This is really a service elevator --

Used by the factory and the apartment.

Careful, there's a step.

"A Place for Every Thing, Every Thing in its Place"

"A Place for Every Thing, Every Thing in its Place"

"A Place for Every Thing, Every Thing in its Place"

Leave her there.

I don't want her to see the Christmas tree.

I see.

Are you tired?

Sorry you had to make this trip.

Not mad at me? No.

It's an odd neighborhood. I hate coming home alone.

Really? Especially on Christmas Eve.

I'm used to it

I'll put the kid to bed. I'll just be 5 minutes.

Like a drink? Chartreuse or Cognac?

Chartreuse. Ok.

I hope you like it. Thanks.

Do you like Brazilian music?

Yes. But

The kid? It won't wake her up. She's used to it.

I listen to it all the time.

I've got no neighbors. We do as we please.

I'm glad you're here.

Ah, you waited for me.

That's nice.

Very nice.

Don't like it?

Haven't had any in a while.

I never drink it. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

I'm Marthe. Marthe Dravet.

And I'm Robert Herbin. That your husband, in the photo?

Yes.

The little one is sleeping?

Yes.

I really like this music. I play it a lot.

I don't like quiet.

Why did you stop? What?

Ah, quiet with company, That's something else.

Did you like the movie?

Didn't see much of it.

She's great and so beautiful.

Did you notice? No.

And she's talented. Well

What are you doing?

"Quiet with company."

No!

What's the problem? It's not possible.

Why? We get along. Don't you like me?

No. I do like you a lot.

Understand that...

Help me.

Let's go downstairs.

I'd like to explain my odd behavior just now.

- "Odd"?

- When a man sits next to a strange woman in the cinema,

who gives him her hand,

on the shoulder, without discouraging him,

and invites him home,

the man imagines he has made an easy conquest.

You won't believe me if I say it's the first time.

I was very unhappy.

It did me some good.

Wait.

You're a very unusual woman.

I'm always a little afraid in the courtyard at night.

The maid is with her family. For Christmas.

All these books, wonder what they're for?

"Books"?

My husband is one of the finest printers in Paris.

You're Italian? Yes. I look it?

No. You sound it.

It wasn't easy.

What? My hand, in the cinema.

I needed it. We both did.

I like your accent. You live nearby?

Yes. But I was away for a long time: 7 years

I'm going back tonight. No?

Yes. It that true?

It hasn't changed, Courbevoie. It's always been run-down.

I live on the other side of the Asni�res Bridge.

Rue Henri-Barbusse. Do you know it?

Are they expecting you for celebrations?

No.

I had lived with my mother.

She died 4 years ago, So nobody is expecting me.

Your husband is not here?

Why did you leave?

Really want to know?

I ran away with my employer's wife.

There were complications. I had to stay away.

Until tonight? Yes.

And your employer's wife? She's dead too.

What was her name?

Why do you ask?

Her name was Anna.

Talk about festivities! No fun being a fireman.

What's wrong? Can't you laugh?

Where can we have a drink? Anywhere.

What?

You can't laugh either.

My husband is cheating on me.

He's with his mistress tonight.

That's why I don't want to be alone at home.

Excuse me.

Come along.

I live here.

Shall we go up?

It's not like your place.

There's no elevator I've nothing to drink.

It's alright. I'd like to see it.

Here we are.

All these photos of you.

Robert, age 7 , Robert, age 9, looking miserable.

First long pants, first girlfriend. Oh no. A cousin.

Robert, Robert... your mother must have loved you.

I didn't know. When I left, there were not all these pictures.

Can I look?

You bedroom?

Marthe!

It's a beautiful bedroom.

Just relax.

No. Why? Be nice.

You're beautiful. No.

Be nice. No. Don't say that.

I'll tell you, We were not pretending.

You stay here. Oh no!

Wait. No. Be nice.

Did you see that? What?

Two stains. And they show. Hold on.

What is it?

Nothing. Have you some water to rinse it?

You insist? Yes. I insist.

There's electricity, But no water.

Is there a cafe nearby? I don't want to leave these.

It's no big deal. Yes.

If it was for that, you should not have asked me to come.

Sorry.

Great.

- Sir, ma'am.

Are you closed? No. What will you have?

A Chartreuse. A brandy.

The ladie's room? In back.

Thanks.

We've had a few.

Just the beginning.

I told George:

"Come whenever you want. But without your wife."

Remember that scene we had that time?

Since her last child, She has changed.

A blond kid?

Yes. But he looks like a Blanchon.

Didn't even have him in a hospital.

You should get a taxi! And have the kid in a hospital!

They eat poorly.

Brigitte, go get a bottle of Dubonnet.

- You can buy a car. - All this gossip.

- Yes. That bottle.

She's cute. Has your daughter worn glasses for long?

Go on!

If I have a baby, I'll go to the hospital.

It's like the war, All talk, no action!

Roger, have respect for my sister.

Shall we go?

Not drinking?

What do I owe you?

How much? 260.

Are you angry?

Not at all. I've had a nice evening.

Merry Christmas. Robert.

Please, come upstairs with me.

Are you kidding me?

No. Not at all.

First, you don't want to, And now you do.

What do you take me for?

I'm asking you, come up.

Christmas comes once a year. I don't want to spoil it.

Watch your step.

Oh sorry.

No, no. She's asleep. She's a heavy sleeper.

J�r�me, are you here?

J�r�me?

What are you doing? The police.

You're crazy!

Don't call them. Why?

I can't be found here!

I know what you think, But it's for your own good.

Why?

I can't be found here. I'm out of prison.

I killed my employer's wife. So what?

So I served 7 years. I got out yesterday.

I'm not allowed in this area.

They will never believe a suicide.

He is your husband?

Go away.

Go away.

- I tell you I saw you.

You all set? The phone.

I saw you. It's not l'�lys�e-Montmartre.

No booth? No.

I said I saw you.

Where'd you see me? I saw you!

I wasn't there!

I saw your motorbike outside the door. Outside whose door?

If your wife wan't there, I would have told you.

You were talking on the sidewalk.

- Let him talk! For God's sake, whose door?

- You shut up! It's Christmas!

Marthe, it's Robert.

*Yes. Did you call them?

*Leave me alone. Listen.

I forgot to tell you: Don't touch anything.

Do you hear me?

I didn't want you to think I was afraid.

I don't care! To me he was a jerk.

- I'll let you have it!

Almost midnight, and they're fighting.

Christmas Eve and they're fighting.

Christmas Eve

And they're fighting.

They're fighting.

If you're going to fight, Don't bother!

- I'm tired, mommy.

I'm tired. I want to go to bed.

Come on, come on.

No.

Come along, little girl.

Just a second.

Is there a doctor?

Have you a car? No.

I'll get mine. We'll take her to the hospital.

Alright.

The lady's missal. Thanks.

I don't want to go to the hospital.

Go away.

Go away.

Listen, Marthe I'm asking you to go away.

It's the Buick.

I'll open the door.

Does she have identification?

I don't think so. We have to know anyway.

Hey little one, what's your name?

Nicole.

- "Nicole" what?

I don't know. "I don't know"

She doesn't know her last name.

My kids at her age, they would know.

let's take her to Clichy.

There might be some place closer.

She's coming to.

You gave us a scare.

Nobody ever faints during Midnight Mass.

Don't you want to see the doctor on duty?

No. I'm alright now I just want to go home.

Then tell me where you live.

Better? Can you walk?

Wait, I'll help you.

Well, you're doing quite well.

Really better? Oh yes.

You've been very kind. Thank you.

Men are useful, especially

Will you have a drink?

Really?

I would like it.

Well if you insist You coming?

If you don't mind my asking, Is this Dravet Printers?

- You know it?

Yes. I test-drive all my cars around here.

A big business. 50 employees.

40.

"40"? Ok I see. Have you seen the...

I am madame Dravet. hello, madame.

The light-timer isn't working.

Please. Pardon me.

It's really a service elevator.

Used by the factory and the apartment.

Very practical.

Watch your step.

Wait, I'll help you.

- Listen: stay in the chair and don't move.

You know what's in the next room?

Santa Claus, delivering your presents.

Now stay here. If he sees you, he'll go away.

Alright?

How cute.

Such a nice girl.

Open the door. What a charming place.

What will you have? Cognac, Chartreuse?

Something strong. How about cognac?

Yes.

And you? Cognac.

There. Thanks.

I am Adolphe Ferry, car dealer in Levallois.

Do you know it?

Porte de Champerret. No.

I deal in American cars.

Give me a moment? The child.

Quite a dish, eh?

Her husband isn't around?

I bet she's Italian.

They talk about French girls, But the Italians aren't bad!

2 years ago, I vacationed in Italy.

Well

Not your type?

I support the Common Market.

The Treaty of Rome, I'm for that. What do you do?

I was in Algeria.

I see, and you've come back.

She's not pregnant I suppose?

Who?

Well, fainting like that in the church...

It's not easy to ask. Of course.

A question of tact, in your line you need it

Ladies like her, I see them everyday.

American cars are quite easy to drive,

In case of an accident, somebody else takes care of it.

Nice line of work.

Don't think it's all pleasure.

Sometimes, the merchant gets taken for a ride.

They're awful. They want everything for nothing.

When I was a scrap-dealer in Aurillac

You could sell those hicks any piece of junk.

But in Paris, you can't get away with that.

Some want to know if the paint-job is original.

Outside Paris, it's easier. Quite true.

Basically.

Something wrong?

No. Nothing. It's pretty.

Ah, at Christmas, my son loved mechanical cars.

4 years ago, I gave him a nice one.

I'm divorced. That's tough on the children.

Is she asleep? No need to rock her?

I could tell, She barely stood up.

My purse. What?

I left it in the church.

Any money in it? Everything was in it.

What a drag!

We've got

to go back there.

I wouldn't want to

I'll make it easy. Nobody is expecting me.

And it was asked nicely.

It's kind.

Midnight Mass is long,

They're all leaving at once now.

Do you live nearby?

Yes. Across the bridge.

That's my route. Let's go.

I won't ask you to come along.

There. So long, Mr Herbin.

If you're in need of a car, Think American.

I'll get you a deal.

Here is my card.

Say,

Look at that.

Good night

Give me a kiss! No.

- To say goodbye,

It's better. Leave me be.

Wait.

Come up for a drink?

Good idea. We don't need champagne.

Wait, I'll close the

car door, and shut it off...

Here, the door.

There, it's closed.

What a great idea to come up for a drink,

because that champagne we just had,

it wasn't very festive.

Don't you think? If you say so.

I'll tell you, champagne's

nothing to me.

I can't believe how dark it is in there.

If Madame does not mind.

- J�r�me?

J�r�me, are you there?

- Don't touch anything!

Is it your husband?

Hello? Hello?

Damn it! Hello? Police?

There's a dead man.

Yes, dead!

Yes.

Impasse des Glycines, in Courbevoie.

Mme Marthe, Mme Marthe.

Please, what's the number here?

Yes. Thanks.

7b, impasse des Glycines, in Courbevoie.

How's that?

Yes. A suicide.

Really? Alright.

We're in luck. The had a car on the bridge. They'll be here

in a minute.

- Have a guard at the gate. - Yes, sir.

- You've got flashlights? Yes.

- Find the light-switch.

- Mme Dravet, Don't look at him like that.

Don't look at him like that.

- This way sir. This way.

Go ahead.

- He's in the living room.

- When was he found? 5 minutes ago.

- Were you with the lady? She was in bad shape.

Dupuis, help the lady.

- Mr. Ferry. Adolphe Ferry. I'm a car dealer.

- Goodbye.

Marthe!

I want to die, I want to die I want to die, I want to die.

I want to die. I want to die.

I furnished this room just like the other one.

The hardest part was to keep it from my husband.

But he was never here.

I hid the key. He never asked me for it.

Yesterday at noon, I gave him a sleeping pill.

Phenobarbital.

It can't be traced.

I watched him sleep all afternoon

He looked so innocent, like he'd done nothing wrong.

Later, I went out looking for someone.

Me?

You.

No. It wasn't by chance.

I had everything planned.

Even the movie theater?

Yes. That too.

And then And then what?

I removed the fuse from the light-timer.

So you'd not notice which floor we went to.

We came up here.

Down below, he was sleeping.

I gave you a drink.

Down below as well.

Yes.

The music covered the gun-shot.

Yes.

When I later saw the blood stains, I just lost it.

Hold on. And when you played the record?

I went to put the kid to bed.

I took the revolver and put it in J�r�me's hand.

And I pulled the trigger.

You heard nothing.

No.

You didn't notice we went up 2 floors instead of 3?

No. You were kissing me.

On purpose.

I happened upon the only man who could not help me.

So you went out looking for someone else.

I had to.

Ferry. Yes.

Why did you stay outside for so long?

Why?

So it would be hard to determine time of death.

La police arrived and found the body.

The medical examiner. Will not find a thing.

Nice work.

What will you do now?

What will you do now? How about you?

I have to burn this furniture in the factory furnace.

The police are coming back at 10 o'clock.

What's the time now?

6:30.

How are you going to burn the furniture?

I'll break it down with an axe.

Marthe. Marthe! Wake up, Marthe!

My God

Robert

You really scared me.

I fell asleep.

I'm so exhausted.

It's done. All finished.

I even burned the axe handle.

There is still the couch. What will we do?

I'm not forcing you, Robert You understand?

I didn't want you involved.

You coudn't have done it alone.

I'd have managed.

Why did you kill him?

He hurt me so much.

He hated the little girl.

I had her before we were married.

He beat her.

You've noticed how she almost never speaks?

Sorry I slept.

Alright.

Now to the couch.

I've got slipcovers.

Give me a hand. There are hooks in back.

Later, we'll push it into a corner.

Goodbye, Marthe.

Why did you do all this?

'Cause Italy's beautiful.

Hello, Herbin. You alright?

You've come back. What for?

I've done nothing.

You know a Mr. Ferry? He told me you were here.

Let's go up and have drink.

Your keys.

Hello?

*- Hello, Madame Dravet? It's Ferry.

What?

*You know, Ferry. I was with you last night.

Yes.

*The cops came looking for my auto registration?

*- Auto registration?

That is to say.... *Well?

The first time I came over with the other guy...

I slipped my wallet between the couch cushions,

While he wasn't looking.

Not very clever,

But it was a reason to see you again.

And I forgot to take it back. I couldn't have known.

I need my registration before noon.

Can you take a look? Yes.

It's a black wallet.

Hold on.

It's here. So can I stop by?

Yes. But not right now. In an hour. I was going out.

Alright then. My sincere condolences, Madame.

Thank you.

You couldn't avoid committing this idiocy.

What "idiocy"? Being helpful.

Madame Dravet's husband committed suicide.

So? There'll be an investigation.

So, you're a witness.

Since you broke parole, I've got to toss you in jail.

It's Christmas. I haven't been back since my mother's death.

It's your tough luck.

When you're guilty, Don't pretend you're innocent.

Let's see your papers.

Your name's Ferry now?

What?

Adolphe Ferry, born 26 april 1919, in Perreux. That's you?

I've never seen that. I didn't take it!

I'll tell you why you wouldn't have taken it.

Know what Ferry told us? His wallet,

He stashed it in the couch, So he'd have to go back there.

And now you've got it.

It's not true! Shut up!

You came back to the apartment.

No. Oh yes.

Oh yes. No.

You went back. The situation was irresistable, an empty apartment.

But it wasn't empty. Mr. Dravet came home. He surprised you.

And you killed him. Not me.

You put the revolver in his hand. Not me! No!

- Robert. Robert.

The wallet.

Robert?

In the couch, it was there.

A wallet.

Come in, Madame Dravet.

As I undertand it, you have a lot of explaining to do.

English translation by mackjay