Original subtitles

THE CHILDREN A film by Marguerite Duras

Do you want to tell me something, Ernesto?

No.

Yes.

I wanted to say something too. You see?

Yes.

Sometimes we have things to say.

That's true!

Other times we don't have anything to say.

That's true too.

Perhaps you can't tell me what you want to say.

That's it... I can't tell you.

Why not?

It would upset you, so I can't.

Why would it upset me?

Because!

And besides... you wouldn't understand what I'd say!

Since you wouldn't understand, it's not worth saying.

But it wouldn't upset me if I didn't understand it.

What are you on about, Vladimir?

It's not what I'd say that would upset you.

You'd be upset... because you wouldn't understand.

You're my... which one?

Your seventh!

I'm offended, mama! Every day you ask me that!

Get it into your head...

I'm the seventh! 5 + 2.

It's like that name you call me, Vladimir!

Where did you get that?

Starring Axel Bougousslavski as Ernesto

So, are you peeling the potatoes?

You're not peeling the potatoes!

Ernesto doesn't want to go back to school.

One time was enough.

My God!

Well, here we go again!

Mind you... I understand my son.

I understand him well.

- You do? - Yes.

But what I don't understand is... why did he come out and say it?

He didn't have to say anything.

He could have simply not gone to school.

Why did he announce it?

Well, why not? There's nothing wrong with that.

No.

Come here!

Sit down.

So, tell me... How did he say it?

He said...

I don't want to go back to school...

because...

Because why?

Because at school, they teach me things that I know.

My God!

It can't be that! You misunderstood.

That's crazy!

- Why is it crazy? - Because he doesn't know anything!

He wouldn't complain about learning because he doesn't know anything.

That's not Ernesto!

Then it must be the opposite.

- Yes, it's the opposite. - The opposite of what?

He said...

I'll never go back to school because...

they teach me things that I don't know.

- Oh, good! - Yes, that's it.

That's better!

That's more like my Ernesto!

Really, Emilio?

You've never shown much affinity for Ernesto.

Sure I have!

He doesn't know it, but...

So that's what your boy was covering up.

Being so different from the others,

a big effort was needed to move forward.

So different from the others?

You're exaggerating.

He's just like the others, up to a certain degree.

You don't understand.

Maybe he eats less than the others. Is that it?

Or his size then?

No, not that.

What can it be if it's not his size?

Have you seen your son? He's huge and only 7 years old!

Who would believe it!

He even looks like he could be a Bishop!

You didn't notice anything else?

Ah... Yes!

He's very quiet... Ernesto. He's been quiet for 7 years.

I waited the whole morning.

Then I waited some more.

Then I stood up.

Then I left the classroom.

And then I left the school.

And it was then...

that I found myself outside.

I was gripped with fear.

I sat down... under the trees,

and I waited... a long or a short moment.

I think I fell asleep.

I figured out something, but it's hard for me to say it.

I'm still too little to say it properly.

All of the sudden...

I had before me... the creation of the universe.

Ernesto, isn't that a bit too complicated for you?

- What were you saying? - I was saying...

Not too much!

Listen!

It must have been made all at once.

All at once!

The night, the morning...

It was made. Everything was in place.

All the forests, the mountains...

The bunny rabbits...

Everything!

In one single night!

It was created by itself.

Everything was in place.

Everything was exact... except for one thing.

How would you know if something was missing?

It's almost impossible to know it, but we should be able to.

- I bet the wind was missing. - No, it was already there!

That's easy.

What was missing, Ernesto?

Everything was accounted for. Everything was there...

And it wasn't worth it!

Not at all.

Not at all.

Were all the little things there too?

Yes, the very little things.

Little particles...

Small invisible things of all different sorts.

They were all accounted for.

There was not one small pebble,

not one child that was missing.

And it wasn't worth it.

Not one leaf was missing.

And it wasn't worth it.

It wasn't worth it?

Not worth it!

Like the continents...

the oceans, the elephants...

Not worth it!

And music?

Not worth it!

Why was it not worth it?

I don't get it.

Why would it have been worth it? For whom?... For what?

So, it wasn't worth it for the rest!

- Who thought it wasn't worth it? - Nobody.

- That's not right! - Don't start Natasha!

School and the universe are related.

- Closely. - Very closely.

But still, Ernesto...

Ernesto, your father is right.

The teacher still has to go.

Dear parents...

That expression sounds strange, Dear parents, Dear children...

It does in this house.

I think so too.

But I don't want to go to prison... I don't.

Do I have to tell you again? It's a crime not to go to school.

First, the parents go to prison.

Then the child goes to prison too.

They all end up in prison.

In times of war, they'd be executed!

And the word is getting out. Your phrase is spreading around.

Everyone is laughing at us; it's embarrassing.

Well, I'm going to look for my brothers and sisters at the bookstore.

They're reading books about the destruction of the planet.

Gosh!

Yes, explosions, bombardments, etc.

Gosh!

We're well educated, so we read books.

The latest book was Tintin at the Bookstore.

Tintin was reading in it.

Guess where... At the bookstore!

Oh, yes... of course!

In any case, we'll have to tell your teacher.

Stop your excuses like the flu, chicken pox, etc.

He must be told of our son Ernesto's decision...

to never return to school again!

Yes, play hardball with him. That's what he deserves!

Not necessarily.

He might understand Ernesto's decision.

They always nag us to send him to school.

We'll just nag them back! It's only fair!

We came to let you know that our son Ernesto...

He doesn't want to return to school.

As we know that we're required to put him in school...

And because we don't want to go to prison...

we've come to serve notice.

I mean, to tell you.

He means to inform you... to let you know.

Sir, why exactly have you come to see me?

Well, it's what I was saying.

Your son Ernesto doesn't want to return to school?

Yes, that's it!

Sir, none of the 483 children here want to go to school.

Are you serious?

Do you know one child who wants to go to school?

We force them; We make them go.

Understand?

Yes, but we don't force children to do things.

It's against our principles, sir.

Sorry!

Besides, sir...

No one can force this child to go to school.

I don't know about the others, but not this one!

Why can't we force a child to go to school?

Don't waste my time!

I've gone crazy... I'm too confrontational.

So, what were you saying?

We can't force them?

Well, it's because...

He's an exception.

He's very, very tall.

He's very big.

He's 7 years old, but he looks 40.

So you see?

We can't take him out of the house.

It's physically impossible.

Besides that, how are you?

- We're fine. - And you?

Could be better.

Well, in that case, it's quite simple.

We'll build a school around him. He'll be forced to stay!

But it's not only that about him being big.

It's the reasons he gives. They're incredible!

Let's try to get more to the point.

There's 56 people waiting outside.

- Oh, my gosh! - That's a lot of people!

First of all,

did your son, Ernesto, say why he doesn't want to go back to school?

That's what I was trying to tell you.

That's where it gets complicated.

He said... get this...

Because at school they teach me things that I don't know.

That's strange!

It sure is.

What is he like?

We told you, he's huge.

A child, but huge!

Understand?

Brown hair, 7 years old, wears glasses.

I see.

No, sir, you don't see.

You don't get it at all, sir.

Ernesto isn't understood; People don't get him.

There's something deep inside of Ernesto.

On the outside, it doesn't matter.

He looks big on the outside.

But there's something locked deep inside of him.

You'll find it, sir.

When you see him laugh, you'll be sure.

When you find it,

you'll see that your little charade isn't worth doing!

I shouldn't talk about it because it makes me want to cry...

because of the boy.

Besides that... does he cause you problems?

No.

And his diet... Does he overeat?

He eats well.

Could you bring in Ernesto?

What for?

To reason with him.

To get back to basics and talk with him.

Solve the crisis; change his mind.

Don't torment him though.

Because if you go too far...

You better watch out. He's very strong!

Where do you come from exactly?

Italy... the Po Valley.

Yes, but that goes back generations.

I'm Russian... from The Caucasus.

And you?

The Seine-Maritime... The Pays de Caux.

Near the Buttonhole of Bray.

Please come in!

Take a seat!

Please sit down.

So you're Ernesto?

Exactly... yes, sir.

So you are.

I don't recognize you.

I recognize you, sir.

See how he is!

So, you don't want to be taught?

No, I don't want to go to school!

Why?

Let's just say... it's not worth it.

Why not?

Because children at school are abandoned.

The mother puts her kids in school...

for them to learn that they're abandoned.

That way, she gets rid of them for the rest of her life.

Didn't you need to go to school to learn that?

I did, in fact! That's where I learned it.

At home, I used to believe in the litanies of my silly mother.

At school, I found myself faced with the truth.

Meaning?

The inexistence of God.

It's a crazy world, Ernesto.

Yes, you knew that?

It is completely!

Let's leave that for next time.

In other words, it wasn't worth it.

Going to school isn't worth it either?

No, it's not worth suffering.

How does one learn then?

You learn when you want to learn!

And if you don't want to?

If you don't want to learn, it's not worth learning.

How do you know, Ernesto, of the inexistence of God?

I don't know.

I don't know how I know.

How does one learn, your way?

By having no other way to do it.

How does it work?

It seems I figured it out once.

What do you mean by, "I figured it out"?

How should I know?

You don't know either!

This boy! What is he talking about?

I wonder myself.

Otherwise, how are you?

I'm okay.

- And your sister? - She's okay.

- Would you like some gum? - Thank you.

A cretin... That's how you'll end up, dear.

No, mother, I won't end up a cretin. Don't worry!

Don't always worry about us like that!

- But it's sad. - No, just think positively!

It's wrong to live like you do. Why do I have a wife like that?

Really, Enrico?

Sure!

Strange!

But what's going to happen to us about this?

We've got seven of them, and I'm fed up!

A peculiar case!

It sure is.

So this child doesn't want to learn what he already knows.

Right!

No, sir, he never said that!

He wants to learn everything, except for what he doesn't know.

I must go now.

My brothers and sisters are around somewhere.

I must go find them!

Goodbye, sir.

Goodbye, Mr. Ernesto.

An unexpected case!

It sure is!

So what are we going to do about it?

- We'll figure something out, Enrico. - That's right, you will.

- May I ask you something, sir? - Go ahead.

Is it true that some day the boy will learn to read?

Behave, eat and drink like the others?

Work, fall in love... forget, and all the rest?

Yes, madame.

Yes.

Do you need us for anything else?

No.

There's nothing we can do.

We can't do anything about the children.

They do what they want.

So don't bring us down for that. It doesn't help!

- Did Ernesto quit school? - Yes, he's finished.

He's not going back. He went once... now it's over.

It's a crime not to go to school.

No, that's not true.

Seriously, half the world would be in prison!

I wanted to tell you, Papa... I'm not going back to school either.

I suspected that.

I miss Ernesto so much.

You do miss him once you get to know him.

I'd rather stay with him.

Which one are you?

I'm Jeanne.

Ah, right!

Our fourth!

Your sixth! I'm 7 years old, like Ernesto.

Look, there he goes... our famous brother.

How did you get out of school?

Well, I got up... then I walked out of class.

Then I walked out of school.

- Just like that? - Yeah!

Then I saw the principal in the courtyard.

I thanked her for the lunch, and told her it was very good.

But she didn't say a word.

Do you think the others will quit school too?

I don't know.

Where's mother?

I don't know.

Your teacher was here. He wants to talk to you, Ernesto.

He says it doesn't make sense what you're planning.

I'm not planning anything.

What am I planning?

You got a bit angry today, didn't you, Vladimir?

A little bit.

Because of God again?

Again.

Your teacher said...

if all the kids left school, he wouldn't have a job.

Not all the kids have left school.

The only one who has left school is me.

You're a bit angry with me too, aren't you, Vladimir?

Yes, that too.

However...

It's not because of you that I said that.

You...

You can bug me as much as you want,

be as silly as you want,

there's no reason why I said that.

Why do you love me like that, Ernesto?

It's irritating.

Because...

I know you... so well.

I can't compare anything to you.

I'm not perfect, Ernesto. Don't kid yourself!

I know that too.

- You're mean too! - I know.

Let me tell you something.

I've never been bothered with moral values.

Did you know that?

What I'd like to have... are material things.

A new bicycle?

Right, a new bicycle... more than that.

A new refrigerator... central heating.

Money!

But I don't have anything.

In all my life, you're the only good thing I've had, Vladimir.

Only my son, Vladimir!

Before...

I used to think...

that when I'd grow up...

I'd find those material things, for you.

I don't think about that anymore.

A parent is always older than his child.

Life doesn't mean much to me.

It never has.

Did you know that too, Ernesto?

I always knew something like that... yes.

I'm sorry, mother.

When a child is able to give something back,

the parents are too old.

They don't care anymore.

Which means...

there will always be a generation gap.

I wanted to tell you, mother...

I grew up fast,

on purpose, for that reason.

To make up the difference between you and me.

But, it's of no use.

It's true that you're huge.

If I wanted...

I could pass for a 40 year old philosophy professor.

I could make my living doing that, if I wanted.

And so...

you shouldn't be afraid of needing things.

By the way...

Where are your brothers and sisters?

They don't have school today. They went to the circus.

Why didn't you go too?

You know that I've never really liked the circus.

Yes, that's true.

When the lions appeared, you would fall asleep.

So what are you doing now?

Chemistry.

Do you understand it?

You get to understand it.

First, just a little bit...

then more, and finally... all of it.

It's slow at first, but then...

one day you understand it all.

Just like that!

It's amazing!

How long has it been since you stopped going to school?

It's been five months, five months exactly.

You know what I do? I hang out by the schools,

and I listen to what they talk about.

Then afterwards, I know it.

That's all?

There's fresh air, and it goes much faster.

You can do all the grades at once.

It's easy!

You went through all the grades of school...

in five months, Ernesto?

Yes, mother, now I just need to hang out by the universities.

Let me look at you, Ernesto.

Stop thinking about Vladimir. Let it go, mother!

Mother, I have to go find my brothers and sisters.

I'll bring them back if I can.

They're hard to gather up.

They slip through your fingers, just like little fish.

Apparently, Ernesto was one of your students.

Apparently, but I have to admit I never noticed anything different.

Not that it means anything. I have 40 students.

I can't just focus on one.

What do you make of this precocity?

I'm sure it exists.

But then it disappears around 12 years of age.

I wouldn't call it precocity, I'd say, clairvoyance.

What do you think?

Like you, I'm not sure.

Transcendence, perhaps.

- Dementia... - Perhaps.

It's tearing me apart, Enrico.

Guess what he's doing now?

Chemistry... All by himself!

He knows chemistry, completely!

He understands, he listens.

I saw him behind the walls of a high school.

They were studying Ether.

[(C2H5) 20]

Enrico, I didn't want to tell you,

but now he's finished with high school.

Now it's universities.

He's going to Paris, by the universities.

How is he going to make it? He's just a little boy.

He's just a little boy.

Don't cry, Ginetta. At least, he's in good health.

I'm not crying, although I do feel choked up.

I'm all emotional.

We're not gifted with intelligence, yet we've spawned it.

It makes me think of the others. All those little children!

A whole class with no future!

I have a confession, Enrico...

When they were very young, I wanted to abandon them at times.

I never told you that.

I suspected it sometimes.

I wanted to leave you, slam the door and leave it all behind.

You've always expected too much from life, Ginetta.

You shouldn't complain so much.

That we have the children we have... That's something!

I meant that school is a bit outdated.

Sorry!

Outdated?

But what about reading and writing, Ernesto?

I already knew that before I went to school.

I didn't realize it, but I already knew how.

How did you know?

Well...

I got a book, and then I read it.

And writing?

The same way.

I grabbed a small pencil, and it just happened.

How do you explain that?

Baked potatoes... English style potatoes...

Potatoes with chives and chervil.

Minted potatoes... Creamed potatoes.

Potato salad... Cheese potatoes...

Stuffed potatoes.

Mashed potatoes... no.

Potato cakes...

Shepard's pie!

Duchess potatoes...

Potato rounds... Gnocchi...

Gratin dauphinois.

Potatoes in butter... with onions...

Roasted potatoes.

But we don't have the herbs for it.

Potato stew...

French fried potatoes... Potato chips...

Shoestring potatoes.

They need to be julienned.

Potato croquettes...

No, potatoes sautéed in onions!

Come on! Let's try something more difficult.

Roasted potatoes... I already said that.

Potato surprise!

It calls for 500g of potatoes.

Stuffed croquettes... Potatoes a la Dubourg...

No, no!

You have baby potatoes, so what should we do?

Sauté them!

Okay.

We'll have potatoes sautéed in butter...

and parsley!

Sounds good.

Yes, it's very good.

Ernesto...

You'll go to America one day... I know it.

Your teacher said so.

- To do what? - To become a teacher!

What are you learning now, Ernesto?

German philosophy.

But soon I will stop studying.

May I ask why?

Because...

It's my last day...

of learning.

There's nothing left?

No, nothing.

Nothing at all?

Actually, there is... Hegel.

The brother is him.

The soul is Hegel.

Marx... no.

Sir...

I'll be going now.

What's wrong?

Nothing is wrong. I'm a little tired, that's all.

- But you're in the dark! - No, it's okay.

Were you in Paris, Ernesto?

Yes!

What were you studying, Ernesto?

A bit of everything.

A bit of philosophy...

A bit of mathematics...

A bit of everything.

What about chemistry... Did you quit that?

No.

Chemistry is the future, isn't it?

No.

What is the future?

It's tomorrow!

Tomorrow!

What are you doing?

I love this time of day before the evening.

- You're at peace? - That's right.

I think about myself, but not in the day to day.

But in eternity.

Ernesto, I've thought a lot about what you said one time.

That it's not worth it.

That's done me a lot of good.

Desolation is softer.

And solitude too... It's more...

It's more natural, I think.

Sometimes I think I favor you over the others.

And that hurts me.

What are you talking about? You're wrong!

Yes, I know.

Because you're tired?

That's right.

I've been thinking about you leaving school.

It will haunt you.

Quitting school looks bad on your record.

- No! - Are you sure?

Sure! That's over now!

You're not even qualified to be a plumber.

Not a chance!

What are you going to do?

Nothing.

You won't stand that. No one can stand that.

Ernesto lived in real life.

He became a math teacher.

His first post was at Boston University.

After that, a bit everywhere... all around the world.

With this tranquil choice that Ernesto made,

searching for, let's say, a certain indifference,

it seems that for him, life finally became tolerable.

Shortly after his departure, Ernesto's younger sister would die.

A death that he had undoubtedly promised to her,

and which he had decided to abandon.

Probably because of this grief, he never returned to France.

Are you Ernesto's sister?

I'm the journalist you were expecting.

Yes.

Your brother's crisis, couldn't it be...

some kind of revolt... a discovery of...

injustice?

- Chewing gum? - Thank you.

A social inequality?

You know, he never talks about society,

nor about social injustice.

But you can look at your position in life...

and complain about society. Doesn't that ring a bell?

We can't give you the answer. You have to find it yourself.

That's impressive! How old are you?

Seven.

- Have you studied sociology? - Not really. Ernesto hasn't either.

Come on! This doesn't add up!

There's no way you're seven! Nobody in town believes it!

You're taking us for fools! Shame on you!

Sorry!

Where's your place in all of this?

- It's hard to say. - Again! What is it this time?

It's hard.

Did you quit school too?

Yeah, but I stayed longer than Ernesto... 4 days.

That's not too bad.

I couldn't stand being away from Ernesto.

We were studying Paul.

- Do you know it? - No.

Papa Punished Paul... Do you know it?

Listen, I have a job to do. Just give me anything I can use.

Why not Papa Punished Paul? I know the real version.

Papa Punished Paul. Why did he punish Paul?

Wait! Not so fast!

Okay, Papa...?

Papa punished Paul.

But why did he punish Paul?

Wait! Papa punished Paul...

But why did he punish Paul?

Papa never punished Paul.

He had Paul punished so we could say Papa never punished Paul.

Papa punished Paul,

but he never punished Paul... Never, never, ever.

I forget the rest.

Did your 5 brothers and sisters quit school too?

I believed, at a given moment,

that it was in Chemistry where we would find the flaw.

Then afterwards, I believed...

that it would be in Philosophy.

No, it was afterwards...

when I read that book...

about the King of the Jews and chasing the wind.

Are you scared, Ernesto?

Yes.

God doesn't exist.

We don't know.

No.

We can't know.

No.

We say it, but we don't know.

To what degree we don't know...

To what degree he doesn't exist...

We don't know.

As if he did exist.

What did you say?

You said, "As if he did exist."

We're going to die, Ernesto.

No.

Didn't you know?

Sing to me, Ernesto.

Your stories of anguish and fear...

It's old, Ernesto... as old as the world.

No.

Did you have high expectations from your studies, Ernesto?

Very high expectations.

- Don't you still have them? - No, not anymore.

I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Father's profession?

Invalidity.

In what regard?

Because of his head.

Mother's profession?

I don't do anything.

Where do you get your income?

Pensions, family subsidies, benefit schemes.

- Incentive schemes? - That's right.

For what?

I have no idea.

Your son's case has intrigued all of France.

It was your son's teacher who revealed his story.

By his story, I mean his phrase. It's so unique.

Everyone is trying to understand its meaning.

That's why I've come to the source to try to unravel it.

Again?

Haven't you anything else to do?

Listen, get this in your head once and for all!

I don't understand the phrase.

But you're his parents, and you don't understand it?

- I understand it. - No, she doesn't!

Great, Madame! Thank you.

Madame, may I ask you...

When did you recognize...

that your son was different from the others?

I don't remember.

I'll have to think about it.

Did something happen? Was there some event?

Something he said as a little child?

Ah, yes!

His scissors! Remember?

Ah, yes!

One day, he comes up...

One day, he's 3 years old, he comes up, crying...

He says,"Mom, I want my scissors."

I said...

"Just think about where you left them."

He tells me, "I can't think about it."

So, then I said...

"Really now!"

"Why can't you think about it?"

So he says, "Because if I think about it,

I think I fucked them out the window."

Sorry, but if you're so dumb,

how were you able to recognize Ernesto's intelligence?

I never said I was devoid of intelligence.

You misunderstood!

Excuse me.

You're stupid, sir! That's no way to reason!

I thought you had understood what it was about.

Listen, Ernesto's phrase...

I don't understand how to explain it to you.

I understand it by being quiet.

There, I've finished!

Somebody spoke of...

the porosity of the world, in regards to your son,

that the world was porous, that knowledge came by itself,

that it was secreted by the world, and school wasn't important anymore.

- Any thoughts on that? - No.

No.

Now, that phrase...

What phrase?

What phrase?

Here we go again!

- What? - Nothing, sorry.

May I ask where I can find Ernesto?

He's out stealing potatoes.

He's gathering potatoes outside. We're not saying where!

Let him be!

He'll be back, so just wait!

Have you seen Ernesto?

Not yet, but I've heard about him.

He's huge?

Huge! No doubt about it.

My goodness! He's only seven?

- Hello. - Hello, sir.

Hello, sir.

Mr. Ernesto, I'd like to be alone with you.

I'd like to develop...

to try to see where this philosophy...

this nihilist philosophy could lead.

Not me!

I want to leave it as it is.

Did you come because of the phrase?

Yes.

But whatever you prefer. I was only saying...

Listen...

If anyone can understand it, it's them.

They understand it to a degree...

that they can't say anything about it.

But what about you, Mr. Ernesto?

Perhaps...

I understood it before.

Perhaps...

I don't understand it anymore.

Where are you in your studies, Mr. Ernesto?

My studies are over.

I'm sorry, I didn't know that.

Since last night!

- All of them? - Yes.

Mr. Ernesto, you...

Me...

Nothing.

The limits of science are being pushed back every day.

So I'm told.

No.

It's fixed.

Do you mean...

as long as man thinks about God, it will be fixed?

I think so.

Isn't there a mistake in your reasoning?

God is no longer the main problem, or the main thought.

He still is.

Isn't that the safeguard of mankind?

No.

Speak to us, Mr. Ernesto!

Speak to us!

We originally came from Italy.

- Do the other children study? - None of them do!

None of them do.

Excuse me.

We are... children, in a general sense.

Do you understand?

Yes, I understand.

It's from The Logic of Things, right?

Yes.

In my mother's family,

there were 11.

In my father's family, there were 9.

There are 7 of us.

I've told you the gist of it.

And it was all for nothing?

That's right, it wasn't worth it.

Less worth it than normal?

Let's say it was the same... It is the same.

- Where in Italy are you from? - The Po Valley.

Our family originates from the Po Valley,

but we've been here since the time of Napoleon.

Do you like potatoes?

Well, you know...

We'll have a glass of apple cider,

and then... we'll peel the potatoes.

Is that okay?

- Sure, Mr. Ernesto. - That's a very good idea!

Everyone is going to peel potatoes except mother.

If the queen would entertain us with a song,

that would be wonderful!

He says, All is white... burned.

"We are heroes. All men are heroes!"

He also says,

The king of the Jews, who spoke of chasing the wind.

He has spoken for me, and he believes it.