Original subtitles

Hello.

There's a guy out by the fig tree.

- Who? - I don't know.

Still there?

Must be an inspector. Nobody knows him.

You'd better tell your dad.

Dédé, go and tell Grandpa.

No, tell Uncle Jules first.

Take some grapes.

There's a guy by the fig tree.

- So? - Dad doesn't know him.

I'll go and see. I bet he's an inspector.

Anna, go and warn Grandpa.

Grandpa, got anything in the yard? There's a stranger hanging around.

They must've seen me this morning.

Me, I didn't see them. I fish wherever I want!

- What's it all about? - I don't know.

I don't know if it's this cabin.

But you made me wait in this heat for an hour!

This must be it.

Why are you barging in like this?

Do you know who I am?

I don't care!

Board of Health.

Put that away and get out! Should've shown it sooner!

You know I have the right to search.

Should've shown your ID and a warrant first.

- I have one. - It's too damn late!

I found you breaking in here like thieves!

Maybe you wanted to steal something!

I'm gonna kick your arses out of here!

Now he says we're thieves? What's your name?

I won't tell you! What's this tyranny?

This is my house.

- Mrs Soldino? - Yes.

- Board of Health. May we come in? - Of course.

- What do you want to see? - Oh, nothing.

Did your husband go fishing this morning?

Well, when he got up this morning

he had a pain in his hand and when he wanted...

Wanted what?

When he wanted...

Don't you see she's senile? My mother-in-law.

You're upsetting everybody!

Come on, get lost!

We're quietly eating and they show up like gangsters!

We'll see at the police station.

OK! And I'll file a complaint for illegal entry.

- No one will believe you. - They will!

I'll give you as much hell as you gave us!

Hassling us? They don't even know why!

- This'll cost you dear! - Not a chance!

- Come on, Jules. - Coming!

As soon as they leave us alone.

Looking in cabins... to find what?

You make me laugh!

You'll see!

I fooled them.

I went through the hole and got the basket from the cabin.

It's under the bed.

I'm coming!

Puss, puss, puss.

Did they come to hassle your dad?

Jules took care of them, need I say more?

The mistral's blowing again.

I heard you were here.

How are you, Louis?

Are you here for a while?

Yes.

How long?

A little while.

See you!

I meant some time ago, not yesterday.

You're sure somebody!

When I was 20, I could jump in the water and jump out dry!

Listen to him! What a guy!

I'll go and see.

He already met the Paris train yesterday.

- Who's he expecting? - His wife.

- Doesn't he know when? - He says he doesn't.

- How are you, gorgeous? - How did you know when I was coming?

- I came every morning. - For the past five days?

You're sweet.

He didn't seem like a skirt-chaser but he got himself a pretty one.

In Paris there are lots like her.

Did they recognise you?

They'd forgotten me a bit after 12 years, but once they saw me...

Do you recognise me?

I know you by heart.

My face hasn't changed, has it?

See? This is La Pointe-Courte.

You've talked about it so often.

There's the house where I was born.

- That one? - Yes.

There's the boatyard.

I've wanted to come back for a long time.

Why didn't you come back sooner without me?

With or without you...

It was the same to you.

I don't mean that...

but what I've found here is for me alone.

Besides, you never wanted to come.

You always said there was nothing to see.

It's true. Look.

Me, I like to see things.

I don't.

You mean I forced you to go on our trips.

I was happy to be with you.

I'm glad you're here, but...

this isn't about us.

Life's a pleasure here.

You think so?

I don't.

Let's talk about it at once!

I came to tell you we should separate.

That's all you could figure out, after five days alone?

I've been thinking about it for longer that.

So that was it.

We were meant to go on a trip, we didn't go,

something of yours always cropped up.

The holiday time went by, and since I've no imagination,

I came here, thinking you'd come a day or two later.

You arrive five days later...

and in what a state!

You're tired.

You need rest...

and some sunshine.

It's very serious. We must talk. That's why I came.

I'm sure it's very serious.

Where are you taking me?

To a house. Well, a shack.

You can see it over there.

There I shall say, "Hello, Laurent, this is my wife,

"who's come for a rest

"and to get to know the country."

Your "homecoming" number is amusing.

Luckily I'm not from here.

We'd look like we were hired by the tourist office.

Laurent!

Laurent, can we cross over?

- Swimming. - By boat?

- Use the bridge! - It's too far!

- Rowing is too hard! - It's not that hot!

- I'm fixing the bike! - Make an effort!

OK, I'm coming!

Laurent, this is my wife.

Hello, madame.

Couldn't you use the bridge?

It wasn't there before. I always used to cross this way.

Don't get used to disturbing me when I'm working.

I've got the bike, some customers and the hot sun.

The bike always needs working on.

I'm busy. I've got work to do.

You'll like this, Maxime. His wife.

She's from the north. Paris!

You'll be able to say bad things about us!

If they've just got married, they'll have time.

It's been four years.

I didn't know!

You don't look tired.

We're from good stock.

It's Maxime who's wrong.

Shut up!

Very nice!

It's brand-new. Clean.

What a treat!

And there's water...

Well, there's water when there's water.

It was connected this year at Issanka.

Then they out it off.

With any luck we'll have water next year.

See you later, folks.

How marvellous!

What a lovely room!

We'll go for walks.

What's the difference?

Is something wrong?

Do you know why?

I'm a bit scared...

of us.

We'll go slowly. We'll be careful.

Never enough.

My delicate one!

My trampler.

Come on.

Let's have lunch.

Soldino, I just came by and you weren't here.

I was having a nap.

Talk louder! I can't hear!

You're deaf? Since when?

I went deaf after the flu last winter!

At the cinema I kept asking my wife,

"What's he saying?"

I could tell the lips were moving but that's all!

- Is your son here? - Which one?

Louis!

He's in his cabin.

Louis, they're coming for the samples tomorrow.

- At last! - Who?

The advisory board.

He'll come with us in the boat

to see if we're taking the water from the bottom.

You told them why?

They can't say no. I didn't say a thing.

We'll take it to Béziers to the Michel Laboratory.

We'll say it's for the Mauguio Lagoon

to find out if it's the water that rots our nets so fast.

The Board of Health can't stop us?

No, if we pay for the analysis,

we can take it anywhere we want.

You stir things up...

but we never get anything!

You don't stir up a thing and it does no good!

The small lagoon should be authorised.

There are shellfish there. The water's clean.

It's worth it!

We can still haul in the shellfish.

OK, but we don't like working like this, as if we were poisoners.

You have your nets but we only get shellfish!

I'm going.

This morning we gave them a hard time. Tonight we'll be OK.

Unless they call the coast patrol.

I'll send my girl to the bridge.

To keep an eye out.

How about some work?

What did she say?

She said, "You can ask Dad for my hand,

"before you leave for the army...

"but be careful, he's mean!"

I said, "Do you want me to ask him?"

She said, "I'm so tired."

Tired of you?

I don't know if she's tired of me or of him.

Ask and you'll find out.

I'm going to work.

- Who's keeping watch? - Joseph's little girl is over there.

What will we do about these cats? They're everywhere.

- What? - That one's big again.

Like the Carmassi woman.

Again? Aren't seven enough for her?

- She's always ready. - Whose is it?

I don't know. Whoever wanted it.

It doesn't bother her.

If I was like her, always ready to reproduce...

I'd sit at home with a sign on my belly, "Do Not Touch".

She doesn't mind.

Stay there!

It's the coastal patrol.

A man at the train station saw them.

What a life!

Quick!

Their new boat!

A real thunderbolt!

Where were you fishing?

- Over there by Bouzigues. - It's not sorted yet?

I didn't have time. It's too far away.

Sorry, but that's not allowed.

You know it's not!

They're from over there! They're good!

You know it's forbidden to sort them on shore.

Why?

It's not allowed! You shouldn't have done it!

I'll have to report you.

Give me your full name, age and address.

Raphael Scotto.

20. Registered with the navy.

La Pointe-Courte.

Why didn't he hurry?

He's asleep.

- He could've hidden himself. - I'm telling you, he's asleep!

He's in love.

It's paid off well for him! Who's the girl?

- Anna. - He'll have a ball with her dad!

Finished.

Ready to go!

The label...

Think these six-franc labels are for nothing?

The department of health know what we do with them.

If our shellfish were really bad there'd be plenty of corpses by now.

There's something else. They're always bothering us poor guys

with "healthy" and "unhealthy"...

All that hassle!

- Shall we begin? - In a hurry?

Yes.

You don't love me anymore?

You want to leave me?

So, what's it all about?

If you want to go on living in peace, I can leave.

You only talk about happiness.

Yeah.

Being happy at all costs has got us where we are.

Meaning being happy without thinking.

Say what you're thinking.

Do we really love each other...

or do we live together out of habit?

What? The first one who's had enough should leave,

if their heart tells them so.

The heart never tells us that.

The heart never gets enough.

It's the mind that rebels...

or the body.

When I met you, there were no questions.

I went towards you.

One day I saw in the eyes of others what we call "our love".

I saw it frolic about while others coaxed it.

I saw it grow while others were jealous of it.

I began to look at it...

I too...

to watch it, to look after it,

to weave crowns for it and keep it under glass.

Too late.

It's stuffed. It's as dry as an old orange blossom.

"Our love". That's all you say.

You look at it, under glass.

Do you love me or "our love"?

Look at me, not at it.

I'm looking at you...

but not with the same eyes as before.

You looked at me with closed eyes then.

I saw no one but you.

Now you're comparing?

No, I'm not...

but I can see the others.

I imagine myself living differently, elsewhere.

Would you like that?

I don't know, but I don't like having these thoughts.

It's not serious.

No, but it seems monstrous.

I never had such thoughts before. Did you?

I've always seen the others.

But I don't want to live anywhere except with you.

We chose one another.

Chose? As if we choose what happens by accident.

We were chosen, elected, crowned.

If it's against nature, nature will get its revenge.

And it is. It's separating us.

It's separating us?

You can't say we're in love like at the beginning.

- That's normal. - Normal!

Like growing old, seeing people die in a war or in hospital.

You think that's normal?

The two of us are madly in love.

We want nothing else. We work. Time passes.

Rains, shine, we get a new cat, a new home,

new friends. We don't care.

But we change. We're not madly in love like before.

Our love's like an old beau.

Never mind "our love".

I've loved you for a long time and I'm not unhappy.

When I began to love you,

"with the wind in my sails", as you say, I thought...

"I'll make her happy."

I watched you live, talk, laugh and make noise.

I knew I'd like your noise above all others,

and the more I knew you, the more I'd love you.

We're not in love like at first. What of it?

I didn't choose love at any price. I chose you,

to love you a lot, then perhaps a bit less...

but to be with you.

- Tell me I don't know how to love. - No, you love more than I do.

You devour, with closed eyes.

You have ideas. I don't.

I don't have any ideas.

I love differently.

You can't tell me our love hasn't aged.

It's enough to cry about all day.

You can't remain bitter all your life

because we've aged together in the course of four years?

What else can we do? We've tried everything.

You cheated on me. I tried to cheat on you.

What was the point?

Since then, I love you even more.

I realise what we have together.

Well done!

I realise what we no longer have

and how heavy an affair is.

- If you were lighter... - I'd be the happiest of women!

Instead, you're the most unhappy. I've had enough.

I'm kindness itself.

Except for work, I think only of your happiness.

I'm patient and caring and you're unhappy.

And why? For nothing!

Instead of a haven for each other

it's a constant revolt.

You'd rather give me up and see me leave,

anything rather than give up your quiet little life.

Well, I'll let you work

and live in peace, but I won't sit in a corner!

I'll live without you too!

Why wait?

We work better alone, don't feel the time slip by.

Perfect! Honest at last!

Keep talking, my darling! What about me?

I don't judge you. I say what I think.

Don't you do the same?

Yes. And I judge us.

Guilty!

I judge you. You're either blind or a coward.

You didn't dare break our little habits? Break them.

You'll be at ease again.

I've decided to live alone.

Don't be a martyr!

Keep your room. The apartment's big enough.

I'll find my spot there when I get back.

That's how you react.

Calmly.

You'd let me leave.

Yes, if you don't want to stay.

If we separate, nothing else will interest me.

You had ambitions for "our love".

It's your pride talking, not your pain.

But I do feel pain.

So do I.

Not as much as I do.

There's so little difference.

I said not to shout the odds!

Daniel has a fever.

These kids get on my nerves!

- He threw up? - Yes.

- Several times? - Since yesterday.

- Why didn't you call me sooner? - Because he's never ill.

I didn't know.

Little Daniel!

What misfortune!

Have you seen Raphael?

Call him. The train's at seven o'clock.

- Come on, Raphael! - Me?

- Why do you want him? - We've come to take him to prison.

They want you in Montpellier today.

For how long?

Five days. It'll soon be over.

So you say!

Let's go, if you want to stop at your place.

Poor child! Try not to let my husband see you!

Poor Anna!

He knows,

but seeing me between you two, he'll give his daughter hell.

We'll let you leave the neighbourhood alone.

Go and change,

and meet us on the seven o'clock train

in the last car.

- You'll be responsible for this, then? - Yes, I've known him for years.

This really hurts me. It isn't our concern.

Go on and don't get us into trouble!

Dad, I've got a problem.

I took 28 kilos of cookies to the fishmonger,

and he gave me credit for 25.

If he made you lose three or four kilos,

he stole your tiredness off you!

Those fishmongers!

Makes me sick.

Go back out.

Béziers sent me a report on the samples.

It says there's bacteria.

Impossible!

I'll show you the report.

I reckon they're in cahoots with Montpellier.

You can still prepare a petition.

Six o'clock!

I have to pick up Rosette at quarter to seven.

I don't have time to get into the work,

but 20 francs is 20 francs, a half-hour's a half-hour.

Better to go there than to prison.

- I'll teach you! - I did nothing wrong!

- You're too young to be going steady. - Mum got married at 19!

What's wrong?

He got slapped because Daniel is dead.

Come with me!

I'll buy you some liquorice.

Once she comes of age, she can marry anyone she wants!

Jules, you can do as you wish. You're the father.

But I gave you my daughter when she was 19!

Madame Repeto had to help.

Madame Repeto.

She forgets everything,

but she remembers that.

You got her, didn't you?

Is this a family council?

About Anna again?

Do as you wish. She's your daughter.

But she's mine too.

I don't want her to go through what I did.

Sorry, Dad, but you were tough.

You tried to hang on to us forever.

Now it's up to her.

I'm not saying she'll get married. She's 16.

But if it's serious, let her go steady.

Then they may get married.

They're old enough to begin.

We're already halfway through this shit.

And if the bastard fools around?

He's no bastard. He's too dumb.

He let himself get caught.

Now he worries about you in prison. You'll spoil his stay.

As long as Anna's under my roof,

no one'll fool with her.

You look as happy here as if the world belonged to you.

With a woman that I'd find standing next to me.

What an encounter!

Don't talk about encounters.

The time when we didn't know one another is long past.

I know your tastes, your quirks, your mannerisms.

Your habits have become my own.

There are no more surprises.

I could live in your stead.

Yes, with my quirks and mannerisms,

but that's not living.

Knowledge is something else.

You had never come here,

and yet this is half of my life.

You have no need to think of me.

Think of nothing. Look around.

As if you'd been here for years,

like a shepherd guarding the secrets of the landscape

better than his animals.

And this one.

- Is he watching the fish? - He's waiting for them.

He's looking after them.

Go ahead!

Take it easy!

Did you spot some mullet?

Yes, some mullet. We're going to make them jump.

In Paris it seemed normal to have you as a partner.

Here I can feel the strangeness of our connection.

I wonder why I'm here in this spot where you chose to be born.

Chose?

I came here to leave you,

but there are better things to do.

I came to make noise and silence has won out.

What a rest!

It's our first holiday.

True. The other years we travelled...

it was always to places unknown to both of us.

Here you've already had dreams. Perhaps with others? With whom?

You know all about my youth.

Don't walk backwards, my little crab.

Were you happy?

Let's not discuss that.

I gave you everything to be shared, not torn apart.

I've nibbled enough on your memories.

You dirty animal!

Look.

For travel, my only ambition

is to see something like this from time to time.

Ambition? Do you know that word?

I spent my childhood in these boatyards.

A shipyard builds boats.

It repairs them. That's all.

My dad never thought of expanding.

He died young,

but he'd have aged the same way, calmly working.

In Paris, so many people want to succeed

and make a place for themselves.

I was born there...

and saw lots of bustle around me.

For a long time I thought it was useful to bustle.

You taught me to keep still.

I love this ship!

It's our home's attic.

It must have rats!

If you've learned to keep still, don't get so excited.

You'll fall. Be careful!

Here you don't like being tired.

You'll come to hate it too.

Here, when they say, "He's very tired," it means

"He's about to die."

Everything would have been easier for us

if I'd been born next door to you.

Too much!

I wouldn't have loved you

if you were like me.

The resemblance must grow little by little.

On the red boat,

Raphael Scotto from the Sporting Lance!

- Are you OK? - I'm fine.

- Having fun? - Yes.

You haven't said a word.

I'm fine.

I said, "Alexandre, if you don't want to joust, stay at home!"

On the blue boat, Albert Soldino from the Sporting Lance!

On the red boat,

August Calcazani from the Golden Shield!

Be quiet!

I am! I am!

Albert Soldino has qualified for a return match!

And now a word from the band!

Monsieur, an ice cream!

Each Sunday in summer is like this,

minus the tribune and the officials.

Is there a crowd every Sunday?

Yes, from two o'clock until seven.

Can you watch for that long?

- It's always the same, isn't it? - Maybe.

But if you knew the jousters as I do,

their passes and little tricks.

Even if you don't understand the game,

it's a sight I've always known

and it enchants me.

Albert, are you afraid of the water?

Want a flag like your jousting uncle?

They gave La Pointe a fine tournament.

Yes, but like always,

they put La Pointe over there and the tribune in the shade.

You know the officials don't like to come here.

After what they pulled on us,

they feel uneasy for refusing our petition.

I told you they'll never give in.

Samples, tests... It's not worth it.

We'll never get the small lagoon.

If we keep trying, maybe...

They want us to leave.

They want us at the big lagoon and if we won't move...

So we'll keep after them.

Each year we'll take samples till one of the officials says,

"Why keep giving them a hard time?

"Let them fish! There's so little bacteria!"

- There's no health official like that! - Who knows?

Admit that it's cheerful here.

No longer sorry you came?

I didn't know.

But I often told you all about it.

You listened to me like I was telling stories, not "my story".

It was "our love", not me that you loved.

Now I'll love you,

native of La Pointe-Courte, son of a boat builder,

fan of jousting and the sun.

You won't blame me or ask me for anything

without thinking of all this.

You'll love me very thoughtfully.

Why not? Do you love me madly?

I don't think so.

Here's Raphael.

- How are you, boy? - Fine.

I hope you'll be at the dance tonight.

What about it, Anna?

Thank you.

Now you talk to him and let him dance with Anna!

You're good.

He jousted well. He'll be a real man.

Each time he came, I tried to get him first.

There was nothing to be done!

On the next pass, he came back. I tried again.

Bang! He unhooked me.

Weren't you in prison?

He escaped!

I asked for leave.

I proved I was on the jousting list and here I am!

You're lucky!

I'm going back tomorrow to do two more days.

- They'll leave tonight. - They're odd.

Some holiday! Always trotting around like dogs!

They talk too much to be happy.

You don't look good. Is something wrong?

Lie down a bit.

Maybe you were too hot this afternoon.

I at least had some ice cream.

Your ice cream.

I'll remember it.

You know...

I thought you'd gone,

like you said the first day.

You thought that?

- I'd never go like that. - How do I know?

- You know me absolutely. - Yes.

But your mind changes all the time.

I'm always a day or two behind.

Don't worry, I'll keep you up to date.

Have you made another decision?

Nothing's decided...

but I've faced the facts.

The bonds between us are stronger than we are.

We've lost the juvenile side of love.

The turmoil, the discovery, the emotion,

the passion.

And I can't get over it.

But adult love based on knowledge is a passion...

less external, not so fragile...

rather like maternal love that nothing can truly hurt.

Are you sure that concerns me?

Yes, you!

Now I know how I love you,

and no one will ever free me from it.

Free you? I never tied you down.

True. And we may not always live together.

If you love me as you say...

I'll never let you go again.

Together or apart, nothing will ever undo us.

You love me calmly, as you live calmly.

Yet you're trapped just as I am.

I don't feel trapped.

You will.

You think you stole my soul.

Yes, and you stole mine.

If you wish, but what does that change?

Nothing.

But...

it's good to know what we've traded our youth for.

Do you think it's worth the exchange?

I don't know.

Is it canal water on the ceiling?

Yes, because the moon's in the canal.

Gentlemen, a little silence, please!

Now for something different!

Monsieur de Ruby is going to sing us a song!

Monsieur de Ruby!

I am going to sing "I Love Only You".

This is long! I'd better step in!

Well?

Have you finished eating? The dance is starting! Are you coming?

We've got time!

Quiet! Quiet!

I'm proud to present to Albert Soldino with the Grand Jousting Trophy!

Let's hear it for Albert!

Look at him, Dad. After all his complaining

he still enjoys himself like a young boy!

The party doesn't change a thing but it makes us feel good.

Time for bed, children.

You were right to be so calm the day I arrived.

In a few days, you'll start again.

You'll do your "This can't go on!" number for me again.

Maybe.

But now I know it's pointless.

You feel resigned?

Resigned, reassured,

enraptured.

A couple's secrets...

Bring them closer.

But no one knows if the secrets are happy or sad.

Come on, kids!

Auntie, I've lost my hanky!

- Louisette! - Coming!

When you bring back the basket, don't forget the towel!

Cast off!

Uncle Noël, don't drown all the kittens in the canal!

Save me one!

The little black-and-white one with the white tummy!

This little boy's annoying me with his kitten!

Isn't Pomponette enough for you?

We'll have to look after his kitten!

Don't drown it!

Bye, sonny.

Goodbye, Noël.

Goodbye, Noël! Remember the towel!

Be careful of your feet!

He's really no trouble, madame.

I'm thirsty!

Some coffee, madame?

For him? I don't think so!

If his mother never touches it he doesn't need any.

When do we get to Paris?

Tomorrow morning.