Original subtitles

I imagined nothing, invented nothing.

I am only repeating in minute details,

a true story, as it was told to me by its heroine,

who found herself lost, blinded, without lucidity,

imprisoned in her anguish and her solitude

as it could happen to you, to me,

to anybody.

A SIMPLE STORY

Henry.

Henry, get up!

Henry! A woman spent the night outside with a child.

That's how Madame Paumier told me she saw me downstairs.

She came downstairs in her night gown.

She came toward me. - Why did you spend the night here?

She asked me why I'd spent the night outside.

I didn't answer her.

You spent the night out here, didn't you?

She said to me: "You spent the night out here, didn't you?"

I nodded my head.

You're coming to my place.

She said: You're coming to my house.

I said, no.

- Let's go. Come on. She picked up my suitcase.

She took me by the arm.

I couldn't resist. I followed her in.

Her husband finished his coffee.

He didn't say anything.

He left.

- Wait for me here. I'll be back.

Madame Paumier brought me coffee.

- Take it. Drink. It will make you feel better.

It was hot.

I started crying.

- Come now. Don't do that!

Madame Paumier comforted me. - You'll tell me your story tonight.

She said to me: "You'll tell me your story, tonight."

- You must! I was surprised. I refused.

- I'm running late. I should go. She kept saying yes.

She added, "I am running late for work. I must go."

"I will show you around the apartment."

- Here is the gas stove.

She showed me around the kitchen.

- Here's a cupboard with groceries. The groceries...

- Anything you want. Whatever you find, cook it up as your own.

- See you tonight. Goodbye. - See you tonight.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye, madam.

She left.

I wanted to hug her.

I stayed there alone with Sylvie.

I looked around.

On a cupboard,

there were two photos.

I could not stay here.

I had to leave.

I put my raincoat back on.

I opened the door.

There were two women chatting on the stairs.

They hadn't seen me.

I would simply wait. I sat back down.

Sylvie was sitting in her corner,

on a chair.

I was tired and fell asleep.

When I woke up, Sylvie was crying.

Someone knocked on the door.

- Hello Madam. I brought you some bread. The housekeeper brought me some bread.

- Do you need anything else? Mme Paumier asked her to look in on me.

- Good. I'll come back later. She asked if I needed anything. I said no.

She told me she'd come back anyway.

I was beginning to know the house by heart.

The phone rang.

- No one is here, sir.

Yes. I'm here.

It was a wrong number. - This isn't the number you wanted.

The phone rang a second time.

- Hello.

Yes. It's me.

It was Madame Paumier making sure I was still there.

- Yes, everything's fine. Thank you. She asked if I was OK.

She said she would be back in an hour.

- Goodbye, madam.

I returned to my seat.

I thought back over everything that had happened to me

since I'd come to Paris.

I arrived at the station in the afternoon.

But I didn't want to go to my friend Solange's place right away.

I hadn't told her when I would arrive.

I couldn't remember how to get to her house.

It was in the suburbs. I would go the following day.

I looked for a hotel, but there weren't any rooms.

I was told that I couldn't stay there with my daughter.

I found a room very late

after walking around for a long time.

I was tired.

I didn't have the energy to eat.

Neighbors were banging on the walls.

Solange was happy to see us.

She is a seamstress.

I know her brother in Lille.

I had once spent eight days in her home twelve years ago.

Solange laughed when I told her I had 9300 francs.

What can you do with that? I'll tell you where you can find work.

She offered to take care of Sylvie while I looked for work.

- You can go look for work while I take care of Sylvie.

She even told me where I could find work.

- Thank you.

I'll go tomorrow.

That night, in bed... - I have a boyfriend.

She told me she had a boyfriend.

- His name's George. His name was George. He was away.

- What does he do? I asked her what he did.

She didn't answer me.

The next day, I went to the place Solange had told me about.

They had no more work.

I was even told that there had been layoffs.

A man was following me down the street.

He tried to talk to me. - Why don't we take a walk?

I told him he was wasting his time. - Leave me alone.

I was looking for work.

- Why don't we get a coffee then? He invited me for coffee.

- Come on, now. Don't be cross. I said yes.

- I have no girlfriend, I live alone. He told me he had no girlfriend

and if I wanted we could go back to his place.

I left without drinking anything.

I took the subway. It was direct.

- Sylvie broke a vase.

When I returned I learned that Sylvie had broken a vase.

It had been a gift from George. - I'm upset, it was a gift from George.

There was now a picture of George on the cupboard.

A neighbor came by.

She and Solange went into the kitchen together.

I stayed with Sylvie.

The next day, I left very early.

It was essential that I find something.

But... that evening,

I came back with nothing.

A man was sitting there.

He was reading his newspaper.

Sylvie was sitting on the floor amidst needles and fabrics.

I picked her up.

Solange called me into the kitchen.

- You know, George is back. She told me George had come back

and she couldn't put us up any more. - You can't stay here.

She didn't make me pay for the 3 days. - There's nothing to pay.

You're very kind.

Should I need any money later on, then I could come back to see her.

- If you need money, you can come back. - Thank you.

When I left, it was almost nightfall.

That night, I don't know how I found a hotel...

but only for one night.

The next day, I would need to find a room for several days.

And find someone to care for Sylvie so I could look for work.

I had 7200 francs left.

I went to get a coffee first.

The waitress was so nice.

She brought a large hot chocolate for Sylvie.

She asked me where I'm from. - Where are you from?

I told her I was looking for a room. - I'm looking for a room.

She suggested a place where I would find one.

I went right there.

She said she wanted to help me, but she had no rooms left.

- She's pretty, your little one.

The landlady found Sylvie friendly.

- Yes. I'm very sorry.

She said it was painful to see the homeless.

I walked around.

I walked for a long time.

I couldn't find anything.

Everywhere I went, I was told there were no rooms.

- No. Everywhere...

I was always told the same thing: they couldn't take me with my kid.

I was always asked what I was doing, if I'm married, where I come from...

whether I knew anyone in Paris.

I passed by a factory.

I stopped.

I went in.

I left Sylvie on the sidewalk.

I wanted to go in and ask them for work.

When I got back, a woman was talking to Sylvie.

- You're all alone here, little girl?

- I'm looking after her, madam.

- Whatever. The woman shrugged her shoulders.

She called me a whore.

I took Sylvie away from there quickly.

I stopped a little further on.

I sat down on a bench.

I rested there for a long time.

I don't remember how I finally found a room.

I knew I could only stay in that room for three days.

I asked the landlady if she knew anyone who could take care of Sylvie for me.

She suggested a housekeeper down the street.

I left my daughter with her for 250 francs a day.

I went out to find work.

For two days, I ran around and found nothing.

At one place, I was told to come back the next day.

But... the next day,

I was told it was a mistake.

On the third day, I asked the landlady to let me stay longer.

She said I could stay for two days

If I paid in advance.

I had 3450 francs left.

I thought about going back to Lille.

That was impossible.

My father might take me in.

But not my stepmother. She'd have nothing to do with me.

I thought about going to see Solange.

To ask her for some money, just until I found something.

But she'd been quite mean to me.

The next day,

I went to her place anyway.

She wasn't there.

Her neighbor told me she'd left yesterday with George.

- Where at? To her parents' house.

For her sister's wedding. - Her sister's wedding for eight days.

She wouldn't be back for 8 days. - She had a lot of baggage.

- It's no use waiting here for her. - Yes.

I watched the neighbor walk away.

I left there, incapable of thinking about anything.

I'd been nine days in Paris.

I'd spent 6300 francs.

I had exactly 3000 francs left.

I added things up...

and I was sure I had lost some money.

I had stayed at Solange's place for three days.

And I'd only eaten cheap stuff.

I was sure I had lost some money.

Sylvie shouldn't have to worry about all this.

I'd have to give up the room the next day, before noon.

- Madam, may I leave my suitcase with you...

I asked the patroness to keep my suitcase

- No problem. Until I found something else.

- Listen. Let me explain.

She seemed she was apologizing. - A few days ago...

She told me she refused a room - I refused a room

to a couple with a baby. To a couple with a baby.

The husband was enraged and wanted to call the police.

But she replied to him that it'd come to nothing.

That it was her right. - I was in the right.

I wanted to leave Sylvie with the housekeeper.

Just before getting there, I met her husband.

- Good day, madam.

He told me that his wife was sick. - My wife is ill.

She'd had an asthma attack and the doctor was giving her a shot.

I went back to the hotel.

A couple had just been there to pick up the keys to my room.

The landlady wasn't happy to see me back.

I walked aimlessly.

I gazed into the shop windows.

I bought Sylvie a croissant. She didn't want it and threw it on the ground.

I gave it to a tramp who passed by.

He was surprised and said, "God bless you, good lady."

That was funny. It made me laugh.

I saw he wasn't walking right.

He was drunk.

I got on a subway.

I got off at a random stop.

I went into a cafe. I got a hot chocolate.

I made Sylvie drink some.

A man said to me,

- You're not from around here. "You don't live around here, do you?"

I said no. - No.

- I could tell. He told me he could tell.

- Where are you from? He asked where I was from.

- Lille. - I know Lille.

He told me he knew Lille. - I'm a truck driver.

He was a truck driver. He had traveled around and knew most of France.

- Would you know where I might find a room?

I asked him where I might find a room in the area.

- Yes I think so. He said, "I think so."

Mother Tardieu's. "Mother Tardieu's."

- Okay. Let's go. - Yes.

He took me there. - Is it over there?

On the way, he told me about a twist of fate.

He had just won 100,000 francs in the lottery,

but on the same day, his wife broke her arm falling in the kitchen.

He told me he'd dumped his boss who wouldn't give him the day off for that.

The hotel's patroness wouldn't receive me.

But he insisted.

He was kind.

She said, well... Since it's you, Jean. - Well... Since it's you, Jean.

She said it would cost 600 francs a day,

- Make sure you lock the door. To lock the door

and never leave with the key.

- It's 600 francs per day.

I told her I'd go and get my things.

- Do you have a lot? She asked me if I had a lot.

- No. One suitcase only. I told her I had only one suitcase.

- That's all? She asked me, that's all?

- Yes.

- Goodbye, madam. - Goodbye, sir. Thank you. Jean left.

- See you soon. I'll go get my things. - Yes.

I went to get my things.

When I came back it was late.

I washed clothes.

The room had a hot pot.

I bought a tin of canned fish.

I had 2057 francs left. I had already paid for one night at the hotel.

I could not get to sleep.

I kept thinking, how would I find money? How would I find work?

How would I find someone to watch Sylvie?

First, find someone to watch Sylvie.

Next find a job.

And then try to get an advance.

Someone got the door wrong and tried to get into my room.

There were noises all night long.

In the morning, a big truck woke me up.

It was very early.

I got up and took out some milk.

Sylvie was still asleep.

I put some milk on to boil.

I simply had to find someone to watch her.

As I was going out, the landlady asked me to be back before noon.

Or to pay for the room if I wasn't going to be back until that night.

I asked her if she knew anyone who could look after Sylvie.

She answered me that she didn't know anybody.

And in any case, it wasn't her business.

I went back to the cafe where I met Mr. Jean.

He wasn't there.

The patron recognized me.

He told me he hadn't seen Mr. Jean. - I didn't see Mr. Jean this morning.

I don't know why he added:

"You know, he's a good guy. But sometimes, he's a little strange."

I didn't want to ask him if he knew anyone to look after Sylvie.

I decided to look after her myself.

I would look for work and afterwards I'd look for someone to look after her.

I bought a newspaper to go through the job listings.

I found one that interested me.

I looked for the place on the subway map.

- Can you tell me how to get to Porte d'Ivry?

One man wasn't able to help me find it.

Another man showed me the way.

- Do you know the way to Porte d'Ivry?

- Look. We're right here. You go toward Nation.

- You change at Place d'Italie and then get off at Porte d'Ivry.

- Thank you, sir.

It was far away.

I'd need to transfer.

It took me a long time to find the road.

I found the factory.

Going into a cafe, I asked them if they could watch Sylvie.

The job had been filled early that morning.

It turned out the listing had been published the day before.

- Coffee with cream, please. I asked for a coffee.

I hadn't noticed Sylvie left.

The waitress noticed and brought her in.

I had forgotten to pay before leaving.

- Hey lady! Lady! You forgot to pay. It's 35 francs.

35.

After paying, I saw in the mirror

the waitress make a gesture as if to say I was a madwoman.

I bought some bread and chocolate for Sylvie.

I bought myself a tin of sardines. I asked them to open it.

I went into a park.

There were some old women and children.

I was hoping for some peace and quiet.

Sylvie was happy.

She went off to play.

She took a shovel

and threw sand at me.

A boy started crying. Sylvie had taken his toys.

His mother came over, shouting.

She said that children without toys of their own

needed supervision.

I didn't reply to her.

I waited a while and then I left.

Sylvie wanted to stay there. - What is it? Will you behave a little?

A man stopped. He asked me, what has this little girl done?

I told him that it was none of his business.

He didn't belabor it, and left.

I went back to the hotel.

- Back so soon? The patroness was surprised

to see me back so early.

As she was talking with me, a man came down the hallway.

She was angry.

- You are not to take the keys out with you.

She told him not to take the keys out.

His rent was three days overdue. - Your room charges are three days late.

She said he had to pay before the end of the week.

He did not answer her.

He looked at me.

He looked like a foreigner.

He was young.

I went out to buy some food.

I bought potatoes for Sylvie and mashed them up for her.

I went to lie down.

I got back up.

I felt dizzy.

It was the first time that happened to me.

I rushed to the sink to splash my face.

I paced around the room.

Like a madwoman.

Sylvie had fallen asleep.

I decided to go out.

I left without making a sound.

I had enough to pay the room until the next day at noon

and I would have 512 francs left.

I went into a cafe.

It was too crowded.

So I left.

I wanted to go back.

I couldn't find the way.

I got lost.

I found the hotel by myself.

- Ah, you're back! The patroness was closing.

- Good timing. She said it was good I arrived.

She had forgotten to give me the gate key.

- You would have needed to wake me up! I would have had to wake her up.

She asked me again whether I intended to stay at the hotel for a long time.

- Do you plan to stay here long? I told her I didn't know.

- I don't know. - Okay.

Sylvie woke up.

She sat up.

She didn't cry.

I lay down completely dressed.

I fell asleep without bothering.

I woke up suddenly.

I looked out the window.

I was cold.

I undressed.

And I went to bed.

I couldn't go back to sleep.

I got up again.

I looked under the bed.

I went to look in the dresser.

I opened the drawers.

I found a women's magazine full of photo stories.

I got back into bed.

In these stories,

there were men and women

all of them beautiful,

with no careers,

with nothing to do all day.

They drink whiskey.

They have cars.

It was late when I woke up.

The strong sunlight woke me.

I got dressed very quickly.

Sylvie was still sleeping.

I bought a small bottle of milk.

I mixed a lot of water into it.

And I threw in a piece of leftover chocolate.

I went downstairs.

The patroness wasn't there. - Good morning, madam.

I waited for her.

- I was waiting for you so I could pay you for the day.

I paid her for the day through noon.

She didn't say anything.

I told her I would find something that day.

- I'm sure I'll find something today.

She didn't answer.

I left without knowing where I was going.

I didn't know what to do.

I had 478 francs left.

I bought a newspaper.

I found 10 francs on the ground.

I went into a park in a square.

There was a pond in the middle.

A man sat next to me with a horse racing newspaper.

When I wasn't paying attention, Sylvie tore his newspaper

but the man wasn't angry.

He pulled a toy out of his bag.

He gave it to Sylvie.

- Watch. I'll show you how it works.

You pull here...

and just like that... away it goes.

I still don't know why I didn't bother to offer to pay him

or why he'd given that toy to Sylvie.

I thanked him

and left.

I wanted to go back to the hotel.

Sylvie was tired.

I asked directions from a man who was getting into his car.

He told me: "Get in. I'm heading that way."

He brought me right to the street.

When we got there,

the landlady, who was going to market, spotted us.

She stopped cold, completely surprised.

- Oh, madam! I went back down.

As I went by the office, she called to me.

- I rented your room starting tomorrow.

She told me she'd rented out my room, starting the next day,

since I had told her I was leaving.

I did not answer.

I didn't want to tell her that the following day

I wouldn't even be able to pay for the day I owed.

I only had 473 francs left.

I bought some bread and ham.

I walked around all afternoon.

I scarcely stopped at all.

When I got back,

Sylvie was very tired

and grouchy.

I had bought some bread and p�t� earlier.

I wasn't hungry.

I hadn't eaten.

I didn't bother to undress.

I counted my money.

There were 303 francs left.

My feet were starting to ache.

I soaked them in the sink.

I got dressed to go out.

But I changed my mind.

People were fighting in the street.

A woman tried to separate them, but one man slapped her.

The fight continued between the man and the woman.

She took off her shoe and struck him with the heel.

The next day was Sunday.

I woke up early.

There was a radio next door with an accordion.

I ate some bread with p�t�.

I began to collect our things.

And then I waited.

I bought some cocoa powder, two croissants,

and a surprise bag for Sylvie.

Inside there was a top. - It's ugly!

Sylvie threw it away.

She ate the croissants.

I had wanted to wait until noon.

But... at ten past eleven,

I left.

- Listen...

I told the woman that I didn't think I could pay her.

I had no money left.

She wasn't cross.

She shrugged.

- You have nothing to give me?

She asked me if I could give her something.

- Your watch, for example?

Before I could answer, she said: "Your watch, for example."

I didn't have to say anything.

I simply took it off.

It was a brooch that I put on that day by pure chance.

Usually, I'd put it in my wallet.

I passed through a market.

People stared at me with my suitcase.

People were coming out of a church.

I didn't know where to go.

I had 77 francs left.

I found an unused Metro ticket,

but it was of no use to me.

I passed by hotels,

but I didn't go in.

I saw a courtyard in a building.

I went in.

I waited awhile.

There was some music

coming from an upper floor.

A caretaker came over.

She asked me what I was doing there.

I didn't answer her and I left.

She called for her husband.

They watched me walk away from the doorway.

Then they went back inside.

I came to a stop at a place where there were train tracks.

There must have been no trains here for a long time.

Then I left.

I passed by a tunnel where cars go in

and come out further off.

After that, I don't remember much.

I found myself in a vacant lot.

I wrapped Sylvie up in my raincoat.

It took her a long time to fall asleep.

Me too.

I woke up, all of a sudden.

I was afraid.

I was cold.

There were still lights on in the windows.

This has been

A Simple Story

with

As the woman

Director