Original subtitles

All men are sincere, but they have many kinds of sincerity.

AND NOW MY LOVE

...would like to thank the following actors and technicians

for their commitment in the making of his film...

What's that?

A machine that reinvents life.

What's it called?

The Lumi�re cinematograph.

Would you like to try it? Put your hand here.

You're as lovely as the new century.

You have a fine sense of rhythm.

I like doing this.

It's a promising career.

Even for women.

Do you live in Paris?

You're beautiful.

Has anyone ever told you that?

Has anyone told you that you're beautiful?

Yes, you've been told before.

44 rue d'Assas, 8:30 PM.

But, sir!

Don't insist.

It's a boy!

Thank you.

Bravo!

We won, we won!

Bravo!

One, two, three!

- My mother. - She's beautiful.

My father.

I'm...

David Goldman.

Rachel Stern.

Pleased to meet you.

So?

It's a little girl.

How's the mother?

Here's to Sarah's fifth birthday!

Here's to Israel's third anniversary.

Blow out the candles, honey.

- Bravo! - That's good!

Want to tell a story, Maurice?

Bravo, you're a real success.

I should have done like you after the war and gone into the shoe business.

It's my revenge on the war, on racism.

You're still a real success, you know.

Here's my real success!

I propose a toast to Mama's health!

- Mommy, I'chaim! - L'chaim.

To Sarah's 10th birthday!

To Israel's eigth anniversary!

Blow out the candles!

That's for you. Are you happy?

When she's 16, she'll get a big horse.

How much is he costing you?

Multiply 100000 volts by 10.

You spoil her.

She wanted B�caud for her 16th birthday, so I got her B�caud!

When she's 20, she may ask for Moshe Dayan.

At 20, Dayan will ask for her.

She looks so much like her mother.

Looking at her, every day, I'm still in love with my wife.

You think it's smart to spoil her so much?

I gave her 16 happy years; whatever one can get, I got for her.

As for her future...

a wall is being built in Berlin,

missile sites in Cuba. There's a war in Algeria.

So the future...

- How much? - $4.

No discount? It's my birthday.

Are you kidding?

Do you have his latest recording at the Olympia?

Let me see.

You kiss very well for your age.

- You think so? - Hmm.

Ever hear of playing with fire?

I yearn to burn.

Rich brat!

Why do you have an accent?

Too much Swiss chocolate!

- No, but really? - I was raised in Switzerland.

- I understand, but... - The German part of Switzerland.

Yes, but still...

My father survived the war because he spoke German.

So he thinks speaking German is the safest thing a Jew can do.

If you're anti-Semitic, I can shut up.

I'm not anti-Semitic.

I'm ashamed.

Ashamed of what? It's okay to feel ashamed.

Shame is part of the pleasure.

- Are you a virgin? - No... yes, yes, yes, yes.

- Yes... no, no... yes! - Yes, no, yes, no?!

- Really? - Hmm.

Be careful, I fall in love easily.

Neither do I.

But why me?

Why not some nice young... Swiss chocolate?

- Why me? - I prefer 30-year-old men.

- You really are spoiled rotten. - Oh yes!

- Oh yes! - Oh yes!

Yes, they are not bad, not bad.

But there's another pair I'd like to show you.

That dark brown pair. Thank you.

Can't even pee for free!

You might at least keep the toilets clean.

- What do you mean? - Go and see for yourself.

I'VE NEVER SEEN SPRINGTIME

It will all come back to you, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you...

We're going on vacation tomorrow.

At what time?

Depends on the weather, and other things.

BETTER RICH AND HEALTHY THAN POOR AND SICK.

- This must be the place. - Yes.

You've got good taste.

And you like nice things.

TV sets and records,

cameras and radios.

Think you'll like prison?

Prison? For such petty things!

You're right... such petty things.

Couldn't you have stolen an elevator instead?

If I'd known you were coming...

Next time, think about it.

Gentlemen, you are trying to judge a poor man...

with rich men's justice.

You may be eloquent but you are late.

Do not punish poverty.

Poverty is its own worst punishment.

Do not punish youth.

This youth...

this youth, which...

which your bourgeois poets

have called, "The best years of our lives."

But for this 20-year-old here before you,

what does that pretty phrase mean?

What does the word "youth" mean to him?

He has had no youth.

His 20-year existence can be quickly summarized:

Parents unknown, which put him in an orphanage for 14 years.

Then, four years in a reform school.

Reform school! And do I know about that!

And two years in Algeria.

Two years in Algeria!

Your Honor, you can't put him back in jail.

- Two years in Algeria. - Don't bring up Algeria.

Why? Because he deserted, you'll say.

- Here, drink some... - I don't have time.

You tell me he betrayed his country.

But I ask you,

I ask you, which country?

Do you mean the territory stolen from the Algerians...

You need a haircut.

...and which we call, with beautiful hypocrisy...

French Algeria!

Must you insist? It may hurt his case...

Yes, I must insist, gentlemen!

Right now, in 1961,

at a time when Ben Barka is assassinated.

Remember mother is coming to dinner...

Yes, I remember. Now, where was I?

At a time when the Secret Army Organization

unmasks the true face of this colonial war, right?

A Frenchman's sole duty...

- listen to me! - Hurry up.

Wait! A Frenchman's sole duty...

- is to be a deserter! - There you are.

Take your coat!

Aren't you overdoing it a bit? He's just up for theft.

Why did Simon Duroc refuse to fight in Algeria, then?

He refused because he didn't want to be

a watchdog in a stolen country.

Yet you would have me believe this man is a thief?

That's not bad. Leave it in.

The real thieves are the bosses.

The bosses who, in the name of the profit margin,

rob their workers...

with a clear conscience!

That's good. Keep it.

I have to memorize it. "Real thieves are bosses

who, in the name of profit, rob their workers..."

Therefore, this court denies bail to Mr. Simon Duroc,

and finds him guilty of multiple thefts and larceny,

under Articles 379 and 38 of the Penal Code.

The defendant is sentenced to two years in prison.

Court is adjourned.

I knew the judge was a jerk.

I'd better get used to jerks.

- That's so true. - Especially jerks like you.

Just like I said.

MARILYN HAD BEEN SICK FOR A LONG TIME

What are you doing here?

It's not your birthday. What are you doing here?

Being rich doesn't give you the right to bug people.

Listen, you wanted B�caud, you got B�caud.

We had a good time, you were nice and everything,

- but get out of my life, now. - I love you, Gilbert.

Loving people like me is easy. It's easy!

Loving people like me is easy. It's easy!

In 10 or 20 years, historians will decide

which events of this year '62 were of greatest importance.

There is no doubt that the first American in space,

on February 20, was a milestone in space exploration.

And withdrawal of Russian missiles from Cuba,

or Algerian Independence ratified by the Evian Summit on March 18,

delayed the prospect of any war.

But in some way,

without going against all the major historical events of this year,

Marilyn Monroe's suicide on that August 4th evening,

is a major event of the year '62.

Marilyn's death is not only the tragic end of a star,

or of the Hollywood movie industry. It's also the end of a certain society

whose happiness was based on materialism.

Tonight at 7:00 PM, George Leroy will discuss what this death represents

amid the despair present in the works of The Beat Generation,

such as Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.

For now, here is a newsbreak of a different kind:

An unusual escape from the Sant� Prison.

The inmate took advantage of trash collection,

got in the back of the garbage truck and left the prison with ease,

unarmed, unassisted and without any rope. Well done!

And now we would like to return to Marilyn.

Let's listen to one of her records,

which I am sure will move our audience.

Here is the voice of Marilyn.

She tried to kill herself over you!

So I spoiled her. Thanks a lot, Mr. B�caud, that's nice!

- She didn't really want to die. - What do you mean she didn't?

She wanted to show you that she is her own person.

Anyway, it's attempted suicide at 16,

narcotics at 20 and marriage at 25.

- Then you can relax. - Sure, then I can relax!

Did you commit suicide at 20?

Did I take drugs when I was 16?

- We weren't normal. - Ah, we weren't normal!

- In there? - That's it.

If you want to distract her,

take her on a nice trip.

You'll see the trip I'll take her on!

- Don't get upset. - Who's upset?

You shouldn't take men so seriously, you know.

You have to laugh, you must laugh!

Life has to be lived, not destroyed!

You thought you could be a smart ass?

Do me a favor.

Stop thinking about this guy.

Look how beautiful this town is.

You know that beauty is meant to be shared with someone.

I suppose I'm nobody?

Visiting a museum alone is such bullshit!

Who taught you such language?

- And you're not alone! - You're always with your memories.

Look at how beautiful it is.

When did you come here with Mom?

In 1946. We were expecting you.

- Which thigh? - A wing!

One and one makes two wings.

Here, now if you can't fly away with that...

In restaurants, they always serve the right thigh.

Chickens sleep on their left leg. It's tougher, harder.

The right one is more tender.

I never thought of that.

- Right or left? - Right!

This is where the elite meet to eat.

It's fit for a king, boys. Bon appetit!

So, in a restaurant, I always ask for the right thigh?

They look terrified.

You cannot judge them.

You belong to a wasteful society. Theirs is one of sacrifices.

I'm beginning to think you're a communist.

How could I approve of dictatorship?

It's what killed your mother.

And yet, dictatorship would be the ideal

if dictators really were the most intelligent people.

Instead, the most intelligent people are all against it.

Eat your caviar, it's not expensive here.

I don't like caviar.

Go ahead, sir. Do you speak French?

A little. Merci.

I was saying that for us, caviar here is not really expensive.

Will you stop thinking about that man?

I'm not. I'm thinking about the next one.

What's he going to be like?

That's not so easy...

part gangster, part gentleman; not too handsome or too ugly;

a man who's not afraid of men.

Eat.

Drink.

Again.

Been training him long?

Ever since I came to these superb kitchens.

One chicken-and-fries day, I saved his life.

We've been inseparable ever since. Right, Julien?

So you saved his life on a chicken-and-fries day?

You always put three sugar cubes in your coffee?

Always. Why?

If you meet a girl who puts three cubes in her coffee,

marry her! She's your soulmate.

Clear the table!

- I don't like China. - Hong Kong isn't China.

- It's China's brothel! - Then let's go to China.

Why not to the moon?

Some day that may be easier than getting to Peking.

You think men are that selfish?

Worse! That's why capitalism works.

Because it's a selfish invention.

So, if I meet a woman who puts three sugar cubes in her coffee,

you swear she'll be my soulmate?

That's really disgusting!

At least you'll have one thing in common.

Mao will be the greatest dictatorship in history...

one man ruling 700 million people.

This damn tour bugs me enough,

but having to listen to your reactionary ideas...

Reactionary?

Sorry. Why reactionary?

700 million Chinese, all Maoists!

- Isn't it a dictatorship? - Reactionary and fascist!

You're a dirty Jew!

Come on, tell me why you're here.

For bottling cheap Beaujolais as vintage Bordeaux.

- Get it? - In mass quantity?!

I remember it very well.

One night you told some friends,

"I'm sure the Chinese are happy."

No! What I said was,

"Mao's triumph is that he's convinced

700 millions Chinese that they're happy."

You missed the nuance.

But I am sure that one man in China is happy. Mao!

The man I love isn't Chinese.

I know, he's a singer.

Mass at 8:00.

- Do you believe in God? - Yes.

Then why are you in jail?

Because God doesn't believe in me.

But you still believe in Him?

Faith is an advance drawn on happiness.

Do you deserve your 10-year sentence?

I'd say I got off cheap.

Eat! Eat!

What is an American?

He's a Jew chased out of Russia,

an Irish Protestant who escaped from the Catholics,

a Sicilian gangster who escaped from the cops,

a German filmmaker who escaped from the Nazis.

There is nothing better than a country full of outcasts,

of persecuted refugees and hunted men.

They are the ones who invented capitalism.

To carve a country out of a wilderness,

they had to invent a system for adventurers.

The trouble is that today, they are only

the sons and grandsons of the original gangsters.

They received an inheritance

that they probably didn't deserve.

The sons of the Mafia can't match their fathers.

Buffalo Bill's son couldn't shoot as well as he did.

The sons of the Mafia can't match their fathers.

Buffalo Bill's son couldn't shoot as well as he did.

That's what I've been told.

Inheritance undermines capitalism.

It may be a fatal flaw.

Through the generations, it makes accountants out of adventurers.

Inheritance is your problem too, you spoiled brat.

When I die, how will you protect my assets?

That was a very beautiful speech,

but the man I love isn't American, so...

"He isn't American, so..."

- Where did you get that accent? - It's Jewish.

You mean I speak like that?

- I didn't say you did. - So what?

Stop getting mad all the time.

But I'm not mad, but now you are.

Now it's your turn.

- Give me a kiss. - No.

Then don't give me a kiss.

Eat! Wipe yourself! Eat!

Wipe yourself three times. Three times,

I said! Add two more times.

Once more, let's go!

There's still a piece left.

Wipe yourself first, then go for it.

Another little piece!

Julian's ready for America.

Ah, America!

A land of free men.

A free man is one who makes his own decisions, all alone,

in the crapper in the morning.

Do you know America?

It's our country, boy! A fantastic country.

If gangsterism could choose a home,

it would be America.

It's the Promised Land of the gangsters in the world,

of the whole international Mafia.

Eat! Wipe yourself! Three times.

Add two more to that. One more. Do it! Good.

200 million Americans, all delinquents. That's a great country!

Maybe it was the best way for him to go.

Death before disenchantment.

Now he'll be called a great man.

He'll be a hero, a god, an idol!

There's a Persian saying that goes,

"If you want to be truly appreciated,

die, or go on a trip."

I wanted to die. But you saved me.

- I wonder if you did right. - Yes, I did right indeed.

She'll never find another man like him.

Who knows?

Maybe he was a great president but a lousy lover.

Think I'll ever find another man?

Yes. People always forget.

Why didn't you ever find another woman in 15 years?

I did find her. It's you.

The Commies did it.

She was the wife of a great man.

Now she's the widow of a god.

And you only meet God once.

Whatever you say, I admire the guy who shot him.

Big deal, in Texas, every guy owns a rifle.

At least he died at the top.

No disenchantment now.

"Better to live 10 years as a lion

than 35 years as a sheep."

- Did you make that up? - Mussolini did.

Too bad.

For $10000, I'd knock off De Gaulle.

I bet the guy in Texas got more.

$10000 is fine.

...destination of Amsterdam,

and the flight for Helsinki...

I'm bored, Daddy. When are we going back home?

This trip didn't teach you anything?

Yes! That I love Gilbert.

Can't you think about some other man?

I'm not going to find another man amongst elephants.

When are we going home?

When you'll choose life over a man.

I'll always choose the man.

Isn't this better than the Paris Zoo?

The Paris Zoo is 10 minutes from Gilbert.

And to hell with Africa!

The man I love isn't an elephant.

I'm sick of luxury hotels, heated pools,

caviar, champagne, planes!

- When are we going home? - Tomorrow night.

Tomorrow night we'll be in Israel.

Churchill, even money.

Big Charles, even money.

Churchill, two-to-one.

Big Charles, three-to-one.

Three lumps of sugar in your coffee?

- That's nothing new. - It's nothing new,

but don't come crying to me, saying you're getting fat!

You'll see, Jerusalem

is the only city in the world that proves God exists.

Which God? Jewish or Arab?

All Gods exist in Jerusalem...

Jewish, Muslim, Christian.

Jerusalem is the United Nations of all religions.

The United Nations of all religions...

1,000 square meters of cathedrals and synagogues,

temples and mosques.

25 nations are represented,

but only one language... prayer.

God inhabits every square inch of Jerusalem...

every speck of dust, every stone, every wall.

That's why God can be a wall in Jerusalem.

Know what I think?

Maybe the world of gods is like the world of men.

Maybe once in a while up there, they hold elections.

Sometimes it's a Catholic God, sometimes a Protestant God,

or some other one who takes power.

For 10 years, or a century,

that God dominates all the others Gods.

One God is a blessing, another is a curse.

One is a Gandhi, another is a Hitler.

In the concentration camps,

did you believe in God?

I don't know. You can be an atheist

for a week or a year, or for the duration of a war,

but you can't be an atheist all your life, really.

In fact, beware of atheists.

If the sun and sea can't make them believe in God,

they'll never ever believe in anything,

not even in you.

Anyway, that's not the problem.

Gilbert believes in God.

- He believes in God, right. - Yes.

He believes in God, but not in you.

If he doesn't believe in you, he doesn't believe in God.

Are you still bored?

We should never see the people we used to love.

For an hour now, I've been thinking about Rio,

New York and Venice.

Do you like it?

I'm setting up a business in Rome.

- Want to handle it? - Are you kidding?

What's your sign?

Scorpio.

You'll get along with Aquarius.

- Are you Aquarius? - No, Gemini.

So much for that.

On October 15, 1964,

a Tass news bulletin surprised the world.

For reasons of sagacity and health,

Comrade Nikita Khrushchev

submitted his resignation.

He was replaced by Brezhnev and Kosygin.

Overnight, Khrushchev was denounced

as the USSR's worst mistake since Stalin.

Stalin was denounced by Khrushchev 10 years ago.

10 years from now, in 1974,

who will denounce Brezhnev and Kosygin?

I only like men.

Me too.

Next.

Next!

Charles, here's your replacement.

- Hi. You know about photography? - Yes.

He's all yours.

How much do you know about photography?

- Nothing. - Next!

Then why the hell are you here?

I was sick of pots and pans.

- You're a smartass, aren't you? - A little.

You an artist?

- Artist... - Next.

I'll show you when I'm finished.

It's an automatic?

I said I'll show you when I'm finished!

Next.

Looks easier than pots and pans.

- Are you making fun of me? - No.

Blacks prefer Blacks.

Arabs prefer Arabs.

The blind prefer the blind.

We all belong to some group.

We're the same race.

We could add up our despair, then.

Maybe not, but at least

we'll understand each other.

Everyone is looking for

someone who understands.

- Dykes! - Stupid bastards!

They could have been nice to us.

How long have you liked women?

How about you?

How long have you liked women?

Whenever I break up with a man.

- What's your sign? - Aquarius.

You're compatible with Scorpio.

Are you Scorpio?

No.

Beautiful!

- Who's paying? - She is.

Then you rinse and dry, cut and file.

Get it?

That's terrific.

I'm asking you if you get it.

Is photography always like this?

Yes, you rinse and dry,

cut and file, but don't touch!

A photo is meant to be looked at.

- Here! - It sure beats the kitchen.

If you prefer this to the kitchen,

when you get out, come see me. Ask for Charlie the loupe.

- Charlie what? - Charlie the loupe.

Loupe on the photo... loupe photo, imbecile!

"Loupe on the photo"! It's fantastic.

- You rinse. - Yes.

- I dry. - You dry.

- I cut. - I cut and I file.

And I file. Understood?

I understand. Same thing for all photos?

Always. That's enough.

Your business in Rome doesn't need me.

- And I don't need it either. - Another whim?

Listen, Daddy, since I was born,

money has always been our only inspiration.

Now that we are loaded, nothing inspires me.

You should take a five-minute stroll every day in a hospital every day.

That should inspire you.

- You and your platitudes! - That's not very nice.

I have enough worries right now.

"Worries are the dividends of success," you said.

Yes, I said that.

It's time you found the right man.

If he exists, he's taken.

Hi! Good morning, sir.

See you tonight. We'll have dinner.

Remember that the right man isn't a woman.

Good God!

An artist type in a fleabag hotel.

She'd only go to the best hotels with me.

The decor only matters when you're married.

- Who's he? - My partner.

- You're a couple of punks! - Yes, sir.

- At your service, sir. - Yours faithfully.

These pictures will not only get you your divorce,

but afterwards, she'll do the same things to you.

It's a little late.

- Eroticism comes after divorce. - Exactly.

Couldn't you get me some movies instead of photos?

These look like they've been retouched.

No, sir. We only do photos, no movies.

Did she go pee?

- Excuse me? - Did she go pee?

- Who? - The little girl.

- Yes. - She's beautiful.

- My daughter, you mean... - She's very beautiful.

- She's yours? - Yes.

Can you give me one like her?

- What? - Can you give me one like her?

- A little girl? - Yes.

You and I?

That's a good one!

If I understand...

you came over and you said, "Your daughter is beautiful"...

you want to have a daughter like her with me?

If you don't mind.

Movies are something else!

Know what we're doing? Making a porno.

Why are you stopping?

He's tired, he's faking it.

Why not make a porno?

A movie camera is amazing.

We could make nice pornos.

I wanted to know if it worked.

That's my problem now, not yours.

Good bye and thank you.

Wait a minute, here's my address.

- Who's he? - A stud.

"Ennio Fabri." But who is he?

Last week I wanted to have a child.

- That's so bourgeois! - I'm going home.

Here's another phone number,

in case you're in the mood during office hours.

Wait! Can you come up for a minute?

- Me? - Yes.

Want some coffee?

I prefer whiskey.

All right. Cut!

On your mark, everybody.

Hurry up. The watchman spotted us.

I want to do some less realistic scenes.

I told you, the more you show, the better.

Take the 2 KW projector over there,

give me a backlight on Napol�on.

Screw your backlight! I told you, the more you show, the better!

Let's go. "Adolph," third. Rolling!

Come on, Hitler.

"Adolph," fourth take. Action!

Hitler!

- Adolph? - Come on, Adolph, on your mark.

- Hurry up! - Okay, let's go!

More serious, Hitler. It's the battle of Stalingrad.

One day, these films will be shown everywhere.

Famous directors will make them.

Directors who have nothing left to say.

This film isn't a porno.

It's an important film.

You're just making excuses...

artistic and intellectual excuses to see some ass.

It's not artistic, it's just plain ass.

Ass, period!

Going to bed?

- Doesn't it excite you? - No.

Only one thing could excite me tonight:

The face of a man saying "I love you." Bye.

- What happened? - He fucked them all!

We sold 50 copies to the States,

plus 10 to Italy. That's a $60,000 profit.

We could make that much with beautiful love stories.

I'd rather make money selling manure, than losing money selling perfume.

- Did you come up with that? - Yeah, I did.

Here's another one.

You listening?

A jerk can get smart if he knows he's a jerk.

What did you bring me from Italy?

Some leftist ideas.

I'd have preferred a man who loves you.

I almost brought you a child.

But it didn't work out.

Sarah, what's wrong?

Whatever I want, I find I already have it.

That's what's wrong.

I'm glad no one can hear you.

Don't you see? I want to win someone,

someone or something. I don't know.

You don't sound like a leftist.

You sound like an opportunist.

Sarah, I've got a marvelous boy for you to meet.

Papa, hands off, please!

All right. Hands off! But try to understand.

Can't you see that things are changing fast?

The class you belong to is becoming extinct...

the wealthy class. Take advantage of it.

Of what? Sleeping late? Expensive clothes?

Overpriced, overrated restaurants?

Okay, you're right.

But you get on my nerves!

Daddy.

Help me, I'm gonna die!

I know you are not well.

I know you're not well.

But what more can I give you?

- What can l... - Nothing!

I don't know what to do. I don't know what more I can do.

Don't you love anything?

- You don't understand anything. - What do you mean?

Don't talk, please.

I won't talk... any more!

At 8:00 PM, France gets the incredible news.

De Gaulle below 50�/% . At 8:30, Mitterand can smile.

He will face De Gaulle in the second turn.

By 11:45, De Gaulle gets 44�/% of the votes,

Mitterand 31�/%, Lecanuet 15�/%,

Tixier-Vignancourt 5�/%, Marcilhacy 1.7�/%, Barbu 1. 16�/% .

A page of history was turned for these presidential elections

that De Gaulle called a referendum.

The storm hasn't uprooted the old oak,

but for the first time in 25 years, Gaullism is questioned.

Will it recover? Here's breaking news.

The Porno-Flick gang has just been arrested.

100 copies of those very special films were seized.

That'll make for some interesting private screenings at Headquarters.

- Good morning, sirs. - What do you want?

I heard you're making a religious masterpiece.

What about freedom of expression?

If you mean the naked truth,

it goes to prison.

Follow me, gentlemen.

It's not porn, it's art.

- Have we met before? - I don't hang out with punks.

Yes, try to remember.

You told me to steal an elevator.

And that's why you work in basements now.

That's right.

So we're old friends, right?

You can look the other way.

Turn my back on all this?

Don't bother. We need a vacation anyway.

Your friend's right.

And now let's take a look

at a health report of France in 1965,

with a new epidemic imported from the United States:

Drug addiction.

First, limited to the richest segment of our society,

it is a spreading epidemic,

judging by the growing numbers of raids

from Paris to the provinces.

And now a word from our sponsors.

As disgusting as ever!

Number 13... maybe it'll bring us luck.

My grandmother couldn't resist a uniform.

She married a general in 1918,

and his aide-de-camp got her pregnant.

A soldier's girl, would you say? How could you not be one in 1918?

The general simply did his duty.

He replaced his aide-de-camp and killed his wife.

My grandmother was shot in cold blood,

in the dishonored bedroom.

But that day in another room, in Russia...

the Czar and the Romanov family were executed,

my grandfather's crime was almost unnoticed.

They could use Sam in the kitchen.

Only 10 days to go. At least we won't get fat.

Did you know Sam?

Just enough to take his mug shot.

He's a good guy. We'll go see him when we get out.

- What's he doing? - Running a restaurant, I suppose.

In a way, my mother was the last victim of the camps.

She was too weak for childbirth.

She died giving life to me. Strange coincidence...

My grandmother died a year after World War I,

my mother, a year after World War II,

and both because of a child.

Since I never had a mother, I never had a childhood.

When I needed comforting, I was given a pony.

When I had the blues, I got a singer for a lover.

"In 1902, M�li�s hit his peak.

His successful film, "The Trip to the Moon,"

revolutionized filmmaking.

This success definitely put an end to amateur filmmaking

and family-crafted films with no sets or actors.

The freak attraction became popular,

and the business of film distribution generated big profits."

"When all I wanted was to be a little girl,

my father treated me like a mistress.

I often hated the presents intended for his wife.

I hated the trips that really were pilgrimages.

Under the pretext of making me happy, he was feeding his memories.

Anyway, we're such an odd family.

My father loves a daughter who looks like his wife,

and I can't love any man who doesn't resemble my father.

I wanted to die at an age when others start living.

It wasn't unusual since my father was living through a dead woman.

Luckily, I botched my suicide.

And now, I'm ruining my life, which is worse."

"Progressively unveiling itself...

in a constantly changing..."

"The last illusion...

In Hong Kong I was still in Paris,

and he was still in 1946.

We were together,

but couldn't have been further apart."

You want to be a Maoist? But you know nothing about Mao.

In 1950, millions of people were Stalinists;

they knew nothing about him.

The camps, the purges, the executions,

were found out after Stalin's death.

And Mao is the last of the Stalinists.

Writers aren't censored or jailed in China.

There's only one writer and one book in China!

Pierre Lazareff, Pierre Desgraupes,

Pierre Dumayet and Igor Barr�re,

bring you "Top Five Headlines."

Today, South Vietnam.

One New Year's wish must be universal...

peace in Vietnam in 1966.

For Americans, there is more than one Vietnam,

since Saigon is also in Los Angeles,

Santo Domingo and Berkeley.

Once the Pentagon's foes were only Orientals,

now they are Black, Marxist, academic.

Che Guevara's prophecy has come true...

"Vietnam crippled America."

May the year 1966

see an escalation of peace efforts.

May the tears and bloodshed end.

Charles?

Let's make a wish.

Listen, Charles.

We get out tomorrow.

Let's make this the last night we ever spend in prison.

You make about as much sense as what I'm reading.

Damn it, there must be another way.

Let's do something else.

"Scene 1:

The set is a record store on a boulevard.

Close-up of a hand taking a record by B�caud,

and furtively slipping it under a raincoat."

"Writing for yourself or others, dear Carla,

is a way of setting the record straight.

It's confession without a priest.

It's a cry from the heart when your courage fails.

For someone who always acted without thinking,

writing enables me to reverse the process...

to think before acting.

At last I know how ungrateful I've been.

I simply accepted the world of money.

My morals, education and desires

were those of a decadent and doomed class.

Evidently, people appreciated money after the war.

It was a way out of the nightmare.

The war justified everything!

It had justified so many crimes, why not money?

But what can peace justify, besides peace itself?

Only the joy of living with others,

without hate or bigotry, without denunciations or profiteering.

Happiness may even be

inversely related to our fortunes.

I'd give anything to have known my mother.

Real happiness is being able to cry out,

'Mom, I'm scared,' when you've had a bad dream.

It's waking up in the arms of a man you love."

Sing for all the pals who were released, Julien.

One...

two...

three!

Bravo, Julien. So you've got your caf�.

If all goes well, we open tomorrow.

What are you drinking?

- A Ricard. - A cassis salaud.

So, Charles...

are we going to incorporate or form a limited company?

Success, Inc. But Failure, Limited!

- What about the taxes? - I told you to pay them.

You owe taxes because you've made a profit.

Why make a profit if we have to pay taxes?

Brilliant deduction, Dr. Watson.

Excuse me, Mr. Goldman. Sorry to disturb you.

- Not at all. - I think it's unfair that my pal Henry,

who works on the same line as I do,

gets paid $200, and I get $180 for the same work.

- For the same work? - Exactly the same, Mr. Goldman.

Well, starting next week,

he'll get the same salary as you, okay?

I just thought a $20 raise would've been nice.

Okay, you'll get your $200. Talk to Mr. Gerard about it.

- Thank you, Mr. Goldman. - To what do we owe this honor?

Good morning, Daddy.

- Good morning. - 'Morning, miss.

This is Lilo, the lady I told you about.

Nice to meet you. So you're looking for work?

- Yes, sir. - What can you do?

- Not very much. - Perfect.

Mr. Gerard will take care of you. Excuse me.

You really can't do anything?

Not very much.

Could you supervise some workers?

Sure. Does it pay well?

It pays better than working, that's for sure!

After a strenuous effort... Ricard.

During a strenuous effort... Ricard.

Before a strenuous effort... Ricard.

Emphasize "Ricard," not "effort."

Less effort and more Ricard. Understand?

How many sugar cubes do you put in your coffee?

- Two. - Thank God!

Are we on schedule?

- Commercials stink. - What do you mean?

I liked making pornos better.

- At least we were selling dreams. - Dreams that landed us in jail.

Move a little to the left, please.

Now that's nice.

Take a look. See how nice it is.

- What do you see? - A bottle of Ricard.

- Know what's in this camera? - Film.

There is life and love and death in this camera,

and with that we can make lots of money.

Okay, put life and love and death into the Ricard.

- Okay, fine. - Let's do it.

Miss, we are selling Ricard and not effort, okay?

Let's stop being opportunists and become adventurers.

I don't get it.

An opportunist may succeed but he takes no risks.

An adventurer may fail but he takes risks constantly.

Let's stay opportunists! Let's go!

First prize of the 1967 International Commercial Film Festival,

has been awarded to the Simon Duroc crew for the film "Ricard."

Can I have a big one instead?

If he likes my money, he'll protect it.

He agreed to convert to Judaism.

- That proves something, right? - Yes.

I want a divorce.

It doesn't exist in Italy.

How convenient for penniless studs like you.

Studs are expensive animals.

They all cost money.

Provided they can produce.

With this ring, I thee wed

according to the laws of Moses and Israel.

I kept remembering your mother.

You're as beautiful as she was.

Three times today,

air-raid sirens blared in Tel Aviv.

Radar signals warned of approaching enemy aircraft.

Israel is in a state of alert.

The building I am currently in has been largely evacuated.

Yesterday I was in the Negev,

where nothing indicated that war was near.

The day before, I was in Gaza.

I witnessed a sense of determination,

and a willingness to wait from everyone.

Today, the waiting is over.

There are no details yet.

There is fighting in the air and on the ground,

and tanks have gone into action.

Moshe Dayan, the Defense Minister,

gave a speech on the radio. "It's clear..." he said.

Sure, I'm Black. So what?

But my gown is whiter than yours.

Not true. Mine is whiter!

You call that white? This is white!

- And is your face white? - Perfect!

Very good rehearsal. Let's do it just like that.

- Three sugar cubes in your coffee? - Yes, really.

That's happiness!

Everybody on your marks, let's go!

How do you like the Black girl?

I got us the exclusive rights on all soap commercials.

Do them without me. Where's the camera?

What's the matter now?

The matter is I'm drowning in soapsuds!

I want to film a woman's face,

or a guy walking his dog,

a beach in the wintertime, children, a passing ship...

- And that will make money? - Who knows?

- You okay? - I'm fine.

I feel so good with you.

And I want it to last.

I have something to tell you.

I lied to you.

I don't put three sugar cubes in my coffee.

It doesn't matter.

- You okay? - I want a divorce.

We've only been married six days.

- As long as the war. That's too long. - Jewish humor...

- I'm not joking. - We didn't even have our honeymoon.

No, you chose to settle down with my father's money.

- Another whim? - This isn't a whim.

The wedding was one.

- A week ago, you were in love. - With a tennis racquet. Yes!

And you with my father!

With his money, if you prefer.

You grovel before my father and you despise the workers...

two good reasons to stop loving you.

- What do you want? - A divorce.

- On what grounds? - You're too handsome.

- That's not grounds for a divorce. - We'll see.

What do you want from a man?

To love me more than himself.

- I love you. - You can't even pretend!

You'll see, it's big, it's beautiful,

it's stylish, it's modern.

- Square footage? - Big enough.

How did you find it?

I followed a pretty girl.

- What do you mean? - Don't worry, you'll see.

It's big, beautiful, stylish and modern.

- Miss Blanchard, good morning. - Good morning.

This is Simon Duroc,

who just won first prize for commercials.

- Good morning. - Good morning!

It's 400 square meters of office space,

with a southern exposure. Follow me.

For two days, you've touted the southern exposure,

- What does that mean? - It means facing the sun...

Facing the sea...

- Facing the sun, very good. - Very nice, thank you.

This is the first office.

What kind of company do you have?

- Incorporated. - Incorporated?!

We make commercials. Soon it will be movies.

Filmmakers Incorporated.

"All that money can buy

is luxuries to be unhappy with,

a first-class funeral, alimony for a divorce.

If we had to pay for a divorce before getting married,

everybody would stay single.

And if funerals had to be paid for at birth,

the human race would be near extinct."

"After her divorce, she really hated money lovers.

She had nothing against money.

She just didn't like how the rich used it.

Between waste and greed, there wasn't much choice."

What are you thinking?

With you, I don't think. I only have to touch you.

Okay, Annie. Wait.

Remember when you said that to me?

Your voice sort of trembled. That's what I'd like to hear.

- Okay, I'll tremble. - Perfect!

You're fine. Don't change a thing.

You been an actor long?

For three generations. We're all actors from father to son.

That's nice. On your marks, everybody.

After the kiss, he could drink a glass of Ricard.

Charles, no more commercials, ever!

Does your masterpiece suffer if the guy drinks a Ricard?

Do you like what you see in the mirror every day?

It would have paid for a week's shooting.

Everybody ready? Let's go.

- Okay, ready! - Rolling!

Scene 13, take 2.

He needs to rest.

- What happened? - A heart attack.

He was fine 10 days ago at your wedding.

Too many worries.

Then my divorce and the Six-Day War.

He's very strong. He'll live to be 80.

David Goldman.

Rachel Stern.

Nice to meet you.

The shoe factory in Rome

and its branches in Naples and Turin;

the shoe factory in Paris, and branches in Rouen and Lille;

the tannery in Bern;

70% of Goldman stocks,

totaling an annual gross of $600 million;

the $1 million Rothschild Bank account;

24 old masters paintings valued at $2 million,

and the Deauville country-house and grounds.

Madame, you are now a very wealthy woman.

One of the major problems in the world

is that someone noticed that a son looks like his father.

So inheritance was invented.

It's the height of inequality.

Inheritance will ruin capitalism, inheritance will ruin you.

- Look at the Bay of Rio. - Another postcard!

I wish you could see postcards like this every day.

- What are you interested in? - Men!

- One man in particular. - Exactly.

You know, men are like the sun.

They don't shine every day.

I don't care, I've got an umbrella.

You'd better have a big one.

- My feet hurt. - Serves you right.

You never had the guts to wear Goldman's shoes.

- The World's Warmest! - In Rio?

Warm but airy!

"She'd heard her father without really listening.

Now she listened desperately, but couldn't hear him.

She'd gotten used to his advice, his criticism,

his words were like a daily drug

she's grown addicted to without noticing it.

When death arrived,

she went into withdrawal like a drug addict.

Like any drug addict, she found it unbearable.

Like a madwoman, she searched the depth of her memory,

looking for a sentence or a word that could ease her pain."

I just dropped by to pick up something.

Let me explain.

No, don't worry, I get it.

Stop playing games.

I'm not playing games.

Everything is all right.

It's not adultery, since we're not married.

We're civilized people.

We'll keep it fair play, with a positive attitude.

Stop pretending!

I'm not pretending.

There's a beautiful blonde waiting in my car.

- I don't want to keep her waiting. - A blonde?

You know you're a beautiful blonde?

I'd even say a very beautiful blonde.

If you'd like, I'll take you to the movies tonight.

THE END

Excuse me, sir, we're taking a survey.

What made you pick this movie theater?

The rain.

How did you like the movie?

It's crap.

And racist crap on top of it!

Maybe you can tell me why he killed the Black girl at the end.

Huh? Poor girl. I don't get it.

Why did you kill her at the end?

You made this movie?

You didn't like it?

Well, like I said,

it's mostly the ending.

You don't think he should kill the Black girl?

No, because it looks racist.

Even a little bit fascist.

But it's more racist than fascist.

What do you mean by fascist?

He didn't have to kill her, that's all.

"Accepting ex-convicts as filmmakers

reveals the true poverty of French cinema."

Want me to go and beat him up?

I shouldn't have adapted it from a book.

You either betray the book or the movie.

I should've done it my way instead of trying to please others.

The only way to be universal is to be completely personal.

Count my fingers.

Go on.

How much is two times two?

One more, go on.

How are we going to pay off our debts?

- We could become cleaners. - To clean what?

Can you get back the soaps contract?

There we go. We'll do a year of soaps.

Now that's reasonable.

I don't mind shooting soap commercials for a year,

but you must swear that with the profit

- we try again. - Hmm.

We go back to filmmaking and I have an idea this time.

We'll make a science-fiction movie.

"First, a 50% salary increase

for all 7,000 Goldman Group employees;

Second, the 40-hours week based on four 10-hour workdays;

Three, retirement at age 50;

Four, nurseries for employees' children to be set up in all our factories,

and also a David Goldman Cultural Center;

Five, creation of vacation centers,

free for all Goldman's employees;

Six, distribution of all my stocks

to the 7,000 employees of the Goldman Group."

I said my stock, not yours.

In other words, it's a revolution.

No, a more equal share of happiness.

- For the workers? - For me, anyway.

The Bastille was taken in 1789. See how much good it did?

Maybe it wasn't done right.

You're wrong to give away your fortune.

Money can still buy indecision.

But I don't like people who hesitate.

With your money, you are a free woman.

Without it, you'll become a slave.

My father would say, "Slaves are those who can't say no to money."

Then think about your children.

I haven't met their father.

You'll always be welcome here, Miss Sarah. Goodbye.

Thanks for your help in the meeting.

Could we have dinner together sometime?

For business or for...?

I wish it would be "for..."

- Let's stay friends. - For business, then.

"Feeling safe with someone three days out of three isn't happiness.

It's worrying about someone two days out of three

in order to be wildly happy the third.

Jean will never be more than a safety net for me."

No! This is none of your business.

What are you writing about?

What would a woman write about?

Men.

What is it about?

A woman is looking for a man. It's not very original.

But you've found me.

This book is not about me.

Keep on working then.

"Jean was affectionate, kind, faithful and attentive...

all the qualities required of a pet dog.

Not quite. He never bit me."

A film about the future? Make a horror movie!

Does the future look that dark to you?

If I said it looked rosy, who'd listen?

There's no such thing as an optimist futurist?

Can a siren ever sound optimistic?

- What happened to him? - A pack of cigarettes a day.

What do you see in the future?

Look around this lab and you'll see.

That is a glass of wine. Good wine, too.

It's not a lab, it's a cemetery.

Know why the world is so sick nowadays?

Man can only create life one way.

He finds thousands of ways to destroy it, every day.

How'd this one die?

One hour in Paris traffic... exhaust fumes.

- Cool place you got here. - You think so?

- Yeah, very cool. - Thank you.

It's cool, huh?

Now that's very interesting.

Four generations of rabbits on the pill.

It's monstrous.

That's two aspirins a day for a week.

Very dangerous.

Seine River water.

Better tell me what I can eat and drink, because...

Tonight, you can have whatever you want.

Real environmental problems and restrictions will begin in 15 years.

But now's the time to speak out.

So my film about the future should be about the end of the world.

Do a film that shows how to prevent it.

- Is it still possible? - If you can shout louder than I.

One last question:

In 25 years, what will be the most difficult thing in the world?

What's easiest now... to have a child.

- A child? That's a good start. - Who knows?

We shouldn't do a movie about the future.

We should do a movie about the present.

Above all,

I must talk about things I know really well.

In 1910, we gained the right to strike.

In 1936, we gained the right to two weeks paid vacation.

Today we are fighting for the 40-hour week,

limits on production requirements, cost-of-living increases,

and a union shop.

But whatever the working class has ever gotten, it fought for it.

Today, the Goldman Group

claims that it will hand us our revolution...

a demagogical trap if ever there was one!

Never in the history of the working class

has a boss ever given anything to his workers.

Never have the workers stood still and received

the economic power of a generous capitalism.

You see? That's a failure.

He is a good speaker, don't you think?

He sounds like all union men. Worse in fact.

What do you think?

How long have they been on strike?

- I've lost track. - Do you like his looks?

You know your factory's in trouble?

The sooner I lose it, the happier I'll be.

Then there's nothing more to say.

It's really their factory, not mine.

Then why are they on strike?

They don't trust my generosity.

Well, what do you think of him?

You've never been in love with a poor man.

"A poor man is one who has no dream."

You're quoting your father again.

During the war, in the camps,

it was my feet that hurt me the most.

They were always cold.

So I made the promise that if I ever got out,

I'd make the warmest shoes in the world.

That's why you're a spoiled brat,

because your father had very cold feet.

You weren't defending the workers. You were defending yourself.

- Only yourself. - What are you trying to say?

I've been fighting for workers' solidarity for 10 years.

- Miss Sarah, what a nice surprise! - Hello, how are you?

Eat!

Wipe yourself. Three times.

- Have you decided yet? - Your special...

chicken for two.

- Which thigh? - The right one, thank you.

Right, of course. Eat! Wipe yourself.

- Trust me for the rest? - Okay, Sam.

He's an ex-convict who always picks the right thigh

- 'cause chickens sleep on the left one. - I don't get it.

It doesn't matter.

- They do good business here? - It's always packed!

Eat! Sing!

Or Grandma Juliette will punish you.

She'll turn you into a feather duster.

Your table's over there.

Miss Sarah, come help me. Make the customers happy.

Hold the two rings like that.

Here is Alfred the Great.

I'm gonna tell him to jump... higher than that.

One...

two...

ready?...

three! Go!

You work to make others happy because you're unhappy.

You talk about union because you're alone.

I militate therefore I am.

What does a rich kid know about unions?

A man should have a man's ideas,

- not political ideas. - And what are a man's ideas?

A man's ideas...

should always lead to friendship, love, action.

Political ideas always lead to lies and money.

Money means nothing to me.

But those who support you think you can bring them some.

Your money blinds you to honesty.

"It cost money to be honest. It's a luxury..." to quote my father.

- Spoiled rotten by money? - Yes, it's true.

At least I know money can't buy happiness.

Your friends still think it can.

My "friends" only want one thing...

less inequality and more generosity.

Be honest! You don't believe in generosity.

Not in mine, naturally. Who would give away a factory?

But you don't believe in your own either.

I ease my conscience, while you pursue class-consciousness,

which is the same thing.

You're a leftist because you're unhappy.

The day you are happy, you'll be a rightist.

The middle class can be leftist or rightist,

but common people can't.

They are and will always be just people.

I like that. I mean it!

I'm just as lost as you are.

We're fighting the same system...

you from the outside, me from the inside.

I'm squandering my father's fortune

and you're sacrificing your life for a union.

We try to make everybody happy

because we can't make somebody happy.

Neither of us can.

- Sam, the check, please. - No, I'll get it.

Chicken, chicken!

- Right or left thigh? - Who cares?

Yeah, who cares?

"He's here, next to me,

our ideas world apart.

But I've never felt so close to a man before.

We make love together and we write together."

This is what I'm gonna post at your factory next week.

It's perfect!

But you must put two S's there.

- Then can I put it up? - Certainly, sir.

"I don't care if he fights me.

I've stopped fighting back.

I'd rather lose my ideas and win a man instead."

Photography is terrific!

All I want to know is if you understand.

- I still say it's terrific. - Hold it...

This "terrific" is not your usual "terrific."

I have to feel that it's a "terrific"

that's very important. It's a turning point.

It's in this prison, in this lab, in this vat,

thanks to him, that you discover photography.

It changes your whole life.

- Do you get it? - It's easier.

- You are impressed. - Wait a minute!

Wait a minute! I didn't have that much gray hair.

Even today, I don't have that much gray hair.

Come here, look.

Cut!

You're fine.

Doesn't look much like me.

He's not vulgar. Don't say, "Show me your ass, girls!"

All right, it's a porno, and he has to,

his pal led him. But he's not vulgar.

Okay, everything's fine. We'll fix it with the music.

Taking a break from the factory, Comrade?

Do you mind if I punch him in the face?

Forget it. He's Carla's new gigolo.

- Do you like horses? - Yes, but they don't like me.

Are you all right?

- What's wrong? - Your money.

- Try to forget about it. - That's not easy around here.

Beware of political activists. They're never happy.

At best, they only get 10% to 20% of what they want.

These events are nothing but a collective fit of jealousy.

Or class awareness. Whatever.

Anyway, these "events" are justified.

Not if they lead to violence...

It's still less violent than weekend traffic.

Aren't you forgetting 1789 and 1917?

Anyone who's scared today deserves to be!

Paul! Where are you going?

I've tried your way, I can't do it. I'm leaving.

- Because things are heating up? - Because we're incompatible.

I want to be in the streets. You want to watch TV.

Staying out of it may take real courage.

Maybe you're right. Good bye.

- How will you get to Paris? - I'll hitchhike. Don't worry.

He was just a man, not the man.

A man of one season...

You need a man who gets new ideas every day,

not someone with a one-track mind.

No, he's right. Money's a monkey on my back.

When can we start shooting again?

When this is all over.

Why don't we use what's happening and put it in the film?

Political action is group action.

I work best on my own. So... politics!

How could a little demagogy hurt your film?

If I ever believe in man's generosity,

I'll make a political film.

For now, and this is what I want to show,

a man is generous only when he is in love.

When did he leave?

Two days ago. After the problems with your car.

I won't sign for overtime.

He didn't just disappear. He's probably somewhere, thinking.

A genius has to think things over.

Where do you think he went?

Sometimes when he's upset, he goes to the beach.

Let's go look for him.

Where? France has 2,000 miles of coastline.

Charles? Yes, Deauville.

Deauville!

It's not that far.

Listen, I've been thinking about the film.

I'm changing the whole ending.

It's going to be a beautiful love story.

Come up here on Monday, with the whole crew.

And find me a dog.

Yes, a dog...

who can run, and who's not afraid of water.

Yes! A dog for a beautiful love story. I'll explain.

Send her my love.

- He said he sends you his love. - Where is he?

A dog who can run and who likes water...

- He's lost his mind. - Where is he?

- He's wacko. - Where is he?

In Deauville! All wacko over there.

That day, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins

were ready for another trip into space.

This time, two men would set foot on the moon.

"Scene 77: Exterior night: A fishing boat in Deauville.

The camera pans a slow 360�,

superimposed on Armstrong setting foot on the moon.

Just then, as the pan ends, another phenomenon occurs.

Jean and Fran�oise finally meet.

They look at each other and smile.

They know this is fate.

It took generations to prepare this moment."

That's it!

One must go back in time to tell the love story

between a man and a woman, otherwise it says nothing.

A second can last a century.

Love at first sight is a century lasting a second.

The link will be a dog. That's the final image.

And no end title. That would be too stupid.

It all seems quite brilliant.

Tell me, Simon Duroc, that scene at the awards show,

was it autobiographical as well?

I don't want to expose your private life,

but it's common knowledge that you were in prison.

Everyone is in some kind of prison.

What I mean is that

a man can be the prisoner of a woman.

You can be the prisoner of alcohol,

or of your work.

Now if you mean a real prison...

the kind with four walls...

I think it's a good school. As long as you graduate.

In your film, you talk a lot about happiness.

Happiness is a lovely word.

It's a lovely word that's a bit scary.

What's your definition of happiness?

Happiness is...

meeting someone who wants to meet you,

and living selfishly together.

You also talk a lot about men. What is a man?

A man is someone who isn't afraid of men.

- What a bullshitter! - And a woman?

A woman is a man who cries sometimes.

And you talk about superstition. Are you superstitious?

- Yes. - It seems out of character.

I think superstition is a kind of crutch for intelligence.

And since intelligence often limps,

we call on superstition.

And now, Simon Duroc, the inevitable question...

the subject of your next film?

The 20th century.

Listen.

If ever there's another war in Israel...

help them.

- Help them! - I promise you, Daddy.

"Even though I was an orphan of the camps,

I never understood the Jewish problem.

What did Dachau and Auschwitz mean to me?

Abstractions, symbols, words, figures...

history's greatest genocide.

Apparently my mother died from it.

Six million martyrs for a homeland.

That's a high price to pay for the right not to exist.

Aryans in 1943 or Arabs in 1973,

what's the difference?

Hitler was right. The Third Reich would last 1,000 years.

Why should the world have a bad conscience?

It's easy to wash your hands of Jewish blood with gas.

The Arabs aren't the most guilty.

They're using the only weapon they have...

oil!

The real criminals are those nations

ready to sacrifice others to save themselves.

So why not the Jews?

They have such a vocation for martyrdom.

I saw the prisoner exchange at Tel Aviv this morning...

one Israeli for 100 Egyptians.

Until Israel understands that to win the war against the Arabs

they must appear to lose it, nothing will be right in the world.

What the Arabs now want isn't Israeli territory,

but a pseudo-victory to heal their disappointment.

Try explaining that to a Jew.

We've had a few little troubles

for a few thousand years.

That has predisposed us, sometimes...

I say sometimes!...

to a certain sharpening

of our ability for analysis. And therefore, of foresight,

and therefore... and I stress the "sometimes"...of efficiency.

But Jews are not more intelligent than others.

That's a stupid anti-Semitic concept.

The "Te Deum," and foreign heads of state.

1971, the fall of the dollar.

Bad footage, but an important event.

1972, Munich...

the Olympic Games,

the climax of terrorism.

What have we got for 1973?

End of the war in Vietnam and Watergate.

It's hard to tie it all together.

And the Yom Kippur War.

What connects Watergate to the petroleum embargo?

Who knows?

- America. - No, it's not America...

It's not America... it's blackmail.

Men have become hostages.

Man has become the hostage of man.

That's the subject of our next film.

We can't do a movie about the 20th century

without making a movie about blackmail.

100 years ago, we killed one another. Now we intimidate each other.

We're torturing each other, which is worse.

That's the starting point.

It's gonna be boring as hell.

- Relax, it'll have music. - Lots of music.

Lots of music!

Why not make pornos using stars?

It's legal and you have talent. Why bother with political films?

So they can call you an opportunist?

Got the 1914 footage?

So you're returning to Israel. With a ticket to New York?

New York is the real capital of Israel, nowadays.

- Shall I go with you? - No... I'm leaving you.

What have I done to you?

Nothing. You never did anything.

You know I love you.

Whenever a man loved me, I left him.

Whenever I loved a man, he left me.

You see, it's not that simple.

I don't understand. We've never argued in four years.

Maybe we should have.

Love is passion, violence... not just some hospital-like peacefulness.

Peace is what you wanted when we met, remember?

That's what I needed. You cured me, thank you.

- You're so ungrateful! - So I am,

and a bitch and a whore. I've got all the flaws in the world!

That's what men like. Damn it, my passport.

You'll never know what a man is.

A man is the opposite of kindness.

It's selfishness and lies...

someone who goes all the way and is full of contradictions,

who creates instead of relying on others.

He'd slap me when I'd decide to leave,

and he'd call me a bitch! That's a man.

- But your mind's made up. - There you are!

A man would have decided for me.

My passport.

But these four years we spent together

haven't been a total waste of time for you.

You can't think in terms of gain or loss when it comes to love.

- Who is in New York? - Nobody.

I'm going there to get money for Israel.

- That's pure demagogy. - Yes, but Jewish demagogy.

Would you do me a favor?

Try to sell this house. I can't stand it anymore.

- For how much? - I'll leave that to you.

- Good bye, Florence. I'll write you. - Good bye, madam.

How's your book coming along?

I'm stuck. I can't find a way to end it.

Don't worry, I'll send you postcards.

We've got millions to make any film,

and instead of coming up with ideas, you take a trip.

That's why I'm going on a trip... to get the idea we need.

Paris doesn't inspire you anymore,

to the point that you need jet-lag issues?

I've already told my life story. So what's left to do?

Other people's stories? Well, other people live elsewhere.

And that movie about the 20th century?

I still want to make that film.

It'll go from 1900, with the invention of movies,

to 2000, with the invention of happiness.

It'll be a mixture of subjects, styles.

It'll be a three-hour film describing a single moment of love...

the anatomy of love at first sight.

To explain it, I'll go back three generations.

You've come a long way since blackmail.

It will also explain

that only the doers are really alive,

that the world should be shared, not divided.

Come on, let's go!

And here we are, back to big theories.

People just want to have fun, nothing more.

It's a good thing I like you.

- And I don't put sugar in my coffee. - You're such a poet.

How many poets owe thousands in taxes by the 31st?

Just pay them.

I think I found a way with Panama.

Just now, I was telling you about sharing the world.

As weird as it seems to you, my way of dealing

with others people's problems is by paying taxes.

Save that for your reporters.

How about a gangster movie?

A movie about the 20th century has to be about gangsters.

You open at the Olympia again tomorrow.

- How many times has it been? - I don't know. 18, 19 times?

In a nutshell. Time goes so fast.

18 or 19 times! But is there a song

that you sang every time?

At the Olympia?

There must be one.

Yes, there is one.

- Can you turn it up, please? - Sure.

I've always liked him.

Don't worry, I'll make a great movie.

- Are you sure that's how it'll be? - Maybe.

- Would you like some wine? - Yes, please.

Meanwhile, what can we do?

Have children while it's still easy.

To give them the end of the world?

Not the end of the world, but a different world...

with more restrictions and more regulations.

How will it be politically?

Not bad. The world will be divided in two...

...free exchange between the two countries.

Until one attacks and we're off again.

And intelligent, too!

Are you very busy in New York?

No. I don't know.

Maybe. I don't know.

Why?

What do you expect from a woman?

That she share my ideas.

Men's ideas, naturally, that turn a woman into a slave.

This film was completed in Paris on April 23rd, 1974 - That's it.

- Your coffee, madam. - Thank you, sir.

- And yours, sir. - Thank you.

May I have a third lump of sugar, please?

Three lumps of sugar...