In The French Style

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1

CHRISTINA:
Damn!

(PEOPLE TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

Mademoiselle.

Merci.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

I said you were right not to want to go in.

It isn't worth the trouble.

The pictures are awful and

the people are worse.

If it wasn't my duty, I would never

come to one of these things.

Your duty? Are you a critic?

No, I am the brother of the artist.

Do you want to meet him?

He is not worth meeting,

though, I assure you.

(CHUCKLES) I'll take your word for it.

Are you really interested in paintings?

In a way.

Would you like to see a beautiful painting?

Not like these, these

neurotic monkey-scratches.

Yes, if it's not too far.

Ten minutes from here.

Come. I have transportation.

What do you think?

I hate it. What?

Why?

Because I am a painter myself.

And I know I'll never be able

to paint anything as good.

Excellent.

In that case, I will take you to dinner.

Do you always drink

Coca-Cola with your dinner?

No, not always.

Why? Does it displease you?

Well, it sort of reminds me of Chicago.

You do not wish to be reminded of Chicago?

Not at the moment.

Do you always drink wine with your dinner?

Well, since I came to France.

Alcohol is the curse of France.

Wine has reduced this country

to a second-rate power.

Oh. Don't let me embarrass you.

Drink if you wish.

Well, I don't want to be reduced

to a second-rate power.

Now you're making fun of me.

Only a little.

How long have you been in Paris?

Six months.

How much longer do you intend to stay?

Another six months.

Then the money runs out.

(CLICKS TONGUE) Too long.

Why?

I've been studying you all

through dinner and...

Couldn't we speak French?

Every time I say two words in French

to anybody in this country,

they break immediately into English.

I'll never learn the language this way.

If you wish.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

I'm sorry. You go too fast.

I said, I have been studying

you all through dinner,

and I have some good advice to offer you.

What's that?

Leave Paris, leave France

as soon as possible.

Well, that isn't very

hospitable, I must say.

Let me warn you.

It is difficult enough to

be a French girl in Paris.

To be an American girl is impossible.

Paris is a city with a hard heart.

It is a factory for the production

of egotists and cynics.

If I had any power over you, I

would send you away tomorrow.

What about you? You're here.

A man is different.

Even so, when I'm finished with my

studies, I'm getting out as soon as I can.

Where are you going to go?

Mmm, in Africa, Asia, South America.

I am going to be an engineer.

I intend to build dams

and bridges and roads

in the jungle, in the desert,

in the wildest mountains,

away from all this

chi-chi, all this gossip,

all this money-making and playing politics.

Have I convinced you?

Are you taking the first

plane tomorrow morning?

(CHUCKLES) No.

That means I can take you

to dinner tomorrow night.

I'm afraid I can't ask you in.

Our landlady doesn't allow us to

bring men into the apartment.

How wise she is!

I now say goodnight. Oh.

Well, goodnight.

Till tomorrow.

But tell your brother I hope

his show's a great success.

You're wrong to encourage him.

May I ask you a question?

Yes. What?

How old are you?

Nineteen.

I trust you do not object to

going out with older men.

Why?

Because I'm 21.

Please don't get killed on the way home.

I shall drive like an old

lady with rheumatism.

I promise you.

Night.

(LIVELY CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING ON RADIO)

(SWITCHING CHANNELS)

(GUITAR PLAYING SOFTLY)

Why did you do that?

Because it's Sunday.

Don't ever do anything like that again.

Why not?

Because it's too much the way Anglo-Saxons

believe French people behave in public.

Come on, let's get out of here.

Hey, you,

I don't like the look of

the back of your neck.

What's the matter with it?

It's frowning.

That's better.

Will people be able to see that

I was in love while the

picture was being painted?

If you keep on talking, all

they'll be able to see

is that I never got the mouth right.

How does my face look

when I say, "I love you"?

Or maybe it looks better in French.

Je t'aime.

Does that help?

No.

Were you ever in love?

No.

Of course, that's a lie.

But it's nice of you to say so.

Guy, why don't you ever introduce

me to any of your friends?

Because they are vastly boring.

At least your family.

Equally vastly boring.

Are you making me look

intelligent and uncompromising?

Is that how you want to look?

Yes.

I'll do my best.

Tell me something. What?

Are you surprised that in all the

three months I've known you,

I have never tried...

I have never tried to seduce you?

No.

I believe in love and fidelity.

I am past all that cheap

adolescent promiscuity.

I hope you are, too.

Of course.

Don't move.

When we are ready for each

other, we will know it.

Shh!

She's American. She understands every word.

Good. I want all America to know.

When we are ready for each

other, we will know it.

Guy, please! Shh!

(CLEARS THROAT)

I'm sorry if I am disturbing

you, Mademoiselle.

Not at all.

It's quite nice, if I may say so.

Thank you.

Mm-hmm.

Mademoiselle James.

I have the name right? Yes.

Let me introduce myself.

I am that worst of all living creatures,

a landlord.

I am also the Baron douard de Chazire.

For my sins, I own this building.

It has been in my family for 160 years.

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