La môme aux boutons

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New York,

February 16, 1959

Hurry! She collapsed 10 minutes ago.

The ambulance is on its way.

Saint Theresa, dear God,

do not forsake me...

...give me strength. I want to live.

Restore me to life.

Paris, Belleville, 1918

Why are you crying?

-Get the hell out of here, scum!

I'm so lonely and miserable.

Life is so hard.

But it's all I know.

What more can I say?

What are you doing here?

Why are you crying?

Are you on your own?

Where's your mother?

Wherever I go,

in chains,

There is nothing but pain.

Nothing to accomplish.

My life is so hard.

I've known nothing else,

I'm all alone and miserable.

A fine mother YOU are!

Hanging's too good for you!

I have to live too. I'm a singer!

-She should be looking after your daughter!

I look after her very well!

Louis, I can no longer wait here for you.

Belleville is horrible.

My agent says that someone with my talent

should go to Constantinople...

...just like Frehel the singer...

Good news for our acrobat?

Sure, and Clemenceau sends his regards.

I left Edith with my mother.

She'll take care of her

till I'm on my feet again.

Louis, I can't wait for you any longer.

Anetta.

Anybody home?

Edith?

Louis?

I'm taking her with me.

Bernay, Normandy, 1918

And who's this?

Your granddaughter: Edith.

That's a peculiar name.

She's a sickly looking child.

Come with me.

What are you doing here?

What a angel!

What's your name?

Back to work, Titine!

-There's someone in the toilet upstairs.

What lovely blue eyes you have.

I'm listening...

I have to be getting back.

I'll be demobbed soon.

Then I can work as an acrobat again.

I'll return for my little angel.

-Not now!

I'm finished, Mama Louise.

-Watch the door.

Where's her mother?

No idea.

Would you want her to stay here?

People will talk.

-People always talk.

Isn't she going with us to Mass?

We'll be late for Mass.

-The world doesn't revolve around her.

It appears we have a baby.

-May we see her?

It's a little girl. Would she like some bread?

-All right, everybody leave, please.

Come on, ask her if she'll sing for us.

A shame that communists aren't allowed on the stage.

One night I went swimming

in my birthday suit,

Nobody could see me,

Only the night itself.

Until the moon suddenly appeared,

I felt like saying: shine on me.

Then I heard close by

A heartfelt cry.

A man stood on a rock,

Low enough to see me.

The man cried "Oh!"

And from the water,

I cried "oh" back.

He saw me naked,

Nothing to cover me,

I blushed the whole night long.

He saw me naked,

Completely naked.

Out of respect for the poor man,

I covered up my face.

But now I know

that by doing so

I ended up showing

my charms below.

He saw me naked.

Titine! Open the door.

That's enough now.

What's the matter?

- She has Edith with her.

Open up I say!

-Whatever is the matter?

Nothing. Get a move on.

The customers will be here any minute.

Open the door! Otherwise I'll...

-I don't want to work.

I don't want to work.

-Oh, you don't want to work?

What do you think this is, a hotel?

-Edith is staying here with me tonight.

That's what YOU think.

It's me. Open this door.

The soldier is here.

I couldn't care less.

That liar with his lies and alibis.

Stop your nonsense and get yourself out here.

Otherwise it's the street for you.

I'm tired of you playing the drama queen!

I don't want any nonsense.

New York, May 8, 1959

Doug!

What, are you jealous?

I'll send the Billie Holiday records

to the hotel.

Thank you, Loulou. Billie and I were born the same year.

Is that not something?

I've brought my drawings.

You want to see them now, or later?

Later. First I have to sing that shmuck's song.

That's before your time...

-What?

Nothing.

I'm ready.

I'm ready.

That's Jeanne!

What's the matter?

Blood everywhere...

-Tell me about it!

He wanted to play doctors and patients,

with my instruments.

The filthy swine!

Titine!

We'll have to tell Madame.

-She'll kill me. It hurts!

I can't see anything.

Well, doctor?

-It's not good I'm afraid.

It's her cornea.

Is she blind?

It's an infection.

Patience. This sort of thing can last for months.

Take this to the pharmacist.

My thanks.

Whose child is she?

Nobody's.

Lisieux, Normandy

Theresa, I never ask anything of you.

But I'm asking you to listen to little Edith.

Please, Edith.

Say it. She's listening.

Theresa, I don't want to be blind.

I want to see.

She bumps into everything.

Go on.

I want to learn how to read, and to run like I used to.

I don't want to be blind.

Saint Theresa, please ask baby Jesus

to take care of Edith.

Go on.

Thank you, Saint Theresa, Jesus.

-Thank you.

She can see...

She can see!

Titine, get up!

Whatis it?

-He's back. He's come for Edith.

Get dressed.

They can't do this to me!

How can you keep on doing this?

She'll see a lot of the world.

Go!

Edith!

Titine!

Don't take my little girl away.

Let her go!

Enough!

She's crazy!

Stop or I'll throw you out!

You've no right!

Don't do this to me!

-Go!

It's over! I'm ending it all.

Here we are at Orly airport.

The passengers are disembarking...

...I see Edith Piaf!

With a young man in tow.

What have you brought back from America?

-An American.

What's his name?

Edith, for God's sake!

Just as in her song, she's carried

'by the crowd.'.

She's stepping into her amazing

black-and-white automobile.

She looks exhausted, but she's dazzling all the same.

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