Piano Panier (1989)

[bunniefuu]

IN SEARCH OF THE EQUATOR

Open the door, Marie.

Let me in
or I'll break the door down.

Peace.

I want peace.

Marie!

Let me in!

Hello? Good evening. It's Marie.

Yes. I'm fine. And you?

Is Pépin there?

Thank you.

Hello, Pépin.

No, I'm not all right.
I feel terrible.

Knock three times, OK?
That way I'll know it's you.

And if there's anyone there,
don't come. I mean...

Come back later.

OK.

Thank you, Pépin.

Did you see anybody?

Calm down.

This was pinned to the door.

It's him again.

The idiot!

What?

"If you want to leave me,
give me back what I gave you.

- "Patrick."
- I don't understand.

What does he want back? His skin?

His scent? His loving words?

His necklace.

I see you've brought
a bottle of port.

It's the best cure for heartache.

If I had you with me all the time,
I wouldn't be in such dire straits.

sh*t.

I'm tipsy after just one glass.

Never mind him.

- How's the piano playing going?
- Great.

I'm working hard but I love it.

With blokes I seem to work hard
and get nowhere.

Every time you come round
you break a glass.

I haven't broken a glass here
for ages.

That's true.

Sorry, Pépin. I abandoned you.

- What about you?
- I don't know.

Medicine takes too long.
I'm switching to pharmacy.

Do you see yourself
working in your stepfather's shop?

Yes. You know me.

All I really want
is sunshine and parties.

Are you really going to leave him?

I have to.

He's married. He has two daughters.

I see him on Mondays when his wife
is at her Chinese cookery class

and on Thursdays when he pretends
to be at a computer class.

Two days in Paris for the elections

and four days in Sri Lanka
for a documentary on the Tamils.

But keep all that to yourself.

He's a TV journalist.

When I wash a lettuce
he tells me to wash it again.

That's ridiculous.

That's a good reason to leave him.

I'm going to Portugal on Thursday
to stay with my grandmother.

Why not come with me?

I'd love it if you did.

Portuguese men are handsome.

And I've got lots to tell you.

Yes?

Forget about him.

Go away.

Go away with Pépin to Portugal.

I just told my grandmother
you were suffering from heartache.

She suggests
you drink a glass of port.

No, thank you. I don't like alcohol.

OK.

Thank you.

She said she was
going to pray for you

and you should do the same.

Pépin, Pépin

Pépin always makes

Pépin always makes compromises

This trip

To Porto

Full of new sights

And new words

Oh, Pépin

What a treat

Life is sweet

Pépin, Marie

Best friends

Thank you, Pépin

Thank you

Forget

Your sorrows

Think of tomorrow

Where is your head at, Marie?

- Here.
- Are you bored?

Are you missing Patrick?

Marie?

I know you. What's wrong?

I've known you since we were this big.

OK, I need to talk to you.

I'm sick of men staring at our arses.

Come off it. We love it.

And you're swearing like a trooper.

What are you drinking, Zazie?

A glass of port.

- Neat port?
- That's right. Neat port.

It's the best cure for heartache.

Why didn't you tell me
you were getting married?

Why did you bring me here,
where I don't understand a word,

when I find it disgusting the way
you eat fishes' heads

and I hate families and God
and all that nonsense?

And you, Pépin, my best friend,

in a white dress with a priest.

What's more, it's crap here.

As for that club we went to
last night with your cousins,

we'd have been better off
in Morges or Bulle.

Your cousin was winking at me.

You should tell him
that's not how to seduce a girl.

And those smarmy slow dances.

And as for you, Pépin,

a banker!

He's a far cry
from the adventurers we dreamt of,

those big-hearted artists...

- Are you pregnant or what?
- No.

Have you finished? Can I speak?

You didn't dare tell me
that you were abandoning me.

Of course I wanted to tell you.

- Only there wasn't time.
- There wasn't time?

On that long train ride
from Geneva to Porto?

You wouldn't let me
get a word in edgeways.

- That's not true.
- It is true.

You told me three times that Patrick
made you wash a lettuce twice,

that you could never make love
on a Tuesday

because his wife's cookery class
was on a Monday

and his pretend computer class
was on a Wednesday.

- Thursday.
- Sorry.

You talked about your piano playing,

about your year in Berlin,

about who you met,
about your money worries,

about your nightmares and dreams.

You told me about your trip to Asia.

You said you'd started
learning Thai and tai chi.

You told me a thousand things.

You literally inundated me
with words.

I was simply waiting for the moment,

for a lull in the conversation
so I could tell you.

Especially seeing as it's important.

I'm sorry.

See what comes
of being an only child?

You always think
you're the centre of the universe.

But there's one thing
I don't understand.

Why are you getting married?

Marie!

Someone with your Christian name
ought to be able to understand.

I'm happy.

He makes me laugh.

I suggest

that tomorrow I go
and see the priest and all that,

and that afterwards we go together
to my Uncle João's house

300km from here at the seaside.

It's beautiful. You'll see.

Nice welcome.

That's life.

It was a young girl.

What was?

Who died. All the flowers were white.

What colour were the flowers
at your father's funeral?

I can't remember the flowers.

I don't think there were many.

I remember wanting to cry
and not being able to.

Come on.

The world's our oyster.

Your uncle is mad to sell this place.

It's not just my uncle.

There's my aunt,
another aunt, my cousins.

Everyone's arguing about it.
It's one of those family sagas.

I have no family to argue with.

If you'd had three brothers,
two sisters and 20 cousins

you wouldn't have inherited
the flat in Geneva.

I'd rather have had 20 siblings
and three cousins, Pépin.

It's certainly empty.

We're going to be happy here.

Don't you think it smells fusty?

Shall we bring
the mattresses in here?

Instead of sleeping in a dank room,
we'll wake up to a sea view.

- Tired?
- No, I'm fine.

- You?
- Do your feet hurt?

My feet are ugly. I hate my feet.

- You have pretty feet.
- Come off it!

You have pretty feet.

This is full of good things.

Olive oil, garlic, onion,
peppers and tomatoes.

Sounds delicious.

Enjoy.

It's good.

It feels good here, Pépin.

The only thing I miss is my piano.

Shall I switch the light off?

What bothers me about your boyfriend,

your future husband,

is that his goal in life
is to make money.

Shut up, Marie.

How did you get here?

How do you feed yourself?

It's a luxury
to not care about money.

You've obviously never gone without.

What's crazy is
that you always make it an issue.

Mano doesn't make money.

He is a financial analyst.

Good night.

He's handsome and Portuguese.

Face.

Field.

Thick.

Face.

Field.

Thick.

Are you all right?
Do you want a cup of coffee?

Hello.

Thank you.

Come on. It stinks.

Why are they all staring at me?

Do I look like a tourist?

Have you seen how you're dressed?
Your boobs are on display.

No wonder old Zé drops in
for his glass of port every day.

He's not suffering from heartache.
He just comes to get an eyeful.

Do me a favour, cover yourself up.
You're not in Switzerland now.

If you want it that badly,

we can ask to rent one.

You know I don't have
much money, Pépin.

No money, no money.

Money is there to be spent.

Come on. If it's not too expensive,
I'll pay the rent for you.

Thank you, Pépin.

I've come to the conclusion

that you artists are all
a bunch of scroungers.

But you're better than me.

You're incredibly generous.

Why is love more complicated
than friendship?

I think I know why
but I don't know how to say it.

- Is it a question of tolerance?
- Yes.

Love is more irrational too.

We don't always know
why we're in love.

We shouldn't talk about love and
friendship as two separate things.

There is love in friendship
and friendship in love.

You can be sure about friendship.

Whereas with love
you'd like to be sure

but you're plagued by doubts.

The complication comes
from the confusion of feelings

not from being in love.

The moment when you lose your head?

I don't think you lose.

- You win?
- You give.

Madam's breakfast is ready.

Coming.

Great.

What does that mean again?

One, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten, in Thai.

If you had any respect
for me and for others,

you'd learn to say...

We've been here ten days

and you're still saying "bonjour"
when you arrive at the café.

And when you meet anyone,

"Do you speak French?"

Madam would rather learn Thai.

It's quirkier, more bohemian.

What's wrong, Pépin?

I've got the blues.

Your period's due.

Yes.

To make you laugh I'll have a whisky.

- It's my round.
- It's expensive here.

Pépin, there's one thing I'm good at.

I'm a fast learner,
and I have a sharp ear.

Sometimes I envy you.

Your piano, your travels.

Even your Thai.

You're always on the go
and I have nothing.

And I wish I had what you've got.

What about Manuel and your family

and the children
you plan to have together?

He hasn't even written to me.

I'm the one who's all alone.

Apart from that,
we're probably both screwed.

What?

Because we have to make choices.

Come on, let's go. It's crap here.

If only we could choose everything.

Fate!

I'll go.

Hello.

He's brought a letter.
We need to sign something or other.

Are you planning to stay much longer?

Yes, I like Thailand.

Hello.

He's so loving.

He's so romantic, I can't tell you.

And he writes well.

Listen to this.

"My darling Pépin."

I'll skip that bit. It's private.

Listen.

"Your place is in my heart,

"Your cellar is underneath my lungs."

"Finnish song" in brackets.

Isn't that lovely?

Finnish song?

Does he have any Nordic blood in him?

No. He probably read it somewhere.
Mano reads a lot.

The dictionary of quotations!

I should have learnt by now
that us lovers are on our own.

I love parrots.

They're lucky.

You're going to be happy, Pépin.

You say that, but whenever
I mention Mano, you're mean to me.

I'm just jealous.

At any rate, your children,

I'll love them
as if they were my own.

Stop it. You're making my head spin.

Can you see me
getting pregnant every year?

Getting fatter and fatter?

The kids screaming,
needing their nappies changed?

Waiting for my husband
to come home late at night

because he has to earn enough
to feed the whole family?

I am an excellent cook.

And I'm always smiling.

I am the perfect wife and mother.

Actually, I would have liked
to have been on stage.

It's true, you're a great actress!

Being an actress
is a serious business.

To get back to parrots,

my piano teacher, the Russian guy,
told me this story.

It is long and absurd.

Well, come on, then. Tell me.

Once upon a time
there was a little boy.

His father was a woodcutter.
His mother was dead.

One day the father calls his son
and says,

"You're a big boy now.
You must help me.

"You're going to make
my lunch every day.

"Bread, lots of butter
and a litre of red wine.

The boy complies

and the father goes off
to work in the woods.

He comes home, displeased.

He says, "Son, I said I wanted
lots of butter on my bread.

I need fat. I work hard
to put food on our table.

"Yes, Father."

The next day the boy puts
1cm of butter on the bread.

The father comes home furious.

"Butter, you fool. Butter.

"I said I liked butter.
I need it to give me strength."

- Your story is stupid.
- Hang on. I'll edit it.

This carries on until one day
the boy, dumbfounded, decides

to follow his father into the forest
to see what happens to the butter.

At the foot of a tree
he finds the knapsack.

He opens the sandwich and sees
there is no butter on the bread.

He retraces his steps.

He emerges into a clearing

and what does he see?

A butter mountain,

with a multi-coloured parrot.

He slides down the butter,
as if on a sledge,

shouting, "That's life."

Cycles are very interesting.

I'm writing a book on the subject.

First, politics.

Mao, May 1968, Vietnam.

But also non-politics.

Drugs.

Asia, India.

Anyway...

And now...

Mrs Gorbachev.

She pays for things
with an American Express card.

There are the yuppies.

There are people
who go to Barbados for the weekend.

Tie racks are fashionable.

Anyway...

And then you've got hooliganism.

Wall Street collapsing.

A*DS.

It's all people talk about
these days.

Come back to the house for a drink.
I've got grass.

Oh, yes. I'd love a joint.

Shall we go, then?

Let's go.

My name is António.

What sign of the Zodiac are you?

Does this always happen to her?

Shall we go outside?

Yes.

Damn! I've pissed on my boots again!

It's not my fault.

Look at the sky.

Come on.

Shall we go home?

He talks for the sake of talking.

Just a bit longer.

Shall we all go to bed together?

We were just about to leave.

- Shall we go, Pépin?
- Yes.

I've just made tea.
Drink it. You can leave afterwards.

I smoked too much as well.

We had a good laugh.

I don't like that guy.

That's a bit harsh.

He is weird, though.

He said some interesting things.

You mean his plan for a threesome?

Why didn't you slap him
when he touched your breasts?

Did you enjoy it, perhaps?

The guy with the parrot.

I knew it would be for you.

Ask him why he has this parrot.

Great, as you would say.

Mano is coming to join us
in a few days' time.

I'm so pleased
you'll get to meet him.

What did he say about the parrot?

He brought it back from Angola
after the w*r of independence

to k*ll the saudade.

- The what?
- Saudade.

It's untranslatable.

In French
it would be something like...

nostalgia, sadness.

When we're missing someone.

Pépin...

I've got tummy ache.

You're having trouble
digesting peppers.

Do you want to play cards?

- It will distract you.
- This hurts.

I've got saudade.

Patrick has colonised me.

Two tails, one head.

One last time.

Three heads.

Let's see.

Ken: mountains,

artistic temperament,

solitude.

You need to climb.

It's hard.

But afterwards

you've got the plain
and the sunshine.

By the way,

it was when they wanted
to send me there,

to k*ll people,

in the sun, among the palm trees
in Mozambique,

that was when I went to Paris.

Your French is flawless.

What about Filipa?

She needs to toss some coins
before I can answer that.

She's getting married soon.
She wants children.

She'll go off to Brazil with a lover.

Why do you listen to that guy?

He talks such nonsense.

The "I Ching" isn't nonsense.

I've read the preface.

It was written by a Chinese sage.
It's as old as the hills.

You can wash up tonight.

I want to read and go to bed early.

You're sceptical
of anything oriental.

It was once the book of choice
for illustrious people,

and not just anybody.

Wilhelm, Jung.

If only it had been Freud.

I'm going for a walk.

I'll clear up when I get back.

What a gorgeous day.

Ah, there you are.

Pépin.

You're not going sulk
because I stayed out?

You're not my mother.

We're not 15 any more.

Did you take precautions, at least?

I have been doing so for years,
remember?

We went on the pill at the same time.

That's not precaution I meant,
especially with that guy.

Aren't you going to sleep
with your António?

I wasn't planning to.

You're less passionate than a dog.

One quick shag is enough.

And then you go back
to calmly playing your piano.

I'm not having him round here.

This is my place.

What a fuss.

Over nothing.

I'm disappointed in you.

What have I done that is so awful?

So I slept with António.

All right.

But don't worry,
he's leaving for Paris tomorrow.

I had one moment of pleasure,

and that's all there is to it.

You're starting to get insulting.

Why are you getting
so worked up about it?

I find it morally offensive.

Well, stop being
so bloody moralistic, then.

I hear Lisbon is beautiful.

I want to use António's car tomorrow
to go and see it.

And don't be cross
but I want to go on my own.

Do what you want.

But don't insult me by lying to me.

Have a nice weekend
with António in the white city.

I find it sad
that you don't trust me.

I'm telling you the truth.

- All right, I believe you.
- You see?

It's best if I go away
for two or three days.

Patrick Petermann, please.

Patrick Petermann.

I can't hold.
I'm phoning from abroad. Hello?

It's me, Patrick.

Is this Marie's piano?

Wine? Beer? Port?

What do you want, Patrick?

Don't you have any whisky?

No, sorry.

Coffee or tea?

I was scared.

I'm still trembling.

We rented it for the month.

Marie was missing it.

I know.

I love her.

What about your wife and daughters?

I love them too.

Men!

You're all the same,
with your desire for a harem.

I always say to Marie,

"Portugal is the end of the world."

You've come all this way, Patrick.

You'll find her.

Filipa.

- Thank you.
- Good luck.

Go to the zoo.

Marie has been obsessed
with parrots recently.

Excuse me.

Do you speak French?

What do the tourists go and see?

I'm hungry. Are you?

It's empty.

Food.

Thank you.

Here's someone who speaks French.

Are you French?

I'm bilingual.

I live in Geneva but I'm Portuguese.

My girlfriend doesn't speak
a word of French.

Her name is Zélia.

Zélia.

Let me introduce myself. Olivier.

Parisian.

You French are always
so stylish and gallant.

c*ck-a-doodle-do!

Here's the room.

It's basic but it's better
than being out in the rain.

Nice place you've got.

- Do you think so?
- Yes, it's cool.

- Do you play?
- I don't. My friend does.

Shall I make tea?

I'll have wine.

I'm glad you're here.

I would have been scared
all alone tonight in this storm.

No, you can't do that.

I don't mind hash and coke.

But I can't stand junkies. Get out.

I'm diabetic.

It's insulin.

Yes.

If I had the Queen of Spades,
I'd have won by now.

Yes, but you don't have it.

Right, I'm going to bet
another 1,000 ecus.

I'm lucky. I always win.

- Do you have it?
- No.

But...

Zélia does.

And she's my girl.

Go to bed. Zélia is waiting for you.

I want to f*ck you.

You're so drunk.

You want to f*ck me
but you won't be able to.

Go to sleep.

Sleep.

- I've made up my mind.
- Since when.

Since when?

You can't do this to me.

Don't ask me any questions.

If you want to do something for me,

please don't try
to see me ever again.

Hello, Marie.

Hello, Marie.

Pipa saw your jacket.

She's so happy you're back.

She asked me to find you.

I am Manuel.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Here.

Earth.
Portugal isn't like Switzerland.

Here you must wash the lettuce twice.

Let's talk, you and I.

Mano's gone to the café for a drink.

He'll be with his friends.

My uncle has lent us the house
for the summer holidays.

Mano knows everyone here.

People love him.

Don't you think he's nice?

I'm talking to you, Marie.

It's so unfair.

It was a rotten relationship.

As I watched him sleep
I was making plans in my head.

In every scenario
someone was unhappy.

Her, him.

The girls.

And me.

I'd rather it was me.

You were brave.

You have to experience loss
in order to gain.

It's the same thing with poker.

I really liked Patrick.

We talked a lot.

About me?

- What did he say?
- Only good things.

You know what?

I wouldn't want
to be in his shoes either.

He loves you.

Don't feel sorry for him.

He's got his wife,
his daughters, money.

I've got nothing. I'm all alone.

You're free, Marie.
And you're talented.

I'm scared, Pépin.

One minute
I'm boiling hot and sweating.

The next minute
I'm freezing cold and shivering.

Do you think I've got A*DS?

My grandmother always has
to sit at the head of the table.

Mine too.

She rules in my family.

The bride's grandmother
is more important.

The bride always has the last word.

Where shall we put my stepfather?

He doesn't speak
a word of Portuguese.

There, next to Marie.

Don't rely on me.

I'll only disappoint you.

And I mean both of you.
You're one and the same now.

Your wedding bores me.

The champagne, the priest,
the whole family.

I don't share your...

I've decided not to come.

So on my wedding day...

you, my best friend, won't be there?

I'm sorry, Pépin.

I want to put on a good show.

What's your name?

Head.

c*ck.

Glasses.

Snake.

Violin.

Parrot.

Piano Panier.

To Switzerland.

Jacques?

Come and admire
your beautiful daughter.

Look.

She looks like the Virgin Mary.

Smile.

Not that sort of Swiss.

- Ah, Swiss from Geneva.
- Yes.

Seeing as you're not Chinese,

you'll find my question stupid.

No, I won't.

What is it that you know?

I know that...

I don't know anything.

You misunderstood.

I know that...

I've travelled a lot

but I'll never know
how to talk about my travels.

Something more special?

I know that...

I am inconsolable,

and joyful.

Inconsolable and joyful.

I must go.

My best friend needs me today.

That's precious.

Have a good trip.

It's not a very nice place
to say goodbye.

No.

But that doesn't matter.

Because we both know

that anywhere else
things would have been different.

Excuse me.

It's fine.

It's very pretty.

Marie!

Come here, Marie.

- You look so pretty.
- So do you.

- Leave that and sit down.
- That's kind of you.

- You've had an emotional day.
- Yes.

- Shall I help you?
- No, I'm fine.

- Don't work too hard.
- I won't.

Look out!

I'm a good sailor.

But I have lost my equator.