Amour Page #4

GEORGES:

(softly almost to himself)

I’m glad you’re back.

ANNE:

(in a voice just as soft)

Me too.

Another PAUSE. Then Anne says:

ANNE (CONT’D)

Promise me one thing.

GEORGES:

What?

ANNE:

Please never take me back to the

hospital.

GEORGES:

What?

PAUSE.

19.

She looks at him. He has understood.

ANNE:

You promise?

GEORGES:

Anne...

ANNE:

You promise?

PAUSE.

GEORGES:

Anne, I...

ANNE:

Don’t talk right now. And don’t

give me any lectures. Please.

Brief PAUSE.

GEORGES:

What can I say, it’s...

ANNE:

(interrupting him)

Nothing. Just don’t say anything.

OK?!

PAUSE.

SCENE 13 - INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

He helps her into bed, then throws the blanket over her.

GEORGES:

There.

ANNE:

Thank you. Thank you, Darling.

GEORGES:

Everything OK?

ANNE:

(smiling)

Everything’s fine.

He hesitates.

20.

ANNE (CONT’D)

You don’t have to hold my hand all

the time now. I can look after

myself, you know.

He nods.

ANNE (CONT’D)

And don’t feel guilty. That would

be pointless. And a drag. For me

too.

GEORGES:

I don’t feel guilty.

ANNE:

That’s good.

She smiles.

ANNE (CONT’D)

Go over there now. I’m not a

cripple. You can easily leave me

alone for two minutes. I won’t

collapse.

GEORGES:

(with a slight smile)

OK.

ANNE:

Did you buy the new book on

Harnoncourt?

GEORGES:

I’ve already read it.

ANNE:

And?

GEORGES:

Do you want it? I’ll get it for

you.

ANNE:

Sure.

He goes out of the room to fetch the book. She remains lying

there, waiting, and runs her healthy left hand through her

hair to make herself look prettier, then smooths out the

blanket that has slipped out of place a little. After a

while, we hear Georges shouting.

21.

GEORGES (O.S.)

I don’t know where I put it.

ANNE:

Don’t worry. It isn’t that

important.

GEORGES (O.S.)

Yes, it is. Hold on, maybe it’s in

the... Just a moment! Viola! Here

you are! Nothing like an infallible

memory!

She smiles, looks in his direction. He enters with the book

in his hand.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

I thought I’d left it over there in

the other room, but I’d already put

it away. Tidy people just can’t

help being tidy.

ANNE:

(taking the book)

Thanks.

She puts the book on her stomach. Looks at Georges.

ANNE (CONT’D)

Right now, take care of yourself.

And don’t wait to see how I hold

the book in my hand, OK?

GEORGES:

OK.

He looks at her for a moment longer, then leaves the bedroom.

She waits till he’s outside. Tries to relax. Then she

remembers the book. She takes it in her left hand and tries

to open it. It’s not easy for her.

Then she notices that she’s forgotten her glasses. She rests

the book back on the bed cover and fishes for her glasses on

the night stand. In the end, she manages it. Then she opens

the book again, and tries to read.

SCENE 14 - INT. KITCHEN - DAY

The superintendent’s wife puts the filled supermarket bags on

the counter. Takes the stack of mail that she had put on top

of one of the bags and puts it down beside them. Then she

takes out the receipt and the change.

22.

SUPERINTENDANT’S WIFE

Unfortunately the strawberries were

already moldy. I’ll go and get you

some fresh ones tomorrow from the

market. My husband will bring you

the bottled water this afternoon.

I'm not supposed to carry anything

heavy:
my back, you know...

GEORGES:

Sure, no problem.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE

It came to 76 euros and 40 cents.

There’s the till receipt and here's

your change:
23 euros 60.

GEORGES:

Thank you very much. Keep the

change. Thanks.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE

Thank you, sir.

Short embarrassed PAUSE.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE (CONT’D)

Well, I’ll be off. Call me if you

need anything else.

GEORGES:

Yes. I will.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE

Is your wife well? ...

GEORGES:

Yes, she's OK. She’s recovering.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE

Fine. Give her my regards. My

husband and I are very glad she’s

back.

GEORGES:

Yes, we are too. Bye, Mrs. M.ry,

thanks so much.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE

Goodbye, sir.

She heads toward the front door of the apartment, turns

around again toward Georges.

23.

SUPERINTENDENT’S WIFE (CONT’D)

I’ll bring you the strawberries

tomorrow around noon, if that suits

you.

He nods, she closes the door as she leaves.

SCENE 15 - INT. HALLWAY - TOILET - DAY

He stands in front of the closed door of the toilet, waiting.

After a while, we hear the noise of flushing. After a while

longer, we hear

ANNE (O.S.)

There. Can you come in, please?

He opens the toilet door, goes around Anne, pulls her up, she

puts her left arm around his neck, keeps herself upright that

way, he pulls up her pants under her skirt. Then they slowly

hobble out of the toilet and he sits her back down in the

wheelchair.

SCENE 16 - INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

They are both lying in their beds. Anne sleeps, BREATHING

NOISILY. Georges lies with his eyes open, listening

attentively to her breathing.

SCENE 17 - INT. KITCHEN - DAY

The sun shines in. Georges has cooked something simple. They

are both in a good mood, eating and drinking.

GEORGES:

... some banal romance or other

about a nobleman and a lower middle-

class girl who couldn’t have each

other and who then, out of sheer

magnanimity, decide to renounce

their love - in fact I don't quite

remember it any more. In any case,

afterwards I was thoroughly

distraught, and it took me a bit of

time to calm down. In the courtyard

of the house where grandma lived,

there was a young guy at the window

who asked me where I’d been. He was

a couple of years older than me, a

braggart who of course really

impressed me. “To the movies”, I

said, because I was proud that my

grandma had given me the money to

go all alone to the cinema.

(MORE)

24.

GEORGES (CONT'D)

“What did you see?“ I started to

tell him the story of the movie,

and as I did, all the emotion came

back. I didn't want to cry in front

of the boy, but it was impossible;

there I was, crying out loud in the

courtyard, and I told him the whole

drama to the bitter end.

ANNE:

So? How did he react?

GEORGES:

No idea. He probably found it

amusing. I don't remember. I don't

remember the film either. But I

remember the feeling. That I was

ashamed of crying, but that telling

him the story made all my feelings

and tears come back, almost more

powerfully than when I was actually

watching the film, and that I just

couldn't stop.

She looks at him, smiles, then turns back to her food.

ANNE:

That's cute. Why didn't you ever

tell me before?

GEORGES:

There are still a few stories you

don't know.

ANNE:

Aha...? Don’t tell me you’re going

to ruin your image in your old age?

GEORGES:

(grinning)

You bet I won’t. But what is my

image?

She takes a mouthful, eats ponderously. Then she looks at

him.

ANNE:

(tenderly)

Sometimes you’re a rotter. But

you’re nice.

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