Amour Page #9

GEORGES:

No, thanks, Mr. M.ry. You've been a

big help.

SUPERINTENDENT:

Oh, it’s nothing, sir.

Georges has already taken out his wallet and gives some money

to the superintendent.

SUPERINTENDENT (CONT’D)

Thanks a lot, sir.

GEORGES:

I’ll let you know if I need you

again.

SUPERINTENDENT:

With pleasure, sir.

He gets ready to leave. He stops again in the doorway and

turns around.

SUPERINTENDENT (CONT’D)

May I say something, sir?

GEORGES:

What is it?

SUPERINTENDENT:

My wife and I, we're very impressed

by the way you're managing

everything. I take my hat off to

you.

As he speaks, Georges' mobile phone has started to ring.

GEORGES:

(taking the mobile phone from the

pocket of his jacket)

That’s very kind of you. Thanks.

See you soon.

SUPERINTENDENT:

Give my regards to your wife.

GEORGES:

I certainly will. Thanks.

50.

As the superintendent leaves the apartment, Georges looks at

the display on his mobile phone and makes a call.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Hello Eva, how are you?... Things

are fine.

SCENE 46 - INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Georges, standing at the foot of the bed, faces Anne and

starts singing.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

(insistently)...Sur le pont ...

ANNE:

... Ssssur...

GEORGES:

...Sur le pont...

ANNE:

po … pont … sss

GEORGES:

...Sur le pont ... Sur le pont ...

ANNE:

... Ssssur le pont ...

GEORGES:

(smiling to encourage her): ... Sur

le pont d'Avignon...

ANNE:

... ssur… le ..

GEORGES:

... pont... Sur le pont

d'Avignon... (he begins to sing):

Sur le pont d’Avignon on y danse,

on y danse, sur le pont d’Avignon

tout le monde y danse en rond...

He encourages her to sing with him. Starts singing again:

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Sur le pont d' Avignon, on y danse,

on y danse …

Anne tries to sing too, she has a hint of a smile on her

face, but she produces only isolated SOUNDS.

51.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

(singing to encourage Anne,

accompanied by the sounds that she

produces):
Sur le pont d’Avignon on

y danse, on y danse … Sur le pont

d’Avignon tout le monde y danse en

rond ...

SCENE 47 - INT. BEDROOM - DAY

A second nurse is doing Anne’s hair roughly. The brush sticks

in her tangled hair.

SECOND NURSE:

(“cheery”)

... there we are...now we’re all

beautiful again...so everybody will

admire us...there...you see...

wait...

She takes a mirror that she has placed within reach. Holds it

in front of Anne's face.

SECOND NURSE (CONT’D)

Well?... What do we say to that?

Aren’t we a pretty sight?

Anne, sickened, averts her eyes. Emits a muffled SOUND. The

nurse ignores it.

SECOND NURSE (CONT’D)

You’ll see, Monsieur will be

dazzled by you...

Furious SOUND from Anne.

SCENE 48 - INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

The window opening onto the light well is open. A pigeon has

landed on the window ledge.

It walks to and fro, then finally dares to jump down inside,

onto the floor. It starts to explore the surroundings.

We hear the TOILET FLUSH. Georges comes out of the toilet.

The door opening frightens the pigeon. Alarmed, flapping its

wings, it flutters about the room.

After a moment of surprise, Georges tries to shoo it back

toward the window. But the bird escapes in the opposite

direction. George follows it.

He closes the doors of the other rooms. Coming from the

bedroom, we faintly hear ANNE’S VOICE.

52.

Georges fetches a towel from the bathroom. He chases the

bird. He hits out at the bird for so long that it escapes

back out through the window. Georges, visibly exhausted, has

to sit down on the chest in the hallway.

SCENE 49 - INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

Georges and the second nurse.

NURSE:

... as you wish, sir. I don't know

what you were expecting. I gave up

another job to come and work here.

You should have thought it over

before deciding whether you wanted

a second nurse or not.

GEORGES:

But I've only just found out how

incompetent you are.

NURSE:

(furious)

What's that supposed to mean?

GEORGES:

I don't want to discuss it with

you. Anyway, you wouldn’t

understand.

NURSE:

No one has ever complained.

GEORGES:

Good for you. (To get rid of her)

How much do I owe you?

NURSE:

(after a brief calculation)

Seven hundred and eighty euros.

Georges takes his wallet from his jacket hanging on the

armchair and takes out eight one-hundred euro bills. The

nurse is hopping mad.

NURSE (CONT’D)

I've never had anything like this

happen to me before. Who do you

think you are?! I’ve been doing

this job for ten years. I don't

need you to teach me how to do it.

GEORGES:

Do you have twenty euros?

53.

The nurse takes out her purse angrily, looks inside.

NURSE:

No.

GEORGES:

Then take the eight hundred euros.

You can go now.

The nurse pockets the money.

NURSE:

You’re a nasty old man. I feel

sorry for you.

Georges has put back his wallet, turns to her again and looks

at her.

GEORGES:

I hope from the bottom of my heart

that one day someone treats you the

way you treat your patients, and

that you too will have no way of

defending yourself. Now get out.

She looks at him, at first doesn't know what to answer, then:

NURSE:

Go f*** yourself, you old fart!

She leaves, slamming the door behind her. A few seconds

later, we hear the front door of the apartment fall shut.

Georges sits down in his armchair, looks straight ahead. Then

he lights a cigarette, his hands shake, he smokes.

SCENE 50 - INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

He tries to pour some tea into her mouth with the sipping

cup. She won't loosen her lips.

GEORGES:

... Please, open your mouth... go

on... open it... Anne! Please!...

come on... stop that!...

He sits upright.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

If you don't drink, you’ll die.

Indecipherable SOUND from ANNE.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Is that what you want?

54.

PAUSE. She looks at him. He bends over her again, presents

the cup in front of her sealed lips.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Come on, Anne, please.

She doesn't react. He opens her lips with his fingers and

tries carefully, but using some force, to separate her teeth.

Pours a little tea in. The liquid runs out of her mouth.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

(angrily)

Goddammit!

He puts down the cup, takes a towel and wipes the liquid,

some of which has run down onto the pillow. He tries to mop

it up. She watches him the whole time. Finally he puts the

towel down beside the cup and looks at her. Tries not to show

his helplessness and his anger.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Anne! ... You can’t force me to let

you die of thirst. If you persist,

I’ll call Bertier and he’ll put you

in hospital. They can force-feed

you there. Is that what you want?

BRIEF PAUSE.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

I promised to spare you that. But

you must help me. I’m out of my

depth.

He takes the cup again and puts it against her lips.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Please, Anne!

Her lips remain sealed. He presses the cup hard against them.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Drink that, now!

It hurts her, so she opens her mouth and lets in a little

liquid.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

There!

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