Cinema Sex Politics: Bertolucci Makes 'The Dreamers' Page #2

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You're crazy!

B*tch, cow, slut--

Oh, for God's sake!

Put a sock in it, you two!

I must apologize for

my children's behavior, Matthew.

No. I'm the one

who should be apologizing.

Please don't put yourself out

on account of me.

That's very sweet of you,

seeing as you're completely blameless.

Let me look at you.

Okay. I want you to make

a good impression on Papa.

Papa, it's me.

We're eating in.

And the cinematheque?

Closed until further notice.

Papa, can't you see we have a guest?

- This is Matthew.

- Oh.

- Sir.

- Matthew.

Matthew's dining

with us tonight.

My young Matthew,

inspiration is like a baby.

It does not choose a nice,

seemly hour to enter the world.

It has no consideration

for the poor poets. I know.

But when it does come...

when it deigns to come,

then you know it's--

Young man, I was speaking to you.

I imagine you were listening.

I was.

I'm-- I'm sorry.

What?

Nothing.

I was just, um--

You seemed to be mesmerized

by this tin lighter.

I'd like to know why.

- Well?

- George, please.

- Matthew's our guest.

- No, no. I'm genuinely curious.

I'd like to know why.

I was just-- I was fidgeting

with Isabelle's lighter...

and... I wasn't

really realizing it...

then I noticed,

and I thought it was rude...

so I put it down on the table.

But I put it diagonally across

one of these squares.

Do you see?

Look.

That's when I noticed

that the lighter's length...

is exactly the same length

as the diagonal itself.

So I put it lengthwise,

along the outside edge.

- Look. It fits there too.

- Yeah.

But it fits there.

And it fits like this

and like this...

and this way too.

And I bet you if

I just split it in half...

you know, it's

got to fit somewhere.

I mean, it really

fits anywhere. Look.

See?

I was noticing that the more

you look at everything--

this table, the objects on it,

the refrigerator, this room...

your nose, the world

Suddenly...

you realize that there's some

sort of cosmic harmony...

of shapes and sizes.

I was just wondering why.

I don't know why that is.

I know that it is.

You have an interesting

friend here.

More interesting, I suspect,

than you know.

I mean, when we look around us,

what is it we see?

Complete chaos.

Yet viewed from above...

viewed, as it were,

by God...

everything suddenly

fits together.

My children believe that

their demonstrations and sit-ins...

and happenings...

what, they believe that these possess

the capacity...

not only to provoke society,

but also to transform it.

What is it you're saying?

If Langlois is dismissed,

we shouldn't do anything?

If immigrants are deported,

if students are beaten up,

we shouldn't do anything?

What I'm saying is that

a little lucidity would not go amiss.

So, uh,

everyone's wrong but you?

In France, in Italy,

Germany, America?

Listen to me, Theo.

Before you can change the world...

you must realize

you yourself are part of it.

You cannot stand outside

looking in.

You're the one

who stands outside.

You're the one who refused to sign

a petition against the Vietnam War.

Poets don't sign petitions.

They sign poems.

A petition is a poem.

Yes! And a poem is a petition.

Thank you, but I'm not gaga yet.

I don't need you to remind me

of my own work!

- Hmm?

- That's right.

A petition is a poem,

a poem is a petition.

- Yes.

- Those are the most famous lines you ever wrote.

And now look at you.

I hope I'll never be like him.

Theo.

We should say good night, darling.

We got a long day

ahead of us tomorrow.

George.

Yes, sorry. You were saying?

We should go to bed.

You had something

to tell the children, didn't you?

Yes, of course.

I'm sorry.

The cheques

are on the mantelpiece.

Don't cash them

until you need them, all right?

Good night, everybody.

Good night, Papa. Have a safe journey.

Good night, dear.

Theo.

A very good night to you, Matthew.

It was a pleasure meeting you, sir.

A pleasure.

- Very nice meeting you, Matthew.

- You too.

- Thank you so much for dinner.

- It's my pleasure.

Why don't you invite Matthew

to spend the night?

I'm not sure I like the sound

of Hotel Malebranche.

Good night.

Why haven't you dazzled us with these

philosophical speculations of yours?

- I didn't know I was being philosophical.

- Papa was awfully impressed.

- Papa's full of sh*t.

- I think you're lucky.

I-- I wish my parents

were that nice.

Other people's parents

are always nicer than our own.

And yet for some reason,

our own grandparents...

are always nicer

than other people's.

You know, that's true.

That's-- That's absolutely true.

I never thought about it before,

but it's-- it's true.

Matthew, you sweet--

This...

is double the length of--

Well, I'm for bed.

Are you staying?

- Are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm okay.

Good night, Matthew.

Everybody's got a father.

Yes.

But the fact that

God doesn't exist...

doesn't mean

he can take his place.

Okay?

That's fine.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- See you in the morning.

- See you.

Thank--

Thank you.

No!

Good morning.

What was that all about?

I was removing the sleep

from your eyes.

Theo lets me do his

every morning.

That's the strangest thing

to want to do.

Didn't you enjoy it?

- Was I supposed to?

- Naturally.

Up, up, up, up, up!

What are you waiting for?

Isabelle,

I'm not dressed.

- What are you doing?

- What are you doing?

I've been memorizing this room.

In the future, in my memory...

I shall live a great deal in this room.

Queen Christina...

where Greta Garbo

bids farewell to the room...

where she spent the night

with John Gilbert.

Bravo!

Alors.

We have a private wing to ourselves.

The bathroom's

at the end of the corridor.

If you aren't there in one minute,

we're coming back to get you!

Come in.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Are you going to church?

Oh, sorry. You want to use

my toothbrush?

- Uh, no.

- Sure?

I'll use my finger.

- Sleep well?

- Yeah.

- I mean, fine.

- Good.

- You know, Matthew?

- Hmm.

You really do have the most

beautiful pair of lips.

Can I touch them?

- You-- You wanna touch my lips?

- Uh-huh.

Okay.

So red... and ripe

and luscious.

So sullen, brutal.

Let's see what you

look like with lipstick.

- I really should be going.

- You'd make such a pretty girl.

Ignore her, Matthew.

She sucks in all the air around her.

No, I-- I really have to, um,

be getting back to my hotel.

No. Why? You have been

invited to stay.

- Really?

- Sure.

You know our parents have left.

They're going to be

in Trouves for a month.

We thought you might like

to move your things here.

- R-Really?

- Sure.

But you just met me two days ago.

You barely even know me.

This way we get to know you. You

don't have to stay in a hotel, do you?

- No.

- Then we'll go and pick up what you need...

with my Mobilette, okay?

- Come on.

- But... what about you?

It was my idea.

Whoa! You're scaring me right now!

Jesus.

I'm going to check out

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