Contempt Page #3

I'd end up in Paul's arms, hardly aware of what had happened.

This recklessness was now absent in Camille, and thus in me.

Could I now, prey to my excited senses, observe her coldly,

as she could undoubtedly observe me?

I deliberately made that remark

with a secret feeling of revenge.

She seemed aware that a lie could settle things.

For a while, at least.

She was clearly tempted to lie.

But on second thought, she decided not to.

Paul hurt me so much.

It was my turn now, by referring to what I'd seen,

without really being specific.

At heart, I was wrong.

She wasn't unfaithful, or she only seemed to be.

The truth remained to be proven, despite appearances.

I've noticed that the more we doubt,

the more we cling to a false lucidity,

in the hope of rationalizing what feelings have made murky.

I thought Camille could leave me.

I thought of it as a possible disaster.

Now the disaster had happened.

We used to live in a cloud of unawareness,

in delicious complicity.

Don't be like that.

Don't be like what?

You know very well.

It's your fault!

You seem to be searching my expression to decide...

the appropriate attitude to take with me.

"The private plane awaited in the blue sky.

Rex remembered something about Paula...

Her harmonious features...

Her harmonious features, now indecisive, seemed contorted now.

Rex knew this trait of hers,

for it seemed that whenever Paula...

Whenever Paula had to make a decision...

that went against her nature..."

What's got into you, Paul?

I love you exactly as before.

What would you do if I stopped loving you?

I already told you.

I forgot what you said.

I wouldn't do the script and we'd sell the flat.

But I love you.

I find this all so idiotic.

When Prokosch calls, tell him you'll go to Capri.

What about you?

I love you. Don't make me repeat it.

I want to keep the flat.

If you don't want to do the script, don't do it.

If you think I've stopped loving you, you're wrong.

Kiss me.

We were just talking about you.

About your movie.

Yes, The Odyssey.

About that guy who travels.

In Capri,

can we go swimming?

I don't know.

Here's Paul. I'll put him on.

We eating out?

I don't feel like going down for groceries.

Fine.

We're supposed to meet Prokosch and Lang at a movie theater.

They want to see a singer in the stage show.

We can eat after.

It'll be late if there's a movie first.

It might give me some ideas.

Why not look for ideas in your head, instead of stealing them?

What's got into you?

Let's get going!

- I knew it. - What?

Since I said yes to Prokosch, so long tenderness!

Right, no more caresses.

What was the phone call about?

- Our going to Capri. - What did you say?

That it was up to you.

Are you nuts?

You know that it's up to you, not me!

Then come to Capri.

Is there something between you and Prokosch?

You're pathetic.

I have to talk to you.

What, about the movies?

Listen, I have to talk to you.

All right, I'm listening.

I have

to talk to you.

Earlier, before the phone rang,

I said I didn't want to take this job

if I couldn't be sure of your love.

You said you loved me

and that I should take it.

I'm sure you lied.

Why? I don't know.

Out of pity, self-interest...

What self-interest?

To hold on to this flat.

How can you know what I think?

In fact, I couldn't care less.

Sell the flat, see if I care.

Earlier you said it was better than a hotel.

Not at all.

I said that to make you happy.

That's beside the point.

I want to know why you lied.

Who said I lied? Stop it!

You did.

I can tell you've stopped loving me.

What's the use of knowing the truth?

See? You admit I'm right.

I don't admit a thing. Leave me alone.

It's true. I don't love you anymore.

There's nothing to explain. I don't love you.

Why?

Yesterday you still loved me.

Yes, very much.

Now it's over.

There must be a reason.

There must be.

What is it?

I don't know.

All I know is I don't love you anymore.

Since we were at Prokosch's?

When you saw me pat Francesca Vanini's behind?

Let's say it was that.

Now it's over. Let's not talk about it.

Something happened today.

It changed your mind about me,

hence, your love for me.

You're crazy, but you're smart.

Then it's true.

I didn't say that.

I said you're bright.

Was it something I said or did today that you took the wrong way?

Maybe.

Don't talk to me that way! I forbid you!

I despise you!

That's really what I feel for you.

That's why the love's gone. I despise you.

And you disgust me when you touch me.

You're going too far.

Forget what I said, Paul. Act as though nothing happened.

You okay?

They say Ulysses came home to Penelope,

but maybe Ulysses had been fed up with Penelope.

So he went off to the Trojan war,

and since he didn't feel like going home,

he kept traveling as long as he could.

Do you think it was an idea of his or...?

- Why do you despise me? - Leave me alone!

Coming to Capri with us, Mr. Lang?

"Each morning, to earn my bread

I go to the market where lies are sold

and, hopeful, I get in line with the other sellers."

- What's that? - Hollywood.

From a ballad by poor B.B.

Bertolt Brecht?

Homer's world is a real world.

And the poet belonged to a civilization

that grew in harmony, not in opposition,

with nature.

And the beauty of The Odyssey

lies precisely in this belief

in reality as it is.

Thus in reality as it appears objectively.

Exactly,

and in a form that cannot be broken down,

and is what it is.

Take it or leave it.

Because I have nothing to say.

I don't know if I'll go to Capri. Where would we stay?

Wherever he likes.

Producers are something I can easily do without.

Don't come if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you.

It's not you that's forcing me.

It's life.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Looking.

Don't stay by yourself. Join us.

What were you talking about?

The Odyssey.

I agree with Prokosch's theory.

What theory's that?

That Ulysses loves his wife, but she doesn't love him.

You really think that?

I'm sure you don't.

Please, you're in frame.

Places, everyone!

Will they undress?

Of course.

Aren't movies great!

You see women in dresses,

in movies, you see their ass!

Not at all. Go on, Camille.

Go on.

I don't mind, go on.

I'll walk back with Mr. Lang to discuss The Odyssey.

The girls are in the water.

It won't take long. First a scene in which we see

the Council of the Gods discussing man's fate.

Aproducer can be a friend to a director.

But Prokosch isn't a real producer. He's a dictator.

I think it's stupid to change the character of Ulysses.

He's not a modern-day neurotic,

but a simple, clever and robust man.

I find the idea interesting.

It takes Ulysses 1 0 years to return home

because he doesn't want to. It's logical.

It's logical,

and the illogical borrows from the logical.

Your Corneille said it in his preface to Surena.

Ulysses doesn't rush home to Ithaca

because he was unhappy with Penelope,

even before he went off.

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