Irma Vep Page #3

- Where's Rene?

- No one knows. Maybe Mat.

But if she does,

she won't tell me.

What do we do? Just wait?

We'll try shooting without him.

If that doesn't work,

if he doesn't pop up,

we call it a day.

Sh*t, it's all wrinkled again.

What a pain.

F***! It's ripped.

It's incredibly fragile.

What did you do?

I don't know. I didn't notice.

Jesus Christ.

What do I do now?

- You really slept with Maggie?

- Says who?

She's telling everyone

you took her home, not to the hotel...

And scored her.

Those were her words.

I don't f***ing believe it!

What a b*tch! That's total bullshit!

I never even touched her!

Don't tell her I told you.

F*** that b*tch.

Do you know Jos Murano?

Hold on. Don't move.

I did a film with him.

This material really sucks.

- Is he a good director?

- Yeah, not bad.

This isn't working.

Let me try something else.

Get undressed.

I'll stick gaffer tape inside.

He left me three messages this morning.

He must have a role for me.

Call him back for sure.

Take it! Take it!

And with this weapon,

kill the Great Vampire.

Am I disturbing you?

Actually, we're rehearsing.

Forget it. It's a wrap.

- How do you know?

- I know.

And what about my scene?

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

I don't get it. What is this?

There's no call for tomorrow.

- Are you Jos Murano?

- Yes.

- I'm sorry. I'm late.

- No problem.

- What will you have?

- Uh...

- What are you having?

- A beer.

Oh, yes?

Me too. A beer.

- A beer for her and another for me.

- Yes.

Good.

- We've never really met.

- No.

I'm happy to get to know you better.

We've never really...

Spoken together.

I've seen all your films.

Excuse me for insisting so much.

It's something of an emergency.

- Do you know why?

- No.

- Oh, damn.

- No, not really.

Then I'll tell you.

Ren can't finish the film.

Is that definite?

The truth is, he's had

a sort of nervous breakdown.

He's in a rest home.

No need to panic.

It's in the country.

There's a big garden.

He agreed to it.

His doctor decided.

What a disaster.

- We'll stop shooting.

- No.

I was asked to take over.

You?

It's touchy.

Can I really accept?

Ren is a friend.

You have a bit of foam...

Don't let it get around.

I don't understand something.

Why a Chinese girl? Do you know?

- Ren said that...

- Ren.

Whenever Rene opens his mouth,

people stop thinking.

You saw the state he's in.

Who am | to say?

He must have had a reason.

I'm serious! Why a Chinese girl?

He said he'd seen Maggie in a film...

And it seemed self-evident.

But why?

Come on. I saw Les Vampires

30 years ago at the Cinmathque.

Irma Vep is Paris.

She's the Paris underworld.

She's working-class Paris.

She's Arletty!

Irma Vep is street thugs and slums!

Les Vampires

isn't Fu Manchu, right?

It's not Fu Manchu.

I don't know.

I don't know anymore.

Can I have a light?

I've seen Maggie in the rushes.

She has a nice body. She's graceful.

That's totally besides the point!

I'm sure she's great.

I saw her in that Jack Chan film.

What was the title?

What a piece of crap!

She was fine.

But she's not Irma Vep!

No. I understand.

I See what you mean.

Anyway...

I told them I'm not working now.

Things are slow.

My welfare's running out.

I said... I need to think. A little.

They said to think fast.

I said OK.

But only if I could change actresses.

That Chinese girl,

she's really not for me.

You'd be much better.

Yes, you.

Are you offering me the role?

Uh, yeah.

Oh. But...

- What about Maggie?

- Maggie, Maggie...

She'll understand.

She'll go back to Hong Kong.

For me, this is really...

Really difficult.

How is it difficult? Why?

I wouldn't want people saying...

- Saying what?

- That I plotted to steal her role.

It would be great

to play Irma Vep, but...

People talk and rumours spread fast.

THE "HOOTING OWL" CABARE ONE OF THE MOST DISREPUTABLE

JOINTS IN PARIS.

Here's fine. Stop here.

Hi!

So we head towards Le Bourget.

We have to go to...

No. Towards the industrial park,

but we turn off before.

It's not far from Carpet Emporium...

And the Decathlon warehouses.

At the corner of Bricomarch,

where there used to be

a Family Furniture Outlet.

- You see?

- Not at all. I don't know it.

I'll tell you as we go along.

- Go towards Le Bourget.

- OK.

- Could you wait five minutes?

- OK.

After the screening,

we'll go to the production office.

OK. Will this take long?

No, it's what Ren edited.

- He did it himself?

- Yes.

When did he edit?

At night.

He always works that way.

I See.

Phillipe.

Hi, Jos.

Yes. I Faxed you the insurance claim.

Did you get it?

What? No, not over the phone.

I'll come and see you. Thanks.

- Where's Maggie?

- I have no idea.

- She said she'd come.

- Then she should be here.

- Kevin.

- Yes?

Where's Maggie?

She wasn't at the hotel.

She left no messages.

I got her a ticket for 6:00 tonight.

To be at the airport by 4:30,

she should leave her hotel at...

- Who's driving her?

- I don't know. You!

- Are you crazy? I can't!

- I sure as hell can't! No way!

I'm meeting with the insurers.

It's urgent!

It's incredibly urgent!

Go ahead.

Her ticket is for Hong Kong?

- I even got her upgraded into first class.

- Ah.

She's not going to Hong Kong.

She's going to New York.

No, Los Angeles.

She's meeting Ridley Scott.

You got it all wrong. Totally.

After seeing Ridley Scott

in New York,

she's meeting her agent

in Los Angeles.

It was so obvious.

Since when?

She told me yesterday.

She spoke to Ridley Scott yesterday.

Jrome. Jrome.

The screening's about to start.

Come on.

We're starting now.

You'll have to find someone

to replace Laure.

To replace Laure?

Oh, yeah. Sh*t.

Are you free after the projection?

- Of course.

- I need to see you.

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