On the Riviera Page #3

I'll see you this evening.

My best to Henri.

Tell him not to worry.

I shall not forget our long friendship.

I'll try to make things

as easy for him as possible.

Good-bye. Good-bye, gentlemen.

- Good-bye, Felix.

- Good-bye.

- Bye.

- What did he mean by that?

He says Henri needs money.

He seems to think

he's taking over the airplane company.

- Is that true?

- Yes, too true. He has found out everything.

- We'd better tell Henri right away.

- He's at home.

- I'll drive.

- Good.

I invited Felix to the reception this evening

before I knew all this.

- Perhaps I should make some excuse-

- No, you cannot do that.

- Let him come. Then Henri can talk to him.

- Yes, Henri will save us.

- He's the only one who can.

- Yes, Henri.

And for heaven's sake,

take that foolish smile off your face!

- But you told me to!

- Oh!

- Madame. Oh, madame-

- Excuse us, Lili.

The florist, madame. He'd like to see you about

the table arrangements.

- He's on the terrace.

- Thank you, Antoine.

- Antoine! Antoine!

- Yes, monsieur?

- Capitaine Duran- he's not here.

- No, monsieur. He's gone.

- Gone?

- Where?

He did not say, monsieur,

and I never ask. However, he carried a valise.

- Thank you, Antoine. Now, why would he-

- Carry a valise?

- I do not know.

- Neither do I.

- Do you think he has-

- Gone to Paris?

- I do not know.

- Neither do I.

Well, he must have been

in a very big hurry. Look at his desk.

- I've never seen it like that before.

- Look! A note.

It is addressed to both of us.

In Henri's handwriting.

- You don't suppose-

- Do not start supposing. Read it, Philippe. Read it.

"Dear friends, I failed last night

to get the money from Alonzo.

Our dear friend Periton seems

to have reached him first."

I knew it. I knew it.

"There is only one hope left-

Sir Hubert Canon.

"I'm flying to London to see him.

If I do not succeed,

you may never see me again."

He's going to kill himself!

"Don't worry.

I'm not going to kill myself.

"I must succeed. But be certain to say nothing

of this to anyone.

If word gets back to Periton,

we are ruined."

"Back to Periton." He's here!

I know, I know.

I- Sir Hubert Canon. Yes, he might.

Louis, we are lost! Completely lost!

- What now?

- The reception tonight!

Lili invited Periton.

If he finds out that Henri is not here-

- He will know that he has gone to London.

- Exactly! We must see Lili.

- At once.

- At once.

- There is but one thing to do. Lili must-

- Call off the reception.

- No, that would be even-

- Worse.

- But she must make some-

- Could I see Madame Duran?

- May I tell madame who's calling?

- Oh, sure.

- Tell her Jack Martin.

- Who?

Jack Martin.

She left her cigarette case

at the Cote d'Azur. I'd like to return it.

- I will see that madame gets it.

- Well, I'd kind of like to give it to her myself.

- I had a pretty tough time getting this back.

- Very well.

- There's the actor.

- The one who impersonated Henri.

- Are you thinking-

- What I am thinking?

- Will it work?

- What have we got to lose?

Nothing.

It will be simple, monsieur.

You just act gracious and charming.

- I don't know.

- We will be right beside you.

- We will not leave you for a moment.

- There. A perfect fit.

- Like it was made for you.

- And think, monsieur.

Half a million francs

for one night's work.

- All right. I'll do it.

- Wonderful!

On two conditions. First, that I get half

the money in advance.

- Yes, yes!

- Agreed.

And second, Madame Duran is not to know

I'm impersonating her husband.

- That is impossible.

- We will have to tell her.

- I'm sorry, gentlemen. Those are my conditions.

- No, wait.

- Why not tell her?

- Because I'd get stage fright, that's why.

I couldn't give a good performance

if I thought she was laughing at me.

I just couldn't go through

with it if she knew.

- If we must agree-

- We must.

- That I insist upon. Okay?

- Okay.

- Okay. You got a deal.

- There are certain things you should know.

- Like what?

- Your wife's name is Lili.

Oh, yes, I know. Lili.

- That's a lovely name, isn't it?

- The butler is Antoine.

The gardener's name is Emile.

- Your chef is Monsieur Popoliniere.

- Who?

- Popoliniere.

- Popoliniere?

Yes. Your pilot's name is Georges.

Your wife's maid is Michele.

- Michele.

- She is rather pretty and a trifle forward.

Forward? How far forward?

You joke with her occasionally.

Sometimes you pinch her cheek.

- Her, uh, cheek.

- Cheek.

- Can you remember all that?

- What, learn a few names?

Gentlemen, that's my business.

I'm supposed to be an actor.

My name is Henri.

My wife is Lili.

You are Philippe and Louis.

The butler's Antoine.

The gardener is Emile.

The chef is Monsieur... Popoliniere.

- Good!

- The maid is Michele. I joke with her.

- And occasionally I pinch her cheek.

- Cheek.

Bravo. Bravo.

Hey, about this Felix, this Periton-

- You'll point him out to me?

- The moment he arrives.

- Ah, and what do I say to him?

- Nothing!

- You must say nothing.

- Nothing?

What am I supposed to do,

stand around with egg on my face?

- I have it. Henri has a trick.

- Oh, good.

When he does not understand something

or does not wish to answer...

he taps his fingertips together so, looks down

his nose and says, "Hmm."

You see the beauty of it? He says nothing.

He commits himself to nothing.

He does not understand a word,

but he looks very wise.

Hmm. Say, that's

a pretty good piece of business.

- I think I may be able to use that in my act.

- Yes, you could.

- No. That is not a closet. That leads to Lili's room.

- Oh, really?

- One moment, monsieur.

- Oh, monsieur.

You and your wife are

on very formal terms.

- Very formal.

- You're kidding.

- What's the matter with him?

- Nothing.

- Doesn't she like him?

- She's crazy for him.

- Well?

- To Henri, the grass is always greener-

- The sky is always bluer-

- The tomatoes are always juicier-

In somebody else's garden.

You understand, monsieur.

- Hmm.

- Good! Good!

- Albert will take you to your table.

- We will see you out there?

- Fine.

- Please, Lili, please!

Our whole future depends on it.

No. Of course I won't.

It's ridiculous!

- Just for these few hours!

- But why should I pretend that I don't know?

Because this actor, this Martin,

insists upon it.

Don't you see, Lili? If he thinks

you don't suspect, it will give him-

Confidence! Make him feel that he

really is Henri.

- That's what I'm afraid of.

- Lili, you have nothing to fear.

We have explained that you and Henri

are on very formal terms.

Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.

As soon as the party is over,

he is to go home. He understands that.

If he does not go, we will not pay him

the other half of the money.

No! It's impossible. Ah, Suzanne!

- Good evening. How are you?

- Ah, Pierre.

- Good evening, Capitaine.

- Good evening, uh, Michele.

- Oh, Michele.

- Yes, Capitaine?

Thank you, Capitaine.

- Not at all, my dear.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes