Beau Pere (Beau-père)

STEP-FATHER

I was working as a piano player...

in a posh, international-style restaurant...

high up in one of those high-rise hotels...

with a superlative view of Paris.

It could've been in Montreal or Zurich or any place.

There'd have been the same Americans, Japanese, Saudis...

with the same eyes, tired from counting dollars.

I could play them anything...

Gershwin, Chopin, Art Tatum... they didn't listen.

All they wanted was something not too noisy...

a bit of atmosphere, muted, velvety...

to go with their St Emilion, shrimp cocktails and T-bones.

So I played for myself.

Old Bud Powell tunes...

trying to get the phrasing right...

and never making it...

because I never made it at anything.

I'd given myself till age 30 to be a success in life...

and I was 29 and a half.

I had 6 months left.

Meanwhile, I got 250 francs a night, and a meal...

plus all I could drink.

I was happy.

The only problem was I'd just been hired...

and the bastards had refused to give me an advance.

I could hardly wait for the end of the week, and my bread...

and the end of the night, and my bed.

Around midnight, the place would start to empty out.

Usually I'd be left with an amorous couple...

love's loiterers...

whom I had to lead safely to port...

with my magic keyboard.

Who knows what's in a piano player's head...

as he fingers the keys...

while you sip champagne.

Maybe he's in love, too...

or sad...

because his wife is waiting...

or is no longer waiting.

Because she just left him...

or is going to leave him.

Where are you going?

I have an appointment.

Who with?

- A photographer. - What photographer?

Always seeing photographers and never any pictures.

We don't all have your talent.

Took you 8 years to find out my music was crappy?

It's hard enough putting makeup on.

Who'll hire me looking like this?

I know my music's not great... So what?

That can change.

It bores people now. One day it may thrill them.

Things evolve.

For example, I used to turn you on...

and now I don't... What if it were vice versa?

Totally unforeseeable.

Who knew things would end between us?

Was that foreseeable?

When everyone envied us?

What if you stayed with me?

What for?

To be together.

We're never together.

When I get home at night, you're asleep.

When you get up in the morning, I'm asleep.

When I wake up, you're off to see photographers.

I barely have time to watch you dress.

I never see you undress.

Martine...

I get paid at the end of the week.

I need pocket-money, Rémi!

A woman needs things: a skirt, shoes...

otherwise she loses her sparkle.

She dries up!

They're not hiring you anymore!

So why persist?

This time it might work.

How come?

It's a partial shot.

Of what?

A bra.

You're doing lingerie now?

You?

Got anything better?

Got a concert?

So I do body shots... They don't want my face!

They want younger ones!

Any gas left in the car?

I doubt it.

Do you have any money?

Is that all?

And you? What will you do?

Were you in second?

Why not stay home with me?

The car's on my side. It won't take you.

- Will you please push? - Battery's dead!

Everything's dead! I just want a push!

I liked her face a lot.

Photographers are creeps!

She was much too good for them.

For me, too, in fact.

Shit!

Mom's not here?

Is she working?

Will she be late?

Probably.

The cafeteria lunch was awful! I didn't eat!

You look weird, are you okay?

Depressed?

You were fighting again.

Well, I have a mountain of homework.

You're not sick?

No, really... everything's fine!

You don't look it.

What are you doing?

A composition.

Hard?

Why?

Just asking.

Why don't you put on some music?

What would you like to hear?

Whatever you want.

One of my oldies?

If you want.

Lend me a piece of paper.

What kind?

Any old scrap.

My little Marion...

I have bad news for you.

Since I don't have the courage to say it out loud...

I'll put it in writing.

It's the only solution.

Listen...

You'll find out that in life...

sometimes things are just too rotten.

But what I want you to know...

is you mustn't give in to despair.

Don't let yourself fall apart.

You'll have me to lean on.

You know I'm here with you...

to help you get over your pain.

You know you're my little girl.

Your mother has had an accident...

I'm going to the grocery store.

Got any money?

Think it will work?

It'll have to.

There's a letter for you... on the table.

If it's a joke, it's not funny.

It's not a joke.

I have no mother anymore?

There's your father...

Yes... there's my father...

Oh Rémi, I can't take it in.

Neither can I!

I don't want to go back to my father.

I want to stay with you.

You promise?

Yes, all right.

What do you want?

I have to talk to you.

What about?

Different things.

I'm listening.

It's about Martine.

What does she want, money?

She's dead.

Is that all you have to say?

A car accident.

Don't give me that stuff!

I'm saying that Martine is dead! Is that clear?

And you tell me just like that.

How do you want me to tell you?

Should I draw you a picture?

How'd it happen?

An intersection...

a truck...

a wrong reflex.

Marion knows?

Poor kid.

See where that "young prodigy" stuff got you?

You couldn't even take care of her.

I know.

So why'd you steal her from me?

What do we do about Marion?

How do you mean?

Who'll she live with?

I hadn't thought about that.

I'd say it's fairly important.

You bet!

Forgive me...

I've been drinking a lot lately.

Forget it.

She can stay with me if that suits you.

Who's that?

Why would that suit me?

I don't know. In case...

you're shacking up with someone...