Strange Affair (Une étrange affaire)

A STRANGE AFFAIR

Two jacks & an ace.

It's his turn.

- How much am I up to? - 1008.

- You're rich, huh? - Shut up.

- What time is it? - 7:50.

- Damn. I gotta run. - What? Quitting?

Yeah, we said three rounds, let's cash in.

- Hello! - Hi! ... Bye, freaks!

- It's been long since it started? - It's almost done.

I bet hundred to one he's not really dead.

- You know, I had worse bosses. - Sure.

- When is the new one coming? - Seems he's here.

- Here? - Donnow.

- Apparently the new one's here. - Yep... Over there.

- Where? - Tall, third row.

Interesting.

- Now you've outdone yourself. - Went to the funeral.

- Whose funeral? - Fausse's of course.

- He's dead? - I told you. Day before yesterday. Cancer.

I thought he was doing better.

My razor.

- There. - Where? - On the right.

That's its place. It goes on the left.

- What's wrong? - We'll be working round the clock. I told you.

- Why? - Saw the new boss:

3-piece suit, legion of honor... velvet hand in an iron glove.

- It's the other way around. - What do you mean?

Supposed to be an iron hand.

Anyway, all services will take a hit, for sure.

Good morning!

You know who came up with the word of the day?

- The word of the day? - Yeah.

- Wait... Is it funny or dumb? - Dumb.

- Doutre! - Spot on.

We are--brace yourself--"a ship without a captain caught in a storm."

You don't say.

- Good morning, Mr. Doutre! - Ah, Coline.

Feels weird without him, it's like, can't describe it...

A ship without a captain, Coline!

- That's it exactly. - Ah, yes.

A ship without a captain.

So, you've seen the new boss in the church?

But that's not him.

Really?

- So who is he? - That we don't know, but

it's not him. He's not in Paris.

He arrives Thursday. From Basil.

- His name, you know that much? - I'm not authorized to say at the moment.

Well, then, don't say it.

Etienne, this is Louis.

Hey, Lens vs. Bastia, I bet on Lens 2 to 1, ok?

Plus, remember, Leclerc doesn't play, it's a gift.

Everything white.

He ordered some designer furniture for a 100 grand.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen!

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Here's my expense list. - Are your balance sheets done?

- My balance sheets for what? - Listen, he wants a rundown

everything: expenditure curves, sales impact, estimates, and all the rest.

- Well, but me, after all... - Make it up. Just do something.

In any case, there's no rush. He's still in Basil.

He's in Madrid and arrives tomorrow.

What I'd like to know is why the hell he's in Split.

- Split? - Where's that?

- That's Yugoslavia, isn't it? - In Yugoslavia.

- Is he a communist, or what? - Mercenary.

- What do you mean mercenary? - Mercenary...

He inspected their food distribution from A to Z

posing as a Thomson representative negotiating a contract...

All those turnkey factories in Africa...

... that's him!

And it's he who revived mail order.

He failed only in oil.

There's more! Malair...

Bertrand Malair, that's his name.

What's he like? Young, old?

He must not be fond of photographers.

I've never seen his picture.

It's going to hurt.

I don't care.

Thirty years of seniority,

that will cost them.

I'll redeem my points whenever they like.

Whenever they like.

- Can't find a parking space? - I'm not coming.

I'm going to see a film by Ozu with Sophie.

Would you like to come?

- Oh, no... - See you later, then!

- So what do I tell them? - Tell them the truth.

Ok, then.

Ah, it's you!

Yes, I'll hold.

Dr. Robert, hurry please.

What?

What time will he be back?

How can I reach him?

Could you take a message for him?

Tell him to come tonight, as soon as he can.

It's my mother.

Calm down, buddy, stay!

Are you almost done?

- She's on the phone? - And what do you think?

The doctor won't get here before 9.

Look at her! It's not because

I'm dead that she's crying!

- It's because I'm not dead! - Stop it!

- Get up! Your dress will get wrinkled. - Where's your wife?

- She's not here yet? - No.

Well, she'll be here.

It's not too terrible, what is it?

- It's Bartisol, you want more? - No, it's ok.

- Should we wait for her? - No, she must have been delayed.

- Let's eat before it gets cold. - Rather burned!

In any case, she hardly eats. She's an intellectual.

Well, Veronica, sit next to Louis.

I'll keep René to myself.

Nina will sit over there.

And then... Well, that's it.

1950.

It was 52-53, in a René Clair film.

- You had a nice little scene at the cleaner's.

It was 52.

I'm sure of it. Louis was 14 months old.

1950, try and remember!

He was 14 months. René Clair even thought

I was too young to be a mother.

You were how old then? 18?

I was 16, and I had just given birth to Louis!

Without makeup, she was even prettier, you know.

But what are you trying to tell me, René?

That I'm a slut?

If she had listened to me, she'd be Michèle Morgan today.

But what can you do? With her character...

Still no news of your father, naturally.

Would you like me to walk Filo?

Come on, boy, come on.

Going back now.

Run along, my friend.

- It's all right. He's relieved himself! - Filo!

- Come, Filo, come here! - Bye now!

- How was it? - Fine, as usual.

Another one!

Yep, but this one is superb!

Look.

Baby mother.

And you?

You were right not come. You wouldn't have liked it.

- Did you like it? - Yes.

That's good.

In the end, they realize they love each other.

For real.

You would have liked that? With another woman?

No.

Sometimes I'd like to be a man.

What's bothering you?

Something at the office?

I'm not sure if they won't let me go.

Who "they"? The new boss?

Malair, that's his name.

Wait till you've met him. He might be cool.

When is he coming?

Don't know. No one knows. Not even where he is, so...

I'm there.

You didn't wake me up!

I'm not working this morning.

Hello! Doutre? I'm sorry I'm at a car mechanic's.

They say there's water in the carburetor, so...

Listen, Coline, in any case, we've nothing urgent to work on.

So, take it easy, ok?

Myself, I'm in and out. Mrs. Doutre isn't feeling well.

Anyway, not till Thursday.

His office isn't ready, yet.

Ah, Miss Pré, can I buy you a coffee?

You know very well I don't like coffee

True, true.

Serge, make me a coffee, would you?

So, the estimates, curves, rundowns, etc., all cool?

He can come, everything's done. I'm ready for him.

Good, good.

Hello, Mrs. Liliane!

If Mr. Willy gets on your nerves, come to me.

What's all this?

I've asked you a question, Mr. Coline. What's all this stuff?

It's mine. All this is mine.

I suspected as much. I don't like to go through people's things

but I was getting bored, and you weren't coming.

My name is Malair. Excuse me. Bertrand Malair.

Your door was open.

What is it that you do exactly?

I'm Gerard Doutre's assistant.

I'm in ads... In the advertising division.

You live in the 15th arrondissement?

Nice neighborhood!

- You smoke? - Yes.

What is this?

Gitanes.

Mr. Doutre smokes lights. I'll go get them.

Is he a nice guy, this Doutre?

- No more than that, huh? - He's a good guy.