The Grand Highway (Le Grand Chemin)

Long live Pernod!

They made me thirsty.

That’s what they’re paid for!

I don’t want to go.

Louis! I don’t want to repeat everything 100 times.

Aren’t you my little brave man?

The Great Road!

You’re late!

Be glad I’m driving in this heat at all.

- Take the roof off like I do. - Come on, grandma.

- Do you have my order with you? - Check. It’s open.

Mom, I don’t want to go!

Please, Louis. Don’t start again.

Are you crying because you’re going on vacation? Listen.

If there’s enough water in the river, you’ll catch great fish.

- Did you hear that, Louis? - Mom!

It’s only 3 weeks!

When you come back,

there will definitely be a surprise.

I’m not abandoning you in the forest.

It passes. I know it. I have 5!

And you still brag about it.

- When do you leave here again? - 5:50 p.m.

There isn’t even a beach here.

Why can’t dad take care of me?

In Nice there’s the sea.

In high season, my Louis?

He won’t even come to the birth.

Then why did you do it?

It will be your baby too. You can love it.

But I don’t need it.

It’s his fault.

When I was as small as you,

Marcelle was my friend.

She’s nice, you’ll see.

Her husband too.

Is he old?

I don’t know.

- How do you know he's nice? - Marcelle wrote me.

That would surprise me.

- It’s too exhausting for you. - Thank you. What heat!

Hot, isn’t it?

Come on. Come here.

You’re heavier than your toiletry bag.

- Are you going to the Lucas’? - Just for the holidays.

Not excited?

Good feeling.

Listen, sir. That’s enough now.

Get off, Louis.

She’s a fury!

Hello, Pelo.

Don’t dawdle.

I don’t want to go there. He says she’s a fury.

Don’t talk nonsense. He’s just teasing you.

Does the fountain have miracle water that you drink it?

It would be strange if wine flowed.

Here we are.

Anyone home?

Finally you’re here!

- You must be hot. - Especially on the bus.

- You look like you used to. - You think so?

So you’re Louis?

You’re tall! What seed did you come from?

Give Marcelle a kiss.

Does the red bother you?

- Louis, at least say hello! - Leave him. We still have time.

I’ll finish it. He can’t stay in the sun.

I killed it for you. There’s roast rabbit.

Aren’t you happy? You look so serious!

- He’s impressed. - True! He’s from Paris!

That’s how you take a bunny’s pajamas off!

No omelet without broken eggs. Do you like omelet?

He loves it.

The rabbit doesn’t jump into the pot by itself. Like this.

The toilet. Do you need to go?

- Do you need to pee, Louis? - No.

Clearly your son.

You hated the boarding school toilet.

I used to pee behind the chapel.

All the boys could see you.

Do you like the car?

Did Pelo build it?

The only thing he ever got right.

I would have liked to meet him.

He never leaves his shop.

Do you think he would have come to pick you up? And he knew it, the dog.

Drink it hot. You’re as pale as a corpse.

I’m glad you brought him to me.

You could have done it earlier.

I thought everything would come back.

It will come back! Meanwhile I spoil your little one.

Do you feel better now?

Will you answer, please?

Leave him. I like it when he has his mouth full.

Look! Your neighbor is wandering around.

She doesn’t know Paris boys up close.

Come in, Martine, dare to.

- Hello, ma’am. - Hello.

Here, please.

Show Louis the nonsense you do. He's interested.

Go play outside.

Don't let yourself be intimidated. She's more silly than smart.

Come on. We women want to talk.

Out you go!

How old are you?

I'm 9.

I'm 10, almost half more. But I'm smarter than that.

I'm top of the class. Even though I never study.

Do you want to see my secret observation spot?

Come with me.

We have to go underneath.

That's a really great hut!

Come on. Climb up.

From here you can see everything. Come up.

Look. Here's something for the eye.

My sister Solange. She doesn't even wear a bra.

- Simon will like that. - Who is that?

Her type.

He is soon going to the army in Oran.

Imagine the rest.

Look there. That's Yvonne, my mother.

Not much longer, Suzanne. 5 more minutes.

Is she a hairdresser?

A little. On Saturdays she curls the ladies' hair.

Is the post here yours alone?

Yes. I've fallen out with everyone.

Sometimes I throw slugs at the nuns on their heads,

when they ride past on bikes.

Even toads.

- Alive? - Of course.

Funerals are the best. I like them.

I'll show you something.

Look. Here is the best spot.

It's funny. Some cry or pull faces.

Others pinch themselves so they don't laugh.

Apparently it's nerves.

Just like that.

- I don't know what to think. - Listen.

You must think about yourself.

I'm worried about Louis.

- What should I tell him? - Nothing at all!

That would be even better! Does he even ask?

- How is Pelo? - Carpenter.

- Is he nice? - Depends.

When he's drunk, he's unpleasant.

But that doesn't scare Marcelle.

She's a tough nut.

- Is she a fury? - A 'fury'?

- Fury. Do you know what that is? - No.

But I'll look it up in the dictionary.

Do you know what gonorrhea is?

I bet you don't. It's the clap!

I knew that.

Martine!

Bring Louis here, his mother has to go.

He's so busy he doesn't notice you're leaving.

I love you, my little bird.

I'll write you a long letter soon, okay?

Will dad write me too?

If he has time. Can he stay with you, Martine?

No problem. I've already shown him a lot.

Simon will take you to Grand Chemin.

- Thank you. - For what?

Everything will be fine.

Come on, or you'll be late.

Hello, madam.

- Are you coming with us? - That's kind.

I have to go. Are you being good with Marcelle?

If he's not good, Pelo will look after him.

Are you getting in the front?

- Shall we play 'cow'? - Tomorrow. We have work to do.

You just tear them off by the tail.

But don't pull!

And only take the red ones.

If the prettiest one teases you, you can go ahead and eat her.

- Look at the fat one there! - Eat her.

Delicious. She's still warm.

Here in the countryside many pleasures await you.

- Does it taste good? - That guy there!

That's Pelo. Not exactly spotless, but it's him.

- Your charge is nervous. - What did you tell him?

Me? Nothing. I just arrived. We don't even know each other.

Calm down. He's not polite, but he won't eat you.

Marcelle likes to spoil children and little rabbits.

Haven't you eaten anything?

Don't you like it?

I'm not hungry.

He doesn't like dead meat.

Never mind. You can make up for it at dessert.

It goes down easily.

Hello everyone.

- Hello, Hippolyte. - Have you been drinking in Switzerland?

- Or what, you pig? - When no one's home...

That can be arranged.

Exactly. Go ahead.

If you come home drunk, don't wake up the whole house!

Now we have some peace for a while.

Don't let it ruin your appetite. He's more stupid than bad.

- Who is Hippolyte? - The gravedigger.

Since he had to bury his wife, he has been terribly thirsty.