Partir, revenir

Salomé Lerner, your book opens on a surprising metaphor on life,

a long, symbolic road in the rain.

You've taken care to quote Stendhal:

"All novels are mirrors wandering along a great road,

"reflecting both the blue skies and swamplands of this world."

But haven't you gone too far?

Won't it put the reader off? Is it still literature?

It seems more like a film, or even music.

Instead of 10 chapters, your book comprises 4 movements...

I admit I wrote this novel thinking it could become a film...

As for the musical structure...

a piano took my brother from me in 1943,

a piano brought him back in 1985.

Did you have a cast in mind when you wrote it?

That choice should be left to a director. But I'd like to suggest:

Annie Girardot to play Héléne, Jean-Louis Trintignant as Roland,

Richard Anconina as Vincent.

And yourself age 20?

I'd be pleased with Evelyne Bouix.

And the pianist, who led you to write this novel?

Erik Berchot himself.

He bears a striking resemblance to my brother.

I'm still dubious on this reincarnation question,

but when I read,

"One day in 1920 my father...

"entered a pharmacy on rue Batignolles,"

although I'm not a director,

I visualized Michel Piccoli and Françoise Fabian.

A love story for piano, orchestra and camera.

Sarah.

Sir?

It's urgent, Miss!

"Doctor prescribes you 3 times a day."

Are you mad?

Almost... I'm a psychiatrist.

Are you free for dinner?

Yes, sir, I'll take care of you...

It needs preparation.

That's all right, I have plenty of time...

Have we met?

In away...

Recognize me?

Never saw you before!

I've been sending you patients for 6 months.

I have them cross Paris,

even though there's a pharmacy next to my office.

Where is that?

Next to the pharmacy you left 6 months ago.

What's your name?

Simon, and you're Sarah.

And I don't object to our children...

having names that begin with S.

Er, yes, er, no, you will not find this item in a pharmacy.

There's a 2nd prescription inside.

You see.

There's something inside...

No one knows what it is.

It's a secret, a talisman.

Thank you my love.

What about you two?

Well, the first time...

Kiss me too...

- You never kiss me! - Yes, I do!

Tell us! How did it happen?

I don't know, I was asleep.

I was reckless.

- I raped him. - Really?

He wouldn't kiss me for two years.

So I got fed up...

and did something naughty.

It's a great story.

Go on, Héléne, tell them!

It started to get to me, so...

Where are we?

We're here.

What are you doing here, Miss?

I live here.

Good morning Doctor.

What...

two years on the same surgical team.

Not one dinner invitation!

Really?

SQ?

As your anesthesist

I felt the best way to open your eyes was to put you to sleep!

Anesthesia is dangerous!

That's right, but I have a diploma!

It's true, really.

How did you react when you woke up?

After the anesthesia I was really out of it!

But I thought it was quite nice.

A hair.

It's yours.

- You're overreacting. - Why a war?

We shouldn't get caught up in this war obsession.

It's not an obsession, it's here!

War has always existed.

Every year I feel something... Not war, but a catastrophe...

I feel as though...

I guess it's because summer's ending...

Why should there be a war? Why?

He looked like my brother and shared his passion for Rachmaninov...

You wrote: "That night Erik Berchot...

"played what my brother had played all his life."

Yes.

So you think that he is your brother's reincarnation.

You're putting my father's words in my mouth.

Who first made Jews wear stars?

Hitler?

You're cold!

- Pétain? - Freezing!

It was good King Saint-Louis!

"In 1269 King Saint-Louis

"required that Jews wear a round piece of cloth

"called a 'rouelle'.

"Thereafter King Jean Le Bon imposed a tax on that 'rouelle',

"just as today Jews have to hand in a ration stamp

"to obtain their star."

Should I marry Angela?

Wait till after the war!

The war's an excuse!

You must live twice to play well.

Did Mozart have previous lives?

Yes, he was learning!

In some lives you learn,

in others you live.

Héléne!

Nice day.

You want to speak to Sarah?

Was your father serious when he spoke of reincarnation?

While observing his patients he built up a strange theory:

"Madness is a painful passage between two lives,

"genius comes after that passage, when previous experience

"can be used in the next life."

His view on age is amazing:

"He didn't see people as 20 or 50,

"but saw them in their 2nd, 7th, or 30th lives."

What are you waiting for? Come out here!

Did you get the chickens, the eggs and butter?

What happened? Anna?

When did we send that parcel?

Ten days ago.

But that's impossible!

Here comes Roland...

back from his hospital in Dijon.

It's Sarah...

Give them my love.

Did you see a folder I forgot this morning?

I put it in the closet.

I'm a prisoner in his dream château!

Maybe I should send you ration stamps instead?

Vincent is fine.

The air here is good for him, and the villagers are nice.

See how late it is?

It's Salomé.

The janitor told the Gestapo.

What's that?

The piano!

How do you know?

From Henri.

Who was Henri?

The janitor's son. He was in love with me.

Denunciation is the main theme of your book,

in the words of historian Henri Amouroux it's a "cancer of the souls".

Did she inform on you because of the piano?

My brother's practicing may have gotten on her nerves.

- Today? - Just now!

Henri always was a nice boy.

We'll go on a trip...

I've been cut off from Paris.

Trocadero, 30-15.

A half-hour wait...

Vincent!

Between the towers? You can't!

Why not?

Just asking.

I haven't decided yet.

You'd better not.

Why shouldn't he?

It frightens me, let's forget it. Get a haircut!

I got one yesterday.

Be serious, I mean one like your father's.

Why is it so difficult?

One tower is lower than the other.

Going up is easy, but going down is dangerous...

I don't know what I'll do.

Walking down's great. I'm not sure... I might try...

If I do, I promise I'll go slow...

There's no answer...

They must've gone out.

At last!

I've been trying to get you...

They're at the station.

What's going on?

They were denounced!

Don't hesitate, take the first train!

It's no trouble at all.

- Weren't they on the train? - No!

- And the next? - Tomorrow morning.

Something must've happened!