La peau douce (The Soft Skin) (La Peau douce)

THE SOFT SKIN

CROSSING

I just called your office.

The subway broke down, not a cab in sight.

- Hello, Odile. - Hello, Pierre.

- What's your departure time? - I've got 40 minutes.

In this traffic? Never!

- I must try it, Franca. - I've packed your suitcase.

- Hello, Daddy! - Hello, princess.

- Will you take the car? - If you come along to park it.

Only if you do the driving. I make you too nervous.

It's my husband.

- It's a tie rack. - Stop kidding.

What's up?

Pierre's late. He's lecturing in Lisbon.

- I can drive you. - Franca will do it.

Go ahead, you're a much better driver.

That's right, he is.

Bye, princess.

Bye, Daddy.

Be good now.

Can I ride to the airport?

You know you can't.

Why not? She'll enjoy it.

Okay, you can come.

Mademoiselle, would you get Sabine's coat, please?

Call to tell me where you are staying.

Here's an article about you.

I'll read it later.

Please be careful. He can always catch another plane.

- What's the time? - It's 3:45.

We'll never make it.

Is your talk on Stendhal?

No, on Balzac.

There's a speed limit, but what the hell.

A cop! If he's after us, we're sunk.

You just leave it to me.

Bye, Michel. Thanks.

- Porter? - No thanks.

The Lisbon plane, can I still make it?

I'm not sure...

Mr Lachenay for the Lisbon flight?

Let me check.

They might have taken the ladder away.

Check in Mr Lachenay's luggage.

This way, please. Let's hurry.

They're taking the ladder away.

No, it's going back.

Let's hurry.

Quick, the door!

Please fasten your seat belt, and no smoking. Thank you.

Seats forward, please.

Will you wait here, please?

We can go now.

A photo with the stewardess, please.

This way, Mr Lachenay.

Here's the bathroom.

Fine.

Perfect.

For you.

BALZAC AND MONEY

Why Balzac and money?

Well, I'm a fan of Balzac's and I don't despise money.

But all joking aside, that happens to be the title of one of my books.

How about a book on Balzac and love?

Why not?

There's a full house.

We'll need some extra seats.

- What's Ionesco up to? - He's doing fine.

- We'd better go now. - I'm ready.

- Good luck. - Thank you.

As soon as I am through with the introduction...

I know what to do. See you later.

Ladies and gentlemen...

We've got a small problem with the microphone.

I present you Pierre Lachenay.

How about lunch tomorrow?

Sorry, I leave at noon.

What a pity.

Look, it's Pierre Lachenay.

We hope to see you in Paris very soon. Goodbye.

Here's where I get off.

I'll call you.

Yes, tomorrow.

I forgot to ask you your floor...

That's quite all right.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, sir.

Would you ring room 813?

Hold on.

Hello, room 813?

Miss, I was in the elevator with you...

I wanted to apologise...

Apologise for what?

You got off at the 8th floor...

Of course.

Well, since I'd past my floor anyway,

and you had so many packages,

I should have helped you with them.

Not at all. That's perfectly all right.

Well, forgive me.

Look, I wonder... Could we have a drink together?

Right now?

Yes, right now.

Do you know what time it is?

Oh, it's past 1 a.m.

And the bar's closed.

Then, could we have a drink tomorrow?

There's really no point, you know.

I see. I'm very sorry...

Good night. Please excuse me.

Look, I didn't mean to be so rude. It was very kind of you to call me.

Let's have that drink together.

Fine. In the morning?

No, I've got to go shopping.

Can we make it in the afternoon?

Yes, of course.

In the bar at 6:00?

All right.

- Good night. - You too.

Do you enjoy your work, or do you dislike it?

I like my job.

I started a year ago.

They said I'd soon be fed up.

Maybe.

Many girls do quit after a few years.

What happens to them?

They get married.

I love my parents...

They live in Bordeaux.

That's where I'm from.

Papa used to say it's a job for a snob, but now he doesn't mind.

- Don't you know her? - Yes, I do.

They're friends of mine.

That's Frank. He's the co-pilot of the plane you came on.

We almost met six months ago.

What do you mean?

I knew a TV writer who worked with Louise de Vilmorin.

She had us to dinner once. You were expected.

We waited, but you never showed up.

I just couldn't help it.

I haven't read all of your books. In fact, I haven't read any.

But I've seen you on television.

So, at the airport, I recognised you.

So Balzac decides to put out a novel a month.

Not slim ones, mind you, but huge volumes.

He writes a chapter a day.

He can't live on what the publishers pay him,

so he buys his own printing plant.

But business is bad, and his partners pull out.

He decides to do it all by himself,

casting his own type,

setting it himself,

even making his own paper.

But he loses everything, including Madame de Berny's money.

Wasn't she his mistress?

Yes. I'll tell you how that came to pass.

Madame de Balzac wants a wife for her son, Honoré.

Madame de Berny has two daughters to marry off.

Honoré meets the two young girls,

who leave him cold.

But he falls in love with the mother.

That's marvellous!

I've been talking for hours.

It was fascinating!

I'll lend you some books, if you'd like.

I didn't realise it was getting so late!

Look how kind these folks are.

In France, the boss would have put us out hours ago.

I'll ask for the bill. It must be daylight by now.

Coming, Madame.

Matches?

- Surprised? - A little.

It was easy.

I called your secretary, then your Lisbon hotel,

checked with the airport, and here I am!

Michel and Odile are coming over later.

I knew you'd be tired but it was only possible today.

They are going to Japan.

How does one turn off this heater?

I guess we can turn that off.

- I hate sports programs. - So do I.

The other day, on the way back from the airport,

my car broke down on Saint-Denis Street.

What were you doing there?

Tell us all about it.

Not Saint-Martin, Saint-Denis.

I was just going to the Japanese art shop.

To buy some prints, I suppose.

You guessed right.

I meant to ask you...

- Ice cream? - Yes, please.

Where you stay in Tokyo?

The Takanawa Hotel is pretty good.

- Listen. - What is it?

That's Sabine.

I'll go this time.

Is it your first trip to Japan?

No, I already went there two years ago.

As soon as you put a cigarette in your mouth, a woman lights it up.