Antoine and Colette (Antoine et Colette)

LOVE AT TWENTY

Mornings, I wake up singing

At night, I dance to bed

I never care

About the bombs in the air

That one day will kill us all dead

We don't get enough care!

Antoine Doinel is now 20.

His mischievous pranks brought him before the judge.

After escaping from a home, he feels free.

Antoine carefully organised an independent life.

A music lover, he found work in a record house.

He finally fulfilled his dream,

living alone with a salary,

standing on his own two feet.

He enrols in a youth music club and never misses a meeting.

He also manages to get free tickets for important concerts.

His only friend is René Biget,

a stock trader.

How's the stock market?

Fine. I'll be a broker soon.

I'm going into the factory.

I got two tickets tonight for Shapiro.

Remember the time you hid in my room and Pa came in? So much smoke!

My old man!

Help me wave the blankets to air the smoke!

That's enough!

It's a smokehouse in here!

A gambling den!

I'll take three cigars off your allowance!

Bucephalus is no coat rack!

It's worth thousands! It's a work of art!

I'd never sell it.

Now be good and go to sleep!

Good night!

He almost saw me!

He saw your feet but said nothing.

Time to go.

I never noticed her. I really like her.

A lot! Like her friend?

It'd be practical!

I'm in love with my cousin. She has long hair.

She wants to get it cut. Great!

She loves you?

I don't know. I've said nothing. If I like her short hair,

- I'll tell her by mail. - Tell me how it goes.

8 DAYS LATER

I saw her three times last week. I didn't speak, but she saw me.

Last Tuesday at the Eroica,

I was sitting behind her.

She undid her scarf. I watched her neck and hair.

I stared all evening!

I decided to talk to her and hurried out,

but she met a friend.

So I went home to bed.

Thursday, I arrived early to sit next to her.

No one was there yet, so I had a cigarette

till the hall filled up.

When I came in, I didn't see her at first.

But she was talking to a friend.

I sat next to her. She nodded as if she knew me.

But she went and sat where she'd left her coat!

I didn't dare change seats.

The third time was yesterday.

She was carrying home her groceries,

in my neighbourhood!

The preliminaries are over. Attack!

What has Pierre Schaeffer taught us? A lot.

He's dealt musicology a staggering blow.

Clichy's my stop. Odd I didn't see you sooner.

You go often?

Yes, to all the Russian concerts. Sunday mornings.

Not much fun!

It's a shame, but we'd have met sooner or later.

Don't I live near you? I saw you with your shopping.

I live on Lécluse.

What do you do?

I'm a student. And you?

- I'm in records. - You work?

For Philips.

I'm on my own.

It must be strange to be independent!

That depends, because …

It's my stepfather's car!

Going to the Gavoty lecture?

Probably.

If not, I'll surely be at the concert the next night or the night after.

Okay, but what's your phone number? I'll see you again, right?

Yes, but call in the evening. I'm not always in.

It's Carnot 08-32.

Well, I've got work!

Goodnight. See you!

Antoine and Colette met often and traded books and records.

Over lemonades, they discussed stereo,

and walked home and talked for hours in doorways.

To her, he was a pal. He didn't notice it, or else it pleased him.

Friends, this is the second discussion of experimental music.

After the first one with Pierre Schaeffer,

I knew by your attentiveness

and from your numerous letters

how interested you were!

- Colette? - Yes, it's me.

- My head aches! - Where were you last night? Sick?

I only said "maybe"! I went to a party with friends.

Really crazy people. We had a ball!

It was terrific but really crazy at the end.

I got home at 5:00 this morning!

Can I see you this afternoon?

I might be out. We all said we'd meet again this afternoon.

Okay, see you later!

Come by if you want.

Is Colette in?

- No, why? - I brought her books back.

- I'll take them. - And this letter, too.

I'll give her everything.

- You're Antoine? - Yes.

She's mentioned you often. Come in!

- Who is it? - A friend of Colette's!

- Got a moment? - I don't want to bother.

It's Antoine!

You're in her class?

They met at the youth concerts. Colette told us!

Antoine works! In records, right?

Yes, for Philips.

Fine!

I think young folks should go to work early in life.