Un couple épatant
Encyclopedia
Un couple épatant (2003) is a Lucas Belvaux Film
with his own script.
This is the second installment of a series Trilogy, which constitutes a comedy
preceded by One: On the run
, a thriller and followed by Three: After life
, a melodrama
.
Belvaux referred in the DVD commentary that main idea behind "Trilogy" is that the main characters in a particular story are the secondary characters of others, in such sense the three films happen at the same time and share a series of common scenes and plot points, complementing each other, but also have their own perspective and style. The audience is left with piecing the films together, which Belvaux avoided, since editing the three films into one single narrative would have resulted in a very long film with no style of its own.
, manages to stall him a couple of minutes, he goes out and she steals his keys just before he comes back for his jacket. Claire calls Cécile Coste to report that Alain has left. Alain goes to see Georges Colinet, his physician who tells him that he has tennis elbow
and must have an operation. Alain becomes very worried that this operation shall take his life despite all assurances to the contrary. Later on Alain goes to a park and he starts a series of will
projects that he dictates in a pocket tape recorder
that he carries around, the first will distributes his assets 50/50% to his wife and children, 98% of his company shall go to his children and the remaining 2% to Claire and some moneys that he has in a Swiss bank
-account shall go to the Fund for Cancer
Research.
At home Cécile is worried that Alain is not back yet and assumes that the worst has happened (which she does all the time). It is clear that she is preparing a surprise birthday
party for Alain, her daughter Louise is there with her boyfriend
Henry helping in the kitchen
. Police lights are visible from the kitchen and Cécile goes to the door, but it is Police
Inspector
Pascal Manise who arrives to drop his wife Agnès. The doorbell
rings, it is Dr.
Colinet who arrives. In the meantime Alain is lost in his own neighbourhood
, he cannot find his house
and comes close to having a car accident with Manise; when finally home he tells Cécile that he was late because he gave Claire a ride home. The party begins and Rémy and Louise sing "Les roses blanches" to him instead of "Happy Birthday to You
". When Agnès congratulates Alain she says "may you have more days like this", which he takes as a dark omen
. Georges assures him that nothing is wrong with him and gives him back his key
s to a chalet
Alain owns in the nearby mountain
s, which he used for a romantic escapade.
When alone at the kitchen, Cécile confronts Alain and tells him that it is not true that he gave Claire a ride home and he then says that he actually had a car accident, as she is about to check out the car, Agnès faints; Alain uses that opportunity to create the "accident" that he had, which means hitting his Jaguar with a hammer
. Meanwhile Cécile has reached Manise over the phone and tells him that Agnès is sick. He arrives and takes her away. While waiting for Manise, Cécile sees that the car has not had the exhaust
changed as Alain had said earlier.
The next day after a debate at school
, Cécile asks Pascal to tail Alain because he is hiding something from her. Manise tells her that it is preferable to be honest and ask her husband directly but she refuses. Meanwhile in his office Alain has a sudden spasm
and begins dictating his ever growing symptoms in his recorder, he leaves the office (which Claire reports to Cécile, who has been keeping a record of all his comings and goings) and goes to the park
where he meets Louise, who tells her father that Henry dumped her because she cheated on him. Manise is close by and all he sees is that Alain is meeting with a younger woman, but when he reports it to Cécile she recognizes her daughter and is relieved that there is not another woman. At school Agnès is very worried because Manise had to arrest Jeanne, a colleague teacher
and friend.
Manise asks Cécile to check the bank accounts for unusual charges, she does so despite Claire's warnings that Alain shall notice, they find nothing. During lunch Alain is designing several gadgets on a table mat and Manise is drinking coffee, he leaves the bar and says goodbye to everyone at the bar in a very French fashion which catches Alain's attention. Manise goes back to Alain's office and poses as a policeman from the financial branch, insinuating that Alain is involved in some questionable businesses, which Claire denies, however he manages to take a lock of Claire's hair
without her noticing. On his way out he crosses Alain who is puzzled to see him again and asks Clair who he was and she says that he was a copying-machine representative. Alain sits at his desk and notices that things are not exactly where he left them and asks Claire to retrieve his newspaper
, which he forgot at the bar. When she leaves he redials the last phone and sees that Claire was not talking to her mother but to Cécile. He also notices that Manise is still outside and manages to shake his tail, then he rushes home turning the house upside down looking for something and finds Cécile's notes on him, he changes his will: nothing for Cécile or Claire, all for the children with a warning not to trust their mother
.
That night Cécile goes to Manise's place to confront him about scaring Claire, she does not know that Alain is following her. Manise however, notices that Alain is close by and makes it look as if Cécile is having an affair with him and asks her to take him to the police station
. Manise also reveals that Agnès is addicted to drugs
and that the day of the party
she fainted due to withdrawal syndrome
. Before they can leave Alain is assaulted by thugs. Alain then goes to Claire's and forces a confession from her. Alain goes back home and tells Cécile that he must go to Paris for a couple of days.
The next day Cécile drops Alain at the train station
but he comes out a few seconds later to take a taxi
, however Manise is still tailing him. While in the taxi Alain changes his will again: the money for the Cancer Research is diminished. The taxi driver tells Alain that he is being followed and manages to lose Manise again, but Manise finds the taxi driver and shows him his badge
. Meanwhile at the hospital Alain tells Georges about the person who is tailing him but Georges reassures him, Alain changes his will: the money for the Cancer Research fund is increased. As he gets an anesthetic shot from Georges' nurse who turns out to be the lover
that he took to the chalet, looks out the window
and sees Manise talking to Dr. Colinet in the parking lot
. He flees but no taxi shall take him.
As Cécile is about to enter the school where she works, Manise tells her that Alain did not take the train
to Paris
and ventures that he is probably in a hotel
with someone else. Cécile goes to the school and finds that everyone is celebrating Jeanne's release from prison
. Agnès asks if she can borrow her car and if she can use the chalet, Cécile angrily accepts. Meanwhile Alain has managed to get on the countryside by foot
and calls for Claire to help him. When she arrives the anaesthetic has kicked in and Alain lies unconscious in the middle of the field
, Claire manages to wake him up. As they drive to the chalet Alain again drops asleep and drives off the road
while drawing conclusions on the "plot
" against his life, he finally wakes up and steps out of the car
, he changes his will again: Claire gets her inheritance
back. When backing up to the main road, Alain spots his wife's car with another car behind her. He follows and hears a man inside his chalet singing in Italian
. He then assumes that his wife is connected to the Mafia
and are plotting to kill him because of some of his inventions, Claire does not see the "connection". Meanwhile Dr. Colinet has reported Alain's disappearance to Manise. Alain and Claire go to the police but see Manise and Dr. Colinet walking out of the station together and conclude that they are together in the plot with his wife.
Alain and Claire go to ther place, with Manise on their tail. She tells him that he must do something, but by then his paranoia
has kicked in and he has begun adding up facts into a big scheme to kill him, which also involves his children, based on the song that they sang to him at his birthday and the changes that they made to fit him (the song involves the story of a poor boy who has to steal flowers for his dying mother in the hospital, only to find that when he finally arrives, she is already dead), Alain changes his will again: all goes to Claire. As they talk, enters Vincent, Claire's boyfriend
and an employee of Alain's who is back home due to a working accident, but Alain does not believe him since the prescription
is signed by Dr. Georges Colinet, thus Vincent is in the plot too. Cécile comes back home and finds that Louise has moved back in, when she discovers the reason (Louise had cheated on her boyfriend and he dumped her) she is so angry that she slaps her daughter and also draws a conclusion that Agnès is the one having an affair
with Alain. She picks Agnès at the street and drives up to the chalet but finds that a man named Pierre is there and it seems that Agnès' story is true. Cécile confronts Georges about the truth related to her husband's whereabouts but he does not betray anything and acts surprised when she tells him that Alain is not in Paris.
Alain has interrogated Vincent and although he does not get a confession, he ties Vincent to Claire's bed. They go to Alain's place where he connects his recording machine to the telephone to spy on Cécile, he is discovered by Louise who then agrees to call him if anything strange happens related to Cécile. During this conversation it is revealed that the only reason that his children sang "Les roses blanches" to him is because he sang that song all the time regardless of the occasion, because it was the only one he knew.
Cécile arrives home and has another fight with Louise. She spends the night crying and close to dawn Manise tells her that Alain is at Claire's. As they leave, Cécile notices that her car is gone but asks Manise not the release a police notice on it, she assumes that her daughter took it. They go to Claire's but cannot find Alain. As they leave, Claire asks Vincent to follow them, Manise notices it and beats Vincent, thinking he is one of a drug dealer's thugs who have been following him. Back in his car he tells Cécile that he is being blackmail
ed by Agnès' dealer, Cécile asks him to take her to her chalet, where she confronts Pierre, she believes that he is the drug dealer, he tells her that Manise is a wife beater
. As they are about to leave, Manise tells Cécile that he is in love with her. She becomes very angry and slaps him and explodes with all her cruelty to him and leaves.
Meanwhile, Alain is taking Vincent to the hospital
but when he sees Dr. Colinet, he goes bezerk and crashes Vincent into the wall and beats Georges until the orderlies finally stop him. After he is restrained Alain gets a call from Louise, Cécile has not shown up for work, he calls the police, Manise goes back for Cécile and they go to her house. Alain finally reveals the reason for his secrecy and she is more at ease but not before she consults with Georges about the real gravity of his situation, a conversation that is spied by Alain through the window.
Lucas Belvaux
Lucas Belvaux is a Belgian actor and film director. His directing credits include the Trilogie, consisting of three films with interlocking stories and characters, each of which was filmed in a different genre. The three films are Cavale, a thriller; Un couple épatant, a comedy; and Après la vie,...
with his own script.
This is the second installment of a series Trilogy, which constitutes a comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
preceded by One: On the run
Cavale
Cavale is a Lucas Belvaux Film with his own script and starred by him.This is the first instalment of a series Trilogy, which constitutes a thriller followed by Two: Un couple épatant, a comedy and Three: Après la vie, a melodrama.Belvaux referred in the DVD commentary that main idea behind...
, a thriller and followed by Three: After life
Après la vie
Après la vie is a Lucas Belvaux Film with his own script.This is the final installment of a series Trilogy, which constitutes a melodrama preceded by One: On the run, a thriller and Two: An amazing couple, a comedy....
, a melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
.
Belvaux referred in the DVD commentary that main idea behind "Trilogy" is that the main characters in a particular story are the secondary characters of others, in such sense the three films happen at the same time and share a series of common scenes and plot points, complementing each other, but also have their own perspective and style. The audience is left with piecing the films together, which Belvaux avoided, since editing the three films into one single narrative would have resulted in a very long film with no style of its own.
Synopsis
On a Friday evening, just before closing time Alain Coste is in his office and gets ready to leave, Claire, his PAPersonal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
, manages to stall him a couple of minutes, he goes out and she steals his keys just before he comes back for his jacket. Claire calls Cécile Coste to report that Alain has left. Alain goes to see Georges Colinet, his physician who tells him that he has tennis elbow
Tennis elbow
Lateral epicondylitis or lateral epicondylalgia, also known as tennis elbow, shooter's elbow and archer's elbow, is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes sore and tender...
and must have an operation. Alain becomes very worried that this operation shall take his life despite all assurances to the contrary. Later on Alain goes to a park and he starts a series of will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
projects that he dictates in a pocket tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
that he carries around, the first will distributes his assets 50/50% to his wife and children, 98% of his company shall go to his children and the remaining 2% to Claire and some moneys that he has in a Swiss bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
-account shall go to the Fund for Cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
Research.
At home Cécile is worried that Alain is not back yet and assumes that the worst has happened (which she does all the time). It is clear that she is preparing a surprise birthday
Birthday
A birthday is a day or anniversary where a person celebrates his or her date of birth. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with a gift, party or rite of passage. Although the major religions celebrate the birth of their founders , Christmas – which is celebrated widely by...
party for Alain, her daughter Louise is there with her boyfriend
Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed relationships, where other titles A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed...
Henry helping in the kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
. Police lights are visible from the kitchen and Cécile goes to the door, but it is Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
Inspector
Inspector
Inspector is both a police rank and an administrative position, both used in a number of contexts. However, it is not an equivalent rank in each police force.- Australia :...
Pascal Manise who arrives to drop his wife Agnès. The doorbell
Doorbell
A doorbell is a signaling device typically placed near a door. Most doorbells emit a ringing sound to alert the occupant of the building to a visitor's presence, when the visitor presses a button. Many modern doorbells are electric — they are actuated by an electric switch...
rings, it is Dr.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
Colinet who arrives. In the meantime Alain is lost in his own neighbourhood
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
, he cannot find his house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
and comes close to having a car accident with Manise; when finally home he tells Cécile that he was late because he gave Claire a ride home. The party begins and Rémy and Louise sing "Les roses blanches" to him instead of "Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
". When Agnès congratulates Alain she says "may you have more days like this", which he takes as a dark omen
Omen
An omen is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change...
. Georges assures him that nothing is wrong with him and gives him back his key
Key (lock)
A key is an instrument that is used to operate a lock. A typical key consists of two parts: the blade, which slides into the keyway of the lock and distinguishes between different keys, and the bow, which is left protruding so that torque can be applied by the user. The blade is usually intended to...
s to a chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
Alain owns in the nearby mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s, which he used for a romantic escapade.
When alone at the kitchen, Cécile confronts Alain and tells him that it is not true that he gave Claire a ride home and he then says that he actually had a car accident, as she is about to check out the car, Agnès faints; Alain uses that opportunity to create the "accident" that he had, which means hitting his Jaguar with a hammer
Hammer
A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. The most common uses are for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose, and vary widely in their shape and structure. The usual features are a handle and a head,...
. Meanwhile Cécile has reached Manise over the phone and tells him that Agnès is sick. He arrives and takes her away. While waiting for Manise, Cécile sees that the car has not had the exhaust
Exhaust system
An exhaust system is usually tubing used to guide reaction exhaust gases away from a controlled combustion inside an engine or stove. The entire system conveys burnt gases from the engine and includes one or more exhaust pipes...
changed as Alain had said earlier.
The next day after a debate at school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, Cécile asks Pascal to tail Alain because he is hiding something from her. Manise tells her that it is preferable to be honest and ask her husband directly but she refuses. Meanwhile in his office Alain has a sudden spasm
Spasm
In medicine a spasm is a sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ, or a similarly sudden contraction of an orifice. It is sometimes accompanied by a sudden burst of pain, but is usually harmless and ceases after a few minutes...
and begins dictating his ever growing symptoms in his recorder, he leaves the office (which Claire reports to Cécile, who has been keeping a record of all his comings and goings) and goes to the park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
where he meets Louise, who tells her father that Henry dumped her because she cheated on him. Manise is close by and all he sees is that Alain is meeting with a younger woman, but when he reports it to Cécile she recognizes her daughter and is relieved that there is not another woman. At school Agnès is very worried because Manise had to arrest Jeanne, a colleague teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and friend.
Manise asks Cécile to check the bank accounts for unusual charges, she does so despite Claire's warnings that Alain shall notice, they find nothing. During lunch Alain is designing several gadgets on a table mat and Manise is drinking coffee, he leaves the bar and says goodbye to everyone at the bar in a very French fashion which catches Alain's attention. Manise goes back to Alain's office and poses as a policeman from the financial branch, insinuating that Alain is involved in some questionable businesses, which Claire denies, however he manages to take a lock of Claire's hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
without her noticing. On his way out he crosses Alain who is puzzled to see him again and asks Clair who he was and she says that he was a copying-machine representative. Alain sits at his desk and notices that things are not exactly where he left them and asks Claire to retrieve his newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, which he forgot at the bar. When she leaves he redials the last phone and sees that Claire was not talking to her mother but to Cécile. He also notices that Manise is still outside and manages to shake his tail, then he rushes home turning the house upside down looking for something and finds Cécile's notes on him, he changes his will: nothing for Cécile or Claire, all for the children with a warning not to trust their mother
Mother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
.
That night Cécile goes to Manise's place to confront him about scaring Claire, she does not know that Alain is following her. Manise however, notices that Alain is close by and makes it look as if Cécile is having an affair with him and asks her to take him to the police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
. Manise also reveals that Agnès is addicted to drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
and that the day of the party
Party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, or recreation. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing as well....
she fainted due to withdrawal syndrome
Withdrawal
Withdrawal can refer to any sort of separation, but is most commonly used to describe the group of symptoms that occurs upon the abrupt discontinuation/separation or a decrease in dosage of the intake of medications, recreational drugs, and alcohol...
. Before they can leave Alain is assaulted by thugs. Alain then goes to Claire's and forces a confession from her. Alain goes back home and tells Cécile that he must go to Paris for a couple of days.
The next day Cécile drops Alain at the train station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
but he comes out a few seconds later to take a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
, however Manise is still tailing him. While in the taxi Alain changes his will again: the money for the Cancer Research is diminished. The taxi driver tells Alain that he is being followed and manages to lose Manise again, but Manise finds the taxi driver and shows him his badge
Badge
A badge is a device or fashion accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath , a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple...
. Meanwhile at the hospital Alain tells Georges about the person who is tailing him but Georges reassures him, Alain changes his will: the money for the Cancer Research fund is increased. As he gets an anesthetic shot from Georges' nurse who turns out to be the lover
Sexual partner
Sexual partners are people who engage in sexual activity together. The sexual partners can be of any gender or sexual orientation. The sexual partners may be in a committed relationship, either on an exclusive basis or not, or engage in the sexual activity on a casual basis...
that he took to the chalet, looks out the window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
and sees Manise talking to Dr. Colinet in the parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
. He flees but no taxi shall take him.
As Cécile is about to enter the school where she works, Manise tells her that Alain did not take the train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and ventures that he is probably in a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
with someone else. Cécile goes to the school and finds that everyone is celebrating Jeanne's release from prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. Agnès asks if she can borrow her car and if she can use the chalet, Cécile angrily accepts. Meanwhile Alain has managed to get on the countryside by foot
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...
and calls for Claire to help him. When she arrives the anaesthetic has kicked in and Alain lies unconscious in the middle of the field
Field (agriculture)
In agriculture, the word field refers generally to an area of land enclosed or otherwise and used for agricultural purposes such as:* Cultivating crops* Usage as a paddock or, generally, an enclosure of livestock...
, Claire manages to wake him up. As they drive to the chalet Alain again drops asleep and drives off the road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
while drawing conclusions on the "plot
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
" against his life, he finally wakes up and steps out of the car
Čar
Čar is a village in the municipality of Bujanovac, Serbia. According to the 2002 census, the town has a population of 296 people.-References:...
, he changes his will again: Claire gets her inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
back. When backing up to the main road, Alain spots his wife's car with another car behind her. He follows and hears a man inside his chalet singing in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
. He then assumes that his wife is connected to the Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
and are plotting to kill him because of some of his inventions, Claire does not see the "connection". Meanwhile Dr. Colinet has reported Alain's disappearance to Manise. Alain and Claire go to the police but see Manise and Dr. Colinet walking out of the station together and conclude that they are together in the plot with his wife.
Alain and Claire go to ther place, with Manise on their tail. She tells him that he must do something, but by then his paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
has kicked in and he has begun adding up facts into a big scheme to kill him, which also involves his children, based on the song that they sang to him at his birthday and the changes that they made to fit him (the song involves the story of a poor boy who has to steal flowers for his dying mother in the hospital, only to find that when he finally arrives, she is already dead), Alain changes his will again: all goes to Claire. As they talk, enters Vincent, Claire's boyfriend
Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed relationships, where other titles A boyfriend is a person's regular male companion in a romantic or sexual relationship, although normally not in long-term committed...
and an employee of Alain's who is back home due to a working accident, but Alain does not believe him since the prescription
Medical prescription
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
is signed by Dr. Georges Colinet, thus Vincent is in the plot too. Cécile comes back home and finds that Louise has moved back in, when she discovers the reason (Louise had cheated on her boyfriend and he dumped her) she is so angry that she slaps her daughter and also draws a conclusion that Agnès is the one having an affair
Affair
Affair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...
with Alain. She picks Agnès at the street and drives up to the chalet but finds that a man named Pierre is there and it seems that Agnès' story is true. Cécile confronts Georges about the truth related to her husband's whereabouts but he does not betray anything and acts surprised when she tells him that Alain is not in Paris.
Alain has interrogated Vincent and although he does not get a confession, he ties Vincent to Claire's bed. They go to Alain's place where he connects his recording machine to the telephone to spy on Cécile, he is discovered by Louise who then agrees to call him if anything strange happens related to Cécile. During this conversation it is revealed that the only reason that his children sang "Les roses blanches" to him is because he sang that song all the time regardless of the occasion, because it was the only one he knew.
Cécile arrives home and has another fight with Louise. She spends the night crying and close to dawn Manise tells her that Alain is at Claire's. As they leave, Cécile notices that her car is gone but asks Manise not the release a police notice on it, she assumes that her daughter took it. They go to Claire's but cannot find Alain. As they leave, Claire asks Vincent to follow them, Manise notices it and beats Vincent, thinking he is one of a drug dealer's thugs who have been following him. Back in his car he tells Cécile that he is being blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ed by Agnès' dealer, Cécile asks him to take her to her chalet, where she confronts Pierre, she believes that he is the drug dealer, he tells her that Manise is a wife beater
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. As they are about to leave, Manise tells Cécile that he is in love with her. She becomes very angry and slaps him and explodes with all her cruelty to him and leaves.
Meanwhile, Alain is taking Vincent to the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
but when he sees Dr. Colinet, he goes bezerk and crashes Vincent into the wall and beats Georges until the orderlies finally stop him. After he is restrained Alain gets a call from Louise, Cécile has not shown up for work, he calls the police, Manise goes back for Cécile and they go to her house. Alain finally reveals the reason for his secrecy and she is more at ease but not before she consults with Georges about the real gravity of his situation, a conversation that is spied by Alain through the window.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Ornella Muti Ornella Muti Ornella Muti is an Italian actress. She was born in Rome as Francesca Romana Rivelli, to a Neapolitan father and Russian mother. Her maternal grandparents immigrated from Leningrad , Russia, to Estonia... |
Cécile Coste, High school teacher |
| François Morel François Morel François Morel is a Canadian composer, pianist, conductor, and music education. An associate of the Canadian Music Centre, he was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 1994 and was awarded the Prix Denise-Pelletier in 1996... |
Alain Coste, an inventor |
| Valérie Mairesse Valérie Mairesse Valérie Mairesse is a French stage and film actress. She was nominated for the César Awards 1978 for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Repérages.-Selected filmography:* Tu Seras Mon Fils... |
Claire, Alain's PA Personal assistant A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant.... |
| Dominique Blanc Dominique Blanc Dominique Blanc is a French actress.She trained at the French Drama school, Cours Florent. In 1980 at the suggestion of Pierre Romans , in whose class she was, Patrice Chéreau went to see her and engaged her for a performance of Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt... |
Agnès Manise, High school teacher, wife of Inspector Manise |
| Gilbert Melki Gilbert Melki -Biography:Nephew of actor Claude Melki , Melki grew up in a Jewish family in Algeria. His father, an antiques dealer, came from Khenchela in Algeria and his mother was from France. Both hid during the war: his father in Lyon and his mother in NormandyHis father sent him to a woodworking school,... |
Pascal Manise, Police Inspector |
| Lucas Belvaux Lucas Belvaux Lucas Belvaux is a Belgian actor and film director. His directing credits include the Trilogie, consisting of three films with interlocking stories and characters, each of which was filmed in a different genre. The three films are Cavale, a thriller; Un couple épatant, a comedy; and Après la vie,... |
Bruno Le Roux, posing as Pierre, an unemployed bump |
| Catherine Frot Catherine Frot -Early life:The daughter of an engineer and a mathematics teacher, Frot demonstrated comic traits and expressions at an early age. At the age of fourteen, she enrolled in the Versailles conservatory while still in school... |
Jeanne Rivet, High school High school High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions.... teacher and friend of Cécile |
| Yves Claessens | Freddy, a bar owner |
| Bernard Mazzinghi | George, surgeon Surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage... and friend of the Costes |
| Raphaële Godin | Louise Coste |
| Patrick Depeyrrat | Patrick |
| Vincent Colombe | Rémy Coste |
| Pierre Gérard | Olivier |
| Jean-Baptiste Montagut | Henri |
| Anne Delol | Nurse |
| Joss Philopémon | Taxi Taxicab A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice... driver |