English Audio Request

Scene VII – Chez Céline

Location notes: Céline’s apartment is NOT on rue des Petites Ecuries as she had verbally directed Philippe. It is located in “Cour de l’Etoile d’Or” (Courtyard of the Golden Star) somewhere off of rue Faubourg St. Antoine, which borders the 11th and 12th arrondissements directly east of Place de la Bastille. You can see this name above the driveway during the opening montage of street scenes.

(As of this revision, we do not yet know the exact location of Cour de l’Etoile d’Or on rue Faubourg St. Antoine. Please post updates to yahoogroups.)

(They walk around a vehicle barricade then proceed down a cobblestone walkway lined with trees and vines.)

Jesse: This is...this is...this is where you live?

Céline: Yeah.

Jesse: So, uh, you're just relieved that I'm in even more deep shit than you are?

Céline: Yes. You've made me feel better.

(Camera cuts to interior of the car.)

Jesse: Oh, good, I'm glad.

Céline: No, I really wish you the best. It's not because I'm incapable of having a good relationship or a family that I wish everyone to be doomed like me.

Jesse: I'm sure you might make a great mom someday.

Céline: Really, you think so?

Jesse: Oh, yeah. A few anti-depressants...you know, you'll do great.

Céline: Oh, no…(As she did earlier in the film, she raises her left hand and wiggles her fingers back and forth in front of his face.) OK…say "Stop"!

Jesse: Um, "Stop"!

Céline: (Stops wiggling her fingers, and gives him just the 3rd finger. They cheer together.) Ohhhh!!

Jesse: Heey! OK, you ready?

(They get out of the car and walk forward a few steps, stopping near the front of the car.)

Céline: So... I want to try something.

Jesse: What?

Céline: (Hugs him tightly - Jesse is surprised and holds back, momentarily.) I want to see if you stay together or if you dissolve into molecules.

Jesse: (Hugs her closer.) How am I doing?

Céline: Still here.

Jesse: Good, I like being here. (They separate and look intently into each other’s eyes.) Is this your apartment? (Motions behind her.)

Céline: Oh, no, I live down there. (Motions ahead of them.)

Jesse: Down there?

Céline: Yeah.

Jesse: (To Philippe who is waiting in the car.) Um, monsieur...I'm gonna walk her to her door. Uh…

Céline: (Translating for Philippe.) Il va m'accompagner a la porte.

Jesse: This is incredible! This is where you live?

Céline: Yeah.

Jesse: How long have you been here?

Céline: Four years. So tell me...

Jesse: What?

Céline: Is it all true, about your dreams, or...did you just say that to hopefully get in my pants?

Jesse: Oh, I just said that to get into your pants! I use that all the time...

Céline: Oh, OK. Does it work?

Jesse: Eh, you know...sometimes.

Céline: (Motions to her cat in the path before them.) Here is my kitty! Oh, so cute! Look at him. You know what I love about this cat? It's that...every morning, I bring him down to the courtyard, and every single morning he looks at everything like it was the first time! Every corner, every tree, every plant. He smells everything with his little cute nose. Oh, I love my kitty! I love my kitty!

Jesse: What's his name?

Céline: Che.

Jesse: (Disbelievingly, then smugly.) Che? Uh-huh.

Céline: What?

Jesse: Commie!

Céline: No, "Che" in Argentina means "Hey"! (Cuddling the cat.) Oh, baby! Oh, yes, yes, yes.

(They approach her apartment building, veering to their left as they get closer to the doorway. In the courtyard, hanging paper lanterns, tables, and chairs have been set up for a cookout. A man stands at a barbecue grill, cooking, while other people mill about preparing for the party.)

Céline: We're having a little party. It's so much fun!

Man: (To Céline.) Qu'est-ce que vous avez fait de bon pour ce soir? (What good thing are you making for tonight?)

Céline: Un taboulet! Je vais descendre en cinq minutes! (Some tabouli, I’ll be down in 5 minutes.)

Man at the grill: Salut! (See you later.)

Jesse: (To the man.) Uh...Salut!

(They approach the stairs. Céline walks up the stairs and turns around to speak to him standing below.)

Jesse: So...

Céline: So…

(A woman appears in the doorway behind Céline, carrying plates for the party.)

Woman: (Smiling directly at Jesse, who smiles back.) C'est qui celui-la? Il est mignon! Il mange avec nous? (Who’s this? He’s cute. Is he going to eat with us?)

Céline: Non, il prend l'avion. (No, he has to catch a plane.)

Woman: Tant pis. Il goutera pas mes pates au pois chiches. (Too bad. You won’t get to try my garbanzo bean pasta.)

Man at the grill: Pour-quoi il ne mange pas avec nous? (Why doesn’t he stay to eat with us?)

(Cut to woman walking towards man at grill.)

Woman: Il n'aime pas ton short! (He doesn’t like your shorts.)

Man at the grill: (Looking down at his shorts.) Mais qu'est-ce qu'il y a mon short? (What’s wrong with my shorts?)

(Céline and Jesse laugh at the couple and return to their conversation.)

Jesse: You know what I...I was thinking…um...would you play me one of your songs?

Céline: You're gonna miss your flight!

Jesse: I won't, I won't! I’m gonna be sitting in the airport for over an hour, reading the newspaper, alright. Wishing you played me one of your songs.

Céline: One song?

Jesse: Yeah.

Céline: OK, but quickly.

Jesse: OK.

(They enter the building and walk up the stairs. The paint on the walls is chipped and seasoned.)

Jesse: God, I love these old staircases.

(They slowly ascend the stairs to the 2nd floor, walking side-by-side as the camera watches them catching glances at each other. Céline is still cuddling with her cat. We hear only their footsteps and the stairs creaking underneath them as they climb for almost 40 seconds.)

Céline: Hold this! (Hands the cat to Jesse as she unlocks the door to her apartment.)

Jesse: (To the cat) Hey there, buddy! Che...

(They enter Céline’s studio apartment with many photographs on the walls and books stacked on the floor.)

Céline: Would you like some tea?

Jesse: Yeah, sure.

(Céline stays in the kitchen to make tea while Jesse looks around her apartment.)

Céline: Is chamomile OK?

Jesse: Yeah. Great. Merci!

Céline: “Messy”? You think my apartment is messy?

Jesse: No, no, no. Merci, merci...merci beaucoup.

Céline: Ah, "merci." I meant to tell you. Your French has improved a lot.

Jesse: (Surprised.) Really?

Céline: Yeah! Yeah, you've really mastered the language. (Laughs.)

Jesse: Alright, alright. What song are you gonna play me, huh? (Takes off his coat.)

Céline: No, I...I can't. It's too embarrassing. It's been...

Jesse: Whoa! No way, no way! I came all the way up here, you cannot crap out on me now. One song (plops down on the couch), anything will be great.

Céline: No, but listen, you're gonna laugh at me...

Jesse: You think so?

Céline: Yes!

Jesse: I doubt it.

Céline: (Walks slowly toward him from the kitchen.) OK. What do you want to hear? I have a...I have 3 songs in English. One's about my cat, one's about...my ex-boyfriend, well, ex-ex-boyfriend, and there’s one about…(sits on the bed opposite Jesse) well...it's just a...little waltz. (Picks up her guitar, which is leaning against the bed.)

Jesse: A waltz? Yeah, play the waltz.

Céline: I haven't played it in a while, you sure? (Jesse nods enthusiastically, with a big grin.) Alright, the waltz. OK…(sings)

Let me sing you, a waltz. Out of nowhere, out of my thoughts. Let me sing you, a waltz. About this one night stand. You were for me that night, Everything I always dreamt of in life.

But now you're gone. You are far gone. All the way to your island of rain.

It was for you just a one night thing. But you were much more to me, Just so you know.

I don't care what they say I know what you meant for me that day.

I just wanted another try. I just wanted another night. Even if it doesn't seem quite right.

You meant for me much more Than anyone I've met before.

One single night with you, little...Jesse... Is worth a thousand with any-body. I have no bitterness, my sweet. I'll never forget this one night thing. Even tomorrow in other arms. My heart will stay yours until I die.

Let me sing you a waltz Out of nowhere, out of my blues. Let me sing you a waltz. About this lovely one night stand.

(Céline breathes a huge sigh of relief as she finishes the song. Jesse claps.)

Jesse: No, one more, one more. Please, please? C’mon. Please, please?

Céline: No! No, no, no, no - it was our deal. One... one song! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Céline: You can have your tea, and then ah... (Quickly retreats to the kitchen.)

Jesse: (Stands up and approaches the bookcase.) Alright, let me...Let me ask you one question. Do you just plug that name in for every guy that comes up here?

Céline: Oh, yes, of course! What do you think, that I wrote this song about you? Are you nuts? (Laughs.)

Jesse: (Points to a childhood photo of Céline hanging on the wall.) Oh, is this you? Little cross-eyed Céline?

Céline: Yes. That’s funny…

Jesse: Cute! Is that your grandmother? (Motions toward a photo of Céline and her Grandmother.)

Céline: Yeah.

Jesse: Oh, wow.

Céline: You want some honey?

Jesse: Yeah, sure.

(Jesse looks through her collection of CD’s, selects one, and puts it in the CD player. Céline smiles when she hears the music.)

Céline: (Referring to the CD Jesse has selected.) Did you ever see Nina Simone in concert?

Jesse: No, I never did. I can't believe she's gone.

Céline: I know, it's so sad!

(Jesse sits back down on the couch as Céline brings him the tea.)

Jesse: Thanks.

Céline: It’s hot. (Walks back to the kitchen.) I saw her twice, in concert. She was so great! (Motions to the CD player.) That's one of my favorite songs of hers.

(Singing along with the CD.) ...I know where I'm going... ...No more doubt or fear... ...Found my way...click, click, click." (Laughs.)

She was so great! She was so funny in concert! She, she would... she would be right in the middle of a song and then...you know, stop and...and uh…walk from the piano all the way to the edge of the stage. Like, really slowly...

(Mimics Nina Simone, pouting her lips, shifting her hips as she walks.) And she'd start talking to someone in the audience...

(Still mimicking Nina, with pouted lips, Jesse is watching from the couch, laughing.) Oh, yeah, baby... Oh, yeah... Uhum...Ooh… I love you too...

(Giggles.) And then she'd walk back, took her time, no hurry, you know. She had that...big...cute ass! She would move...whoo!

(Moves her hips side to side as she dances away from Jesse.) And then she would, uh... go back to the piano, and play some more. And then she would, uh… I don't know, just...start another song, in the middle of another, you know, like...stop again...like...

(Pretends to talk to someone in the audience.) "Oh, you over there...can you move that fan? Uh-huh. Ohh, you're cute! Oh...Oh, yeah! Uhum.”

(Jesse laughs.)

“Oh….ohhh, yeah. Mmm hmm. “

(Pouts and continues to dance, then turns and points at Jesse.) “Baby, you are gonna miss…that…plane…”

(The camera zooms in closer to Jesse as he smiles knowingly and laughs at her dancing.)

Jesse: (Holds his left hand up and briefly twirls his wedding ring with his left thumb.) I know...

(Céline continues her dance as the scene fades to black.)