#XXX...
"Commerce and Illusions"
1969 Rouen, France
Roy Lisker
8 Liberty Street #306
Middletown, CT 06457
http://www.fermentmagazine.org
ACT I
Scene I
Sequence 1
The interior of a dimly lit garage. Two gangsters are seated at a table, conversing by the light of a lone candle. In the background we hear the mechanical noises made by a film projector.
Close-Up I : The hardened faces of the gangsters
Close-Up II : Many large cartons of stolen merchandise piled up along the walls and much of the space of the garage
Close-Up III : The hardened faces of the gangsters. Money is being counted out. There are whispered words passing back and forth
Close-Up IV : The boxes again
Close-Up V : An attractive young girl, bound and gagged, wriggling off in a corner.
(Words Over, Alphonse Grimaux): She has to show more.
Close-Up VI: Money being counted out
Pan to view of Garage Interior: The men stop dividing the loot. Evidently one of them thinks he's being cheated. He stands up, scrapes away his chair. The other does the same. One of them bangs his fist on the table. It feels like the prelude to a fight.
(Words over, Jean-Claude Marcel: "What do you think?"
Grimaux: "Corny, but it's okay .")
Sequence 2
Blank crossed out film with sequence numbers, such as one sees in rushes.
Sounds of coughing in the background
Sequence 3
The garage door opens. Enter the "hero" :Jim Band. Meticulously dressed, a fashion-plate. His hair is sleeked with greasy kid stuff.
CLOSE-UP I : Jim Band adjusting his tie
CLOSE-UP II: His right hand descends into his jacket pocket
JIM BAND: All right, boys! The game is over! Up with your hands!
(Voices over, from audience. Grimaux: I never did like that type.
Marcel: The public loves it. )
Sequence 4
The criminals are petrified.
CRIMINAL I : It's Jim Band!!
They push over the table, blow out the candle. Noises of scuffling, things being overturned. Gunshots.
Sequence 5
Close-up of Jim Band, pulling his gun from his jacket pocket with lightning speed and shooting 3 bullets : Blam!-Blam!-Blam!
Sequence 6
Crossed out film with numbers
Sequence 7
Jim Band switches on the light. His eyes squinting from the sudden illumination he looks around.
Sequence 8
The two bodies of the dead gangsters piled one on top of the other.
CLOSEUP I: The girl squirming in the corner
(Voice over Grimaux: Your ass, girl! Your ass!)
CLOSEUP II: Jim Band notices her, runs to rescue her
CLOSEUP III: His feet trip over the two corpses
CLOSEUP IV: His hands, falling on the corpses
Sequence 9
Jim Band stands up, looks at his hands
CLOSEUP I: His opened palms - covered with blood!
CLOSEUP II: The boxes of stolen merchandise.
PAN BACK TO GENERAL VIEW: Jim Band and the girl. Forgetting about her completely, he tears the cover off a box of merchandise revealing bars of soap. He pulls out one:
CLOSEUP: The wrapper, the soap company's trade name
"SAVON DE CYGNE" (Swam Soap)
(Voice over of Alphonse Marcel: Its too dim. Needs more light)
Sequence 10
Jim runs to a sink, peels the wrapper from the bar of soap. Wrapper is thrown on the floor
CLOSEUP : Wrapper next to his immaculately polished black shoes, with trade-mark. Jim washes his hands with meticulous care. Dries them with a spotless starched linen towel which happens to be there.
(MARCEL: Too long. His hands aren't that wet. GRIMAUX: Well; he's a show-off)
Having finished washing his hands he rushes over quickly to the girl and unties her. She shakes loose from the ropes and stands up.
MADELEINE : What took you so long?
JIM BAND : I never touch a woman with dirty hands. If Swan Soap hadn't come to the rescue, you would still be tied up!
Band grabs her and kisses her violently. They release. She and he open all the other boxes to exhibit dozens of bars of soap.
MADELEINE: (Sighing) Swan Soap!
They kiss again, this time more tenderly. In her free right hand she holds a wrapper and bar up to the camera.
CLOSEUP :Wrapper, Trademark
MUSIC.
THEME SONG
"Swan soap to the rescue every time
Keeps your skin so soft and nice
Use Swan soap for the dirty work!"
FADE: Crossed out film. Rush numbers. Blank film.
Scene 2
The camera moves back to reveal the dimly lit interior of the projection room of CINE-ADS. The light is switched on, the camera turned off. Only Jean-Claude Grimaux and Alphonse Marcel are seated there.
GRIMAUX: Alphonse, we've got to do a few scenes over again. I need to speak to that girl again. She's a good piece of meat, but the public doesn't see it.
MARCEL: Jean-Claude, what's your opinion of "Angelino Valentine"?!
GRIMAUX: (Laughing) That's what he calls himself? He's okay I guess. You can't do without queers in this profession.
MARCEL: Well, what do you say? Shall we run through it again?
GRIMAUX : Sure. ( Signals to the Projectionist to wind it up and begin again. As they talk the Commercial is projected a second time. We see odd bits and pieces of the commercial, but our attention is focused on Marcel and Grimaux, whose faces are illuminated by the reflected light from the projector and the screen. The places in the Commercial where they speak are indicated by reference to the sequence numbers):
( SEQUENCE 1, CLOSEUPS I,II,III . Then Marcel says:)
MARCEL : Have you thought about my idea?
GRIMAUX : Yes. It's good, but we've got some problems to work out
(CLOSE-UPS IV,V,VI. End of SEQUENCE 1)
GRIMAUX: That scene is lousy! Who's the script writer?
MARCEL: Michel Dunod. He knows what he's doing.
(SEQUENCES 2, 3)
GRIMAUX : How much did you say the stuff was worth?
MARCEL: About 5 million old francs
(Jim Band's Voice . " All right, boys! The game is over! Up with your hands!")
GRIMAUX: What happens if your guys get caught?
MARCEL : I know my men. They wouldn't double-cross us.
(SEQUENCE 4, 5. Gunshots. Blam! Blam! Blam!)
GRIMAUX: I'll handle the books. They're not due for an overhaul for another month .. (SEQUENCE 8, CLOSEUP 1) .. Damn that girl again! (Pause)... There's enough time to hide the deficit in other figures. ( Sequence 8, Sequence 9, Closeup II)
MARCEL : So, it's a deal?
GRIMAUX: Let's just say I'm interested. You'll have to go over the details with me again, a step at a time.. ( Sequence 10)
MARCEL: After we finish with this, we should go for a drink. I can explain it to you there. Later I'll introduce you to some of the boys...
GRIMAUX : All right ( Sequence 10, Theme Song) . Who wrote the music?
MARCEL: Pierre Brin
GRIMAUX: He's sick . ( End of Commercial). Let's go. I have to get out of here. After these sessions I always need a breath of clean air.
The lights go on and they exit the projection room.
SCENE III:
The interior of a bistro in the neighborhood
Sequence 1:
Jean-Claude Marcel and Alphonse Grimaux are seated at a table with drinks. A bright afternoon. Marcel is drawing some diagrams on a piece of paper.
MARCEL: You see. We store the goods here. We wait until the heat is off, then sell it. Really very simple
GRIMAUX: Do we really have to sell it? We'll lose money that way
MARCEL: What do you mean?
GRIMAUX: Okay, let me get this straight. We buy the furnishings from the company on the installment plan. Then CINE-ADS pays us a high rent for the furniture for the set of the Cake-Bake commercials. Am I with you so far?
MARCEL: Yes. Go on
GRIMAUX: This is a big contract. We're giving them a dozen commercials that will be played on television all next year. We can set the rent payments high enough so that CINE-ADS will be paying us directly after a few weeks
MARCEL: That's the point. What we lose in selling the goods we make back from the rent. We win both ways.
GRIMAUX: But why sell it? I'm moving into a new apartment on the 21st. We figure out your share and I get to keep everything.
MARCEL : If it wasn't too risky I'd have nothing against it.
GRIMAUX: What risk? I control the books
MARCEL: They may send in an accountant
GRIMAUX: Yes, but I'm the one who decides who the accountant is , and when he comes around to do the inventory. Consider that we've got 3 months to cover our tracks. That stuff would really look great in my place!
MARCEL: (Dubious) Well ... I don't know ... I suppose it'll work.
GRIMAUX: Think it over. Let me keep the furniture and I'm in. We've been doing this sort of thing for the last five years. We're not going to get caught this time.
Sequence 2:
DOOR OF THE CAFE: Enter various people connected with the production of the commercial: Angelino VALENTINE; MADELEINE Blondeau; the actors playing the two gangsters; technicians, including SOUNDMAN, LIGHTMAN, ELECTRICIAN.
Accompanying Madeleine there is a man in his 30's, dark hair, very expensively dressed, dark sunglasses, very crooked in appearance. This is Daniel CRESSON, her "Impresario ". Madeleine is about 19, a star-struck teen-ager, good-looking and sexy but rather frightened and somewhat frigid. She pointedly avoids talking to anyone except her manager. Valentine tries to say a few words to her but she responds with a superior, glacial smile.
MADELEINE: When do I start on the new contract?
CRESSON :( Avoids looking at her) Very soon. Come up to see me at my place in a few days.
MADELEINE: The hotel is complaining because I'm late in the rent. Can you take care of that now?
CRESSON: Sure. I'm give you something to hold you over. Come up to see me .. Friday.
MADELEINE: Thank you. Did I do well?
CRESSON: Uh-huh. You're learning..As I said, come over to see me on Friday. Excuse me just a minute. ( He stands up and walks over to the bar where he begins talking to someone.)
VALENTINE : (Leans over and pinches Madeleine's cheek.) Can I touch you now with my bloody hands, darling?
Madeleine winces with annoyance. Gives him a glacial smile. She notices Marcel and Grimaux at their table, stands up and walks over to join them. Valentine stares at her with bewilderment. Then the technicians who are coming in seat themselves at the table with him. The electrician slaps him on the back.)
ELECTRICIAN: Good to meet you! My name's Charles.
(They shake hands)
VALENTINE: Angelino Valentine
ELECTRICIAN : Italian name, is it?
VALENTINE : No .. Just make-believe.
Electrician stares at him surprised. Then he laughs uproariously. Then Valentine laughs. The whole table laughs.
Sequence 3:
Marcel and Grimaux see Madeleine approach. They quickly hide the papers they've been looking at.
GRIMAUX: Hello, Madeleine. I wanted to see you. Sit down, won't you?
Grimaux moves over to make room for Madeleine. She sits very properly, almost primly, hands folded on lap. Tense, self-centered, not too friendly. Grimaux puts his arm around her in a clumsy fatherly gesture.
GRIMAUX: How do you like working for us, Madeleine?
MADELEINE: I like it very much, Mr. Grimaux, I try to do my best
GRIMAUX: I believe you .. Well .. Look, Madeleine. You've still got things to learn about this profession. We're paying you to give a certain thing, and you've got to know what it is, and how to deliver ( With the index finger of his right hand he jabs her, very frankly, in the breasts)
You see? If you want to get people to watch a commercial on TV, you've got to give them something besides the product. They're not interested in soap, or aspirin, or Cinzano. They're interested in looking at you, and that means using all you've got. (Once again he jabs her, insensitively, in the breasts. She is visibly embarrassed and uncomfortable but does nothing to hinder him. For her he represents her future.)
Nobody denies you've got a lot going for you, but if you don't use it, you're no good to us. Understand?
MADELEINE: Yes, Mr. Grimaux ...I ...I understand.
GRIMAUX: (Releasing her) Good. Now run along. We'll need you again this afternoon.
MADELEINE: Thank you, Mr. Grimaux. ( She stands up abruptly and leaves, hiding her face to conceal her embarrassment.)
MARCEL : ( Lighting a cigar ) Charming, really charming. A nice girl.
GRIMAUX: If you ask me, she's just another stupid cunt. Ah.... what'll you have. My turn. ( The waiter comes to take their orders)
Sequence 4:
A TABLE NEAR THE DOOR: The technicians are in high spirits, chatting with animation. Madeleine walks by. Valentine once more turns to address her, but she walks quickly out the door. Valentine stares astonished into space: he cannot imagine the possibility that any woman can resist his charms.
ELECTRICIAN: Not the friendly type, is she?
VALENTINE :(Shrugs his shoulders) What she wants is another woman (Smug laughter from others, but mostly himself)
SOUNDMAN: I bet you're just jealous. ( More laughter. Valentine is not amused.)
VALENTINE: Where do they pick them nowadays: Kindergarten?
LIGHTMAN: Well, you can't win them all. ( They continue chatting and laughing. We see Grimaux walk out the door. Marcel sees him out, then comes back to their table. Sits down between Valentine and the Electrician).