"The world thinks Paris is finished and the richest man in France wants me to change that opinion." "Whoo-hoo!" " Who gave you permission to do this?" " Look, you said it yourself." "The right dress can transform the person wearing it." "I think it can transform the person looking at it too." "What do you gotta do to get a gift like that?" "Aren't you curious what this guy was up to three years ago?" "Was it your choice or your mother's to give it up?" "I just wanted to go back." "They didn't even let me hold him." "Once Trouvier's investment throws a spotlight on this business..." "Claude doesn't want to be in that spotlight." "You ignore his reckless behaviour, so long as there's a new sketch in the morning." "You need this as much as me." " Get to work!" " This was meant to scare him, just enough to keep him home... working!" "What did you ask that animal to do?" "I don't want to know about him." "You should." "He knows all about us." " Meaning?" " He was interested in me." "And what did you tell him?" "Claude..." "Claude?" "What did you tell him?" "Juliette?" "Juliette?" "Nina?" "What are you doing here?" "Nina?" "Somebody told Monsieur you were in London." " I never went." " Then where have you been?" "Your mother's in a terrible state." "You have to call her." " I can't." " She hasn't slept." "She doesn't eat." "Everyone runs when she reaches for the scissors." "Give her this." "There's a note sewn inside the lining and the money I took." "She needs to see you, not a note." "Nina?" "Let me help you." "Have you spoken to him, the boy from school?" "I just want her to know that I'm..." "You're what?" "If you didn't come back for your mother, then who?" "Hm?" "Wider." "That's great." "Perfect." "Yeah." "I think this one's good." "Could you tilt your head back slightly?" "That's great." "There." "That's great." "Any idea when this will end?" "When he asks us to put on the dresses!" "All right.." "Billy, we need to finish before the others arrive." "We are almost there." "The arm." "This is a press release, not a peace treaty." "True." "Imagine how many more history books would sell if beautiful women were on the covers." "That's great." "It's great." "Monsieur Sabine, can you just cheat a little to the left?" "That's it." "That's it." "Perfect." "All right." "Gentlemen, can we just have the hint of a smile?" "All right, here we go." "Sorry to interrupt, madame." "I..." "I haven't seen you since the other night and..." "I've been at the hospital with Claude." " What do you need?" " Nothing." "I just wanted to let you know it was taken care of." "Where's my son?" "Downstairs with Monsieur Trouvier, posing for the announcement." "I had to use the ha..." "I don't need to know any more about it, Victor." "Neither does Paul... ever." "Paul had your maid in to tidy up a bit." " Here." "You can rest." " All right, Helen." "You can stop playing nurse." "Your hands aren't cold enough." " Where's my cat?" " Landlady has him." "Has him or ate him?" "Well, evidently, he was making quite a racket, while you were in the hospital." "Well... he saw what put me in there." "Word's already leaked about the Trouvier deal." "Everyone's buzzing about the new collection." "Claude, you'll never forget me, will you?" "Come here." "Give me a kiss." "Give me a k..." "If he'd wanted to take my wristwatch, why didn't he just take it the first night he met me?" "Maybe he was desperate, wanted to sell it for fast cash." "He wasn't desperate." "Then maybe he just..." "wanted a smart wristwatch." "You're the one who always says good taste happens to bad people." "He spent so many nights in my bed." "He also left you bloodied on the floor of your bathroom." "Can I open a window?" "I'm er... curious." "Did you interview any local photographers?" "I didn't." "They tend to deliver what's expected." "Billy has something else, hm?" "An American passport?" "Outsiders can often see what we can't, Jules." "Have you spent time in New York?" "No." "Never been there." "I see enough Americans these days in our streets." "And I question training someone who can take everything he's learned from us to our chief competitor." "I suppose that's a risk." "But perhaps Billy could train us." "Is that so?" "Hm?" "Well, chewing gum makes my teeth itch." "And I'm not looking forward to the second occupation." "I hear your concern, but I think this young man brings something fresh to the table." "Spirit of romance, hope..." "Better days to come." "You know, last summer," "I took my grandson fishing." "One morning we saw a heron swoop down and catch an eel." "It was too big for him, yet he wouldn't let go." "Instead he circled the lake, slamming himself into the water, trying to swallow the damn thing." "Now, this eel was halfway down the bird's throat, yet he continued to pull himself out." "They were locked in a battle... that would kill them both, unclear... of what they'd got themselves into." "There are many ways to achieve the same goal, son." "There's nothing wrong in doing what is expected." "You're back?" "Don't tell me I gave you the wrong key." "I never used it." "Hold on to it." "I'm not gonna need it for a while." "Rossi left Paris and Monsieur Sabine took me off the market." " What happened to Life magazine?" " They killed their story." "Once Monsieur saw those pictures of you, though, he..." " You showed him those?" " He wasn't angry." "You told me they were for you!" "Has my mother seen them?" "Nina!" "I only showed them to Monsieur, honestly." "I figured you were halfway across the Channel." "Nina." "Are you back or just visiting?" "I'm here to see my mother." "Monsieur would like to speak to you... in his office." "He only asked for Nina." "Am I asking too much?" "I don't understand, monsieur." "I'm proposing that you do it again." "This time, I'll pick the garments." "But I'm not a model." "Why not..." "You're no longer the little girl sitting at Marianne's feet making dolls out of spools." "You've grown up." " You might want something more." " I don't." "You must." "Why else would you have put on that dress?" "Marianne?" "Would you allow your daughter to model for the house?" "I'd like her to wear some of the pieces we edited from the first collection." "Billy could shoot her in various locations... outside." " You mean the streets?" " Hm." "He's... inspired." "And now that we have a new partner in this business," "I think Monsieur Trouvier should be treated to something bold and unexpected." " Don't you agree?" " Mm." "Why would he want me to do this?" "Maybe it's his way of keeping you here." "I can't seem to." "Why don't you put on a smock?" "I could use your help." "Jesus!" "What are you doing..." "What are you doing here?" " Sh!" " How did you get in?" "I didn't like the way we ended things." "I'm not one to hold a grudge." "You know, you really messed up my arm, mate." "Made it hard to slip on my watch." "I'm sorry - it's your watch." "Here, take it back." "It's too flashy for me." " This one's clever." " Put it down." " How much would this fetch?" " Why do you care?" "Tell me, what do they shell out for one of these frocks?" "Lots." " I need a number." " Why?" "They don't care." "It's just pocket change to them." "I could live in one of those pockets." "Do they wear it more than once?" " No." " So you spend your days drawing these for people like that." "But you spend your nights meeting people like me." "Under the bridge." "Which is it, mate?" "Prefer the day or the night?" " Do I have to choose?" " You might someday." "I'm just grateful you still have a taste for what you find on the street." "Fuck." "I thought you were taking dinner to Claude." "Your wife got there first." "She's so... efficient." "What's all this?" "Tomorrow's photoshoot." " Who's this for?" " Trouvier." "Then why are we trotting out the trash if they didn't make it the first time around?" "I've begun to see value in things I hadn't before." "I hope that includes family." "If Claude doesn't start drawing again soon, some of these may end up in the next collection." " I'll see to it that he starts." " No need." " I've already asked Helen." " Why?" "Helen indulges your brother." "Better to steer your charming and efficient wife toward Monsieur Trouvier." "Let her flatter his poor choice in neckties and make him feel like more than a piggybank." " Are you done?" " I'm not." "You're seven weeks out, Paul." "Seven." "These won't cut it." "Claude pulled them from the last show for a reason." " He thinks they're shit." " I pulled them." "Claude designed them." "I pulled them." "That was my decision, not Claude's." "Well, given what happened this past week, you'll excuse me if I don't entirely trust your good judgement." "I've gotten us this far, haven't I?" "I'm not questioning what you've already achieved, mon chou." "I know you're capable of great things." "We all are." "But we can't afford another season of polite applause." "What are you doing?" "What, you think these people don't steal from you?" "Who are these pictures for anyway?" "Is this a gift for her maman?" "Is Marianne still having birthdays?" " Why wouldn't she?" " After a certain age, it's obscene." "Ouch!" "Watch the pins." " Sorry." " No, you're not." "You're loving this, aren't you?" "Some scruffy Cinderella out in the streets playing dress-up in my clothes." "Before you know it, they'll be expecting us to curtesy when they walk in with their pincushion." "For God's sake, Dominique, it's a photoshoot, not a revolution." "Be thankful that you're not out on those streets, looking for work." "Hop!" "Hop!" "♪" " Where are we going?" " I found this great spot yesterday." "I was here so long, I had to buy a book." "Billy, slow down." "I can't walk this fast in someone else's shoes." "Oh, I think after what you've just stepped in, you might own them." " Oh, my God!" " You're fine." "We'll wash them in the river." "Or maybe not." "Nina, over here." "If Charlotte sees I've ruined this shoe, she will never let me forget it." "Never." " Nina, over here." " DГ©golas!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Look, can we not worry about what's going to happen in the future?" "Let's just be here and now, present tense." "All right?" "Because I only wanted to speak decently." "It's not so decent." "Now, you're telling me this?" "Pick a book." "Any book." "Excuse me, Mademoiselle, but um... what is that enchanting perfume you're wearing?" "Did you..." "Did you step in something?" "That's great." "Here we go." "See, I knew it." "That's great, Nina." "Just hold the book up to me a little bit." "Ah, perfect." "One more, one more." "Go back." "Again with the book." "That's perfect." "That's perfect." "We're done." "That's great." "Just come forward." "All right." "Stretch out, so we can see the full..." "the full length of the cape." "Hey." "Right, Nina." "Look to me." "Just give me a spin, OK, but fast." "All right, just look away and turn..." "That's great." "Just like that, OK?" "That's great." "One more." "Let's go up to the bridge." "All right?" "You look great." "You look great." "Just two seconds." "Hold that." "Pull them down." "Yeah." "That does look really good." "That's good." "Nina, this is perfect." "You gotta be ready to catch it." "OK." "Jump again." " All right?" " Yeah." "Er... one, two..." " Three." " Whoo!" "I'm so sorry." "Come here!" "Slow down!" "Oh, Paul, why did you do this now?" "The ink isn't even dry on that contract." "Buying this was a steal, Maman." "Once it's tidied up, there could be a garden up front as well." "The windows in the back are larger." "It's a lovely view at sunset." " I hate sunsets." " Oh, stop it." "Come inside." "It won't collapse, Maman." "It's been standing longer than you." "Why did you buy this?" "How many years have we dreamed about a place to escape?" "Hm?" "Fresh air." "Plot of land to grow vegetables." " Raise chickens." " Chickens!" "Whatever." "It's privacy." "Land." "You've struggled your whole life, fighting for space, for heat, those years making coffee out of acorns, soap out of flour." "Why not enjoy a corner of paradise while you can?" "Paris is paradise." "This... is purgatory." "You don't need the stress and worries of running a business." "This is where you need to be." "Wow!" "You're a sight for sore eyes." "No, it's a good thing." "It doesn't translate." "I'll..." "I'll look it up." "You can't learn a language from a book." "I had more than a book." "I had Madame Fourchette for five years, and I'd have followed her into the Foreign Legion." "She was a beauty." "You were in love with your teacher?" "Before I graduated, I spent my life savings on a pricey bottle of cologne for her." "She said she already had her fragrance and that a French girl never changed her perfume." "But she did promise to wear mine to sleep in." "What does that mean?" "I have no idea, but it made me smile for about six months." "OK, hang on." "You've got to go over here and really, really spin, show the whole skirt off." "Ah." "That's great, Nina." "That's great." "It's great." "Nina, that's great." "Wow!" "Now we need to show off the sleeve." "But lean forward, intrigued." "You've never seen a more intriguing onion." " American?" " What?" "Me?" " No." " And him?" " He is, but..." " But what?" "Brings you here in that dress?" "What did you give him to get it?" "Whore." "This..." "This dress belongs to Paul Sabine." " That's where I work." " Work?" "This is work?" "Take this back to Paul Sabine!" "This skirt could dress a dozen children." "How many go out without, so you can strut around in this?" "Billy!" "Hang on." "I've just got to change a film." "Where do you think you're from?" " Billy!" " Nina!" "Nina, I'm coming!" "Leave her alone!" "Please!" "Get out of here!" "Get out of here!" "Get out of here, you selfish little slut!" "Stop it!" "I appreciate it, Marjorie, but you needn't make that call." "Life magazine will have a better story when the next collection debuts." "May I call you back, my dear?" "Thank you." "That was a devoted patron and a great friend of our house." "We have a situation, Monsieur Sabine." "My lunch was interrupted by my office." "One of your models and your in-house photographer were..." " How did you hear?" " One of my secretaries is married to a gendarme who works in that district." "Ah..." "I'm waiting to speak to Billy." "I'm hoping Nina wasn't hurt." "What was she doing in that neighbourhood?" "Hm?" "Parading around in that attire?" "Well, I'm confused, Jules." "Are you concerned about..." "I'm concerned about the reaction to the dress." "It sends a very clear message." "And what is that?" "Hm?" "I'm not a designer, sir." "I'm a businessman." "I look before I leap." "I suggest you do the same." "You have built a lovely cocoon." "But wars aren't over because somebody raises a flag." "Your neighbours - they're still struggling to survive." "Fighting over a loaf of bread." "The government has just ordered that all boulangeries close three days a week." "Yes, I'm aware of the shortage..." "Then why would you rub that in people's faces?" "Jules... nothing bold or magnificent is built from fear." "That's certainly not how you got to where you are." " Is it?" " I'm not here to debate." "I suggest you have a long hard look at this next collection." "Weed out everything that is wasteful or offensive and will not elicit the same reaction again." " Mm-hm?" " Thank you, Jules." "I always welcome a fresh perspective." "Sorry about your lunch." "They attacked her." "I didn't know that was gonna happen." "I turn my back for one second, and..." "Honestly, I didn't think this could happen." " I'm sorry." " I'll speak to her." " Is everything all right?" " There was an incident with Nina." " A fight in the street." " Poor thing." " Is she OK?" " Yes." "Would you like to wait for Marianne or should I fetch an assistant?" "Oh, no, this can wait." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Monsieur Trouvier may have been right about this American boy." "Not everyone has your good sense, Helen." "Or the skill to read a tricky situation." "If you're asking me to speak to Billy..." "No, no." "No, I'm not." "You're already involved in so much." "Far too much." "It's a lovely shape on you." "Thank you." "Would you excuse me, while I get dressed?" "Paul showed me "paradise" this morning." "Very charming." "Was that your idea?" "To stick me in a chicken coop?" "If you believe for a moment that I'm about to trade Paris for knitting mittens, you've placed a sorry bet." "I'm not going to disappear, Helen." "I need to be here with my sons, looking after them, just as I always have." "Madame?" "Ask Victor to take me home, please." "I believe he's offered to drive Marianne." "But if you wish to ride with them..." "If I'd wanted to make stops, I'd take a bus." "Fetch me a taxi." "500 hours of needlework, cutting, fittings, and it's destroyed in 30 seconds." "Fuck the dress." "It's thread." " How's Nina?" " I haven't spoken to her yet." "I sent Marianne home to take care of her." "What are you looking for?" "Odile never piles my stuff up like this." "Who's been in here?" "Victor?" "I don't want him in here!" "He's got a lot more to hide than I do." "I know what your maid would find." "How come our new partner's so wound up over some American kid, and yet he's got no issues with your driver?" "Victor's more than my driver." "Yeah, we all know who Victor is." "Who Victor was." "Did you hire the American to distract Trouvier, so he wouldn't notice Victor?" "Why don't you sit down and drink something?" "Because I'm busy!" "Whoa!" " Come on." " Don't touch me." "Don't touch me." " Well, what hurts?" " Nothing!" "I'm on so many pain pills, I can't even feel my fucking feet." " Well, how can I help?" " Call the Navy, and ask them for a list of sailors who like to suck cock." "Is that what you're looking for?" "What are you gonna do..." "if you find him?" "Hm?" "Let him go." "Forget about him." "Ah." "So, we're all supposed to crawl away, are we?" "Nina too?" "Just lose a few important teeth and then be thankful we've still got our tongue?" "Save your energy for the fights you can win." "Hm?" "Think of all those creeps that Maman made us eat meals with..." "The bastard who threw our furniture in the street." "That arsehole who bought us a Christmas tree, then broke off a branch to beat the shit out of us." "Oh, Jesus." "What made you think of him?" "He was the last person to call me "son" before Trouvier." "That didn't stop till I broke his hand." "Well, I'd go a little easier on the Cotton King." "This is one we're gonna win." " Does he know that?" " He will." "If he's upset about ten metres of velvet, we'll use 15." "It felt good to be seen..." "After so many years of hiding." "Keeping my head down." "I just..." "I felt free." " Nina..." " It didn't last." "It couldn't." "No..." " Where have you been?" " Claude's." "We had a dinner engagement with my aunt and uncle." "Did you forget?" "I'll tell them you're working late." "Why does your mother think that that cottage is for her?" "And why does she think that I'm the one sticking her there?" "I thought that place was supposed to be for us?" "It was." "It is." "But with seven weeks to pull this all together," "I don't think we'll be using it." "And having my mother around tends to slow down the production line." "Well, she thinks I'm the one putting her out to pasture." " I will clarify." " Good luck with that." " Why are you wearing that?" " For Nina." "And because I feel good in it." "And it deserves to be seen by people." "Plan for success, Paul." "We're done drawing on our stockings." "Women want to feel pampered and beautiful again." "At least I do." "Do you want me to change?" "You do look beautiful in that." "Wear it, if you want." "I'm just tired of seeing people that I love be hurt and humiliated." "I miss you." "Give me your coat." "I'll get you a sweater." "You're soaked." "You know, if you're thirsty, there should be an open bottle about here somewhere." "If my brother hasn't already milked it dry." "He was here?" "Today?" "Yeah." "He told me the gory details." "I'm sorry." "I wish I could have been there." "I would have flattened every last one of them." "Ah..." "I couldn't move." "Not scared of a little blood, are you?" " There was no blood." " Well, there will be when I shave." "Come on." "And if I don't bleed to death... we can always try and catch the 9pm showing at the Quarter." "I think The Beauty and the Beast is still playing." "Maybe we could see it again." "Oh, come on." "Come on, fifth time's the charm." "And I have been penned up in here for days." "I just want to blow the stink off me." ""You must not look me in the eye, Belle." ""You must not see me..." ""...except every night at seven" ""when you can watch me shave..." ""...with a lawn mower."" "Why didn't you ask me to wear those clothes?" "What if he asks me to do it again?" "What if he does?" "I can't say no to him." "Nobody can." "Nobody tried." "You know, I think it might be time this Beauty... unleashes her Beast." "You know, you have them both inside you, don't you?" "You just..." "You have to stop seeing the Beast as evil." "It's not." "It's not." "It's not." "Sh..." "It's not." "It's about passion..." "And... possibility." "You need to go back to that market wearing a fucking ball gown and you need to demand a sack of potatoes." ""Give me potatoes, Belle."" ""I need potatoes."" ""Please shave my forehead."" "What's that?" "I don't know." "A phone number." "Have they caught him yet?" " The creep who did this to you?" " What?" "Er..." "No." "No, not yet." "Monsieur?" "Monsieur Novak?" "Your friend left something behind in his room." " My friend?" " Monsieur Rossi." "The maid found it underneath the bed." "Must have checked out in a hurry." " Perhaps you would send it to him..." " Yeah." "Pow-pow!" "Pow-pow!" "What happened?" "Did he point his camera in the wrong direction?" "My cousin lives near that market." "It's rough." "They'll take your face off to grab the last carrot." "Where is she?" "Juliette, would you excuse us, please?" "We haven't spoken since yesterday." "Please don't ask me to do that again, monsieur." "Nina, this had nothing to do with you..." "Or the dress." " I'm not comfortable..." " That's not true." "I saw the photographs taken before the market." "You looked stunning." " A natural!" " I have work to finish here." "Nina... those people who turned on you in that market those people could have been any one of us." "I'm from those streets." "I know what they feel." "How many years were we stripped of things that we took for granted?" "Told to think in a different language." "But the one place that they couldn't occupy was our imagination." "And that's the only thing that's gonna save us." "Those poor souls who attacked you only have memories." "You can still have dreams." "It looks like this was taken by me." "But I didn't take it." "And all the negatives were in the darkroom." "Then it must have been taken by somebody else." "It's a busy market." "There's only so much we can control." "I'm sorry, Nina." "Yes?" "Can I help you?" "Er..." "Sorry." "Sorry, I think I've got the wrong flat." "Are you looking for Marc?" "Me too." "I'm his wife." "Does he owe you money?" "Cos I don't have any." "No." "No, I'm not here for money." "What are you here for?" "How do you know my husband?" "You're not in the Navy, are you?" "Is there anything I can say to her?" "I didn't..." "I'm sure she heard you." "I only took her to that market because I wanted to capture that dress against buildings with some character, you know?" "The textured walls, the pockmarks and the dents." "Those dents in the walls that you love so much, many of them come from bullets that passed through people first." "Juliette?" "Take this bag downstairs, please." "Monsieur's waiting for it." "Sorry to make you wait." " Is that the one from the market?" " No." "God, no." "That would take more than a day to restore." "Crazy, isn't it?" "Anyone wanting to destroy something so beautiful." "You can't eat a dress." "I saw you yesterday." "In church." "What?" "St Gervais." "I was there too." "We go to the same church." "I don't go to church." "You can leave that for tomorrow." " The other girls have already left." " I'd like to finish." "Not tonight." "Let's go home, huh?" "Monsieur Sabine has offered to pay for a taxi." "You don't need to be walking through the streets." "Being in a taxi won't make me feel any safer." " That's my job." " Really?" "When you still shake every time a train conductor asks for your ticket?" "Nina..." "I'm not sure why Monsieur Sabine wanted you to model." "Neither am I." "It's a big leap to go from being invisible to being a side show in the streets." "He never asked us to be invisible." "We asked him." "There was no other choice." "It doesn't matter." "I told him that I wouldn't do it again." "That's too bad." "It was nice to see someone else recognise your beauty." "Every parent sees their child as a gift to the world, Nina." "Your father used to take you to those same book stalls when you were very young." " If he saw those photographs, he will..." " He won't!" "It's been nearly three years." "Don't you think he'd be standing here right now if he could?" "I'll get my coat." "Nina..." "Nina, please..." "Thank you." "Has he packed up his camera yet?" "I came straight from delivering an order to a client." "It's been a very busy day." "Yes, I know." "I have five newspapers on my desk, each one of them carrying that picture." "I warned you about that photographer." " I knew there was an agenda." " There's no agenda, Jules." "It's just a photograph that shows a dress that has the ability to excite and offend." "Two qualities that separate us from the pack." "Are you out of your mind?" "If you won't sack that bastard, I will do it myself." "No, you won't." "As partners, let's be very clear about what we each bring to this marriage." "You've asked me to create a collection that puts Paris back on the map." "I intend to do that." "Billy is part of that plan." "There are many people dependent on my leadership." "They work around the clock, tirelessly supporting me, because they share my vision for the future." "I'm hoping you can do the same." "They are not your partner, son." " They're your staff." " No." "They're my family." "See, I never had much of one when I was growing up." "But don't get me wrong, I did just fine without a father." "And I'm sure as hell not looking for one now." "Shall we order?" "If your next collection fails, Monsieur Sabine our partnership is effectively over, and you will owe me everything I've put into it, with interest." "Is that understood?" "Yes, it is." "In that case, I probably shouldn't take time out to dine." "I have a lot of work ahead of me." "And if we're gonna be honest with each other, you should know Billy did not submit that photograph to the papers." "I did." "Bon appГ©tit." "Hello?" "Hello." "Hello." "Who's calling?" "Is somebody there?"