Children of Paradise (1945)

Arletty: Claire Reine, dite Garance

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Garance : You're shaking. Are you cold?

  Baptiste : I'm shaking because I'm happy. Happy because you're here, near me. I love you. Garance, do you love me?

  Garance : You talk like a child. People love that way in books, in dreams. Not in real life.

  Baptiste : Dreams, life - they're the same. Else life's not worth living.

• Garance : Time has nothing to do with happiness.

• Baptiste : Your heart beating against my hand.

  Garance : Baptiste.

  Baptiste : You were right, Garance. Love is so simple.

• Garance : Not only are you rich, but you want to be loved as if you are poor.

• Garance : Still writing plays?

  Pierre-François Lacenaire : Yes, in my idle moments.

  Garance : "Misconduct" A tragedy?

  Pierre-François Lacenaire : No, a slightly ribald farce. I loathe tragedy. Such an inferior genre. Characters who kill one another, yet never get hurt. How depressing.

• Garance : Listen to the Gods! I used to laugh like that once. I'd burst out laughing, just like that, without thinking. But nowadays -...

  Frederick : You're sad.

  Garance : No, but I'm not cheerful either. A spring broke in the music box. The tune is the same but it's in a different key.

• Garance : It's not bad here, though it's a bit sad.

  Baptiste : Why sad?

  Garance : It's always sad when you sleep alone.

• Baptiste : You're so beautiful. But I must let you sleep.

  Garance : I'm not very sleepy.

  [Sits on her bed] 

  Baptiste : Remember: You could work at the Funambules.

  Garance : But I can't do anything.

  Baptiste : I'll help you. You need work.

  Garance : Why not? I could show my legs.

  [Lifts her leg out from under her wrap] 

  Garance : The audience doesn't ask for much.

  [Wiggles her toes] 

  Baptiste : But I love you, Garance.

  Garance : Please don't be so solemn. It chills me. Don't be angry, but I'm not the way you dreamed. You must understand me. I'm simple, so simple. I am what I am. I want to please those I like. And when I want to say yes, I can't say no.

  [Gets up and blows out the lantern] 

  Garance : I prefer moonlight, don't you?

• Frederick : You can't abandon me all alone on the Boulevard of Crime! When will I see you again?

  Garance : Soon, perhaps. Chance will tell.

  Frederick : Oh, Paris is so big.

  Garance : Paris is small for those who share so great a passion as ours.

  [Walks away] 

• Pierre-François Lacenaire : [Reading a book in bed]  "Yet I'll not shed her blood nor scar that whiter skin than snow and smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light, and then - " Yes, let's put out the light. Good night, Desdemona. Good night, Othello.

  Garance : [singing in the next room]  I am as I am, I'm made as you see. When I feel like laughing, I laugh heartily. I love those who love me. Am I really to blame? If a man that I love, is never the same?

• Frederick : Is your door locked, my love?

  Garance : I'm not afraid of thieves. What's there to steal?

• Frederick : Where did you go? Where did he take you? That nabob. To India?

  Garance : I did go to India. But not for long. I lived in England most of the time. And Scotland.

  Frederick : Is Scotland beautiful?

  Garance : Yes... but it's so far away. I love only Paris.

• Frederick : This can't be happening to me. This is absurd.

  Garance : What is it?

  Frederick : I think I'm jealous. I don't know. I've never felt anything like this. It's insidious, unpleasant. It infects your heart. You reason, but your reason fails you.

• Garance : I've never forgotten you. You were even in my dreams. You saved me from growing old, dull and used up. My life was so empty. I felt so alone. But I kept thinking: I've no right to be sad. I'm happy. Someone loved me.

• Le petit Baptiste Debureau : Hello, Madame. I have a message for you. I came to say we're happy together, Mama, Papa and me.

  Garance : Did your father send you?

  Le petit Baptiste Debureau : No, Mama did. But Mama, Papa or me - it's the same. Mama was right.

  Garance : About what?

  Le petit Baptiste Debureau : You're beautiful. When I grow up, I'll get married to someone like you. Or like Mama, if I can.

  Garance : You're a darling boy.

  Le petit Baptiste Debureau : Are you married?

  Garance : No.

  Le petit Baptiste Debureau : You don't have a little boy?

  Garance : No, I don't have a little boy.

  Le petit Baptiste Debureau : Then you're all alone?

  Garance : Yes. I'm all alone.

• Pierre-François Lacenaire : We could have done astounding things together. I'd spill torrents of blood to give you rivers of diamonds.

  Garance : I'd settle for less.

• Édouard, Count de Montray : You're much too lovely to be truly loved.

  Garance : Truth, but only from the neck up, it frustrated them.

• Frederick : First, my name, Frederick. Now tell me yours.

  Garance : They call me Garance.

  Frederick : Garance. How lovely!

  Garance : It' a flower.

  Frederick : A red flower, like your lips.

• L'inspecteur de police : Your trade?

  Garance : I'm an artiste. I'm surprised Madame didn't tell you.

  L'inspecteur de police : Put down "artiste".

  L'inspecteur de police assistant : Artiste - in the boudoir.

  Garance : Why so rude?

  L'inspecteur de police : We're not rude. We're just joking. Where do you perform? And since when?

  Garance : The Funambules. About three weeks.

  L'inspecteur de police : Just passing through town. And before that?

  Garance : I posed for painters.

  L'inspecteur de police : Sure. Who?

  Garance : Mr. Ingres, for one.

  L'inspecteur de police : Don't know him.

  Garance : He's a bit like you. He fiddles around.

  L'inspecteur de police : None of your jokes, my girl.

  Garance : You joke, too.

  L'inspecteur de police : I imagine I needn't ask the lady what outfit she poses in.

• Pierre-François Lacenaire : I am well informed. For example, I knew about your return at once. I learned where you were living and with whom.

  Garance : Nothing escapes you.

  Pierre-François Lacenaire : And I know they've put my angel in a gilded cage.

• Nathalie : How easy it must be.

  Garance : How easy what must be?

  Nathalie : Easy to go, then come back. You go. You're missed. Time works for you. Then you come back, embellished by memory. Yes, that must be easy.

• Garance : Well, good-bye... Frédérick.

  Frederick : You can't abandon me, all alone on the Boulevard of Crime. When will I see you again?

  Garance : Soon, maybe. Chance will tell.

  Frederick : Paris is so big.

  Garance : Paris is so small for such great lovers as we...