Charlie Chaplin (1951)

"A Woman of Paris" 183 she says with a shrug, and refuses to stay to hear any explanations. The son turns angrily to his mother, "See what you have done. Damn you, keep out of my affairs!"— and rushes out of the studio. "That night at the cafe Pierre dines as usual," but not with Marie — with her gay friend, Paulette. Fifi spies them. There is whispered gossip. But the evening ends with a disappointment for Paulette. Pierre does not invite her up to his rooms but orders his chauffeur to drive her home. Angrily she gets out and walks. Three contrasts: "And that night Marie dined alone" — and at home. She knows Jean is below, in the street, pacing under her window. She refuses to see him. At Pierre's. He has just returned. He orders his valet to call Marie just as she is ordering her maid to call Pierre. "Did you call?" "No, did you?" "Let's stop this nonsense," says Pierre. "When shall I see you?" And, after some further exchanges, Pierre has his way. She will go to dinner with him. At Jean's studio. His mother sets food and a candle beside her son's empty bed. He is keeping his vigil under Marie's window. There follows another series of contrasting shots, each irised in and out: the mother, who has been waiting up for Jean, asleep holding a rosary; Jean distraught on a bridge; Marie asleep; Pierre, drinks at hand, sitting up with a copy of La Vie Parisienne. Jean returns home, in a state of exhaustion and despair. The following morning as Marie, stretched out on a table under a sheet, is being massaged, Fifi rushes in and kisses her: "My dear, I've got so much to tell you!" Then she begins informing on "that cat Paulette." The pokerfaced Swedish masseuse, wearing severe bobbed hair, goes about her work seemingly oblivious of the gossip of the two girls — even turning her head away — but taking in