Les copains du dimanche (1958)

[bunniefuu]

Hey, Trébois. Any plans for this Sunday?

Nothing, I don't know. Why?

Fancy going camping with me and Gilbert?

Haven't you seen the weather?

It'll be fine, the forecast looks good.

OK. Alright then, thanks.

What's that?

Lulu, we're not

on private property, are we?

-It's a cemetery.

-It's a monument. Can't you read?

UNTIRING AND GENEROUS

FALLEN FOR THE GREAT CAUSE

OF CIVIL AVIATION

-It'll be fine, the ground is perfect.

-Just like the weather.

It must be strange

to feel yourself falling.

IN MEMORY OF ALPHONSE ROCHE

HERE ON JULY 12 1953

HIS DREAMS WERE LAID TO REST

He shouldn't have flown up there.

Anyway, this cold is making me hungry.

Alright. Let's eat.

Hey, Trébois, you coming?

The tour is over.

Wouldn't we be just as comfy in the barn?

Come, now. Spread out the hay,

roll out a blanket, it'll be just dandy.

-It'll brighten up.

-If you say so.

-Maybe he was an ace?

-Who?

The guy, the pilot.

Gilbert, where did you put

the burning alcohol?

In the right pocket of my bag.

Must have been a stand-up guy.

Well, while you're standing up,

inflate the mattress.

-How?

-Don't you have a pump?

No, it's broken. Just blow into it.

Just think, all week long

we work ourselves to the bone.

Then on Sundays…

On Sundays what?

We need something.

Keep talking, it'll never inflate.

There's lots to do on a Sunday.

There's the cinema, dancing. There's…

There's camping.

Yeah…

Those are distractions.

I'm not talking about that.

Alright then, lads.

Let's buy ourselves a yacht.

No. We need something amazing.

Yes, something amazing

that'll make those six working days

fly by.

How are you holding up?

I don't know if it's the camping,

but I'm full of beans.

-It's rude to read at the table, Casty.

-Give me a break.

We were in a field,

and it turned out to be an airfield.

But…

We only realized

when we went to get straw.

How did your pals here

like the camping trip?

Some campers! The tiniest bit of wind

and they were making a fuss.

Trébois, what was

the monument guy called again?

-Alphonse Roche.

-Yeah, that was it.

That's where he died

after his plane went down.

-Alphonse Roche ?

-Yeah.

You knew him?

If it's the one I knew,

there's no monument.

A monument, let's not exaggerate.

It was a stone about this wide.

-Did you know him from the RAF?

-No, no.

It must be quite something

to see the Earth from up in a plane.

-Fancy giving it a shot?

-You're joking!

Come along this Sunday, I'll take you.

Sunday?

You've nothing to fear,

you're not married, no kids. You can go.

Come on, he must have

80 hours under his belt.

It matters if you're a pilot.

I've probably seen more

on my taxi flights down at the club

than you have on your special missions.

Yeah, what would the world do

without amateur pilots?

Have fun. See you Monday, maybe.

Amateur or not, I can fly a plane.

-Hello.

-Hello, mom.

It was so hot in the subway.

Did you heat up the blanquette

and the soup?

Your blanquette was delicious at lunch.

-It was a real treat.

-I'm glad.

Tomorrow I'm going on my first flight.

-That's dangerous.

-Not at all.

Are you getting paid this week?

If you can understand their payslip.

I'll be in good hands.

It's Casty who will be flying.

How much does this flight of yours cost?

I don't know. It's 4000 francs per hour.

Casty told me for a first timer

it's only ten minutes.

It should be around 700 francs.

You want to pay for ten minutes of fun

with four hours of work.

I liked your camping better.

For 500 francs, you spent two days

in the great outdoors.

I won't go to the hairdresser

or the cinema.

That leaves 250, 270.

You'll only have to give me 500 francs.

You'll meet Casty, he's a real character.

He needs 100 more flight hours

before he can be an instructor.

He can't afford them so he offers flights.

Put out the pot stand

so I don't burn the tablecloth.

At just ten minutes a flight,

he must really want it.

-I hope he does.

-Does what?

-Get his 100 hours.

-He'd be so lucky!

-Very good.

-And then what?

After a poker game like that,

only a game of pool could calm me down.

You should have come to Gisèle's place.

-Was it fun?

-Oh, yes!

We all had front row seats

for Jean-Louis and Françoise's breakup

and it all started because of a cha-cha.

Méry is right there!

I'll show you it from above

as you've already seen it from the ground.

Is it OK that the plane's not here yet?

One hour, it's 60 minutes not 55.

-Casty!

-Yeah.

Can you give me a hand?

Yeah, of course.

Come along.

Don't tire yourself out.

I can't do it.

Hop in, I'll take care of that.

Thanks, Casty.

Ready?

Ready.

Fuel open?

How silly of me, I forgot.

- Contact.

- Contact.

Are those guys paying

4000 francs per hour?

A little less. It's their plane.

It's theirs?

Yeah.

That one there?

Yes, man!

-Can we head off, Mr. Jacques Thuillaut?

-Of course.

-Are you the victim?

-Yep.

You're unlucky, there's no wind.

It makes the funniest noise at 2400 revs.

Why push it to 2400?

It's an airplane, not a racing car.

Climb up here.

Put your foot there.

Go on.

Just in case you were thinking

of doing a runner.

We don't like our clients

leaving without paying.

I'll only charge your pal 1000 francs.

I can't, I don't have enough.

I've only got 700 francs.

Enjoy the flight then we'll throw you

in jail. It'll be a nice memory for you.

No, all jokes aside, I haven't got enough.

Don't worry, 700 is fine.

-Let's not waste any time.

-Thank you, sir. That's great.

-Ready?

-Ready.

-Contact.

-Contact.

Alright back there?

It's funny, it's like

we're not even moving.

Alright. Hold on.

Feel it moving now?

That's the fastest I've seen

a bridge go by.

We can do better than that.

Watch this.

How are you feeling?

It's amazing.

Can you make out Méry ?

-No.

-Alright.

Let's take a closer look.

Did you see that? It was Raf, right?

-We spotted you.

-You were hedgehopping.

-That's not permitted.

-I wanted to show him.

-So what do you think?

-Incredible.

When you turn, the feeling it gives you.

-Oh really, I had no idea.

- Hey, over there!

Are you alright?

When I saw the old crate

tumbling down like that,

I thought you might need some help.

No, nothing to worry about. Thanks anyway.

You're lucky you didn't break the wood.

The terrain is in an awful state.

What are you doing here?

I wanted to see Alphonse Roche's plaque.

Mr Roche?

I was his mechanic for seven years.

From D-Day until…

Until we found his body

where the stone is. A stupid accident.

-He was a true gentleman.

-Yes, a great gentleman.

-Did you know him?

-Yes.

Yes, before the w*r.

It's nice to meet a fellow airman.

The name's Mallaquin.

Since the accident, I've not seen

a decent plane or a pilot for that matter.

There's the boss's plane there,

but other than that…

There's not a lot to see.

I'll show you it.

There it is, the Tiger.

The boss got his hands on this

just when the government started

taking an interest in light aviation.

He was so happy that day.

Then the government lost interest

in general aviation.

After the boss's accident,

we brought the plane in here and left it.

We agreed with Mrs Roche

to keep the motor in condition.

And it's in pretty good shape.

That kind of engineering,

it would be a sin to let it go to waste.

For the rest,

I do what I can.

It makes me sad

to think about all these things.

But it's nice to talk about it.

It's a pity.

I say, Trébois, we'd better get a move on.

Careful on take-off.

There's an awful bump.

I'll go full speed,

use it as a trampoline.

You want to end up in the forest?

Hit the gas, taxi forward, past the bump.

Pick up speed gradually.

When the trees are right in your face,

pull the yoke.

- Are you sure?

-He's right.

We've never done it any other way.

Alright, come on.

Arms in. Contact.

Seems he's got a knack for it.

Yeah, he's not bad.

Uh-oh.

Here comes trouble.

-The short one's the son of some big-shot.

-So what?

I won't say any more.

-What's wrong with you?

-What?

Not even an excuse?

You won't be doing any more first flights.

Ten minutes doesn't mean 25.

I wasted 15 minutes

because of this nonsense.

-You'll be having a word with my father.

-It's the first time.

If you paid for your hours,

you'd be more careful.

-So this is charity to you?

-It's not me, it's them.

If you can't fly, go to the cinema.

Now, just a minute.

The inspections, the repairs,

does that sound like charity to you?

When I get onto a plane,

my hands are dirty.

Casty, come over here. Let's fill her up.

I already did.

-Up to here it's full!

-Stop shouting like that. It's not right.

Not right?

What's not right is me being

a sl*ve all week and a lackey on Sundays.

Tell your father how much I've made here,

it's paid for that certificate of yours.

Yours and then some.

If that's not right, so be it. You coming?

Is that you, Jean ?

Yes.

Did you see? They delivered the TV.

Really?

I made stuffed tomatoes.

I wanted to wait to open the mail

until you were here.

What's wrong?

We saved up for that TV for so long,

it's like you're not even happy about it.

Of course I'm happy about it.

I was dreaming of one. Now, it's ours.

55 hours of work every week,

TV and slippers.

-It was you who wanted it.

-I didn't want anything.

After the w*r, I didn't know

what I wanted anymore.

Now it's all gone to hell.

I gave up flying

for television and stuffed tomatoes.

Let's change the subject.

FUN FOR ALL AT THE MERRY TOWN DANCE

Do you dance musette or ballroom style?

I dance musette to tango and waltz.

I dance ballroom style to Paso dobles.

I didn't know the difference.

Musette is with little steps.

Ballroom style is with longer steps.

Come with me,

I don't know what to say to him.

-I don't know him.

-It doesn't matter, he's a great guy.

OK. I'm going with Trébois,

his pal's having a hard time.

He's so nice, don't you think?

-Dibs on the blonde.

-Alright.

I'm not a big fan.

I take him here for a good time,

and he doesn't want to dance.

-Will you join me?

-Let me catch my breath.

I've been on my feet all week.

Is that so? Alright then.

It's cheaper than an airplane.

It's the only thing that cost 75 francs

for an afternoon.

I wasn't trying to make fun of you.

It was more about what's left

for us to do after six days of work.

Do you come here often?

Almost every Sunday.

Where do you work?

In a printing house.

Frazer's, in Bagnolet.

I'm a book binder.

My life isn't exactly a storybook.

It's full of them, though.

Yeah.

When I was little,

I always imagined it would be.

I dreamed about what would happen

when the w*r was over.

I wanted to have a tall fiancé

who drives a bus

and who'd take me to the countryside

with all the girls in my class.

I wanted him to be called Raymond.

I wanted him to buy a bus

so he could come and pick me up

and eventually,

we'd drive our children around in the bus.

Before the w*r, flying was easy.

My father taught me

the history of civil aviation.

People who enjoyed it

could fly for next to nothing.

Really?

I could have been a pilot.

We should bring it back.

We'll need the right men.

Planes, airfields.

I'm sure we can arrange that.

Really,

all we're lacking are those men.

-What are you looking for?

-The right man for the job.

You really think

all a commercial pilot needs

are 200 flight hours

on the club's old crates?

You have to start somewhere, don't you?

Well, I will go and see Mrs Roche,

to ask her for plane so you can repair it…

But who'll teach you all the theory?

I've been studying it at home for years.

Trigonometry, math, meteorology,

aerodynamics, mechanics…

I've been sucking it up for years,

sleeping only six hours,

getting my hands dirty

just for a ten minute flight.

And I know what ten minutes means.

I wanted to ask you…

If we can make the Tiger fly,

you could help us.

You could be our instructor.

You want me to act as a replacement

for a flight academy.

With everything you've learned,

you could train pilots.

It wouldn't go to waste.

I know you love flying.

If we pull it off, you'll fly again.

Alright.

It's not certain that Mrs Roche

will give us the plane.

You can ask her.

If we manage this,

we'll owe you a debt of gratitude.

You saved this engine.

It's a no-brainer when you love mechanics.

You'll be our official mechanic,

Mr Mallaquin.

If my husband were still here today,

he would have loved this.

-I really hope you pull it off.

-We'll manage it, thanks to you.

It'll be just like with the boss,

you can count on me.

We'll have to keep at it.

We need to check the crankshaft.

It might have taken a hit.

-We'll have to get that seen to.

-Let's ask Lemoine.

-Why Lemoine?

-Why not? He's not got scarlet fever.

The trade unions should have nothing

to do with this. I thought we agreed.

I don't see Lemoine as a union.

I know him, he's the only one

who can help us.

I get it, say no more.

Did you hear that, Victor?

What do you make of that?

I find it funny.

I think they're all nuts.

I'm not talking about that.

I'm talking about overtime

for this guy who doesn't come to meetings.

The next time you need me,

I'm here for you.

Bring me the crankshaft. And go get

some food instead of yammering on to me.

None of that clowning around

on Sundays for me.

I go fishing, I've nothing better to do.

You're the best.

Next time I see you at the union,

you'll be wanting a TV or a new bike.

-Here, read this.

-Thanks, guys.

Lemoine'll take care of the crankshaft.

What's all this talk about an airplane?

It was brought up in one of our meetings.

It's nothing, Bellac.

We're tinkering

with an old air taxi, that's all.

All of Lemoine's friends know about it.

If there's any way we can help, I'm in.

I would love to get into aviation.

No need to place an advert.

There's our new fitter.

Morning, boys.

Morning.

The strangest thing happened to me.

I was walking down the street

and then I realized some funny-looking

characters were following me.

I just let them follow me here.

-Gilbert.

-Hello, everyone.

-Fernand.

-That's me.

-Mounette.

-Hello.

And plenty of goodwill to boot!

That's great,

we've got no end of work to do.

We need more hands.

We thought there might be,

so we're going to camp here.

Our friend Adrien's bringing

the rest of the stuff with his Vespa.

It'll be a laugh.

A laugh? Famous last words.

I brought the wife and kids

for a bit of fresh air.

This way.

I'm going to show you a real airplane.

Hello.

Oh, that's right.

I'd completely forgotten about this one.

Hello.

I wasn't expecting this.

You didn't bring your bus.

No.

We'll be able to fly with this one day?

I'd say we've got our work cut out for us.

Alright, girls.

You can get to work on lunch.

-We are at your service.

-We need to clean up the workshop.

We're not getting anything done

until the hangar is spotless.

It's nice weather. It won't take long.

We got some serious work done.

Nothing can stop those kids.

It's only the first day.

Don't scare them off.

I don't trust their enthusiasm.

It could mess everything up.

-If word gets out, there'll be 200 of us.

-That wouldn't be so bad.

We'd have to put up dorms on the airfield.

If we're not organized,

nothing'll get done.

We have to turn this hangar

into a proper workshop.

Prepare the runway.

We need a clear work plan.

We have to redo the wings.

You know this will take three months

if we work every weekend?

-Will you be able to handle that?

-What about you?

Don't get annoyed.

Back in the days of civil aviation,

we would assign the right job

to each person.

-It works, I guarantee you.

-You're right.

Everyone will choose a job to be assigned.

If anyone has an issue with that,

take it up with Mallaquin.

And he'll give you hell!

So, is your sausage on wheels flying yet?

Alright, Bellac. Just drop it.

Hey, you got a free seat

in that plane of yours?

It's for my mother-in-law.

Oh, give it a rest!

-How do you do, Bellac ?

-Hello, Director, sir. Mr. Davant.

Hello, Raynaud. How do you do?

Hello, sir.

How's the Tiger coming along?

We're getting there.

We're missing quite a few parts.

-Pieces?

- Yes, a propeller among other things.

Go visit Aurrillats. But of course!

At Mantes Park. I'll give him a call.

He'll sort you out.

-That would be a great help. Thanks.

-Don't mention it.

We work together.

I'm interested in this project of yours.

If anything comes up, come and see me.

I like to be kept in the loop.

Good.

So you're getting management

involved in your little project now?

Everyone but us.

I didn't go looking for him.

And I was against

getting Lemoine involved.

You crankshaft is ready.

You were in such a hurry.

I had to work like a horse.

-Now it's tip-top.

-That's great. Lemoine!

You can tell your wife

you'll be getting your first flight.

-In two weeks, first class.

-I'm not crazy.

Trébois, turn the dial.

Again. There. Again. There.

Again. Stop!

-Stop moving like that, damn it.

-I'd like to see you try.

Stay like that.

I made coffee. Does everyone want some?

Yes!

A body like mine needs sustenance.

A body like his.

More like an upside-down bottle.

Come on, you're being mean.

Stay still, for God's sake.

I knew with these guys

we'd never get the job done.

Stay still, Trébois!

I haven't fixed it yet.

Did you do it?

I stayed still.

What's going on?

Oh my goodness.

Happy birthday

To the knight of the air

Happy birthday

You didn't have to do this.

Well, now.

With that expression, I don't think

Jacqueline will make you another cake.

No one has ever

done something like this for me.

What? Made fun of you?

Doesn't anyone want to try my cake?

Come on, blow the candles out, at least.

One more. Go on, blow.

Here you are.

Careful.

How do we cut nine even pieces?

I found a wheel and a propeller

at a group price.

-How?

-I went to see a guy.

-Did you know him?

-Larcheron phoned him for us.

You could have warned me.

I don't like management being involved.

We'll talk about it this evening,

my place. There's a snag.

It costs 30,000 francs.

How much is that each?

For Casty and ourselves,

that's 4000 francs.

Fernand and Victor, 3000.

Two thousand francs for the others.

I know some won't mind that at all.

We were given a special deal.

Once we've got the wheel

and the propeller, we can fly.

-Not by next Sunday, in any case.

-Maybe in two weeks.

Victor, wake up. We did it!

You'll put in 3000.

You woke me up to tell me that?

No, Jacques. We can't.

We have to pay for your jacket.

You wanted to buy it,

it could have waited.

You looked like a tr*mp.

Your father would never have

let you go out looking like that.

I don't care about being well-dressed.

Father would have given me the money.

-Jacques!

-It's true. He would have understood.

But you don't.

You'd prefer me to do nothing

but in a nice jacket.

It's not a silly expense.

I don't smoke, I've never been a drinker.

I've been dedicating every weekend

to this for the last three months.

If I don't put in my share, it's all over.

If I'd known, I would have given

the money without asking you.

But I wanted to be a good boy

and ask you first.

Don't talk to me like that.

I'll sort something out.

We can't. Absolutely not.

Everyone's going to pitch in

according to their salary.

Building the airplane on Sundays,

by dedicating that time,

it gives you something to do.

But we can't afford those 2000 francs.

-I earn a living!

-Yes, dear.

You're earning a living.

But you've never thought about what

it'd be like to live alone on that salary.

Buying a lipstick from time to time

hardly breaks the bank…

Don't be childish.

You are a worker's daughter, you should

know you can't rely on pocket money.

Tell that to your friends.

Go to bed, don't go in a huff.

-So?

-Leave me alone.

I can never be alone in this house.

It was for your birthday.

Oh well, consider it an early present.

It should be enough.

What about us?

Where are we going to get 4000 francs?

We've got our rent, bills.

We should never

have bought that television.

You've changed your tune.

You're the one who's changed.

What it is? Am I getting old?

So old that in the last three months

you've stopped reading your

newspaper at the table.

Trébois.

Have you fitted the second cable?

No, I'm helping him grind the valves.

Who told you to do that?

This or wiring, it's all the same.

No, it's not the same.

We can't fix the inside.

We put you on wiring,

stay there or take a hike.

We're not in the factory, I'm working.

It's exactly like in the factory.

Well if that's the case,

I'm going outside. It'll clear my head.

-Get up, Gilbert. For God's sake.

-Don't get angry.

She's dying for a dance.

Hold it there. My legs are falling asleep.

That's not one of our things to do.

Don't even think about it. She's mine.

You don't want to try, Casty?

It'll help you blow off some steam.

Mounette is such a good dancer.

Trébois !

That's enough.

We didn't come here to get shouted at

-Don't turn this into a dance hall.

-We've had enough. Come and help me.

Are you waiting for an invitation, sir?

I've been waiting a long time.

If we weren't at each other's throats,

something was wrong.

Rest assured, this hangar has seen

many a fight in its time.

Come on, we'll get there

with a bit of blood, sweat and tears!

Who forgot to put away the wrench?

We're not at the factory here.

We need order and discipline.

Otherwise, we'll never

get this plane done.

You understand?

What a nice evening.

Look at all those stars.

It must be amazing to fly at night.

It's the song I know best.

Do you know this one? How did it go again?

Yes, wait.

It goes something like that.

-It's "Le Rififi".

-That's it.

Yes, it's "Le Rififi".

And he can't solder for the life of him.

Of course not, he's a riveter.

With two hands

There's nothing you can't do

Do you have a cigarette?

If you just take them out of your pockets

Where did you learn that?

My grandfather told me it was true

With two hands

There's nothing you can't do

We're on a roll, let's keep it going.

-Yeah!

-Are you ready?

Don't be blue

Friends old and new

Don't be blue, friends old and new

Stand strong, you'll pull through

Stand strong, you'll pull through

If money don't grow on trees for you

If money don't grow on trees for you

If money don't grow on trees for you…

Plant some bamboo

Plant some bamboo

It's funny,

I was feeling so low, and now...

I've got my spirits back.

I feel so light I could fly.

We wouldn't even need to fix the plane.

I'll remember that dance

for the rest of my life.

-It was just a dance like any other.

-I had never been to another.

Casty, get over here!

Come and see!

Shall we sing it?

Attention, ladies and gentlemen.

Are you ready? One, two.

With two hands

There's nothing you can't do

If you just take them out of your pockets

My grandfather told me it was true

With two hands

There's nothing you can't do

Don't be blue, friends old and new

Stand strong, you'll pull through

If money don't grow on trees for you

Plant some bamboo

Whistle a little tune

Count to three

With a little dedication

Happiness is within our grasp

Evenings of sorrow and mornings of glee

In one man's hand he holds the key

- Don't go too far so we can see you.

-Don't worry, I'm not flying.

-What do you mean?

-I'll just be taxiing.

I want to see how it handles the terrain.

Come on, be serious.

I know what you're wanting.

But we don't have a flight permit yet.

It's not insured.

Fly a little bit, just above the airfield.

We'll signal if we see the police.

Will we have to wait long for the permit?

The council, you know what it's like…

I don't think it's that risky.

Come on, let's be serious here.

Just do some small jumps,

to see if it works.

Yeah!

Alright, I'll do a few little jumps.

-Ready?

-Ready.

-Fuel open?

-Fuel open.

-Stick in position?

-Stick in position.

-Reduced power?

-Reduced.

-Contact?

-Contact.

-Ready?

-Ready.

-Contact ?

-Contact.

-Look, I've got a surprise for you.

-What is it?

Some mock-ups of our insignia.

A friend from the design office did them.

-You think of everything.

-We're a club.

An aero club needs an insignia.

-I like this one.

-The other one's bolder.

-It should have a tiger.

-Then the initials.

-Look at this.

-It's for the insignia.

What do you think?

I have a few things to show you.

Jacqueline looked into the formalities.

-There you have it.

-Is there an issue?

Two hundred and ninety four

thousand francs! They can't be serious.

Engine inspection,

registration, extinguisher, parachute.

-Why do we need all that?

-Can't you read?

It's written right there.

It all official, that's the way it is.

That's what it costs.

There's nothing to discuss.

We were believing in Santa Claus.

We've come back to Earth without a

parachute. It hurts, but that's life.

A factory worker isn't meant

to fly planes. He's meant to work.

You understand?

There's Casty.

Yeah. It's no joke.

-You alright?

-No, I'm not.

Come in.

Ah, a leisurely Sunday, I see?

-Hello.

-I was up at 8am.

I was going to prepare my rods.

But when I saw the weather…

I came over all funny.

Are those crime novels?

-Have you read them all?

-Several times over.

Alright.

Tell me what happened.

The plane flies, but we can't use it.

We need more money than we'll ever have.

-How much?

-Oh, it's ridiculous.

We have to start an aero club,

register with the aeronautical federation,

have the engine inspected,

insure the plane and the members,

buy parachutes, extinguishers…

It's almost 300,000 francs.

We're done for.

Do you know what you all are?

A bunch of kids.

I've had my eye on you for a while.

It made me happy to see a team like yours.

Passionate about something

that brings back old memories.

But I also thought you would

never pull it off.

You were waiting for us to mess up.

It was all just a big laugh to you.

Apart from the crankshaft,

you never asked us for anything.

What good would it have done?

You've never heard

of the workers' council?

-What about it?

-What about it?

You'll put everything about the aero club

project down in writing. Everything.

Every last detail.

President, secretary, membership fees.

We'll submit it to the workers' council

to try and get a subsidy.

We'll get the project back on its feet?

I don't about on it's feet.

In the air, maybe.

It's like a football club.

Except your ball has wings

and is pumped full of fuel.

You know what you are, Lemoine?

You're the boss!

-No.

-What? You must be crazy.

I'm not crazy.

If we do that, the aero club

will belong to the union, not us.

Are you nuts? Why would you say that?

You know what I mean,

there's nothing to discuss.

It's our only chance to fly!

I refuse.

You know what it is, Raf? Before the w*r,

you were a worker just like us.

In the RAF, they must have

been feeding you old umbrellas.

-You're still as stiff as a board.

-Steady on.

So you're backing out, then?

We'll fly without you.

-That was a mistake.

-You don't know that guy.

With his big smiles, an aero club, money.

Of course, anything you want.

Then he gets his claws in you.

-It was hard just to be left alone.

-You can't do this.

It's the first time since our marriage

we've had any real friends.

I couldn't care if they were red or green.

Not you as well. Leave me alone.

Do you ever think about the life I have?

Always on my own.

I never thought an engine

could bring so much joy.

-I'm not scared of being alone.

-I know.

You think you're better than everyone,

you don't want to mix with other people.

I don't see myself

as any different from other people.

I'll tell the Chairman of the Board

that some of the workers

want to fly a plane.

He'll laugh in my face.

And with good reason.

Listen, Raynaud.

Although we have the means

we're reluctant even to let

our own kids fly a plane. It's expensive.

But that's beside the point.

You've given me an idea.

The creation of an aero club

with the name of the factory.

The President will sponsor it.

General de Lussac would make

a great secretary.

Of course, you will be involved.

If the workers are so inclined,

they'll be able to fly on Sundays.

What do you think?

That won't be possible. Our plane…

Don't worry about the plane.

We'll by one or two new aircraft.

No, that won't do.

You know what you're after, Raynaud?

But, sir…

You have ambition.

I can tell by your track record.

I admire men like you.

They make excellent leaders.

Because they've fought for their place!

Man is made to fight.

You're not going to pass up on flying

just because you worked together

to grind a crankshaft?

Exactly.

My offer still stands.

You say the word

and you'll have your Sunday flights.

Thank you, sir.

Goodbye, Raynaud.

Goodbye, sir.

What about Raf. Did you forget him?

I took him off the list. He's a jackass.

-What?

-He doesn't want to be involved.

When he found out you were going

to submit the project, he left us.

He can go to hell. We don't need him.

Maybe you can use your plane

as a nice fan.

There's nothing I can do, he backed out!

Listen, you're all nice guys.

But we can't take the responsibility

of starting an aero club

with just you, who barely knows how to fly

and ten guys who haven't been

higher than the Vincennes rock.

We'll find another instructor.

You'll have to.

Are your friends alright

with you dropping Raf?

They don't know he's left the team.

I suspect that when they find out,

your team'll be down a few members.

There's something

you haven't quite understood, pal.

This workers' aero club idea,

it's already been done.

-That was 20 years ago.

-So what?

You're no more dimwitted

than your parents.

But there's one catch. This kind of thing

only works when everyone works together.

Go, sort it out.

Come back when

you've got your story straight.

Gross pay, seniority bonus, rank bonus,

overtime, analysis and transport, recall,

minus final contribution,

plus new contribution.

You'd have to be awfully smart

to make sense of all that.

-Are you going camping this Sunday?

-A few of us are.

Can I come with you?

You and Gilbert ditched me

to go play with your bird.

-Now I've got a new team together.

-I see.

That's what I thought.

Hi.

Hi.

THE MERRY TOWN DANCE

What are you doing here?

I wanted to dance, but they won't let me.

Good lord, he's drunk.

Hey, don't push.

No way, you can't bring him in here.

-It was hard enough getting him out.

-What did he do?

He was arguing.

He was ready to tear the place down.

He shouldn't drink like that.

Can I have a glass a cold water?

Why did you do this?

I don't want to be alone.

I know I've got an ugly mug.

I've got a big nose.

That's why my friends ditched me.

That's it.

What about you Casty, what did you do?

You brought us all together. And then...

You left us all hanging.

You, Casty, you've got your planes.

Monique, she's got Casty.

And us, what have we got?

We're just 18 years old.

We've got work. Rivets.

Rivets. More like b*ll*ts!

That's all we've got.

Say, Casty.

Can we go to Méry this Sunday?

I want to fly.

-You know we can't do that.

-But I've earned it!

I gave up everything for the Tiger.

I made my mother cry for the Tiger.

Let's get you home. Come on.

Don't worry about it. I don't need you.

Even if I go the wrong way,

I'd rather go alone.

-Come on, don't be stupid.

-Come on.

Give it a rest, hypocrite.

Pretending to care just because

my mother's there.

Come now, stay still. Calm down.

Lie down, dear. Lie down.

I've never seen him like this.

-He never drinks.

-I know.

He's still just a kid.

Once he's done his 50 hours

at the factory, he's had enough.

He was so happy these last few months.

The plane's done for.

There's no plane anymore.

I won't even be able to play the guitar.

You can't play music

when you feel abandoned.

-You need to be listened to.

-What did you do to him?

Nothing, Ma'am.

He had some trouble with the plane.

Then there were some problems

we couldn't fix..

Not really, he just gave up.

I think he's going to sleep.

Excuse us, it's late. We should get going.

I didn't even offer you a seat.

That's quite alright.

Goodbye, Mrs. Trébois.

Goodbye,

Where did I go wrong?

I wanted to live, work

and do as I pleased.

I forgot that wasn't allowed.

Is that what I did wrong?

No.

It's just…

Why are they all against me?

I don't know how to put it.

Perhaps it's not my place

to tell you that.

Why not?

Because you're older than me.

It's true. No one likes taking advice

from someone younger than them.

Say it anyway.

All that courage you felt for the plane

you can still use that courage

to make it fly.

It wasn't just my courage.

It was everyone's.

Exactly. You should go see Raf.

No way!

I won't embarrass myself

by making the first move.

There's nothing you can do

with guys like that.

They're stuck in their ways.

You won't disappoint me.

-Hello, Mr. Mallaquin.

-Hello.

Hello.

It would be good to

get the engine running a bit.

I already did.

I wanted to show Monique the c*ck.

No.

What's wrong with you?

Nothing. You can't work

on the plane anymore.

Huh?

Hm…

If you still want to work on it,

I have to talk to Mrs. Roche.

-What's going on?

-Don't you know?

I got a letter from Raynaud.

There.

He thanks me for what I've done.

"And I hereby denounce

"all responsibility to Mrs. Roche

"should any of those who

participated in our work

"attempt to use the plane."

That b*stard! I never thought

he'd do something like this.

Don't talk nonsense.

Raf's a good guy. I know him,

he'll be even more distraught than you.

He just wanted to set the record straight.

You shouldn't come here anymore.

Mr. Mallaquin.

What?

The letter.

If you show that to Mrs. Roche,

she won't trust us anymore.

There's nothing I can do about that.

If you could just wait a little

before showing her it…

I'm sure we can work something out.

I won't be able to see her

until next week anyway.

Thank you.

What are you doing here?

I was an idiot.

I thought you were just a jackass,

but now I get it.

If you and me can't see eye to eye

The Tiger might as well

be put in a museum.

And then?

Then? I came to talk to you.

You and your friends take care

of your union and we'll take care of ours

and they can submit our project

to the workers' council together.

What do you say?

It'll be the first time we see

Bellac and Lemoine talk to each other.

-We can force them.

-You think we'll manage?

What are friends for?

We saw the light,

we didn't want to leave you two alone.

Yeah, you were fighting.

-We all bored stiff.

-We don't know what to do on Sundays.

You know what they'll say?

Flying's not for guys like us,

we should stick to cycling.

-What if we don't want to?

-We should be able to choose.

-It's true.

-My balance is awful on a bike.

Stop it, I'll end up giving in.

That's why we're here.

You see, Raf,

there are already ten of us.

It won't take much to get us up to 40.

We'll need to be more than that

to be taken seriously.

What if we passed around

a really informative newsletter?

Have you ever seen

an informative newsletter?

Let's have a big meeting

with everyone from the factory.

We'll need to have 100 of them.

Boys, I've got it!

We'll do a charity fête

with a big dance and attractions.

We'll invite at least 2000 people.

You know, a big crowd.

We'll give offer them their first flight.

They'll want more.

Don't ask questions, just trust me.

Everyone will want to fly.

We'll make it happen.

Isn't it a bit soon to celebrate?

We're back together again.

I think that's worth a bottle of bubbly!

Let's drink to

Lemoine and Bellac's first flight.

COME AND SAMPLE THE THRILLS

OF THE FINEST AIRCRAFT - OUR OWN

FIRST FLIGHT

Fuel open. Stick in position.

Reduced power. Contact.

Engine.

Take-off!

Engine off.

-Bellac! We were getting worried.

-I promised.

It's for your first flight, you see.

This way.

THE METALWORKERS' AERO CLUB

BECOME A MEMBER

Cut the engine.

So, did you like it?

It's not over. This way.

-Oh, you're here.

-Why wouldn't I be?

Have you met my wife?

-Sir.

-Ma'am.

-What have you got there?

-Oh, it's fantastic.

They're giving out cards.

When the aero club is up and running

we'll all get a flight.

If I'm not mistaken, they coaxed us here

to rope us into their aero club.

Yep, they got us good.

Did you take a card?

Of course.

Can't I get one?

Of course you can. A founding member.

Just like Mr. Lemoine.

I think that now

we ought to get to work

on their famous aero club.

Personally, I've never been against

the idea of an aero club.

But we can't commit to this lightly,

without a serious guarantee.

An aero club needs specialists,

instructors, trained individuals.

I don't think I need to remind you

who Jean Raynaud is.

Nor remind you of his service in the RAF

which in our eyes is a more than adequate

guarantee of his capabilities.

Ah, Raynaud.

The wrecked airplane they refurbished,

is it up to scratch?

I have a draft insurance policy

drawn up after the aircraft's inspection.

We should consider solutions

that are more in line

with the Council's interests.

I don't see a better solution

than to help our staff

practice a sport

they are passionate about.

They have proved their passion.

It's an expensive passion.

-It's dangerous.

-No more so than football.

As required by law,

the workers' council will be represented

within the aero club.

But who's in this club, anyway?

Honorary President: Mrs. Roche.

President and instructor: Jean Raynaud.

General Secretary: René Casty.

Head Technician: the engineer Mr. Davant.

I think that they fulfill

all the necessary

moral and technical requirements.

We can trust them.

The list of registered members

is currently at 32 factory workers.

-I think we can proceed to the vote.

-Indeed.

Very well.

Set the landing markers!

Maintain a gradual descent.

Hey, Trébois.

I'll be handing you over the reins.

THE END