French Exit

Mrs. price, you can't just show up unannounced in the middle of a semester

and remove your son from the school.

I don't wanna fill these out and I'm not going to.

And I'm afraid that concludes the tune.

Good morning.

- What do you wanna do? - I don't know.

You wanna come away with me?

These rules are put in place for a reason, Mrs. price.

- What about my clothes? - I'll buy you new clothes.

Did you drink to the brink of sound reasoning?

Were you driven to insomnia by the violence of your muse?

No

Menstruating?

How are things with Susan?

We're in our holding pattern, as if you didn't know.

Oh, to be young-ish and in love-ish.

Will you see her today?

I can't join you anyway. Mr. baker insists on a meeting.

Another plea for thrift?

Wait and see.

It's all gone.

What's all gone?

Not the money in my account.

- It's not your account for long. - It's in my name.

The name you get to keep, but every penny in that account,

in addition to the investments and properties,

are going back to the bank.

The properties...

You'll be locked out on the first of January at the latest.

Certainly I'll be able to keep the money I brought to the marriage.

That was shuffled into the estate a long time ago.

And it wasn't, excuse me, a very large sum.

And Malcolm's legacy?

No

I spoke to you about this as a possibility for seven years.

And then an eventuality for three. What did you think was going to happen?

Frances, what...? What was your plan?

My plan was to die before the money ran out,

but I kept, and keep, not dying.

And here I am.

All right.

It's all been settled, then.

So now I want you to tell me what to do.

- Do? - Yes, tell me, please.

What can I say? Take a loan from a friend.

Impossible. Name something else.

There's only one thing you can do, Frances sell it all.

Sell the jewelry, the art, the books.

Sell them privately, quietly. Cheaply.

Bring me the checks and I'll have it all transferred to cash for you.

And then what?

And then

whatever you wish.

Watch it.

Susan... “What if we went to Frances

and told her about our engagement?

You know, together.

- What, you and me? - Together. Yes.

- When? - Now_

Talk to my mother together now?

No

- Why? - It's a bad idea

- what exactly are you afraid of? - The same thing you're afraid of.

I'm gonna tell her now.

Listen, there's something I need to talk to you about.

Are you cooking?

No

I just like the sound it makes.

What is it?

What's that, Mr. mumbles?

Well, my news trumps yours.

Are you ready for this?

We're insolvent.

We've nothing left.

Nothing left!

Precious metals because they're long-term assets.

I mean, gold is money.

So if you wanna hold gold, you hold gold as a reserve asset.

You don't buy it today and sell tomorrow.

About my fee.

A straight 30 percent, and that is non-negotiable.

- Isn't it? - Nope.

Mightn't it be? Well, it's going to have to be if you wanna work with me.

Twenty-seven percent.

I'll give you 15 percent or I'll thank you for your time.

- Twenty-five. - Oh, Mr. Rudy...

If you name another figure that isn't 15 percent, I'll go to 14.

Name another, I'll go to 13 and on down the line

until your payment...

And your sole function in regard to my life,

disappears altogether.

Well, that's no way to negotiate. It's a tricky job.

It could be detrimental to my reputation.

Your reputation?

- That's humorous. - Is that right?

Have you heard any rumors regarding my mental health?

No

Well, I heard that you are odd.

- Odd? - Odd, yes. Difficult.

Difficult.

And then there's the story about your husband.

Oh, which story is that?

You finding him.

Yes?

You know.

I found him, but then I left the body for a while, didn't 1?

- People still talk about that”? - Sure they do. Of course.

Well, I'm going to tell you a private truth now.

I'm more than odd.

There's a goodly part of me that wants to set this building on fire

with myself and my son locked in.

What do you think of that?

That's none of my business.

I say it is.

Because if I don't get my price,

this goodly part of me will become ever more goodly.

The hens are clucking, Frances.

- Are they saying I'm broke? - They are. Are you?

A plan is coming to me.

Possibly idiotic. I don't know. But the more options, the better, right?

What about my apartment in Paris?

I haven't been there in a year. It's just sitting empty.

To get out of New York is the thing, honey.

It's sensible.

Sensible.

- Sensible. - Sensible.

- I'll get this. - No.

Frances.

Thank you.

The check bounced again, Mrs. price.

Mrs price?

Could I have cash?

Do you have any cash for Sylvia?

- How much? - Six hundred.

Thanks, Malcolm.

There's been a change in plans, pal.

I didn't know there was a plan to begin with.

Yes, well, it's been decided that we're going to go to Paris.

We are?

For how long?

Difficult to say. Perhaps for the rest of our lives.

So, what do you have to report, Malcolm?

Have you told your mother about our engagement?

I want to.

The thing that I can't figure out

is whether or not you expect me to wait for you.

Of course I do.

But that wouldn't be very chivalrous of me to ask, would it?

Is chivalry an interest of yours?

I have many interests.

Would you describe yourself as a coward?

No

How would you describe yourself?

I don't know that I'd bother to in the first place.

I want you to know that I am trying to fall out of love with you.

Susan... “What?

I'm going to Paris.

Paris.

When are you going to Paris?

Soon.

- How soon? - I think tomorrow.

You think tomorrow?

When are you coming back”?

That's the thing. I don't really know.

Well

it's all very moving, I'm sure.

What?

Your devotion to a woman

who didn't hardly introduce herself to you until you were 12 years old.

Your refusal to live beyond the rules that she's written for her own benefit.

You don't bring flowers to someone you're saying goodbye to, Malcolm.

Please leave.

All good things must end.

- But are you certain you have to go? - Yes. And we're very sorry about it.

What a shame, we were having such a lovely evening.

- Were you really? - Oh, such a lovely evening.

And I do hate to go, but it sounds like we've got a proper emergency at home,

and what can be done in the face of that?

Nothing.

I'll miss this.

What?

This.

Got anything to spare tonight, folks?

Possibly we do.

But may we ask what you need the money for?

I guess I'd like a little wine, if you wanna know.

What's your name?

Dan.

Daniel, what would you do if we gave you $20?

I could get a gallon of three roses, a pack of cigarettes and a weenie.

And where would you take it all? Back to your room?

I'd take it into the park.

That's where I sleep most nights, in the park.

So you'd lie under a bush...

And smoke your cigarettes and drink your wine.

Look up at the stars.

Why not?

That guy wasn't bothering you two, I hope?

Looked like he was putting a bite on you. “Who? Daniel?

No, not at all. He's a friend of ours.