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PITCH: Michael Smith, a man around forty, has to recapture his wife's heart as well the hearts of his children, his family, his friends and his village. The story is located in the South of France, (40 km from Saint Tropez) in the village of Bormes-les-Mimosas and the surrounding area.

Beginning of the film: 8 a.m.: In the square of the Town hall of Bormes-the-Mimosas. Michael is a tramp and is holding a bottle of wine. He hides behind some parked cars and watches the children climbing into the school bus. A teenager sees him. Michael gives him a smile. The teenager turns away unsympathetically. The school bus drives off. Michael has tears in his eyes. He staggers down the street to the music of Otis Reding (Coming Home). Michael says: "What a stupid bastard I have been. Oh well, that's it, I suppose that’s part of life."

Ten years before: Michael Smith and his wife Claudia owned a tool shop in Bormes les Mimosas. A very pretty, old French village located in the South. They have three children: Victor, nick-named Vic, Célia, nick-named Silly and Benjamin, known as Ben.

As usual, Michael buys his lotto ticket in the newspaper shop. Outside he sees his friend Louis Leterrier completely drunk holding his own lottery ticket. Louis is drowning is sorrows because his business is declining. The lotto is his last (and very thin) chance to save his company. Louis crosses the street and doesn’t see a car coming. The car knocks him down and his lottery ticket blows away.

The camera follows the flying ticket through the streets of Bormes and goes through the opened window of Victor’s room landing on his desk.

Michael and other people are helping Louis who tries to stand up and look for his ticket. But he can’t manage it and falls down. The firemen and an ambulance arrive.

Ben enters his room, puts his school bag on his desk. He sees the lottery ticket and takes it to his mother. She puts it on a shelf in the kitchen.

Michael goes home and the three children jump up to kiss him. He has his lottery ticket in his hand and puts it on another shelf. All the family eats. Michael watches the news on television. A journalist speaks about Louis Leterrier, his car accident and the problem with his company. It’s going bankrupt and if nobody buys it within two months it will close. Michael tries to listen but the kids' noise drowns the sound.

Then Claudia takes the kids to clean their teeth while Michael tries to see the result of the lotto. The two elder children are arguing and Michael has to help his wife calm the suituation, so he doesn’t see the lotto result. The day after he gets the results and sees that he hasn't won.

A few weeks later, a newspaper says that someone from Bormes has won the lottery but hasn't yet collected their money. At the same time Michael sees Louis at the hospital. He has a broken leg, and is very upset. Michael tries to make him feel better.

2 months later: The Leterrier company has almost closed down. The employees try to jointly purchase the company but they don’t have enough money. The deadline for presenting the winning lottery ticket has almost expired. Eric Rival, a company director of a chain of bars settles in Bormes. He is charming and jovial but he is also dishonest. He is always partying and entertaining..

Claudia cleans the kitchen and finds the lotto ticket that she put on the shelf two months ago, but doesn’t remember (Louis Leterrier's ticket). She puts it on the table. Her eldest son arrives, takes a drink from the fridge and sits at the table. He speaks to his mother and sees the lotto ticket and picks it up. He looks at the figures and asks his Mum what the ticket is. She says that she has just found it whilst cleaning and it’s for the rubbish. He yells out loud THAT THEY ARE RICH NOW. Claudia is astonished and stares at him. He looks at the numbers again and says that they are the winning numbers. He and his friends had learnt the winning numbers by heart.

A party is given in the honour of Michael’s family in the main square of the village. Michael sees his friend Louis and says to the journalists present that he has a new partner: Louis Letterier as he has just bought into his business.

Later on Michael contributes to several restorations in the village, the construction and repair of the watering system, a new school, renovating all the mountain roads, a bigger parking lot by the sea, etc. He becomes a big VIP in the village and everyone likes him.

Michael has a life without problems. His children grow. His daughter becomes a very good dancer, his elder son loves football and is very good at it. His wife has now made many new friends.

Eric Rival develops a good relationship with him and then becomes his best friend.

Regularly Eric organizes poker parties. One day he convinces Michael to come. He doesn’t take much money with him but loses it all. He goes back home and doesn’t say anything to his wife.

Eric encourages him to enjoy playing poker. Three days later Michael goes back to play. He wins a bit. He starts to play regularly but doesn’t say anything to his wife.

The next morning, there is a meeting in the town hall. Michael suggests installing a new parking lot. He draws up plans and everybody agrees to them.

Eric speaks to Louis Leterrier in the factory and says that he had the idea of the parking lot. He said that he had been working in publicity so he knew about this area of business well. Louis looks surprised but does not say anything. Later on when he sees Michael, he asks him who had the idea for the parking lot. Michael, surprised, said it was his idea. Louis gives him a strange look

.

Eric is with Claudia and tells her that Michael seems to be quite stressed at the moment. Claudia is surprised and asks him what he means. Eric says that he has already said too much and she should speak to her husband. He leaves. In the evening she asks her husband how he feels. He says that everything is fine. But after a while he tells her about the poker sessions and money that he lost. She is quite unhappy but he reassures that he lost very little and won’t continue playing.

The next evening he goes back to play. He loses 10.000 FF. He doesn’t say anything to his wife. The following day they have an argument about something stupid. She is very surprised and speaks to Eric about what happened. He explains that it’s normal in life to have an argument with your partner.

Eric gives a big party. But Claudia is feeling tired and goes home. Michael meets Juliette.

Six years later Juliette is Michael's lover. He is completely ruined but no ones know it (except his bank manager). Of course Michael has behaved very badly towards Claudia. The children have grown. The eldest, Victor, is 13 years old and is totally introverted. The girl, Célia, 11 years old, is very pretty and is an excellent dancer. As for the youngest Ben, he is only 8 years old but has turned out very badly. He smokes secretly, and runs a black market at school.

One day Vic goes to the beach with his buddies and sees his father with Juliette. He is not sure that it is his father and has to get closer to be sure. When Michael sees him he wants to apologise but instead reprimands his son for being on the beach instead doing his homework. The kid looks at him with hate and runs away. He doesn’t want to speak to his father anymore. Claudia, who doesn’t know what’s happening, tries to cool down the atmosphere at home without much success.

It is Mother's Day. They are eating in the garden. The bell rings. It's the father of another boy from whom Ben has stolen something. Unfortunately the father is a policeman.

Two days later, Claudia overhears Vic speaking to one of his friends who was with him on the beach a few days before. The friend thinks that his father can’t have a lover - that the lady can’t be his lover as she is too young for him. Claudia enters her son's room in a panic and asks him for an explanation. Eventually Victor explains to his Mum what he saw. She cries and takes her son into her arms. She then rushes to her husband's office and starts to search the drawers. She finds a huge amount of unpaid invoices and all his bank statements. Michael also has a safe that she is able to open. In it she finds a copy of the deeds of the apartment where Juliette is living. He had bought it for her almost 5 years ago. Claudia is devastated. When Michael arrives, she tells him that everything is over between them and throws all the papers in his face.

Claudia divulges everything to Eric who seems to be sorry about the situation. But in truth he is quite happy. Claudia asks for a divorce. The house is sold but there is not enough money to pay Michael's debts. The Mayor and several elected officials are furious with Michael.

Claudia finds a work as a cashier in a town close to village. She manages with Eric's help to find a small house. The entire village is now hostile to Michael when they find out what he has done. Michael doesn’t have anywhere to live as Juliette has changed the locks and doesn’t want to see him any more. He goes to see Eric but he also turns him away.

Michael doesn’t dare to go to see Louis and leaves the village. He needs to get a roof over his head and find some work. He looks in the neighbouring towns but can’t find any work. He is homeless. He regularly sees his youngest son who starts to steal food and clothes for his father.

Eric speaks to Claudia. She is very upset and sad by what has happened, but is comforted that Eric takes an interest in her and her kids welfare.

Ben goes to the supermarket, but a few seconds later Michael sees him being caught by the police. Michael wants to approach him, but Ben signals to him that he must not. The Judge's decision is that Michael may not see his kids before he finds some work and a house.

Eric attends the council meeting at the Town hall. Originally he had not been welcomed but is on better terms with them now.

Eric returns to visit to Louis Leterrier and suggests to him that he should enlarge the factory and invest in new buildings. Louis finds the idea interesting.

Ben waits by the fountain where he was used to meeting his father. Michael sees him but hides. He does not want to off-load his problems on Ben any more. Ben is desperate and looks everywhere for his father. Ben then asks Vic to help him to find their father - he refuses of course, as he doesn’t want to see his father anymore.

Two years later: Michael has become a real tramp. One day an old lady, on her way to the bakery, leaves her bike against a wall with food in it's basket. Michael steals the bike and the basket. He looks very unkempt..

Michael regularly goes by bike to observe his children from his hiding-place. First sequence of the film.

Eric invites Claudia for dinner in a restaurant on the pretext that he simply wants to give her a break, but in fact he really wants to date her.

Michael sits by the fountain. There is another man there with a bottle of wine. Michael looks at him and wants to take his wine. He said that he is the only tramp in the area. They start fighting and Michael tries to steal the bottle of wine. The man recognises him and insults him for being so stupid as to lose all the lottery money - and his wife. Michael spits on him. They fight viciously. Then they both collapse, and after a short while they become the best friends, and they agree that all women are just bitches.

Eric and Louis are busy checking how they can increase the activity of the factory. They have a big map of the city and the surrounding area on the wall.

Michael is cycling but he has a puncture. He has to hitchhike. After a long while, a utility van stops. The man stares at him. Michael realises that the driver is Louis Leterrier’s son. Michael doesn’t want to get into the van when he recognizes him. The young man gets out of the van and opens the back door. He signals to Michael to get inside. The young guy holds his nose indicating that Michael stinks. Michael is irritated and pretends not to want to get into the van. The young man looks at him and shouts at him to get in. They drive with the window wide open because of the bad smell.

They arrive at the Leterrier Company. The young man enters the office and when he sees Eric, takes his father to one side. Eric stays in the office and Louis goes to his son's van. Louis and Michael look at each other a long time. Louis beckons Michael to follow him and they go to the back of the workshops. There is a large shower room. Leterrier brings two large towels, some shampoo, a razor and clean clothes. Michael says that he is not ashamed of being a tramp. Leterrier looks at him and then goes outside. Michael finally takes shower.

Louis accompanies Eric to his car. Michael sees them through the window. Eric leaves. Michael then goes outside but doesn’t say anything. Louis asks him to follow him again and takes him to a kitchen to give him some food. Michael eats the food like a starving dog. Leterrier sits in front of him. They still don’t say anything until finally Michael asks Leterrier why was Eric there? Leterrier tells him that it’s none of his business. Michael says thanks for the food and the bath and wants to leave. Louis offers him a job as as a warehouseman. Michael refuses, because he is ashamed of himself. Leterrier presses him to accept the offer, to give himself a chance to see his children again. Michael accepts.

Eric dines and dances with Claudia. He wants to kiss her but she refuses saying that they are just good friends. Eric does not share this viewpoint.

Michael who is clean and rested tries to see his children. But the eldest boy refuses.

Michael continues to work in the factory and live in an old cottage located at the back of the Company. Eric goes to Louis’ office and meets Michael. Eric smiles showing that he is happy to see him back. But Michael looks at him angrily and asks him what he is doing there. Eric says he had just had dinner with Claudia the evening before, and she and the children were fine. Michael is furious and wants grab Eric’s throat but Louis arrives just in time and to separate them. Michael leaves in a state of high anxiety.

Michael is drinking heavily again. One evening, he is outside Claudia’s house and sees his children through the window. They are taking having supper. Claudia has wearing make-up and seems happy. The door bell rings and Eric comes into the kitchen. Michael is very unhappy to see Eric. Vic, the eldest son, looks at Eric and then at his mother, gives her a look of disgust and leaves the table. The two other children give the same disgusted look and leave the kitchen. Claudia stands up and goes to the window. It seems that she is about to burst into tears. Eric comes up behind her and whispers something in her ear. He wants to touch her but then retracts. Claudia turns around, looks at Eric and kisses him. Michael cries out in the street. They both look outside but can’t see anything. Then they close the shuttles and so Michael leaves.

A few days later, Eric and Louis hold a meeting with their lawyers in Louis’s office. They are starting a new project. Michael listens at the door. He hears them talking about three shareholders. Michael goes back to work.

Michael visits his wife's home daily hiding himself behind the cars. One evening, he decides to ring the bell but stops himself. A Vespa arrives and he just has time to hide. His daughter is sitting on the back. She gets off and takes off her helmet. She is a beautiful girl. She kisses the boy and goes back home. He smiles. The following day he comes back but nobody is there. He knows where the key is hidden, takes it and enters the house. He looks around everywhere. He sees his wife's sweater and feels it. Suddenly a car arrives. He doesn’t have time to leave and hides in a small closet.

The family come in with the dog who instantly recognises Michael's scent and starts barking at the closed closet door. Claudia tries to silence the dog but when it doesn’t stop baking she opens the door. She can’t see anything because Michael is hidden behind a long coat. She closes the door again but the dog continues to bark and wag his tail. Claudia then asks the children to quieten the dog while she prepares dinner. Eric arrives and kicks the dog to silence him. The dog cries out and looks directly at Michael. Claudia comes and asks what has happened. Eric says that the dog was behind him and he didn’t see him. She picks up the dog in her arms

The family has dinner. The dog again goes over close to the closet and barks even more. Claudia asks the children to go to see what is wrong with the dog. Ben runs. He opens the door. Michael puts his hand over his mouth to get Ben to stay silent. The dog jumps up at Michael. They are so happy to see each other. Ben beckons his father to follow him. He opens the door so no-one can see his father leaving the house.

Louis and Michael are in the factory. Michael asks him what he did the day before. And says he wonders why Eric is always at his wife’s house. Louis reassures him saying that Eric is an old friend and that they are not having an affair.

Ben and Michael regularly see each other with the dog. One evening when Ben thinks that he will be on his own till 11pm, he invites his father to the house. They watch football and eat crisps. But the family comes back early. Vic who comes in first sees his father. He looks at his brother angrily. Claudia comes in and Michael tries to leave without being seen by her and Celia. The two brothers leave the house and argue..

Claudia is in bed. The door-bell rings. It is Eric. Claudia looks at him standing at the entrance but remains silent. She goes back inside but leaves the door open. Eric walks in and follows her into her bedroom. She gets into bed. So does he.

Michael finds a very small flat. Louis and he have becomes very good friends again. Michael works more and more and does a lot of overtime. Eric is able to finalize the contract and Michael speaks to him as if nothing ever happened in the past. Eric, stupidly, has a very high opinion of himself. But Michael carefully checks everything Eric does. He even listens at the door when Eric is speaking to Louis. He doesn’t trust him.

Michael stops drinking and finally begins to regain his morale and former professional status. Louis then offers him a better job in the Company. Then Michael asks Louis to show him the contract of the negotiations with Eric. At first he refuses but finally he shows him the complete contract. The face of it everything seems in order but Michael senses that something is wrong. The name of the three other shareholders reminds him of something but he can’t think what it is. Louis continues to trust Eric, as Eric has only 15% of the shares. But Michael knows that something isn't right.

Michael returns to the hut to meet Ben and the dog. But this time Claudia opens the door. Michael feels stupid. She is completely shocked. Ben arrives with the dog and she says "there's going to be trouble". Claudia looks at her son and asks him how long this has been going on? Michael tells her that he's responsible. Claudia asks him to leave and to come back only he has a home and a job. Michael leaves the hut, kisses his son and hugs the dog. He gives Claudia a sorry look. She is upset. Then Vic arrives as his father is leaving. He looks at him but doesn’t say anything. Michael leaves. Claudia watches him.

Eric and Claudia are lying down. He wants to kiss her but she turns away. She is still distracted by her most recent discoveries about Michael. He asks her if everything is fine. She tells him what happened with Michael. Eric asks her if she still loves him. She says 'no' as she has already suffered too much. With the utmost charm, Eric says that he will always love her and would love to marry her.

Michael tells Louis what occurred the night before. That Claudia saw him in the hut and he felt really stupid. While speaking he turns the pages of a folder. But something stops him and he focuses on specific section. Louis sees Michael's face and asks him what he has seen. Michael says nothing, but that he must see his eldest son. Louis thinks this is a good idea, and as he has to see his lawyer he will drop him there on the way. However because later on Louis has to sign the contract with Eric, Michael decides to take another car and he leaves

While Michael is driving he realizes that the three other associated shareholders are nominee companies that Eric has used in the past. He quickly makes a U-turn and returns to the Factory. Louis is no longer there. He calls him on his cell phone but only gets his voicemail. He doesn’t know where the lawyer's meeting will be held. He goes to Eric’s place but instead of seeing Louis's car he sees Claudia's. Michael leaves quickly with an idea in mind. He goes to the beach where Vic used to play. He finds his son playing with friends. Vic refuses to speak to him. Michael tries to force him to stand up and follow him. Vic kicks his father in the face he falls over. Michael then asks him if he feels better. Vic feels stupid in front of his friends. Two swimming instructors arrive on the scene. Michael and Vic say that everything is fine. The two instructors leave but look at them strangely. Michael invites his son for a drink.

They sit face to face. There is an enormous tension between them. Michael apologises for what his son saw a few years ago. He does try to justify himself but says to him that he regrets everything he did. Vic pretends to be the one that doesn’t care but bursts into tears and explains how much he hates his father. Michael is silent then tells him about Eric. Vic doesn’t see the connection with Eric, and then Michael explains to him what really happened. Michael explains that even though Eric seems to be a very nice guy he is definitely a bastard. Vic is intrigued by his father's story. Michael explains to him how Eric pushed him into playing poker and invited in beautiful women, and at the time he didn’t realise what Eric was doing. However Vic points out that Michael was reponsible for his actions, not Eric. Michael agrees, but then explains to him what Eric is now doing to Louis Leterrier.

Eric has in fact 48% of the shares, and not 15% as stated, because the other shareholders are merely nominees companies which, in fact, do not exist. So the deal with Louis seems to be a big rip-off. Vic looks at his father and restates the fact that Eric is not responsible. Michael then goes on to tell him that Eric will soon be his father-in-law. Vic says that he is not surpsied because Eric is always over at their place. He also adds that Eric is going to give a big party that night and had invited the Mayor, some council officials, and other well known personaities. Michael realises he knows all of them. They then both begin to develop a strategy. We don’t hear the end.

There are many guests. Eric dances with Claudia. The Mayor as well lots of different people from the town hall are all there. Eric sees two men approaching and goes toward them. He finally convinces Louis to sign. Just as Louis puts his pen onto the paper, Michael starts to shout out as if he was drunk. Everyone in the party is silenced. There are a large number of people from the town and the surrounding district who all stare at Michael. Eric, Louis and the lawyers go to the window to see what’s going on. Michael is staggering and saying that Eric is a swindler. Eric sees him and asks him to leave. Michael says to him that he has just arrived to save his wife, his children, his friend Louis and his town. That Eric was not going to destroy them like he destroyed him.

Claudia slaps Michael, then goes to Eric who takes her in his arms. Michael and Eric look at each other angrily. Louis arrives and makes Michael understand that he should leave. Michael pretends to be even more drunk. He reminds Louis that ten years ago, he had a car accident and fortunately he was there. But if he signs the contract the troubles he had ten years ago will be nothing in comparison. The Mayor arrives and also asks Michael to leave because he is not really welcome anymore. Michael stops playing the drunk and calls all of them 'idiots' who are as blind as he was 10 years ago. Eric finally makes him leave his house with the help of two bodyguards.

Louis, Eric and the two lawyers go back into the office. Louis can’t decide whether to sign. The Mayor is there and thinks he should. They discuss it.

Michael is now back in the street, but manages to re-enters the house via a path his son showed him. He silently enters and hears Louis and the others speaking in the office. But Michael goes onto the first floor because he knows that Eric has larger office up there. He opens the drawers but does not find anything interesting. Then he sees a file from a Motorway Company. He looks in it and sees there are plans to build a main road exactly where the Leterrier office are located. There is also an offer to buy it, all the technical details, etc. Eric who hears noise upstairs goes up like a madman. He enters and when he sees Michael with the file in his hands, jumps on him. Louis, the lawyers and the Mayor also arrive on the scene and try to stop the fight. The large window is open. The guests stop talking when they hear the commotion and they see Michael trying to strangle Eric. Vic hurries to separate the pair.

Louis finally stops and separates them. Louis again asks Michael to leave, as he is spoiling the evening. Everyone else goes to look after Eric. Michael is in the garden and sees Claudia and then excuses himself. He aplogises to his wife, to his children, to Louis, and to the Mayor and for the fact that he has ruined their evening.

He starts to leave but turns around and says that there is just one thing he cannot understand: "Eric, how will you become President with only 48% of the shares? Since your three other shareholders are only nominee companies belonging to the famous Eric Rival, how you will acquire the remaining 3% to secure a majority shareholding, fire Louis and then resell the place to the Motorway?" Everyone looks at him with surprise. Eric replies that he is crazy. Michael adds, to Louis, that he will be rich, that he won’t lose a penny, on the contrary, he will make 300 people unemployed, without knowing it.

Louis looks at Eric who denieseverything. Vic arrives with the file that his father had thrown on ground. Claudia remains silent. Michael leaves and says, "I don't really understand how you're going to find that missing 3% That’s too bad. Never mind!"

Claudia answers that she knows how. Everyone looks at her.

Louis suddenly hits his head with his fist in frustration as he realises what has happened. He says to Michael "When you started falling by the wayside and went into bankruptcy, I put 3% of the shares in Claudia's name. I thought it would be very helpful when all your kids go to university".

And Claudia adds: "And yesterday evening I said 'yes' to Eric, so by becoming his wife, I would give him the three percent."

The Mayor looks at his friend the judge, who was present that evening, and asks him to do an investigation on Eric Rival. where his money came from, his tax declarations, etc.

Louis takes the contract and tears it in two .

Michael leaves. Vic looks at his mother and points out that his father leaving. She runs to her husband. She is crying. He tries to hold back his tears, looks at her and says "Excuse-me Chérie!" The three children arrive, as well as the dog, as the words THE END.come up