As the movie opens, an old man (Monsieur Arnaud), who is accomplished and wealthy but alone in the world, offers to erase the mounting debts of a talented and beautiful young woman (Nelly), whom he barely knows. This rather arrogant intrusion into her life, which carries obvious strings even though they are vehemently denied, has serious and immediate consequences. First off, she dumps her husband, who for some odd reason, won't get off his ass and isn't nearly upset enough about what the old man is up to. He sits around their apartment all day long, smoking, watching television, and reading the paper. Many people suffer long stretches of unemployment, but this guy won't lift a finger. He could write, paint, build something, or perhaps start his own business, but he is completely unmotivated and depressed for no apparent reason. As the movie progresses, we begin to understand why he lacked motivation. Once the girl dumps him, he picks himself right up, which gives us a clue about what was bothering him.
She takes the old guy's money and then agrees to work with him as a typist on his memoirs, which are scheduled for publication. In the course of their association, he confides in her more and more. Eventually, he confesses his darkest secret -- that he was something of a bastard during the second half of his career, the business phase that followed his stint as a judge in Polynesia. He describes how he watched as his embezzling partner was thrown in prison, then with self-righteous indignation and an unsuppressed desire for vengeance, manipulated the situation to utterly destroy his life, hoping the ordeal would kill him. The friend survived, however, but became a walking hulk of a man. The old guy, feeling guilty and responsible for it, helps keep him out of the gutter by providing him with a small weekly stipend.
What is the attraction going on under the surface between the ruthless judge/businessman turned Mr. Nice Guy and the beautiful young (but coolly detached and efficient) Nelly? Other than her need for security and his for companionship, perhaps that they are both selfish and yet afraid, he trying to change in his dotage and she just getting started. For despite her pleasant exterior, we come to find that Nelly is both a consummate liar and something of a lush. The way she sort of wallows in a glass of wine and compulsively slugs it down makes it appear that one day she will have a serious problem with the booze. The old guy gives her everything he can (money, gainful employment, friendship and camaraderie), but he is on medication for a heart condition and is apparently impotent. So on the very night he treats her to romantic meal at an expensive restaurant, she visits his young editor friend for a night of passionate sex. The old guy is left stuck at home where we see him in the kitchen comforted only by a glass of cold milk. How pathetic.
This woman seems to have no sense of decency and obviously enjoys hurting the old man. No doubt she resents him for buying her company and her services too cheaply and easily. Soon enough, the editor realizes that Nelly is shallow and cold and won't commit to another "loser" in the wake of her divorce, so after giving her a referral to another job, he dumps her without the slightest hesitation. His decision is so sudden and easy that we can see she has met her match, for he is at least as coldly calculating in the romance department as she is. Then she goes whining to the old guy again and ends up half-drunk, so she asks to sleep over, but the most the old duffer can muster is to sit beside her bed (in the guest room) and stroke her hair as she sleeps in the buff. We've heard of father figures before but this is too much. Just when you think they might finally get together, his ex-wife shows up, and on the spur of the moment, the old couple takes off on a whirlwind tour, leaving Nelly behind with the last chapters of his tome to finish up by herself. Only when the old man and the young girl quickly embrace and say goodbye is it evident how much they really cared for one another.
She takes the old guy's money and then agrees to work with him as a typist on his memoirs, which are scheduled for publication. In the course of their association, he confides in her more and more. Eventually, he confesses his darkest secret -- that he was something of a bastard during the second half of his career, the business phase that followed his stint as a judge in Polynesia. He describes how he watched as his embezzling partner was thrown in prison, then with self-righteous indignation and an unsuppressed desire for vengeance, manipulated the situation to utterly destroy his life, hoping the ordeal would kill him. The friend survived, however, but became a walking hulk of a man. The old guy, feeling guilty and responsible for it, helps keep him out of the gutter by providing him with a small weekly stipend.
What is the attraction going on under the surface between the ruthless judge/businessman turned Mr. Nice Guy and the beautiful young (but coolly detached and efficient) Nelly? Other than her need for security and his for companionship, perhaps that they are both selfish and yet afraid, he trying to change in his dotage and she just getting started. For despite her pleasant exterior, we come to find that Nelly is both a consummate liar and something of a lush. The way she sort of wallows in a glass of wine and compulsively slugs it down makes it appear that one day she will have a serious problem with the booze. The old guy gives her everything he can (money, gainful employment, friendship and camaraderie), but he is on medication for a heart condition and is apparently impotent. So on the very night he treats her to romantic meal at an expensive restaurant, she visits his young editor friend for a night of passionate sex. The old guy is left stuck at home where we see him in the kitchen comforted only by a glass of cold milk. How pathetic.
This woman seems to have no sense of decency and obviously enjoys hurting the old man. No doubt she resents him for buying her company and her services too cheaply and easily. Soon enough, the editor realizes that Nelly is shallow and cold and won't commit to another "loser" in the wake of her divorce, so after giving her a referral to another job, he dumps her without the slightest hesitation. His decision is so sudden and easy that we can see she has met her match, for he is at least as coldly calculating in the romance department as she is. Then she goes whining to the old guy again and ends up half-drunk, so she asks to sleep over, but the most the old duffer can muster is to sit beside her bed (in the guest room) and stroke her hair as she sleeps in the buff. We've heard of father figures before but this is too much. Just when you think they might finally get together, his ex-wife shows up, and on the spur of the moment, the old couple takes off on a whirlwind tour, leaving Nelly behind with the last chapters of his tome to finish up by herself. Only when the old man and the young girl quickly embrace and say goodbye is it evident how much they really cared for one another.