Carnival of Sinners (1943)

Pierre Fresnay: Roland Brissot

Quotes 

• Roland Brissot : I began painting her portrait and courting her. I didn't get far with either.

• Roland Brissot : I gained a certain fame in the cafés of Montparnasse. I cultivated my sloppiness, wore a new dirty shirt each day, carefully mussed my hair and spouted dazzling theories.

• Roland Brissot : What would you do?

  Irène : I wouldn't get married.

  Roland Brissot : You don't believe in marriage?

  Irène : Not for me. May I ask for your hand?

  Roland Brissot : What for?

  Irène : Don't worry, I'll give it back.

• Roland Brissot : A year ago, I was a painter with no talent, but lots of ideas, too many ideas. My mind buzzed with possible paintings. I wanted to capture the fragrance of flowers, the vitamins of vegetables. Naturally, gallery owners politely turned me down. So I ate my vegetables and offered the flowers to girls.

• Irène : It's embarrassing to be naked in front of all these people.

  Roland Brissot : Naked?

  Irène : In the painting.

• Roland Brissot : We leave tonight.

  Irène : What about my surprise? You promised me a party.

  Roland Brissot : I'd have loved to, but it's too late. Get ready.

  Irène : If I get undressed, we'll never leave.

• Roland Brissot : An improvised ode: Long live Irène. Although her father grew beans, she's a queen among queens, she makes my heart sing, her body is my king.

• Roland Brissot : The Gibelin gallery presented the first exposition of works by a promising young painter, Maximus Léo. It was a fabulous opening, attended by many notables: officials, Academy members, poets, ladies of leisure, the indolent society set, and those who came for the open bar.

• Roland Brissot : I'm starting to see that life is short and damnation is for all eternity.

• Roland Brissot : You're right. You've opened my eyes. I had scruples, but now I've seen the light. Starting tomorrow, I'll do a huge painting of you that will be the talk of the Salon. A nude, obviously.

  Irène : I wasn't born yesterday. The Salon, with a detour to the bedroom. No, no. Too late... buddy. A month ago, it might've worked. I thought, "A painter. Why not? With his talent and my ambition, we'll really go places!"

  Roland Brissot : Exactly.

  Irène : I was wrong.

• Irène : Let me go. You're big enough to hurt me but too little to scare me.

  Roland Brissot : Too little?

  Irène : Yes! Little painter in a little studio, eating little meals and courting little women. When your little life's done, they'll put you in a little black box. Good-bye, little guy!

• Roland Brissot : My wife. I lose her more each day. She's afraid of me. Why sell my soul if I can't even keep her body?

• Roland Brissot : Fame? I've learned how the art market works. I'm so famous now, they don't care if I paint with my feet.

• Roland Brissot : A chain. An odd choice of words. I'm part of a chain composed of only a few men. They were happy, they benefited from superhuman powers, but me, the last link, I'm the one who pays! Goddamn it! It's not fair that I pay for all the others!

• Roland Brissot : Why won't you marry me?

  Irène : Don't ask.

  Roland Brissot : You'd be everything to me: my wife, my mistress, my muse. Anyway, that's my idea.

  Irène : You're full of ideas.