The Happy Time (1952)

Jacques Bonnard: I think you and I should have a little talk. Sit down, Bibi. Well, there is no need to ask you why you did what you did. The reason is obvious: you did it because... why did you do it?
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: I had a desire to know what would happen... if I kissed Mignonette the way Valentino did.
Jacques Bonnard: You were curious.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Oui, curious.
Jacques Bonnard: Nothing more.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: There is something more, but I don't know what it is.
Jacques Bonnard: Ah. Well. It is this 'something more' of which we shall speak. Now you see, Bibi, this... desire you have, it's a natural one, and since it is natural, it cannot be bad. It becomes bad only when the reason is bad. That is why so many people are mixed up
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: I, too, am mixed up.
Jacques Bonnard: Well, of course! So am I. Well, let's try to unmix ourselves, shall we? Now, Bibi, we speak now of love. And where there is love, there is also desire; they go together. Love must have the desire; I don't believe there can be love without it. But, it is possible to have the desire without love, and this is where the world falls apart. For instance, you don't understand why the principal of your school beat you.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: No, papa.
Jacques Bonnard: Well, it is because he has been brought up to believe that the desire is wrong. And since he himself has the desire, he's even more mixed up than we are! He has been brought up in a world where the desire has been used so badly-so badly, believe me-that it itself is thought to be bad; and this is wrong. This is wrong, Bibi. And you know the reason for this condition? It is because so many people are without love.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Many people?
Jacques Bonnard: Many.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Uncle Louis?
Jacques Bonnard: You love your Uncle Louis, don't you?
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: I love him strongly.
Jacques Bonnard: That's good. He has a great need of love. And without love, one is defeated.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: But this love is different. The love I have for Uncle Louis is different from the love I have for you; this also is different from the way I love maman. And then... Mignonette.
Jacques Bonnard: Eh, oui, Bibi. And this love we speak of now, when it is real, when it is true, it is the greatest love of all. I know; we have it here, in this house, Maman and I; it is the best, it is the most natural. In this way, the world comes down to a house, and a room, and a bed, and if there are two people in love there, then that is the whole world. Of course, you won't know this for many years. You know it is possible never to know it? I hope you will

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Susan Bonnard: [Bibi returns to the dining room, adjusting lacy garters on his sleeves] Bibi, what have you got on your sleeves?
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: They're too long. Before he left town, Uncle Desmond gave me some garters to hold them up.
Susan Bonnard: Women's garters! Take them off! Look at them! Off some... stranger's legs!
Grandpere Bonnard: To Desmond she was not a stranger.
Susan Bonnard: Jacques!
Jacques Bonnard: Calm yourself, my love. My brother is young.
Susan Bonnard: Your son is younger.
Jacques Bonnard: And after all, there is no great harm in catching garters that are thrown from the stage of the Casino Burlesque. It's done by some of our most distinguished citizens. It's a form of sport.
Susan Bonnard: I don't want garters from the burlesque on my son's arms.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Only one is from the burlesque! The other was obtained privately!
Susan Bonnard: [shrieking, she leaves the room]
Jacques Bonnard: Now, Bibi-in the world of men, one does not talk too much. It's enough to have the garters; one does not volunteer the information where they were obtained. You will understand when you are a man.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Papa? When will I be?
Jacques Bonnard: What?
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: When will I be a man?
Jacques Bonnard: Soon enough.
Grandpere Bonnard: There is a law of nature, called la puberté, and it is widespread among all animals, being the awakening of a natural appetite. Life will taste better then-like a good soup! It is the seasoning that counts! But it is a hard appetite to satisfy, believe me.

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Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: Look, maman, what Uncle Desmond sent. A photograph of himself and two nice ladies.
Susan Bonnard: Nice ladies! Jacques, will you look at this? Bibi, go up and wash your hands.
Robert 'Bibi' Bonnard: They're not dirty!
Susan Bonnard: At once.
[Bibi leaves]
Susan Bonnard: Well? You know what's on my mind. Show it to Grandpa.
Grandpere Bonnard: [glancing briefly, then, dismissively] Too skinny.
Susan Bonnard: What do you suppose Bibi thinks of a thing like this?
Jacques Bonnard: Thinks? He thinks nothing. He's only happy that Desmond remembered his birthday.
Susan Bonnard: But these women! Who ARE they? WHAT are they? You know Bibi imitates all of you. He's even picked up Desmond's trick with the medals.
Grandpere Bonnard: With the same results.
Susan Bonnard: Be still. Jacques, he'll realize what this is all about someday.
Jacques Bonnard: Eh! When he's old enough to realize, he'll be old enough to understand.
Susan Bonnard: That Desmond-he's becoming the most roving eye in Ottawa. With everything else, does he have to be a traveling salesman? I shudder to think what is happening to women all over Canada.
Grandpere Bonnard: We have had no reports from the outlying provinces.
Jacques Bonnard: Don't worry about Desmond. One of these days he will change and settle down.
Susan Bonnard: That's a transformation devoutly to be wished.
Grandpere Bonnard: You quote?
Susan Bonnard: Shakespeare.
Grandpere Bonnard: Ah! There was an Englishman with glands!

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