Romy Shneider and Michel Piccoli in "Les Choses de la Vie"

A master-class for film production students: The much underrated Claude Sautet's "Les Choses de la Vie" (1970). Besides the brilliance of the script, editing, and directing of the pivotal accident scene (unbelievably better than Iñárritu's overrated "21 Grams"), this restaurant sequence is a showcase for the actors' abilities. Pay especial attention to Romy Schneider's wonderfully organic changes of the mood, and Michel Piccoli's effortlessly insouciant look. Here's an English transcription of what they say: Helene: No, I'll be stew all day. Pierre: "Stew-ed". Helene: We're going to my folks' tonight. Do you mind? Pierre: Not at all. I like your mother. Helene: Shall we ask François to come? Pierre: I expect he's invited...Not the glasses! Helene: I can't see without them. Pierre: Just ask me. I'll tell you. What do you want to see? Helene: You, for example. Pierre: I'm here. That's me. Helene: I have the papers. Sign them now. And I'll mail them. Pierre: I must think about the dates. Helene: What do you mean? Pierre: I'm going on holiday with my son. Two weeks. Helene: You never told me. Pierre: I saw him this morning. Helene: Going to Ré Island? Pierre: Yes. Helene: Catherine will be glad. Pierre: Nothing to do with Catherine. Only my son. Waiter: Would you like dessert? Pierre: Two coffees, please. Pierre: Don't you believe me? Helene: Yes, I believe you... entirely. Then when would we leave? Pierre: After. Helene: I don't quite get it. You said you'd both be presenting your plans in Tunis. You and the Italian. If you're not there, they'll choose the Italian. Pierre: If my plan's the best, they can wait 2 weeks. I'm not their flunkey. Helene: We'll never leave! (François enters.) Pierre: What's up? François: Looking for a chair. Helene: Take mine, I'm going.