Houston, Texas (1956) Movie Script
Houston, Texas, USA.
700 000 inhabitants, like Marseille...
With a strong smell of oil,
some skyscrapers, a lot of light...
And a lot of cars.
500 000 cars for 700 000 inhabitants.
5 cars for 7 persons.
But 25 years ago...
Houston, in the middle of a desert,
was just a little town
near a muddy stream.
It's sudden prosperity...
Houston owns it to the oil,
wealth of Texas.
In Houston, having a car is
neither a luxury nor a convenience...
It's the most natural way of moving.
Cars! Everywhere!
Even inside houses.
This sidewalk isn't for pedestrians.
It's a landing stage for cars.
Formerly, inn accommodated
pedestrians and horse riders.
Nowadays, they provide food
inside the customer's car.
Customers are in a rush. They can't
leave their wheels, even for a meal.
Still, you can find some bicycles.
Good bicycles with straight handlebars,
without any romanticism.
This is not a game.
Distributing newspapers is a way
for children to buy...
ice creams, chewing-gums
or candies for a snack.
Those bluejeans are not a sign of
juvenile existentialism.
It is the traditional habit in Texas.
They remind us former pioneers,
yesteryear cavalcades.
And also sugar cane planters.
These houses reminds us of
Gone with the wind.
Their building is commensurate
with crinolines.
But crinolines are departed now.
From their past,
these houses only kept
The melancholia of their
beautiful gardens and noble facades.
Nowadays, Texans prefer
less pompous houses.
Every year in Houston,
a new neighbourhood is inaugurated.
Connoisseurs can choose
their dream house.
Easy pleasure,
since Texans only have one concern
All the materials used for the
construction must come from Texas.
Texans have a strong love for
their homeland.
This love, combined with
a penchant for overstatement,
Made some people call them
American braggarts.
In Europe, cars are used
on sundays to relax.
In Houston, they are abandoned.
Then comes the time to recover
from the time spent sitting in the car.
If Sunday is the elegance
day in Houston...
It is also the day of ornamental art.
In vast well-meaning
and stiff street parties...
Charming old women paint
shoulder to shoulder.
Youngsters give way to abstract art
for a moment.
Seriousness is everywhere.
Erecting bangles...
Or modeling ark animals.
In this climate without
mist, fog and winter...
Children grow up healthy and
robust as beautiful fruits.
Black and white children may
play the same games...
But they don't play together.
These athletes are doing thousands of
flexions, contortions and tumbles...
So as to acquire the ease
girls are naturally born with.
Girls only can be gracefully clumsy.
These archers are students.
This green grass is their classroom.
Don't think they are some
billionaire's daughters.
Most of them must work so as to
afford boarding school.
In both black and white universities
Taking on airs don't stop
the seriousness of the studies.
As accurate as a geometrician
One learn what to do
in the event of bombing.
Civil defense in practice.
This seriousness is a token
for the future.
People are too confident
and full of life
Too proud of Texas
Not to find out how to get
together with the black race.
Then Houston,
now 14th city of America,
aspiring to dethrone New-York,
Will have only one problem left.
Everyday, engineers keep digging
looking for water.
Alas, they find nothing but oil.
The end
700 000 inhabitants, like Marseille...
With a strong smell of oil,
some skyscrapers, a lot of light...
And a lot of cars.
500 000 cars for 700 000 inhabitants.
5 cars for 7 persons.
But 25 years ago...
Houston, in the middle of a desert,
was just a little town
near a muddy stream.
It's sudden prosperity...
Houston owns it to the oil,
wealth of Texas.
In Houston, having a car is
neither a luxury nor a convenience...
It's the most natural way of moving.
Cars! Everywhere!
Even inside houses.
This sidewalk isn't for pedestrians.
It's a landing stage for cars.
Formerly, inn accommodated
pedestrians and horse riders.
Nowadays, they provide food
inside the customer's car.
Customers are in a rush. They can't
leave their wheels, even for a meal.
Still, you can find some bicycles.
Good bicycles with straight handlebars,
without any romanticism.
This is not a game.
Distributing newspapers is a way
for children to buy...
ice creams, chewing-gums
or candies for a snack.
Those bluejeans are not a sign of
juvenile existentialism.
It is the traditional habit in Texas.
They remind us former pioneers,
yesteryear cavalcades.
And also sugar cane planters.
These houses reminds us of
Gone with the wind.
Their building is commensurate
with crinolines.
But crinolines are departed now.
From their past,
these houses only kept
The melancholia of their
beautiful gardens and noble facades.
Nowadays, Texans prefer
less pompous houses.
Every year in Houston,
a new neighbourhood is inaugurated.
Connoisseurs can choose
their dream house.
Easy pleasure,
since Texans only have one concern
All the materials used for the
construction must come from Texas.
Texans have a strong love for
their homeland.
This love, combined with
a penchant for overstatement,
Made some people call them
American braggarts.
In Europe, cars are used
on sundays to relax.
In Houston, they are abandoned.
Then comes the time to recover
from the time spent sitting in the car.
If Sunday is the elegance
day in Houston...
It is also the day of ornamental art.
In vast well-meaning
and stiff street parties...
Charming old women paint
shoulder to shoulder.
Youngsters give way to abstract art
for a moment.
Seriousness is everywhere.
Erecting bangles...
Or modeling ark animals.
In this climate without
mist, fog and winter...
Children grow up healthy and
robust as beautiful fruits.
Black and white children may
play the same games...
But they don't play together.
These athletes are doing thousands of
flexions, contortions and tumbles...
So as to acquire the ease
girls are naturally born with.
Girls only can be gracefully clumsy.
These archers are students.
This green grass is their classroom.
Don't think they are some
billionaire's daughters.
Most of them must work so as to
afford boarding school.
In both black and white universities
Taking on airs don't stop
the seriousness of the studies.
As accurate as a geometrician
One learn what to do
in the event of bombing.
Civil defense in practice.
This seriousness is a token
for the future.
People are too confident
and full of life
Too proud of Texas
Not to find out how to get
together with the black race.
Then Houston,
now 14th city of America,
aspiring to dethrone New-York,
Will have only one problem left.
Everyday, engineers keep digging
looking for water.
Alas, they find nothing but oil.
The end