July 7th

Movie making is a strange profession. You become very close to a group of people..cast and crew members..and then it’s over and everyone goes their separate ways. I’ve learned that one has to be intentional if friendships formed on a movie set are to continue. Geraldine and I have pledged to remain friends. I find her fascinating with off-beat taste in all things. A true bohemian who still fits in to any situation with any assortment of people. She’s intelligent, talented, curious, generous.

My friends from Georgia, Sharon, Howell and Megan Ferguson with Richard standing behind

A mother, father, child head stone

rehearsing my French dialogue with Christine Dejoux

a pensive scene with Daniel

detail of grave site arbor

My character works with Daniel's character to plants roses and jasmine around a small bench at the site of my grave

I had a weekday off so caught up on the personal maintenance stuff: nails, toes, hair color, Tulea got her grooming, then I took her to the Champ de Mars. Four years ago when I was in Paris for 10 days to promote my memoirs, I used to take to there because there are these huge long stretches of grass and she would run—when she is in the sand or on a big lawn, she runs really—I mean REALLY—fast, in wide circles, emitting a sort of low guttural sound. I figured she’d want to do it again today. The weather is gorgeous, finally. But no, she just stood there. Maybe it’s cause she was too warm. Maybe there were too many people. It was winter time last time. I hope it’s not because she’s too old—at 5 years. I doubt it, because in St Tropez she ran around in the sand.

She did have a good snooze at the Hotel Lancaster, though. In the nice, bright green, soft, cool, clover-like ground cover, while I had some delicious vin rose. I’ve quite taken to vin rose as I don’t drink red wine (and mostly not white either) because it gets to my stomach in the middle of the night and feels me with regrets. Ah, age!! Vodka works, though. Love the Polish kind with the Bison on the label and some stick of herb in it. And this isn’t just out of loyalty to Ted Turner (he owns the largest Bison herd in the world). It’s easier on the stomach. Of course, I could give up drinking altogether. Did once…for 3 years. But, as Ted used to say, you wake up and it’s downhill from there! Just kidding.

See you next time.

Tulea sleeping in the soft, cool moss at Hotel Lancaster

View down the Champ de Mars from one side

View up the other side which ends with the Tour Eiffel.

We shot a charming scene today—Pierre, me and the dog—with Daniel Bruhl. I saw immediately what a wonderful and subtle actor he is. (He was the young Nazi in “Inglorious Bastards,” Tarantino’s film.)

He is 31 years old and has made more than 30 movies. He started as an adolescent. Pierre told me today that he has really loved every single scene he has filmed so far on this movie—which, he said, is unusual.

After shooting (I got off early) I took Tulea for a long walk. So long I had to carry her back cause it was hot.

In this scene my husband and I are interviewing Daniel Bruhl (he plays a German student of ethnology in Paris) as a possible dog walker because the impetuous dog keeps pulling on his leash and has caused my husband to fall. After much hemming and hawing and objecting to the fact that the young student is German (my husband’s father was shot by the Nazis in 1941) he agrees to try him out. Many of my longest and loveliest scenes are when Dirk—the character’s name is Dirk—and I walk in the park with the dog. The characters have a real affinity. He is the only one who knows that I am dying and he helps me prepare my grave.

Pierre, Daniel, and the dog--photo of Simone de Beauvoir behind!!

me, Pierre and the director Stephane

Kesso Andrau, my lovely assistant who helps with Tulea while I shoot

The three Germans on the set--

dig that tongue

Kesso and Tulea

poor Tulea, she attracts every dog

...and lovers

Lots of musicians along the Seine

houseboat restaurant on the Seine

i am totally transfixed by the structure of Notre Dame

I love that the underneath of the bridges are made of wood.

coal being transported on the Seine

A wedding on board a Bateau Mouche

There are more and more modern buildings in Paris.

The parks along the Seine have lots of statues. interesting ones.

Windows thrown open onto the river. Tulea sleeping peacefully on the Moroccan rug, the sunlight streaming in. There are lines around the block at 6 or 7 locations on the island where Berthillon ice cream is sold. I never realized how the French love their glaces! And for good reason…it is superb.

Tulea relaxing after a long walk

I worked for 3 hours today with the French dialogue coach. I memorize easily but have to repeat the French sentences over and over until the muscles of my tongue become accustomed to it. It’s fun. I am enjoying it a lot. I play an American who has lived here and taught at the Sorbonne so I have to speak very well. I will succeed!! I meet with the coach almost everyday and she will be on the set with me as well.

Then the hair and makeup people came over with Stéphane Robelin, the director, to discuss how I should look in preparation for tests tomorrow in the studio. Everyone I’ve met with the production is terribly nice which is important. At my age, I’ve come to feel that the process is just about as important as the product…it needs to be fun and humane.

All for now. See you next time.

Tonight was the season finale of Kell on Earth and Kelly Cutrone came over to Richard’s with a bunch of friends so we could all watch together and toast her success. It was about her doing a guerilla ad campaign for DKNY and was amazing in its inventiveness. What people don’t know is that she wrote some fantastic songs that Richard produced in the late 90s which is how he knows her and how I met her. She’s a fierce character–been through a lot and done more than survive…she has kept growing and learning and daring.

Tulea with her pompom hairdo

Richard's rescue pekinise, Winston, who is the boyfriend of Tulea.

Kelly on her Kell on Earth TV --the season finale