Rendez-vous

Nina travels from Toulouse to Paris in pursuit of immediate acting success. She visits a realtor's office to find her own apartment, hoping to establish independence in the city. There, she catches the eye of Paulot, a timid real estate clerk who is instantly smitten.

Paulot is immediately drawn to Nina and feels a strong attraction. He is invited to see her perform in a small role as a maid in a boulevard comedy. The encounter hints at a growing, complicated tension between them.

After the performance, Nina takes Paulot to dinner with her current boyfriend Fred. A major argument erupts, leading to a breakup between Nina and Fred. The evening marks a turning point in Nina's personal life.

Paulot offers Nina a place to stay at his apartment, hoping to help her settle in. His roommate Quentin refuses to let her stay, forcing them to seek alternative accommodations. They end up sharing a hotel room for the night instead.

During a long walk through the city, Nina confesses that she has slept with nearly every man she has encountered. She laments being used for easy sex and asks Paulot to leave her alone. The moment exposes her vulnerability beneath a confident exterior.

Quentin follows Nina and Paulot to the hotel and forces his attentions on Nina. What starts as a tense and predatory encounter quickly develops into a dangerous and intense liaison. The relationship between Nina and Quentin grows volatile and unpredictable.

Nina bounces between the two vastly different men: the gentle Paulot and the dangerous Quentin. Paulot tries to care for her while his own feelings deepen, and his patience begins to give way to jealousy. Quentin remains impulsive and unpredictable, complicating Nina's emotions.

Quentin is run over by a car, in what appears to be a suicide. At his funeral, the elderly theater director Scrutzler attends, leaving Nina and the attendees with unanswered questions. The event marks a pivotal shift in the story's trajectory.

Scrutzler reveals that in London he had cast Quentin as Romeo, but Quentin had withdrawn after a suicide pact with Scrutzler's daughter. The backstory adds a layer of tragedy and complexity to Quentin's character. Nina starts to see the theater world as a web of past secrets.

During the casting of Romeo and Juliet, Scrutzler recognizes Nina among the aspiring actresses and casts her as Juliet. The opportunity elevates her status but also intensifies the scrutiny and pressure she faces. Nina must confront her own self-doubt as she steps into the role.

Nina struggles with rehearsal, haunted by ghost-like appearances of the dead Quentin. She copes with the advances of Paulot, who remains emotionally invested but increasingly uncertain. The ghostly presence deepens her inner conflict as opening night approaches.

Paulot confronts Scrutzler about his interest in Nina, but the director insists his attention is paternal. Disillusioned, Paulot decides to leave Nina, choosing distance over complicity. The rift between them widens just as Nina's career begins to take shape.

After Paulot pulls away, Nina goes to his workplace and entices him to make love. They share a violent and degrading but intensely intimate encounter. The moment reveals how power and need have distorted their relationship.

Nina feels crippling stage fright before her entrance, but Scrutzler helps steady her nerves before leaving for London. She is left alone in the wings, waiting as the audience and the world around her prepare for the opening night. The cue to begin underscores her isolation.

With Scrutzler gone and the opening night imminent, Nina stands solitary in the wings, facing the void and the memories of the men who have shaped her. The film ends on this tense, unresolved note, leaving her future and the play's success hanging in the balance. The curtain is about to rise, and her fate remains uncertain.