Les tam tams se sont tus (1972) - full transcript

The tam tam are silent

Oh, little Negress!

How much will you bring in?

Hello.

- Hello Abraham. How are you?
- Fine.

Hello.

Hello. What is in your bag?

It's nothing.

Nothing. An request.

- It's not for sale?
- No it's not.

Abraham! We've been waiting
for you for a week!



I was ill.

It's none of your business.

Here.

Mister N'Gema is coming.

Abraham, where were you?

I've been waiting

Here it is.

Let me have a look.

How much did we say?

I don't know.
You set the prices.

That's true.

What is true is that
you're a cheater.

- What?!
- Yes.

In civilized countries,
it's the seller who set the prices.



Do you mean I'm not civilized?

Let me show you...

Your price is mine!

It's all yours for 25.000 Fr.

Agreed!

It's only 10.000 Fr.

"Civilization..."

If it was a disease
it would kill so many!

Bye.

Ladies. Would you be so kind as to
let me offer you a drink?

What will you have?

Thanks, Mister.

What's gotten into you?

Do you enjoy your monkey disguise?

You are the monkey!

What a cheek!

Take care of your business.

I'm an artist.
I'm making statuettes.

You have something...

You can't understand a single thing.

They lack skin...

Come in!

Come in. Have a sit.

I can tell you are someone good.

God bless you.

Now that we have met...

What do you want?

Did you bring me rum?

A great barrel of rum!

A shotgun.

A shotgun of stones!

Powder.

Powder from India.

Anything that explodes!

I'm not kidding, sir.

Your interests brought you here.

I have to think about mine.

It's a natural law.

You will say you came as a friend.

Yes...

I had a friend once.

He was white.

Someday he died.

In front of me.

There...

On the battlefield.

In Vietnam.

Or Algeria. I don't remember.

That day, there was a great reception
in a great man's house.

A great evening in
the great opera of Paris.

There was champagne plentiful.

As much as my friend's blood,
whose throat had been cut by a gun's burst.

Back to the camp...

I'd been giving a piece of iron.

It was a substitution for my friend.

At ease.

You can still find consolation
in your art, sir.

In my country, sir,
art can not be a relief.

It's the last resort.

Relief of Africa...

is ridicule.

I wanted to say...

I know you have something to say.

We hall have something to say.

- Do you want a coffee?
- It'd be a pleasure.

Do you know what people say about you?

That I'm a strange person. I know.

What do you think of yourself?

Nothing. I don't have an opinion
about the others neither.

However, it's a pity to
live in a society...

whose ambition is to imitate the white
so that they can feel civilized.

You'll say it's evolution.

To me, this evolution is
vile and impersonal.

Yes.

Here is the depersonalization
of the black people.

People are so dumb they love it.

So you moved aside from them
to be original?

Their lack of originality moved me
aside from them.

Also...

I shall say that African moral
does not exist anymore.

Maybe, but it's still requesting your work.

So, I was saying that Africa is dead.

Yes.

Africa of wigs...

Black lips painted red...

Wool suits in hot days...

This is not my Africa.

There are several ways
to kill a society.

In example, make it forget its tradition
in the name of emancipation.

The law of profit protean.

Where is the proud Africa
sung by the poets?

They are lying with people's words.

But forms, Sir...

Yes, forms...

Look.

Have a look at this statuette.

Admire its forms.

Do you think
this desirous bottom is a lie?

And this breast!

Yes, this breast.

Unfortunately it fed the illusion
of a whole race.

Mister Abraham...

Yes, it's me.

I need two ivory statuettes
embodying Byeri Fang.

A male and a female.

Male and female?

Of course you'll be paid upfront.

And we'll be rich!

Unfortunately there is a inconvenience.

I must go to the village.

My father died two years ago.
I must attend the deathbed.

We are in no hurry, Mister Abraham.

I can wait for a week.

I'll be around here.

Mister Abraham...

I'd like to know what conformists
city-dwellers think about you.

You know, conformists...

They pretend to try to improve other people's life
so that they can protect their own interests.

I don't care about their opinion.

Look at them in the streets.

They woke up in a new day.

They don't know where they come from.

They don't know where to go.
They are pretending. It's brilliant.

They think they know...

How old are you, Mister Abraham?

I was born in a period where
all that mattered was to be born.

Being recorded in a register wasn't.

We'll meet again soon, Mister Abraham.
See you soon.

Soon you soon, Sir.

Why all these chores?

Don't you know women
shouldn't work like animals?

We, my son, have husbands and children.

What will they eat if we don't plant?

If we don't work?

Children, husbands, what will they eat?

They will eat bread.

Listen, boy.

Do you think bread is food for
black people?

This is no food. We are used to our food.

There is no black anymore!

Civilization, whisky, champagne,
steak tartare, wigs...!

There is no black anymore.

That's what you're saying? That's it?

You bandit!

We're happy to eat manioc and taro.

You're a whitey! Whitey! Whitey!

Well... Goodbye.

Hey, women!

Your husband Abraham is coming.

Abraham! Long time no see!

C?cile! Come and meet our husband!

Oh! Uncle Martial!

This is the place.

It's good you came.

We were waiting for you
for your father's mourning.

Yes...

Have you forgotten?

I'm glad you're here, my child.

What is it in the city
you don't have here?

You say you follow the light.

Are you sure you know the light?

You drink it and
it's making you drunk and dumb.

Yes, my child.

The white men's light is making you dumb.

But you don't realize it.

I pity the youth.

They think they know...

They don't even know their own light.

How can a man live...

his arm grabbing a branch?
His body dangling!

He'll get tired.

He'll fall and break his bones.

That's it, my child.

You are mutilated.

Your mind as much as your behaviour.

I notice you fix me with
a look when I speak.

Uncle, it helps me understand what you say.

Noone shall look at his god in the eyes.

That's what my father taught me.

It's our tradition.

It's true we have no book
to teach you the tradition.

You think only what's in a book
is true. Error!

Error of the youth!

You are dim like a trained animal.

But you we very happy to
send us in white schools.

You were all happy for us
being good students.

You were all happy that your son
was the better student of his class.

Yes, but... you know.

It was an ancient time.

We knew less.

University of life is endless, my child.

Here, Abraham. She is my new wife.

I married her for my old days.

This is a welcome gift.

Thank you.

May I have a glass?

No!

You don't need a glass.
Drink from the bottle.

I know, the tradition...
But I'm used to glasses.

I can understand, son.

New day, new habit.

C?cile, get a glass for your husband.

Abraham.

Abraham, you must leave before sunrise.

Hello, C?cile.

Why would you do this to me?

What?

So it's true that city-dwellers
do not respect their own traditions.

Don't you know it's me
who should draw your water?

Swimming in the river means
you did not enjoy our night.

But, C?cile...

This is nonsense.

Don't exaggerate. We are not
slaves of our traditions.

I can't be the slave of something I love.

Let's stop here.

Yes.

Abraham, I'm afraid
we'll get caught.

No! No!

We will hear if someone approach.

Well. We should go know.

They must be looking for us.

Please, be wise.

They must be looking for us now.

I want you to stay with me.

Tell me the life in the city.

Things from the city
are not for you, C?cile.

They are only illusions.

Maybe you are right.

If you can pay my dowry,
I'll stay with you.

Yes, be quick please.

I've heard something.

Someone's coming.

Abraham, if my husband finds out,
he will kill both of us.

Run away where you can.

Move away while it's daytime.

Take this bag. There are clothes and food.

Follow the savanna path.
The bush is dangerous.

The sky is clouding over. Hurry up.

Auntie, I can't take his wife.

My child, it's already done.

Go away now.

The tam tam are silent.

It's strange.

I feel like I've broken up
with something fundamental.

Something physical. Magic!

My village.

My family.

My life.

Let's go. Watch your step.

We're lucky. There is no rain.

Abraham, let's stop.

It's a nice place.

Let's stay a bit. I'm tired.

Yes, if you want.

Abraham, what do you think
will happen to us?

There is always something happening.

That's true.

Come on, let's go.

Let's have a rest. I'm tired.

Abraham, look!

A buffalo. We have to
make a fire to keep him away.

My country is a beautiful one!

I'm exhausted!

We'll wait here.

Here we are.

We've arrived.

- Is this your house?
- So what?

Did you think I live in a castle?

You have no clue was uprooting is.

You'll experience it unconsciously.
You won't notice it.

You'll think you're civilized
because of your smooth-hair wig.

You'll live in a
reinforced concrete building.

You'll call it evolution.

Emancipation.

Yet...

You'll still make love the same way.

What are you saying?

Something you can't understand.

You'll live in this set.

Waiting for God's anger.

Something will happen in the village.

We'll see.

Oh, today is Sunday. I have to attend Mass.

Abraham, please be so kind as to
show me the church.

Just follow the sound of the bells.

Abraham it's Jozy. Open the door!

Here is the Parisian!

Open the door, it's my sister.
She's something, you'll see.

Hello.

I got it. Mister lives on love alone.

You can close the door.

You could introduce me at least.

I did it when you were knocking.

C?cile is the 8th and
last wife of uncle Martial.

She was.

What do you mean.

I mean you did not bring her here
to do uncle Martial a favor.

What do you know?

Do you mean uncle Martial
has turned gaga?

He can still use he rifle, for sure.

Apart from that...

I think it's indecent to share his lust
between eight avid women at his age.

So you thought, obliging nephew...

it would take a thorn out of his side
to take his younger wife.

Well, she's cute indeed.

A bit of toilette would change her.
Transform her.

In a good way, I mean.

Of course, you're opposed to
any form of modernism.

Evolution, you think,
is moral prostitution.

This wig suits me.

- Someone has lost his skin.
- What skin?

The white skin that suits that hair.

Please guide C?cile to the Mass.

And pray for your sins.

- Is that true you want to attend Mass?
- Yes.

Let's go then.

- Are you ready?
- Yes.

Let's go.

- Hey, Jozy!
- What is it again?

Are you still sleeping with your boss?

With him, no. But his money, yes.

It's clear now.

African women are emancipated!

- Have you ever come to the city?
- No, it's the first time.

Well, you see, this is our village.

Abraham calls it
"the village of illusions".

Yet he has to live here.

Why fight the illusions
when they bring hope?

You know, I don't know why
we live like this.

When we were born. Everybody
was trying to live a better life.

And they thought a better life
was a white man's life.

So we're living like white men.
Whose fault is it?

I know one thing.
One needs to earn money.

And you get more when
you are young and pretty.

My boss told me.

But you... You probably
don't understand that.

The life in the village is simple.
Women works like beast of burden.

What is beast of burden?

It's a woman like you.

You carry a heavy basket.

And your husband lead you,
holding a machete and assegai.

I can see his pride.

I don't know how good
you know white men...

But you know few
about your own race.

Why do you think we're unhappy
carrying these heavy baskets?

In the bush too we have
illusions bringing hope.

Seeing our man with his assegai...

We are sure to be protected.

But your illusions are out of date.

You must civilized it.
Live in our time.

For us in the bush,
time never change.

Only people change.

I obey the tradition making me
your uncle's wife.

Just like that
Without love, without thoughts?

Do you reject people who
enjoy a simple life?

You'll change your mind when you
understand the value of money in our society.

Money is the greatest illusion.
It make you find happiness.

I don't reject people who
enjoy a simple life.

Also, people like Abraham should
leave us alone with their negritude.

Let's hurry up.

C?cile, give this dress a try.

It'll make you beautiful.

Undress and try it on.

Men will be crazy about you.

When you're ready
we will go out together.

I'll introduce you to men...

who are not all beautiful...

but have money.

Do you like this swimsuit?

Let's go inside.

Madam, please,
I'd like to see the swimsuit.

- Which size?
- 38.

I'll take those two.

This is mine. Go into the other one
and put your swimsuit on.

C?cile! Are you done?

Let's get a tan.

Jozy? Why to I need to get tanned?

I don't know. White people
say it gives you a great color.

A beautiful skin.

Do we need a great color
and a beautiful skin?

This is not the point, C?cile.

The civilization wants the blacks
to copy the whites.

We have to act like them.

Do we have to be civilized?

It's my opinion.

Unfortunately we live in
a civilized society.

It's stronger than our ambition.

Stronger than our dreams.
We have to have faith.

Have faith?

Jozy! Jozy! Wait for me!

Hey, Ab!

I just showed C?cile the beach.
Tonight I'll show her the nightclub.

I'll be in the kitchen.

The seawater is salty.

I like its taste.

Well, Jozy...

Since C?cile doesn't dance,
let's have a drink in my place.

I feel dizzy.

You don't need us to have a drink.

I'd like to stay.

I can let C?cile with you
if you promise to bring her home.

I've always known you're an angel.

Be careful, John!
My brother may kill you for her!

Please, we're civilized.

C?cile! C?cile!

Jozy, what happened to me?

Don't be upset.

You went in his bed yourself.

Also, you haven't seen the surprised
in your pocket yet!

- What do you mean?
- Look.

Come on, don't be sad.

You know, C?cile...

Civilization is expensive.

If you can't afford it,
you'll have to go back to the bush.

Do you want to go back there?

What about Abraham?

Abraham is a perverted intellectual.

He loves to see you as a wild savage.

Maybe he'll be even happier to
see you as a civilized woman.

For example, you may buy the clothes we
saw the other day. He would be surprised.

After all,
this is not your only originality.

What if he doesn't like it?

Let's see him.
He must be worried about you.

Let's go.

No, Jozy.

I'll stay here.

I'd be ashamed to see him.

Hey, Ab!

Hey.

This item is beautiful.

Amongst the best of the collection.

It's going to France. A gift.

I wonder how civilized persons
can appreciate such a primitive thing.

Where is C?cile.

In my place. She's tired.

I wonder how this experiment will end up.

Hey, Ab.

Hey.

Do you like it?

- Adaha!
- Yes?

Come here.

Go to the city. Look for my wife.

Tell Abraham I forgive him.

But I want my wife.

You don't want to kill him anymore?

Don't talk foolishly and get ready.

Why me?

Because you know the city
and C?cile will listen to you.

You'll find Abraham's house.

Hello.

Give me something to drink.

No way, your bill is too high.

You want to lose money?

And lose a customer?

I'm fine with friends only.

Give me a drink and
you'll have one more friend.

This guy...

The Omniscient, Jah, the sea...

The sun, the life...

The beginning to see reality.

Reality is you have no money.

You can get nothing without money.

This is life.

Put it on my bill.

Don't worry, I'll pay it.

Aunty Adaha!

What a great surprise!

- It's good you came.
- Aunty Adaha!

- The family is complete!
- What a surprise!

- I'm the one talking here!
- Shut up, you're drunk.

- And you, aren't you drunk with illusions?
- Cut it out.

Abraham, Jozy, sit down.

A family reunion!

Abraham, come with me and give back
his wife to your uncle.

What? Give C?cile back to the old man?!

Jozy! Show some respect.
He's your uncle.

But Aunty Adaha, can't you see
she has become mentally uprooted?

Spiritually mutilated!

Unconditionally corrupted!

A threat for the existence of
our culture. Our race!

My dear...

Those brilliant words you're using
are imported. They are a threat too.

We are fed up with you knowledge.

You only talk but never realize it.

Where is your negritude if not in utopia?

Be realistic, Abraham.

Blacks want to live like whites.
But never the opposite!

We are getting ride of our traditions.

Subordinating our minds.

The tam tam of our ancestors
speak another language.

Or have become silent.

Is there another destination
for the black race?

I don't want to know it.

I like my life here.

It's no time to fight, children.

I must catch the bus.
C?cile, get ready. We're leaving.

No.

I'm not coming.

I've saved money for my dowry.

I'll give it to you.

I don't want to
live in the village anymore.

In this case we're leaving.
Get ready.

Here we are aunty.

Hilarity.

C?cile got something know
and she likes it.

I'll reproach her for that.

She thinks she's smart
acting this way.

Like everybody else.

You too, you think
you are smarter than us.

And everybody thinks this way.

I've never pretended there is
another destination for the black race.

How could there be one?

Black men don't like efforts.

What matters to them...

is to be alive.

Their own personality have disappeared
after so much stupidity and imitation.

Do you think they realize it?

We must not realize it.

It would disrupt the established order.

The established order...

is the law of the strongest.

It's true.

The tam tam are silent.

However...

through the silence...

we can still hear snatches.

Snatches of negro philosophy.

Snatched of irreversible traditions.

That can never be detached from our skin.

I feel bad leaving like this.

Dear C?cile, there are already so
many things we've left like this...

We can't understand. Let's go.

Trying to understand life
is making it more complicated.