Eros (2004) - full transcript
A three-part anthology film about love and sexuality: a menage-a-trois between a couple and a young woman on the coast of Tuscany; an advertising executive under enormous pressure at work, who, during visits to his psychiatrist, is pulled to delve into the possible reasons why his stress seems to manifest itself in a recurring erotic dream; and a story of unrequited love about a beautiful, 1960s high-end call girl in an impossible affair with her young tailor.
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
["MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI"
FADES OUT]
[RAIN FALLING]
[DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES]
[IN CHINESE]
WOMAN:
[WOMAN LAUGHS SOFTLY]
[CHINESE SWING MUSIC FADES IN]
[WOMAN SINGS IN CHINESE]
MAN:
MAN 2: MAN:
MAN:
[DOORBELL BUZZES]
WOMAN:
[CICADAS BUZZ]
[MAN AND WOMAN PANTING SOFTLY]
[PANTING INTENSIFIES]
[WOMAN GASPING]
[DOOR OPENS]
SERVANT:
ZHAO:
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
SERVANT:
WOMAN:
SERVANT:
Oh.
MAN:
[SWING MUSIC ENDS]
HUA:
HUA:
[SOFT RUSTLING]
[ZHANG BREATHES TREMULOUSLY]
[**]
[ZHANG GASPING]
[GASPS INTENSELY]
[BREATHING SOFTLY]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]
JIN:
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
HUA:
[GIGGLES]
[MOANING, KISSING]
[GIGGLES]
SERVANT:
[DOOR CLOSES]
HUA:
YING:
[SWING MUSIC
PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[DOORBELL BUZZES]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES] [LAUGHS]
YING:
HUA:
[LAUGHS]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
HUA:
[HUA LAUGHS]
[SEWING MACHINES WHIRRING]
[PEOPLE CONVERSING INDISTINCTLY]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOOR OPENS]
YING:
HUA:
[DOOR SLAMS]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]
YING:
[BEADS SCATTER]
[DOOR SLAMS]
JIN:
HUA:
[FOOTSTEPS RECEDE]
JIN:
[OBJECTS THROWN, SCATTERING]
ZHAO:
[CRASH]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING, MUFFLED]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING LOUDLY]
[WOMAN SINGING IN CHINESE]
Mm.
[RAIN FALLING OUTSIDE]
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
[SLOW SWING BALLAD
PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[BALLAD ENDS]
[RINGS DOORBELL]
[DOOR OPENS]
WOMAN:
[DOOR CLOSES]
WOMAN 2:
WOMAN 1:
[HEAVY RAIN FALLING]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
RADIO ANNOUNCER:
[DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES]
[COUGHING]
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[RINGING CONTINUES]
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
ZHANG:
[LIQUID FILLS GLASS]
[BOTH LAUGH SOFTLY]
Hm?
[**]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[BEDSPRINGS SQUEAKING]
[HUA GASPING,
SQUEAKING INTENSIFIES]
[SQUEAKING CONTINUES, MUFFLED]
[RAIN PATTERING SOFTLY]
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
[CICADAS BUZZ]
[SIGHS QUIETLY]
[CICADAS BUZZING]
[MOANING SOFTLY]
[CICADA BUZZING GROWS LOUDER]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
ZHANG:
HUA:
[HUA LAUGHS SOFTLY]
[SIGHS]
[**]
[ZHANG SOBS]
JIN:
ZHANG:
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Hm?
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC STOPS, CICADAS BUZZ]
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
[**]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
[RINGING STOPS]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
[RINGING ECHOES, FADES OUT]
MAN:
No, I remember exactly
when it happened. It was, uh...
It was two weeks ago...
yesterday.
That was the day
that I lost my equilibrium.
It was the day after
we were told
we'd be pitching
the Samson account.
And Hal, our head copy guy,
comes in, and he's wearing a...
What's the socially acceptable
term? Toupee.
This...
Somebody hunted this,
trapped this,
killed this
and taped it to Hal's head.
You know, we're in shock.
You can hear
the molecules moving.
And before we've processed
this betrayal,
Hal says, calmly, that he's
decided to do something
about his hair problem,
and he'd appreciate it
if we'd kindly refrain
from making it a topic
of comment or conversation.
This is my team.
They're good people.
They're great at what they do.
It's like jazz,
watching them in a room.
If we can't talk about
this senseless tragedy
of Hal's hair...
[DRAGS ON CIGARETTE]
I mean, you should see 'em.
Faces like starving animals.
They look at me.
They look to me.
You know, "Nick, say something
to Hal, okay? Do something."
[EXHALES]
I mean, it's an alarm clock.
They want a new concept
for their shitty little
alarm clock. You know the ad:
[SING-SONG] "Samson.
Because your time's
important to us."
That's what I...
You know, that's...
We're polishing the vase
while the house falls down.
Do you have an alarm clock?
I do, yes.
You happy with it?
It does the job.
Right.
But you need a new alarm clock,
Dr. Pearl,
and it's gotta be a Samson.
You want it with a new color,
want a new texture.
You want a bigger winder
for better torque.
You want a softer tick.
If you wanna kick it
off the nightstand
every morning for a year,
you can.
Our interior mechanism
is incredibly... robust.
You see what I'm saying?
Am I getting to you?
The message is simple.
Your life is lacking something.
Is that short for something?
Is what short for something?
Pearl.
Yes. It's short for Dr. Pearl.
Oh.
You were talking about
alarm clocks?
All around me,
these other firms,
they're hitting home runs.
Left and right.
[CLICKING TONGUE]
"Melts in your mouth,
not in your hand."
[CLICKS TONGUE]
That's great.
"Dollar for dollar,
you can't beat a Pontiac."
[CLICKS TONGUE]
The Marlboro Man.
[CLICKS TONGUE]
Any of your patients famous?
I-I can't discuss my patients.
Oh, right. No, I saw a skit
about that once at a nightclub.
"Doctor, patient.
Patience, doctor."
I don't wanna know their names
or, you know, anything personal.
Just if there's any products
they mention...
Mr. Penrose...
Consumers take this seriously.
Remember Jack Webb
doing Chesterfield ads?
I really can't help you there.
Oh, my God.
You look at their sales:
right through the roof.
I have the data.
Your sister mentioned something
about a recurring dream?
The woman in the dream.
"The woman in the dream."
Why do you say it that way?
PENROSE:
No, Cecilia says it
like that.
And Cecilia is your wife? Yes.
Uh-huh. And you tell her
about the dream?
I made the mistake
of mentioning it once.
Now it's just become a ritual.
It was a ritual until, uh...
until yesterday.
What happened yesterday?
I came into the kitchen,
I was telling her
about the dream.
The latest installment.
Because there's a woman
in the dream.
And when I wake up,
I don't remember who it is.
But in the dream,
I know her, absolutely.
You know, it's a very, uh...
It's not a sex dream...
exactly.
But, so we're there in the...
And I said, "Boy, who is it?"
God.
Because I was thinking about it.
And...
I felt like the air in the room
had changed, or something.
And I looked over...
and there she was,
shoulders shaking,
and she's crying.
Why was she crying?
I don't know.
Did you ask her?
She wouldn't say.
So she was upset.
Yes.
Mr. Penrose, have you given
any thought to sitting down?
Uh...
Yeah. I'm wondering
if cavemen sat around
talking about their dreams
and having coded conversations
with their wives
over cold venison.
Do you often imagine
that you're a caveman?
No.
I'm reasonably happy with 1955.
Look at the advances
in medicine:
Polio, TB, the Dodgers.
That was a joke.
So how is it with Cecilia
since her crying in the kitchen?
Oh, it's great, it's great.
She's like the nurse
when I had my tonsils out.
Civil... and unavailable.
How long is it since
you've been having this dream?
That's the thing.
It was the night Hal showed up
with the new friend on his head.
That's what
threw everything off.
You see that the issue
with the woman in the dream
is a test?
I have to show Cecilia
that I know the answer,
or she's gonna be gone.
That's why you have to help me.
If this woman
is pulling away from me,
I don't know what I'll do.
So I need to know
the answer now.
Now!
Oh.
Well, before I leave,
I gotta know.
Whoa, Mr. Penrose.
If you can get my sister to put
a sentence together...
Mr. Penrose... Call me Nick.
Nick. A human being
is not a carburetor.
We'll talk, we'll see
what happens. You understand?
Everybody's different. Yeah.
You're under
a lot of stress.
Yes.
You're anxious about the job,
the recurring dream
and the situation
with your wife.
You're much more anxious
than usual.
Exactly.
Now, there are various ways
I can try to help you reduce
your anxiety.
First one is to have you lie
down on this couch over here.
I'm sorry, on this couch?
Yes, right here.
Just put your head up on one end
and slide your feet down
the other end.
Hm...
This is working for people?
The couch?
I can tell you I've had great
success with this couch.
Should I take my shoes off?
Yes, whatever
makes you comfortable.
Right. I'm not supposed
to see you, right?
Is that part of it?
Yes, we don't want you
on sensory overload.
We want your mind
completely clear.
Oh, should I close my eyes?
I find that that helps.
Because I see things
in great detail.
It'll probably give...
It would be good.
If I just close my eyes
for a moment?
Close your eyes.
Okay.
PENROSE: Sometimes...
I imagine myself as a person
with no responsibilities.
That's very interesting.
But part of me knows
that I enjoy it.
Huh.
Yes. Now I want you to tell me
about your dream.
Okay.
But first, take a minute,
go back to the beginning
of the dream.
Once you've gotten there,
just pause for a moment,
and hold the first image
in your mind.
Are you at the beginning?
Yes.
Tell me the first thing
you see in the dream.
A woman's face.
Mm. Can you see the woman
in your mind right now?
Yes. Good. Where are you?
Are you very close,
or are you far away?
We're facing each other in bed.
It's just... We've...
You know, it's right after.
She has her hand on my cheek.
All right, that's, uh...
That's very close. Mm-hm.
Think for a minute
what it feels like to lie there.
How do you feel?
Good. Good.
Then what happens?
So now she looks at me
with this kind of funny smile...
and goes off to the bathroom...
turns on the tub
and lets it run.
[GASPS]
Ugh!
This is when I realize
that we've...
We've been in this room before.
Describe the room to me.
Okay.
Um...
Feels like a hotel room.
Doesn't feel like a place
where anybody lives.
The only personal effects in it
belong to us.
So when I hear the water
running, I think:
"Oh, I love it...
that she's gonna
take a bath." And I...
I begin to imagine her
getting ready.
You know, taking off her makeup
and putting her hair up.
Oh, and I just get so...
So excited thinking about it.
And I decide...
when I hear her turn
the water off, I'm gonna go...
I'm gonna get up,
I'm gonna go and get right in
that bathtub with her.
That's when the phone
starts ringing.
Hm.
Who do you think
might be calling?
I don't know.
Aren't you afraid
of being discovered?
No.
Not even the slightest bit
guilty?
No. Not the tiniest bit?
No. No guilt whatsoever. Hm.
Then what happens?
She sticks her head
out of the bathroom
and gives me this look
that says, you know,
"Don't we have better things
to do than answer a phone?"
I watch her from the bed
in the mirror.
She takes a bath, and she...
She gets out
and dries herself off.
Oh, God, then she climbs up
on the sink
in front of the mirror,
like a cat,
and puts on her makeup.
She finishes, and...
comes back in the bedroom.
I watch her as she gets dressed.
Then she goes in the bathroom
for a minute, closes the door.
She goes in there for a minute,
closing... Door closes.
And she comes back out
in the living room...
picks up her purse
and comes and sits down
next to me on the bed.
She puts her hand on my face.
There's a glove on her hand.
And then she kisses me.
Then she leaves.
I just lay there for a minute.
Then the phone rings again.
I go to answer it,
but there's...
There's no one at the other end.
Then what happens?
Then I wake up.
Should I stop?
No, no. Stay in the dream.
There's more work to do.
There's still a lotta...
Lotta work to do.
Oh?
Oh, okay.
I feel so sad.
Well, yes.
You want to be with her.
Yes.
All right, now.
Stay there on the bed.
You're in the dream now.
And I want you to go back.
I want you to go back
in the dream
to when the woman
is in the bathroom.
She got dressed, and she went
into the bathroom.
So let me know when you
see her go into the bathroom.
PENROSE: Mm...
Okay.
Okay, she's there? Yes.
All right.
The bathroom door is closed.
Uh, yes.
And you're lying on the bed.
Yes.
You're in the dream. Yes.
You're still in the dream. Yes.
Still in the dream.
Yeah, I'm still
in the dream.
Very good. Yeah.
Now, raise your head slowly.
Slowly.
Where are you?
I'm standing.
And where's the purse?
The purse?
Yes, you said that when
she sat down next to you
she picked up her purse.
Uh...
The purse is on the bureau.
Right.
Okay. You see it? Yes.
Go to it.
What?
I want you to
go to the purse.
[GROANS]
Uh, no, I...
I can't. Why?
She'll come out
of the bathroom and catch me.
Well, she might not.
Yeah. I can't. I can't.
I'm sorry.
I'm so... I'm sorry. Don't!
You're in a very
vulnerable state
and it's crucial that you
not feel judged at this moment.
Judged? If you turn around,
any expression on my face,
no matter how sympathetic
or supportive,
would be viewed
and imprinted as criticism.
And I cannot allow that.
I will not allow that.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, thank you.
Okay. Mm-hm.
It's...
Yeah. Okay.
Mmm.
[SIGHS]
Mm.
Let's go back to your work
for a while.
Oh, the Hal stuff?
Forget the Hal stuff.
The problem at work,
the account, the alarm clock.
Okay.
You feel as if you've run
out of ideas.
Uh, no, I feel like I've run
out of good ideas.
Right, so something's missing.
Mm... yes.
Okay.
All right.
What's your favorite part
of the dream?
Favorite part...
Uh...
Oh, oh, when she's standing
in the doorway,
while the phone rings.
Why?
Well, because it's like she's...
By standing in the door,
and letting the phone ring,
it's like she's keeping
the outside world away
for a minute.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
Oh, see,
that's where I screw up.
I answer the phone
and the dream ends.
Maybe if I didn't...
Maybe if I didn't answer
the phone,
she would come back.
So the phone is an interruption
from the outside world?
Yes.
Kind of like an ala...
Alarm clock?
Maybe.
Okay.
Ah, the phone's an alarm clock...
Are you going somewhere
with this?
Well, in the dream,
she doesn't pick up the phone.
She... savors the moment.
Right.
You hear the alarm clock
in the morning.
What happens?
I turn it off.
Yes, but what do you want to do?
Go back to sleep.
Why don't you?
Because if...
If I don't get up,
I'll fall back to sleep,
and I'll be late for work.
Yes, yes, but you just want
a few more moments of sleep.
Just a few.
Yeah, no, you'd have to reset
the entire alarm,
and the setting mechanism
isn't that precise.
What would solve
the problem, then?
Ah, well, you'd have
to turn the alarm off,
and then turn it off
again automatically
a few minutes later.
Sounds simple enough.
Yeah, just so you could
get a little snooze.
A snooze alarm.
It's like a different button
or something,
but it turns the alarm off
for, like, seven minutes
or something.
That'd be great.
That would be great,
a snooze alarm.
The snooze alarm.
Wouldn't you want one of those?
A snooze alarm?
Yes, I actually think I would.
I would.
Ooh, this is...
Hey, this is good
that I thought of that.
Oh, this could be something.
Snooze alarm.
"Samson, the alarm clock
of your dreams."
Right?
Sounds like
one of those good ideas.
Yeah. I ought to tell Cecilia.
Hmm, can I get up now?
Absolutely.
Feeling better?
Yes.
I am.
Good.
I feel as if we accomplished
something today.
I hope you feel as if we
accomplished something today.
Mm-hm. It's a good feeling.
Me too. It's good.
Yep, I do. Thank you.
Oh, no need to thank me.
The work is its own reward.
Days like today,
I just feel
incredibly fortunate.
You look spent. Yeah?
Breakthroughs can be exhausting.
Why?
Yeah, I feel really tired
all of a sudden.
Are you all right?
Well, I just feel like
I could lay down
again or something.
Well...
You have some time left
on your hour.
Lie down, and I can...
I'll just...
[MUMBLES]
That'd be great. Because I'm...
Thank you.
Mm.
[SNORES SOFTLY]
[**]
[PHONE RINGS]
[PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
[BUZZING]
[THUD]
[ALARM STOPS]
[GRUNTS, GASPS]
Son of a...
WOMAN: Nick, are you up?
You must've hit the snooze alarm
about half a dozen times.
It's becoming a ritual, Nick.
What?
What?
Promise me
that you'll talk to Hal
about his hair today.
I gotta go.
[PANTING SOFTLY]
Hal?
Can I level with you?
We-we can't, uh...
We can't go into Samson
with this. We can't...
pitch this.
We can't present this.
Uh, 'cause we don't have
anything.
We don't have anything.
There's nothing... new.
Nick, we've worked very hard
on this,
and I like to think
we've accomplished something.
Don't you feel like we-
we've accomplished something?
No.
No, I don't.
Well, neither do I.
God, it's a nightmare,
isn't it? I mean...
we're living in the shadow
of the frigging snooze alarm.
It's...
I mean, where do you
go from there?
[FAINTLY] It's horrible.
What?
[SIGHS SOFTLY]
[**]
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
[POP MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKER]
FEMALE SINGER:
* Where have you been?
* Change, change, change
* What have you done?
* Change, change, change
Change, change *
* Where since that time
* Change, change, change
* You've lost your mind
[IN ITALIAN]
* ...into laughter
* Shout as a snake
* Change, change, change
* You've learn how to manage
* Now your power's finished
* Suddenly you're Out the door *
* And I adore you
* Change, change, change
* Change, change, change
* Change, change, change
* Till there is no end
* I will
* Always remember
[CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE STARTS]
* Remember
[CAR HORN HONKS]
[POP SONG FADES OUT]
Thanks.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING
IN DISTANCE]
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING CONTINUES]
CHRISTOPHER:
CLOE:
CHRISTOPHER:
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING STOPS]
CLOE:
[**]
* What is it darling?
* You're asking me
If I remember? *
* Of course I remember
* But, darling
* What do you want me
To remember? *
* The sun?
* It's a sunny day today
* I do remember...
CHRISTOPHER:
CLOE:
[UTENSILS CLINKING,
PEOPLE CHATTERING]
Hello.
[CONVERSING INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN: Ciao. MAN: Ciao.
[SPEAKS IN ITALIAN]
[SPEAKS IN ITALIAN]
Ciao. Ciao.
Thanks.
[LOUD LAUGHTER,
INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
CHRISTOPHER:
[KNOCKS]
[KNOCKS]
Hi.
[CHUCKLES]
[**]
* One, two, three, four
* Five, six, seven, eight
* Nine, ten, eleven
How many steps? *
* A hundred
* One, two, three...
[CHUCKLES]
* ...seven, eight Nine, ten *
* How many steps?
* Two hundred
* Five, six, seven, eight
Nine, ten *
* Three hundred
* Three hundred
* One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight *
[BOTH LAUGH]
* Eight hundred
* One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight *
* What are you looking for?
* Nine, ten
[GROWLS]
* Nine hundred
* Nine hundred
[LAUGHING]
* Your power
* Mixed...
* Told you about that
* ...with cotton fibers
* Herbs
* Rocking mats
* Christmas trees
* ...four, five, six, seven
Eight, nine, ten *
* Ten hundred
* Run, run, run, run
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
* A million
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Run, run, run, run
* Nine voices
* Shining
* Voices
* Nine * Voices
WOMAN:
LINDA:
[FOOTSTEPS ON STAIRS]
[FOOTSTEPS ON FLOORBOARDS]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
CLOE:
CHRISTOPHER [ON PHONE]:
CLOE: Hi.
[WHISTLES]
[**]
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow, slow
* The bout of Madness *
* Madness
* Flows so slow
* Flows so slow, slow
* Goes on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on
* Its double whistle
* Double whistle
Goes on and on *
* And on and on and on
* So slow
* Tunnels inside
Are light and dark *
* Tunnels inside are light
* And dark and dark And dark *
* Mirror inside
* Mirrored on inside
* On and on
* Skin
* Sway to and fro
* So slow
* Sway To flow *
* It rocks the bright
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
["MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI"
FADES OUT]
[**]
[**]
[**]
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow, slow
* The bout of Madness *
* Madness
* Flows so slow
* Flows so slow, slow
* Goes on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* Its double whistle
* Double whistle
Goes on and on *
* And on and on and on
* Flowing slow
* Tunnels inside
Are light and dark *
* Tunnels inside are light
* And dark and dark And dark *
* Mirror inside
* Mirrored on inside
* On and on
* Skin
* Sway to and...
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
["MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI"
FADES OUT]
[RAIN FALLING]
[DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES]
[IN CHINESE]
WOMAN:
[WOMAN LAUGHS SOFTLY]
[CHINESE SWING MUSIC FADES IN]
[WOMAN SINGS IN CHINESE]
MAN:
MAN 2: MAN:
MAN:
[DOORBELL BUZZES]
WOMAN:
[CICADAS BUZZ]
[MAN AND WOMAN PANTING SOFTLY]
[PANTING INTENSIFIES]
[WOMAN GASPING]
[DOOR OPENS]
SERVANT:
ZHAO:
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
SERVANT:
WOMAN:
SERVANT:
Oh.
MAN:
[SWING MUSIC ENDS]
HUA:
HUA:
[SOFT RUSTLING]
[ZHANG BREATHES TREMULOUSLY]
[**]
[ZHANG GASPING]
[GASPS INTENSELY]
[BREATHING SOFTLY]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]
JIN:
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
HUA:
[GIGGLES]
[MOANING, KISSING]
[GIGGLES]
SERVANT:
[DOOR CLOSES]
HUA:
YING:
[SWING MUSIC
PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[DOORBELL BUZZES]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES] [LAUGHS]
YING:
HUA:
[LAUGHS]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
HUA:
[HUA LAUGHS]
[SEWING MACHINES WHIRRING]
[PEOPLE CONVERSING INDISTINCTLY]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOOR OPENS]
YING:
HUA:
[DOOR SLAMS]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]
YING:
[BEADS SCATTER]
[DOOR SLAMS]
JIN:
HUA:
[FOOTSTEPS RECEDE]
JIN:
[OBJECTS THROWN, SCATTERING]
ZHAO:
[CRASH]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING, MUFFLED]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING LOUDLY]
[WOMAN SINGING IN CHINESE]
Mm.
[RAIN FALLING OUTSIDE]
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
[SLOW SWING BALLAD
PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[BALLAD ENDS]
[RINGS DOORBELL]
[DOOR OPENS]
WOMAN:
[DOOR CLOSES]
WOMAN 2:
WOMAN 1:
[HEAVY RAIN FALLING]
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
RADIO ANNOUNCER:
[DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES]
[COUGHING]
[TELEPHONE RINGS]
[RINGING CONTINUES]
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
ZHANG:
[LIQUID FILLS GLASS]
[BOTH LAUGH SOFTLY]
Hm?
[**]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
[BEDSPRINGS SQUEAKING]
[HUA GASPING,
SQUEAKING INTENSIFIES]
[SQUEAKING CONTINUES, MUFFLED]
[RAIN PATTERING SOFTLY]
[THUNDER RUMBLES]
[CICADAS BUZZ]
[SIGHS QUIETLY]
[CICADAS BUZZING]
[MOANING SOFTLY]
[CICADA BUZZING GROWS LOUDER]
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
ZHANG:
HUA:
[HUA LAUGHS SOFTLY]
[SIGHS]
[**]
[ZHANG SOBS]
JIN:
ZHANG:
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Hm?
[SWING MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC STOPS, CICADAS BUZZ]
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
[**]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
[RINGING STOPS]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
[RINGING ECHOES, FADES OUT]
MAN:
No, I remember exactly
when it happened. It was, uh...
It was two weeks ago...
yesterday.
That was the day
that I lost my equilibrium.
It was the day after
we were told
we'd be pitching
the Samson account.
And Hal, our head copy guy,
comes in, and he's wearing a...
What's the socially acceptable
term? Toupee.
This...
Somebody hunted this,
trapped this,
killed this
and taped it to Hal's head.
You know, we're in shock.
You can hear
the molecules moving.
And before we've processed
this betrayal,
Hal says, calmly, that he's
decided to do something
about his hair problem,
and he'd appreciate it
if we'd kindly refrain
from making it a topic
of comment or conversation.
This is my team.
They're good people.
They're great at what they do.
It's like jazz,
watching them in a room.
If we can't talk about
this senseless tragedy
of Hal's hair...
[DRAGS ON CIGARETTE]
I mean, you should see 'em.
Faces like starving animals.
They look at me.
They look to me.
You know, "Nick, say something
to Hal, okay? Do something."
[EXHALES]
I mean, it's an alarm clock.
They want a new concept
for their shitty little
alarm clock. You know the ad:
[SING-SONG] "Samson.
Because your time's
important to us."
That's what I...
You know, that's...
We're polishing the vase
while the house falls down.
Do you have an alarm clock?
I do, yes.
You happy with it?
It does the job.
Right.
But you need a new alarm clock,
Dr. Pearl,
and it's gotta be a Samson.
You want it with a new color,
want a new texture.
You want a bigger winder
for better torque.
You want a softer tick.
If you wanna kick it
off the nightstand
every morning for a year,
you can.
Our interior mechanism
is incredibly... robust.
You see what I'm saying?
Am I getting to you?
The message is simple.
Your life is lacking something.
Is that short for something?
Is what short for something?
Pearl.
Yes. It's short for Dr. Pearl.
Oh.
You were talking about
alarm clocks?
All around me,
these other firms,
they're hitting home runs.
Left and right.
[CLICKING TONGUE]
"Melts in your mouth,
not in your hand."
[CLICKS TONGUE]
That's great.
"Dollar for dollar,
you can't beat a Pontiac."
[CLICKS TONGUE]
The Marlboro Man.
[CLICKS TONGUE]
Any of your patients famous?
I-I can't discuss my patients.
Oh, right. No, I saw a skit
about that once at a nightclub.
"Doctor, patient.
Patience, doctor."
I don't wanna know their names
or, you know, anything personal.
Just if there's any products
they mention...
Mr. Penrose...
Consumers take this seriously.
Remember Jack Webb
doing Chesterfield ads?
I really can't help you there.
Oh, my God.
You look at their sales:
right through the roof.
I have the data.
Your sister mentioned something
about a recurring dream?
The woman in the dream.
"The woman in the dream."
Why do you say it that way?
PENROSE:
No, Cecilia says it
like that.
And Cecilia is your wife? Yes.
Uh-huh. And you tell her
about the dream?
I made the mistake
of mentioning it once.
Now it's just become a ritual.
It was a ritual until, uh...
until yesterday.
What happened yesterday?
I came into the kitchen,
I was telling her
about the dream.
The latest installment.
Because there's a woman
in the dream.
And when I wake up,
I don't remember who it is.
But in the dream,
I know her, absolutely.
You know, it's a very, uh...
It's not a sex dream...
exactly.
But, so we're there in the...
And I said, "Boy, who is it?"
God.
Because I was thinking about it.
And...
I felt like the air in the room
had changed, or something.
And I looked over...
and there she was,
shoulders shaking,
and she's crying.
Why was she crying?
I don't know.
Did you ask her?
She wouldn't say.
So she was upset.
Yes.
Mr. Penrose, have you given
any thought to sitting down?
Uh...
Yeah. I'm wondering
if cavemen sat around
talking about their dreams
and having coded conversations
with their wives
over cold venison.
Do you often imagine
that you're a caveman?
No.
I'm reasonably happy with 1955.
Look at the advances
in medicine:
Polio, TB, the Dodgers.
That was a joke.
So how is it with Cecilia
since her crying in the kitchen?
Oh, it's great, it's great.
She's like the nurse
when I had my tonsils out.
Civil... and unavailable.
How long is it since
you've been having this dream?
That's the thing.
It was the night Hal showed up
with the new friend on his head.
That's what
threw everything off.
You see that the issue
with the woman in the dream
is a test?
I have to show Cecilia
that I know the answer,
or she's gonna be gone.
That's why you have to help me.
If this woman
is pulling away from me,
I don't know what I'll do.
So I need to know
the answer now.
Now!
Oh.
Well, before I leave,
I gotta know.
Whoa, Mr. Penrose.
If you can get my sister to put
a sentence together...
Mr. Penrose... Call me Nick.
Nick. A human being
is not a carburetor.
We'll talk, we'll see
what happens. You understand?
Everybody's different. Yeah.
You're under
a lot of stress.
Yes.
You're anxious about the job,
the recurring dream
and the situation
with your wife.
You're much more anxious
than usual.
Exactly.
Now, there are various ways
I can try to help you reduce
your anxiety.
First one is to have you lie
down on this couch over here.
I'm sorry, on this couch?
Yes, right here.
Just put your head up on one end
and slide your feet down
the other end.
Hm...
This is working for people?
The couch?
I can tell you I've had great
success with this couch.
Should I take my shoes off?
Yes, whatever
makes you comfortable.
Right. I'm not supposed
to see you, right?
Is that part of it?
Yes, we don't want you
on sensory overload.
We want your mind
completely clear.
Oh, should I close my eyes?
I find that that helps.
Because I see things
in great detail.
It'll probably give...
It would be good.
If I just close my eyes
for a moment?
Close your eyes.
Okay.
PENROSE: Sometimes...
I imagine myself as a person
with no responsibilities.
That's very interesting.
But part of me knows
that I enjoy it.
Huh.
Yes. Now I want you to tell me
about your dream.
Okay.
But first, take a minute,
go back to the beginning
of the dream.
Once you've gotten there,
just pause for a moment,
and hold the first image
in your mind.
Are you at the beginning?
Yes.
Tell me the first thing
you see in the dream.
A woman's face.
Mm. Can you see the woman
in your mind right now?
Yes. Good. Where are you?
Are you very close,
or are you far away?
We're facing each other in bed.
It's just... We've...
You know, it's right after.
She has her hand on my cheek.
All right, that's, uh...
That's very close. Mm-hm.
Think for a minute
what it feels like to lie there.
How do you feel?
Good. Good.
Then what happens?
So now she looks at me
with this kind of funny smile...
and goes off to the bathroom...
turns on the tub
and lets it run.
[GASPS]
Ugh!
This is when I realize
that we've...
We've been in this room before.
Describe the room to me.
Okay.
Um...
Feels like a hotel room.
Doesn't feel like a place
where anybody lives.
The only personal effects in it
belong to us.
So when I hear the water
running, I think:
"Oh, I love it...
that she's gonna
take a bath." And I...
I begin to imagine her
getting ready.
You know, taking off her makeup
and putting her hair up.
Oh, and I just get so...
So excited thinking about it.
And I decide...
when I hear her turn
the water off, I'm gonna go...
I'm gonna get up,
I'm gonna go and get right in
that bathtub with her.
That's when the phone
starts ringing.
Hm.
Who do you think
might be calling?
I don't know.
Aren't you afraid
of being discovered?
No.
Not even the slightest bit
guilty?
No. Not the tiniest bit?
No. No guilt whatsoever. Hm.
Then what happens?
She sticks her head
out of the bathroom
and gives me this look
that says, you know,
"Don't we have better things
to do than answer a phone?"
I watch her from the bed
in the mirror.
She takes a bath, and she...
She gets out
and dries herself off.
Oh, God, then she climbs up
on the sink
in front of the mirror,
like a cat,
and puts on her makeup.
She finishes, and...
comes back in the bedroom.
I watch her as she gets dressed.
Then she goes in the bathroom
for a minute, closes the door.
She goes in there for a minute,
closing... Door closes.
And she comes back out
in the living room...
picks up her purse
and comes and sits down
next to me on the bed.
She puts her hand on my face.
There's a glove on her hand.
And then she kisses me.
Then she leaves.
I just lay there for a minute.
Then the phone rings again.
I go to answer it,
but there's...
There's no one at the other end.
Then what happens?
Then I wake up.
Should I stop?
No, no. Stay in the dream.
There's more work to do.
There's still a lotta...
Lotta work to do.
Oh?
Oh, okay.
I feel so sad.
Well, yes.
You want to be with her.
Yes.
All right, now.
Stay there on the bed.
You're in the dream now.
And I want you to go back.
I want you to go back
in the dream
to when the woman
is in the bathroom.
She got dressed, and she went
into the bathroom.
So let me know when you
see her go into the bathroom.
PENROSE: Mm...
Okay.
Okay, she's there? Yes.
All right.
The bathroom door is closed.
Uh, yes.
And you're lying on the bed.
Yes.
You're in the dream. Yes.
You're still in the dream. Yes.
Still in the dream.
Yeah, I'm still
in the dream.
Very good. Yeah.
Now, raise your head slowly.
Slowly.
Where are you?
I'm standing.
And where's the purse?
The purse?
Yes, you said that when
she sat down next to you
she picked up her purse.
Uh...
The purse is on the bureau.
Right.
Okay. You see it? Yes.
Go to it.
What?
I want you to
go to the purse.
[GROANS]
Uh, no, I...
I can't. Why?
She'll come out
of the bathroom and catch me.
Well, she might not.
Yeah. I can't. I can't.
I'm sorry.
I'm so... I'm sorry. Don't!
You're in a very
vulnerable state
and it's crucial that you
not feel judged at this moment.
Judged? If you turn around,
any expression on my face,
no matter how sympathetic
or supportive,
would be viewed
and imprinted as criticism.
And I cannot allow that.
I will not allow that.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, thank you.
Okay. Mm-hm.
It's...
Yeah. Okay.
Mmm.
[SIGHS]
Mm.
Let's go back to your work
for a while.
Oh, the Hal stuff?
Forget the Hal stuff.
The problem at work,
the account, the alarm clock.
Okay.
You feel as if you've run
out of ideas.
Uh, no, I feel like I've run
out of good ideas.
Right, so something's missing.
Mm... yes.
Okay.
All right.
What's your favorite part
of the dream?
Favorite part...
Uh...
Oh, oh, when she's standing
in the doorway,
while the phone rings.
Why?
Well, because it's like she's...
By standing in the door,
and letting the phone ring,
it's like she's keeping
the outside world away
for a minute.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
Oh, see,
that's where I screw up.
I answer the phone
and the dream ends.
Maybe if I didn't...
Maybe if I didn't answer
the phone,
she would come back.
So the phone is an interruption
from the outside world?
Yes.
Kind of like an ala...
Alarm clock?
Maybe.
Okay.
Ah, the phone's an alarm clock...
Are you going somewhere
with this?
Well, in the dream,
she doesn't pick up the phone.
She... savors the moment.
Right.
You hear the alarm clock
in the morning.
What happens?
I turn it off.
Yes, but what do you want to do?
Go back to sleep.
Why don't you?
Because if...
If I don't get up,
I'll fall back to sleep,
and I'll be late for work.
Yes, yes, but you just want
a few more moments of sleep.
Just a few.
Yeah, no, you'd have to reset
the entire alarm,
and the setting mechanism
isn't that precise.
What would solve
the problem, then?
Ah, well, you'd have
to turn the alarm off,
and then turn it off
again automatically
a few minutes later.
Sounds simple enough.
Yeah, just so you could
get a little snooze.
A snooze alarm.
It's like a different button
or something,
but it turns the alarm off
for, like, seven minutes
or something.
That'd be great.
That would be great,
a snooze alarm.
The snooze alarm.
Wouldn't you want one of those?
A snooze alarm?
Yes, I actually think I would.
I would.
Ooh, this is...
Hey, this is good
that I thought of that.
Oh, this could be something.
Snooze alarm.
"Samson, the alarm clock
of your dreams."
Right?
Sounds like
one of those good ideas.
Yeah. I ought to tell Cecilia.
Hmm, can I get up now?
Absolutely.
Feeling better?
Yes.
I am.
Good.
I feel as if we accomplished
something today.
I hope you feel as if we
accomplished something today.
Mm-hm. It's a good feeling.
Me too. It's good.
Yep, I do. Thank you.
Oh, no need to thank me.
The work is its own reward.
Days like today,
I just feel
incredibly fortunate.
You look spent. Yeah?
Breakthroughs can be exhausting.
Why?
Yeah, I feel really tired
all of a sudden.
Are you all right?
Well, I just feel like
I could lay down
again or something.
Well...
You have some time left
on your hour.
Lie down, and I can...
I'll just...
[MUMBLES]
That'd be great. Because I'm...
Thank you.
Mm.
[SNORES SOFTLY]
[**]
[PHONE RINGS]
[PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
[BUZZING]
[THUD]
[ALARM STOPS]
[GRUNTS, GASPS]
Son of a...
WOMAN: Nick, are you up?
You must've hit the snooze alarm
about half a dozen times.
It's becoming a ritual, Nick.
What?
What?
Promise me
that you'll talk to Hal
about his hair today.
I gotta go.
[PANTING SOFTLY]
Hal?
Can I level with you?
We-we can't, uh...
We can't go into Samson
with this. We can't...
pitch this.
We can't present this.
Uh, 'cause we don't have
anything.
We don't have anything.
There's nothing... new.
Nick, we've worked very hard
on this,
and I like to think
we've accomplished something.
Don't you feel like we-
we've accomplished something?
No.
No, I don't.
Well, neither do I.
God, it's a nightmare,
isn't it? I mean...
we're living in the shadow
of the frigging snooze alarm.
It's...
I mean, where do you
go from there?
[FAINTLY] It's horrible.
What?
[SIGHS SOFTLY]
[**]
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
[POP MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKER]
FEMALE SINGER:
* Where have you been?
* Change, change, change
* What have you done?
* Change, change, change
Change, change *
* Where since that time
* Change, change, change
* You've lost your mind
[IN ITALIAN]
* ...into laughter
* Shout as a snake
* Change, change, change
* You've learn how to manage
* Now your power's finished
* Suddenly you're Out the door *
* And I adore you
* Change, change, change
* Change, change, change
* Change, change, change
* Till there is no end
* I will
* Always remember
[CAR DOOR CLOSES, ENGINE STARTS]
* Remember
[CAR HORN HONKS]
[POP SONG FADES OUT]
Thanks.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING
IN DISTANCE]
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING CONTINUES]
CHRISTOPHER:
CLOE:
CHRISTOPHER:
[ETHEREAL VOCALIZING STOPS]
CLOE:
[**]
* What is it darling?
* You're asking me
If I remember? *
* Of course I remember
* But, darling
* What do you want me
To remember? *
* The sun?
* It's a sunny day today
* I do remember...
CHRISTOPHER:
CLOE:
[UTENSILS CLINKING,
PEOPLE CHATTERING]
Hello.
[CONVERSING INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN: Ciao. MAN: Ciao.
[SPEAKS IN ITALIAN]
[SPEAKS IN ITALIAN]
Ciao. Ciao.
Thanks.
[LOUD LAUGHTER,
INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
CHRISTOPHER:
[KNOCKS]
[KNOCKS]
Hi.
[CHUCKLES]
[**]
* One, two, three, four
* Five, six, seven, eight
* Nine, ten, eleven
How many steps? *
* A hundred
* One, two, three...
[CHUCKLES]
* ...seven, eight Nine, ten *
* How many steps?
* Two hundred
* Five, six, seven, eight
Nine, ten *
* Three hundred
* Three hundred
* One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight *
[BOTH LAUGH]
* Eight hundred
* One, two, three, four
Five, six, seven, eight *
* What are you looking for?
* Nine, ten
[GROWLS]
* Nine hundred
* Nine hundred
[LAUGHING]
* Your power
* Mixed...
* Told you about that
* ...with cotton fibers
* Herbs
* Rocking mats
* Christmas trees
* ...four, five, six, seven
Eight, nine, ten *
* Ten hundred
* Run, run, run, run
[LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS]
* A million
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Run, run, run, run
* Nine voices
* Shining
* Voices
* Nine * Voices
WOMAN:
LINDA:
[FOOTSTEPS ON STAIRS]
[FOOTSTEPS ON FLOORBOARDS]
[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
CLOE:
CHRISTOPHER [ON PHONE]:
CLOE: Hi.
[WHISTLES]
[**]
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow, slow
* The bout of Madness *
* Madness
* Flows so slow
* Flows so slow, slow
* Goes on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on
* Its double whistle
* Double whistle
Goes on and on *
* And on and on and on
* So slow
* Tunnels inside
Are light and dark *
* Tunnels inside are light
* And dark and dark And dark *
* Mirror inside
* Mirrored on inside
* On and on
* Skin
* Sway to and fro
* So slow
* Sway To flow *
* It rocks the bright
[CAETANO VELOSO'S
"MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI" PLAYS]
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
* Visione del silenzio
* Angolo vuoto
* Pagina senza parole
* Una lettera scritta
Sopra un viso *
* Di pietra
* E vapore
* Amore
* Inutile finestra
[SINGER VOCALIZING]
["MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI"
FADES OUT]
[**]
[**]
[**]
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow
* Flowing water
* Flowing slow, slow, slow
* The bout of Madness *
* Madness
* Flows so slow
* Flows so slow, slow
* Goes on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* And on and on and on
* Its double whistle
* Double whistle
Goes on and on *
* And on and on and on
* Flowing slow
* Tunnels inside
Are light and dark *
* Tunnels inside are light
* And dark and dark And dark *
* Mirror inside
* Mirrored on inside
* On and on
* Skin
* Sway to and...