Happy Together (1997) - full transcript

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A JET TONE PRODUCTION

A WONG KAR-WAI FILM

HAPPY TOGETHER

Lai Yiu-Fai...

we could start over.

Ho Po-Wing always says,
"Let's start over,"

and it gets to me every time.



We've been together for a while
and break up often,

but whenever he says, "Let's start over,"
I find myself back with him.

So we left Hong Kong to start over.

We hit the road
and ended up in Argentina.

Where is Iguazu?

Iguazu? It's the other way.

Didn't you say you could read a map?
We're miles off!

So what's the big deal?
Turn around and find the road.

Why did we get a car?
We should've taken a bus.

This wreck is useless!

You drive!

It's better than nothing.

We're not rich.

And who wants to be stuck
in a bus for 30 hours?



That's what traveling is like!

I didn't know this would happen.

Get out and push.

When we first got here,
we had no idea where to go.

Then Po-Wing bought a lamp
and I really liked it.

We wanted to find
the waterfall on the lamp.

We found out it was at Iguazu.

We planned to see it and then go home,
but we lost our way.

Hey.

Where are you going?

I never did find out
where we were that day.

He only said
being with me was boring

and that we should take a break.

One day we might start over.

"Starting over"
means different things to him.

It's hard for Chinese people
to find work in Argentina.

After we broke up,
I came to Buenos Aires.

I became a doorman at a tango bar.

Let me go!

Welcome!

This way!

Go right on in!

Take a seat inside.

Seeing him again,
I didn't want to "start over."

I just wanted to return
to Hong Kong.

Fai, you've got a call.

They won't stop calling.

What is it?

I said stand still!

Smile!

Fuck it!

Fai, the call is for you!

Hello?

Hello?
Can you hear me?

How did you get my number?

Ho Po-Wing, open the door!

Open the door!

What's up, Lai Yiu-Fai?

What's up, Ho Po-Wing?

Come in.

Why should I?

I want to talk to you.

We can talk here.

I've got something to tell you!

So talk!

What are you doing?

That's it.

You can go now.

- Go on.
- Don't push me.

I'll hit you.

Really?

Kill me if you dare!

- You little shit!
- You think you?re any better?

"Welcome! This way!"

Isn't that prostitution?

Leave me alone!

You have your white trash
to take care of you!

Fuck you!

I'm broke!
You spent all the money!

I want to go back to Hong Kong,
but I don't have any money!

You think I like that job?

- Do you regret being with me?
- You bet I do!

I had no regrets till I met you.

Now my regrets could kill me!

Well?

Are you showing off?

Showing me you're well-off?

I couldn't give a shit!

Why did you ask me to come?

I just want to be with you.

I really do.

For you.

You can sell it if you don't like it.

Shit.

What is it now?

Can I have the watch back?

Let's sit in the back.
It's darker.

You don't want to be seen with me?

Not with your face looking like that.

So you can see!
I didn't think you?d noticed.

You didn't say anything,
so I thought you couldn't see.

You noticed that I got beaten up.

What do you want me to say?
What happened, happened.

We were friends for so long.
You could say something nice.

This happened because of you.

Don't say that.
Don't blame it on me.

I didn't ask for that watch.

But you took it.
You could've given it back.

- Then I wouldn't have gotten beat up.
- You want more?

- Should I go with you?
- Don't bother.

I'm the only one
you can bully around.

You live here?

Wait here.

Here you go.

What now?

Got a cigarette?

A light?

Don't come looking for me again.

Fai?

He moved out quite a while ago.

Don't mention it.
Good-bye.

Lai Yiu-Fai!

Lai Yiu-Fai...

let's start over.

It's nice here.

- How long have you lived here?
- A few months.

- It's not exactly centrally located.
- It's cheap.

Of course.

Nice high ceiling.
Good view outside.

You still have that lamp?

I thought you'd have thrown it away.

Did you ever get to see the falls?

No, did you?

No.

I was waiting for you.

We'll go when I'm better.

We'll see.

Sleep here tonight.

- What about you?
- I'll take the sofa.

Could you take one more?

Please get lower.

One, two, three, smile!

Thank you.

Hey, Ho Po-Wing.
Let's eat.

Get up and come eat.

Give me some chicken.

Am I very dirty?

The doctor said no showers.

- What are all these bites?
- Your bed has fleas.

That's what happens when it rains.

When the weather's better,
you should disinfect the bed.

I don't want to get bitten to death.

Lift your arm.

Hey, that hurts.

- Be gentle.
- You said you were dirty.

You're scrubbing too hard.

Spray over there too.

That's where you sleep.

- What?
- Cigarettes.

Over there.

They're all gone.

- I'll go buy some.
- Don't bother. Go to sleep.

What'd you like?

Cigarettes.

Okay.

- Thank you.
- Bye.

What are you doing?
You got your own bed.

I like this.

The sofa's too small for two.

It's not.
I think it's quite comfortable.

Why did you bite me?

I'm hungry.

You want the sofa?

What?

Then I'll take the bed.

Just go back to sleep.

If you want the bed, I'll stay here.

Be quiet, will you?

- Hey!
- Okay, I'll sleep on the bed.

Why can't you be nice?

The bed's too small.

What do you mean?

I can sleep on top of you.

We can sleep like this.

Are you going to sleep here?

Don't be like that.

What now?

Let's sleep like this, okay?

You sleep here.

Let's sleep like this.

- Stop pawing me.
- More like the other way around!

Good night. Let's sleep.

Watch my hand. It hurts.

Boss!

Gimme a mozzarella pizza.

Napoletana?

Mozzarella.

Napoletana?

No, mozzarella.

- Mozzarella?
- Yes.

Move it, fatty!

- You are Chinese?
- Alright!

- You can't just take away...
- Give it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Notice anything different?

I'm warning you:
No more of your games.

I can't go on!

Come on!

Keep moving!
Morning exercise is good for you.

It's cold!
Let's do this tomorrow!

It's not that cold.
Keep moving!

- You're right, it's freezing.
- So now what?

Okay, let's go back.

Fuck!

Lai Yiu-Fai...

how do you feel?

Terrible.

You're feverish.

Of course I am.

What were you thinking?

Why did you drag me out in the cold?
It was freezing.

I didn't think you were so weak
that you'd get sick.

Can you get up?

What for?

To cook something.

I'm starving!
I haven't eaten for two days!

I'm starving to death!

Are you not human or what?

You ask a sick man to cook for you?

We're rich!

Where's the ticket?
I'll claim the money!

You keep forgetting the steps.

Try it without me.

You keep forgetting the steps
you already learned.

Other way.

I got it.

You sure?

Let's try it here.

One...

two...

three...

four...

Hello?

What a coincidence.

You out for a walk?

I was waiting for you, silly.

Hey, why didn't you tell me?

Tell you what?

I called you at work.
They said you'd quit.

You didn't mention it.

What's there to say?

Did you make a big exit?

I'm not saying.

Come on! I won't be able to sleep
if you don't tell me.

You can always go out
if you can't sleep.

If I don't get to sleep,
you won't either. Am I right?

- What do you mean?
- Why won't you tell me?

- Tell me!
- No.

- Tell me!
- No! You're so annoying!

- Fai!
- What?

- We're out of coffee cups, quick!
- Okay.

- Noodles!
- Alright. Two more cups of coffee.

You can tell it's a kitchen
by the sounds.

Listen carefully.

Some people are cooking,
some are arguing.

Others are talking on the phone
or washing dishes.

What are you doing?

Have you eaten?

I said have you eaten yet?

I'll bring something back for you.

What do you want?

Don't play games. Just tell me.

Whatever they've got.

Okay. Ciao.

This guy loves talking on the phone,
and his voice always sounds pleasant.

He must be talking
to someone he likes.

Everyone's gone.
Finish that tomorrow.

I said leave it for tomorrow.

It's okay.
I have nothing else to do.

Didn't you come here on vacation?

Yeah, but I ran out of money.

You want some?

I'm okay.

No charge.

Great.

How is it?

Real good.

Enjoy it. I'm going.

See you.

Fai, want to play mahjong?

No, count me out.
You guys have fun.

Missing some?

No. Just working out
how long I have to stay.

Things are pricey here.

You reading a map?
Where are you going?

I want to see the falls.

They're great.

Have you been?

- No.
- Then how do you know they're great?

Going somewhere new is fun.
You going alone?

With a friend.

I envy you.
Looks like I'm stuck here.

Where do you want to go?

I don't know. As far as I can.

Doesn't your family worry?

I'm here on my own.
They don't know where I am.

Planning to go back?

I left 'cause I wasn't happy.

I need to think things over
before I go back.

Enough about that.
Have a good time.

I can't. We're really busy.
How about tomorrow?

Movies are half price on Wednesday.

I can't take a day off!

Fai, bring me three eggs!

Hang on.

Hello?

It's for you.

Hello? That was my coworker.

We'll talk when I get back.

I've got to go. Bye.

We're busy and you're on the phone!

- What's wrong? I'm cold!
- You were looking through my things!

Why would I? Are you crazy?

My drawer's all messed up!

Look at my hands!
You think I did it with my mouth?

Do it again and I'll break your legs!

Fine! Go ahead!

Then they'll match my hands!

Think I went through your closet too?

If you do it again,
you can just get out!

You mean it?

Then help me get dressed
and I'll leave now!

- You wouldn't miss me too much?
- I'd rather sleep on the street!

It's you who would miss me!

Crazy!

Did he pick you up
or did you pick him up?

- Did you do it?
- What?

- You know what.
- What?

You know!

What do you mean?

Leave me alone.
Haven't you slept with other guys?

Okay. You don't ask me,
and I won't ask you.

Don't come over here!
I'll hit you!

- Okay, okay.
- Sleep over there!

You get so touchy sometimes.

I was just going to ask
if there was something on your mind.

Why are you in such a bad mood?

- Get up!
- What now? What is it?

Didn't you want to sleep?

Since you're so fond of questions,

tell me who you've slept with!

I asked if you had slept with him.
Why are you asking me?

Now it's my turn.
Who have you slept with?

- You want to know?
- Yes.

It's already half past 3:00.

I've had so many boyfriends,
it'd take me hours to remember them all.

I don't mind. I'm not sleepy.
Take your time.

I don't want to.

- You little slut!
- Hey, hey!

Stop it! Stop it!

Get out!

You mean it?

- Yes, I mean it.
- Okay! Don't touch me!

- I can go myself.
- Get out!

I've got bruises.
You know I'm injured.

Get out!

I can't get any sleep.

Go on, freeze to death.

So, how many times?

Tell me.

How many times what?

How many times did you two do it?

If you did it, admit it.

A lot. All right?

Were there others?

Have you had the janitor downstairs?

I'm not like you.

Hey.

Will it take much longer?

This is Fai.

Is Po-Wing there?

Thank you. Bye.

It's so dark.
Why don't you turn the light on?

Where have you been?

Buying cigarettes.

Why are you so dressed up?

I don't get out often,
so I dress up when I do.

Why did you buy so many?

To save you having
to go out for them at night.

Where have you been?

For a walk. I was bored.

Want some food?

Are you really bored?

Do we have to go through this again?

If I want to go out, I'll go out.

Fine.

You always do what you like.

You taking the bed tonight?
I'll take the sofa.

I'll take the sofa.

I wasn't sure you were coming back.

Eat.

Watch out!

Tackle him...

Pass it.

Damn it!

Cool it!

Stop it!

We'll play some other time.

One thing I never told Ho Po-Wing

was that I didn't want
him to recover too quickly.

Those were our happiest days.

Can't you pay the rent first?

What do you want?

- Can't you see I'm cooking?
- You still gotta pay the rent!

I can't pay you anything right now!

I got loads of other bills to pay for!

Where's the passport you took?

I didn't.

Then why can't I find it?

No idea.

Give me back my passport.

- What do you want it for?
- None of your business!

I'm not giving it back.

- What are you looking for?
- You know very well.

Give it back!

How many times
do I have to tell you?

I'm not giving it back.

Yeah, hit me!

Hit me! Hit me!

- Hit me!
- Fucker!

Not playing mahjong today?

I don't feel like it.

Want to go for a drink?

You throwing up?
Let me help you.

Where's your place?

Damn it.
Stop holding on to me.

Don't fight!

No hands!

Over here!

Want to see a movie with me?

I don't like movies.
They give me a headache.

Weirdo.

Right, I'm a weirdo.

She's pretty easy.

Then why not go out with her?

I don't like her voice.

I like women's voices

to be deep and low.

Actually, it depends.

What I mean is,
voices that make my heart beat faster.

What about you?
What kind of woman?s voice do you like?

I don't really care.

You should go home
and get some sleep.

I'm listening to those guys talking.

From this far away?

I'm not sure what they're saying,
but they're going to fight.

You have really good hearing.

It's a habit of mine.
I had eye problems when I was little.

I couldn't see well, so I listened.

My sight was corrected,
but I never lost the habit of listening.

Sometimes I think ears
are more important.

You "see" better with your ears.

You can pretend to look happy,
but your voice reveals the truth.

If you listen closely, you understand.

Really?

Just like your voice now
shows you're not happy.

So what are they saying over there?

I'll try.

Nice game!

Three bucks.

Chang!

- How much did we win?
- bucks.

Two for you.

Why do you get three?

Okay, three for you.

Chang has the liveliest voice
of all of us.

You get hot
playing soccer in the alley.

Not sure why,
but this summer's going by so fast.

A toast to friendship.
Thanks for everything.

You saved up enough?

- Yeah.
- Congratulations.

- Where are you going next?
- South to Ushuaia.

It's cold there.

They say it's the end of the world.
I'd like to see it.

You ever been there?

There's a lighthouse down there.

Heartbroken people go there...

and leave their unhappiness behind.

Do people still do that?

Maybe. I don't know.

Say something.

What?

You're my only friend here.

It'll be a souvenir.
I don't like pictures.

- I don't know what to say.
- Whatever.

Anything from your heart.

Even something sad.

I'll take it to the end of the world.

- I'm not sad.
- Something cheerful, then.

Go ahead. I'm going to dance.

Are you okay?

Want me to help you upstairs?

I'm all right.

You sure?

You go on now.

Good-bye, then.

Take care of yourself.

I hope we'll meet again someday.

Close your eyes.

- Why?
- Close your eyes.

- You know who you look like?
- Who?

The blind swordsman.

No kidding!

Have fun.

Was it because we had become close?

When I held him, all I could hear

was my own heart beating.

Did he hear it too?

I didn't used to pick up men
in filthy public toilets.

These days I do,
'cause it's the simplest way.

I didn't think
I'd see Po-Wing there.

I've never gone back since.

I always thought
I was different from Po-Wing.

Turns out lonely people
are all the same.

Before I left Hong Kong,
I stole some money from work.

My father got me that job.

The boss was an old friend of his.

Since I got here,
I haven't stopped working.

Someday I hope to return the money,
and I want to apologize to my father.

Hello? Dad?

This is Fai.

December's very hot in Argentina.
It's my day off.

I want to send him a Christmas card,
but it turns into a long letter.

Apart from saying I'm sorry, I tell him
things he's been wanting to know.

In the end I say

I hope he treats me as a friend

and gives me a chance to start over.

The damn pigs are so heavy...

I'm very tired...

To boost my income, I've started
working in a slaughterhouse.

The pay's much better,
and the hours suit me fine.

Work all night, sleep all day.

I'm back on Hong Kong time.

Hello? It's me.

What goes around comes around.

Po-Wing called soon after. His excuse
was he wanted his passport back.

I don't mind returning it,
but I don't want to see him.

I dread hearing what he always says.

I'm having trouble sleeping again.

Watching TV I realized
that Hong Kong and Argentina

are on opposite sides of the world.

I wonder how Hong Kong looks
upside down.

Since I don't want
to stay in the room,

I work overtime
at the slaughterhouse.

Po-Wing's words still get to me,
but this time I won't let them.

Hello.

Yes.
No, Fai doesn't live here anymore.

He moved. Bye.

With my long hours at work,
I soon save enough to go home.

Before I leave Argentina,
I decide to try to see the falls again.

I lose my way
and wander around for a while,

but I finally reach Iguazu.

I feel very sad.

I feel like there should be
two of us standing here.

In January 1997, I finally arrive
at the end of the world.

This is the southernmost
lighthouse in South America.

Beyond this is the South Pole.

Suddenly I feel like going home.

I promised Fai
to leave his sadness here.

I don't know
what he said that night.

Maybe the recorder broke.
I can't hear anything on the tape.

Just some strange noises,
like someone sobbing.

Due to flight problems,

I return to Buenos Aires
the night before I leave for Taiwan.

I want to say good-bye to Fai,

but nobody knows where he is.

The day is beginning as I leave.

It must be night in Taipei now.

I wonder if the Liao Ning
night market has started.

Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping died
last night in a Beijing hospital.

He was 93.

The announcement was made
by PRC Central TV early this morning.

It's afternoon
when I wake up in Taipei.

I'm back on this side of the world
on February 20,1997.

I feel like I'm waking up
from a long sleep.

Come try our meatballs.
They're delicious!

- What'll it be?
- What's good?

Our special dumplings, sticky rice
and fried tofu are all tasty.

- What'll you have?
- I've ordered already.

One sticky rice.

Is this all on you?

He didn't even order the sticky rice.

Don't fight here!
Move aside!

You got a problem?
You don't have to eat here!

Is this how you treat customers?

What's your problem?
Go start trouble somewhere else!

You're crazy!
Go greet the customers.

More soup? Right away.

Please sit down.
Special dumplings and sticky rice.

- Do you have a phone?
- Over there. Come around.

I stayed in Taipei
before returning to Hong Kong.

I visited the Liao Ning night market.
It was very lively.

I didn't see Chang,
but I saw his family.

I finally understood how he could be
happy running around so free.

It's because he has a place
he can always return to.

I wonder what will happen
when I see my father.

We'll see.

I took Chang's picture because
I didn't know when I'd see him again.

What I do know is,
if I want to see him,

I know where to find him.

THE END

Cast:

Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung
Chang Chen

Executive Producer: Chan Ye-Cheng
Producer: Wong Kar-Wai

Written and Directed by
Wong Kar-Wai

Director of Photography:
Christopher Doyle

Special Thanks to: