Harmonica (1974) - full transcript
Set on the sun-drenched southern coast of Iran, from which director Amir Naderi hails, "Harmonica" begins as a young boy receives a musical present from abroad. Fascinated and envious, his friends make him the leader of the pack, as they compete for the privilege of holding the harmonica or even blowing a few notes. No one is more obsessed than Amiroo, gentle and heavy-set, who seems willing to do anything to get close to the harmonica and its owner. Few films have more powerfully depicted the cruelty that is also part of childhood, as games and horseplay take on an increasingly sinister edge.
Harmonica
Script and Director:
Amir Naderi
Amiroo Amiroo, let me go,
let me go, let me go.
Amiroo Amiroo, let me go.
Amiroo, God damn you,
you killed him! Come.
Leave'im and come.
You killed him.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
a shark's comin' your way.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
a shark's comin' your way.
Lemme go, lemme go, lemme go.
You'll drown. Damn you!
C'mon! C'mon!
Don't say lies about us anymore.
Don't you ever try to say lies!
Say you're a punk.
I won't... I'm a punk. I won't say lies again.
I won't, I'm a punk. Lemme go.
Stop playing around.
Eat your bread, sonny.
How much you make noises
in the early morning.
I'm trying to fix it.
Eat your bread...
Come on.
Mamdali's mom came here last night
and she said:
I should tell you
not to take her kid places.
Don't you know he was circumcised
recently. What did you do to Abdol?
I hear he nearly drowned.
You know what a mess it'll be
if his parents find out.
But mom, he told lies about us,
Mamdali, himself, comes with us...
well, he's my friend.
Regardless, son, don't look for trouble.
If he comes, tell him to go.
Amiroo, Amiroo, Abdoloo's got the flu...
he's run away from home.
Amiroo, Abdoloo's got the flu,
let's go see him
What's going on?
You go, he ain't coming.
Leave my child.
Abdoloo's got the flu, Amiroo.
What children!
What am I supposed to do
with this child?
You see? I was telling him right now
not to fool around with the kids.
- He is abnormal. Oh well, he's a kid.
- May God see us through.
Woe, my child. See what happened to me.
Woe, my child is lost.
He's lost. My lovely child.
Woe, my child.
Where'd he go?
In that direction.
Kal Abdollah,
with these 2 eyes of mine,
I saw your son
going into those barrels.
What am I supposed to do?
- Come out and take your medicine.
- I won't take it.
Come on. Take it darling.
It'll cure you.
Go away.
Take this medicine,
your tummy will feel good.
Don't you take it? Don't you take it?
Man, why tie up my son?
He isn't a dog... You're killing him.
Let go of him. I'll give it to him.
Take it. It's a cure for your tummy.
Don't you want to get rid of it?
Take it.
I won't take it.
I'll make you.
Don't cry... eh.
Take it kid... take it...
You tell me what to do?
You tell me, he doesn't take it.
Do you think it's poison or something?
It's a cure for your tummy.
Might cut you down, you idiot...
What to do? What to do?
You tell him: it's good, take it.
Take it, take it.
Kal Abdollah, God forbid,
he's no orphan.
Why do you beat him? This medicine
is bitter. He won't take it.
You can kill him,
and he still won't take it.
Give him something to catch his eye.
Then he'll not only take it,
he'll even drink the salty sea.
Take it darling.
Look what I've brought you.
No one has this.
Now take it,
and you'll have the harmonica.
Take it, dame you!
I have to go to work.
Alright, I'll take it,
but first give me that.
Only blow in it, blow.
It's Japanese... the man whose
ship I coloured gave it to me.
What's this to blow in?
You want our son to be a minstrel.
Take it darling, it's good for you,
the doctor said, take it.
Bravo, darling.
Kids, hey kids, Abdoloo's here and
he's brought his harmonica. Hurry up.
Come on kids...
Hey, see what a nice organ I have.
Abdoloo. What's that called?
My dad says it's a mouth organ,
comes from abroad.
I've never seen one. I've only
seen bagpipes. Can I have a look?
No, no. If you touch it,
I'll call my dad...
No, no, Amiroo.
Don't bother him.
Amiroo, don't bother him.
I won't bother him.
I just want to hear.
How nice it is, what a color it has,
how shiny it is.
C'mon.
Hey, look how shiny it is!
Mahmoudi, Mahmoudi, blow in it
and it will make a sound. Like this.
- Give it to me, give it to me...
- No, don't touch it.
Only Mahmoudi can have it, and only
for 30 blows. I'll count, blow in it.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
How interesting...
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
do you rent it to all?
Whoever pays,
or whomever I like.
What a music...
Let's go tell my Mum...
I'll go and bring more money
to blow in it. Hey, kids, I'm going.
Hosseinoo. Let's go take some money
from our mom to play the organ.
I'll bring money to play the organ.
Hey, kids, let's go get some
money to play the organ.
How hot it is!
How hot it is!
Hey, boy, fan. Hurry up.
It's hot.
Fan... fan...
Come here...
Hey, hey.
Hey, I want to play harmonica.
Hey, hey. I want to play, hey.
Hey, I want to play harmonica.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo.
It's Amiroo, and I've got money.
I've come to play the harmonica.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo!
Hey, hey! Amiroo, what's with you?
Can't you see everyone's sleeping?
Hey, go and come back in
the evening when it's cool.
I've got a coin,
and I wanna play right now.
No... go away...
Abdoloo, for God's sake.
Lemme play. Lemme play, right now.
Alright, but I can't come out.
If you want, you can squeeze your
head through the bars and play.
Alright, I'll play through the bars.
Lemme go get some stones.
I wanna play a Faridol-Atrash tune.
Amiroo, come closer.
Higher, higher... Bravo.
Where's your coin?
Give it to me first.
Abdoloo, for God's sake,
get your harmonica to my my mouth...
so I can blow in it, hurry up!
Only for 20 blows.
And I, myself, will count.
Okay. I wanna play, hurry up!
Get your harmonica to my mouth
I wanna play. Hurry up, Abdoloo.
C'mon. I will count.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7...
okay, come closer.
That's it.
Get your cheek in closer.
That's it, my little robin.
Coo, coo, coo, come closer...
Abdoloo, you rascal.
Wanna get your harmonica broken,
not letting folks sleep at noon?
I played the organ.
I played the organ.
Naneh Shahrbanoo,
shall I stomp for you?
I'll get all the juice out, then you pay me
two Rials so that I can go play the organ.
No sonny, be gone. My child's
stomping. Thank God I have a son.
- You can't play more than thirty.
- Alright.
My lovely harmonica.
Poor you, to go in their hands.
Go on.
Play, I'm counting.
Why'd you stop?
Abdoloo, I want Amiroo to
play the ten blows that are left.
No, you can't.
I gave it just to you.
I can give you back five dates
for the ten blows.
- Abdoloo, please, let me play.
- Yeah, Abdoloo, let'im play.
All right, let'im play,
but I'll hold the organ myself.
He can't hold my
harmonica for nothing.
Here, I'm counting:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.
Hey kids, kids, a marriage.
A bride, a bride.
It's not very much
so I'll let you play 40 blows.
No, 40 isn't enough.
Give it to me.
Amiroo. I've got some dried curds.
Abdoloo, can I play too?
It's better to play it together.
Lemme see your dried curds.
Oh, it's sour.
Now both of you can play 70 blows.
Okay.
Amiroo, Amiroo, lemme look at it...
- Amiroo, how do you play it?
- Let's play together. It' more fun.
- Amiroo, I like its sound so much.
- Me too, I like it very much.
How shiny it is!
Start playing, I'll count.
1...
2...
3...
4...
5...
6...
7...
8...
9...
10...
11...
12...
13...
14...
15...
16...
17...
18...
19...
20...
21...
22...
23...
24, 25...
26...
27...
28...
29, 30...
Go out and have fun with apaches.
You wanna be apache. You pest.
Do you want your pecker to swell?
When I tell your dad, he'll roast you.
40 times left,
play, I'll count.
31, 32, 33, 34...
72. Give it to me.
How delicious.
Nice...
Give it to me, I just gave it
to him... I took it by myself.
Just now, I gave it to him.
Give it to me.
Abdoloo, can I play on credit?
I'll get your money tonight.
No. If you've got money,
step forward. If not, keep quiet.
Abdoloo, please,
let me play 30 more.
I'll bring you
anything you want tonight.
Like what?
Like dates and dried curds.
No. I don't want them.
Well, I'm going home for lunch.
- Ouch, my foot. Ouch!
- Abdollah, what is it? What?
What happened? What happened?
Ouch, my foot, ouch.
Who can carry me home
on his back?
He can have my
harmonica till then.
God, look at my back,
how fat I am.
Me, go away, go away.
I can give him a ride.
Hey, Abdoloo,
see how fat I am.
I'll take you any place you want.
Look how fat I am.
Look at how much flesh I have.
Please, please, ride me.
Please Abdoloo, ride me.
He won't take rides from you.
Here we are.
No, Amiroo. Put me down on
the doorstep. My legs are aching.
Okay.
Give it to me.
If you let me ride some more,
you can play the organ for nothing.
What fun it was to play the organ.
It sounded so beautiful.
His dad was right.
There was foreign writing on it.
All the while he was riding me,
I had his harmonica...
At first, the kids wanted
to take my place,
but I told him: "Abdoloo,
Abdoloo, see how fat I am."
Then I crouched in front of him
and he rode me.
Now, whenever he rides me,
I can play the organ for nothing.
Like this... like this.
C'mon and get your bread, Amiroo.
Give me your notch-stick.
Go and tell your mom
her notch-stick is finishing up.
It's been about two weeks
and she hasn't paid me.
Tell your mom she won't get
any more bread if she doesn't pay.
Go and bring money!
Oos Mahmoud, my mom said she'll have
your money when the company pays her.
What nonsense, get out of here!
Fatty, come here.
Give it to me.
Come closer.
Where to?
Let's go to the bazaar, to the grocery store.
I've gotta buy something for my mom.
- Where is it?
- Bazar.
Can't we avoid going
through the bazaar?
They know me there,
and might see me.
Give it to me...
Give it to me.
Closer...
Seyyed Hossein. Seyyed Hossein.
My mom wants one Rial
of wild rue to burn for me.
Cut it out, kid.
Seyyed Hossin,
put it on my mom's account.
Damn you and your mom.
Thank you, God.
Miserable you.
So you're people's donkey, hey?
You became the donkey of
Kal Abdollah, Abdol, hey?
Do you want me to be too ashamed
to look neighbors in the eye.
Hey? Hey?
You became a donkey?
You became people's donkey, hey?
No, I'm not Abdollah's donkey.
I let him ride me for the harmonica.
What's a harmonica?
Something you blow in and
it makes beautiful sounds.
Never heard of it. Don't know
what you're talking about.
Go sprinkle some water
on your face.
Love you son.
I've talked to Seyyed Sagha,
so you can start working
with him tomorrow.
Lovely son.
Wait a moment.
- Got yourself a new apprentice, waterman?
- He's an orphan... lost his father.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Whoever beats the other,
I'll give the harmonica to for 50 blows.
Do you know what it means to play
50 times for free, understand?
Win in a way I can enjoy, okay.
Start... beat him, bravo,
beat him.
Beat him, beat him...
Kids, kids,
Amiroo, Amiroo.
Get away.
Get away.
Amiroo, don't you hear
the beautiful sound?
Amiroo, my fatty donkey,
where are you going? My fatty...
C'mon, c'mon.
You love my harmonica,
fatty come, fatty Amiroo come...
You love my harmonica.
Waterman, where's your apprentice?
The pail's overflowing.
I don't know.
The silly ass was here just now.
Ouch, how nice,
my fatty donkey came.
Ouch my foot...
Sleep, don't you see
my foot aches, take it.
Hey kids, fish.
Mamadoo, Hassanoo,
Jaefaroo, come over.
Here it is.
There, there it is.
Give one to me.
- Give it to me. Give it to me.
- There, there.
Give it to me. There,
it's there, give it to me.
There, it's there,
give it to me.
Hey kids, Abdoloo came.
Abdoloo, see what a red
pomegranate I've brought you.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo, see
what I've brought for you.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo, see mine.
See what I've brought for you.
Give it to me.
- You can play 30 times.
- Okay.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
see, I've brought dried curds.
- You can play 20 times.
- Okay.
1, 2, 3...
C'mon, 1, 2, 3...
Hey kids, kids. The monkey man.
Monkey man, monkey man!
Will you make your monkey dance
if we give you one Rial?
Sure.
Who's got one Rial to give?
I'll let 'im play the harmonica
for 50 blows.
Here, I have it.
Here, monkey man.
C'mon down Firooz.
Where's friend's place, on my eyes.
Where's a foe to go?
Bravo, bravo.
Turn around...
C'mon Firooz, let's go.
You're tired. Enough.
Monkey man, why are you going?
Didn't we pay you?
You sure did, but should I play
till sundown for one Rial?
To hell with it.
Go away.
Amiroo, you tell us where a friend
should end, where a foe should go.
Amiroo, you dance for us. Mamdali,
you play the music. Mahmoudi, you sing.
First flip...
Bravo fatty boy, now dance...
Ha! Now a shepherd's dance.
Shepherd man, shepherd man.
Amiroo, where's a friend to end?
On my head.
Where's a foe to go?
Up my ass.
Now dig the earth!
Ha! Now flip.
Ha! A shepherd's dance.
Get up, get up, it's noon.
Get up, go get bread.
You're always sleepy.
I'm coming to beat you hard.
No, Ma, no!
Call that working with the waterman?
To run away from him?
Would it kill you to bring two
Rials a day into this house?
Get up now and go get bread.
And there's one Rial on the shelf.
Buy some tea to fill you tummy.
Go on in the street.
Go on and be people's donkey.
You mean thing,
they're waiting for you.
Amiroo, the kids tell me you've become
the donkey of Kal Abdollah's Abdoloo.
The donkey of Kal Abdollah's Abdol.
Oos Mahmoud,
he waits in front of the house
for Abdoloo to come out
and ride him some more.
How strange!
No. I let him ride me for his
harmonica. I ain't his donkey.
I saw you in the bazaar, yelling,
and giving him a ride.
I'll show you...
Eh... they are fighting...
Take care here. I'll go calm them down.
Lemme go, lemme go. You're kicking?
Now, I'll show you.
Wild crazy, ouch ma,
my head's broken.
I wanted to get you some yoghurt,
but my ma was asleep.
The yoghurt bowl was near her,
so I couldn't.
Amiroo, don't go home now.
Hassan, Hossein, and their moms have
gone to your place to beat you up.
All the children followed them.
Amiroo, my mom's going to
take my shawl away tomorrow.
We'll play the harmonica together,
okay? Eat, eat.
Oh, ma, ma.
- Come here, sonny.
- No, mom, no. Don't hit me.
- Don't be scared. C'mon.
- Ma, no. Don't hit me.
Come, lemme see you.
Hope they didn't harm you.
Hope nothing happened to you.
Thank God.
Hush, everyone's asleep...
Sonny, Hassan and Hossein and all the
kids raided the place around noon.
Their kid's head was broken and
they raised a real hell.
My God...
Water, ma.
Sonny, I don't know what this harmonica
is that has made you so miserable.
But I want you to know that
you're the only man in my life.
Sonny, I've brought you up
as an orphan,
and that's why I can't see
you being miserable anymore.
Sonny...
take these three silver bracelets.
They're all I have in the world,
left from my life with your father.
Go sell them and buy yourself
one of those things.
But let me tell you something,
don't let any rascal oppress you.
This world fleets by and there's no
good future in becoming people's donkey.
Go to hell, we've got no bread.
Tell your ma she won't get bread until
she brings money.
Tell her your notch-stick is through.
I won't give you more from now.
Ain't you ashamed of
eating people's bread for nothing.
Get going now, or else you'll
get beaten up. Go to hell.
Amiroo, Amiroo.
Yesterday, in your absence,
Abdoloo said, tomorrow
we'd gather anything the kids
bring, to play piggyback fight.
He said the overall winner can play
the harmonica for 200 blows, today.
Yeah.
At what time?
At noon sharp. All the kids are coming.
I'll bring a bunch of dates.
Amiroo, Amiroo. If I'm the winner,
we'll play the harmonica together, okay?
Look, I'm well now.
My mom gave half a Rial.
Give to Mamdali
what you've brought.
Abdolah, Abdolah, I've become
well now. I wanna play.
Okay, well, give'em to...
Mohammado,
Mohammodo, come here.
If anyone can hit the other one
I'm gonna give him the harmonica...
...the overall winner will play
for 200 blows.
You know what it means,
200 times.
You can blow in it,
so much.
No bring your offers here,
near to Mohammad.
Bravo. Put them here...
Now, go back...
begin.
I'll keep it.
Amiroo...
my beautiful donkey, come...
come my donkey, Amiroo,
my fatty donkey,
d'ya hear my beautiful sound?
C'mon, my donkey, d'ya hear?
Playing for 200 blows...
You can blow in it to... death.
Did you get me?
My fatty donkey, come on.
Come and ride on me,
see what a nice donkey I am.
Move aside, move aside, Abdoloo.
I know how to get results.
Did you see?
No, I don't wanna, I wanna ride
on my own fatty donkey.
I like the flesh on his back.
Kids go and bring him by force
or there will be no playing, no organ.
Amiroo, c'mon! C'mon!
No Abdollah, I'm coming by myself.
You have to come,
you love my organ.
C'mon, I wanna put my feet
round your fatty waist.
I'd like you to hit'em.
Hit'em to death,
hurry up, get on...
C'mon fatty, a little further back,
a little more, bravo my fatty...
I heard you have beaten Hassani
in front of the bakery, nice, nice!
Let's see what you do now...
I'll count to 3:
1, 2, 3, hurry up,
hit'em Amiroo, hit'em.
Hit'im, hit'im.
Hit'im, hit'im, Abdollah.
You hit me, I'll show you...
Ouch, ouch, my waist.
Ouch, ouch, my waist!
Amiroo took away the organ!
Get him, get him!
Script and Director:
Amir Naderi
Amiroo Amiroo, let me go,
let me go, let me go.
Amiroo Amiroo, let me go.
Amiroo, God damn you,
you killed him! Come.
Leave'im and come.
You killed him.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
a shark's comin' your way.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
a shark's comin' your way.
Lemme go, lemme go, lemme go.
You'll drown. Damn you!
C'mon! C'mon!
Don't say lies about us anymore.
Don't you ever try to say lies!
Say you're a punk.
I won't... I'm a punk. I won't say lies again.
I won't, I'm a punk. Lemme go.
Stop playing around.
Eat your bread, sonny.
How much you make noises
in the early morning.
I'm trying to fix it.
Eat your bread...
Come on.
Mamdali's mom came here last night
and she said:
I should tell you
not to take her kid places.
Don't you know he was circumcised
recently. What did you do to Abdol?
I hear he nearly drowned.
You know what a mess it'll be
if his parents find out.
But mom, he told lies about us,
Mamdali, himself, comes with us...
well, he's my friend.
Regardless, son, don't look for trouble.
If he comes, tell him to go.
Amiroo, Amiroo, Abdoloo's got the flu...
he's run away from home.
Amiroo, Abdoloo's got the flu,
let's go see him
What's going on?
You go, he ain't coming.
Leave my child.
Abdoloo's got the flu, Amiroo.
What children!
What am I supposed to do
with this child?
You see? I was telling him right now
not to fool around with the kids.
- He is abnormal. Oh well, he's a kid.
- May God see us through.
Woe, my child. See what happened to me.
Woe, my child is lost.
He's lost. My lovely child.
Woe, my child.
Where'd he go?
In that direction.
Kal Abdollah,
with these 2 eyes of mine,
I saw your son
going into those barrels.
What am I supposed to do?
- Come out and take your medicine.
- I won't take it.
Come on. Take it darling.
It'll cure you.
Go away.
Take this medicine,
your tummy will feel good.
Don't you take it? Don't you take it?
Man, why tie up my son?
He isn't a dog... You're killing him.
Let go of him. I'll give it to him.
Take it. It's a cure for your tummy.
Don't you want to get rid of it?
Take it.
I won't take it.
I'll make you.
Don't cry... eh.
Take it kid... take it...
You tell me what to do?
You tell me, he doesn't take it.
Do you think it's poison or something?
It's a cure for your tummy.
Might cut you down, you idiot...
What to do? What to do?
You tell him: it's good, take it.
Take it, take it.
Kal Abdollah, God forbid,
he's no orphan.
Why do you beat him? This medicine
is bitter. He won't take it.
You can kill him,
and he still won't take it.
Give him something to catch his eye.
Then he'll not only take it,
he'll even drink the salty sea.
Take it darling.
Look what I've brought you.
No one has this.
Now take it,
and you'll have the harmonica.
Take it, dame you!
I have to go to work.
Alright, I'll take it,
but first give me that.
Only blow in it, blow.
It's Japanese... the man whose
ship I coloured gave it to me.
What's this to blow in?
You want our son to be a minstrel.
Take it darling, it's good for you,
the doctor said, take it.
Bravo, darling.
Kids, hey kids, Abdoloo's here and
he's brought his harmonica. Hurry up.
Come on kids...
Hey, see what a nice organ I have.
Abdoloo. What's that called?
My dad says it's a mouth organ,
comes from abroad.
I've never seen one. I've only
seen bagpipes. Can I have a look?
No, no. If you touch it,
I'll call my dad...
No, no, Amiroo.
Don't bother him.
Amiroo, don't bother him.
I won't bother him.
I just want to hear.
How nice it is, what a color it has,
how shiny it is.
C'mon.
Hey, look how shiny it is!
Mahmoudi, Mahmoudi, blow in it
and it will make a sound. Like this.
- Give it to me, give it to me...
- No, don't touch it.
Only Mahmoudi can have it, and only
for 30 blows. I'll count, blow in it.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...
24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30.
How interesting...
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
do you rent it to all?
Whoever pays,
or whomever I like.
What a music...
Let's go tell my Mum...
I'll go and bring more money
to blow in it. Hey, kids, I'm going.
Hosseinoo. Let's go take some money
from our mom to play the organ.
I'll bring money to play the organ.
Hey, kids, let's go get some
money to play the organ.
How hot it is!
How hot it is!
Hey, boy, fan. Hurry up.
It's hot.
Fan... fan...
Come here...
Hey, hey.
Hey, I want to play harmonica.
Hey, hey. I want to play, hey.
Hey, I want to play harmonica.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo.
It's Amiroo, and I've got money.
I've come to play the harmonica.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo!
Hey, hey! Amiroo, what's with you?
Can't you see everyone's sleeping?
Hey, go and come back in
the evening when it's cool.
I've got a coin,
and I wanna play right now.
No... go away...
Abdoloo, for God's sake.
Lemme play. Lemme play, right now.
Alright, but I can't come out.
If you want, you can squeeze your
head through the bars and play.
Alright, I'll play through the bars.
Lemme go get some stones.
I wanna play a Faridol-Atrash tune.
Amiroo, come closer.
Higher, higher... Bravo.
Where's your coin?
Give it to me first.
Abdoloo, for God's sake,
get your harmonica to my my mouth...
so I can blow in it, hurry up!
Only for 20 blows.
And I, myself, will count.
Okay. I wanna play, hurry up!
Get your harmonica to my mouth
I wanna play. Hurry up, Abdoloo.
C'mon. I will count.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7...
okay, come closer.
That's it.
Get your cheek in closer.
That's it, my little robin.
Coo, coo, coo, come closer...
Abdoloo, you rascal.
Wanna get your harmonica broken,
not letting folks sleep at noon?
I played the organ.
I played the organ.
Naneh Shahrbanoo,
shall I stomp for you?
I'll get all the juice out, then you pay me
two Rials so that I can go play the organ.
No sonny, be gone. My child's
stomping. Thank God I have a son.
- You can't play more than thirty.
- Alright.
My lovely harmonica.
Poor you, to go in their hands.
Go on.
Play, I'm counting.
Why'd you stop?
Abdoloo, I want Amiroo to
play the ten blows that are left.
No, you can't.
I gave it just to you.
I can give you back five dates
for the ten blows.
- Abdoloo, please, let me play.
- Yeah, Abdoloo, let'im play.
All right, let'im play,
but I'll hold the organ myself.
He can't hold my
harmonica for nothing.
Here, I'm counting:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10.
Hey kids, kids, a marriage.
A bride, a bride.
It's not very much
so I'll let you play 40 blows.
No, 40 isn't enough.
Give it to me.
Amiroo. I've got some dried curds.
Abdoloo, can I play too?
It's better to play it together.
Lemme see your dried curds.
Oh, it's sour.
Now both of you can play 70 blows.
Okay.
Amiroo, Amiroo, lemme look at it...
- Amiroo, how do you play it?
- Let's play together. It' more fun.
- Amiroo, I like its sound so much.
- Me too, I like it very much.
How shiny it is!
Start playing, I'll count.
1...
2...
3...
4...
5...
6...
7...
8...
9...
10...
11...
12...
13...
14...
15...
16...
17...
18...
19...
20...
21...
22...
23...
24, 25...
26...
27...
28...
29, 30...
Go out and have fun with apaches.
You wanna be apache. You pest.
Do you want your pecker to swell?
When I tell your dad, he'll roast you.
40 times left,
play, I'll count.
31, 32, 33, 34...
72. Give it to me.
How delicious.
Nice...
Give it to me, I just gave it
to him... I took it by myself.
Just now, I gave it to him.
Give it to me.
Abdoloo, can I play on credit?
I'll get your money tonight.
No. If you've got money,
step forward. If not, keep quiet.
Abdoloo, please,
let me play 30 more.
I'll bring you
anything you want tonight.
Like what?
Like dates and dried curds.
No. I don't want them.
Well, I'm going home for lunch.
- Ouch, my foot. Ouch!
- Abdollah, what is it? What?
What happened? What happened?
Ouch, my foot, ouch.
Who can carry me home
on his back?
He can have my
harmonica till then.
God, look at my back,
how fat I am.
Me, go away, go away.
I can give him a ride.
Hey, Abdoloo,
see how fat I am.
I'll take you any place you want.
Look how fat I am.
Look at how much flesh I have.
Please, please, ride me.
Please Abdoloo, ride me.
He won't take rides from you.
Here we are.
No, Amiroo. Put me down on
the doorstep. My legs are aching.
Okay.
Give it to me.
If you let me ride some more,
you can play the organ for nothing.
What fun it was to play the organ.
It sounded so beautiful.
His dad was right.
There was foreign writing on it.
All the while he was riding me,
I had his harmonica...
At first, the kids wanted
to take my place,
but I told him: "Abdoloo,
Abdoloo, see how fat I am."
Then I crouched in front of him
and he rode me.
Now, whenever he rides me,
I can play the organ for nothing.
Like this... like this.
C'mon and get your bread, Amiroo.
Give me your notch-stick.
Go and tell your mom
her notch-stick is finishing up.
It's been about two weeks
and she hasn't paid me.
Tell your mom she won't get
any more bread if she doesn't pay.
Go and bring money!
Oos Mahmoud, my mom said she'll have
your money when the company pays her.
What nonsense, get out of here!
Fatty, come here.
Give it to me.
Come closer.
Where to?
Let's go to the bazaar, to the grocery store.
I've gotta buy something for my mom.
- Where is it?
- Bazar.
Can't we avoid going
through the bazaar?
They know me there,
and might see me.
Give it to me...
Give it to me.
Closer...
Seyyed Hossein. Seyyed Hossein.
My mom wants one Rial
of wild rue to burn for me.
Cut it out, kid.
Seyyed Hossin,
put it on my mom's account.
Damn you and your mom.
Thank you, God.
Miserable you.
So you're people's donkey, hey?
You became the donkey of
Kal Abdollah, Abdol, hey?
Do you want me to be too ashamed
to look neighbors in the eye.
Hey? Hey?
You became a donkey?
You became people's donkey, hey?
No, I'm not Abdollah's donkey.
I let him ride me for the harmonica.
What's a harmonica?
Something you blow in and
it makes beautiful sounds.
Never heard of it. Don't know
what you're talking about.
Go sprinkle some water
on your face.
Love you son.
I've talked to Seyyed Sagha,
so you can start working
with him tomorrow.
Lovely son.
Wait a moment.
- Got yourself a new apprentice, waterman?
- He's an orphan... lost his father.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Whoever beats the other,
I'll give the harmonica to for 50 blows.
Do you know what it means to play
50 times for free, understand?
Win in a way I can enjoy, okay.
Start... beat him, bravo,
beat him.
Beat him, beat him...
Kids, kids,
Amiroo, Amiroo.
Get away.
Get away.
Amiroo, don't you hear
the beautiful sound?
Amiroo, my fatty donkey,
where are you going? My fatty...
C'mon, c'mon.
You love my harmonica,
fatty come, fatty Amiroo come...
You love my harmonica.
Waterman, where's your apprentice?
The pail's overflowing.
I don't know.
The silly ass was here just now.
Ouch, how nice,
my fatty donkey came.
Ouch my foot...
Sleep, don't you see
my foot aches, take it.
Hey kids, fish.
Mamadoo, Hassanoo,
Jaefaroo, come over.
Here it is.
There, there it is.
Give one to me.
- Give it to me. Give it to me.
- There, there.
Give it to me. There,
it's there, give it to me.
There, it's there,
give it to me.
Hey kids, Abdoloo came.
Abdoloo, see what a red
pomegranate I've brought you.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo, see
what I've brought for you.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo, see mine.
See what I've brought for you.
Give it to me.
- You can play 30 times.
- Okay.
Abdoloo, Abdoloo,
see, I've brought dried curds.
- You can play 20 times.
- Okay.
1, 2, 3...
C'mon, 1, 2, 3...
Hey kids, kids. The monkey man.
Monkey man, monkey man!
Will you make your monkey dance
if we give you one Rial?
Sure.
Who's got one Rial to give?
I'll let 'im play the harmonica
for 50 blows.
Here, I have it.
Here, monkey man.
C'mon down Firooz.
Where's friend's place, on my eyes.
Where's a foe to go?
Bravo, bravo.
Turn around...
C'mon Firooz, let's go.
You're tired. Enough.
Monkey man, why are you going?
Didn't we pay you?
You sure did, but should I play
till sundown for one Rial?
To hell with it.
Go away.
Amiroo, you tell us where a friend
should end, where a foe should go.
Amiroo, you dance for us. Mamdali,
you play the music. Mahmoudi, you sing.
First flip...
Bravo fatty boy, now dance...
Ha! Now a shepherd's dance.
Shepherd man, shepherd man.
Amiroo, where's a friend to end?
On my head.
Where's a foe to go?
Up my ass.
Now dig the earth!
Ha! Now flip.
Ha! A shepherd's dance.
Get up, get up, it's noon.
Get up, go get bread.
You're always sleepy.
I'm coming to beat you hard.
No, Ma, no!
Call that working with the waterman?
To run away from him?
Would it kill you to bring two
Rials a day into this house?
Get up now and go get bread.
And there's one Rial on the shelf.
Buy some tea to fill you tummy.
Go on in the street.
Go on and be people's donkey.
You mean thing,
they're waiting for you.
Amiroo, the kids tell me you've become
the donkey of Kal Abdollah's Abdoloo.
The donkey of Kal Abdollah's Abdol.
Oos Mahmoud,
he waits in front of the house
for Abdoloo to come out
and ride him some more.
How strange!
No. I let him ride me for his
harmonica. I ain't his donkey.
I saw you in the bazaar, yelling,
and giving him a ride.
I'll show you...
Eh... they are fighting...
Take care here. I'll go calm them down.
Lemme go, lemme go. You're kicking?
Now, I'll show you.
Wild crazy, ouch ma,
my head's broken.
I wanted to get you some yoghurt,
but my ma was asleep.
The yoghurt bowl was near her,
so I couldn't.
Amiroo, don't go home now.
Hassan, Hossein, and their moms have
gone to your place to beat you up.
All the children followed them.
Amiroo, my mom's going to
take my shawl away tomorrow.
We'll play the harmonica together,
okay? Eat, eat.
Oh, ma, ma.
- Come here, sonny.
- No, mom, no. Don't hit me.
- Don't be scared. C'mon.
- Ma, no. Don't hit me.
Come, lemme see you.
Hope they didn't harm you.
Hope nothing happened to you.
Thank God.
Hush, everyone's asleep...
Sonny, Hassan and Hossein and all the
kids raided the place around noon.
Their kid's head was broken and
they raised a real hell.
My God...
Water, ma.
Sonny, I don't know what this harmonica
is that has made you so miserable.
But I want you to know that
you're the only man in my life.
Sonny, I've brought you up
as an orphan,
and that's why I can't see
you being miserable anymore.
Sonny...
take these three silver bracelets.
They're all I have in the world,
left from my life with your father.
Go sell them and buy yourself
one of those things.
But let me tell you something,
don't let any rascal oppress you.
This world fleets by and there's no
good future in becoming people's donkey.
Go to hell, we've got no bread.
Tell your ma she won't get bread until
she brings money.
Tell her your notch-stick is through.
I won't give you more from now.
Ain't you ashamed of
eating people's bread for nothing.
Get going now, or else you'll
get beaten up. Go to hell.
Amiroo, Amiroo.
Yesterday, in your absence,
Abdoloo said, tomorrow
we'd gather anything the kids
bring, to play piggyback fight.
He said the overall winner can play
the harmonica for 200 blows, today.
Yeah.
At what time?
At noon sharp. All the kids are coming.
I'll bring a bunch of dates.
Amiroo, Amiroo. If I'm the winner,
we'll play the harmonica together, okay?
Look, I'm well now.
My mom gave half a Rial.
Give to Mamdali
what you've brought.
Abdolah, Abdolah, I've become
well now. I wanna play.
Okay, well, give'em to...
Mohammado,
Mohammodo, come here.
If anyone can hit the other one
I'm gonna give him the harmonica...
...the overall winner will play
for 200 blows.
You know what it means,
200 times.
You can blow in it,
so much.
No bring your offers here,
near to Mohammad.
Bravo. Put them here...
Now, go back...
begin.
I'll keep it.
Amiroo...
my beautiful donkey, come...
come my donkey, Amiroo,
my fatty donkey,
d'ya hear my beautiful sound?
C'mon, my donkey, d'ya hear?
Playing for 200 blows...
You can blow in it to... death.
Did you get me?
My fatty donkey, come on.
Come and ride on me,
see what a nice donkey I am.
Move aside, move aside, Abdoloo.
I know how to get results.
Did you see?
No, I don't wanna, I wanna ride
on my own fatty donkey.
I like the flesh on his back.
Kids go and bring him by force
or there will be no playing, no organ.
Amiroo, c'mon! C'mon!
No Abdollah, I'm coming by myself.
You have to come,
you love my organ.
C'mon, I wanna put my feet
round your fatty waist.
I'd like you to hit'em.
Hit'em to death,
hurry up, get on...
C'mon fatty, a little further back,
a little more, bravo my fatty...
I heard you have beaten Hassani
in front of the bakery, nice, nice!
Let's see what you do now...
I'll count to 3:
1, 2, 3, hurry up,
hit'em Amiroo, hit'em.
Hit'im, hit'im.
Hit'im, hit'im, Abdollah.
You hit me, I'll show you...
Ouch, ouch, my waist.
Ouch, ouch, my waist!
Amiroo took away the organ!
Get him, get him!