Heaven and Earth (1994) - full transcript

A long time ago...

...a young woman went off
into the world...

...like her brothers and sisters.

She fought in wars...

...had children...

...suffered...

...and loved greatly.

I was the sixth-born child...

...Phung Thi Le Ly...

...and I lived in the most
beautiful village on earth.

My earliest memories were
working alongside Mother in the fields.



Always working, my mother.

Each grain of rice,
a symbol of life never wasted.

While we worked, she would teach me
everything I had to know about life.

Mama, where did I really come from?
Where do babies come from?

From my bellybutton.

Don't worry. God makes babies
and put them in your belly.

You have plenty of warning.

The fragile rice had to be
planted and transplanted several times.

Our rice paddies were always
near the cemeteries...

...because we believed the spirits
passed through the soil into the rice...

...so the new generation,
in eating the rice...

...was sharing in the spirit
of their ancestors.

Then one day,
in the summer of 1953...

...the French came.



They destroyed our village.

And the following year,
we went hungry.

I will never forget
my father's eyes...

...as he watched our house
burn to the ground.

But as it had happened to our village
for so many centuries...

...we rebuilt our lives.

Mama, where do babies
really come from?

Then in 1963...

...the peasant countryside
changed forever.

When the Vietcong first
arrived that rainy season...

...some of them were remnants
from the war against the French.

Many of them were displaced
immigrants from the North.

All of them were angry.

My parents taught me Vietnam is...

...a free nation.

That is what this war is about.

The Chinese, the Japanese, the French.
They have each tried to rule us.

And we have won!

The North and the South are
inseparable, like sisters.

But in 1954 the French and American
allies gave themselves the right...

...to separate us
and kidnap the South.

Can we stand by
and watch the kidnappers...

...taking turns raping
and corrupting our sister?

That is what this war is about.

Why should outsiders come in...

...divide the land and tell some people
to go north and then go south?

If Vietnam were truly
for the Vietnamese people...

...shouldn't we be able to choose
the kind of government we want?

A nation cannot have 2 governments any
more than a family can have 2 fathers.

- They have bombs, 10 to one!
- He's right.

What do we have?

We have rags, we have rifles!

And sticks! We have sticks!

We have no rank, no promotion.

We take no money.

We are your servants.

We respect your homes and shrines.

We are your family.

Do you want to dance?

Le Ly, come on.

It was my brother Sau
I loved the most.

He was always there to protect me
and make me laugh.

Hurry.

Sweet rice, black beans.

You be very careful. Write, Sau.

I will return.

- Take care.
- Le Ly, I will return.

Be a big girl.
Always take care of Mama and Papa.

Protect yourself from ghosts.

Take care.

As they went north to Hanoi
with the Vietcong...

...I felt it was the last time
I'd see my older brother, Bon...

...and my younger brother, Sau,
for a long, long time.

Maybe forever.

But it was Sau who was ripped
from my heart.

You understand that a country
is more than dirt...

...rivers and forests?

You know your brother Sau
may not come back?

I told you many times...

...the Chinese ruled our land.

Many die.

Le Loi, Jia Long
and the Trung sisters.

And your ancestor Phung Thi Chinh
fought to throw out the Chinese.

Your grandfather fought
and died against the Japanese...

...just before you were born.

We suffered much.

When the Japanese came...

...your mother and I
were taken to Danang...

...to build a runway
for the airplanes.

We worked like slaves.

Our reward was a bowl of rice...

...and another day of life.

Freedom is never a gift, be Ly.

It must be won and won again.
You know that?

I do.

See this land?

Vietnam is going to be yours now.

If the enemy comes back...

...you must be both a daughter
and a son now.

From my father I learned to
love God and people I could not see...

...my ancestors.

But I would learn in time...

...my father's words
would be twisted by events.

Government soldiers came with
the support of American advisors.

Your village will be safe.

They built barricades
against the Vietcong.

It's part of the new Binh Ky hamlet.

Many of you will be asked
to take militia training...

...so you will be prepared...

...to resist the Communist rebel!

You will be rewarded...

...with food and money.

Your older children
will be sent to camp...

...for military training.

But younger children can go to school.

Your village will be
happy and peaceful.

Do you have any questions?

Go to your leader.

The soldiers ate our food,
slept with our women...

...and searched our homes...

...just as the soldiers of
the warlords had centuries before.

But the government's leader, whose name
was Ngo Dinh Diem, America's ally...

...was a Catholic,
like the French...

...and that alone made him suspicious
to the Buddhists in our area.

The Northern leader, Ho Chi Minh...

...had been a great patriot
against the Japanese and the French.

And we always heard stories of his
compassion and his love for Vietnam.

- You VC?
- No VC!

What are they?

Americans?

They say they all have blind blue eyes
behind their glasses.

If you take their shoes off,
they have soft feet and cry in pain.

Take away their glasses,
their boots, they can't fight.

Not very good soldiers.

Not very good fence.

Your president, Ngo Dinh Diem,
wants to know...

...what will you do
if you see a Vietcong...

...or hear about someone
who's helping them?

Turn him in to the soldiers.

Good.

And get a big reward for
every Vietcong you help capture.

During the day,
we were a government village.

But each night...

...when the soldiers returned
to their base and we played...

...there was never any shortage
of Vietcong fighters.

One night, the Vietcong
came for my teacher.

Teaching these children
to betray their country!

The first thing you should
learn on this night...

...Ky La was saved
from the boots of the oppressors.

We're the liberators!

The night belonged to the Vietcong.

Even though I was scared,
there was no real choice.

They fought for our freedom
against the Southern government.

No matter who's asking
the questions, either side...

...play stupid, stupid, stupid child.

- Any news from Sau or Bon?
- They're training in the North.

- Any chance for a visit?
- There's no time for sons and mothers.

I told them we needed her on the farm.

For all the help she is here...

...maybe we should send her with Sau.

That'll teach her the value of work.

Don't say that!

Le Ly must do her work
like everyone else.

She thinks she's too good for work.

Too busy flirting
with no-good schoolboys.

- No, the big boys bother me...
- Don't talk like that.

- Be quiet!
- Don't hit her.

Do you hear me?

Do you want to send all my children
to Hanoi or Saigon?

If I can't have my family around me,
what's the point of living?

You always think only of yourself!

The French, the Japanese,
now the Americans are all over us!

It's good they go north and fight.

War is coming,
you stupid, selfish man!

Stop it!

Go!

Forgive him, Mama.

Don't cry.

I've made your papa lose face.

If you ever do that to a husband...

...I'll have both your cheeks glowing,
one from him and one from me.

You hear me?

Which one is first?

Anybody? This is it!

You talk now or it's bye-bye, Charlie!

You dig, asshole?

All right, it's your ass!

Kiss it goodbye.

You're next.

You talk?

You gonna talk?

- Ah!
- Shhh.

At my mother's request, a local
wizard examined the umbilical cords...

...of my two soldier brothers...

...who had not written
in over a year.

The older one...

...is strong and healthy.

The younger one...

...is in a place
too gray for me to see.

No, this is not true.

I know Sau is alive.

I feel it in my womb.

Did you hear...

...funny noises last night?

Maybe voices last night in the rain?

I did.

Here is your trouble then.

Your shrine...

...is too small.

And we have a lost soul...

...who needs to come in.

That's all.

Just build a shrine outside...

...and everything will be fine.

The Vietcong ingrained in us
a sense of xa...

...duty to land...

...duty to country.

The ant became our moral model.

We formed cells, associations where
no one accumulated power over others.

Only in battle or by your
own hands will you be immortalized.

You never moved up in the ant
society, you only moved further in.

If the Vietcong won us over...

...it was because they lived
their lives with us.

But every time we ambushed
the government soldiers...

...twice as many came back.

Get your asses in there.
Get your smart asses down there!

One day...

...they came for me.

Papa! Help me!

Tell me quickly.
Why were you on the road?

Cutting grass for the water buffalo.
I didn't tell my parents.

Liar.

Again.

Why were you on the road?

I didn't mean any harm to anybody.

Liar!

You are can bo cai...

...VC cadre girl.

You were giving warning
to your friends.

Where's the VC base?

I don't know.

How many battles have you been in?

What is your rank?

Please...

I'm just a girl.

I haven't done anything.

Do you know what this is for?

Think about what
this can do to your body.

How would your baby like you
with no nipples?

Or maybe I could cut some skin off
your ass to make some sandals.

Think about it...

...Miss Vietcong Hero.

And when you're called again...

...you be prepared to tell me
everything you know.

Don't move.

Don't move.

I haven't done anything!
I don't know anything!

My mother used my dowry
to bribe a military official...

...to have me released.

And now...

...the villagers were suspicious
of my family's ties to the government.

Finally...

...the Vietcong came for me.

- She did nothing!
- Stay back!

No respect!

You've no respect!

- I'm coming too!
- No, the prisoner come alone!

Stay back!

Our men were betrayed.

There are informers here!

How else could the enemy know so much?

This village is filled
with traitors...

...government sympathizers that
would sell us out for a relative...

...for money, for privilege!

So I ask you:

What should we do with these people?

We must give these people a lesson
they will never forget.

LOl:
See?

See it?

- LOl: What is it?
- A grave.

LOl:
Your grave...

...stupid girl.

What kind of deal
did you make to get out?

Did you promise them
some of our ears for their belts?

My mother bribed an official.
Why won't you believe me?

Little rich girl!

LOl:
You want to live?

My life is in your hands.

LOl:
What does that mean?

I mean, I won't talk to the enemy.

I've been shamed enough in my village.

If you want, I'll go far away.

I'll never come back.

You talk about this,
we'll kill you for real.

Oh, no! Oh, no!

No, don't!

No, get off!

Shut up!

I was never to understand
why I was raped...

...and not killed.

Or if I had ever really
been sentenced by the Vietcong.

It may have just been
a warning to my father.

But it ended forever...

...my relationship to my village.

My sister Hai found us
a job in the city.

Papa stayed on the land to guard
the spirits of our ancestors.

In Saigon...

...much to our confusion...

...the monks were being arrested.

I've never seen so many cars,
so many people.

The other one.

Madame, they're ready.

This way.

Country fresh. Good workers.

So which village?

Ky La.

Near Danang.

Le is wonderful with children.

Perfect babysitter.

How old is she?

Eighteen.

Is she strong?

Yes, she's very strong. She started
to work in the fields since she was 4.

They'll do.

Yes, ma'am. Let's go.

Le Ly! Le Ly!

You'll be punished for this,
you stupid girl!

Making the master open the door!

Don't be too hard on her.
It's been a long day for everyone.

Run off to bed. I'm fine. Go on.

I could not sleep.

I couldn't either, master.

I am not your first.

Yes, you are.

I was raped...

...by the village boys in Ky La.

My poor thing.

Have you bled?

Stupid girl.

You were not satisfied with
a perfect life in a perfect house?

You had to seduce the husband!
Make him stray from his wife.

Look what it brought you.

That's not how it happened!
Anh cares for me, he loves me.

Do you think a stupid girl like you
means anything to him?

Now you're going to have his bastard.

Perfect!

You will just have to get rid of it.

We'll go see the herbalist tomorrow.

What are you doing, Le Ly?

Oh, I'm sorry, madame.

I'm expecting a child.

Yes, I know.

We learned it from the herbalist.

Who is the father?

Don't look so surprised.

A boy.

Someone I met in the park.
You don't know him.

Why are you burning incense?

Because...

...I don't want the baby.

I was praying to be forgiven.

In front of my husband's ancestors?

I don't know what else to do.

The boy's Catholic, like you.

I'm a Buddhist.

I see.

Well, I have another explanation.

I believe the father
of your baby is my husband.

Oh, no! Anh, I mean the mas...

Be silent!

You know I'm not well.

But I have given my husband sons.

Beautiful boys.

As fine as any woman
could have given him.

So don't think...

...you won't pay for what you've done.

You and your daughter must
leave the house at once.

Leave?

But why?

Nobody knows but you.

Let people think
the father is some soldier.

I know, and that's enough.

Men are like dogs pissing on posts.

They go once, they go twice.

But be Ly's no threat to you.
She has nothing for a proper man.

She's just a country girl.

An ignorant, stupid, foolish child.

A maid that will never be a bride.

She's nothing! Worthless!

Absolutely not.

I won't have her in my house.

Not as a nanny.

Not as a housekeeper.

Then as number two wife!

You're out of your mind.

As concubine to the master.

As your slave to kick around.

To warm your husband's bed
when you have better things to do.

Why waste your health
on a man's rutting...

...when a stupid girl can do it?

You're always number one wife.
The law is on your side.

- Please, Mama!
- Stupid, stop!

They must go now.
Today, before supper.

You tried to get rid of it?

Yes, of course. But your seed,
master, is too strong.

Now it has hold of be Ly too.

Please, help us get by
the best we can.

At least until the child is born.

I won't throw you into the street.

But I cannot ask my wife
to let you live with us.

- I'll put you in an apartment.
- Not in Saigon.

How far away do you want them?

How far can you drive in a day?

All right.

They'll go to Danang...

But we have nothing!

...with enough money
until the baby's born.

I'll send you money monthly.

To a bank or a relative.

I don't want you
to know their address.

That's an absolute condition.

You will have enough to live on.

My steward will handle everything.

One day she'll come back!

Don't forget her! She makes
an excellent second wife.

Promise you won't forget her.

But the money never came.

Madame Lien saw to that.

My mother sold snails
for a while in Danang...

...but soon gave up
and returned to Ky La.

My father, ashamed that I was unmarried
and pregnant, refused to see me.

- You want Mary Jane?
- Go away.

Hey, G.I., number one cigarette?

How about some boom-boom?

No, me no hooker!

- Give you $10.
- No. Cigarette?

- $15.
- No. Cigarette?

What you hiding there?
Those baby bellies turn me on.

- Come on, give you $50. Come on.
- No can do! No, you fuck off!

What's in the box?

Johnny Walker, cigarette.

- What's this?
- Marijuana, huh?

This is all I have.

That's okay.

Where's Kim?

Kim work.

Kim work.

I'll wait for her, little sister.

No, baby san. Baby san.

- You go bye.
- Beer.

You go bye.

Beer?

Yeah?

I look for Kim.

Me daughter.

- Kim here?
- She no here.

Please. Me daughter, daughter.

I come long way.

- Go away.
- Please, please.

Me Papa. Papa.

No see long time.

Please, please!

Go now, you fucking
stupid gook asshole!

- What are you doing here?
- Papa's at the house. Paul's back.

Paul's back? So soon?

Paul, good to see you, honey!
This isn't a good time.

Oh, baby!

I'm six weeks in the fucking bush.
I need some pussy bad! Now!

Father came a long way to see me.
Not good time.

He's got time, I don't. Get him out!

Come back.

I need some pussy, baby. Now!

He pays my bills. He's my man.

- Will you come on?
- Give me a little time, Papa.

Come back in two hours.

Let's do it.

Ouch! Jesus Christ, baby.

See you.

I came to see your sister.

She's at work.

Selling near the base.

- Is she doing well? Getting by?
- She's lazy.

- But I help her all I can.
- And the baby?

I don't know why she
seduced her master's husband.

When she got caught,
did she keep quiet? No.

She has brought shame on us.

An unwed mother.

But she's not the only one
who has brought shame to us.

I do the best I can, Papa.

I'll be late for work.

When you see be Ly...

...tell her I came here to see her.

I miss her very much.

She should not worry about
being punished for her mistake.

Life finds a way to balance itself.

Will you tell her that for me?

Of course, Papa.

And me?

You too, my sweet one.

Your boyfriend treated Papa so bad.

You would be ashamed.

You were there.

This is not the way
Papa taught us to be.

Do you think I like what I'm doing?

Somebody has to make
a living here. You don't help!

I don't know why I let you stay here!

My boyfriends complain about you!

Pregnant women are bad luck!

How disrespectful you are!
If Papa...

Papa what?

- An invader!
- Really?

You sleep with the enemy!
You betray your family!

That's enough!

That's enough out of you!

And I'll marry one too! You'll see!

And I'll get out
of this goddamn country!

And as for you, young lady...

...no more charity for you!

Go on! Get out!

Get out! Do you think that
you're the only one Papa loves?

You spoiled!

Spoiled!

To survive, I picked through
the American base camp garbage.

And it was there that
I first saw the remains...

...of poor prostitutes
who had been murdered by men.

Thank heaven it's a boy.

Put him up to feed quickly.
Too much blood.

How will you care for him?

Better give him away or kill him.

And your shame will be washed away.

You're lucky, among the indig
personnel referred to this office.

I will have no problem placing you.

Provided, of course, you play ball.

No big deal.

We'll do it any way you want.

Now, you do your best...

...and I'll do my best.

Open door!

Don't make such a big deal about it.
Just a little suck...

Bitch!

Stop!

You! Call MP now!

This man try rape me!

Go! Go!

Supposed to be a joke, right?
It's a joke.

Months went by.

There were more prostitutes, black
marketeers. Everything had a price.

My family was suffering.

My papa had gotten old and sick
and could no longer work the land.

Hey, G.I., you buy? You buy?

- Not today.
- G.I., you buy? Smokes? You buy?

G.I., you buy?

Hey, Le.

Hi, Big Mike.

You look beaucoup sau.

No good day.

I got something to change
your mood. See those grunts?

They're leaving for the world today.

So what? They want souvenirs?

I got Chinese jade, Big Mike.
Mary Jane. Titi money.

No, they want a real souvenir.
They want boom-boom you.

Beaucoup boom-boom over there.

Plenty crabs too.

These pencil-dicks are clean. They've
been in the bush since they got here.

One of them's going home to his wife.

Want them to go boom-boom some
scuzzbag and bring home the clap?

They're willing to pay $20 each head.

Le Ly good girl. Fuck off.

Okay, 5 flags and that's just for one.
$100 for the other.

Two hundred dollars, real money.

Why?

Too much.

You joking.

These guys got the bread
from being in the bush.

I told them clean poon is expensive.

Look, Le...

They beat the odds.
They want to leave something behind.

A memory. Something.

Le Ly not that kind of girl.

No deal.

Jesus Christ,
you drive a hard bargain.

400 fucking dollars. This is green.

And that's it.
That's all they gave me.

You give me 50 commission,
you pocket 350.

Support your family for a year, easy.
What's so hard about it?

15 minutes. It ain't even work.
Lie there and let them do the work.

What'll they do that
ain't been done already?

They don't got all day.
Take the money...

...and give them
a story to bring home.

You're no cherry.

Just do it for fucking world peace.

Come on!

Send the poor bastards home
with a smile.

My father was dying.

I returned for the first time
to my village.

What are you doing here?

I heard there's trouble.

Where's Papa?

Your papa...

The Americans came one day
to look at our family bunker.

They think Vietcong inside,
make Papa go inside first.

No VC!

But he told them no one was inside.

They still throw grenade.

But it did not explode.

Then two Americans went in.

No more.

They were very angry at your papa.

They beat him.

Put paper on his back:

"VC."

Took him to prison.

Bad, bad beating.

Come, Mama. Come.

Be Ly.

Papa.

You're drinking now.

Stupid wizard came by the other day.

He said to me:

"I have nothing to tell you."
Just like that. I have no future.

He didn't mean it.

If I stay in the village, I die.

You know wizards
hate to give people bad news.

You're just imagining things.
There's nothing to worry about.

Who's worried?

What's wrong with living forever
with your ancestors?

I'm worried about you.
But your mother is not the same.

What happened to her?

The Vietcong came after Americans,
killed so many of them in a fight.

They were angry.

Traitor! Traitor!

Your Uncle Luc told him to stop.

He yelled, "How can a woman who sends
two sons to die for the revolution...

...think of betraying her country?

How can you accuse her?"

Tell her to keep her mouth shut.

I never should have left Ky La.

I should have stayed to fight
them all: the Vietcong...

...the government.

What am I now, Papa?

Not a warrior woman. Not a Phung.

Just a tramp, begging in the streets.

So ashamed.

Don't be ashamed.

You did the best you could.

Listen to me.

You were born to be
a wonderful wife...

...and a mother.

Not a killer.

No, be Ly.

Don't ask what's right or wrong.

These questions are very dangerous.

Right is only the goodness
you carry in your heart.

Love for your ancestors,
for your family.

Wrong is all that comes
between you and that love.

Go back to your son.

Make him the best son you can.
That is the war you must fight.

That is the victory you must win.

Quick. Before they see you and talk.

My little peach blossom...

...what will you do without me?

My father died soon after.

He drank acid and died
on the ground he loved.

My father taught me life is
simple and compassion follows.

He taught me by forgiving me
for being unwed...

...and taking to his heart
my little child.

I bought my father
the best funeral he could have...

...and we mourned him for 100 days.

A year passed.

I got work at the Korean
commissary, serving drinks for tips.

The war got worse, and the Americans
became part of our landscape...

...part of us.

I want you to meet Steve.
He's sergeant.

Look, he want to meet
nice Vietnamese girl.

Give me the rest of the money.

Hey!

Wait a minute!

Look back there!

Yeah, I know her.

There she is. She's come back.
Money, money.

Sorry, my friend no take
no for answer.

She's scared you take back money.
You chase her.

Not my fault.

Sorry.

Yes?

You want something else?

I told you,
I no want to be your girlfriend.

You want girl, you go see hooker.

Don't bother me.

I'm too old for hookers.
I just wanted to meet you.

I don't care about the money.

Your girlfriend introduced us,
and that's all I wanted.

Since I have gone
to all of this trouble...

...you think it'd be all right
if I just came in...

...talked to you for a few moments?
Just talk.

Please. Just a moment.

- Please.
- Okay.

One minute.

I leave door open.

You bad guy, one funny move...

...I call MP. They right there.

I good girl.

Okay.
I go work now.

Thank you for coming.

- I hope you happy stay in Danang.
- I'll wait for you.

I go long time. I work
at Korean casino. Serve booze.

- Hostess.
- That's okay, I have no place to go.

I gave my money to your friend...

...and I can't afford a taxi
out of here. To tell the truth...

...I'm tired from our little race.

Okay. You can stay.

But not too long.

When you go, lock door, please.

Maybe we can have dinner later?

I have dinner. Not possible.

No problem.

Nice meeting you.
Lock door when you go. Goodbye.

Hi.

I hope you don't mind if
I stretched out for a while.

You're still here?

You said I could rest. And I did
want to take you to dinner...

...to thank you for your hospitality.

You no understand.
I no want go dinner.

Then we'll just go...

...for a walk or a drink.
It doesn't matter to me.

I want you didi.

You nice man...

...but I no want boyfriend.

You have a boyfriend?

You dinky dau.

No. No boyfriend.

Me had boyfriend.

But me no want new boyfriend.

I'm sorry.

It sounds like he hurt you.

Yes.

Beg your pardon?

You want me give you money for taxi?

- I'm perfectly content right here.
- I know.

I know you want stay here,
but this my house.

You want woman, I call siclo.

I'm not interested in prostitutes.
I'm interested in you.

Is this your little brother?

Is this handsome little boy
your relative?

- My son.
- Oh, of course he is.

He looks just like you.
A lot of spirit around the eyes.

Steve.

That your name?

Yeah.

I sorry I not very nice to you.

You want some tea?

Fat girl is my sister.
And this is Mom's eight dogs.

She has the eight ugliest dogs
in the United States.

I think I better leave you alone.

Too much rain.

No taxi.

You stay until no more rain.

You sure?

Oh, God, I'm sorry.

- I'm sorry.
- It's okay.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Anyone home?

Steve!

What all this?

Just a few things
for you and your family.

We're gonna have Christmas
all over again.

No, Steve, please.

You do not do this.

You cannot.

Oh, yeah. Sure, I can.

Le, I'm not very good with words.
Even if I could speak your language...

...I don't think
I could tell you how I feel.

I just want peace and happiness.

I just want to be with you
and help you and your little boy.

And your mom.

- Anything wrong with that?
- I no want be your girlfriend, Steve.

I no want boyfriend!

Me and men...

...we have bad karma.

You understand?

How much bad could have happened
to a little girl like you?

You no ask. Goodbye.

You nice man. You find better girl.

Now wait a minute. Hold on here.

I know all about karma.

My karma has taken me all over
the world most of my life...

...living out of a duffel bag.

That's why I'm here.

It's time to settle down,
quit pretending I'll live forever.

I'm going home...

...to San Diego.

I got a house...

...family there.

I want you to be there with me.

You'll be safe. You'll be free.

Your boy will have his freedom...

...and an education.

My first wife taught me a real lesson
in my life. I'm serious.

I need a good Oriental woman.

Like you.

If you'll have me...

...I want you...

...to be my wife.

Three years passed.

No, no, that's Tommy. And we're
going to change "Hung" to "Jimmy."

We moved to the Central
Highlands with Steve's new job.

Steve loved our new son, Tommy,
as if his life had started again.

When you come to California,
Mama san, to visit my mama san...

...we'll take you to Disneyland
in those pajamas.

Mama missed Papa too much...

...and seemed to be living
between this world and the next.

Everything's so hard.

Your papa wanted you
to stay on the land.

I can't. It's the past.

Who will take care of the land?

I'm old.

Maybe Bon will come back.

I know he will.

America, Mama.

In America, I can save the children.

The South is dying. Steve says...

...it will fall faster
than anyone thinks.

His mother and sister
are near San Diego...

...and he'll leave the Army soon
for a good job.

He loves me.

I love him.

You love him?

Yes.

He's good, Mama.

He loves the children.

Americans are thu vo thuy vo chung.

They have no beginning and no end.

They don't care about their ancestors.

So they think they are free
to do any bad thing they want.

You will not be happy with this man.

And your father's spirit
will not rest...

...till his most-loved child
sleeps in his house.

- Where are we going?
- Just don't separate!

- What happened?
- They overran the base!

Don't separate!

Come on, come on!

- Come on! Get everybody!
- Wait! Jimmy!

It's all right!

- Wait! Our things!
- There's no time! Get up there!

Take that, okay? Goodbye.

Steve, we gotta go!

Get the fuck out of here!

- This is the end of the line.
- But Saigon!

- You're getting out of here.
- You say you take us Saigon!

No, come on! Go!

You son of a bitch! Fuck you!

Get out of here.

My family was now blown
to the four winds.

But on the road out of Qui Nhon,
I realized I was not alone.

My whole country was collapsing.

Just be calm.

Butler! Butler!

Steven J?

He's listed as missing in action.
Come back tomorrow.

Batowski! Anyone for Batowski?

Ticket, American plane, $2000.

You come with me, American man
give beaucoup greenback.

For dollars. I got 10,000 piastres.

Look! It's Daddy!

How are you doing, boy?

It was everything I dreamed of.

America.

Big skies, and giant people
crushed me in their arms.

And best of all was
my husband, Steve Butler.

Marine Sergeant Butler.

Here it is. The dream begins.

In his big, craggy face
was everything...

...I loved about America.

Played football with the guy
that lived in that house.

My first girlfriend lived
in this house.

She was a real dog.

You make me happy.

You make me very happy.

He's here! They're early!

She's so cute.

Like a little China doll.

Oh, I just want to hug you to pieces!

And the kids!

I'm just gonna eat you up!

Hi, honey!

Home port. Lock and load!
There's Ma.

- My baby!
- How are you?

You can sure tell which is Steve's.

That's Le Ly.

I'm so happy to meet you, honey.

The boys.

Come on in.

Look at this!

Not bad, huh? It's ranch style.
We'll be here for a while.

But soon we'll get our own place.

- When did you get back?
- Last night. We got a C-130...

- How was the flight?
- Long, you know.

- Must've been terrible there.
- We don't wanna talk about that now.

We'll talk about that later.

I've got steak and baked potatoes
all planned, sweetie...

...just like you like it.

And chocolate ice cream. Does that
sound nice? Do you eat that too?

I prepare tea if you show me kitchen.

No, I'm supposed to do that.
You're the guest.

Come on, this way.

You hungry, Ly? You mind
if I call you Ly for short?

Let's see, for dinner we have...

...steak, potatoes...

...peas.

For dessert, strawberries.

We'll have you back
to normal in no time.

The meat will take more work,
but we've got that under control.

Isn't that magic?

Bless us, O Lord, and Thy
gifts which we are about to receive.

In the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

- Were the bugs bad?
- Oh, yeah.

- What about drugs?
- Some guys got involved, some didn't.

- My Stevie wouldn't do anything bad.
- No way.

Johnny got killed.

Le Ly, you got such pretty hair.

Then we got an R and R in Australia.
You should see those beaches.

Was the money as good as they say?

$14,000, I socked away.

Combat pay, overseas pay, the best.
I'd go for another year, if I could.

I guess it's over, though.

Beverly's been calling.

I'm sure she wants it all too.

Three more years.

Then I'm in fat city.

- How are the kids?
- Great. You gotta call in.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

John's having trouble in school...

Yeah, look,
I'll get right on it, okay?

Can we just relax here?

I'm sure Lee Lay's
really jet-lagged out.

Aren't you, honey?

You drink too much.

You forgot my name.

I'm sorry, Le Ly.

He was always slow in school.

Just think of it as a Saigon taxi.
Just a rental.

My personal vehicle's in the shop.

You know, I understand about money.

You in Marines a long time now...

...and you live with your mother.

The problem is Beverly.
She gets half my paycheck.

Plus child support,
and she's still pissed.

I'm in debt to the credit union...

...for a loan they made me in '67.
I'm practically bankrupt.

I got three more years,
I'll get out with a good pension.

Then I got a civilian job
waiting for me. Big bucks.

Just you and me. We're gonna
be back in the Far East.

Indonesia...

...Singapore.

Could be making 65,000 bucks
a year, guaranteed.

Promised to me.

What this job?

I can't tell you. Not just yet.
It's confidential.

But I guarantee it'll work out.

For your casserole...

...we are featuring
the 8-ounce can of Spam.

We need to go back to aisle
three where that cute guy is.

- He'd make a cute snack.
- Yeah, great buns on him!

Pick one.

Uncle Ben, I think.

Uncle trusted man.

No, we're not feeding the village.

Bernice doesn't even like this stuff.

This is America, baby.

Store stays open 24 hours.

You don't need money in America.

You just give this paper
to the bank, and the bank pays.

They don't get it.

I do.

We'll lick them together.

We'll lick them together.

Thank you, Lord, for watching
over us and giving us...

...these things
for which we are grateful.

In the name of the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.

It was on a Danang street.

Her girlfriend tried to rip me off.

I had one like that in Okinawa. She
had thighs like that turkey.

Cracked coconuts with them.

Wait, it's not what you think.

I chased her like a starving ARVIN,
hunting a grain of rice.

Horseshit.

Don't run off with your filthy,
dirty, salacious mind.

Don't give yourself a headache.
You and me are peas in a pod.

Oriental women will tell you what
you wanna hear, do what you wanna do.

But if you wanna believe that,
I'll salute you.

What are you saying? Oriental women
are also very fucking loyal.

Have a drink. All I'm trying
to say is, more power to you, buddy.

Come on, Ly, it's
Thanksgiving. You can eat.

Think of the starving Vietnamese.

Leave her alone.
She always eats like a sparrow.

Rice and fish, fish and rice...

...that's all the kids ever get.
They're starving for meat.

Give her a break. She can't eat
for her whole damn country.

I want her to know we're being
generous. I want her to be grateful.

Let me tell you about grateful.

We'd go to villages, and the first thing
old men and women said to us was:

"Please, sir, don't kill me."

In Danang, we'd drive
past hospitals...

...past people our bombs
had blown to bits.

And they'd wave.

Boys and girls...

...with no arms, no legs, waving at us
like tourists going to the beach.

Why?

Because they're happy to be alive
and glad to see us.

We put them where they were.

And there's 20 of them dead
or mutilated for every one of us.

So don't expect Ly to do handstands
over your goddamn turkey.

She knows exactly what she's got,
and she knows what she's left behind.

- Excuse me, baby brother.
- Steve is right.

I'm sorry, Mrs. Butler.

Goddamn.

It's time the kids slept
in their own bed.

They more loving
when they stay with us.

Who going to protect them
from evil spirits?

Look, it ain't Vietnam
in this bedroom.

It's California.

How can I even see you
across all these bodies?

Kids sleep alone.
Makes them more independent.

You Le Ly hero.
Tonight, you protect Le Ly.

You good man.

Just too much whiskey.

Steve?

Steve.

I want to go work.
I want make money.

I want get out of here, out of house.

Your family like their dogs
better than our boys.

What will you do, anyway?

Work factory.

Restaurant. There plenty
Oriental restaurant growing here.

I'd like to go back to Vietnam.

Make a bundle.

I'll tell you the truth,
I kind of miss it, in a way.

What this job they want you do
for so much money?

It's just between you and me, okay?

Government has rules about what jobs
you can do after what I've done.

- What this job?
- It's arms.

Selling arms.

I don't understand.

You know, guns? Sell guns.

You joking?

What do you think I did the last 17
years? What do military advisors do?

I go to countries and teach them
how to use weapons...

...that our corporations sell.

How can you go sell guns to government
that blow up women and children?

If we didn't sell them,
the Communists would.

And how would they
or we be better off?

Guns! Communists!

Is that all Americans think about?

It's the only thing I know how to do.
At least I'll make money doing it.

Do you ever listen
to anything Le Ly tell you?

Oh, shit.

You mean the Buddhist stuff.

Not just that!

I mean my family, my life.

We don't know anything
about each other, Steve.

You lied to me in Vietnam.

No, it wasn't a lie...

...exactly.

It was a white lie. A good lie.

Come on, baby, don't do this.

Come on, please.
I love you, darling.

Much against Steve's wishes,
I found a job...

...working in
a circuit board factory.

I know the girls well,
so I borrowed 5000.

I need 10,000 to open a little deli
in a neighborhood with many immigrants.

Vietnamese never trust bank.
Loan money to each other.

- You winning?
- Of course.

Can I borrow money?

I think I'll make
a $1400 profit a month.

I did not tell Steve.
He would be angry.

He didn't like
my starting a business.

This one, I don't know about.

Those cost me 5000 in Vietnam.

Take it back to Vietnam.

I'm opening a restaurant.

Steve want to give me money,
control me. But I used to working...

...having my own money. But in
America, he want me be housewife.

So I wear two hats.

I'm lucky? What do you mean?

You told me two years!
We had an agreement! Not one!

No, no, no.

Two years, not $10,000.
$20,000.

I don't think so!

I put in air conditioner!
I clean electric wiring!

I remodel! I put up shelves!

I should pay 10,000 for two years,
and you know it!

When I tell Steve, we have
a big fight, then more fights.

Hung, now Jimmy...

...break my heart when he refused
to speak Vietnamese with me...

...as did Tommy
and our new son, Alan.

In school, because of the war,
they said they were Mexican.

I won't sign it.

Fine. No sign.

I was starting to behave
like an American...

...yelling back at my husband,
frowns, scowls.

And all the time
you spend at the temple!

Steve was drinking more...

...and seemed unhappy with his job
at the Marine base.

Buddha don't know shit!

There was another side
to Steve now I had not seen before.

He speak angry words now.
All blood and thunder words.

She's a bitch.
What do you want me to say?

She wants more!

No reason. Money goes like water
around here. I got five kids...

...including your bastard.

Marine Corps owns my body and my soul.
I got nothing of my own!

Then why use $400
on two more guns? Why?

Still bitching about money
like a gook?

Don't call me that.
You have no right!

These are valuable. I can sell them
for twice what I got in them.

They could be the only thing
between you and death.

Death? Death from who?

You the only person
who waves gun around here...

...who drinks and shoots!

Don't tell me what I should or
shouldn't have. They're my sons too...

...and I'll teach them
to hunt and shoot!

They'll learn to survive.

No way, buddy. You will not
teach my sons to shoot!

I see too many guns in my lifetime.

Killing no way to protect anything!
I don't want guns in my house!

No more. You want them, you get out!

Fuck you...

...you lying little bitch!

Don't tell me to go.
I read your letter.

What letter?

The one from your dink lover.
I saw it stashed in your purse.

Anh?

You went through my things?

What's he writing you
in Vietnamese about?

He want you back?

No.

He asked about Jimmy.

I send him pictures...

...answer his questions.

- That's all.
- Bullshit!

Lying bitch!

Steve.

One time, I think I love you.

But I see now we're too different
inside to be soul mates.

No more mistake now.

Not with children so young.

Are you saying you wanna divorce me?

Is that it?

One thing I learn.

In marriage, just one person
can't be happy.

One miserable, both miserable.

That the way life works.

Oh, no, baby.

This is the way life works!

Oh, my God!

Steve.

I felt my soul would go then,
any moment.

God is not cruel...

...just practical.

In this life...

...sometimes against all knowledge...

...we're paying back for
a lot of bad past lives.

I can't.

I can't live without you!

They got me so tied up.

Who's doing this to you?

The Marine Corps.

I'm not gonna get the civilian job
I promised you.

I'm up for an Admin Board,
and they're gonna kick me out.

You don't know the half of it,
darling.

- You don't know the half of it.
- Tell me.

You must tell me all.

You feel better.

I'm a killer.

I killed so many over there.

I got so good at it, they assigned me
to the projects.

Black Ops.

We killed sometimes
three or four a night.

All kinds.

Rice farmers...

...rich fat cats
bankrolling the VC unit.

It was a complete mind fuck.

Psy ops, rip a man's guts out,
take a bite out of his liver...

...drop it on his chest
so he don't go to Buddha heaven.

Leave him laying in the road.

Cut his nuts off...

...stuff them in his mouth, sew up
his lips, leave him laying in his bed.

Blame it on the VC, I didn't care.

Drugs, running guns, slavery.

You name it.

One time, this guy killed
a gook girl I was...

...shacking with.

We weren't to fraternize with
Viet nationals outside channels...

...so they killed her,
they cut her throat from ear to ear.

I was in hell, baby.

I was in pure...

...hell.

And maybe I went dinky dau over there.

Maybe I am nuts, who the fuck knows?

The more I killed,
the more they gave me to kill.

You know what it's like?
It's like being eaten alive...

...from the inside out by sharks.
You gotta keep hitting and moving...

...because if you stop,
the sharks will eat you alive.

One day, they cut me off.

Then one day, I found you.

And it all changed, I thought.
But, baby...

...nothing ever changes.

So fuck me, right?

No, no, no.

It's okay.

What's gonna happen to me, baby?
I'm scared to death.

I don't know.

I too was a soldier in past lives.

I hurt many people.

I lied, I stealed...

...I hate.

Now I pay.

Soldiers try to kill my life.

Long time, I have no man love me.

No respect.

It's my fate.

We're the same, Steve.

We have made bad karma.

And our soul debt will come due,
if not in this life...

...then in another.

But we can't give up.

We must try.

Different skin...

...same suffering.

Can you love me?

Can you really love me?

Oh, my baby.

But the fights continued
and continued.

Finally I went to see a lawyer.

In my heart, I thought I did not
belong in this country.

And I thought of going home again.

He's not supposed to be
taking furniture.

You better call your lawyer.

No, it's okay, Sharon. Let him.

That's what a divorce is.
That's when you divide everything.

- Not now...
- Please.

Let him go.

Eat up.

Daddy, you're back.

- What you doing here?
- It's Sunday.

- I came to take the kids to Mass.
- I don't think so.

Get the hell out of the way!

Jimmy, come!

- What're you doing?
- I'm going too.

No, you're not! You're gonna stay
right goddamn here and fix lunch!

Steve, Steve.

Lily, good to see you.
It's been far too long.

This is Steve.

- How's Alan? Tommy?
- Fine. You wanna see them again?

Of course! I'm worried sick!

The police want you.

Fuck them. Do exactly what I tell you.

What do you want?

Write a letter to your bitch lawyer,
dropping the charges against me.

Tell her you want the house
put into my name.

Tell her you're dropping the divorce.
You listening to me?

Yes, I'm listening.

Get the letter notarized. Take it
to Father Bob. I'll call him.

Do it, or you'll be sorry.

You'll get the letter.
Just don't hurt them.

They're ours.
They have our lives in them.

You just get that letter.

My boys.

I birthed them with pain.

I chewed their food for them.

I am shocked.

I am insulted at the insolence of men.

They don't respect women.

I cannot believe such men
have known a mother's love.

If I show you a tiny baby
killed by a bayonet...

...and say it is his karma...

...we may cry for the baby...

...for the baby's karma and the
bad karma of the soldier who killed it.

But we must never use our emotion...

...to deny the wheel of incarnation
that caused the act.

It is as natural...

...as the movement...

...of the sun...

...and moon.

Master...

...how can I tell him we must be
friends and soul mates...

...without being husband and wife?

He has created much soul debt
for himself.

But if you fail to give him
the opportunity...

...to redeem himself...

...you will only increase
your own soul debt.

The man-hate...

...that blinds you...

...will blind any man you find
in a future life.

If you turn Steve away...

...you will be rejecting
your own redemption.

Child...

...you have forgiven the men...

...who raped you...

...destroyed your country...

...harmed your family.

This is how it should be.

Your karma is mixed with Steve
to Tommy and Alan.

The future...

...the past...

...are all the same.

If you divorce...

...you will only have to come back
again and work it out again.

The path to nirvana...

...is never being safe...

...but tricky and steep.

And if you walk only on sunny days...

...you never reach your destination.

Choose well...

...my peach blossom.

A child without a father...

...is like a house without a roof.

Hello?

Listen carefully.

My sister Kim came to America
and married Steve's military friend.

Steve and the two boys are here now.
They're drinking.

He's getting ready to take them
to Canada.

The boys are upset.

They don't wanna stay
with Steve anymore.

Oh, fine, next Tuesday.

- Whatever you want.
- Put Steve on. I must speak to him.

Here. It's for you. Here.

Let go, honey.

Steve?

Please, I know you hate me.
But I don't hate you.

Let me help you.

Let me try.

I feel your pain.

You come back home. No police.

Just you, me, the children.

We make this right.

I'll go to your church.

I try harder.
I'll put the shrine away.

I love you, Steve.

I love the man I saw in Vietnam.

I find you again.

He's still there, Steve.

I still love you.

Steve, please.

- You can't go in there.
- My children.

They're all right! Steve...

He killed himself.

The spirits are here.

Oh, this is marvelous.

Your husband is here.

He is a little shy.

He doesn't want to come into the house.

He's not used to this new world.

He's in much pain.

But he forgive you.

He ask for you...

...to take his soul
into the Buddhist temple.

He say:

"Place me in the temple."

As he finds peace...

...so will your family...

...and your children find peace.

That's it.

Are you sure that was Steve?

He was such a strong Christian.

Trust me.

He change a lot.

And by the way...

This house...

- What?
- Have to leave.

No good.

Your front door faces your back door.

Everything that come into your life...

...the front way will go out the back.

Men...

...money...

...happiness...

...everything.

Move fast.

It was 13 years after the war
that I first returned to Vietnam.

To the spirit of my father...

...to my sisters and brother Bon
who had survived the war...

...and to my mother,
who I had not spoken to in years.

An ocean had come between us.

But I feared it would be the last time
for my sons to see her.

I had prospered in America, yes.

I buy and rent houses,
became partner in a restaurant...

...working all the time,
losing touch as a mother.

Affairs with different men,
none of whom touched my heart.

Stopping in old Saigon first...

...now Ho Chi Minh City...

...my heart trembled with anticipation
as I took Jimmy to see his father...

...who, as a teenage girl,
I'd fallen madly in love with...

...twenty years before.

Had he changed?

Ahn.

Be Ly.

Don't you start that again.

Papa.

Mama.

Be Ly.

You look healthy.

You're a ghost.

I don't see you.

I don't know where you are.

How is your sister Kim?

Fine.

Fine.

Your grandsons. My boys.

Jimmy's Hung.

Tommy's Chau.

Alan.

Born in America.

What'd she say?

She says you're giant.

She can't believe your size.

You used to scratch your back...

...on the wooden post in our house.

- Look at her teeth!
- Stop that.

Brother.

Take a chocolate.

School?

School. I'm doing very good.

Take one. Be polite.

I'm sorry, I can't.

Don't spoil the good time.

My oldest son and my youngest daughter
are back with me.

My two halves on either side.

We share the same mother, I agree.
And I love her as a sister...

...but I cannot accept her gifts.

I had this terrible fear
that you would despise me...

...because I married your enemy
and left while you were still fighting.

It's been so many years.

Much is forgiven.

But you don't understand
how much suffering Americans caused.

Things are very hard.

We use our own excrement
to grow vegetables.

All we had to hold on to was
the future...

...because we knew that future
would not arrive unless we won.

So we kept dying, no matter what...

...just like ants beneath
the elephant's feet.

It wasn't because we were brave.

Because we had no choice.

Our freedom was all...

...all that mattered.

But when the future finally came...

...there was more war...

...the Cambodians, the Chinese.

When I came to look for Mama
in 1980...

...you have no idea how much
your mother suffered.

She was too old to work the paddies.

She had to give the land, our land,
to the state after liberation.

When I found Mama and Hai,
they were starving.

Their clothes were rags,
their farm tools were stolen...

...the animals slaughtered.

The house was in ruins.

Some wild dogs attacked them.

Nobody in the village cared for them.

They're just two old ladies
scavenging...

...and growing vegetables
to stay alive.

Now you come here...

...a rich, strange foreigner.

You'll turn the village
against them...

...and against us...

...the Phungs,
who have suffered so much.

Things were bad for everyone
after liberation.

Many times, heaven and earth
changed places.

If you ask me, rebuilding
a nation after a war...

...is like trying to start a family
by getting raped!

If war produces one thing,
it's many cemeteries.

And in cemeteries there are no enemies.

All I could think of for so long...

...was how I made your brother Sau
go to war.

Your father wanted your brother to know
some of the joys of married life...

...but I said no, so sure I was
doing the right thing.

Can you believe it? I gave up
a grandson to gain a soldier.

And I lost both.

How wrong I was.

It was also anh Sau's choice.

He was just being a good son
when he obeyed me.

If I could, I would have stopped you
from going to America.

What would've happened
to your sons here?

I'm so proud of you, be Ly.

You've grown up to see the side of
things that's hidden from most people.

Tears are God's way
of paying you back...

...for what He's taken.

I have no more tears.

I have cried them out
to all directions of the wind.

My color's changing, Ly.

It began last year.

I have seen it before in others.

You have come back,
and that's what matters.

You have completed
your circle of growth.

Low tide to high tide...

...poor to rich...

...sad to happy...

...beggar to a fine lady.

Your past is now complete...

...and my destiny as your mother
is now over.

I'm looking forward to
joining your papa.

That night, I slept
in the house my father built.

Afterward, he found no need
to visit me in my dreams.

I gave my offerings to all the dead
of the village.

I had come home, yes.

But home had changed...

...and I would always be in between...

...South, North...

...East, West...

...peace, war...

...Vietnam, America.

It is my fate to be in between
heaven and earth.

When we resist our fate, we suffer.

When we accept it, we are happy.

We have time in abundance,
an eternity...

...to repeat our mistakes.

But we need only once correct
our mistake...

...and at last hear
the song of enlightenment...

...with which we can break
the chain of vengeance forever.

In your heart, you can hear it now.

It's the song your spirit has been
singing since the moment of your birth.

If the monks were right...

...and nothing happens
without cause...

...then the gift of suffering is
to bring us closer to God...

...to teach us to be strong
when we are weak...

...to be brave when we are afraid...

...to be wise in the midst
of confusion...

...and to let go of that
which we can no longer hold.

Lasting victories are won
in the heart...

...not on this land or that.