The Sea Wall (2008) - full transcript
French Indochina, 1931. In the Gulf of Siam, a Widow and her two children, Joseph, 2o, and Suzanne, 16, barely survive by exploiting rice fields located much too close to the ocean. Every year their crops are flooded and their only hope lies in the construction of a seawall. The mother refuses to give up and desperately battles both the sea and the corrupt colonial bureaucrats ...
Our duty is to help her out.
She's a special case.
Thank you.
Bart?
Champagne!
Get to work!
What a dimwit!
I have to do everything around here.
We'll never get much
out of those Chinks!
You should dance with Mr Jo.
I don't feel like it.
Get to work.
Hurry up, now!
Just what I needed!
They finally gave me the money.
You shouldn't be drinking like that.
I need it to drown my shame.
Besides, we're not paying for it.
Compliments of Rudolph Valentino.
Valentino!
Sorry... The Ladies' Man!
Get off me!
I'm allowed to be cheerful
and to kiss you, right?
Look at that idiot over there!
What a loser!
What do you mean, a loser?
Your mother's a loser, too.
I had to demean myself by begging
those bastards from the bank!
We have to wait until this moron
proposes to Suzanne.
I've waited long enough.
I'll have to pay back
the mortgage in the end.
Why won't he dance with your sister?
This is Mistinguett!
Listen, I love this song!
- I love it too.
- Shall we play it afterwards?
May I ask you for a dance?
Come on!
I'm in love with you.
My mother made me swear
that I'd never give myself to you.
Why are you always unkind to me?
All I want is your happiness
and your family's, too.
What a drag!
Will you ever stop complaining?
We'll have
another bottle of champagne.
Go and lighten up your lipstick a bit,
will you?
You don't look like a decent girl.
She isn't, is she?
She looks
like a whore with pursed lips!
You don't have to be so rude.
Joseph and I have been talking about you.
We know exactly
what you're up to.
We're nobody's fool.
You must be sick
to feel like sleeping with my sister.
Madam, I have very deep feelings
for your daughter.
It may be so.
All that matters
is that you marry her.
You don't get married in two weeks.
You rich people
can afford to wait for years.
We can't.
Anyway, take it or leave it.
She can sleep
with whomever she chooses.
But you must marry her first.
It's our way of telling you
to piss off.
You're horrible.
We're not making you marry her.
We're just warning you.
She's very young.
Not so young.
She'll soon turn 17.
If I were you, I'd marry her.
You'll drive her back,
won't you, Mr Jo?
Let's get the hell out of here.
I love you, Suzanne.
I'll love you until the day I die.
You have nice breasts.
What about my legs?
They're very nice, too.
I love you.
Hold this for me.
Hurry or I'll break your legs!
Get a move on!
Hurry!
Hurry up!
Water! Water!
Here's water! Drink now!
Enough, you rascals!
Get a move on!
You're treating them like animals.
I can't stand it.
If I release them,
they'll cut your throat.
Go ahead, shoot me.
What are you waiting for?
You'd enjoy killing a white man.
You're forbidden to touch weapons.
Cover them with the tarp.
This smuggling business
will get you into trouble.
It still pays for the cigarettes
and the petrol.
It isn't so bad, is it?
You have a light?
Thanks.
Look at her!
Wearing make-up
since she met that Chinaman.
She looks like what she is.
We haven't even touched each other.
I'm not that stupid.
Shut up! You know nothing at all!
Did you talk to him?
He can't make up his mind
because of his father.
He'd rather he married a rich girl.
Going out with a white girl
is a victory for him.
I must be in a bloody fix
to let my daughter marry such a man.
Don't worry, Suzanne.
I'll talk to him.
You've done nothing with him,
right?
Nothing.
I don't feel like it, anyway.
Liar!
So why are you wearing this ring?
Did you sleep with him? Don't lie!
No, I didn't.
- What about this ring?
- He lent it to me.
I'm ashamed for you!
Calm down, for God's sake!
Show me that ring.
It's a diamond.
It's worth about 20,000 francs.
20,000 francs?
That's quite a lot of money!
He'll give it to me
if I go with him.
- Go where?
- To the city.
I'll beat the bastard up!
For how long?
For a week.
Suzanne.
Come.
Come, now.
Suzanne!
Come on, give it back to him.
Why show her the ring
if you want it back?
She'll return it to me
when she likes.
Diamonds are for life.
Give it to him
or I'll throw it away!
Are you coming, Joseph?
Don't bother to come back.
You're merciless.
You shouldn't have shown me
the diamond ring.
I'd never seen one before.
- Suzanne, please.
- You can't understand.
Go away.
Don't ever come back to see me.
Suzanne, keep it.
I'm giving it to you forever.
This diamond ring is yours.
Why are you pulling such a face?
Want to know why?
That man makes me sick.
He won't have his ring back.
I was asking you if you were okay.
Take a pill, have some coffee,
you'll feel better.
I won't have coffee
because I'm tired
and because
I'm fed up with you both!
What a nasty daughter she is!
Jewels are useless, really.
Those who wear them don't need them.
20,000 francs.
Twice as much
as the bungalow mortgage.
It'd be shameful
to give him back the ring.
Considering
the dirty things he's done.
Nonsense! I haven't slept with him.
He gave it to me for no reason.
How could you do this to me
when I work myself to death?
That's enough, you two, now.
You know she hasn't slept with him!
What if I want to kill her?
How about that?
I slept with him
and he gave it to me.
It isn't true. You're lying!
You're a liar!
If you ever lay hands on her again,
I'll leave with her.
So what if she slept with him?
What's the fuss?
You have a fever.
Where is she?
Leave her alone.
She hasn't slept with him.
I know...
Don't worry about the ring.
We'll sell it.
Bart, may I have a word with you?
Look at this ring.
20,000 francs and not a penny less.
At this price, it's a bargain.
Hold on a minute.
There's something wrong with it.
It has a flaw.
It makes it
considerably less valuable.
5,000, tops.
- Are you kidding?
- No, that's final.
I have a lot of mouths to feed.
I have my peasants to think of.
What has it got to do with me?
Come.
He said there's a flaw.
Let me handle it.
You make me ashamed.
Ask the corporal to get you home.
Joseph!
Go ahead. I'll take care of it.
Besides, you're tired.
Very glad to have you with us
tonight.
Pierre.
You'll find your usual table
overlooking the sea.
Abo! Throw those tramps out!
I'll be with you in just a moment.
Evening.
I'm sorry to bother you.
I'm selling a diamond ring.
- Are you interested?
- Have a seat.
Thanks.
Have a light?
Yes.
You're very young.
20.
Why do you want to sell this ring?
My mother needs the money to build
sea walls in the Ream Plain.
Our rice fields
get flooded by the sea.
I know.
I've gone hunting
in that mountain region.
How much for the ring?
20,000.
Your diamond ring has impurities.
Keep it.
I know.
It's a flaw.
How about 15,000?
Keep it.
A flaw is bad luck.
A blue secret night
A sweet summer's night
Through the half open window
Entered the room
Easy.
How was it, anyway?
I don't know what's happening to me.
It was like a dream.
It wasn't a dream.
She was in your arms.
I wish I'd known you like that.
She bought the ring from me.
20,000 francs.
She didn't mind the flaw.
It's nothing to her.
He doesn't even know how many businesses
he owns in Saigon, Pondicherry...
Carmen.
I must see her again
or I'll go crazy!
In Saigon.
She's at the Continental bar
in the evening.
What's keeping you?
Go and find her.
Come on, hurry!
Thanks, Carmen.
Can you give the money to Mother?
Thank you.
My Joseph is in love!
He hasn't even come to say goodbye.
Burning down villages
or driving people from their land
isn't the worst part.
What the Colonial Office did wrong
was to deny those men and women
their dignity,
which leads to fatal consequences.
The villagers took shelter
on the sea wall
and left everything behind them,
except for their anger and resentment
that will never subside.
Pack down the soil until it is firm.
Here.
Make sure it's really compact.
Ma'am, the rice is pregnant!
The rice is pregnant!
People around here are right
when they say rice has a soul.
Joseph!
Stop the car!
Stop here.
You're back!
Of course I am.
Still alive and kicking!
With the 20,000 francs,
we'll start everything from scratch.
But I need a good mortgage
to pull through.
If I get permanent use
of the 12 acres by the sea,
I'll be fine.
Besides, I'm entitled to it.
You think
you're entitled to everything,
but it's the opposite.
Want my sandwich?
I'm not hungry.
Damn!
You have a toothache.
Yes.
I guess being honest
doesn't pay off.
What is it?
The bank took everything I had.
I thought they'd leave me money
to pay for the logs
but they wouldn't relent.
Do you mean that with the ring...
I paid off the debts.
What a fool I've been!
You should have thought about it
before.
Damn!
We don't have a penny left.
Not a penny left.
Take it back.
Where did you get it?
I got it back.
Don't bother. Just take it.
But this ring with its flaw
makes me sick.
We'll sell the fucking ring.
But you'll keep the money
to yourself.
I certainly will.
I'll keep it to myself.
Corporal,
is the rice coming or what?
Suzanne, dinner's ready!
Will it ever stop raining?
Delicious!
I like it. What is this flavour?
I put in some white wine.
If you like it, I'll make some more.
Suzanne has a way with men.
Whoever she wants,
whenever she wants.
You should see how she led him on!
All she needs to do
is be in the right mood!
Have you gone crazy, poor girl?
Don't let any rich man
take advantage of you.
We can be rich too if we work at it.
All we need to do
is put our minds to it.
That may be true.
If we really work at it,
we'll be rich.
We'll crush the poor
wherever they may be.
We'll crush them
and let them know what we think.
We'll crush them!
And we won't give a damn about it!
The roof needs fixing.
I'm fed up.
What are you fed up with?
Everything, like you.
I don't know.
Mr Jo said we were immoral.
We're definitely immoral.
Joseph?
Mother's been vomiting
more and more.
It happens day and night now.
I know.
Let's be kind to her.
As she gets older,
she won't have much fun.
Here we go.
I'm going away for a few days.
I can't do anything else.
- Take your meds.
- Give me a break on that one.
Just go, Joseph.
You can't understand what it's like.
It's not as bad as if he were dead.
We have no reason
to be here any more.
No reason at all.
What about the sea walls?
I don't know
what he's doing with her.
- She'll help him.
- Course not. He'll leave her.
He'll never stay in one place
for long.
I'm the one he's been with
the longest.
He should have shot me dead
before he left.
He's such a good shot.
Suzanne, have something to eat.
Don't worry so much.
Thanks, Corporal.
I'm not hungry.
Mr Jo, this land
hasn't been registered yet.
This rice field is the white woman's.
She's a difficult woman.
This is fine land.
And so is the other one.
I want another 75 acres.
Do whatever it takes to get them.
I'm warning you, Khing.
You be careful.
Corporal!
- How are you?
- I'm fine.
You have a lot of coconuts.
It's because of the wind last night.
A'Chan, give this letter to Madam.
- How's your family?
- They're okay.
Where are the villagers?
I don't know.
The French
are making things difficult.
They are all over the forest.
Suzanne, here's a letter.
Mum! News from Joseph!
Dear Mum.
Stop worrying about me.
I found myself a great job.
I guide American hunters through
the forests of the High Plateaus.
"Last week, we shot a tiger.
"It was bloody close."
Joseph dear.
He'll never change, will he?
"They pay me in dollars
and I have this fancy room
"at the Continental
"that Suzanne would kill for!
"This is the life, isn't it?
"Joseph."
He doesn't mention her?
No.
If I'd known that he'd make
so many spelling errors,
with a schoolteacher for a mother,
I'd rather he'd died.
Joseph is incredibly smart.
If he works at it,
he'll learn spelling.
He just has to work at it!
Of course he won't.
I was the only one
who could teach him.
Nothing is more important
than spelling.
It's as if he were missing an arm.
What was the use
of writing to the Registry?
No use.
No use at all.
A single gunshot by Joseph
had more impact
than all your letters.
We should have killed them all.
It's the only thing
that'd comfort me.
Even more than Joseph's return.
Maybe the corporal's kids
will do it.
Are you okay?
Yes, I am.
Dear Mr Resident General,
for 20 years,
I gave up every pleasure
in my life, in my youth,
to buy this plot
from the government.
I brought the money to you
in an envelope one morning.
I brought it to you devotedly.
It was all I had.
I gave you all I had on that day,
everything,
as if I offered myself up to you
as a sacrifice,
as if my sacrificed body
could give birth to a lifetime
of happiness for my children.
What did you give me in return
for 20 years of my life?
Nothing,
except wind, water and mud.
Where are those Chinese planters from
who take our best land
for their pepper plants?
There are hundreds of peasants
who know you,
who know your methods inside out.
I tell them that you took advantage
of the fact that they didn't have
any ownership certificate
to sell the land to those Chinamen.
When a child dies, I tell them:
"It would make those bastards
from the Kampot Registry happy."
"Why is that?" they ask me.
I tell them the truth:
The more children die in the region,
the fewer people will live here,
and the more control you will have
over the region.
Sir, if you read this letter,
I'm sure you will read the others
to find out
how much more insight into
your despicable behaviour I have.
Maybe when my son is gone,
when my daughter is gone,
when I am alone
and so dejected
that nothing matters any more,
then, maybe before dying,
I'll enjoy watching your dead body
being eaten by dogs.
Ma'am?
Suzanne?
The sea wall! Something terrible!
Sea wall has collapsed!
Mum!
Even the crabs...
Even the crabs
are against your mother.
What a tragedy.
You must go far away.
With your brother.
Look.
Take it.
And sell it.
It will help you
get started.
Mum...
Look.
Take our father's watch.
Corporal.
Look, take it.
Use it to protect
whatever needs protecting.
That's what Mother wanted.
I'll call on you tomorrow.
Here's Joseph.
Have a good trip.
Are you going to meet her?
"RICE FIELDS OF THE WHITE WOMAN"
POLDER NO 3, DECEMBER 2007
She's a special case.
Thank you.
Bart?
Champagne!
Get to work!
What a dimwit!
I have to do everything around here.
We'll never get much
out of those Chinks!
You should dance with Mr Jo.
I don't feel like it.
Get to work.
Hurry up, now!
Just what I needed!
They finally gave me the money.
You shouldn't be drinking like that.
I need it to drown my shame.
Besides, we're not paying for it.
Compliments of Rudolph Valentino.
Valentino!
Sorry... The Ladies' Man!
Get off me!
I'm allowed to be cheerful
and to kiss you, right?
Look at that idiot over there!
What a loser!
What do you mean, a loser?
Your mother's a loser, too.
I had to demean myself by begging
those bastards from the bank!
We have to wait until this moron
proposes to Suzanne.
I've waited long enough.
I'll have to pay back
the mortgage in the end.
Why won't he dance with your sister?
This is Mistinguett!
Listen, I love this song!
- I love it too.
- Shall we play it afterwards?
May I ask you for a dance?
Come on!
I'm in love with you.
My mother made me swear
that I'd never give myself to you.
Why are you always unkind to me?
All I want is your happiness
and your family's, too.
What a drag!
Will you ever stop complaining?
We'll have
another bottle of champagne.
Go and lighten up your lipstick a bit,
will you?
You don't look like a decent girl.
She isn't, is she?
She looks
like a whore with pursed lips!
You don't have to be so rude.
Joseph and I have been talking about you.
We know exactly
what you're up to.
We're nobody's fool.
You must be sick
to feel like sleeping with my sister.
Madam, I have very deep feelings
for your daughter.
It may be so.
All that matters
is that you marry her.
You don't get married in two weeks.
You rich people
can afford to wait for years.
We can't.
Anyway, take it or leave it.
She can sleep
with whomever she chooses.
But you must marry her first.
It's our way of telling you
to piss off.
You're horrible.
We're not making you marry her.
We're just warning you.
She's very young.
Not so young.
She'll soon turn 17.
If I were you, I'd marry her.
You'll drive her back,
won't you, Mr Jo?
Let's get the hell out of here.
I love you, Suzanne.
I'll love you until the day I die.
You have nice breasts.
What about my legs?
They're very nice, too.
I love you.
Hold this for me.
Hurry or I'll break your legs!
Get a move on!
Hurry!
Hurry up!
Water! Water!
Here's water! Drink now!
Enough, you rascals!
Get a move on!
You're treating them like animals.
I can't stand it.
If I release them,
they'll cut your throat.
Go ahead, shoot me.
What are you waiting for?
You'd enjoy killing a white man.
You're forbidden to touch weapons.
Cover them with the tarp.
This smuggling business
will get you into trouble.
It still pays for the cigarettes
and the petrol.
It isn't so bad, is it?
You have a light?
Thanks.
Look at her!
Wearing make-up
since she met that Chinaman.
She looks like what she is.
We haven't even touched each other.
I'm not that stupid.
Shut up! You know nothing at all!
Did you talk to him?
He can't make up his mind
because of his father.
He'd rather he married a rich girl.
Going out with a white girl
is a victory for him.
I must be in a bloody fix
to let my daughter marry such a man.
Don't worry, Suzanne.
I'll talk to him.
You've done nothing with him,
right?
Nothing.
I don't feel like it, anyway.
Liar!
So why are you wearing this ring?
Did you sleep with him? Don't lie!
No, I didn't.
- What about this ring?
- He lent it to me.
I'm ashamed for you!
Calm down, for God's sake!
Show me that ring.
It's a diamond.
It's worth about 20,000 francs.
20,000 francs?
That's quite a lot of money!
He'll give it to me
if I go with him.
- Go where?
- To the city.
I'll beat the bastard up!
For how long?
For a week.
Suzanne.
Come.
Come, now.
Suzanne!
Come on, give it back to him.
Why show her the ring
if you want it back?
She'll return it to me
when she likes.
Diamonds are for life.
Give it to him
or I'll throw it away!
Are you coming, Joseph?
Don't bother to come back.
You're merciless.
You shouldn't have shown me
the diamond ring.
I'd never seen one before.
- Suzanne, please.
- You can't understand.
Go away.
Don't ever come back to see me.
Suzanne, keep it.
I'm giving it to you forever.
This diamond ring is yours.
Why are you pulling such a face?
Want to know why?
That man makes me sick.
He won't have his ring back.
I was asking you if you were okay.
Take a pill, have some coffee,
you'll feel better.
I won't have coffee
because I'm tired
and because
I'm fed up with you both!
What a nasty daughter she is!
Jewels are useless, really.
Those who wear them don't need them.
20,000 francs.
Twice as much
as the bungalow mortgage.
It'd be shameful
to give him back the ring.
Considering
the dirty things he's done.
Nonsense! I haven't slept with him.
He gave it to me for no reason.
How could you do this to me
when I work myself to death?
That's enough, you two, now.
You know she hasn't slept with him!
What if I want to kill her?
How about that?
I slept with him
and he gave it to me.
It isn't true. You're lying!
You're a liar!
If you ever lay hands on her again,
I'll leave with her.
So what if she slept with him?
What's the fuss?
You have a fever.
Where is she?
Leave her alone.
She hasn't slept with him.
I know...
Don't worry about the ring.
We'll sell it.
Bart, may I have a word with you?
Look at this ring.
20,000 francs and not a penny less.
At this price, it's a bargain.
Hold on a minute.
There's something wrong with it.
It has a flaw.
It makes it
considerably less valuable.
5,000, tops.
- Are you kidding?
- No, that's final.
I have a lot of mouths to feed.
I have my peasants to think of.
What has it got to do with me?
Come.
He said there's a flaw.
Let me handle it.
You make me ashamed.
Ask the corporal to get you home.
Joseph!
Go ahead. I'll take care of it.
Besides, you're tired.
Very glad to have you with us
tonight.
Pierre.
You'll find your usual table
overlooking the sea.
Abo! Throw those tramps out!
I'll be with you in just a moment.
Evening.
I'm sorry to bother you.
I'm selling a diamond ring.
- Are you interested?
- Have a seat.
Thanks.
Have a light?
Yes.
You're very young.
20.
Why do you want to sell this ring?
My mother needs the money to build
sea walls in the Ream Plain.
Our rice fields
get flooded by the sea.
I know.
I've gone hunting
in that mountain region.
How much for the ring?
20,000.
Your diamond ring has impurities.
Keep it.
I know.
It's a flaw.
How about 15,000?
Keep it.
A flaw is bad luck.
A blue secret night
A sweet summer's night
Through the half open window
Entered the room
Easy.
How was it, anyway?
I don't know what's happening to me.
It was like a dream.
It wasn't a dream.
She was in your arms.
I wish I'd known you like that.
She bought the ring from me.
20,000 francs.
She didn't mind the flaw.
It's nothing to her.
He doesn't even know how many businesses
he owns in Saigon, Pondicherry...
Carmen.
I must see her again
or I'll go crazy!
In Saigon.
She's at the Continental bar
in the evening.
What's keeping you?
Go and find her.
Come on, hurry!
Thanks, Carmen.
Can you give the money to Mother?
Thank you.
My Joseph is in love!
He hasn't even come to say goodbye.
Burning down villages
or driving people from their land
isn't the worst part.
What the Colonial Office did wrong
was to deny those men and women
their dignity,
which leads to fatal consequences.
The villagers took shelter
on the sea wall
and left everything behind them,
except for their anger and resentment
that will never subside.
Pack down the soil until it is firm.
Here.
Make sure it's really compact.
Ma'am, the rice is pregnant!
The rice is pregnant!
People around here are right
when they say rice has a soul.
Joseph!
Stop the car!
Stop here.
You're back!
Of course I am.
Still alive and kicking!
With the 20,000 francs,
we'll start everything from scratch.
But I need a good mortgage
to pull through.
If I get permanent use
of the 12 acres by the sea,
I'll be fine.
Besides, I'm entitled to it.
You think
you're entitled to everything,
but it's the opposite.
Want my sandwich?
I'm not hungry.
Damn!
You have a toothache.
Yes.
I guess being honest
doesn't pay off.
What is it?
The bank took everything I had.
I thought they'd leave me money
to pay for the logs
but they wouldn't relent.
Do you mean that with the ring...
I paid off the debts.
What a fool I've been!
You should have thought about it
before.
Damn!
We don't have a penny left.
Not a penny left.
Take it back.
Where did you get it?
I got it back.
Don't bother. Just take it.
But this ring with its flaw
makes me sick.
We'll sell the fucking ring.
But you'll keep the money
to yourself.
I certainly will.
I'll keep it to myself.
Corporal,
is the rice coming or what?
Suzanne, dinner's ready!
Will it ever stop raining?
Delicious!
I like it. What is this flavour?
I put in some white wine.
If you like it, I'll make some more.
Suzanne has a way with men.
Whoever she wants,
whenever she wants.
You should see how she led him on!
All she needs to do
is be in the right mood!
Have you gone crazy, poor girl?
Don't let any rich man
take advantage of you.
We can be rich too if we work at it.
All we need to do
is put our minds to it.
That may be true.
If we really work at it,
we'll be rich.
We'll crush the poor
wherever they may be.
We'll crush them
and let them know what we think.
We'll crush them!
And we won't give a damn about it!
The roof needs fixing.
I'm fed up.
What are you fed up with?
Everything, like you.
I don't know.
Mr Jo said we were immoral.
We're definitely immoral.
Joseph?
Mother's been vomiting
more and more.
It happens day and night now.
I know.
Let's be kind to her.
As she gets older,
she won't have much fun.
Here we go.
I'm going away for a few days.
I can't do anything else.
- Take your meds.
- Give me a break on that one.
Just go, Joseph.
You can't understand what it's like.
It's not as bad as if he were dead.
We have no reason
to be here any more.
No reason at all.
What about the sea walls?
I don't know
what he's doing with her.
- She'll help him.
- Course not. He'll leave her.
He'll never stay in one place
for long.
I'm the one he's been with
the longest.
He should have shot me dead
before he left.
He's such a good shot.
Suzanne, have something to eat.
Don't worry so much.
Thanks, Corporal.
I'm not hungry.
Mr Jo, this land
hasn't been registered yet.
This rice field is the white woman's.
She's a difficult woman.
This is fine land.
And so is the other one.
I want another 75 acres.
Do whatever it takes to get them.
I'm warning you, Khing.
You be careful.
Corporal!
- How are you?
- I'm fine.
You have a lot of coconuts.
It's because of the wind last night.
A'Chan, give this letter to Madam.
- How's your family?
- They're okay.
Where are the villagers?
I don't know.
The French
are making things difficult.
They are all over the forest.
Suzanne, here's a letter.
Mum! News from Joseph!
Dear Mum.
Stop worrying about me.
I found myself a great job.
I guide American hunters through
the forests of the High Plateaus.
"Last week, we shot a tiger.
"It was bloody close."
Joseph dear.
He'll never change, will he?
"They pay me in dollars
and I have this fancy room
"at the Continental
"that Suzanne would kill for!
"This is the life, isn't it?
"Joseph."
He doesn't mention her?
No.
If I'd known that he'd make
so many spelling errors,
with a schoolteacher for a mother,
I'd rather he'd died.
Joseph is incredibly smart.
If he works at it,
he'll learn spelling.
He just has to work at it!
Of course he won't.
I was the only one
who could teach him.
Nothing is more important
than spelling.
It's as if he were missing an arm.
What was the use
of writing to the Registry?
No use.
No use at all.
A single gunshot by Joseph
had more impact
than all your letters.
We should have killed them all.
It's the only thing
that'd comfort me.
Even more than Joseph's return.
Maybe the corporal's kids
will do it.
Are you okay?
Yes, I am.
Dear Mr Resident General,
for 20 years,
I gave up every pleasure
in my life, in my youth,
to buy this plot
from the government.
I brought the money to you
in an envelope one morning.
I brought it to you devotedly.
It was all I had.
I gave you all I had on that day,
everything,
as if I offered myself up to you
as a sacrifice,
as if my sacrificed body
could give birth to a lifetime
of happiness for my children.
What did you give me in return
for 20 years of my life?
Nothing,
except wind, water and mud.
Where are those Chinese planters from
who take our best land
for their pepper plants?
There are hundreds of peasants
who know you,
who know your methods inside out.
I tell them that you took advantage
of the fact that they didn't have
any ownership certificate
to sell the land to those Chinamen.
When a child dies, I tell them:
"It would make those bastards
from the Kampot Registry happy."
"Why is that?" they ask me.
I tell them the truth:
The more children die in the region,
the fewer people will live here,
and the more control you will have
over the region.
Sir, if you read this letter,
I'm sure you will read the others
to find out
how much more insight into
your despicable behaviour I have.
Maybe when my son is gone,
when my daughter is gone,
when I am alone
and so dejected
that nothing matters any more,
then, maybe before dying,
I'll enjoy watching your dead body
being eaten by dogs.
Ma'am?
Suzanne?
The sea wall! Something terrible!
Sea wall has collapsed!
Mum!
Even the crabs...
Even the crabs
are against your mother.
What a tragedy.
You must go far away.
With your brother.
Look.
Take it.
And sell it.
It will help you
get started.
Mum...
Look.
Take our father's watch.
Corporal.
Look, take it.
Use it to protect
whatever needs protecting.
That's what Mother wanted.
I'll call on you tomorrow.
Here's Joseph.
Have a good trip.
Are you going to meet her?
"RICE FIELDS OF THE WHITE WOMAN"
POLDER NO 3, DECEMBER 2007