Til Death Do Us Part (2011) - full transcript

Once there was a village
called Goddess Temple

high up in the mountains.

Once there was a fever that
the world called AIDS.

It snuck into our village softly,

and everyone who got it

died like falling leaves.

Look, that's me right there.

My name was Xin,

and I was 12.

Look, there's my dad.

Who did it?



And my uncle.

Who?!

It was weird, seeing myself like that.

And seeing grandpa.

They said it was dad's
fault people got sick,

and that Uncle had it coming.

If I'm going to tell our story,
I guess it starts from here.

Start?

Start?

Do you want me to start?

There's a new cure...

to celebrate!

So forgive the singer

if his song is poor-



he wishes you joy and health, longevity!

I hitched a ride upon a cloud

Saw things no mortal sees

I leaped from cloud to cloud

At immortal speed

The clouds, they parted

The world appeared before my eyes

To the east, the boundless sea

To the south, the sacred peaks

To the west, the temples fair

To the north, the fragrant springs

And the heavens above...

What?

How is the new medication?

There is a new medication for the fever.

- Go ahead, ask Old Zhu.
- Ask him!

- Ask him!
- Yes, there is!

Ask me what?

Old Zhu said,

There's a cure for the fever, right?

I'm not lying!

You told me yourself.

Sure.

- There is!
- No there isn't!

Qiquan told me.

He's standing right there.

Dad,

why bother lying?

They'll find out, eventually.

Kneel down and apologize.

It's the least you can do.

If there's no cure, let
them hear it from you!

Get down on your knees!

Get down on your knees!

Bow your head.

Bow your head.

Do it!

Grandpa...

My son, the blood merchant...

Got blood? Qiquan's your man.

Anytime, anyplace, at a price that's fair!

Stop! Grandpa.

Let's go home, grandpa.

Don't you start, too!

We're going home!

Please forgive me...

for having a son like that.

I raised him,

but I couldn't teach him.

Please remember...

my younger son has the fever, too.

And my grandson was only 12...

Even if it was Qiquan's
fault you got infected,

I beg you not to hold
it against our family.

Since all the teachers ran off,

and the kids go to school in town,

the school is empty.

If you're afraid of
infecting your families,

come live in the school,

and I'll look after you.

I admit it,

I lied about the medicine.

They say the fever's a new plague,

and nothing in the world

can cure it.

Gee!! Another victim!

Run run run!!!

And that was the last concert

the old musician ever gave.

That's our village school

where grandpa was a caretaker.

When the weather got cold,

the sick villagers started moving in.

After I die,

I want you to take our son

and get remarried.

Leave this god-awful place.

Don't worry, I'll be fine.

Go on home.

But don't forget to visit every day!

Here in the school,

all meals will be communal.

Who volunteers to cook?

If you men are too macho for the kitchen,

I'll do it.

But no disrespect.

We'd respect you more in the bedroom!

Now, now, in this school,

everyone gets treated with respect.

Same goes for school property,

desks and such.

Treat then with the same respect

you'd show your own wife.

Or better yet, someone else's wife!

We'll pool our food stores,

and whatever government rations we get.

Ratso,

you'll keep accounts.

Ol' Confucius keeps my books

Ol' Man Heaven looks after my fields

I'm god's own goddamn daddy

from now until the day I die!

Stop that!

No one's dying.

God is our father.

Old Zhu's the godfather here,

so he should be our headmaster.

Headmaster Zhu!

Dad?

Instead of sleeping in the dorm,

what say I bunk with you?

You've had your fill.

Don't be so greedy.

Dad,

can you drop by

and check on Haoyan?

She trusts you,

so I thought

you could talk her out of

remarrying when I die.

Then I can rest in peace.

Don't think dark thoughts.

What's so funny?

Hell, look at the artist!

You counting the days?

Every day counts,

if you make every day count.

It's worth remembering.

Assembly! Assembly in the schoolyard!

See? It's not here.

I loved your red silk jacket.

How'd you lose it?

Qinqin

How'd you lose it?

I hung it on my bedpost.

No,

I'm warm enough in this.

Dad?

Dad?

Let's search!

Search the school!

Whoever took it,

leave it in the schoolyard tonight.

No questions asked!

Dad?

You asleep?

Haoyan went back to her mom's.

She hasn't visited in ages.

I've been counting the days.

What are you doing?

I want to find out

who the thief was.

Who's that?

Qinqin!

Why are you out here in
the middle of the night?

I wanted to see who stole my jacket.

My thoughts exactly.

You scared?

So why'd you sell your blood?

To buy this expensive shampoo

I saw on TV.

A girl from our village bought it,

and her hair was smooth as silk.

I wanted to try it, too.

You?

Everyone was selling blood.

My brother wouldn't let me,

so I sold mine in another village.

I heard he was a cheat.

Took more blood than he paid for.

They stole your jacket.

Why not steal from them?

No, all a person has is face.

To hell with face.

Did you husband give you any?

When he heard you were sick,

he beat you.

Everyone knows.

That's how little he cared,

just enough to hit you.

If it were me,

I'd have infected him

and never said a word.

Did you infect your wife?

Truth is,

she hasn't touched me in over a year,

not since I was diagnosed.

Think about it...

I'm not even 30.

Yeah,

same here.

My husband said

I was too filthy

to be buried next to him.

What a shit!

If it were me,

I'd be proud to be buried by your side.

You must be cold.

Qinqin...

I want to say something.

Damn it...

you and I belong together!

Now's not the time.

What better time is there?

Halt...

About, face!

Brush!

Spit!

I just want to catch the thief.

About, right!

No...

Double time!

Don't be scared. I'll help you fix him.

Is there no justice in this world?

Is there no justice in this world?

There's no justice.

Slow down and tell me what happened.

They stole my notebook and some money.

I put it under my pillow,

and this morning

they were gone.

I don't care about the money,

but that notebook...

I can't lose it!

There's private stuff in there!

Assembly!

I'll search!

Whoever steals, steals from me.

I'll know who stole from
my cousin's wife, too.

Search!

Search party! Nobody move!

Miss a woman's smell?

Shut it!

Whose bed is this?

Confess and be punished!

Resist and we'll be merciful!

Wait, other way around!

No!

Cook,

have you been stealing rice?

No.

You searched my bed?

How could you?

I'm up before dawn,

cooking

and cleaning.

Well,

I'm sick, too!

Why should I wait on you?

If I were out working,

at least I'd get paid!

Have I ever asked for a penny?

So I took a few grains of rice!

How could you be so cruel?

You're heartless!

If your family needed rice that badly,

you should have asked me.

I don't need your charity!

Dad!

Look!

You took the jacket?

What about my diary?

Have you seen it?

It has sentimental value.

It's red.

A red notebook.

You'd think it was made of gold.

It's not worth anything, I swear!

How can I lose my notebook?

Qinqin, about your jacket...

Qinqin?

Where's my notebook?

Red notebook.

Where can it be?

Where can it be?

Where?

I couldn't find it...

I couldn't...

Red notebook...

couldn't find it...

Time to eat!

Still missing your notebook?

Silun!

Aren't you hungry?

Hey, you found it.

How's Silun?

He's not feeling well.

Not hungry.

Silun was always impatient,

even more so after he lost his diary.

Everyone knows we all die sooner or later.

What was his hurry?

No one would sleep in the school again.

And the next world
was even emptier than this one.

Dad!

After New Year,

I'm taking Little Jun to visit my mom.

What's the point of having a wife

if you're never even here?

Stand back, everyone!

Be careful!

Stand back!

Get your tofu here!

Fresh tofu!

Get your tofu!

You dropped your cigarette.

Hey, you dropped your cigarette.

You dropped your cigarette!

We're better off in the school.

Go tell your dad.

He'll listen to you.

She's right.

Only if Qinqin goes with me.

Go ahead, Qinqin.

It's for the greater good.

We're alone.

Did you miss me?

Didn't you miss me?

I mostly thought about being sick.

There's nothing to live for.

Nothing to live for?

I'll give you something to live for!

I won't live out the year.

If you marry me,

I'd take you.

And take you...

and take you...

and take you...

Come on, Qinqin!

- Deyi!
- Qinqin!

Get down!

Qinqin!

Stop it!

Deyi!

It's dangerous!

Qinqin!

Zhao Deyi!

You stupid bastard!

I'm god's own goddamn daddy...

from now until the day I die...

from now until the day I die...!

Open up!

Students reporting for class!

When everyone moved back into the school,

their food attracted the usual scavengers.

Table scraps not good enough for you?

This is people food.

It's not for you.

Scram!

Hey, what's my dad doing here?

This is high-quality city flour.

Consider it as a gift

from me.

[For coffins, call 4888-888]

Hey...

When the time comes,

I'll give you a discount.

Dad, you think he bought that flour,

or got it free from the government?

Go to sleep.

I'm just going to the toilet.

Today Cook said

she thought she saw my husband.

You think he came for me?

Sure, let him come.

Let him see your buttons missing.

Come.

Come on.

Open the door.

You got the key?

Hey!

The lock's brand new.

Someone planned this.

Dad?

Dad!

Dad!

Open the door!

Open the door first!

Dad!

Who's got the key?

I'll kowtow right here,

if you just give me the key!

Come on,

Deyi doesn't deserve this.

Dad, smash the lock!

Smash the lock!

Dad!

Come on, just smash the lock!

I'll do it.

Look,

isn't that Qinqin's husband?

Xiaohai...

Cheat on me, will you?

What the hell are you looking at?

Get out there!

Get out there!

You whore!

Cheat on me!

Get out there!

You whore!

Show them what a slut looks like!

See?

Sloppy slippers!

See?

Xiaohai, she's sick.

Let her go!

You mind your own business!

Well, you had your fun.

Did I amuse you?

Glad I could help entertain you.

Don't you know that?

You'll come to no good end!

I'm a dead man anyway.

Is this fair to Haoyan?

She had a man before me.

Is that fair to me?

Then think of your son.

Your son!

Oh...

we thought you were inside.

Come here, we need to talk.

We locked them in, and gave

the key to Qinqin's husband.

He wanted to give one to Deyi's wife, too.

But I stopped him.

It's out of my respect for you,

as you were once my teacher.

We'd sure hate...

for her to find out.

That's why we have a proposition.

Well, that's all I have to say.

This school needs some new blood,

they are passionate and capable,

so I'm putting these
two young men in charge.

NOTICE

Rule One:

If you don't contribute

your fair share of food,

may your whole family

get the fever and die!

Two:

All government rations of

food and medicine will be shared.

Cheaters and disobedients will see

all their ancestors and descendants die.

Three...

Deyi, I hear you scored the other day.

I just take it day by day.

Three:

Three:

Extra-marital affairs are immoral deeds.

Any offender who get caught

will wear the sign of their shame

and be paraded through the village streets!

Stop right there!

No one takes school property!

What happens when the kids come back?

What then?

Old Zhu

Quesi and I have promised

to share the things with every household.

Besides,

I thought we had

an understanding...

Dad,

It's not our stuff.

Butt out!

This is all vour fault!

Have it your way.

You'll take these things over my dead body!

No one can take away anything from here!

Come here!

[Zhao Lianzhu is fired!!]

Starting today,

you're fired from this school!

You're not fit to lead.

Qiquan milked this village dry,

and infected us with dirty blood!

Now he's profiting by selling coffins!

Earning money from dead people!

And your younger son's no better,

fooling around on his wife.

With his cousin's wife, no less!

I'm doing you a favor letting you stayhere!

Let's go!

Still won't budge, huh?

[Blackboard reads: “I'll get
your goats and your groats.”]

Here, dad.

Go home.

Work things out with your wife.

My aunt had moved back to her hometown.

It was obvious to her and
everyone in the village.

Uncle and Qinqin were in love.

Qinqin's husband finally
kicked her out for good.

Everyone moved out of the school,

and grandpa was alone again.

Dad, Qiquan's back.

He wants to see you.

We're moving into town soon.

Then to the city,

as soon as I can afford to.

You can come with us if you want,

or stay here with Deyi.

When he's gone,

you can come live with us,

and I'll support you in your old age.

After all, we're family.

Look!

Look at what I drew!

Is that...?

Shush!

Wow, real leather!

Holy shit...

Can you imagine going

to the afterlife in this?

It's worth dying for!

Give us two coffins like this,

and all the trees in the village are yours!

Old Zhu?

Old Zhu!

I've been thinking it over,

and I wanted to return this.

Someone else might need it.

The truth is,

when my wife and I got married,

I promised her a red silk jacket.

Now even my daughter is
getting married, I just...

want her to have one.

I didn't mean to steal.

Grandpa made the long, long trip

to borrow Qinqin's red silk jacket.

Geda saw his daughter wearing it
just once before he died.

Don't take anything that isn't yours.

Xiaohai has a new fiancée.

When the time comes,

give him a divorce, if you're still alive.

Understand?

What do you want?

No one can see us.

Not that I'd care if they did.

You came back for your summer clothes?

How are you feeling?

Don't go.

Haoyan's divorcing me.

Xiaohai's divorcing you.

We're free.

Now we can be together.

No matter what happens while we live,

we can be buried together,

so we won't be alone.

Why are you crying?

Let's live together.

Who cares what they say?

Who cares what anyone says?

Let them try to stop us.

Don't go.

Live with me.

And if my house is too full of memories,

we'll find someplace else.

Qinqin, come out you shameless whore!

Shang Qinqin!

Come out here right now!

Get out!

Shang Qinqin! Get out!

Aunt.

She's my wife now.

If there's a problem, talk to me.

Your wife?

As long as she's married to Xiaohai,

she's still my daughter-in-law!

You've got some nerve!

That's right. I seduced her,

and now she's shacking up with me.

So if you want to take it out on someone,

take it out on me.

You shameless...

Said enough?

Go ahead, hit me.

Leave it.

You greedy pig!

Come back here!

Come back, you swine!

Come back!

Come back!

Steal my rice, will you?

Steal my rice?

Come back...

Think you can out run me?

Hey, put me down!

Look at her!

Help!

Hey bro...

If you need a hand, just ask!

I'm not that worthless yet!

Hey, bro...

Bro...

Sick as you are,
can you still do it with Qinqin?

Sure, twice a night.

Hey,

wait up...

Wow.

Sexy.

Wish I had the fever.

Want mine?

Let me share with you.

Qinqin?

I keep dreaming about my mom.

She says she feels cold in her sleep

and asks me to warm her feet.

When did she die?

About ten years ago.

From now on, I'll be your mom.

When you call her name,

think of me.

Call me mom,

and I'll love you like your mother.

And I'll love you any way you want.

Mom?

I want your breast...

You're awful!

Next you'll want me to call you daddy.

Here, come to daddy...

Blabber?

Cook's gone.

After that pig ate her rice,

she got really mad.

Now she's gone.

We're going to bury her

with this bag of rice,

so she doesn't leave empty-handed.

It's out of batteries.

Kind of like me.

No one expected,

Cook to die so soon.

Then Blabber died,

and no one
ever hear the sound of his megaphone again.

Let's get married.

When we can still

make it official.

What do you say?

Daddy...

Dad!

Dad?

I want to marry Qinqin.

I need your help.

You go to see Xiaohai

and ask him to divorce Qinqin.

No, I won't do it.

Too ashamed.

My husband doesn't want me,

and my family doesn't want me.

My brother hid from me.

Even my own mother too.

I know it's shameless,

but I'm still alive

and life goes on.

I want to be Deyi's wife.

Even if it's only for 6 months,

or a few weeks,

if we're married,

we can be buried together,

like family.

Why's mommy crying?

Xiaohai's out working!

To be honest,

I've met someone.

She wants to get married this month.

But how can I, when
those two are shacking up

and planning a wedding, too?

Wanting to go official?

We'll see who gives in first!

Uncle!

Uncle, wait!

I'll divorce Qinqin on one condition.

My fiancée wants a bigger house.

Give me Deyi's house,

after he's gone.

That way, it remains in the family.

When I got a confirmation
in black and white,

I'll agree to divorce with Qinqin.

I'll sign the paper immediately.

[“Last Will and Testament”]

Can your brother
really get our marriage licenses,

if we're not there in person?

Of course.

No sweat.

Hey, it's almost winter.

You shouldn't wash with cold water.

Is that him?

I bet it is?

Here,

drink this.

Daddy,

promise me something?

Don't bury me in black.

Buy me a dress.

A red dress.

I've always love red.

Come on, drink.

And something plain,

so I have two outfits.

All right.

And a pair of high heels.

A red one.

You can walk around in heaven

in your high heels,

just like a city girl.

It'll be great!

You lie.

You want me to die first.

I didn't mean that.

Yes you did,

so you can go back to your wife.

Want to know the truth?

I've been sick longer than you!

You want to see me die first?

Yes.

Okay!

How?

I'll hang myself!

All right.

There's a rope in the closet.

If we die together,

I'll know this wasn't all a waste.

Everyday counts,

I want to live.

But if you die,

who'll nurse me?

Mommy...

Bro!

Come on in.

You know what these cost me?

A perfectly good coffin.

You gave up everything

for that slut,

even willed away the house.

You'd be better off dead!

What are you doing alive?

If not for dad,

I wouldn't have helped.

What are you buying?

Qinqin...

Qinqin...

Qinqin...

Mom...

I'm all better.

My fever's gone.

I bought wedding candy.

Come on.

Get up.

Deyi...

I know ours is a second marriage,

but I still want everyone to know.

Get up.

Mommy!

Deyi and I are married.

See?

Here,

have some wedding candy.

Take some.

Have some candy.

It's wedding candy.

Don't be shy.

Congrats.

See? Just like yours.

It's so red it looks fake, doesn't it?

Ratso?

We're married.

And we owe it all to you,

for locking us in the storeroom together.

If we are having a baby later

we will come to thank you again.

See?

Look. It's official.

Ratso?

Come on!

Have some candy!

Qinqin, open your mouth.

Yummy, huh?

Uncle and Qinqin were married,

but they still didn't know that

their happiness

wouldn't last for long.

On that same day,

I got married too.

To a dead stranger,

twice my age,

and they moved my bones far, far away.

I've got mansions by the millions

and too many wives to count

descendants in the billions

goddesses to cook for me

fairy maids to wait on me

I'm god's own goddamn daddy...

from now until the day I die!

Today...

was Xin's wedding.

I didn't tell you

I don't want you

to get upset.

Here.

You'd sacrifice your son
for your own ambition?

Her dad's the governor!

His word is law!

They like Xiaoxin.

Now that we're family,

we're going into real estate.

Look at this land.

We're going to turn this whole place

into a high-class cemetery,

a heaven on earth!

City folks will go nuts for it.

I know.

The villagers hate me

Do you think I care?

I never set out to be evil,

but I'll be damned if I'm poor!

Few are born into luxury,

but you know what?

I'll let everyone bury in luxury!

The pain's killing me!

Killing me!

My leg!

It hurts!

Oh, god...

Talk to me!

If someone has to go first,

let it be me.

Our coffins aren't ready yet.

If Qiquan don't give me,

I won't be able to do anything with him.

Huh?

Can I ask you something?

Don't get mad.

Tell me.

Haoyan has someone else, doesn't she?

Tell me...

Talk to me...

Talk to me...

They'll never be as happy as we are.

Don't you know that?

I married you to be your wife

and I always love you like your mother.

When your wet your pants,

I washed them for you.

Whatever you wanted,

I gave you.

I've really become your mommy.

Didn't I put my breast in your mouth

to pacify you like a baby

and nurse you to sleep?

I have been having a
fever for half a month.

The minute we got our marriage license,

my fever went away.

You know why?

Because I love you.

I love being married to you.

Didn't I love you enough?

Why do you want to leave me?

Don't you want your Qinqin?

Don't you want me?

Don't you want me?

I haven't even had the chance
to call your dad father-in-law.

Tomorrow I'll bring him back here

and he can live with us.

I'll cook for him,

and do the wash,

and knit for him

and for you.

Alright?

Don't let me die, okay?

Wake me up...

I'm burning up...

Mommy...

Mommy...

Ice, I need ice.

Ice...

Can't you hurry up?

Bring me ice...

I need ice.

I'm burning up.

Mommy...

Mommy...

I'm on fire...

Mommy...

Mommy...

I'm on fire...

Mommy...

I'm thirsty.

Mom?

I'm thirsty...

Mom?

Mom?

I'm thirsty...

Why don't you answer?

If you won't answer,

I'll just keep calling.

Mom...

Mom...

Mom...

Mommy...

Certificate of marriage!

Zhao Deyi

and Shang Qinqin

Have some candy.

Zhao Deyi and Shang Qinqin

married of their own free will

in full accordance

with the laws of the
People's Republic of China.

This license certifies their union.

This license certifies their union.

Zhao Deyi and Shang Qinqin

married of their own free will

in full accordance with

the laws of the People's Republic of China.

Zhao Deyi and Shang Qinqin

with the laws of the
People's Republic of China.

This license certifies...

their union.

Certificate of marriage!

Zhao Deyi and Shang Qinqin

Zhao Deyi and Shang Qinqin

Uncle gave me a beautiful
aunt named Qinqin.

I loved her too.

Because of a little red book,

they spent the rest of their days together.

I'm here with Uncle, Auntie

and the other villagers,

just like you are with your loved ones.

We work and live and love,
and when the day is done,

we come together to tell our stories.

My snows are pure white flour

And my rains are salt and cooking oil

My willows sprout coats of cotton wool

Thick in winter, fine in summer

Gold ingots grow from my elms

And silver dollars from my poplars

Yuan Shikai tills my fields

Emperor Xuantong drives my cart

My houseboy is General Feng Yuxiang

My gardener is Taoist Master Zhang

My cook is Goddess Wang Mu Niang

My maids are fairy maidens

Confucius keeps my books

I've got acres and acres of fertile fields

I've got thousands of mansions fair

I've got stables of the finest horses

And fields of good strong bulls

I've got mules to pull my millstones

And flour enough for all

I've got more wives than I can handle

And more kids that I can count

I'm god's own goddamn daddy

And don't I look the part?

And don't I look the part?