Vikramadithyan (2014) - full transcript

[Wind Chimes Jingling ]

[ Man Speaking Arabic ]

[ Men Conversing In Arabic ]

Music [ Woman Singing

In Hungarian ]

Music [ Hungarian Song Ends ]

Music [ Woman Vocalizing ]

[ Shouting In German ]

[ Shouting ]

[ Engine Sputtering ]

[ Train Whistle Blows ]

- How are you?

- Okay.

Your leg

will be fine.

A lot of shrapnel came out.

I saved you the pieces.

You are the prettiest girl

I've ever seen.

I don't think so.

Here.

- Would you kiss me?

- No. I'll get you some tea.

- It would mean such a lot to me.

- Would it?

Thank you.

- I can't sleep. Would you kiss me?

- Oh.

- You're so pretty.

- Will you tuck me in, please?

[ Laughing ] Very funny.

Go to sleep now.

- Where's the doctor?

- Don't ask.

[ Conversing In Arabic ]

[ Conversation Continues ]

[ Gasping, Groaning ]

[ Breathing Heavily ]

[ Camel Grunts ]

[ Man Breathing Heavily ]

[ Fly Buzzing ]

[ Gasping, Gagging ]

[ Chattering ]

[ lndistinct Conversations ]

God, I hate giving blood.

Can't stand needles.

Is there anybody

from Picton?

Picton?

I don't know.

I'd like to see somebody

from home before I go.

- Do we have anybody from Picton?

- Why Picton?

He's from there. Edge of Lake Ontario,

right, soldier?

That's where your sweetie's from,

isn't it? Around there?

Ask him what company

he's with.

- Third Canadian Fusiliers.

- Third Canadian Fusiliers.

Does he know

Captain McGan?

He bought it yesterday.

Shot to bits.

- What did he say?

- Doesn't know him.

[ Shell Whistles, Explodes ]

Hana, get down!

[ Screaming, Shouting ]

[ Sobbing ]

He's dead. He's dead.

[ Shouting ]

[ Sobbing ]

He's dead.

He's dead.

[ Explosions ]

[ Bottles Clinking ]

[ Conversing In Arabic ]

[ Arabic ]

[ Breathing Heavily ]

[ Chanting ]

[ Continues ]

[ Chanting Continues,

Drumbeat ]

[ Arabic ]

[ Chanting Continues ]

[ Breathing Heavily ]

[ Chattering ]

[ Man ]

Name, rank, serial number?

[ Man #2 ]

No, sorry.

I think I was

a pilot.

I was found in the wreckage of a plane

at the beginning of the war.

Can you remember

where you were born?

Am I being interrogated?

You should be trying to

trick me, make me speak German.

- Which I can, by the way.

- Why?

- Are you German?

- No.

How do you know you're not German

if you don't remember anything?

Might-- Might I have

a sip of water?

[ Sea Gulls Calling ]

[ Gulps ]

- Thank you.

- It's okay.

I remember

lots of things.

I remember her garden,

plunging down to the sea.

- Nothing between you and France.

- This was your garden?

- Or my wife's.

- You were married then?

I think so. Although I believe that

to be true of a number of Germans.

Look.

[ Gasping ]

I have this much lung.

The rest of my organs

are packing up.

What could it possibly matter

if I'm a Tutankhamen?

I'm a bit of...

toast, my friend.

Sorry I can't help you.

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Breathing Heavily ]

Are you all right?

I know you hate to be moved.

I'm sorry.

- [ Honking ]

- Hana!

- Jan?

- Hana!

There's meant to be lace in the next

village. The boys are gonna take me.

- You don't have any money, do ya?

- No.

- Just in case there's a sale.

- No.

Hana, I know you do.

Come on.

- No!

- Oh, come on.

I swear to God,

this'll be the last time. I swear.

She's a softie.

She loves me.

- I'll pay you back! I promise!

- [ Laughing ]

I'm not sewing

anything else for you.

I love you!

Whoa!

Pienza, boys!

[ Breathing Heavily ]

[ Man ] Get some water

over here!

Jan!

Oh, no!

Hana, where're

you going?

- Stay back!

- Stop, Hana!

- Stay--

- [ Crying ]

No!

No!

- Hey! Hey!

- Don't move!

Don't move!

Don't move!

Stand absolutely still!

You're walking in

a mine field!

Good.

That's good.

Just stay still

for me...

and we'll be fine.

What are you doing?

What the bloody hell do

you think you're doing?

[ Hana ]

It's Jan's.

[ Sighs ]

[ Hana ] Are you in pain?

Do you need something?

- Yes.

- Okay.

Are you okay?

- You and Jan were--

- We keep moving him

in and out of the truck.

Why? He's dying.

What's the point?

We can hardly leave him.

Do you mean leave him?

No, no,

I don't mean leave him.

This will help you.

I must be a curse.

Anybody who loves me...

[ Sighs ]

anybody who gets

close to me--

Oh, I must be cursed.

Which is it?

Music [ Single Piano Key Plays ]

[ Grunts ]

- When he dies, I'll catch up.

- It's not safe here.

The whole country's crawling with

bandits and Germans and God knows what.

- It's madness! I can't allow it.

- The war is over.

How can it be

desertion?

It's not over everywhere.

I didn't mean literally.

This is normal, a shock,

for all of us, Hana.

I need morphine, a lot.

And a pistol.

If anything ever happened to you,

I'd never forgive myself.

We're heading

for Leghorn.

"Livorno,"

the ltalians call it.

We'll expect you.

Fine.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome, ma'am.

- Oh, Hana.

- I'll be okay.

I'll catch up.

Good.

[ Sighs ]

[ Muttering Song Lyrics ]

[ Continues ]

[ Engines Droning ]

[ Grunting ]

What-- What was

all that banging?

Are you-- Are you fighting rats,

or the entire German army?

No. I was repairing

the stairs.

I found a library,

and the books were very useful.

Before you find too many

uses for those books,

you might

read some to me.

I think they're all in ltalian,

but I'll look, yes.

- What about your own book?

- My book?

Oh, yes,

the Herodotus.

Yes, you can read him.

Oh. I found plums.

We have plums

in the orchard. There.

We have an orchard.

Herodotus is

the father of history.

- Do you know that?

- I don't know anything.

Hmm.

It's a--

It's a very plum...

plum.

[ Thud ]

[ Man Speaking Arabic ]

[ Responds In Arabic ]

[ Arabic ]

A mountain the shape

of a woman's back. Good, good.

- Hello, Geoffrey!

- Madox, hello!

- Welcome to the expedition.

- How do you do? Geoffrey Clifton.

Splendid to finally

meet you all.

This is Dante D'Agostino

and Diggy Bermann, our archaeologist.

- Beautiful plane.

- This is Sharif Al Fouad, Egyptologist.

- And this is my wife, Katharine.

- Hello.

We're your

new apprentices.

-Welcome to the lnternational Sand Club.

-[ Laughing ]

- To the lnternational Sand Club.

- I'll get cups.

- Marvellous plane. Did you look?

- Y es.

Isn't it? A wedding present

from Katharine's parents.

We're calling it

Rupert Bear.

- Hello. Geoffrey Clifton.

- Almasy.

We can finally consign my old bird

to the scrap heap.

Mrs Clifton,

I'd like to present...

- Count Almasy.

- Hello.

Geoffrey gave me your monograph

and I was reading up in the desert.

- Very impressive.

- Thank you.

I wanted to meet the man who could write

a long paper with so few adjectives.

Well, a thing is still a thing,

no matter what you place in front of it.

Big car, slow car,

chauffeur-driven car.

- [ Madox ] Broken car.

- It's still a car.

- Not much use, though.

- [ Katharine ] Love?

Romantic love,

plutonic love, filial love.

- Quite different things, surely.

- Uxoriousness.

That's my favourite kind of love.

Excessive love of one's wife.

- Now there you have me.

- [ Men Laughing ]

- They're tourists.

- Absolute rot.

They're highly recommended

by the Royal Geographic Society.

She's charming and

has read everything.

- He's meant to be a ruddy good flier.

- We don't need another pilot.

He can make aerial maps

of the whole route.

You can't explore

from the air, Madox.

If you could explore from the air,

life would be very simple.

Contact.

Contact.

I should try

and move the bed.

I want you to be able

to see the view.

It's good. It's a view

from a monastery.

- I can already see.

- How?

- How can you see anything?

- No, no, not the window.

I can't bear

the light anyway.

I can see all the way

to the desert.

I'm turning you.

Exploring before the war,

making maps.

Is there sand in my eyes?

Are you cleaning sand from my ears?

No sand.

That's your morphine speaking.

I can see my wife

in that view.

Are you

remembering more?

- Could I have a cigarette?

- Are you crazy?

[ Coughing ]

Why-- Why are you so determined

to keep me alive?

[ Sighs ]

Because I'm a nurse.

[ Sound Of Hana's Feet

Hopping ]

[ Drumbeats, Chanting ]

[ Continues ]

Music [ Arabic ]

Bravo.

[song] We have an

old-fashioned tomato [song]

[song] A Long lsland potato [song]

[song] But yes

We have no bananas [song]

[song] We have no bananas today Music

Music [ Arabic ]

Music [ German ]

Music [ ltalian ]

Music [ Arabic ]

- Next!

- Katharine!

[ Hana ] "The King insisted that

he would find some way...

"to prove beyond dispute...

"that his wife

was fairest of all women.

"'l will hide you in your room

where we sleep,' said Candaules--

- said Candaules."

- Candaules.

"Candaules."

Candaules.

Candaules tells Gyges that the Queen has

the same practise every night.

She takes off

her clothes...

and puts them on the chair

by the door to her room.

"'And from where you stand,

you will be able to gaze

on her at your leisure.'"

And that evening, it's exactly as

the King has told him.

She goes

to the chair,

removes her clothes

one by one,

until she's standing naked

in full view of Gyges.

And indeed, she was more lovely

than he could have imagined.

But then,

the Queen looked up...

and saw Gyges concealed

in the shadows.

And although she said

nothing, she shuddered.

And the next day,

she sends for, for Gyges

and challenged him.

- And hearing his story,

this is what she said.

- Off with his head!

[ Laughing ]

She said, "Either you

must submit to death...

"for gazing on that

which you should not,

"or else kill my husband

who has shamed me...

and become King

in his place."

So Gyges kills the King,

marries the Queen and becomes ruler

of Lydia for 28 years.

The end.

Shall I spin

the bottle?

[ Madox ] So, Geoffrey,

let that be a lesson to you.

- [ Katharine ] D'Agostino!

- D'Agostino!

Are you asleep?

Yes.

No. I'm dropping off.

[ Cawing ]

Go away!

Go! Go!

[ Grunts ]

Buon giorno.

- Hana?

- What do you want?

I met your

friend Mary.

She said I should stop and see

if you were all right.

Apparently we're neighbours. My house

is two blocks from yours in Montreal.

Cabot,

north of Laurier.

- Bonjour.

- Bonjour.

For you.

I'd like to take credit for it,

but it's from Mary.

My name is David Caravaggio,

but nobody ever called me David.

Caravaggio they find

too absurd to miss out on.

Oh!

[ Snickers ]

Oh!

Oh, shit.

Stupid hands.

Let me do that.

They're fresh.

I haven't had

an egg in--

Have you noticed

there are chickens?

In ltaly, you get chickens

but no eggs.

In Africa, they're always eggs

but never chickens.

- Who's separating them?

- You were in Africa?

Yes, I was.

So was my patient.

Look, I'd like to

stay for a while.

I have to do

some work here.

I speak the language.

There are partisans to be disarmed.

We embrace them and see

if we can relieve them of their weapons,

you know,

while we hide.

I was a thief, so the army

thought I'd be good at it.

- So you can shoot a pistol?

- No.

Do you have a problem

with those?

No.

- I should look at them before you go.

- Look.

It's a big place.

We needn't disturb each other.

I'll sleep

in the stable.

It doesn't matter where I sleep.

I don't sleep.

I don't know what Mary told you

about me, but I don't need company.

I don't need

to be looked after.

There is a man

downstairs.

He brought us eggs.

He might stay.

Why?

Can he lay eggs?

He's Canadian.

Why are people always so happy when they

collide with one from the same place?

What happened in Montreal

when you passed a man in the street?

Did you invite him

to live with you?

He needn't

disturb you.

He can't.

I'm already disturbed.

[ Sighs ]

There's a war. Where you come from

becomes important.

[ Patient ]

Why? I hate that idea.

Ah!

It's gonna work.

Gently.

[ Knocking ]

Can I help?

It's finished.

So, you're our

Canadian pickpocket?

Thief I think

is more accurate.

I understand you were in Africa.

Whereabouts?

Oh, all over.

All over?

I kept trying to cover

a very modest portion and still failed.

- Are you leaving us?

- Yes.

Now's our opportunity

to swap war wounds.

[ Laughs ]

Then I'm definitely going.

Does she have

war wounds?

I think anybody

she ever loves...

tends to die on her.

- Are you planning to be the exception?

- Me?

[ Laughs ]

I think you've got...

the wrong end

of the stick, old boy.

So...

Caravaggio.

Hana thinks

you invented your name.

And you've

forgotten yours.

I said that no one would ever invent

such a preposterous name.

And I said you can

forget everything,

but you never forget

your name.

Count Almasy.

That name mean

anything to you?

Or Katharine Clifton?

[ People Chattering ]

Oh, I'm sorry.

- How much did you pay?

- Oh, hello.

They don't see foreign women

in this market. How much did you pay?

Um, 7, 8 pounds,

I suppose.

- Which store?

- Why?

You've been cheated.

Oh, don't worry, we'll take it back.

I don't want

to take it back.

- This is not worth 8 pounds.

- It is to me.

- Did you bargain?

- I don't care to bargain.

That insults them.

I don't believe that. I think

that you're insulted by me somehow.

I'd be very happy to obtain

the correct price for this.

I apologize

if I appear abrupt.

I'm rusty at social graces.

How do you find Cairo?

- Did you visit the pyramids?

- Excuse me.

Or the Sphinx?

[ Almasy ] Latitude, 25, 33.

Longitude, 25, 16.

We attempt to drive northeast of Kofer,

we'll leave our bones in the desert.

- I disagree.

- You're Hungarian. You always disagree.

- Good evening, gentlemen.

- Good evening.

- How is your charming wife?

- Marvellous.

She's in love

with the hotel plumbing.

She's either in the swimming pool.

She swims for hours.

She's a fish. It's quite incredible.

Or she's in the bath.

- [ Laughing ]

- Actually, she's just outside.

Chaps only

in the Long Bar.

Mrs Clifton.

You'll have to forgive us. We're not

accustomed to the company of women.

Not at all. I was thoroughly

enjoying my book.

- The team is in mourning, darling.

- Oh, really?

I'm afraid we're not having much luck

obtaining funds for the expedition.

Oh. Well, what'll you do?

More modest expedition,

or even wait a year.

- It's a disaster.

- Remind our families we still exist.

Good heavens,

are you married, Madox?

Very much so.

We all are.

- Save my friend Almasy here.

- I feel much better.

Don't you, darling?

We were feeling rather self-conscious.

Let's toast, then.

Absent wives.

- [ All ] Absent wives.

- And present ones.

And future ones.

Music [ Jazz ]

Music [ Song Ends ]

Thank you.

Excuse me.

May l?

Music [ Slow ]

- Why did you follow me yesterday?

- I'm sorry. What?

After the market,

you followed me to the hotel.

I was concerned. A woman

in that part of Cairo, a Europ