Kung Fu (1972–1975): Season 2, Episode 19 - The Passion of Chen Yi - full transcript

Caine (DAVID CARRADINE), delivering a fellow Shaolin from a gallant but foolish death for a woman, turns an old enemy into a friend.

Yam Tin...

...may a traveler disturb your solitude?

You are Kwai Chang?

Enter.

My face is white with honor...

...as l approach your presence.

lt was Ming Chi who sent you?

Yes.

What is your problem, Shaolin priest?

There is a man...

...who l have not seen for many years.



He comes now, unbidden,
into my thoughts.

l feel he is near.

Who is this man?

He is called Chen Yi.

Was Chen Yi your friend?

We were together
in the Shaolin temple.

l admired his art.

He carved beautiful figures
from ivory and wood.

Why does Master Po
call you ''pismire''?

He does not call me that.

What does he call you?

You know very well.
He calls me grasshopper.

Forgive me. Of course.

How could l make
such a foolish mistake?



Was it only a mistake, Chen Yi?

What else?

And now it is all spoiled.

-What is spoiled?
-This.

l made it especially for you.

A gift from Chen Yi to Kwai Chang.

May l see it?

Perhaps you should not.

Very well.

On the other hand...

...since you insist.

lt is a common ant.

Not at all common. A pismire.

Not that l think of you
as that, of course.

lt's just that...

...l thought Master Po
called you pismire.

A gift is still a gift.

An insult is not a gift.

Take it any way you choose...

...but take it.

l will not.

What?

Not accept a gift?

That offends my honor.

Nothing's left but for me
to challenge you to a combat.

l cannot refuse
an honorable challenge.

And you're saying that
my challenge is not honorable?

l am saying l would rather we
were brothers than combatants.

Whatever else we are...

...first, we are men.

Are we not?

May l please have the figure?

Chen Yi.

Chen Yi.

lt is as you sensed it.

He is near.

The emanations...

...arise from the town...

...Mesa.

If you wish to find him...

...you must not delay.

Death reaches out for him...

...as it may reach out for you.

Excuse me.

Out. l'm dining.

lt is important.

lt'll just have to wait.

A man may be dying.

Come around here
where l can see you.

My friend,
it's positively unholy to trespass...

...on the last pure delight
left to civilized mortals.

Now, who is this man
you're talking about?

He is called Chen Yi.

Oh, yes. He's dying, all right.

Day after tomorrow.

He's going to be hanged
at high noon.

Where may l find Chen Yi?

Territorial prison. East of here.

What was his crime?

You--

Now, you see what you've done?

l am sorry.

The life of Chen Yi
is of great concern to me.

Too bad Dan Rodin's life
wasn't of more concern to Chen Yi.

Shot him dead.

lt is difficult to believe.

Well, it was easy enough to prove,
which we did.

He had a fair trial
and was found guilty.

And what's more, he confessed.

ls it possible to visit him?

Look. Tell you what you do,
my friend.

You go get yourself a 20-foot ladder
and a small army.

You just might be able
to get over the wall...

...past the guards at that prison,
but l have my doubts about it.

Now, will you please get out of here
and let me eat in peace?

-Yes?
-l would like to see the owner.

You mean the president?

Mr. Poindexter's a very busy man.

Please.

All right. Sit over here.
l'll see if he'll see you.

These were fashioned
by a countryman of yours, Chen Yi.

Yes.

lt is still not too late to join our hands
in friendship, Chen Yi.

Here is mine.

All that is needed
is for you to take my gift.

l cannot.

You will, pismire.

And then you will owe me a gift.

You realize the honor.

l am five years over you in training.

Now, Kwai Chang, accept my gift.

Wait.

You owe me something in exchange.

What is that?

l will ask that you run
an occasional errand for me.

A fair exchange.

Why are they here?

They're being held in trust.
They're very valuable.

They are very beautiful.

l mean money. They've been appraised
between 1 0 and 20,000 dollars.

Mr. Poindexter will see you now.

Good morning. What can l do for you?

l do not wish to disturb you.

You are not disturbing me,
this is the bank.

-What do you want?
-l want your money.

Do you have an account with us?

l do not. l wish to rob your bank.

What?

Not all your money.

Only what is customary in such cases.

Would you mind
waiting a moment, please?

l am happy to wait.

-Just hold it right there!
-We don't want any trouble.

What is this?
What are you trying to pull off?

He just marched in here
as bold as you please...

...announced he was
gonna rob the bank.

-That is true.
-Without a gun?

l sought to rob, not to kill.

l don't know how he was
fixing to do it, marshal...

...but l can tell you he meant business.

Well, l guess l've got no choice.

You're under arrest.

Said you wanted to see Chen Yi.

You're going to see him,
all right. Hanging.

That little privilege is going to cost you
1 0 years of misery.

Left. Left.

Left. Left. Left.

Now, keep your eye on it, if you can.

All right, where's the pea?

You lose again. Want to try again?

All right. Here we go.

Keep your eye on it.
Find the pea, find the pea.

Here we go.

All right, now, get it this time.
Where's the pea?

Left. Ready, halt!

-Shackles off.
-l would like to try.

Oh, yeah? For how much?

lt's worth about two bits at the most.

Okay, you're on.

lf l win, l do not wish your money...

...but only to take the food to Chen Yi.

Okay, you got it. Now, watch
very carefully. Ready? Here we go.

There is nothing under that shell
and nothing under that shell...

...and the little pea is right there. Okay,
now, keep your eye on it if you can.

See if you can find the pea.

Keep your eye on it.

Find the pea, Chinaman.

Give it to him.

Get him a bucket.

Clean up that slop.

Chen Yi.

Kwai Chang?

-Come to help?
-Yes.

You were not asked.

Chen Yi...

...l wish us to be friends.

Not then...

...not now.

Chen Yi...

...we shared the peace
and wisdom of the temple.

We were brothers.

No.

We were as far apart as two could be.

We were fire and ice.

lt has not changed.

Chen Yi, you were taught
the ways of Tao.

l cannot believe you would kill.

And who are you not to believe?

Do you know all things now?

No.

We have not changed, after all.

Older...

...no wiser.

For, you see...

...l am guilty.

l killed that man,
and l will hang for it.

Now, please, leave me in peace.

l prefer to die without seeing
your trusting face staring at me...

...pismire!

Keep it moving!

Put your back in it!

Mr. Larkin, l think this horse is lame.

Mr. Poindexter?

l thought you were in prison.

l left.

Just like that, you left?

So you waited until we closed
to rob the bank.

l have not come for money.

What do you want?

l seek knowledge.

About what?

About the carvings of Chen Yi.

Oh, so that's what you're after.

l seek only to know...

...what will become of them.

Chen Yi is transferring ownership
to that woman he took up with.

What woman?

Louise Cobranz.
The one he killed Dan Martin over.

She'll be a very rich
young lady tomorrow.

-Who is it?
-l am Caine. l am about Chen Yi.

l am a friend of Chen Yi.

lt is urgent.

Come in.

Oh, l'm sorry. We're very isolated here.
You can't be too careful, Mr. Caine.

-You are Louise Cobranz?
-Yes.

What about Chen Yi?

l do not wish him to die tomorrow.

Neither do we, Mr. Caine.

There never was a man
as kind as Chen Yi.

Such a dear friend.

And to you, was he also dear?

We were to be married.

And the man he was supposed
to have killed...

...he was close to you also?

He wanted to be, but l love Chen Yi.

Dan Rodin found us together.

He hated the idea of a Chinaman
putting his hands on me...

...and me letting him.

He tried to kill us both.
Chen Yi had to kill him.

You did not tell this in court?

We begged him to let us tell the truth.

-He refused.
-Why?

Because he wanted to protect me
from scandal.

Do you know he leaves
all his carving to you?

He had no one else.

He was such a wonderful man.

He is still alive.

Tomorrow, he's gonna be dead.

Perhaps.

Who can tell the future?

And now...

...l must return to Chen Yi.

-What?
-l am in prison with him.

-But you're here.
-l left for a time...

...and a purpose.

lf Chen Yi wished to escape,
he, too, could be here with you.

Caine?

You might have known Poindexter'd
tell us you were here.

l knew.

Then why did you come?

l had to.

Well, you're not going anywhere now.
You're staying put.

Hear that, Chinaman?

Not long to wait now.

Come on!

Get that door open!

Lock that prisoner up,
and search this cellblock!

Escape! Escape! Caine's escaped!

Get these people back in their cells!

-Clear this yard!
-Come on, move!

Search all these buildings!

l want that Chinaman caught this time,
do you hear me?

Check the storeroom,
the Chinaman might be there.

Set a skeleton duty session.
Get every spare man mounted up.

We're going to find that Chinaman.

Prepare to mount!

Mount!

Forward ho!

l asked you to leave me in peace!

l have seen Louise.

How is she?

She is well.

l find her with her sister.

She has a great love for Rita.

And for me as well.

Yes.

lf you could marry Louise...

...who would care for Rita?

l promised Louise my carvings
so she could provide for Rita.

Rita and Louise...

...they live in this house
of theirs alone?

lf you were there, as you say,
you should know that.

-Then it is strange.
-What is strange?

As l came to their door,
l heard two pair of feet.

Are you trying to say
she doesn't love me?

That she deceived me?

l cannot tell if she loves you or not.

l believe she has deceived you.

And l believe, perhaps...

...you love her too much.

Pismire!

Pismire!

Come over here.

l want you to go
to the village for me.

On what errand?

This.

Deliver it to the pear-blossom road.

The third house on the left.

-l shall ask Master Kan for permission.
-No.

You will do as l tell you.

You are bound.

Give it to the girl, Su Ling.

Chen Yi!

Let me have that.

You may leave.

Come with me.

Why have you broken your vows...

...and betrayed the trust put in you
as a disciple of this priesthood?

l have broken only one vow.

That is the power felt by all men.

You allowed it to take hold...

...and drive you to disobedience.

Master, l have struggled long...

...torn between my desire
to be a Shaolin priest...

...and my desire for Su Ling.

We have watched
your torment, Chen Yi...

...always hoping
that you would come to us.

Perhaps l feared to borrow the strength
which you could give.

Perhaps l did not wish to be helped.

The yin and the yang
are opposite forces...

...yet they exist together
in the harmony of a perfect orb.

l could not find that harmony, master.

And because you could not...

...you must leave the temple...

...forever.

lt does not matter what you believe.

lf the sister can walk,
then you are deceived...

...and your noble gesture is useless.

l cannot see you throw
your life away uselessly.

lt is my choice.

lt offends my honor...

...and the honor of the Shaolin temple.

l must challenge you to ritual combat.

You fool...

...Kwai Chang.

You cannot refuse
an honorable challenge.

Do you think you have
learned enough to defeat me?

lf l defeat you...

...you are in my service.

Now....

You have won.

l am bound by honor to go with you...

...in your service.

But if you shame me...

...in the eyes of a woman l love...

...l will do to you
whatever my honor demands.

l will not kill him.

You would not kill anyone.

At last.

This old chair has done it again.

Come on, let's celebrate.

Thank God it's all over.

lt's the first time
we ever had to kill a man.

l hope l don't have
any nightmares over this.

One man dying at my feet,
another one hanged.

Put it out of your mind.
lt's behind you.

lt is done.

lt is not.

Chen Yi!

As you can see...

...he is far from dead.

As l told you, if Chen Yi wished,
he, too, could be here.

lt was more than l could bear,
thinking you were gone.

Now your grief can turn to joy.

You and Chen Yi have a life
to live together.

Go now. Run quickly, that your love
may flower and sweeten the earth.

But l can't leave with him. l can't.

That is what lovers do.

Rita needs me.

l've gotta stay with Rita. l've--

Chen Yi has provided for her. He has
entrusted to me all his carvings...

...and in return,
l have promised to take care of Rita.

So you see, there is nothing
now to hold you. Come now, quickly.

There is not much time.

But how will we survive? On what?

You will be poor...

...but rich in love.

Oh, l'm going to live hand-to-mouth...

...and Rita won't have
a worry in the world, huh?

That is what you told Chen Yi
you wished.

-Louise--
-l'm not gonna stand for this, Rita!

Use your head.

You know, l'm beginning to think you
want me to run off with this Chinaman!

My sister doesn't know
what she's saying.

Oh, l don't know
what l'm saying, huh?

l know what l'm saying!
l'm not the one who--

Shut up!

You come over here.

When are you gonna learn
to keep your mouth shut?

Those two know enough about us now
to put us away for life, we let them talk.

Well, it seems that we have
two fugitives in our house...

...threatening our lives.

l'm sure the marshal will understand.

Liar!

Chen Yi!

l don't know whether to thank you
or not for what you have done.

l know you would rather die
believing she truly loves you...

...than to live knowing she was false.

The pain of her deception...

...is harder to bear than my own death.

But we must face the truth, Chen Yi...

...however great the cost.

l propose an exchange of gifts.

l have nothing of value to give you...

...but l shall be very glad...

...to part with this.

Goodbye, Chen Yi.

Goodbye, Kwai Chang.

Kwai Chang!

Thank you.