"John, it's Mary." "Not there, okay." "Don't forget to call the kids." "(machine beeps)" "John, it's Jack again." "I haven't been able to get in touch for days." "What's going on?" "You've missed the deadline twice already." "If you don't get in touch with me by the end of today, we're killing the story." "(typing)" "(phone rings)" "Yeah?" "I know Morgan-Grenville said they were releasing the document today." "No." "I would have said yesterday if I'd meant yesterday." "Today." "Your today." "Yeah, put it somewhere near the end." "Okay." "Bye." "Scores of British lawyers, administrators and police, all of them long-time employees of the Hong Kong government, boarded the ship, "Oriana," their destination:" "England." "But this was no ordinary farewell." "Those sailing out on the Oriana are part of an exodus of Britons leaving Hong Kong as the colonial era draws to an end." "There is a revenge element in it, we think... revenge in quotation marks... that people in the past may have been discriminated against purely because they were of a particular race." "Now the reverse appears to be so." "Anchor:" "The days of special privileges for British citizens here are over." "And as the Oriana sailed into the sunset, there was a palpable sense of an era coming to an end." "John!" "John, up here." "Up here." "Someone you should meet." "This charming lady is Amanda Everheart." " Hello, Amanda Everheart." " It's such a pleasure to meet you." "She wants to know everything there is to know about Hong Kong, and the clever thing started by reading your book." "I wonder, would you mind signing a copy for me?" " I'd just love that." " I thought this was out of print." " I found it fascinating." " Listen, hold that will you?" "You read it?" "Yes, I did." "I took a few tips and made a few investments actually." "I particularly liked the chapter when you talk about Hong Kong as an honest whore." "Of course we're all dying to find out how she copes with her new pimp." "Speaking of which, here's a man who has very strong views on that subject." "I'll leave you in his capable hands." "Don't let him get too close." "What will you do, Mr. Spencer when the sun rises over Hong Kong on July 1st?" "Well, Mr. Aristedes," "I think I should get out of bed, have a bit of a fart, a shit, a shave, and a shower." "And I'll look for my..." "Listen, nothing is going to be different, is it?" "I mean the Chinese have been here 10, 15 years." " Nothing's going to change." " I know that." "I mean this great big department store is just having a change of management, that's all." "That's my problem, I have a problem." "I cannot photograph social crises until somebody dies." "They gave me money." "I'm not giving it back." "I'd rather give a kidney." "But I have a problem." "What am I going to do?" "Where am I going to get the real stuff?" "The real stuff is the deals." "The deals happen behind closed doors." "What deals?" "You've been here what now, 15 years?" "Because of deals?" "John:" "Of course it isn't just the deals." "Sometimes you just fall in love with a place without really knowing why, without really ever fully understanding it." "The way I fell in love with Vivian." "How is it I want so badly the one woman I can't have?" "John!" "How are you?" "Nice to see you." "You are sober, yeah?" "We are about three minutes and 20 seconds to go." "So John, why don't you ask Vivian to dance?" "You know I'm never good with this, uh, this sort of..." " I might do that." " I'll see you in a minute, right?" "So much of Hong Kong exists below the surface." "They don't know that this is the woman I love above everything." "If they could see what I see, hidden in her eyes." "There's an old game we play, telling ourselves this is enough." "I want to ask you something." "What?" "I want to ask you something." "All right, ladies and gentlemen, are we ready to celebrate the last few seconds of historic 1996 in Hong Kong?" "Let's hope that the Hong Kong that we know and love will still be here, same time next year!" "Here we go, count with me!" "10... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!" " Happy New Year, John." " Happy New Year." "Happy New Year." "Happy New Year." "Stay back!" "Stay back!" "Stay back!" "Stay back!" "Stay back!" "My action is to stand against the loss of personal and cultural freedom in Hong Kong after 1997." "This is just a personal decision." "I don't want anybody to be blamed." "Call the police!" "Someone call the police!" "Get a doctor!" "Call for a doctor!" "Oh my God." "Is a doctor here somewhere?" "Somebody call for a doctor!" "Keep them back!" "Reporter:" "Thousands mourned the death of William Wong, the student activist who shot himself at the stroke of midnight in front of the up-market crowd at the Hong Kong Club's New Year's Eve Party." "The leader of the front-line theater group, Eric Lee, has admitted responsibility for helping the distraught student stage the suicide." "The group has described its action as "The Theater of Assisted Suicide."" "Weeks:" "The city of hope is becoming a city of fear." "Why?" "Because the Chinese want to change all the laws relating to human rights." "They're taking that refusal to admit mistakes right there into the history books in Hong Kong." " So what are my kids asked..." " But that's face, isn't it?" "Well, face maybe but there's a certain thing called truth." " And they don't admit it." " But is our truth any better..." "So my kids are being asked to believe lies." "Is our truth any better than their truth?" "Their truth is different from the perspective of a democracy." "It's their perspective instead of British perspective." "Even the San Francisco courts have decided in advance that there's a problem in 1997." " They have a perception of it." " There is a problem." "Weeks, if there's any problem it's the making of the likes of you." "And the wicked foreign press is to blame." " Of course." " This is getting a bit too heavy." "Really, what Hong Kong is about is making mega-bucks." " Money, money, money." " We're all here because of that." "There's $25 billion now earmarked for China, from US and direct international investors." "I can see the dollar signs blinking in your eyes." " Well what's wrong with that?" " It's like a casino." "It's just like a casino, you're absolutely right." " You were talking about the..." " Woman:" "The East Villa Gardens." "John!" "Ah, John." "Is this..." "is this water?" "You were talking about democracy." "Don't forget that Hong Kong never had democracy, and Hong Kong never asked for democracy, and didn't get it until 1984." "But having been given it as a present, it might miss it if it's taken away again." "You feeling okay?" "Would you miss a present if it was taken away?" "... 1,000 flats, and what they did was they bought the rights to buy 1,000 flats." "When they got them, they were selling them off for half a million dollars each." " You cynical son of a bitch!" " We're in Hong Kong." "Careful what you say or you're in real trouble." "I got a lawyer here to take you to the cleaners." "Everything has its price, everything is for sale." " Nobody falls in love." " That's why we're all here." "Woman:" "Ah, but love is the most important thing." "With a lovely girl like that and you don't fall in love," " something's wrong with you." " John, what are you doing?" "Get up, come on, get up." " Are you okay?" " Are you all right?" " What's wrong?" " Funny way to fall down." "Are you all right?" " Sorry." " Have you had a bit too much?" "The conversation was so boring, I fell asleep." " Oh come on." "Money, money, money is why you're here." " Oh, it's why you're here as well." " Well, I live on it, basically." "They'll be only one party that day where the..." "Are you sure you're all right?" "We better do those tests right now." "John:" "There are moments when you see your life very clearly." "The things you've left undone." "That time in Beijing, we were both ready for each other." "It seemed inevitable we would become lovers." "And yet we let it pass." "And then it slipped away." "A toast to our deal!" "To our joint venture." "To our great success!" "Another round of drinks?" "My wife will be pissed." "Chang, you're still single." "Take my advice, don't get married." "Excuse me, closing time." "Bye." "Hi." "I've quit my job." "I'm tired of junk that doesn't last even a day." "The stock exchange prices, corporate earnings, I can't..." "I need something that's not here today and gone tomorrow." "You won't find that in Hong Kong." "But you see, I have." "You have?" "That's why I want you to come away with me." "I can't." "You spend your whole life waiting for Chang to ask you to marry him." "And that's wrong?" "Of course." "Yes." "Yes?" "Why?" "Because you know in your heart, that he's never going to ask you." "Will you marry me?" "Thank you." "I..." "I can't." "Why!" "What are you frightened of?" "I'm offering you something real." "I'm offering you something now, something concrete!" "Don't be a coward." "Please." "John:" "They say that if you're bleeding from a broken heart, you must get a piece of jade and keep it close." "Then your blood will go into the stone." "And the stone will get into your blood." "Your blood will then become the stone and you will stop bleeding." "Hi." "I've got some goodies for you." "Look at these watches." " No, sorry." " How about some handbags?" "No, thanks." "Hey guys, Rolexes, Cartiers, Dunhill lighters!" "It's not up to me." "Come on, a bargain." "$100?" "Hey boys, you want pretty girls?" "Come on." "I take you to a good place." "Fuck off!" "How are you feeling, John?" "Fine." "Good." "Does it hurt?" "I'll live." "A bit sore in the butt." "So, is that test finished?" "Yes." "We've done all the tests we need to." "We pretty much know what's going on." "What is that?" "I'm afraid I don't have very good news for you." "You got a serious problem here." "It's a form of leukemia." "And I think it's gone to your brain as well." "That's why you're getting these dizzy spells and fainting." "It's not common, but it's spreading very quickly." "John:" "How long do we have do you think?" "Doctor:" "Three months, six months." "Jim:" "They start to talk, the girl sort of backing away from him, and finally he gets her into the thing, and then suddenly he hears, bam, bam, bam, on the door." "And he freaks out and the girl is..." "So you know what happened?" "Some guy escaped from an insane asylum..." "What was that?" "He said there is a bomb in the City Council." "That's why slow traffic." "Oh fuck!" "I can't bear this fucking city." "I can't..." "Is it Vivian?" "John:" "Just a week ago, all I wanted was to tell Vivian how much I loved her." "But now I see that's the one thing I mustn't do." "I can't offload my illness onto her, or Jim, or Mary and the kids." "I don't want the look in their eyes to remind me I'm dying." "I wonder if I can hold out longer than the British." "Not that I could be described as an empire." "And anyway, Hong Kong won't die." "It'll change maybe." "Coffee." "Coffee." "Is the coffee any good here?" "Awful." "So why come here?" "Because nobody disturbs me here." "Why are you staring?" "I wasn't staring, I was just looking at you." "Very funny." "I've never seen anyone in Hong Kong look quite like you." "Your clothes, your... behavior." "I'd like to know more about you." "What's your name?" "What's yours?" "John." "Jean." "Can I interview you, Jean?" "I'll pay you." "What for?" "I'm interested." "I'm interested in how you..." " how you see, how you perceive Hong Kong, what you do here, how you earn a living." "I don't want to tell you." "I mean it interests me about whether... whether you will be as free when the takeover happens, whether you can still live the life you have lived until now." "Listen, what's free?" "Ah." "My coffee would be free if you paid for it." "Then I'll pay for your coffee." "Thank you." "Can I do an interview?" "Well, actually I've got to go." "I have no time for that." "Listen, if you change your mind just give me a call." "I'll pay you." "It's open." "You have to be a damn Sherpa to climb these stairs." "You moving in?" "I ran into a bit of trouble." " Can I stay here for awhile?" " Sure." " Thank you." " You always do." "As a token of my appreciation," " Chateau Hong Kong, 1997." " Good, very welcome." "Chateau Hong Kong, 1997." "It's a good year, there's no denying it." "Can I now go to my corner?" "My corner of all time?" "Yes." "Go on." " Make yourself at home." " Sorry." "You know, this girl had a..." "like a boyfriend, and he got home a little earlier than anticipated." "What are these?" "Just stuff I've been shooting" "What stuff?" "Stuff on the street, you know." "Really?" "Pompeii." "Yeah." "Hong Kong before July." "Pompeii before Vesuvius." "So now you're saying that there might be an eruption?" "Might be." " Come and look at this." " What is this?" "What is it?" "Look at this girl." "Who is she?" "I don't know." "She's all wrapped up, face covered, ears covered." "The only thing you see are the eyes." "She's hiding." "Everybody should wear a mask with the air quality here." "What's she hiding from?" "This is good." "Great light." "Beautiful." "Boring." "* Standing on a corner *" "* In Hong Kong *" "* My baby was down *" "* In Hong Kong... *" "Fuck off!" "He's making Armani suits." "Copy suits." "That's Ralph Lauren, I think." "* It's bad to be alone *" "* In Hong Kong... *" "Here are shoes made." "Great little stools." "I love those stools." "* You been down too long *" "* Worried about you, baby *" "* You been down too long *" "* Hong Kong egg foo yung *" "* Chicken chow mein *" "* Chop suey *" "* Hong Kong *" "* Hong Kong *" "* Hong Kong. *" "Excuse me." "Shut up!" "I'm doing business here!" " You want some take-out?" " I take care of foreign devils." "Stinky devils." "Shut up!" "Now this one, she's beautiful." "But her temper, I don't think you can take it." "This one..." " This one's a man." " A man?" "This one, she's gifted." "Dumb as usual." "Look at this one." "She's great." "She's half Thai, with two babies... very sentimental but vicious." "You'll like this one." "She laugh all the time." "I don't know why." "And this one, she has been in some magazine as cover girl." "This one has been doing some movie." "Of course a sexy movie." "Jim:" "This is for a magazine..." "John:" "Vivian!" "Jim: ... and uh, the budget is not that big." "Woman:" "Now look, Hong Kong is a very practical city, you know." "It doesn't matter what kind of big magazine, or small magazine." "Jim:" "I mean, I really need somebody who's more interesting than these faces." "Who is that?" "Do you know that girl?" " Which one?" " The one in the middle." "Oh, she's too expensive and too high class for this place." " Does she work here?" " No, not here." "Oh, this is a very old picture." "I don't really remember." " Was she a hostess?" " She looks like one." "Probably in the place called Black Moon, the most expensive nightclub in Hong Kong." "So, it depends on whether you want them to be nude or with bikini." "You mean to tell me, after all these years, you never made it with her?" "Trouble is I can't stop thinking about her." "Keep seeing her working as a whore, taking her clothes off, smiling at some" "guy she doesn't even know, lying beside him in a sleazy hotel room." "Sometimes it's nice to be the only one." "You know that dog does that all the time, just to please his master." "Every day he runs till he drops, and then they lift him out, put him back in his cage alone in the dark," "just so that when they want him to fight, he'll win for them." "John:" "It wasn't that I didn't know anything about Vivian and Chang." "She told me about her escape from the mainland, how she'd met him soon after she'd arrived in Hong Kong, about the sacrifices they'd made to get to where they are today." "I'd heard that she'd supported him when he was starting out, introducing him to useful contacts." "But only now did I realize quite how those contacts had been made." " Hi, Chang." " Hi, John." " How's business?" " Fine, thank you." "The word is you've got problems." "Yeah, problems." "Want a drink?" " Thank you, bourbon." " Vivie!" " Vivie." " Ah, hi." "Friends of yours?" "Yeah." "Where's the blonde come from?" " Russia probably." " Oh, yeah." "A lot of Russians in that line I hear." "I wouldn't know." "You know why... why Chinese people like blondes, don't you?" "Why, John?" "So they can sleep with them without being reminded of their wives." "I told you this John." "Remember?" "Who's the guy?" " Her agent." " Her agent." "What the sort of, um... introduces talented artists to... to rich patrons?" "I bet she earned a bit for that." "Maybe I should be an agent." "I want to change my job, maybe I should do that." "What do you think they earn?" "Agents." "What do you think they earn?" "Do you know?" "20 percent." "25 percent, maybe." "What do you think?" "You okay John?" "What's wrong?" "I'll tell you what's wrong." "What is it?" "Nothing." "Nothing." "Except that I love this woman and she loves you." "I've always loved this woman." "There's something... something that I'd like to ask you." "It's about this." "Bring back memories?" "Is that why he can't marry you?" "Important man, Chang, aren't you?" "Important man." "Businessman." "A public man!" "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you..." "I am her agent." "The most beautiful lady..." "Have you ever seen anything as beautiful?" "I'm sorry to disturb you." "I have a very, very beautiful lady." "This lady is my client." "I represent her," "I am her sole representative." "I only take 30 percent." "She's at the bar." "When you have a moment, go and see her." "I'm sorry, look, listen." "You see this lady," "I am her agent." "She is at the bar." "She is a beautiful lady, beautiful." "Leave me alone, I'm talking to this man!" "Don't do that to me, I'm talking." "Listen, I want to show you this..." "This beautiful lady." "Leave me alone you stupid..." "Go on, Chang." "Go on." "You don't fight, do you?" "You don't fight because you're a pimp!" "And pimps don't fight." "Okay, John." "Come on." "Leave me al..." "Okay relax, John." "Everything's okay." "Okay, John?" "Give it to me, John, please." "Please?" "Burn it." "Chang:" "The success of Hong Kong relies on its amazing capability to adapt to the ever-changing environment." "Reporter:" "What are your comments on rumors of your affiliation with some less-than-reputable businessmen?" "My partner and I and the Chung-Lin Group are legitimate businessmen." "And we have a long good record of doing business in China." "The rumor is ridiculous." "Michael," "I really want to know when we can start a family." "I can't tell you." "My dealings with China are so complicated." "I don't know what will happen." "My love for you won't change." "Actually, I feel like we are married." "How are you?" "My business partner, Miss Wong." "Mr. Lee and his wife." "We all know who she is." "Our company is going public." "I hope you know what that means!" "The past is the past." "Don't worry." "I will always protect you." "Your mother sent you another letter." "Same old thing." "I have an idea about what your mother wants." "Smile naturally." "You look good together." "You two should get married someday." "John Spencer!" "Do you want to do that interview?" "Maybe." "Well, you want it or not?" "What do you think you're worth?" "$1400." "$1400?" "Yeah." "I could get a hooker for that." "Well go and get yourself a hooker, I don't care." "But you won't have a story." "All right, $1400, but it better be good." "I don't want any rubbish." "I want the real story." " All the nitty-gritty details." " You bet you will get that!" "Right." "Good, well then..." "I'll tell you all my secrets." "I'll tell you what, yes all your secrets, and I'm going to video it, all right?" "I'm going to film it all." "What, I'll be on TV?" "So I'm a paid TV star now?" "Well you'll be paid." "I'm not sure you'll be a TV star." " Well, there's only one thing." " Go on." "I don't like answering questions." "Jesus, that is..." "An interview is me asking questions and you answering questions." "That is the nature of an interview." "Well, not necessarily." "You'll get a better story, if you gave me your camera, and I tape it myself." " I tell you a whole story." " Oh yeah." "Do you see mug written on this face?" " Oh yeah, I see it now." " I'll never see it again." "Come on, you know where to find me." "This is my neighborhood." " Come on, sit down here." " I don't want to sit down." " I'll show you how to work it." " Hurry up." "I don't have time." "You ought to learn how to work it and not mess it up." "It's a very valuable camera this, all right?" "Take this off, don't try and do it without that." "Now, that's how you turn it on, all right?" "My name is Jean." "I was born in 1970." "We lived in a very small place, very cramped." "the five of us." "Sisters, three sisters." "It was like a room." "My family's from China." "My dad worked, but it wasn't much help because he gambled a lot, too." "And he used to lose a lot of money." "And when he does that, he'll take it out on Mom." "And I remember... on really hot summer nights, my dad would go out and get drunk." "And then he would come home, and... he would fuck us," "the three of us in turn." "John!" "John!" " Yeah?" " A girl leave you this." "Jean:" "As I grew older, I couldn't have sex for love." "It was too painful." "So I did it for financial reasons." "My pimp, he had an idea." "He made dates with tourists who would come to me, and then when they see me, they were horrified and they run off." "So I don't have to do anything and I got money." "It was a scam." "Because they still had to pay me because they made a deal already." "So thanks to my scar, you know, my private parts didn't get too sore." "There were exceptions." "One time, there's this cop, he's a bit fucked up in the head," "and he really wanted to do it with me." "You know, really." "And I had no choice but to do it." "That was horrible." "And he used a blood-stained jade." "It was an evidence from a sex crime he was investigating on." "And he did it with that, for hours and hours and it really hurt." "I was screaming, I was kicking," "I was doing everything I could to stop him but I couldn't." "So I grabbed a knife and I cut his dick off." "Yeah, there was blood everywhere." "She cut the guy's dick off?" "That's what she says." "Jim:" "Well, there's a vanishing image of Hong Kong for you." "Hey what is that red thing in the background with that face on it?" "That's a face map." "They use it for telling fortunes here." "They believe that a map of the face is a map of a life, that you can read everything in it." "Can you read anything in this girl's face?" "I tell you, I would really love to photograph her." "I mean, she's the most interesting subject I've seen so far." "How can I get in touch with her?" "I don't know." "I don't know where she lives." "I don't know where to find her." "I don't know anything about her except what she says." "And that," "I don't know whether to believe." "Do you believe it?" "Did you fuck her?" "I write every day about this place." "I write about the economy, I write about the politics." "And yet I understand zilch, nothing." "And I just thought, you know, that if I could understand what makes this thing tick, this strange, funny girl, then I'd..." "I'd be in touch with something, you know?" "(talk radio plays)" "What is that?" "North Korea." "I don't understand anything about North Korea, either." "Now, let's talk about what you really want to know, about my scar and how I got it." "Here's what I have to say about that... nothing." "(cheers, applause)" "Shh!" "* Black market *" "* Sneak around the corner Budapester Strasse *" "* Black market *" "* Peek around the corner "La police qui passe" *" "* Come, I'll show you things you cannot get elsewhere *" "* Come, make with the offers and you'll get your share *" "* Black market *" "* Eggs for statuettes smiles for cigarettes *" "* Got some broken down ideals?" "*" "* Like wedding rings?" "*" " * Shh *" " Shh." "* Tiptoe *" " Tiptoe." "* Trade your things *" "* You want my porcelain figure?" "*" "* A watch?" "*" "* A submarine?" "*" "* A Rembrandt?" "Salami?" "*" "* Black lingerie from Wein?" "*" "* I sell my goods... *" "Do you know what Marlene Dietrich said to a producer friend of hers at Paramount Studios when she first saw Gary Cooper?" "No." "She said, "Oo-oh Daddy, will you get me him?"" "The bar is closed." "No, um, it's a bit early for that." "I came... to... teach you a few English words like, I'm sorry I behaved... like a jerk." "Um, and, please forgive me." "And I really didn't mean to hurt you." "It's the last thing I want to do." "What do you want?" "The trouble is I don't know." "I tried to make you love me, that didn't work." "I tried to hate you and that... so I suppose I just want" "to be friends, friends with you." "I don't want friend like you." "*... for your K-ration *" "* Compassion and maybe *" "* An inkling, a twinkling *" "* Of real sympathy *" "* I'm selling out..." "Take all I've got *" "* Ambitions!" "Convictions!" "The works!" "*" "* Why not?" "*" "* Enjoy these goods *" "* For, boy these goods *" "* Are hot!" "*" "(applause)" "(strumming guitar)" "So how's Vivian?" "How's that going?" "You know, every love story is the same, I mean, we have Boleros for that, to describe the whole thing." "Usually, Boleros are written when love begins, and when love ends." "And in the middle, nothing, because no one wants to know about..." "* Life is very nice with you. *" "No." "Just the beginning." "The love begins, and you go," "* I love you, and I will give you the world *" "* And I will love you even more than I love myself. *" "And then the relationship ends." "And then," "* I hate you *" "* I really hate you *" "* I mean I detest you *" "* And I hope your pet *" "* Is run over by a truck *" "* Because *" "* You're a piece of shit. *" "They send you a record..." "I swear to God, women are something else... cut with a knife, every single song, except the one that they want you to hear." "This is when they're very upset with you." "You haven't gotten that yet, no?" "And it'll go like," "* I detest you *" " And that's what you're gonna hear." " You're a nightmare." "When are you going to move out again?" "(singing in Spanish)" "Give me some peace, for God's sake." "You don't like that one?" "Let me sing one you'll really like." "Relax, have a drink." "She wants me to get a divorce." "Or she won't fuck me." "Just lie to her." "Who the fuck is she anyway?" "These northern chicks are trash." "When she first came here from China, she was a small-time whore getting her tits squeezed by scum." "She was shit before I met her!" "These northern chicks only know how to spread their legs." "Then they think they're hot shit." "Shh!" "Don't be so loud." "The owner is a northern chick." "She's no different." "Another drink!" "You've had enough tonight." "Take a break." "She's refusing us!" "Fuck your mother!" "Does my money stink?" "I have enough to buy you!" "Buy her?" "You asshole!" "Do you know who protects this bar?" "Buy her?" "She's my wife!" "Do you know who I am?" "You fuck!" "Buy her!" "John:" "That night Vivian watched the boldest show of support" "Chang had ever made." "But by now she had learned the limit of his commitment." "And for her, it was not enough." "For in the strict mores of Chinese society, the stigma of her past would prevent her from ever being an acceptable wife." "She go out!" "She go out!" "The girl with the scar?" " Go away." " Where is she?" "Where does she live?" " Don't bother us" " The girl with the scar?" " Don't know, go away." " She lives that way." "You never told me you were a gardener." "What do you want?" " I want my money back." " Huh?" "I want my money back." "I thought the deal was that you told me your story and I paid you." "I did." "Except you left out all of that, it seems." " Where did you get that?" " Doesn't matter where I got it." " I got it." " Give it to me!" "Give it to me!" " So is there anything..." " Mister, you paid me to talk, and I did." "And that's it." "Go get a life." "Was there anything that you told me that was the truth?" " I mean, I'm not angry, I'm just..." " Is there some law" "I have to tell you the truth?" "Are we close?" "Are we friends?" " I thought the deal was..." " The foreign devil is hassling me!" " I thought the deal was that you..." " Piss off!" "Jean!" "Jean!" "Jean!" "I don't understand." "What more do you want to know?" "You have this." "I want to hear your... your version of what happened." "This was the school that I used to go to." "One day we were in that corner, copying each other's homework, and then listening to the radio." "And," "I looked at him." "We were this close." "And we just knew it." "We were in love, and that was it." "From that day onwards, we were together every single day." "We couldn't be apart." "Madly in love." "This is the back of William's house." "What's that?" "We keep our secret letters here." " We meet secretly here." " Why secretly?" "Because we weren't allowed to see each other." "Why not?" "His father didn't like it." "His father worked for a big company." "And all the employees are forced to sign a contract saying that they're not allowed to have relationships with Chinese people." "One day, I got a letter from William, saying that it was all over." "How did you feel about that?" "I couldn't take it." "I went mad." "I tried to kill myself." "I drank poison." "Only I didn't die." "Why did William suddenly break it off?" "He didn't want to either." "His father forged the letter." "His father broke us up." "Terence Campbell forged a letter?" "So, have you seen William since then?" "We haven't spoken to each other since then." "He was sent away." "You see that tree?" "That's where we first kissed." "And that's the house." "See that window at the corner?" "That's William's room." "I was only there once because I was never allowed in the house." "Maybe they'll let me in." "No, no John!" "John, they moved out ages ago." "Other people live there." "Come on let's go." "(knocking)" "John?" "John?" "I want to leave Hong Kong." "I don't believe you." " What?" " I don't believe you." "I think you've just had a row with Chang." "You want to... you want to make him jealous and you want to play around with me." "I know you." "I know you very well." "I watch you in that bar, playing with people." "You're very good at it, you know." "You're very good at it." "Well, you can't... you can't play with my feelings anymore." "Is that how you see me?" "When I asked you if you'd come away with me" "I loved you, I loved you, with all of my heart." "And you said no." "And now it's too fucking late!" "Because now I don't love you." "I don't love you at all." "As a matter of fact I don't feel anything for you." "Are you finished?" "John?" "John?" "Are you okay?" "What are you doing here?" " What?" " What the fuck are you doing here?" "You shouldn't be here." "(dance music plays)" " Good evening, sir." " Welcome." "(car horn)" "* Let me be your underwear *" "* So I can touch you there *" "* And there and there *" "* I feel it I feel it *" "* I think I feel it now *" "Good evening, sir." "This is Miss Lilly." " Have a good time." " Hi." " Did you send me a message?" " No." "Would you like a drink?" "Hi." "Hi." "I'm Jenny." "This is Lilly." " I know this is Lilly." " And you are?" " I am John." " Ah, John." "So, Jenny." "How long have you worked here?" " Do you have a boyfriend?" " Used to." " No more." " Oh." " No more." " No more?" "Yeah." "You want to leave?" "Yes." "With, uh, me?" "Or with her, or together?" "With me." "Yeah." "Jesus Christ." "Vivian this joke's gone far enough." "My name is Jenny." "Shh!" "You want me to undress?" "Many men want to make love to me." "You problem?" "I fix." "I fix." "No, Vivian stop this game." "Do you need anything?" "I'm fine." "You know you can come home anytime." " I want you to meet someone." " Who?" " William, I'm sorry we're late." " Hello." "Remember Jean?" "How are you?" "How do you do, William Campbell." "I can't believe this." " William?" " How are you?" " You're back." " Uh, yeah." "When did you come back?" "Just a few days ago." "My father died." "I came back for the funeral." "Why didn't you try to find me?" "Oh my God, of course." "Right." "You were the only person who got into more trouble than I did." "How have you been?" "Are you well?" "I missed you." "You remember I came to your house." "We exchanged letters." "I'm sorry, I..." "You don't remember any of that?" "How could you?" "I've been waiting for you all these years." "I'm..." "this is very odd." "I..." "I don't know what's going on here." "I thought we were going to get married." "I'm actually supposed to be getting married next week." "Are you out of your mind?" "What happened to you?" "We went to Island School together." "Maybe you know my fiancee Alice Wong." "Do you know her?" "She came to the school..." "What the fuck's going on?" "You're marrying Alice Wong?" " What the fuck is going on?" " I waited for you for 10 years!" " And you said you would marry me!" " I don't know you." "What the fuck is going on here?" "I don't appreciate this." "John!" "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry if..." "How could you forget me?" "I wouldn't forget who I was engaged to." "And I was never engaged to you." "I'm sorry." "I really don't appreciate this." "And I don't know what it is that you two are trying to pull." "I'm sorry." "All right." "Thank you very much." "That wasn't William." "Reporter:" "In direct response to a recent announcement which will restrict the right of assembly and protest in Hong Kong, a 19-year-old college student, doused himself with gasoline and set himself on fire." "But a recent survey indicates that the majority of Hong Kong people expect business to continue as usual after the hand-over." "The city remains on the move and on the make, seemingly in denial of how things change." "Or will they change?" "John:" "I used to write about Hong Kong's future as if it had a definite direction, and predictable outcome." "But everything in this city has always been changing." "Maybe I wasn't meant to figure you out." " (whistling; guitar playing) - (phone rings)" "Now let's go." "Come on." "(machine beeps)" "Mary:" "John?" "John are you there?" "John?" "John, it's Mary." "I'm calling from England." "And John, I just got your letter." "You know there are many different treatments for leukemia, John, many." "I really think you should get a second opinion." "I don't know what to tell the children." "And, well, I need to talk to you." "I want to talk to you." "Will you call me back?" "Bye." "Hiya." "Hi." "I bought some crabs." "I'm leaving tonight." " Yeah?" " Mm-hm." "Girl called to say it was okay to return." "I wanna leave some of my things here, okay?" "You always do." "* There's a place, so I've been told *" "* Every street is paved with gold *" "* And it's just across the borderline *" "* And when it's time to take your turn *" "* Here's a lesson you must learn *" "* You could lose more than you'd ever hope to find *" "* And when you reach the broken promise land *" "* Every dream slips through your hands *" "* And you know it's too late to change your mind *" "* 'Cause you've paid the price to come this far *" "* Just to wind up where you are *" "* And you're still *" "* You're just across *" "* The borderline. *" "John:" "Will you see Jenny again?" "Vivian:" "No." "Don't think so." "Well if you see her, will you thank her for me?" "Crowd:" "Fight for democracy!" "Fight for democracy!" " Fight for democracy!" " Fight for democracy!" " Long live democracy!" " Long live democracy!" "Fight for democracy!" "Fight for democracy!" "Fight for democracy!" "Long live democracy!" "Long live democracy!" "Reporter:" "... into one of the leading cities and one of the greatest trading economies in the world." "Hi!" "The last gasp of air!" "Colonial air, come on, you must take a breath of this!" "Arms up!" "The Army Guard of Wales are retired!" "About!" "Turn!" "John:" "Out of your life you give me a moment." "Me sure that in spite of the past, and in spite of the future, this tick of our lifetime's one moment you love me."