""CINEMA, ASPIRINS AND VULTURES"" "Continuing our program for today..." "August 18th, 1942." "Stay tuned for the latest news... from the blood-filled battlefields of Europe." "Can you give me a lift up the road?" " Cigarette?" " No, thanks." "I got a good one here." " Did you hear it?" " Hear what?" "Stop the truck!" "Stop it, man, now!" "Triunfo?" "Is this the road to Triunfo?" "I don't know." " Never heard of it?" " Never heard of it." "No?" "This must be the one." "Okay." "Gas?" "Where can I get gas?" " I don't know." " You don't know?" " Thanks." " Very hot up there." " Very." " It's the heat." " You going this way or that?" " I'm staying right here." "Right." "Maria!" "Maria, give me a hand here." "José, bring that funnel over." " Who's this gas for?" " The stranger over there." "Where did you come from?" " I'm from Germany." " No." "I mean where did you start your trip with this truck... not where you're from." "I started in Rio de Janeiro." " That's where I'm going." " To Rio?" "Give it a go there." "I'm fed up..." "I'm fed up of this hole." " You look tired." " Three months on the road." "It's like Brazil goes on forever." "That's what good-for-nothing places are like... they go on forever." " What did you say?" " Nothing." "Smoke?" " Is it foreign?" " Brazilian." "I don't smoke." "Thanks." " You know this road then?" " I surely do." " So can you help me?" " Lf you help me, I can." " What's the pay?" " Pay?" "Just a little something to help me out on the road." "Canned food." "I know." "Just need to sort out how much I'm getting paid for my work." "Listen, I can't go over 800 réis." "800 réis?" "Mind you, I'm accepting just to help you out." " What business are you in?" " What?" " What business are you in?" " I sell medicine." " What kind?" " It's called Aspirin." "Heard of it?" "I saw the name written there." "It's new." "Salicylic acid." "If it helps to cure the hunger, you'll make a fortune." "What's your name?" "Ranulpho." "And what's yours again?" "Johann." "Come again?" "Johann." "Johann." " What?" " What about yours?" "Say it again." " Ranulpho." " Are you always like that?" " Like what?" " Like that." "Sour." "What do you mean?" "This is a bloody powerful radio, isn't it?" "This time of day makes you sleepy." " Want me to switch off the radio?" " Please." "Keep quiet." "I'm going to take a nap." "THE END OF ALL EVILS ASPIRIN" "One, two, three, four... minus ten, three-ninety." " Dig a hole here, please." " I'm on it." " Alexandre, get off that cart." " Hey!" "Get off!" "Get off, or you'll scratch the fellow's car." "Get off!" "Hey!" "Lend a hand over here." "Bring those rocks over." "You're just standing about doing nothing." "Bring some rocks, and some sand." "These people are tight-fisted, mean, suspicious and backward." "How will you get this crowd to buy anything new?" "THE WONDERS OF BRAZIL" "The city of São Paulo presents itself... to the eyes of the uninformed outsiders... as the unequivocal product of extraordinary human virtues." "At a glance, we see... examples of discipline, obstinacy, energy and capability... that characterize the life of the peoples... designated to fulfill the extraordinary mission of civilizing the world!" "Carnival is over." "Nothing more remains in our spirit... except the sweet memories of that past happiness." "These are the consequences of human pleasure... of fatigue, of dancing and too much alcohol." "If only all the world's ailments were like this!" "At least this has an immediate remedy." "When in pain, use your brain:" "Take Aspirin, and show you do have a brain!" "Damn!" "With this you could sell Bibles to the Devil!" " How many packets?" " Are you showing the film again?" " What do you think this is?" " I just wanna see the film again." "Get out of here." "Go on!" "Out!" "The bastard didn't want anything." "Mr. Johann?" "Real cinema isn't like that, is it?" "It's indoors and in the dark." "It's not like that, two poles and a piece of cloth right in the street." "But I like it this way." "It's more fun." "Here's a hammock." "Or there's a camp bed over here." "You're not going to sleep in here?" "No, I sleep outside." "Fresh air." "The sky opens the mind." "Something bit me again today." "Let me see." " Marimbondo." " What's that?" "Lt'll swell and hurt." "But it'll pass." " Mr..." "Mr..." " Johann." "Mr. Johann..." "You earn a lot doing this?" " Enough to save a bit." " I see." "This really hurts." " Can you drive?" " No." "Can I ask you a favor?" "Can we stop somewhere to get some made food?" "I'm not too keen on that canned food of yours." ""Made food"?" "Homemade food." "Departure times for all ships to the Amazon were changed..." " I'll find some music." " No, leave it." "I wanna hear it." "...leaving from Recife on Wednesdays and Fridays... and from Fortaleza on Thursdays and Saturdays." "Those interested should register at any city hall." "Onward soldiers of the rubber, helping Brazil to keep marching!" "But what do you mean?" "The government rounds up the drought refugees... and ships them off to the Amazon." "Thanks." "Once there, you have to work producing rubber... so the Americans can use it in the war." "And who pays the fare?" "The government." "Haven't you seen it?" "Trains crawling with people?" "It's free to the Amazon." " You've never thought of going?" " God forbid." " This Amazon business!" " He?" "Those people who go there." "I would never go!" "You don't like it?" " You've been there?" " No, I've never been to the Amazon." " You like Recife or São Paulo?" " I like Rio de Janeiro." " Rio?" " That's where I'm going." " You've never been to the Amazon?" " Never." " Two cousins of mine went." " And?" "They asked me to go with them, but I said "no"." "It's too dangerous." "Full of savage beasts." "Tell me... does your firm only take on Germans, or anybody?" "Anybody." "So, if I wanted, I could get a job there?" "You need to know how to drive." "But they'd take me on?" "It's getting more difficult now with the war..." " The war has changed your life, too?" " I left Germany before the war." "You ran away from the danger, didn't you?" "I went traveling, arrived in Brazil." "Here, no war." " Not even war comes to Brazil." " That's true." "Brazil is a good place." "Quiet." " What food is this?" " See that animal out there?" "You're eating goat." " Wow, it's rich!" " Goat's good." "As my grandma would say, "Happy is the animal that eats the other"." " Good afternoon, José." " Afternoon." " Who does this truck belong to?" " A man in there." "Could you ask him to give me a ride?" " You want me to ask?" " Please do." "What if this chicken messes up everything in here?" " Did you study to get this job?" " No." "I mean, I did study." "But not for this." " And the work is good?" " Yes." "Traveling is the best part." "Where have you been?" " Almost everywhere in Brazil." " Well, I see you like traveling." "You even like traveling around this miserable outback." " And you?" "You travel a lot?" " No." "Just for work." "And that's it." " Why is he doing that?" " I can't see any reason for it." "It's the drought." "The river was so dry the cows were escaping to the other side." " So he had to fence it off." " Interesting." "What's so interesting about a miserable backwater like this?" "I've never been to a place like this before." "But it's just dry and poor." "At least there are no bombs falling from the sky." "If you stop for everybody who's asking for a lift... we won't get to Rio until next year." " But didn't you ask me for a lift, too?" " But these people mess up your truck." "But "these people" are your people." "You are one of them." " More or less." " What do you mean, "more or less"?" "Take this." "It'll do you good." " Where did you get that?" " There was one loose." "Somebody dropped it." "People are always in and out of here." "Thank you." "I'm sorry about this." "I even forgot to ask where you're heading." "Triunfo." "And you?" "Way before that." "I'm going to Flores." " You want some music?" " You've got a radio?" " Yes." " I want." "Listen, if you go on crying..." "I'll drop you off here in the middle of the desert." "All right." "I won't cry anymore." "Do you live in Flores?" "Going back home?" "Missing your people, aren't you?" "You really want to know why I'm crying like this!" "I'm sorry, miss." "My father got back home soaked and threw me out." "Really?" " What do you mean "soaked"?" " He was drunk." "And now?" "What are you gonna do?" "What's your name?" " My name is Ranulpho." " Jovelina." "I'm going to my sister's house in Recife." "I'm catching the early train tomorrow." "And what's your name?" "Johann." "Good for you." "Life's better in Recife than here." "What about my mother and brothers?" " I'll miss them so much." " Come on..." "You'll soon get over it." "You may get over it, I'll miss them each day more." "Kill homesickness." "Yeah?" "And what are you?" "What am I?" "I'm a terrible German!" "No, not that." "What's your zodiac sign?" " I'm Cancer." "And you?" " Me?" "I was born on November 5th." "What's that?" " Oh dear." "Scorpion." " Is that good?" "Good and bad." "You scorpions are always on heat!" "I've got a magazine about this." "Can I read it?" " Of course." " Of course." "And you?" "Me?" "Your sign?" "My sign?" " "Sternzeichen"." " "Sternzeichen"?" " I am "Widder"." " I don't know that one." "There's a very strong lamp that throws the picture 24 times... a second." "The film runs down there on the serpent... from one roll to the other." "Now pay attention." "First:" "Switch on the motor." "Then the lamp." "Never the other way round." "If you do, you burn the film... and that's a big problem." "Any question?" "Let's switch on." " This one is the most romantic." " What is happiness?" "A deep sentiment..." "an unending joy." "But these moments can lose their magic at any time." "With these new Aspirin tablets... those happy moments can be long-lasting... and sometimes even everlasting." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "It's just... this film is so sad." "Sad?" "I think it's happy." "It is happy, but it's also sad." "It makes us think about life." "Our life." "Life should be like that..." "searching for nothing but happiness." "Every time we look for it, something always goes wrong." " Did you enjoy it?" " Yes." " You could be a film star." " Not me." " Why not?" " I want to be happy." "Those people don't look happy to me." "They don't even look real flesh and blood." "No lifeline." "You can't sleep, Mr. Johann?" "That food today didn't do me any good." "My stomach is aching." "I can't sleep." " And you?" " I'm not sleepy at all." "It's been like this since I was a boy." "Insomnia." "Is everything alright?" "I told you I don't smoke." "This is one hell of a hill!" ""One hell of a hill"?" "This is what I call a great machine!" "You like machines, don't you?" "It's what I like most." "We bring you yet another special edition." "The first survivors from the ships cowardly bombed... by Nazi submarines have arrived on the coast of Pernambuco." "The ship was just off the shores of Sergipe and with the Brazilian flag." " Gosh!" "Sergipe is near here." "Indignation has been registered all over Brazil." "Two large cargo ships were sent to the bottom... and a medium sized cargo ship... and a small patrol boat have also been sunk." "A large tanker was damaged and set to fire... a large cargo ship also damaged... and a big ship..." " Morning." " Yes?" "Good morning." "Can you give us some water?" "Get some water for him." " Was it a snake?" " I don't know." "In this case, we'd better bleed it now." " Take this and bleed him." " Me?" "Isn't he your friend?" "!" " Help me!" " Hurry!" "Did you see what kind of snake it was?" "What?" " Did it make a rattling sound?" " I don't understand." " Did it make any noise?" " I don't know." "It was so quick." "Go make a cactus poultice and bring it here." "Let's get him to the shade, so he can rest." "I feel dizzy." "What's going on?" "That's the way it is." "Don't worry." " That's the way it is." " Get it down." "Down." " That will be 30." " Expensive, isn't it?" "Don't worry." "If anything happens, put this rosary on him." "Ranulpho?" "Are you awake?" "Speak." "I'm listening." "I might die here." "The rotten never die." "I got a job as a waiter on a ship, so I could travel." "After traveling around, I ended up in Brazil." "I liked it and stayed." "I got a job, so I could leave Germany... and not fight this war." "I ran away, afraid of dying and look at me now." "I can no longer..." "Tell me a story." "The only story I know is mine." "Tell me then." "It must be better than mine." "There's nothing to it." "Starting with the name of the town I was born in." "If you'll excuse the word, it's called Bonança." "About five houses, a cross in the middle... not a living soul on the streets... and a scorching sun." "One day I just looked around and said..." ""Today's the day!"" "And off I went." "Are you asleep?" "It was hard... it was very hard, but I got there..." "I got to Rio." "When hunger took hold, I ran back home." "I was afraid of starving to death." "You need broad shoulders to face that kind of defeat." "But that's the way it is down there... they love to laugh at us north-easterners." "They'd get together and go on at me." ""Say something, boy."" ""One more north-easterner."" ""Is it true that you... keep a knife down your pants, like the outlaws?"" ""Do you eat lizards?"" "And I'd just lower my head." "But not now." "This time will be different." "I haven't even got there yet, and it's different." "This time, when I'm there, I'll say..." ""What did you say?" "Say that again."" ""I eat lizard while I fuck your mother's ass!"" "Then I'll get my work contract from the Aspirin factory... and rub it on their faces." "The next day, I'll write to my mother... telling her about the new Aspirin employee." "She'll open the letter... and read it to everyone in Bonança." "Try to get yourself up." "You're good." " How long have I been here?" " Two days and two nights." "Are you going already?" "Don't you want me to make anything else?" "No need." "Go with God." "I owe you one." "It'll be easy to pay." " How?" " We'll find a way." ""Kupplung", first backwards." "Yes." " "Kupplung", first." " "Kupplung"?" " "Gere", first." " "Gere"?" " "Gere"." " Gear." "First, backwards." "Back." "Second." "No, second gear." "Wait." "Steady, steady." "Steady." "Again." "It died." "Again." "Gear." "Backwards." "These are goats?" "Goats." " How many?" " You want the truth or a lie?" " Why?" " The truth is there are 250 goats." "The lie, 400." "So many goats!" "Better?" "Know what I'll do when we get to Triunfo?" " Show the films." " And then?" "Rest." "You're still weak." "Rest?" "I spent the last few years saving money." "I could have died back there yesterday." "And who would have the money?" "You?" "I'm going to celebrate life." "And you're my guest!" "What's got into you?" "As the Germans say, "Let's get pissed!"" " What?" " Let's get pissed!" "Well, well." "Slow down." "News from Paraíba." "Another "Nazi pirate"!" "This morning, in Paraíba, a German citizen was arrested... supposedly for revealing the location of Brazilian ships across the shore." "Inside the German's house swastikas were found..." " You're thinking about the war?" " Yes." "...in Aldeia, near Recife..." "Don't you worry." "You're safe here." "Yeah." "Not even bombs can find this shithole!" "ASPIRIN BRINGING THE FUTURE" "THE END" "Look, a vulture." "Come on, let's get organized here!" "Let's organize that line!" "How many do you want?" " 20 réis." "Isn't it, Mr. Johann?" " Twenty." "Twenty." " Good evening." " Good evening." " Good evening." " Congratulations on the presentation." "Very good." "I really enjoyed it." " Thank you." " Thank you." "Okay." "How many?" "This will only pay for one." "Here." "I'd like to buy your whole stock." "All of it." "I'll buy your stock, announce it in the whole region... then you'll see what selling is all about." "Just one thing." "I'll resell at my price to cover costs." "Got it?" " All right." "Aspirins and cinema in my Triunfo." "What an honor!" "For the first time here." " Because Triunfo is too far from Rio." " Brazil is a continent." "It's bigger than the US." "Without Alaska, of course." "Claudionor José Pereira Carneiro de Assis, at your service." "What's your name?" " Johann." " Johann." "Mr. Johann, this is Adelina, my wife." "A wonderful woman, but she doesn't know anything about politics." " "Enchantée", Mr. Johann." " Pleasure." "Your name?" " Ranulpho." " Nice to meet you." "Thank you for the drink." "Sorry, my dear." "That's marrying a woman ahead of her time." "You've already drunk yours?" "It's good, right?" "Smooth." "To the success of our business and to the progress of Triunfo!" " And to the end of this absurd war." "To the end of all wars!" "Don't mind her, Mr. Johann." "Adelina was educated in France." "I mean... she lived there for a year and a half and came back full of ideas." " She's a pacifist." " Yes!" "Excuse me, but I shall return to the stars." "Go ahead, my love." "Mr. Johann, I'd like you to tell me about your truck." "Excuse me." "I'll wait for you in the truck." " You're going already?" " Tell about the truck." "I'm really sleepy." "It's got four tons of equipment, you know." " This system is called Soundtrack." " Soundtrack?" "Soundtrack technology." "There are 12 loudspeakers." "The films have music and sound... by a modern movie-tone system." "And there's also this high-powered radio." "And speaking of modernity..." "I'd like to show you my art collection... of northeastern modern painters." "You're gonna like it." "Interesting." "Could I use the bathroom?" "To your left." " Tomorrow, we're on our way back." " That's a relief." "I'm hiring you as my helper." "I'm a lucky man." "Don't know what to do with so much luck." "But hey... don't get over-excited with my happiness." " We haven't agreed on the price yet." " You're such a pain!" "And you?" "You only became tolerable after been bitten by that snake." "Now, I'll tell you what I'm gonna get pissed tonight." " Yes, drink." "This is my first time." "I mean in a cabaret." "Before it was in the woods, in the dark." "Never in a brothel." "And I'm feeling horny!" "Let's go in?" "Good evening." "Mr. Johann, come here." "Rosalina, play something brighter." "I'm going there." "I'm staying here with the girls." "My friends, Triunfo will become the new hinterland's capital." "We are on the verge of a new era." "Because of that, I would like to toast the prowess of a genuine German... who has brought us the future from the other side of the world." "Mr. Johann!" "What's that you're drinking?" "Fermet, a mixture of beer and vermouth." "Da Paz!" "My dear, bring some fermet for the young man." "Everybody is admiring you." "Looks like they never saw a foreigner before." "Stupid bunch of people!" "It will be a great success." "I will represent Aspirin all over the region." "My name will go down in the annals... and before each film it'll appear:" ""Aspirin, a Claudionor Assis Organization."" "You'll make loads of money on the back of those people!" "The films are very well made." "They're very impressive." "Someone who has never had a headache will get one... just to try out the medicine." "Especially the cuckolds." "Right, Mr. Johann?" " You really like jokes about cuckolds?" " Very cheeky your little assistant." "Now he's all upset." "This is the hinterland for you:" "Poverty, feudal lords and jokes about cuckolds." "I'm not a feudal lord." "I'm a businessman." " Same thing." " It's not." "What's the difference?" "The difference?" "If I was a feudal lord, my henchman would take care of you." "But since I'm a businessman..." "I'll take care of you myself." "I don't need anybody else." "He's drunk." "All three of us are drunk." "I'm not drunk, Mr. Johann." "Manuel!" "I'm gonna sniff at this armpit all night long!" " It'll kill you!" " So I'll die." "Where's the other one?" "Bring her to me!" " Maria da Paz." " Nice name." "You can call me Pazinha." "You're a "galego", right?" " What?" " You're a foreigner?" "Me?" "I'm from China." "And you, ma'am?" "I just work at the bar." "And please... don't call me "ma'am"." "You look good in pink." " Do you think so?" " Yes." " It's my favorite color." " Really?" "Mr. Claudionor said that we have to give you a good time." " That piece of shit said that?" " Yes." " So get on with it then!" " Ouch!" " I'm practically an employee." " Really?" "You're about to fuck an important man." "Can you handle both of us?" "Who I have here with me?" "Lord have mercy!" "Mind my feet, you devil!" "I'm gonna sniff you until morning!" "I'm the king of Brazil!" "Good morning, cheeky man!" "This is one hell of a job!" "What's that on your forehead?" "That bag of bones did some damage." "What?" "Nothing." "It's nothing, I just hit my head." "This won't come out with water." "It comes out with what then?" "With time." "You have business with Germany, haven't you?" "Yes, I do." "I thought so." "That'll be 100 réis." "Sorry." " Thank you." " Don't mention it." ""Dear Mr. Johann Ro..."" "Rohenfelisdt." ""Decree 2132 from..." "August 31 st... 1942." "The Brazilian Government has decided... to declare war on Germany... and its allies." "As from the above date... the Aspirin company will remain... under Federal intervention... and all directors and managers will be held... in concentration camps... in the countryside of the state of São Paulo." "Mr. Johann Rohenfelisdt... should return immediately to Rio... and from thence either go back... to his country of origin, Germany... or to one of the determined... concentration camps."" "You're sure you don't want to eat?" "Yes." "Thinking about life?" "Now he's overreacting." "Rioters have invaded the Italian soft drinks factory..." "Fratelli Vita, in Recife." "Other shops were also plundered, like Wandell Herman  Sons..." "Loner and Slober stores." "We return after a word from our sponsors." "What was that?" "Funny, isn't it?" "We're having fun while the world is falling apart." "What are you going to do now?" "I don't know." "I just know I'm against this war." "I wasn't born to kill people." "My biggest fear was losing my documents." "Without them, I'd be nothing in Brazil." "I even lost sleep over it." "You know... and now..." "Now I'm better off without them." "Mr. Johann..." "look what I bought." "A comb to use in Rio!" "Didn't you tell me you'd already been there?" "What?" "Didn't you tell me you had already been to Rio?" " Weren't you asleep?" " No." " I lied." " What?" "I've never been anywhere." "I made it all up." "Never been that lucky." "I was talking about what happens to the people who go South." "And what if I fail?" "Lt'll be really hard." "Failure makes you angry." "Bitter." "And even more so in my case, with me being so sour." "Drink up." "Calm down your nerves." " What's this?" " What they call "tremosa"." " Good, huh?" " Yes." "Pour another one!" "Just one." " Another one?" " Yes." "You know what this is called?" ""Facheiro"." "It's our torch on a moonless night." "Imagine... if the two of us had to go to war?" "What a thought!" "We could meet on the battlefield." "You on one side, me on the other." "What a thought!" "I would say to my comrades:" ""Look there... that Brazilian guy, that pain in the ass." "I know him." "Moans about everything."" "Me in that crazy war?" "I'd look and say..." ""Look there!" "That 'galego' I met in the countryside." "That's him." "He thinks everything is interesting, all interesting." "He's a weird guy."" ""The only thing that Brazilian guy wanted was to get to Rio... now he's fucked here!"" "I'm gonna get to Rio, you'll see!" ""That little Aspirin thief!"" "Oh yeah?" "No way! "Aspirin thief"?" "Then it'll be my turn to say..." ""I saved that German's life once." "But you know what's gonna happen?" "I'm gonna kill that German!" "I'm gonna do that before he kills me!"" "See this?" " It's a rifle." " What?" " Yeah!" " Look..." "That's what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna get the rifle..." " No..." " What's that?" " A real gun." " And this is our rifle." " Made in Germany." " Come." "What's that?" "What's that, Johann?" " Was that a bomb?" " You're gone!" "Don't you know how to play?" "Weren't you ever a kid?" "Dropping bombs around!" " You ruined the game." " You're dead." " You're nothing more than dust now!" " It's over!" "Now it's me who's gonna die." "A bomb drops and boom!" "You don't know how to play." "It's over." "I'm dead." "You're dead?" " The game's over." "I'm dead." " You're dead?" "I'm dead." "Snap out of it!" " I'm dead." " I'm going to." " Where?" " To die." "I'm a German." "What a crazy fellow!" "He just killed himself!" "It's like... the whole war is happening inside my head." "Do you want an aspirin?" "I've taken several, but this shit doesn't work on me." "I've made up my mind." "You're going to war?" " No." " Good." "Tomorrow I'm going to the Amazon." "You could be my assistant." "So, I've got myself a good job, haven't I?" "What about the truck?" "We'll leave it here." "We don't need it to get the train to the Amazon." "Talk about sadness." "Leaving the truck will break my heart." "My clothes make you look like a real North-easterner." " Don't I look ridiculous?" " It's better this way." " Don't look at me like that." " You're better than before." "You're out of your mind!" "Look at them." "What a state!" "Lost everything... and still being forced to go to the end of the world." "This is not what I want for myself." "We'll arrive there in better conditions." "I know." "Now, I have to tell you something." "I'll stay until the train comes in." "Then I'm off." " What?" "Are you giving up?" " I'm not giving up." "I'm facing it." "I'm gonna do what you're gonna do in the Amazon." "Make my own destiny." "Why can't you make it up there, too?" "My destiny is different." "For you, it's best to stay up there... until after the war." "You'll go to Fortaleza by train and there you'll catch a ship... to the Amazon." "Only get on the train when I say so." "And in Fortaleza, you only get off when I tell you which way to go." "You hear?" "This country is full of bastards." "They put on a uniform and go round screaming at everyone." " Whose this luggage?" " This is no way to treat people." "Just because they're homeless." "That's the way you treated people the whole way here." "I always treated people the way they treated me." " Who's this boy with?" " With me." "But I changed." " Can't I?" " Sure." "I want everyone to stay put for the police inspection." " I'll wait in the bathroom." " It's better." " Look at the kid!" " Watch my feet!" "Excuse me!" "You can leave." "The train is leaving." "I've got a present for you." "Can you do this?" "Why not?" "What will I do with this?" "Be happy." "You bet." "Hey... be careful with those natives." "TO MRS. GILDA, MR. ZEZITO AND ERIKINHA"