"Strange how things happen..." "Unplanned..." "By accident." "I'd been hanging around the coast of east Africa..." "Bit of work in Lamu, a lot of surfing in Malindi..." "Until the money ran out, as it always does." "Mine was an aimless, self-indulgent," "And undisciplined life." "I highly recommend it." "I accepted a job as a safari driver" "In the interior near Garisa." "Steady work, decent pay," "Hot and cold running tourists, girls I hoped." "But it was not to be." "Thank you, William." "See you next month." "He said... "Terence, hello." "How are you, how's George?"" "he said, "No, I'll see the photographs when we get back to Germany."" "William, a bottle of Red Label, please." "Are you Johnny Maxwell?" "I might be." "Might?" "Well, I am Tony Fitzjohn." "You got a job for me driving your next safari." "I've been waiting all day." "Ah, yes." "I'm afraid the job's gone." "You were supposed to be here yesterday." "Listen, I said I was coming." "I told you that, right?" "I hire reliable men." "When I say 12:00 noon, I don't mean the next day." "What the hell are you talking about, man?" "I spent my last 20 shillings" "Coming up to this shithole town" "For your asshole job." "Well, that's just the point." "It's not an "asshole job"." "But if it were an asshole job," "You'd fit the bill." "Thank you." "Hey!" "Hey, wait!" " Hey, gimme a lift!" " Jump on!" "Thanks." "Don't suppose you're headed for Mombasa, mate?" "Other way." "Thought I had a job back there, but, um..." "By the way, my name's Terence." "I'm Tony..." "Tony Fitzjohn." "Going to my brother's place." "He might have work." "There's a recent opening." "Yeah?" "I've got nothing to lose." "Somalis?" "Shifta bandits." "Deserters from the wars up north." "It's rare to see them this far south." "I've got a man to replace Stanley." "His name's Fitzjohn." "Hello." "Adamson." "George Adamson." "Welcome to Kora." "Arethi..." "One more for dinner." "So, um..." "What exactly is it you do out here?" "That is what I do." "My lions." "A wild lion." "It's too soon." "It's too soon." "Bloody lions." "We're eating dinner, for heaven's sake." "I tell you, on the day when they finally eat George," "And I take over this place," "We're going to get rid of every blessed lion." "Then I'll bring in elephants." "Mmm, the elephant." "Now there is an animal." "Come on." "Come on, boy." "Well done." "You did well." "You fought well." "You were very, very brave." "You know, Terence," "He fought the wild lions face to face." "Yes." "That's when we knew that Elsa was ready to be released." "Elsa?" "Elsa the lion?" "Lioness, actually." "Of course, born free's George Adamson." "And your wife..." "Joy." "Elsa was the first lion that we released," "And then we released all the lions from the film." "Couldn't bear to send them back to zoos or circuses." "And then people began to send them to us" "From all over the world." "What we do here is we prepare them" "To go back into the wild." "He was sent to us a little cub." "Well, I don't know what use I can be here." "We'll have to wait and see." "In the meantime, 100 shillings a day," "Plus room and board." "Okay?" "I'm coming." "I've always tried to be open" "To what fate brings along," "And it turned out to be a pretty good policy." "So I took the job with the two crazy old brothers," "Stuck out there in the middle of the bush," "Learning more than I ever wanted to know" "About their daily habits." "Good boy." "George had rehabilitated more than 30 lions" "Born in captivity." "He taught them how to survive as wild animals..." "To live as they were meant to." "That's a boy." "The kudu tracks." "He found the scent." "Kudu, kudu." "Good boy." "Kudu, kudu." "Look, look." "Tracks here." "It's kudu." "Tracks here." "It's nice, it's juicy." "Two barrels in the morning" "Does it for the day." "You know, cooking," "Showers..." "That sort of thing." "You can swim in the river," "But you want to keep an eye open." "Yeah, right." "Most mornings, we haul some meat" "Up to certain spots to feed the lions." "I'll come with you at the beginning" "Until they get to know you." "Look, George..." "Don't count on me staying." "I mean, I just need to earn a few bob." "Then I'll be on my way." "Easy now." "Pussycat." "Yeah." "You can smell your friend, can't you?" "Shit." "I strongly suggest" "That you move back..." "Very slowly." "Do not turn away from him." "Go back very slowly." "One step at a time" "Towards the rover." "Jesus!" "George!" "Bad boy!" "Come on!" "Bad boy!" "George!" "Come on, come on, down!" "Down, down!" "Jesus christ, George, get him off!" "That was not a very good idea." "You must never run." "Never." "It is better that you charge a lion" "Than to run." "Nine out of ten will back off." "Right." "And what about the tenth?" "Then you end up like Stanley." "Stanley?" "The man you replaced." "What are you saying?" "A lion attacked him?" "Mm-hmm." "Killed him?" "Yeah." "When was this?" "Last week." "Jesus christ!" "Crazy old bastard." "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "!" "Stuck up here in the middle of nowhere," "Using people as lion fodder." "Right." "That's it." "I'm leaving." "Betachi will drive you back first thing in the morning." "Yeah, yeah." "Too right he will." "I hope you find some other idiot to be a cat's dinner." "Smart lad." "I want to answer your question." "What question?" "Today, you..." "I think you phrased it..." ""What the hell are you doing here?"" "My favorite quote from the Koran begins:" ""There's no kind of beast on Earth, nor fowl that flyeth with its wings, but the same is like unto you." "and unto the lord you shall all be gathered... and anyone who does not heed these words is both deaf and dumb."" "Lions are our spiritual brothers." "They are closer to us than most people are prepared to accept." "My job here is to try and understand them." "Hello girl." "Thanks, George." "It's been fun." "I've just got a few things to do." "Good luck." "Terence." "Welcome, john." "Any lions in camp?" "Many." "You're safe." "This is Tony Fitzjohn." "Hi." "Fitzjohn." "Betachi was going to drop him off in Garisa." "Would you be kind enough to drop him off when you leave here?" "All right." "Well, what can I do for you, john?" "The department has decided we..." "We can't let you shoot game for your lions anymore." "We only shoot what the lions would normally kill." "Yes." "Well, you'll have to bring in the meat from outside." "Come, come, you know I can't afford that." "I'm sorry, George." "I don't know." "The truth is," "There's been a lot of talk about shutting down your..." "Lion release program." "How much of that comes from you, john?" "Ten years ago, it did little harm." "Things have changed, George." "The local population's almost trebled." "Putting lions that are not afraid of humans" "Into a wild pride is dangerous." "My lions are no more dangerous" "Or friendly than wild lions." "The most dangerous thing is when people" "Grow too familiar with them." "But that's not the point." "The point really here has to do with land and poaching." "Oh, for god's sake." "You first asked to come here" "To release five lions from a film." "That was gonna be it." "Now the place is crawling with them." "It's totally out of hand." "It's gonna stop." "I'm just warning you, George." "Oh, why don't you take your warning" "And stuff it up your ass?" "Thank you for the warning, john." "I'm with him." "Bloody lions." "They're damn dangerous." "Fat lot of good you are, Terence." "Why are you here if you feel like that?" "I built a road round here as far as the eye can see." "Still building." "Impudent pup!" "What are we gonna do, George?" "More lions." "I was right." "They were here last night." "I'm the pride feeder," "And that must never be in question." "If a lion senses a weakness in you," "Then he'll turn on you." "I know..." "Did you hear that?" "That's them." "Being attacked by a lion is an occupational hazard here." "But if you stay in tune with them," "Then the risk is small." "They're not pets." "Even the most docile lion still has a killer instinct." "Our job is to encourage that." "Juma." "Give me the meat pack." "They're a bit thin." "They're not hunting well yet." "Good girl." "Good boy." "Their territory in nature is very strong." "That's how they communicate with each other." "They exchange information, challenges, insults." "George, I don't wanna insult any lion." "What have you got me doing here?" "You're just announcing your presence..." "And marking your territory." "Try and save some." "It's a big reserve." "It's good to see you." "Good to see you, my old friend." "Chief, I want you to meet my new assistant Tony." "Tony, this is chief Haji Abu Jibril." "Chief." "And his son Vussif." "Hi." "Chief, I have to start buying camel meat from you" "For my lions." "At least two a month." "Okay." "I give you a fair price." "Money is needed, for next month," "My son goes to university." "Congratulations." "What will you study?" "Political science, engineering, and women." "That's what I did my degree in." "You're the local expert on women?" "Um..." "Well, let's say I've never had any complaints." "What are you doing here?" "Discover Africa holiday?" "Miss Jackson is a post-graduate student of anthropology" "At Oxford." "I'm actually researching a book on the Somali people." "Oh, very impressive." "This is mr." "George Adamson." "Yes, the lion man." "I'm so happy to meet you." "George." "Perhaps a man so experienced as yourself" "Could, well, tell me where to go in Nairobi." "What to wear." "After all, I'm just an innocent nomad from the northern frontier." "Yeah, something tells me you'll be all right." "George, the season is long and dry." "Our grass is almost gone." "Can we bring our cattle across the river" "Into Kora to graze for a week?" "Chief, I'm afraid I have to say no." "Not even for a week or two?" "Chief, I think that the river should separate us." "In truth," "Lions have come into our fields." "Only two days ago, a lion charged at my hunters up the river," "And they shot at it in self-defense." "I pray it was not one of your lions." "I do, too." "Now, where did this take place?" "Near Meru." "George, hello." "Hello, Maxie." "How are things?" "Bwana Fitzjohn." "You know each other." "Oh yes, we've met." "Yeah, we're old sparring partners." "Yes, he threw the first punch," "But I threw the last." "Well, I was drunk at the time." "Yes, I know." "I paid your bar bill." "That must've cost ya." "George, I was hoping to see you." "We found a wounded lion." "We've been looking for one." "Over at the camp at Meru." "Will you take us?" "It's old dubers." "I released him three years ago..." "With a bullet in his back." "I wouldn't get too close." "This must be the lion that the tribesman said charged them." "It's the first time in history that a lion ever charged backwards." "That is why the tribesmen must not be allowed to cross the river." "Any time the herdsmen see a lion, they shoot it," "Or they lay down poisoned meat." "He looks pretty bad, George." "Can you save him?" "I'm certainly going to try." "Is he any better, George?" "No." "Call me if you need me, okay?" "Yeah." "Come on, old boy." "Come on." "Remember all the lions you challenged..." "And then defeated." "And all the lionesses you bedded," "And all the fine kills you made." "That's what keeps us going." "Come on." "Go on." "Go on." "Yeah." "Oh, yes." "Who is lord of the land?" "I am." "I am!" "You're going to be fine." "Great heaven!" "This fellow has brought in another one." "I'm not the boy's father." "However, it's good to have a youthful spirit in the camp" "For a change." "So you think I am past my prime?" "What a beauty!" "Yes." "What a beauty." "George, he's beautiful." "Where'd you get him?" "At the zoo." "He's an orphan." "He's yours." "Your own charge." "Bloody lions again." "And naked pups..." "Yeah, that's good." "That's enough, enough." "The blue one." "No, wait, wait." "Uh, the white." "No, wait!" "Um..." "The blue." "Terence?" "What's going on?" "Mrs. Joy Adamson is coming for christmas dinner." "The blue or the white?" "Blue, of course." "You'll spill food on the white, won't you?" "I've never seen you like this, George." "He's nervous." "This is his one chance in the year to get laid." "Oh, yes, yes." "Yes, the blue will make all the difference." "Will you get the stuff?" "Yes." "Hello, George, my dear." "Merry christmas." "Merry christmas, joy." "It's wonderful to see you." "You look extraordinary." "You look rather nice yourself." "Hello, Terence." "Same to you." "Mmm." "And who is this boy?" "This is my new assistant, Tony Fitzjohn." "Pleased to meet you." "Yeah." "The scenery around here is improving." "Oh, George, do you remember" "Before the war, that September" "We climbed mt." "Kenya." "Just after the rains." "The flowers were brilliant." "Quite extraordinary." "And the next year," "We crossed the sahara together." "Remember those nights in Algiers?" "Born free, as free as the wind blows" "As free as the grass grows" "Born free..." "Oh, shut up, Terence!" "You silly old lunatic." "Wasn't it in Algiers" "You shacked up with that botanist while George was in rome?" "No, no." "The botanist was cairo." "It was your publisher in Algiers." "Get out!" "Out!" "Not a moment longer will I stay here with you." "You old virgin!" "It is my dear George" "I have come to see." "You can camp someplace else." "I've been dismissed, George." "You can stay." "You sent him away." "Oh, yeah." "You know something?" "I'm an orphan, too." "Oh, yes, I am." "Ready for dinner?" "Yeah?" "Come on then." "Come on." "Good boy." "I decided to call the cub Barnardo" "In honor of dr." "Barnardo," "The man who looked after orphans." "For the first time in my life," "I felt responsible for someone else." "It felt good." "Come on, old boy." "You know, Barnardo," "Your life is so simple." "You hunt, eat, sleep." "Mate." "You're lucky." "I wish I could join you." "George." "Look at you..." "Sitting here in this bush with your lions and your whiskey..." "Wasting your life away." "Come with me to Elsamere," "And we'll start a new life." "Why don't you bugger off and leave poor George alone?" "If it wasn't for you, he could've married" "Victoria Anrecelli and been happy." "George, did you hear what Terence said to me?" "Victoria Anrecelli?" "Tell him he's a liar." "Throw him out!" "Farewell, George." "Jesus!" "Joy..." "You are the great love of my life." "But if you were the last woman on this Earth..." "I could not live with you again." "All right." "But remember something." "People are not going to let a crazy old man" "And a bunch of lions sit on this land forever." "One way or another, they are going to take it away!" "Well done, George." "Oh, shut up, Terence." "Kwa heri, Hamsi." "Kwa heri, mama joy." "Joy." "Joy, here..." "And now, I..." "I'm in a place that I want to be." "Have a safe trip back." "What do you see, Barnardo?" "Shimon." "Haven't seen you for a long time." "Barnardo." "They didn't look like that, did they?" "Shit!" "Get off, Shimon!" "George, am I going to die?" "You probably are, but let's have a look at you first." "Tony." "It was not your fault." "It could have happened to anyone." "It could happen to me." "We found Shimon, and he had been poisoned..." "So he went a little crazy." "Is there anything you want?" "Is there anything that I can do for you?" "Mmm." "More..." "Lions." "More?" "Lions?" "Most extraordinary." "I stayed with George at Kora for months" "That turned into years." "Sometimes days went by" "Without a word spoken between us." "But he taught me much about the land" "And the animals that surrounded us." "We lived on almost nothing." "At Kora, we needed almost nothing." "Corned beef and whiskey." "Camel meat for the lions" "And the petrol for the land rover." "A friend lent us a small airplane" "Which I learned to fly." "On a few occasions," "I spoke to George about fundraising" "For Kora, but he would say" "That he would not take any charity," "And that was the end of it." "So over the years, our little eden didn't change." "But the world around us did." "Herders, poachers, political opportunists" "And bandits wanted us out." "More and more often," "The herders crossed the river into Kora." "You're in a protected game area." "You have to leave." "He says the grass belongs to no man." "Nor to cattle." "You tell him." "They've turned the country into a desert," "And they're trying to do the same thing here." "Hi, professor." "Fitzjohn?" "I didn't expect to see you around here again." "There are Shifta bandits all along this river." "It's not safe for a woman out here alone." "I'm not alone." "Look at all this." "George." "There's been a drought in the north." "You have plenty of rich grass here." "Why can't they stay?" "You do not speak for us, miss Jackson." "This is our concern." "By what right do you deny my people the grass?" "Vussif, this is a protected reserve." "George, what do you say?" "Is there a compromise?" "I say that wild animals have to be protected..." "And there cannot be any compromise." "You tell him that." "Vussif was a proud man." "To him, we were saying that our animals" "Were more important than his people." "We made an enemy of Vussif that day." "What's the matter?" "Baby joy..." "She is gone." "What?" "!" "She was murdered." "One of her servants." "George." "I'm so sorry, George." "I should've gone with her." "Maybe..." "Maybe I could've saved her if I'd have gone with her." "You were much happier apart." "You said so yourself." "I wish we'd had children." "I always wanted to have children." "Yeah." "You have." "Hello, dr." "Fitzjohn." "Well, hello." "Writing up your postgraduate thesis on women?" "Another fundraising letter." "What are you doing here?" "I came to see George," "And the thrilling and impressive work you do here." "Oh." "Well, George is over in Meru today." "What a shame." "I'll be going on my rounds in a minute." "You can come if you want." "How could I resist?" "We got word there was a small herd of ellies passing through." "Sorry?" "Elephants." "Should be around here somewhere." "So what did you do before this?" "Had a milk route in north London." "Milk route?" "Yeah." "Then I went to Africa where I drove a truck." "I was an outward bound instructor in Tanzania," "And then I went up to Zimbabwe..." "Hurare..." "Where I was a bouncer in, uh, a "cock door"," "Which is sort of a..." "It's a brothel." "Now that I can believe." "Jack of all trades." "Look." "There they are." "Terence has already found them." "Hello, precious." "He'll be in heaven now." "Probably stay up with them all night." "You know, when George and Terence first came to Kora," "There were hundreds of elephant here." "Now there are only about 20." "Price of ivory's gone up, same with rhino and boar." "We just don't have the manpower" "To keep the poachers out." "And even if we did," "Rangers are paid 800 shillings a month," "And the poachers will pay them 10,000" "To turn their heads for one night." "So you got a boyfriend?" "No." "Kids?" "No." "Going to?" "Not today." "You know it's the lioness who determines when she has sex." "The hypothalamic center in her brain" "Is linked to her pituitary gland," "Which secretes hormones irresistible to the male." "I read a book." "She lies on her back and teases him" "Until he's, uh..." "You know, ready." "Ever seen a lion's penis?" "It swivels for 180 degrees." "She teases him for a while," "And plays hard to get and eventually she lets herself be taken." "They mate once every 15, 20 minutes" "For the next two or three days." "Pretty similar to humans in my experience." "What's that?" "Over there?" "Rhino." "Oh, god." "Why?" "Money..." "Because it makes a beautiful dagger handle." "And because there are some sad little men" "In the orient who actually believe that powdered rhino horn" "Will help them get it up." "Poachers!" "See?" "Let the bloody herdsmen in," "The poachers come in with them." "Lucy, you all right?" "You're crazy." "You almost got us both killed." "Let me see that." "You're insane!" "Sorry." "He can't start shooting at people." "It's wrong, it's dangerous, it's stupid, and it hurts." "Yes, I know." "I'm sorry about that." "But who else is gonna stop them?" "The authorities..." "rangers, police, the army..." "They weren't there;" "I was." "That's ridiculous." "You're at one end of Maslow's spectrum of self-actualization;" "These people are at the other end." "Basic survival." "Maslow's what?" "You, as white men here," "Are able to pursue unlimited goals." "They don't have that choice." "They're starving." "That gives them the right to destroy" "What we're trying to preserve, does it?" "You just don't speak the same language." "Well, it's a pretty universal language." "Lucy's right." "Bullets do hurt." "But don't you think that they hurt animals as well?" "What I am concerned about..." "Is stopping the mass genocide of the wildlife." "I'll leave you both to your argument." "Lucy, you'll spend the night." "It's too dangerous to travel in dark here." "Keya will set you up in the guest hut." "Oh, Lucy, Lucy." "Listen, do you want anything for bed?" "Water?" "Tea?" "Me?" "You're incredible." "Yeah, I know." "You insult me, you're rude to me," "You argue with me, you try to kill me," "And now you think I'll go to bed with you." "What was it Maslow said?" ""unlimited goals"." "Yes, but in this particular case," "You're the one at the other end of the spectrum." "Might do you some good." "Try as I might, Fitzjohn," "I can't possibly imagine how." "I suppose the question can be boiled down" "To one choice when all is said and done." "People or animals." "Soon you will be able to take care of yourselves." "And remember, you are more important" "Than our need for you." "I see you're yawning." "Time you went to bed." "It's time I went to bed." "Hello, Tony." "I've just been to that village" "To investigate that poaching incident." "We found the truck you reported." "Oh, good." "You find the horn?" "No." "No rifles either." "In fact, they claim they were driving" "On the north side of the river" "When you fired at them unprovoked." "And I did find a bullet hole in the truck." "Yeah, I hope so." "I shot at the bastards." "Yeah, well, they've lodged a complaint." "What?" "I had to report the whole thing to Nairobi." "I did tell them I thought the men could be lying." ""Could be lying"?" "We share a concern for your security here." "This morning, they've instructed me to shut down Kora." "You've got to move the lions out of the area or to zoos," "And they're not going to renew your lease in September." "You're out." "You're so full of shit." "You've wanted this for years." "It's for your own good, Tony." "Close down Kora?" "!" "Move my lions out of the area?" "Send them to circuses..." "To be laughed at?" "Jeered?" "Without any dignity?" "Or to zoos?" "To concentration camp conditions?" "You'll need an army" "To move me and my lions out of Kora." "I wouldn't resist if I was you, George." "Oh, I've stood in the path of charging buffalos before." "I'm sorry, Tony." "I intend to go above john bell's head." "The wildlife director, David M'boya." "He's a friend and an ally." "He has the authority to sign the leasehold." "Take him this letter." "Be reasonable." "Tell him about the work we're doing here." "I've asked him for" "One more year for now." "All this will blow over." "And don't lose your temper." "No, you don't understand." "I mean, right, have you ever read any of Maslow's theories?" "Nah." "No." "I rest my case." "Shit!" "Shit, I've gotta go." "Tony, Tony, have one more drink." "Jack, take this." "Tony, Tony." "See ya later." "Mr. M'boya, please." "I'm sorry I'm late." "Excuse me, sir." "Wait!" "Please!" "I'm sorry." "It's okay." "It's Fitzjohn, isn't it?" "Uh, Tony Fitzjohn." "I appreciate you seeing me, sir." "And, uh..." "I won't take up much of your time." "I work with George Adamson at Kora," "And he's asked me to..." "To give you this message." "We'd like you to..." "He needs you to extend the lease for Kora." "I'm not sure that's in George's best interests." "The way things are going," "You need a permanent company of armed rangers." "Yes." "Can you send us some?" "I can't do that." "Kora's not a national reserve." "It's a private leasehold." "Okay." "You wanna raise the rent?" "How much?" "It's not a matter of rent." "I don't think you fully grasp the implications of this matter." "Chief Haji is Somali," "As is armed forces chief of staff muhammad." "If I extend the lease, I'll have to explain" "Where chief Haji's cattle are to graze" "If not at Kora." "It's not about bloody cows." "It's about ivory." "It's about rhino horn," "And it goes all the way to the top with government ministers" "In the pocket of every bloody ivory trader in the country." "Start making allegations... why don't you expose the bastards?" "!" "If you start making allegations about government ministers," "You're exposing Terence and George to more danger." "Look, the lease is up in September." "I can extend it to the end of the year." "That's not enough." "You've gotta give us two years at least." "What happens on Kenyan soil" "Is a matter best left for Kenyans." "But George and Terence built Kora." "It's under my jurisdiction." "It's their territory." "It is not!" "Oh, my god!" "Eliza, can I have another tusker, please?" "Well, Bwana Fitzjohn is buying his own drinks." "That's a cause for celebration." "Johnny Maxwell." "Ha ha ha!" "How did it go with M'boya?" "Oh, I really screwed up this time, Max." "I think he might kick us out." "What happened?" "Ha ha!" "Pissed on M'boya's asperdistra." "You seem to have a real talent for that..." "Pissing people off." "Yeah." "Look, tomorrow, I'm flying down to Meru." "Do you want a ride?" "I don't know, man." "Bloody Kora." "Man, I'm just gonna hang around here for a bit." "Okay." "Well, I'll tell George." "See you around." "Hey, Max, stay for a drink, man." "Not this time, Tony." "I'm going home." "So should you." "Bloody Kora with those bloody lions" "And that bloody stubborn old man." "If I'd had any sense at all," "I'd have chucked it and gone back to Mombasa." "But I did the only thing I could." "I went home." "So..." "You've come back." "All you had to do was to remain sober enough" "To deliver my letter." "Since your visit to David..." "They are officially canceling my lease on Kora." "I'm sorry, George." "Do you want me to go?" "I think it's about time you decided what you wanted." "I think you ought to go and clean up." "Hello, George." "Lucy." "Thought you were gone to England." "Oh, yes, I was supposed to." "But I've got something I'd like to show you." "You see here and here and this big one here, Mkomazi..." "They were set aside as reserves in the '60s" "But never used." "My friend at the Tanzanian embassy," "She spoke to their wildlife department." "They will be very interested" "In having you oversee a new wildlife reserve." "Would they fund us?" "A little to start." "But they suggested a toft fund." "I'm sure with the Adamson name attached," "Money shouldn't be a problem." "I bet I know a few wealthy sponsors" "In britain who would love this sort of thing." "A wild animal fund." "Yeah." "Sounds good, George." "It's what, three times the size of Kora?" "Backing from the Tanzanian government?" "We could take the lions down." "What do you think?" "If you'll both excuse me." "George, can we talk about this?" "I mean, it could be our chance for a new start." "Kora's my home." "I have lived here, and I will die here." "Kora's changed." "It's not like it was in the old days." "Maybe there's somewhere better." "I have given 30 years of my life to Kora." "It was my strong hope" "That you would succeed me here," "But that is a decision you'll have to make for yourself." "I have some work to do." "I believe that..." "I believe there's a young lady waiting for you out there." "Yeah." "So?" "I'm sorry." "No." "What?" "!" "You mean you're not even going to come and see it?" "There's no point if George won't go." "He could change his mind." "Not George." "Fitzjohn, you're about to be thrown out of here." "Wake up!" "It's George's decision." "You could do it without George." "You know about game management." "You could..." "without George." "Maybe I don't wanna do it without George." "And maybe I don't need you coming here" "Telling me what to do." "You come in here with your bloody maps and charts," "And bullshit theories of self whatever." "We're just fine." "Just leave us alone!" "Fine." "Fine." "I postponed my flight back to London for this." "I don't even know why I bothered." "I can't believe I even thought..." "That I might have fancied you." "You sort out your own problems." "Or not." "Bwana!" "Bwana!" "Poachers." "Tony Fitzjohn to warden Ngetha." "Over." "Tony, can you hear me?" "What's wrong?" "Over." "James, we heard some gunshots," "And we're on our way there now." "Over." "Jesus." "Terence!" "Get down!" "Shoot at the bastards, james." "They have to shoot at us" "Before you can shoot back." "They're shooting now." "Open fire!" "You okay?" "I'm okay." "Hold on, james." "It will not be okay." "You don't know what you got yourself into, Tony." "You know who you got killed yesterday?" "Abi, my brother." "The ivory hunter, my cousin Hakim." "Get out." "If you don't," "The old man is dead." "Do you understand?" "George." "I'm gonna have to go away for a while." "Keya and Hamsi will look after you." "I don't need anyone to look after me." "Where you going?" "Tanzania." "The place Lucy mentioned." "Oh." "I think she's still with friends in Nairobi." "Oh." "You'll be all right then." "Yeah." "Nabu." "Do you think he'll come back?" "Who is lord of the land?" "I am." "Speak of the devil." "Fitzjohn." "Lucy." "This is becky." "Hi, becky." "Hi." "I'll go inside." "What happened to you?" "Um, ran into a door." "Some bouncer you are." "Lucy, I think you were right." "I think I should go see this place in Tanzania." "I have all the maps and contacts." "I can give them to you." "I was hoping you'd..." "You'd come with me." "Come with you?" "Somehow I just don't think I'm your type, Fitzjohn." "Listen..." "I'm sorry for what I said." "Maybe we could start again." "I just wanna do this for George really." "Please, will you help me?" "After the slaughter of the elephants," "Terence grew increasingly distant." "Each morning, he silently went off to build his roads," "But his heart was no longer in it." "So it's easy." "You just keep it level, right?" "Yep." "That's all you do." "There it is." "Mkomazi." "Do you think" "You could teach me how to fly?" "Yeah, sure." "Here you go." "Shit!" "Shit!" "Pull the stick back." "Pull back on the stick." "Where you going?" "I'm going to land." "Where?" "I don't know." "I'm looking for" "A couple of hundred yards without any trees or rocks." "There." "Over there!" "Did you enjoy that?" "Yeah?" "You don't look like you did." "It's beautiful." "It really is." "It's gonna take a lot of work." "We're gonna need roads, water holes." "Outposts, anti-poaching patrols." "Take ten years." "It's wonderful." "It's the beginning of a dream." "I don't know, Lucy." "Maybe it's too much." "If George can do it, you can do it." "Ow!" "You all right?" "Oh, shit!" "What happened?" "Ah!" "Twisted my ankle." "Can you put weight on it?" "Oh!" "Me Tarzan, you Jane." "Come on, faster." "What's wrong with you?" "How's the ankle?" "You don't think I really twisted it, do you?" "What?" "!" "Here's a young one." "He'll be hungry." "Come on, baby." "See the one circling us?" "Yes!" "This is a good place for the lions." "Oh, yeah." "It's perfect for lion." "Elephant, rhino." "Yeah." "George would love it here." "Terence, come look." "Halley's comet." "Remember when we first saw it in india?" "Look." "It's halley's comet." "Terence, come." "Come and look." "Look how bright it is tonight." "You remember the first time we saw it?" "1910." "How it filled the sky!" "How it reflected so huge in the pool" "In front of the palace in akbar." "Remember..." "Remember how we tried to touch it in the water?" "Ah!" "Look how bright it is tonight." "Come." "Terence?" "Terence?" "Terence." "My dear brother." "George, is there anything I can do for you?" "Would you like me to get in touch with Tony?" "You know..." "It's a bitter irony." "The harder and harder it gets..." "To lose people as you get older" "Yet the older you get," "The more people The more people you lose." "Until finally..." "You lose everyone." "Come on, George." "Hamsi will make us a nice cup of tea." "Thank you." "Thank you, Maxie." "You know, I think I'll..." "I'll go for a little walkabout." "I'll go up to Meru." "Terence and I used to hunt, fish when we were young." "I'll..." "I'll take..." "I'll take Coretta with me for company." "Whatever you like, George." "Did you want me to come with you?" "No, no, thank you, Maxie." "Just..." "Just Coretta and I." "I'm getting too old for this." "I'm getting old." "You're very talkative today." "What are you trying to tell me?" "Oh, my god." "Newscaster:" "The violence continued" "In the northern provinces of Kenya." "Shifta bandits are reported to have killed 40 villagers in the Meru district." "You know, Suliman," "You should be the one up here instead of me." "You can smell, see, hear intruders" "A lot farther than I can." "Ah!" "Oh!" "Ooh!" "Radio the flying doctor." "I don't need a bloody doctor." "How's Suliman?" "You only grazed him." "I swear to god, it wasn't his fault." "He was only playing." "I spooked him;" "I should've known better." "Bwana Adamson, you must live..." "Forever." "Don't worry, Hamsi." "I intend to." "Hi, Tony." "Hi, doc." "How is he?" "Well, I stitched him up." "He lost a lot of blood, but he'll survive it." "He's a tough old bugger." "Tony, I think you should know that George is in" "The early stages of osteoporosis," "A degenerative bone disease." "It'll progress quickly," "And there's very little that we can do." "He'll be in a wheelchair" "Within a year." "Does he know?" "No." "I thought you might want to tell him." "I've given him antibiotics." "Call me if the wounds go septic." "Yeah." "Here we go." "They're giving you handouts." "One day you will have to find your own dinner." "That's it." "Bwana George." "A special visitor for you." "Victoria." "Good god!" "After all these years." "George!" "I thought you didn't recognize me." "It's just a tiny nuisance." "What the hell are you doing here?" "I've come to look after you..." "Not that you need looking after." "Damn well right I don't need looking after." "You are most welcome, indeed." "Oh!" "Tony, Tony." "I want you to meet Victoria Anrecelli." "Hello." "Tony Fitzjohn." "Hello." "I guided her father's safaris..." "In the '60s...'60s?" "'60s?" "In the '40s." "In the '40s." "Just after the war." "Do you remember the storm we sailed into" "In lake rudolph?" "when I had to drag you ashore?" "Yes." "I saved his life." "I saved your life." "Yes, you did." "I could never swim worth a damn." "I saved all your letters." "It's marvelous of you to come." "Here we are." "I think groll and her cubs..." "They must be around here someplace." "Groll doesn't need us anymore." "She's wild now." "Yes, yes, yes, yes." "I just came to say hello." "Give her a few little tidbits." "Listen, George..." "Can we please talk about this?" "I can't wait any longer." "You know that I love Kora as much as you do, but..." "It's dying." "You've thrown me out, they're trying to get rid of you." "You've got to make a decision about the future." "Why don't you just come and see Mkomazi?" "It can be everything you have here and more." "How many times?" "How many times do I have to tell you" "For you to understand?" "I will never leave Kora." "Nobody, nothing, will drive me out." "Not the poachers..." "Not the herdsmen..." "Not the Shifta, and not the government." "They're trying to kill you, for god's sake." "George, it's not like the old days." "It's just not practical to release lions into the wild anymore." "There is no wild left." "At Mkomazi, there are huge tracts of land" "That we could fence in against the poachers." "Never!" "George, you know why Suliman attacked you." "It's because you're getting old." "Old?" "!" "I can still hold up my end of the bargain." "Yes, but for how long?" "The lions will challenge you now, George," "And someday, they're gonna kill you." "And if they don't, believe me," "The Shifta will." "You know nothing about lions." "Haven't I taught you anything" "About lions?" "They mark their territory." "They fight for their territory." "They live in their territory," "And they die in their territory." "Yes, but I can't look after you here." "You?" "Look after me?" "!" "I need no one to look after me." "I don't need you to look after me!" "Jesus christ." "You crazy old bastard." "Come on." "Come on!" "Come on, get up, get up, get up." "Come on, I'll show you" "If I need someone to look after me." "Come on, get up, get up!" "Go on." "Go to your wonderful Mkomazi." "Go on." "I want you to go." "Go on!" "I don't need you here anymore." "And don't come back." "You hear me?" "Don't come back." "Go on." "Fine." "That's fine by me, George." "You just do whatever the hell you want." "You go back to the camp and start up that generator" "And the stove." "How long will it take, daddy?" "Just a... couple of minutes." "Caroline, take sarah." "Mr. M'boya, please just give me one minute." "It's okay." "I apologize for my behavior on my last visit." "You killed my plant." "Yes, I'm really very sorry about that." "But please, hear me out." "I'm going to prepare a camp for George in Tanzania." "It'll only take another month or two." "Then somehow or other, I'm going to get him out of Kora," "And you can do whatever you want with it." "Whilst I'm away, please send a unit to protect him." "I don't think I can do that." "Sir, joy Adamson was murdered in Kenya." "Do you really want another Adamson murdered here?" "All right, then." "I'll order in a unit today." "I'm sorry, mr." "Adamson." "The unit has been ordered out after the bandits." "They burned two villages..." "Yes, yes, I know." "Could you possibly just leave a couple of men?" "We will return in a day or two." "Victoria." "Where's Victoria?" "Where the hell is she?" "Victoria!" "Come, come, come, come." "Betachi will drive you." "Come, come." "I'm not going anywhere." "Hmm?" "I'm not going anywhere." "Oh, my dear, just until this emergency is over." "I mean, I can't be responsible for..." "No, no, no, no." "I'm staying here with you, George." "I stayed through the mau-mau in '53." "I'm not gonna turn tail now." "I'm staying here with you..." "For a long time." "Women." "Most extraordinary." "Betachi, she's not going." "Now, we will..." "We'll do this in two shifts." "Maxwell calling Mkomazi." "Hello, Mkomazi." "Hi, Max." "How you doing?" "Not so good." "We've had to pull out." "The camp was attacked." "They got Ross and Ali." "Almost got us." "You okay?" "Yeah, we're fine." "We're heading down to arusha to my brother's place" "For a while." "Listen, have you seen George?" "Is he all right?" "That's what I'm calling about." "The rangers pulled out yesterday." "George is on his own." "Thanks, Max." ""God made the beasts of the Earth after his own kind, and said it was so."" "That's you, my friends." "God was talking about you." "Yes." "Who will raise their voice on your behalf" "After mine is carried away?" "You have every right to be on this Earth..." "As much right as we have." "For it is we who have destroyed it." "Where was I?" "Oh, yes." ""And god made everything that creepeth upon the Earth after his own kind." "And god saw that it was good."" "Are you paying attention?" "You're all fueled up, sir." "Here are your papers." "Okay." "Thank you very much." "Good day, mr." "Fitzjohn." "Good day." "Is there a problem?" "We've just been notified of an outstanding charge against you in Garisa" "For possession of an unlicensed weapon." "What?" "This is ridiculous." "We'll have to take you to the station and investigate." "Hopefully, we can get this cleared up quickly." "We will call Garisa." "Oh!" "Ow!" "Oh, I twisted it!" "The ankle!" "Hey, stop!" "Victoria?" "Betachi." "Betachi!" "Oh, no." "Betachi." "Betachi." "Leave me alone!" "I have no money!" "You two get out." "Jump." "Jump!" "Jump, I said!" "Jump out!" "Oh, Betachi!" "Oh, my god." "George." "Go on." "Go on!" "You can look after yourselves." "George had taught them well." "They were ready for the wild." "They'd be all right without him." "Go on." "What are you waiting for?" "You wanna be in a zoo?" "Go on, Barnardo." "Go on." "Freddy, go on!" "The old man's gone." "Go!" "June 14." "Terence found this young englishman this week." "Tony Fitzjohn..." "A headstrong, arrogant know-it-all." "Exactly as I was then." "I wonder what he'll make of himself." "Now the world seems instantly smaller and harsher." "Because an important part of it is gone." "I always found comfort" "Knowing there was at least one clean, sunlit wilderness" "Which I called home," "And where a man walked with lions." "From George, I learned about Africa" "And its wildlife." "It will be my entire life now." "George touched many people's lives as he did mine," "And now he is gone." "He was 83 years old, but he died too soon." "Lucy and I are continuing George's life's work" "In Mkomazi reserve in Tanzania," "And we feel his spirit guiding and watching over us." "We envision Mkomazi as George saw Kora..." "A safe, peaceful sanctuary for the animals of Africa." "We can't afford to let them down." "For some, it may be their last chance."