Original subtitles

Hey!

- Here we go. Here we go. - Come along!

Come on, let them go.

Come on.

Hey, go on.

Hey, come along.

Come on, Toby. That's it.

Whoa.

Don't look too bad, do it?

Father, I've decided to go.

I was afraid of that.

- And Alice? - She's determined to come.

No place for her. Ha!

Thank you, Angus.

Here we are.

- Damn the boy. - He lost the race.

Don't fret over her. She's strong enough to withstand a year in the tropics.

Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

Forgive me if I don't come and see you off.

I'd make a fool of myself down there.

Well, I've written a few letters for you.

Might... Might be helpful on your way.

There's one to Uncle Bill here.

See here, Father...

...we'll be all right, I promise.

Give me your hand.

Of course you will.

Hello, Jane.

I found something for you in London.

- A little scarab ring. - Thank you.

- Darling, we'll be late. - Yes.

Does that mean we'll marry, Uncle Jack?

No, it doesn't. I'm already married.

But we won't just give you to some Tom, Dick or Harry from Baltimore.

We shall find someone suitable, preferably an Englishman.

There you are, nanny.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Take care of him.

- Safe journey. - Thank you.

- Goodbye. - Thank you.

Goodbye.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye, my lord.

Jack?

Jack?

Jack!

Where's Jack?

He was alive last night. Where is he?

It's not my fault.

Where is Lord Clayton?

It's not my fault.

They'll blame me, but it's not my fault.

It's not my fault.

Jack.

Jack!

- Oh, Jack. - It's all right.

Shh. All right, all right. It's all right, darling.

I was so frightened. I thought you drowned.

It's all right.

I was trying to help him. It's too late.

- Poor boy. - Come on. Come on.

December the 17th, 1885.

It is almost 10 months since the shipwreck...

...and Captain Billings left us to find help.

As each week passes, I have to face up to the fact...

...that the poor man must have perished in the attempt.

The apes have returned in greater numbers this time.

They eat everything in the vicinity, so food will be hard to find.

But at least they leave us alone.

The difficult birth of our son, followed by a bout of malaria...

...has weakened my darling Alice terribly.

While the baby howls at the world and every day grows stronger...

...she shows little sign of recovery.

The fever has robbed her of her milk and clouded her perception.

She still believes that we are safely home in Scotland.

In a way, I'm grateful, as this delusion spares her the reality of our predicament.

There, there.

Alice?

Alice.

Oh, no.

Alice.

We have been traveling these dank rivers of West Africa for months...

...amassing an inventory of fauna for the British Museum.

I am the only Belgian among the English, pressed on them by my superiors...

...to guide them and watch them.

Got him.

- What is it? - Don't know.

But it might have been something.

Yes, major...

...but now it is a dead something.

Of course it is.

Heavens.

What are they saying, D'Arnot?

Dinner est servi.

No. Arrived. "Dinner has arrived" is a slightly better translation.

I don't think that's frightfully funny, D'Arnot.

My companions consider themselves...

...to be the foremost among God's creatures...

...and treat Africa and all things African with an unwavering contempt.

If I wasn't under orders...

...I'd have abandoned them at week one and returned to Brussels.

You drop that box again and I'll shoot you.

Come on! Apes! Belcher!

- Come on! - I thought I said there was to be no...

Well, at least try not to damage the skins!

Major!

Damn them.

Major Downing!

There, Major Jack. They're going into the trees!

Come on. Come on. They're beauties.

Downing!

Be quick or we'll lose it.

Downing!

Fire one more shot, you butcher, and I'll shoot you.

Steady, old chap. It's all in a day's sport.

Sport and blood, Sir Evelyn.

Stuff of life.

Good God.

"John...

...Clayton."

John Clayton. It's the Earl of Greystoke's son.

Good God.

So this is what became of him.

- Those blasted drums, Belcher. - Yes, Major Jack.

- Have you got a finger in the bullet hole? - Yes, major.

Major Jack.

Pygmies!

Back. Back to the boat!

Sir Evelyn!

Where are you?

Aide-moi, papa.

Papa.

Qui êtes-vous?

Who are...

Who are you?

Sir, help me.

Say something.

Mon Dieu!

Pourquoi...

Back!

Pas possible.

- Incroyable. - Croy.

Eh?

- Oui! - Oui!

Razor. Razor.

Razor.

Razor! Razor!

Razor.

Raz...

Razor.

Ra...

Raz...

Razo...

Raz...

Razor.

- Razor. - Razor.

Razor.

Yes.

- Razor, razor. - No.

- No. No, no razor. - Ra...

Mirror. Mirror.

Mm. Mm. Mi. Mi.

- Mirror, mirror. - Mirror. Mirror.

Mirror. Mirror.

Yes. Mirror.

- Mirror. - Mirror.

John is a mimic of uncanny ability.

Yes.

Words became like magic tricks to him.

And in six months, he has managed to grasp the rudiments of the language.

But now I have to convince him of who he is.

Indeed, what he is!

Mirror. Razor, razor. Mirror.

No. No, no, no.

Man. Man.

Dieu!

Animal. Animal.

- Animal! Animal! - No, no, no. Animal. Animal. Animal.

- Animal. Animal. - Animal.

Animal. Animal. Animal.

Animal!

Phillippe.

Phillippe D'Arnot.

John.

Clayton.

Your home.

Greystoke.

Mother. Father.

Father. Mother.

Family. Yes, family. Not:

That is your mother. That is your father, I tell you.

Family, John. Mother, father. Mother, father.

Family!

Listen to me, John.

How many other white apes have you seen?

You're like me, not them.

You have another family, far away.

One you have never seen. Like me.

Soon I must go to my family.

Why?

Dead.

Who is dead?

Dead.

Dead like mine. Yours dead.

Why do you say that?

If not dead, why you here?

Because I'm lost.

And I'm looking for her.

And my mother looks for me.

His mind was able to grasp the concept of past and present.

But he desperately resisted the notion that his mother...

...might have been anything other than an ape.

No. No, no.

No!

As for the future...

...it was something that simply did not exist for him.

And I could never make him understand...

...that I had another life waiting for me in another world...

...and another time.

John. Mother. Father.

Father. Mother.

Family, John. How many other white apes have you seen?

You are like me, not them. Like me, like me. Not them.

- Father. Father. - No.

Mother, mother. Family. Yes, family.

That is your mother. That is your father, I tell you.

Family, John. Mother. Father. Mother. Father.

Family, family. Father, mother. Mother, father.

Family. Family. Family.

Dog. Dog. Dog. Dog. Dog

Animal. Animal.

Six taps this time, huh?

But nine the next.

- So don't do it again, eh? - No, sir.

Boy, please.

May I have some water, please?

Thank you.

Put something on, old boy.

One of the rules.

Got to keep a sense of decorum. Otherwise we'll all end up like savages.

Well...

Thank you, sir.

John.

I'm Buller, the proprietor.

Capitaine Phillippe D'Arnot.

Belgian.

John.

My friend is also Belgian, but he has no English.

Presumably...

...you want a room? - Yes, please, sir.

You fellows here for long?

Well...

Thank you, sir.

This is not the world, John, just the edge of it.

- Convicts? - I don't think so.

- I would bet on it. - Animals, more like.

Very nasty monkeys, old boy.

You see, John...

...we haven't changed places. This...

Look.

Fire, John. Fire.

Oh! Oh!

Come and sit down, capitaine.

That's a nine, you miss a go.

Ah, capitaine.

Captain Billings you have met, yes?

He's been here longer than any of us.

Now the rest of the gentlemen. We have Jeffson Brown.

Olivestone.

Stimson.

Chalky White.

And that's Mrs. White on his shoulder.

I hear you've lost all your belongings.

Yes.

Where did that happen?

In the north.

Come now, Mr. D'Arnot.

Where are you really from?

I was a member of a zoological expedition...

...funded by the British Museum.

Several months ago we were attacked.

I urgently need to return to Europe...

...but unfortunately I have no funds.

However, I can leave you a promissory note.

Well, the last frog we had through here couldn't pay his bills either.

We turned him over to French authorities, who were jolly pleased to have him back.

Turned out to be a convict.

I can assure you, sir...

...that I am no criminal.

Then what are you?

I'm an explorer.

What a liar.

I think that deserves a thrashing, don't you?

Six.

John! John!

Fire. Fire. Fire!

I sense that we have a long and difficult journey ahead of us.

Perhaps weeks of waiting for a ship that will give us passage to England.

I will try to teach John some rudimentary manners...

...and a greater understanding of the language.

Like a father, I am resolved to impart to him all that I can.

But never, not even for a moment, do I doubt that to take him back...

...is a perilous undertaking.

For John...

...but also for his family.

Apes, did you say?

Apes?

I can't believe it.

The coffee, Sir Evelyn, the coffee.

It's an extraordinary example of man's superiority over beast.

Not only did he survive, he made himself their master. Their lord, as it were.

Is he...? Is he sound?

Is he...? Is he normal?

Well, I'm told he's a remarkable...

...young man.

But apes.

Welcome home, my lord.

- This fellow D'Arnot... - D'Arnot.

D'Arnot. Deserves recognition.

Do you suppose we could get him a medal...

...from the Royal Geographical Society?

Do you think he'd appreciate that? All right, all right. I can manage.

I don't wish to belittle D'Arnot's contribution...

...but he was merely a part of an expedition.

A British expedition.

Laurels for this extraordinary achievement belong to the expedition itself...

...not the individual.

In any case, although the circumstances indicate that he is your grandson...

...we can't prove it.

Of course, we might be able to do so if we were able to make tests.

He's here.

If he's a Greystoke, I'll know him at a glance.

Johnny?

Is that you?

Come out and show yourself.

Oh, my boy.

My dear, dear boy.

Sir, I thank you with all my heart.

Come.

Welcome, welcome.

Hasn't changed a jot, has it?

Well, come on up.

We'll take you to your room.

- I wonder if you'll find it cold up there. - D'Arnot.

Sir Evelyn. Excuse me.

We must talk.

Ah. Do you recognize her?

How could he recognize me, uncle?

We've never met.

Welcome home, Lord Clayton.

Ah. Of course, of course. I keep thinking he's my son.

This is Jane, from America.

My ward. I'm looking after her.

Your father gave me this.

Elle est jolie.

She's pretty.

Yes, she is.

This is Monsieur D'Arnot.

Monsieur D'Arnot, it's a great day for us.

Sir Evelyn told us all you've done for Lord Clayton.

No more than he has done for me.

You must be tired after your journey.

- Well... - Well, come on, Johnny.

We'll show you to your room.

Look out for these stairs.

They're slippery.

When I was a child, I'd slide down here on a tray from the nursery.

Come on, Johnny.

Come on this way.

This was your father's room.

That's your father.

Fine soldier.

That's your mother.

Pretty girl.

Can...? Can he read English?

Oh, yes, sir, a little.

"John Clayton.

Junior house, Eton.

For the long jump.

1870."

The long jump.

The mighty leap.

Damn silly, really.

I can't say what it means to me...

...to have you with me.

Well...

Till dinner, then.

Yes.

Thank you, sir.

- Good evening, Lord Esker. - Evening, Dean.

Hello.

- You look absolutely gorgeous. - Thank you, Charles.

- She's rather smart, isn't she? - She's beautiful.

Austin. The eight cylinder.

- Do you know Johnny's here? - Oh.

John. John.

Oh, quite right, quite right. I hate spoons.

Bravo.

Well done, your lordship.

Oh, welcome home, Johnny.

Can't help saying it over and over. Welcome home, Johnny.

- Welcome home. - To Johnny.

We are already at a disadvantage...

...because it's several months since he left the wild.

My colleagues and I wish to examine him at the earliest opportunity.

Science demands it.

I think you will find, Sir Evelyn, that Lord Clayton has a mind of his own.

- Of course. - Then you should ask him.

I shouldn't let the scientists poke you about.

Best plan would be to get him to school. Eton for a year or two.

I think he's been away long enough. Don't you?

Yes. I have.

Did you know, sir, that they have these little men, Pygmies?

Pigs, did you say?

It's high. Been left to hang a couple of weeks.

It's a bit of an acquired taste, really. But do try some.

Close to rotten, really.

You don't have to eat it if you don't want to.

Ça sent... Ça sent pas très bon.

- English. - No, thank you.

- Won't be long before you talk like us. - I hope not.

I think English is so much prettier when spoken with a French accent, don't you?

Oh, nonsense.

"Won't be long before you're talking like the rest of us."

"It's a bit of an acquired taste, really. But do try some."

- That's quite remarkable. - It could be you, Esker.

That was marvelous, John. That was perfect.

John is an excellent mimic. Any animal that he has heard, parfaitement.

How wonderful. What animals can you do?

Please, can I hear one?

This is a game that we used to play onboard the ship.

He used to enchant the crew.

The best thing is if you close your eyes and imagine that you are en Afrique.

Yes. In Africa.

It's beautiful.

Do another one.

Close your eyes.

John!

Very realistic.

I hope you'll come see us...

...at the earliest opportunity, Monsieur D'Arnot.

Of course I will, sir. Thank you very much.

Jane, Jane. Goodbye.

- Look after him, yes? - I will, Phillippe.

I will be back, John, I promise.

And by then you will have forgotten all your French.

No.

Au revoir.

Razor.

Mirror.

Au revoir.

Good rule to follow, John:

Never shed a tear in public.

Charles, sometimes you're so cruel.

Am I right?

He's a good runner, isn't he?

Phillippe! Phillippe!

Kidneys.

Hope you won't be leaving us now, my dear.

That fat aunt of yours in Baltimore is missing you, I understand.

- Kedgeree. - No, uncle.

I'd rather stay here for the winter.

Try to teach Johnny some more.

Good girl.

What do you think of that, Johnny?

- I think it's very good. - A-ha.

Tomatoes.

Oh, kippers too, yes.

Porridge with everything.

I'll have some myself.

One, two, three. One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Oh, John.

- Charles. - Charles.

Good afternoon.

- Dancing class? - Yes. He's a wonderful dancer.

Good.

Amavero.

Johnny.

- Amavero. - Amavero.

- Amaveris. - Amaveris.

- Amaverit. - Verit.

Amavero. "I shall have loved."

Amaveris.

"Thou wilt have loved."

Amaverit.

"He will have loved."

Did you catch it?

Let it go.

Just look there. Look.

Johnny?

Johnny.

What's that?

What?

Infernal machine!

Charles.

- I didn't expect to see you today. - Jane.

- Good hunting? - Wonderful.

I came because I have something rather important to discuss with you.

Oh?

I noticed, as did my uncle, who remarked on it...

...that Clayton's become attached to you, in a somewhat puppy-ish sort of way.

I think that's understandable. He's alone, a little lost.

Mm. Of course.

But I could not help notice that you appear to be fond of him.

I am, Charles.

I am fond of him.

But no more than that?

- No more than fond? - No.

Why would you ask?

I hope he's not become too dependent on you.

Especially in view of what I'm about to say.

Yes?

We've spent enough time together to know that we're well-suited.

I've become very attached to you.

I want your permission to ask Lord Greystoke for your hand.

Jane...

...will you marry me?

Thank you, Dean. I can manage that.

As you wish, ma'am.

This is most unexpected, Charles.

But my answer is no.

Absolutely no.

No?

Three months ago, before Clayton returned, I doubt you'd have hesitated.

- That is not true. - I think it is.

It has nothing to do with John.

I'm not in love with you, Charles. That is all.

I'm sorry, Charles.

Ow!

You've got a lot to learn, jungle man.

Hey, hey.

Come on, Willy.

You're doing fine.

Hello, hello, my corky.

Hello, hello, below.

When I've got one fish, I'd like another, you know.

I like fishing, Grandpa.

I like fishing.

Oh, he's an old bugger down there.

I'll never get him up.

Whoa. Whoa.

Come on, now, and have a look at the wall.

Watch those horses, Willy.

He's a bit soft in the head.

It goes all around the estate.

Keep them out.

And keep us in.

This is yours, Johnny. This estate.

I've seen other fellows sell off bits of theirs.

A little here, a little there.

That's the rot, Johnny.

Selling little bits, chipping away at the edges.

In the end, they have nothing.

Never sell. Never, ever sell.

Do anything to keep it whole.

You understand me?

Yourself whole.

Land is the lifeblood of this family.

Yes, sir.

Sir.

Just step this way, please.

Good evening. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

- Hello. - How do you do?

Very well, thank you.

Dean, I think everyone's here now. Don't you think so?

Let us hope, sir.

How do you do? How do you do? Thank you.

I'm starving.

- Have you ever had a mince pie? - No.

Wonderful.

You look beautiful tonight.

Whereas, as you all know...

...this is my favorite gathering of the year.

Christmas Eve.

Very often on these occasions I've very little to say.

But this year is a very special year.

This year my son has returned from Africa...

...after many, many years.

Some people might say that an old man...

...shouldn't expect any further blessing.

And I daresay they might be quite right.

But I hope for still more.

One day, I hope to announce his betrothal.

And following that, his heir.

Thank you, that's good.

Well...

To all of you.

There's my boy. Jolly good.

Nursery days, nursery days.

Back in the nursery. A lovely slide.

Here we go.

Bumpity, bumpity, bump, bump, bump.

Somebody must have been taken ill.

Johnny.

Let me stay still.

Now...

...all I can taste is blood.

You know, I didn't like it when you went off.

I'm so glad you came back.

I think I... I think I might be going...

...off myself somewhere.

One of these days.

Jane!

Jane!

Jane. Jane.

Please, Johnny, don't be sad.

I love you, Johnny.

I love you.

Phillippe.

Jane.

I have missed you, both of you, so very much.

- How are you? - As you see.

How is he?

Judge for yourself, Phillippe.

He'll be so pleased to see you.

Phillippe.

We've missed you too.

John?

Comment vas-tu? Eh?

John?

I am alone, Phillippe.

You brought me here to look for my family.

I found an old man.

Now he's dead.

This isn't my home.

- This isn't my home. - It could be, John.

You are a human being, a man.

You must come to terms with that fact.

That reality.

You will never find a home, be at home...

...here or in the jungle, until you do.

You must overcome what has happened to you.

You must transcend the loss, the pain...

...and create something new.

John.

Don't give in so soon.

Otherwise, all that you have achieved...

...all our work, will be in vain.

- Of course I will stay and help you... - As my keeper.

- You don't need a keeper, John. - No, I don't.

Never sell.

Never, ever sell.

Do anything, but keep it whole.

Understand me?

Yourself whole.

Please, Johnny, don't be sad.

I love you, Johnny.

I love you.

Leave us now, Iris, please.

Johnny.

Oh, Johnny.

Thank you so much for coming.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your engagement.

- May you both be very happy. - Thank you.

Monsieur D'Arnot.

The erection of a new wing...

...to Waterhouse's magnificent building...

...allows us to house a wider selection of specimens...

...many of which were collected...

...during my recent, ill-fated expedition to West Africa.

An enterprise wholly in the spirit of Charles Darwin...

...helping us to understand the origin of our species.

To complete these works in a style worthy of this great museum...

...has been a costly undertaking and one we could never have contemplated...

...without the generous patronage of the late Lord Greystoke.

It is with great pleasure that I call upon his grandson...

...the present earl, to declare the Greystoke Gallery open.

Would you care to cut the tape?

We'll go past to the left of these central cases.

You may recognize one of the specimens from Africa.

The great hawks. I was just explaining...

...the ornithological cage here.

It's a little macabre.

It's principally bones and beaks.

With the magnifying glass, you can actually see...

...the projection on the end of the bird's beak...

...with which he breaks out of the egg.

The odd thing is the various...

Our pièce de résistance.

This is actually the largest single collection of...

Miss Porter, this is one of the largest single collections...

...of hummingbirds in Europe.

Look at the one with the blue breast on the branch...

- Excuse me. - Mm?

Sir Evelyn, it's Lord Greystoke.

Excuse me.

Jackson. Harrison. Excuse me. Gangway!

- Harrison. - Yes, sir.

The barracks. Troops.

John, don't do this, please.

Guardsman.

- Get back, everybody. - Get back.

Back, please.

No. No.

No.

No, no. No, no.

No.

C'était mon père!

He was my father!

However well he may have mastered...

...the intricacies and complexities of this absurd society...

...he is what the jungle has made him.

That we saw yesterday. Irrefutably.

I take a different view.

He cannot blame society...

...for the action of an impulsive and undisciplined keeper.

There are two reasons he should stay. Firstly, for the sake of science.

Science?

Whose science?

Your science? The imperial science?

And second, because to go would be a failure.

You are so utterly predictable.

What in his terms is a magnificent achievement...

...you see as your failure, so you call it his.

How typical.

How tragic.

How very English.

He is the earl of Greystoke, Monsieur D'Arnot.

The earl has great estates, great wealth, great power.

Oh, of course, I understand that to you such considerations may seem absurd...

...but it is essential for all of us that he take his place in society...

...as his family has done for generations.

He must be greater than the accident of his childhood.

And, what is more important, he must be seen to be so.

My God.

Yes, of course he could stay here.

But through people like you he would become an object of derision...

...speculation, experimentation.

I promise you, Sir Evelyn Blount, that I will do all in my power...

...to protect him from this abuse.

This insult.

Father!

Mother!

Family, family, family!

Mother, father!

Family!

Father!

Mother!

Family!

Animal!

Mother, father.

He must be allowed to decide for himself.

I want him to stay, but I also want him to be happy.

As happy as he can be.

And we want for him only what he wants for himself.

To be whole, to be...

I am going home.

Lord Greystoke, I realize...

That what happened in London yesterday...

...must have been deeply distressing to you.

But I would advise you, in your present state...

...not to make any decision that could affect your...

...future.

I am going home.

- Lord Greystoke. - I should go...

...because I know now who I am not.

You are the earl of Greystoke!

Half of me is the earl of Greystoke.

The other half is wild.