Original subtitles

(BELL TOLLING)

ERIC: At the beginning of time, the clock struck one.

Then dropped the dew and the clock struck two.

From the dew grew a tree, and the clock struck three.

Then the tree made a door, and the clock struck four.

Then Man came alive, and the clock struck five.

Count not, waste not, the hours on the clock.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

Is that a new Bradshaw's, Eric?

Or one of your world-famous collection of out-of-date railway timetables?

(MEN CHUCKLE)

I have a small problem...

...which I suspect this gathering might find interesting.

ERIC: Last Thursday,

I was returning from a book auction in Chester,

and learning of a delay on the Manchester-Edinburgh line,

found it necessary to make a rapid adjustment to my itinerary,

leaving me just three minutes to change platforms at Crewe.

(GRUNTS)

CONDUCTOR: Tickets from Crewe?

Tickets from Crewe?

You're on the wrong train, sir. This is for Glasgow.

- The Edinburgh train... - It's delayed.

I thought if I got your train as far as Carstairs,

I ought to be in time to catch the Manchester-Edinburgh on its way up.

CONDUCTOR: That should work. Enjoy yourjourney, sir.

Tickets from Crewe?

Could've done with you this morning in Taunton.

Straightforward enough, surely.

Train down to Bristol Temple Meads...

The Bristol train was cancelled.

Well, in that case, you could take it across to...

A friend gave me a lift.

- I see. - And he gave me a timetable.

(CHUCKLES) Look at this.

He marked all of the interesting things on the map.

Did you know Warrington is famous for vodka?

It's also the birthplace of George Formby.

Hmm. Is it really?

Most people assume it was Wigan... Or Formby.

But it was Warrington.

You know, with all due respect to your friend, if all he's mentioned is vodka,

he's really only scratched the surface of Warrington.

The Black Prince. Remember the Black Prince?

Had all his armour made there.

Warrington was really the only place to go if you wanted a suit of armour.

- A Sort of Saville Row in steel. - (CHUCKLES)

Goodness. Maybe we should get off, take a look around.

(CHUCKLES)

Well, if you think Warrington's interesting, you wait till we get to Preston.

Lancaster, known as the Hanging Town.

Lancaster Assizes hanged more people

than any other court in the land, except for London.

That's Carnforth.

That's where they filmed BriefEncounter, apparently.

You're too young to remember that, of course.

Well, my aunt went to see it

with a girlfriend and a couple of sailors.

And she told me that whenever the actress, um...

Celia Johnson.

...Celia Johnson got a bit tearful,

the sailors would shout, "Come on, Trevor! Give her one!"

(LAUGHS)

Sorry, I've gone too far.

I promise I'll behave better from now on.

(CHUCKLES)

- (TRAIN HORN BLOWS) - (CLEARS THROAT)

I'd never been to the Highlands before,

so suddenly finding myself single again,

so to speak, I thought I'd like to see them.

So I'm going to go up as far as Mallaig by train,

and then I'm catching the coach to Inverness and coming down the other side.

What do you think?

The West Coast is extraordinarily beautiful.

You might well fall in love with it.

And if I were to fall in love, what then?

Well, instead of a coach to Inverness,

you might consider taking the line back to Tyndrum

and changing for Oban.

From there, you can get any number of boat trips.

lona, Staffa...

It's very romantic.

Are you a romantic?

I have to be in Edinburgh by Wednesday.

CONDUCTOR: (ON PA) Carstairs. Now approaching Carstairs.

Carstairs.

It was very nice to meet you.

You were an unexpected bonus.

- Well... - Thank you again.

ERIC: And so you see,

I'm forced to the unlikely conclusion

that I've fallen in love.

So...

What are you going to do?

Would you excuse me for a moment?

There are only two trains from Inverness to Edinburgh on a Wednesday.

(SCOFFS)

CONDUCTOR: (ON PA) Edinburgh-Waverley, this is Edinburgh-Waverley.

The train now arriving at platform one...

- Oh. - Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. This is a surprise.

What a coincidence.

- Are you catching this train? - Yes, I am.

Well, it's just that it terminates here.

It's not entirely a coincidence.

(CHUCKLES)

It's not entirely a surprise.

I'm not really used to entertaining, as you'll see.

What are you doing?

I was just going to give it a stir.

Good heavens.

But the bottom of the pan's going to burn.

- Sit down. - So masterful.

(TIMER TICKING)

- Masterful, but wrong. - We shall see.

I might nip out for a Brillo Pad

for the burn marks on the bottom of the pan.

- Don't move. - Why not?

Because I'm looking at you.

(TIMER DINGS)

Perfect.

You're making quite a meal of this.

That was the general idea.

You know, I was wondering...

I've never kissed a man with a moustache before.

Hmm.

And I don't think I'm going to kiss a man with a moustache again.

Oh.

And if the man removed the moustache?

Yes, that would do nicely.

- (LAUGHS) - (CLEARS THROAT)

I'm just going to keep looking into those lovely brown eyes.

- Why? - I don't know.

Takes my mind off the broken teeth and the shabby clothes.

Not quite so shabby today, actually.

Better get them off so I don't get confused, then.

- Think that's a good idea? - Mmm-hmm.

(SIGHS)

I'm so happy.

(SHOWER WATER PATTERING)

(DISTANT SHELLFIRE)

Get dressed, Lomax.

(MUFFLED, DISTORTED WHIRRING)

(TROPICAL BIRDS CHIRPING)

(SHOUTS COMMAND IN JAPANESE)

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

No. No! Not in there.

- (SCREAMS) No! - Ah!

- No! No! The war's over! - Not for you, Lomax.

- This way, please. - No! Please! Let me out!

Please! No!

(WAILING)

- PATTl: Eric! - Oh, God!

No!

(SCREAMING)

(MOANS INDISTINCTLY)

(CONTINUES WAILING)

(MUFFLED, DISTORTED ROCKET WAILING)

MAN: (OVER RADIO) Ah! Help us! Oh, God, someone help us!

(BELL RINGING)

MAN 2: (OVER RADIO) Do you copy?

(MUMBLING OVER RADIO)

MAN 3: (OVER RADIO) I need artillery fire!

Gentlemen.

Gentlemen!

You have all fought valiantly.

You are a credit to your country,

but I have to inform you that General Percival has decided,

under the circumstances,

to negotiate, as it were, a ceasefire.

You mean he's throwing in the towel, sir?

- What happens to us? - Thorlby!

We are still a fighting unit, and you'll do what you're told.

You can start by destroying anything

that might be of value to the enemy.

Quickly, gentlemen.

- Lomax, what are you doing? - Might come in handy, sir.

(LAUGHS)

(LOUD EXPLOSION)

(PLANES ZOOM PAST)

Christ Almighty.

(MAN SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY)

(SHOUTS COMMANDS)

FINLAY: Lomax, my friend,

I think we have just witnessed the fall of the British Empire.

(STEAM HISSES)

(SHOUTS COMMAND IN JAPANESE)

You will number off, beginning with number one, there.

- One. - Two.

- Three. - Four.

- Five. - Six.

- Seven. - Eight.

- Nine. - Ten.

- Jack. - Queen.

- King. - Ace.

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

(CARRIAGE DOORS SLAMMING)

So what do you think? I don't want to take over completely.

You're tired. Do you want a cup of tea?

(ROLLING THUNDER)

(PANTS SOFTLY)

Eric?

(CLATTERING)

What have you done?

I decided, on reflection, I preferred things the way they were.

Eric, whatever's wrong, you can talk to me about it.

Eric...

Please, never, ever try to interfere with matters that don't concern you.

There's no objection, I hope.

No. No, of course not.

Eric?

Eric? I was just wondering if you'd paid these bills.

Eric?

Eric?

(TAPPING)

MAN: Mrs Lomax? Mike Moffat, Northumberland Debt Recovery.

Non-payment of rates.

These gentlemen are here to help me. Is Mr Lomax at home?

- PATTl: Non-payment? - That's right, madam.

You may be aware we have visited on two previous occasions.

PATTl: No. No, I wasn't aware...

MAN: Those visits were made after all attempts

to communicate with Mr Lomax by post had failed.

PATTl: I'm sorry, I really know nothing about this.

If you could possibly leave it with me?

My husband is slightly disorganised sometimes.

MAN: Are you in a position to make payment now, madam?

MAN: We are authorised to enter the property

and make an inventory of goods.

PATTl: You can't come in here!

(DOOR OPENS)

- Eric... No! - (SCREAMS)

- Drop the knife! - No, no! Please, please!

Drop the knife! Drop it, sir!

Eric! Eric, stop! Please, why won't you talk to me?

Eric!

Eric, we can't live like this!

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

14th of next month, Burton. Same time.

- All right. - Put it in your diary.

All right, thank you, Uncle.

(EXHALES)

Mr Finlay.

Mrs Lomax.

I want to know what happened to Eric.

You have to talk to Eric.

I have, and he changes the subject

whenever we get close to...

He gets as far as the fall of Singapore and then he just...

He shuts down.

(SIGHS)

And then he won't... He won't talk about the railway.

There's... I don't know.

I was a nurse, 20 years.

I've seen a lot of suffering.

You can do something if you know what's wrong.

I'm sorry. I can't help you play Florence Nightingale.

But a lot of men went through something you can't even begin to imagine.

You're going to have to let us just get on and cope with it as best we can.

My husband isn't coping.

He's a mess.

War leaves a mark, Mrs Lomax.

But I don't believe in this code of silence that you have. I really don't.

And you may be determined to stay screwed up

and suffer for the rest of your life,

but I don't want that for Eric and I can't live like that.

He's a wonderful man. I've seen it.

I love him and I want him back.

When we came home, Eric couldn't handle it.

So he joined the Colonial Service and built a dam in Africa.

(CHUCKLES)

He wrote to me saying they had a narrow-gauge railway system

and badly needed more engines and rolling stock,

but only the Japanese had the right kind,

so he was going to do without.

When he came back, he'd come to these meetings and just sit there.

Didn't talk at all.

He did anything to avoid people.

Went round and round the country collecting railway memorabilia.

I think that's how he met you.

His whole life has been trains.

(TRAIN RATTLES)

(GRUNTS)

- (LOUD CRASH) - (MEN GRUNT)

MEN: Here! Here! Here!

MAN: Water!

MAN: Here!

(MAN SPEAKS IN MALAY)

Here! Water, please!

(GUARD SHOUTS)

(GRUNTS)

- (GUARD SHOUTS) - (MAN YELLS)

(STEAM HISSES)

- (DOORS OPEN) - (GUARDS SHOUT)

(GUARDS SHOUT COMMANDS)

Fall in, men. Don't lag behind.

(JUNGLE INSECTS CHIRPING)

(GUARD SHOUTS COMMAND)

(GRUNTS)

- (GRUNTS) - (MAN SCREAMS)

(TRUNCHEON THUDDING)

MAN: Attention!

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

Very lucky boys. You engineers.

You here to help us.

If you help good, you will have a good war here in this good place.

If you don't help us, you will go back up the line.

Up the line is not a good place.

Now, one by one, to number off, please.

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

(MEN COUNT)

- Nine. -10.

11.

-12. -13.

-14. -15.

Who surrendered? I never surrendered.

We should still be out there fighting now.

We're not fighting, are we? We're working for the Japanese.

I'm not working for the bloody Japanese.

We should get out of here, organise, fight back...

- Escape? - There's more of us than them.

We could stroll out. All of us.

Calm down, Thorlby.

It's easy enough to walk out. Then what? Where would you go?

Well, we must be somewhere.

We haven't fallen off the edge of the world.

ERIC: Uh, sir?

Well, you see...

Well, I counted four days north from Singapore up towards Bangkok,

which would put us somewhere about here.

Then we turned west.

So?

Well, there is no railway line west of Bangkok.

At least, there wasn't before the war.

How do you know, Lomax?

Well, you see, the British, they thought about building a railway

that would run all the way from where we are here in Thailand into Burma.

It would complete a line running all the way from China to India.

If they'd managed it, it would have taken its place

alongside the great railway journeys of the world.

Canadian Pacific, Trans-Siberian, the Orient Express.

Yeah? Well, why didn't they build it?

Well...

Building a railway is a hard, miserable job.

It's usually done by poor, immigrant workers.

The great American railways were built by Chinese peasants.

And even the British railways, they were built by Irish navvies fleeing from famine.

But sometimes, a railway simply is too difficult to build.

It's hundreds of miles to Burma through mountains and jungle.

The British decided that to build such a railway,

it would be an act, not of engineering,

but of extreme barbarity and cruelty.

Conditions would be such that those who did not die

might well wish that they had.

To build such a railway, you'd need more than just poor immigrants.

You'd need an army

of slaves.

And we've just become that army.

We are not slaves. We are soldiers. You remember that.

And we are going to do our best for those poor bastards up the line.

Lomax, Withins, how are we fixed for a radio?

Lomax.

(SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

That's the one. There we go.

(SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

There it is.

- Did you get it? - Yeah.

That looks good.

We need a battery, but, Lomax, what else do we need?

Well, I can work on an aerial, but we must have the capacitor.

- Who got that? - Jackson, I think.

But he's up the line.

(SIGHS) Oh, great.

Major?

Major York?

It's Lomax, sir. Signals.

(GUARD YELLS COMMAND)

(MAN GRUNTS)

What seems to be the problem?

She's knackered, mate. Just like the rest of us.

(MEN GROAN)

(GRUNTS)

ERIC: (WHISPERING) Jackson.

(GUARD SHOUTS COMMAND)

(GRUNTS)

(MACHINE SPUTTERS)

(MACHINE HISSING)

(GUARDS SHOUT)

ERIC: It's, um... It's very beautiful. What's it called?

The river?

Ah! Maenam Khwae Yai.

Maenam Khwae Yai. Maenam Khwae Yai.

Uh-huh.

(DOG BARKS)

(WHISPERS) Maenam Khwae Yai. Maenam Khwae Yai.

(STARTER MOTOR STRUGGLES)

(GUARD SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

- No good. - (SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

Yeah.

(STARTER MOTOR STRUGGLES)

- Ready? - What if Hitler's in London?

What do we tell the men?

I can't say it sounds very likely.

Oh.

It's working.

(STATIC INTERFERENCE)

(RADIO SIGNAL POPS)

(STATIC INTERFERENCE)

(♪ DANCE BAND MUSIC ON STEREO)

(CHUCKLES)

RADIO ANNOUNCER: This is the BBC Home and Forces Programme.

This is Bruce Belfrage.

The Axis Forces in the Western Desert,

after 12 days and nights of ceaseless attacks

by our land and air forces, are now in full retreat.

Their disordered columns are being relentlessly attacked by our land forces

and by the Allied air forces by day and night.

In the morning, there was a rumour that German tanks were just over the hill.

Armed patrols went out on the roads. Trees were felled as roadblocks,

and thunderbolts and lightning came low over the town

and began wheeling and searching in the woods.

WINSTON CHURCHILL: (ON RADIO) What he has done

is to kindle a fire in British hearts

here and all over the world,

which will glow long after

all traces of the conflagration he has caused...

Major. Major York.

The Russians have retaken Stalingrad.

We've got them on the run, sir.

Sir?

Come on, sir. We've got Hitler on the run.

That's it, sir. And we're bombing Germany 24 hours a day.

Now the US Air Force has joined in.

(JAPANESE GUARD SHOUTS)

The men, sir. All right?

You've got to let them know it's going our way.

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

We've got Hitler on the run. Pass it around.

The Russians have taken Stalingrad. Be careful.

FRANK GILLARD: (ON RADIO) They went on fighting

until they had little ammunition left.

Our troops in the north put down a smokescreen,

and under cover of it, they withdrew a little

while bombers went in in three deadly waves to deliver the last aerial bombardment,

and one of the heaviest of the whole campaign.

They rang the church bells at home

for the first time since the beginning of the war.

(BELL TOLLS SOFTLY)

(BELL RINGS RAPIDLY)

(GUARD SHOUTS COMMAND IN JAPANESE)

(SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

(GUARDS SHOUT IN JAPANESE)

(SHOUTING COMMANDS IN JAPANESE)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(GUARD SHOUTING)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Thorlby.

Finlay.

Withins.

Lomax.

Lomax!

(SHOUTING IN JAPANESE)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(SCREAMS)

(COUGHING)

- (GRUNTING) - (SCREAMING)

(GROANING AND COUGHING)

(YELLING)

FINLAY: I think it was the bravest thing I've ever seen.

ROGERS: Though I walk into the valley of the shadow of Death

I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of my enemies.

Surely goodness and...

(EXHALING SHAKILY)

Mercy will follow me for the rest of my life.

(MUTTERING)

Madness.

(SIGHING)

But you can talk about it.

Why can't he talk to me about it?

I told you you couldn't possibly imagine what he's been through.

What did I say? What? Please. Please.

Please don't shut me out.

Please.

(GURGLING)

FINLAY: We had him for a little while, a week or so.

We did our best to put him back together again.

But we knew it wasn't over.

They came for him.

A young officer. Kempeitai, their secret police.

Lomax, we are satisfied, you're guilty.

You will be killed shortly,

but it will be to your advantage to tell me the truth.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

Raise your arms.

You will come with me.

And then we didn't see him for two weeks.

(SIGHING)

(GUARDS GRUNTING)

FINLAY: He never told me what they did to him.

There are some things, Patti,

that are so bad, so humiliating and shameful...

I'm not sure you could ever talk about them, especially not to someone you love...

Or want to love.

I have to try.

(SOFTLY GRUNTING)

(PATTl SHUSHING)

(STATIC INTERFERENCE)

(♪ ORCHESTRAL MUSIC ON RADIO)

Patti.

(RADIO CRACKLING)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

Eric?

(RADIO CRACKLING)

Eric?

(RADIO CLICKING OFF)

(DOOR SLAMMING)

FINLAY: I hope you're not planning to throw yourself in there.

As a gentleman, I'd feel obliged to go in after you.

And that may well be the end of me.

The men used to call me 'Uncle'.

They thought I'd look after them, and I did while we were there.

But here, every month, I stare into those bitter, half-awake faces.

I know they desperately need me to put them back together again.

But I can't.

There's nothing I can do for them now.

I think you do more than you know.

Eric did something wonderful.

He stuck his neck out to give us hope

in a nightmare 5,000 miles from home.

He should have medals and glory.

Can't you make him understand that?

No. It's too late.

The only time I've seen him light up was when you came along.

Patti...

I have something.

I think it's the most dangerous thing I've ever held in my hand.

You must decide if Eric should see it.

It's him, the young Kempeitai officer.

And he's alive.

Nagase.

I don't know what he will do if we tell him.

But doesn't Eric deserve a chance forjustice?

Will you stand by him...

Whatever he does?

Whatever he does.

I want to.

I can't imagine anything worse than where he is now.

FINLAY: It's him, isn't it?

Bastard's back in Kan'buri, back at the scene of the crime.

Can you believe that?

He's alive?

And he's living off it.

Showing the railway to tourists.

Bridge on the bloody River Kwai holidays.

Nagase. I've had it translated.

Look him up.

He won't have a clue you're coming.

Element of surprise, Eric. Always good.

The years I've spent...

Imagining I'd found him.

Making him beg.

Making him scream.

Oh, I've nursed myself to sleep on those sounds.

And the snapping of the hyoid bone and the chopstick through the eye.

Your timing's off.

What do you mean?

We're not soldiers any more, Uncle.

We're bank clerks, schoolteachers, engineers, retired persons.

If you'd come to me with this a year ago, I'd have hunted him down.

But now I'm a husband.

And she means everything to me.

No husband would treat her the way you do.

Do you punish her? You punish her.

When we surrendered, the Japs said we weren't men.

Real men would kill themselves or die of shame.

But we said "No, We'll live to fight you.

"We'll live for revenge. "

But we didn't. No.

We don't live.

We're miming in the choir. We can't love. We can't sleep.

We're an army of ghosts.

What happened in that room?

What did they do to you?

I think you should go now.

Don't waste this.

At least one of us deserves some peace.

It's too late for me and the other guys,

but you were the strongest, you were the best of us.

You do this for me.

Please.

Come on. We're walking Finlay to the station.

You... You want me to come with you?

I thought we'd take him along the front, give him a little tour.

ERIC: I'm not a trainspotter. I'm a railway enthusiast.

You know we met on a train.

You can't just say 'a train' when you're talking about Eric.

You have to say which train, when it was built,

where it was stopping, how many wheels it had.

(CHUCKLING)

I'm going to send him a message.

Something he won't be able to ignore.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Yes?

(GRUNTING)

PATTl: Oh, my God.

All right. Thank you.

It's Finlay.

Where?

Uh... Warminster.

He must have caught the Birmingham train and changed...

Stop it. Stop it!

This is what you're going to do, isn't it?

Isn't that what you want?

I've seen you with him.

Your secret little chats.

This is what happens when you start interfering.

Hope you're happy.

(DOOR SLAMMING SHUT)

PRIEST: We have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,

and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also,

knowing that tribulation worketh patience,

and patience, experience,

and experience, hope.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die.

Yet, for a good man, some would even dare to die.

In that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by His blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

- One. - Two.

- Three. - Four.

- Five. - Six.

Seven.

- Eight. - Nine.

Ten.

Jack.

- Queen. - (BELL TOLLING)

King.

(BELL RINGING)

WOMAN ON RECORDING: The Burma Railway,

also known as Death Railway,

was a 258 mile railroad between Bangkok and Rangoon

built by the Empire of Japan during World War ll.

Forced labour was used in its construction.

About 60,000 Allied prisoners of war

and 180,000 Asian labourers worked on the railroad.

Of these, 90,000 labourers died as a direct result...

TOUR GUIDE: The flowers are an offering for the Mother of Waters.

They symbolise a desire to atone for any evil

that the pilgrim has done in life.

(AUDIENCE MEMBER TALKING)

TOUR GUIDE: No. The fat Buddha is not this one.

This Buddha is Siddhartha Gautama,

the great Buddha, the founder.

The fat one is a monk.

He is called Pu-Tai.

Buddha is not a name.

It is a title. Like your "Saint", perhaps.

Come this way, please.

I am from Japan.

I come to this place on a pilgrimage.

This is my 57th pilgrimage.

This area was occupied by my country during the war.

TOUR GUIDE: We are going to the war museum of the Kempeitai.

(GATE RATTLING)

Thanks for coming.

See you. Take care, please.

(LOCK CLICKS)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

Sir, I'm afraid the museum is closed.

I've come a very long way.

I have a particular interest in knowing what happened here.

ERIC: What happened to these men?

It will be open again tomorrow morning.

Perhaps you could return then.

ERIC: I'm afraid this won't keep till tomorrow.

I'm surprised you don't recognise me.

Sit down, Mr Nagase.

Mr Lomax.

We won't be needing an interpreter this time.

Of course that wasn't your real function last time, was it?

You will be killed shortly.

But it will be to your advantage to answer my questions in the meantime.

How can it be to my advantage?

Your friends have already admitted to building a radio

in order to conspire with our enemy.

They also said that you're the ringleader of the plot.

He can do a lot worse than to kill you.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

We want to know about the map.

Why did you draw a map?

Well, it's a map of the railway.

NAGASE: He knows that. Who's it for?

For me. It's the railway.

We know it is the railway.

Why did you draw a map of the railway?

I'm a railway enthusiast.

Enthusiast?

I like trains.

I really like trains.

You used this to communicate with Thai resistance

and their Chinese paymasters.

No, I didn't.

How could I do that?

You received information and then passed it on to them with this.

How could I do that?

I am asking the questions. You must answer them.

But, it's a receiver.

It receives signals.

It doesn't transmit them.

How can you transmit with a receiver?

You built this transmitter to tell the Chinese about our railway!

So,

which bit do you talk into?

Well, if it's a transmitter, you need to talk into it. Where?

You do not ask questions.

I ask the questions.

You answer the questions.

I'm just trying to help you.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(REPLIES IN JAPANESE)

(YELLING IN JAPANESE)

(YELLS IN JAPANESE)

(MAN YELLING IN JAPANESE)

(MAN YELLS IN JAPANESE)

- Thank you. - (NAGASE SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(NAGASE SPEAKING JAPANESE)

NAGASE: Just tell them, or they will make you tell them.

First person singular, not third person plural.

You tortured me, see? Not they. You.

They were afraid you were...

No, no, 'you' is second person. You need the first person.

"I tortured you, Lieutenant Lomax. "

Try it. "I... "

I am at a loss.

I want to ask...

No, no. You don't ask. I ask.

I ask the questions. You answer.

Why did you build the radio? Who helped you to build the radio?

No one. No one helped us.

We built it ourselves.

Liar. You tell lies. Why did you build the radio?

To listen to.

To hear voices.

To know what was happening at home.

(GRUNTS)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(MAN YELLING IN JAPANESE)

At the beginning of time, the clock struck one.

Then dropped the dew and the clock struck two.

- (MAN SHOUTS) - (ERIC GRUNTING)

Who asked you to draw the map?

From the dew, grew a tree and the clock struck three.

Where did you get the components for the radio?

(SCREAMING)

And the tree made a door and the clock struck four.

(GASPING) No!

Man came alive and the clock struck five.

(MOUTHING INAUDIBLY)

Count not.

Waste not.

The hours on the clock.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

(ORDERING IN JAPANESE)

(MAN YELLING IN JAPANESE)

I did not expect you to be alive.

No, of course you didn't. You thought you'd got away with it.

Why are you alive?

NAGASE: Why are we alive?

No, you.

Why are you alive?

ERIC: You were a war criminal. Why didn't they hang you?

Not a war criminal. Just an interpreter.

You were Kempeitai! You knew everything!

Why did they let you live?

SOLDIER: Easy does it.

Now, listen. We intend to treat you fairly.

We are civilised human beings,

but we do need to see that justice is done.

You're going to be transferred to Bangkok while we have a look

into some of the charges that have been made against you.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

- Translator. - Yes, sir?

Kempeitai?

No, sir. Translator.

Did you work for the Kempeitai?

Torture? Beatings?

Only translation.

OFFICER: Over there.

NAGASE: I worked for the War Graves Commission.

They needed interpreters.

We travelled the railway.

We find dead bodies.

We identified them.

We brought them here to be buried properly.

So you went up the line. You buried the men you helped to kill.

That's when I saw

so many bodies.

So very many.

I had not imagined so many had died.

Murdered.

The word you're looking for is "murdered".

So many had been murdered.

Go on.

Murdered. Yes.

That's what I saw. So many murdered.

So I will speak.

I make pilgrimages.

I work for reconciliation.

I will not let them forget

the tragedy of war.

The what?

- NAGASE: The tragedy of war. - No, this wasn't a tragedy.

This was a crime.

You're not tragic.

You're a criminal.

You were an intelligent, educated man

and you did nothing.

You're a criminal and a liar.

Mr Lomax, through my work here,

I have found some peace in my life.

If I can help you...

(NAGASE GASPING)

Mr Lomax...

I'm trying to answer these questions because you're asking them,

but I don't think these questions are the right questions!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(WATER RUNNING)

(GAGGING)

(MAN ORDERING IN JAPANESE)

(CHOKING)

(ERIC COUGHING)

- (ORDERING IN JAPANESE) - (ERIC SCREAMING)

No! No!

(GAGGING)

(ORDERING IN JAPANESE)

(SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING INAUDIBLY)

(SCREAMING)

(ORDERING IN JAPANESE)

(YELLING COMMAND IN JAPANESE)

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(YELLING COMMAND IN JAPANESE)

(GAGGING)

(SHRIEKING)

Mother! Mother! Mother!

Why don't you help me?

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

All right! All right, I'll tell you! I'll tell you...

I'll tell you! I'll tell you! I'll tell you!

(YELLING IN JAPANESE)

(WHIMPERING) I'll tell you... All right.

I'll tell you everything we heard on the radio.

(GASPING) I'll tell you the truth.

While you're here building your railway,

American submarines are destroying your shipping.

There's shortages of food and fuel all over Japan.

American planes are bombing your cities,

destroying your bridges, your roads, your hospitals.

And there's no one to stop them.

Your homes are burning.

And your families are starving.

That is what I heard on the radio.

You're a liar.

You tell lies.

You have no honour.

Your army's defeated.

You surrendered like dogs. Look at you.

You should be ashamed to be alive.

If my army was defeated,

I would take my life to save my honour.

You'll get your chance.

Any day now.

(SPEAKING JAPANESE)

(YELLING IN JAPANESE)

(NAGASE GROANING)

My mother was already dead, as it happens.

All through the war, I wrote letters home to a dead woman.

What do you tell people...

About what you did to us?

We do not talk about it.

No one will talk about it.

ERIC: Nor do we.

You know why?

Cos no one would believe it.

No one would believe what you did to us.

You treated us like animals because we surrendered.

You said you'd rather die than live without honour.

But you didn't die.

NAGASE: It was a lie they told us.

It was all lies.

That we would win...

We would have honour.

They lied to us.

Only you told me the truth.

No matter what we did to you, you held on.

You showed me that...

Nothing's worth more than this life.

Finlay.

He was my friend.

He was a prisoner here.

He put your life in my hands.

He wanted an end to this.

Maybe that is why I am alive.

For this day.

Maybe we both lived for this day.

You can make an end.

You are a soldier, Lomax.

You never surrendered.

I'm still at war.

I thought I'd lost you.

When Finlay died, I was scared.

I was scared that the same might happen to you.

It was different for Finlay.

He didn't have you.

NAGASE: Dear Mr Lomax,

I was a member of the Imperial Japanese Army.

We treated you and your countrymen very, very badly.

It is a long time since the war ended.

But, for me, it is a time of suffering.

The dagger of our meeting thrust deep into my heart.

I never forgot you.

I remember your face...

Your arms...

Your eyes.

ERIC: I have to go back.

I want you to come with me.

I wouldn't have lasted a day here.

If you'd been here, you'd have caused quite the stir.

Hey.

You would have outlasted the lot of us.

(EXHALING)

(THUNDER ROLLING)

(LIGHT RAIN PATTERING)

I am sorry.

So sorry.

I don't want to live that day any more.

Neither do I.

ERIC: Dear MrNagase,

The war has been over for many years.

I have suffered much,

but I know you have suffered too.

(SNIFFLING)

And you have been most courageous and brave

in working for reconciliation.

While I cannot forget what happened in Kanchanaburi,

I assure you of my total forgiveness.

Sometime the hating has to stop.