Original subtitles

A Far Sun Film Co .Ltd .production

Look ,how the golden years flowed away

Look ,how the golden years flowed away

Hong Kong 1967

DREAM CHARADE

Hurry ,hurry !

Wait for me !

Wait for me !

Wait for me !

So slow !Hurry Up !

Huh ?

Next week at the morning show

There is Brigitte Bardot's" Womanon Fire "

Shall we go together ?

Already saw it last week at Queen's

The print is scratchy but the colour is good

And Brigitte Bardot looks fantastic

What a " SexKitten "

prefer the film 's original title

" AndGod Created Woman "

So imaginative

I heard Bardot is totally nude

Is it " wow"?

shots never made it to the matinee

The projectionist cut them out for his private collection

If those snippets are ever pieced together

It'llbe a box office hit

Maybe even an award winner

Sex fiend !Peeking in the shower !

Someone's sneaking a look

... at you !

Whenever you shower someone sneaks a look

It's no big news

Huh

Huh

One down one more to go

Is the water cold ?

Huh ?

I wait for you outside

OK

Oh ...

Hey !Hey !

Hey !Hey !

What's the matter ?

In the lotus pond

l found a tennis ball

Don 't know if it 'sthe one you just lost

Yes , we were playing

But not with a ball

Definitely not ours

Can we be friends ?

Sure

I 'm Fan Ziming

Junior in Foreign Literature

See you on campus

That day ,when Ziming finished sports

Got changed

And left Hong Kong University

It was about 4:3 0 pm

In that era of old and new

Red cotton trees still grew everywhere in Hong Kong

In early spring they 'd bloom the red flowers

As the weather warmed up

The scarlet flowers would transform into fruit

As the end of spring approached

White cotton threads would burst out from the rinds

loating in the breeze

Like snow-flakes

A beautiful sight

Is this seat taken ?

Such wonderful weather

Fashion time

It was an era

Of prosperity amidst simplicity

And prosperity plus honesty

Real and not at all ostentatious

But truly was a prime time lost forever

Excuse me

How can I get to the Ritz Club ?

Sorry ,it 'salso my first time in North Point

Thanks

No .7 Cherry Lane ,North Point

Who are you looking for ?

I 'm Fan Ziming

Here to tutor the daughter of Mrs Yu

Oh ,you'vecome here to learn " Concubine Yu "

Come in

Hsuuuuuuu

Who is it ?

A young man says

He wants you to tutor him the opera " Concubine Yu "

" The Intoxicated Concubine “

Ah Kwok says you want some tutoring ?

My little brother

Your little bird is truly informative

And well connected

To track me down here

Let me tell you my little brother

Since coming to Hong Kong after the Revolution

I've never seen a single reporter

these past many years

I 've lived a life of solitude

Incognito

Secluded in this Little Shanghai district

see no one

accept no pupils

concentrate only on ...

Remembering the things past

Ah Kwok says you 've come for tutoring ?

Let me tell you ,in the opera world

The word " tutor" doesn't exist

But since you like the word "tutor" much

Go ahead and let's" toot"!

A bit more modern

My little brother

Look at you

Tall and strong

Full of muscles

And so handsome too !

How old are you ?

Madam do you mind your hands ?

I am a scholar -to-be at the University

Stop the music

A scholar to -be?

You have the build of a warrior

Not fit for a diva

I am always a diva

A diva never tutors a warrior

Madam ,you 've misunderstood

I 'm here to tutor Mrs Yu‘s daughter

What ?

Mrs Yu ?

Though on stage I 'm famous as Concubine Yu

My surname is May ,not Yu

Your Mrs Yu is on the third floor

One floor down

In Hong Kong ,the first floor is called " groundfloor '

" Firstfloor "means second floor

The third floor is called " second floor

There 's always one floor difference

I 'm on the 4th but it 's called the 3 rd

It 's the Hong Kong custom

How come a Cantonese like you doesn 't know ?

That Mrs Yu from Taiwan ,

Lives down below

On the 2 nd but called the 3 rd floor

Good afternoon , I 'm Fan Ziming

Mr Fan ?

Please come in

I am so sorry

Your first day of lesson

And my daughter is late

You must think I 'm a terrible mother

Please forgive me

Not at all !When I got here just now

was also detained for a little while

Quite embarrassing

Let me make you some tea

Do have a seat

A gentle breeze wafted

As if flirting with the stillness of the moment

The floating of dust in the air

The slanting rays of the setting sun

They illuminate a corner of the living room

With boxes of luxury import merchandise

No surprise

They say the lady of the house exported luxury goods to Taiwan

Then comes some clinking from the kitchen

Ziming turned towards the sound

He saw Mrs Yu moving in the kitchen

What kind of tea would you like ?

I am easy

Another corner was piled high with books

Too many for the bamboo bookcase

There were also stacks on the floor

Then turning his head

He saw a book on the table

He picked it up

n And opened the pages

There were some freshly written notes

Ziming touched the page

Felt like caressing the skin

Ha wasn 't sure if it was his own sweat

That moisturized the ink

And stained his finger

Your first visit here

And nose around everywhere

Not very scholastic !

In a trance Ziming saw Mrs May 's cat

Jumping up to the desk

And disappear

There was a of printed calligraphy by Lu Xun on the wall

And a picture frame on the table

In the frame there is a lovely girl

A budding beauty with a winsome smile

Radiating the very spirit of " a la mode '

The photo 's chic nature

Bestowed a touch of luxuriance otherwise absent from the room

It 'sa photo of my daughter as a model

The photographer liked it very much

So he made us a copy

Mr Fan ,please sit

The photo is beautiful

I thought a student should only concentrate on study

If she can have the opportunity

Why not learn about the world

One says beauty is for the public to adore

But I would say girls just want to have fun

Mr Fan ,please have some tea

Thank you

We came to Hong Kong from Taiwan

My daughter did well in school

But her English ...well ,is somewhat behind the class

herefore I a troubling you

Mr Fan

You must help us on this

It 's my pleasure

Mr Fan

heard you 're a top student at the University

What kind of book do you like ?

Well

Though I 'm majoring in Keats ' poetry

My favourite book is

Proust 's" Remembranceof Things Past '

What kind of book is it ?

Kind of like "Dream of the Red Chamber '

When she heard " Dream of the Red Chamber .

Mrs Yu 'seyes exuded a

She wanted to know much more

Ziming told Mrs Yu

The book was about Par is in the late 1 9thcentury

Life amongst the aristocrats and the bourgeoisie

Degenerate ,decadent and depraved ,yet

Proust spent his entire lifetime

Writing a total of seven volumes

Just as the second volume was published

Proust passed away

When this book came out

It was hailed a masterpiece

But since the style is intricate and verbose

Not many have the patience to appreciate

Just " Dream of the Red Chamber

Everybody knows it 'sa literary classic

And everyone 's familiar with the story of Jia and Lin

But how many have actually read it ?

How about you ?

Of course

What do you like about " Dream of the Red Chamber "?

The romance between Jia and Lin does not interest me much

But I find some of the minor characters

Are written with greater depth

And have greater subtlety and nuance

Absolutely !

especially love the 112thchapter

The kidnapping of the Taoistnun by a bandit

In the gardens of the Red Chamber

Miaoyu is a young and austere nun

As chaste and pure as jade

Delicate like a sheltered orchid

Suddenly drenched by a storm

Tormented in mud

Yet

The author used the word " intoxicated" to describe her feeling

Perhaps

The desires Miaoyu suppressed for alifetime

Were finally released

The word " intoxicated"

What a subtle word for " liberation"

How remarkable

Looking into this unassuming woman

Even though she is independent and modern

But in her heart of hearts

Mightn't she be the same as Miaoyu

Waiting for some unanticipated violence

To smash her orderly life to small pieces

Mr Fan

Please tell me more about

' Remembrance of Things Past "

Such a fascinating book

want to read it immediately

Perhaps

could find me a good Chinese translation ?

Ziming then enthused about the book's slow pace

Saying in that past era

All was elegant

All was leisurely

He said with excitement

A sleepless night

Could take Proust forty pages to describe

He went on to say

Tolstoy 's" AnnaKarenina "

Took over 100pages

Before the leading lady made her entrance

The two were totally engrossed in conversation

Not realizing the sun was slowly setting

These two lovers of words

Had finally met on crossroad

People in the old days

Surely had plenty of time

It 's getting dark

I 'll turn on the light

Their talk was interrupted

By the returning daughter of the house

The girl coming in through the door

Wore a loose -fittingschool uniform

That couldn 't hide the budding figure of an 18-year-old

Although the hair was a simple cut

The air is quite unlike other girls

Though her face still carried traces of rouge

And her nails were polished

Her beautiful face bore a youthful menace

Her laughter exuded an innocent excitement

An invincible age

Mom ,I am home

You are so late

Your hair reeks of hairspray

You 'll ruin your hair

Look at the traces of your makeup

Rouge ,lipstick ,and even nail polish

You will be stared at on the streets and that is not proper

l just like to be stared at

Someone even say could be a movie star !

Look at this new Revlon nail polish

left it on especially for you

You should export some for Auntie Lan

It goes with young and old

They 'll be fighting to get it in Taipei

Mr Fan has been here for a while

Why don 't you say hello

Hello ,Mr Fan

How do you do

Hurry up and get changed

Today I 've made black sesame dumplings

To celebrate your first day of lessons

OK

Surely I'll hurry and change

Quickly finish my lessons

And quickly taste the black sesame dumplings

The vista from the hilly Cherry Lane

Twinkled with the lights of a thousand homes after dark

Ziming gathered his scattered thoughts as the lesson began

Meiling opened " JaneEyre " to the first page

and It starts with

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day

Mrs Yu carried two bowls of black sesame dumplings from the kitchen

She looked at these two young people

What a good -looking couple

The dumplings are ready

Eat them while hot

Thank you

She couldn 't help giving Ziming another glance

This boy

Wearing a white short -sleevedcotton shirt

Over a white tank top

Though covered by two layers of cloth

The power of youth could not be hidden

The slight trembling of muscles was palpable

Stirring up a desire to caress

Mrs Yu had never before entertained such thoughts

She felt guilty

At precisely that moment

Ziming suddenly glanced her way

Mrs Yu felt the flush on her face

She walked away and picked up a book

Then returned to her own room

The eyes of the grey cat outside

Watched Mrs Yu as she lay on the bed

Even after resting

The giddiness in her heart still wouldn 't subside

Mrs Yu picked up the book she 'd chosen at random

How could it be " Dream of the Red Chamber "?

She opened it

And it was the passage just discussed Chapter 112

Alas ,the pitiable Miaoyu

Don't move

You 'll ruin my Kung Fu flying technique

And you 'll ruin my reputation !

What do you want ?

What do you think ?

Why so many snakes ?

Meow

Can we be friends ?

3 rd floor on 2 nd

The Intoxicated Concubine

Thank you

Please NO !

Handsome boy

Please NO !

Mrs Yu

May I?

All in all

This was the first spring

Of Mrs Yu's forty years

PLAY SHADOW

Thereupon

Before the summer ended

Ziming finally took Mrs Yu

To the morning matinee at State 's Theatre

" Roomat the Top '

It was Madame Simone on the big screen

Her eyes ,like a Blues ballad

Tells of her heart

She takes one puff

Then puts her cigarette

Into the mouth of Mr Harvey

Mr Harvey takes the cigarette in that big close -up

As he passionately looks into Madame Simone 'seyes

Exhaling the puff ,he says

Why do you have so much sadness ?

And I do love you so !

Madame Simone takes the cigarette from Mr Harvey

And says

If you knew me now as I was 10 years ago

If past moments can be reversed

How wonderful it would be

Mr Harvey answers with true emotion

love who you are now

I don 't think about the past

don 't remember my past

I only want the future

A hilltop over looking the city of Manchester

Moonlight illuminating the trees and the clouds

Lovers in the car

Music in the air

The total intoxication of a spring night

Why did you take me to this movie ?

An older woman who falls for a younger man

Our society won 't allow it

But in reality

This kind of love does exist

Why do you wear sunglasses at the movies ?

I 'm not used to seeing movies alone with a man

Back to the big screen

Madame Simone by herself in the gloom of a street lamp

A cigarette in hand

Even though she is afar

The wisps of smoke are palpable

Mr Harvey walks to Madame Simone

The two embrace

Even in their embrace

The cigarette never left her hand

She murmurs

feel desolate

Haven't you ever fet desolate ?

She takes puff

And slowly puts the cigarette in Mr Harvey's mouth

They sure smoke a lot !

Does it bother you ?

No

I quite enjoy the movie

Do you smoke ?

Not yet learned

Mrs Yu doesn't like people smoking

But she forgives Madame Simone

For endlessly doing so

She felt the smoke like the Blues

And she discovered the beauty of it for the first time

Especially when the two walked on the rainy shore

Madame Simone gave a cigarette to her leading man

refused and said

want to see you clearly in the rain

want to see these happy days clearly

I still feel this movie has too much smoking

The tobacco is just like an opium

Baffles them right from the start

Finally he has to leave her

Even though he truly loves her

Madame Simone dies of a broken heart

And Mr Harvey lives a life without love

He marries the society girl who doesn't smoke

On their wedding day

He cries

The bride thinks he's crying for her

What a mercenary person he is

Please support our ideal

He is the angry youth of his generation

Only searching for his place

Please support our ideal

Thanks

Fan

Fan

Thanks

Fan! Fan！

Let's go

Let's go

Fan !

Let's go

Let's go !

He is Fan Ziming !

Please support

Let's !

lt's a time of uncertainty

And we are only searching for ourselves

The youth of China have started a new kind of revolution

And now the flames have reached Hong Kong

You seem totally indifferent

I found this movie truly enlightening

It makes me know who I am

And sees who you are

I believe under your guidance

My daughter's English will definitely improve

No need to see me off

See you next week

Mrs Yu listened to her daughter reciting English sentences

Imperceptibly

The distance between the young ones had gotten closer

Mei ling's recitation stopped

She had finished the final page of " JaneEyre "

Thereupon

Ziming gave her a copy of " Wuthering Heights

The crimsom flame trees from outside

Had imperceptibly come into another full bloom

Descending the stairs

Oh Mrs May ,it's you

What can do for you ?

Mid-Autumn Festival is near

So I brought you a box of mooncakes to celebrate

Thanks

You are so kind

How are your daughter's English lessons ?

the tutor OK ?

So far so good

Thanks for your concern

If you need anything

Don't hesitate to call

We' re neighbours after all

Thank you so much

They're having a lesson right now

So can't invite you in

Another day perhaps

Well ,that's all for today

Mom ,I want to go a concert with friends tonight

Is that OK?

Don' t come home too late

Mr Fan

Could trouble you

To take to the concert hall

No problem

I’ll go get changed

Mr Fan

Here's this month's tuition

Thanks

Oh

This Saturday matinee at the States

Is a french movie with Madame Simone

This time it's Cinemascope and Technicolor

Would you like to

Mr Fan

I'm ready

The decadently ,gorgeous ball room

Was in the grand Belle Epoque style of Erte

All crystal and velvet

Matching the champagne girls and midnight chevaliers

In dissolute charm

Like a hedonistic tableau

A raven-haired beauty asked Baron Louis

you ever love me ?

No，I won't

My love is only for Simone

Louis grins at Simone

That red-haired lady interrupts and says

You're younger ,richer ,handsome and much more

She's older ,colder ,common and so much less

honestly don't know what you see in her !

Love is always blind-like this

Baron Louis thus responds

Inside the theatre

Ziming glances at Mrs Yu

She didn't wear sunglasses that day

Nor did her face reveal any emotion

A snowy night scene was on the screen

Baron Louis had taken Madame Simone home

Madame Simone says to Baron Louis

You'l forever be the solar star of the

Those infatuated beauties are just satellites around you

The two kiss goodbye

Suddenly

A pitiful howl comes from outside

Simone hurriedly runs out the door

And sees Baron Louis lying on the ground

Ziming again glanced at Mrs Yu's reaction

Again there was only nonchalance

Once more Ziming turned back to the screen

Baron Louis's eyes were bandaged

He consoled himself at the piano

Madame Simone was at his side

caressing Baron's hair

But when she caught sight

of the reflection from the piano

Showing her wrinkled face

She smoothed her skin with her fingers

She murmurs

There is only me in these days of you

Only me alone ,capable of appreciating

The beauty of your music

In this world ,only the two of us

What happiness it would be

Baron louis said

You are so good to me

And love you so

If I could again gaze at your countenance

How wonderful it would be

These past two days

When you prepared my medicine

began to sense some moving shadows

As if would soon be able to see again

To see the you whom want to love so

Simone listened

And her face turned ashen

I 'll get your medicine now

After saying this，

Simone left the room

Simone raised her head

She gulped the liquor in one breath

After putting the glass down

She wore pensive smile

With a grin

really didn't know the ending would be like that

didn't insinuate anything

think it's probably the Proustian era

Of " Remembranceof Things Past

Or even earlier

I... I...

If it were me

wouldn't have cured the boy's eyes

Didn't Baron Louis say

Love is blind ?

So let him stay blind !

Madame Simone is really foolish

The more possessive she is ,the less she has

But her acting was really fascinating

I've started to indulge in her

You're absolutely right

especially liked the shot where she drank brandy

and her expression when putting on perfume

I like the reflection of Madame Simone on the piano

She stretched her face like this

Ziming

Steven

How nice to see you here

Just finished seeing the morning show

This pretty lady

Did you finally get to the Ritz Club that day ?

Thanks

I don' t work there anymore

I'm learning Engl ish from Steven

Oh

Your girlfriend

I immediately saw she's lady of culture

My name is Susan

I can tell by your mature manner

That you don t have an English name

Steven

But truly enjoy you calling me Susan

Why are you all so quiet ?

Why is it noisy outside

Steven ,what is happening outside

Yes ,what's going on

Mom

Mr.Fan

You brought my mother to see the protest

My mother used to be one of them

But even more so

You must be Mr Fan's classmate

You have the Hong Kong University look

Let's go outside for a look

OK

Are you coming or not ?

You go first

This is the big time

This is revolution

This is not revolution

have experienced the real thing

Finally Ziming took Mrs Yu

To see the epic Madame Simone

This time she was a revolutionary Contessa

Unable to accept the social injustice

She secretly funded the underground

She failed

And was exiled to a desolate island

On the ship she met a young doctor

The two had a moment of romance

Yet their love seemed eternal

Mrs Yu saw herself very much in this story

So identical

Every detail in the film

Reverberated with her past

Every sentence Madame Simone uttered on the screen

Seemed to come from her own heart

And every expression

Was like a self-portrait

Especially the scene where the Contessa walked into the slums

A raggedly dressed mother said to her

Please forgive us !

What must forgive you ?

Forgive us our dirtiness

Forgive us our poverty

We're just a piece of garbage

And this place a garbage dump !

The Contessa replied

Filth and poverty are not your crimes !

From then on

She began to support the revolution

Here we shall part

Don't say goodbye

Don't make me sad

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day

Do you love me ?

l've made you black sesame dumplings

Take a break !

Autumn Festival comes again

Mrs May still hasn't come down with mooncakes

Mrs Lin

So much furniture to pack

Where are you moving to ?

America or Canada ?

Not easy go there

We re moving to Brazil ,much easier

We have relatives there

And can look after each other

We brought all this furniture from Shanghai

Such good carpentry work

And much sent imental attachment

Sad to leave

Why go to so much trouble

It's wiser to stay

WINTER COMETH

You've asked me here today

What do you want to say to me ?

Please don't tell me that you love me

l know you won't tell me you love me

lf you loved me

You don't have to say so

And I would know

Yes we go to parties together

Playing tennis together

To the movies together

Or even to my fashion shows together

People seeing us together

Does that mean we're in love ?

Is that really love ?

The day you took me to Hepburn's " Two for the Road

I cried my eyes out

You took my hand and touched me

We went hand in hand ever since

But is that love ?

Other people think we're in love

But I know

And you are also sure

That its not

But I am truly fascinated by you

The first moment saw you

I was attracted to you

I always remember " JaneEyre "and how it starts

There was no possibility of taking a walk that day

A girl like me

Everybody wanted me

But me ,only wanted you

And that is a mission impossible

You're truly into yourself

Me and in every sentence

A total of 25 words

You are funny

That makes you even more charming

You want me here today

There must be a reason

I want to tell you

Your mother and I

My mother was beautiful when young

And ahead of her time

She was strong in her political view

After the revolution she went to Taiwan

And was almost arrested as a Communist spy

Father gave her shelter

So they married

And lived in the Taiwan countryside

Mother had some good classmates

They all became rich in Taipei

One day

One of them came to our village

She ran luxury boutique in Taipei

She was glamorous like in the movies

On that day

She brought decadence to our village

We were never the same afterwards

My mother then came to Hong Kong

work for her luxury boutique

Isn't it ironic？

A woman with revolutionary ideals

Surrenders to cosmetics and silk stockings

How can you talk about your mother like that

Why can't

Tomorrow belongs to me

talk too much ,don't I ?

Actually ,I also wanted to see you today

Mother says

Today is the full moon before Winter Solstice

She wants you to come home for dinner

Winter Solstice

The shortest day of the year

A soft touch by the distant Sun

So me ancholic

My mother told me

You've taken her to many movies

She says

She plans to leave Hong Kong with you

No .7 Cherry Lane

Mei ling

What beautiful moonlight

You're actually quite aware of your personal assets

Yet ,you deliberately conceal them

The way you dress

Looks simple and plain

But a flick of your sleeves

Reveals your inborn vanity

Some times you have a frowning habit

As if full of puzzles in your heart

Some times you enjoy flirting

That makes your puzzles even sexier

This kind of charm

Some are born with as

Is has to come naturally

And you certainly know what you ve got

No need for me to tell you

Lots of women take one look

And begin to fantasize about you

You remember Mrs May upstairs

From that day

When you mistakenly went to her home

She s hooked up with you ever since

When we meet on the stairs , she al ways asks

How ' s the tutor from the university

Bring him upstairs for a cup of tea

You know she has many cats

Theres one who loves to come here

You know one day she told me

That actually she‘s not a woman

She was the diva so much on stage

She can't go back to being a man

Why are you still standing ? Take a seat

Why meow？

You think you re Meow-yu ?

Mrs May

What a time for the mooncakes

Mom , you're bad

So what

Mom , I m back

Mrs Yu

This late

Where have you been ?

We went for afternoon tea next to the Monument Square

Bumped into Mrs May from upstairs downstairs

She grabbed Mr Fan talking endlessly

She also wanted private English lessons

Wasn't easy saving him from her clutches

Mom , what happened ?

So cold inside

Mr Fan

Can you close the window by the balcony

OK

Mom , what happened ?

Your hair is tangled

Mom , everything will be alright

wilI be alright when you are gone

You will be happy

You certainly will be happy

Mom , were you smoking ?

You are bad

Don't all Parisian women smoke ?

Mom

Whats on the menu tonight ?

I made many special dishes

And of course your favourite black sesame dumpings

So good

Why don't you ask what Mr Fan wants ?

I am easy

So busy cooking forgot to set the table

Mei ling , come and help me

OK

Me , too

What have you been read ingate , Mr Fan?

I read Remembrance of Things Past once more

Still a great book

Still no Chinese translation

Maybe I'll give it a try someday

Strangely enough

I've been thinking about a classmate lately

Steven and I called I him BookWorm

The day after seeing Blow-Up last year

We met in the campus

Never saw him since

One day in a tea restaurant

I saw someone passing out fliers

It seemed to be him…

But it cannot be him