Original subtitles

In the city where I was born,

the past carries the present Iike a chiId on its shouIders.

- Fran�oise!

- Coming!

- In the spring of 1952, my parents moved

into the house next door to my aunt Jeanne d'Arc.

That year, Iife in Quebec City was marked by three events...

- Sorry. - The arrivaI ofTV.

- Hold this. - Her new shoes are filthy!

- Maurice DupIessis's reeIection as provinciaI premier.

And the presence

of AIfred Hitchcock,

who'd chosen the city as the setting for his new thriIIer.

Among the Iucky few who managed to get into the premiere

were my aunt, my mother, and I,

warm and cozy in her womb.

In the summer of 1989,

I returned to my hometown.

I'd spent three years in China studying painting.

The neighbourhood hadn't changed,

but our house was empty.

I'd come back for my father's funeraI.

Everything seemed the same...

the photos of my brother,

medaIist at the Canada Games...

Aunt RacheI, my mother's sister,

my parents on a picnic at the Aquarium

and my cousin Andr�.

- l'm sorry, Pierre.

- Thanks.

lsn't Marc here? - No.

- Didn't you tell him?

- l tried my best, l couldn't find him.

Typical of your brother.

In every room of the house

I found traces of my father's negIect.

Most tragic

were the signs of his diabetes,

which he hadn't kept under controI. With time, it Ieft him bIind.

- Take this and drink, this is the cup of my blood,

the blood of the new covenant, shed foryou and for all men

so that sins may be forgiven.

Do this in memory of me.

-Why's it so empty?

-Well... everyone's dead.

- Please rise.

When we eat this bread and drink this cup,

we proclaim the death of your Son, until He comes in glory.

We thank you for counting us worthy to stand here and serve you.

You have called to your bosom Paul-�mile Lamontagne...

- l knew it!

No hot water again!

Why all these afternoon baths?

- lt's supposed to relax me.

- How am l going to rinse?

l'll have to use cold water.

And l'll be late.

-Where you going?

- To see Gaston C�t�.

Says he can get me a job as a cabbie.

-Why didn't you tell me?

- l hope to start next month.

- Not on the night shift?

Paul-�mile Lamontagne, l asked you a question.

- l can't be too choosy.

-After seven years on a ship, you want to drive a cab all night?

- l'd be a judge, but...

- C'mere, Santa, l'll rinse you.

C'mon!

- Fran�oise!

-What's wrong?

- No barman knows how to mix every drink.

Say a guy orders a Black Label...

you associate something black with him.

Let's say the guy has black eyes...

so you think, Black eyes means Black Label.

For a Between the Sheets, take three different liquors.

You see...

the chemical reaction of the liquors

depends on the order you mix them.

Say he orders a Dry...

you think to yourself, Dry kind of guy.

You okay?

-Yeah, sorry. ljust felt a bit dizzy.

Marc?

-Yes?

- lt's room service.

- l didn't order anything.

- Didn't you order a Between the Sheets?

- Definitely not.

- lt must be a mistake.

Sorry to disturb you.

-Young man!

l'll take your drink.

Put it here, please.

- Did you hurt yourself?

You're bleeding.

- lt's nothing.

l might have something for it.

- ''The Sea Horse''...

- lt's not loaded.

lt's only meant to scare people.

[TV]: Deng Xiao Ping and Prime Minister Li Peng

appear to have the situation in hand.

But most Chinese condemn their decision to attack the peopIe...

- How long have you been married?

- Seven years already.

l worry that time is stealing away

and that l'll never have a baby.

- Do you pray to the Holy Ghost?

- No, the Holy Virgin.

-You should pray to the Holy Ghost!

He impregnated the Virgin, so to speak.

- Should l see

my sister-in-law's healer?

- Mrs Lamontagne! Afaith healer may have knowledge

of women's hygiene and anatomy,

but she cannot

comprehend the mystery of life, which is God's domain alone.

You're too nervous. That's why you keep miscarrying.

Say three Hail Marys

and an Our Fatherfor penance.

Amen. And ignore your sister-in-law!

-What kept you so long?

- He gave me hell.

-Why? - 'Cause of you.

-What did l do? - l'll tell you later.

Thank you, Rachel. You're very kind.

-What is it, Rachel?

Huh?

Can't you tell me?

Your big sister?

- l hate working at the church.

-You might not have to anymore.

Maybe we can pay you to clean for us.

lt would sure help me,

because l keep getting sick.

Stop crying like that.

You're so pretty. Such a shame to cry.

Go dry your eyes.

And bring me my medicine.

- lf the paint smells too much,

cut an onion in quarters

and put them in the room.

-What if it stinks of onion?

- Give it another coat of paint.

- Here for a room,

or just to gawk

at our Christmas decorations?

- Can l look around?

-You have to registerfirst.

Who would sign his real name in a sauna?

- Sorry, l don't understand.

-Are you looking for company?

- No. Thank you.

Marc?

Marc?

lt's Dad.

Dad's dead.

- l know.

Now leave, Pierre.

Leave. You don't belong here.

lt's OK. We'll go somewhere else.

- Look...

it's our name in Chinese.

lt means mountain.

This is the horizon,

and these are the peaks.

Take away the horizon, and it means river.

-What's the connection?

- Thank you, good night. - Thanks.

You didn't come to the funeral?

- l didn't belong.

We were never close.

-Why is that?

- l dunno.

Maybe 'cause l was adopted.

What's it matter now?

What's wrong?

What is it? Are you okay?

- lt's nothing.

- But what is it? - l'll be okay!

lt happens sometimes.

l feel like the earth's spinning and l get dizzy.

- lt's a revolving restaurant. No wonderyou feel it moving.

- Come sleep at home. There's lots of room.

- l don't think l can, Pierre.

- Okay.

Look afteryourself.

- Father, l've sinned against God and the Church.

- Go on, my child... - Father...

l'm guilty of thinking about death.

- That's only normal.

- No...

l mean my own death.

Taking my own life.

Everything would be better if l were dead.

- That's against God's will.

God created you to do good.

- But even when l try to do good,

l only cause evil.

l want so much to confess, my sin is unspeakable.

lt's too horrible to be forgiven.

- lt's men who find it hard to forgive, Rachel.

God forgives everything...

for God is all merciful.

Don't be afraid.

You're not confessing your sins to me,

but to God...

through me.

- May l ask you not to take pictures in the church?

-As Mr Hitchcock agreed to the script changes the archdiocese wanted,

it would be difficult to refuse his request.

However, filming will coincide with certain activities here,

which may be disrupted.

l therefore ask you to be very careful,

as it is possible...

Dinner was served three-quarters of an hour ago.

Rachel will no longer be working here.

Once we find a replacement, our verger will resume his duties

and leave off housework.

- Did you fire her?

- lf you don't mind,

we'll continue our discussion after dinner.

- ''And he said...

''a certain man

had two sons.''

-What's wrong? Don't you like it?

- l have to talk to you.

What did she say?

- She refuses to talk...

won't say when it happened, who the father is...

-What'll we do?

-Well, one thing's certain...

she can't stay.

- Paul-�mile! Where else can she go?

- Back to your mother's.

- Mom can't look after a baby!

- l can't afford it. l'm just starting work!

- Shhh!

You're so selfish! - Fran�oise!

Fran�oise!

l'm thinking of you.

l know you inside out.

lt'll hurt you to see her with a baby.

- That's not true!

She's my sister, l love her!

l don't have a jealous bone in my body.

l want to look after her baby, that's all l ask.

- Pierre?

Pierre?

l spoke to the guy at the paint store.

He told me why you can't coveryellow with red.

They're both warm colours.

So the yellow shows through the red instead of being covered by it.

He recommends you start

with a good coat of green to cancel the red.

Green's complementary to red.

Then, to even out the yellow, you put on a coat of blue.

-Weird, eh?

l've put on two coats and it still shows through.

- Think it's hereditary?

-What?

-A suicidal tendency.

-What do you mean?

Aren't you at all curious?

- Only to find my real father.

-What good would it do?

- There are things l want to know...

that only he can tell me.

-What if he were a priest?

-What're you getting at?

- Oh, nothing.

-What?

- Something l heard Aunt Jeanne d'Arc say on the phone.

She'd rattle on... thinking kids couldn't understand.

-What did she say?

- She seemed to be saying that the reason...

your mom killed herself...

was that a priest got her pregnant.

- How long's it been?

- Four months.

Sorry.

l felt an electric shock go right through me.

- How old are you, Rachel?

- Sixteen.

- Does the father know?

l'll pray foryou.

-Why'd you scream? - She nearly electrocuted me!

- Next...

- She's taking forever!

ls it the young priest?

- 'Course. The old one's saying mass.

Why?

- She'll be hours, then. - So?

Come off it! The young priest?

Where'd that come from, Jeanne d'Arc?

- No boyfriend...

She's either at home or here.

Who else can it be, the verger?

- But a priest, Christ!

- Don't swear in church.

Anyway...

priest or not,

he's not made of stone.

- Good evening, Father.

Thank you for seeing me. - My pleasure.

Haven't we met? Yes, at your nephew's baptism...

- No, my father's funeral.

- l'm sorry.

That year, the church was reserved

from September to mid-Octoberfor a film.

The Americans shot a film here.

Our parishioners went to another church

for marriages and baptisms. Look here...

- Mm-hmm. - Mm-hmm.

Even if l told you the priests' names from then,

it would be hard to track them down.

You see,

during the ecumenical revival of the '60s,

many young priests became more socially involved.

A number of them left the priesthood.

- Seems you weren't baptized there.

-What do you mean? l know l was baptized there.

On the photo, you can see the windows of the sacristy, Dad and Mom...

-And the priest? - Of course.

-Where is it?

- l gave the album to my ex.

-Where does she live?

-A motel in Charny.

- Let's go get it.

- Drive to Charny?

Nah, forget it.

Massicotte saw me.

- Marc, l'm 20 minutes late. Andr�'ll kill me.

l can't help you find yourfather unless you help me.

Meet me at home at noon tomorrow.

- He a friend? - No, my brother.

- Oh, that's him.

You don't look alike.

- Of course not. l was adopted.

- Get in, we'll go to a restaurant.

- Not hungry. -What did you eat today?

- My hand. This one's for later.

- Please, don't be vulgar.

- l'm a rent boy, remember?

- The other day,

l got carried away. l didn't mean what l said.

Get in.

l won't mention Japan.

-What the fuck do you want?

-Where's my kiss?

lt's my birthday.

- Liar, it's in October.

- Have you been doing this long?

- Since l was seventeen.

- How old are you now?

What's written on your hand?

M...O...

W...S...E.

What's it mean?

- Get real!

Mowse.

Mowse!

- The rodent.

- That's what they called me in Hamilton.

l was the smallest dancer.

The Anglos called me The Mowse.

- But mouse takes a ''u,'' not a ''w.''

- lt's pronounced mowse, fuck!

You mean l'm stuck with a spelling mistake till l die?

- So how d'you like my brother?

-Your brother...

What's he on?

- My brother gets drunk on mineral water.

- l'll move the kid.

- l want it to be a surprise.

- Marc? -What?

-You gonna sleep on the floor next to him or...?

- Marc, l asked you a question.

-What?

- Do l ask Moose to leave, or...?

- Shit, you're so discreet!

- He doesn't speak French, fuck!

- Do you still have my family album?

-What album? - The one with photos of me as a baby.

- Oh.

l dunno.

Must be somewhere. Why?

- l need it.

- Right now? -Yes.

-Why? - None of your business.

ljust want it.

- l figured you wanted something. You wouldn't come just to see us.

-Where is it? -You look!

lf you want your goddamn family album, you find it!

[TV]: After cIearing Tiananmen Square,

the army attacked peopIe in the streets. ...

-Working today?

- l start at 5, there's a reception.

- Hate to tell you, but you're late.

- lsn't that the noon news? - No, 6 o'clock.

- Fucking shit!

What's the idea?!

lt's not funny!

Where's Marc gone?

- His trout were stinking.

He went to the Aquarium with Moose to feed the seals.

-You're the trout!

Tell him l'll be back.

[TV]: He says twinning the cities

wiII raise Japan's awareness of Quebec.

- Sorry, l got held up.

-Where were you?

- Don't ask. ln Charny.

-With your dad's car, l bet.

-Yeah.

-And my license plates?

- l wanted to tell you, but you weren't around.

- l'd arranged to show it to a buyer.

-Well, anyway, sorry l'm late.

- Pierre...

it was from 5 to 7. lt's now 8.

l call that absent, not late.

300 members of the Seattle Lion's Club and one barman.

And who took care of room service?

Pierre...

that drink for Room 901 the other day...

Did you take it up or not?

- l think l did.

- The guest refused to pay for it.

Says he never got it.

- Strange, huh?

- Hello...

l'm sorry, the bar's closed.

We're short-staffed.

Afraid you'll have to wait till--

Oh, it's you, Mr Massicotte.

- Hello, Pierre.

Please come in.

-Would you sign here?

-A game of ''knock-out chess.''

l found the game of Go complicated.

So the Japanese immediately offered something more western.

lnstead of chess pieces, you use glasses of alcohol.

lf you capture a piece, you have to drink it.

As you can see, the game combines all the refinement of the Orient

with the hedonism of Quebecers.

Care to play?

- No.

There may be guests waiting at the bar.

- But l was just informed the bar is closed tonight.

- l should balance the receipts.

-A pity.

Pierre...

The other day,

when you brought the drink to my room ''by mistake,''

you knew Marc had been here.

-Yes.

l was looking for him.

-Well, now it's my turn.

Where is he?

-What do you want from him?

There are plenty of ex-swimming champs

with no choice but to service old johns

while they think of their girlfriends.

My brother deserves better than to live as a parasite.

He's worth more.

- l know who his father is.

Do you want red or white?

Just when you think you are in perfect control of the situation,

a move you've made previously

suddenly comes back to haunt you.

Whether due to miscalculation or an error in judgement earlier in the game,

you become aware...

of the trap in which you've got yourself,

and you begin to panic.

You try to reverse the situation...

but too late.

You watch as the chessboard gradually empties...

and your hopes vanish...

piece by piece.

- Freeze!

- Hello...

No, l'm afraid Pierre isn't here.

You couldn't speak to him, anyway...

Yeah, l realize it's urgent.

May l ask who's calling?

Hello?... Hello?

- l'll try another number.

- Three minutes!

- Check... mate.

So start talking.

- lmpossible.

-What do you mean?

- The law of silence.

- The what?

- The law of silence.

The seal of the confessional.

l'm bound by my calling.

-You're no priest.

- Check and out.

As the saying goes...

Red on white, all is right.

White on red...

sink like lead.

Hello.

- lt's Marc. -Where are you?

-At the police station. l was arrested.

-Just calm down.

- They found coke on me.

- l'll leave in 15 minutes, be there in an hour.

See you.

- Miss �velyne Morissette.

How do you say godmother?

- l'll wait here. - But you won't meet Hitchcock!

- Maybe it's better if l'm not there.

- Miss �velyne Morissette.

Answerthe lady.

- Hello, Rachel.

ls Mrs Lamontagne in?

- No, she's at the Ch�teau for her niece's audition.

l'll tell heryou were here.

- Rachel...

l've been summoned to the archdiocese.

They've had letters...

saying l fathered your child.

- Go away!

Go away!

- Say thank you to Mr Hitchcock! -Ah!

- No ambition, just like yourfather.

Come on, you idiot.

- Miss Ren�e Hudon.

- Beijing hospitals

report at least 1,400 dead and 10,000 wounded.

- But the number of dead may be higher.

Students claim several thousand were killed.

Witnesses say the army issued an ultimatum

to demonstrators

to clearthe square

before attacking. ...

- lncredible how you look

like your mother.

Marc...

Marc...

There's something you should know.

-What?

[radio]: That was the Concerto in C minor by Mozart

performed by WiIIiam Watson.

-We are celebrating a baptism in the sacristy.

l must ask you to be quiet.

Please!

- Here...

this'll pick you up.

-What is it?

-A Hair of the Dog, to get you going.

-Are you crazy?

lt's gin!

- Hence its name.

-What time is it?

- Past noon.

Garance, for Pete's sake!

Can't you vacuum later?

You've all afternoon.

Listen, Pierre, nothing personal,

but you're not cut out forthis job.

What can l say?

You Lamontagnes have always been bohemians.

You've no sense of responsibility.

You and your brotherthink life's all fun and games.

And on top of that...

l've nothing against... this...

l keep up with the times...

But this is no cheap motel.

This is a Canadian Pacific Hotel.

We have an international reputation.

-Ahhhhhhhhh!

- Pardon?

- l said, Fuck you, Andr�!

You can't fire me, l quit! - No, no, no, no!

l'm kicking you out! - No, l'm leaving!

-Who's walking out, saying fuck you? -After all l've done!

l got you a job, organized the flat, even arranged your dad's funeral!

Garance!

- How long's he been crying?

- Half an hour.

- Fuck.

Help me out. Hold his arm.

-What's that?

- Tests his blood sugar.

So l know how much insulin to give him.

-Would you test me?

- l can't play doctor on the money Marc sends.

- He sends money?

- Forthe kid.

-Wait a second.

The boy is Marc's son?

- He never said?

- l didn't mean to hurt you.

- He couldn't give a shit.

Does as he pleases!

Comes and goes!

Acts like the kid doesn't exist!

He doesn't understand, a kid needs a father!

That to know

where you're going in life, you have to know where you're from!

- He probably understands betterthan we think.

ln fact, l think he understands very well.

-Wait a sec.

He was looking forthis.

Give it to him.

- Marc...

- Now that Paul-�mile has another mouth to feed,

my husband's going to get him a job at the Ch�teau.

With the peanuts he earns as a cabbie, he can't support

a wife, sister-in-law,

and baby.

The rent's already high.

Andr�, not yourfingers!

- Don't you want any cake?

- l'm not hungry.

- Eat it.

You'll feel stronger, you'll see.

At least drink your milk.

ls it still painful?

Maybe it'd help if you breast-fed him.

- How would you know?

- Nobody believes me, but it's true.

Fran�oise and l

asked him not to raise

the rent this year.

Know what he said?

''You women sit

on your one asset. Why not use it!''

- Don't exaggerate.

- ls it true or not?

-Why don't you shut yourtrap?

Talk to her. She listens to you.

- Get off my back!

- She's so unhappy.

- She's your sister! Shit!

-What about motormouth, your sister? l have to put up with her, don't l?

Ahhh!

- Stop laughing!

-What're they doing?

- Rememberthis, my girl:

Tears shed are forgotten in bed.

Come back here!

As for Father Massicotte,

it's difficult for us to say what became of him.

ln 1953, he had already left the Church.

- l see. Thank you.

Goodbye.

-What are you doing?

- Taking a bath.

- Hello?...

Yes, that's me...

Yes...

Yes. That's... that's my brother...

No.

- Better believe it.

- Hello, Pierre.

Have you been waiting long?

- l've been waiting foryou for months.

Looking for something, Father?

The Bible?

Do you plan to convert me by reading

from the Gospel of St Mark?

Ah.

l thought it wasn't loaded.

He's in the sitting room.

- Pow!

- The embassy in Tokyo handles consular business

with great tact and discretion.

Pierre, believe me.

l wanted things to be different.

But it wasn't possible.

l'm very sorry.

- Sorry?

You steal my brotherfrom me, run off to Japan

and all you send back

is a corpse

and two goddamn suitcases.

Why did Marc kill himself?

l asked you a question!

- Poor Pierre.

You need a culprit.

- No.

ljust want to understand.

His mother's a dancer in a bar in Charny.

She needs money.

He's diabetic. He needs care and medication.

And if no one steps in, he'll spend his childhood

being dragged from one motel to another.

- Made out to whom?

- To me.

- Take good care of him.

Diabetes is very serious.

Of course, at first it causes only mild vertigo.

But if not properly treated,

it can lead to blindness.

Marc never wanted to be tested.

And yet...

diabetes is a disease

that's almost always hereditary.

In the city where I was born,

the past carries the present Iike a chiId on its shouIders.

We're almost home.

Let's play tightrope.

Scared? l won't let you fall.

Whoops!

Translation: Robert Gray Claude Dionne

Kinograph lnc. 1995

DVD subtitling: CNST, Montreal