All language subtitles for Confessions of an Opium Eater (1962) - English

I am De Quincey.

I dream and I create dreams.

Out of the opium pipe,
I see sailing into our vision a Junk.

It's cargo, women.

Women bought or stolen
from all over the mysterious orient.

Their destination and mine...

the humans auction in Chinatown.

In the year 1802, Thomas De
Quincey, without money or friends...

came to London in search of,
well, what every man searches for.

And every man calls it by a different name.

For some it is a castle in
Spain or a mountain to conquer.

For others, an image in a cloud of
smoke or a dream found in a bottle.

Some 100 years later I, Gilbert De Quincey
came to San Francisco on my search.

The Chinese have a saying...

If a man can for
one day realize his true self...

he will have found for always his
place in the scheme of things.

But what does a man find when he
has no self to realize, no place to go?

Unless perhaps he'd be
to keep a predestined rendezvous.

New town battle against
human auctions, read Al about it.

Lady, take that child away from here, this
robe ain't going give you no protection.

Move on, now all of you.

No dragons banners for the
Tong war's faction or hell break through.

- Come on folks, move out.
- Alright, alright.

Move on.

Nobody gets in Chinatown today.

Town open the war, new
town attack against human auctions.

A man's character is known by his faults.

That morning I could almost
hear the click of an abacus.

Is some old Chinese
grand-daddy, toted up my scope.

Good health to you.

- Let the sun warm your way.
- You are interested in antiques?

In a must unusual one.

- The Moon Serpent.
- Ah, you know it's name.

I've lived with it from time to time.

We share an experience.

Mr. De Quincey.

- Honorable Ching Foon?
- Yes.

You are to report to Ruby Low,
She will give you Ling Tan orders.

- A woman?
- Ruby Low is a must beautiful woman.

You go through back door,
and you'll see just her house.

Ruby Law is there...

she mourns at a funeral of
a Chinese editor who was killed, George Wah.

Thought George Wah was your enemy.

The more we approach our enemies,
the more they think of us as lambs.

I'll join the lamb.

There is a devil in the
drunken and a ghost in the poet.

Devil and drunker ghost to poet was I.

But once to every man
there comes a premonition of destiny.

In that first instance of her
image passing the lenses of my eyes...

I felt that I was hanging
in the immensity of space.

And she was floating with me, chained,
locked inextricably together, arms, brains...

heart pulsations, unable to
flee, unable to break apart, sinking...

sinking through the
inexhaustible depths of time.

I forgot the long journey by the sea,
I forgot the pain, I forgot my mission.

Was it the heavy,
drifting perfume of the incense...

or some feverish fantasy searing my brain?

Whatever it was, as
I looked at her for a heartbeat...

I I knew whoever she
was, whatever she might be...

this woman had to be a kind of fate for me.

I'm not sing-song girl to light cigarettes.

Sorry, I got carried away.

You're late, it is
already the hour of the goat.

- Thanks I matter.
- Ling Tang is very angry.

Confucius says a superior man blame
himself the inferior man blames others.

And I'm must inferior so
I decided to wear my shirt.

It's your shirt? Chain mail.

Made in Peking by Chen Hao.

Very soft and very comforting
since that no knife can penetrate it.

- Now, when do I get to see Ling Tan?
- Never.

No one has looked up on his face in a decade.

I carry his orders.

The message from Hong Kong
said you're anxious for job.

Yeah, I was flat-broke in the Empress Road.

Somebody started peaking out bar ships...

in the Peninsula Hotel
as if they're gone out of style.

Two or three bottles later,
give it to a half dozen I'm here.

Perhaps you go back,
if you have cost of passage.

I couldn't afford a round trip ticket
on a two nickels Merry-go-round.

Your friend in the coffin might say...

There is no poison in the green snake mouth..

As in a woman heart.

Chinatown has turned away from Ling Tan.

Three of the Tongs have
declared against our sale of brides.

They have stolen the price
girls of our last shipment.

Once more the Tongs brace war,
they are fanatics, madmen, causing trouble.

He cause trouble?

And was killed, Ling Tan wants you to
take care of the trouble rioters.

Like you did for
honorable Chi Fong in Peking.

You know, it's funny, he
hasn't not fanatics or mad...

Sometimes is very hard to tell who is mad...

and who is not.

- Who was it?
- George Wah.

Editor of Chinatown Gazette.

He led Chinese Tongs
and try to stop our auctions.

We tell him 1,000 Chinese
men for every Chinese woman.

We tell him Chinese men need wife.

George Wah not listen.

What do I do if I want to get a
message to revered ancestor?

Send message here, to George house.

On the principle that there
not secrets from heaven.

No from Ling Tan Same thing in Chinatown.

Not quite, I'd say you have a secret.

Me?

- It's only from yourself.
- I'm not western woman.

I was born on Bamboo on river near Shu Chao.

I've need to wear false face.

Tell you I think you wear more faces than
there are scars in a gutter after the rain.

It's been a long since
I see myself in gutter.

You have a guilt here and now, I dare say.

Still I think maybe I
like you better the other way.

Perhaps you will find out.

But remember, when the dragons
banner fall and the Tong war begin...

sometimes both men and happens...

find their life reflections together...

in those gutters.

Naked we are born and
naked we leave the world.

It is only the curse,
the eternal fugitives...

who go all their days
separated from their fellows...

naked in spirit from first to last.

Such lonely cast was I.

Man himself is not immortal but some men
lives their lives as if time was endless.

This was the room of a man who believe.

A man who walk in eternity.

Know he was dead, I envied.

You must be quiet child.
Grief would not bring back the dead.

- We have no time for tears.
- Don't leave me.

I mustn't, you must
stay here only little while.

I must find new place for you.

- They will kill me.
- Beat you perhaps, kill you no.

You bring much opium at auction.

Is like old days when Ling Tan
bring girls from all of the middle...

kingdom for emperor to see and choose wife.

Ling Tan, then great man.

Now he's very old,
not know old custom is very bad.

Be very quiet, I'll
come for you at hour of rat.

When auction begin,
then all too busy to be searched.

Why not stop auction?

We've tried, we stop
auctions at many other places.

But evil like weed,
pick it up here and grow there.

What is this evil?

Here the evil is Ling Tan, a cancer which
grows on healthy fabrics until all is rotten.

- Does no one tried stop Lin Tang then?
- We've done all that men of peace can do.

George Wah, he took the law into
his own doing and was killed for it.

I'm afraid.

When one's fortune is written...

all the water from all rivers in
the world can not wash away the ink.

What is there for me?

In this footy world my child...

what is there for everyone but for each
to fallow the way it is appointed?

- No, no...
- I'm not going to hurt you.

Bad man, bad man, after me.

- No Tong please.
- How you get in?

- Taken me from mission.
- Mission? What mission?

- Hang Ahn.
- China?

I was playing on mission yard, all
of the sudden two men come grab me.

I never see them before,
I'll never see mission again.

Put me on board with a bunch of girls.

Me tried run away when stop island,
they beat me bamboo so feet swell.

No can't grant.

And they said they get much
opium when sell me auction.

- How old are you?
- 17.

Oh, life I dreamed read about America.

Mission school learn English,
someday come here and be a bride.

Meet man like George Wah.

Now, now I'm here
sequestered and George Wah dead.

No one stop Ling Tan, no one stop auction.

Where good men? It's only bad men now.

Men's view of good and
evil is like waiting in a box.

Open a passage to the East and we flow
east, open to the West and we flow west.

You come take me auction?

Auction is hour of the rat. Midnight
is too late for a little girl like you.

You help me? You good man?

I not know how to thank you.
I feel in my heart much...

Now hold your thanks until we
find out where this thing take us.

I very frighten.

A journey of a thousand
miles begins with the first step.

Who knows? Maybe we're going to arrive where
we were meant to go since the beginning.

Don't want take a round trip
on this thing, let's go.

Who are you?

Well, I'm not a side of
beef in a butcher shop.

Not so sure if you're
side of beef or side of man.

Look like you man of many faces.
Saw Ling Tan Tattoo on wrist.

Then observe tsing tsao, could
not make up what flag you carry,

The Honorable Ching Foon, eh?

Does we always put labels on everything?

Can just we say that I'm only
a student of Chinese philosophy...

seeking the appointed way?

And where appointed way?

Path of righteousness lies around us...

for the eyes that will see
and the foot that will follow.

You speaks words of truth.

George Wah long expected one he
knew in war who speaks the true.

But you're late.

Already give me the
password, what more you want?

You have password for
Ruby Low too, Ruby Low very smart.

Very easy for Ruby Low to bring
man here, play double game.

As you should know.

George Wah say you
run guns in China, he liked you.

But I'm not sure you honest man.

That's what makes horse racing.

- Besides there was a question of a debt.
- George tell me.

Still, maybe you not want
to help now since George gone.

Tong war, very bad trouble.

And Ruby Low Ruby
know how to make man do her good.

Maybe George wasn't
the only reason I came here.

Yes, Ling Tan makes great
fortune, girls bring much opium.

Smart man like you, play
right side, he can make much money.

- Does George plays smart man?
- George fights long time to stop auction.

He say, we stop this auction tonight,
we end all auctions in Chinatown.

But George dead
and we have so very little time.

Maybe you're the one who
should find out whether you're a...

- side of beef or a side of man.
- So you think I should trust you?

What can you do by midnight?

Work both ways, why should I trust you?

Upstairs totting to the little girl
seems to be a girl best friend.

But down here in your Halloween,
get up and over there were shot.

- You're a different cup of tea.
- Do not be confused my friend.

Good and evil often walks the same
road, hand in hand in the same person.

Perhaps we should end the philosophy
lesson, eh? And let me get about my business.

- Where is the old man?
- What old man?

Kill me, kill me, kill me, kill me...

Hungry, hungry...

You like my Tsing-Tsong song mister?

Came from Peking and
know all ways make happy.

Who are you?

Most beautiful Tsing-Tsong girl of Chinatown.

Hungry...

- Food, food...
- She crazy.

She got here last week.
You let her out? Key, there.

- What happened to her?
- Look out.

Make much trouble for Ling Tan.
She tell about girls come on ship.

- You let out please.
- Why did they put you in this thing?

I very bad girl, always
run away from my husband.

Kept bore marriage, like change.

Men always crazy for me,
pretty Chinese little teddy bear.

Dancing, play lute, paint watercolors.

I bring 1,000 dollars once.

For a little girl you
certainly have pipe dreams.

You're no child.

Lin Tang buy me himself, all go hate me.

You know the old man in person?

One summer he called me Baby Doll, but he
old man, he say I too young for his wife.

So he sell me way way to lettuce farmer in
Salinas, cut cabbage there long time.

- How old is Ling Tan now?
- Maybe 100, very old man.

And what's wrong with her?

No sense of humor, cry
all time, make husband unhappy.

Where you come from?

I kidnapped from family,

- 5, 6 years ago.
- This girl lie, father sell this girl.

- Why do they put you in these cages?
- When wife dead, husband can marry again.

- You mean they're going to kill you?
- They no kill us, just put our food.

If they kill, then our
ghosts could haunt always.

It's not nice to have a ghost
haunt to wake up night screaming.

So, they just let us die, all by selves.

Then there is no ghost for husband, he
can then sleep nice all night, but no wife.

Sometime, which may
change wife every 3, 4 years.

Look Girl next to dye, very sick now.

No live long, end here.

You very nice man.

Want see most beautiful
girls in Chinatown mister?

Get ready, big auction
sell all pretty girl, come on.

- This how we started.
- How do I get in that room?

Ah, you know girl? You no get there.

She belong Ling Tan now,
flower of a thousand delights.

At hour of rat, sell all girls.

Show me the way.

You no want go there, danger.
You want die death of the 1000 cuts?

I'll have to find it myself.

- If I take you, what you give me?
- Your life.

My life? No good,
what else you have to offer?

If I take you to auction room,
you help us to get away, yes?

- I no want to die here.
- I not want to die there.

I know way to take you,
we go through bath house.

Mongols will sharp swords, shop us to pieces.

We die already, many times.

New girls must wash before sell,
if you want steal girl from auction...

you got to go through there,

Auction room beyond door there.

Where there men out with swords.

You not get through in one piece,
maybe in two pieces but no good.

I know how, I'll show the way.

You may fight with old woman
there too smoke, difficult to see, go.

- What you want?
- I, I want a pipe.

You crazy, no pipe this place.

- Who tell you to find pipe this place?
- And what are those guys doing?

Doing soap bubbles?

It's choice trap, all funny, they
smoke fine variety, it's only tobacco.

Why you this place?

- I want to smoke.
- No opium here.

- Then why is that smell?
- Incense we burn incense.

You go bunk, I'll bring.

- You buying dreams tonight mate?
- That stuff buys nightmares.

Could you spend me a nightmare?

You always free loading pipe.

You want smoke pipe
so bad mister? You smoke pipe.

You like?

It's about as irresistible as you are.

- It's good mate?
- It's no good mate.

Will you tell me if not drug what man?

For the auction.

No white man get to that auction man.

How much time until they sell the wives?

What you want to care for mate?
When you got a pipe and dreams.

You feel it man, you feel it?

Don't fought the pipe, don't fought it.

You got to beat the join.
It's the hour of the dog.

What you need is, is a rest, a dream.

When the dreams of the dark idle, monstrous
phenomena move forever forward...

wild, barbarous, capricious
into the great yawning darkness...

to be fixed for centuries in secret rooms.

De Quincey the idol,
De Quincey the pagan priest.

To be worshiped, to be sacrificed.

What is a dream and what is reality?

Sometimes a man's life can be a nightmare,
other times, cannot a nightmare be life?

This voices I heard,

were they the voices of men or some
strange imitation of men in some strange...

writhing jungle of my imagination?

Was this opium or was it reality?

Was I dead? Or I was I
only beginning to live?

I snipe the wrath of Brahma
through the forest of the Asia...

hated by Vishnu
knowing Shiva can lay and wait...

buried for 1000 years with all
un-adorable slimy things.

Help, help...

Help, help...

Help, help...

You very clever man but no clever enough.

- Sorry to disappoint you.
- Not disappointed.

After long I'd be flower
and willow garden, I know the men.

- Men all alike.
- All except George.

George, was my enemy, you really like George.

Very thin line separates love
and hate, enemies can become lovers.

George Wah said that to me once.

But what is love? The
hunger of one body for another body.

That all a man means to you?

There is all a woman ever means to a man.

For a woman like Ruby Low,
a man might try to be almost anything.

I snap my fingers on any
man I want and is mine.

Snapping of the fingers
didn't work on George, did it?

So you had him killed.

George kill himself, he was a fool.

Because whatever war
I wanted him, he think I am weak.

You think I trade all this? For anyone man?

You think I will risk losing
Ling Tan priceless treasures?

Emeralds from the Forbidden City,
Jewels of the Ming dynasty...

and gold, death weapon of an emperor,
Opium paid for in blood of human lives.

This is power, riches. I can buy
an army when I go back to China.

Me, born on a Tso-Tao bamboo boat.

I will rule over a province,
I will speak at the foot of the Emperor.

- Quite a little dynasty you're building.
- Who let your foot on the beach?

What can a man like know of empire?

Of dynasty?

You have no believe, no dreams
no realities, you have nothing.

For you have a destiny is path to gutter.

For me, my destiny is destiny of China.

You fascinate me Ruby.

This auction and
these girls you're selling...

Is this for China's destiny or your destiny?

George Wah said that to me once.

After we had swum in the forbidden waters.

But why we talk about George? George is dead.

We alive.

It is not many times in life...

a man and a woman hear the call...

of have their eternities together.

It is no many times in one life...

a man and a woman...

found the other half of themselves.

When I see you for first time...

I felt as if long ago...

whispered the wind together...

and the moon shone on us...

on you and me.

You now in Hall of benevolent hours with me.

How many benevolent hours have I been here?

Is now hour of rat.

Is wake up now? Have good dream?

Have lousy dream.

After auction you no
have bad dreams, you have...

I know, I have died.

You foolish man, death come
to all man, but come foolish man sooner.

Ok.

When is the last train for eternity call out?

Soon, no one, it's a express train, non stop.

See, already have
pretty girl friend wait for you.

Soon after all girl sell, we
send you a pretty long journey.

Maybe one, two from now.

- You like to see pretty girl sale?
- No let me keep you.

Go and over and take a
good look, I don't mind waiting.

You funny man, no go no place.

Can watch here.

Maybe see girlfriend, eh?

Gentleman an other Tong
brothers, you have worship beauty.

You have look to
find it in the celestial East.

Consider tonight that
you have been transported there.

Here, gather from
every corner of the orient...

awaiting your honorable estime attention...

is the most exquisite merchandise
men's eyes have ever seen.

The great Kublai Khan himself...

whose warriors rode three continents
in search of beauties for their master...

could've made not more delicious choice...

than this flower of Burma, blended
with the springs of South China...

which beauty of this
exotic flower is unforgettable.

Hey captor, these boys are
spreading her at cheer rice?

Full rice bowl, no put in an empty woman.

One head.

- Two head.
- Look at those voices in fact.

What did they got that you don't captor?

You know you ought to be in there.
Sitting on those velvet cushions,

Eating that preserved
ginger, checking the stoke.

Get the key.

When our junk when to Tahiti for water...

this enchanting Polynesian
blossom was brought for your delight.

I'm be soon, I'm afraid.

- One head.
- Two heads.

- Three heads.
- Three and a half head.

- Four head.
- Five head.

Six heads.

Now we offer an item,
spirit as a young coup at spring.

Exquisite in her fire and desirability.

A challenge to the man
of taste and discrimination.

Here is the final beauty,
worth 5 heads to any man.

- One head.
- Two heads.

For loveliness and fire?

It is a priceless combination,
I should hear four heads at least.

Only old men have that kind of money,
and only young men can tame here.

- Make her dance.
- Make her dance.

We won't bid unless she dance.

We won't bid unless she dance.

- Let her dance.
- Let her dance.

The whips.

No, no, the velvet
whips, those mark the skin.

I find way to get you out, I do in
laundry hamper, no one can see you.

So I end up in a Chinese laundry, eh?

No, no, french friend laundry,
North Beach, nice family, you stay there.

- Thanks, but no thanks.
- You still want girl?

She sell in minute, go
home with new husband, come.

You better take care of yourself
poor girl, I still have business here.

You one damn fool,
they give you death of 1,000 cuts.

You just show me the way to Ruby
Low rooms and then you make tracks.

Why you want to get rid of me?
Don't I take care of you good so far?

I'm like your momma, I adopted you.

- You still want go Ruby Low?
- Yes.

Ok, I'll take you.
And beside, I'm having so much fun.

She had no hair.

- Cheat, thief, scammer.
- Brothers, of course she had no hair.

How else would you've keep a beauty
of such fieriest at rest at home?

- Cheat.
- Thief.

You wouldn't cheat if Ling Tan were here.

- Lin Tang...
- Lin Tang...

- It's room of Ruby Low.
- Where?

Untied her feet.

Sir, I think you dead, like Lo Gow.

Can you stand up? Move yourself.

Oh boy, firecrackers.

- It's 4th of July, Chinese New Year?
- No...

we're going to play to follow the leader.

You do what I do, put those
firecrackers there, open up.

The Honorable Ling Tan.

Are you truly...

Fighting for a slave girl?

Must this home be
disturbed by the jackal crays...

of men with no respect...

for themselves or their brothers?

- But this is a fraud.
- There is no fraud.

The merchandise is worth all that is asked.

- She's marked.
- Is a flower marked...

because it has dropped a petal?

Or a tree less flawlessly
because it lost a leaf?

It is no leaf, she had
lost a whole head of hair.

The ancients instruct us...

the body is divided into eight parts.

The head, the arms, the hands...

the torso, the legs.

- What is the deal?
- Honorable Wah Chan bid four.

One eight is one part...

The bidden is reduced to three and one half.

Sold as the honorable Wah Chan.

Alright, you stay over
there, you keep watching me.

When you see a signal
like that, you take this torch...

lite it on the lamp and then
ignite the gunpowder, do you understand?

Careful.

You better get out of here
before you're heat get blown out.

No and miss top happy?

I'm not have so much fun since
I get caught in washing machine in Salinas.

If you join ancestors tonight
I go with you. Make new friends.

I mean it, escape while you can.

Escape? Where escape to?

Like show?
Often assignment for Chinese dwarf?

I got take care of you.

And now, the pride of our collection.
An item rarely seen in this market.

Of the finest background, educated in
a mission school, so young, so tender.

Of such consumed purity, truly
an item to be own by a connoisseur.

If you journey to
the celestial kingdom yourself...

you could search and find a no finer bride.

She has the charm of youth, the
innocence of the first depth of view.

The unawakened fire of
the woman she is to be.

Truly a treasure, truly a challenge...

to the man of feast who knows
worth, who values only the best.

The blossom of lotus itself, a flower
to quicken the heart of any brother.

- Three heads.
- Go, this is how to bid.

- This is something to bid for.
- We hear at the beginning, I see five.

Six.

- And a half.
- Three quarters.

- Seven.
- And a half.

Fifteen heads?

- Brother, you're too old for such a bride.
- She would be a widow before she's a bride.

Fifteen heads is higher bid.

You demonstrate you wisdom ancient brother,
she'll keep you warm in your old age.

Sold.

Fool.

This is not opium.

- Stop the old man.
- Stop.

Let's fight, they're
trying to escape, stop the old man.

George Wah.

The girls are escaping, stop the girls.

There's go Ling Tan treasure chest,
Ruby won't be able to buy an army now.

George, welcome back from
the dead, here, take that now.

- Stop the girl,
- Get out of here.

- You wait that China in Pasadena.
- There's no union.

Come here, fallow.

The sword of evil will melt in the fire.

You can hold our head up again,
slave traffic lies in those ashes.

Come on.

Here they come.

Here, manhold.

Sun and Moon shoot that with arrow.

Say hello to ancestors.

Til...

til then.

A strife, an agony was dissolving.

As she grabs me closer,
the nightmare of shame was over.

And she, whatever she had been...

It's now only a woman in my arms,
pledge to an unknown journey.

All passions left, all leave behind us.

Was it a dream of the poppy...

or was it at last, reality?

As once again I put out to sea...

were these the withing waters of death...

or the gates of paradise?