All language subtitles for 5rFF-ecds.eng

THE CONSUL OF SODOM

s t true you're a poet?

Well... l'd prefer
to be thought of as a poem.

Ja me

So what now?

Now everything

Excuse me.

Come in.

Go and sleep in your bedroom.

Don't make a noise. my mother's asleep.

How do you like it?

-Good morning.
-Good morning.

Are you all right?

Thank you

Bye, Johnny.

Let's lower. .

-the percentage.
-Abso utely not My father

would never allow it.

Good for you
Don't keep her wa ting any onger

'm go ng to m ss all this.

Not as much as you think.

Why's that?

What's going on, Vctor?

Those are the least comprom sing

Those are the least comprom sing

Where did these come from?

l don't know.
paid an ntermediary.

-You're giv ng in to blackma over me?
-Sorry, Jaime.

But your father asked me
to look out for you

My father?

He knows about this?

Look, Jaime.. Your prvate life
is none of my business but ..

So keep out of it.

Then l heard that l'd be going,

that wherever l went

'd have a bed and a book to read.

But others would not be eaving
They would stay on for years

without being ab e to wait furiously
for 7 o'clock to come and so escape,

to leap to the other side of life.

And that - the abject misery,
a fe of constant harassment

by the r needs -
will be their ves,

their whole existence.

Ladies, the commun st is back.

You haven't been there

Many farmers have had to sell
their ch dren as if they were s aves.

Jaime, please!
That's so unpleasant

When Dad comes. tell him to give
the plantations to the peasants.

Don't talk polit cs at tab e!

This sn't polit cs, mother.
lt's justice.

Keep that for your poems.

Ja me. did you write anything new

-in the Philippines?
-Two verses

in three months.

Mr Jaime, there are two men
from the political brigade

asking for you.

Show them through to the study

' n the heat,

after the th ckness,

the river returns to the land '

My grandfather,

the Speaker of the House,

during the Repub c

Good evening.

'm lnspector Cre x

This s Sub- nspector Garrido.
We just wanted

to ta k to you for a moment.

What about?

You write. .

poetry. don't you?

-Yes. l try.
-Do you assoc ate

with other poets and wrters?

With some.

Do you know these?

l know them a .
Some better than others.

You know they're a communists?

Some have been arrested

and it won't be long
before the others are too.

Are you warn ng. .

or threatening me?

Leo.

' t seems we can declare
ourselves to be men.

t seems we can say no.

To say no once n the street

for all the other t mes
we cou d not say it.''

Did you write that?

-Yes.
-Leaflets like these

were handed out
at the students' strike

Did you know that?

l just got back
from the Philippines.

An acquaintance of yours

told us about you
at the po ce station

What did he say?

That you're a queer.

And a very clever one.

Don't come to Barcelona at the moment.

t's quieter in Cadaques.

-Jaime.
-Manuel.

-How are you?
-Hello.

Stay in hiding for the t me being.

There have been arrests.

But we're rid of
the official candidates

They'll process them. .
it's a setback..

then send them home.
All sons of winners.

Manue , l also regret the beat ngs

- 've never had.
-Can't you see, Ja me?

An enemy n the home
changes everything

know.

And l want to be part of that.
But really so.

Your gin and tonic.

Thank you

-Mr Mars,'s here.
-Tell him to come in.

Well, we , the worker-writer.

Congratulations on your novel
t's exce ent

Thank you l hope

can stop being the worker now
and just be the writer.

The regime's tottering. Juan.

Some have been saying that
for 20 years

Juan's a born sceptic.

That's why h s novel's so decadent.

only describe
what l see, more or less

-Mr. Baldwin on the phone.
-Shit, 'd forgotten.

Jimmy's here He wants to see
some n ghtlife and thought you ..

haven't seen Lu s yet.

Yvonne and l are celebrat ng
our wedding anniversary ton ght

All rght

Want to come a ong, Juan?

work from 7 AM to 3 PM
then l go home to write.

don't have time.

Time. . the child
that moves the pieces

Heraclitus

The galley proof.

Show him the Sagrada Familia
then go home

The Sagrada Familia?

know more edifying places.

Ja me!

expected you tomorrow.

just can't live without you.

What are you doing here?

had a meeting...

and came back for a nap.

You're doing pretty well.

-l' get dressed.
-Wait, wait, wait. .

Let's put an end
to th s terrible abstinence.

know you and your abstinence!

Do you prefer billy boys
or half-castes?

prefer Spanish guys who forget
they're doing it for money

don't m nd paying.

But like...

to be appreciated

see the Philippines

have changed your habits.

Look at me!

Look at me!

-What's the matter?
-Nothing.

Nothing's the matter.

Let's go out for dinner and ta k

We' ta k about..

whatever you want.

But first...

have to see a fore gner.

want you to come a ong.

Not aga n.

Go on.

We' show him a few sights
and that'll be t

All rght

Hey, kids. l spy a black man.

A b ack man!

Come on, stop showing off

Let's go somewhere norma .

This s normal

Luis, could you get
some more wine. please?

You get it.
'm t red of your nonsense.

You could at least translate.

You wouldn't understand anyway.

Juan to,

half a litre of m nt.
'm go ng to blow my Antonio.

saiah

Chapter 4, verse 6.

Morning, Mr. Jaime.

Yourfather asks if he can come n.

Of course he can.

want to talk to you

Afrend of mine from Harlem.

Take that Caligula outf t off.

'll wait outs de.

spoke to lnspector Creix on the phone.

That leaflet affa r's sorted out

'Leave the rch alone, ' Franco said.

That depends.

They had people like you shot

after the war

Ja me ..

a scandal would ru n your career
with the firm and the reputation

of the whole family.

No-one's interested
in the private life of a poet.

Yourfather's worred about t

And so is your mother.

know you're ashamed of me.

'm not ashamed of you.

You're a G de Biedma.

But do wish things were different.

-Where's J mmy?
-He eft.

sn't the s ut eaving too?

Watch it!

Here.

Get dressed quickly ..

-and go.
-No, don't

Sit down.

Bloody-minded queers!

What about me?
How much are you going to g ve me?

Nothing, now that l've got you a job.

When l found you,
all you had was a suit.

A brown suit.

And you've always been

an insufferab e little rich kid

Nothing ke fucking
a gypsy gir to d scover

-one's soc al conscience
-At least she's not foo ng anyone.

Right..

You seem very fond
of the whores' gu d.

Ja me ..

we need to talk.

Leave the keys n the vase and go.

Careful, that Lalique's
worth a fortune.

-We're through.
-Wait..

Wait, Lu s Wait.

'm sorry l'm sorry.

At least take the keys

'One goes out, kisses a g rl
or buys a book,

wa ks happ y down the street
and they strike him down.

How could he dare?

The Architrave.''

-Nobody'll understand this.
-lt's clear enough.

The words of the tr be.

t's you who don't understand.

The book's a journey
from the end of adolescence

-to adulthood.
-Wth soc al issues too

That's obvious.

As based on my experence
and soc al class. though somet mes

mistrust both.

think ..

dressing up as a poet and singing
is a des re to place oneself

in Mardi Gras situations.

' was born, if you'll excuse me,

-in the age of the pergo a and tennis.''
-l'm trying to write a poem

about Spa n while
avoid ng the phantasmagoric.

Asestina.

A mediaeva sestina?

They'll call you frivo ous

ron c perhaps,

but not frvo ous

Spain's more like a mediaeval c ch,

than a modern literary theme
going beyond anyone's experience

Hence the sestina.

So that what the poem is
can be greater

than what the poet says.

Franco's back ng
the Opus Dei technocrats

and withdraw ng the Fa angists

They want to freeze wages and cut
socia spending. Right, Federico?

Manue 's very cold towards me.
l don't understand.

He doesn't dare tell you, Jaime, but ..

you haven't been adm tted

into the party.

Why?

Things to do with comrade Len n.

What's he got to do w th t?

They say homosexuals cou d be

a threat to the safety of the party.

-Queers might rat to the police.
-l see.

'm sorry. Jaime.

-Orthodox economic remed es.
-We need to turn

labour str kes into po tica ones.

And the government's plan would fail

-What if t doesn't?
-We'd have European prosperity

on a Span sh sca e.

Prosperity on a small
and pretty miserable scale.

Of all the stores in history,

the saddest of all is that of Spa n

because of the unhappy ending

t's as if a man, tired of struggling
with h s inner demons,

decided to p ace h s poverty
n the government's hands

Your post, sir.

Thank you. Conch ta.

l'd like to think of
th s bad government as a vu gar.

man-made affair
and not a metaphys cal ssue,

and that Spa n must
and can rse out of its poverty.

There's still t me to change
the course of its history

before the demons drag it away.

-Morning. Mr. Ja me
-Morn ng. This s for washing.

Sorry 'm late. Dad.

Have you signed
a manifesto for some miners?

Yes.

This s from the army.
lt's for you.

You have to report to
the Bruch barracks urgently.

You're no onger a second lieutenant.

You've been demoted.

To me, that's an honour.

F nish your breakfast

We have to go.

What' they do to you?

Str p me of my stripes

at a public ceremony
on the parade ground.

-Like Dreyfus.
-Jaime, please!

t's no joking matter.

A minister called
your father and at work

they're asking him questions.

May Spa n expel those demons.

and poverty affect the government ..

Sign here.

...and may men by
the masters of their history.

You may go

s that it?

sn't it enough?

particularly remember
the end of the war.

My father stood at the window crying

as General Yague's troops
marched down the street.

was shit-scared.

For me, they were the happiest days

of my life

But th s was v rtua y
on the front line.

No, it was in Segov a.

Aplace we oved visiting,
fu of lieutenants with arms n s ngs

For the k ds t was a way of coming

close to the war.

t's been a long time, Mr. Jaime.

You get younger
every day. Austreberto.

-Thank you kindly
-How do you do it?

This way.

You'll f nd th s perfect for wrting

Let's see today's y eld.

Here.

Shit, writ ng nove s is ke
sitt ng for a really hard exam.

Yes. but poetry
doesn't put food on the tab e.

That's why l'm a Sunday poet
with a Monday conscience.

l spend the rest
of the week in an office

push ng pens

-l'm a practica man.
- try to be too.

By writing seriously

What's 'seriously' for you?

Making a liv ng from what l write.

So you th nk a writer writes
so that soc ety

-w buy books?
-That's rght

Why pub sh your work?

To inf uence others. l suppose

t's a rather Dickensian story.
The doctor told her

she cou dn't have children.
They came out. hailed a taxi,

-and my father was nside.
-lncred ble.

You look gorgeous tonight.

-Yvonne!
-Thank you.

Excuse me.

Thank you

Who's that?

Marcelino. He says

he's a Manhattan broker
but l don't believe him

think the guy's a gigolo.

Ja me. who's she?

The marchioness.
She has a suite at the Wellington.

She throws
the w dest parties in Madrid

No, the one next to her.

Ah, Joaquina, her compan on.

The only normal person here.

Carlos is getting horny.

Careful or he'll stand behind the muse

and dedicate another and another
and another of his love poems to you

That's all you learned at Oxford?

Ja me's unbearable tonight.

We've all had a bit to drink.

Brit sh hypocrisy imported by an
berian consumed by petty passions!

Carlos!

Let him be

What's wrong, Red Riding Hood?

Noth ng.
t's this wine

t really makes me cry.

Would you like something e se?

Awolf to eat me.

There's nothing more sexy

than a woman with eye shadow
smeared with tears

'll cry all you want

The. .

character of Teresa...

Marvellous.

But the boyfriend from outside
Catalonia... l'm not conv nced.

lt's my version of the 19th-century
nove . A man who wants to be someone

but can only succeed
by winning over a rich girl

And your girl..

what does she expect of him?

To have a great t me in another word.

The king of the party.

He who dances w th everyone.

He who can handle everyone.

A knight in shining armour.

Even though the armour's a brown suit.

Because deep down,
he's just a street urchin.

Here.

A portrait of your Pijoaparte.

'Pink sh rt, jeans,

a provocative attitude and a sm e

that's just too winning.

From Murc a.

Smell: of wild cat.

The bastard does smell like that.

Like a wild cat.

Thank you. Jaime.

Come in, my boy.

-How was your holiday?
-Comforting.

So you're br ng ng out another book.

'm trying to.

Through a publisher in Mex co.

n Mexico?

The censors won't let me
print it here

've been th nking

of changing flats

What about lives?

That may not be so easy.

You know, son...

need a change too

- 'm ret ring early.
-But the tobacco company's your life

know.

lt's a ship that's harder
and harder to steer.

Some young blood is called for.

Things are changing too fast

and l'm t red.

-But...
-Jaime.

Two books of poems n seven years

don't make for a literary career.

Yourfuture lies w th the firm.

We all have a great deal
of faith in you

What's the point, l'd like to know,

of changing flats?

Of leaving behind a basement
darker than my reputation ..?

And that's say ng someth ng.

Putting up ace curtains
and engaging a maid

Giv ng up the bohem an way of life

so that then you'll come along.

you great bore,

my embarrassing guest,
you foo dressed in my suits,

you drone,

you use ess id ot,

with washed hands,

to eat from my p ate
and make the house d rty

Among the shadows of my past

is a star without redemption

that never led my steps

along the path of my dreams.

My eyes never looked up

but down on the ground,

where l lived...

go with you

to the ate-night bars.
The pimps. the flower-sellers,

the dead streets of the sma hours.

The ye ow-lit lifts
when you get home drunk

and look at yourse f
in the mirror, your face a ruin,

with still violent eyes
that you don't want to c ose

And if rebuke you, you augh,

you rem nd me
of the past and tell me

that l'm getting o d.

l might remind you that you're
no longer funny, that your casua sty e

and self-assurance are gruesome,

being over thirty years of age.

And that that charming,
*ldreamy-eyed boyish smile,

wh ch everyone's bound to fa for.
is just a pit ab e vest ge,

a pathetic sham

As you ook at me
with those true orphan's eyes

you weep and prom se not to do it. .

Dreams of clay,

it's all a e,

those lips pretend

to be full of passion ..

f you weren't such a slut

and if didn't know,
as have for some t me.

that you are strong when am weak,

and weak when l am furious...

My recollection of your home-com ngs
fills me with confus on, pan c.

sorrow and dissatisfaction

and the despair, impatience
and resentment of suffering again.

Yet again the unforg vable humiliation

of over-intimacy.

Like a man going to he 'll take you
to bed to s eep w th you

Dying with each step of impotence,

bumping into furniture in the dark

we'll cross the floor
in a c umsy embrace,

staggering from dr nk
and stfled sobs.

F ower...

of. .

ev .

Today the noble serv tude
of loving human beings,

and the most ignoble of a ,
which is oving oneself.

So, Ja me ..

first the d sco, then the magazine.

'Boccaccio'' will show the world what
Barcelona is. lt's a here ..

arch tects, writers. photographers,
actresses, models. .

-Who make no contr bution to life
-Let's have done

with complexes. ln a year's time,
this will be like London.

That's a fool's dream.
n London there's no Franco.

Franco's an old bastard. We have
a sole obligat on and f you're to be

editor-in-chief, you have to be

the biggest dreamer of all.

We should show people
that culture is sexy,

-especially those in Madrid.
-Ho d on a minute

They may not see culture
as a way of life

but they have marchionesses
and knowing

who the march oness has s ept with

can be decisive. So show
some respect for the Cast an plateau.

Co ta!

-Come and have a drink w th me
- can't.

-l'm working.
-Come on.

All rght. as t's you ..

Aren't l handsome enough
for an artic e?

-More than enough. As always.
-Liar.

have to wait around
to get a good shot.

Come on, et's have a drink

can't.

But a friend of mine
wants to meet you.

She's a fascinating woman

Her name's Bel.

-Are you hurt?
-l did it for you.

'To know about love, to learn love,

one needs to have been alone. '

'And with 400 different bodies
on 400 different nights

to have made ove '

That's my favourte.

wrote t to prove

that one can be unfa thful
yet head over heels n love.

You can't go to bed w th anyone
you're not in love with, can you?

Yes, but l fall head over heels
in love every night.

What happens when you wake up?

look at myse f in the mirror

and the spe

is broken.

fee sorry for things
that have broken.

You fix them but
they still bear the scars.

hate wrinkles.

l wish l had a portrait
aging for me in an attic.

That's strange ..

can't find your life line.

Then...

let's not waste any more time.

Good morning.

What's wrong?

Yourfather fainted

-What's wrong?
-Just high blood pressure.

Nothing too serous

He's t red.

Ja me. perhaps this isn't

the right t me. but he'd be very happy

-if you took over from him
-No

No.

*l ..

could never take my father's place.

'm no good

But you're a br ant negotiator

-And you know the business.
-l don't care.

You know it too
and you have all the skills.

-You should volunteer.
- 'm not in the fam y.

- s he in the fami y?
-Migue ? The telegraphist's son?

Times are chang ng.

got married when l was 18.

With an idiot, just to eave home

They're gorgeous.

That's Marx's great-granddaughter.

She's scared the police
will f nd out and jail her.

sn't that amaz ng?

A pr*t-...-porter mode
and Marx's great-granddaughter.

How does your des gn look on me

Divine. Have you met Jaime?

No.

But 've heard all about you

Scary!

Have a good time.

You're full of surprises

You design jewellery, have two k ds,

know how to fall down...

What else can you do?

Wait...

have my period.

So what?

'm a vampire.

'm a vampire.

-Hello, princess
-Hi. Dad.

-Hi.
-What are you do ng here?

said 'd pick them up

Don't talk nonsense. okay?

t's my turn today!

t's my turn today!

-No way
-P ease!

-What's wrong?
-Please calm down.

-Exact y. Come on, baby.
-Stop!

Absinthe brings fe
an hour of solemnity

and ght to dark precip ces,
said Baudelaire.

ln France they call t
'la f,e verte'', the green fairy.

n many countries it's forb dden.

love the forbidden.

Police!

You know what's coming next.
Run!

You know what's coming next.
Run!

Toledo, Ohio.

That way his girlfriend won't find out

The biggest whores n the world.

-This is too crowded.
-Yes

We don't need any of them.

'd like to take care of you.

So what are you wa ting for?

So f there are no more questions. .

the board meeting's over.

Good afternoon.

Ja me

Congratulations on your report

Thank you

Bye, Jaime.

Whoever sits here will be lucky
having you by h s side.

l th nk what's needed
is someone young, dynam c ..

with fresh ideas.

n short. a poet.

Are you sure, son?

Yes.

The board will have to approve it
but you have all my support

The board will have to approve it
but you have all my support

-S r?
-Yes?

There's a young lady asking for you.

Ayoung ady?

She says she's your girlfrend.

Not here.
They could be watching me

'll have to go to court to keep
the custody of my children.

'll have to go to court to keep
the custody of my children.

wonder what k nd of ev dence
that idiot will come up with

don't know but he's really resentful.

Don't worry, know
some very good lawyers.

She's pretty.

And strange.

Susan!

How's our novelist?

Hid ng beh nd that newspaper.

And l th nk t'll all be f ne.

How's t going?

Well. in the end,
a blonde n a convertible

What about Pijoaparte?

What about Pijoaparte?

-As if he didn't exist.
-Advertis ng has ru es.

They don't want poor peop e. They on y
want pretty g rls from Pedralves

But th s one isn't from Pedralves

-She's from Copenhagen.
-Good

With a V king g rl on the cover.
the book will be a h t

Didn't l tell you so?

Didn't l tell you so?

Bring Jaime a glass.

You said Pjoaparte was missing

There he s.
straight out of your book.

Don't even look at him

Why? Will he hit me?

Why? Will he hit me?

Gypsies are very particu ar,
espec ally about that.

Agypsy! Agypsy to boot!

Give me another, Lorenzo

Excuse me. are you
Ja me G de Biedma, the poet?

'm a company secretary genera ,
ke Stalin

Apart from that.
've written two books of poems.

Who are you?

work for a magazine,
l just wanted to chat.

Don't waste your time.

Ta k to Garcia Marquez,
he's 'in'' th s season

All l need is a snippet of goss p.

'm in charge of a section called
'Overheard at Boccacc o' .

-What's your name?
-Enrique.

-What's your name?
-Enrique.

Well, Enrique, 'm going
to let you nto a secret.

Know what all these people
are doing here?

nventing ves for themselves.
t's the only way

they can put up with
th s interm nable d ctatorsh p.

They a do the best they can. Over
there, Ricardo Bofill the arch tect

They a do the best they can. Over
there, Ricardo Bofill the arch tect

and communist. Torn between making
a film w th his lta an girlfrend

and buying an Alfa Romeo

There's another specimen.
With a highly-styled character

Carlos Barral, poet,
editor and ship's captain

Dresses ke a Cuban guerr a
and the police think he's mad

Dresses ke a Cuban guerr a
and the police think he's mad

-so they don't arrest him
-My character's a work of art.

-But it's not a life. lt's literature
-Shall we talk of

-the d calage of life and literature?
-ln favour of life

-or literature?
-ln my case, n favour

-of literature
-Always.

He can give you
some better goss p than me.

He can give you
some better goss p than me.

Gossip? All right,

but literary goss p.
What do you want to know?

call Mr. Ja me G de Biedma

y Alba.

Counsel for the plaintff may begin.

Thank you. my ord.
Mr. Gil de B edma,

did you write a poem entitled
'AVery Young Separated Woman''?

Yes, l did.

My lord, may read
a few lines from that poem?

'Today, dressed as a corsair,

'Today, dressed as a corsair,

you were seen with six overs
on each arm, lsabe , child lsabe ,

sitt ng stiff y on a stoo , rad ant.

your hair tousled by
a wind that is yours alone.

pres ding over the merriment.

Take care, chi d lsabe ,

for we are in Spain,
for they are one

and the same those idiot lovers of yours
and your beast of a husband.''

and the same those idiot lovers of yours
and your beast of a husband.''

Mr Gil de Biedma.

am l to understand that
the child sabel in this poem,

is the woman accused of adultery
in this case?

Definitely not.

The sabel in the poem is fictit ous?

Not fictitious but invented..
which is different.

Not fictitious but invented..
which is different.

have here a transcription
of an interview

n which you declare yourself
a ''poet of experience' That is..

that you never invent
but only wrte about what you see

or experience.
Therefore, my lord,

the verses 've just read

the verses 've just read

describe the defendant's

adulterous way of fe,
wh ch comp etely disqualifies her

as a wife and mother.

My lord, may add something?

Yes, p ease go ahead.

f the child lsabel in the poem

were the defendant, then the ''beast''
of her husband would be

were the defendant, then the ''beast''
of her husband would be

this gent eman.
wh ch would lead us to be eve

that the plaintiff

has an uncivilised

and possibly v olent nature.

And no decent mother
shou d have to tolerate a savage.

And the ch dren come first.

And the ch dren come first.

-You're a son of a b tch!
-Order!

We're doing poetry

-at schoo .
-Rea y? How?

We read it.

We read it.

Of course. How silly of me.
Do you ke t?

-Yes.
-Tell him why you ke it.

l ke t because
it's like songs but without music.

Come on out. or you'll go all wrinkly.

Come on out. or you'll go all wrinkly.

-Come on
-l don't want to

Let me.

Out we come.

So t's like that, is it?
Just you wait.

The property's 15 years old
but as you can see,

in perfect cond tion Five
bedrooms. two bathrooms, kitchen.

in perfect cond tion Five
bedrooms. two bathrooms, kitchen.

living room
and many nearby amenit es,

inc ud ng two parks and two schoo s
Have you got any children?

Yes, two.

What's the matter, Conchita?

Yourfather's wa ting for you.

Are you all right, Dad?

The board's waiting for us

All with an enve ope like this one.

f you don't want to,

you don't have to come in.

The secretary
will read out the agenda

'One: review of our
Man a office's fixed costs

Two:

the sale of the plantation
in Equatoria Guinea.

Three: renewa of the credit
with the Chase Manhattan Bank

Four: proposal of candidates

for the post of Director General '

'm so sorry. Jaime.

never thought they'd go that far

Any idea who sent those photos?

No, l don't know.

cou dn't stop them this time.

Did the blackmail fund dry up?

don't understand.

Look, Victor...

knew you were amb tious,

but l never magined you were

so resentful or a traitor

The harm you've done my father ..

'll never forgive you for that.

Sorry, Jaime,

but l th nk you're a bit overwrought.

Are you're too calm.

-You're making a mistake...
-Listen. you fool.

Even though you take the cha r
as the next Director Genera ,

you' never be one of us.

Do you know what you've done?

Handed it to Meler on a p ate

We' see.

We' see.

Get out!

All on your own?

Without a sou in the world

What's your name?

Ja me

Ja me G de Biedma.

Bel!

You forgot we were
having lunch together

Yes, l did. l'm sorry.

-Bye.
-Bye.

Do you think it'd work?

've already been married once. l'm no
good for it. Would you want me to wait

-at home for you. buy your ties?
-We cou d grow old together

don't want to grow old.
Neither do you.

Having a p ace

of our own and being the boss..
that life wou d k you.

And you and me?
Shall we go on as always?

Sleeping together
from time to time?

sn't that good enough for you?

'To know about love, to learn love. .''

Look. Bel.
've already heard that tune

don't want to be alone

s that all you can do?

-Pay and go?
-l'll throw myself at your feet

and beg you to stay with me.

But am with you.

Hadn't you rea sed?

That's why l don't want to spoil it.

Please stay.

Only seldom do you the dead
attain freedom.

But the night when you return.
it is yours.

All yours.

Ja me

Prom se me you won't do it again.

The hurt your smile rem nds me of.

There is so much hardness
of m ne in your eyes.

You calm me, for at one time
l was close to you.

The part of your death
that give myse f.

the part of your death
that l took from my harvest.

How could l pay you for it?

Not even the part of
the life we lived together.

How to know that you have forgiven
with me alone at the scene of the crime?

How to be ab e
to sleep while you tremb e

in the saddest corner of my room?

'll br ng you that whisky.

Don't let Ja me drink too much
The doctor's forbidden him to drink.

Don't worry.

A rather untimely title.
Sign it for me, come on.

The ca s l've had!

Everybody thinks you're dead.

And l am.

What?
But you've recovered now

-And dr nking with friends.
-Well..

All this fuss to end up back here

Do you want those new poets to get

-all the glory?
-Why not?

A the new poets write
about is Venice, rotten gondolas

-and Scipio's tomb.
-Good for them

No-one could be in love with reality.

ln the end,
death is the mother of reality.

Just s gn that book.

Start writ ng aga n. lt's not just me
who wants to read your poems.

We're going to the cinema

-on Friday.
-The c nema ..

Don't worry.

t's the one with Dietrich
and the Murcian guy

'Morocco'?

Then count me in

-How are you, Josefa?
-Morn ng, Mr. Ja me

No, not that one.
Have this one.

Thank you

Mr. Ja me. we're all very worried.

-Do you know what's going to happen?
-Don't you worry, Josefa.

Everyth ng will be fine.

Come in.

How's the monsoon?

Ja me!

Can't you sme it?
You can feel it n the a r

You know it's coming but it doesn't.
lt's like a constant threat. .

Like everything in th s country.
Wh sky?

-No, thanks
-Too early in the day?

No, too late.
At this time..

prefer opium.

l'm glad you've still got a sense
of humour. You're go ng to need it.

We're closing the Luzon factory
and the Mindanao premises.

They're all out of date,
the who e process s wrong

from production to distribution.

Asenseless waste of resources.

Well, th s is a colonia concern
Waste is part of the legend

t sn't a colonial concern any more.

Or a family one either

The world's changed

but we're still n t me to adapt.

Sure..

Are these n t me to adapt?

Arjona, Barata. Charlie de la Cruz..
l know nearly all of them.

That's why l called you

want you to look after t

'm no good at that.

And Anglada?

He's no longer with us, l'm afraid

think he's a photographer now

Jaime. .
do it any way you want.

How's t going, Ja me?

'm just fin shing.

lf you get a move on,
'll take you to lunch at a place

where the food is de cious.

-Rea y?
-Yes.

-Where?
-ln lntramuros

t's fantastic.

Excuse me a minute ..

t s not mine th s age.

And if that sound of birds
outside n the garden were mine,

their profusion in small leaves

moving me like intimat ons.

it wou d no longer say the same.

awake ke someone hear ng
obscene breathing.

Day is dawning.

Another day dawns in which l shall not
be inv ted to happy moments

or to repentance which,
a though not anc ent ..

Ah, Se gneur. donnez-moi
la force et le courage...

invites me to repent
with some vest ge of sincerity

For l have nothing left
to fear but my mistakes.

remember life. but where s it?

For me, writ ng a poem

is like hav ng a secret.

t's like mak ng love and delaying
orgasm as ong as possible

f nd it hard now

My poetry is the result
of the invent on of an identity.

Once identity is assumed,
noth ng st mulates the imagination less

than being what you are.

Furthermore. .

one's maturity
is a silly time n life

when the on y intimacy is headaches,

and paradoxica y life
starts becom ng a armingly short

because you spend the whole day
worrying about yourfear of death.

Excuse me a moment.

-Ja me. please. .
-Yes?

-Will you sign this?
-Of course What's your name?

Benjamin.

The look on those new poets' faces!
lt was as if they'd seen God

They're young and very mpressionable

Do you know my ass stant?

Less than 'd like to

Have you read Sagarra's column?

No.

''The presentation
of Tusquet Editors ast night

was attended by
the who e ''Gauche Divine' .

-What do you think of the name?
-Agood labe , with a future.

That's what ''Tele-Express'' says.

So l' do a photo session with you
as one of its most outstanding members

f t's on the eft 'm not connected
and as for ''divine'', even less so.

-l' take my jacket off, shall l?
-Yes.

l'll do the session
but on one condit on.

You rea y don't mind me doing this?

Co ta knows me inside out.

Shit, you ook so much ke my father.

That's a good start.

'm not calling you old, you know

only knew him when he was young.

What's the matter?
Do you fee old?

Old and a fa ure.

For fuck's sake!

You've got money,
people listen to you.

-love you
-Then vanish and leave me on my own.

No profile shots.
They show my double chin.

Your troub e is no-one's
ever looked after you properly

You gyps es are so c ever.

-Who sa d l was a gypsy?
-Look ..

you and l shou dn't waste
any more time.

Or the next t me we meet,
'll be too old.

Go on, please, turn sideways.

Was it your first t me?

Yeah.

Don't lie to me so soon.

The first t me l've fe t something

Pleasure? Love?

Yeah.

-Yeah what?
-Yeah

Te me about yourse f

What else do you want to know?

Shit!

f l'm late they' kill me!

Did you do military service?

n Galicia, as a second lieutenant.

So stand to attention

and present arms.

-For the taxi
-All that?

-You want me to buy one?
-Take it.

-Shall l see you again?
-You'd better

'm leaving my equipment here.

Hey..

could you end me?*

some cash to buy a motorbike?

We're incapable of seeing
a andscape except literarily

There's no such thing
as unspo t nature

Will you leave nature a one?

Nature s a that literature s not.

-lt might be reality.
-The same thing

Nature evokes

the idea of what is
the same as tse f but reality ..

-changes
-The use of the word probab y comes

from the Counter-Reformation

No, l think it's 19th-century

Only after Kant and Newton, when
the religious worldv ew disappeared,

was the concept of reality accepted.

s t true you're a photographer?

Yes, but l left all that beh nd.
l didn't like

-the people.
-Why?

Too many queers.

Know what the sa ors are saying

-in the taverns?
-No.

That you've been made consu .

Yes, Honorary Consul
of the Philippines n Barcelona.

-What the devil does that mean?
-l don't know.

Till now l'd only felt
like the Consu of Sodom.

Where's Sodom?

Sodom is everywhere, dear.

-Are you a consul too?
-No.

Toni's a prince.

How romantic.

-And l want to be a princess
-You already are.

The most beautiful princess

of the Mare Nostrum.

Wanna dance. Your Highness?

What do you want now, youth.

you impudent delight of life?

What br ngs you to the beach?

We old ones were content

until you came along to wound us

by reviving the most fearful
of impossib e dreams.

You come to rummage
through our imaginations.

You'd better like this place
because it's our house now.

Not here!

What? Don't l eat

like your frends?

don't know how they eat.

'll ook next time.

embarrass you, don't l?

Very much.

blush all the time.

Ja me

Show me how to do it.

Do what?

Te me how to dress,

what cologne to use.

t's important to me.

All rght

f you insist.

*lranzo cuts my hair.

There are more modern sty es now.

A razor cut would be best for you.

have my suits made by Santa Eulalia

but l give them the cloth.
bring t from Hong Kong.

Shoes? That depends.

Shoes at Sebaga's go up
in ha f-s zes, as in Amerca

but who can resist
the fee of Lotus leather?

Co ogne .. neither too sweet-smelling

nor with too much alcohol.

wear Eau Sauvage but...

someth ng like Dandy Parera
would be better for you.

Rioja is a classic.

They haven't discovered
Valladolid wines yet.

Remember this, Toni.
the future lies in Duero wines.

Don't st ck your nose in it!

Hey, you're supposed
to be with me. aren't you?

So what are you looking at?

He must be stupid.

t's on green for him.

Come on, mate!

Cross!

Dad!

Where are you going?

What are you doing here?
Dad, t's me, Jaime.

l have to get to work.
like to be the f rst to get in

Mum said you're go ng
to Segovia tomorrow.

t' do you both a world of good.

Come on.

Come here, Adonis.

Here.

f you don't ke t. too fucking bad.
because can't swop it.

Come here.

You mean ''exchange t'.

Okay. but open it.

You rea y shouldn't have.

t's beautful.

Time is all l ask of you.

Do you love me?

Ca m down, Luis,

p ease.
Mum's had enough.

Don't upset her any more

Mr Jaime!

My dear friend.

Where were you?

He asked

for you till the very end.

He's here.

Go and see him. my son

What are you doing?

You thank me. father,
by accompanying me with this trust

that your death
has created between the two of us.

You can give me noth ng.

can give you nothing

That is why you understand me. '

'What do you want now, youth.

you impudent delight of life?'

Dead dogs

don't bite.

Atoast to our host.

-Ja me G de Biedma.
-Cheers!

Francisco Franco Bahamonde.

Dead!

*l won't drink

to Franco's death.
After all, we let him die n his s eep.

t' be hard for women to bury him.

Shut up! You've always got
V rg nia Woo f up your cunt.

-Don't be vulgar.
-Let's drop the subject, shall we?

All this talk ng
m ght bring him back to life.

You lot d dn't have t so bad.

The trouble is, you want it all.

Money.

a clear conscience..

Why don't you admit
you're all right-wing?

don't have any troub e about it.

'm right-wing.

want a good car, a good house.

want to be rich
'm right-wing

want to be rich
'm right-wing

You lout.

The lad d d his military serv ce
n the ,lite corps and that

left its mark on him.

The oven's use ess
've told h m t needs changing

-but he won't sten.
- t smells good

You're a great cook.
Are you all right?

Everyone's th rsty.

The most charming lady of the party.

Go on.

s he angry?

-My little soldier boy!
-Can't you see l'm doing the food?

One day the food, then the ironing.

-then the wash ng. .
-Fuck off!

Don't g ve me advice.
G ve me addresses

Where's the ce?

Te me, Juan.

What would have happened if Teresa

had married Pijoaparte?

He'd have beaten her to death

Don't provoke him, Jaime.

think that democracy w see

the birth of a modern, new nation ..
but at the wrong moment.

And that nothing

we do will make us any younger.

But Ja me.

everyone's expecting you
to make a comeback as a poet.

'd already said all l had to say.

And that's all, folks

Three short books of poems

that fit into a single vo ume.

But. .

Drop it.

With each unwrtten book
his fame increases.

-l suggest we found a new religion.
-By God, no!

-l'm still traumatised by Catho cism
-Don't worry.

n my relig on the faithful

will meet at nightfall to dr nk

and forget about each day's shame.

All will be love and poetry.

'll trans ate: everybody
will fuck more. l'll dr nk to that.

-Cheers
-Cheers

-What a snowfall!
-And we hadn't realised.

-Take care. Jaime.
-You too.

The end of an age.

Bye, Jaime.

What about them?

Why aren't they leaving?

They've got chains

Toni!

We have a bad poem.

As we're not doing t for cash,
no-one will justify us.

You think 'm an unjustified poet.

No, no, no

You're a tutti-frutt poet

'Beneath the zenithal lemons.

my joy saved by strawberries.

Eat ng plum ..''

What does your family do?

Don't you ke poetry?

'm not as clever as your boyfriend

He's not my boyfriend

So who is he?

Aspec al friend.

You're one too, aren't you?

No.

'm his s ave.

His slave?

But he doesn't mistreat you

Slaves shou dn't be mistreated. .

just treated ke slaves, that's a .

Really?

How are slaves treated?

Like this?

Or this...?

You a planned this!

What are you doing?

-What. .?
-Keep away from him!

What are you doing, you animal?

Hit me aga n and we're through

Let's get out of here!

What's the matter?

-Get out!
-All right, all right.

All rght!

Oh dear ..

just when l'd found
a ne with no fru t

You think th s is funny?

This s appalling.

What the hell have you done?

Who are you to throw people
out of my home?

-Our home!
-Ah. really?

The Count and Countess of U tramont?

Don't treat me like a faggot!

No?

How shall l treat you?
Like a ..

-gypsy?
-Say that again.

Well. well, the little
gypsy bastard's pissed off.

The one who was go ng to look after me

Get out!

Out of my house!

What are you laughing at?

Pijoaparte.

Take the car keys.

Go

The fact that life was to be taken
seriously we understand only later

Like all young people,

was go ng to change the world.

wanted to make my mark

and withdraw to applause.

Grow ng old. dying..

t was all a question
of the s ze of the theatre.

But time has passed

and l see the unpleasant truth.

Grow ng old. dying..

is the play's only plot

You can't wa t here.
Sit in the stalls

-or wait for me in the caf,.
-All right.

Why have you left your retinue

and your snow-wh te horses

to stroll through such a dark place
n the company of a barbarian?

Ho d on.

Ho d on a minute, Pep.

l don't know
what's wrong with you, Pep

You're a good actor, all right?

Right. From now on,
when you come out here,

do me a fucking favour
and eave your personal problems

in the dressing room.

want to get out, Jaime. .
don't know what l want.

Didn't you want to get experience
in Los Ange es or New York?

-And didn't you talk me out of it?
-No. Pep.

t's a question of what you want.
What you want

What are you doing?

can't always be th nking of peop e.

f l want to kiss you, w .

Just remember that till my mother d es

'm not a queer.

Bah! Come on

CONSULS OF SODOM

t could be that new v rus.

-A DS.
-The one that affects homosexuals?

Yes. Kaposi's sarcoma s one of
the nesses deriving from the virus.

We could ask for more tests

but there's no point here

Go to Paris or New York.

Pars then. Don't they call
it the d sease of love?

'll go to the H*tel
des lnvalides f poss ble.

Will l ose my mental faculties?

lt's possib e.

Have you any relatives?

Or close friends?

Yes.

No interruptions

What's the matter?

've got Kaposi's cancer

l don't want you
going through th s. Pep.

ought to d e on my own.

'm not leaving you on your own.

'll take care of you

Who'll ook after you
when you're sick?

That's n the future.
Maybe there'll be a cure by then.

Have you ever taken
time out to look at swans

with their
disproportionately long necks?

They look almost monstrous..

but end just n t me

That's how Bel was.

So beautiful

Bursting with energy...

and with a tragic aura
and a c ownish side to her

that was always there.

wonder how many l've given it to.

Don't think about that

The past doesn't matter now

Life is sometimes so short

and comp ete that a m nute,
when let it and you let it,

runs faster and lasts a ong t me

Life is sometimes richer

and during the week inv tes us both
to go together into ts palace

or on Sundays to jerk and jolt.

t's then that life can be counted
n units of your love

so small that they are forgotten
amid the happiness.

amid the confusion

Life somet mes is so litt e

and so intense.
if that's your pleasure...

Even the pain you cause me

brings another meaning
to being of this word.

Life, then, is us

to the most evil extreme

For lov ng each other s a punishment

and ving together an abyss.

thought so.

Love poems.

Don't worry, you'll grow out of it.

Don't listen to me.

Deep down. l envy you

There's on y one way
to experience poetry

and that's when you're young.

Write about love

or trams..

But wrte.

-Jaime.
-Yes?

They're waiting for us.

-Thank you.
-Not at all.

Pep ..

Yes?

After supper..

l want to get lost
in the darkness of the night.

Alone.

So what now?

Nothing.

JAlME G L DE BlEDMA DlED
AT HlS HOME lN BARCELONA

JAlME G L DE BlEDMA DlED
AT HlS HOME lN BARCELONA

ON 8TH JANUARY, 1990.
AT THE AGE OF 60