Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

[triumphant jazzy fanfare]

♪ ♪

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

[solemn trumpet-led music]

♪ ♪

[dog barking]

♪ ♪

[car engine chugging]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

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[man yelling unintelligibly]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[upbeat jazz music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

[high-pitched trumpet note]

[upbeat jazz music]

[applause]

♪ ♪

[applause]

[police siren wailing faintly]

[lively jazz music]

[cheers and applause]

Dizzy: Ah.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to our little show.

Tonight, we got ourselves

a bona fide, multiplicitous

conglomeration of Cubanos

on this here stage tonight.

[cheers and applause]

We got Paquito D’Rivera!

Ha-ha-ha-ha.

[cheers and applause]

We got Ignacio Berroa!

[drum music]

[applause]

And...

we got my newest

Cuban son,

Arturo Sandoval.

[cheers and applause]

Here by special permission of the Cuban government.

[cheers and applause]

- [clears throat] I’d like to say something.

Eh, ever since I was a little boy and, uh,

since the first time I heard his music,

I had a dream to be able to play with Maestro Dizzy Gillespie.

So to me, right now, life is truly a dream.

[cheers and applause]

Mari. Mari, it’s me, Arturo.

- Arturo, where are you?

- I’m in Athens.

Are you okay?

- Yes.

- Listen, Mari, you’re in London.

This is it. We’re halfway there.

It’s all arranged.

- Tonight?

- I will be in Italy tomorrow.

- Be careful.

- I’ll call you when I get there.

- Tell ’em make sure none of that feta cheese.

Got that? Un-feta.

- You got it, Dizzy.

Don’t go away.

[speaks Spanish]

Tranquilo, Arturo. What’s going on?

- Quick, give me a cigarette.

My wife and son are in London.

- They’re where?

[suspenseful music]

- We’re not going back.

- [speaks Spanish]

- Paquito, it’s not done yet.

♪ ♪

- It’s okay. Don’t worry.

We’ll get you out, huh?

♪ ♪

Dizzy: Arturo, man, let’s go. I called the embassy.

They expecting us.

♪ ♪

What’s the matter?

- I still got family there, Diz.

When you leave the government,

they punish the people that you leave behind,

the people you love.

- Well, then, are you sure you want to do this?

♪ ♪

- I’ve been in jail all my life.

♪ ♪

You know, freedom’s a scary thing, but, uh...

I got to do it, man. I got to get on the bird.

- Well, come on. Let’s do it then.

♪ ♪

[dog barking faintly]

- The embassy’s closed, sir.

- You better get it open.

We got ourselves an international incident.

My Cuban friend here’s--

- Sir, the embassy’s closed.

- Not for me, it ain’t. I’m Dizzy Gillespie.

- Open the gate, Sergeant.

- Yes, sir.

[police siren wailing]

- It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Gillespie.

We got your call.

You must be Arturo Sandoval.

- Yeah, that’s the second-greatest

trumpet player in the world.

[gate clangs]

- Someone should be--

ah, there you are.

- Good evening, gentlemen.

I should say good morning.

I’m Michael Tasker.

I’m a big fan, Mr. Gillespie.

- Thank you.

This is my man, Arturo Sandoval.

- Arturo Sandoval, yes.

Petition for asylum.

- Yes.

- Look, how long this gonna take?

- Well, red tape respects no boundaries, Mr. Gillespie.

That’s an international fact of life.

If you’d like to wait-- - This is the American embassy.

I know you got some apple pie around here.

- I think we can arrange something.

- [laughs]

Now, you be cool.

- Okay, thank you, Diz. - All right.

- Enjoy. Right this way.

- Yes.

- You know, Mr. Gillespie is one of the few people

who can open this place in the middle of the night.

Uh, have a seat, and... - Yes.

- I’ll be back in a moment.

- Thank you.

- Coffee?

- Uh, thank you, yes.

[lights click]

♪ ♪

- I’m scared.

♪ ♪

- Trust me.

♪ ♪

[footsteps tapping]

♪ ♪

- Mr. Sandoval.

I think I should explain.

There are certain criteria that must be met

before we can grant asylum.

An individual must prove that he is unable to return

to his homeland for fear of persecution.

- Yes, I understand. That’s why I’m here.

- Now, you’ve been touring

with Mr. Gillespie’s United Nation Band.

Are you here with your family?

- No, no, my wife and son,

they’re waiting for me in London.

- You’re seeking asylum for them as well?

- Yes.

Is there a problem?

- I ju--I just need some information.

[pen clicking]

Okay, uh, so you’ve been a musician for how many years?

- Eh, since I was, um, six years old.

I taught my cat how to, uh, walk on a tightrope

while I played the bongos.

It was, like, an animal act.

- And, uh, you were educated at a government-run music school?

- Yes.

- Oh, so you were classically trained?

- Yes.

- Now, it says here-- it says you were a member

of the Cuban music academy.

Is that right?

- Yes.

- Is that a state-sponsored organization?

- Yes.

- Your first professional job-- what is that, Orquestra Cu--

- Cuban Modern Music Orchestra.

- Government-sponsored.

- Yes, of course.

If the government doesn’t sponsor it, it doesn’t exist.

- Yeah, well, maybe I’m missing something here,

because, you see, it seems that, on paper,

that the government treated you quite well.

They certainly supported you as a musician.

- Yes, yes.

[upbeat trumpet music]

Yes, as long as I did what they wanted.

[upbeat instrumental music]

♪ ♪

[elephant trumpeting]

♪ ♪

[crowd exclaims]

[elephants trumpeting]

[all scatting]

♪ ♪

[cheers and applause]

♪ ♪

[all scatting]

all: ♪ Bah ♪

[laughter]

- That’s the shit. That’s it.

man: Yeah, yeah.

- That’s what we should be playing.

- I know!

Start a band and get on the bird and fly!

[cheers and applause]

[laughter] man: Arturo, Arturo.

Arturo: You haven’t changed.

- What for?

- You look good. Very handsome.

Even without the hair, you look very, very, handsome.

So, Jaime, what’s this about? What’s going on?

- Nothing, just come-- come on in, come in, guys.

Relax. Please, sit down.

Here, don’t burn my couch, huh?

- Jaime, why are we here?

What is this meeting about?

- Well, simply, compañero Somavilla

brought a matter to my attention.

- Well, um, I just mentioned to, uh, Jaime that, um,

you want to start your own band, hmm?

Jaime: Your own band-- it’s a good idea.

It’s a shame we just can’t do it.

Caballeros, I’m an artist, just like you are.

I understand the need to invoke the muse.

But as Cubans, we have to present a united front,

politically and musically.

And destroying the Orquesta is not in our interests right now.

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

We do not want to destroy anything, okay?

- No, just the best band in Cuba, that’s all.

- There’s plenty of room for another great band in Cuba.

- Arturo, normally I would agree with you,

but we’re living in times of scarcity now.

Somavilla: Exactly.

Besides, I just can’t see why

you can’t play what you want in the Orquesta.

- In the Orquesta, we play what you want us to play.

- We need to experiment.

- No, you don’t want to experiment.

You just don’t want to play our music.

You want to play their music,

the music of the enemy.

- What is the music of the enemy?

What does that mean? - Music has no--

- That’s enough!

Our comrades are losing their lives in Angola now.

You guys are thinking about your little music,

uh, just about yourself.

There’s no time for that.

There are limits.

Bien? There are limits!

[whooping and gunshots on TV]

- [speaking Spanish]

Ramon, Ramon, leave the cowboys alone.

- Hey, I never saw that picture before.

- I don’t care. This is dominoes.

Ramon: Okay, okay.

man: Pay attention to the game.

Ramon: Hey, Cirita, one more coffee, please.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait. No, it’s not your turn.

- I’ll make some more. - Penalty.

man: Not your turn.

- [speaking Spanish] - [exclaims]

- Gracias, Mama.

- Cirita, mmm, your coffee

is like a wake-up kiss in the morning.

♪ Cirita, bonita ♪

[singing in Spanish]

- Ah. [laughs]

- Gracias.

- Ooh!

[dogs barking]

Tastes like the fourth time through on these grounds.

- Yeah. - Ooh, oof.

- You boys want to play?

- Maybe later, Papi.

- [speaks Spanish]

Arturo, this is going nowhere.

You heard Jaime.

They pull us out of venues. They pull the equipment.

- No, they won’t ever do it.

We’ll be so good, they’ll have to support us.

- You know, how are you gonna get them to support a jazz band?

- Mm, never call it jazz.

Don’t ever even use the word.

- They’ll know. They’ll hear it.

- Paquito, these guys, they’re not musicians.

They’re bureaucrats.

You’re Cuban; I’m Cuban.

Chucho’s Cuban.

Whatever we play is gonna be Cuban music.

- We’ll need some kind of camouflage, you know?

[upbeat jazz music]

- Congas.

- Yeah! Big ones.

♪ ♪

both: Up front.

- [laughs]

♪ ♪

[all singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- [singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

[all singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[upbeat electronic piano music]

♪ ♪

[energetic saxophone music]

[upbeat jazz music]

♪ ♪

[all singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

Arturo: We called ourselves Irakere.

It’s an African word meaning "jungle."

And we played jazz,

but we gave it, you know, our own swing.

- Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Excuse me.

But they didn’t stop you. And this band was a success.

- Yes, the camouflage we had worked.

- I mean, you toured extensively.

You--you did a record for CBS.

You even won a Grammy.

And it seems like the government didn’t really care

what you were playing.

- Well, you know, they chose not to notice

because we were making a lot of money for them.

- Well, I, uh--I imagine you were making some money

for yourself as well.

Arturo: It doesn’t work that way.

The clubs, they pay the Ministry of Culture directly.

All we got was meal money.

- So you know you can make a lot more money

if you weren’t in Cuba.

- It’s not about the money.

It’s about the music.

- Well, they let you play the kind of music that you wanted--

American jazz and Gershwin and Ellington--

- But you’re always taking a risk, because in Cuba,

you never know where the line is.

You can play Gershwin once too often.

- Not being able to play Gershwin

does not constitute persecution.

- It is if someone decides that it’s counterrevolutionary

and they come they put you in jail.

Because in Cuba, you live with that fear every day

that someone might come to you,

to your house, to your family,

and hurt you because of a song.

Just a song.

And that is persecution.

- Well, if you felt that strongly about it,

why didn’t you defect earlier?

- I was about to.

In my mind, I had it all planned out.

Michael: But you stayed.

Arturo: Come on, let’s go!

Life has its own plan.

Come on, let’s go!

Come on!

Come on, let’s go.

I’m here! Let’s go!

The bus is coming!

Come on!

What are you waiting for?

What are you waiting for?

If you don’t get this one,

there won’t be another bus for hours!

- I’m--I’m with him. Arturo: Come on!

[crowd speaking unintelligibly]

I’ve been here all along.

Right here.

She’s with me. - Hmm.

- She’s, uh, the love of my life.

By the way, what’s your name?

♪ Marianela, Marianela, Marianela ♪

♪ When she walks ♪

♪ All the buses, they have to stop ♪

♪ And when she laughs ♪

♪ She has to cry ♪

What’s wrong?

- My mother just died.

A week ago.

- I’m sorry.

Did your mother have something against laughing?

Where are you going?

- This is my stop.

- Really? Mine too.

- What a coincidence.

[light instrumental music]

Arturo: I want to see you before I go.

- What’s the point if you are leaving?

- Why does there have to be a point?

- When does your tour finish?

- It’s in a month.

Let’s have dinner.

- Ask me when you get back.

- No, that’s too long.

I need to see you before I go.

- What’s the hurry?

- Well, I’m afraid, uh, you might forget me.

♪ ♪

- That’s very unlikely.

- Eh...

Excuse me, eh, do you work here at the foreign trade ministry?

- Sí.

Don’t tell me that you work here as well.

- No, no.

I don’t think so.

- Is there a problem?

- No, no, no problem. No problem.

♪ ♪

♪ Marianela, Marianela, Marianela ♪

I’m gonna see you before I go.

♪ ♪

That’s a warning!

[dog barking]

- Compañera, these are the East German purchases.

- I’ll record them.

Emilia: You mean she sold everything?

- And she actually left.

- To Miami?

- Both kids, the mother,

the father, the grandmother,

on a raft.

- Ay-yi-yi, this is Cuca we’re talking about.

- What happened to Cuca?

- They left a couple of weeks ago from Cojímar,

about 3:00 in the morning, ooh!

- The whole family?

- Yes, the whole family. Even the dog.

- The dog?

- Good thing she escaped.

- She didn’t escape, Emilia. She gave up.

She gave up because things got a little tough.

- She wanted to go shopping in Miami.

- Please, she bought everything she could in Havana.

[phone rings, laughter]

- Hello?

Arturo: May I speak to Marianela, please?

- Marianela, for you.

- How are you?

Arturo: Marianela.

- Sí?

Arturo: Arturo.

- Who?

Arturo: Arturo Sandoval.

What, you don’t remember me?

- Of course I remember you.

It’s been less than an hour.

Arturo: Listen, eh, you like baseball?

- Do I like baseball?

[tender trumpet playing]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What are you doing out here?

- This is where I practice.

I like to come here ’cause the music, you know,

my playing, it comes back to me like a wave.

- What were you playing?

- Something I just wrote.

- What is it called?

- "Marianela."

[seagulls squawking]

[both chuckle]

Really.

Put your hand on my heart.

Right here.

♪ ♪

[mellow instrumental music]

♪ ♪

- Nice.

- Nice.

- What’s her name?

[laughter]

- Marianela. - Mm.

Where does she live?

- None of your business.

[laughter]

- She was that little waitress we were chasing around the club,

the one with the... - You were chasing.

Marianela works for the government.

man: The government?

- You think I’m crazy?

- I think you’re in love,

and that’s a dangerous place to be.

- What are you talking about?

- Arturo...

[speaking Spanish]

You know I want to leave. I can’t take my family.

You, you’re free.

You get on that plane, you never come back.

You get hooked, you’re stuck.

Don’t complicate your life, hermano, okay?

[distant music playing]

♪ ♪

[dog barking]

Arturo: There she is.

♪ ♪

What do you think?

- Mm.

♪ ♪

Man, it’s worse than I thought.

Be careful, Arturo, you know how it works.

They take a spy, and they dress her up

to look like the woman of your dreams.

♪ ♪

Marianela: It must be quite a temptation for you.

- What?

- Traveling to all those countries.

Nice cars, nice clothes.

Do you ever want to get off the plane and not come back?

You know what, Arturo?

You’d miss Cuba.

You’d miss the way everything smells like sugar.

You’d miss the baseball.

You’d miss our music.

- I’m still sitting here.

- I don’t understand why people leave Cuba.

Especially you,

who’s gotten so many things from the revolution.

- Marianela,

my talent comes from God, not Fidel.

Do I have "defector" written on my forehead?

What are we talking about here?

- Do you get this nervous on stage?

- Only at auditions.

How am I doing?

- I’m still sitting here.

[Arturo yells unintelligibly]

- Wait!

Wait!

- Hey, this is Marianela!

When she walks, all the buses have to stop!

- That was the last bus.

- That was the only bus.

[man shouts in Spanish, horn honks]

Okay, okay.

Okay.

[sighs]

Well, what are you gonna do?

- I don’t know.

[man yells inaudibly]

I could stay at my friend’s apartment.

I should go home.

[sighs]

It was a lovely day.

- Yes.

- Thank you.

- You’re welcome.

- Good night.

[light instrumental music]

- I’ll walk you there. Come on.

- No, no, it’s okay. No, it’s--

- It’s okay? Okay, then, let’s go.

Come on.

I’ll protect you.

♪ ♪

- I also was married.

It was a mistake.

The husband, not the son.

- You have a son?

- Yes. He’s eight.

- Eight?

- I was very young. - Hmm.

Very young.

He lives here?

[unintelligible chatter]

♪ ♪

- It’s not much further.

[cat mewls]

♪ ♪

[man speaking Spanish]

[woman speaking Spanish]

[baby crying]

[knocking]

Emilia?

Emi.

She must be staying at the colonel’s house.

- The colonel?

- Yes.

- She has a colonel?

- Yes.

[lock clicks]

Thank you for the walk.

Good night.

♪ ♪

- Mari.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Are you really leaving tomorrow?

- That’s what I told you, yes.

- Will you promise me you won’t come back?

- I don’t understand. What are you trying to say?

- Promise me you won’t come back,

and I’ll be with you tonight.

- Why?

♪ ♪

- Because I’m afraid I might fall in love with you.

♪ ♪

It would never work.

We are too different.

- Different is good.

- No, promise me this will be our only night.

♪ ♪

- Um, I don’t understand.

If I promise you, uh, you won’t--

you’ll be with me tonight?

♪ ♪

Okay, I promise.

- I’m serious.

- [sighs]

Promise me.

♪ ♪

- I promise.

♪ ♪

[dog barking]

[muted trumpet music]

♪ ♪

[light instrumental music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Mariana: I’ll be there in a minute!

- Smells good!

Come on, Willis.

Come on, Willis.

[jazz music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Willis: Hey, there, this is Willis Conover,

bringing you jazz on the Voice of America.

♪ ♪

- Yeah, that’s a good one, Willis.

- What are you listening to?

- "Dizzy’s Atmosphere."

Dizzy Gillespie.

Charlie Parker. "Live at Carnegie Hall."

1947.

Side B.

Track two.

- You know what I mean.

♪ ♪

- It’s just music.

Great music.

- You’re not supposed to listen to that station.

♪ ♪

- Now we’re safe.

- It’s not funny.

We could get in trouble.

- Believe me, I know.

I spent four months in military jail

for listening to that.

I think I earned the right.

♪ ♪

- Time to go.

[radio clicks, music stops]

You have your tour, and I have my work.

[romantic guitar music]

♪ ♪

- What are you doing?

- Shh.

♪ ♪

- What are you doing?

♪ ♪

- Memorizing your face.

♪ ♪

- Oyeme!

We going?

♪ ♪

What?

♪ ♪

[women singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- Tell me one thing, Emi.

Can the colonel dance?

- Please.

- Do you love him?

- Ay, chica.

Arturo: ♪ Marianela, Marianela, Marianela ♪

♪ ♪

Come on, let’s go.

♪ ♪

I’m here!

♪ ♪

- See you tomorrow.

- [laughs]

[sweeping instrumental music]

♪ ♪

[cheers]

- You promised you wouldn’t come back.

- The last promise I ever break to you.

♪ ♪

Michael: So she wasn’t an informer?

- No, of course not.

Michael: But she did work for the government.

- Yes.

- And she’s still a member of the Party.

- Yes.

- As an active member.

- No. Not anymore.

She sees things completely differently now.

- Well, that’s convenient,

now that you’re seeking asylum.

- Convenient?

- Well, it seems that her politics

didn’t really bother you.

- I never said that.

We had many disagreements about politics.

- You had disagreements?

You claim to be on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

How do you expect me to believe that two people that far apart

could stay together?

[upbeat jazz music]

[man singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- [speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

- Ah-ha.

- [speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

Cómo?

♪ ♪

- [speaking Spanish]

♪ ♪

Papi and Leonel,

this is Arturo.

♪ ♪

- [clears throat]

♪ ♪

Mucho gusto, Señor Sosa.

♪ ♪

[record scratches, music stops]

- Leonel.

Say hello to Arturo.

Leonel!

I’m sorry. I’ll be back.

Papi. Papi.

- What’s so great about him?

- He’s funny.

He makes me feel good.

- You are the musician.

- Trumpet player.

- Trumpet player.

[scoffs]

Mr. Trumpet Player...

may I know what are your intentions with, uh--

with my daughter?

- I want to marry her.

- Mm-hmm.

- I want to have a son with her.

I want to live with her for the rest of my life.

- She never mentioned that to me.

- I haven’t asked her yet.

Look, Señor Sosa, with all due respect,

eh, I know when you look at me, I know what you’re thinking.

I’m a musician, she’s your daughter--

- I suppose you would like to move into my house.

Hmm?

- Yes, for a little bit. Yes.

- Mm-hmm.

- I have something for you.

It’s soap from London for you.

- You keep it.

You know Félix Chapottín?

- Yes, of course.

I was admiring your taste in music.

- Now, he was a trumpet player.

Arturo: You like baseball?

Maybe we can go see my favorite team,

los Industriales.

- You’re trying to make me like you.

- How am I doing?

Not good, huh?

Let’s try a bribe.

Sandwich?

No?

It’s turkey.

Turkey sandwich.

When’s the last time you had a turkey sandwich?

- Never.

Where do you get it?

- Right there.

- Gracias.

- That’s not turkey.

- What is it?

- That’s vulture.

- Vulture?

No, it’s not.

It’s turkey from heaven.

Mmm.

- [speaks Spanish]

Emilia: Bad news, Marianela.

Bad news.

- You know him?

- Who doesn’t know him?

- Is he in the Party?

- [speaking unintelligibly]

- I don’t think he’s in anything.

- He belongs to a different world, Mari.

Different way of thinking.

I don’t understand you and neither will anybody else.

You have a good position here,

a wonderful reputation.

Why do you want to risk it?

- I’m old enough to know what I’m doing, Emilia.

- Not as old as his first wife.

- You know his first wife?

- Chica, Alba Marina.

- Alba Marina?

The singer?

- Honey, what else don’t you know about

the man you’re gonna marry?

- We hear what they want us to hear, okay?

We play what they want us to play.

No, no, no.

You know what we’re missing, brother?

You know what we’re missing?

Miles Davis,

Charles Mingus,

Maynard Ferguson.

While the rest of the world is painting goddamn rainbows,

we, we paint in one color.

Forget it. Me?

I’m getting out of here.

- What about your family?

- I’ll get them out somehow.

- Look.

- I’m sick and tired of playing these fucking games!

- Hey.

Be careful, huh?

Everybody in Cuba has an ear.

And not only for music.

[dog barking]

[ominous music]

♪ ♪

- Where have you been?

- Shh.

Marianela: What is it?

Arturo: Somebody’s following me.

- What?

- Somebody’s following me.

♪ ♪

- He was not supposed to be following you.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

You know him?

- He’s a friend of Emilia’s.

- Emilia?

- He was only supposed to ask around.

He’s been looking for things.

- What?

- About you.

- About me? - Shh.

Arturo: Why?

- Because I asked him to.

- You asked him?

- Yes.

- If you want to know something about me,

why don’t you ask me?

- Because I don’t know if I can trust you.

- You don’t trust me?

I have told you everything.

- That’s not true.

You never told me about Alba Marina.

- Alba Marina? - Shh.

Arturo: I told you I was married!

Marianela: Not to Alba Marina.

- What difference does it make?

Do you have any doubts that I love you?

- Listen, Arturo.

I had one husband walk out on me.

- He walked out on you and your son.

- Yes, and I won’t go through that again.

- Don’t compare me... - Shh!

- To him!

[door slams]

- [speaks Spanish]

[mellow instrumental music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Go home. - [yells]

[gasps]

[gasping and panting]

- You all right?

You’re not gonna have a heart attack on me now, are you?

- Oh, my, you scared the hell out of me.

[panting]

I’m better now. I’m better now.

- Well, stop following me.

I’m not coming around here no more.

- Oh, no.

Oh, no, no, you--you were such a nice couple.

Oh. - Thanks.

You gonna make it home okay?

- Can’t go home.

- Why?

- Because my wife kick me out.

[cat mewls]

Did you hear the one about Fidel’s zoo?

Arturo: No.

[laughter]

- Okay, listen.

In 1960, there was a sign there saying,

"Please don’t feed the animals."

Okay, in 1970,

they changed that sign for another one saying,

"Please don’t eat the animals’ food."

Yesterday, they changed the sign for another one saying,

"Please don’t eat the animals."

[both laughing]

Isn’t that funny?

- You’re a comedian.

man: No, no, no, no. - Oh.

- I am an orthopedist. - [laughs]

- No, no, no, don’t laugh. It’s true!

Yes, a bone surgeon. Crrrkk.

Yes, that’s me. Yeah.

- I’m honored.

A specialist. I’m honored, Doctor.

- Oh, no, no, no.

You know, the real money’s in the taxi business.

You know, I have a cousin who drives a taxi,

and, you know, he gets a lot of money.

I endorse, endorse, that’s very important.

- He’s a doctor too?

- Don’t laugh.

Physicist.

[both laughing]

We have the most talented taxi drivers in the world!

[both laughing]

- [laughing] Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

[seagulls squawking]

- Artu.

[surf crashing]

- How did you find me?

- The doctor brought me.

The shawl is beautiful.

- You should have asked me about Alba.

- I came here to--

- I’m not finished.

- Arturo--

- I’m not finished.

- What do you want to say?

- I don’t know.

[gentle instrumental music]

- Arturo,

what I feel about you,

I’ve never felt it before.

I don’t know how to feel it.

I don’t trust it.

♪ ♪

- What if I told you that I love you?

Just because I love you.

No reason. I just love you.

I love you the first time I saw you.

You’re here with me now, and I love you.

I love you.

You could send a hundred guys to follow me,

and that’s all they’re ever gonna find out,

is that I love you.

I love you.

♪ ♪

You trust me?

♪ ♪

["Wedding March" playing]

[upbeat instrumental music]

[drums beating]

- [speaking Spanish] - Hey!

- You found yourself a good woman,

and you’re gonna be a great father

and a great husband.

- Gracias.

- Great father, great husband,

but lousy domino player.

[upbeat music]

♪ ♪

- [speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

[speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

[speaking Spanish]

♪ ♪

[lively saxophone music]

♪ ♪

- Sounds like a wedding to me!

- Emi!

- Hi, chica.

[laughs]

You look amazing.

- Oh, thank you.

Where is everybody?

- Oye, oye.

Don’t I get to kiss the groom?

- Once.

- Come on!

Okay, hello!

Hola!

Havin’ a good time.

Yes! I told ya.

Whoo!

♪ ♪

Hey! [laughs]

[speaking Spanish] - Thank you.

- Oye, you better be good to her,

or I’m gonna have to talk to the colonel.

- Oh, no, no, I promise. I promise.

- Okay. [speaks Spanish]

- I promise.

- [speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

[slow jazz music]

♪ ♪

[all speaking unintelligibly]

Sí. - [laughs]

- Well, you know, uh, Rosalina has a migraine.

Poor thing.

- And what about Yami?

- Mm.

Militia duty.

- What about the rest?

- I’m here. I came, didn’t I?

[car horn honking]

I’m sorry, Marianela. I have to go.

- Is that the colonel?

- Mm-hmm.

- Ask him in! He’s welcome here.

- Ay, chica.

I’m sorry. I really have to go.

Mm.

[mellow jazz music]

You look wonderful.

You look like... a virgin.

♪ ♪

- Emilia! [speaks Spanish]

- All right, all right, I’m coming.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- What’s wrong?

- They didn’t come.

- Who?

- My friends.

None of them are here.

♪ ♪

- If they didn’t come, they’re not your friends.

♪ ♪

[baby cooing]

♪ ♪

- [speaking Spanish]

[baby crying]

[piano notes playing]

- Yeah. Mira, mira.

[piano music]

[baby crying]

[singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- Who’s coming?

- Dizzy! Dizzy Gillespie!

- What kind of name is Dizzy?

- His name.

- You really expect me to get this thing running?

- You’re the best.

- He’s better than the best. [laughs]

- I’m not this good.

Bury it.

[metallic clanking]

That’s the wrong size tire.

- It’s round.

[boat horn blaring]

- [chuckling]

How you doing? - Good. I’m fine.

- Welcome to Cuba, Mr. Gillespie.

- Thank you.

- Welcome to the beautiful Havana, sir.

- Mr. Gillespie, first thing we’re gonna do is,

we’re gonna tour one of our internationally renowned

health care facilities.

- Well, thank you, but my health don’t need caring.

Can you take me to Chano Pozo’s crib?

man: Eh, Chano Pozo’s crib?

Chano Pozo-- - You don’t know who Chano is?

- Yeah, Chano Pozo... [murmuring unintelligibly]

- I know who Chano is.

- This has nothing to do with you.

- No, no, no, hold--hold on a second.

Can you take me to his crib?

- His crib?

Yes, yes, of course.

- Mr. Gillespie, we have a tour.

We have the entire day planned out for you, sir.

- Please.

- That’s okay, that’s-- thank you very much.

My boys’ll go on tour with you.

Go with ’em. Enjoy yourselves.

- Mr. Gillespie, it’s a real honor, sir.

- What is this?

- It’s my car.

- Keep telling yourself that.

- Yes, sir.

Watch your foot there. Okay, here we go.

[door slamming and creaking]

Okay, here we go.

It’s okay, thank you.

- You sure you know who Chano Pozo is?

- Mr. Gillespie, Luciano Pozo y Gonzales.

Better known as Chano.

Cuban conga player you met in 1946.

Chano’s from Belén, which is just up the street here.

Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo

added a whole new polyrhythmic structure to jazz.

- Yeah, you read the liner notes.

- Mr. Gillespie, I’ve read everything

there is to read about--

- I got to tell you something, man.

Your car smell funny.

[inhales sharply]

Gasoline.

- Gasoline and tar.

I painted it with gasoline and tar.

- Gasoline and tar? - Yes, sir.

- Now, you’re supposed to put the car on the road,

not the road on the car, you understand what I’m saying?

- [laughing]

[intense percussive music]

♪ ♪

[man singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- [chuckles]

♪ ♪

[people speaking Spanish]

[chuckles]

[people speaking Spanish]

♪ ♪

[chuckles]

♪ ♪

So is there a statue or something?

- A statue? No, there’s no statue, Diz.

- Then take me to Chano Pozo Street.

- Street? No, no, there’s no street.

- Well, what do they got?

- They don’t got anything.

- Well, how do people remember him?

- Most people don’t remember him.

- Oh, man, that’s criminal, man.

One of the greatest players that ever played, yeah.

Chano Pozo transcended the vicissitudes

of the contingent world and moved in a odyssey

into the realm of the metaphysical.

- [laughing]

- I--I’ll bet you Karl Marx got himself a statue.

- A statue and a theater too.

- Yeah, well-- and Karl Marx can kiss

Chano Pozo’s ass.

Arturo: Yeah. [laughing]

Dizzy: Yeah.

- Do you hear it? You hear that?

That’s the sound, Diz. That’s the sound.

Chano Pozo learned how to play the conga

right in this neighborhood.

Dizzy: What’s this, a show or something?

- Yeah.

Well, it’s actually a party.

It’s here every afternoon.

Here, we’ll stop here.

You can shoot as much as you want.

Dizzy: [laughing]

[energetic percussive music]

- [singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- This is Chano’s world.

This is the real thing.

They’re doing a traditional yambú,

dedicated to the city of Belén,

which is where we’re at, where Chano’s from.

- Ah, yeah. Yeah.

- Yeah! [laughs]

♪ ♪

- [speaks Spanish]

[woman singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- Ooh!

[laughs]

[both laughing]

♪ ♪

- [speaking Spanish]

- [exclaiming]

♪ ♪

[laughing]

♪ ♪

- [singing in Spanish]

- Chano!

♪ ♪

You all kept it alive, man.

When they dragged us over to America,

they took our drums, our religion,

our language.

We had to learn theirs.

But the true African heart’s still beating here in Cuba.

I mean, it is what it was. Arturo: Mm.

- There’s more.

A lot more.

- Hey, that reminds me,

they’re putting together some sort of jam session

for me tonight.

Uh, you ever heard of this band

called, uh, Irakere?

- Irakere?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

Yeah, I heard of ’em.

[upbeat jazz music]

♪ ♪

- Mr. Gillespie, you’re about to hear

the best musicians in Cuba.

Like, uh, Paquito D’Rivera.

♪ ♪

- Ah! Ha-ha.

Paquito!

Yeah, I like the sound of that.

Yeah. [laughing]

♪ ♪

all: ♪ Dizzy ♪

[applause]

♪ Dizzy ♪

♪ ♪

- Thank you.

Gracias.

♪ ♪

[lively trumpet solo]

♪ ♪

[upbeat jazz music]

What--what the hell’s my driver doing playing a trumpet?

- Your driver?

- Give me my horn.

♪ ♪

- Cómo?

[cheers and applause]

♪ ♪

all: ♪ Dizzy ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Dizzy ♪

♪ ♪

[trumpet music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[jazz music]

♪ ♪

- [yells unintelligibly]

♪ ♪

[cheers and applause]

The African and the Cuban

transmogrified on the great ethereal plane.

- Dizzy, I smuggled this thing in from Frankfurt.

You know, the government here, they don’t support jazz, Diz.

Soon as you get on that boat tomorrow,

the so-called jazz festival, it’s over.

Musica non grata.

- Oh, musica non grata.

Yeah. [murmurs unintelligibly]

Arturo: That show tonight,

that was just for you, Diz.

It’s not like that every day.

- Mm-hmm.

This your stuff?

[piano music]

- Yeah.

- I didn’t hear any of this tonight.

♪ ♪

- Just some stuff I’m working on.

♪ ♪

- Yeah. That’s nice.

[laughs]

Musica non grata.

You know...

Miles Davis came to me for a trumpet lesson once.

I said, "Let’s go to the piano."

Miles looked at me.

"I don’t play no piano."

I told him, I said,

"The only way you can really get inside the music,

"arranging, the composition, is with the piano.

You learn it, and then we can better understand each other."

- Yeah.

- Why don’t you come go on tour with me?

- Me come with you? - [chuckles]

That horn I heard tonight doesn’t belong to you.

Belongs to the whole world.

Boat leaves mañana.

- Tomorrow?

I wish, Diz.

I wish.

Marianela, you don’t understand.

Dizzy Gillespie saw something in me.

In me.

- So now you want to go away with him, huh?

I don’t know what you want anymore.

You are already in a band.

You tour. You’re famous.

- I’m on display. I am in a cage.

- [sighs]

Don’t be ridiculous.

- I’m in a sanctioned band playing sanctioned songs.

We’re going on tour next week,

and I don’t even feel like going.

The music that I played tonight,

that’s what I need to be playing.

Don’t you want that?

- Of course I do.

You know that I’ve always supported you.

We’re a family.

There are limits.

- Limits?

Who am I talking to here?

- I just don’t see why you have to complicate things.

[airplane engine roaring]

[tires squealing]

man: A new wave of government suppression...

- Look, look, look, look. Look at this.

man: After more than 10,000 Cubans

stormed into the Peruvian embassy

in a desperate attempt to flee the island.

The Castro regime is waging a crackdown on dissent

after a chaotic 48 hours

that began when a Havana bus driver

seeking asylum for himself and his passengers

crashed through the embassy gates,

prompting a crossfire that left one guard dead.

In retaliation for the embassy’s refusal

to turn over the gate crashers,

the Cuban government removed its guard,

triggering a stampede of refuge-seeking Cubans.

Now Castro has sent...

- [speaks Spanish] I left my sax on the plane.

- [chuckles] You forgot your sax?

- Arturo. - Yeah?

- Watch this for me, okay?

- Okay.

- Well, then, hurry up. The plane’s gonna leave soon.

man: Have been asked to avoid the embassy neighborhood

until the crowds have been dispersed.

Police and government forces

are standing by for further orders.

Other embassies...

[solemn jazz music]

♪ ♪

Jaime: Why did we cancel the tour?

We canceled the tour to protect Irakere’s reputation and yours.

Arturo, this is Osvaldo, our compañero

from State Security who attends to us now.

- I’ll call you later.

- Sit down.

As I was saying, Arturo,

Irakere is a very important voice of this revolution.

And so is your voice.

- And so was Paquito’s.

And he betrayed us.

Jaime: And now with Paquito gone,

we think you should play a more prominent role in Irakere.

- Well, you know, I appreciate that, Jaime,

uh, but, uh...

I got some other plans.

- You got some other plans?

Arturo: I want to start my own band.

I want to do some fusion.

I want to expand the whole concept of Cuban music.

I want to bring it to a new international level.

- Your own band.

- Yes, my own band.

- All right, everybody ready at 5:00, okay?

For sound check.

Arturo, it’s out of my hands.

You can’t play here.

- I have been to every club in this town.

- Well, I’m sorry. - I cannot get a gig.

- Word on the inside is, you’re on the outside.

That’s what they say. - Angel, this is your club.

This is your room. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, but I--

- Your room. You love this music.

- Yeah, but-- - But what?

- Arturo,

I’m your friend.

It would make things a lot easier

if you just joined the Party.

Very simple.

What?

Hey, eh, listen!

You don’t have to believe it.

You just sign.

- No.

- You want to play the horn, right?

You got to play the game!

- Okay, partner, watching?

- Go sit down and play with your father, hmm?

- I can’t, Mom.

I got to go.

- Why can’t you stay longer?

Hmm?

- We got to go.

Marianela. Let’s go.

Vámonos.

- Vámonos, vámonos.

You never want to play, heh?

He never wants to play.

- Come, Arturito, play.

Sit down, you got time.

man: Maybe you win.

[laughter]

- Marianela, let’s go!

- I’m coming!

- Hey, Arturo, weren’t you a friend of Paquito D’Rivera?

- I’m still a friend.

- Really? Even after he defected?

- Paquito turned his back on our country.

To me, he’s a traitor.

- He made a choice.

man: He turned his back, and he had it all.

- If he had it all, he wouldn’t have left.

- He’s just another worm.

- A worm? man: Yeah.

- Just like the 100,000 that are leaving

from the port of Mariel by boats?

I guess they got tired of having it all too.

- [speaks Spanish] Arturo, how can you say that?

man: Are you listening to your son?

What do you think of that?

- I think we should play.

It’s my turn. - It’s your turn.

- Marianela, let’s go!

[sighs]

[gate clangs]

Marianela: Arturo.

Arturo, talk to me.

You lose your temper every time we go there.

You can’t even sit down

and play dominoes with your father.

- ’Cause I can’t watch it anymore.

- Well, he likes to play.

What’s wrong with that?

- He’s throwing his life away.

My father used to be a great mechanic,

and they came, and they took his garage away!

Why do you think I bought that car?

Think I bought it for me?

I bought it for him to get him away from that goddamn table.

- Keep your voice down.

- What are you afraid of?

The revolution?

Remember, it gives us everything.

- They didn’t take your father’s garage.

He gave it up.

- They nationalized it!

They--they took away what-- what he believed in!

They took away his dream, his love, his trade,

the thing that he did.

- We all made sacrifices, Arturo.

Arturo: For what?

- For what?

For the country!

For an idea!

Free hospitals. Free education.

- Sure, of course.

- And by the way, those 100,000 people

running away at Mariel, they are giving up!

- Giving up? - Yes!

- That is exactly what they are not doing!

And, by the way, what good is free education

if you can’t read what you want,

if you can’t say what you want?

What good are eyes if everybody’s blind?

- Well, I’ve never heard your father complain!

Arturo: Yeah, not to you.

- Or you!

Your father supports this revolution.

- Because that’s all he’s got left!

If he denounces it now, what does he have?

If he denounces Fidel,

his entire life would be meaningless!

He would’ve given up everything for nothing.

For a fucking lie.

- Turi is sleeping!

The whole neighborhood is sleeping!

- The whole country is sleeping!

And my kids will have to wake up!

My kids will not sleep through this!

Turi! - Arturo.

Arturo! Arturo: Let’s go!

Wake up right now!

- They can hear you down the street.

- Good, let ’em report me to the committee

of the defense of the revolution!

Marianela: Arturo, por favor!

- The Sandoval family will not sleep through this!

Are you listening? Let’s go!

Time to wake up! Let’s go!

This is it!

Nobody’s sleeping in here!

Let’s go!

[trumpet sounds]

[man yelling in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- [yelling in Spanish]

[knocking on door]

man: Hello?

[knocking on door]

Sandoval!

[children yelling]

[knocking on door]

Hello?

Hel--

[chuckles] You gonna sleep all day?

- What do you want?

[car horn honking]

- You can play.

You know, business has been bad,

and you bring in the customers, so...

- How many nights?

- We’ll see how it goes.

[car horn honks]

Arturo: One,

two, one, two, three, four.

[scatting]

♪ ♪

Oye.

[scatting]

Uhh! Okay. Like that.

One, two,

one, two, three, four.

[percussive music]

♪ ♪

[scatting]

[speaking Spanish]

♪ ♪

man: What’s the matter?

You forget how to play the trumpet?

- Oh, no.

Johnny!

What happened?

They kick both of you out of London?

- Hello, darling.

- Good to see you.

- You couldn’t come to our club,

so we came to you.

- We had Dizzy back at the club last week.

- Ah, Diz.

- He couldn’t stop talking about

his Cuban compadre.

- He’s an honorary Cuban now.

- He has a special respect for you.

- Mm.

- And he agrees with me.

You got to be somewhere where your talents

are truly respected.

- [speaking Spanish]

- Leonel.

Not so loud.

- Mami, I just want to hear the end of it.

- Turi, off to bed. It’s late.

Leonel: Papi!

- Sí?

Leonel: You should see this on Ochoa.

- Ochoa?

Leonel: Uh-huh. - Come.

This is, eh, General Ochoa.

Led the troops in Angola.

Fidel proclaimed him the hero of the revolution.

Now he has him on trial.

Johnny: What’s his crime?

- He got too popular.

You see, Johnny, in Cuba, there can only be

one hero of the revolution.

Unless, of course, you’re-- you’re dead,

and then you can be as popular as you want.

- Don’t let Arturo brainwash you, Johnny.

- Hmm.

- Ochoa is only accused of drug trafficking.

- Right, and Mari is the only person in the entire country

who believes that he did it without Fidel’s blessing.

- I don’t even think he did it.

And I’m not the only one.

We have a judicial process here.

He will be exonerated.

- Exonerated? - It’s a fair trial.

- A fair trial? - Yes.

- You’ve been watching this trial for a week,

and it’s not a fair trial.

It’s a farce.

He will end up in the firing squad.

- [speaks Spanish]

They will never execute Ochoa.

- It’s already been fixed.

His lawyer has begged the judge to execute him.

- Oh, stop it.

- His defense attorney

has turned into his prosecutor,

and you call that a fair trial?

[man speaking Spanish on TV]

- I’m so sorry, Sally.

I just wanted tonight to be perfect.

- Oh, darling.

I’ve never had a dinner party without a fight.

Usually, I’m the one who starts them.

- I don’t know what he wants.

He’s so...unhappy.

- Well, of course he is.

He’s a musician.

I’ve been around them for 40 years.

You know, in all that time, I’ve never seen

another one like Arturo.

Arturo: I’d like to dedicate this show tonight

to my main man, my inspiration,

Mr. Dizzy Gillespie.

[applause]

I’d like to play a tune

entitled "Blues for Diz."

[applause]

[muted trumpet solo]

♪ ♪

[mellow jazz music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[energetic trumpet solo]

♪ ♪

- Sorry I’m late.

Mwah.

Mami, this is Paloma.

I’m sorry. - Encantado.

♪ ♪

- [scatting]

♪ ♪

- Emilia.

I’m so glad you could come.

- I wouldn’t miss it.

- Johnny and Sally, our friends from London.

- Hello. How are you?

- [continues scatting]

♪ ♪

- Mari, you have to know something.

People are watching.

[speaks unintelligibly]

There have been reports about him,

about both of you.

- What are you talking about?

- They’re gonna shut him down, Mari.

They’re not gonna let him play after tonight.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- Arturo.

Great, great show.

Oye, you know that if it was up to me,

you could play here every night.

You know that.

[dramatic music]

- You were wonderful.

Artu.

Arturo, wait.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Michael: Why do you think the Cuban government

is so afraid of your music?

- They’re not afraid of my music.

They’re afraid of ideas.

Michael: Oh, come on, Fidel Castro is afraid

of your ideas?

- Fidel Castro is afraid of any idea that’s not his.

You know how he overthrew Batista?

- I know it was a popular revolution.

- It was a popular idea.

It was a great idea.

He promised the Cuban people what they were desperate for--

restoration of a constitution,

democracy, freedom from a dictatorship--

and he did it with 80 people and 50 guns

and a boat that almost sank because somebody left

the toilet running.

- Well, that can’t be all they had.

- That’s all he needed because the idea

gave him the strength of an army.

Marianela: The reason I’ve come here

is to see if maybe I could talk about Arturo,

so he could be allowed to play his music.

- Well, it’s not entirely an issue of music.

- I’m sorry?

- And it isn’t entirely about Arturo.

You were also seen entertaining foreigners in your home.

- Are you questioning my loyalty?

- There is a pattern

of counterrevolutionary behavior.

- With all due respect,

what revolution are you talking about?

- Is there some confusion?

- Apparently.

My revolution doesn’t sound anything like your revolution.

Mine is not about informing on your neighbors.

It’s about creating a new society.

Genuine equality, remember?

A place where our children can thrive.

- I’m sure you will agree

that no country loves its children more than Cuba.

- Until they grow up.

- Compañera...

I know you love your husband, but please,

don’t say something you may regret later.

The revolution needs everyone’s support to survive.

- [scoffs]

Excuse me for saying this,

but if the revolution can’t survive

two people from England having dinner at my house

or a Cuban man playing the music he loves,

why bother trying to save it?

[man speaking Spanish on TV]

- They’re showing this all day long.

- What’s the verdict?

- What do you think?

- He already shot him, Ma.

[somber guitar music]

- Arturo?

Arturo?

♪ ♪

[sighs]

Where did he go?

♪ ♪

Were you there that day when Fidel marched into Havana?

- No.

- I was there.

I was a child.

And I saw him riding in that Jeep.

That beard. That smile.

[melancholy piano music]

He was like a saint.

♪ ♪

And I fell in love.

♪ ♪

I fell in love with Fidel.

I fell in love with his dream.

♪ ♪

It was going to be paradise.

♪ ♪

- Ah, hey.

- I didn’t know, Arturo.

- Come here. - Arturo, I didn’t know.

I didn’t know they would stop you from playing your music.

- I know, babe. Come here.

♪ ♪

My wife got her heart broken.

It’s like finding out that your lover

had been cheating on you all this time.

It was over for her.

- Just so I understand,

what you’re saying is you never sympathized

with the Castro regime.

- Please, Mr. Tasker, I mean no disrespect,

but please, take a piece of pencil and write this down.

I have never, ever, ever sympathized with Fidel Castro.

He--he betrayed the idea.

He broke every promise he ever made.

Please, just write that down.

- This is, uh...

This is from the "London Times" earlier this year.

You’re quoted as making favorable statements

about the Castro regime.

This is from a German newspaper--

Frankfurt, I think--

"The revolution gave me everything I needed."

Is that an accurate quote?

- I said it in Frankfurt. I said it in Stockholm.

I said it in Havana.

I had to say what I had to say.

I had to play the game.

- Well, you have to understand how that looks.

You come in here with an American icon.

You paint yourself as anti-Castro.

- Mr. Tasker, everyone in-- every single person in Havana

has to have a double face in order to survive.

You must understand that. You have to play the game.

Look, please, I plead with you.

My wife and my son... Michael: This--

- Are waiting for me. Michael: This was intercept--

- My son is in London. He’s waiting for me!

- This was intercepted by the U.S. Interests Section

in Havana six months ago.

It confirms your membership in the Communist Party

and your acceptance of all its principles.

Are you a member?

[Arturo singing in Spanish]

Are you a member of the Communist Party?

[Arturo singing in Spanish]

[jazz music]

- [singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

[band playing "Guantanamera"]

♪ ♪

[applause]

Thank you.

Uh, thank you.

Eh...

if you enjoy my music

and the way I play...

It’s because the revolution has given me the opportunity.

Thank you and good night.

[cheers and applause]

♪ ♪

It’s not gonna work out.

- Yes. We’re so close.

Don’t say that.

- He won’t go for it.

- He will.

[man speaks Spanish]

Just do what you have been doing.

Give the government credit for everything.

- Even the air that I breathe.

- A personal gift from Fidel.

Hey...

I thought you only got nervous for auditions.

- What do you think this is?

- Mi socio, all the bookings have been arranged.

Have a good trip, huh?

And be careful with the women over there.

[laughs]

- Jaime, I need a favor.

- A favor?

- I was hoping that my family can join me on this tour.

You know, I’ve been on tour three times this year.

It’s just too much time away. It’s too much.

- Arturo, let me be honest with you.

It’s the United Nation band.

Paquito, Ignacio, two defectors.

We’re concerned that you’re going to be playing

with two counterrevolutionaries, eh...

- It’s not gonna be a problem.

- Are you sure?

- No problem.

- Are you willing to denounce Paquito?

- [inhales and exhales]

No.

- And if a foreign reporter asks you how you feel about Paquito,

what would you say?

- I would say we share the same stage but not the same views.

- Good.

Had you denounced him,

I would’ve known there was something wrong.

Eh, come over here.

Eh? Come on.

I’ll see what I can do.

I’m going to try my best.

Okay, my friend?

Arturo: We can’t tell anybody about our plans.

Not even our parents, okay?

- Okay.

- It’s for their own protection.

And when I leave, it’s got to be

just like any other trip.

No crying, no problem, we just leave, okay?

And when you pack, you have to be careful

that you don’t pack too much.

’Cause you’re gonna call attention to yourself.

- But I’ve got to bring so many things,

and I have to pack for you, for Leonel, for Turi.

Thank God Emilia gave me that suitcase.

- Marianela, Marianela...

They didn’t authorize Leonel’s visa.

He’s of military age.

- But we-- we got permission.

You said we got permission.

- We did, but not Leonel.

I just found out.

- He’s my son. They have to let him go with us.

- He is forbidden to travel.

No exceptions.

- We can’t leave him behind, Arturo.

- We’re gonna find a way to bring him.

- How?

Paquito was going to bring his family,

and they are still here.

We said we would go as a family.

- Marianela, I swear to you I tried,

but there’s no exceptions.

He’s on call for seven years.

- Seven years.

We will wait. That’s not so long.

- Then Turi’s gonna be military age.

That’s another seven years.

Marianela, if we don’t go now, none of us will ever get out.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- You want me to leave my son?

- He’s my son too, you know.

- Then how could you think about leaving him?

You go, Arturo.

- Marianela, listen to me.

You know I’m not gonna go without you anywhere.

♪ ♪

- I won’t leave my boy, Arturo.

- He’s not a boy anymore.

- He’s my son.

♪ ♪

- Listen to me.

No matter how long it takes,

no matter what it takes,

even if I have to come in a boat back to this island,

I will get Leonel and bring him back to us.

I promise you, okay?

He will be with us.

We have to be strong.

Listen, look at me!

We have to be strong.

We have to make the first move,

or else we’re never gonna get our family out.

Come on. Trust me.

Come here.

♪ ♪

- [speaking Spanish]

- Oh. Here, Papi.

- Let me help you with that.

- Eh, no, I got this.

- Come on, it’s my job now.

- I got it.

- All right.

- Nice taxi, Doctor.

- Thank you.

I have realized my full potential.

- I want to go with you, Papi.

- I know, Turi. I know. Mm.

But I’m gonna see you in London in two weeks, okay?

You take care of Mami.

- Take care of yourself.

Be careful.

- Thank you.

- For what?

- For teaching me how to play dominoes.

- You still got a lot more to learn.

- Take good care of the car.

And don’t bury it.

- [laughs]

- I’ll see you soon.

- I’m scared.

- Trust me.

You got to take care of Mami, okay?

And bring her to London.

- We’ll be there in two weeks.

- Turi, Turi, Turi. Turi.

- Play with Grandpa.

Arturo Senior: Turi! - Oops.

- I don’t want to make a scene in front of my mother,

but I don’t want to pretend like I respect you.

- You don’t have all the information.

- You know, I used to think that you were something.

The way you never backed down.

You’re just like the rest of ’em.

- I’m so sorry you feel that way.

- Sorry?

Hey, don’t feel sorry for me.

Be sorry for Turi

because all you ever do is teach him how to sell out.

[solemn trumpet-led music]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- You’re still not packed, huh?

- I don’t know, Papi.

I don’t know what I will need.

- I saw your Mami last night.

♪ ♪

No, in a dream, in a dream.

[speaking Spanish]

[both chuckle]

- How is she?

- She’s worried, mi niña.

She said to me, "Sosa, our daughter is leaving,

and you must do everything in your power to help her, Sosa."

[speaks Spanish]

Ay.

Ay-yi-yi.

[speaking Spanish]

Quite a dream, huh?

- Papi, I tried.

I tried to tell you. - Don’t.

Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t.

Mi niña, in my old age,

nothing will give me greater peace

than to know that you’re safe and happy.

You’re happy, happy, happy.

Mi cielo, wherever you are,

we’ll always be together.

- Sí.

- Sí. Sí, come.

Come here.

Come here, mi niña.

♪ ♪

[singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- [speaks Spanish]

♪ ♪

Ah. Mm.

♪ ♪

- You know I love you.

♪ ♪

- I love you too, Ma.

- Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.

- It’s only gonna be a month, eh?

♪ ♪

- Mari.

- Mari, take care of yourself, sí?

- Sí

♪ ♪

[speaks unintelligibly]

♪ ♪

- Mr. Sandoval, you make a...

a very compelling case.

But I have to be honest with you.

I don’t think this is going to be easy.

- Maybe I could try to explain better.

- No, you did explain to me.

But this application is going to be reviewed in D.C.

And on paper, it appears that you benefited from the system

and that your motives are financial.

- That’s just not true.

- The burden of proof is on you, you see, and, on paper, it--

- Change the paper.

- Excuse me?

- You tell ’em. Please.

- I will make my recommendations.

I will start the process, but that’s--

- Process? How long is the process?

- It’s hard to tell. It’s, uh...

It could be a week or a--a month.

Uh, there’s no way of knowing.

- What am I supposed to do?

Do you realize how hard it’s been to get my family

out of Cuba?

Do you know how long we planned this?

Mr. Tasker, we are completely exposed.

Please, you must find a way of protecting us.

- The law states you must be in immediate

and observable danger, and--

- They shot two defectors in London two months ago.

- I can’t offer official protection.

- Mr. Tasker, you must understand.

My wife and son are by themselves!

- Mr. Sandoval--Arturo.

Listen to me, okay?

No one will know you were here.

You just continue the tour as if nothing happened.

- I can’t go back, Mr. Tasker.

- It’s not up to me.

There’s nothing else I can do.

I’ll tell Mr. Gillespie that you’re waiting.

[suspenseful music]

♪ ♪

Arturo: What am I supposed to do?

- Just do what the man said.

Just go on the tour and be cool, baby.

You know, we’ll work it out.

♪ ♪

[phone ringing]

- Arturo, [speaks Spanish]. We got to go, come on.

[phone line trilling]

[phone ringing]

- Hold it. Hold on. Hold on!

Hold on!

[phone ringing]

[fast-paced percussive music]

- Damn it!

- They hung up.

- Listen. Listen. I’ve been through this, okay?

Ten feet, but you’re not gonna get there if you don’t move.

- All right.

- We intercepted this from the U.S. Interests Section.

- [clears throat]

♪ ♪

Arturo’s on the run.

[dog barking]

- What’s this?

♪ ♪

[phone ringing]

man: Johnny, line two. It’s Havana.

♪ ♪

- Hello?

♪ ♪

What?

- Dizzy.

- Arturo.

- Diz. - Hmm?

- Something’s up.

Look, they know Marianela’s in London.

They’re asking questions.

- Slow down.

- Dizzy, listen to me.

They’re gonna find out, and they’re gonna

take her back to Cuba.

- Oh, that ain’t gonna happen.

Arturo: Diz, I got to go now, man.

I got to defect right now. - Take it easy.

Take--take it easy.

Take it easy.

One in there from the White House.

- White House?

You gonna call the president?

- Vice president. Met him on Air Force One.

Cat said if I need anything, give him a call.

[funky bass music]

Play the gig tonight, and then you’ll be on the plane.

[exuberant jazz music]

♪ ♪

- Turi!

Turi!

Turi, honey!

- If you get through to the embassy,

tell them it won’t take us too long.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[funky bass music]

♪ ♪

[exuberant jazz music]

♪ ♪

woman: You’re Mrs. Sandoval?

- Yes.

- All right. Come with me quickly.

♪ ♪

These are your documents, all in order.

Now, when you get to New York, just stay on the plane.

This man from the State Department

will meet you on the plane.

Do not get off the plane with anybody else.

- What about my husband?

- I’m sorry, we haven’t heard anything yet.

♪ ♪

[plane engine roaring]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

[applause]

♪ ♪

[man singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

- You really don’t know what this is all about?

- They defected?

[man singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪

[crowd shouting]

♪ ♪

- It’s up to you to bring them home where they belong.

- There’s--there’s nothing that I can say that--

that--that can ever bring them back.

♪ ♪

[plane engine roaring]

♪ ♪

- Mr. Sandoval,

please come with us.

♪ ♪

woman: Announcing the arrival of Ellis Island flight...

[unintelligible chatter]

- That turbulence was something else.

- [speaking unintelligibly]

woman: I’ll be right there.

[solemn trumpet music]

- Papi!

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- [grunts]

♪ ♪

[sweeping instrumental music]

♪ ♪

[light instrumental music]

♪ ♪

[jazz music]

♪ ♪

[man singing in Spanish]

♪ ♪