Original subtitles

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Ah ah ah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

I know you've heard that song before.

I wrote that.

I just wanted to get your attention.

I was 33 when I released my first song,

and at that point I used so much Quaalude

that people called me Captain Mandrax.

That's a pretty splendid superhero name if you ask me.

Captain Mandrax.

They used to call me a womaniser but I never was.

It was just easier to get someone else to love me

than it was to love myself.

And what is love anyway?

It's the one that comes and goes without leaving a mark,

but then there's that other kind,

the one that stays with you your whole life.

Somewhere, even though life goes on, it lives inside of you.

It's in love that we are made

and in love that we disappear,

and you're always there.

I knew you before I even met you.

You look a little lost.

Is it that obvious?

No, I know most of the foreigners on the island, and uh,

a lot of the Greeks, and I've not seen you before.

I'd remember.

I'm Leonard.

Leonard Cohen.

Charmian.

You can call me Charm.

Charm? - Mm.

Please join me.

I'm not disturbing any-

Not at all.

So what brings you to Hydra, Leonard?

Oh, escaping from London.

Ah, so did we.

You don't sound, you don't sound English.

No, neither do you, I'm Australian.

Australian family mix. I'm Canadian.

So, we're the outsiders.

Have have you been here long?

Ages.

You're a writer?

All the foreigners here are either painters or writers.

Which one are you, are you a painter or a writer, or?

I'm a novelist.

I was a cannoneer in the army during the war.

Anyway, after that, I got a job at the Argus,

which is in Australian newspaper,

which is where I met my husband, George.

It was quite a scandal because he was married at the time,

and I was 23 and he was 35.

How old are you, Leonard?

I'm 26, but don't hold it against me.

Oh, that's a great, great age.

Anyway, I got fired.

George resigned in protest, bless him.

And he got a job in London, at the London Times,

as an editor, and we endured many years of bad weather,

and then we decided that we both wanted to write,

which was of course, financially disastrous,

so we found the cheapest place we could.

We packed up our children and here we are.

Life.

Under two minutes.

I heard there were some rooms available

in a guest house or a guest house in a room.

Oh, you're looking for something a little more long term

and less expensive?

Oh darling, you don't have to be ashamed

about lack of funds here.

Nearly everybody on the island is broke on a regular basis.

Come.

Where are we going?

Well (clears throat), we have a guest room,

if you don't mind the children.

It's got its own private entrance.

Okay, how much is it?

Oh no. - I really am strapped

right now. - No, no, no.

You pay what you want, you pay what you feel.

Welcome to Hydra.

I mean, are you really accusing me of being drunk?

Your son found you passed out

on the fucking couch last night,

next to two bottles of wine!

Gimme a break, I was working like a dog.

I fell asleep.

Anyway, where were you last night?

Oh, don't pretend that you bloody care, George?

If I didn't care, I would've left here years ago!

You know what?

You know, maybe you are the reason that I drink?

Just to endure your self-righteous bullshit!

If I didn't drink then I would've left you years ago.

Hey, Leonard?

Yes, Leonard, sorry.

How are you? George.

Nice to meet you, mate.

Nice to meet you, sorry.

So, what's going on?

You're not leaving, are you?

I was just packing, packing up my stuff.

I'm sorry about all the ruckus.

It's um, it's got nothing to do with you, honestly.

All right. - Look,

why don't you hang your things back up and come upstairs

and have a glass of wine with me?

You like wine?

Oh, love wine.

Well, you'll fit right in.

- Okay. - I'll see you up there.

All right.

Good morning. - Good morning.

You all right?

I'm okay, thank you.

Okay.

Oh, I'm fine. Thank you.

Okay.

You're a writer as well?

Yeah, you know, Charmian and I, we,

we write together, live together, have three kids,

so it can get a little claustrophobic at times.

It's complex, isn't it?

Marriage, or humanity, more generally.

Well, genetically speaking, we were designed to live amongst

a non-monogamous herd,

and now we're all put into these little pairs

and it's our morals, you see?

Battling our genes, it's, um-

Exhausting.

It can be.

Well, I suppose I should go and check on her really.

You don't know where she is?

Oh, I know where she is (snickers).

Too right, I do.

You wanna come?

Come on.

Uh, Martin, just gonna pop out for a hit, mate.

Will you look after the others?

Good man.

Just got paid a residual on our latest book, you see,

so that's why I was over in the mainland,

'cause they don't have a bank over here.

Anyway, Charm's in there, paying off our tab,

which is good, but, you know, means she can start a new one.

Leonard!

;

Hi, Nikos!

Darling, mwah!

- I'm Leonard. - You all right?

Good, exactly what I was looking for.

Leonard. Leonard Goran from Sweden.

This is Leonard. He's Canadian.

From Montreal. - This is Axel.

Axel from New York. - Hi Leonard.

And Leonard. - Axel.

Axel?

So you arrived today?

Yeah, I arrived a few hours ago.

A few hours ago.

Wow. Welcome to Hydra.

Thank you man. Cheers!

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Cheers.

Cheers.

ú

I was just telling George about your original thoughts

on God, so refreshing.

You don't strike me as the religious type frankly.

The fact that we constructed this idea of a God

is a blasphemy against humanity.

Leonard, Leonard, do you believe in God?

Oh, of course, He's an old friend of mine.

Do you believe in the devil?

Oh yeah, the devil's just God when He's drunk.

God, when he is drunk, see that?

That's very good. - That bloody good line mate.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Cheers.

Axel your wife is here and she looks beautiful tonight.

Hi!

How did it go?

What are my alternatives?

Good, OK or terrible.

Terrible.

My father basically said he never wanted to see me again

if I left with you now.

- Sorry about that. - Don't worry. It was my choice.

It's very brave of you to leave. You know that, right?

They have no idea

who I am.

And all I want

is to find out who I am, on my own.

And with you, of course.

It's easier for me.

I can't stay home because I refuse to be like my father.

All I can do is write.

And to have something to write about, I have to experience things.

First Copenhagen, then Hamburg.

- And then... - And then what?

This!

You bought it? - Yes.

You're on your way now.

Where are we, anyway?

Yugoslavia.

Greece is 50-60 kilometers from here.

Way down there somewhere.

Did you sleep OK?

Yes, until I woke up with this intense stomach pain.

Maybe you were hungry? - No, it was...

It was more of a stabbing pain, like a cramp. I don't know.

Let's see if we can find some breakfast somewhere.

And maybe write home?

I'm going to write a book instead.

They can read that, if they want.

Are you OK?

I don't know. Can we just...

We need to get down. - We're almost there.

We're almost there!

What shall we do?

Look over there, Marianne. Look!

I'm going to find a doctor. Do you understand?

I'll be right back.

Hospital?

What is he saying? I don't understand.

English, please.

I don't understand.

Okay, okay. Thank you.

How are you feeling? What's wrong?

Sisters! Come here, quickly!

Come on.

Is something wrong? Are you in pain?

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

Calm down. English?

Can you walk? - No, no.

Doctor, come here, quickly! She's English.

She has acute stomach pain.

Okay. Follow me, quickly.

Here.

Come on. One, two, three.

Your appendix has burst, this needs to come out.

If not, you die.

Do you understand?

No, it doesn't work.

They told me you were awake.

Yes, I am.

How do you feel?

I'm okay. - Okay.

And Axel, the man I was with?

He's here.

We gave him an empty office down the hall so he can work.

Thank you.

His wife is awake.

Hey. - Hi.

How are you feeling?

I feel...

tender and sore and... tired.

It feels like I've done

a thousand sit-ups.

You may have found the secret

to a rock-hard stomach.

I doubt it.

You were very brave.

Was I? - Yes.

Thank you for being here.

Of course.

They say we can leave on Friday.

It's about nine hours from here to Athens.

Then five hours by ferry to Hydra.

You're the best. - No.

Don't think about me. This is about you.

- How have you been? - I've been fine.

You haven't been bored? - Not at all.

Try to get some rest now. I'll be right outside.

Wow!

Harvest, this is great.

Thank you.

What are you writing?

It's about the human paradox.

How? - How? Please sit down.

Sit down. You can.

I don't know, I see myself as someone that doesn't belong.

So I travel and search for something to fill this void

for want of a better word that most of us feel.

We're tempted by the unknown

'cause we've seen through the conventions

that the structures of society are lies.

This one? - Yes.

And I smuggled this in.

I don't know if the doctor

wants me drinking alcohol.

Doctor Jensen says it is perfectly fine.

That's good.

Because I blindly trust Doctor Jensen.

So I have to do as he says. - Yes.

Always trust Doctor Jensen.

Cheers. - Here's to Doctor Jensen.

Say something.

You're beautiful.

No. Like before.

Like you write.

We could all die tomorrow.

And in two weeks. - Yeah.

No one would care.

Thank you, Doctor Jensen.

My pleasure.

Who was that?

I don't know. One of the staff? Probably liked having us here.

I heard of a man who says words so beautifully

that if he only speaks their name,

women give themselves to him.

If I am dumb beside your body

while silence blossoms like tumours on our lips,

it is because I hear a man climb the stairs,

and clear his throat outside our door.

I'm home!

Mom?

Well, ignoring me is not the answer.

Are you hungry?

You look, you look skinny.

You need to eat more and stop fasting.

So,

what was her name?

Hers?

The one who made you quit university.

I don't know if she made me quit.

I'm really not sure I ever liked Columbia.

How are you feeling?

You seem better.

And when we spoke on the phone?

I'd been in my room for two weeks.

You remember what I told you, mm?

Whenever you get depressed,

when things get very bad in your head,

you stop what you're doing and you have a shave,

you'll feel better.

I was smooth as a porcelain doll for the whole semester.

Imagine what would've happened if you hadn't shaved.

And now I have a moustache.

I think you look, you look ugly with that moustache.

I kept something for you.

I've never seen my name in the paper.

I look terrible. Look really ugly.

You can have your old room on one condition.

You take a real job.

I'm not saying you stop writing,

just get a proper job.

I talked to your uncle and you can start tomorrow.

Irving Layton called.

I said, you call him back once you've eaten.

Ugly fuck.

Two spans of Vancouver's new Narrows Bridge

collapsed, becoming the world's worst industrial disaster.

The six-lane bridge has been two years in the building,

meant for completion next spring,

has now been set back by six months.

Three million dollars has been added

to the original cost figure of sixteen million.

When the upper span collapsed, the others

You got me worried.

You know, when the phone sounded more depressed

than your mother.

I'm very accustomed to melancholy, you know,

but this was, this is different.

What? - It was like a mental

violence, like just goes and goes and makes it impossible

for me to get from one moment to the next.

I don't want you to do anything bad.

You sounded really depressive.

I'm not going to kill myself in America.

It'd be very unbecoming of me.

Don't say that, please.

You know, I went there to reach for something more.

You know, I really thought I could,

but I couldn't get with their ideas of good and bad writing.

I just felt like writing "cunt" every other word.

Wow, it's not a bad word, is it?

Next time, maybe try "vagina."

Something exotic like "snatch" or "porky bank."

You know those people down there

you shouldn't listen to them.

They're all, you know, self-proclaimed gatekeepers

of some reactionary system built on morals.

Fuck them.

What?

It doesn't change the fact that I'm going to work

in my uncle's garment factory tomorrow.

Lenny, Lenny, listen to me.

You are a poet and a fucking good poet.

Your primary obligation is to enlighten us human beings

about the dark abyss that lies deep inside of us.

You have to make us feel less alone in our depravity.

It's not good, you're doing a good job.

Don't you ever forget you are a fucking good poet,

depressed or not depressed.

Hey... - You okay Lenny?

He's allowed to fucking cry.

Fucking drink a beer or drink whatever you have.

I like this one.

It's my favourite.

It's very ordinary in a very unique way.

Happy?

It's pretty hard not to be happy now.

Are you Axel?

Goran? - Yes. Hi!

A pleasure.

Nice to meet you face to face. Marianne?

Hi! Nice to meet you.

Thanks for doing this. - Don't mention it.

In our profession, we have to help each other.

Let me help you with that. - Thank you.

Welcome to Hydra. Over there is Katsikas.

General store, post office, tavern.

The bar isn't great, but the owner lets you run a tab.

He understands that we don't get paid on a regular basis.

I found a house for you. You can rent it, if you like it.

I live down the street.

Here it is. - Here?

A Frenchman lives over there. Chagall. He's a painter.

He's older. Sticks to himself.

The rest of the neighbors are locals.

Wow! It's lovely!

The bedroom is upstairs.

I'll leave you alone to settle in.

Thank you so much. - Of course.

See you later. - Great. Bye.

Nice, huh?

Thank you so much!

♪ Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu ♪

♪ When the clouds roll by I'll come to you ♪

♪ Then the sky will seem more blue ♪

♪ Down in Lover's Lane with you ♪

♪ Wedding bells ring merrily ♪

♪ Every tear, a memory ♪

Thank you

♪ So wait and pray each night for me ♪

♪ Till we meet again ♪

Hi, that was my husband.

Oh, he's amazing.

I haven't seen you before.

We came Tuesday, so it's first time seeing all this.

I'm Charmian Clift.

Hi, I am Marianne Ihlen.

Nice to meet you.

And you said we, we came here?

Yes, he.

Yeah, but it gets very hot

here in the summer, right?

You know, you can't let your happiness depend on men

or you will live in a world of pain, come.

Oh.

We are gonna dance.

Oh, I- - Yeah, I'll show you.

We're gonna dance.

Cheers! - Cheers!

Good job.

Is it possible to hang yourself from a clothes hanger

I wondered over lunch?

If I did it in the closet.

Maybe someday you would take me out

and wear me as a spring coat.

What's that you're wearing?

Oh, this old thing.

This is a vintage Cohen.

A little tight over the shoulders,

but I like the way it screams for attention.

You just have to tell them you can't work there anymore.

Huh?

I can't.

Why?

You think I'm low, you should see my mother.

My stepfather just left and went to Florida,

and now we're trying to find a room in a nursing home

for my grandfather with his Alzheimer's.

But we're waiting and waiting and waiting.

And I'm a misery magnet.

A misery magnet?

Look at this.

What's that?

These are application papers for every provincial

and federal ground there is in Canada.

You see, we're launching a rescue operation

to get you outta here, what do you say about it?

Well, there's no harm in doing it.

That's what grants are for.

You fill them out and they get approved.

I'm gonna co-sign.

Excuse me.

I just wanted to say I really liked your reading.

Oh, thank you. What's your name?

Bridget.

Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.

Hi. - Hi, Irv.

I appreciate it, I have to go now though.

Yeah.

Hey, you have to take all of them.

- Okay. - Fill them out.

It's pretty easy.

I'm saving his ass.

I'm sure you are.

The last refuge of the insomniac

is a sense of superiority to the sleeping world.

I'll call when I get there.

Your troubled child, Leonard.

Dear Irving, I just finished my novel.

It needs a rewrite but being in London

crunching out three pages a day without looking back

is a wholesome way to work.

I can feel the depression lurking in the back

of my head still, sometimes like a grey blanket,

other times like a barking dog chewing on cords to my brain.

The rain was brutal through six months straight,

and the fog was so heavy

that it sucks the colour out from your skin

turning everyone into a grey mass of ill fitted suits.

I really couldn't fucking stand anymore.

♪ Can I be yours ♪

♪ Can you be mine ♪

So I've decided to reinvent myself

as a man of the world.

I'll create a version of me that travels the world

as a closet optimist.

I met the only happy man in London and he was from Greece.

Good morning. - Good morning.

You need help?

No, it's fine. Thank you.

You got all the jugs in all the town.

Water is important.

Water is very important.

Hello! - Hi.

I corrected some typos and made some suggestions.

Want to look at them now?

Can it wait until I'm finished?

I bought some delicious fish.

And I thought we could have a nice salad and, not least,

a lovely red wine. - That's great.

But could we save it for another day?

I promised to meet Goran and George.

Where? - At Katsikas.

Give me ten minutes to change, and I'll join you.

I don't think so. It's more of a boys' night out.

A boys' night out? Again?

Now what?

Marianne.

I've been writing in here all day.

You've been out meeting people.

I need to see something other than these four walls,

and hear something other than the voices in my head.

Is that so wrong?

Great. Thanks.

But why can't you do it with me?

It's just the boys! - I don't mind you going out.

I know very well who I chose to be with.

But this is the third time this week

where you go out drinking and don't want me there.

Last time was a dinner for authors.

You and I eat together, sleep together, you help with my book...

We're together all the time.

You basically live inside my head.

Every now and then I need to come up for air, outside that bubble.

Of course. And I love that I live inside your head, Axel.

But part of the point of being a couple

is wanting to spend time with your partner.

You write it yourself:

"Life, slipping through your fingers." But this is life. Here. You and me.

Don't teach me about life!

I took you away from a life you didn't want.

You wanted an adventure.

You live in an island paradise, in a house that I'm paying for...

Now you're being unfair!

You took me away? I paid for my own damn ticket!

Do you want me to grovel? "Thank you for rescuing me!"

Stop it! There's no such thing as fair.

Every person is responsible for finding their way in their own chaos.

What are you talking about?

What is it you want to do, anyway?

What do you want out of life?

I thought I wanted to travel and see the world with you, but apparently not.

Just fill it with something.

Make it your own.

Don't depend on me to make your life interesting.

The most unsexy and least attractive thing I know

is people who depend on others to find pleasure in their life.

It's pathetic. Like a dog wagging...

Don't you talk to me like that!

♪ These eyes are tired of lying ♪

♪ It's time to tell the truth ♪

♪ You're tired of denying ♪

♪ A darker side of you ♪

♪ It's time to turn it around ♪

♪ There's just no stopping me now ♪

♪ You wanna play with fire ♪

♪ I'll burn your whole world down ♪

♪ It's when the sun is dying ♪

♪ It's when it all comes out ♪

♪ The grasps of souls escaping ♪

♪ Is such a lovely sound ♪

♪ It's time to turn it around ♪

♪ There's just no stopping me now ♪

♪ My heart is tired of trying ♪

♪ To give you what you want ♪

♪ I'm tired of all the fighting ♪

♪ And always being wrong ♪

Axel, your wife is here and she looks beautiful tonight.

You are a lucky, lucky man.

♪ You wanna play with fire ♪

Oh!

His wife?

Yeah.

Hi. - Let's go.

- Now? - We're leaving.

Now? No, we're having fun.

Enough. We're leaving.

- Okay. - We're leaving.

Come on.

Marianne,

you look beautiful tonight.

I always look beautiful.

Come on. - Just one tiny...

Out, come on.

I find it so funny that people get so outraged

the minute a woman decides to act like a man.

Her name is Marianne, Leonard.

What do you think you're doing?

Don't touch me, dammit!

Hey. - Hey.

You still awake?

No, I'm sleeping.

Do you want some more wine?

Yeah, yeah. Always.

What are you writing?

Just something silly.

Read it to me.

It's very mediocre. You sure?

Yeah.

Come on, read it to me.

Okay.

Beneath my hands your small breasts are the upturned bellies

of breathing fallen sparrows.

Wherever you move, I hear the sounds of closing wings

or falling wings.

I am speechless because you've fallen beside me.

Because your eyelashes are the spines of tiny,

fragile animals.

I dread the time and your mouth begins to call me Hunter.