All language subtitles for The.Laureate.2022.1080p.WEB-DL.DD5.1.H.264-EVO-HI

Provided by explosiveskull
https://twitter.com/kaboomskull

[bomb exploding in the distance]

[machine gun firing]

[man] Incoming fire!

[wind howling]

[bomb exploding]

[machine gun firing]

[yelling indistinctly]

[bomb screeching]

[bomb exploding]

[yelling indistinctly]

[man] Gray haunted eyes,

absentmindedly glaring

from wide, uneven orbits.

One brow drooping
some water over the eye.

[bomb exploding]

Because of a missile fragment,

still inheriting skin deep

as a foolish record
of old world fight.

[man] Incoming!

[bomb exploding]

I stand ready
with a boy's presumption

to court the queen
in her high silk pavilion.

[soft whooshing]

[British woman]
How did it come to this?

[soft dramatic music]

You once asked me how
we should describe our love.

I'd say it was a result
of demons that arose

from the trenches of France,

where death was always
a bullet away.

Your poems about the wolves

spoke to a generation of men
who shared in your suffering.

But I wasn't allowed in.

[man]
And so they marked me dead,

the day that I turned 21.

They counted me as dead,
did they?

[bomb exploding]

The day my childhood
slipped away,

the manhood was begun.

Oh, that was
the right day to die.

- [man] Incoming!
- The 24th of July.

[bomb exploding]

[woman] When we were married,
I wanted to be everything.

I wanted to be a painter,

I wanted to fight
for women's rights.

Solving our own destinies.

You wrote your children's
tales to hide behind

the nightmares of war,
and I was illustrating them.

- [laughs]
- [birds chirping]

We were...

Partners.

- [lips smacking]
- Partners.

[soft dramatic music]

[thunder rumbling]

If you invite
a serpent into your home,

perhaps you shouldn't
be surprised if it bites you.

[man] I'd thought
a cottage in the hills.

A cottage full of books,
pictures and bras, and...

cozy nooks.

flowers in the garden,

walls all wet.

I'd live there peacefully,

and dream, and write.

[phone ringing]

- [bomb whooshing]
- [bomb exploding]

Dims his grave screams.

I regret to write and tell you
that there's some problem...

- [machine gun fire]
- [telephone ringing]

...died of wounds.

[men shouting indistinctly]

Hello.

Oh, hello father.

Oh, it's wonderful news.

No, I'm... I'm happy for you.

I've been trying to get them
see my drawings for years.

[woman]
Was your love for me real,

or a product of necessity.

I tried desperately
to help you escape into

an unthreatening world
where your poetry could thrive.

I would comfort you,

but you probably
don't remember that.

[sighs]

[man] Please remember,

our veterans are
the fabric of our nation,

and we need to support them.

Our next reader
requires no introduction.

Mr. Siegfried Sassoon.

- [audience clapping]
- Thank you.

[applause]

The anguish of the Earth

absorbs eyes,

till beauty shines
in all that we can see.

War is our scourge.

And yet, war has made us wise,

and fighting for our freedom,

we are free

of wounds,

and the anger at foe,

and things lost desired.

All these must pass.

We are the happy legion,

for we know that time

is but a golden wind
that shakes the grass.

[laughing loudly]

Your poems
went down well, Sassoon.

As did yours.

- Hello, Robert.
- Hello.

I was hoping to hear
some of your latest,

or at least
an old poem, perhaps.

Robert has nothing new to share.

Another round of
the [inaudible], John?

Of course, Mr. [inaudible].

- Robert.
- Yes?

Are you well?

Yes, of course.

I miss our life in France.

Wasn't a bad life then, was it?

Hammering rain, mud puddles,

rats and forth.

- You want to [inaudible].
- [Robert laughs]

Yes. Well...

I've often said that war
is not the end, but...

just the beginning
of the violence.

I have applied for
a teaching post,

Charterhouse next term.

What about your writing?

No one needs a war poet anymore.

Unless they're dead.

[sighs]

People don't like my new poetry.

They like this modern...

[inhales deeply]

clever stuff.

Besides, I need the money.

I know.

There is no money in poetry.
Hm.

There is no poetry
in money either.

Why don't we spend
a few days together, hm?

[inaudible] to back

and just give your work
a proper going over.

Like the critical days
at the army depo.

I'm yesterday's news, Sas.

[footsteps thudding

How are you feeling?

Steady as a rock.

What do you have there?

[Nancy clears throat]

"Dear Robert Graves.
On the recommendation

"of certain members
of the teaching staff,

"I'm pleased
to offer you the position

"of assistant headmaster,
as well as teacher

"of English here
at Charterhouse School."

Should I accept?

I mean, we need the money.

We have the grocery,
I don't think the butcher

is gonna extend credit
any longer.

[Nancy sighs]

If you don't accept
this teaching position, Robert,

I don't think we can go to
your parents' for help anymore.

Supper will be ready soon.

[footsteps thudding]

[Robert groaning]

[birds chirping]

Catherine.

Catherine, co...
come... come here.

Listen.

[birds chirping]

What are we supposed
to be listening to?

Do you not hear
the nightingale sing?

Nightingale has no reason to be
singing this late in the year.

They usually stop
at the end of June,

when their nesting season ends.

A nightingale is
the bird of what?

- Poetic love.
- That's right.

And if a nightingale can sing

on a chilly autumn morning,

as passionately
and as sweetly as it does

on the night of May...

then there is hope for me yet.

[soft dramatic music]

- [man] Guidance.
- [gasping loudly]

[gun firing]

[Robert sniffling]

[pen clattering]

[birds chirping]

[woman] "The poet should not be
merely a stream of passage

"between the source that is life

"and the outlet that is poetry.

"The poet should take
a more active role

"in which he envisages life,

"not as an influence
upon the soul,

"but the soul as
an influence upon life.

"The task of the poet is
to take the universe apart,

"to re-integrate it
with his own vitality,

"and it is
this re-integrated universe

"that will in turn possess him,

"give him rest.

"If this voyage
reveals a futility,

"then it is a futility
worth facing."

Laura Riding.

♪

♪

[birds chirping]

Nancy.

- And have a little bit a flour.
- Perfect.

Nancy! She wrote to me.

Who wrote to you?

Laura Riding.

Who's Laura Riding?

But it's different
from anything else I've read.

And she's talking about things
that concern women.

Well, and Alan Tate's
[inaudible] the criteria

and told me that she's just
won the group's

top literary prize and...

and she's looking
to move to England.

Is she?

We should ask her to come
stay with us.

Perhaps, you two can work
on a project together.

You think so?

Perhaps she won't
wish to work with me.

Why?

Robert, you are
a highly successful writer

with six books to your name,

not to mention
two collections of poetry.

You're wonderful.

You're just going through
a dry spell.

And you'd be content?

No teaching post,

money hard to come by
and her living with us?

[soft piano music]

Let's write to her.

[car engine rumbling]

♪

Miss Riding,

welcome to World's End.

[Laura chuckles]

You must be Nancy.

Ugh, England,

the land of Byron and Keats,

Shelley, Mary Shelley, that is.

[laughing softly]

- Why do you paint?
- Why do you write?

[Laura chuckles]

Well, this talented husband
of yours must write again.

I have to say
your letters inspired me.

As did your poems.

- [Laura chuckles]
- Measure me by myself,

not by time
or love or space or beauty.

That I may be on my low stone,
a gauge unto myself alone.

I would have
these old faiths fall

to prove that
I was nothing at all.

[Laura laughs]

England.

- I can't believe I'm here.
- [Robert chuckling]

Oh.

Hello.

Come in.

Come and introduce yourself.

Um, Laura, this is our daughter,
Catherine Nicholson.

Hello.

What a handsome
young child she is.

Just like her mother and father.

Why do you wear those?

Do you not like my necklaces?

- They're a lot.
- [Laura chuckles]

Catherine, it is very important
to be completely oneself.

Many people don't know
everything about themselves,

and therefore they do not
light up everything around them.

We need a plan.

A tutor.

Yes, mother. Uh, Laura will
serve as a tutor to Catherine

and also collaborate
with me on my next book.

She is a brilliant poet.

Robert and I both think so
and we think it's a wonderful

idea that Catherine gets to see
the world through Laura's eyes.

And she will live here
as well, then?

Where else?

And the teaching post
at Charterhouse?

Uh, I turned it down.

Robert wanted to concentrate
on writing his book with Laura.

A-and you approve of this?

I do.

Miss Riding, how would
you instruct my granddaughter

in the teachings of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ?

We all must return to Zion
at some point, mother.

Well, perhaps,
in New York but in England

we have very clear ideas about
proper religious instruction.

- Of course.
- Miss Riding, I'm intrigued.

What kind of book are you
and my son planning to write?

Well, I've been interested
in his survey

of the recent poetry movement.

I think it's
about time we put those

so-called modernist poets
in their place.

What do you think Robert?

I think that is a perfect idea.

We... we...
we should start tomorrow.

- Robert, you're forgetting.
- What?

I wanted to ask Laura to come
into Oxford with me tomorrow.

- All right.
- A friend of mine is doing

a lecture
on the virtues of birth control.

It'll be very interesting.

I think you say these things
to provoke me.

Birth control
is nothing more than

an incitement to promiscuity.

Well, when half the population
is under the poverty line

with unwanted children,
it's quite difficult

to put all
of my faith in God alone.

Hear, hear.

Miss Riding, I apologize for
our children's outlook on life.

I should say.
I'm very grateful to be here.

And of course,
Catherine's well-being

and education is very important.

I'll make sure to spend time
with both of them, equally.

Should we agree to this,
uh, situation?

If it enables Robbie
to get published

then perhaps his financial
position will improve.

Is that all you have to say?

A maid and a tutor are more
to my son's status, anyway.

Robert needs to write
a successful book

and he needs people
to stop fussing over...

Robert seems to think
he needs another woman

- [guns firing]
- [man] Jesus Christ.

I very much regret
to be doing this...

[bomb exploding]

- [men shouting]
- [machine gun fire]

- ...Died of wounds.
- He was very gallant.

[machine gun firing]

- He was doing so well.
- Died of wounds.

It is a great loss.

[cacophony quiets]

I'm... I'm... I'm... I'm fine.

I'm all right. Uh, I'm fine.

I'm... I'm... I'm all right.

[birds chirping]

[music plays distantly]

What is that?

2, 3, 4 and 5.

Very good. Keep going.

Yes and spin
and a spin and a spin.

- She's mad.
- Good morning.

Oh!

Did we wake you?

- Yes.
- We were having so much fun.

I hope you don't mind.

I woke up with so much
energy that I took a walk

and I thought I would make
an authentic New York breakfast.

- My word.
- Gosh.

- The things that you have here.
- This is marvelous.

- [laughing loudly]
- Yes.

Let's pretend
we are on Delancey Street

on the Lower East Side.

What happens
on the Lower East Side?

Well, face the very
few people, I believe.

There are cramped buildings
and crowd filled streets

with hardworking immigrants,
vibrant artistic community,

Yiddish theater, poetry,
artists portraying the truth.

The truth is what matters.

As do these
divine potato pancakes.

[chuckles]

Now, eat before it gets cold.

Well, I, for one, haven't had
such stimulating company

for a long time, so thank you.

[chuckles]

Laura, we read
your poetry again last night,

myself and Nancy and, um,

with your permission,
I'd like to send your work

to Virginia and Leonard Woolf

who I'm hoping
in time will publish it

on their Hogarth Press.

[Laura chuckles]

My goodness.

It seems
you silenced Miss Riding.

[Laura laughing]

These kind words from
a poet like your husband,

I was just... cheers.

Well, here's to
a long and prosperous

beautiful partnership.

Hear, hear.

[Laura humming]

Laura, you have too much...

too much paint on your brush.

You need to paint
from the top-down.

[Laura sighing]

You know, if we were in London,
we could be in

a nearly furnished
and freshly painted house.

Yes, but we're not
in London and I'd...

very much like to get this
finished before dinner,

so that we can move
the bed back.

We could pay it back later.

And where would you sleep, pray?

[laughing loudly]

In that case.

[Laura shrieking]

[Robert laughing loudly]

What? N-no.

No.

- No.
- No.

- No.
- No.

[laughs]

You said paint from
the top-down.

- [laughs]
- Right, this is war.

Come on.

What are you two doing?

[Laura shouting wordlessly]

War. This is war.

- [Laura laughing loudly]
- [Nancy shrieking]

[footsteps thudding]

You have such beautiful skin.

Do I?

Are you sure
we want to do this?

- Well...
- [sighs]

You can always take it off
if you don't like it.

[birds chirping]

Jewish girls like me are always
at the bottom of the pile.

Being a Pole,
it's like being even further.

[breathing deeply]

Some people's opinions
will simply never change.

You can...

put on the beautiful makeup,

the clothes,

the jewelry...

and none of it matters.

[breathing deeply]

Unlike you and Robert,
my work...

is always cut out for me.

There.

[Nancy breathing deeply]

- Wow.
- Hello.

Don't you two make a fine pair.

- [Nancy clears throat]
- [Laura chuckling]

Doesn't she look lovely?

Yes, she does.

Right.
Well, we are going shopping.

Are we not? Indeed.

I've, uh... I've fixed lunch.

I can see. It's wonderful.

Keep your father out of trouble.

Bye.

Save some.

More food for us, huh?

- [Catherine laughing]
- Alright.

[footsteps thudding]

[breathing deeply]

[Nancy sighing]

[Laura humming]

[sighing deeply]

- [muffled thudding]
- [floor creaking]

[wind howling]

[Robert grunting]

- [Robert breathing heavily]
- [bed thudding]

[Nancy moaning]

[gun firing]

[Robert breathing heavily]

Where are you going?

- Robert.
- [door slamming]

[footsteps thudding]

[suspenseful music plays]

[Laura sighs]

I love that
you kept your maiden name.

[Nancy chuckles]

I'm sure I know the answer,
but for fun,

how did
Robert's parents take it?

Oh, really well.

[chuckles]

The one thing his mother has
never forgiven me for, though

is that Catherine took
my surname, Nicholson.

Women will change
the world for the better.

I tend to agree.

We need to issue
a universal call to women.

We assert our power as a source

more meaningful than man,

or meaningful than God.

[tap water swooshing]

[Laura humming]

[water splashing]

[Laura laughing]

Thank you.

Could you get that?

You know there's plenty of room.

I'll, uh...

I'll be in the study.

[knocking on door]

[door creaking]

I brought you some tea.

I hate the moon.

And
I hate it worse when it's...

cruel...

and round and bright.

You can't make out
the marks on its stupid face.

You have the power
to understand...

to forgive,

to love,

and that, more than anything,

is what you should be putting
into your writing.

And what does the remarkable
Miss Riding seek?

[Laura chuckles]

I seek the truth...

literally, without gloss,

without any gloss.

True poetry.

And what is true poetry to you?

True poetry makes
the hairs stand on end,

[inaudible] turn to constrict

and a shiver
to run down your spine.

Sit with me.

I think
it looks better like this.

Yes.

Yes, the... the...
the flow is much better.

I want you to
do something for me.

I want you
to write something here.

The first thing
that comes to your mind.

[soft dramatic music]

As I walked out of
that sultry, that...

I heard the stroke of one.

The moon

attained to her full light

still beaming like the sun,

to mute the scent,

of love's defeat,

whose tryst

had now begun.

[birds chirping]

[Nancy breathing deeply]

[door creaking]

♪

[Nancy] I can't remember
exactly how I felt

to see these two of you there.

Relief? Hope?

What I did know was
that I needed someone

to share the heaviness
of our life together

and here she was,
Laura Riding,

our redeemer.

Laura had become 100 times
more important to us

than we had ever hoped and

I couldn't remember a time
when she wasn't with us.

[inaudible].

Thank you.

[footsteps thudding]

♪

Nice use of color.

[Nancy breathing deeply]

I'm going to try and sell it

at the market at
the weekend in Oxford.

Hopefully,
I get a good price for it.

Is everything all right?

Yes.

[bird cawing]

[Laura humming]

[paper crackling]

[Laura breathing deeply]

[door thudding]

[piano music plays]

[door thudding]

Catherine,

not many take kindly to people
going through their things.

Let's save this for
when you're a bit older. Okay?

Now...

do you believe that some people
have magical powers?

Yes, Miss Laura.

That's how I knew
you were up here in my room.

[bird cawing]

Let's see if you really believe.

If you step out of this window,

a magical staircase will come
and take you all the way down

but only if you really believe.

Do you believe in the staircase?

- I do, Miss Laura.
- [Laura chuckles]

Good girl.

Now go on.

♪

[whispering] Go on.

[gasping laugh]

I was just testing you.

You did well.

You believed in the staircase.

[breathing deeply]

But be careful.

If we tell anybody
about our magic,

policemen will come
and take us away.

It's our secret.

Yes?

Good girl.

[footsteps thudding]

I can't be dead!

I won't be dead!

Why?!

Why am I dead?!

- Why?!
- [gasping]

I won't be dead!
I won't be dead!

- Robert.
- Why?!

Robert, listen to me.

- Look at me.
- I'm alive.

- I'm alive.
- Look at me.

[shouting indistinctly]

It's me. It's Laura.

You're okay.

[distant bombs exploding]

[high-pitched ringing]

♪

- Daddy.
- It's all right.

Daddy just had a bad dream.

[Robert breathing heavily]

Laura.

Laura, just stay with me.

Robert's asleep.

Finally.

As is Catherine.

[pencil scratching]

What's this for?

[Nancy breathing deeply]

Mr. Broader commissioned
a female nude.

Horny old turd.

[chuckles]

I don't know if
I'm happy with it though.

I always tend to draw
the female form

slightly plumper than it is.

[fire crackling]

[handle whirring]

[playful saxophone]

[charcoal rubbing]

♪

[breath hitching]

♪

[exhaling softly]

Can you lose the...

Can you lose the curtain?

[charcoal rustling stops]

[rustling restarts]

♪

[fire crackling]

[soft moaning]

[supplies clattering]

Robert.

What?

You stayed
with me while I slept.

I have, um,
written something for you.

"Your phantom
wore the moon's cold mask,

my phantom wore the same.

Forgetful of the fevers
task in and hope of-

which they can, each
image hold the other's eyes

and watched a gray
distraction rise to cloud the...

eager flame."

Your Riding
is getting stronger.

Clearer.

I want you to be
everything... to me.

And I to you.

I wonder how
the limitless your devotion is.

[voice echoing]

[bed creaking]

[breathing softly]

Is Robert a good lover?

If he is,

I don't bring it out in him.

He's been through so much.

He relies
on me for everything.

[Nancy sighs]

I feel
like he's become a burden.

You don't have
to bear that burden alone.

Yes, our good friends.

[fire crackling]

[kissing]

[upbeat music]

You're a rather
enviable man, Robert.

[Robert]
And how is that?

American women,
I understand, are very forward

and experienced
in certain ways for them.

Say what mean, man.

Uh. Two women under one roof.

No wonder you want
to be far from prying eyes

of London, how do
you find time to write?

Laura and I are
collaborators, nothing more.

But she's a friend.

- That's interesting.
- Graves, you're such a prick.

Robert.

Had you forgotten about me?

Never. No. I was
just catching up with old chums.

Isn't it fantastic to see
Robert in such good form?

We were just discussing it.

[Laura chuckles]

[lighters clicking]
- Mm. What gentlemen.

English gentleman.

Ms. Riding,
may I have a word in private?

Be careful, Eliot.

I understand you're looking
to get your book published.

Yes. Yes.

I'm looking forward to finding
somebody who understands

and champions it
for everything that it is.

Furnished me with more details,
perhaps I can help.

Perhaps,
we could meet, later on.

You could read me a chapter.

I'm not staying
too far from you.

Well, think about it.

I'm so happy to see
you back on your feet.

Your book will be a success.

Our book, I owe it all to Laura.

Right. Laura. Quite
the champion you are, Graves.

Now, I've received a cable
from your old friend,

- T.E Lawrence.
- How is he?

- I think about him often.
- Quite well.

A biography of his life
has been commissioned.

T and I both agree:
you're the man for the job.

It pays 300 pounds.

Uh, I,
I don't know what to say.

I have six weeks
to research and write, however,

so you'd have
to write it here in London.

- I-I accept.
- Wonderful.

[glass clinking]

So long as
you publish The Closed Caplet?

- Laura's book?
- Yes.

[crowds chattering]
Excuse me.

...She's American.

She must be
spectacular in bed.

I mean, it's not her writing.

[chuckling softly]
What writing?

Let's say I didn't mind her
ability to browbeat an audience

into the convention for
she upholds a powering class.

Laura's surely the maddest
woman I've ever met.

As if Graves wasn't
already mad enough by extending

an invitation to a woman
he's never met before?

[chuckling softly]
Laura Riding Roughshot.

- Real tougher.
- [laughs]

- So Nancy.
- [laughs]

- [thunder rumbling]
- [rain lashing]

[door thudding]

Laura.

[distant thunder clapping]

All right?

Your friends don't respect me.

Especially, TS Eliot.

He's made it quite clear that

he only wants
to help me... if I fuck him.

[Laura sighs]

Men can be quite disappointing.

Although, perhaps
none more so than Louis.

Who's Louis?

My husband,

he was a professor
at Cornell when I was there,

tried to mould me
into a proper faculty wife.

Huh.

I make my own image,
nobody moulds me.

I think you are extraordinary.

You do?

Yes.

[sighing]

Storms always frightened me.

It's different this time.

As if we've been
singled out by some...

supernatural powers.

Don't you think?

[thunder rumbling]

[Laura breathing heavily]

[lips smacking]

You don't have to rush.

[soft dramatic music]

[Robert inhaling sharply]

What?

I've, uh, never been
naked in front of a woman.

[Robert breathing deeply]

Not even Nancy?

[floor creaking]

[thunder rumbling]

♪

- You do the rest.
- [sniffles]

♪

[cello crescendo building]

[lips smacking]

[car engine
roaring in the distance]

[Laura breathing deeply]

[sheets rustling]

Good morning?

Morning.

[distant dog barking]

What's the matter?

I'm-I'm ashamed.

[exhaling heavily]

Of what?

I took advantage of you.

I'm-I'm sorry.

You didn't.

I did.

[chuckling]
Don't be silly.

I want you.

You know that I want you.

I want you physically...
emotionally, spiritually.

Did I say physically?

[lips smacking]

A book on
T.E. Lawrence and 300 pounds,

Mm hm.

Can't wait to reach London.

Think about
all the possibilities.

Well, I, I think
Catherine would hate it.

and I-I'm not sure Nancy would
take well to the bad London air.

[both sighing]

Nancy is a marvelous woman.

I feel very close to her.

She's very fond of you.

If she knew...

She must never know.

- Of course.
- No. No, no.

I mean-I mean it.

- Of course.
- [lips smacking]

Daddy!
It's been so long I miss you.

- Hello.
- Welcome home, oh!

Welcome home.

[Catherine laughing]

I trust the launch
party was a success.

Yes, the early reviews are
very favorable and-oh and I-I

was offered the job of writing
T.E. Lawrence's biography.

- No! That's wonderful news.
- Thank you.

[chuckling] And I-I trust
everything else was a success?

[Laura chuckling]
Mm hm.

[Nancy laughs]
I don't understand.

Oh good Lord, bloody hell.

[Nancy] This meeting of minds
and bodies proved possible for

three people to sustain a
modern relationship without any

regard to the formal conventions
of society and I can't deny

my happiness as we basked
in the glow of our trinity.

Your demons
repulsed by Laura's influence.

- [phone ringing]
- Hello?

[laughs]

Hello, Cape.

Um, yes. And, um,
nearly, uh, nearly packed.

No. No. Catherine
will stay here with Nancy.

[Laura laughing]

"Loving in part,
I did not see you home.

The words I chose for your
voice to speak echoed my voice

with its dry creek.

Now that I love you, now
that I recall all the scattered

elements of will that spooked
by night, this jealous dreams

through windows
to circle above beds like bats."

- [birds chirping]
- [Laura laughing]

"Now that I love
you as not before,

the mind clears,
to the heart true mercy."

But at my side
an early watch you keep

and all self
bruising heads lull to sleep."

[Nancy] Laura is a great natural
force like fire or trees

or snow and either one
appreciates her or one doesn't.

[tap water swooshing]

[Nancy sighing]

[floor creaking]

[bed creaking]

Can I ask you a question?

Mm hm.

What is it that...
Laura does... to please you?

What does
she do to make it better?

[somber music plays]

I know she's beautiful.

She's not just that.

So it's a m-meeting of
minds and not just sex.

[sighs]

I'm sorry if I
was a bit of a duff.

[sniffles]

Right.

Well,
you must go to London,

and lend your voice
to conversation.

I have loved
being your inspiration...

[sniffles]

even if it was
just for a little while.

♪

[whimpering]

♪

- Hi.
- Hi.

Call us when you get there.

Oh yeah, yeah.

I'll miss you very much.

Thank you.

[car door slamming]

[car engine roaring]

[dramatic orchestral music]

♪

We should go in.

[bed creaking]

[Nancy sighing]

[crowd yelling]

[crowd laughing]

[overlapping chatter]

"I love, I'm not I.
I am my name.

My name is not my name.

My name is the name."

Oh, wonderful.

- Thank you [inaudible].
- She's the new voice of poetry.

Thank you.

Wine!

Don't you wanna dance?

No thank you. I don't dance.

Tell me, sir,
what are you after?

You know, I would ask
you the very same question.

We're a-actually thinking
of buying a printing press.

[Laura]
Were going to control our work.

Publish those
who we deem... important.

As Laura says.

If you're not going to
live with passion and creative

instincts then you don't
belong in this new world.

The aim is to provide an
alternative voice to all

the stale writing that
is so prevalent these days.

Would you publish me?

[women laughing]

Totally
unworthy of our attention.

Congratulations
on Lawrence's book.

Sir!

Are you leaving already?

Yes. Well, I think I've
seen and heard quite enough.

We haven't even
had the chance to talk.

Robert!

Robert. Your master is calling.

- Robert?
- Yes.

This is-how was
it you say your name?

- Elfriede.
- Hm.

I thought she'd
be an excellent secretary.

Ah, oh, well,
do you have any experience?

A, a little. Yeah.

Can you type?

What's type?

[inaudible] stenography.

[speaking in foreign language]

Fantastic. You're hired.
See, I can make everyone happy.

[laughing loudly]

Ah. Oh, fuck,
I'm so sorry madam.

Ah. Here, let me-

It's fine.
Oh. Are you the devil?

I'm sorry?

What's your name?

Geoffrey. Geoffrey Phibbs.

And who invited you?

Uh, uh.

- Gate crasher. Spy!
- [laughing loudly]

Please, please forgive
me for arriving uninvited.

I actually just
came to see Laura Riding.

Do you have any
idea where I may find her?

- Laura Riding?
- Uh, uh.

Give me your palm.

You're not English, Scottish?

Irish.

Uh, look at these lines.
And what is it that you do?

A poet,
or trying to be, if you may.

And what is it
you want with Laura Riding?

Well, I read her latest
essay in [inaudible] magazine

and it's changed my life.

Maybe you can introduce me.

Listen up everybody,
this is Geoffrey Phibbs.

[crowd yelling]

He wants to meet Laura Riding.

[crowd cheering]

Should I introduce them?

Yes!

Bite.

[crowd yelling]

[crowd applauding]
Geoff! Geoff! Geoff!

[crowd cheering]

Laura Riding,
pleasure to meet you.

Go on, shake my hand.

[Laura laughing loudly]

[bird chirping]

[footsteps thudding]

[door creaking]

[door slamming]

Good morning.

[Laura huffing]
- What's the matter?

Have you read
Elliot's review of my essay?

No.

He calls my
arguments derivative.

- What?
- How dare he?

And yet I'm not surprised.

Oh, I had a feeling he would
do something like this.

Well, don't make a meal of it.

I just can't believe that he-
he'd compromise our friendship

- by writing such nonsense.
- Bah.

Don't let it bother you.
We have so much planned.

It doesn't matter
what they say one jot.

Where are you off to?

Oh, Cape has been screaming
at me to finish my short

stories,
so I'd better get to it.

Will I read
it once you're done?

Oh no, there's no need.

Elfriede has been typing it up
and running it over as we go

along, so I'm... I'm sure it will
be up to our joint standards.

[Laura chuckling]
She has a nice body.

She's attracted to you.

Well, I don't
see anyone but you.

- Hm.
- [door bell ringing]

Oh, he's here. Can you answer
the door while I get dressed?

- Who's here?
- Geoffrey.

You know,
from the party.

The young poet. Irishman.

- Ah, Yes.
- He's coming to stay with us.

- Why?
- [Laura sighing]

[music plays]

- There.
- [Laura laughs]

- Right.
- [sighs]

[sniffling softly]

A collection
of Poems from Ezra Pound.

Next.

[book thudding]

It's Robert Frost.

That's fine.

[book thudding]

- Ah.
- [laughs]

T.S. Eliot.

Mm hm.

It's a pity, such a nice man.

Give it to me.

Geoffrey, these books
that have passed muster,

they are now the common
property of Size and Press,

we'll add them to our library.

I'm sorry, what-
what's Size and Press?

Size and Press
is the name of our new company,

where only the most interesting
voices will be heard.

- Right.
- And now that we've dealt with

your books, we should
address your clothing.

What about my clothing?

Well, it must be burned
with the rest of these.

[Geoffrey laughs]
Let's start with your shirt.

- [Geoffrey sighs]
- [Laura scoffs]

[tie rustling]

You know, Geoffrey, I think
our first assignment should

be a dictionary
of exact meanings.

Exact meanings?

Yes. One word, one definition.

[whispering] That was meant
to be our next project.

So one definition
for every word.

Um, that doesn't
make any sense.

Well, consider the word 'woman',
which is derived from wifmon,

a non-male,
a-a female man, as it were.

An arbitrary
term without defining,

a thing perceived amongst
other things such as a horse,

a cat, a dog.

Shall we have a toast?

I'll explain
more in the morning.

To the holy circle,
a new literary group.

[Laura chuckles]

[soft dramatic music]

"Beware, madam,
of the witty devil,

the arch intriguer who walks
disguised in a poet's cloak,

his gay tongue oozing evil."

Let's see.

[paper rustling]
"Would you be a muse?"

"He will so declare you,
pledging his blind allegiance,

yet remained
secret and uncommitted.

Poets are men, are
single-hearted lovers who adore

and trust beyond all reason,

who die
honorably at the gates of hell.

The muse alone is licensed
to do murder and to betray.

Weeping with honest tears,

she thrones
each victim...

in her...

paradise."

[whispering]
I think you need a break.

Where is Robert?

He went out for the evening.

[sighs]

This has never
happened to me before.

[sighs]
You just need to relax.

Yeah.

- It's all about willpower.
- [Geoffrey chuckles]

You see
that clock over there?

Look.

I can will it to stop
if I want to.

[sighing and grunting]

[gasping breath]

[sultry music]

[Laura] Geoffrey.

[Geoffrey chuckling]

[Laura chuckling]

Nancy...
how I've missed you.

Our time apart
has been far too long.

You simply must bring Catherine
to London to pay us a visit.

She will enjoy the city,

and Robert will
be happy to see you both.

Not as happy as I will be

to have us all reunited...
together.

Oh!

- Finally up.
- Ah, good morning.

We're going to have visitors
today, so you should

- get yourself together.
- What visitors?

- Mmm.
- [door slamming]

- What...
- Too late.

Train was on time.

[footsteps thudding]

Hello!
Nancy, this is, um-

this is our new friend,
Geoffrey Phibbs.

He's a very
talented young poet,

and he's been living here
with us.

How do you do?

Geoffrey, this-
this is my wife and my daughter.

- Where is she?
- [laughs] Catherine,

- say hello to Geoffrey.
- Hello.

She's shy.

You aren't
going to say anything?

I think he's in shock.

Right, well, we were on that
train for ever such a long time.

I think Catherine might need
to stretch her legs.

Catherine, come with me.
To the park we go.

Geoffrey, would you-
would you like to join us?

Um, yes,
certainly.

- Uh, I'll just follow you out.
- Very well.

[sighs]

Hello.
[chuckles] I missed you.

Oh... Nancy, no.

No, uh,
I'm not that way.

Robert needs you.

You have to focus all your
energy on Robert right now.

Yes.
Yes, of course.

Hmm.

[sombre music]

Meet our champion drinker.

What can I say, Robert,
I'm Irish.

[Robert chuckling]

It's not the only thing
he's good at.

Mmm!

[light jazz music]

[Laura chuckling]

- [humming]
- Oof!

Dance with me.
Dance with me. Dance with me.

[laughing]

[Laura laughing loudly]

[distant laughter]

[distant party din]

- Be careful with her, Robert.
- [sighs]

[door creaking]
[door thudding]

♪

[giggles]

[Nancy sighing]

♪

Uh... thank you
for a splendid evening.

[laughs] What?

Goodnight.

♪

Not tonight.

[dissonant buzzing]

[echoing laughter and coughing]

A modern relationship
without any regard

for formal conventions.
[chuckles]

Could I have been
so blind, Robert?

I decided that evening
to chart my own course.

As you know, matters took
a more... complicated turn,

if that was even possible.

Permission to come aboard.

Hello.
Permission granted.

I heard you were living here,

wanted to see
how you're getting on.

Look at this!
I like it, it's lovely.

Uh, do you need any help?

Yes, um, perhaps that box
because I need it.

- Dublin.
- Pardon?

- Have you ever been?
- No.

Uh, you should go.

There's plenty of things
for you to paint over there.

I'll bear that in mind.

You're very good,
by the way.

Oh, thank you.

[Geoffrey laughs]

So how's your writing coming
along, are you a poet yet?

Uh...
I don't know if I am a poet.

My own verses have earned me
nothing but rejection slips.

And besides, I have been
working on a dictionary.

- A dictionary? Oh!
- Mm-hmm!

But only words with exact
meanings would be included.

[Nancy laughs]
Are you up to the challenge?

Uh, I feel like Laura's
just using me like a pencil.

I'm sure.

Your husband

- is an extraordinary writer.
- Yes.

I've learned a great deal
from him.

I thought Laura was your mentor?

Well, she is, but I consider
Robert my friend as well.

Well,
Laura finds you acceptable,

you'll be Robert's best friend.

She and Robert are very close...

- ...collaborators.
- Lovers.

I could use a shot of whiskey.

[Nancy chuckles]
Well, I can help you with that.

- Oh, we go.
- Well equipped. [laughs]

Tea cups.
Not fancy here.

[chuckles]
Thank you.

- Here we are.
- [clears throat]

To you.

To your new home.

Mmm.

You know, Robert
does miss you, and Catherine.

I'm sure he does,
but Robert needs his space

and Laura's the only one allowed
to fill it at the moment.

You know,
we're not too far.

Perhaps this is all my fault
anyway,

but I encouraged it.

He was struggling
and we invited Laura

to come and stay,
and she woke him up.

You're also very honest
with each other? [chuckles]

I wonder if the word honesty
has an exact meaning.

- [Nancy and Geoffrey chuckling]
- Yes.

[soft dramatic music]

- Davidoff for you, sir.
- Thank you.

Well, I've been thinking, since
the release of the Lorentz book,

interest in the Great War
has never been higher.

You should consider writing

about your experiences
on the front.

London is working
on a memo I sold.

If I write another book,

it would take place
in Ancient Rome.

Murder, mystery, intrigue,
violence, sex. You know.

Yes, of course.
Well, you're right about that.

I'm sure it would
be a bestseller, but...

...I believe
that you could write something

memorable and meaningful
for the people of this country.

Give it some thought.

So... you're enjoying the money
from the Lorentz book.

[Robert] Thank you.

[Nancy] The success you craved
was at hand.

It's a funny life,
isn't it?

Your exiled yourself
to a private world

in which Laura
was the only authority.

The more she failed
at her writing,

the more you
devoted yourself to her.

Love did blind you Robert.

As you wrote to me
during our courtship,

when a dream is born in you

and you wish
the dream to be true,

be careful though
with sudden clutch.

You'll hurt the delicate
things you prize so much.

Aw. Right, here we go.

Hm!

Shouldn't you be
getting back to work right now?

Ah, such a nice day!
Why waste it with work, eh?

[Catherine laughing]

So, I have hidden
a ball somewhere on this barge.

If you can find it
in the time allocated,

there will be a special
treat in store for you.

Go, go find it.

[laughing]

You're wonderful with that.

Oh.

I wish I didn't have to leave.

Laura's being so aggressive.

She's always
expecting something from me.

Then assert yourself. Say no.

I think I should
go back to Dublin.

My father keeps
asking me to come home.

What's keeping you here?

I wish it were that simple.

Besides,
I enjoy our afternoons together

more than anything,
as brief as they are.

Don't try your odds on me.

You're most attractive.

I find you
attractive as [inaudible].

Right, stop that.

I can't be a continuous
player in this drama.

[Catherine]
I won, I found the ball, yay!

[Geoffrey and Nancy laughing]

[Laura] Nancy is trying
to destroy the holy circle.

[Nancy laughing] Holy circle.

I just came here to see
if Geoffrey was all right.

- Where's Catherine?
- She's at your sister's.

And as for this holy circle,
I want nothing to do with it.

- Do you understand?
- Could one of you please

enlighten me
as to what this is all about?

Nancy has been
poisoning his mind against me.

I know the two of you
have been spending

an awful lot of time together.

I see everything.
Everything. Nothing escapes me.

She's probably just running
an errand or something.

Oh, don't be an idiot.
You know, this is your fault.

- My fault?
- [Laura] Exactly.

If you were spending
enough time with your wife,

then I could be in bed
with Geoffrey right now...

Oh, don't you dare
pass judgment on my marriage.

If either of you had
actually spoken to Geoffrey,

you'd realize that he's deeply
unhappy and he wants to

- go back to Dublin.
- [deep gasp] Find him.

Find him? But where exactly
do you propose I start looking?

I don't fucking know,
but why don't you start?

Find him.

- [Laura grunts]
- [Nancy] This is a mess.

- [Laura] ...back in the morning-
- She's mad.

If I either of you
had bothered to talk...

- [door slamming]
- [muffled shouting]

I'll be back shortly.

[footsteps thudding]

[door slamming]

[Laura yelling]

[somber music plays]

Just me.

I've just come
to collect my things.

I'm gonna be staying
with my auntie in Putney.

You caused quite the commotion.

[Geoffrey chuckling]

Where's Laura and Robert?

Well, Robert
went out to look for you

and Laura locked herself
in her bathroom eight hours ago.

Maybe I should talk to her.

Laura, you're a very
strong-minded woman.

You ask me to give up
everything to come here

and work with you.

You then enticed me
into your bed and...

...I hate it.
I hate it.

I-I hate it because I feel that
I'm in between the two of you

in a way that I don't...

and I suspect Robert
doesn't even understand.

Laura brought you
out of ob-obscurity.

And-And this is how
you repay her?

By leaving?

Do you have
no sense of her holiness?

Who do you think she is?
The fucking pope?

- A goddess!
- Robert, Geoffrey,

- this isn't helping.
- What I know is this bastard

has turned up out of nowhere
and spoiled everything!

He's a selfish prick
who'd prefer to run back

to his beloved island
than stay with us!

I prefer to be with
neither you nor Laura,

if the truth be told.

If any here deserves
any consideration, it's Nancy.

She's the only honest,
understanding person here,

which makes my decision to
leave all the more difficult.

You're a liar and a sponger!

You couldn't give
a damn about Nancy!

And more to the point,
she doesn't care about you!

Ask her.

[dramatic string music]

You're fucking lying.

Robert, for God's sake,
can't you see?

First, Laura wanted you,
now she wants me.

To have me,
to posses me, to-to-to fuck me!

She thinks she's God.

Stay away from her
before she destroys you.

I will kill you.
I'll kill you.

Robert, Robert, no
don't, don't, Geoffrey.

Bloody, mental Robert.

Stop it! Robert, stop it!

- [body thudding]
- Get off him.

[Geoffrey and Robert grunting]

[Nancy]
Laura, help me! Get off him!

[whooshing]

♪

Goodbye, chaps.

[screams] Laura!

- Laura!
- [body splatting]

[Geoffrey panting]

[Nancy whimpering]

- [Robert sobbing]
- [footsteps thudding]

[Nancy] Hello, Windsor?
I need an ambulance.

Yes, 3580 Square [inaudible]

[footsteps thudding]

[wind howling]

[Robert panting heavily]

[man] He's been doing
so well, so well.

[woman] Catherine!

What are we going
to do about Robert?

[man]
His fight is his own front.

It's the only place for
a true gentleman. [echoes]

[Robert] I was left for dead
during the Battle of the Somme.

As a shell splinted my lungs,

and so they marked me
dead the day I turned 21.

They counted me
as dead, did they?

The day my childhood
slipped away,

and manhood begun.

[dramatic strings music]

[Nancy] Robert!

♪

[doctor]
He's badly bruised,

but he seems to have
escaped serious injury.

It's a different story
with the American woman.

Her spine are not broken,
suffered a severe contortion.

I must emphasize that
the spinal cord is intact

which means that
paralysis is unlikely.

We'll be performing
surgery to relieve the pressure,

and afterwards, she'll need
long period of convalescence.

I'm afraid that's all
I can say at this time.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

[footsteps thudding]

[Nancy]
Thank you.

[door thudding]

[Edmund] The police had
to question Mr. Graves,

and charges of attempted murder
are expected to be forthcoming.

Hm. There is more
Ms. Riding with Mary

before she arrived in England.

"And allegations
of untoward behavior

with an American professor

who's been forced
to resign his position."

Oh, Robert.

You are very excellent
and truthful person

drowning in a quagmire.

[Nancy sobbing]

[door knocking]

Hello?

Where is Catherine?

[Nancy]
She's still at her aunt's.

Right.

And I'll take her
back to World's End.

[Nancy sighing]
What must she think?

Can't choose your parents,
can you?

Don't.

Don't say that.

You've done
a wonderful job with her.

Listen.

I want to stay.

I want to help you
raise Catherine.

If you'll let me.

Yes.

[Nancy sighing]

[birds chirping]

[Nancy]
How are you?

Tired.

[footsteps thudding]

- How is Catherine?
- Fine. She's fine.

I told her
you went on holiday.

I didn't know what else to say.

[Nancy breathing deeply]

I need to get
Catherine back to World's End.

We are going to leave
the day after tomorrow.

Geoffrey going with you?

He is.

I did not deny

anything about
how good we were together.

And Catherine proves it,
we were good.

Hm.

Was it all worth it?

I almost loved her.

I never worshiped her.

I made you something

so that you would always
have Catherine near you.

[somber music plays]

Has her dress and her bonnet
and the curls on her head

and I'm sure
it has her kind heart.

[Nancy sobbing]

You are a great writer,

with or without Laura Riding.

[door thudding]

[Laura] I haven't had the
courage to look at myself yet.

There's a mirror in there.

Will you get it?

Sure.

[Laura sniffling]

Put it away.

[mirror thudding]

[Laura sighing]
Oh, what have I done?

[Laura breathing deeply]

There's usually
a staircase that takes me away.

This time it wasn't there.

Forgive me.

There's nothing
to forgive you for.

I guess ever since I read your
poems since that day in Wilton,

I knew that we were
destined to be together.

[Laura breathing deeply]

I want you to go back
to the time before me,

and I want you to forget
there ever was a Laura Riding.

[soft orchestral music]

♪

♪

♪

[Robert] The objects of this
story are simple enough.

An opportunity for
a formal goodbye to you,

and to you, and to you,
and to me, and to all that.

Forgetfulness. Because once
all this has been settled

in my mind and
written down and published,

it may never be
thought about again.

Since the end of the war,

I have been plagued by
recurring daydreams of war.

They persist
like an alternate life.

It is good to
have you back, Graves.

I concur.

[Robert] I've long regarded
poetry as a vocation,

though I never fully understood

why the poet
falls in love absolutely

and is true love is for him,
the embodiment of the new

I would seem to be
denying you in your true quality

of one living
invisibly against kind,

as dead beyond event.

And yet the silence is false

if it makes the book
seem to have written forward

from where I was, instead
of backwards from where you are.

How we went together to the land

where the dead
parade the streets,

and there met with demons,

and returned with the
demons still treading behind.

That was the beginning
of the end,

and the end,
and the after is yours.

[Nancy]
This does all feel like destiny

and I hope that
everyone understands

the unbelievable story
that it was

and that nothing's perfect.

That she made your poetry
more precise is true.

That her strength has helped you
control your demons, I accept.

That she helped you
to write goodbye

to all that is unarguable.

You paid her bills
and you supported us,

but Robert, at what cost?

With love, Nancy.

[soft dramatic music]

♪

♪

♪

[artillery booming]

[artillery whistling]

[yelling loudly]

[wind howling]

[distant yelling]

[wind whistling]

[soft orchestral music]

♪

Provided by explosiveskull
https://twitter.com/kaboomskull

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[upbeat jazz music]

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