Original subtitles

This is where the wealthy and the powerful rule.

It is her world,

a world apart from mine.

Her name... is Catherine.

From the moment I saw her, she captured my heart.

With her beauty,

her warmth and her courage.

I knew then, as I know now,

she would change my life...

forever.

He comes from a secret place, far below the city streets,

hiding his face from strangers,

safe from hate and harm.

He brought me there to save my life.

And now, wherever I go, he is with me in spirit.

For we have a bond stronger than friendship or love.

And although we cannot be together,

we will never, ever be apart.

To my grandson and his fiancée.

May the new year, the Year of the Dragon,

be a joyous one to both of you,

a time of new beginnings

and reaffirmation of old traditions.

We welcome you into our family, Lin Wong.

Please give my best regards to your grandfather.

This will be a union of two proud families

whose bloodlines will intermingle

into a fine grandchild.

Thank you, Grandfather.

We appreciate your good wishes and your plans for our future.

You will have your grandson.

Are you all right?

You look so pale.

Ah...

Just a nervous bride, that's all.

It's a quality to be admired

in an age where tradition holds so little value

for most young people.

And that is why your union means so much.

It is very important.

Never lose sight of that, my children.

Find yourself a new girlfriend, Henry.

We don't want to have to come back here again.

Understood?

That's good, Henry.

It's been 20 years

since I first prescribed these herbs for your father.

I remember coming here as a child.

Yes.

Long before Lin came to live with me.

I'm so pleased you became friends with her.

I've cherished her friendship and yours.

You think you're fooling me, don't you?

No.

The way you behaved tonight.

It was unacceptable.

I was only nervous, as your grandfather said.

In the future...

you will smile when you're expected to smile.

You will show your gratitude.

Look at me when I'm talking to you.

I know you're still seeing Pei, and it must stop.

Our marriage is very important to my grandfather.

Which makes it very important to me.

Lin.

Henry.

What happened? Who did this to you?

Nothing. Forget about it.

It was Peter's friends, wasn't it?

They tore up the restaurant.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

Did they make the announcement?

Chiang did at dinner tonight.

Grandfather's agreed to the wedding date.

When?

Three weeks.

Then we'll leave tonight, now.

We have nowhere to go,

and if we do run away, what happens to Grandfather?

They won't hurt him.

You've listened to too many of your grandfather's stories.

Those people don't rule the world.

They rule our world.

No.

We're a part of each other.

Nothing else matters.

We'll find a way to be together.

I promise.

I'll see you again soon.

Oh, Lin.

H-How did it go with you?

Why must it be this way?

You know I don't love him. Shh, please,

let's not talk about it now.

We have a guest.

Vincent.

What has made you so unhappy?

Hasn't my grandfather told you?

I'm to be married.

A wedding should be a time of joy.

Not in Chinatown.

Lin.

Well, I should have told you before.

Lin is to marry Peter Chiang,

grandson of one of the most powerful men in Chinatown.

She does not love him.

Well, perhaps she will learn to love him.

It's going to be a good marriage.

I have known Chiang Lo Yu for a long time.

And it was he who helped me bring Lin over from Taipei.

Now she thinks she's in love with another.

A poor boy.

What can he hope to give her?

His heart.

Why does it sometimes seem as though the world conspires

to keep lovers apart?

Or brings them together when it's impossible.

There's a man, Catherine, a good man,

who, for more years than I can count,

has helped us selflessly, kept our secrets.

I know him.

I know how gentle and wise he is

and how much he loves his granddaughter.

Yet now, he is trying to force her

to marry a man she does not love.

How could he do that?

This is the 20th century.

There are no more arranged marriages.

Not in your world or in mine,

but Chinatown is another world, apart from both of ours.

How does the girl feel?

She is angry

and afraid.

She would like to comply with her grandfather's wishes,

but her heart is crying out against it.

Would you like me to talk to her, Vincent?

I think Lin would like that.

Thank you, Mister...

After my parents' death,

Mr. Chiang paid for my passage from China.

He even arranged for my visa.

My grandfather feels he owes him a great debt.

Well, indebtedness is one thing,

but does that give him the right to choose who you marry?

I wish it were as simple as you make it sound.

But you are not Chinese, you don't understand our ways.

My grandfather is my only living relation.

Everything I've been taught

tells me it's my duty to obey him.

I don't think you have to be Chinese to understand that.

I felt that way for most of my life.

For me, it was my father.

He always had very specific ideas

about who I should be, what I should do...

until somehow, in ways that I still don't understand,

they became my ideas.

It took Vincent to show me that the truth is in your heart.

And you should follow it.

Wish I could.

Vincent mentioned another young man.

Henry.

I don't know how to tell you about him.

He's... he's wonderful.

He's good. Strong, gentle.

And he loves me.

They beat him last night, as a warning to stay away.

Who?

Some gang members

hired by Mr. Chiang.

They broke into his restaurant, destroyed everything.

I can help you do something about that.

Oh, no, Miss Chandler. Please... I-I...

I don't think Henry would want that.

We'll, we'll be all right.

I know the check's a few days late.

Forget it.

Come on, man. You have to pay rent, too.

Don't look so worried.

It's good.

At least till Tuesday.

Thanks.

You've been a good friend, Eddie.

More than a good friend, a brother.

Whatever happens... I want you to know,

I appreciate your standing by me

like this.

What are you doing here?

Don't worry. We're alone.

Are you sure?

Yes.

You're pretty reckless.

I'm not reckless, I'm in love.

With us, it's almost the same thing.

Not anymore.

We're leaving this place. Tomorrow night.

What are you talking about? Where?

There's this place I know of,

a forgotten place that's secret and safe.

I've been there only once, but I know its people.

One is a very good friend.

I'm sure he'll welcome us.

Who is this friend? How come I don't know him?

I can't explain.

Why not?

Because it is truly beyond words.

When you meet him,

when you see this place, you'll understand.

But for now, I can only ask you to trust me.

Of course I trust you.

Then meet me at my grandfather's store.

Tomorrow night, 9:00. But you must tell no one.

It sounds like a fairy tale.

Yes, I know.

Thank you, Debbie.

And our next court date for the Demarco case is the 19th.

Great. That about wraps it up.

What do you know about Chinatown?

Great flick.

Okay, Radcliffe, what's the problem?

I'm trying to help a young restaurant owner down there.

He willing to help himself? I don't know.

I'll find out today.

I ever tell you about Jack Millhouse?

Guy I went to law school with.

Jack was investigating

some union busting going on

in a Chinatown sweatshop when he disappeared.

They found his body in a dumpster off Pell.

I worked on that case for over a year.

Took me six months just to find a witness.

Finally found this nice old guy, not afraid of anything.

Two days later he was hit by a car

in front of his market.

10:00 in the morning. Street packed with people.

No one saw a thing.

That was just one case, Joe. This one could be different.

The Great Wall's been around China

for 2,000 years, Radcliffe.

You're not going to tear it down overnight.

No. But I can try to put a hole in it.

And one more thing...

No one says "flick" anymore.

Our rules are very strict about who may come down

and for what reason.

I know about rules.

But what do your rules say about love?

Henry is my life.

From the moment I first saw him, I knew that he was

the only person who could make my life complete.

We don't wish to make the tunnels our home.

All we ask is that you offer us some sanctuary.

Without your grandfather's approval...

But you know my grandfather. Yes.

I know him.

And I know that he is also torn.

I'm sorry, Vincent.

I love him, and I have always respected his wishes.

But I don't know what else to do.

If you turn us away...

I will speak with Father.

And...

I will contact you when I know something.

It's all that I can do.

How can we possibly deny them?

Well, to begin with, we've never met this Henry Pei.

How do we know we can trust him?

Because Lin trusts him. Not to mention the fact

that Dr. Wong has expressly forbidden it.

Now, we cannot just dismiss his part of this.

Lin is a woman, responsible only to herself.

She is not Dr. Wong's possession or any other man's.

But part of that responsibility

includes a respect to the man who has done so much,

sacrificed so much of himself for her.

So Lin must sacrifice herself?

Will the satisfaction from this comfort her

during the endless gray years to come?

Will it keep her warm on cold nights

as she lies beside a man she does not love?

Dr. Wong only wants what is best for Lin.

Only Lin knows what is best for Lin.

Very well. I'll present her case to the council.

There is no longer time for that.

Then you and I must share the responsibility

of our decision.

Thank you, Father.

Identify the men who assaulted you, Henry,

and we'll make an arrest.

At the very least, we'll get a restraining order.

What good will that do? It will force them

to stop harassing you.

And the good people of this neighborhood.

Look, I appreciate what you're doing,

and I know you're trying to help,

but the fact is, you're the outsider here--

the police and you lawyers-- that's just the way it is.

It doesn't have to be.

This restaurant, this block, this neighborhood,

it's still part of New York.

No, Miss Chandler, it's Chinatown.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a restaurant to run.

I'll do anything I can to help you and Lin.

If you change your mind.

We'll be okay.

So what did the lady want?

Forget about it.

We have to talk.

What's up?

You know my father owned this place for over 30 years.

Struggled his whole life to get ahead.

Now business is worse than when he was alive.

We're doing all right.

We're just scraping by. There's a difference.

Henry, what's going on?

I had Mr. Hon draw up papers today.

You know, a contract.

I'm signing the place over to you.

Come on, get serious.

I am serious.

I withdrew half the account this afternoon.

But the books are in order

and there'll be enough money for a while.

The restaurant's yours, Eddie, if you want it.

I mean this place is as much yours as it is mine.

Hey, we grew up here, both of us.

Maybe with me out of the way,

Chiang will let a couple of customers through.

What about you?

What are you going to do?

I can't tell you.

But I'll be in touch as soon as I can.

I don't know what to say.

Just promise me you'll take care of the place.

Hey, come on, Eddie.

Hey, no, what...? Shh.

Grandfather's still awake. We'll have to go around back.

What do you mean? I thought we were leaving.

We are. You'll see. Come on.

Run, Lin. Run!

Get her. I'll take care of him.

Tommy, check over there.

Hey.

I warned you, Pei.

But you were stupid.

The line has been broken.

My grandson, Peter, is dead.

Nothing we do will bring him back to me.

But I want the ears and eyes of Chinatown open.

I want Henry Pei found today.

Ready!

Hey. Did you hear about the Chiang murder? Two minutes ago.

Well? You think this has anything to do with that kid

you were so interested...? I don't know.

What do you mean, you don't know?

I mean you were right.

I spent all day yesterday

walking up and down Mott Street, asking questions.

All I got out of it was a pair of sore feet.

I'm not gonna say "I told you so."

Yeah, you'll just think it.

For what it's worth,

your buddy, Jerry Poholski, is on the case.

If you find out anything, let him know, huh?

Catherine Chandler.

It's Henry Pei.

I didn't know who else to call.

Tell me what happened, Henry.

Henry, you have to trust me.

I can help you.

Lin talked about someplace, a safe place, that we could go.

Yeah? Where?

I don't know.

She was real mysterious-- wouldn't tell me anything

except that she had a friend there.

I don't know who.

I was supposed to meet Lin last night

at her grandfather's store.

Peter Chiang, he found out about it, and...

Go on.

He was going to kill me.

I didn't... I was just protecting myself.

I swear.

I believe you.

Where are you now?

In Soho.

Okay, uh, I'll meet you there.

No, you don't understand.

I'm dead if anyone sees me around here.

Half of Chinatown is looking for me.

I have to find Lin.

Okay, can you get uptown?

Yeah, why?

I'll explain when I see you.

Meet me on the corner of 51st and Lexington.

Miss Chandler.

Are you all right?

I'm not hurt, if that's what you mean.

I'd be better if I knew that Lin was safe.

I'm going to take you to her right now.

You know where she is?

Henry, first there are some things I should tell you

about the place we're going,

things you probably won't understand until you see them.

Miss Chandler!

Down the steps.

Now what?

Don't worry.

Come through.

Henry!

I still can't believe all this is real.

Believe it.

It's as real as your love.

There's something I have to tell you.

Ah, my dear old friend.

Huh!

Please, try to understand.

Are you aware that Peter Chiang was murdered?

He was trying to kill me.

Doesn't matter what he was doing.

He's dead, and now Chiang Shin Li

won't rest until he tastes revenge.

He'll kill you both.

Grandfather, I'm sorry.

You don't know what you've done, child.

By coming down here,

you've endangered these people.

The responsibility lies with all of us.

Henry and Lin will be safe here.

No one is safe.

It's you who don't understand.

The Tong knows about these tunnels.

They've been using it for over a century.

They'll send down a whole army.

Oh, God.

A hundred years ago,

when we risked our very lives to walk these foreign streets,

our ancestors honeycombed all of Chinatown with tunnels.

And we took refuge in those tunnels during times of trouble.

Now those who have betrayed us

have taken refuge down there.

They think themselves safe from harm.

They are wrong.

Guns are worse than useless

in dark places where the wall press close.

We will arm ourselves... with weapons of our ancestors

and defeat them.

Choose!

And what if there are others down there?

There is only the girl... and the dead.

Follow me!

I want our fastest runners posted as sentries--

adults only, no children.

I don't want to endanger the children.

Oh, by the way, are they safely back?

Kipper returned a few minutes ago.

He was the last.

Mary is with them.

Good. Well, get Winslow and Michael

to stay with them as well, in case...

in case the unthinkable happens.

Oh, and tell Pascal I want an all-quiet on the pipes.

We're going to seal ourselves tight.

We'll raise the false walls here...

here... and here.

Mouse will turn off the lights

when the intruders have first been sighted.

Let them wander around in the dark for a few hours,

perhaps they'll give up.

You do not know

Chiang.

He is relentless.

If he must search a whole year, he will

until he finds a road down here.

It's me he wants.

I'm the one who killed Peter.

Henry, don't leave me.

I have to do something, don't you understand?

This is my fight.

There will be no fight if we can help it.

We will do everything in our power to avoid bloodshed.

And what if you can't?

This is our home they threaten.

We will do what we must.

You don't know them.

Chiang does not know us.

All right, Yueh, you take Kuo and Chan, go this way.

The rest of you, follow me.

The lights!

It means nothing.

They know we're here.

And we know they are close.

They've found our hidden doors

and secret passageways.

Both groups have penetrated into the lower levels.

Are you sure?

Jamie saw them pass.

We've been safe for so long.

And now they bring their violence

and their hatred to our very home.

They've given us no choice.

None.

If I'm not back

within the hour, you must flee.

Come back to me, Vincent.

Chan?

Chan, where are you?!

I don't like this.

Silence!

It's nothing!

An animal.

A wild dog that crawls beneath the earth.

That's no dog!

Give us Lin Wong

and Henry Pei,

and we'll let you live!

Spread out, find him, and kill him!

No guns!

Stop! Stop it!

You are truly a demon.

All men are demons when their homes

and their loved ones are at risk.

What would you do if I allowed you to leave here alive?

I would return, again and again,

each time with more men,

better prepared and better armed.

What would you do, huh?

What would you do?!

Kill me?!

Only a monster would kill an unarmed man.

I am fortunate that you are an honorable man.

May you enter this marriage

with love and respect for one another.

May your years together

be blessed by children.

Your love is the sum of your being

and must be cherished until the end of your days.

For love is truly the strongest of bonds.

Yet, for all its strengths, love is also delicate

as a lotus flower, and requires care.

Let your courage to love

serve as an inspiration to all who climb the highest mountains

and cross the great waters

in love's name.

You look...

so beautiful.

For a moment...

I allowed myself to dream.

So did I.

They have a lifetime together.

Our time together is always measured

in minutes... seconds.

Then we must learn to measure our lifetime in another way.

Yes.