Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji / 霸王别姬) (霸王别姬)

1977 BEIJING, CHINA

Who are you?

We're with the opera troupe.

Oh, I didn't recognize you!

I'm a great fan of you both.

Is that so? Thank you.

It's been over twenty years since you performed together, hasn't it?

Twenty-one.

Twenty-two.

Yes, twenty-two years.

And it's been ten years since we last saw each other.

Eleven. Eleven years.

That's right, eleven years. Yes.

It's due to the Gang of Four and the Cultural Revolution.

Right!

Yeah, that's right.

Things are better now.

That's for sure.

Everything's fine now.

Please, wait here a moment. I'll go turn on the lights.

Sorry to trouble you.

FAREWELL, MY CONCUBINE

1924 BEIJING: THE WARLORD ERA

Yanhong, is that you? I've really missed you.

Whore!

Ladies and gentlemen,

enjoy the show!

You, cunning asshole!

Laizi is trying to run away again. Brat! See how far you get!

Quick, go catch him!

I'm sorry.

Gentlemen, please be patient.

Trash! how dare you show yourselves around here?

Fuck you all!

Just as sure as my name is Shitou

I'll give you something to look at.

What are you screaming for? I haven't even said hello yet!

You're a disgrace to the opera troupe.

You couldn't even play a monkey right.

Thought you'd get away with that brick act, didn't you?

It's garbage.

Sharpen your knives!

Sharpen your knives!

This child isn't fated to be an actor.

Not with that extra finger.

He has a good face, but he can't.

Sharpen your knives!

I can afford to raise him

but he's getting too big to keep at the brothel.

If only you take him, you can do anything you like.

Don't look down on us.

Don't be foolish. Prostitutes and actors

are equally despised by society.

Just go away.

Ma, my hands are freezing. They feel like ice.

Ma!

Get away from us, you son of a whore!

It's from the whore house! Drop it on the foor!

Are you bullying him?

Come over here. Sleep with me!

You're really something!

Laizi, go snuggle up with the Little Monk.

Catch!

It's so cold outside

the piss froze on the tip of my dick.

I nearly turned a somersault!

If you belong to the human race, you go to the opera.

Pigs and dogs don't listen to opera.

If you don't go to the opera,

you're not a human being.

And where there's opera, there's work for us actors!

Stop squealing!

Straighten that back!

If you think you're above everyone else

you'll learn the hard way. This is just the beginning.

Don't worry, Douzi.

We're already half way through.

Shitou, are you helping someone cheat?

Master, I was looking up. I didn't notice what was on the floor.

Bullshit! Get me my sword.

And hurry up!

Get up!

Don't you have something to say?

Yes. Forming cliques is prohibited & will be punished.

He's not fucking scared of anything.

From the time opera began

It's never enjoyed such popularity as it does today!

You're lucky to be part of it!

We are!

Heavens will not have a lack of material skill

I've been practicing kung fu

to keep myself warm.

It's cool outside, quite cool.

But I've become a man of fire. Get away from me.

I am so strong, I can uproot the mountains

My courage is renowned

I've fallen on bad times

Yet even my horse Won't run away to save itself.

These are our rules. We must learn them well.

From ancient times, man has needed a skill.

If you devote yourself to this, you'll get paid off.

Now go off and practice!

Let's hear Fleeing by Night.

I look back at the Celestial Court and hurry onwards in fight

Heedless of.. heedless of

Heedless of what?

Heedless of loyalty and filial piety.

I am so strong, I can uproot the mountains.

Yet even my horse Won't run away to save itself.

And my beloved concubine, what shall I do about her?

Excellent, not a word out of place. Give me your hand.

This is so you'll remember to do as well the next time.

I am a nun

At sixteen I am a nun. My hair is shorn at youth's prime.

Go on.

I am by nature a boy

I am by nature a boy

You are by nature a girl!

I'll punish you, Laizi! You still can't get it right, can you?

Don't hit me! I won't do it again!

I am.. I am by nature

Spit it out!

I am by nature a boy

Is a nun a male or a female?

A..

A boy

You really are in character. You can't even tell male from female.

I..l..l am by nature a boy

You've forgotten everything the master has taught you!

Do it again, and I'll beat you within an inch of your life.

You'd better remember this.

If by chance I'm beaten to death tomorrow

The three copper coins hidden under my mattress.

Careful!

Don't water your hand!

Douzi, in a few days, you'll be initiated into the troupe.

Just pretend you're a girl, & don't mess up the lyrics again.

Laizi, have you ever eaten sweetpea cakes?

Whats the big deal about sweetpea cakes?

How about millet rolls?

Basin cakes?

They're about as fucking special as dog farts.

So what do you like?

There's nothing yummier than a stick of candied crab apples.

If I make it big, I'll eat candied crab apples every day for dinner.

Candied crab apples for sale! Candied crab apples for sale!

Don't look at us like that. We're not sticks of apple.

Laizi, you're drooling!

Laizi, What the hell are you doing?

Wow, so many big kites!

Douzi, we got only 2 days to go.

Run for it!

Come back!

Douzi! We got 2 days

Don't forget the money under my pillow.

You're worthless. Get out of my sight!

Where'd you get that?

Forget Shitou. I'm spending your money now.

Ten apples on each stick. I'll give you two.

What's wrong with you?

I have to pee real bad.

Not in the middle of the street.

It's Manager Wang!

The stars have arrived! Here, come this way.

My dear sir, this is like a visit from heaven!

All you need to do is sneeze & you get a standing ovation.

Thanks for coming here.

BEIJING OPERA “ FAREWELL, MY CONCUBINE”

We'll be lucky if no one is trampled to death in there!

I'll sit on your shoulders for a while, then you sit on mine.

The king! It's the King of Chu!

What does it take to become a star?

How many beatings?

When will I ever enjoy such fame?

You're pissing all over me! Are you nuts?

I knew you'd go back. You couldn't live without Shitou!

We're going to get a taste of the sword. But I'm not afraid.

For me, it's like having an itch scratched.

I've eaten my candied crab apple. I'm a fucking star already.

You little runts, you've come back after all.

Good! I deserve it! Good! I deserve it!

Why the hell did you let them go?

Die you runts!

Skipping class & running away must be punished!

Master, I'll never do it again. Please let me go!

You let them get away? Assholes!

Master!

I wouldn't dare do it again, master. I was wrong.

Beat me instead!

Didn't you think you'd get yours? I'll kill you!

Douzi, speak! Say something!

Beg for mercy! Say he's beaten you well!

Speak! Let's just disband the troupe!

You're killing Douzi!

I won't let you do this!

Master Guan!

Laizi, he..

This opera tells the story of war between the Chu and Han kings.

What sort of a man was the King of Chu?

A peerless & invincible hero