I'm the least able to dig, and I'm not one of the walking wounded.
It's only one night.
If I remain, it's the most effective method of persuading my husband...
to abandon whatever he's doing and come and rescue us.
- All right. - Come on, let's get going.
[Engine Starts]
I thought you might like to paste them into your book.
Well, we...
We took photographs.
There's no need.
No, really. I'd like you to have them.
Well, there's really no need. This is, um...
This is just a scrapbook. They are too good.
I should feel obliged. Thank you.
And that would be unconscionable, I suppose, wouldn't it?
To feel any obligation.
Yes, of course it would.
[Men Speaking Arabic]
You should come into the shelter.
I'm quite all right, thank you.
- Look over there. - What am I looking at?
Do you see what's happening to them, the stars?
- They're so untidy. I was trying to rearrange them. - No, no.
Over there.
In a few minutes, there'll be no stars.
The air is filling with sand.
[Wind Howling]
[Shouting]
[Panting]
[Coughing]
- This is not very good, is it? - No.
[Coughing]
- Will we be all right? - Yes.
Yes.
Absolutely.
"Yes" is a comfort. "Absolutely" is not.
Let me tell you about winds.
There is a, a whirlwind from southern Morocco,
the Aajej,
against which the Fellahin defend themselves with knives.
And there is a, a Ghibli from Tunis.
- A Ghibli? - A Ghibli.
Which rolls and rolls and rolls and produces a...
- a rather strange nervous condition. - [Laughing]
And then there is the, the Harmatten,
a red wind, which mariners call "the sea of darkness."
And red sand from this wind...
has flown as far as the south coast of England,
apparently producing...
showers so dense that they were mistaken for blood.
Fiction!
We have a house on that coast and it has never, never rained blood.
No, it's all true. Herodotus, your friend.
- My friend. - Your fri...
He writes about it...
and he writes about...
a, a wind, the Simoon,
which a nation thought was so evil,
they declared war on it and marched out against it.
In full battle dress.
Their swords raised.
[Engine Running, Horn Honking]
Katharine, Katharine, I need to get out your side, quickly.
A car! Let me out!
Of course. I'm sorry.
Ridiculous to fall asleep!
Unforgivable!
Damn! The flare!
Stop! Over here!
- [Honking] - Here!
- Stop! - [Honking]
- Madox! - [Flare Gun Fires]
Madox! Madox!
Our tracks have disappeared.
Madox will calculate how many miles. He'll soon turn around.
Could I ask you, please, to...
paste your paintings into my book.
I... I should like to have them.
I should be honored.
- [Muffled Honking] - The others!
- Oh, God. - Quick!
[Honking Continues]
Oh, how awful! We've got to get them out.
Quick! Get the other shovel!
[Honking Continues]
Am I a terrible coward to ask how much water we have left?
A little in our can. We have, uh, water in the radiator, which can be drunk.
And, uh, that's not cowardly at all. It's extremely practical.
We, uh... Oh, come on! Come on!
- [Honking Continues] - There's also a plant.
I've never seen it, but I believe you can cut a piece the size of a heart from this plant,
and the next morning it'll be filled with a delicious liquid.
Find that plant, cut out its heart.
[Honking Continues]
Here.
[Men Shouting]
Here's the window.
Clear the glass. I'll clear the door. Mind your hands.
- [Shouting] - It's okay. We're here.
Come on, clear it quickly.
[Shouting]
Hang on. Coming.
[Shouting In Arabic]
- I've got it. I've got it. - Help them out. Here.
[Arabic]
Katharine.
Water.
[Flare Fires, Explodes]
[Katharine] Geoffrey's not in Cairo.
He's not actually a buffoon.
The plane wasn't a wedding present.
It belongs to the British government.
They want aerial maps of the whole of North Africa.
So I think he's in Ethiopia.
In case you're counting on his sudden appearance.
And the marriage.
Is that a fiction?
No, the marriage isn't a fiction.
[Men Shouting In Arabic]
- Oh, thank God. - [Shouting Continues]
Thank God.
Madox. It's Madox.
[Shouting]
Am I K. In your book?
I think I must be.
[Man] Chapter one.
"He sat in defiance of municipal orders astride the gun Zamzammah..."
I can't read these words. I can't read them. They stick in my throat.
[Almásy] Because you're reading it too fast.
- Not at all. - You have to read Kipling slowly.
Your eye is too impatient. Think about the speed of his pen.
What is it? "He sat, comma,
"in defiance of municipal orders, comma,
"astride the gun Zamzammah...
on her brick..." What is it?
"Brick platform, opposite the old Ajaib-Gher."
"The wonder house, comma,
as the natives called the Lahore Museum."
It's still there, the cannon, outside the museum.
Made of metal cups and bowls taken from every household in the city as tax,
then melted down.
Then later, they fired the cannon at my people,
comma, the natives.
Full stop.
[Slurping]
What exactly is it you object to?
The writer, or what he's writing about?
What I really object to, Uncle,
is your finishing all my condensed milk.
And the message everywhere in your book, however slowly I read it,
that the best thing for India is to be ruled by the British.
Hana, we have discovered a shared pleasure, the boy and I.
- Arguing about books? - Condensed milk.
One of the truly great inventions.
I'll get another tin.
I didn't like that book either. It's all about men.
Too many men. Just like this house.
You like him, don't you? Your voice changes.
No, I don't think it does.
Anyway, he's indifferent to me.
I don't think it's indifference.
- Hana was just telling me, you're indifferent... - Hey!
To her cooking.
Well, I'm indifferent to cooking.
Not Hana's cooking in particular.
Have either of you tried condensed milk sandwiches?
[Coughing]
They're very good with salt.
[Horns Honking]
[People Chattering]
[Honking]
Welcome back, Madam.
Will you not come in?
No.
- I should go home. - Will you please come in?
Mrs. Clifton.
Don't.
I believe you still have my book.
Thank you.
[Chanting In Distance]
[Knocking]
[Hinges Creak]
You still have sand in your hair.
# It wouldn't be make-believe #
# If you believe in me #
#Without your love #
I'm impressed you can sew.
Good.
You sew very badly.
Well, you don't sew at all.
A woman should never learn to sew,
and if she can, she shouldn't admit to it.
[Snickers]
Close your eyes.
It makes it harder still.
Hmm.
When were you most happy?
Now.
And when were you least happy?
Now.
- What do you love? - What do I love?
- Say everything. - Let's see.
- Water. - Mm-hmm.
[Water Splashing]
- Fish in it. - [Chuckles]
And hedgehogs. I love hedgehogs.
And what else?
Marmite. I'm addicted.
And baths. But not with other people.
[Laughing]
Islands.
And your handwriting.
- Mmm. - I could go on all day.
Go on all day.
My husband.
And what do you hate most?
A lie.
What do you hate most?
Ownership.
Being owned.
When you leave, you should forget me.
- [Hana] Who is this? - [Almásy] Don't you recognize me?
[Laughing] Is it you? So fat.
[Chuckles]
- Hmm. - That's a Christmas cracker.
Firecracker.
- This isn't your handwriting, is it? - Yes, it is.
"December 22nd.
"Betrayals in war are childlike...
"compared with our betrayals during peace.
"New lovers are nervous and tender...
"but smash everything.
For the heart is an organ of fire. "
"For the heart is an organ of fire."
I love that.
I believe that.
K?
- Who is K? - K...
is for Katharine.
[People Chattering]
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
- Say you're sick. - What? No.
Say you're feeling faint. The heat.
- No. - I can't work.
- I can't sleep. - Katharine.
Coming.
I can't sleep. I wake up shouting in the middle of the night.
- Geoffrey thinks it's the thing in the desert, trauma. - I can still taste you.
- Fill up this. It's empty. - Oh.
I try to write, with your taste in my mouth.
Swoon.
They'll catch you.
- Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho! - [Child Yelling]
[Santa Shouting]
[Santa Laughing]
- Come along with me now! - Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas!
- Katharine! Oh, my goodness! - Oh.
[Woman] Fetch a chair.
No, I'm fine.
- It's this heat. It's terrible. - Is she all right?
- She's quite all right. - Oh, good.
- Are you pregnant? - Oh, I don't think so, no.
[Laughing] How romantic.
With Fiona, I fell over every five minutes.
Ronnie christened me "Lady Downfall."
Do you know, I think I might go inside and sit down for a few minutes.
- I'll come with you. - No, I'll be all right. You stay here.
Are you sure?
##[Bagpipes]
#Silent night #
#Holy night #
#All is calm #
#All is bright #
#Round yon virgin #
#And her child #
# Silent night #
# Holy night #
#All is calm #
#All is bright #
# Sleep in heavenly peace ##
[All] Happy Christmas!
[Men] # God save our gracious king #
- Have you seen Katharine? - What?
- It's Clifton under here. - Oh.
- No, I haven't. Sorry. - [Sighs]
#Send him victorious #
Darling, I just heard.
You poor sausage. Are you all right?
I'm fine. I'm just too hot.
Lady H thought you might be pregnant.
I'm not pregnant. I'm just hot. Too hot, like you.
I'm sweltering, in fact.
Come on, I'll take you home.
Can we really go home? I can't breathe.
I am dying for green. Anything green, or rain.
It's Christmas and it's all... Oh, I don't know.
If you asked me, I'd go home tomorrow. If you wanted.
Darling, you know we can't go home. There might be a war.
Oh, Geoffrey, you do so love a disguise.
I do so love you.
Mmm.
- What do you smell of? - What?
Marzipan. I think you've got marzipan in your hair.
No wonder you're homesick.
[Thunder Rumbling]
[Breathing Heavily]
Is it you?
What?
If I said "Moose"...
Moose? Who the hell's Moose?
I look different.
Why shouldn't you?
[Thunder Rumbling]
I heard your breathing.
I thought it was the rain. I'm dying for rain.
Well, I'm dying anyway, but I...
I long for the rain on my face.
First wedding anniversary, what do you call it?
Ha, I don't know. Paper?
Is it? I don't know.
Paper.
- [Typewriter Clicking] - Paper?
Darling, it's me. Listen, I'm sorry, something's come up.
- Oh, no. - Now don't sulk. I'll be back tomorrow evening.
I'm going to sulk, and I'm not moving till you get back here.
Promise? That's good.
Okay, my sausage, I love you.
- I didn't know you were going anywhere. - I'm not.
I'm going to surprise her. It's our anniversary. She's forgotten, of course.
What's the symbol of your first anniversary? I should get something.
Is it cotton or paper?
Your first anniversary? I thought you two'd been married for donkey's years.
We've been friends for donkey's years. Best friends.
She was always crying on my shoulder about somebody.
I finally persuaded her to settle for my shoulder. A stroke of genius.
- Moose, are you there? - Yes.
- First anniversary. Is that cotton? - Uh, is what cotton?
First wedding anniversary.
Your first anniversary is... paper.
- Stop. - Please?
S... Stop here.
- Here? - Just stop right here.
Yes, sir.
[Katharine Speaking Arabic]
[Chanting In Distance]
## [Phonograph Plays Foreign Song]
This... What is this?
- ## [Continues] - It's a folk song.
- Arabic. - No, no, it's Hungarian.
My daijka sang it to me.
When I was a child growing up in Budapest.
It's beautiful.
Hmm.
What's it about?
Szerelem means love.
And the story... Well, there's, um,
this Hungarian count.
He's a wanderer. He's a fool.
And for years he's on some kind of a quest for...
who knows what.
And then one day, he falls under the spell of a mysterious English woman,
a harpy, who beats him and hits him.
And he becomes her slave and he sews her clothes and worships...
Stop! Stop it!
Stop! You're always beating me.
- Bastard. - [Laughing]
You bastard! I believed you!
You should be my slave.
##[Song Continues]
I claim this shoulder blade...
No, wait. No, I want... Turn over.
I want this, this... this place.
I love this place. What's it called?
This is mine.
I'm going to ask the king permission to call it the Almásy Bosphorus.
[Giggling]
I thought we were against ownership.
I can stay tonight.
Madox knows, I think.
He keeps talking about Anna Karenina.
I think it's his idea of a man-to-man chat.
Well, it's my idea of a man-to-man chat.
##[Song Continues]
This is a different world, is what I tell myself.
A different life.
And here I'm a different wife.
Yes.
Here you are a different wife.
##[Song Continues]
Oh, they're darling. What are they? Thimbles?
Yes, and they're quite old.
It's full of saffron.
Just in case you think I'm going to give it to you to encourage your sewing.
[Arabic]
I don't care to bargain.
That day, did you follow me to the market?
Yes, of course.
Shall we be all right?
Yes.
Absolutely.
Oh, dear.
#As dancing cheek to cheek #
# Oh, I love to go out fishing #
[People Chattering]
#But I don't enjoy it half as much #
#As dancing cheek to cheek #
#Dance with me #
- #I want my arms about you # - [Sighs]
# The charm about you #
# Will carry me through to heaven #
#I'm in heaven #
#And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak #
#And I seem to find the happiness I seek #
#When we're off together dancing cheek to cheek ##
- Thought you'd never wake up. - What?
- Where did you find that? - I liberated it.
- I think that's called looting. - No one should own music. The real question is:
- Who wrote the song? - Irving Berlin.
- For? - Top Hat.
Is there a song you don't know?
Nope. He sings all the time.
Good morning. Did you know that? You're always singing.
I've been told before.
Kip's another one.
[Kip Humming]
- ##[Jazz Clarinet] - "Wang Wang Blues."
You're incredible.
[Humming]
- Good mornin', Miss. - Hello.
You saved my life.
- I haven't forgotten. - [Scoffs]
I thought you were very, very tall.
You seemed so big and... giant.
I felt like a child who can't keep her balance.
- A toddler. - A toddler.
##[Jazz Continues]
[Giggles]
[Humming]
[Humming Continues]
My hair was long at some point.
I've forgotten what a nuisance it is to wash.
Try this. I found a great jar of it.
Olive oil.
Thank you.
Is this for my hair?
Yes, for your hair.
##[Jazz Continues]
There was a general who wore a patch...
over a perfectly good eye.
The men fought harder for him.
##[Jazz Continues]
Sometimes I think I could get up and dance.
What's under your mittens?
[Air Raid Siren]
He's waiting for you.
I'll see you tonight?
[Explosions]
Look, Moose, we need you to stay in Tobruk.
I know it's a bit of a short straw, but Jerry's got our maps, you know.
And now they're getting their spies into Cairo using our maps.
They'll get Rommel into Cairo using our maps.
The whole of the desert's like a bloody bus route, and we gave it to 'em!
Any foreigner who turned up:
"Welcome to the Royal Geographic. Take our maps."
Old Madox went mad, you know.
- Did you know Peter Madox? - Yeah.
Magnificent explorer. Thanks, Aicha.
And after he found out he'd been betrayed by Almásy.
His best friend.
Absolutely destroyed the poor sot.
[Explosions, Machine Gun Fire]
[Shouting]
[Shouting In German]
[Shouting Continues]
[Man] Hey, Commandant, stay in line!
[German]
- [German] - Jah.
[German]
Hello, little Tommy. Little baby, hello.
- Recognize him? British friend? - No.
- [German] - Aaah!
- Get up! - No!
[Soldier] Get up at once!
[Aicha] No, I don't have a boyfriend.
I don't know anybody!
Halt!
No! No!
[Crying]
[Man] David Caravaggio.
- No. - This was taken in Cairo at British headquarters.
July '41.
And so was this.
August '41. And this.
February '42.
It's possible.
I was buying or selling something. I've been to Cairo many times.
You are a Canadian spy working for the Allies.
- Code name: Moose. - [Telephone Rings]
[German]
Jah?
Can you get me a doctor? I'm sick.
- [German] - I'm leaking blood!
- [German] - You want a doctor?
I've been askin' for weeks, months...
We don't have a doctor.
- [German] - But we do have a nurse.
Sure, great. A nurse would be great.
[German]
Look, give me something. A name, a code.
So we can all get out of this room.
I can't think in this heat.
- It's too hot. - I slept with a girl.
I've got a wife in Tripoli.
A girl comes up and points at you, you only see trouble.
- [Man] Fire! - [Gunshots]
I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
This is your nurse, by the way.
She's Muslim, so she'll understand all of this.
What's the punishment for adultery? Let's leave it at that.
You're married and you were fucking another woman, so that's, uh...
- Is it the hands that are cut off? - [Gasps]
Or is that for stealing? Does anyone know?
Well, you must know. You were brought up in Libya, yes?
- Don't cut me. - Or was it Toronto?
- [Telephone Rings] - Ten fingers.
How about this?
You give me a name for every finger. It doesn't matter who.
I get something, you keep something.
- I'm trying to be reasonable. - Don't cut me. Come on!
Are thumbs fingers?
[German]
- I get no help from these people. - Telephone.
I'm sick of this room, I'm sick of this heat and I'm sick of this phone!
- [German] - [German]
- Ah! The Geneva Convention!
Hey, come on! You can't do that!
- Come over here. - I'll give you names.
- You! - I'll give you names!
- Come on! - What names did you say?
Aaah! Aaah! Let me think! Just let me think!
I can't think! I know them! Please, let me think!
I promise! Oh, please, please, no!
- What name did you say? I knew them! - Come on!
- I can't think of any names! Not my hands! Oh, dear God! - What are you waiting for?
Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ, no!
I promise! Oh, please, not my hands!
No! Jesus! Jesus! Oh, dear God!
- Please don't cut me! - Come on!
Aaah! No!
Please don't cut!
[Screaming] Don't!
[Caravaggio] The man who took my thumbs?
I found him eventually. I killed him.
The man who took my photograph? I found him too.
That took me a year. He's dead.
Another man showed the Germans...
a way to get their spies into Cairo.
I've been looking for him.
[Madox] You can't get through there. It's impossible.
[Almásy] I was looking again at Bell's old maps.
If we can find a way through the Wadi,
we can drive straight into Cairo.
- This whole spur is a real possibility. - So on Thursday,
you don't trust Bell's map, Bell was a fool, Bell couldn't draw a map.
But on Friday, he's suddenly infallible.
- And where are the expedition maps? - In my room.
Those maps belong to His Majesty's Government.
They shouldn't be left lying around for any Tom, Dick or Harry to have sight of.
What on earth's the matter with you?
Don't be so bloody naive! You know there's a war breaking out!
This arrived this morning.
"By order of the British Government,
all international expeditions to be aborted by May, 1939."
What do they care about our maps?
What do we find in the desert?
Arrowheads, spears.
In a war, if you own the desert, you own North Africa.
Own the desert? Ha!
Um, Madox? That place...
That place at the base of a woman's throat.
You know, the hollow here.
Does it have an official name?
For God's sake, man, pull yourself together.
[Announcer] Nowhere is there any wild patriotic excitement,
but everywhere there is a deep hatred of war.
The answer lies with one man,
and the solid mass of the crowd surging round his car...
are a symbol that the British people are more firmly of one mind today...
than at any other time in our history.
[Arabic]
[Announcer] There's a great to-do in Sandown Bay,
with rowing and sailing, and no end of sport for every water baby.
Sorry.
I can't... I can't do this.
I can't do this anymore.
[Crying]
##[Women Singing]
I'd better go now.
Say goodbye here.
I'm not agreeing. Don't think I'm agreeing, because I'm not.
Any minute now, he'll find out.
We'll barge into someone. It'll kill him.
Don't go over it again, please.
##[Continues]
Katharine?
I...
I just want you to know I'm...
I'm not missing you yet.
You will. You will.
[Gasps]
[Breathing Heavily]
- ## [Jazz] - I believe I'm rather late.
Good. We're all here.
A toast to the International Sand Club.
May it soon resurface.
[All] The International Sand Club.
The International Sand Club: Misfits, buggers, fascists and fools.
God bless us, every one. Oops!
Mustn't say "International." Dirty word, filthy word.
His Majesty, die Fuhrer, il duce...
Sorry. What's your point?
And the people here don't want us. You must be joking.
Egyptians are desperate to get rid of the colonials. Isn't that right, Fouad?
Some of their best people getting down on their hands and knees,
begging to be spared the Knighthood.
Isn't that right? Hmm? Isn't that right, Sir Ronnie?
What's my point? Oh, I've invented a new dance.
Anybody up for it? It's called...
It's called the Bosphorus Hug.
Madox?
Bermann? You'll dance with me? Hmm?
D'Ag. Come on, Daggers.
Let's eat first. Sit down.
# We'll bathe at Brighton The fish you'll frighten #
# When you're in your bathing suit so thin #
#We'll make the shellfish grin Fin to fin ##
They're playing it far too slowly, but these were the words,
actually, before they were cleaned up.
Might be a song for you, Mrs. Clif...
[Madox] You either shut up or go home! You're completely blasted!
- Sit down! - Absolutely right! Shut up! Shut up!
[Almásy] Sorry. Sorry. I'm so sorry.
I can't think what came over me.
Lashings of apologies...
all around.
## [Continues]
[Giggling]
##[Song Ends]
Thank you.
##[Slow Song Begins]
- Why were you holding his collar? - What?
"What"? That boy. That little boy.
You were holding his collar. You were gripping his collar. What for?
Hmm? Is he next?
Are you going to drag him into your little room? Where is it?
Is this it?
- Don't do this. - I've watched you.
I've watched you at garden parties,
on verandas, at the races.
- How can you... stand there? - Please.
How can you ever smile,
as if your life hadn't capsized?
You know why?
Dance with me.
No.
Dance with me.
I want to touch you.
I want the things which are mine, which belong to me.
Do you think you're the only one who feels anything?
Is that what you think?
##[Continues]
Why don't you go?
- Get some sleep. - Would you like me to?
Good night.
[Door Hinges Creak]