Ever since we were little,
everything you've asked for I've said yes.
Jackie, listen.
Jackie...
I'm sorry.
Cimbarozo Cotopaxi took me by the hand...
over the Orinoco...
across the blazing Kalahari desert...
through the untamed grasslands of the valley.
We're in heaven.
Oh, put that bloody light out.
Psst.
Come. We must go. You have a plane.
What?
Your plane to Germany for your concert tonight.
What about my sister?
She will be taken to her England plane.
It's all arranged. You must hurry.
Very good.
Romantic.
We understand this.
Really?
I'm afraid I don't know a bloody word, frankly.
Please?
Danke.
Bitte.
Ich bin ein Hamburger.
Yeah.
Wunderbar!
Oh, um, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Wrong number.
Entschuldigen.
Hello, mummy. Is Hilary there? Can...
oh, sorry. Uh, sorry.
S- sorry, no, wrong number. Sorry.
Fantastico, fantastico, querida.
Casals was in the audience tonight.
He was most impressed.
We would be honored if you'd join us for supper.
Oh, I'd love to.
Only the problem is, is that I stink.
Excuse me?
Um, well, the sweat just runs off me
when I'm playing. What about Pablo?
Does he have the same problem? Look.
Idios mío!
Excuse me, um...
my clothes are dirty, and I'd like to wash them.
Uh... wash, yes?
Um, dirty. Washing?
S^. Lavadero.
Well, there's no plug, and it's too small.
No. Lavadero. Lávelo all.
Lo siento mucho, señora.
Look, look, is there a washing machine?
Ay, esos ingleses...
Shut up!
The maestro's pleased to see you.
He thinks you're going to be a great cellist.
He wants to know if all is well.
Do you have happiness here?
Gosh. Yes. Heaps of it. It's just, um...
it's just the cello.
Well, it's silly, really.
I just don't want to be a cellist after all.
Well, I never asked to be a cellist, you see?
It's all just a big cock-up.
One day, I was just playing, and then the next day,
I was booked up for the next 2 years.
I hate the cello, if you want to know.
I think I understand this wrong.
Yes.
Thank you.
Home.
This is what my home smells like.
Aah!
Hello!
Who's this?
Kiffer. Kiffer Finzi.
I'm in love with Hilary.
I shan't be very late.
I came back to see you.
I shan't be long.
It was terribly funny.
I'm going to get a job,
and I'm going to be an ordinary person like you.
You couldn't be ordinary in a million years.
And you don't know anything apart from the cello.
I don't know anything apart from the flute.
Jackie, we're babies.
Kiffer laughs at me.
Then why are you marrying him?
Because he makes me feel special.
You don't understand that because...
you don't have anybody to make you feel special.
That's a big swizz.
Because the truth is that you're not special.
If you think that being an ordinary person
is any easier than being an extraordinary one,
you're wrong.
If you didn't have that cello to prop you up,
you'd be nothing.
Who's that?
Hey, Freud.
You like Freud?
Yes. He'd be a lot better if he hadn't invented
the atom bomb, though, wouldn't he?
Are you Jacqueline Du Pré?
Yes, I am.
I've heard about you. I'm Daniel Barenboim.
I've heard about you, too.
Really? What have you heard?
I heard that you had glandular fever.
That's right.
It's very infectious, isn't it?
So you'd better keep your distance.
Oh, it's not infectious. It's contagious.
You have to have bodily contact
with the other person.
So you can talk to me, but you can't kiss me.
Jackie.
You left this in the cab.
Silly girl.
Thank you.
So, you are a musician?
Yes, I am a musician.
You know very well that I'm a musician.
A very famous musician, actually.
Well, you don't look like a musician.
So what are musicians supposed to look like, then?
They're not usually so blond.
Danny, we should go.
I have to go.
I'd love to talk to you sometime
about glandular fever.
Paderewski medal.
Beethoven medal.
You name it.
Well...
I won a talent contest in Camden.
And I won in Purley.
Where's Purley?
Oh, you wouldn't know it.
Moscow.
I won in Moscow.
I made miss Mouncey cry.
Who is miss Mouncey?
She's my math teacher.
What about you?
Did you ever make anyone cry?
Mmm... no. I never made anyone cry.
Thank you.
I'm sorry I treated you so badly.
I should've known
you'll never let me down.
Now that, that's how to play Beethoven.
It's too slow. You're coming in too slow.
No, you're too fast. You're throwing it away.
No, you have to do it again.
I think I'll decide the tempo.
Are you all right?
Yeah. I just got cold hands.
Here.
Listen to that.
It sounds like you're running for a bus.
I've never run for a bus in my life.
To keep your hands warm.
Oh, Danny.
She's very vigorous with the bow, hmm.
So there has to be an unusual amount of room
under the arm, here.
And, ha...
sweat, sweat is the main problem.
So that the seams have to be a lot stronger than normal.
I understand.
I'm sorry.
It's all right. They'll love it.
How are we going to do the thing
without those 2 girls?
I called for them 3 or 4 times.
Danny, have you seen my pills anywhere?
I've lost my pills.
I don't know where your pills are.
Oh, come on.
Shit.
Don't worry about the pills.
I can't play without the pills.
Of course you can play without the pills.
The pills have no effect on you whatsoever.
I found them.
Would you still love me if I couldn't play?
What?
Would you still love me if I couldn't play?
You wouldn't be you if you couldn't play.
No, I want to know.
Our bodies sway to music.
Oh, brightening glance...
how can we know...
the dancer from the dance?
But don't you wish sometimes that you couldn't play,
that you could just be ordinary?
Like what? Live in the country?
Making bread?
Feeding chickens?
Playing once a year with a bunch of amateurs?
How dare you insult my sister like that.
I wasn't insulting her.
Well, at least she chose her life.
Not like you and me. We're just trained freaks.
Look, let's just get in the cab
and then talk about it.
I wasn't being rude.
Why didn't you tell us you were coming?
Ha ha.
I can't get up.
What?
I can't get up.
Give it to me.
Danny.
I've got a fatal illness.
But you mustn't worry,
'cause I've got it very mildly.
Hmm.
Look, uh...
what if she won't see you?
Of course she'll see me.
I'm her sister.
I'm so relieved that it's only M.S.
I know it's serious,
but I thought I was going mad.
Hello, Jacks.
It's good to see you.
Hilary.
Ha ha.
Oh.
My sister here will tell you.
This country bumpkin here is my sister.
This is dame Margot Fonteyn. She's a friend of mine.
It's an honor to meet you, dame Margot.
Oh, please.
My sister will tell you
I was behaving in the strangest way.
But, you know, all that's happening
is that my nerve-endings are damaged or something.
And I might have to go into a wheelchair.
Oh, no.
But not for ages. It takes years.
And it happens in fits and starts.
And they're on the brink of a cure anyway.
Well, who'll look after you, then?
It's just Danny's so busy, isn't he?
And, well, the flat's all wrong.
Kif and I have talked about it...
dame Margot has very kindly offered to lend me her flat.
You see, it's in Kensington.
I can't really be hidden away in the country, can I?
Hilary keeps chickens. She used to be a musician,
but now it's all chickens and children, isn't it?
I would so like to have had children.
Hilary's got heaps of them.
In fact, if you want to get yourself impregnated,
you should ask her hubby.
He's extremely fertile, and if you ask her nicely,
she'll lend him to you.
She's never been quite right
since she went to Russia. I think...
do be quiet, Derek.
You don't think this means she'll have to stop playing?
No. Of course not.
Bye, daddy.
Bye-bye.
This is all frightful,
but it's better than going bonkers.
I was sure she was going bonkers.
Ok. Want to do this one again?
Yeah. Careful, careful.
Oh, my god.
And... very good.
Shut up.
That's good. It's good. It is good.
I'm going to fall off.
I got offered a job today.
I thought you already had a job.
Move over.
I can't move over.
All right. I'll move you over.
Ok.
Artistic director
of the orchestre de Paris.
Oh.
In many ways, it would be better than now.
You know I'd always be in one place.
Not in Manchester one night and Chicago the next, you know?
You're always in the same place.
Yes.
Paris.
I know.
If it were London...
no, of course you should do it. Of course.
Paris isn't that far.
You could come home a lot.
We'll think about it.
It'll give me a chance to practice my French.
I've been working very hard
on my languages, actually.
That's good.
Joder. Do you know what that is?
I think so.
It's Spanish for fuck.
And putain, that's French for fuck.
And fican, that's German for fuck.
And quievare is Italian for fuck.
And kamamayu...
do you know what that is?
Swahili.
I just wondered how you were getting on without him.
I'm not without him. He comes home every weekend.
Anyway, it'll be easier once I start playing properly again.
Besides, I get heaps of visitors.
Look at all the flowers.
What's that?
Oh, that's my new push chair.
But you don't need a wheelchair yet.
Oh, I see. I suppose if I ate differently
or I exercised more, none of this would be happening.
It's all my fault, is that it?
No. I was just surprised, that's all.
Oh, it's all my fault. It's all psychological.
If it's psychological, it's your fault, mother.
I'm sure it's nobody's fault.
Don't eat those cakes, daddy. They're for my visitors.
Sorry, Jacks.
Am I a cello genius?
You know you are.
Danny, I just want to play again.
I'll play the fucking triangle.
I just want to make music again.
Ok.
Leave it with me.
Oh, my goodness, it's me.
Teaching
can be just as rewarding as playing in its own way.
Don't you think?
What?
I said teaching can be as rewarding as playing
in its own way.
Where's Hilary?
She had to leave early. It's a long drive.
I want Hilary.
Right.
I'll go and see if the car's here.
Margaret, the flowers.
Danny.
Mm-hmm?
I think my hearing's going.
Very brave of her when you think about it.
Can't so much as bang a drum
unless the whole world's looking at her.
I'm sorry. I think we ought to go and see her.
If we go back now, it'll be quieter.
I'd like to see her.
I wish you would go and see her.
You haven't been to see her in such a long time.
She'll have heaps of visitors,
and she doesn't want to see me.
She seemed so unhappy.
Well, mother, that is hardly surprising.
But she was happy. And now she says she wasn't.
I thought if you could show her this...
what for?
Well, as evidence.
It might remind her.
Mummy, everyone smiles for photographs.
Hello, Danny?
Hi. How are you?
Great.
I'm missing you.
Listen, I won't be able to get home this weekend.
Mahler...
I've always hated Mahler. Now I hate him more.
Perhaps next week I'll get home.
I hope so.
What was that?
What?
I heard a noise.
What sort of noise?
It was nothing.
It's probably my hearing playing up again.
It sounded like a baby crying.
I see.
It must be my hearing playing up again,
wasn't it?
I'll call you later.
You bastard.
Where's Hilary?
She's...
the children have got a virus,
and they didn't want you to catch it.
Typical.
When...
you play...
everyone...
loves you.
When you stop...
you're alone.
I'm sure it's not quite that bad, Jacks.
Unh. Look at this.
Music and movement.
Oh...
oh, for heaven's sake,
stop crying.
I don't understand what she wants.
I think she's in some sort of pain.
There are things you want to say. I can see that.
But you cannot say them. We cannot understand them.
But there is someone who hears your thoughts.
Do not worry. God hears them all.
He hears your every thought.
Aah!
Yes?
Uh, it's Hilary. Jacqueline's sister.
Oh, I see.
This is my brother Piers.
Hello.
Isn't this shocking weather?
Yes.
Well, where's she going?
We can't get anything down her.
I've been trying for days.
May I try?
Shh, shh, shh. It's Hilary.
That's it.
Up we go.
Come on.
There. Good.
Thought you weren't watching.
Come on.
Pbltlllt!
Still in there somewhere, Jacks?
Come on.
Hmm?
Still in there somewhere?
Good girl.
When you love someone,
you find that pictures of them stay with you
all the time in your heart.
Pictures of the way you think of them
when you think of them.
With mummy, it's that day
you broke the drum at the BBC.
Whenever you think you've lost that person,
you start with a picture
and then you find them again.
You want to know what I think of
when I think of you?
When people say Jacqueline Du Pré to me,
I think of a day on a beach
a long time ago.
Long before you played the cello.
Before that Jacqueline Du Pré
or this one.
And we were playing a game.
When I was but...
13 or so...
I went into a golden land.
Cimbarozo Cotopaxi took me by the hand,
over the Orinoco...
across the blazing Kalahari desert
through the untamed grasslands of the veldt,
over the steppes...
and home.
Do you remember what you said to me that day, Jackie?
You said that everything was going to be all right.
And in the end, it was.
Hundreds of roads are blocked,
and large parts of the rail network are out of action.
The home secretary is chairing an emergency meeting
to discuss ways of dealing with the emergency.
The cellist Jacqueline Du Pré has died at her London home.
She was 42. Jacqueline Du Pré...
oh, god.
And won several awards
before rising to the top of her profession.
She will be particularly remembered
for her performances of Elgar's cello concerto.
Stop the car, Piers.
Stop the car!
Oh, god!
Jackie!
Hil, where are you going?
When I was but 13 or so,
I went into a golden land.
Cimbarozo Cotopaxi took me by the hand...
over the Orinoco...
across the blazing Kalahari desert...
through the untamed grasslands of the veldt...
over the steppes...
and home.
What do you want?
Nothing. Just to see you.
Bye.
Jackie.
I just wanted to tell you
that everything is going to be all right.