A Paradis Films
Orly Films
and SinoMovie Co. Ltd. production
Executive Producers Hou Hsiao-Hsien
and Hwamg Wem-Ying
Editor Liao Ching-Sun
Starring Shu Qi
and Chang Chen
Directed by Hou Hsiao-Hsien
THREE TIMES
Kaohsiung, 1966
A TIME FOR LOVE
Hello. You arrive from Xinying?
I'll be right there when I've made these offerings.
- Okay. - Go in.
- Do you need a hand? - No, thanks.
Hi.
I'm finished. I'll show you around.
We'll start with upstairs.
May, lunch is ready.
Coming.
Dear Miss Haruko,
Forgive me for writing to you like this.
I am off to the army.
My folks told me my call-up notice had arrived.
I have to go home as soon as I can.
Time flies.
I failed the university entrance exam twice.
My mother has passed away.
I have no idea what the future holds.
I just wanted to thank you.
The days I have spent around here
have been the happiest of all.
I hope to hear from you.
Take care.
P. S. Do you know that love song which goes...
I think of you
We have been apart
for three long years
Still I keep your warmth in my heart
And your voice in my ears
For three long years
The seabirds cry by the sea
So sad and melancholy
Revives my sorrow
And chills me
to the marrow
ls Haruko here?
She's moved to Taichung.
Taichung?
Do you know where?
Near the railway station.
What's your name?
- Sorry? - Your name.
My name is May.
May.
You sank it.
Great!
You need to concentrate!
I thought I could get this ball over there...
And sink it that way?
Almost.
You haven't sunk a ball for ages!
Neither have I, for that matter.
I've lost again.
Right.
Never mind.
I have to go.
Go where?
To do my military service in Taipei.
Keep the change.
I'll write to you.
I'll send the letter here.
Dear Miss May,
Do you remember me?
We played pool before I left for the army.
Time flies.
That was three months ago.
Here, it drizzles all the time.
In our base, they keep playing that song...
It sums up my feelings perfectly.
See you soon, I hope.
Stay beautiful!
Have a seat.
Ma'am...
I should be going.
Won't you have lunch first?
No, I'm afraid I'll miss my train.
Come back anytime.
You'll always be welcome.
Didn't you work in Jiayi before?
Yes.
I thought I'd seen you there.
I have to go.
Hello.
Is May here?
She doesn't work here anymore.
She's gone back to Jiayi.
To Jiayi?
Where exactly?
She works at a poolroom there.
Are you looking for her?
I can ask my boss.
Ma'am!
- There's a man here looking for May. - Coming.
You're looking for May?
She's working in Jiayi, at 685 Zhongcheng Road.
- Zhongcheng Road? - That's right.
GANGS HAN
TAINAN
JIAYI
Excuse me. ls May working here?
May? She left a while ago.
Do you know where she is now?
Sorry, I don't.
Thanks anyway.
Good shot!
SHUISHANG
XINYING
Excuse me.
This is number 11. Where's number 3?
- Number 30? - No, 3.
Over there is number 6.
The doctor lives at number 1.
You can ask there.
Anyone in?
Who is it?
Are you looking for someone?
I'm looking for May.
May?
She's not here. She's in Huwei.
Huwei?
Where did you get this address?
I'm a friend of hers from Kaohsiung.
She wrote to me.
I see.
You know where she is?
Yes, she wrote to me the other day. Just a minute.
Thank you.
See you again!
DALIN
DOUNAN
HUWEI
You don't have to let me win!
Long time no see.
How did you find me?
Your mother gave me your address.
It was hard to track you down.
Have you eaten yet?
What time do you get off?
In another two hours.
When are you due back to base?
At 9:00 tomorrow morning.
- Do you want some tea? - Sure.
Thank you.
Sit down.
Cigarette?
Okay.
Hey, spare me a cigarette?
It's too late.
The last train is gone.
What time are you due back?
Nine in the morning.
Then we'd better wait at the bus stop.
Dadaocheng, 1911
When did you arrive?
Yesterday.
I met Mr. Liang on the docks at Keelung.
There was a meeting today at the Dong Huei Fang Restaurant.
It was packed.
You mean Mr. Liang who fled to Japan
after the Reform Movement failed?
Mr. Liang spoke for one hour
and wrote out four poems.
We found them deeply moving.
One of the poems read:
"Our homeland is torn asunder.
Our brotherly bond is ever tighter."
A TIME FOR FREEDOM
How long will you stay this time?
Five days.
Then I will go to Taichung with Mr. Liang
and we will come back.
Last year, your son had a fever.
Has he recovered?
He is well now,
but it took two whole months.
THE NEXT DAY
We sincerely wish to resolve
the issue of redeeming Ah Mei's contract.
300 liang is a large sum.
Is it possible to negotiate some more?
Ah Mei is pregnant by the heir to the Su family.
He is ready to take her as his concubine.
What have they decided?
The Su family offers 200 Iiang,
but Madame asks for 300, so they couldn't agree.
I will make up the difference for them.
In your articles, you always criticize the keeping of concubines.
Aren't you acting against your own principles?
I do disapprove of this practice.
But in view of Ah Mei's situation, I feel compelled to help her.
Your generosity is overwhelming.
Your stay is too short for us to show our full gratitude.
Travel safely.
Ah Mei will thank you in person when you return.
SIX DAYS LATER
I can see that Mr. Su is honorable.
His father is also very understanding.
You are lucky.
You will be married tomorrow. Your life will change.
You will have to rise early to serve your in-laws.
Always defer to the first wife.
Be humble and never behave willfully.
ONE MONTH LATER
During my travels with Mr. Liang, I met very important people.
It has been very formative.
Mr. Liang says China will not be ready
to help us free ourselves from Japan
for another three decades.
Here are the 100 Iiang for Ah Mei.
Many thanks.
Ah Mei is truly fortunate to have found such a good family.
Madame is seeking a new girl to replace her.
Meanwhile, she asked me to stay a little longer.
She had always promised to let me become a concubine
as soon as Ah Mei would be able to replace me.
THE NEXT DAY
How old are you?
l am 10.
She has a good bone structure.
But she is a little skinny.
You are pregnant. Don't overtire yourself.
Today Ah Mei returns to express her gratitude to you, sir.
Without your kind intervention, this could not have happened.
So you leave tomorrow. When will you come back?
I will assist Mr. Liang with his plan for a newspaper.
I may return here at any time.
I have something to ask you.
Last time you said that,
in view of Ah Mei's situation,
you felt compelled to help her.
Now that Madame is asking me to stay here longer...
I would like to know
whether you have any plans for me.
THREE MONTHS LATER
THE WUCHANG UPRISING
I reached Tokyo yesterday. I have already seen Mr. Liang.
We leave for Shanghai tomorrow.
I saw the hall where they signed the treaty handing Taiwan over to Japan.
Thinking of Mr. Liang's poem, I couldn't help shedding a tear.
"Although this place has torn my heart,
it is wrenching to leave it.
Seventeen years have passed
and the sorrowful waves still break on its shores."
Taipei, 2005
Are you okay?
A TIME FOR YOUTH
It's over now.
Let's go.
Mom, did you just call?
I see.
Are you feeling better?
Is it ready?
It's even gone cold.
Thanks.
You got an e-mail.
Born premature.
Showed up too early.
I pay a high price for that.
Broken bones. A hole in the heart.
Epilepsy. My right eye is almost blind.
A Yen sign is branded on my throat.
Name your price. I want to sell my soul.
No past, no future.
Just a greedy present.
Please open your eyes
Open your ears
Check your brain
To realize what you want
To realize who you are
No one can decide
How you feel
Don't be afraid
To liberate deep inside your mind
The color which you've seen
The shape which you're in
May reveal the secret
You've never known before
So celebrate
When you're honest to yourself
So celebrate
When you've no need to disregard how you feel
So celebrate
When you feel different from me
Let's celebrate
When we've no need to tell lies
And hide
"I suffer from epilepsy.
Do not call an ambulance.
Please move me to a safe, warm place.
Taipei Medical University Hospital."
Piss off!
Come on.
Leave me alone!
I need toilet paper. 3
Pass me some toilet paper.
Thanks.
Why didn't you call me back?
You never pick up.
You could have called back.
I was sleeping.
Why didn't you call to say so?
I told you, I was bushed.
You text me, and then you don't answer my call?
I wanted to tell you I'd had a fit.
So you can text me but not speak to me?
I went to sleep right away.
Still... you knew I was looking for you.
Couldn't you hear your phone?
No, go ahead.
Couldn't you?
I'd left it in vibration mode.
Don't be angry.
If you were me, what would you think?
I'll wait for you, okay?
You've calmed down?
1 message
Can't sleep. Miss you.
You left your epileptic badge at my place.
Got the photos. Will show you tomorrow.
I burn my hand with this lighter every time I light a candle.
Let's chuck it away.
Hand me the other one.
Thanks.
We'll light this one later.
Those two as well.
And this one?
Has some water gone inside it?
You heard that funny sound?
The wick is wet.
We'll buy a new one tomorrow.
Pass me the last two.
The water's dirty. Will you change it later?
Is it because of the candle wax?
I can't even light this one.
Would you like it
if I put some fragrant oils in the bath?
Sure.
Shall we bathe together?
I'll take that as a yes.
Okay.
I'll go get the robes.
The picture which you took before
The smile of gray eyes
May rest, such cruel sound
Jing! It's ready, hurry up!
It's still vivid
like a bird
Jing!
You're still awake? Grandma made some chicken soup.
There's some soup. Do you want some?
Yes, please.
Sorry I'm late.
I called you, but you didn't answer.
The photos.
Let's go to your place.
Jing?
1 missed call. Show the number?
Connecting...
You must have gone out before 12:45.
You left your mobile phone here
to make me think you'd just stepped out for a minute.
You received a call at 12:45.
So you'd already gone by then.
Now it's 3:33 p.m. You've been out for almost three hours.
You knew I'd wake up around 4:00.
I'm fed up hearing your lies, fed up waiting for you.
I love you more than you love me.
You'll regret this. I'll kill myself like your ex-girlfriend.
The picture which you took before
The smile of gray eyes
May rest, such cruel sound
It's still vivid
Like a bird
Screenplay Chu Tien-Wen
Cinematography Mark Lee Ping-Bin
Production Design Hwamg Wem-Ying
Editor Liao Ching-Sun
Sound Designer Tu Duu-Chih