Taipei Story (1985)

1. We could put shelves here

2. to hold the tape deck, VCR, speakers, and TV.

3. Then you could watch movies in bed.

4. It'll cost you a lot to fix it up.

5. I can save up and pay in installments.

6. Ms. Mei is making me her special assistant.

7. I'm getting a raise.

8. Hey, you'll still be in the States when I move in.

9. What do you think, Lung?

10. Not bad.

11. Presented by

12. Starring

13. Edited by

14. Cinematography by Sound by TU TU-

15. Directed by EDWARD YANG:

16. - Who is it? - Phone company.

17. You got here fast.

18. Here's your new number.

19. Thank you.

20. Ms. Mei's office.

21. Ms. Mei isn't here anymore. Who's calling?

22. I remember you, Mr. Wang. This is Chin.

23. How can I help you?

24. Sure, hold on. I'll write it down.

25. And the company number?

26. Okay. I'll call you when I find it.

27. My pleasure.

28. - What are you looking at? - The guys from Guo-sheng are here.

29. Which is Mr. Liu?

30. The one in the glasses.

31. Which one in the glasses?

32. How's it going? Let's get a beer later.

33. Lung just got back from the States.

34. Are you still wrapped up in that lawsuit?

35. All this paperwork is for the lawyers.

36. It was a 10 cm miscalculation during the survey.

37. I'm responsible, of course.

38. After they bought up our company, Ms. Mei quit...

39. and I won't be here much longer either.

40. I really don't understand these big corporations.

41. Why buy a company facing a lawsuit?

42. Maybe it's their niche.

43. These things make you gradually come to believe in fate.

44. However meticulous and painstaking you are,

45. the tiniest error can be fatal.

46. - Don't you agree? - I don't like being so pessimistic.

47. Looking at things that way makes me sad.

48. Look at these buildings.

49. It's getting harder for me to tell...

50. which ones I designed and which ones I didn't.

51. They all look the same.

52. Whether I'm involved or not

53. seems less and less important.

54. Mr. Lai.

55. Traffic jam in Yuanshan.

56. This team is great. Better than last year's.

57. But not as good as you boys were.

58. What was Los Angeles like?

59. A lot like Taipei.

60. I was mostly around Taiwanese people.

61. I stayed in every day and watched TV.

62. I taped some ball games for you.

63. I'll bring them by later.

64. - You taped them yourself? - Yeah.

65. How long were you in Tokyo?

66. A week.

67. Gwan wanted you to know she won't be back soon.

68. There are still some legal proceedings over the kid.

69. How's she doing?

70. She's fine. Kobayashi got another raise.

71. She got a lot in alimony.

72. When things like this happen,

73. I wonder...

74. if maybe I should retire.

75. I don't understand what you young people are thinking anymore.

76. But I felt the same back then too.

77. I still don't understand what went wrong

78. between you and Gwan.

79. How can you swing if you're all tense?

80. Don't throw it when it's too late!

81. Last batter up!

82. Chin!

83. Chin!

84. They put in the new phone.

85. Here's a set of keys.

86. Thanks. I'll meet you at the same place.

87. Lung!

88. Back from the States?

89. - Have a good time? - Yes.

90. How's your mother?

91. Same as always.

92. Come have dinner with us.

93. What are you doing back here?

94. Getting our household registry. I'm moving out.

95. Times sure have changed.

96. An unmarried daughter moving out?

97. Go get me a beer.

98. Lung, when are you going to get married?

99. You have to carry on the family line.

100. Your sister married into a different family.

101. Her kids belong to her husband's family.

102. They're not your family.

103. When's your mother coming back?

104. I don't know.

105. She's not feeling well enough to fly.

106. The weather in the States is better for her.

107. - She stays at your brother-in-law's? - Yeah.

108. That guy's really something.

109. He's doing great in the import business.

110. Well, cheers!

111. I have so much rejected merchandise

112. piling up downstairs.

113. They say I cut corners and skimped on materials.

114. But how in the hell

115. can I make a profit if I don't?

116. I make bottle caps and plastic tubes.

117. I'm not running an auto plant!

118. Who needs quality control?

119. Drink up.

120. Dig in.

121. Lung, ask around and see

122. if you can find someone to buy those rejected goods.

123. It would cut my losses. 600,000 would do.

124. Sure, I'll ask around.

125. Eat up.

126. Chin, I'm going with your dad to see Mr. Lai.

127. I have some videotapes for him.

128. I might stay and watch them play chess.

129. You staying here tonight?

130. Yeah.

131. Okay, I'm off.

132. Lung?

133. What?

134. Did you stop in Tokyo coming back?

135. Just a layover at the airport.

136. Lung is more like Dad every day.

137. The price of food keeps going up.

138. Hey, you're back!

139. What have you been up to?

140. My new boyfriend has a great place.

141. We're there all the time. Come visit us.

142. What's this? Green nail polish?

143. No, I did it with a marker.

144. I can't afford nail polish.

145. Sis, lend me 5,000, will ya?

146. Come on.

147. Please?

148. Guo-sheng will be taking over here the first of next month.

149. I informed the other employees this morning.

150. Of course, our management and personnel structure

151. won't be exactly the same as what was here before.

152. In our estimation, your position is rather...

153. peculiar.

154. You're not a secretary but you're not a manager either.

155. Such a position doesn't exist in our system.

156. I understand. No need to beat around the bush.

157. We need you to be a secretary.

158. I was special assistant to Ms. Mei. I can be a secretary anywhere.

159. Since Ms. Mei quit, I have no reason to stay.

160. Thank you. I understand what you're saying.

161. Is Ms. Mei in?

162. She's not?

163. This is Chin.

164. It's nothing important.

165. Hi, this is Lung. I'm not available right now.

166. Please leave a message, and I'll call you back.

167. Or call me at the fabric store.

168. Welcome to TTV News.

169. The National Assembly convened for three days

170. and approved 199 bills.

171. The session ended this afternoon.

172. Hi, Lung.

173. How you been? When did you get back?

174. - Any calls for me? - That's all you care about!

175. Lady, the phone's for you!

176. Three beers over here!

177. I saw your car downstairs, so I came up.

178. I heard that you resigned today.

179. It's no big deal.

180. I could use a little break.

181. Wanna get a beer?

182. A beer...

183. It's always drinking with you.

184. Is it a habit or a hobby?

185. I'm hungry.

186. How about getting a bite before calling it a night?

187. Your noodles.

188. You're home late.

189. You must be hungry.

190. Have your noodles and come to bed.

191. Don't wake her up.

192. What's wrong?

193. There's a mosquito.

194. I'm home late. Don't you care where I've been?

195. What did you say?

196. I'm home late, and you don't want to know why.

197. I'm out of work.

198. Did you quit?

199. Or were you fired?

200. What do you plan to do?

201. Take a little break, then find something else.

202. You got enough money? You need money?

203. I can lend you some.

204. After all this time together, you don't know what I need?

205. I don't need anything.

206. You haven't really talked to me since you got back from the U.S.

207. What was it like?

208. Nothing special. Just what you'd expect.

209. While you were gone,

210. I got scared you wouldn't come back.

211. What if we moved to the States?

212. What would we do there?

213. I'd need a lot of money to be partners with my brother-in-law.

214. What's your brother-in-law like?

215. Tell me about him.

216. Hasn't he always wanted you to be his partner there?

217. He's a big guy.

218. Over six feet tall

219. and over 220 pounds.

220. He's worked hard for what he has.

221. He started from scratch with his bare hands.

222. Now he lives in a wealthy neighborhood.

223. I heard it used to be only for white people.

224. Others couldn't buy houses there.

225. But some Taiwanese paid cash for houses there.

226. Now lots of Taiwanese immigrants live there.

227. He likes guns.

228. While I was there,

229. he'd take me to either a baseball game

230. or the shooting range.

231. He killed someone once.

232. A black person.

233. Later the police came...

234. and he was acquitted.

235. He said that in the States...

236. if you see a suspicious person in your yard,

237. you can shoot them dead...

238. drag them into your house...

239. and plant an unregistered gun on them.

240. They call it self-defense. You're not guilty.

241. When I first moved in, I was scared all by myself.

242. I often couldn't sleep.

243. I thought back to elementary school.

244. You'd have baseball practice after school.

245. I'd hide in our doorway...

246. looking out and waiting...

247. for you to walk by after practice.

248. I don't know if it was the dim light...

249. or the clanging sound of your empty lunch box...

250. hanging from your baseball bat...

251. that makes me remember everything so clearly.

252. Sure, sales are down this year, but it's not a big deal.

253. Don't take it too seriously. It's bad for you.

254. You and I getting out of the industry

255. wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

256. You have any plans?

257. If a good opportunity comes along, don't pass it up.

258. You've worked for me a long time,

259. but don't feel awkward if you get a good offer elsewhere.

260. Of course I hope you'll stay with me...

261. but if I have no suitable job for you,

262. it wouldn't be right

263. to keep you hanging on either.

264. Do you have any plans with this Lung?

265. He plans to move to the States

266. and go in as partners

267. with his brother-in-law in the import business.

268. What about Ke?

269. What's going on with you two?

270. I don't mean to pry...

271. but just a word of caution

272. to never get involved with a coworker.

273. It's a big mistake. You understand?

274. Is Ling here?

275. Ling, someone's here for you!

276. It's like you can see everyone from up here,

277. but no one can see you.

278. What do you want the money for?

279. Really? Go see Dr. Li.

280. The cheap doctors aren't reliable. I'll call her, okay?

281. I want you to move in with me. Stop this running around.

282. I have to go, Mr. Lai.

283. Okay.

284. Lung...

285. Money's tight right now.

286. Just for a month. You gotta help me.

287. Damn it! What the hell?

288. Lung, it's me!

289. I kept honking and you just ignored me!

290. - Is that your cab? - No, it's borrowed.

291. Long time no see. Wanna go to my place?

292. - Sure. Same place? - Yeah.

293. I've been driving for two days without sleep.

294. I need the money, so I gotta keep driving.

295. What's your wife up to?

296. Still gambling?

297. Don't you try to stop her?

298. You remember? I was this tall when I was ten.

299. They wanted me to be a pitcher.

300. Those damn curveballs!

301. They ruined my arm.

302. I'm over 30 now and still the same height.

303. We played baseball every day,

304. practicing and thinking about Williamsport.

305. We never studied, so college was out of the question.

306. My life's gone downhill since military service.

307. I even went to jail.

308. Then I couldn't find work when I got out.

309. What else can I do but drive a cab?

310. Damn air conditioning ruins my arm.

311. Fuckin' thing tells me when it's gonna rain.

312. - What are you doing? - For the kids.

313. - No, I can't. - Just take it.

314. Say bye-bye.

315. Don't wear yourself out driving.

316. I'm going to Harajuku someday.

317. Lots of people there dance on the subway.

318. In Shibuya too.

319. Everywhere in Japan is fun,

320. and everything's so pretty.

321. I'll get there sooner or later.

322. Tell me.

323. How can I know if you don't tell me?

324. What's wrong? Tell me.

325. Something wrong with Dad's business?

326. Recount it, please.

327. Mom, here's 100,000.

328. Don't tell Dad.

329. This is for a cab.

330. I'm late.

331. - Listen to me. - What?

332. How about getting Chin a job at your company?

333. A little company like ours?

334. It would be a waste of talent.

335. Lung's here. I'll introduce you.

336. Mao... Lin...

337. and Allen.

338. My business card.

339. Sorry. I don't have one.

340. What'll you have?

341. A beer.

342. Two beers!

343. - Lung, what do you do? - I'm in fabric.

344. Textiles?

345. No, just fabric.

346. - So... textiles? - No, fabric.

347. I have a fabric store on Dihua St.

348. So you sell fabric?

349. So what was the answer to your riddle?

350. Yeah, tell us.

351. Lung just got here, so I'll repeat it.

352. The Chinese have a short one.

353. Michael Jackson had a long one.

354. The pope has one too, but he's never used it.

355. - Just like you! - What are you talking about?

356. Come on! Tell us the answer.

357. Don't be like that.

358. Okay, I'll tell you: A last name.

359. Don't come to a pub if you don't speak English.

360. Don't laugh. I'm talking about you!

361. And you're a trader?

362. You're not qualified to be a trader.

363. You play often?

364. Just for fun. How about a little bet?

365. I gotta go soon.

366. Show me some respect, will you?

367. Here's the deal. Just one bet.

368. I want nothing but your time.

369. If I hit a bull's-eye,

370. you stay another half hour.

371. If you hit a bull's-eye, you can leave right now.

372. Okay.

373. You owe me four hours.

374. Way off.

375. Didn't you used to play baseball?

376. What are you doing?

377. What about me playing baseball?

378. What are you doing? Don't fight!

379. What the hell? What do you think you're doing?

380. Did it remind you of how I'd get in fights at school?

381. I fight with others to stick up for myself.

382. And maybe out of a sense of justice.

383. Maybe we should move to the States.

384. I want to sell the old house.

385. Chen Chi-yuen of the Taichung Golden Dragons...

386. delivers his first pitch.

387. Strike!

388. So what do you think, Yang?

389. It's a nice house.

390. Your dad was really looking ahead,

391. buying a house like this on Yangmingshan.

392. It was just luck.

393. When the Vietnam War ended, the foreigners went home.

394. At first we rented it out.

395. My mom moved in when my father died.

396. - Where is she now? - Living with my sister in the States.

397. Oh, right. We met before she left.

398. How long will it take to sell?

399. Not long. It's an easy sell.

400. If you need money, I can lend you some.

401. I have your title deeds,

402. so it's not like you'll get away.

403. Where's Chin?

404. These damn kids. Nice uniforms but lousy skills.

405. - They're tall. - They eat well.

406. You're good.

407. - Try this. - I can do it. Watch.

408. Chin, I'm going.

409. You're leaving?

410. My brother-in-law's gonna call about the money I'm wiring him.

411. I'm busy tomorrow night. When will you come by again?

412. I have to stay home. He could call anytime.

413. I'll be back when everything's taken care of.

414. He looks like that yam farmer.

415. They look like brothers.

416. - He tried to hit me. - Nonsense!

417. But I ran away just in time.

418. Chin, watch this.

419. Hello?

420. How have you been?

421. Wanna get a beer?

422. It's late. Did you work overtime again?

423. Is it that bad?

424. We've even talked about divorce.

425. I have company. Some other time, okay?

426. Hey, Lung.

427. What?

428. We've got a problem.

429. What kind of problem?

430. This check.

431. Come on, let's talk.

432. You and I are friends.

433. That's why I called you.

434. This check has bounced three times.

435. He promised to pay yesterday.

436. I told my boss he's your friend, that he's good for it,

437. but I couldn't reach him.

438. What do I tell my boss?

439. How about next month?

440. Next month? Impossible.

441. How could you lend my dad the money?

442. How will we move to the States?

443. Wasn't your brother-in-law waiting for that money?

444. I'll handle it.

445. I knew it. I've told you a hundred times.

446. - Who else would help him? - Doesn't he have friends?

447. Friends! You don't understand.

448. Oh, like you do, right?

449. You don't know a thing about my dad.

450. He knows nothing about business. He's hopeless.

451. He's always taking advantage of people

452. and complaining about his bad luck.

453. - He's ruined our plans, and you helped! - Shut up!

454. Chin.

455. Come on.

456. Who else would have helped him?

457. He's your dad.

458. I'd rather we not leave Taiwan.

459. Qin!

460. Rui!

461. - Where's your dad? - Driving.

462. And your mom?

463. So what if I lost?

464. I'll clean you out tomorrow.

465. Mom.

466. I'll teach you a lesson!

467. - Where are you going? - I'm going!

468. You left your kids alone to come gamble!

469. Okay, I'm going!

470. Let me go! I'm going!

471. I'll go on my own!

472. Where are you going? Come back here!

473. I'm going!

474. I'm going!

475. Hello?

476. Lung's not here.

477. That's a good boy.

478. You're with Grandpa. Are you happy?

479. I'm your grandpa.

480. Say "Grandpa."

481. When did you get back?

482. This morning.

483. Don't cry. Be a good boy, okay?

484. You're a good boy.

485. - Where are we going? - You decide.

486. - You hungry? - No.

487. Look, the swings are still there.

488. I used to stand upstairs with Chin and watch you practice.

489. She was my best friend.

490. Does she know I'm back?

491. If she knew you were out with me, she'd be furious.

492. I hear she's living alone and has a good job.

493. I always thought she should be a boy.

494. A boy?

495. You don't understand.

496. It's awful being a girl.

497. You could see that even when she was little.

498. She'd take beatings from her dad to protect her mom.

499. She'd show up at school all black and blue.

500. Didn't know about that, did you?

501. How's she get along with her parents now?

502. She moved out to get free of her father.

503. And her mother?

504. Same as always.

505. What else can a mistress expect?

506. Just a life of servitude.

507. I was really in a bad way when you saw me in Tokyo.

508. Are the legal issues with your child taken care of?

509. I thought about lots of things...

510. driving back from the airport that day.

511. Why think about that stuff?

512. Let's go.

513. Why don't we go to your place?

514. It's late.

515. You should go home.

516. Chin's really something.

517. You know full well you'd have ended up like this

518. whether it was me or Kobayashi you married, right?

519. I think you only know how to pity other people.

520. You've never really loved anyone.

521. You're living in your own fairy tale world

522. where only your pity can save us.

523. Lung...

524. this world isn't like your simple world of baseball.

525. Everything's different now.

526. Only you've stayed the same.

527. I think even Chin is drifting away from you.

528. What are you watching?

529. Japanese commercials. They're really interesting.

530. Have you ever seen them?

531. Where'd those tapes come from?

532. That bag. There's a lot more.

533. Aren't they yours?

534. I'm going in now.

535. When will you come to Tokyo again?

536. Really? You're at Debby's?

537. No, I don't want to go.

538. Listen, I'll talk to you later.

539. Call you back in a bit.

540. What's wrong?

541. What is it?

542. You saw Gwan in Tokyo! Why did you lie to me?

543. Lung...

544. Don't go.

545. What's up?

546. Cigarettes.

547. I'm outta here. Take my place.

548. Lung, sit down.

549. How much?

550. 7,500?

551. - How much you playing for? - Two hundred.

552. Two hundred. That much?

553. It's 600 when I play with Yang.

554. How much you usually play for?

555. At the store we play for 30 or 50.

556. - Thirty? Get outta here! - See ya.

557. See you around.

558. Don't wanna cut?

559. Fine.

560. Come on.

561. My registration's in the car. Cover my losses with that.

562. How much is it worth?

563. Just let me know if it's not enough.

564. Hey, taxi!

565. Is Ling here?

566. Are you the only one here?

567. You're taking the college entrance exams?

568. When did you get out of the service?

569. My turn.

570. Your turn.

571. Go again.

572. Here comes the cake!

573. She went off and killed herself.

574. Didn't even fuckin' say good-bye!

575. What are you crying for?

576. You'll survive without a wife.

577. Get up. Move around.

578. Get up!

579. Sis, where'd you run off to? I was looking for you.

580. Is Ms. Mei there?

581. She's in the States?

582. When will she be back?

583. This is Chin. It's nothing important. Bye.

584. I've been trying to reach him long distance!

585. He promised to call! I've been waiting!

586. He'd have gotten hold of me if he really wanted to!

587. I don't care how the Americans do things, sis.

588. We're family.

589. If he doesn't trust me, just forget it.

590. You know how I deal with people.

591. Why is he insisting on seeing the money?

592. He'll get his money.

593. I might as well go into business with a buddy instead!

594. Turn left.

595. Left or right, miss?

596. Please take me back to Ximending. Sorry.

597. Hi, this is Lung. I'm not available right now.

598. Please leave a message, and I'll call you back.

599. Or call me at the store.

600. Hi, Lung.

601. It's me, Chin.

602. Can you come get me at the karaoke bar?

603. I'm in a fix.

604. I can't go home alone.

605. I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, Lung.

606. You won't be able to cash that check.

607. Hold onto it for me.

608. I'll give you your money back as soon as things turn around.

609. It's okay. Don't worry.

610. Will this cause problems between you and Chin?

611. Don't worry about that.

612. Come on. I'll buy you a drink.

613. Come on.

614. It's okay.

615. How long you think you can hide out here?

616. They'll find you sooner or later.

617. There used to be a theater over there.

618. And that was a vegetable store.

619. There wasn't a single car around here.

620. Now they're all over.

621. I remember that your granddad used to live on that corner.

622. He had a nice car, you know.

623. That was around the time your dad got married.

624. There were lots of pretty girls right across the street.

625. I was 17 or 18.

626. I'd borrow money from your dad to take girls to the hotel.

627. What are you doing here?

628. I thought you were here. I saw your car downstairs.

629. The car isn't mine anymore.

630. Come on. Let's take a cab home.

631. You sold your car?

632. He must have left.

633. Come upstairs with me?

634. I'm sorry. I overreacted the other day.

635. Forget it.

636. Let's let bygones be bygones.

637. Lung, let's get married.

638. Get married?

639. Marriage isn't a cure-all. You know that.

640. Do we have to wait till we move to the States?

641. Forget about the States.

642. That's not a cure-all either.

643. It's just like marriage.

644. Just a fleeting hope.

645. The illusion that you can start over.

646. What about your brother-in-law?

647. My brother-in-law?

648. He's like everyone else.

649. Jerks me around 'cause I'm powerless.

650. Why didn't you tell me this before?

651. You still don't get me, do you?

652. I'm going.

653. Stay with me tonight.

654. Not tonight.

655. I'll get all confused again if I stay.

656. I need to be alone.

657. I've made...

658. a lot of mistakes lately...

659. and no one was there to warn me.

660. I need to think things through.

661. Wait just a minute.

662. Go home to bed.

663. And stop bothering Chin.

664. What's over is over, get it?

665. That motorcycle has been following us.

666. A friend of yours?

667. Slow down and let him pass.

668. Shit.

669. Pull over.

670. Wait a minute.

671. You mind if I take off? I don't want trouble.

672. Yeah, go ahead.

673. Fuck you!

674. Son of a bitch.

675. To applause and flying flags,

676. Chinese Taipei has won first place in Williamsport.

677. In the fourth inning, Tsai Song-huei hit a fly ball.

678. Yu Hong-kai raced home for the fourth run.

679. Then Chuang Kai-ping grounded out,

680. but Chen Hong-qin came home from third base.

681. The final score was 5-0.

682. With the roaring sound of gongs and drums,

683. Yu Hong-kai and Chen Hong-qin

684. have become Taiwan's favorite sons.

685. The games are over,

686. and our Little League baseball team

687. has won the 1969 world championship...

688. - Hello? - Chin?

689. I wanted to catch you before you left for work.

690. - Have you found a job? - No.

691. Good. Let's meet right away.

692. Sure. Where?

693. Why don't you start in our temporary offices tomorrow?

694. I've been so busy!

695. I need several more employees.

696. And this'll be the computer room, with everything state of the art.

697. My office will be over there,

698. with yours right next to it.

699. As for the conference room...

700. how about over there?

701. Everyone's gone to Southern California,

702. but it's actually nice here.

703. Now we have a big American company right in our hometown.

704. Why go abroad?

705. You'd just end up in some big company in the States.

706. Are you still moving to the States with Lung?

707. Probably not.

708. He hasn't worked it all out.

709. He hasn't made a final decision.

710. Starring TSAI CHIN

711. KO SU-YUN

712. LAI TE-NAN

713. Cello Pieces Performed by YO-YO MA