How much?
Twenty cents, plus five for deposit.
What's your name?
Why should I tell you?
I already know.
Your name is...
So Lai-Chun.
Who told you?
You'll see me tonight in your dreams.
I didn't see you in my dreams last night.
Of course not. You didn't even get any sleep.
Don't fight it. You'll see me for sure.
There's something different about you today.
No, there's nothing different.
No?
Why are your ears red?
What do you want?
I just want to be friends with you.
Why should I be your friend?
Look at my watch.
Why should I?
Just for a minute, okay?
Time's up. What now?
What's today's date?
The 1 6th.
April 1 6th.
April 1 6th, 1 960, one minute before 3:00.
We were here together.
I'll always remember that minute because of you.
From now on, we're one-minute friends.
It's a fact. You can't deny it.
It's already happened.
I'll be back tomorrow.
Would he remember that minute because of me?
I don't know.
But I remembered him.
He came back every day after that.
We started as one-minute friends,
then two minutes...
Soon we were spending an hour a day together.
How long have we known each other?
A long time.
I've forgotten.
My cousin's getting married soon.
Really? Give her my best wishes.
She said
she'll be moving in with her husband's family.
So?
I have to find someplace else to live.
I'd like to live with you.
Sure.
How will I tell my dad?
Tell him what?
About us.
What about us?
Would you marry me?
No.
I'm never coming back.
Come in, quick.
Your mother drank too much and threw up all over.
I'm so worried about her.
Bring her some tea.
Are you hungry? You want something to eat?
Who's that guy?
It was just a pair of earrings!
Here, take 'em back!
You stole more than that.
I told you I never stole anything! She gave them to me willingly!
You mean she's willing to let you freeload off her!
- Let's see what you say now. - Don't hit me!
- Huh? - Stop hitting me!
What's that? Speak up!
- Louder! - I stole 'em!
Louder!
I stole 'em!
I'm warning you: Don't let me catch you around my mother again!
You can get changed now.
I left some earrings here. Have you seen them?
No, but I'll help you look.
Hey, what are you doing?
You like this earring?
Keep it.
Hey!
Why just one?
I'll wait for you downstairs.
Where are we?
My place.
When did I say I'd come home with you?
You never said you wouldn't.
You live alone?
Is the rent high?
Forty bucks.
Wow.
My whole family lives in one room that only costs $28.
You bring girls home often?
Sometimes.
Let's get something clear. I'll stay, but just for a little while.
It's stuffy in here.
Are there other tenants here?
Why's this room empty?
You like nosing around other people's places.
Where's the bathroom?
Let's go get something to eat.
Why didn't you say so earlier?
It's pouring outside.
I'd better go now.
Would you take me home?
- Why did you come with me then? - I just promised to stay a while.
What kind of girl do you think I am?
Don't think I just jump into bed with guys!
Don't think I'll do just anything for some cheap earrings!
I'm not like those other loose women!
Don't come near me!
Let's see how long you can go without breathing.
- A thief!. - Who's that?
- It's me. - My friend.
I've told you many times not to climb up here.
I don't want that Indian guard downstairs to hassle me.
I didn't know you had a friend here. I'll be going.
Take the stairs.
In the window, out the window.
How come your friend's so strange? What's he do?
Don't ask so many questions.
Is he a thief?
What time is it?
About 3:00.
I've gotta go home now.
Will we see each other tomorrow?
Maybe.
Then call me.
You have my phone number?
I'll write it down.
Call after 1 1 :00 or I won't be there.
Here.
Leung Fung-Ying? Aren't you called Lulu?
My coworkers don't know my English name.
Call me. You promised, okay?
Okay.
I know you won't call.
I will.
You didn't even memorize my number!
You wrote it down. Why should I memorize it?
What if it gets lost?
I could get lost just as easily.
Don't you dare lose it!
Do it and I'll pour acid on your face!
Don't ever talk to me like that again.
You're good.
You tamed me. I have to do as you say.
Aren't you going home?
I'll call you a cab.
Now I don't want to go home.
Stay here then.
Damn you!
Good morning.
You still here? Don't you have to go home?
You didn't go home yourself.
I'm not talking to you.
Hey.
Have we ever met?
You don't look familiar.
But you'd be the one to know if you've noticed me somewhere.
- What do you do for work? - Work?
Turn up the radio.
Any idea? Figure it out?
Not yet.
Dance for me again, okay?
You trying to take advantage?
Hey! What's your name?
Call me Mimi.
I've heard there's a kind ofbird with no legs.
All it can do is fly and fly.
When it gets tired, it sleeps on the wind.
This bird can only land once in its whole life.
That's the moment it dies.
Auntie.
Come here. I want to talk to you.
Move over.
Hey, who is she?
What was all that about?
What?
You know what I'm talking about. Why did you beat him up?
He was ripping you off.
Who told you that?
No one has to tell me.
Why else would he be with you?
How old is he? And how old are you?
You're not young anymore.
You're right. He's in it for the money.
But he makes me happy.
I raised you and spent lots on you, but have you ever made me happy?
You think I've been happy? So we'll be unhappy together.
- What do you want? - You know very well.
How many times do I have to say I won't tell you?
You want to find your real mother, right?
Find her yourself, if you can.
I've taken care of you for so many years.
If I was gonna tell you, I'd have done it long ago.
I didn't because I couldn't bear to see you leave.
And I won't tell you now either. What's in it for me?
Suppose I tell you.
What do I get if you go off and find her?
Nothing!
You'll forget all about me.
What?
Why are you staring at me like that?
Fine. I want you to hate me.
At least that way you won't forget me.
Come on, be nicer to me.
Maybe I'll tell you someday.
Otherwise, forget about it.
All right.
I'll be waiting for that day.
Is his mother rich?
I think so.
She was a high-class escort.
Have you known York for long?
He used to live in the apartment above our garage.
You know what's on his mind?
No, I don't.
But I know what's on your mind.
What?
Don't fall in love with me!
What are you doing here this late?
Waiting for my friend.
What is it?
A girl downstairs says she knows you.
You'd better go have a look.
I'm gonna go see.
Why have you come?
To get my things.
Come up then.
I'd like to come back to you.
What for?
I'm no good for you.
I'm not the marrying type.
I don't care.
I just want to stay with you.
Why do you put up with so much from me?
You can't just put up with me for the rest your life.
You won't be happy with me.
Did you ever really love me?
I can't know how many more women I'll fall for in my life.
I won't know which I love most till the end of my life.
Wait here.
I'll collect your things for you.
Is someone up there?
Who's outside?
Stop asking questions.
- Take off those slippers. - Why?
They belong to someone else.
Who says they're hers? You got any proof?
You gonna take them off?
No!
A woman shows up out of the blue claiming this is hers and that's hers.
How many more women will show up later?
If one comes and claims you, should I just give you up?
I'm not giving up anything!
Once I step in here, everything is mine!
Why did you come up? I told you to wait downstairs.
I'm leaving.
You can sleep with the slippers tonight.
You really care about the slippers? Okay, I'll give 'em back!
Satisfied now?
After all, nothing here is mine.
What am I to you anyway? I'm leaving.
Don't come back once you step out that door.
Do you treat all women like this?
I'm not gonna be as stupid as her.
What are you doing?
Why do you treat me like this?
Stop! You're hurting me!
You again?
Still haven't gone home?
A good night's sleep and you'll forget your problems.
Could you lend me a few dollars for a cab?
I've only got five. Is that enough?
How will I pay you back?
Don't worry about it.
I'm always on duty around here.
We may meet again.
Take it.
Oh, it's you.
I wanted to pay you back.
No hurry. It doesn't matter.
I don't want to owe you.
Thanks.
Are you all right?
I'll be going now. I have to go to work.
This late? What kind of work?
At the stadium.
There's a game tonight. I have to work the box office.
Then I can get in to a soccer game for free.
I used to like watching soccer, but I'm too busy these days.
If there's a game you want to see, don't buy a ticket.
I'll get you in.
Thanks.
Could we talk?
I can't help you with your boyfriend.
I just want to talk.
Don't you have any friends?
- I don't want others to know. - But you'll tell me?
If I don't...
If I don't get it off my chest, I'll go crazy.
I thought I would be okay.
I kept telling myself,
""Don't tell others you're unhappy.
Work harder.
Go home and get to bed early.''
I want to go home,
but my home is in Macao.
I don't know how to get through these long nights.
I can't sleep.
I don't mean to keep coming back.
I promise myself, ""I won't go back.
I'll hate myself if I go back again.''
I don't want to hate myself.
Help me, please.
You can't go on like this.
I'll be okay if I can just get through tonight.
You always say, ""I'll be okay after tonight.''
What about last night?
If you'd made it through last night, you wouldn't be here now.
Make up your mind. Stop going back and forth.
If you really can't live without him,
why don't you go right up and tell him?
Otherwise, starting this very minute, pretend you don't know the guy.
Don't mention ""this very minute!''
I used to think a minute could pass so quickly.
But actually, it can take forever.
One day a guy pointed at his watch and told me
he'd remember me forever because of that minute.
That sounded so sweet.
But now when I look at that clock,
I tell myself
I have to forget that guy starting this very minute.
As a little girl in Macao, I really wanted to ride the streetcar.
Whenever my cousin returned from Hong Kong,
I'd ask her when she was going to take me there.
Your cousin is from Hong Kong?
No, but she studied in Hong Kong when she was young.
She's really sharp.
She got a good job with a foreign company right after graduation.
Her boyfriend is successful too.
She's going to get married soon.
Not everyone can be that lucky.
Don't compare yourself with other people.
I didn't feel poor
until I started school.
All the other guys got new uniforms every year,
but I had to wear the same one every year.
That's when...
I realized I was poor.
What made you become a policeman?
I wanted to be a sailor,
but my mother's health wasn't very good,
and there was no one else at home.
So I had to stay.
Don't you find it boring walking around by yourself all night?
Not really.
I'm tired. I think I'll go home now.
Okay.
If you can't find anyone to talk to, come see me.
I wouldn't want to interfere with your work.
You can call me then.
I'm here about this time every day.
You have enough money for the fare?
Yes. Bye.
I never really thought she'd call.
But every time I passed by the phone booth, I'd stand there for a while.
Maybe she's all right and she made it back to Macao.
Or maybe shejust needed someone to help her through that one night.
Soon after that, my mother passed away,
and I became a sailor.
Son, come eat your meal.
It's ready now.
Ranjet, come and eat.
You want me to beat you?
My heart is broken
Do I look pretty?
- Did you scrub the floor? - Yes. It just dried really fast.
If you don't believe me. I'll swear to it!
Swear on your mother's grave.
Why? So what if I didn't scrub it?
Why should I swear on her grave?
I'll scrub it when I come back, okay?
All right, I'll scrub it before I go out.
Could you stop being so quiet?
You seem so depressed.
I'll treat you to a movie, okay?
If you don't have any money, I still have a few bucks.
Are you broke?
Maybe I could support you.
My girlfriend's got a new job at the Oriental Nightclub.
She says it's easy earning a living as a dance hostess.
I wouldn't mind,
but you'd have to pick me up every night after work.
- Then I'd be your ""boy.'' - Do you care?
The important thing is to be happy.
I wouldn't tell anybody.
Still want to go to a movie?
Let's go.
Okay, but I want to fix my hair first.
You don't have to change?
Wait, my slippers -
I had breakfast with Old Man this morning.
He realized I was in a bad mood.
He asked me to go to the States with him.
I know very well
that at my age
it's hard to find someone you really like.
The Old Man treats me so well.
So that's that.
He's quite old, but he's kindhearted.
What do you think?
I won't be coming back.
If you want, you can come along.
I won't force you if you don't want to.
Of course you won't force me.
You're the one who wants to leave.
Stop dreaming.
You force me to stay with you all these years,
and now suddenly you're leaving.
I won't let you go.
I've taken care of you for so many years.
I won't abandon you now.
I've arranged everything for you.
I'll leave you the house.
I'll send you money every month.
I don't want anything.
I just want you to stay.
You always wanted to keep me with you,
so there's no way I'll let you go now either.
- If you dare to try- - Are you threatening me?
All right. I don't really want to go anyway.
I'll be old in a few years.
You gonna take care of me?
With what?
Doesn't matter.
If I can't, we'll just starve to death together.
That's your dream anyway, isn't it?
You're really something, you know?
You've fought me all these years.
Can't you be a little nicer to me?
In that case, you shouldn't have let me know I was adopted.
Then everything would've been fine.
But you told me a little and hid the rest.
I just want to know who my parents are.
But you won't tell me.
Don't you know you're giving me an excuse to hate you?
Fine! Go find out yourself then!
The Philippines isn't that big. Go and look!
You just don't dare!
You're afraid you'll find out your mother isn't rich
or from a famous family. Maybe worse than me!
That's none of your business.
I'll keep pushing until you tell me.
We can keep playing this game forever.
You'll have to tell me the truth one of these days.
I won't be as happy to hear it from others.
It has to be you.
Unless maybe you die first.
Then it'll cease to matter.
I should never have said anything.
I told you
because you're not my own blood,
and I know sooner or later you'll leave me.
I always thought I'd be all right.
I never realized I couldn't bear to see you leave.
So I just never told you.
That was selfish of me.
But I meant well. I wanted to protect you.
They didn't want you at all.
If they really wanted you,
they'd have come for you long ago.
You wouldn't understand.
I know you won't listen to anything I say now.
You've run wild all these years.
Now you want to blame me and have your revenge.
Fine.
I'll tell you who your mother is now.
I've had it with you.
You've always used it as an excuse before.
Well, you can't use it any longer.
You want to fly off?
All right, fly.
Fly as far as you can.
But don't let me find out you got cold feet.
Made up your mind?
I've said it many times,
but now it's time to actually go.
That's good.
How long will you be gone?
I don't know what will happen there...
or when I'll be back.
Take care of yourself.
Does she know you're leaving?
I have to leave, whether she knows or not.
If she comes around bothering you, tell her I'm gone.
Take these.
I know you've always liked it.
Take good care of it.
Has he been here?
I asked you if he's been here!
Stop ignoring me!
I know you're seeing him!
Have you no self-respect? He already said he doesn't want you!
- Why can't you leave him alone? - Are you done?
He's left you now too, so go home and cry!
Why come tell me about it?
Okay, he treated me badly, but did he treat you any better?
Don't touch me!
He treats all women the same!
You can stay a little while, but I'm locking up soon.
I shouldn't really have come.
I shouldn't give you a chance to gloat.
Still, I thinks he likes me a little more.
For whatever reason, he left you for me.
It's better to find some things out sooner than later.
You're the one crying now.
I got over it a long time ago.
What is it?
- Has your son come by? - No.
Then would you know where I could find him?
No, he never tells me anything.
If you ever see him,
tell him Mimi's looking for him.
He has my phone number.
I don't know if I'll see him.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
Is he going with you?
May I take a look at your place?
He used to always ask me to wait downstairs.
I really wanted to know
what this place looked like.
It's like every other place.
Am I being foolish?
No, I was just like you when I was young.
You want me to call you a cab?
No, thanks.
Oh, it's you.
I thought it was York.
He left for the Philippines.
Why are you following me?
Stop following me! Go away!
I don't ever want to see you again!
Why send me away? Why can't I follow you?
- I don't want anything to happen to you! - Stop being so good to me!
I told you before not to fall in love with me!
What's going on? You taking over?
You got his car and his girlfriend - but do you deserve them?
Just 'cause he's gone doesn't mean I have to love you!
I won't fall in love with you!
What are you doing?
Let me go!
What do you want?
I really want to go to the Philippines.
I really do.
Here.
What's with all this money?
Like you said, you have to deserve something.
He looked real good in the car.
I looked like a joke.
So it was better just to sell it.
Go to the Philippines if you really want to.
And when you see York, tell him I'm sorry.
Tell him I couldn't handle the car, so I sold it.
And if you really can't find York...
then come back to me.
On April 1 2, 1 96 1, I fiinally arrived at my mother's house.
But she didn't want to see me.
The maids told me she no longer lived there.
As I was leaving,
I could feel a pair of eyes watching me from behind,
but I was determined not to turn around.
I just wanted to fiind out what she looked like.
Since she wouldn't give me that chance,
I wouldn't give it to her either.
- You have a room? - Thirty dollars a day.
Five for an extra bed. How long are you staying?
Two days. I'm waiting for a ship.
Thanks.
Who's there?
Are you alone, mister?
You done now?
What?
It's stuck.
Hey, you gonna fall asleep on me right here?
Easy!
You gonna sleep here?
A lot of people walk by here.
Hey!
Are you serious?
You're really gonna fall asleep on me.
Well, it's up to you.
You haven't gone out?
I just came back.
Is someone with you?
Just a friend.
Am I in the way?
No.
She's not bad.
You ever stayed here before?
You know how small Chinatown is.
Lots of people come and stay here.
Almost everyone ends up staying here.
Did you come from Hong Kong?
Yeah.
What do you do?
I'm a sailor.
How long?
I just changed jobs.
I used to be a cop before.
Not bad.
Why'd you switch from cop to sailor?
Oh...just wanted to wander around.
Anyway...
how long have you been in the Philippines?
A few months.
What for? You working?
I hate work.
I'm looking for my family.
Did you find them?
Something like that.
Even my watch is gone. What's the time?
3:30.
Shall we go have a drink?
No, thanks. It's late.
If it's too late to go back to your place, why not just stay here?
I have wine here. Help yourself.
I don't have a place.
Anyway, I have to be at the station at dawn.
That's just a few hours from now.
Better to drink the hours away than sleep.
You heading somewhere else?
I get bored staying in one place too long.
Like you said, I like to wander around.
Want some?
Thanks.
When will you go back?
When they finish unloading the cargo.
Probably take about two days.
How about you? Are you going back?
Maybe.
Even if I wanted to, it wouldn't be for a while.
Maybe we'll run into each other in Hong Kong.
Might not even recognize each other.
I hope that doesn't happen.
Have I seen you somewhere before?
Don't remember. My memory's not so good.
Mine neither.
Get out of here! Go!
Hey.
What train are you taking?
I didn't say I was.
If you're not taking a train,
why'd you come to the station?
I'm meeting someone.
He and I have something to discuss.
I owe you this one. It's on me next time.
It's an American passport.
That's a big deal! Worth a lot of money.
I've killed a lot of people.
But that's part of my job, you know.
Now, where is my money?
Money?
I don't have your money.
That was fast.
Stop him!
Run!
You ever been to the States?
Why aren't you talking?
Worried you'll miss your ship?
Not everyone's like you.
You don't have a care in the world,
but I have to earn a living.
If you want a passport, pay for it!
If you don't have money, don't start trouble!
We could have died back there!
Back there?
You could die any minute. This train could derail.
How can you predict it?
If you're tired of living, fine.
But don't drag me down with you.
Hey, I told you to take off back there,
but here you are tagging along.
I wish you had been killed, you son of a bitch!
- You ever hear of a bird that - - Yes.
The one with no legs.
Maybe you can fool girls with that story.
Think you're some kind of bird?
Which part of you?
You're just the drunk I picked out of the garbage in Chinatown!
Think you're a bird?
If you could fly, you wouldn't have to be here.
Go ahead, fly!
Show me how you fly.
You'll see.
Just don't be jealous when it happens.
Tell me,
how long till the next station?
I don't understand you. Say again.
That day when I left the hospital,
I felt very relieved.
My fiinancial worries were over.
I'd receive 50 American dollars every month
until the child turned 1 8.
I've always wanted to know what I'd see the last moment of my life.
So I mustn't close my eyes when I die.
What about you?
What do you wanna see most the moment your life ends?
Life is so long.
There's a lot I haven't seen yet.
I don't know.
I don't know what I want to see.
Give it some thought.
It's gotta be boring at sea anyway.
Life isn't really that long.
Now's the time to start thinking about it.
I used to think there was some kind ofbird
that flew and flew, never touching down until it died.
But that bird never actually flew anywhere,
because it was dead from the very beginning.
I said I'd never be able to tell
which woman I loved the most until the end.
I wonder what she's doing now.
It's dawn.
Looks like quite a beautiful day.
I wonder what sunset will be like.
The last time I saw him,
I asked him a question.
You remember what you were doing
on April 1 6th of last year at 3:00 p.m.?
Why do you ask?
No reason.
A friend of mine used to test my memory
and asked me what I did that day.
I couldn't remember. What about you?
Did she tell you?
I thought you'd forgotten.
I remember what should be remembered.
Did you see each other a lot?
For a time.
But once I changed jobs, we lost touch.
What about you?
Me?
No.
What else did she tell you?
Nothing.
We really didn't know each other that long.
Do you love her?
No, we're just friends.
When you see her again, tell her I remember nothing.
It's better that way for all of us.
I don't even know if I'll ever see her again.
Even if I do...
she may not recognize me.
You've come here all by yourself. Aren't you afraid?
I heard everyone from Hong Kong stays here,
There's someone I want to ask you about.
Written and Directed by WONG KAR-WAI
Starring
LESLIE CHEUNG, ANDY LAU MAGGIE CHEUNG
CARINA LAU, JACKY CHEUNG and REBECCA PAN
Cinematography by CHRISTOPHER DOYLE