I saw you walking. May I drop you somewhere?
No, thanks. I'm strolling.
Hey! This is Africa! It's too hot to stroll.
Hop in. I'll drive you.
Hello.
That's my son.
Where are you headed?
To Limbe.
You're a tourist?
Sort of.
Where can I drop you?
The bus station, please.
Are you broke?
No, but I don't feel like taking a taxi.
Going native, huh?
Are you from Limbe?
No.
Thanks, again.
Are you going to Douala?
The next bus leaves in an hour.
What a drag! Come on, I'm going to Douala, too.
What's your name?
France.
"Vive la France!"
France!
Next year, I'll widen this road.
France, stay close by.
Here's my riddle.
Yes.
"At the edge of the road, a black thread."
"A lively ant."
What's worse, this crate has no brakes left!
You're going to kill us!
It's only a question of safety, darling.
Slowing down would surely cause an accident.
Look! No feet! Isn't it...
Marc, please!
That's how it is!
We're going.
Everything's ready, gov'nor.
Fine.
Baby ant...
I'll see you in ten days. Remember, write to grandma.
Yes.
Marc, should I order these books from Paris?
Fasten the donkey's strap.
Done.
Last time we lost half the coffee rations.
You were saying?
Never mind.
No kiss?
You'll do fine without me, Madame governor.
Remember to visit the Norwegians.
Thanks, Prot�e, I entrust them to you. Take good care of them.
You can serve coffee now.
Then it's time for a nap.
You're not in bed?
You'll see, you'll turn black,
and your father will scream!
"Ru...
"...dolf
"dieneck."
"Kur Wess."
Kurt Weiss.
Weiss.
Did the Germans lose the war in France, too?
Oh, yes, everywhere.
Do you think we'll be buried here?
Would you like a citronells, Madame?
No, thank you, Prot�e.
I'm trying to turn in. Turn off the lights.
Good night.
Good night, Madame.
Listen, Dieudonn�...
if the king had given me... no, wait.
If the king had...
if the king had given me Paris, his great city
but without my luv with me
I would tell king Henri, take back your Paris
my luv means far more to me, oh, yes
what does "my luv" mean?
"My luv" is my love.
"...and the money for aunt Minni.
"I won't forget to send you 3,000 francs soon.
"For Citabella's wedding.
"I'm expecting a letter from you...
"but as they say, no news is good news.
"Dear parents, I wish you a long and healthy life.
"God bless you. Your devoted son."
Prot�e, hurry up. We must get back!
Prot�e must get back!
Must get back! Must get back!
As you wish, ma'am gov'nor.
For whom is that letter?
For my fianc�e.
It's hot.
Did you spice it?
Eat.
Come quickly.
Is it the hyena?
Yes.
I think so.
Don't move.
Don't be afraid.
Prot�e!
Stay here, I'll be back.
Shit!
Prot�e!
I'm here, Madame.
Where have you been? I've called you for an hour!
Didn't you hear the hyena? Come on!
Come on in!
It should be here...
I'm sure Marc keeps it here.
Here.
What about the bullets, Madame?
Where are you going?
I'll check around the house, Madame.
No!
No, stay with me.
Settle down here.
That awful beast could come in here any time.
Go to sleep now.
Good night, Madame.
Thank you, Prot�e.
What's he saying?
For two months, lions have been attacking herds.
Tell him I'll organize beats.
He says white men's beats are bad.
Man must hunt the lion with a knife...
and with arrows, freeboy.
Thank you for coming.
First the panthers, then the hyenas.
You really attract trouble, Nansen.
They've got a soft spot for you.
It's god's will, isn't it?
Maybe, but I brought you food.
Thank you very much. Come, have some tea.
Hello, Martha. Are you well?
Really, Nansen, I don't know what keeps you here!
Look at your wife! She's at her wits' end! Time to leave!
I must evangelize the natives. I'm a soldier of god.
Everything is fine!
You are totally zany, Nansen!
France! Prot�e! We're leaving.
Enoch, it's over!
The Yorkshire pudding, custard cream, boiled meat. Stop!
Enough!
You understand?
Explain it to him, Prot�e.
This book, there must be hundreds of recipes in it!
I want french cuisine! Variety!
Pies, salads... do you understand?
Madame, Enoch can't read.
You're joking! He's always got his nose in his book!
He's going to drive me crazy!
What's wrong with him?
He doesn't want to cook anymore.
You say he's a bad chef.
And you always yell at him like his first wife.
As soon as the master is away, you all take advantage.
I'm fed up!
Push all this out, all right, Robespierre?
Not the tomatoes, Madame?
Not the tomatoes, just the weeds!
Mommy!
We have visitors!
Ma'am gov'nor! Ma'am gov'nor!
There's people arriving! Many of them!
Come on over there! They're there!
Jonathan Boothby!
Enoch.
It's tonight or never, very English!
Perfect, or... or...
Enoch, I don't understand any of what you're saying.
France!
Hurry up!
Don't forget the port. I'll take care of the wine.
And... what else?
Oh, yes! Red sash, and take your shower in the last minute.
Yes?
The Englishman is wearing his tuxedo.
Oh, no!
Give this to Marie-jeanne. A touch with the iron will do.
Madame, shall I serve the drinks?
Wait, come in.
Come closer.
Help me, Prot�e, would you?
Help me.
You're crazy, Jonathan!
I had no idea.
Opportunities for dancing are rare here, you know.
Solitude, Aim�e.
Me? The only time I'm alone is in the shower.
Look, Jonathan.
"This house is the last house on earth."
The German official who inscribed this phrase...
is buried here.
Marc is a dreamer, you know.
Does he still keep his bloody bororo diaries?
Marc and his notebook!
They say this official was killed by one of his "boys."
Last time I visited here, you were away.
We spoke and spoke, and we drank.
And toward morning...
...you understand?
So close, that we slept together.
...felt bizarre...
because I have that same feeling with you, Aim�e.
I think there's a...
spell on this house.
You're tipsy, Jonathan.
Tipsy.
I think that's the best.
I'm leaving tomorrow at dawn.
The queen of England is ugly.
If he has a hairy back, he has a hairy bottom.
Your Englishman is more handsome when he's dressed.
He's not my Englishman!
Did you see his legs, honey? They're like twigs!
I'm sleepy.
Is that you, Prot�e?
I'm waiting to turn off the generator, Madame.
The ticks will eat your feet!
Here's my riddle.
Yes.
"A charming young girl...
"weaves children around her neck."
The papaya tree!
Where are they going?
Toward the Benou�.
Did you see other herds? Many?
Yes, they'll all come from the north.
They're certainly heading for the Benou�.
Any sick livestock?
No, none, governor.
Do your work!
What are you doing here?
I made the bed. Now I'm tidying up.
I forbid you to fiddle with my belongings.
I don't want anyone nosing around my bedroom.
Get out.
Prot�e.
Bring me some water, please. I feel like taking a shower.
Mommy, let's go home.
Why do you go to the cemetery?
Because I like it. It's a quiet place.
Hurry up.
I'm coming, Etienne. Forgive me.
Aim�e! France!
Good morning, sir.
Is everything all right, Prot�e?
Madame is in her bedroom, sir.
Aim�e?
Aim�e, are you ill?
You're not disappointed to see your freeboy, honey?
Silly.
You frightened me. I only expected you tomorrow.
I'm filthy.
I'm hungry.
Here.
You disgust me.
Dirty nigger.
It's too late. The meat is overcooked now.
Hair?
Head?
Forehead?
Eyes?
Nose?
Mouth?
Teeth?
Tummy?
Chest?
It fell behind the mountain.
That's enough now, baby ant.
Planes don't fall. They go beyond the horizon.
What's the horizon?
Go to sleep now. I'll explain it tomorrow.
The plane fell into the mountain.
My dear compatriot...
please forgive this arrival, so full of fanfare...
but we swept up everything we found on the way.
Allow me to introduce myself. Captain V�drine, pilot.
Last night I had to land somewhere in the mountain.
Mechanical troubles. Absurd! A propeller bearing broke.
I must confess that without...
the intrepid assistance of these young boys...
my passengers and I...
would still be lost somewhere in the bush.
Marc Dalens, district officer.
Not the best circumstances.
You flew over our house last night?
Affirmative.
Courbassol, my navigator and associate.
Glad to meet you. Anyone hurt?
No, no one.
Allow me to present my unfortunate passengers.
Machinard, a colleague of yours, I believe, and his wife.
Machinard, what brings you here?
I'm replacing bonaventure in M'banga.
We came from Fort Lamy. I wanted to make a small detour.
It's Mireille's first trip. She's discovering Africa.
We just got married.
We're on our honeymoon.
Congratulations! Welcome to north Cameroon.
Make yourselves at home. We'll take care of everything.
You'll see, M'banga is different, greener.
Here comes Delpich, our charming planter.
Delpich, we thought we'd lost you on the way!
Leave me alone, V�drine!
I'm losing money here every single minute!
You should be in a nut house, not flying a damn bird!
Delpich, Joseph, coffee grower.
Marc Dalens.
Cut the ceremonies, just get me out of here.
I'll radio Douala and Vaounde. We'll find a way.
My wife will settle you in our house. You're in good hands.
Where did I fall, anyway?
Mindif, in the Diamar� region.
30 kilometers south-east of Maroua.
Mindif? V�drine, tell me I'm dreaming!
Getting spare parts could take weeks, you know.
I'm afraid so.
I'm starving.
Wait, Dalens. That's Th�r�se, my housekeeper.
She's a bit shy.
Did you turn the mattresses before making the beds?
Yes, Madame.
They're stuck for a month. A runway must be built.
France, stay out of the way.
Hello, Djatao. How are you?
Your husband claimed there's not a single jalopy available!
Please accept this gift for your guests from the airplane.
Is this taxi yours?
Delpich, please meet our dear friend Wadjirt Djatao.
Mr. Delpich is a coffee planter. In the south, correct?
Yeah. How much for driving me to Yaound�?
Would you join us for lunch, Djatao?
No, thank you, Aim�e. It's Ramadan.
Fine. Just name your price.
Good-bye, Aim�e.
Thank you for your kindness, Djatao. It's superb!
Thank you.
I got it.
Here.
This is my last offer.
How much?
Fuck it!
Do they run things around here?
Prot�e, take the goat away.
Yes, Madame.
In 10 days you'll be at your post, Machinard.
You think so?
Yes, Marc received a cable.
Prot�e, you can serve coffee.
M'banga...
you're lucky!
See, Mereille? I told you.
A nice little spot, M'banga.
It's a bit humid, I hear.
It's like having cotton balls...
stuffed in your lungs and nostrils all day.
Actually, I like the forest.
The rot smell is so strong it's like a drug.
What's worse are the little crawlers.
They hide under the bed, swarm in wash basins.
They even stick inside your shoes.
The thought of lifting the mosquito net is nauseating.
Gentlemen, you make it seem worse than it is.
That's not all! Mosquitoes, ok.
Less than month ago...
a whole family of settlers was found cut into slices.
Delpich, please, you're exaggerating!
Their heads were in geranium pots on the veranda.
All this just 10 kilometers from M'banga.
A festering center of revolt.
And whose fault, I ask you.
I never sleep without my piece under the pillow.
Prot�e!
Take these men to the kitchen. They were on the road all day.
I have good news for you.
Our friend, Randall, is coming to help, with 20 men.
Sir?
Mind your own business.
That's nice.
Not in bed yet, doll?
Isn't she cute?
Well, I'm going to bed. Good night.
Here's your seed, my little chickadee.
What's wrong with you, V�drine?
Don't worry. A minor attack of marsh fever. I'm used to it.
Look there... where I'm pointing my finger.
See that dust?
It's Randall.
Glad to see you.
I'll bet you are.
Monique.
Here's the most beautiful!
How are you?
And little Paul?
He's wearing me out.
Go over there.
Wait, Segalen.
I'll make the introductions.
Marc Dalens.
Hello.
Courbassol, co-pilot.
My wife Aim�e.
Excuse me, I'll join the others.
He's a little... strange.
Tell me how it happened.
Right now road work is slow. It's Ramadan.
I'll try to get you transportation home.
Where did you find your Segalen?
He's an ex-seminarian. I don't know much about him.
One day, he showed up.
What's he doing in Africa?
Who knows? He says he's crossing Africa on foot.
Monique thinks he's a saint.
You don't belong here, Segalen.
Come to my house in Mindif. You're more than welcome.
Tony adores him. Luc is wonderful with Paul.
He's set his mind on starting him on Latin.
Really?
Really, Paul is talented.
He's handsome.
Who?
Your boy.
People no longer know how to drink coffee.
They really don't.
I always add a few chips of bitter chocolate...
two or three grains of salt...
and to top it off...
a touch of cinnamon.
Disgusting. Makes me regret I grow it.
Should I fix it?
Go ahead. It'll taste better.
I know a church behind a hamlet
where a fine steeple is reflected in the water
in the pure water of the river
it's a joke, Luc. You left everything at home.
I have all I need.
And your books?
Keep them.
Luc, come home with us.
Kiss little Paul for me.
Bastard.
Here's your seed, my little chickadee.
I had a premonition. I told Th�r�se...
"chickadee, pack the suitcase. Tonight, we'll be far away."
What time is it?
Early.
Luc, we have plenty of room. You can have your own space.
No, thanks, Marc. I'm really fine here.
Try these. They're for you.
Thank you, Prot�e. Please bring another cup.
I'll go check on the runway's progress.
Then I have an inheritance matter to settle in Japat.
Want to come?
Not today, thank you. May I?
If you like. It's just my notes from when I travel.
Did you see Mr. Luc this morning?
He's bathing outside, Madame.
What do you mean, outside?
In the boys' area, Madame.
I'll do it, Madame.
No, never mind.
The sheets and pillow cases need changing.
All done?
Look! Move over.
We need two more meters. Rip these out and flatten it.
They're madam's flowers.
You want to play?
Don't argue. It's the only spot where we can play in the shade.
"Amidst bronzed black African faces...
"the white skin color evokes something akin to death."
"In 1891, I, myself,
"having seen only colored people for months..."
what is it, Prot�e?
I'm bringing lemon squash, Madame.
"In 1891, I, myself, having seen only..."
put the tray down, Prot�e.
"In 1891, I, myself...
"having seen only colored people for months...
"once again saw Europeans near the Benou�.
"I found white skin unnatural...
"next to the fullness of black skin."
"Then why blame the natives for considering the white man...
"as something contrary to nature...
"as a supernatural or fiendish creature?"
Aim or shoot!
It's a "bird head!"
Prot�e, go and get the pickup, please.
What are you doing here? Not in bed?
She's swallowing her tongue.
Put a spoon in her mouth.
Let's get prosper from the village.
With a spoon, honey.
He's at the school with the teacher.
His wife gave me his case.
What do they do at night at the school?
They're talking, sir.
Yes, I know.
Prosper!
Prosper, come quickly!
I need you. I have your case.
Where's my wife?
At Mrs. Machinard's bedside.
Prosper, it's the room on the right. Thank you.
Prot�e's starting the generator.
Prosper treated us all.
So we're saved, Dalens.
We're saved.
It isn't possible, Dalens.
Have you no one else who can treat her?
Are you serious, Machinard?
- I'm leaving, sir. - I'll walk you.
I wouldn't mind, but my wife needs a real doctor.
I pity you.
The car's coming early tomorrow.
You'll be in Yaound� soon.
Dirty nigger!
You're a doctor?
You're not good enough to wipe a white man's ass.
Well, I understand, Mireille.
That's the way to speak to them.
All right, all right.
Leave him alone, Segalen.
Oh, I forgot the loop-the-loop king.
You make me sick.
Andr�, I don't feel well.
One can't say a word
without being accused of the worst things.
A nice trio, Dalens! You, your wife, and the parasite.
I'm just discussing!
All right, that's enough.
Prosper, yop-la-boom, he's the man all the ladies seek
prosper, yop-la-boom, he's the king of the street
one day, we'll get kicked out of here.
Good luck.
This is the boys' shower.
Prot�e...
you're a pain.
Aim�e, it's the most beautiful bathroom in the world.
In french, most words ending in "e"
are feminine.
However, some masculine words end in a silent "e."
Go ahead, Prot�e.
I don't observe Ramadan.
What's the matter?
The boss said to tell you the truck from Douala is here.
It's the propeller.
Let's go.
Our dear Dalens can't wait until we leave.
The runway is almost finished...
but let me point out...
that if the rains are slightly early this year...
we're back to square one for at least 4 months.
Prot�e, please bring the fruit.
A half?
Gladly.
Listen to the night sounds. Listen carefully.
It's deadly.
Don't exaggerate.
Aim�e...
I've decided not to eat with your guests anymore.
You think I enjoy squatting between Enoch, who rambles on,
and Prot�e, who pouts?
Right, Prot�e?
Say it bothers you that I'm here.
No?
Well...
I think he's mute.
Actually, Aim�e...
you'd like to be in my place, rubbing against Prot�e.
Come, I'll make room for you.
No?
Madame?
Thank you, Prot�e. I don't need anything.
Beat it. Leave me alone.
Must I repeat it, you son of a bitch?
What? You don't like it?
Fuck off! Go lick the boots of your bosses.
You're worse than the priests who raised you.
You still want to know what the horizon is?
Are you asleep?
When you look at the hills...
beyond the houses and beyond the trees...
where the earth touches the sky...
that's the horizon.
Tomorrow, in the daytime, I'll show you something.
The closer you get to that line, the farther it moves.
If you walk towards it, it moves away.
It flees from you.
I must also explain this to you.
You see the line.
You see it, but it doesn't exist.
Do you want some chocolate?
No, too early.
Thank you, Prot�e.
You're here.
Luc left?
Yes?
Yes, he left.
Without saying anything?
Why didn't you wake me up?
You always get taken in, Marc.
I'd rather Prot�e stopped working in the house.
Put him where you like... somewhere else.
Prot�e's very good.
Please, Marc.
He'll work in the garage.
Does it burn?
Aim�e.
Have a good trip.
Thank you.
Good-bye, Dalens.
No, it'll never fit. See the size of my door?
Let's go. All aboard. Forget the organ.
You two. Move this thing. It's in the way.
Let's go!
I'll come back.
My son's name is Sawa. His mother's a Sawa.
I'm Mungo.
Mungo is a nickname they gave me here.
My real name is William J. Park.
I'm an American Negro.
You're not disappointed?
Were you looking for a real native?
Your son's asleep. He'd be more comfortable in the back.
Do you mind?
I want a Fanta.
Ok, man, we'll stop for one.
I remember the day I arrived in Africa.
I was totally drunk.
In customs, I felt like kissing the officers, my brothers.
I told myself...
"that's it, man, you're home."
I kept my sweater on.
I didn't even realize I was dripping with sweat.
I got ripped off at the airport by the first cabbie.
He didn't give a damn that I was black.
He was probably right.
Brothers here, brothers there.
Yeah...
I really stayed American.
They don't give a shit about guys like me here.
Here, I'm nothing.
I'm dreaming.
If I died now, I'd disappear totally.
You don't say much.
I've hung around Douala for two weeks.
I should be heading north. I have my ticket.
You know people there?
No.
There's a house I'd like to see again...
but I don't know.
I'll come back around 10:00?
Suit yourself.
That's my wife. Now I live alone. I was a big pain.
Where to?
To the Novotel, please.
Thank you.
Give me your hand.
I'll tell you if you should go see your house.
Your palm is strange. Can't see anything.
Let's have a drink.
I don't think so, babe.
Leave quickly before they eat you up. Bye.