My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown

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(OPERA STARTS)

(MUSIC STOPS)

Un 'aura amorosa

Del nostro tesoro

Un dolce ristoro

Al cor porger

Un 'aura amorosa

Del nostro tesoro

Un dolce ristoro

Al cor porger

Un dolce ristoro

Al cor porger

AI cor che nudrito

Da speme

Da amore

Da speme, da amore...

I'll bring you back a slice of cake.

WOMAN :
Get away from the window.

Bisogno non ha

Di un'esca migliore

Bisogno non ha

Bisogno non ha...

Now don't forget.

Mr Punch, you will call me, won't you?

This way, please.

No, no, I'll take them.

Look, Ma, it's gorgeous.

Well, you're very welcome, Christy,

very welcome.

(IMPAIRED) To your humble abode.

Hm? Oh, my humble abode.

Yes, well, I suppose so.

Hello. My name is Mary.

I'll be with you till you go on this evening,

I have to take him into the library.

- I'll see you later.

- MA :
See you later.

Be careful of that fella.

I'll be OK.

I wouldn't be too sure about that.

Erm, now, you're all very welcome

to my humble abode,

and to this benefit,

organised by my friend Dr Eileen Cole,

Dr Eileen Cole.

(APPLAUSE OVER LOUDSPEAKER)

Now I'm not going to ask you to put

your hands in your pockets, not yet,

because we're going to start

the evening with a little concert.

Do you want to go out and watch?

No.

Do you want to see the original?

The original?

Of the book.

It looks good.

Looks can be deceivin'.

It's a bit sentimental.

Did you paint this?

Yes.

That's very good.

(BABY CRYING)

(CRYING STOPS)

Mr Brown?

Your son was born a couple of hours ago.

There's been some complications.

Where's the small one?

A pint and a small one?

- That's what I said,

- So long as you're payin' for it,

Are you gonna put him in a home, Paddy?

He'll go in a coffin before

any son of mine will go in a home.

Ah, Paddy...I believe it's the end of the road

for you in the breedin' stakes.

(LAUGHTER)

Who told you that?

Ah, now...What are you goin' to do, huh?

Are you goin' to tie a knot in it? (CHUCKLES)

Now, Paddy, there was no need for that.

A shut mouth catches no flies.

Where's Tom?

MA :
Is Tom not up yet?

TOM :
It's all right! I'm up! I'm up ages!

Say goodbye to Christy, Father.

PADDY :
Goodbye, Christy.

MA :
Be a good girl. See you later.

See you, Christy.

- See you, Christy.

- Bye, Christy.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Something for the money box, Christy.

Another pound saved, Christy.

Here, Christy.

Good boy, that's it.

I have to go away, Christy.

To hospital.

Don't worry, Sheila's going

to look after you while I'm gone.

Do you understand, Christy?

That's my ma. That's my da,

I was their baby.

It's only for a few days, Christy.

I'd better get this house

organised before I go.

You can't be stickin' to me

like stickin' plaster forever, Christy.

(MA STRAINING)

Nearly there, Christy.

Christy, I have to go and make

a phone call. Stay there.

Oh, my God...Nan...

Nan! Nan!

(DOG BARKING)

(MA FALLS)

(WAILING)

(BANGING)

I heard this terrible bangin' and rushed over.

She was carryin' Christy

down the stairs when she fell.

And there he was,

lyin' at the bottom of the stairs like a moron.

God help her,

He's a terrible cross to the poor woman.

Ah, sure he has the mind

of a three-year-old.

A is for apples.

B is for butter.

C is for carrot.

And D...is for dunce.

Poor, unfortunate gobshite.

Enough to feed an army.

God, you'll never go hungry, Christy.

Would you like to come back with me

till your mammy comes home?

GIRL :
What's 25% of a quarter?

PADDY :
25% of a quarter?

Um...

Now that's a stupid question. Huh?

I mean, 25% is a quarter.

You can't have a quarter of a quarter.

You can. Can't you, Christy?

PADDY :
Hm! What would he know?

Ma! Ma, Christy picked up the chalk.

Go on, Christy, Go on, make your mark.

It's a Y.

It's an X.

- What's that, Christy?

- That's only an auld squiggle.

There's something in that.

Nah, don't be gettin' notions

into your head, woman.

The child's a cripple. Face facts.

It won't do anybody any good

trying to put ideas in his head.

(EXCITED CHATTER)

Oi!

- Oh, that's great.

- We're gonna put the engine on now.

- You're puttin' an engine in it?

- Yeah. Come on.

(BOYS CHEERING)

Come on, engine,

All he needs now is a license.

It's great!

(CHEERING)

Take it easy, will ya?

Ah, go on, take it easy.

He'll play in that all day now.

He can go out with the other boys now.

- Look at those!

- They're massive!

- What's that?

- That's her thing.

You put your thing in there

for a half an hour and you get a baby.

If you do it for an hour you get twins.

My cousin's a twin.

- Benny! Brian! Come on!

- There's your ma.

Quick, Tom. Here's Ma!

- It's not my magazine!

- Is Benny in there?

- Hide it!

- Where?

- Just hide it!

- Are you deaf? Come in for your tea!

- Hide it under Christy!

- Are you all deaf?

I've been calling you for 20 minutes

to come in for your tea. Come on, Christy.

- It's OK, Mam, we'll take him.

- Well, take him in now.

It's been on the table

for at least a half an hour,

See?

Why won't he go to bed?

He loves that auld chariot.

Come on, get him up.

I want to go and have a pint.

Come on, Christy.

It's way past your bedtime.

It's nearly closin' time.

Now, son, you know

you can never get out of Hell.

You can get out of Purgatory

but you can never get out of Hell.

Do you know that?

Do you?

Mrs Brown...

I don't think you should

bring him to the altar just yet.

You've been very helpful, Father.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Christy, do you know

all about All Souls' Night?

Did I ever tell you about that?

It's a very special night,

you know, because...

every time that you light

a candle on All Souls' Night,

you have to say five Our Fathers

and five Hail Marys and five Glory Bes,

and then a soul flies up out

of the flames of Purgatory

and goes straight up to Heaven.

Say some prayers

for the poor souls in Purgatory.

Right.

(CHRISTY GROANS)

What's wrong with you?

- Uhh!

- Christy, keep your voice down.

What's wrong with you, son?

- Uhh!

- What's the matter with you?

What do you want?

Do you want to light

another candle? Is that it?

Do you? For the poor souls?

Good boy. That's a good boy.

And don't forget, Christy,

if we can't understand you, God can.

See, Christy?

Even God has to lock his house.

(CHILDREN YELLING)

Look, Christy! There it is! Look!

See, that's your soul going up to Heaven!

Oh, look! Look, Christy. Oh, look.

- You frightened the life out of him.

- Here, Christy.

You're king of the bonfire.

Ooh! Ooh!

Don't be frightened, Christy.

It's only your brother - Tom.

This way, Christy. This way.

(CHILDREN YELLING)

BOY :
Get him over here!

(CHRISTY PANTING)

(GRUNTS)

SHEILA :
You all right, Christy?

MA :
What's Christy doing, Sheila?

Is he all right?

SHEILA :
He's drawing.

He's drawing a triangle.

No, Christy, you don't start there.

Here, son.

Now, that's a triangle.

That's not a triangle.

That's an

(GRUNTS)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

- What's up?

' PADDY :
Keep quiet.

All I said was, "What's up?"

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