The Lost City of Z Page #3

Major Fawcett, you are

England's bravest explorer!

Thank you, sir.

Your son.

This must be Brian.

And here's Jack.

Are you my father?

I am indeed, son.

Come, give me a hug.

Let's go home.

Thank you all.

Percy, come.

Meet our host, Mr. James Murray.

He's very anxious to meet you.

A person of considerable

resources.

He certainly has

a beautiful home.

And, of course,

a reputation to match.

Ah, Mr. Murray.

Major Fawcett,

I see you down there.

Welcome to the inner circle.

Thank you, Mr. Murray.

- Mrs. Fawcett.

- Evening.

Percy, we're all so excited

to hear your speech to the RGs.

Listen to them, will you?

They're all talking

about your mission.

Extraordinary.

I'm just honored

to be here, sir.

I read your article

in the times this morning

about the slave trade

in the Americas.

It's, uh...

You're an enlightened man.

Poor savages.

The native does deserve

our sympathy.

Yes.

I think we have only just

scratched the surface

of Amazonia.

Most certainly.

I was, um...

Well, I'm a biologist,

but I'm also somewhat

of an explorer.

I was second-in-command

under Shackleton

in the Antarctica.

Did you know that?

I don't think

there's anyone here

who's not well aware of your

accomplishments, Mr. Murray.

Hear, hear.

You have distinguished

yourself with great bravery.

I know what

these expeditions require.

Well, it's been

my lifelong ambition

to go to the Amazon, you know.

Well, I must say, I...

I hope that the RGs continues

its pursuits, but I...

I have come to believe

that mapmaking

should be a secondary interest.

Really?

I witnessed several

archaeological discoveries

that I believe may have

enormous significance.

Such as?

Pottery in the jungle...

Where no white man

has ever been before.

My friend, a word

in your ear, please.

Um, your... Your exploits

have opened every door for you,

but I would suggest keeping

such findings to yourself, hmm?

It is one thing to defend

the primitive jungle men.

It is quite another to elevate

their capacity beyond reason.

I mean, no one here

would dispute

that you believed

what you saw, but, uh...

Such a trip is very hard

on the mind.

Very hard indeed.

Mr. Keltie...

I think you should find

my mind perfectly fit...

and still open, thank heavens.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

I would like to introduce

one of our brothers

whose achievements

are now known to you

and not inconsiderable...

Major Percy Fawcett.

Thank you, sir.

By rights,

I should be with my husband.

It's... It's men only,

I'm afraid, madam.

My esteemed colleagues,

it is now my firm belief

that Amazonia is far more

than the green desert

which many of us had supposed.

I am proposing that Amazonia

contain a hidden civilization.

One that may well

predate our own.

Major Fawcett,

I am Mr. William Barclay,

of Bedford.

And I have been

to south America.

Please, Mr. Barclay,

I'm sure we'd all be thrilled

to hear about your holiday.

But we are currently discussing

exploration.

Now, to be clear,

are you insisting

on mythical kingdoms of gold?

Now... Now, those fantasies

lured the conquistadors

to their destruction.

Sir, it was

the conquistadors and we

who have been destroying

Amazonia.

I have seen with my own eyes

evidence of their civilization,

and I assure you, sir,

it is real.

Perhaps it is too difficult

for some of you to admit.

We, who have been steeped

in the bigotry of the church

for so long

cannot give much credence

to an older civilization,

particularly one created

by a race the white man

has so brutally condemned

to slavery and death.

Are... Are you insisting

that these savages...

They're our equals?

I do not know, Mr. Barclay,

but I intend to find out.

What, savages

in Westminster Abbey?

Hence your disrespect, sir.

But what is at stake?

If we may find a city

where one was considered

impossible to exist,

it may well write

a whole new chapter

in human history.

Yes.

- Yes!

- Consider my evidence.

I have archeological finds!

Antiquities as sophisticated

as any in Asia or Europe...

In the middle of the jungle!

Pots and pans!

Pots and pans!

Pots and pans!

Pots and pans!

Pots and pans!

Settle down, children.

Settle down!

After my return from the jungle,

I have examined

a signal document

dating from the conquistadors,

Mr. Barclay.

It states explicitly

the discovery of a lost city.

Uncovered in Trinity college,

Dublin, this week,

by my lovely wife.

Written by a Portuguese soldier

in 1753.

And I quote,

"we came upon the ruins

of an ancient city,

bedecked with gold.

Roads, temples,

ancient symbols."

What, El Dorado?

No, gentlemen!

No!

- I call it Z.

- Z?

The ultimate piece

of the human puzzle!

It is there,

and we must find it!

Mr. Fawcett!

Mr. Fawcett, I say we return!

I say we go and find the glory!

What say you?

What I say, Mr. Murray...

Is I accept that challenge!

Mr. Costin!

I see you seated there!

Will you return with us?

Mr. Fawcett,

that jungle is hell,

but one kind of likes it.

We shall return!

And we shall find the glory!

I have such high hopes, cheeky.

With this journey,

we may be able to tear down

their narrow-minded

convictions.

I do believe I am quite ready

to accompany you

on your next journey.

What do you mean?

The children will be back

in school by then.

And I've learned to read

the stars and navigate...

and become very well-versed

in the history of the region.

After all, it is I

who found the document.

I know, darling.

But that would be impossible.

It's not a place at all

for a woman.

Not a place for a woman?

Yes.

We believe firmly

in the equality between us.

In equality, yes,

but in mind, not in body.

Ah.

The rigors of such a trip

would be beyond

your imagination.

I believe it is generally

acknowledged that the pain

a woman experiences

during childbirth

far exceeds anything

a man must endure.

This is not about childbirth.

Oh, what do you know

of childbirth?

Have you witnessed

two minutes of it,

let alone endured it?

The jungle is about

years of practice...

Training, the art of soldiering.

I have that.

It is about maggots

in your skin.

It is about deadly snakes

and disease

that make you vomit blood.

You could not bear it.

And I could not bear

that either.

Somehow I managed to bear

the dangers you faced,

the years you were gone.

This way at least

we might be able

to be together

for some of our lives.

You are my wife.

I need you here.

Not as a tent mate

in need of constant care.

And in this fantasy of yours,

what happens to the children?

Shh.

Please, try to be reasonable.

You will throw "reasonable"

in my face?

Was it reasonable to stay here

and struggle to provide

for the children

while you wandered the jungle?

Now, you have given no thought,

not one thought

to my aspirations as a woman.

Have you thought about that?

Men and women

have performed their roles

since the beginning of time!

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