The Quiet American Page #3

I think I'd better leave your car here.

We can walk.

- Isn't that Colonel Th?

- General Th.

- Who made him a general?

- He did.

He broke away from the French

and formed his own army.

-Hello.

- Hi.

You have a dog.

- Come in.

- Thanks.

- Where's Phuong?

- She's gone to see her sister.

Oh.

- Would you like a whisky?

- Just a soda, thanks.

Does he have to do that?

Duke! Come here.

- You called him Duke.

- Yeah.

I found this guy in the street.

Didn't I? Who could turn

their back on a mug like that?

I saw you and Joe Tunney

at the parade.

Did you go on to the rally?

Thanks. Yeah, I did.

It was really something else.

I thought only American politicians

went in for that nonsense.

All that was missing

was the ticker tape.

They sure didn't forget

the brass band.

Impressive guy, that General Th.

It doesn't trouble you that

he's a complete egomaniac?

Look, I don't want to talk

about Phuong behind her back.

I thought she was going

to be here, but...

- Her sister told me of her predicament.

- And what predicament is that?

I think you know.

You can't marry her,

and by living with you she can never have

a proper marriage to a Vietnamese man.

She doesn't need a proper marriage

with a Vietnamese man.

She's with me.

Here she is.

Hello, Phuong.

My sister is out.

- Hello.

- Hello. It's nice to see you.

It's you that Mr Pyle

has come to visit, Phuong.

So why don't we all sit down?

Unless, of course,

you want me to leave.

No. That wouldn't be right.

We should sit down, then.

Fire away.

Phuong...

Ever since I met you

and danced with you and talked with you,

I haven't been able to get you out of

my thoughts for more than a moment.

I've fallen in love with you.

You fall in love with me?

Please believe me.

I've never behaved like this before.

I apologise. It is abrupt

and it is ill-mannered, but...

I'm in love with you.

Shouldn't you be on one knee?

Look... Phuong,

I'm not a rich man

but I do have assets.

- Let's toss for her.

- What can you offer her?

- Oh, Christ.

- I don't expect you to love me right away.

You could always make love

to the chauffeur.

You have no right to insult her!

- Shut your bloody dog up.

- Come away with me.

Tell him to bugger off

and take his dog with him.

No.

Did you say no?

Yes. Sit down and have a scotch.

No. I should go. I'm so sorry.

- Do you want to smoke a pipe?

- A pipe?

Opium.

No. Why would I do that?

'I know before we married

you warned me

'beliefs meant that

there could never be a divorce.

'All the same,

that's what I'm asking for now.

'The fact is,

I love someone very much.

'I want you to feel affection

and act before you have time to think.

'Just cable and tell me you agree.'

I've just asked my wife for a divorce.

Your sister...

Was she really out?

I told you.

I thought perhaps she sent you back

so that you could meet Pyle.

He's very young.

That's not so important.

Good news. They printed your story.

I got a cable from Stemins.

This got me a month's reprieve.

Page 10.

"French Break Communist Siege."

They didn't use much, did they?

Nothing here about

the villagers that were killed.

What did the French papers say?

Headlines blame it

on the communists, of course.

Well, a month is a month.

What else can you tell me

about this General Th?

He's set himself up against both

the French and the communists.

Do you think he'd give me

an interview if I went up there?

Difficult to say.

Perhaps if he thought

he could get his message across.

The problem would be

getting it past the censor.

No, the real problem would be

to get close to the Cambodian border

and back before dark.

The communists control

that road at night.

So many Europeans

have been killed out there.

I am Thomas Fowler

of the London Times,

and I'm here to interview General Th.

I'm Thomas Fowler

of the London Times.

I'm here to see General Th.

'September,

October, November...

'I'd seen Pyle only once since

he'd asked Phuong to marry him,

'at the Continental.

'He'd been polite, of course,

"'how was I, how was Phuong?

'He'd been busy, he said,

out of the city,

'working on his medical programme.

'Though somehow,

wasn't surprised to see him.

'I was surprised

to be pleased to see him.'

- What brings you out to these parts?

- I was hoping to interview the General.

But they've thrown me

out of the place.

- What's your excuse this time?

- This is like a test run for us.

The French, in their typically French way,

have been very uncooperative,

but General Th has been good enough

to let us set up camp here.

I'll get them to let you in.

C'est bon.

Joe Tunney's running aid programmes

with business people close to Th.

- Mr Muoi.

- Mr Pyle.

- Hello. How are you?

- Good.

My name is Mr Muoi.

The General only has a few moments.

May I first ask you

a question?

- Please.

- What is your relationship to the General?

I'm a businessman and a patriot.

Many of the supplies and aid you see

are the result of my efforts.

Shall we begin

with the first question?

You say you've broken away

from the French and Vietnamese

forces with which you serve.

Do any ties remain?

The French are colonialists.

Not to be trusted.

It will take an independent

Vietnamese leader to rule our country.

How does the General expect

to launch a successful campaign

against the larger forces

of the communists and the French

with so few men and supplies?

And who is providing the means

for the General to achieve this?

Has he been fighting his war

in the north?

There was a massacre at Phat Diem.

Were your forces present?

Regrettably the General has just recalled

that he has an urgent appointment.

- So, please.

- Thank you.

That was quick.

Things didn't go entirely

according to plan.

Watch yourself with Joe.

I think he's up to something

with General Th.

Can I get a ride to Saigon with you?

Something's wrong with my car.

Yes, of course you can.

Hello. Some kind soul

has had mine cleaned.

I heard a rumour that

you'd been recalled to London.

Really? Who told you that?

Phuong's sister.

- Sh*t.

- What is it?

We're out of petrol.

Some bugger up in the mountains

must have siphoned it off.

They might have some spare petrol

in that watchtower.

Is anybody there?

It looks like it's deserted.

I'll go in and have a look.

Hello?

Is anyone there?

My car below has run out of gas.

- Do you have any gas to sell?

- No.

- Is everything OK?

- Come up.

Then my friend and I will have

to stay here until morning.

It's not allowed.

My friend.

It's OK. Please, lower your guns.

Please lower them. He's a friend.

What are you thinking?

I was wondering

what she was doing right now.

This morning she met

her friends for elevenses

at La Fontaine.

Ice cream and the latest gossip.

On her way home,

she stopped at the market

for fresh fish for dinner.

And now she's flipping through

the pages of magazines,

looking at photographs

of the royal family and film stars,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes