The Railway Man Page #5

You were an intelligent,

educated man

and you did nothing.

You're a criminal and a liar.

Mr. Lomax...

Through my work here

I have found

some peace in my life.

If I can help you...

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

(MUSIC BUILDS UP)

Mr. Lomax.

I'm trying to answer these questions

because you are asking them.

But I don't think these questions

are the right questions!

(GASPS)

(RHYTMICALLY ACCENTED MUSIC)

(WATER TRICKLES)

(MUSIC STOPS)

(SLOW MUSIC)

(WATER TRICKLES)

(MUFFLED WATERFLOW)

(SPLASH, GARGLE)

(CHOKES)

(COUGHS)

(ORDERES IN JAPANESE)

No!

(CHOKES)

(SCREAMS)

(ORDERS IN JAPANESE)

(SCREAMS)

(ORDERS IN JAPANESE)

(COUGHS)

(OFFICER ORDERS IN JAPANESE)

(CHOKES)

(SCREAMS)

Mother! Mother! Mother!

Why won't you help me? Mother!

Mother!

Alright!

Alright, I'll tell you!

I'll tell you.

I'll tell you, I'll tell you.

I'll tell you.

ORDERS IN JAPANESE: I'll tell

you, I'll tell you.

I'll tell you everything

we heard on the radio.

I'll tell you the truth.

While you're here

building your railway

American submarines

are destroying your shipping.

There's shortages of food

and fuel all over Japan.

American planes

are bombing your cities,

destroying your Bridges,

your roads,

your hospitals.

And there's no one to stop them.

Your homes are burning

and your families are starving.

That is what I heard

on the radio.

You're a liar.

You tell lies.

You have no honour.

Your army is defeated.

You surrender like dogs.

Look at you.

You should be ashamed

to be alive.

If my army was defeated,

I would take my life

to save my honour.

You're getting your chance.

Any day now.

(SPEAKS IN JAPANESE)

(SHOUTS IN JAPANESE)

(SLAP, NAGASE YELLS)

(SLOW MUSIC)

(MUSIC STOPS)

My mother was already

dead, as it happens.

All through the war,

I wrote letters home

to a dead woman.

What do you tell people?

About what you did to us?

We do not talk about it.

No one will talk about it.

Nor do we.

And you know why?

Because no one would believe it.

No one would believe

what you did to us.

You treated us like animals

because we surrendered.

You said you'd rather die...

than live without honour.

But you didn't die.

It was a lie they told us.

It was all lies.

(SNIFFS)

That we would win.

We would have honour.

They lied to us.

Only you told me the truth.

No matter what we did to you,

you held on.

You showed me that

nothing's worth more

than this life.

Finlay...

He was my friend.

He was a prisoner here.

He put your life in my hands.

He wanted an end to this.

Maybe...

that is why I am alive.

For this day.

Maybe we both lived...

for this day.

(SLOW MUSIC)

You can make an end.

You are a soldier, Lomax.

You never surrendered.

I'm still at war.

(MUSIC BUILDS UP)

(MUSIC PAUSES)

(MUSIC SLOWLY RESUMES)

I thought I'd lost you.

When Finlay died, I was scared.

I was scared that the same

might happen to you.

It was different for Finlay.

He didn't have you.

NAGASE:
Dear Mr. Lomax,

I was a member of the Imperial

Japanese Army.

We treated you and your countrymen

very, very badly.

It is a long time

since the war ended,

but for me

it is a time of suffering.

The dagger of our meeting

thrust deep into my heart.

I never forgot you.

I remember your face,

your arms,

your eyes.

I have to go back.

I want you to come with me.

(MUSIC STOPS, BIRDS CHIRP)

I wouldn't have

lasted a day here.

If you'd been here,

you'd have caused quite a stir.

You'd have outlasted

the lot of us.

(DISTANT THUNDER)

(SLOWLY RAIN BEGINS TO FALL)

I am sorry.

So sorry.

I don't want to live

that day anymore.

Neither do I.

(SLOW MUSIC)

Dear Mr. Nagase,

the war has

been over for many years.

I have suffered much.

But I know you

have suffered too.

(SOBS)

And you have

been most courageous

and brave

in working for reconciliation.

Sorry.

While I cannot forget

what happened in Kanchanaburi,

I assure you

of my total forgiveness.

Sometime the hating has to stop.

(MUSIC STOPS)

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