Left Hand of God, The (1955)

[bunniefuu]

THUNDER CRASHES

More tea, Father?

No, thanks, Mrs Sigman, this is fine.

You took a real chance, Father,
crossing the mountains alone.

You should've waited for the trading party.

I was anxious to get to the mission
as soon as I could, Dr Sigman.

- What is it, Celeste?
- Lee Kwan, Miss Anne.

Father, I know you're very tired, but
there's a patient in the ward, dying.

He's been clinging to life,
waiting for you to get here.

Scottie feels his immortal
soul's at stake, Father.

But it is!

Now, now, Scottie,
Lee Kwan is 80 years old.

A beautiful example of
the survival of the unfit

but don't tell me I have to take
him seriously as an immortal soul.

Dear, Dave!

Sorry, Scottie. When you're
through with him, Father,

I'm going to enjoy doing
a post mortem on him.

My bag was lost crossing the river,

the chalice, the holy oils, my vestments.

He really needs your blessing, Father.

Where is this man?

Lee Kwan, Father O'Shea is here.

Bless me, Father,

it's a long time since I...

I confessed my sins.

Easy, old man, easy.

All he prayed for, Father,
was to stay alive long enough

for you to get here and
be with him at the end.

He had great faith and endurance.

I'm sorry he couldn't have had
the final rites he waited for.

Could we pray, Father?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

In the name of the Father, the
Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come, thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who
trespass against us.

Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now

and in the hour of our death. Amen.

Well, Scottie's pet is dead.

Let's go home.

Good morning, Father.

You say mass?

Mass? Uh...

I'm sorry, I'm...

not quite awake.

What's your name?
- John Wong, Father O'Shea.

I fix everything for
priest, take care of house,

sexton for church,
sometimes altar boy.

Clean and press clothes for you.

I keep list too. Read
list now, Father O'Shea?

Yeah, yeah, read the list.

42 marriage.

What?

42 marriage, many months no priest.

I see.

36 baptisings, should be
more. Maybe more come now.

Well, 36 is a good score.

What else?

Many people want confessing, make quickly.

Work sure piles up, doesn't it?

How long since the last trade
caravan came through here?

Long time since last caravan.

All right, John, I'll get dressed.

Yes, Father.

Morning, I'll be right with you.

Yeah, take him into the
clinic and finish checking him.

Sit down.

I'm glad you came over.

Cigar?
- No, thanks.

My last box.

I ordered some from the coast,
if the caravan ever gets here.

Wong tells me it's been a long time
since the last caravan came through.

That's right.

I suppose they told you in Sinkiang
I've recommended closing the mission.

What did the bishop decide to do? >

Well,

would I have been sent all this distance
if the bishop decided to close the mission?

We'll keep it open, of course.

The bishop is mistaken. The
mission should be closed.

You saw my clinic,
one unwashed patient.

Once there were scores like him.
It's a waste of time and money.

There's a lot more to this mission than
just your clinic, isn't there, doctor?

Is there?

Look, one of our priests
was k*lled in a rock slide.

Father Coleman, the priest who was
here before you, overtaxed his heart.

The Chinese figure there
must be something wrong with

a religion that can't keep
its own priests healthy.

They feel the same way about my
hospital so they stay away in droves.

There's no earthly reason
to keep the mission going.

The trouble is, the bishop
doesn't think earthly reasons

are as important as spiritual ones.

That's the difference between
my profession and yours.

I may be more interested in material
things that you think, doctor.

Let's get to the point.

It's not only a question of my clinic.

Up there in the mountains, there's a
w*rlord named Yang, We're sitting on

the edge of his territory. Did
the bishop tell you about him?

Yes, I think so,
although I understood that

Yang's policy was not to
interfere with the missions.

Some of his troops have
raided the outlying villages

but in addition to Yang,
there's the political danger now.

Did they tell you in Sinkiang how many
missions have been forced to close?

I, uh... I don't think
I know the exact number.

I'm surprised Father, that the bishops
sent you out with so little information.

Perhaps he didn't think it important.

I resent that answer. There are three of
us with our lives at stake in this mission.

My wife, an American nurse and myself.

China is being ripped apart by civil w*r.

I think we're entitled to any
information the bishop gave you.

Well, the bishop and I are
not exactly buddies.

Is that supposed to be funny?

This place has already k*lled two priests.

I don't intend to add myself and
my wife to the list of martyrs.

Just get that straight.

And when I ask a question
I expect a civil answer...

you're not talking to one
of your parishioners now.

And you're not talking to
one of your coolie patients.

Don't depend too much on
that collar, Father O'Shea.

Would you like me to take it off?

Well, I guess I have
been a little abrupt.

My wife asked me to invite
you to dinner tonight.

She seems to think you must
be tired of Chinese cooking.

Well, thanks, I am.

We can continue the discussion
over a drop of something medicinal.

I'll look forward to it, doctor.

CHILDREN SINGING

Morning.

Good morning, Father. I
was going to the village

but if you'd like to see
the hospital, I'd be happy...

That would be very interesting

but I'd rather take a
look around the village.

The village hasn't seen you
either. It'll be a great occasion.

I doubt that.

It's been a long time since I went
walking out with a pretty girl.

Do you always startle
people like that, Father?

Why?

One doesn't think of priests
ever walking out with girls.

I wasn't born a priest.
As a matter of fact,

I can remember the day I was
voted the loudest dresser in college.

Really, Father?

Where is your home back in the States?

Columbus, Ohio.

It must be lonely for you out here.

Sometimes but Beryl and I do things
together and there's always my work.

Beryl?

Dr Sigman's wife. She's amazing.

I've learnt a lot from her.

Well placed to boast
two amazing women.

That has the ring of the
Blarney Stone, Father O'Shea.

There's nothing amazing about me.

It's amazing at least to
me, that you should be here.

It's a long story, Father,
and I'll probably bore you

with it sometime if you're
kind enough to listen.

I told you you were a celebrity, Father.

- So it seems.
- Good morning, Shen Fu.

This is Ben So Lin, Father.

Good morning.

We waited a long time for you, Shen Fu.

I'm very happy to be here.

This, Shen Fu, is the
oldest man in our village,

the father of uncounted sons.

He seeks your blessing.

I too seek a blessing.

It was magnificent.

You knew them so well.

It was just the thing to
do to impress the village.

Perhaps it was just a
little too magnificent.

Oh! The Chinese love a
gesture like that. You'll see.

They'll flock to the mission now.

It ought to make the doctor happy.

I'll fill his clinic and the
mission can now stay open.

Aren't you glad, Father, to
have the mission continue?

Uh-huh.

Where does that road lead to?

- Number Five village.
- Nowhere else?

No.

Dr Sigman tells me the trade
caravans come through here often.

They used to. It's been
months since the last caravan.

There's no other means of
transportation to the coast?

- You mean without the caravan?
- Uh-huh.

I'm afraid not.

Mmm, I see.

You're stuck here, Father O'Shea,
whether you like it or not.

Yeah. That's the way
it looks, doesn't it?

KNOCK ON DOOR

Sorry to interrupt, Father. I make bed.

No, thank you, John. I'll...

I'll take care of the bed myself.

Father must visit six
villages soon and meet people.

- I must?
- Very necessary.

Today visit one village
and bless people.

Christ d*ed for all.

You got a good point, John,
Christ d*ed for all. No favourites.

You say mass tomorrow, Father?

Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to, John.

Tomorrow Sunday, will be first mass
at St Mary's since Father Coleman d*ed.

Well the bag I lost in the river
contained my vestments and chalice.

I'm afraid we'll have to
wait until I can replace them.

Whole village be in church tomorrow.

Have to wait. They can carry their
sins around with them a little longer.

No, Father O'Shea wrong.
Sins cannot wait.

People tired. Carry sins with them
long time since Father Coleman.

Heavy. Father O'Shea lift,
then people not tired.

Well, what would you suggest, John?

Father O'Shea preach strong sermon.

Very well. I'll see the parish gets

an extra strong sermon
tomorrow. Good night, John.

Yes, Father.

Good morning.

You'll have to go. John Wong will have
to excommunicate you if you're late.

Mm, Shalimar.

I had a little left.

For church? You look nice too, Anne.

Technically, it's spring.

Of course, a Father O'Shea
does have a terrific lot of appeal.

Beryl, please.

Is that sacrilege, darling?

But he does, you know.

It's partly his eyes, I guess.
They're so beautifully unhappy.

Beryl, please, you can't talk like that.

But, darling, I'm complimenting him.

He's a good priest or he wouldn't
be way out here in this wilderness.

It's just, the man has
magnetism, he has it,

it doesn't have anything to
do with the collar he wears.

Look, Beryl, Father O'Shea is a priest.

I know you're not a Catholic but
you know what that means to me.

I can't think of him as a man.

I mustn't.

I know, I understand.

Now you've got me all flustered
and I can't even think straight.

I feel self-conscious
about getting dressed up.

Of course, it is spring.
I added a few touches myself and

I wasn't thinking of
trading Dave in either.

Beloved, I taught you
as strangers and pilgrims

to abstain from carnal desires
which w*r against the soul.

Such is the will of God

that by doing good,

you should put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men.

Live as free men, yet not using
your freedom as a cloak for malice

but as servants of God.

Honour all men,

love the brotherhood,

fear God, honour the King.

I've just read you a letter from a
very good friend of yours, St Peter.

What are you doing here?

MURMURING

Fix tea, slippers.

No, thanks.

Father Coleman always
take tea after church.

Never mind, forget
it, I don't want any.

Good morning.
- Good morning.

Forgive me, Father, I had
to see if you were all right.

Of course I'm all right.

Sit down, won't you? Want a cup of tea?

Wong fixed it with all
the loving care of a wife.

- No, thank you.
- Wife for priest, no good. >

Thanks for reminding me.

That man, the man you hit,
he was a stranger, wasn't he?

I've never seen him in any of the villages.

He spit and I forgot for
a moment I was a priest.

You're disappointed in me, aren't you?

v*olence wasn't quite what you
expected from Father O'Shea.

Difficult to be what one is
expected to be all of the time.

Yeah, I just found that out.

Anne, I'm thinking of
closing the mission.

Closing the mission?

But you can't close the
mission, Father.

- Why not?
- Because these people need a priest.

No more than people anywhere.

You can't believe that.

Even Father Coleman
didn't accomplish as much

as you have in the short
time you've been here.

I haven't accomplished anything.

I've been talking with Dr Sigman.

He thinks it's dangerous
to stay here and he's right.

You saw what happened
today in the compound.

China is becoming a nightmare, Anne.

Here we are, the four of us, what
are we really doing for these people?

You stick a thermometer
in their mouths to check

their temperature and
I... check their souls.

- You're wrong.
- Am I?

I get the villagers into church and preach
them a sermon about love and brotherhood

and I walk out and hit
the first stranger I see.

I don't belong here, Anne, neither do you.

You belong back in the States,

married, raising a family.

I was married, Father.

Yes. That's why I'm in China.

He was a pilot but he
crashed somewhere up there.

I had a stupid, romantic idea
that Tom might be brought into

a mission hospital and I was a nurse.

I know now it's hopeless.

And yet you stayed on.

What else is there to do?

There's so much work to be done here.

Somebody had to do it.

Even if we fail, Father, we'd still be
leaving something of ourselves in China.

The things we're doing, for
whatever reasons we're doing them,

are the things that are necessary
for the people of these villages.

They need them, medicine or grace.

And we have them to give.

No, Father, even if you
close the mission, I'll stay.

Alone, if I have to.

Do these people really mean so much to you?

Yes, Father.

And you'll stay, in spite of the danger?

Yes, Father.

I'm sorry,
I didn't mean to make a speech.

Goodbye, Father.

You know, Father, our
professions aren't too dissimilar.

I have my trinity too...
diagnosis, prognosis and cure.

The difference is, my profession
ends where yours begins.

What do you mean?

Well, for example,

there's a beer joint, the Yellow
House, in number one village.

It's owned by a couple
of rather notorious women.

- You didn't know that?
- No, I didn't.

Well, it's there and it's filthy.

I had the women in and treated them,

bawled out the town elders
but that's as far as I can go.

If these women are such a bad
influence, why don't you go a little

further and make the town elders
put the women out of business? Check.

That's stepping out of my field.

Morality is your department, Father.

Then you think as a priest, I
should do something about it?

Not necessarily.

Of course, the old method used to
be to stone women like that to death.

That's not the way Christ
handled the problem.

Check.

No, I believe not.

But you seem to favour direct action.

My wife tells me you knocked down
one of the villagers a few days ago.

He was not a villager.

I'm not objecting, Father. I like to
see a man get violent now and then,

it's good for the circulation.

I only wondered when I heard
the incident, what technique

you'd use on those women.

Well, I'm certainly not
going to stone them.

Check.

Well, when you decide what
you're going to do, Father,

let me know, will you?

I think I've got you, Father.

Not yet!

Mate.

You know, Father, I may
have underestimated you.

Well, he'll be well soon Mi Lu.

Keep him warm, as the doctor told you.

Thank you, Shen Fu.

Shen Fu, Shen Fu!

Your call Father.
You must come.

This is my busy day.

Lead the way, son.

This is Shen Tin, Father.

You run along.

The baby was born dead, Shen Fu.

Leave us, please.

Tell me a story, Father.

What story would you like?

About the stable...

the mother

and St Joseph.

Well,

there was a woman named Mary

lying on a bed of straw in a stable,

waiting for her child to be born.

Is she dead, Father?

Yes.

Where's her husband?

He has gone to the
Yellow House, Father.

Jan Teng saw the baby born dead.

He will stay in the Yellow House
and drink now to forget his own pain.

Alright, he should be here.

- Show me the way, Dan.
- It's not the place for Shen Fu to go.

- Show me the house.
- It's a bad place, Father.

All right, Dan,

you go back to the village.

Chun Tien...

Pao Chu is dead.

I loved her, Shen Fu.

I think she's with someone who
loves her as much as you did.

I'm sure that where she
is now Pao Chu is happy.

You believe that, Father?

Yes, I believe it. Come on.

Let's go, Father. There's nothing
more either of us can do here.

Those blasted midwives.

If they'd sent for me in time, that
kid wouldn't have been butchered.

Stupid, ignorant old women!

This is the most backward
village in the whole lot.

The man who said ignorance is bliss
should have been boiled in oil.

Oh, the boy told me you went up the hill
to the Yellow House. How'd you make out?

- You can't win all the time.
- You let it go at that?

Don't tell me the Church gives up on
them, Father. Medicine doesn't give up.

Moves right in wherever it
finds the thing it fights.

When medicine reaches a point where
it never has to walk hopelessly away

from a case, then you can criticise
the Church because it's left some

spiritual illness uncured.

I wish O'Shea would drink.

He's too tense.

This concern for Father
O'Shea is new, isn't it?

I suppose he does his job as well as he can.

In China, you can't ask for more.

But you were so certain there
was something odd about him.

I could have been wrong.

I'm not so sure.

There seems to be so much in him
that wasn't intended to be a priest.

That magnetism again?

Yes.

Women can't understand celibacy.

Priests are men.

That's just female vanity.

The priesthood is also a
conditioning, a discipline.

O'Shea hasn't got anything that's more
important to him than being a priest.

What I'm worried about is his health.

All that tension.

It k*lled Father Coleman.

Light me a cigarette, will you, dear?

There's something else
I wish you'd worry about.

What's that?

I think Anne ought to go home.

Scotty? What's wrong with her?

She's been too long in China.
She's been too long at this mission.

She looks all right to me.

Does she?

How nice and blind you are.

She's all churned up inside.

What about?

Father O'Shea.

You don't know what
you're talking about.

Don't I?

Say, that won't do.

- You'd better speak to her.
- I've tried.

- And?
- It's not her fault.

Females are simple biological structures.

Their bodies pay very little
attention to their minds.

I told you, there's so much in O'Shea
that isn't or wasn't meant to be priest.

Her mind knows he's a priest but...
how she feels...

I don't like it, Dave.

OK. She's a good nurse but we
can't have her become a China case.

- Will she go?
- Home? I don't know.

I think she should, on the next caravan.

I wonder if we'll
become China cases, too.

I'd hoped they'd close the mission,
but obviously they aren't going to.

Would you respect me if I quit?

We never have before, have we, Dave?

# CHILDREN SING 'MY OLD
KENTUCKY HOME' IN CHINESE

Ken-tucky.

CHILDREN: Ken-tucky.

Thank you.

Could you use a slightly older soprano?

You'll have to audition first.

Right.

Now, let's see.

Ah, here's one.

♪ Oh, a maiden went to Hong
Kong Then she went to Singapore

♪ - Then she went to Shanghai...
- Oh, you know it.

♪... to buy a loaf of bread

♪ A boatman smiled in Hong Kong

♪ A soldier smiled in Singapore

♪ A farmer smiled in Shanghai

♪ Now, which one will she wed?

♪ - All three?
♪ - No, not me

♪- Two?
♪- That will never do

♪- Which one?
♪- Only one, for him my love is true

♪ Well, the boatman stayed in Hong Kong

♪ The soldier stayed in Singapore...

You win, Father. I've forgotten the rest.

Besides, it's their bedtime.

They can find their way.
Good night, kids.

ALL: Good night.

Well, what do you want?

Kentucky!

You remember this one?

♪ Once in a while, da da da da
da-da da-da da-da-dum da-dum...

Please, Father, I'd rather not sing
any more. It's late and I should go.

The mountains stand like
sentinels in the night.

Listening to our concert.

- I wonder what they thought.
- Oh, I think they liked it.

Probably sounded Chinese to them.

It was nice singing.

We had fun, didn't we?

If you say a High Mass, Father,
perhaps I could be your soloist.

Oh, that would be fine.

I want to explain something, Father.

I know you must have wondered
why I haven't been to confession.

I hadn't thought about it.

I can't, Father, not yet.

And I can't explain why.

Suppose we discuss it some other
time, not in the confessional?

Good night, Father.

Isn't it time you went to bed, John?

Much work to do, Father.

Where did this come from?

Doctor gave to Father Coleman. Good
for heart. Spray pews in church too.

What?

Many people, many bugs.

That's a waste of good Scotch, isn't it?

SPRAY HISSES

All right, John, you can finish
that tomorrow. Good night.

Good night, Father.
Spray tomorrow.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Good evening, Father. May I come in?

Oh, by all means.

The mission's a lonely
place, isn't it, Father?

For some of us, yes.

One feel so isolated, so cut off.

At least I always do.

China's a difficult country to
adjust to, don't you find it so?

Sometimes I do. But then
a priest has his church.

Of course, I didn't mean quite that.

I was thinking...

Well, to be frank,
I was speaking of Anne.

It is lonely here and...

Well, I think she has
a crush on you, Father.

But that's impossible.

That's not so impossible.

Whether you like it or
not, you have a problem.

Would you think me presumptuous,
Father, if I made a suggestion?

No, not at all.

When Dave has a problem,
I try talking to him,

but it doesn't always help.

What he needs most at
a time like that is

someone like himself, another
doctor, a professional man.

Somebody who's had those problems
himself and can understand them.

I think you need that, too, Father.

Do I?

There's a small Protestant mission
on the other side of the mountain.

Oh, I didn't know that.

The Reverend Marvin has been
in China a long time, Father.

Yes, I think I see what you mean.

You may be right.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Mr Marvin may be able to solve
some of my difficulties at that.

But do you think it's
possible Yang could have cut

the road across the
mountains to the mission?

He hasn't bothered it before.
Father Coleman made the journey once.

Mr Marvin visited here.

I'm sure you won't have any trouble.

I seem to attract trouble, don't I?

Well, we all do.

It is a bright moon, isn't it?

Good night, Father.

You know, I worked very
closely with your people

in Ning-po during the
w*r, Father O'Shea.

There were French and
Belgian priests down there

and one Irish priest I'll never forget.

How long have you been in China?

12 years.
We're a small establishment here.

However I don't think
we've entirely failed.

Our people are deeply loyal.

Our people won't leave us
either if we've run out of rice.

I guess I deserved that.
A bit competitive, wasn't I?

A bit.

I haven't any right to
compete with you, Mr Marvin.

I don't understand, Father O'Shea.

Well, I mean that's not my
name and I'm not a priest.

Well... who are you, then?

I'm a former pilot.

My name is James Carmody.

I was badly hurt three years ago when
I crashed in a DC-3 flying the Hump.

I was picked up in the mountains
by a w*rlord named Mieh Yang.

I went to work for him. It
wasn't a set-up I was happy with.

I was supposed to be his second in
command but I was really his prisoner.

g*nsh*t

That sh*t was from our scouting party.

Come on!

Who sh*t him?

Who knows, Captain?
Shen Fu rode into the village alone.

I tried to question him.
There was a sh*t.

You heard my orders. I said no sh**ting.

When I give an order, I
expect it to be obeyed.

Put the Shen Fu on a litter.

Yang's headquarters was an old
Buddhist lamasery in the mountains.

He'd even imported a girl from
Chungking to keep me happy.

Have Jan Teng look at his wounds.

It's so dull here when you're gone.

You know, you should
have stayed in Chungking.

Why?

Well, it isn't dull there, and it's

20 days nearer the coast.

Are you so tired of China?

It's not only China.

Three years I've been
running Yang's tin army.

You'd get tired of
anything in three years.

Poor Carmody.

Other men would envy what you have.

What, this? You can buy
this stuff at auction.

Could I be bought at auction, too?

Yeah. You could if they
were selling calendars.

Why do you stay here if you hated so?

Stay?
How do I get out of here?

This is the greatest
prison in the world.

Sure, the accommodations on nice,
but out there's thousands of miles of

deserts and mountains and

no way to cross them
without a passport from Yang.

I'll hold the fort.
He likes his boys punctual.

So do I, Carmody.

Hello, Jimmy, still healthy?

Still healthy, Yang.

What did you find?

The report was true, there
was a scientific expedition

mapping or exploring I guess.
Mao Tsu's men wiped them out.

And the loot?

Some binoculars. Russian.

Half a dozen automatics,
one of them Japanese.

Some sheep-lined coats, medical supplies
and canned goods. I had an inventory made.

You did well.

Pay-day.

- One roll or three?
- One.

b*at three fives.

I weep for you, Jimmy.

Yeah.
You paid me double last month.

Ha ha.

For the gold trousers of Mary Yin?

You'll have to sh**t dice
with Mary Yin for that.

Perhaps I will some day.

Anything else?

Yes.

Pao Ching sh*t a priest
in one of the villages.

An American.
I had been brought here.

Missionary? That's unfortunate.
Is the Shen Fu still alive?

Mm-hm.

sh**ting a priest isn't smart, Yang.
You know that.

Suppose there's an investigation?

By whom?

No, but I think you're right,

I think the offence is serious.
I shall fine Pao Ching 600 yen.

What?
For sh**ting a priest?

Too high? I'd make it 300 yen
if he were not an American.

After all, I'm a graduate
of one of your universities.

I think 600 yen is a fair price.

Of course it would be
awkward if Shen Fu lives.

Why?

Well you know we can't
afford survivors, Jimmy.

Besides, you were a little
harsh with Pao Ching.

It isn't diplomatic, Jimmy,
for you to whip a Chinese.

- He disobeyed orders.
- Whose orders?

- Mine.
- I give the orders, Jimmy.

The important ones.

Why argue?

We'll see to it that our clerical
friend gets to heaven a little

sooner than expected.

And you'll apologise to
Pao Ching in the morning.

I think you'll have to get
yourself another boy, Yang.

This a joke?

Yes, a Chinese joke.
I want out.

Out? You know I never
accept resignations, Jimmy.

The priest concerned you?!

Ah.

I haven't been in church
since I was an altar boy.

Then why?

Look, Yang.

Three years ago you
pick me out of a DC-3

and had Jan Teng patched up what
was left of me. You gave me a job.

m*llitary adviser, tax collector.

Number-one boy.
Well, I paid you back.

I'm tired of this tea house!

I quit!

Jimmy!

The Priest of Christ is dead, Excellency.

We quarrelled for nothing.

Came all this way to do good.

Some stupid greasy peasant with
a g*n that never did anything

but feed his own gut k*lled him.

Sick of the whole stinking mess.

Only his body d*ed.

It is his soul a man must save.

Uh-huh.

I'd gamble the soul if I
could get the body out alive.

Every man finds his own path.

It's 72 days to the coast,
that's a difficult path to find.

Trade caravans make the journey.

No trader would take me
without Yang's permission.

If I try to go it alone every g*n in
the hills would be turned against me.

It is a great pity the priest of
Christ did not get to his mission.

It's only a week's journey
across the mountains.

Having been punished, the hill man
would be afraid to harm another priest.

Such a man would be safe.

Yes.

For a time.

It is said that the caravans
which go to the coast stop there,

at the mission.

Good night, Carmody.

So there was my choice.
I could stay as Yang's bully-boy,

or take the long sh*t
and try for the mission.

I decided to try for the mission.

It's an incredible story, Carmody.

A scandal that touches any
mission in China hurts all of us.

Doesn't it stricke you as dangerous for the
mission if Yang knows that you're there.

That's why I wanted to get away.

I'm afraid you can't escape the
consequences of your actions, Carmody.

Since you've offended
against the church,

you must inform the mission
authorities at once.

Now I can give you the name of
your bishop if you don't know it.

I'd suggest you write him a letter.
I'll dispatch it for you.

I have a courier service to Sinkiang.

You don't understand, I
don't want to write a letter.

I want to go with the courier in person.

Well... that's that, I guess.

Since you choose to
save your own skin...

Oh, it isn't a question
of saving my own skin.

There's the girl and her nurse, I...

well, I can't go back to the mission.

I've taken this collar off and
I'm not going to put it back on.

Father O'Shea is dead,
the masquerade is over.

From now on in I'm James Carmody.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Come in.

Excuse me, sir, for intruding.

- What is it, Dao Ti?
- This gentleman, sir, has news.

Allah be with thee.

It is Mieh Yang, Shen Fu.
He's marching across the mountains.

You saw him?

I'm only the bearer of rumours.

A driver saw him in a village
west of the mountains.

Did the rumour say where Yang was going?

Towards the seven villages.
East at the mountains, so they say.

All right, Dao Ti, you can go.

You'd better put the collar on again.

No.

You're not going back?
You'll leave the mission unprotected?

Yang wants me. If I'm not there
he won't bother with the mission.

He'll be out in the hills looking for me.

So, you'll desert again?

Seems to be my speciality, doesn't it?

Before you were only
masquerading in that cloth.

Now you're dishonouring it!

I'm a fresh out of faith,
hope and charity, Reverend.

Wait a minute.

You might find this handy again.

To protect your neck.

Well...

Why not?

Stuck way out, isn't it?

Five days.

Where's O'Shea?

I'll bet he's headed south as
fast as the mule will carry him.

He would not desert us with Yang here.

He picked a strange time
to make a social call, why?

And why it does Yang whip
these poor devils and

send them in here saying "The
Shen Fu will cure them"?

Why should O'Shea mean
anything at all to Yang?

And I said it from the beginning.

There's the smell of fish
about our theological friend.

He wouldn't leave us
without any explanation.

Wouldn't he?
What odds would you give?

- What odds would you take?
- Father.

How many of them has
Yang beaten like his?

There's been a half-dozen
come into the hospital.

Where have you been?

I was beginning to think...

Dr Sigmund thought you
were lost in the mountains.

I was. Temporarily.

I wanna talk to you, Father.

- All right.
- In the office.

Sit down, Father. Forgive me
if I skip the polite preamble.

I've been waiting for you to get back.

Never occurred to me that
Yang would march on us.

I thought he would.

You?
Why didn't you tell us?

There didn't seem much point to it.

There wasn't much you
could do about him anyway.

We could have prepared!

Prepared what?

I've been talking with
representatives of all the villages.

Yang has only 100 men,
we can raise double that!

Armed how?

There are a few r*fles, not many,

but at least 50 men in the villages
are veterans. They can fight.

We'll have the hills,
Yang will be outnumbered.

The villages will be
defending their homes.

If Yang only have 20 troopers
he could still take the villages.

Your people aren't soldiers, doctor.
They're farmers, coolies.

No, I won't sanction it.

I won't have the
mission turned into a fort.

That's not realistic, Father.
Yang's an animal.

Are you thinking of what your policy
of meekness would mean to our girls?

To Anne, to me?

We can't leave ourselves
to the mercy of someone

who doesn't know what
mercy means, Father.

We're not going to trust his mercy.

Exactly what are we going to
trust, Father? A few loud hymns?

I'm asking you to trust me.

Let me deal with Yang alone.

If you fail, Father O'Shea, you'll
have the consolation that we trust you,

but what will we have?

His prayers.

Well, I'm sorry, Mrs Sigmund, I can't
give you a gold sealed guarantee.

But we can't fight and we can't run.

Here I am, Lord.

I'm not going to pray.

What I'd like to say I'd like
to say standing on my feet.

These people think I'm a priest.

I have nothing to offer but faith in a
God I didn't believe in or think existed.

It doesn't matter now whether I
was right or wrong in what I did,

it's too late.

You dive into a pit easy and
then you have to crawl out hard.

Then there's nothing left to do but
to try to square the account a little.

Well, that's just about how it stands.

I wanted you to know.

SNORING

Wake up, John.

We have to go now.

Where is he? Where's
that m*llitary mastermind?!

Alright! You weren't going to
turn the mission into a fort.

- Look at that mob outside!
- I see it.

I let you take the play away
from me yesterday and now

we've got that two-bit Napoleon
camping on our doorstep.

You're the mastermind
here, what do we do now?!

Look, Doctor.

Those men are Yang's boys.

They are not going to harm
these people, they've come for me.

I'm going down to the
village to meet them.

Are you crazy?!

Well, if you're serious
I'd better go along.

I may need you here.
You got a g*n?

No.

Here, take this. I'll explain some
time how I happened to have it.

It's a very interesting story.

Have mercy, Excellency.

The harvest has been bad.

There has been much sickness.

Why do you stop?
Because of the Shen Fu?

The Shen Fu knows
this is a miserable village.

Your merchandise isn't
worth the sweat of my horses.

Your men haven't the skill
to empty my slop buckets

and your women are old and withered.

The Shen Fu knows you
are a fool to ask me to

even think of a vile dung
heap like this village,

or to care what happens to it.
It should be b*rned!

Down to the ground to purify the air!

Isn't that true, Father?

Clear the square. Bring
a chair for the Shen Fu.

That's a poor uniform, Jimmy.
You've come down in the world.

It's better than it looks, Yang.

Your troops would never recognise you.

You wear skirts.

Mission territory is neutral,
you've always respected it.

Why change a wise policy?

You were here, Jimmy.

You're a deserter.

I don't like deserters, Jimmy.

You were getting fat and
sloppy while I did all the work.

Leaving you was good for you.

You're fed again, you look tough.

I am tough.

I could have you flayed with borro
whips, hang you up by your thumbs.

Yes, you could, but consider this,

if I stood the t*rture well,
people would say I was strong

and that Yang couldn't break me.
If I were weak and stood it badly,

they'd marvel that such a
man commanded your troops.

You'd lose face.

The soldiers begin to wonder
that maybe you too were weak.

And it'd be bad if the
soldiers started to wonder.

sh**ting you might be better,
Jimmy, now that I think of it.

I could have it done with simple
dignity, with sadness almost,

right here in the village square.

Where all might see that sh**ting you
was a regrettable, but necessary thing.

That's a good way to die but
I deny your right to k*ll me.

Come now, Jimmy, you know better than to
talk about rights, you were never stupid.

But I don't want to sh**t you.
I want you to work for me again.

What in skirts?

They are unbecoming. You should get
rid of them quickly, they offend me.

Not yet. You've told me what
you want, that isn't polite.

You're on my territory,
you should ask what I want.

You should have some troops,
Jimmy, before you start bargaining.

They always help.

What is it you want?

I want the safety of the mission,

I want the safety of the people and
their possessions in these villages.

I want you to go home
and leave them in peace.

You want a lot.

In exchange you offer what?

Not a thing.

It's an unreasonable bargain,
Jimmy. So I'll take what I want.

Ach, look at it. What is there to steal?

Cheap loot not worth carting
away, a burnt mission

and a lot of ill will.
Is it worth it?

I could take you back with me,
Jimmy. Make you work for me.

As a prisoner?

You're right, you wouldn't be fun as
a prisoner. Slick, Jimmy, very slick.

How else could you have
deceived both the mission and me?

But you don't bore me and that's an
important talent. I'll tell you what,

I'll give you your
mission and your villagers.

If you come back and serve
me loyally for three years.

Those are a good terms, Jimmy.

There'll be no more bargaining.

All or nothing, Yang.

Bring out your dice.

Pao Ching, the dice!

Now let me be clear, Jimmy.

I leave you and these miserable
people in their stinking villages

and your den of superstition if I lose.

If I win, you come with
me and no further escaping

and no treachery for five years.

Three years.

Five years, Jimmy.

This is no longer a sure thing.

All right.

Agreed, five years.

You can't win a dice in
those clothes, Jimmy.

Never mind the clothes, just roll.

Three sixes. Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Four threes. You lose.

You shouldn't have involved the Trinity.

There's another mission.

The Protestant.

It's smaller than this so you'll only have
to bid three years of your life against it.

Or does your God only have one house?

There's a text in the book you
don't believe in, Yang. It says,

"They parted my garment amongst them
and upon my vesture, they cast lots. "

I know two soldiers sh**ting dice
in Jerusalem. You see, I read too.

Pair of threes.

Roll.

Twos. You lose.

Come back with me,
I'll double year salary.

You have to sh**t me sometime.
I like being boss too.

Don't be a fool.

I stopped the caravan in the hills,
there were two priests from Sinkiang.

They know who you are.
You'll be unmasked, you'll be disgraced.

Don't you worry about it, Yang.

They're here in answer
to a letter I wrote.

Well, I wouldn't have
enjoyed sh**ting you anyway.

I suppose I'll have to act
benevolent, create a legend.

I've been touched by the Holy Spirit and
I've decided to spare these villagers.

You'll become the most
celebrated priest in China.

They'll light bonfires of
thanksgiving. It'll be a miracle.

I myself will proclaim it.

You gave up a good woman
in Mary Yin, Jimmy.

SHOUTING AND CRACKERS POP

Then Yang feel touch again.

"Who touch me?"
He said to Father O'Shea.

And Father O'Shea say, "Holy
Ghost touch you, Mieh Yang. "

And Mieh Yang look around and
he say, "I don't see Holy Ghost!"

And Father O'Shea say,
"Holy Ghost everywhere. "

And Mieh Yang is afraid Holy
Ghost will touch him again

and he kneeled down and
he say to Father O'Shea,

"I will not have burn number
one village, Shen Fu. "

Dr Sigmund and Beryl were looking for
you, but you left the house so suddenly

I didn't have a chance to thank you
for what you did today for all this.

Oh, nothing to thank me for.

My luck ran good, that's all.

- Luck?
- Call it that.

I'm sure it's more than that.
Even Dr Sigmund thinks so.

You finally overawed him. He's
willing to admit now you were right.

Anne, I'm leaving the mission
tomorrow with the caravan.

You?

But that's impossible,
how can you after today?

My work is finished.

I'm not a priest, Anne.
I never was.

What?

What do you mean, Father?
I don't understand.

There are two priests arriving
here tomorrow by caravan,

sent by the Bishop from Sinkiang.

They know who I am.

I wanted you to know
now before they came.

I won't believe it. You couldn't
have done what you did today

and not have been Father O'Shea.
Why, the people kiss the hem

of your cassock, they
followed you like a saint.

Saint?

You know how I got rid of Yang?

I sh*t dice with him.

- Dice?
- Crap game.

There wasn't any question of
faith, there weren't any miracles.

I just got lucky with
the dice cup, that's all.

But if you're not a priest,
Father, who are you?

A liar, like your husband.

I crashed up there only I survived.

And I made one big mistake.

I tried to get out of Yang's trap
and I walked into a bigger one,

this one, this mission, God's.

And I found that His trap was
tougher to get out of than Yang's.

Well, now it's over.

Tomorrow everybody will know, Dr
Sigmund, the villagers, that I was a fake.

That nothing I did had any authority.

Whatever the Church decides, I'll do.

You're not the only one who
has something to atone for.

I have too.

You?

I fell in love with a priest.

Well, a man who wasn't a priest
was falling in love with you.

I'm afraid, Joseph, I'm a little
too old for transportation like this.

I'm not happy myself, Father Cornelius.

- Good afternoon.
- Good afternoon.

I'm Father Cornelius.

This is Father Keller.

You want to wash up?
I've had the room made ready.

Thank you.

Shen Fu, the child is very sick.

Shen Fu.

Now go to the hospital, Miss
Scott will take care of you.

She'll know what to do.

It's nice to know that you still
use the hospital now and then

and limit your number of miracles.

I read your extraordinary letter.

You express yourself well.

I was inclined to accept your sincerity.

I assume you understand how the
Church regards sacrilege such as yours.

Yes I do, Father.

- Good evening, Doctor.
- Yup.

If you need me, I'll be over at the clinic.

I'd like to ask about Mieh Yang.

I heard in the villages as we came
here several versions of what happened.

The very fact that you permitted these
people to think of it as a miracle

makes me doubt the sincerity
with which I credited you.

Precisely what were the terms of
your bargaining with Mieh Yang?

What was the price of that alleged miracle?
That so-called answer to prayer?

Well, I sh*t dice with Yang.

The stakes were five years of
my life against this parish.

Five years of your life?

And if you lost...

It may not have been
justified, Father, but I...

had an odd feeling I
wasn't going to lose.

- Sit down, Carmody.
- Thank you.

Are you asking me to condone a
sin because a good came of it?

I'm not asking for anything.

I know I wasn't meant to be a priest,

it takes a different kind of a man.

But maybe, there's a bit of what it
takes to make a priest in every man.

Not much, but a little.

That's an interesting theory.

In your letter, you said you're willing
to accept the discipline of the Church.

And this is the bishop's decision.

You will continue to wear the cassock
and maintain the outward appearance

and dignity of a priest until you
see the bishop himself in Sinkiang.

He will talk to you then and he
will have my report to guide him.

You mean no-one is to know
that I'm not a priest?

- Would it be good for them to know?
- No.

Since no spiritual harm
has come to the parish,

it's better to preserve the faith
of the people than to expose you.

You'll leave with the caravan tomorrow.

The parish will continue to think
you're what you pretended to be.

I'll remain here with Father Keller.

There's another matter, Father.

- You mean Miss Scott?
- Yes.

Does she know that you're not a priest?

Yes, since last night.

There was nothing
between you before that?

Nothing.

I think it's best for you not to discuss
the matter any more with Miss Scott.

Thank you, good night.
Good night.

Good night.

Shen Fu, you will go away?

Yes, John, tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

Church know best.

I shall miss you very much, John.

You shouldn't let them do this to you.
You're giving in too easy, Father.

Why don't you...?

Don't, Dave. You're only
making it more difficult.

What Dave means is that
we've become very fond of you.

Oh, don't be sentimental.
O'Shea knows we're fond of him.

Where's Scottie?

With Father Cornelius, I think.

I thought I'd fallen in love with a priest

and I couldn't confess it
because the only priest

I could go to was the man
I had fallen in love with!

But you didn't know that...

That he wasn't a priest?
You mean he was,

as much to the people of these villages.

A good priest, Father, who came
here because we needed him.

Not quite, my dear.

He had other reasons.

All I know is whoever he was,
and for whatever reasons he came here,

hearing the real love of these
people, they put their faith in him

just as I did and he didn't fail them.

The bishop will understand
that, wouldn't he, Father?

You'll make that clear, wouldn't you?

For a man with so
little to recommend him,

he seems to have aroused a remarkable
amount of devotion in this parish.

Let me show you how much.

You know, Father,
I don't even know his name.

Carmody, my dear.

James Carmody.

CHURCH BELLS RING