This Is The Hour

(The ENGINEER, in a peasant clothes,
is brought back to the city from a re-education camp by THUY's soldiers.
THUY instructs him to find KIM in exchange for his freedom)

(The ENGINEER tracks down KIM and leads THUY to her.
Once more, she rejects his love declaring that she's sworn herself
to CHRIS; the enraged THUY, now the people's commissar,
orders his soldiers to attack.
They wreck the room and beat up the ENGINEER)

[ENGINEER]
Are you waiting for them to kill me?
Did you not get what he said?
There's a big screw loose inside you
I will rip it out of your head
That's a mad dog on the rampage
If you think he'll change - save your
Breath
Just say "Yes" - I don't care if you love Him
Princess, life has it all over death!

[KIM]
I have a husband
Real as the sun in the sky
I cannot live with a lie

[THUY]
Do you see now who has power
Do you still think crazy things?

[KIM]
Chris will come to me like the phoenix
and he'll take me off on his wings

[THUY]
You're a traitor to your country

[KIM]
If I am, then let it be

[KIM], [THUY] AND THE [ENGINEER]
I am talking of life or death now
I am talking of staying free

[ENGINEER]
So there it is now - it's time to move on
If you don't need me, I'd rather be gone
Two kids in love don't need strangers around

[THUY]
Just get out

[ENGINEER]
Right! I won't make a sound

(grabs his sack and leaves)

[THUY]
And as for you
Come with me

[KIM]
NO

There is a secret
That you don't know
There is a force here
I never show
You say it's treason
To keep my vow
Season after season
I survived somehow
If you want a reason
I will show you now

(KIM pulls back the curtain and out runs a scared two year old boy.
KIM hugs him.)

Look, Thuy, this is my son
He has kept me alive
Now you see why
I must tell you "No"

[THUY]
No one must ever see
This thing you're showing me
Your bastard fouls our name

[KIM]
My baby's not to blame
For what I've done

[THUY]
You must decide upon
Which side you're really on
You whored to make this kid

[KIM]
That isn't what I did
Don't touch my son

[THUY]
You must see how it is
When you're my wife
Having that child of his
Brands us for life
No alternative!
The child cannot live

(THUY pulls a knife, threatening the boy)

[KIM]
No
You will not touch him
Don't touch my boy
He's what I live for
He's my only joy

[KIM]
You will not touch
him

[THUY]
He is my enemy
It's he turns you from me

[KIM]
Don't touch my boy

[THUY]
Erase him from your life
Even your memory

[KIM]
He's what I live for

[THUY]
He's one drop in a flood
Left here to taint our blood

[KIM]
He's my only joy

[THUY]
Our marriage bond was sworn
Forget that he was born

(KIM pulls out a gun)

[THUY]
Of course you have a gun
And now you'll shoot your cousin'
And it's a U.S. gun

[KIM]
Don't touch my
little boy

And do not test

A gun that lost the war
my will

[THUY]
You're the corrupted one Go on and shoot - don't wait
To save your bastard son You must not hesitate

[KIM]
Im warning you,
for him
I'll kill

[KIM]
The earth moves where I stand
I feel the turning of a wheel
I feel nothing in my hand
Not even the feel of steel
You will not take my child...

[THUY]
You don't know how to kill

[KIM]
I have no other choice
What I must do I will

(She shoots THUY - and at the same moment,
the street pageant continues in the street outside)

[CROWD]
This is the hour
This is our land
We found the power
In our brother's hand
And from a storm
Pierced with light
Fierce and white
The lightning came
A bright'ning flame
To end the night

(A gigantic statue of Ho Chin Mihn is raised in the square outside)

One man to heed us -
Each girl, each boy
One voice to lead us
In a song of joy

This is the hour
This is our land

(In the room, KIM stares and THUY's body)

(KIM puts the gun, her family shrine and a few valuables in a sack,
and taking TAM by the hand, escapes)