Indochine (1992)

Vincent Perez: Jean-Baptiste

Photos 

Quotes 

• Jean-Baptiste : At age ten one doesn't know the world needs to be changed.

• Jean-Baptiste : Aren't you embarrassed by the way they look at you?

  Eliane : Why should I be? They're my coolies.

  Jean-Baptiste : They're men too.

  Eliane : I'm their boss, that's all.

  Jean-Baptiste : Commanding men is a man's job.

  Eliane : That's what men usually say.

• Jean-Baptiste : You're like my father. He always said, "Let yourself go. Follow your instincts." He'd disappear chasing his passions and follies. He sowed nothing but unhappiness around him. I'll never be that man. I want to preserve myself! No one will get inside my head and steal my soul, no one! Not even eternal Asia, no one!

• Jean-Baptiste : What about you? What did you dream about?

  Eliane : I wanted to be a boy.

  Jean-Baptiste : And now?

  Eliane : No need to dream. I have everything I like here.

• Eliane : I looked for you everywhere last night. Talk to me, Jean-Baptiste. Say something.

  Jean-Baptiste : I'll always need time for myself. Days for myself. Weeks for myself. Only to myself. Do you understand? It's the same thing for you. We are two persons.

  Eliane : I need you. You're part of my life now. I need your voice, your softness, your hands. Protect me. I need you to protect me.

  Jean-Baptiste : Stop. You are not this pleading woman. I want to experience the world. Not a plot of land no bigger than a tomb. I want to discover the world.

• Émile : I've come here to tell you a story.

  Jean-Baptiste : I'm not sure I want to hear it.

• Eliane : I tried to save her from you. I don't want her to believe suffering is part of love. Good night.

  Jean-Baptiste : Save her from me? You just want revenge. You can't stand freedom. It threatens you.

  Eliane : Let go of me.

  Jean-Baptiste : You can't let others live.

  Eliane : Let go.

  Jean-Baptiste : You want monopoly on life - giving away little bits once in a while. Me, Camille, your coolies! It's terrible to be this way. What do you want? Smother your daughter like your father smothered you? You treat people like trees. You buy them and you bleed them dry. You drain them! You're vultures!

• Hebrard : Mockery, my friend. We're deep in mockery. Either you fight it, either you do like me, revel in it. You could become a hero here, but no one will ever know. It will be like a drop in this jade green ocean. But it will be your drop of water.

  Jean-Baptiste : Tell me about our presence here.

  Hebrard : Nothing. We're ghosts of the empire.