out of africa

the dialogue below is from a scene near the end of the movie. meryl streep's character, isak denisen and robert redford's character, denys finch-hatton, and talking alone in isak's empty house. she is leaving africa. the two were together, but different ideas about relationships, commitment and love drove them apart. it is the first time they have seen each other, alone, in some time. he has asked to take her to mombasa, to start her journey back to denmark . . . isak says, reflecting on how much she has missed him:

I’ve got this little thing that I’ve learned to do lately.

When it gets so bad . . . and I think I can’t go on . . . I try to make it worse.

I make myself think about our camp on the river . . . and Berkeley . . . and the first time that you took me flying.

How good it all was.

And when I’m certain that I can’t stand it . . .

I go one moment more.

And then I know I can bear anything.

Would you like to help me?

Yes. (finch-hatton says.)

Come dance with me then.

more

this painting is entitled, Hope, II. the artist is gustav klimt. i have been an admirer of his for years, and spent some time with this work in nyc last weekend. i learned that he often called the painting Vision. either way, i could use a little of both. ok.

i don't know . . .

i don't know who you are anymore. it's like we are living on different planets. i'm on earth, and you are on blorgon 7, planning an invasion of my galaxy. well, i'm here to tell you that we will never be slaves, you can subjugate some other species to work in your blozillium mines. i realize that this may seem like some odd analogy as to how it is between us, and you are right. it's pretty fucked up. what the hell am i talking about? i think someone is turning a radio dial in my head, and different stations are popping up. all i know is, staring at you now, on these wide open plains, with mesas and cloud-shrouded mountains looming above us, i realize that my 401(k) is not working for me the way it should. i need to get a new financial advisor. well, that's not the only thing on my mind.
ok.
good.