Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Original title: El laberinto del fauno
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Guillermo del Toro
Release dates: 27 May 2006 (Cannes), 11 October 2006 (Spain), 20 October 2006 (Mexico)
Stars: Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, Álex Angulo
Plot: In a fairy tale, Princess Moanna, whose father is the king of the underworld, visits the human world, where the sunlight blinds her and erases her memory. She becomes mortal and eventually dies. The king believes that eventually her spirit will return to the underworld, so he builds labyrinths around the world which act as portals, in preparation for her return.
In 1944 Francoist Spain, ten-year-old Ofelia travels with her pregnant mother Carmen to meet Captain Vidal, her new stepfather. Vidal, a Civil Guard officer of the Armed Police Corps and devotee of Falangism, has been assigned to hunt down the Spanish Maquis. A large stick insect, which Ofelia believes to be a fairy, leads Ofelia into an ancient stone labyrinth, but she is stopped by Vidal’s housekeeper Mercedes, who is secretly supporting her brother Pedro and other members of the Maquis. That night, the insect appears in Ofelia’s bedroom, where it transforms into a fairy and leads her through the labyrinth. There, she meets a faun, who believes she is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna. He gives her a book and tells her she will find in it three tasks to complete in order for her to acquire immortality and return to her kingdom. During a dinner with several important figures, Vidal announces that he will stockpile food and supplies in the granary in order to weaken the Maquis and their collaborators. The local population can only access supplies through ration cards. Vidal secures the granary with a thick padlock, to which Mercedes pretends to give him a unique copy of the key.
Ofelia completes the first task — retrieving a key from the belly of a giant toad — but becomes worried about her mother, whose condition is worsening. The faun gives Ofelia a mandrake root, instructing her to keep it under Carmen’s bed and regularly supply it with blood, which seems to ease Carmen’s illness. Accompanied by three fairy guides and equipped with a piece of magic chalk, Ofelia then completes the second task — retrieving a dagger from the lair of the Pale Man, a child-eating monster. Despite the faun’s warning not to consume anything there, she gives in to her temptation and eats two grapes, awakening the Pale Man. He devours two of the fairies and chases Ofelia, but she manages to escape. Infuriated at her disobedience, the faun refuses to give Ofelia the third task and abandons her.
During this time, Ofelia becomes aware of Vidal’s ruthlessness in the course of hunting down the Maquis. He interrogates and kills two local farmers (who only hunted rabbits). Days later, the Maquis launch an attack to distract Vidal and his men and steal supplies from the barn, using a second copy of the key Mercedes gave to Pedro. Upon returning to the barn, Vidal discovers that the lock has not been forced. Vidal interrogates and tortures a captive member of the Maquis, who turns out to be a stutterer and fails to escape unscathed when Vidal orders him to count to 3 without stuttering. He asks Doctor Ferreiro to tend to the captive, whom Ferreiro then euthanises at his own urging. Realising that Ferreiro is collaborating with the Maquis, Vidal kills him. He later catches Ofelia tending to the mandrake root, whom Vidal considers delusional for devouring fairy tales. Carmen agrees and throws the root into the fire. She immediately develops painful contractions and dies giving birth to Vidal’s son.
Vidal grows suspicious of Mercedes, connecting her to the Maquis raid, due to the unharmed lock on the barn. A discovered spy, Mercedes tries to escape with Ofelia, but they are caught. Ofelia is locked in her bedroom, while Mercedes is taken to be interrogated since the stutterer had indirectly betrayed her before dying, as well as finding several stored provisions from the barn in his possession confirming Vidal’s suspicions about Mercedes. Mercedes frees herself, and slashes Vidal’s face in her escape to re-join the Maquis. The faun, having changed his mind about giving Ofelia a chance to perform the third task, returns and tells her to bring her newborn brother into the labyrinth to complete it. Ofelia retrieves the baby and flees into the labyrinth. Vidal pursues her as the Maquis launch an attack on a Civil Guard outpost.
Ofelia meets the faun at the centre of the labyrinth. The faun suggests drawing a small amount of the baby’s blood, as completing the third task and opening the portal to the underworld requires the blood of an innocent, but Ofelia refuses to harm her brother. Vidal finds her talking to the faun, whom he cannot see. The faun leaves, and Vidal takes the baby from Ofelia’s arms before shooting her. Vidal returns to the labyrinth’s entrance, where he is surrounded by the Maquis, including Mercedes and Pedro. Knowing that he will be killed, he hands the baby to Mercedes, asking that his son be told the time of his father’s death, wanting to smash his pocket watch the same way Vidal’s father had done during the war. Mercedes replies that his son will not even know his name, before Pedro shoots Vidal dead.
Mercedes enters the labyrinth and comforts a dying Ofelia. Drops of Ofelia’s blood fall down the centre of the spiral stone staircase onto an altar. Ofelia, well dressed and uninjured, then appears in a golden throne room. The King of the underworld tells her that, by choosing to spill her own blood rather than that of another, she passed the final test. The faun praises Ofelia for her choice, addressing her as “Your Highness”. The Queen of the underworld, her mother, invites Ofelia to sit next to her father and rule at his side. Back in the stone labyrinth, Ofelia smiles as she dies.
The epilogue completes the tale of Princess Moanna, stating that she returned to the Underworld, ruled with kindness and justice for many centuries, and left little traces of her time in the human realm, “visible only to those who know where to look.”
* * *
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) | Transcript
(Panting)
(Girl humming melancholy tune)
(Panting and humming continue)
Spain, 1944 The Civil War is over.
Hidden in the mountains… armed men are still fighting the new fascist regime. Military posts are established to exterminate the resistance.
(Panting and humming continue)
(Panting)
NARRATOR: A long time ago, in the underground realm… where there are no lies or pain… there lived a princess who dreamt of the human world. She dreamt of blue skies, soft breeze and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the princess escaped. Once outside, the bright sun blinded her… and erased her memory. She forgot who she was and where she came from. Her body suffered cold, sickness and pain. And eventually she died. However, her father, the king, always knew that the princess’ soul would return… perhaps in another body… in another place, at another time. And he would wait for her, until he drew his last breath… until the world stopped turning.
I don’t understand why you had to bring so many books, Ofelia. We’re going to the country, the outdoors. … Fairy tales– You’re a bit too old to be filling your head with such nonsense. Ask him to stop the car, please.
Ofelia, wait. Your brother is acting up.
Madam, are you okay?
CHAUFFEUR: Water. Water for the captain’s wife.
(Stone clatters)
(Soft rushing wind)
(Buzzing and clicking)
MOTHER: Ofelia? Ofelia, come here.
I saw a fairy.
Just look at your shoes! Let’s go. When we get to the mill, come out to greet the captain. I want you to call him father. You have no idea how good he’s been to us. It’s just a word, Ofelia… Just a word…
(Ticking)
MAN: Captain, here they come.
15 minutes late.
(Horn sounds)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Carmen. Welcome.
CARMEN: That’s not necessary. I can walk perfectly well.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Dr. Ferreiro prefers that you don’t exert yourself.
CARMEN: No.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Come. Do it for me.
CARMEN: Thank you. Ofelia, come out. Say hello to the captain.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Ofelia. It’s the other hand, Ofelia.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes! Bring their luggage.
MERCEDES: Yes, sir.
(Dragonfly buzzes)
MERCEDES: It’s a labyrinth. Just a pile of old rocks that have always been here. Even before the mill. Better not to go in there. You may get lost.
OFELIA: Thank you.
MERCEDES: Have you read them all?
CHAUFFEUR: Mercedes! The captain is calling.
MERCEDES: Your father needs me.
OFELIA: He’s not my father. The captain is not my father. My father was a tailor. He died in the war. The captain is not my father.
MERCEDES: You’ve made that clear enough. Shall we go?
OFELIA: Have you seen my mother? Isn’t she beautiful!
MERCEDES: Yes.
OFELIA: She’s sick with baby. Did you notice?
(Buzzing and clicking)
The guerrillas are sticking to the woods… because it’s hard to track them up there.
Those bastards know the terrain better than any of us.
We’ll block all access to the woods.
Food, medicine-we’ll store it all. Right here.
We need to force them down, make them come to us.
We’ll set up three new command posts.
Here, here and here.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes. Ask Dr. Ferreiro to come down.
MERCEDES: Yes, sir.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: This will help you sleep through the night. Just two drops just before bed. Two drops only.
Very good.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: All of it. Good. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. Day or night. You or your nurse.
Good night.
CARMEN: Close the door and turn off the lights, sweetie.
MERCEDES: You have to help us. Come up and see him. The wound is getting worse. His leg isn’t any better.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: This is all I could get. I’m sorry.
MERCEDES: Captain Vidal is waiting for you in his office.
CARMEN: Come here, Ofelia.
Jesus, your feet. They’re frozen.
(Creaking upstairs)
Are you afraid?
A little.
(Creaking continues)
What’s that noise?
Nothing… just the wind.
Nights here are different from city nights.
There, you hear cars… the tramway.
Here the houses are old.
They creak.
(Creaking)
As if they were speaking.
CARMEN: Tomorrow I’m going to give you a surprise.
OFELIA: A surprise?
CARMEN: Yes.
OFELIA: A book?
CARMEN: No, something much better.
OFELIA: Why did you have to get married?
CARMEN: I was alone too long.
OFELIA: I’m with you. You weren’t alone. You were never alone.
CARMEN: When you’re older, you’ll understand. It hasn’t been easy for me either. Your brother’s at it again. Tell him one of your stories. I’m sure he’ll calm down.
OFELIA: My brother, my brother… many, many years ago… in a sad, faraway land… there was an enormous mountain made of rough, black stone. At sunset… on top of that mountain… a magic rose blossomed every night… that made whoever plucked it immortal. But no one dared go near it… because its thorns were full of poison.
(Fluttering)
Men talked amongst themselves about their fear of death… and pain, but never about the promise of eternal life. And every day, the rose wilted, unable to bequeath its gift to anyone… forgotten and lost at the top of that cold, dark mountain… forever alone, until the end of time.
(Knocking)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Come in. How is she?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Very weak. She’ll have as much rest as she needs. I’ll sleep down here.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: And my son?
Pardon?
Excuse us, Captain…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: My son, how is he?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: For the moment, there’s no reason to be alarmed.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Very good.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Captain, your wife should not have traveled at such a late stage of pregnancy.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Is that your opinion?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: My professional opinion, yes, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: A son should be born wherever his father is. That’s all.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: One more thing, Captain. What makes you so sure the baby is a male?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Don’t fuck with me.
At 8 o’clock, we detected movement in the northwestern sector. Gunfire.
Sergeant Bayona searched the area and captured a suspect.
The other one’s his son, here from the town.
Captain, my father is an honest man.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Let me judge that.
Take your hat off in front of me.
We found this weapon on him.
It’s been fired.
My father was hunting rabbits, Captain.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Again, keep quiet.
“No god, no country, no master”?
Just like that-how do you like that?
Red propaganda, Captain.
It’s not propaganda, sir.
Shh.
It’s an old almanac, Captain.
We’re just farmers.
Go on.
I went up into the woods, Captain, to hunt for rabbits. For my daughters. They’re sick.
Rabbits, uh?
Captain, if my father says so, he was hunting rabbits.
Leave him alone.
You killed him, you killed him! Murderer! Son of a bitch!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Maybe you’ll learn to search these assholes properly… before you come bothering me.
Yes, Captain.
(Creaking)
(Dragonfly fluttering)
OFELIA: Mother. Mother, wake up! Mother, there’s something in the room.
(Creaking and fluttering continue)
OFELIA: Hello. Did you follow me here? Are you a fairy?
(Chirping)
OFELIA: Look! This is a fairy.
(Chirps)
OFELIA: You want me to go with you? Outside? Where?
(Chirps)
OFELIA: Hello?
OFELIA: Echo. (Echoes)
OFELIA: Hello?
(Chirps)
FAUN: (Growling) It’s you. It’s you. You’ve returned. Don’t be frightened, I beg you. Look-look…
(Chirping)
OFELIA: My name is Ofelia. Who are you?
FAUN: Me? I’ve had so many names… Old names that only the wind and the trees can pronounce. I am the mountain, the woods and the earth. I am… (Growling) I am a faun. Your most humble servant, your highness.
OFELIA: No, I’m…
FAUN: You’re Princess Moanna… daughter of the king of the underworld.
OFELIA: My father was a tailor.
FAUN: You are not born of man. It was the moon that bore you. Look on your left shoulder and you will find a mark that proves it. Your real father had us open portals all over the world… to allow your return. This is the last of them. But we have to make sure… that your essence is intact… that you have not become a mortal. You must complete three tasks before the moon is full. This is the Book Of Crossroads. Open it, when you are alone and it will show you your future… show you what must be done.
OFELIA: But there’s nothing in here.
(Eerie echoes)
(Jolly copla tune plays)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes, prepare these rabbits for dinner tonight.
MERCEDES: They are too young.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Well, maybe they’ll do for a stew.
MERCEDES: Yes, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: This coffee was burnt. Taste it yourself. You should keep an eye on it.
MERCEDES: As you wish, sir.
MERCEDES: Cook these.
MERCEDES: He didn’t like the coffee.
He’s nothing but a fussy dandy. A fussy dandy.
MERCEDES: We’re going to need some beef and one more chicken.
Where are we supposed to find that?
MERCEDES: The doctor’s wife, the mayor’s too.
Well, they eat more than a couple of pigs.
And they won’t shut up.
Not even underwater.
I’ll be back in a moment, Mercedes.
CARMEN: Ofelia. Your father is giving a dinner party tonight. Look what I’ve made for you. Do you like it? What I wouldn’t have given to have a dress… as fine as this when I was your age! And look at the shoes! Do you like them?
OFELIA: Yes, they’re very pretty.
CARMEN: Go on, now. Take your bath.
(Knocking)
CARMEN: Ofelia? Ofelia? Ofelia? Hurry up. I want to see the dress on you. I want you to be beautiful for the captain. You’ll look like a princess.
OFELIA: A princess.
MERCEDES: Make sure those chickens are cleaned properly. And don’t forget the beans.
COOK: You look marvelous, my girl, just beautiful.
What a gorgeous dress!
MERCEDES: Get back to work, stop wasting time.
MERCEDES: Do you want some milk with honey? … Move back, we can’t have you getting milk on your dress… with you looking so pretty.
OFELIA: Mercedes. Do you believe in fairies?
MERCEDES: No. But when I was a little girl, I did. I believed in a lot of things I don’t believe anymore.
(Cow moos)
OFELIA: Last night, a fairy visited me.
MERCEDES: Really?
OFELIA: And it wasn’t alone, there were lots of them, and a faun, too.
MERCEDES: A faun?
OFELIA: He was very old, very tall and smelled like earth.
MERCEDES: My mother warned me to be wary of fauns.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes! Come with me.
Captain, everything is here. Flour, salt, oil, medicine… olives, bacon…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: This-this is real tobacco.
And the ration cards.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: I need you to check the inventory.
Very well.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes. The key.
MERCEDES: Yes, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Is this the only copy?
MERCEDES: The only one.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: From now on, I’ll carry it.
SOLDIER: Captain. Captain, perhaps it’s nothing.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: It’s them.
(Soldiers barking orders)
OFELIA: “Once upon a time, when the woods were young… they were home to creatures who were full of magic and wonder. ” “They protected one another… and slept in the shade of a colossal fig tree that grew on a hill, near the mill. ” “But now, the tree is dying. ” “Its branches are dry, its trunk old and twisted. ” “A monstrous toad has settled in its roots… and won’t let the tree thrive. ” “You must put the three magic stones in the toad’s mouth… and retrieve the golden key from inside his belly. ” “Only then will the fig tree flourish again.”
CAPTAIN VIDAL: They were here less than 20 minutes ago. They left in a hurry. A dozen men, at most. … Antibiotics.
Shit, they forgot this lottery ticket.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: They’re here. Those sons of bitches are here… and they’re watching us.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Hey! (Echoes) You left this behind! And your lottery ticket! Why don’t you come back and get it? Who knows? This could be your lucky day!
(Low growling)
OFELIA: H-Hello. I’m Princess Moanna… and I’m not afraid of you. Aren’t you ashamed living down here… eating all these bugs… and growing fat while the tree dies?
(Roars)
(Loud roar)
OFELIA: Hey!
(Rumbling)
(Guttural growls)
(Rumbling and hissing)
(Thunder)
(Engines)
CARMEN: Have you looked in her room? And the pantry?
MERCEDES: Yes, ma’am.
CARMEN: Have you checked the garden?
MERCEDES: Mm-hm.
CARMEN: And the barn?
MERCEDES: Yes, ma’am.
CARMEN: Where is that girl?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: This way, please. Let me introduce you to my wife, Carmen.
Charmed.
A pleasure to meet you.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: From now on, one ration card per family. Take a look at them.
One?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Only one.
Captain, I’m not sure it’ll be enough.
If people are careful, it should be plenty.
CAPTAIN: We can’t allow anyone to send food to the guerrillas in the mountains. They’re losing ground, and one of them is wounded.
Excuse me, Captain, how can you be so sure?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: We almost got them today. We found this. Antibiotics.
God has already saved their souls. What happens to their bodies hardly matters to Him.
We’ll help you in any way we can, Captain.
We know you’re not here by choice.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: You’re wrong about that. I choose to be here because I want my son to be born in a new, clean Spain. Because these people hold the mistaken belief that we’re all equal. But there’s a big difference: the war is over and we won. And if we need to kill every one of these vermin to settle it… then we’ll kill them all, and that’s that. We’re all here by choice.
ALL: By choice!
MERCEDES: Put the coffee on. I’m going for more wood.
We’ll take care of it.
(Distant laughter)
MERCEDES: Ofelia?
(Ofelia Shivering)
So… how did you and the captain meet?
CARMEN: Ofelia’s father used to make the captain’s uniforms.
Oh, I see…
CARMEN: And after he died, I went to work at the shop. A little more than a year ago, the captain and I met again.
Curious, isn’t it! I mean, finding each other again?
Oh, yes, very, very curious.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Please, forgive my wife. She hasn’t been exposed to the world. She thinks these silly stories are interesting to others.
MAYOR’S WIFE: We understand.
MERCEDES: Ofelia is here.
CARMEN: Excuse me.
Have I told you that I was acquainted with your father, Captain?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: No. I had no idea.
In Morocco. I knew him only briefly, but he left a great impression.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: An excellent soldier.
The men in his battalion said… that when General Vidal died on the battlefield, He smashed his watch on a rock… so that his son would know the exact hour and minute of his death. So he would know how a brave man dies.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Nonsense. He didn’t own a watch.
CARMEN: What you’ve done hurts me. When you’ve finished your bath, you’ll go to bed without supper. Are you listening? Sometimes I think you’ll never learn to behave. You’ve disappointed me, Ofelia. And your father, too.
OFELIA: You mean the captain?
CARMEN: Him more than me.
OFELIA: I’ve got the key. Take me to the labyrinth.
(Chirping)
OFELIA: Hello. I got the key out.
FAUN: That’s me, and the girl is you.
OFELIA: And the baby?
FAUN: So… you retrieved the key. I’m glad.
(Chirping)
FAUN: She believed in you from the very beginning. She’s so glad you succeeded. Keep the key. You’ll be needing it very soon. And this too. A piece of chalk. Two tasks remain… and the moon is almost full. Be patient. We’ll soon stroll through the seven circular gardens of your palace.
OFELIA: How do I know that what you say is true?
FAUN: Why would a poor little faun like me lie to you? (Rumbling growl)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Proceed.
Have your cards ready for inspection. Let’s go. Your name? Your names, first and last.
Narciso Pe a Soriano, at your service.
This is our daily bread in Franco’s Spain kept safe in this mill! The reds lie… Because in a united Spain, there’s not a single home without fire or bread.
(Carmen groaning)
OFELIA: Come on, show me what happens now. Show me.
(Carmen groans)
(Pots crash)
CARMEN: Ofelia… Help me.
SOLDIER: This is our daily bread in Franco’s Spain, kept safe in this mill.
OFELIA: Captain! Captain!
SOLDIER: The reds lie when they say there’s hunger in Spain…
OFELIA: Come quickly.
… because in a united Spain… there’s not a single home without fire or bread. This is our daily bread in Franco’s Spain…
(Thunder)
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Your wife needs uninterrupted rest. She’ll have to be sedated most of the time. The girl should sleep somewhere else. I’ll stay here until the birth.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Make her well. I don’t care what it costs or what you need. Make her well.
MERCEDES: Don’t worry. Your mother will get better soon, you’ll see. Having a baby is complicated.
OFELIA: Then I’ll never have one. … You’re helping the men in the woods, aren’t you?
MERCEDES: Have you told anyone?
OFELIA: No, I haven’t. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.
MERCEDES: Nor I to you.
OFELIA: Do you know a lullaby?
MERCEDES: Only one… but I don’t remember the words.
OFELIA: I don’t care. I still want to hear it.
(Hums melancholy tune)
(Footsteps)
(Mercedes gasps)
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Don’t be afraid. It’s only me.
MERCEDES: Are you ready?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Yes.
MERCEDES: Then let’s go.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: This is sheer madness. When that man finds out about us, he’ll kill us all. Have you thought about that?
MERCEDES: Are you so afraid of him, Doctor?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: It’s not fear… At least not for myself.
MERCEDES: Pedro, Pedro… my brother.
(Creaking)
(Low growl)
FAUN: You didn’t carry out the task.
OFELIA: No, my mother is sick.
FAUN: That’s no excuse for negligence. Look… This is a mandrake root. A plant that dreamt of being human. Put it under your mother’s bed in a bowl of fresh milk. Each morning, give it two drops of blood. Now, we have no time to waste. The full moon will be upon us. Take my pets to guide you through. You’re going to a very dangerous place, so be careful. The thing that slumbers there… it is not human. You will see a sumptuous feast, but don’t eat or drink anything. Absolutely nothing. Your life depends on it.
MERCEDES: I’ve brought some orujo, tobacco, cheese. Mail for Trigo and Piloto.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Let’s see how that leg is doing, Frenchie.
FRENCHIE: How do you think it’s doing? It’s fucked up.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Let’s see.
MAN, STUTTERING: … N-North American… B-B-British and C-C-Canadian troops… disembarked on a small beach in the north of FF…
France, stuttering idiot. France. More than 150,000 soldiers give us hope… under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower…
FRENCHIE: Is it really bad, Doctor?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Look, Frenchie… There’s no way to save it… I’ll try to make it in as few cuts as possible.
FRENCHIE: Wait a second, Doctor, just a second.
OFELIA, READING: “Use the chalk to trace a door… anywhere in your room. ” “Once the door’s open, start the hourglass. ” “Let the fairies guide you. ” “Don’t eat or drink anything during your stay… and come back before the last grain of sand falls. “
(Fairies chirping)
(Gasps)
(Distant crying of babies)
(Chirping)
OFELIA: No… This other one.
(Chirping)
(Frenzied chirping)
(Chirping)
(Frenzied chirping)
(Gasping)
(Wheezing)
(Violent chirping)
(Wheezing)
(Frenzied chirping)
(Roaring)
(Wailing)
OFELIA: No! No!
(Faint slapping)
(Wailing)
(Chirping)
(Wheezing)
(Wheezing and chirping)
(Roaring)
(Violent banging)
(Creaking)
(Chirping)
PEDRO: We’ll soon have reinforcements from Jaca. Fifty men or more. Then we’ll go head to head with Vidal.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: And then what? You kill him, they’ll send another just like him. And another… You’re screwed, no guns, no safe shelter… You need food, medicine. You should take care of Mercedes. If you really loved her, you’d cross the border with her. This is a lost cause.
PEDRO: I’m staying here, Doctor. There’s no choice.
PEDRO: (to Mercedes) You have to leave.
MERCEDES: Here’s the key, but you can’t go down there now. It’s exactly what he expects.
PEDRO: Leave it to me.
MERCEDES: I’m a coward.
PEDRO: No, you’re not.
MERCEDES: Yes, I am. A coward… for living next to that son of a bitch… doing his laundry, making his bed, feeding him… What if the doctor’s right and we can’t win?
PEDRO: At least we’ll make things harder for that bastard.
(Jolly copla tune plays)
COMMANDER: Left march! Left march!
(Ticking)
(Ticking growing louder)
(Moaning)
(Childlike mewling)
(Carmen moaning)
(Mewling)
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Captain Vidal. Her temperature is down. I don’t know how, but it is.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: But she still has a fever?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Yes, but it’s a good sign. Her body is responding.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Listen to me. If you have to choose, save the baby. That boy will bear my name and my father’s name. Save him.
(Distant boom)
(Nearby explosion)
(Loud whistling)
(Horses neighing)
(Explosion)
OFELIA: Brother… Little brother… If you can hear me… things out here aren’t too good. But soon you’ll have to come out. You’ve made Mama very sick. I want to ask you one favor for when you come out, just one: don’t hurt her. You’ll meet her, she’s very pretty… even though sometimes she’s sad for many days at a time. You’ll see, when she smiles, you’ll love her. Listen, if you do what I say… I’ll make you a promise. I’ll take you to my kingdom, and I’ll make you a prince. I promise you, a prince.
MAN: I sounded the whistle, but they wouldn’t move. I tried to stop, but it was too late. The fireman and I jumped out just in time… but look at the mess they made.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: What did they steal from the freight cars?
MAN: They didn’t open a single one.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: What the hell are you talking about?
MAN: This whole mess, they didn’t open any of the cars. They didn’t take anything.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Nothing? Are you sure?
MAN: God only knows what they wanted, other than to waste our time.
(Explosions)
They came out of nowhere, Captain. They have grenades, they went up the hill. Captain, we’ve surrounded a small unit. They took cover up on the hill.
(Thunder)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Go ahead, Serrano, don’t be afraid. This is the only decent way to die.
(Gunfire ceases)
(Thunder)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Serrano!
(Gunshots)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Let me see. Can you talk? Damn it.
CAPTAIN: These are useless-they can’t talk.
(Gunshot)
Captain, this one’s still alive. Shot in the leg.
MERCEDES: What’s happened?
They caught one.
MERCEDES: What?
They took one of them alive. And they’re taking him to the storeroom. … Mercedes!
MERCEDES: Pedro… Pedro…
MERCEDES: Captain, I need to get into the storeroom.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Not now, Mercedes. Move away.
That’s plenty, dear.
Should I take this up?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: Here, half the dose.
CARMEN: I don’t think I need it. I feel better, much better.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: I don’t understand it. But I’m glad.
OFELIA: Mother…
(Spits)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Damn, this cigarette is good! Real tobacco-hard to find.
G-G-Go to hell.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Damn, Garces. We catch one and he turns out to be a stutterer. We’ll be here all night.
As long as he talks…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Garces is right. You’d do better to tell us everything. But to make sure it happens, I brought along a few tools. Just things you pick up along the way. At first I won’t be able to trust you, but after I use this, you’ll own up to a few things. When we get to these… we’ll have developed a… How can I put this? A closer bond, much like brothers. You’ll see. And when we get to this one… I’ll believe anything you tell me. I’ll make you a deal. If you can count to three without st-t-tuttering… you can go. Don’t look at him, look at me. Above me, there’s no one… Garces!
Yes, Captain?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: If I say this asshole can leave, would anybody contradict me?
No one, Captain. He can leave.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: There you have it. Count to three.
One…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Good.
Two…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Good-one more and you’re free. … Shame.
(Soft chuckling)
FAUN: (Soft chuckling) Your mother is much better, your highness. Surely, you must be relieved.
OFELIA: Yes, thank you. But things haven’t turned out so well.
FAUN: No?
OFELIA: I had an accident.
FAUN: An accident?
OFELIA: Yes.
FAUN: Hm.
(Growling and chirping)
FAUN: You broke the rules!
OFELIA: It was only two grapes. I thought no one would notice.
FAUN: We’ve made a mistake!
OFELIA: A mistake?
FAUN: You failed. You can never return.
OFELIA: But it was an accident!
FAUN: You cannot return. The moon will be full in three days. Your spirit shall forever remain among the humans. You shall age like them, you shall die like them… and all memory of you shall fade in time. And we’ll vanish along with it. You will never see us again.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Good day, Doctor. Sorry to wake you so early, but I think we need your help.
(Gasps)
DOCTOR FERREIRO: My God, what have you done to him?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Not much. But things are getting better. I like having you handy, Doctor. It has its advantages.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Serrano, stay here.
I talked. Not much… b-b-but I talked.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
Kill me, kill me now. Please.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Son of a bitch.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: It’ll take away the pain. It’s almost over.
(Crash)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Watch Dr. Ferreiro, I’ll be right there.
Yes, Captain.
OFELIA: You’re not moving anymore. Are you sick?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: What are you doing down there?
Call him!
Who?
Who else, you imbecile? Ferreiro!
(Retching)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: What the hell is this?
OFELIA: No! No, no, no, no!
CARMEN: Leave her. Leave her alone, please!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Look at this! Look what she was hiding under your bed! What do you think of this?
CARMEN: Ofelia, what is this thing doing under the bed?
OFELIA: It’s a magic root the faun gave me.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: This is all because of that junk you let her read. Look what you’ve done!
CARMEN: Please, leave us alone. I’ll talk to her, darling.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Fine. As you wish.
OFELIA: He told me you would get better. And you did.
CARMEN: Ofelia, you have to listen to your father. You have to stop all this.
OFELIA: No. I want to leave this place! Please, take me away from here! Let’s just go, please!
CARMEN: Things are not that simple. You’re getting older. Soon you’ll see that life isn’t like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you’ll learn that, even if it hurts.
OFELIA: No! No!
CARMEN: Ofelia! Magic does not exist. Not for you, me or anyone else.
(Root squealing)
OFELIA: Mom! Help! Help!
(Squealing continues)
OFELIA: Help!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Why did you do it?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: It was the only thing I could do.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: No. You could have obeyed me.
DOCTOR FERREIRO: I could have, but I didn’t.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: It would have been better for you. You know it. I don’t understand. Why didn’t you obey me?
DOCTOR FERREIRO: To obey just like that for the sake of obeying, without questioning… That’s something only people like you can do, Captain.
Captain!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Garces! Call the troop paramedic. Get up immediately!
GARCES: Yes, Captain.
(Carmen crying)
(Carmen screaming)
(Baby crying)
Your wife is dead.
PRIEST: “Because the paths to the lord are inscrutable… because the essence of His forgiveness… lies in His word and in his mystery… because although God sends us the message… it is our task to decipher it… because when we open our arms… the earth takes in only a hollow and senseless shell. ” Far away now is the soul in its eternal glory… because it is in pain that we find the meaning of life… and the state of grace that we lose when we are born… because God, in His infinite wisdom… puts the solution in our hands and because it is only in His physical absence… that the place he occupies in our souls is reaffirmed.”
MERCEDES: Shh…
CAPTAIN VIDAL: You knew Dr. Ferreiro pretty well, didn’t you, Mercedes?
MERCEDES: We all knew him, sir. Everyone around here.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: The stutterer spoke of an informer. Here, at the mill. Can you imagine? Right under my nose. Mercedes, please. What must you think of me? You must think that I’m a monster.
MERCEDES: It doesn’t matter what someone like me thinks, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: I want you to go to the storehouse and bring me some more liquor, please.
MERCEDES: Yes, sir. Good night, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes, aren’t you forgetting something?
MERCEDES: Sir?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: The key. I do have the only copy, don’t I?
MERCEDES: Yes, sir.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: You know, there’s an odd detail that’s been bothering me. Maybe it’s not important, but… the day they broke into the storehouse, with all those grenades and explosives… the lock itself wasn’t forced. As I said, it’s probably not important. Be very careful.
MERCEDES: Good night, sir.
(Lilting music)
(Man crooning on record)
MERCEDES: Ofelia! Ofelia! Ofelia, I’m leaving tonight.
OFELIA: Where to?
MERCEDES: I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you…
OFELIA: Take me with you.
MERCEDES: No, no. I can’t. I can’t, my child. But I’ll come back for you, I promise.
OFELIA: Take me with you.
(Thunder)
MERCEDES: I heard something. It’s nothing, don’t worry.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Mercedes. Ofelia.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: How long have you known about her? Huh? How long have you been laughing at me? Little bitch!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Watch her! And if anyone tries to get in… kill her first.
(Ofelia sobbing)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Dry meat. Tobacco. If you had asked for it, I would have given it to you, Mercedes. I want the names of whoever wrote these letters. And I want them in front of me, tomorrow.
GARCES: Yes, Captain.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: You can go, Garces.
GARCES: Are you sure, Captain?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: For God’s sake, she’s just a woman.
MERCEDES: That’s what you’ve always thought. That’s why I was able to get away with it. I was invisible to you.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Damn. You’ve found my weakness: pride. But it’s your weak points we’re interested in. It’s very simple: you will talk… and I have to know… that everything you say is the truth. We have a few things here strictly for that purpose. Nothing complicated. Things we learn on the job. At first…
MERCEDES: I’m not some old man! Nor a wounded prisoner! Motherfucker… Don’t you dare touch the girl. You won’t be the first pig I’ve gutted!
RADIO: The winning lottery numbers are: 33037.
Hey…
Shh!
Look: he let her go.
The fuck did you say?
Hey!
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Get her! Come on! Bring her to me! Bring her to me, damn it!
Mount up!
(Horses approaching, men shouting)
Shh… It’ll be better if you come with me without struggling. The Captain said that if you behave– Don’t be a fool, sweetheart. If anyone’s going to kill you… I’d rather it be me.
(Gunfire)
(Gunfire continues)
(Gunfire and shouting)
(Sobbing)
(Gunshot)
(Fairy flutters)
(Chirps)
FAUN: I’ve decided to give you one last chance. Do you promise to do what I say? Will you do everything I tell you, without question? This is your last chance. Then listen to me. Fetch your brother… and bring him to the labyrinth… as quickly as you can, your highness.
OFELIA: My brother?
FAUN: We need him.
OFELIA: But…
FAUN: No more questions.
OFELIA: The door’s locked.
FAUN: In that case… create your own door.
(Horse neighing)
(Baby gurgling)
(Baby cries out)
(Cocks pistol)
(Baby gurgles)
Captain, with your permission. … Come quickly.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Now what?
Serrano is back. He’s wounded.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Wounded?
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Where’s Garces? … How many were there?
I don’t know exactly, Captain. Fifty men, at least.
SOLDIER: The rest of the men didn’t make it. Our watch posts are not responding.
CAPTAIN VIDAL: How many men do we have left?
Twenty, maybe less, sir.
OFELIA: We’re leaving. Together. Don’t be afraid. Nothing is going to happen to you.
(Baby gurgling)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Put them on picket duty at the tree line. If the rest of the squad gets back, have it report immediately to me. Radio for reinforcements, now.
Yes, Captain.
(Explosion)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Leave him!
(Explosion)
(Soldiers shouting)
(Explosion)
(Machine gun firing)
(Soldiers shouting)
MERCEDES: Ofelia!
(Stones rumbling)
PAN: Quickly, your majesty, give him to me. The full moon is high in the sky… we can open the portal.
OFELIA: Why is that in your hand?
PAN: The portal will only open if we offer the blood of an innocent. Just a drop of blood. A pinprick, that’s all. It’s the final task. Hurry.
(Low growl)
(Ofelia shakes her head)
PAN: You promised to obey me! Give me the boy!
OFELIA: No! My brother stays with me.
PAN: You would give up your sacred rights for this brat you barely know?
OFELIA: Yes, I would.
PAN: You would give up your throne for him? He who has caused you such misery, such humiliation?
OFELIA: Yes, I would.
PAN: Hmm… As you wish… your highness.
OFELIA: No.
(Gunshot)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: My son.
(Baby gurgles)
CAPTAIN VIDAL: Tell my son… Tell him what time his father died. Tell him that I…
MERCEDES: No. He won’t even know your name.
(Baby cries)
(Mercedes sobbing)
(Hums melancholy tune)
REY: Arise, my daughter. Come.
PRINCESS MOANNA: Father.
REY: You have spilled your own blood rather than the blood of an innocent. That was the final task, and the most important.
(Chirping)
PAN: And you chose well, your highness.
CARMEN: Come here with me, and sit by your father’s side. He’s been waiting for you so long.
(Applause)
NARRATOR: And it is said that the princess… returned to her father’s kingdom. That she reigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. That she was loved by her people. And that she left behind small traces of her time on earth… visible only to those… who know where to look.
Pan’s Labyrinth
