This is a story told from
mouth to mouth in the coast.
Nobody remembers when
or where it happened.
What do you think,
compadre?
Won't you go?
We can't cast the canoes to
the sea now.
But it's been 7 days since we
don't fish.
Then why don't you
eat bunches of beans?
You can do that,
but what about us?
- How's the sea?
- It's still choppy.
Let's see if...
...it's quieter later.
- I hope so.
When would it possible
to dive?
Don't worry.
I'll go diving tomorrow.
We'll get lots of oysters.
You'll see it.
We'll get many of them.
Who knows?
Maybe we'll get a pearl.
- A good one.
- A pearl this big...
...right?
Well...
...who knows?
I have a hunch...
- Aren't there more beans?
- Those are the last ones.
My child!
- We need the doctor.
- He must come.
The doctor never comes.
I needed him once;
don't you think he'll come.
Then we'll go to his place.
Go to see who's out there.
Yes, sir.
Come on, go!
Cruz!
- The door.
- Yes, sir. I always forget it.
My pearls.
My beautiful pearls.
- What?
- A lady looks for you.
I don't receive
anyone in the morning.
Ask her to come later.
But she doesn't understand
any explanation.
That's true doctor.
I don't understand.
A pretty woman...
...has the boldness of
interrupting a man's breakfast.
Well...
...let' s see.
Tongue out.
No, doctor.
You surely know a man of my
position can't take charge...
...of a case like yours.
Besides, it's dangerous.
Not only because of law
and religion...
...but because of my
professional ethics.
I' m a doctor.
Besides...
...doing that is expensive.
Are you rich?
Go to the hospital tonight
at g.
The doctor?
He's not here.
He was stung by a scorpion.
He feels bad.
He may die.
The doctor's not here!
Please, don't be mean.
- What's wrong?
- A scorpion, miss.
He may die!
Scorpions kill children!
That's true. They kill them.
You know the doctor's here!
Do you have money?
What the hell is going on?
Can't one have breakfast?
There are two natives who say
a scorpion stung their child.
Idiot!
They nearly brought me
an animal.
Do they think I' m a vet?
Who's my patient:
the native or the scorpion?
Do they think that I' m going
to waste my time with them?
They never pay!
Becoming a doctor
is not cheap.
They have this.
They are poor.
They'll never...
...have one cent.
He's not here.
But my child's very ill.
When can we find the doctor?
Never!
He's fine.
Quino, come.
- Is the tide low?
- Yes. Everyone is coming.
No. We can't.
Go. I'll stay with Juanito.
- Won't you leave him?
- Not even for a minute.
Don't worry. I'll stay here.
Go, go!
Go up.
- No. I'll go down again.
- What happens?
I can't explain.
- Open it up.
- I don't dare.
Don't be afraid. Open it up.
- Did you hear about the pearl?
- They' re lucky.
I swear to God it's this big.
Doctor, the native who came
with his child this morning...
...has just found a huge pearl.
It's an extraordinary pearl.
I spoke to 5 people who had
seen it...
...and all of them say that
its shape is...
...perfect and faultness.
We have to believe it.
Show it, Quino.
I haven't seen it.
Our luck's change, hasn't it?
What's next now you' re rich?
I'll maybe buy a gun.
- I'll buy a rifle.
- He'll have a rifle.
What else? You' re rich now.
I'll buy new clothes.
And for her...
...a pair of shoes.
- She'll have shoes.
My son'll read.
He'll know...
...how to read...
He'll write...
...and will know books.
He'll know...
...how to use numbers.
This will make us free.
He'll have knowledge, and,
through him...
...we'll get to have
knowledge too.
That's what the pearl will do.
We'll be free.
SHOES ON REN
He seems a small admiral.
- What's that?
- A great seaman.
A fisherman.
Play louder so it
sounds nicer.
Pearls give you richness,
they also give you grief.
They' re sorrow tears;
they make you lose...
...instead of winning.
Let's dance joyfully
with the sea music.
With this old man's song
and the palms' cooing.
Here you are your guayabera,
dear son.
And the charro pants.
Look, they' re pretty.
The little tie with the
And the little shoes.
All for the boy.
- Those things are not for us!
- But you' re rich now!
- Of course they' re for you.
- Take them, man!
- A candy so he doesn't cry.
- And a toy so he plays.
Yes.
I' m rich.
Where's he?
Where's the ill boy?
I' m the doctor.
I' m the doctor.
Look how ill he is!
He's not ill. He has got over!
She cured him.
- With snake skin, I guess.
- You must know it's good...
...for rheumatism.
I've have just
learned about the child.
If we deal with a scorpion
sting, he's still in danger.
Can you cure him?
There's still time.
That boy's perfectly fine.
Don't be scared, Quino.
On your heart.
Come with me.
Look.
Look, my friend.
Your son is fine.
I warn you...
Be careful.
Those men...
...want to steal...
...your pearl.
Look...
I...
...have pearls too.
Let me see yours.
Let me touch it.
Only... touch it.
Please.
Don't carry it with you.
Hide it.
They are going to steal it.
Drink it.
Men leave their wives
at home.
That proves that wives
are good. Come on!
You have a good wife.
Don't worry about her.
Go ahead. Drink!
She didn't want to be alone.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Come on. Drink!
We've never been apart.
Things have changed.
You' re rich now.
You have to behave as
a rich man.
Of course, man! Let's go.
Come!
I...
...am a rich man.
- For the rich!
- The new rich!
I have...
...the best wife.
- For the best wife!
The best!
My son...
...will read.
He'll read...
...all the books of the world.
- For your son!
For your son, the wise man!
Bring me a lion!
Bring me a crocodile!
Bring me all of them!
And I really can't stand
Juan Pablo Gmez at all!
Bring me a ghost!
Bring me the priest!
I'll kick the
Popocatpetl's ass!
What's wrong?
You hit your friends. You
nearly killed a friend who...
...Ioves you.
Are you crazy or you have
the devil inside?
Forgive me.
Forgive me, please.
I forgive you, man.
Tonight's for having fun.
Let's go.
You, get lost!
The bastard wasn't
carrying it.
He fooled us.
He hid it.
I feel like cutting his...
Juana!
Juana!
My wife...
I' m so...
...grateful to you.
Cover your son.
You think...
...that I' m strong, Juana.
But...
...strength...
...is you...
...only you...
...my love...
...Juana.
Everything's so black...
Juana...
...help me.
Don't leave me, Juana.
Juana!
- Where is it?
- Where is it?
Don't you remember?
Don't you remember?
You don't remember, eh?
You don't remember?
- I remember.
- Did you lose it?
You lost it?
You lost it?
No.
I didn't.
I...
...hid it.
Where?
Where? Where?
Where?
Where?
Under...
...the Virgen.
She...
...takes care of it.
He fooled us.
Juana!
- I lost our pearl!
- No, Quino.
I have it.
When those people become
rich...
...only God knows what
will happen.
Understood?
I want no mistakes.
Excuse us.
- What about you?
- It wasn't our fault.
And your brother, the doctor,
poked his nose.
He didn't take the pearl,
did he?
No, he didn't.
That pearl has to be mine.
If I can't get it,
you know what to do.
- Beat it.
- Yes, boss.
- Can I help you?
- I have a pearl.
Many people have pearls.
Mine is good.
He's taking it out.
He'll show it.
I' m sorry, my friend.
It's a very...
...worthy pearl.
Yes. It's very worthy.
You surely have heard about...
...the tinsel.
Well...
This pearl...
...is like the tinsel.
It seems good but...
...it's worthless.
It's the best pearl! You've
never seen such a pearl!
It's such a deformity!
It's big but deformed.
A museum may like to buy it...
...for its shell collection.
It's its only use!
I' m your friend, and
I' m going to give you...
...nine times...
...its real value.
I' m going to give you
g00 pesos.
g00 pesos. It's much money.
I don't know.
My pearl is worth 50 times
more than g00 pesos.
I' m an honorable man.
I'd be unable to pay you
an unfair price.
These pearls are never
good...
...for you.
Look...
...I just rate.
Just in case...
...ask another raters. Go.
Even better, why don't they
come so you see...
...we don't have an
agreement.
Alright. They can come.
Call the other raters!
I set a price for this pearl...
...but its owner doesn't agree.
I ask you to examine it,
and set a better offer.
Check that I didn't mention
my price.
Don't include me in your
argument. I' m not interested.
This is not a pearl.
It's a phenomenon.
Awful. It seems an eggshell.
Look at it. Look.
I know someone who likes
strange things.
I offer...
...500 pesos.
I hope to sell it for 600.
I know it's wrong, but you' re
my friend: I give you 1000.
Where...?
Your advice?
I don't know.
I think my compadre
should leave.
But he should stay here too.
I don't know whether he should
sell the pearl or not.
I don't know.
Maybe he's secretly sinned.
His sin was finding the pearl.
That's not a sin, it
just happened.
God knows.
"Compadre"! "Compadre"!
The' re killing Quino!
- What?
- They tried to kill him.
Who was it?
I don't know.
Come, compadre.
We have to talk.
I didn't know what advice
to give you, but now I know.
Sell them the pearl...
...otherwise, you'll have
to leave.
Now you can't live in peace.
You have to leave,
or they'll kill you.
It's my advice.
Thanks...
...but I don't know.
I don't want to leave.
I'll ponder it.
I may have an answer
tomorrow.
Alright, compadre.
Good night.
- Good night, comadre.
- Good night.
Quino...
I've always been
a good wife...
...right?
Yes, Juana.
Then...
...for the first time,
I'll ask you something.
Throw the pearl to the sea.
Break it between 2 stones.
Destroy the pearl; otherwise,
it is going to destroy us.
I'd do anything for you.
But this...
...I can't.
I've seen in that pearl...
...a better life for us.
Juanito has to read...
...he has to know books.
I've seen freedom in that
pearl, Juana.
And I've seen death.
Death and solitude.
Throw the pearl.
Throw it, Quino, please.
- I came to visit you.
- Good evening.
You scared me.
Your nerves...
Your nerves are bad.
You should be careful...
...very careful.
My nerves are perfectly fine.
The problem is that you' re
always thinking about others.
You should think about
yourself.
About your health.
Why you came?
This is a...
...small pearl.
But it's very good.
And it's... black.
Sometimes...
...a small pearl...
...is better than a big one.
And it's less dangerous.
Less dangerous.
Juana!
Come back!
Go away, Juana!
Here you are tortillas...
...and water.
Be careful with the water.
Will we be able
to come back... someday?
Maybe.
Well, we have to go.
I'll lead you to the beach.
No, compadre.
You can't be seen with us.
Let's go, Juana.
Bye, comadre.
Bye, compadre.
Good-bye.
A man and a woman.
And a dog.
A shoed man.
The dog and the man
went that way.
And the other 2 went
over here.
Follow the man and
the woman.
Quino!
- The man and the woman.
- How long ago?
- Before the dew fell.
- That was...
...2 hours ago.
Follow them.
What?
I don't know.
- What?
- No woman's track.
Look again.
No. He may be carrying her.
- It's not far.
- Hurry up before the sun sets.
Go. Hurry up!
- Who are they?
- Go! Don't waste time!
Hurry, Juana!
You go on. The truth
is that...
...I have no more strength.
I can't go on.
No, Juana.
I think we've advanced.
We'll rest.
You'll feel better.
Juana!
Juana!
What are you doing there?
Go away.
You and Juanito can go on
without me.
I ran out of strength.
My feet are bleeding.
Go, Quino.
- I can't go any further.
- Get out, Juana!
No. I beg you to go.
Please, go.
No! No!
No, Quino, please!
My poor Juana.
I stay with you...
...or you come with me.
But we can't be apart, Juana.
We are like one person.
If you want us to be killed...
...then stay.
I tell you that you
can run with Juanito.
I can't continue because
I'll leave...
...a blood track.
Look, Juana...
...calm down.
Women give all up...
...because they don't
have hope.
The man is there...
...to support.
Your shoes.
You'll see...
...these hurt...
...feet will have...
...black shoes.
Shiny ones.
Like the ones the rich wear.
The rich watch your feet...
...every Sunday.
Your feet are...
...smaller than theirs.
You won't be barefoot again.
We'll have beautiful things.
Maybe a bed.
They say you rest so much...
...in a bed...
...so soft and so white.
I see you lying...
...so pretty.
Your hair...
...quite black in the white.
And Juanito...
...will go to bed with a book.
And he'll read, Juana.
Are you coming, Juana?
You' re my husband.
Water, I beg you!
God bless you.
They can't escape.
We'll wait here then.
It's getting cold. Should we
make a bonfire?
Yes.
What was that?
Who knows?
Maybe an owl.
Or a coyote.
What will you do?
I'll fight.
It must be before dawn so I
have the advantage over them.
I have to take the risk.
Good-bye, son.
Good-bye, Juana.
He's close.
He killed his own brother.
He did it.
He'll kill them.
- We saw him.
- Yes.
I' m leaving.
- Without your money?
- Without it, but alive.
They placed Juanito under
some stones in the mountain...
...and came back home.
Old people say they walked
as sleepwalkers...
...in the town.
The pearl that once was
hope and beauty...
...turned into ugliness,
greediness...
...death, and loneliness.
They went to the highest
ledge...
...to do what they
were meant to do.
You.
No...
You.