A Promise 2014

As the year 1915 unfolded amidst the tumult of World War I, Michael (Oscar Isaac), an innocent yet compassionate Armenian, arrived in Constantinople with a sense of purpose. Seeking to embark on a new journey, he shared his plans to attend medical school with his uncle, who revealed a warm and welcoming family dynamic - a wife and two daughters. The elder daughter’s life had been forever altered by the passing of her mother when Ana (Charlotte Le Bon) was just 10 years old, after which she accompanied her famous violinist father on a European tour. Tragedy struck when her father’s debts became insurmountable, leading him to take his own life in Paris as Ana studied at the Sorbonne.

As Michael began his medical studies, he formed an unlikely bond with Emre (Marwan Kenzari), a Turk whose father was a powerful official who had pressured Emre into enrolling in school or serving in the army. Despite being ill-prepared for the rigors of medical education - Emre’s fainting spell during an anatomy lesson, courtesy of a surprise encounter with a cadaver’s digestive byproducts, will never be forgotten.

Ana’s life was also intertwined with that of Chris Myers (Christian Bale), an American journalist working for the Associated Press. As they navigated the city’s nightlife together with Michael and Emre, Ana displayed a kindred spirit towards Michael, though their relationship remained platonic, lacking the fiery passion that often defines romantic love.

The trio attended a luncheon where the Germans extended a dubious gift to the Turks - warships. Chris, perhaps fueled by too much drink, made disparaging remarks about both nations in their presence. Ana’s embarrassment prompted her to distance herself from Chris, who subsequently vowed to temper his intoxication.

Michael’s uncle harbored hopes of securing a union between Michael and Ana, viewing them as a harmonious match. However, Michael felt honor-bound to fulfill his promise to marry his hometown fiancée, whose dowry he was using to finance his medical education. His uncle offered not only to repay the dowry but also to add an additional 200 lira to facilitate the marriage, yet Michael remained resolute in his commitment.

Just as tensions mounted, war was declared, and the Turks launched a concerted effort to recruit Michael into their military ranks. Emre, leveraging his medical student exemption, intervened on Michael’s behalf, securing his release through a clandestine payment to a sympathetic Turk. This act of kindness drew ire from Emre’s father, who cautioned his son against further involvement in such activities.

As the Ottoman Empire’s ruthless purge of Armenian intellectuals and affluent citizens intensifies in Constantinople, Chris sets out to bear witness to the devastation in the countryside. Accompanied by a trusted guide, he embarks on a somber journey by car, capturing haunting images of the ravaged Armenian village. The brutal reality is soon made apparent as hanged bodies line the streets, and the screams of women being forcibly marched away echo through the desolate landscape. Chris bears mute testimony to the atrocities unfolding before his eyes.

In the aftermath of this harrowing experience, Michael and Ana turn to Chris for aid in securing their uncle’s release from Turkish custody. However, Chris is consumed by the imperative to report on the Armenian genocide, leaving Michael and Ana to seek alternative means to secure their uncle’s freedom. They enlist Emer as an emissary to facilitate his escape using his family’s wealth, but this plan is met with disapproval from Emer’s father, who seeks to restore his honor by sending Emer into the Turkish army.

Meanwhile, Chris’s aunt and her two young daughters find refuge with Ana and himself, their safety a respite from the chaos that surrounds them. Six months later, Michael finds himself trapped in a forced labor camp, toiling alongside other prisoners as they construct a vital railroad for the Turks. The cruel whims of their Turkish overseers are exemplified when a prisoner with a broken leg, who Chris and another inmate had been trying to help, is brutally killed. As a twisted form of punishment, the Turkish guard demands that the two men express gratitude, their voices silenced by the trauma they’ve endured.

As night falls, the former clown’s antics bring much-needed levity to his fellow prisoners, their laughter a balm to their battered spirits. The next day, Michael finds himself entrusted with a precarious package - a case of dynamite that’s been compromised by nitroglycerin seepage, its volatility threatening to unleash chaos at any moment. With measured caution, he warns the clown of the explosive danger lurking within, only for the jester to seize the opportunity and detonate the device in a daring act of defiance against their Turkish captors. Michael escapes the ensuing mayhem, his path now aligned with the train tracks as night begins to descend once more. A locomotive’s roar heralds its arrival, and Michael seizes the moment to leap aboard, finding himself amidst a desperate cargo of elderly prisoners trapped on the train. His attempts to liberate them prove futile, however, as he tumbles into the nearby river, washing up at the doorstep of an Armenian couple who are left wondering if their sons - taken by the Turks - have been seen. They offer him a mule, tasking him with delivering it to his mother and father, a journey that ultimately leads Michael to the doorsteps of his family, where he’s welcomed back with open arms. In the morning light, his fiancée Maral and her father arrive, their plans for Michael to marry Maral and flee to the mountains in a secluded cabin gaining momentum. Michael confides in his mother about his reservations, citing his deep affection for Ana, but she implores him to put aside his feelings and accept the arranged marriage - a decision that will forever alter the course of his life.

Meanwhile, Ana, Chris, and Michael’s aunt and cousins make their way to a small town in Southern Turkey, where a Protestant clergyman is secretly working to smuggle orphans out of harm’s way. The clergyman, driven by compassion and conviction, dispatches the children one by one, entrusting them to another priest who will guide them onto a waiting boat, bound for freedom. As Chris awaits his turn to leave, he’s introduced to a Turkish official who’s facilitating the rescue efforts, promising to keep their identities hidden from prying eyes.

As Ana (Milene Mayer), Chris, and Michael’s aunt arrive at his parents’ humble abode, they are met with a shattering truth: Michael is no more. Chris and Ana retreat back to the orphanage, leaving behind the weight of their loss. Meanwhile, Michael emerges from his hiding place, accompanied by his pregnant wife, whose fragile health demands immediate attention. They make their way to his parents’ residence, where they are met with a mix of shock and gratitude upon learning that he is alive. However, Michael’s reunion is short-lived, as he discovers through his aunt that the orphans, including Chris and Ana, have devised an escape plan. Believing his family is still in grave danger, Michael decides to take matters into his own hands, venturing back to the orphanage to find Ana and enlist her help.

As they prepare to flee together with Michael’s family, Chris begins to realize that Ana harbors deep feelings for his brother. With a heavy heart, she makes it clear that once they have helped Michael and his loved ones escape, she will no longer be involved in their lives. United in their quest, the trio sets out with a group of orphans and some trusted men, bound for the distant city of Bagras.

However, their journey is abruptly disrupted by the sound of gunfire. As they investigate, Michael and Chris are met with a horrific discovery: the villagers from Michael’s hometown have been brutally slaughtered by the Turks. The duo finds themselves face to face with the lifeless bodies of Michael’s father and wife. In this moment of utter despair, they also learn that Michael’s mother is still alive, while Chris locates Yeva, but their brief respite is short-lived as Turkish cavalrymen close in.

With Chris taking the lead, he cleverly distracts the Turks, allowing everyone else to make a hasty retreat. However, his bravery comes at a cost, as he finds himself under arrest and facing interrogation from a Turkish official who is more interested in uncovering the identity of the other government official secretly aiding the orphans.

Despite being threatened with execution, Chris refuses to betray his ally, even when presented with a gun to his head. The official then accuses him of being a spy, regardless of the credentials he presents from the American Embassy. These documents prove to be nothing more than mere tokens in the face of Turkey’s oppressive regime.

Meanwhile, Michael and his companions encounter a group of displaced villagers from Bagras, who have been forced out of their homes by the Turks’ brutal actions. The wise and compassionate priest shares with them the devastating news that all the ships have been destroyed, leaving no escape route. However, the courageous mayor offers an alternative: joining forces with the villagers as they venture into the unforgiving desert landscape.

As Chris languishes behind bars, Emer pays him a visit with an ultimatum: sign a confession that nullifies his life’s work or face mortality. Chris refuses to buckle under the pressure, instead urging Emer to seek out the American Ambassador, who possesses the authority to secure his release. However, this course of action would be deemed treasonous, and Emer is aware that the stakes are astronomically high. Undeterred, Chris implores Emer to approach the Ambassador, knowing full well that a refusal would invite catastrophic consequences. In a tense showdown, the American Ambassador confronts the Turk, demanding Chris’s freedom or risking war. The Turk, driven by pecuniary interests, requests a list of Armenians with life insurance policies from American companies, intent on claiming the policy benefits as Turkey sees fit. The American Ambassador responds with a resolute “never,” leaving the Turk no choice but to retreat.

Chris is finally released and whisked away to Malta, an unwelcome guest in Turkey’s eyes. Emer’s fate is sealed, however, as he pays the ultimate price for his alleged treachery.

Meanwhile, back in the desert, Michael, Ana, and their companions face a stark reality when the Mayor of Bagras insists on standing firm against the Turkish onslaught, despite having sufficient provisions to sustain them. The villagers, though initially optimistic about their chances in the unforgiving desert environment, are brought low by Michael’s harrowing tale of mass slaughter at the hands of the Turks. Faced with an existential threat, the villagers construct defenses atop a nearby mountain, only to be met by a Turkish regiment. A fierce battle ensues, with Michael struggling to find his shooting form.

As the dust settles, the villagers regroup and ascend the mountain once more, unaware that Chris, now aboard a French warship, is closing in on their location. With the Turks hot on their heels, Ana and Michael’s mother share a poignant moment of connection with Ana, forging an unbreakable bond between them. Tragedy strikes when the mother succumbs to her fate, leaving behind a legacy of love and loss.

As the villagers face annihilation on the mountain, French Marines and lifeboats converge to rescue their beleaguered companions. The intensity of the battle is matched only by Chris’s anguish as he beholds the tender affection between Michael and Ana – an intimacy that culminates in a heart-stopping kiss. As the situation grows more desperate, Ana, Yeva, Michael, and Chris find themselves scrambling aboard lifeboats, but their hopes are dashed when Turkish artillery strikes near their vessel, sending Ana and Yeva plummeting into the drink. With his sister’s life hanging precariously in the balance, Michael finds himself helpless to prevent her demise, yet he manages to save Yeva.

In a final act of valiant devotion, Chris joins forces with Michael to rescue the imperiled sisters, but ultimately succumbs to the cruel hand of fate, leaving Michael to mourn his sister’s tragic passing.

As Chris steps aboard the warship, he anxiously awaits the arrival of Michael, Yeva, and Ana. His expectations are met with a mixture of emotions when Michael and Yeva finally appear, but Chris’s concern for Ana remains unfulfilled, prompting only tears from Michael. This poignant scene serves as a precursor to a rich tapestry of storytelling that unfolds through the voice-over of Michael.

As he shares his narrative, we learn that Michael, accompanied by Yeva, had adopted her and relocated to America with a group of orphans in tow. The weight of their experiences is palpable as they navigate this new chapter in their lives. Meanwhile, Chris’s fate is revealed: he gave his life in the Spanish Civil War of 1938.

The passage of time is marked by Yeva’s marriage, set against the backdrop of America’s preparation for World War II. Michael’s words carry a profound message as he acknowledges Yeva’s wish that her parents were present to share in this joyous occasion. However, he reassures her that her parents, along with those of the orphans, are indeed watching over them from above.

The narrative takes a poignant turn as it delves into the dark history of the Armenian Genocide. A somber reminder is issued regarding the devastating toll taken by the Turkish Government’s brutal actions in 1915, resulting in the loss of countless Armenian lives. This sobering fact serves as a powerful indictment of the government’s refusal to acknowledge its culpability in this tragic event.