Coco (I) (2017)

Alanna Ubach: Mamá Imelda

Photos 

Quotes 

• Ernesto de la Cruz : [to Mamá Imelda]  Don't I know you?

  Mamá Imelda : [Smacks Ernesto with her shoe]  That's for murdering the love of my life!

  Ernesto de la Cruz : [Confused]  Who the...?

  Héctor : She's talking about me!

  [to Imelda, touched] 

  Héctor : I'm the love of your life?

  Mamá Imelda : I don't know, I'm still angry at you!

  Ernesto de la Cruz : Hector? How did you...

  [Imelda smacks him with her shoe again] 

  Mamá Imelda : And *that's* for trying to murder my grandson!

  Ernesto de la Cruz : Grandson?

  Miguel : She's talking about me!

  Ernesto de la Cruz : You! Wait. You're related to Hector?

  Miguel : [pointing at De la Cruz's breast pocket]  The photo!

  [the rest of the family appears from around the corner; De la Cruz runs] 

  Mamá Imelda : After him!

  Ernesto de la Cruz : Security!

  Héctor : You said love of your life?

  Mamá Imelda : I don't know *what* I said!

  Miguel : [cheekily]  That's what *I* heard...

• Mamá Imelda : Mijo, I was so worried.

  [Hugs Miguel, then looks to Héctor resentfully] 

  Mamá Imelda : And you, how many times must I turn you away?

  Héctor : Imelda...

  Mamá Imelda : I want nothing to do with you! Not in life, not in death! I spent decades protecting my family from *your* mistakes. He spends five minutes with you, and I have to fish him out of a sinkhole!

  Miguel : I wasn't in there because of Héctor. He was in there because of me. He was just trying to get me home! I didn't want to listen, but he was right! Nothing is more important than family. I'm ready to accept your blessing. And your conditions. But first, I need to find de la Cruz. To get Héctor's photo!

  Mamá Imelda : What?

  Miguel : So, he can see Coco again. Héctor should be on our ofrenda. He's part of our family.

  Mamá Imelda : He *left* this family!

  Miguel : He tried to go home to you and Coco. But de la Cruz murdered him!

  [Imelda looks from Miguel to Héctor in surprise] 

  Héctor : [sorrowfully]  It's true, Imelda.

  Miguel : [after a pause]  And so what if it's true? You leave me alone with a child to raise, and I'm just supposed to forgive you?

  Héctor : Imelda, I...

  [Suddenly shudders and collapses to his knees, Imelda gasps] 

  Héctor : I'm running out of time. It's Coco.

  Mamá Imelda : She's forgetting you.

  Miguel : You don't have to forgive him. But we shouldn't forget him!

  Mamá Imelda : I wanted to forget you. I wanted Coco to forget you, too, but...

  Héctor : This is my fault, not yours. I'm sorry, Imelda.

  Mamá Imelda : Miguel, if we help you get his photo, you will return home? No more music?

  Miguel : Family comes first.

  Mamá Imelda : [to Héctor]  I... I can't forgive you. But I *will* help you. So, how do we get to de la Cruz?

  Miguel : I... might know a way.

• [Mamá Imelda has just taken Héctor's protrait from De La Cruz and is about to give Miguel her blessing to send him back home] 

  Mamá Imelda : Miguel, I give you my blessing. To go home... to put up our photos... and, to never...

  Miguel : [resigned]  ... never play music again.

  [Mamá Imelda looks at Héctor and smiles] 

  Mamá Imelda : ...And to NEVER forget how much your family loves you.

• Mamá Imelda : [seeing Miguel in the Land of the Dead; surprised]  Miguel?

  Miguel : [smiling nervously]  Mamá Imelda...

  Mamá Imelda : [puts her hands on her hips]  WHAT is going on?

• [Miguel slips through a barred gate as Imelda tries to catch him] 

  Mamá Imelda : I am trying to save your life!

  Miguel : You're *ruining* my life!

  Mamá Imelda : [shocked]  What?

  Miguel : Music's the only thing that makes me happy! And you want to take that away! You'll never understand!

  Mamá Imelda : [sings]  Ay, de mí, llorona, llorona de azul celeste. Y aunque la vida me cueste llorona, no dejaré de quererte...

  Miguel : [turning back]  I thought you hated music.

  Mamá Imelda : [smiling]  Oh, I loved it! I remember that feeling, when my husband would play, and I would sing, and nothing else mattered. But, when we had Coco, there was something that mattered more than music. I wanted to put down roots; *he* wanted to play for the world. We each made a sacrifice to get what we wanted. Now, you must make a choice.

  Miguel : But, I don't want to... pick sides! Why can't you be on *my* side? That's what families are supposed to do! Support you!

  [pause] 

  Miguel : But you never will.

• Mamá Imelda : [the Rivera family spots Mamá Imelda at the desk of a Family Reunion agent]  I demand to speak to the person in charge.

  Departures Agent : Sorry, señora it says here no one put up your photo.

  Mamá Imelda : My family always, ALWAYS puts my photo on the ofrenda! That devil box tells you nothing but lies!

  [pulls off her shoe and beats the computer with it] 

  Papá Julio : [Approaches with fear]  Mamá Imelda?

  Mamá Imelda : Oh, mi familia! They wouldn't let me cross the bridge.

  [Puts her shoe back on] 

  Mamá Imelda : Tell this woman and her devil box that my photo *is* on the ofrenda!

  Papá Julio : Well, we-we never made it made it to the ofrenda.

  Mamá Imelda : What?

  Papá Julio : We ran into a, a...

  [the family parts to reveal Miguel] 

  Mamá Imelda : [Gasp]  Miguel?

  Miguel : [Gives a hesitant wave]  Mamá Imelda...

  Mamá Imelda : [suspiciously]  *What* is going on?

  Clerk : [Office door opens]  You the Rivera family?

  [States matter-of-factly] 

  Clerk : Well, you're cursed.