Original subtitles

AS WHITE AS IN SNOW

Arrival in Askersund at 7.30. Wake-up call at 7.00. Good night.

Good night.

January 21st 1922. On the train to Askersund.

Dear Father!

When You read this, it'll have been a success, and You need worry no more.

Until next time, You'll say. But let's not worry about that now.

I wish You too could experience the freedom up in the air.

It feels almost like jumping from the cherry tree.

You remember the cherry tree, don't you?

You go out and play, Elsa.

What are you up to?

-Jump! -Come on down, Elsa!

-Come on down! -Move away, Lars!

Elsa!

No!

"In bridal gown gleaming as white as the snow"-

-"The lion tamer's daughter stands ready to go."

"Unwilling she has given a stranger her hand,"-

-"And soon must depart for a far foreign land."

"The guest are all gathered, the feast is prepared,"-

-"But Selma steals off, full of sorrow and care,"-

-"To visit her old friend so trusty and true"-

-"To the cage of the lion, to bid him adieu."

"'Your gaze is so tender, I’m sure you know why'"-

-"'I’m wiping a salt, bitter tear from my eye.'"

"'But listen! My bridegroom is calling again -'"

"'- Farewell now for ever, beloved old friend!'"

-Why call her "Stine", not "Stina"? -Because she's danish.

-Danish?! -Yes. She's from Denmark.

Stine Jensen, head housemaid.

-She looks stupid! -Never judge a book by its cover.

Hey! Be nice to little Frida!

Where's Father? We should've played jumpsies.

He's busy tonight.

Fast asleep, now!

Good night.

Murderer.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

Elsa?!

-What the hell are you doing you damn Polacks?

-We practiced circus.

You get paid for bloody picking beet root, not this crap!

In Poland we're circus artists.

Oh really? And here you pick beet root.

There she is, the little miss!

Tonight I take care of Elsa.

Where were you?

Why didn't you come when we called for you?

Because it is my birthday?

Stay away from the Galicians. It isn't suitable.

At least they don't stink like you do.

Elsa... You're supposed to be in bed now.

Come here...

I miss Mother.

Are you going to die too?

Now you go to sleep!

Stine is gross.

You can't say that. Stine is trying to make friends.

So you must do something in return.

What does "in return" mean?

If she's nice to you, you must be nice to her.

Elsa. Abracadabra...

Gone.

But what's this here...?

There...

-Now eat! It'll make you strong.

The early bird gets porridge.

Can I have it...?

But, Elsa. Please...

-Clumsy woman! You'll drive me crazy. -Miss know-it-all can do it herself!

-Shut up! Who do you think you are? -Edit Månsson, and none else.

I'm a housemaid, but don't believe I'm better than others...

...as miss Jensen does.

Excuse me, sir.

Edit!

Edit!

Come back here!

Did you put your foot in your notes again, Schubert?!

Dark like the soil.

Light...

...like the sky.

The earth is actually two, miss Elsa.

One flat right in front of your nose.

And one completely different inside of us.

It'd be better if you played more and talked less.

That's what we pay you for.

If it wasn't for art, what would we be?

Spiritless animals.

Let's see...

Mother used to play that one to me.

Plaisir d'Amour...

-Enjoy your meal. -Thanks. Thank you very much.

-Miss Elsa... -Felix...

How nice to see you again. I've missed you so!

Do you remember, Felix?

Come look!

-It's coming down! -But how will you manage over there?

-What about the garage, and the farm? -Come look!

Lars! I want to talk to you.

Look!

That's unexpected! Welcome to Nydala, doctor Thulin.

Thanks. It seems something's wrong with the engine.

-I'll fix it in an instant. -Don't worry.

-Something wrong with the engine?

Seems the intake valve is stuck.

That's enough looking. Back to the beets!

Hurry up!

She's so thin and fragile.

Yes, but strong...

Surprisingly strong.

Frida, get out of the way! Thank you.

Lars! You're at least not going to stay in America, are you?

Guess what I want for you return! A real indian horse.

In this house you don't leave the table until everyone's done.

-It's Per. -Good evening.

I developed them straight away. They're hardly dry.

No, thank you.

It turned out a bit fogged.

Bleriot. The one to cross the English Channel in 1909.

I didn't know you were interested in these things.

It's the new age. The future...

I've been up in the air once too.

In one of these.

Tivoli in Copenhagen.

But it was anchored, of course. Ballon captif.

It's best that way when you start flying.

-Was Mother with you? -It was our engagement day.

How romantic!

But I've had to stay on the ground since then.

Did you always want to be a farmer?

I never wanted to be a farmer. I wanted to be an engineer.

-I hope the war lasts long. -What do you mean?

To make Lars stay at home?

If Lars leaves, you'll have to take over. That's a promise.

Lars! Stop, I need to talk to you.

Get up!

-Where did you get the petrol? -Thulin. He didn't need it any more.

-What was it you wanted? -You're not leaving, are you?

-Remember there's a war on! -It's over any moment.

-And then I'll be off straight away. -I hope it last for 30 years,-

-so you can grow some sense.

You should be happy. You'll get your Per and half the kingdom.

I'll disappoint Father. And what about me?

-You think I want to be a housewife? -It's all up to you. Wanna drive?

Elsa?

Aren't you coming down? They're all waiting for you.

Per is down there.

I think he's going to propose.

We're gathered here today, to celebrate Elsa.

We remember she was little long ago. You crawled on all fours.

Now we're here, as you celebrate your 21st and come of age.

We've brought our Per along, who's fond of you as well.

Although he's quiet, we all know what he has in mind.

He's now come far and is a trained agronomist-

-and will become a great man in the field of farming.

I know you girls study farm housekeeping.

I'm convinced that if you and Per meet, I believe-

-it will become what we all expect and he expects.

Go ahead, Per! I leave the floor to you.

-Thank you. -Per has something in the box, he...

Now, let's all drink to Elsa, and maybe to Per.

But mostly to Elsa, because it's her birthday.

Now let's take a look inside to see what's inside.

-A soup tureen?! -We think of it as a baptismal font-

-where you take water in your hands to baptise the youngster-

-who'll hopefully crawl about just as you did when you were small.

Let's all together give three Scanian cheers for Elsa today.

Cheer for her three times!

Miss Elsa...

You should be ashamed of yourself. Drunk as a skunk.

It's not as easy for everyone to get back up, once they've fallen.

Small wonder, considering the way you've helped yourself.

Merja! See to it he doesn't go in and bother our guests!

Madame! I wouldn't even hurt a fly.

You're all right, Hansson.

Happy birthday.

Be careful, Elsa. If you give your longing to much freedom...

-It's all right now, Felix. -I'm just a village idiot.

Elsa! They want you to play something.

Okay.

You village idiot!

Isn't it...?

Sit down.

"In bridal gown gleaming as white as the snow"-

-"The lion tamer's daughter stands ready to go."

"Unwilling she has given a stranger her hand,"-

-"And soon must depart for a far foreign land."

"The guests are all gathered, the feast is prepared,"-

-"But Selma steals off, full of sorrow and care,"-

-"To visit her old friend so trusty and true,"-

-"To the cage of the lion, to bid him adieu."

"But just as she gives him one last, fond embrace"-

"The stranger he sees through the bars of his cage."

"And so in confusion and unthinking rage"-

-"Oh God! in his anguish he tears her apart."

Lars...

-What? -I don't want you to go.

I want you to have this.

Thank you, Father.

It's probably more important to keep the time over there.

Lars...

If Mother were here, would you still leave?

I can order a new one from him. He always keeps the plate.

You look more and more alike, you and Mum.

"Mum"...

You always say "Mum", I "Mother".

"Mum"...

In 8 years I'll be the same age as Mother reached.

Lars, I don't want you to leave!

Elsa!

Don't you dare touch the motorbike while I'm away!

Couple!

-Contact? -Contact!

"The girl sheds her tears, as up in the sky the boy disappears."

Robert Friedman...

...flying hussar in the reserves. Looking for someone in the sky?

-No, but where's the office? -Office?

Doctor Thulin. You learn to fly here, don't you?

I don't want to pry, but are You a woman of means? Rich parents?

An officers degree and mechanical skills also come in handy...

...and of course a strong physique. Thulin will ask You these questions.

You see, there's a shortage of fuel these days...

But perhaps You're not the one learning to fly...

Influential friends make up for want of other qualities.

There! The office is over there.

We had a miss Bergman last year. She had a strife with gravity...

...and returned to ground duty after three weeks.

Thanks.

Yes, I remember You, miss Andersson. Please, have a seat!

What can I do for You?

Teach me to fly.

Become an aviatrix...?

So You want to be an aviatrix, miss Andersson?

The first one in Sweden, in that case.

-There was another young lady... -Yes. Miss Bergman.

I've heard about her.

You can read this, so You'll know what it's all about.

How old were you...?

-...the first time? -Sixteen.

He said his name was Romeo. We danced tango.

He said he was an actor. I was his Juliet.

He said that?

"To be, or not be..."

And here you sit!

A spinster... doing household work. And nothing happens.

What's supposed to happen then?

-Do you enjoy kissing, Merja? -Oh, well... It can be alright.

At first it's like honey. And then more like cottage cheese.

But how do you do...?

...to get started?

Well... Then a tango always comes in handy.

Left, right...

(Sings in Finnish.)

The suitors will come in due course. Don't worry.

-You too will dance the tango. -It's not tango I want to learn.

Wait! I'll show you...

Thulin's flying school at Ljungbyhed.

It's called "aviatrix".

I'm going to be the first aviatrix in Sweden.

"Aviatrix"?

"Aviatrix"?

"Thus far, half of the students have finished training without crashes."

"Without crashes"?! What about the other half?

Read further down.

"As of yet no one has been even the least injured."

It's the future, Father. You've always said so yourself.

5,000 crowns?! But that equals several year's pay for a farm hand.

-You'll get half of it back... -Yes, if you don't crash.

Thulin only wants to make money from others risking their lives

-But what's the purpose? -Purpose?

What was the purpose of the piano lessons?

And the domestic science school? I'll never be a farmer's wife anyway.

You'll still get no money from me.

But Lars got your help.

Yes. But he shouldn't have.

In any case I have what I inherited from Mother.

Sven... Maybe it's not so dangerous.

Thanks very much! I didn't ask for your help.

I'm so sorry.

You want to get rid of me too, to have Father and the farm to yourself.

Not even a year after Mother's death he...

You be quiet!

I'm sorry, Elsa...

Welcome, miss Andersson.

I'll have someone show You to Your room in the mess.

Welcome.

You'd better start using this, miss Andersson.

I hope You'll be comfortable here.

The boys will be like crazy now...

That's how small the difference between life and death can be.

Contact!

Flying weather!

-Here come the flies! -Smell the stench of manure!

-Manure spreaders! -Damn flies!

-Eat shit, you bastards! -Roll over in the manure!

You'd better trample on, guys!

Go to hell, you bloody flies!

And bring out... You come here!

You too. Watch out for the wings! It's all right. Go on!

Come!

You guys bring out the other Bleriot! And the rest of you come here...

We'll go through today's...

-Are you all socialists? -Only Koivunen. We borrow his record.

Now it's Your turn.

Practice moving the rudders. Right...

...and left.

That's all you need to keep in mind, except to hold the stick towards you.

-Contact? -Contact!

Find out the wind direction before sending off your pupils.

There you see what a gust of wind can do to you. The plane almost took off.

Isn't that what it's supposed to do?

Good night, guys.

-Good night Magnusson. Sleep tight!

Flying weather!

Never let go of the stick!

Ready?

Karlsson?

We're ready.

Let me introduce my fiance, Vera Nilsson. -Elsa Andersson.

Good day.

Vera...

Would You be kind and start the engine?

We're going on a picnic tomorrow. Would You like to come along?

-Ready? -Ready.

-Contact? -Contact.

Don't look until I say so.

Blindfold off!

Louis Roederer...

The king's favourite champagne. No poor man's beverage.

With cool regards from my mum.

Would you dare to give birth, Robert?

-Do I look like it? -Would you?

Only blindfolded...

Cheers, Elsa. To courage...

...of man and woman.

No, don't be so cautious! Louis Roederer must be drunk in swigs...

...as must life.

What did you tell your mother?

Big game hunting, of course.

Death before imprisonment!

Did you know, by the way, that it was here on Ljungbyhed-

-that Sixten Sparre met Elvira Madigan for the first time?

Would you be able to shoot a human being, Robert?

Would you?!

Only blindfolded.

What about an elephant then?

Like honey...

"Tempt not a desperate man."

Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

Get the hence, temptress.

Damn...

...it should have been red, like my heart's blood.

Contact?

Contact.

-What the hell are you doing?! -Calm down damn it!

-No damage done. -No?! Who let you take the plane?

Don't worry about the plane. I'll pay for the damages.

Money! That's all you can think of. You damn bon vivant!

You had Elsa in the plane!

But the passenger didn't object in the least.

If You're ever involved in anything like this again, Elsa,-

-then You must leave the school. -Thulin wouldn't accept...

Thulin is dead.

He crashed in Landskrona this morning.

"You could see dr. Thulin doing loops in the air at 2000 to 2,500 feet"-

-"before rapidly falling towards the ground."

"It was a gruesome sight that met those arriving at the slipway"-

-"where doctor Thulin had fallen."

Perkele!

"The head had been severed from the body."

"Even the strong of heart were close to fainting"...

That's enough.

2,500 feet...

Fifty... sixty metres per second...

Ten... fourteen seconds.

I wonder what you think of...

You have a visitor, Elsa.

You've come all this way...

-You're coming back home with me. -You needn't worry.

-Go pack your things. -Mr. Andersson...

Thulin did a different kind of flying. Advanced testing...

-Elsa's going home. -She's one of our best pupils.

Go pack your things...

No, I won't.

Fine, Elsa! Not bad for the first time.

Birger Sjöberg, newspaper editor.

May I ask you a question, miss Andersson...

Why do you fly?

You'll have to answer yourself...

I myself write poems. That's just as foolhardy.

-May I take your picture? -Of course.

-Welcome. Magnusson... -Hermann Vogel, from Berlin.

Friedman! Do you speak German?

Robert Friedman... Herzlich willkommen, Herr Vogel.

-Hauptmann Vogel. -Leutnant Friedman...

...zum Befehl, Herr Hauptmann.

I'm proprietor of Vogel Parachutes in Berlin.

If Thulin'd had one of my parachutes, he'd still be alive.

-Perhaps... -Are these for real?

No, it's just for decoration.

So be it...

Have You used one of Your parachutes yourself?

Of course not! Parachutes are only for cowards.

So... the war... only bad... For flying advertisement...

Maybe this wasn't the last war...

Stomatol... reach... commerce... You understand?

It seems the revolutionary fire has died down.

Not everyone's born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

Remind me, Koivunen... Which side did you fight on?

With the Reds or with the Whites?

It seems I've trod on someone else's hunting ground.

Stop it!

So this is the big game hunter...

Come on! Let's go.

-What will you do afterwards? -What is there to do?

Perhaps you'll get married...

-What'll you do henceforth? -As you just said...

What is there to do, if you don't want to be a circus clown?

I'm no good at dancing...

You smell just like my father.

"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy."

"It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock"-

-"The meat it feeds on."

Othello.

Do not prolong the agony, my friend.

Regroup!

Elsa!

Elsa?

Come down here and cool off!

Are you coming along with me into paradise?

You'll be the first, Erik.

-What is it? -We must wait.

-What do you mean? -Vera... She...

-I must tell Vera first. -But...

But you're mine now... Now...

Right now only now exists...

I'm yours now...

Elsa...

I must learn how to ride a horse.

Elsa...

You left your shoe!

Miss Andersson...

Elsa...

Contact.

Please take your seat, Sir.

Put Your foot here, Sir... Fine.

Now, get Your leg up.

Erik!

Sir!

Is he all right?

He's alive...

No!

There...

Stop the train!

Miss Andersson... Did You get Your certificate?

Then there was at least some sense to it.

Erik was our youngest son.

Shouldn't you at least eat something...

It had got caught in a spider's web.

I thought I must kill it...

But I didn't want to.

I tried to help it... But then I accidentally tore off-

-a piece of the wing. And then I woke up.

Suddenly I knew what it was, that I had to do.

Congratulations, Elsa.

-You did all right. -You didn't expect that, did you?

-Congratulations. -Thank you.

Give us a smile, please.

-So what now, miss Andersson? -Yes, what now...

Koivunen changed to the cigarette ad, so I took over the tooth paste.

May I introduce miss Elsa Andersson, Sweden's first aviatrix.

Miss Lise Bamberg, Germany's first female parachutist.

Good day.

The Vogel parachute...

Mona Lisa...

Sweden's first aviatrix.

You possess beauty, and perhaps courage...

Aber mit dem Vogel-Schirm... With the Vogel parachute-

-you don't need that much courage.

Forgive my terrible Scandinavian.

-Kein Mut, nur Technik. -No courage, only technology.

And some money. But...

Perhaps Your friend can help You out.

-We'll see... -Then we'll be rivals, Lieutenant.

There's room for everyone up there. Or...

For angels, at least.

Plaisir d'Amour.

Liebesfreude, Liebesleid.

Love's joy and love's sorrow.

Willkommen in Berlin.

The latest news, Berliner Tageblatt.

They won't forget they lost.

What did you tell your father?

Art school.

"Art school"...

This is from Vogel. He called it a small advancement.

Advancement?

Vogel hasn't forgot his Mona Lisa.

-Good day, miss Bamberg. -Good day.

Good day, mr. Vogel. Delighted to see You.

Very good! Let's do this twenty more times.

Over the shoulder...

It's very important.

Good. Well done. Over and over, until it's entirely automatic.

No courage, only technology.

Nice?

Yes... Nice.

-Flowers for the miss. -For me?

How sweet of him.

Beautiful...

But Hermann does nothing only out of love.

This is no place for innocent girls.

-Hermann... -Hermann no good?

But... I not innocent.

Berlin is so big.

With a Vogel parachute You'll have the world at Your feet.

Only to be cannon fodder, the black devils have been sent to Europe.

Briquettes, we call them.

Lise! Thank You for making things so enjoyable to me.

-He's a predator.

"Predator".

What's predator?

Miss Elsa...

With a Vogel parachute, You'll have the whole world at Your feet.

Look at this!

That could be You.

Then You'd have no money problems.

But... when... When can I jump?

Soon... Very soon.

Calm down...

Like this... I'll say one, two, three

Raz, dwa, tri.

Beautiful... Krasivaya devotschka.

Sehnsucht... You understand?

-Mr. Vogel... Sehnsucht? -Longing...

Fly! Fly...

Now, again... Eins, zwei, drei...

Soar like a bird.

Isn't it beautiful?

Isn't it wonderful?

And here's the contract between You and my company.

Read it through thoroughly.

And to show You I'm serious... A small advancement.

For You... Take it!

I will be read it...

With my parachute You can soar through the whole world.

Vanquishers...

Degenerate brits and frenchmen...

We were betrayed.

One day we will fly.

Mr. Vogel... Have You ever...

...killed? A human being... shoot...

My dear child...

Have You?

Yes. Not enough.

How do you say... How do you say guilty?

Do You feel guilt?

A soldier's task in war is to kill

Yes, me too. I've killed an aviator.

Let's drink to miss Elsa.

To Your first jump and a thousand to come.

Don't listen too much to the singing bird.

-Louis Roederer. -Robert...

You're my best friend.

He's an elegant man... Are you two intimate?

But you're blushing! May I call You "Elsa"?

Hey!

Stand up, please. Stand up in Germany!

Up... Out.

Robert...

I love you.

Sorry.

-I thought... -Forgive me...

I thought so too.

Wait! I'll just...

In love everything is impossible, Elsa.

I'm saving you now.

-A car is waiting downstairs. -A car? I didn't...

Someone is waiting downstairs.

"The rest is silence."

Shakespeare.

Another degenerate englishman.

Men possess the earth, we the skies.

Cheers.

No courage! Only technology!

One... two... three!

I...

I have to go away for some time.

The parachute is for you.

Take care! Don't let anyone take advantage of you.

Dear Lise! I'm afraid.

I can't stay here.

Live well! Elsa.

Elsa... Dear Elsa.

This?! Hang your life on this?

A couple of string?! Are you completely mad?!

But Father! It's not the least dangerous.

-Not dangerous?! -No! Hundreds have done it without...

You save lives with these!

Yes, in an emergency. Not when performing circus tricks for money.

Yes, money! And a lot of it.

What's wrong with me earning my own living?

Blood money...

It doesn't matter what I say. It never did.

What use am I on the farm doing what the farm hands do better?

And what about Berlin? Art school?! I though I could trust you.

Father! It's my life! I can decide for myself.

That's what you always did!

I never got the chance to decide how to live my life. Who gets that?!

But that's why you must understand me.

Wasn't flying enough for you?

I'll never be able to stop worrying.

But at least you're satisfied with the tractor. Right, Father?

Yes...

Tomorrow, the sun will shine and the champagne flow.

Need some help?

You're lying.

You have never jumped.

2,500 feet...

It takes about ten seconds to fall down...

...without a parachute.

I'll jump.

Do you really think I want to be there to gather up your intestines?

Thank you very much.

Go now! I need to pack.

Now you must hurry up. There's a show on tonight.

We thank You for letting us come here.

It's a pity having to hurry such a lovely girl.

She'll fall in the scrub!

I only have one question:

Why do You jump, miss Andersson?

Why do You write poetry, mr. Sjöberg?

Father!

Why, Elsa!

Thank you.

A small down payment on the loan. No crashes.

It's your money.

Later. Take it! Or I'll jump without parachute next time.

A small one... for your nerves.

-For the nerves then... -To drive off all the evil spirits.

-Good night. -A small kiss...?

That too for my nerves? I don't want to!

I know you want to. Just one kiss... All women want to sooner or later.

-Good night! -Just one more...

It's from Germany.

-It's so quiet. -Right.

Your used to other circumstances now, right?

-How long will you stay? -I don't know.

What's the matter, Lars?

I'm broke.

Did you buy too many expensive presents?

-Flat broke. -Flat broke? What do you mean?

But what about the garage?

There's no profit in repairing. They all just buy new cars now.

I'm afraid to tell Father.

Father will be delighted. He wants more than anything for you to stay.

-What am I supposed to do here? -Become a farmer, of course!

And you? What will you do?

Avoid becoming a farmer.

I'm sorry.

Cheers!

To the return of the lost son.

Welcome home.

You're welcome to it!

Let's hope Elsa gets the almond.

I just said to hope you'll get the almond, so you'll be married.

Well, that's an incident that may seem intentional...

You see...

Stine and I are planning to get married.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to any of you...

...since we've been together so long. -Seventeen years.

Now you listen to me, Elsa!

I know you think I'm only after your father and the farm.

And no matter what I've done, I've never become friends with you.

You've done nothing but hate me.

Have you ever realised that other people have feelings too?

Can you get into your spoilt little head, that I'm actually fond of him?

And that he's fond of me too.

Elsa... Go out and play!

I couldn't sleep either.

What was it like when you two were together?

Mother... Mother and you.

Your mother wasn't made for this world, you see.

So fragile.

Too fine.

How could I ever touch her...?

Touch her with these?

She wasn't made to bear children.

And after you...

...there weren't supposed to be any more children, the doctor said.

So it was... It was my fault...

...that she had to die.

The guilt, Elsa...

It's eating me away... bit by bit.

Father...

The guilt...

...and the fear.

But when Stine came here...

Without Stine I don't know, what would have happened.

But now Lars is back. So you're happy again, aren't you?

When's the next time?

The 22nd.

January 22nd, in Askersund.

And then in Stockholm. A big air show.

Perhaps the king will attend. And you just have to come.

There's nothing more...

There's nothing more to be afraid of. Nothing, Father.

Yes, there is.

Everything.

I want to...

I want to...

...live.

You look pale.

You're not afraid, are you?

-Now you come with me! -But...

Miss Andersson? Hello?

I'm coming!

I was told to ask if You want to wave to the people out there.

Right...

But I'm no film star, damn it!

This film was inspired by the life of aviatrix Elsa Andersson.

Subtitles by Nisse Niding for KaraGarga.