Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

This film won the Max Ophüls Prize

at the Nantes European Film Festival

YOUNG TOERLESS

Based on the novel by Robert Musil

Write to me, darling.

I'll wait for the mail every day. I worry…

Beineberg, will you keep an eye on my son?

- You can count on me, sir. - I'm glad to hear it.

I have faith in you. You seem serious and determined.

- A cigar? - Thank you, sir.

I wish he were like you.

He lacks assurance, he's a dreamer.

I do wonder how he will turn out.

Delighted to have met you.

My mind's at rest, my son is in good company.

With you, he'll soon forget us.

Please inform me if anything at all happens to him.

Come on, Father. Nothing will happen to me.

- Alright, Beineberg? - Of course, sir.

My darling!

Tell me about the fisherman.

Well this fisherman slept with a mermaid

and the next day he was covered in a rash.

- Be careful! - Stop it!

Alright, sweetheart?

Feeling homesick, are you, "darling"?

TAVERN

Young men! Come and join us.

- What can I get you? - Wine. Four glasses.

No, eight. I'll pay a round.

- Thank you. - Cheers!

Care to play?

Or are you afraid you'll lose?

I'll bet 20.

- You lost! - Never mind.

That's life!

Another unforgettable day!

What was that, Toerless?

Well?

That it was another memorable day.

Since it has not been busy enough for you,

you will copy out Horace's sixth ode for tomorrow morning.

Hoffmeier, could you lend me some more money?

No. I've lent you enough. And I'm broke.

Reiting!

I can't pay you back tonight. Can I have until next week?

I need it.

I was relying on getting it back.

Weren't you sent some money?

Yes, but I already have to pay back Beineberg and others.

There's no reason I should come after them!

But you're my friend.

You shouldn't have gambled it away.

I wanted to double it.

This is my final word.

Pay me tomorrow or…

Or what?

I'll impose my conditions.

What are they?

You'll do whatever I want.

That's fine by me. We often want the same things.

You'll have to obey me, even if you don't like it.

Blindly obey me.

Well?

I'll pay you tomorrow.

Quiet, please!

Catch!

"Eight years for the murderess.

"Wilhelmine was a waitress in a café when she was 19.

"She met Gunther K., a deserter, who got her

"into prostitution. She worked for him.

"When questioned, she explained her actions,

"I was his slave.

"He wanted to put me back to work on the street.

"I objected. So then he said

"I had to sleep with him.

"I refused to.

"I resisted. He hit me.

"He tried to undress me.

"I had to kneel down

"and worship him like a god to calm his wrath.

"That night, I killed him."

"One of our oldest parishioners, Frantz Braunecker,

"was suddenly called to eternal life."

Bring us two more cakes,

and a glass of wine. I'll pay the bill.

How long is there to go?

Two and a half hours.

What's for dinner?

No idea. An ordinary Sunday meal.

Beineberg, what will you do as a career?

I don't know.

But not the civil service or the military.

I would like to travel first

and earn money without choosing a profession.

Maybe later I will go to India or Asia.

I have a few ideas.

I don't have any ideas, about my skills or my tastes.

I have no opinions about the world.

You're a dreamer.

Sometimes,

I'd like to run away.

But you never will.

You? Run away? That would be a turn-up!

This stupid school makes me sick!

What we learn all day,

what's the point of it?

To educate our minds, to prepare us.

Living will come later.

But prepare us for what?

What are we waiting for?

Every night, we're a day older, but what has it brought us?

Where did you get that?

I borrowed it.

Who's still lending you money?

Hoffmeier.

My dear Basini, why are you lying to me?

You can lie to the others, but not to me.

Hoffmeier asked me for money.

But Beineberg complained he had been robbed!

You stole this money from his locker last night!

How dare you imply such a thing!

That's slander, an outrageous lie!

When I paid you back, I became free.

That's why you want to humiliate me and accuse me.

It won't work!

I shall appeal to the class, to the headmaster!

My treat.

Thank you. My money was stolen last night.

Really? Do you suspect anyone?

No. But if I get my hands on him!

I… I…

I had no other choice!

I'll return it soon.

Don't tell anyone.

I just borrowed it.

I'll do whatever you ask. Don't report me.

Don't tell them.

You agree to my conditions?

Yes. I'll do whatever you want.

Good. I'll think about it.

- Shall we go to Paula's? - Yes. Why not?

Hey, gently does it!

- Pay me! - No!

Well get out of here, you bastard!

Oh, shut up!

Get lost! You should be ashamed! They drink

but refuse to pay!

Anybody there?

Good evening.

The pretty boys are here!

Be good now.

It's nice of you to drop by.

An urge to be satiated?

Is that why you think of Paula?

So what? It's normal.

Either way, it's nice of you.

What's up with you today?

Don't be shy!

Your friend is distant

but he's a true man.

His mother is very pretty.

I saw her at the station.

She must have turned a few heads in her time.

Do you still have some brandy?

You know where to look.

Thank you.

Don't look so glum!

- You always look disgusted. - What does it matter?

And I don't feel too good.

You don't like me talking about your mother?

You lot always think you are better than us.

You think your mother is different to me?

You think your mother is an angel?

She may be worse than me.

I know your families.

I worked for them.

I was 17 when I moved to town. I know how things work.

Dear Paula this, dear Paula that!

Always kind to me…

until I got pregnant. You should've heard them.

It's all they talked about, but only behind my back!

And Madam…

It was as if she thought I might give her some disease!

Then her 18-year-old cousin went and got herself pregnant.

She didn't even know the father. Worse than me.

Anyway, I left because of that.

I would rather die here than work there.

Did you leave this here?

Yes.

Thank you. It's sweet of you.

I wonder why I let you visit.

It isn't for the few pennies…

There's you…

him, and the other boy… What's his name again?

- Who? Reiting? - No, not him.

Not Basini?

That's it, Basini. He's strange.

He thinks he's Casanova.

You go well together.

With your parents, you're angels,

good little boys.

And as soon as they leave,

you come running to me.

Your parents do it.

So you're like them.

Liars and hypocrites.

How did you break your nose?

Know who you remind me of?

My brother. I broke his nose.

It's funny, a broken nose suits a man.

What's wrong with him?

He's just left his parents at the station.

How very sad!

Poor homesick child!

He seeks comfort here, naughty boy!

Don't be sad.

Kiss me.

You're acting strange.

What's a matter with you?

It beats your fumbling in the dorm.

Come here.

- I know who it is. - Who?

The thief!

Come on, tell me!

I never told you.

- An employee? - No.

At least give me a clue!

B.

Basini…

What's wrong?

Don't make a noise.

Here's your money.

And this is the knife…

Basini used.

What do you think we should do to him?

Basini is a thief.

Yes, a thief!

He must be punished.

It's the law.

We report him and have him expelled.

That'll teach him. He can't be one of us anymore!

No. That's too extreme.

It isn't that serious.

How can you say that?

You're willing to live with a thief?

Someone who demeaned himself to become your slave?

Come on, don't exaggerate!

We're not a community!

Only one thing binds us to Basini:

the pleasure we derive from his baseness.

Pleasure?

Tell me, Reiting,

why are you defending Basini?

Defending him? Is that the impression you get?

I don't know.

You're exaggerating again! What's with the idealism?

Your eagerness to keep the school clean…

It's so boring!

Or maybe there's another reason?

Are you settling an old score by getting him expelled?

If that's the case, say so.

We're ready for anything.

Don't be ridiculous!

What do you think?

I don't even care about what he took.

In India, they'd chop off his hand.

Or impale him on a branch of bamboo.

That's pleasure for you…

Show me your hands.

Which did you steal with?

This time, instead of reporting you, we're going to keep an eye on you.

You have the chance to rehabilitate yourself.

You will report all the money you spend

and receive, to us.

Your relationships will be subject to our approval.

Do you agree?

Hey! Stop it!

Now do you agree?

Yes.

Quiet, please!

Your post, boys!

Canitz.

Basini.

From my sweetheart…

Wait till you see this.

You didn't believe me!

I wanted to bring you her corset, but well…

The price tag is still on it.

You just bought it, braggart!

Good-bye, sir.

- Did you understand? - What?

Imaginary numbers.

It's perfectly simple.

The imaginary unit is the square root of minus 1.

But there isn't any such square root!

It's always of a positive number.

You only use them for calculations.

How? Since everyone knows

mathematically, it's impossible.

If they don't exist,

how can they be used to make calculations?

That's what baffles me.

Calculations used to build…

bridges, for instance!

Something real,

and yet the starting point does not exist.

Isn't that a contradiction?

You sound like the vicar!

The contradiction between the body, which is matter,

and the miracle it accomplishes:

the eternal soul.

Amen.

Ask the math teacher.

It's a tricky question, yes… Imaginary numbers…

Have a seat.

I'm delighted, my dear Toerless. Absolutely delighted!

Your questions show you have a serious, inquisitive mind.

But it's difficult to explain…

to explain clearly.

- Cigarette? - No, thank you.

How about a sweet?

You see…

We talked recently about the transcendent factors.

That is what they are called.

To be honest, I don't know what you think.

Whatever escapes pure reason and is beyond understanding

is very subjective.

It is not

my field. This is where mathematics verge on philosophy.

Opinions are divided,

and I would not like to cause controversy.

But what about the mathematical question?

For this science,

it is clear that it is a purely mathematical relationship.

But the premise is difficult

to explain at your level.

We do not have the time.

And the imaginary?

You must accept that these axioms do not really exist.

They are only the basis for mathematical calculations.

That's how it is.

At the elementary level of education which you are at,

it is hard to explain the things we have you accept.

Few students raise the question.

When one of them does, as you have, I am delighted.

As I already told you,

all we can say to him is, "Dear chap,

"you must believe."

When you know ten times more in mathematics,

then you will understand.

But until then, believe.

Everything is a question of faith. Even in mathematics.

Dreaming again?

Why are you here?

Come on, I'll show you.

Let's wait here.

How did it go with the teacher?

- How did you expect it to go? - I understand.

Understand what?

He didn't explain. He simply reassured you.

He played for time. You'll understand later.

You will open your eyes and see clearly.

- Once they have brainwashed you! - That isn't true.

Come off it! I know what they're like.

They recite like prayers formulas they have learnt by heart.

They spurt childish drivel,

and people put up with it!

- Did you see what's going on? - What?

Come to the hiding place.

Reiting is duping us.

I suspected as much.

You did, did you?

But didn't you notice anything?

What do you mean?

I always keep my eyes open.

Do you remember that business 3 years ago?

- What business? - You know!

- The business! - Ah, yes.

Vaguely.

All I know is, there was some obscene behavior.

The janitor caught them.

It caused a scandal and 3 pupils were expelled.

Yes,

that business.

Reiting and Basini are doing the same thing.

Do you think…

Reiting is in love with him?

Definitely not.

Reiting isn't that stupid.

But he probably enjoys it.

I'd never have suspected him.

I intend to teach them a lesson.

What do you plan to do?

Remind them that pupils have been expelled for it.

That should make them think.

- Will you report them? - Of course not.

I don't care about Basini.

With Reiting, it's different.

With what I know, I have the upper hand on him.

I think he'd like to be able to get his own back.

Now do you see the power this secret gives me?

Alright…

But…

Just one word about it, and he's doomed.

We have to do something.

Do you still want to report Basini?

I reckon we ought to punish him ourselves.

The school would just expel him

by writing a pompous letter to his uncle.

"Dear sir, your nephew has strayed.

"Bad influence… We hope he will redeem himself."

Et cetera…

It's of no interest to them.

How could it be in our interest?

For you, maybe it wouldn't be.

You're going to be

a councilor.

But it will teach me a great deal.

This case will be an experiment.

How do you want to punish him?

I'm not interested in punishing him.

I had something else in mind.

I was thinking…

I was thinking… of torturing him.

No need to be scared.

I was thinking of subjecting him to a forced asceticism.

To raise our souls, we must abolish what enslaves us.

For instance… feelings of pity.

Initially, I'll be reluctant to torture Basini.

But by forcing myself I will be winning a victory over myself.

I will sacrifice myself, and it will purify me.

In his case, pity makes no sense!

It would be degrading.

I shall destroy this feeling within me.

What do you think of Basini?

What can I say?

He cannot be excused.

That's exactly what I think.

And neither can your attitude.

Don't be so soft. Why excuse him if he's inexcusable?

He went looking for trouble…

We have to see him.

- Where? - In the attic. It's safer.

Right. Shall we walk some more?

Yes. I'm sure you have lessons to learn.

Reiting!

There you are!

Stay where you are.

We have decided to judge you once and for all.

Here are the facts.

You are guilty of burglary.

You forced a locker.

You ignored our orders and schemed against us.

You didn't respect our deal.

You have neglected me by agreeing to serve Reiting.

What do you have to say?

But… I… Please!

Take your hand away!

You idiot.

Are you not ashamed?

Answer!

Do you hear?

Answer!

Are you crying?

Are you sad?

Smile then! Go on.

You want to look sad?

I'll give you a reason to cry!

Let go of me!

Let go of me!

- Thief! - You're hurting me!

Scum!

- Get off me! - Filth!

Put the light down.

It can be seen outside.

- Stop it! - Not yet.

That's enough!

Ow! You're hurting me!

What's wrong?

Is it not like an eye?

You sound like a poet!

Don't you agree it's an eye on another world?

Course not!

On your knees!

Did you think you were off the hook?

Did you think I'd respect you?

Well, you were wrong.

Please! I had no choice but to…

Shut up!

Your excuses are tiring!

We know what is going on and will act accordingly.

Repeat after me…

"I am disgusting."

Didn't you hear? Say you're disgusting!

I'm disgusting.

That's an excellent idea.

Now you're going to say, "I'm an animal."

"I'm a thieving animal."

"Your thieving animal."

"I am a thieving animal, your thieving animal."

- Leave the poor thing alone! - He's right!

Give it to me.

You're horrible!

I am sick, insane

because I am surprised by things

which seem perfectly ordinary to other people…

- Watch out! - Look where you're going!

You're still here. Aren't you leaving?

For such a short time, it isn't worth it.

I'm going to Sternberg's.

He's invited me to stay at his uncle's.

To look good.

What's this? A novel? Your secrets?

You can read it, you won't understand a thing.

He mentions us. Listen.

"If you reason, Basini's thieving is simply a faux pas.

"And his punishment is torture between pupils.

"It's a fight between reason and instinct.

"Reasoning is not enough.

"Deep chasms suddenly open up."

Goodness!

Nonsense!

Write what you like but don't mention our names!

Come on, the car's waiting!

Don't get too bored.

Go see Paula and say hello from me.

- You haven't left, Toerless? - No, sir.

What?

It's me, Toerless. Come to the hiding place.

What are you doing?

I want nothing from you.

Get dressed and sit down.

Why did you get undressed?

- I thought… - What?

The others…

What others?

Beineberg and Reiting.

And what did Beineberg and Reiting do?

Tell me everything.

Even if I already know.

Well then?

Please, don't ask me that.

Is this a special form of torture?

I'm not torturing you.

I want you to tell the truth, for your own good.

I've nothing to confess! I undress if they ask.

You're a coward, a pathetic coward!

Don't say that.

You agree to everything. You are a coward!

They say if I obey, I will be forgiven.

By them?

By everyone.

They promised you that? I have a say too.

They say they'll take care of it.

What did they tell you about me?

Nothing really. You're not their concern.

What does he do to you?

- Who? - Reiting.

He's nice to me.

I read to him about the Roman emperors,

Ivan the Terrible or other bloody episodes.

And after, he beats me.

After what?

Well…

And Beineberg?

He's horrible. And his breath stinks, doesn't it?

Shut up!

Carry on. What does Beineberg do?

The same thing, but in a different way.

He makes big speeches about my soul.

He makes me stare at a prism

to try to purify my soul.

Then I have to lie on the ground and bark.

And you do it?

I don't have a choice.

You always do it?

You obey everything?

It's to restore my honor and tranquility.

Don't you think it will scar you?

I don't see any other way.

How could you have stolen?

How did it feel?

I desperately needed the money.

I had to pay back Reiting.

- No one would lend me any! - I'm not talking about that.

What did you feel when you actually did it?

At that very moment…

Nothing at all.

I didn't feel anything,

I didn't think,

it just happened.

And the first time with Reiting?

When you accepted the humiliation…

Did you not feel in your being a fracture, a jolt,

as if something unspeakable had occurred?

I don't understand you.

When you're spat on or made to lick the floor,

what happens inside you?

Does your self-image shatter?

Does it shatter?

I don't understand. There's nothing to explain!

It's over in an instant. It can't be any other way.

You'd do the same in my shoes.

They gave me some wonderful cigars!

Hello, gentlemen. How are you?

- Hi, Ulrich! - Hello.

You should see Sternberg's pretty cousin!

Stunning! A real angel…

Hello, Toerless! Have a good time at Paula's?

- I didn't go. - Wouldn't she let you in?

I bet I can swallow this worm.

You're on!

Basini is so insolent.

He is as casual as a servant.

Basini has got used to obeying us.

It no longer affects him. We need to go much further.

We need to subject him for good.

It's time to change methods. Don't you agree?

I don't know what you intend to do.

We must humiliate him more.

I want to see how far we can go.

I don't yet know how to go about it.

But I have a few ideas.

We could get him on his knees then whip him

and make him sing psalms.

His singing would be interesting.

Each note would be mixed with a cry of pain…

But before that, I've something else in mind for him.

Get lost if you're too dumb for an intelligent conversation.

Remember the discussion on imaginary numbers?

Something was needed to overcome the insufficiency of the intellect.

Where logic fails, the soul upholds us.

So I've had an idea.

I want to prise this soul out of Basini

by hypnotizing him.

Your despicable attitude means you have lost touch with your soul.

If you do exactly as I say,

you won't suffer and you'll be cured,

and you'll get your dignity back.

But at the slightest error,

I'll shoot you.

Take this key.

Keep your hand still.

Look at the key.

It is going to start making a circle.

Try to stop it turning.

Focus on the key.

It is spinning.

You try to stop it.

But in vain.

The key is spinning.

You can't do anything about it.

It's spinning.

Faster and faster because I say so.

Do you understand the hold I have over you?

Sit down.

Be very attentive.

Stare at this flame and concentrate on it.

Stare at it without blinking.

Empty your mind.

Keep your eyes as wide open as possible.

Stop your mind wandering.

Focus your attention on your inner self.

Your arms feel heavy.

Your legs feel heavy.

Your entire body feels heavy.

Your eyelids feel heavier and heavier.

As heavy as lead.

Your vision is blurred.

Your eyes fill with tears.

Your mind is slowing down.

It is slower and slower.

Look inside yourself

and find the point

where all you can feel is you.

Your body is a machine with no soul.

Your silence proves me right.

Your body no longer feels pain.

See? He's in a trance.

He feels nothing.

His soul has departed.

He is but a shadow of his former self.

He has been freed from the laws of nature.

Follow the candle.

Slowly.

Carry on.

His mind will stop, his muscles will give way,

and his empty body will float in the air.

Lean.

More.

More.

Bloody hell!

Bastard, you were pretending!

Wait!

I'm going to teach you!

Let go of me! Let go!

- I'll report you! - Hold him down!

Help! I'll admit everything!

Toerless!

Help me! Don't go!

Toerless!

You must help me. I can't take anymore.

They'll wind up killing me.

I can't help you.

But you treated me so well.

Shut up. It wasn't me. You deserve your fate.

I can't stand it anymore.

You feel you're suffering

and you want it to stop. Is that it?

Do what you like.

Wait! Look what they did to me.

What's all this?

A secret rendezvous with Basini?

He wants me to protect him.

He chose well!

I could do it,

but this business bores me.

You're going to get it!

Toerless is in for a treat.

I won't do it.

Changed your mind?

Yes, I have. I looked for something in all this.

The other view?

All I can see is savagery.

Come see Basini eat shit. It'll amuse you.

- I'm not interested. - But before…

- Basini was an enigma. - And now?

There's no mystery.

Anything can happen, all is possible.

There isn't a dirty world and a clean world.

Everything happens in the same world.

That's what I found out.

- Must have been hard! - Don't you laugh.

- You're despicable brutes. - Take that back!

Despicable brutes!

- Don't insult us in front of Basini! - Save your breath.

You think I'm going to fight for Basini?

I hear you insulted us.

And in front of Basini too!

We'll turn a blind eye if you come to the hiding place.

We'll let the class loose on Basini.

Do what you want.

But you'll be there.

- No. - Why?

We know why.

We know how far you went with Basini.

No further than you.

Whatever the case is, if you don't come,

we'll say you're his accomplice.

Got that?

The class is going to get you.

Give yourself up to the head before they kill you.

- A letter for you. - A nice surprise!

To Master Anselm von Basini,

Prince Eugene School.

Sender: Mrs. Agatha von Basini.

Your darling mummy!

Read it to us.

"My darling boy…"

Poor little boy!

"With my meager widow's pension…"

I can't afford lovers!

"I cannot give you much."

Give it to me!

Let me through!

Let me through!

Get out of the way!

- You're defending him? - Let me through!

- Let me in! - Made love with him too?

Want to defend your boyfriend?

Stop it! Let me through!

Stop it!

I've had enough!

- Let's hang him. - From the rings!

What's going on?

Open this door!

Lower him!

Lower!

Open this door!

Good Lord, Basini! This is utterly diabolical.

It's absolutely unbelievable!

Hurry up.

It's very simple.

We'll say it's out of pity, we didn't report Basini.

That he scorned our support.

We'll all agree.

That he proved to be incorrigible and obstinate.

That he incurred debts…

That he couldn't honor.

That he abused our kindness.

And that he rejected our friendly advice.

Quick!

We admit we behaved badly.

But Basini's despicable attitude constantly provoked us.

He scorned our friendly advice.

It's out of pity that we didn't report him.

Right.

How do you explain

your classmate Toerless suddenly running away?

He seemed rather edgy these past few days.

He is moral, and must have felt guilty.

He acted against his conscience

and I think that prompted him to run away.

He is a very honest person.

- What are you going to do now? - Go back to school.

Won't you be punished for running away?

I don't care.

It is all over now.

I'll ask my parents to take me out of school.

- How much is it? - Three cents.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Come here.

Have you had a nice walk?

I've never sat on a disciplinary committee before.

My dear Toerless,

why did you suddenly run away?

It's alright. We know why.

Why did you keep quiet about Basini's offense?

I don't know, sir.

When I heard about it, I thought it was terrible.

I thought he should be reported to the authorities…

You should have!

I didn't care about the punishment.

I had another view of all that.

It was as if there was a divide…

Try to be more clear, Toerless.

Take imaginary numbers…

I should point out, to clarify his obscure remarks,

that Toerless asked me to explain

certain basic mathematical notions,

including imaginary numbers…

Difficult notions for an as yet unrefined mind.

Yes, reasoning alone is enough to understand simple things,

but not imaginary numbers. That is what I felt with Basini.

So you rejected science

for religion?

Is that right, Toerless?

Did father understand how you felt?

Do you seek behind reality

a religious backdrop?

No, it isn't that either.

Express yourself clearly, for God's sake!

We are not here

to philosophize!

I'll try to avoid abstract notions.

I'm too ignorant to express myself clearly,

but I shall try.

Basini was like any other pupil.

A perfectly normal individual.

He suddenly, he became a thief.

I had never witnessed abasement and humiliation.

But I can talk about it now.

It transformed Basini.

I had to admit that it exists, that man is not born good or evil,

but changes constantly.

He is fashioned by his acts.

Good and evil coexist,

and we can be victims or torturers,

then anything is possible.

The worst atrocities are possible.

There is not a wall between good and evil.

The two merge.

A normal man can do horrible things.

The only question is, how is this possible?

I kept quiet in order to observe.

I wanted to know how it was possible,

and what happens when you accept humiliation

or you demonstrate cruelty.

I thought naïvely the world would end.

Today, I know it will not.

That which seems appalling, inconceivable,

happens simply, quietly, naturally.

And you should stay away.

That is what I have learnt.

This young man is in such a state of excitement

that it is not desirable he stay here any longer.

We cannot provide the spiritual guidance he needs.

I shall inform his father.

What an odd young man!

You think?

What is it, Thomas?

Nothing, Mother.

I was thinking about something.

Subtitling — Eclair Group