Original subtitles

The Hungarian Central News Agency presents

Song of the Corn Field

Adapted and directed by Istv�n Szots based on a novel by Ferenc M�ra

Art advisor Music

Cinematographer

Assistant director Sound editor

Set designer Production manager

Starring

Music played by Studio

In great misery

our country calls:

Don't forget

our dear country,

Hungary,

and the poor Hungarians.

Let's pray for our brothers who are far away

so that they may come home as soon as possible

in order to sow and beget children for the benefit of the homeland.

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Mother, when will father arrive?

R�kus! R�kus!

- Who's that? - It's me.

The notary sent me.

- Who's that? - It's Gyurka Messzi, the ranger.

We found him! R�kus.

R�kus.

R�kus.

Found.

Or rather, not found but lost.

He's missing in action.

The army's announcement was this.

MIA.

Missing.

The State removed a strong man from his family

and when the State should return him it says that he has gone missing.

Like a mangy little kitten, or a chick.

Where did they send him? Why wasn't he taken care of?

Are you kidding me?

The reverend's sermon applies to you, too.

"You're like Potiphar's wife, the impertinent,

and the dishonourable daughters of Jezebel."

I needed a translator.

Someone with whom I could compose a letter to Ferenc.

Why do you hurt him? He's a good man.

He kept his farm well-maintained. He likes children, takes care of everything.

Takes good care of her, too!

I have to join the army

I have to leave my babe behind

Give me a break, damned judge, you will rue the day!

The war is over! The Hungarian freedom is here at last.

The war is over!

The prisoners can go home, our boys can come back home.

That's it. Freedom! Arise, Hungarians, now!

What will you do if Ferenc returns, Piros?

What happened to her? She was singing yesterday.

I told her she'll calm down when Ferenc returns.

That was the problem.

She was informed yesterday about Ferenc's arrival.

Piros was frightened.

She wanted to hasten the process, to get it over with as soon as possible.

War causes much trouble, no doubt.

I wish those were the only casualties who had perished on the battlefield.

The war has not ended yet.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

I'll leave him alone. He is loud enough to wake the dead.

So what will happen to the child?

I told you: we adopt him until his father arrives.

Whence?

Siberia.

Through China and America.

I don't want it.

I ate one too many mouldy breads.

Bread made from tree roots.

I don't like it any more.

Bojszi. My little Bojszi.

And this is... the little bunny!

I don't need no bunny, I need the bear!

You want the bear? All right.

A little bit more...

Greetings.

- Greetings. - Oh!

Look who's here! Ferenc!

P�terke.

Look at what daddy has brought you.

I'd like to have a good bath.

I came straight from the internment camp.

Oh my God!

Oh yes.

He's been here ever since.

Poor soul.

I've heard about that case.

How are you?

I lead an austere life. I feel piercing pain near my liver.

I caught a cold in Murman.

- I've been coughing since then. - We cough until we die.

- How did you say that? Where? - In Murman.

Our R�kus vanished there, too.

Well, not exactly there.

- Not there? Have you seen him? - Of course I have.

We escaped together, that's why.

I got away alone though.

It was me who closed his eyelids.

Did you bury him?

The ground was ice cold.

I buried him in moss and leaves.

He didn't have anything else besides this small piece of paper.

If people were not able to sigh, they would...

...choke to death.

Ferenc is quite a lucky man.

Our land is full of groundwater but his field is perfect.

Let me tell you: these lands will be united one day.

I can cook basically anything I want,

whether it's paprika potatoes, potato soup egg barley

or sour potatoes.

You deserve a woman, not only this huge pile of potatoes.

Enough is enough.

What about the child?

Listen here Etel, this will suit the son of Ferenc.

But dear Sz�le, how he would be sneering at you!

- It belongs in the hearth. - This?

He could make use of it on a stubble field, after harvest.

Not in the near future, for sure, Sz�le.

Old women are prudent.

- Good evening. - Good evening.

I came for P�terke.

I could hardly recognize you, Etel.

You resemble Russian women.

- You've got to be kidding. - I'm not.

There are these blonde, pale-skinned types.

You will visit us more often, then,

if you want to see a "Russian" woman.

I know you got used to Russian women.

I've had enough of them.

Don't disturb Etel and Ferenc! They should be there, together.

Some say it is diluted with water.

Nowadays, cowsheds are lit electrically in America.

It seems like you've grown to love America.

I loved it for a while, but I got homesick after all.

Your home country is where your family is.

Yes. But not only that.

The soil is different. So is the wheat.

And... everything.

How long have you been living with your mother-in-law like this, Etel?

Only around this time of the year. During winter.

We can share the lighting this way. We doubled up.

I'll go back when springtime comes.

I must see that once.

I have to go now.

They are having a ball. I will draw the curtains next time.

I must knead the dough today.

Good night, Etel.

Be careful: don't let the pasta reek of tobacco!

Have you seen something, Etel?

I'm only searching for the jug.

My mouth is dry.

It's awfully hot because of this furnace.

What do you think? Will they be the subject of a sermon?

Of course. I'm familiar with womankind well enough.

Wild fowl grow tame when they get hungry.

You have to proceed gingerly with Ferenc though,

because we don't know his inner self.

The lands will be united no matter what.

What are you doing?

Special bread. It attracts menfolk.

M�ty�s got one too when he was small.

You surely didn't eat anything like this in Russia.

That's true.

What kind of bread do the Russians eat?

Did you have military flour?

Do they like it with corn?

It depends on...

Ferenc, you're not a bread enthusiast, are you?

I'm not.

My poor R�kus loved it.

He was dying for bread.

I became a prisoner of war near K�niggr�tz.

They made me plough a large territory and sow millet.

To this very day I still prefer

sausage

to mush-filled millet pudding.

Wine, wheat, peace, and a pretty woman!

Here's to health and strength.

I'm not too fond of poppy seed strudels.

Since

famine was so severe in K�niggr�tz that

crescent rolls were dusted with gunpowder instead of poppy seeds.

Why did you step on my foot?

I thought you were going to say something else, brother-in-law.

When the Holy God

in Heaven

conceived the Holy Trinity...

When God

conceived the Holy Trinity... in Heaven...

Enough said, Uncle Gyuri. You should rather drink.

No. I cannot.

Drinking is allowed.

I was hired to...

What the dickens?

So that I can tell this decent iron pot that...

And to you too.

Why are you whining?

When the Holy God...

Golden lamb, golden ram, they will clash soon.

Am I right, 'in-law M�ty�s?

Don't you think so?

- The rain has stopped. I can leave now. - Don't go!

What shall I do with this old, dirty swine?

I'll show you what you ought to do.

- Get away! - Oh, you bastard.

These rambling soldiers are boozing all day

instead of searching for Serbian troops at the demarcation line.

They steal chickens at night, and molest women.

Did you hear it? What was that?

I'm sure those hungry fugitive soldiers came here to steal chicken.

They're probably in the vicinity, near Etel's farm.

Good thing she didn't take the child home.

Blimey.

Will you open it, woman?

The sergeant is so tired that he'd rather sleep. Haha!

Call Ferenc! He has a rifle. Fast!

The soldiers will burst the door upon Etel any time now.

So what? It's hard as a stone rood.

She can withstand what others can. She won't be riding the high horse at least.

Forget horses, she's your daughter-in-law!

All right, all right. I'm so afraid, though.

Go!

How could I leave the farm behind? We have horses,

the cows are in the shed, and I can't leave you here anyway.

Can we go in, or will you come out?

Don't peep at me! I don't even have my clothes on.

We like it that way. Ha ha ha.

Huh? Can't you hear me?

Their manners are inappropriate.

Whenever I visit them they're always slobbering over each other.

This is unacceptable!

I feel shame when I look at them.

Don't watch them then.

This is a disease from which

everyone will eventually recover from.

We know that well.

Night-night.

You can be honest with me. I've already heard that story.

- Which story? - R�kus' story.

You heard it, you know it already.

- Did he really have a woman? - Really.

- The barkeeper's wife? - Yes.

Is she attractive, pretty?

Like most of them. She looks Tartar.

How did poor R�kus become infatuated with her?

He didn't need encouragement.

She supported and financed her,

and how Sz�le used to say "the rules of love are not universal".

And you? Did you chat regularly?

R�kus invited me for supper once.

Did you like her?

Absolutely not!

She was a hairy-mouthed, skinny nag.

- But you noticed her. - I had to.

It looked like she was eating a wooly bear and it got stuck under her nose.

Much better.

My dear man.

Do you have a letter for me?

Are you going to town?

We hold the first Lake Conference tonight.

I'll bring some tomatoes.

Please take care of the children while we're away, Sz�le.

They'll play with their toys.

- Be kind to each other. - All right.

- Come here, the bread is ready! - I'd like to have some new bread.

We've run out of new bread. Go and play.

Don't go to the lake. You may get muddy.

New stuff in my belly, shivers down my spine.

New stuff in my belly, shivers down my spine.

Oh, silly. The saying doesn't work with old bread.

Give me some new bread!

- Not likely. - A single bite, please, M�rika!

No. Sz�le gave it to me. Ask her.

I took your bread, I took your bread!

Thief! Give me back my bread!

I took your bread!

P�terke!

I have good news, Sz�like.

We established the flood prevention company.

We can finally put an end to the lake's existence.

Who's your master, Arthur?

R�za! R�za!

Little Pete!

Oh no.

I'm not responsible.

He stole my bread.

He would have grown up to be a respectable man...

He was the weakest yet he owns the bread now.

Look, how he grips it even in death!

Take him away!

Take him away!

What a talented little boy we have, don't you think Doctor?

Take it, please. Now.

I feel dizzy again.

Look! He has a birthmark.

Looks like a piece of bread.

Bread?

I think it looks more like a strawberry.

Bread.

It forms the same shape,

as if he had gazed at that little piece of bread in P�terke's palm.

What did I bring, hmm?

A letter! Here.

Jewish paper. Authentic document from Jerusalem.

From Turkey or China.

Or something like that according to the Miss at the post office.

Dear parents,

It's R�kus.

I hope that you will be in good health

when you get my letter,

furthermore I'd like to inform you that being imprisoned is woeful.

I'm down on my luck

and the bread is very expensive.

What's the news? Where did you get that letter from?

Nothing. Just a catalogue.

You're a good man, Ferenc.

You're a self-made man.

I have to get going.

I'm glad that you have such a strong boy.

It must be a great pleasure.

- God bless you, Ferenc. - God bless you, Doctor.

Doctor, you know the law inside out, don't you?

Only what I have to.

The means to avoid confinement.

Why?

Just in case.

Let us assume that

a prisoner of war was declared legally dead,

his wife remarried,

then out of the blue the POW turns up...

What will happen next, Doctor?

He should be delighted because he not only escaped captivity,

but his wife, too.

I think in this case the first marriage is the valid one

and the second gets revoked.

Is everything all right at home, Ferenc?

I'll get a priest.

I think we're going to lose your mother. She's barely alive.

She couldn't stand cats, however, she's indifferent to them now.

God's hand should be upon the purified soul.

Don't leave, Reverend.

I'd like to make my testament.confession??

You need a notary, not a priest, Sz�le.

Don't yearn for that.

Look, Our Lord, Jesus Christ gave us two testaments,

yet people don't abide by either.

I want to make a testament

which requires a priest.

Tell me, Sz�le.

I'd like to ask for a memorial service

each year, on St. Rosalia's day

for my R�kus' salvation.

All right.

With singing!

The cantor must sing, too.

The cantor will sing.

God bless you for that.

M�ty�s will bear the cost.

The song

should contain this:

"He lies in his cold grave

- in Bi�cs-Bosznia." - What?

R�kus.

My R�kus.

My son.

But R�za, the Bosnian war ended a long time ago.

R�kus' grave is in Siberia, not Bosnia.

I heard it once when I was a young girl...

they held a memorial service in honour of a lad.

It was heartbreaking.

The cantor was singing

that "in Bi�cs-Bosnia

he lies in his cold grave."

Sing this.

For my R�kus.

Do it for me, please.

There's a burial mount in Bi�cs-Bosnia

There lies my dear mate

The poor soul's

right arm was amputated

with which he held his babe all the time.

These postmarks are indecipherable.

Of course.

Soldiers were trained to leave out their addresses

on their letters during wartime.

It won't be easy

but we can initiate an investigation via the Foreign Office.

I don't care about the cost, Doctor.

I wouldn't mind if my house was encumbered by a mortgage

for the resurrection of R�kus.

But the dead don't wake up.

The correspondent in question is an impostor, no doubt,

he wants to swindle me out of my money.

Possible.

Possible, but the crook would certainly indicate the place

where the millions should be sent.

Are you sure Ferenc that this was not written by Etel's first husband?

I'm sure as hell.

I buried him with these hands in the mossy ground.

I folded his arms across his chest.

It was cold as ice.

He couldn't have written this.

He had already been perished with cold before I tried to rouse him.

That could have been the weather.

If I were not certain,

he wouldn't appear in my dreams so often.

He wouldn't appear whenever I looked at a bread.

You're not sinful, Ferenc.

It would be great if you told Etel everything.

She'd better hear it from you first

than someone else. She would be perturbed.

But your eyes are open, Lord,

please guard me through the night.

Amen.

Cross yourselves.

My dear man!

Where did you get this?

Do you believe that the dead can be resurrected?

Listen here.

I've already told the doctor

- I haven't done anything that shouldn't be told -

It happened on the riverbank of the Murman, when we escaped.

I became very weak.

R�kus was stronger than me.

He picked me up:

he carried me on his back or in his arms.

My dear man.

We found a farmstead.

Lumberjacks lived there.

They gave us a shoddy sack,

they put two breads into the sack,

"It will be enough for four days" they said. "If we go straight ahead

(to the East) we'll reach the village."

I carried the sack.

R�kus was helpless,

thus we progressed slowly.

Four days turned into six days.

The forest seemed to be infinite.

No matter how I divided our rations,

we ran out of bread.

I was thinking about the Redeemer

and always tore larger pieces for R�kus.

On the last day, I gave him the remaining crumbs.

I chewed wild berries instead.

That night he asked for bread

'cause he was starving.

I told him I was famished too.

I hadn't eaten all day;

he should have waited patiently till the morning.

He said

he would probably die before dawn.

He insisted:

he wanted to have one fine last meal.

What shall I do then?

Why would I want to kick the bucket if I got that far?

Then suddenly

That's what I did.

"What I did".

It was you... you did it!

Me.

You...

Etel!

Etel!

I hear a voice from a great distance.

The Blessed Virgin has an important task for you,

my daughter.

She became unhinged

only God knows what happened to her.

She locked the door of the sitting room.

She didn't say a word,

she bowed down before the portrait of Mary.

There's a fraud in the neighbourhood, a sorceress.

She says that Etel conveys Mary's words and orders.

She attracts admirers, swarms of old women.

Poor soul.

She's a victim, too.

She will settle down eventually. Don't blame her.

That impostor confused her by claiming to be her first husband.

I told her everything. That was pointless.

Don't you think that she became upset not because he was found to be alive

but rather because of the way he died?

Is that what you think?

Do you think that I'm a murderer?

R�kus died because he was sick.

You had done what others would have done.

Don't worry Ferenc.

You will be pure when you stand before God.

Why does R�kus materialize in my presence

given that I'm not guilty?

I've seen thousands of dead soldiers,

I stabbed many to death with my bayonet.

Why don't I dream of them at all?

Why does he enter my mind when I see a bread?

And why can't I look at my innocent son's body

and the birthmark?

And what about P�terke's hand clutching at the last morsel

which he snatched from R�kus' daughter?

What is this, if it's not God's punishment?

Calm down, Ferenc. Calm down.

When I throw a fit,

I keep saying to myself "It's not true" to no avail.

Something inside me says "murderer".

"Murderer".

Even so, I'm not a killer.

You're hallucinating, Ferenc.

This is a recurring dream caused by the war.

We need sanity, knowledge.

Be sensible for a moment.

This is a punishment.

God's punishment.

God's punishment.

Woe betide those who are found to be wicked!

Evil diseases will arise, hideous ulcers.

They will swear at the Lamb in pain,

who has great control over the calamities.

Show your penance, people!

Show penance. Penance.

All wells throughout the fields will run dry.

The herd becomes derelict

and red flames rage through the forest.

Rivers turn red. Red as the blood of the dead.

Have mercy on us! Have pity on us!

Show us signs so that we can hear you, see you!

Give heed to the holy woman!

She can see the Blessed Virgin in the well.

Mary, Mary

we fall on our knees before you

with clasped hands

tears in our eyes.

Bitter agony

torments us.

We ask you with pain in our hearts

to consider our words.

Ferenc!

I bring good news. They've found R�kus.

He lives near Minsk in a croft.

That is not true. It is a lie.

This is his letter. He sent a photograph, too.

So...

I'm not a murderer!

Look, doctor...

Don't "look" anywhere! Come with me

and let's bring the good news to those who really need it.

Woe betide the depraved wardens and foul pedlars,

Virgin Mary has already trampled the dreadful snake's head.

The Deluge is here!

Even the archangels tremble in fear from her wrath.

A week from today Virgin Mary will give an important message.

All pious men and women, gather here at three o'clock!

Hand me what you had brought to the holy woman.

Let's get started.

Do you want to talk to the holy woman?

Yes. Buzz off!

You can talk to her... She won't obey anyone else but me, anyway.

Etel!

Etel, do you recognize me?

Etel! I've brought you good news.

R�kus is alive. He's alive! Ferenc is not a murderer.

Etel! Etel, my dear.

R�kus is alive. I'm not a killer.

Here. Take a look at this.

He's alive.

He goes home, you'll get divorced and you'll be my wife.

Can't you hear me?

Don't you know who I am? I'm Ferenc.

Etel.

Haven't I told you that she takes orders only from me?

Do you know anything about her at all?

Good water. Contains frogs. But not Mary.

Be patient. Time is the healer.

Let's get going. Others want to hear these good news too.

I can't put my finger on it.

Take a good look at him again.

It's him. Say it already, don't be shy!

R�kus?! My R�kus?

This bride though... R�kus didn't have a Russian wife.

He not only had one, but he has one. There's R�kus and his woman.

- Alive? My son? - He's alive.

He was found by lumberjacks. They brought him back to life.

He had a Tartar hostess, he went back to her.

He wanted to come home 'cause it seems like he got fed up with the wife

but the wife still clings to him

and she says that as long as R�kus doesn't pay his dues

she won't finance his travelling expenses.

According to the letter

we should sell the domain because that's his property anyway.

I will acquire that sum even at the expense of my acres.

Selling the homestead?

The fields which were united?

Aren't you worried about my grandchildren?

Take good care of the letter.

If the address gets lost, we won't find R�kus easily again.

Etel, my daughter.

Can you hear me now? Etel!

Forgive me, mother.

I don't know what has been happening with me lately.

I tend to forget everything.

I don't even know who I am

- or where I am any more. - Dear Etel...

you're in the sitting room.

See? Here's your chiffonier and mirror

your wedding bouquet is here too, under the bed, under the blanket.

Do you remember?

I do.

The only thing I don't know is...

Who was my groom?

Don't worry about that, daughter.

The earthly groom is fleeting like a forget-me-not.

Have you found out yet where we are going?

No, mother.

Into God's garden, daughter.

Do you know who's waiting for you there?

Your heavenly groom, daughter.

Let's put on your wedding wreath, daughter.

War took its toll, M�ty�s.

That's true.

We suffered the most, I guess.

It's over.

The plough turns everything under the surface of the soil.

That's right.

You know, I feel sorry for young people.

They should've lived longer. That's why God created them.

Reverend, can we ask a requiem for those who are alive?

No, that's not possible.

We can hold and offer a Holy Mass for the living

at their request according to God.

Yes. That's what I thought.

I ought to note this down in my calendar.

Reverend!

Could you show me Tatarstan on the map?

Absolutely. For sure. But why did you ask?

Well, I was thinking all night long and it struck me.

Come in. You're welcome.

Not a big country.

Does it have bountiful fields?

There? You wouldn't want to be a ranger there.

- Why not? - Because

rangers have to use ladders there.

Otherwise they would be buried in the wheat.

You don't have to worry about a nation that has such rich soil.

We will plough tomorrow.

We plough... and we sow.

Translated by OFMS.

We plough and sow.

Because the plough is stronger than the sword

and life is stronger than death.

Let the song of the wheat field praise the people who can

withstand the trials like the land.

And whatever anguish may afflict their lives,

if the land remains, they'll plough and sow.