Original subtitles

THE NEW ERA

THE COURT OF HONOUR

So, tell me.

When did you and Dörte start your affair?

You think we had an affair?

It was put on trial at least.

That is true but it doesn't mean that we had an affair.

You know, I could explain to you Itten’s color circle

or the early days of product design.

Or I could talk about Wassily Kandinsky who followed

my call and came to the Bauhaus, became a teacher.

Red to the square...

You know that Wassily claimed to have painted

the first abstract painting already in 1910?

But I say he cheated, it was later.

What?

I'm saving my tape until you finish that art history crap.

The affair.

You're a hypocrite.

Claim to be an intellectual but nothing is more

exciting to you than a secret love affair.

Love is the greatest adventure of life, not art.

Is that so, Stine?

Paul Klee's paintings, Breuer's chairs,

Le Corbusier's social housing projects are much more interesting to me than

the paperback love stories that fill most people's lives.

But your love story certainly is an adventure.

A dangerous one.

If it's not dangerous, it's not love.

That's true

If you want to talk about art history, fine.

Tell me, why is Jackson Pollock more famous than Joan Mitchell?

And don't tell me he's better because that's not true.

And what about Charles Eames? Why is he more famous than his wife Ray?

They do all the work together but he gets all the credit.

Ah. You mix up everything.

No, I don't. This is exactly what we are talking about.

Why does no one remember Dörte Helm?

Well, I…I…I knew Dörte well enough

to know that under Schlemmer's influence

she would finally

find a way to express herself.

I'll be with you in a second.

I'm off now.

If you find any more of my stuff, I'm staying with Anni.

Okay.

What's this?

My design for Schlemmer.

I've looked very carefully at all your designs.

They're all brilliant.

Honestly, all of them.

It wasn't easy to pick a winner.

But in the end...

I went for yours, Dörte.

Thanks.

Congratulations. Your design turned out really well. - Thank you!

You really deserve it.

Cheers.

All these parts need to be filled.

And then plaster over the top. You got that?

Little Hans, all alone

Went into the big wide world

Staff and hat suit him well

He is full of joy

But his mother cries so much

For her little Hans is gone

Now you can start filling in.

But be careful, only move the spatula in one direction.

Always in the same direction.

There will of course be holes. Get it? Holes!

They're so deep, you can't fill them in.

You get what I mean? - Sure.

Where did you get this card?

I'm not naming names. It's irrelevant.

For months, Doesburg has been teaching a whole group of students.

Their mutiny even has a name, they call themselves KURI,

"Constructive, Utilitarian, Rational, International."

Theo van Doesburg wants your head, Walter.

Don't overdramatise.

Van Doesburg fills the vacuum of the architecture course caused by you.

That's why the students come to him.

He incites them against fine art and the crafts.

Doesburg favours industry, an inhumane purism.

He's the opposite of all we stand for. - All YOU stand for.

But I'm grateful you told me.

If you don't stop him, we'll lose our school.

"Our school"?

So we're in the same boat again all of a sudden? Very interesting.

What are you going to do about it?

So what did you do about it?

They say: "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."

The war made the old world...

I invited van Doesburg as a guest. And his

lectures immediately became less mysterious.

A new shaping of the world has now begun.

We advocate the international unity of life, art and culture.

The new art is universal.

Universal?

True art has always been individual. - Yes it has been.

I'm very sorry to have to break this to you, Master Itten.

The individual is not the future.

You claim all this as if you had a crystal ball to look into the future.

You are the expert on crystal balls and hocus-pocus, not me.

You believe

we all crawled out of the uterus of the goddess Anahita,

somewhere up in the Himalayas.

You even believe artists improve by munching garlic!

But in America, Henry Ford is building a car on a conveyor belt.

And he's not sitting cross-legged with a finger up his bum!

Marcel, break time? - Soon.

Morning. - Good morning, Director.

As you can see, we gave the space an objectivity it didn't have before.

Yes... yes, yes.

You know each other?

Yes.

Mr Breuer.

You've heard Mr Doesburg speak?

Yes. At school.

Of course at school, where else?

It's not like new ideas are secretly being shared in hidden backrooms, is it?

I...

I should carry on.

This space has a wonderful clarity.

And it's still festive.

I must admit I'm impressed, Director Gropius.

It's just that...

I don't know how to put this...

Anything wrong with the ceiling?

It's just very busy. Very, very busy.

I think it picks up the basic shapes of the space very nicely.

But, my dear Schlemmer, you're a theatre man, too.

Is it true?

Is what true?

That we have to paint over the ceiling.

What makes you think that?

Is it true?

Van Doesburg, Schlemmer and I were merely discussing

whether the space needs more calmness.

Do you know how much work this was?

That's not a reason to prevent the best design for the space.

It's possible your ceiling will distract audiences.

It's a theatre, Miss Helm.

The most amazing Rococo ceilings didn't distract from Mozart's operas.

Once people are seated, the lights go off and the ceiling is dark.

You're just scared of van Doesburg stealing your students. You're such a...

Careful now.

If you're going to insult me,

I'll withdraw your privilege to burst in here at any time to have a moan.

Don't treat me like a child. - Don't treat me like a conformist.

Then prove you're not.

You always have to have the last word.

You'll have the last word anyway, telling me I must paint over the ceiling.

You must really think I'm despicable.

You think I degraded the women out of fear of the citizens committee

and I'm cosying up to van Doesburg to cling onto my chair.

You're really thinking I'm a lowly cretin.

Am I right?

Come on now.

Just look me in the eye.

Do you trust me?

Or are you afraid of me?

And then?

What happened next?

We talked.

About van Doesburg and constructivism.

What?

You talked about constructivism?

Yeah.

I don't believe you.

You're really thinking I'm a lowly cretin.

Am I right?

Come on now.

Just look me in the eye.

Do you trust me?

Or are you afraid of me?

I hate you.

Yes, I hate you too.

Gropius isn't stupid.

He won't let on while there's so many people around.

Although we never had any intimate relationship, they accused us.

He has an affair with a student?

It's merely a rumour.

A rumour is more than sufficient for us.

A rumour can be verified.

We all know Director Gropius is very fond of his students.

Yes.

In one case, however, it has turned into an affair of the heart.

I'm not sure I follow.

Milk? - No.

He's allegedly abusing his position.

Fornication...

with a student under his protection, Minister.

You mean...

You're saying...

Are the rumours true?

Of course not, I'd never touch a student.

I'm sorry, Walter, it's...

It's just because of this story with the prostitute.

What prostitute?

Alma wanted a divorce and back then you needed to

have a reason, so we staged a little „soap opera".

Walter? Walter... Walter!

Open the door, right now.

I know you're in there.

I know he's in there.

Oh, you caught me.

You bastard! With a prostitute?

Yes, with a prostitute.

You're not the first he's bought. - He didn't touch me.

I sullied my wife's honour, it's all my fault.

You debased, low-life crook. - Yes.

Waving his virility around like a randy dog

mounting everything in sight to spread his ejaculate.

Enough. You witnessed it? - Yes.

She couldn't stop. She couldn't stop.

She went on and on.

Of course, I got a little reputation afterwards.

The monk.

Of course, exactly. The monk.

I mean, for heaven's sake,

I'm not judging you because of a whore.

You're in Weimar on your own, your wife's in Vienna...

Any man will understand.

A girl for just one night...

Of course I'd never think you and a student would...

Fine.

What do you suggest?

These rumours can't persist.

We must have an investigation.

A court of honour.

And, ideally, I'd state it was you who insisted on it.

Fine. Go ahead.

However, if it was to emerge that...

you did have an affair with Miss Helm, then...

you'd have to leave.

I know. Who's to lead this investigation?

I was thinking Mr Itten.

Isn't a judge meant to be impartial?

There's no impartiality at a court of honour.

There are only friends and enemies.

And you can't be exonerated by a friend.

So, what do you say, Master Itten?

I'll conduct the court of honour as is proper.

With the utmost impartiality.

This isn't right.

Listen, the green is too opaque,

it obscures the shapes beneath. - What?

It's the wrong kind of paint.

The green is perfect.

But it covers what's beneath.

Nonsense, the green is fine.

Carry on.

And you... you better be careful.

I didn't spend days on this scaffolding to have this peasant ruin my colours.

It's too opaque.

Miss Helm?

Hello. - Hi.

Can I have a word?

Sure.

Are we going outside? - No, let's go over here...

and let's have a good look at it.

Please.

Don't.

Is this about van Doesburg again?

No, I've already solved that problem.

And how?

I'm appointing the brilliant László Moholy-Nagy as a Master.

He's also a constructivist from Hungary.

Clever, a compatriot of the rebellious Hungarians.

But what about my ceiling?

It's beautiful.

But I'm here to talk about something else.

Please sit differently and keep looking up there.

Make them think we're working.

But we are.

Listen.

There are rumours we're lovers.

Please look at the ceiling.

Rumours? Who are they coming from?

I don't know.

But they'll be investigated in a court of honour.

And what are we going to say?

Cut to the chase, Walter.

What did you do to the poor girl?

What do you want from me, Stine? Mmh?

To prove that all men are just like Carl?

Come on.

What did the daughter tell you?

Nothing really, don't be mad.

She she only knew there was an accusation, nothing more.

I'll get you the files, so you'll see yourself.

You still have those files?

Yeah, it will only take a few minutes.

Can I use your phone?

Help yourself, it's on the sideboard.

(Dänisch) Hej det er mig.

Jeg nåede ikke flyven i aften.

Heg er nødt til at (blive her.)...

Lad det nu være, Carl.

You know what, Stine?

Why don't we make a cut here. It's late.

You read the file and you come back tomorrow morning for breakfast.

What do you think?

Alright then.

Thank you.

Did anyone see you?

I don't think so.

We need to talk.

Yes, I know.

Would you like a drink?

I don't mind. It's up to you.

Do you want one?

I don't drink very often.

It's not really good for me.

Here.

But I find it quite helpful right now.

If I'm shown to be dishonourable, I'll lose my school.

Don't worry, I won't tell anyone we...

No...

No.

No, of course not.

I should have expected that.

I owe you an apology for what happened in my office.

Please forgive me.

I shouldn't have kissed you. Just forget it.

No... No, you can't ask me to do that.

I'll deny the kiss in the court of honour.

But I want to remember it whenever I want to.

But why?

You're asking why?

You just said no-one must find out about us.

Yes, because you fear for your school.

Because you're drinking, your palms are sweaty and you look nervous.

So this is a misunderstanding?

I actually asked you to come because I...

This is just a placeholder.

I can't go to a jeweller's and ask for an engagement ring right now.

I'm asking you if you'd consider becoming my wife.

You don't have to decide right now.

Please take your time.

Morning, Franz. - Good morning.

Come in.

She stayed till the morning.

She spent the whole night with Gropius.

It's just a wire ring for now.

I don't want another.

We need to go to Rostock to see your parents.

What?

Why's that?

We can't afford to make any mistakes.

Nothing must get in the way of our future.

We must play by the rules.

Which means I have to ask your father for your hand in marriage.

Yes...

Yes, of course.

We can't travel together, but...

will you arrange it?

Yes.

Hello. I'm László Moholy-Nagy.

I'm honoured to be here, because...

because I admire what's happening in this place.

I want to teach here because I believe to can to learn a lot.

For example to learn to speak German.

You're laughing, but I'm serious.

Such wonderful work is being done here,

like the colour-light plays of Mr Hirschfeld-Mack.

Please come up.

Look at this brilliant combination of colour, light and music,

of experimental film, or animated film,

of abstract painting, light art and who knows what else.

But see for yourself.

I want to teach here in order to learn.

A court of honour because of you and Gropius...

Is there anything to it?

The rumour mill is running wild? - Oh yes.

What's the verdict so far?

I'd say about fifty-fifty.

But you're not the only rumour.

Josef wants to marry Anni.

Seriously?

Yes, but I don't think she will. - Why not?

She'll have kids and deal with them while he does art.

But Anni wants to be creative herself,

not just a timid mouse by his side.

This must be Dörte.

Come.

Good evening, Miss Helm. - Good evening.

You're being expected.

Dorothea.

Come. - Mum.

We have some unexpected news.

My child, Mr Gropius has just asked for your hand in marriage.

I'm assuming you knew about this.

If you want this marriage too, I'm happy to give my consent.

It means a lot to your father that he's done it the traditional way.

Rudolf is very impressed by Mr Gropius, entirely unexpectedly.

Do you think my dress will fit you?

You used to love it as a child.

I'm just tired, Mum.

Yes, of course.

You can have it altered the way you like it.

I'm so happy.

So, so, so, so happy.

Goodnight. - Night.

I'll sleep on the train.

Your father kept me awake by discussing Aristotle till the early hours.

I know his views.

I'll see you in court.

Why did your marriage to Alma break up?

Arguments... arguments, arguments, the hassle was never-ending.

But why?

She just wouldn't be subordinate.

What if I won't either?

Then don't.

We'll open proceedings by questioning Master Josef Zachmann.

What do you know about the relationship between Director Gropius and Dörte Helm?

People say they're a couple.

I think it's true. She gets away with things others wouldn't dare.

Gropius is protecting her.

Gropius has protected me, and I certainly don't have an affair with him.

Miss Helm comes and goes as she pleases. And the way she talks to him...

She speaks her mind.

But she does that to everyone and everywhere.

I'd know about an affair.

You published this article by Dörte Helm in the students' magazine.

You never wondered what the "Arguing Couple" meant?

No.

Not really.

She picked some fluff off his coat.

Pardon?

Some fluff.

Do you get me?

She went up close to him,

this close,

and just like this...

picked off some fluff.

Do you get me?

You don't touch someone like this unless you know them intimately.

Some fluff?

Yes, some fluff.

We don't touch our students like this.

Did you get my letter?

What letter?

If you can come in now...

One moment.

Miss Helm.

Yes, I'm coming.

You know the accusations against Mr Gropius.

He's alleged to have abused his power over you.

How do you respond to this?

You're investigating the abuse of power, Master Itten?

You, of all people?

If anyone exploited their position at this school

and abused their power,

it was you.

You frightened us students during the preliminary course.

Many succumbed to physical rituals that made them sick,

because they wanted to belong to your cult.

And you agree to be instrumentalised for this bourgeois convention?

A witch hunt of your fiercest opponents

with the grotesque name "court of honour"?

A court applying an unwritten code from the previous century

to people who want to be seen as visionaries?

Do record this, Franz.

No, just write this.

Walter Gropius and I do not have an affair,

he's entirely blameless.

I've never bowed to force at this school and never will.

Record the statement.

But it's a lie... - Write it, Franz.

You may leave, Miss Helm.

Goodbye.

My investigations have revealed nothing dishonourable, Walter.

You'll receive a copy of my report.

This concludes the proceedings.

God damn it!

Oh dear, Director.

No, wait...

Leave it, it's too late. Please, have a seat.

Have a seat.

You wanted to see me?

Yes.

It's about my brother.

He's been laid off.

Yes, as recommended by Itten, he and Zachmann.

I've come to speak in my brother's favour.

He's a country bumpkin,

but he's not a bad person.

I know it must be tough, but it can't be helped.

He's never worked anywhere without me.

You won't reconsider?

Your brother just doesn't fit in here.

I don't think he'd be happy at the Bauhaus.

Carl doesn't have much potential for happiness, it's not what he aspires to.

And of course it wasn't right to incriminate you with this made-up affair.

Oh, and one more thing.

Please cover the theatre ceiling with a monochrome layer of paint.

I'll just need a minute. - No, Miss Helm, the Director said...

We've been through this. I'll go in.

We have clear instructions...

Miss Helm?

Come in.

I'm sorry to interrupt, Master Itten.

You can't do this. Schlemmer is...

Please, have a seat.

Master Itten was about to say something that also concerns you.

I don't believe you.

I think you two renounced your love.

Are we starting all over again? - No.

I just wanted you to know that I know.

And I wanted to say goodbye.

What?

Master Itten has stepped down from his post. He'll leave us.

I'm going back to Switzerland, to Herrliberg.

Goodbye, Dörte.

Thank you for everything, Johannes.

There's nothing as rare as the meaningful encounter with another person.

I found your letter in the meantime.

The content wasn't new to me anymore.

I know I've hurt you,

and I'm sorry...

But you can't do this.

Punish me, hate me, but not this.

Yes,

some decisions are painful.