Original subtitles

THE FALCONS

Written by

Music

Starring

Production manager

Director of photography

Directed by

The train was late.

He kicks out to the left but you'll like him.

- I am Lilik. - Somoskói.

Shall we go?

What do you think about these wires?

There was a lady here from Budapest last week from a newspaper.

She came out at night to listen to them.

It's pure music, she said.

They killed two of my birds, these wires.

The glitter deceives even their eyes,

which is quite something.

How about going that way?

Better not.

We mustn't disturb them. There's plenty of time.

You have good eyes for a city guy.

I painted it.

I like drawing them. I have more at home.

The scoundrels!

I can guess who did it.

Some youngsters.

from the neighboring farm.

They come over at night.

Bastards!

Why are people so full of hatred?

One never knows what to expect.

Is it envy?

Or something else?

What do you think?

You know when to keep quiet.

Come here!

These are my air police.

Those are officers. The best sakers.

The others are just troopers.

But they are all right, too.

Your permit? Is it okay?

Teréz!

You'll sleep there. Teréz will look after you.

Come on.

Will one blanket be enough? I can get some more...

Yes, thank you.

You'd only get one in winter, too.

Lilik sleeps naked even then. Do you?

Well, not quite.

Are you his wife?

The basin is under the bed.

Zámbó! Call the guest!

Yes, sir.

Sorry.

You'll get used to it.

We have a strict timetable.

What's your name?

Gábor Somoskói.

That's rather a mouthful.

We'll call him Boy. He has such a boyish face.

That's better.

- These are my falconers, Boy. - Pleased to meet you.

- Zámbó. - Ferge. - Bazsó. - Bartus.

Tomorrow

you'll take 4 falcons to Kunhalom.

We saw a flock of herons there.

- Weed out half of them. - Right.

- Cheers! - Cheers!

Teréz!

I haven't deserved it yet.

Never mind.

Every new guest gets some.

Later she'll forget, anyway.

- Let's go. - Thank you.

Do you know Dawlah Taymur's writings?

One should read them daily.

I do, every night.

Strange how that bald Persian knew everything.

Of course. Nature does not change.

One must start with life itself, that's the secret,

to be able to keep it in order.

Now you'll understand.

Taymur would have said:

Why disturb the herons without a reason?

Why make them look for new places?

We know this one well.

Tomorrow we'll thin them out. Take out 4 birtds.

You can't manage here without an axe.

Food must be killed, too.

Our hands get full of blood and feathers.

It's men's work.

Come on, Bug-hunter...

A strange customer, isn't she?

Strong enough to kill a quail.

But she can't be trusted.

She'd simply leave the prey

to chase beetles

like a child.

Like a civilian.

Go to bed now.

Good night.

They've had enough.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

Am I late?

Never mind. You'll learn.

Were you taking notes last night?

About Bug-hunter?

She's the favorite with our visitors.

But that's sentimentalism.

The others aren't really fierce, either.

Wild ones would never kill geese.

They simply don't need to.

Half a pound of meat a day is enough for them.

Why should they fight with a tough goose?

It's different here.

I give them twice as much.

More weight, more strength.

That's what young trainers forget.

My birds command respect.

They'd chase their own mother away.

Except that one. Bug Hunter.

We collect the legs separately.

Collect them? Why?

What do you think we're doing here?

They are our poof.

Every month we have to prove that we are profitable.

- Zámbó! - Yes, sir.

Down to work, lads!

Swing!

Ball play!

Well, how about that?

Marvelous.

Wait till you see them in action.

- Who's in charge of water? - Ferge.

The bathwater is dirty.

- Go and change it at once. - Yes, sir.

There's no need to hurry.

We're used to it.

New people always go about like that.

How?

With beards.

They forget about it by and by.

It's a strange place for a woman.

I like it here.

I couldn't live anywhere else.

I studied to be a sculptor. For 3 years.

My teacher said, my statues were alive.

- You gave it up? - Sure.

What an idiotic thing to say! What's alive about a statue?

Here at the farm it's different.

Each one is for the others.

Us, too.

Look.

Last year one of m y skunks died.

I could pick her out from a hundred.

When I stroked her, she stood up...

And where is she now?

You said it yourself.

Each one is for the others.

- The herons for the falcons. - Of course.

Then new ones replace them.

They all ask for food.

I like them all. How would I have time for statues?

Statues are just a game.

And Lilik? His drawings?

Is that a game, too?

For him certainly not.

You are so different, you men,

aren't you different?

Lilik can't resign himself to the fact that Diana is dead

so this is how he compensates.

He draws her on the wall,

tells stories about her...

Legends...

You need legends to be happy.

But why create them?

I prefer the feeding job.

By the way... lunch is here.

Hello.

He isn't very cheerful.

Of course not.

The devil just brings people here instead of taking them away.

Take no notice.

He didn't mean you.

You seem to be good friends.

- Do you know them by name? - Of course.

They all have the same name. Only the falcons have different names.

Once a stray skunk stole 9 mice.

Do you think Lilik noticed it?

But I did.

How? In so many?

It wasn't the number.

The whole lot look less somehow.

Even Lilik isn't drawing so late.

Come on.

Boy...

Hoods off!

Gently. With a light touch.

Don't pull the jess!

Hoods up!

Neatly, now!

Don't push her head.

Pull the string gently.

Ride round.

Nice.

Upper and lower arms at right angles.

That's it. Don't hold your fist too high.

Can't you see the falcon is bobbing around?

That's it!

Straighten up!

Hold your hand properly!

Palms inward! Good!

Nicely.

Sit straight on that horse!

That's it! Good!

That's it! Fine!

That's it.

Sit straight.

Upper and lower arms at right angles!

This is where I do m y notes.

Is that Diana?

She was half the size.

The outspread wings are deceiving. This is a saker.

They are fine fellows, too.

Useful, not too sensitive.

They keep to what they've been taught.

But that's their limitation, too.

A bird shouldn't obey like a machine.

It must be able to improvise

in the spirit of the command, of course.

Diana...

You get a bird like that once in a lifetime.

Tomorrow we'll have a go.

Taymur says one must regulate propagation

otherwise there'll be anarchy.

Seen any magpies round here?

Not here. Over there.

Now we know where not to look.

He's lying, for sure.

There they are! What did I say?

Cage them in!

From the right.

Victoria.

Come this way.

He put up a good fight.

How about the other two?

No trespassing

The wretches!

The shitbags!

- Did you call me? - Bring a bucket!

Quick!

Let's not leave it here. Pour it.

Let's catch it! Pour it.

Get it!

They're so soft.

So scared...

My little one. Are you scared?

Are you biting?

You shouldn't. Don't be afraid of me.

Boy! Come here!

Take it!

You'll see something quite exceptional.

It will be a sensation at the Autumn Show.

Aren't you tired?

This'll make history in falconry.

Two sakers hawking together.

They must be well accustomed to each other.

Two bodies but one will.

It takes a lot of training.

Their instinct would drive them to fight for the spoils,

but it would be anarchy.

First they have to share everything nicely.

Then they can go and hunt together.

A week ago they were bickering like mad.

Now they are just like brothers.

Go and cover up the heron.

There's no special trick to it.

It's quite simple.

Let them eat the same carcass together.

Another one of Taymur's teachings:

Don't let them see it.

Cover it.

Now throw it.

They'll kill it.

Not yet.

- Isn't it frightened? - It makes him brave.

It can't take any more.

It must!

That's enough!

It'll recover.

I'll train the two sakers on it.

You are silent.

No.

It's heavier than before.

It weighs just the same as before. Come.

Teréz!

Teréz. I want to talk to you.

Wait!

Beg for it!

Beg for it!

Now they've broken it, the rats!

And they took the board away.

I'll have to paint another one.

Tonight I'll go out there.

I'll get them!

Do you still remember Diana?

She was the best.

Difficult to break in,

but easy to handle afterwards.

Mr. Lilik used to talk to her.

They are best when they are captured wild.

But how many survive?

How many can one capture?

It's safer to train nestlings.

Sure, but I rather keep fewer.

The home-trained ones are good,

but they need constant prompting.

Even so, they don't like heavy odds. They hurry back to the glove.

You have to chase them off again.

Diana was different.

Once she didn't come home for 3 days.

Her belly was covered with cuts.

She did the whole job

on her own account.

- Good night. - Good night.

Any results?

The lads?

Only the old carter was roaming about.

The one who brings the lunch.

But I don't suspect him.

He hasn't got the guts.

Still, it was worth it.

I met Diana.

She recognized me.

Her spitting image.

A big, two-year-old female,

wings outreaching the tail, small head,

a beak like an ax.

It could only be her!

Tomorrow I'll try to recapture her.

In the morning?

I'd like to go with you.

Well...

If you want to.

But...

it won't be much fun.

She was circling here yesterday.

We'll wait.

The bandage?

Wait!

Breathe rhythmically, or you'll soon tire.

Hold the pigeon to make it flutter.

If the falcon swoops grab her leg high up

and shout for me.

Go home!

Take it easy.

Don't you like it?

I do.

But I think I bungled it.

- It was too much. - What?

He knows.

Nothing came your way, either?

Later it seemed pointless to stay.

The pigeon died in m y hand.

That's why I left.

A kestrel was hanging around me.

I scared it away.

We'll catch her one day. If not her...

...one of her young.

- Are you staying at home? - No.

I'll take the poster out.

I may have more chance with the lads.

But tomorrow no one...

Wait for me.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Zámbó!

Bring the glasses.

Reciprocal dependence.

That's the point.

Among us, too.

How and when this is done, I can't tell you.

But certainly not by force as people think.

The falcons have as much power over me as I have over them.

Scare them up!

See?

I throw the falcon when I'm sure where they're going

and how many there are.

They've flown out of our area.

That was a fine heron! It'd have been fine for training.

Who are you?

We could ask the same!

I run the research station.

Aren't you ashamed?

Like beasts, like brutes!

A club and a crowbar.

Know what this bird is worth?

What does it deserve?

A club and a crowbar!

You didn't see what it did!

It makes you sick!

It didn't kill it!

It only tortured it!

We were taught to kill these things.

Were you taught differently?

You're mixing things up. This is a predator.

In our hands it is useful.

I get it.

It was waiting for you that's why it took its time.

Yes, it was waiting for me because I trained it. I!

Hey!

It is government property.

And you beat it with a crowbar.

We didn't know, It's just like the rest.

We've seen plenty of them around.

They're all the same.

You should mark them.

Put them in uniform.

I don't see why you defend them.

I'll explain, young man.

This bird is at least as useful as you.

Herons eat up the fish.

Crows destroy the crops.

Is national interest nothing to you?

First find out why things happen

then you won't be squeamish.

Besides,

this isn't a convent school.

Get that, will you?

All right. What next?

Take our number!

Will you report them?

Why increase the tension?

They're bound to realize we do it in their interest.

This is last season's crop.

Did you overfulfil the plan?

We'll see.

It seems to be more than last year.

251 pieces, that means 126 birds.

One must have had a cork-leg.

- How many? - A hundred.

- And there? - A hundred. - Good.

- Put the rest in a small bag. - Yes, sir.

- Zámbó! - Yes?

- Go and mail them before lunch. - Yes, sir.

That's another problem.

The rigid planning.

Who knows how many herons there'll be next year?

We may not be able to fulfil the plan.

Want it? A souvenir.

Our sign has been broken twice,

then the board was stolen.

Do you k now who did it? I saw you around there.

It's quiet at night on our farm.

And the kids?

They sleep like logs.

They are so soft,

so scared...

They'd chase their own mothers away.

- Come, quick. - Where?

Save the birds!

The water is flooding them. Hurry up!

This way!

Cut the leash!

- Bug Hunter has died. - Bring her in.

- How many are indoors? - 11.

Come along. Get moving!

- Cheers! - Cheers!

Cheers!

Do you think...

it was an accident that Bug Hunter got killed?

The little fool.

She kept crying until she got a longer leash

to hunt for beetles.

She caught herself in it.

She suffocated herself.

It was twice as long as the others.

Exactly.

Taymur knew it, too.

All depends on the length of the leash.

If it's too long, that's the end.

Falcons...

can't use freedom.

They lose their trust and mutual dependence.

They think they can manage by themselves

and that is...

anarchy.

The leash means a framework, order, security.

Once they are used to it, it can't be changed.

Diljahan!

Clear away the mud!

Bring fresh sand!

God damn!

This one, too.

Spots on her throat.

How many?

Two.

Poor things.

You must bury them.

Sorry...

I'd like you to come along.

Not even falconers would be buried without this.

We must give it to them. They were loyal.

Well, you?

What are you looking for?

My razor.

I put it on the window.

Don't you want to talk to me now?

You've got bored with us.

Which train are you taking?

Are you going home?

Perhaps it's better like this.

You're a stranger here

though at first I thought...

Pity.

9 little coypus were born.

I often dream of coypus.

I did last week. Before the storm.

When you slept with Perge?

With him, too.

When Lilik doesn't want me, I sleep with the others.

It was different that night.

I put them into a basket

and ran off into a desert with the basket on m y head.

Then I got frightened.

The basket was open, someone would notice them.

And?

And then you ran to me.

- Me? - You.

And you put a big shawl over the basket.

Strange, isn't it?

I never dream of my animals, nor of the falcons.

Can you tell why?

You're lying to yourself!

Pretending you've nothing to do...

with the whole thing.

You just "feed",

just "serve"...

the animals, Lilik.

The men...

me...

No!

It's none of your business. Right?

What's Taymur to you?

You wash your hands of it And that's that.

You dream of coypus?

You're wrong.

I'm sorry I've disturbed you.

Does Lilik know you're leaving?

If you tell him.

Some meat and two pigeons.

THE END