Original subtitles

Dear Bertie, I'm writing to you now, even though you'll be home next week.

I've been thinking of you ever since a girl your age was brought into the

hospital.

She was suffering drug hallucinations.

No. Oh, no. Good evening, Siv. No, Leo. Do you think you live here? Yes,

tonight.

I'm taking time off from the wife and the family.

Play no jokes. I'm not in the mood.

No, but you will be.

Come on.

Do me a favor.

Go.

Not a chance.

What have I got to say? This evening I don't want to see anybody.

Siv, be still. It won't do any good to raise a fuss.

I keep thinking of that drug patient today.

17-year-old girl.

The last patient I had was only 13.

A totally hopeless addict.

Naturally, you feel something.

But when you permit those feelings to grow, you get so upset, you'll have to

blow your brains out or be sent to a sanatorium.

Then it shouldn't matter to us?

Nope. Nothing should matter but this.

No.

None for me, Leo.

You love whiskey and all I know it. Only one drink.

Here you are.

Ah, for you.

Come on.

Like me. I wish

you'd do as the doctor orders you. That medicine would make you much better.

You're hopeless.

Why do we go on like this?

Because you love me. You don't really imagine that it's anything like that.

Well, you feel something for me. An attraction.

I feel exactly the same.

Not a bad feeling.

And for the time being, well, it's enough.

Exactly. School.

Don't hang back keep right up with me.

Come on. Okay Hi,

it's cold No, no you

got to do better than that

What? I brought you a present.

You did?

Where's my bag?

There.

Here.

Take a look.

How do you like it, eh?

What have you got there?

A mechanical massager. The answer to every woman's prayer.

It's the expensive model.

Battery operated with three speeds.

Ah, you can laugh.

But do you know how many are sold in this country today? No.

No, over 400,000.

I don't believe it. Yeah, that's right.

And I'm beginning to worry.

You won't need any of us in the future.

Pay attention.

You know what this is called?

Uh-uh.

Busybody. It's got a lot of uses.

It's also supposed to mix cocktails.

The ad says so.

It's advertised.

Siv, Siv, you're not keeping up with events.

Now, look here.

You read this paper every day, I bet.

In front, news stories.

And inside, we find pictures, market closing, cultural stuff, books, theater.

Films. A few articles.

And ads for buying things on time.

Followed by some sports.

And here at last, but not least.

See? An entire page on sex.

From pornography down to books, magazines, pictures.

Sex clubs.

Group sex.

Massage clinics.

Everything the heart can desire.

Well. Maybe not the heart, exactly.

I never noticed.

Believe it.

We live in a very broad-minded little country.

No censorship.

None at all.

Even if we're not the big power in the world, we've taken the lead in the sex

revolution. I believe in progress.

I'm glad.

Wait a minute.

I have another present for you.

Better we sound?

We are better because we are in stereophonic sound.

What's going on?

Don't just stand there like that. Hurry, get dressed.

What are you doing here? Why didn't you phone me to let me know you decided to

come early?

I could have...

If

only you'd phoned.

I would have gone to meet you and... Instead you just... How could I have

known?

Well, if only you'd called.

Birte, it's all right.

I can explain it to you.

So explain it then. You mustn't feel like this. There's nothing wrong about

it, dear.

And the man?

A friend.

You love him, mother?

No.

Are you going to marry him?

God forbid marriage.

I guess I'll be going.

Good night.

Good night.

Mother, you might introduce us.

Pardon me, of course.

This is Dr. Leo Smith, and she is my daughter, Bertha.

Just arrived from Switzerland.

Your daughter?

Uh-huh.

Say hello to Dr. Smith. We both work at the laboratory.

Well, this is a pleasure.

You didn't tell me you had a daughter.

Do you have one, too?

I even know her name. It's Greta, I think.

We have the same instructor.

Then you know her.

Oh, yeah. I've talked with her.

She's a pretty girl and very nice.

I must be running along.

Goodbye again.

Doctor, tell me. You love Greta's mother, I suppose.

How dare you?

Yes, I love her very much, Bertha.

In fact, we have two other daughters and a boy as well.

However, that's my business.

Good night.

I can't understand you, Mother.

You're seeing him.

Yes, come in It's about that John I'd like to borrow

okay Okay, here it is, thank you

What's the matter is there something

wrong no Why where's that smile you're usually

smiling

Come and show me you can smile.

It's a mess, isn't it?

What do you mean, Doctor?

I mean what happened last night.

Please, Leo, the whole thing is in the past. Let's not talk about it.

That's easy for you to say.

But it could end my marriage.

How close is she to my daughter?

Are they friends?

Will she tell Great all about it?

If you go on raving like this, I won't listen to you.

Well, I'm sorry.

But in my position, what would you do?

This thing didn't happen to you alone.

I also stand to lose a lot.

What do you mean?

Bert is my daughter.

She is very young, and coming across as that way is a shock, let's face it. I

tried hard to protect her and spent my money to educate Bertha.

She's as important to me as your marriage is to you.

I know that all right.

But you're young and unmarried.

What's it to her?

Understand her views about me.

To anybody 17, all mothers are old.

I am absolutely forbidden to have a natural sex life.

It's very immoral, wicked, revolting.

Oh,

God.

Oh. Oh,

my dear.

I can't give her much in life. I don't have time.

But I did try to protect her so she wouldn't turn out her mother was, Leo.

Don't be foolish.

You're a fine person.

And you're one of the most beautiful women I know.

No more of that.

But you are.

Intelligent, cool, sexy.

You admit it for men.

And what good has that done?

That can't happen to Beth.

um

Africa top heads everyone's a big fairy sure they enjoy being beaten

Theater?

Theater?

Stand here beside Sonny Boy, will you, while I go open my rainmaker.

In other words, I have to go pee.

Hi. Hello.

Your first time here?

Ah, not more than your second time, is it?

No, I come here often.

That's funny. I don't remember seeing you here before.

You come here often?

Well, I don't know if you call it often. I come here with my sister, Lisa, the

globo girl.

I came over here to study.

You know, that's why I'm over here.

That's enough of that. She's my girl.

We are dead.

out. We don't want Yankees here, man.

Where'd she disappear?

Come on, stop dragging behind.

This is great. This is life.

Lisa.

What?

Would you happen to know where those hippies hang out?

Where are you at?

No reason.

I'd like to have the address if you have it.

Are you on the hunt?

On the hunt?

Yeah, for some pot of hashish or some other shit.

Oh. Come on, if I were after that, I could easily get out of the hospital,

don't you think?

Yeah, I suppose you're right.

What is it you're after?

After?

Oh, I just want to see their hangout.

Sniff the atmosphere.

I'm going to be a psychiatrist, remember?

Stefan, I believe they hang out in the condemned building in Princess Gelda.

But I'm not quite sure.

Can I borrow your car?

Are you going there tonight?

Take a great big puff.

What's the matter with you?

It's straight hash.

Nothing mixed into it.

Come on.

You'll get a charge.

That's it.

Now, draw it down in your lungs.

Hold it inside you for a while.

You'll forget everything that's wrong with this damn world.

War, violence, money.

It's 18 karat shit, huh?

Sometime I dream of being reamed by a gorilla.

An enormous, hideous, anthropoid ape.

Inside a cellar full of water.

Rising up over us.

We almost drown.

Would you like to be beaten?

I'd like it.

I hate violence.

Only I would like to be beaten.

Be flogged front and back.

In the moonlight.

As a dog nearby a horse.

My God, wow.

Why do you say that?

I know lesbians.

They have photographs like this of their purses.

Lesbian out of here.

Now come on and drink this. Come on. It'll relax you. I hate you.

Stop it. You're hysterical.

I hate you. I hate you. Jesus Christ, be quiet.

Stephen, have you gone mad?

She... She was getting hysterical.

I'd be hysterical too if I were in her place.

No, you don't understand.

I wonder.

I'll say to it that he doesn't harm you anymore.

I haven't tried to harm her. I've tried to help her.

You certainly take liberties.

First you try to rape her, now you're nosing through her veins. I was trying

to help her. I could tell she was going to end up in a mess. Since when the hell

have you become so philanthropic? I'm not philanthropic. I have to maybe be in

love with her. In love? Yes, but give the S-route. At least I know her name.

Have you forgotten that you're a Negro?

So what else is new?

And you really think she'll have you?

Yes, maybe for a night.

Black men are supposed to be well-equipped.

Look, Lisa, I'm in love. Oh, you are?

And suppose you have children that are accepted by no one.

Stefan, when one is black, one doesn't have interracial children.

Is that why you've become a lesbian?

I won't have children, neither black nor mixed.

Well,

I happen to think that's a twisted and hysterical point of view.

That's because you're so naive and idealistic.

Who's that?

Your type, perhaps.

I mean, I happen to know the lady. I can fix you up.

But you'll have to promise to keep your hands off the little girl in there.

Do you realize how cruel you are right now?

Excuse me for disturbing you like this, Mrs. Holmes, but I must speak to you.

Yes, if you can make it quick.

Do you know a girl named Pieta Esruth?

Has something happened to her? No.

Do you know where she is? Yes.

Where is she?

Before I answer that, I'd like to know how well you know her.

She's my daughter.

Your daughter?

Yes. Why, she never mentioned anything.

Yes. Where is she? What's happened to her? Nothing's happened to her. Where is

she? Relax. She's at my place. At your apartment? Yes.

Has she been there all night? Yes.

Where are you going?

I'm going to get her, of course. Oh, no, you're not.

And why not, may I ask?

Let's talk.

Let's talk about Berta.

What do you know about Berta?

What do you know about her?

Here's a clean towel

Here

put

this on

Aren't you going to eat?

Why do you keep staring at me?

I can understand him.

Who?

Poor little Stefan.

He's very much in love with you.

Didn't you know that?

No.

What's wrong? Don't you like him?

Because he's a negro?

No. It has nothing to do with that.

Why then?

He's a kind and intelligent person.

And furthermore, he wants to marry you.

Marry me?

He told me so.

I'm never going to marry him or anyone else.

Ever.

Why?

Because I hate men.

They're so brutal and vulgar.

Have you ever...

Slept with a man?

Never.

And a woman?

No.

Then what about her?

Isn't she the one you're really in love with?

Take a really good look.

It's my mother!

I'm sorry.

I loved her.

But now...

Doing that, you can see by the look of her eyes, posing for that, that piece of

trashy...

You hate babies, don't you? Yeah. Why?

Because they're fairies. They call us fascists. Yet they are a bunch of

stinking communists who don't do a thing.

Not only that, but daring them to fight shows everyone how scared they are.

And we get mentioned in the papers showing everyone how tough we are.

See what I mean?

They let black boys into their hangouts.

Then you don't feel that they should mix with blacks?

Anybody feel they should?

The school teachers, for example?

Ah, the teachers.

What do you mean? They've got one thought, summer vacation.

But why the hell did you come here?

You need some pot?

He's a TV fagamount.

Just as I thought. A very abnormal type.

I have a greeting from your mother.

Do you know her?

We work at the same hospital.

Really?

Are you going home tonight?

Why not?

Why should I?

Because she's worrying about you.

I want to make one thing quite clear.

We are peace-loving people, and we have nothing against you. But if our girls

preferred to sleep with strangers instead of us... Then we might have to

do something about it.

You've got ten seconds to get back to your table.

Who are you threatening, man?

Stick around. You have a fight on your hands.

Wait. Come back, you.

these methods in Vietnam!

Black warmonger!

Go on! Get your whore out of here!

Fascist!

I can't stand the stink. He's covered with it. He never washes himself.

That's why his skin is so black.

He's dying.

He's an ape in a man's soul.

You're crying.

Why? Because people are so mean and cruel.

I didn't think it was possible.

You mean what happened here tonight?

Yes.

It's nothing.

But we are in Denmark.

It can't happen.

It happens every minute of the day, all over the world.

But how can you be so calm?

It's not being calm. It's just getting used to it.

What happens in this country is nothing.

Why is life so ugly?

Right now it looks very beautiful.

Beautiful? Why?

Because I love you.

Stefan, don't say that.

I love you.

Never thought I could feel this way

So

You're a racist too you reject me because of my

color

Do you think something happened to Lisa?

Lisa?

Lisa.

I was afraid something might have happened to you.

How did you get away from them?

I ran.

I had to come to see if you were all right.

What a fool I've been.

Here I've been working side by side with a beautiful woman.

A beautiful, natural woman who loves men.

I can see it in her face.

Who are you talking about?

Vieta's mother.

Where are you going?

Over there.

I'm not wanted here.

You're staying right here.

He will do it. Go over to her. And go to bed with her. Is that what you're trying

to say? And what about it?

Have you forgotten what you said about her this afternoon?

Stop it!

I can understand he's being sexually attractive to her.

Any man would be.

Perhaps you are too. And so are you.

She's the only one you really want to go to bed with.

That's a lie. It's a lie.

She's in love with you.

You're crazy.

I never heard anything so sick.

Just imagine if she were lying beside us right now.

Wouldn't that be fantastic?

I'd like to have her.

Wouldn't you?

Instead, she's lying beside Stefan.

I wonder if he's enjoying it.

Just imagine.

You.

Why do you think she carries that provocative photograph of you around in

her pocketbook?

Think about it.

You don't understand her.

Birte!

What's happened?

Tell me that you love me. Tell me, Stefan. I love you.

Any freer thoughts?

I have the feeling I'm being loved for the first time in my life.

But your mother loves you.

No, she never loved me.

What's your order?

Two coffees, please.

What's that?

Oh, two coffees. Yeah, we have that. And besides the coffee, cream pie, homemade

cake, layer cake, white bread with a little cheese.

It's good.

Are you hungry?

No. No, she's not hungry, huh? How about something a little stronger?

Cognac or brandy?

She'd like a drop.

She doesn't like liquor.

No, just two coffees. Just two coffees. Yeah, yeah. Pardon me. Both of them

black out a bit.

That's what it is. He's a nice fellow.

Two coffees for table four.

Carl, look at that. Isn't that beautiful when you see a nice couple in love? For

God's sake.

You think they love each other, that girl and that colored... He loves her.

But you don't understand love. If that's love, I'll take beer.

We were talking about your mother.

She gave me a lot of expensive presents when I was a little girl.

Later it was expensive clothes.

And then she sent me to the best private schools in Switzerland.

But she never gave me love.

When I was home on holidays, I always felt I wasn't wanted.

She seemed relieved when I left.

Sounds typical of many parents.

Just too busy with themselves.

What were your parents like?

I didn't know my father.

But my mother gave me all the love of the world.

It's not easy, you know, being a little black boy raised in a white man's world.

Hey, how would you like to come to New York as my wife?

Me?

I think my family would like you.

Especially if you learn to cook soul food.

What is soul food?

Oh, chitlins, candied yams, black-eyed peas, hog

maws.

Okay, I learned that.

If you'll read Hans Christian Andersen for the kids in Danish.

It's a deal.

Why do you love me?

Well, when I saw your skinny legs and your crossed eyes and those big buck

teeth, I said, now that's the girl for me.

Please, be serious.

I don't know, it's...

It's not easy to describe why you love someone.

It's all magic.

How will it be for us in America?

I think we have a chance.

I mean, we're the new generation.

We're not tied up with those racial hang-ups.

We'll have to fight, but we'll make it.

Do you have a room?

Huh? A room.

A room?

Yes.

A room?

No.

You don't have any rooms here at all?

No.

No.

You know what the hell he wants? A double room.

Saul, it's vacant.

I know that.

But we can't rent to them. I told him no.

Yeah,

but...

Nice.

You know, you've got the bluest eyes I've ever seen.

That mole on your cheek, that means the angels kissed you.

Do you say that to all the girls?

Yeah.

Wait a minute.

It won't work that way. Let's wait, wait, wait, wait.

Me first, then you next, okay?

Your such soft skin.

I like your skin much better.

Thank you. Good luck. Thank you.

A marriage always takes me back.

Look, they're coming.

Ever think of going with the black you know everyone says that they're just

beautiful I've got no use for them in my opinion. That's perverted

Good morning good morning

This one's for Siv.

Siv, your daughter has just married a fine young man and a good friend.

He's intelligent, gifted, very personable. In fact, the one man for

Birta.

I'm drinking to him.

Now drink and wish them health and happiness in the future.

Oh, I loathe myself.

What are you crying about?

You know, I imagined myself so very tolerant. Why should it be any different

now?

What you say is quite right.

He's intelligent and he adores her.

But deep down, I wish she'd have married somebody else.

Bertha's my daughter.

And he's a Negro.