Original subtitles

Present A Romanian French Co-Production

AFilm By:

AN UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER

“Fuji Yama," that's what my mother called the hill...

Mother made everything more beautiful. She had a Mozartian nature.

Screenplay by LUCIAN PINTILIE

Based on the short story "THE SALAD" by PETRU DUMITRIU

With:

Executive Producer:

Make up:

Costumes:

Set Design:

Sound:

Editor:

Director of Production:

Director of Photography:

Directed by:

EASTERN ROMANIA, 1925

A SMALL BORDER TOWN ON THE DANUBE...

See? I made the ferry!

See? I told you I'd make it.

Taking me to the ball?

Why don't you answer?

Take me... Or I'll shoot myself!

I'm fed up with Bulgarian peasants, with frogs, hicks and bandits...

Give me a taste of civilization!

- What'll you give me? - Champagne.

It's a deal. Lily's champagne!

- It costs a fortune! - That's the one I want!

Gentlemen, the house is closed!

We not go. Here, us work. Fuck off!

- Erji... - What, Erji? Screw you!

Shut up, or you'll be sent to Bela Kun in a box!

Gentlemen... I'll wait downstairs. This establishment is closed.

- Doctor... - Shit!

It's an order. You can reopen in 48 hours.

It's Saturday, I'll miss the market business!

An order's an order. Go sleep at the dock with the fishermen.

They stink! They're so hard up they'll rape us!

And there are mosquitoes!

That's true.

I've got a heart, here's your key. Lock them in their rooms.

Keep them there. They can piss in the pot.

And keep the curtains drawn, or else...

Gentlemen!

We're not moving!

Gentlemen, I insist, it's closed! Want me to tell the General?

That's enough, stop!

Keep them away from the windows.

- Watch Erji, she's crazy. - I'm crazy? You're crazy!

Up your mother's pussy! Your whore of a mother is crazy!

Magyar slut!

Take a look...

- General Tchilibia! - My baby!

He wanted to pay by the minute!

- My Tsuki... - My Nelu...

- My Michu... - My Miki...

- That's not Miki. - It is Miki!

There's the magistrate. Magistrate my ass!

He needs a gramophone to get it up.

There's the prince.

Over here, Erji... Come see your prince.

Wait... Damn skirt!

Come, Erji...

Over here...

I'll give them an eyeful!

That's Eriji's ass.

Take that away.

Fix this, now!

Boyars, gallows! Cut balls to Boyars!

Long live Magyar Revolution! Long live Bela Kun!

We're not moving! We're not moving!

So, Bela Cunt...

Why do you...

You think just because you have a great ass, you can mock the Romanian Army?

Did we fight for Great Romania so that you could sit on it?

The Trevi Fountain!

What a woman! Lucky devil! I'd like one of those myself.

Your aim is a little high. Telescope is after her.

Her husband's so jealous he might duel him one day.

And those horses... They look good to me.

You want a lot of things!

Look...

The bitch bruised my hand.

Filthy whore!

What a mob! Absolutely devastating, dear.

This place'll bore you to tears.

I'm just as bored in Paris.

We're late, Aunt Helene!

We started without you. Time to dance, get to work!

Paris and this hole, how can it be all the same to you?

No difference.

No fundamental difference, in any event.

What a delightful evening!

Thank you! I'm thrilled!

I'm giving this ball for you.

So you can meet the person

...you have in mind.

Now he's going to strut!

Who is that vision?

You don't know?

Your niece!

The daughter from our sister Sophia's first marriage.

You don't say!

Maria-Teresa von Debretzy. Pretty name, isn't it?

- She doesn't look like us. - She has her mother's eyes.

The rest is from her father:

Karol von Debretzy, the Empire's attaché in London.

She was born there. Poor and arrogant!

He gave his lands to peasants but died in the streets of Budapest just the same

during the Communist plague.

She was luckier, she was saved from being raped by our brave, liberating troops

thanks to an archangel. Who's the archangel?

- A certain Capt. Dumitriu. - The short one?

You guessed it! That shrimp with the monocle standing beside her...

She became Mrs. Dumitriu, stuck him with three brats

and learnt to speak Romanian perfectly.

But with a ghastly Oxford accent.

She's never mentioned our kinship. She's as arrogant as her father!

Lovely lady, this ball is unforgettable!

- Take this flower. - Think that's enough?

I'm giving this ball for you but I have a favor to ask.

- Will you do it? - You offend me!

On one condition, be brief! I'm dying of thirst.

My horse for a glass of wine!

My nephew Cesar, my brother's son, is a soldier in the 16th Regiment.

Discharge him. To hell with your conscription!

Madam, you're using Big Bertha to blast a fly!

Prince! Prince!

Prince, come over here!

He'll just be a minute.

Demobilize Private Lascari, of the 16th Cavalry. Discharged!

Send him back to help out his poor aging parents.

Dear fellow, if you stuck that monocle up your ass,

what a telescope you'd have!

Look through it and you'll still see the enemy!

I like that cretin!

- Sorry... Is he a cousin? - No.

- At the top, you're all cousins. - No, he's not.

A cretin, but I like him.

I never dreamed of finding a person like you here...

Remember when I first saw you?

I was riding on the promenade by the Danube...

Your children were in a carriage and there was a woman...

Yes, our nurse.

I thought: "Who are they? The mother's remarkable!

Then I saw you riding with Petrica...

Your card!

I've seldom seen a better woman rider!

I used to be a circus rider with Budapest's Sidoli Circus.

Petrica bought me there!

- You're making fun of me! - 1'd jump through rings of fire...

Forget it!

You're a Lascari, a great lady!

400! You raise me?

I'd like to see you again...

- There'll be other parties. - I'd like to see you sooner!

I'm busy with the house, the children... Wait till they get older.

- It'll be more of a pleasure. - When?

When the children are bigger. That's ages from now!

In 5 or 10 years.

Did you win or lose?

I won.

- My scarf... - Turn around, Vasile!

No, leave it.

- Some poor soul will find it. - I can't afford another one right away.

Keep going, Vasile.

- I thought of putting in for a transfer. - Why? You're fine here.

- Your commanders appreciate you. - I'll ask for another garrison.

Are you against the idea?

No, darling. Maybe it's better.

We're so happy!

Look at the lovers...

- Next time, I'll cut off his ear. - What will he hang his monocle on?

- I'll knock his wig off! - He wears one?

Couldn't you see? Powdered ass!

“Powdered ass”...

Powdered ass!

Powdered ass.

My decision is final. Please request my transfer to another garrison.

- My decision... - I'll see to it.

The border? Get me Colonel Gutza. Not *Nutza,” not *Slutza,” you fool!

Col. Gutza?

We still haven't replaced that officer...

The one murdered by the bandits...

Yes, the one who had his lips slashed with a bayonet...

I'll send you Capt. Dumitriu from the Division.

Let him have a taste of the border.

Right... a full course meal!

Move it!

Bring the crate this way.

Don't regret marrying me, we won't be here long.

I like it here!

Wake up!

Get a move on!

Eros!

- How come Eros is allowed to? - Eros is a dog, you're not.

When I grow up, I'll be a dog.

You'll be a ladykiller!

You'll give him bad habits.

I can't help it, Petrica, he's my lover!

The orderlies are watching.

Come! Here's some chocolate!

Clumsy fools, careful with that!

On its side!

Give me a hand.

We both have blue eyes.

- Mine are hazel. - Blue!

Hazel! The mirror doesn't lie.

It's a lying mirror, a Venetian mirror. We have blue eyes, I'll shatter it.

All right, I have blue eyes.

The children are next door.

Behave, Petrical

You're all mine!

*"The Blue Danube”!

And now, "Papagena'!

It's coming!

It's coming!

Magyar bitch!

It doesn't matter. A boy must've thrown a stone.

- So much for offering chocolate! - Stop grumbling.

Remember, it was a lying mirror. And I wanted to break it.

My respects, madam! Welcome, sir!

Attention!

Left-about... turn!

Who gave the order to fire?

What idiot fired?

You fool! You warned them! I'll court-martial you!

It. Turtureanu!

Yes, sirl

Move out the wounded.

Begging your pardon, sir...

Did you know Isaia, the officer you replaced?

He had a 11-year-old daughter, too. This is how they cut off his lips.

They cut their lips and throw them to the pigs!

Good day, madam!

Dismissed!

- Admiring nature? - I love it! It's beautiful.

- "Fuji Yama®! - Yes, it's beautiful...

Sir, take a shower.

Did you play today? No more tears?

Daddy, I made a big, beautiful castle. But he stomped on it.

Good day, madam!

Magyar bitch!

My back, too, fool!

These tomatoes are soft.

Water's lukewarm.

Don't get upset.

Don't regret marrying me. We won't stay here.

Why not? I like it here.

The soil is real, so are the people. Like Tolstoy's tales of the Caucasus.

Why leave? We'll be fine here. We're together, nothing else matters.

We can't eat these tomatoes.

- What happened? - They need more water.

Tomorrow there'll be 10 men watering the vegetables.

What's he saying?

Come show me your Fuji Yama.

Over here, soldier!

What's wrong with you?

- Don't hit me! - Attention!

It. Turtureanu!

It. Turtureanu!

- Yes, sir. - Report to my office.

Yes, sirl

Calm down...

Sit down.

You were told not to hit the troops.

I'm warning you, next time I'll take action.

Under the cover of darkness, the private pissed

on the wall of the headquarters, ignoring the latrine.

That's no reason! They're peasants and don't know better.

You're drunk. A disgrace to your uniform!

8 days' confinement! You can hit the bottle in peace!

- Soldiers are beaten in every unit, sir! - Not in mine. Dismissed!

Yes, sirl

Fuck you, Monocle! This'll be your last unit, you Hun!

Attention!

This one's going on patrol! He can piss in the Danube.

Move it!

Hurry up!

Get ready!

Just some lout.

Forget it.

You married a soldier...

A woman like you, married to a soldier!

You can be so silly, Capt. Dumitriu! And stop smoking, it's bad for you.

He'll screw you over.

He'd screw his own mother. I've got 2 months left.

Once I'm out, I'll cut his throat.

Sound the alarm!

They're calling you.

- What? - They're calling.

What's wrong with you? Stop with that bugle!

Is there a fire?

- The machine gun! - Get out Big Bertha, hurry!

Mount!

On your horses, you hicks!

- What happened? - Bandits, at Post 16.

Is the captain going there?

With the company. But they'll find no one.

They strike and vanish. We'll never get them.

Someone must have gotten scared and fired.

What fool fired?

Open the stable.

Move the other cart.

Get some blankets from the storehouse.

Give me the blanket.

Move that cart, to get them inside.

What're you looking at? There's nothing to see here.

Get out of here!

You, too, go away!

Don't stay here, ma'am, there's nothing to see.

Let this be a lesson to you!

They'll shoot us.

Shoot us? Shut up, for God's sake!

Over here, children.

Go get some water.

Cute little fellow. How old are you?

And you're very pretty.

A pretty little girl.

I don't understand.

Don't worry, we won't harm them.

What're they doing in the vegetable garden?

I ordered them to water it.

- Why are they here? - We arrested them for the inquiry.

They're not the bandits who strike at night at the border.

But the Secret Police are making noise, picking out scapegoats.

And they sent them to me! I'll interrogate, make reports...

What happened, exactly?

Soldiers were killed at Post 16.

How many?

Eight.

This doesn't concern you.

Stay with the children, your books, and that harpsichord we dragged here.

Last night, I heard soldiers talking.

What about?

About what they saw.

Yes...

They mutilate the bodies.

You saw them?

You shouldn't have.

The Bulgarians want Southern Dobrogea back.

We took it in 1913, and we don't want to give it back.

They're all the same, darling.

When I was a sub-lieutenant, fresh out of the Academy,

I did a tour of duty here. We took them by surprise.

After they'd taken the Greeks by surprise,

who'd taken the Turks by surprise, who... and so on.

And are you making those peasants work for free?

I'll pay them.

I've got to go. The police are waiting.

Madam, they haven't eaten today.

My friends...

Did they give you lunch?

They gave us nothing, madam.

Why's she asking that?

It's our last meal.

Need a full belly to face God.

Please, help yourselves!

Please...

God bless you, madam... But we'll soon be going home.

Better to start out on a full belly, Petco.

- Help yourselves... - Bless you!

Help yourselves.

- God bless you. - My husband will pay you for the day.

Why pay us? You've already paid us.

You shouldn't.

Yes, Dimitar, we should! This is different.

When I come to your homes, you'll greet me with bread and cheese.

You'll be welcome, lady.

But you should be paid for your work. And that's final!

Cheers!

Then let's not waste time. We'll do good work, just like at home.

You Bulgarians, look at me.

Listen carefully to the soldier.

Go ahead.

Dimitar Botev... Then Petco Stancev...

Bulgarians, over here...

You'll catch a cold in the shade.

Watch the lettuce.

Come on, hurry up!

Sit down.

Closer together!

Quick as lightning, these Bulgarians!

Look at me!

Don't hit me, officer sir!

Don't hit me, officer sir!

- Petco Stancev... - They're pounding him.

Dimitar Botev...

- They hit you? - Killed me.

- What? - I asked if they beat him.

- So? - They beat us all. But he's scared.

Memet Sabri!

Here, Petco.

Why do they hit us? We obey them!

Under the Bulgarians, we paid taxes, got drafted.

Same under the Romanians!

Why are you lying?

At school, we sang for the Bulgarian Czar Ferdinand.

The Romanians were the bad ones.

Now my kids sing for the Romanian King Ferdinand

and they are told the Bulgarians are bad! What can we do?

Czar Ferdinand, King Ferdinand... It's the same thing!

The bandits are Macedonians.

They don't even speak Bulgarian! They speak Romanian.

Memet can't even speak Romanian, he speaks only Turkish.

He's a Turk!

Christo Jivcov...

Good night, my friends.

'Night, ma'am.

Louder: "Christo Jivco®!

Go, Christo, tell me about it after.

You two, take your posts at the gate. Don't let anyone near. Shoot on sight.

- Go eat, then report to me. - Yes, sir.

You're not in bed?

You're not eating?

I'm not hungry. I'll have some salad.

Don't you like the salad?

I do.

Go to bed, I've got things to do.

- Why did you beat them? - Damn!

I've been ordered to shoot them.

- Shoot them? - Yes, shoot them.

We'll bring them into the woods and shoot them.

As a reprisal, to teach the Bulgarians.

No, of course not! But I'm an officer.

An officer follows orders.

Don't... I know! Let me think.

Sir, Headquarters on the phone!

Get lost!

Go away!

Want to get killed?

Hello, Capt. Dumitriu?

What's he up to?

Capt. Dumitriu here, Colonel.

- The order's been carried out? - Sir, I need a written order.

Are you mad? Carry it out on the double then report to me!

- Before or after the execution, sir? - After! After!

- Sir, I need a written order. - Go to hell!

Platoon, attention! Bugler, look alive!

Jump the dirt!

Reform!

Faster!

Jump back!

Hit the dirt!

Pour on the roots.

Like this?

- They'll shoot us. - They'll shoot us...

Shut up, you black crow!

Pour some there and it'll grow.

Christian, Betty, come in!

Are you still afraid of us?

Go, your mother's calling.

Why should I be afraid?

It's up to him if he wants to be a gardener.

Can't be worse than a soldier.

Go away!

- Is that your wife? - Yes.

- She's pretty! - She's pretty but can't speak.

All she can say is: "Petco, Petcol”

- Will they keep us long? - No, they won't keep you.

- What'll they do? - They'll let you go back to your wives.

I don't think so. If you'd seen their faces!

I'm telling you they'll let you go. After, you can come back...

- For the garden, as day laborers. - Yes, sure, we'll come back.

If they're letting us go, why all the guns?

- Why chase away our wives? - They're jealous of you!

They're furious with the bandits.

But the bandits are Macedonians, they're not Bulgarian!

Yes...

Go away! Want to get shot?

So, what's this? You want a written order?

Yes, General.

I'm here, but you still want it in writing?

Sir, I need a written order.

- How dare you! - Leave us alone.

You know your career is at stake?

You're an educated intelligent officer, which is rare in the Romanian Army.

You went to military academy in Germany...

Soon, you could be commanding a regiment.

If there's war, you'd get your general's stars!

With your Prussian mind, when you're my age,

you could head the General Staff!

Your wife has well-placed kinsmen... The Lascaris have the ear of the Queen.

Dear fellow, let's forget your pretty little scruples.

Now, if you refuse, you can kiss your promotion goodbye!

You, a man born to lead entire armies to victory,

you'll rot under the command of fools like him.

Every old idiot will be promoted ahead of you!

You'll end up counting soldiers' boots instead of counting military honors!

I'll give you until the afternoon to think it over.

Let's go for lunch. Where can we get a decent meal?

How's your wife?

Sir, do us the honor of being our guest. My wife will be delighted.

With pleasure... And think it over!

You're a merry band of children... Be sensible!

Yes, sir, I'll make the right decision, sir!

The country is extraordinary.

The country is extraordinary.

The people, the scenery, everything's extraordinary!

For instance: there's "Fuji Yama®!

Isn't it beautiful?

More beautiful than the real Fuji Yama.

And the Danube's nicer here than in the Black Forest, right?

But it's true! Much nicer! As for the people...

To think, Colonel, you wanted a post in the capital! They're set up here!

You have a setter, a harpsichord...

"Sweet, sweet musicl®

The bandits need some soothing!

To the spirit of Romanian women, who tame the savages and make the desert bloom!

“Man blesses the place”, Colonel!

This salad, which I'd love to have more of, is proof of that.

Absolutely delicious, this salad a la Dobrogea!

There's a story to this salad. It shouldn't even have existed.

You should've seen the place when we got here!

Fortunately, the Bulgarian peasants watered the garden.

- Vasile, have you served the Bulgarians? - Yes, ma'am.

The Bulgarians matter to you... Do you feel sympathy for them?

I feel sympathy for all the wretched.

You should not forget murdered soldiers, too!

What's been done for their families?

- Who's looking after them? - Our government, madam.

You needn't worry.

And who's looking after these peasants? They're Romanians, too!

In a war, wouldn't they serve in the Romanian army?

Who looks after them?

The government, again. It looks after them.

Thank you for lunch, madam.

Hope to see you... Meet me in 10 minutes.

Speak to him, madam.

Make him see reason. He's a stubborn one.

You Bulgarians, get to work! Grab your shovels!

Water the plants!

It's not in his power.

The Minister himself order it. He called Tchilibia.

Tehilibia to Telescope, to the colonel... nothing in writing!

- What'll you do, Petrica? - "Fuji Yama'...

Shit! What a smug bitch! And a Magyar!

Don't be a fool, this is your chance. Telescope is furious with him.

- Go ahead, it's in the bag! - All right, I'll go! Shut up!

Powdered ass!

“Fuji Yama"...

Powdered ass!

Busy! The general is busy.

Greetings, Captain!

I suggest your wife change her attitude toward the enemy,

and toward your superiors.

General, I submit that, since my wife isn't army personnel,

she doesn't have to take orders.

- But she has to criticize orders? - General, I submit not!

When I get an order, I carry it out!

Good! Much better. Bravo! You're complicated, dear fellow!

How will you settle the case? Not that it's my business...

Anyhow, do as you see fit. Call me when it's over.

Then write up a report:

“Attempted escape while under attack from bandits..."

Sir, I need a written order.

So this is it?

Take me for a fool?

Colonel, relieve him of his command. The lieutenant replaces him.

Captain, you're dismissed.

Fall in!

Hurry, close ranks!

Bulgarians, we're taking you home.

Darling...

Officer sir... Don't kil us! We didn't do anything!

Shut up!

He's a Turk, why take him?

Turks get equal rights!

- Don't kill us! - Stop whining!

Only you have the right to kill? Get up, or I'll kick your ass!

- We have children! - And our men didn't? Get up!

Pull yourself together.

My friends...

Don't give up on us! They'll kill us!

No talking to them!

What's the matter, Petco?

Where are you going, friends? I haven't paid you.

- Don't you understand Romanian? - Ma'am, they'll kill us!

- Don't be a baby. - They'll kill us!

Why? You've done nothing. I'm not allowed to talk to you...

Once you're free, come get your pay. I have work for gardeners.

We'll come!

- Stop whimpering! - Shut up!

Forward!

Faster!

Pick it up!

Move your sorry asses!

It's brown, rotten, wilted...

Throw them to the pigs! The pigs will eat them.

Captain, you seem to be intelligent...

- Is your wife a communist? - Sir?

You deaf, or just playing the fool? Didn't you hear my question?

Is your wife a Bolshevik?

I don't understand, sir. My wife's mother...

Are you stupid, or just pretending?

Forget the mother. Where did you meet her?

In '19 in Budapest, you served under me.

There was a revolution... We burnt the red flag of Bela Cunt...

My wife's not a Communist. Her mother...

Who cares about her mother!

Why did she have to take sides with the peasants?

- I have two confidential reports... - That makes two rats in my unit!

It's not your unit any more!

And the rat is the officer who marries a Magyar enemy...

Who causes me to hear at the Ministry:

“There's been insubordination under Tchilibia!"

I'll court-martial you! With the case I've built against you,

you'll spin from garrison to garrison like a top!

We'll rip your furniture to pieces! Got a harpsichord, I hear.

- Don't touch the harpsichord! - I piss in your harpsichord!

I'll stick you with some choice commanders who'll drive you insane!

I'll demolish you! You'll retire a captain, a worn-out old grunt!

Sir, my wife isn't a Magyar.

Her mother's a Lascari, a Romanian boyard.

But what about her father's name?

It's the name he was given, but her mother...

You pathetic shit!

- Allow me... - Get the hell out!

Need it in writing?

Very well, sir.

I wanted to ask...

You know Erji, the whore...

She's close to Mrs. Dumitriu, right? They're in the same field...

I mean, from the same town: Budapest.

What? Want to duel with me?

Sorry, Captain, just a private joke. Out of curiosity.

I shouldn't have. It was irrelevant. My apologies, then.

You're transferred to the 90th Infantry. Dismissed.

Petco. Petco!

When is Petco coming back?

A curse on you!

May God strike you down!

The earth swallow you up!

May the plague tear you apart!

Take him!

Run!

“Mother..."

"When is Petco coming back?"

I asked her the next day...

My mother wouldn't answer.

Then she took to drinking and I forgot about Petco.

But I never forgot that summer.

It was an extraordinary summer, the most beautiful of my childhood.

English subtitles by Paul J. Memmi and Oana Sanziana Marian

(with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York)