Original subtitles

80 HUSSARS

Written by

Starring

Composer

Director and cinematographer

We won!

We won! You'll pay for the vodka!

Long live the old hat!

My old friend!

Any fish?

Bream? Lots of breams!

"Nie rozumiem" of course you don't

Stew of breams.

Soup of breams.

Meagre! Meagre!

Come on, old pal! We're Hungarians, not Italians.

Tickle the girls for us!

- We give'em to you. Good fishing, old man.

András!

András, can't you hear me?

Are you alright?

Get lost!

Row the boat, for God's sake, go on!

Hey! Magyars!

What do you mean, he's disappeared?

Up in smoke, ascended to Heaven, lost in a hole?

Be advised that I don't know this term.

The hussar is no God, but neither is he camphor.

Have you heard about the events in Hungary?

Have you or not?!

I've heard that at home in Pest, an army of

4O thousand peasants banded together,

and they may save the lands.

If I'm not mistaken, you're a soldier.

Why are you interested in this issue?

- It doesn't interest me. - And does it interest Korsés?

His ten years were up, and if he wasn't summoned here,

he could have returned home to his family!

He has two small children he needs to rear.

- Who saw him the last time? - Some people saw him bath.

But no one the last time.

We found his clothes ashore.

This means he might have drowned there.

No.

That is unlikely.

Nice one: he didn't drown, he didn't ascend to Heaven,

he simply is no more.

And now I should create a man who speaks Hungarian,

who rides a horse, and who's called András Korsós.

So that no one will be court-martialed.

I cannot do that!

If one fails to understand that we either return home

together lawfully or we don't return,

that is a traitor.

Son, seek out Korsós dead or alive.

This is not a trifle!

It's possible that every move we make is now watched

by more people than our own numbers.

Dismissed!

What is your take on this, lieutenant?

- On the escape? - That too.

Not much, just that it happened:

a lightning strike did kill a man today, we don't need to imagine things,

unless we are God-fearing folks.

Go on.

May I tell it, Captain?

I no longer believe in what you still have hopes for.

That the company will be allowed to go home to

Hungary either together or one by one.

You don't believe it, or you don't want to?

I don't want to.

You know full well that the countries of the Empire are

on the verge of chaos.

That European status politics can be burst like a bubble

at any moment now.

And if any irredeemable explosion would befall Hungary,

the reigning power cannot commit a tactical flaw of such magnitude

that they allow us, who are obedient invaders and

enforcers, into the arms of their own enemy.

Therefore...

No therefores, Captain.

What you're suggesting about the chaos in Europe is true.

But think through that if the powers that be are forced to attack,

their deeds are no longer dictated by their free will,

- but also by those they attack. - We're still officers of the Empire!

We either remain without blemish, or the smallest suspicion will bring us down.

And this means that you cannot fix up Korsós's escape based

- on family matters. - No one's to tell if I'll fix it up or not.

And you either agree with me, or act against me.

According to your reason.

If you allow, Captain, I'll take my leave.

András!

Stop there, András!

Well, my pal,

I didn't think we'll meet again in this life.

I thought of everything, except that darned punt.

We were laughing at the cat,

and you took us for monkeys.

Maybe I would even understand you if you were on your own.

But you know pretty well that the lot of us have their

fucking 1O years up just like you have.

Don't you think that the call of home was meant just for you.

Where on earth did you leave your wits, man?

You mean to protect Hungary all alone with your thumb?

Or did you think you'll receive

100 acres of land and 50 cattle if you return home earlier?

At least tell us, wiseguy,

what is better for us, and for you:

letting you escape,

or bringing you with us?

Now then, no one knew about the escape?

I see.

Korsós, for the last time, name your accomplices.

No one knew about it.

Alright then.

If all of you allow yourselves to lie,

I can allow myself to doubt.

Who has any fly-sheet, incendiary letter, calling-home leaflet on him?!

Out with it!

So nothing on anyone?!

March on!

Where do you hail from, Lajtos?

Hajdúhadház.

What do you have to do with this hanging?

Is your mother and father alive?

Alive.

I do hope you intend to see them again.

Péter Ács...

Read this.

Aloud!

“Dear son, these few lines are written by your brother Mihály.

In the end, God allows us for you to return from that land.

At home, everyone speaks of that Hungarian soldiers will

no longer be brought outside their country's borders.

But for your own eyes to see,

Mihály will copy the law here to the letter,

as brought by the reverend from Debrecen.

“A message to all Hungarian soldiers stationed in foreign lands.

The independent Hungarian government has issued for you

- a command to return home multiple times now.” - That's enough!

“Yet the officers who supplicate the Empire remain

- silent in an underhanded way!” - Enough!

Whose is this letter?

It must be intended for someone since it's here.

Who has a brother named Mihély?

Raise your hand!

Slow down, András, you'll fare better!

We have a need for demonstrations.

Power remains a fairytale dragon until it shows its true force.

lam sorry, Bakos. Take care of your own.

Hold him down!

Clench your teeth.

János, don't...

May we be damned, friend.

We really beat you up bad.

Yet if you are given a command, you'd do the same.

You'd whip to death your own mother, even yourself.

Because we are stupid! We can't see further than the horse's ass!

When you need to step up, never think of the first,

but of the tenth step!

Because when you step just one, your enemy does too.

Patience, Colonel.

This isn't the Great French Revolution.

A few passionate students, excitable journalists,

it's really a farce.

Get acquainted to it and try to remember

that power should only be confronted with real action.

Never with merely the intent of action.

Bring in that priest.

Do you know how many revolts I witnessed in the Empire?

Your students... You are here because of them, correct?

In the name of the National Council and the parents,

we demand that you set free the arrested students!

Awesome.

I'd do the same in your stead.

If I were all of you.

But what would you do in my stead,

if immature 20-year-olds would yell on the street,

“get the foreign soldiers out!”

In fact, the soldiers would love to go home themselves.

But you as a physics teacher need to know

that there's no such thing as a vacuum, only in test-tubes.

If you get rid of us here, who will step into our place?

The youth that will rejuvenate this old calcified Europe,

building upon human alliances instead of political ones.

Fraternity...

liberty... ls that what you mean?

The very value of this much asseverated liberty is lost

if all people are free indeed.

This is not world redemption,

this is a washout.

Get this off of me.

They tend to file me as a conservative,

even though I merely operate on a different logic.

For instance, I've stressed that these trifling things

could play a role not only in medicine,

but in politics too.

The role of prevention.

They would better fare in draining the thickened, bad blood

than the slaughterhouses of revolutions.

Wouldn't you like to try them?

The officers may leave.

Awful. Dilettantism.

I could kill a bull, and they're about to bury me.

It seems that you Poles like to play around with death.

Well, it is your turn now.

I will let your students go home if you step to the window

and put an end to this imbecile village farce.

Didn't I predict that the Polish cat will show its face soon?

Stay put!

When the incited peasants will bring in the heads of revolutionaries,

including you, in large baskets, then you'll be free to prattle about.

Just for your grievance, lieutenant.

To a soldier, there exist but two shades:

life or death!

This is the last opportunity for the army.

It shall strike when the 12th hour strikes.

It strikes when it wants to strike!

Friendship, magyarism...

Did you think about what this moral chaos might be hiding?

Everyone's war against everyone else.

Why didn't you use your weapon?

Because I was up against unarmed people.

And what are those provocative fires there?

I sense that you actually like these candles.

I want to see candles here too!

If I'm well informed, then your brother was forced to be locked up

by Prince Metternich himself in Kustány,

as he was the Hungarian propagator of the Polish rebellion.

I haven't been at home for twelve years.

I know.

And your brother went mad in prison.

Now he slouches at home in your apiary.

I haven't seen my brother in twelve years.

Because you wanted to win a respite.

But in respite there is a bit of spite.

Your sword, Captain.

As a final note, be advised:

the Austrian front is far from sclerotic.

Are you mad?

- Ace, you too? - Are we hussars or mews?

Tomorrow they'll command us against pepita-eating kids!

For crying out loud, tell me already what do you have against me!

I licked all through Galicia on my knees with you.

And now I'm forced to report

that the peasants will have no more of the front?!

I do hope you're aware

that a sergeant is not hanged together with the officers.

But with no-good bastards like you!

That may be, but these bastards will not wait for the rope!

- We're leaving for home! - Yes, we're returning!

- How do you intend to go home? - Same way we came here.

Boys, let's pool our wages.

- And if we end up like Korsés? - The scared ones stay here.

Escaped ones will be shot.

- We'll still go home! - That's right!

We're going home.

Here's my silver watch, it'll buy feed for 1O horses.

Here's mine as well.

- You're bound to your doom! - Why wait for you?

- Who won't join us stays here! - Stop this madness now!

Boys,

let us swear on it!

If you don't shut up,

I'll cut you in half.

We swear on the lives of each other...

We will find out what the truth is!

Boys! Let us swear that we return home!

We swear on the lives of each other...

that from this foreign country...

we shall return to our homeland.

Those who become traitors among us...

we will kill with a clear conscience.

May God help us. Amen.

We're going home!

I'll erect such a maypole for the girls

that they'll return there to piss even as old ladies!

Paid traitors are disrupting the army.

We shall crush all revolts before they grow out of hand.

As a punishment, we command the company to Prague.

Your new commander is Captain Haller.

Hussars!

I'll be brief.

The aim of all wars is victory.

Disobedient soldiers will be shot in the head.

But I'll also give out rewards.

As for me, I prefer a thimbleful of recklessness

to a ton of carefulness.

To oath!

Sergeant!

This way, Sir Captain!

Ács, why aren't you boys sleeping?

In the name of the company, I arrest you.

Corporal, are you out of your mind?!

Get out of here!

Lieutenant, your sword!

Disarm them.

Márton, tie them up.

Peter, for the love of God! Hang in there now!

Play it, for God's sake!

If something bigger would afflict me, András...

and if God would help you go home into Jászberény...

tell them that...

I also...

wanted to go home badly.

But don't tell them that someone from among us...

Myladies, are you patriots or whores?

We are acquaintances of the lieutenant.

Now that you didn't end up as a martyr,

put these tulips into a carriage,

bring them home to their worrying moms,

and apologise in the name of the army.

Scram!

Why didn't you escape?!

I was locked up.

Aren't you Hungarian?

Yes, I am.

They were afraid that I think differently.

The way is free, sergeant.

There are already fights going on in Hungary.

There's a need for all soldiers.

And you, why did you stay here?

Stupid Tatars!

Give them a medal for their loyalty.

I suppose after all that happened,

not even you believe in coincidences anymore.

Do you remember what I said?

Once the officer begins to speak politics,

the tommy joins in too.

This is your work.

Only two at this time.

But it is not over.

Officers on the far shore!

It's the Captain! Don't shoot!

What are you here for, Captain?

So that you refrain from any madness.

What do you mean by that, Captain?

Were you able to escape, son?

He wasn't.

Neither are you, or any of you.

You will be massacred all,

and will only harm the very homeland

you intend to help.

You shouldn't have come here for this.

I know that they want to cause Hungary to fall down.

But what is mindless is mindless.

- You are soldiers, you know! - Infantry on the far shore!

Fall out, people! It's started!

Is this why we should go back? This is your doing!

Is that all you can tell us, Captain?

Return to those who sent you here!

Corporal,

I command you to tie me as well.

Can't you hear?

Tie me!

Boys, a dragoon company is coming this way!

- Do they have a vanguard? - No!

Then there's no way to spot them in time.

We need to retreat!

And the infantry? We cannot go back there!

The company is no longer led by officers.

Even the most unsuspecting soldiers will realise that we are fugitives.

The Captain should assume command!

So that he would surrender us to the dragoons?

- Then we will fight them! - Bíró!

You forget that at home they need

living souls, not dead!

Captain, this farce will earn you a bullet.

You give out death too easily, don't you think, lieutenant?

Sons, I swore on something else.

But a bloodshed needs to be averted now.

You command the company.

And in case you find my behavior despicable,

I won't turn down any challenges.

First we are obliged to save the lives of 80 condemned men.

And that is more than the soldierly honour of you or me.

Your busby.

Bury him in honour.

Hey Moses,

kindly pay this man the price of the hay,

because he sits there as if ice struck the hills.

He'll receive it for sure.

Don't fret, brother, we won't get you impoverished.

Tell me instead, which do you prefer: bacon or figs?

I've lost, this one prefers bacon as well!

You're right, brother, me too!

You pole!

If you love bacon so much,

you might as well learn to speak Hungarian! Listen here, say after me:

“The seething sea ceaseth

and thus the seething sea sufficeth us.”

Sir Captain, I've brought some milk,

if you like it.

Thank you, Csordas. Put it there.

- It's very good, drink it. - Thank you.

They brough it for you too. Or don't you like it?

No.

Thus it's still your soldierly honour.

Captain, don't be too proud

that you saved my life thanks to your blackmail.

Well, I am proud.

To avoid a bloodshed can also be a victory.

But also a defeat!

You could really share with me how were you able to numb

your conscience from one day to another.

Vanity is the best morphium.

Are you hurt that you were relayed?

Captain Haller is now dead.

Or you wouldn't want to miss your greatest adventure ever?

I'd even respect you for that.

My greatest adventure ever?

In a sheep stall.

Truly romantic indeed.

Soldiers are usually prepared for their adventure.

Off to war, marching in, rioting students on the street.

Crush them all!

Yet in all of us there's the remainder of yearning.

- Not just to accept life? - Then what?

Don't be such a hypocrite.

If you had sleepless nights, you know exactly what I mean.

My private matters do not belong here.

Szilveszter, I wouldn't be so firm if I were you.

I'd like to remind you that you used to

believe in something, and I as well.

You need to realise that what happened was fateful,

against our own will, against us.

What you need to realise is that there's no need for you.

Maybe just your busby.

If I'm right, you're also a prisoner.

If not to the soldiers, then to the situation.

That may be,

but this situation was aggravated by your bullet!

- Out of soldierly duty. - Doesn't matter at all!

If anyone should resort to violence and mindlessness,

he will face violence and mindlessness in return.

Do you speak politics or are you looking for excuses?

Do you actually believe that these 80 men,

in such an amateurish way,

really defended their home?

What I believe in

is not the point now.

Maybe in nothing anymore.

But if 80 men think differently from us,

that makes us prisoners of ourselves, not them.

Outside of your paltering and excuses, Captain,

my life is on the line too!

You have a wicked sense of smell, that's for sure!

Mount, everyone!

- They ran in a trap! - Let's save them!

You're not going anywhere! We are turning back!

Márton, help me!

Great!

I can see your hussars are brave.

Yet bravery is prone to decay like raw meat,

and will turn them dead sooner than into heroes.

Well, Captain?

Your horse is there.

You can calm down, Szilveszter.

From now on, God is our colonel.

Look there!

A fire! A signal fire!

Máté and Pista! They managed to breach through there!

Feed the fire! They are looking for us.

Extinguish it, Korsós!

But Sir Captain, they need to see that we're here.

Who do you refer to, our pursuers? Extinguish.

We will not leave behind the sick, the wounded, or the entrapped:

we swore re SO.

But you also swore on that you'll get home by any possible means.

There's a fight going on here.

The one who glances back, counting their casualties, is lost.

And you'll be only right if you stay alive.

Bársony, Jeles!

Scout out who lit that fire.

Not even the lieutenant slept much during the night.

If they haven't returned thus far, they won't be found now.

Now, before daybreak, I nodded off too.

But it was as if dogs were barking.

Perhaps they were just freezing.

The three of us were from Jászbereny.

Both Péter Ács and me took over the hussar job

from two rich youths after the 1838 great floods.

Even though both of us had a family by then.

He had one child, I had two.

But we didn't have a single piglet left.

Neither a desk or chairs.

Just a dirty pillow, as we needed something to grab onto.

If I failed to convince Péter to come,

he stays at home.

And now I should confront his family with the message?

And what should I tell to Máté"s folks?

That his son was devoured by bears?

Look here, lieutenant!

My palms are as smooth as Viennese velvet.

Is there a worst lie than that in the world?

Me, who was born to plough, to sow, to slaughter pigs, to make kids,

to grab axes and scythes.

I was drinking vodka for a decade at the Polish jew.

And what for:

to have me beaten to death by my comrades?

Or to kill those who are just as unfortunate as myself?

My feet swelled into it.

Have you forgotten how to salute? Put down your gun.

You, lieutenant, is a fugitive.

Take me to your commander.

Your weapons, lieutenant.

What is the command you were sent to carry out here?

Did you forget your mother tongue?

Tie them.

Where does the company station?

Second village from here, where the ferry is.

- Which river is that? - I don't know.

Stand him next to the wall.

Hey, which river is it nearby?

And why do they toll the bell every two hours?

It was commanded.

Lieutenant, the relief!

We take the sergeant and the horses with us.

Watch it!

Pull!

Pull!

Don't force it. No horse will ascend this.

- Are they headed this way? - Dragoons.

How many?

Two. I saw only their helmets.

- Come on, my sweet ones. - We need them alive.

Six! The bastards.

Good Lord! It's Péter.

We can't allow them to kill him.

Are we waiting on Korsós and the rest, sir?

I don't know.

Feed the horses!

We were beginning to think that you got lost.

Did anything happen?

No.

Nothing.

We saw some dragoons.

At the upperside of the brook where we stopped this morning.

Where?

It's just a platoon.

In the valley.

Get me the sergeant.

Bring the sergeant!

Our soldiers encountered dragoons.

- What do you know about them? - Nothing.

How many platoons were sent after us?

And where do we find your own company, do you remember yet?

If you only know what we know, what's the difference?

Come on boys, let's give him a bath!

Say something already!

Leave him! He's a soldier!

He's got his orders!

We asked him fairly, why did he fail to answer?!

Son, you're cold.

You have goosebumps all over.

No, I'm not cold, I'm just...

I wish this rain would pour down in the Sahara instead.

Come on then!

- Take a look at its hooves. - Mind your own!

What harm did this beast cause you?

Don't flog the horse, Andres! Use it to clean the floors!

Wasn't that enough, Andrés?!

God's horse will march out now.

Will prey on the cattle with a fork.

And he'll think I'll stay at the best place.

You talk too much, Csordás.

So it does.

So what?

You don't pay me wages for it.

At least they'd be aware at home that we're returning.

Now is not the time to get yourself sentimental, pal.

And even if we return home, what for?

For anything.

Tell me,

did you ever think about why the spirit of rebellion

rears its head in history over and over again?

One would think

that revolutions are struck down once and for all.

Is there some kind of law in this return?

It's useless. Already the fifth.

There's such a thing as an unjust war: this is it.

They hit you, you hit back:

that's the just way.

But if they first tire you down,

starve you, play with you,

rot your nerves,

and that's when you can hit back;

Ho,

first you grovel to the scene,

and then:

alright, your turn now,

if you still have the energy.

Help me!

Come over here!

Lift his head!

Lift his head up!

Don't dare to touch him.

He who touches him, I'll kill in his sleep!

There is a way!

Yell to him!

Louder, he can't hear you!

Stop, man!

We are Hungarian hussars!

Can't you hear me?!

We need to leave the horses here. Come on.

- Are you crazy, Bird? - He's not, he's right!

We either leave the mountain on foot, or die right here!

You stay right here! We swore on that we stay together!

- And that we return home at all costs! - You're not our commander, Mozes!

Put away your gun, BM».!

Stop fight there, BM».!

We are Hungarian hussars.

We are asking you for food.

We can pay you.

You came to the wrong place.

If we help you, we endanger ourselves.

Look around you:

these people only have families, no home.

Which one would you shoot in the head?

For us, it is mortal danger even to spot you here.

Ask from the rich folks.

Leave here!

You have nothing to do in God's house!

Our situation cries for help!

We'll resort to violence if you force us.

Are you about to take hostages?

Order your soldiers to stop!

Because those who live by the sword die by it!

Father, your own weapon is far more efficient.

Have the bell tolled and let our pursuers discover us.

But even while our pursuers catch us up here,

you will bring foodstuff enough for 80 men

up to the fallen rock before the noon tolling!

If you fail to, may God help this village!

I'm looking at that weatherbeater man.

If I wouldn't know he's Polish,

I'd think he's the lime-peddler from Ugod.

He showed up on every village feast, yelling:

“Ladies, buy lime, buy lime!”

Now, he's up in smoke.

His carriage was stock full of quick-lime.

And he was victimised by the gravest

thunderstorm ever.

Trying to find shelter quick,

he hit and beat his horses.

Spurred right into the brook,

but the bridge was nowhere.

And they fell into the water, carriage and horses and all.

The entire cargo went up in flames.

I only saw the horses' heads

and the man from thigh up.

By the time I got there,

their bones were already burning.

Sputtering like fat.

That was the autumn when the county recruited me too.

What you mean to say is that we should let them go?

We don't have that choice now.

And we stay alive only

if some people still fear us.

God damn you all!

What is the most dangerous rumor they spread on us?

How long until the garrison will be notified?

The court martial condemned him to death.

As an officer, he could have chosen a more noble way.

As far as my conscience goes, it could be clearer alright.

But who's to say their conscience is clear these times?

Tie up the lieutenant there as well!

MY Sons!

We are separated from Hungary by a single night now.

We must triumph over this night, even

if our bones end up illuminating instead of the stars up there.

We'll leave all redundant belongings here.

Forced march until daybreak!

They're our own!

- They are our own, understand?! - This is Hungary!

They await us!

- We are at home! - They're our own!

Hungarian hussars!

Surrender yourselves!

Your situation is hopeless.

This so-called revolution is really a revolt,

suffocated by both external and internal forces.

Even if you made it home,

the country would turn you away with disgust.

You broke your oaths!

Captain Farkas Pál, surrender!

Lieutenant Szilveszter Bódogh,

surrender!

Corporals Péter Ács,

Dénes Bíró,

lstván Csordás,

Márton Csuha, surrender yourselves!

We'll tie you to this tree.

If you survive, at least you don't need to explain it.

Tie him.

My sons,

I believe that the bullets they mean for us

shall find us while we sleep.

They'll find us among our duvets,

while the rest of the bullets will avoid us.

I see, Captain.

Márton, my son!

You will turn onto the infantry with 20 men towards the moors.

- We sacrifice the horses? - No, we employ them!

The others will breach through the infantry from the cover of the horses!

Szilveszter, you'll feign a lunge in their direction!

The verdict of the swored-in court martial:

for the crimes of rioting, escaping and betrayal,

Lieutenant Szilveszter Bódogh

is condemned to death by powder and bullet.

The surviving common hussars will be decimated.

The verdict includes those who escaped to their country

and were expecting the shelter of an unlawful government.

I hereby order the execution of the verdict.

Mihály Bársony.

Sándor Török.

Márton Csuha.

Szilveszter Bódogh.

It's not easy for a man to become a traitor.

When I was stationed with you in Italy, you still knew

that for a soldier politics are the worst drug.

You have become a pitiful addict.

The victim of a misunderstanding.

You never realised that to win a country is impossible

by the ways of losing your honour in the process.

The army will wipe you from its memory forever.