Original subtitles

Father.

Yes, what is it?

Johannes is out on the dunes again.

Is he? Oh no!

I'll go and look for him.

I'll come with you. I'll come too.

What's the matter?

- It's your brother. - Johannes?

No - Anders.

Anders? So there's trouble with Johannes again.

- Yes. - I'd better go with them.

Yes, I suppose so. Poor fellow!

Do you mean Johannes?

Yes. Don't you think one should pity him? 27, and incurably mad.

I don't know. Perhaps he's happy as he is.

You can't think that.

Put on something warm.

Yes, all right.

Your father's going, too.

Yes. I'm ready now.

I'll have some hot coffee for you.

Yes, we'll need it.

Woe unto you, hypocrites,

unto you, and you,

and you.

Woe unto you for your lack of faith!

Woe unto you who do not believe in me, the risen Christ,

who was sent to you by Him who made the heavens and the earth.

Verily I say unto you, the day of judgment is at hand.

God has summoned me to prophesy before His face.

Woe unto him that does not believe,

for only those who have faith shall enter

into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Amen.

Is Johannes...?

Yes.

What good does all this do, Johannes?

I am the light of the world,

but the darkness does not comprehend it.

I have come unto mine own,

but mine own do not receive me.

What are the candles for?

That my light may shine in the darkness.

I feel sorry for him.

He's completely crazy.

Oh, Mikkel!

He goes around thinking he's Jesus.

Will he ever be sane again?

It's all that studying that has turned his head.

Yes.

He should never have been made to study.

I did it because he had a talent for it.

You wanted to have a parson in the family.

No, Mikkel, that's not true, there are parsons enough.

What we need is someone who can shake people up.

With Johannes's special abilities I thought he might be the spark

that could fire Christendom again from this farm.

I prayed so earnestly that it be he, the prophet that should come.

The reformer?

The renewer, yes. I prayed so ardently for it.

But you see what has come of it.

Well, I suppose we'd better go back to bed. Goodnight, father.

Goodnight, my boy.

Goodnight, father.

Goodnight, Anders.

I'll just go and have a look at the sow.

Johannes will be himself again.

I've hoped and hoped he might, but he'll never get any better.

Why don't you believe so?

Miracles don't happen any more.

Nothing is impossible, if one prays to Him for it.

I have prayed and prayed and prayed, Inger.

Then you must go on praying,

for Jesus has promised what we pray to Him for, He will give us.

I know, Inger, I know. But what good have all my prayers done?

How do you know what your prayers may have set in motion?

Pray, and go on praying, however little you feel it helps...

Goodnight, little granddad.

Goodnight, Inger. I think I'll sit here a little while longer.

Yes, all right.

Goodnight.

I feel so sorry for your father.

I'm sorry for Johannes.

So am I, but...

But what?

Johannes is perhaps closer to God than the rest of us,

but your father...

I can't stand all his righteousness.

I think you are being unfair.

He has also been unfair to me.

He has never reproached you.

No, he kept quiet. But I could feel what he was thinking.

I saw the look in his eyes

when I kept away from all the godliness here on the farm.

But Mikkel, you believe in God, don't you?

You know how I feel about all that, Inger.

That you have no faith?

Not even faith in faith.

But you have something else, something more important.

And what is that?

A heart, goodness.

I tell you, it's not enough to have faith

if one is not a good person at the same time.

And that's what you are.

But I have no faith.

It will come.

Are you sure of that?

Yes. And then you will see how warm you will feel,

a glow inside you and you'll be so happy.

It's nice to be happy, isn't it?

Yes, Inger girl and now we must sleep.

Goodnight, little girl.

Goodnight, big boy of mine.

Karen, run out with that to the hens.

You'll have to give me a bit of help.

With what?

Well, you see, Anne and I we're thinking of...

Anders! You haven't fallen in love with the tailor's Anne?

Yes. Is there anything wrong with that, Mikkel?

You could have done much worse.

Worse?

Yes. I don't mean there's anything against her,

she's a sweet girl.

But what?

What would father think?

That's where you two will have to help me, if you will, that is.

Yes, but what about her father. What will he say about it?

You know, they've got quite different ideas about religion.

We love each other, it doesn't make any difference.

Yes, that's what we think too, Mikkel and I, but...

But? But what, eh? Mikkel?

I'm darned if I know...

Listen now, will you help me or won't you?

Of course we'll help you.

Why don't you go over and have a word with Anne's father?

I don't think it's any use talking to him.

Give it a try anyway.

Well yes, I suppose I could.

What do you think, Inger?

Yes, give it a try.

Meanwhile, I'll try to have a talk with your father

that will be the most difficult part of it.

- Do you think so? - Yes, but I'll find a way.

Thanks a lot, Inger. I'm sure you'll manage it somehow.

It's your job to fix it up with the tailor.

So long! I'll go over right away.

- Goodbye! - And good luck!

I hope to goodness father won't blow up and get stubborn.

I'm most worried that he'll be unhappy about it.

It's time you went down to the reed bed.

I suppose so. So long, my girl.

Goodbye.

One would think we just fell in love.

Didn't we, darling?

We've been married for eight years.

Mind you're not too clumsy.

Am I usually?

No, certainly not.

Dear God, please help me today.

It's because it has rained through the roof.

It's you? Why, granddad you scared me!

Did I?

What was it you said?

I said, that patch up there it's rain water. The roof leaks.

Oh yes! Yes, that's what it is.

This confounded rheumatism...

What's all this? Coffee at this time of day?

It's so cold today, granddad.

Yes, yes. And homemade cakes! You made them yourself?

You're so fond of them.

Tell me, is this what you are looking for?

Thanks! I'll have the long one today. But it needs filling.

It is filled.

Can you also do that?

There's nothing I can't do.

Except have sons.

Now then! Here you are.

Thanks.

Listen, granddad...

Yes.

A corpse in the front living room.

Whatever are you talking about?

Johannes, be quiet and shut the door.

A corpse in the living room to the glory of my Father in Heaven.

Now then, Johannes, now then!

What on earth was he talking about?

Who worries about what he says, Inger?

Won't you have another cup?

Well, thanks, just a drop.

That was the new parson. He went into the church.

It's funny he hasn't been here to see us yet.

He'll come some time or other.

I suppose Mikkel and Anders are down at the reed bed.

Yes. Mikkel went just as you came.

His sermons are good enough.

Who? The parson?

Yes, it's just that it takes him too long to reach "amen".

Yes, perhaps. Granddad...

Yes.

Won't you help me?

Of course I will, if I can.

You can all right. There now!

You know Anne, the tailor's Anne.

Yes. What about her?

Don't you think she would make a first-class wife for Anders?

Is that why we are having coffee?

Yes. Well, no, it isn't, really. But don't you think she would?

I don't think we'll talk any more about that.

To think you set so much stock by that...

By what?

Your peasants' pride.

I think "birds of a feather" is best.

Granddad, I think the most important thing

is to love one another.

Love comes with the years, Inger.

Little granddad, you understand everything in the world,

except love.

Now, now!

Tell me, have you ever in your life been in love?

Have I ever been in love? At least ten times.

That's just what I thought.

Thought what?

That you have never really been in love.

I have at any rate been married, so far as I know.

Yes, that with you and Maren, that was just...

Just what?

A farmers' agreement.

Inger, Maren was a good wife to me. Just the wife I needed.

I beg your pardon, granddad.

Granddad, if you promise me Anders and Anne

can have each other, then I'll promise you something

that will make you really happy.

And what is that, may I ask?

You shall have fried eel for dinner on Sunday.

That's what I call an offer.

And granddad, I'll promise you this time it will be a boy.

Does that make you happy?

You are quick to promise, Inger.

Then do you say "yes"?

Inger, Inger, you trouble yourself about many things.

You'll see, Anders will soon get that thought out of his head

and we'll easily find the right girl, who will...

Well! Then I'd better tell you how things are.

Anders is not down at the reed bed with Mikkel.

- Not at the reed bed? - No.

Then where is he?

Oh! I see.

So, that was the reason we should have coffee.

Yes, granddad, that was the reason. And when he gets back,

we'll both of us say, "Congratulations". Won't we?

So Peter the tailor gets himself a son-in-law today.

And you get a daughter-in-law. A sweet, good and capable girl.

That's not what I've asked for.

Granddad, say "yes" now.

After he's gone over there

without saying anything to me about it?

And you, Inger, you knew about it and never said a word.

It's a conspiracy, a conspiracy of my own children

behind my back.

No, I'm blessed if I will.

Granddad, where are you going?

Don't ask me. You don't tell me where you are going.

Granddad, granddad!

And in his shirt sleeves!

You'd better go in and get some coffee.

Yes.

And tell Hans to give the mare some straw.

Yes.

Here you are. What came over you, granddad?

Borgen's Farm is not what it was.

Of course it is.

Johannes will never be any different.

How do you know that?

And Mikkel will never be any different.

That you can name those two in the same breath!

What's wrong with Mikkel, anyhow?

Just this, that he has renounced the faith of his forefathers.

Mikkel is good enough. He has God in his heart.

And now Anders...

Sometimes I just can't understand you.

You go about looking as though God has forsaken you.

Do I?

Yes, something has snapped inside me.

And you know what the reason is.

Because God did not hear your prayers

when you knelt by Johannes's bed.

No, Inger, that's where you are wrong.

It was not God's fault, it was my own.

If I had had faith when I prayed, the miracle would have happened.

But I prayed only because I thought it was worth trying.

When a father cannot pray for his child with faith,

then miracles do not happen.

Don't you think God could do it just the same?

I don't believe it any longer.

Do you know what I believe?

I believe a lot of little miracles happen secretly

God hears people's prayers, but he does it kind of secretly,

so as not to have too much fuss made about it.

Perhaps you're right.

I think I'll go and meet Maren and Little Inger.

They must be on the way home from school.

Yes, it must be about time.

Coming along?

You bet I am.

But the rheumatism?

I don't give a darn about the rheumatism!

I'm not quite a cripple yet.

PETER PETERSEN - TAILOR

The time is coming for me to go, I hear the voice of winter

For I also am only a bird of passage

My real home is elsewhere

There you are, little Anne. Was there anybody at home?

Yes.

Did you get the money?

Yes, I'll put it away.

All right, my girl.

You're back, Anne. Can you let the hens out?

All right, mother. I'll give them some water.

Look here, Anne.

It seems to me you've been crying.

Did you meet anybody on the way?

Yes, I met Anders in the sand dunes.

Anders from Borgen's Farm?

Yes.

Did you talk with him?

Yes. They got 15 piglets.

I hope you remembered what I've told you.

Yes, father, I remember all right.

You know you must be on guard.

Yes, father.

That sin does not get control of you.

Yes, father.

That's a good girl.

Anne, bring some firewood in with you.

All right, mother.

Do you know what I was just thinking, Kirstine?

No, Peter.

It might not be such a bad thing,

to be father-in-law to Borgen's Farm.

Then Anne would never lack anything.

It wasn't the worldly advantages I was thinking of.

Wasn't it?

No, I was looking further ahead.

What were you thinking of?

I was wondering if we small folk down here

could not win over Borgen's Farm for the Kingdom of God.

That would be a wonderful thing.

Makes you feel dizzy? It did me, too.

But I came down to earth again.

How, Peter?

I realized I was thinking

more about the worldly than the heavenly advantages.

It was a blessing Our Lord opened your eyes.

Yes. Thanks and praise be to Him.

Pick up the scraps, so that nothing goes to waste...

Come in.

Good day. I happened to be passing by.

God be with you.

I beg your pardon?

God be with you.

Thank you.

You are perhaps...

You don't know me.

Are you the son of the farm?

I am a bricklayer.

Oh!

I build houses,

but nobody will live in them.

Won't they?

They like to build themselves.

They build themselves, even though they do not know how.

Therefore some of them inhabit half-finished huts,

others live in ruins,

most of them wander about homeless.

Are you one of those in need of a house?

I am the new minister. My name is...

My name is Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus. But how can you prove that?

Thou man of faith, whose own self lacks faith!

People believe in the dead Christ, but not in the living.

They believe in my miracles from 2000 years ago,

but they don't believe in me now.

I have come again to bear witness

to my Father who is in Heaven - and to work miracles.

Miracles no longer happen.

Thus speaks my church on earth...

that church which has failed me,

that has murdered me in my own name.

Here I stand, and again you cast me out.

But woe unto you, if you nail me to the cross again.

That's absolutely appalling.

It's you, Anders.

Yes. Good day, Peter.

What did you want? Something you want sewn?

No, it's not that.

Then what do you want?

Well, you see... Anne and I, we're fond of each other,

and now I've come to ask you if I can have her hand.

And my answer is "No." Definitely "No."

Why not call Anne in and ask her?

No.

Why not?

It would make no difference.

Aren't I good enough?

No, Anders, you are not good enough.

What's wrong with me?

What's wrong with you is you are not a Christian.

Not a Christian?

Not what we here understand by Christian.

I think I'm just as much a believer as you and Kirstine.

That's possible - but you are not of our faith,

and that is what counts with me. Now you had better go,

we're going to have a prayer meeting.

Goodbye. My regards at home.

Good day.

Welcome in the name of the Lord.

Welcome. Good day, welcome in the name of the Lord.

It's you? Welcome in the name of the Lord.

Come in and sit down.

Good day, Reverend. I am the eldest son of the farm,

Mikkel Borgen.

- Are you? Good day. - Welcome to Borgen's Farm.

Thank you.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you.

I'm afraid there's no one at home. Would you like a smoke?

No, thank you very much.

Did you meet anybody?

Yes, yes. I met, I believe, wasn't it your brother?

Have you spoken to Johannes?

Yes.

I hope he wasn't unpleasant to you.

No, no. But was he born, well, a little...

Yes, we don't talk much about it up here, but with you...

No. Something happened.

Was it... a love affair?

No, no. It was S�ren Kierkegaard.

In what way?

- Johannes studied theology. - Did he?

It went all right at first...

but then he had a difficult time with speculation and doubts...

- And then it turned inward? - Yes.

It must have been a terrible time for the family.

Yes, one is so helpless, one wants to help,

but there is nothing one can do...

Here comes father, so we'd better talk about something else.

Good day, Reverend. Welcome to Borgen's Farm.

Thank you.

Good day. And welcome.

Thank you.

This is Maren and Little Inger.

Are there others besides these two?

Not yet. But we're expecting.

Mikkel! May I bring you a cup of coffee?

No, thank you. Another time, perhaps. I have an appointment.

Goodbye, Reverend, and thank you for coming.

It was a pleasure. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Allow me.

Run along and get something to eat.

He seems a pleasant sort of fellow.

That's what he's being paid for. Has Anders gotten back?

Have you told father?

Yes. You may as well know at once what your father has decided.

Of course Anders shall have a wife

but he will have a wife of the same faith as we have.

Father is afraid.

Afraid?

Afraid that Anne's faith is stronger than Anders,

so that Peter can triumph over us.

Inger, I believe you understand me.

When I took over the farm here,

there wasn't a grain of living Christianity in the whole parish.

I began one man against them all,

in church they thundered against me, no one was on my side.

Here from this farm the fight was waged all those years,

until the farm had won the victory.

And now you ask me to open the doors of the farm

to the sour holy crowd down by the village pond,

who fought against me...

No, I'd sooner die first. Can you understand me, Inger?

Yes, granddad, but I am thinking of Anders.

I know Anders. He's a good boy

but he's weak and easily influenced,

and therefore he should have a wife of his own faith.

And he's to give up the girl he loves.

Mind what you say, Mikkel.

You misunderstand your father, Mikkel.

Heaven, here he comes.

Ah! Anders. Have you been at the reed bed?

No, father, I was at...

Yes, yes, from, yes, yes...

Congratulations!

What is it? Are you bawling?

He said "No," father, he said "No."

What are you saying?

He turned me down.

Who turned you down?

Peter the tailor.

But Anders!

Did Peter the tailor turn you down?

Yes, immediately. Then he threw me out.

Is my son not allowed to have Peter the tailor's daughter?

No.

And may I ask why?

Because, because I'm not good enough.

Why aren't you good enough?

Because I am not of their faith.

Oh really! So that's why we here at Borgen's farm,

we're not good enough for Peter the tailor.

The devil we're not! We here at the farm are heathens.

I'd like to know if Peter the tailor is brave enough

to say that to my face.

Anders, is it serious between you and Anne?

Would I have let him throw me out otherwise?

That's a sensible reply. Inger, my jacket.

Get ready, Anders.

Mikkel, harness up Hans.

He was ready for you before.

Yes, yes, that's right.

You're the best father I've ever had.

Yes, yes, hurry up. I will, I will, Heaven help me.

Here you are.

Thanks. God knows who he thinks he is...

Have you a clean handkerchief? Ah! There it is.

You remember everything.

Remember to keep an eye on the sow.

And one says the age of miracles is past.

I must go out and unload.

I must get the dishes done.

We are washed in the blood of the lamb,

we know God performs his wonders among us still today.

Is it not a great wonder, Jenssigne,

that you are sitting here in the knowledge of your salvation?

Is it not a wonder, Kristen Thatcher, that God has seen fit

to convert you and make you give yourself to Him?

Is it not a wonder that I, miserable sinner,

stand here and bear witness amongst you? Is it not wonderful?

Is it not glorious? Is it not a great blessing?

Thanks and praise be to God.

Come in.

Good evening.

Ah! Good evening. Welcome to our meeting.

I've not come to attend your meeting.

I've come to have a word with you.

That you are also welcome to.

Come in.

Good evening.

Are you alone?

I've brought Anders with me.

Mette Maren was just going to bear witness.

Yes, Maren, now we are assembled here again...

I just wanted to say I wish for each one of you

that you may come to be on the same terms with God as I am.

While I still lived in sin,

I was so cramped and pressed down by it,

but then I saw the light,

and now I am the happiest person in the world,

and I praise and thank God and that's what I wanted to say.

That was a good confession.

Sit down, won't you?

Shall we sing hymn number 13?

Sinner, close your ears no more

Open for the voice of the lamb

Hark! Lts voice is full of grace

Come and rest against my breast