Original subtitles

Tulio presents

Free adaptation from Pushkin's Postmaster

The film has been recorded from the English language version

Achtung! Achtung!

Hans M�ller served as a pilot during the Second World War -

in a German bombing squadron. The squadron was in Northern Norway

The Germans flew from there over Lapland to bomb Murmansk

Lapland is a desert, covered with snow for most of the year

Finnish, Swedish and -

Norwegian Lapland covers a vast area as big as England

Some of them own several thousand reindeer

These owners are very rich, -

but they spend their lives as the rest of them

They live in huts when they follow the herd

Now you lost your chance

Laura just brought a handsome German into her hut

You're good, good man, Aslak, help German soldier

The leg is badly dislocated

Ein, zwei, one year in war in Finlandia, -

now in Norway, again in war. - War is not ours

Comrade in arms or an enemy, it's the same

Lapland is our county. We have no enemies

Laila, help

I'll pull the dislocated leg into place

It hurts

A few weeks and you can run and walk... again

Better this way?

If you are here, it's always better

I'm going out now, but I'll leave the door open, so you can see

Come

Laila, komm!

What Aslak do? Silly?

Father is neutering reindeer

What? Ich... don't understand

This reindeer, just like a man

My father is neutering it. Then it's no longer man

Aah, Mein Gott

We always neuter all reindeer bulls

Lapps neuter them by biting

He bites the balls with his teeth and sucks them empty

We breed them for meat

Neutered bull is peaceful even in heat

It grows and fattens more easily

That's why we neuter them

Ach so! l see!

What are you looking at, is there something wrong?

Oh, nothing wrong, that's why l look

Come nearer

lch kann nicht talk very much yet

Du bist sweet

Wait a minute. Sit down! Thanks a lot for taking me here

Quite dying of cold there. Thank you very much

Your hands are so hot

You have fever

Father, come here, quickly

Quickly, father, quickly!

(narrator's voice) The round-up is work and play for the Lapps

After the round-up Aslak drove his large herd into the fields

With Aslak's blessing Laila tried to nurse -

the injured and feverish Hans back to health

While fighting for the life of this stranger during these days -

Laila fell in love as only a child of nature can

The days passed quickly and soon Hans was on his feet again

Can l help?

Look!

Spring is coming

It's warm in the south now

Are you... home-sick?

l was at first. Not now, since l met you

The best days of my life

You will be well soon

Maybe soon you'll go away, and I'll never see you

Will you miss me when l go?

Laila, Hell!

Go inside and stay there

Leave the girl alone, she's not for you

But l love her

So you think. You are well enough to leave now

All right. l will say goodbye to Laila. May l?

Yes

l am leaving

Why? - l must, your father wants it

Father! You can't drive Hans away. - Better for him

If he touches you again l could kill! - Father!

l would. It's better for you, too, that he goes

But father, why? - You're like your mother

She wasn't from here restless woman, left m' e

You never told me. - l would have

Good day. Seen any German soldiers around here? - Why?

The war with Russia is over. We are at war with Germany now

The Germans are enemies now. - The porridge is burning!

Go and hide. There are Finnish soldiers

They are looking for Germans. There's a war with Germany now

And you are an enemy of my county

The Germans are retreating, we must search everywhere

How can someone be a friend yesterday and an enemy today?

That's how it is, and if we find Finns hiding them, -

they will be harshly punished. Boys, search the hut

Good looking chick

I'd like to get her between the sheets - l wouldn't say no

But l would

It's just that there was a pretty Lapp girl there, Sir

Let's go

Why did you save me? l am your enemy now

You are not an enemy to me

In the wilderness shelter is always given to the needy

And he is not betrayed, -

no matter how unworthy he may be as a friend. Come!

Danke sch�n, Laila

Let's go now

This is the landmark between Finland, Sweden and Norway

On the right there is Norway and on the left Sweden

Ski over there and you'll be safe

Thank you, Aslak, Thank you for everything

The years have passed, there is peace in Europe

The Second World War is history

from the distant snowy wilderness the Lapps gather -

to the warmness of the town to the annual market

It's a meeting place for friends and relatives, -

a time for going to church, shopping and having fun

Hans had returned to his old profession after the war

He was a press photographer

Laila, Laila, Laila!

The eyes of Aslak were everywhere

He watched over his child like a wild beast

Hello! Nice to see you after such a long time

Oh, hello what are'you doing here?

My magazine would like a Lapp girl for its cover

Who would be better than Laila? - l don't like the idea

Oh, father, please. It would be such fun

Well, alright then

Today you win, but don't stay long

We'll meet in the village

Aslak wonders in vain Did l do the right thing?

No point in Sami making eyes with Laila any more

Laila on Jy sees Hans

She hasn't forgotten her first great love

She is still in love, like on Jy a childen of nature can be

Look, a Lapp wedding. There is the bride and groom

They are from Kautokeino. You can see if from their clothes

Do... you already... have a wife?

No, l don't

Not yet

Is that true?

Of course. What about you? You must have someone?

There's that Sami but he's not for me

When l saw you it was love at first sight -

when you were there in the snow -

and when you left, l wanted to come with you

Come with me to Helsinki where I'm living at the moment

Oh, that would be fun but it's impossible

No, it's not. We can go there in a few hours by plane

You know father. He wouldn't let me, at least not with you

Don't ask him. - No Hans, l couldn't just go

He'd be furious

Where is Laila? - She is with that photographer

Where are they? Over here... in the hotel

Damn!

Good day. - Does Mr. M�ller live here?

Yes, but he left a couple of hours ago. - Alone?

No, he had the Lapp girl with him. - My daughter

That's right, she left this here to post

Dear father. l have gone with Hans to Helsinki by plane

You know that I've always dreamt of visiting Helsinki

I'll be back soon. Don't be angry with me. Your daughter Laila

Attention please! We will soon be arriving in Helsinki

from Helsinki there are fast and easy flight connections to -

Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, -

Hamburg, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, -

London, Luxenburg, Paris, -

Z�rich, M�lano Barcelona, Malaga, -

Prague, Vienna, Budapest, -

Leningrad, Moscow and New York

The fastest and easiest way to travel to Finland is by Finnair

Attention, please! Fasten your seatbelts and extinguish -

your cigarettes, please. We are landing in Helsinki

What a fine ship

l am a Lapp, one man's wife

Marry me

Come... my love

What? You are ready to travel. Are you leaving, or what?

l don't know yet

l wouldn't let you go, if you want to stay with me

l do... l do

These happy months are for Laila like a wonderful dream

She is in love

They worked a lot and Laila enjoyed it

She had a lot to learn everything was new

Hans was a good teacher -

and he said that Laila was a good pupil

Hans taught and Laila learnt everything

Quite everything, especially love-making

Laila didn't only mature and develop mentally, -

she changed also in appearance

Do you know how young women get a mink?

Just like minks

Get off

Go to hell!

It's a matter of taste

Aijai jai jai aijai...

Hans!

Must call the janitor. This is broken

I'll call when l go out to get cream from a caf�

l forgot to buy some earlier, as I'm not using it myself

That's true, they don't use cream in Lapp huts

Hans, coffee is served

Listen, Hans, what is this discovery of yours, -

servant, model or lover?

Knowing Hans, l bet she is a lover

But Maija, you know this side of him better

Where did you find her? - She is a Lapp girl

During the war my plane was shot down in Lapland

The girl saved my life and l brought her here in Helsinki -

as a kind of a reward

And started to screw her here, as a bonus

Lapp... Good looking. Hot, or what?

You try, satisfaction guaranteed

Interesting. l haven't had a Lapp before

Feel free. I've already had enough of her

Gentlemen! You are forgetting one thing, asking me?

You swine!

Don't run after women. Let them run after you

You are nasty. She doesn't know anyone else in the city

Then she'll go back very soon

Oh you! Nice to see you again

Let's see. There is a letter for you

Looks as if it's from your daughter

Here's the list, pack it all up

Dear, darling father. How are you?

Hans and l are working hard

We are still very much in love and happy

We are engaged and will get married soon

Do not worry about me, dear father

Everything is fine with me

Your loving daughter Laila

Have you heard from Laila? - Not a word

Presumably gone back to Lapland and to daddy

You were completely wrong about her going back

Some expert on people, you are. - Oh well, the Lapps are different

That's right, different mentality, different character

What's happened to you? Are you in trouble?

l just got fired

Fired. But that was...

Well, it wasn't all that nice a job

Dirty dishes wouldn't suit me at all

Thank you, come again

My life is quite nice, -

although the business is going worse and worse

But in this profession there's not much one can do

With your face and figure you could charge a lot

Do be quiet, Greta. l want to do it my own way

Yes, yes, but don't let too much time pass

One has to use one's body as long as it attracts men

And think, that figure of yours surely attracts them

They are like hungry wolves

They all want that one thing

Men are shit, egoists, pigs, that's right

They also have money

It's only a question of taking it from them. It's a revenge

Although at times one feels like scratching their eyes out

Bloody shits they are, l know them well! Phoo!

Laila had little chance without qualifications,' -

to choose her job. Luckily her expectations -

were not that great, either -

and this meant that Laila didn't become bitter

Look at that

Don't rush, Ilkka. Don't be so stingy with your goods

Why don't you give some

Ty, but not without my permission

That's right, girl, don't give up!

Well, what, fired again?

No. l quit

Nice looking girl. Ask her to come here with us

l don't think she'll come yet. - Ty, anyway

Laila, come here. It's great here. Come on

If the mountain doesn't come to Muhammad -

Muhammad goes to the mountain

Will you have a little drink? May l take?

By all means

You have a nice watch where did you get it?

From a man

l see. Couldn't we be friends as well?

It's entirely up to you

Just a moment

Excuse me for disturbing you

Here you are. - You'll get it back tomorrow

Yes, yes, but get going now

You just stay there

Go to your own work, the boss is coming

Who orders? l do piecework

Do you want coffee? - Thanks

New boy, or what? - Workmate he is

Friend, l think...

l was watching you from the balcony, how he stared at you

l almost got angry. - Don't talk rubbish

Look, a professional sees things

Is there any post?

Electricity bill. Why doesn't you father ever answer your letters?

l ran away from home. He's never forgiven me

Why did you leave?

There was a man. l loved him and thought that he loved me

But he didn't... Let's don't talk about that

Oh, men are shits every one of them

They talk of love, but mean sex

And while we want love they want our bottoms

Oh, they are sweet at first, then they turn their backs and sleep

Cunt, that's everything for them. That's about all they care for

Does your father know you left the other man?

l don't dare tell him

l still write to him that we are happy -

and that we'll get married as soon as we find a suitable flat

l don't want to lie, but...

One lie leads to further lies. That's what happened to me

Soon l was with a pimp, Joni, and ended up in his stable

l had no idea what kind of a gentleman he was

Good, good!

You seem to be in love?

Yes, it's true. Life is worth living after all

Darling?

It doesn't matter. What does it mean here?

Love without money, it doesn't work

Do you think that love fills your belly? And it needs filling

Are you sure you'll be happy with that timing?

Pekka, Pekka, Pekka!

We'll go on our honeymoon on that

That would be lovely. - I've always wanted to see new things

This is the best holiday of my life

Just you, the island and the cottage

Such good luck to get this place

Yeah, but the high rent goes with it

Don't worry, l already earn as much as some -

little bank manager, although I'm just an ordinary worker

Don't forget that the holiday is over next week, Mr. Rockefeller?

That's true and next week -

we'll really start looking for a flat and get married

It's not right that you stay with that slut

She's good to me, Pekka

She may be good as a person, but she's a prostitute

There's the Stockholm ship, it's almost seven o'clock

Time for sauna

Here is 'vihta' for you. - Bring it here

Please throw some water on the stones, as you're down there?

Is that enough? - Throw some more

Enough?

Thanks, enough, enough

Now to sauna

The temperature is perfect for you. - All right

I'm going swimming now

May l come in and get warm?

l think I'll go in

Hey, it's got cold!

Now the other side

Will you wash my back?

Thanks, that's enough

Thanks, this is good. Now I'll have a swim

Go on, I'll follow you soon

Ouch! Your hand is frozen

Pekka, Pekka, Pekka... Pekka!

I'm the happiest girl in the world at the moment

Hans really loves me more than anything -

and l love him and we'll get married soon

Oh dear father couldn't you forgive me?

l wish you'd write a few lines and tell me how you are

l still live with Greta

She is nice, a good person and she works in a restaurant

Your daughter, who misses you

Good news? - Indeed

Laila is going to get married soon

It seems that the man is, after all,... good

l was angry with him... at first, but I'm happy now, -

that things are as well as this

She is my only child

What then?

Oh, well, how about a little drink to the good news, -

if you have any. - Of course l have

To Aslak's daughter

Damn! The bloody lad!

How about swimming? - You go on, l have no energy

Come on

Don't stay in the sun, you've already been too long

You may be right, let's go into the shade

Hey!

Pekka darling, another way

That's right. There we go. At home and it's opening hours

Quite a stud

Come in, please

Come right in

Are you Greta, -

Laila's good and kind friend, -

who works in a restaurant?

Is this the kind of life you lead here?

Is this a home or a whore house?

Answer, woman!

Don't yell, the neighbours will hear

To hell with it, l shout as much as l want to, -

and l don't care about the neighbours

Do you understand, you bitch?

Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you

But have a look at this. What's that?

Answer me is my daughter a whore?

Answer, damn you!

Answer, woman if you want to stay alive!

Help, help, help. Help, there is a bad man here!

Don't scream

I'm not going to kill you... but Laila

I'll strangle that whore with my own hands, -

and then I'll kill that bastard Hans

Where does the crook live?

l don' know. - The police will tell

Phoo, an old man harassing young girls. Shame on you!

Second floor. Thanks a lot

Come with me, and bloody fast. - What's the matter?

Your father wanted to meet Hans. l didn't know Hans' address -

and he went to he police to get it. - Why?

Nothing special. He only wanted to kill him and you

He is capable of doing it. l know that

l must get to Hans before he does

M�ller, a photographer. - Quite

He lives in a studio. The address is...

(the door bell rings)

You! You came at the right time

l was just thinking of you, looking for a new model

Something new again? - It's my mission in life

This is a pleasant surprise. - Hans, l...

Pretty as ever. Beautiful clothes suit you

Oh, not now, Hans. You must help me

Of course, how much do you need? - It's not about money

Father is here, and he wants to kill you and me

What makes the old man so bloodthirsty?

He must have found out something about us

But there's been nothing between us for a long time

But father thinks so. l have written to him -

and told him that we are engaged and getting married

l haven't dared to tell him anything else

Bloody hell

I'm not asking anything for myself. l just want to protect you

l don't want you to get murdered, or my father to be a murderer

You know Aslak

Aslak is dangerous. What shall we do now?

Aslak! This is a surprise. Welcome

Don't touch me you dirty crook, user of whores

Where is Laila?

Father! Is this really true? My own father is here

Dear father! Oh, how l have missed you

Is it really you? Look at me, dear?

How could l ever suspect you?

Forgive your silly old father

Oh, father, all is well again and we are... happy

Only you were missing and now you are here, too

l am here, too don't forget me

Don't be angry that l took her away

l also love her so very much '-

and would like to mary her

How about a welcome drink?

This is why l am here. Isn't that Laila?

These pictures have dishonoured me -

and our family all over Lapland

Them? We got a lot of money with them, Laila and l

Shameless, selling my daughter's body!

And then you just... laugh

l understand, of course you'd be angry, if it were true

But it is Laila

Yes, but only Laila's face, not Laila's body

I'm not showing my future wife's charms to the world

Now l don't understand, explain

All right. First l select from my model photos one of Laila, -

where her face looks best suited for the purpose -

and then l take a photo of a professional model -

with a suitable body

Then l cut a part of Laila's picture, -

showing almost nothing but her head

Then it's carefully set in the right place -

on the photo showing the nude model

After some re-touching the picture looks quite genuine

This is a photo montage and part of my profession

l must have been quite stupid, -

but I've become old -

and Laila is my only one

Is Laila here? - No

Really? The guard said that a woman collected her from work

We were supposed to meet. She didn't show. Where's she?

l don't know

l think that you know. - l am not her guardian

But you know. Ouch!

l was young once, you understand?

But now Laila sleeps with her old man -

just like in the Lapp hut

You'll be sleeping on the sofa, Hans?

And before l go l want to see you wedded

I'm not leaving before then

Good night

You may kiss her

I'm not really old-fashioned

Do you want a kiss on the wedding day?

What could we do now? Aslak wants a wedding

We'll have the wedding for him. - Be serious

It's impossible. l don't want you any more

Good, l don't want you either, at least not for my real wife

What do you mean then?

l got the idea last night. We'll have a mock wedding for Aslak, -

otherwise we won't get rid of him

Then he'll go back to Lapland

We'll wait a little, then you can write that we're divorced

You can blame something. We have time to think of it later

Everyone has to be quite serious

It's a serious thing for the old Lapp

Who's the priest? - Erkki, of course

In your places, everyone. Now it starts

Straighten up, children, just to to please an old officer. Music

We are gathered here to unite two young...

Is Laila at home? No.

She wasn't at work today either, and she's not here. Where is she?

l told you, l don't know. - Yes, you do

The guard says you collected her from work

l can get you to talk, if you make me

Where is she? - Don't touch me

Unfortunately you made me do this

l declare you man and wife

Do not covet your neighbour's wife

The spirit is strong, but the body is weak

Just leave the bodily bits for us sinners

You may kiss the bride

Champagne, a toast to Aslak's only, darling daughter

It's good to see happy, young people around -

on a wedding day like this

Marriages are made in heaven

And now,... father of the bride... it's the custom

Remember, my child, the basis of marriage is trust

Don't betray the trust of the man you love

, Father, the man that loves l really love him -

and want to be true to him forever

Oh, don't cry, no-o, this is the happiest day of your life

This is the address. A popular man

One Lapp was looking for him yesterday. - Thanks

Oh! Lapp dance

Oh dear, father

Let the old man cavort a little

What's happening here?

The wedding of Laila, our reindeer queen. So what?

My God, have you betrayed me like this?

Pekka darling, go away, I'll explain everything, -

but not here. - Explain what? No need

You have betrayed your father, and you have betrayed me

Be quiet. Oh, go away

l beg you. If you love me, go away

Love. You disgrace the word, you whore

Pekka darling. Go now. I'll explain later

Do as my wife tells you. Go. - Who the hell are you?

Do you hear, I'm Laila's husband and master in this house

You are what? Do you know?

Laila and l have been engaged for a long time, -

and we were to mary

You were too slow. Better luck next time

l wonder who's going to come second?

Let's see

Stop that fighting

Stop that stupid fighting. Stop it!

Laila and Hans are not really married. You will get her

Hans is my boyfriend, we set up the mock wedding -

to fool the old Lapp

Is that true? - Yes

Bloody hell! How can you do this to your own father!

You whore, and l should have married you...

Pekka darling, I'll explain everything later

You are a big liar, l won't hear any explanations

Go to hell, damned woman

You really are a shitty bunch, all of you

You deceived me but even worse is' that, -

that woman l once called my daughter

And the worst is this vermin

Aiii!

You are like a wolverine in my herd of reindeer

You'll never destroy anybody's daughter any more

This herder is sure of that

You saw what l once did to the reindeer bulls

Damn it, that's what I'll do to you now, you dirty beast

I'm going back north now

Never again will l come back south

l don't want to see your faces here any more

Nobody will laugh at Aslak twice

Oh, don't leave me father, don't leave 'me

Go to hell, whore. l no longer have a daughter

Problems, pretty girl?

Boyfriend left you?

Father as well

Boyfriend problem can be solved, you being so pretty

The world is full of men

No point in taking them so seriously

Days, weeks and months passed

Places and Laila's life changed in Joni's merciless hands

What an awful place. Why did you bring me here?

Who is this performer? Do you know?

First l thought that l knew, long, long time ago

l was wrong. You are right, this is an unpleasant place

Let's go away from here

This is so commercial just like going to the 'butchers

Almost, but one finds delicious things in butchers, too

And right now l miss something special

Gentlemen, l have something very special for you

Okay!

A real Lapp and a real Swede

You here... What the hell are you doing here?

Good old stud, or what?

Yes, l used to be. Very good one, too

Here l am, as you wanted me

Don't look like that. Didn't you always say that l was gifted

You wanted to teach and l wanted to learn all, -

quite everything, when l was an ignorant youngster

Now l get higher education in a brothel in Hamburg

Don't drink like that

I'm only drowning my sorrows. This is my only pleasure nowadays

All right, to business

Kom aalskling, ja ska vara snaall mot dig

With music or without?

Some like it with lights on, others without

How do you like it?

Some like to play with mirrors

Perhaps you, too

Come here, just like before

you get it for nothing, provided you can do it

My God, don't look like that

l don't blame you alone, all you men are alike

Too often you just play with women, -

you play, get bored and leave

You don't understand that we women want love

Dark and blonde, good and bad, we all want love, -

real love and you 'just want sex

You teach us to want

When we want ourselves we are bad women

How can one understand you

If a man wants and the woman doesn't give, it's not good

If she gives, she is bad. That's male logic for you

But one thing is for sure, without men, there'd be no whores

It's men who teach us to whore and then, -

abuse and despise us

Laila, you have a guest in the room next door

They say in the hotel he's here every morning this time

Shit. Joni!

Joni guessed immediate Jy, -

that Greta was again taking his best milk cow

Now to Laila, l want to mislead Joni, -

so that Laila will get rid of that hyena

The plans will backfire if Joni gets a hint of this

Your father, Aslak, has died

l have no father he cursed me

Aslak was one of the richest reindeer kings in Lapland

He left you his whole fortune, -

thousands strong reindeer herd

You are a very, very rich woman now

l came to get you home

Laila found the lone Jy grave of Aslak by the fjeld

Father, forgive me

By the side of the grave Laila understood, -

that she doesn't belong in the south, -

in the civilized world, -

but that her home is Lapland

Subtitles Timecode Finland Oy