Original subtitles

This was long ago... in a Lithuanian town that

sprawled amidst the fields of rye.

As a child I thought it the largest city on earth.

Paris or London were no match for it.

Behind the crooked fences of our only street

life was remarkable,

and passions flamed.

Don't think it was ages ago.

I'm not that old.

Our cow and our family.

You can't see me yet. Our neighbour,

Kaminskas.

Our family and cow all had a fine ear for music.

Poor him had neither a cow nor an ear for music.

Papa's holding me. I'm Andrius Šatas.

In order that I not be lonely

in those harsh, post-war years,

our neighbours

had Liuka Kaminskaitė.

Liuka's mother kept gazing

at the sky all the time.

One day a plane arrived.

That's how Liuka's brother Mousie appeared.

A true child of his mother and a pilot.

Me as a child.

And Mousie.

Liuka. My first and only one. My princess.

One Sunday morning Liuka's father

came over and bought our cow.

The shade of the brindled cow

came between our houses.

Yes, the cow's shade.

Grandpa! I'm thirsty.

You shouldn't drink much. You're still sick.

Grandpa promised to get the Kaminskas another cow

He will if he did.

Why'd the cow die?

Want me to play for you?

The child's suffered so.

That was a terrible appendix.

D'you want a medal?

You're a hero for escaping death's clutches.

If you lie still Papa'll give you another medal.

Look, Antanas!

The Kaminskas' barn is on fire.

Stay in bed, Andrius.

Here's a pail.

It's new! Take the leaky one.

Get up, sleepy-head! You'll miss the fire!

I escaped from death's clutches. I can't get up.

Here!

It's real good, Liuka.

You'll get well if you eat it.

It smells nutty.

You'll get burned, Antanas!

The hide of the cow we sold so unseccessfully?

Jeering after you set us on fire?

You're either drunk or...

Want to see me ruined?

You won't! I'm tough! And my kids are tough!

"I Sat in the Garden". A folk song.

Arranged by Antanas Šatas, our conductor.

Our soloist, Irena Meškutė, hairdresser.

I sat in the garden...

"The towers tremble!

"Here come the Lithuanians!"

I'll play you a song

that was popular in my youth

"The sun'll shine when I see you again.'

Grandpa!

– I found a kopeck. – Keep it. Don't bother me.

I can't get it out.

All you think of is money.

But I want to get it.

I'll give you 1,000 kopecks if you go away.

I need this.

Find a stick to poke around with.

– What are you looking for? – I found a kopeck.

Here.

Want to bribe me? You can't! I'm tough.

We've got a sack of money. Papa makes boots.

You're all cheats! You sell sick cows!

And you use rotten leather!

Want me to buy you a live cow?

– You can't. – I will, just for spite!

Just for spite!

She says I can't but I'll buy a cow!

Good for, you, Paganini!

Cows, when Papa's playing! Why d'you want a cow?

For Liuka Kaminskaitė.

You won't buy a cow while I'm alive.

I will buy Liuka a cow!

No, you won't.

I will buy Liuka a cow!

No, you won't!

I will!

Go ahead... And move in with them.

Make boots, since you've no ear for music.

But, if you buy Liuka a cow

I'll go to an almshouse and die there.

– You won't die! – I know best.

Her father'll dance on my grave and say,

"Here lies a poor old cheat.

"His grandson Andrius drove him to his grave."

He did not! But I'll buy one anyway!

Will you give me money for a ticket?

You've seen "Tarzan" 6 times.

Then I'll buy a cow!

I'll buy them a cow for spite, Mama!

Wait till you grow up.

Don't go to an almshouse. You're happy here.

And life's getting better

than it was in your bourgeois past.

Want the pot?

Back to bed! You're sick.

– Sick? – Sure.

I've worn this English cloth for 30 years.

and I'll be burned in it.

I'm no bourgeois. I wear out my pants in 2 weeks.

In 2 weeks!

Don't spit. I brought it for you.

For me to read?

– I can't read. – Yes, you can!

No one knows I can't even read or write.

– Who's your father? – A musician.

A musician... Paganini.

He studied agronomy, bookkeeping,

but people say he's a musician.

You still jingling kopecks?

When I die I'll leave you my money.

You won't die! Here.

I know best.

You can buy 5 cows with my money.

And Kaminskas'll dance on my grave.

You can't dance in a graveyard.

He will.

A plane, Grandpa!

At that time I thought I had already grown up and knew everything.

Knew that babies were delivered by a stork,

that grownups sometimes died and flew away.

Far, far away. And never came back.

In spring frogs croak ecstatically.

In spring you feel sad. I think with sorrow

of how quickly we all grew up.

I, Andrius Šatas, and Liuka Kaminskaitė,

and even her brother Mousie.

Our daily bread seemed to acquire

a nutty taste in our mouths.

Give back my shoe!

You'll all be sorry!

Watch her thank him.

Here. You blind or something?

See?

– Get hit? – Obviously.

Just like a dog.

I can't walk upside-down.

I'm not good at anything.

I wanted to buy that witch ... a cow.

Are you crazy?

That's all I'm good for.

– You do it, Rimavičius? – Yes.

Let me through to the principal!

I'll never do it again.

I asked Liuka to.

Was it an extra tooth?

It was cracked.

I've no time for dentists. She did it fine.

I'll have to send you for your father.

Idiot! Who asked you to say that?

I did it myself. So's I'd be excused.

Want me to eat my shoe?

Go ahead... Enjoy it.

Know who you are?

Know what Rimavčius said about you?

And you believed him? How could you?

Promise me you'll never say that again.

Now kiss me.

– Coming, Liuka? – No, I can't.

Fine... Keep left!

Straight ahead! Good.

I used to carry more than this. Take it all?

I'll pay you 10 roubles.

Go on.

– He was doing fine. – It was too heavy.

Where you going, Šatas?

– Did you laugh, too? – No.

– Honest? – Honest.

I thought... I guess I imagined it.

– Did I look stupid? – Not at all.

– Honest? – Honest.

Well, I'll be... going home.

Yes, Andrius.

I've things to do.

It's late. Are you going to rehearsal again?

It's my job. There's a song festival soon.

What's the matter?

Where'd you get this money?

Don't I support you?

And Grandpa left you his money.

It's worthless now.

True enough. We'll discuss it later.

Don't like land reclamation, Mousie?

Saving money? Want to buy a motorcycle?

I may.

Where'll you go? Back and forth?

Idiots!

You're an idiot!

– Your father... – Shut up!

Then you say it!

And I will!

You're scared to!

Want to go to town with us?

What's there to see?

Your dad's fooling around with the hairdresser.

He is... Him and Irena Meškutė.

The whole town's talking!

Don't believe me? Ask anyone.

It's the truth!

Get going!

I can't take it any more!

It's so shameful.

Don't go, Mama.

Papa'll wake up. We'll be happy again.

He's always been happy.

He never brought me a single flower.

Don't go. I'll bring you so many flowers

The house'll look like Paradise.

I'm not leaving you. I'm going to my father's house.

from where he took me when I was young.

I was so foolish!

He had on a hat and patent leather shoes.

"Shall we take in a movie?" he said.

– Did you go? – As you see.

– What was the film? – I don't remember.

I was watching the old goat, not the screen.

You'll manage for a while. You're a big boy.

– Is she gone? – Yes. Get up!

What'd she say?

She said you saw a good film.

But nobody remembers the name of it.

No message for me?

No... She just left.

– What about you? – Wait a sec.

– What d'you want? – You selling it?

You got any money?

I'm not selling.

Maybe it's stolen money.

I earned it! And I saved up these kopecks years ago.

Why buy a cow? Get yourself a motorcycle.

If you're not selling it, give back my money!

Take the cow!

You can have the rope.

But I'll take the coppers.

– Is it mine? – Go on!

– Is it mine? – Yes!

Wait, boy!

Here's your coppers.

You might've bargained. It's an old cow.

Play it something when you milk it.

It'll give more milk. It's got an ear for music.

I saw your chimney smoking on my way from the market.

Papa decided to burn some old shoes.

I bought a cow. It's instead of that other one.

I told you I'd buy one.

– You bought me a cow? – Yes. Like it?

– Don't you? – Of course! She's beauty!

What's that?

What's that creature in my barn.

Why, it's a cow.

And what's that human creature?

Why, it's Andrius.

Why's he here? And why's the cow here?

He bought me a cow.

You the principal? Is Andrius Šatas your pupil?

Think if I'm poor I can be given stolen cows?

If you don't take action I'll go higher up.

I'll go as high as the Minister of Education!

– I didn't steal it! – Shut up!

We don't need any cows!

We earn enough to get along!

My daughter and me don't want any of this!

I didn't steal it... I don't know how to steal.

You tell them, Liuka!

She's nothing to say to you!

– Tell them, Liuka! – She will not!

Where'd you get the cow?

Get up there, child, and tell the principal

what we think about this.

Father!

I don't know what to do with it.

What'll I do with it?

Hear that?

Pardon us. There's chores to do at home.

– Where'd you get the cow? – From the sky.

I'm serious.

So am I.

Well, where's it from?

I stole it!

It was grazing... I killed the shepherd!

and led off... the cow.

But why a cow?

Andrius! ... Hurry!

Father beat me. I ran away.

Open the door! I'm cold.

– What d'you want of me? – Nothing.

Good night.

Well? You coming or not?

Shh! You'll wake up your parents.

I live alone.

I know where the cow's locked up. Coming?

I'm not going anyplace.

Good night... Goodbye!

Wait! I'll get an umbrella!

Wait!

Wait, Liuka...

Come in.

Relax... Make yourself at home.

My father's house is your house.

– And you live here? – I have to.

How can babies live on nothing but milk?

– Liuka. – What?

Can you play chess?

No.

– I'm cold. – Am I an idiot!

– I'm soaked. – Me, too.

Don't look.

– Where are you going? – Be right back.

– Can I come in? – No.

Now?

Yes.

Then you... go to sleep, Liuka.

I don't want to sleep.

I'm forever sleepy after buying that cow.

I'll leave the light on.

It's stuffy in the dark.

Yes, it is.

Is this where you sleep?

I have to... This is where I spend my sleepless nights.

I'll never leave you.

What's the matter?

– Something's happened. – Where?

Here, under your hand.

I can't get undressed.

You won't tell anyone, will you?

See what an awful red mark I have?

It's very nice.

I want one, too.

Somebody like you's born once in a million years.

I'm here... Don't worry. Stay here for good.

– Come out, Liuka! – He'd better keep away!

Open up, Liuka! I know you're in there!

If he kills me, will you save it?

I didn't break anything.

I made you a pair of shoes.

like those in the foreign magazine.

Will they fit?

Let me go! You'll never go to the sky!

Sometimes people fly away and never come back.

But Liuka's mother Kristina came back.

so unexpectedly you'd think she fell from the sky

after so many years' absence.

I always envied grownups.

It's so easy for them to leave and then return.

You pig!

You worthless cheat!

Tossing me out of the plane! How dare you!

Good day. Where'd you come from?

From the sky!

You winged pig!

That you, Antanas?

It's been a long time. You're slimmer.

Nobody to wash your shirts?

And you turn them inside-out when they get dirty?

What d'you want? Nails, or plate glass?

Glass.

This all right?

Quit splashing! I'll call the militia!

– Glass again? – Yes. It broke.

Elytė... I don't need the glass. I need your love.

Where'll it come from now?

Shall we take in a movie?

Why not?

But your hat's not new...

and you've no patent leather shoes.

Where've you been all these years?

You kept... circling round. Always detouring.

Did we forget anything?

No. I'm nervous.

Don't be. Come on.

Come, Andrius. Don't fret. Now that we're together...

I'm proud to have such a son.

My son bought a cow!

You knock, Elytė.

You always expect me to do everything.

Don't break the bottle!

Mr. Kaminskas!

It's me, Antanas Šatas.

Here's your cow. Take it.

So you've decided to drag me through the mud?

To disgrace me? Well, I'm tough! You know I am!

You not tough, you're a fool!

Don't get excited!

He's looking for trouble. Come on!

Don't forsake me, my darling.

I missed you so. I hurried back to you.

Forgive me if I mistreated you.

Don't forsake us, Father.

My child...

Forgive an old fool.

Maybe I hit you too hard at times...

Not hard enough, Father.

Please hit me again if you can.

I can't.

Don't cry, father. You're tough.

My dearly beloved!

"Angels and saints,

"Pray for him."

Something's burning.

You're burning our dinner again!

Don't leave me, Liuka.

Liuka, where are you?

I'm sorry for them, Andrius.

We should be. We'll get old, too.

I don't want to be old. But I've gotten real old.

Go on... I don't care.

It's none of your business!

Bury the cow?

Some shoot and others have to bury it.

I envy you.

Liuka, I'll always, always...

I realy and truly...

Me, too... Even before you were born.

We're leaving... Moving.

You were going to sue me?

Yes, I was.

If you're given a cow it's yours.

So I can do whatever I want.

What if everyone starts shooting cows?

What if everyone gives you carrion?

Excuse me... How's your health?

Not good at all.

They're giving me a job at the shoe factory.

Maybe I shouldn't've taken it.

Everything's changing, Šatas.

So you'll be the head of a music school.

Maybe.

You're a modern man. I can't change.

Here. They're made of your second cow.

Hurry, Liuka!

So many years have passed. Where you are, Liuka?

Whenever I think of you

the heady aroma of nut bread fills the heavens.

Then the scent of it tints our eyes

light-brown

with two dancing golden spots.