Original subtitles

Fall 1977. Somewhere in Eastern Slovakia...

She's a bastard...

That's all she is!

I want a son!...

You understand ? My son!

Ho! Leave me alone!

Write me... Lea...

What's she writing ?

Poems.

Poems ?

Yes... to her dead mother.

Very beautiful poems.

Listen...

This thing with her speech... Will it ?

It's too early to say right now.

I hope it's only a temporary shock.

Qeiio Gahul was senfetieed yesterday to life imprisonmerif...

... for the murder of leis wife...

... and for in flit lirig grievous liarrn upon leis daughter.

The child has been placed under flee custody of the neighbors Pall y.

A van with bars,

a man's sad face,

the father.

Riding through a snowstorm,

vanishing from sight,

a black cat hurries across the street.

Don't be afraid...

He will never come back.

Fall 1991.14 years later...

Horse dealer called. He'll be here already on Saturday.

You go with him... That's it!

Saturday...? But you know...

I don't care...

If you don't like it here, you can leave.

Join the freaks in the circus! That's where you belong anyway!

You know, she has to... -She doesn't have to do nothing!

I don't I pay her to talk to the dead!

You'd still be in the nut-house if it weren't for me! Don't forget that!

Midnight,

a dark dream,

a vampire at my back,

a mask on his face - a laughing clown,

glearning with my blood,

cover, o night, my eyes

with a fools cap.

Go ahead! I'll come later.

New guest ?

A German... restores furniture.

Turned tip at the land registry office last month.

Smells like restitution.

Why ?

Name's Strehlow...

His parents lived around here somewhere.

Big landowners.

Got run out after the war.

Probably looking to cash out.

What you want here ?

Your daughter ?

Yes...

What's her name ?

Lea... Why ?

What you want here ?

Looking for a bride... Exactly like her.

Want to marry her.

You... crazy!

You... can no just...

...like that...

Who are you ?

I take her to Germany.

What's she worth to you ?

M y daughter no horse!

If you back here...

Get lost!

50,000... Heutsche mark.

That'll buy you ?0 horses here. Sell'em to us for ?00,000.

Be back in three days.

Make sure she comes.

5o much money...

M y god...

But... after all... She's grown-up now...

Maybe she'll leave us...

Get married...

Maybe...

Who knows...

...maybe, that's just her type.

They're both...

I mean it's not like she's our flesh and blood. You know I wouldn't...

What do you say ?

How will you get her to do it ?

That German...

you know...

He's looking for people to work for' him.

In Germany.

He's offering you work...

He's offering you work...

Yes...

Yes...

Yes...

Yes...

...he's offering you work.

You make a lot of money with him.

Ten times more than here...

Deutsche mark.

Yon can always come hac if you don't like it there.

Everyone wants work in the West.

Here's your big chance... Grab it!

Leave it... leave it... I'll do that.

Take the day off... Enjoy yourself.

Go on... Go! What are you waiting for ?

Hundred thousand...

Tough...

Tough...

All this land and the woods belongs to me.

Be glad you have such a daughter.

But that... -Fifty thousand. Cash.

If she comes with me. I drop the claim. You can have it.

And if not ?

You're homeless.

M y claim was granted yesterday.

Day after tomorrow at nine. At the hotel. With the daughter.

That... Not possible...

Fraud...

Day after tomorrow at nine.

But...

...you not know... Lea dumb.

Shock from childhood.

She no speak... only little.

Doesn't matter. Neither do I.

Open the door.

Lea, open the door!

Do you hear me ?

You're taking that job with the German!

If you don't... you'll never go to the "Semljanka" again.

I'll bury it and... Bring the urn to the cemetery!

He restores furniture.

You'll have a job in his workshop.

You're so good with your hands.

Be reasonable! Our door is always open...

But now you have to go with him!

Your mother would want that too.

Tomorrow, then...

Jakub... letters...

...don't forget... letters.

Stop it.

Wood for the week 1 said, not the century!

Pack yourself a few things.

Pack yourself a few things.

We're going away ... far away.

Open it.

We`re getting married.

It's easier here.

No paperwor and crap like in Germany.

Over and done in five minutes.

No... marry... please...

Your old man got fifty thousand for you. 50,000 marks. Understand ?

You are my brie...

Didn't he tell you that ?

He conned you, your old man.

Tomorrow. Look your best!

He... not... my... 'father.

We're marrying anyway.

Who is he,

this one here,

my master ?

Golden ring, white dream, -

black how, dancing in the room...

...breathing so hard,

this one here...

... really my master ?

Do you take- Lea Palty to be your lawful wedded wife ?

DO you take Herbert Strehiow to be your lawful wedded husband ?

I now pronounce you mah and wife.

May I congratulate... ?

Think you can fix it ?

Your niece ?

My wife.

My wife.

Strehlow... congratulations.

A beautiful woman...

Rather young, isn't she ?

Twenty one.

An artist ?

Looks like it.

Magnificent piece, don't you think ?

See the crack ?

Butcher...

Bepeatit...Butcher.

Cut the crap!

You're not that dumb.

Good day, Strehlow.

Good day, madam.

Stamps... buy...

Stamps... buy...

You have to earn them first, your stamps.

For every word you say, you get one.

Inhaling rage, my master spitting fire,

funny he is, my little monster.

Excuse me, my master, but it just happens as such,

that I still do not know, why you love me so much.

Who is Jakub Bely ?

Ho more stamps! Ho paint! Ho nothing! House arrest!

We'll work it out.

We'll work it out.

You certainly have a golden touch, Strehlow.

People say strange things about you.

About your pay I

You keep to,yourself too much. People here don't like that.

Especially now...

...that you have such a beautiful wife...

That she mailed 45 letters at the post office yesterday. Gossip, I take it... or?

All to IN! smue amn In Slovakia...

That'll be thirteen hundred.

Good day. Are you a translator for Slovak ?

I want to meet you...

I'll be there tomorrow at twelve.

I'll explain that... later.

Yes... Okay... three o'clock...

Got it ... Strehlow. No. S t r e h I o w...

Got it ... Strehlow. No. S t r e h I o w...

Doesn't matter... Goodbye.

Good day.

Two seventy.

Keep it...

The letter from my wife... I need it back.

Sssorry... I can't dddoo that.

It's already pppostmarked. You understand ?

Understand me rtow ?

Sssorry...The line was bbbusy.

Roast duck tonight! Pluck it!

Sophie... my wife...

Don't touch that album ever again. Understand ?

Don't touch that album ever again. Understand ?

Understand...?

Understand ?

You really want me to translate all of these ?

Sure... Why ?

Your wife has a keen sense of humor... And a lot of talent.

Beautiful poems...

Love poems ?

Some of them... Love poems to her mother.

What ? Her mother ?

Are you disappointed or relieved ?

Listen, I'm not paying you to ask stupid questions!

When can I have them ?

Come back in two weeks.

Mr. Strehlow...

Do you know your wife's favorite flower ?

Wild roses...

Thanks...

It's that simple. One word... one stamp.

Please...

Bravo! Magnificent!

Leave the violin here! I'll buy it...

You know, Strehlow, it's a precious piece... 70 years old. Not cheap.

How much ?

It's worth thirty thousand at least.

Bring it around tomorrow. And don't forget the bow.

Play, I said.

From now on, you play whenever I work. All right ?

Go on!

Only the grass asks, why I don't laugh.

Only ttiv grass

only the grass asks, why I don't hope.

Only the grass, asks, why I dance with the dead behind the reed.

only the grass asks, why I plant wild roses in the desert.

Only the grass asks...

au you like it ?

I don't understand `much about poetry...

What a shame... There are certain things you really ought to know.

Here.

When did her mother die ?

Die ? She's dead ? What makes you say that ?

The secret of poetry...

Mr. Strehlow...

When was the last time your wife laughed ?

When a woman laughs, you have tier in the palm of your hand...

A Slovak saying... Think about it.

Your real mother...

Is she dead ?

Illness ?

killed...

... my father... with this.

It's cold in the chapel. You can write here.

The tongue runs red with venomous blood.

The mouth spits deadly fire.

Reason a blaze of searing ash.

Dreams the cobwebs where handsome monsters thrash.

Dreams the cobwebs where handsome monsters thrash.

What` s wrong ?

Headache ?

Gone... all gone.

Good day.

How are you ?

I've been wanting to meet you...

I translated your poems into German.

My name is Wanda.

I live in Munich.

My mother was Slovak.

Where...?

Your husband brought them to me.

Your poems are beautiful.

Good day, Mr. Strehlow.

Here is the rest... Very lovely, your wife.

That's why I married her.

See him walking,

my master, the bear.

Grumpy, as usual.

I wonder why lie never laughs,

this bear, my master ?

A personal gift from General )uchamp.

When I left the Foreign Legion.

That gold medal is for the best marksman.

I was a champion for ten years.

Twenty years of war.

Every day... Somewhere in the world.

This grumpy bear forgot how to laugh.

Sophie... dead ?

Car accident. In France. On our honeymoon.

Car accident. In France. On our honeymoon.

I signed up after that. Was the right medicine.

Stop it!

Stop it... I said!

Let's go to your village for a couple of days...

Snow's coming. Might be nice there.

God... I'll be damned!

Why didn't you ever write us ?

You look good!

What a beautiful woman you are.

Wait! You can stay with us. We done up the whole house.

Thank you... Jakub... thank you.

This is my window.

Just now I was so gently woken.

I thought I would be floating.

How far my life is stretching,

and where does night begin ?

Have you ever seen the ocean ?

Want to ?

Lea... what is it ? What's wrong ?

Tests were negative. Everything looks normal. You can rest at ease.

But what causes these attacks ?

Look, it could be psychosomatic...

Something triggered by her speech impediment.

In any case, I would advise you to visit a psychotherapist.

In any case, I would advise you to visit a psychotherapist.

Bullshit! That's the last thing she needs!

They need their heads examined!

It's up to you. But maybe you should let your wife decide that.

Good-bye, Mr. Strehlow.

You know what' she needs ?

Stamps. -Stamps ?

Yes, stamps... Ordinary stamps.

Then she talks like a waterfall.

They... are... from... there...

Thank you.

Is it the same with everyone,

that they do not even know,

the very drift of their dreams, when they open their eyes to dream...

I'm glad you're back.

See him walking, my master,

the bear...

the bear...

the bear...

the bear...

See him walking, my master,

the bear...

the bear...

the bear...

the bear...

the bear...

Grumpy, as usual...

Grumpy, as usual...

I wonder...

why he never laughs...

I wonder...

why he never laughs...

this bear,

my master ?

Pull!

Come...

For you... Your birthday present.

Snow... Hot... snow...

Mr. Strehlow... Your wife had a massive stroke.

There was nothing more we could do for her.

She died a few minutes ago...

Come with me. I'll give you an injection.

I don't want an injection! I want my wife back!