Original subtitles

...together with major contributions...

by many others, present:

A film in 13 parts with an epilogue, based on the novel by Alfred Döblin.

Who's there?

It's me.

What do you want?

I want to come in.

I don't understand why you take so long to consider...

whether to let me in or not.

I wasn't considering.

Then you took a long time not considering.

Cheers!

It's good to be here...

at your place.

Well, then...

Franz, you know...

what we've got to settle with each other.

Tell me straight out what you want from me!

Out with it!

What do I have to settle with you?

That business with the automobile.

There's no point in that.

It won't make my arm grow back again.

No, it's OK.

Things couldn't have gone on like that forever.

Something had to happen.

You mean with street trading?

Yeah, that too.

I must have been cuckoo!

I had a cuckoo sitting there in my head

but it's gone now.

And your arm's gone, too.

I've still got another one... the left one.

And I've still got my head and two legs.

And what are you up to...

otherwise?

What should a guy get up to with one arm?

There's not much you can do.

But just being a pimp,

isn't that a little...

tedious?

What do you mean "tedious"?

I get around. I live...

and look at things...

and look again and hear things.

And my girl, Mieze,

who used to be called Sonia, she earns good money.

She's a good girl, and I love her.

I can't complain.

And even if the worms eat dirt...

and let it out behind them,

they always eat it up again.

The little devils show no mercy.

If you stuff their bellies full today,

tomorrow they have to start all over again.

Now I remember it!

What?

I couldn't think of it... a song.

What song?

"When the soldiers come marching through the city side by side,

"All the girls throw their doors and casements open wide..."

Part 11: Knowledge is Power, and the Early Bird Catches the Worm

I'm going dancing tonight.

Is your Mieze going with you?

No. She's away with her benefactor...

for two or three days. But when she gets back,

we'll go with you. She'll enjoy that.

You think so?

If I say she'll enjoy it, she'll enjoy it.

And besides,

she won't bite you.

Say...

And while he's dancing with Eva,

inwardly he loves two people.

One is his Mieze,

whom he wishes could be there.

The other is... Reinhold.

I told him straight out that he's crazy.

It's obvious:

a guy with one arm who wants to throw his lot in with us.

It's obvious: he's crazy!

Hmm,

and what did he say then?

What did he say?

He just laughed and grinned.

I thought I wasn't hearing right.

"What, with one arm?" I say.

"Why not?" he grins.

The other one's strong enough.

He can lift with it, and shoot.

He can even climb, he says, if necessary.

And did you check it out?

Is it true?

Do we really want a guy like that?

With one arm?

Do you, Pums?

We've no use for him in our work.

Well, I have to go and get the rope ladder.

Get a strong one, Pums!

And not from Berlin. We agreed on that.

- On no account from Berlin! - I know that myself, Reinhold.

Meck! Bruno!

Yes, Pums?

We've discussed the gas cylinder.

Get it in Leipzig or Hamburg!

Whatever you do, not in Berlin!

Yeah, I know, boss.

Do you know how?

- Leave it to me! - OK, I'm counting on you...

Oh, yes, there's one other thing.

Franz...

was at Reinhold's...

and said he'd like to join us again.

Personally, I think he'd just be...

a burden for us.

But we don't have to worry about that.

Reinhold will sort that out with him.

I throw him out of the car, and he comes back again!

Suddenly the guy's standing there, grinning.

Insists on joining in again.

Do what you want with him!

Maybe he wants to squeal on us.

What do you say, Meck?

You know him best from the old days.

No. I can guarantee...

he'd never squeal on anyone...

as long as he lives.

But maybe in a dark corner,

he'd shoot one of us down.

That's right.

Maybe. Who knows what goes on in the head of a guy like that.

Maybe Franz wants to get his arm back from Reinhold.

Maybe he thinks...

I'm afraid of him.

After all, he's not short of money.

That guy can't kid me.

Who knows,

maybe he feels he's got to atone for some sins.

That's right.

Maybe I'll have to take him to the Salvation Army,

and he'll have to sit on the sinners' bench.

He'll sit up there at the front,

praying,

and I'll be watching.

And why shouldn't Franz Biberkopf sit on the sinners' bench?

Isn't it a place where he belongs?

Who says it's not?

What can anyone say against the Salvation Army?

And who is Reinhold of all people...

to get uppity about the Salvation Army?

A guy who once - what do I mean once? -

who ran at least five times to Dresdener Strasse himself.

And what a state he was in!

And they helped him.

His tongue was hanging out,

but they fixed him up,

not to become such a scoundrel, of course.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Franz has experienced it all,

the song, the call.

The knife was at his throat.

Franz, hallelujah!

He holds up his throat.

He wants to look for his life, his blood.

My blood, my inner self:

so it comes forth at last!

It had a long journey before it came.

God, was it hard!

There it is! I've got you!

Why didn't I want to sit on the sinners' bench?

If only I'd come sooner! Never mind! I'm here now.

I've made it.

Why shouldn't Franz sit on the sinners' bench?

When will salvation come,

when he throws himself down in the face of his terrible death...

and opens his mouth and may sing with many others?

Come in!

There's a man who wants to speak to you.

What's his name?

He didn't say,

but he's got blond hair.

Blond hair. Mhmm!

- Hello, Bruno! - Hi, Franz!

What do you want?

- Pums sent me. - About what?

Pums gave me a bit of money for you,

but he also said you don't have to take it.

No, no, that's OK, Bruno. One can always use money.

Here!

Thanks.

Then I'll beat it. OK?

OK. Bye!

Goodbye.

Well, Mieze?

What's up, Franz?

Nothing. I'm just happy.

Franz?

It's nothing really,

I'm happy about you.

When you think about it,

everything in life's so funny.

For me, it's all quite different from other people.

They have it good.

They run around...

and earn money and set themselves up nicely.

I can't do that.

I have to look at this get-up,

my jacket,

the sleeve,

I...

I've lost an arm.

That's how things are,

and I can't change them. No one can change them.

But when you carry something like this around with you,

and then...

- It's like an open sore, and then... - But I'm here for you.

That's why I'm so happy, Mieze.

Look, I earned these two smackers,

and I'm giving them to you.

You earned them?

Yeah. I have to work. Otherwise I'm nothing.

Otherwise I'm finished.

You want to give them to me?

But Mieze,

don't say a word to anyone!

It was with Pums and Reinhold. Saturday night.

You want to give them to me?

Sure. Who else?

But why...

do you want to give me money?

Don't you want any?

Oh, Mieze!

Come on! I was so happy about it.

We can both go away with this money.

Yes, that's true, Franz.

What's the matter, then? Don't you want to go away with me?

Sure.

Come on, then!

Such a sweet little head!

Tiny noggin! Come on!

Why are you crying?

Do you want to get rid of me, Franz?

For God's sake!

You don't want to?

No, for God's sake!

Then why do you go working?

Don't I earn enough?

I do earn enough, Franz.

Am I supposed to do nothing?

I don't say that, but not for money.

I don't want it.

I don't want it. Please, please, Franz!

I don't want it.

And I'm supposed to do nothing?

Don't run away!

Give the money away!

Give it to poor people!

And then, Franz,

you must promise me you'll never do it again.

It's not because of the money, Mieze.

Hold on, Mieze! Let me tell Herbert!

Just imagine! Franz brought Mieze 200 marks.

You know where he got it?

From Pums?

Yes. He told her that himself.

And did he say where?

Mieze, did he say where it was?

No, he didn't.

Would you believe it? Now he's dealing direct with them.

Can you understand it?

Mhmm...

He wants to nail one of them. He's trying to get on their good side.

Just wait...

until he's in with them.

Bang! And nobody'll know what's happened.

You really think so?

Mieze...

Mieze asks what she should do now.

Let him carry on!

You think he's after the money?

It's like I said: he means business. We're in for a surprise.

Hello, Mieze...

Is somebody there?

Hello!

Are you Miss Mieze, Franz's girlfriend?

Franz Biberkopf's?

Yes,

I'm Mieze,

Franz's girlfriend.

Why do you stand up there?

Come nearer!

Why?

I'd...

like to talk with you.

I'm a friend of your Franz.

No need to be afraid.

I'm...

Reinhold, Miss Mieze.

Take a good look at him, Mieze!

Study his face!

It's a face, Mieze,

that's more important to you than any other face in the world.

More important than Eva's,

more important even than that of your beloved Franz.

Did Franz send you...

to find something out from me?

Or...

On the contrary. Franz...

shouldn't find out that...

I've met you.

He's very sensitive.

The thing is,

I wanted to talk with you.

It's very difficult with Franz...

with his injured arm.

What I wanted to know was...

whether he really needs to work.

Everybody would like to know that.

No.

As far as earning money's concerned,

he doesn't really need to.

He's got people who help him,

but maybe that's not enough for him.

A man wants to work, after all.

Sure, and so he should.

But it's a bit difficult,

because what we do...

is no ordinary work.

Not even a guy with two healthy arms is always capable.

Boy, you sure do have strong hands!

Yeah, that surprises a lot of people.

You almost suffocated me.

Don't worry! I'm careful with things like that.

I hope so, too.

Say...

don't you know me, miss?

Hasn't Franz ever told you anything about me?

We know each other, Franz and I.

We knew each other...

before he ever had you.

There we were,

Cilly and...

I know Cilly.

Why shouldn't he have had someone else?

I had another guy earlier.

But now he belongs to me,

my Franz.

Sure, he belongs to you.

You don't think I want to take him away from you, do you?

I can resist that.

But there were...

some strange things between him and me.

He really didn't tell you about them?

Strange things?

What, for example?

Just strange things.

I'll be frank with you.

If Franz is in our outfit,

it's only because of me...

and those things from the past.

We two always stuck together...

whenever possible.

The thing is,

we used to swap broads, Franz and me.

What do you say to that?

Tell it to your grandmother!

Swapping broads!

There's nothing to laugh about, Miss Mieze.

Ask your Franz.

They must have been wonderful broads,

50-pfennig ones from a flophouse?

No, not broads like that.

Do we look like that?

Just tell me one thing.

Why are you giving me all this bullshit?

What's behind it all?

What are you up to?

Oh, I beg you, miss!

What should I be "up to"?

I just wanted a little information.

By the way, Pums...

You've heard of him, I'm sure?

...he gave me personal instructions.

Oh, my goodness!

Excuse me! I really must be going.

Of course.

Maybe you'd like to visit our outfit sometime.

Not if you tell stories like that.

Sorry, miss. I thought you knew it all.

By the way,

it might be better...

if you didn't tell Franz we've seen each other.

I shouldn't say anything?

Better not.

But if you want to, there's nothing we can do.

That's up to you.

Well, goodbye, then!

You have to go!

Yes.

What did he want?

What could he have wanted?

You're dead!

Why don't you fall down?

Because you didn't explain the rules.

Whereupon Napoleon said,

"Forward, forward, without let.

"It's dry above; below it's wet.

"When it's dried out below, we'll conquer Milan,

"For a medal or so.

"Tralee, trala, tralee, tralair!

"We're advancing: soon be there.

"Oh, the joys of being a soldier!"

Hello, Meck!

Hello, Max!

Hello, Reinhold!

Let me have a coffee...

and a small cognac!

Things are not what they were between you and Franz.

No.

Not since the accident.

It seems I'm the one he can't forgive.

He's forgiven Reinhold, hasn't he?

- Seems so. - And...

do you know why?

No.

Nobody does.

What's the name...

of that woman of yours?

Mieze. I told you that already.

She used to be called Sonia.

Right.

But you don't want to show her to us.

She's too refined for us, is she?

I don't have a menagerie to show around.

She's got her benefactor. She earns good money.

But you never show her to us.

The girl's busy.

You could bring her along once.

She's supposed to be quite pretty,

or so I've heard.

Sure she is.

Give me a hand!

Would you like to see how fond of me she is?

I tell you, she's all heart,

and just for me, Reinhold.

All that girl knows is love and affection...

and nothing else.

Shall I tell you how crazy she is about me?

You just can't imagine it.

You know Eva, don't you?

Sure.

Of course.

Well now it turns out...

that Mieze wants her...

No...

No, I can't tell you.

Ah, come on!

You can't start something and then stop in the middle.

That's the meanest thing there is.

Come on! Out with it!

No, I can't.

You can't imagine it.

You've never heard anything like it.

It's never happened to me before.

Just tell me what's up with Mieze and this Eva!

All right,

but keep your mouth shut, OK?

She wants...

Mieze, that is,

wants...

Eva to have a baby by me.

A kid.

That's how much Mieze loves me!

She can't have one herself for physical reasons.

Mieze's as true and sweet as gold.

You wouldn't believe it.

Yes,

that's how she is.

- That's a gift from Mieze. - Oh, yes?

Yes. When someone gives me a bird like that,

then I know she loves me.

She should be here any minute.

Listen! This is what we'll do.

It's kind of funny. A real circus!

Just don't move, OK?

I wouldn't dream of it.

The best thing is to lie in bed here.

I'll make sure she keeps away.

Then you can watch, OK?

Come on! Lie down here! Give it a try!

Can you see anything?

Yes. It's OK.

My God! We're asking for things to go wrong.

Why? Are you afraid? I'm not even afraid if she notices something.

No, but I'd rather she didn't notice anything.

Look out! She's coming.

Mieze?

Come on in, baby! Come in!

Oh, the bed... Just leave it as it is!

There's a surprise for you.

- I must have a look. - No! Stop!

First swear, Mieze!

Swear!

My God, you must hold up your hand!

Repeat after me: "I swear..."

I swear...

"that I won't go near the bed..."

...that I won't go near the bed...

"until I say so."

...until I go there.

You stay here!

Now swear again!

"I swear..."

I swear I won't go to the bed...

"until I lay you down in it."

I won't go over there, Franz.

It's all right.

What's the matter, Mieze?

My little pussy cat! What's up?

Franz, can I tell you something?

Sure you can.

Something happened at my old guy's place.

What happened?

I had a date with him today.

I went over there...

and rang the bell,

but he wasn't there.

Only his nephew was there. He was supposed to tell me...

that his uncle would be back tomorrow.

Well,

then...

What's up?

Nothing, Franz.

You needn't worry,

and don't do anything to me!

It's really...

nothing.

- Only... - Only?

The way he stood there:

I just had to.

I have to...

Sure you do.

Yes, I have to.

What should I do?

He's such a young guy and...

Why are you crying, Mieze?

Do you love the guy?

Are you in love with him?

Yes.

What do you want with me? Let me go!

I'm here, Franz. I didn't run away. I'm here.

Run away! I don't want you.

Don't shout! What have I done?

Go to the guy if you love him, you bitch!

I'm not a bitch, Franz. Be reasonable!

I told him it's not possible.

I told him I belong to you.

But I don't want a woman like you.

But I belong to you, Franz, and I told him so.

Then I ran away, and you should console me.

You must be crazy! You love him, and I should console you?

Yes, you should.

I'm your Mieze, and you love me.

- And so... - Mieze, beat it!

Beat it! Get out of here!

Go to him, and let him console you!

Just get out of here!

- No. - Get out!

No. That would mean you didn't love me,

that you didn't like me anymore.

What have I done?

I'll wring your neck!

Franz, please! Please, not a stick!

That's enough! Not with a stick, please, Franz!

OK,

and now out with you, Reinhold!

Get out! Here, take a look at her!

Take a good look at her,

and then get out! Out with you! Come on!

What's up now?

What's got into you?

Why are you screaming like that?

Shut your trap!

Shut up!

You're screaming the whole house down.

Shut up!

I'll kill her!

I'll... kill... her!

You're suffocating her, for God's sake!

Get out, you bastard! I said get out, you bastard!

Get up! Get up!

Just look at the bitch!

Who's the bitch trying to hit?

Go downstairs...

and don't come back till you've recovered!

Get out!

You'll beat her to death.

Franz!

I'm coming with you.

No, my girl! You're staying here!

I'll help you in a minute.

OK...

Get out!

Dear, dear Franz!

Wait, I'm coming with you.

You stay here!

Get out!

Get out!

Get out!

Get out!

I'll help you, Miss Mieze.

I'll bring something. I'll help you.

It was the same as with Ida.

I was scared to death.

Thank God that man was here.

What man?

I don't know his name.

What guy was it, Mieze?

That Reinhold.

Believe me, he saved her life.

It was the same as with Ida. Screaming they were,

Mieze here and Franz, too.

It was sheer hell.

What was Reinhold doing here?

What does he want here? Mieze, you've got to help me.

We can't leave things like this. Something has to be done.

Why was he here?

That's something...

I didn't understand either.

He was lying in bed there,

hidden under the covers.

Can you understand it?

Yes.

Why would he hide a guy in the bed?

It's funny, isn't it?

No, I don't think it's funny.

There's something behind it, Mieze, something bad.

Promise me you'll try to find out what it is.

Somehow you must find it out, Mieze.

And don't just say you will.

I'm so afraid that...

something terrible will happen again.

He's already lost an arm,

and now he runs back to the guys...

who were to blame for it. No one knows...

what really happened.

You must promise me that, Mieze.

You must try to do something,

because...

Reinhold is one of them.

And Franz brings him here!

He hides him in his bed,

and something like this happens.

Don't worry about your eye.

It's not too bad.

In a couple of days, it'll be gone.

OK. Now hurry up, baby!

Go downstairs!

Franz is waiting there.

You must go with him.

He'll never get over it if you don't forgive him.

Franz!

My dear, dear Franz!

I'm so ashamed, Mieze.

No need to be ashamed, Franz. Really not.

Look! I love you, and you love me.

How about driving out somewhere...

where we two can be alone?

Yes, Franz.

Come on, then!

Let's get away from here, right now!

I almost killed you, Mieze.

I really hurt you. I almost killed you.

It's OK, Franz.

You're here with me again.

That's the main thing.

Nothing else matters.

But I'm so ashamed.

The way it happened! I was so mad...

I couldn't help it, yet I was so ashamed.

You mustn't worry.

Everything's OK again.

Why is she staring? Do you know her?

Why do you ask?

Because she's staring.

Why shouldn't she stare? That's what her eyes are for.

Come on!

What happened to you?

Mieze, you don't even ask...

why Reinhold was lying in my bed?

No.

Don't you want to know?

No, because it's not true.

What's not true?

That you want to sell me to him.

What do you mean?

What I said.

I don't want to know, because now I know something else;

namely, that you don't want to sell me to him.

I know that now, and that's the most important thing.

My God, Mieze!

Where did you get that idea from?

It doesn't matter.

I know it's not true, and that's the most important thing.

What can I bring you?

Oh, I'd like...

a big ice-cream sundae with fruit...

and lots of cream, and a fruit tart...

also with lots of cream.

And for you?

A beer with a dash!

Reinhold, you see, is my friend,

but he's a swine with girls.

He's simply a swine.

That's why I wanted to show him...

what a decent girl is like.

I wanted to show him...

a decent girl. He should see one for once.

It's OK.

Do you still love me,

or only that other guy, your client's nephew?

I'm yours, Franz.

I belong to you,

you alone.

Is she thinking, when she sits there idly,

and what is she thinking?

When he asks her, she says

she's not thinking of anything:

you can't think about things all day.

Here it is! It's what I was looking for.

What?

The place where we played blindman's buff,

where you fell,

and cut yourself.

Yes, I was bleeding,

but it was no one's fault. It was fate.

This time, though, you were bleeding, and...

I was to blame. This time, it was my fault.

Shh!

You must stop thinking about it, Franz.

Don't keep thinking about it!

You'll just drive yourself crazy,

always thinking about something you can't change anyway.

Come on!

This is lovely!

You don't know how lovely it is.

Yes, I do.

I know very well how lovely it is.

In a way, I'm happy it happened, because...

now I share a secret with you,

and everything's much stronger between us,

much stronger.

I'm not afraid anymore...

about all that business with Pums and his gang.

I'm not afraid at all now,

because I know...

that I'm going to protect you.

I know it.

In bed she's as soft as a feather,

each time as quiet, tender and happy as at the start,

and always a little serious. He can never quite figure her out.

End of part 11, with

Subtitles: Peter + Waltraut Green