Original subtitles

What will you choose? - A steam engine.

A good one costs more than 20 guilders. You won't get it.

Last year they gave steam engines without steam whistles.

A pen knife?

You won't get a Swedish dagger, they're banned.

You won't get one, nor a revolver.

A watch?

De Veer, you won't get a real silver one.

The city isn't crazy. And a nickel one's no good.

No, De Veer...

He was all on his own. No one to give him any advice.

Others thought too lightly and said: Take one or the other.

He'd regret it if he made the wrong choice.

Kees...

...there's a visitor.

This is Kees, Miss Dubois. Say hello to the lady, Kees.

And these are Truus and Tom.

And who are you? - Truus!

Aren't they darlings.

How fortunate I love children.

I always wanted to have children.

But never mind.

Things don't always go as you want.

But I'll soon see you again, children.

Goodbye Miss Dubois.

You pronounce that so beautifully!

Have you done French?

Oui, mademoiselle. - Wonderful!

Well, see you soon, Mrs Bakels!

My compliments for your handsome and intelligent children.

I think she's strange. - Johan.

She's a cry baby. - Johan...

I think she's a nervous wreck. And we're renting her our best room!

Kees? Go to Grandpa and Grandma. Give them a note and wait for an answer.

I don't feel like it. - Don't be so irritating. Go on!

Oh, Kees, Miss Dubois is allergic to dogs.

25 guilders, I say.

She sends a child with that.

Yes, she's sly enough.

He should never have married that woman.

Oh, drop dead! We'll manage without you.

Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma...

It was strange having another woman in the house.

He was now visiting in his own frontroom.

That dog has to go...

...or we'll send him to the butcher tonight!

He can sit on command.

Show me. - You shouldn't command too much.

That makes them bite.

For one Cape triangle?

Don't give him too much bread. Dogs eat meat.

Lovely?

The best in the world, I think.

You think so, Bakels?

What you think of this?

The Grand Persian. Greatest stamp in the world.

Where did you get it? - From my father.

Come on Bruno. Come on.

If he were a hero, it'd be easy.

Well, that's worth a few stamps.

The Grand Persian? - No problem, young man.

Dad!

Dad?

I came for a lie down.

There aren't many customers.

Take a look, Dad.

Look, a triangular Cape.

I asked for a chess set at school.

Board and set.

When did you fight?

When did you quarrel?

I haven't quarrelled or fought.

That's the problem, Kees.

You have to lash out. Promise?

You have to be a quarrelsome bastard.

Only think of yourself.

Will you do that?

Yes.

There were two royal children who loved each other.

They couldn't meet, the water was too deep.

What did they do?

They lit three candles when the sun set:

"Oh dearest come, swim across".

That's when the royal son met."

That was beautiful. I would love...

We want to hand out prizes...

Indeed. Master, who's the best in the class?

Yes, come to the front, Bakels.

Cornelis Bakels, gentlemen.

Ah. Cornelis Bakels.

Look, boy.

Congratulations.

And it's really two presents.

Look, it's a chess game and draughts. Enjoy.

You can draw the pieces, Bakels!

Wait a minute, boy. Come here.

You can't play chess like that. You need these.

You really earned it.

It happened to Dad again.

It must be really bad.

The neighbour warned Grandpa and Dirk.

Father must be in a bad way.

Anyone there? - Quiet, Dad.

Hello, Dad...

Kees. - Yes.

Our Kees.

Yes...

I have the chess game, Dad.

Good, my boy.

It's such a pity.

You're such a fine boy.

Damn it.

Terrible, such a big man crying.

It must be awful, falling ill again when you just got better.

He wanted to say: Get better soon, Dad.

But his father's eyes confused him.

My Kees...

It's such awful weather. - Yes.

You have to stay indoors. For a long time.

Yes, I shall.

You'll see, you'll get better.

My boy...

...don't you worry.

Goodbye, son.

Farewell...

Where will you leave the children?

Is he asleep? - No.

Move aside, Kees.

That's a setback, isn't it boy?

They all thought you were dying. - Dying? No...

They were all crying. - Boy oh boy.

But I stayed calm.

My Kees.

Mate! - What?

Checkmate!

Grandpa was suddenly in charge.

He ran the shop...

Truus and Tom slept with Uncle Dirk and Aunt Jeanne.

And Father... lay in bed all day.

Sometimes Kees looked at his bed...

Father looked at him but didn't see him.

And sometimes Kees didn't recognise his own father.

He looked like a stranger, lying there.

Are you coming? You're sleeping with Aunt Jeanne too!

Hey! Dozy!

Are you going up, Kees?

How are things?

It's all over. - Oh God. The poor lambs.

Oh Christ! Jeanne, it's so awful.

You're a liar. You're a liar.

It isn't true!

You won't leave the wedding ring, will you?

No, that would be a shame.

Haven't you been to the tailor?

Master Bakels, come on.

Measurements. Take the master's measurements.

Where's the tape measure?

Sorry about your father. But you'll have a nice suit for the funeral.

Now a pencil. I must have one.

Ink.

I thought I only had to try it. You had the measurements.

Yes. I do. Butl lost the paper.

Everyone wants to try it. But you don't need to if I measure you.

Now a piece of paper.

Well. That must be it.

It's not for a classy kid, is it!?

Tell your mother I'll deliver it in a day or two.

I'll do what I can.

In the churchyard, Kees watched closely. It wasn't easy...

When to take off the cap and put it on again...

How to stand still. And whether to walk fast or slow.

In the coach, Dirk and Grandpa quarrelled about opening the curtains.

It was very difficult, all of it.

Dorus, why make so much noise?

Dorus, Dorus, you're one of the boys.

Tomorrow you'll hear the doctor moan.

Tomorrow your body will make you groan.

Those people almost made the room look cheerful.

And the table with plates and cups and bread.

It looked as if there were visitors.

It looked like a birthday, he thought. Laughing and smoking.

Is it too noisy, Dad?

Can you be quieter?

You know what it is?

It's nothing really.

But my thoughts get jumbled.

What should I say... - Don't say anything.

I understand, I do.

Close your eyes.

Sleep will do you good.

There's nothing wrong with me...

Truus! Are you crazy?

We are still mourning.

I saw you in the coach. But you didn't look.

I'd look outside in a funeral coach.

And your leaving the shop, aren't you?

Who said so? - My mother said so.

Come on, Truus.

Okay, don't. Long live Bakels. Bakels for your shoes.

Bakels, come here.

It's unpleasant for you, Bakels.

I heard this week and was shocked. - Yes...

Was your father ailing for a long time?

Quite a while.

It must be difficult for your mother.

How many children at home? - Three.

Yes, it's terrible.

I never knew my father.

I must have been five or six.

Oh really.

What did your father do for a living?

We have a shoeshop. - Oh, that's right. A shoeshop.

Well boy...

Bakels...

Go and sit down.

Oh, and Bakels...

You want to keep the bell?

The headmaster complained about the other. Sit down.

You want one?

Are you that boy? Kees, who was at my school?

Yes, Rosa Overbeek, I'm that Kees.

Do remember the first day I was back to school?

You gave me something. You remember what?

No...

This. Never been used.

Hey, what's all this?

Get lost, snotty.

But they're our shoes!

Are you crazy?!

Hey, leave off!

They're stealing our shoes! - Calm down, Kees. It's all right.

Nothing will be left! - That's the whole idea.

But if we advertise.

With leaflets or something.

I'll hand them out.

Dad's tried all kinds of things. He did.

Mum, what can we do then?

It'll be all right.

So why can't I know? - Don't complain, Kees.

You're already like an old man.

They moved to the outskirts of town.

Miss Dubois stayed with them.

They needed her rent.

It's not as nice as our last house.

No.

But you'll get used to it, Kees. You shall.

Everything was smaller than Kees had imagined.

But things would get better. Mother started selling tea.

Tea from Stark & Co.

They had a huge office and branches worldwide.

Mother was now an agent. Maybe she could start exporting.

Kees Bakels would run the South American desk.

He could find his way with the atlas.

Well, Kees, you're in trade now.

I say, Bakels, swap stamps? - No time, De Veer, I am trading.

What trade? - We're in tea.

Well, what d'you earn? - Fifteen percent.

I have an order from agent Bakels. - You have the book?

Can I have some cards, to advertise. - Of course.

Are those for advertising too?

Ask in the office.

I'm Kees, from agent Bakels.

Can we have some of the new cards?

A packet of cards.

Is that for your girl?

Look, there he is.

Hello, tea boy. Do I get a card? - No.

But we want cards, tea boy.

The tea from Bakels, madam. - Thank you, boy.

Hey, give us cards? - Cards, cards!

Get lost!

Get lost yourself! Come on, grab him.

No! Don't!

No! No!

Drink!

I say? - Yes?

May I have your sponge. - Yes?

Hello Rosa. - Hello.

Look at this. You can open it, see?

What d'you think? - Lovely.

Well, you can keep it. I have enough.

Well, thanks.

But we have to be careful. - Of course.

Say it was a gift, from a girl at school.

I won't even say I have it.

She wasn't a donkey. She knew what was best.

What did I want to say?

Oh yes. We have to be careful at school.

If only you knew what the boys said...

What?

Oh, it's too much. I'll tell you later.

Oh, but I understand. If only you knew what they said to me.

Who, the boys?

No, the girls. - So what do they say?

I think I understand.

I don't give a damn!

They don't know. They can't know.

I have to go home, or I'll get in trouble.

Yes, me too. Our new house is miles away.

Bye. - Bye.

Briefly he felt deliriously happy.

He had that feeling of security.

That everything was sorted out by Dad, who came back.

How could he be so superstitious.

Kees would never tell anyone he was so stupid.

Mum, we don't have any more water. - I think the pipes are frozen.

There's 25 cents. Get 20 cents of coal and five cents peat.

He was annoyed.

That grimace and that dirty dress. She looked like a beggar woman.

Well. Hurry up.

Well, boy. Used to it? - Yes, sir.

And how is the tea business?

Very good. - Glad to hear it.

Here is 25 cents for your birthday, we can't come tomorrow...

Thank you, Grandpa, Grandma.

How shameless. It's incredible.

Well, you'll get your 25 guilders! Old creeps!

Your son won't cost you a penny!

I'll say this: You should be ashamed. Now get out!

It's incredible.

What happened?

Can you imagine?

What's wrong, Mum?

They wanted money.

Mother?

Now I'll get involved.

I'll put an end to this poverty here. I'll save the day.

If necessary, I'll get nasty. But I'll fight for it.

My brave Kees.

Hey, tea...!

Where are those cards? - Well, come on then!

Get lost. Off you go.

Go!

JUNIOR CLERK WANTED

How old d'you have to be?

How old is the junior clerk, sir?

Mr Stark?

I wanted to ask about the position of junior clerk.

How old are you, son?

I'll be 12 tomorrow.

You're the son of widow Bakels? - Yes, sir.

And you're good at school? - I could go to high school.

Come with me.

Sit down.

Add up these figures.

And write your name and address.

Cursive or block letters? - As nice as you can.

That junior clerk at Stark, you knew him?

I never noticed.

Well, he's gone. They need a new one.

I suppose he stole? - No. Just too stupid.

Couldn't add up. And terrible writing. I'm taking over.

I already spoke to the boss.

What?

He said you should come tomorrow. Before noon.

What's all this? - They need a new one.

Who sent you there? - No one!

Not Uncle Dirk? - He doesn't even know Stark.

Who put you up to it - No one! I brought it up myself!

About leaving school? - It's fine work.

You're going to high school.

I'm going to Stark & Co. Better than that dumb school.

Dad would have wanted it.

I'll get promoted. Dad wanted that too.

And earn a few cents this winter.

My God.

Johan and I had other plans...

We had other plans for you.

Are you going tomorrow?

No. - Well?

No. It won't happen. - It will. I want it!

Father said so. "You have to fight. Fight and quarrel."

You can't quarrel. - Can't I? What are we doing now?

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you

happy birthday dear Kees, happy birthday to you

Hip, hip, hurrah!

Shouldn't you go to school? - Well?!

Start on Monday. Two guilders a week. - Yes!

Kees!

So you're leaving school.

Yes, business is just too good. Mum can't miss me.

What had he done? They went on without him.

Kees Bakels is going to work for Stark & Co. How stupid.

Now you can have the bell, Van Dam.

Oh, he can't complain. He was lucky really.

He was... Kees Bakels, the smart one.

He was too clever by half.

He got the best job in the world and Rosa Overbeek.

Bakels, wait a minute.

You're going to work on Monday?

Mum needs the money.

I could get the job now...

Through acquaintances... in a big office. - In a big office...

Stark & Co, the coffee trade.

Well Bakels, then...

I wish you all the best. - Thank you, sir.

Oh, and Bakels?

Kees...

Don't stop dreaming, will you?

Never! All right?

You were quiet.

Yes.

I'm leaving school. - In March?

No, I have a job on Monday. - Monday?

Yes. At the tea office I have to visit. You know.

Stark & Co.

Yes. Big office. Very busy.

That's why you were quiet.

I could see. You were so sad.

And that on your birthday.

You were crying.

Watch out, don't fall.

Darling. My darling.

Rosa fled without looking back. Kees watched her.

Laughing and crying at the same time. Then Kees walked home.

At first slow and sleepy. But soon he heard music.

It was happy, ringing music.

And he marched in time to the joyful music.

Proud! Sure! Happy! The music resounded in his head.

And passers-by thought he was an ordinary boy, without a history.

No, they didn't know he could do everything.

He could do anything, now he had started.