All language subtitles for Via Mala (1945)

Based on ideas from the novel of
the same name by John Knittel.

Starring:

Direction:

This film was completed by the
Deutsche Film A.G., Berlin.

Close the damned door!
Are you crazy, or what?

One can freeze to death! -I just
wanted to see if Nikolaus was coming.

What business is it of yours?
-I'm scared for him.

Just worry about your own affairs.
-But I like the boy.

First the father, then the son.
-Hanna!

What do you want?
Why don't you stay in your room?

It's so cold there.
-Then crawl into bed.

I'll go crazy if I'm alone.

You can take your darling with you.
Then you'll get warm again.

I won't let you keep spitting your venom
at me. -How do you intend to prevent it?

Rat on me so your father beats
me until I'm a cripple, like Jöry?

Or dislocates my arm, like Silvelie?
-Be quiet!

Do you think I like it here?

Don't you think I'd rather leave
today than tomorrow?

Away from this goddamned mill!
-Then leave.

Where am I supposed to go?
Where am I supposed to go!

Onto the street, where you belong.
-I've run away before.

He came and took me back.
He can find me anywhere.

He won't let me go.

That devil. That devil!

Why did you let the devil in? You're
not ours. You were free!

You forced your way into this hell.
Didn't you know who Jonas Lauretz is?

Everyone in the village knows.
The devil. The devil!

Why did you throw yourself at the devil?

I didn't! -Why do we have to tolerate
you day after day and night after night?

Jonas's wife and we, his children.

Because you have suctioned yourself
to this house like a tick!

Not to be shaken off.
-Why do you always have to pick on Kuni?

Because she's in my way at every turn.
-How can she help it?

If I didn't have you, Silvelie,
I'd be long dead already.

She has it easy. She's never home. She
only comes occasionally for a visit.

Can't you come back to us, Silvelie?
Do you have to stay with Lukas Bündner?

You have it good, Silvelie, don't you?

That's a good position,
in the Three Crests Inn.

With a chance for advancement.

Tell me, Silvelie, is Lukas Bündner
always good to you?

Yes, Mother.
-Does he listen to you?

I don't know. -Can't you tell him not
to sell your father schnapps anymore?

If he doesn't, someone else will.

He hasn't had credit anywhere else for a
long time. Only Bündner gives it to him,

because he's your father.
-Shall I help you?

Fold your own laundry. That.

He is utterly obsessed with schnapps.
It's getting worse and worse with him.

For a bottle, he sends the boy the long
distance to the next village.

And in this weather.
My God, how it's howling!

If the boy were to lose his step...

Come, Mother. Come, don't
stand in the freezing gale!

You can catch your death!

Oh, Silvelie, that would be nice.

Then it would be over and I would be
in peace. -Mother, don't say that!

Believe me, it will get better.

Not as long as he's alive.

She's right.
-You're sinning, Hanna.

Against whom?
-Against Father.

That is not a father. That's an animal!

But he happens to be our father,
and the husband of your mother.

How happy do you think she'd be
if she had never married him?

But he is. Dear God, don't make it more
difficult for yourselves than it is.

Help each other mutually. Can't you
just be a little bit good to each other?

I didn't learn that.
-I would like to, Silvelie.

Shut your mouth! You don't matter.

Listen, where is the whip?

The whip has always hung there!

The dog whip. Where is it?!

Was he...?

Nikolaus!

Nikolaus!

Did you hear? Someone screamed.
That's Nikolaus.

Nikolaus!
-Come on, that's enough! Let me.

Nikolaus!

There he is, Mother!

Nikolaus!

Boy, where have you been?

You know Father is waiting.
-What's wrong?

You're bleeding! Did you fall?

Come on. You can't keep your father
waiting. You know how he is.

Come, we'll bring you home.
But why not?

Are you injured?
-The bottle!

By God, you broke the bottle!
-I fell! I... I'm not going home!

But you can't possibly stay here.
-But I'm not going home.

If I don't bring him any schnapps
he'll beat me to death.

He's whistling again.

I still can't see Nikolaus.

Silvelie isn't anywhere to
be seen, either.

An accident must have happened!
-What else would happen here?

Father's whistling again,
as if we were dogs!

I'm not going home.
I'd rather jump into the sea!

Come, Nikolaus! -Where would you go?
-I'd rather go to hell than home!

Nikolaus, I'll speak to father.
-No, Silvelie!

Yes. -He won't do anything to her.
He buckles under her gaze.

Father.
-Where is Nikolaus?

Please, Father...
-Where is Nikolaus!

He'll be here in a minute, but...

Well?
-He fell. His face is totally smashed.

Father, you shouldn't have
sent him off in this weather.

Where is the schnapps?

He obtained it...
-But?

When he fell, the bottle broke.

Father! Father, what are you
doing with the whip?

Let go of me!
-No, I won't let go of you!

Father, you can't beat him!
He can't help it!

Please, blessed Father!
Father, you can't! Help!

I thought you knew me,
but you have forgotten.

Get away! -No!
-Get away. -No, I won't!

Get away!
-Fath... Don't go into the house!

He didn't do anything!
-Help!

Father!

Father! Father!

Father!
-Holy Mary, mother of God...

Amen. Holy Mary, mother of God...

Why are you running away? You're not
scared of your sweetheart, are you?

Dear God, who is supposed
to be able to bear this?

Who can endure this?

You don't have to endure it. You have
found safety with Mr. Bündner. But we...

Our heavenly father...
-Stop it!

Our father, who art in heaven, let
thy kingdom come... -Shut up!

Holy mother of God, you...

My dear, good Nikolaus...

God should forget about me
if I forgive him for this.

Good evening, Bündner.

Oh, lo and behold, Lechner-Bauer!

Well, have you come to see
me or my Red Tiroler?

To see you, Bündner, if I'm still
allowed at this hour.

But of course. Friendship knows no poor
hours. Come right on in, Lechner.

Are you waiting for someone?
-I? No, no. That is, yes, I... for...

Silvelie.
-Silvelie, yes.

She has been gone so long.
She just wanted to visit her mother.

Your foundling has really
blossomed into a noble creature.

Really? Do you like him?

Whatever you take charge of thrives.
The house, the parish, the village.

I'm not the mayor, Lechner. I'm just a
very small, humble innkeeper.

You're more than the mayor
or the civil servant.

One cannot vote for or depose you.

You are just there. And it's a boon for
the whole village that you are here.

For everyone who has something on his
mind. -What do you have on your mind?

Oh, well I...
-Come, drink.

And you? Oh yes, you don't drink.
-Not a drop.

An innkeeper who doesn't drink?!
To your health, Bündner.

And to yours, Lechner. To yours.

You are unsettled.
-Well, it's just...

I don't understand why the
girl hasn't shown up.

You shouldn't allow the girl to
go to the mill.

Lauretz just gets worse and worse.

And when is the baptism?
-On Sunday, if that's OK.

Certainly. Certainly!

Who's that?

Yes, please excuse me.
-I'm on my way.

Another drink?
-No, better not. It'll be too much.

Good evening, Miss Silvelie.
How's it going?

Well, thank you.

What's wrong, Miss Lauretz?
Are you ill?

Of course you're sick.
You have a fever. Yes, fever!

No, no, nothing's wrong. I...

I'm just... I just walked so fast.
-What is it?

For God's sake!

What's wrong?

I'm... I'm totally perplexed, Silvelie.

Mr. Bündner, you must not
give Father schnapps anymore.

Please don't do it!

I can't go back on my promise.
-You can't, Mr. Bündner.

He's not a human anymore.
He'll just end up killing us all!

You have no idea what kind of life they
have down there at the sawmill.

Are you not happy you're here?

Oh, God, I... you always
think only of me. -Yes.

But my mother and Hanna, and Nikolaus!

He beat him half to death today because
he fell and broke the schnapps bottle.

Promise me, Mr. Bündner. Promise
me you won't give him schnapps anymore.

As a favour to me.

I promise.

I would do anything for you.
Where are you going?

To get changed.

I'm completely drenched.
-Forgive me. I'm thoughtless.

I'm very inattentive.

Well, my good dog...

"You always think only of me."

Yes, Silvelie.

An extraordinary bouquet.
-I'm glad, Doctor, I'm glad.

Too bad you're not joining us.
-Yes.

Well, Mr. Bündner, at least one gulp to
our health. -Not one drop, gentlemen.

Please kindly forgive me. -Oh, one time
you can be disloyal to your principles.

Not even a single time.
-Incorrigible!

Hey, what's with the dog?
Why is he barking so ferociously?

I'll take a look, Mr. Bündner.

Good evening, Bündner.

What do you want?
-I want my bottle of schnapps.

No.

No?
-No.

Why not?
-That's my business.

Go home, Lauretz.
-That's my business.

Did the girl incite you?
-Who's said anything about Silvelie?

Me. Is she behind it?
-If you want to talk...

I don't want to talk. I want schnapps.
-Shh, quiet. Quiet.

You know our arrangement, Bündner.

Do you think now that you have
the girl you can betray me?

Oh no, my friend.

No schnapps, no Silvelie.

Come again tomorrow.

I don't like to walk for nothing.
Now that I'm here...

Not today.

So, "no".
-No.

Yes, who is it?
-Your Father, Silvelie.

Father!

Mr. Bündner, come quickly,
he's going to kill her!

Hurry and get the doctor.

What's going on here?

Silvelie!

No, Silvelie!

Is the magistrate sick?
-Seems so.

Next, please.
-Everyone is next here. We are together.

We are all affected by it; we
carry it together. -Be quiet, Mother.

Jöry's going to tattle.
-What's he going to tattle?

There is nothing to tattle. You'll tattle.
-Don't speak so harshly with Mother.

I thought it would get better with you
when he's gone. It's getting worse.

Because... because it's not a
sure thing that he's gone.

One day he'll show up again.
-No!

No?
-No!

How do you know?
-I know nothing.

Then don't say anything.

Why haven't you said a single thing?

Silvelie?
-What am I supposed to say?

Are you sad that he's gone?

No.

I'm happy.
-Don't say it so loud!

Why shouldn't I say it loudly?
I want to scream it out of me!

I am happy he's gone!
-Quiet! -I'm happy.

Jöry!

Jöry, you're lying!
-I was not in the canyon.

The others, they were.
-Who?

All of them.
-Who "all"?

Well, the women, Nikolaus, Kuni.
All of them. -When?

Well, every day, every night.
Kuni, all of them.

And Silvelie?
-Not Silvelie.

Silvelie was not there.

You, after her father's
disappearance Silvelie was at the mill

several days and nights!
-Yes, but not in the canyon.

She wasn't in the canyon. If you say
anything bad about Silvelie...

Not a soul has anything bad to
say about Silvelie.

Come in.

Oh, excuse me, Magistrate. May I?
-Yes.

For God's sake, what's wrong?
You look terrible.

I'd like to have a glass of water.

Am I interrupting?

Go. I need a break. Go.

We'll break for a few minutes.

You shouldn't get so upset, Magistrate.
-But I am upset!

A person disappears without a trace in
our community! Where did he end up?

The gossip in town won't die down!

The people from the mill say they don't
know anything. He went away. Where?!

To me.
-Fair enough. I know that. But then?

Do you have a particular
suspicion, Magistrate?

I would like to know who last
saw the miller Lauretz.

I did.

Bündner, God knows I'm not
in the mood for jokes.

But, Magis...
-Ah!

For two hours I have been
interrogating these Lauretz people!

Here's the dictation!

Nothing but lies! Pure lies!

Do you need something, Magistrate?
-My medicine. -Medicine!

It's empty.
-Hurry, run and get more. Hurry!

Magistrate.

You're saving most of it, Mother. My
God, how much you have amassed already.

The drunk is gone, that's why.

You shouldn't shortchange
yourself, Mother.

Indulge yourself something for once.
-I have to save.

But for whom?
-Who knows what will happen?

Well, I'm going now, Mother.
-Already?

I have to prepare the rooms.
For Mr. von Richenau.

He wrote to say he would be staying at the
inn while his house is being renovated.

When is he coming, this new one?
-He is already on his way.

The old man isn't even cold yet.
-But Mother, it was three months ago.

I wouldn't mind if it had
been longer without a magistrate.

Are you going to serve
the new one yourself?

The girls will all be busy, and
besides, I like to do it.

You must want to swaddle him,
this Mr. von Richenau.

Swaddle?
-That's sensible of you.

Very sensible.

Say, Mother, what nonsense are you
spouting? What's that supposed to mean?

Whom it concerns, he understands me.
-And whom does it concern?

Magistrate Helverlein wanted to
find that out, too.

And then he died...
in the middle of the interrogation.

That's was not an interrogation, Mother.
No one had been accused.

I beg you, Mother, for all the world,
please stop talking about that.

I can't. I'm so frightened.
-Frightened?

Of what?

That he'll come back?
-He can't come back!

How do you know that?

Relax, Mother. Relax.

But he's always there,
as soon as it gets dark.

He sits in the corner by the stove,
he crouches on the woodpile,

he follows me to the well,
he squats next to my bed.

But it's just your imagination.
-I'm always scared. -It'll go away.

He's always here. -Everything will be
better when you leave this awful mill.

Wherever I am, I'm always in
the mill. The saw pierces my heart.

The mill wheel wraps
itself around my head.

Mother, you really have to leave this
place! -Nikolaus. He has to go.

Why only Nikolaus? You all have to
leave when the sawmill is finally sold.

Nobody will buy the thing anyway.
-But why not?

Nikolaus and Jöry have gotten
it in working order.

He who is hard-working will extract
gold and silver from the mill.

Whoever buys the mill
also buys the miller.

Do you mean Nikolaus?

Do you mean... him?

That's why I say Nikolaus has to leave.

That's why I save and
scrape together every penny.

Nikolaus has to go...
before the new one comes!

Here we are.
-Please stop.

I'd like to go the rest
of the way on foot.

Take the suitcases to
the Three Crests Inn,

and tell them the owner will follow.
-All right, Magistrate. Giddy-up!

Good day, Magistrate!
-Good day.

Who are you?!

Mr. von Richenau is coming.
-I know.

I'm late, I'm sorry.
-What's wrong, are you ill?

No, why?
-You have such feverish eyes.

I danced.

What?
-Yes, I danced.

Mr. Bündner, the magistrate is coming!

I don't have to introduce myself.
You know who I am.

Yes.

I'm creating a lot of work for you.
-No, no.

If there any books in
particular you want, Magistrate,

just ask Miss Lauretz.
She's tremendously capable.

Yes, tremendously capable.

I don't want to burden Miss Lauretz.

Miss Lauretz is somewhat...
-Is she in distress? -Distress?

No, actually she isn't. One might
say she is afflicted with a burden.

Yes, afflicted.

Only, she hasn't realized it yet.

Are you angry at me?
-No. No.

You're scared. Of whom, or what?

I'm not scared.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean
to be intrusive.

You don't have to be so
frightened of me.

Why do you always creep around
here like that? What is it?

He's here now.
-Who?

The new magistrate.

He knows something. What does he know?

What did he see?

What was there for him to have seen?

The soup is on the table.

Enjoy your meal.

Come on, eat some more.

Silvelie.

Silvelie, why do you always evade me?

Silvelie.

Silvelie.

I cannot become your wife, Magistrate.

I don't know what's standing in the way.
-The mill.

The mill.

How does the mill concern me?
-Nothing, but therefore more to me.

My Silvelie, I know
what you're thinking.

You're thinking of your father.
-Yes. Day and night.

I know. I spoke to
Mr. Bündner... about you.

About your father. About your family.

About the whole tragic history.

It's behind you, Silvelie.

Whether your father had an accident,
or... You have nothing to do with him.

The sawmill is foundering.
Forget him. Forget all of it.

Just think about me.

I can't forget. I should not!

I love you.

I love you, but I cannot be your wife.

Is there another man?

Then you belong to me. Quiet now.

No objection. I love you.
And you will be my wife.

Say no if you dare.
If you love me, say yes.

Maybe.

I understood that as a yes.

Yes, well, have a seat, Magistrate.

Are you expecting other guests?

Because the table is set for eight.

Come, sit down. Here, next to me.

I hope I'm not displacing anyone here.
Who normally sits in this place?

No one.

Absolutely no one.

Please have a seat, Andy.

You too, Mother.

Jöry, you too.

Now you have turned the mill around
so well, and you want to sell it?

Why that?
-It'll be hard to sell.

Nikolaus wants to get ahead.
He wants to go to school.

He'd love to enroll at the
polytechnic university. -Oh, I see!

Yes, I would give anything for that...
But it's out of the question.

Why? If you were away from here for a
couple of years, possessed by work...

Oh, I would be.
-He would!

We can discuss that in more detail.
-Andy!

Your brother is my brother now, too.
-Dear Andy.

We have a visitor.

Here?
-Mr. Bündner?

Is something wrong for you
to be visiting us, Mr. Bündner?

No, no. I just wanted to
see how your family is doing.

Yes, your family.

And then... then I wanted
to ask you a question, Miss Lauretz.

Oh, and that's why you've
come all this way?

Yes. To the mill.

The house of your childhood.
And to see your mother.

Yes, to your mother.

Good day, Mr. Bündner.

Good day.

As I can see, I'm interrupting.
-Not at all Mr. Bündner.

Please take a seat, Mr. Bündner.
-Sit over here, next to Silvelie.

No, no, I don't want to displace you.
-Get a cup, Silvelie.

You're just in time for a small
family celebration. -Yes.

Yes, yes, I can see.
-Yes, our Silvelie...

But why are you crying, Mother? An
engagement is no cause for tears.

No, to the contrary.

Well, may I express to you my sincerest
congratulations? -Thank you.

You too, Miss Lauretz.

Please.

Would you like some?
-No, thank you.

Yes. You decided very hastily, huh?

Yes, he took me by surprise.

In love, that's the only right method.

Yeah.

So I guess I'm losing you. It'll be
very hard to find a replacement.

I know someone.
-Really?

Yes.
-But whom?

Kuni.

Oh, Silvelie!

No, Silvelie.
-How can you?

You can't be serious, Silvelie!
-But why not?

What do you have against her?

Oh!
-Hanna, please be quiet.

If anyone here has cause to
reproach Kuni, it's Mother, not you.

Oh God, as far as I'm concerned...
-I want the past to finally be the past!

It has cheated us of enough. So let's
forget it and start from scratch.

Mr. Bündner, you were always
very good to me.

If you can do me one more big
favour, take Kuni into your house.

I will never be able to refuse
a request of yours,

Miss Silvelie.

If there's a god in heaven, Silvelie,
then you should be paid back for that.

You must do well.

Oh, you must do well, Silvelie.

I hope you become happy.

And, Silvelie,

if anything happens, if anyone
wants to harm you...

You or a loved one of yours,
I won't say anything.

They can carve me up, Silvelie.
I won't say a word.

They can throw me onto the saw.
No one will get a word out of me.

Only for your sake, Silvelie.
Only because you were good to me.

And, you can count on me for that.

I want to do you proud.
You pulled me out of the dirt.

Now I'm going to hold myself up. Now I
have my pride. Now I want to show it!

I am somebody!

When I come back, you
will be proud of me, Silvelie!

You won't regret your belief in me,
Spager. I'm gonna make it! -I know.

Give my best to Mother again.
No, tell her I'll see her again.

I'm coming back soon. She
should hurry up and get well!

What are you thinking, darling?

The water is coming from the mill.

Yes, but one can't tell. It's beyond it.

Andy?
-Hmm?

You have never asked me about my past.
-No.

But maybe you should know about it.
-Since it's painful to you, why?

Has one never tried to talk to you
about the past? -Who is this "one"?

Someone from the village. -I would have
very firmly forbidden myself to do that.

What if I were to tell you myself?
-Tell me what?

Everything... about the past.

To be honest, darling,
it doesn't particularly interest me.

I'm much more interested in
another topic. -Yes?

Whether or not you love me.

Oh, Andy, I cannot put it into words.

I... am only love to you.

Since that time, remember, when we
first met on the street?

You took me by the hand, and I just
gave myself over to your guidance.

And I think we want to stick to that.

No more about the old days, Silvelie.

Just imagine that your life
began when we met.

That is what happened, Andy! Before,
that was no life. -Then forget it.

Can I?
-Try.

Yes.

Everything is as our dear
Magistrate Helverlein left it.

Some dusting is needed
here, Gutenschlag.

Yes, it is needed.

Otherwise my wife will say the
male housekeeping is apparent.

Yes, yes.

Where is the key to the desk, Gutenschlag?
-The key? It must be in the bowl there.

No, there's no key here. -Not anymore?
Then it's hanging on the closet door.

No, it's not here either.
-Then I don't know where it is.

Then you'll have to get
a locksmith, Mr. Gutenschlag.

Well, okay.

Oh, now I remember. Bündner.
Bündner has the key.

Then get the key from Mr. Bündner.
-Yes.

Kuni!

Hey, Kuni!

Oh, Silvelie! -Hey, come down.
I've brought something for you.

Miss Silvelie, you've finally
come back to see us!

I'm your humble servant, Mrs. von
Richenau. Where can I find Mr. Bündner?

In his room.
-Ah.

Silvelie!

Can't you come in for a minute?
-I don't have time. I have to go home.

Andy's waiting for me. Here, this is
for you, and this is for Christian.

Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Silvelie, I can only thank you, but
I wish I could do something for you.

You'll be fine. See you later.

Oh, yes. The key to the desk.

Er, I'll bring it by myself. -But it's
really not necessary, Mr. Bündner,

for you to go to the trouble.
Surely I can still deliver a key.

Of course, Gutenschlag. Of course.

Here's the key. There you go.

Please inform the gentleman, Voni.
-Certainly.

Come in.

Magistrate, lunch is ready.
-Thank you.

Andy! The soup's getting cold.

Aren't you coming?

In a minute.

Andy!

Yes, be right there.

Lunch is ready, Mr. Bündner.

Yes, thank you.

Well, finally! I was just about to
bring the soup to you.

I'm sorry, I...
-What's wrong?

Forgive me, please...
-Don't. What's going on?

Did you encounter trouble?
-No, no.

Do you want bread?
-Pardon me?

Yes, thanks.

Are you not having more to eat?
-No, thank you.

Do you not like it?
-I do. It's superb.

Did you make it yourself?
-No. Voni.

She seems to be settling in well.
-Yes, she is.

Was it nice in the city? Did you
get everything? -Very nice.

I brought you the books, too.
-Nice of you to remember. Many thanks.

You're welcome.

Now you go and eat, Voni.

But I still have to get the potatoes.
-OK, then please bring them.

May I take that off your hands?
-Please.

Aren't you going to tell me
what you have against me?

What should I have against you?
-I don't know.

I am also not aware of
having done anything to you.

But you... You do have
something against me.

You are completely different. It's as
if you are another person.

Andy, what's wrong with you?

Thank you.

Should I bring the salad now?
-My wife will call you.

May I?

It's about my father, right?

Why do you think that?
-Oh, I know it.

Everything that was bad and nasty
in my life was due to him.

And it continues, even
though he is dead.

Is he dead?
-Oh, most certainly.

Otherwise he would have long ago shown
up here and demanded his portion.

His portion?

Of what?
-Of what? Of the money, of course.

He only cared about money.

So that he could drink.

He was always drunk!

But Andy, I warned you.

I fought with all my might.

I refused to become your wife, almost
all the way to the registrar's office.

You didn't want to listen!

You cajoled me, simply overwhelmed me.

You dazed me with your love, Andy.

I couldn't fight back.

Yes, I was weak.

But I loved you, Andy.

Oh, I loved you so much.

And you married me, even though I said
again and again, "No! No!". Constantly!

But now I am your wife,

and I don't want to hear
about the past anymore.

I have no father anymore.
My father is dead. To me, to everyone!

And he should be dead to you as well!

Otherwise, Andy... Oh, merciful
God, what will happen then!

Why are you getting so agitated?

Why I'm... so agitated? Oh, my God.

It's just that you know nothing.
You know nothing.

It would be better if I knew everything.

I won't tell you another word, Andy.

I warned you one time... about me, about
the link between my family and the

Lauretz people from the mill.
You didn't want to hear it.

Now I'm warning you for the second time,
Andy: Leave the past alone,

or it will be a catastrophe
for you and for me.

...Mr. Bündner, but I have a
question to ask you.

Can I offer you a refreshment,
Magistrate? -No, thank you.

A cognac? A coffee?
-Thank you, no.

I am at your service.
Naturally, I am at your service.

Please take a seat.
-Thank you.

Mr. Bündner, what do you know
about the death of Jonas Lauretz?

May I ask why you're asking me?

If I'm not mistaken, you were the
last person to see him alive.

Yes, in the village. Yes.

Well, provided he is dead.

Unfortunately, I have to assume he is
dead. More than that, I fear...

Jonas Lauretz was murdered.

How did you reach that conclusion,
Magistrate? -That suspicion is not new.

My predecessor harboured it, and
not only he, but the whole village too.

I found the record of an interrogation.

By the way, thank you for taking
the desk key into your possession.

Thanks to you, the report
didn't get into the wrong hands.

I'm sure with you it's
in the safest hands.

No question.

I am going to reopen the investigation
my predecessor was unable to complete.

And I ask you for your support.

And who will benefit
from that, Magistrate?

Justice.

You might be bringing justice to a dead
man, but you'll destroy the living.

Justice must prevail.

It concerns your very own family.

That makes it all the more important.

It concerns... your wife.

That makes it 1000 times more important.

So you want to investigate
the Lauretz case at all costs?

At all costs.

Yes. Your attitude is the
only correct one.

I am at your service, Magistrate.

Hanna.

How is Mother?
-Well.

As long as there's no excitement.
-But there will be.

Is he back?
-No.

But Andy thinks he's still alive, or...
I don't know what he believes!

He's so different to me.

Not at all how he used to be.
Not my Andy anymore.

Oh, Hanna, I... I can't stand it!

I can't live without his love.

He is my everything.

Without him I'm just half a person.

Nevertheless, isn't it better if you
tell your husband everything?

Tell what, Hanna?

We're not being honest with
each other, Silvelie.

Do you think it's for no reason
that Mother cries every night?

And sits every day in fear,
like a little kid with a fever?

Hanna, what do you know?
-The same as you.

But I don't know anything!
-But you're scared of the unknown.

Have you forgotten her expression that
time he hit Nikolaus with the dog whip?

Mother!

Oh, Mother!

Mother is right. Where she is, is the
mill. She's dragging it around with her.

And one day it will be the death of her.

Mother didn't do it.
-Yes. -No!

Mother didn't.
-Who else?

Magistrate von Reichenau
will figure that out.

Oh, Silvelie!

Don't you want to go to bed, Andy?
-Yes, maybe later.

I still have work to do.

A difficult case?

An involved one.

Can't we speak openly with
each other, Andy?

Can I risk that with you?

You don't think my
father is still alive?

No.

So if he's dead, how did he die?

That's the question.

You don't think he had an accident?

No.

Then what?

You know the truth, Silvelie.
And I suspect it.

So then you think... he was murdered.

That he didn't die naturally.

Who did it?
-That's the second question.

Why are you posing this question, Andy?

People... like you and me, my Silvelie,

we can't live in an unclean world.

We need clarity around us. Clean air.

Otherwise we'll decay, and
I don't want you to decay.

That's why I will keep asking
until I have found the right answer.

I will give it to you, Andy.

I did it.

My darling.

You don't believe me?!
-No. Not a word of it.

I did it, Andy!

Now I know that you're trying to protect
someone else. -I did it, Andy! Me!

He beat me half to death,
and before that Nikolaus and Jöry!

So then Nikolaus, or Jöry!

No, no, what do you want with
Nikolaus and Jöry?

Me! I'm the one he beat!

I swore to myself

that would be the last time he beat a
person into a cripple with his kicks.

That's when I did it.

Silvelie, for whom are covering?

But why don't you believe me?
-Silvelie, whom are you protecting?

Do you know what you're doing?
You're setting our house on fire.

Oh, let it burn!

We don't even live under one
roof anymore, Andy.

And you are pushing us apart!
You have destroyed everything.

Justice will prevail.

And the people will perish.
-I've already heard that once today.

From whom?
-From Bündner.

Bündner, yes.

He knew my father.

He knows, and one should kiss the hands
of the man who freed us of Father.

Not if it occurred through murder.

Fine. Fine, Andy, do what you must.

I thought about it, too.

You have to come, too.
-Why am I needed there?

Why are we all needed?

You can just stay there.

Nikolaus, right here.
Your mother next to you.

You'd best stay with her, Hanna.

And Jöry? Where is Jöry?
Jöry in his usual place.

Silvelie, come to me.

Come in.

Mr. Bündner.

Good evening.

I didn't ask you to come, but I
knew you would come anyway.

Please join us.

Please have a seat.

This is Jonas Lauretz's seat.

Jonas Lauretz is dead. Please sit.

Which of you knows how
Jonas Lauretz died?

You, Mother?

No.

You, Hanna?
-No.

You, Nikolaus?

No. -How's he supposed to know?
-Be quiet, Mother.

Jöry?

You, Kuni?
-No, I know nothing.

Mr. Bündner?

I regret, Magistrate,
that I can't help you.

I expected these "nos". You all
couldn't know anything, anyway.

Only Silvelie knows.
Silvelie killed him!

That's not true!
-No! -Silvelie wasn't the one either!

Silvelie didn't do it!

How can you claim that?
-I saw him fall.

Where? -Off the bridge,
where the railing is broken.

Somebody pushed him off there.
-A man or a woman?

I was not able to see clearly enough.

But Silvelie... it was not!

If you're saying it was Nikolaus,
then you're lying, Jöry.

No, it's true... I did it.

Don't believe a word of it, Magistrate.
Don't believe a word, Andreas!

He just wants to shift
the suspicion to himself,

because he thinks I did it.

You see, despite everything,
I always loved him.

He was my husband.

But Nikolaus didn't do it!

So who then? Kuni?
-Never!

Me? No. No!

Why not? Every one of us has
murdered him in our minds.

Only Silvelie hasn't. Not her.

But I. And you, too!

You can't deny that.

And you above all. Do you
think I didn't see you sharpen

your knife on the grindstone?

And you! Especially you!

You would have loved to strangle
him with your hands, your hair!

In our minds, each one of us is guilty.

If someone has killed him,
he has done it on our behalf!

And he's no more guilty than us.

You want to tell us
something, Mr. Bündner?

No, I want to show you something.

Here?
-Not here.

I must ask you, despite the bad
weather, to accompany me.

Where to?
-Not very far.

I asked Lauretz if he would
let me take Silvelie into my house.

He said yes, in exchange for schnapps.
As much schnapps as he wanted.

I should have said no. I said yes.

Naturally, I wanted to save Silvelie.

But I also wanted to have
Silvelie around me.

That was the injustice.

Yes, injustices fall onto the strongest
of people like an axe onto a tree trunk.

Injustices tear at people
like a saw tears at a tree trunk.

On the night Lauretz disappeared,
he beat Silvelie half to death.

Because I didn't give him any schnapps.
But I had promised her.

That night I drank, too.
That night I killed him.

From here. He came from here.

And like this, I stood behind him.

Andy!

Andy! Andy! Bündner!

Bündner!

God forgive him... and us.

LAURETZ CASE