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HUNGARIAN WRITERS' FILM CO.

PRESENTS

FERENC HERCZEG'S

SIRIUS

A FILM BASED ON HIS SCIENCE-FICTION NOVEL

DIRECTED BY ÁKOS HAMZA D.

STARRING

Their Excellencies!

Lady Stefánia Érdi!

Her Excellency Baroness Katalin Tárkányi!

Welcome, Katalin! You're so pretty!

Don't worry, Stefánia, we'll play bridge later.

- I hope there will be good dancers too. - Oh sure!

Ákos Tibor is a fool.

You know, that medieval type of fool.

He doesn't fit in the 20th century.

Why would he be a fool?

Because he does not value life more than it is worth?

I adore men like him.

Would you marry Ákos Tibor?

Without thinking.

You are right. One can only marry Ákos Tibor without thinking.

His Excellency Count Tibor Ákos!

Welcome, Ákos, take a look around.

I'm sure you'll find some entertainment.

Hello!

- Hello, Ákos! - Hello.

- How are the tigers? - Waiting for you to put on weight.

Ah, Ákos Tibor!

I've heard about your adventure.

Dear, allow me to introduce Count Tibor Ákos.

He is the Tibor Ákos who does the craziest things in Europe.

- Tonkin is in Asia. - No doubt.

What will be your next adventure?

I don't know where my next adventure will be, sir.

- Come, have a coffee with us next week. - Thank you, I'll take that.

But I will be away next week, dear.

Oh, I forgot about that.

- What may I fix you? - Some champagne, please.

Here you are...

Are you staying?

Dancing is too easy a sport for you anyway.

You know I like danger; I'm staying.

Is that a compliment or sarcasm?

Did you see Ákos Tibor with the beautiful Kata Tárkányi?

He's a great guy, but he can't be taken seriously.

Boy, when he did that crazy thing in Tonkin,

the natives had to take him seriously.

Tell me, Ákos, is looking for danger in your life a sport for you?

No. Life's not worth so much.

Just look around; I'm just bored.

Baroness, when may I request a waltz?

About dawn.

You want to occupy Ákos until dawn?

Maybe...

Hey, these two have been together for hours.

It seems that lion hunting was not enough for Ákos.

He's up for some more exciting adventure.

Leave it to Ákos. They are matching opponents.

A tabby cat also has the blood of a leopard, it's just smaller and weaker.

- Oh, so I'm a tubby cat? - No.

You're as flexible as one but much stronger.

That's why I wonder what it's like when you claw.

Don't you wonder what it's like when I purr?

It's almost dawn, Baroness. I've come for our dance.

See you later.

Give me a call tomorrow.

It's time to leave this very prominent place.

Where to? Every bar is closed.

You know what? Let's go to your place.

Got any more of that good cognac?

Nah!

I'm not in love with Kata Tárkányi.

And if the old Tárkányi paid off my debts,

after the wedding I would realize that I had entered into a love marriage.

It would be foolish. Cheers!

Cheers!

Let us not talk about it.

- Good morning! - Morning, Ferenc! What's new?

The morning papers once again arrived earlier than you, sir.

Eh, to hell with them!

Not a bad idea.

You're so boring anyway.

Why is this article circled?

It must be some matchmaking ad. Ferenc only reads those.

- Is it true, Ferenc? - Indeed, Your excellency.

Believe me, those are the most intriguing.

Here's what I discovered today!

Probably a twenty-year-old maiden with half a million dowry

who only wants to marry a fifty-two-year-old butler.

Oh, give him a break.

- Read it for us then. - As you wish, Your excellency.

"Seeking a husband for my daughter.

My daughter's dowry is as many millions as my future son-in-law requires."

Signed by Professor Sergius, 7, Epres Street.

Wait! Read the address again.

Yes, sir.

"Professor Sergius, 7, Epres Street."

Bring my sword!

What's wrong, Ákos?

You said I'm crazy because I don't want to get married.

Why are you surprised now?

Get me a taxi! The gentlemen can take my car.

Where are you going?

To 7 Epres Street! You've heard Ferenc read it twice.

So, you're going courting!

A genuine Ákos Tibor idea:

Wearing an eighteenth-century uniform in broad daylight.

Not bad.

So?

Whoever put up this ad must be a fool, so I won't be frightened of another fool.

Good evening, pal.

Tell me, does a Professor Sergius live here?

Don't be so alarmed, I'm not a ghost, I've just come from a costume ball.

Well, Professor Sergius lives here.

Really? Let me in, then.

Come in, please.

Tell me, how apparent is it that I've had a little to drink?

Well, it usually shows more when I'm drunk.

- Really? - This way, please.

- This way? - Yes.

Come in!

Good morning.

Are you the man who advertises his daughter in newspapers?

The forty-ninth.

I want to know if your daughter is hunchbacked or crippled?

She has a straight build.

Then, is she maybe hard of hearing or freckled or cross-eyed?

She is completely normal.

- And is she perhaps also beautiful? - So they say.

Well then, you can keep your daughter, I don't want her.

Since when is beauty an obstacle to marriage?

It's no obstacle with other girls, but with yours.

Because a young girl who's beautiful and has millions

yet is looking for a husband in a newspaper has to have a hump.

Either a moral or a physical hump.

I could have coped with a physical hump,

but the name Tibor is not suited to conceal a moral hump!

- The name Tibor? - Count Ákos Tibor, sir.

Dear Count! I give you my daughter!

I've been looking for a man like you.

It isn't necessary. This hump has discouraged me.

My daughter is beautiful, pure, good as an angel.

Since when do they advertise angels in newspapers?

Listen to me!

Is this where Professor Sergius lives?

Such an old head running after marriage advertisements.

Oh well, one fool makes a hundred.

You had too much booze, my friend.

I'm Doctor Tihaméry.

I humbly apologize, Your Excellency,

but you know, this newspaper advertisement...

I know, son. It's all right.

- Go on, show me in. - Immediately, sir.

I've long been in need of a strong, brave young man

who can protect my daughter's inheritance.

Do you know what that inheritance is?

Rule over the world!

Everyone I've ever said that to has thought I was a fool, yet I say

that anyone who can fly like me is master of the world.

Just check, my calculations are correct.

To hell with them, I don't understand calculations.

But I'll give you some advice.

Build the machine as it is shown in this drawing,

and I promise you that I will go with you on your first flight, even to the moon.

- Until then, goodbye, Professor. - But the machine is complete.

- Is it? Where do you keep it? - Come, come!

A beauty, isn't it?

Come on. Let's get in.

- Good morning, Your Excellency. - Good morning, József.

Has Dr. Tornyai arrived?

Yes, he has, Your Excellency.

He's waiting for you in the salon.

- And Professor Tihaméry? - He is here too.

I just saw him in.

Once the machine has climbed to a sufficient altitude with a helicopter,

it launches itself into the ether region with rocket propulsion.

Here, it takes on the orbit and speed of the sun's electron masses,

racing through space at 300,000 kilometers per hour.

Nothing else is here but the repulsion of electromagnetic vibrations

in all directions.

This switches the phase transformer,

which neutralizes the repulsive vibrations in the direction it wants to go.

This is why I felt it necessary to convene this consultation.

The examination results, the symptoms, the whole clinical picture, leave no doubt.

After all this, I have the courage to suggest, gentlemen...

Very well, gentlemen. Correct.

But still,

Professor Sergius is now the greatest scientist in

aerodynamics and astrophysics, perhaps in the world.

Do you understand?

Flying, compared to my machine's capabilities, is a lazy drag.

My aircraft travels at the speed of electrons,

which means it can circle the earth in less than an eighth of a second.

What happens if I go around the earth that fast?

I gain a day on my clock.

Look!

When it's noon in Budapest, it's only six in the morning in New York.

If I leave Budapest at noon and arrive in New York in one minute,

I get there at dawn. So it's earlier than I left.

The next minute I'm over the Hawaiian Islands, where it's only midnight.

Moving on, in the third minute I am in yesterday.

And if I keep going, I'll be back the day before yesterday,

a week, a month, a year ago.

My plane travels at 300,000 kilometers per second.

That's eighty years an hour.

A few hours is a few hundred years into the past.

Well yes,

and I can attend my great-grandfather's wedding...

Yes, I can visit my ancestors.

I can cross the Rubicon with Caesar,

I can be at the Granicus with Alexander the Great.

I can be there in prehistoric times if I want to.

The concept of time is outdated.

Time is forever one, only the earth moves,

the sun moves, and man wears away.

Do you doubt my words?

Ah, nonsense.

I bet you a hundred times the money,

the aircraft will crash in the first minute.

Somewhere in the garden.

- So you don't want to come with me? - Of course I do, but I keep my bet.

- What's your machine's name? - I didn't give it one.

Well, let's hold the naming ceremony.

I propose to name it...

Sirius.

But Sirius is a stationary star, and my machine flies.

So what? Socrates had two legs,

my horse has four, yet he's called Socrates.

Let it be Sirius.

A dry ceremony is no ceremony!

Long live Sirius, the wonderful machine!

Smiling face, to your health!

"Rosina Beppo, 1748."

I'm a little late with the courting, pretty lady.

Count, the Sirius is now ready. We can go.

Unfortunately, this amazing brain is lost to science.

Lilienthal was also thought to be mad when he wanted to fly.

So were the Wright brothers.

And even Blériot, gentlemen, and yet they all flew.

The world thinks that our brilliant minds are mad when they crash,

but is happy to forget its own opinion and applaud their success.

But, doctor, this is not a medical position.

Of course I was not speaking as a doctor, I was just philosophizing.

But, it's sad that a world-famous scientist like Professor Sergius should be locked...

The present situation is already intolerable.

Just think of the latest scandal he has caused with his newspaper advertisement.

What if one day he tries his miserable aircraft?

Behold, the great moment has come.

We are starting.

Have we started our journey around the world?

We have left the concept of space long ago, Count.

We are floating in time.

How shall I ask...?

How long have we been traveling in Earth time?

We took off 150 minutes ago.

Will we stop anywhere?

We can descend into the atmosphere if you wish.

I'd be obliged.

All right, so watch.

Now I'm gradually reducing speed.

We'll be landing soon.

- Then what? - Then we'll continue on our journey.

- But to where? - As far back in time as you want.

To the creation of the world, if you wish so.

Well, that's a bit much for me, because I'd be late for a nice dinner.

There's no question of being late, Count, since we are going backwards in time.

When we're back in our own time, we can land at the moment of our departure,

or even before.

Watch now!

We have landed.

And where are we now?

We are in the middle of the 18th century.

All right, let's see the eighteenth century.

I'll give you eight hours.

It's nine in the evening.

I'll be back at five in the morning to take you back to the 20th century.

We will meet here at these three poplars.

Right, I'll be here.

One more thing.

You will meet people.

Be careful not to reveal your identity with some anachronism.

In any case, your outfit is a good coincidence.

Perhaps it will help you.

And be even more careful not to change any event of the past.

I don't know what would happen in that case,

but I suspect that you would be crushed

by a world order twisted out of its logic.

- All right, Professor. Godspeed. - See you later.

Be on time,

or we may never meet again in the labyrinth of centuries.

Right! I'll be right here on time. Have a nice trip.

Goodbye!

Hey, folks, stop!

- What sort of a creature are you, hey? - Put that rifle away!

I want to talk to your master.

Well then, come with me, sir.

I apologize for holding you up.

Perhaps you had an accident?

Yes...

my coach turned over.

You probably don't realize how badly your outfit suffered the accident.

Really? Where?

On the head.

Did you lose your wig?

I would like you, sir, to explain why you stopped our coach.

If you keep the door open much longer, I'm going to catch a cold.

My coach broke down and I went to get help, but I got lost.

I would ask, my lady your husband, to take me to the nearest village.

I am not a wife yet.

Excuse me, then, Miss.

It's not reasonable in this wild country to pick anyone up at night time.

From the country road.

Especially if that person doesn't even have a wig.

You're free to occupy half of the coach, Maestro.

But I let the gentleman sit in my half.

- Please get in, sir. - Thank you.

We can start.

- Are you coming from far away? - From Vienna.

I wonder why you don't travel on railroad.

We don't know the roads.

Our escort told us that this is the safest road here.

I thought all our roads were safe.

We were told that since the peace treaty many veterans lurk in the area.

The Imperial Post Coach was robbed three times last week.

And what's new in Vienna?

Have you heard? Baron Trenk has been sent to prison.

- Which Trenk? - The foolish colonel.

The Empress sentenced him to house arrest, but he went to the opera

and tried to throw Count Gassan from the balcony before the whole court.

Quite some scandal.

Did you mean Baron Ferenc Trenk?

Yes, the Border Guard Colonel.

The Ferenc Trenk who fought against King Frederick the Great of Prussia?

That's right.

You must know him if you've been to Vienna.

No, I don't know him, I've only read...

I mean, I've only heard about him.

We haven't introduced ourselves to you, sir.

Perhaps, you're not interested.

- I apologize, I should have... - Don't rush it now.

I am ready to keep you incognito for a little longer.

I am Signorina Rosina.

Guest singer at the Vienna Opera.

The grumpy gentleman opposite is Cafarelli.

He is the world's first soprano.

Mon chéri, the role of Prince Paris is not for me.

I was supposed to sing the role of Juno,

but that vile Holzberg gave the part to Madame Kézy.

Oh, Maestro, those days are gone when you played the parts of Juno or Doris.

Yes, because public taste has degraded to the point

where a pretty girl is valued above the most beautiful voice.

Ten years ago, when I played Judith at Versailles,

Louis XV gave me a hug.

Hang on, pretty lady, the car is wobbly!

- Hold on to what? - Well, you could hold on to me.

Or you can fall off if you prefer.

Where are you going to sing, Miss?

- In Count Tibor's castle. - Where?

Count Tibor...

Yes.

A great celebration is being held there in honor of the Count's wife.

You probably know that Gergely Tibor has married Princess Szulkovszky.

Of course, I know our family history, my great-grand...

Er... I mean... Count Tibor Gergely,

Imperial Hussar General,

married Princess Mária Szulkovszky,

yes... in 1748.

You are a curious man.

Yes, this year, the wedding was three days ago.

And where are you traveling to?

I'm also going to Count Tibor's castle.

Oh, that's splendid!

But now that you know our names, you must also reveal your true identity.

I am Tibor Ákos.

- Huh! - Wow!

Is Your Excellency one of the Tibors of Transylvania?

Of Transylvania...?

Of course, yes, of Transylvania. One of the Tibors of Transylvania.

- Would you like some, Count? - Thank you.

Genuine Turkish Latakia, I couldn't do without it.

It clears the voice amazingly.

That means I can't be other than...

Other than the son of Balázs Tibor.

- How do you mean? - No, nothing, thank you.

I think we can already see the castle over there.

- Goodbye to you, Count! - And to you, Signorina!

Where are you heading, sir?

Who are you?

I'm Chamberlain

to Imperial Cavalry General Count Gergely Tibor of Tiborfalva and Torja.

How do you do? Take me to the Count, as I am a relative of his.

Like this? With bare head?

Well... I had a little accident.

If you wish, I'll put His Excellency's hairdresser at your disposal.

Leopold, show His Grace's cousin to one of the guest rooms

and see that he gets his hair done.

Thank you, Dance Master.

Take good care of my stage gowns, Theresa!

I want to look pretty tonight.

Everyone adores you, my lady.

You say that, Theresa.

But I want someone else to say that to me tonight.

You have never looked more beautiful.

But all that beauty is in vain if Paris is played by Master Cafarelli.

I'd run away if he offered me the apple.

Cafarelli is a very great master, Theresa.

But it's not him I want to impress tonight.

Someone else...

May I hand you your wig, sir?

The wig? Yes, give it to me.

Is he rich?

And distinguished, I hope.

I've always feared we'd fall in love with some artist.

Ah, you silly.

I'm only a poor Venetian girl...

Wait, do you already have a new affair?

Whenever you say that...

Theresa, put these clothes and the stockings away.

Hurry up, quick!

It must be him.

Come in!

Is it you, Maestro?

May I come in?

Never mind the second wife, my great-grandmother,

the noble Borbála Kendeffy, she will be more beautiful.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir.

Never mind, you'll understand in five years.

This way, sir.

Ah!

Maestro Cafarelli informed me that you've arrived.

Are you one of the Tibors from Szeklerland?

Yes, I am Ákos. The twelfth of Balázs Tibor's sixteen sons.

The son of Balázs, who was so friendly with the Turks.

Nice of you to have remembered me.

But what is this wonderful attire you're wearing?

The traditional garb of the Szekler nobles.

Come, I'll show you to the Princess.

Your Excellency,

allow me to bring to your feet another devoted slave,

whom you have already blinded with your beauty.

Hah!

You fool!

How many years behind the world are you, that you cannot even take a bow?

We Hungarians keep to this custom, Sir Imperial Cavalry General,

good kinsman.

You must excuse the boy's somewhat rustic manners.

They're all like that.

They've been at war all their lives, and don't know courtly manners.

Count!

Miss Rosina!

Why didn't you give the princess what she deserves?

Why? What the hell does the princess deserve?

A kneeling.

I kneel before no one, and especially not before such a mascara.

Then what?

Well, before a beautiful lady I wouldn't mind.

Don't do that.

Instead, sit here with me.

You'll behave yourself.

Oh, wow...

- What do you find so amusing? - What?

Well, look at all these ladies talking with their fake lisp

and all these fancy gentlemen in silk stockings, with their rosy cheeks.

This whole bunch is like candied pomegranate juice.

Count, what you see here is the best society in the empire.

Poor empire.

They'll be surprised in forty years, if they live to see it.

It is a rare feast for the eyes to see a rugged Hungarian lord among them,

who stands with his feet spread on the shining floor like a bear on ice.

You do not seem to enjoy yourself here.

- Not at all! And you? - It's not my company.

Perhaps your Lordship is unaware of the illustrious names present here.

Look, that hussar with the spiky gaze,

he's Nádasdi.

Hadik...

He ransomed the capital of the Prussian king?

I don't know.

I've heard nothing about it.

Oh, of course, the Seven Years' War is still to come.

That big gentleman in black talking to the famous Cafarelli is Abbé Metastasio,

poet of the imperial court.

The one who joins them is Baron Lőrinc Orczy,

who made a fool of himself by writing poems in Hungarian jargon.

Next to him is a young man with a sarcastic smile, is some Count Gvadányi.

Who will also embarrass himself by writing Hungarian poems.

And tell me, who is that pink-cheeked confectioner's apprentice

who seems so busy around the princess?

You should not be so imprudent, Count.

God forgive you for your sin, that's Count Kaunitz.

- Really? - He is here on behalf of the Empress.

Why are you looking at me so strangely?

Is there perhaps something wrong with me?

No, there is nothing wrong with you.

You look like a beautiful fresh flower.

Even your name says so.

Rosina...

a rose.

Theresa, I'm talking about you!

What do you want from me, Mr Leopold?

To tell you that, I need to know where your room is.

A poor Venetian girl like me...

Oh, you tore my fichu.

On the second floor, in the south wing.

- Near your lady's room? - No!

Her door is the very first one, to the left of the staircase.

Mine is the sixth.

- Your lady's room is the first... - Mine is the sixth.

Your compatriot is a strange man, my dear Baron.

- Do you mean the young Tibor, dear Baron? - Of course.

Yes, a healthy type; fresh and natural.

Health does not mean

that a gentleman should not be aware of the standards of good manners.

- I feel perfectly healthy as well. - Bravo, my dear Baron.

Congratulations, Baron!

I hear that in 1742 you left just before the battle at Chotusitz

because you were feeling weak.

I'm glad you've recovered.

Bravo.

Count Gvadányi, you have an excellent ability of observation,

and a rather sharp tongue.

It is, of course, a poet's quality.

We Hungarians are all very observant, Baron.

And not only our tongue, but our sword is sharp.

And we tend to use it more often.

Although we reach the ranks of generals later than yourselves.

Have a nice evening, Count.

And you, Baron.

Well, they've run away, Lőrinc.

They thought they were at the Battle of Dettingen.

But, I'd really like to meet this young Count Tibor.

Me too, but never mind, he's very busy with that beautiful Italian singer.

Come on, let's have a drink.

Tell me, how are you with literature nowadays?

I've started a long poem, a kind of humorous epic.

I think it's not bad.

What's it called, Jóska?

The Travels of a Village Chronicler in Buda.

The chronicler of this imaginary village travels to Buda...

On the second floor, in the south wing.

The first door to the left of the staircase.

I can only imagine, Rosina, how beautiful you will be tonight as Venus.

Who is this?

He looks like a noble man.

And yet he appears in public like this with a singer?

He is a relative of one of the Tibors.

Very handsome.

Insignificant creature, gracious princess.

Oh, my friend, I was talking about the count.

Oh...

Is that the young Count Tibor?

Some relative from Transylvania.

A rather rude fellow.

And no one will warn him of his scandalous behaviour?

Of course, Countess.

I will.

I get you.

They look at you with a glance as sharp as a pitchfork, as if ready to kill you.

Do you think I care about them?

Painted-faced buffoons, old women in men's clothes.

- In the 20th century... - Count!

You're trying to foretell things again.

Miss,

after your show I would like you to come to my room and sing something for me.

I offer you five gold pieces for it.

But, sir!

The young lady wishes to see you for one occasion only, sir.

And what would be that?

Your funeral, sir. Good day!

Count, I must tell you

that I learned the noble art of fencing in Bologna,

and I can hit the heart on the queen of hearts with a bullet from forty paces.

Then you have only to learn good manners to become a gentleman.

May I?

Thank you Count.

- A brilliant answer. - Nah...

A French writer called Balzac wrote it somewhere...

I mean he's going to write it.

Excuse me, Miss,

the Chamberlain would be very pleased if you would go and get dressed.

The ceremony is soon to begin.

- I have to go now. - When will I see you again, Miss Rosina?

Zina...

When you can. Find me.

"He who seeks, finds."

- Please finish the quote. - How's the rest?

To him who knocks it will be opened.

...Just imagine that!

Unprecedented indeed!

These Hungarians are intolerable.

Why, my dear Baron?

Lately these intolerable Hungarians are the favorites of the Empress.

Ever since they shouted, "Vitam et sanguinem..."

But they also added: "sed avenam non!" But, not oats!

And why does that hurt you, sir? Was there a famine in Moravia then?

Tell me, Theresa. Have you ever been in love?

If I've ever been...?

A poor Venetian...

I know, "A poor Venetian girl like me..."

You, cheeky little fool.

You're a real Venetian. Perhaps that's why I like you.

I can smell the fresh scent of Venetian waters when you frolic around me.

Even though I'm wearing Miss's perfume?

You impertinent! And you even admit it?

Tell me, will I be a beautiful Venus?

I want to impress someone tonight.

I couldn't guess whom, not even if I lived that long.

He is like the sharp blade of a sword,

which shines but also cuts when you need it.

And one feels safe with it.

If you hold it in your hand.

Tell me,

am I in love?

- Tell my fortune, Theresa. - How?

You want me to tell fortunes, Miss?

You always said, fortune-telling was folly.

No one can see the future.

He sees the future.

He talks about wars that are only to come.

He knows in which year the peace treaty will be made.

And he speaks of the centuries to come,

when the world will be different.

Tell my fortune, Theresa.

Stop fooling around, kid!

This poor bird is blushing with shame

that it's not you who's being served, but him.

- Look how red he is! - Now get out of here!

Welcome, comrade.

I am József Gvadányi.

Greetings to you, Chronicler of Peleske! God bless you.

What did you say?

How do you know about that?

Oh, of course,

Lőrinc Orczy must have told you about my epopeia in the making.

What's that?

Lőrinc, you've spilled my poem.

Well, never mind.

I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you, but I was about to make up for it.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

- My name is Lőrinc Orczy. - God bless you.

But...

Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear guests!

As the owner of this humble abode,

I feel it my first and most pleasant duty

to empty this goblet to the health of our Empress Her Majesty Maria Theresa

and Her Highness' distinguished representative, Count Vencel Kaunitz.

Long live, Her Majesty the Empress!

Long live, Your Grace, Count Kaunitz-Rydberg!

- Hail! - Hail!

I hear you're a tough Kuruc lad.

You should still have a drink.

I will.

But for this sip, which I had to drink to Kaunitz,

I'm going to make him regret his next one.

Watch your words.

- Be careful! - Just watch me.

As I see it, dear Count,

there are sometimes delicate situations in life

from which even the most dedicated Hungarian is not able to extricate himself.

I offer you a bet that the same can happen to any of the Austrians.

I am proud to bear the title,

but I find it hard to imagine such a situation.

Do you?

Just watch!

Your Majesty, Your Highnesses.

Let me empty this cup to the health of one who is two in one person.

Long live Her Majesty, Maria Theresa,

Queen of Hungary!

Hail!

- Hail! - Hail!

Hail! Hail!

You're a real man, brother!

You did not wish me happiness, Theresa.

But I did.

Happiness was in the palm of your hand, miss. Believe me.

It's so easy to believe one's hopes.

Come, let's hurry.

Master Cafarelli would never forgive me if I were a minute late.

Your Majesty, Your Grace, Count!

The Viennese theater people ask the honored company of guests

to please move over to the Theater Salon.

How dare you imagine such folly as that this distinguished company

should incommode itself for the sake of a few actors?

Go and bring the theater here!

I humbly beg your mercy!

I am a mortal human, I cannot work miracles!

Your Majesty,

Your Majesty's will can do miracles.

Please, for the sake of your guests, bring the theater over here.

I'm ordering the theater to come here

and begin the performance.

At the behest of the goddess of beauty, fairyland was suddenly revealed to us.

A pretty production indeed, my dear Count.

Who should I give the golden apple to now?

Behold these three lovely women.

My heart knows not who should be chosen.

Oh, how lovely

and charming is her beauty.

She captures my heart,

She'll be my pick.

I'm not worthy of it

for Her Majesty the Princess has a hundred times more beauty than I have.

The apple should be hers.

And she dares to accept it.

Keep quiet and drink.

Oh, how beautiful, how glorious.

She is the fairest of them all.

Light dances on her thick hair.

In all the world there is none like her.

Her face...

Bravo, Zina!

...her lips.

When she speaks to you, she'll charm you.

Like the bright sun when it reaches the sky

The Princess is so beautiful and fair...

Hello.

It was beautiful!

You were the only real thing among these painted puppets.

No. Don't speak like that, someone might hear.

You've been doing nothing but inciting them against yourself.

You don't know this world.

Ah, they're all buffoons!

Don't be so sure.

They're as dangerous as a viper.

And you keep stepping on them.

I beg you, stop doing that.

Well, I'm not doing anything for which I should be afraid

I just can't accept the insolence of this foreign folks with no roots here.

If they get too cheeky, they need a tap on the nose.

Believe me, they need it or they'll think they own this country.

- I'm worried, I'm trembling for you. - But why?

Don't ask.

I have to get changed.

I can't keep the look of an old maid, the Princess would take it amiss.

- I'll wait for you. - It won't take long.

Like the bright sun when it reaches the sky

The Princess is so beautiful and fair...

Your Majesty, Princess, most gracious Lady,

we, the people of the waters, now come before thee.

For whom the naiads and mermaids shall live and die,

we beseech thee, please, over us, you be in charge.

Let us go, My Lord, and receive the adoration of the water gods.

- Count! - Rosina!

How did you enjoy the evening?

It seems to me that gods in your time are just as servile as humans.

In our time?

What do you mean?

Isn't this age as much yours as mine?

Not exactly.

I don't understand.

Neither do I, but it'll all be explained at the three poplars.

Don't you want to see the aquatic wonders?

Not without you.

Then lead me there.

Though it's not quite proper for me to intrude on such distinguished company.

May I?

You unfortunate...

Is that how they lead a lady where you come from?

Bend!

Lower.

Offer me your hand.

Look at me

and keep your step sideways.

Well, if anyone in my country dared to say to a decent man

what that bull in a china shop said to the Princess,

he would be thrown in the water.

Do they not like flattery where you come from?

Well, I wouldn't exactly say that, but they're afraid of being mocked.

Are you allowed to mock a princess?

We are generally free.

We can do and even more so say or at least think what we want.

I'm beginning to suspect you're not a count,

but a comedian like me.

Don't you realize how well we understand each other?

And I only talk to gypsies and comedians?

Well, I'm entitled to the name I use.

Then you're from a different world.

Some kind of feverish, mysterious longing rises in me for your country.

Your Majesty, I take leave of Your Majesty for a short time now.

Some of our gentlemen guests have stayed at the castle,

and I must see to their entertainment.

Surely you wish to entertain your guests with some card game, my dear friend.

Go and do the duty you find so arduous.

Hey, boatman!

Yes, sir!

To the shore!

So you're from Venice.

Venice, Venezia.

You must really love your country.

I adore it.

And yet I had to leave it.

I was born twenty years ago as the child of a florist's girl.

For ten years I played around on the steps of the Formosa church.

People say I do look a lot like Santa Barbara,

whose portrait is hanging in the front aisle of the church.

Once, when I was singing in the Piazzetta in the company of a few youngsters,

I was discovered by the old master Porpora who trained me in his school.

I was a guest performer in Vienna and then in Dresden.

And now the master wants me to come back to Vienna.

But they won't hire me.

Why not?

Because someone is blocking the doors of the opera before me.

And he won't let me in until he's paid his toll.

- But you will not pay it. - Of course not!

If there was someone I loved, I could even be his mistress.

If I didn't love someone, I wouldn't even be his wife.

Tonight you will get to know

that you are the one who keeps my heart.

Tonight you will get to know

that my life is all yours.

Look!

A thousand stars how they fly.

And words of love are waiting in the night.

No longer I can deny

I love you so very much

so very much.

We'll have tonight

the heart, the kiss, the fire.

And I know that tonight

will break my desire.

We have the night,

the night of love,

that only speaks of our kiss.

What is in your mind?

I'm wondering if I'm dreaming or this is reality, what's happening to me.

Have you ever dreamed that you were dreaming?

Never.

But reality, for the first time, feels like a dream.

Dream or reality, it's all the same.

When they're gone, both remain a memory.

And the memory of a beautiful dream is more beautiful than reality.

You may be right.

I will soon find out if this was a dream.

Please take me to the shore.

This night is too beautiful.

Let us not wait until the stars fade.

Zina, when will I see you again?

I must see you!

We'll meet again one day.

And then you will understand me.

Farewell.

Zina!

Rosina! Wait...!

So...?

Pharaoh?

Unfortunately, I cannot continue the game.

The bank is twenty thousand gold pieces.

Any calls?

So...?

You, kinsman?

I call.

Dear kinsman.

If you understood, I'd say that I am having a lucky day.

You win, Szekler.

The gold is yours.

So that's why the ancestral fortune is slipping away, dear kinsman.

And this is also why!

Your manners are still a bit rough, brother.

That might be true.

I understand from the family chronicles

that Count Gergely Tibor is invincible in the cards in love and in the battle.

So they say.

Well, you'll have to be happy with the latter two from now on.

Very well!

Cards are about fortune, but the other two are a man's sport.

Dear kinsman, you'd better remember that.

I'm afraid there are some surprises awaiting Your Lordship.

And I'm ready for them.

Ladies, Gentlemen.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I forgot that you don't know matches.

A Hungarian invention, ladies and gentlemen.

The invention of a poor engineer named János Irinyi.

Take a few sticks for a sample.

For heaven's sake! Are you smoking a pipe, sir?

No, sir, I'm just...

smoking a cigarette.

But I didn't know this was a non-smoking section.

Ladies,

Gentlemen!

Now it's solely up to you to become a member of the Vienna Opera.

I have the feeling that it is not up to me, Count.

Rosina, if you're clever,

you'll see that Kaunitz is my good man; I'll only have to tell him one word.

Say that one word and I'll be forever grateful to you.

First you must say one single word.

One short little word.

Just this:

- "Yes." - Never!

Now, please, leave me alone.

I hope you will reconsider, Signorina.

Never, Count.

Goodbye!

When the dawn, like the fair nymph on her wild-rose bed,

awakes from her slumber,

and from her lips a faint breeze floats,

Doris, whom at her heart's dawn Eros found, shedding tears in her mournful sorrow,

thinks of Mirtill,

and on her tearful eyes gleams the first ray of Phoebus' light.

Superb! Charmant!

Eh! Nonsense.

Come on friend, do they make better poems where you come from?

We'd love it if you'd run a good rhyme.

Defeat the old buffoon!

Wait a minute! How's that song go?

It goes like:

You're the true lad, my Tyukodi friend.

Not like Balázs Kuczuk or any other man.

Let there be in our kingdom

good wine to praise, commend.

Not a farthing nor a threepence,

is what we need my friend.

Ah, it's like some kind of "ye-ah" thing.

A kind of hideous barbaric chanting.

Back off old clown!

They'll still sing these songs

when the name of this imperial court jester is long forgotten!

- This is outrageous! - Did you say something?!

But sir!

Where do you get the courage to cause scandal in my presence?

I never have to get any courage, it's always with me.

It is born with us Hungarians.

You have a healthy self-esteem, sir.

I am Count..., if you please.

I do not wish to deprive you of your title, Count,

and I have not come here to discuss titles with you.

I suppose so.

But good that you came.

I have something to say to you too.

You are collaborating with the French to retake Silesia.

But, sir!

Well, Minister, keep it in mind that you won't get Silesia back even in a century.

- Lunatic! - Drunkard!

I'm in no position to argue with you in this state.

Sorry, I didn't know Your Grace was not feeling well.

Hey, hold your horses!

These are all just ghosts, homecoming spirits

into whom Professor Sergius has poured a bit of life.

You do nothing but tiptoe around and compliment.

Italian manners, French costumes, German speech.

Only what's rustic is Hungarian.

Enough of this! Go back to your boxes!

Swallow your anger. Come on.

These clowns have made me angry, but you're a good lad, friend.

Drink up!

But I'll tell you something.

I'm not going back to the 20th century,

because my creditors are hunting for me there.

I'm staying here with you.

Cheers, Chronicler of Peleske!

But anyhow,

in this 18th century, only Rosina is worth anything.

This century must be completely reshaped.

I'll get Professor Sergius to send some textbooks by the Sirius.

From those we'll get...

the railroad, the telephone, the combustion engine,

the radio, all that lousy progress.

Huh?

Count, Your Grace's bedroom is ready.

Get out!

Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!

Oh, what a lovely little song, Miss.

- Did the Count like it too? - Don't pull my hair!

You shouldn't be cold-hearted with him.

The Count is not a man to be trifled with.

You're very cheeky!

What do you know? You haven't even met the Count.

He's a man.

And believe me, Miss, I know all about men.

A poor Venetian girl like me...

All right, you can leave, Theresa.

Won't you need me, Miss?

No, I'm going to bed.

I want to dream.

It's a beautiful night, Miss.

A night full of love.

Leave the candles.

Go to bed now.

Good night, Miss. Sweet dreams.

Good night, Theresa.

The Count is very much in love with you.

Get out at once!

Who's that?

Good evening, beautiful Rosina.

I hate you, I utterly despise you!

Thank you for your sincerity.

You hate me? Well, then by force...

Coward! Coward!

Leave me alone!

Oh, no! Let me go, let me go!

How dare you?

At your service!

When?

Right at this moment, if you please.

Is that so?

Then meet me on the highway at the three poplars in an hour.

I'll be there.

If you won't be there,

I'll have you dragged out tied to a horse's tail.

But first I'll have you flogged.

Get out now, great-grandfather.

Zina!

Zina!

This man must not travel.

How you do it is your business.

- Twenty gold pieces each! - Consider it done, Baron.

Oh pardon and mercy me for disturbing your night's rest.

Oh, not at all, my dear Baron. Do be seated.

I think you'll be interested to know of an interesting affair I have heard about.

Count Tibor Ákos is going to have an armed meeting with Count Gergely.

Ah! A duel?

A duel!

Where and when?

In the field at one o'clock this morning.

By the three poplars.

Is that so? That makes things quite different.

Listen to me then...

Now I'm going to stay here with you until I leave this castle.

You want to fight this man?

Never worry about me.

I know something about the art of fencing myself.

If you die, I die with you.

I'm not going to die, I have no intention at all.

But wait...

I couldn't die even if I wanted to...

- Please don't be so cynical. - I am not.

Of course, you wouldn't understand.

It's a strange situation, that's true.

You're risking your life.

Is that all you call it, "a strange situation"?

Because that's exactly it.

How do I explain it to you?

There's a nearly two hundred year shift in the logic of the world order.

I can't die before I'm born.

You fool, please don't joke around at a time like this.

But I can't kill Gergely either, because no one can kill his own great-grandfather.

You're being rather conceited.

Gergely's not old enough to be your great-grandfather.

How can I explain that to you?

Look...

Someone's coming!

I'll get it.

They might find me here.

Never mind, it's all the same now.

You're right. Wait, I'll get it.

Come in!

What do you want?

The lady's carriage has arrived.

All right. You can leave.

I want to go to your country.

Will you take me with you?

I'll take you, Zina.

I'll ask Professor Sergius,

and I won't leave you even if it's not possible.

I'll rather stay here with you in the 18th century.

You're a strange man.

But go now, I must get dressed.

I'll wait for you by the carriage.

We'll go together.

After all, you'll go past the three poplars on your way.

Promise me, you'll take care of yourself.

Give me a better one, a sharper one!

A daring puppy.

You, sir, are a monkey!

Are you in a bad mood, lovely lady?

How is that any of your business?

We can go!

Stupid horse!

You know, a poor Venetian girl like me has to suffer so much...

I beg you to take care of yourself. I'll die if anything happens to you.

Don't worry, Zina, I'm not going to die,

at least not yet.

What I want to know is, how this silly story is going to end.

Terrible! They want to murder you and you're in the mood for a joke.

Shh!

Ákos...

Is that how we stand?

Great-grandpa sends assassins in his stead?

Just wait...!

Where is your vile master?

Take that!

That's it!

They'll kill him, Theresa.

- He'll be killed. - No, he won't.

He can take care of himself.

What a nice hit!

Look at that, Miss!

Die, you scoundrel!

Get out of here, you vile rascals!

Welcome, great-grandfather!

I see you've decided to become a bandit.

What are you saying, you insane boy?

Sending foreign servants against your own kin?

These are not my men.

Follow the others to hell, you scoundrel!

That's what you get for messing with Hungarians!

Defend yourself, pig!

Hey, great-grandpa!

Want me to give you a fencing lesson?

Ákos...

Ákos!

Don't touch him! He is not one of you!

Just the right time, Professor.

Zina!

Where's Zina?

Let's take her with us.

It's all right.

It's all right now.

Where is Zina?

Zina!

My God, how horrible.

My poor father did not only risk his own life,

he nearly killed a stranger too.

It certainly had a high chance.

The poor man was badly scarred.

So terrible.

We must do everything to get him back on his feet.

But it seems these are not his first injuries.

- Let me go! - Father!

- Stay here, I'll be back. - No, no, I'm coming with you.

I have to go back!

I have to go...

Professor, you must stay calm.

What do you want?

Do you envy my control over the world?

Leave me alone!

Father...

The armies of Alexander the Great advanced triumphantly!

Fall to your knees, all of you!

I have learned the secret of creation.

I have walked the infinity of time.

I was at the Battle of Actium, in the regions of Augustus,

with Napoleon at Lodi.

Dear God!

Rest for now, Rose, greater harm could have happened.

He was not seriously wounded.

He'll fall asleep now.

Go, see the other patient, he shouldn't be left alone either.

Yes, sir.

You can stay here if you wish.

He'll sleep for a few hours.

I have therefore arranged to have the Professor taken

to Doctor Tihaméry's institute this morning.

Believe me, we had to do it for his sake

and for yours too.

My poor father.

It had to be done, Rózsa.

You can visit your father now. He must be asleep.

We needn't worry about his physical condition.

- How about him? - He will recover.

Go now, Rózsa.

- Did he sleep? - He slept peacefully all night.

He only woke up for a moment and said

that what's left of the gold should be given to some Zina.

Right, it doesn't mean anything.

- Temperature? - I'm taking it now.

Excuse me...

Who are you?

I'm Doctor Tornyai. I see, you're feeling better.

Yes.

I only have a little headache.

Gergely hit me hard.

Who?

My great-grandfather, Gergely Tibor.

Aha. All right, sure.

I don't mean to exhaust you,

but I'd be very happy if you could reveal your identity.

I am Ákos Tibor.

But why aren't you wearing a wig?

Interesting... and he doesn't have a fever.

Fever?

I'm sorry, I didn't know you were living in the 20th century.

It was miraculous, girl.

I have walked the infinity of time.

I was standing beside Attila when...

Calm down, father. Don't talk about these things now.

Yes...

Nurse!

Let me know, Count.

Tell me please...

- What is the date? - 1942.

1942...

And where am I?

In the house of Professor Sergius.

What happened to me?

You got into that machine which flew off the terrace

and fell into the garden.

You, Count and the Professor had to be rescued.

Good morning.

I am glad to see that you are much better.

Good morning, Doctor.

Tell me, please, where is Professor Sergius?

In the madhouse.

The madhouse...

Very well.

Please put me in a straitjacket and take me there too.

But why, my dear Count?

Tell me,

I have a deep cut on my head, don't I?

Yes.

And I got wounded on my arm.

That's right.

Would you please draw my sword and see what's on the blade?

Well, what do you see?

- A brown stain. - Blood!

I think it's just rust.

Now, I'll ask you to check what's in the pockets.

Handkerchief, matches,

a cigarette case...

Ah, well, well! A half pair of ladies' gloves.

Ballroom gloves.

Give me that glove, please.

The time between the launch of Sirius and its crash was short, wasn't it?

Sirius?

That's how we named the machine with Professor Sergius.

Aha... sure, sure.

Well, that time was not more than a few seconds.

And in the meantime I had a wonderful adventure.

A dream, Count, a fever dream, nothing more.

Something that touches you as you sleep, a smell that hits your nose,

a noise that wakes you up.

It's sometimes enough for the imagination

to work out a long chain of events in a moment.

But the glove.

I found it in my dream and now it's here.

Surely, you must have picked it up somewhere else.

An illusion. Believe me, an illusion.

An illusion...

Maybe.

Tonight you'll...

Your pills, sir.

Shh!

Listen.

Yes, the Miss is singing.

- What Miss? - Miss Rózsa.

Rózsa...

Rózsa...

Rosina... Zina.

How long has Miss been here?

Since she was born. This is her father's house.

And you're sure about that?

Of course I am. I've known Miss Sergius for years.

Since her mother died.

Sergius... Miss Sergius.

Please help me get dressed, I must go to see her.

I felt obliged to visit you to thank you for all you have done for me.

I beg you not to speak about this.

I am terribly sorry for what happened,

and I beg you to forgive my poor father

for nearly losing your life because of his illness, his miserable dreams.

I owe the most beautiful hours of my life to your father.

I have to thank him for that.

On the shore of the lake at the Tibor Castle, someone told me

that we'd see each other again and we would understand each other.

You had a very bad fever,

you must have suffered a lot.

I won't disturb you any longer, Miss.

Forgive me if I was inconvenient.

Goodbye.

A thousand stars how they fly...

Zina...

Are you perhaps feeling unwell, Count?

Only this song...

It's gone now.

Miss,

for the sake of my sanity, please.

Do you know the name Rosina Beppo?

Rosina Beppo?

Of course I do.

It's my great-grandmother's name.

She got married to Lőrinc Sergius.

She was a chancellor's clerk under Maria Theresa.

By the way, they say I look a lot like my great-grandmother.

You do.

You look very much like her.

Come.

Look, this is my great-grandmother's portrait.

If I put powder in my hair, you'd think it was me.

It used to hang in my father's room,

you might have seen it there.

"Rosina Beppo."

Was Rosina Beppo a singer?

She might have been, I don't know.

Maybe my father could tell you that.

Something's starting to dawn on me.

But the song.

The song you always sing.

It stuck with me as a child, when I visited Venice with my father.

I don't know why, it recently came back to me.

It keeps ringing in my ears, almost haunting me.

And did you sing it that morning when we took off on Sirius?

Maybe, I don't remember.

Yes, indeed...

I think I heard it.

I'm beginning to understand now.

Then call a taxi.

Take my things home, I'll go home later.

Yes, sir.

Come in.

I came to say goodbye.

Are you fully recovered?

According to the doctors, yes.

But I'm afraid I'll never recover from this strange adventure.

I don't understand.

I found someone who could have made me a better, a more honest man.

Zina.

Yes.

I hope you'll be happy with her.

Why are you playing?

I'm not the one who played.

You shouldn't have...

You don't understand.

I found someone who wanted to be part of my unusual life.

The doctors say it was all a dream.

Zina was a poor girl

and I wanted to die for her.

I found her and I lost her.

And now thank you again for these few unforgettable days.

I'm going into town too. I'm going to see Dad.

He always talks about you.

Let me come with you.

I didn't dare ask you, but I hoped you'd come with me.

Beware!

Beware, for you are surrounded by spies.

The rulers of the world are jealous of my power

and want to neutralize me.

But I laugh at them.

I will die, but the idea lives on!

It will live in you, Tibor Ákos.

Listen to me, son.

The machine is faulty, but my designs are perfect.

You must go over the drawings and correct the mistakes.

The second construction...

Have you got married yet?

Is that how we stand?

You've swindled my secret from me, took your share of the glory.

And now you betray me?

It was not my fault,

I also got injured.

Hold hands now.

By my paternal authority, you are now engaged to each other

before God and the world.

Son, embrace your fiancée.

Poor fellow, you took up a great cross when you joined two unfortunate people like us.

Can you forgive my dear father?

I will be forever grateful to have met him.

I owe my happiness in life to him.

You're not taking seriously the idea of a worn-out and broken brain?

- We hardly know each other. - I've known you a long time.

It's written on your face that you're noble and good.

Which I am not, but I could be beside you.

You know I'm not wealthy.

I'll take all of it, Auntie.

Good health to you.

I think I can get the dispensation in a few days.

I am not superstitious, but now I somehow feel

that in my veins I have the blood of two long dead lovers

who have risen to new life

to make up by love for what they had to suffer.

Ákos!

THE END