Original subtitles

I really miss David.

Oh, queridas…

My, how you've grown, girls!

I know that I've been in Spain for ten years,

but don't you recognize me?

Luna, gorgeous, why have you been crying, huh?

Do you remember your grandma Mercada, and have you missed her?

Here I am. I've returned.

Who are you?

Remind me.

Hmm.

They've changed it completely.

They're making it with a detachable cylinder head.

Abba! Ima!

-What's going on? -What is it, Becky? What's going on?

Abba, Ima, come quick! Come quick!

Darling, what happened?

Gavriel…

Ima.

How good you look, mi hijo!

My son!

Shalom, Mercada.

Shalom, Rosa.

I see you're taking good care of my son.

I remember her when she was…

Remind me of her name.

This is for you, Gavriel.

The tie is very nice, Ima.

I bought it in the best clothing store.

Thanks.

I brought something for you too.

Here it is.

Castañetas.

Castanets.

You know, in Spain, they dance Flamenco with these. Huh?

Thanks so much, Mercada.

But where did I put the…

Olé!

Huh? Uh, two fans.

They're real. The Flamenco dancers use them.

-Who are they for? -One for Luna, one for Rachelika.

And what did you bring Becky?

Pardon me?

Oh, no. No, no, no. Uh, I'm sorry. There were only two left.

Oh, in all of Spain… there were only two left.

No, I didn't look in all of Spain, Gavriel.

I was in a shop in Toledo, and yes, there were only two left.

But you have three granddaughters, Ima.

Okay then. You know what? I'll take a train to Yaffo.

From there, I'll get on a ship to Marseilles,

then I'll switch to a boat to Barcelona,

take a train to Toledo, then a taxi to the shop.

-Maybe they received new goods. -Put them in the suitcase.

-What? -Do it quickly before the girls see them.

And what will everyone say?

Mercada came back from Spain with no gifts for her granddaughters?

Do it now.

Go on, Ima.

DEAR…

DEAR…

TRAVEL AGENT, APPLICATIONS, SWORN AFFIDAVITS, TRANSLATION

TRAVEL AGENT, APPLICATIONS, SWORN AFFIDAVITS, TRANSLATION

Here you go.

Do I need to count it?

There's 2,000, just like you asked for.

Minus my commission, that is.

Gavriel, you know that, on this money,

you're going to pay five times the interest a bank would charge.

Again with that? I know. Yes, I know.

So why not take a loan from the bank?

I asked. They said no.

Gavriel Armoza can't get a bank loan?

I already have two loans from the bank.

They said I should finish paying one before I can get a new one.

Gavriel, my dear, look, it's not my money.

I'm just a middleman, making some commission.

But… these people are no angels.

They are demons, even.

They are the worst kind of bandits imaginable.

Why are you taking this money from them?

You know, for a few years now, my shop hasn't been what it used to be.

And I'm still paying off the loan I took to pay the fine I got from Customs.

And life, Avram,

life is expensive.

The girls want things. You know, gifts.

Yes. Your girls, I wish all the children of Jerusalem could live like that.

No evil eye upon us.

Yes, but you must remember…

don't spend this money on luxuries and gifts for the girls.

Gavriel, this money in the envelope costs a lot of money.

Thanks, Avram.

Rachelika!

Luna!

What?

Come! Come outside!

What's this? Is it for us?

No, it's not.

I have two daughters in Haifa, two in Tsfat, and two in New York.

Stop, Abba.

-Thank you. -Where's Rachelika?

Can I have this one here?

-This one's too big. -No, no. This one's for Rachelika.

Here. That's yours.

Grow a little more, and you'll be comfortable.

Come.

Rachelika!

She can't hear you. She's in the room. How do you ride this?

-Want to start riding? Holding on tight? -Yes… Yes.

Look straight ahead while pedaling. Not at the wheels. Straight.

-You're riding. There. -Ah! I'm sliding!

You're riding, like this! Yay! There you go!

There you go! Woohoo!

It's slipping!

It's a little big for you, isn't it?

Abba said that it'll soon fit me.

I saw he bought two of them.

Yes, one is for Rachelika.

Wanna try?

What?

Ride the bike.

I can't. I have to work.

Whatever.

-What do I do? -Throw your leg over.

Now put your butt on the saddle.

What are you doing?

Well, I'm…

I'm just showing Matilda the bicycle.

No, I won't allow it. Matilda, please get off. It's Luna's.

Luna, come inside.

Tomorrow, I'll bring Rachelika's bike, and we'll go for a trip.

-You serious? -I'm serious.

I used to come here, and you didn't have time to talk to me.

That's the way it is. Sometimes it's busy, sometimes it's slow.

The Jews still tend to come.

The British and the Arabs hardly ever come.

They're too busy killing each other.

There's no time for delicacies.

Go by the butcher's tonight, buy a few pounds of kidneys.

I'll make some kidney pie.

To stink up the house again?

The British love it.

I'll also make their dessert, and other things that bring in customers.

No, no, no. You're not going to cook all night.

The money's my responsibility.

You must take care of the house, look after the girls.

Ima's in Spain now. There's no one who can help you.

Well, I think we have to start living more modestly.

All right.

-Okay, we won't eat dinner tonight. -I'm being serious, Gavriel.

Live modestly how? Save on what?

By not heating the house, or not washing our clothes?

Why buying a bicycle? Not only one, but two of them.

Do you want me to play favorites now?

How much money do you give Luna every week?

-Do you know? -I give her as much as she needs.

But now, she's grown accustomed. Whenever she asks…

"Abba, give me." And you give her. "Abba--"

I'm happy to give, Rosa, to Luna, to Rachelika, and Becky.

And to you, Rosa.

You too.

-Did you ask for your father's permission? -No.

Good.

-Let's go. -Let's go.

Wait for me!

-In short, David's an annoying kid. -He is?

Yes. He's really annoying. I can't stand him.

I come here sometimes.

-Alone? -Yes.

Well, I mean… not alone.

-I come with boys. -Really? With several together?

Hell no. Come on.

One at a time.

Please give me a cigarette.

You're too young for a cigarette.

And you're too old for chocolate.

-I love chocolate. -Well, give me a cigarette.

It's my last one, and I don't have money for more.

Here.

What's that? I coughed like a horse the first time I smoked.

Okay, okay, give it here.

-I told you it's my last one. -Mm!

Here.

Luna, what is this?

You've never had chocolate?

Once, but it wasn't like this. My mom brought some home for Passover.

What is this?

Martinique. It's chocolate from France.

My abba sells it in the delicatessen, so I can take as much as I like.

Where do you go to school?

I don't go anymore. I help my mother with her work.

Aren't you eating that?

I've never eaten anything like this.

Hmm?

-Are you Luna Armoza? -Yes.

Oh…

Can you please give this to Mrs. Franco?

Yes.

Uh-huh.

-Uh-huh. -Well, Avram?

Patience, dear. Patience.

Your son has the handwriting of a criminal.

"My beloved Ima."

"I've never had so much fun."

"The war in Greece is simply a pleasure."

"We belong to something called the 'Diggers' Brigade,'

even though, we're not digging anything now."

"All we do is bathe in the ocean all day

and wait for the big generals to decide what to do with us."

But why are you crying, Victoria?

It sounds like your son is not at war, but on holiday.

-Keep going. Keep going. -"My beloved Luna."

"I miss you very much."

"I hope you're all right."

"The damned British treat us as if we're servants,

and not soldiers who bravely volunteered for their army."

"The food's disgusting. They have a kidney pie."

A pie made of kidneys…" "…as disgusting as their sausages."

"There are some good Greek restaurants, but we can't afford any of them."

Did he think he was going on vacation?

"They actually pay us quite well,

so sometimes we go eat at a good restaurant

in a town named Kalamata, which is very close to our base."

"The Greek food is very good…

but not as good as yours."

"We Jews get along very well with the British soldiers,

and we are all good friends here."

Thank God.

Thank God.

"The war is very far from our base."

"And they say that the British are close to defeating the Italians and the Germans,

damned be their names and the memories of all of them."

May they burn in hell.

"We aren't really at war yet,

though, the Germans and the Italians keep coming closer."

"We can hear the booming sounds of their cannons."

"They keep bringing badly wounded and dead British soldiers."

"They say that in a few days, we'll be going out to war,

and I can't wait to kill a German."

"The truth is, Ima, that I'm looking forward…

to actually kill a German."

No, no. I don't want him to kill anyone. He should stay at the beach and eat well.

That will be just… ten grush.

If you don't have it, I'll put it on the tab.

-Write it down, yes. -Yeah.

How are you, queridas?

What's that?

-It's a letter. -From whom?

From David.

Which David?

-King David. -Enough, Luna.

Did you hear your sister? Stop being insolent.

It's from David Franco.

-What? -The letter.

David Franco, Victoria's son?

-Yeah, that David Franco. -And to whom did he write?

-To her. -To her.

He wrote the letter to me, Safta.

Why did he write you a letter?

'Cause he's at war in Europe.

Yes, he's killing a lot of Germans, Italians, Nazis. He's killing a lot.

Good, that's good. Damn them. But why did he write you a letter?

Because we're engaged.

You and David Franco are engaged?

Yes.

As soon as he comes home, we're getting married.

Abba didn't tell you?

Can you please be serious for a second, Luna?

I swear to you on the Torah.

Did you see her? She almost dropped dead.

I think that Ima would be glad if she died.

-Good thing she didn't then. -Tss.

Before I left, you promised to take care of the girls,

so please tell me that what Luna said isn't true.

-She was just making fun-- -It's true.

-You don't know what I'm talking about. -Luna's engaged to David Franco.

Too bad the ship that brought me back here didn't sink.

Even if it had sunk, a whale would have come,

eaten you, and spat you out in Yaffo,

like Jonah the prophet.

Are you sorry I came back from Spain, Gavriel?

Because you didn't even ask why I came back,

but I'll tell you, even if you won't ask.

The fascists started rounding up Jews, to hand them over to Hitler.

I was this close to being sent to Poland.

You know what they do to Jews in those camps.

But I wasn't afraid.

Why wasn't I afraid, Gavriel?

Because in my heart, I was calm.

I knew that even if the Nazis burned me, you'd look out for my granddaughters.

And then I come back, and what do I hear?

That my Luna, Luna Armoza, is engaged to David Franco?

David Franco?

I walk around town and hear everything that happened while I was away.

I even heard Matilda Franco would…

…go out with British men.

-She was their tramp. -Matilda Franco is dead.

I heard that too.

But a dead person's disgrace continues to live after they're gone.

If Luna marries David,

his disgrace will pass on to our name, your grandchildren.

Is that what you want to happen?

Well, stay here Luna and just watch the bikes.

No way. I'm coming with you.

-No. -I wanna see how you find a job.

It's my first time. I don't know either.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to look like an elderly 20-year-old.

Uh, the shoes are too big for you.

They're my mother's.

They're also a little old.

She agreed to this?

I didn't ask her. I also took her makeup.

How do I look?

The dress is a bit old.

-It's from my bat mitzvah. -You haven't grown since your bat mitzvah?

My mother got it three sizes too big, so I'll have it for many years.

-Wish me luck? -Good luck.

Shalom.

Shalom, shalom.

There's a note outside saying you need a salesgirl?

-How old are you? -Twenty.

Maybe a bit younger. Uh, I… I'm Matilda.

Matilda, do you have experience with fashion?

Oh, well, my mother washes and irons clothes.

I help her sometimes. Uh… I fold very well.

I can fold anything you like - dresses, shirts, anything.

Give me something to fold so I can show you?

Sorry, Matilda, but no.

Maybe in a year or two.

You grow up a little, and then we can talk.

-But I need a job now. -Shalom.

-Shalom. -Can I try the dress in the window?

Of course. I'll get it for you.

-I told you not to come in. -Shut up now.

-Here you go. You can try it on in there. -Thank you.

Can you please come help me?

With pleasure.

-Here, raise your hands. -Like this?

-Do you really need help? -No, but I think you need help.

One foot.

And then, the other.

Could you help me with the, uh… with the buttons here, please?

-Of course. -Yes.

-No problem. -Mm-hmm.

With the… the thing at the back, yes.

Thanks for your help! Wow!

I'll manage from here. Thanks. Get out. Out, out, out.

It looks very nice on you.

Come here. I'll fix you up.

-Do you have it in other colors? -This color suits you perfectly.

True, but I want another.

-Hmm? -Get it for her.

How's this one?

Wow!

-Shall we try it on? -Yes!

Here.

-What? -They're for you.

I have plenty of dresses, and these are too long.

Fine, wait until you grow a little and wear them.

When I grow up, I'll buy new ones. These fit you.

Come on, Luna. I can't take these from you.

Fine.

-What are you doing? -Throwing them away!

-No! You're crazy! Come on. -Wanna keep them or not? Last chance!

Fine! Give them! Hey!

Thank you, Luna. You're so crazy.

-Wow. -Come on, I'll help you put it on.

-Here? -Why not?

Raise your arms.

Like this?

Wow.

Dah, dah, dah.

-What's it like to kiss someone? -What?

You said you came here with boys,

to kiss them, so I want you to teach me how.

-You're too young for that. -Why? When did you start?

Uh… I'm not sure.

Well, all right, you're not too young.

So, listen.

Say you're alone with a boy,

what you need to do… is let him put his lips on yours.

What if he doesn't do that?

With the way you look, Luna, he'll do it, all right.

But what will he do?

He will put his tongue in your mouth and touch your tongue with it.

I'll be damned! That's what he'll do?

Look at you, Luna! You're so excited!

-I didn't really like my first kiss. -And the second?

Wow.

I loved it.

And the third, and the fourth…

Wow, Luna, kissing…

is so much fun.

Okay.

You take this letter to Elimelech Kalliker.

Tell him Avram sent you.

Okay? If he makes trouble, bring him here.

Certainly.

TRAVEL AGENT, APPLICATIONS, SWORN AFFIDAVITS, TRANSLATION

TRAVEL AGENT, APPLICATIONS, SWORN AFFIDAVITS, TRANSLATION

I need money, Avram.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

No. No. No.

I need it, Avram.

You want another 2,000 lira?

You've only just begun paying off the 3,000 you had.

You know how much interest you're paying on that? You don't know.

I'll pay it back, Avram. I will pay it all back, every last cent.

All right.

If you don't give it to me, I will go to someone else who will.

Yeah, you do that.

Someone else will take twice the commission that I'm taking from you.

Exactly. That's why I come to you.

I'm worried about you, mi amigo. I'm just a middleman, you know.

These people who give out loans, they don't joke around.

They are criminals, banditos.

If you don't pay them back, they'll break your arms--

I'll pay it back.

All right, 2,000, but you're gonna have to give something.

A guarantee or collateral.

If Gavriel Armoza says he will pay it back,

Gavriel Armoza will pay it back.

I know these people. That's not enough.

You'll have to give… something to reassure them.

Don't you have… uh, maybe gold or jewelry?

Yes, yes, yes. But I can't. They belong to Rosa and my mother.

Oh.

Then the house.

Or the shop.

What are you talking about, Avram? What are you talking about?

You want me to give the delicatessen as collateral for 2,000 lira?

Five thousand lira. You took 3,000, now you want 2,000 more.

That's five in total.

But I think that for 20 percent of the store, they, um…

I think it could be arranged.

But when, uh…

When I pay them back, then what?

Well, you get your 20 percent back. That's it. It's just collateral.

All right. All right.

Excuse me for intervening, but…

on such a… an important matter…

shouldn't you first tell… your mother what you're doing?

My mother's in Spain.

Yes, I know. But when is she coming back?

Maybe never.

Let's draw up a new contract.

Ima, look what I found!

It's a photo of the day I married your father.

Oh, really? But why do you both look so sad on your wedding day?

That's the way pictures were taken then, with serious faces.

Weddings should be happy, shouldn't they, Ima?

Later, at the wedding, we were very happy.

The date is written here on the back.

The first of Adar, 5680.

Next week, it will be exactly 17 years.

Really? Will Abba buy you a present?

Sweetheart…

Querida mía, I'm cooking.

If we keep talking, we won't have anything to eat for dinner.

The money you gave me from the loan sharks,

I put it in the bank.

They called me over right away

and gave me a loan of 5,000.

Oh. Now you can repay the 5,000 you took.

I will.

In installments, like we talked about.

Listen to me, Gavriel.

The money you took out is with compound interest.

It's much more expensive than the bank.

-Your debt with him increases a little-- -Him? Who's him?

Does he have a name? What's his name?

It's better for you if you don't know it.

But if you don't pay him back, this man does not send a letter.

He sends his thugs to break all your bones.

It'll be all right, Avram. It'll be fine.

I finally have some money, to live, to breathe, to give to my family.

I want a nice piece of jewelry for my wife.

Come on, Avram. I finally have some money.

"For my wife…"

Hmm…

Hmm.

Look.

I have 14, 18, and 21 karats.

The 21 is the most expensive, but it's in another league.

That's a very old heirloom.

Well, I want that one.

Seventeen years… is no small feat.

-Shalom, Matzliach. How are you? -Shalom, Rosa. Shalom, shalom.

Shalom, Rosa. How are you doing?

Thanks be to God.

Thanks be to God.

I've brought lunch for Gavriel.

I heard him saying he was going to see Avram, right?

He'll probably be back soon.

He said he wanted to buy some jewelry, if I'm not mistaken.

We'll give it to him if you want to leave it here.

I didn't quite hear him, you know.

We'll tell him you came.

Don't tell him I came.

-See you. -See you later, Rosa.

You idiot.

Now you understand how I felt

when your brother cheated on me with a whore on our wedding day?

Darling, don't cry.

All men are shits. Trust me on that.

Especially the married ones.

What's that?

It's for you.

-Should I put them in water? -Yes.

But first…

What's this for, Gavriel?

For the 17 years you've been my wife.

Don't you like it?

Why are you crying, Rosa?

It's so beautiful.

May I?

Just hold me, Gavriel.

Hold me, please.

Hold me, please.

The British army and forces from the Free French Army…

also participated in the campaign.

The Vichy army was pushed out of Lebanon and Syria.

And now, the Free French Army has complete control of Syria and Lebanon.

The BBC in London reports heavy fighting near the city of…

-Wait, Abba, don't. -…Kalamata in Greece.

They also reported 400 dead, wounded and missing soldiers,

from among Jewish troops, after battles with the Germans.

Is David there?

That concludes this news broadcast.

Right there, in Kalamata, Greece.

Come.

Darling, come here.

Come, come, come.

David is a hero.

A hero.

400 KILLED, WOUNDED AND CAPTIVE JEWISH SOLDIERS

400 KILLED, WOUNDED AND CAPTIVE JEWISH SOLDIERS

IN BATTLES AGAINST GERMANS IN GREECE

IN BATTLES AGAINST GERMANS IN GREECE

Good heavens.

Good morning, Mrs. Franco. What can I do for you?

Oh, come on, Avram. Why do I come to you here all the time?

Another letter to your son? You sent one yesterday.

I haven't heard from him in a couple of months.

Yes, but, you know, it takes time for a letter to arrive on a ship.

I should add that, unfortunately, some ships never reach their destination.

The Germans, may their name and memory be erased,

they crawl around the sea with submarines and throw torpedoes.

What are submarines?

Submarines are… You know…

-They're like boats, or amama. -Mm-hmm.

They swim beneath the water, almost like a fish.

And they throw bombs at the ships from underwater.

Oh, God help me.

Remind me where your son is stationed.

You have the note. I gave it to you.

Yes, but do you know how many letters I send every day, Mrs. Franco?

Your son isn't the only one at war, if I may.

DAVID FRANCO KALAMATA, GREECE

DAVID FRANCO KALAMATA, GREECE

All right.

David Franco…

Greece…

Kalamata…

Yes?

-What did you see in the paper? -Nothing to worry about.

What's written there, Avram?

Not much. It's… something about the labor union.

What's that "400"?

Avram, tell me what the "400" is!

Kalamata.

Yes, Mrs. Franco, they've already told me.

My son, uh, is at war.

-He's fighting for the British. -I know.

The situation in Kalamata is not good, Mrs. Franco.

-What? -In Kalamata.

It's not good.

-Y-Yes. I know that. -Yes.

Four hundred dead soldiers!

Yes, yes.

Do you have names?

-The names? -Those soldiers.

-Ah. Yes, yes, uh… -Their names.

Here. Okay.

These are the names and the numbers of Jews that died in Kalamata.

-I-- I-- I can't read. -I have no other lists--

-Read! Read! -Mrs. Franco, this is the only one.

I'll be with you once I attend to this lady.

I think we are here for the same thing.

Oh.

It's a list of those who died.

David's not here.

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord.

The list is not final.

There will be more names.

More names?

Let's go home, Victoria.

Let's go. David's not here.

Come.