Original subtitles

ON THE ROAD OF LIFE

Direction Script

Production

The madness of war was raging within countries and peoples, burning and devastating all it encountered.

It separated people, and sorrow and longing followed in its wake.

As night lay its dark veil on the city …

The break of day.

The traces of destruction had been repaired but many a heart still yearned for what the war had taken from them.

Irmela was one of the hapless ones who had not felt the tenderness of their parents. She knew nothing about her parentage and had to submit to her strict foster mother’s chiding.

Before noon, she was up to some new tricks.

A sleeping man can’t sin.

The favourite of the streets is gathering his audience. Tarini … Waldemar Wohlström

— Torturing animals is not nice!

The offerings were meagre. Even trouser buttons were given with all one’s heart.

The day’s work was done …

He had no home where steaming food would have been waiting for him.

Life is hard. – In this part of town sausage was being sold by the metre …

… but Tarini had to settle for a couple of centimetres.

With his donkey he shared both his joys and sorrows. It was his best friend.

Her foster mother avoided talking to Irmela about her parents but in the heart of the growing girl a longing for truth had arisen. / Foster mother … Ella Tigerstedt

— Is it true that mother is dead?

— How many times do I have to tell you that your mother is dead!

— How about father – why doesn’t aunt ever talk about him?

— Shut your mouth, brat – and anyway, you’ve been a pain to me for long enough. It’s time you started earning a living!

As night lay its dark veil on the city …

— Who goes there?

The great war had separated him from his child. – Leaves of twelve autumns had already fallen on his memories but in solitary moments he was overcome by a longing.

— Oh Lord, why am I condemned to so wander? Let me find what I’m searching!

The lady who owned the shed had gotten interested in the doings of the old man.

Tarini was at his happiest when the misty world of dream surrounded him.

But the sweet wafts of dream were interrupted by the powers of weather.

Rain is followed by sunshine.

Signor Tarini knew his companion.

Young Georg was one of the people for whom destiny had reserved a spot on the sunny side of life. / Georg … Halvar Lindholm

Love for her son filled his mother’s life with joy too.

— Good morning, signore. Where are you going?

— Past the palaces to side alleys where there’s room for a donkey and a hurdy-gurdy.

— But why is signore so down? Is life as hard as that?…

— People aren’t so evil after all.

But in the great picture book of life existed other kinds of characters too.

Impresario Greeving had two hobbies: cars and dancers. / Greeving … Eric H. Broman

Time passed, and Tarini was back in the same city. It was Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Irmela had become a young woman …

… but her love for the old man’s music remained.

— Irmela must dance!

Impresario Greeving was looking for game on the edges of the city too.

This here was a good find. His variety was in need of a new number, and he too was looking for some variety.

— I’m offering your daughter a brilliant future!

Tarini and Irmela had entered a new world …

After a couple of weeks’ hard work, the opening night approached.

Grand newspapers advertisements piqued Georg’s curiosity. He wanted to catch a peek of Greeving’s new prima donna.

— May I present my new protégés.

— And here to complete the entourage …

… an ordinary donkey!

I don’t want disturb You for any longer.

— Remember, success must be celebrated. You are welcome to dine with us after the premiere.

— What do you think of my new find?

A morning with thespian knights …

Like all rookies, Tarini had to get through several trials.

It was opening night.

Tarini had no stage fright although a new audience was already waiting behind the curtain. Maybe his courage was strengthened by Irmela being close by.

Filled with the tension caused by the premiere, Irmela, in her loneliness, came to Tarini whom she had become fond of like a child.

— Do you remember the rats and mice? Now we’re dealing with ballet rats.

— You just ate the bar they call greasepaint – you rascal!

— How are you, uncle Tarini – I feel a bit insecure.

There was a bond between Tarini and Irmela. Her image revived the past.

That evening, Greeving celebrated his success with a small gathering.

— Could we not have a little bread with all these delicacies?

— Irmela, you were charming!

… dear friends, I thank you for this wonderful evening. A toast to Irmela and Tarini – the most talented artists in the city!

“Credit where credit is due”

— We have it ready – EXPRESSLY for your guest!

— I want to make You famous, Irmela, very famous.

That evening Tarini ate to his heart’s content.

Irmela and Georg had become best friends.

And their lips joined in their first kiss as nature chanted a paean for young love.

— It is a pure symbol of happiness!

— Irmela, have you ever loved?

— Isn’t nature wonderful!

— Irmela …

— Irmela, Irmela, let me say …

— I love …

He had to have Irmela. Very seldom did anyone dare intervene in his plans.

A couple of days had passed … Irmela and Tarini were the undisputed favourites of the audience.

Tarini’s room at the theatre had a strange drawing power on Georg.

— Good morning, signor Tarini.

— Tell me, signore – who is Irmela?

— If I only knew that! – Everything is like a dream.

— I once had a little girl too.

— You should be the luckiest man in the world, for you get to always be near her.

— Don’t ask.

— I love her – my heart has never belonged to a woman before.

Greeving had seen to that Irmela got a room at the finest hotel in the city while Tarini was given one of the dressing rooms at the variety.

At her hotel, Irmela had gotten used to the public sending her bouquets.

Something that had happened in the morning compelled Georg to call on Greeving at his apartment.

… and I consider it my duty to warn you against continuing your interest in Irmela for I do not intend to let her go.

Moreover, a girl of her position is not suitable for your family. You haven’t even enquired about her family at all…

The impresario’s letter got Georg worried. To clear things up, he hurried to see Irmela.

— How can it be – Irmela – my dear Irmela!

— Irmela – dearest, wake up – it is I – Georg!

— My love – you must have suffered so!

After this dreadful incident, Irmela got a new home at Georg and his mother’s.

Irmela regained strength.

— Do you want to be mine, Irmela, and make me the happiest one on earth!

— Mother loves you too!

After the night that Irmela disappeared and old Tarini was driven away from the theatre, he had once again started to bring joy to the alleys.

Searching for Irmela had been fruitless. She was nowhere to be found.

The tones of the hurdy-gurdy echoed heavy and strange – they were spiced with longing.

Following the removal of the hurdy-gurdy number from the repertoire, Greeving had only had difficulties.

He was now on his way to meet Georg’s mother. He could not forsake Irmela – his defeat demanded revenge.

— Dear madam – I am here on a matter concerning the future of your son!

— I have been looking into the parentage of that woman whom your son believes to be in love with.

— I learned from Irmela’s foster mother that she was born out of wedlock – her mother died in childbirth – and his father is the old hurdy-gurdy player you saw at the variety.

— Yesterday, the old man died – on his death-bed he learned from me that Irmela is his daughter. His last wish was that I take custody of the girl – for I love her.

— I would never leave her in your custody. My son’s love must surely be purer than that of yours.

Summer was here in full splen.

— Irmela, when will you give me your answer? Mother has given her consent. We can get married whenever we will!

— What is troubling you, Irmela?

Seeing through the impresario’s ploy, Georg’s mother had started to look for Irmela’s father.

HANDSOME REWARD for information on the hurdy-gurdy player that appeared in the “Scala” variety last season.

Irmela, who had never before experienced friendship and care, felt like a princess in her new home.

Tarini had arrived in his old beloved city, and it was the time of the year when the world would receive the King of Kings.

But tonight, as messages of peace echoed around the world, Tarini felt more heavily burdened than ever. Was he not, like everyone else, entitled to the happiness of life!

The weight of life burdened him – a strange force was pulling him towards this house.

What meaning had life for him, a solitary old man! He would never find what he was looking for!

Was there light? Was He coming – the Saviour.

— Oh Lord, give your servant peace.

— FATHER!

When spring came and the trees were about to burst in leaf.

— I wonder where father is?

— He must be looking after the baby!

Translation by Mikko Kuutti / KAVI, 2020