All language subtitles for Ten Thousand Days-1967

THE TEN THOUSAND SUNS

Screenplay by

Music by

Cinematographer

Starring

Directed by

You've come a long way,
haven't you?

Have a drink, lstvan.

Once I thought, lstvan Szeles,
I would count the stars if I

saw happiness on your forehead.

How long would it take you,
uncle lmre, to count them?

Well, let me see, if I begin
today, counting nights only,

and I add the Great Beat to
the total, it would take me

about a hundred and thirty-two
days.

Are you sure, uncle lmre?

Well, I think that's right.

You are happy, lstvan Szeles.

I work. I have no time for such
things, uncle Sandor.

I'm needed here.

You've soon forgotten
everything.

Yesterday I was also by the sea.

I pulled up my skirt a bit and
entered the water.

I can't tell whether it was summer
or winter.

Anything can happen you there.
You'd better take some broth.

Granny...

You must write to your father from
the sea.

There must be some trouble in the
farmers' cooperative.

Dad has been bicycling again in
his sleep.

For I've seen for some time now
that there're again many people

with time on their hands in this
country.

And I'm just trembling inside
like an engine.

I keep running here, there,
everywhere, morning to night.

And you told me everyone would
be happy here.

I didn't tell you any such
nonsense.

You must've read it in the papers.

Your responsibility is to see
that the members of this coop

are given an amount of forints,
ten quintals of wheat, along

with potatoes.

That much wheat, that many
potatoes, that much cash,

and the man...

Because you told me that there
would be a world in which the

people would matter instead of
these objects...

That world will come, you'll see.

Stand beside me.

- Have you grown recently?
- No.

See, we're shrinking.

What does it matter if we're this
height or that height?..

The coffin will be 20 forints
cheaper, that's all.

Lenin himself was a small,
short man.

People keep coming to me a
thousand times, wanting

something or other.

And what can I tell them?

I feel everyone's care as if

it were my own: even when I'm
hoeing I tend to think it's

a matter of life or death.

If only you knew how much it
hurts me that all the youths

leave the village...

Ours is an atomic age.

That feeling could break you...

you can brrod over the way one or
another peasant hoes the maize.

But who cares?

The main thing is that we've put

private property into the museum
with no damage whatsoever

to anyone; your mother did not
even have a bowl to wash in,

and your son leaves for the
sea tomorrow.

It's no use telling the river to
flow faster or neater,

the sun also starts to sink lower
after reaching its peak.

Time will settle the rest,
you'll see.

But when?

I'm just a peasant. I can't help
thinking how much we had to pay

for the world we live in now.

Your mother's kept it secret, but
since it has just occurred to me

I'll tell you: I hanged myself.

You aren't a stranger, it's better
if you know the truth.

When it happened I wasn't getting
on any faster or slower than

I am today.

“To live is the only road and
way of escape” (Paul Eluard)

What are you asking?

Twelve kilos of bacon divided up,
a hundred pengos divided up,

six quintals of wheat divided up,
and a cake of soap every

month for washing.

You always wash so often?
Now here's a piece of rope,

tie five wrong knots on it.

Good. And now untie them as fast
as you can...

All right. Take off your shawl.

Let me have a look at you.

You're still just skin and bone,
my dear.

Don't compare her to yourself...

have you ever had anyone, a man
with whom you have lain?

Has your wife ever had a man with
whom she has lain?

Brother of mine, I wouldn't give
but a hatful of shit for your

salvation; now here's your
advance.

It'll be a good place for you.
I'd like to see you at Easter.

Send me word.

I'd work for two summers
to raise the money.

Mother has seen it too, my
friend found it.

It's a nice farm and it's not far
from here.

We had such a winter here that it
was easy to lose one's way.

I'll take you as my wife.

You'll be unlucky with me,
I tire easily.

And I have no horse.

I just wanted to tell you.

What's your name?

Most people call me Juli.

I have just one friend and my
mother;

Juli, it'll be a good
life for you by my side.

Marry me or I'll die.
Do you believe me?

Then there's little I can say.

You can tell everything from the
sound of a cow.

The bell of a ruminating cow sounds
much like a clock.

There's no music in the sound
when the cow is sadly idling.

But there's more to it than that.

I need a bell that doesn't differ
from the others.

I put soil in some of them to
modify the sound.

You have to listen to the bell
from a distance to judge whether

the new sound suits the herd or
not.

And every strike sounds three
times that makes it beautiful.

When it's hot and there are
several suns in the sky,

you can hardly hear anything.

Although there are booms, chirps,
grunts... a thousand sounds.

You know, the herd would only
laugh at me.

But here with me is my dog.
A black dog.

If a bird moves, he barks at once.
I call him musician.

You'll be a godfather.

Really?

If the baby is born
and it has two ears,

the calf will be his.

Once the stars were gods; and when
great heroes were born and they

died, they ascended and became
stars.

And ever since every star has been
a man.

Istvan, we forgot about the sieve
and the trough.

And the cabbage-pickling keg.

You know, Juli... if we have a boy,

I'd rather strangle him than have
him live in poverty.

When you were born, there was a
thick white snow.

Before we bathed you, your grand-
mother ran to fetch the hook,

and wanted to touch your arm with
it so that you'd be a hardworking

man; but your father wouldn't let
her.

He had something else in mind.
We had a large book with a clasp

called the Bible, he put it
under your head.

For there were as many letters in
it as there're grains of dust.

Once I read through it and it made
my eyes ache.

I had to bathe them in broth.

One night when we were sleeping
beside the barn, I woke up.

For a moment I didn't know if it was
war or just Mihaly Csere snoring.

I felt hungry. There was a big
yellow pumpkin laying between

the rails; I wanted to pick it up
but it was moving in my hand.

Good Heavens, I thought.
I threw it down.

There was a hamster in it,
standing there on its hind legs,

and asked me if I'd heard that
Mrs. Kigyos's child had come into

the world with an umbrella and
stick in his hands.

He'd opened the umbrella and
said: good morning, father.

I told him I had heard it.

It must have been a clever child.
But now stop lazing around.

Keep your eyes on the funnel,
mother.

Hello, Lali.

- Just answer yes or no. Clear?
- Yes.

What fuel did you use for heating
last night?

Yes... I mean straw.

Where did you get the straw?

I got it from my friend, Fulop
Bano.

Now come on this way!

Good morning.

Istvan!..

You have an excellent nose, Mr.
Balogh. The trail led to his

place and he doesn't deny it.

What don't I deny?

Come here.

Poor things.

Istvan, I ask you to kneel down.

- What for?
- You must see reason...

Her piglets have frozen to death.

I don't want to take you to
court, lstvan.

I only ask you to apologise.
You're to stay here, Bano!

- Have you gone crazy?
- Get out of here!

I'm not angry with you.
Istvan, come on, come on...

Get out of here or I'll trample
you underfoot.

Forgive me, pig, we put straw on
the fire, but you see, it was

New Year's Eve, we had to heat
the room so that it would be warm

for the whole year, and we
listened to music.

Do you hear lstvan?!
He forgave! Amen!

Do you see, brethren, the diffe-
rence it makes when you talk to

a pig in a human manner, for it
is a being too, created by God

as we were. it was God's will that
we should all live in peace.

You should refuse to go down on
your knees even at God's command

let alone anyone else's!
You rag of a man, you!

How dare you assault me?

Oh! lstvan! Be sensible!

You'll both get lamed
for life, don't kill him!

- You dare to hit me?
- You brute!

Mother, leave.

Mother, stay here.

Take the child too.

- If you wanted me to go away
or to die... - I know.

- Why did you marry me?
- You asked me to.

Do you know how
beautiful you were?

Why didn't you run
away from here?

We haven't got even
a looking glass.

You have a son.

And there's a looking
glass here, too.

There isn't.

I'll get away from here!

When you sent mother out
I thought you'd kill me.

So did I.

I'll never hit you again.

If I ever hit you, you shouldn't
bake me bread.

Istvan, I cannot be on bad terms
with anyone for long.

I brought you this pig's head,
one ear is yours, the other mine,

and with this the scores are
settled.

Good. I don't deny I've drunk a
little. But I saw a man being

thrown into the Danube for such
a reason.

However, it's a different matter
if you feel offended.

And it is also different when 90
men hold out:

four men cannot go out and beg.

Istvan has already betrayed us.
They've agreed to do the work

for half the money.

We can't get any further if you
prefer striking to working.

This is for you.

Anyway, you are just the same.

Heh, I'll blow you away.

Stop! Sometime I'll show you
where you can blow.

You ass. With these big scissors
I'll cut off your whatnot.

Do you think my husband is just
a put-yer-shoulder-to-the-wheel

Mihaly, or a come-and-help
Mihaly?

What about that mound of potatoes
he stuffs himself with?

- What do you say, Mihaly?
- Stop praising me.

You'd better tell them not to
make me angry.

- You also like to go your own way.
- Me?

The detectives came the other day
to question lstvan about your

trips at night.

- I told the truth.
- What?

That you've been a sleepwalker
all your life.

Well... perhaps I am a sleepwalker.

But if we have been able to
hold out for such a long time,

we can't give in now.

The truth is with us, that is
undeniable.

Do you think that the owners of
the brickworks are interested

in our truth?

They only laugh at us.

What do your two hands and the
barrow here matter?

I wasn't born to get frozen to
death here on an empty stomach.

Come on, Mihaly, open the door.

Wait!

Imre! You do it!

Don't dare to touch me!

Go on. Don't be afraid.

If you touch me, I'll kill you.

Come on, don't be afraid.

Stay where you are!

Do be sensible, damn you, do you
want me to starve to death?

Stay where you are!

Traitors! Do you want to strike?
To hell with you!

Do you want to work, eh?
For half pay!

Leave me alone!

If we don't work, we'll starve
to death!

- Hang them!
- Let me go!

Pin them to the ground! Beat'em!
Come on!

Let me go! Fulop Bano! Let me go!

- How much are you asking?
- Two hundred pengos. Fixed price.

I didn't come here to bargain, this
horse is mine, here's the advance,

I'll bring the rest straight
away; it's with my wife.

Hello, lstvan.

What's your name?

You'll see he'll even give you
a card, but now he's too shy.

She got hold of a branch of a tree,
that's how she gave birth to me.

And when she was going home with
me in her apron, a man driving

a cart caught up with her, asking:
“what are you carrying, Juli?”

Mother felt ashamed and said,
“I caught a little rabbit.”

And...

- What's the matter, Juli?
- We must sell it.

Istvan's bought a horse.

Womenfolk are all alike.
If they see some coloured drawers,

they want to buy them at once;
she even left the boy behind.

I'm lucky to have a few
friends around.

I just met an architect who
had come from Budapest by car.

He asked, “are you here?”. Yes,
I replied, I've just bought a horse.

He just wants to build
houses with all their windows

facing towards the sun. If he comes
with his car, I'll invite him here.

I don't think you've got a wife.

Here's my son. Come here, my boy,
and show this man what you can do.

There he is. He didn't grow out of
the ground. Well done, my boy.

Look here, my good man. I give you
back your advance, buy something

for your son out of it.

It's good we came home. I'm so
hungry, I can hardly walk.

Stop hitting your father.

This salt shall bite your eyes,
burn your flesh, this salt shall

drive you away from here, war
shall stay away from here,

this is our house, this is our
yard; this salt shall bite your

eyes, go down deep in the ground,
to a place where there's no such

house and no such child.

Turn to your son for our sake,
ask Jesus Christ.

Turn to your son for our sake,
ask Jesus Christ.

You are our Saviour, we all
beseech You...

Wait a minute with that song.
Let me introduce some politics

into the matter.

I want to tell you what you have
to think about.

Let us take, for instance, Karl
Marx.

He did not live here, because he
was a foreigner.

But he liked the peasantfolk very
much. That's why he said:

Proletarians of the world, unite!
But he also said that a

proletarian was more in need of
human dignity than of bread.

Don't kneel on the ground.
The 1945/600 government decree

is the gospel. The Bible also
says that the earth shall belong

to the person that cultivates it.
From now on there will be eight

categories. Here, for instance,
is lstvan Szeles:

- he belongs to the fourth category.
- Let's go to the granary.

He has 12 acres already, but he'll
be given another eight.

It's going to be the same as in
1919.

Those who accept the land will be
hanged.

I'm the man in charge, I'll be
the first to be hanged.

If you're so brave a man, why
don't you accept a piece of land?

You either give it or get it.

Keep calm! There's a category to
cover all of you.

From now on we'll be God. We can
create a new world, and we'll

be the same as that world.

Hey, come back!

Stop!

It'll all be yours!

Stop!

It'll be yours anyway!

I'm not angry with you, lstvan.
For I don't matter anymore.

But if someone embarks on some-
thing, I can tell how he'll fare.

You must always remember that
this land was mine, Bano

took it from me.

We too are just categories.
We too drew from the hat.

I'm not angry with you, Mihaly.
I don't matter anymore, but

you must remember that this land
was mine.

What?

Well, Mihaly, let's make a start.

Look at them. We'll look at this...
The first round is over.

Now comes the second. Come on,
Bano, eat up.

- Come on, Bano, eat up!
- Mihaly!

- Eat it, Fulop!
- Don't shame yourself, brother.

- Eat up, Fulop!
- Eat some more!

Don't you like those dumplings?!

Carry on, take another! Don't pity
the dumplings, you'll grow strong!

Don't disturb him! Just eat
quietly, Mihaly!

Eat up, Mihaly!

Come on, come on! What's wrong?
Are you tired? Oh!

Get me a bottle of pickled
cucumbers; these sweet things

will upset my stomach, I'm
afraid.

Get me a bottle of beer too.
Fulop Bano'll pay for it.

Don't cheat! That's yours, this
is mine. And finished.

You can't eat these too, surely.

- What do you mean?
- Leave him to eat in peace.

Eat up, Bano, don't lose heart.

Come on, Bano or you'll get
left behind.

Come on, Bano.

You've got more on your plate
than when you started.

- Can you go on, Mihaly?
- Right ho!

Magnificent... The relief troops
are coming.

I'm bringing you the beer and
you're starving?

Starving?

You're just in time. I've just
finished.

You haven't eaten anything since
I've left.

- What? lstvan, you saw me eating.
- I didn't see anything.

You didn't? Hey, brother, you
saw me, didn't you?

- No.
- You didn't?

You have more on your plate
than before.

More?

Haven't you got any appetite,
Mihaly?

When we were day labourers, you
even ate your boots.

Silence.

The more I think about it,
the more do I feel victorious.

I ate your dumplings and the
cucumbers too...

I'm the winner!

I'm the winner!

Long live the winner!

Come on, the thins. Penalty!
Penalty!

- Civilians must leave the field!
- Save it, Mihaly!

Don't try to confuse us!
Come on, shoot!

Good afternoon.

Who's been helping me?

Get off the sacks or else we'll
put you in the lorry as well.

Never.

Hold your tongue, lstvan. You
well know what the quota is

for twenty acres.

You won't get a single grain.
Understand?

Oh, God! However much are they
taking? Are you humans??

Aren't you ashamed of
yourselves?

Do you want to leave us nothing
but our red rimmed eyes?

So that's why you gave us the
land? You bailiff! It's a shame.

And you come to us with a pistol?

Leave me alone or else I'll do
something that I'll regret myself.

Tell her not to, uncle lstvan,
damn it.

You Bano! Your father was a heathen
too, and now that you've become

somebody, you betray your own folk!
I wish your flesh would dry up!

Men! How is this possible?

It's the last round of the League
championships, and Kinizsi keep

resisting the renewed attacks of
army team Honved brilliantly.

Now Patyi is racing forward with
the ball.

He's tackled near the halfway
mark, but regains possession

of the ball, sells the dummy
and is nearing the Kinizsi

penalty area; a nice pass out to
the wing to Budai.

Budai sends it to Babolcsai, but
the right winger is neatly tackled

by Ombodi; he makes a pass to Lakat
who sends it forward to Dekany.

Good evening.

I'm afraid it's too late.

Good night.

- Goodbye, lstvan.
- Good night.

Good night...

And now Puskas takes possession of
the ball, taking it upfield with

his usual confidence; Dalnoki tries
to tackle him, but he holds off

the challenge, goes round another
defender, and makes an accurate

long pass forward; up go the geads
for it, a Kocsis header from the

corner of the six yard box, and
it's a goal!

A brilliant header it was; Honved
are now leading Kinizsi by one

goal to nothing; the goalkeeper
was completely helpless.

You see, your mother brings out
this picture.

I have the same one at home.

But you cannot tell the townfolk
that we have nothing to give them.

When I was in the movement,

I saw how they starved; and the
more you can give to others,

the happier you are.
Isn't that true?

I married my wife with three big
children; since then we have had

a baby every year; I do everything
I can. Because...

Once I attended a seminar where
I was told that the greatest

human richness is the need felt
towards a fellow man.

I found this either.
I give it to you.

We'll only take mine.
Don't touch the others.

Stop sighing.

Of course I'm sighing, it's heavy.

Good morning.

According to the law, you should
be handcuffed.

Shut up, you bastard!

You are at the police station.
Stand up!

How do you think you can behave,
Mihaly?

This table is the property of the
working people.

Then it's mine. Not yours, right?

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Hello.

Did your wife go to the market?

That officer husband of yours
ordered me to come here.

There was a theft.

We only took my own property.
But you got it back.

Together with the sacks.
Who needs more?

We must set an example.

Then do!

Tell him, lstvan, not to annoy
me or I'll devour him alive.

- I have a uniform on.
- I'll spit out the buttons.

Mihaly, my brother, I arrest you
now.

Good. Arrest me.

Get off the table.

I'll blow you away.

Tell him, lstvan, to stop,
God damn it!

Help!

Help!

Good God.

Oh, lstvan, it's good that you're
alive.

How did it happen, lstvan,
you were there too?

Me? I just sat on the bench.

I had no say in the matter.

Run for the doctor.

Mihaly...
Mihaly.

You'd better get away or I'll
send a bullet into your brain.

If I were you I'd chew my
way into the ground.

You don't deserve to be
called a man.

Mind your words.

He just sits on the bench with
his mouth open.

YOu!

Did you enjoy seeing them trying
to kill one another?

Shut up!

What are you staring around for?
It'd be better if you asked them

to spit on you.

- Bano!
- You shut up!

You'll regret it.

Hey men! Be careful!...

Hey men!

Explosion!

Hey men!

- Hey mate, can't you speak?
- But I can.

Does your family know where
you are?

- I'm not allowed to write.
- You're a fool.

You pretend as if you were
hardly out of womb.

What would you like if I wanted
to send a message?

You fool. What's your crime?

A man was shot dead and I
was involved.

So it wasn't the business with
the sacks?

But it was.

Your fellow prisoner told me
about it.

Yes. It was that. That's why I
was sentenced.

Perhaps my friend landed me
in prison.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

Please take me to my husband,
Jozsef Gocza.

I know about it. This way please,
comrades.

- Didn't it get cold?
- No. I hurried so that...

Thanks.

Nothing's changed...
I should say...

I cook every day the food you like.
I've already forgotten how to cook

other dishes; and your son is
just like you.

Even in matters of food. But...

He has brought a saxophone, he
blows it all the time.

And I've become a blood donor.
The doctor says you can put on

weight if you give blood.

Though he says to Mrs. Kigyos
that she can lose weight with it.

Still they pay a good price
for it.

They even give you beer. I've
already given seven pints.

This morning... I tried to hammer
in a wedge and I hit my nail

on this finger; for the ninth
time.

I don't know whether I told you
but I put a fig leaf on it.

That's what they call it. It's a
fine, tall tree with wonderful

yellow flowers; and big leaves.
It'll disinfect the wound.

Well... I was so glad when the
Olympic Games were over.

We listened to the commentaries
on the radio.

Were all very excited. Serious
people were competing and they

really wanted to stand out;
but only one can win, and I

clenched my fist in vain for
the others.

I was so glad when the games
were over.

At first we waited for a letter
from you, but Fulop told us

that there was no postal
service from here.

Sometimes he comes over to see
us and he looks exactly as

he did at the time of the harvest
or even earlier.

He brings his three-legged stool,
sits on it in the porch, and

does not say a word.

He's secured a place for Pista
in the college.

In the spring when Stalin died,
even the buses were late.

All I know is that we were in
the midst of such a struggle

that we cried; ever since
Mrs. Csere was widowed, no

living being has heard her speak.
Not even her father...

Oh! Imagine what
happened yesterday.

The dog disappeared. But he
turned up eventually.

You don't know how many people
greet us over the fence when

they're passing our house.
The trial of my husband was

held on market day and they set
up a loudspeaker in the

marketplace so that everyone
could hear what was going on.

Everyone heard it. When they
learned that I was coming to

see you, many of them came with
me to the station.

Including Fulop Bano and half
of the village.

Mother dreamed that the garden
wall had burst into leaves.

And it's always raining in my
dreams.

Oh, the things I'm saying.
You say something too.

I'm all right here.

Good evening...

I have just been released.

I've come to see you,
uncle lmre.

Istvan!

I thought I wouldn't live to see
the day when you came home.

Your son...

At first I often dreamed about
you and talked to you in my

dreams; but now you only come
up once a month when something

unusual has happened.
Othenlvise we keep silent.

Did they beat you?

No. We were even given wages.

They only took out the cost of
the wardens and the food.

Why are you crying, mother?

I'm old, am I not? But still I
bought a tie for you for one

Christmas and glasses for the
other; they're like Fulop Bands,

but even better, yet still
quite different, but well...

in the first year we did not even
know where you were.

Your son went off and tried to
track you down, otherwise we

would've died; he's worked for
his last two summer holidays.

We managed to buy that piece
of land you wanted.

You see, we've always waited for
you with the table laid.

Last Thursday we bought a barrel.
In the spring an electric iron

and two brooms.

I'm March the cow calved. But now
they use artificial insemination

instead of the bull; and people
wear nylon clothes.

I hardly dare tell you that
the cow disappeared.

Your son and I searched the entire
woods of the flood area for her.

Mother sat on the threshold of
the cow shed all night so that

the cow shouldn't be offended
if she showed up in the end.

We waited for her so much.

Istvan! lstvan!

You see, I've become my
own master,

I don't get up at dawn as I used to,
I would that my flesh would dry up.

I had plenty of time there to
think about everything.

I went over to Mihaly's place
before I came home.

I thought they'd be willing to
talk to me...

Forget about it, why think about
such things?" Why did we send

you to prison?
Who did you exploit?

That's what we should be
thinking about.

You helped my son to get to
university.

I would always pull the strings
for you.

Couldn't you be a bit quieter?

- Good evening, or should I say,
good morning. - Good morning.

Is it really you? I and my
husband cried when they came

to take you away.

Just don't be sorry for him.
There were prisoners and wardens.

They didn't have to lick anyone's
boots; they were told what to do,

and that was that.

Why didn't you spit on the whole
business?

When you were taken away, your
mother collapsed.

She broke a bone.

This is how she held her spoon.

She didn't even know in her
pain where to put her hand.

But still she went out to hoe.

She kept swearing that she never
feels the pain while she's hoeing.

By the way...

We had an addition to the family
in that bit confusion.

I named him after you.
Well...

where is he?

- Good morning, uncle Pista.
- Good morning.

Stop crying, you... damned little
kid of your father. Hey? There.

Every man dies with his last
thought uppermost.

Mihaly Csere wanted to go home,
that's all. I was told that I was

a traitor because I cried in
public even though I'm a communist.

You know better than anyone else
that I have never cried.

You've changed.

A demand for worriers here.
People who worry.

Where's the policeman?

Well, the trouble was...
once comrade Rakosi was

travelling through this place in
his taxi, my brethren with

leather jackets came to my home
and searched it from top to

bottom...
Tell me, do you live in Budapest?

- Yes.
- What's the number of your home?

Sixteen.

Well then, you certainly know my
godfather, since he lives right

there in number 14...
He's a Nazarene.

When they took me away they just
undresses me...

Tell me, what kind of world are
we going to have here?

Do you know that man with
the cap?

They told us something about him.

- Yes, but...
- You're a communist, aren't you?

I am.

That's what he says now. But he's
worked in several trades.

He's been a herdsman, a digger,
cither player and God knows what...

Look, I have nothing to say in
his favour, he took away my

wheat, every grain of it. He was
trying to hole up at the mill.

You know people like me, we
only do things for our children.

My son is studying to become an
architect. He's a rebel.

I sent him a cable that his
mother was dying.

But do you think he came home?

Tell him to his face what he
deserves.

But there's Fulop Bano, a man
who likes justice...

You'll kiss this good man's hand
or you'll die on the spot.

The man with the cap over there
has as many children as a rabbit.

I saw them. We went to his place
in search of the policeman,

and he threw dishwater in my face
from this bucket.

I can tell you more. For it was
the policeman who shot Mihaly

Csere dead, but it was this
man they imprisoned...

and just because he was
sitting on the bench there.

Really?

Well, I wasn't exactly in a
rest home for those eight

hundred and fifty two days.

Perhaps we were knocking to
each other through the prison

wall? Shall we undress them?
Force them to eat up this bread?

Young man! We respect each other.
You said that this is our

revolution; the person who has
the weapon is always right.

But you know, this is a little
absurd; strangers have never

come to this village to hoe,
but they've always showed up

to tell us what to do.

You are right. Take this gun
and kill them...

Don't be afraid, no one will
curse you.

What are you waiting for?

Come out of the water.

What's the matter, old man?
Are you frightened?

Come on!

Silence!

If anyone dares to
defend them, I'll kill him.

Just for one word of support!

Understand?

Come on!

To the wall!

Well? Aren't you frightened?

What have you got to do with it?

Get down your knees!

Stand up!

Stop! If you refuse to kneel
down, I'll kill them all.

Am I clear?

Listen, you unfortunate soul!
Don't you know that it'll be

more difficult for those who
stay alive?

Did I buy a corner house? Or
a rocking chair?

I want to ask you. Just this,
kid, what kind of humanism

it is that you want to achieve
through shooting and killing?

- You got father into prison.
- Me?

You.

Keep quiet. If I failed to hold
down Mihaly csere, I ought to

have held down the policeman.

- You see, he was driven mad.
- I believed in what I did.

So did the inquisitors. That was
why they sent people with real

brains to the stake, it would've
been better if they had doubts.

I've always had doubts about
whatever I was doing.

I faced the tommy gun with a
bucketful of dishwater.

Revolution! I saw from the first
moment that it was no more

than useless meowing.

How clever you sound after you've
managed to patch up something.

You're only a hero because you
wet your pants unnecessarily.

- You child!
- You'd better keep silent.

You devised the idea that mother
was dying, you sent me at least

twenty cables.

You just wait, kid, I won't
even attend your funeral.

Stay here, Fulop. Only go later
when things have quieted down.

If someone wants to change this
miserable world by attacking

my dignity or anyone else's,
he's bound to land up in the

You ought to have seen how wild
the boys were in Budapest in

their effort to help you breathe
fresh air; they weren't so wise.

They didn't introduce themselves,
they just died.

I'll never go back to the uni-
versity, they'd either strangle

me or spit on me because I left
them there to come to you.

I deserve mud in my face.

Good God, Pista...
You've washed your hair...

You'll catch cold.

Take off your hat, uncle lmre.
Put your arms around the fish!

Put your hat on the ground.
Look at the camera.

Now smile.

- I'll try.
- Smile, please.

Good, it's over.

Comrades, have a glass of beer
on me, all of you.

Let's go.

Can you stand heavy work?

There was hardly a place to
make music last winter.

We chopped wood and cut off
branches, he broke his finger.

I was lucky that it was just
my right hand. I used two

splints to keep the bone in
position, and pissed on it

to help it heal.

Have a drink.

I was on the hill with people
whose faces didn't reveal that

they were singing.
True, Juli?

True.

I'd like to employ you.
You'd feel fine with me,

I'd always tell you what to do.

I go nowhere without my wife.

There's my wife to do a woman's
work; I'd give you potatoes,

maize, a young pig and money,
you could even make music there.

I'm as clean as the rain. Here,
look at my neck.

Why not take a look at her
teeth, too?

I didn't ask you.

Why are you standing
here for? Go to hell;

I'll break your bones.

Don't worry your poor father.
A man can't tell the land that

he's grown tired. I think I drank
too much water.

I thought I'd kill him. Tear into
him with the toe.

I've never had such a strange
feeling.

You don't need to be afraid of
such feelings, boy.

But he's my father.

I attacked him with a knife when
you were only a baby.

But at least he listens to you.

He listens to nothing. I've been
telling him for ages that this

dirty land drives everyone mad.

Your poor mother.

Still your father isn't a bad
man. Though he wanted to buy

a musician last Sunday like a
pound of carriage grease.

That's why I wanted farmers'
cooperatives. Fifteen years ago.

- Try to organize one now!
- With hoes? Rakes and horses?

You're a communist, godfather.
Tell me what kind of spell

is on this country?

Everyone is afraid of
responsibility here.

Can't anything ever be started?
Why does everything move slowly?

It's difficult to be a communist.
Even if I'm right, I can't

shout it into people's ears; yet
if I whisper, they don't hear.

Even so, you must get down to
work even if it breaks you.

You see, once this river cut
out its own bed; since then

it's only been flowing as the
bed permits.

Yet floods hurt people.
They hurt a lot.

Hey!

Why aren't you asleep?

I've been watching the Tisza.

Why do you poke your nose into
my affairs? I know what to do

without you;

and if you don't
go back to the university,

I'll strangle you;

you owe at least that to me.

I've been sleeping like this
on the doorstep for 23 years,

relying on the hard board to
stop me sleeping more than three

hours a night; for 23 years, I've
been the first to greet everyone.

I've only just become my own
master.

The land, the little property I
have can support me.

And now they want to pay me off
with some nominal pension?

At least they've been jealous
of me so far.

But if I have no land, they won't
even be jealous of me.

Who on Earth has been jealous
of you, uncle Sandor?

Everyone. Every man. Well, what
can I earn now with these two

old hands of mine?

I made a calculation: one or two
kilos of bread, a packet of

tobacco, a box of matches, and
a pinch of salt a day...

Is that what our life is worth?
And it's you who want us to give

up all we have?

Old age deprives a man of his hair,
his reason, his teeth and his

eyesight; but his nature, the
driving force, survives.

A man born on the land cannot die
in a bed.

You were there when my son-in-law
was shot dead.

Where did he collapse? On the
ground.

Fulop Bano is blind, because he
hasn't been able to obtain

anything; but you must see that
the people are shivering.

There's more shivering than the
cold we feel.

I heard yesterday on the radio...
about King Lear...

He had three daughters, then he
was riding his horse in a great

storm and they all died because
he had given up his land.

You let my son-in-law be killed,
didn't you?

I've paid for it.

I bought 8 acres of land last
autumn.

If I cannot reap the crop, I'll
die; is that what you want?

Take my clothes off so that he
can see my body!

I have eight bullets in it!
I put all my strength in my land.

So you can see for yourself.
But if the machine treads my land,

my wounds will flow with blood!

I wrote a letter to comrade Kadar,
I gave him an appropriate title

for I called him father!

Please, leave my land in my own
hands, I wrote, for I am the

kind of man who thinks of others,
not just of himself, and I ask

you to think of me, too,
if possible.

I remain, Mihaly Pap...
48 High Street.

He wrote back that they had no
objection to it!

There's no one more sorry than I
am to give the land to the

cooperative; but things can only
get better than they are.

And we would be taking the first
step.

Fulop Bano told me about Commu-
nism; it's some sort of a future

though only a dream; but it's as
clean as a glass.

A dream. But we have to sacrifice
everything for it and that is

a reality; communism was described
beautifully because paper is

patient; but man is impatient.

You sent me away to keep me as
far from the land as possible.

Your mother sent it.
It's broth.

Eat it.

Do you know what a man needs?
To be able to live, he needs

24 square meters of nature.
Grass and trees.

Where I live there's not one
tenth of this area per head.

Seven hundred tons of soot settle
on one square kilometer every year.

That's what is left to us.
If you held out your hand for

some time like this, it would
get a coating of soot.

We either bury ourselves in it,
or throw it aside.

I see.

If something happened to
your mother, I would also...

But by the time a man achieves
anything, he has lost his reason,

teeth, eyesight.

Some old people came last night.

They took off their shirts.

They said they had faith in me.

No one has ever spoken to me like
this since I've been a man.

- Is this seat taken?
- No, do sit down.

Should I push them aside?

There's no ultimate argument in
favour of survival;

you must imagine
that we're all tied

together with a wire.

If you do something, I too will
feel it. So will the others.

Masses of them. But this is
why it's worth doing.

They're organising a cooperative
farm in the village.

I know.

I wanted to ask something of you.

I've already replied to it.

I'm no piece of wire; I'm your
father.

You also realise that we're just
going round and round.

This circle must be broken.
Even if it breaks our backs.

For if not, those who come after
us will also just go round and

round; you promised to come with
me to every house and tell this

to the people.
Are you frightened?

Shall I put a nappy under you?
What kind of a man are you?

If we put private property in
a museum with our hands in

order to remain men...

We won't hurt even a hair on
their heads.

And we will be remembered.
Even a hundred years from now.

It would be a world wonder,
believe me.

People would realise that the
peasants who live on the banks

of the river Tisza don't expect
strangers to direct their

affairs for them.

I believe you. Communism is as
clean as a glass.

But it's a long way off.

What will one get out of it?

Are we supposed to throw away
our own lives and go on hoeing

as before? And in 100 years,
perhaps they'll plant flowers

over our bones?

I don't need a
lecture from anyone.

If we had no land, no nothing,
what will we have instead?

A world in which men are important
and not objects.

Is this world so urgent, do we need
it even if we have to die for it?

Your mother cried out in pain,
but even so you were born.

It seems to me like a glowing
ember; it gives warmth, but

I'm reluctant to touch it
because it burns.

It doesn't burn. It doesn't!

Hey everyone! Look here!

I'm holding it in my hand and
it doesn't burn. Look, look!

It doesn't burn.

Put some bacon on it to ease
the pain.

Gid up!

Coward! Coward! Coward!

Juli, if the strangers come here,

I'll ask them why I'm a coward.

Why did Fulop Bano curse me?
There were a thousand of us

standing in the yard of the
garrison.

They were taking us to the front.
A lorry drew up in the yard.

Ten prisoners got out of it.
The commander said:

“here are ten prisoners, ten
soldiers can stay at home in

Two men stepped forward.

“Step forward anyone with 9
children.”

Another three stepped forward.

Then I looked at you.

You were standing on the other
side of the fence.

With a watermelon under your arm.

“Step forward anyone with 8
children.”

Then I thought that I've only
one son, but it would be better

for him if I stayed at home.

It's neck or nothing, I thought,

I stepped forward. You didn't cry.
I'll never forget it.

At that time Fulop Bano already
had four children.

He didn't step forward. He didn't
want a war either.

Yet he was taken to the front.
Who was the coward?

Istvan, I wan't by the fence then.
You've never told me this.

I only came here because Lenin
wrote that no one has the right

to force you.

You should understand that my
husband is only a man after all.

Go home, all of you! Now you're
standing here in vain!

- Men!
- Keep silent!

You'll see, all pain will be
turned into strength.

Then we'll be very strong!

Good bye!

- Mother, where's lstvan?
- I don't know.

Good Heavens! Oh, lstvan!

Mother, get out of here!

Go home, everybody!
Only I can understand.

Why is it important that
I have grown recently?

Who cares about such things?

When you came to town that day,
I just told you what I could.

You have to choose. For what have
I seen of life up until then?

The more you achieved, the fewer
good words you had to say to

one another; is this world of
ours so strange that people

perish just when they're making
their cleanest ever move forward?

It forced you to the ground so
that I could be raised.

I've been worrying since yesterday.
I always imagined that I'd see

the sea in the light of ten
thousand suns.

And I'd just run into the water,
forgetting even my name.

But yesterday you said there's
less time than trouble.

I have a strange inheritance.
A strange responsibility.

When we got the land, grandmother
ate a piece of it as if it was

bread; when I was born, she
wanted to touch me with a hoe

so that I'd love the land. But
I feel that all the land is mine.

Here is the sea before me.
It is also mine.

In a strange way I feel with my
eyes open that my body is

growing in the outer world.

Not in the grass, or in the trees,
but in everything.

I'll write again tomorrow.

The End