Original subtitles

HANDS UP!

The basic part of this film was made in 1967. For fourteen years it's been withheld by the censorship.

Deciding about the present shape of the film, I chose to treat it as a diary, to search, in the part from 1967 and the footage from 1981,

answers to the questions: Who we were? And who we are now? JERZ Y SKOLIMOWSKI

By profession I'm a filmmaker.

It took years to get this film released.

Time has accomplished its manipulations.

Our turn has come.

We are again a little older.

Years have passed since the most important things...

...began to fade and become a blur.

Was it captain Sawicki?

Maybe.

Or maybe that censor...

...whose name I never learned.

Is it worth raking up after all this time?

Captain Sawicki, when I began this film in 1967...

...I got the first summons. Room 2O9. Turn left, second floor.

Since I doubt that we shall ever meet again,

this is my only chance of saying...

...the lesson I received changed my life,

since you robbed me of my self-confidence.

Do you still ask the same questions?

The names of people I talked to?

In Beirut I have failed to make any friends.

I was scraping a living as best as I could...

...and found myself acting in a german film "Forgery".

I've been pondering on the forgery of cinema.

Isn't it too easy an art of cinema...

...if mere flashiness can do so much for it?

But didn't that man who led the rats out of a town...

...use not argument...

...but music?

To grasp what I'm trying to put together...

...I must reconstruct what happened...

at the beginning of 1981.

Much was changing in my country.

But who in the Ministry of Culture?

Yes, I'll hold on.

"Hands up!"

...but...

Suddenly release a film after fourteen years?

I don't know. I'd have to see it.

I'd be glad to come, but I don't know when.

I'm otherwise engaged.

Long Live Solidarity!

Can I buy up my whole quarterly meat ration?

Can I buy up my whole quarterly meat ration?

Sure, at Speakers Corner you can speak your mind.

Can I buy up my whole quarterly meat ration?

Fourteen years ago I saw...

...that if I couldn't make a film...

I saw that...

if I couldn't make a film about what I understand...

...or say what I think,

...then I couldn't make a film about my country.

If I was called in for questioning,

asked about people I'd talked to...

I had to leave.

You can't make films in room 209.

Who was captain Sawicki?

My friends remained in Poland.

They said more in their paintings...

...than I could making films.

Friends!

When you've all got a litre of vodka inside you...

...I shall pour my own down the sink untouched.

Listen to me!

That's all the time I ever have...

...to decide, as tonight, whom to condemn to death.

A man 15 kilometres to my right...

...or a man 2O kilometres to my left?

Do you hear?

Listen to me!

...Kilometers to my right and to my left.

As that is the extent of my province.

And sometimes people want to die...

...at two different ends of the earth at once.

A man 15 kilometres to my right...

...or a man 2O kilometres to my left?

As that is the extent of my province,

and sometimes people want to die...

...at two different ends of the earth at once.

A friend of ours... entitled to account for his absence.

Doctors! A man needs help!

Don't you recognize me?

You once saved my life.

I thought that if I ever meet you, I...

So you do recognize me.

Well, tell me I'm the best.

Life's worth living!

Enemy aircraft approaching!

This is getting too much,

you - most of all.

For god's sake, behave! Stop provoking me!

- I'll slug him... - Ok. Slug him, but this way.

You're not going!

No! No! Don't shoot!

And people say that our generation is incapable of heroism,

of fighting.

I've fractured my tail bone.

What' s the Latin for tail bone?

I forgot the moment I qualified.

- You forgot everything. - Up you get, we're going back.

His reflexes are still working.

But a bit delayed.

There's O,3 percent of alcohol In the patient's organism.

- Candles... - What candles?

- Just candles. - Aren't there any?

No.

- Too late for any trains. - There's a freight.

Let's go... Deeds, not words!

- You've put on weight. - I should hope so.

Hold it! Stand still!

I am.

- Break it up! - We were meaning to.

Hold it right there!

- We're catching this train! - It's a freight.

Just right for these swines. Besides, there's a vet with us.

- Where? - Me.

Can I put it down now?

For expenses.

Take it off, or the wind will.

Deeds, gentlemen, deeds!

To those who have had enough...

sleep tight.

Let us after all this time look at each other...

to see who lowers his eyes.

We have paid off all our installments...

...except the final one of conscience.

To us who were the last not to ask "how much"?

Since even if we do ask now...

...we didn't start out that way.

To our ideals!

Maybe we should preserve this eagle.

For fearing responsibility,

forgive him, o Lord.

For not answering the phone...

...when it rang at night in emergencies...

forgive him, o Lord.

For abusing his position,

forgive him, o Lord.

For being plain stupid,

forgive him, o Lord.

For being like us...

You dope...

it was for him.

For him?

What a laugh if he wakes up in confessing mood.

Was it really for him?

Come on, what are these?

Speed.

It helps you unwind, lose your inhibitions.

It really was for him?

You don't think it's a waste?

I can do it for you. Shall I give him?

O.K. All of them?

Here we go. Another one?

Take them often?

- Let's have a look. - How often is often?

More often that a year ago. It makes him mad.

I'll stop after the divorce.

Does it work like a truth drug?

The truth makes him especially mad.

Why do you dislike him so?

- Because he's your husband? - What is that you do like?

You'll see in a moment.

What are you staring at?

Fear I'll burst into tears?

Or strip off and pounce on one of you?

You can relax...

So can you.

I took one, he took three. So stare at him.

Stare at him!

It takes time to work.

The effects can be pretty embarrassing.

Since we're stuck here...

...I think we ought to take a pill each.

To even the chances.

Make whit the lies...

...as you'll soon be singing a different tune.

We'll begin with him.

After qualifying...

tormented by obsessive ambition, he decided to specialize

in writing prescriptions.

He put on 2O kilos.

He has 3 children,

- four false teeth. - Two and a half jobs.

- Cold comfort at home. - And drives a Wartburg.

Now you.

Specialization:

Travel abroad. Hobby: Being home as little as possible.

Car: Alfa Romeo.

You don't practice?

Non-practising. Meaning lapsed.

- Married? - More or less.

Children? Children?

Now me.

I was born married.

I don't believe in medicine. I'm a surgeon. I got a medal.

- Wife? - Ever younger.

- Children? - Ever older.

- Car? - Ever posher: Opel Record.

Who's next?

- I hate stupid games. - But I like them... go on.

- I was... - Irrelevant!

I am... Relevant?

- I am trendy, I have money. - Married?

Irrelevant.

- Car. - Romeo. As in Alfa.

I treat animals, I'm unmarried.

My car is a Zastava, after two complete overhauls.

- You used to be so blonde. - I dyed it then too.

- What are you really like? - Ask him.

You've riched the chin. Take a break.

I'm bushed. I'll take a nap.

I'll see to the chin. It's bulged.

Goodnight.

Well, back to the grindstone.

As for suicides, even a shot...

...in the mouth...

Make sure it's even.

A shot in the mouth can come from a murderer.

For example:

At the dentist, the throat specialist...

...or while kissing.

At Communion.

Goodnight.

Or while singing.

Organization members must always look spruce.

Right, it's ready.

Christ Jezus! Look!

We've had it!

Primary school!

Four years of high school! Six years of medical school!

Gone to waste! All of it!

You're terrified of antagonizing the boss.

- Of being dropped by the gang. - Of being cuckolded.

- Of missing a bonus, - being refused a passport.

- Of the car breaking down, - of the dog dying.

- Of being drafted, - of the maid leaving.

- Of losing your licence, - being expelled from the Party.

These hands fear nothing.

No one leaves smaller scars than me.

I've come for what's mine... your envy.

You've become two clockwork hands.

Show them my scar.

- Don't you touch her. - You beauty salon proprietor!

One can be or one can have. I have. I could buy you all.

- And you? - What about me?

You could have qualified, by time slipped by.

You let it. But to what purpose?

If a cow dies on you, you don't lose any sleep.

The graveyards...

are your testimonials.

Something's burning...

Look at yourselves!

What are you up to?

Let me go!

Let me go!

Where's the knife?

No! No knife!

I want to live! I'm happy as I am.

Leave me in this plaster.

For God's sake, we're friends. I love you!

Remember when I gave you those shoes?

Quiet! It won't take long.

I like it as it is.

I want to wear this the rest of my life!

I beg you! I implore you! No!

Whose were the eyes?

I don't follow you.

- Who did the eyes? - All of us.

It was a team effort.

I was correcting the chin.

- Then we took a break. - And I dozed off.

So the last thing was me correcting the chin.

Then he dozed off.

Which means that he's in the clear.

Just a second. Dozing off proves lack of vigilance.

I was up studying three nights in a row.

You needn't have volunteered in the first place!

But we did and surely that counts.

It was our last voluntary task. As we're on the eve of our finals.

Whether you all are remains to be seen.

You said:

Our last voluntary task.

So you'll take no more on once you've graduated?

He made a slip of tongue.

Slips of the tongue are grist to the enemy!

This bears all the signs of a conspiracy.

Those eyes didn't have feet they had to be put up there.

Each element was duplicated...

...in case it got destroyed...

Destruction is reserved for subversive elements.

How could you have failed to notice?

We worked on our knees...

...and covered each part with newspapers.

I see... What else?

He briefed us on suicides for the forensic exam.

To what effect?

That suicides are a subversive element.

You will now have to decide for yourselves...

...if the responsibility should be collective...

...or individual.

Collective? He was asleep,

so he can't be responsible, while I went to attend the chin.

And the chin is a long way from the eyes.

But what about this sleeping business?

- Well, I went to sleep, but... - But what?

Either we are all guilty or none of us is.

Actually...

...you made up your minds beforehand, didn't you?

Let go!

I'm dead, but not crazy.

Come here.

You haven't been punched in the nose yet.

Everyone else has, so it's only fair.

- Lay off, the game's over. - I'm stubborn. You'll get punched.

You'll fall and do yourself a mischief.

You're going to get hissed!

No guts...

Absolutely no guts.

Come on, come on.

Go ahead, hit me!

Closer!

Go ahead!

You think it's those pills? They're just a placebo.

You could swallow a kilo, and there'd be no effects.

- How much have you put on? - Fifteen kilos. All fat.

True.

You have a Wartburg, right?

So your name is "Wartburg". He's "Zastava", I'm "Record",

and they're "Alfa Romeo".

Pseudonyms, like the ones during the Occupation.

Only they had names like "Eagle", "Tiger" and so on.

What's that you're writing?

Hire purchase?

I wonder what the cars at our next reunion will be.

Too bad I don't have a Jaguar.

What a pseudonym that would be!

A lot of people joined the Party to get one.

Who's joined? Who's got what?

A dacha?

A mistress?

- I hate games like this. - Really?

Really.

What's really you never can tell.

Men in white may be doctors or hairdressers.

What will it be, sir? Trim or trepanation?

And if you see them in evening dress or striped fatigues.

You really are really foxed.

Yes, sir? Gas chamber or ballroom?

It's better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick.

My trouble is I've nothing to say to my children.

What am I to tell them? That's nice, that's naughty?

What can any of us communicate?

Nothing.

Except the makes of cars.

How do you know...

- I have to move out today? - From the notice board:

"Expelled from college and the youth organization".

Quick work...

I thought it would be tomorrow.

What difference would that make?

I reckoned I had a day's grace.

Take tour things and come to my place.

I'll tell the housekeeper you're my brother.

Or sneak you in through the window.

You can't be seen with me now.

You... Martyr...

If you'd been asleep then, you'd have said so too.

You...

You were to take her.

I'm bored.

My lady, your horse is waiting.

Your ladyship seems to have slipped.

The Rector made a speech.

I've completely forgotten!

The rector made a speech!

- Then what? - We left.

If your ladyship would be so kind as to dismount...

- And what then? - He was reading the letter and you wanted to punch him.

- Me? What letter? - What about the letter?

- Who's got the letter? - He read it at the ball.

You don't know who wrote it?

You don't know that either?

Don't remember?

Love among the activists. A melodrama of those years.

Why rake up ancient history?

I still say rural doctors do best.

Like the one who treated my dad once.

Gave him 'American" pills at 3O zlotych each.

Know what they were? Polish vitamin B Complex. Past its sell-by date.

Stands to reason. For the polish second-class citizen complex.

What are you doing?

Maybe she wants to slug someone.

Why do you keep on talking about slugging people?

The second-class citizen complex.

Suppose it's "him" we ought to be slugged by?

In that case. I'm getting out.

Like hell you are. You're coming with us.

Since you strung along... ...we go on together

Like cattle to the slaughter.

Phoney!

Coward!

- You believe that anyone's coming? - Depends on who it is.

- We'll draw lots. - Too common.

- With car keys! - Zastava is out of voting,

being a vet.

There they need a doctor.

You talk big, but you're safe yourself.

Your diploma?

- When did you get it? - Or buy it? For how much?

I think we're all ready to vote.

- Will you go? - She's not going anywhere.

What are you going to specialize in?

As a former vet, in treating swines.

He's already started. With us.

Welcome to the club!

This calls for a celebration.

He has to be baptized!

The reunion was just a trick to get you here.

A pretext.

First, to get you drunk. And then transported.

With others like us!

To hard labour!

We must act! I've friends in the Ministry.

Our parents escaped from trains like these.

They're deporting doctors...

...for refusing to answer the phone!

Jerry-building architects!

Directors, presidents, inspectors, chairmen!

The trucks are full of them! All in plaster!

We must do something! Get to someone, explain things.

No, no!

Grease the right palms!

Make it clear. That we're not bums...

The car keys! They're proof!

Better to have an honest talk...

with the people who couldn't reach me at night?

We're special cases!

I don't hold with collective responsibility.

Maybe they'll guess it's from us.

My keys! Are you crazy?!

- Check the mile post... - You're just not a sport.

You have spares, we don't.

So I am a sport.

To remember.

- To forget. - To rest.

To find.

To acquire.

- To return. - To play.

To wait.

Maybe this was one of those cattle trucks?

It's the kind. They were transported in.

What did they think about on the way there?

- We were kids then. - Maybe about us?

- What was the gas called? - "Zyklon".

How many did this hold?

Line up, but close together.

- One twentieth... - Which means eighty.

- More like 15O! - Impossible! A hundred.

- 15O! - 12O at most.

- 15O! - All right, 15O.

You have to clean up before leaving!

STARRING: