Original subtitles

OBJEKTIV FILMSTUDIO MAGYAR TELEVIZIO

THE OUTSIDER

PHOTOGRAPHY

EDITOR AND CO-AUTHOR

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED

We're men.

Wonders of nature.

The Good Lord is with us.

We see the world as an idea,

so we pray.

And the Lord will have us

home for Christmas.

A holiday is coming.

It'll be Christmas.

Christmas is coming.

So be easy, you're better,

we're going home for certain.

That's what we'd like...

- What? - That's what we'd like...

The doctor said we're all better

and we can all talk about it, so we can.

That's what the doctor said, to you as well.

To you as well, so let's go.

It's a compromitation and something to understand.

Getting better is human.

Being ill is human too.

- Here you come. - For what?

To get your injection.

Why are you molesting me?

I'm not molesting you, just your injection.

The doctor said I can go home.

He told me you need an injection.

In that case, I beg your pardon.

- It'll only take a second. - A second?

- Just a second and I'll give it. - Give what?

The doctor said I am free

to go and really better

so no need for nothing, no injection.

- What are you doing? - Get your coat off.

What for? Don't want to.

- Come on, off with the coat. - And don't molest me.

- Don't molest me! - Take it easy.

Take off the coat, you need the injection.

I know what the doctor said and you're molesting me.

Just don't molest me!

Because the doctor said...

This fucking injection is coming, like it or not!

What you want? Don't molest me!

Just get out of here and leave me alone.

I'm better. What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

What do you want?

- That'll be 20. - Don't have it. They made me drink.

- Just pay up. - I can't pay nothing.

Pay up or we'll go inside.

Can't pay nothing.

Can't pay nothing.

Just what's on your mind?

For God's sake!

You and your mother anytime...

Come and sit down.

I've a present for you,

a soother.

Put it in your kid's mouth,

give it to him,

then it's up to you.

"Because every man's a king, mysterious, secret,

a distant light."

We can choose to be

citizens, become part of

normal society, to live a life through

like me, for example,

though nothing's gone right for me.

As a citizen I never managed, but I managed to live.

Look, I've got kids and grand-kids.

Too much, isn't it?

Could have been more. Will be more.

Just think what it is to be an artist on top of all this...

An artist lives for what he paints.

For what he can create.

So women are minor to them and so are kids.

Great artists like Beethoven

never married, took princesses for mistresses

and the young and sweet

and drank, and he pushed

the bed over to the coffee when he got old

so the maid couldn't thieve,

and that was Beethoven.

And your young Schubert saw Vienna shelled by

Napoleon's troops

and had the idea of having to write

that he should go to fight,

fight against Napoleon on the barricades,

but the poor man was oppressed by his father

and by family life.

The family life, a hearth of discord.

So what do you know about what'll happen to you

and about what happened to me?

Living with my third wife, leaving something behind,

I've been as good as dead for a long time.

There are some who say my heart will give up

and I'll die.

Like I've seen in the street, crash down like a tree,

let out one more shout and it's the end.

So, as an old man...

But it's really something to have a child.

I'm not saying it's the deciding thing,

what I know is that it's my own child.

Men can manage on their own.

We don't need a woman.

Women are all over the place,

you need one, just grab one

hug her and then say,

lady

that was fine, wonderful,

thank you,

but I live for my art. You'd better believe me.

It's the years in me talking.

- There's been nothing like this. - True, just sit down.

No kidding, this is serious.

How's it going?

Don't laugh, this is serious.

I'm serious and you're in this...

Playing at my own wedding, you're kidding!

I've got to get home on the last bus,

or the wife will put in for a divorce.

Play No Romance in the World of Thieves.

Aren't those eyes something!

- Aren't they! - I love this.

Don't hide!

That wasn't right, I want to play it again.

Fallen angel with a pale face

Fallen angel with a pale face

There is no love

in the world of thieves

How's it going kid?

Want my beer too?

Thanks. I've got mine.

Now keep it down. You're with me.

No karate session now!

No karate session!

Come over here fiddler, over here please.

It'd be better not to talk about it now.

I don't want to upset you,

just leave it for now.

I'll come again soon and then we'll talk...

See, it's not something to be fixed up in a minute.

But you came to talk, didn't you?

Yes, but don't force me into a situation,

me, I don't want be laid back...

I don't want to force you, I just want to ask you.

- I'm tired. - Look, I know... it's 2 days

since you gave birth...

- ...and I want to rest. - ...and that it's really wearing

but we haven't been together for quite a time...

Now because of the kid...

It links us and so I

give up everything and...

for the little snapper...

the little baby...

you give him that.

It's used!

Used?

How can you think of giving a new born babe

a used soother!

The child doesn't need that.

You just take it away!

And I'd like you to leave.

I'm tired and I need to rest.

And you must have seen it was used.

I can't take it any more.

You're not allowed to smoke in here.

- It bothers you? - No, but it's not allowed.

Don't worry about me.

Look, don't light up, you're not allowed to smoke in here.

So what, all they'll do is tell me off.

The nurse will put you out, get rid of the cigarette.

So I'll talk to her.

There's babies here, new mothers, can't you understand!

- Here? - Yes.

- They're on beds inside. - Alright, not here...

but put it out.

Although we are familiar with the facts of the case

I'd like you to tell the disciplinary committee

what happened and why.

I don't know how

you were informed

about the whole thing,

if it was prejudiced

or if it was because of something

that had happened before

or how objective I was

to justify this disciplinary meeting.

I feel that

I've done my job well,

perhaps better than others,

other nurses who keep the clock,

don't take a drink

and have better nerves

but don't have the feeling

for this kind of work and...

Excuse me for interrupting

but we just need to get things clear.

On the 15th of October, 1979,

you got a written warning,

once again, that

you were drinking in public with an alcoholic patient.

It's on record, you were drinking spirits

and both you and the patient became very intoxicated.

If a nurse conducts himself in such a way

with one of our patients who broke out

instead of bringing him back here, it is extremely serious,

even if you only received a written reprimand.

You got that because we wanted to see

if you'd mend your ways.

All of this cannot be accidental.

I'm in two minds here: he drinks

and is here drunk for work, his colleagues cover for him,

but when he's not drinking he's a reliable

and good nurse, the patients really like him.

I've spoken to many of them he's known for a long time

and they really like him.

He understands them, helps them, gives them cigarettes,

it's my view we should not take away

one more last chance

to get himself together.

Since I know Andras well,

I've spoken to him often

about if he isn't able to give up his use of alcohol

we'll help him to a cure to treat himself

but he never accepted this,

always replied in the negative.

That's why I do not agree with the union rep's view

that he should remain here in this hospital,

we were willing to help him, he had the time,

he could have done something, so in my view

he is not fit to remain in the Health Service.

Hang on! Before we do some business...

If you have some sort of pad...

We're not at the races! What are you shouting for?

Look, the pad, it's fine.

Look at this a sec!

I live here, see?

Here's a little corridor and this will be your place.

Separate entrance, see, bring in a girl when you want.

Here's the hall, here's the toilet behind.

A WC, alright?

Which'll be my room?

This is mine. And this'll be yours. Right?

Fuck it, why don't you take care of your things!

Stick it under your arm! Stop it!

Is it worth giving him a pad?

So tell me when you can lay the rest of the money on me?

You said you had 7 hundred.

I can't give you more this month.

Will you have a grand for next month?

I've got the seven, are you listening or what?

Shut it, right! Did anyone ask? You're a pal and that's it.

He's doing the talking, just give a guarantee, alright?

OK. No problem.

I don't care, for 7 hundred.

But I can't pay more than the 7

and the 7 only if I don't pay my score here.

Let us alone here, we're talking some business.

Andras, if you pay a thousand,

you'll come out well.

He's agreed to seven tons a month.

I'll guarantee that, I'll be responsible.

Because I know you so well.

So how does it sound? Seven a month?

- That's fine. - Right on!

Let's drink on it! Stay out of it.

I'm not doing the business with you.

Life is beautiful. Cheers!

It's all fixed, look after your stuff, see you this evening.

See you here in the pub. Bye! All the best!

It's heavy, all the same.

Aren't you eating? Have something.

- This is what makes life fine. - I've been offered stuff before.

I don't need it. I'll drink booze, it doesn't change me.

I might get stupefied, really drunk.

Try this!

Shit!

- That does it? - There you go!

Slowly!

Great...

That does it...

If it were any better it would be out of order!

Just come here!

What I saw was terrible, see what I mean?

Maybe I shouldn't be saying this

but the lack of discipline around here, the lack...

I go to the school and standing at the corner,

are these girls, 16 or 17,

screwing in public, see,

or I go along the corridor and I have to close my eyes,

you'd have to grab them by the balls or whatever, see...

Take a whip or a rod, teach them like animals...

and the worst thing was when I'd had enough,

over they came, there's no French, no Italian,

who are you? French and Italian teacher.

We don't need, why do we need any French here?

I'm not from here... Can't stand the people here,

I come from the Great Plain.

See what I mean, almost learned the language,

it's not my language, see.

See, they asked me over

because there might be a job in the school.

So, two hours a week? A joke, see.

But I, more or less fine,

I'm building my house, I'll show you, you'll see.

That takes the whatsit, the money.

We go around the place making music,

you have to get used to it, I can't...

The music bit is good, it relaxes you.

There's money in it, relaxing you.

You intend to stay here, you're not the type

to work for two days then goodbye... you know.

Well, not two days, but three.

OK. You'll see...

What do you mean, three?

How long can anyone stand this racket...

I stand by the machine, and the weight on it...

You have to watch out there!

And if I forget something, down it comes on my foot.

You have to watch out here for the people too, awful...

so like when I was in the school...

- Three days will do, but... - More than three days.

I've been working a year and a half in this shit,

in this shit.

And I still don't know how to start it up.

Well, maybe that's an exaggeration

but I want you to see how I see the work here.

Now the guys who work here, know what?

I see you've really caught on!

- What are you laughing at? - You've caught it all on.

You just push one button: zzzzzzz...

you push another: no zzzzz...

You can't start it after two years?

If something goes crunch, I call in three guys.

So you take...

you can believe it,

I think that here you can see the state I'm in,

or if you like, my way of...

So I hate all of this. The way it is.

Sorry, I know we're eating but this is a load of crap,

everyone just sticks their snout in, they work,

earn their crust, me too. And that's it.

Three shifts, in I come, zzzzzz...

and I'm off. It's all shit, get the money and I'm away.

Off to build the house.

That's how it is.

What have you got to laugh at?

It's serious. Or the way I tell it?

That's it. The way I tell it.

I'm letting myself go a bit because I'm eating.

Always been like that, if I'm hungry,

I'm uptight before I'm chewing,

now I'm chewing, there you are, I let myself go.

When you eat you let yourself go.

When you're having a crap on the... sorry, we're eating...

you can let yourself go a bit on the seat.

But never at any other time.

And those little whores who strut up and down,

even in the school,

with a machine gun, just like animals...

Don't laugh! That's the way it is!

Come one, eat up. Has it gone cold?

Don't you want it?

So are you going to laugh like this everywhere?

You're just out of a madhouse.

Now I can believe that.

In there they laugh like that, against the wall; hee-hee-hee.

So eat up. We've got to go right now,

got to get back.

Yeah, the siren's going off any minute.

That's shit too.

Hate it.

I'm 34 years old and I howl like an animal.

Just think about it...

Eat up.

How's it going, old fella?

- Like it, do you? - Cheers!

Do you know what Villon suffered from?

He struggled and...

and battled against society

and nothing at all changed.

And he struggled against his own poverty.

Aren't we like that too?

Villon and...

I'm sorry.

Sorry for what?

In that case it's over.

Come and sit with us.

Lads, can I take a chair?

Thanks.

- Here you are. - Thank you.

You haven't touched my beer.

Lads, you are gentlemen.

I put something on for you.

She's with me.

- I'm Kata. - She's called Kata.

- To him too. - He's my brother...

Them's them, I'm me.

- Tell me about the women. - There aren't any.

There's fat men, ugly and drunk.

Where are the fatties?

In East Germany.

Not fatties, just beer bellies.

- You were in East Germany? - I did my time there.

So, where have you appeared from?

I mean, I used to be a regular

and your face is new.

I bought the bike to get around with.

- And what do you want here? - I don't want anything.

As I was just saying

they said they had no need of me there.

- Then there's need of you here. - I wasn't making real money!

Whatever I got, whenever I got paid,

my mates were all lined up, you owe me this much,

I was handing it out, know what I mean?

So what did you do with the money?

Ate and drank, lived well. What do you think I am?

Lots of women, eh?

No, not really.

- That's what I heard. - So what did you do then?

So if there were, I wouldn't be here.

Tell you in detail I was good and they were bad?

Not interested, leave me alone.

If you don't like it, then I'm not at your table next week,

won't even know you, piss off!

- Go and fuck off! - So what's up with you?

Once when I was playing

Long long ago

I'd like to play for you

From my heart and true

I'd like to play for you

Still living is the old gypsy

The old gypsy, crippled gypsy...

I'm an alcoholic. But not lit up now.

But may the Lord give you two jobs

just like me!

And then they can wait for you for five hours to turn up!

In a society of cultured men!

Budapest is a world of wonder

you can't take them in no way at all...

Here's a message for Budapest.

Because we represent the Paloc, a people to ourselves.

We represent Madach and his Tragedy of Man

and we can be proud of where Madach was born.

- In Csesztve. - Csesztve? He's rotting there.

Sorry.

Madach wasn't born there.

See... don't you think at all?

That's why you all annoy me.

In the town of Felsosztregova.

And the other thing?

You don't know anything about it.

You could be proud of it, ...a message for Budapest...

You know what The Tragedy of Man is?

The actors in Budapest know all about this tragedy.

They know about it in Budapest.

Not just in Budapest, all over Europe,

all over the globe, they know

The Tragedy of Man.

May the Lord not let you take the way home!

It's just like what they play at home.

You don't need to go home. Just go and rot away!

My heart for ever! Just put the fiddle down.

- Here's the cop. He'll fine you. - She's no gypsy.

Here's the police.

Kata, come on!

You know Romanian songs?

You just go your own way, follow your head,

wherever you feel good.

Since we're here you can get me a beer

and at least tell me to go to hell... to hell.

Stop messing, you don't understand nothing.

It's not that at all, all I said was...

You said you didn't get enough sleep. That's it.

You know I could say the same any time.

Or just say you don't fancy anything at all,

so you can piss off...

just because your brother is home,

because I'm the bro and we just look at each other.

I asked what happened.

OK, you were asking me...

What can I say? That's how it is.

Three years isn't that long.

That's how it is. So far.

You're right there because those three years,

out of the three years, I wasn't here I was there.

Still it was three years and I didn't know about here.

Can't have been much since the town is still standing,

the pubs haven't been closed and the rest... so what...

At the most a couple of people are out of circulation.

You complete each other...

He was in a Home too

we didn't know anything about each other.

Nothing, then just like that, I knew him...

I was twelve years old when

it turned out we were brothers.

You didn't know you had a bro until then?

I didn't, but he was really great...

He was down there waiting when they called

and that's how they did the great meeting.

Well not great, but...

at least we were brothers.

I don't like him because we're brothers,

but because I've got to know him.

Well, I wanted to tell you it's interesting.

I played a concert,

my teacher accompanied me on piano...

the piece had two or three sections,

I don't remember exactly,

and so they were all repeated...

Anyway I had to repeat them, so,

at the start I forgot to repeat the first

then came the next, three times...

At the end

I jumped back to the beginning, then the third,

I forgot the section and then I mixed the whole thing up.

I could just about manage to finish... I had to,

the audience was there...

all sitting there...

and somehow we finished,

I took my bow, the lot.

I was just little...

and they applauded,

maybe all of them didn't realize what happened.

Then more bows, applause, the lot.

Off we went and the way my teacher closed the door

I got the biggest thump...

A concert to remember.

Yes...

a concert that stays within me.

Doesn't matter. It was a long time ago...

Anyway I gave all that up and did something else.

I didn't have an instrument so I didn't play.

But I'd like to get a band together.

See, I don't really want to go into a symphony orchestra.

Truth to tell

they wouldn't want me.

But I don't fancy it.

Why wouldn't they want you?

They wouldn't want me because

they're all trained,

got their diplomas...

You wouldn't like to study?

I went to a conservatory.

I may have run out of time

at the age...

I went to Debrecen

to the conservatory, the proper school.

I managed to do two years.

Then I left, in fact I was kicked out.

You've been kicked out of everywhere?

That's a good question.

And the answer?

What would that be?

The answer will have to wait.

My Dad's over in Canada.

He wrote me letters, that I know. And that...

he sent me money too.

Ten grand.

And those bastards knocked it off,

the wardens there. So I didn't get it.

Nothing at all?

Sod that. It's not the money.

Ten grand.

What's ten grand? Nothing.

More than nothing,

I think it would come in handy now.

Yeah, it would be handy for a week.

What would you spend it on?

What would I spend it on?

I'd get a good violin that'd be fine,

I can get one for not that much

with a bit of luck you can get one

for three or four thousand.

And the rest of it?

Violins are getting expensive.

The rest of it, I don't really know...

I'd to pay for the room

for the next month,

the month after too.

Then the rest, that'd go in the pub. That's the way it'd be.

I'm sure.

That's the only place you spend your money, the pub?

OK, I'll go to the cinema,

say,

if there's something good on.

And after that, you need to have a good time.

- Just a bit, a bit... - A bit?

I have a son. From Anna.

Yours?

You say it like that, no kind of preparation?

That doesn't need any preparation.

We were talking about something else.

And now you spring this.

That's it.

If that's true, then that's it.

It doesn't bother me,

he's a lovely little kid.

When I went to see him the other day,

that was it,

early

in the morning,

when I went across the room

he was sleeping, the noise woke him up,

he raised his head,

grabbed hold of the cot,

pulled himself up and started to clap.

No, at first he waved, and

I showed him how to clap.

And then he started to clap

so he's doing things like...

so he's a lovely little kid.

Lovely.

And his mother?

That's another story, another thing altogether.

Rather the kid than her?

If I was interested in her,

I wouldn't be here.

So, with her, no. It was just impossible.

So, with her, it wouldn't come together.

She's just so different.

It's just...

it was a big surprise but I'm glad you told me.

It's always better

to know now than later.

It's strange, but I'm not really upset.

Even if you've got a kid, you are still you.

For me.

So what do you want to know?

You look like someone who wants to know something.

No, I'm just looking at you.

What's so funny?

Maybe it's the whole thing.

So here we are, looking at each other and...

What's up, what's up boy?

Drink up, that's it,

you're yourself at last.

Have one.

At the abattoir, you couldn't get me something?

The start? You're not in a decent place?

Pull the cable, wind it up.

There's money there. No money in our place.

- The hell there is. - You got to work, pal.

You've got something to work for.

You've got a wife, a kid.

- That's it. - And so?

So now I've a wife and before there was just the kid.

Just why do you want to come to the abattoir?

Because that's where I am? Don't come because of that.

But you just said,

with a kid and a wife...

I've got my food, your wife feeds you.

You're married aren't you? Two of you, two wage packets.

She has the time to cook for you.

- But don't forget the kid. - The kid's not yours.

- Is that kid yours? - Of course it's mine.

Yeah, they're taking the support out of your wages,

as long as a kid's a kid

but it's not a kid because I'm paying for it,

it's not a kid because it's my kid.

It's my kid because I formed it. I give it its grub.

Why shouldn't it be my kid?

Are you trying to say it's not my kid?

- It's not yours. - Don't act the maggot.

- Don't tell me it's yours. - Do I care whose it is?

- It's my kid or it isn't. - I recognized it as mine. So?

Recognize it, there you go, and the wife too.

All I asked is, where you work,

is there something for me, a bit more money to make,

I've got to pay the support,

and me and the wife have got to live too.

Don't pay the maintenance, just take the kid home.

But how can I do that?

Is it your kid or mine?

- You're so uptight. - I'm not uptight.

I know there's something up with you.

OK, but you go over to us...

if I snatch your kid a bit of sausage

or a side of bacon...

and if I get done, I get done by myself.

If you get done, you, even the fool on the hill is done.

What's up with my wife?

Nothing with me and her, she just isn't in my picture.

OK, she is in my picture, so is the kid.

So don't come to me, do your own thing,

your own life, yourself.

You didn't come to me, I won't go to you,

I won't go to you for advice.

You do what you want! You're on your way.

And if you're on your way, be on your way.

Anyway I don't give a shit.

Come on.

The notary fell for one girl the notary...

The other laughed and laughed

Because his deputy loved her...

You haven't answered my question.

What was it? Sorry, I'm out of it.

What were they on about just now?

Just talking, you know?

Ah, it doesn't really matter what they were on about.

It does matter, I'd like to know. It really does matter.

I'd like to know if Csotesz has a problem with me,

or if it's because Andras got married...

That's it. Andras took a wife.

- So that's his problem, is it? - Yes.

Not his. Mine.

Yours too, and Csotesz's.

Isn't that it?

- More or less. - So what's the problem there?

You once made me a promise.

I did? What?

About a year and a half ago.

The point is that I counted on you.

- On me? - Yes.

You're not the only one.

Don't think so much of yourself.

You have to choose one day and I made my choice.

- You can't go on... - You're right.

Out of all the men in your life you have to choose one, right?

So I chose and I chose Andras.

I tried all kinds of things too.

When I made my choice, I thought

it was a good one but now I feel strange.

I can believe that.

Because I thought...

that it all happened because of me...

You want some stuff?

Sorry?

You'll have a good life.

You think so?

It would be good if it could.

God, it's still raining.

If only that'll be the biggest problem.

Who bought the ring? Andras?

Well, I didn't.

- Wouldn't you? - It was thick of him.

So you're here again.

My God...

Just don't go too much on it.

I'm sorry, we met once or twice,

so don't be angry with me.

Not at all. Nothing to do with it now.

Try some. It's really good.

Don't like it.

I don't want to wind you up but that's it...

You're like a wooden puppet who isn't really here.

I say my bit, you're looking anywhere,

paying no attention at all to what I'm saying.

- So... - I think you're cold, aren't you?

I try to concentrate but it doesn't always work.

It bothers you, I can see that...

Excuse me.

You think that by marrying Andras, you're doing better.

- You mean by him marrying me. - Isn't it the same thing?

Otherwise the whole thing wouldn't have happened.

Doesn't everyone want to have their own life?

- No argument there. - It depends on the parents.

It may not be the best idea to rent a place to live but

I won't have to get up at dawn.

If you get on with each other...

I hope we'll get on with each other.

- Where's Andras working now? - In the Cable plant.

It's the pits that place, I was there once for a month.

Perhaps

it was your attitude.

You're right, it all depends on attitude.

That's it.

- Eat. - Don't!

You don't have to eat.

Excuse me.

Life is fine.

Because of this?

Oh God!

- For the first and last time. - I thought so.

Oh the judge's horse has died

Flog away the judge too...

Oh Lord of life, Giver of Bounty

always with flowers we bid farewell

to he who we accompany on his final journey.

The flowers upon his grave that soon will fade

tell us

that for this young man

Spring will never come again, nor fruitful Summer.

The Autumn of his life will no more be gilded

by the happy memories of work well done.

Comfort, O Lord, those who turn to You

believing in Your bounty and help them understand

that it is perhaps from a future of hardship and sadness

that You have saved our child through his premature death.

Only You know, O Lord,

the storms that were yet to break over his life,

the worry and tragedy yet to fall on him

if he had remained on this earth.

You know, O Lord, the dangers You spared him

when You called him to You so young.

Life is short. In the time You give us

allow us so to work that our labor bears fruit

in abundance and in eternity.

Through Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

This is not right.

We have our own life to consider, not theirs,

there are more important things than that.

And bigger problems.

Right?

That's what you said yesterday too.

Well, am I not right?

You're right, but it isn't that simple.

But if we just mediate, nothing's changing.

Besides my working time is not for sitting here

and talking about Balazs.

Don't be insensitive, alright?

I'm not being insensitive.

I'm sorry for the guy

but I can't do more than that.

He was my friend and that's what really hurts.

But it doesn't hurt that I'm always having to count the cash?

And however I count it there's never enough.

Well, we have to live.

Don't you want to live better than this?

This isn't a life, it's just vegetating.

Of course I want to live better, but...

we're just complaining...

It's me who concentrates on,

if you really want to see,

5 thousand for the two of us.

7 hundred goes for the room, that leaves 4.300,

on that you're paying 1.000 for the child support

when it should only be half,

so that leaves only 3.300.

What do you mean, only half?

It's a thousand you have to pay on child support?

So what's up with that thousand?

We could have another 400

and put it to better use.

We'll find something soon, no need to make...

- Soon, soon, soon. - ...a fuss.

Soon when?

The Cultural guy said the center has bought the gear

and I can run a disco there, I'll get paid for that, I think.

They didn't say how much...

That's not going to get us far.

But it's something. It's money.

No worry. We'll be all right.

That won't fix things.

Things will work out, you'll see.

You clock off, go off

and have your beer

- and forget about the whole thing. - You need to do that.

Only if you can afford to.

And we can't.

Go on this way and we'll never

have any nest egg.

I don't want a nest egg,

and I can't take it from the kid,

and if we moved in with your mother...

then...

it would be all over within a month.

What do you mean by that?

We'd be going there to save

700 a month

or more.

Exactly.

And then it's goodbye

and then we'd be looking for a room again?

But we'd have something to start with.

I don't see why you have a problem with that.

Sorry, I have to run.

OK, see you this evening...

Count Erdódy presented him with a carriage

for one of his symphonies,

he heard one of them,

and he gave him the present of a magnificent carriage.

Prince Miklos...

built his first house at Kismarton.

Burnt down again and again, he always rebuilt it,

out of his own pocket, his own deep pocket,

rebuilt Haydn's house.

Beethoven saved money

by putting coffee beans aside.

Why?

Because he didn't want humiliation.

He never for anybody...

He worshipped Napoleon

but when he had himself crowned,

he withdrew his dedication of the Eroica to him.

That was it. Napoleon was no longer a person for him.

Beethoven and Goethe once,

in Weimar,

ran into the kinglet,

prince of whatever,

Beethoven went by as if he hadn't been there,

Goethe made a humble bow, "my good Prince"...

paid his respects, made his court,

Beethoven, just like the air,

went on his sweet way.

I'm Beethoven, I am,

there's only one of me,

princes in Germany there's dunghills of them.

But Schubert,

when Boney was shelling Paris, no, Vienna,

So, Vienna... this was after Austerlitz,

they'd won but Vienna was still resisting, not much,

a shell hit a wing of the Konviktus

so Schubert swore to write a symphony against Napoleon,

well, at the time, all he managed were Lieder.

Haydn was still alive then living happily,

Beethoven was already dead, Mozart long dead,

Haydn was alive and his

servants were scared

to put it simply, they were shitting themselves

because the shells, they had them at the time too,

they're more dangerous now,

so he called all his servants - at that time

he had a house near Vienna, built with his own money,

because he'd made a stack in London, his usual way,

selling the same work, several times

then writing outraged letters

about these pirated works, I can't do anything -

I'm no policeman.

The hawks...

So Haydn called all his servants,

he should have been dead,

his wife was already dead,

Policelli his son was dead,

Luigi Policelli,

who was his son,

he'd helped him, wanted him to be a musician,

he didn't have the talent...

So he called the servants and said to them

calmly:

Ladies and gentlemen,

my servants,

be at ease for

where Haydn lives,

no bomb will fall and if one does

it will turn around

and soar to the stars.

Perhaps he didn't put it like that,

I can't recall exactly, the point is...

they did calm down

because they had such trust in Haydn,

where he is, no bomb would be,

and there was no bomb

and he was right.

- How much do you want? - 4.200.

That leaves me 800 but I'll give you the rest

and you can pay it back bit by bit.

Just wait, I'm looking for something,

where's it gone,

I almost forgot, before you go

just wait, here it is.

Now,

count it

I'll leave a couple,

it's more than you asked for,

count it, see if it's all there.

Careful, make sure you've got it right.

Andras!

- It's Csotesz, my brother. - So what, stay here.

- Got to let him in. - No.

Kata!

He'll think we're not here,

don't bother with him.

Come on, open up!

- Don't bother with him. - I'll open the door. - No.

- He'll freeze there. - He'll get fed up and go.

He should've thought before about where he's sleeping.

- But in the position he's in... - Sure, only here.

Andras, I'll die out here!

Stay there.

- We can't do that. - Why not?

It would be cruel.

He's already left once.

I can't do that to my brother.

I just want the two of us to be here.

Don't bother with him.

We're not going to look after him for the rest of his life.

We don't have to look after him.

I know him.

Folks! We're here to talk about the work norms.

As you know, in the last year

a lot of foreign machinery has been acquired

and in the last period

productivity has been at 150 to 160%.

This is catastrophic from the salary point of view,

we can't pay the bonuses,

nor the end of year bonus

and our social benefits

and services are being paralyzed.

Now we are going to take a series of measures.

We ask all our colleagues

to work at an even tempo,

not loafing around

or showing off tempos, we want

to establish the norms on an even tempo.

We ask all of you to adapt to these circumstances.

Thank you for your attention, you may go back to work.

1492

Christopher Columbus

Santa Maria...

Then came the day with fever in the brain

Take us all away

If we discover America...

Santa Maria...

Santa Maria...

I want to talk to you.

Listen, I want to talk to you!

Yes.

Is it true what you wrote on the note at home?

Of course it is. I wouldn't do it for fun.

- But it's awful. - It was for me too.

Why can't you take care of money?

It happened. What to do?

It could happen to anyone.

But if you get something from a mate,

you look after it.

My mates, always my mates you have a problem with.

Yes, I've had enough of your mates.

Tell them, not me.

It's not their fault you are like this.

No thanks.

Try to listen to me, will you?

- I'm listening. Go ahead. - I can see you really are.

You've been acting the clown all your life.

Am I right or not?

No, I don't feel that's right.

- I don't understand. - I don't feel that's right.

What can't you understand?

It's hardly worth starting,

we were talking about it yesterday.

And if I say you're paying 1.000 in support for the kid,

I have to stop because we've already talked about it,

yet we came to no conclusion.

That's the kid's, leave it out.

Everybody's laughing at you, they know it's not your kid.

I know everybody knows.

So why don't I have a kid?

Was half the town there to watch me on the job?

Everybody knows it's not my kid

but nobody knows whose is it.

You think you're being funny.

Sure, I'm a funny guy anyway.

It's a pity I didn't know,

we wouldn't be in this state.

Maybe you're funny to them, not to me you're not.

Who cares about them?

Who cares about them?

- You don't care about me either. - That's true.

- That's true. - I don't care about you.

So that's fine.

That's what you think, I don't.

I didn't marry you to give myself more problems.

I thought it would go better.

And I was so very wrong,

this isn't what I wanted out of marriage,

this is shit, not a marriage.

Before, I didn't have to worry about things like this.

But you simply don't care about all that.

I don't see anything tragic in it.

You're just completely blind.

- I don't see anything tragic. - So what do you see

that's fine? For me it's awful, just awful.

- I don't know what you want. - I've had enough of you!

I don't know what you want, to stroll down the street

making our little plans, like two turtle doves?

I can't hear what you're saying because of this racket

and you don't give a fuck that I don't understand a thing.

Instead of playing your fiddle you're shouting out this crap

and impressing the girls,

you'd do better to take it

and do something intelligent.

I don't know why they call you "Beethoven".

You enjoy arriving somewhere

"here I am, Beethoven"

but you're just...

really just a helpless slouch.

A guy who's impossible to live with.

You can't manage anything. In one ear and out the other.

- That may be a way out. - Maybe, and I'll do it.

Go ahead and try.

I have to, if something is going to come out of it.

You absolutely don't care about anything.

Give me a cigarette.

How can anyone be like this?

I don't even know the word to describe you.

You're just not interested in anything.

Just your beer and having a good time with your mates...

What do want here and now, we can talk later.

You don't even want to talk to me for five minutes.

Look, I can't leave here...

If someone wants to get something, they go for it!

And somehow there's always a way.

But you don't want anything!

- We'll talk about it later! - Later, always later!

Go and sit somewhere, or wait or whatever.

I'm not waiting for you,

I've had enough, understand?

May I ask you, just for a couple of minutes,

to come over to the other room where some ideas

about the new club can be talked about.

You're saying you don't like living in the country,

that they live better up in Budapest,

you get the money but it's a bit on the thin side.

I don't know What people think...

what's up with you, how you're thinking,

if you're thinking about going up to Budapest to work.

I'm not saying, up you go there to work

because if you can get that money here,

if you can get it here, it's not worth going up there,

if you count the traveling, you're far from the family...

So there's no advantage between the money and the...

I think between coming and going,

and being far from the family

the pay doesn't cover it.

And the hostels there, they've got the bunk beds,

all made of iron, you've got to climb up to them,

then you get a good kick onto whoever's below,

what's up, he'll say, just climb up properly.

Climb up properly, easy to say,

you say something maybe he doesn't like it,

then he spit a few words at you.

That doesn't go down well with me or the others

when there's someone putting on the light,

someone putting it out, keeps opening the door,

arranging his stuff here, there, going to bed,

that's not for me,

I made up my mind, I'm coming home.

The money's not enough,

same thing at the job,

that's work too, that is, doesn't matter what you do,

welding or metalworking,

in the forge or with sheet metal,

a factory hand has to do the lot,

do what the boss tells him,

if it has to be done, then it has to be done.

Because I can't say that I won't do it.

All day at a machine

that shakes and shakes,

work, home in the evening,

have a wash, a bite, bed.

I don't fancy it all.

You want to quit it?

Ah, I'm coming home.

At home, I know that after work

the co-op bus takes you home,

and if I have the time,

I dig, I plant, I water the garden

or I do what has to be done,

I do all that when I'm home with the family.

If I go to bed, get up half an hour later.

Up there in Budapest I have to go way out

or to some other place,

I have to get up an hour earlier, or two,

to be on time,

and when work's finished

the whole trip all over again.

What I'm sorry about is he didn't leave sooner.

Or that I started up with him at all.

You started, not me.

That's how it started.

That's true.

Because when it started it didn't start like this.

So what.

This is good like this

and it may get better,

not worth meditating on

how it would be if it wasn't like this.

Now this is how it is,

if it's like this then it's the best.

So not worth mediating on about it.

Good for me,

strange,

but good.

Maybe good because it's strange, or strange because it's good.

Time will tell soon enough.

We've got to talk about it all the same...

I don't want to end up in something uncomfortable...

It's not a question of what you want.

You say uncomfortable...

This is not uncomfortable.

If it's uncomfortable put the pillow under you.

This is not uncomfortable.

So it's not uncomfortable.

So it's good, comfortable the way it is.

Move your arm.

You always stub that out, never notice it.

We don't...

But not uncomfortable is uncomfortable,

just put up with it, get used to it.

Andras Bader P.O. Box 3248,

is to report for military service.

Failure to report is a serious offense.

You are to bring...

Bring membership cards of the Party or Youth Party.

It's better to be easy there about all this.

You shouldn't take it hard

even if it's all a load of shit.

We'll have time to think it over

to see what'll happen.

You know as well as I do

it hasn't been a bed of roses

and to do this all over again would be really stupid.

We'd have to change something, somehow.

I know you wish for the best

but the way you say it...

What have I said wrong?

- Doesn't matter. - Of course it does.

Sure, it won't be good if I say it wrong,

but that's how I feel.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe.

I'd really like to have... children.

I've nothing against that.

Not because

we'd get a flat easier that way, but...

Sure. I know what you're thinking.

And I'm not against it,

yeah but...

- Never against nothing. - ...but it's so stupid.

- What's stupid about it? - Well this.

We can't change nothing there.

We were just talking about children and then...

So I just sit here and look at those damn call up papers?

Don't look at them, they're just absurd.

Now we're planning a kid

and we won't be together for two years.

I can't feel different from you.

But we can talk about what's happening two years on.

In fact we have to talk.

I don't see why

you don't think it's important.

It doesn't get to you at all?

All you say is yes, yes.

Nothing to say?

- I can't... - That's not much.

That's not much.

We should make a move.

Come on.

Ladies and gentlemen, guests of honor,

my good friends,

allow me to greet you most warmly,

our honored guests,

on behalf of the people and citizens of our town.

Now I'd like to raise a glass to our friendship

and to its becoming faster and deeper in the future

in all fields, cultural, social and sport.

Your very good health.

Our very good health.

I just remembered a good gypsy joke.

Dezső, the gypsy is walking down the street at 11 pm,

carrying a big bag. A policeman comes up, he says:

Dezső, what's in the bag?

Crows, officer, he says.

It's just crows, sir.

Oh yeah? Show me.

He didn't want to at first, but he had to spill them out.

Turns out, they were chickens.

Dezső, these are chickens!

Chickens? In that case I don't want them.

- Good one! - Cheers!

Hey, Jancsi!

If you don't mind. Would you do me a favor?

Go ahead.

Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2...

just like Ede Reményi,

our great compatriot played it in Hamburg in 1853.

With such fire, such power.

You know, with such musical finesse.

Play it for me like that, please.

I'll be forever grateful.

My Slovakian is rusty.

But my mother is Jolán Hugyecz, my father is Kázmér Rezeda.

I can't... I feel the two are one.

My dear friend Kázmér, please leave our guests for now.

- All right. - You'll have a chance later on.

One day I'll present this city.

- All right now. - See you.

Bye, old chap.

Rooting for your son.

He's bound to be a huge talent.

Money can't buy this. Only a painting can.

We thank the residents of Balassagyarmat for their help in making this film.

MUSIC