Original subtitles

Subtitles: Lu�s Filipe Bernardes

Andreas!

Come on.

It's the first time in ten years this train has been on time.

- Carla! - Hello, Nicholas.

It's so good to see you. It's been so long.

- Andreas. - Welcome back, Fraulein.

- Sorry we were late. - It doesn't matter.

- You look beautiful, Nicholas. - I'm older.

The world is older. Only Andreas is not older!

- How nice to see you. - Frau Knubel!

We have your room all ready.

It is not like before the war, but we shall make you as comfortable as we can.

It's comfortable just to look at your faces again.

I tried to persuade her to stay with me,

...but she said the Knubels would never forgive her.

Her we would forgive, it is you who would not forgive her!

Monsieur, Madame Delambre, Fraulein Alten.

- Welcome to our ivory tower. - Thank you.

You must be starved, come, we have Geschnetzeltes this evening.

- She would want to go to her room first. - Oh, yes. I always forget.

Well, I must be off. I shall see you tomorrow afternoon for tea?

Yes, of course. Thank you for meeting me.

I too shall see you tomorrow.

Oh, Andreas.

It's all right, is everything arranged?

Tomorrow, after you are all settled, I'll give you a full report.

No, Andreas. After dinner.

All right. I'll see you after dinner.

What have you been doing since the war, Fraulein?

Oh, struggling, working. Trying to get enough money to come back here.

Who are all these people? Who's that man I met?

Monsieur Delambre. A wealthy intellectual.

A writer, he says, and a mountain climber.

He says.

Those are just tourists.

- And the American? - He doesn't talk much about himself.

His name is Ordway. He was a bomber pilot.

During the was he was shot down near here, and he came back.

- He plays the harmonica. - Does he climb too?

Yes, occasionally.

He's very good, but I don't think he's serious about it.

The other one, Hein, he is really a climber.

Why is he here?

I think for the same reason that you are here.

Andreas has told you.

Do you think anyone had to tell us...

...that someday you would come back to the White Tower?

Hello, Andreas.

There is one thing you must understand.

To try once again to climb this mountain...

...is not something you alone want, but that I also want as much as you.

When you wrote, I started to gather the supplies right away.

What is it, Andreas? Tell me.

We cannot do it. It is not possible.

Why?

- Two alone cannot do it. - I asked you to organize a party.

I've spoken to every guide in Kandermatt.

They refuse to come with us, all of them.

- They are afraid. - Yes, but not only of the mountain.

They're afraid of you.

- Andreas! - It is true.

It is not only what happened to your father. It is the way you feel about it.

- Are you afraid? - No, I'm not.

If I can form a party now, will you guide us?

No, Carla. I will not.

Mr. Ordway?

Hello.

- My name is Carla Alten. - How do you do?

I understand you've done some mountain climbing.

Yes, I've been up a few. Why?

How would you like to climb the White Tower?

What?

They say it has never been climbed.

How would you like to be in the first party to do it?

What for?

- What for? - Yes, what for, I mean, what's the point?

What have you got when you get up there?

Nothing. Everything. The top.

Haven't you ever thought about it?

- I guess I kinda thought about it, but... - Well?

- Do you think it's worth the energy? - You're tired?

Yes, that's one way of putting it.

If you're tired you'd better go to bed. Excuse me.

Wait a minute.

- That's quite an approach you have. - Approach?

Yeah. "My name is Carla Alten. How would you like to climb a mountain?"

How about that? Can you suggest a better approach?

Well, yes, I think I can.

My name is Martin Ordway.

It's a very beautiful night out. How about having a drink with me?

No, thank you. Good night.

- She climbs very well, doesn't she? - Who is she, did you find out?

- I don't know. Carla Alten. - What was she saying to you?

Oh, Knubel, there you are. Tell us now, who is this girl?

- The usual, Mr. Ordway? - Knubel, please tell us, who is she?

- She's the daughter of Alessandro Alten. - Alessandro Alten, of course.

- Who's he? - You don't know?

- No. - The mountaineer.

- Is he good? - Good?

He's one of the greatest of our generation.

As a student of mountain climbing, I would say, the greatest.

Without question.

- Where is he now? - Dead.

He ascended the White Tower several years ago.

It's a famous story.

There were six in the party including Carla.

When the others could no longer go on, Alten went on by himself.

They saw him disappearing into the mists of the final slope.

Whether he made it or not, no one knows. He never came back.

Well. To the survivors.

To climb the peak of the highest mountain.

To look down on a world of crawling men.

You know that, at last, your struggle...

is over.

Then you climb down again.

Good evening, gentlemen.

Oh, there you are, my dear.

Tell me, Astrid, did you know this girl was the daughter

of Alessandro Alten, the mountaineer?

Really? You said you were going to work this evening.

- Or do you have to climb a mountain first? - Oh, please, my dear.

This book I'm writing cannot be dashed off.

I am trying to sum up the whole magnificence...

...of the White Tower in one short work.

A writer cannot manufacture a masterpiece like a machine.

- You understand that, don't you? - Of course, dear.

Your wife, I hope you don't mind my saying so, she's a very beautiful woman.

Yes, yes, she is.

Yes, she's very lovely.

I think I'll go for a bit of a climb tomorrow. Nothing very strenuous, just...

...up to one of the huts, perhaps. Just to get back to the feel again.

Hello.

Hello.

I guess you were right. My approach last night was not so good.

And you come all the way up here to tell me that?

Oh, no. I'm going to see Nicholas Radcliffe.

His chalet is right up there.

That's quite a climb.

You better sit down and rest awhile.

On resting, it seems you are an authority. How did you make it this far up?

Sheer willpower.

You make an awfully pretty picture standing there.

Those mountains in back of you.

Too bad I'm not an artist.

What do you do in America?

I'm an architect.

- Have you been here long in Switzerland? - Not very.

Then you're here either to study or on vacation.

Neither one.

Maybe you'd rather I didn't ask so many questions.

No, that's fine. It's a good way for us to get acquainted. My turn's coming up.

How long are you going to stay? I don't know.

Don't you have any reason to go back home?

Somebody waiting for you, your mother or a... sister.

No. No wife.

My turn now. If you wish.

Why is climbing this mountain so important to you?

- My new approach is not to talk about that. - Come on, now, wait a minute.

I answered all your questions.

It's really not so mysterious.

- You know about my father? - Yes, a little.

To climb the White Tower was the dream of his life.

He tried it many times.

When I grew old enough, he used to take me with him.

Then, just before the war, we tried it again.

Nicholas and Andreas...

I'm sorry, I...

I thought after all this time I could talk about it.

They say it's a sickness with me.

Is it a sickness to have loved your father?

To have the same dream he had?

How many people do you need to climb this thing?

Four, at the very least. For the best chance, six. To start, anyway.

There's a fella at the Gasthaus named Hein. Have you asked him?

No.

He's quite a climber, he'd be just the man for you.

- I don't like his looks. - Why not?

He is a kind of a person. A kind I know.

So what? Maybe he can help you.

You should know what I mean. You fought in the war.

I understand you were shot down near here.

That's right. Just over those mountains there.

- It was a lucky break. - What do you mean?

Well, if that hadn't happened, I wouldn't have found this place.

Have you found peace here?

Is that why you came back?

Peace.

I will only find it when I reach the top of that mountain.

Come on.

Walk with me to the chalet.

Her father and I were very close friends.

- Is the idea practical at all? - Climbing the White Tower practical?

- Yes. - Of course not.

Can it be done?

Men have been trying to do it now for more than a hundred years.

They've struggled and planned, and wore themselves out, but they've failed.

All of them.

I think it can be done, but can we do it?

That, of course, is a very different proposition.

I'm saying "we" because I'm assuming that you're going to ask me.

I'm not too old now, am I?

- Of course you are not too old. - I am really, you know.

- Still, I would like another try. - Good. That makes two of us.

Two?

Oh, I'm sorry. I'd been assuming somehow that you were a victim too.

No. Not this trip.

Thank you very much.

Dr. Radcliffe, are there rocks on the White Tower you haven't seen yet?

If you're asking if my interest in the climb is a scientific one, the answer is no.

Not at all.

Mr. Ordway is about to ask you why then you want to go.

I wasn't interested in what your reason was or even if it was a good one,

I just wanted to know if you had one, that's all.

- I do indeed have a reason. - Okay. I don't.

Who else can we get, Nicholas?

Well, there's Hein. I understand that he...

No, she's ruled him out. She doesn't like his looks.

- Oh. - It's feminine intuition.

What about that little man with the whiskers?

Delambre? Well, he has done some climbing.

He drinks a little too much perhaps, but uh...

...he may not care to tackle anything as severe as this.

- He'll go. - How do you know?

He has a reason.

- I? - Will you?

Thank you, mademoiselle.

That's wonderful for you, dear. You were going on a hike this morning, remember?

- I shall be grateful to you forever, my dear. - There's nothing to be grateful for.

As a matter of fact, we're going to have a very difficult time of it.

- Nevertheless... - You want to come then?

I can't tell you what this means to me.

They are discussing the route.

I think it will be better if we follow right through here.

- Well, look who's here! - Andreas!

- Oh, Andreas. - And bread.

- Let me help you with these. - I knew you would come.

You knew, my wife knew, only I didn't know!

Come on, let's get your things inside.

Imagine, a woman, an old geologist and an erratic weakling...

...on the most difficult ascent of all of Europe!

And to guide them, a Swiss peasant.

You seem awfully anxious to go with them.

I know this mountain. One must have supplies, equipment,

and to start with, a party of six, even to get near to the top.

- Looks fine. - After that it would be up to me.

Come on, let's see if we can give them a hand.

I'll see you tomorrow, Carla. I'll bring my things down then.

All right, Nick.

You have found the rope you need, Andreas?

Yes, I have my own at home.

- There's only one thing missing. - What's that?

A three-ton truck to carry all this stuff you've got here.

Oh, Carla, have you met Mr. Hein?

- Oh, hello. - Pleasure.

- We were thinking if we could help... - You're very kind, thank you.

Do you have any food that is more concentrated?

This will be very bulky for them to carry.

I've tried to get some down at the village, but they're sold out.

I have some. Perhaps I can lend them to you.

- No, really... - I will get it.

- You're making a mistake, you know. - It is true, Fraulein.

With Herr Hein along, we'd have a much better chance.

That's right. After all, he can't be that dangerous, can he?

If I invite him, will you come too?

No, I...

I'm sorry, I...

- Oh, what have we here? - Brandy.

One for medicinal purposes and one for celebration.

- When we reach the top. - What if you don't?

- Then for consolation. - Oh.

- Here we are. - Thank you.

I'm only too happy. If there is anything else?

Would you... consider joining us in this climb, Mr. Hein?

Believe me, you do not have to... merely because I lent you some...

Oh, no.

But if you agree to come, we would be very happy, all of us.

In that case, I should be delighted. Thank you.

I'm afraid you don't understand, my dear.

To climb this mountain, this monstrous and beautiful mountain,

it's a thing I've wanted to do most terribly ever since we came to the valley.

Perhaps that's the inspiration you've been waiting for.

It might even help you with your book.

- What? - Your book.

You are planning to finish it.

Of course.

I have practically finished it, all but the last chapter.

- You've been saying that for so long. - I shall go on saying it.

And I shall do it.

What is it you expect of a man?

That he create literature in a vacuum?

Can't you at least try to understand what I'm talking about, what I'm trying to do?

I want to feel again, fight again, come alive again.

You think you'll do that by breaking your neck on a mountain?

Yes. Precisely.

By breaking my neck.

On a mountain!

By standing on my two hands on the edge of a precipice.

By spattering my brains out on the rocks below.

Oh, my dear. My dear, dear Astrid...

It's useless for us to talk if you don't talk sense.

It's useless for us to talk ever.

How much are they paying you?

I don't know. I didn't ask.

I'm the wife of a lunatic!

I will take you with me, my dear.

To the top.

This means an awful lot to you, doesn't it?

Say, look, on 22nd thought, I'd kind of like to go with you.

You found a reason?

Well, sure. I could use the exercise!

Is that okay? I mean, is it okay for me to go along just for the walk?

Certainly. Glad to have you.

I don't mean clear to the top.

I could help with the packs, say, to the first camp.

- Think you could make it that far? - I could try.

Not very much sense me hanging around here with everybody else up on a mountain.

You could entertain Madame Delambre.

- Madame Delambre doesn't interest me. - But I do?

Yes, you do.

We'd better get back to the Gasthaus and get some rest. You'll need it.

The weather is good.

It will hold for a while.

I'm glad you changed your mind, Martin. It's nice to have you with us.

Thank you.

- Life is a problem, isn't it? - Hold that.

A man sees a woman, he's physically attracted to her...

...and gradually he finds he's being drawn into her life.

Doing things to please her that he has no interest in doing.

Like climbing mountains.

- He becomes a weakling. - Complicated, isn't it?

Oh! How about a little rest?

Lovely view of the village, isn't it?

Very.

You see my chalet out there on the hill?

- Are you lonely there? - No more lonely than I was in London.

Besides, there's a lot to be said for loneliness.

It gives one a chance to study human nature.

One's own human nature.

Any difficulties, gentlemen?

No, we're just having a rest. Sit down and join us.

Thank you, but I'm not tired.

Besides, I've found that to stop too often for resting...

...only makes the muscles more stiff when one starts off again.

Oh, quite.

Do not forget that old mountaineer song, gentlemen.

"To rest is not to conquer".

To rest is not to conquer.

This point is called the Dachenwelt.

Radcliffe says that up to here it is a long, pleasant walk.

Suitable for timid old ladies and small children... and Americans.

Hey, wait a minute.

That pack of yours is a little crooked.

It'll start pulling on a long hike, you know.

- I'm glad you came along, Martin. - So am I.

So far.

- That better? - Yes, thank you.

- How do you feel? - Fine, how about you?

I have an advantage. I wasn't tired to begin with.

Any bets on who collapses first?

- All right? - Still with you.

- That the funnel? - Yeah.

Time enough for the funnel tomorrow.

Now we set up tents.

- All of them? - No. Two.

Tomorrow we leave one of them standing here for when we come back down.

What's the matter? Huh?

Is there enough of everything if I go on to the next camp with you tomorrow?

Yes, there is enough.

That's good.

It would be impossible to come back from the next camp alone.

I know.

So?

So I'll go on up there and wait for you until you come back from the top.

What's the matter, can't you sleep?

- No. - Nor I.

It's a strange silence you can almost hear.

Listen.

It's not so much of a sound, it's more like a...

- A feeling. - Yeah.

A sense of presence, as though something were with us, following us.

That's right.

Perhaps it's ourselves, the selves we're trying to leave behind.

Is that why you climb? You're running away from something.

No. I climb because Alessandro Alten was a very dear friend of mine...

...and there's nothing in the world I wouldn't do to help his daughter.

- Isn't that reason enough? - Yes. I suppose it is.

Besides, you promised me down below that you wouldn't ask me that.

I'm probably more polite down there.

No, you're right, Martin. There is something else.

Climbing a mountain can be related to one's whole existence.

A mountain can be a symbol of the obstacles that you encounter in life.

To conquer it is to gain self-confidence and courage.

You understand that, don't you?

Yes, I...

I think I do.

I know you do.

You'll understand it more the further you go.

It is best now we climb only one person at a time.

One at a time?

No one should move until the one above him is in a good position to belay the ropes.

- But it will go slower. - Yes, a little slower perhaps,

but safer too.

As you say.

This thing would go a lot faster if all of you'd get together and kinda pull me up.

- I bet you'd make it. - Yeah, I think so.

All right, Carla.

Come on.

- You're not going to tie on, huh? - No.

Okay.

- Ready, Martin? - Yeah.

It's kind of nice and cosy, isn't it?

- All right? - All right.

- I'm sorry. - Hmm, that's all right.

- Are you all right? - We're both all right.

- How is it, Doctor? - All right.

We're like a caterpillar, aren't we?

I'm afraid this part of the caterpillar's almost at the end of his rope.

All right!

A rest is not to conquer.

To the right!

To the right now and above!

- It does not go. - It must go! It must!

- It doesn't go. - There was nothing to hold onto above?

Yes, far above, but I couldn't reach it.

Andreas says it's impossible.

- It is not impossible! - It's not impossible.

All right. So it's possible.

It's all right.

- Come on up! - Come up, he says.

I'm next.

Thanks.

All right!

- Wouldn't you like to rest a while longer? - To rest is not to conquer.

Two for luck, huh?

- Take it easy, Nick. - All right, old boy.

Nicholas is very tired.

- Who isn't? - Really tired, I mean.

Pull!

Hold it! The rope is stuck.

Aagh!

Thank you, my dear.

- Are you all right, Nick? - Hmm?

Oh, yes. Fine.

Now, Andreas, if you'll lower me down.

Down?

- It's time I got started back. - Oh, no, Nicholas.

- It's no good, my dear. - But the funnel is easier from here.

- You want to get to the top, don't you? - Of course, but...

Don't you realize by now you'll never get to the top with me along?

Oh, Nicholas.

It's true, isn't it, Andreas? Tell them.

- Yes, it is true. - Thank you, Hein.

You have no right to say it.

On the contrary, my dear, Mr. Hein has a perfect right.

A few minutes ago he risked his life to get me onto this rock.

In a short while he'll have to risk his life again.

Truly, my dear, it's better this way.

I'll wait for you in my tent down below and...

...prepare a victory dinner for your return.

Where's my pack? Martin, you'd better take these.

You may need them.

And here's a warm sweater for you.

You may go further than you think.

Face it, my boy.

I'm ready, Andreas. I'm coming with you.

- No, no. - I'm sorry, Herr Doctor,

but in this I must insist.

- Good luck, Paul. - Thank you, Doctor.

Sorry you're leaving us.

- Goodbye, my dear. - Oh, Nicholas.

Goodbye, my boy.

Take care of her.

With two of us roping down, we should be over the steep parts in an hour.

From there Herr Radcliffe can go on to the tent alone.

I shall be back in three hours. Maybe even sooner.

Well, shall we get started? We have far to go yet today.

We wait here for Andreas.

- Here? - Of course.

Till three.

But that is senseless, we will lose the best hours of the day.

All right. So we lose them.

Mr. Ordway, do not be offended, but I must tell you something.

What?

You have come along, shall we say, with your hands in your pockets.

You have apparently reserved the right to continue...

...as long as you are enjoying yourself, or to turn back when you are not.

But this is no tea party, Mr. Ordway.

Or even an ordinary mountain climb.

It is a war. To win it we must fight and keep on fighting.

We fight by leaving our guide behind, eh?

Not by leaving him behind, no, but by pushing on.

Radcliffe was weak. He held us back. Now we make up for it.

Do not worry, Andreas will catch up with us. We'll mark the route for him.

- You will not go? - No.

Have you any objections then if I go on alone?

No.

- Go ahead. - In that case...

I'm going too.

- With me? - If I may.

It's better if we're to separate that we do it two by two.

You realize, of course, there will be less protection from the rope.

Yes, I understand.

As you say then.

We go up the funnel to the upper terrace, across that to the ridge.

If we cannot reach the ridge before dark, we'll make camp somewhere along the way...

...and flash a light to you.

Anything else?

Only that I suggest you do not wait after three o'clock for your guide.

Well, he did fix it for us.

- Fix it? - Yep, we're alone.

Martin.

- Hey, American. - Mmm?

What did Nicholas mean, "face it"?

What?

What he said when he left, "face it". Face what?

Reality.

What is reality?

He said that you can find it on this mountain.

I don't know.

You know what George Mallory said...

...when they asked him why he wanted to climb Mount Everest?

No, what did he say?

"Because it is there."

- Isn't that a definition of reality? - Well, of course it's there, I mean...

I don't know.

Why have you continued?

- It's pretty obvious, isn't it? - Because of me?

Could be.

You will come with us all the way then?

- Yeah, if it keeps up this way. - And if it doesn't keep up like this?

Well, then I'll go home.

I see.

This is what I call getting close to reality.

Say, your hands are dirty.

Hein was right. To you this is only a tea party.

Take a look at him. There he is.

He's going to end up carrying Delambre on his shoulders.

There, you see, aren't you kind of glad he came along?

No.

What's the matter with you, are you crazy? That guy knows his mountains.

He can climb. I bet he's as good as your father was.

Please don't compare that kind of a person with my father.

All right, let's not worry about it.

I tell you what, he's got a lot of rope. Maybe he'll hang himself with it!

I fought against people like Hein...

...when it was very hard to fight them in my own country.

...and I shall go on fighting them wherever I find them.

But you have to climb this mountain first.

Yes.

Did you ever love anybody else besides your father?

Did you ever find a man you thought you could marry?

- No, I have not. - Do you ever expect to?

Possibly.

Well... How about me?

I mean, that is, if I were more like your father.

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry. - It's all right, it's nothing.

Will you marry me?

You think I'm crazy and I know you are.

We would make a lovely couple.

Will you?

No.

Well...

Guess I might as well go to sleep.

- I'm sorry I'm late. - No, that's all right.

Hey.

Come on. Let's go.

Oh, Andreas.

How far do you suppose they went?

I don't know. Do you want to rest for a while?

No, we'll keep going till we find them.

We were beginning to think you had lost the way.

Did you think so or did you hope so?

Didn't you find the markers we left for you?

Paul?

Paul, are you all right?

- Paul? - Yes.

- How did you get along? - All right.

- And you? - Fine.

Delambre did very well, but I'm afraid I set quite a pace for him.

Did I go too fast, do you think?

Delambre?

Paul, eat your dinner.

I'm not hungry.

He's tired, poor fellow. We should leave him behind tomorrow.

- Why? - It's obvious. He will hold us up.

In the beginning, when there is much to carry, a larger group is very useful, yes.

- But now... - The party should stay together.

What's the difference? Why don't we all go back, huh?

Are you serious?

No.

We'll go on. All of us.

- You are the leader. - We are a group, Mr. Hein.

We climb together because we cannot climb alone.

We have no leader and we need none.

And if we disagree?

We do what we are doing now, discuss it and decide.

I see.

Well, I have never before tried to vote myself to the top of a mountain.

In that case, this may prove to be a very enlightening experience for you.

Why don't you turn in and get as much rest as you can?

No. Not yet.

I think I ought to work on my book for a while.

Martin.

Time to get up.

Andreas and Hein went to look around. It's very foggy this morning.

- I'm making breakfast, come on. - Carla.

Oh, Martin.

Remember what I said last night about us all going back?

Yes.

Well, I meant it.

I did, but I don't anymore.

And what do you think now?

I think that it's important that we go on.

I think it's important to both of us.

Then you've found a reason.

Yes, I guess I have.

Hello!

Come on.

Hello!

Breakfast is almost ready.

It's pretty awful, isn't it.

Like trying to find a beetle in a wood log.

- Aren't you cold with just that on? - No.

- Is it just as bad up on the ridge? - It is lifting. Beginning to blow again.

Ja, but whether the wind will blow clear or with a storm, that one cannot tell.

Where's Delambre?

He must have fallen asleep again.

Paul!

Paul. Hey, Paul.

- I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep. - No.

- I'm not asleep. - We're getting ready to leave.

Leave?

Oh, yes. Yes, it's time.

- Is anything wrong? - Wrong?

What should be wrong, my friend?

Come on, Paul. I'm going with you.

Paul, I brought you some tea.

- This will wake you up. - Oh.

Hello... lovely one.

- Aren't you well? - I'm not hungry.

Paul's acting kind of funny.

It is mountain sickness, perhaps.

- Was he sick last night? - No, I heard nothing.

These idiots, these weaklings. There's always something wrong with them.

Shut up!

Gentlemen.

Gentlemen.

You mustn't upset yourselves because of me.

I'm not going to keep you from your mountain top.

Are you feeling better, Paul?

Better?

Quite better indeed, thank you.

You see how I get about, gentlemen?

Like a ghost on a cliff.

Carla.

- Yes? - Will you go now?

No.

It is absolutely ridiculous. He wants us to go.

I want to go. Mr. Ordway wants to go,

if I am not mistaken.

Yes.

So there is your majority vote.

I want to go on more than you do,

but if we keep breaking up, we have no chance at all.

There is a way to climb. It is done by people together.

Give me your hand. I know you don't want to,

but give it to me anyway.

Whether I climb this mountain or not is no longer important.

But that you and your Martin should climb it, that is very important indeed.

You, it will free from a great torture.

What that torture is, I don't know.

To Martin it will give the strength to believe again...

and to struggle again. If you two can succeed,

it will be not only for yourselves, but for me...

and for everyone.

You may think of me what you like,

but to let me keep you from going on,

this you cannot do to me.

Will you go now?

You will go? Please.

All right, Paul. We will go.

Where is the other bottle?

I've hidden it away.

Today we go up the ridge to our last camp.

Tomorrow, if the weather is good, we will try for the top.

The latest we will be back here will be the day after tomorrow in the evening.

Do you understand?

Will you promise me that you will not leave here under any circumstances?

Neither to go up nor down?

You will not leave here?

No.

Better get some sleep, Paul.

Yes.

Martin...

Here.

Thanks.

- We'll be back before you know it. - From the top.

From the top.

We'd better go quickly.

Keep the rope tight. Keep close together.

- Where are the others? - They're looking for shelter.

Give me the rope.

Come on.

Ordway, it's time for you to watch.

Individuals... may falter.

Whole nations may die.

But mankind, man himself...

he will never die.

He will climb on...

and on.

Finis.

Paul...

...Delambre.

There.

What do you say now, Astrid?

It's finished.

Never mind.

I know what you'd say.

Useless.

Worthless.

Uninspired.

How right you are.

But we know why it's uninspired.

Don't we, Astrid?

What a happy woman you'll be.

My failures are complete.

We can't climb in this, can we?

Up, no. Down, ja.

Down?

- He's going to Delambre. - How can he?

Down is different. The ridge has been exposed to the wind,

the snow will not be as deep.

Don't you think we ought to have a vote on this?

There is no need to be sarcastic, Herr Hein.

It is my duty and you will lose nothing by it.

Today we cannot try for the top in any case.

The snow will not be hard until tomorrow morning at the earliest.

By that time, I shall be back.

And if you are not?

- I shall be. - Andreas...

- Ja? - Tomorrow is Sunday.

I know. It is also the last day for which we have food.

You will wait for me here?

Of course, Andreas.

My herd are scattered over the mountain like lost sheep.

It is very difficult.

- That is foolish. - What's foolish?

To smoke at this altitude.

It's foolish to be at this altitude at all without an airplane.

- No sign of Andreas yet. - He'll be back.

You realize of course he is not coming back, don't you?

You think Delambre's in serious trouble?

He is not coming back no matter how it goes with Delambre.

Why not?

In the first place because he is a superstitious peasant...

...and he has no intention of climbing on Sunday.

In the second place he has not the willpower.

Oh, why don't you stop?

I shall bore you with my opinions no longer, Ordway.

Perhaps you would like to know a decision that I have made.

Which is?

I'm going for the top tomorrow, whether he is back or not.

Not without us, you're not.

I'm going alone.

If you wish to go also, I'm sure there's nothing to stop you.

Except, perhaps, the mountain.

Willpower is an important thing. The will.

The will to conquer.

You guys never give up, do you?

Martin, please.

Why argue with him? You can't reason with a man like that.

How much of that kind of stuff is a guy supposed to take?

Please, Martin, don't do anything now that we're so close to the top.

That's the only thing that's important to you, getting to the top of that mountain.

That mountain's even become the symbol of your father.

Well, getting to the top isn't going to help you.

Nothing's going to help you until you find something that's more important...

...than the mountain or your father. That'll never happen.

- Don't say that. - Well, it's true, isn't it?

Our superman has left us.

- There's nothing you can do about it! - Oh yes, there is.

He'll climb that mountain, alright,

but he's going to do it with us together the way we started.

- We cannot go before Andreas comes back. - Why not?

- I promised him. - I didn't.

- Martin, listen... - I'm not breaking up your party, Hein is.

This is a personal thing now between him and me. He's not getting away with it.

It's very dangerous, please be careful.

- Wait! You'd better take my glasses. - You keep them, you might need them.

A long hard climb, is it not, Mr. Ordway?

Unfortunately, the section ahead is a snow bridge.

It will not support the weight of a man.

I shall no longer be able to accommodate you with footprints.

Here.

I am going alone, Ordway.

We're going together.

You're under the impression that I need your help?

Yes, and I need yours.

- Take the rope. - No.

We started together, we're gonna finish together.

No, we will not finish together. I will finish alone.

and you will not finish at all.

Shall I tell you why, Ordway? It is because I am strong...

...and you are weak.

It is because I have the will and you have not.

It is because I am climbing for a principle.

A principle of superiority that will live and fight and conquer again.

You... You are like all the rest. You are not climbing for anything.

Don't move.

Give me your hand.

What's the matter, superman?

There's only one.

Martin.

You're frozen.

It's snow blindness. Best we get him down right away.

No. Keep on going. You can make it from here.

Give me your ribbon. Let's cover his eyes.

Please go on, Carla. You can make it from here.

- Best we get him down. - Please keep going, Carla.

You can make the top.

No, Martin. The top is not important anymore.

- Not too hot. - No, it's good.

- Come on, lie down. - Not again.

- Never mind. - They're fine.

Be quiet.

Say, Carla, I was thinking, you know...

That moment when you decided that...

maybe I was a little more important to you than the top of that mountain,

you're sure you'll never regret it someday, huh?

Never.

Say, Nicholas, if an American marries an alien,

he can take her back to the States, can't he?

Yes, but, uh... the girl would have to have a good character.

Hm, hey, that's right. Listen.

Now wait a minute, I never did ask you. Have you got good character?

It's not bad.

Today is Thursday. Last train day to Geneva until Monday.

Four days is a long time to wait when two people want to get married.

Yes, but it's 4:30 now, they'll never make it.

Of course we can. The train is never on time.

- What are we waiting for? - Come on.

Think we'll make it?

We'll make it because it is there.

Subtitles: Lu�s Filipe Bernardes