Original subtitles

THE VALLEY OF PEACE

Screenplay and dialogues.

Photography.

Composer - Conductor.

Producer.

Directed by

Triglav Studios, Ljubljana 1956.

Will it be American or German?

Didn't mom tell you politics aren't for children?

Nobody heard me.

Boys, something's coming.

Do you think they'll attack the Partisans?

Wouldn't you like to know?

- They're here again. - Look, the small one

threw a stone at me yesterday. He called me a Slovene flea.

Will you hit him?

- Is the brat one of them? - She probably is.

Does she live in your street? With the old shop-keeper?

The shop-keeper's her grandma.

- She has no parents anymore. - Isn't she a German?

She's still a child.

- The old woman is a German. - She lived here before the war.

Those are the worst. The fifth column.

- What's that? - None of your business.

Ask around for some wire.

- Marko, tell me... - Yes?

What's the fifth?

- Those few Germans who lived here before the war. - I see.

- Will this do? - Yes, it will.

- Are you really "the Column"? - No, I'm Lotti.

Look at it!

Give back the plane!

Did you hear? Zurückgeben!

What did he say?

He says he won't give it back unless we beg for it.

- Hell, I'll show him! - Tell him he's a thief! -He's a swine.

- He's no good! - He's a bandit!

What? You lousy Partisans are bandits!

Well, if the Americans are really on our side,

why should they throw bombs on the town?

- Isn't that so? - Do you think bombs can tell the Germans from us?

My doll!

Mum!

Dad!

- I have an uncle there. - His uncle lives there.

There? The bandits are there.

Write out a certificate for homeless children.

At the weekend, transport is bound for the Reich.

Was your house destroyed too?

Die Frau hat gesagt...

You know, the woman told me

my grandma's in heaven now.

Marko, your parents are there too.

Well, now I'll go by myself.

- Where will you go? - To the valley.

Which valley?

I don't know. Grandma told me we'd go there.

There are no bombs in the valley. There's no war.

There's war everywhere. There's no such place.

Yes, there is. There's even a song.

My grandma often sang it to me.

And it's called Tal des Friedens.

What's that, tal?

Well, valley.

- And the other word? - Frieden.

It means that there's no war.

There are cows and chickens and flowers.

That sounds like the place, where my uncle lives.

There's a stream flowing through the valley,

and a clattering mill,

and it's surrounded by woods and hills.

Is your uncle always there?

Of course. He lives there.

What about flowers?

There are flowers, and chicks too.

And cows”?

Oh yes, two. And sometimes a calf.

- And the mill? - Of course.

And what a nice sound it makes.

That's it, Marko.

That's the valley of no bombs and no war.

Well, you might be right.

I am. That's the Valley of Peace.

Let's go, let's go! Quick!

Children!

Why don't we go on?

If the soldiers catch us, we won't get out of town.

I hate them.

They're wicked. Not letting us go to the valley.

Children!

Children, to the cellar.

Where's your hanky?

Don't cry, please.

I'm not crying. I'm just afraid I'll lose my bow.

Do you think this will do? At least for a while?

Well, is it all right?

Yes, it is.

What will you be when we grow up?

- Perhaps I'll be a pilot. - Why?

Why? So I can fly.

- To some place far away. - Do pilots fly?

What else do you think they have the planes for?

Yes, but the planes shoot.

Not all of them.

I won't be a pilot after all.

- Perhaps I'll be an engineer. - Then you won't fly?

No. I'll build houses.

Houses? And you'll make a house for the two of us?

A house that stands forever, will you?

Quick! Get in!

Marko! It's going to eat my doll.

- What is it? - The dog's going to eat my doll. Chase it away.

Shoo! Let it go. Will you?

Give back the doll!

You wicked dog.

Take the doll away from him.

Here.

She's lost her head.

I'll make another one.

Can it be done? And you know how?

Bad dog.

You're a bad dog. Marko, chase it away.

Children.

What are they doing up there?

We moved everyone.

- Go and see. - Yes, sir.

Go and see. At once.

My uncle lives at the foot of those hills.

How far it is still!

We cross the road, and the river, and we'll be there.

To hell with this country. You can't even trust the children.

Our Sturm Fuhrer sees a Partisan in every child.

Are you crazy?

Lotti!

It's good we weren't on the road.

The kids have brought us luck.

- Quick! -Will we be there soon? - Only if you hurry.

My doll. She's up there.

Wait here and keep quiet.

You're a bore.

Here. Now, let's go.

I don't want her. She's lost her head.

The children.

Hell and damnation! I'll be.

- Come on! - I'm not going anywhere. The soldiers are everywhere.

I won't run anymore. I won't.

- I won't. - If we get across the river, we'll be safe.

- I tell you. - Is it true?

Oh boy! Bull's-eye!

- One definitely landed on this side. - He can't be far.

Let's go, Marko. I don't like him.

Perhaps you understand a little German?

Sure, I do.

- You speak German? - I've always spoken it.

- Isn't that true, Marko? - What?

- Isn't he a German? - No.

- Who is he then? - He's my friend.

Your friend?

- What did he say? - He asked why you aren't German.

I'm Slovene. I'm from here.

Yugoslavia, yes.

But why are you alone?

Where are your mum and dad?

Tell him they're gone.

Planes.

- Me? I should tell him? - Yes.

They are no more, because of the planes.

Our house was destroyed too.

The planes fly too high.

The plane has disappeared. Nothing's to be seen.

- Where did they bale out? - Far, by the river.

If they slip through the Germans, they'll reach us.

I'm going to the division HQ. Wait for me here.

- What do you mean, dead? - Well, he's dead.

He's not breathing.

If one loses his head, then he's dead too, isn't he, Marko?

- Very good. - Won't we cross the river?

- With the advance patrol. - Yes.

But we must find both American air pirates.

- Special order of the Division Commander. Go! - Go!

- What's your name? -Lotti. - And you?

My name is Jim.

Jim. A funny name, isn't it?

Your name?

Where are you going?

Towards the valley.

Which valley?

The Valley of Peace.

- Tell him we're going to see my uncle. - His uncle's there.

- What will you do there? - There's no war.

- No war? - No, certainly not.

It lies among the hills,

says Marko, and grandma as well.

And it's so beautiful...

Is the valley in a remote place? Where?

- Are the Partisans also there? - I don't know.

But there's a mill, and chickens too, aren't they?

Partisans.

Deutsche. Germans.

Report to the HQ:

- Allied planes attacked the Germans as agreed. - Aye.

Take the patrol to the valley. The Germans can't catch the pilot.

- Should we push as far as the river? - Be careful.

The Germans might cross the river today. They might send the patrols.

Do the pilots know our position?

Roughly. But the area is unfamiliar to them.

Soldiers.

Oh, the Partisans?

There. There they are.

- Where are you going? - To look for strawberries.

- Stay here. - Why?

Jim told me to make you stay here.

- He didn't. - He did. Didn't you hear him?

- You don't understand him. - Just wait.

No, I won't.

Catch me!

You little brat!

Marko, catch me!

Don't be afraid. Don't you see it's broken down?

It's as big as a house, isn't it?

Shucks! A tank isn't a house. It's used to pull down houses.

Well, it could be a car, couldn't it?

Marko, will you make a car, SO we can drive to the valley?

Sure, but let me first see the engine.

- Pull me up, will you? - Wait!

Will you manage to make it go?

I can't. I haven't got any petrol.

- Won't it work without petrol? - Of course not.

Jim! We need petrol. We'll drive to the valley.

Please, please, bring us petrol.

Did you bring petrol?

This petrol is of no use to drive to the valley.

- Why not? - It's no good for this drive, girlie.

The man was already dead, when he landed.

- So”? Dig him back in! - Yes, Sir.

- Do you think we'll catch the other one? - We must find him.

He's had a good look at our division.

If the Partisans are near...

- Here, in no man's land? - You never know.

Let's go on!

Are they really preparing another offensive?

- We're going to attack them. - Have you ever clashed with them?

We've chased each other around a few times.

- And? - They're quite good fighters, these bandits.

And they know every little path, Goddamn them.

That's better than reconnaissance by map.

- Whose is this little horse? - I don't know.

Why has he got such sad eyes?

Because he's lonely.

- Don't you like horses? - Sure I do.

We kept horses back at home.

- Then you've got a home somewhere? - Yes, I've got a home too.

- Where? -In America. - America. Is that a large town?

Fairly large.

- Is there also war? - In America? No.

Not yet.

But you'll rather stay with us in the valley, won't you?

Don't you see I'm coming with you"?

The horse is coming with us too.

Come here, horsy.

Horsy!

Horses...

Soldiers...

No, don't beat him, the horse is good.

Please, please, don't beat him.

- Is the horse coming with us? - Yes, it is coming with us.

- A patrol? - We have to find the pilots. How is it down there?

- No movement. - Let's go, boys. Bye.

- Bye. - Good luck.

Wait here.

Have we arrived?

Marko, they're shooting.

No, they're not shooting. Jim is making a noise.

- Why do they shoot at all? - Why? Because it's war.

- And why is it war? - Why, why? Because.

I see.

Sleep now. Anyway, you're too small for such things.

I know I am.

Why are you crying?

My grandma will surely come no more.

And my doll is dead too.

Sleep. Sleep now.

I'll make you a new doll.

- Really? When? - Tomorrow, in our valley.

- Yes? - Yes.

Thank you, Jim.

- Well? - Nobody's in sight.

The Americans aren't as dumb as to wait for us

- in the house. - Are the sentries posted? -Yes, sir.

Half an hour rest for the men! —Half an hour's rest!

Nothing has changed since we were last here.

Marko, where's Jim?

Perhaps he's lost his way.

Stop nagging. I'll go and get him.

- Don't you hear him upstairs? - Upstairs? Why is he upstairs?

Who are you?

Come nearer!

What are you doing here?

Are you deaf?

- Slovene. - Indeed.

What have you got there?

Interesting.

Where did you get this?

- Speak up! - We won't get anywhere this way.

It's clear. The boy was sent to get food or to scout.

The airman must be hiding somewhere near.

We'll soon know where.

Here. Take this.

Take it.

Go now.

Go!

I bet he'll take us straight to the airman. Follow the boy.

You must have posted the sentries perfectly.

They must have even saluted the passing boy.

Strange... He hasn't left the house, sir.

That's it. Search the house, immediately!

Upstairs! Quick!

Don't shoot! Catch him alive!

- They'll catch him now. They'll catch him. - Why?

Because of the badge they found on me.

Will they do him any harm?

They might shoot him.

How - shoot, Marko?

- Lotti, do you want us to help him? Do you? - Yes, Marko.

Tell them we found this.

They'll believe you, you speak German.

Didn't Jim give it to you?

Yes, but you mustn't tell that to the soldiers.

I won't tell.

Tell them we've found it in the woods.

- Will you? - I will.

- And remember, we never saw him. - We didn't.

What if they ask me whether we saw him?

I'm telling you, you mustn't tell them.

- I won't tell. - Are you sure?

- I'm sure. - Well, go now.

- Where? - Where? Upstairs, don't you understand?

Yes, I do.

But there are soldiers upstairs.

- That's where you must go. - To the soldiers? -Who else?

I don't want to see them. I don't. I'm afraid.

I'm going to the valley.

- We'll go to the valley later. - What if the soldiers

- don't let us go? - Tell them you live here.

- But I don't. - The soldiers don't know that.

Ok, I'm going.

Give me the doll.

- Here. And keep your mouth shut about me. - What if they ask?

- Just tell them we both live here, will you? - I will. -Well, get going.

This badge doesn't belong to Jim at all.

The two of us don't know him... Yes, really. Marko told me so.

What are you doing here?

Marko told me we don't know you,

and the badge...

I don't know anymore.

Hitler's soldiers.

We must get away quickly.

We must continue, away from here.

- To the valley? - Yes, yes.

- Yes, Jim. - Quick, quick.

Come!

Halt! Who's there?

- Partisan. Patrol. - Pilot. Forwards.

Nothing. We searched both valleys. There's nobody on this side.

They were probably waiting for nightfall.

Come on!

Made in USA.

I'd very much like to meet this man.

We'll push further on. To no man's land.

It ceased to be no man's land two minutes ago.

- Do you think they found the pilots? - If they baled out in the middle.

Hurry up.

There! That's where my uncle lives.

The valley!

Uncle!

Marko, the mill.

Is the wheel turning? Why isn't it turning?

- It can't turn if there's no water. - But there is water, Marko.

- Look! - My uncle will make it turn. Wait!

Will it really turn?

Look, a soldier.

That's not a soldier. That's Pepi.

- Do you know him? - Of course I do.

- Is this really Pepi? - Yes.

- But why Pepi? - My uncle named him.

But he isn't really alive, is he?

Of course not. A scarecrow can't really be alive.

Then he hasn't got a real head.

- Did others make it for him? - Yes, they did.

Well, if he hasn't got a real head, then he's got no heart either?

Goodbye, Pepi. Bye-bye.

Marko! —Let's go and see the cows.

Is there no cow?

My uncle took it to the mountain pasture.

- Did he take the calf too? - Yes. A calf can't live without the cow.

His uncle took the cow to the mountains.

Come on, Jim!

We'll stay here forever, Marko, won't we?

Yes, we will. Are you hungry?

I'm not hungry. Do you have anything to eat?

My uncle will be here soon. You'll wait, won't you?

Yes, I will.

Jim will stay here forever too, won't he?

I don't know. Maybe.

He will. I'll tell him to stay, I love him so much.

But I'll marry you, you know, when I grow up.

And you'll marry me, won't you?

- You're too small for such things. - But I'll grow up.

Will you be a grown up before me?

Of course I will.

- I'm going to be like Jim. What else did you think? - I see.

And we'll have children too, won't we?

All grown-ups have children, you know.

- I've told you already to talk about other things. - I see.

Well, tell me about tomorrow.

Tomorrow? My uncle will come.

At dawn, you know.

First, he'll open the sluice-gate and then the water will rush in.

The wheel will start turning.

- Well? - A house. And the horse.

Careful.

- Should we go to the miller's? - He took the post across the river

a month ago. He never returned. He never reached the town either.

Silence. There's a light at the mill.

They must be in the house. Careful now.

- Will it soon be tomorrow, Marko? - Soon. First the birds will sing.

You'll hear them.

And then the day will come, and the sun will shine.

- Your uncle will come then, won't he? - Sure.

He used to wake me at sunrise, you Know.

He did? What did he say?

He said it was a pity to sleep through the morning.

A negro.

Hands up!

The Partisans!

- My uncle is here. - Your uncle? Where?

Don't you hear?

I told you! The sun.

Uncle.

This valley wasn't the right one.

Maybe that valley is the right one.

There must be the right valley somewhere.

THE END