Original subtitles

KIDNAPPING

Switzerland is a real crossroad of the races ...

Men live on each side of the mountain ... and the mountain keep them apart ...

Down there they speak another language, they believe in another God.

Hello Fritz!

How are you, my boy?

Shall we go see Hans?

Hi

Have you seen my dog?

Elsi!

Greetings, Elsi my beautiful!

Greetings, Hans.

(inaudible) Really?

He'll pay for this.

He'll pay for this.

Elsi!

Elsi isn't here.

Let me sleep.

Elsi!

What is this?

Nothing. I'll tell you later.

Let me out!

To think of it! He really shouldn't have done it.

A boy that's so tidy, so serious ...

If he was my son, I would never let something like this happen!

Aren't there pretty girl here too?

A foreigner, you can't marry someone like that ...

And also he was to marry little Jeanne.

What a tragedy!

Poor thing!

There's nothing to discuss. She must be brought back home.

That's easy to say! There's snow up there now.

There's no way to get to the other side.

And if you want to make a detour, it's even harder.

So nothing can be done before spring?

Get out of my sight!

What are you going to do about it?

Don't be so stubborn!

This will end badly for everyone!

I told you that I'll bring her back.

But there's the snow.

You can't pass to the other side anymore.

Just look yourself!

Eat!

I'm not hungry.

Mathias!

Show me.

If she's still alive, I'll find her.

Give me a letter to bring along.

Dear Elsi,

Mathias the peddler hopes to find you alive. If it's true that you are over there, he will tell you

what's to be done. He'll tell you how your poor little brother was killed, serching for you the night you disappeared.

Hello Jeanne.

Listen ...

Jeanne ...

Don't be sad.

Everything will work out, you'll see.

Do you think so, Firmin?

Do you think so, Firmin?

Hello ladies and gentlemen!

Come closer, ladies and gentlemen!

Come see for free.

New and fresh merchandise!

Fine gifts!

Mops, brooms, knives, scissors,

ribbons and cords,

threads and needles,

to sew and embroider.

No need to press and stress,

there is enough for everyone!

For children and fiancŽs,

for the old folks ...

Here's for you madame.

Is it you, Jeanne? Come and sit down.

Listen, Jeanne. I told you to come

because I don't want you to die from heartache.

It's you he'll be marrying, I tell you.

He loves ... he loves her.

I tell you, he'll have to choose between his mother

and the foreigner.

People here are poor.

Ah, you don't speak.

Look at this.

Say ...

Have you seen a foreign woman here?

Blonde.

Tall.

Go away.

Hey!

Wait.

I'd like to buy something, but I'm not sure what.

She's not from around here.

She's not from around here!

So ...

Then she's from somewhere else.

Come with me, then.

Wait.

Excuse me.

Come up here.

Enter here.

Let her have whatever she want. I'll wait downstairs.

Well, well. You can count on me.

Hello, miss. Excuse me for disturbing you.

I was passing and was charged by your fiancŽ to give you a gift.

Choose. New and fresh merchandise.

Thread and needles,

Thread to sew, thread to embroider.

Thimble, scissors, knives.

Dear Elsi,

Mathias the peddler hopes to find you alive. If it's true that you are over there, he will tell you

what's to be done. He'll tell you how your poor little brother was killed, serching for you the night you disappeared.

Pictures of our Lord.

Virgin Mary in colors.

The practical and the pleasant.

They found this in his hand.

Understood?

Be ready.

We'll be there.

I hope you were content with my little visit, miss.

I, for my part, will always be happy to see you.

See you soon, I hope.

She still feels a bit foreign. But you'll please her

with the little gift from me.

She's so nice. And pretty!

Lucky bastard!

You'll soon be content.

Please be seated.

Thank you.

It's beautiful.

You love me ...?

A little?

A lot?

Passionately?

Understood! Last sunday in the month the people leave the village to go to the feast of the "benefactress".

Await me at the skirt of the forest as we decided. I'll join you the moment I have avenged the death of my poor brother.

Goodbye, my dear.

Bye, Jeanne.

And the foreign girl? Are you taking her to the feast?

Take heed, my son. She has a false look on her face.

All that she's said to fool you.

I'm not keeping her for long. It's not her fault.

You're not fair to her.

Forgive me, Jeanne. You deserved better than this.

But I can't help it.

I can't ...

I can't ...

Firmin ...

This has lasted long enough. You must choose.

She or me.

I've had enough of your reproaches

Do as you like.

I have to speak to you.

You are going to marry me.

No!

Too bad!

Never!

I'd like very much to marry you.

But not here.

Come along with me.

To my people.

Don't you want to anymore?

But ... the folks here ...

What will they say?

But next sunday everybody will be away from the village.

Nobody will see us leaving.

Is it true that you hate everybody here, Manu?

Even Firmin?

And that you only love me?

So ...

Tomorrow morning the whole village will be leaving.

You see what I'm getting at, don't you Manu?

You'll take you with me, to live with my people.

Come give me a kiss.

Go now.

Come!

It's your last night here.

You are leaving everything behind.

Your mother ...

Your house ...

Friends ...

Your village ...

Everything ...

Everything ...

In three hours.

Who's there?

It's me, mother.

I came to tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow ...

... with her.

Now is the time to go.

I can't take it anymore.

Save yourself!

Manu, open the door!

Firmin!

Forgive me!

It's not true. It was you who did this?

This copy was restored in 1995 by the Swiss Cinematheque in collaboration with

Subs by Knappen Paris, december 2008.