Original subtitles

Get them out as quickly as you can,

but be careful with them.

They've had a very rough trip.

Yes, ma'am.

Ask them to get out.

Mrs. Murray, narrating: The war is over,

but want and suffering

have not come to an end in Europe.

A trainload of children,

dragged into Germany during the war,

found wandering, lost, homeless,

found in concentration camps.

Can they really be children?

They might be little old men and women.

Their spirit is broken.

There is nothing left in them but fear,

fear of being punished and beaten.

The mere sight of a uniform terrifies them,

for the men who persecuted them, they wore uniforms.

That is why they obey every order,

follow every command.

They cannot understand

that those now in charge of them want to help.

They move like machines.

Not a sound can be heard in the wretched little troop.

And this is but a handful,

a tiny handful out of the millions

of orphaned, homeless, bewildered children,

children who had a right to better things,

a right taken from them by the war.

Bread.

Bread, and it's there to be eaten.

But this boy knows why he hides it away.

They have often been given a slice of bread,

then came a day and a night

and another day and not a bite of food.

And you, little boy,

with the sad face and the big eyes,

you had to eat your food with your fingers for so long,

you've forgotten how to use a spoon.

Another habit has stuck.

After every meal,

they had to show by this movement

that they were not hiding any bread.

- Oh, Dick? - Yes?

Uh, see that the children

get to bed as soon as possible, will you?

Where are we going to put them? Everything's full.

Well, they're setting up some extra beds in the corridors now.

Right.

This was once a barracks, a German barracks.

It had better uses now.

It's a long time since these children slept in a clean bed under a warm blanket.

These are their keepsakes,

the last memories of their homes and parents,

jealously guarded as a precious possession

through all their wanderings...

And still not a sound of children's voices

and children's laughter.

11 years, comes from Belfort.

Religion, catholic.

Mother taken away. Where, he doesn't know.

And his father?

Father killed with the partisans.

He says he himself lived in a forest for months

with a whole gang,

but they caught them

and put them in a concentration camp.

Which camp?

Mauthausen.

Mauthausen. Yes.

It's all right. Tell him to sit down.

Next. Jadwiga Branowska.

It's her brother.

Father, music teacher in Piotrkow, Poland.

Both parents killed at Bergen-Belsen.

And she was in slave labor? Is that what she said?

Yes, sir.

I see.

Miriam Sziget, parents' domicile, Budapest.

Both gassed at Dachau.

What did she say?

Her job was to sort out the clothes

of the people that had been gassed.

She had to sort them according to size in a room next to a crematorium.

She found her own mother's blouse among them.

Well, say something to her.

Anything.

Ya, danke.

Next.

The little boy with the cap there.

I can't get anything out of this little boy.

Come along, young man. We aren't going to hurt you.

He seems to have understood that.

The boy's afraid. Look at his eyes.

- Has nobody spoken to him yet? - We tried.

Perhaps the other boy could help us.

Are these 2 together? Are they brothers?

No, they're just friends.

He says there's nothing to be got from the boy.

- Is he German? - I don't think so.

- Take it easy. - Yes, of course.

Doesn't know his name.

I'll ask him where he comes from.

Always the same thing. "I don't know."

Let's stop for a while.

He must think he's being interrogated.

I'll sit down with the child somewhere

and try in some other language.

Perhaps he'll react to a nursery rhyme.

No, let him alone.

He needs rest and confidence.

We'll send him to the UNRRA Team at Ansbach.

He'll get the kind of care he needs there,

and they can question him later.

Would you ask him to sit down, please, while I make the arrangements?

Setz dich.

Next. Peter Lutgon.

Mrs. Murray, narrating: Why won't you speak?

Where do you come from?

Where is your home?

Where are your father and mother?

It was in a city in Czechoslovakia many years ago.

Everybody knew Dr. Malik, for he was a good doctor.

This was the Malik family.

The father,

the mother, Mrs. Hanna Malik...

Their daughter Vlasta.

And then there was a little boy... Karel.

It was a happy family life.

The enemy had occupied the little country.

The persecution of the Czech intellectuals

had at last reached the Malik family.

The family was separated.

Dr. Malik and his daughter were deported.

For a long time, the mother and Karel

were left together in a concentration camp.

Mami! Mami!

Karel!

Karel!

Mami!

Mami! Mami!

Mrs. Murray, narrating: Time passed.

And from the moment little Karel was separated from his mother,

his mind gradually went blank.

He has wandered far,

come across many people, heard many languages,

picking up a word here and there,

but he seldom speaks.

What's the use of speaking?

He knows it can't help.

- Miss Thompson? - Yes, Mrs. Murray.

Uh, 22 in your group.

Yes, I'll check it.

These are the children who are going to the special camp.

Be sure they stay together.

Yes, I'll tell the driver.

Thank you. 22.

Come on, children.

It's time to get in.

Keep your groups together!

What is it? What's the matter?

They are afraid of the ambulance.

I don't understand why they're afraid of an ambulance?

- It's the big red cross on it. - I still don't understand.

It was in ambulances like these with a big red cross

that people were carried off and gassed.

Gassed on the way.

Tell them we're their friends.

Tell them that the only reason we're using ambulances

is because we haven't got enough trucks.

Tell them they'll be taken to someplace where they'll be very happy.

Betty, you get in front.

If they see you go in,

they'll know that everything's all right for them.

Now, come on. It's all right. Come on.

It's all right. Come along.

Ok, here we go. Come along.

Now there's nothing to be afraid of.

All right. One more--oops!

Quickly.

Through many lands of what was once the German Reich,

there run these broad, parallel, endless roads.

Along these roads, people walk,

going somewhere... Anywhere.

Hanna Malik walks, too.

She was one of the few who escaped.

When she got home to Czechoslovakia,

she found that her husband and daughter had both been murdered.

Of little Karel, there was no trace.

One day, she set out to look for him.

She has wandered through all the zones of occupied Germany.

She has come a long, long way.

Pardon me.

Where can I find Mr. Crookes?

I'm Crookes. Is there anything I can do for you?

I was given your address.

I don't want to take up your time.

I know it's Sunday.

Oh, that doesn't matter. Come in.

Thank you.

You've come a long way, haven't you?

You must be very tired.

Please sit down.

Thank you.

Who are you looking for?

I...

You are looking' for somebody, aren't you?

It's my child I'm looking for.

A boy.

I'm Mrs. Malik. I come from Czechoslovakia.

You speak very good English.

We used to read English books at home.

That's a bit of luck-- for me, I mean.

We English aren't very good at languages.

Why did you come to me in particular?

Have you any data?

Pardon me?

I mean, uh...

Have you anything to go on?

Nothing.

I go from camp to camp.

Sometime I find a trace, but it turns out wrong.

I've been looking for 7 months now.

Just like that, at random?

Is there any sense in it?

There's nothing in my life if I don't find my child.

I understand. You haven't given up hope.

- And what's your boy's name? - Karel.

Karel Malik.

Malik?

Yes. Why?

Have you heard the name before?

Just a moment.

Have you asked our central tracing bureau?

- You know that UNRRA has-- - I've asked everywhere.

Without result?

Hmm. How old is your boy?

He's 9. That is, he'll be 10 next month.

Rather fair, grayish eyes?

Yes.

We're in luck, Mrs. Malik. Your boy's alive.

Where?

He was picked up not long ago.

He's here.

There you are. That's his card.

The name seemed familiar,

but I didn't want to make any mistake and disappoint you.

Aren't you well?

I'm all right.

Quite all right.

I'm sorry.

Look, would you rather wait here and let me fetch him?

No.

Come along.

What a silly question to ask,

as if you could just sit there and wait.

I remember. He's the boy who offered to serve

in the chapel as a choirboy as soon as he arrived.

He's down in the chapel now.

Will you wait here, Mrs. Malik? I'll bring him to you.

All right.

It's rather strange.

He refuses to come.

Oh, but it sometimes happens like that.

When children haven't seen their parents

in many years, they often act like that.

It doesn't mean anything.

Please keep quite calm.

Yes, I will.

Come on. Come on.

Your mother's there.

But this is not my child.

Are you sure?

I know my own child.

Oh, but he might have changed in so many years.

I'd know him among thousands.

Karel Malik.

Karel Malik.

You see? He speaks Polish.

There's something wrong here.

Karel Malik.

Look at this card.

Is that your name?

- What's he saying? - He keeps repeating that's his name.

Karel Malik.

I say, just a moment.

Do you know what I think?

He's neither Czech nor pole.

The boy's a German.

German children often get into UNRRA.

They've got to find refuge. They're hungry like the others.

You can hardly blame them.

In the camp, the last thing his mother told him

before they took her away

was never to tell anyone his real name.

So he isn't Karel Malik.

How did he get that name?

What's he saying?

At roll call in the camp one day,

when nobody answers to the name Karel Malik,

he took it for his own, and it stuck to him.

Please go on talking to him.

It's most important we find out why he concealed his right name.

Mrs. Malik.

Yes?

He's frightened to be punished.

Oh, so that's it.

Explain to him where he is and that nothing will happen to him.

Now, promise him that.

Joel Makowsky.

His name is Joel Makowsky.

Now I understand everything.

He's a Jewish child.

So that's it.

Ask him how he got into this situation.

He was sent to the church.

They thought he was a catholic,

and he was so frightened, he let them believe it.

Of course. He felt safe, protected in a surplice.

Will you wait here for me?

I'll take the boy upstairs.

I want him to be quite sure that nothing will happen to him.

Come on, Joel.

Hey! What are you doin' up there?

All right, come on.

No?

Ok.

Oh, you are hungry, huh?

Here.

Nice to have met you, my friend.

Come here. Come back here.

Don't run so fast.

Ah, I got you.

Hey, hold still.

Now, get in.

Get in!

You're a pretty sight, aren't you?

Boy, you sure got blisters.

Where you belong, huh?

Um,

Obviously not.

All right, whoosh. Over there.

Move.

Uh-ah. Uh-uh-uh.

Hold--hold still.

Hold still!

All right, you first.

No games, now. Go on.

Wait a minute. Now walk.

This is where I live.

Come.

That's entrance number...

One.

Come here. Come here.

I used to breed rabbits.

You can be grateful I don't pick you up by the ears.

That's number 2.

Hey, Fisher!

Got a present for you.

Number 3... That's--that's for sure.

He may seem a little wild right now, but he'll tame down.

Look!

Holy mackerel! My goldfish.

- Here he is. - Water, quick.

Afraid he's gonna get away. Get the bucket.

Look, you,

don't let's run any more races, you and I.

Let's just quietly get-- look out for your bare--

Come back here!

Careful.

Look, lad, you're cornered.

Give up.

"A little wild right now." Great.

When does he tame down?

Ouch! Relax, will ya?

Ok. Will you leave those goldfish alone

for a minute and come here?

- You got him? - Yeah.

Hold onto him.

Take it easy. Come on.

- Look at that. - Holy Moses!

- What's the kid been up to? - Beats me.

What should we do, stick him in a bathtub?

No. Better take care of that foot first.

We can disinfect the rest of him later.

- Do you think he's got lice? - Sure. He's crawling with 'em.

Hey! Hey, hold onto him.

Listen, that character that's got hold of you

is a very important man in military government,

so don't struggle.

Hey! You want me to use this hypo to keep you quiet?

Now, cut it out!

That's better. Get the iodine.

No. Alcohol.

Hold onto him.

He's gonna yell.

Surprise. You're doing all right.

Sure. He's got guts. Not a sound.

Good boy. What's his name?

What's his name? I don't know.

I can't get a word out of him.

Who picked who up?

I was sitting, minding my own business,

and this joker comes and eats my lunch.

Hey, we've gotta feed him. The kid's starving.

Oh, by the way, did you talk to the colonel?

Yeah, I talked to him. He thinks he can get me out

maybe next couple weeks.

- Getting your passage home? - Trying to.

Steve.

What?

Concentration camp.

What's "A"?

"A" for Auschwitz.

Were you in Auschwitz, kid?

Yeah. That's what he...

He thinks we're S.S. Men or something.

No wonder he's scared to death.

He's trying to cover it up.

Yeah, and I go and lock him up. Show him a hypodermic.

You know how they treated those kids in concentration camps.

- Well, what do we do now? - What'll we do?

Show him he's with people he can trust.

That's not gonna be so easy.

Look...

See this door? Not locked.

See? You can come, go, whenever you want.

Look. So long.

See? You can go out if you want.

He doesn't believe you.

Shut up. Come here.

He'll run away, I'm telling you.

Ok, maybe he will. It's a gamble.

Come on.

Hey.

Oh, yes. We know the case.

This Joel Makowsky was brought to us just a few weeks ago.

We put him with a group of children who were waiting to go to Palestine.

You see, we have only Jewish children in this camp at present.

That's why I'm so positive your son isn't with us now.

He may have been here before, of course,

when this was still a transit camp.

I see.

I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait just a bit longer.

Can you sign these letter now, Mrs. Murray?

Yes. In just a moment. Will you leave them please?

And, miss Thompson, will you look in our records

and see whether a Karel Malik has ever been entered with us?

Malik? M-a-l-i-k?

Yes. Born in 1936, please.

All right.

Have you checked with our central tracing bureau?

Yes. Several times.

Do they have a full description of your son?

Well, I did give them a description once.

I had no picture.

Oh, well, you mustn't give up hope, you know.

Why, children are being found every day.

Only last week, a father came here for his 2 little girls

right here at this camp.

And there are amazing coincidences.

Parents and children find each other right in the middle of the street.

It happens all the time.

I know. I'm not giving up hope.

The supply officer is here about that consignment of shoes.

Can you see him now, Mrs. Murray?

- Did you find anything under Malik? - Not yet.

Well, ask Mr. Barkley to wait just a moment, will you please?

All right.

I see how busy you are, Mrs. Murray.

There are other people waiting for you, too.

No, no, no, now wait.

Let's send in another inquiry.

The whole organization is so terribly overworked.

Sometimes it's better to be a pest and ask them again.

Now, let's make this just as exact as we can.

Do you happen to know

if he had a number tattooed on him in any of the camps?

No. Not as long as I was with him.

Can you remember what he had on?

Of course I can remember.

In the end, he only had one suit.

The trousers were English stuff, cotton,

with a faint check in it.

And he had a jacket on with little flaps to the pockets

here and here.

And he always wore a wool cap,

dark grey with white stripes and round tassel.

With a white stripe?

Yes. It was machine knit.

It couldn't possibly be your son's, but...

Wait a minute.

There's nothing under Malik at all, Mrs. Murray.

Thank you. Will you just close that door, please?

This was here, I'm quite sure.

There. Is that it?

This is Karel's cap.

- Are you quite sure? - I'm positive.

Look. Look at this darn. I made it myself in the c--

Mrs. Murray.

What is it?

Mrs. Malik, your son was here with a lot of other children.

But he ran away and...

He was drowned.

Oh.

Yes.

No, no. I can't talk to him now.

Your son had a friend.

They ran away together.

The other boy's body was recovered. These are his clothes.

All we ever found of Karel's was this cap.

We searched for days, but we couldn't find a trace of him.

Could I see where it happened?

Why, yes. It's quite near the main bridge.

There's a strong current there, and the water spills over.

I know the place.

I passed it on the way.

I'm so sorry, Mrs. Murray,

but Mr. Barkley says he can't possibly wait any longer.

Will you wait here a moment?

I'll be right back.

What more do I know? Nothing.

Just a number.

That ain't particulars.

What good is a number to a tracing bureau?

Can't you say anything except "I don't know"?

Can't you say, yes... No?

Anything?

They must've taught you yes or no in some language.

Parlez-vous francais?

No. Il ne parle pas francais.

Italian.

Italiano, huh?

You wouldn't be holding out on me, would you?

I gotta find out something about you.

Huh huh huh. Where's an envelope?

Wait here.

Wait.

* You are my sun *

Hmm, yes.

What am I gonna do with you?

What am I gonna do?

Well...

One last chance.

Pretty soon I'll be 4,000 miles away, then what's gonna happen to you, huh?

Now then, look.

We're gonna try this way.

When I don't want something,

I say, no.

See?

I mean, uh, um, no.

No. Like that.

Now then, say no.

Just no. That's not so hard.

I'll give you lots of time to think it over.

30 seconds.

Now then, would you be good enough to say the word no?

Just no.

No.

No.

No, no, no, no!

No?

Ok, forget it. Thank you for your Patience.

You've been most kind. I think I'll get drunk.

Here. Have a drink.

No.

Have a drink.

No.

That's what I thought you said.

Hey, man!

That's fine.

That's... That's just fine.

Now, I ask you, am I a genius, or am I not?

No.

Ok. Ok.

But look, lad,

the answer should have been yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Chocolate. Chocolate.

Come. Here.

Now...

Have some?

Yes. But first you have to say yes.

Now then, yes?

Yes.

Yes!

Take the whole thing. You've earned it.

Here's to you.

Hey, you haven't even got a name.

What am I gonna call you?

Michael.

Hmm.

Uh, James.

Kevin.

James, Jim. Jim!

That's you. Look, your name is Jim.

My name is Steve.

You, Jim. I, Steve.

Never mind. Never mind.

Yes and no is enough for one day.

We're friends, huh?

I'm going out to mail this letter.

You wanna come?

Coming?

Yes, Steve.

Yes, Steve!

Thank you, James.

Come.

Slowly now.

After all that long time in bed,

we wouldn't want you to relapse on us, now, would we?

There you are, Mrs. Malik.

The sun will be nice and warm for you here,

and I'll fetch you in half an hour.

Thank you.

However did you manage it, Mrs. Malik?

I told them to go ahead and hit him.

I said there are so many of them, it should be easy.

The boy has a real problem. He's new here,

and the other children haven't accepted him yet.

These groups going to Palestine are very closely knit,

like a family, you might say.

All they have in the world is each other.

You've seen yourself how they sit around here for weeks and months.

They're waiting for just one thing. They want to get away.

They want to get out of this country.

Mrs. Malik, would you consider...

Well, when you're better, of course.

But would you consider taking a job with us here?

A job?

We need people who are good with children.

It's very kind of you, Mrs. Murray, but I can't.

Why not?

I don't know how to tell you.

You see, you proved that Karel was dead,

but excuse me, I can't believe it.

You really never found him,

and as long as there is even the faintest hope,

I will have to go on looking for him.

But you won't be well enough for that for a long time.

Stay with us here. You won't be so lonely.

Let these other children try to take your Karel's place.

Now--now the main this is to get well first,

then you can decide.

Yes, I will.

The chair.

The house.

The blouse.

The flower.

Yeah, go on.

The car.

The Indians.

The bird.

The tree.

Go ahead.

- The bell. - No.

You miss that one every time. That is an umbrella.

- The umbrella. - Yeah.

The violin.

The bed.

Do you see any other beds?

There.

Fine.

- What's that? - The window.

The table.

The book.

The razor.

- What's that? - The bridge.

- Who built it? - You.

- The bell. - No, no.

You're right, it looks like a bell.

That's a lamp.

A bell goes ding... Dong... Ding.

You kids here say bim-bam.

Uh, bim... Bam...

Bim... bam...

That's it.

Bim-bam, bim-bam, Bambi.

Bambi? Where did you get that?

That's Bambi.

That's Bambi. Attaboy!

Up on the wall.

Give me a thumbtack.

Thumbtack.

What's that?

What's what, lad?

That's an ostrich.

An ostrich in a zoo?

In a zoo, that's right.

And that?

That's a fence.

A fence.

Why the fence?

So the ostrich can't run away.

A fence.

You have no idea how useful it's going to be

for you to know English.

You can go wherever you like. Everybody knows what ok means.

You can use English all over the world.

Not--not just America--Canada, Africa, Australia, India.

Even in England, they understand English.

Well, sort of.

Hey.

What's this?

The--the bell.

No. You have to know what an umbrella is.

The... the man?

Yeah. That you must know.

Look, that's Abraham Lincoln.

He was a great man. He was president of the United States.

Lincoln.

My name is Steve.

- Your name is... - Jim.

Jim. His name...

- Abraham Lincoln. - Abraham Lincoln.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Mail? - 3 for you.

Good.

How's he coming?

Shall we show him?

The bed.

The violin.

The bird.

The house.

Hey. What did he tell you for that?

The tomato.

Oh, brother, you better stick to building Bridges.

What's this?

The bel...

Uh, he-- he hasn't had that yet.

Umbrella!

The kid's a mind-reader.

Hey, what's that?

- I don't know? - The pretty girl.

Pretty girl.

You pass, 100%.

- Hey, Fisher. - Yeah?

Wait a minute. Come on.

From the UNRRA people.

Oh.

"There is no record

"of anyone so far having inquired

"at any of our offices for a boy with the number a-24328.

"We were able, however, to conclude from the number

"that he was one of a group of children

"who were all separated from their mothers.

"Only very few of these women have since been discovered.

"There is no case which the data of a child still missing

"corresponds to the description of your boy.

"We know definitely that all the other mothers are dead.

They were gassed."

May I see the letter?

Steve?

Yeah.

What's that?

That's a tower, lad.

- The tower. - The tower, that's right.

Well, they've certainly gone into it thoroughly.

Tough part of it is,

they don't even know the nationality of these people.

You'll never know who he is now.

What should I do?

What it says here at the end of the letter, I guess.

Didn't you read it?

"And therefore request you to hand over your charge

to UNRRA as soon as possible."

Uh-uh.

What can you do?

You're planning on going home soon, aren't you?

Certainly.

Well, then, turn him over to UNRRA.

- Is that the only idea you've got? - What else can you do with him?

I could take him to America.

Are you kidding?

- Why not? - Why not?

Sure. Reconstruct a kid's life for a change,

instead of a bridge. Not a bad idea.

Listen, have you any idea what you've got to go through

to take a kid to America?

What?

In the first place, you have to prove

he was in the American zone before September 1945,

which you can't do.

You have to prove his nationality, which you can't do.

If you can prove his nationality,

his own government has priority over him anyway.

- Then you've got-- - Hey, quit pointing at him.

You've got to prove he's in good health.

You've got to prove you can take care of him.

That's not so difficult.

Then you've got to have the ok of a half a dozen committees,

a dozen bureaus.

Can't you fix it with A.M.G. So we can cut through all that?

- No. - No. My pal.

There's a reason for all that procedure.

Don't you understand?

We'd have all of Europe in America if we didn't have those rules.

So what?

You're the one that used to make cracks

about "those filthy D.P.S," remember?

I did?

Yes, you did, not so long ago, either.

Well, now I've learned something.

That you--you're torn with your red tape.

You're so official,

you have to go through channels to open a door.

Maybe, but I haven't just got one case

to look after like you've got.

I've got hundreds of thousands of cases.

If I'm going to do anything for these people, anything at all,

I've got to keep my own feelings out of it.

It's the only way.

Sentimental sucker. The first kid that comes along

and looks at you with his big blue eyes--

All right! I'm a sucker.

But suppose we can't swing it as soon as you think we can?

You've got to leave by the 14th.

- What if we can't fix it by then? - I'll smuggle him out.

Don't talk like a fool.

Well...

I'll cancel my ticket and wait for the next ship.

That's a spoon.

Steve, I don't like to mention this,

but if you are staying on,

you know the family's arriving from the states soon.

Yeah. You'll be needing the room.

Well, I don't like to ask you--

Jim and I can move into the attic.

- Well, I don't want you to-- - No, no, no, it's fine.

I had worse billets. So has the kid.

Good.

Yeah, that's what we want.

Take it easy, kid. It's ok.

That is New York.

New York.

Right.

These are just lying around out there.

I thought you might be able to use them in his lessons.

Thanks.

You know, we're a couple of fools behaving like that in front of the kid.

Are we trying to raise him right, or aren't we?

You want a drink?

"The consumption of liquor by teachers

during school hours is strictly prohibited."

A.M.G. Regulation 93-x-247.

I'll get the bottle.

New York, James.

The largest city in the United States of America.

United States of America.

Hello.

Well, this is it, Tommy.

Well, here we are, honey. Home, sweet home.

- That your Jeep? - No.

If it isn't yours, why are you cleaning it?

I didn't understand you.

Whose is it?

It's my friend's.

It's Steve's Jeep.

Jeeps come from America.

I come from America, too.

- Like Steve. - Do you?

No, I don't,

but I will go to America one day.

Here.

Thanks.

Let's have a look.

Tommy!

We've got a Ford at home,

and the people next door have 2 cars.

Steve's Jeep is fine.

I can drive it.

Tommy!

Somebody calls you.

Yes, that's my mother.

I'll come back.

Hey, Jimmy.

What?

Come on. You've got to get cleaned up.

- What's that? - A present.

- Who for? - You.

For me? Can I open it?

Upstairs.

I can open it!

Yes!

Steve, what's in it?

Guess.

- Long pants. - No.

- Short pants. - No.

It's an umbrella.

No.

No!

Run and wash your hands now, Tommy.

Your father has invited some people for dinner,

and they'll be here in just a few minutes.

That's Mrs. Fisher.

Yes, she came with the boy.

His name's Tom.

Well, well, well, so you know that already.

Fast work.

Oh, my shoes! My shoes!

Thank you.

Try them on. They may not fit.

How did you get them?

Never mind. I got them.

The man said you'll be wearing those shoes

10 years from now.

They are nice shoes.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Hurry up.

We've got company for dinner tonight.

We'll go downstairs and knock 'em dead.

Uh-oh, there's the gong. They're here.

- Can you tie them all right? - Yes, yes.

Steve?

What does that mean-- "mother"?

Hmm?

Mother?

Well, a mother...

Is a mother.

Stand up.

I want to see if they're big enough for you.

Tom called her "mother."

He did, eh?

They don't pinch, huh? They're ok?

Very ok.

What's a mother, Steve?

Well, uh...

How am I gonna tell you?

Um... here. Look.

That's the mother, that's the child.

The child?

Mm-hmm.

- And that's the mother? - Yeah.

Come on now. We're late. Come.

Wait a minute.

- Steve? - What?

Mrs. Fisher is Tom's mother, yes?

That's right. That's exactly it.

Now go on.

I want to see how your shoes fit.

Steve? Where's your mother?

Where's my mother?

She's in America.

She lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore-- the cleanest, finest city

in the United States.

Hello, everybody.

- Hi, Steve. - You're late.

I know. Hi, Dick.

Hi.

Well, Ellen, here he is. Jim himself.

Hello, Jim. Happy to meet you.

- What do you say, lad? - How do you do?

Tommy's been telling me all about you.

You must be pretty smart.

I hear you're Steve's right-hand man.

Can he understand what I'm saying, Steve?

Every word. Well, almost every word.

1 word in 10.

We'll make the rounds of the P.X. And commissary in the morning.

That is, unless you're too tired.

No.

No, I'd enjoy going with you very much.

Mighty fine looking pair of shoes you got on there, Jim.

I noticed them the minute you came in.

- Dad! - Yes?

Jim says he can drive the Jeep.

Can I go for a ride with him?

Ok, if it's all right with Steve.

Sure, we'll all go out tomorrow.

Jim will drive us around.

I thought he'd look more haggard or something.

No, not the way Steve's been fattening him up.

He's been stuffing him full of food and education.

And there's been no word at all of his family?

Don't dream, Tommy.

Eat your supper.

How are you making out on that permit to take him to the states, Steve?

Fine. Just fine.

I've seen all the brass in the zone.

I'm surprised. They're very understanding.

So they've swung it for you?

Nope.

- Something wrong? - No.

Eat.

Mary, help yourself to some more soup.

What are you planning to do, Steve?

I don't really know.

Um, I can't postpone going home again. I got a job waiting for me.

Well, if you do go, what'll happen to the boy?

I'll take him to an UNRRA camp about 40 miles from here.

They can't even start working on a case till a kid is there.

Then I'll see if I can't work on it from the states.

Does he know he has to leave you?

Oh, sure. I told him all about it.

He knows we'll see each other later.

What's the matter? You're not hungry?

When are you leaving, Steve?

3 days.

As soon as that?

Aah! Tommy!

It wasn't as hot as all that.

Oh, baby.

He's more frightened than he is hurt.

Attaboy. Good for your vocal chords.

Let 'er rip.

It's not that bad.

Oh, darling, aren't you ashamed of yourself,

crying like that in front of Jim?

Jim's a big boy.

He doesn't cry.

He drives a Jeep.

Jimmy...

What's the matter?

Where's my mother?

Where's my mother?!

I have a mother! I know I have a mother!

Where is she?!

Look, I can't-- it's difficult--

Why don't you tell me?!

You know where she is! I'm sure you know!

That's just it.

I don't know.

You and I will have to find out what's happened to her.

You don't know?

Now come. Finish your dinner.

I don't want to!

I'm not hungry!

Listen, Jimmy, as soon as dinner's over, we'll go upstairs and talk.

I want to go to my mother.

You have to help me.

If we go together, we'll find her.

Jimmy, we don't even know where we would look.

I do, I do! It's very close to here.

There's a fence and people-- a whole lot of people.

They took my mother away, and then they did that to me!

You have to help me!

Come! Come! Please!

No, no, no! Jimmy!

You won't help me! You aren't my friend!

I'll go and look for her all alone!

And I'll find her! I'm sure of it!

Listen, Jimmy!

Go upstairs to your room.

I'll be up in a minute.

You aren't my friend.

What's the trouble, Steve?

He's all upset. I don't know why.

He-- I'm gonna have to talk to him.

Will you forgive me if I don't stay?

It's our being here, isn't it, Steve?

Well, partly.

He talks about his mother.

He thinks--he seems to remember the camp,

Auschwitz.

He thinks it's somewhere quite close.

Wants to go and try and find it.

You mean you haven't told him his mother's dead?

Will you excuse me?

Jimmy?

Jimmy?!

Jimmy!

Jim!

Where are you?

Jimmy!

We've been here before.

This road leads us back to town.

Give up.

It must have been Jim.

That factory woman said the boy she saw

had on new American shoes.

Look, we're just wasting time this way.

Let's go back to town and organize a search.

Uh-uh.

There he is.

Listen, Steve, you promised me you'd take him to an UNRRA camp.

It's the only way.

Look, I gotta go easy with him now.

Want to be left alone with him?

Yeah. Will you take the Jeep back?

I'll walk with him. It'll give me some time.

Good luck.

Hello.

Hey, don't run.

Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Don't.

Don't cry.

It's all right, lad.

All right, cry.

I went...

No, no, no. Don't say anything.

I know.

Come.

No handkerchief?

That was a big mistake.

When you run away, take a handkerchief.

That's a rule.

Why did you stay away?

Didn't you think I wanted to know where you went?

Where you were?

Or don't you feel like talking now?

Yes...

- I do. - Fine.

When you left the house last night,

where were you headed?

Where were you going?

Where did you want to go?

I was looking for the fence.

There were a lot of people there.

They took my mother away.

Was it at that fence you last saw her?

Yes.

Jimmy, maybe you can remember where you were just before that?

No.

Try and remember.

You must have lived somewhere.

Was it in the city?

Was it someplace with fields and trees?

Try and remember how it was.

I don't know.

There is a fence there.

And you don't remember anything else?

No.

Well, never mind.

We won't worry anymore about what's happened.

Jimmy, you know what I think the best thing now would be?

That you and I go to the UNRRA camp tomorrow, ok?

I'll do all I can to get you as soon as possible to America.

I'm not going to America.

The people in charge of the camp

will take care of you till I send for you.

As soon as I get home, I'll go to Washington, D.C.

That's where they decide such things.

I don't want to go to America, Steve.

I want to look for my mother.

Jimmy, I've got to tell you.

It's best that you know.

Your mother is dead.

Dead?

Yes.

Terrible that it should be so,

but there isn't anything you can do about it.

Then I--I--I can't find my mother ever?

No.

And my mother won't ever come back?

No, dear, she won't.

See, I tell you 'cause if you look for her,

you won't find her.

If she were alive,

she wouldn't want you to torture yourself.

It's through you she lives on.

Your heart is part of hers.

She's with you.

You're a part of her always.

You must know that.

Let's go, huh?

Steve?

If I can come to America,

my mother will be there, too, like you said?

Sure.

Ok, Steve.

Then I will come to you in America.

Children, we want to tell you

how wonderful it has been to work with you here.

Good luck on the trip to Palestine.

Shalom!

Shalom! Shalom!

Shalom!

Shalom!

Shalom!

Shalom, Joel!

Shalom!

Every time the children leave, there's this awful silence.

It is very lonely, isn't it?

Oh, I thought I'd look forward to a few days' rest,

but somehow I'm glad the new children are coming today.

Not that they'll be noisy, poor things.

I hear this new group is in very bad shape.

Mrs. Murray?

- You're not leaving? - Yes, I am.

I promised to stay until the children left.

They are gone now, and I've stayed too long already.

But you know that it's hopeless. Oh, it won't do.

You'll never stand the strain.

You'll go about from camp to camp.

You'll find nothing. It'll only break your heart.

I think I will find Karel.

You've become a new person since you started working with the children.

You've come out of yourself. You're facing life again.

You're gonna throw all that over now, for what?

I know I must seem very foolish to you, Mrs. Murray.

The new children will be here any minute.

They need you, and I think you need them.

I can't help myself. I have to go.

Well...

I think you're making a mistake, but if you're so determined,

I can't hold you back, can I?

I knew you would understand, Mrs. Murray.

Where will you go?

There is an afternoon train.

I will go as far as it goes,

then I will get off and start looking.

Is there someplace where we can reach you?

I don't think so.

Will you write to us sometime? Any time?

Yes, I will.

Good-bye, Mrs. Malik. Good-bye.

Ok, boy.

This is it.

Come on. Out.

Let's drive on. Let's not go in.

You're not scared, are you?

I don't want to.

Come on, now, Jimmy, get out. Hurry up.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Attaboy.

I'm not gonna leave you anyplace that's bad.

No.

Look, Jimmy, you really scared?

You shouldn't be.

These are the people can help you get to America.

Now come.

I'm leaving for the states tomorrow.

I can't go away feeling the boy is just gonna stay here.

Couldn't you at least promise he'll follow me by a certain date?

I can't. With the best will in the world, I can't.

That just isn't in my power.

All I can promise is that we'll take good care of him here

and when you do get permission,

we'll try to send him to you immediately.

Can you help me get that permission?

I've been to everybody.

Yes, I've a very good idea now, Mr. Stevenson,

of what you've been trying to do for the child.

What I need now are some facts about the boy himself.

Is that really your name-- Jim?

- Tell Mrs. Murray your name. - My name's Jim.

- He speaks English. - I've been teaching him.

When I first picked him up, I couldn't get a word out of him.

No clue to his mother tongue at all?

He must have said something when you met him.

No, not a word. That's the whole point.

Well, it's not uncommon. I've known of several such cases.

Once or twice at the beginning, he said, "ich weiss nicht."

That's all.

Mr. Stevenson...

No, that isn't possible.

What isn't possible?

Just a wild notion of mine.

You know, I still have the feeling that I've seen him somewhere.

Is it possible he's been here before?

I don't know. Jim, come here.

Jim, you heard what Mrs. Murray said. Have you ever been here before?

With other children, several months ago?

What's the matter? Why don't you answer?

What are you scared of?

I noticed even downstairs, he was afraid of something.

- He didn't want to come in. - Well, why didn't you tell me?

He does remember something.

Now listen, Jim, I'm very fond of children.

You can tell me anything, and it won't matter.

It's happened before that a child has run away.

Escaped--do you understand that word?

But there's no great harm in that, and you can't be punished for it.

I was afraid.

You were here! Well--

Wait, wait, wait. This is terribly important.

Now listen, Jim, how did you get away that day?

Were you alone when you ran away?

There was another boy with me.

I knew it, and I know now why he was frightened.

Now, tell me, where did you go?

Can you remember?

We... we went...

I know! We went to a lake!

Wasn't it a river? Try and remember.

Maybe it was a river.

We couldn't get across.

There were 2 men behind us.

We were afraid. We jumped into the water.

Miss Thompson, the afternoon train.

Yes, that one. When does it leave?

I must know exactly.

What time does that train leave?

Mrs. Murray!

Mrs. Malik, I saw the train leave.

Yes, but I decided to stay after all.

How I've run. I wanted to fetch you back.

Do you want to know why I am here?

For them.

I'm proud of you for changing your mind.

It would have been wrong to go.

You've no idea how wrong it would have been.

Oh, yes, I know. I know now.

You can't know.

Everything's all right now.

I'm sorry I gave you so much trouble.

I was so sure of myself.

But when I saw these children, all the misery, you know,

I had to go back.

There is so much to do here and everywhere.

You're on the beam, as we say.

Nothing can happen to you now.

- I hope so. - I'm sure of it.

Mr. Stevenson!

Come.

See here.

That's his...

Jim, go over there with the other kids.

Ok.

Karel!

Maminka!

Captioning made possible by Warner Bros.

Captioned by the National Captioning Institute --www.Ncicap.Org--