A Short Film About Love (1988) - full transcript

19-year-old Tomek whiles away his lonely life by spying on his opposite neighbour Magda through binoculars. She's an artist in her mid-thirties, and appears to have everything - not least a constant stream of men at her beck and call. But when the two finally meet, they discover that they have a lot more in common than appeared at first sight...

What's your pension number?

What?

I said what's your pension number.

That's ok.

Money order notice

- Nothing.
- But there's the notice.

There is nothing...
see for yourself.

When should I come?

Perhaps when you get another notice.

Hey!

Your notice.



Bloody mess!

- Miss Poland is on.
- I'm studying.

Come and watch.

Great, thanks.

My name is Maugojata.
I'm 24 years old...

Entry number six, Miss...

I'm Katajina.

I'm 20 years old.
I'm graduated from Medical College.

Hello?

Hello?

Enough of this idiocy.
Who is it?

I hear you breathing.
You bastard.

Hello?

I'm sorry.



Milk wasn't delivered.

- I get it only every other day.
- Would you like to deliver milk?

- I haven't time.
- Neither has the milkman.

He sends you his best wishes...
and "SSIA"...

what's that?

A code.

He'll see the world. Pity you
couldn't go with him.

I'm not sorry.

From Marcin.

What will happen to you when
he gets back?

I'd like to see you settled down.

Marcin likes travelling. I'm afraid
he won't stay home for long.

Maybe you could go on
living here.

Gas emergency.

I want to report a gas leak.

- You're sure of it?
- I can smell it and hear it.

- Where's it leaking from?
- The cooker.

- What address?
- Piratowka, flat 376.

We'll be there soon.

Marcin wrote...

he went to the cinema with
an Arab girl.

I wonder what they saw.

Tomek.

Are you seeing somebody?

No.

I'm not sure whether you have
been told this.

Girls only pretend to be casual,
they kiss boys easily...

but in fact...
they like tenderness.

If you'd like to bring
someone here...

you needn't be shy about it.

I haven't anyone.

I'll wait.

How are you?

What do you want?

I heard you need someone
to deliver milk.

Do you want to deliver milk?
How old are you?

- Nineteen.
- A student?

No. I work in our post office.

You realize you must get up at five?

I get up early, anyway.

- Hello?
- The milkman.

You didn't put a bottle out.

That's right.

Son of a bitch!

Tomek.

Tomek.

Not asleep?

Come and sit down.

Is something wrong?

Why do people cry?

Don't you know?
Haven't you ever cried?

Once, long ago.

When you were left?

People cry...

for various reasons.

When someone dies, when they're
left alone...

When they...
can't stand it anymore.

What?

Living. When they're hurt.

Can you do anything about it?

Once Marcin had toothache

he heated the iron and
pressed it here.

He forgot about the tooth.

You before, wasn't it?

So?

Another notice.

Nothing.

- It's the second time.
- Yes, but there's nothing.

A mess, eh?

Really?

Could you ask someone
more senior?

What?

The manager, or someone.

Wait a minute please.

What's the matter?

I don't know who's sent me money, but
this is the second notice I've had.

No money is here.

You got the notice.

But not any money.

Give that notice to me.

Who did you expect money from?

No idea... 24,000...

So how did you know it was due?

I got two notices, didn't I?

But there's no money.

- So why was I sent notices?
- Mr. Bachek!

Mr. Bachek!

What's the matter, sir?

What notices are these?

Well, notices.

- It's your round. Did you issue them?
- No, I write in pencil.

They were in my box.

Not from us.

But they were in my box,
your stamp is on them.

This is a state post office!

If you write your own notices...

it's a police matter.

Right. Give me the notices.

No, they're forgeries.

You wanted to swindle us.

What do you want?

I want to tell you
there was no money.

- What about the notices?
- I sent them.

Why? I don't understand.

I wanted to see you.

You wanted to see me?

You were crying yesterday.

How do you know?

I peeped at you.

What?

I watched you through the window.

Clear off... you meddler!

Hello.

I'll count to three.

One...

- Two...
- Hello.

Are you looking?

Yes.

I've moved the bed, see?

Yes.

Have fun.

Hey!

You shit!

Postman!

Come here!

Come here, you bastard!

You, sweetheart?

Put up your hands.

Don't do it again.

Very unhealthy at your age.

Will you sleep?

I thought it would be you.

Want to come in? No one's here.

Everything in good order?

You look terrific.

Don't you know how to fight?

Why are you peeping at me?

Because I love you.

I really do.

And what do you want?

I don't know.

- Do you want to kiss me?
- No.

Perhaps you want to
make love to me?

No.

Want to go away with me?

- To the lakes, or to Budapest?
- No.

So what do you want?

Nothing.

Nothing?

Yes.

Could I invite you out to a cafe...
ice-cream...

Sorry.

Have you been watching long?

A year.

This morning...

what was it you said?

- I love you.
- There's no such thing.

There is.

No.

Apart from loving me and working in
the post office, what do you do?

I study languages.

- What have you learned?
- Bulgarian.

Bulgarian?
Great, but what for?

We had two Bulgarians in
the orphanage.

Then English, French, Italian.

Now I'm learning Portuguese.

- You're a strange one.
- No, I have a good memory.

I remember
everything from the start.

Even when you were born?

- I think so, sometimes.
- And your parents?

Not them.

Remember a thin boy who used to
visit me in the autumn?

Yes, he brought milk and rolls
and took away parcels.

That's right. He never came back.

I liked him.

So did I, but he left...

for Austria, then Australia.

Australia?

Yes.

I've been removing your letters.
I didn't know they were from him.

I work at the post office.

You besiege me, you bring the milk
you send me false notices...

you send gas workers, you pinch my letters.

But it doesn't really matter.

Haven't you any friends?

One, but he's not here now.

Where is he?

He's with the UN Force in Syria.

I lodge with his mother, opposite.

He's different from me.

I think so.

He peeped at you, too.

What did he tell you?

Before he left he showed me your
window and gave me his opera glasses.

- What did he tell you?
- SSIA.

What's it stand for?

Go ahead.

She...

She?

Quickly!

She spreads it around.

That's okay.

What would you like?

I don't like ice-cream.
But I'll eat.

- I'll have ice-cream.
- It's off.

What, then?

- Tea.
- We've got that.

I'd like red wine.

Two glasses of red wine, and tea.
- Okay.

Give me your hand.

Caress me.

Look there!

They seem to know more about it.

Our bus.

I have a good idea.

If we catch it, you're coming to
my place. If not, no. Agreed?

Let's go!

Such snow-scenes are
embroidered, too.

Do I always do that?

Not that I've seen.

Not everything's routine.

Where did you get that?

It's a souvenir. It's yours now.

I'm not good.

Don't give it to me.

You know I'm not good.

Really.

I don't care. I love you.

What else do you know?

What do you see when one
of them is with me?

It's called... making love.

I don't watch that any more.

It has nothing to do with love.
Tell me what I do.

You undress.

Then you undress them.

You go to bed, or on the floor.

And?

Or in the kitchen.

You close your eyes...

then you lift your hands...
above your head.

Show me how. Go on.

- Have you had a girl?
- No.

And when you watch me
do you do it with yourself?

I used to. Not now.

You know it's sinful.

Now...

I think only about you.

I have nothing underneath
you know, don't you?

When a woman wants a man...

she becomes wet inside.

I'm wet now.

Such delicate hands.

Don't be afraid.

Already?

That's all there is to love.

Wash in the bathroom
there's a towel.

I'm sorry. Please come back.

Go back.

Sorry.

Did I wake you up?

No.

I'm looking for...

He left his coat.

Come in.

Leave it there.

Is he out?

No.

- He's in hospital.
- What happened?

Nothing serious.
He'll be out in a few days.

I'd like to visit him.
He just left my place...

I know.

I think that... I have hurt him.

Don't visit him, he will be back.

What happened?

You'll probably find it funny.

He fell in love with you.

He watched you through this.

Stolen, probably.

He used opera-glasses before.

And he set this alarm-clock
for half-past eight.

- You come home then, don't you?
- About then.

He made a bad choice?

Yes.

I don't need much, but I'm afraid
without someone in the house.

Good night.

- May I phone, to enquire?
- We haven't a telephone.

I'm sorry.

- What is his name?
- Tomek.

Tomek.

Tomek.

Closed.

What is this?

Don't delete anything
without making notes.

Excuse me.

- Number?
- 376.

Nothing.

Do you know what happened to
the young man who worked in your branch?

It seems he cut his wrists out of love.

Do you know his name?

You'll have to ask the manageress.
I don't know.

Hello?

Hello!

Tomek? Say something.

I've looked for you everywhere.

I've looked for you in several
hospitals, to tell you...

you were right.

Tomek.

Do you hear me? You were right.

I don't know what to say to you.
I don't know how...

Hello?

- Maria Magdlena?
- I'm Magda.

I'm Boytush.

Was it you just now?

Yeah, but it didn't hook up.

- Did you hear what I said?
- No.

I have a problem with Viola...

Excuse me, is he back?

Not yet.

Is he back?

Yes.

I'd like to talk...

Just a minute...

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