Born in '45 (1966) - full transcript

DEFA-Studio FOR FEATURE FILM

This film was shot in 1966 and banned

after the screening of the rough cut.

This version was completed in 1990.

BORN IN '45

Come here.

No.

Come on.

What's wrong?

I have to go.

You still have time.



Then go.

Hurry up, it's late.

Anything else?
- Like what?

Tomorrow is still on?
- Sure.

Why not?

Mogul!

Mogul!

Mogul!
- What's up?

Come down.
- Now?

Yes.
- Let me have breakfast first.

Come down. Eat with me.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah!

Hey, Mogul. Come in.
- Morning, Alfred.



I'll be right there. I'll make coffee.

Alfred?
- Yeah?

Where's that thing?
- Where it always is.

It's not there.
- Are you on your stomach?

No.
- At the foot of the bed against the wall.

Lie on your stomach.

How many did I do last time, Alfred?

Five.

Wasn't it only four?

Then do five today.

Here I go. Here I go!

Three.

See, you're doing fine. Five.

What's the problem? You're good.

Come on.

Nice chasseur sausage.

You know,

it was actually just four.

The number doesn't matter.

The main thing is: You're training.

Skin.

Ladies and gentlemen,
in our series "For Agriculture™

we present a lecture by Dr. Robert Keliner:

"How to Use Protein Feed".

Always talk. Why can't they play music early?

Just music.

Talk, talk...

Leave it, Alfred.

My beloved is black
He has black hair

His face so good and clear

I love the wind through which he walks

I love the stone on which he stands

My beloved is black

He has black hair

It's beautiful.

I love my dearest, that's good

I love the grass on which he rests

The day will come, and this is true:

We'll be completely together

My beloved is black

He has black hair

Li left late this morning.

Really?

I don't know.

I was asleep.

You were asleep?

What do you suppose happened?

You're driving each other crazy.

Your Al couldn't come up with anything else?

Good heavens!

He wants to go back in time.

And you're taking the matter too seriously.
You're playing the meek lamb.

Stop it. It's easy for you to talk.

It's true.

Your Al will pick up his pension
in blue jeans.

We have to go.

What great weather.

Such glorious weather!

You know what I always say
during weather like this:

Time goes by damn fast.

Really.

Mogul, are you smoking already?
- No.

I have something for you.
- Bring it over.

Orient.

Thanks.

Say,

what were you just saying?

About time or something?

I mean during weather like this,

when you're almost 70,

you can't even grasp
that you've supposedly lived for 70 years.

But you'd realize that.
Don't you realize that?

You're right, of course you realize it all.

So what's the matter?

What's with Lisa?

What about it?

It's over with us.

It just doesn't work anymore. Really.
- What doesn't work?

Everything.

Why?
-"Why, why?"

We no longer fit together.

Our interests are too different.

Suddenly, she's so...

so old.

Not exactly old, but different.

Wait, I'll show you something.
The court summons came.

Li got my petition for divorce.

Want to hear it?

"Regarding divorce proceedings:
I, Alfred, etc. Lisa, born...

Reasons:

In the two years of our married life

we've gradually developed
an insuperable aversion towards each other.

So that it has often resulted
in serious quarrels

during which
both parties suffered emotionally.

Repeated, well-intentioned attempts to
reconcile the reciprocal viewpoints failed.

Hold on. What viewpoints?

Everything.

In general.

You drafted that yourself?

Well, that's your business.

I have to go.

How are you, Grandpa?
- What's with the two of you?

Like I told you.
- Don't beat around the bush.

We're still on for tomorrow morning.

Then you'll have to pay.

I'll see about that.

Is Mom at home?

You bet you'll have to pay.

Hopefully you'll wise up.

Why aren't you working today?

I had vacation left, four days.

And because of tomorrow.

So what's with Mom? - Play with fire
and you'll get burnt, believe me.

You wish. But we both agree.

When it's come that far
agreements don't count.

I know that kind of girl.

What do you know about Lisa?
She's different.

Why break up then?

Smart aleck.

Why?

No matter what you say, Lisa's good.

So good, you're running away.

Oh stop it!

What do you know about it?

It's our business.

Anyone can rake grass.

Get lost!

Let me see.

Like it?

Give me back my cap.

Give me back my cap!

Hello, Al.
- Hello.

Oh, brother.

It's been a while.

So?

Forget it.

Will you come more often now, Al?

Place looks terrible.

You've made it into a storeroom. Oh, brother.
- Well, I'm in charge now.

When the motorcycles need work or whatever.

Napoleon is still building?
- He's only here on Saturdays.

You know his new bike?

No.
- Real souped-up, I tell you.

He can easily do 130 km/h on it.

Where are the others? At night, I mean.
- Mostly at the club.

If they're not married.

Is the gramophone still kicking?
- Over there with the records.

Listen, storeman.

Clean up and put the junk away.

Why?

I'm moving in.
- With Li?

You ask too many questions.
- You know the cops will be on our tail.

You ask way too many questions.

In the evening.

That's good.

I went to see Grandpa.

You can see better from here.

I'm tired.

Come here.

Come on.

What's the matter?

I'd like to have it that good:

lie down and forget it all.

You think it's right that we wait?

We agreed it won't work anymore.

Right?

Say something.

Like what?

About what they said.

They should've let me be a lawyer.

Telling us to wait.

Anyway, if we stick to it,

they can't do anything next time we go.

Right?

In any case, I still say it won't work.

I'm moving out in any case.

Today.

You have to take it back.
- Oh God, that's malarkey.

What'll I do with it?

I won't take it.

And now?

What: “And now?"

What happens now?

I've already said: I'm moving.

Yeah, I'm moving in any case.

I have to go.

And what about a beer?

Or a coffee?

Ice cream?

Let's have some ice cream.

Leave me alone.

Oh, man. Here we go again.

More quietly, please!

That rowdy upstairs is off work again.

And Lisa?

What about her?

She resigned.
We were in agreement, I told you.

It's not even official yet
and she's giving me back the ring.

You can't imagine how wild it was here.

How wild was it?

We played music.

And were nuts.

Place was full.

Ever fished for trout?
- No, why?

I did. As a boy.

At your age, too.

The brook ran through the village.

But we always fished

where the brook left the woods.

You can't imagine how that was:

summer, barefoot.

Them scurrying across the sand.

The sun left bright spots. Shimmering lights.

Then you had to watch carefully
what hole they hid in.

And snatch them!

We secretly fried them in the sandbox.

One guy stole an old frying pan from home,

another brought salt and flour,

someone else brought lard.

They tasted wonderful.

Know what, Alfred?

If you're moving,
then go back to your mother.

No, Mogul. That's the last thing I'd do.

Never!

Would it bother you if Li got married again?

Oh, well.

It was just a question.

I have to go.

Housing commission.

COOK WITH LOVE. SPICE WITH BINO.

Rough but friendly. Sometimes there's too
much drinking and fighting, but lots of dough.

I'm telling you,
they're throwing up kilometers of buildings.

At dawn, when you see it all in front of you:

cooling towers, oil tanks,
and the people this small.

Steel frames from here to Alexanderplatz,
incredible.

And you, Napoleon, in the middle of it all.
- I saw a movie about it with my dad, wow.

You saw nothin...

How did your hearing go?

How weird was that.

They wanted to know every detail.
- More than you know yourself, right?

So what happened?
- Nothing happened.

I wonder what they'll think up next time.

Yeah, divorces aren't easy nowadays.
- That's right.

You get a real sermon.

I think they were just curious.

There's a divorce paradise
in South America or somewhere.

Find out for us.
- Careful, your Sylvi might want paradise.

No worries.
- That's what you say now.

Whatever. How was it?

I talked like a waterfall. I nearly sang.
But whatever, they have their tricks.

"Six weeks to reconsider, young man.”
- Goodness, six weeks.

Plenty of time to move back in with Li.

Oh, not with me!

You've changed your tune, Al.

But back then,

when Li was the grooviest gal in our gang,

you snatched her.

Now some time has passed
and you're at a loose end with Nurse Lisa?

Just stop it, Al.
- He has a point, Al.

What are you talking about?
- I told you: He doesn't know.

What does Mogul say?
- He understands me.

Then he'll soon give you a kick in the ass.
- Yeah, if he's as wise as you say.

So? Stop being smart-asses.

Fine, quit it.

It was only the first hearing.

What about Li? Did she cry?

Shut up, you've got nothing to say.

What's your problem?
That question was terribly interesting.

I was being serious, so tell me:

Did she cry or not?

Just wait, I'll whisper it in your ear!

Forget it, you'll never get him.

Hello, Al.

Lutz said I should come by.

Well...

So this is where you're camping out.

What's with Li? Still at the hospital?

And I assume you're doing well.

People get older, don't you think?

You're funny, Al.

Come on, dance.

Bye, Al.

Bye, Al..

Why are you taking off?

It's been so long.

See, you are funny.
Suddenly you're so serious.

Well,

people have concerns.
- Oh, Al, you have concerns?

Don't act like that.

You know Grandpa has a bad heart.
He only works to help me out.

I know, I know.

But he doesn't want to understand me.

He's an old man.

But he's your grandfather.

Oh well...

There's some pudding left. Want it?

In the cupboard?

Thanks.

Eat slowly.

Look,

Li never made anything like this.
- What?

Pudding.

Did you tell her you love it?

No.

A woman should figure that out herself.

Your father told me.

Imagine,

when we were newlyweds, I forgot dinner.

On Sundays.

When the shops were closed.
Your father said,

"Amelie, tomorrow's Sunday.
The shops are closed.”

That was the first year, right?

How old was Dad then?
- A year younger than you now.

22.

Stop it, Mom. That was then, it's over now.

You still have me.
- Yeah. And you start a fight with Grandpa.

He can't forget the old days.
Neither can you.

Enough that you suffered.

I live today.

Mogul says so, too.

Today belongs to me.

Understand that.

What did I do? Tease him with his cap?

He's always scolding me, and Li too.

He doesn't want us to be different.

You are. We don't understand it either.

You talk about Li

as if you love her.

And yet you send her away.
She doesn't deserve that.

What do you want anyway? Someone else?

Someone better?

Maybe it's you who should change.

You have it much too easy.

Think of Father. And me.

I think about you, Mom.

Just tell me to help you.

If you need me.

Here.

Take it. I earn enough.
- That's not the point.

You'll need it for the thing with Li.

Is it still alright

for me to move in tomorrow?

It won't be for long.

Remember the game with the rope?

What rope?
- You know, the rope, the loop.

Four hands inside and one had to come out.
- Yeah, Napoleon tried to pull his legs out.

Exactly. - They got all tangled up
until they were really close,

him and Li.

We laughed ourselves silly.

And Elvis with his fat paws. Huh? What is it?

He didn't succeed either.
- But we did, right?

And pretty fast, too.

I knew a trick. Two seconds.

Actually a pity.
- Why's it a pity?

That we were separated so quickly.
The others got all tangled.

It was logical.

Of course it was.
But the other part was, too.

What other part?

The thing with Napoleon and Li.

They were just clumsy.

Or subtle.

Li knew the trick from you.

What do you mean?

It was more fun getting all tied up
than untied.

Come on! They were clumsy, that's all.
That's easy to say afterwards.

Are you angry?
- Nonsense.

That's over with anyway.
- Exactly.

My painting.

Alfred left it here.

Say, Mogul,

why did you paint
the third birch tree black?

Lisa,

that's only natural.

The big birch on the left

casts its shadow on the little one.

That's why it's darker.

So the path converges.

That's the art

in its essence.

IT'S STILL SUMMER

Hello.
- Hello, Alfred. What are you doing here?

Your vacation isn't even over.
- I was bored.

Tell me, how's everything here?

You can see, it's always the same.
The place's full of lame crutches:

four on vacation, three sick,
two on military duty.

How about I help out?
- You? Go away. You're on vacation.

Vacation? I have cabin fever, whatever.

Impossible. I wouldn't know how to charge it.

Forget the bureaucracy, boss.
Just give me a car.

Is this for real?

Well,
ll could give you the gray station wagon.

But I have to check with the union first.

Alfred,
the personnel manager wants to talk to you.

What does he want?
- I don't know.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Don't make it so exciting.
There's a car waiting.

Well, how do I start
so you don't fly off the handle?

I heard you're getting divorced.
Is that right?

Yes, it is.

Yesterday was the first hearing.

Not to be nosy, but you know
we have to concern ourselves with that.

Why are you doing that?

It's over. It's not working anymore.

What wasn't working anymore?
- "What wasn't working?" It's no use.

Whatever I say, you'll give me a sermon.

Besides...

that's my business, right?

Sit down for a moment.

There's really a car waiting for me,
so keep it short.

I already know what you want to say.

But my case isn't political.

You can save your sermon.

I don't want to give you a sermon.

Sure, I understand.

None of it has anything to do with me.

That's for Lisa and me to settle.

I had my fill of preaching at court.

Now you're doing it, too.

Actually, I'm not even here.

I'm still on vacation.

I find your show of concern a bit late.

When I got married, nobody came and said,

"Al, it's too soon.”
Only flowers and pats on the back.

You may be right.

But we thought a good worker

would make a good husband.

Besides, I'd like to have seen you

if I'd told you not to do it.

I don't know.

It would've depended on your attempt.
- But you two are doing well.

What's lacking?

Lacking!
- Don't you have a motorcycle? And a flat?

As if that's the problem!
- Don't you have prospects? Don't you...

"Don't you, don't you..."

That's not the issue.

It's about what I don't have.

Which is?

Just what I'm saying.
- What are you saying?

"What are you saying?"

It's like this:

You were expecting a miracle,

and then

you sit together in a room

and each expects
something new from the other,

something tremendously important.

That's just how it is.

Even in love, you have to set goals.

That's the theory, huh?

We're simply sober, factual, real and stuff.

Maybe more than people used to be.
And there are reasons for that.

That's exactly why
you can't shake off the shitty feeling

that at home
you're missing out on something big.

Can I go to my car now?

It's all very well what you're saying.

But I've been married for 30 years now.

Let's talk from man to man.

Being married

means compromising.

Sometimes you have to grit your teeth,
that's a fact.

If I don't want to compromise?
- It won't work.

Li?

Hello?

Well, I'm talking.

Nothing.

Nothing.

I just thought...

Oh, nothing.

Did you want to say something?

Hello?

Oh, well.

I'll be off, then.

No, I thought you had something.

Have nothing.

Fine, then.

I've had a lot to do.
I'll... hang up now, right?

If you say so.

Alright, bye.

Nice, isn't it? Just imagine,
there used to be only summerhouses here.

Now it's just a heap of rubble.
Half Berlin is under here.

They want to do something here, too,
like over in Friedrichshain.

You know, with trees, a pond and cafe.

Good, right?

Crazy square.

Classic somehow.
- I always hear "classic.”

I don't know. It doesn't do much for me.

I met a girl here.
In the rain. She was barefoot.

Carrying her heels in broad daylight.

Truly an amazing woman.

I walked toward her, soaking wet,
not a soul in sight.

So I said,

"Hello there, gorgeous.”

She turned around and said “hello” back.

I smiled at her and she at me.

That's all?
- Yeah, so?

I had a better story yesterday.

A real beauty.

She was sitting on a park bench.

Daydreaming.

Sunbathing.

So I sat down next to her.

If I'd set my mind to it...

I don't get it, man. Li's much better.

Hey there.
You didn't even see the one in the park.

It's all the same.

Know the one about the zebra?

Cop goes up to the zebra and says,
"Take off the stupid pajamas!"

Yeah, I like direct ones more.

You two and your stories.

Hey, aren't you tired?

No.

You always used to get tired
around this time.

Be honest: You don't like me being back.

Why don't we call it a day, Grandpa?

Should I turn off the light?

Mogul!

Alfred?

Yeah?
- What's up?

Nothing, what do you think?

What are you up to?

Going to bed.

Anything wrong?

No!
- You looking for Li?

No way.

I think she went dancing with Inge.

What are you doing tomorrow?

Visiting Erwin at the Pergamon Museum.
- Shall I drive you there?

If you like.

At 11:00.

No, 3:00 is better.

And they're out shaking it?

I think so.

Good for them.

Will you dance with me?

Come on.

Think I'll wait for you like always?

That's over. I'm not sad anymore.

I'll keep busy, you'll be surprised.

There are enough things to hold on to.

You always know what you don't want,
but not what you want.

That's not at all how I picture a real man.

You've gotten me
to where I can't stand you anymore.

And yet I love you.

You think

your nonchalant indifference
impresses people.

But it's just an act.

It's nothing more than weakness because you have no idea.

You've got a lot to say.

But I saw you dancing.
- God, so ll danced!

And you?

I danced normally, like everyone else.
- Right, I saw you two.

I was having fun.

I'm having fun in general.

Living in the basement again.

The whole gang's been over. Like old times.
Rita, too.

See, you're running away.

I just experienced something nice.

We went for walks.

That can be more than dancing.

But you wouldn't understand that.

And then...

you have your cars and motorcycles
and I have my children.

Besides, I won't be alone for long.

You haven't made me that old.

I'm not looking,
but I'll find someone if I want.

And soon.

You see?

We sound like an old married couple.

Don't you think?

Stop it, you...

Separate! Quit it!

It's unbelievable!

Stop.
- Come on!

They stand around and watch people fight
instead of intervening!

I mean really. It's true.

Karin!

Karin!

Pretty, isn't it?

I caught her dancing yesterday.
- Lisa?

She'll find someone new soon.
She has loads of opportunities.

Here it is!
- Come on, guys! Down here!

Great, right?
- How did you find this?

Don't ask.
- It's like a hotel.

Careful of that.
- Yeah, I saw it.

What's taking so long?
- Bathrooms all over.

Let me get by.

It's gone up pretty fast.

Amazing, right?

What's this?
- Our bathroom.

Sylvi, it's so nice.
- This is where the shower will be.

A big one.

Still lots of work, right?

You've got a great view.

If you ask me,
it's really different way up here.

Not bad, but a bit small with five kids.

I'd put the couch here, Heinz.
You could look out the window at night.

And see the moon and stars.

No, why? It'll be higher.

And this is the kitchen or what?

Come here!

I'm so happy.

It doesn't have a bathroom yet, but...

it has three rooms facing front.

Tomorrow we can look at it together.

In a minute, Alfred.
- Sorry.

By the way, I'm going to the hospital.

Come on.

All set?

Copyright © 2000 TITELBILD, Berlin
Subtitlers: A. Barrett and E. Battigelli

Subtitling by SUBS Hamburg
Matthew Way