Le caporal épinglé (1962) - full transcript
An upper-class corporal from Paris is captured by the Germans when they invade France in 1940. Assisted and accompanied by characters as diverse as a morose dairy farmer, a waiter, a myopic intellectual, a working-class Parisian, and a German dental assistant, the corporal tries to escape from prison camps, sometimes making it a few yards, sometimes reaching the French border.
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY JACQUES PERRET
Invading France, the German army
has caused the fall
of the French army's defense system.
The overwhelming superiority
of the German air force
weighs heavily
on the outcome of the battle.
Panic seizes civilians
fleeing across the roads.
This is Radio Berlin.
June 22nd, 1940.
The Third Reich's victory
is unquestionable.
The Führer accepted the armistice
requested by the French General Staff.
It was in Rethondes, in the wagon
where the Armistice
of World War I was signed,
that the plenipotentiaries,
German and French,
met with one another.
-Halt!
-Wohin gehst du?Where are you going?
I am going back home.
You are crazy.
Go on, go back to camp!
-It's the armistice.
-Yes, armistice, very good.
My friend, go back to camp!
The war is over, we are no longer angry.
Go back to camp!
But, my cows?
What will happen to them?
What about my clerk who broke his leg?
And my wife who's all alone?
-Come on, go back to camp!
-My cows…
But it's the armistice, guys!
What about my cows? Wow.
Come on, men!
Move!
Come on!
Onward!
Come on!
WE WILL WIN AS WE ARE STRONGER
Come on, move it!
Nice weather for the season!
You're kidding right?
Do you know where I can find the corporal?
-What corporal?
-There is only one.
And he's probably on vacation
in this spa town.
Stop moving, you'll mess it all up!
Shit! That's it, I was sure!
Sleeping rough is simplest!
Everyone knows that!
Get near a pile of shit,
and you might die face flat in it!
-Ballochet!
-Be careful!
Honor the defeated,
don't dishonor the French army.
Ballochet! Good old Ballochet!
Oh! Stone the crows. Not another one.
You're all alone?
And the friends of the free Corps?
Finished, the free Corps.
Our cause is lost.
At least we're alive! Could be
a beautiful death today though…
That's for later.
For some time now,
honor and glory go more
to the survivors than the dead.
You know everything.
When are they letting us go?
Let's say I was Hitler.
Seems unlikely though.
We don't have the same training.
If I had 2 million French prisoners,
I wouldn't let them go.
Not one.
Well, my old mate.
It rained hard.
It can't keep coming.
My God…
Do you know what one cook told me?
They're going to free Brittany,
and make it independent.
-Are you Breton?
-My great-grandmother was.
The cook was teasing.
Electricians will be the first to leave.
Are you an electrician?
You don't look like one.
We are farmers.
And I have a cow that's about to calve.
He's a miller, an orphan,
a father of 4 children.
-Are you a miller?
-No, nor an orphan.
Don't take the mickey.
Here lad, this is the truth. The last
bottle, the only one, the real one.
A ball was thrown
by the King of England,
Roosevelt said this to Hitler:
"My little Adolf…"
"If you don't release
all the French prisoners this instant,
I'll wage war against you."
Are they close?
Of course, my boy!
Obviously, mate.
Ballochet clarified the question.
Grown-ups don't care about us.
They talk over champagne,
while we rot in this hole.
What can we do, Corporal?
It always has been this way
and always will be.
You just have to wait and…
Wait for what? From whom? From where?
-I don't know, but…
-No, Dad, believe me.
It's up to us to sort
things out ourselves.
Chinese nights, cuddly nights
Nights of love
Drunken nights
Of tenderness
Where we think we are dreaming
Until daybreak!
Chinese nights, cuddly nights
Nights of love
In my opinion, this is a silly move.
We're going to get pulled in the ass!
As in the Free Corps, when we patrolled.
Let's talk about it.
Him and strawberries.
-We nearly stayed there!
-What delicious strawberries, Papa!
The best you'll ever have.
The taste of friendship.
Those years of blood and mud…
Let's wait until next season, Corporal.
We'll go picking on rue Lepic.
It's better there.
You believe it? That Hitler'll hold us.
-What do you know?
-Ballochet said so.
It's been a long time.
I'm out of here, barbed wire depresses me.
And me, the captain's gloves.
Green knit gloves.
If I wore these gloves
to read gas meters…
The housewives would laugh at me.
More hot air from our gas worker.
I'm sick of the pair of you.
Change your tune!
You don't have to come with us!
What the hell would I do without you?
So, are we going?
Don't be foolish!
The armistice has been signed!
Sorry, but I never signed anything!
Corporal! Listen, will you!
There, I see it.
We can jump the wall.
There's even a mound of sand.
Far from people, far from noise
Sentries.
This is bullshit I'm telling you,
don't go!
I lost my glasses.
-Let's go!
-What about Ballochet?
Hey, Ballochet! Hurry up!
I can't find my glasses!
Corporal, over there!
Come on, Corporal, smile!
I'll regret this forever.
If you had helped him,
he'd have been caught, like us.
He'd be in a cage too.
However, in my haste to get away,
I betrayed Ballochet.
Listen, Corporal…
I didn't tell you because
I didn't want to hurt you.
But Ballochet…
He brought it on himself.
His glasses…
He lost them on purpose.
How can you spout such nonsense?
Ballochet, a coward? You're crazy!
You don't know the first
thing about Ballochet!
-I'm so stupid.
-That's for sure!
This is Radio Berlin.
In Paris, the Reichswehr
marches through victoriously.
Left! Three, four…
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido…
Great voices, right?
They can even hold a tune,
makes me sick.
If only they could make us laugh
as much as they piss us off…
Well, they don't make me
laugh or piss me off.
A little faster!
Forward, come on!
Move it! Come on!
Keep it tidy now! No shoving!
Ballochet, hurry up!
Don't push!
Say, can I have that place?
-Why?
-These are my friends!
If you like…
Is that one free?
If you want. Don't shove my stuff though.
After three days on the train,
the shower did me a lot of good.
It was a bit too hot.
I like an ice cold one.
Are you nuts?
I'm an athlete.
Boxing, wrestling, pole vaulting.
And does it pay?
I am an amateur athlete.
My main work is in insurance.
I skipped the shower.
The guy had his back turned
and I pretended to towel down.
I didn't have one wet hair.
I'm not some crazy bumpkin!
In sports you need to keep clean, my man.
Have a feel. Here.
Huh?
What the hell did I do
with my cheese grater?
Chinese nights, cuddly nights…
You sing too!
I'm out of practice,
but I have a good voice.
I've got good feet. I'm telling you, kids…
I have great feet.
In my job, feet are everything.
But I do wash them three times a day,
otherwise they swell.
Are you into sports too?
No, I'm a waiter.
Do you know Bertrandbehind
the Opéra Comique?
-No.
-That's where I work.
Does it pay well?
It depends on the season.
I don't know how they manage
without me. I'm indispensable.
On my Tuesday break,
some clients don't come.
They'll only let me serve them.
"Lean to the left, my Clacquesin!"
"Lean to the left, my Suze!"
"Lean to the left"?
They call me "Lean to the left."
Ah, yes, because…
Yes, it is a responsibility.
I get it.
You know, when it comes to electricity,
it's not just about technique.
There is also the artistic part.
For example, the choice of switch.
Making sure it's the right style
is tricky.
So what are they going to do with us now?
They will put us to work.
Defeat is very boring.
It changes many habits.
Attention!
The non-commissioned officers…
French non-commissioned officers?
Hmm?
Wait!
Gentlemen and dear colleagues.
You have to understand
that we are your friends.
All this is provisional,
but the war with the English means
we have to take some precautions.
We are therefore counting on you
to help maintain discipline
among French prisoners.
Adjutant Médé. Oberst lieutenant,
you can count on us.
I would therefore ask you
to nominate from among you
someone to help your German comrade
maintain order
and cleanliness in the barracks.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Attention!
We must realize that we've been lied to!
Where I once saw brutes,
I now see good people.
We must accept it.
It's a kick in the ass!
Move!
Come on! Walk!
Forward!
Keep going!
Faster!
Turn left, turn around!
Attention!
Go!
Non-commissioned officer, you have
50 prisoners of war from the stalag.
You are welcome
at Lager in Ziegelberg.
But beware…
Sentries will shoot
anyone who tries to escape.
Understood?
Do not speak to civilians.
Understood?
It is forbidden to sleep
with German women.
If that happens,
punishment will be severe.
The culprit would be sent to Poland
and incarcerated.
Understood?
Understood?
You are here to work.
To work for a new Europe.
Work! Work! Work!
Don't look so dumbfound.
Get to work! Is that all you've got?
Alsace, cover for me,
I'm getting myself a drink.
To your health, don't drink everything!
-You coming?
-Sure.
Hey, you!
-Where are you going?
-The bog.
Where is your friend?
He just went to the john.
No, there is no one left.
I'll see who's on guard.
Hey, foreman, don't cause a fuss.
I have chocolate.
Hey, open up! Damn it!
What a nerve! What treachery!
-Work!
-Get to work, get off there!
Hey you! What is your illness?
Laryngitis.
Do you think this man is really sick?
His cough is abnormal.
These lay-abouts
are a plague on the French army.
-Lay-abouts?
-Yes, fake patients.
I understand.
We also have those.
Despite German efficiency,
we are unable
to eradicate this bad habit.
And you, what is your illness?
I have laryngitis.
All the same and so it goes.
In the French army,
I get four days, and even so…
Four days in the guardhouse.
Not even jail.
I don't know what to say.
In the German army,
I can explain to the captain
the reason for the punishment.
And he is entitled to eight days.
Ah! The motive is everything.
That is the trade secret.
And then my four days
can go up to the colonel.
He gets 15 days,
8 of which are in the cell.
That's the same for us.
Of course, no knitting
under the bourgeron trellis.
And only one blanket.
Of course.
The cells are not heated.
-In winter, bronchitis is a guarantee.
-At home.
And despite that, they start over.
Just like we do.
Corporal! Attention!
Laryngitis. Fumigations. Excuse me.
Is it an epidemic?
Strange.
You too, laryngitis?
Wisdom teeth.
It's amazing.
Hippolyte.
We have to send him to town,
to the dentist.
There are others in barrack number one.
You will accompany them.
I don't live far away.
Very well, Otto.
Rest!
What assholes!
They're going to have a blowout
while I get a tooth pulled out!
Don't worry, we'll be off before then.
The Germans are poor psychologists,
but excellent chemists.
-Corporal.
-Hmm?
I need to tell you something.
Go ahead, what do you have to tell me?
I'm not going with you.
No.
It is Lean to the Left
who will go with you.
I already spoke to him.
You need a pin.
Two pins.
Guillaume, you got
two pins to sell me?
No, I have rubber bands.
That'll do.
They're fitted to my cheese grater.
Move it, come on.
Where is my cheese grater?
-Wait there.
-Here it is.
Don't push me.
-Come on hurry up!
-Hold on!
-Hand it over.
-No.
-That's three cigarettes.
-I owe you already.
Give me that.
Should think about it, because…
Those Parisians, eh!
Dirty bumpkin, this one.
Watch out, watch out!
The mountaineer, the mountaineer!
Watch out, watch out!
The mountain dweller is here!
Quick, Corporal!
Hide your panties and everything!
Watch the ass-kissing, come here!
Look natural.
Watch yourself!
What's the matter with you?
-Where's the Corporal?
-Here I am, warrant officer.
You will choose two men
to unblock the sinks.
Very good, warrant officer.
Rest.
Have you seen my find?
"Watch yourself!" Not bad, eh.
It was like two rounds of fries!
I'm going to look for Lean to the left.
I forgot to tell you…
You forget to tell me what?
Nothing.
On vacation, you country bumpkin!
More insults from the Parisian!
I'm going to catch a head cold. Idiot!
You understand, at Bertrand,
the consumer comes looking
for an atmosphere.
A certain style.
How do you carry a tray?
A tray? I don't have one.
A tray, in a respectable café
like at Bertrand's.
It is worn with the left hand,
flat, like that, a little behind.
You see? "Pardon, madame."
"Sorry, sir." Go ahead, show it off.
Sorry ma'am, sorry mist…
I'm gonna chuck it all on the floor.
It's not for everyone.
It's the style, the tradition.
They talk about putting
women to replace me.
Women, waiters in cafes.
At the local tobacconist that could fly
but at Bertrand's…
That's why I'm running away.
At home, it's no easier.
My wife found a discharged soldier,
he works for food.
-Ah, are you a cuckold?
-I really do not care!
As long as she looks after the cows
she can do what she wants with her ass!
Hey!
They have big ideas in your region.
You think I'm a bastard!
Of course not, we all have our ideas.
Try to understand
why I don't want to go with you.
It's not fear, you know.
Well, maybe a little bit of that too.
It's our return to Paris that scares me.
We'll find ourselves
in our own little patch.
The rich with the rich,
the homeless with the homeless.
The result? I'll get to see you more.
Here, it is not the same thing.
A friend is a friend.
We don't give a damn
what he does as a civilian.
The soup might taste awful.
But at least we'd eat it together.
But I'm telling you, in Paris, we'll
continue to eat it your soup together!
The difference is that it will be thicker.
Together?
Do you believe that, Corporal?
Lunch is ready!
I also come to eat.
Hey, Guillaume!
Guillaume!
-So, are you okay?
-You know I'm true to my word.
Only one thing for it,
to give the cows my turn.
-It's my turn.
-Hands off, I'm serving!
I serve soup to the Corporal
and to Lean to the left.
Huh, Papa?
-Only if it succeeds.
-And if not?
Otherwise you only risk a soup.
-While the Corporal…
-He gets…
-I'll mess you up!
-Let it go!
What's wrong with him?
The French should never argue.
They are a strange people.
Do you want some soup?
Thank you.
Be careful, it's hot.
-Is it good?
-Yes.
Good soup! Schön.
-What are you waiting for?
-Eh?
Oh yes.
-Bon appétit.
-Thank you.
He is very kind.
To both of us, my Guillaume.
Come and earn your soup.
Yeah.
It's fake, eh.
Are you hitting too hard?
But no, my pretty.
And that will just make you another
asshole, as you say so well!
You bastard! I'll mess you up!
I'll show you! Don't think
you'll get away with that!
Bastard!
I'll show you, now shut up!
Go watch your cows!
-Eat shit!
-You jackass!
-You bastard!
-Giant turd!
Okay, we're done! Finished?
It's over!
It's over.
Don't cry.
You will see your corporal again.
Me crying?
Say that again, that I'm crying!
-Come on, over to you.
-Eh?
Papers please.
What if we hid in the toilet?
That's not a solution,
they also check there.
If that bitch wasn't there,
we could have gone under the beds.
Come on, let's go.
-We're gonna get laryngitis.
-Yes. A real one!
There might be someone there.
Passport check!
That's a beautiful girl.
Shall we wait?
Impossible, there are
still four wagons to check.
Miss, I'll give you back your papers
in exchange for a date.
Come on! Quick! Hurry up!
Hurry up!
They've left.
-Aren't you a woman?
-I'm getting out, like you.
Your first attempt?
The third.
I'm starting to know their questions.
The tricky point is the border station.
Do you have no papers?
What about you?
I have it covered. Here.
Wait. Look at this.
Don't be offended but
she's prettier than you.
A friend from the factory.
Never dared to stuff it with me,
because the Fortress.
When they check, I hide in the toilet.
I slip the paper under the door.
Like that, impossible to compare.
Wait, that gives me an idea. Hang on.
In a minute, I'll be back
with some papers.
Your papers!
Document check. Hurry!
Quick! Hurry!
Hold on!
Where are your documents?
We have to avoid the check
in the middle of the platform.
Better to go via the buffet.
It overlooks the street.
We go around the station and take
the train higher up, after the check.
It's simple, just follow me.
Your attention…
Can you show me the bathroom?
Yes.
And keep it for a moment. Come on.
Go to the buffet, we'll meet there.
A beer please.
You are a prisoner of war.
Is it that noticeable?
I am used to it.
You want to go onto
the street and go around?
Unfortunately, the guard's changed.
Can't we make do with this one?
You can give it a shot, he's not so bad.
Easy there, sir. No get through this way.
Why?
"Why?"
Don't mess with me, okay!
Come on, let me pass.
Sure. "Let me pass."
What about me?
Have you ever thought of me?
If they get rid of me, like the other guy,
I'll lose my place.
I have a wife and children.
I pushed you, you're old, without
a gun and you couldn't do anything.
Hello.
You are too kind. Bye.
Let me through!
If you pass, I scream, I yell.
It's for my safety.
Control. Quick!
In rank! One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Bending! Upright!
Bending! Upright!
At the gymnastic step!
One, two, one, two…
Come on, quickly.
Quicker!
Move your buttocks!
One, two, one, two…
Stop!
Forward, march!
March!
One, two…
Duck walk!
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster! One, two, one, two…
Faster! One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
Get up! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
This is Berlin.
Eager to end Soviet provocations
once and for all,
the Führer gave the order
to invade Russia.
Operations began immediately.
Our troops, meeting only weak resistance,
one can estimate that this campaign,
which promises to be rapid,
will constitute an important stage
on the road to the total victory
of National Socialism.
I want to see
the non-commissioned officer.
May I sit?
Yes, sit down.
Tired?
Do you understand that
this is war? Misfortune!
Yes.
Corporal!
-But are you ill?
-Empty.
Two months of disciplinary.
What are you doing at the Stalag?
I left the little commando
for the hospital.
Now I am here.
Have you found a safe house?
The Sonderführer is
passionate about music.
Wagner, Beethoven…
I gave him Lucchini, he was flabbergasted.
He appointed me first tenor
at the Grand Théâtre du Stalag.
Ballochet also found a strange hideout.
Ballochet?
He interprets at the marshalling yard.
The funny thing is,
he doesn't speak German.
Goodbye!
Come on.
I'll go see you at the barracks!
This man is assigned to this barracks.
All this paperwork!
No smoking on the job!
Go swap it for some Schnapps. Quick!
Sit!
What did they do to you?
Dreadful things.
Didn't you escape?
What for?
What were you heating up in your pan?
Cassoulet.
A friend found a stash
in the post office.
Sometimes he gives me a parcel from a
German who's in love with his Gretchen.
It's recovery.
I'll find you a safe house in an office.
Freedom is not necessarily on
the other side of barbed wire.
In Paris, I am a slave.
Even more than here.
Slave of my habits, of my ideas.
Slave to the bullshit,
which rules the world.
You have to stir the cassoulet well,
otherwise it might stick.
They're all bastards.
East and West, London and Berlin.
So I built myself a dungeon.
Above the insects who continue
their grotesque struggle.
I am no longer among them.
I take myself out of the fray.
And I'm inviting you.
Careful, it's hot.
It's hot.
But it is good.
Caruso, wake up, what have you got?
A pair of aces.
Two pairs.
And me…
Three of a kind.
Three of what?
Kings.
Good.
More Martini, guys.
The post office guy is mocking me.
He knows I prefer Cinzano.
Saint Zano, pray for us!
Corporal, another pun!
But this one, it is good, eh?
DR URSULA SCHMIDT
DENTIST
If the dentist doesn't give me an
injection this instant, I'll beat him up.
Please, gentlemen, come in.
-Ah! Where did you learn French?
-At school.
You have an accent,
I can teach you lessons.
You are too kind.
Please.
Sit down.
-Can I go first? I'm in real pain!
-One moment.
-Coming?
-I'm first!
Take off your coat.
Thank you.
Open your mouth.
Where are you hurt?
The…
One moment please.
How are you?
-Well?
-Hmm.
Good.
My mother has to treat your nerve.
Your nerve!
The nerve.
Mother.
Oh, Jesus!
My mom has to give you an injaction.
An injection!
An injection.
-Where are you going?
-Ich, big trickster. Nicht ill!
You, registered sick. You, go dentist.
I am not sick. I am very well.
I do not care.
You registered, you go dentist!
This is London.
Once again, the German air
force bombed London.
Damage was caused in
residential areas.
Protection services operated normally.
Hello, Erika.
Hello, Corporal.
Heil Hitler.
-I brought you your book.
-You can choose another one.
You coming?
My friend is in great pain, Erika.
Go ahead, I can wait five minutes.
-Hello.
-Hello Madam.
Heute ist es das letzte Mal.
Yes, today is the last time.
-Russia, kaput.
-I don't care.
-The war is soon over.
-I don't care!
You, go to Paris.
Madam… Like this, like that?
I don't care!
Bye, Madam.
I don't know how to thank you.
My pleasure. It is quite natural.
-Goodbye, miss.
-Goodbye, sir.
Quickly, please.
Corporal? You forget your book.
Choose well.
It can be your memory of me.
Ronsard.
I couldn't have been happier.
"Cutie, let's go see if the rose,
which this morning has opened."
"Her…"
"Her purple dress in the Sun, has not…"
"Hath not lost."
It's written in the old language.
"Hath not lost its twilight…"
"The folds of her purple dress,
And her skin tone the same."
It is a very beautiful poem.
I like Ronsard.
It's funny.
When I am near you, I can smell the sun.
The little birds.
At the Fireside.
The other soldier told me you escaped.
I love a man who is not a slave.
Hey! Hey!
Stop!
What's on the menu?
Our friend from the post office
found some foie gras.
Olive oil salad, brut champagne
-will be missing.
-The champagne?
How can one eat foie gras
unaccompanied by champagne?
Ballochet…
I see you for the first time.
What is wrong with you?
You no longer like foie gras.
You're getting fat, you know!
Good for you, eh,
splendid isolation!
Hmm?
Answer! Come on, answer!
-Hello, friends!
-Hello, Corporal!
Attention!
-Where is the interpreter?
-It's that man.
Gather your men.
You must gather your men!
Chinese Nights, cuddly nights,
Nights of love
-Where are you going, Corporal?
-I'm assigned to a peasant commando.
Oh shit!
Take this, real corned beef.
Direct from Chicago.
No thanks.
Alright, goodbye.
-Where are you from?
-From the Stalag. How is it here?
-Well, we have to eat.
-That's not what I'm asking you.
-What commando?
-I'm from the Stalag.
-Where are you from?
-From Paris. Love!
A Parisian! There are three
of us, we can play belote!
I sleep here. Understood?
A prisoner like at home. A bit so-so.
Come on.
You sleep there.
I'll come get you at meal-time.
And you?
-Do you still have a fever?
-Yes.
If it doesn't improve tomorrow,
I'll take you to the hospital.
Yes, it's okay.
I don't give a shit about your chat.
God damn it…
Corporal? Corporal!
Hey!
Corporal…
-Guillaume!
-Yeah.
You must be happy.
You're in your business here.
It's not going well, Corporal.
-What's wrong?
-My wife.
She left with her discharged soldier.
What a whore.
No conscience, no soul.
Cheating on a poor prisoner,
do you think that's acceptable?
Maybe she has her reasons.
She missed you.
She had the cows!
Now it's a comedian who heals them.
A guy I don't even know.
He costs me dear and steals from me.
I'm off the hook tonight,
it can go on longer.
I'm going home.
-You're not escaping. And your fever?
-I don't care about my fever!
You got civilian attire?
I have two. You know me,
I take my precautions.
Do you want one? I can sell it to you.
Guillaume!
Here, my cheese grater.
I'm not going to leave it to them!
Good.
Well, hey, guys.
Have a good trip!
Hi, guys.
Aren't you going to take this?
I packed my suitcase.
My mules are ready to go.
-You won't see your cows again?
-I will, but with my suitcase.
My cheese grater!
On your knees! Come on, faster!
Faster!
Get up! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one two…
On your knees!
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Ballochet!
Down! Crawl!
Conjugate the verb "to humiliate"
in the past tense.
Why did they send you here?
To punish me for leaving my dungeon.
Upright! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
47…
48…
49…
50.
Next to these gentlemen.
What an aroma, sir.
And to think that we had to free Poland.
What's going on?
Only one man working?
And you, you can't or you won't?
Ballochet, it's your turn to squint!
I'm sorry, but when it comes to this,
I like to have my own supplier.
You'll have wait a few moments.
You idle idiots! Go to work!
Get your hands dirty!
It won't hurt you French people
with all your perfume!
You lazy people! Hurry up!
Slave! Bathroom.
Come on, quickly!
Know, peasant, that in France
we do not do this on order.
-Good.
-Well.
Corporal, come feast with us.
Quick.
Beautiful instructions.
Did you see how he talks to them?
Someone's here!
"It's someone."
You make me laugh, here.
You'll see.
Hey, pig-head! I'm off to the john.
What? The john? You scoundrel!
Absolutely not! Get to work, now!
Corporal. Now that we're alone,
I must confess something.
So annoying.
When you jumped the wall, in France,
with Dad…
My glasses…
I lost them on purpose.
-I know.
-I'm a loser.
My courage comes
to the level of the gas meters.
But there you have it,
like all French people, I love heroes.
When I was still pissing in bed,
I wanted to be Guynemer,
The Knight of the Air.
Can you picture me
chasing down a Schleus
in a hunter?
With my binoculars?
Then…
I retired in pride.
In my dungeon.
Courage is good for the vulgar.
Corporal…
I'm a loser.
Good evening, Corporal.
I'll take a walk.
Where?
Having no more conditions,
I go in search of human dignity.
Come on, don't be ridiculous
and go to bed.
I'm serious,
I find myself at one of the rare occasions
when the dream coincides with reality.
Gratuitous gestures become
a practical allusion…
Where Don Quixote joins Sancho Panza.
Goodbye, Corporal.
Do you want to leave?
Open your veins, it will be cleaner.
Corporal, don't you trust me?
But here, you have no chance!
Once out of the discipline,
we will leave together.
Someone like me can only go it alone.
Hush!
Gentlemen, I wanted to say goodbye to you.
In a few minutes, I will escape.
Bavard.
We would first have to open
the door to the barracks.
That should be enough.
And the barbed wire, how will you cut it?
These pliers are not the latest model,
but they will do the trick.
What about the sentries?
With their glasses and guns?
A simple misunderstanding.
While you're at it, don't you have a flag?
Can't you see it? Written in gold letters.
My motto,
"Gaz de France, leaks on every floor."
I remind you that I work at GDF.
Companions on my return from Germany.
Farewell.
Ballochet!
Don't fear, Corporal, I have a plan.
The best.
One that consists of not having a plan.
Meet at the "Co-pilot" terrace.
Gentlemen, your light is blinding me.
That's it, your boyfriend is in the yard.
How long will it take to…
reach the barbed wire?
25 seconds, maximum.
And 30 seconds to cut
the barbed wire at the door.
One, two, three, four…
five, six, seven, eight, nine…
ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen…
-Fifteen…
-He's walking past the yard.
-17, 18, 19…
-Now it's uncovered!
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25…
He is at the gate to the field.
He's cutting the barbed wire.
Keep counting, you moron!
One, two, three, four, five, six…
I didn't count,
but I think it's been two minutes.
Hooray! He succeeded!
Come on!
In the metropolitan area, they're
going to put us back in civilian clothes.
In my opinion, this is a big mistake.
It looks…
easy, to punch tickets, but it…
But you need authority.
I'll tell you, the uniforms,
my boots are full of them!
I would rather be a bum
than working in the metro.
Too right, mate.
First of all, we don't
breathe in your metro.
Holes, you make holes.
And here, what are you doing?
In the metro,
you have to impose yourself.
At peak times,
they'd run over you guys.
It doesn't surprise me
that you are also a pancake!
That's smart!
Oh, me, I pass without a ticket.
No ticket, buddy!
You get cut off, eh?
I tell you, "I took the wrong platform,"
and done!
-No.
-Yes.
That, that…
That would surprise me.
Because at that time,
my colleague across the way,
well, you know…
What?
On the other hand…
If they put us back in civilian clothes
and we keep our caps,
that wouldn't be so bad.
The yacht type.
You would rather look like a barge.
You… you…
You should have stayed
in the commando.
-We were quieter.
-Shut your mouths!
No, over there!
DR. URSULA SCHMIDT
DENTIST
What if his mother opens the door for us?
You're ill
and she pulls your tooth out.
Don't mess around, Corporal, not now!
The door!
The door!
Come.
We need civilian clothes.
Can you give us some?
Yes, come on.
Wait for me.
-Your…
-Sure about this bird?
She's a friend, I tell you.
She is a friend.
There is surely a woman in Paris
who has her whole life to look at you.
I only have this moment.
Hey, you're not in the metro!
-That works?
-Official, yeah.
No! Oh dear!
Erika!
Police. Your papers!
Someone forgot this funeral wreath.
Why does this man have
a flower crown?
Mom, I want to play with the crown!
Silence or this man will take you to war.
Yes, I want to go to war.
You have to grow up.
If you are not wise,
you will stay small.
Is that right, miss?
Do you want a cigarette?
Are you going to Paris?
Yes, I am the secretary
of the general staff.
We were lucky.
Ticket control.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Your papers please.
Your papers please!
Leave it.
I see. Excuse me.
Günther, silence. Sleep now.
Would you mind?
Pay attention!
It slipped out of my hand. Sorry.
Excuse me.
It's a bit cool. I have to warm up.
You're welcome.
Mom, I want to drink.
Let this child drink.
It's good for your health,
it makes you sleep well. We will be quiet.
Are you not ashamed then?
What a bad example!
You don't deserve to be German.
My dear friend Ointment,
you look very sick.
Love made you sick, that's no joke.
So take a little schnapps!
Leave them in peace.
Sorry, I hadn't seen it.
All my condolences.
Here, it comforts for all the tests.
Never after meals.
French people!
I love the French! I know Paris!
The City of Lights!
The French have
the prettiest legs in the world!
-Do you agree with me?
-Yes, OK!
Have a drink, please.
The French are my friends.
In Paris, you know, I'm not a tourist.
No Moulin Rouge, no Les Folies Bergères…
I know the little corners.
Rue de Lappe, music, Balajo…
I call her a petite bourgeoise
The Tonkiki, the Tonkiki, the Tonkinoise
Come on, stay here!
No, stay, my friends.
I can still talk about Paris, you know.
You are friends of happiness, you.
They are my friends.
Everything is fine.
-Your papers!
-You again! Pay attention!
Maybe I am a better German than you.
Long live France!
A prisoner!
So it's because we're still far
from the border!
-You are French?
-Yes.
We packed up.
Is the border still far away?
No, over there behind the hill.
And are you still here?
Why don't you pull yourself away?
-Why?
-I don't know.
To find the land of our ancestors.
But my ancestors had no land.
At home, in Beauce, I am a farm worker.
I work on other people's land.
And here? What do you do?
For the first time in my life,
I have something of my own.
Her husband was killed in Russia.
When this rotten war is over,
we'll get married.
Well, I…
my land and my wife are in Paris, so…
I'm going back to Paris.
And I am the movement.
My own land is where my friend is.
When you get to the edge of the woods,
take the path on the left.
You will avoid their post.
Hi. Good luck.
Thank you.
Hey!
Do you have to eat at least?
We have… an apple.
Give them our breakfast.
Thank you very much.
She is a friend.
I'm telling you, she's a friend.
There you go.
"There you go" what?
I say goodbye to you.
I have a friend near Bercy,
and you go to the other side.
We are waiting for you at your place.
That is to say that I am expected,
if I am expected.
We never stopped waiting for you.
Goodbye, Corporal.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Hey…
When you have found…
the person who is waiting for you…
and you have stayed with her
for a while to get to know her again…
Will you do this again?
It's beautiful, Paris.
We breathe here.
It smells of fuel oil.
It's a tugboat.
It smells like Paris.
But I got it. It's not over?
It is just beginning.
The sight of swastikas depresses me.
So we'll see each other again, Corporal!
Well, see you soon!
See you soon, Dad.
THE END
Subtitle translation by: Chris Ward
Invading France, the German army
has caused the fall
of the French army's defense system.
The overwhelming superiority
of the German air force
weighs heavily
on the outcome of the battle.
Panic seizes civilians
fleeing across the roads.
This is Radio Berlin.
June 22nd, 1940.
The Third Reich's victory
is unquestionable.
The Führer accepted the armistice
requested by the French General Staff.
It was in Rethondes, in the wagon
where the Armistice
of World War I was signed,
that the plenipotentiaries,
German and French,
met with one another.
-Halt!
-Wohin gehst du?Where are you going?
I am going back home.
You are crazy.
Go on, go back to camp!
-It's the armistice.
-Yes, armistice, very good.
My friend, go back to camp!
The war is over, we are no longer angry.
Go back to camp!
But, my cows?
What will happen to them?
What about my clerk who broke his leg?
And my wife who's all alone?
-Come on, go back to camp!
-My cows…
But it's the armistice, guys!
What about my cows? Wow.
Come on, men!
Move!
Come on!
Onward!
Come on!
WE WILL WIN AS WE ARE STRONGER
Come on, move it!
Nice weather for the season!
You're kidding right?
Do you know where I can find the corporal?
-What corporal?
-There is only one.
And he's probably on vacation
in this spa town.
Stop moving, you'll mess it all up!
Shit! That's it, I was sure!
Sleeping rough is simplest!
Everyone knows that!
Get near a pile of shit,
and you might die face flat in it!
-Ballochet!
-Be careful!
Honor the defeated,
don't dishonor the French army.
Ballochet! Good old Ballochet!
Oh! Stone the crows. Not another one.
You're all alone?
And the friends of the free Corps?
Finished, the free Corps.
Our cause is lost.
At least we're alive! Could be
a beautiful death today though…
That's for later.
For some time now,
honor and glory go more
to the survivors than the dead.
You know everything.
When are they letting us go?
Let's say I was Hitler.
Seems unlikely though.
We don't have the same training.
If I had 2 million French prisoners,
I wouldn't let them go.
Not one.
Well, my old mate.
It rained hard.
It can't keep coming.
My God…
Do you know what one cook told me?
They're going to free Brittany,
and make it independent.
-Are you Breton?
-My great-grandmother was.
The cook was teasing.
Electricians will be the first to leave.
Are you an electrician?
You don't look like one.
We are farmers.
And I have a cow that's about to calve.
He's a miller, an orphan,
a father of 4 children.
-Are you a miller?
-No, nor an orphan.
Don't take the mickey.
Here lad, this is the truth. The last
bottle, the only one, the real one.
A ball was thrown
by the King of England,
Roosevelt said this to Hitler:
"My little Adolf…"
"If you don't release
all the French prisoners this instant,
I'll wage war against you."
Are they close?
Of course, my boy!
Obviously, mate.
Ballochet clarified the question.
Grown-ups don't care about us.
They talk over champagne,
while we rot in this hole.
What can we do, Corporal?
It always has been this way
and always will be.
You just have to wait and…
Wait for what? From whom? From where?
-I don't know, but…
-No, Dad, believe me.
It's up to us to sort
things out ourselves.
Chinese nights, cuddly nights
Nights of love
Drunken nights
Of tenderness
Where we think we are dreaming
Until daybreak!
Chinese nights, cuddly nights
Nights of love
In my opinion, this is a silly move.
We're going to get pulled in the ass!
As in the Free Corps, when we patrolled.
Let's talk about it.
Him and strawberries.
-We nearly stayed there!
-What delicious strawberries, Papa!
The best you'll ever have.
The taste of friendship.
Those years of blood and mud…
Let's wait until next season, Corporal.
We'll go picking on rue Lepic.
It's better there.
You believe it? That Hitler'll hold us.
-What do you know?
-Ballochet said so.
It's been a long time.
I'm out of here, barbed wire depresses me.
And me, the captain's gloves.
Green knit gloves.
If I wore these gloves
to read gas meters…
The housewives would laugh at me.
More hot air from our gas worker.
I'm sick of the pair of you.
Change your tune!
You don't have to come with us!
What the hell would I do without you?
So, are we going?
Don't be foolish!
The armistice has been signed!
Sorry, but I never signed anything!
Corporal! Listen, will you!
There, I see it.
We can jump the wall.
There's even a mound of sand.
Far from people, far from noise
Sentries.
This is bullshit I'm telling you,
don't go!
I lost my glasses.
-Let's go!
-What about Ballochet?
Hey, Ballochet! Hurry up!
I can't find my glasses!
Corporal, over there!
Come on, Corporal, smile!
I'll regret this forever.
If you had helped him,
he'd have been caught, like us.
He'd be in a cage too.
However, in my haste to get away,
I betrayed Ballochet.
Listen, Corporal…
I didn't tell you because
I didn't want to hurt you.
But Ballochet…
He brought it on himself.
His glasses…
He lost them on purpose.
How can you spout such nonsense?
Ballochet, a coward? You're crazy!
You don't know the first
thing about Ballochet!
-I'm so stupid.
-That's for sure!
This is Radio Berlin.
In Paris, the Reichswehr
marches through victoriously.
Left! Three, four…
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido, heida
Heidi, heido…
Great voices, right?
They can even hold a tune,
makes me sick.
If only they could make us laugh
as much as they piss us off…
Well, they don't make me
laugh or piss me off.
A little faster!
Forward, come on!
Move it! Come on!
Keep it tidy now! No shoving!
Ballochet, hurry up!
Don't push!
Say, can I have that place?
-Why?
-These are my friends!
If you like…
Is that one free?
If you want. Don't shove my stuff though.
After three days on the train,
the shower did me a lot of good.
It was a bit too hot.
I like an ice cold one.
Are you nuts?
I'm an athlete.
Boxing, wrestling, pole vaulting.
And does it pay?
I am an amateur athlete.
My main work is in insurance.
I skipped the shower.
The guy had his back turned
and I pretended to towel down.
I didn't have one wet hair.
I'm not some crazy bumpkin!
In sports you need to keep clean, my man.
Have a feel. Here.
Huh?
What the hell did I do
with my cheese grater?
Chinese nights, cuddly nights…
You sing too!
I'm out of practice,
but I have a good voice.
I've got good feet. I'm telling you, kids…
I have great feet.
In my job, feet are everything.
But I do wash them three times a day,
otherwise they swell.
Are you into sports too?
No, I'm a waiter.
Do you know Bertrandbehind
the Opéra Comique?
-No.
-That's where I work.
Does it pay well?
It depends on the season.
I don't know how they manage
without me. I'm indispensable.
On my Tuesday break,
some clients don't come.
They'll only let me serve them.
"Lean to the left, my Clacquesin!"
"Lean to the left, my Suze!"
"Lean to the left"?
They call me "Lean to the left."
Ah, yes, because…
Yes, it is a responsibility.
I get it.
You know, when it comes to electricity,
it's not just about technique.
There is also the artistic part.
For example, the choice of switch.
Making sure it's the right style
is tricky.
So what are they going to do with us now?
They will put us to work.
Defeat is very boring.
It changes many habits.
Attention!
The non-commissioned officers…
French non-commissioned officers?
Hmm?
Wait!
Gentlemen and dear colleagues.
You have to understand
that we are your friends.
All this is provisional,
but the war with the English means
we have to take some precautions.
We are therefore counting on you
to help maintain discipline
among French prisoners.
Adjutant Médé. Oberst lieutenant,
you can count on us.
I would therefore ask you
to nominate from among you
someone to help your German comrade
maintain order
and cleanliness in the barracks.
Thank you, gentlemen.
Attention!
We must realize that we've been lied to!
Where I once saw brutes,
I now see good people.
We must accept it.
It's a kick in the ass!
Move!
Come on! Walk!
Forward!
Keep going!
Faster!
Turn left, turn around!
Attention!
Go!
Non-commissioned officer, you have
50 prisoners of war from the stalag.
You are welcome
at Lager in Ziegelberg.
But beware…
Sentries will shoot
anyone who tries to escape.
Understood?
Do not speak to civilians.
Understood?
It is forbidden to sleep
with German women.
If that happens,
punishment will be severe.
The culprit would be sent to Poland
and incarcerated.
Understood?
Understood?
You are here to work.
To work for a new Europe.
Work! Work! Work!
Don't look so dumbfound.
Get to work! Is that all you've got?
Alsace, cover for me,
I'm getting myself a drink.
To your health, don't drink everything!
-You coming?
-Sure.
Hey, you!
-Where are you going?
-The bog.
Where is your friend?
He just went to the john.
No, there is no one left.
I'll see who's on guard.
Hey, foreman, don't cause a fuss.
I have chocolate.
Hey, open up! Damn it!
What a nerve! What treachery!
-Work!
-Get to work, get off there!
Hey you! What is your illness?
Laryngitis.
Do you think this man is really sick?
His cough is abnormal.
These lay-abouts
are a plague on the French army.
-Lay-abouts?
-Yes, fake patients.
I understand.
We also have those.
Despite German efficiency,
we are unable
to eradicate this bad habit.
And you, what is your illness?
I have laryngitis.
All the same and so it goes.
In the French army,
I get four days, and even so…
Four days in the guardhouse.
Not even jail.
I don't know what to say.
In the German army,
I can explain to the captain
the reason for the punishment.
And he is entitled to eight days.
Ah! The motive is everything.
That is the trade secret.
And then my four days
can go up to the colonel.
He gets 15 days,
8 of which are in the cell.
That's the same for us.
Of course, no knitting
under the bourgeron trellis.
And only one blanket.
Of course.
The cells are not heated.
-In winter, bronchitis is a guarantee.
-At home.
And despite that, they start over.
Just like we do.
Corporal! Attention!
Laryngitis. Fumigations. Excuse me.
Is it an epidemic?
Strange.
You too, laryngitis?
Wisdom teeth.
It's amazing.
Hippolyte.
We have to send him to town,
to the dentist.
There are others in barrack number one.
You will accompany them.
I don't live far away.
Very well, Otto.
Rest!
What assholes!
They're going to have a blowout
while I get a tooth pulled out!
Don't worry, we'll be off before then.
The Germans are poor psychologists,
but excellent chemists.
-Corporal.
-Hmm?
I need to tell you something.
Go ahead, what do you have to tell me?
I'm not going with you.
No.
It is Lean to the Left
who will go with you.
I already spoke to him.
You need a pin.
Two pins.
Guillaume, you got
two pins to sell me?
No, I have rubber bands.
That'll do.
They're fitted to my cheese grater.
Move it, come on.
Where is my cheese grater?
-Wait there.
-Here it is.
Don't push me.
-Come on hurry up!
-Hold on!
-Hand it over.
-No.
-That's three cigarettes.
-I owe you already.
Give me that.
Should think about it, because…
Those Parisians, eh!
Dirty bumpkin, this one.
Watch out, watch out!
The mountaineer, the mountaineer!
Watch out, watch out!
The mountain dweller is here!
Quick, Corporal!
Hide your panties and everything!
Watch the ass-kissing, come here!
Look natural.
Watch yourself!
What's the matter with you?
-Where's the Corporal?
-Here I am, warrant officer.
You will choose two men
to unblock the sinks.
Very good, warrant officer.
Rest.
Have you seen my find?
"Watch yourself!" Not bad, eh.
It was like two rounds of fries!
I'm going to look for Lean to the left.
I forgot to tell you…
You forget to tell me what?
Nothing.
On vacation, you country bumpkin!
More insults from the Parisian!
I'm going to catch a head cold. Idiot!
You understand, at Bertrand,
the consumer comes looking
for an atmosphere.
A certain style.
How do you carry a tray?
A tray? I don't have one.
A tray, in a respectable café
like at Bertrand's.
It is worn with the left hand,
flat, like that, a little behind.
You see? "Pardon, madame."
"Sorry, sir." Go ahead, show it off.
Sorry ma'am, sorry mist…
I'm gonna chuck it all on the floor.
It's not for everyone.
It's the style, the tradition.
They talk about putting
women to replace me.
Women, waiters in cafes.
At the local tobacconist that could fly
but at Bertrand's…
That's why I'm running away.
At home, it's no easier.
My wife found a discharged soldier,
he works for food.
-Ah, are you a cuckold?
-I really do not care!
As long as she looks after the cows
she can do what she wants with her ass!
Hey!
They have big ideas in your region.
You think I'm a bastard!
Of course not, we all have our ideas.
Try to understand
why I don't want to go with you.
It's not fear, you know.
Well, maybe a little bit of that too.
It's our return to Paris that scares me.
We'll find ourselves
in our own little patch.
The rich with the rich,
the homeless with the homeless.
The result? I'll get to see you more.
Here, it is not the same thing.
A friend is a friend.
We don't give a damn
what he does as a civilian.
The soup might taste awful.
But at least we'd eat it together.
But I'm telling you, in Paris, we'll
continue to eat it your soup together!
The difference is that it will be thicker.
Together?
Do you believe that, Corporal?
Lunch is ready!
I also come to eat.
Hey, Guillaume!
Guillaume!
-So, are you okay?
-You know I'm true to my word.
Only one thing for it,
to give the cows my turn.
-It's my turn.
-Hands off, I'm serving!
I serve soup to the Corporal
and to Lean to the left.
Huh, Papa?
-Only if it succeeds.
-And if not?
Otherwise you only risk a soup.
-While the Corporal…
-He gets…
-I'll mess you up!
-Let it go!
What's wrong with him?
The French should never argue.
They are a strange people.
Do you want some soup?
Thank you.
Be careful, it's hot.
-Is it good?
-Yes.
Good soup! Schön.
-What are you waiting for?
-Eh?
Oh yes.
-Bon appétit.
-Thank you.
He is very kind.
To both of us, my Guillaume.
Come and earn your soup.
Yeah.
It's fake, eh.
Are you hitting too hard?
But no, my pretty.
And that will just make you another
asshole, as you say so well!
You bastard! I'll mess you up!
I'll show you! Don't think
you'll get away with that!
Bastard!
I'll show you, now shut up!
Go watch your cows!
-Eat shit!
-You jackass!
-You bastard!
-Giant turd!
Okay, we're done! Finished?
It's over!
It's over.
Don't cry.
You will see your corporal again.
Me crying?
Say that again, that I'm crying!
-Come on, over to you.
-Eh?
Papers please.
What if we hid in the toilet?
That's not a solution,
they also check there.
If that bitch wasn't there,
we could have gone under the beds.
Come on, let's go.
-We're gonna get laryngitis.
-Yes. A real one!
There might be someone there.
Passport check!
That's a beautiful girl.
Shall we wait?
Impossible, there are
still four wagons to check.
Miss, I'll give you back your papers
in exchange for a date.
Come on! Quick! Hurry up!
Hurry up!
They've left.
-Aren't you a woman?
-I'm getting out, like you.
Your first attempt?
The third.
I'm starting to know their questions.
The tricky point is the border station.
Do you have no papers?
What about you?
I have it covered. Here.
Wait. Look at this.
Don't be offended but
she's prettier than you.
A friend from the factory.
Never dared to stuff it with me,
because the Fortress.
When they check, I hide in the toilet.
I slip the paper under the door.
Like that, impossible to compare.
Wait, that gives me an idea. Hang on.
In a minute, I'll be back
with some papers.
Your papers!
Document check. Hurry!
Quick! Hurry!
Hold on!
Where are your documents?
We have to avoid the check
in the middle of the platform.
Better to go via the buffet.
It overlooks the street.
We go around the station and take
the train higher up, after the check.
It's simple, just follow me.
Your attention…
Can you show me the bathroom?
Yes.
And keep it for a moment. Come on.
Go to the buffet, we'll meet there.
A beer please.
You are a prisoner of war.
Is it that noticeable?
I am used to it.
You want to go onto
the street and go around?
Unfortunately, the guard's changed.
Can't we make do with this one?
You can give it a shot, he's not so bad.
Easy there, sir. No get through this way.
Why?
"Why?"
Don't mess with me, okay!
Come on, let me pass.
Sure. "Let me pass."
What about me?
Have you ever thought of me?
If they get rid of me, like the other guy,
I'll lose my place.
I have a wife and children.
I pushed you, you're old, without
a gun and you couldn't do anything.
Hello.
You are too kind. Bye.
Let me through!
If you pass, I scream, I yell.
It's for my safety.
Control. Quick!
In rank! One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Bending! Upright!
Bending! Upright!
At the gymnastic step!
One, two, one, two…
Come on, quickly.
Quicker!
Move your buttocks!
One, two, one, two…
Stop!
Forward, march!
March!
One, two…
Duck walk!
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Faster! One, two, one, two…
Faster! One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
Get up! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
This is Berlin.
Eager to end Soviet provocations
once and for all,
the Führer gave the order
to invade Russia.
Operations began immediately.
Our troops, meeting only weak resistance,
one can estimate that this campaign,
which promises to be rapid,
will constitute an important stage
on the road to the total victory
of National Socialism.
I want to see
the non-commissioned officer.
May I sit?
Yes, sit down.
Tired?
Do you understand that
this is war? Misfortune!
Yes.
Corporal!
-But are you ill?
-Empty.
Two months of disciplinary.
What are you doing at the Stalag?
I left the little commando
for the hospital.
Now I am here.
Have you found a safe house?
The Sonderführer is
passionate about music.
Wagner, Beethoven…
I gave him Lucchini, he was flabbergasted.
He appointed me first tenor
at the Grand Théâtre du Stalag.
Ballochet also found a strange hideout.
Ballochet?
He interprets at the marshalling yard.
The funny thing is,
he doesn't speak German.
Goodbye!
Come on.
I'll go see you at the barracks!
This man is assigned to this barracks.
All this paperwork!
No smoking on the job!
Go swap it for some Schnapps. Quick!
Sit!
What did they do to you?
Dreadful things.
Didn't you escape?
What for?
What were you heating up in your pan?
Cassoulet.
A friend found a stash
in the post office.
Sometimes he gives me a parcel from a
German who's in love with his Gretchen.
It's recovery.
I'll find you a safe house in an office.
Freedom is not necessarily on
the other side of barbed wire.
In Paris, I am a slave.
Even more than here.
Slave of my habits, of my ideas.
Slave to the bullshit,
which rules the world.
You have to stir the cassoulet well,
otherwise it might stick.
They're all bastards.
East and West, London and Berlin.
So I built myself a dungeon.
Above the insects who continue
their grotesque struggle.
I am no longer among them.
I take myself out of the fray.
And I'm inviting you.
Careful, it's hot.
It's hot.
But it is good.
Caruso, wake up, what have you got?
A pair of aces.
Two pairs.
And me…
Three of a kind.
Three of what?
Kings.
Good.
More Martini, guys.
The post office guy is mocking me.
He knows I prefer Cinzano.
Saint Zano, pray for us!
Corporal, another pun!
But this one, it is good, eh?
DR URSULA SCHMIDT
DENTIST
If the dentist doesn't give me an
injection this instant, I'll beat him up.
Please, gentlemen, come in.
-Ah! Where did you learn French?
-At school.
You have an accent,
I can teach you lessons.
You are too kind.
Please.
Sit down.
-Can I go first? I'm in real pain!
-One moment.
-Coming?
-I'm first!
Take off your coat.
Thank you.
Open your mouth.
Where are you hurt?
The…
One moment please.
How are you?
-Well?
-Hmm.
Good.
My mother has to treat your nerve.
Your nerve!
The nerve.
Mother.
Oh, Jesus!
My mom has to give you an injaction.
An injection!
An injection.
-Where are you going?
-Ich, big trickster. Nicht ill!
You, registered sick. You, go dentist.
I am not sick. I am very well.
I do not care.
You registered, you go dentist!
This is London.
Once again, the German air
force bombed London.
Damage was caused in
residential areas.
Protection services operated normally.
Hello, Erika.
Hello, Corporal.
Heil Hitler.
-I brought you your book.
-You can choose another one.
You coming?
My friend is in great pain, Erika.
Go ahead, I can wait five minutes.
-Hello.
-Hello Madam.
Heute ist es das letzte Mal.
Yes, today is the last time.
-Russia, kaput.
-I don't care.
-The war is soon over.
-I don't care!
You, go to Paris.
Madam… Like this, like that?
I don't care!
Bye, Madam.
I don't know how to thank you.
My pleasure. It is quite natural.
-Goodbye, miss.
-Goodbye, sir.
Quickly, please.
Corporal? You forget your book.
Choose well.
It can be your memory of me.
Ronsard.
I couldn't have been happier.
"Cutie, let's go see if the rose,
which this morning has opened."
"Her…"
"Her purple dress in the Sun, has not…"
"Hath not lost."
It's written in the old language.
"Hath not lost its twilight…"
"The folds of her purple dress,
And her skin tone the same."
It is a very beautiful poem.
I like Ronsard.
It's funny.
When I am near you, I can smell the sun.
The little birds.
At the Fireside.
The other soldier told me you escaped.
I love a man who is not a slave.
Hey! Hey!
Stop!
What's on the menu?
Our friend from the post office
found some foie gras.
Olive oil salad, brut champagne
-will be missing.
-The champagne?
How can one eat foie gras
unaccompanied by champagne?
Ballochet…
I see you for the first time.
What is wrong with you?
You no longer like foie gras.
You're getting fat, you know!
Good for you, eh,
splendid isolation!
Hmm?
Answer! Come on, answer!
-Hello, friends!
-Hello, Corporal!
Attention!
-Where is the interpreter?
-It's that man.
Gather your men.
You must gather your men!
Chinese Nights, cuddly nights,
Nights of love
-Where are you going, Corporal?
-I'm assigned to a peasant commando.
Oh shit!
Take this, real corned beef.
Direct from Chicago.
No thanks.
Alright, goodbye.
-Where are you from?
-From the Stalag. How is it here?
-Well, we have to eat.
-That's not what I'm asking you.
-What commando?
-I'm from the Stalag.
-Where are you from?
-From Paris. Love!
A Parisian! There are three
of us, we can play belote!
I sleep here. Understood?
A prisoner like at home. A bit so-so.
Come on.
You sleep there.
I'll come get you at meal-time.
And you?
-Do you still have a fever?
-Yes.
If it doesn't improve tomorrow,
I'll take you to the hospital.
Yes, it's okay.
I don't give a shit about your chat.
God damn it…
Corporal? Corporal!
Hey!
Corporal…
-Guillaume!
-Yeah.
You must be happy.
You're in your business here.
It's not going well, Corporal.
-What's wrong?
-My wife.
She left with her discharged soldier.
What a whore.
No conscience, no soul.
Cheating on a poor prisoner,
do you think that's acceptable?
Maybe she has her reasons.
She missed you.
She had the cows!
Now it's a comedian who heals them.
A guy I don't even know.
He costs me dear and steals from me.
I'm off the hook tonight,
it can go on longer.
I'm going home.
-You're not escaping. And your fever?
-I don't care about my fever!
You got civilian attire?
I have two. You know me,
I take my precautions.
Do you want one? I can sell it to you.
Guillaume!
Here, my cheese grater.
I'm not going to leave it to them!
Good.
Well, hey, guys.
Have a good trip!
Hi, guys.
Aren't you going to take this?
I packed my suitcase.
My mules are ready to go.
-You won't see your cows again?
-I will, but with my suitcase.
My cheese grater!
On your knees! Come on, faster!
Faster!
Get up! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one two…
On your knees!
One, two, one, two…
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
One, two, one, two…
Ballochet!
Down! Crawl!
Conjugate the verb "to humiliate"
in the past tense.
Why did they send you here?
To punish me for leaving my dungeon.
Upright! No gymnastics!
One, two, one, two…
Faster!
47…
48…
49…
50.
Next to these gentlemen.
What an aroma, sir.
And to think that we had to free Poland.
What's going on?
Only one man working?
And you, you can't or you won't?
Ballochet, it's your turn to squint!
I'm sorry, but when it comes to this,
I like to have my own supplier.
You'll have wait a few moments.
You idle idiots! Go to work!
Get your hands dirty!
It won't hurt you French people
with all your perfume!
You lazy people! Hurry up!
Slave! Bathroom.
Come on, quickly!
Know, peasant, that in France
we do not do this on order.
-Good.
-Well.
Corporal, come feast with us.
Quick.
Beautiful instructions.
Did you see how he talks to them?
Someone's here!
"It's someone."
You make me laugh, here.
You'll see.
Hey, pig-head! I'm off to the john.
What? The john? You scoundrel!
Absolutely not! Get to work, now!
Corporal. Now that we're alone,
I must confess something.
So annoying.
When you jumped the wall, in France,
with Dad…
My glasses…
I lost them on purpose.
-I know.
-I'm a loser.
My courage comes
to the level of the gas meters.
But there you have it,
like all French people, I love heroes.
When I was still pissing in bed,
I wanted to be Guynemer,
The Knight of the Air.
Can you picture me
chasing down a Schleus
in a hunter?
With my binoculars?
Then…
I retired in pride.
In my dungeon.
Courage is good for the vulgar.
Corporal…
I'm a loser.
Good evening, Corporal.
I'll take a walk.
Where?
Having no more conditions,
I go in search of human dignity.
Come on, don't be ridiculous
and go to bed.
I'm serious,
I find myself at one of the rare occasions
when the dream coincides with reality.
Gratuitous gestures become
a practical allusion…
Where Don Quixote joins Sancho Panza.
Goodbye, Corporal.
Do you want to leave?
Open your veins, it will be cleaner.
Corporal, don't you trust me?
But here, you have no chance!
Once out of the discipline,
we will leave together.
Someone like me can only go it alone.
Hush!
Gentlemen, I wanted to say goodbye to you.
In a few minutes, I will escape.
Bavard.
We would first have to open
the door to the barracks.
That should be enough.
And the barbed wire, how will you cut it?
These pliers are not the latest model,
but they will do the trick.
What about the sentries?
With their glasses and guns?
A simple misunderstanding.
While you're at it, don't you have a flag?
Can't you see it? Written in gold letters.
My motto,
"Gaz de France, leaks on every floor."
I remind you that I work at GDF.
Companions on my return from Germany.
Farewell.
Ballochet!
Don't fear, Corporal, I have a plan.
The best.
One that consists of not having a plan.
Meet at the "Co-pilot" terrace.
Gentlemen, your light is blinding me.
That's it, your boyfriend is in the yard.
How long will it take to…
reach the barbed wire?
25 seconds, maximum.
And 30 seconds to cut
the barbed wire at the door.
One, two, three, four…
five, six, seven, eight, nine…
ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen…
-Fifteen…
-He's walking past the yard.
-17, 18, 19…
-Now it's uncovered!
20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25…
He is at the gate to the field.
He's cutting the barbed wire.
Keep counting, you moron!
One, two, three, four, five, six…
I didn't count,
but I think it's been two minutes.
Hooray! He succeeded!
Come on!
In the metropolitan area, they're
going to put us back in civilian clothes.
In my opinion, this is a big mistake.
It looks…
easy, to punch tickets, but it…
But you need authority.
I'll tell you, the uniforms,
my boots are full of them!
I would rather be a bum
than working in the metro.
Too right, mate.
First of all, we don't
breathe in your metro.
Holes, you make holes.
And here, what are you doing?
In the metro,
you have to impose yourself.
At peak times,
they'd run over you guys.
It doesn't surprise me
that you are also a pancake!
That's smart!
Oh, me, I pass without a ticket.
No ticket, buddy!
You get cut off, eh?
I tell you, "I took the wrong platform,"
and done!
-No.
-Yes.
That, that…
That would surprise me.
Because at that time,
my colleague across the way,
well, you know…
What?
On the other hand…
If they put us back in civilian clothes
and we keep our caps,
that wouldn't be so bad.
The yacht type.
You would rather look like a barge.
You… you…
You should have stayed
in the commando.
-We were quieter.
-Shut your mouths!
No, over there!
DR. URSULA SCHMIDT
DENTIST
What if his mother opens the door for us?
You're ill
and she pulls your tooth out.
Don't mess around, Corporal, not now!
The door!
The door!
Come.
We need civilian clothes.
Can you give us some?
Yes, come on.
Wait for me.
-Your…
-Sure about this bird?
She's a friend, I tell you.
She is a friend.
There is surely a woman in Paris
who has her whole life to look at you.
I only have this moment.
Hey, you're not in the metro!
-That works?
-Official, yeah.
No! Oh dear!
Erika!
Police. Your papers!
Someone forgot this funeral wreath.
Why does this man have
a flower crown?
Mom, I want to play with the crown!
Silence or this man will take you to war.
Yes, I want to go to war.
You have to grow up.
If you are not wise,
you will stay small.
Is that right, miss?
Do you want a cigarette?
Are you going to Paris?
Yes, I am the secretary
of the general staff.
We were lucky.
Ticket control.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Your papers please.
Your papers please!
Leave it.
I see. Excuse me.
Günther, silence. Sleep now.
Would you mind?
Pay attention!
It slipped out of my hand. Sorry.
Excuse me.
It's a bit cool. I have to warm up.
You're welcome.
Mom, I want to drink.
Let this child drink.
It's good for your health,
it makes you sleep well. We will be quiet.
Are you not ashamed then?
What a bad example!
You don't deserve to be German.
My dear friend Ointment,
you look very sick.
Love made you sick, that's no joke.
So take a little schnapps!
Leave them in peace.
Sorry, I hadn't seen it.
All my condolences.
Here, it comforts for all the tests.
Never after meals.
French people!
I love the French! I know Paris!
The City of Lights!
The French have
the prettiest legs in the world!
-Do you agree with me?
-Yes, OK!
Have a drink, please.
The French are my friends.
In Paris, you know, I'm not a tourist.
No Moulin Rouge, no Les Folies Bergères…
I know the little corners.
Rue de Lappe, music, Balajo…
I call her a petite bourgeoise
The Tonkiki, the Tonkiki, the Tonkinoise
Come on, stay here!
No, stay, my friends.
I can still talk about Paris, you know.
You are friends of happiness, you.
They are my friends.
Everything is fine.
-Your papers!
-You again! Pay attention!
Maybe I am a better German than you.
Long live France!
A prisoner!
So it's because we're still far
from the border!
-You are French?
-Yes.
We packed up.
Is the border still far away?
No, over there behind the hill.
And are you still here?
Why don't you pull yourself away?
-Why?
-I don't know.
To find the land of our ancestors.
But my ancestors had no land.
At home, in Beauce, I am a farm worker.
I work on other people's land.
And here? What do you do?
For the first time in my life,
I have something of my own.
Her husband was killed in Russia.
When this rotten war is over,
we'll get married.
Well, I…
my land and my wife are in Paris, so…
I'm going back to Paris.
And I am the movement.
My own land is where my friend is.
When you get to the edge of the woods,
take the path on the left.
You will avoid their post.
Hi. Good luck.
Thank you.
Hey!
Do you have to eat at least?
We have… an apple.
Give them our breakfast.
Thank you very much.
She is a friend.
I'm telling you, she's a friend.
There you go.
"There you go" what?
I say goodbye to you.
I have a friend near Bercy,
and you go to the other side.
We are waiting for you at your place.
That is to say that I am expected,
if I am expected.
We never stopped waiting for you.
Goodbye, Corporal.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Hey…
When you have found…
the person who is waiting for you…
and you have stayed with her
for a while to get to know her again…
Will you do this again?
It's beautiful, Paris.
We breathe here.
It smells of fuel oil.
It's a tugboat.
It smells like Paris.
But I got it. It's not over?
It is just beginning.
The sight of swastikas depresses me.
So we'll see each other again, Corporal!
Well, see you soon!
See you soon, Dad.
THE END
Subtitle translation by: Chris Ward