Mutters Maske (1988) - full transcript
The drama of a family resident in Ruhradel.
Good morning, this is Charly Weiss again
with the latest from Düsseldorf.
Just this evening, Kurt von Mühlenbeck
returned to West Germany.
Mr... Kurt von Mühlenbeck...
Wilhelm von Mühlenbeck,
how do you feel
after returning to West Germany?
Well, things seem to have changed a lot.
But time never stops, does it?
You can say that again.
Kurt von Mühlenbeck,
are you happy about your brother's return?
I'm not Kurt, I'm Martin.
Goodbye, young man.
We're going to eat on the train.
Thank you. We're done here.
Now back to the studio in Düsseldorf.
Well...
That's how it all started.
But first, let me introduce myself.
My name is Julien.
Until recently, I was a servant
in the Mühlenbecks' home.
Today I want to tell you the story
of the man who returned home, Willy,
Martin, the late-born son,
and Mother, the loving one.
What started out so beautifully
ended in a swamp of betrayal and intrigue.
But please, have a look yourself.
"HEALTHIEST OF ALL IS CLEARLY THE AMOEBA."
EGON FRIEDELL
Now for the weather.
Partly cloudy, scattered rain showers,
later in the day...
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
ONE MONTH AGO
12:45 A.M.
... we wish you a good night.
Get in.
MOTHER'S MASK
So, Willy, my brother, is it good?
It should suit your demanding palate.
Thank you. It reminds me of the many foods
on my many voyages through...
British Guyana, Congo, Sumatra,
Iran, Iraq...
Bouri, South Africa, where the natives,
as I just learned, eat with two forks.
How interesting.
You gallivant while I work on a book
about Far-Eastern rituals.
Still the old historian, eh?
That in no way contradicts
my story about the two forks.
So you're best friend
to those who bring us plagues.
What nonsense! "Plagues"?
That leaves no room for fraternization!
- I sold our factories abroad.
- Squandered!
Father ran our firm to ruin.
- Squandered them.
- You know that!
And the Krupp fortune? The von Essenbecks?
Von Bohlen und Halbach?
The von Essenbecks? Never heard of them.
Krupp, von Bohlen und Halbach,
AEG, Ciba-Geigy... They're all dead!
Nonsense!
You've totally changed since I left!
- You've become foreign to me!
- Foreign?
You know what's foreign?
Up yours with your stupid present!
Martin, that's a present,
not a murder weapon!
Do you still remember?
In the late seventies,
just before the change.
How we used to
make music with mother every Sunday?
My God, that was so long ago.
Willy, you can have a lock of my hair.
A lock...
Back then, morality was still respected.
Today one lives off of it.
Martin, please tell mother
I'll visit her tomorrow.
- No, that's impossible.
- Why?
She no longer lives in the hotel.
She came back home, voluntarily.
- Why can't I visit her then?
- I told you it's impossible!
Impossible!
If she's in her mansion, I can visit her!
Or else the entire rhythm is wrong!
MOTHER'S MANSION - 11:15 A.M.
Stop it!
That's enough, I'm done! Come...
Stop it!
... injustice, disease,
death, divorce,
a lack of love among people nowadays.
- Plagues, plagues and more plagues.
- Hello?
- Orphans...
- What are you doing there?
Please, please don't hurt me.
Children mean everything to me!
I have a horseshoe.
Normally horses have them on their feet.
But holding it in your hand
is said to bring good luck.
I don't need luck. But my sister does!
That's why I'll give it to her.
- May this bring you good luck!
- Thank you!
Goodbye!
Goodbye.
Hello?
Sad.
Sad.
Sad.
Say, what are you doing here?
I'm a good friend of your mother,
and of your new neighbor.
Right now,
I'm working in the Schönerbaum house.
No need to be afraid.
Goodbye.
Julien?
- Uncle Julien!
- Willy?
Willy! My God, you've changed!
My dear Willy!
Aren't you allowed in the house?
Must you sleep outside?
- No, but it's terrible.
- What is it? Something with Mother?
Martin didn't say anything. Is she ill?
No. But the surroundings!
The surroundings are ill!
Look!
That will never heal.
The medical officer said so.
Gangrene!
Due to the lack of light.
Always these dark rooms.
The lopsided nutrition!
There's no one who ever helps me.
Julien, you've grown old!
But I plant.
Herbs.
I sow them in the fall,
forget about them in winter.
It's a funny little game, I tell you.
If you mix the seeds,
then, in spring, you have
the beans with the tulips,
and the radishes grow under the cactuses.
Come on, cactuses?
The soil is much too poor.
They would never flourish here!
Utter nonsense.
Where's Mother?
Is she out for a walk?
And who's playing the music?
Your mother.
Your mother's playing the music!
Mrs. von Mühlenbeck!
Mrs. von Mühlenbeck!
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Willy, over here. Come over here.
First, she turns off her organ.
Then she slides down off her stool.
And then she'll hover over to us,
a beautiful specimen from head to toe.
Attention, Willy... Now!
- What is it?
- Your son. Your son Willy is here!
- Mother! Here!
- Willy?!
- Your son, Willy!
- Your son.
Bring him up. I'm waiting!
Come, Willy.
You know the way yourself.
Mother?
- Mother...
- Willy!
Willy! Willy!
Willy! Willy! Willy!
You played the organ beautifully.
I missed you so much, Willy.
So much! Ow!
- What's going on, Mom?
- My old bones! Willy, I missed you so.
Oh, My bones ache so!
So what happened while I was gone?
You played the organ so beautifully.
What's going on?
Don't you see
Mother has no time for you? Out!
Who do you think you are?!
Letting Mother live in such a sty!
Then treating me like this!
It's inhumane!
Willy, same old dreamer.
She has to get out of here.
You can see that!
He tortures me.
Julien!
- Julien!
- Mr. von Mühlenbeck?
Yes, sir, Mr. von Mühlenbeck?
There's a corpse on the shore.
Can you explain that?
There's a corpse there every week.
- I don't want to know how often, but why!
- It's from the neighbor's land!
Sometimes it's dogs, sometimes cats.
This week it's rabbits.
And next week maybe a chicken.
Shall I remove it?
I don't have time to look at it now.
Into the cellar with it!
Yes, sir.
Ah, the wind!
The waves!
Above us, the sun!
And no one to tear us asunder anymore!
SUNDAY MORNING - 11:30 A.M.
- Bravo!
- Bravo!
Thank you!
Willy...
Did you like it?
- Yes, Mother, it was very lovely.
- I played it just for you!
Our appetizer, so to speak.
Every Sunday at the same time,
spiritual nourishment.
Julian!
Madame? You called?
How long does the roast need to cook?
Rabbit goes quickly. Half an hour.
Then we still have half an hour,
Aunt Martha could...
read us a poem.
"The Happy Corpse."
In rich soil, infested with snails
I wish to dig myself a nice deep grave
Where I can freely
stretch out these old bones
Forget, and sleep,
Like a shark in a wave
O worms!
With neither eyes nor ears,
A free and happy corpse comes to you
Feasting philosophers,
scions of excrement,
Go through my remains, without remorse,
And tell me...
- Does a twinge of torment remain?
- How beautiful!
For this soulless body,
Deader than the dead!
How beautiful!
So, Willy, did you like it?
Lovely.
But I find such things awful.
- It's as if we're threatening him!
- He doesn't know such things.
- Exactly, he doesn't know such things!
- Keep your remarks to yourself, Martin.
I won't be gagged.
Especially not by you, my dear!
That's why! That's why I think it's awful!
Please excuse me, but I certainly
do not intend to insult you.
I don't want to injure you,
but it's the mood!
The mood spoils the pleasure!
Have a look outside!
That's where life is!
And not in this dreary hut,
in this dark vault.
I'm done.
- That's enough!
- Martin!
Willy's playing us for fools.
A sheltered life, no sense of threat!
Always Willy here, Willy there!
He who seeks out danger, dies from it!
- Pick that up.
- Willy!
Willy!
What's wrong?
Mother, Martin is insufferable.
He only wants to tear us apart!
Jealousy is incurable.
Mother, you must leave here.
Or you'll go to the dogs!
Do you think I've changed?
Do I look bad?
You look ill, Mother.
The bad air, and the lopsided nutrition.
And then there's this wig...
It doesn't suit you at all.
I missed you.
I missed you so much!
I missed you too, Mother.
Summertime... No!
From deep affliction I cry out to you
Lord God, hear my call...
... plea
For if you want to behold this,
Who can then, Lord, stay before you?
No, I don't want to stay.
I want to get away. I want to get away.
Encypheriosis.
A characteristic of the bowed foot,
which is especially prevalent
in lower mountain ranges,
and which can lie up
to 30 cm above sea level.
The small and the big toe are retroverted
and, as a result,
the veins begin to swell.
The swelling extends
to the front of the foot, and stays there.
If it doesn't spread to other feet.
This phenomenon
is called "vein syndrome,"
which can have negative consequences,
especially for sensitive and weak people.
Encypheriosis.
A characteristic of the bowed foot,
which is especially prevalent in...
What do you want?
Why have you been following me around
the entire day?
Go away! Far, far away!
Here!
... which can have negative consequences,
especially for sensitive
and physically weak people.
This is WDR3 again,
with some goodnight music.
- Can you give me a little lift?
- Of course. I'd love to.
Faster, faster!
I'll get out if you keep driving so slow.
Say, have you injured yourself?
I fell off a horse.
- What happened to the horse?
- Dead!
Stop!
You'd best not follow me!
Initially, Willy wanted to leave Germany
that same evening.
But now he was fascinated
by a young woman
whom he had given a ride
for only a few seconds.
A woman who possessed a secret
which would prove fruitful to fathom.
So he went back to the hotel
that same evening.
Where even worse things awaited him.
Yes?
Mother! What happened?
- I can't sleep!
- But you're totally filthy!
I climbed into the garden.
The door was locked!
There's a horse lying in the garden.
It's dead!
It belongs to our neighbor!
If she finds out
it's lying in our garden...
Martin won't allow me to visit her.
Mother, what are you talking about?
I saw the two of you!
Mother, what do you mean?
Do you mean...
Do you mean the woman...
The one in the garden
who gave me the horseshoe?
- A horseshoe?
- Yes, mother.
Tonight I took a young woman along in my car.
Do you mean her?
She is ill, she is terminally ill!
Her parents died from it!
- Martin told me everything! I know it all!
- The things Martin tells you, Mother!
Yes?
I have to go.
Just look at you!
It's 1:30 a.m., we have to go.
Shameless, the way you treat Mother!
- Good night, Willy.
- Good night!
Willy stood at the window and had to watch
as they pulled Mother into the car.
What did she mean
by her incredible claim about the neighbor
and the dead horse in the garden?
What do you do
with a dead horse in the garden?
He mumbled to himself,
when it suddenly dawned on him.
Bury it!
You bury it!
He said, as he made
his way to the neighbor's yard.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Still out at this late hour?
I'm a night owl.
We're just burying my horse.
It broke both its forelegs.
Anna, this is the nice young man
who gave me a ride.
By the way, thanks so much for the lift.
It was my pleasure.
If somebody is in need,
I help however I can.
Then you must want a reward.
A reward?
What reward do you have in mind?
Do you want to go riding with me tomorrow?
I've lots of horses!
That's enough! Off to bed!
Or you'll catch a cold!
Well, see you tomorrow morning.
I'll be waiting...
Giddyup!
Giddyup! Wotan!
Riding like this is my greatest passion!
- I love horses above all! Giddyup, Wotan!
- Only horses?
Well, there's other things, too.
Like tournaments.
I wish I could ride in a horse race.
I like rowing best.
But I would bet on you to win a top place!
Ha! Just a top place?
That's not exactly a compliment!
- Ha!
- You can bet on victory!
Joy I shall never lack
as long as one is on a horse's back!
Ha! You can save your quips! Go!
You sure leave a guy breathless.
And I don't even know your name.
My name is Els.
In fond memory of my mother.
May I accompany you again tomorrow?
I mean, only until you're... tired of me.
All right! Again tomorrow morning.
But my day starts at 7 a.m.!
In with you, you little rascals!
TWO HOURS LATER
- Good morning, Medical Officer!
- Didn't I forbid you to go riding?!
The fresh air does me good!
Ice cold hands, your head sopping wet!
You just took a cold shower, eh?
Your syringes are no good anymore!
I know I don't have much time left!
What are you talking about?!
I want to enjoy my life to the fullest!
I don't want to waste away until the end.
Stop it! I'm doing everything
for your recovery, and you?!
You don't follow any of my instructions,
and you seek out unnecessary dangers!
You know my favorite horse, Susi!
I killed her last night!
She had broken both her forelegs.
Anna couldn't do it!
I've always loved Susi!
Els, what do you expect from me?
I swore an oath!
And here's more advice.
Stop the constant riding!
Get some rest!
You cannot constantly fight your body!
And your body is ill!
Get that through your...
SEPTEMBER 30TH, 6 P.M.
I sense I don't have much longer to live.
That I'm going to die soon.
And I'm sorry that I can leave you nothing
other than great sorrow.
I can only give you
one bit of good advice.
A Mühlenbeck never gives up. Never!
Father!
My son!
Make me the sole heir!
Please!
Give me the foreign factories!
And I'll travel the world...
In order to make the company...
a financial power again!
Where is Willy?
Aunt Martha, now the poem.
"The Happy Corpse."
In rich soil, infested with snails
I wish to dig myself a nice deep grave
Where I can freely
stretch out these old bones
Forget, and sleep,
Like a shark in a wave
O worms!
With neither eyes nor ears,
A free and happy corpse comes to you
Go through my remains, without remorse,
And tell me
Does a twinge of torment remain?
For this soulless body,
Deader than the dead!
- So, Willy? Did you like it?
- I find such things awful!
How can you show mother
this theatrical mush about father's death?
- It can't be good for her!
- Enough! Willy's playing you for a fool!
Willy, always Willy!
Pampered his whole life!
Julien, get the food.
Get the food!
My serve, damn it! What's with you?
You're just thinking about Els!
What makes you think that?
- I'm not stupid, you know.
- You don't even know me, Martin!
You can put souvenirs into a suitcase,
but not a whole life!
- What do you know about Els...
- Stop using her pet name!
But Mother calls her that too!
Don't compare Mother to Els!
It's an injustice to both.
If you doubt my love for Mother,
go on and say so!
Come and help me instead.
Be careful, Willy.
I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.
Elsbeth!
Wake up! Wake up, Els!
Damn it, here we go again!
Medical Officer, what do you think?
Just like I thought... Alcohol!
Come!
Why make such a scene? What is this?
I won't give up without a fight!
Go on, fight.
Willy! Willy!
Willy!
This was the last time! That's enough!
To let a child grow up in such a place!
I'll call Child Services!
Alcohol in the morning, in her state!
- The child must be protected.
- What child?
- She has a child. God knows from whom.
- Ah!
- She didn't tell me that!
- There's much she didn't tell you.
Leave her be!
I can do fine without your advice!
That's it, it's over for good!
How dare you!
This woman is gravely ill!
Her state gets worse by the hour!
You're signing her death sentence!
Stop the "she's ill" jabbering.
I can't hear it anymore!
You're downright talking her into it!
I'm a doctor, Mr. von Mühlenbeck.
If you really want to help her,
then leave the room, you...
You seem to me to be
like a fly on a wounded animal.
You didn't say that in vain.
I'll see to it
that this case is made public!
Els...
- Willy...
- My dear Els.
You've come.
I've been waiting for you so.
Martin!
Seidler, my pleasure.
Seidler.
- But Marie is all right?
- Yes.
I'm ill.
I'm gravely ill.
It's getting worse and worse.
It burns more and more.
I'm afraid.
But you don't need to be afraid.
You're not alone!
Marie...
Marie!
Who is Marie?
Els?
Els! Els!
Willy!
You goddamn...!
- I told you to leave her be!
- Please, Martin!
- Els is ill! Els is ill!
- Damn it, Martin!
Let go!
Martin, please!
Seidler. Child Services.
Mr. von Mühlenbeck,
I've heard a lot about you.
Too bad we're meeting
under such circumstances.
Your brother told me
you've been travelling a lot.
Here's my card.
Perhaps another time? In another place?
What's going on here?
Normally you don't care
so affectionately for children!
Mr. Seidler will take
the child into his home.
Marie!
What a beautiful name you have.
I brought a present for you!
- Look, a...
- Yuck! I don't like that! Yuck!
Yuck!
Yuck! Yuck!
But flying! Flying!
I've had enough!
Ride a little horsey...
Marie stays here!
You have no right to take her!
- Martin!
- Come.
You have no right to talk of the child!
It belongs in an orderly setting!
It lives in a pigsty here!
Ride a little horsey
Fall off and he'll go owie...
Willy...
I'm here with you. Don't be afraid.
Where's Marie?
Marie is... in good hands.
She sends many greetings
and says for you to get well soon.
Really?
- Did she say that?
- Yes, that's what she said.
But I feel my strength leaving me.
Look...
When I was a little boy,
I was always riding my bike.
But, one day,
I fell so hard that I cried horribly.
Everyone laughed,
and I wasn't allowed outside anymore.
I would have loved so much
to be with the other children outside.
I wanted to get well at all costs.
And then I thought
I'd simply turn the tables!
I whistled and laughed
and frolicked about!
And, Io and behold,
the door opened and I was well again.
You're so right!
I need to get out of here.
I need to show them.
OCTOBER 2ND, 8:30 A.M.
Outstanding! Bravo, Els!
You did really well!
Go on, try again.
Go!
Wonderful! Now try again!
Willy!
Willy!
Willy...
You did that wonderfully!
Beautiful! Yes, bring it here!
Willy!
- Yes!
- Bravo, Els!
- Mother!
- Martin!
What happened?
Calm down.
What's going on?
Willy...
- My God, that's Willy! Good God, Willy!
- Willy!
Bravo, Els! You're doing great!
Try again.
Try again, take your time.
Take your time setting the arrow.
Try. Try again.
Put it in! Hurry, we don't have much time!
Try it.
- Keep trying! Once more!
- What's going on?
Shoot!
- Willy!
- Can you explain this?
- Els is as healthy as can be!
- Give me the bow! This could kill you!
There! A rabbit!
- What do you want?
- A dead rabbit!
- What of it?
- It was in the yard!
- Yes!
- Bravo, Els! You did this!
There you go!
Els is as healthy as can be.
I've no time to look at it now.
Put it in the cellar!
There you see what happens!
We could all be dead!
Stop it, Martin!
It's easy when you're standing here.
But try doing it from a galloping horse!
Shoot, Els!
Show them!
- Yeah!
- Bravo, bravo!
Bravo!
Yeah!
Bravo, Els!
I'm coming back!
Giddyup!
Bravo, Els!
Bravo!
Bravo, Els!
Els! Els, what's going on?
What's wrong?
- Irresponsible! She's my patient.
- Els!
What's going on?
Did you hurt yourself?
Willy...
- Irresponsible! She could have died!
- Willy...
You did just great, Els!
Great! But it was also reckless.
Reckless? She was risking her life.
The horse could've trampled her to death!
Then I'd be dead. So what?
It wouldn't matter.
It's everybody's turn someday.
Don't talk about death, Els.
You're still so young!
Oh, age doesn't matter.
Death is always so near.
Sometimes you should smile at him
and tell him, "You are my friend,
you help out when I can't go on anymore!"
- Good morning, Mr. von Mühlenbeck!
- Morning.
Willy, can you help me for a second?
By the way, we have an invitation.
Mr. Seidler called.
He's doing a parents' evening.
Seems Marie has settled in beautifully.
- Good morning, madam!
- Julien!
- I'm bringing the mask!
- The mask?
It's the best I could find now,
out-of-season.
It's beautiful! It's so beautiful!
Tie it on.
Thanks, Julien!
Mother, what is the mask for?
We're invited to Mr. Seidler's tonight.
Everybody wears disguises.
The kids love it!
Mother's mask.
Mother's mask.
She makes such an effort.
Come with me to the cellar!
I want to put together a case of wine.
Here, take a torch.
The light doesn't work.
Today wasn't such a successful day, eh?
Sorry for starting again,
but don't you think
you expect too much of Mother?
She's making such an effort.
But deep down it only hurts her.
You done?
You make me sick!
See what you did!
The 1956 Hausberg!
It slipped and is seeping into the floor!
A very expensive memento!
That'd fetch a lot of money at an auction!
Typical of your poor business sense!
You're going to destroy
our final possessions!
Quiet! Light over there!
What's that?
A rabbit.
It's still alive!
What'll we do with it?
Willy!
"Willy was at his wits end.
In the long time of his absence
a lot had changed indeed.
Martin exploited every occasion
to humiliate him.
It was only his love to Els
that sustained him a little bit.
So that very evening he saddled his horse
and rode to the window
of the exhausted one
to bring her the lover's greeting."
Els!
Els!
Els, here!
ORPHANAGE ST. VINZENZ VON PAUL
9:15 P.M.
Close to the village fountain
There stands a linden tree
So oft, beneath its branches,
In dreams my life I see
Upon its bark inscribing
Sweet vows of love I made
Close to the village fountain
There stands a linden...
... tree!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Did you like it?
Tell me...
Do you write your own pieces?
Sometimes.
It depends on what mood I'm in.
And if the children are nice to me.
Death...
Death...
Death...
Death!
Only three times.
That means great danger!
You will perish.
Ah!
I almost forgot
the most important bit of the evening.
Our little Marie!
Marie!
Come, Marie, please!
Come!
Come on, Marie!
All the children of this world are...
are called to us by our dear Lord
Their hearts pure, one and all,
Their bodies precious and very small
You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone indeed
Like little birdies
I know that!
I know it from back then!
Wonderful!
We'll set up a choir, Marie will lead!
All the children of this world
Are called to us...
Are called to us by our dear Lord
Their... No.
... Their bodies precious and very small
... You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone indeed
Like little birdies
... Like little birdies
... little...
So let us all sing...
And in joy our glasses clink
Because who is always cheerful
Sings and sings an earful
In our little children's world
That helps to...
Cheers!
Bravo, Marie!
Thank you. You did that really well.
And now a little reward,
and then off to bed.
Hop, hop, hop!
Come!
Say hello to uncle Martin.
- Hello.
- Hello.
You seem to have settled in beautifully!
Am I right?
Look.
Mother's mask.
Beep, beep, beep.
Death, death.
Look what I brought you.
Yuck, I don't like it! Yuck!
- Yuck! Yuck!
- Marie!
- Yuck!
- Marie, please!
Off, off to bed, Marie!
I'll come tuck you in soon. Off with you!
Yuck!
Marie!
I don't want that animal! Yuck!
Where are you taking me?
- I want to go to bed!
- Please, be quiet!
- Where are we going, Willy!
- Els, please!
- I want to go back home.
- Come!
Hello?
Evening, Mr. Seidler. Sister Anna here.
Enough is enough! Willy kidnapped Els.
I won't take responsibility anymore!
- Good night!
- Thank you!
I know perfectly well what they're up to.
But they're fooling with the wrong guy.
So? What's your plan!
First, we'll get Marie out of there.
Then I'll take you
to a specialist in France.
Marie...
I have to know.
Who is the father?
You have to tell me.
Marie...
Willy was determined
to get to the bottom of it.
He parked the car
in the orphanage garage.
He looked around cautiously,
closed the door and headed off.
He quickly arrived at the elaborate
yet somewhat neglected garden.
And as he was noticing
the closed curtains, he heard a noise.
Footsteps approaching. Then a shadow.
Then a shoe. Then a mouse's nose.
And before Willy could react...
A blow to his forehead.
This time, Martin had gone too far.
But fortunately,
Willy couldn't remember anything
when he awoke the next morning
in the hospital next to his boyhood home.
And the story took a calamitous turn.
Els...
Els!
... You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone,
like the little birdies
Lament...
Els...
- Julien!
- Madam!
- What are you doing!
- A rabbit in the water.
- A rabbit?
- That's right!
- A dead rabbit?
- A dead rabbit!
- It got wounded here!
- Wounded?
That's right!
It's Els!
She shoots them...
strangles them.
- Oh no, madam!
- And throws them in the water!
- Madam, please. No!
- In the water, Julien!
- Madam, please!
- Her madness must be stopped!
Where are you headed, madam?
Ms. von MÜhlenbeck!
Her madness must be stopped!
Her madness must be stopped!
Mother! Where are you headed!
Her madness must be stopped!
Her madness must be stopped!
- Els!
- What are you up to, for God's sake!
Her madness must be stopped!
Do you think that's the right thing to do?
I guessed you were unwell.
I woke up in my sleep. I saw you.
- In pain, Mother!
- In pain?
Yes, in pain! In infinite pain!
If you knew
how I've suffered these last few days.
Constantly worrying about Willy!
Always worrying about his health!
Mother, what you're doing isn't right!
There are other ways and means.
Totally different ways and means.
She's turning his head!
She turns men's heads until they pop off!
- But men look at you, too, Mother!
- Who? You?!
Be glad they don't whistle, it's vulgar!
Don't try and fool me,
I know what's going on!
My concern for Willy has consumed me.
Els is making a mess of all of us!
And I want to do something about it.
- Worst case you need to drop Willy.
- Don't touch me!
- He's only taking advantage of you!
- Don't touch me!
Don't touch me! Don't touch me!
- Get up!
- You won't perform your experiments on me!
Mother commissioned me to treat you!
My mother can't commission you!
I'm neither demented nor underage!
I can speak for myself,
Mr. Medical Officer!
Els! Els! Here I am!
- Els! Here!
- Willy!
They're for you!
- Did anybody see you?
- No, why are you asking?
After what happened to me
I should reckon with anything!
Did you hurt yourself?
I ran into something last night, I...
But for the life of me I...
For the life of me
I don't remember what it was, I can't...
I can't remember a thing!
Poor you!
There! The boat!
Yes! The boat!
The boat!
Els, be careful. You're still so shaky.
This morning I was so well.
Now I've gone weak in the knees.
Probably from the excitement!
- Don't you want to sit down?
- No, I think it's wiser if I stand!
- That's what I like to see.
- It's only because you're here.
Because you're close to me.
If I'm lying in my room
with nobody there
to greet me at my window,
that's when I feel my strength fade.
This is how I'd like to die!
Don't say that, Els.
When I cross over,
I want my ashes spread in the sea.
Els!
And when the waves kiss the shore
I'll know...
... that you know I'm thinking of you.
Come on, stop it, Els.
Always death and dark stuff.
My brother and the medical officer
talking about it is enough.
You don't need to start as well!
But I know how your mother
is suffering because of me.
- I know about your feelings for her.
- But they're two different things!
You need to separate the two.
But sometimes you can't separate anymore.
Things belong firmly together.
In separation...
In separation we wither away!
And we are hopeless.
Julien! Julien!
Julien!
- Yes, madam?
- Willy...
Where is Willy! Willy!
Julien! Where is Willy!
I think he went to town.
What is he doing in town?!
- He wanted to meet someone.
- Meet someone? Who?
Who?
Els!
Ms. von Mühlenbeck?
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
What's going on?
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Hey, Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Hey!
Els! Els, what's the matter?
Willy!
I can't breathe!
Help me, Willy!
Willy!
Help me!
THE LAST NIGHT
Julien, the fish came out excellently.
- A little dressing on the salad?
- Good idea.
- And a few drops of lemon juice. May I?
- Oh yes!
Delicious!
Why don't I have a spoon?
- Take mine!
- No thanks, I'll ask for a new one.
- Go on, take it. It's not poisoned.
- Julien, please bring me a new spoon.
- But I set places for everyone.
- Damn it, bring me a new spoon!
- Where are you going?
- For a walk.
You're going to her, right?
You can't do that! She's ill!
She's ill!
Willy!
Willy!
- Leave me alone!
- Not if you want an ally against Mother.
- Let me go!
- No!
What are you thinking?
If you have no respect for yourself,
at least have some for Mother!
Dawn!
Embrace me!
Dawn!
Beguile me!
Dawn!
Show me the black path towards death!
- You can't!
- I must!
Nobody can see her! She's gravely ill!
- I must!
- Nobody can see her!
- Utter nonsense!
- Let her sleep!
- Be quiet!
- Doctor, let me...
- I've confined her to bed!
- I have to see her!
- You can't see her!
- But I want to see her!
She's in the last stage.
We can be glad if she feels no pain!
Listen, are you a doctor or a storyteller?
What is all this supposed to mean?
Now let me tell you something!
Since I've known you,
you've doubted my professional competence!
If you really want to know...
Go on, tell him!
Els has a very, very contagious disease.
I've been able to keep her under control
for almost three years now.
Thanks to your foolishness
all my work has been in vain!
Every kiss,
every touch,
every encounter can be deadly.
There it is! Every contact is deadly,
every touch, every kiss!
Bonita banana, Bonita banana...
I live off air and love, that's enough.
And a drop of water in my heart.
Despite his great fear
of having been infected,
that evening Willy saddled his horse
once again and rode to Els,
who was already on her deathbed.
Els!
Els!
But this time his calling was in vain.
And it was only Mother
who spotted her son
on a horse in the distance
and had to realize
how much he had loved this woman.
You nearly hit your head on the door frame!
Are you feeling all right?
What's the matter, Willy?
Willy?
- Do you want me to call your mother?
- No, I just feel odd all of a sudden.
I'll get your brother!
No, no.
I don't want anybody to...
Willy!
Now Willy was ill, and lay in bed,
weakened from the infection,
when his mother came to see him.
She had had one too many to drink
and wanted to prove to him
that motherly love was the only true love.
Mother?
Willy...
Willy! Willy!
Willy!
- Mother!
- Willy!
Willy, shut up! Willy!
You were infected by the girl!
Shut up, Willy!
Els, Els...
Her kisses...
Mother, you can't stay here.
You can't stay here, Mother.
If I was infected by the girl...
But you can't stay here! Nurse!
Ouch!
What are you doing there?
That's life-threatening!
- But I want...
- Are you crazy?
Are you crazy? Out with the woman!
Do a blood test immediately!
Ouch! Ow, my leg!
The blood test was negative, of course.
But none of that mattered
to Mother anymore.
She only had one wish.
The wish to help her son.
He's dying.
Willy's dying, and it's my fault.
He walks the uncertain path of love!
She is deadly!
He doesn't love me anymore.
He's in love with somebody else!
One, two, three, four...
five, six...
A sacrifice!
A great sacrifice!
Would you like to confess?
- Then talk to me!
- What do I need to do?
What are your problems, dear sister?
- He's dying.
- Who's dying?
- My son is dying!
- Your son! What's the matter with him!
- What did you do to him?
- He walks the deadly path of love.
Of love! But love is beautiful!
- Love is something wonderful!
- Love is deadly!
- No, love is God-given.
- Love is deadly!
And without love we couldn't live,
we'd wither like flowers without sun.
But maybe you need to find a new way
of speaking to him!
- But I can't! I can't!
- Yes you can.
- I'm broken and exhausted!
- Even if...
Even if it means a sacrifice for you,
you can do it.
- You need to try. It's going to be hard...
- But I can't visit him anymore!
Yes, you will succeed.
You need to make this sacrifice.
No, no, I can't go on!
I'm completely destroyed!
- You can make this sacrifice!
- I... No!
A sacrifice?
Yes.
Sacrifice!
A great sacrifice!
EVANGELICAL HOSPITAL AND EYE CLINIC
What kind of sacrifice?
Yes, Nurse Inge, Ward B.
Hello!
Hel-lo!
Hel-lo!!
Hello?
Tell him that a horseman is on the beach!
A horseman!
A horseman!
A horseman is standing at the gate!
A horseman is standing at the gate!
Who was it?
Go to sleep now.
Or I'll have to get the doctor.
Neither of us wants that, do we?
A phone call...
Let me make a phone call.
I have to make a phone call!
And while Els
was all Willy could think about,
Mother climbed on the horse
and made her way to the window
of the soon-to-be-departed one.
A horseman is at...
Come, come! A horseman is...
To make peace with her son and the world.
Willy?
Els! Els! We must make amends!
Els! We'll make amends!
Els!
We must make amends! Els!
We must make amends!
We must make amends, Els!
Els! I am his mother!
I love you!
I will die for you!
I want to die for you! I love you all!
I love you all, all, all!
Hello?
Els?
It's Willy.
Do you hear me?
I can't stand it any longer.
I just have to tell you.
Because we may never see each other again.
Els...
I love you.
I have always loved you.
Willy!
Willy, Els is dead!
Dead.
Dead.
Dead!
Dead!
And, just as Els had wished on the boat,
Willy and Mother
spread her ashes in the sea.
Els had received her last will
And only a few minutes later
Willy and his mother were to receive
their last will as well.
Good day, Aunt, good day, Uncle!
Will you come, please?
Martin closed the hatch to the attic
and made his way downstairs.
The group followed him.
Only Marie stayed behind, alone, and felt
that something was about to change.
Well.
So that was the story
I wanted to tell you.
Now it's gotten late,
and I'd like to bid you farewell.
I say goodbye, see you next time.
Your Dieter Lehr.
...ranging from 14 to 19 degrees.
That, dear viewers,
was the latest from the Today Show.
We wish you a good night.
The wind!
The waves!
The blazing heat of the sun!
And the lust of sun!
and no one...
to tear us asunder anymore!
© 2015 Filmgalerie 451
Subtitles: A. Jovanovic, N. Fritz
with the latest from Düsseldorf.
Just this evening, Kurt von Mühlenbeck
returned to West Germany.
Mr... Kurt von Mühlenbeck...
Wilhelm von Mühlenbeck,
how do you feel
after returning to West Germany?
Well, things seem to have changed a lot.
But time never stops, does it?
You can say that again.
Kurt von Mühlenbeck,
are you happy about your brother's return?
I'm not Kurt, I'm Martin.
Goodbye, young man.
We're going to eat on the train.
Thank you. We're done here.
Now back to the studio in Düsseldorf.
Well...
That's how it all started.
But first, let me introduce myself.
My name is Julien.
Until recently, I was a servant
in the Mühlenbecks' home.
Today I want to tell you the story
of the man who returned home, Willy,
Martin, the late-born son,
and Mother, the loving one.
What started out so beautifully
ended in a swamp of betrayal and intrigue.
But please, have a look yourself.
"HEALTHIEST OF ALL IS CLEARLY THE AMOEBA."
EGON FRIEDELL
Now for the weather.
Partly cloudy, scattered rain showers,
later in the day...
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
ONE MONTH AGO
12:45 A.M.
... we wish you a good night.
Get in.
MOTHER'S MASK
So, Willy, my brother, is it good?
It should suit your demanding palate.
Thank you. It reminds me of the many foods
on my many voyages through...
British Guyana, Congo, Sumatra,
Iran, Iraq...
Bouri, South Africa, where the natives,
as I just learned, eat with two forks.
How interesting.
You gallivant while I work on a book
about Far-Eastern rituals.
Still the old historian, eh?
That in no way contradicts
my story about the two forks.
So you're best friend
to those who bring us plagues.
What nonsense! "Plagues"?
That leaves no room for fraternization!
- I sold our factories abroad.
- Squandered!
Father ran our firm to ruin.
- Squandered them.
- You know that!
And the Krupp fortune? The von Essenbecks?
Von Bohlen und Halbach?
The von Essenbecks? Never heard of them.
Krupp, von Bohlen und Halbach,
AEG, Ciba-Geigy... They're all dead!
Nonsense!
You've totally changed since I left!
- You've become foreign to me!
- Foreign?
You know what's foreign?
Up yours with your stupid present!
Martin, that's a present,
not a murder weapon!
Do you still remember?
In the late seventies,
just before the change.
How we used to
make music with mother every Sunday?
My God, that was so long ago.
Willy, you can have a lock of my hair.
A lock...
Back then, morality was still respected.
Today one lives off of it.
Martin, please tell mother
I'll visit her tomorrow.
- No, that's impossible.
- Why?
She no longer lives in the hotel.
She came back home, voluntarily.
- Why can't I visit her then?
- I told you it's impossible!
Impossible!
If she's in her mansion, I can visit her!
Or else the entire rhythm is wrong!
MOTHER'S MANSION - 11:15 A.M.
Stop it!
That's enough, I'm done! Come...
Stop it!
... injustice, disease,
death, divorce,
a lack of love among people nowadays.
- Plagues, plagues and more plagues.
- Hello?
- Orphans...
- What are you doing there?
Please, please don't hurt me.
Children mean everything to me!
I have a horseshoe.
Normally horses have them on their feet.
But holding it in your hand
is said to bring good luck.
I don't need luck. But my sister does!
That's why I'll give it to her.
- May this bring you good luck!
- Thank you!
Goodbye!
Goodbye.
Hello?
Sad.
Sad.
Sad.
Say, what are you doing here?
I'm a good friend of your mother,
and of your new neighbor.
Right now,
I'm working in the Schönerbaum house.
No need to be afraid.
Goodbye.
Julien?
- Uncle Julien!
- Willy?
Willy! My God, you've changed!
My dear Willy!
Aren't you allowed in the house?
Must you sleep outside?
- No, but it's terrible.
- What is it? Something with Mother?
Martin didn't say anything. Is she ill?
No. But the surroundings!
The surroundings are ill!
Look!
That will never heal.
The medical officer said so.
Gangrene!
Due to the lack of light.
Always these dark rooms.
The lopsided nutrition!
There's no one who ever helps me.
Julien, you've grown old!
But I plant.
Herbs.
I sow them in the fall,
forget about them in winter.
It's a funny little game, I tell you.
If you mix the seeds,
then, in spring, you have
the beans with the tulips,
and the radishes grow under the cactuses.
Come on, cactuses?
The soil is much too poor.
They would never flourish here!
Utter nonsense.
Where's Mother?
Is she out for a walk?
And who's playing the music?
Your mother.
Your mother's playing the music!
Mrs. von Mühlenbeck!
Mrs. von Mühlenbeck!
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Willy, over here. Come over here.
First, she turns off her organ.
Then she slides down off her stool.
And then she'll hover over to us,
a beautiful specimen from head to toe.
Attention, Willy... Now!
- What is it?
- Your son. Your son Willy is here!
- Mother! Here!
- Willy?!
- Your son, Willy!
- Your son.
Bring him up. I'm waiting!
Come, Willy.
You know the way yourself.
Mother?
- Mother...
- Willy!
Willy! Willy!
Willy! Willy! Willy!
You played the organ beautifully.
I missed you so much, Willy.
So much! Ow!
- What's going on, Mom?
- My old bones! Willy, I missed you so.
Oh, My bones ache so!
So what happened while I was gone?
You played the organ so beautifully.
What's going on?
Don't you see
Mother has no time for you? Out!
Who do you think you are?!
Letting Mother live in such a sty!
Then treating me like this!
It's inhumane!
Willy, same old dreamer.
She has to get out of here.
You can see that!
He tortures me.
Julien!
- Julien!
- Mr. von Mühlenbeck?
Yes, sir, Mr. von Mühlenbeck?
There's a corpse on the shore.
Can you explain that?
There's a corpse there every week.
- I don't want to know how often, but why!
- It's from the neighbor's land!
Sometimes it's dogs, sometimes cats.
This week it's rabbits.
And next week maybe a chicken.
Shall I remove it?
I don't have time to look at it now.
Into the cellar with it!
Yes, sir.
Ah, the wind!
The waves!
Above us, the sun!
And no one to tear us asunder anymore!
SUNDAY MORNING - 11:30 A.M.
- Bravo!
- Bravo!
Thank you!
Willy...
Did you like it?
- Yes, Mother, it was very lovely.
- I played it just for you!
Our appetizer, so to speak.
Every Sunday at the same time,
spiritual nourishment.
Julian!
Madame? You called?
How long does the roast need to cook?
Rabbit goes quickly. Half an hour.
Then we still have half an hour,
Aunt Martha could...
read us a poem.
"The Happy Corpse."
In rich soil, infested with snails
I wish to dig myself a nice deep grave
Where I can freely
stretch out these old bones
Forget, and sleep,
Like a shark in a wave
O worms!
With neither eyes nor ears,
A free and happy corpse comes to you
Feasting philosophers,
scions of excrement,
Go through my remains, without remorse,
And tell me...
- Does a twinge of torment remain?
- How beautiful!
For this soulless body,
Deader than the dead!
How beautiful!
So, Willy, did you like it?
Lovely.
But I find such things awful.
- It's as if we're threatening him!
- He doesn't know such things.
- Exactly, he doesn't know such things!
- Keep your remarks to yourself, Martin.
I won't be gagged.
Especially not by you, my dear!
That's why! That's why I think it's awful!
Please excuse me, but I certainly
do not intend to insult you.
I don't want to injure you,
but it's the mood!
The mood spoils the pleasure!
Have a look outside!
That's where life is!
And not in this dreary hut,
in this dark vault.
I'm done.
- That's enough!
- Martin!
Willy's playing us for fools.
A sheltered life, no sense of threat!
Always Willy here, Willy there!
He who seeks out danger, dies from it!
- Pick that up.
- Willy!
Willy!
What's wrong?
Mother, Martin is insufferable.
He only wants to tear us apart!
Jealousy is incurable.
Mother, you must leave here.
Or you'll go to the dogs!
Do you think I've changed?
Do I look bad?
You look ill, Mother.
The bad air, and the lopsided nutrition.
And then there's this wig...
It doesn't suit you at all.
I missed you.
I missed you so much!
I missed you too, Mother.
Summertime... No!
From deep affliction I cry out to you
Lord God, hear my call...
... plea
For if you want to behold this,
Who can then, Lord, stay before you?
No, I don't want to stay.
I want to get away. I want to get away.
Encypheriosis.
A characteristic of the bowed foot,
which is especially prevalent
in lower mountain ranges,
and which can lie up
to 30 cm above sea level.
The small and the big toe are retroverted
and, as a result,
the veins begin to swell.
The swelling extends
to the front of the foot, and stays there.
If it doesn't spread to other feet.
This phenomenon
is called "vein syndrome,"
which can have negative consequences,
especially for sensitive and weak people.
Encypheriosis.
A characteristic of the bowed foot,
which is especially prevalent in...
What do you want?
Why have you been following me around
the entire day?
Go away! Far, far away!
Here!
... which can have negative consequences,
especially for sensitive
and physically weak people.
This is WDR3 again,
with some goodnight music.
- Can you give me a little lift?
- Of course. I'd love to.
Faster, faster!
I'll get out if you keep driving so slow.
Say, have you injured yourself?
I fell off a horse.
- What happened to the horse?
- Dead!
Stop!
You'd best not follow me!
Initially, Willy wanted to leave Germany
that same evening.
But now he was fascinated
by a young woman
whom he had given a ride
for only a few seconds.
A woman who possessed a secret
which would prove fruitful to fathom.
So he went back to the hotel
that same evening.
Where even worse things awaited him.
Yes?
Mother! What happened?
- I can't sleep!
- But you're totally filthy!
I climbed into the garden.
The door was locked!
There's a horse lying in the garden.
It's dead!
It belongs to our neighbor!
If she finds out
it's lying in our garden...
Martin won't allow me to visit her.
Mother, what are you talking about?
I saw the two of you!
Mother, what do you mean?
Do you mean...
Do you mean the woman...
The one in the garden
who gave me the horseshoe?
- A horseshoe?
- Yes, mother.
Tonight I took a young woman along in my car.
Do you mean her?
She is ill, she is terminally ill!
Her parents died from it!
- Martin told me everything! I know it all!
- The things Martin tells you, Mother!
Yes?
I have to go.
Just look at you!
It's 1:30 a.m., we have to go.
Shameless, the way you treat Mother!
- Good night, Willy.
- Good night!
Willy stood at the window and had to watch
as they pulled Mother into the car.
What did she mean
by her incredible claim about the neighbor
and the dead horse in the garden?
What do you do
with a dead horse in the garden?
He mumbled to himself,
when it suddenly dawned on him.
Bury it!
You bury it!
He said, as he made
his way to the neighbor's yard.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Still out at this late hour?
I'm a night owl.
We're just burying my horse.
It broke both its forelegs.
Anna, this is the nice young man
who gave me a ride.
By the way, thanks so much for the lift.
It was my pleasure.
If somebody is in need,
I help however I can.
Then you must want a reward.
A reward?
What reward do you have in mind?
Do you want to go riding with me tomorrow?
I've lots of horses!
That's enough! Off to bed!
Or you'll catch a cold!
Well, see you tomorrow morning.
I'll be waiting...
Giddyup!
Giddyup! Wotan!
Riding like this is my greatest passion!
- I love horses above all! Giddyup, Wotan!
- Only horses?
Well, there's other things, too.
Like tournaments.
I wish I could ride in a horse race.
I like rowing best.
But I would bet on you to win a top place!
Ha! Just a top place?
That's not exactly a compliment!
- Ha!
- You can bet on victory!
Joy I shall never lack
as long as one is on a horse's back!
Ha! You can save your quips! Go!
You sure leave a guy breathless.
And I don't even know your name.
My name is Els.
In fond memory of my mother.
May I accompany you again tomorrow?
I mean, only until you're... tired of me.
All right! Again tomorrow morning.
But my day starts at 7 a.m.!
In with you, you little rascals!
TWO HOURS LATER
- Good morning, Medical Officer!
- Didn't I forbid you to go riding?!
The fresh air does me good!
Ice cold hands, your head sopping wet!
You just took a cold shower, eh?
Your syringes are no good anymore!
I know I don't have much time left!
What are you talking about?!
I want to enjoy my life to the fullest!
I don't want to waste away until the end.
Stop it! I'm doing everything
for your recovery, and you?!
You don't follow any of my instructions,
and you seek out unnecessary dangers!
You know my favorite horse, Susi!
I killed her last night!
She had broken both her forelegs.
Anna couldn't do it!
I've always loved Susi!
Els, what do you expect from me?
I swore an oath!
And here's more advice.
Stop the constant riding!
Get some rest!
You cannot constantly fight your body!
And your body is ill!
Get that through your...
SEPTEMBER 30TH, 6 P.M.
I sense I don't have much longer to live.
That I'm going to die soon.
And I'm sorry that I can leave you nothing
other than great sorrow.
I can only give you
one bit of good advice.
A Mühlenbeck never gives up. Never!
Father!
My son!
Make me the sole heir!
Please!
Give me the foreign factories!
And I'll travel the world...
In order to make the company...
a financial power again!
Where is Willy?
Aunt Martha, now the poem.
"The Happy Corpse."
In rich soil, infested with snails
I wish to dig myself a nice deep grave
Where I can freely
stretch out these old bones
Forget, and sleep,
Like a shark in a wave
O worms!
With neither eyes nor ears,
A free and happy corpse comes to you
Go through my remains, without remorse,
And tell me
Does a twinge of torment remain?
For this soulless body,
Deader than the dead!
- So, Willy? Did you like it?
- I find such things awful!
How can you show mother
this theatrical mush about father's death?
- It can't be good for her!
- Enough! Willy's playing you for a fool!
Willy, always Willy!
Pampered his whole life!
Julien, get the food.
Get the food!
My serve, damn it! What's with you?
You're just thinking about Els!
What makes you think that?
- I'm not stupid, you know.
- You don't even know me, Martin!
You can put souvenirs into a suitcase,
but not a whole life!
- What do you know about Els...
- Stop using her pet name!
But Mother calls her that too!
Don't compare Mother to Els!
It's an injustice to both.
If you doubt my love for Mother,
go on and say so!
Come and help me instead.
Be careful, Willy.
I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.
Elsbeth!
Wake up! Wake up, Els!
Damn it, here we go again!
Medical Officer, what do you think?
Just like I thought... Alcohol!
Come!
Why make such a scene? What is this?
I won't give up without a fight!
Go on, fight.
Willy! Willy!
Willy!
This was the last time! That's enough!
To let a child grow up in such a place!
I'll call Child Services!
Alcohol in the morning, in her state!
- The child must be protected.
- What child?
- She has a child. God knows from whom.
- Ah!
- She didn't tell me that!
- There's much she didn't tell you.
Leave her be!
I can do fine without your advice!
That's it, it's over for good!
How dare you!
This woman is gravely ill!
Her state gets worse by the hour!
You're signing her death sentence!
Stop the "she's ill" jabbering.
I can't hear it anymore!
You're downright talking her into it!
I'm a doctor, Mr. von Mühlenbeck.
If you really want to help her,
then leave the room, you...
You seem to me to be
like a fly on a wounded animal.
You didn't say that in vain.
I'll see to it
that this case is made public!
Els...
- Willy...
- My dear Els.
You've come.
I've been waiting for you so.
Martin!
Seidler, my pleasure.
Seidler.
- But Marie is all right?
- Yes.
I'm ill.
I'm gravely ill.
It's getting worse and worse.
It burns more and more.
I'm afraid.
But you don't need to be afraid.
You're not alone!
Marie...
Marie!
Who is Marie?
Els?
Els! Els!
Willy!
You goddamn...!
- I told you to leave her be!
- Please, Martin!
- Els is ill! Els is ill!
- Damn it, Martin!
Let go!
Martin, please!
Seidler. Child Services.
Mr. von Mühlenbeck,
I've heard a lot about you.
Too bad we're meeting
under such circumstances.
Your brother told me
you've been travelling a lot.
Here's my card.
Perhaps another time? In another place?
What's going on here?
Normally you don't care
so affectionately for children!
Mr. Seidler will take
the child into his home.
Marie!
What a beautiful name you have.
I brought a present for you!
- Look, a...
- Yuck! I don't like that! Yuck!
Yuck!
Yuck! Yuck!
But flying! Flying!
I've had enough!
Ride a little horsey...
Marie stays here!
You have no right to take her!
- Martin!
- Come.
You have no right to talk of the child!
It belongs in an orderly setting!
It lives in a pigsty here!
Ride a little horsey
Fall off and he'll go owie...
Willy...
I'm here with you. Don't be afraid.
Where's Marie?
Marie is... in good hands.
She sends many greetings
and says for you to get well soon.
Really?
- Did she say that?
- Yes, that's what she said.
But I feel my strength leaving me.
Look...
When I was a little boy,
I was always riding my bike.
But, one day,
I fell so hard that I cried horribly.
Everyone laughed,
and I wasn't allowed outside anymore.
I would have loved so much
to be with the other children outside.
I wanted to get well at all costs.
And then I thought
I'd simply turn the tables!
I whistled and laughed
and frolicked about!
And, Io and behold,
the door opened and I was well again.
You're so right!
I need to get out of here.
I need to show them.
OCTOBER 2ND, 8:30 A.M.
Outstanding! Bravo, Els!
You did really well!
Go on, try again.
Go!
Wonderful! Now try again!
Willy!
Willy!
Willy...
You did that wonderfully!
Beautiful! Yes, bring it here!
Willy!
- Yes!
- Bravo, Els!
- Mother!
- Martin!
What happened?
Calm down.
What's going on?
Willy...
- My God, that's Willy! Good God, Willy!
- Willy!
Bravo, Els! You're doing great!
Try again.
Try again, take your time.
Take your time setting the arrow.
Try. Try again.
Put it in! Hurry, we don't have much time!
Try it.
- Keep trying! Once more!
- What's going on?
Shoot!
- Willy!
- Can you explain this?
- Els is as healthy as can be!
- Give me the bow! This could kill you!
There! A rabbit!
- What do you want?
- A dead rabbit!
- What of it?
- It was in the yard!
- Yes!
- Bravo, Els! You did this!
There you go!
Els is as healthy as can be.
I've no time to look at it now.
Put it in the cellar!
There you see what happens!
We could all be dead!
Stop it, Martin!
It's easy when you're standing here.
But try doing it from a galloping horse!
Shoot, Els!
Show them!
- Yeah!
- Bravo, bravo!
Bravo!
Yeah!
Bravo, Els!
I'm coming back!
Giddyup!
Bravo, Els!
Bravo!
Bravo, Els!
Els! Els, what's going on?
What's wrong?
- Irresponsible! She's my patient.
- Els!
What's going on?
Did you hurt yourself?
Willy...
- Irresponsible! She could have died!
- Willy...
You did just great, Els!
Great! But it was also reckless.
Reckless? She was risking her life.
The horse could've trampled her to death!
Then I'd be dead. So what?
It wouldn't matter.
It's everybody's turn someday.
Don't talk about death, Els.
You're still so young!
Oh, age doesn't matter.
Death is always so near.
Sometimes you should smile at him
and tell him, "You are my friend,
you help out when I can't go on anymore!"
- Good morning, Mr. von Mühlenbeck!
- Morning.
Willy, can you help me for a second?
By the way, we have an invitation.
Mr. Seidler called.
He's doing a parents' evening.
Seems Marie has settled in beautifully.
- Good morning, madam!
- Julien!
- I'm bringing the mask!
- The mask?
It's the best I could find now,
out-of-season.
It's beautiful! It's so beautiful!
Tie it on.
Thanks, Julien!
Mother, what is the mask for?
We're invited to Mr. Seidler's tonight.
Everybody wears disguises.
The kids love it!
Mother's mask.
Mother's mask.
She makes such an effort.
Come with me to the cellar!
I want to put together a case of wine.
Here, take a torch.
The light doesn't work.
Today wasn't such a successful day, eh?
Sorry for starting again,
but don't you think
you expect too much of Mother?
She's making such an effort.
But deep down it only hurts her.
You done?
You make me sick!
See what you did!
The 1956 Hausberg!
It slipped and is seeping into the floor!
A very expensive memento!
That'd fetch a lot of money at an auction!
Typical of your poor business sense!
You're going to destroy
our final possessions!
Quiet! Light over there!
What's that?
A rabbit.
It's still alive!
What'll we do with it?
Willy!
"Willy was at his wits end.
In the long time of his absence
a lot had changed indeed.
Martin exploited every occasion
to humiliate him.
It was only his love to Els
that sustained him a little bit.
So that very evening he saddled his horse
and rode to the window
of the exhausted one
to bring her the lover's greeting."
Els!
Els!
Els, here!
ORPHANAGE ST. VINZENZ VON PAUL
9:15 P.M.
Close to the village fountain
There stands a linden tree
So oft, beneath its branches,
In dreams my life I see
Upon its bark inscribing
Sweet vows of love I made
Close to the village fountain
There stands a linden...
... tree!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Did you like it?
Tell me...
Do you write your own pieces?
Sometimes.
It depends on what mood I'm in.
And if the children are nice to me.
Death...
Death...
Death...
Death!
Only three times.
That means great danger!
You will perish.
Ah!
I almost forgot
the most important bit of the evening.
Our little Marie!
Marie!
Come, Marie, please!
Come!
Come on, Marie!
All the children of this world are...
are called to us by our dear Lord
Their hearts pure, one and all,
Their bodies precious and very small
You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone indeed
Like little birdies
I know that!
I know it from back then!
Wonderful!
We'll set up a choir, Marie will lead!
All the children of this world
Are called to us...
Are called to us by our dear Lord
Their... No.
... Their bodies precious and very small
... You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone indeed
Like little birdies
... Like little birdies
... little...
So let us all sing...
And in joy our glasses clink
Because who is always cheerful
Sings and sings an earful
In our little children's world
That helps to...
Cheers!
Bravo, Marie!
Thank you. You did that really well.
And now a little reward,
and then off to bed.
Hop, hop, hop!
Come!
Say hello to uncle Martin.
- Hello.
- Hello.
You seem to have settled in beautifully!
Am I right?
Look.
Mother's mask.
Beep, beep, beep.
Death, death.
Look what I brought you.
Yuck, I don't like it! Yuck!
- Yuck! Yuck!
- Marie!
- Yuck!
- Marie, please!
Off, off to bed, Marie!
I'll come tuck you in soon. Off with you!
Yuck!
Marie!
I don't want that animal! Yuck!
Where are you taking me?
- I want to go to bed!
- Please, be quiet!
- Where are we going, Willy!
- Els, please!
- I want to go back home.
- Come!
Hello?
Evening, Mr. Seidler. Sister Anna here.
Enough is enough! Willy kidnapped Els.
I won't take responsibility anymore!
- Good night!
- Thank you!
I know perfectly well what they're up to.
But they're fooling with the wrong guy.
So? What's your plan!
First, we'll get Marie out of there.
Then I'll take you
to a specialist in France.
Marie...
I have to know.
Who is the father?
You have to tell me.
Marie...
Willy was determined
to get to the bottom of it.
He parked the car
in the orphanage garage.
He looked around cautiously,
closed the door and headed off.
He quickly arrived at the elaborate
yet somewhat neglected garden.
And as he was noticing
the closed curtains, he heard a noise.
Footsteps approaching. Then a shadow.
Then a shoe. Then a mouse's nose.
And before Willy could react...
A blow to his forehead.
This time, Martin had gone too far.
But fortunately,
Willy couldn't remember anything
when he awoke the next morning
in the hospital next to his boyhood home.
And the story took a calamitous turn.
Els...
Els!
... You must protect us,
Disarming the world is a must
Because we are all alone,
like the little birdies
Lament...
Els...
- Julien!
- Madam!
- What are you doing!
- A rabbit in the water.
- A rabbit?
- That's right!
- A dead rabbit?
- A dead rabbit!
- It got wounded here!
- Wounded?
That's right!
It's Els!
She shoots them...
strangles them.
- Oh no, madam!
- And throws them in the water!
- Madam, please. No!
- In the water, Julien!
- Madam, please!
- Her madness must be stopped!
Where are you headed, madam?
Ms. von MÜhlenbeck!
Her madness must be stopped!
Her madness must be stopped!
Mother! Where are you headed!
Her madness must be stopped!
Her madness must be stopped!
- Els!
- What are you up to, for God's sake!
Her madness must be stopped!
Do you think that's the right thing to do?
I guessed you were unwell.
I woke up in my sleep. I saw you.
- In pain, Mother!
- In pain?
Yes, in pain! In infinite pain!
If you knew
how I've suffered these last few days.
Constantly worrying about Willy!
Always worrying about his health!
Mother, what you're doing isn't right!
There are other ways and means.
Totally different ways and means.
She's turning his head!
She turns men's heads until they pop off!
- But men look at you, too, Mother!
- Who? You?!
Be glad they don't whistle, it's vulgar!
Don't try and fool me,
I know what's going on!
My concern for Willy has consumed me.
Els is making a mess of all of us!
And I want to do something about it.
- Worst case you need to drop Willy.
- Don't touch me!
- He's only taking advantage of you!
- Don't touch me!
Don't touch me! Don't touch me!
- Get up!
- You won't perform your experiments on me!
Mother commissioned me to treat you!
My mother can't commission you!
I'm neither demented nor underage!
I can speak for myself,
Mr. Medical Officer!
Els! Els! Here I am!
- Els! Here!
- Willy!
They're for you!
- Did anybody see you?
- No, why are you asking?
After what happened to me
I should reckon with anything!
Did you hurt yourself?
I ran into something last night, I...
But for the life of me I...
For the life of me
I don't remember what it was, I can't...
I can't remember a thing!
Poor you!
There! The boat!
Yes! The boat!
The boat!
Els, be careful. You're still so shaky.
This morning I was so well.
Now I've gone weak in the knees.
Probably from the excitement!
- Don't you want to sit down?
- No, I think it's wiser if I stand!
- That's what I like to see.
- It's only because you're here.
Because you're close to me.
If I'm lying in my room
with nobody there
to greet me at my window,
that's when I feel my strength fade.
This is how I'd like to die!
Don't say that, Els.
When I cross over,
I want my ashes spread in the sea.
Els!
And when the waves kiss the shore
I'll know...
... that you know I'm thinking of you.
Come on, stop it, Els.
Always death and dark stuff.
My brother and the medical officer
talking about it is enough.
You don't need to start as well!
But I know how your mother
is suffering because of me.
- I know about your feelings for her.
- But they're two different things!
You need to separate the two.
But sometimes you can't separate anymore.
Things belong firmly together.
In separation...
In separation we wither away!
And we are hopeless.
Julien! Julien!
Julien!
- Yes, madam?
- Willy...
Where is Willy! Willy!
Julien! Where is Willy!
I think he went to town.
What is he doing in town?!
- He wanted to meet someone.
- Meet someone? Who?
Who?
Els!
Ms. von Mühlenbeck?
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
What's going on?
Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Hey, Ms. von Mühlenbeck!
Hey!
Els! Els, what's the matter?
Willy!
I can't breathe!
Help me, Willy!
Willy!
Help me!
THE LAST NIGHT
Julien, the fish came out excellently.
- A little dressing on the salad?
- Good idea.
- And a few drops of lemon juice. May I?
- Oh yes!
Delicious!
Why don't I have a spoon?
- Take mine!
- No thanks, I'll ask for a new one.
- Go on, take it. It's not poisoned.
- Julien, please bring me a new spoon.
- But I set places for everyone.
- Damn it, bring me a new spoon!
- Where are you going?
- For a walk.
You're going to her, right?
You can't do that! She's ill!
She's ill!
Willy!
Willy!
- Leave me alone!
- Not if you want an ally against Mother.
- Let me go!
- No!
What are you thinking?
If you have no respect for yourself,
at least have some for Mother!
Dawn!
Embrace me!
Dawn!
Beguile me!
Dawn!
Show me the black path towards death!
- You can't!
- I must!
Nobody can see her! She's gravely ill!
- I must!
- Nobody can see her!
- Utter nonsense!
- Let her sleep!
- Be quiet!
- Doctor, let me...
- I've confined her to bed!
- I have to see her!
- You can't see her!
- But I want to see her!
She's in the last stage.
We can be glad if she feels no pain!
Listen, are you a doctor or a storyteller?
What is all this supposed to mean?
Now let me tell you something!
Since I've known you,
you've doubted my professional competence!
If you really want to know...
Go on, tell him!
Els has a very, very contagious disease.
I've been able to keep her under control
for almost three years now.
Thanks to your foolishness
all my work has been in vain!
Every kiss,
every touch,
every encounter can be deadly.
There it is! Every contact is deadly,
every touch, every kiss!
Bonita banana, Bonita banana...
I live off air and love, that's enough.
And a drop of water in my heart.
Despite his great fear
of having been infected,
that evening Willy saddled his horse
once again and rode to Els,
who was already on her deathbed.
Els!
Els!
But this time his calling was in vain.
And it was only Mother
who spotted her son
on a horse in the distance
and had to realize
how much he had loved this woman.
You nearly hit your head on the door frame!
Are you feeling all right?
What's the matter, Willy?
Willy?
- Do you want me to call your mother?
- No, I just feel odd all of a sudden.
I'll get your brother!
No, no.
I don't want anybody to...
Willy!
Now Willy was ill, and lay in bed,
weakened from the infection,
when his mother came to see him.
She had had one too many to drink
and wanted to prove to him
that motherly love was the only true love.
Mother?
Willy...
Willy! Willy!
Willy!
- Mother!
- Willy!
Willy, shut up! Willy!
You were infected by the girl!
Shut up, Willy!
Els, Els...
Her kisses...
Mother, you can't stay here.
You can't stay here, Mother.
If I was infected by the girl...
But you can't stay here! Nurse!
Ouch!
What are you doing there?
That's life-threatening!
- But I want...
- Are you crazy?
Are you crazy? Out with the woman!
Do a blood test immediately!
Ouch! Ow, my leg!
The blood test was negative, of course.
But none of that mattered
to Mother anymore.
She only had one wish.
The wish to help her son.
He's dying.
Willy's dying, and it's my fault.
He walks the uncertain path of love!
She is deadly!
He doesn't love me anymore.
He's in love with somebody else!
One, two, three, four...
five, six...
A sacrifice!
A great sacrifice!
Would you like to confess?
- Then talk to me!
- What do I need to do?
What are your problems, dear sister?
- He's dying.
- Who's dying?
- My son is dying!
- Your son! What's the matter with him!
- What did you do to him?
- He walks the deadly path of love.
Of love! But love is beautiful!
- Love is something wonderful!
- Love is deadly!
- No, love is God-given.
- Love is deadly!
And without love we couldn't live,
we'd wither like flowers without sun.
But maybe you need to find a new way
of speaking to him!
- But I can't! I can't!
- Yes you can.
- I'm broken and exhausted!
- Even if...
Even if it means a sacrifice for you,
you can do it.
- You need to try. It's going to be hard...
- But I can't visit him anymore!
Yes, you will succeed.
You need to make this sacrifice.
No, no, I can't go on!
I'm completely destroyed!
- You can make this sacrifice!
- I... No!
A sacrifice?
Yes.
Sacrifice!
A great sacrifice!
EVANGELICAL HOSPITAL AND EYE CLINIC
What kind of sacrifice?
Yes, Nurse Inge, Ward B.
Hello!
Hel-lo!
Hel-lo!!
Hello?
Tell him that a horseman is on the beach!
A horseman!
A horseman!
A horseman is standing at the gate!
A horseman is standing at the gate!
Who was it?
Go to sleep now.
Or I'll have to get the doctor.
Neither of us wants that, do we?
A phone call...
Let me make a phone call.
I have to make a phone call!
And while Els
was all Willy could think about,
Mother climbed on the horse
and made her way to the window
of the soon-to-be-departed one.
A horseman is at...
Come, come! A horseman is...
To make peace with her son and the world.
Willy?
Els! Els! We must make amends!
Els! We'll make amends!
Els!
We must make amends! Els!
We must make amends!
We must make amends, Els!
Els! I am his mother!
I love you!
I will die for you!
I want to die for you! I love you all!
I love you all, all, all!
Hello?
Els?
It's Willy.
Do you hear me?
I can't stand it any longer.
I just have to tell you.
Because we may never see each other again.
Els...
I love you.
I have always loved you.
Willy!
Willy, Els is dead!
Dead.
Dead.
Dead!
Dead!
And, just as Els had wished on the boat,
Willy and Mother
spread her ashes in the sea.
Els had received her last will
And only a few minutes later
Willy and his mother were to receive
their last will as well.
Good day, Aunt, good day, Uncle!
Will you come, please?
Martin closed the hatch to the attic
and made his way downstairs.
The group followed him.
Only Marie stayed behind, alone, and felt
that something was about to change.
Well.
So that was the story
I wanted to tell you.
Now it's gotten late,
and I'd like to bid you farewell.
I say goodbye, see you next time.
Your Dieter Lehr.
...ranging from 14 to 19 degrees.
That, dear viewers,
was the latest from the Today Show.
We wish you a good night.
The wind!
The waves!
The blazing heat of the sun!
And the lust of sun!
and no one...
to tear us asunder anymore!
© 2015 Filmgalerie 451
Subtitles: A. Jovanovic, N. Fritz