Red Psalm (1972) - full transcript

RED PSALM

Send her over there.

The bailiff wants to talk to you.

Only together.

Together

Together.

Together.

Come companions, let us sing

The sad and sacred song of work

The rich are masters of this land

The valley and the field
belong to them...



Rights for the people!

Rights for the people!

I want to talk to you.

"Dear Comrades,
I've been watching with keen interest

"the recent movements
emerging in Hungary.

"In Hungary, like elsewhere, the Capital
is taking over the national production.

"Besides creating new industries,
it subjugates agriculture,

"and destroys independent farming."

May I come nearer?

I'd like to hear what you're reading.

"The agricultural population is divided

"into big landowners
and landless proletarians.

"We must survive
this capitalist revolution.

"It brings indescribable suffering
to the masses,



"but it alone creates conditions

"which will make
a new social order possible.

"It will create men and women
with the strength and the will

"to create this new, better social order.

"Yours sincerely,
Friedrich Engels."

Did you understand any of that?

I understood perfectly well. Did you?

Let me see.
I want to discuss this with you!

We are the workers,
we have no freedom

Instead of good fortune
we have misery

Never mind! Never mind!
Long live the workers!

Long live equal rights!

Long live the workers' society!

And if happiness and plenty fail

All of us will rise
And make the long trek

Never mind! Never mind!
Long live the workers!

Long live equal rights!
Long live the workers' society!

If we cannot live happily

We'll have to travel far

Never mind! Never mind!
Long live the workers!

Long live equal rights!
Long live the workers' society!

Man does not live
by the Word of God alone.

If we come to an agreement,
there will be food.

Your movement is a crime
against the nation,

a crime against our well being!

Still, I'll make you the offer once more.

We offer you what has always been
customary in this country.

32 bushels of wheat,

32 florins of cash,

32 pounds of salt,

permission to keep one cow,

one acre for growing maize,

one for hemp,

two hogs with their yearly offspring.

If you don't take it, that's OK.

You can't accuse me
of not having tried to help you...

to convince you!

Leave us alone, we're under oath!

Throw down your arms!

Cowards, dogs, that's what you are!

We gave you bread!

Throw them down, I said!

Mr Bailiff!

Hey, men!

Stop!

Help me.

Load!

Fire!

Is there a free man among you?

Anyone who does not serve others?
Who is master of his fate? No one!

Fire!

The majority of mankind isn't yet human -

the masses are born
and live in poverty and oppression!

They die of the sickness of others!

We inherit the ignorance of our parents!

We carry the burden of the few!

And endure oppression!

We socialists, swear to God Almighty...

that we shall serve
the Cause till we die!

That we shall not want
our comrade's penny!

That we shall die for our comrades,
if need be!

So help us God!

The evil tyrant has a plan

He wishes to suffocate us!

But all is fine
A gun gives him the answer

Come and celebrate
our liberator's gun with us!

The neighbor's rooster
flew to the top of the fence

And there it crows, there it crows
That the neighbor is a whore

So lady, let's play a game
I shall be the rooster, you the hen...

Cadet!

Your revolver!

The cat has four legs
The fifth is its tail

On we go to Moldavia
To the land of Moldavia

The cat has four legs
The fifth is its tail

Come companions, let us sing

The sad but sacred song of work

The rich are masters of this land

The valley and the field belong to them

We built their castles

Which overlook us proudly

Which overlook us proudly

But what is there for us in this land?

Nothing is ours, not a piece of land

Only the grave is ours

When the end comes

Ours is only hunger and poverty

But we all will revolt

And those, who come to fight

Let them die
But tomorrow we will be free!

Down came the raging tempest

We're afflicted by Hell's every curse

Now the day is breaking
On the ultimate test

Our fate may change
For better or for worse

We look forward with proud hearts

We carry the red flag of the workers...

Too many masters means no freedom.

Too many rich means still more poor.

Pomp and ceremony equals idleness.

A long history means a poor present.

Where people are ignorant,
there the tyrants number most.

Where there are many false prophets,
charity is rare.

Yet facing the battle, firm and united

Lifting our scarlet flag
We proudly stand

With us all the world's slaves
And the exploited

Will fight to find a free and happy land!

Yet facing the battle, firm and united

Lifting our scarlet flag
We proudly stand

With us all the slaves
And the exploited of the world

Will fight to find a free and happy land!

They sent me to kill you.

The bride is a pretty flower
Her garland is made of bluebells

He is the happy bridegroom
who can say, "She is mine"

The bride is a garland of pearls
Only my heart is sad

The heart of the bride
And all her heartbeats are mine

The treetop is in bloom
The girl wears a garland in her hair

The flowers must fall
The girl must marry

Come my honey, come
For my heart awaits you

Longing for you, longing for you
If you kiss me I'll be happy

A pretty girl is all you see
The wind dances in her hair

Until the following day
Unaware of all the disappointments

But the flower will fade
The girl must marry

She will know sorrow
Her happiness will end

The chariot arrived
And soon will take her along

But says the engaged girl,
"I will never marry"

A beautiful flower is married
In a crown of lily of the valley

He is the happy bridegroom
who can say, "She is mine"

The girl is a pearl
My heart is heavy because I love her

The heart of the bride
And all her heartbeats are mine

Morning Adam Balogh,
with the velvet cap

Morning, fair Barbara,
with the spring in her step

Yellow, crimson, all the ornaments...

- Do you recognize me, men?
- Yes, my lord.

Put it here and there!

That's a good chap

You are the bravest chap
My friend, Tyukodi

Bercsényi, Bezeredi, Bottyán, Thököly

Ulászló, Hunyadi, my friend, Apafy

Pal, Osz and Jurisics,
Koppány and Dugovich

Velvet and silk, put it here and there

That's a good chap!

I'd like to talk to you.

Are you going to listen to me?

Men, you know me well.

I did not come to reopen old wounds.
You're intelligent people.

You know the present situation
better than I do.

But there are things you can't know.

The word "economy" is not new to you.

Yet, you refute one of its basic laws:

that supply and demand determine
not only the value of goods,

but also the value of human labor.

If the price of wheat goes up,
labor will be needed.

Otherwise it will result in unemployment.

No matter who owns the land,
this is an iron law.

Just as valid today in 1898
as it will be tomorrow.

What can we do?

We have to think logically.

Cheap smallholdings,
settlements, consumer co-ops,

funds for the disabled,
a labor exchange free from politics,

handicrafts and, above all, economizing,

to enable you to acquire moral capital,
and, some day, land of your own.

Let me have it.

The leaders
of the present social system

will never relieve the distress...

of the working classes,
by their own will.

We must organist ourselves,

so one day the organized workers
can set their own power

against the present autocratic system.

Then it will be possible to make laws

protecting the interests of the workers,
and ensuring the welfare of the people.

Don't take it personally,
but you can't even read.

Shouldn't the people be educated first
and then given rights?

I'm sorry.

He's dead.

Murderers! Scoundrels! You killed him!

You killed him!

Get away from here!

Only ignorant people are timorous,
only they tremble. The wise man studies.

Nature expects you to challenge her.

Then she will reveal to you her secrets,

the laws, relationships that govern her.

There are those
who stood in the way of knowledge.

They said, "You are heretics",
and they burned you by the thousands,

for your own "salvation".

But they only fear
the loss of their power over you.

They are still standing
in the way of knowledge.

For this is their greatest enemy.

Learn, brother, and knowledge
will teach you to rid yourself of tyrants!

Lo, the bread that men sin and rebel for.

But at night,
fears and doubt haunt them,

by dawn they are gone,

but they will cower
before a wrathful God!

Rights for the people!

Don't come near, Bálint.

Siding with priests?

You're no longer our brother,
nor your own master!

Listen comrades...

Until we've heard everyone,

we must forget our resentments.

True socialists listen to every new idea,

and discuss them.

I don't listen to priests,
nor argue with them.

Nor do I.

His Eminence Bishop Lajos wrote
to his misguided flock:

"Any uprising by the people is fatal,

"almost as if the heart of the Earth
had rebelled.

"The souls of the people
would become homeless."

Ideals like God, king, country,
die in their hearts.

There are people who rob you.

Unbelievers, pagans, Jews...

But you don't turn against them,
you turn against society.

The hungry, the desperate, see enemies
in those well fed and decently clothed.

Go on now, cut and hack
Lead the peasant's bold attack!

Hey ho!

Save us, Lord, from being orphans!

Deliver us from widowhood.

Deliver us from emigration.

- From feeding on mangelwurzel.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From cabbage without meat.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From starvation.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From 16 hour work days.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From ragged boots.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From struggling under heavy loads.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

- From slavery.
- Deliver us, oh Lord!

Have you got a weapon?

Rights for the people!

A homeland for the workers!

Remember what you used to teach us?

"Man, never take a weapon
in your hand!

"For we want to accomplish
the prophecy of Isaiah:

"the swords shall be beaten
into ploughshares,

"the lion shall feed with the lamb,
and violence shall be no more."

But now, take this, for us,
for our poverty.

My hand is trembling, comrades.
Not for fear of you.

But because I've shed
many tears over you.

I beg you to think again
about what you're leading us into.

Sober socialists refrain from ravage.

However grave the offense,

troublemaking is not in our interest.

Let ours be a peace loving Party.
No riots.

Let us demand laws
that protect the workers,

but let us avoid scandal.

The word "Socialist"
means a self-conscious worker.

Let us not sully this name.

I am so sad I could almost die
But I still act cheerfully

I still act cheerfully

Things are not the way they used to be

A different sun shines in the sky

Things are not the way they used to be
A different sun shines in the sky

Not the same sun
not the same moon...

Go forward, friends
Under the flag of dear Jesus

The way of the brave
Ends in victory

Trust in Jesus, for he will come
He is the true leader...

Women, give your blessings
as you used to

These are the ones
who have come out of great poverty.

They have washed

and bleached their garments
in the blood of the lamb.

Therefore, they kneel
before the throne of the Lord,

and serve Him night and day
in His church.

And He who sits on the throne,

spreads His canopy over them.

No longer will they starve,

no longer will they thirst,

no longer will the sun
or any heat scorch them.

For the lamb who sits on the throne
grazes them

and they are borne on living waters,

and God wipes away the tears
from their eyes.

Take this over there!

Our Lord,
Thou who should be President,

hallowed be Thy name,
by the devotion you bring to the people.

Socialism, thy kingdom come...

to us as to the whole world!

People, thine will be done,

so our tax burdens be reduced

and our lives made easier.

Oh people, deliver yourselves
from your oppressors,

but do not forgive the tyrants
their trespasses,

as they deserve punishment

for denying human rights and equality.

Money, lead us not into temptation,

for many of us sell our ideals
for your sake,

and serve our oppressors as slaves.

Science, enlighten our minds,

so that we bring our sacred Cause
to a good end.

Amen.

I'll finish this Lord's prayer.

Companions, our time has come.

He who does not work,
will not eat of the bread we toiled for.

The fruits of the Earth belong to all!

The fruits of the Earth belong to all!

If anything should happen to us,

if you should never see us again,
remember this:

the land belongs
to those who cultivate it.

Tell the cowards hiding behind
the children that we despise them.

To us they're not Hungarians.

Hungarians are chivalrous,
honest, open and patriotic.

Tell them that I, Aladar Petke-Szentner,

will not fight against them.

But they should remember:

Hungarian society will only be kind
to honorable workers.

I'll give you ten minutes to disperse.

I was not raised to be a policeman

To do awful things

A constable's man I shall not be

To plague the people,
I would never do that!

I wasn't brought up to be a soldier

To serve a miserable government

I won't be anyone's mercenary,

But a true and faithful fighter
for the Cause

János Fekete-Nagy,
is that you approaching?

Yes, it is.

Godparents, are you holding him?

We are.

Bring him nearer.

We've brought him.

- Did you come of your own free will?
- I did.

What were you till now?

An oppressor of the people.
A servant of the rich.

- What do you want to be?
- A loyal comrade.

Repent your sins and confess.

Out of cowardice,
a base lust for money,

and tempted
by promises of a happy future,

I blindly obeyed
the exploiters of the people.

I did wicked things.

I abandoned honest work
for an easy life.

I denied my mother and
the working people from whom I come.

Do you truly repent your sins?

I truly and sincerely repent them.

Godparents, are you willing
to bear the burden

of this man's sins
before the whole working class?

We are.

We are the workers,
we have no freedom

Never mind! Never mind!
Long live the workers!

Long live equal rights!
Long live workers' society!

We will teach a lesson
to that great lord

He will no longer command
the poor workers

Long live our supporters!

Put me down, comrades.

How could I give you my protection?

My friends and I are very weak.

I'll only tell you this:
the reason for the misery of the people

is that their inherent right to the land
was taken from them.

They'll be happy again
if they take it back.

For it is not support
they need, but action.

Do not think
that equality in work and property

can be implemented by me
and my few companions.

This will not be achieved by us,
but by the enlightened people.

With the butt of the gun
And, finally, the bare hand

And with the bayonet

And on, until the end

Not for potatoes and not for beans
Just on and on

But always, hey, hey, hey...

Death has three rules

First comes the cart
And under the grass, hey...

There is stupidity and blind belief

János Szántó is dead

János Baksa is dead

Until the final end
Really, really

And there, then, hey...

The stone is hard
And the butter soft

And there is nothing else
Nothing at all

And there is nothing else

Nothing at all

I swear by God Almighty

that I repent my socialist oath,

that I consider it null and void.

I pledge my word never to take part

in any movement
directed against the established laws

and the established order.

Should my present oath
be threatened by anyone,

I shall inform the Court of Justice.

So help me God!

I am not afraid of this oath.

It has no power over me.

Look at me, look into my eyes.

In them you'll only see the promise
I made to you.

But now strengthen me
with your forgiveness

so that I can deny my comrades
and my creed.

Look at me as you would look
at a good companion

whom you'll always remember.

Companions, I've been one of you -
a poor, landless man.

If I can go back to work now,
my wife and my children may survive.

You've given us
many valuable teachings.

But I can no longer grasp
the demands of the Cause, the riots...

In the words of the Scriptures:

"We're rushing to our destruction,
the Earth will be corrupted,

"it will fall to pieces,
its sins will weigh it down.

"It will fall and never rise again."

Oh days, gloomy and sad,
wind borne grey fogs

Oh days, gloomy and sad,
wind borne grey fogs

Oh, this one year
Has truly undone me

If I knew...

Which way you go forth

Which way you go forth

I would plough it with a golden plough

With a golden plough

Until the end
Really for good

To the end of the end

And there, then
The stone will be hard

And the butter soft

And there is nothing else
Nothing at all

When an old man
on his way to his vineyard,

finds a nut on the road,
he picks it up and plants it.

He knows he won't be the one
to enjoy it's fruit,

but the future generation.

It is the same with me.

I know that we cannot achieve
our aims.

But we want to plant a tree
that will bear fruit for the future.

We're facing the hangman
empty-handed.

We cannot avenge
their loathsome actions,

but we must not allow the rule of terror
and its hirelings to stop us!

I know if you were ordered

you would even murder
your own fathers.

We are the workers,
we have no freedom

Instead of good fortune
we have misery

Never mind! Never mind!
Long live the workers!

Long live equal rights!
Long live the workers' society!