Stars of Eger (1968) - full transcript

THE LOST TALISMAN

screenplay by

music by

starring

cinematography by

directed by

You have my Ieave to speak!

The most renowned
AnatoIian war Iord, begIer bey,

reports to your
IIIustrious Majestry!

The Emperor Ferdinánd

who most impudentIy cIaims that he
is the Hungarians's rightfuI king



has forced our army
to retreat from Vienna.

János ZápoIya,

whom we regard
as the rightfuI king of Hungary,

stiII possesses
the fortress of buda.

May he Iive Iong
in its possession!

We shaII have great need of him.

May the peasant pIough
his fieId and sow in peace!

And in the countryside
what of that?

There is peace,

order

and tranquiIity.

Star! Star!

Star!

Star!



Star!

Star!

Star!

Star!

Got you at Iast,
you oId vagabond!

Run, Éva!

Gergõ! Gergõ!

Gergõ where are you?

Éva

where are you?
It's time for supper,

dammit.

You shouIdn't swear, front of
father Marton, my sweet.

- I'm used to it.
- Yes, weII, I'm not!

Dammit.

I wiII say it hundred times,
if I have to. Dammit.

- We Iet them together before...
- That kid, dammit.

And you, too.

Why didn't you teII me?

They Ieft earIy in the morning,
they must be home soon.

Now, I beIieve they wiII come.

If the Turks Iet them.

They are in the nearby again.

Stop taIking. Get the horses.

Mr. Cecey, stay here and send
someone after us if they arrive.

Why haven't we heard something.

LittIe Éva, my darIing chiId!

And why hasn't
my husband come back yet?

Try to be caIm, dear.
You must trust in God.

besides,
both of them are armed.

HopeIess to go on searching.

We have no cIear tracks
and few torches.

We'II began again at dawn.

- Oh! My dear husband
- Don't taIk to me!

Don't say a word!

I won't hear anything tonight.

Come on, Éva. This Iooks safe.
We'II sIeep here.

They've escaped!

They've escaped! Hey!

They've stoIen my horse!

You'II soon find another horse!

You fooI!

The TaIisman was hidden away
under my saddIe

The ring beIonging to my father.

It was a sacred TaIisman
and it's been stoIen

A IittIe infideI brat stoIe it!

This was
under the saddIe bIanket

A taIisman ring

with five star

- Then young Gergõ can have it.
- And aII this goId here?

That stays.

You must know where those
two IittIe brats have gone.

Who are their parents?

Tie them to the trees
The infideI swine!

Wait a moment,
Iet's try to get this cIear.

First there was the Tuck
with one eye And then?

The one with the Iash,
that's two

And the one with the moustache,
thats, three.

- So there were about fifteen
of them? - That's right.

- Come on Éva, it's bed-time.
- I want to stay with Gergõ.

No. Go to bed, Éva.

Now, Gergõ the men rode away

Do you know in which direction?

- Yes! but onIy from horseback.
- NaturaIIy.

- Who who?
- I wiII teII you.

A hungarian father

and a hungarian mother.

Run!

Quick!

LittIe Éva?

SIeeps Iike a top.

Dobó shouId have come back...

Once he starts fighting...

Why did he take
that bronemissza kid?

Don't worry.

He is tough as iron.

Peasant.

When you are a grown man,
you've got to be courageous

as you were today,

Gergõ bornemissza.

And I'II have a IoveIy wife.

And have you made
your choice aIready?

- Not me, she has.
- Who is he?

LittIe Éva.

WeII, untiI then I'm sending you
to báIint Török at Szigetvár

for your education!

You'II be one of his pages.

- Are you gIad?
- Yes, very gIad.

Don't be
too gIad about it, my boy.

It's going to mean ten years!
And at the end of it,

you'II be fit to handIe
this sword. It's yours.

Why shouId I have to do this?

Why me, GergeIy? Who am I?

báIint Török, baron of Hungary,
Chief of the Hungarian forces.

And the infant King
summoned by our subIime SuItan,

who wiII Iead them
into his snare.

It's Friar György's mind...

I cannot make head or taiI of it.

Though the SuItan Iikes him.

Friar György is your adherent.

With the permission of Your
Majesty we asked for his advice.

They didn't bother to ask me.

Effendi

teII me, where is that mighty
army of janissaries going?

For a stroII!

My vaIiant men at arms wouId
Iike to see the wonderfuI

fortress of buda from the inside!

A IittIe stroII at dusk

SimpIy that!

A stroII in honour

of the Iate Hungarian king.

And aII haiI to the Iiving king!

The young heir to the throne is
waited by the subIime Padisah.

Like serfs.

They treat us Iike serfs.

I cannot even sit on my horse.

Sir, Iet's Ieave this pIace,

and Iet báIint Török handIe it.

The most exceIIent Padisah

craves to have audience
with you aIone, my Lord.

We wouId honour him by appearing
before him in proper appareI.

Perhaps there has been
no vioIence.

He wiII negotiate with you
on friendIy terms, my Lord.

See that the gifts are ready.

To make him worthy to visit his
Majesty, the SuItan Pure goId!

- And the Queen?
- She's afraid.

I Iove you Éva.

I know.

Éva Cecey,

Anna Petri, the Iadies-in-waiting
to Queen IsabeIIa.

Pray receive from my hands
the King of your country

who has had the graciousness

to raise his eyes
and Iook upon the SuItan.

- Where is my father?
- And my master?

With AIIah's grace,
he wiII be abIe to enjoy

for years the hospitaIity
of our generous SuItan!

Am I?

What shaII become of me?

Her Majesty,

the widowed Queen of Hungary,
can withdraw to TransyIvania,

because buda fortress feII
without bIoodshed into the hands

of the subIime SuItan and into
the Hands of the Ottoman Empire.

Our mecifuI SuItan

grants your Majesty
safe conduct and passage,

and is pIeased to reiterate
his greetings to the young king.

beIeive me, Madame,
it was the best soIution.

We are packing up, Éva.

A keepsake

of my poor husband.

At Ieast the dress

in which he married me.

We buried him wearing that.

Here is something.

AII that remains of a great King.

Éva

You can speak together.

You wiII come with us
to TransyIvania?

You promised
that the mouth of heII couIdn't

No! PIease, understand me.

I couIdn't hide
behind the skirts of the Queen!

I've got work to do.
Wait for me, Éva.

When you come, darIing,
I'II be waiting.

I am engaged to you,
even without a ring.

This is a man's ring.
Wear it aIways for my sake.

Now at Ieast
we have exchanged rings.

What is there Ieft for us to do?

What do you think, GergeIy?

We shaII ask for heIp,
your Majesty.

We'II go to the Emperor.

Have we, Hungarians
another remedy than begging?

Why do we aIways
have to ask somebody?

We must.

Are you saying Friar György?

Friar György. Interesting.

Interesting.

So a Hungarian bishop, a monk

passed buda
into the hand of the Turks.

- ImpossibIe.
- HoIy Father,

- we are victims of an intrigue.
- That's the excuse

of every cIumsy soIdier.

báIint Török,
Chief of the Hungarian forces,

vanishes in the tent
of the SuItan,

the Turkish army waIks into buda,

and the Hungarian Army
does nothing.

What is this?

A man or a woman?

Which area can be stiII
defended by Fredinand Hapsburg?

If we have the support
of your HoIy Father...

Stay Iike this. In this posture.

If we have the support
of your HoIy Father,

we can successfuIIy defend
Upper Hungary and Transdanubia.

What if I turn to the Iight?

Like this.

WouIdn't my profiIe
be more effective?

We can count on TransyIvania, too.

The widowed Queen retired there
after the occupation of buda.

The widowed Queen?

What widowed Queen?

Make it coIourfuI.
Very coIourfuI.

CouId you take it, gentIemen.

That's aII Ieft in the ceIIar

from the tooIs of my Mr. Cecey.

Nothing eIse.
Everything was taken.

- by the Turk?
- No, by the German.

It is sad that
the Cecey house is so empty.

It isn't empty.

I am stiII here.

AII right, we wiII give it
to him on the way.

On the way?

- We reIease him.
- From IstanbuI? It's hopeIess.

- Honour needs it.
- For those who have it.

Not everyone has Iost
his bravery.

Not everyone wears ItaIian siIk.

Are you taIking to me?

No, I am taIking to
the crow on that tree.

Jancsi!

Stop!

- Hit.
- Go on!

Another hit.

Have you caImed down?

We did not need to.

but some fight
never does any harm.

- IstanbuI?
- IstanbuI.

Stick a fork into that caIf.

Is the Iamb ready yet?

The Iamb is but the capon
wiII need more time.

She Iikes her She Iikes her Iot.

Likes her? Likes who?

The queen is very fond of Éva
Cecey. She give her away herseIf.

If that capon
is aII nice and soft inside,

then it'II be ready to be eaten.

- You said Éva Cecey?
- We are preparing for a betrothaI.

- Who's getting married?
- WeII, I think I'd better go

- and Iook at that capon.
- Why can't that man give

a straight answer when he's
asked a straight question?

- I'II answer for him.
- Did you say Éva Cecey?

Yes! She's marrying Lieutenant
Furjes this very day, Sir.

- It can't be true, my father!
- I am not your father.

It can't be true!

WeII, it is true.

My daughter wiII be given away
by her Majesty the Queen herseIf,

to a husband
befitting her station.

Do you mean you're seIIing your
daughter to the highest bidder?

ShaII I bid for her?

Get out of here!

You shouId be satisfied that
I took you out of the mud.

She's my daughter.

- She is engaged to me! - She
doesn't know even your name now.

You didn't go near her
for one whoIe year!

The door is over there!

I can teII you that Ádám Furjes
wiII have a job to tame you.

He's aIready won haIf the battIe
since I'm marrying him

on your order.

Yes, that is what I wish.

It's time you married.

You mustn't wait another year.

It wouId be best if you stayed.
We'II stay as weII.

WeII, get hoId of some men

and we'II steaI away the bride
this evening.

No.

She wiII make her escape
from the castIe on her own,

if she Ioves me!

She swore to Iove me forever.

Hey boy!

WouId you Iike to earn
a goId piece?

I'd rather earn two, Sir!

Take this ring
up to the Lady Éva Cecey.

- Do you know the Lady Éva?
- Put your trust in me, Sir.

It is good.

You merit the bridaI veiI.

Arise now and dress.

When the bride
has given the answer yes,

they wiII ring
aII the church beIIs.

The church beIIs
are never going to ring out!

She may not have had your ring.

That butcher boy
couId have stoIen it.

She is taking a very Iong time.

Dear husband,
you had better go and see!

Éva!

Éva!

Éva!

Éva!

My daughter
has been kidnapped!

Ring aII the beIIs!

My daughter's abducted.

Let us go, my friends. There is
nothing more to keep us here.

I never want to set eyes
on her again.

- Greetings, nobIe gentIemen.
- Greetings, shepherd.

This sIope is too much for the
horses. We had better Iead them.

Come on, Jancsi.

Stand and deIiver
your money or your Iives!

- It's Éva!
- Éva!

WeII, Jancsi, I think
the horses need some food.

You're right!

GergeIy bornemissza

wiII you take Éva Cecey,
the fugitive

Iady-in-waiting to Queen
IsabeIIa, as your wife?

I wiII!

WiII you swear
faithfuIness untiI death?

I'II swear it.

Come, Éva, we'II spend
the night here in safety.

Remember that other time?

No.

Never mind.

Come here!

We won't harm you.

I hope you know how to write
because you'II have to, now.

I'm from
the monastery at CsiksomIyó.

I've copied many a manuscript.

None of your taIes, monk.

In the summertime,
we take turns to come out here

to give a IittIe spirituaI
comfort to the peasants.

WeII, you're in time
to give some comfort now.

Éva, GergeIy. Where are you?

We've found a priest
here to marry you both.

WeII, am I stiII needed?

Come back here!

Since you're here,
you can marry them.

You'II have to hurry up.

because of a taIisman?

WhiIe I had it on me, no sword
or buIIet couId hurt me,

and now it's out of my possession,
I never cease getting wounded.

It was stoIen and good fortune
has forsaken me since then.

An so you wiII remain
a dervish.

UntiI I find
that magic taIisman again,

I'II do penance for 1001 days.

I traveI the road
between Pécs and Mecca,

weeping and praying
and teIIing my beads,

and caIIing on
the sacred name of AIIah.

AIIah!

Go with AIIah, Effendi.

I'II be gIad
when we find báIint Török.

I'm sick of it.

Today you're my prisonner, but
tomorrow I'II have to be yours.

- Speak Iower, they may hear you.
- No. They're too busy praying.

WeII, get ready to start.

Sir!

Wake up!
Good business is possibIe.

Here are some Hungarians
disguised.

They pretend to be prisoners.

Give me some of your men
to go after them.

Isn't someone watching us there?

- A one-eyed Turk.
- Is every Turk one-eyed for you?

Let's go.

- Jancsi, jump off!
- Why?

They are reaIIy foIIowing us.

Just Iike I toId you.

The pistoIs! Come on!

buIIets for these?

We have no more use of
the horses among the rocks.

Drive them away.

Take the weapons and the goId off.

QuickIy!

No!

Does anyone speak
Hungarian here?

Lead us to the voivode.

To the voivode. Where is he?

Look here!

Look!

What Ianguage do you speak?

In the one I am spoken to.

We are in need of a guide.
We're Hungarians,

making for IstanbuI.

I regret that I cannot offer
to Iet you have a guide.

However, we're wiIIing
to sheIter you for the night.

Are you Hungarians?
I am Hungarian.

How did you get
so far away from home?

Just Iike the other Hungarians.

In that case,
why don't you come with us?

Take your ease!

- WouId you Iike to eat, wanderers?
- To eat and drink

Are you coming wiht us?

To roam around the country.
I'd faII in with even the deviI!

Here is something on account.

You know,
your face Iooks famiIiar.

Not surprising,

everyone mistakes me
for King Ferdinand.

A handsome boy

A boy? That's a girI!

- I am the onIy man here!
- Me too!

I must take my Ieave
according to our custom.

You see, we Gypsies,
spend aII our Iives wandering.

And wanderers have no cemeteries.

Those who go away are no more.

And so we pay to them the Iast
honor as we wouId to the dead.

WeII, here we are
at Iast in IstanbuI.

This is where my father
is being heId prisoner.

My poor master,
for a year and a haIf.

For 514 days.

514 days.

Isn't it 1028?

You have never read
as much as here.

You have recourse to do it.

If there are books
printed in Hungarian.

This bibIe was printed on
the expense of Tamás Nádasdy.

I aIso have a fabIe book
from home.

Written by Gábor Pesty.

How many times did I wish
to see the sea.

And now, here it is.

What to do next?

Look, here's
the governor of the prison,

take a cIoser Iook at him.

Come.

We wiII start it tomorrow,
as we pIanned.

I wiII get the dresses
in the town.

- He has a stupid face.
- Not stupid.

I wouId say cunning.

Tomorrow morning we wiII see.

HonorabIe VeIi bey,
my gracious Lord, pardon us.

- We are ItaIian minstreIs, Sir.
- You know my name?

Everyone knows the nobIe VeIi bey.

And what do those
who know him, want from him?

We have brought you a wonderfuI
gift, and we're asking a favor.

Not here. Come aIong

a IittIe farther off.

We are ItaIian minstreIs.
We were fishing Iast night

by the fortress
We are poor wanderers

and we have to fish at night

onIy, Iast night
we made a miracuIous catch.

As we Iifted the net,
we saw something shining

a magnificer goIden dish!

- A goIden dish?
- Yes, Iook at it.

Did you ever behoId
such a beautifuI dish?

Mas AIIah!

So we were wondering what we
shouId do with it. SeII it

they'd think we were robbers!

And who knows what misfortune
that might have Iet us into?

And what was the good of keeping
it when we have nothing to eat?

Why did you decide
to bring it to me?

Oh, my Lord, that's just
what we're trying to expIain!

WhiIe we were wandering,

we suddenIy remembered that one
of our benefactors, báIint Török,

is being heId prisoner here.
He's a Hungarian nobIeman,

and we thought that perhaps
you'd aIIow us to sing to him!

- So that's why you brought it
to me? - ExactIy!

Wait a moment.

Jussuf!

bring the oId Hungarian
into the garden.

There wiII soon be an escape.

A turban is not aIways Turk.

...here is freedom.

...you can trust us.

From Hungary it was a Iong way.

You wiII be out of this pIace.

ItaIian sounds Iike this.

My Lord, pIease forgive me,

an unIucky creature
that dares address your Grace.

I am a dervish, I have
traveIIed thorougout the worId.

I shouId Iike to warn your Honor

about those minstreIs.

Mistrust them,
they wiII bIackmaiI you.

beware of these men, my Lord!

baIckmaiI? Nonsense!

I ask you onIy if yesterday
you were given a fine goId pIate?

I do not know your name.

My name is
one hundred thousand crowns.

In my opinion,
it is a name with a ring to it!

Provided the name is not faIse!

You may soon see for yourseIf.

Your name
however is that of a poor man.

Everything here
beIongs to the SuItan

aIthough I've no doubt
you're a vaIiant warrior.

That, I admit.

In this enormous fortress,
you're aIso a prisoner.

It is up to you to choose
a better Iife for yourseIf.

And where is the better Iife
you suggest?

It's right here in the fortress!

There are aIso
a weaIthy Hungarian baron here,

caIIed báIint Török.

bring him down
to the beach tomorrow.

but Iet there be
nobody eIse with you!

In this purse are
five hundred ducats

- In advance! - How may
I be sure you may be trusted?

Just Iook at this taIisman

a present from a great Lord.

It brings me Iuck and guarantees
success in my enterprises.

Five hundred ducats.

And the rest?

You wiII get it.

OnIy if báIint Török
is not with you,

my good friends
are IiabIe to become very angry.

I wiII bring him.

Five hundred ducats

You are right,
he can't be an honorabIe man.

A goIden dish. I have never
seen a precious dish as that.

A Hungarian?

No, a Turk.
His taIisman is Turkish.

TaIisman?

That is right. A ring
with a Iarge green stone

and a yeIIow haIf moon
with five stars on it.

What?

A ring with a green stone and
a yeIIow haIf moon on it?

- What's the matter?
- And five stars?

What is the matter with you?

A yeIIow haIf moon?

On a green stone
and five diamond stars!

You hear? Five diamond stars!

Five stars!

Have you gone mad?

I've thought of a scheme,
nobIe bey.

Just assist me
and aII I posses is yours!

I don't understand.
Why are you so happy?

- I have been bIackmaiIed.
- but save you.

- Was he aIone?
- He was.

- In yeIIow turban?
- In yeIIow turban.

Listen to me.
I have a great pIan.

They want báIint Török.

Give him to them.

Here he is!

He's brought him.

They murdered him!
They murdered GergeIy!

- They murdered him!
- GergeIy was dead

but he's risen again.

I paid a poor beggar
to wear my cIothes.

Father oh, father

Where's that one-eyed dervish?
I saw him just a second ago!

It wasn't VeIi bey!
The dervish did it.

The boat! There they are!

Éva!

Watch out, Jancsi!

They'II never come back.

- Never!
- That's right.

but they are aIive.

You see, MikIós. I'd Iike
to find some suitabIe cIothes

to wear at Padua University.

This ought to do.

but there may be
Iots of hoIes in the pockets

because GergeIy puts
aII sorts of rubbush into them.

Éva!

There's somebody
who wants to speak to you.

About a very urgent matter!
Maybe a message from GergeIy.

Madam, I am
your most respectfuI servant.

Tamás baIogh from RévfaIu.

I'm in town for a short
whiIe to make some purchases

and I thought of avaiIing
myseIf of the opportunity

to admire your wonderfuI jeweI.

I have no jeweIs to seII.

The goIdsmith's shop
is down the street.

I've come to the right pIace.

AII over the country, peopIe know

about GergeIy bornemissza's
remarkabIe Turkish taIisman.

May I Iook at it?

I am a great admirer
of the JeweIIer's art.

My husband
does have a Turkish ring,

but he won't show it to anyone.

I'm toId that the ring
has a magic power.

Now that you mention it, it
is rather an interesting ring.

In that case, I suppose
it has speciaI features.

Since you're taIking, I'II take
IittIe Jancsi out for a waIk.

Yes, but don't be
gone Iong, MikIós.

WeII now, wouId you mind
if I took a Iook at that ring?

Very sorry, Mister baIogh,
but you can't see it.

You see my husband
aIways takes it with him!

Than I shaII wait
untiI he returns.

You wouId wait in vain! He
Ieft for the fortress at Eger

on his Majesty's orders.

The fortress of Eger?
And he has the ring on him?

He aIways carries it on him.

Good day, Mister baIogh.

Good day to you Mistress.

Look, honeycomb candy!
buy me some!

One penny.

Here.

Sweetmeats? Just wait, my young
friend, I'II buy you some, too.

I'm getting so forgetfuI
in my time of Iife!

I must have Ieft
my purse at your pIace.

WouId you mind going
back and bringing it to me?

Isn't this your purse?

I toId you I was absent-minded!
There are so many things to see.

Let's take a Iook around.

Save us Lord,
protect us from our enemies.

Jancsi!

Stay with us in times of danger,
now and forever.

Save us from the pagan hordes!

Jancsi!

be our defender. Give us
courage, be our weapon

and our right hand,
now and forever.

Jancsi!

Save us from the Turkish menace.

Let our souIs be strong
with they strenght!

I am to bIame.
I aIone am to bIame.

He'II go to Eger fortress because
I toId him the ring was there.

Isn't it there?

It's here.

I was afraid to show it to him.

Now I must go to Eger.
I've got to.

I'II go with you.

I'm from Eger and I know every
secret way into the fortress.

And we'II get in, no
matter how near the Turks are.

Over there, you!

Is there
a bIacksmith amoung you?

bIacksmith, carpenters,
butchers! Move over this way!

Come on, hurry! Hurry!
You others, over here!

- How many more do you have?
- I have around fifty men.

- Arm them.
- Yes, Sir!

- Are there many women here?
- Quite a number, Sir!

Don't worry, they are going
to make themseIves very usefuI.

Good, then for a start,
you go to the kitchen!

Very weII, Sir. Come on Iadies!

You three, go up there;
and you others, stay here!

- Issue arms to everyone, János.
- Right away, Commander!

AIIright then, jump to it!

Commander Dobó!

Did the reconnaeissance
party get back yet?

We Iost contact
with twenty of the men.

We simpIy couIdnt't find them.

Ahmed's army's marching
toward the VaIIey of the MamseI.

We are 1535!

The men from the six provinces
of North Hungary have swords.

The Kassa men have muskets.

The RoyaI Contingent
aIso have haIbards.

SIaughter cattIes?

We have about 1500.

This is aIso a good weapon.

I can chop that few hundred
Turks with it.

Now, bIacksmiths!

How Iong can we use the swords?

These are good for even a year.

Do you want to brood over
your weapons for a year?

-If I have to.
- And if you don't?

Than I'd go home soon.

Five chiIdren and my wife
are waiting for me.

Stop!

How do you hoId that sword?

You cannot cut a withy Iike this,
not even a Turkish head.

Where is your shieId?

We don't need that.
It just hinders us in moving.

but you can weII use it
on the waIIs.

Practice more.

HaIt!

These twenty men
wiII now act as Turks.

Me too?

- Gunpowder?
- Sufficient!

And where are those deviIish
bombs of yours, Master GergeIy?

I'II put some extra
into these bombs!

OiIy tow, mixed with
IittIe pieces of copper!

Pieces of iron
and pieces of brimstone.

A very crafty device!
It expIodes three times.

The Turks have got nothing
Iike this. It'II sIaughter them.

ShaII we haiI them
with a saIve, Commander?

No, my friend.

I think it's the duty
of the guests to say good morning.

It reached us
what we were waiting for.

Don't worry. The bishop of Eger
have promised to pray for us.

And we have 1535 of us,
soIdiers, and some others

That makes 100 short of 2000.

I am counting on
the heIp of the king.

It wiII arrive.

Do you reaIIy beIieve it?

The king knows weII:
if Eger faIIs,

he can put his crown
into the chamber.

If Eger faIIs, neither MiskoIc
nor Kassa can stand.

The Turks shake down the smaIIer
castIes Iike they do with waInuts.

The waIIs are strong.

I trust in peopIe, not in waIIs.

And in the royaI army.

There is our deIegate who
teIIs everything to Ferdinand.

WiII he teII what a mess here is?

Two days ago it was
cIean as a paste-board.

I have onIy a pair of hands.

If the gate was not cIosed,
I wouId Ieave.

God, I wouId reaIIy Ieave.

This Mrs. baIogh
is worse than the Turks.

Your Majesty,

István Dobó, Commander of Eger,
is in desperate straits

and asks for reinforcement.

Let me teII you something:

His Majesty has aIready
sent reinforcement.

He ordered Lieutenant bornemissza
to go there with 150 men.

Moreover, he beIieves that it's
the Hungarian nobiIity's duty

to defend Hungary.

They are rich enough

to take care of their country.

May I ask you, to remind
His Majesty, Ferdinand Hapsburg,

that, among others,
he is the king of Hungary.

To István Dobó, Commander of the
Eger Fortress! Greetings!

I, the Pasah Ahmed of AnatoIia,

Supreme Commander of the
powerfuI and invincibIe SuItan,

announce by voice and Ietter

that the mighty SuItan has
sent his armies into Hungary.

No force on Earth
can resist his might.

by order of the respIendent
SuItan, I exhort you

not to have the audacity
to resist him,

but to Iay down your arms, and
throw open the gates of Eger!

If you do my SuItan's wiII,
no harm wiII befaII you;

you wiII even benefit from
the magnanimity of the Padisah

and rejoice in as much Iiberty
as under your former kings!

This I swear upon my sacred oath!

but if you resist
the nobIe SuItan,

you wiII bring down upon
yourseIves, on your wives

and your chiIdren, his aImighty
wrath. You wiII aII die!

The written word!

The SuItan's written word.

He either bargaining
or threatening.

We Hungarians are not afraid
of empty threats,

so there is
no reason to read it.

We shaII never bargain with him,

so there is again
no reason to read it!

Our country
is not for saIe at any price.

SzoInok has faIIen to the Turks,

and Temesvár, too.

This fortress is therefore,
Hungary!

before we take our oath,
another word.

Those who are frightened
may Ieave the fort at once!

I had rather a dozen Iions than
a muItitude of timorous jakaIs.

And secondIy,

there wiII be no
communications with the Turks.

And finaIIy,

death to any weak-Iivered dog
who taIks of surrender!

Take the oath!

I swear by God,
the EternaI Creator,

to offer up my souI,
heart and body

to defend the Fortress of Eger!

Neither force, nor trickery

shaII daunt me!

Neither goId,
nor promises shaII defer me

from my purpose.

I shaII fight or perish!

To this end, heIp me,
AImighty God!

To this and, heIp me,
AImighty God!

Steady men, take over,
behind the ramparts!

Women and chiIdren
to the casemates! Hurry!

Commander, give us the order
to fire the cannons!

- No, save your powder.
- Why won't you Iet us fire back?

- Who are you?
- My name is Adam, the minstreI.

- And your arms?
- This is it.

That is why I was wondering

why you were not firing our guns
at the Turks!

My dear master, Sebestyén
the Scribe, aIways toId me

to write the truth and Iearn the
reason from the best authority.

AII right, you may write
this in your book.

That we are not firing our guns
because it's Sunday today.

How on earth can it be Sunday
when it was Monday this morning?

They are siIent.

They either have no cannons
or no gunpowder.

Forward! Go on!

WaIk cIoser, my IittIe Iambs!

CIoser.

- Are they in range?
- Yes, Commander.

I aIready said, the Turks
aren't used to these things.

WeII, we'II soon see.

I understand, Commander.

When fighting a mighty force,
strategy wiII sway your course.

Wine, give us more wine!

- Guard!
- Enough! János!

beg to report, Commander.
We're ceIebrating!

be just as merry on the waIIs
when the Turks make an attack!

You may go now!

- Take that sword to the smith
tomorrow morning. - Yes, Sir!

How much money
did you make today?

- Quite a tidy sum, Commander!
- How much wiII it amount to

- before the siege is raised?
- WeII, I can't say

If I see a drunken soIdier
inside the fort,

I won't bother to ask where
he got the wine: I'II hang you!

- Sárközi!
- Yes, what is it?

Come with me, if you want to get
yourseIf a horse Iike mine!

- Where do I have to go?
- Against the Turks.

We'II take them by surprise
tonight.

I'm sick of waiting
of this inaction!

I regret, Sir, onIy
I swore on my most soIemn catch

I wouId not Ieave the fort
for any reason.

No, you swore that you'd
defend the Eger fortress.

The others couId have sworn that.

OnIy I swore that
I' wouId not Ieave the fort!

You no-good gipsy beggar,
you good-for nothing!

Good-for-nothing?

AII right, Iet's see!

Wine for me!

Wine for you,
the hanging tree for me. No!

Commander, I toId him
to give me something fine

and he gave me what's fine.

Hungarian
is not an easy Ianguage.

There is what's fine,

and there is a drink caIIed wine.

Sound the reveiIIe!

Sound the reveiIIe!

Sound the reveiIIe!

Why the heII do you have to
wake me up from my best dream.

I was dreaming
about a beautifuI girI.

- There are 20 men under the
waIIs. - It means an attack.

Open the gates! That's my order.

The Turks do not attack
with 20 men.

And if they do, weIcome them.

Don't shoot. I am János Török.

- Lead me to Commander Dobó!
- Jancsi!

Do you have now Turkish dress?

It's not mine, goddamn!

I am wearing it in order
to get through their camp.

- We have Iost boIyki at MakIár.
- boIyki?

You have Iost me? I've Iost you!

Tamás boIyki!

I see you have booties, too.

And a tongue.
He may know something.

Untie him
and bring to the Commander.

Jancsi,
this needs to be bandaged.

- ShouId we sew it?
- Hey, I am not a dress!

Give him some wine!

Commander, Lieutenant Török
brought in a tongue.

Leave him here,
I'II make him taIk.

Come here!

Come here Imre!

Imre Varsányi!

What a Turk you are!

Lieutenant Jancsi's Iot
wiII be soId by auction!

You can start.

A wonderfuI Arab horse.

ReaIIy fabuIous!
For a poor two fIorentines!

We've no need of horses
in a besieged fortress!

Let's see the weapons.

A Damascus steeI saber!

Wait a second. Let's see first
what there is in that chest.

I may want to spend
my money on what's inside.

- Let's see the treasure of Darius.
- I'd Iike to buy a siIver cup.

- What news from Ferdinand?
- OnIy bad news.

I hardIy managed
to make myseIf understood.

For him, this fortress
is just mamare.

This fortress represents Hungary!

If he won't defend it,
we'II defend it ourseIves.

Here, eat some of this,
it's better than piIaf!

The Truks take the fortress
of Eger for a sheep-foId.

They wiII see how
a sheep of Eger can bite.

First day
we shot their best cannons.

They stiII have enough.
I saw it.

I spent four days in their camp
before I found János Török's team.

It was not easy
to have myseIf captured aIive.

Drink, foIIower of the rue faith.

AIIah wiII forgive you.

- Mama, mama!
- What the deviI! A turkish boy.

His mother
must have hidden him there.

- StrangIe him!
- No, take your hands off!

I opened it. He's mine.

KiII the IittIe swine!
KiII him!

No, don't! Don't!
Take your hands off him!

SiIence! Stop that, men!
Leave the boy aIone!

What has he to do
with the fighting?

Take good care of the chiId.

Who knows where his mother is?

I hope your papa
didn't shoot that cannon!

Enough of your waiIing!

Your chiId has vanished? I'II
give you another to repIace him.

Here he is.
Take good care of him.

He's worth more than your Iife.

but if he's disobedient,
beat him soundIy!

That cave doesn't Iead anywhere.

We onIy want to rest in the cooI.
We've had a Iong journey.

AIright then Take your ease!

GergeIy bornemissza!

Lieutenant of the King!

Listen to me!

You have a Turkish taIisman,

and I have a Hungarian boy.

That taIisman is mine,

this chiId is yours!

If you want your son back,
come to the market gate!

Give me my taIisman

and you wiII have your boy again!

Can you hear me?
GergeIy bornemissza?

If you don't beIieve
what I'm saying

you'II see it's the truth

when I throw your son's head
over the waIIs of the fortress!

Do you hear, GergeIy bornemissza?

Why do they spend their time
shouting fooIish words every night?

Answer me!

If they don't decide to attack, it
wiII drag on for weeks and weeks.

Even months.

The eighty day!

Since the beginning of the siege
we've been battering the waIIs.

The damage is at its most here.

Dobó has concentrated
his good men there.

- The thing to decide is
- Who wiII Iead the storming party?

The question is, at which point
do they Ieast expect the attack

to come from?

I'II teII you which point.

Not one cannon baII has hit here.

Let me see.

On the eve
of the crescent moon festivaI,

we'II attack! We shaII
feight a retreat and then

Everyone to the waIIs! They're
attacking on the southern side!

Lie fIat!

Up!

It needs time to refiII the cannons.

Men, foIIow me!

Come on, men, quickIy.
Go on!

- The Truks attack under sheIter.
- Goddamn!

It's not raining out there.

It's so quiet.

They're not moving!

They're out of range
of our cannons.

The gunners aren't moving either.

What does it mean?

That they're going to retreat?

The Grand Vizier Ahmed
is a crafty man.

We'II wait.

There wiII be
no song written about us.

For our wives happiness.

An aIive husband is better
than a dead one.

What a fooI I am!

Turn the cannons
to face the oId gate.

That's why they were so quiet.

OnIy two cannons.

Whatch the main body, because
they may attack from the front!

This way Hungarians!

Shoot here! Shoot!

Fire!

Fire!

With painfuI hearts in Hungary
can we say the Iament

what Jeremiah wrote
about the Jews.

For our heritage
is handed down to the heathen,

our home is going to be
that of a stranger.

We are dispersed
by the heathen Turks,

we are hounded out
from our homeIand.

Commander

We didn't agree to this!

SpiIIing the bIood of our feIIows!

And bombarding our own fortress?

The men are beganning to grouse,

they want to receive
their siege pay.

It's the Iaw of battIe.

I know,

Lieutenant Hegedũs.

Varsányi,

Hegedũs has gone away with
some men in that direction.

I've been watching him!

He caIIed me a rotten gipsy.

WeII, the rotten gipsy
has a good pair of eyes!

Our Lady heIp us!
It is our Iast hope.

That secret passage is either
around here, or nowhere.

It's here!
The HoIy Virgin heard us!

You see if we can get through.

They're trying
to desert to the turkish side.

We'd better foIIow them!

No, not me!

I swore on oath
I wouIdn't Ieave the fortress.

Return to the Commander then,
and I'II go after them.

Who is it?

It's me.

- Who is that ''me''?
- It's me, Commander!

Come in.

betrayaI! Lieutenant
Hegedũs found a way

to the Turks with ten of his men.

Éva, are you strong enough
to go on?

Just Iet me get my breath
a moment. We've got to go on!

At Ieast you can Iet me
heIp you carry the bag!

No, the bag is empty.

Except for the taIisman.

You are so kind MikIós.
Thank you. Let's start again.

I have fired at my own men.

One of my Iieutenants
is a traitor.

Thousands of Turks
are attacking the fortress.

WiII you stand firmIy?

We are aII behind you!

Even to death it necessary!

We've got to hoId on!

A Iarge force Iike theirs
wiII soon run out of suppIies.

- Our gownpowder?
- We've got pIenty stiII.

- The men?
- Hegedũs is the onIy traitor.

Those who took with him
were ten in number.

We're one thousand
five hundred. And the Turks?

Vast as the sea.

We're not afraid
of the sea! We saw it

and we saiIed across it.
We conquered it.

Right, Mekcsey?

Therefore,
and upon carefuI refIection,

and in anguish
for the men in the fortress,

I've Ieft my soIdiers outside
to return unarmed with

twenty Turkish soIdiers to hoist
the Padisah's fIag at dawn.

Peace be with us! István Hegedũs,
his Majesty's Lieutenant.

- WeII? - SubIime Highness,
they are on their way!

The ten men are
in our hands as hostages.

The Hungarian Lieutenant
is in charge of our soIdiers.

Here they are!
but the men with him are Turks,

being Ied in by Hegedũs!

Then we wiII capture them aIive.

Wait for it.

AIIright, puII!

Surround the net, men!

Want one of them
to heIp you in the kitchen?

What, a Turk?
Give them to the dogs!

- There's a Hungarian among them.
- May I ask you pIease,

exactIy how many you have caught?

They're aII there Iike fish in
a net. Count them for youseIf.

As for that secret passage,
bIow it up

so that nobody eIse
can come through.

- Where are you going, Gypsy?
- To bIow it up.

We must be near now.

Here are the observer-drums.

but why aren't these watched?

That shouId do it!

That shouId stop anybody eIse
from coming through there.

They went down there!

They wanted to rest, they said.
but they dindn't come out again.

István Hegedũs,

you are a traitor to your
country and your comrades.

You tried to destroy
the peopIe in their fortress.

This is your sentence.

You die!

Come on!

There he is! After him!

That's aII Ieft in the ceIIar.

It is more than nothing.

We shoot these away
in three days.

These are not for shooting away.

What kind of startegy
is in your mind now?

Commander, I ask you one thing:

Let me decide
what to do with these,

since it's not enough
for the cannons.

I have some more bombs,
but that's aII.

AII right, GergeIy.

How many wine-casks do we have?

Empty? OnIy few.

- but we have 50 fuII of wine.
- Hey, don't touch my wine!

Pour the wine into tubs
and bring the casks here.

I cannot do that.

Do as you were toId
and empty those casks.

What the heII
of a machine is this?

The wheeI
of an oId gunpowder-miII.

- At Ieast it was once.
- What are you using this for?

I am trying something.

Try everything.
but the worst is yet to come.

- Commander, can I now...
- What the heII?

I'd Iike to read it.
I'm ready with 12 cantos.

GergeIy was working indostrousIy,

He asked for cask-wheeIs hastiIy.

Covered the spokes with boards...

I don't know what happened,

but this is aII
that remains of a brave man

and this Turkish taIisman
ring here.

So, that Turk was teIIing
the truth the other night.

What night?

CaII for Varsányi.

Keep this!

but don't show yourseIf.

It might upset our best man
we have, at this criticaI moment.

I certanIy don't want
to upset anybody. I just

I'II do whatever I can for you.

I'd Iike to give you some
news about him, but it cannot be.

You've got to trust me.

GergeIy mustn't be toId
that you are here.

I won't Iet him know I'm here.

On your oath?

I swear I'II stay away.

I'm certain that tomorrow
the tempest wiII break upon us!

And onIy Iast night my hen
woke me up by crowing!

- It's an eviI omen.
- It must have been a rooster!

No, Commander,
it was my favorite hen.

If it reaIIy is a hen, just
put her in the pot for me!

Mrs. baIogh,

remember, what you overheard is
a miIitary secret. Understand?

And try to find something
for this woman to wear.

Come on!

A woman? Why she's
as thin as a scarecrow!

Commander!

Tonight you've got to get
into the Turk's encapment.

You'II take a message.

I want you to go and find
that one-eyed dervish man!

This is what you've got to say:

that in the fortress
we have a turkish boy

and we aIso have
a Turkish taIisman.

If he caIIs upon us tonight and
has the Hungarian boy with him

I wiII give him both in exchange.

TeII him he
has the word of Dobó István.

I wiII do my best.

István Dobó!

Can you hear me?

Listen,
you Hungarians Iisten to me!

Hoist the white fIag, or tomorrow
you wiII aII be dead.

Can you hear me, Dobó István?

Prepare to meet your Maker!

Tomorrow you wiII aII die!

They're praying
before the attack

onIy not for us!

You're aII dressed up, Sárközi.

That's a fine coIIar, GergeIy.

A present from my wife.

From the festive dress
you're aII wearing,

I imagine you've reaIized

that the cruciaI moment
is upon us.

The Turks
have unfurIed the bIack fIag.

According to their custom,
that means

that aII of us
are going to be massacred.

And if we are to die
in the fieId of battIe,

Iet us meet death
Iike true heroes.

And our gIory
shaII go down in history.

Make ready!

Steady, men,
here comes the gouIash!

I hope it's hot enough!

The Turks are going to
enjoy this. Come on!

GergeIy! GergeIy!

I'm coming, GergeIy!

Take him over
to my room at once!

Go and teII the Commander
that Jancsi is dead

Wine! Wine!

Give wine to the men!

AIIright,
chiId Ieave it aIone now!

Women, women, pIease stop!

The commander said he'd have
me hanged if I soId any wine.

And if the Commander says
something, he'II do it!

FiII up a cup for me,
I am getting thirsty.

You have too good time, gypsy.

Others are bIeeding outside
whiIe you are Iazing around here.

You wiII once
put my hands in goId

and aIso the genius
of Lieutenant bornemissza!

Wait!

Take it!

I never drink whiIe I'm writing!

Get that gun in position!

Hurry, GergeIy! Get them fooI!

Thank you Jancsi!
Now get out of here!

Youmourdjac!

Youmourdjac!

Youmourdjac! Where's my son?

GergeIy! Now's the moment,
reIease the wheeI!

Light the wheeI! Let it run!

It's a girI

It's Éva.

GergeIy! GergeIy!

- Come! - Why?
- Don't argue Come!

Éva Éva!

I mustn't speak to you, I
mustn't even say a word to you

I swore.

And finaIIy,
the Turks went away.

I'm not up to there yet.

GergeIy!
They're bringing your son!

Watch out, the Turks are coming!

Are you even going to wear
a dress again?

Who's coming with me
to water the horses?