Barabbas (1953) - full transcript

What do you think you're doing?!

Why are you standing there?
Be off with you!

You're free...
Scram!

He's very thirsty.

My God!

My God!

Why have you forsaken me?

What...

What are YOU doing here?

Why don't you answer?

Didn't you expect to see me?



Thought I was dead, eh?

Crucified, perhaps?

Hey... stop!

Barabbas!

Am I seeing things?
Is it really you?

Is it really you, Barabbas.
Come inside!

You come in, too.

Everyone's here.

Barabbas! It's HIM!

What a bit of damned luck...

...that the other guy
got crucified instead!

I have to touch you!

Me too! It will bring luck!

Women are crazy!



Quiet now!
You can do that later.

We men need to talk first.

Poor guy...
He was close to being dead!

Dead?

If you're condemned,
your dead.

If you're freed, you're also dead,
but resurrected.

It's quite different to being alive
the way the rest of us are.

It's nothing to laugh about!

I should kick you all out of here.

Except for Barabbas...

...and that girl.

She looks kind and modest.

Though a bit silly, eh?

We're going up
into the mountains tonight.

Are you planning
on going there too?

You know where we'll be.

I saw him once...

Who?

The one who got crucified,
instead of Barabbas.

He walked past me once.

They want to go to Jericho.
A caravan...

He prophesied,
and performed miracles.

They couldn't have crucified him
for that?

He must have done something else.

Of course!

He's supposed to have said that
Jerusalem would be destroyed...

and heaven and earth would burn!

What!

That's just crazy!

No wonder he was crucified!

What's going on here?!

Quiet!

Only the poor and wretched
listened to him.

He promised that they
would enter God's kingdom.

He even made that promise
to harlots!

Though wouldn't it be great
if it were true!

I couldn't care less about that one.
He's dead

He was crucified,
and Barabbas wasn't.

That's the main thing.
Now eat.

Barabbas!

Who is she, anyway?

The strange way she talked.

Does she have a cleft palate?

Drink now, Barabbas!
Cheer up!

You're alive!

No, listen...

What's meant by...

...that darkness today?

When the sun suddenly stopped shining.

What darkness?

When was it?

At the sixth hour,
or thereabouts.

Rubbish! Nobody saw such a thing.

In the middle of the day?!

Something must have gone wrong
with your eyes.

From being in captivity.

Yes, you were blinded by the light.

Nothing to wonder about.

You see that, don't you?

Oh no!... He's mine!

Out of luck, bitch!

Now I've got you again, darling.

You'll never have to imagine
some strange darkness again.

It's my eyes... my eyes!

There's something wrong
with my eyes!

It's not my imagination!

It IS dark! It's dark!

It IS dark.

Of course it's dark, darling!

Yes...

over Golgotha...

...and over everything...

Why are you standing there?

Come here.

You're not to go out
in the dark.

Come to bed instead.

What's that bell
that rings all the time?

Is it a leper?

Doesn't sound like it.

Could very well be.

There was one of those poor wretches
outside the Dung Gate.

Come on now, Barabbas!

I just can't accept
that he's dead.

Crucified...

Farewell.

How could I deny him?

How COULD I deny him?

What are you fretting about,
sitting there?

You aren't from Jerusalem,
are you?

Where are you from?

A long, long way from here.

Do you know the Sea of Galilee?

Yeah.

I'm from there.

My hometown is there.

I'll never get to see it again.

That depends on The Master.

Master?

Yes. Haven't you heard abou him?

The one who was crucified
on Golgotha Hill yesterday?

Why wouldn't he arise,
who himself raised so many dead?

Raised the dead?!

I've seen it with my own eyes.

And many believe...

Believe what?

That he's the Son of God.

How can you say such a thing?!

The Son of God!

Poppycock!

Would the Son of God
come down to Earth...

and preach in YOUR home town?

Why not?

As good there
as anywhere else.

It is a small village,
but he must start somewhere.

And the miracles
that happened at his death.

What miracles?

It became dark when he died.

And that the earth shook

and the hill cracked open,
where the cross stood.

You witnessed this?
You were there?

- No...
- Then how?

No, I wasn't with The Master
when he died.

I'd gone away.

And prior to that,
I'd denied him.

How would he ever forgive me,
when he returns?

What should I answer
when he asks me about it?

Don't take it too personally,
each one of us has failed.

Do you think
he can forgive me?

Do you think so?

Do you know who that man is?

No...

Only that he's charitable.

Don't you know that The Master
was crucified in his place?!

Leave this place, you reprobate!

Tomorrow...

at sunrise.... it will happen.

Do you really believe...

that angels will come down here...

...to us,

and everyone will be made well?

Tell us once more...

...how it was you met
the Son of God.

No one...

...has ever been
so kind to me.

Sure, I could have asked him
to rid me of my deformity...

But I didn't want to.

He was the Son of God.

He did the greatest deeds.

I didn't want to bother him
with something so trivial.

Are you also asking me
for a miracle?

No, Lord...

I'm not doing that.

I did but see you walking by...

You shall bear witness to me.

Strange. What could he
have meant by that?

How would you be able to do that?

But since he has said it,
so it will happen.

They say he's now wandering
in the Kingdom of the Dead.

What's it look like there?

I don't know.

No one can imagine that.

Are dead children also
in the Kingdom of the Dead?

What about those
who died in the womb?

Surely that can't be so?

Are you here again?
Go away!

What are you doing here?!

Do you let heaven
drag in scum like this?!

Look...!

The morning star
over the Mount of Olives!

Look at the star, everybody!

The tomb was open
when I came...

...though I didn't see it
in the dark!

The disciples, of course!

They carried him away so people
will think that he's resurrected!

Why are you sitting there like that?

Didn't you see the angel
who came down from heaven?

With his arm like a spearhead and
his cloak a sheet of fire behind him?

He stuck the spear between the cliff
and the stone, and separated them.

Didn't you see that?

I don't have visions any longer.

No...

I only see what's real, now.

Do you believe in him?

When did you start doing that?

Was it...

Was it after we parted?

Hey, wait!

What kind of teaching did he do,
that was so remarkable?

"To love one another."

Why is he wandering around
aimlessly here?

The others have been up
in the mountains for ages.

Now I know!

He's hanging around here
for YOUR sake!

You think he bothers about ME?

He's not bothered
about anyone.

If only I could understand
why your Master...

You made sandals for him.

You've talked with him.

Can't you explain?

Don't you understand? We'd be glad
to be able to explain his teaching.

But...

But what?

I understand...

You don't want...

...anything to do with me.

There's nobody who rises
from the dead!

The Son of God?

No way was he God's son!

Otherwise it would have been easy
for him to avoid dying!

And they claim that he died
for their sake.

What nonsense!

But for you, Barabbas,
he did just that.

No way you can deny THAT.

What are you saying?

Died for ME?

Yes, you're right there.

No one can deny that.

So they won't have anything
to do with me.

They won't have anything
to do with me!

Don't want to know me!

Although I'm much closer to him
than they - I belong with him!

I was the one released
in place of the Son of God!

I was chosen.

I'm the chosen one!

Anyhow...

What do I care about
their "friendship meals"...

...and their "loving one another"?

I'm my own man!

I'm no slave to Him,
like they are.

I'm revolted when I think about
that scrawny, miserable body...

...with arms that
barely kept hanging!

And a mouth so dried out,
he could barely ask for water!

And what disgusts me...

...is their worship of the dead.

I don't want to die!

I'm never going there again.

Did you hear what I said?
I'm never going there again!

Tell me, what is it
you want to know...

...that you don't
really understand?

We reproach ourselves that
we didn't receive you properly.

What is it you want to know?

Nobody has risen
from the dead!

Would you like to you meet someone
that The Master has raised from the dead?

I can introduce you.

He lives just outside Jerusalem.

Is it true that you were dead, and
raised by the rabbi from Galilee?

How long were you
in your grave?

Four days and nights.

And you were unchanged?

Thus The Master showed
that He was the Son of God.

I'll leave you.

I'm going to call on my parents,
who also live in this village.

Do YOU believe that rabbi
was the Son of God?

No.

There are many that don't.

But he restored my life...

...so I no longer need belong
to the Kingdom of the Dead.

I thank Him for that, every day.

The Kingdom of the Dead?

What's it like there?

What's it like?

Yes, what was it
you experienced?

I haven't experienced anything.

I was simply dead.

And death is nothing.

Nothing?

Well, what's it supposed to be?

Do you expect a description from me
of the Kingdom of the Dead?

Well, I can't give it.

The Kingdom of the Dead
is... nothing.

It exists...

...but it's nothing.

But for anyone who's been there...

...nothing is the same,
not even "nothing".

Farewell!

Wasn't that true,
what we said?

Tell me!

Phooey!

Why would I share
in a meal of death?

You'd taste the corpse!

Me?!

I don't care about death.

The Kingdom of the Dead...

It's nothing.

Who are you?

Sent here by the Temple Guard,
the High Priest, or the Sadducees?

Now I know!

He's the one who was freed
in The Master's place.

That's Barabbas!

Barabbas the criminal!

Sit down!

What do you want?

Near us, in Chinos Valley,

...there's a hare-lipped woman
who spreads teachings about a "saviour".

He proclaims that everything
that exists will be destroyed...

...and a better world arise.

A better world?

What do you mean by "saviour"?

He is the Son of God,
so she says.

Son of God?

Yes, that's what she says...
and that is pure blasphemy!

I think she should be stoned, right?

That's not for you to judge.

The Master has said...

...that those who believe in him...

...will suffer persecution
for his sake.

If so, we must try
to endure this...

...and think about
what The Master has suffered.

We are just weak
and miserable creatures...

Not like him.

But we should try
to endure every trial...

...and never fail...

...or deny him.

My Lord...

and Saviour...

I shall so willingly...

...so willingly do as you said.

You stroked my mouth
with your hand...

...and said I should bear witness to it.

I remember the smell of your hand...

...and how you looked at me.

Oh, Lord...

Lord, I shall so willingly...

...so willingly...

...bear witness...

...to you.

This woman is sentenced to death,
for blasphemy against God...

...and for spreading false teachings.

The one who accused her...

...is to throw the first stone!

Why should I stone her?

I've never...

I've never seen her!

That's the law.

I've never even seen her before!

He has come!

He has come!

I see Him!

I see Him!

Lord...

...how should I bear witness to you?

Forgive me...

Soldiers, here, on the double!

Run! Quickly! Hurry!

The prosecutor has been murdered!

Seize him!

I love you.

Me?

You love me?

Don't you believe me?

You don't?
But it's true... I do love you.

I'm not saying that just to
stop you robbing me.

Or for you to bring me food.

I'll come every day
if you want.

Oh, that's alright.

I'm not being nice
just to have company, either.

- Don't leave me.
- Leave you?

How can I do that?

Before my leg heals up?

Then they'd soon get me!

But not as quickly as they'd think.

Oh no!

I'm happy here.
It's a good hiding place.

I think I could stay here
with you for a long time.

What are you doing there,
staring into the dark?

Is there some secret
you're keeping to yourself?

Why don't you say something?

You're probably thinking
of informing on me.

You're not?
Then what is it?

You needn't say anything.

I'm not so crazy about you
when you talk.

You talk through your nose!

This leg's not getting any better.

I won't be able to move...

Never get away from here.

Anyway, how are YOU feeling?

I don't know...

Is there no one you can trust...

...can talk to?

My mother, perhaps.

A curse upon you!

A curse on the life
within you!

Get out of here, you bitch!

True, Mother?

Is that what you're telling me?

Now he can't leave me.

Quiet!

Barabbas!

Barabbas!

Where can I put him?

Where have you put her child?

Who killed her?

Where have you put her child?

I'll bury her there.

Was he the saviour of the world?!

Why didn't he help her then,
in the stoning pit?!

I don't like their crucifixions.

I hate him!

He was the one
who killed her...

...if you must know.

No Barabbas!
Not the dead.

Those men belong to the temple,
and the temple belongs to the Lord.

It does, does it! ?

He won't listen.

Just sits and stares.

What's he staring at?

How would I know?
Just stares across The Dead Sea

What do we do
with such a leader?

He was sitting when Elijah
struck him under his eye.

Who was Elijah?

He was a leader, before Barabbas.

Before Barabbas?

He was leader
when Barabbas was born.

He was born here?

In Jerusalem. Of a Moabite woman
who we took in a plundering raid.

Who was the father?

One of us.

Elijah had her the most.

We sold her to a brothel
in Jerusalem.

They kicked her out
because she was pregnant.

She probably gave birth
on the street.

He sat just like that, the night
he threw Elijah into the deep.

Why are you just looking at me?

Surely there are
many others to reproach?

Look!

He threw himself down!

An evil spirit
made him do it!

Look for him!

BARABBAS!

Where are you?

Where are you?

But how did you get here...?

To Rome!?

I was a slave...

...of the Roman governor
of Cyprus.

So when he moved to Rome,
you came along?

But before that,
what were you doing...

...when you left your comrades
in the mountains?

I came to the copper mines
in Cyprus.

Then you must have been guilty
of something pretty serious.

They say the copper mines
are pure hell.

I was there many years.

But you came back to normal life.
That doesn't usually happen.

Very strange

There was a man called Sahak.

Oh, I see.

Was that someone who knew
the Roman governor?

One of the prisoners.

No!

Is it true you said
you were born in Jerusalem?

And you knew of the rabbi
that so many believed in?

Yeah.

Did you ever see him yourself?

Yeah... I have.

It's as if everything's
become different down here.

I can't figure out...

It's like transformed... everything.

I'm chained together with
someone who's seen God!

It's the name of the one
you talked about.

He is my God...

...and I'm his slave.

Who carved this?

A Greek slave I worked with
at the furnaces.

He died there...

...and they threw him
into the oven.

With his last breath he said...

"Lord, do not forsake me."

Lord...

...do not forsake me.

Sahak...

Could you carve that name
on my tag?

Yes, of course I will,
if I can.

Lord, when are you coming
down to us?

When will we see
your kingdom on Earth?

It can't be that long now
until we get taken out of the mine.

We'll certainly not be forgotten.

Maybe He'll be at the pithead
to receive us...

...and liberate us
from our shackles.

Don't you think so?

Then you have suffered
for the crucified one's sake, too.

Every new day was the same
as the last one.

We lived there, year in, year out...

...in our Kingdom of the Dead.

But why did you stop praying?

Why don't you pray
with me anymore?

You stand and shield me as I pray,
so that no one will see me.

But you yourself never pray.

I thought I knew you so well...

but when it comes down to it,
what DO I know about you?

Just who are you,
that I'm shackled with?

Sahak!

I threw myself down
and awaited the worst...

...but there was no punishment.

Why did you kneel?

I prayed to God.

Which god?

The one who was crucified.

The one they call The Saviour?

A new overseer
had replaced our old tormentor.

How could he
have come to us?

Was he really an ordinary overseer...

...who asked about the crucifixion,
and The Saviour?

He often came
and talked with Sahak.

Sahak got to talk
about his Lord...

His life and miracles...

...and his strange teaching
that we should all love one another.

One day when he spoke longer
than usual with Sahak...

he said...

"Love one another"

I've fixed something for you.

With the pithead guard.

You'll be unshackled
from the other prisoner...

then taken up to the one
you'll be working under.

I don't want to be separated
from my fellow prisoner.

Why?

We have the same faith.

The same faith?

No...

I don't believe it.

I can't be separated from him.

Well... so be it.

He's come...
He has come!

Look... His kingdom is here!

What's going on?

Come on!

Move it!

Get going!

Although we had to toil
like animals...

...everything was different.

Just to be out in the open air...

...and be able to breathe it.

But we soon realised that
God's Kingdom had not arrived.

You blind wretch!
That's what you get!

There'll be some for you too...!

...if you don't stop eating flour
out of the sacks.

I put you in that frame
so you couldn't steal flour!

Asch!!

Why do you do that?

What kind of god
do you pray to in that way?

Do you think he's here
in the dark in front of you?

There's no one here
as you can see.

But God is everywhere.

Here in the dark?

Yes.

That would be
a remarkable god.

Was it he who got you out
of the mine?

Out of hell?

Yes.

And he'll free all slaves
from their shackles.

Is that his symbol you have
on the back of your slave tag?

I am God's slave...

And I'm happy about that.

Really?

Does his have the same inscription?

Yes.

But he never prays.

You did the right thing,
trusting me with your big secret.

Surely your god
has made you do it.

I think that too.

You there...!

Do you mean us?

Yes. But I'm just telling you that
I have nothing to do with this!

I'll just be responsible
for getting you there.

So hurry up!

What are you all staring at?
Get back to work!

Who said you could take a break?!

Come on! Hurry up!

To the Roman governor?!

Two wretched slaves...

How can that be?

So?

Do they behave well?

Yes my lord.

I always keep my slaves
under strict control, sire.

Stand up!

Do you know what this is?

The Roman state's slave tag.

Correct.

It means you're its property.

"Christos Iesus"...

Who is that?

That's my god.

So... I've never heard that name before.

Is that a god
in your home district?

No.

He's the God for all mankind.

All mankind's God?

That would be really something!

Then he must have
more than a little power.

So what does he base that on?

On love.

Love?

Well...

Why not?

I shan't get involved in that.

But you believe
whatever you want.

But why do you have his name
on your slave tag?

Because I belong to him.

Don't you belong
to Rome?

Aren't you a slave
of the state?

This you must answer for.

It needs to be clearly understood.

Do you belong
to the state?

Answer me!

I belong to the Lord, my God.

How about you?

Do you also believe
in this love-filed god?

Do you?

You don't?

Why do you have his name
on your tag?

Is he not your god?

I don't have a god.

I don't understand...

Why do you have
"Christos Iesus" on your tag?

Because I really want to believe.

Do you clearly understand
what this means?

That you're setting yourself up
against the emperor?

Don't you realise that HE owns
that tag you're wearing?

Yes.

Don't understand
what you're exposing yourself to?

Yes...

I understand

If you renounce your faith,
nothing bad will happen to you.

Will you do that?

– I can't do that.
– Why not?

I can't deny my God.

Extraordinary!

Are you really so brave that
you would die for your faith?

It's not for me to decide.

You don't seem so brave.

If you don't renounce
this god of yours...

...you will be put to death.

I cannot lose
the Lord my God.

Then there's no more
I can do for you.

You are just as crazy
as your god.

This is superfluous, since you
still don't believe in him.

I want to reward you
for your good sense.

Sign him on with the foreman here.

Have him employed
on lighter work.

There was nothing grand
or uplifting about Sahak's death.

I still felt as though
I was chained to him.

So it was over...

...without the soldiers being spooked...

Without darkness falling,
for the one who died on the cross.

Damnation! He's dead for sure.

What the hell are we
hanging around here for?

Come and take him down
so we can go home!

Get on your feet...

You've a long journey
ahead of you.

The procurator is traveling to Rome
and taking some slaves with him.

So get a move on...
You're going to Rome!

– To Rome...?
– Yes, Rome! Aren't you listening?

It was though I was unaware
of what was happening around me.

Nothing seemed to matter,
since Sahak's death.

Everything slipped by me.

I was there,
without taking anything in.

It was all so indifferent to me.

In this great boisterous city,
were people of every race.

They had their own processions.

They all had their gods
and their temples...

Everyone except for me.

It was said that this
was the Holy Mother...

...the great goddess Isis,
with her child.

Guards, drive him out!

A non-believer in the temple!

Drive him out!
Drive out the non-believer!

All i could do was flee...

...back to the slave cellar...

...where I belonged.

But by night I dreamt...

...that i was chained
to a slave beside me...

You who lead us
along the way...

You who free us
from our shackles...

...and release us
from our prison.

Why do you pray?

What can that achieve?

I pray for you...

...as he taught me.

Our Father...

who art in Heaven...

..hallowed be Thy name...

Thy kingdom come...

Thy will be done, on Earth
as it is in Heaven.

Sahak...

Sahak!

The fish symbol!

I knew very well
what it meant.

But which of the slaves
were Christian?

There were many Christians in Rome.

They kept their
meetings in secret...

...because they were
afraid of persecution.

There they were sleeping...

...all around me,
in the darkness.

Living souls...

...that I could not reach out to.

Where does the brotherhood
meet tonight?

How do I find the way in?

When you turn off the Appian Way,
there's a path down to a garden.

You'll find a flight of stairs,
that takes you down into the catacombs

Imagine, worshiping our God
amongst the dead!

You walk for a bit
and call out for Lucius.

How do I get out of here?

Wait for the change
of the guard.

The last guard is a Christian
and he'll help you.

What are you talking about there?!

The last guard is supposed to be
a Christian who'll help me out.

Now I had the opportunity to reach
the Christians in the catacombs...

...even though it would
put my life in danger.

Where are they?

Where are they?

Lucius... where are you?

Where are you?!

No light here...

Just darkness.

just the dead...

...everywhere, all around you...

...in every passageway...

...wherever you walk... the dead!

The Kingdom of the Dead.

This is the Kingdom of the Dead.

I'm shut up
in the Kingdom of the Dead!

Fire!

Fire out of control!

Fire! Fire!

The Christians have set Rome on fire!

The Christians have set Rome on fire!

The Christians have set Rome on fire!

The Christians have set Rome on fire!

Have the Christians who set Rome on fire,
set the whole world on fire?

The Crucified One has returned
to destroy this whole damned world!

Lo, his kingdom is here!

His kingdom is here!

His kingdom is here!

Eat, you Christian dogs!

It may be the last time,
so make the most of it!

Here's the crazy guy...

...who ran around
setting fire to Rome!

Fool!

And you'll say you weren't
helping him do it!

Liars!

But that's quite impossible!

What's impossible?

He can't be a Christian!

He said himself that he was.
And he confessed.

We don't know him!

You're all full of bullshit!

Come here and I'll show you!
Come on!

Look at this!

Isn't that your god's name?
Read it for yourselves!

"Christos Iesus"...

So what do you say to that?

Maybe he's a Christian?

He showed it to the judge...

and said that he didn't belong
to the emperor...

...but to that god who was crucified.

Now, he'll be crucified.

And you too...
the lot of you!

Who are you?
Are you really Christian?

Is it true that
you started the fire?

How can a follower of The Master,
do such a thing?!

Christian? God's name
has been scratched out!

That was a long time ago.

How has your life been?

Tell me about it.

...that's why I helped
set fire to things.

I wanted to help you
and your saviour...

...to set the world on fire!

How could you believe that we
were the ones who started the fire?

It was the emperor himself
who had it done...

...and had the mob shout in the streets
that it was the Christians.

It was that beast himself
that was responsible...

...and he's the one
that you've helped.

It was THIS world's lord
that you helped.

Without knowing it,
you served your true master.

OUR Lord...

...is love.

The one whose name
is scratched out.

Who is he?

Yes, tell us who he is!

He's Barabbas.

Barabbas?!

He is an unhappy man...

...and we have no right
to judge him.

We ourselves are full
of faults and shortcomings.

That the Lord still
has mercy on us...

...is not due to us.

No one has the right
to condemn another person...

...because he has not found God.

♫ O Lord...

♫ O Lord...

♫ open up...

♫ open up the gates...

♫ to your kingdom of glory...

And he hangs there all alone...

Hurry! Darkness will soon
be upon us.

Unto Thee...

...I surrender my soul.

Who is he talking to?

It sounded as though he was
just speaking to the darkness.

Subtitles by FatPlank for KG