Barbara (2012) - full transcript

In 1980s East Germany, Barbara is a Berlin doctor banished to a country medical clinic for applying for an exit visa. Deeply unhappy with her reassignment and fearful of her co-workers as possible Stasi informants, Barbara stays aloof, especially from the good natured clinic head, Andre. Instead, Barbara snatches moments with her lover as she secretly prepares to defect one day. Despite her plans, Barbara learns more about her life that puts her desires and the people around her in a new light. With her changing perspective, Barbara finds herself facing a painful moral dilemma that forces her to choose what she values.

Is that her?

Yes.

She won't be even one second too early.

She's like that.

What is she like?

If she were six,
you'd say she's sulky.

Is she alone here?

Her incarceration
disintegrated her circle of friends.

Doctor Wolff will be working with us.
She is from Berlin...

from the Charite Hospital,
and has decided...

We have introduced ourselves.



Good,
we will continue with the ankle fracture.

The swelling has subsided entirely.
We'll remove the drains.

Let's have a look at the leg.
It looks great.

You'll soon be playing football again.

You're midfield?

Centre?
-On the right.

So this is the leg you shoot with.

Can you shoot with your left?

Not well.
It's only to stop me falling over.

Your trainer told you that, right?

I'll have to speak to him.

Your opponent will know at once
you have to move right to cross.

That's it.

You were brave.



You scared the little one
by making that grimace.

He tensed up and it hurl him far more.

I'm sorry.

Sorry, but he'll have known
you were trying to distract him.

In any case,
he'll still be shooting with his right.

Bon appétit.
-Bon appétit.

Bon appétit.
-Bon appétit.

That's Berlin.
-No kidding!

I can give you a ride.
I've often waited here. It can take ages.

Thanks.

Well, do you like it?

The work, the ward.

It's only my first day.

You shouldn't be so separate.

People here are sensitive:

Berlin, the Charite, the capital.

They quickly feel outclassed.

Is that why you said 'separate'?

So as not to sound second class?

You should have asked me
at the crossroad.

This is the right road.

What should I have asked you?

Where I live.
But you already know.

And why I came to the provinces.
But you know that, too.

Don't act astonished.
They spoke to you.

You're groomed.

And here's where I separate.

Stop here, please!

Till tomorrow.

Hello, I'm Mrs Bungert.

I have to shun you the cellar.

Can it not wait till tomorrow?

I don't have time tomorrow.

Right this instant?

One moment.

It's time to order now.

At least one tonne.

A tonne and a half.
You like having a bath.

Thursday is your tum to do the stairs.
-You said.

With water. But not in winter.

Of horrific character.

Magic, demons, profundity and joy...

characterise Furtwänglers unique
interpretation.

I had the impression I was hearing
the overture for the first time.

Let me go.
-Calm down!

Pull yourself together!

So... Cool it!

Let her go!

They'll let go of you now.

Stella...

can you try to sit up.

Stella...

can you do this?

Try it.

All right.

Damn it.

I'll be right back, things will be line.

Meningitis?

From tics?

Probably.

Did you find the marks?

She hid in the fields for six days.

In an area full of tics.
It's in the tile.

I normally read them all.
I just thought...

We'll have to do a lumbar puncture.

Curl up.

Right up.

That's it.

This will hurt terribly,
but you'll be line.

It's this girl's fourth stay
and each time...

Stella.
-What?

The girl is called Stella.

Yes, Stella's been here four times,
each time she was faking

because she didn't want to work.

Can we talk about it tomorrow?
I have to go.

I can give you a ride.

I've gm a bike.

See you tomorrow.

This shouldn't actually occur.

No.

Can't you read?
You'll be shown to your table.

Can I use the toilet?
-End of the corridor, on the left.

Excuse me, where are the toilets?

In the front.

Barbara?

Shit, the sodding boat's arriving.

Here, I have to go.

Say, aren't you a doctor?

Does putting your legs up in the air
do any good?

Against varicose veins?

Yes, it's good.
-Is it really good?

Had a little outing?

It's a pretty area,
particularly at night.

This way, please.

Morning.

I know, I'm late.

The serum has arrived.

Can I come in briefly?

Stella is refusing an intravenous drip

unless you do it.

I can drive you over
and bring you back to rest afterwards.

Fine. In Eve minutes.

They allocated you a horrible apartment.

But there's a piano.

Shall we go?

Do you play?

It's out of tune.
-So you do play.

Does this often happen to you?

I was not to be found for several hours.

Where were you, then?

The young girl is pregnant.
-What?

Stella is pregnant.

Did she tell you?

I noticed when making the serum.

You made the serum yourself?

It would have taken at least four days
to get it from Restock.

You have a lab?

At the clinic?
-Yes.

The serum will act quickly.

You'll be able to read in two days.

And look out the window.

He's got to go.

I'll be right back.

THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN

They'll follow the track
of that sackful of rocks to the shore

and then drag the river for me.

And they'll follow that meal track
to the lake

and go browsing down the creek

that leads out of it
to find the robbers that killed me...

They won't ever hunt the river
for anything but my dead carcass.

They'll soon get tired of that,
and won't bother no more about me.

All right;
I can stop anywhere I want to.

If Stella really is pregnant,
it's a catastrophe for her.

They'll take away her child.

She wants to keep it?

She doesn't know yet.

You didn't ask her?

Are you quite sure?

Can I see your lab?

Good work.

You can use the lab whenever you want.

Did you put it together?

It's not equipped as I'd like.

But I might get a centrifuge
from Prague next week.

Why are you in the provinces?

To assure no one is too separate?

I like it here.

Are you supposed to convince me?

To do what?

To withdraw my application to leave.

"The workers and farmers
financed your studies.

Now it's time to return the favour."

That's actually not incorrect.

I'd like to go to The Hague.

That's where the Rembrandt is.

Apply.

I have to go.

You said I could leave?
-Yes.

Didn't you notice anything?

The painting.

The man lying there is Aris Kindt.

He's just been hanged for theft.

It's Doctor Tulp
giving the anatomy lesson.

They should have cut open
the abdomen first.

But they dissected the left hand instead.

There's a mistake.

The hand is wrong.

It's the opposite one.

It's the right hand and it's too large.

I don't think Rembrandt made a mistake.

You see the atlas?

It's an anatomy atlas.

They're all staring at it.

He is, he is, they all are.

And the hand is painted
like a depiction in the atlas.

Rembrandt includes something
that we can't see,

only they can:

The depiction of a hand.

Due to this mistake we no longer look
through the doctors' eyes.

We see him, Aris Kindt.

The victim.

We are with him, not with them.

I'm tired, I have to get home.

Me too, shall I drive you?

I need some air.

Fine...

I seemed a bit boastful

with the lab
and the analysis of the painting.

See you tomorrow.

Did you get the money?
-Yes.

You have to pack it so it's water-tight.
-Via the water?

When?
-Soon.

Very soon.

Hello.

Having troubles?

No.

Are you lost?

My colleague had gone...

for a pee?

Anything else you need?

Not that I can think of.

Tell me, I'll get if for you.

I don't know.

It's upholstered.

I read that they are even heatable now.

No.
In winter we have to wear gloves, too.

What will it do?

200.

But not here on our roads.

Hello.
-Hello.

'Is that a Mercedes?"

"How much do they cost?"

"How long did you have to wait?'

'We waited eight years for ours,
and that wasn't bad.”

Was it at least worth it?

Shit!

I'm getting a coffee.
Want one?

Yes.

Stella asked for you.

Fine.

We hadn't ever been this rich...

The cigars were prime.

We laid off
all the afternoon in the woods talking,

and me reading the books,

and having a general good time.

I told Jim
all about what happened inside...

the wreck and at the ferryboat...

What's the matter, Doctor?

I'm tired.
-Have a sleep.

I can't.

See how the moon, it rises

And golden stars shine

In the heavens on high

Coffee?

The wood stands black and silent

And from the meadows climbs

Such wondrous white mist

Come here.
-I'll come back later...

and read to you again.

They said I can read alone now.

They'll come and get me soon.

Can you do anything for me, Doctor?

I'll try.

I can't go back to Torgau,

I can't stand it.

Doctor, I'm having a child.

It's got to go.

Do you want it removed?
-No...

I want to take it away from here.

From Torgau,
from this shit country.

Thanks.

Shit.

Sorry.

Come along.
Lie down for an hour.

No, I'm fine.
-I'll wake you

and we can swop.

I'll do that.

Thanks.

Yes.

Morning.
-Morning.

Did you sleep?
-Yes.

I brought you a coffee.

Thanks.

Will you put this in your report?

"W. is slowly becoming trusting.”

Something like that.

I was working at Eberswalde Hospital.

There were new machines from New Zealand

to help prematurely born children

who wouldn't make it
in a regular incubator.

The operating instructions
were in English and 260 pages long.

I worked my way through them.

There was this assistant...
She spoke a bit of English. She helped.

She wanted to impress me.

One night, when I was as tired as now,
she brought me a blanket,

told me to sleep,
she'd take care of things.

She switched on the machines that night,
made only one mistake:

She confused celsius and fahrenheit.

Massive pressure was generated.

The premature infants' retinas detached.

There were two of them,
Maik and Jennifer.

We managed to save them,

but they were blinded for life.

It was my responsibility.

Research was out.

No more Berlin, no more Charite.

These gentlemen
offered to have the case hushed up.

In exchange for confidentiality

and my delivering reports.

I have no ambitions in this regard.

How long ago was this?

Three years.

What kind of machines were they?

The ones from New Zealand.

Was my story too long?

Too neat?

Can you do something for Stella?

Keep her here for longer?

Yes.

Two days, maybe three. And then what?

Do you know what Torgau is?
The Torgau work-house?

Your lot are good at euphemisms.

Torgau is an extermination camp,
a Socialist one.

I asked you a question!

What?

What then?

I've no idea.

I called them.

Two days, no more.

Is the story true?

Maik and Jennifer.

I have to sleep.

Let me go!

Barbara!

Let go. Now.

Barbara!

Coming.

Doctor Wolff?
-Yes.

andré sent me.

Doctor Reiser.

Thanks but no thanks.
I'm having a bath.

Please leave.

Good bye.

andré gave me this.

For you.

How long would it take?

An hour.

She's keen, Tatjana Kasankina.
It's her third Olympic medal.

She gave birth two years ago
but she's in great form.

But the GDR's Christiane Wartenberg
is keeping up, and then Ulrike...

Fall from the third floor,
on the ground 20 minutes.

It was the janitor who found him...

Dislocation of the knee,
injury to the head.

Pump his stomach quick.

He's being X-rayed.
The solvent wasn't too dangerous.

Fine.

Attempted suicide.
The authorities must be informed.

We let him come round first.
-Yes.

Please fetch the X-rays.

Am I supposed to thank you?

I hate that kind of surprise.

The piano tuned
-Yes.

He said he'd offered you an appointment.

If I need a piano tuner,
I'll get one myself.

That's right.
If you need someone, find them yourself.

Exactly.

I won't help.
-I don't want help.

And the broken Socket?

What's that?

Found someone for it?

Electricians are rare.
-What's it to you?

Nothing.

You can pay with the West German
cigarettes from your red case.

We're ready.
-Thanks.

There's nothing to see
but a clot might have formed.

The skull would have to be opened
to make sure.

It seems a huge risk
now he's stabilising.

We'll observe him.

If there's no improvement,
we'll have to operate.

His reflexes are normal.

To heat and cold?
-Those too.

We'll have to wait.

I came by bike, too.

There's an old wooden cross
at the beginning of the way.

A few metres further
you're suddenly on a hill.

And at the bottom is the sea.

It's the prettiest place I know.

Have you seen it yet?

It's prettier still by night.

We should take the short cut
through the forest here.

How about it?

Sorry, but I hate the sea.
That's just how it is.

See you tomorrow.

Till then.

Gerhard has met a girl.

She wants to go over to the West.

He says he loves her.

Because she can't follow him.

Barbara!

I could come over to you.

Come here and live with you.

What do you mean here?
-Here.

It's possible, some have done it.

Like who?

Who cares?

I could be happy here with you.

They'd welcome me here, too.

You're nuts!

You can't be happy here.

There are two boulders,
a large and a small one.

You're to wait there.

There's an infrared device in the boat,
he can see you by night.

It'll all be quick.

Will you be there?

I'll be waiting for you in Denmark.
-Denmark?

It's not far.

When?

Saturday night.

This weekend?

I'm on duty,

I'll have lo Switch.

Do you need a good excuse?

There must be some stupid parade
or other!

Nobody would believe me.

Yes...

I'm coming.

There's a meeting in the restaurant.

It'll be an hour, not longer.

Should I bring you something?

I think I'll have fallen asleep.

Once you've come over,
you'll be able lo sleep late.

Why's that?

I earn enough, you won't need to work.

Consign it to memory,
then bum the paper.

Shit.

Do you know how long they're off for?

An hour at most.
-It'll be at least two, then.

I'm Steffi.

Your health.

Barbara.

Pleased to meet you.

What did you get as a present?

As a present?

Nothing.

I always get mine in advance.

It's best that way for both parties.

LOOK.

He told me he loved me.

Wait.

Want some?

Have a look!

He told me he'd marry me.

He wanted me to choose a ring.

Crazy, huh?

Nice, right?

It's not the most expensive one.

It's pretty.
-Yes, it is.

Shaw me your hands.

Wait,

it's too big for you.

Gee, you're size 17!

You've got pretty hands.

Thanks.
-Do you look after them?

Which one would you take?

Maybe that one.

Yes, it's really lovely.

If he marries me,

do you think they'll let me leave?

I don't think so.

Do you know your stuff about this?

Bye

Open up, it's for you.

No.
-It is.

Please, HO!

Let down your hair.

Bend forward,

spread your legs.

Lots of fruit jam,
bread and cheese.

What kind of cheese?

Soft cheese.

Do you like it?

No.

And yesterday?

For breakfast?
-Lunch.

Fricasse.

Right. We had that too.

The rhubarb compote was good.

I had jelly.

Was jelly on offer yesterday?

Bon appétit.
-Bon appétit.

Jelly again.

See you later.

The questions were good.

He has no memory loss.

You are still concerned.

I don't know, it's all normal:
The tests, his memory, his reactions.

What do his parents say?
-They're relieved.

Did they End anything strange?

I'll see you a little later.
Bon appétit.

Sorry I was so abrupt yesterday.

You always are.
-No.

You are.

I have a favour to ask you.
-Ah, I see!

What do you see?

Easy.

Can I have the weekend off in exchange
for night shifts? It's important.

You want to go to the parade in Berlin?

No, I want to do up the apartment.

Then do that.

Excuse me, this is for the laundry.
Thanks.

How is he?

Astonishingly well.

Please check Mario yourself.

It's cerebral contusion.

I have a bad feeling, I don't know why.

I'd like to do more tests tomorrow.

Will you help me?

I'm off tomorrow.
-Same here.

Can't you spare two hours?

On Sunday I can.

What time?

At 11.

Good night.

To you, too.

No!

No!

No, no, no...

You can go home tomorrow.

Wait.

Can I speak to you?

Did you visit Mario?
-Yes.

Will you come along?
-What for?

I'm Doctor Wolff, he's my patient.
Please.

You were crying.

I wasn't.

When you were with Mario.

Are you together with Mario?

It came today with the mail.

I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU

We'd returned from a party in Stralsund.

I danced with two Cubans.
Danced, that's all.

Then Werner called him
and told him God knows what.

You cried because you felt guilty?

No,

because he's so cold.

People are often restrained
after attempted suicide.

Something's wrong.

I kissed him and he listed
what he'd been eating here.

It's not normal.

If he was angry, fine.

But he's so cold.

Mario?

Yes.

Angie came to visit you.

Yes.

You'd written her a letter.

When?

A good-bye letter.

What did you write to her?

Could you close the window?

The window is closed.

Thanks.

Do you want Angie
to visit tomorrow?

What do we eat tomorrow?

Do you know?

Shit!

It's Doctor Wolff,
I absolutely must speak to Doctor Reiser.

Ah, I see...

Where is that?

Do you know where I can find Dr Reiser?

The doctor isn't here.
-I knew, but where is he?

He's at the Schütz.
-And where is that?

It's the cafe on the square.
-Right, thanks.

Can I help you?

I'm looking for Doctor Reiser.
-He's upstairs.

Top of the stairs, on the left.

I'm looking for Doctor Reiser.

I'm Doctor Wolff,
I'm from the clinic.

He's in Friedl's room.

Could I speak to him for a moment?

Doctor Reiser,
there's someone to see you.

Excuse me.

She's pretty, your girlfriend.

I saw your car, Doctor.
I have to speak to you.

Are you on such formal terms?

Do all doctors act like that?

Only sometimes.

Barbara, I'm coming.

This is for you both.

Thank you.

Klaus, I have to go.

I'll come over again later.

Wait for me, please.

HM is she?
-I gave her morphine.

That's good, she won't suffer.

You'll let me know...

You were right,
Mario has to be operated on.

His girlfriend came by last night.
He'd sent her a good-bye letter.

He can't remember it.

A heavy blow can produce amnesia,
it's normal.

He remembers everything
but his emotions have vanished.

You mean I need an operation
because my own emotions...

We'll go to the clinic,
I'll pack your bike.

That was morphine.
-Yes.

What's wrong with her?

Friedl is dying of cancer.

Are you family?
-No.

And the officer
-He's her husband.

Have you known them long?
-Since Friedl grew sick.

Is this usual for you?
-Helping the dying?

Helping assholes.

When they're sick, yes.

Barbara.

Barbara.

What time is it?

Almost 2 o'clock.

I called Fabricius.

How do you know him?

He was my professor.
He'll be here this evening to operate.

You'll do the anaesthetics.
-What?

You know how to, it was in your file.

Schulze can do it.

Don't you want to be there?

I do.

Fine.

What did she give you?

Tomatoes, courgettes,

aubergines, onions.

Do you like ratatouille?

It only takes half an hour.

40 minutes at most.

Come on, it's really good.

It won't be long now.

Are these all doctors' stones?

Yes.

That contains one of the best ones
'The District Doctor":

An ugly old doctor is treating a girl
in the middle of the country

She has consumption.
She's 17, 18, she's feverous.

There's a storm, a tempest,
he can't return, has to stay.

He bleeds her and all that rubbish.

The girl has never loved.

And must die without having done so,
so she takes the old and ugly doctor

as her lover.

He sleeps with her?
-No, he's just a stand-in...

for all the loves she will never have.

She imagines stories with him,

describes his passion, his tenderness,

then she dies.

He returns to his wife and children.

You can have it.

Can I help you?

Do you like cooking?

I'm so happy you're here.

I can't now.

Professor Fabricius is in the theatre,
I'll be right there.

Is he shaved?
-Ramona did it, it's all ready.

All right.

Stella!

Barbara, there you are.

The bastards!

What is that?

And the other jab?

Caffeine.

What does it do?

It'll keep you awake.

Barbara,

don't leave me.

Don't go.

Barbara?

She won't be coming back.

Have you arrested her'?

Go home, andré.

Stella, Stella.

Stay just there.

Here's the money.

Come along.

Lie down.

Hold on light.
-What?

Hold on light.

Barbara!