Broken Promise (2009) - full transcript

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THE BROKEN PROMISE

CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1938

Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you...

A watch, everybody knows that.

What kind?

Omega?

Now to our trip
to the Trencin castle.

Doxa! Doxa!

Don't forget good manners at home.

You will represent our city there.
So try to behave.



Martin Friedman!

If I catch anybody
having a beer again,

I will buy him three more pints

and make him drink them all
down in one.

Is that clear, Friedman?

Yes, sir.

That's the watch.

My brothers Vilo and Alex got the same.

That was at my shop!

What have you done?! Wait!

Come back! Come here!

-It wasn't me, it was Golonka!
-Explain it to your father.

But I must go to the soccer practice.
There's a scout from Trencin coming!

Forget it. Get in!



May I go to the soccer game?
Come on!

Hello? Is anybody home?

Goal!

I've noticed. They are good.

Fred! Martin! Come here.

Good afternoon.

You're both Jewish?

Because we have to play
on Saturdays, too.

We are not all that Jewish.

-We even have pork chops sometimes.
-Martin! -Sorry.

Martin! Do you want a lift home?

I will get back to you, boys.
But it looks promising.

Thank you.

You can go now. And we continue.

Bye!

Dad, SC Trencin wants me
to play for them.

Me and Fred Mahler.

Good for you! And how are things
at school, soccer star?

Boring. We're going to
the Trencin castle again.

Aren't you cold?

So you're off to New York
after all, Levi?

Come on, Mr. Friedman.
What am I, a Rothschild?

Don't tell me you're headed
for Palestine.

My choice was Argentina, the purse
said Bolivia, so we are off to Cuba.

You have always been an adventurer.
But emigrating with six women?

Well, good luck, folks.
You'll need it. Shalom.

Wait here, Martin. Fischer
wants a goose from me.

Hello, Martin.
Are you coming to ring the bell?

-May I, Dad?
-Of course.

-Guys, can I come along?
-Let's go! Hurry!

Three, two, one. Now!

-Good evening, Father Tiso.
-Evening.

When you are ringing the bell here,
at least take off that Jewish cap.

My apologies, sir.

Sir, we should go or you won't get
in time for the meeting in Bratislava.

I'm getting forgetful.

Father, you got a letter.

It's from Kromeriz.

-Can I have the stamp?
-Of course.

Here. It is from Moric!

The army will do without him
for a couple of days.

So the whole family will be
here for Martin's bar mitzvah.

Dinner is ready.

I just hope they won't come in vain.

Who knows if our soccer player
will ever master the prayer.

Even the soccer players need a watch!
I can't be late for my practices.

Don't count on the watch.
You might be disappointed.

Well, come on.

Speak up!

Martin! It's too late for that.

Go to Mrs. Sebo. She promised
to lend us two chairs.

-Are you going to the station?
-I have to pick up Moric and Rachel.

And while I am there
I shall send this to Trencin.

Martin, after the bar mitzvah
you can get married, right?

I had to wait for the pleasures
of marriage till I was thirty two!

Don't listen to the old man.
The chairs are over there.

Marry our Maria and you can
jump her right away!

Where shall we get wed?
In your synagogue or in our church?

My Mom says
I should marry a rich girl.

But our Maria is rich!

She has one flea, a sour fart
and ten teeth.

I will ask my Mom if that's enough.
See you.

Welcome home! Finally! Rachel!

Let me see him. Erwin, hello.

Emanuel, welcome.

Moric.

Blessed are You, Lord, our God,
King of the universe,

who creates the fruit of the vine.

Blessed are You, Lord, our God,
King of the universe,

who has kept us alive, sustained us,
and enabled us to reach this season.

The times are rough.

I'd like all of us to make
a promise now.

Let us promise to one another that
we'll all meet here again next year.

Let's say for the Pesach.

Shmuel, do you promise we'll
see each other here next year?

Yes, father. I'll be glad to come.

What about you, Moric?

Of course, I'll do my best.

Rachel? Do you promise to come?

I do. I speak for the baby, too.

-And you, Emanuel?
-Next Pesach we shall be here.

-And you, Vilo?
-Of course, I promise.

-And you, Alex?
-You've got my word, too.

And you, Martin?

But I'm not going anywhere, Dad!

-And you, Dezo? Do you promise?
-Yes, Dad.

And you, Herman?

I'm not going anywhere, either!

What about our mother?

So next year all of us
will get together here.

Except for our mother. Because she...

She hasn't promised anything.

But it doesn't matter.
I will do the cooking.

I know how to make
boiled potatoes, for example.

Thank you.

Mazel tov!

Mazel tov! Mazel tov!

It's a great pleasure...

...to welcome a new young man - Martin
to our congregation.

Especially since our numbers in the
Slovak Diaspora have been dropping.

Three weeks ago we became citizens
of the new Slovak State.

Although the prime minister Dr. Tiso
comes from our neighborhood...

...the state will probably not be
well-disposed towards us Jews.

What should we do?

Accept that,

or go back to Jerusalem...

...as the Zionists recommend?

Or suffer the wrongs
as sign of God's grace...

...as the Talmudists say?

I don't want to provoke hatred
and anger of the anti-Semites.

Should we expect God to honor us
again with trials as demanding as...

...the Egyptian slavery
or the Spanish Inquisition had been?

Let us hope not.

Today we must show God again...

...that we are worthy of being...

...His chosen people.

This Hitler is dumb.

A star looks much better than a cross.

What cross? We're Jewish.

Yeah! We have to wear a star
and the Catholics a cross.

No. They don't have to wear anything.

-That's not true! Right, Dad?
-Come here, Dezo.

Unfortunately, it is so.

How come? It's not fair!

You're right, it is not fair.

-Then I'm not wearing a star, either.
-Stop it! We cannot change it.

I wanna keep going to the movies!

I'm not sewing it on that.

I'll do it myself.

-They will arrest all of us.
-I've read the whole decree through.

It doesn't say we can't wear
yellow clothes!

I won't stop going to the movies!

I want ajacket like that, too.

Vilo! Even you were drafted?

Kind of. I'm an odd soldier, though.
They armed us with shovels and picks.

At least you don't have to worry
about bullets or the yellow star.

The President is coming! Let's go!

Stop by the church.

Calm them down.

Gentlemen!

Mr. President is sorry but there
is nothing he can do for you now.

In Bratislava he has been entrusted
with tasks that will keep him busy.

He can't help you. God be with you.

Jews and dogs not allowed!

Boys, how come you're not
studying at the synagogue?

We know the multiplication table
already, Mr. Feldman.

They let him keep his shop
although he's a Jew?

No. But he has to run the business
for the dumb Slovak who got it.

Shit, it so boring here.

I heard there's a camp for the Jews.

You work in a workshop, play soccer,
and nobody buggers you about.

My Mom is crying all the time.

I think I'll just go there
and be done with all this.

Let's go to play soccer.

Hey, coach!

Go on.

I'm sorry, boys, but if anybody
reports I have Jews coming here,

they'll disband my whole team.

-We wanted to quit anyway.
-I didn't write this idiotic law.

I could really use both of you.
Look at that bunch of stiffs.

Well, good luck.

I'm really sorry.

And we go on.

Hey, guys!

Fred! Martin!

Why don't you put together a Jewish
team and come to play us in Biskupice?

-It's a deal.
-See you!

No! No!

Boo! Boo!

Ten minutes left in game!

Filthy Jews!

Goal!

Boo!

Let's beat them!

Catch him!

Come on!

You'll be all right, the head
always bleeds the most.

How many times have I told you that
the worst anti-Semites are in Biskupice?

Hi, Moric. Let's go.

No, Dad.

Patronka is a camp for foreign Jews.
There are no Slovak Jews.

Only Hungarian, Romanian, Polish.

I was sent there by the Gestapo when
the Czechoslovak army was disbanded.

I told them I was homeless.

The Slovak state is shipping
them all out to Palestine now.

The ship is leaving in three weeks.

And I fxed up for all of us to go.

You mean you want to smuggle us
into a camp for foreign Jews?

-I paid everybody off. It's all set.
-I see.

You think we leave everything behind,
voluntarily go to the camp

pretending to be Romanians,
and sail bare-assed to Palestine?

This will be the last transport
to Palestine.

Are we going, Dad?

Shut up and go to bed!

Now!

-How do you get there?
-Through Hungary to Constanta.

From there by ship straight to Haifa.

Yeah, it will be some fshing boat
they'll cram 400 people into.

And we'll go right down with it!
They are sinking all the time!

Better get drowned in the Black Sea.
Hitler has seized half of Europe.

Do you know how many pogroms
there've been in Germany?

They're even building camps here now.

This is the very hysteria
that stops you thinking logically!

You think it's logical
I have to wear a yellow star?

And my brothers can't go to school?

No! But let us calm down
and try to be rational.

At worst, but I don't think
it will come to that...

...they'll send us to Germany,
to work there.

All the Germans are in the army.
They'll need the labor force.

I've worked hard all my life.

Better to work in Germany than get
drowned or get shot by the English.

I don't want to start over
bare-handed in a desert!

Hitler will exterminate all the Jews.

Hitler needs us! He'll need
all hands he can get!

I know you mean it well, Moric,
but I have more experience.

And what would become of Vilo?

That's the biggest problem.
But I could explain it to him.

He could always take care of himself.

-Vilo is your brother!
-Wait.

He means it well.

MARCH 1942

This is my brother Martin, sir.

-So you're really going to Poland?
-This Monday in a labor transport.

Damn it. How old are you?

-I'm ffteen.
-Great! They transport you at sixteen.

As soon as I teach him something,
they'll send him to Poland!

-I won't turn sixteen till summer.
-What can you do? Can you plane?

Varnish?

All right, give him the broom.
He'll fnd the floor himself.

Thank you!

Come on! Move it!

Get in!

Your name?

Wait here.

Ah, Friedman.
All right, mother, that's enough.

The train is about to leave.

Take care, bro.
It's gonna be all right.

I hope so.

Write us as soon as you get there!

The Goldmans got a postcard
from Poland. It said:

-Soon we'll see our grandpa Jacob.
-When did their grandpa go there?

He died ten years ago.

My Mom won't make me
get in a transport.

My folks are not to blame,
couldn't do anything.

-Good evening.
-Hi, Martin.

Will you have a cup of tea?

Martin, look. Not even Fisher
has a stamp like this.

It's from Moric.
He made it to Palestine after all.

-Well, that's the beneft of hindsight.
-We couldn't have left Vilo behind.

-Does Rachel know about it? -Not yet.
-I'm going to show it to them!

-Be careful with that stamp!
-Don't worry.

I'll pack you some potato pancakes.

I'll stay there overnight.
It's closer to my workshop.

Well? Good, isn't it?

Look at this.

I got it on Monday. From Fred.

I used to play soccer with him.

''I am writing to you
for the sake of your safety.

I work here in the camp as a
carpenter. The coach from Trencin...

is putting together a soccer team
for the camp commander...

-...and he needs players like you.''
-Well?

How could you ever do that to Mom?

Get up, you goddamn kikes!

Quiet! Be quiet!

The guardsmen came for us! Wait.

You gonna be transported! Pack up!

I'm going to get Dad!

Father!

Come on, Dad!

Hurry up!

Go, Dad!

Bye.

Let's go.

-Where are they taking them?
-I don't know.

It's secret.

To Poland.

They're off to Poland, too.

-I'm going tojoin Fred in the camp.
-No way!

In a month I'll be sixteen and get
transported, too. So what?

In the camp I can play soccer
and there are no transports.

Once you're there, it's over!

-Here you have a chance to run away.
-Exactly.

Alex and Rachel are gone.
In a month I'll go, too.

-Why not? I have a friend there, and
they want me in the team. -Let's go.

Well? Do they ft?

They're too big.
I won't have any feel for the ball.

But the shoes must last you!
And you're still growing.

-I think they are good.
-At least one size smaller. Please.

All right then.

Hello.

These are better.

We'll take them.

-How much?
-Thirty fve.

Give it here.

Mr. Miller, we need to buy leather.
I've had to send customers away.

Who's the owner here, you or me?

-But you're cutting into the principal.
-That's typical of you Jews.

You're down and out
but you're still giving advice.

Hand me some more comfortable shoes.
Come and help me!

When I became your employee...

...I had no idea I'd be assisting
in bankrupting my old shop.

Help me!

Have you ever got drunk in your life?
Only with tea, huh?

That's why you Jews ended up like this.
You can't even get drunk!

You always care about
some ''principal''!

Lecturing all the time.

But you know shit about life!

Money will be there
long after we're gone.

Damn it, that was a great idea!

Oh my God.

These blisters are getting infected.
Gangrene might have set in.

I'm not a doctor but this could
lead to amputation.

It has to be disinfected.

THE LABOR CAMP, MAY 1942

Come on! Move!

Get down! Now!

Move, you bastards!

Hey, you! Come here!

-You have a nice watch.
-I got it for my bar mitzvah.

-Give it to me.
-Why? -Come on!

-But it's mine!
-You need it no more!

If you wanna know the time,
come and ask me!

Give it to me!

Get lost!

Faster! Faster!

Move it!

Next!

-How did you get here?
-They dragged me here.

-You didn't volunteer?
-Are you crazy?

Next!

-You didn't volunteer, either?
-What are you, a mental case?

-Name?
-Friedman.

-Your full name!
-Martin Friedman.

Move! Faster!

Martin!

Fred!

-When did you arrive?
-Today.

-It's so good to see you.
-You, too.

I was told you had three years
of experience.

When did you start? At eleven?

No. Only three months ago.
I've been helping my brother.

They'll fnd out
and send you to Poland!

The norm here is forty stairs,
and you've made what, three?

It is not fair! I volunteered!

I'm going back home.

Now you're here and nobody cares
how you got here! Understand?

Get real before it's too late.

Boss, we'll help him.
He'll catch on fast, you'll see.

Well, if you think so.

Next.

Move on!

If you don't want the soup,
I'll give you one stair for it.

You guys are Polish, right?

No, we are Slovaks. From the border.

Whatever. My brother and sister
were transported to Poland.

No, no, they just went to work there.

They took them to Majdanek.
Everybody kaput.

Kaput? That's impossible.

They gas them and then burn them.
All of them go up the chimney.

The shift is over!

That's it for today!

Thank you.

-He's picking up pretty fast.
-Tomorrow you'll see something.

We haven't had a player like him.
You'll see.

Don't let him do that to you!

Let's go!

Gaby!

Yes, sir.

Give me the head count!
I'm so goddamn thirsty!

Sorry, that's all they had.

Is the head count still needed, sir?

Didn't I make myself clear?
Gimme the head count!

Wake up! Get up, everybody!

We're doing the census!

All right! Fine! That's okay!

-What are you going to sing for me?
-Your favorite, of course! One, two.

She was shitting by the fence
popping her eyes.

She wiped her ass
with the green grass.

Here you go, my love,
there is a fragrant gift.

It's for you that I have
wiped off my shit!

What are you, mute?

How come he ain't singing?

You're not happy in Slovakia anymore?

You'd rather be in Poland, huh?

Goal!

Next.

Our soccer player!
Give him two slices.

That was a fne passing play
you showed yesterday!

Thank you very much.

Line up!

Come on! Move!

Your name?

Attention!

All of us will get transported.

Bullshit! Who has any skills
is staying.

Doctors, cooks, soccer players.

-Any problems?
-No, sir.

-Your name?
-Martin Friedman.

-Age?
-Eighteen years.

Wait a moment! Please!

Step back!

Let's go! Let's go! Move!

Get back!

-Where are you going?
-I should take this to the kitchen.

Put it down! Get back!

The Kramers took poison!

Call the doctor!

-I could still save them.
-To hell with them!

Let them croak
if they want it so badly!

Back off!

Tegenbaum!

Move!

Bierman! Steiner!

Faster!

-Steier! Levi!
-Shut up! Back to line!

Oberfeld!

Friedman!

Kriegel! Goldstein!

-Aren't you a soccer player?
-Yes, I am, sir.

Don't you know that this man
is in my soccer team?

I didn't know that, sir.

So now you know.

Cross his name off the list.

Yes, sir.

Take off the tag.
Wait for me in my office. Go!

Into the train! Move!

Faster!

Mr. Feldman! I'm Martin Friedman.
We bought these shoes from you.

-What happened to my family?
-Give us a break. We'll talk tomorrow.

I haven't heard from them for months!

-Your family was transported.
-Where to? -Poland!

Back off!

Come on! Move!

Vilo?

Martin!

Hey, folks! Stop!

There is no God! God doesn't exist!

How could he ever let this happen?

All this is a fraud, too!

I don't want to be a Jew!

I don't want to be a rabbi!

I don't want to be a Jew!

Move! Move! Let's go!

Each one of you must pick at least
two bags of mulberry leaves.

Or there's no silk, and you will
go back to the workshop.

If anyone even thinks of escaping...

...I'll shoot you myself like rats!

All of you!

Is that clear? Get in the truck!

Come on, boys!
I can see you're starving.

Why do the bloody Germans
suddenly need so much silk?

-Thank you.
-For the parachute ropes, maybe.

Fuck them and fuck the damn war!

Why did they pinch you?
You sure don't look like some rogues.

We didn't do anything.

We are Jews.

Vilo!

-Thanks.
-I could easily run away.

That's too risky.
Where would you go?

If anybody hides a Jew,
they shoot him and his family!

You are safer here because
you're so good at soccer.

-Friedman, are there two of you
sleeping there? -No.

My brother has come to see me.

-So this is your fellow lodger.
-I have to go anyway. Thanks, Martin.

-You are new here?
-Yes, I'm Shany.

-Martin. -Shany.
-Peter.

I've been in jail for over a year,
in Bratislava.

Did they beat you there?

-They call it investigation.
-What for?

They said I was in the
Communist underground.

The heroic German army is fghting
the Jewish-Bolshevik regime in Russia.

This fght will decide the fate
of the entire Western civilization!

Communism is the end of anti-Semitism,
racism, and all discrimination.

The Asiatic communism has brought but
famine, robbery, terror, and executions!

Stalin, so worshipped by the Bolsheviks,
has driven his own wife to suicide!

Stalin is a brilliant chess player.

And the Red Army has the best
fghting spirit in the world.

-Hitler has made a big mistake.
-Serving a good cause makes one happy,

so you get the chance to contribute to
the victory of the Western civilization!

You'll end up as a Communist, too.
As a Jew, you have no choice.

Starting tomorrow, you will work
ten hours a day!

And you have my permission
to work on Sundays, too! Hurrah!

Hurrah!

Look!

-Thirty kilometers is a long way.
-I'll pay somebody to drive me.

-Just pick enough leaves for two.
-I don't know.

Hello.

Oh my God! Martin.

How come you're here?
Didn't they take you?

Come on in!

-What's this?
-Take no notice of that.

They came on July the 2nd.
Took away your whole family.

Everybody's gone.

But our house looks like
they'd come back any minute.

The furniture is just waiting for the
folks from the city hall to share it.

You know what? Better go
before somebody turns you in.