Die Schwarze Spinne (2022) - full transcript

Sumiswald in emmental
in the year 1251

Not so fast!

Go away!

I don't want to die!

Water.

- Water!
- Wawa.

Quickly, god damn it!

Do not take...
The lord's name in vain in my house!

Come on! Come on!

Stay with me.

God be damned!



Push!

Now it can come.

Yes. Yes.

The black spider

based on the novella
by jeremias gotthelf

You have the strength it takes.

I'll come back tomorrow.

Thank you.

A girl.

- How much?
- Give what you can afford.

Here.

Out!

Kathi would be normal
if a midwife had helped.

Christine!



Maria.

Anne griinebauer's baby was sideways.

I nearly arrived too late.

But they're both well.

Are you staying?

For the postpartum period.

How long have you known?

Is it so obvious?

Is that everything?

Good.

Father.

Auntie!

She saved Anna and her child.

Do you bring children into the world?

The lord god
brings children into the world.

I just help him a little.

Stay here.

I'll come back.

At the latest when it's your turn.

Stay.

Why don't you find a husband?

- You won't have to roam about homeless.
- I like things as they are.

Women need me everywhere,
not just in sumiswald.

Eventually it will be too late.

No one wants an old woman.

I'm still younger than you.

Yes, by a few chimes of the bell.

Mama, look!

The blessing of the castle.

Maria!

I have to see to the fire.

Careful!

Holy Mary, mother of god!

Who was that?
You stupid ox, be careful!

Get away!

Go on, get her out of the dirt!

Stumbling at the sight
of the first comely wench!

- Let's go. Onwards!
- 0nwards!

God, what a pack of idiots!

The teutonic order built this castle

to protect christianity.

To protect the ailing and pilgrims.

And to protect you,
the peasants of sumiswald.

This is the heart
of western christianity.

And our new castle

will withstand every onslaught,

when the enemy comes.

As if the enemy
would ever find us here,

in sumiswald,
the ass-end of nowhere.

If only it were a nice ass.

Father,

ask the virgin to bless our new castle.

In the name of the father,

the son

and the holy spirit.

Shade.

We need shade.

Shade?

We need a shaded roadway.

There.

And there.

A majestic Avenue of trees.

A shaded roadway.

You can start on it tomorrow.

Commander, if you'll allow me.

We missed two harvests
to build this castle for you.

Do you know that out there

the crusaders are being slaughtered?

I implore you, do not make us toil
again until after the next harvest.

Back then in Poland,

when we escaped
with nothing but our lives,

we thanked the lord almighty for that!

We defended christianity
against the devil,

who impaled our heads on spikes!

What for?

What did they let themselves
be slaughtered for?

I want a hundred trees.

With branches from roots to crown!

Dig them up, down on miinneberg.

You have 30 days.
You had best start right now.

Or these fields
will be soaked in your blood.

The dogs are hungry.

I see no other solution.

Our stores are depleted.

If we don't harvest come Autumn...

Listen to me... everyone, quiet!

Quiet!

What are you doing here?

This concerns us women too.

You know
what the commander is capable of.

Who supports my proposal?

We're dead anyway.
Let's get the bastards!

- We're hopeless against them.
- A hundred mature trees!

Carried up the miinneberg!

It's impossible. We can't do it!

- Can we attack with pitchforks?
- Who has the guts?

Keep out of it!

You act as if you're
alone in the world.

Those in favor of fighting,
raise your hands.

- We set to work tomorrow.
- What kind of cowards are you?

Whoa!

What is this quaint conference
in the wood?

- It's not your concern.
- It seems your discussion is secret.

- What do you want?
- Me?

I'm on my way to Milan.

And here I encounter a heap of peasants

who don't look very happy at all.

Perhaps I can help.

If you can shift trees, yes.

- Enough!
- What a funny coincidence.

I'm a Cartwright and a Carter.

I build carts
the likes of which you've never seen.

He's a big talker.

He'll haul a hundred mature trees
to the castle.

Right!

I'll make you an offer.

In any case, I am a man
who finishes a job for a proper reward.

You merely have to dig up the trees

and lay them out
where the slope begins.

Then I will haul them up for you.

Where the slope begins.

I'm running late already.

Do you want to give me the job, or not?

- How can he do that?
- He certainly can't.

A man who's never gotten
his hands dirty doing real work.

What does someone like you
know about real work?

This is a strange
vehicle you have here.

I've never seen anything like that.
You won't manage it with that.

Are you laughing at him
or at his half-witted daughter?

Be on your way, stranger.

In three days you'll
find me here again.

We don't need your help!

- Why are you not asleep?
- How can I sleep?

The village is on the verge of ruin.

You are just like your mother.

Just like her.

You have more courage
than all the others.

But it does us no good.

Working ourselves
to death wouldn't satisfy that tyrant.

We haven't even started yet.

You go on your way.
No need for you to perish here too.

I'm staying.

Go to bed.

Father...

Please tell me about her.

Don't you think I could have used
your mother at my side to help me now?

She is dead because of you.

You, go over there!

Grab the rope!

Keep digging!

You too!

Now get out of the way. Move!

The first of one hundred!

You, over there!

Ammann, watch out!

Ammann!

Good lord!

Ammann?

Without father we're lost.

I'll take care of us.

And now?

We mend what's broken.

We plow on.

The task is too hard.

Without the village elder
they've lost all heart.

Retract it!

Why?

I was hot that day.

The peasants are your wards.

Remember the rules of the order.

We built a castle to protect them.

You built a monument to yourself!

- What more do you want?
- Imagine it...

A hundred trees for a shaded roadway!

Majestic!

A monument for all eternity.

Don't we all wish to be immortal?

Every soul is immortal.

The question is who that soul
belongs to when all of this is over.

It isn't over yet.

Father Simon...

I will make sumiswald

the most glorious commandery
in the holy Roman empire.

The third day,
and not one tree up on the hill.

Hey! We're doing all we can.

Is it not enough that my father's dead?

Victor! Enough!

Dirty wench.

See to it that things progress here.

Chew them to a pulp.

Don't swallow them!

Now on the wound.

Get it together, god damn it!

Your father should've
heard the Cartwright out.

Maybe he could have helped us.

He seemed sinister to me.

But maybe with his cart he...

Maybe it would have saved us.

Have no fear, Christine.

If things are as they seem,
you need my help.

I'm sorry about your father.

I'm certain he was a sensible leader,

but he was wrong regarding one matter.

And you can do nothing about it.

About what?

A stupid midwife.

She overlooked you
when your sister was born.

- Suddenly, there was another child.
- Another child!

- Twins!
- Twins.

Then misfortune struck.

If I had never been,
my mother would be alive.

I have often wished that I had died
and she had survived.

It's why you must save lives now.

All that you need is the courage
to charge me with this task.

I don't know.

It's your destiny, Christine.

It's what she died for.
But, you, you're alive.

No, you are...

I know who you are.

I know what you want.
An unchristened child.

First these trees must be taken uphill.

Four, six,

eight,

sixteen...

Twenty loads.

I'll even plant them
as an extra service.

All right.

It's settled.

It will be done within the month.

We'll seal it with a kiss.

We'll seal it with a kiss.
We'll seal it with a kiss...

Where were you?

Outside.

Outside?

I dreamt of mad things.
My head is pounding.

I feel so strange.

My vision is very clear.

I'm hot.

Do I have a fever?

Feel.

A warm south wind is blowing.

What'll we do without father?

Everything will be fine.

I'm certain of it.

Now only god can help us.

I will hearten the men.

I'll bring them food. Help me.

Jakob says father was wrong
to send the stranger away.

It was right of him, wasn't it?

Why don't you tell Jakob about
the child? He must have noticed.

At least that is something
to rejoice about.

I don't want it.

I thought it might go away
before he noticed.

It isn't his.

Whose is it?

It can die for all I care.

Thank you.

One day you'll explode, konrad.

The two that we dug up are gone.

Just like that.

It was as if the tree dug itself up.

Was it him?

He's hauling them up to the castle.

- He's planting them too.
- Well done.

Yes.

Hey! Hey!

The trees, they've been planted!

As if they've always been there!

I didn't think
those oafish peasants had it in them.

More than 20 trees.

And it's... only the tenth day.

If they continue such
commendable work...

Maybe we can order them
to build a drawbridge too.

Yes!

Pissing is so much more enjoyable

on a shaded roadway like this.

When are we moving in here anyway?

- When the mongols come.
- And when will that be?

Neven

ah!

It is a mausoleum.

Banished by the holy order.

This...

This is his tomb.

The pope won't be sending him...

To Jerusalem.

Next time you'll kill me.

Right?

But I'm not afraid of you.

To know fear...

You need blood in your veins.

How often must I tell you?

You're to fasten it
when the south wind blows!

- Is it just the wind?
- What else would it be?

Go to bed! Go!

Do you wish to tell me something,

holy virgin?

That she can't sleep.

What are you doing here
in the dead of night?

Nightmares, father.

Every accursed night, the nightmares.

I'll hear your confession.

When we die...

What then?

What happens then? Tell me.

We go home.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart."

No! Stop that.

I mean what happens after that?

To the soul?

Unburden yourself of your sins,
commander.

Is he there then, settling accounts?
The almighty?

If you've given your life to the order,
you stand in good stead with him, right?

Confess.

You're right, father.

Let us wait until the
winds have passed.

No one would have believed
we had it in us!

We have to talk about this.

- What?
- His reward.

Reward?

We have to decide what to do
when he demands his reward.

Oh, him! Let him come.

No one can intimidate us!

No one!

No one!

Christine, we all want to thank you.

Without you we'd be dead.

Here.

Enjoy the wine.

Reap the harvest.

Fill the granaries for the winter and
I'll waive the tithe for three years.

- Here's to Christine!
- She is our salvation.

Everything is going
to be all right now!

Is it true what people are saying?

- What are they saying?
- The Cartwright.

Did you make a pact with him?

- Why didn't you tell me?
- Christine!

Christine, it's time. It's on its way.

Hurry!

Well done.

The stitches will heal in a few days.

Yes, little one. Everything's fine.

Give him his boy.

Show him to me.

Give him to me!

What are you doing? Give him the child!

Do I have something here?

Perhaps a tiny Mark.

It burns!

How long have you had it?

I don't know.

The child was born.

I was going to give it to its father,

but I had to...

Hold it tight.

I had to take it with me.

Then...

There was this sudden pain.

And it burns.

It burns!

It burns!

Go to the priest!

Why should I go to the priest?

- You must tell him everything.
- What?

- What must I tell him?
- Confess! About the stranger.

I can't!

May god lift your heart and Grant you
true understanding of your sins

and of his mercy.

Amen.

Unburden your soul.

You shall always find mercy
in this house.

Father,

the stranger,
the Cartwright, came back.

He promised to haul and plant the trees
within the month.

I am so afraid it was a mistake.

He gave me a kiss.

Satan!

He is a man.

That was the devil incarnate!

Christine!

You made a pact with the devil!

- But I thought...
- How could you do that?

Everyone was so desperate.

Evil has always been by your side.

I sensed it at your christening.

How you resisted...

I wanted to help.

And we buried your
mother that very day.

And now?

Now he demands his reward.

An unchristened child!

But he won't get that.

The power of the evil one is strong.

And those who succumb to it are weak.

Father...

Please!

Help me.

Go and pray.

I'll protect the children.

But you will never set foot

in my church again!

Now you all know
who planted the trees for us.

Now he wants his reward,
an unchristened child.

Who wants his reward?

We'll negotiate with him.
We'll offer him another reward.

Who says he wants his reward?

Yes!

We've never seen him.

- No.
- Where is he?

That's right. Where is he?

And anyway, what did he do?

It was us who did all the work!

You just imagined him.

Here. Look.

I took this upon me for you, for you,

for you and you!

I have nothing. Where?

Does any of you have one of those?

- No!
- That's right.

You made the pact with the devil,

not us!

The pact that saved all of you.

That's your affair.

Now stop pestering us about it.

Just clear out of here! Scram!

- She is out of her mind.
- Let's go.

- Let's go to work.
- Go away!

What would you have done?

I wouldn't have promised
that stranger anything.

Sure, not you.

And you let him kiss you!

You should recognize the devil
when you see him!

Father would be so disappointed in you.

He always was, from the day I was born.

- May we see the Mark?
- Yes!

- Leave me!
- Please! Please show it to us.

All right. Come here.

Get out of my way!

The farm is ours.

You can go in the barn.

You're never coming back in here!

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
and lead us not into temptation...

Maria?

Something is happening to me.

Maria!

- Promise me something.
- What?

If a woman goes into labor

you must bolt the doors.

Promise me!

Where is the priest?

He must christen the child now!

Go away. Go! Get out of here!

- Satan's brood!
- Renounce Satan...

I now christen you
in the name of the father,

the son

and the holy spirit.

There's one here too.

They get rid of mosquitoes, hans.

Get rid of mosquitoes!

But there are hundreds out there!

They only attack animals, hans.

What do you want?

Your lordship, we need your help.

Separate the healthy animals
from the sick ones.

Burn the corpses.

Kill every damn spider you find.

Kill one and 100 new spiders appear!

- Then fumigate the barns!
- Let me pass!

That won't do you any good.

Father!

What's going on?

The work of the underworld.

They planted the
trees with Satan's help.

What kind of nonsense is that?

He was the only one
who could complete the task.

Is that true?

I asked if that's true!

Why come to me?

We're peasants.
You're god's knights...

God's knights!

For every head of cattle you lose

you will pay me double.

A sheep costs two sheep,
you'll pay me two oxen for every ox.

The devil?

An esteemed visitor, the devil himself.

Well?

We're not so irrelevant after all.

What can we do, father?

As long as I live you'll never get
a child from us. I swear!

Never!

Where are you?

Show yourself!

A great sign appeared in heaven.

A woman

clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet

and a crown of twelve stars
on her head...

Cartwright!

Show yourself.

She was pregnant

and cried out...

In pain as she was about to give birth.

Then another sign appeared in heaven.

An enormous red dragon

with seven heads

and ten horns!

It has to stop! Take my soul.

Take me!

The dragon stood in front of the woman
who was about to give birth,

so that it might devour her child
the moment it was born.

Then war broke out...

In heaven!

Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon,

and...

The great dragon

was hurled down.

He is called the devil,

or Satan,

and he leads the whole world...

Astray.

- Hey.
- You there!

We have to destroy it.

What do you want?

Burn it all down. The shaded roadway.
The castle. All of it!

- What are you saying?
- We should never have allowed it.

You! It was you!

- You!
- We must expel the knights. Kill them!

Or we'll all die.
You have no choice!

You brought this plague upon us!
You set the spiders against us!

Wait!
Let her do something to make it stop.

How? How?!

You made the pact, Christine, you.

Now we're to pay for it with our lives?

You all wanted it!

- All of you! You all wanted it!
- Go!

- Out of here!
- All of you!

- Go back to the forest!
- Get out of here, you witch!

Where is she?

We don't know.

Is it true that she summoned the devil?

Yes, it's true.

The virgin Mary fell in the muck
because of her.

And down where we
unearthed the trees...

- Her father died there.
- That was her too.

- She seduced my husband.
- She's to blame for her mother's death.

Bring her to me.

Alive.

I... I need to check on my daughter.

Where is she?

Where is she?

Tell me where your accursed sister is!

You all wanted it. All of you!

Do you want us all to die?

I just want to protect our child.

I never should've married you!

What about the child?

It isn't yours.

Whose is it?

Whose is it?!

Christine.

Jakob.

Did you tell him?

I'd never forsake you.

Never!

Are they gone?

- What?
- The spiders.

More and more keep coming.

I didn't keep my word.

The knights are after you.
You must go, far away.

May I?

Everything's fine.

- It's strange.
- What's strange?

That I like feeling it.

Do you think I can be fond of it?

It's not the child's fault.

Hungry?

Jakob, no!

Jakob! No!

- Quiet! Be quiet!
- Jakob!

- Let's go!
- Jakob.

Where is the Mark they all speak of?

It is gone.

Ever since the spiders appeared.

You tell the spiders what to do?

So this is where he kissed you.

Is he manlike?

How did he do that with the trees?

I don't know.

Only he knows that.

He must speak to you.

What does he say? Is he here?

He is here.

You make it stop!

I order you to.

You brought the devil to our village.

Why don't you just give him a child?

Then it would all be over.

You help all kinds of brats
into the world.

Who's having the next one?

My sister.

Your sister Maria?

It is your child.

That's nonsense!

Don't you know we swear a vow?

It is your child.

It is good that we had this talk.

Kill her.

I warn you, that won't end it.

I know a better remedy.

What's that?

She's possessed.

I can handle lesser demons, but...

This goes beyond my powers,
because a high-ranking demon,

Satan himself, has possessed her.

Matthew 10:8:

"Heal the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse those who have leprosy,
drive out demons."

You must bear the stone
to where the blessed virgin stands.

It will be our salvation.

If you manage it.

Go on!

Keep going!

Father please!

Please!

Pull!

- Go on, pull!
- Pull!

Witch!

Move forward!

Pull!

Devil's brood!

Witch!

Evil witch!

Come on, pull!

Come on, hurry!

Go on, eat dirt!

Eat dirt!

Stay strong. You've nearly managed it.

It is a miracle.

All of us, together,
have put an end to evil!

And your miracle, blessed virgin,

has saved us all.

Holy mother.

You people simply weren't good enough.

You're not worth the trouble.

None of you is worth the trouble!

None of you!

And you'll end this now.

Damn you, hans!

You should be hanged!

You can stay here for good.

What about Jakob?

Just let him try.

It isn't over yet, Maria.

It's keeping its hold on me.

- Is there another way?
- No.

Children are born all the time,
and half of them die anyway.

What is one brat
compared to a whole village?

Yes. Right, people...

Who'll offer up a child?

Maria's is the next one.

Christine!

Christine, I need your help.

Christine?

You can't do that.

You can't!

I don't want you
to have to give it to him.

My child, you wouldn't...

Not I.

But it may be stronger than I am.

- It's not in you anymore!
- But he hasn't gotten his reward yet.

All the trees are still standing.

This is from mother.

It will give you strength.

It's going faster than I thought.

Why are you looking at me that way?

Please don't look at me that way.

I won't take it from you.

I won't take it from you.

I won't take it from you.

I won't take it from you.

I won't take it.

Forgive me, holy Mary, mother of god,
but you must find another Shepherd.

Jakob?

- You can't do that.
- Give it here.

You can't. It's mine!

- Not mine, whore!
- No. No!

No! No!

Give him...

Give me the child!

Be glad to be rid of the bastard.

Give me my child!

Jakob!

Give me my child!

Jakob!

What is it? Is it a boy?

We have one.

A boy.

Oh, how nice. Well done.

Well done.

Come...

Come on!

- What do you want here?
- We want to pray together.

We're safe in the church.

Good news, commander.

They are finally willing
to pay the price.

- They have a child?
- The devil's reward.

- Whose child?
- Maria's.

- The midwife's sister's.
- It's a boy.

And what a lad he is!

Stoffeln!

Has he suddenly developed
a soft spot for children?

Not this child.

A brat's a brat.

Will it end the plague?

Will it be over then?

That is what we can assume, yes.

Christine!

Christine, wake up!

Christine!

Open your eyes!

Where is the...

- Where is the child?
- Jakob...

Jakob.

Jakob.

Christine!

Christine!

Close your eyes and pray.

Jakob, put it down.

Jakob, you can't do that!

- Hey!
- You can't do that.

Stay where you are.

If you give it to him,
that will just be the beginning.

You'll give him another one
when hail destroys the harvest.

And another one
when the next plague comes.

- Go away!
- We want to live!

- Yes.
- How? If you sell a child to do so?

Get lost!

- Hey!
- Hey!

Let's get out of here! Now!

Christine, what a joy it is to see you.

Now bring me my child.

We had an agreement, Christine.

- Give it to him now!
- Then you'll be free.

Then you'll all be free.

Christine.

The child!

Christine!

Don't give it to him!

Christine!

I christen you...

I christen you...

I christen...

In the name of the father, the son

and the holy spirit.

Christine?

Satanas!

"When the enemy comes,
we move in here." Your words, hans.

Kati!

What are you doing?

Getting firewood.

Come inside!

I'll be right back.

All shuttered up.
Not even a fly can get in.

Bring me the falcon
and saddle my horse.

- Where are you going, Victor?
- I'm not holing up here like a coward!

The gate won't be opened.

The gate won't be opened, I...

Hey, you!

When did this happen?

I asked how long ago this happened!

And a thing like that is left to live.

Pider, there.

What?

There!

- What's there?
- Pider.

How long will our supplies last?

Where are you?

Show yourself.

Show yourself!

Yes.

I know.

I know I'm to blame!

You want me to repent?

You want me to repent? Yes!

I repent!

Kill me now.

And then let it be over.

I want to die.

I've wanted to for a long time.

Make it quick.

Maria!

Help me!

Do you want to kill us?

Christine?

Why don't you keep going?

Keep going.

Here is your spot.

Go inside.

Go. Go and get your things.

Is it over?

Yes.

And where is the spider?

It won't harm us anymore.

But we must never forget what happened.

Look, kati!

And now?

We mend what's broken.

We plow on.

We plow on.

Babelfisch translations
n. Fritz et al.