Die zertanzten Schuhe (2011) - full transcript

[The Worn-Out Dancing Shoes
aka The Twelve Dancing Princesses]

Wake up, wake up.

The rooster crows "cock-a-doodle-doo."

Not that loud, steward.

Frederike.

But if the steward believes
to be a rooster on a chicken farm.

There are roosters that think
the sun only comes up because of them.

Look, he is searching for grains.

Again?

All soles have holes.

Except for yours, dear Princess Amanda.



The poor king.

Nooo!

One could feel sorry for him, our father.

And who feels sorry for us?

Again.

The milk gets sour because of it.

He should rule me, not ruin me.

The early bird gets the worm.
[Literally: The early hour has gold in its mouth.]

Heaven sends you, farmer.

Good day.

Yes?

Do you maybe have milk for me for a Kreutzer?
- You're lucky, boy.

Today it's extraordinarily good.

The King's scream made it curdle.



Brings one Kreutzer more per litre.

Too good for me. I can't accept that.

You're alright. Keep your Kreutzer.
- Thank you.

I most respectfully report, your daughters are
on their way to you, Highness.

Why do they do this to me again and again?

Give me advice, steward.

Highness, your doubts are truly royal
because they're full of love.

But even greater than your love for your daughters
should be your concern for them.

If I was in your place, I wouldn't find any
peace of mind either until I would know

where my daughters are at night.

They are keeping secrets from me.

The princesses betray you.
They don't have any respect for you.

You're not just their father,
you're The King.

They seems to have forgotten this.

So don't you forget it.

Oh, steward, there are days I am weary of everything.

My position, my duties, ruling, punishing.

But you've got me, Highness.
It would be pleasure for me...

I mean...

My shoulders appear to be small and fragile

but they are strong.

Do not shy away from burdening them.

Being free from all of it.

How wonderful that would be.

Steward.

My crown.

Ouch.

Oh come on. Keep me company.

Black cat to the left brings luck.

Yes, yes. We could need that.

This way. Please.

One doesn't want to be buried there.

Or even live there.

Why is he gawking like this?
- Well...

A moment ago, you weren't there.

Or she was a cat.

Who says that?
- I don't.

But my companion.

He's a cheeky guy.
- Who? My companion or me?

You ask too much.
- How stupid of the old woman.

I just wanted to ask if I should carry her bundle.

Looks heavy.

He may.

Your bedroom is bolted and barred.

And despite that the soles of your shoes
have holes every morning.

How does this happen?

Maybe we will figure it out together.

How do shoes usually get holes?

Luise.

May...may...maybe it were mice.
Maybe we have mice in the room.

Mice?
- Mice in the room.

Stop acting up with me.
[Literally: dancing on my nose]

A little more respect.
I am The King.

And as long as The King mourns...
- You are not the only one mourning, dear father.

You call that mourning?

But I will get wise of you.

It can't be that hard.

Once I've figured it out...

Amanda.

A word from you.

I am due to the crown.
And your hand, dear princess.

Not these nonentities of princes.

These chevaliers of fortune.

But I'm not even asked.

It's so humiliating.

Oh, of course.

That's how you do it.

But he's not a soldier anymore?

No. No. Puppeteer.

That's much better than soldier.

The people are excited when I come.

And I have the pleasure to
leave whenever I want to.

But is there absolutely nothing
that keeps him anywhere?

Nothing and no one.
I'm free as a bird.

But not outlawed.
[Literally: bird free]

May I?

He asks too much.

Look at him.

He's fleeing.

That seems to be a true castle of horror.

Oh, is this an heirloom?

Maybe.

I don't know.

I'm an foundling.
The ring was found in my diapers.

It would be worthy of a prince.

You think it's valuable?

Should I sell it?

It's my talisman.

First of all, he shouldn't run that quickly

if he values my company.

Thank you.
- You're welcome.

What do I owe him?
- Next time, you'll carry me.

Fare thee well.

I have to go.
- I thought this was your destination.

No. It's his.

Why?

He asks too much.
- He asks too much.

Thank you, dear shoemaker.

En francais, s'il vous plait.
- Merci.

C'est tout?
- Merci, Monsieur le Cordonnier.

Tres bien.
- Merci, Monsieur le Cordonnier.

Steward?

Steward.

Steward!

Voila. Il arrive.

Steward. Did he want to pick flowers for us?

I inspected the crapes.
They must be renewed.

He shall find me someone who finally uncovers
what my daughters are doing at night.

Is it never supposed to end, dear father?

Are your nightly activities ending?

How many more mothers are supposed
to cry for their sons?

Well fine. One last try.
- And then?

Then we will go other ways/take other measures.
- I am ready.

He shall immediately start with the search.
- Your most loyal servant.

I hurry. I fly as if I was a little bird.

But new shoes don't protect you from foolishness.

What are you looking at me like this?

I am The King.

More, more.

More, more.
- More, more.

But I don't see a sea.
[word play on mehr and Meer]

You...you...you idiot.

But I also can't see a lobster.
[Dummer and Hummer rhyme in German]

End of the play.

Esteemed audience, may I ask for a tiny donation
for me and my two cheeky friends?

What?

A tiny donation for me. A tiny...

Thank you.

What a pretty button.

Soon I'll have enough for a button store.

If the steward will find someone?
- The poor guy.

Like all before him, he will end at the gallows too.
- No one forces him to come here.

Rather no husband than one who only
desires my status/rank and my gold.

One marries for love.
- Love.

Well what do I know about love?
- One can find it entirely unexpected.

God bless you.

Unfortunately I don't have a button.

But I do know how I could help you, puppeteer.

Your worries would be gone in one fell swoop.

You could marry a princess
and would become king.

You would have, so to speak, three flies under one hat.
[word play on German version of two birds, one stone]

And what do I have to do for it?

Figuring out what the princesses are doing at night.

And if I don't figure it out?
- Then you'll be hung.

Hung?

A clever guy like you?
Never ever.

No, thanks.

Whoever wants to shall marry. I don't.

I like my neck more than my wallet.

Don't be stupid.
Nothing will happen to you.

Once again: No.

And after all: If I marry, I'll marry for love.

I also don't want to life in such a castle of horror.

How awful must the p...

...princesses...

...be.

Amanda.

On...on...on the other hand. No risk, no reward.
In short, I'll risk it.

Truly a good decision, puppeteer.

There must be a cat somewhere around here.

You?

I'll wait at the castle gate for you.

I'll come in a minute.

What do you want?

You'll need the cloak.

How?

When you wrap yourself in it
and put the hood on,

you'll become invisible and
can follow the twelve unseen.

And something else:

You must not drink the wine that will
be brought to you in the evening.

And you must pretend to have deeply fallen asleep.

What...what wine? Fallen asleep...
- He asks too much.

Asks too much.

Beautiful is different.
- The King is in mourning.

Not 10 years have passed since his dear wife, our adored queen, has not been with us anymore.

Are you sure you did not mean months?

Very sure.

I understand. One can really feel sorry for him.

Amanda.
- Dearest Amanda.

What happened?

A simple soldier?

With all due respect, Highness,
a brave soldier that fought many battles.

He's the best. There's no better one.

Our knight in shining armor.
[literally: savior during times of distress]

Anton the Upright/Honest.

Can he also stand upright, the upright/honest Anton?

Standing, walking, dancing.
Whatever you wish for.

At your service, Highness.

You see, Highnessm a man who can knuckle down.

Anton the Knuckler.

What is it?

I fear The King is afraid of his people.

Who do you think you are? But not The King.
Stop it now. Come here.

Sorry.

A soldier who plays with dolls?
- A man of many talents, Highness.

A puppeteer.
[Literally: a doll/puppet player]

A puppeteer who wants to become king?

And marry a princess.

What do you have against puppeteers, princess?

Puppetry is the best preparation for this task.

Today I rule my puppets, tomorrow my people.

And tomorrow I will rule my people.

Does he really think he could figure out
what we are doing at night?

A cheeky guy.

He does not look bad.
- Yes, for a puppeteer.

Let me see.

Are there no more princes
who want to try their luck?

What do you mean by luck?

Probably all princes are long dead.

Voila.

That will taste good to the puppeteer.

I will bring it to him.

Usually you do not have an urge to do it.

When you wrap yourself in it and put the hood on,
you'll be invisible.

Well then, let's try it.

What wonderful thing
do you bring me there?

A glass of our best wine.

You must not not drink the wine
that is brought to you in the evening.

But I'm not thirsty.

It is really delicious.

What are you looking like this?

Your puppets.

Does he sleep with his puppets at night?

They warm me.
- The wine would warm him better.

What is it?
- Are you coming?

Thanks.

And you must pretend to
have deeply fallen asleep.

Something better than this I...

That's impossible.

What was that?

That was a shot of joy.
- They are waiting for us.

I do not know. I feel so weird.
Surely misfortune will come to us.

You are a snow goose
that is always afraid. Come.

And if it is the puppeteer following us?

I would not even have had to give the slob
a sleeping potion, that is how tired he was.

And?

Nooo!

We are safe from him.
- Well I feel sorry for him.

I do too.
- I do not. He could have saved his life.

Apologies.

What's that going to be?
- What does he think?

A platform? A stage maybe?
- Not bad.

It probably really is a drama, such an execution.

I'd know better plays.
- But in this one he plays the title role.

What a wonderful day.

He should enjoy it.
It could be his second to last.

That can't shake an old soldier.

So he likes to die?

I don't know that.
I never have.

And who knows if I will this time?

So why hang the head before my time?

Because he will not have time to do it later.

You can be really funny.

Do not crow too soon, puppeteer.
- Who says I'm crowing, princess?

Does he always have to have the last word?

Apologies, princess, but how should I've known
that you didn't want to say anything else anymore?

Now he has the last word again.
- No, you.

The early bird doesn't fall far from the tree.

Yeah, continue working, if I may ask you to.
You lose, you snooze, executioner.

Don't you like to dance?

How is that his business?
No, I do not dance.

I do. You should already adjust to that, princess.

Why would I?

Once you're my wife, you'll have to dance.

May I?

Who does he think he is?

Rather take the younger one here.
She's not so...bitchy.

If that is supposed to be fun,
I do not find it funny.

That is no fun. This is extremely serious.

There's nothing worse than a quarrelsome woman.

Poppycock. Only sheep want well-behaved ones.

People who live in glass houses shouldn't curse chickens.
[literally: dig others a pit]

The steward is dancing.

He is good.

I'm better.

This chevalier of fortune. This obscure...This...
Who does he think he is? No respect.

How will this end?

Stop. Stop.

This is a house of mourning.

Puppetry...

Is it difficult?

Being king is more difficult.

And yet he wants to become it.

Will you allow me a question, Highness?

Do you see the birds?

How they dance happily through the sky.

What would be so bad
if your daughters did the same?

Dancing is movement.
Movement is life.

We are mourning for the deceased queen.
- Yes.

I know that very well.

But also that life goes on.

Maybe his does not, puppeteer.

Then I wish that people will dance on my grave.

May he use the nights he still has left.

What is wrong with her?
- Maybe she has fallen in love.

With a puppeteer?

With a lazybones?

Compliment, dear steward.

Your search has been good work.

It seems to me the puppeteer would not
be a bad successor to me.

Well yeah...

He knows how to take the world lightly.

He has ideas. He makes the princesses laugh.

But what if this impertinence catches on?
[Literally: makes school]

It cannot continue like this forever.
I am tired of it.

How true. How true.

The puppeteer will make it right for sure.

But be assured that if he shouldn't succeed
to uncover your daughters' secret -

what I do not hope - I will be ready

to take all burdens of your shoulders.

Why is he not drinking then?

Will I still get the drink...
- He will receive it exactly one more time.

You'd be sorry, wouldn't you?

To your well-being, princess.

Great...

one has to be...

if they want you...

Why is this taking so long?
- Tomorrow I will bring him the wine.

Amanda will not allow that.

There you are.

I'm dying with desire/longing.
- I am not.

What is that?

Who is holding me by my dress?

Do not be silly. You got caught
on a stone. Come.

Look. They are already waiting.
- Our princes.

Your princes.

Quick.

Look. The water.

The passionate [stormy] feelings of
our princes are causing waves on the lake.

You've been a better talisman before.

And?

No.

Is this good or bad now?

Maybe he will die beforehand.
- Amanda.

Does he believe he could soften our hearts
and extend the deadline this way?

You've got a heart?

Of stone.

And I do still have a day to make it beat.

And you want to spend it in bed?

If you take care of me.

How is he?
- He is taking nothing seriously.

We must save him.
- Why?

Did you forget why he came here?

He would betray us if he could.

But you do not know that.

He would have no other choice
if he does not want to be hung.

His fortune is your misfortune.
You would never see your princes again.

No.

But Amanda, he will not betray us
because he has got nothing to betray us with.

He did nothing to us.
Does he really have to die?

Why do we not help him to escape?

Yes.

He could escape through the window,
lower himself via the crapes.

Yes.

It is way too high.
The new crapes are not that long.

Then we must make them longer.
- Yes.

That is never ever enough.
- And we also do not have any yarn anymore.

And...and...and if we haul in all crapes
and stitch them together?

You forget the steward.
He would notice it immediately.

Amanda, can you not distract him?

I cannot do that as much as I would like to.

Then there is only one option left.
- We will stay in bed tonight.

And what about tomorrow?

Yes and the day after tomorrow
and all the other days still to come?

Never seeing my prince again?

I will not survive this.
- Me neither.

So the puppeteer will not survive this.

This calm, puppeteer.

One could think he has
already unlocked the secret.

Unfortunately not.
- He only has one more night.

A lot can happen in one night.

How calmly he take this.

When I remember his predecessors...

It's because of the hammock.

Hammock?
-Yes.

Try it for yourself.

Thank God that this will end tomorrow.

And what if we stay with our princes?

After all, we belong together.

But that is no life down there.

Is it one up here?

Well I am only happy with my prince.
- Me too.

And what about me?

They are only eleven, and we are twelve.

Twelve is the number of perfection.

The year has twelve months,

the clock is going up to twelve,
then the circle is complete.

Eleven is the number of sin.

It is more than the number of commandments
and less then the number of perfection.

Who knows if it would really save
the puppeteer's life if we stayed with the princes?

He should not have come here.

You do it.
- No, he is expecting you.

I was already afraid you wouldn't come.

He is not afraid of something else?

What should I be afraid of
in your opinion?

The executioner, for example.

You worry about my neck?

That gives me hope.

Hoping and awaiting...
- ...only fools do that.

I'm not a fool.

Why is he not drinking?

Why do you never drink with me?

Who does he think he is?

Where is she?

Maybe she is currently convincing him
to jump out of the window.

Rather think about how we can save him.

Maybe Amanda will become happy too then.

It appears to me the bark lies
much heavier in the water today.

Our worries cause this.

I know it.

What?

I know how we can save him.

Wait.

What are you doing there?

Can you not figure it out?

Come on now.
- But I am not even dancing.

Let her be.

How could you?

Now you ruined everything.

Does he have something to tell me?

I don't, Highness. But your daughter maybe.

Bettine.

Cosima.

Dorothea.

Elise.

Griseldis.

Helene.

Irmela.

Josephine.

Caroline.

Luise.

Frederike.

Amanda.

Amanda.

So he has not figured out anything?

I did.
- And what?

Everything.

But he does not want to tell me?

No.

And why not?

If I told you, Highness,
your daughters would be unhappy.

Would you want that?

So he would rather hang?

Oh God.

What is that?

He figured it out.
- How can that be?

He knows it all.
- What?

So the puppeteer has uncovered the secret.

What means uncovered?
That's not how we discussed it.

What was the task?

He was supposed to figure out
what the princesses do at night.

And? He did that.
- Yes, but we know nothing.

That's not how we discussed it.

Do you want my daughters to become unhappy?

No.

But where's the respect?

You are The King.

But not for much longer.
- What?

He is the right successor for me.

He only still has to tell me
which of my daughters he wants to marry.

You danced last night.

Did you like it?

No.

Thank you, Highness.

Your offer honors me very much.

As well as your trust.

But...
- But...

No.

I won't marry a woman who doesn't love him.

And I also don't want to become king this way.

And with that...

Adieu.

Amanda.

Do not be stupid.

Run. Hold him tight.

So at least one of us will be happy.

Run, Amanda.
- Yes, go.

Wait!

Our princes. There they are.

Whoever is harmed, does not need to borrow the mockery.
[word play on the laugh is always on the loser.]

And if they're still alive
then they probably didn't die.

[The End]