Great Freedom (2021) - full transcript

In postwar Germany, Hans is imprisoned again and again for being homosexual. The one steady relationship in his life becomes his long time cell mate, Viktor, a convicted murderer. What starts in revulsion grows to something called love.

Is that everything?
-Yes, everything from observation II.

Practices?

Deviant sexual practices
according to Paragraph 175.

Touching another man's penis,
mutual masturbation,

fellatio active, fellatio passive,

coitus analis in one case.

No denial?
-No denial.

What sentence do you call for?

24 months without probation.

Shirt.

Feet.



Okay.

Wait here.

Wait in the middle.

Wait there.

Up!

Did you miss me so bad?

Just your cock.

Is that the new fag style?
-Yes.

You just can't help yourself,
can you?

And you're still here.

Not for much longer.
My parole hearing is coming up.

And what are your chances?

As good as yours of
ending up in here again.

In other words good.



Where did they catch you?
-What?

Where?

In the toilet.
-In the cottage? Me too.

I know.

What do you want?
-175ers stand over there.

Leave him alone. Come on!

Just leave him alone.

Stay out of this.

Drop it!

What's wrong with you, faggot?!

Stop! On the ground!

On the ground, you!

Step back, I said!

Get up! Move it!

Stop!

Hey, bullhead!

You bored yet?

Hey you! Get over here!

Is there a problem?

Stand straight, I'm talking to you.
-Yes, Sir.

Open up, now! Let's go!

Come on, boy!

Look, we ain't trying to hurt you.

But you can't run away like that!

If you try to run away again,
they'll shoot you.

Do you understand?

Wait.

Next cell.

Clear the bed.

NAME: HANS HOFFMANN
CRIME: ยง175

Get lost!

Fuck off!

You hear me?

Fuck off!

Piss off!

Hey, what's going on?

I don't want that pervert near me!
-I don't give a shit.

Put him somewhere else.
-Enough!

Get up.

Go in.

Touch me and you're dead.

Hands off!

What's that?

You were in there for Paragraph 175.
Am I right?

They deported you homos, too.

Doesn't that bother you?

That...

I could get rid of it.

I could tattoo something over it.

If you want... Just let me know.

What do you need?

Hold on here.

So, what's it gonna be?

What should I tattoo over it?

You've gotta tell me what you want.

Anything. Just do it.

Was that place really as bad
as the Yanks say it was?

I don't speak English,
but the things you hear...

What's that?

This? From me when
I was young and stupid.

It was my first one, but you
can still tell what it is, right?

Night watch!

Night watch!

Show your faces!

How long do they
lock you up for that, anyway?

I mean, for what you're here for.

18 months.

Good, plenty of time to finish this.

I've only got four left.

It's the rest.
I already served 14.

Rest? They stuck you in jail
straight from concentration camp?

Seriously?

I just can't imagine...

What? Concentration camp?

No, life without chicks.

Guess you'll have to get used to it.

I'm not staying in here all my life.

No way.

You don't know shit!

Fucking faggot!

Do it better!

Who did this?

What's this?

It's mine.

Go on.

Hey.

Greetings from Viktor.

Get up.

Close the door.

Careful.
Nothing's for free in here.

How long did you get?
-12 months.

And you?
-More.

What do you do?
On the outside, I mean.

This and that.
Until it's back to sewing again.

I'm a teacher.

A teacher?

And what do you teach?

German and music.

You play music?
-I play the violin.

Shit. Will they let you teach again,
since you're a pervert now?

I don't know.

I better get back to work.

Wait, what are you doing later?

What?
-Tonight.

What do you mean?

Don't get up tonight.

What?

At night watch.

Stay in bed.

Just do it.

Inspection!

Everyone up - head count!

Get up!
Or I'm kicking you out!

Come on, kid, get up.

Get dressed.

Faster.

Wait.

Get in.

Not the nicest place, I know.

For a date?

Do you do this often?
-What?

Fuck?

No. This. Here.

No.

Not that often.

And the cottage, you go there a lot?

There? Yes, pretty often.

I told them

that you walked in on me.

Told whom?

The police.

Well, I did, didn't I?

What happened then?

I said you forced me.

But they didn't believe you,
did they?

Obviously not.

Can you go again?

You on top this time?

Move it. Get out.

Fuck 1969!

You know that guy's a kiddie-fucker?

Why would you think that?
-He's a teacher!

So that means he screws his students?
-You never know with those guys.

Are you jealous?
-No, I'm just worried.

You?
-Yes, why not?

About me?

What's that stupid grin?

Look at you.
-What about me?

Nothing.
-Come on, spit it out.

Everyone knows you shoot drugs.

Well, I've got it under control,
don't worry.

Get your own shit under control.

Not just for you.
For his sake, too.

Or have you already forgotten
how this ends?

Let me out!

Hey!

I know you can hear me!

You have no right!

Let me out, you bastard!

Get up.

Get up!

Move it, you little shit!

Come on!

Where did they take you?
-To the hole.

No big deal.

Why do you always act up, Hans?
-They have no right.

Well...

Where do you live?

Somewhere on the second floor.
-Which cell?

163, I think.

Alone?
-Yes.

Do you work?

On the roof.

On the roof?

That's nice. Lots of fresh air.

Hans, what in the world
is nice about that?

Hey, don't worry.

We'll get through this.

We?
-Yes, of course, we.

Go away, Hans.

The guard's watching.

Let him watch.
-Hey, you two!

You're not allowed together.

We're just talking.

Hoffmann, stop!
I said, stop!

No more yard-time for you.

Move it.

Move it!

Your turn.

Get up! Food's here.

I knew it was you.

I forgot how shitty it looks.

Got a cigarette?

You never sent me none.
-Huh?

You never sent me any.
-And you still can't talk properly.

You should've brought me some.
-Come on, give me one.

Small world, ain't it?

Still here?
-And you? Still a pervert?

Can you give this to someone?

Depends.
-1-6-3. Second floor.

Who's there?
-A friend.

The guy from the yard?
-Will you do it or not?

I don't have access.
-Then in the yard.

You know I don't want to be seen
with a 175.

It's just a fucking book, man.

Sorry. I gotta go.

Fuck these libido-killing drugs
they slip us.

They mixed it into our food
during the war, too.

Yeah, they put that shit in the salt.

You don't taste it.

You don't realize it.

I'm just saying,
'cause you work in the kitchen.

I mean, everybody's gotta eat.

Hans?

Hans.

I'll do it for you.

But then you gotta
do something for me.

Sure.
What do you want me to do?

You could help me out
with something...

With what?

Tell me.

Are you playing dumb on purpose?

What?

Well, what are you in here for?

Absolutely not.
-But you like doing it.

But I don't suck everybody's dick.
-Then forget it!

Viktor.

Viktor!

1-6-3.

This is from Hoffmann.

"Dearest Oskar,

Yesterday I called your name,
but I guess you can't hear me.

I miss you immensely.

So I'm poking you a message,

hoping you can
put the words together.

Please, don't worry,
we'll get through this.

I'm sure.

I won't get us into trouble anymore.

This I promise to you high and holy.

I would love to hold you in my arms.

Hear your voice.

Do you want to see me?
I know a way."

Stop.

My godsend.

Do you want my jacket?
-No.

So what now?

We'll see.

What are we going to do?

Everything.

Everything we want to do.

Right, like last time.
-We had bad luck.

We just had bad luck.
-No.

It'll happen to us everywhere.
-Next time, we'll be more careful.

Never leave the apartment again?
-Fine with me.

We can't live together, Hans.

I can't do this.

Then we'll go away.

Away?
-Yes.

But where?
-To the GDR.

To the GDR?
-Yes.

They don't lock you up there.
-You want to flee to East Germany?

East Germany?!

Hans...

Come here.

I love you, man.

"Dearest Hans,

Of course I love you too.
More than anything else.

But what shall I say...

I poke letters into a bible
with a piece of straw.

As if that weren't silly enough,
you'll probably never read my words

since I have no idea how to get
the stupid book into your cell.

I can't get to you
and you can't get to me,

that's exactly our problem.

It's right in front of us,
black on white, with holes in it:

We cannot be together.

You know that as well as I do,

you're just better
at fooling yourself.

And I don't mean that in a bad way.

Without you,
there would never have been an us.

You found me,
and through you I found myself.

It was like a dream.

Remember our day at the lake?

You filmed the entire trip,
right from the start, every detail.

And I didn't want that.

What if someone saw?

But you didn't care,
'cause you're fearless.

I want to be fearless, too.

You once told me that you were
surprised that you're still alive.

See, that's exactly how I feel.

The water in the lake
was fucking cold, by the way.

I don't remember if we
ever developed the reel.

Is it still in the camera?"

Get out of the way.
Let me through.

Get back to work!

Roll him over.
On the other side.

The other side.

He's not breathing.

Hoffmann.

Get out.

Where is he?

Where's Oskar?
-He's not here anymore. He's gone.

What? Where did they take him?

They didn't take him anywhere.
He left through the side door.

He jumped off the roof yesterday.

Jumped off the roof?

The higher you fly,
the harder you fall.

Your turn or mine?
-Your turn.

Hans?

Leave me alone. Go away.

Go away!
-Come here.

What's going on?

That's enough.

Enough, I said.

Get up.
-Fuck off!

Fuck off! Fucking...

Get up!

Get up!

Get up!

Let go of me!

You heartless bastards!

You bastards!

Mr. Giese, you testified

that you were forced to partake

in the deviant acts
that you were accused of.

Is that correct?

Yes.

We now have a
written confession by Mr. Hoffmann,

confirming your testimony.

Your case will be submitted
to the court for appeal.

Why are you doing this?

It's what you wanted.

No.

I...

Not this way.

There is no other way.

You don't belong here.

And you do?

With me it doesn't matter.
You're a teacher.

So what we had is over?
-We never had anything.

Ready?

I've been ready for 20 years.

You finally pissing off?

You bet your ass.
I'll send you a postcard.

So, who's up next?
-Viktor Bix.

His third hearing.
Is there anything new on him?

I have nothing.
-Neither do I.

I gotta take a leak.
-What?

I gotta take a leak real bad.

You can't be serious!
-I can't help it.

Bix.

Bix, hurry up.

Fucking idiot.

What are you doing here, Hoffmann?

Cozy.

It's really cozy here.

Like a real home.

Give it back.

Are you sure
you want to get out of here?

Leave me alone and fuck off.

I can help you, Viktor.

If you want.

Because you're such an expert?
-Like you in tattooing.

I don't need help.

Not from you.

Okay.

I'll see what I can do.

Just like the old days.

Except you're not beating me up.

Wait and see.

Leave me alone.

What's the point anyway?

Who cares
if I'm clean in here or not?

I care.

Maybe I'm not supposed to get out.

I shot that guy dead.

It happened so quick.

You never asked.

All these years
and you never asked once.

It's funny...

During the whole fucking war
I didn't kill a single soul.

But when I got home, I did.

Right in my own bedroom.

It's an irony of fate, right?

Isn't that what they call it?

Irony of fate?

Yes, an irony of fate.

That's the phrase.

And Rita...

Her name was Rita.

She just looked at me...

... like she didn't know me.

Terrified and scared,

with blood splatters on her face.

"What have you done?" she said.

Me? What had I done,
she asked.

I just wanted her to be quiet.

I loved her, I really did.

Give that to me.

Give it back!

You're such an asshole.

I'm not that way.
-I know.

Then leave me alone.

Why are you still here?!

And now the first images...

In the foreground we see
parts of the lunar module.

And here, Armstrong's foot.

Armstrong already
standing on the platform.

And we hear Houston say: "Neil,
we see you climbing down the ladder."

I thought it'd be more exciting.

With aliens, or what?

Yeah, why not?

Right, why not?

You never know.
Nobody's been up there before.

PARAGRAPH 175.

THE LAW IS ABOLISHED

What's wrong?

Let's break out of here.

Bust out?
-Yes.

Where to?
-Anywhere.

Just out of here.
-Russia...

Okay. Wherever you like.

And how?
-I don't know. You're the expert.

You want to bust out?
You, on the run?

I've been on the run all my life.

I wouldn't still be rotting in here
if I could just waltz out.

We're stuck in here.
That's what it's built for!

Why the hell would I still be here?

Tell me that!

You never tried.
-Because there's no way out!

What's this?

Is this a joke?
Where did you get this?

For real?
-I'm legal now.

That's possible?

I mean,
they can't just abolish a law.

Can they?

But...

That's great.
You're going home.

Yes.

And I won't come back.

Stop it.

Stop it.

You like it?

Can you tell what it is?
-Sure.

Come on, let's go!

Don't say goodbye. It's bad luck.

Hoffmann,

bring me cigarettes once in a while.

GREAT FREEDOM

A shot.