Idemo dalje (1982) - full transcript

LET'S GO ON

Out town was liberated
on October 15, 1944.

This was an unforgettable day.

All the other days
I hardly remember.

They've all blurred
Into an endless day.

Childhood Is never
Irrevocably past.

It keeps growing and
bursting In on us.

Who was the first soldier
to enter the town

and hoist a flag
on the City Hall?

I think It was
our teacher.

My third-grade classroom
was In an Inn,



"The Golden Barrel';

All the other buildings,
Including the school,

were taken over
by the army.

We had to move
to "The Barrel';

The guns sing,
more sweetly than birds.

From our bunkers,
we see the green forest.

We are young partisans.

We fight for our
people's freedom.

With a gun
in our hand

we walk through
the forest.

The forest is
our mother,

the forest is
our home.

Sit down.

Children,



this is your
new teacher.

This is the third grade.
They are rather spoiled.

The former teacher, a lady,
was too indulgent.

You discipline them.

If necessary,
the partisan way.

Don't be afraid,
I wanted to pat you.

Sit down.

Children, my name
is Milosh.

What is yours?

Let's go on.

We cried.
So what?

It's okay.

Even for soldiers.

Schopenhauer!

At that time a whole
German division

was taken prisoner.

The teacher took
a prisoner to serve us.

Come on, tell us.

What were you doing
in our country?

Explain it.

Who called you?

Is anything
here yours?

Whoever has a father
prisoner of war, stand up.

Those who have a relative
killed by them, too.

Does a godfather count?

What about an uncle?

Yes.

What about you?

My father was killed
in a camp.

But I think he's
still alive.

Out.

A break, children!
Let's go out.

Enough!

The break is over.
Everybody inside!

Let's go on.

What can I say?
Blame it on yourself.

The poor man!
- It's his own fault.

My Misha is a POW over
there in his country.

He had to go, this one
came by himself.

The poor man!

Schopenhauer.
Let's go on.

"The guns sing more
sweetly than birds... "

More sweetly than birds?!
Who taught you that?

Someone who has never
heard a gun.

Listen...

More sweetly than
birds?

No. Birds sing,
guns kill.

Do you know
a nicer song?

"Two rainy nights
in September"

"and the sad memory"

"of our past
happiness"

"and the love
that you gave me. "

Like the water
after a flood,

the war retreated
back to Germany,

from where It had come
uninvited four years ago.

Our games were
cut short

and now we tried
to resume them.

But the war had left
ugly scars.

The people's tribunal
was In session.

The sentences reflected
its righteous wrath.

"To death" was the most
frequent sentence.

To death! To death!
To death!

Teacher, have you ever
killed a German?

There's shooting
in every war.

You shot him and you
saw him fall down?

Yes, I did.

Look at this.

What they did to me
during a battle.

Look at this.
From a bullet...

Why is he crying?

His grandfather is on
trial today. - Dragisha?

To death!

To death! To death!

Go to hell.

All of you!

To death! To death!

To life!

To death!

To life!

Why?

He is my pupil's
grandfather. - So what?

My brother-in-law was on trial.
No favoritism.

I know. But the child
is crying.

He is a war
millionaire.

I was one before the war,
I'll be one after, too.

I'm used to being rich.
- To death!

To life!

If you please.

Sit down.

I came to thank you, sir.

Eh, grandpa, grandpa,
you're a big teaser.

Thanks a lot.

The piglet is for you.

Shopenhauer!

Nice grandpas' piglet!

Eat, Dragisha, eat.

We must find him a muzzle.

Muzzle? Why?

Man has determined
a pig's lot.

A sad lot.

To stuff himself
and to fatten up.

The fool thinks man
loves him. He does,

but roasted
and cured.

In those times a pig
was quite a fortune.

Get him! Get him!

Those were
hungry times.

Everything was In short
supply, except hope.

There was plenty of It.

You'll live to eat
out of a trough.

With a spoon
on a short chain,

so you don't lose
even a drop of it.

Sometimes the whole
town used to go out

and line up
for something.

Bravo!

Very nice!

Another one for
the Gypsy boy.

You nasty German!

Look ahead!
Straight ahead!

Let me try it.
Here I go, kids.

Look at me!

Take it easy!
Not to the left!

Watch the pig!

Serves me right for lending
a state bicycle.

What is it?
- Let me see.

What? - Blood.
- Blood? - Blood!

A bicycle was
quite a rarity.

Many a dream was about
owning and riding one.

In the whole town there
were no more than 7 or 8

In working order.

There were two at
the post office.

The priest had
one, too.

And Dragisha, of course,
until it was confiscated.

The clinic had one.

And the midwife,
who had to be fast.

Look here, look here!

I've been wounded
here and here.

You've been wounded
in your head.

And here.
In my heart.

I'm in love.

I love you.
I love you.

Let's go on.

Schnap's?

Fine. Let's go on.
Next.

The more you mix it,
the bigger it gets.

Until the yolk
gets white.

Come on, mix it!
Faster!

Children, today
is my birthday.

I wanted to buy you
some candy but...

...a yolk is more
nourishing, healthier.

Cheers!

Happy birthday!

Thank you.

Hello.
- Good morning.

Sit down.

Want me to mix
on for you, too?

I decided to treat the
gang for my birthday.

And myself, too.

Happy birthday.
- Thank you.

I'm sorry I didn't
buy you anything.

I just came to wish you
a happy birthday. Goodbye.

Wish me once more.

Okay.

Happy birthday.
- Thank you.

Let's go on.
Once more.

I have to run, Milosh,
see you later. - When?

Next year, for
your birthday.

This is not a movie.
Draw something, write.

A yolk...

When I returned to Serbia
as a sergeant major,

I went home, but there
was no home left.

It was burnt down
and demolished.

I was told only
Grandma had survived.

She wandered off,
probably looking for me.

I looked for her through
the papers, over the radio.

In vain. She didn't
know how to read

and she certainly
didn't have a radio.

I started wandering
around the house,

looking for some keepsake.
What did I find?

Only this.

We used to have a garden
border around the house.

All had burnt down,

except a pair of
steel scissors.

The looters didn't see
them under the shrubbery.

Grandma had probably
left them there.

Grandma loved to
practice sorcery.

When I got a new
coat, for example,

she used to put
in my pocket

a clove of garlic to keep
the evil spirits away.

Through the sleeve she used
to push steel scissors.

"May you be stronger
than steel. "

Oh, Grandma,
Grandma...

What happened,
children?

What's up?

You, tell me
what happened.

The teacher was
telling us how...

how he lost
his parents.

And how,
and how...

how his grandma
got lost.

Sit down.

OK, let's go on.

As a fellow
human being

I understand
you very well.

But as a pedagogue and
as an educator,

you must keep a stiff
upper lip.

You just mustn't make
the children sad.

Especially not today.

Swallow your tears, sing.

Please, children, be
always cheerful and laugh.

Lenin said:

Study, study
and always study.

I tell you: Laugh, laugh
and always laugh.

Now I'm going to
tell you a joke.

Once there were on a plane
an Englishman,

a Bulgarian, a Frenchman
and a Serbian.

I forgot how
the story goes

but at the end the Serbian
was the smartest

and outwitted them all.

You see?

Of course, only an experienced
teacher can make them laugh.

We have a nice surprise
for you, too.

This Red Cross telegram
here says

your grandma is coming.
Tomorrow, by train.

Children, Grandma's
been found.

She's coming,
children!

Grandma's been found!

LONG LIVE GRANDMA

WELCOME, GRANDMA

Hello, Grandma.
- So, you're the one?

You've grown into
quite a donkey.

Come on, Nanny,
here we are.

Where are
we going?

To the school,
I guess.

Long live Grandma!

There's been a mix-up.
This is not my grandma.

Let's go on. - This is
not your grandson? - No.

Not at all.

My Krca was taller,
more handsome.

But the goat is
yours? - Yes.

Then come with us.

At that time many families
were broken up,

many a grandma separated
from her grandchildren.

People used to answer
all ads. Just In case.

Maybe the one who's looking
Is the one we're looking for.

Is this a cafe?
- No, it's a school.

Well, it is a cafe.

Then give me
some coffee.

Take a sip of brandy.

Let's go on.

You're not my grandma,
but you are a grandmother.

Until you find
your grandson,

I'll be your grandson,
you'll be my grandma.

OK, OK.

Good morning, Grandma.
- Good morning, Grandma.

How did you sleep,
Grandma?

Grandma, why do you
have such big ears?

Today we'll write
in Latin letters.

Lucky me! I have someone
to write a letter for me.

Tonight I dreamt
of Andja Jagosheva.

I hope nothing
happened to her.

Probably not, since
I dreamt of her.

I have to write to her.
But I don't know how.

Where to, Grandma?
- To Orasi.

Children, write.
Grandma, dictate.

Oh, dear
Andja Jagosheva,

how are you?

This letter won't find you
healthy and cheerful,

that much I know.
- Period.

Not so fast,
Grandma.

For three and a half years
I've been following

my soldiers.

One of them was my
grandson Krcun Ristov.

I left Montenegro

and I'll tell you
my misfortunes...

We wrote for two days,
five hours a day.

We certainly learned
to write then.

This letter made it plain

how much Grandma loved
her grandson Krcun.

Grandma, a letter.

Who from?
Krcun?

Read it to me.

It says here your grandson
Captain Krcun

fell in battle.
He is buried in... - Enough.

Oh, wretched me, my Nanny,
my only friend.

Oh, wretched me!

Prepare to fire!

Children, let's go on.

No tears. Chin up
and swallow your tears.

On a plane were
a Frenchman, an American,

a Bulgarian and a Serbian...

I know, son. - And the Serbian
outwitted them all.

Dragisha!

Look at him!

Come on, children,
back to school!

What do you say?
He isn't bad, eh?

Whose is he?

This Dragisha
of yours.

Is he listed
anywhere?

In the school inventory?
In other documents?

Very complicated.

Dragisha belongs to us.
To the children.

It's okay for a while to say
he serves as a teaching aid.

However, one day...

I mean, in another
moment...

Whose is the fat?
The meat, the cracklings?

The liverwurst?

We have to specify it.
Very complicated.

Gypsy!
Gypsy! Gypsy!

The sad day has come when we
have to say good-bye to...

...Dragisha.

We have to do it.
We've been postponing it

from one week
to another.

No more postponing.

We're all sorry.

But the administration
has decided:

No more postponing.

We'll do it. Today.
Schopenhauer!

Children,

today we'll be studying
wild animals.

What wild animals
have you heard of?

A lion. - A tiger.
- A giraffe.

A rhinoceros. - A hippopotamus.
He lives in the Nile.

And bears. I saw one.
He's that tall.

The elephant
is the biggest.

Then there are camels.
But they have humps.

May he rest in peace!
- May he rest in peace!

No! Nichts!
No and no!

Why, don't you like it?
- I do, very much.

My refusal is a
matter of principle.

Come on, don't be foolish.
Children, have some.

I said to myself:
You won't touch the meat.

On principle.
That's me.

Deliver it.

To whom?
- What do you mean?

To the neighbors,
of course.

To the left neighbor,
the carpenter Andra,

some cracklings, some
lard, two sausages.

How shall I put
this in writing?

Like this: To Cana -
the same things plus the liver.

Take it to her.
Let's go on.

Thank you.
Wow, that's a lot!

I won't take a single
crackling, on principle,

while this Cana gets
the liver and sausages!

No, on principle.
Danke.

What is a principle?
- I'll explain it.

Schopenhauer, cut them.

A principle is a conviction
you won't do something.

No matter what,
you won't do it.

Take this to Grandpa,
who gave us Dragisha.

Say thanks to him.
- I can't.

Grandpa is in jail
again. - Again?

He insulted the
people's government.

An enemy of the people
can't get these ears.

No way.

Comrade Bozur, will you
have a glass of wine.

Wine? Sure.

I refused the meat, but wine...
I wouldn't want to offend you.

Waiter!

In those days, just
as in fairy-tales,

at someone's doorstep,
out of a cradle

or a laundry basket,
a baby used to cry.

A letter was added.

Kind-hearted people,
take care of the baby.

May God bless you.
The poor mother.

The kind-hearted
people thought

that somebody else would be
even more kind-hearted.

So the basket was carried
from door to door

until It got to
our school.

Not like that. The legs
should be free. - How?

First, you make a triangle.
- How? - Like this.

Then around the
whole body.

Like this.
And then?

How come you know this?
- I have a baby sister.

Like this?
- Yes.

Leave it to me.

Look how diapers
are changed.

Might come in handy
one day.

Do you know anything
about babies?

During the war we learned
all sorts of thing,

but not what
really matters.

Children, look.

Pedja is teaching the
most important lesson.

Look here.

That's it.
Let's go on.

Little, little baby...

Little comrade Baby.
Little baby...

What's so funny?

I've been everywhere.
Nobody wants her.

Let her stay with us
for a few days, okay?

Don't cry,
don't, don't...

He's nice.

He's German,
but a good German.

Give her to me,
she may be hungry.

Come on, drink,
little baby...

Come on, drink.

That's a girl.

Children, today we're going to
talk about the old Slavs

who once used to live
in faraway forests,

near big rivers, where it
was very cold.

When the great migration
began, they left, too.

They kept going
and going,

to find the most beautiful
country on earth.

And they got here
where we are now.

They took one glance
and said:

This is the most beautiful
land on earth.

This is going
to be our land.

Nobody is ever going to
drive us away from here.

Sit down.
Why should I hush?

Take it easy.
The baby's sleeping.

What baby? A baby?
Where from?

Go out and cough.

I've had enough trouble
putting her to sleep.

He's a school inspector.

He came to see how
the school works.

And how much
the pupils know.

Isn't she sweet?

What a job to change
and feed her!

Rock her a bit.
I'm all stiff from rocking.

Me rock her?

How dare you?
He's an inspector,

the district vice-president,
a prominent partisan.

So what?

Let me take over.

Whose is this baby?
Yours?

Ours.

What are you doing?

You should have
a real rattle.

Leave her alone.
You just made her cry.

I told you: You should
have a real rattle.

I couldn't make it
earlier. How is she?

The mother?
- Hello. The midwife.

A bike doesn't belong
in a classroom.

They'd steal it if
I left it outside.

This is still a school.
- A school?

Circumstances,
circumstances...

The mother?

The nurse.

This is shocking.
- What?

She's full of milk.
I asked her to nurse her.

Don't look.

Look the other way.
Close your eyes.

You too. Look the
other way.

Hey, man, there's
a baby here.

Get out and cough.

Mr. Vice-President,
circumstances...

OK, children...

Let's go on.

He led us on
to things usual

and unusual,

In a word, to life as it is.

From uncle Bozur
to the little girl.

For your dowry when
you grow up, baby.

Circumstances,
circumstances...

This is women's work.
Leave it to me.

My home is nice and warm.
One soul more or less...

Come to my home.

Let's go on.

Can you ride a bike?

You want to try?
- There's no need to.

For a midwife it's a must,
for a principal it's not.

Let them learn now.
It's harder later on.

I almost broke my head.

I demand you teach them
the multiplication table.

They know nothing.
Come on, you...

How much is 9 x 8?
- 72.

What about 63: 7?
- 9.

That's pure luck.

Luck? Go ahead,
ask them. Children!

Come on.

7 x 8?
- 56.

7?
- 6.

Right.

You, tell me how much
is 12 x 8?

That's over 100.
- Wrong. 96.

What about 32 x 22?
- 704.

Is it?
- Check it.

How much?
- 704.

Can you ride?
- The teacher said:

Not before I learn the
multiplication table.

Excellent. That's
the proper way.

I mean, stimulating.

It's unusual,
but right.

Good. How much
is 18 x 17?

I haven't the
faintest idea.

Think a little...
- No use.

Come on, 17 x 18?
- 22.

You're kidding.
- 22.

But you can ride
a bike? - Yes.

4 x 8?
- 22.

22?! Think a little,
you dummy!

What do you mean 22?
3 x 7? - 22.

21, you dummy!

22, 22, it's never 22!
What about him?

Come on, another lap.

He can ride, but he
cannot multiply.

The story went then, and
and It may even go today,

since nice stories tend
to survive everything,

that In spring,
In Mlle's garden,

three nights In a row,
right after midnight,

an accordion was heard.
Mlle's accordion.

We'll hear any minute now.

Mlle was a prisoner
of war. In Germany.

I can heart it...
- What?

Can you hear it too?
- "Blue Flowers. "

Me too. - Me too.
- Me too.

Quiet!

I want to hear it, too.

Good Heavens!

Is that possible?

This is Mile's accordion.

That's its sound.

I know its register
and its soul.

Mile's golden fingers.
- My brother...

Citizens, I mean comrades,
brake it up!

Nothing can be heard.
Science says so.

Here is comrade Bozur, a learned
man. He'll explain it to you.

On a scientific basis.

Well, this is...
pure idealism.

And utterly unscientific.

Superstition is opium
for the people.

But people must be sober
and enlightened.

Look at these
poor women.

Their husbands have been
away for almost 4 years.

No wonder they
hear all sorts of things.

What about you,
children?

Shame on you!

What century do
we live in?

Tell your parents
nothing can be heard.

But it can be heard.

A waltz.

Do you hear it?

Do you?

Well, something...

Well, this is it.

Shall we dance?

I can't.

I can't.
- A waltz. English.

May I have this dance?

Some things actually
exist, others don't.

The real and
the unreal.

They can't be
easily separated.

They make one:
Reality and dreams.

I have trouble
falling asleep.

And when I do,
I pee in my pants.

The counselor
is mad at me.

He thinks I do it
on purpose.

I wash my sheets
every day.

I think it's not fair
some call me... Piss.

What shall we do,
children?

We won't call him
Piss any more.

You can go on calling
me Sloba the Beautiful.

As far as I know,
we call him Snotty.

Take me, for example,
when I was a partisan.

We dreamt, a lot there,
but we didn't talk about it:

Soldiers are somewhat shy.

Right in the begining
when I...

Sit down, relax.

What was I saying?

Once, when I was
already grown-up,

a partisan,
I peed in my pants.

No kidding.

I went to the railroad
station, I got there,

and suddenly, I had to
draw out my pistol.

I draw it out, like this.
It was my first shot.

I aim, like this.

I look down.

It was wet. Ouch,
I peed in my pants!

Stop it! Stop it!

Children, this isn't true.

It isn't true. The
teacher is kidding.

That's indecent.
Do you understand?

You do it at home
if you like,

but not here. You're a
teacher and a partisan.

I did pee,
no kidding.

Everything was wet: My
pants, my shoes. - Quiet!

Probably from fear. It
never happened to you?

Not even when you were
small? - How dare you?

I am speechless.

Speechless.

I am speechless!
Sit down!

I dreamt something too.
- Me too. - Me too.

OK, Ok.
Let's go on.

One by one.
Nikola, you start.

I dreamt I was riding
a big horse

and it threw me
to the ground.

Everybody told
their dreams.

The teacher didn't
hide his either.

He didn't skip
the midwife.

She often appeared
In his dreams.

On her bike...

The accordion didn't play
no more In Mlle's garden.

And then, at last,
the day came

when the fathers
got back home.

The sons and daughters
they had left as toddlers

were now almost
grown-up youths.

Long live freedom!

Long live my son!

Long live my son!

Daddy, I'm your daughter.

I'm your Milica.

Milica?

My sunshine!

Milica darling!

My crutch. - You don't
need it. Lean on me.

When war damages
are calculated

will It be taken
Into account

that some children were
fatherless for 4 years?

What about those who
had lost theirs forever?

Attention! Eyes right!
At ease!

Everything under control.
Take over command.

Nikola Big Nose.

Milosh Big Nose.
- Pera Big Nose.

And you?

Daddy, Zorica,
that's me.

She was born when they
took you to Germany.

I know, I know.
Where's your nose?

I'm still small.
It'll grow.

Big Noses,
attention!

Right!

Goose step,
forward, march!

Left, right!

Children, nobody is closer
to me than you.

I have no one to
talk to,

to ask for advice,
to make happy.

I'd like to get
married.

You agree?

Go ahead, Teacher.
We don't mind.

Everybody wants to
be happy.

Let's go on.

I love the midwife.

She's beautiful,
smart, good...

And quite a
bike-rider.

I think I couldn't
live without her.

Well, if she loves you...

Did you ask her?
- I don't dare.

We talk about
everything,

but when it comes to
that, I sort of freeze.

I get confused.
From where do I start?

I wouldn't beat
about the bush.

Comrade midwife, this
is how things stand.

Take it or leave it.

Don't be afraid, ask her.

She loves you.
- You think so?

She fell head over heels
in love with you.

Look! A rainbow!

Despite our political
differences we're real close.

My grandson, your pupil
is your witness.

Look at her!
Isn't she beautiful!

A real princess!
Beautiful!

Will the first witness
sign the register?

Will the second witness
step forward?

That's us.
- You?

Well, us.
- Which one?

The hole class.
- Then go right ahead.

Jump over. That's
the Morava River.

Me again? I am
the youngest here?

Children, you've learned
a lot from your teacher.

But I know
something, too.

This apple is like a
wheel on a water mill.

And these coins
like its paddles.

The more money we collect,

the better will the mill work
for our newlyweds.

Thank you.
Here you are.

Let's go on.

Dear witnesses, dear
best man and dear guests.

I raise my glass to the
health of the newlyweds.

May God give them a
long and happy life,

and two daughters
and three sons.

The school used to
be here, right?

The school is
right here.

The school?
- Yes.

The pupils are here.

So is the principal,
Bozur Popovic.

The teacher is getting married.
He's over there, dancing.

I'm so lonely.

I'm all alone,
comrade midwife.

She was...

she was such a
great woman.

Forgive my tears.

I cry for joy
and sadness.

Forgive me,
circumstances...

OK, but nothing
political.

When they let me out
of jail a few days ago

I promised my grandson
I'd cut the crap.

Quiet! He'd like
to speak.

What did he say?

He said war stinks.

What did he say?

That the Germans have
messed it up real good.

What did he say?

He says he's kind of
embarrassed.

Everybody, let's go on.

This year we'll
go on like this.

Next year, according to regulations.

A real school,
not "The Barrel",

real pupils and
a real teacher.

Let's hope the war
will end at last.

The Japanese are
hanging on...

Haven't you heard?

The Americans dropped an awful
bomb on Japan.

Truman's order.

This bomb is called the
atomic bomb. - You don't say!

The atomic bomb.
It's made up of atoms.

Those are small particles.

Like midgets,
only smaller.

I used to sell them before
the war: Buckshots.

This is an awful
bomb.

It razes and burns
everything.

From here to that hill.
Even further.

It's deadly. - Then the
Japanese are finished.

This is the strongest
thing on earth.

It will bring peace
and happiness.

No bomb has ever
brought happiness.

This one will.
- Do you know why?

Teacher!

Where are you
going?

Schopenhauer!

That summer we saw our
teacher for the last time.

A great book,
a hell of a book.

I'll read something
to you, children.

My witnesses.

And then Aliosha
said:

Gentlmen, we will
soon part.

I will leave the city,
maybe for a long time.

My pigeons.

Let me call you that:

You're so much like those
beautiful grey birds,

as I look at your good
sweet faces,

my sweet children.

Maybe you won't
understand my words:

I often talk
unintelligibly.

But still, remember them and one
day you will agree with me.

There's nothing
higher and stronger

and healthier

for your future than
a nice memory,

especially from
your childhood.

You'll hear a lot about
your education.

A beautiful, cherished
childhood memory

may be the best
education.

If someone has many such
memories in his life,

then he is saved,

for his whole life.

Who wrote this book?

A certain
F.M. Dostoevski.

Take it,
I've read it.

That's the end.

Let's go on.