Zólty szalik (2000) - full transcript
POLISH TELEVISION
presents
a film of the Polish Holidays cycle
The Yellow Scarf
Written by
Jerzy Pilch
Starring
Janusz Gajos
Art Director
Andrzej Przedworski
Costume Designer
Dorota Roqueplo
Editor
Anna Wilska
Sound
Marek Wronko
Music
Michal Lorenc
Production Manager
Joanna Kopczynska
Director of Photography
Witold Adamek P.S.C.
Directed by
Janusz Morgenstern
The chief strategic objectives
are to keep up the constant
increase of our firm's worth,
and to ensure the optimal
conditions for our capital to grow,
As a result our growth strategy
will be integrated,
our sales process standardized,
our service offer enhanced,
broadband networks and computers,
integrated into the process,
and a faster rate of productivity
achieved in some areas.
The strategy is based on
an in-depth analysis of the market,
close ties with our clients,
and the cutting-edge decision-
making process...
...All the best from us too.
Thank you. Goodbye.
Sir, your mother called.
- I asked her not to.
- She asked when you'd come.
Why, she knows, by God
when I'll come.
- When will I?
- Today.
You've promised her
to come by the evening.
- What's today?
- Tomorrow's Xmas Eve.
That I know. But what's today?
What's the day today?
Today's Thursday.
Ravaged and destroyed all,
Towns, villages put to torch.
A hard road ahead of us...
The slopes are steep, God...
We can't stop our effort,
We must, must,
Put our standard on top...
Hush, hush, my dear Ewa.
Everything's under control,
perfect, and I've gotten over it.
If you're perfectly in control,
why don't you drop this
and go to your mother?
Of course, I will in the evening.
I'll do what I have to do and go.
No, go now. Drop all this.
It's unimportant.
I'll get you a chauffeur.
No. Get hold of yourself, dear Ewa,
pretty please. A little at least.
We all should learn how to
control our weaknesses.
I'm mental. My cerebral
disturbances are so advanced
that I can't help being mental.
There are some moments
when I have an irresistible urge
to behave like a mental.
So mental I am.
You're wonderful
when you're on the wagon.
'You're wonderful'? But I don't
want to be f****** wonderful.
I hate being such...
I want to be like you, my
brothers and sisters,
the same sated, self-satisfied
morons, like you...
Go to your mother.
But I have to do
a number of things:
to see my new car,
to meet my son,
to say my best regards to my ex,
and first of all to buy
a gift for my mother.
I've bought the gift and got
something for your son too.
Just go to your mother,
and I'll run the other errands.
How can you go to the party
with shareholders instead of me?
Cause you shouldn't go there.
It's the sixth day of this binge already.
You'll mess about, lose control,
and end up in hospital for Xmas.
You can afford to miss the party.
Unfortunately, you can afford
to do anything.
And this saddles me
with special responsibilities.
Freedom does not mean
random moves.
I'll go everywhere for you,
but you go to your mother.
Saint Ewa, even if you go
to the party for me,
you can't go to the date with
the woman of my life.
Unless you can really
pull it off.
I can do a number of things
and go to that date.
You've bought a gift for her?
Awfully cruel, wonderfully cruel,
and divinely cruel!
Stop it! You stink
of a stale week-old booze.
Go, turn your back on me
when I stink... like everybody.
- Piotr, I was to get it last week.
- Sorry, no homologation yet.
It's a specific make in Poland
just for you only.
It'll take a week or two.
That's for sure.
- What's that?
- My last expedition.
Look here: Western
Micronesia, 340 little isles,
water transparency 50 m,
1500 species of fish
and water temperature 27 C.
You don't say.
- Micronesia.
- Yeah...
I'll call after Xmas.
- May I take this?
- Sure.
We have a vacant seat.
Would you like to go with us?
- Merry Xmas.
- Same to you.
- Welcome, sir.
- Hello.
- Welcome, sir.
- Hi.
Excuse me, sir.
May I take your coat?
Sorry to be late.
I wish you all the best, son,
Joy and happiness galore...
I wish you'd have opportunities
to underwrite with that
no-nonsense checks
of handsome sums.
Very beautiful. Thank you.
This is for you from me...
From us, that is.
A ticklish situation, this.
Sorry to have nothing for you.
I hardly expected you
to bear with him until Xmas.
This gift, however, can be shared.
The pen- for him, the ballpoint for you.
So we co-possess the writing set.
Give her the ballpoint right now!
That's the way it should be.
While we chatter away...
- Won't you take a peek?
- I deliberately...
...postpone the great surprise.
My dear kids... how come you
know I fancy yellow scarves?
Can you imagine how many of
them I've lost? Thousands.
We have to celebrate this.
- Waiter?
- Yes, sir?
What will you drink?
Dad, how about some soup first?
It'll do you good.
Do you realize what it means
to have a good son?
No granny dumping from him.
No matter how low I may fall,
right?
A good kid knows that Poppa
needs a bowl of nourishing soup.
What about our specialty:
white borscht?
If you're into veggies, Chancellor's
Soup will be delicious.
I'm not into veggies. So a glass of
frozen drink and the soup next.
- And the rocks in another glass?
- How right you are.
The rocks on the side and then
a bowl of nourishing soup.
Good.
- Perfect.
- Here you are.
- The rocks for you.
- Perfect.
Enjoy!
This is the way to do it:
to let the minimal doze...
...of the favorite substance trickle
down toward one's esophagus.
The absorbent walls delight in
soaking up the force.
The force is with us.
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
Hello, may I help you?
I want a pair of
exquisite earrings.
We have a beautiful choice:
diamond, turquoise, or emeralds?
- Excellent.
- I'll show you right away.
- Here you are.
- Beautiful.
How about these?
Could you try them on?
Magda, come here, please?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Will you try them on?
- Sure.
Will you look to the left, please?
Now to the right... Beautiful.
- Will you show them off now?
- Pardon?
Take the side of the left ear into
your fingers. Now the right ear...
Excellent! Please pack them in.
Pack them in.
Someone's going to be happy
to find them under the Xmas tree.
But we don't know who yet.
Help yourself, sir.
Hi!
You were supposed to drop by.
Why didn't you?
I'm fine.
Why don't you have a checkup
from time to time?
- How's the old ticker?
- Fine, I guess.
Good. You look fine.
- You got over it, I hear.
- Everything's fine.
- Yeah... And this?
- It's Xmas.
Yeah... You know
that one is never the last.
All the best.
- Another Xmas all alone.
- Yet without a nightmare.
You still negative.
My life's not built on
the absence of nightmares.
- On what then? Or with whom?
- Give me a break.
Why do you need to know?
We shouldn't be seeing
each other, I think.
- Something binds us.
- What does it add up to?
- My suffering.
- Your suffering, work...
...lays, drinking, hangovers, DTs,
despairs and sufferings.
- What about mine?
- I knew... and appreciated them.
From your angle alone.
You were the player
and I, the spectator.
As you've been drinking since I
met you, your life's been filthy.
You wanted me to be
a spectator of your filthy life.
Even if my life hadn't been filthy, you
wouldn't a been much of a spectator.
Right. That's why we had to part and
shouldn't be seeing each other now.
We'll have to sometimes.
After all, we have a child.
- Excuse me. An urgent call.
- Excuse me.
Yes? No, he's away.
Thank you. Good bye.
- Have you seen Pawel?
- And his fiancee. We had dinner.
- Your nerves didn't give, I hope.
- Of course not.
I ate a bowl of nourishing soup
and drank a glass of vodka.
God, what a relief to know you
drink and not having to care.
Not to worry about it at last.
By the way, if you couldn't
care less and don't feel hurt...
Go ahead and drink
I couldn't care less indeed.
All except aesthetics. From
that angle you're a sight to see.
Are you going to Mother?
- Tonight.
- I doubt if you can make it.
They no longer want you
at the hospital, remember?
- Merry Xmas.
- Out of sheer curiosity...
How can you present spectator
stand your drinking?
- Why, you don't want to know this.
- Exactly.
Just to make sure
that it's business as usual.
- Because it must be so, right?
- Yeah... as usual.
A Xmas tree for you, sir.
Won't you take a look?
An ice cube on the side, OK.?
Hit me again.
- Better?
- Yeah, but when will it be well?
That is the question.
Whether it's nobler
in the mind to suffer...
The slings and arrows
of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against
a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To die?
You're bright.
How do you rescue yourself?
- What do you mean?
- In terminal situations...
When you're institutionalized...
- I've been run out of there too.
- How come?
Schweik's been run out of there
because of his stupidity.
I, because of boozing.
Women used to rescue me.
True sweethearts all.
But it's over too.
I still keep afloat, but the water
overhead is freezing.
Merry Xmas.
Think that nothing
untoward is happening.
It is, darling, inside me.
That's only how you feel.
It isn't, really.
Try to get over it.
Concentrate, please.
I can't. I really can't.
If you drink now, it'll be the same
in an hour or even worse.
But it'll bring a moment of relief.
I can go through this nightmare
but with intervals.
How can you drink
this disgusting thing?
I can't even stand the smell.
Hush, hush, hush... OK.
A crystal stream of homeostasis
is washing over me...
Of wonderful poise, that is.
O my fair shepherd girl,
you've quenched his thirst.
You took a bowl in your hands
And bent over his parched lips.
I love you.
I love you too..., but I'm scared.
- What of?
- You.
I'm scared of living with you.
You're the only one for whom
I could stop drinking.
So, please, do, I beg you.
Were it that simple, the people
would miss the charming
contacts with alcoholics.
I don't care about the people.
I care about you
and our eventual life.
I want to stop, really,
but you must be with me.
I am.
You are.
I am.
And you will be.
Always.
Always.
So I'm kicking the habit.
- When?
- Now, cold turkey.
Here you are.
You can't believe it, can you?
But I'll prove it to you now.
How can you prove it? What's
the point? I mean our whole life.
Exactly... Years, months, days...
One has to prove something
every day. I'll prove it to you.
- I'll go to a party now.
- Please, don't.
I'll go there
and won't drink a drop.
You'd better go to sleep now
and to your mother in the morning.
Morning? Can you imagine
what the wee hours do to me?
I won't make it
through 4 or 5 A.M.
But if you do, then the next
morning it will be easier...
I must succeed. I just must.
So let's be up and doing.
The worst thing now
would be to lie down
and wait for the damn nightmare.
So I'm going to go to the party,
come back, pack my things, call you...
You'll come, and drive me to my mother.
Or let's leave for Xmas together.
I can't. I've promised my folks
to come over.
Besides,
I haven't met your mother yet.
- It's high time.
- Good. I'll drive you to her tonight.
You'll have a good rest,
and sleep off the nightmare.
We'll spend next Xmas together.
Next Xmas together, yes?
You give me strength,
shepherd girl.
Oh yes, the scarf.
What happened?
I stopped drinking, right?
I'm going to the party
as a teetotaler.
We made a deal...
No, no, no, out of the question.
Am I putting it perfectly clear?
No, I'm not giving my consent.
I beg you to call my son. Yes, I
have one. Call him right away.
Nurse, I have veins like a ladybug.
You know it perfectly well.
As a matter of fact I have no veins
at all, and this will be a bust for sure.
Augentaler... writer, no,
Augentaler rider... writer...
Attention! Attention! Watch out!
God, I have to save myself.
Yes, I have to save myself.
Yes... 1-7-4-8? Your very old
client. You're caterers, right?
Three bottles of Bitter Vodka, please.
Yes, I'll come downstairs. Thanks.
Good evening.
- The change!
- That's all right.
Oh, God, I must save myself.
Oh, God, I must save myself.
So, am I able to take a bath?
To get dressed?
To clean this place?
To pack my things
and go anywhere?
And the answer to all
these questions is...
No... the f*** NO!
God, why do I always hear this?
No, no, no, don't come, don't
leave, don't touch me, don't kiss me.
No, it's closed.
No, it's not open yet.
Can you tell me the time, madam?
NO!
Can I kiss your ass? NO!
Does God exist? NO!
Is there no God then? NO!
Will you let me have a drink? NO!
Will you let me the f***
hang myself? NO!
How does that word sound?
Hey! What does it sound like?
That word? The negation of no?
No, I can't remember.
Nurse, what does the word
sound like? I can't remember.
I keep afloat, but like the writer
says: water freezes over my head.
I'm in a poor shape.
I say I'm in a poor shape.
A while ago I forgot
the word 'Yes'.
I say I forgot the word 'Yes'.
Oh, I know... know... Pablo...
Pablo Picasso.
His first name was Pablo.
Come, I beg you, please come.
I know I say it, but, please,
come, OK.?
I failed... I failed,
my shepherd girl. I'm drinking...
Come here. No, it's not over yet.
We got to try. Come.
I'll leave the door open.
We must try as long as we live.
Stop, stop, stop, wait a minute.
Everything's under control.
Only the scarf.
I'm in perfect control.
My son, I knew it would
come to this again.
I had bad dreams...
Do you know at least
where you are?
You don't lead a good life.
It's disorderly and without God.
It matters little that you have
a position and money
if you live the way you do.
Remember what Father used to say?
"I'd rather you swept the streets
but lived in a godly manner."
Ah this disorderly life.
Two women brought you here.
It's good they did, but why two?
One wouldn't have managed.
No woman can, my son.
None except me.
There's a funeral next door.
Maybe no one saw
them bringing you here.
- Who's died?
- Old Pilch... hanged himself.
You know how he drank all his life.
And now he's hanged himself.
Lately, he's been so light, transparent...
Remember?
Mom, such tales get me down.
He was so light, ate nothing,
because he was drunk
round the clock.
A week ago, his wife told me
something was wrong with him,
because he'd bought
something bad from the store.
Something bad? She puts
her finger to her lips,
takes me to the kitchen,
and points to his briefcase,
the one he'd always carry.
She opens it and
shows me what's inside:
A length of string
and a bottle of pure spirits.
When I looked at her I understood
why he'd bought that string.
We decided to hide it.
I took it and hid it
in the drawer in the kitchen,
where it still is.
The string is there,
but old Pilch is no more.
He hanged himself on a belt
two days ago.
As they were taking the body out
yesterday, you know what happened?
She put the bottle of spirits
into his coffin.
I didn't like it at first.
Now I think she did it right.
Let the man have
the bottle on him.
I wonder why
he didn't drink it...
God, give me a breather. Take
these thoughts away from me.
Why, I won't jump over the fence,
go to a bar, or a liquor store.
Why, I can't take the last bottle
of spirits from old Pilch. O God.
You must make an effort
and pull yourself together.
Nothing comes easy, you know.
This is the only thing for you to
do: stop drinking. And that's that.
Nobody expects anything
else from you.
You're addicted
and you have to kick the habit.
Can I ask for anything more?
It's Xmas Eve. Am I asking
where my daughter-in-law
or grandson are? I'm not.
Because I'm alone and can be
alone, though it's hard.
I haven't drunk
for almost 16 hours now.
Like Xmas Eve
like the whole year, they say.
God grant!
No kvass for you or anything
to drink whatsoever.
Not a drop for dinner
or a nightcap.
To watch the world
with a sober eye? Oh, my God.
O my tiny, tiny, tiny Jesus
Tiny like a glove...
- Live long... in peace and quiet.
- Live long too and in good health.
God, let me be quiet now.
Let us pray.
- Here you are.
- Oh, no thank you, I can't.
Take a piece at least.
I couldn't imagine
I'd eat so much.
- Did you like it?
- It was delicious.
I'm glad.
- Now the gifts...
- Thank you.
- This is for you.
- Thank you.
How beautiful!
Extraordinary! I've never
had a thing like this.
I've never looked like this.
Not even in the sinful years
of your salad days?
Why, you couldn't have bought it.
You know nothing about hats.
Which of your stars helped you,
Saint Ewa?
- I really often say to her 'Saint Ewa'.
- Exactly. Only a saint can stand you.
Why, she has never seen me
in her life. She doesn't know me.
But she knows me and that's enough.
How did you know I'd lost it?
You'd always lose scarves.
And this is your favorite color.
It's becoming to you.
Never lose the yellow scarf.
Never ever. It's important.
If I manage not to lose it,
everything's going to be fine.
If he left it home and I found it,
it doesn't mean he lost it.
That doesn't count, does it?
Oh, God, it doesn't. Right?
Subtitles by Jerzy Siemasz
presents
a film of the Polish Holidays cycle
The Yellow Scarf
Written by
Jerzy Pilch
Starring
Janusz Gajos
Art Director
Andrzej Przedworski
Costume Designer
Dorota Roqueplo
Editor
Anna Wilska
Sound
Marek Wronko
Music
Michal Lorenc
Production Manager
Joanna Kopczynska
Director of Photography
Witold Adamek P.S.C.
Directed by
Janusz Morgenstern
The chief strategic objectives
are to keep up the constant
increase of our firm's worth,
and to ensure the optimal
conditions for our capital to grow,
As a result our growth strategy
will be integrated,
our sales process standardized,
our service offer enhanced,
broadband networks and computers,
integrated into the process,
and a faster rate of productivity
achieved in some areas.
The strategy is based on
an in-depth analysis of the market,
close ties with our clients,
and the cutting-edge decision-
making process...
...All the best from us too.
Thank you. Goodbye.
Sir, your mother called.
- I asked her not to.
- She asked when you'd come.
Why, she knows, by God
when I'll come.
- When will I?
- Today.
You've promised her
to come by the evening.
- What's today?
- Tomorrow's Xmas Eve.
That I know. But what's today?
What's the day today?
Today's Thursday.
Ravaged and destroyed all,
Towns, villages put to torch.
A hard road ahead of us...
The slopes are steep, God...
We can't stop our effort,
We must, must,
Put our standard on top...
Hush, hush, my dear Ewa.
Everything's under control,
perfect, and I've gotten over it.
If you're perfectly in control,
why don't you drop this
and go to your mother?
Of course, I will in the evening.
I'll do what I have to do and go.
No, go now. Drop all this.
It's unimportant.
I'll get you a chauffeur.
No. Get hold of yourself, dear Ewa,
pretty please. A little at least.
We all should learn how to
control our weaknesses.
I'm mental. My cerebral
disturbances are so advanced
that I can't help being mental.
There are some moments
when I have an irresistible urge
to behave like a mental.
So mental I am.
You're wonderful
when you're on the wagon.
'You're wonderful'? But I don't
want to be f****** wonderful.
I hate being such...
I want to be like you, my
brothers and sisters,
the same sated, self-satisfied
morons, like you...
Go to your mother.
But I have to do
a number of things:
to see my new car,
to meet my son,
to say my best regards to my ex,
and first of all to buy
a gift for my mother.
I've bought the gift and got
something for your son too.
Just go to your mother,
and I'll run the other errands.
How can you go to the party
with shareholders instead of me?
Cause you shouldn't go there.
It's the sixth day of this binge already.
You'll mess about, lose control,
and end up in hospital for Xmas.
You can afford to miss the party.
Unfortunately, you can afford
to do anything.
And this saddles me
with special responsibilities.
Freedom does not mean
random moves.
I'll go everywhere for you,
but you go to your mother.
Saint Ewa, even if you go
to the party for me,
you can't go to the date with
the woman of my life.
Unless you can really
pull it off.
I can do a number of things
and go to that date.
You've bought a gift for her?
Awfully cruel, wonderfully cruel,
and divinely cruel!
Stop it! You stink
of a stale week-old booze.
Go, turn your back on me
when I stink... like everybody.
- Piotr, I was to get it last week.
- Sorry, no homologation yet.
It's a specific make in Poland
just for you only.
It'll take a week or two.
That's for sure.
- What's that?
- My last expedition.
Look here: Western
Micronesia, 340 little isles,
water transparency 50 m,
1500 species of fish
and water temperature 27 C.
You don't say.
- Micronesia.
- Yeah...
I'll call after Xmas.
- May I take this?
- Sure.
We have a vacant seat.
Would you like to go with us?
- Merry Xmas.
- Same to you.
- Welcome, sir.
- Hello.
- Welcome, sir.
- Hi.
Excuse me, sir.
May I take your coat?
Sorry to be late.
I wish you all the best, son,
Joy and happiness galore...
I wish you'd have opportunities
to underwrite with that
no-nonsense checks
of handsome sums.
Very beautiful. Thank you.
This is for you from me...
From us, that is.
A ticklish situation, this.
Sorry to have nothing for you.
I hardly expected you
to bear with him until Xmas.
This gift, however, can be shared.
The pen- for him, the ballpoint for you.
So we co-possess the writing set.
Give her the ballpoint right now!
That's the way it should be.
While we chatter away...
- Won't you take a peek?
- I deliberately...
...postpone the great surprise.
My dear kids... how come you
know I fancy yellow scarves?
Can you imagine how many of
them I've lost? Thousands.
We have to celebrate this.
- Waiter?
- Yes, sir?
What will you drink?
Dad, how about some soup first?
It'll do you good.
Do you realize what it means
to have a good son?
No granny dumping from him.
No matter how low I may fall,
right?
A good kid knows that Poppa
needs a bowl of nourishing soup.
What about our specialty:
white borscht?
If you're into veggies, Chancellor's
Soup will be delicious.
I'm not into veggies. So a glass of
frozen drink and the soup next.
- And the rocks in another glass?
- How right you are.
The rocks on the side and then
a bowl of nourishing soup.
Good.
- Perfect.
- Here you are.
- The rocks for you.
- Perfect.
Enjoy!
This is the way to do it:
to let the minimal doze...
...of the favorite substance trickle
down toward one's esophagus.
The absorbent walls delight in
soaking up the force.
The force is with us.
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
Hello, may I help you?
I want a pair of
exquisite earrings.
We have a beautiful choice:
diamond, turquoise, or emeralds?
- Excellent.
- I'll show you right away.
- Here you are.
- Beautiful.
How about these?
Could you try them on?
Magda, come here, please?
- Hello.
- Hello.
- Will you try them on?
- Sure.
Will you look to the left, please?
Now to the right... Beautiful.
- Will you show them off now?
- Pardon?
Take the side of the left ear into
your fingers. Now the right ear...
Excellent! Please pack them in.
Pack them in.
Someone's going to be happy
to find them under the Xmas tree.
But we don't know who yet.
Help yourself, sir.
Hi!
You were supposed to drop by.
Why didn't you?
I'm fine.
Why don't you have a checkup
from time to time?
- How's the old ticker?
- Fine, I guess.
Good. You look fine.
- You got over it, I hear.
- Everything's fine.
- Yeah... And this?
- It's Xmas.
Yeah... You know
that one is never the last.
All the best.
- Another Xmas all alone.
- Yet without a nightmare.
You still negative.
My life's not built on
the absence of nightmares.
- On what then? Or with whom?
- Give me a break.
Why do you need to know?
We shouldn't be seeing
each other, I think.
- Something binds us.
- What does it add up to?
- My suffering.
- Your suffering, work...
...lays, drinking, hangovers, DTs,
despairs and sufferings.
- What about mine?
- I knew... and appreciated them.
From your angle alone.
You were the player
and I, the spectator.
As you've been drinking since I
met you, your life's been filthy.
You wanted me to be
a spectator of your filthy life.
Even if my life hadn't been filthy, you
wouldn't a been much of a spectator.
Right. That's why we had to part and
shouldn't be seeing each other now.
We'll have to sometimes.
After all, we have a child.
- Excuse me. An urgent call.
- Excuse me.
Yes? No, he's away.
Thank you. Good bye.
- Have you seen Pawel?
- And his fiancee. We had dinner.
- Your nerves didn't give, I hope.
- Of course not.
I ate a bowl of nourishing soup
and drank a glass of vodka.
God, what a relief to know you
drink and not having to care.
Not to worry about it at last.
By the way, if you couldn't
care less and don't feel hurt...
Go ahead and drink
I couldn't care less indeed.
All except aesthetics. From
that angle you're a sight to see.
Are you going to Mother?
- Tonight.
- I doubt if you can make it.
They no longer want you
at the hospital, remember?
- Merry Xmas.
- Out of sheer curiosity...
How can you present spectator
stand your drinking?
- Why, you don't want to know this.
- Exactly.
Just to make sure
that it's business as usual.
- Because it must be so, right?
- Yeah... as usual.
A Xmas tree for you, sir.
Won't you take a look?
An ice cube on the side, OK.?
Hit me again.
- Better?
- Yeah, but when will it be well?
That is the question.
Whether it's nobler
in the mind to suffer...
The slings and arrows
of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against
a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To die?
You're bright.
How do you rescue yourself?
- What do you mean?
- In terminal situations...
When you're institutionalized...
- I've been run out of there too.
- How come?
Schweik's been run out of there
because of his stupidity.
I, because of boozing.
Women used to rescue me.
True sweethearts all.
But it's over too.
I still keep afloat, but the water
overhead is freezing.
Merry Xmas.
Think that nothing
untoward is happening.
It is, darling, inside me.
That's only how you feel.
It isn't, really.
Try to get over it.
Concentrate, please.
I can't. I really can't.
If you drink now, it'll be the same
in an hour or even worse.
But it'll bring a moment of relief.
I can go through this nightmare
but with intervals.
How can you drink
this disgusting thing?
I can't even stand the smell.
Hush, hush, hush... OK.
A crystal stream of homeostasis
is washing over me...
Of wonderful poise, that is.
O my fair shepherd girl,
you've quenched his thirst.
You took a bowl in your hands
And bent over his parched lips.
I love you.
I love you too..., but I'm scared.
- What of?
- You.
I'm scared of living with you.
You're the only one for whom
I could stop drinking.
So, please, do, I beg you.
Were it that simple, the people
would miss the charming
contacts with alcoholics.
I don't care about the people.
I care about you
and our eventual life.
I want to stop, really,
but you must be with me.
I am.
You are.
I am.
And you will be.
Always.
Always.
So I'm kicking the habit.
- When?
- Now, cold turkey.
Here you are.
You can't believe it, can you?
But I'll prove it to you now.
How can you prove it? What's
the point? I mean our whole life.
Exactly... Years, months, days...
One has to prove something
every day. I'll prove it to you.
- I'll go to a party now.
- Please, don't.
I'll go there
and won't drink a drop.
You'd better go to sleep now
and to your mother in the morning.
Morning? Can you imagine
what the wee hours do to me?
I won't make it
through 4 or 5 A.M.
But if you do, then the next
morning it will be easier...
I must succeed. I just must.
So let's be up and doing.
The worst thing now
would be to lie down
and wait for the damn nightmare.
So I'm going to go to the party,
come back, pack my things, call you...
You'll come, and drive me to my mother.
Or let's leave for Xmas together.
I can't. I've promised my folks
to come over.
Besides,
I haven't met your mother yet.
- It's high time.
- Good. I'll drive you to her tonight.
You'll have a good rest,
and sleep off the nightmare.
We'll spend next Xmas together.
Next Xmas together, yes?
You give me strength,
shepherd girl.
Oh yes, the scarf.
What happened?
I stopped drinking, right?
I'm going to the party
as a teetotaler.
We made a deal...
No, no, no, out of the question.
Am I putting it perfectly clear?
No, I'm not giving my consent.
I beg you to call my son. Yes, I
have one. Call him right away.
Nurse, I have veins like a ladybug.
You know it perfectly well.
As a matter of fact I have no veins
at all, and this will be a bust for sure.
Augentaler... writer, no,
Augentaler rider... writer...
Attention! Attention! Watch out!
God, I have to save myself.
Yes, I have to save myself.
Yes... 1-7-4-8? Your very old
client. You're caterers, right?
Three bottles of Bitter Vodka, please.
Yes, I'll come downstairs. Thanks.
Good evening.
- The change!
- That's all right.
Oh, God, I must save myself.
Oh, God, I must save myself.
So, am I able to take a bath?
To get dressed?
To clean this place?
To pack my things
and go anywhere?
And the answer to all
these questions is...
No... the f*** NO!
God, why do I always hear this?
No, no, no, don't come, don't
leave, don't touch me, don't kiss me.
No, it's closed.
No, it's not open yet.
Can you tell me the time, madam?
NO!
Can I kiss your ass? NO!
Does God exist? NO!
Is there no God then? NO!
Will you let me have a drink? NO!
Will you let me the f***
hang myself? NO!
How does that word sound?
Hey! What does it sound like?
That word? The negation of no?
No, I can't remember.
Nurse, what does the word
sound like? I can't remember.
I keep afloat, but like the writer
says: water freezes over my head.
I'm in a poor shape.
I say I'm in a poor shape.
A while ago I forgot
the word 'Yes'.
I say I forgot the word 'Yes'.
Oh, I know... know... Pablo...
Pablo Picasso.
His first name was Pablo.
Come, I beg you, please come.
I know I say it, but, please,
come, OK.?
I failed... I failed,
my shepherd girl. I'm drinking...
Come here. No, it's not over yet.
We got to try. Come.
I'll leave the door open.
We must try as long as we live.
Stop, stop, stop, wait a minute.
Everything's under control.
Only the scarf.
I'm in perfect control.
My son, I knew it would
come to this again.
I had bad dreams...
Do you know at least
where you are?
You don't lead a good life.
It's disorderly and without God.
It matters little that you have
a position and money
if you live the way you do.
Remember what Father used to say?
"I'd rather you swept the streets
but lived in a godly manner."
Ah this disorderly life.
Two women brought you here.
It's good they did, but why two?
One wouldn't have managed.
No woman can, my son.
None except me.
There's a funeral next door.
Maybe no one saw
them bringing you here.
- Who's died?
- Old Pilch... hanged himself.
You know how he drank all his life.
And now he's hanged himself.
Lately, he's been so light, transparent...
Remember?
Mom, such tales get me down.
He was so light, ate nothing,
because he was drunk
round the clock.
A week ago, his wife told me
something was wrong with him,
because he'd bought
something bad from the store.
Something bad? She puts
her finger to her lips,
takes me to the kitchen,
and points to his briefcase,
the one he'd always carry.
She opens it and
shows me what's inside:
A length of string
and a bottle of pure spirits.
When I looked at her I understood
why he'd bought that string.
We decided to hide it.
I took it and hid it
in the drawer in the kitchen,
where it still is.
The string is there,
but old Pilch is no more.
He hanged himself on a belt
two days ago.
As they were taking the body out
yesterday, you know what happened?
She put the bottle of spirits
into his coffin.
I didn't like it at first.
Now I think she did it right.
Let the man have
the bottle on him.
I wonder why
he didn't drink it...
God, give me a breather. Take
these thoughts away from me.
Why, I won't jump over the fence,
go to a bar, or a liquor store.
Why, I can't take the last bottle
of spirits from old Pilch. O God.
You must make an effort
and pull yourself together.
Nothing comes easy, you know.
This is the only thing for you to
do: stop drinking. And that's that.
Nobody expects anything
else from you.
You're addicted
and you have to kick the habit.
Can I ask for anything more?
It's Xmas Eve. Am I asking
where my daughter-in-law
or grandson are? I'm not.
Because I'm alone and can be
alone, though it's hard.
I haven't drunk
for almost 16 hours now.
Like Xmas Eve
like the whole year, they say.
God grant!
No kvass for you or anything
to drink whatsoever.
Not a drop for dinner
or a nightcap.
To watch the world
with a sober eye? Oh, my God.
O my tiny, tiny, tiny Jesus
Tiny like a glove...
- Live long... in peace and quiet.
- Live long too and in good health.
God, let me be quiet now.
Let us pray.
- Here you are.
- Oh, no thank you, I can't.
Take a piece at least.
I couldn't imagine
I'd eat so much.
- Did you like it?
- It was delicious.
I'm glad.
- Now the gifts...
- Thank you.
- This is for you.
- Thank you.
How beautiful!
Extraordinary! I've never
had a thing like this.
I've never looked like this.
Not even in the sinful years
of your salad days?
Why, you couldn't have bought it.
You know nothing about hats.
Which of your stars helped you,
Saint Ewa?
- I really often say to her 'Saint Ewa'.
- Exactly. Only a saint can stand you.
Why, she has never seen me
in her life. She doesn't know me.
But she knows me and that's enough.
How did you know I'd lost it?
You'd always lose scarves.
And this is your favorite color.
It's becoming to you.
Never lose the yellow scarf.
Never ever. It's important.
If I manage not to lose it,
everything's going to be fine.
If he left it home and I found it,
it doesn't mean he lost it.
That doesn't count, does it?
Oh, God, it doesn't. Right?
Subtitles by Jerzy Siemasz