Unorthodox (2020): Season 1, Episode 1 - Part 1 - full transcript

Esty! You can't go out!

- Why?
- The eruv is broken.

High winds broke a wire
just down the street.

- Someone will fix it.
- Tomorrow. Not on the sabbath!

I can't go to my mother's for lunch!

And I have an excuse
to avoid my mother-in-law!

Where are you going, Esty?

You know, Esty's not trapped like we are!
She doesn't have a baby to carry.

Good point! Just leave your bag upstairs.

- Right.
- Excuse me.

- Good Sabbath!
- Good Sabbath!



Good Sabbath!

Esty!

- Good Sabbath!
- Good Sabbath!

- Where are you going?
- To my parents-in-law. For lunch.

Don't they live that way?

I'm sorry.

I've got to go.

- Good Sabbath.
- Good Sabbath.

Good Sabbath.

Good Sabbath.

What's up, kiddos?

Nice!

- Good Sabbath.
- Yanky!

Yanky, Good Sabbath!



Where's Esty?

She's not here?

Is she sick?

I don't know.

She wasn't sick when I left this morning.

It's always something with Esty, isn't it?

- Did anyone follow you?
- No.

OK, your ticket.

Your passport.

I'm calling you a car.

- Thank you for helping me.
- Of course!

Two minutes.

This is for you.

Thank you!

Good luck in Berlin.

JFK, right?

- What terminal?
- Five.

Is everything all right, Miss?

Go the long way
around Williamsburg, please.

Esty.

Esty.

Yanky, shouldn't you be at the synagogue?

Esty's gone.

What do you mean, gone?

She wasn't home after lunch yesterday

and she never came home last night.

Yanky, good!

- Let's head over together.
- Esty's missing.

Missing?

Disappeared!

- Where would she go?
- That's the question!

Has she been in an accident?

We would've heard something.

Maybe she just left.

Left where?

Left me, Mommy.

She wasn't happy.

Not happy?

That girl was never good enough for you!

- Mimi!
- She was trouble from the start.

No mother, the strange father...

A year of marriage and not even a baby!

We shouldn't have agreed to the match.

Fine.

I'll go see the rabbi.

Grandma!

My father loved this song.

He had a wonderful voice, Esty.

Your great-grandpa.

All the men in his family did.

In Hungary,

before the war?

So many lost.

But soon you'll have children of your own.

Mommy?

Malka spoke to the matchmaker.

Really?

- Grandpa will be home any minute.
- He's not here yet!

So he'll hear women singing
when he arrives? No.

Grandma's pills.

Thanks.

Listen.

The matchmaker made a suggestion.

Who?

The Shapiros near the Navy Yard.

- From the jewelry business?
- Yes. The brothers.

But the father has never worked.

- He sits and studies!
- That's good!

- What's the boy like?
- What's the boy like?

He's like everyone else. Normal.

Esty!

Your marriage will mark
the beginning of a new life!

Hold on a minute.

Let's wait till the Shapiros
agree to the match, all right?

After all, Esty is an orphan.

I'm not an orphan.

What would you call it?

Good Sabbath.

The prodigal son returns.

Good Sabbath.

You're not staying for the meal?

What a disgrace!

Good Sabbath!

Good Sabbath.

Leah.

Red or white?

It's my favorite. Thanks.

Tell us everything
about your wife, Yanky.

I'm in Manhattan during the day.

I work with my brothers
in the business now.

Esty does what all the other wives do.

She shops, she cooks,
she visits her grandmother...

Esty isn't like the other wives.

What's that supposed to mean?

Yanky, come on!
She doesn't even visit with them.

The others all have babies!

So?

It makes her feel bad!

Yanky, admit it.

You have no idea how Esty spends the day.

Gentlemen. The point is,
we can't have our people losing their way.

It sets a dangerous precedent.

We need to find this young woman
and bring her back to her husband!

- I've asked your cousin Moishe to help.
- Moishe?

- Over my dead body!
- Mimi!

The rabbi understands
that Moishe has his own problems, right?

Not to mention, in his marriage.

"A Jew, though he sinned, is still a Jew."

Just recently, Moishe wasn't even...

Trust in God, Symcha!

Moishe is the one to find your son's wife.

How far can she possibly have gone?

What are we doing here?

Miriam Shapiro wants to see you.

How will I know which one she is?

You won't.

Now walk as if you're looking
for something. With a smile.

Go!

Can I help?

Yes.

Thanks.

Coffee.

- Flat white? Cappuccino?
- Just coffee?

Would you like to see a menu?

Americano.

Me?

- No, I meant the coffee, actually.
- Oh.

Americano.

- Sure.
- Thanks.

You have a lot of friends.

Yeah. A lot of tired friends.

- That will be two euros twenty.
- Yes.

I can help you.

Really?

It's just around the corner.

I have time.

Thanks.

- Here we are. Coffee!
- Oh, nice!

Oh, coffee!

Of course...

Which one can I take?

- They're all the same.
- Thanks. You're so sweet.

You're welcome.

And who is this?

Americano, right?

I'm Esty.

Esty.

- We'll start in a minute.
- OK, I'm coming.

We have to bring these inside,

because we have a rehearsal now.

Thanks so much again.

- See you around.
- See you around, Esty.

See you around.

Good morning.

I'm assuming you all stayed in last night
and practiced your parts?

Can anyone think of a better way
to spend a Saturday evening in Berlin?

Or a Sunday afternoon?

Aha!

Ready?

Let's start from the trio
of the second movement.

Peace be upon you!

Peace be upon you! How do you do?

Don't forget, Esty. He speaks first.

My father took me and my brothers
to Europe last spring.

That sounds exciting.

We visited the graves
of all the famous rabbis.

You went all the way to Europe
and all you saw were graves?

Nothing else?

I wanted to...

but my father didn't allow it.

I want to go back someday.

They say London and Paris are beautiful.

I've never been anywhere but New York.

There's no place like home.

Do you like music?

Oh, I love music!

My brothers and I sometimes perform
together with my father.

And you?

If I perform?

Of course not!

I mean, do you like music?

Yes.

I bet you sound beautiful
when you play together.

I hope to see it one day.

She doesn't want any.

But you should know...

I'm not like the other girls.

I mean, I'm... normal.

But...

I'm different from the other girls.

Different is good.

I'll get the car, guys.

It was a beautiful concert.

It was just a rehearsal.

It was the most beautiful thing
I have ever heard.

Thank you.

Come on. Let's go!

- I'm ready.
- Let's go! Come on. Dasia!

Are you coming?

I have to practice.
What the hell am I supposed to do?

Where are you going?

Wannsee. The lake.

- Can I come with you?
- Come on!

Sure.

- See you later!
- Bye!

You spoke to her mother?

You know she doesn't have a mother.
Just a grandmother and an aunt.

They won't know anything.

We'll see about that.

Please...

Be polite.

Oh, Yanky.

- Good day.
- Good day.

Who is this?

My cousin, Moishe Lefkovitch.
You remember him.

So he's back.

Where's Esty?

We're here to ask you and your mother
that question exactly.

Now it's my job to keep track
of your wife?

Malka?

She hasn't been home since yesterday.

What?

- Why?
- I don't know.

Nobody can find out about this.

- Can we ask your mother a few questions?
- No!

You want to scare an old woman?

Her life hasn't been difficult enough?

Malka?

Coming, Mommy!

Go search her room.

Esty's room?

It's as she left it
when she moved out to get married.

Not you. You wait here.

Yeah, I'm teaching a class!

What is this?

Who are you?

I am Mordecai Schwartz.
This is my daughter.

You're late, I'm here.

We're here to collect the rent.

I have a tour coming up in two weeks, OK?
It's two weeks in the Midwest.

I'll get paid right after.
And then I can pay you the back rent.

And then I'll pay you
three months in advance, OK?

My father needs rent.

Yeah, I'm good for it.
I just need two weeks.

Daddy...

Answer the phone.

Hello?

George?
I'll just be one more minute, OK?

- Sorry about this.
- Dad...

- So what? What?
- Do you play?

The piano?

No.

I mean,

sometimes when nobody sees.

Anyway, we don't have one at home.

Why did you send me? Go yourself!

- You're welcome to play here.
- I don't know!

If you want, I could teach you.

- Hmm?
- Good!

Really?

Is this your first time in Berlin, Esty?

- Yes.
- Oh, welcome.

Let's show her something nice.

- Let's go!
- Like what? Hitler's bunker?

- It's still there?
- No, she's just messing with you.

Or we can take selfies at the memorial
to the murdered Jews of Europe.

That, Yael, is a superb idea.

And the memorial to the murdered
homosexuals is just across the street.

And while we're at it,

there's one to the murdered
Sinti and Romas nearby, too.

Where are you from, Esty?

Ah, New York.

- You don't sound like it.
- I've never been anywhere else.

Where are you from?

Yemen. But I grew up near Munich.

And I'm from Israel,
Ahmed is from Nigeria,

Clemens... is German,
but your parents came from...?

- Poland.
- Poland, right.

And Robert is the only one of us
who is actually from Berlin.

So he can answer
all your burning questions about the war.

My grandparents
lost their whole families in the camps.

So did half of Israel.

But we're too busy defending our present
to be sentimental about our past.

You know what's funny?

- Yael always talks big, big, big...
- A lot of talking.

Yeah, a lot of talking.
But she's never been in military combat.

She was playing the violin
in the military orchestra.

- Oh, was it?
- Yeah.

Like Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"
every weekend, madam?

No, no, that's not true.

Sometimes we played "Beethoven's Ninth."

Okay?

Are you a musician?

- Not like you.
- Robert...

I play some piano.

Well, at least you have a life.

Robert!

Whoa.

No, it's... Come on.

Wait! No... Shit!

Come on!

It's nice, right?

Do you see that villa?

The conference where the Nazis decided to
kill the Jews in the concentration camps

took place in 1942...

in that villa.

And you swim in this lake?

Well, the lake is just a lake.

There's more, actually.

When the Berlin Wall was up,

East German guards shot anyone who tried
to swim across this lake to freedom.

And now?

Now you can swim as far as you like.

GERMANY

You go in. I'll watch everyone's stuff.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah.

Don't worry. I've got it.

You can't just come
into my apartment like this!

I've been paying my rent on time!

- Where is she?
- Who?

You know exactly who I'm talking about.

- Moishe!
- Jesus! What is wrong with you people?

You're the husband.

She told you about me?

She quit the piano lessons for you.

Tell me where to find her.

- I don't know.
- All right, Ms. Vivian Dropkin.

If you don't tell us where she is,
we'll cut off your electricity.

Moishe, stop!

Maybe she doesn't know anything.

We'll cut off your internet.

And then we'll cancel your lease.

And then what?

- Ahmed doesn't know any German.
- Really?

Yeah, but he thinks he can fake
speaking German with just three words.

OK.

"Really," "exactly" and "correct."

Echt, genau and stimmt.

We have the same words in Yiddish:

Echt, genau, stimmt.

Echt, genau, stimmt?

I will try that,
if I ever go to a dinner party.

POTSDAMER PLATZ STATION

So you're really going back
to practice now? What, so late?

Yeah, I have to.

The academy is open till midnight.

Where are you staying?

Not far from here.

- OK.
- OK.

- Mm...
- You've got my number.

- I hope to see you around, Esty.
- Yeah.

- Good luck with Dvorak.
- Thank you!

Why Germany?

What do you expect?

Huh?

Yanky, one thing leads to another.

You let her take piano lessons
with that non-Jew, right?

So what?

There are greater sins!

Schlomo Moskowitz takes his wife
out to bars in Manhattan!

You hardly know her.

She is my wife!

Exactly.

When you left the community,

did you leave everything behind?

I mean, even your clothes? Your phone?

Esty took nothing because it was
the sabbath and the eruv was broken.

She had no choice.

Did you already check her phone
for funny numbers?

Funny numbers?

Bring me her phone.

She has an unchecked voicemail.

Then listen to it.

Me?

I'm scared.

So?

The doctor's office
called about blood test results

and offered an appointment
for an ultrasound next week.

Ultrasound?

She's pregnant.

- Good evening!
- Good evening!

Do you dance?

Germany!

It's too much!

And she didn't even
take anything with her!

- That depends how you look at it.
- She took the baby!

But why Berlin?

- Think about it.
- What?

Her crazy mother lives in Berlin!

I thought she came from England?

Sure. But she's a German Jew.

She came from Manchester to Williamsburg,

but when she left Yanky's father-in-law,
she moved to Germany.

Oy, oy, oy!

We shouldn't have agreed to this marriage.

Mommy, please!

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Mimi!

He is suffering.

You can leave tonight.

The rabbi wants me to go to Berlin?

You've been there before.

Yes.

It wasn't pretty.

Life is a never-ending battle
between good and evil.

God is always testing us.

Anyway, the boy can't handle
a trip to Berlin on his own.

The rabbi wants me to go to Berlin
with Yanky?

Of course he's going with you, Moishe!

That baby is Yanky's baby!

What is she doing here?

I heard you're getting married.

- I'll be in the kitchen.
- No.

Don't go.

You're a bride now, Esty.

I will wait in the kitchen.

Thank you.

You're getting married.

Congratulations!

What do you care?

Esty...

I'm your mother.

You stopped being my mother
the day you left Williamsburg.

No. I will always be your mother.

No matter where I go.

I wanted to give you this.

What is it?

It's paperwork.

Proves your right to German citizenship.

Because my parents, your grandparents,
were born there.

It's just in case you need
somewhere else to go.

Somewhere else to go?

I'm getting married. Don't you get it?

I'm going to make a family
with Yanky Shapiro.

Lots of children. A real home.

I won't ever need anywhere else to go.
This is what I want.

OK.

- OK, you think that now...
- Don't you tell me what I think.

- You don't even know me.
- Maybe not.

But you keep those documents safe, please.

REPATRIATION APPLICATION

IDENTITY DOCUMENT

Esty?

How was it?

Let's see the dress.

Don't be scared, Esty.

You'll be so happy.

Rabbi, I don't know if I'm the right...

Bring back Esther Shapiro
and God will take care of you.

He will pay your debts.

Work things out
with your wife and children.

The rabbi will do all that for me?

Moishe, bring back the girl!