I, Juraj Jakubisko,
a Slovak Director,
Will tell you about those people,
who wanted to be proper
tell you how needful it is...
and at the same time how futile...
to seek rescue from a life
that doesn't know Love
for Hate, craziness without true
madness, happiness without sadness...
will tell you how needful it is...
and at the same time how futile...
to seek rescue from a life that
doesn't know Love for Hate
craziness without true madness
happiness without sadness and death
without mediocrity
This story has a tragic ending
But laugh if you feel like it,
as our heroes
do until the very last moment.
Yes, the world is pretty, though
not always nice
not happy, but not trully unhappy
crazy and full of love
everything changes back again and there
is no ending without beginning.
Merci!
SLOVAK FILM
in Bratislava presents
a Juraj Jakubisko film
Birds, orphans and fools
Philippe Avron
Magda Vasaryova
Jiri Sykora
Well, c'mon,
come to me.
Which one will you give me?
Mila Beran
Francoise Goldite
Mikulas Ladizinsky, Jana Stehnova
Augustin Kuban
Do you photograph?
Desperately
Wait! Wait! Wait, let me go!
Let me go!
Story and screenplay by Juraj Jakubisko
Karol Sidon
Producer Samy Halfon
A Slovensky film and
Bratislava Como film Paris co-production
not one other woman will show up here!
I swear!
No, won't show up...
I don't believe you!
Are you bored, friend, bored?
What's it to you?
I thought so
Come, let's have a drink
I don't feel like it.
And how about a little dancing?
I don't have a suit.
I'll give you one. Seriously?
I'm getting married tomorrow.
Buy some flowers!
Come here, are you a girl?
Go on, it makes no difference...
Bridegroom, you know?
Such nice guys in the world
And I am lost...
Lost! Lost!
Hey you! Get up!
Morning. What's happening?
I'm protecting you.
If you're protecting,
then you're protecting.
Don't cry, boy!
I'm scared.
Birds? Birds,
where did you come from?
Don't you remember? I rescued you!
Put your hands over your eyes when you
sleep, so that they won't peck them out.
What? But otherwise they're not bad.
Look, like this.
Yorick! Mr Yorick!
Mr Yorick, where are you?
Where are you? Calling Yorick!
Wake up, Mr Adrew's waiting for you!
My God, what went on here?
See how many strange things are
in this world?
She did it... She was scared of the birds.
Who is she?
I don't even know her name,
you can lie next to her
if you want
She was afraid of birds?
Yes, she was catching them all night.
Don' be scared of them.
They just watch you.
One day they'll give you a sign.
The birds...
Life is beautiful!
Do you see him? I've got appetite...
I've got muscles like an ox...
But I have a headache.
Surely someone must have hit me
You said you'd rescued me.
Why?
Because I'm fair.
Look! Look, those aren't birds.
They're souls of the dead.
Souls of the dead...
Why did you get your hair cut?
Because I had lice.
What? Lice?
Lice.
The nits.
I like you.
Our Milan..., our general...
Your propellor was broken,
your wheels were broken,
your wheels broke.
And you fell far.
And you crashed hard...
Dyk Roza, young Stefanik, and...
What about a drink?
She'll tell you the fortune.
Would you like to go into the woods?
We're adults.
Ouch!
Don't be in a rush!
You have to get to know gipsy girls.
There they are! They're waiting for us.
They wouldn't mind,
if you laid them down.
But taking pictures, that's disgraceful.
Loook how gleeful they are!
Sure they are.
Arent' they beautiful?
Cheers, Stefanik, cheers...
They need heroes.
Careful!
Watch the camera!
The heroes?
They're cowards.
What's the matter?
Nothing.
You look as if you didn't like the world
anymore
Hm...
Stop! Look!
Look at that house! Stop!
Happiness is a white house.
Can I confide in you?
Yes...
You'll be tired of the world too
when you come home...
Go ahead, I'm listening.
Well, yesterday I had a fight
with a girl...
Again?
She stuck to me and
I couldn't get her into the wardrobe.
I kept telling her to leave,
that my friend is coming
and that he'd beat me up.
But she wouldn't.
Look what she did.
It's not painted.
Wake up! What's the matter with you?
She's ill. You should
heat this place up.
Sure. Heat the place up.
And where's the wood?
Hey, give me some money.
You've got some now.
They paid you for the pictures.
I will, but after you send her away.
You won't send me to work, will you?
I told you, after you throw her out.
I don't want to.
Leave me alone!
You know I don't like it
when I'm dirty!
What are you doing?
Leave me alone!
I'll wash your back.
Go away!
You are nice.
Catch!
There's one thing I don't like
about you. What's that?
You should get your hair cut.
Well... Ouch!
Look... Lazarus...
Blue and cold...
Holy as Death...
Blue as Death...
Forget it.
What don't you like about her?
What? She's filthy. It makes me sick
to look at her.
When she's healthy again, you'll throw
her out. Is that clear?
She's not even a woman.
I got used to your women.
But this one...
This one?
You know I hate these people!
What people?
Don't pretend you didn't notice.
She's Jewish.
Jewish?
Jewish! Filthy! Dirty!
Darling...
Jewish girls are beautiful...
Beautiful...
Yes... Yes...
Especially this one!
Yeah, well, kiss my ass!
She looks like Death. I hate her!
Listen! I hate her! Hate her!
Oh, go to hell. If you don't understand
beauty.
You can't understand ugliness.
Photographer! Artist! Intellectual!
See? You shouldn't get angry!
Oh!
Touch me! Can't you?
Make me dirty and lousy!
I'm looking forward to the ocean.
That will wash all the dirt off me.
I christen you Sibyl.
I'm Martha.
Martha. Is that a Jewish name?
When you were ill
you talked of death.
Yes?
Don't move!
All rivers flow into the sea
but the sea will never overflow.
Is that right, Andrew?
That's right.
And they return where they flow to.
So that they may arise from there again.
Even God sowed much love upon the world
and still there's not enough for us all.
And so... I swear
I won't cross the line
of friendship...
And I won't think about anything sexual.
Martha, where are you?
And you, Andrew?
Here. Where here?
Here...
Right...
Did you wash your feet? I did!
Say your prayer and get to sleep!
A man is well off in this world.
Really well...
...if he knows how to be joyful...
...and then he's happy,
when he wakes in the morning...
...and is pleased with his life...
...amen...
Look! She's asleep!
What is it? What's up?
What's up... Show us your naked body.
WHAT?! Say that again!
Show us how you look in the nude. Go on!
Fine. But if you take
your clothes off too.
Of course! Come on!
Not me! Not me! I don't want to!
Let me go, I'll scream! Help! Help!
Ouch!
Quiet! Quiet! Ready!
You see!
No! Oh! No!
Who is he? A fool.
And that one? A scientist.
Eat. It's got phosphorous.
I'll be able to see you even at night.
Yuk... it stinks!
No... I don't want to... Leave me alone.
Be quiet.
Quiet... Quiet...
A man gets old and his heart aches
It hurts and hurts with a big ache.
He lost his father,
he lost his mother
and becomes an orphan in the face of God
And God says: I'll be you father
and your mother.
And veils himself in smoke and mist
and leaves the man alone.
God dies and the orphan in body
becomes orphan in soul.
I call in vain
and all I hear is the bell tolling
forever and ever
Tolling for God, for mother, for father.
Tolling...
A man gets old and his heart aches.
I didn't even learn to play the piano.
This man...
in his youth made a mistake.
Come on. Yes.
Come on, dear landlord, come on.
Hand on your heart Andrew... Wouldn't it
be better to cremate the old people?
Yes.
Awful yellow snot runs from them.
And sweat... And spit...
Yuk... Yuk...
You can smell their urine even
from a distance...
Who burns for truth and people's rights
Who offers life to sacrifice
Who sheds a tear for injustice
...to him my song with glory rings!
Come, come, come!
...with glory rings!
How was the cremation?
Just right.
Life is beautiful!
What do I need gloves for?
What good are they to me?
Hey, Partisans, Germans,
come out and nothing will happen to you.
The war ended twenty years ago! Twenty!
Look!
What did you say?
How many years ago did the war end? You!
Say, how many!
It's been twenty years now!
I don't believe that, I don't.
You're crazy or something...
I know people like you.
I don't believe. Fascist everywhere!
Do you know who Stefanik was?
A soldier. A general. Was he born here?
He died here. Yes.
Once when he was flying over here
bad people shot him down.
He had a plane?
He did. We were a rich family.
Was he really your father?
Don't you believe me? I never saw him.
All that he left me was a statue
and madness.
And your mother?
My mother... Well...
She was killed by those
who are said to be rational.
But it was a long time ago, wasn't it,
Andrew?
Yes.
My parents were killed in Poland
by fools.
Mine were killed by Jews.
Jews, you understand?!
Mhm...
Our parents killed each other
and we became orphans.
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
Aa... aaa... It stings...
You don't have to cover your eyes
anymore.
It'll help you catch the birds.
To my health, Andrew.
No, no, I can't.
Drink. Have a drink!
Drink, you hashish!
Excellent!
What are you doing? Let me go!
Don't be crazy! Don't be crazy!
I put sleeping pills into the wine.
Why?
Because I want you.
I want you, Martha, I do!
You are beautiful. Beautiful...
You are beautiful... And you...
Very beautiful... I want you...
I want to be with you...
But I am always with you...
Martha... Yes... Yes... Martha...
Forever and ever...
He's sleeping like a baby, look!
You hurt him sometimes.
I feel sorry for him.
Do you know how old he is?
And he hasn't had a girl yet.
Friendship is a good thing.
Why are you telling me that?
Why, Yorick?
You should make love to him.
You wouldn't mind?
I like Andrew.
Why did you tell me you loved me?
Because I love you.
Love cannot be selfish.
And so the seal of shame cannot be
washed from my name
and my face is covered by a layer of
someone else's dirt.
Like the painters hand,
stained with paint.
Oh, have compassion and let me become
another.
Happiness is a white house...
It is a railroad man
and two white goats...
Happiness is...
I like Martha.
Happiness is...
a railroad man sleeping on the grass.
Tell her to sleep with me.
What... so suddenly?
Don't forget she's Jewish.
And you're a virgin.
And virginity suits you well.
Understand?
I know.
Oh my Yorick, where are your cartwheels
and fireworks of humour?
Was she talking to me?
There's not one left now
for you to blaspheme...
She's not talking to me.
And because there's still a lot of pain
and so that the rest could laugh
and act crazy and do harm
God chooses from the tribe of Levi
the thirty three just ones from each
generation.
Yes. She's right.
Yes. There's little justice
in the world.
Look.
But even people like us should be
kind hearted.
So that you have something to laugh at.
I almost killed a guy like him
with a hammer.
I know what you think. Well...
When you're crazy and praise yourself
and when your thoughts are evil,
just put your hand over your mouth and
be quiet.
Everything. Everything is governed by
the laws of eternal change,
the laws of power,
everything that is outside yourself
is futile.
All right.
So return to yourself.
And if you had a house and they
demolished it, start building again,
but in your soul.
Return to yourself.
Build a house there,
live in it,
and you'll find happiness.
The word is a weapon of the powerless.
La parole es I arme des puvres.
They will say you are crazy.
But what's it to you, if you're fine.
And you're fine, because you are free.
You are free because you are crazy.
See you in Hell, Andrew!
See you later, landlord.
Good morning.
What happened to you, landlord?
Whenever I jump down
my head aches.
Let's go...
How is Yorick?
Yorick's fine.
Was Stefanik really his father?
Why are you laughing?
Stefanik died fifty years ago.
Try counting how old would Yorick
have to be.
So what's his name?
Yorick.
You don't know anything about him?
No.
I'm afraid of him sometimes,
he seems so heartless.
Don't judge him until you know him.
It makes him sad.
He likes you a lot, Martha.
Why don't you talk to him?
Why don't you like him?
Don't say that, Andrew, it's not true.
Why, why...
Why do you hate those birds so?
Look, you set traps for them.
You put out bacon and grains as bait.
And they don't touch anything.
And still they live...
Who nourishes them? God!
Ouch!
What are you doing? Don't move!
I almost stuck you.
Lie down!
Our sweet angel! What's that?
We'll give you a treat.
When I first saw them
I wanted to cry.
You see, these kids will never
become people.
Thank you.
Come here. Do you see him?
Where?
It is the oldest home in Europe.
Than you. We only wanted to see
this window.
Maria Terezia used to sleep in this bed.
Take a picture of the young lady.
Come, sister.
Martha! Martha!
Take a picture of the young lady.
Zzzzz!
Don't be shy, Andrew!
Why are you shy?
Come on!
I know. I know that you're only doing it
for Yorick.
No.
Yes... Yes... All for him.
Sorry, Andrew.
I didn't want to hurt you.
You're a good person.
Help! Let me be!
Yes, you're right.
The world is filthy, dirty and cruel.
I photograph it with my eyes.
Everything evil in it.
And the more I absorb...
the more I take away with me when I go.
And that much less evil will be left
in the world.
Some people get drunk on water.
You've spoilt it for me. Come and look.
Look what you've done, you idiot!
You've exposed my photo paper!
You should've let me in through the door
I get drunk on the world's evil.
How was it?
What? How was what? Pam... pam...
pam... pam...
I'm not shy. Why should I be shy?
So ask her.
Go and ask her if you don't believe me.
Hm... You know I'm crazy... hm... hm...
I know.
You two were made for each other.
You're just making that up.
You torture each other.
You photograph each other with your eyes
And you think that I'm a fool.
If it weren't for me,
you'd starve to death.
So what?
Come, I want to show you something.
Look, she's not scared of them anymore.
She's putting them into the pot.
Martha! Martha! What are you doing?!
I'm burning them.
She's burning them...
Leave them alone.
What have they done to you?
Well, what have those birds done to you?
Here I am! Here they are!
Come! Come!
Who is that? A fool.
Martha... Martha... Martha...
What?
Go!
What kind of game are you playing?
Why are you only with him all day?
And you don't talk to me,
you don't even know me.
And at night, you act like nothing
happened.
Sleep with me!
Mhm...
Sleep with me!
Mhm...
Yes!
You are jealous. Don't laugh.
I want you to like me.
I'm learning to be cheerful.
I don't know that. I know one thing.
That you love me.
There, there.
You love me.
I don't love you.
You love me.
I don't.
Not at all. I don't want to lie
to myself.
Better to kill myself than...
To kill... To kill... Hm...
My parents, mother, brother, father,
they didn't die.
They perished. Perished disgracefully
like lepers.
And other... You understand...
What do you want? What do you want?
Do you want to make love?
Do you want to?
Why do you humiliate me so?
Leave us alone! Go away from us!
Andrew and I will be fine, like before.
And you can think of your father,
your mother...
Go and photograph with your eyes.
Put your arms around me, Yorick, hug me.
I like you.
Leave us. Don't send me away, Yorick.
Maybe the Jews really are
truly filthy.
What? Filthy.
What did you say? Yuk!
Yes, filthy!
I'll kill you! I will!
Here! Run!
Martha! Martha! Martha! Martha!
Martha! Where are you? Can you hear me?
Martha! Hey Martha, Martha.
Don't look for her. I threw her out.
I know.
Hey, Yorick, how come that
someone has a small cock
and another has a big one?
You see, Andrew, it's the same
with every organ.
When it's put to work, it grows strong.
My dad also has a big one.
And what does he do with it, hey?
He wags it.
Yes, for daddy death,
for mommy coffin,
for godfather reaper,
for uncle Stefanik...
And for the star of Mao?
Mhm...
Life is beautiful! Yuk!
You were touching me again last night.
You stroked me again, Mr. Yorick.
Why don't you talk about God, instead?
God doesn't like me anymore.
Don't be sad, landlord!
What's the use of knowing how to play
the piano?
You achieved more.
You've gotten to know us.
You haven't wasted your life.
It'll be happy. It'll be happy.
Happy. We are happy.
Truly happy.
Man touches nice things,
he smells grass and wood,
his skin smells of sunlight,
birds are flying around and chirping.
A person is surrounded by so many
good people...
...has peace in his soul.
When he plays the piano,
he looks straight ahead.
And the glossy cover jumps...
tossing motes of dust into the air.
They jump -brlm- and again
slowly drop down.
Brlm- and the dust slowly settles again.
Like this - brlm...
I can't, they're waiting for me.
Can you see him? There he goes...
I have nothing to talk to him about.
Just come, nicely... Come...
They are waiting for me.
But, Andrew, you know...
They can wait. He's waiting too. Come.
Let me go, there's no sense in it.
Oh!
Look!
Good morning, I brought you something
to eat.
Good morning! Wake up!
I brought you something to eat.
Wake up!
Hey, grandma, good morning!
Jesus Christ.
How can we pay you back, grandma?
You should've let me in through the door
Oh, but it was good.
I want another one.
What shall we give you for it?
What shall we give?
Want the engine? Anything can be yours.
Come and choose, grandma.
Everything here is yours.
What good will the light do to me?
Hold her! Hold her!
Oh! Martha! Martha!
Stop!
Don't hit! Don't hit!
Wait! Hey!
I'll take your picture.
Get on your knees!
Cross yourself.
Ho, my sheep!
Laokon!
Fire! Fire!
Wait... I like you... I love you... I like
you... I love you... I like you... Moment!
I am glad you are with us, Martha.
Me too.
Do you like him now? Yes, I do.
Look, what he's doing!
Come!
Watch out! Careful!
The new wave!
Come back to us, Martha!
Yes...
Believe me, everything you cling on to,
everything you cling on to in life,
will change into its opposite.
Only madness guarantees
that you won't remain unhappy.
I know... I know... I know...
Change!
Now... Now...
The wheels are still turning...
Death is still far off and it's snowing.
Before a snowflake falls
it stops snowing.
I've always been on the run.
Running from the world.
But it was only running from myself.
I know you knew it.
We can't master life...
We can't master love...
So let us enjoy it a while.
At least something.
Those moments that go by.
At least a little bit of happiness...
...then the sea will come. Yes, the sea.
You're giving up sooner than necessary.
I cannot.
I like you very much.
I can die now. Me too.
Martha! ...if you love me.
I love you.
I believe you. You can't let me down.
You can't, can't...
What's up? Why are we stopping?
What happened?
What do I know what happened?
Gas! We've run out of gas!
What do we do now?
Somebody will give us some. Hey! Hey!
Wait! It's the police!
Run away! I'll take the blame!
What's going on here? What is this?
Hide it! I'll take the blame!
What are you doing here?
Why are you waving your arms like that?
Toss it away! Go on!
A nut! I'm with you, stay with me!
Yes, I am with you too.
Hm... hm... Do you hear me?
Now I know that all you need is love.
We need to build the world on love.
One has to love everybody.
Even those, Martha, Andrew, who do evil.
God, God gave us the gift of love.
To purify us
and those he hates.
The madmen who build prisons,
who kill the defenseless.
And then... There will be
no victories and no defeats.
Do you hear me?
It's a pity you're being addressed by
a swindler who is shitting.
See you next year.
Yorick! Yorick!
Welcome!
Look! A surprise! What's that?
Your new coat.
Mr. Yorick, welcome!
We were sad here without you.
Come, come! I'll show you something.
You'll see a miracle.
Look, it is a miracle!
The fingers fly all by themselves!
Brlm... brlm... Brlm...
And they are... All by themselves.
Haha, it's a miracle! It is a miracle!
O you like it here?
They've started to publish my work.
Guess how much I got for that!
I don't know.
I'll start taking pictures too. I will.
Yorick, listen, would you mind
sleeping under the tree?
You'll sleep well here, you'll see.
Especially in the morning. Don't move.
You don't photograph with your eyes
anymore?
What's up? Why are you so sad?
They let me think.
I had enough time for it.
And all of a sudden I felt the emptiness
inside of me.
Emptiness?
You've put on some weight.
Are you happy?
Here, take it. I've got a new one.
I know what I miss here.
The birds! You were silly!
You fools!
You don't have to cover your eyes now.
What are you doing?
Watch the glasses!
Why are you laughing?
Oh!
Hey! Do you want a snack?
There's no use in thinking.
You're right. It's better to be a fool.
Yes? It was your idea.
Yes, yes, Mr. Landlord.
Take the knife out...
smile...
Naturally, like in life.
Once more.
Cut the bread.
Look here!
What happened to you, dear landlord?
Look...
To be a fool, or to be wise,
it's all in vain...
Andrew! Andrew! Andrew!
Does he kick? He does.
What'll be his name?
Shall we call him Yorick?
Do you want to see
something really nice?
Promise not to laugh.
I didn't know you had children.
Do you like them?
Are they beautiful? Come...
Mister will take a picture of you.
What do you have? A clown?
Aren't they beautiful?
Peekaboo!
What is it?
I've come to see you!
Run!
Watch the ice!
Yes. Oh dear...
Come. I thought you lived with Andrew.
It's nice here, isn't it?
It's really nice here.
Will he marry you? Maybe...
And you'll leave me there to live?
It's much warmer here.
The child would catch cold there.
And he could die. Don't say that.
Here he can fall and kill himself.
He'll die and happiness will be over.
Come.
Why are you so still? Are you offended?
Do you love Andrew?
You forgot about me.
Who do you have here? Who?!
She's making a fool of me.
Yorick, you scare me.
I don't want you to be jealous
of Andrew...
You look younger than before.
The year worked a miracle.
Do you like me?
You lost the courage.
Courage to do what?
Courage for madness.
What is madness?
To have courage one must have faith.
Do you have it?
It's a shame, Martha. It's all such
a shame.
Children are beautiful.
Yes, my Yorick.
We used to love each other.
You both made me believe you.
Yes... Yes...
I can't with you anymore...
I can't... I can't with you anymore...
Smile...
You can't even laugh anymore.
Can you?
Does it hurt?
So why are you laughing?
I love you.
I love you too.
I love you more than the whole world.
But less than my life.
That's good.
No, I don't want to... I love you...
But I don't want to die...
No...
But Martha...
Yorick...
Don't do that... Don't...
I don't want to die. No... Oh...
Don't be afraid of death,
my little bird.
How long your hair has grown!
Yorick, oh...
Oh, why did you do it?
Yorick... Oh...
Martha! Martha!
Can you hear me? Are you sleeping?
Martha! Open! Open the door!
I can see you! I can...
Maarthaa!
Oh...
Oh, God, why is there so much sadness
on earth?
And why the sadness is the only beauty
that lasts...
Oh God!
Directed by Juro Jakubisko
Director of Photography Igor Luther
Production manager Jan Svikruha,
Jan Tomaskovic
Set construction Anton Krajcovic
Music Zdenek Liska
Music recorded by the Film Symphonic
Orchestra, conducted by Frantisek Belfin
Editors Maximilian Remen, Bob Wade
Sound Alexaner Pallos
Production manager assistants
Anton Vyskocil, Gejza Nagy
Camera assistants Stanislav Dorsic,
Fridrich Urbam
Script Tana Hentzova
Property Master Vojtech Brazdovic
Make Up Jozef Skopek, Imrich Waczulik
Wardrobe Milena Doskocova,
Helena Anyzova
Gaffer Vladimir Reichbauer
Assistant Director Jan Gogal,
Tibor Michalcik
Made by C Studio hranych filmov
in Bratislava 1st Creative Group
A. Marencin - K. Bakos
Laboratory Itc Paris 1969