I really don't like to do this. I shouldn't have to do this.
You remember the article...
that you wrote about King Oedipus?
How the Communist leaders should have put out their eyes?
Yes, I'd almost forgotten.
Well, they haven't.
I've prepared this little letter, a sort of retraction.
You just say you got it wrong, you really didn't understand.
You sign. That's all.
Don't misunderstand.
They're not asking for a public declaration.
They're just prudent bureaucrats.
They've given me their word. They won't publish anything.
I need you, Tomas.
I hope I can keep you.
You're not a writer, a journalist, savior of the country.
You're a doctor. A scientist.
This article's so terribly important to you?
It couldn't be less important.
- Hi, Tomas. - Hi.
- Tomas. - Hello, Jiri!
It's nice to see you back. How are you?
- I'm fine. And how are you? - Thanks. Fine.
So are you going to sign...
the thing?
What thing?
Your... retraction.
Tell me, Jiri, what do you know about my retraction?
- Have you read it? - No.
But you know how things work.
But who told you I had agreed to go along with it?
See you.
I suppose a lot of them have signed these letters.
They're kept on file.
They know they can be published at any moment...
so they keep quiet, see?
They can't say anything anymore.
They accept everything.
Cowardice slowly becomes a rule of life.
Yes, I have the feeling that everyone would be very happy to see me sign.
Everyone.
Everyone but me.
So, what can I do for you?
There is nothing you can do for me, Doctor.
I represent the Ministry of the Interior.
Everybody at the Ministry regrets seeing you here.
You are one of our best brain specialists.
And just between us, maybe I shouldn't say it:
We don't all agree with the drastic tactics...
that are removing our top specialists from their posts.
One can only be sorry about all this.
- May I? - Please.
You had a very good position in Geneva, and you came back to our country.
We very much appreciate your having returned.
But your place is at the operating table.
- I couldn't agree more. - Everybody agrees.
Then, tell me, Doctor...
do you really think that Communists should pluck out their own eyes?
- You, who have healed so many people? - That wasn't what I meant.
But that's how everyone understood it. And we can only regret it.
How can you...
How can you let people think that you, a doctor...
want to deprive human beings of their right to see?
Maybe someone gave you the idea to write this article?
No, no one.
The people who published it, did you know them?
No.
You never spoke to them?
- Once, they asked me to come by. - Why?
To discuss the article.
- Who was it you talked to? - One of the editors.
What was his name?
I don't remember.
I have no idea.
What did he look like?
I can't remember.
Tell me the truth, Doctor.
He was tall...
with short blond hair.
A little stooped?
Perhaps.
And how did he react?
What did he say exactly?
He asked me to make some changes.
You might have been...
manipulated, Doctor.
Used, whether you meant to or not.
Your article contributed to the anti-Communist hysteria.
Nobody requires a doctor to understand politics.
Of course, we can't allow...
a politically suspicious man...
to operate on brains.
We have here another declaration.
I would advise you to sign.
"This temporary error...
"due to bad influences from so-called intellectuals...
"doesn't in any way put in doubt my faithfulness to the Communist party...
"or my admiration for the Soviet Union."
Of course, Doctor, it's only a proposition, a first draft.
If there is something you want to change...
After all, it's your statement.
Just a paper to keep in their files. It's nothing.
Just in case someone reproaches them for letting you work here.
Good evening, Excellency.
Why do they call him Excellency?
He was an ambassador in Vienna. Before.
Give me a cognac.
- Are you 18? - Yes.
May I see your identification card?
Drunk.
Give me a drink.
All right.
You have beautiful legs.
I watched you in the street.
Stay here. I want to look at you.
I love you.
Madam.
You know, you have no right to serve alcohol to minors.
But that was lemonade.
Do you think I did not see what else you put into his lemonade?
What are you talking about?
I've been keeping an eye on you for some time now.
Then why not be grateful that you're looking at a beautiful woman...
and keep your mouth shut?
You stay out of this.
What business is it of yours?
And what business is it of yours, my friend?
Thanks.
Don't mention it.
That man comes here all the time.
- He's terribly unpleasant. - Forget him.
Promise me you won't think about him anymore.
I promise.
I like hearing you make me promises.
Now, what is a beautiful girl like you doing in this terrible part of Prague?
What are you doing here?
What I'm doing here, I'm living here. I'm an engineer.
I just stopped here by chance.
I live very near here.
You're a doctor, aren't you?
Yes.
- May I see you for a moment? - I have all these windows to do.
Don't worry about it. Come.
Come in.
Don't worry about the window.
I'll tell them all the work has been done.
A glass of wine?
Thank you. That would be very nice.
Sit down.
I've heard so much about you.
Then suddenly, when I saw you, I said to myself:
"What a coincidence.
"He's the one who can help me."
Of course, I'll pay for the consultation.
I've had a pain in my back...
for a few months...
and I would like to get your opinion about it.
Take off your clothes.
Everything?
Everything.
It's... here.
What's the matter?
Tell me what's wrong. What's wrong?
What's wrong?
- You forgot to wash your hair. - What are you talking about, Tereza?
- Your hair smells of a... - What?
Of another woman's sex.
I thought you had come back here for me.
I did come back here for you, Tereza. What are you saying?
Then why do you keep seeing other women?
- I don't know what to say to you. - I know, I know.
You've explained it to me a thousand times.
A thousand times.
There is love and there is sex...
and sex is entertainment, like football. I know, it's light.
I wish I could believe you.
But how can someone make love without being in love?
I just don't know.
Let me try.
No.
You'd reject me if I tried.
I wish I could be like you.
Insensitive.
Strong...
Strong.
- Hello. - I just tried...
Come in.
It's a very simple place I have here. I hope you don't mind.
No, not at all.
- All these books are yours? - Yes.
- What do you want to drink? - Anything.
- Wine? - No, not wine.
- Coffee? - Okay. I'll go and fix some.
- Shall I take your coat? - Yes.
- Sit down. - Thank you.
I'm very glad you came here.
I didn't want to come here.
Of course not.
There is somebody here, behind that curtain.
- You're being silly. - Draw aside the curtain.
I told you, you're being silly.
So why don't you draw aside the curtain, please?
Look. Nothing.
And over here.
I can feel that you want it.
What are you looking at?
But be careful.
It was very well set up.
A young, provocative drunkard.
Then the other one, the one who attacked you.
Then the third one, who gained your confidence...
just because he took your side.
The engineer?
The so-called engineer.
Why do you look afraid? You have nothing to be afraid of.
But I went to see him...
at his place...
with my dog and a friend.
He offered us some coffee.
How do you know it was his place?
They have a lot of places they can use.
Pretty cheap place for an engineer.
You know what they do with foreign diplomats?
A beautiful girl...
an apartment, a hidden camera...
Then they blackmail the poor man.
And he does what he is told to do.
That's Vienna in '61.
That's me there, just behind Kennedy and Khrushchev.
I'm in the back. You can hardly see me.
But are you sure he was from the police?
I'm not sure of anything.
Anybody can be from the police.
Maybe your engineer is a real engineer.
Who knows?
They know.
And now they have what they wanted.
Now you are afraid.
Tomas.
I don't want to stay here. I want to go away.
To leave.
To leave?
Again?
We left here once.
We were in Switzerland. Then we left Switzerland.
Now you want to leave again. Why?
- I don't understand. - Prague has grown so ugly.
No.
I know there's another reason.
Please tell me.
I want to leave.
They've taken our passports.
There's nowhere we can go.
We can't go anywhere.
Maybe we can.
Mephisto is big now. Look.
Look, Karenin. Mephisto's here.
Karenin prefers Mephisto to dogs.
She thinks other dogs are silly.
Do you know why I love Mephisto?
Because he's very bright, but at the same time...
he doesn't know anything.
After all, he doesn't know that life is impossible here now.
Nothing left here. The church is gone.
No place to drink beer now.
It's good, very good.
If you two ever change your mind...
it won't be easy to leave.
We'll never leave.
Can I help you?
Look at Karenin. I don't like the way she's running.
Yes, you're right.
Karenin, come on.
Let's have a look at her.
What is that?
It's from the vet. It's the result of the tests.
What did they say?
Cancer.
Look at that. Look at it.
It smells so good. Look.
- Come on, Karenin. - Look, Tereza loves it, too.
Look at that.
She's smiling.
Karenin, it's so good to see you eat again.
I was forced to love my mother.
But not to love this dog.
You know, Tomas...
Maybe...
Maybe I love her more than I love you.
Not more.
I mean, in a better way.
I'm not jealous of her.
I don't want her to be different.
I don't ask her for anything back.
I don't think we should wait.
If we do, she'll have to go through terrible pain.
You should do it yourself.
Look. She's smiling.
She's smiling.
Just hold her and talk to her.
Don't be scared.
Don't be scared, Karenin.
You won't feel any pain there. It will be beautiful there.
You'll have cows to chase.
And Mephisto will be there. Mephisto will be there.
Don't be scared.
Tomas!
- What happened? - Shoulder.
Now, lie down. Lie down.
Not this way. Come on! Turn around.
All right, let go!
Hold that arm.
You've dislocated your shoulder, and I'm going to put it back for you.
It's going to hurt.
You ready?
And again.
One more time. Come on.
- Do you feel better? - Yeah.
Your wife is damn beautiful today.
You damn idiot. Tereza is always pretty.
Yes, I know, but especially today.
Seeing you in this beautiful dress...
makes me want to dance with you.
Yes, let's all go and dance!
Yeah, sure, but where?
I know where. We can go over to Milos' Tavern.
It's 40 kilometers away.
- I'll drive. - I'll drink.
And we'll take you and Mephisto, the dancing pig.
And all the women will faint...
when they get an eyeful of those two pigs walking in together.
Let's go!
No pigs allowed here.
Come on!
He's wearing a tie!
No. Everyone who comes here must order a drink.
Only one? Did you hear that?
Wine for everybody, and beer for him.
A large one. Make it a Pilsner.
When Mephisto drinks wine, he goes crazy.
There's no girls for me.
Except Tereza.
Tomas.
No, no, I can't drink.
I must not drink. I'm driving.
Driving.
Listen.
Why not spend the night here, you and Tereza?
You take the truck tomorrow.
Nice.
Excuse me.
Hey, Sam.
I got a special letter here for you from Europe.
I'll see you, Sabina.
See you.
What is it?
Bad news?
Some friends died.
They were coming back from spending the night in some...
small hotel. They had...
gone there to dance, and they...
It was raining...
and the brakes on their truck didn't work.
They were killed instantly.
I was...
I was their closest friend.
Sorry. Damn shame.
Come to our place for dinner tonight, if you feel up to it.
Tomas.
What are you thinking?
I'm thinking how happy I am.