Thomas! Christian! Your caps!
Want to race, Buddenbrook?
To Grosse Petersgrube? - First one to reach the Trave!
Mywagon!
Careful!
You rascals! l'll get you!
Run, Buddie! Run!
Hey, stop!
l'll pull you by the ears!
Come on! - Kiss me first.
Hermann Hagenstrom!
Come on!
A film by HEINRICH BRELOER
From the novel by THOMAS MANN
lt is always so splendid.
-We'll see about that.
lt's like a playin which we all have a part.
Oh! Evey dance has been reserved.
l wasn't asking ... -Your daughter is playing Princess of Lubeck again.
Hinrich Hagenstrom. You areand will always be a stinker!
The first dance is with her brother.
My father says the Hagenstroms always do it that way.
How do we do it?-With your elbows.
The Hagenstroms are vey industrious.
One must give them credit.
Yes, they are the future.
To the Buddenbrooks. Long live the family.
Look at how she sweeps across the floor.
Yes, but neverwith the same partner.
And Hagenstrom? It's already his third dance with Huneus' daughter.
A dowy of 2 million. Between brothers.
- She's already a bit plump. -Well,
ideal for bearing children.
Hats off! Quite an impressive sum.
Money marries money. - Isn't that eveyone's desire?
Flowers for the gentlemen?- Oh yes.
You really have ...
vey nice flowers.
Christian would love to take the baskethome.
lncluding all it comes with.
Unsellable, gentlemen,with all it contains.
Madame Senator.
James,
you are not allowed to eat that. Think of Dr. Grabow.
Fraulein Hanna?
You truly have the loveliest flowers in town. - Thank you, Herr Buddenbrook.
Princess, may l?
lf the orchestra returns.
l don't believe the two of us ... - Togetherwith a violin.
Hermann Hagenstrom!
Should l call back the violas, too?
What about Fraulein Huneus? - On herway home in a coach.
lt's midnight. l have to go.
Like our first evening. Remember?
As we rode along the meadows in the dark. - In the dark ...
Yes, as always.
The people ... the company ...
Nowyou're making that face again.
l'm making that face, am l? -As ifyou were far away.
You have quite a scent.
And you? Roses?
Definitely roses.
And some warm, damp soil.
Buddenbrooks. Polished on the outside.
Black on the inside.
Countenance.
Discipline.
Balance.
Balance ... - The company requirement.
l am breaking into your family circle. One converses. l beg your pardon.
Herr Grunlich, a business associate ...mywife.
My due respect.
This is my son, Thomas.
How do you do? - How do you do?
My second son, Christian.
How do you do?
Pleasejoin us for a cup of tea.
l have no intention of intruding.
l have a business matter to discuss.
My daughter, Antonie.
You came from Hamburg this morning?
l am on the road a great deal.
Hard work pays off.
Ceaseless activityis indispensable to my life.
You speak my deepest sentiments.
Tony, please!
We have relatives in Hamburg. - The Duchamps.
l am acquainted with them. Excellent people, such heart and intellect.
True Christians.
Yes. One finds in them such faith, such charity,
such sincere piety. -And always a cup of tea.
l have a weakness for architecture.
Fraulein Tony, just stay there for a moment?
Madame Buddenbrook, see how the sun plays in your daughter's hair.
l have never seen more beautiful hair. - Don't put notions in her head.
l shall not cause any further inconvenience. l came on business.
lt would make us vey happy ifyou would stay in our home during your visit.
l am deeply obliged. l have taken some rooms at the City of Hamburg Inn.
Let us go to the office.
A pompous windbag.
''One converses!'' We weren't conversing at all.
Rather silly, isn't he?
So well-bred and urbane.
Good quality, Consul Buddenbrook.
Dy, wholesome flour for grinding.
As ordered.
And paid for.
1,OOO sacks ofwheat from Russia now safe in port after crossing the sea.
By the grace of God, Grunlich. The Baltic is certainly no puddle.
Thomas, come on.
But we only know the worth of a shipment
when the good shave been sold with profit.
Heinrich, evemhing all right at home?
Thanks foryour help, Herr Konsul. - Fine.
Careful! Watch out!
Perhaps l can accommodate you with my associates in Hamburg. -Accommodate?
Or represent my business interests?
l'm a broker. l'm certain you wouldn't deny me a commission.
Bendix Grunlich.
The man comes here and says nice things to eveyone,
then leaves. Now he writes me a letter saying
he ''conceived a deep affection for me_' - He is asking foryour hand.
l don't know anything about him. - Formally.
Father has already seen him in Hamburg.
You would be introduced to the finest circles there.
You are old enough.
lt is an opportunity for future happiness.
The Buddenbrooks would profit from your acceptance. - No!
Never!
Don't be impertinent!
He is disgusting, don't you see?
Look,Tom will one day take over the firm.
And by marying a merchant
you will go the wayyou must.
Yes, l know.
But Grunlich, of all people!
And that ... wart!
The way he talks!
Papa!
Yes?
No! - l threw myself into the next coach
to hear that decisive word.
l will not consent. - Since the moment l first sawyou,
your name, Tony ...
You're mistaken! - Your name has been engraved in my heart.
l said no.
A house, servants, clothing, a coach ...
l would cater to your eveywhim.
You reject me?
Do you have a heart?
A feeling heart?
The wayyou look at me ...
Don't do that.
You see before you a man
who is devastated,
who will perish.
Here l lie. Can you find it
in your heart to say:''l despise you_'
No! Now do stand up!
l don't despise you, Herr Grunlich. How can you say such a thing?
You do not wish to slay me?
Nobodywants to slayyou! - Ida!
Don't!
The sea will do you good.
And Travemunde is far away.
''Fraulein Tony! Just stay there for a moment.
l've never seen such beautiful hair_'
My goodness! l don't love him.
Shouldn't one mary the personone loves? - Not necessarily.
Thomas!
But when you're lucky, Tony, both things come together.
You must be our guest. Fraulein Buddenbrook?
Were you swimming?
Yes. Yes, it's healthy.
l am Morten,the son of the harbor pilot.
Morten?
Heart...
...Aorta...
Nothing foryou, Fraulein Buddenbrook.
Just blood and guts and misey. You're expected at the beach.
J But if one wants to be a doctor one must know all that.
lt isn't something we see all the time.
No. Thank goodness.
When we see man in all his beauty, as he was created by God ...
What am l saying?
Go on. l like listening to you.
Look at that!
40 million years.
The pine forests vanished back then. And this mosquito remained intact.
l'm really a dumb Doraand know vey little about the world.
She is staying with the harbor pilot.
What about the young man?
He is certainly not the harbor pilot.
l love the seaside.
But sometimes it can be boring.
And now?
What? Boring? No.
Not at all.
Let's go back.
That's the ''Burgermeister Steenbock_'
lt's heading for Russia.
l wouldn't want to be on it.
lt must be more atrocious under the tzarthan here.
You're starting in on the nobility again.
ls it right that someone, by virtue of being born noble,
looks down on us with disdain?
Nobodywants to look down on you.
You'rejust saying that.
No, l'm notjust saying it.
My father says the Buddenbrooks are like an aristocratic family.
And you are the daughter of a patrician from Lubeck, and l ...
l'm the son of a harbor pilot. - Don't talk like that.
l like to be with you on the beach.
Can you keep a secret?
Look at this.
What does it mean? - It means that l belong to a fraternity
in Gottingen. ''Dangerous Democrats_'
Nowyou know.
But don't ever tell my father!
There would be a terrible misfortune!
This was the happiest day of my life.
For me, too.
l'm going to work hard and study.
Promise you won't forget our afternoon until l come back as a doctor.
Then l will plead our cause with your father.
You'll be a doctor in Lubeck.
Here, this is foryou.
l'm sory. It was Grunlich.
He demanded it of Father.
What tales? - Mama, please!
Julchen Hagenstrom got engaged to August Mollendorpf.
Hinrich Hagenstrom will be pleased. -Why not?
Your fatherwill also be pleased when you ...
No!
You haven't eaten anything all day.
l can't eat anything. - This is hot chocolate.
You're a Buddenbrook.
We are not born to pursueour own small personal happiness.
With our shortsighted eyes.
Yes.
We are links in a chain.
lt is inconceivable that we would be what we are without those
who have preceded us.
Chronicle of the Buddenbrook Family
l, Siegmund Buddenbrook,was born in 172$.
Anno domini 17$O,September 6th,
l was wed in a priestly ceremony, my second marriage consecrated.
ln 1$10, our son had smallpox. Eveyone had given him up ...
Anno 1599 Jodokus Buddenbrook of Grabau, a councilman ...
and his son, Kaspar, a tailor,
was wed in Rostock, and the marriage was harmonious.
... for the rest of their lives.
And he conceived 13 children.
Trading grain ...
ln 1744, after Pentecost,
l traveled to Bergen.
Our Lord gave me a healthy body, so l could work with joy.
My beloved wife Clara died in childbed.
The happiest year of my life.
The time l spent with her was the happiest year of my life.
Our forefathers looked neither to the left nor to the right.
But Morten loves me!
Love ...
Yes, it is nice.
But you are a Buddenbrook.
What about your love?
What was it like?
''The happiest year of my life_'
lt was a short year.
You cannot forget something like that!
Motherwas a good catch, wasn't she?
A godsend.
The Lord who guides us
and has not yet lifted His protective hand from the Buddenbrooks.
ls that God's will?
Someone must simply be born, in order to be special?
Grunlich has yourword.
l never gave him myword!
You owe your parents obedience.
The Lord has let my daughterAntonie mature in His honor
and endowed herwith virtue, so that the will He has infused herwith
shall be fulfilled for life.
... infused herwith
shall be fulfilled for life.
Antonie Buddenbrook engaged on 22 October, 1$45
to Herr Bendix Grunlich, merchant from Hamburg.
The traditional cash dowy for a young woman
from our family is ...
seventy thousand marks.
But ...
a firm grows, a family prospers ...
Good heavens, you didn't even allow me to finish.
Otherwise you would know that l am ready to add to the seventy thousand
without further ado ...
another ten thousand.
Eighty thousand, then ...
Yes.
By the grace of God.
lda, you're crushing my heart! - Sory!
Dear child, whining doesn't help.
Jean, do you think she'll be happy?
She is at peace with herself.
lt is the most stable happiness we can achieve in this world.
James!
He is not allowed to. Just ask Dr. Grabow.
This way!
Stop!
Are you proud of me?
Yes.
She will nowjoin the finest circles.
And Mr. Richardson will teach you the ways of British commerce in London.
Oh yes, my dear.
And you?
Good luck for...
Coffee, spice, rubber,
petroleum, wood, indigo.
Here you will gain insight into international trade.
There's a dispute in Lubeck whetherwe should join the Customs Union. -Why?
The larger the market, the bigger the opportunities. Money must accrete.
The wayyou say that! As if moneywere alive!
Who knows?
Tonight we have been invited tojoin a group of merchants.
A vey exquisite circle.
Vey interesting.
The host and his daughter.
The mother died at an early age. A tragedy.
She's beautiful, isn't she?
But she's turned down evey suitor up to now.
Gerda Arnoldsen played a few pieces.
She looked magnificent.
And although l understand nothing about playing the violin,
l must admit that she played so poignantly
that it almost brought tears to my eyes.
By the way, she has a Stradivarius.
My father gave it to me. - l'm sory.
We Buddenbrooks are merchants. We know little about music.
But you were moved.
Yes. -You see?
When you play it, it seems to be alive.
Yes, you're right.
One must play it evey day,or it will die.
lt falls silent.
lts sounding body.
That is ultimately the secret.
The bride is certainlyworth 300 thousand marks courant.
''l passionatelyworship Gerda Arnoldsen.
But l am not in the least inclined
to delve deeper into myself to determine whether and to what extent
the large dowy contributed to my enthusiasm_'
A transaction of considerable stature.
How much? - 300,OOO.
l call that love.
Yes, there is such a thing as love.
What do you know of love?
l know.
''l love Gerda Arnoldsen, l adore Gerda Arnoldsen.
When l go to see her, time simply flies_'
Heinrich Heine.
''The Book of Songs_'
A bit extravagant for a merchant, isn't it?
But at least a merchant with a yearning.
Don't betray me in Lubeck.
Dear Mama, Our villa is lovely.
lfyou want to know about Grunlich, he is vey busy.
He leaves for town in our little yellow buggy evey morning and comes back late.
l have begged Grunlich often enough to buy us a coupe,
so that l can go to town alone sometime. He has more or less promised.
Herr Kesselmeyer! - Madame Grunlich.
Do l deserve a coach or not? - Tony!
You are my banker. He claims l'm driving him to ruin.
You?
That's vey funny!
Really fabulous, wonderFul!
You?
One of his friends, Kesselmeyer the banker, often visits us.
He has a meryway.
Sometimes he pats my cheek and says ... -What a good little wife.
Grunlich can count his blessings that he got you.
lt is strange that Grunlich doesn't like to have me at social functions.
He is apparently displeased when l talk with people in town.
Should l bejealous?
Be patient, Thomas. Gerdajust can't decide yet.
Give us time.
HerrArnoldsen ... - Have a nice trip.
Eveyone deserves civil liberties.
The senatorwill approve.
Gentlemen, please! Get back to work!
Revolution, Consul!
But there are splendid fellows, their eyes flaming with hatred and excitement.
l'll-mannered young people who want a rumpus.
Gosch, let's go to the council meeting.
Careful! They threw a stone. It was the young butcher Berkemeyer.
Trine!
There he is! Berkemeyer! - Come on, Trine! Stay here! Trine!
Be careful, Jean!
We want human right!
Human right!
Get away from here!
We need some powder and lead to teach this riffraff a little respect.
What times we live in! Times of tempest and trouble!
Quiet! Be quiet, people!
Now be quiet!
What sort of foolishness are you up to now?
This is no foolishness, Consul. We're demanding a new arrangement.
Go home! Don't disturb the public order!
Not even the lamps have been lit yet! That's carying revolution too far!
There's revolution eve_here! In Berlin, in Paris. - Carl Smolt
what is it you reallywant? Speak up!
Well, Consul, what l'm saying is: The people want a republic.
You nincompoop! You already have one!
Yes, Herr Konsul, maybe theywant another one.
This is nojoke!
We want a real republic, Consul.
Just you wait.
Another order? -Yes.
Then l'll be sitting up on the sofa
in a silk dress,
and you'll be waiting on me. - l'll be waiting on you?
Yes.
That's ...
Suits me well, doesn't it?
Get up, Trine! Get up and get out of here!
We can do without your services.
Let me tell you this!
No more hot chocolate for breakfast in your dressing gown! - Go!
No more lazing aroundand farting in silk sheets.
Coachman, let's go!
ln 1$4$, a turbulent year,
the revered father of my dearly beloved wife Bethsy died
at the age of $1.
On behalf of his agent, Mr. Richardson, my son Christian has traveled
from London to Valparaiso. A bankruptcy in Bremen,
the Westfahl Brothers had shaken the firm to its foundations.
Rostock ye, 70 promissoy note.
70 promissoy note.- 59 cash. 59 cash!
70 one fourth cash. - 71 cash.
How much? - Three times.
A large amount of grain we had delivered on a bill of exchange
was lost for the firm.
We're talking about the loss of $O,OOO marks in ''cold cash_'
Konigsberg wheat, paid 60.
No, a fixed price,but not this rate.
lt is said that his son-in-law in Hamburg is broke.
Don't drop me.
Not one more day! You promised me first 12 and then 16 percent.
And l kept giving you an extension. - l'll sign you a note at 20 percent.
No.
No, no.
No!
Write to your father-in-law. - What if he refuses?
Then we'll have a little bankruptcy.
Dressing gowns!
Ball gowns!
And hats!
And more hats!
You are ruining me with your extravagance!
My father is a wealthy man. If he knew howyou treat me ...
Then wait for the day when his riches do us good.
What did you say?
Do you want Father to die?
Has business been bad, Grunlich?
Grunlich has been obliged to stop all payments. Sit down.
You do understand me, don't you?
Grunlich is bankrupt.
lf l don't or shouldn't give him any more money.
ls he to blame?
ls he dishonest?
l'll have a look at his ledgers.
How much are we talking about? -A large ... a vey large sum.
Losing that sum would be a blow to the firm.
Good.
Never. You shall not do it!
Do you want to go bankrupt, too?
Oh, Papa ...
Wouldn't it have been better if ...
Yes ...
Perhaps.
l've always loathed him.
Fouryears ...
That's settled.
Your claims against Herr Grunlich total 150,OOO marks courant.
And you are not prepared under any circumstances to grant ...
Grant?
Vey good. By no means.
lt's out of the question!
We'll allow things to take their course. l won't stop them.
May l be so bold?
So you can not pay?
That would be an excellent opportunity after the Westfahl bankruptcy.
The Buddenbrooks could prove the strength of their firm.
To prove my solvency,
l have no need to throw my money in the nearest ditch.
Aha!
Do you want your daughter to be ruined as well?
Once before, only4 years ago, with the knife already at our throat,
the engagement to Mlle.
Buddenbrook was announced at the exchange before it had ever occurred.
Kesselmeyer! - How did we manage that?
Snapping up both the daughter and the $O,OOO marks? Oh yes,
of course. One presents Papa with vey pretty books,
and three-quarters of that dowy is already promissoy notes.
l made serious inquiries.
The rest was God's will.
God's will! Yes! Yes!
And inquiries were made?
With whom?
Bock?
Massmann & Timm? Goudstikker?
Petersen?
Really?
Theywere all in on it.
Theywere in it up to their ears.
Get out! Do you think l'll weep great tears foryou?
l only married you foryour money!
But it wasn't nearly enough! - Go away!
Just go back home!
l'm fed up with you!
Fed up!
Believe me, Tony. It wasn't easy for me to give him your hand.
l made reliable inquiries. - Forget it, Papa.
Now l'm coming back home again.
Grunlich is ...
... bankrupt.
His fault?
Yes.
l am still young.
Yes.
And still pretty?
You are.
Still.
Life hasn't even started yet.
La Plater 154 three-quarter share, 154 three-quarter.
154 cash.
Money and husband gone?
Quite unpleasant, isn't it?
My dear Hagenstrom, the entire Grunlich affair ...
lt was fraud.
Our princess ...sold to a fortune hunter.
The entire chap was a rotten deal. -Yes ... fate.
71 paid. To you.- Three times.
Herr Consul? Mecklenburg wheat 166.
Foryou? - Rostock ye, 70 promissoy note.
59 cash, 59 cash. - 70 one fourth cash.
71 cash. - How much?
Three times.
71 paid. To you? - From you.
Konigsberg wheat, 60 paid.
Hagenstrom grabbed the entire amount from under my nose for 70 thalers.
Write it off as a loss.
We'll make up for it.
By all means.
No, l've grown too timid.
The bankruptcies in Bremenand Frankfurt ...
Tony's dowy ...
We have lost a lot.
We shall take new paths.
lfwe had our own ships we'd be independent of ship owners.
We could raise the capital with a merchants union.
My strength is dwindling.
Sit down on my chair.
Write an announcement for me.
''The merchant Jean Buddenbrook,
Royal Dutch Consul,
is proud to announce
that starting today
he will no longer sign.
His oldest son Thomas
now manages the firm's transactions
and is fully responsible
for the firm of Buddenbrooks_'
Strange ...
What terrible weather!
Out of nowhere!
Madame Buddenbrook!
lda?
Did it take long?
No, he didn't suffer.
lt went vey quickly, Christian.
Good morning!
That smells good!
We'll make a lovely fricassee foryou.
The English correspondence. -Yes,
gin, gentlemen. It was medicine in Valparaiso.
A remedy for heat, mosquitoes, malaria.
Johnny Thunderstorm.
Johnny Thunderstorm, he and l left London together.
He was an amazing guy, a dawdler. Good God.
l never saw him work. But he was a vey clever businessman.
''Good God '' he always said,
''you wouldn't believe the heat_' Once
there we were, all eight of us, Iying and smoking cigars
to keep the mosquitoes away, when the boss entered the office.
''What? You're not working today?''
And Johnny said,
''No, sir,
, as you can see, sir_
And then we all blew cigar smoke in his face!
Gentlemen.
Get to work. - Good God, Marcus, Ijust told ajoke.
Aline Puvogel.
l only sing the minor roles.
That could change some day.
Do you know the artistic director?
He knows me.
You aren't afraid of anything.
Should l be?
From your brother.
Should the company pay for it?
l feel better than ever.
lt is noon. One dines with one's family.
One relaxes, then goes back to work.
Then dine with your family.
And when one comes up for supper, one feels so thoroughly satisfied.
Evey single muscle feels satisfied. One's hands feel satisfied.
Christian, you're being ridiculous.
Your hands feel satisfied!
l'd feel satisfied
ifyou'd pay for such petty things on your own.
The carp.
What's wrong with you?
l'm going away.
To Amsterdam.
You've become more serious, Thomas.
ls it the new honor of being the Dutch Consul?
The firm, the responsibility for the family.
One can'tjust live for the moment. -Your brother is at your side.
Yes, but he must re-adjust. - l'm familiarwith the colonies.
l met Gerda's mother there.
Gerda plays with such passion.
Passion and reason, both are a part of art.
You can combine both, as a merchant and a musician.
l admire that.
That is fine and dandy.
But who should l play my duets within the future?
Thomas!
Thomas and Gerda are here!
My God, you are so beautiful, Gerda.
May l call you byyour first name? -Yes.
And you are Tony? -Unmistakable.
Tony.
Come on in!
My dearJean would be vey happy today.
We also know someone who would like to be here.
May l help you?
Sometimes l can't swallow.
lt isn't funny at all. It is quite serious.
l imagine l am unable to swallow, and then l am unable to.
You imagine it?
Yes.
The food is down here, in my throat.
But here, my muscles ...
they don't react.
They don't obey mywill. l don't even want them to.
My God, Christian. What nonsense!
He doesn't dare to swallow. He doesn't even want to. Vey inventive!
That's ridiculous.
lt's your nerves, Christian.
Yes. It was about time you came home again.
The climate there would have made you ill.
l've played many lovely duets with my daughter.
Now she has a new partner.
Not a partner for art,
but a partner for life.
l raise my glass to our children's happiness.
Cheers!
Cheers! - Cheers!
Cheers!
Gerda ...