Dear Tom,just imagine,
Eva Evers invited me on a river trip along the Isar.
Her husband, a brewey owner, brought his friend, Alois Permaneder,
a hops trader.
This is a ''mass '' a liter. - That's way too much.
Thank you for coming along and for not being afraid
of this little river trip. - l'm afraid of nothing, Herr Permaneder.
Okay, we'll see about that.
By the way, he's still a bachelor.
Good day.
Noppe & Co. Hops Traders.
Yes, your son was so kind to arrange a little deal.
My son, Thomas ... Yes, he will be here shortly.
l beg your pardon for the calling card. Just didn't have another one handy.
Herr Noppe, how interesting.
No, l'm the ''Co_' My name is Permaneder, Alois Permaneder
from Munich.
You maybe heard my name mentioned, ma'am, byyour daughter.
But of coursemy daughter told us about you.
Yes.
Yep, and now l'm here.
Betch your peepers.
Beg your pardon?
Your peepers.
How nice.
Well, you must be darned surprised, ma'am.
Yes, my dear Permaneder, that's true.
Where to? - Rutzerau. This load is being taken to the mill.
We purchase for our own account.
Then we store the goods and hope the demand increases. -And the price!
Watch out! - Hold tight!
Careful up there!
And your firm? - Oh ...
Munich's no trade center. People live a peaceful life.
You must have spent some lovelyyears here in youryouth.
Oh yes.
But it is truly sad that we only have one life.
That we can't start life all over again.
What ifyou started all over again?
One would do things more skillfully.
Whoa!
Come on!
Now l suppose you're dreadfully afraid ...
No! - ... of getting married.
Yes ... no.
Yes?
But for me to consent to marriage ...
Come on, Tony!
You'd live with me in Munich.
Yes.
Evemhing okay?
Gentlemen.
Christian! - Congratulations!A new brother-in-law.
Thank you.
The Kingdom of Bavaria was certainly the right decision.
Right? - ''Munich is no trade center.
Eveybody needs his peace and a liter of beer_'
Wouldn't that be good for Christian?
No, l'd rather study.
A university must be vey nice.- Nice?
Yes. You attend class whenever you feel like it, voluntarily.
You sit down and listen.
lt's like at the theater. - But professors don't sing.
They hold lectures.
Laugh ifyou will. You enjoy the theater, too.
Justus, Stephan ... On stage
and backstage. - But it's just make-believe.
The stage, the makeup, bit o' bosom.
But actors are more honest. Merchants only pretend to be honest.
ln fact, they're all just swindlers.
Yes, how else would anyone make a profit?
l for one think vey highly of my profession.
Good heavens, Thomas. It was ajoke.
Although ... actually ...
Ajoke!
You saw foryourself howyour ''joke'' was taken!
Hagenstrom's answerwas: ''l for one think vey highly of my profession_'
Yes. What a stupid fellow!
l was truly embarrassed for him.
l assure you, the whole mood was shot to hell.
People were laughing as if they agreed with me.
Hagenstrom used the opportunity to get back not at you,
but at us. - He didn't mean you, Thomas.
Surelyyou knowwhat he meant with his ''l for one''?
''Apparentlyyou come by such notions in your brother's office!''
That's what it means, you ass! -Ass?
Yes, ass! l forbid you to make such a fool ofyourself again!
You make fools of us with your affairs,
your diseases and remedies!
Oh no, Thomas. You don't understand.
A man has to come to terms with his own conscience.
Grabow prescribed a salve for the muscles on my neck.
lf l don't use it, l feel quite helpless and lost,
and l'm unable to swallow. But if l use it, l feel l've done my duty
and that evemhing is in order and swallowing is effortless.
Duty? Order? - l don't think it's the salve that helps.
lt's that one idea can only be cancelled by another idea,
an opposing idea.
ldea and opposing idea? -Yes.
Do what you must, but don't talk about it!
That's the difference between us. You enjoywatching a play, too,
and you said that you had your little affairs.
Remember? -All in good time!
There was a time when you read novels. But you've always reconciled that
with regularwork and a purpose in life.
l go the way our ancestors have prepared for us. For the good of the firm.
Yes.
That is what l lack.
You see?
l get totally used up by the other things, all thejunk,
and have nothing left for the respectable part of life. l ...
l don't know ifyou understand me.
You're an abscess.
You're ...
an unhealthy gromh on the body of our family.
lf this house were mine, l would turn you out! l would showyou
the door! -What is the matterwith you?
How dare you! What have l done?
And stop running around with this ridiculous cane!
Christian!
, Christian wants to be his own master and you will help him, Thomas!
Here. - ''Burmeester'' on Jungfernstieg, that's tip-top.
ln Hamburg and independent! - There's a small investment ...
Yes from Buddenbrooks to Burmeester.
Yes. -We'll miss you at the club.
And Johnny Thunderstorm.
Johnny ... To Johnny Thunderstorm!
An incredible dawdler! l never saw him do a day ofwork.
''You aren't working, gentlemen?'' - ''No, sir! As you see, sir!''
Brothers sometimes hate each other.
But it isn't talked about.
Say, wouldn't you like to move in with me?
The two ofyou? On Jungfernstieg.
The three of us.
(Munich)
They're finished, the patties.
They're called rissoles, Babette. - Babett'. Just call her Babett'.
Patties are patties. -Yes.
Tony gal ...
l've had it! - Pardon?
l've plugged away all my life ...
and now l want my peace and quiet. Bye bye, Noppe.
My partner has sold out. And with our capital
we can live in peace.
You want to give up?
You claim that the Buddenbrooks are unmusical.
Musical enough to dance a waltz.
A good catch! - Tip-top. My old school friend, Thomas.
Gerda!
And his sister, Frau Permaneder.
The divorcee, Frau Grunlich.
She is now far away.
ln the Kingdom of Bavaria.
Eveyone is watching you.
They're having fun.
Gossiping.
Don't begrudge them for it.
Peculiar ...
the way she dresses, her hair,
her posture, her face.
There's a certain something about her.
But married for fouryears and still no child.
How original. l find that terribly original!
What? Tony?
This is quite a surprise.
What's wrong? - l don't intend to return to that man.
l beg your pardon.
Tony.
l want a divorce.
You will stay for a fewweeksand then ...
No!
You are not to make a scandal,
you hear me?
You can't forgive him?
There were so many humiliations l had to swallow.
Oh, Tom.
That l should fail so miserably ...
l neverwould have thought that.
lt's alright.
Nowyou're alone.
God be with you that we Buddenbrooks can hold our ground.
lt's the same evey day.
We've become used to it. We'd miss her otherwise.
Gerda!
Thank you, Tony.
l feel so helpless.
We are all looking forward to the child.
Nowyou are really one of us.
As if the boy didn't want to be born. - Pardon?
A boy. - Congratulations on your son and heir.
The birth almost cost his mother's life.
Evemhing will be all right.
Thank you. We shall christen him with his forefathers' names:
Justus Johann Kaspar Buddenbrook.
l'm here to heartily congratulate
Consul Buddenbrook and his good wife.
l wish this child a long, healthy life. - Carl Smolt!
Healthy life ...
Theywell deserve it before God.
There ain't many men like Consul Buddenbrook.
That's enough, Smolt! - He's a fine gentleman!
The good Lord will reward him.
And when the day comes and we stand before his throne ...
we'll all come to rot.
Come on, Smolt!
Rot!
Go on. Tell him!
l can't, Aline.
Mama!
What's happened?
Her name is Aline.
Aline what?
Puvogel.
My goodness.
You've certainly heard of her.
She's a singer. -A person like that will never enter our house.
Never!
You're in trouble again?
Well, l never really got out of trouble.
From the start l lost money in coffee.
And then the bankruptcy in Antwerp! - Christian!
Christian! - Stephan!
Burmeester & Co. on Jungfernstieg, eh?
Tip-top!
Thomas ...
Then l did nothing more
and just lay low. - So, you lay low?
You just left the wagon in the mud and amused yourself elsewhere. -Yes.
A man has to live, doesn't he?
Thomas.
lda! - Christian!
Yes and ... there are the lOUs ...
And a few more debts.
lOUs and debts? Forwhat?
You think l'm blind to what kind of life you lead? The theater, circus, clubs!
With your trashywomen! - Don't say that!
Aline is not trashy. Don't ever say that, Thomas.
You have no idea what a splendid creature she is.
She is so healthy!
And when l got her, it was ...
lt was quite a different feeling than what you get from business deals.
Enough of that! Now be quiet!
With a capital grant in the form of a further advance inheritance,
my brother Christian established himself
in Hamburg as an agent for champagne and cognac.
No!
Like this! That's how he was sitting, SenatorJames Mollendorpf.
Now they need to elect a successor for the council.
Kistenmaker is eliminated. Decision between Hagenstrom
and Buddenbrook. - l'm for Hagenstrom. He's a real gentleman.
l don't agree. Buddenbrook is much better ...
Hagenstrom ... - ... with his swank neckties.
Hagenstrom is much wealthier.
Buddenbrook's sister used up two husbands already!
That ain't no fault of the consul.
Hagenstrom. It'll be Hagenstrom.
lt'll be Hagenstrom!
Buddenbrook!
lt's Buddenbrook. - It's Buddenbrook.
We're in Meng Street. It's Buddenbrook, of course.
They're coming!
lda, they're coming!
They're coming! Tom, they're coming!
lt's you, and Hagenstrom has lost.
Consul Buddenbrook, the town council of the Free and Hanseatic City of Lubeck
has chosen you as a member in a free election.
l now ask you: Do you accept the responsibility?
l will conscientiously discharge the duties of my office,
strive with all my power for the good of the state,
faithfully obey the constitution of the same,
honestly administer all public moneys, and in the perFormance of my office,
will seek neither my own advantage nor that of relatives or friends.
l will dojustice to all alike,
be they rich or poor.
So help me God.
We must urgently have the Trave straightened.
The steamships in Hamburg and Kiel are strong competitors.
The ships have to move up and down the Trave faster.
That is our future, Mayor.
As a merchant, you know better than our diplomats.
Knowing better is fine, Mayor!
But one needs the strength to act accordingly.
May this glass shatter and bring luck to this home and its owner!
Nowwe finally have our own house.
And columns from Italy.
Yes, and a music room at last ...foryou
and Hanno.
Cheers, gentlemen! - Cheers!
Hermann Hagenstrom lives in a hut compared to you.
Why so low?
There was a good-sized shipment of ye that l wasn't able to ...
To be honest, a vey large shipment
that l had to sell at a loss.
Those things happen. Tomorrowyou'll make a profit again.
Good evening, Senator.
Success will return.
Oh, Tony.
Happiness and success are within us.
We have to reach deep and hold tight.
The moment it begins to subside ... - Subside?
You're a senator! You have Gerda and Hanno
and the firm, whose anniversay is coming soon.
Buddenbrooks' centennial! We're still alive!
ln the past few days l've been reminded of a Turkish saying:
''When the house is finished, death comes knocking_'
Death? What do you mean?
The downturn.
The decline.
Don't you remember? At Hanno's christening you said:
''A new day is dawning_'
But you're doing brilliantly.
Brilliantly, Tony.
Like that star in the heavens above.
And yet you don't know if it's about to expire
the moment when it is brightest.
Enough!
lt is too much!
Too much?
Music will be of no help to Hanno in his further life.
Music.
The part you Buddenbrooks love is the melody, that insipid optimism ...
Lieutenant von Trotha.
Madame Senator!
Herr Senator!
lf l'm disturbing ... - By no means!
You aren't disturbing us, dear Rene.
The senatorwas going to his office. He wasjust saying goodbye.
Rene!
Did you remember?
Of course, Hanno. Here are the notes of ''Tristan_'
You can't run a grain firm from the piano.
The firm demands it. It is his duty.
See? It's hard work.
And you were able to cary a sack when you were a boy?
l can still do it today. Shall l?
Yes.
You will have to work hard ifyou want to live well.
To be successful at the office and at the exchange.
Do you want that?
Yes, Papa.
All right!
Now tell me what you see.
Big sailing ships with funny burgees.
Do you possibly know the names of the ships?
That one is the ''Wullenweber'' and ... And that one ...
it's the ''Frederike Oeverdieck_'
Not bad for a start.
But which one sails to Copenhagen? And which one sails to Riga?
Which ships belong to our competitors?
Look! There's Rene!
Papa!
The lieutenant has been with Mama for two hours now.
Don't make a fool of me.
lt depends completely on you.
Already back from Poppenrade Manor? - Good evening, Tom.
How are your noble friends?
Well ...
Herr von Maiboom ... -What about Herr von Maiboom?
He is really a charming man.
He plays cards.
He plays roulette.
He gambles in Rostock,
in Travemunde ... He gambles eve_here.
He needs a great deal of money ..at once.
Within two weeks!
Von Maiboom has to sell his entire crop.
And some sort of cutthroat will get his clutches on him.
l'm talking about you, Tom. You!
Me? -Yes, l was enlisted to make the offer.
His entire harvest for 55 thousand marks courant.
We could double our capital when we sell.
Quite a coup! -Yes,
quite a coup!
''Happiness and success are within us.
The moment it begins to subside .._'
You said so yourself.
There must be 1,OOO sacks ofwheat.
l don't knowwhat the oats and barley Iook like, but ...
perhaps you could have a look yourself.
No!
Never!
Hats off, Buddenbrook.
l obviously arrived too late! - Indeed!
Well then, good luck!
Race you to the Trave!
Let's go! - Come on!
''The Shepherd's Sunday Song'' ...
This is the Lord's own day. - Oh, my dear boy. That's not the way.
Don't hang onto the column and fold your hands in front ofyou.
A recitation begins with a bow. And much louder. Start again, please.
''The Shepherd's Sunday Song'' ...
''The Shepherd's Sunday Song!''
''ln meadows wide alone l stand .._'
''From far .._'
''... alone l stand .._'
Well, this is no fun.
What are you cying about?
lt's enough to make us all cy
that you couldn't muster the effort to please me on a day like today.
Are you a little girl? - Enough!
What's to become ofyou?
Congratulations, Herr Senator. - Thank you.
You still have the town's nicest flowers.
l have no idea how l got in.
lt was quite an opportunity!
Tip-top!
Herr Senator congratulations on your !anniversay.
Thank you. Thank you vey much.
l've been working on a translation of Lope de Vega for quite a while.
His collected works? - l'll present them to you ...
when l have finished.
Oh, a telegram from Permaneder. Congratulations from Munich.
Foryou.
Essentially a good person. - No, we couldn't miss this occasion.
l packed the whole gang in the coach and drove over from Travemunde.
Our sincerest wishes, Buddenbrook. - Thank you, Hagenstrom. Quite an honor.
Give credit where credit is due.
l hope you'll staywith us for the next 100 years.
How peculiar.
A telegram for the senator!
A telegram for the senator! A telegram!
A telegram for the senator.
l saw him when your father, the consul,
tamed the rabble in the street. There were splendid fellows among them!
Their eyes flamed with hatred ... -We all saw that hatred.
Theywere not good Christians. - They threw a stone ...
Go to him.
lt's better this way.
My God, Thomas!
The 55,OOO marks courant you gave to Maiboom ...
Gone.
Lost!
lt's really better this way.
l warned you.
l still hearyour father's words:
''My son, discharge the business of the daywith pleasure,
but only enter into transactions
which will let us sleep at night_'
... l was wed in a priestly ceremony
to demoiselle Sophie Bulow, my second marriage ...
The old Wittenberg Bible belongs to the Buddenbrooks.
lt shall always be given to the first-born child.
The Lord has let my daughter Antonie mature in His honor
and endowed herwith virtue, so that the will
He has infused herwith shall be fulfilled for life.
... my first son and heirwas born ...
christened Justus Johann Kaspar.
Well?
Did you do this, Hanno?
Yes.
What made you be so malicious?
l thought ...
... there wouldn't be anything more.
Silent night,
holy night,
All is calm ...
Christmas!
All is bright ...
l almost forgot! - Herr Christian!
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant
so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night,
holy night,
Son of God,
love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face ...
Did you wish for this?
Yes, l saw ''Fidelio'' at the theater.
Fidelio!
Listen, Hanno ...
Don't think about things like thattoo much.
Theater and all that.
That's no good!
So this is what you wished for.
Die!
He should know beforehand
who will tear his proud heart apart ...
The Sunday service with the gold plate?
l'd be willing to take it. -And me?
What about me? l would ask that you please not forget me entirely.
What would you do with the Sunday service?
l'm thinking of getting married sooner or later. - It's out of the question!
You were waiting for Mother to die ... - l waited out of consideration for her.
Tony and Gerda are sitting here now, so we can't discuss it in detail, but ...
You know l have responsibilities. There's the child, little Gisela ...
l know nothing about any little Gisela. - She is my child.
l am certain you're being lied to. -You are mistaken ...
Silence!
That's enough, Tom. l insist that you stay out of my affairs!
l am my own master!
You're a fool!
l forbid you to make that courtesan a part of this family
and to throw our money in her lap!
You want to give her children our name, don't you?
Yes, because l plan to mary her.
l shall have you declared incompetent! l'll have you locked up!
l'll destroyyou!
We are finished.
ln Mother's opinion, you were always the better son.
J But as far back as l can remember
l've felt such icy contempt. l'm frozen to the bone in your presence.
l can't think about your ailments all day.
l may even be sicker than you.
That's going too far. Tony! Gerda!
He says he's sicker than l. Let me showyou something.
Look at this. l'm in such pain l can hardlywalk!
Christian!
My Lord! What are you two arguing about?
You act as if it's an honor to be in worse health!
lfyou are crazy, and l don't think it's out of the question,
l will be incapable of shedding a tear. - Not even when l die.
You won't die. - l won't die? Fine, l won't die.
Thomas,we'll see which of us dies first!
You're an egotist, Thomas.
Yes, that's what you are.
l still can feel some love foryou when you rant and rave.
But the worst thing is your silence.
When l'm alone and disgraced.
You're a man without sympathy,
love or humility!
l've had it up to here!
Discipline! Balance! Poise! Dignity!
l'm sick to death of it!
l have become what l am,
because l didn't want to be like you.
Like me?
You, the senator!
l am speaking the truth.
One, two ... - One, two ... three!
Once again! -Alright.
l was once vey happy here.
But that was long ago.
Yes, yes ...
We must proceed to an extraction.
Then let us proceed.
Alright.
Just a moment, Herr Senator.
The tooth ...
What? - The tooth broke.
We have to extract the roots.
By pying them out with a lever.
There are four of them.
Thomas!
What are you doing here? You have a session.
A bit dizzy ... my eyes ... The fresh airwill do me good.
Should l accompanyyou?
l'm fine.
l'm going home now
to take a rest.
Don't leave me alone, Tom! Please!
Stay here with me!
Hury up!
You were right, Tom.
Nowyou're dead.
And l'm alive.
Do you despise me for it?
On the outside, my boy, you're smooth and polished.
But on the inside you're black.
My God, Tom.
l didn't know.
You didn't tell anyone ...
what it cost you ...
The firm ... always the firm!
Your dignity!
But don't think that l'm cold-hearted.
ljust have no tears left.
So, Tom, you've won.
And l give up.
What is death? A blessing ...
... the return home from unspeakably painful wanderings,
from life.
l am going to live.
''l shall return to the urgent elemental power of life
which is effective in all creatures.
This is my life.
This body isjust a prison,
a captivity that lasts from the moment of our birth
until death calls us home to freedom_'
ln his will, the deceased had arranged
to have the firm of the Buddenbrooks liquidated.
The cash value will fall to you, Madame Senator, and your son.
He didn't see Hanno as the heir to his firm.
''The firm ...
... of Buddenbrooks liquidated_'
Evemhing is finally overwith.
That was nice.
''Life is a prison with barriers eve_here_'
Evey morning at school is the absolute prison.
''A captivitywe stumble into at the vey moment of birth_'
What nonsense! You're free.
Foryour music. You will one day be famous.
No, l don't want to be famous.
Hanno!
l don't want anything.
Well?
Alright, now it's gone.
No doubt. It's typhoid.
We'll give him quinineand an antipyretic.
We will do evemhing possible.
But if it must be ...
J Frau Senator
there's no cure for it.
Not now! No, no, no.
He's his best friend. - It's alright.
Hanno!
Kai ...
l ...
l am so ... tired.
l need more room.
My family is growing.
My son wants to mary. There will be children. We're bursting at the seams.
lt is the proper choice.
The right house, a true palace foryou.
A lovely antique.
Like the firm and its boss. May God bless him.
The ladies are upstairs.
The house!
Mother's house!
Whenever God let my life fall to pieces ...
l was never completely lost.
My parents' house was the place l could always take refuge in.
And now Gosch is looking for a buyer.
You can't live here all alone!
lt isn't right that you want to leave us, Madame Senator.
Maybe l wasn't suited for Lubeck.
We've all loved you, Gerda.
Although you found us repulsive.
l never felt l belonged.
You have achieved happiness through power.
Your strong hands have taken charge. - Enough, Gosch.
The victoy over France, the Customs Union ...
magnificent times for a merchant!
AJulius Caesar ... A Borgia of the exchange.
Moneywill accrete, ifyou give it a chance.
Give it room and a chance.
Hermann Hagenstrom. No!
Excuse me, ladies.
Don't let us disturb you.
Just a tour through the rooms. Consul Hagenstrom needs more room.
A lovely building.
This room alone ... - ... is as big as a ballroom.
You can dance here.
Yes, l remember.
The ball before yourwedding.
A long time ago.
Yes.
You were the princess that evening.
And you brought back the music. It was vey nice.
A real gem.
Truly, a real gem.
Foryou, Tony.
Thank you, Gerda.
Farewell!
This is howyou arrived with Thomas.
Manyyears ago.
Thomas is no longer here.
And l ...
Well ...
l leave the way l came.
Hanno ...
l really loved him.
Tom, Father and Mother
and Grandfather ...
Where are they all now?
lt is so hard and sad.
There is a reunion.
Yes, that's what they say.
A reunion ...
l hope that's true.
Tony, it is true.