Like a bird on the wire...
like a drunken in a midnight choir...
I have often tried...
to be free.
Like the worm... on the hook...
like a knight... from an old book...
I have kept ...
all my eyes...
for you.
Like a Bird on the Wire
If I often wasn't kind to you...
I do hope...
you never cried.
A Show by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
And if I...
was often unfaithful...
I only hope...
you know: never to you.
Like a newborn child...
like a wild beast with a horn...
I have torn everything
that came to close to me.
And I swear...
by this song...
by everything that I have done wrong...
I want to make good for everything.
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden crutch
he said to me: "You must not ask for so much."
and a pretty woman leaning in her darkened door
she cried to me: "Hey, why not ask for more?"
Oh, like a bird on the wire
like a drunken in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way
to be free...
So...
so here I'm at home.
Well, it's not exactly the same - the curtains for example,
and that pretty lamp there, I don't have one like that either,
and not that much bric-a-brac...
But it's all done lovingly, I really have to say...
But strange... funny...
I'm missing something.
Spring is here, the sparrow scents fragrance from calyxes,
I'm in love with a man, I just don't know which one yet.
I don't care whether he's got money, 'cos it's love what makes me rich!
Children, tonight I'm gonna take my pick,
a man, a real man!
Children, I'm really sick and tired of boys,
a man, a real man!
A man who's heart is still blazing in love,
a man who's fire sparks from his eyes!
In short, a man who still wants to kiss and can,
a man, a real man!
Yes...
My first man was Peter Schütte... I was madly in love with him.
He was a fabulous guy - I've learned so much from him.
I had many bad habits, when I was young.
For example, I could never remember names.
If someone's name was "Table", I most likely said "Good day, Mr. Chair".
Says he: "Look, if you would be called Mrs. Smearer..."
That's when I got it...
We had many fights... I was very spirited back then,
and I had a great love for beautiful tableware.
When I felt such a fight was coming up
I would put away the nice dishes and threw with the cheap.
At that time I was an operetta soubrette.
And knew many conductors... and on one of these conductors -
Paul Cornelius - I had a crush.
We got married then.
Paul was ten years older,
I probably must have made him terribly nervous.
Oh well...
I was such an idiot.
And so I got Peter and Paul behind me.
What do men, do men know of love?
they don't know nothing and talk so much!
Oh they talk so stupid around the truth,
they're heartless and cold.
What do men, do men know of love?
They throw you money and say "So what?"
Sometimes we want to scream, but we cry alone instead
and gradually go from the men to the dogs.
What do men, do men know of love?
Only women do know about love.
But what were we to do without man, without man?
So let the men, the men be as they are.
Then came the third husband... Reinhold Tabbert.
He was a reporter - he had that scent of the big wide world for me,
he had lived at the Riviera for a long time.
By him are also the two sons... Robby and Tom...
The best he ever accomplished.
When we met, he came straight out of the concentration camp.
That was't good for him - it sure wasn't.
He had a criminal inclination...
knew every shady organization in Berlin...
and drank... ran into debt...
A bad time...
He also travelled a lot...
then he got wasted somewhere...
All men are criminals!
Their heart is a sinister hole,
that has a thousand different chambers,
but we love'em, but we love'em nonetheless!
All Men are criminals,
their heart is a sinister hole,
that has a thousand different chambers,
but we love'em, but we love'em nonetheless!
Then came the next husband...
Horst Fabian.
Wellwell...
He was an export merchant between East and West...
I don't want to know how many times I was sitting
up to the neck in tights when we were in the car...
But it wasn't that, what separated us in the end,
but the many women.
He even brought them home. Awful.
Oh, and as once again one of his brides went crazy
and made a suicide attempt,
he came home and said to me "See,
you never do such beautiful things for me."
Then it was over.
Dearest ...
I'm lonely sitting in my room and I write to you
and I think of those days, of our time.
I can almost still feel them, these warm summer days
with sun, laughter and love...
And so I raise my glass
and drink to your health, my dear.
I drink to your health, my dear
and I very dearly think of the two of us...
I drink to your health, my dear.
Oh dearest, can you still remember
all the quarreling?
You were a pretty stubborn sod, my angel...
and you always had to be right - always.
But... I should have treated you differently...
I should have clocked you one every once in a while...
You were just bigger than me... you were always the greatest anyway!
But excuse me...
I wanted to think only of your good qualities...
I drink to your health, my dear
and I very dearly think of the two of us...
I drink to your dear, my health...
By the way...
My friends all couldn't stand you.
"Too stupid to tend pigs" they always said...
But I always defended you, yes, I always did.
I always said, "He is not too stupid for that!"
Oh dearest - do you hear the violins?
The violins of love.
I can remember you as if you were of yesterday,
those eyes, those lips, the pivot tooth,
...horrible.
I drink to your health, my dear...
and I very dearly think of the two of us...
I drink to your health, my dear.
Oh... I must close now...
I don't ill too well...
I must go... for a minute, okay?
And then came Frankie.
Frankie is American...
and played trumpet in the Army band.
For sixteen years we lived together before we got married...
"So test therefore, who join forever."
Well, it wasn't all so nice either,
especially the colleagues - as Frankie's so much younger than me,
the remarks...
A colleague once said, "Oh my, Mira's son has grown old!"
Or, we went shopping for shoes...
Frankie is very attractive and...
the saleswoman probably also thought he's very attractive...
anyway, she said to him: "Oh, young man,
your mother has little feet!"
Mira...?
Oh, Frankie, it's you!... Yes...
You probably felt that I was just talking of you, right?
Well, we're in the middle of the shooting...
It's all not that easy, you know how it is.
Yes...
I'll be home later, of course.
Bye... Frankie!
- Good evening! - But... Biggie!!
Wow, Evelyn! Where are you going?
- Say... to Hamburg, and you? - Also to Hamburg, of course!
Say, we could actually play Skat now, we haven't for so long...
Well yes, but where do we find a third player now...
Yes, for Skat you need three, that's right... tell me, eh...
why don't you take a plane?
Oh, you know... there's been so much accidents in recent times, isn't?
- Why don't you take a plane? - Well, I'm afraid of flying.
- You're afraid of flying? - Yes! - Oh, come on!
You once told me, you got the pilot's license!
- Or did you just talk big again? - No, I did not.
I've got the pilot's license.
I mean... I just know too much about, uh, flying... that's why.
- I see... well... - Yes... say, my darling...
- ...how's your love life? - Still Frankie, as you know - and you?
- Are you still living à la carte? - Still Frankie? Isn't that too boring?
No, that's not too boring, that's very nice.
- At night, well, isn't it a bit... - Oh, that's very sweet.
- I like to live à la carte, you know? - Ain't that expensive in the long run?
Oh God... if one wants to eat well, then one has to pay for it, no?
By the way, I sometimes have some who have more money than I do.
You're not serious... young guys, and then... money? - Yes, yes...
Oh, Evelynchen, come on, don't tell me...
Oh yes, umm... by the way,
You don't accidentally gig at gentlemen's bars again, do you?
- All the time! But don't you too? - Yes...
Everytime I get somewhere, it's always "Last week Evelyn Künneke was here!"
- I'm always the first, isn't it? - Yes...!
That's why I have such a great success, because I'm after you!
Really!?
Now, something happened to me lately. I'm at a gentlemen's bar again
and they give me a dressing room that was so incredibly tiny...
...must have been a toilet before. - Ah I see...!
- You know, I always have those big hats... - Oh yes, they hide a lot...
- You're as charming as wooden horse again. - God, I didn't mean it like that, darling.
Oh yes... So now, like I said, I just said,
"the dressing room's so insanely small, for the costumes and everything",
and they say, "Um, Mrs. Evelyn Künneke was happy with it, big enough for her!"
- What more could I say? - Well, nothing... and I wear no hats...
- I'm quite content... - Yes, but for that you're pretty...
- I mean, so... well-built...! - You enjoy eating too, no?
- Yes, of course, why not? - Yes... as one can see...
I can eat as much as I want...
...I always get fatter. Just kidding...
Same here, you know... The thing is that we're tiled stoves...
- What are we? - Tiled stoves, my darling.
There are iron stoves, who can eat all they want,
and we only have to to think of it - I mean, of food of course...
- Yes... - ...to get fat.
Ah, because of the tiles, that's why you're so square-shaped, right?
Speaking of square, you could actually learn a new song for a change, no?
- Oh my dear, I have my own show! - What? You??
- Yes, me! Just me alone! - Just you?
And you think that people can endure you for so long?
Oh, why not - I even sing a folk song!
What, you sing a folk song? You can't be serious.
- Oh yes! Listen... - I can't believe it.
Do you know how many stars there are at the blue heaven's tent?
Do you know how many clouds go high over the world?
God our Lord counted them all, that not even one is missing,
from the whole lot of them all, from the whole lot of them all.
Do you know how many midges play in the heat of the sun?
How many fishes are refreshing in the clear flood of the lake?
God our Lord called them by name, that they all come into being,
that they're all so cheerful now, that they're all so cheerful now.
Do you know how many children get up early from their bed,
that they're happy without worry, without trouble all day long?
God in Heaven has his pleasure and his joy in everyone,
knows you too and loves you too, knows you too and loves you too.
But children, what's the matter with you?
I thought, this is a gentlemen's bar - and it's all guys here!
Well, whatever...
Now... this is Ingfried Hoffmann - my son from my first marriage...
Ingfried is well-known for his charming preludes... play us one...
a dreamy one...
But Ingfried... that's so stilted...
play it right...
That's even worse! But Ingfried, look, don't you notice,
the atmosphere here, it's all sizzling with erotism...
Do a prelude for the young man there, yes?
But sensually!
Typically male - mistaking slow with sensually...
Dreams of love pass away so soon,
Love is always paid for with suffering,
What you had possessed in the spring,
you can't forget in the autumn.
What a pretty mustache!
Even if I your mouth does promise to be faithful,
believe me, my darling, I don't believe you!
I already sense at the very first kiss...
...the ending.
Oh, your mommy dressed you up nicely!
You as well... will betray me some day,
you too... you too!
- Is that yours? - Yes! - You know him for a long time? - Yes!
- Do you still need him? - Oh, yes!! - Ahh, too bad.
You as well will deceive me some day...
What's that you're drinking, children?
You too... you too...
So do not once more swear fidelity to me,
what for... what for?
You as well will betray me some day,
you too... you too!
Oh, children...
You're so sweet, I must say...
Now listen, now I'll sing another chanson,
one by Gretchen Weiser.
I just know last time when we were together for a small gig
she said, "Say, Biggie, why do you never sing Emil's Hands?"
I said, "But Gretchen, that's your song!"
"Nah" says she, "that's alright with me - go sing it!"
And that's what I will do now, okay?
It's been two months now, maybe three
since I told Emil to call it quits...
I always knew that he's not really faithful,
but what did bother me was his boozing.
So I gave him their marching orders,
the bloke was tight already at ten.
Now I drift through life alone,
and I just think sometimes it was lovely all the same...
I can't forget the hands of Emil,
that were real whoppers... real whoppers...
With one hand, he could eat five steaks - yes, really!
with just two fingers - just two fingers...
and when he danced with me, in his cheeky way -
I was completely... blown away...
And when we dwelt in our allotment garden
he used to put me on his lap...
and when we then shared our five radishes
and played harvest festival - oh boy...
When he threw me, with his perky fingers
a radish here, at the front into my neck -
well of course I immediately refused to tolerate this,
but even so he always made me laugh...
I can't forget the hands of Emil,
that were real whoppers... real whoppers...
with just one hand he could measure my waist,
what do I say, "hand", with just two fingers...
That were the most beautiful men's hands there are -
Oh God how I did love these hands...
When I now think he may now have another,
then I feel a bit queasy at times...
And when I now wander around all alone on Sunday
I sometimes suddenly feel a man's hand!
No, not in reality, only in my thoughts,
when I'm dreaming and the pictures come back,
how Emil with his butcher paws
sometimes simply took me on his arm...
I can't forget the hands of Emil!
that were real whoppers, man, that were whoppers...
My head got stuck on these memories -
yes, of these five fingers, of these five fingers...
and if he came back now and smacked me one,
then I would be...
happy again.
Oh children, you're so sweet. Really, I love to be here with you.
Oh, the other day I did the great Gay Party in Berlin...
with Lale Andersen.
I think it was her last appearance of that kind...
And now I'll sing you a nice little ditty.
Ingfried...!
A little man stands in the woods, so quiet and mute.
He wears a little coat of sheer purple.
Who may be that little man, standing in the woods alone?
With his little purple coat?
You're so sweet!
Tomorrow I have another small gig, in the afternoon, at a fashion show.
High Society... going to be boring as hell.
I'm rather with you. So - till next time, okay?
Ladies, you're allowed to laugh and to applaud.
Oh, where did you leave your husbands today?
Ah, that's quite correct, quite clever.
That way one can diddle a bit, right?
If such a dress costs 200, we simply say, it was 100.
I always used to take along my sons when I went on a shopping spree...
worrying I would buy too much, but that was setting a fox to keep the geese,
because when I liked a dress, they said "But Ma,
this and this and this and that is also beautiful!"
Well, maybe that's why I took them along in the first place.
I have very fashion- conscious sons anyway -
When the Mini stile emerged I came home one day,
I looked into the closet, and what do I see?
All my clothes were cut a bit shorter.
With my legs...
Oh my.
And now I'd like to sing you a little song...
it's a German premiere.
Playback...!
I remember when I was a little child -
a fire broke out in our house.
I will never forget my father's face,
when he took me in his arms and carried me through the burning house to the street.
There I was - shivering in my shirt
and expecting that the whole world would go up in flames.
But when all was over, I asked myself
whether that was all at a fire...
Whether this was all?
Whether this was all...
If nothing else happens than that,
then everything will go on as before,
the whole year round...
if this was all.
When I got twelve, my father took me to the circus.
The Greatest Show on Earth!
With clowns and elephants and wild animals,
and a beautiful woman in a pink leotard
was flying high above us through the air!
And as I watched the artistes
I expected that something would happen.
I didn't know what, but when it all was over I asked myself
whether this was all at a circus,
whether this was all?
Whether this was all...
If nothing else happens than that,
then everything will go on as before,
the whole year round...
if this was all.
Then I fell head over heels in love
with the most wonderful man in the world.
We took long walks by the river,
we looked each other deep into the eyes for hours.
I was madly in love.
But one day he left me.
I thought I would die...
Because I did not, I asked myself
whether this was all at love?
Whether this was all?
Whether this was all...
If nothing else happens than that,
then everything will go on...
Yeah, I know what you now will say about me -
when she realizes that she's always expecting too much,
why doesn't she finally end it?
Oh no... not me.
I won't give up hope so soon.
For I know, just like I'm speakimg with you now,
when the moment comes when everything is over,
I will ask myself:
Whether this was all?
Whether this was all...
If nothing else happens than that
everything will go on,
just as before,
the whole year round...
if this was all.
Well ladies, that was a very sad song,
and the managemant did not want me to sing it in the first place.
They said, "Ah, the audience certainly will not like it."
Then I said, "The audience isn't as ignorant
as it's always treated." Isn't it?
Now enough of melancholy.
Have you seen our mannequins, my lady?
Ah, I must say, these slim waists...
At my age you have to make a decision - between goat and cow.
I've decided for cow, as you can see.
I just have such a hard time starving myself.
We all went through a very hard time, when there wasn't that much to eat.
I remember when I was on tour for the Wehrmacht...
and I heard, there were eggs available.
So I quickly got up at my hotel and went there.
There was a long queue, and I also joined with my basket,
and there was this charming sergeant, he said: "Fräulein,
what are you doing here?"
and I said, "You have three guesses - I want eggs!"
"Oh", says he, "you're probably totally wrong here."
"This is in fact a soldiers' brothel." [ brothel = german Puff ]
Speaking of Puff (brothel) - you will now see a lovely dress
with puffy sleeves. Please...
Frenchmen die in a duel, for love you have to suffer.
But a man who is not alive, can hardly sign checks.
A kiss on the hand gives you any wimp these days -
only diamonds remain faithful.
If love inflames - who will pay me my rent?
Where do I get discount? In which pub in this town?
A man gets cold, a woman grows old,
even for you the fun some day will end.
Whether raw or cut, it's all the same to me -
only diamonds remain faithful!
Tiffany's!
Cartier!
Oh dear - rubies, sapphires, emeralds,
sweet little things, cute little treasures!
There may come a day when you need a lawyer,
only diamonds remain faithful.
Maybe you'll soon be ripe for the mental institution,
'cause your dear friend takes his wife out to the races.
There he plays the millionaire,
for the money he gets, he must give in return...
And when he has a break he stays at home now,
only diamonds remain faithful.
Baron Franz von Soft has a thing for his chauffeurs -
only diamonds remain faithful.
Only marriage can help him in precarious affairs,
but never mind, get accquainted to his secretary.
He shows you the small sapphire
and the key to the safe with the rrrocks.
You're rolling in jewels, and Franz - you can't...
...stand him!
Dia...
...monds..!
are good friends,
yes, Dia...
Diamonds remain faithful...
to you!
Like a bird...
in the wind...
like a drunkard, who sings to himself...
I have often tried...
to be free.
Like a fish on the hook...
like a girl's heart in a Vaudeville...
every praise (prize) belongs
to you alone.
If I often...
wasn't kind enough...
I just hope...
that you never cried,
yes...
If I often wasn't faithful enough...
I just hope you know
you were never meant.
Like a helpless child,
like a bull that wins out of fear,
so have I often tried
to be free...
Like a Bird on the Wire
with
Script
Orchestra
Musical Arrangements
Music Production
Technical Direction
Sound
Picture
Editing
Set Director
Assistant Director
Camera
Production Design
Production Management
Editorial Staff
A Show by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Subtitles: Kurosuke @ Karagarga