LAURIN
Laurin!
Where are you hiding?
Come at once.
It was one day in March of 1901
that death made it first visit.
Grief was approaching to
this small and quiet
port village.
Flora.
Cover yourself in front of the child.
- Daddy will be back soon, Laurin. - Soon?
Two, three months, as always.
That's what you say.
The last time it was half a year.
It's late, Arne. Let's get going.
Mother, I'll take Arne down to the harbor.
Take the lantern along, it will start getting dark any minute.
I'll go to get it.
I worry about you every time, my boy.
Arne, we both know all about the cities and their evils.
Just remember you father, who left us for a cheap whore.
I know, I'm an old woman.
I just couldn't stand it.
Don't forget where your home is,
not even when you're far away.
Where have you come from, little boy?
Someday I'll take you along.
And we'll sail down the river.
And into the deep blue sea.
Arne!
- Arne, I'm pregnant.
- Really? - Really.
- Arne, do you have any idea where Van Rees is? - No, why?
If he doesn't report back to the company commander by tomorrow morning,
- he'll be in hot water. - He'll show up.
Good evening.
- Good evening.
Shut these children up!
Help!
Somebody help me!
Help me!
Laurin?
Oh my God.
Why did you do this to us?
Why this misfortune always comes
on the innocent?
Have you seen a little boy?
Ten years old. This is his brother.
He is being missing
since last night.
Hey, you over there!
What do you want from that girl!
Get out of here, filthy scum!
Come on, get going!
Come to me, poor child.
Laurin...
Granny?
Now you mustn't give up on life,
mister Andersen.
You will see Flora again.
FLORA ANDERSEN
Born 7.11.1873 Died 21.3.1901
Q...
Hello, where did you come from?
What's your name?
Where did you get this cat from?
Grandma is allergic to cats,
she sneezes when cat is near.
My husband's boat has been lying unused down in the harbor for years.
I don't mean to mantle, but maybe it would be better for your daughter
if you would give up that sea firm.
You could feed the family as well being a fisherman.
I can't, frau Berghaus.
When you've been on the open sea
as long as I have, you can't just stop.
It's like the river. It keeps on flowing without stopping.
It's cold up here.
Listen!
Rats.
Put that back!
What's the matter with you?
- Whose coat is this? - Stefan? We are leaving.
You go on, you mother is calling.
Daddy, look what I found in the attic!
Would you be staying away as long this time?
I know you would like me to be back to your birthday.
You won't be.
Don't start pulling such a long face. You holidays will be over soon.
And then you will be so busy, you won't have any time to be sad.
I'll bring back something pretty for you.
And when you older, you can come along.
How do like that?
- Promise? - On my honor.
Why don't you let your hair hang down?
Look in the mirror.
You such a pretty girl.
You know your grandmother can't stand cats.
Promise me you won't let that cat into the house.
- How did she put it? - What are you talking about?
You know,
frau Berghaus.
As if you didn't know.
You two worked this whole thing out.
I'm only thinking
of you.
And Laurin.
I'm not getting married again.
That's my final word.
Have you forgotten Flora was expecting a baby?
- Arne, your wife is dead. - Be quiet.
I don't want to hear any more about it.
And what about Laurin? You mean much to her.
You don't know how devoted she is.
I love Laurin more than anything else in the world.
And I know I have to look after her. But I can't resist it, I have to go back.
Then go. But remember, I'm the crippled old lady.
If I should suddenly die,
Laurin will be all alone in the world.
My P0or girl.
Daddy!
Tried to put wool over our eyes, Van Rees.
Giving us that rubbish about having no girlfriend waiting at home.
- Who is that girl? - Who?
I would love to see Arne's face when he knows his daughter
has just changed fathers.
Mr. Van Rees!
I didn't recognised you at first.
Why weren't you at the port last night?
- Your father was there waiting for you. - Last night?
- Isn't he home? - He is over at the Berghauses.
Frau Berghaus just gave birth to her second child.
Well, now you are here,
come on in.
Don't stand there in the doorway.
Nothing has changed. I left everything as it was.
Still no mirrors in the house I suppose.
Pastor says that mirrors are instruments of human vanity.
If you don't mind my saying so, Mr. Van Rees,
these years in the military had made a fine figure of a man out of you.
It's not everyone who makes non-commissioned officer.
Your father is very proud of you.
Oh, is he?
He never got over
your poor mother's death.
Since then
he placed all his hopes in you.
What shall I make you for supper?
At the moment, nothing.
Thank you, frau Johannson, I'm very tired.
Yes, rest then. I'll tell your father you're here as soon as he gets home.
I'll beat the live out of you, you wretched little scum.
No, father, please don't, don't hit me!
I won't do it again.
You hear your mother crying? Can't you see how miserable you make her?
He killed the kitten with slingshot.
Oh, father.
What a pleasure to have you back again, my boy.
Finally our little family is together again.
And I got good news for you.
The community decided to give you Mr. Engels job.
Oh granny.
What are you doing out of bed?
Laurin...
the shatters.
What about them?
The morning sun
hurts my eyes.
Sophie Van Rees.
Oh, no.
Who have done that?
Are you sad that your kitten died?
I never had a cat.
There were dogs when I was a boy.
The first one run away one night in the winter.
I never found him again.
Laurin!
Wait!
What happened to you?
Stefan, just look at your glasses.
Ever seen classroom upside down?
No?
Then it is about time.
Hey, leave Stefan alone!
Laurin is in love with Stefan.
- Laurin is in love with Stefan. - Stop it.
Don't move a muscle.
Hold still or cupboard will fall down.
Rise.
Good morning.
Good morning, Mr. Engels.
Take your seats.
You will have to keep them tight on brain, Mr. Van Rees.
I know what I'm talking about.
An iron hand. You won't get very far with kindness.
See that mirror?
You can't afford to turn your back
on these cheeky lot on one second.
Don't take your eyes off them, that's the first commandment.
We've got a couple of hopeless cases in here.
Mr. Engels! They hang him up in the cabinet. I know who did it.
Move out of the way!
Go away!
Mr. Van Rees!
Those wretched children are always teasing my boy.
And you wouldn't harm a fly.
Last time they hid the spectacles in the water pitcher.
Why, the poor thing is nearly blind without his glasses.
Promise me you will keep an eye on Stefan.
He can't look out for himself.
He scared me.
Where have you come from, little boy?
Stefan!
I don't like little girls spying on me.
Laurin...
Good morning, Laurin.
Good morning, Mr. Van Rees.
And forget, Laurin, our money. We have to live too.
Poor motherless child. It's the same every year.
The father goes to sea. Leaves his little one with old Olga.
They run out of money and the two of them are on the brink of starvation.
Just awful I tell you.
How much does this little girl owe you?
Thirteen phenings.
- How is your head feel? - Much better , Mr. Van Rees.
Very well.
I had a long talk with Mr. Engels, he told me about your present level of knowledge.
An he mentioned that we have a couple of hopeless cases.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as a hopeless case.
We're all going to work hard to archive our goals.
Unfortunately,
and this makes me very sad,
but person who hung poor Stefan in the cabinet
has still not reported to me.
However, if the guilty party
will admit his misdeed by this afternoon,
- I will cancel the punishment. - Mr. Van Rees!
Mr. Van Rees!
- What's your name? - Wienke.
Wienke?
Isn't that a girl's name?
Hey, I'm Wienke. Wanna marry me?
My name is Nicolas, Wienke is my last name.
You wanted to say something?
- He wants to confess. - That's a lie.
If you don't keep your mouth shut I'll break your neck.
Come see me after class. We can talk in confidence.
Do you think I should tell Mr. Van Rees who did it?
- Let me see that. - Hey!
What have you got there that is so important, Laurin?
I'd like you to bring it up front.
I see we have a little artist among us.
Frau Berghaus. I didn't hear you come in.
Excuse me for bursting in on you like this,
but I finally found out from my son
who this malefactor was.
Malefactor?
That terrible Enno.
He is the one who hung my poor darling up in the cabinet.
Oh, that's what you meant.
But that's not why I came to see you, Mr. Van Rees.
I certainly don't want to impose on you,
but I'd be delighted if you would come to have supper with us tonight.
It's very kind of you.
I'm afraid I can't accept.
But believe me, it won't make any extra work for me.
Otherwise, I wouldn't invite you at all.
My son and I very seldom have company.
And you have taken such wonderful care of Stefan.
Please, come.
And bring along the hearty appetite.
Until tonight.
What's that? It must have been left for you.
Q...
Don't you think it's right time to tell him that Stefan is your son?
I leave that to you.
My life is worn away with sorrow.
And my years with sighing.
Strong as I am I stumble under my load of misery.
My neighbors find me a burden.
My friends shudder at me.
And when they see me in the street, they turn quickly away.
I am forgotten like a dead man.
I have come to be like something lost.
For I hear many men whispering threats
from every side.
In league against me, as they are,
and plotting to take my life.
But, Lord,
I put my trust in thee.
I say "Thou Art My God".
The grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and love of God,
and fellowship of the hollow spirit be with you all.
Amen.
And we didn't sleep all night.
Somebody has been creeping around our house for the last three days.
May the Lord God protect you, my son.
Catch me, Stefan.
Oh, corset.
Daddy, when will you take me out to sea with you.
- That's no place for little girls. - If only your father would hear that.
It's cold.
Laurin, do you like Mr. Van Rees?
I don't know.
I think he is pretty nice. But sometimes he looks at me real funny.
In what way?
I don't know, just funny.
Somehow he isn't really teacher.
Daddy says school in the city is different from here.
How's that?
Teachers are different. You learn much more.
Why do you want to learn so much?
Too bad my dad didn't become a teacher.
I'd better go now.
Mother is probably waiting supper on me.
I can cook something for us!
We can kill a chicken.
Better not. Mother will get mad at me if I get home late.
Is Stefan still at your house?
No, he left long ago.
I've been waiting for him for hours. From now on I'm not letting that boy out of the house.
Laurin!
I looked for the child all over, where could he be?
Q...
Something wrong with you, my boy?
Father.
Didn't hear you come in.
You are not ill, are you?
Then get dressed and gather together all the people in the village.
Little Stefan has disappeared.
Stefan!
Laurin..
Mother?
I don't like little girls spying on me.
Where have you come from, little boy?
Help me!
Shut up!
Don't go, mother.
Don't go!
In the hope that little Stefan will soon be found.
Amen.
We have to go through every composition carefully.
Why didn't you turn in your writing book, Laurin?
You've forgotten how to speak?
Give me your writing book.
He left us...
for the cheap whore!
For...
the cheap...
whore.
Stefan!
Help me!
Mr. Van Rees!
I don't like little girls spy on me.
Where did you get those spectacles?
Give it to me.
The glasses!
Granny!
Open the door!
Granny!
Granny.
The God
is my witness.
What have you done
with the children?
Laurin, child,
are you here?
Yes, grandmother.
I'm here.
Subtitling by mproust87.