The shepherds hastened to Bethlehem
Playing a lively tune on the lyre for the baby
DEKALOG: THREE
Screenplay by
Peace on earth
And glory in the highest...
Who is it?
Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas.
Sorry. I didn't recognize you.
Good evening.
You're Krysia, right?
Well, I have a present for you.
And you're Antek, right?
I have something for you too.
This is for your grandma.
Thank you!
And something's sticking out of this package for your mommy.
This is for your mommy.
Thank you.
You really think we'll get away?
We can try.
Thank you.
She's in her room. She hasn't come out.
Is she not feeling well?
Merry Christmas, Auntie.
Ewa?
Have you done your homework?
Yes, Auntie.
Your math too?
Yes.
I was always
good at math.
I thought you'd come with...
with...
Edward.
That's right.
When God is born no power prevails
Our Lord in nakedness enwound
All fire congeals, all luster pales
Contained is he who knows no bound
Despised, in glory comes untold
A mortal king for e'er to reign
The Word of God in flesh behold
Merry Christmas once again.
The children will always remember this Christmas.
Yes, it was just like the old days.
Yes?
Speaking.
That was odd.
Seems a suspicious character is hanging around the car.
Back in a minute.
Where's my home?
People!
Once again you didn't wish me a merry Christmas.
What do you want?
It's Christmas Eve.
Tell me what you want.
Edward's missing.
What?
He's disappeared.
Ewa...
He left early and hasn't come back.
I've got to find him.
It's Christmas Eve.
Forgive me!
All right, I'll go with you.
What did you tell your wife?
That a suspicious character was hanging around the car.
Give me the keys.
I'll wait around the corner.
They stole it!
They took off down Vistula Boulevard.
Call the police.
I'll try to find a cab. - Maybe it's no use.
It's our living.
You were at midnight mass.
No, I wasn't.
I saw you.
Fine. Let's drop it.
I've tried everywhere.
Friends, the police.
Where to?
Where would you go if your wife disappeared?
I don't know. Emergency rooms.
The one on Banacha Street is on call.
Are you on emergency duty?
- We were yesterday. - I made a mistake.
What about tonight?
Which hospital is on call tonight?
Who's missing?
A husband.
Yours?
No, mine.
Jurek? Hi.
Do you have a... What's the name?
Garus.
Age?
Thirty-eight.
No, there's a little lady here looking for her husband.
When was he brought in?
When did he leave home? - Around noon.
Probably not. This guy left around noon.
They have an accident victim. Lost both legs. No ID.
But he was brought in at 11:00. The hospital in Praga.
Shall I turn the light off?
No, thanks. I'm on duty.
His car!
His scarf.
I'll leave it.
He may be cold when he gets back.
Hard to get back here with no legs.
Leave him a sandwich too.
He might be hungry.
Very funny. Keep it up.
I'll be happy too.
We could get a hotel room so we could sleep together.
Then you could call and tell him
the room number.
I didn't call him.
You wanted to end it all
and go back to your wife
and lead a nice quiet life.
I didn't call him.
He told me.
You didn't give a name, of course.
I swear I didn't call him.
I'm not... - You're like all the others.
But let's drop it.
To the Praga hospital, please.
The guy with no legs.
Ewa...
it's okay.
Don't cover him up.
That's not him.
I wish it were him.
Or you.
How many times have I imagined...
your faces crushed by the wheels of a truck.
I once dreamed I saw you...
with your neck broken...
and your tongue dangling out.
And I looked on...
and laughed.
I wonder whose life he made hell.
Who'll be celebrating now?
Police!
- What about it? - You reported your car stolen.
Hold on tight.
Andrzej, the stolen car!
They're following us.
- You have your papers? - Yes.
Then slow down.
Drive slowly.
Out of the car.
Hands on the roof.
Is this your car?
It was reported stolen.
We found it.
They'd ditched it.
Have you been drinking?
I didn't have time.
You're a fast driver.
You're lucky it's Christmas Eve.
He was right. I really drove too fast.
You could have smashed up the car...
and us with it.
Shall we try again?
You want to?
Put on your seat belt?
Had enough?
We were supposed to try your place.
Let's go.
Doesn't look like your car's here.
Getting out?
He couldn't have left the car back there before noon.
Why not?
It started snowing this afternoon,
but the car was clean.
Not a bit of snow on it.
It started snowing at 5:00.
I really don't know.
Listen...
if he's home, it wouldn't look right to go in together.
Wait here.
If he's not home, I'll come out on the balcony.
If I'm not out in five minutes, leave.
If he's there... good-bye.
Bye.
- Emergency services. - A man's passed out.
- Go on, please. - He's lying by the bus stop.
Intersection of Wałbrzyska St. and Puławska St.
The stop for the downtown bus. - Drunk?
No. We took his papers.
His name?
Edward Garus, born in 1949.
Your name, please.
- Anna Tatarkiewicz. - Thank you for the information.
He's not here.
I told you: He's not here.
Won't you take off your coat?
No, I'm freezing.
Want some tea?
Sure.
I didn't make that phone call three years ago.
That's rubbish.
What we had was important to me.
You were important to me.
If you want to know the truth,
I loved you.
And at the time I wanted
to change everything. I thought...
When you and I were getting dressed...
and he stood there with his back to us...
you didn't look in my direction even once.
I took your hand...
but you snatched it away.
And when he said...
you could choose to go or stay,
but that he was leaving...
you went with him without a word.
Is that what happened?
Yes.
Edward laid down one other condition.
I could leave with him
provided you and I never saw each other again.
That's right.
And you said, "I have no intention of seeing him again."
So I said, "Fine."
That's what happened. - Give me your hand.
Unloved...
misunderstood.
You're right.
It's my fault.
But you landed on your feet.
You're just as you were before, aren't you?
You've worked hard to make up for it all.
You're considerate...
hardworking.
You never forget to pick up the laundry.
Let go!
Gladly.
Your hand reeks of gasoline anyway.
Did you ever think about what happened after that?
Did you ever think how I felt
when there was a love story on television
and he'd stare at me instead of the screen?
I haven't slept with him once since then!
What are you doing in there?
Nothing.
I was washing my hands.
It's Christmas Eve.
I'm sorry.
I lied just then.
Edward and I have a quite normal relationship.
All the best...
You too.
There he is.
Perfect timing, as usual.
Sleep, little Jesus
Go to sleep
Mary will comfort you
And dry your tears
What about the rest?
We don't know any more.
Special night rate.
Thank you. Merry Christmas.
Has Edward grown a beard?
Of course not.
We broke the wafer and forgot why we came here.
Let's go.
Where?
To the emergency room or the train station.
The train station.
Just a minute.
Emergency services?
Was a man brought in by the name of Garus?
Edward Garus.
Thirty-eight years old. Born in 1949.
Do you cover the whole Warsaw area?
You did? Where?
And what happened?
Thank you very much.
I called emergency services. They got a report.
They did?
When they got there, the man was already gone.
But how?
They say it often happens with drunks.
They suggest we try the drunk tank.
Where's my home?
Garus...
A Jew?
No.
We had a Garus here in '79.
A Jew.
You keep a card
on every one?
That's right.
But maybe he's in today's bunch.
Let's go see.
They've gone to sleep on me!
Look at 'em dance!
Maybe it's that one?
Or that one?
Turn around!
Stop it!
They're freezing! - Want to join 'em, asshole?
Try it!
Come on! Let's see you try it!
Come on. Let's see you dance.
I'm going home. This is ridiculous.
I'm going home.
Where shall I drop you?
I smashed up your car.
I ruined your Christmas.
What do you mean? It's been great fun.
Please...
come with me to the station.
Are you the person on duty at the monitor?
That's right.
I do this to keep awake.
Has there been an accident here today?
No.
A man comes here often
in a short white sheepskin jacket.
He comes here often but never takes a train.
Sorry.
Who's that?
Edward.
And the woman?
His wife.
And those are his kids. He's lived in Kraków...
for almost three years now.
Three years?
Just about.
I told quite a few lies today.
But why?
I don't know.
You know that game?
If whoever comes around the corner is a man...
you'll have good luck.
If it's a woman, you won't.
I know the game.
That's what I played today.
I told myself that if I managed
to spend the whole night with you,
no matter how, till 7:00 in the morning...
Then what?
My life would carry on as normal.
And if you didn't?
I was prepared for everything.
I live alone.
It's hard...
being alone on a night like this.
People...
Lock themselves in, draw their curtains.
Exactly.
On my way to midnight mass earlier...
I saw a little boy.
He'd escaped from the hospital.
He was in his pajamas.
And what happened?
They caught him.
I know...
you didn't make that phone call.
See you around.
They're all asleep.
I found the car.
I know.
I called the police.
Ewa?
Will you be spending nights out again?
No.
I won't.
Directed by
Cinematography by
Produced by
Music by
Art Direction by
Sound by
Edited by
Digital Restoration by