Manasse

The National Film Archive Presents

Manasse Based on Ronetti Roman's stage play

Screenplay Cinematography

Cast

Directed by

An Apollo-Film Production

The town of Falticeni.

In the Jewish quarter:

In a modest home there lives the old Manasse.

Friday night.

Sorrow fills old Manasse's home. Sara has died.

At the home of Nisim Cohanovici in Bucharest.

"Mr. Matei Frunza & Mrs. Natalie Frunza."

Telegram Sara has died, Manasse

Nisim and Ester leave to Falticeni.

Sara's funeral.

It's too late.

Meanwhile, the youth in Bucharest forgets about the sorrow of those in Falticeni.

Mr. Matei Frunza & Mrs. Natalia Frunza

The dead with the dead, the living with the living.

Manasse prays for Sara at the temple (Kaddish prayer)

Act II After Sara's death, old Manasse

decides to come to Bucharest, accompanied by Zelig Sor.

As per their agreement, Sor meets up with Emil Horn

at the train station in Bacau.

An old gentleman that refuses to give his name has arrived.

"Ah! Dad! Welcome! What a surprise!"

"Glad to see you, my children!"

"Zelig Sor! What wind brings you here?"

"Your dad is a wind?"

"I brought Zelig along with me. I didn't want to make this trip by myself."

"Still as wild and lively as ever?"

What Manasse does not like....

"Tell me, Nisim, what is this naked lady fighting with a young man doing here?"

"It's a scene from the Bible. It's Joseph with Potiphar's wife."

"You couldn't find anything better in the Bible?

And you even have a maiden in this house!"

"No, Nisim, this is not appropriate for a Jewish home."

Meanwhile Zelig...

"That is one nice gal! Young too! Didn't have 10 kids yet, like my wife!"

"Aren't you going to wash your hands, Sor?"

"No. Everyone calls me filthy anyway, why waste any water?"

"Zelig, are you already eating? Without praying beforehand?"

"Did Adam pray, in Heaven, before eating the apple?"

"I don't like this type of jokes, Zelig. The Jews should be Jews!

"And the Christians should be Christians, it's better this way."

"But you kids don't know what disaster struck Calman, the pawnbroker!"

In Falticeni, Calman has a small pawn booth.

In the home of Calman, the pawnbroker.

Rasela with Iordache Tafna, a subprefect.

"I'm coming to take you tonight. Be ready."

Iordache Tafna kidnapped Rasela and baptized her in the village's church.

The news spreads quickly in the Jewish quarter of Falticeni.

"Calman, the pawnbroker's daughter was baptized!"

"What a tragedy!"

"God is everywhere, He will punish her!"

"I would like to see Rasela so much!"

"To see her? You, Leia?"

"Why not, grandpa? Doesn't she need someone to talk to?"

She should look for support from those she left for, not from us Jews.

"Glad to see you grandpa!"

"Grandpa, I want you to meet my best friend:

Mr. Matei Frunza, High Court judge."

"Lazar told me so much about you, Mr. Cohanovici.

I almost feel like I know you already."

"If you say that you know me, then why do you blemish my name?

I'm called either Manasse or Cohen. I'm not ashamed of my Jewish name."

"So now you've become a Doctor of Philosophy, Lazar!

Now, tell me what is a Doctor of Philosophy good for."

I understand that a Doctor of Medicine feeds off the sick

that a Doctor of Law feeds off litigants.

But what does a Doctor of Philosophy feed off.

Didn't I tell him that philosophy isn't of any use!

"Of use, Nisim? What is actually of use?

When I will pass this world's border to the other side,

it will be only knowledge that I bring with me.

And once I'm there I will proclaim:

God, you have sent me into the world with a hollow head

and I bring it back to you filled with your wisdom."

"So you're studying to become a Doctor of Medicine?"

"Is it true that you cut all sorts of dead people up? Big and small?"

"And are those dead people naked when you cut them up?"

"Naked? Bare-naked?"

"YES!"

That's not right, if the shirt on Thorn ages, we don't get rid of it, as it's still Holy.

And the body in which God's soul has been mantled is Holy and not to be disgraced.

Act III

Even with all of their religious differences,

Frunza and Lelia fell in love, so they meet up by the road.

...Meanwhile, at home, Zelig Sor introduces Emil Horn.

"If both you, Nisim, and Ester agree, I won't say no."

Why haven't you told me about this Emil Horn?"

I feared you might cast an evil eye on him..

Such a nice, handsome groom red & white, dressed up to the nines.

Sara insisted on Alter Korn's son as a worthy candidate for a son-in-law.

"Alter Korn? What dowry could he provide?

Half a bankruptcy and a mortgage on his mother's grave?"

"Such a beautiful lad, just as a man should be

and a businessman on top of that, you won't find many like him !.."

"So it's settled, Lelia: Tomorrow I'm coming to ask for you hand"

Sor has finally convinced Nisim & Ester about Emil Horn,

when.. a guest is announced...

"Mr. Matei Frunza."

"I want to talk with you."

"Do you need some money? Did you lose at cards?"

"I don't play cards !"

"So you came in need of a promotion then.

I'll talk with the Minister of Justice, he's a good friend of mine."

"I was just promoted yesterday as Court President."

"I want to get married. But there are religious obstacles.

I want to marry a Jewish woman !"

"Wonderful! Among civilized folks, who even cares about this anymore?"

"Then I'm asking you for LELIA'S HAND!"

"Anything else by any means, Mr. Frunza,

but this request, as you can already see..."

"This happens when someone enters into a business without a middleman!"

"You should be ashamed !"

"I have yet to win a penny with shame!"

"Bring Emil Horn here at around 3 o'clock."

"Business is booming !"

"All alone, Mr. Sor?"

"Alone, just as I was in my mother's womb.

Actually no, scratch that, I wasn't that lucky either,

I even had a companion back then."

"You heard that Frunza proposed to Lelia?"

"Don't utter one more word about this,

you know that a love affair between a Jewish girl and a Christian is..."

"Are you talking about Calman again?

May God protect any Jew from such a disaster...

"What about you. Lazar, why don't you say anything?

Why don't you pray at least once? For its beauty, if not for other reasons.

Just take a look!"

But Lelia loves Matei though,

and she cannot conceive a marriage with Horn,

whom she only met once in Falticeni.

"You want people to point their fingers at me. And say:

That is Nisim Cohanovici, whose daughter is baptized?"

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's not about baptism?

He doesn't ask for me to baptize."

"Forget about these dreams, my dear child,

and go get dressed, Emil Horn should arrive soon."

"Has the storm passed?"

"What should I do, brother? Advise me!"

"What advice could I give you? Be faithful to yourself.

Look into your heart for what you really want and let the people talk."

"You're right. Lazar. Tell Matei to forgive me

and that, starting now, I will love him as a brother."

"Lazar, you do what you do, sell even the shirt on your back,

but make sure you become rich.

As long as you're rich, you won't have to resort to being a middleman."

Spare me your ramblings and leave me alone.

Act IV Hello, hello, excuse me for being late.

When you have to deal with authorities,

you're as good as the thickness of your wallet.

Now look at this suit fabric!

"Lazar, there's a door for us too!"

"I've agreed on all matters with your parents.

Now I want to hear your opinion as well."

What do you want as a wedding gift? A brooch, earrings, a diadem?