Forest of the Hanged (Pădurea spânzuraţilor)

The Forest of the Hanged Directed by Livu Ciulei

Damn it. The wind stared blowing.

Move up!Stop starring at me.

Move faster!

At your service Sir!

At what hour is it?

It should have started at 4 o'clock, Sir! I report i'm going to be late. Now it's 5 o'clock.

Who are you hanging?

We don't know! We heard that it could be an officer but we are not sure.

Aren't you ready corporal? The convoy left

Ready, Lieutenant!

In a few minutes they'll be here.

But where is the master sergeant?

Why didn't he came earlier?

The master sergeant had to be here already.

where is the chair,corporal?

Why do you stare like and idiot?

On what would you like the convinct to climb?

We should use you as a chair! Now get lost!

Allow me to introduce myself:Lieutenant Apostol Bologa.

Klapka.Otto Klapka

I was transfered from the italian battlefield to this division.

I just arrived.

At the railway station i heard that an execution is about to begin.

Yes

I can't really understand how did i got in this place

So you moved in this division.

Yes

In the 50th Field Artillery.

Ah, right in our regiment! Then, welcome!

So, who are you hanging?

Hm, a czech sub-lieutenan. Svoboda is his name.

He was caught right when he was trying to switch sides.

Outrageous, isn't it?

Yes, of course.

I had the honnor to be in the Court-Martial.He didn't even defend himself.

He looked at us in a strange way. I believe he was trying to defy us.

Though... it wasn't defiance. It was something else.He didn't say a word.

Do you smoke?

No, no.

Otherwise it would have been useless. Even myself, a reluctant person that i am, this time, the proofs were evident.

The evidences...

The evidences...

Mr Captain, you forget that we are on the front. It looks like you are a reserve officer.

Otherwise, you wouldn't talk like that about a crime.

Yes, you are right. I am a lawyer durring peace. But now...

I'm a reserve officer too!

The war drag me out from the book univers from the University where i almost lost contact with real life.

What are you studying?

Filosophy.

Have you ever attended an exection by hanging?

No.

Excuse me.

What is this? What have you brought?

It's to high, can't you see? How can the convinct climb on it?Ah!

Here comes the convoy.

Get out! Get out of the hole!

Lieutenant Apostol Bologa from the 50th Field Artillery. At your command,sir!

Accidentaly, i came earlier and i saw that the necessary chair was missing.

Was missing?

Corporal, were is the executioner?

I report, sir, we don't know! We only came here to dig the grave.

How come you don't know, you idiot? Where is the master sergeant?

At your service Sir.

What did you do you bastard? Where is the executioner?I'm gonna...

30 days of imprisonment.

And now...

Corporal, you are going to be the executioner.

Mr colonel, i report... please forgive me... Mr colonel!

Get back! Get back!

God is good and great...

It fractured.

What?

The button fractured, Father.

Got it?

On the other side, Father, please.

I would like more order, for Christ sake!

God is good and great...

Get back!

Everybody go back!

Get back! Everybody 3 steps back!

Make way.

Doctor, does it take long?

You'll see...

Good lord...

If it's possible, to die quicker...

What?

See what does he want.

Say it. What do you want? Then...

Attention!

Commands from the brigade officers.

The Court-Martial of the soldiers commandment found the sub-lieutenant Ian Svoboda

as being guilty of desertion crime and espionage crime stated in Paragraph no.341 from

the military justice code. For this, the Grand Commandement according to the exceptional disposal no.32183,

degrades him by condemning to death by hanging. This adjudgement was released today, 18th of October 1916.

Signed by General Karg.

At your command, sir.

Ok, ok.

Withouth the coat.

Come on. Go ahead!

Take out your mess jacket! A soldier in his uniform cannot be a executioner!

The chair.Pull it.

5...6...7...

He died fast.

No comment, be kind. So what's the result?

Sir, the convinct is dead.

Then, let's go on.

Sir, the decision has been well-made.

Soldiers...

It's cold.

Farewell...

Mr Captain,

It was instructive.

When the crime is evident, the law... The military honnor was splashed, we only did our job.

The job...When it comes to the life of a person... What are you? I'm talking about the nationality.

Romanian.

What about you? Why do you keep stalking me? Go home.Run!

Yes sir.

I'm czech...

Bologa... what a name.

A led soldier.

You know? My husband has a chess table with led soldiers.

And you're a led soldier!

Yes, a soldier that in an hour is about to die. After i take a good meal at the canteen.

You're great.

You're like me. In order to die, we have to kill ourselves 100 times. But you... you're scrimshanking.

And today you flushed from the execution.

I did that for you.

Hm... for you...

Are you scared?

wait.

What?

Weren't you at the..

No. Why, why would i need that? It's an unpleasant show. I've seen that in Italy.

My dear... dont be upset...

You know... she came here because all the people were there and there wasn't anybody able to see her.

Forgive me. Try to understand me.

Rosa?

Discretion...

Thank you. I'll see you at the canteen.

How did he act?

Good evening.

With obedience i report sir: my son came for 2 days from the front.

Here you go.

No,thanks.

You could use a glass of wine.

What's new on the front, soldier?

well, at God's mercy.

Clean my boots please.

Continue. The food is getting cold. Eat.

It's enough.

But i didn't finish...

Good evening.

Eat.

Stay still!

Doctor!

The dinner is ready in an hour.

A snaps Mr Bologa.

Ah, Muller...

Boiled snaps. This is what i learned

There is no place to take a seat.

Come with me

I have a small.. a small place.

This is your shelter?

This is only the purgatory.

A bit smelly. What about the Paradise?

Immediately. It's small and romantic, except the small which is everywhere.Over here

Geniune museum piece. In fact, here is where the centuries confound. The styles...

rococo,

canzon...

past...

present.

And the future... here.

Get in.

As french say.

Johan Marian it's you name?

Yes

Iohan Marie Muller...it doesn't suit the uniform.

Santa Claus.

You are worried.

I was there too.

Are you playing an instrument?

Yes, a little bit.

Do you wanna play somethin?

You welcome

The guilt was evident.Even superior to man, to his particular interests...

It's the country.

Nothing is superios to man.

The man...

The man with his ugliness and his beauty.

With the pain, with the fear...

With the blind searching of a blind God.

The man is everything Mr Bologa.

And this is his girlfriend.

Fiancee.

He is wrighting pasional letters to her. He is keeping himself for her.

Really?

More than sure.

Don't be...

What is his name? Bologa... and...?