Guard No. 47 (Hlidac C.47) (Hlídač č. 47)

The cannon nearly glowed as he tamped in the load...

Ore Mountains, Czechoslovakia 1920

And the blow came quick...

Cut the war crap. My father's a cripple.

- Where from? - Galicia. He lost both legs.

The cannon nearly glowed, loading, loading.

- The cannon nearly glowed... - Where to now? - Up the hill!

- Whoa! Where now? - Up to the castle.

- Up to the guardhouse? - I said castle. Drive!

- No, I won't strain the horses. - Should we carry our belongings?

I said I'm not going. I'll unload you at the pub.

- Are you taking us or not? - No!

Go sit in the pub. We'll go on without you.

- The horses won't take you. - They will.

- I'd like to see that. - Just watch. Move!

You'll see how we rode in the war.

Madman...

Czech Television

presents the film

GUARD NO. 47

Starring

Based on the novel by Josef Kopta

Written by

I'm glad you're here.

There are more and more trains. People are afraid to cross.

The name's Flašar.

- I've got a farm nearby. - Douša. Josef Douša.

Good luck.

Don't worry, we'll be fine here.

Directed by

- Yes. - 47, Douša.

Understood... Bayonets on!

Out! Out!

- Move! - Forward!

What are you doing? Get off the tracks!

Go on, get out of here! Get off the tracks!

Get out of here! Get off the tracks!

- No! - Get up! Get up! - No!

- Get off the tracks! - I want to die!

What the hell? Are you crazy?

Idiot!

Stop it!

Are you crazy? Huh?

Come inside!

I'm Anna, Anna Doušová. What's your name?

I'm Ferda, the local gravedigger.

Ferda, you were tempting fate.

Don't you know what it's like to be alone with no family?

I'll make you some hot tea.

Terezka left me.

She always pulled away... in disgust.

Afraid of a gravedigger, you wretch? I nauseate you, don't I?

She's afraid of people. We've been here a week without any visitors.

Oh, no. Even beasts sense who I am.

Gravediggers are indispensable. We'll all need one someday.

Don't tell anyone about me. I wasn't here. Promise?

Why would you lie on the tracks? What could such a young man lack?

I lack what you deprived me of: death.

I'll be going.

- Won't you finish your tea? - No, thank you.

Thanks for everything.

Maybe now the worst is over.

He's an idiot.

Josef?

Josef, what are you thinking about now?

The tracks... I saw her there again.

Josef, you promised me.

I can't stop thinking about her.

Josef...

Františka!

It was my fault. I should have crippled myself rather than enlist.

We shouldn't have taken this place. You'll keep thinking about her;

you'll always see her on the tracks.

The only job veterans can ever get is as a guard.

Don't think about the dead.

You're a murderer, Douša! You killed my sister!

What?

- Brutal murderer! - Murderer?

You ran away to war so you wouldn't have to marry her!

- Murderer? - Murderer!

Why am I a murderer? I didn't want her to kill herself.

You killed my sister!

Why are you doing this, Anička? Why?

- Filthy murderer! - Josef... - Don't say that. - Wake up!

Murderer!

- I didn't say anything. - You didn't? - No.

Stop thinking about Františka. We're the only ones here.

Sorry, Anička...

I don't feel well.

- Who is that? - Greetings.

- Who is that? - The one from the guardhouse.

- Good day, Mrs. Doušová. - Good day.

- Greetings. - Greetings.

Ah, you've come today too. Maybe we should toll the bell.

- Greetings, Mr. Mayor. - Greetings.

Dear God, our Father, forgive me my sins.

Forgive me my thoughts.

Forgive that I care for Josef and that I wanted Františka gone.

The body of Christ... The body of Christ...

Dear God, please let Josef and me have the happiness...

The body of Christ...

...that a man and woman only experience in holy matrimony.

And let me love Josef. Amen.

The body of Christ...

PUB

Good day.

Good day... The name's Douša, guard 47.

Čejka, the mayor. Good day.

The name's Kuběna, the butcher.

- Mařánek. - Douša.

- Welcome, Douša. - We already know each other, eh?

Treat him well so he'll dig you a good grave.

- I'm not planning on dying today. - This is Fahoun, the coffin maker.

- Fahoun. They call me Coffin. - Douša.

What do you like to sing? Are there any veterans here?

- Aren't you a vet, Mařánek? - Not even you?

Not likely!

Barkeep, another round for everyone, on me.

Right away.

Balls flying past their ears, the cannonade grew fierce.

And they stood their ground, the muskets mowed them down.

The cannon nearly glowed, loading, loading, loading...

Where're you going, Ferda?

The cannon nearly glowed, loading, loading, loading.

The cannon nearly glowed as he tamped in the load...

Going to see her?

I saw how you couldn't keep your eyes off her.

A pretty woman, eh?

Do you like her? Creep away, you church rat.

The Lord sees everything. Even inside of you.

And so do I...

Watch out for the gravedigger. He's young and your wife is pretty.

You don't know my wife. She can handle anyone, acolyte.

Be careful... A train is coming.

- Why are you here, Ferda? - To see you.

But you can't; what would my husband say?

Are you afraid because I'm a gravedigger?

- Do I smell like death? - No.

Won't you invite me in? I'm freezing.

I won't do anything to you.

Do you think I'm a thief or a murderer?

People treat stray dogs better than me.

Okay, come have some tea.

You should marry.

Find a nice girl, build a house, have children...

- Just don't stay alone. - Yeah... That's easy to say.

But I've already found her.

Well! Don't hesitate or someone else will...

Don't say you don't know who it is.

I went mad the first moment I saw you.

I can't sleep, I'm lost,

I feel alive for the first time in my life!

I think only of you. I see you every second of every day!

Let me go. Let me go...

Anička! We'll be together for just a moment.

No one will know anything.

- Anička, come... - Let me go or I'll kill you.

- Let me go. - Anička!

Let me go or I'll kill you! I'll kill you!

Get out of here.

Out!

Be happy I don't tell my husband. He'd take care of things.

Anička!

- Anička, you're not asleep. - No.

I think they're good people: Flašar, Bártík...

And that coffin maker Fahoun is a good guy.

I like him... The 06!

Sorry I stayed so late but we talked everything over,

discussed it all. We reminisced about the war...

Are you angry?

No, not at all.

- I'd like to live out my days among friends. - Josef...

- Anička! - If there was even one unfriendly person here

I'd take care of him.

Wait, wait... Anička, sorry.

I'm hungry.

The poor pub owner: TB finally got him.

Lord Jesus Christ, Thy presence sanctifies all.

Thou sanctified the grave in which Thou rested,

and from which Thou also rose.

Through Thee, blessed are the graves of all believers

for they have died with Thee and so shall they rise.

Remember what I told you, Ferda.

Anička?

Come here.

Come on!

Where were you so long?

After the funeral I talked to Mrs. Flašarová and Mařánková...

Come here...

- You look nice. - Sorry, Josef... Not now.

No, not now!

I'm going in to cook. I'm going to cook.

Guard 47...

Yes... Yes.

Roger!

Got a cigarette?

It was my fault.

Get a stretcher!

Come here. Don't worry...

Josef... You'll forget one day.