The Marriage of Maria Braun Page #2

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or learned to forget.

That's sad.

Yes, it's sad.

But tell me about yourself.

I need a health certificate.

Of course.

It's pretty cold this year.

I'm working in a bar...

selling beer, not myself.

I've had to learn to stop

believing people too...

but I still believe you.

You know what you're doing.

And if anything happens,

I'll get some penicillin for you.

I'm not sure how,

but I'll find a way.

Nothing's going to happen to me.

What is penicillin?

Forget it, Maria.

How is your mother?

The war hasn't taken away

her sense of humor.

She shares my rations,

cries my tears, tells my lies.

But she leaves the thinking to me,

so that I have no time for dreams.

You can have

my wife's bicycle, if you want.

It was as good as new

under all the rubble.

Thank you.

Why don't you ask about Hermann?

You don't have to believe

he'll come back.

It's enough that I know he will.

My gloves.

You stole my gloves, you rat!

You bastard!

Say that again, you bum!

Stop it, you Nazi swine!

DOES ANYONE KNOW

HERMANN BRAUN?

- Quiet tonight.

- It's Tuesday.

- It's not what you imagined, huh?

- I'm satisfied.

Then everything's fine.

- If you ask me -

- I didn't ask you.

You're here,

and your Hermann's not here.

He's somewhere else.

Maybe he's dead...

and love's only a feeling.

It's not the truth.

- Sure love's a feeling.

And a great love is a great feeling,

and a great truth.

Truth.

The truth's what you have in your belly

when you're hungry.

Feelings are what you have

between your legs...

like an itch that you scratch.

And for this here,

you need a full belly,

and someone who's here,

not just somewhere

or maybe nowhere.

Your friend over there - he's here...

and he's clearly not starving,

and he's sweet on you.

What friend?

- Your Bill, darling.

- I don't know any Bill.

You hadn't even noticed him, huh?

- No. Which one is he?

- Over there.

He's big and strong.

He just happens to be black.

Better black than brown.

Braun.

He was just a normal guy

till you came.

Now he's sitting there

as if paralyzed.

He wanted to know

everything about you.

Look.

Just like a movie star.

How do I look?

Great. Why?

Because right now

I want to look great.

What are you crying for,

you silly cow?

Your man's not dead.

He's standing there in front of you.

Thank your lucky stars

you still have him

and that it didn't happen to him.

Hermann didn't suffer.

It was all over quickly.

They say no one made it out alive.

Hello. It's me.

Guess what I've got.

You won't believe it.

Willy.

You.

You're really back?

Betti, you've got him back!

We're so stupid.

All we can do is weep for joy

that you're together,

and that Willy's safe and sound.

Hermann is dead.

My dear!

Leave me alone.

Where are you going?

- To the bar.

- Darling, don't!

I have to go someplace

where I can be alone.

Beautiful.

Please correct me

if I speak incorrectly.

What are you thinking?

What are you thinking?

I was wondering if it's possible

to think about nothing.

Is it?

I don't think I can do it.

I think I can.

You think I'd have gotten over it

as quickly as Maria?

I hope you would have, Betti.

What's that?

Why?

It's nice being with you, Bill.

I was very happy just now.

Only just now?

I'm always happy

when I'm with you.

Me, too.

Then it's simple:

If we're always together,

we'll always be happy.

- Maybe.

- Not maybe.

For sure.

I have something for you.

You shouldn't give me

so many presents.

It's something special this time.

And you must promise me

you'll accept it.

No, Bill.

I can't accept this ring.

I'm very fond of you

and I want to be with you,

but I'll never marry you.

I'm married...

to my husband.

Are you sure?

Positive.

How positive?

Please, please, please.

Very well.

You'll soon feel it.

You'll help deliver it, won't you?

Promise me.

I can't, Maria.

I'm too old to live,

and too scared to die.

It scares me the way you talk.

Nonsense.

Let's just say I'm quitting.

I'm going to stay with my daughter

in the Black Forest.

My hands shake too much.

Not for me...

or my little boy.

I'll come to you when it's time.

Dear little Maria.

Yes, I'll come to you...

and you'll help me give birth to him.

It will be a boy, won't it?

The chances aren't bad.

Really?

About fifty-fifty.

You don't take me seriously.

Oh, yes, I do.

Do you have a father for your boy?

Can you have a baby without one?

The father's black,

and my son will be called Hermann.

- I'm not sick. I'm pregnant.

- Pregnant.

- You can also say "expecting."

- That's nice.

I'm expecting.

Mom.

Grandpa Berger.

Nobody home.

- We're alone at last.

Are you expecting?

Yes.

I'm expecting, too.

I'll speak German with him.

And you?

English.

Then he can decide

whether to marry

a German or American girl.

American girls are ugly.

German men are ugly.

I know only one American man

who's handsome.

I know only one German girl

who's beautiful.

- And strong.

- And rich.

And brave.

And brave.

And tender.

And tender.

Guess who I mean.

Me?

Hermann?

Look, Bill.

It's Hermann.

So, you met the deceased

in the Moonlight Bar?

Would you tell us more about this bar?

It's a bar like any other.

Wouldn't you say that

this was a very special bar?

A bar exclusively for members

of American occupation forces?

Of course. It was always off-limits.

Germans are not allowed in.

Exactly. Germans have

no business being in this bar.

Except for the hostesses

who work there.

Would that be a fair description

of your profession?

And that in this role

you attached yourself to the deceased...

and allowed yourself

to be kept by him?

While your husband

was a Russian prisoner of war,

you, for low, egotistical reasons

started an affair with a man...

with a man who could pay for your favors

with chocolate and silk stockings.

I was very fond of him.

You seem to have a big heart.

No.

You needn't look it up.

You wouldn't understand

the difference anyway.

I was fond of Bill...

and I love my husband.

That is really a very fine difference.

You can stop questioning her.

It was I who killed that negro.

The baby will be ours.

We'll explain it all to him later.

Later is a long time.

What are you going to do till then?

I'll wait for you.

You're a young

and beautiful woman.

I'm your wife.

And how do you intend to live?

I've never learned anything.

I must learn to work first.

Then I'll get work.

We'll begin our life

when we're together again.

Attention on platform 1.

Freight train passing through.

Shall I carry it?

No. Things are tough

enough for you.

I know how hard this is

for a mother.

And it was a boy, too.

The Lord giveth

and the Lord hath taken away.

Maybe it has its positive side, too.

The poor creature

wouldn't have had it easy in life.

And neither would you.

I never said I wanted to have it easy.

But with a black child?

Now he's a little black angel.

A little black angel. That's nice.

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