MIDSUMMER NIGHT  (Mittsommernacht)

Script translation from German to English.

Part 3

In the bar. 

Miss Nielsen:                            “He’s now been at Svytelma farm 3 months, and he still hasn’t run away.” 

Policeman:                                “Just wait, that will happen soon enough.” 

Eric:                                         “He’s only faking it.” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “Look who’s talking! If he hadn’t gotten in-between ...” 

Eric:                                         “Yeah, yeah, unmarried women love this kind of thing.” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “Please, I take exception to such...” 

Eric:                                         “OK!” 

Waitress (bringing beer):            “Does anyone know where he’s from?” 

Policeman:                                “No, but it’s only a matter of time, in a couple of days we’ll get news about him.” 

Eric:                                         “The big mystery man – very romantic!” To the waitress: “Maybe you’re impressed too?” 

Fransen:                                   “Haugstad, his name is Tore Haugstad. What do you say to that?” 

Policeman:                                “As far as I’m concerned, and inasmuch as I haven’t seen his papers, he doesn’t have name.” 

Fransen:                                   “OK, so maybe he’s a wanted man?” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “A wanted man! Yes, I knew it; I sensed he was hiding something.” 

Waitress in the background attending to the baby. Some background social chatter. 

Eric:                                         “I think the old geezer is jealous over you.” 

Waitress:                                  “No reason.” 

Eric:                                         “Does that mean there is nothing going on between you, or that you don’t trust him?” 

Waitress (slaps him):            “That’s my business.” 

Eric:                                         “Not quite, but...but it stays between us, yes?” 

Waitress:                                  “Overall he’s not the worst guy around.” 

Eric:                                         “Old geezer!” 

Waitress:                                  “One doesn’t have the choice of being an old geezer when young.” (Ok, that sounds really weird!)  

In the bar. 

Arne (walking in):            “This calls for a celebration. It’s been too long since I last did business with you.” 

Slaps Mr. Isberg on the shoulder. 

Mr. Isberg:                               “Ouch! You don’t have to kill me to show your appreciation.” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “You’re just not what you used to.” 

Mr. Isberg:                               “Why must it be on the shoulder?” (lecher!)                                               

Fransen (with shot glasses):      “We have to celebrate this –the salmon are running, the fishermen out on the fjord spotted them.” 

Mr. Isberg:                               “Miss Nielsen! Have you experienced what the salmon are doing this time of year?” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “No, what are they doing?” 

Mr. Isberg:                               “They mate!” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “Ah, so ...” (gets up) 

------ 

In the yard outside. 

Eric:                                         “You show a lot of patience with the old geezer.” 

Waitress:                                  “You have no reason to be jealous.” 

Eric:                                         “I like the reason.” (kisses her) 

Fransen:                                   “This is what you call serving the patrons?” 

Eric:                                         “Of course – this is what I call service. You’re just upset because you don’t get any.” 

Fransen:                                   “Enough! Don’t let it go to your head.” 

Eric:                                         “A bar room is open to everybody.” 

Fransen:                                   “So go there, others would be glad to see you again.” 

---------                                                          

At the farm. Karin in bed:            “Please, no lights.” 

Tore:                                        “What’s this? Have you lost your way? Karin, you don’t know what you’re doing.” 

Karin:                                       “You feel that everyone else is of no consequence to you?” 

Tore:                                        “Karin. This is not the time – you are deluding yourself, trust me.” 

Karin:                                       “Maybe I’m not good enough for you – Astrid would be a better choice had she owned the farm.” 

(Astrid listening next door) 

Karin:                                       “If I only could have a child – an heir – the farm would belong to me – and you!” 

Tore:                                        “If Arne finds out!” 

Karin:                                       “He doesn’t have to know that you fathered the child.” 

Tore:                                        “I don’t want to hear any more of this – forget it – understand?” 

Karin:                                       “Why don’t you want me? Why?” 

Tore:                                        “Because I love another woman.” 

Karin:                                       “When I hear these big words “LOVE” – Arne loves me – you love another – I love you!” 

Tore:                                        “My love is totally different.” 

Karin:                                       “Different? How can you love other than in bed?” 

Tore:                                        “Please go.” 

Karin:                                       “And who is the lucky one, who is being loved so differently?” 

Tore:                                        “She doesn’t know anything about it – why should I tell you?” 

Karin:                                       “I should have known – serves me right.” 

Tore:                                        “Please go. We’ll never talk about it again.”       

Karin gets dressed and walks out of his room. Astrid and Karin meet in the hallway.) 

Karin:                                       “What are you doing?” 

Astrid:                                      “I cannot sleep in this heat.” 

Karin:                                       “Is it just the heat?” 

Astrid:                                      “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

Karin:                                       “You know very well. Who are you going to? Where are you going?” 

Karin:                                       “Look at you – the untouchable beauty.” 

Astrid:                                      “Don’t yell so loud.” 

Karin:                                       “Why not? Everybody should hear this.” 

Christina:                                  “Can’t you sleep either?” 

Astrid:                                      “Please stop this.” 

Christina:                                  “What’s going on between you two?” 

Karin:                                       “Your older sister can’t sleep while a man is in the house.” 

Tore (coming out of his room): “Well, that can be remedied. I have been here far too long.” 

------- 

Women washing clothes by the river.                                               

------- 

Grandpa:                                  “Take a look – it’ll be quite a while till we get that contract from Isberg.” 

Tore:                                        “This is for you. Goodbye.” 

Grandpa:                                  “You’re leaving? For good?” 

Tore:                                        “Yes.” 

Grandpa:                                  “Why?” 

Tore:                                        “I came here because I was looking for something ...” 

Grandpa:                                  “But you’ve found it here!” 

Tore:                                        “No, something else – something quite different. Goodbye.”    

--------- 

Tore saves the baby and hands it over to the waitress. 

Waitress:                                  “My child, it’s my child, I don’t have a sister at all.”      

------- 

Back at the sawmill. 

Karin:                                       “So. All alone.” 

Astrid:                                      “I’ll manage ok – Isberg’s contract work must get done timely.” 

Karin:                                       “Somebody could have done the work if you hadn’t chased him away.” 

Astrid:                                      “You’re the only one to blame.” 

Karin:                                       “Me? What are you talking about?” 

Astrid:                                      “I heard everything last night.” 

Karin:                                       “You made it all up in one of your virgin fantasies. You heard nothing.” 

Astrid:                                      “I heard everything. I’m ashamed to have to tell my father about the kind of loathesome person you are, but then again I’m not ashamed knowing what you have done.” 

Karin:                                       “You can’t prove anything, you hear me!” 

Astrid calling for help. 

Christina running in.             “Astrid! Astrid! You have saved us from bankruptcy...

                                                Hey, what’s going on?” 

Astrid:                                      “Nothing, absolutely nothing – I got stuck, and if the saw had not broken down nobody would have known anything.”

-------- 

Bonfire scene and dancing. 

-------- 

Back at the inn – Arne drinking. 

Eric to the waitress:                “Come with me to the midnight party.” 

Waitress:                                  “I can’t leave here.” 

Eric:                                         “Oh.” 

Fransen:                                   “Go ahead – girls must have some fun too.” 

Waitress:                                  “I can’t go and leave you alone with all the work.” 

Fransen:                                   “You are off duty, I don’t need you tonight.” 

Eric:                                         “So, let’s go – the old geezer finally came to his senses.” 

Waitress:                                  “But I...” 

Eric:                                         “Come on, go change.” 

---------- 

Stranger smoking and watching. This is Aslak Brodersen, the villain in this piece. 

Aslak:                                       “Hi, little one, come here. Do you see the woman over there wearing the black dress? Give her this photo and ask her to come over here.” 

Karin:                                       “Are you crazy? Didn’t I write you saying it wouldn’t be much longer?” 

Aslak:                                       “I missed you.” 

Karin:                                       “Stop this nonsense. Don’t let anybody see you. You can’t just show up whenever it suits you.” 

Aslak:                                       “But I need money.” 

Karin:                                       Wait a couple of weeks - right now there is nothing to trade.” 

Aslak:                                       “I’ll get if from the other one.” 

Karin:                                       “From whom?” 

Aslak:                                       “I’ll get it from the one that dances with the youngest daughter. Does she come from the farm you wrote about?” 

Karin:                                       “Yes.” 

Aslak:                                       “He has no choice but to give me the money.” 

Karin:                                       “Why?” 

Aslak:                                       “Because I know him better than he knows himself. He isn’t, you see, Tore Haugstad.” 

--------- 

In the bar room. 

Eric:                                         “So, come now – he gave you the night off.” 

Waitress:                                  “No, he didn’t give me the night off.” 

Isberg spying on some bathing beauties from his truck. Two girls run up and say: 

                                                “So, come now and get a closer look!” 

Isberg:                                      “With pleasure.” 

------- 

Karin helping Arne out from the inn to the wagon. 

Arne:                                        “What now – where are the girls? We’re going home now.” 

Karin:                                       “Astrid has already gone – and who knows where Christina has gone.” 

Karin:                                       “Miss Nielsen, have you by chance seen Christina?” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “No, I’m sorry.” 

Karin:                                       “Miss Nielsen, I have sensational news, but you can’t tell anyone.” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “Me? Tell anyone? What gives you that idea?” 

Arne yells from the wagon. 

Karin:                                       “Yes, coming.” 

------- 

Miss Nielsen (walks back in):            “Where have you been? Have you seen him – Tore Haugstad? His name isn’t Tore Haugstad – we have to report him to the police.” 

Fransen:                                   “What?” 

Miss Nielsen:                            “Yes, to the police.”   

To Part 4

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