Last Front, The (2024)

[bunniefuu]

- sh**ter, sh**ter.

- Get 'em, get 'em, get 'em.

Who have I been

praying to all this time?

You were my shelter, my

quiet place in the chaos.

My respite, the

calm in my storm.

Your memory follows me

as constant as my shadow.

Your absence lingers,

but in every shadow,

I find your presence.

With each sun that sets,

a day less between us.

- All those things will do,

all those perfect pictures.

One day they'll

all be forgotten,

but today will make

them worthwhile.

So will you join me in a

story, written by you and me?

- How does this story end?

- I suppose you've

got a cook and a maid.

- Just a cook.

But there is a woman

that helps in a house.

And, oh and there is a boy.

- Pascal.

- Yes, Pascal, who

does the odd jobs.

- Pascal does

everybody's odd jobs.

- Yes, but we pay

him to do ours.

- You didn't even know his name.

- Adrien, stop it.

- You'll be saying he's

like one of the family next.

- Oh, Adrien.

Ow.

- Look at that.

- Do I look

like a princess?

- Mm, my Parisian queen.

- I have to go.

Some of us have work to do.

- Oh, I can help.

We've upset her.

- No we haven't.

She's just a pain in the neck.

- We still upset her.

- When are you

telling your parents?

- When are you

telling your father?

Are you scared of him or what?

- No, of course not.

When he married my mother,

he doesn't have a

leg to stand on.

- Did she teach

you to be a poet?

- I'm pretty sure she didn't

want me to be a farmer.

- Is

everything all right?

Have you seen your brother?

- I don't know.

- You don't know?

- It looked like him,

it sounded like him,

but he wasn't acting like him.

- Is he with the girl?

- So, how does the story end?

- It ends with you realizing

why everything happened

the way it had to happen.

- Come on boy,

there's work to be done.

I think it's time you

were heading home.

- I'm sorry Mr.

Lambert, it's my fault.

- I doubt that.

Adrien.

- Don't go.

- It's all right.

Just stick it.

- Snitch.

- Lovesick idiot.

- Your infatuation

with the Lambert boy.

- Daddy, he makes me happy.

And when he talks to me

and when he looks at me,

he doesn't see

education or status.

He sees me and he loves me.

- Stop it.

- Oh, please don't cry.

If you've made a mistake,

if you've made promises

that you shouldn't have,

well we can fix it.

- Mamma, you don't understand.

He is worth it, he is.

- Is there something

that I should know?

- No, of course not.

- Since you start

talking like this,

I don't recognize you anymore.

- Harold.

- Nothing you do or say

is gonna make a difference

and you've got to find

a way to live with that.

- She is not the right woman.

She doesn't belong here.

- Just like my mother?

- Marrying her was the most

selfish thing I ever did.

- But we're in love.

- Your mother and

I were in love.

It wasn't enough.

- You don't know Louise.

- No, but I know what

living and working on a farm

does to a woman.

Being married to a man like

me, the man you'll become,

it wears them down

little by little.

You don't notice at first.

And then they're gone.

If you love her, you'll let

her go.

- I can't do that.

- You can.

- No.

I really can't.

- Do I have to

talk to her father?

I'm sure you're not the

son-in-law he imagined.

- Do what you like.

Makes no difference.

- Adrien.

Adrien.

Adrien.

- Excuse me, sir.

- Not now.

Do you have a minute, sir?

- Is it Laurentz?

- You ordered

Lieutenant Von Rauch

to take the Belgian prisoners,

to command a Steiner's camp.

- Mm.

- He ex*cuted them.

- We are at w*r.

- Not just the

prisoners, sir.

Men, women, children.

All of them because of

one franc-tireur,

a young girl barely

out of her teens.

- What is

this, a cozy little nightcap.

- You salute a senior

officer Lieutenant.

You're going out tonight

with a scouting party.

- Don't worry, this is my last.

- Did I not raise you

to be a gentleman?

- You did.

- In w*r and in

peace, it's a choice.

We can choose to

respect our enemies.

- What, let them

sh**t us in the back?

- Or we can be

unnecessarily brutal.

- One of my men was k*lled today

and they almost had me too.

- They were trying to

protect what was theirs.

I understand

that you ordered your

men to sh**t civilians.

- They were rabble-rousers.

- No, they were

women and children.

w*r has a code.

Your decisions, your

choices, your actions

are putting us in danger.

- I did what I had

to do to save lives

and I will do it again.

- This has got to stop boy,

before it goes too far.

- Too late for that.

- I didn't hear you.

- I said, what's

the point in that?

I'll be called up for the army

soon and then I'll be dead.

- Father, is it true

the Kaiser's coming?

- No, no, no, Camille,

not the Kaiser himself.

- Doctor.

- Louise.

- Leonard.

- I was wondering about

the doctor's new car.

- Oh yes.

Nice and shiny.

He has a barn big enough

to put his car in it,

and yet he chooses to park

it right here in the square.

In case of emergencies, he says.

I'd like to show you something.

- Now?

I have work to do.

- Sunday is a day

of rest, Leonard.

- For you maybe.

- Did you hear what

happened last night?

g*nf*re, right on

the road to Brussels.

- Could have been

someone sh**ting rabbits.

- People are leaving

the villages.

- Well, yeah, the rich are.

The poor are being abandoned

to look after themselves.

- Where are they going?

- France, mostly.

- Why would anyone

leave their home?

- Because they're terrified.

We all are, can't you see?

- What are

we supposed to do

if the Germans turn up?

- Well, where I come from,

you resist, you fight back.

- With what?

Hunting r*fle and a pitchfork?

- Or we could escape to France.

- Oh, you can do

that, but I can't.

I'm not leaving the farm.

- And what about the children?

- I'm not a child.

- That is right.

You're old enough to fight.

- But not old enough

to do what I want.

- He's young, Leonard.

- Can I have one?

- Girls don't smoke.

- This girl does.

- Bloody fools.

- I expect they've all been

through the same at their age.

They probably feel

sorry for you.

I feel sorry for you.

- I feel sorry for you.

It's the most wonderful

feeling in the world.

I feel invincible.

- You don't look it.

- What on

earth happened?

Where are the others?

- We're the

only survivors.

We walked straight

into a Belgian platoon, sir.

- What the

hell is going on?

- You were supposed

to be out there.

You were supposed

to be in charge.

Gather your men

we're moving out.

- We'll go after them.

They can't have gone far.

- What's this huh?

Too drunk to lead your men,

too drunk to do your job.

- Sergeant Schultz

is a capable soldier.

- 'Cause of your

arrogance and your self,

your self-indulgence,

we are now outnumbered.

Do you understand?

- There goes Leonard.

Visiting Father Michael.

- He's come to discuss

his tormented soul.

- It's about bloody time.

- Come.

Remember this?

- I'm hardly likely to forget.

- And when the Germans come,

this is gonna be the

safest place to hide.

- Why are you showing me this?

- The people trust you Leonard.

They're going to be looking

to you for leadership.

- They can look all they like,

I'm not leading anyone anywhere.

- Look, nobody else knows

that these are here.

- No surprise then.

How old are these?

When were they last cleaned?

- I don't know.

I don't know

anything about g*ns.

That's why I wanted to

show you where they are.

If it should come down to it.

- If it should

come down to what?

- Who else am I gonna ask?

The doctor?

The mayor and most of the parish

council have gone already.

There's no one left.

People are always

the last front.

And the people

respect you, Leonard,

even though you don't know it.

- I can't do this.

- Then who will?

- Hmm, you look good up there.

- Like a poet's wife?

- Like Mrs. Lambert.

- What?

You're getting married now?

A bit fast, isn't it?

- Don't tell Dad.

- What's it worth?

- To keep your mouth shut,

I'd say it was worth

me not throwing you

into the deep end of the pond

and holding you under.

- Adrien.

- Fine,

I really don't care

what you do to me,

or you Miss la dee da.

- Oi,

you dare speak to her like that?

- Johanna.

- Dad, Dad, Louise and

Adrien are getting married.

Dad, where are you?

They're getting married, Dad.

- What's she

got to be upset about?

- She thinks she's losing you.

- She shouldn't be here.

- We brought the

hay down, Leonard.

I was glad of the help.

- She's not going anywhere.

- Adrien, don't make a fuss.

- This is not the time.

She should be at

home with her family.

- We're her family.

You are her family.

- Oh, my God.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait.

- Dad!

- Let her go.

- No.

- No, no, no, Dad.

- Let her go,

you're scaring her.

Will you tell your soldier to

let go of my daughter, please?

- We are not here to

hurt you or your family.

- No, stop.

- It's okay.

- They're hurting me.

- Let her come to me.

- Is this your farm?

- Yes, it is.

- It's very nice.

How big is it?

- Johanna be calm.

- They're hurting me.

- Be calm.

- We will only take

what we need.

My men need water and supplies.

- On second thought,

I think I might slaughter

to one of your pigs.

And I'll take your horse.

- I can't let you do that.

- You want your children

to grow up fatherless, huh?

Huh?

- No, no.

- Please.

- Laurentz,

lower your g*n.

- You know, maybe, just maybe,

I might take the girl, huh.

- No, no.

- Ya.

- No, no, no.

- Come here.

Come here!

- In God's name, why?

- ]Maximilian] Get off him.

- Adrien.

- No.

- Don't do this.

- I'm sorry.

He's young.

- Adrien.

- It's fine.

No! No!

No! Dad! No!

No.

No, Adrien!

- Die, now!

- Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Quiet.

We need to be quiet.

Shh.

- You want to play with me, huh?

- Lieutenant,

stand down.

Stand down, Lieutenant.

- Ya, ya I stand down.

- Run.

Just go.

- Run, run.

- Move.

- Sir.

- Have you lost your mind?

- He

almost broke my nose.

- And the girl?

- She was a mistake.

- What happened to you Laurentz?

How did you become

such a monster?

- I am not a monster.

I am a soldier, ya.

- I always knew that

you were capable

of something like this.

I'd hoped you'd prove me wrong.

I thought I could protect

you from yourself.

- Sir, I don't--

- When we reach Reims,

you will be relieved

of your command.

- Father.

- I will spare you

the humiliation

of a court martial

by allowing you to

resign your commission.

- You know you are a

sentimental old fool

and you are going to

get us all k*lled.

- And you shame our country.

And you shame our family.

- Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

- Leonard, are

you all right?

What's happened?

- Leonard.

What happened?

- They k*lled my son

and then they, they

k*lled my daughter.

They shot them in front of me.

I did nothing.

- Where's Louise?

- Give him a minute.

- Was she with you?

- Harold.

- Where is she?

- For God's sake.

- Tell me where is she?

- I don't know, she's--

- Leonard, where are they?

Where are the Germans?

- I don't know.

- They k*lled Adrien

and his sister.

- Harold, Louise, where is she?

- Listen, I'm going to find her.

Go back inside.

Lock the doors.

Don't let anyone

in until I'm back.

- Please.

- No, no!

- No, no!

- Turn the engine off.

Now show me your hands.

Show me your hands.

- I'm unarmed.

- Where have you come from?

- From the village.

I need to find my daughter.

- Are there soldiers

in the village?

- No.

Sir, I--

- We will escort you back.

- I need to find--

- Going to drive us

into the town, ya.

And you're not

going to say a word.

- Hey, hey, Johanna.

Hey, hey, it's all right.

It's all right, it's all right.

It's all right.

She's alive.

Hey Louise, she's alive.

Hey, come on, come on.

Okay Louise, we need to

get her to your father.

Okay, come on, come on.

It's all right, it's all right,

you're gonna be all right.

Come on.

- They're lying where they fell.

- We'll go back and bury

them when all this is over.

- Ah.

- We're running out of time.

We have to get the

people to safety.

- They won't bother us.

We're civilians.

- We can fight them.

- No.

No, we can't risk anymore lives.

Leonard.

- Shouldn't

we hide in the fields,

isn't that the safest place?

- We won't.

- They're not going

to do anything.

They want water and

food and that's it.

- We should defend our homes.

If we're gonna die, we might

as well die with honor.

- Nobody's going to die.

- Well, I've already died.

They're heavily armed,

they don't care.

Believe me, Nicolas, more

people are gonna die.

- Well, you can

hide all you want,

but I'm gonna fight.

- With what, your

butchers knives?

A few old g*ns?

Follow me.

- Hey, what's going on?

- The bloody b*stards

are on their way.

- We're going to a safe

place, come with us.

- I can't leave my

mother, she's too ill.

- Well lock your door,

barricade yourself in.

Have you got a g*n?

- Yes, I have.

- Follow us.

Everyone follow us.

- This way.

Come through, come.

- Now, come on.

Come on, get you all in.

Come on.

Yeah, come on.

Peter.

All right.

You go down, Leonard.

- You're not coming with us?

- No, I'll stay in the

church just in case

there are any stragglers.

And I'll follow you down there.

You be strong, Leonard.

Hmm.

- Shh, shh, shh, shh,

shh.

Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

How long will you

have to stay here?

- I don't know.

- Louise.

It's okay, it's all

right, it's all right.

It's gonna be all right.

What's wrong?

- It's,

it's my father.

- Someone

told them we were coming.

- Sir, it wasn't me.

- We know.

No need to be afraid

there, Doctor.

- If there are any

franc-tireurs out there,

you'll be the first to know, ya.

- They are peaceful and unarmed.

They are only civilians.

- Shh, shh, shh, shh.

- Shh.

- Get out.

- Exit the car.

Get out.

- Schultz, put a

man on each corner.

Do it now.

Now.

- Let's keep an

eye out for franc-tireurs.

One man on each corner.

Let's go.

Let's keep an eye out

for franc-tireurs.

- I'm sorry.

But we own your car now.

Where can we get more fuel?

Laurentz, go with him.

- Now.

- And take

Schultz with you.

- Let him go.

- Put the g*n down.

Brigitte, for God's sake.

Put the g*n down.

- I mean her no harm.

- Where is my daughter?

- Put the g*n down.

- I mean your husband no harm.

- Brigitte.

- It's a

trap, it's a trap.

- No.

No.

No.

- You led us into a trap.

- No.

- You're part of

the resistance, no?

- I had to talk to her.

- What is going on?

Where's Schultz?

- Leave it,

father, this one is mine.

- Stop.

Please.

Stop.

My son.

There is no need for

any more k*lling.

- Tell me who the leader of

the resistance is and I won't.

- This is a village.

No one here will harm you.

- Laurentz,

please stop now.

- There is no

resistance, Laurentz.

Everything is all right.

There is no resistance.

- Who is the leader?

You want to die?

- I told you I don't know.

Please.

Please.

- I need a name.

Give me a name.

- I have,

I have a daughter, please, sir.

- Louder.

Give me his name.

- I have a daughter.

- Who?

I will ask you one more time.

Give the name.

- Lambert.

- Louder.

- Lambert the farmer.

- Shh,

shh, shh, shh, shh.

- You two,

and you lot, get out there.

Search every building,

I don't care who you

have to k*ll to find him.

You just f*cking find him.

Because I have nothing to lose

now, don't I, father?

Huh?

- Shh, shh, shh, shh.

- Hush up.

- Leonard.

- Leonard.

- They don't know the town.

We'll keep them busy

until it gets dark.

That won't be long.

Stand your ground, old man.

Are you ready?

We'll split when we get outside.

Don't make a sound

until we get back.

- Hey.

Open up!

There he is!

- Halt!

- Get him.

- In the window.

- God.

- No, not now.

Not now.

- Weber,

red door, second floor.

Take cover, father.

- We are leaving.

- We're not leaving

until I have the farmer.

sh*t.

- I'm not gonna let

my men be picked off

like fish in a barrel.

- Father!

- Listen to me, for once!

- This is unacceptable.

- Are you raising your

weapon on me, son?

- Dad.

- No.

- Down.

Down.

- Louise.

Louise.

- I had a chance to tell her

and I didn't.

- She's gonna

be all right.

Didn't hit anything vital.

The bleeding's stopped for now.

- Johanna.

It's me,

it's Papa.

- Where have you been?

- I've been at grandpa

and grandma's house.

- Was Mom there?

- She was.

Mom was there.

We have to leave.

- Come on.

- I can walk.

- Louise, I need you to grab

whatever medical supplies

you can find.

- Food and water.

Anything we can carry.

- Yeah.

- We'll go by the river.

- The trees will

give us cover.

- There are people

in the church.

- Leonard, the bigger

the number, the bigger the risk.

- They're coming with us.

- Oh God bless his soul.

They've got Enzo.

- Someone's coming.

- Is everyone ready?

- Johanna.

- She's one of Father

Michael's miracles.

- Okay, look, we're

going to France.

We'll be safe.

- We know a route.

- We'll be sitting

ducks out there.

- If you stay here,

you're as good as dead.

- Okay, look, we

need to move now.

Okay, come on, come on.

- Are you not coming?

- This is our home, Leonard.

We stay.

- Go, go, go, go.

- We

mean no harm, sir.

- Ya, ya,

put it down.

Where's the farmer?

- Which farmer?

There are many, sir.

- Where is he?

- We don't know.

- Where's the farmer?

- France.

They are heading for France.

- Please, please!

Please don't! Don't!

Please don't.

Please don't.

- Sir,

the farmer is

heading for France.

- Do you want to follow him?

- Of course.

- Our orders are

to rejoin the battalion.

- You want to explain

to Schultz's father,

why you did not go

after his k*ller, hm?

- He was k*lled by

the doctor's wife.

- The farmer is responsible

for all of this.

You know that.

- This man and his people,

we will deal with them.

We will, not you.

Do you understand?

- Perfectly.

- Whatever happens,

you will be resigning

your commission.

- As you wish, father.

- I'm sorry.

- What for?

- Should have taken more walks.

I should have done more.

- Hey, there's plenty of

time for that.

- You just squeeze my hand.

- Oh God gave us his

spirit not of fear,

but of power, love

and self-control.

- You keep it.

I should have seen this coming.

All of it.

- There's no shame in it.

- I just feel so foolish.

- A fool that kept

the three of us safe.

My fool.

- We've gotta get

her to a hospital.

- We'll rest here tonight.

- Oh get off, I can't breathe!

- Who are you?

Why are you spying on us?

- Answer the question, boy.

- I was just hungry,

I was looking for food.

- The r*fle?

- I'm on the run from

the Germans, please.

They k*lled my parents.

k*lled my parents.

- Come on.

We're heading for

the French border.

You can come with us.

- Are you with the resistance?

- No, no, I'm just a farmer.

- Where did you get this?

- This is Adrien's.

That's my son's.

- The Germans were

fighting East of here.

I passed a cart

looking for some food,

not far from their camp,

the shotgun was in the back.

- My horse and cart too.

I'm going after them.

- You know you can't.

- Quicker, we get to France,

the better Johanna's

chances are.

The horse and cart

will halve our journey time.

- They're heavily armed.

- They're busy trying

not to get slaughtered.

This is our best chance.

I'll leave at the crack of dawn.

Will you stay with us?

- Yes.

My name's Leonard.

This is my daughter, Louise.

I wanted to thank you

for saving Johanna.

- It was Fergal.

I was just there.

- No, no, you were

more than that.

You were brave.

You were compassionate.

You did it because

you love my son.

- I did.

Very much.

I just wish my parents knew.

It's all my fault.

I should have--

- No, you did everything right.

They'd be proud to see

you being so brave.

I was proud of you.

Had you thought of a name?

- Yeah.

We did.

If it's a girl,

your wife's name, Elise.

If it's a boy,

I want to call him Adrien.

Do you think we can make it?

- We have to.

For ourselves and for them.

- You're daydreaming.

- All this bloodshed,

yet... still nature

stays indifferent.

You look up and you

see it clear as sky,

so... infinitely distant

from earthly life.

You look down and you see the

world tearing itself apart.

We put all our love and hope

in this... fragile, miracle

of life, for what?

- Look.

- No, Leonard.

- For them to

go off to fight

and die from a stray b*llet

in someone else's w*r.

- I don't want to fight.

I want to grow old.

Live in peace.

- But you can live in peace

if you don't fall

for their lies.

- What lies?

- That we're destined

to hate each other.

To only see the worst

in other people's soul.

- Go on, go!

- Father.

- Maybe that's why that

man let Leonard escape.

So he could do what's right.

- Father!

Father.

No.

- Whoa.

- Are you rested?

- A bit.

But I'm all right.

- How are you?

Are you hurt?

- No, no.

I k*lled their commander.

The father.

- The son will come after us.

He won't stop.

- We need to keep moving.

You load up the cart.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Did you see him?

The man that k*lled Adrien?

- I did.

- Are you gonna k*ll him?

- Laurentz.

When did the darkness take you?

Was it the seductive

call of power?

The poison of brutality

seeping into your soul.

You stand before me now my

son, but I do not know you.

That innocent boy with

laughter in his eyes is gone.

Replaced by a hollow

man, consumed by hate.

- We need to stop for a while.

Johanna's wound's opened up.

I think it's the

movement of the cart.

- We're close to

the French border.

What do you think?

A couple of hours?

- About that.

- Then we plow on.

- Why are we waiting?

- Let them get

closer to the border.

Let them think they're safe.

- Leonard.

Leonard.

There's something out there.

- Henri.

- It's them.

They're on the

edge of the forest.

How far to the

French border now?

- An hour, maybe more.

- She's feverish.

She keeps losing consciousness.

- Then we stand and fight.

How much do you

think is in here?

- A hundred liters.

- Unload it.

- Please don't.

- Get Johanna to a

hospital in Paris.

- You should go with them.

Stay with the children.

- Ah, it's me that he wants.

And he'll just keep

coming unless we stop him.

If we don't get to the

French border by sunrise,

you continue without us.

You have to be strong, Louise.

Go, go now.

- Maria.

- Look after our son.

- You better come back.

- Charge!

- Our father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

thy will be done on earth.

- This is for you my boy.

- Fire.

- They're coming through.

- Oh sh*t.

- Fergal.

Don't you die on

me, boy, come on.

Come on.

- Let's go.

- Let's go.

- Wait.

Wait.

- Thomas.

Are you all right?

- I'm fine.

I'm fine.

- Where are the others?

- They're coming,

Henri.

He's been shot.

- No!

Henri.

Henri.

- I told you I'd come back.

- I'd already decided

if you hadn't,

I would have taken care of

Johanna, my little sister.

- Adrien gave his life for

what he believed was right.

That family's worth

fighting for and dying for.

- Hey, is my father safe?

- He is, love.

We all are.

- He was terrified

of disappointing you.

- Disappoint me, how?

He chose you.

- Are you coming?

- In a while.

You go on without me.

I won't be long.

You've come to say goodbye.

I thought you might.

You take care of our boy now.

I'll take care of

our little girl.

You'll always be with me.

Everywhere.