Woyzeck

The story of Woyzeck begins "in a small town, on a large, still pond." We are then introduced to Franz Woyzeck (Klaus Kinski) as he is performing a military drill in full uniform-running, pushups, etc. Immediately after, he is seen giving the Captain a shave (Wolfgang Reichmann). The Captain is thinking aloud to Woyzeck about what characterizes a "good person." He first comments that Woyzeck works too quickly, then criticizes Woyzeck for having a child without the church's blessing. Woyzeck defends himself by quoting Matthew 19:14 from The Bible. The Captain says then that he was referring to Woyzeck, not to his son. Woyzeck claims that poor people have no use for morals, and that their kind suffers in both this world and the next. "Even if poor people were to get into heaven, they would have to work the thunder." The Captain responds by telling Woyzeck that he has no virtue. Woyzeck explains that poor people have no virtue, and do only what comes naturally to them. The Captain complains about Woyzeck thinking too much and comments that he has a "hunted" disposition. He then explains that a good person does not behave as though he is being hunted. A good person is one of virtue. As the Captain stands to leave, he tells Woyzeck that he is a good person, but always seems so hunted. He dismisses him, telling him to go slowly. Woyzeck, however, leaves in a rush as usual. Next, we see him under a tree with his fellow soldier and friend, Andres (Paul Burian). The two are whittling sticks for the Captain as Woyzeck hears a noise. After looking around, he grabs Andres by the hand and the two crouch behind the tree branches. Andres asks Wozyeck if he can still hear the sound, and Woyzeck replies, "Still. Everything is still...as if the world were dead." In the next scene, Woyzeck's mistress, Marie (Eva Mattes), is watching a parade on the street below from her apartment window. As she stands there with her friend Margret (Irm Hermann) and her son, the band on the street approaches and the two women take notice of the attractive Drum Major (Josef Bierbichler). As the band passes their building, the Drum Major makes eye-contact with Marie and begins singing in an operatic style. Margret and Marie begin to discuss "what a man" he is-with the "paws of a lion." Margret comments about how the two noticed each other, saying that Marie looks at him as she looks at no other man, with glistening eyes. Marie becomes offended, and tells Margret that she should take her eyes to the Jew to have them polished, so they would glisten as well. Margret claims to be an honorable person, and claims that Marie "looks through leather pants." Moments later, Franz enters, carrying the sticks he was whittling, and Marie notices that he seems disturbed. She asks him if he was out collecting wood for the Captain again, and He explains to Marie that "it" was there again and it followed him. He tells her he cannot stay long because he must go to mass that evening. After he leaves, Marie comments that he seems absent, and Margret notices that he did not even acknowledge his son. Marie says that she believes his thoughts could drive him crazy. She then asks her son why he is so quiet, and if he is scared. Franz is then seen at the Doctor's (Willy Semmelrogge) office. The Doctor scolds Woyzeck for urinating on the wall outside "like a dog." Woyzeck explains that he was only answering the call of nature, but the Doctor tells him that mankind is free, and he has therefore committed an act of betrayal. The Doctor asks Woyzeck if he has been consistent in his peas-only diet. He tells him that they will add mutton to his diet the following week. The Doctor exclaims that they will revolutionize science, and asks Woyzeck for a urine sample. Woyzeck is unable to urinate, and begins telling of his apocalyptic visions to the Doctor. He says that a "frightful voice" spoke to him. He then says that the world will be completely dark when "nature is over." The Doctor comments on his beautiful fixed idea, and gives him a raise of an extra dime for the next week. Woyzeck stands, staring blankly into space. Next, we see Franz in his formal blue uniform with Marie and their son at the carnival. The two walk around, looking at the various attractions, Franz holding their son. The Drum Major is also their with a Lower Officer (Herbert Fux). Marie notices them as they stop near a man playing an organ grinder. She half-smiles at them, but says nothing to them or to Franz. They follow Woyzeck and his family into a show featuring a teachable horse. The man hosting the show draws their attention with a small monkey dressed as a soldier, claiming that he is the "lowest rank of soldier." He then invites them to see the horse, and the Drum Major and Lower Officer have a brief conversation about how attractive Marie is, saying that she is ideal for breeding young drum majors, as they follow her and Franz into the tent. The host presents an "astronomical horse" that can put any educated human to shame, and asks the horse a few questions. He asks first if there is a jackass present. The horse nods. He then asks the horse what 2x2 is, and the horse taps its hoof four times. Lastly, he says that the horse will tell the time, and asks the group for a watch so that he may verify the horse's guess. The Lower Officer offers his watch, and Marie asks to see it. He tells her that he is not going to give it to her, and she gets up to go to him. The Drum Major picks her up as she is walking over the benches, and lowers her down next to him, telling those around them, "This is a woman." Marie gazes into his eyes, giggling, and the next scene shows them alone in Marie's kitchen. Marie has him march around, and compliments his "bull-like chest" and "lion-like paws." She claims he is the epitome of manliness, and he tells her that she should see him on Sunday at the dance with his plume and gloves. He then begins touching her breasts while remarking what an amazing woman she is, and that they should make a brood of young drum majors together. She tells him to stop at first, but does not resist as he attempts to undress her a second time. There is an abrupt transition to the next scene in which Woyzeck is helping the Doctor with an experiment. The Doctor is attempting to demonstrate to a group of students how a cat reacts on instinct when dropped from a high window. The Doctor is lecturing a group of students on the street from a second story window, while Woyzeck is inattentively standing off to the left side of the screen. He commands Woyzeck to stand directly below the window as he throws the cat, and Woyzeck catches the cat. The cat deficates on Woyzeck, and he begins shaking uncontrollably. The Doctor has Woyzeck sit on a bench, and invites the students to feel his pulse and observe the various results of the pea-experiment as he explains the experiment to them. They notice his irregular pulse, and the Doctor tells him to wiggle his ears to demonstrate that he uses different muscle groups to do so. Woyzeck tells the doctor he is fainting, and the Doctor becomes upset. He explains to the audience that this is part of the "transformation to a donkey," and notices his hair loss. The story shifts back to Marie, who is sitting in front of her mirror with her son, admiring the shiny earrings the Drum Major gave her. She puts the boy to bed and sings him a lullaby before returning to the mirror to admire her earrings once more, saying how nice they will be for the dance. As she sits there, she compares her life to the lives of wealthier women. The boy wakes up, and Marie puts him back to sleep. Franz enters quietly and startles Marie as she is bent over the child's bed. She immediately covers her earrings, and Franz asks about them. Marie claims to have found them, and defends herself by saying that she is "only human." Franz tells her it is okay, gives her his pay for the day, and leaves. Marie says "God bless you" to him, and is left crying, claiming that she is a bad person and saying that she could stab herself. In the following scene, The Captain is walking down the sidewalk. The Doctor rushes past, and the Captain tries to stop him. The Doctor claims to be in a hurry, but the Captain tells him that good people are never in a hurry. Once the Doctor stops, the Captain explains that he feels melancholy. The Doctor observes the Captain is bloated and fat with a thick neck. He concludes that he has suffered a stroke, is already half-paralyzed, and will be a vegetable within four weeks. He will, however, make a fine subject for medical research. The Captain tells the Doctor to stop scaring him, and begins to imagine the sight of his own funeral. Just then, Woyzeck walks by, and the Captain invites him to stay and converse. He says that Woyzeck runs through life like a razor, and should be careful, lest he cut somebody. He asks Woyzeck if he has found any hair in his soup recently...particularly the hair of a drum major. Woyzeck turns pale and the Doctor begins making observations about his irregular pulse, angry facial expressions, and body tension. Woyzeck begins rambling about how cold hell is. He comments on the nice weather, saying that the sky is solid and gray. He says that it is so solid, one could drive a peg into it and hang himself from it. He finally leaves in a hurry, and the Doctor follows. The Captain is left saying that he does not like the fact that people confuse him. He says that a good man pays attention, loves his life, and has no courage. He says that he only joined the military to affirm his love of life, then walks away, laughing. When Woyzeck arrives at home, Marie is scrubbing the floor. As Franz approaches her, she freezes, and he picks her up slowly by the arm. As she stands, he looks at her, and says, "Ah, it's still you." She tells him that he is scaring her, and he begins to question her about the Drum Major. Franz asks how he touched her and where he stood. as he is doing so, he immitates the Drum Major's actions, standing closely to Marie, and groping her. He then places his head on Marie's shoulder and tells her that he wishes he were the Drum Major. The two begin to argue, and Franz raises his arm to hit Marie. She tells him she would rather have a knife in her body than be touched by his hand. Franz walks away from Marie, saying that there should be a sign on her. Franz then goes to talk with Andres. He sits nervously on a stool in an office as Andres is writing in a book. Woyzeck goes to the window, and tells Andres that they are dancing. Andres casually tells him that they are at The White Horse, and Woyzeck decides to go to Marie while she is at the dance. He arrives to find Marie dancing with the Drum Major and saying "Don't stop, don't stop." Franz thinks aloud outside, saying that they fornicate before his eyes like flies on his hand. He quickly runs away as a drunk sitting next to him wakes up. The man stands and delivers a soliloquy about a man thinking about the purpose of life. He says that everyone has been created by God. He says that soldiers were created to kill their own kind, and therefore, everything of the earth is evil. He ends by saying, "Let us piss a cross, so that a Jew dies." We then see Woyzeck running through a field, saying to himself "Don't stop, don't stop." He throws himself on the ground, listening to the earth, which is telling him to "stab dead." He slowly stands, thinking about it. He runs away, again reciting, "Don't stop, don't stop. In the next scene, Woyzeck is seated in a bar, with the Drum Major sitting behind him. The Drum Major begins bragging about how much of a man he is. He addresses Woyzeck, threatening to knock his nose into his ass. He approaches Woyzeck, insisting that he drink, because a man must drink. He grabs Woyzeck by the face, and attempts to pour the drink into his mouth. Woyzeck refuses and hits the Drum Major on the cheek. The Drum Major grabs Woyzeck, and squeezes the air out of Woyzeck before releasing him. He pats Woyzeck on the head, and sits back down. Woyzeck leaves the bar saying "One thing at a time." Woyzeck lies awake that night in the barracks, hallucinating. He hears voices in his head saying, "Don't stop, don't stop!" and "Stab, stab!" He awakens Andres, asking if he can hear it. Andres tells him to let them dance, and goes back to sleep. Franz says that he has a pain between his eyes like a knife, and Andres tells him to go back to sleep. Franz lies awake, shaking. Marie also sits awake in her kitchen reading from John 8 in the Bible. She reads the passage in which Jesus forgives the prostitute of her sins, and asks the Lord to not look at her. She comments that Franz did not come home that night or the night before. The next day, Woyzeck asks Andres if he had heard the voices the night before. After Andres says no, Woyzeck says that "She was a special girl," and hurries away and purchases a knife from a Jewish merchant. The merchant tells him that the knife is in good condition and straight. He brags that it is cheap, and would bring an "economic death." Woyzeck then returns to the barracks and gives his belongings away to Andres. He empties out a chest near his bed, giving him a ring, a crucifix, and other religious relics. Franz sits on the chest, and reads his birth certificate aloud. Andres remarks that Woyzeck does not look well, and should go to the infirmary. The scene then transitions to Marie, who sits, and tells a story to a group of children. She tells of a child who was completely alone in the world. The child went to the moon, but found it to be a piece of rotted wood. Then, the child went to the sun, which was only a wilted sunflower. The child then went to the stars, but found that they were only small golden bugs. Finally, the child returned to the earth, but found that it was only an overturned cauldron. The child sat, and began to cry. At the end of the story, Franz approaches Marie, and tells her it is time to go. The two walk down to the pond, and Marie tells Franz she wants to go home. Franz asks Marie how long they have been together, and how long she thinks their relationship will last. He then remarks that she has the breath of a whore. Marie notices how red the moon is, and also that Franz seems to be up to something. At that moment, he pulls out the knife and stabs her. She screams, and he stares into her eyes. Once she is on the ground, he continues to stab her. Franz sits, staring at her and weeping, and then panics and runs back toward the town. He runs into a bar, where he sits and talks with a woman. She sits on his lap, and he notices that she is also hot, like Marie. He tells her that she, too, will be cold in the end. Franz asks the woman to sing, and she notices the blood on his sleeve, and draws attention to it. Woyzeck claims that he cut himself, and wiped it off. The bartender notices that it covers his arm up to the elbow. Woyzeck runs away, and returns to the pond. Wanting to hide the evidence, he searches frantically for the knife. He pauses, and bends over Marie, touching her hair. He then finds the knife, and throws it into the water. Thinking it will be too easy to find, he goes into the stream to throw it into deeper water, and notices stains on his clothing. He goes even deeper into the water, trying to wash the blood off. The scene then shifts to the next day. Officials are investigating the scene of Marie's death. The film ends here, as the original was left unfinished at Georg Büchner's death.