Wild Kurdistan (1965) Movie Script
1
Digitisation supported by the
Film Heritage Funding Program
Financed by the Federal Government
Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM),
the German states, and the German
Film and Television Academy (FFA).
A GERMAN-SPANISH
CO-PRODUCTION WITH...
THROUGH WILD KURDISTAN
Grab your rifles.
Water in the desert
is what Allah is for our faith.
This well belongs to the Haddedin.
You can't just take water from it.
Before you use it, you must ask
Sheikh Mohammed Emin for permission.
This well gives our tribe its wealth.
Does that also apply to me,
the Machredsch of Mosul,
- the Padischah's closest confidant?
- Yes, it does.
So you disregard the ruler of all believers.
You're just his servant.
But I'm Ahmed el Corda,
the son of Sheikh Mohammed Emin.
I demand that you respect
the law of the desert.
Leave our well immediately,
and keep on riding.
We will keep on riding,
Ahmed el Corda.
Seize him!
Don't shoot. I want him alive.
I'll have you hanged in public
for rebellion against the Padischah!
Tie him to a horse.
COMPOSERS
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
EDITOR
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS
COSTUME DESIGNER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
SOUND DEPARTMENPRODUCTION MANAGERS
RECORDED IN CCC STUDIOS BERLIN
PCB STUDIOS BARCELONA
OUTDOOR SHOTS
LEVANTE, ANDALUCIA, CATALONIA
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
PRODUCER
SCREENWRITER AND DIRECTOR
This is a celebration for you,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
You're embarrassing me, Padischah.
You saved this country and me...
...from a murderer
and a dangerous criminal.
You saved us from the Shoot.
Do you like her?
She's really beautiful.
She is a dream, Kara Ben Nemsi.
I'll give her to you.
Your kindness makes me happy, Padischah,
and I don't know how to thank you.
But I must ask you for a greater gift.
And that would be?
I ask you to keep her for me
until I return, Padischah.
I have to visit the Haddedin's pasture lands
before I return home.
Your request is granted.
Please...
Who is that girl?
You mean
because she's not wearing a veil?
She's the niece of the man
with the white beard over there.
His brother is the chief
of the Chaldeans,
the only Christians
that live in my kingdom.
She's a pretty girl.
What brings her here?
I see you have an eye for beauty,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I don't have the power
to give you the girl,
but if you want,
I'll introduce her to you.
My friend Kara Ben Nemsi
would like to meet you and your niece.
God be with you, Kara Ben Nemsi.
We've heard
a lot of good things about you.
Now that I have met you,
I deeply regret that I have to leave.
Kadir Bei's brother and his niece
will be leaving Mosul tomorrow.
Yes, my niece is joining a caravan
with a servant.
She's travelling back to her father
and I'm returning to my family.
May Allah protect you.
Come, Kara Ben Nemsi. I still have something
I want to discuss with you.
Here, Kara Ben Nemsi.
Please, take this firman.
A firman is a passport
that will open every door for you here.
If you ever return to my country,
it will protect you wherever you go.
I only give such a passport
to friends that deserve it.
And I hope you will never disappoint me.
You're a man of great kindness,
Padischah.
I was standing...
I was standing around,
and suddenly,
I recognised the powerful animal.
It was a lion.
A lion as big as an elephant.
With a mane like this.
Jaws like this.
And paws like this.
Paws like this.
Very good.
The lion got ready to pounce,
and my friend Kara Ben Nemsi
would have surely died
if I hadn't come along, I...
Hadschi Halef Omar
Ben Hadschi Abul Abbas...
Ibn Hadschi Dawud al Gossarah.
Praise be to Allah.
You can't hear this name often enough.
Who's this?
Get away, you creatures from hell.
Make room, make room.
Sidi...
Sidi...
I'm here.
Get away! Get away! Can't you hear me,
you trash of the Orient?
Salaam.
I give you this, Hanneh,
that you may brighten up Halef's life,
in memory of your friend.
Oh, Sidi, I really am so glad
that you're here.
But something terrible has happened.
It's impossible for you to return home.
Not yet.
But, Halef,
you're exaggerating again.
Look at your children.
They're getting taller
and will soon be grown up.
And your wife is getting ever more beautiful.
What are you worried about?
Yes, Sidi, I'm very proud of myself...
I mean of my family.
Of all my sons.
And of my wife. But...
She's a wonderful woman.
Oh, Sidi...
Allah...
I was supposed to take you to
Sheikh Mohammed, and he's here already.
What's going on, Halef?
The Machredsch, who was made
governor of Mosul by the Padischah,
is a very powerful and, believe me, Sidi,
a very dangerous man.
He arrested Ahmed el Corda,
the son of Sheikh Mohammed,
for allegedly insulting him,
and then ordered his execution to take place
on the day after the full moon.
- Without trial?
- Without trial.
- Salaam.
- Salaam.
May Allah be with you.
May He be with you, too,
Sheikh Mohammed.
It's about my son's life,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I've already heard.
Halef just told me.
The Machredsch of Mosul
took water from our well
without asking us for permission.
My son caught him doing it
and demanded that he obey our laws.
But the Machredsch took the water
and had him taken prisoner.
Yes, that's what happened. But before that,
a Turkish soldier lost his life.
And where has Ahmed been taken?
To the interior of the country.
It may just be a rumour, but it is said
that he has been taken to Burusco prison.
Come on, you swine, keep moving!
Move it, you skunk,
you scum of the Sahara!
You dirty son of a bitch!
Keep moving! Come on, move it!
Move, move, I said!
Do you want a drink? Are you thirsty?
But, Sheikh Mohammed,
the kingdom is large and wide.
And the eyes of the Padischah
can't be everywhere.
We haven't got time to wait
for the Padischah's justice.
- Quite right.
- We must act now.
We must act,
and I'm going to help you.
We can't just ride to Burusco
and set him free, Sheikh Mohammed.
That's against the law.
The law is on the side of the strong.
The Machredsch of Mosul never cared
about who he extorted taxes from,
that never found their way
into the Padischah's coffers.
And he never cared
about the victims of his greed.
Has no one ever fought back
against the Machredsch?
He's never tried it with the Haddedin.
I've brought a son of Rih's with me,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I wanted to give the horse to you
because I thought you were my friend.
I am your friend,
even if you don't give me anything.
You're really going to come with me
to Burusco?
It's only four days until the full moon.
I think we should hurry, Sidi.
You, so that nothing unjust happens,
and me, so that nothing happens to you.
Believe me, Sidi,
we must be very, very careful.
The Yazidis are
the most dangerous of all Kurds.
They burn their prisoners alive.
How do you know that?
From experience.
Believe me, I have a lot more experience
than you think.
For example, you have just one son of Rih's,
but I have six sons of Hadschi's at home.
- Sidi...
- Yes?
- Do you hear anything?
- No.
- Do you see anything?
- No.
Then Allah has made you
deaf and blind...
He's made me wise, Halef.
There are seven Yazidis
hiding amongst the rocks.
Maybe I should tell them who I am, Sidi,
then they'd put their hands up.
They'd put their hands up like this...
Hands up!
Where are you going?
Over there.
Where have you come from?
Back there.
Do you know who we are?
Probably highwaymen.
Keep your impertinent mouth shut.
Faced with men who don't even dare
to say who they are?
You're our prisoners.
Anyone who reaches for a weapon
will be fed to the jackals.
How kind.
But why are your toothless old men
showing us their weapons?
We don't want to buy any.
- Do you think there are eagles here, Halef?
- Of course, Sidi.
There are eagles on all cliffs.
There, there!
See what Allah has given us!
There, there, look!
Up there! Yes, there!
You see,
we can be just as polite as you.
Lead us now to Ali Bei.
Gol
Oh, how pleased he will be with his brave
and courageous little stink bugs!
- Oh, it's a wonderful place.
- A wonderful place.
Just a bit dusty. Terribly dusty.
- I'd like to take a bath.
- Yes, my lord.
Your changing room is ready, sir.
Oh, thanks, Archie. Please lay out
my afternoon suit for me.
But we're not expecting any visitors, sir.
You never know, Archie.
Hey, Captain,
what kind of people are they?
They're not Yazidis.
- What shall we do?
- We'll capture them.
Prisoners are always good.
Come on.
Exactly 33.5, my lord.
Thank you.
- Your soap.
- Thanks.
Archie, shower.
Very good, my lord.
It's 58 minutes and 15 seconds past four.
Two minutes before tea time.
My lord, we have visitors.
Oh, excellent.
What a lovely surprise.
Show them in.
Oh, soldiers.
How are you, gentlemen?
To what do I owe the pleasure?
Who are you?
You have the great honour
of appearing before Sir David Lindsay.
I am his butler.
So no Yazidis?
Have you seen any Yazidis
in the bathtub? I haven't.
But I bet you are good friends
of these damned Yazidis.
The dictionary, Archie.
Look that up and see if it's an insult.
The Yazidis are mangy dogs
who don't pay their taxes
and will now be punished for it.
Me and my soldiers,
we're just the advance guard.
You've seen us,
and so that you can't betray us,
we're going to take you prisoner.
We're going to arrest both of you.
Did you hear me?
Can you speak up a bit?
I'm a bit hard-of-hearing.
I don't understand a word.
You swine,
you understood me perfectly well.
Come on, get out of that sack,
you old fool!
Nice man.
They have no sense of humour,
these Turks.
They don't, but we do.
Fabulous country. Fabulous adventure.
Which animal is to be sacrificed today?
Let it be a surprise, Ali Bei.
I'm waiting for a message.
You, me and the Yazidis,
we'll find out soon enough.
Ali Bei, you have brave warriors.
They just don't know
who's friend and who's foe.
Kara Ben Nemsil
What a pleasure to see you again.
Welcome to the Valley of the Yazidis.
I'm pleased to see you, too, Ali Bei.
Forgive me, effendi,
may I send the guards away?
Wait. No one has found out yet
who they were dealing with.
Listen to me.
It was me, Hadschi Halef Omar...
Enough, Halef.
Your men are very good.
They almost took me by surprise.
May I introduce you to my friends?
This is Sheikh Mohammed.
This is my companion Halef.
Hadschi Halef Omar Ben Hadschi Abul Abbas
Ibn Hadschi Dawud al Gossarah.
You are our guests.
We're about to have our festival of faith.
Tomorrow at the fire tower,
Pir Kamek will announce
which sacrifice Allah will receive.
None of us, I hope.
Allah does not accept people.
The sacrifice is always an animal.
We'll set off at two.
I'm looking forward to it already.
A valley full of Yazidis,
every shell from our cannons will hit a target.
We'll shoot them to pieces.
That'll be a celebration!
If the Machredsch and his horsemen
want to take the valley,
there'll be nothing left for him to do.
His promotion is certain.
And T'll get a medal.
Sorry, Captain.
- Did you understand all that, Archie?
- Yes, every word, sir.
Believe me, I'm sure he'll start again
with the gramophone.
- Yes.
- Repeat the battle plan. Firstly...
Put on the record.
Secondly...
The secret.
- Thirdly?
- Commotion. We escape.
Of course.
So, you're not going to tell me
how music comes out of the magic box, huh?
No. I'll just show you.
OK.
Then I'll get them to untie you.
And don't try to escape,
or that will be the last thing you ever do.
- Firecrackers.
- Very good, sir.
- Ready, Archie?
- Ready, my lord.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Zero.
The Yazidis believe that Allah
is blessing our festival tomorrow,
that it has some special meaning.
What do you think, Ali Bei?
I don't know, effendi.
With your permission, I will try
to get to the bottom of this message.
- Fabulous adventure.
- Embarrassing oversight, sir.
Yes, embarrassing.
That's the right word.
Yes, my lord.
I'll give it a go.
Well, how do you like it here?
Genghis Khan was a nice man
compared to you!
What will you pay me,
you fine British gentleman?
What will you pay me
if I let you go?
I'm not paying you anything.
Well, what will you give me
if I let you go?
What?
- What did you say?
- Nothing.
What?
He's hard-of-hearing, too.
Nothing!
Niente! Rien! Nichts!
Do you happen to know
how you say that in Turkish, Archie?
Degil.
What? Nothing?
Oh, you master of meanness,
you will ask for permission to pay me!
A thousand piastres,
ten thousand piastres!
An attack!
Get your weapons!
An attack! An attack!
Where are they?
Search the bushes.
Come on, you cowardly hyenas!
Hands up, you're surrounded.
Go on, call your men back. Or else...
Don't move! Otherwise,
your fat neck might suddenly lose its head.
I shall obey. Tell me what to do.
Call your men back.
Come back!
Come on! Come back!
Can't you hear me, you swine?
Oh, no, why must you always
spoil everything for me, Kara Ben Nemsi?
I really wanted to escape by myself.
- Fine, I can go if you want...
- No, now that you're here, you can stay.
Listen, we're surrendering
to a superior force
in order to avoid
unnecessary bloodshed.
Lay down all your weapons.
Hurry up, you doomed offspring
of a dirty dung beetle! Go on!
We've allowed enemy guns
to enter the Valley of the Yazidis.
Good evening, sir.
I thought you'd have been back in London
some time ago, Lord Lindsay.
Oh, it's because of a bet I made
with my friends in the Westminster Club.
I really must find Noah's Ark.
Noah's Ark?
Yes, it's meant to be in southern Kurdistan,
but that's not so important.
What's more important is that this time
I know more than you.
- What do you know more than me?
- A number of soldiers are coming tomorrow.
Their leader is
a certain Machredsch of Mosul.
A governor or something like that.
Halt!
You see?
Behind the hill over there is the entrance
to the Valley of the Yazidis.
And here... Here is our field artillery.
As soon as we ride into the valley,
the Captain will begin the bombardment,
exactly one hour after sunrise.
The initial shock will force the Yazidis
to flee into the mountains
and run straight into our arms.
You said it, Machredsch.
No Yazidi will be able to claim
that the Machredsch of Mosul was wrong
to demand such high taxes from them.
- You will retain the Padischah's patronage.
- T will.
I once had a score to settle
with the Yazidis, too.
I did it by hanging the son of the high priest
Pir Kamek from the nearest tree.
Advance! Let's go!
Maybe they're not coming.
They are. I don't think
we'll need to wait much longer.
It was fortunate that the Turkish captain
talked so carelessly.
Yes, but do you think
he was telling the truth?
He was telling the truth,
and you mustn't forget your promise.
If you kill the Machredsch,
you'll scupper our plans.
A Haddedin never breaks his word.
I'll only settle my score with him
once my son is free.
Until then, I trust in Allah.
Thank you, Sheikh Mohammed.
There!
There they are, these evil...
- Get down, Halef!
- ...evil stink bugs.
Not a single Kurd to be seen.
I don't like it.
Are you afraid?
No.
I don't understand.
Not a single Yazidi is showing his face.
You'll see them soon enough.
Just wait until the first cannon shell lands.
We'll keep on riding. Come on!
Fire!l
Thanks be to Allah, that's our cannons!
Now you'll see the Yazidis
coming out of their hideouts.
- These are our people.
- Halt, halt! What are you doing here?
Durek!
Their cannons opened fire on us.
Right in the middle of our unit.
Has the captain gone mad?
Move! Everyone keep going!
Miralai, you give them twenty more men.
Durek, you keep on riding.
Spare yourself the effort.
It won't help much,
Machredsch of Mosul.
What do you mean?
It means the Yazidis were ready for you.
And in charge of your cannons
are men under the command of Ali Bei.
You're surrounded on all sides.
Surrender!
- Who are you?
- It's enough that I know who you are.
How can I trust you?
Come down here. Let's negotiate.
Sidi, you're not leaving me now.
- Archie, the bulletproof vest for Mr Kara.
- No, thank you.
All right, Machredsch, I'm coming.
But there are four guns pointing at you
from this roof.
If any of your men aim a gun at me,
you're a dead man.
Brave words.
Show your bravery with your actions.
Don't worry, Mr Kara.
If anything happens to you,
I'll personally write your obituary
in The Times.
Sidi, I swear, I'll shoot him to pieces
if anything happens to you.
I swear to Allah and all other gods.
Although there are no other gods
besides Allah.
Good. Thank you.
I haven't come to make a big speech,
Machredsch.
Do we know each other?
I only know honest dignitaries
of the Padischah.
Watch your impudent tongue!
Surrender with all your men.
Hand over your weapons...
...and we will grant you safe passage.
You've lost your mind.
This is treason.
We're surrounded. It's a trap.
Think about it, Machredsch.
Any resistance only results in bloodshed.
Come on!
Traitors!
We've been together
for so many years -
you really should've learnt from me by now
how to deal with this rabble.
Halt! Halt!
Gather round, you cowardly swine!
We'll break through, in this direction.
Come on! Get out of the valley!
Fire!l
There. Pir Kamek.
Pir Kamek,
what do you want from me?
By the laws of Allah,
I demand a life for a life.
Your life for my son's.
I'm not the one who's going to die.
You are!
Shoot him!
May Allah forgive you.
Machredsch of Mosul!
Throw down your weapons
before more men die.
Or you will no longer see
the light of day.
You've got three minutes!
Everyone gather round over there.
Hold your fire!
- Gather round!
- Any resistance is futile.
How can you dare to think
that your British lord is more wonderful
than the mighty Kara Ben Nemsi?
It may well be that Mr Kara is wonderful,
but a lord is a lord.
My Sidi is worth more than a lord.
He knows everything, sees everything,
hears everything,
and can do things nobody else can.
Don't laugh,
you sour-faced, sad-looking git!
Shall I give you an example
of my Sidi's omniscience?
OK. Prepare to be amazed.
Barely three weeks ago,
we were riding through wild Kurdistan.
Suddenly,
he stops his horse and says,
"Halef, soon we will see Lord Lindsay
and his good-for-nothing servant again."
That's nothing. Last Thursday,
Lord Lindsay said to me,
"Archie,
in three days it will be Sunday."
So? Anyone can say that.
There's nothing special about that story.
No, but at least it's true.
Effendi, there isn't a single Yazidi
that wouldn't be prepared to die for you.
We thank you.
All T ask is you take away a little gift
from us as a souvenir. His name is Dojan.
- Thank you, Ali Bei.
- Sidi, this...
- Sidi, is this a gift?
- Yes.
It's a dog from your homeland.
It's a custom here to spit in a dog's mouth,
so they remain faithful.
Sheikh Mohammed
is expecting you on the plain.
He's afraid that he can't keep his promise
when he confronts the Machredsch.
It would be better for his son
if he does keep it.
Lord Lindsay... Are you leaving us?
Oh, yes, it's a pity,
but you know I'm looking for this ship,
this houseboat, this Noah's Ark,
in order to take it to London.
Yes, but please don't forget,
Lord Lindsay,
that the land you want to cross
isn't called "Wild Kurdistan" for no reason.
Oh, splendid!
Of course, wild Kurdistan.
Wonderful. I love the wilds.
Mr Kara, it will always be a great honour
and a great pleasure
to meet you again in this peaceful region.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, Mr Halef,
and don't forget, a lord is a lord.
Allah can't be almighty,
otherwise he would have stamped
on this creature with his big foot.
Let's go.
I can't stand that guy.
Kara Ben Nemsi, we'll meet again.
We'll meet again soon.
Firstly, we don't speak
to jackals like you.
Secondly, we're riding to Burusco,
where you have no authority.
You think so?
You son of a hyena, you jackal runt!
Keep out of my sight, you good-for-nothing,
you dead loss, you freak of nature!
What will the Padischah say,
Machredsch?
Shut your mouth.
It's none of your business.
I know a caravan route.
We've still got knives, Machredsch.
I would ride with you.
And a few of your men, too.
I mean,
it would be better than the rope.
If you open your mouth once more,
I'll have you flogged.
I was just making a suggestion.
You might want to reconsider.
I know how to get rid of our uniforms, too.
But do what you want.
Halt!
Captain, come here.
Machredsch?
I'm going on a scouting trip.
You'll take over command.
- But, Machredsch...
- Shut up!
Or I'll shoot you for your stupidity
that got us into this mess.
No, no. I shall obey...
Six men will ride with me.
Let's go!
Human beings truly are
a marvellous creation, don't you think?
They have pride, they can think.
They can think about
why they are proud.
That's why a dog could never replace
a human being, right?
Halef, have I ever said
that Dojan could replace you?
No, that would be impossible.
He can't speak, he barks.
He can't shoot, he bites.
A dog can't even...
But you must admit
he has one advantage over you.
What's that?
He can't say the word "Burusco".
Kara Ben Nemsi, I made a promise,
and I didn't want to break my word.
- That was wise.
- I don't know, effendi.
Why didn't we force him
to release my son?
Because a man like the Machredsch
would take revenge faster than we can ride
if he found out
a Haddedin was involved in his defeat.
- Even as our prisoner?
- Even then.
He'd have promised everything
and not kept his word.
And later he'd have incited the Padischah
to take revenge against the Haddedin.
We're not afraid of him...
The fact that Arabs have such little fear
is why so many die.
You worthless wretch!
You dared to insult
the wonderful Machredsch of Mosul?
Not to mention the four dead men.
Stop.
Leave him be.
Insulting the Machredsch
will cost you your life.
Insulting me, Mltessellin,
the governor of Burusco,
will cost you a bastinado.
50 on the soles of his feet.
Off you go.
Thank Allah we're here.
I've been counting the hours.
Every stop was agony for me
because it's full moon tomorrow.
Don't worry, Sheikh Mohammed.
We'll find your son in time.
Hey, your turn.
Come on, throw.
Hey, who's that?
Halt! No one can enter Mltessellin's palace
without permission.
And who gives this permission?
Only me.
Then give it.
Oh, but that's a very,
very complicated matter.
I'll give you ten piastres.
That'll probably make it easier.
It's not quite so complicated anymore...
Save your money, Sidi.
You unfortunate result
of a quick passionate encounter
between a cockroach
and a mangy goat!
Do you even know what ten piastres are?
Say one more word,
and I'll have you arrested!
Arrested? You probably want
another ten piastres.
- I'll pay you with my whip!
- Come on. We'll carry on riding.
Hold it right there.
Stop, stop.
Stop right there, I said.
Stop right there. Defend the palace.
How did you get in here?
Through this door.
On my feet.
Guards!
Guards!
Don't bother your brave soldiers.
You're very bold.
I sentence you to a bastinado.
You'll be caned 100 times
on the soles of your feet.
Come on, men!
Hold it right there.
And none of you rotten nightmares
of a sleeping drunk move either!
This is mutiny!
No cause for alarm.
That would be a mistake, Mutessellin.
This is a firman
that the Padischah gave me.
When you read it,
you'll see just how mistaken you are.
Oh, effendi.
May Allah bless the Padischah...
and you.
And who's going to bless us, huh?
What can I do for you, effendi?
Get out! Get lost,
you sons of ignorance!
All of you, out!
You stay.
Selin, you stay here.
I've heard a lot about you, Mtessellin.
You're wise, smart, fair...
...generous and indulgent.
Do you need money?
No, just some quarters
for two to three days.
We'll pay you, Mitessellin.
We'd like to stay close to you.
Your protection makes us feel secure.
Yes, that's true.
I have a good suggestion for you.
You can share quarters with Selin Aga.
He may not have deserved this honour,
but I'm gracious.
But you will pay me.
You're very clever.
But very sick, too, it seems to me.
Yes, very sick.
This is my medicine.
Why have you gathered so many
brave soldiers around you, Mitessellin?
The prison is very famous.
I have dangerous criminals in there.
Enemies of the Padischah.
Like this Arab who was going to kill him
if the Machredsch of Mosul
hadn't stopped him.
He may have been stopped now,
but this Arab killed four men.
Anyway...
Tomorrow he faces a public execution.
Tomorrow?
Mitessellin...
Can I send you a couple of bottles
of your medicine to ease your suffering?
- Oh, effendi...
- If you don't mind.
You're a wise man, and I thank you.
Only, send me a lot
because my suffering is great.
In return, is there any favour
I can do for you?
No, no. Thank you.
I mean, if your prison really is
that famous,
it would be an honour for me
if I could visit it.
You should see it.
You must see it. It's...
Will that be possible if the execution
of the Arab is taking place tomorrow?
Of course. Originally, he was to be executed
the day after the full moon.
But he has made two escape attempts.
That's why
I brought the execution forward.
He just doesn't know that.
Your soldiers' cannons and guns,
O Padischah,
are at your disposal
in the Valley of the Yazidis.
You will understand that I didn't return them
to the men who attacked us.
Ali Bei, is everything
that you've told me true?
By the beard of the Prophet,
it is true, Padischah.
To abuse my trust like that...
I will have the Machredsch
flogged to death.
Pursue justice, Padischah,
and be assured of our loyalty.
I thank you, your German friend
Kara Ben Nemsi and your people.
Guards!
Bring me the Machredsch of Mosul.
But I want him alive. Go!
You know, Benda,
his name is Kara Ben Nemsi.
- I think you're...
- Shh!
No, I'm not.
But I do admit, I like him a lot.
And yet you let him go?
What do you mean?
What was I supposed to do?
You may be my mistress,
but I know more about men.
Do you?
What would you have done
if you were me?
The Padischah's Palace
is said to have many dark corridors.
And you could...
Just imagine, if you...
if you were to fall at the feet
of this Kara Ben Nemsi in the dark...
- Totally by chance, of course...
- You're impossible!
That's one way of putting it.
I've seen them. They're coming.
They're coming. Quickly, move the horses.
Go on, get out of here.
Take cover behind the rocks.
Oh, it's a marvellous country.
But unfortunately, no adventures.
No ark, no Noah.
Nothing.
There is something, my lord.
A caravan.
Luckily, we've got flowers.
- Flowers? What for?
- There are ladies in the caravan.
What a nice gift.
And what a charming age they are.
Come on, we've got no time to lose.
Attack the caravan!
Quickly, get the horses,
luggage and weapons.
Hurry up. We need to hurry.
We haven't got any time to lose.
Benda!
Benda!
Ingdscha!
You're alive.
My lord, it's five o'clock.
Tea time.
Archie,
have you turned into a girl?
No, my lord,
but two have just joined us.
I would never have believed it.
Can you explain
the circumstances to me?
We were attacked, my lord,
as far as I can remember.
Oh! Yes,
I remember that, too.
The two young ladies,
Miss Ingdscha and Miss Benda,
your lordship and yours truly survived.
We survived?
Oh, how delightful, how lovely.
- Where are you travelling to?
- To see my father, Kadir Bei.
- I see.
- But now without horses...
They even took the mules, sir.
I don't believe it!
We won't get out of this desert
without horses.
Not to mention the fact
that the gramophone needs its own mount.
Archie, in times of emergency, you have
to be able to do without modern frippery.
Don't worry, ladies.
Where there's a Lindsay, there's a way.
- Archie?
- Yes, sir?
Secret weapon SS-1!
Secret weapon SS-1.
SS-1.
Spaceship.
- What is it?
- Top secret.
Come and have some tea, ladies.
Have a seat, please.
Please sit down.
Point one. Air.
Sir, it is dangerous for you.
Here are 50 piastres for your silence.
You'll get another 50 when you bring me
the men that are staying with you.
But not all at once.
The fair-haired infidel
is the most important one to me.
Yes, I can do that.
Mitessellin is showing the infidel
around the prison today.
In the meantime,
I can send the other two to you.
And... as soon as he returns, him too.
I don't care how you do it.
Yes... certainly, it's just...
Just what?
Ali Bei from the Yazidis
went to see the Padischah.
And he's put a price of 5,000 piastres
on your head.
No doubt you'd like to earn it, right?
Add another 100 piastres
and you can rest easy.
Fine. All right.
But if you... if you talk, Selin Aga...
...a flag will be raised in memory of you
above your prison.
Your medicine has arrived, effendi.
Your health is very important
to the Padischah, Mutessellin.
How right you are.
How...
As you can see,
here is the desert hyena.
Get up, you filthy Bedouin!
A friend of the Padischah
would like to talk to you.
Now tell me, effendi,
isn't that a man who deserves to die?
You said it, Miutessellin.
Yes, effendi, you may be an infidel,
but your medicine tells me
that you have excellent taste.
Tomorrow you will be hanged...
...you miserable desert rat.
In full view of the public,
to the delight of Burusco.
This is a rare thing for us.
We love to see it.
What do you want, worm?
Why are you knocking
at my door so late?
Are you the effendi's Hadschi?
- I'm his protector. Why?
- The effendi sent me.
I've to tell you
that you must come quickly to him
with the other man
whose name I have forgotten.
- Where?
- I'll take you there.
Why did he send you?
I don't know.
He said it was important.
Where are you taking us?
To a ruin. I think
the effendi is watching someone there.
Sheikh Mohammed,
when I think long and hard about this,
it can't be dangerous,
because who would dare
to lure Hadschi Halef Omar,
a man who is known for his intelligence,
into such a stupid trap?
- Are you telling the truth, my boy?
- Yes.
If not, I'll pull you up by the ears so far,
you'll be able to fan a giraffe.
Gol
We need to go down there.
- Down there?
- Yes.
The effendi is waiting for you down there.
Down there in the ruin.
Guns down, hands up!
You've been captured.
By the beard of the Prophet,
what fools we are.
How right you are. You are fools.
Disarm them.
Seize them.
Effendi. Effendi...
- Yes?
- I have a message for you.
What is it?
Your two companions told me
they have discovered something important.
They would like you to join them, effendi.
- Where?
- The ruin. I'll take you there.
OK, wait here.
Let's go. Take me there.
You have to go down there, effendi.
Take me.
- Come on, take me down.
- Sure.
- There. They're down there.
- Who?
- The... The men.
- What men?
The... The men
who want to capture you.
Whoever you are, come on out.
This is Kara Ben Nemsi.
If you don't come out right now,
I'll shoot.
Alman, I'm holding your friends here.
Put down your weapon and come to the fire,
or else they'll die.
OK... You must show them to me first.
You'll hear their voices, Alman.
Sidi, believe me, my only mistake was
that I thought too long and hard.
You can save them.
Put down your weapon, so I can see it,
then come towards the fire.
Dojan, stay here.
Well, Kara Ben Nemsi...
The surprise worked.
You probably didn't expect this, huh?
Actually, I did, Machredsch.
Dojan!
Sheikh Mohammed, right now,
your son's life is more important.
- Have you seen him?
- Yes.
Sidi, don't you think,
I mean, in spite of the fact he's escaped,
that we still did really well?
Your medicine has made me feel
really young again, effendi.
If you made such a request,
I would even allow you
to send me some more.
I'm glad you like it. Please give me
permission to send you some more.
You have it.
Why haven't your companions come
to see this show?
They... they're both Arabs.
They don't want to witness
the death of another Arab.
They'll be sorry.
You'll see, effendi,
it's going to be an entertaining show.
- I'm sure it will be.
- Yes.
Quiet, Dojan.
Here we go, effendi.
Look, they're bringing him in.
- Help me up.
- Yes, of course.
In the name of the ruler of all the faithful,
Allah be with him,
you thieving Bedouin,
Ahmed el Corda,
for insulting the Padischah,
for the murder
of many honourable Turks,
and for rebellion,
you are sentenced to death by hanging.
The verdict has been given...
...and will be carried out immediately.
Wasn't I great?
You're always great.
It was him.
Go, Dojan.
Be brave for once.
We can't take aim!
- Right, we're ready.
- If it still flies...
Ladies, if you don't mind...
And you really think
we can fly up in the sky in that
and it won't fall to the ground?
Of course it won't, my child.
I'm scared, my lord.
There's no need to be scared, ladies.
No Lindsay has ever fallen from the sky.
- And if anything does happen to us, then...
- All of us.
Yes. If you don't mind, ladies...
If you don't mind, ladies. Please.
Right, after you.
Right, may I help you?
Where are you going?
- My lord, I'm so afraid.
- Now, now!
- Archie, get my smelling salts ready.
- Yes, sir.
Aren't you coming with us?
Staff always use the back stairs.
- Archie, haven't you forgotten something?
- No, my lord.
- The map, please.
- Map.
- And the knife.
- Knife.
- Here.
- Thank you.
We're climbing.
My lord, we still have
a bag of ballast attached to us.
Doesn't matter. We'll cut it off.
But my lord has tied the rope
to the underside of the basket.
Then we'll just take it with us.
Archie, that's the bag with the...
Dynamite.
- The rope is smouldering...
- Like a fuse, my lord.
- Don't panic, Archie. Don't panic.
- Don't panic, my lord.
As ever in life,
we have two choices.
Either we get blown up or we burn.
Naturally.
Archie, I have a fabulous idea.
You climb down and try to put out the fire
or cut the rope.
That is a fabulous idea.
Where's your butler going?
He's moving a little bit
outside the capsule.
It's not dangerous.
It's not dangerous at all.
In case I have... some sort of accident,
the black-edged handkerchiefs
are in the brown case.
Archie, in case I have
some kind of accident,
I'll write you a reference
to Lord Henry Gee.
Archie, ask for anything you wish.
- I wish to be allowed to pass out.
- Be my guest.
There you go!
So, you only fought back when
the Machredsch cracked his whip on you.
That's right, effendi.
My house and the Haddedin tribe
will honour your name, Kara Ben Nemsi,
after that of Allah.
And yours too, if we have time.
You know what annoys me most, Sidi?
That this consumptive locust,
this monster Machredsch has just escaped.
But by the beard of the Prophet,
I, Hadschi Halef Omar...
You mustn't forget
that no one can evade justice.
That's Durek.
Durek!
Did you tell this Alman
where we were going?
- No, no.
- No?
You'll be surprised, Machredsch.
He'll come up here by himself.
He rescued the man you wanted
to have hanged today from the gallows.
But the guy won't get far.
The whole of Burusco is after him now.
That's good for us.
Mount up! We'll ride to the Chaldean town.
He has to go through it.
You ride up to the pass.
If they take another route, let us know.
It's beautiful.
Really beautiful, sir.
Let's go, let's go! They're coming down.
We'll capture them.
- Isn't that marvellous?
- Wonderful.
Oh, it's wonderful.
If it carries on like this,
maybe we'll manage to go
right around the Earth.
In how many days, sir?
Around the world in 80 days...
We'll do it in 40.
- My lord, the ground.
- What?
The ground!
It doesn't like this climate.
Wonderful.
You really think
it won't fall to the ground?
Please, ladies, sit down.
Safely landed.
Come on.
Archie, the stairs.
Prepare some tea for the ladies.
We're going to get out.
- May I, ladies?
- Hands up!
You can't stand around quietly
in this country for five minutes
without being accosted from behind.
Your lordship's
circle of acquaintances is so large.
Nice to meet you.
To what do I owe the pleasure?
The pleasure will soon pass.
Tie them up.
We've made good progress.
If we carry on like this,
we'll reach the Haddedin camp in four days.
What will you do then, effendi?
I think I'll go back home
and maybe write a book.
A warrior like you putting pen to paper?
Of course,
what else would he put it on?
It's possible
that he even makes everything rhyme.
Effendi, I'll give you a tent
and you can become a Haddedin sheikh.
Yes, stay here, Sidi. Stay here.
Sheikh Mohammed...
do you think Rih could be happy
in my homeland in the north?
Never.
Rih belongs here in this country.
All of us have only one homeland
to which we really belong.
Don't you think of me at all, Sidi?
It might be even harder for me
than it is for you, Halef.
At home, I don't have anyone
as reliable as you to protect me.
You see, better to have an uncomfortable
flight than an uncomfortable walk.
What is it?
The Alman and the Arabs
are barely half an hour behind us.
This is a good place for an attack.
You don't need to ride back.
Tie and gag the prisoners
and hide them behind the rocks.
I'm sorry, my lord, but our camp bed
is in our stranded flying object.
Sleeping on a hard surface
is good for you.
Chaldeans!
We'll take them first. Each of you take one.
Only shoot on my signal. Come on.
Fire!l
Go! Chase the horses away.
Leave the dead where they are.
Kara Ben Nemsi will be here soon.
Move! Gol
- That wasn't a gunshot.
- Nor some kind of distant artillery.
Maybe it was a rockfall.
Maybe, but I don't think so.
- Effendi!
- There!
Careful!
Let's go. Come on.
Take cover!
Sidi, there, look out!
You murderers, you stinking vultures...
Tie their hands together.
The Alman's too.
Should he wake up again,
we'll shoot them all.
You murderer!
Before you shoot my Sidi,
Allah will stamp on your evil tongue.
For every kick,
I'll break one of your ribs.
- Gag him!
- Two ribs.
Machredsch of Mosul...
Greetings.
May God be with you.
Kadir Bei.
May Allah be with you.
He led you to me at just the right time.
These men here have committed
a terrible crime.
These rogues have murdered
three Chaldeans.
If that's true,
they'll pay for it with their blood.
We've arrested the murderers.
They will not evade
their just punishment.
In Burusco,
they tried to rob Mitessellin
and freed a murderer
who had been sentenced to death.
The whole town is after them.
I caught them
when they ambushed your men.
I know this man.
- I've seen him once before.
- You know him?
I saw him with the Padischah
when he was his guest of honour.
Then he betrayed the Padischah's trust, too.
He deserves to die even more.
Yes, he does.
We shall pass judgement on him.
Why pass judgement?
We'll hang him.
You're on Chaldean land,
Machredsch of Mosul.
We have our own laws
which are recognised by the Padischah.
- You must submit to them.
- I will submit to your laws.
I know it is in accordance
with the Padischah's wishes.
God will thank you, Machredsch.
I've taken more prisoners.
I'll hand them over to you.
Two men who have long been suspected
of spying for Britain.
You've been very successful,
Machredsch.
I am honoured by your praise.
I'll hand them over to you to deliver justice.
Just leave the fair-haired murderer
in my custody.
I'll guard him well and hand him over
to the Padischah's court.
Your prisoners belong to you.
I won't do anything
against the will of the Padischah.
Have you seen the way they're hanging?
One of them looks dead already.
Criminals!
Halef, where are you?
Believe me, Machredsch,
they will die if they're guilty.
Aren't your dead men proof of that
and the attack in Burusco?
The court will decide on that.
The court? They're criminals.
They need to be killed.
Not in this country. Even a murderer
has a right to a fair trial here.
Is the Council of Wise Men ready
to pass judgement on the guilt or innocence
of the Machredsch of Mosul's prisoners?
- We are.
- We are.
We are.
Good. Then let the charges
be brought.
I'm bringing charges
against Ahmed el Corda...
...who was rightfully sentenced to death
because he murdered one of my men.
He shot my father.
And who evaded his just punishment
with the help of these two men
and is to blame for the death
of many citizens of Burusco
who, during the terrible uproar in the town
that broke out after his escape,
were shot or trampled to death.
He's lying!
If every one of your lies
cost you a tooth, then...
then you could only survive on water.
Silence!
You'll get your chance to speak.
A very serious charge,
Machredsch of Mosul.
It would mean death for the accused...
...if my judges find them guilty.
What is the evidence?
My sworn oath
as the Padischah's governor
and the oath of the men
who witnessed everything that happened.
You may step forward.
Did you commit the acts
that you're accused of?
He's mixing up truth with lies...
Answer yes or no.
Yes and no.
So, you admit your guilt?
No.
The only guilty one is this man.
You're accusing the Machredsch of Mosul,
the Padischah's governor?
He isn't anymore.
He was removed from his post.
No. Be quiet...
How do you know that?
Someone told me.
And how do you know
they were telling you the truth?
This is slander!
I must ask you, too,
not to interrupt the trial.
Can you prove what you're saying?
Yes. Send a messenger
to Mutessellin of Burusco.
Now the chap is putting on my top hat.
Such impudence, my lord.
I'm terribly thirsty.
Here.
Can't you cut these ties for me?
Or are you scared of two weak women?
No, but I'm not allowed to.
Do you know
where the Machredsch is?
Yes, he rode with Kadir Bei
to the Chaldean town
where they're passing judgement
on the prisoners today.
What's your friend doing?
Where is he?
He's... guarding the British spies
over there.
You know, we threw dice to decide
who would guard you two, and I won.
You're much nicer and more handsome
than the other grump.
- Do you like me, my little gazelle?
- Yes.
- This chap with his unwashed hands.
- You lout!
My lord.
Oh, no, my friend,
you mustn't put the cap on like that.
Other way round. Other way round.
Very nice.
You'd make a talented golfer.
Kara Ben Nemsi, Ahmed and Halef
have been captured by the Machredsch.
He wants them executed.
I must get to my father
before something terrible happens.
We'll be right with you!
Halt!
Keep going.
- Now I'll never see my Hanneh again.
- As long as we're alive, there's hope.
This is the second time this week
I've gone to the gallows.
I'd be glad if I could go to the gallows
a second time this week.
Sidi, let's escape, let's run!
There's no point, Halef.
We're ready.
Don't worry.
Ingdscha!
There he is!
The murderer of the Chaldeans.
The Machredsch of Mosul?
He isn't the Machredsch of Mosul anymore.
The Padischah dismissed him
and has offered 5,000 piastres for his head.
Sidi, I beg you, don't jump, it's too far.
Even you wouldn't survive.
Archie, when it comes to Kara Ben Nemsi,
we're always too late.
The man is beyond saving.
- He'll live forever.
- Yes.
THE END
Digitisation supported by the
Film Heritage Funding Program
Financed by the Federal Government
Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM),
the German states, and the German
Film and Television Academy (FFA).
A GERMAN-SPANISH
CO-PRODUCTION WITH...
THROUGH WILD KURDISTAN
Grab your rifles.
Water in the desert
is what Allah is for our faith.
This well belongs to the Haddedin.
You can't just take water from it.
Before you use it, you must ask
Sheikh Mohammed Emin for permission.
This well gives our tribe its wealth.
Does that also apply to me,
the Machredsch of Mosul,
- the Padischah's closest confidant?
- Yes, it does.
So you disregard the ruler of all believers.
You're just his servant.
But I'm Ahmed el Corda,
the son of Sheikh Mohammed Emin.
I demand that you respect
the law of the desert.
Leave our well immediately,
and keep on riding.
We will keep on riding,
Ahmed el Corda.
Seize him!
Don't shoot. I want him alive.
I'll have you hanged in public
for rebellion against the Padischah!
Tie him to a horse.
COMPOSERS
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
EDITOR
PRODUCTION DESIGNERS
COSTUME DESIGNER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
SOUND DEPARTMENPRODUCTION MANAGERS
RECORDED IN CCC STUDIOS BERLIN
PCB STUDIOS BARCELONA
OUTDOOR SHOTS
LEVANTE, ANDALUCIA, CATALONIA
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
PRODUCER
SCREENWRITER AND DIRECTOR
This is a celebration for you,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
You're embarrassing me, Padischah.
You saved this country and me...
...from a murderer
and a dangerous criminal.
You saved us from the Shoot.
Do you like her?
She's really beautiful.
She is a dream, Kara Ben Nemsi.
I'll give her to you.
Your kindness makes me happy, Padischah,
and I don't know how to thank you.
But I must ask you for a greater gift.
And that would be?
I ask you to keep her for me
until I return, Padischah.
I have to visit the Haddedin's pasture lands
before I return home.
Your request is granted.
Please...
Who is that girl?
You mean
because she's not wearing a veil?
She's the niece of the man
with the white beard over there.
His brother is the chief
of the Chaldeans,
the only Christians
that live in my kingdom.
She's a pretty girl.
What brings her here?
I see you have an eye for beauty,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I don't have the power
to give you the girl,
but if you want,
I'll introduce her to you.
My friend Kara Ben Nemsi
would like to meet you and your niece.
God be with you, Kara Ben Nemsi.
We've heard
a lot of good things about you.
Now that I have met you,
I deeply regret that I have to leave.
Kadir Bei's brother and his niece
will be leaving Mosul tomorrow.
Yes, my niece is joining a caravan
with a servant.
She's travelling back to her father
and I'm returning to my family.
May Allah protect you.
Come, Kara Ben Nemsi. I still have something
I want to discuss with you.
Here, Kara Ben Nemsi.
Please, take this firman.
A firman is a passport
that will open every door for you here.
If you ever return to my country,
it will protect you wherever you go.
I only give such a passport
to friends that deserve it.
And I hope you will never disappoint me.
You're a man of great kindness,
Padischah.
I was standing...
I was standing around,
and suddenly,
I recognised the powerful animal.
It was a lion.
A lion as big as an elephant.
With a mane like this.
Jaws like this.
And paws like this.
Paws like this.
Very good.
The lion got ready to pounce,
and my friend Kara Ben Nemsi
would have surely died
if I hadn't come along, I...
Hadschi Halef Omar
Ben Hadschi Abul Abbas...
Ibn Hadschi Dawud al Gossarah.
Praise be to Allah.
You can't hear this name often enough.
Who's this?
Get away, you creatures from hell.
Make room, make room.
Sidi...
Sidi...
I'm here.
Get away! Get away! Can't you hear me,
you trash of the Orient?
Salaam.
I give you this, Hanneh,
that you may brighten up Halef's life,
in memory of your friend.
Oh, Sidi, I really am so glad
that you're here.
But something terrible has happened.
It's impossible for you to return home.
Not yet.
But, Halef,
you're exaggerating again.
Look at your children.
They're getting taller
and will soon be grown up.
And your wife is getting ever more beautiful.
What are you worried about?
Yes, Sidi, I'm very proud of myself...
I mean of my family.
Of all my sons.
And of my wife. But...
She's a wonderful woman.
Oh, Sidi...
Allah...
I was supposed to take you to
Sheikh Mohammed, and he's here already.
What's going on, Halef?
The Machredsch, who was made
governor of Mosul by the Padischah,
is a very powerful and, believe me, Sidi,
a very dangerous man.
He arrested Ahmed el Corda,
the son of Sheikh Mohammed,
for allegedly insulting him,
and then ordered his execution to take place
on the day after the full moon.
- Without trial?
- Without trial.
- Salaam.
- Salaam.
May Allah be with you.
May He be with you, too,
Sheikh Mohammed.
It's about my son's life,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I've already heard.
Halef just told me.
The Machredsch of Mosul
took water from our well
without asking us for permission.
My son caught him doing it
and demanded that he obey our laws.
But the Machredsch took the water
and had him taken prisoner.
Yes, that's what happened. But before that,
a Turkish soldier lost his life.
And where has Ahmed been taken?
To the interior of the country.
It may just be a rumour, but it is said
that he has been taken to Burusco prison.
Come on, you swine, keep moving!
Move it, you skunk,
you scum of the Sahara!
You dirty son of a bitch!
Keep moving! Come on, move it!
Move, move, I said!
Do you want a drink? Are you thirsty?
But, Sheikh Mohammed,
the kingdom is large and wide.
And the eyes of the Padischah
can't be everywhere.
We haven't got time to wait
for the Padischah's justice.
- Quite right.
- We must act now.
We must act,
and I'm going to help you.
We can't just ride to Burusco
and set him free, Sheikh Mohammed.
That's against the law.
The law is on the side of the strong.
The Machredsch of Mosul never cared
about who he extorted taxes from,
that never found their way
into the Padischah's coffers.
And he never cared
about the victims of his greed.
Has no one ever fought back
against the Machredsch?
He's never tried it with the Haddedin.
I've brought a son of Rih's with me,
Kara Ben Nemsi.
I wanted to give the horse to you
because I thought you were my friend.
I am your friend,
even if you don't give me anything.
You're really going to come with me
to Burusco?
It's only four days until the full moon.
I think we should hurry, Sidi.
You, so that nothing unjust happens,
and me, so that nothing happens to you.
Believe me, Sidi,
we must be very, very careful.
The Yazidis are
the most dangerous of all Kurds.
They burn their prisoners alive.
How do you know that?
From experience.
Believe me, I have a lot more experience
than you think.
For example, you have just one son of Rih's,
but I have six sons of Hadschi's at home.
- Sidi...
- Yes?
- Do you hear anything?
- No.
- Do you see anything?
- No.
Then Allah has made you
deaf and blind...
He's made me wise, Halef.
There are seven Yazidis
hiding amongst the rocks.
Maybe I should tell them who I am, Sidi,
then they'd put their hands up.
They'd put their hands up like this...
Hands up!
Where are you going?
Over there.
Where have you come from?
Back there.
Do you know who we are?
Probably highwaymen.
Keep your impertinent mouth shut.
Faced with men who don't even dare
to say who they are?
You're our prisoners.
Anyone who reaches for a weapon
will be fed to the jackals.
How kind.
But why are your toothless old men
showing us their weapons?
We don't want to buy any.
- Do you think there are eagles here, Halef?
- Of course, Sidi.
There are eagles on all cliffs.
There, there!
See what Allah has given us!
There, there, look!
Up there! Yes, there!
You see,
we can be just as polite as you.
Lead us now to Ali Bei.
Gol
Oh, how pleased he will be with his brave
and courageous little stink bugs!
- Oh, it's a wonderful place.
- A wonderful place.
Just a bit dusty. Terribly dusty.
- I'd like to take a bath.
- Yes, my lord.
Your changing room is ready, sir.
Oh, thanks, Archie. Please lay out
my afternoon suit for me.
But we're not expecting any visitors, sir.
You never know, Archie.
Hey, Captain,
what kind of people are they?
They're not Yazidis.
- What shall we do?
- We'll capture them.
Prisoners are always good.
Come on.
Exactly 33.5, my lord.
Thank you.
- Your soap.
- Thanks.
Archie, shower.
Very good, my lord.
It's 58 minutes and 15 seconds past four.
Two minutes before tea time.
My lord, we have visitors.
Oh, excellent.
What a lovely surprise.
Show them in.
Oh, soldiers.
How are you, gentlemen?
To what do I owe the pleasure?
Who are you?
You have the great honour
of appearing before Sir David Lindsay.
I am his butler.
So no Yazidis?
Have you seen any Yazidis
in the bathtub? I haven't.
But I bet you are good friends
of these damned Yazidis.
The dictionary, Archie.
Look that up and see if it's an insult.
The Yazidis are mangy dogs
who don't pay their taxes
and will now be punished for it.
Me and my soldiers,
we're just the advance guard.
You've seen us,
and so that you can't betray us,
we're going to take you prisoner.
We're going to arrest both of you.
Did you hear me?
Can you speak up a bit?
I'm a bit hard-of-hearing.
I don't understand a word.
You swine,
you understood me perfectly well.
Come on, get out of that sack,
you old fool!
Nice man.
They have no sense of humour,
these Turks.
They don't, but we do.
Fabulous country. Fabulous adventure.
Which animal is to be sacrificed today?
Let it be a surprise, Ali Bei.
I'm waiting for a message.
You, me and the Yazidis,
we'll find out soon enough.
Ali Bei, you have brave warriors.
They just don't know
who's friend and who's foe.
Kara Ben Nemsil
What a pleasure to see you again.
Welcome to the Valley of the Yazidis.
I'm pleased to see you, too, Ali Bei.
Forgive me, effendi,
may I send the guards away?
Wait. No one has found out yet
who they were dealing with.
Listen to me.
It was me, Hadschi Halef Omar...
Enough, Halef.
Your men are very good.
They almost took me by surprise.
May I introduce you to my friends?
This is Sheikh Mohammed.
This is my companion Halef.
Hadschi Halef Omar Ben Hadschi Abul Abbas
Ibn Hadschi Dawud al Gossarah.
You are our guests.
We're about to have our festival of faith.
Tomorrow at the fire tower,
Pir Kamek will announce
which sacrifice Allah will receive.
None of us, I hope.
Allah does not accept people.
The sacrifice is always an animal.
We'll set off at two.
I'm looking forward to it already.
A valley full of Yazidis,
every shell from our cannons will hit a target.
We'll shoot them to pieces.
That'll be a celebration!
If the Machredsch and his horsemen
want to take the valley,
there'll be nothing left for him to do.
His promotion is certain.
And T'll get a medal.
Sorry, Captain.
- Did you understand all that, Archie?
- Yes, every word, sir.
Believe me, I'm sure he'll start again
with the gramophone.
- Yes.
- Repeat the battle plan. Firstly...
Put on the record.
Secondly...
The secret.
- Thirdly?
- Commotion. We escape.
Of course.
So, you're not going to tell me
how music comes out of the magic box, huh?
No. I'll just show you.
OK.
Then I'll get them to untie you.
And don't try to escape,
or that will be the last thing you ever do.
- Firecrackers.
- Very good, sir.
- Ready, Archie?
- Ready, my lord.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Zero.
The Yazidis believe that Allah
is blessing our festival tomorrow,
that it has some special meaning.
What do you think, Ali Bei?
I don't know, effendi.
With your permission, I will try
to get to the bottom of this message.
- Fabulous adventure.
- Embarrassing oversight, sir.
Yes, embarrassing.
That's the right word.
Yes, my lord.
I'll give it a go.
Well, how do you like it here?
Genghis Khan was a nice man
compared to you!
What will you pay me,
you fine British gentleman?
What will you pay me
if I let you go?
I'm not paying you anything.
Well, what will you give me
if I let you go?
What?
- What did you say?
- Nothing.
What?
He's hard-of-hearing, too.
Nothing!
Niente! Rien! Nichts!
Do you happen to know
how you say that in Turkish, Archie?
Degil.
What? Nothing?
Oh, you master of meanness,
you will ask for permission to pay me!
A thousand piastres,
ten thousand piastres!
An attack!
Get your weapons!
An attack! An attack!
Where are they?
Search the bushes.
Come on, you cowardly hyenas!
Hands up, you're surrounded.
Go on, call your men back. Or else...
Don't move! Otherwise,
your fat neck might suddenly lose its head.
I shall obey. Tell me what to do.
Call your men back.
Come back!
Come on! Come back!
Can't you hear me, you swine?
Oh, no, why must you always
spoil everything for me, Kara Ben Nemsi?
I really wanted to escape by myself.
- Fine, I can go if you want...
- No, now that you're here, you can stay.
Listen, we're surrendering
to a superior force
in order to avoid
unnecessary bloodshed.
Lay down all your weapons.
Hurry up, you doomed offspring
of a dirty dung beetle! Go on!
We've allowed enemy guns
to enter the Valley of the Yazidis.
Good evening, sir.
I thought you'd have been back in London
some time ago, Lord Lindsay.
Oh, it's because of a bet I made
with my friends in the Westminster Club.
I really must find Noah's Ark.
Noah's Ark?
Yes, it's meant to be in southern Kurdistan,
but that's not so important.
What's more important is that this time
I know more than you.
- What do you know more than me?
- A number of soldiers are coming tomorrow.
Their leader is
a certain Machredsch of Mosul.
A governor or something like that.
Halt!
You see?
Behind the hill over there is the entrance
to the Valley of the Yazidis.
And here... Here is our field artillery.
As soon as we ride into the valley,
the Captain will begin the bombardment,
exactly one hour after sunrise.
The initial shock will force the Yazidis
to flee into the mountains
and run straight into our arms.
You said it, Machredsch.
No Yazidi will be able to claim
that the Machredsch of Mosul was wrong
to demand such high taxes from them.
- You will retain the Padischah's patronage.
- T will.
I once had a score to settle
with the Yazidis, too.
I did it by hanging the son of the high priest
Pir Kamek from the nearest tree.
Advance! Let's go!
Maybe they're not coming.
They are. I don't think
we'll need to wait much longer.
It was fortunate that the Turkish captain
talked so carelessly.
Yes, but do you think
he was telling the truth?
He was telling the truth,
and you mustn't forget your promise.
If you kill the Machredsch,
you'll scupper our plans.
A Haddedin never breaks his word.
I'll only settle my score with him
once my son is free.
Until then, I trust in Allah.
Thank you, Sheikh Mohammed.
There!
There they are, these evil...
- Get down, Halef!
- ...evil stink bugs.
Not a single Kurd to be seen.
I don't like it.
Are you afraid?
No.
I don't understand.
Not a single Yazidi is showing his face.
You'll see them soon enough.
Just wait until the first cannon shell lands.
We'll keep on riding. Come on!
Fire!l
Thanks be to Allah, that's our cannons!
Now you'll see the Yazidis
coming out of their hideouts.
- These are our people.
- Halt, halt! What are you doing here?
Durek!
Their cannons opened fire on us.
Right in the middle of our unit.
Has the captain gone mad?
Move! Everyone keep going!
Miralai, you give them twenty more men.
Durek, you keep on riding.
Spare yourself the effort.
It won't help much,
Machredsch of Mosul.
What do you mean?
It means the Yazidis were ready for you.
And in charge of your cannons
are men under the command of Ali Bei.
You're surrounded on all sides.
Surrender!
- Who are you?
- It's enough that I know who you are.
How can I trust you?
Come down here. Let's negotiate.
Sidi, you're not leaving me now.
- Archie, the bulletproof vest for Mr Kara.
- No, thank you.
All right, Machredsch, I'm coming.
But there are four guns pointing at you
from this roof.
If any of your men aim a gun at me,
you're a dead man.
Brave words.
Show your bravery with your actions.
Don't worry, Mr Kara.
If anything happens to you,
I'll personally write your obituary
in The Times.
Sidi, I swear, I'll shoot him to pieces
if anything happens to you.
I swear to Allah and all other gods.
Although there are no other gods
besides Allah.
Good. Thank you.
I haven't come to make a big speech,
Machredsch.
Do we know each other?
I only know honest dignitaries
of the Padischah.
Watch your impudent tongue!
Surrender with all your men.
Hand over your weapons...
...and we will grant you safe passage.
You've lost your mind.
This is treason.
We're surrounded. It's a trap.
Think about it, Machredsch.
Any resistance only results in bloodshed.
Come on!
Traitors!
We've been together
for so many years -
you really should've learnt from me by now
how to deal with this rabble.
Halt! Halt!
Gather round, you cowardly swine!
We'll break through, in this direction.
Come on! Get out of the valley!
Fire!l
There. Pir Kamek.
Pir Kamek,
what do you want from me?
By the laws of Allah,
I demand a life for a life.
Your life for my son's.
I'm not the one who's going to die.
You are!
Shoot him!
May Allah forgive you.
Machredsch of Mosul!
Throw down your weapons
before more men die.
Or you will no longer see
the light of day.
You've got three minutes!
Everyone gather round over there.
Hold your fire!
- Gather round!
- Any resistance is futile.
How can you dare to think
that your British lord is more wonderful
than the mighty Kara Ben Nemsi?
It may well be that Mr Kara is wonderful,
but a lord is a lord.
My Sidi is worth more than a lord.
He knows everything, sees everything,
hears everything,
and can do things nobody else can.
Don't laugh,
you sour-faced, sad-looking git!
Shall I give you an example
of my Sidi's omniscience?
OK. Prepare to be amazed.
Barely three weeks ago,
we were riding through wild Kurdistan.
Suddenly,
he stops his horse and says,
"Halef, soon we will see Lord Lindsay
and his good-for-nothing servant again."
That's nothing. Last Thursday,
Lord Lindsay said to me,
"Archie,
in three days it will be Sunday."
So? Anyone can say that.
There's nothing special about that story.
No, but at least it's true.
Effendi, there isn't a single Yazidi
that wouldn't be prepared to die for you.
We thank you.
All T ask is you take away a little gift
from us as a souvenir. His name is Dojan.
- Thank you, Ali Bei.
- Sidi, this...
- Sidi, is this a gift?
- Yes.
It's a dog from your homeland.
It's a custom here to spit in a dog's mouth,
so they remain faithful.
Sheikh Mohammed
is expecting you on the plain.
He's afraid that he can't keep his promise
when he confronts the Machredsch.
It would be better for his son
if he does keep it.
Lord Lindsay... Are you leaving us?
Oh, yes, it's a pity,
but you know I'm looking for this ship,
this houseboat, this Noah's Ark,
in order to take it to London.
Yes, but please don't forget,
Lord Lindsay,
that the land you want to cross
isn't called "Wild Kurdistan" for no reason.
Oh, splendid!
Of course, wild Kurdistan.
Wonderful. I love the wilds.
Mr Kara, it will always be a great honour
and a great pleasure
to meet you again in this peaceful region.
Goodbye.
Goodbye, Mr Halef,
and don't forget, a lord is a lord.
Allah can't be almighty,
otherwise he would have stamped
on this creature with his big foot.
Let's go.
I can't stand that guy.
Kara Ben Nemsi, we'll meet again.
We'll meet again soon.
Firstly, we don't speak
to jackals like you.
Secondly, we're riding to Burusco,
where you have no authority.
You think so?
You son of a hyena, you jackal runt!
Keep out of my sight, you good-for-nothing,
you dead loss, you freak of nature!
What will the Padischah say,
Machredsch?
Shut your mouth.
It's none of your business.
I know a caravan route.
We've still got knives, Machredsch.
I would ride with you.
And a few of your men, too.
I mean,
it would be better than the rope.
If you open your mouth once more,
I'll have you flogged.
I was just making a suggestion.
You might want to reconsider.
I know how to get rid of our uniforms, too.
But do what you want.
Halt!
Captain, come here.
Machredsch?
I'm going on a scouting trip.
You'll take over command.
- But, Machredsch...
- Shut up!
Or I'll shoot you for your stupidity
that got us into this mess.
No, no. I shall obey...
Six men will ride with me.
Let's go!
Human beings truly are
a marvellous creation, don't you think?
They have pride, they can think.
They can think about
why they are proud.
That's why a dog could never replace
a human being, right?
Halef, have I ever said
that Dojan could replace you?
No, that would be impossible.
He can't speak, he barks.
He can't shoot, he bites.
A dog can't even...
But you must admit
he has one advantage over you.
What's that?
He can't say the word "Burusco".
Kara Ben Nemsi, I made a promise,
and I didn't want to break my word.
- That was wise.
- I don't know, effendi.
Why didn't we force him
to release my son?
Because a man like the Machredsch
would take revenge faster than we can ride
if he found out
a Haddedin was involved in his defeat.
- Even as our prisoner?
- Even then.
He'd have promised everything
and not kept his word.
And later he'd have incited the Padischah
to take revenge against the Haddedin.
We're not afraid of him...
The fact that Arabs have such little fear
is why so many die.
You worthless wretch!
You dared to insult
the wonderful Machredsch of Mosul?
Not to mention the four dead men.
Stop.
Leave him be.
Insulting the Machredsch
will cost you your life.
Insulting me, Mltessellin,
the governor of Burusco,
will cost you a bastinado.
50 on the soles of his feet.
Off you go.
Thank Allah we're here.
I've been counting the hours.
Every stop was agony for me
because it's full moon tomorrow.
Don't worry, Sheikh Mohammed.
We'll find your son in time.
Hey, your turn.
Come on, throw.
Hey, who's that?
Halt! No one can enter Mltessellin's palace
without permission.
And who gives this permission?
Only me.
Then give it.
Oh, but that's a very,
very complicated matter.
I'll give you ten piastres.
That'll probably make it easier.
It's not quite so complicated anymore...
Save your money, Sidi.
You unfortunate result
of a quick passionate encounter
between a cockroach
and a mangy goat!
Do you even know what ten piastres are?
Say one more word,
and I'll have you arrested!
Arrested? You probably want
another ten piastres.
- I'll pay you with my whip!
- Come on. We'll carry on riding.
Hold it right there.
Stop, stop.
Stop right there, I said.
Stop right there. Defend the palace.
How did you get in here?
Through this door.
On my feet.
Guards!
Guards!
Don't bother your brave soldiers.
You're very bold.
I sentence you to a bastinado.
You'll be caned 100 times
on the soles of your feet.
Come on, men!
Hold it right there.
And none of you rotten nightmares
of a sleeping drunk move either!
This is mutiny!
No cause for alarm.
That would be a mistake, Mutessellin.
This is a firman
that the Padischah gave me.
When you read it,
you'll see just how mistaken you are.
Oh, effendi.
May Allah bless the Padischah...
and you.
And who's going to bless us, huh?
What can I do for you, effendi?
Get out! Get lost,
you sons of ignorance!
All of you, out!
You stay.
Selin, you stay here.
I've heard a lot about you, Mtessellin.
You're wise, smart, fair...
...generous and indulgent.
Do you need money?
No, just some quarters
for two to three days.
We'll pay you, Mitessellin.
We'd like to stay close to you.
Your protection makes us feel secure.
Yes, that's true.
I have a good suggestion for you.
You can share quarters with Selin Aga.
He may not have deserved this honour,
but I'm gracious.
But you will pay me.
You're very clever.
But very sick, too, it seems to me.
Yes, very sick.
This is my medicine.
Why have you gathered so many
brave soldiers around you, Mitessellin?
The prison is very famous.
I have dangerous criminals in there.
Enemies of the Padischah.
Like this Arab who was going to kill him
if the Machredsch of Mosul
hadn't stopped him.
He may have been stopped now,
but this Arab killed four men.
Anyway...
Tomorrow he faces a public execution.
Tomorrow?
Mitessellin...
Can I send you a couple of bottles
of your medicine to ease your suffering?
- Oh, effendi...
- If you don't mind.
You're a wise man, and I thank you.
Only, send me a lot
because my suffering is great.
In return, is there any favour
I can do for you?
No, no. Thank you.
I mean, if your prison really is
that famous,
it would be an honour for me
if I could visit it.
You should see it.
You must see it. It's...
Will that be possible if the execution
of the Arab is taking place tomorrow?
Of course. Originally, he was to be executed
the day after the full moon.
But he has made two escape attempts.
That's why
I brought the execution forward.
He just doesn't know that.
Your soldiers' cannons and guns,
O Padischah,
are at your disposal
in the Valley of the Yazidis.
You will understand that I didn't return them
to the men who attacked us.
Ali Bei, is everything
that you've told me true?
By the beard of the Prophet,
it is true, Padischah.
To abuse my trust like that...
I will have the Machredsch
flogged to death.
Pursue justice, Padischah,
and be assured of our loyalty.
I thank you, your German friend
Kara Ben Nemsi and your people.
Guards!
Bring me the Machredsch of Mosul.
But I want him alive. Go!
You know, Benda,
his name is Kara Ben Nemsi.
- I think you're...
- Shh!
No, I'm not.
But I do admit, I like him a lot.
And yet you let him go?
What do you mean?
What was I supposed to do?
You may be my mistress,
but I know more about men.
Do you?
What would you have done
if you were me?
The Padischah's Palace
is said to have many dark corridors.
And you could...
Just imagine, if you...
if you were to fall at the feet
of this Kara Ben Nemsi in the dark...
- Totally by chance, of course...
- You're impossible!
That's one way of putting it.
I've seen them. They're coming.
They're coming. Quickly, move the horses.
Go on, get out of here.
Take cover behind the rocks.
Oh, it's a marvellous country.
But unfortunately, no adventures.
No ark, no Noah.
Nothing.
There is something, my lord.
A caravan.
Luckily, we've got flowers.
- Flowers? What for?
- There are ladies in the caravan.
What a nice gift.
And what a charming age they are.
Come on, we've got no time to lose.
Attack the caravan!
Quickly, get the horses,
luggage and weapons.
Hurry up. We need to hurry.
We haven't got any time to lose.
Benda!
Benda!
Ingdscha!
You're alive.
My lord, it's five o'clock.
Tea time.
Archie,
have you turned into a girl?
No, my lord,
but two have just joined us.
I would never have believed it.
Can you explain
the circumstances to me?
We were attacked, my lord,
as far as I can remember.
Oh! Yes,
I remember that, too.
The two young ladies,
Miss Ingdscha and Miss Benda,
your lordship and yours truly survived.
We survived?
Oh, how delightful, how lovely.
- Where are you travelling to?
- To see my father, Kadir Bei.
- I see.
- But now without horses...
They even took the mules, sir.
I don't believe it!
We won't get out of this desert
without horses.
Not to mention the fact
that the gramophone needs its own mount.
Archie, in times of emergency, you have
to be able to do without modern frippery.
Don't worry, ladies.
Where there's a Lindsay, there's a way.
- Archie?
- Yes, sir?
Secret weapon SS-1!
Secret weapon SS-1.
SS-1.
Spaceship.
- What is it?
- Top secret.
Come and have some tea, ladies.
Have a seat, please.
Please sit down.
Point one. Air.
Sir, it is dangerous for you.
Here are 50 piastres for your silence.
You'll get another 50 when you bring me
the men that are staying with you.
But not all at once.
The fair-haired infidel
is the most important one to me.
Yes, I can do that.
Mitessellin is showing the infidel
around the prison today.
In the meantime,
I can send the other two to you.
And... as soon as he returns, him too.
I don't care how you do it.
Yes... certainly, it's just...
Just what?
Ali Bei from the Yazidis
went to see the Padischah.
And he's put a price of 5,000 piastres
on your head.
No doubt you'd like to earn it, right?
Add another 100 piastres
and you can rest easy.
Fine. All right.
But if you... if you talk, Selin Aga...
...a flag will be raised in memory of you
above your prison.
Your medicine has arrived, effendi.
Your health is very important
to the Padischah, Mutessellin.
How right you are.
How...
As you can see,
here is the desert hyena.
Get up, you filthy Bedouin!
A friend of the Padischah
would like to talk to you.
Now tell me, effendi,
isn't that a man who deserves to die?
You said it, Miutessellin.
Yes, effendi, you may be an infidel,
but your medicine tells me
that you have excellent taste.
Tomorrow you will be hanged...
...you miserable desert rat.
In full view of the public,
to the delight of Burusco.
This is a rare thing for us.
We love to see it.
What do you want, worm?
Why are you knocking
at my door so late?
Are you the effendi's Hadschi?
- I'm his protector. Why?
- The effendi sent me.
I've to tell you
that you must come quickly to him
with the other man
whose name I have forgotten.
- Where?
- I'll take you there.
Why did he send you?
I don't know.
He said it was important.
Where are you taking us?
To a ruin. I think
the effendi is watching someone there.
Sheikh Mohammed,
when I think long and hard about this,
it can't be dangerous,
because who would dare
to lure Hadschi Halef Omar,
a man who is known for his intelligence,
into such a stupid trap?
- Are you telling the truth, my boy?
- Yes.
If not, I'll pull you up by the ears so far,
you'll be able to fan a giraffe.
Gol
We need to go down there.
- Down there?
- Yes.
The effendi is waiting for you down there.
Down there in the ruin.
Guns down, hands up!
You've been captured.
By the beard of the Prophet,
what fools we are.
How right you are. You are fools.
Disarm them.
Seize them.
Effendi. Effendi...
- Yes?
- I have a message for you.
What is it?
Your two companions told me
they have discovered something important.
They would like you to join them, effendi.
- Where?
- The ruin. I'll take you there.
OK, wait here.
Let's go. Take me there.
You have to go down there, effendi.
Take me.
- Come on, take me down.
- Sure.
- There. They're down there.
- Who?
- The... The men.
- What men?
The... The men
who want to capture you.
Whoever you are, come on out.
This is Kara Ben Nemsi.
If you don't come out right now,
I'll shoot.
Alman, I'm holding your friends here.
Put down your weapon and come to the fire,
or else they'll die.
OK... You must show them to me first.
You'll hear their voices, Alman.
Sidi, believe me, my only mistake was
that I thought too long and hard.
You can save them.
Put down your weapon, so I can see it,
then come towards the fire.
Dojan, stay here.
Well, Kara Ben Nemsi...
The surprise worked.
You probably didn't expect this, huh?
Actually, I did, Machredsch.
Dojan!
Sheikh Mohammed, right now,
your son's life is more important.
- Have you seen him?
- Yes.
Sidi, don't you think,
I mean, in spite of the fact he's escaped,
that we still did really well?
Your medicine has made me feel
really young again, effendi.
If you made such a request,
I would even allow you
to send me some more.
I'm glad you like it. Please give me
permission to send you some more.
You have it.
Why haven't your companions come
to see this show?
They... they're both Arabs.
They don't want to witness
the death of another Arab.
They'll be sorry.
You'll see, effendi,
it's going to be an entertaining show.
- I'm sure it will be.
- Yes.
Quiet, Dojan.
Here we go, effendi.
Look, they're bringing him in.
- Help me up.
- Yes, of course.
In the name of the ruler of all the faithful,
Allah be with him,
you thieving Bedouin,
Ahmed el Corda,
for insulting the Padischah,
for the murder
of many honourable Turks,
and for rebellion,
you are sentenced to death by hanging.
The verdict has been given...
...and will be carried out immediately.
Wasn't I great?
You're always great.
It was him.
Go, Dojan.
Be brave for once.
We can't take aim!
- Right, we're ready.
- If it still flies...
Ladies, if you don't mind...
And you really think
we can fly up in the sky in that
and it won't fall to the ground?
Of course it won't, my child.
I'm scared, my lord.
There's no need to be scared, ladies.
No Lindsay has ever fallen from the sky.
- And if anything does happen to us, then...
- All of us.
Yes. If you don't mind, ladies...
If you don't mind, ladies. Please.
Right, after you.
Right, may I help you?
Where are you going?
- My lord, I'm so afraid.
- Now, now!
- Archie, get my smelling salts ready.
- Yes, sir.
Aren't you coming with us?
Staff always use the back stairs.
- Archie, haven't you forgotten something?
- No, my lord.
- The map, please.
- Map.
- And the knife.
- Knife.
- Here.
- Thank you.
We're climbing.
My lord, we still have
a bag of ballast attached to us.
Doesn't matter. We'll cut it off.
But my lord has tied the rope
to the underside of the basket.
Then we'll just take it with us.
Archie, that's the bag with the...
Dynamite.
- The rope is smouldering...
- Like a fuse, my lord.
- Don't panic, Archie. Don't panic.
- Don't panic, my lord.
As ever in life,
we have two choices.
Either we get blown up or we burn.
Naturally.
Archie, I have a fabulous idea.
You climb down and try to put out the fire
or cut the rope.
That is a fabulous idea.
Where's your butler going?
He's moving a little bit
outside the capsule.
It's not dangerous.
It's not dangerous at all.
In case I have... some sort of accident,
the black-edged handkerchiefs
are in the brown case.
Archie, in case I have
some kind of accident,
I'll write you a reference
to Lord Henry Gee.
Archie, ask for anything you wish.
- I wish to be allowed to pass out.
- Be my guest.
There you go!
So, you only fought back when
the Machredsch cracked his whip on you.
That's right, effendi.
My house and the Haddedin tribe
will honour your name, Kara Ben Nemsi,
after that of Allah.
And yours too, if we have time.
You know what annoys me most, Sidi?
That this consumptive locust,
this monster Machredsch has just escaped.
But by the beard of the Prophet,
I, Hadschi Halef Omar...
You mustn't forget
that no one can evade justice.
That's Durek.
Durek!
Did you tell this Alman
where we were going?
- No, no.
- No?
You'll be surprised, Machredsch.
He'll come up here by himself.
He rescued the man you wanted
to have hanged today from the gallows.
But the guy won't get far.
The whole of Burusco is after him now.
That's good for us.
Mount up! We'll ride to the Chaldean town.
He has to go through it.
You ride up to the pass.
If they take another route, let us know.
It's beautiful.
Really beautiful, sir.
Let's go, let's go! They're coming down.
We'll capture them.
- Isn't that marvellous?
- Wonderful.
Oh, it's wonderful.
If it carries on like this,
maybe we'll manage to go
right around the Earth.
In how many days, sir?
Around the world in 80 days...
We'll do it in 40.
- My lord, the ground.
- What?
The ground!
It doesn't like this climate.
Wonderful.
You really think
it won't fall to the ground?
Please, ladies, sit down.
Safely landed.
Come on.
Archie, the stairs.
Prepare some tea for the ladies.
We're going to get out.
- May I, ladies?
- Hands up!
You can't stand around quietly
in this country for five minutes
without being accosted from behind.
Your lordship's
circle of acquaintances is so large.
Nice to meet you.
To what do I owe the pleasure?
The pleasure will soon pass.
Tie them up.
We've made good progress.
If we carry on like this,
we'll reach the Haddedin camp in four days.
What will you do then, effendi?
I think I'll go back home
and maybe write a book.
A warrior like you putting pen to paper?
Of course,
what else would he put it on?
It's possible
that he even makes everything rhyme.
Effendi, I'll give you a tent
and you can become a Haddedin sheikh.
Yes, stay here, Sidi. Stay here.
Sheikh Mohammed...
do you think Rih could be happy
in my homeland in the north?
Never.
Rih belongs here in this country.
All of us have only one homeland
to which we really belong.
Don't you think of me at all, Sidi?
It might be even harder for me
than it is for you, Halef.
At home, I don't have anyone
as reliable as you to protect me.
You see, better to have an uncomfortable
flight than an uncomfortable walk.
What is it?
The Alman and the Arabs
are barely half an hour behind us.
This is a good place for an attack.
You don't need to ride back.
Tie and gag the prisoners
and hide them behind the rocks.
I'm sorry, my lord, but our camp bed
is in our stranded flying object.
Sleeping on a hard surface
is good for you.
Chaldeans!
We'll take them first. Each of you take one.
Only shoot on my signal. Come on.
Fire!l
Go! Chase the horses away.
Leave the dead where they are.
Kara Ben Nemsi will be here soon.
Move! Gol
- That wasn't a gunshot.
- Nor some kind of distant artillery.
Maybe it was a rockfall.
Maybe, but I don't think so.
- Effendi!
- There!
Careful!
Let's go. Come on.
Take cover!
Sidi, there, look out!
You murderers, you stinking vultures...
Tie their hands together.
The Alman's too.
Should he wake up again,
we'll shoot them all.
You murderer!
Before you shoot my Sidi,
Allah will stamp on your evil tongue.
For every kick,
I'll break one of your ribs.
- Gag him!
- Two ribs.
Machredsch of Mosul...
Greetings.
May God be with you.
Kadir Bei.
May Allah be with you.
He led you to me at just the right time.
These men here have committed
a terrible crime.
These rogues have murdered
three Chaldeans.
If that's true,
they'll pay for it with their blood.
We've arrested the murderers.
They will not evade
their just punishment.
In Burusco,
they tried to rob Mitessellin
and freed a murderer
who had been sentenced to death.
The whole town is after them.
I caught them
when they ambushed your men.
I know this man.
- I've seen him once before.
- You know him?
I saw him with the Padischah
when he was his guest of honour.
Then he betrayed the Padischah's trust, too.
He deserves to die even more.
Yes, he does.
We shall pass judgement on him.
Why pass judgement?
We'll hang him.
You're on Chaldean land,
Machredsch of Mosul.
We have our own laws
which are recognised by the Padischah.
- You must submit to them.
- I will submit to your laws.
I know it is in accordance
with the Padischah's wishes.
God will thank you, Machredsch.
I've taken more prisoners.
I'll hand them over to you.
Two men who have long been suspected
of spying for Britain.
You've been very successful,
Machredsch.
I am honoured by your praise.
I'll hand them over to you to deliver justice.
Just leave the fair-haired murderer
in my custody.
I'll guard him well and hand him over
to the Padischah's court.
Your prisoners belong to you.
I won't do anything
against the will of the Padischah.
Have you seen the way they're hanging?
One of them looks dead already.
Criminals!
Halef, where are you?
Believe me, Machredsch,
they will die if they're guilty.
Aren't your dead men proof of that
and the attack in Burusco?
The court will decide on that.
The court? They're criminals.
They need to be killed.
Not in this country. Even a murderer
has a right to a fair trial here.
Is the Council of Wise Men ready
to pass judgement on the guilt or innocence
of the Machredsch of Mosul's prisoners?
- We are.
- We are.
We are.
Good. Then let the charges
be brought.
I'm bringing charges
against Ahmed el Corda...
...who was rightfully sentenced to death
because he murdered one of my men.
He shot my father.
And who evaded his just punishment
with the help of these two men
and is to blame for the death
of many citizens of Burusco
who, during the terrible uproar in the town
that broke out after his escape,
were shot or trampled to death.
He's lying!
If every one of your lies
cost you a tooth, then...
then you could only survive on water.
Silence!
You'll get your chance to speak.
A very serious charge,
Machredsch of Mosul.
It would mean death for the accused...
...if my judges find them guilty.
What is the evidence?
My sworn oath
as the Padischah's governor
and the oath of the men
who witnessed everything that happened.
You may step forward.
Did you commit the acts
that you're accused of?
He's mixing up truth with lies...
Answer yes or no.
Yes and no.
So, you admit your guilt?
No.
The only guilty one is this man.
You're accusing the Machredsch of Mosul,
the Padischah's governor?
He isn't anymore.
He was removed from his post.
No. Be quiet...
How do you know that?
Someone told me.
And how do you know
they were telling you the truth?
This is slander!
I must ask you, too,
not to interrupt the trial.
Can you prove what you're saying?
Yes. Send a messenger
to Mutessellin of Burusco.
Now the chap is putting on my top hat.
Such impudence, my lord.
I'm terribly thirsty.
Here.
Can't you cut these ties for me?
Or are you scared of two weak women?
No, but I'm not allowed to.
Do you know
where the Machredsch is?
Yes, he rode with Kadir Bei
to the Chaldean town
where they're passing judgement
on the prisoners today.
What's your friend doing?
Where is he?
He's... guarding the British spies
over there.
You know, we threw dice to decide
who would guard you two, and I won.
You're much nicer and more handsome
than the other grump.
- Do you like me, my little gazelle?
- Yes.
- This chap with his unwashed hands.
- You lout!
My lord.
Oh, no, my friend,
you mustn't put the cap on like that.
Other way round. Other way round.
Very nice.
You'd make a talented golfer.
Kara Ben Nemsi, Ahmed and Halef
have been captured by the Machredsch.
He wants them executed.
I must get to my father
before something terrible happens.
We'll be right with you!
Halt!
Keep going.
- Now I'll never see my Hanneh again.
- As long as we're alive, there's hope.
This is the second time this week
I've gone to the gallows.
I'd be glad if I could go to the gallows
a second time this week.
Sidi, let's escape, let's run!
There's no point, Halef.
We're ready.
Don't worry.
Ingdscha!
There he is!
The murderer of the Chaldeans.
The Machredsch of Mosul?
He isn't the Machredsch of Mosul anymore.
The Padischah dismissed him
and has offered 5,000 piastres for his head.
Sidi, I beg you, don't jump, it's too far.
Even you wouldn't survive.
Archie, when it comes to Kara Ben Nemsi,
we're always too late.
The man is beyond saving.
- He'll live forever.
- Yes.
THE END