BAREFOOT BATTALION (THE)


View at Tainiothiki tis Ellados
  • Žánr: Feature Film
  • Rok: 1954
  • Popis: In postwar Thessaloniki, Dimitris, a young man, "arrests" Spyros, a kid who stole a wallet and tells him his story, namely the story of the 160 children that made up "The Barefoot Battalion" and struggled to survive during the Occupation. Risking life and limb and turned out of an orphanage, they had formed a gang of heroes that stole food and medical supplies from the Germans and their collaborators and distributed them to people in need. They even engineered the escape of an officer of the allies to the Middle East with the help a Greek woman (Maria Kosti) engaged by the Germans as an interpreter. Stealing a few cans of oil from a black-marketer nearly had them arrested and executed by the Germans. In the end, after listening to the whole story, the kid follows Dimitris to the orphanage and decides to stay there where he will be given food and shelter and will grow up to be an honest person.
    1. OPENING TITLES Opening titles: Children's bare legs in perpetual motion in moments of intense, concerted action (BACK STREETS IN THESSALONIKI)
    10. RELIEF PACKAGE DELIVERY We watch relief packages being delivered door-to-door in the dark of the night. Children moving about with stealthy footsteps, taking precautions in the dark, with the occasional gunfire heard in the distance. Mrs. Giorgaina lets them into her poor house, where her granddaughter is bedridden. They give the little one some milk. Her grandmother tells them they can stay there and wait until the gunfire is over. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN - MRS. GIORGAINAS HOUSE)
    11. A GERMAN PATROL CHASING A COUPLE OF PARTISANS A German patrol is chasing a couple of partisans in the night. They are Alexandra and American pilot John. The fugitives ask Mrs. Giorgaina to help them and she lets them into her house, but she is terrified and begs of them to leave. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN - MRS. GIORGAINAS HOUSE)
    12. THE GET-AWAY The Germans are closing in on the house. With the help of the kids, who are dealing with John, the escape is under way. Alexandra stays behind in kira Giorgaina's house. She undresses and slips into bed next to the old woman's sick granddaughter. When the Germans storm in and search the place, they find nothing suspicious. In the meantime, the children are leading John away. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN - MRS. GIORGAINAS HOUSE)
    13. LESSONS IN PICKING POCKETS At the same, at the hideout, the little snatchers have fitted the effigy of a German officer with an improvised motion transmitting mechanism, which they employ to improve their dexterity in picking pockets. The "instructor", with a book in his hand, demonstrates how to play the perfect trick. Upset by their raucous cries, Andreas tells them to go to bed right away. There is an important job in store for them tomorrow targeted at the oil traded by a black-marketer, a German collaborator. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
    14. A SITUATION OF GREAT RISK The small bunch of children, with John in their midst, are cautiously making their way back to their hideout as the day is dawning. At the sight of the American, Andreas speaks sharply to Nikos and demands an explanation. They are taking a great risk. If they are caught, they will be put to death by firing squad straight away. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
    15. ANDREAS IS COMMITTED TO HELPING JOHN TO ESCAPE First thing in the morning, Andreas rushes to kira Giorgaina's house. When he gets there, he asks Alexandra for explanations about the American. She explains that the American is a pilot who was to be shipped off to Egypt by caique when they ran into a German street patrol. Andreas commits himself to helping the American to escape on condition they leave without delay. Mrs. Giorgaina is speaking worriedly with Alexandra. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN - MRS. GIORGAINAS HOUSE)
    16. THE PLAN FOR THE OIL THEFT In the hideout, the American is trying to explain to the children exactly who he is. Amid outbursts of giggles and laughter during the "English class" with the "teacher" acting as the interpreter, Andreas comes back and calls an extraordinary meeting of the "barefoot battalion" group leaders: the mission to steal the oil from the black-marketer's caique is scheduled for the evening. The money they will raise from the oil, which is rumored to be top quality, will cover the expenses for the American's getaway to the Middle East. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
    17. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED In the evening, a number of children from the "barefoot battalion" are positioned at various vantage points across the port, lying in wait. Around ten, the black-marketer leaves the caique at anchor, gets onto a boat and goes ashore for his meal. That's when the signal is given. Out of the nearby boats pop up the snatchers that had been crouching there covered with rags. Andreas and the group leaders get onto the black-marketer's boat moored at the pier and get to the caique. They come back loaded with over ten oil containers. They are unloading when a German foot patrol draws near. All of a sudden the kids vanish in the thin air. Andreas hides in the boat. When the patrols is gone, the little snatchers conclude their mission successfully. (THE ORT)
    18. MARTHA'S DOLL In the hideout, John makes an improvised doll for Martha and that makes her as happy as can be. The children are back with the stolen oil. The American helps them to carry it. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
    19. THE GERMAN COMMANDER AND THE BLACK-MARKETER At the German garrison commander's office, the black-marketer struggles to come up with a plausible explanation for the disappearance of the oil. The interpreter is Alexandra, the girl we have come across before. The German commander's decision was unequivocal: if the oil is not recovered within a week, the German commander will confiscate the caique and its cargo. The black-marketer hangs his head and goes off complainingly. (THE GERMAN COMMANDER'S OFFICE)
    2. YOUNG STAVROS STEALS A WALLET Beginning of 1950s. The port of Thessaloniki. Stavros, a ten-year-old kid, wakes up on a boat at sea. He washes, steals a bread roll, heads for the city market and steals an old woman's purse. She starts to yell. Some passers-by run after the kid, but he eventually disappears in the quiet back streets of the area (THE PORT - THE MARKET - BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN)
    20. THE CHILDREN SELL THE OIL At the bazaar, among the other street sellers, the children of the "barefoot battalion" sell their own ware: oil in small bottles, oil by the kilo in metal containers, building materials, a phonograph with music plates, a German photo camera. The latter alone fetched 2 pounds. (THE FLEA MARKET)
    21. THE BLACK-MARKETER QUARRELS WITH THE CHILDREN The black-marketer goes to the flea market to look for the stolen oil. A street seller about his age calls him Captain Mavros (Black) and asks him for oil. When Mavros won't supply him, the seller is being sarcastic and accuses him of looking down his nose at common people and doing business with the Germans. Further down, the black-marketer bumps into Dimitris and Nikos selling oil. When they say they have bought the oil from the Germans, Mavros goes over the top and comes to blows with them. Just then, ten kids jump on the black-marketer and beat him with a vengeance until a policeman breaks in and splits them up. The black-marketer's arguments fail to convince the policeman, who considers the event inconsequential and declares, amid the mocking crowd: "You should know better than to pick at the barefoot battalion". (THE FLEA MARKET)
    22. THE BLACK-MARKETER INQUIRES ABOUT THE BAREFOOT BATTALION Raging with anger, the black-marketer calls at every hangout in the city (Kamara, Agia Sofia, the port …) inquiring about the "barefoot battalion". Everyone who knows them only has words of praise for them and their support for the common people. But nobody tips them off about their hideout. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN – THE PORT – KAMARA – AGIA SOFIA)
    23. ANDREAS MEETS ALEXANDRA Andreas meets Alexandra at a centrally situated park in the city. They have raised the necessary 40 pounds and they must now send word to the owner of the caique for the American's getaway to the Middle East. Two gipsy women come along to tell them their fortune … (A PARK)
    24. THE BLACK-MARKETER FOLLOWS THE KIDS There is a shadow show in an old cinema. Title: "Karagkiozis parachootist" (misspelt). Entrance fee: 2,000,000. Bearing a grudge against the kids who smashed the window panes when he denied them free entrance to the show, the cinema owner tips him off about the "barefoot battalion". Just then, two kids strut into the premises, stating their identity that guarantees them free entrance: "barefoot battalion". The black-marketer follows them into the hall. Unobtrusively, from a vantage point at the side, he realizes that during the performance, part of the hall operating at full capacity serves as the "battalion" headquarters. As the kids receive instructions and leave the hall in groups, the black-marketer trails them. (AN OLD CINEMA)
    25. DIMITRIS FALLS INTO GERMAN HANDS The black-marketer follows the kids around the neighborhoods in the city. They send Dimitris off to distract the German driver and create a diversion, while they climb onto a stationary German truck with a cargo of food supplies. They form a human chain to pass the food supplies on by hand. One of the children who were playing music for the Germans in an underground tavern catches a glimpse of the black-marketer looking on and warns the others. When the black-marketer starts yelling, the children scatter into the nearby street and go out of sight. In this state of confusion, somebody drives off in the German truck, but is forced to abandon it a little further down. Eventually, all the children manage to escape, except Dimitris, who falls in Mavros' hands. (BACK STREETS – AN UNDERGROUND TAVERN)
    26. THE CHILDREN ARE CONCERNED ABOUT DIMITRIS' FATE At the hideout of the "barefoot battalion", the kids are concerned about Dimitris' fate. They hope that the Nazis won't go as far as torture a small child. Martha, his little sister, keeps playing with the American without a care in the world. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
    27. ALEXANDRA'S HELP In the garrison headquarters, Dimitris, escorted by the black-marketer, is brought before the judge. He is absolutely stunned to see Alexandra there. She rescues him from the black-marketer's hands. Despite the evidence that he produces, the black-marketer fails once again to convince the German commander - thanks to Alexandra. And so the kid is set free. (THE GARRISON HEADQUARTERS)
    28. THE AIR-RAID ON THESSALONIKI Taking extra precaution, the black-marketer trails Dimitris around at night, as he heads for the battalion hideout. On their way, going uphill in the Upper City district, the air-raid sirens go off. Allied planes drop bombs over Thessaloniki. Anti-aircraft fire and searchlights light up the sky. Tumult breaks loose and Dimitris takes to his heels. Forced to remain under cover and looking for a shelter, the black-marketer cannot follow him. (BACK STREETS – THE UPPER CITY DISTRICT)
    29. DIMITRIS RETURNS TO THE HIDEOUT It looks as if the children are praying as they hear bombs dropped by the planes burst in the vicinity. In the tumult that follows, everyone is relieved to see Dimitris back to the "battalion" hideout. He recounts his adventure in the garrison headquarters, his encounter with Alexandra and how she came to his rescue. In the meantime, the black-marketer keeps searching for Dimitris. (THE CHILDREN HIDEOUT - THE UPPER CITY DISTRICT)
    3. DIMITRIS CATCHES STAVROS UNAWARE Dimitris, a boy in his late teens, has seen through young Stavros's plans and trails him around. Dimitris knows his way about the neighborhood, takes a shortcut and catches Stavros unaware, when the latter thought he had shaken his pursuers off his back. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN)
    30. THE CAIQUE OWNER AGREES TO TRANSPORT JOHN First thing the following morning, Andreas is waiting for Alexandra at the garrison headquarters. He leads her aside to a coffeehouse and she tells him that the caique owner has agreed for the transport for 50 pounds. On the same day in the evening, John has to be at a certain café at the beach. (A COFFEEHOUSE - OUTSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS)
    31. THE BLACK-MARKETER TIPS OFF THE GERMANS Having determined Dimitris's getaway direction, he now tries to locate the children's hideout. From a concealed vantage point in the ruins of the Castle, he lies in wait, watching over the comings and goings at this end of the city. At some point in time, Dimitris, accompanied by two older children, carry by wheelbarrow the oil containers. Without the children noticing him, Mavros rushes to the garrison headquarters to tip off the Germans. (THE RUINS OF THE CASTLE – THE HEADQUARTERS)
    32. THE PLAN FOR JOHN'S GETAWAY The American is having a bath, singing away and apparently enjoying himself with Martha, while Andreas explains to some children the plan for John's getaway at 8:30 in the evening. (THE CHILDRENS' HIDEOUT)
    33. ALEXANDRA WARNS THE CHILDREN Looking clearly worried, Alexandra rushes out of the garrison headquarters. She goes to the open-air market to let Dimitris and the others know that they are in danger. They must take her to Andreas at once. The children drop the oil containers and rush with her to the hideout. (THE HEADQUARTERS - THE FLEA MARKET)
    34. JOHN THANKS THE CHILDREN In the battalion hideout, Andreas uses hand signals and tries to explain to John the plan for his getaway. The woman tells them about the black-marketer lying in wait and the German soldiers that should arrive any minute now. Without losing his composure, Andreas tells the children to remove straight away the oil containers and any other incriminating evidence. The American, who has just been told by Alexandra about the children's attitude and action, thanks them all profusely in amazement. (THE CHILDRENS' HIDEOUT)
    35. THE BLACK-MARKETER'S DEATH As the children come out of their hideout onto the wide open space with the oil containers, the black-marketer appears from behind the ruins of the Castle, swearing at the children. He chases the children loaded with the oil containers about the Castle embrasures and eventually manages to catch up with the youngest, who is none other than Dimitris. The German vans arrive at the scene loaded with soldiers. To their astonishment, they watch the interpreter come down the castle by herself. The black-marketer swings the oil container at Dimitris's head but is thrown off balance by his own weight and falls over the embrasures. Breathing his last, lying right next to the container that is leaking oil, he barely manages to mumble the word "interpreter" to the Germans. (THE RUINS OF THE CASTLE - ROADS AROUND THE CASTLE)
    36. STAVROS FOLLOWS DIMITRIS TO THE ORPHANAGE Nearly ten years later, Stavros, the little thief, accompanied by Dimitris, who concludes his account of the story, are walking past the orphanage where, to this day, most of the children in the gang of the barefoot battalion are to be found. As for John the American, he made it to Egypt, while Alexandra paid with her life her heroic stance. Following up on the last utterance, Stavros comments apothegmatically: "The wretched always foot the bill". Endorsing this point of view, Dimitris tells him about the importance of historical memory and a decent job. This will be a valuable lesson that little Stavros will learn if he follows him to the orphanage that remains his home to this day. Indecisive at first, the little one is eventually coaxed into following Dimitris and starting life afresh. (CITY STREETS - THE ORHANAGE)
    4. STAVROS REACTS VIOLENTLY Being a streetwise kid, little Stavros responds violently to Dimitris's questions and corrective admonitions. His parents died of starvation during the Occupation; he smokes and scrapes a living as a petty thief and small-time crook. To teach Stavros a lesson, Dimitris, in a display of dexterity, picks someone's wallet and immediately returns it to its rich owner, despite the kid protesting vehemently. "There is a meaning to stealing and, most importantly, you must know who you rob and why". (BACK STREETS OF THE CITY)
    5. DIMITRIS TELLS HIS STORY Dimitris tells Stavros his story: the heavy winter of 1943 in Thessaloniki, the soup kitchens provided by the Red Cross, the small children, in rags and frozen stiff, standing in line and holding out their pots for some food. Ten years younger at that time, Dimitris stands in line with Martha, his four-year-old sister. Two kids down the long queue of starving people come to blows and the cook announces solemnly that the food is over. "That's what the soup kitchen is all about. Stuff and nonsense". (Back streets in Thessaloniki – The Red Cross headquarters)
    6. DIMITRIS AND MARTHA SEEKING SHELTER Dimitris and his sister, who is in tears because she is hungry, seek shelter in the shipyard. They go inside a dismantled caique. Dimitris covers the little one with rags and lights a small fire. Martha keeps crying inconsolably. She is hungry and cold. Dimitris gets the pot and goes into town in search of food for his sister. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN – THE DOCKYARD - THE INSIDE OF A CAIQUE)
    7. DIMITRIS GOES IN SEARCH OF FOOD AND RUNS INTO "THE BAREFOOT BATTALION" Dimitris wanders the streets, desperately in search of food for Martha. Suddenly, he watches in astonishment a bunch of young snatchers stealing a German refuel van. At the approach of Germans, the kids run away. Dimitris picks up some bread but a German soldier asks him about the other children's whereabouts. Then he throws the bread down and it goes into the gutter. The Germans leave and the "barefoot battalion" appear with the stolen food, while Dimitris tries to retrieve the bread from the gutter. Nikos, the mission leader in charge of this bunch of little barefoot snatchers, gives Dimitris some food. Dimitris is hungry but saves it for Martha. The other kids go off. Dimitris is left alone with Nikos and they go. (BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN)
    8. DIMITRIS AND MARTHA JOIN IN THE BAREFOOT BATTALION Dimitris and Nikos go to the dockyard and find little Martha, frozen stiff and almost unconscious. Nikos suggests that they come with them and stay with the other children. They take Martha in their arms and, as it starts to get dark, they go from the port to the "Barefoot Battalion" fastness up on the way to Eptapyrgio, the abandoned castle high up the Upper City. (THE INSIDE OF A CAIQUE – BACK STREETS OF THE TOWN– EPTAPYRGIO – THE UPPER CITY)
    9. THE CHILDREN'S ENCAMPMENT At their hideout, through secret passages, the children of the "barefoot battalion" have set up an encampment at the Castle catacombs. They offer lovingly food to Martha. Nikos tells them that the place used to be a sanctuary for Christians. Just like the people who hid from the Turks in those days, children have sought sanctuary here when the Nazis took away their orphanage. Through discipline, planning and team spirit, the kids, totaling 160, have managed to provide enough food, not only for themselves, but also for a large number of other people. Andreas' arrival brings about a change of scene: he is in his late teens and appears to have contacts with the Resistance Movement. He enquires about two the newly arrived kids. For security reasons, little Martha has to go. Andreas offers her some raisins to stop her from crying. He gives instructions on the distribution of relief material. He plays for Martha the song "let's have one more drink" on his harmonica. He coaxes Dimitris into swearing on some wall paintings, faded over the years, that he will fight for "liberty and protect the interests of his country". That was the only way he could join the battalion. (THE CHILDREN'S HIDEOUT)
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  • Poskytovatel: Tainiothiki tis Ellados
  • Práva: In Copyright
  • Director: TALLAS GREGG. C.
  • Sbírka: Ψηφιοποιημένες ελληνικές ταινίες μυθοπλασίας