The Way Back Quotes

[first lines]

[in Polish, using English subtitles]

Interrogator: [presents pen to sign confession]

Janusz: No.

Interrogator: Bring in the witness.

Janusz's Wife, 1939: [brought in]

Interrogator: Do you know this man? His name?

Janusz's Wife, 1939: Janusz Wieszczek.

Interrogator: Witness, what's your relationship with this man?

Janusz's Wife, 1939: [crying] I am his wife.

Interrogator: Accused, do you confirm this?

Janusz's Wife, 1939: Yes.

Interrogator: Witness, what do you have to say about the accused?

Janusz's Wife, 1939: [agonizing] From his conversation, I have come to know he is critical of the Party, especially the leader of the Soviet people, Comrade Stalin.

Janusz: What have they done to you?

Mr. Smith: You should be grateful we are here at all.

Valka: Grateful is for dogs.

Janusz: Why would an American move to Russia for God sakes?

Irena: The Depression.

Valka: Don't you know what "Stalin" means, funny man? Means man-of-steel. He takes from rich, and gives to poor.

Zoran: Yes, of course he does. Then he takes both of them, and puts them in Gulag for 25 years.

Valka: Prison is okay. Debt is bad. But there are many prisons, they don't find me.

Zoran: What about America?

Valka: Oh, it's not for me, freedom. I wouldn't know what to do with it, I swear to God.

Janusz: [eating snake] Tastes like chicken.

Zoran: Yeah. A big black poisonous chicken with no legs.

Mr. Smith: In the camps, some saw death as freedom.

Janusz: Then why didn't you just kill yourself?

Mr. Smith: Survival was a kind of protest. Being alive was my punishment.

Janusz: Punishment for what?

Mr. Smith: I brought David to Russia.

Janusz: And now no one can forgive you. And you can't forgive yourself...

[first title cards]

Title Card: In 1941, three men walked out of the Himalayas into India. / They had survived a 4000 mile walk to freedom. / This film is dedicated to them.

[last lines]

Man: Where have you come from?

Janusz: Siberia.

Man: Siberia?

Religious man: [speaks to crowd in unknown language]

Man: And how did you come, sir?

Janusz: We walked.

Man: Walked?

[crowd noise]

[last title cards]

Title Card: 8TH MAY, 1945 VISTORY IN EUROPE / 1945-1948 SOVIET UNION IMPOSES COMMUNISM ON POLAND / AN 'IRON CURTAIN' FALLS OVER EASTERN EUROPE / 1956 HUNGARIAN UPRISING / 1961 BERLIN WALL GOES UP / 1968 SOVIET UNION SENDS TROOPS INTO PROGUE / 1980 POLISH SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT CHALLENGES COMMUNISM / 1989 COMMUNISM COLLAPSES / POLAND FREE