Fire-Eater
1998 · 104 MIN · IMDB 6.6 · 382 VOTES · DIR. Pirjo Honkasalo
Overview
The twin sisters Helena and Irene are born in Helsinki during World War II. A few months later their mother, Sirkka, leaves the girls in the care of their grandmother, an old communist, and runs away with a German soldier. Their life under the protection of their grandmother and the teachings of communism ends first with the death of Stalin, then with that of their grandmother. The girls are eight years old when they are put in an orphanage. Their mother shows up at the orphanage in the company of Ramon, a Spanish trapeze artist. They are on a talent search for a German circus. Ramon trains the reluctant Irene during circus tours in Central Europe. She becomes the trapeze star of the circus. The hard work soon exhausts Irene and she falls from height, as if on purpose. Helena has secretly learned the art of fire-eating. Now she is burdened with both her mother and her sister. The violent life, however, separates the three from each other. In the present-day Helsinki the middle-aged...
Dialogue Timeline — 323 lines
A SAMPLE ACROSS THE RUNTIME — EVERY LINE IS SEARCHABLE
00:02:45 This building will be torn down.
00:10:23 Why are you so far away?
00:13:38 That makes no difference. They're named after my idol.
00:16:43 Finns and the Finnish Government salute Stalin's deathbed...
00:20:45 Could see the Lord in all his glory
00:26:37 Take off the dresses so we can have a look.
00:30:05 I fucking hate you!
00:33:25 I'm not Irene.
00:34:59 Add some tomatoes. - Mom said they must be cut lengthwise.
00:36:17 A steady hand... It's wonderful.
00:38:03 My sweet guardian angel, don't leave me night or day.
00:48:41 Helena, your sister had bad luck.
00:49:44 You bastard! Let go!
00:54:35 Tickets, please!
00:58:06 Oh, you're dancing! How nice!
01:02:26 Don't you want me to?
01:12:40 Get out!
01:16:33 That she stays alive. Generally, and so on.
01:19:02 Yes, dear?
01:21:00 But you've gotta pay.
01:25:35 A cashier or even a toilet attendant...
01:26:33 to look so good that others have to look at you.
01:27:24 Don't even think about it. Don't even dream about it.
01:34:03 No, me.