seeing that he is getting no reaction from his "audience", helmut tries something else.
as he moves up to be served and holds out his bowl. the prisoner - messman spoons a blob of mush into it. then he looks around quickly and, before helmut can pull back his bowl, slops another half spoonful into it with a wink at helmut, who gives him a grateful smile in return. helmut moves on to the bread server, who gives him a big grin as he slips two pieces of bread into the bowl on top of the mush. helmut hurries away, the camera following him.
taking bites of the bread, helmut, rather jauntily, lopes off toward his own barracks. as he moves among the other prisoners, the camera moving with him, we see many of them point or nod toward helmut and smile good-naturedly. helmut is completely unaware of them, so lost is he in his own thoughts.
as he watches the plan in action. keltner rejoins him.
as he stands pretending to watch the soccer game with the others.
behind the line as he scurries, bending over, to the fence. the children flock to him. the camera follows him to the fence.
helmut is now, more than ever, the clown, as he goes into a frenzied version of the "clap dance". the complete incongruity of his behavior leaves the spectators stunned.
he turns and sits down on the floor of the car with his feet hanging outside. he is just about to jump down when he is stopped by a loud wail of anguish from one of the children behind him. he turns and looks back at them.