A Clockwork Orange Page #8

ALEX (V.O.)

It was the next day, brothers, and I had truly done my best, morning

and afternoon, to play it their way and sit like a horrorshow co-

operative malchick in the chair of torture, while they flashed nasty

bits of ultra-violence on the screen.; though not on the soundtrack, my

brothers. The only sound being music. Then I noticed in all my pain and

sickness what music it was that like cracked and boomed. It was Ludwig

van - 9th symphony, 4th movement.

ALEX:

Stop it... stop it, please!!! I beg of you!!! It's a sin!!! It's a

sin!!! It's a sin, please!!!

Brodsky leans forward and turns down the sound.

DR. BRODSKY

What's all this about sin?

ALEX:

That!... Using Ludwig van like that! He did no harm to anyone.

Beethoven just wrote music.

DR. BRANOM

Are you referring to the background score?

ALEX:

Yes!!!

DR. BRANOM

You've heard Beethoven before?

ALEX:

Yes!!!

DR. BRODSKY

You're keen on music?

ALEX:

Yes!!!

DR. BRANOM

(quietly)

What do you think about that, Dr. Brodsky?

DR. BRODSKY

(softly)

It can't be helped. Here's your punishment element perhaps. The

Governor ought to be pleased... I'm sorry, Alex, this is for your own

good, you'll have to bear with us for a while.

ALEX:

You needn't take it any further, sir. You've proved to me that all this

ultra-violence and killing is wrong and terribly wrong. I've learned my

lesson, sir. I see now what I've never seen before I'm cured, praise

Bog!

DR. BRODSKY

You're not cured yet, my boy.

DR. BRODSKY

You must take your chance boy. The choice has been all yours.

ALEX:

But, Sir... Missus... I see that it's wrong! It's wrong because it's

like against like society. It's wrong because everybody has the right

to live and be happy without being tolchocked and knifed.

DR. BRODSKY

No, no, boy. You really must leave it to us, but be cheerful about it.

In less than a fortnight now, you'll be a free man.

INT. AUDITORIUM - DAY

VIP audience including Minister, Junior Minister, Prison Governor,

Priest, Dr. Branom, Dr. Brodsky.

Dressed in street clothes Alex enters led by a white-coated Technician.

He is led onto stage and left standing there, blinking into lights.

The Minister rises and walks to the front of the auditorium.

MINISTER:

Ladies and Gentlemen, at this point, we introduce the subject himself.

He is, as you will perceive, fit and well nourished. He comes straight

from as night's sleep and a good breakfast, undrugged, unhypnotized.

Tomorrow, we send him with confidence out into the world again, as

decent a lad as you would meet on a May morning. What a change is here,

Ladies and Gentlemen, from the wretched hoodlum the state committed to

unprofitable punishment some two years ago, unchanged after two years.

Unchanged, do I say - not quite. Prison taught him a false smile, the

rubbed hands of hypocrisy, the fawning, greased, obsequious leer. Other

vices prison taught him as well as confirming him in those he had long

practised before. Our party promised to restore law and order and to

make the streets safe for the ordinary peace loving citizen. This

pledge is now about to become a reality. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is

an historic moment. The problem of criminal violence is soon to be a

thing of the past. But enough of words - act

He returns to his seat and leans close to his Junior Minister.

JUNIOR MINISTER:

Our necks are out a long way on this, Minister.

MINISTER:

I have complete faith in Brodsky. If the polls are right, we have

nothing to lose.

Lights are dimmed. Enter Lardface, an elegantly dressed fag.

LARDFACE:

Hello, heap of dirt. Pooh, you don't wash much do you, judging by the

horrible smell.

ALEX:

Why do you say that, brother? I had a shower this morning.

LARDFACE:

Oh, he had a shower this morning. You trying to call me a liar?

ALEX:

No, brother. What d'you want?

LARDFACE:

What do I want?

ALEX:

Sorry, brother. I didn't mean any offence.

LARDFACE:

Oh. Oh, you're sorry are you, well you must think I'm awfully stupid.

He slaps Alex in the face.

ALEX:

Why did you do that, brother? I've never done wrong to you.

LARDFACE:

You want to know why I did that, well you see - I do that...

He stamps on Alex's foot.

LARDFACE:

... and this...

He pulls Alex's nose.

LARDFACE:

... and that...

He pulls Alex's ear, pushes him off balance and plants his foot on his

chest.

LARDFACE:

... because I don't like you horrible type, do I, and if you want to

start something... if you want to start... go on... well, you just

start. Please do.

Alex retching.

ALEX:

I'm gonna be sick.

LARDFACE:

You're gonna be sick are you?

ALEX:

I wanna be sick.

LARDFACE:

You wanna be sick?

ALEX:

Let me get up.

LARDFACE:

You wanna get up? Well, you've gotta you see... well I want you to lick

it. Go on... Lick it.

Alex, gagging and coughing, licks the sole of his shoe.

LARDFACE:

... And again... Go on!!! Again! There's a good boy.

ALEX (V.O.)

And, O my brothers, would you believe your faithful friend and long

suffering narrator pushed out his red yahzik a mile and a half to lick

the grahzny, vonny boots. The horrible killing sickness had wooshed up

and turned the like joy of battle into a feeling I was going to snuff

it.

Minister rises.

MINISTER:

Enough! That will do very well. Thank you.

Lardface does leading-man-bows. A smattering of applause.

LARDFACE:

Thank you very much, Ladies and Gentlemen... Thank you.

Alex on floor - still retching.

A beautiful nude Girl enters.

Alex looks up slowly.

ALEX (V.O.)

She came towards me with the light like it was the like light of

heavenly grace, and the first thing that flashed into my gulliver was

that I would like to have her right down there on the floor with the

old in-out, real savage. But quick as a shot came the sickness, like a

detective that had been watching around the corner and now followed to

make his arrest.

Alex retching. Minister rises.

MINISTER:

Thank you very much. Thank you my dear.

Girl bows and exits to loud applause.

MINISTER:

Not feeling too bad now are you?

ALEX:

(pulling himself together)

No, sir, I feel really great.

MINISTER:

Good.

ALEX:

Was I alright, sir? Did I do well, sir?

MINISTER:

Fine. Absolutely fine. You see, Ladies and Gentlemen our subject is,

you see, impelled towards good by paradoxically being impelled toward

evil. The intention to act violently is accompanied by strong feelings

of physical distress. To counter these, the subject has to switch to a

diametrically opposed attitude. Any questions?

Priest rises and moves to Alex.

PRIEST:

Choice! The boy has no real choice, has he? Self interest, fear of

physical pain drove him to that grotesque act of self abasement. Its

insincerity was clearly to be seen. He ceases also to be a creature

capable of moral choice.

MINISTER:

Padre, these are subtleties. We are not concerned with motive, with the

higher ethics; we are concerned only with cutting down crime. And with

relieving the ghastly congestion in our prisons... He will be your true

Christian, ready to turn the other cheek. Ready to be crucified rather

than crucify, sick to the very heart at the thought even of killing a

fly. Reclamation, joy before the angels of God. The point is that it

works!

Applause.

EXT. FLATBLOCK

Alex walking carrying his prison parcel wrapped in brown paper.

INT. ALEX'S FLAT

Ma, Pa and Joe the Lodger reading newspapers. Headlines - all Alex.

Alex enters quietly. Loud radio music from sitting room prevents anyone

from hearing him. He enters his won room which is the first off the

hall.

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