Amour Page #3

SCENE 9 - INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

SILENCE:

We see wide shots of the apartment. The hallway. The bedroom.

The living room. The dining room. The kitchen. Nobody in

sight.

SCENE 10 - INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

EVA, around 50, has come to pay a visit. Anne isn’t there.

EVA:

You know how he is. Once he’s got

something into his head, he has to

go through with it. In the end,

everybody was delighted. And

besides, it didn’t hurt our

financial situation. We’re playing

until the 28th.

(MORE)

13.

EVA (CONT'D)

Then we have 10 days to rest, then

we go to Stockholm for four days,

and then to Kumo in Finland. Heaven

knows where that is. At the North

Pole. But Geoff’s already been

there few times, and he loves it.

We’re playing the “Dowland

Transcriptions” there and then

we’re back in London.

GEORGES:

What about the children?

EVA:

Liz is at boarding school and John

is living his own life. He’s twenty-

six years old.

GEORGES:

What does he do?

EVA:

He’s a student. We rarely see him.

He’s got his own ideas. Life Geoff.

They don’t really get along. Geoff

wants to advise him on everything,

and John doesn’t like that at all.

GEORGES:

Is he good?

EVA:

I think so. He’s less impulsive.

Very industrious.

GEORGES:

That sounds rather derogatory.

EVA:

No!! He’s not like Geoff. Quiet,

but stubborn. I think he’ll do all

right. At the last Conservatory

concert, he played the solo part in

the Haydn Concerto. It was very

good. Geoff was there and

congratulated him at the end.

Brief PAUSE.

GEORGES:

And you?

EVA:

What do you mean?

14.

GEORGES:

Did you both make up?

EVA:

(with a little laugh)

My God, you know him, don’t you?

Over the winter, he suddenly

discovered his passion for a viola

player who’d been in our ensemble

for years. What can I tell you? It

was a huge drama, and the poor

little darling wound up trying to

commit suicide. That scared him and

he came back to me in full remorse.

I’ve got used to it now. What’s a

bit embarrassing is that the

ensemble, you can’t keep any

secrets from anyone.

GEORGES:

Do you love him?

EVA:

Yes, I think so.

Brief PAUSE.

EVA (CONT’D)

What’s aphasia?

Georges gestures that it’s too complicated.

GEORGES:

What can I say? The carotid artery

was blocked. They did an ultrasound

scan, two in fact, and they said

they had to operate on her. She was

scared. She was confused and

scared. You know she has always

been afraid of doctors. They said

the risk was very low and that if

they didn’t operate, she’d be

certain to have a serious stroke.

EVA:

And what do they say now?

GEORGES:

Just that it didn’t go well. It’s

one of the 5% that go wrong.

He yawns.

15.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

It’s pretty upsetting.

He looks at his watch.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Usually at this time, I take a nap.

My blood sugar is somewhere down in

my socks.

PAUSE.

EVA:

I’m so sorry.

GEORGES:

Yeah.

PAUSE.

EVA:

What can I do for you?

GEORGES:

Nothing. It was nice of you to come

despite all of your stress.

Brief PAUSE.

She doesn’t know what to say.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

No, really. There’s nothing you can

do. We’ll see how things go when

she’s back here in the apartment.

We’ll manage. Maybe I’ll get a

caretaker in, or maybe I’ll manage

on my own. We’ll see. We’ve been

through quite a lot in our time,

your mother and I.

(little laugh)

All this is still a bit new.

PAUSE.

EVA:

(with a little laugh)

It’s funny. I don’t know if I

should say it. Maybe it’ll

embarrass you. But when I came here

a short while ago, I suddenly

remembered how I always used to

listen to the two of you making

love when I was little.

(MORE)

16.

EVA (CONT'D)

For me, at the time, it was

reassuring. It gave me a feeling

that you loved each other, and that

we’d always be together.

SCENE 11 - INT. BEDROOM - DAY

A carpenter and his assistant are raising the base of the

double bed. Georges watches.

SCENE 12 - INT. HALLWAY - LIVING ROOM - DAY

The door of the apartment is opened. Georges comes in. Behind

him is Anne in a wheelchair, pushed by a paramedic. A second

paramedic (as young as the first) follows with a suitcase and

a large bag. Behind them, the superintendent.

Georges tries to rid of the three as quickly as possible. He

stuffs a twenty euro note into the hand of the first

paramedic.

GEORGES:

Here. Thank you very much. It’s for

both of you. You can just put the

things down here. There, beside the

window, right. We’ll be okay on our

own. Thanks a lot.

The two paramedics exchange a brief glance, say thanks, and

leave the apartment, passing the superintendent as they go.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

(to the superintendent)

Thank you, Mr. Mery.

SUPERINTENDENT:

If you need anything, just call

downstairs. If we can help at

all...

GEORGES:

Right now everything’s fine. I’ll

let your wife know as soon as we

need anything.

SUPERINTENDENT:

(to Anne)

It’s nice to have you back, Mrs.

Laurent.

ANNE:

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mery. Thank

you.

17.

The superintendent hesitates another moment.

ANNE (CONT’D)

Yes, thanks.

SUPERINTENDENT:

Yes... So... Goodbye then, ma’am.

Welcome home again. Goodbye, Sir.

GEORGES:

Goodbye, Mr. Mery.

SUPERINTENDENT:

Goodbye.

He leaves the apartment.

There is a brief moment of perplexity. Then Georges says:

GEORGES:

(with a nervous smile)

Where do you want...

ANNE:

In the living room.

Georges pushes her toward the living room door, walks around

the wheelchair, opens the door, comes back behind the

wheelchair and pushes Anne into the LIVING ROOM.

The doorway is narrow. The wheelchair only just passes

through it. Georges pushes Anne toward the sofa and the

armchairs and then steps in front of her.

GEORGES:

Shall I make some tea?

ANNE:

(with a faint smile)

First come sit with me.

George registers her smile; he knows he’s behaving in a

clumsy way. He sits down in one of the two arm chairs.

ANNE (CONT’D)

Can you help me into the chair?

Georges stands back up.

GEORGES:

(eagerly)

Of course.

18.

He extends his hands. She puts on the wheelchair brake, lifts

the footrest with her left foot, raises her right leg from

the footrest with her left hand and then extends her left arm

to Georges.

ANNE:

It’s best if you put my arm around

your neck and your right arm around

me, that way it’ll be easy.

He does as he is told, pulls her up as they hobble together

the short distance to the second arm chair. Cautiously, he

lowers her down and helps her sit herself straight. Because

they are not used to it, the whole process appears awkward

and clumsy.

ANNE (CONT’D)

Thanks.

He smiles because it seems silly to him to answer “Don’t

mention it”. Then he sits down opposite her.

LONG PAUSE.

At first they are both ill at ease, but then they accept the

fact that words do not come easily. After a long while,

during which we hear the intermittent sound of the TRAFFIC

below.

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