Amour Page #6

GEORGES:

Yes, she is. I’ll go and get her in

a minute. Have a seat.

SOLOIST:

I hope I’m not disturbing you too

much.

GEORGES:

No, not at all. I’m happy that you

came. We were so thrilled by your

concert. We hoped we’d see you

again soon. Please do have a seat.

Can I can get you something? A cup

of tea?

SOLOIST:

No, no, thank you very much.

GEORGES:

Hold on, I’ll just freshen up the

flowers; in this heat they wilt so

fast...

SOLOIST:

I've only just bought them. They

should keep quite...

But Georges has already left the room with the bouquet and

closed the door behind him. The soloist looks around him.

After a few moments we hear the VOICES of Anne and Georges in

the distance, without understanding what they’re saying. It

lasts a while.

Finally Georges opens the door and pushes Anne, in her

wheelchair, into the living room.

32.

ANNE:

Martin! What a delight. How lovely

to see you!

The (male or female) soloist has got up and doesn't quite

know how to handle the situation.

SOLOIST:

Mrs. Laurent! Lovely to see you

too.

ANNE:

Don't get up. Come on, sit yourself

down and don't look so shocked.

The soloist sits down hesitantly, Georges pushes the

wheelchair between the two armchairs and also sits down.

Brief embarrassed PAUSE.

ANNE (CONT’D)

I’m so proud of you. We were both

in raptures after your concert.

Georges wanted to buy your new CD

the very next morning.

SOLOIST:

Oh God! I wanted to bring you the

CD, but I left in such a hurry that

I forgot it. I’m so sorry. I’ll get

one today and drop it by.

ANNE:

(smiling)

No, no, don't worry. We want to

make a contribution to your

success. Even if it’s only twenty

euros.

SOLOIST:

You’ve already contributed so much.

I owe you so much, Madame.

ANNE:

You owe it to your hard work and

your talent.

SOLOIST:

(shaking his head a little) Do you

remember, when you first gave me

the Bagatelles to play? I was

twelve at the time, and in my

youthful arrogance I said: “But why

the Bagatelles?“ And you really

gave me a piece of your mind.

33.

They both smile. PAUSE. Then he goes on:

SOLOIST (CONT’D)

So what happened?

ANNE:

My right side is paralyzed, that’s

all. It can happen when you get

older.

SOLOIST:

And how...?

ANNE:

Let's talk about something else,

shall we?

SOLOIST:

(disconcerted)

Sure ...

ANNE:

Don’t be offended. But I want to

enjoy the lovely interlude you've

given us with your visit.

SOLOIST:

(disarmed)

Of course.

Brief PAUSE.

GEORGES:

You haven't told us yet what's been

going on since the Paris concert.

The soloist is a bit thrown by the couple’s behavior.

SOLOIST:

Well, actually I've spent most of

the time in London studying. Then I

went to Copenhagen for two

performances, that was Schubert

too. My whole life revolves around

Schubert at the moment. The

concerts with the Impromptus and

the Moments Musicaux, and for my

bread-and-butter work I'm

developing the sonatas. Not the

late ones, I think I still need a

couple more years for those.

34.

(The dialogue concerning music will be modified according to

the performer chosen.)

ANNE:

Could you do me a favor?

SOLOIST:

(surprised)

Really?

ANNE:

Would you play F.r Elise?

SOLOIST:

(embarrassed)

Um, I don’t know if I remember it

very well. Beethoven, it’s been a

long time since I’ve... But if you

want...

ANNE:

Give it a try.

SOLOIST:

(hesitantly)

OK.

He looks at Georges, then at Anne again, gets up, goes to the

grand piano and plays.

SCENE 23 - INT. HALLWAY - DAY

Georges is leaning against the chest, and watches Anne, who

is practicing maneuvering her new electric wheelchair.

Forward, backward, turning. In the end, she goes round and

round in circles several times. He laughs, so does she.

SCENE 24 - INT. BEDROOM - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Anne is lying in bed. A book rests on her stomach. She

listens to the PIANO playing coming from the living room.

After a while the music stops.

ANNE:

What's the matter?

LIVING ROOM:

Georges is seated in front of the open piano. His hands in

his lap, he looks straight ahead.

SCENE 25 - INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

35.

The superintendent’s wife runs the vacuum cleaner over a

carpet.

SCENE 26 - INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Anne is seated on a stool. Georges washes her.

SCENE 27 - INT. KITCHEN - HALLWAY - BEDROOM - TWILIGHT

Georges has cooked himself a steak and is eating. On the

radio, we hear the EVENING NEWS. Suddenly, coming from the

neighboring room, a LOUD CRASH and the SOUND of crockery

breaking. Stifled CRY from Anne. Georges gets up, irritated,

crosses the HALLWAY and enters the BEDROOM.

Anne lies on the floor, beside the overturned night stand, in

the midst of the crockery and remains of a meal.

GEORGES:

(shocked, and hence furious)

Good God, what are you doing?

He hurries toward her and pulls her up rather roughly into

the bed.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Have you lost your senses?! I don't

believe it! How stupid!

He points to the broken objects.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Look at that! Did you need to do

that? Can’t you call me when you

need something?

ANNE:

(meekly) I’m sorry.

GEORGES:

(still furious)

Yes, so am I.

ANNE:

(softly)

Sorry.

Georges bends down, and begins to gather up the scattered

objects.

GEORGES:

The lamp is broken too.

SCENE 28 - INT. BATHROOM - HALLWAY - ANNEX - DAY

36.

Bathroom.

Georges, in pajama pants, naked torso, brushes his teeth. The

doorbell rings.

Georges spits out, wipes his mouth, goes into the hallway and

over to the front door.

GEORGES (CONT’D)

Yes? Who’s there?

No answer. Georges is very irritated. O.S., Anne calls to

him:

ANNE:

Georges? What’s going on? Who is

it?

Georges opens the door. Outside, however, instead of the

usual landing, we see an empty room lit a giorno but without

a window, about as large as the rooms in the apartment. It

looks like an unpainted room in a new apartment. A couple of

ladders are propped against the opposite wall. At the other

end of the room, to the side, is a small door. Georges is

stunned, and doesn't understand what has happened.

Hesitating, he crosses the room toward the door.

O.S., in the distance, Anne’s worried voice:

ANNE (CONT’D)

Georges? What’s going on?

Georges opens the small door. Behind it is a narrow,

windowless corridor, as brightly lit as the room. At the end

of the corridor, a door. Georges heads toward this door and

opens it too. Behind it is a tiny windowless room, equally

bright as the others. Everything is very quiet. Georges

enters, turns round, then goes back along the corridor,

crosses the room, comes through the apartment door into the

hallway of the apartment. But it too is now empty and bright,

with bare unpainted walls, no doors; only the door to the

bedroom is open. Behind that too, it appears to be empty and

bright. Georges goes toward it.

At the same time, we hear GEORGES' VOICE. At first he groans,

but then begins inarticulately hollering, louder and louder.

Shortly after, we also hear:

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes