Bridge of Spies Page #11

MICHENER:

So...it’s gotten goddamn

complicated.

DONOVAN:

Uh-huh.

MICHENER:

As you know, the last letter from

“Mrs.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 61.

CONTINUED:
(2)

MICHENER (CONT'D)

Abel,” whoever she is, talks about

her lawyer in East Berlin, Mr.

Vogel, whoever he is. “Representing

her interests,” she says.

DONOVAN:

Yeah. Vogel says he’s gone to the

Russian embassy in East Berlin, and

they may be ready to trade Abel for

Powers. We don’t know who’s who,

but they’re all basically the

Russian, right?

MICHENER:

Well, Soviet -- we think so.

DONOVAN:

Wuddya mean? Can we turn up the

heat in here?

Michener talks to the driver in German. The man shrugs,

tweaks a knob on the dash.

MICHENER:

There’s a wrinkle -- uh -- uh --

they might try to throw you a curve

ball, try and get you to accept

another prisoner other than Powers.

DONOVAN:

Another American?

MICHENER:

The East German Stasi picked up an

American student -- Frederic Pryor --

a kid they found on the wrong side

of the wall. He’s a grad student

out of Yale, came over here to study

economics. So, they’re making

noises about trying this kid for

espionage, grave offense, capital

crime. Well:
Vogel got in touch

with us, said he represents Pryor.

DONOVAN:

Wait a minute. Vogel represents

“Mrs. Abel,” and this kid?

MICHENER:

Yeah, he’s -- busy.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 62.

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(3)

DONOVAN:

So -- what is he? He really is East

German? Or Russian?

MICHENER:

Well -- try to figure it out when

you meet him. Russian Embassy, East

Berlin, noon tomorrow. Hoffman will

show you how to get there.

DONOVAN:

Show me how to get there? But I’m

going to have an escort.

Uncomfortable silence; Donovan notes it.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

...Right?

Michener is uncomfortable:

MICHENER:

Well, that was the plan, but -- like

I said, there’s a wrinkle. I won’t

be taking you. The decision has

been made, no U.S. government

personnel are to cross the border

until further notice.

DONOVAN:

How come?

MICHENER:

Too dangerous. The East Germans

grabbed this kid. There’s a degree

of impunity, uh, that we had not

anticipated. The point is that the

East German agenda, and the Russian

agenda, may not be the same thing.

You try to figure it out. And act

accordingly:
try to make a deal --

Powers for Abel.

DONOVAN:

Well what about this college kid,

Pryor?

HOFFMAN:

Don’t fall for that. We can get him

out another time. Powers is the

whole ballgame.

The sedan pulls up to a remote looking house - a safe house.

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 63.

INSIDE:

A bedroom with an disheveled unmade bed. The living room is

piled with old newspapers. Donovan turns to Hoffman. It’s

so cold in here you can see the men’s breath.

DONOVAN:

Where’s your room?

HOFFMAN:

I’ll be staying at the Hilton. It’s

not far.

He hands Donovan a slip of paper.

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

This is a number here in West

Berlin. Memorize it, and give it

back to me.

Donovan puts it in his shirt pocket.

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

No. I mean now.

Donovan sighs, looks at the paper.

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

The Soviets keep cutting

international lines, but local calls

are okay. Someone will pick up day

and night.

Donovan hands the piece of paper back. Hoffman takes out a

lighter, burns the paper and drops it into an ashtray.

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

(holding up Donovan’s

passport)

Now this docket, attached to your

passport, will serve as your ticket

into and out of the Eastern Soviet

sector. The meeting with Vogel is

set for noon tomorrow.

He unfolds a map on the table.

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

There are only a few routes left to

the East. You take the S-Bahn, the

station we showed you on the way in.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 64.

CONTINUED:

HOFFMAN (CONT’D)

You’re going to get off at the

Friedrichstrasse Station, here, and

walk to the Soviet Embassy on Unter

den Linden, here. Look at the map

now -- you shouldn’t take it with

you. You’re looking at a map,

you’re an American, you’re a spy,

you could well be detained. Just

avoid interaction with people,

generally -- you don’t belong, so

don’t stick out. Food is scarce

over there and things have started

to fall apart. There are gangs;

rule of law is less...firmly

established over there. And

definitely stay away from the Wall.

On their side, there’s a line

cleared of buildings, along the

Wall, they call it the Death Line.

Cross it and you’ll be shot.

DONOVAN:

Is there any outcome here where I’m

not either detained, or shot?

HOFFMAN:

Don’t worry too much about what

Michener said.

DONOVAN:

No, now I’m worried about what

you’re saying. This kid Pryor, that

the East German’s have. How old is

he?

HOFFMAN:

Twenty-five, why?

DONOVAN:

That’s the same age as Dougie.

HOFFMAN:

Who?

DONOVAN:

An associate of mine...

EAST GERMAN POLICE/PRISON FACILITY

Katje is sitting at a table in a bare room. Very still.

KATJE:

Frederic Pryor.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 65.

CONTINUED:

Katje is holding a picture of Frederic Pryor. The official

doesn’t even look at it, continues reading his newspaper.

The following exchange is in German, subtitled.

OFFICIAL:

I’m sorry, there is nothing I can

tell you.

After a deflated beat, a plea:

KATJE:

He’s not here, or you can’t tell me

he’s here? Where is he?

The man shrugs.

OFFICIAL:

I can’t tell you.

PRISON CELL:

Pryor sits at a small table in his cell, eating.

INSIDE A TRAIN:

It is a gray day. Donovan sits looking out. His point-ofview:

approaching the Wall. It comes at us, foreshortening,

and then sweeps by: a ragged line stretching into the

background, punctuated by guard towers. On its far side is a

swath of cleared land.

Even beyond this Death Line many of the buildings of the East

are bombed out, the war damage still largely unrepaired.

There is not much life in the streets.

FRIEDRICHSTRASSE STATION

Passengers disembarking, Donovan among the last.

A long line stretching up to a checkpoint. Only one soldier

checks papers, though many soldiers stand about.

Donovan looks at his watch. Tense.

He thinks, decides.

He steps out of the line and marches to the front, drawing

looks.

Approaching the checkpoint: the soldier checking papers look

up at him, surprised. This doesn’t happen.

A couple soldiers tighten grips on their guns.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 66.

CONTINUED:

Donovan holds out his passport and summons a degree of

sternness as, in broken German, he tries to explain his

plight. The soldiers search his passport and wallet as he

points at his watch urgently.

The soldiers search his documents and slowly all of them

begin to relax when they see he’s American. They let him

pass.

STREET:

Donovan walking. It is snowing heavily. He reaches an

intersection. Several youths are gathered there -- mangy

strays.

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