Bridge of Spies Page #15

OUTSIDE:

The two men emerge from the building.

DONOVAN:

It’s one transaction, between us and

the two of you. We’re not trying to

do two different things here. It’s

one thing. One one one. And it’s

hard for me to see how the Republic

of East German Democrats is being

slighted.

VOGEL:

You arranged with the Soviets

without consulting me. Is this a

negotiation -- or a conspiracy?

DONOVAN:

For it to be a conspiracy, there

would have to be some harm to you,

sir. There’s just benefits here.

We have agreeing interests -

Vogel is climbing into a fancy sports car parked at the curb.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 85.

CONTINUED:

VOGEL:

No. You decide they agree.

DONOVAN:

Where’s is your appointment, sir?

VOGEL:

In the West.

DONOVAN:

Good.

Donovan opens the passenger door and climbs inside.

DONOVAN SITS IN; THE CAR TAKES OFF WITH A ROAR: A LOT OF

POWER, A LOT OF SPEED. VOGEL RAISES HIS VOICE OVER THE

ENGINE:

VOGEL:

Look around you.

The car is racing through a desolate cityscape. Donovan does

look around; takes it in.

VOGEL (CONT’D)

How does the Eastern sector compare

to the West? (no answer) Our

Russian friends have decided that we

should not rebuild our capital city.

We live in this ruin. Made by our

Russian friends. Go ahead, make

your deal with these Russians, but

we won’t be part of it.

DONOVAN:

There is no deal without Pryor.

We’re not leaving him here.

The car rounds a corner at speed.

VOGEL:

Is that your position, or your

government’s?

DONOVAN:

I’m here. I’m talking to you.

VOGEL:

But you’re not a representative of

the government. You don’t know who

you are. Neither do we. You should

be careful. This is not Brooklyn,

Mr. Donovan.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 86.

CONTINUED:

The speedometer, the needle at 120kph

DONOVAN:

Sir:
you must know that in the

respect that matters, I represent my

government. You know who I am.

VOGEL:

Do I?

DONOVAN WATCHES VOGEL SLIDE INTO TOP GEAR, GUTTING THE ENGINE

INTO TOP GEAR, GUTTING THE ENGINE AS IT SPEEDS ALONG. A

SIREN. VOGEL’S GAZE SWITCHES TO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. HE

SMILES.

VOGEL:

Uh-oh.

Donovan looks behind. A police detail comes up on their

tail. Vogel downshifts, lifting his foot off the gas.

Vogel pulls over. Donovan is suddenly nervous as they skid

to a stop. The police sedan pulls up behind them.

VOGEL (CONT’D)

Do you have the proper papers? Oh,

no of course you don’t. It doesn’t

matter. An expensive American

lawyer like you can talk your way

out of anything. Can’t you.

Vogel gets out of the car. He speaks to the cops in German/

Nods toward Donovan, saying he’s an American. The cops treat

Vogel deferentially -- but not Donovan.

POLICE OFFICER:

(sharpy, in German, to

Donovan as he opens the

passenger door.)

You, get out now.

Donovan climbs out of the car, hands over his passport.

POLICE OFFICER (CONT’D)

(in German)

Passport.

Donovan hesitates, he looks at Vogel.

The checkpoint guard checks Donovan’s passport, shouts

something in German to another guard, and then to Donovan in

English.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 87.

CONTINUED:

GUARD:

Go with him.

DONOVAN:

Why?

GUARD:

Passport. Problem.

DONOVAN:

What? What’s wrong with it? What

problem?

The other guard has stepped in, hand on his gun.

GUARD:

Go with him.

As Vogel is led away:

VOGEL:

And remember. We control the fate

of Frederic Pryor.

CELL -- EAST GERMANY

Pryor is awake. Pacing. His light is off as he can see an

armed guard positioned on the grate above. Pryor is utterly

terrified.

CELL -- RUSSIA

Powers, eyes open, alone in his cell and staring at the paper

and pencils on the table in front of him.

CARGO PLANE INTERIOR

Avalon leads Abel to a seat. Abel is holding a cardboard

tube.

INDETERMINATE TIME LATER

HOLDING ROOM:

A holding room door is opened. Donovan rises from the

uncomfortable bench he’s been on.

S-BAHN

Donovan asleep in a train seat. He opens his eyes. His cold

is worse.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 88.

CONTINUED:

The train chugs along. A bleary look to his window.

Point-of-view:
lit by the beginnings of day, the Wall is

coming at us, foreshortening, opposite-ways from when we saw

it on Donovan’s first trip in. As it sweeps by there is

movement and a shout goes up.

Donovan stands, gazes out the window in horror.

Four figures at the wall. They are riddled with gunfire, two

dangling and dropping to the eastern side, the other two

dropping dead to the western side.

Inside the train the passengers react in horror and Donovan

collapses back into his seat, devastated.

HILTON:

Donovan, haggard, in the restaurant, looking at a menu. A

waitress approaches.

DONOVAN:

I’ll start with some coffee, please.

And then I’ll have the Hilton Combo,

and the American Breakfast. And

coffee.

WAITRESS:

Both breakfasts?

DONOVAN:

(handing menu back)

Yeah. Yeah.

WAITRESS:

One first, or...

DONOVAN:

Both first. Both, whenever they’re

ready. And coffee.

The waitress moves off. Hoffman approaches, sits.

HOFFMAN:

You shouldn’t be here.

DONOVAN:

Well sometimes in Germany you just

want a big American breakfast.

Michener and Pinker cross and takes seats at a nearby table.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 89.

CONTINUED:

HOFFMAN:

What happened? Where were you last

night?

DONOVAN:

Mr. Vogel arranged for me to spend

some time in the East.

HOFFMAN:

Jesus.

DONOVAN:

Not much worse than what you got for

me here in the west. So the

Russians are fine with the exchange,

but Vogel now says the East Germans

won’t do it. We’re not gonna get

Pryor.

Hoffman stares at him.

HOFFMAN:

Great. Good. So the Soviets are

set. We get Powers. We get Powers.

Well done.

He gives a thumbs up to Michener and Pinker, sitting at a

table nearby.

DONOVAN:

No, the East Germans won’t do it.

We won’t get Pryor. And look, that

kid matters, every person matters.

HOFFMAN:

Sure, that’s why we tried. Abel’s

on his way, so we’re all set for

tomorrow morning.

DONOVAN:

Wait a minute -

HOFFMAN:

Makes things simple.

DONOVAN:

But we’re not getting the kid.

HOFFMAN:

Yeah, I understand. We’re set. We

can ignore the message we got this

morning.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 90.

CONTINUED:
(2)

DONOVAN:

What message?

HOFFMAN:

From from the East Germans. They

called the number I gave you, said

they wanted to speak to you today.

DONOVAN:

Vogel called?

HOFFMAN:

No. Office of Harald Ott. East

German attorney general.

DONOVAN:

Wanting what -- what does he want?

HOFFMAN:

To talk to you, but -- it’s okay, I

can’t ask you to go back there.

Listen, you seem to be persona non

grata to some elements. We won’t

push our luck.

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