Bridge of Spies Page #16

DONOVAN:

So he wants to see me. What time?

HOFFMAN:

No no no, now listen, you don’t need

to go -- in fact, you shouldn’t go.

In fact you can’t go. We’re set

with the Soviets, we don’t want to

screw it up.

DONOVAN:

(rising)

I’m not going to screw it up.

HOFFMAN:

You’re not going, don’t be a pain in

the ass.

DONOVAN:

Oh, I ordered. Enjoy your big

American breakfast.

He leaves. Several waitresses deposit mountains of food

before an abashed Hoffman.

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 91.

CONFERENCE ROOM:

Architecturally grand in a beaux-art manner but cracked and

peeling. Furnishings sparse and poor.

A heavy middle-aged man shakes Donovan’s hand. A male

secretary to one side sits taking notes as the Ott and

Donovan take their seats at Ott’s desk..

OTT:

I thought it should be negotiated at

the highest level. As a courtesy to

you.

DONOVAN:

Well I thank you sir.

OTT:

I don’t know how things became so

confused.

DONOVAN:

Well... I guess sometimes they just

do.

Female servers clear a large conference table of dishes.

OTT:

For sake of clarity, I say we are

fully prepared to exchange the so-

called student Pryor for Rudolf

Abel. I understand from Mr. Vogel

that Pryor is very important to you.

DONOVAN:

Yes sir. But -

OTT:

We will do a memorandum to that

effect.

DONOVAN:

A memorandum.

OTT:

(generous)

Certainly. We commit to a bilateral

exchange -

DONOVAN:

Yes, sure, I’m not sure what you

mean, but -- my country also insists

on Francis Gary Powers.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 92.

CONTINUED:

OTT:

(rising and pounding on

the table)

No!!

One of the women drops her dishware, apologizes.

OTT (CONT’D)

-- this is how things became

confused. Powers -- what use is he,

sir? You want him back for punitive

reasons? What’s done is done, he

has divulged what he will divulge,

as no doubt Abel has also. We are

offering instead someone who you

insist is innocent. And this is

right. This is who you should

retrieve. The future! Look to the

future.

A phone among a bank of phones rings. Ott picks up a

receiver.

OTT (CONT’D)

Ott!

Oops, wrong phone. He picks up another.

OTT (CONT’D)

Ott.

He speaks in German for a while, then, to Donovan:

OTT (CONT’D)

I’m sorry. If you could give me a

moment, sir.

HALLWAY:

Big echoing public space. Donovan is seated on a hard bench.

Bicycle messengers whiz by in both directions.

The secretary’s footsteps echo as he crosses to Donovan.

SECRETARY:

I am very sorry sir. The Attorney

General regrets that he had to leave

on urgent business.

DONOVAN:

...He -- left?

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 93.

CONTINUED:

SECRETARY:

Yes, many apologies.

DONOVAN:

I’ve been waiting for over an hour

to -

SECRETARY:

Very sorry, sir.

He turns and walks away, echoing footsteps, Donovan staring.

Suddenly Donovan projects:

DONOVAN:

Young man!

The young man stops, looks back.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

...C’mere!

Hesitation.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

...It’s all right, c’mere.

The secretary crosses back.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

Take a seat.

He taps the bench next to himself.

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

Oh c’mon, c’mon, sit down.

Somewhat bewildered, the young man complies.

Donovan is friendly:

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

...You like your job here?

SECRETARY:

(genuine)

It’s a very good job, sir.

DONOVAN:

Must be. Must be interesting.

SECRETARY:

Yes sir.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 94.

CONTINUED:
(2)

DONOVAN:

And important too. And your English

is... good.

SECRETARY:

Yes, I hesitate to say excellent,

but it is excellent, sir.

DONOVAN:

Good. Good. Good. See, I just

lost my negotiating partner and I

need someone to talk to. You seem

like a reasonable young man -- can I

talk to you?

The secretary is lost. His look to Donovan is open, genuine,

and uncomprehending.

Donovan helps him:

DONOVAN (CONT’D)

...It’s all right, I just...I...I

need you to give a message to your

boss. But it has to be very very

very clear. You understand?

SECRETARY:

Yes sir. But perhaps you should

wait until he -

DONOVAN:

No, no, the thing is, I have this

cold, I want to get back home, get

into bed. (blowing his nose)

Can you give the message?

SECRETARY:

Certainly.

DONOVAN:

This is the message. There is no

deal for Abel unless we get Powers

and Pryor. Understand?

SECRETARY:

Yes sir.

DONOVAN:

It is arranged for tomorrow morning.

It will not happen unless we get two

men. Those two men. Two two two.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 95.

CONTINUED:
(3)

The secretary is looking into Donovan’s eyes in order to

conscientiously remember every word.

SECRETARY:

Yes sir.

DONOVAN:

If there is no deal, your boss must

tell the Soviets. He has to tell

the Soviets that they are not

getting Rudolf Abel.

SECRETARY:

Yes sir.

Donovan rises.

DONOVAN:

And tell him this: so far Abel has

been a good soldier. But he thinks

he’s going home. If we have to tell

him he’s not going home, the Soviets

don’t want him, that he’s never

going home -- I imagine his behavior

might change. And who will be held

responsible for that. (He chuckles)

That’s a long message! Ya got it

all?

SECRETARY:

Yes sir. Got it!

DONOVAN:

Good. You’re a good man. (steps

away; turns back with one last

thought) Oh -- and also tell him, no

deal unless they let us know by the

end of business today. He has the

number. If the exchange isn’t gonna

happen, no reason for everyone to

get up first thing in the morning.

SECRETARY:

No sir. That would be pointless.

BUSY STREET IN BERLIN -- NIGHT

Donovan is walking with purpose, pulling change from his

pocket. Hoffman is just trying to keep up with him.

HOFFMAN:

You’re kidding me. You’re kidding

me. You’re kidding me.

(CONTINUED)

12.17.14 FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 96.

CONTINUED:

DONOVAN:

Well. Not really . Need some

change!

HOFFMAN:

(pulling into his pocket

for change)

That’s exactly what you weren’t

supposed to do.

DONOVAN:

My instructions were to feel out the

situation.

HOFFMAN:

(explosive)

Your instructions were to get

Powers! Not Pryor!! That was not

the original deal! You fouled it

all up.

DONOVAN:

How do you know? I feel pretty good

about it.

Hoffman hands him the change, almost too angry to speak --

HOFFMAN:

You f***ed it all up!

DONOVAN:

Oh don’t worry, I think it’ll be

fine.

Donovan reaches a phone booth, enters.

HOFFMAN:

How do you know?! You don’t know

that!

Hoffman is still staring at him, anger fading as he digests

the implications. He looks around at where they are and how

public it is. Donovan drops in the coins, in broken German

places a long distance call to New York.

DONOVAN:

(to Hoffman)

Look, the whole thing was just to

feel me out, will I swap one-forone.

And which one. So I said No,

two-for one, so they know where we

stand, so it’ll be fine.

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