Frankenstein Page #6

KREMPE:

Paracelsus?

VICTOR:

Or Albertus Magnus. Cornelius Agrippa ...

KREMPE:

What is your name?

VICTOR:

Victor Frankenstein, sir.

(no response)

Of Geneva

KREMPE:

Of Geneva.

(beat)

Tell me, Mr. Frankenstein of Geneva. Do you wish

to study medicine? Or mysticism?

Titters sweep the room. Krempe remains staunchly unamused:

KREMPE:

Those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Frankenstein's

suggested reading list ... thankfully, that would

be most of you ... would be well advised to avoid

it. Here at Ingolstadt, we concern ourselves with

immutable reality...

(specific to Victor)

...not the ravings of lunatics and alchemists

hundreds of years in their graves. Understood?

(CONTINUED)

25

Victor is flushed and humiliated. Held like to say more, but

wisely swallows his anger and nods.

KREMPE:

I am relieved. Are there any relevant questions?

(there are none)

Lecture hall dismissed.

EXT - UNIVERSITY - DAY

Victor exits wearing a distinctive black greatcoat, fuming

over the exchange with Krempe. He strides across the lawn,

eyes fixed straight ahead.

Henry Clerval races up behind him and falls casually in

step. Victor glances over. Henry nods pleasantly, as if held

been there all along. Victor responds with a curt nod and

resumes his straight-ahead demeanor. They walk in silence,

just two guys heading in the same direction.

Henry can't help it; he snickers loudly to himself. Victor

shoots him a sharp look. Henry's smirk vanishes, replaced

with blank innocence. Did somebody snicker?

HENRY:

I was just clearing my throat.

VICTOR:

Very well then.

They continue walking. Silence thick. Finally:

HENRY:

You know, you're quite mad.

Victor stops. Turns

VICTOR:

(low, measured)

I am not mad.

HENRY:

(matching Victor's tone)

As a march hare.

Henry's expression betrays nothing ... but perhaps there's a

trace of amusement in his eyes?

VICTOR:

Are you having me on?

HENRY:

Of course I am. It pays to humor the insane.

(CONTINUED)

26

Beat. Victor smiles. Henry grins, offers his hand. takes it.

HENRY:

Henry Clerval.

VICTOR:

Victor, Victor Frankenstein.

HENRY:

I know. You have a way of making an impression.

INT - GASTHOF - DUSK

The tavern is packed with students and noise. Beer and food

served at a frantic pace. We find Victor and Henry at a

small table, tearing into sausages and cheese.

VICTOR:

Do you really think I'm mad?

HENRY:

Come now. Magnus? Agrippa? Next thing you know,

you'll be teaching toadstools to speak.

Schiller enters with FRIENDS. They pause at Victor's table

SCHILLER:

if it isn't the sorcerer. Found yourself an

apprentice?

VICTOR:

I'm afraid I rejected his application. He merely

dabbles

HENRY:

Dilettantes need not apply. What about you?

Schiller, isn't it?

SCHILLER:

Von Schiller. I'm interested in real medicine.

Treating the sick

HENRY:

Really? I myself find sick people rather

revolting.

(off their looks)

I'm here to secure my degree with a minimum of

fuss and hard work that I might settle into a life

of privilege treating rich old ladies with gout

and dallying with their daughters.

(CONTINUED)

27

SCHILLER:

You two disgust me.

Schiller and his friends stalk off.

EXT - INGOLSTADT - DUSK

LONG LENS magnificently compresses buildings and steeples,

distant hills and drizzly sky. Victor wears his greatcoat as

he and Henry walk along a twisty cobblestone street.

VICTOR:

Rich old ladies and their daughters?

HENRY:

Can you think of a better reason?

VICTOR:

Quite a few.

HENRY:

Do me a favor then ...

(claps his shoulder)

... keep them to yourself.

Victor takes a shocked beat and bursts into laughter,

INT - AUTOPSY ROOM - DAY

Waldman, in sinock, addresses a GROUP OF STUDENTS from

across morgue slab. He throws a sheet back to reveal a

corpse dissected to reveal the inner workings. The others

crowd for a closer look. Victor glances to Henry, who leans

back and rolls his eyes in utter disgust.

INT - VICTOR'S GARRET - DAY

PUSHING SLOWLY IN on Victor sitting at a tall dormer window,

writing a letter with quill and ink. It's raining outside.

The garret is tidied.

EXT - RYE FIELDS - FRANKENSTEIN ESTATE - LATE DAY

WORKERS are harvesting for miles around. PAN to Elizabeth

and Claude examining the sheaves on a wagon. She cracks the

grain and tastes it, glances to Claude. He smiles and nods.

CLAUDE:

It's turning out to be a good year.

ELIZABETH:

Let's return a tenth of the crop to the tenants.

(off his look)

They had a hard winter.

(CONTINUED)

28

CLAUDE:

Not even your father would be that generous.

ELIZABETH:

Then there's no need to tell him, is there?

Claude grins and motions to his MEN. They resume loading the

sheaves as a STABLEBOY rides up:

STABLEBOY:

Miss! The mail arrived! There's one from Master

Victor!

INT - FRANKENSTEIN PARLOR - NIGHT

We find the family gathered around the fire as Elizabeth

reads Victor's letter aloud:

ELIZABETH:

... and not a day goes by that I do not cherish

your faces in my mind's eye or ache to see you all

again. Be assured that I am with you in spirit,

and you are never far from my thoughts. I remain,

as always, your loving and devoted Victor. P.S.

She pauses, reading ahead.

INSERT OF LETTER

The P.S. reads:
"Elizabeth ... I am holding our vow precious

in my heart."

ELIZABETH:

glances up at their expectant faces.

WILLIE:

What does it say?

ELIZABETH:

It says, give Willie an extra big hug for me.

WILLIAM:

(beaming)

Read it again?

She smiles, rearranges the pages as we

FADE TO:

29

INT - UNIVERSITY HALLWAY - DAY

A classroom door. SHOUTING from within:

VICTOR (O.S.)

That's no excuse for being a pompous ass!

Victor storms out with Krempe at his heels. Krempe pauses in

the doorway, red-faced, bellowing after him:

KREMPE:

I'll see you thrown out of this university! I'll

go to the dean himself! Take me at my word,

Frankenstein! The dean himself!

Classroom doors are opening, faces peering out. Waldman

among them. Victor keeps going, doesn't look back.

INT - GASTHOF - NIGHT

Victor and Henry slouched at their regular table writes in

his thick, well-worn leather journal.

HENRY:

The entire school heard it. It wasn't something

one could miss.

VICTOR:

You're a comfort to me, Henry.

HENRY:

What now? Writing about it in your journal won't

help.

VICTOR:

(quietly)

It's a letter to my father.

Henry falls silent. Victor closes the journal, winds it

secure with its leather thong, jams it deep in the outer

pocket of his greatcoat. Brooding. The bell above the door

JINGLES. A gust of wind sweeps in. They glance up. Professor

Waldman enters, dapper and soft- spoken, impeccably

courteous. He murmurs a pleasantry to the INNKEEPER and

drifts over to Victor's table.

VICTOR:

Professor Waldman.

WALDMAN:

(takes a seat)

Victor, explain yourself.

(CONTINUED)

30

VICTOR:

Krempe has a way of provoking my temper.

WALDMAN:

You have a way of provoking his.

(beat)

I've been watching you. You seem impatient with

your studies.

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