Grand Hotel Page #12

GERSTENKORN:

Mop rags --!

Business between Preysing and Flaemmchen finding papers on

'Mop Rag' report.

GERSTENKORN:

What we want to know about is

Manchester.

WAITZ:

Yes, Mr. Preysing -- that's what we

want to know.

PREYSING:

I'd like to wait for Justice

Zinnowitz, before I commit myself.

GERSTENKORN:

Oh -- Preysing, Preysing --

PREYSING:

No water -- What a place!

GERSTENKORN:

All you have to do is phone for it.

Flaemmchen, who is on her toes and busy every minute, rushes

to the telephone and gives an order -- her conversation is

heard over the conversation of the men in the room -- CAMERA

HOLDS ON FLAEMMCHEN:

FLAEMMCHEN:

Water -- seltzer, three or four

bottles and cigars -- good ones.

WAITZ:

I can see this session is going to

be exhaustive.

PREYSING:

Now to proceed with the projected

merger, the advantages for the Saxonia

are so obvious...

GERSTENKORN:

Oh -- now let's talk like adults.

You want to tell us now a along story

of what your factory can do. We know

all that you could tell us and if

you tell the truth it wouldn't sound

so good. When you first approached

us...

PREYSING:

We did not approach you.

WAITZ:

(quickly looking

through the papers)

Letter on file September fourteenth

would show that you approached...

PREYSING:

(snatching the document

from his hand --

losing his temper)

It isn't so -- this was a response

to a tentative feeler of your own.

GERSTENKORN:

(snatching the document

violently away)

Tentative my foot -- a month before

this your old father-in-law came

very privately and scratched at my

door.

PREYSING:

Scratched --

(he nearly chokes)

We did not take the initiative.

GERSTENKORN:

Of course you took the initiative.

Zinnowitz enters the room.

ZINNOWITZ:

Good morning, gentlemen -- I see the

conference is already underway.

PREYSING:

Oh, here you are, Justice Zinnowitz --

I'm at cross-purposes with these

gentlemen -- will you clear up the

situation?

ZINNOWITZ:

But the situation is perfectly clear,

If you will allow me --

(he clears his throat)

GERSTENKORN:

How clear is Manchester?

ZINNOWITZ:

Foggy -- frightfully foggy, always,

I'm told.

(to Preysing)

Have you said anything about

Manchester, Mr. Preysing?

PREYSING:

I can make no statement about

Manchester at this time.

ZINNOWITZ:

Well -- gentlemen.

There is dead silence for a moment -- he clears his throat,

commences in almost the same tone as Preysing.

ZINNOWITZ:

Since, on the eleventh of June of

this year -- when the first

negotiations for a merger...

GERSTENKORN:

(over Zinnowitz's

voice -- with a sigh --

sits back)

Thank God we're beginning at the

beginning.

ZINNOWITZ:

(stops suddenly --

takes glasses from

his nose -- he is

speaking, not reading)

As you remember it -- when you

approached us...

GERSTENKORN:

(bangs the paper down)

We did not approach you.

PREYSING:

I know you did -- I said you did --

GERSTENKORN:

And I said we didn't.

WAITZ:

And I know we didn't.

During all this commotion Flaemmchen is paying no attention

whatsoever. She is calmly spraying herself with a perfume

atomizer and smiling at a gentleman. The noise continues

over her.

CUT TO:

NO SCENE 61

Sequence omitted from original script.

GRUSINSKAYA'S ROOM

The atmosphere has changed, the sun shines. Grusinskaya is

reclining on the chaise-lounge -- her Chinese robe drawn

about her. She speaks voluably.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Oh -- I was ambitious then -- ambition

was in my blood -- no rest, no

stopping. We were drilled like little

soldiers -- We danced in the school

of the Imperial Ballet, in St.

Petersburg. I was little and slim

but hard as diamond -- a duty machine --

No rest, no stopping. And then -- I

became famous and whoever is famous

is alone... But why should I be

telling you this? Last night I did

not know you at all -- who are you,

really? -- I do not even know your

name.

BARON:

I am Felix Benvenuto von Gaigern. My

mother called me Flix.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Flix. -- And how do you live? What

kind of a person are you?

BARON:

I'm a prodigal son, the black sheep

of a white flock -- I shall die on

the gallows.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Really?

BARON:

Really, I haven't a bit of character.

None at all.

GRUSINSKAYA:

No?

BARON:

When I was a little boy I was taught

to ride and be a gentleman -- at

school, it was a monastery, I learned

to pray and lie -- and ---

GRUSINSKAYA:

And?

BARON:

And then, in the war, to kill and

hide. That's all.

GRUSINSKAYA:

And what do you do -- now?

BARON:

I'm a gambler -- I'm running at large

like a happy pig, devouring anything

of life that pleases me, I really

belong in jail

GRUSINSKAYA:

Oh! What a picture -- and what else?

BARON:

(seriously)

I'm also a criminal and a hotel thief.

(he turns away)

GRUSINSKAYA:

That's a silly joke.

BARON:

(turns -- takes both

her hands)

Please look at me. You must believe

me -- you must believe that I love

you -- that I have never known what

love is -- until last night.

(he releases her hands

and turns away again.)

GRUSINSKAYA:

What is the matter?

He does not answer.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Flix!

The Baron takes the pearls out of his pocket and lays them

before her.

BARON:

There.

GRUSINSKAYA:

(with a little cry of

pain)

Oh --

(in the silence

Grusinskaya puts her

head in her hands

and thinks)

The Baron makes a gesture as if to stroke her hair and then

holds back.

GRUSINSKAYA:

(softly)

Did you come here just -- just for

that? Oh -- it's horrible.

Pause.

She is suddenly cold.

GRUSINSKAYA:

You may keep the pearls -- I don't

want them any more -- I'll make you

a present of them.

BARON:

(passionately)

I don't want them now.

GRUSINSKAYA:

(broken)

I'll not denounce you.

BARON:

I know.

GRUSINSKAYA:

So --

BARON:

Yesterday I was a thief -- but now, --

GRUSINSKAYA:

But now, you must go... I give you

the pearls. But now you must go ---

BARON:

I wanted money desperately -- Can

you understand? -- That's why I wanted

the pearls. I was threatened -- I

was desperately in need of a certain

big sum of money. I've been following

you -- I've admired you. But I have

forced myself not to think about you --

Last night, at last, I managed to

came into your room and -- and now.

GRUSINSKAYA:

(softly)

And now?

BARON:

I couldn't go through with it.

(his head goes down

into her lap -- he

sighs:
)

Remarkable.

His hand touches her hair -- tenderly.

BARON:

Do you understand?

GRUSINSKAYA:

Yes -- yes -- yes.

There is a sudden knock at the door.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Quickly -- here.

With a quick gesture Grusinskaya beckons the Baron to the

bathroom. He disappears into the bathroom. She opens the

door, after finding the key and radiantly addresses Suzette.

GRUSINSKAYA:

Good morning, Suzette.

SUZETTE:

(delighted to see her

in a good mood)

Good morning, Madam.

She puts the coffee down on the table.

Charming piece of business as Suzette, in putting the coffee

down on the table must necessarily push back the heavily

crested cigarette case of the Baron.

SUZETTE:

Madam has slept well?

GRUSINSKAYA:

(enthusiastically)

Oh, yes, Suzette.

SUZETTE:

Madam will dress now, it is late.

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