Grand Hotel Page #14

BARON:

(to Senf)

Madam Grusinskaya.

SENF:

(taking the flowers

and handing them to

clerk)

For Madam Grusinskaya.

CLERK:

(to page boy)

Madam Grusinskaya -- at once --

SENF:

(to Baron)

Your chauffeur's been waiting, Baron.

BARON:

(Quickly -- shortly)

All right.

(he glances around

apprehensively)

Kringelein is speaking to the doctor.

The Baron approaches them.

KRINGELEIN:

Baron, we must have gone a hundred

miles an hour, at least...

BARON:

Yes, quite.

KRINGELEIN:

(to doctor)

We've been together all day... and

in an aeroplane.

DOCTOR:

Life is changing you, Mr. Kringelein.

KRINGELEIN:

Yes, thanks to the Baron. The best

shops, the very best. Look, Doctor,

silk -- feels so nice on the skin...

a London hat, see -- made in England,

that's silk, too -- fifty marks...

Look, the price is on it. That was

half my salary before. The Baron is

a very fine gentleman -- no one in

my life has been so nice to me as

the Baron.

The Baron smiles. He slaps his gauntlets on his dusty coat.

BARON:

I'm going to change and we'll meet

for a drink in the Yellow Room.

KRINGELEIN:

In the Yellow Room, where the music's

playing and the ladies are?

BARON:

(amused)

Where the music's playing and the

ladies are...

The Baron leaves.

DOCTOR:

No pain, Mr. Kringelein?

KRINGELEIN:

Pain? Oh, no, Doctor. I think if I

had pain I'd be too happy to notice

it...

NOTE:
Find cut here.

While Kringelein is talking, they move away from the CAMERA.

CUT TO:

FLASH OF BARON'S ROOM

The Baron enters, throws his gloves down on the bed, turns

up the light, picks up a piece of paper that's been pushed

under the door, glances at it.

FLASH INSERT OF THE PAPER

In scrawl:
"I HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL DAY. WILL BE OUTSIDE OR

AT THE GARAGE." "S"

CUT BACK TO:

BARON:

We again see the apprehension on the Baron's face. He crosses,

closes the window. As he does so we hear the noise from the

conference room.

Bring up noise from the conference room.

CUT TO:

CONFERENCE ROOM:

We must have the feeling that these men have been arguing

all day. Cognac bottles, cigar ends, selzer water, remains

of some sandwiches. In other words it is a business

battlefield. Preysing is drawn and tired. Zinnowitz is on

his feet. Flaemmchen is fast asleep in her chair, making a

pretty picture.

ZINNOWITZ:

...and let me say again for the tenth

time...

(he is hoarse and

tired)

...you people were quite ready for

the merger. You declared yourselves...

fully agreed on all the terms -- Why

should the signing of these articles

be suddenly held up?

GERSTENKORN:

I've admitted that at one time we

had reason for desiring ther merger --

What reason have we now? The Preysing

Company has fallon upon evil days,

very evil days.

Preysing jumps to his feet.

PREYSING:

Evil days -- I've shown you here --

(he bangs the paper)

-- my company exports to the Balkans

alone, sixty-five thousand marks

worth of mop rags a year.

GERSTENKORN:

Mop rags -- mop rags -- we're

interested in something quite

different!

PREYSING:

What?

SCHWEIMANN:

(to Gerstenkorn --

with a sigh)

Shall I tell them again?

GERSTENKORN:

(glancing at his watch)

Why waste time -- it's getting late.

SCHWEIMANN:

You see -- what we are interested in --

GERSTENKORN:

(interrupting)

Ah, come on -- we're going home.

Due to the long tedious session the men's collars are wilted.

ZINNOWITZ:

(rising)

Mr. Preysing has too scrupulous a

regard for certainties...

GERSTENKORN:

You've talked enough today, you're

hoarse now.

IMPORTANT CLOSEUP OF PREYSING

His hand goes to his pocket. Slowly he takes out the telegram

and glances at it. The following scene is played over this

closeup.

GERSTENKORN:

Sorry, Preysing.

(he gets his hat)

PREYSING:

(nervously)

You've decided against the merger?

GERSTENKORN:

Yes --

PREYSING:

Then, it's all over?

GERSTENKORN:

Yes --

WAITZ:

(to Zinnowitz)

Well -- well -- You could call my

office.

There is a general movement to go.

FLASH OF TELEGRAM

Trembling in Preysing's hand. "DEAL WITH MANCHESTER DEFINITELY

OFF."

GENERAL SHOT OF ROOM

Gerstenkorn crosses to Preysing.

GERSTENKORN:

Goodbye, Preysing, I hope you pull

through. This is a very bad time to

be in such a crisis. We've...

PREYSING:

(interrupting)

Why talk -- it's over -- it's over --

it's finished. You've broken off

negotiations. You did it. You're

calling them off. You had nothing on

your mind all day, but Manchester, --

Manchester -- Manchester.

(he develops almost a

passion)

You don't suppose for one moment

that I'm such a fool as not to have

something that I could say definitely

about Manchester.

(he is generating

almost a passion)

GERSTENKORN:

What?

PREYSING:

Oh no -- no -- the session is over.

Let's go, it's off. Thank you,

gentlemen.

(he starts packing up

his papers.)

GERSTENKORN:

If you actually have news from

Manchester then...

PREYSING:

Gentlemen, I am now free to

announce...

(he is perspiring,

his hands are

trembling)

...that the deal between my firm and

the Manchester Cotton Company has

been successfully negotiated.

GERSTENKORN:

Preysing, you're joking with us.

SCHWEIMANN:

You're a deep one.

QUICK CLOSEUP OF ZINNOWITZ

GENERAL SHOT OF ROOM

GERSTENKORN:

In that case give us the articles.

We'll sign at once. We know all the

details...

PREYSING:

(smiling, slowly folds

up the telegram and

puts it back in his

pocket)

I thought we'd suspended negotiations,

gentlemen.

GERSTENKORN:

Under these circumstances it's quite

a different matter.

PREYSING:

Under these circumstances we might

refuse to sign.

By this time, Waitz and Zinnowitz have the articles out upon

the table.

Preysing is perspiring.

Gerstenkorn puts his arms around Preysing's shoulders.

GERSTENKORN:

Come on -- business is business --

Come on --

Preysing stands, looking ahead of him.

Gerstenkorn picks up the papers glances at them, looks at

Waitz.

Flaemmchen is awakening.

GERSTENKORN:

Here's my signature -- here Preysing,

sign here.

ZINNOWITZ:

What a session this has been.

While Preysing is signing.

SCHWEIMANN:

It's twenty-five to six.

WAITZ:

We should celebrate this with a bottle

of wine.

GERSTENKORN:

(with his hat and

coat)

See you soon, Preysing. Next week

we'll meet and discuss further

details.

PREYSING:

Next week.

Hasty hand-shaking, business of exits.

Waitz, Gerstenkorn and Schweimann out.

Preysing has not moved.

Zinnowitz takes the agreement and waves it in the air to dry

the signature.

PREYSING:

(to himself)

Next week.

ZINNOWITZ:

You let me talk till I'm hoarse and

you had Manchester sewed-up all the

time. Why?

Preysing does not answer.

Zinnowitz amiably shrugs his shoulders.

ZINNOWITZ:

Well -- the deal has been put through.

Preysing commences to laugh suddenly with increasing violence.

PREYSING:

Yes, it has been put through -- it

has been put through.

During this scene, Flaemmchen has risen, piled up her papers,

glanced at her watch. During this action Flaemmchen motions

to Zinnowitz that she is going down to dance, etc., Preysing

is unaware of this action. Flaemmchen leaves the room trying

not to attract attention.

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