Grand Hotel Page #15

ZINNOWITZ:

(to Preysing)

What's the matter with you?

PREYSING:

(hysterically)

Bluff -- Bluff -- all bluff.

ZINNOWITZ:

What's bluff?

PREYSING:

(throwing the telegram

on the table)

That.

ZINNOWITZ:

(reading at out loud)

'Deal with Manchester definitely

off! "Preysing, oh -- I'd never have

thought it of you.

PREYSING:

No one would have thought it of me.

I've been getting rusty in

Fredersdorf. Well, if bluff is what

the world wants I guess I can put up

as big a bluff as anyone. From now

on...

(he turns away)

ZINNOWITZ:

You must go to Manchester at once

yourself and really see it through.

PREYSING:

Yes -- I must go to England -- I was

desperate -- Now I don't care --

This sort of thing goes to a man's

head.

ZINNOWITZ:

What you need is some relaxation.

PREYSING:

Yes -- that's what I want -- I'd

like to tear loose -- I'd like a

drink. I'd like to go down to that

dancing place. I'd like to start

something.

ZINNOWITZ:

I can understand that -- after your --

uh --

PREYSING:

Say it -- say it -- my lie -- it's

the first time in thirty years that

I've ever... Where's that

stenographer? Miss Flaemm...

ZINNOWITZ:

What do you want with her?

PREYSING:

I want to see her, I want to do some

dictating -- report of the conference

for my father-in-law.

ZINNOWITZ:

She had an engagement in the Yellow

Room at five o'clock -- she was in a

hurry.

PREYSING:

Zinnowitz, would you say she was

pretty?

ZINNOWITZ:

Pretty as a picture.

PREYSING:

Let's go down and find her -- I need

a drink -- Come along Zinnowitz.

(he is picking up

papers)

I don't know anything about women --

been married for twenty-six years.

ZINNOWITZ:

Bluff does it, Preysing, bluff does

it. Goodnight.

Preysing is very excited, they start to leave -- at that

moment the telephone rings.

PREYSING:

Aeh!

He crosses to the telephone.

PREYSING:

(into telephone)

Hello... Father-in-law?... Is that

you?... The agreement is signed -- I

did it... yes, father-in-law... but

now I must go to Manchester.

When he picks the telephone up his hands are shaking --

DISSOLVE HANDS INTO:

COCKTAIL SHAKER:

-- which shakes more. Music crashes up --

DISSOLVE OUT:

DISSOLVE INTO BAR

Kringelein and the Doctor are just entering. Kringelein is

changed. His hair has been cut short and his moustache is

gone, he looks almost saucy.

DOCTOR:

(to barman)

Barman -- whiskey --

(to Kringelein)

For you, Mr. Kringelein?

KRINGELEIN:

For me? -- Oh, please, something

sweet and cold.

BARMAN:

A Louisiana flip, sir?

KRINGELEIN:

A Louisiana flip, that sounds very

nice -- sweet, eh? --

During the following speech Kringelein keeps reaching for

the moustache that is not there. He is thoroughly happy.

DOCTOR:

What do you do in the Grand Hotel?

Eat -- sleep -- loaf around -- do

business -- flirt a little -- dance

a little. A hundred doors to one

hall and nobody knows anything about

the person next to him. When you

leave another takes your room and

lies in your bed -- the end.

At that moment Flaemmchen enters.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Good evening, Mr. Kringelein --

Where's the Baron?

KRINGELEIN:

I'm waiting for him here. The Baron

and I have been together all day. A

hundred miles an hour -- in a motor

car -- and in an aeroplane -- It was

marvelous --

FLAEMMCHEN:

Mr. Kringelein -- How you have

changed, you look so nice.

KRINGELEIN:

Oh, thank you, Miss Flaemm. Oh,

please, Miss Flaemm -- Permit me,

Miss Flaemm, won't you have something

sweet -- a Louisiana flip.

(to barman)

A Louisiana flip.

FLAEMMCHEN:

(to barman)

No - absinthe.

KRINGELEIN:

(amazed)

Yes -- that --

Kringelein is beating time to the music -- a little carried

away.

Flaemmchen laughs.

FLAEMMCHEN:

You like music?

KRINGELEIN:

Yes -- it's stimulating -- a man

might --

FLAEMMCHEN:

(mischievously)

A man might what?

KRINGELEIN:

I don't know -- I'd like to do

anything --

FLAEMMCHEN:

(very quietly)

Oh -- you would!

The Baron enters quickly.

BARON:

(to Flaemmchen)

Hello -- sorry I'm late.

KRINGELEIN:

Oh -- here you are, Baron. A drink --

A Louisiana flip?

BARON:

Hello, Mr. Kringelein. How do you

feel now?

KRINGELEIN:

A little strange, Baron.

FLAEMMCHEN:

I'd given you up.

BARON:

(to Flaemmchen)

Sorry.

KRINGELEIN:

A drink, Baron -- A Louisiana flip?

BARON:

No thanks -- keeping my head clear.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Dance then?

(they exit)

KRINGELEIN:

(to Doctor)

She's beautiful -- isn't she?

DOCTOR:

(to Kringelein)

Oh -- there are plenty of women.

BARON AND FLAEMMCHEN DANCING

FLAEMMCHEN:

What have you been doing all day?

BARON:

Chasing around.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Chasing what?

BARON:

Money.

They dance a few steps, in silence.

FLAEMMCHEN:

You were very different yesterday.

BARON:

Yesterday -- yes -- that was

yesterday.

They dance into the crowd.

CUT BACK TO:

BAR:

DOCTOR:

Well, Mr. Kringelein, are you getting

what you're looking for?

KRINGELEIN:

What, Doctor?

DOCTOR:

A masculine paradise -- drink, the

ladies, dancing...

KRINGELEIN:

I had a very good opportunity, a

young lady asked me to dance -- I

ought to be able to dance, it seems

to be very important.

DOCTOR:

You must learn as quickly as your

time allows -- Believe me Mr.

Kringelein, a man who isn't with a

woman is a dead man.

KRINGELEIN:

Haven't you anyone -- Haven't you

anybody -- you -- I mean -- Are you

all alone in the world.

DOCTOR:

(quietly)

I'm always alone -- I have been

everything.

KRINGELEIN:

Everything?

DOCTOR:

I was sent as a military surgeon to

South Africa. Stinking climate. Taken

prisoner. Home on parole not to fight.

I was a surgeon in the Great War

till the end. Grenade in the face.

Carried diphtheria bacilli in the

wound until 1920. Isolated two years.

(pause)

I've been everything.

The music has stopped.

CUT TO:

BARON AND FLAEMMCHEN ON DANCE FLOOR

FLAEMMCHEN:

That was lovely.

BARON:

Will you do me a big favor?

FLAEMMCHEN:

I'll do anything for you.

BARON:

Would you like to make a man happy?

FLAEMMCHEN:

(quietly)

Yes -- I'd love to.

BARON:

Then dance the next number with

Kringelein.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Why?

BARON:

I feel sorry for him.

FLAEMMCHEN:

You're not a bit like you were

yesterday.

BARON:

I fell in love last night -- the

real thing.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Oh -- there's no real thing -- it

doesn't exist.

BARON:

I thought that, too -- but I found

that it does. Come along, dance with

Kringelein.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Anything for you.

They move off. As they approach the bar, happily Preysing

pushes into scene, touches Flaemmchen's arm.

PREYSING:

Miss Flaemm.

FLAEMMCHEN:

Hello!

PREYSING:

I must speak with you, Miss Flaemm.

FLAEMMCHEN:

(with the Baron)

Presently, Mr. Preysing.

PREYSING:

It's urgent.

BARON:

Pardon me, the lady has urgent

business here with me.

PREYSING:

(to himself)

Insolent -- Berlin manners.

At that moment Kringelein has descended from the stool and

crosses to Preysing.

KRINGELEIN:

I wish you a very good evening, Mr.

Preysing. You are staying here, too,

Mr. Preysing?

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