Pawn Sacrifice Page #18

---

100.

After a moment, a KNOCK at the door. Boris half smiles to

himself. It is Geller, also in pajamas.

GELLER:

Is everything okay?

BORIS:

What makes you think it isn't?

GELLER (DEFENSIVE)

I heard you through the wall.

BORIS:

I have made a decision... If I don't

beat him, he will escape from this

island in one piece.

Geller picks up the overturned table.

GELLER:

It's not your fault the American is

insane...

BORIS:

He is NOT insane!

(shakes his head)

If you think that, he has fooled you

the way he has fooled everyone else.

Boris begins to pace. His manic energy resembles Bobby's.

BORIS (CONT'D)

He knows if we play I will destroy

him. Crush him. So he uses madness

as an excuse to avoid the inevitable.

I will not let him slip from my grasp.

I have him pinned. I am two games

ahead.

(yells)

I HAVE HIM!

Boris starts to unbutton his pajama top.

BORIS (CONT'D)

Get a message to Fischer. Now. This

minute.

He tears his shirt off and throws it onto the bed.

BORIS (CONT'D)

I will play him in the ping pong

room. I will play him in the toilet

if he likes. He will not escape!

Boris stares at Geller with steely resolve.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 101.

BORIS (CONT'D)

Tell him.

179 EXT. ICELANDIC LANDSCAPE 179

An old bicycle on the ground. An Icelandic police car

approaches at speed. Marshall climbs out, cups his hands.

MARSHALL:

Bobby!!!!

180 EXT. ICELANDIC MOORLAND 180

Bobby is tossing pebbles into the water. He hears Marshall.

181 EXT. ICELANDIC MOORLAND 181

Marshall is still yelling as Bobby appears over the hill.

MARSHALL:

Bobby!! You won't believe it!

Spassky has agreed to play in the

ping pong room!

Bobby picks up the bicycle and Marshall fears the worst.

MARSHALL (CONT'D)

Where the hell are you going?

Bobby casually begins to cycle away down the empty road.

BOBBY:

To the ping pong room.

182 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, CORRIDOR 182

Lombardy, Marshall, and Bobby are walking fast backstage.

MARSHALL:

We've got two minutes.

183 OMIT 183

184 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, PING PONG ROOM 184

The ping pong table and drinks machine have been removed.

In the center is a simple table.

Geller, Nei, and Boris enter. Schmid checks his watch.

SCHMID:

If he is even one minute late, I

will fine him.

Green Revision 10-14-13 102.

Then Bobby enters -- wearing a sharp suit. He immediately *

goes and sits down in his seat at the table. *

Schmid gestures to Marshall, Lombardy, Geller and Nei.

SCHMID (CONT'D)

Gentlemen...

He is asking them to leave. They do.

SCHMID (CONT'D)

(to Bobby)

Perhaps you would be gracious enough

to thank Mr Spassky for acquiescing

to your demands.

BOBBY:

I'm so grateful I'm going to let him

watch me play.

Spassky understands enough English to understand.

Schmid points to a small camera in the corner.

SCHMID:

Only one camera. It does not move.

It makes no sound. It will relay

pictures to TV sets in every corner

of the earth.

(a frozen smile)

So please, gentlemen, if can we

remember...the world is watching.

*

He smiles.

As Bobby looks around, a slow, satisfied SMILE begins to

soften his face as he revels in the stillness. It is quiet.

A185 INT. VIEWING GALLERY A185

Lombardy turns to Marshall.

LOMBARDY:

...Did Nixon really call you?

MARSHALL:

(an inscrutable smile)

Game's starting...

B185 INT. PING PONG ROOM B185

Bobby reaches out to make his first move. D4.

Caption:
Game Three

Boris reacts to the move, looks up at Bobby, unsettled. *

Green Revision 10-14-13 102A.

185 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, VIEWING GALLERY 185

Nei and Geller are stupefied.

NEI:

What is he doing? He's never played

this opening before.

Marshall sees their reaction. *

MARSHALL:

What's happening?

*

*

LOMBARDY:

He's playing the Benoni. Black.

Two games behind. It's suicide.

*

*

*

*

Green Revision 10-14-13 103.

186 IN THE PING PONG ROOM 186*

Spassky moves:
Pawn to Q5. Bobby captures: Pawn takes Pawn.

Spassky counters. Pawn takes Pawn.

187 IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 187

Bobby plays Pawn to Q3. Spassky responds Knight to B3.

MARSHALL:

He's giving him the center of the

board...

LOMBARDY:

(to himself)

Oh, Bobby...

188

INT. BROOKLYN DINER 188

A hand-written sign reads...'Bobby Fischer sat here, 1961'.

The crowd watches a grainy image of Bobby and Boris on TV.

Bobby makes a move. The crowd cheers. A voice from the back.

CUSTOMER:

What the hell are we cheering? We

don't know if it's good or bad.

The crowd all turn and hush him.

189

TIME CUT -- THE PING PONG ROOM 189

Bobby and Boris exchange pieces -- a Rook for a Bishop.

Then Bobby does the unthinkable --he exposes his Queen.

190 IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 190

Marshall is speechless. Lombardy is incredulous and bemused.

MARSHALL:

What the hell--?

Geller and Nei look on, hungrily.

GELLER:

Take it, Boris. Take it.

191 IN THE PING PONG ROOM 191

Spassky is clearly unnerved. He senses a trap but cannot

see it. Bobby's queen sits exposed -- his for the taking.

104.

He looks up at Bobby, who smiles inscrutably.

Finally, Boris cannot resist. He takes the queen.

192 IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 192

NEI:

YES!

193 IN THE PING PONG ROOM 193

Bobby immediately counters -- taking Spassky's Bishop. This

precipitates A BLOODBATH: piece after piece is taken in a

vicious chess version of a knife fight.

Finally, the smoke clears and both men study the carnage.

194 INT. 'FOUR CONTINENTS' RUSSIAN BOOK STORE -- BROOKLYN 194

The clerk and her husband are glued to the TV.

BOOKSTORE CLERK:

A draw.

195 IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 195

GELLER:

A draw is good. We are ahead.

196 IN THE PING PONG ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 196

Spassky studies the board. Looks up at Bobby.

BORIS:

(in English)

You accept a draw?

Bobby slowly shakes his head. No draw.

Slowly, almost sadistically, he reaches out and makes a move.

Spassky goes white.

197

IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 197

They watch as Spassky makes a move -- which Bobby immediately

counters. Another move. Another counter. Bobby is now

bullying Spassky across the board.

Geller and Nei are becoming increasingly upset.

198

IN THE PING PONG ROOM 198

Spassky studies the looming endgame, his face withering.

Green Revision 10-14-13 105.

199 INT. 'FOUR CONTINENTS' RUSSIAN BOOKSTORE - BROOKLYN 199

BOOKSTORE OWNER:

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes