Pawn Sacrifice Page #19

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It seems the strange little boy has

done it.

200 IN THE VIEWING GALLERY 200

Lombardy looks over at Geller and Nei, smiles sweetly.

LOMBARDY:

He hates draws.

201

IN THE PING PONG ROOM 201

After an agonizing moment, Spassky knocks over his King.

The SCOREBOARD changes to: Spassky 2 Fischer 1.

202 EXT. TIMES SQUARE (ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE W/VFX) 202

The electronic newsboard announces "BOBBY FISCHER WINS GAME

THREE." Taxis HONK. *

RADIO COMMENTATOR (O.S.)

-- the first time Fischer has ever

won a game from Spassky.

203 INT. COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT 203

Lombardy is asleep when he HEARS a strange SOUND and sits up

in bed. He checks his watch. It's 3:30 am.

He walks down the hall. A light SPILLS from under Bobby's

door. From inside, the SOUND is much clearer now:

SLAP. SLAP. SLAP.

Bobby has been up all night playing chess alone.

204

INT. SANTA MONICA MOTEL, OFFICE 204

The Motel clerk and Donna stare at his TV screen.

Caption:
Game Four

A businessman enters. The Motel clerk is totally engrossed.

BUSINESSMAN:

Excuse me.

MOTEL CLERK:

(to Donna)

Spassky took Bobby's Bishop.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 105A.

DONNA:

So what? I took his virginity.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 106.

CLERK:

Wait, wait... Bobby's making a move.

CUSTOMER:

Excuse me...They drew game four last

night.

CLERK:

We know, a**hole. We're watching the

re-run.

The SCOREBOARD now reads: Spassky 2 1/2 Fischer 1 1/2

205 EXT. COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT 205

The middle of the night again. A SINGLE LIGHT burns in the

upper window we know to be Bobby's.

And we HEAR a faint but now familiar sound...

SLAP. SLAP. SLAP.

206

INT. NATIONAL THEATER, PING PONG ROOM - NEXT DAY 206

Bobby and Boris take their seats.

Caption:
Game Five

207 INT. MOSCOW APARTMENT - DAY 207

Cigarette smoke swirls. We reveal Regina watching, smoking.

On her black-and-white TV, Boris stands and begin to pace.

208 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, PING PONG ROOM - SAME 208

Boris wanders the tiny room, unnerved. He meets Bobby's

stare -- as if the two are alone in a prison cell.

Boris sits down without taking his eyes from Bobby. Bobby is

implacable now, totally focused.

Boris turns to Schmid, who is dozing in his chair.

BORIS:

Excuse me.

(Schmid stirs)

There is something coming from my

chair.

SCHMID:

Your chair?

BORIS:

It is a vibration.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 107.

A what?

SCHMID:

209 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, VIEWING GALLERY 209

Geller and Nei huddle in front of a black and white monitor.

On the screen, Boris is on his knees, examining his chair.

GELLER:

What the hell is he doing? Praying?

Nei glances over at Lombardy, who looks up with a smile as

if to say, 'Welcome to my life."

210 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, PING PONG ROOM 210

Boris is kneeling, examining the steel tube legs of his chair.

BORIS:

A sound of some kind -- maybe high

frequency, I don't know...it is

affecting my concentration...

Boris glances at Bobby, who is staring at him impassively.

Buzz, buzz.

BOBBY:

A211 INT. NATIONAL THEATER A211

SCHMID:

Game 5 goes to Mr. Bobby Fischer.

The SCOREBOARD changes to: Spassky 2 1/2 Fischer 2 1/2

Cheers now for Bobby.

211 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, BACK STAGE, CORRIDOR 211

Boris marches away in a fury, his entourage in pursuit.

BORIS:

...It is coming from the chair!

Geller and Nei don't know how to respond.

BORIS (CONT'D)

It was making a SOUND...!

Boris sees their skepticism.

BORIS (CONT'D)

Have you never heard of Watergate?

You know what the CIA is capable of?

(MORE)

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 107A.

BORIS (CONT'D)

(stomps off)

I want this chair X-rayed!

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 108.

212 INT. REYKJAVIK HOSPITAL, X-RAY ROOM, LIGHT BOX 212

Boris studies the x-rays while Livo Nei studies Boris.

BORIS:

Do not let them swap it. Do not let

this chair out of your sight.

Boris storms out. Geller whispers to Nei.

GELLER:

The American son of a b*tch has driven

us all crazy.

213 OMIT 213

214 EXT. GRANITE COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT 214

Not quite dawn. A single light burns in the upper bedroom

and we know it is Bobby, having been awake all night.

215 INT. GRANITE COUNTRY HOUSE, BOBBY'S BEDROOM 215

The clock reads 4:00am. Bobby sits in a chair, staring into

space. On the table before him is an unfinished chess game.

Lombardy knocks and enters.

LOMBARDY:

Bobby?

Bobby doesn't even hear him.

LOMBARDY (CONT'D)

(louder)

...BOBBY?

Bobby is in some half-awake fugue state. He looks up. For

a moment it's as if he doesn't recognize Lombardy.

LOMBARDY (CONT'D)

Can I get you anything?

A hint of recognition comes into Bobby's eyes.

BOBBY:

No. Thanks.

LOMBARDY:

It'll be light soon.

BOBBY:

It's never dark here.

Green Revision 10-14-13 109.

LOMBARDY:

...Do you want to talk about

tomorrow's game?

No answer. Bobby just stares out the window.

LOMBARDY (CONT'D)

Bobby, I just want to tell you...that

the chess you've been playing...is...

inspiring. My whole life, I--

Lombardy stops himself. Bobby isn't listening; he's far

away. When at last he speaks, his voice is lifeless, *

expressionless with exhaustion. *

BOBBY:

I used to wish I was born deaf...

Lombardy doesn't know what to say. Bobby's eyes are far

away. He has wanted and dreaded this moment his whole life.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

It's funny... at the beginning of a

game there are so many options...

and at the end....there's only one.

He is talking about more than chess.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

I want to go back to the main hall.

LOMBARDY:

You're kidding.

BOBBY:

But nobody in the first seven rows.

LOMBARDY:

Are you sure?

BOBBY:

It's okay. The noises have stopped.

Nothing gets through.

Lombardy doesn't know why but he is near tears. There's

something so forlorn about Bobby at this moment.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 109A.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

It's like there's no one there

anymore.

(a long moment)

Not even me.

He goes back to staring out the window. Lombardy stands

there, not knowing what to say or do.

Finally he walks over, takes a pen from inside his jacket

and puts it in Bobby's pocket, then backs out of the room.

216 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, MAIN STAGE 216

Applause as Bobby and Boris return to the main stage.

Green Revision 10-14-13 110.

Bobby sits, stares at the board. Continues to stare at it.

Slowly -- almost imperceptibly at first -- the room begins

to FADE around him -- just as in his childhood bedroom.

The walls, the camera, eventually even Spassky DISAPPEARS.

Until it is only Bobby and the chessboard -- which begins to

GLOW as the lines of infinite possibility present themselves.

Bobby makes his move and SLAPS his clock. Boris examines

Bobby's move with more than a little confusion. He looks up

and sees no expression on Bobby's face.

Bobby is in the zone. He has reached some kind of absence

in which there are only moves -- and Spassky knows it.

Caption:
Game Six.

Boris studies the board again, then quickly looks back up at

Bobby with disbelief, then back to the board.

217 INT. NATIONAL THEATER LOBBY 217

An ABC commentator is listening to the feed on his headset. *

ABC COMMENTATOR:

Don't use jargon... In plain English

just tell me what he's doing? The

people here say he's playing like a

wild man. Could you ask our chess

guy exactly what Fischer is doing?

*

The anchor reacts to a lost signal. He looks to his producer.

ABC COMMENTATOR (CONT'D)

Lost the feed.... I need someone to

tell me what the f*** is happening...

*

218 INT. NATIONAL THEATER, VIEWING GALLERY 218

Lombardy is watching as if in the midst of a religious

experience.

MARSHALL:

...What is he doing?

LOMBARDY:

There are no names for it. Yet.

The Soviets are equally speechless.

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