Pawn Sacrifice Page #5

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Silence. Then Bobby grabs a chair, stands on it.

BOBBY:

Okay, I want to make a statement...

First I'd like to apologize for

pushing that guy. ...You're okay?

OFFICIAL:

Something to tell my grandchildren.

As Bobby continues we hear WHISPERED TRANSLATIONS.

BOBBY:

I came here to take part in this

tournament, which is my right as

American champion. But it is obvious

this whole thing has been fixed by

the Russkies.

Carmine rolls his eyes. Murmurs around the audience.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

They arrange draws so they can save

their strength for the late rounds.

But the corrupt Federation does

nothing to stop it. I've been waiting

ten years to get a shot at the

championship...and I'm sick of it.

(working himself up)

As a result, I am -- as of right now -now-

this-second, quitting.

CARMINE:

Oh, man...

BOBBY:

I won't play against f***in' Commie

cheaters who hate me and hate America.

Bobby sees a radio microphone poking out from the crowd.

Yellow Revision 10-11-13 23.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Sorry about 'fucks' in there... but

anyway....screw you all. In fact

I'm retiring from chess forever.

Bobby kicks over the chair as he gets down and walks away.

34 EXT. PEOPLE'S HALL - CONTINUOUS 34

Carmine tries to keep up with Bobby as he marches away.

BOBBY:

I'm the best in the world and they

know it and they stole it from me!

The whole system is rigged...

CARMINE:

Bobby... Bobby, wait-(

catches up to him)

...It's okay to be nervous about

playing him.

BOBBY:

What are you talking about?

Spassky.

you quit.

CARMINE:

You saw he was next and

Spassky is exiting with his handlers, looking cool, confident.

BOBBY:

You're fulla sh*t. It has nothing to

do with Spassky! It's statistically

impossible for me to win now.

CARMINE:

First rule of chess.

better than you.

Always someone

BOBBY:

Better than you, maybe.

He strides away, leaving Carmine behind.

35 INT. THE FISCHER APARTMENT - WEEKS LATER 35

The kitchen is a disaster. Old take-out containers and dirty

coffee cups. Chess boards, each with a game-in-progress.

Green Revision 10-14-13 24.* *

Bobby is asleep, his head on a chessboard. It looks like he

lives in his bathrobe. A key in the doorway. Joan enters;

with her is her seven-year-old GIRL. Bobby wakes up.

JOAN:

Hey, Baby boy... *

BOBBY:

Didn't know you had a key.

JOAN:

(to her daughter) *

Say hello to your Uncle.

The girl shyly mumbles a hello. *

BOBBY:

You like chess, Lizzie? This is the *

rook. See the castle on top, like *

in a fairy story, right? It moves

like this. And this is the knight, *

you like horses...?

Meanwhile Joan is subtly cleaning up. *

JOAN *

So...what've you been up to? *

BOBBY *

The usual. *

JOAN *

Getting out much? *

BOBBY:

Too busy. *

(to Elizabeth) *

--Here, you try it. *

JOAN *

...Doing what? *

BOBBY:

Working on my game! I've developed *

files this thick on Tal, on

Petrossian, on Fila... I'm working *

fourteen hours a day. *

JOAN *

So you didn't quit. *

BOBBY *

(a bit overheated) *

I'll play when the Russians stop *

fixing the Candidates tournament! *

Green Revision 10-14-13 24A.

JOAN:

I know, baby. I know...

*

*

She produces a comb and begins to comb his hair.

his eyes to a tenderness he rarely gives in to.

He closes *

JOAN (CONT'D)

So I bumped into an old friend from

school... She saw your picture in

the New York Times magazine.

*

*

BOBBY:

I was in the New York Times?

*

*

JOAN:

The piece about you punching a guy.

From the picture, she thinks you're

a looker.

(smooths Bobby's hair)

I don't see it, you know? But the

point is...you have a date.

*

25.

Bobby opens his eyes. Joan smiles.

36 INT. BROOKLYN DINER - NIGHT 36

Sixties rock-and-roll on the juke box. A sweet-faced young

girl, MARIA, is waiting. She looks nervous as Bobby enters.

BOBBY:

Maria?

MARIA:

Bobby?

BOBBY:

My sister told me not to scare you.

He smiles. Sits.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Boo. Are you a virgin too?

Maria almost chokes on her coffee.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

I don't much care, you know? I don't

know why there's even a word for it.

There's no word for people who've

never flown in a plane or...

Maria looks a little thrown...

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Do you ever make up words for things

there's no word for?

MARIA:

I...no, I really don't.

BOBBY:

Am I scaring you by the way?

MARIA:

No... A little.

Maria is beginning to get up to speed with Bobby's craziness.

She's unnerved but drawn to his eyes.

MARIA (CONT'D)

I'm Italian.

Bobby doesn't respond.

MARIA (CONT'D)

Joan said you've been to Rome to

play chess.

26.

BOBBY:

(rapid fire)

It has two hundred and thirty five

statues of people who look like

they're still in bed.

MARIA:

(laughing)

Did you count them?

BOBBY:

Are you interested in politics?

MARIA:

I'm a Republican actually.

BOBBY:

Right there, that's why you're a

virgin. Republicans only have sex

to have babies. Democrats have sex

because they can't help themselves.

Maria laughs again. Bobby is puzzled by her laughter. He rearranges

the sugar cubes with his long fingers...

MARIA:

Are you going to eat something?

Bobby puts a sugar cube into his mouth. Peers at her.

BOBBY:

Do you play chess?

MARIA:

No.

BOBBY:

Good.

Maria takes a breath, decides to be bold.

MARIA:

Joan said you've quit traveling all

over to tournaments and maybe you'd

like to start doing regular things.

Maria thinks maybe she is one of the regular things he might

do. He smiles then peers at Maria's face. After a moment...

BOBBY:

Beautiful.

He stares at her face. Maria reacts...blushing a little.

Then...still staring at her face...he speaks fast and even...

Pink Revision 10-01-13 27.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Capablanca versus Emanuel Lasker,

Havana, 1921, endgame. The White

King was here...

Bobby touches the tip of Maria's nose...

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Black King here.

He touches her chin. As Bobby names different chess pieces

he gently touches her eyes, her cheeks, her ears, placing

each piece as if Maria's face were a chessboard...

BOBBY (CONT'D)

White Knight, black pawn, white rook,

black Bishop to your chin-

Maria has closed her eyes, his touch is gentle.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

--your ear to your nose and taking

out an eye for a cheek bone. Move

this here. This here...

A pause. Bobby stares at her face and looks troubled...

BOBBY (CONT'D)

Beautiful like a Picasso.

Maria opens her eyes -- overwhelmed by his gentle physicality.

BOBBY (CONT'D)

You believe in love.

MARIA:

Uh...

BOBBY:

That's what I thought.

(stands; sighs)

Sorry, Joan.

He grabs his coat and leaves. She sits there, forlorn.

MARIA:

It's Maria.

37 EXT. 'FOUR CONTINENTS' RUSSIAN BOOK STORE - LATER THAT NIGHT 37

A hunched Bobby walks fast along the busy Brooklyn sidewalk

and ducks into the store, like someone entering a Porn shop.

More SURVEILLANCE SHOTS of him from across the street.

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