Schindler's List Page #18

Everybody laughs.

GOETH:

It's true. Never happen in Cracow,

though, we all love you too much.

SCHINDLER:

I pay you too much.

Another round of laughs, only this time it's forced.

Everybody knows it's true, but you don't say it out loud,

and Schindler knows better. Goeth gives him a look; they'll

talk later.

EXT. GOETH'S VILLA - LATER - NIGHT

Goeth finds Schindler alone outside smoking a cigarette.

Schindler acknowledges him, but that's about it. Finally --

SCHINDLER:

You held back Stern. You held back

the one man most important to my

business.

GOETH:

He's important to my business.

SCHINDLER:

What do you want for him, I'll give

it to you.

GOETH:

I want him.

(turning back)

Come on, let's go inside, let's have

a good time.

Goeth heads back inside. Schindler stays outside, finishing

his cigarette.

EXT. PLASZOW - LATER - NIGHT

A folding table outside the prisoners' barracks. At it,

playing cards, two night sentries. A figure appears out of

the darkness. Schindler. He sets down on the table a fifth

of vodka.

EXT. BARRACKS - LATER - NIGHT

Stern, summoned from his barracks, watches as Schindler digs

through his coat pockets. Nearby, at the table, drinking

now, the sentries. From the hill, the villa, the Rosners'

music, faint, can be heard.

SCHINDLER:

Here.

He discreetly hands over to the accountant some cigars

scavenged from the party. From another pocket, he retrieves

and hands over some tins of food -- all valuable commodities.

From another pocket, perhaps not so valuable, but then who

knows, a gold lighter. Regarding this last item --

SCHINDLER:

This, I don't know, maybe you can

trade it for something.

STERN:

Thank you.

Schindler shrugs, It's the least I can do. The two stand

around a moment more before Schindler shrugs again, Sorry I

can't do more. He reaches out, pats Stern on the shoulder,

and, turning to leave.

SCHINDLER:

I got to go, I'll see you.

STERN:

Oskar --

Schindler comes back, but, out of embarrassment or -- maybe

he wants to get back to the party -- waits with some

impatience for Stern to tell whatever it is he wants to tell

him.

Lowering his voice --

STERN:

There's a guy. This thing happened.

Goeth came into the metalworks --

CUT TO:

INT. METALWORKS - PLASZOW - DAY

Goeth moves through the crowded metalworks like a goodnatured

foreman, nodding to this worker, wishing that one a good

morning. He seems satisfied, even pleased, with the level of

production. Goldberg is with him. They reach a particular

bench, a particular worker, and Goeth smiles pleasantly.

GOETH:

What are you making?

Not daring to look up, all the worker sees of Goeth is the

starched cuff of his shirt.

LEVARTOV:

Hinges, sir.

The rabbi-turned-metalworker gestures with his head to a

pile of hinges on the floor. Goeth nods. And in a tone more

like a friend than anything else --

GOETH:

I got some workers coming in

tomorrow... Where the hell they from

again?

GOLDBERG:

Yugoslavia.

GOETH:

Yugoslavia. I got to make room.

He shrugs apologetically and pulls out a pocket watch.

GOETH:

Make me a hinge.

As Goeth times him, Rabbi Levartov works at making a hinge

as though his life depended on it -- which it does -- cutting

the pieces, wrenching them together, smoothing the edges,

all the while keeping count on his head of the seconds ticking

away.

He finishes and lets it fall onto the others on the floor.

Forty seconds.

GOETH:

Another.

Again the rabbi works feverishly -- cutting, crimping,

sanding, hearing the seconds ticking in his head -- and

finishing in thirty-five. Goeth nods, impressed.

GOETH:

That's very good. What I don't

understand, though, is -- you've

been working since what, about six

this morning? Yet such a small pile

of hinges?

He understands perfectly. So does Levartov; he has just

crafted his own death in exactly 75 seconds. Goeth stands

him against the workshop wall and adjusts his shoulders. He

pulls out his pistol, puts it to the rabbi's head and pulls

the trigger... click.

GOETH:

(mumble)

Christ --

Annoyed, Goeth extracts the bullet-magazine, slaps it back

in and puts the barrel back to the man's head. He pulls the

trigger again... and again there's a click.

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