Taking Sides Page #11

FURTWÄNGLER

They were Jews, they had to leave.

They were right to leave.

(He breathes deeply,

summons strength.)

I could not leave my country in

her deepest misery. After all, I

am a German. I... I stayed in my

homeland. Is that my sin in your

eyes?

STEVE:

See, David? He can't answer the

question. I'll ask it again,

Wilhelm, and don't give me any

more airy-fairy, intellectual

bullshit!

The telephone rings. No one moves. Then Emmi picks up the

telephone.

EMMI:

Major Arnold's office. Yes, he is.

Offers the phone to David.

EMMI:

It's Major Richards for Lieutenant

Wills.

David takes the telephone.

DAVID:

David Wills. Yes, sir.

(listens.)

Well, you want me to tell him?

Okay,

(to Steve)

Major Richards wants a word with

you, sir.

Steve indicates he'll take the call on the extension.

Furtwängler stands. As Steve crosses to the extension:

STEVE:

(muttering)

Why can't he just ask for me? Why

does he have to ask for you first?

Goddamn British, so correct!

He picks up the extension. Emmi puts down her receiver.

STEVE:

Steve Arnold...

FURTWÄNGLER

I've had enough of this, I'm

leaving.

He goes quickly. David dashes after him.

INT. WAITING ROOM - DAY Furtwängler is at the door when

David reaches him.

DAVID:

Dr. Furtwängler! Dr. Furtwängler!

Please, please...

(a warning)

Don't. It's not advisable.

The sound of Steve laughing with delight. Furtwängler

hesitates.

Emmi comes to the waiting-room door, watches, as if on

guard.

David comes round to face Furtwängler.

DAVID:

(he gathers courage)

When I was a child, my father, he

took me to... he took me to one of

your concerts. I remember you

conducted Beethoven's Fifth

Symphony. I was deeply moved. And

I've loved music ever since. I was

grateful to you. And I've admired

you. How could you... how could

you serve those criminals?

He falls silent.

INT. STEVE'S OFFICE - DAY

Emmi, at the open door, has been listening. She's shocked,

turns away to see Steve, on the extension, chuckling,

grinning from ear to ear.

STEVE:

How many? Jesus, that's dynamite!

Okay.

INT. WAITING ROOM - DAY

David and Furtwängler haven't moved. Both are looking

towards Steve's office and Emmi in the doorway.

Again the sound of Steve's laugh. Then Emmi steps into the

room, approaches Furtwängler.

EMMI:

Dr. Furtwängler.

He gives her a wonderful smile. And, suddenly, Steve stands

in the doorway, smiling.

STEVE:

Well now. Aren't we all sociable?

The others are made awkward.

STEVE:

I've got to hand it to the British,

David. You know what those guys

are? Decent.

(He sits, crosses

his legs.)

Tell me, Herr Dr. Furtwängler, do

you know Hans Hinkel?

FURTWÄNGLER

Yes, a despicable human being. He

was in the Ministry of Culture.

His job was to get rid of Jews in

the arts.

STEVE:

Yup, that's him, that's the guy.

You know what else the little creep

did? He kept files, close on 250,000

files. And you know what's in those

files?

FURTWÄNGLER

Certainly not, but I knew he had

informers everywhere. Even in my

orchestra there was someone

STEVE:

Who?

FURTWÄNGLER

I wasn't told. I just knew it.

STEVE:

How?

FURTWÄNGLER

(uneasy)

I was warned.

STEVE:

Who warned you?

FURTWÄNGLER

(lowering his head)

Goering. Because Hinkel was working

for Goebbels.

STEVE:

What did Goering say?

FURTWÄNGLER

He told me to be careful as one of

Goebbels' men was watching me. He

read a report on me - everything I

said was quoted word by word.

STEVE:

Oh boy, you're gonna love this.

Take your time with this now. Those

files contain the details of every

working artist in this country.

Those files are gonna tell us who

joined the Party, who informed and

who was helpful.

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