The Battle of Algiers Page #10

The boy moves on a few yards past the automobile until he reaches a

metallic wastebasket which is fastened to the pole of a street lamp. He

stops there, then glances around.

The officer is not far behind him; he has taken his car keys from his

pocket, and is about to open the car door. The boy plunges his hand

into the basket, rummages among the torn papers, then suddenly turns,

points a revolver at the officer's back, and shoots.

The man tries to clutch something, but slips and falls down. The boy

shoots again at the man on the ground, then plunges his hand again into

the wastebasket, drops the revolver, and glances around him. He breaks

into a run.

The policemen come out of the police station hurriedly.

WHISTLES, ORDERS, EXCITED CRIES.

They turn the corner. Some rush to the man lying on the ground. Others

jump into a jeep. Four of them jump on motorcycles that are lined up in

the rack. They move off in two directions.

At the same time, wails of police sirens moving nearer are heard in the

distance. The street is deserted. There is no trace of the boy.

People are seen at their windows. The officer is lifted by his arms.

An ambulance arrives and stops, its siren at full blast, its doors wide

open. The officer is placed inside.

The motorcycles are racing through the sidestreets. The jeep converges

on them, then reverses its direction, moving while balanced on two

wheels.

Passersby stop to watch, all of them Europeans. The siren's wail is at

a high pitch.

43ADJACENT STREETS. OUTSIDE. DAY.

A deserted street, recently covered with wet asphalt.

A Moslem road worker is sitting on the ground next to a steamroller.

He is eating his lunch. The combined sounds of the siren's wail and the

rumbling of the motorcycles are heard approaching.

Two motorcyclists appear in the street, passing by the road worker.

One of them stops and turns around.

The road worker moves backward to the street corner. He breaks into a

run. His eyes are burning with fear, his face is anxious, undecided.

From the windows, the people point to him, and shout after him.

A jeep appears in the street in front of him.

The motorcyclist approaches from the opposite direction.

The Algerian stops running; he doesn't know what to do.

From the windows, continuous SHOUTING.

The Algerian leans against the wall, watches the scene, and begins to

cry. The policemen jump down from the jeep and leap at him. The

Algerian isn't able to speak, but only shakes his head.

44POLICE STATION. INSIDE. DAY.

A room inside the police station. The Algerian's face is beaten from

right and left by a series of slaps.

The room is filled with policemen. All of them are practically on top

of the Algerian; all of them are shouting. In the confusion can be

heard SHOUTS.

VARIED VOICES:

Do you know he's dead, you bastard? Do you

know you killed him?

They try to reach him, pushing against one another in order to get

closer and hit him. The Algerian is crying and speaks in broken-off

phrases, half Arabic and half French. His continual efforts to repeat

certain words are heard:

ALGERIAN:

No, no, no, no, ... me no ... Viva

France ...

An officer arrives making his way.

OFFICER:

Get out, go on, outside ... Get out of

the way! Go away ...

They make way for him; he reaches the Algerian who tries to smile at

him, continually shaking his head:

ALGERIAN:

Sir ... sir ... sir ...

OFFICER:

What's your name?

The Algerian's mouth is dry; he tries to swallow.

ALGERIAN:

Sir ... sir ... sir ...

OFFICER:

What's your name?

ALGERIAN:

(straining, still

trying to swallow)

Lardjane Boualem, sir ...

45COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. INSIDE. NIGHT.

In the Commissioner's office, the Assistant Commissioner dictates:

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

Guilty:
Lardjane Boualem, manual worker,

married with three children. Resident in

rue de Thèbes, number eight ... So? How

many today?

The employee removes the copies from the typewriter and begins to put

them in order.

EMPLOYEE:

Seven assaults, three dead.

Then he moves to the desk, and hands over the various copies for

signature.

EMPLOYEE:

Here, one for the Commissioner ... the

press offices ... the archives ... and

one for you, sir.

The Assistant Commissioner signs.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

Good, thank you, Corbiere... . See you

tomorrow.

EMPLOYEE:

Good evening, sir.

The employee salutes, then moves toward the door. He is about to go out

when the Assistant Commissioner stops him.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

Tell me ... Where is this rue de Thèbes?

EMPLOYEE:

Rue de Thèbes? In the Upper Casbah, I

think ...

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

All right. See you tomorrow, Corbiere.

EMPLOYEE:

Good evening, sir.

The employee leaves and closes the door. The Assistant Commissioner

crosses the room to the large map of Algiers which covers the entire

wall. He moves his finger along the Casbah zone; as he moves it, he

follows it with his glance in that tangle of streets.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

(to himself)

Rue de Thèbes ... de Thèbes ...

He has found it. He observes it for a minute, then moves his finger

along the road leading to the European quarters. He finds the right

route, then concentrates in order to memorize it.

He returns to the desk, lifts the receiver, and dials a number.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

(on the phone)

Hello, Engineer Henry Amaud, please ...

He's already left? Alright, yes, yes,

alright ... I have the number.

He clicks the receiver, then dials another number. At the other end of

the line, a feminine voice is heard. The Assistant Commissioner

abandons his usual peremptory tone.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

Hello, Bernadette...Yes, right away. I'm

going to change my clothes first, and I'll

be right there. My wife is already there,

right? No, it's not important. But call

Henry for me. Just for a minute ...

Alright ... thanks ...

He places the receiver on the desk, then puts on his jacket which is on

the back of his chair. He straightens his tie. Now from the receiver a

muffled voice is heard; the Assistant Commissioner picks up the

receiver.

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER

Hello, Henry? ... Everything's okay.

Good. What are we going to tell our

wives? The club? Good idea, yes. I'll be

there right away. Just give me time to

change my clothes ... Ah, I've found the

address. No, it's better to talk in

person. Yes, it's the right place ...

Okay. Bye.

He puts down the receiver, then goes to the coat-hanger and takes his

beret. He goes out after glancing again at the photos of the day's

assaults.

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