The Battle of Algiers Page #13

For an instant, Hassiba is dismayed; then, she glances down at her

clinging shirt and pants.

HASSIBA:

(innocently)

Where?

The boy is young, handsome, and cheeky.

SOLDIER:

Not here. There's too many people.

HASSIBA:

But you don't understand. I was saying

that there's nothing to search.

SOLDIER:

That's what you think!

Some Europeans laugh, the Algerians seem not to see or hear, but it is

evident that they are scornful.

SECOND SOLDIER:

Are you going for a swim, Miss ... all by

yourself?

HASSIBA:

No, with some friends.

At the same time, she passes the blockade.

SECOND SOLDIER:

Lucky them. Next Sunday I'm free .... Shall

we go together?

Hassiba shrugs her shoulders, smiles again, and moves away.

59BLOCKADE RUE DU DIVAN. OUTSIDE. DAY.

At the rue du Divan blockade, Zohra too is dressed like a European, and

seems to be calm.

There are not too many people. A soldier makes a sign for her to pass

in a hurried manner, and the girl passes.

60BLOCKADE RUE DE LA LYRE. OUTSIDE. DAY.

Djamila is tense, pale, her features are strained. Her eyes seem even

larger with make-up. Now, at the blockade at rue de la Lyre, the Casbah

exit is blocked. An Algerian has been discovered without documents. He

argues, shouts, and says that he wants to go back.

INCOHERENT VOICES.

The soldiers try to catch him, he struggles to get free.

Meanwhile the people push forward in protest. Two soldiers catch the

Algerian, and drag him bodily into the guard posts. The flow of people

continues.

Djamila steps forward, holding the cosmetic-case with both of her

hands. She doesn't know how to carry it, and from time to time she

changes her position. She realizes that she looks awkward.

It's now her turn. The soldiers' tone is arrogant. The previous scene

has made them nervous. An officer signals her to pass, then points to

the cosmetic-case.

OFFICER:

What's inside?

Instinctively, Djamila lifts the case and looks at it; she feels

herself failing, but makes an effort to answer.

DJAMILA:

Here?

OFFICER:

There ...

Djamila uses all her strength to smile and she succeeds. Her eyes light

up defiantly.

DJAMILA:

(provocatively)

Nothing.

The officer signals her to pass.

61FISH-MARKET. INSIDE. DAY. 6:15 P.M.

A large warehouse in the fish-market. There are enormous iceboxes with

cartons of frozen fish and tubs with running water and live fish. The

three girls are next to one another.

The three bags are on top of the counter, a few steps away. With them

is a thin Algerian about twenty-five years old. He has thick black

hair, straight and combed neatly. He is wearing glasses. With his rough

and nervous hands, he pulls out the towel and bathing suit from

Hassiba's bag, then delicately and carefully, a square wooden box. He

opens it, and turning to the girl, signals her to move away a bit. The

girl steps back. In the box, there is a huge iron tube, sealed at both

ends by two clock dials. Inside the tube, two batteries with wires are

attached to the dials. The youth glances at his wristwatch, then

adjusts the hands of the dials to six forty-five. He puts the bomb back

into the box, closes it, and places it in the bag. He replaces the

towel and bathing suit, then hands the bag to Hassiba. He is smiling

slightly.

Hassiba takes the bag and goes away.

The box fits perfectly into Djamila's cosmetic-case. The youth opens it

without removing it from the case, adjusts the two dials to six fifty,

puts everything back in its place, and hands the case to Djamila. He

smiles at her and she moves away. In the Air France bag, there are

newspapers and magazines on top, and the same box. The youth adjusts

the bomb to six fifty-five, arranges it again inside the bag, closes

the zipper, and hands the bag to Zohra. He smiles at her. His smile is

more genuine, less mechanical. There is less tension than before.

The youth smiles at the girl and says in Arabic:

ALGERIAN:

May Allah protect you.

Zohra thanks him in a whisper, bends her head, and moves away. The

youth takes a cigarette from his shirt pocket, places it between his

lips, and lights it. His hand is trembling a little.

62CAFETERIA RUE MICHELET. INSIDE. DAY. 6:30 P.M.

Cafeteria, rue Michelet 1. The club is very crowded. There are two

rooms; one at the entrance with an American-style bar, and one at the

back with tables. It is Saturday, and at this hour many European

families go out to have an ice cream. There is not too much confusion

or uproar. The people are calm, they take their places at the bar and

small tables, and eat their ice cream while chatting quietly.

Hassiba enters, glances at the large clock above the cash register. It

is half past six. She goes to the register and waits her turn. The

different orders mingle; she orders a Coca-Cola. They give her the

check. She pays.

She goes to the bar; all the seats are taken. She gives her order and

the ticket to the waiter.

A man moves aside, looks at her, then steps down from his stool and

offers it to her.

Hassiba tells him that it doesn't matter, but the man insists. Hassiba

thanks him and sits down. The man is about fifty, well groomed. He

smiles again, and turns to chat with some friends.

Hassiba settles herself more comfortably on the seat, then removes the

bag from her shoulder. Holding it by the strap, she places it on the

floor below the counter behind the brass railing used to lean one's

feet.

The waiter has brought her the drink. Hassiba drinks slowly, from time

to time glancing at the clock. She finishes drinking. The bag is in a

vertical position.

Moving her feet slowly and carefully, Hassiba lets the bag slip on its

side.

She gets down from the seat, and points it out to the man who is

standing next to her.

HASSIBA:

I'm giving your seat back.

MAN:

Are you already leaving, Miss?

Hassiba smiles, nods yes.

HASSIBA:

Good evening ...

The man sits down.

MAN:

Good evening ...

63MILK BAR. RUE D'ISLY. OUTSIDE/INSIDE. DAY.

Milk Bar, rue d'Isly, at the corner of Place Bugeand. The jukebox is

playing full blast. It is a bar for young people. There is much bustle

and confusion, much laughter. The girls are making plans for Sunday.

Djamila enters and moves to the jukebox which is in the corner near the

door. There are playbills for various theater performances hanging on

the wall. Djamila stops to look at them and reads the bottom lines. She

places the cosmetic-case on the floor. Rising again she looks around

her, and pushes the case behind the jukebox with her foot ...

64 AIR FRANCE. IMMEUBLE MAURETANIA. INSIDE. DAY.

Maison Blanche, Immeuble Mauretania. The entire ground floor is filled

with ticket counters and a waiting room for the airlines. There are

some employees, stewardesses and some travelers.

Zohra passes through the large glass door at the entrance, goes to the

Air France counter, takes a time schedule, then goes to sit down on a

sofa which runs along the opposite wall. She sits down and places the

airline bag on the ground in front of her, and begins to leaf through

the timetable, from time to time glancing around. Using her heels, she

pushes the bag under the sofa.

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