The Danish Girl Page #14

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LILI:

I can feel I’m getting better when I listen

to your pencil.

She opens her eyes.

LILI (cont’d)

You’ve always sketched me better than I

was.

GERDA:

Have I...?

LILI:

What you draw, I become. You made me more

beautiful, now you’re making me strong.

Such power in you.

Gerda smiles. Lili reaches out and touches her hands.

Lili’s eyes shine, full of anticipation.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

75.

CONTINUED:

LILI (cont’d)

Shall we go back to Denmark then, Gerda?

Shall we go home?

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, COPENHAGEN. STUDIO, 1 MONTH LATER, DAY

Gerda CRACKS the lock on the shutters, pushes them open,

flooding the long-dark room with light. Outside, the bustling

harbour

GERDA:

166 Lili! Lili, you’re late... 166

Lili appears. She’s excited - dressed, made up... Gerda

holds out a little pill-box.

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

So, these...

LILI:

Every two hours. And I have to eat

something first. I have a few

macaroons in my bag all ready.

GERDA:

And these, only if you need them.

Lili salutes like a girl guide. Gerda marvels at her... so

alive.

GERDA (cont’d)

Good luck.

Lili leaves. Gerda breathes again. A new beginning.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE THE WIDOW HOUSE, DAY

Lili makes her way down the street, her confidence slowly

building. A man lifts his hat as she passes and she looks

away, surprised and pleased.

INT. FONNESBECH’S DEPARTMENT STORE, DAY

Lili hangs on the glamourous Manageress’s instructions. Fits

perfectly with the other painted dolls behind the perfume

counter.

MANAGERESS:

And remember, making a purchase at

Fonnesbech’s is not merely

shopping. It’s an experience! You

lived in Paris, yes?

LILI:

Oh yes...

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

76.

CONTINUED:

MANAGERESS:

Let everyone know! The store is a

stage - we are here to perform.

Lili looks out over the cut-glass bottles and endlessly

reflecting surfaces, thrilled ...

INT. FONNESBECH’S DEPARTMENT STORE, DAY

Lili at work. She explains to an older female customer:

LILI:

And in Paris, a lady would never

dream of spraying the scent

directly onto herself.

The woman listens, entranced by Lili’s animated lecture.

LILI (CONT’D) (cont’d)

No, you spray the air, see, and

walk into it...

Lili skips into the mist of scent.

LILI (CONT’D) (cont’d)

Voila..!

Lili skips into the mist of scent.

LILI (cont’d)

You try...

The woman is shy, but Lili’s enthusiasm is so infectious...

Later:
Lili rearranges the perfume bottles on the counter

until they are perfectly aligned... a real satisfaction in

the aesthetic endeavour.

INT. FONNSBECH’S DEPARTMENT STORE

Lili and her colleagues pour out of the store, demob-happy.

Lili offers them sweets from her handbag.

GIRL:

It’s so unfair - you’ve got the

sweetest tooth and the narrowest

hips in the whole store...

GIRL 2

How do you manage it, eating so

much sugar?

LILI:

Oh, the trick is to eat nothing

else...

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

77.

CONTINUED:

They all LAUGH. Lili moves to go...

GIRL:

See you tomorrow!

The Girl hurries into the arms of her waiting boyfriend.

Lili watches, intrigued. Until

GIRL 2

Lili - are you coming...

And Lili rejoins the throng.

EXT. STREET RUNNING PAST CANAL, DAY

Lili walks along the canals, savouring the journey. The sun

sparkles on the water, and all around people are meeting and

talking, a world of life that she finally feels part of...

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, GERDA’S SIDE OF THE ROOM, NIGHT

A quiet, dreamy atmosphere. Gerda lies awake, watches Lili’s

lamplit silhouette on the other side of the dividing sheet.

Lili writes in her notebook. After a while:

GERDA:

You know one night last week, I had

the strangest dream.

LILI:

What...?

GERDA:

I dreamed you were getting married.

Lili’s silhouette sits up...

LILI:

Do you think I ever will...?

GERDA:

Who knows? So many strange things

have happened. *

GERDA (cont’d)

It’s not so long ago we were

married... you and me.

Gerda waits in the silence for some response.

LILI:

You and Einar.

GERDA:

I know it was Einar. But really it

was you and me.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

78.

CONTINUED:

They both absorb this idea...

Lili’s silhouette waits a moment, then lies back down. Gerda

curls into herself.

EXT. CAFE ON HARBOUR, DAY

Lili passes the cafe on the Harbour as usual, glances over...

Her footsteps slow... Sitting alone at a table is a familiar

face:
Henrik looks up from his newspaper: Lili. He looks

shocked... then delighted...

HENRIK *

Is it really you...? *

Lili smiles... *

LILI *

I believe so. *

They begin to laugh, lit up with euphoria. Henrik hurries to *

pull out a chair for Lili to sit down... *

LATER:
*

Lili and Henrik at a table together. Henrik is stunned. *

HENRIK *

So what you’re suggesting is.. *

Lili tilts her head, waiting, pleased with herself... *

HENRIK (cont’d) *

That a doctor... *

Henrik glances around, lowers his voice... *

HENRIK (cont’d) *

...intervened... *

LILI *

To correct a mistake in nature. I *

have a passport to prove it. *

HENRIK *

He made you a woman...? *

Lili bridles slightly, corrects him kindly -*

LILI *

God made me a woman. The doctor *

cured the sickness that was my *

disguise. *

Henrik pushes, still struggling. Lili’s confidence ebbs... *

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

79.

CONTINUED:

HENRIK *

A real woman? *

The question hangs between them.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, STUDIO, NIGHT *

Lili sits writing in her notebook, all seriousness. Gerda

looks up from reading. Lili takes a pill, resumes writing.

GERDA:

You’re going to need a new notebook

if you carry on like this.

LILI:

When Professor Warnekros suggested *

I keep a diary... well, I thought

I’d never have anything to write.

But it helps, to make sense of

things.

GERDA:

Perhaps I should try it.

Lili almost smiles. *

GERDA (cont’d)

Do you never think of painting?

Lili’s surprised.

GERDA (cont’d)

You might be good at it.

LILI:

I want to be a woman, not a

painter.

GERDA:

Well, people have been known to do

both. I’d be curious to see what

you painted, that’s all. Sometimes

it’s hard to know what’s in your...

Lili takes a pill, testy. Gerda’s can’t help herself:

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

Didn’t you just take one of those a

minute ago?

LILI:

Gerda, I know what I’m doing.

Gerda backs off.

LILI (CONT’D) (cont’d)

I’m going to get some fresh air.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

80.

CONTINUED:

Lili gets her coat and Gerda’s wool wrap. But as Lili heads

for the door

LILI (cont’d)

You know sometimes I wonder why you

let me go through all this if you

thought everything would be the

same afterwards.

Gerda’s wrongfooted...

GERDA:

I didn’t. But I promised Einar I’d

take care of you.

LILI:

For goodness’ sake, Gerda - Einar

is dead. We both have to accept

that. You took care of me, now I

have to take care of myself. I

have to have a life of my own. And

you need to do the same.

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