The Danish Girl Page #15

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Lili calls the dog, heads for the door, and is gone. Gerda

is left alone to process this exchange...

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, NEXT DAY

In the studio, Gerda reorganises, determined - paints,

brushes, solvents everywhere. She has already taken down

most of the sketches from her studio wall. It is blank - a

clean sheet. She considers...

EXT. PHONE KIOSK ON HARBOUR, DAY

Gerda paces, exercised, all nervous indecision. Resolves to

enter the booth... We hear a PHONE RINGING.

INT. HANS AXGIL’S OFFICE, PARIS, RECEPTION, DAY

The Receptionist at her desk, on the phone:

RECEPTIONIST:

Yes, in London... Is it urgent?

Should I could ask him to..?

EXT. PHONE KIOSK ON HARBOUR, DAY

Gerda, on the phone, disappointed, wrong-footed.

GERDA:

Oh, no that’s fine. Just tell

him... just say...

(CONTINUED)

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81.

CONTINUED:

She struggles to compose a message.

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

It’s a beautiful day in Copenhagen.

She hangs up, discomposed. Feeling like a stupid teenager.

EXT. HARBOUR

Gerda passes the fish stall, greets the female fishmongers -

then sees Lili, up ahead, on Henrik’s arm. Henrik sees

Gerda... alerts Lili. Gerda nods politely and quickly heads

in the opposite direction.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, NIGHT

Food cooking on the stove. Gerda drinks a glass of wine,

thoughtful. Lili arrives home, on eggshells... *

LILI:

It’s not what you think. Henrik is *

homosexual. There’s nothing between

us. But I should have told you I’d *

seen him.

GERDA:

No you shouldn’t...

LILI:

He’s just a friend, Gerda.

to talk to.

GERDA:

(without rancour)

*

Someone

*

*

Because you can’t talk to me. *

Gerda pours wine for Lili. She accepts the glass. *

LILI:

About some things, no. *

Gerda lifts her glass, proposing a muted toast, but Lili has *

something more on her mind... *

LILI (cont’d)

I’ve made a decision. I’m going *

back to Dresden. For the second

operation.

Gerda’s blood runs cold.

GERDA:

It’s too soon.

(CONTINUED)

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82.

CONTINUED:

LILI:

No, it’s time. I need to finish

what I started.

GERDA:

You’re not strong enough...

LILI:

Professor Warnekros thinks I am... *

GERDA:

Warnekros...? He hasn’t seen you.

LILI:

I’ve made up my mind.

Gerda shakes her head, disbelief...

GERDA:

It could kill you.

LILI (CONT’D)

I’m going on Friday. Will you come

with me?

Gerda’s mind races to absorb the announcement...

GERDA:

I won’t help you to hurt yourself.

Lili bites down on it:

LILI:

Gerda, will you come...?

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, LILI’S ROOM, RAINY NIGHT *

Lili’s sitting up in bed, Gerda’s bright scarf around her *

shoulders. Warnekros holds Lili’s wrist, checks the pulse. *

WARNEKROS *

This will be harder than the last *

operation? You understand that. *

LILI *

Yes I do. *

A note of warning. *

WARNEKROS *

It’s complex surgery. *

LILI *

And I’ll sleep all the way through *

it! *

(CONTINUED)

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83.

CONTINUED:

WARNEKROS *

Yes you will, but... *

LILI *

You’ll be there when I wake up. *

Lili half-jokes:
*

LILI (cont’d) *

I want a husband who looks just *

like you! *

Then, more thoughtful: *

LILI (CONT’D) (cont’d) *

And maybe a child. Like a real *

woman. *

Warnekros nods, kindly, but... *

WARNEKROS *

One step at a time. *

He gets up.

WARNEKROS (cont’d)

Get some rest, now. Goodnight.

He smiles, goes to the door. Gerda’s waiting outside. They *

cross in the doorway, polite but not warm. *

Lili smiles, seeing Gerda. Gerda sits on the bed. *

LILI:

You’re still angry with me.

GERDA:

I’m not angry with you, I’m worried

about you.

Gerda lays her head in Lili’s lap, tired with anxiety. Lili

strokes her hair. We feel the depth of love between them.

LILI (CONT’D)

You heard my wish Gerda. When no

one else could hear me, you did.

Gerda’s eyes begin to fill. She collects herself.

GERDA:

Come. We both need our rest. I

can sleep in the chair, there...

LILI:

Off to your little hotel.

GERDA:

I don’t mind...

(CONTINUED)

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84.

CONTINUED:

But Lili insists.

LILI:

Are there chocolates on the pillow?

GERDA:

Cigarette burns.

Lili laughs, kisses Gerda’s cheek.

LILI:

Take this... There’s a chill in the

air.

Lili goes to hand over Gerda’s scarf, but:

GERDA:

You keep it. For now.

Lili smiles, a little mischievous. But then a look between

them. Gerda’s afraid.

LILI:

I’m going to be fine.

Gerda nods, determined to believe it.

GERDA:

Yes.

LILI:

Sleep well.

GERDA:

Goodnight.

Lili is determinedly bright. Gerda takes her coat and bag.

The door closes behind her. A couple of moments pass and

then Lili begins to dissolve, releasing tears of overwhelming

fear and anticipation...

INT. DRESDEN HOTEL, RECEPTION, NIGHT

The CONCIERGE approaches, solicitous.

GERDA:

Room 9.

The concierge turns to get Gerda’s key. The sound of a

cocktail piano in an adjacent room serves to reinforce her

isolation. But then she sees reflected in the mirror - a

familiar face

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

Hans...?

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

85.

CONTINUED:

Gerda turns, barely holding herself together... he catches

her in a heavy, passionate embrace. A huge sense of relief,

reunion, trust.

HANS:

It’s alright.

Gerda nods, greatly comforted by his presence.

GERDA:

Yes.

HANS:

Everything will be alright.

Gerda hangs on to Hans, desperately wanting it to be true.

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, LILI’S ROOM, DAWN

A nurse helps a quietly determined Lili into a surgical gown.

INT. OPERATING THEATRE

Warnerkros, scrubbed in, serious, ready to begin.

WARNEKROS:

Good luck, everybody.

Lili anaesthetised. We stay on her face, hear voices, the

clank of instruments. Rain beginning... the sound of it

increasingly intense as the wind comes up too...

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, RECEPTION, NEXT MORNING

Morning light streams in, harsh, unforgiving. Hans holds the

door for Gerda. She’s barely inside when the Receptionist

jumps urgently to her feet.

RECEPTIONIST:

Professor Warnekros would like a *

word...

Gerda’s faces register anxiety. Hans gestures - he’s backing

off. He’ll wait. Gerda hurries away.

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, DRESDEN, MORNING

Warnekros and Gerda walk purposefully along the corridor -*

WARNEKROS:

She lost a lot of blood. Now we’re

struggling to keep the fever down.

There’s a chance it will burn

itself out, but...

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

86.

CONTINUED:

They arrive at the doorway to Lili’s room. Warnekros shows *

Gerda in. Lili sleeps fitfully, slick with sweat. *

Warnekros’s clearly worried. Gerda’s astonished at how ill

she looks.

WARNEKROS (CONT’D) (cont’d)

(deeply regretful)

I’m sorry... I have to be honest.

The prognosis is not...

He can’t finish, but Gerda barely hears him anyway...

GERDA:

Go away... thank you. Leave us *

alone.

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