The Danish Girl Page #16

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Gerda hangs in the doorway, blocking it, until Warnekros is *

obliged to turn away. We follow him, walking back down the *

corridor, alone, excluded, burdened by failure. *

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, DRESDEN, GARDEN, NIGHT

Heavy spots of rain begin to splash down. Most of the

hospital in darkness. A light glowing in one room.

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, DRESDEN, LILI’S ROOM, NIGHT

Gerda in the chair at Lili’s bedside, mopping her brow. The

rainstorm beating outside. A nurse enters with a jug of

water. Gerda nods, grateful.

INT. WARNEKROS’S CLINIC, DRESDEN, CORRIDOR, DAWN

A cleaner works her mop and bucket down the corridor. Hans

sleeps in a chair up ahead.

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

Lili sleeping, calmer now. Her face translucent in the

morning light. Gerda sleeps in the chair beside her. Gerda

wakes, disoriented for a moment, then looks at Lili, sleeping

peacefully, clearly cooler now... Gerda feels her brow - no

heat there any more... Gerda’s relief is palpable. She

smooths Lili’s fringe, then gets up, opens the curtains -

wide - the sun just starting to show in the rain-washed sky.

She turns back to see Lili’s eyes open.

GERDA:

Lili...?

Lili struggles to speak.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

87.

CONTINUED:

GERDA (cont’d)

I’m here... just lie still... It’s

alright...

Lili smiles through her medicated haze. She sees Hans hurry

in... thrilled to see her awake...

HANS:

Oh, Lili. How are you?

Her voice is faint, cracked. She takes in Hans and Gerda:

LILI:

I am... entirely myself.

Hans laughs gently.

HANS:

I’ll tell Warnekros she’s awake.

Hans goes. Gerda sits back beside Lili, fixes her hair.

GERDA:

You know you had us worried...

Lili’s frail, otherworldly, but her eyes burn bright. She

looks to the window.

LILI:

Can I go outside, Gerda? Into the

garden?

GERDA:

I think you should rest...

But Lili takes Gerda’s hand, a great sense of calm in her.

She looks at Gerda. Gerda still there, always there.

LILI:

Please...

EXT. CLINIC GARDENS

Gerda wheels Lili out in a wheelchair, Hans holding the door

open for her to pass. A glance between him and Gerda, then

he leaves the women alone.

Gerda is settles herself in a chair beside Lili, rests her

hand on Lili’s arm. The birch trees in Spring leaf. A light

breeze makes them quiver. Lili’s breathing is shallow. We

feel the depth of love between the women, and the

precariousness of their situation.

LILI:

You mustn’t worry about me any

more, Gerda.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

88.

CONTINUED:

GERDA:

It’s an old habit. I’m slow to

change.

LILI:

How have I ever deserved such love?

Gerda struggles to remain composed.

LILI (cont’d)

I’m sorry you were frightened.

There’s nothing to be afraid of any

more.

GERDA:

No.

LILI:

You know, last night, I had the

most beautiful dream... I dreamed I

was a baby in my mother’s arms...

and she looked down at me... and

called me Lili...

Gerda is amazed, deeply moved...

GERDA:

Lili...

Lili’s features arrange themselves into an expression of

perfect joy as she sinks back into something which Gerda

gradually sees is deeper than sleep...

GERDA (cont’d)

Lili...

Gerda clutches the hand... No response... Smooths the

brow... still nothing...

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

Lili...?

Gerda presses Lili’s hand against her cheek, overwhelmed with

grief. Lili looks blissfully happy. The dawn light grows

stronger in the garden...

INT/EXT. JUTLAND, DAWN, TWO WEEKS LATER

Hans’ car rolls into the bleak landscape. Hans and Gerda

inside. Gerda looks out - at a landscape she knows with

absolute intimacy, although she’s never been here before.

It’s all here... the imagery from Einar’s paintings, singing

with life... A wild stretch of rocky green under soft

northern light, a row of beautiful black-limbed trees, bent

over, but not broken, by the wind...

26/11/15

89.

EXT. CLIFFS OVERLOOKING KATTEGAT SEA, JUTLAND, MORNING

Hans tails Gerda. She battles the incredible gusts of salt

air, the bright scarf flying like a flag at her throat. She

pushes on, closer to the cliff edge... Finally she reaches

an amazing vantage point, is stunned by the view: a rectangle

of ferociously stormy sea, silver waves whipped by a wind

that stings, relentless. We hear the RUSTLE and PUNCH of the

weather going at her. Hans joins her. They stand there

looking out until they can hardly breathe any more.

Hans takes her armto steady her, but as she turns toward him

the wind rips up under the bright scarf, snatches it into the

air. Gerda GASPS - a moment of loss - but then, something

else... As Hans hurries to try and catch it

GERDA:

No - leave it..! Leave it..

She pulls him back, watches it dance, tears of joy in her

eyes...

GERDA (CONT’D)

Let it fly...

The scarf swoops up and dives down, curls and rolls, as free

as child... a girl at play. Gerda clutches her coat at her

breast, almost delirious at the beauty of it. Hans watches

with her - the absurdly joyous spectacle of it, a stunning

farewell. And as the scarf dances out from the cliff, out to

sea... into eternity...

ENDS:

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