The Danish Girl Page #6

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GERDA:

Quickly, lean on me...

Henrik watches, and onlookers stare as Gerda supports Einar

out of the ball... They stumble, clinging together, ashamed.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, NEXT MORNING

Einar paints. In a smart male suit. He is stiffly composed.

Gerda comes into the studio, in her nightclothes. Finds

Einar deeply immersed. No trace of the night’s upset.

GERDA:

How are you...?

EINAR:

You were late home last night, I

thought I’d let you sleep. How was

it? Did Lili have fun?

Gerda’s stunned. Goes to the kitchen, upset.

In the kitchen, Lili’s bloodied clothes are soaking in a

bucket. Gerda struggles with the sight. Begins to make

coffee, then...

Gerda returns to the studio, watches Einar, anger building.

He allows it a while, then turns, braced to face her:

GERDA:

I think it would be better if Lili

didn’t come here again.

EINAR:

Fine. I understand.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

29.

CONTINUED:

GERDA:

You know what I would like to

understand?

Einar takes Gerda in... how furious, how shaken she looks.

GERDA (CONT’D) (cont’d)

Exactly what happened between you

and Sandahl last night?

EINAR:

(quickly)

Nothing.

Gerda HUFFS, disbelieving. Einar repeats himself, angrily:

EINAR (CONT’D) (cont’d)

It was nothing.

GERDA:

Did he know it was you?

Einar blushes, shies away.

EINAR:

It wasn’t as simple as that. It’s

hard to explain...

Gerda loses control, shouts at him:

GERDA:

I watched him kiss you, Einar, so

could you please make an effort?!

Einar’s shocked, ashamed. He takes stock, then quietly:

EINAR:

He may have known who I was. But I

wasn’t always... me. There was a

moment when I was... just Lili.

And I think he could see that. Do

you see?

Gerda struggles to comprehend this shift in the landscape.

GERDA:

But Lili doesn’t exist. We made

her up.

EINAR:

I know...

GERDA:

We were playing a game!

EINAR:

I know we were... but then it

changed...

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

30.

CONTINUED:

Gerda’s mind reels, panic rises...

GERDA:

This is absurd. We need to stop.

Make it stop Einar.

With genuine anxiety:

EINAR:

I’m going to try...

She goes, still distressed, leaving Einar alone.

EXT. WIDOW HOUSE, EARLY MORNING, TWO WEEKS LATER

The Chinese Laundress RINGS her tiny BELLS along the street.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, MORNING

The Lili portraits are gone. Einar regards a canvas. Failing

to paint. In the kitchen, Gerda chops vegetables, throws

them in a pan. She hovers in the doorway to the studio.

GERDA:

Another headache?

EINAR:

It’s nothing...

She goes back into the kitchen again...

GERDA:

Can I get you something?

EINAR:

I’m fine.

Gerda returns to chopping.

GERDA:

Maybe you should see a doctor.

Einar grows agitated.

EINAR:

Gerda... I’m fine.

Gerda looks round to see Einar now in his coat. He quickly

collects a small suitcase, goes out, leaving Gerda to fret.

EXT. OPERA HOUSE, DAY

No lights on, no signs of life.

26/11/15

31.

INT. OPERA HOUSE, STAGE DOOR, DAY

Einar passes through, nods amiably to the familiar doorman.

INT. COSTUME SHOP, DAY

Einar turns on the lights, quickly pulls off his coat. He

leans forward, bracing against the bench, looks in the

mirror. There’s a desperation about him. But now he sees:

the front of his shirt gapes - reveals a cleavage, formed by

his rounded shoulders. Einar is compelled... nervously

unbuttons his shirt to the waist and leans forward again.

The effect is startling. He traces the shape of his

‘breasts’ with trembling hands.

With a new urgency, he quickly strips off shirt, trousers,

terrified that someone might catch him, yet driven to press

on. He pulls off his underwear, returns to the mirror, pushes

his cock back between his legs, squeezing his thighs tight

until he has an approximation of a vagina. He rounds his

shoulders, takes in the arresting transformation, breathless

with excitement, terror. A sense of impending inevitable

transgression.

He opens his case. A carefully folded silk package unfurls

into a dress, brushes against his skin.

INT. STUDIO, DAY

Gerda sits in the chair looking out of the window, face set

against terror, her sketchbook closed in her lap, brooding,

pressure building. She opens the sketchbook: Lili...

INT CAFE ON CANAL, DAY

Einar/Lili arrives inside a cafe, pushes back a headscarf. We

see Henrik waiting at a table. He quickly stands when he

spots Lili - who is consumed with shyness, real fear.

HENRIK:

I didn’t think you’d come.

Lili settles in her seat.

EINAR/LILI

No. Nor did I.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, STUDIO, LATER

Gerda begins to sketch, almost afraid to begin. But her

energy gathers and there is soon anger and desire in the work

as she conjures a Lili with dark erotic potential, a frenzied

relationship with the subject developing...

26/11/15

32.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, STUDIO, EVENING

Gerda lies on the chaise, exhausted. Hears the door, doesn’t

move. Einar appears, in his overcoat. After a moment:

GERDA:

I thought you might not come back.

EINAR:

That’s absurd...

GERDA:

Is it?

Einar can hardly bear the question... feels terrible, wraps

his arms around her. Then sees, at an angle, in the half-

light, the new Lili picture. A nude with female hips and

breasts. A slash of red mouth. A cigarette.

INT. ART DEALER’S OFFICE, A MONTH LATER, DAY

A door opens and Gerda sits up - a THIN YOUNG MAN appears.

THIN YOUNG MAN:

He won’t be much longer.

Gerda sits back, too pessimistic to feel nervous.

INT. ART DEALER’S OFFICE, HALF AN HOUR LATER

Rasmussen studies a series of Gerda’s portraits, his mouth

puckered with poorly disguised distaste. Gerda steels

herself to withstand the humiliation.

RASMUSSEN:

I just... I don’t know...

And then he sees the Lili nude. He’s suddenly intrigued...

RASMUSSEN (cont’d)

The model...?

GERDA:

Einar’s cousin.

RASMUSSEN:

Yes, the resemblance is...

Rasmussen’s mind races.

RASMUSSEN (cont’d)

Are there others...?

GERDA:

A series back at the studio.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

33.

CONTINUED:

Rasmussen licks his lips, excited but uncertain...

RASMUSSEN:

These are different... For these, I don’t

know... there may be a market.

Gerda has to confirm what she’s heard:

GERDA:

You’re taking them.

RASMUSSEN:

Well, yes...

He’s surprised as she is.

EXT. HENRIK'S HOUSE, DAY

Lili hurries past the endless orange facades of a long row of

terraced houses, Gerda’s embroidered wrap flying in the wind

behind her. Knocks at a door, breathless...

INT. HENRIK'S HOUSE, DAY

Henrik welcomes Lili at the open door...

HENRIK:

Come in...

He closes the door against the world. Lili takes in the

space. She’s delighted by it LILI

I don’t have long... Gerda’s seeing

Rasmussen.

Henrik gestures for Lili to sit. She settles on the couch.

HENRIK:

I don’t like all these lies.

LILI:

She’s very protective.

HENRIK:

Why don’t you just tell her about

us?

LILI:

I couldn’t do that...

Lili seems a little panicked...

HENRIK:

Sorry - I don’t want to upset you.

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