The Danish Girl Page #8

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You’ve hurt Lili...

Hexler reads the distress in Einar’s features. Einar closes

his eyes again against the thought.

INT. RADIUM INSTITUTE, CORRIDOR, DAY

Hexler speaks to Gerda with new gravity.

HEXLER:

I’m afraid your husband’s aberrant thinking

persists. Do you keep a lock on your

wardrobe?

GERDA:

Of course not.

Hexler is nervous, but his tone is threatening.

HEXLER:

Mrs Wegener, you haven’t been encouraging

this delusion? You do understand that your

husband’s insane?

GERDA:

No, that’s not true...

Hexler turns, walks away. Gerda’s furious...

GERDA (cont’d)

We trusted you, we came to you for help...

But Hexler keeps walking without a backward glance.

EXT. HARBOUR, MORNING, TWO WEEKS LATER

The early sun glances off the windows of the Widow House.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, BEDROOM, MORNING

The dog looks up from the bed. Runs over to greet Gerda who

has just come in from the studio. We see now the dog is

keeping Einar company. Gerda speaks in a hushed voice.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

41.

CONTINUED:

GERDA:

I won’t be long.

EINAR:

Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.

Einar is ashen, eyes glazed, surrounded by two dark circles.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE RASMUSSEN’S GALLERY, DAY

Gerda hurries past the window. Inside we can make out a blur

of Lili portraits on show.

INT. ART DEALER’S OFFICE, COPENHAGEN, DAY

Gerda in Rasmussen’s office. He’s unusually excited.

RASMUSSEN:

Gerda! Where have you been?

GERDA:

Away. Why, what’s wrong?

RASMUSSEN:

I sold the Lili portraits!

Gerda is astonished...

RASMUSSEN (cont’d)

I have enough interest to mount a full

show.

Gerda’s amazed.

GERDA:

Well that’s wonderful...

RASMUSSEN:

And there’s more - I had a call from the

Etienne Dufour Gallery - they would like to

represent you in Paris.

GERDA:

In Paris...?

RASMUSSEN:

You should go and see them.

Gerda’s mind races...

GERDA:

Oh - I can’t travel just now...

RASMUSSEN:

(firmly)

Gerda, this is your moment. You’ve waited

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

42.

CONTINUED:

RASMUSSEN (cont'd)

long enough... And these dealers can be

fickle.

Rasmussen tuts, disapproving.

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, STAIRS LEADING UP, DAY

Gerda, in a hurry, stops to collect the mail from the foot of

the stairs. There’s an art magazine, a personal letter,

then, underneath an envelope from The Radium Institute...

Hexler’s name on the back. Gerda freezes, then quickly opens

it, reads:
“no choice... treated for perversion...”. She

struggles for a moment, panic rising, then folds the letter,

stuffs it in her jacket. A dark decision resolves itself in

Gerda’s face...

INT. WIDOW HOUSE, BEDROOM, DAY

Einar’s asleep. Gerda packs, driven - sees Einar sit up.

EINAR:

What are you doing?

Gerda gathers her courage.

GERDA:

I’ve been asked to exhibit in Paris...

EINAR:

That’s wonderful...

GERDA:

Yes. We have to go. Rasmussen said it

would make all the difference...

Einar’s incredulous...

EINAR:

I’m not sure I can do that...

GERDA:

You can. I’ll take care of you...

EINAR:

But surely there’s no rush...

GERDA:

(furious)

Can’t you just do this one thing for me?

But by the time her outburst is over, she’s shaking...

EINAR:

Gerda, what’s happening?

Gerda looks at him. He’s waiting for the truth.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

43.

CONTINUED:

GERDA:

I had a letter from Hexler...

EINAR:

He wants to lock me up.

Gerda holds his hands, utterly determined:

GERDA:

But he won’t. Everything will work out for

us. Really - I know it. You just have to

trust me...

EINAR:

I do...

Gerda steels herself:

GERDA:

So. Is there anything to take care of

before we go? Anyone you need to tell?

Einar considers a moment, then:

EINAR:

No.

Gerda nods, relieved. She kisses his cheek, resumes packing.

Einar concentrates on keeping breathing.

EXT. PARIS BY NIGHT

A dazzling archetypal view of the Seine and its light-studded

bridges, the Cathedral of Notre Dame a bold silhouette in the

background. VOICES come up, an EXCITED SOCIAL SOUND.

INT. ETIENNE DUFOUR GALLERY, NIGHT, 6 MONTHS LATER

An emphatically chic Parisian crowd admires a triumphant

series of Lili portraits - a couple that we saw at

Rasmussen’s, and then several nudes, Lili imagined as an

anatomically correct woman. A small group gathers round

Gerda, their new star, and a still pale Einar.

GERDA:

Einar’s a painter too...

MAN IN GROUP:

Oh? Do you exhibit in Paris?

EINAR:

I think my work is a little...

introspective for French taste.

An ENTHUSIASTIC AMERICAN WOMAN interrupts...

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

44.

CONTINUED:

ENTHUSIASTIC AMERICAN WOMAN

Excuse me - is the model here?

Einar rides it out. Gerda doesn’t miss a beat.

GERDA:

No, she stayed behind in Denmark.

ENTHUSIASTIC AMERICAN WOMAN

Oh, I was so hoping to meet her.

Einar looks down, away, affected... Gerda’s swept off by the

gallery owner, leaving Einar in the company of the paintings

of his own banished self.

INT. PARIS APARTMENT, BEDROOM, NIGHT

Gerda and Einar in bed, close, tenderness on both sides.

Gerda gently kisses Einar, then begins to work her way down

his torso. He closes his eyes, wills himself to let this

happen... Gerda begins to fellate him... He struggles with

his breathing, intensely challenged

EINAR:

Gerda... please... I can’t.

She continues... He’s overwhelmed with panic, pushes her off.

EINAR (cont’d)

No...

The attempt at intimacy is over, failed. Einar’s full of

guilt, distress. Gerda’s hurt, lost. Neither moves emotional

paralysis.

INT. PARIS APARTMENT, STUDIO, - NEXT DAY

Gerda works on a self-portrait. Einar appears. Gerda

hurries, to greet him, summons a playful mood, born of

desperation.

GERDA:

Will you sit for me? Just as you

are. We haven’t done that since

art school. You enjoyed it then...

He smiles. She strokes his face, encouraged.

GERDA (cont’d)

The teacher suddenly at the mercy of the

student. You found it exciting.

Gerda curls in to him. He gently extricates himself.

EINAR:

I... I can’t just now. I’m sorry.

(CONTINUED)

26/11/15

45.

CONTINUED:

Gerda feels ashamed, can’t help herself:

GERDA:

I miss you. I miss you working beside me.

Einar hesitates, then admits:

EINAR:

I can’t remember the landscape any more. I

can’t remember Vejle.

Gerda struggles to adjust to this, then:

GERDA:

Well you could help me with this

background. What does it need...?

Einar looks at the painting, can hardly pull it into focus...

GERDA (cont’d)

An kettlehole lake? A farmhouse, far off? *

He gently stops her EINAR

Gerda...

He’s not going to do it. Turns away, goes out.

INT/EXT. PARIS APARTMENT

Gerda watches from the window: Einar in the street below, on

through the crowds until he’s out of sight.

EXT. RUE DE NUIT, DAY

Different part of town, different atmosphere. Prostitutes on

the corner CLUCK indulgent as Einar passes. He looks selfconsciously

about, enters a dingy house as another man comes

out. They barely acknowledge one another.

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