The Day the Clown Cried Page #27

SCHARFF:

Did you see him?

SERGEANT HOFFMAN

Why, I ...

SERGEANT HOFFMAN

DID you?

SERGEANT HOFFMAN

You told me to see that the car

was coupled on. When I came back ...

Why wouldn't he get off?

SCHARFF:

Idiot!

(shouting)

Guards. GUARDS!

The other soldiers come running from o.s.

SCHARFF:

The clown prisoner is missing.

He may have escaped. Search the

area. If he got off the train

he must be around here someplace.

The soldiers rush o.s. into the deepening darkness.

CLOSE TWO SHOT - SCHARFF, HOFFMAN

SCHARFF:

You know what happens if he gets away.

SERGEANT HOFFMAN

(hopefully)

He can't get very far.

Scharff looks o.s. after the disappearing train.

SCHARFF:

If he's on that train -- he's

going farther than you know ---

CUT TO:

LONG SHOT - TRAIN - EVENING (STOCK)

The rear of the boxcar is just disappearing from sight in

the darkness.

CLOSEUP - SCHARFF

SCHARFF:

... or he knows.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. BOXCAR - MOVING - DAY

It is the next morning. Light is coming from the vents and

the lantern which hangs from a peg in the middle of the

right side of the car. Helmut is asleep on the floor with

the children huddled around him. He lies on his side with

one arm thrown protectively over the little Czech girl,

Inga, and Willie. Behind him, the Czech birthday boy and

the girl with the doll are cuddled close to him. Other

youngsters have their heads on his legs and feet, and all

are as close to him as they can get.

He is, in fact, a sort of human bed. From the train NOISES

o.s. we can tell that the freight train is slowing down.

Then, with a jolt, it stops, and o.s. we HEAR a truck engine

approaching. Helmut stirs and sits up, trying to get his

bearings. This arouses some of the children and they too

sit up and look around.

CHILDREN:

What is it?

Are we there, Doork?

Where are we?

Why are we stopping?

HELMUT:

I don't know.

He untangles himself, rises and stretches his numbed arms

and legs. He starts toward the door, but it slides open

suddenly and a BURLY GUARD vaults inside. Behind him we

see a truck similar to a moving van being backed up to the

boxcar. Helmut blinks uncertainly at the light pouring

through the door.

BURLY GUARD:

Everybody up. No noise.

The children are too startled to move. The guard notices

Helmut and reacts.

BURLY GUARD:

Who the hell are you?

HELMUT:

Where are we?

BURLY GUARD:

How the devil did you get in here?

HELMUT:

I ... I'm from the other prison.

Got locked in -- by accident.

BURLY GUARD:

Ah, for ...

(shouting out the door)

Sergeant!

CUT TO:

EXT BOXCAR - DAY

We see now that the train has stopped at an isolated siding.

The truck has backed up almost to the door of the boxcar. A

SERGEANT climbs down from the cab of the van and hurries to

the boxcar door, the CAMERA PANNING him there.

SERGEANT:

What's the matter?

BURLY GUARD:

Look at this. He's from the other camp.

Got inhere with the shipment.

SERGEANT:

How did that happen?

HELMUT:

I ... I ws taking care of the children

back there and ... accidentally got locked in.

SERGEANT:

Of all the ... What's your name?

HELMUT:

(realizing he's in big trouble)

Doork. Helmut Doork.

The Sergeant fumes for a moment, then ...

SERGEANT:

(to the guard)

Put him in the truck with the others.

And, let's get going.

CUT TO:

INT. BOXCAR - DAY

ANGLE to the door as the Sergeant disappears. Reaching out,

the Burly Guard lowers the tailgate of the truck so that it

forms a bridge to the boxcar.

BURLY GUARD:

(to the children)

All right, in the truck, quick now!

The children, most of whom are on their feet now, hesitate,

looking to Helmut for guidance. The guard seizes one

youngster and shoves him toward the door. Instead, however,

the child flies to Helmut and grabs him around the legs.

BURLY GUARD:

I said move!

HELMUT:

(quickly)

Wait. Let me.

(to the children)

Everybody up. Come on.

Up, up, up.

He moves around, helping the still seated children to their

feet. When they're all up ...

SERGEANT:

(continuing; to Helmut)

Not you.

HELMUT:

Don't you want me to stay with them?

They'll be frightened without me.

BURLY GUARD:

Not for long, they won't.

SERGEANT:

(to guard)

That's enough. Get them inside

and keep them quiet.

Burly guard starts to prod the children but they don't move,

their eyes are fixed on Helmut.

BURLY GUARD:

(threateningly)

MOVE!

HELMUT:

Do as he says. And, don't worry,

I'll be with you soon. I promise.

Reluctantly, the children march off. They look back

frequently at Helmut who waves to them.

SERGEANT:

(to Helmut)

Come along, now.

They walk over to a two-story building. Helmut looks back

in the direction of the children, then looks about the camp.

HELMUT:

This is just another prison.

SERGEANT:

What'd you expect?

HELMUT:

I thought the children were going

to a better place.

The Sergeant, with an incredulous look on his face, stares

at Helmut.

INT. CELL - DAY

The cell is a small, bare cubicle containing only a cot and

an open toilet. In the wall, fronting on the prison yard,

there is a small barred window. Helmut stops pacing and

moves over to it, and looks out. The CAMERA SWINGS so that

it is SHOOTING PAST Helmut's head through the window. At

the far end of the yard we can see the windowless stone

buildings. As Helmut stares out at them, we HEAR

approaching footsteps. Helmut stiffens, turns toward the

door as the SOUND of the footsteps grows louder and louder.

The CAMERA SWINGS toward the door as it opens to reveal

CAPTAIN CURT RUNKEL, a slender, impeccably groomed and

thoroughly Nazified officer of the elite S.S. He is the

embodiment of all Hitlerian ideals. Runkel strides into the

cell.

RUNKEL:

(over shoulder to guard at door)

Close the door, and wait out there.

Guard closes the door. Runkel studies Helmut coldly.

Without taking his eyes off Helmut, he pulls out a cigarette

case, takes out cigarette, lights it and slowly inhales.

RUNKEL:

(continuing)

You're a remarkable man. Very remarkable.

Helmut stirs uneasily.

RUNKEL:

(continuing)

Have you any idea where you are?

Helmut shakes his head.

RUNKEL:

(continuing)

Auschwitz. This is Auschwitz.

(a beat)

Mean anything to you?

(before Helmut can answer)

You may have observed we're

enlarging our facilities.

He moves over to the window and looks out, puffing slowly on

his cigarette.

RUNKEL:

Still a great deal of work to be done.

(proudly)

It's going to be our most efficient,

most modern prison.

(he turns and smiles)

And, I might add, most unique.

(walks back towards Helmut,

studying him carefully)

RUNKEL:

(continuing)

Yes, you are a remarkable man.

I always wonder about remarkable men.

(then evenly)

Why did you come here?

HELMUT:

I explained. I got locked in the boxcar and ...

RUNKEL:

(cuts in - still bland)

Ah, yes. An accident.

Unavoidable I suppose.

HELMUT:

I was taking care -- I mean, the Commandant

requested me to take care of the children.

RUNKEL:

(a slight note of mockery)

The Commandant!

Runkel tosses his cigarette on the floor and very

deliberately grinds it out with his boot.

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