The Day the Clown Cried Page #28

RUNKEL:

I've spoken to YOUR Commandant.

He hs you listed as an escaped prisoner.

HELMUT:

Escaped! But ...

RUNKEL:

(finishing it for him)

... it was an accident.

(his face close to Helmut's)

Are you one of them, clown?

HELMUT:

(terrorized at the thought of death)

No ... no! I'm not one of them. I'm not !

Runkel smiles, moves away from Helmut.

RUNKEL:

You misunderstand completely.

The Judas goat is never killed.

He isn't worth killing.

(moves to cell door)

I'm just asking you to lead them.

ANOTHER ANGLE - FAVORING HELMUT

His eyes plead, "No. I can't do it. No."

RUNKEL:

Not ... even to save your own life?

For a brief moment, Helmut struggles to find the courage to

stand up to Runkel -- but he has no courage and he sinks

slowly to his knees, his head bowed.

CLOSE SHOT - RUNKEL

RUNKEL:

(victorious)

I'm glad to see you're not

a self-appointed martyr.

TWO SHOT - HELMUT, RUNKEL

Runkel towers above Helmut who sits back on his haunches,

leaning against the wall.

RUNKEL:

Just think! Now you're really one of us.

The truth of Runkel's remark hits Helmut like a devastating

blow. He turns his face to the wall in shame. Runkel

walks to the door, raps on it, the guard outside swings it

open.

HELMUT:

(attempting to get to his feet)

Sir ... Sir ... could I ... could I have

a little time with them before ... before ...

His voice trails off. Runkel looks at Helmut while he

thinks it over. He moves back to the middle of the cell.

RUNKEL:

Yes. Yes, of course.

(he looks at his watch)

RUNKEL:

(continuing)

I can give you about half an hour.

(a little smile lights his face)

You see, we're not heartless men here.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CHILDRENS' HUT - DAY

ANGLE to the door as Helmut and the Sergeant approach from

o.s. Helmut has freshened his make-up.

SERGEANT:

Remember what I told you.

HELMUT:

There won't be any trouble.

Helmut goes to the door and starts to open it. The CAMERA

MOVES UP to --

CLOSE SHOT - HELMUT

With a great effort, he composes himself and throws open the

door.

CUT TO:

INT. CHILDRENS' HUT - DAY

ANGLE to the door, where Helmut stands wearing an enormous

grin. The children are about the barren room in little

groups. When they see Helmut, they leap up and run to him,

clinging to him as he closes the door behind him and moves

into the room.

CHILDREN:

Doork, Doork, you came back.

You came back.

We thought you'd left us.

Don't leave us, Doork.

The children continue to ad lib expressions of mingled fear

and delight at his return. Helmut goes among them, patting

their heads comfortingly.

HELMUT:

There. There. It's all right.

It's all right. Everything is

going to be all right.

When the youngsters are calmed, Helmut holds up his hands

for silence.

HELMUT:

Now I want everyone to put on

a big smile and sit down, because

we're going to have more fun

than we've ever had.

Slowly, still unconvinced that they have nothing to fear,

the children sit on the floor.

HELMUT:

Good. We'll start by seeing that we

all have our names on our heads.

The children begin to lower their heads so Helmut can check

to see if their names are still there.

HELMUT:

(as he moves among them)

Yes, yes. There's Fritz, Maria, Sadie,

Inga, Josef, Nathan, Helga, Willie ...

The little girl with the rag doll holds up the doll for

Helmut to see.

HELMUT:

Ah, yes, Frederika! Good.

I see all of your names.

This is almost too much for Helmut, but he manages to

control himself by turning away for a beat. Then he turns

back to the children, his big smile back in place.

HELMUT:

Now ... on with the show. Just watch this.

CUT TO:

PAN SHOT - CHILDREN

Their little faces are troubled, worried.

DISSOLVE TO:

PAN SHOT - CHILDREN

It is a half hour later, and now the children are laughing

at something Helmut is doing o.s. The CAMERA PULLS BACK to

--

MED. SHOT - THE GROUP

Helmut is walking an imaginary tightrope. Every few steps

he almost loses his balance, but with comical gyrations he

manages to complete the walk. He bows deeply to the

children -- and falls flat on his face. The youngsters

laugh, applaud and squeal delightedly.

TWO SHOT - HELMUT, WILLIE

Helmut is lying on the floor near the boy. He looks up at

the tot and grins.

WILLIE:

Doork! Doork ... you're great !

Helmut grabs Willie and holds him close while he fights back

his tears. Willie plants a big kiss on his cheek. Helmut

scrambles to his feet, the CAMERA PULLING BACK to --

WIDER ANGLE:

SHOOTING PAST Helmut to the door as it opens, revealing the

Sergeant, his face expressionless. Helmut reacts.

SERGEANT:

(to Helmut)

It's time.

HELMUT:

Just a few more minutes?

The sergeant shakes his head.

HELMUT:

I'll bring them.

The children are watching him, puzzled.

CHILDREN:

What's the matter, Doork?

Where are we going?

You come with us this time.

Where're they taking us.

HELMUT:

(trying to think what to say)

They ... they want us to move to

another building ... where we'll

have more room ... to play.

(a beat)

Tell you what. Let's make it

a big circus parade.

Everybody get in a line behind ...

He picks up Willie and stands him near the door.

HELMUT:

(continuing)

... behind Willie here.

The children scramble up and begin forming a line behind the

very proud Willie. Helmut looks around for the boy with the

harmonica.

HELMUT:

Now, where's our band?

The harmonica?

He sees the boy and goes to him. Helmut pantomimes playing

the harmonica and points to himself. The boy smiles widely,

fishes the harmonica out of his pocket and holds it up.

HELMUT:

There we are? Everybody ready?

Here we go.

Helmut takes his place at the head of the line, like the

Pied Piper, leads the youngsters out the door, playing a

crude sort of circus parade music. The little children

giggle excitedly as they troupe out. The older ones seem

less certain, but as long as Helmut is with them, they feel

secure.

CUT TO:

EXT. PRISON YARD - DAY

As the procession of youngsters emerges from the barracks

with Helmut dancing along at its head. The Sergeant and the

other two Guards stand watching in disbelief as the line

turns and moves along toward the first of the windowless

buildings.

MED. SHOT - SERGEANT, GUARDS

They look at each other incredulously. What they are seeing

surpasses their imagination.

FULL SHOT - HELMUT, CHILDREN

SHOOTING from a HIGH ANGLE as the procession moves toward

the CAMERA. Helmut looks back at his charges from time to

time, smiling and waving and always puffing away on the

harmonica. The children smile back, some timidly and some a

bit fearfully, but all smile.

PAN SHOT - PARADE

CAMERA PANS in on the children as they march behind Helmut.

We see some of them strutting, their little arms swinging

freely. Some of the little ones have to skip to keep up

with the others. They are all smiling.

CLOSE SHOT - HELMUT

With each step, Helmut looks about, his eyes searching

heaven, praying for the miracle that will save the children

... the sudden blast of thunder, the striking down of the

guards.

CLOSE SHOT - SERGEANT, GUARDS

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