The Grand Budapest Hotel Page #10

ANATOLE (O.S.)

Excuse me.

M. Gustave and Zero jump. They turn around quickly andsee Anatole standing in the doorway. M. Gustave mumbles,

anxious:

M. GUSTAVE

Uh-huh?

ANATOLE:

(intrigued)

The police are here. They asked for you.

Silence. M. Gustave nods. He says cheerily:

M. GUSTAVE

Tell them we’ll be right down.

Anatole goes back down the steps. M. Gustave and Zerolook down into the lobby through a window. Eightuniformed officers wait at the concierge desk. M.

Gustave says tensely:

M. GUSTAVE

Have you ever been questioned by theauthorities?

ZERO:

(grimly)

Yes, on one occasion, I was arrested and

tortured by the rebel militia after the

Desert Uprising.

45.

M. GUSTAVE

(hesitates)

Right. Well, you know the drill, then.

Zip it.

ZERO:

Of course.

M. GUSTAVE

You’ve never heard the word van Hoytl inyour life.

ZERO:

Got it.

M. GUSTAVE

OK. Let’s go.

M. Gustave and Zero descend into the lobby. M. Gustave’sface brightens as he crosses the room and greets thevisitors:

M. GUSTAVE

How may we serve you, gentlemen?

POLICE CAPTAIN:

(producing a warrant)

By order of the Commissioner of Police,

Zubrowka Province, I hereby place youunder arrest for the murder of Madame

C.line Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis.

M. GUSTAVE

(somehow vindicated)

I knew there was something fishy! Wenever got the cause of death! She’s been

murdered -- and you think I did it.

M. Gustave turns away and breaks into a sprint throughthe lobby. The police chase him. Zero watches, stunned.

TITLE:

Part 3:
“Check-point 19 Criminal Internment Camp”

EXT. PRISON. DAY

A buttressed castle on a high rock spur. Clusters oftangled barbed-wire decorate the tops of the walls abovea sheer cliff that drops straight down into the medievalvillage below.

Zero stands waiting with a small pink pastry-box in hishands. There is a guard with a Tommy-gun next to him.

Silence.

46.

A hidden gear begins to crank, and a heavy iron and oakgate swings slowly open. The guard makes an off-handtoss of the head to signal for Zero to proceed. Zeronods politely and starts across a narrow bridge over amoat. Two more guards wait at the far end in front ofthe doors to a fortified keep.

INT. VISITING ROOM. DAY

A converted armory containing a row of chairs along anextended table with a penitentiary-style wire-glasspartition down the middle. Zero sits alone. The pastry-

box is in front of him next to a glass of water. A dooropens, and another guard escorts M. Gustave into the

room.

M. Gustave is now dressed in a striped prison uniformwith his cap worn at a slight tilt. His hands areshackled. His face is purple and misshapen, coveredalmost entirely with bruises and abrasions, with one eyeswollen completely shut. He sits down facing Zero on theother side of the partition. (There is a glass of waterfor him, as well.) The guard waits in the corner. Hechecks his watch.

Zero looks horrified. He gasps:

ZERO:

What happened?

M. GUSTAVE

What happened, my dear Zero, is I beatthe living sh*t out of a snivelling,

little runt called Pinky Bandinski whohad the gall to question my virility --

because if there’s one thing we’velearned from penny dreadfuls, it’s that,

when you find yourself in a place likethis, you must never be a candy-ass.

You’ve got to prove yourself from DayOne. You’ve got to win their respect. Ofcourse, I’ve got about a foot and a halfof reach on Pinky, so once I’d pried himloose out from under my armpit, it wasshort order before I whipped him intoscrambled eggs.

(drinks a sip of water)

You should take a long look at his uglymug this morning.

(spits blood back into the cup)

He’s, actually, become a dear friend.

You’ll meet him, I hope. So.

M. Gustave slides closer to the glass. So does Zero.

47.

M. GUSTAVE

You talk to Kovacs?

ZERO:

I saw him last night in secret. He mademe take an oath (on a Bible) I wouldn’ttell a soul. You’re supposed to, also.

M. GUSTAVE

(irritated)

I’ll do that later.

ZERO:

He suspects you’re innocent.

M. GUSTAVE

Of course, he does. What’s the charge?

INT. TAVERN. NIGHT

An alcove in a corner of a dark, seedy, back-street alehouse.

Shady characters lurk at the counter. Zero sitsacross from Deputy Kovacs, who reads a report to him bythe light of an oil-lamp. They both sip mugs of lager.

There is also a small Bible on the table.

DEPUTY KOVACS:

“In the small hours of the evening ofnineteen October, an individual well-

known to the house and staff, a M.

Gustave H, did arrive at the Desgoffe undTaxis residence in Lutz and enter by therear service alley, alerting no one tohis presence, and did then proceed by wayof back-stairs and servants-passage, todeliver himself into the private chambersof Madame D. There is no evidence to

indicate whether this visit had been prearranged

with her or not. The nextmorning, Madame D. was found dead bystrychnine poisoning. M. Gustave was notobserved on the premises again until,” ofcourse, “twenty-four hours later.” Theidentity of his accusers is made clear inthis notarized deposition.

Deputy Kovacs produces another document which he handsto Zero. Zero studies it as Deputy Kovacs continues:

DEPUTY KOVACS:

They include, essentially, all members ofthe extended family -- but the keywitness who actually (ostensibly) saw thealleged events appears to have fled thejurisdiction. His whereabouts are

(more)

48.

DEPUTY KOVACS (cont'd)

currently unknown, but he’s being sought

and pursued by the relevant authorities.

ZERO:

(concerned)

Who is he?

CUT TO:

M. Gustave with a look of utter astonishment on his

face. He blurts out:

M. GUSTAVE

Serge?

ZERO:

I’m afraid so.

M. GUSTAVE

That little prick.

Pause. M. Gustave reconsiders.

M. GUSTAVE

No, I don’t believe it. They put him upto it. I’ve been dropped into a nest ofvipers.

ZERO:

You have an alibi?

M. GUSTAVE

(off-hand)

Certainly, but she’s married to the Dukeof Westfalia. I can’t allow her name to

get mixed-up in all this monkey business.

ZERO:

(gravely)

M. Gustave:
your life may be at stake.

M. GUSTAVE

(bitterly)

I know, but the b*tch legged it. She’salready on the Queen Nasstasja half-wayto Dutch Tanganyika.

M. Gustave sighs and stares at the floor, shaking hishead. He looks like he is about to cry. Zero saysfinally -- almost inaudibly:

ZERO:

Don’t give up.

M. Gustave looks back to Zero. He nods. He points.

49.

M. GUSTAVE

What’s in the box?

ZERO:

(encouraging)

A Courtesan au chocolat.

M. GUSTAVE

(deeply moved)

From Mendl’s. Thank you, my angel.

EXT. STREET. NIGHT

A dark lane crowded with narrow, crooked littlebuildings. Rushing water gurgles down the gutters. Apack of rats darts across the road in single-file anddisappears into a drain-pipe. A church bell rings acrossthe city.

Jopling waits on the threshold of a ramshackle cottagestaring at the front door.

Rate this script:4.3 / 3 votes