The Grand Budapest Hotel Page #16

ZERO:

(reserved)

Truly.

M. GUSTAVE

(ashamed)

Well, I suppose I’d better take backeverything I just said. What a bloodyidiot I am. Pathetic fool. Goddamn

selfish bastard. This is disgraceful --

and it’s beneath the standards of the

Grand Budapest.

Zero looks increasingly concerned as M. Gustave beginsto come unglued. Tears stream down M. Gustave’s face. Hestands at attention and says with deep deference:

M. GUSTAVE

I apologize on behalf of the hotel.

74.

ZERO:

(gently)

It’s not your fault, M. Gustave. You werejust upset I forgot the perfume.

M. GUSTAVE

Don’t make excuses for me. I owe you mylife.

M. Gustave takes Zero by the hand. He says with greatfeeling and sincerity:

M. GUSTAVE

You’re my dear friend and prot.g., andI’m very proud of you. You must know

that. I’m so sorry, Zero.

ZERO:

(gallantly)

We’re brothers.

M. Gustave, touched to the quick, instantly kisses Zeroon both cheeks and they embrace. They release eachother. They try to pull themselves back together. Pause.

M. GUSTAVE

How’s our darling Agatha?

Zero starts to answer, then hesitates. He recites:

ZERO:

“’Twas first light when I saw her faceupon the heath; and hence did I return,

day-by-day, entranced: tho’ vinegar didbrine my heart --”

A powerful siren begins to blast across the region.

Zero’s eyes dart around, startled. M. Gustave says overthe noise, impressed:

M. GUSTAVE

Very good! I’m going to stop you becausethe alarm has sounded -- but remember

where we left off, because I insist youfinish later!

M. Gustave and Zero take-off full-speed down the road.

INT. TELEPHONE BOOTH. NIGHT

A black-and-yellow wooden call-box next to a tiny puboutside the village. Windmills spin gently on the farside of a wheat field in the distance. Zero holds the

door open while M. Gustave dials.

75.

M. GUSTAVE

Operator, get me the Excelsior Palace inBaden-J.rgen and reverse the charges,

please.

(to Zero)

We’ve no choice. There’s nowhere else to

turn.

(into the receiver)

I’ll hold. Thank you.

(to Zero)

It’s our only hope. Otherwise, Ishouldn’t even mention its existence to

you. It goes without saying, you mustnever breath a word about this to a

living soul. Do you swear?

ZERO:

Of course. What is it, in fact?

M. GUSTAVE

I can’t say.

(into the receiver)

Guten abend. M. Ivan, bitte. Danke.

(by way of explanation, to Zero)

How does one come by front-row aisle-

seats for a first-night at the OperaToscana with one day’s notice? How doesone arrange a private viewing of thetapestry collection at the Royal SaxonGallery? How does one secure a cornertable at Chez Dominique on a Thursday?

Zero nods as he takes this in, intrigued. Pause. M.

Gustave says suddenly into the receiver, turning on thecharm:

M. GUSTAVE

Ivan, darling, it’s Gustave! Hello! Well,

I was until about five minutes ago. We’vetaken it upon ourselves to clear out in ahurry, if you see what I mean. Through asewer, as it happens. Exactly! Listen,

Ivan, sorry to cut you off, but we’re ina bit of a bind. This is an official

request.

(officially)

I’m formally calling upon the specialservices of -

TITLE:

Part 4:
“The Society of the Crossed Keys”

76.

INT. FIRST LOBBY. NIGHT

Concierge desk #1. There are rows of mail-boxes withroom numbers on them, keys on hooks, and a bell on thecounter-top. A slim concierge with a long moustachetalks on the telephone. He is M. Ivan. A Lobby Boy waitsbeside him silently.

M. IVAN

I’ll call you back, Gustave. Right. Standby.

M. Ivan hangs up the telephone and turns to a waitingyoung couple as he produces a small paper map from adrawer.

M. IVAN

I beg your pardon. Do you prefer to walk?

We’re right here.

M. Ivan makes a little “X” in ink on the map. He draws aline.

M. IVAN

It’s very simple. Straight down thecorniche. Then left.

(to the Lobby Boy)

Jojo, see them out.

The young couple take the map gratefully, and the LobbyBoy escorts them away. M. Ivan picks up the telephoneagain and says urgently:

M. IVAN

Get me M. Georges at the Ch.teau Luxe,

please.

CUT TO:

The dining room at a hunting lodge. One hundred smallchildren crowd around a long table. There is a hugebirthday cake with seven lit candles on it. Streamershang from the ceiling. Balloons float on strings. A verytall, bony concierge conducts the room singing “HappyBirthday”. He is M. Georges.

A Lobby Boy goes over to M. Georges and whispers in hisear. M. Georges nods and quickly exits. The Lobby Boyreplaces him and takes over the conducting.

INT. SECOND LOBBY. NIGHT

Concierge desk #2. M. Georges picks up the telephone.

77.

M. GEORGES

Hello, Ivan? You don’t say? Is he really?

How about that? Got it.

M. Georges presses down on the hook to disconnect, thenlifts it up again and says urgently:

M. GEORGES

Get me M. Dino at the Palazzo

Principessa, please.

CUT TO:

A busy piazza across from a church. There is a crowdedtrattoria on the sidewalk. There is a statue of a

centurion. One hundred men and women in pajamas and bathrobes

stand on the street in front of a hotel looking upat a fourth-floor window with smoke gushing out of itwhile a ladder extends from a fire engine toward a calmold woman at the windowsill. An alarm rings loudly. Astocky concierge with slick, black hair stands at thefront of the crowd yelling orders and holding a fire-

extinguisher. He is M. Dino.

A Lobby Boy goes over to M. Reggio and whispers in hisear. M. Dino nods and quickly goes into the hotel. TheLobby Boy takes the fire-extinguisher and replaces himyelling orders.

INT. THIRD LOBBY. NIGHT

Concierge desk #3. The lobby is a bit smoky. M. Dinopicks up the telephone.

M. DINO

M. Georges. No trouble at all. Tell me. Isee. I see. Straight away.

M. Dino presses down on the hook to disconnect, thenlifts it up again and says urgently:

M. DINO

Get me M. Robin at l’H.tel C.te du Cap,

please.

CUT TO:

A clay tennis court overlooking a bright, blue sea atsunset. Twenty-five men and women in tennis whites andbathing suits circle around another tennis player lyingflat on his back on the ground while a very fit, sportyconcierge with a pompadour sits on one knee next to himchecking his pulse. He is M. Robin.

A Lobby Boy goes over to M. Robin and whispers in hisear. M. Robin nods and quickly leaves the court. The

78.

Lobby Boy replaces him and resumes checking the fallenman’s pulse.

INT. FOURTH LOBBY. NIGHT

Concierge desk #4. M. Robin picks up the telephone.

M. ROBIN

This is M. Robin. Yes, Dino. Yes, Dino.

Yes, Dino. OK, Dino.

M. Robin presses down on the hook to disconnect, thenlifts it up again and says urgently:

M. ROBIN

Get me M. Martin at the Ritz Imperial,

please.

CUT TO:

An extremely busy hotel kitchen filled with cooks ofevery rank and specialty. Waiters dash in and outcontinuously. A small, round concierge with a pink faceis screaming and pointing a serving fork at the chef(who is flamb.-ing a cr.pe suzette). He is M. Martin.

A Lobby Boy goes over to M. Martin and whispers in hisear. M. Martin nods and quickly exits the kitchen. TheLobby Boy takes the serving fork and replaces himscreaming at the chef.

Rate this script:4.3 / 3 votes