The Pianist Page #12

SZPILMAN:

What's the matter? Are you sick?

HENRYK:

Hungry.

EXT. CAFE NOWOCZESNA - NIGHT

Szpilman supports Henryk, helps him towards the back of

the cafe.

INT. KITCHEN, CAFE NOWOCZESNA - NIGHT

Henryk, finishing a bowl of soup and a piece of bread,

sits at a worktop with Szpilman and Benek. The kitchen is

small and busy with cooks, waiters, washers-up.

SZPILMAN:

What's that mean, no employment

certificate?

HENRYK:

You have to have an employment

certificate to work for one of the

German firms in the ghetto,

otherwise...

SZPILMAN:

Otherwise what?

HENRYK:

You'll be deported.

BENEK:

So the rumours were true...

HENRYK:

They're going to resettle us. Send

us to labour camps. In the east.

And they're closing the small

ghetto.

Silence.

EXT. CHLODNA STREET - DAY

A dense crowd of people crossing the bridge in both

directions.

Szpilman, shabby and unshaven, hurries along and meets

Jehuda Zyskind coming towards him, accompanied by the small

man, Majorek.

JEHUDA:

Wladek!

Szpilman stops.

JEHUDA:

I thought you'd be off on tour,

playing London, Paris, New York?

SZPILMAN:

(trying to smile)

Not this week.

They're buffeted by the crowd. In the street below them,

cars, trams, pedestrians and German guards.

JEHUDA:

I have to say you look terrible.

What's the trouble?

SZPILMAN:

You've heard the rumours they're

going to resettle us in the East?

JEHUDA:

(dismissing him)

Rumours, rumours, you take it all

too much to heart, Wladek.

SZPILMAN:

I've been trying to get a

certificate of employment for my

father. I've managed to get

certificates for me and the rest

of the family but I need one more

for my father. I've been trying

all the firms, the shops...

JEHUDA:

Why didn't you come to me?

SZPILMAN:

I didn't know you were in the

certificate business.

JEHUDA:

I'm not, but Majorek is.

SZPILMAN:

(to Majorek)

Can you help? I've no money...

JEHUDA:

Please, don't insult us.

(to Majorek)

Can you do something for him?

MAJOREK:

Be at the Schultz Workshop,

tomorrow, four o'clock.

JEHUDA:

You see what a wonderful piece of

luck you've had today? That's die

historical imperative in action

and that's why I always say, look

on...

SZPILMAN:

(joining with him)

...the bright side, yes, I know.

INT. OFFICE AND FLOOR, SCHULTZ FACTORY - DAY

The name 'Samuel Szpilman' being written on a certificate.

The clatter of sewing machines.

SCHULTZ, a fat, sweaty German is filling out the form at

his desk. Majorek beside him, standing, chatting to him

and having a quiet laugh. In the doorway, Szpilman and

Father.

The small office is on an upper level with a window looking

down on the factory floor where Jewish men and women are

hard at work on sewing machines making the terrible clatter.

Schultz stamps the certificate, hands it to Majorek, who

gives it to Father.

FATHER:

(doffing his hat)

Thank you.

SCHULTZ:

(beaming, German

accent)

My pleasure. It won't help you

anyway.

EXT. CHLODNA STREET BRIDGE - DAY

A great mass of agitated people crossing only one way:

from the small ghetto to the large ghetto, carrying their

belongings. A German film crew records the scene. The

Szpilmans among the crowd, lugging suitcases and bundles,

Henryk with a few books, Father carrying his violin case.

They struggle across the bridge.

EXT./INT. YARD AND WAREHOUSE - DAY

A truck backing up. The tail-gate is opened to reveal a

huge load of furniture, linen, clothing, mirrors, carpets,

bedclothes. Three Jews inside the van start to unload the

stuff, dumping it in the yard.

Other Jews stand ready to start sorting the load, among

them the Szpilman family. Shupos and Jewish policemen

supervise.

Each has their allotted task: Szpilman and Henryk sort out

carpets, Father mirrors, Regina linen, Halina and Mother,

clothing.

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