The Pianist Page #3

MOTHER:

What are we supposed to do with

the rest?

HALINA:

Deposit it in a bank. Blocked

account.

HENRYK:

Banks? Who'd be stupid enough to

deposit money in a German bank?

REGINA:

We could hide the money here in

the window frame.

FATHER:

No, no, no. I'll tell you what

we'll do. We'll use tried and tested

methods. You know what we did in

the last war? We made a hole in

the table leg and we hid the money

in there.

HENRYK:

And suppose they take the table

away?

MOTHER:

What d'you mean, take the table

away?

HENRYK:

The Germans go into Jewish homes

and they just take what they want,

furniture, valuables, anything.

MOTHER:

Do they?

FATHER:

Idiot! What would they want with a

table?

All look at the table: it's covered in stains and the veneer

is coming away at one end. A table like this?

He pokes his finger under the veneer. It snaps, revealing

bare wood beneath.

MOTHER:

What on earth are you doing?

HALINA:

There's a good place under the

cupboard.

HENRYK:

No, no. Listen, I've been thinking --

SZPILMAN:

That makes a change.

HENRYK:

You know what we do? We use

psychology.

SZPILMAN:

We use what?

HENRYK:

We leave the money and the watch

on the table. And we cover it like

this.

(covers it with the

newspaper)

In full view. The Germans will

search high and low, I promise

you, they'll never notice it.

SZPILMAN:

Of course they'll notice it. But

look--

(lifts the violin

fingerboard.)

This is a good place for something.

HENRYK:

A good place for what?

(to the others')

He's insane!

SZPILMAN:

Just shut up.

FATHER:

(overlapping)

My violin?

They all talk at once.

REGINA:

Quiet! Quiet! Order, please, order!

HALINA:

She's a lawyer, she likes order.

REGINA:

Listen, just listen. Let's come to

an agreement. We jam the money in

the window frame. The watch we

hide under the cupboard. And the

chain we put in the violin.

A brief silence.

FATHER:

Will I still be able to play?

SZPILMAN:

Let's find out.

They start to hide the things.

INT. WARSAW PHARMACY - DAY

Szpilman is on the public telephone, waiting for someone

to answer his call. Then:

SZPILMAN:

Jurek? Wladek Szpilman.

JUREK:

(filtered)

Wladek! How are you?

SZPILMAN:

Fine, we're fine, thank you, and

you?

JUREK:

(filtered)

Fine, we're fine in the

circumstances. But I can guess

what you've called about. There's

nothing we can do; they won't reopen

the station--

SZPILMAN:

(trying to interrupt)

Yes, I know, but Jurek, Jurek...

JUREK:

(filtered)

...not even music, nothing, no

radios for the Poles. But I'm sure

you'll find work, Wladek, a pianist

like you.

SZPILMAN:

Maybe, maybe not, but, Jurek, don't

be offended, I didn't call to

discuss my future career.

EXT. WARSAW STREET AND CAFE PARADISO - DAY

Szpilman and Dorota stroll along a tree-lined street with

bombed-out buildings and rubble. She flicks admiring, almost

loving glances at him as they walk and talk. And he is

smiling, touched by her.

DOROTA:

I nagged Jurek for weeks and weeks.

And at last he gave in and said,

'All right, come with me tomorrow,'

and so I came and they bombed the

station.

SZPILMAN:

You know something? Meeting you

like that was absolutely wonderful.

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