The Toymaker

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1

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(MEN SHOUTING)

(KNOCKS ON DOOR)

- Hello.

- Please sir, please.

The Gestapo are chasing me,

may I take shelter in your home?

(MEN SHOUTING)

Please sir, they're going to kill me.

Okay, okay.

Thank you, thank you.

(PANTING)

Wait.

What's going on?

Who is that?

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Just follow my lead.

It will be all right.

(BANGING ON DOOR)

I'm Senior Stormleader Gebhardt.

This is Under Stormleader Fegelein.

What is this about?

We are pursuing an enemy of the state.

We have reason to believe he

may have entered your home.

I'm afraid not.

We haven't had any visitors tonight.

What's your name?

I'm Christophe Muller.

This is my wife, Brigitte.

Is it just the two of you

in the house this evening?

My daughter Esther is asleep upstairs.

We would like to conduct

a search of the premises.

Are there any objections?

No.

Sir, may I go upstairs

and bring my daughter down to join us?

She will be frightened

if you enter her room without warning.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

You have two minutes.

(FOOTSTEPS MOVING AWAY)

May I ask you what crime the man

you are looking for has committed?

The man is considered a

threat to national security.

Are you a supporter of the Fuehrer?

Of course.

Then you should want to

see the fugitive captured

as soon as possible.

I do.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

It's okay, sweetheart.

These men need to look at the house

to be sure of our safety.

Now, before we begin,

is there anything you wish to tell us

that would make conducting

of a search unnecessary?

CHRISTOPHE:
I don't have any information.

We live a very quiet life here.

We're not used to this.

If you cooperate you have nothing to fear.

Fegelein, you search upstairs.

Yes, sir.

Nothing.

It's clear.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Hold on.

GEBHARDT:
What?

FEGELEIN:
Did you check in there?

No.

(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)

FEGELEIN:
Nothing of interest.

Okay, let's go.

Good night.

Good night, officers.

Hello?

Have they gone?

Yeah, you're safe.

(PANTING)

I am sorry we can't offer

you something more hospitable.

But it's better you be hidden

should the officers return.

Thank you, Christophe.

I owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

I'm happy to offer you temporary shelter.

But my family will be

in danger if your stay

becomes a long-term arrangement.

Of course.

Just a few days would be appreciated.

I have friends on the east side of Bavaria.

I'll head to them once

the search dies down.

Good.

Can I ask you something?

Of course.

The book.

You haven't let it go since you arrived.

What is the meaning of it?

If I don't tell you,

then you don't have to

lie when they ask you.

But I assure you, I am no criminal.

I pose no threat to you, or

your family, or anyone else.

I was a historian by trade.

Doing research for the Fuehrer.

But I uncovered some dark secrets

about the Fuehrer's plans for our country,

and I felt it was my

duty to step and stop it.

CHRISTOPHE:
I understand.

I don't support the current regime.

Although I will not voice

that openly, of course.

Indeed.

We will provide you with food and shelter.

All I expect in return

is respect for my family.

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

(SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING)

(GRUNTING)

Here you go, my love.

Thank you, sweetheart.

I like seeing sweat on

a working man's forehead.

Oh, do you now?

(GROWLS)

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Christophe!

Christophe.

What is it?

Christophe, look.

(PANTING)

They know he's here.

(PANTING)

Make sure Benjamin

returns to the attic, okay?

Okay.

Tell Esther we have visitors.

Okay.

It will be all right.

The book!

- I need the book!

- There's no time.

Hide it. Whatever you do,

don't let them find it.

Herr Muller.

Yes?

I am Colonel Ludolf von Alvensleben.

How are you on this glorious day?

Fine, thank you.

Good.

Uh, you may have guessed the

reason for my visit today.

It's regarding the matter my officers

discussed with you a few days ago.

They inspected my home.

I'm aware of that.

Forgive me, I hate to

trouble your family again,

but it would be remiss

of me not to follow up

on such an important

matter of national security.

You understand, don't you?

Of course.

Good.

May we go in for a moment?

Yes, please.

(DOOR OPENS)

Ah, this must be your lovely wife.

CHRISTOPHE:
Yes, this is Brigitte.

Frau Muller, a great pleasure.

BRIGITTE:
Would you like a drink?

No thank you, I do not want to take up

too much of your time.

Though I'd love to meet

your lovely daughter,

she's at home today?

Uh, yes, she's upstairs in her bedroom.

Excellent, perhaps I'll get

a chance to meet her later.

Herr Muller...

Please, call me Christophe.

Very well, Christophe.

May we speak privately?

Yes, of course.

I'll accompany her.

Thank you, Fegelein.

Please.

Sit.

Ahh.

We are both busy men, so I'll

get straight to the point.

The enemy of the state we are looking for

is a man by the name of Benjamin Hoffman.

He has stolen important

government documents which,

if they fell into the hands of our enemies,

would have grave consequences

for our national security.

It is our understanding that Hoffman

is intent on selling these

documents to a rival nation.

I'm sure you understand it

is imperative we prevent it.

Of course.

I assume of course you

are loyal to the Fuehrer.

I'm a very proud German.

Of course you are.

So, if you are to encounter this man,

it would be your duty

as a proud German citizen

to inform the authorities, yes?

Of course.

Do you know what exactly what

it is I do for the Fuehrer?

No.

Well, here in the Bavaria region,

I am responsible for, amongst other things,

finding and interrogating people

suspected of harboring

enemies of the state.

Do you know why I was

appointed to such a position?

No.

It is because unlike

the average human being,

I do not treat lying

as an emotional matter.

You see, lying is a science.

And it's a very complex science.

There are many different signals

to tell if someone is lying.

There are some people who can learn

to control the overt symptoms,

but there are some things

that we as human beings

simply cannot control.

Namely, the nervous system.

When you are in a stressful situation,

your autonomic and limbic systems react.

Now this means that your whole body

prepares you for the imminent threat.

Your blood vessels constrict,

you begin to breath faster,

your heart beats more rapidly.

This leads to sweating.

Now, as the adrenaline

shoots through the body

it is very difficult to

prevent the inevitable trembling

in various body parts such

as your hands and feet.

In this war,

the most useful weapon is not a pistol.

It is the nervous system.

It tells me everything I need to know.

CHRISTOPHE:
I understand.

What do you understand, Herr Muller?

You are a human lie detector.

Ha, that's something of

an over-simplification,

but certainly an accurate sentiment.

So,

Christophe.

Before we do one final search of your home,

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