电影剧本：SHANGHAI JEWS（22）

(22)

 

EXT. STREETS -- DAY

It's the Chinese New Year. CHINESE PEOPLE, in colorful costumes, perform the dragon dance and the red silk dance to the rhythm made by beating drums and clapping cymbals. Firecrackers are set off everywhere. Adults and children watch and cheer the performers on.

INT. BALLET STUDIO -- DAY

Under Rose's supervision, more than ten Chinese and foreign little GIRLS, from five to twelve, are trained basic ballet on the barre. Ivan accompanies them on the piano.

Then Rose leads the girls to the center of the floor to work on leaps, pirouettes and posing arabesque.

After the class, Chinese parents hand Rose small red paper bags filled with bonus money.

CHINESE PARENT 1

(giving Rose a red bag)

It's our tradition in the Chinese Spring Festival to give teachers a little bonus money.

CHINESE PARENT 2

(giving Rose a red bag)

Happy Chinese New Year, Teacher Rose. Thank you for being so good to my daughter.

Rose graciously accepts the bags.

ROSE

Thank you. Thanks a lot. It's a joy to work with your daughters.

PARENTS/GIRLS

Goodbye, Teacher Rose, goodbye.

ROSE

Goodbye, see you next time.

Ivan walks the parents and their daughters out of the studio, leaving the piano open. Petr comes over, fumbles the grand piano and strikes the keys at random to make noises.

ROSE (CONT'D)

Petr, don't touch the piano.

Petr stares at Rose and pounds on the piano more forcibly. Hans enters and shows Petr a chocolate bar.

HANS

Hey, little guy, come on, like chocolate?

Petr snatches the chocolate bar from Hans' hand and takes a bite out of it.

ROSE

Say thank you, Petr.

Petr keeps biting and chewing chocolate.

HANS

Petr, call me Daddy.

PETR

No, you're not my Daddy.

HANS

Yes, I am.

PETR

No, you're not.

Petr is so irritable that he gives Hans a hard KICK. Hans recoils. Rose, annoyed at Petr's behavior, grabs his arm and hits him on the buttocks. While Petr is wailing and stomping, Hans comes to his rescue and pulls him away from Rose. Petr makes face at Rose from behind Hans' back. Reaching out her arm for Petr, Rose runs bump into Hans. Hans keeps her hands in his grasp and gazes at her.

HANS

Rose, I know, it's very tough to raise Petr on your own, as a single mother. Please consider, let me help you.

ROSE

No, I don't need your help. I can do it by myself.

HANS

I'd like to assume responsibility.

ROSE

Unnecessary. It's none of your business.

HANS

Marry me, Rose, marry me, please.

Rose withdraws her hands from Hans' and falls back.

ROSE

No, Hans, no.

HANS

Why not? Why?

ROSE

Are you insane? You don't love me. How come you say you want to marry me, if you don't love me, idiot?

HANS

Rose, listen, I'm serious. Can you give me a chance?

ROSE

No. Don't sympathize me. I don't need sympathy. What I want is love, true love. You know what true love is, don't you. Can you give me true love? No, Hans, no, you can't. You can not!

HANS

I, uh, I want to support you, protect you, and, and I want you to be happy.

ROSE

If you really want me to live in comfort, just leave me alone. Leave me and Petr alone.

HANS

Rose, I...

ROSE

Don't say anything any more. Nothing.

INT. ROSE'S BEDROOM -- NATASHA'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

Petr lies in bed, falling asleep. Rose comes to tuck Petr in, looks at his face and lies beside him. Asleep, Rose has a nightmare.

ROSE'S NIGHTMARE

Petr fumbles the grand piano in the ballet studio and then strikes the keys at random to make noises. Suddenly, Petr plays on the piano skillfully and sings military song. Petr makes a face at Rose and sticks his tongue out at her.

Rose is shocked as Petr's face gradually transforms into Walter's. It turns out that Walter pounds on the piano, roaring military songs in the night club. Walter and Petr repeat transforming their faces horribly.

BACK TO SCENE

Rose awakes from her nightmare, screaming and gasping.

EXT. FOOD KITCHEN IN GHETTO -- HONGKOW -- DAY

Hans opens the door to let in a line of poor JEWISH REFUGEES who queue up with empty bowls and pots.

HANS

Hey, come on in, come on in. We've prepared good meals for you.

INT. FRONT ROOM - FOOD KITCHEN IN GHETTO -- DAY

One by one, for each refugee, Hans ladles soup out of a big pot, while Anna and other HELPERS allocate meat and vegetables. Emilia cuts cakes and slices loaves of bread to hand out. As soon as those who have been provided file out of the kitchen, more and more hungry refugees push their way in, waiting to be served.

INT. BACK ROOM -- FOOD KITCHEN IN GHETTO -- DAY

Hans mixes flour and water, while another man kneads dough. Anna, Emilia and other helpers, with rolling pins, flatten the dough into thin strips and shape matzos with holes. Plates of matzos are then delivered to be baked in an oven. They sing HEBREW SONGS and enjoy the process of work.

INT. FRONT ROOM -- FOOD KITCHEN IN GHETTO -- DAY

Newly baked MATZOS are distributed to the refugees.

HANS

Happy Passover.

REFUGEES

Thank you. Happy Pesach. Happy Pesach to you.

(continuing)