钢琴家 The Pianist Movie Script

NCO:

(in a towering rage) Stand up!

The family rise to their feet fast, except for the old man in the wheelchair. The NCO bears down on him.

NCO:

Stand up!

The old man in the wheelchair grips the arms of the chair and tries desperately to stand. But he can't. Without warning, the SS men seize the chair with the old man in it, carry him out on to the balcony.

THE SZPILMANS:

Mother SCREAMS, Father shrinks back, Halina comforts him and Regina comforts Mother.

Szpilman's and Henryk 's POV - the apartment opposite: The SS men throw the old man in his wheelchair over the balcony. He seems to hang in the air for a second then drops out of the chair and out of sight. But there's a terrible thud as his body hits the pavement and a clatter as the wheelchair follows him.

THE SZPILMANS:

Mother sobbing. The others, still horrified.

REGINA:

(softly, to Mother) Be quiet, Mama, for God's sake, be quiet!

Then sound of shots, slamming doors, screams, shouts.

Szpilman and Henryk hurry to another window so that they can see what's going on.

Their POV from second window building opposite and street: SS Men herding a couple of dozen prisoners from the building opposite.

People watching from the windows but trying not to be seen.

The headlights of the SS vehicle are switched on and the SS Men are forcing their prisoners to stand in the beam.

A GERMAN VOICE:

Run! Run!

The prisoners start to run.

The SS men open fire with a machine gun mounted on the vehicle. People in the building opposite begin to SCREAM.

The prisoners are being shot down. They are lifted into the air by the bullets, turn somersaults, fall dead.

One man escapes by running back in the opposite direction, out of the beam of light and is lost to sight for a moment.

The escaping man, a silhouette, out of the light, runs with all his strength, putting distance between himself and the SS. He starts to scale a wall. He looks as though he's getting away.

But there's a floodlight on the SS vehicle. It flares into light, swivels and finds the man. A volley of shots.

The man drops from the wall, dead. The SS men get into the vehicle and speed off, driving over the dead bodies.

THE SZPILMANS:

Szpilman and Henryk stare at the scene, silent, shocked.

The only sounds, the weeping of the people opposite and, nearer, Mother crying softly.

INT. CAFE NOWOCZESNA - DAY Szpilman, as if in another world, playing the piano. The cafe is full of customers but the atmosphere is much more subdued than previously, the mood is sombre.

EXT. CAFE NOWOCZESNA - DAY A doorman with a cudgel beats away the beggars from the door as Halina, distraught and out of breath, runs to the cafe entrance. The doorman lets her in.