screenplay) the reader - david hare

8/2/2019 Screenplay) the Reader - David Hare

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The Reader

ByDavid Hare

Based on the novel by Bernhard Schlink


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INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. BERLIN. DAY. CREDITS

1995. A modern apartment, all cool and glass. MICHAEL BERG ispreparing breakfast, laying the table for two. He is 51, dark-haired, saturnine. He is doing everything with deliberatequietness, taking the occasional glance towards the bedroom

to check hes not making too much noise. He is boiling anegg, which he takes out of boiling water and puts on asparkling clean plate.

MICHAEL puts the yolk-stained egg-cup and plate into thesink, his breakfast eaten, then, as noiseless as he can,turns on the tap to run water. The bedroom door opens, andBRIGITTE comes out, naked. Shes attractive, younger. Thecredits end.

BRIGITTEYou didnt wake me.

MICHAELYou were sleeping.

BRIGITTEYou let me sleep because you cantbear to have breakfast with me.

Its half-serious. MICHAEL doesnt react.

MICHAELNothing could be further from thetruth. I boiled you an egg. See?

MICHAEL produces a second boiled egg in a cup, seemingly from nowhere, like a magician, and puts it on the table.

MICHAELId hardly have boiled you an eggif I didnt want to see you. Tea orcoffee?

BRIGITTE has re-appeared from the bedroom, now in a dressinggown. Shes still half-serious.

BRIGITTE

Does any woman ever stay longenough to find out what the hellgoes on in your head?

MICHAEL smiles to himself.

BRIGITTEWhat are you doing tonight?


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MICHAELIm seeing my daughter.

BRIGITTEYour daughter? Youve kept very

quiet about her.MICHAEL

Have I? Shes been abroad for ayear. Did you say tea?

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. BERLIN. DAY

MICHAEL kisses BRIGITTE on the cheek as she departs.

BRIGITTEIm going. Give my love to yourdaughter.

He closes the door, then turns to the open door of thebedroom. He looks at the mess of last nights love-making.Then he goes to the window and looks out. A yellow U-Bahngoes by.

INT. TRAM. DAY.

December 1958. MICHAEL, now 15, is sitting on a tram. He isin a well-cut suit hes inherited, ill-fitting, with two-toneshoes and tangled mop of hair. Sweat breaks out all over hisface. A WOMAN is staring at him. Hes plainly feeling ill.

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. DAY

1995. MICHAEL stands at the window, looking out.

INT. TRAM. DAY

1958. Impulsively MICHAEL gets up, rings the bell and getsoff at the next stop.

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. DAY

1995. MICHAEL closes the window.

EXT. BANHOFSTRASSE. DAY

1958. It has come on to rain. MICHAEL is walking along thestreet, looking more and more sickly. There is an archwayleading to a courtyard, and impulsively he darts inside toget out of the rain. He begins to vomit. Opposite him is a

wood workshop open to the yard. A uniformed TRAM CONDUCTRESS walks past.

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MICHAELS body is turned away, his face invisible, his handover his mouth. She puts down her ticket machine on thepavement and seizes him by the arm.

HANNA Hey. Hey!

HANNA SCHMITZ has ash-blonde hair and is in her mid-thirties.She disappears. Hes sick again. She reappears with a bucketof water to sluice down the pavement. She wipes his face down

with a wet cloth. Then she fills another bucket.

HANNA Hey, kid. Hey.

MICHAELIm sorry. Im sorry.

Effortlessly, HANNA takes MICHAEL in her arms. She holds hishead against her breasts. MICHAEL buries himself and slowlyhe stops sobbing. Then he lifts his head.

HANNA Where do you live?

EXT. STREET. DAY

HANNA and MICHAEL walk at a fair pace along a street, dotted with the scaffolding of new building. HANNA is carrying his

satchel, she is pulling him by the arm.

EXT. BLUMENSTRASSE. DAY

They come up the road. It is now snowing. MICHAEL stopsoutside his block, as if nervous she might come in.

MICHAELIts here. Ill be fine now. Thankyou.

HANNA Look after yourself.

MICHAEL smiles Thank you and goes in. HANNA is left alone.

She looks round, frowning, then sets off, stoppinguncertainly at the crossroads to check for the way she came.MICHAEL turns and watches, curious at her indecision.

INT. BERG APARTMENT. BLUMENSTRASSE. NIGHT

CARLA BERG is at the stove in the kitchen. She takes dinnerthrough for the BERG family, at a round table in atraditional apartment, under a five-candled brass chandelier.

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MICHAELS father, PETER, is a balding, abstracted man, eatingin oppressive silence. Next to him, his older brother THOMAS,18, his older sister, ANGELA, and his younger sister, EMILY.MICHAEL has his book in front of him, not touching his food.

CARLA

Im worried about him. He looksterrible.

PETERThe boys saying he doesnt need adoctor.

EMILYHe does.

MICHAELI dont need a doctor.

PETERGood then.

CARLA looks reproachful.

CARLA Peter.

PETERWere not going to argue aboutthis. People have to takeresponsibility for their own lives.

INT. BEDROOM. BERG APARTMENT. DAY

MICHAEL is lying in a single bed, his face violentlyinflamed. CARLA is with the DOCTOR, a much older man.

DOCTORRemind me, how old are you now?

CARLA Michaels fifteen.

DOCTOR

Its scarlet fever. Hell be in bedfor several months. At least.

MICHAEL turns into the pillow, a wet patch beneath his head.Delusional with fever, he senses a presence at the door. Heturns. Its EMILY. But at once CARLAs arm pulls her away.

CARLA Keep away. Hes contagious.

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They vanish. The door closes. In the corridor the DOCTOR isheard.

DOCTORBurn the sheets. Complete

isolation. And three months is the minimum.

INT & EXT. BERG APARTMENT. DAY

1959. A sunny day in March. MICHAELs bed has been movedbeside open windows so he can profit from the weak sun. He issitting up, working on his stamp collection. CARLA is movinground behind him, tidying the room.

CARLA How are you feeling?

MICHAELBetter. By the way, I meant to tellyou, the day I got ill... a womanhelped me. A woman in the street.

CARLA She helped you?

MICHAELYes. She brought me home.

CARLA Do you have her address?


MICHAEL is standing holding a small bunch of flowers. He islooking puzzled at a row of bells with numbers only. The

woodyard is busy. WORKMEN come out of the building.

INT. STAIRS & LANDING. BANHOFSTRASSE. DAY

MICHAEL comes up the stairwell, once grand, now in decay -green linoleum and faded red paint. The sound of asentimental song at the open door of a small apartment.

Inside, HANNA is ironing in a sleeveless smock, blue with redflowers. Her hair is fastened in a clip. She looks at him a moment.

HANNA Come in.

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INT. HANNAS APARTMENT. DAY

The flat is without decoration, an enfilade of small rooms. A stove, a sink, a tub, a boiler, a table, a few wooden chairs.There is no window, just a balcony door to let light into the

room. HANNA carries on ironing.MICHAEL

I brought you these flowers. To saythank you.

HANNA Put them down there.

MICHAEL puts them beside the sink. HANNA has a blanket and acloth over the table : nothing disturbs her rhythm, as sheirons one piece of laundry after another, then folds it andputs it over one of the chairs.

MICHAELI would have come earlier, but Ivebeen in bed for three months.

HANNA Youre better now?

MICHAELThank you.

HANNA Have you always been weak?

MICHAELOh no. Id never been ill before.Its incredibly boring. Theresnothing to do. I couldnt even bebothered to read.

HANNA carries on ironing. He is becoming as comfortable withthe silence as she is. She starts ironing a pair of knickers.He watches her bare arms moving back and forth. She looksbroad-planed, strong. She is at peace with being watched. Sheputs one pair of knickers down, then does another. Then she

upends the iron.HANNA

I have to go to work. Ill walk with you. Wait in the hall while I

change.

MICHAEL goes out into the hall. The kitchen door is slightlyopen. HANNA takes off her smock and stands in a green slip.Her stockings are hanging over the back of a chair.

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She picks one up, rolls it, smooths it up over her calf andknee, then attaches it to her suspender. She reaches for theother. The flesh is bare between her legs. MICHAEL watches,riveted. HANNA seems oblivious. But as she is about to putthe second stocking on, she looks at him. She drops herdress, and straightens, holding her stare. In response, he

blushes, then panics and runs out of the flat. The doorslams.

INT. STAIRS. DAY

MICHAEL runs down the stairs in terror and shame, and out thefront door.

EXT. COURTYARD. DAY

The WORKMEN look up, curious, as MICHAEL flies by, slammingthe outer door.

INT. BEDROOM. DAWN

MICHAEL is lying in bed. He looks up at the sound of a tram going by outside.

EXT. STREET. DAWN

The tram making its way along the quiet street.

INT. BEDROOM. DAWN

MICHAEL gets out of bed and quickly gets dressed.

INT. TRAM. DAY

MICHAEL, reading a book, watches unobserved, fascinated asHANNA collects tickets. She calls out the name of the nextstop. She doesnt see him as she works.


MICHAEL is standing on the other side of the street from HANNAS courtyard. He is in two minds about whether to go in.The WOODWORKERS are loading a van. He waits for them tofinish before he slips in through the archway, making his way

to the stairs.INT. LANDING. HANNAS APARTMENT. DAY

MICHAEL is sitting on the steps of the first landing. Then,as if from nowhere, HANNA is suddenly standing behind him, inuniform, carrying a box of coal in one hand, a scuttle in theother. She looks tired but not surprised to see him.

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HANNA There are two more bucketsdownstairs. You can fill them andbring them up.

HANNA walks straight past him. For a moment he tenses as ifthere might be some contact. But she goes by.

INT. CELLAR. DAY

MICHAEL opens the door. He turns on a dim light. There is aflight of wooden stairs into the murk of a huge pile of coke,poured in from the street. He goes down to the bottom, andpicks up a bucket. He digs in to the coke, and at once itcomes tumbling down on him in a cloud of dust.


HANNA is at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of milk. Shehas taken off her jacket and loosened her tie. MICHAEL comesin with the two buckets of coal, his face and clothes filthy.She roars with laughter, full-throated.

HANNA You look ridiculous, look at you,kid.

MICHAEL sees himself in the mirror, but she has already gotup, going towards the tub in the corner of the kitchen.

HANNA You cant go home like that. Give

me your clothes, Ill run you abath.

HANNA opens the tap. Theres a boiler, and steaming hot watercomes out. MICHAEL takes off his sweater, then stops.

HANNA What, do you always take a bath inyour trousers?

HANNA takes his sweater and goes to open the balcony door. He

undresses. She puts his sweater on the balcony rail.HANNA

Its all right, I wont look.

On the contrary, she turns and walks straight towards him.MICHAEL is naked. HANNA takes his clothes from the chair. Hegets into the bath. She goes to the balcony. In the bath, hesubmerges himself. HANNA goes out and shakes his clothes outin the open air.

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When he comes up from under the water, she is laying hisclothes back on the chair. She picks up the shampoo and handsit to him.

HANNA Wash your hair, Ill get you a

towel.MICHAEL washes his hair, then submerges again. When he comesback up, HANNA is holding out a large towel. He gets out,turning away to hide his erection. From behind, she wraps hisbody and rubs him dry. Then she lets the towel fall. She putsher body against his back, and he realises shes naked. Heturns and faces her.

HANNA So. Thats why you came back.

MICHAEL looks at her, awed.

MICHAELYoure so incredibly beautiful.

HANNA Now, kid, you know thats not true.

At once she puts her arms round him and they kiss. MICHAELgoes down onto the floor, HANNA on top of him. All the time,shes staring into his eyes. He cant take it. He closes hiseyes and, about to come, begins to scream. She puts her handover his mouth to smother the noise.

INT. DINING ROOM. BERG APARTMENT. NIGHT

The family is half-way through their meal. MICHAEL is sitting watching them eat, thinking about his lovemaking with HANNA.

PETERYouve inconvenienced your mother.

MICHAELHow many more times? Ive said Im sorry.

PETERYou scared her.

MICHAELIts hardly my fault, I got lost,thats all. Thats why I was late.Can I have some more?

He reaches for more stew. THOMAS goes on eating, a look ofcontempt on his face, too superior to engage in this.

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EMILYHow can anyone get lost in theirown home town?

MICHAEL

The doctor told me I had to take walks.

EMILYSo?

MICHAELI meant to head for the castle, Iended up at the sports-field.

EMILYTheyre in opposite directions.

MICHAELIts none of your business.

EMILYHes lying.

CARLA Hes not lying. Michael never lies.

CARLA smiles benignly. EMILY knows shes right. They all eaton for a few moments.

MICHAELDad, Ive decided, I want to goback to school tomorrow.

CARLA The doctor says you need anotherthree weeks.

MICHAELWell Im going.

CARLA Peter?

PETERIf he wants to go back, then he

must.

MICHAEL cant breathe, as if some decisive moment in his lifehas been reached. PETER is looking at him, seeming to know

whats going on.

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EXT. SCHOOL. DAY

A massive brownstone building. The whole SCHOOL is comingout, but MICHAEL is first, in a desperate hurry, wavinggoodbye to his friends and running quickly away.

INT. STAIRS & LANDING. BANHOFSTRASSE. DAY

MICHAEL comes quickly up the stairs. The door of HANNASapartment is ajar. He pushes it open.


HANNA is at the sink. MICHAEL comes in, precipitate, tearingoff his clothes and embracing her at the same time. He dropshis trousers and lifts her onto the sink. He comes in abouttwenty seconds. He stands sweating.

HANNA All right, kid, its not just aboutyou.


They are on the bed. He is lying underneath her. HANNA leadshis hands to her face, then down her body. She begins to

move, and in response, he moves too. He watches awed as shecomes.


HANNA has fallen asleep on MICHAELS chest. He is awake,looking at the birthmark on her left shoulder. The sound ofthe wood yard below. He kisses the birthmark. She stirs.

MICHAELWhats your name?

She opens her eyes. A look of suspicion.

HANNA What?

MICHAELYour name.

HANNA Why do you want to know?

MICHAELIve been here three times. Youhavent told me your name.

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MICHAEL waits a moment.

HANNA Its Hanna. Whats yours, kid?

MICHAELMichael.

HANNA Michael. Hmm. So Im with aMichael.

HANNA smiles, as if there were something funny about it.

MICHAELHanna.

INT. CLASSROOM. SCHOOL. DAY

A TEACHER, in his sixties, has scrawled the words Odysseus,Hamlet and Faust on the blackboard. The class of BOYS isattentive. Next to him, his friend HOLGER SCHLUTER. Acrossthe way, RUDOLF.

TEACHERThe notion of secrecy is central toWestern literature. You may say the

whole idea of character in fictionis defined by people holdingspecific information which forvarious reasons - sometimesperverse, sometimes noble - theyare determined not to disclose.

MICHAEL looks content. The bell goes.

INT. CORRIDOR. SCHOOL. DAY

The BOYS come pouring out cheerfully into the corridor andhead to the next classroom. MICHAELS demeanour has changed.Theres a knowingness, a swagger, a confidence which is new.MICHAEL lingers for a moment, then slopes off in the oppositedirection, alone.

EXT. SCHOOL. DAY

MICHAEL comes out the back door of the school, unobserved,climbs over the railings and starts to run down the street.

INT. HANNAS APARTMENT. EVE

Later. Dark. MICHAEL is almost asleep, HANNA awake.

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HANNA You never tell me what youve beenstudying.

MICHAEL

Studying?HANNA

At school. Do you learn languages?

MICHAELYes.

HANNA What languages?

MICHAELLatin.

HANNA Say something in Latin.

MICHAELOh...

MICHAEL thinks a moment.

MICHAELQuo, quo scelesti ruitis? Aut curdexteris aptantur enses conditi?

MICHAEL smiles slightly.

MICHAELIts Horace.

HANNA Its wonderful.

MICHAELDo you want some Greek?

MICHAEL grins, pleased to be able to do something. He goes

and gets his satchel. HANNA turns on a light.MICHAEL

Oi men ippeon stroton oi de pesedonoi da naon phais epi gan malainanemmenai kalliston, ego de ken ottotis eratai.

HANNA Its beautiful.

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MICHAELHow can you tell? How do you know

when youve no idea what it means?

HANNA looks at him a moment.

HANNA What about in German?

MICHAELIn German?

HANNA Do you have anything?

MICHAELWell, Im writing an essay. Itsabout a play. By a writer calledGotthold Ephraim Lessing. Perhapsyouve heard of him?

HANNA makes no reaction.

MICHAELThe plays called Emilia Galotti .

HANNA Have you got it?

MICHAEL reaches down to the satchel and pulls out a book.

MICHAELHere. You can read it.

HANNA Id rather listen to you.

There is a silence as MICHAEL absorbs the idea.

MICHAELAll right. Im not very good.

MICHAEL grins, embarrassed, then opens the book.

MICHAELAct One. Scene One. The setting :one of the princes chambers.Prince - Complaints, nothing butcomplaints, petitions, nothing butpetitions. For goodness sake, justimagine that people actually envyus.

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EXT. TRAM. DAY

The tram comes to a halt and PASSENGERS get on.

INT. TRAM. DAY

HANNA is now in the busy second carriage, collecting tickets.MICHAEL looks up expectantly. But as he holds up his ticket,HANNA makes no reaction except to clip it. She turns away

without speaking. The tram comes to a halt again, andMICHAEL, humiliated, bolts for the door.

EXT. ROAD. DAY

MICHAEL watches the tram disappears up the hill. He looksaround, lost, in the middle of nowhere. A tractor goes by,WORKERS heading to the fields. MICHAEL sets off to walk backto town.

INT. LANDING. HANNAS APARTMENT. DAY

MICHAEL is on the stairs as HANNA comes up, in her uniform.

MICHAELWhat was all that about?

HANNA lets herself in, saying nothing.


HANNA has gone in to put down her things at the kitchentable. MICHAEL follows, desperate.

MICHAELI got up - at 4.30 - specially -its the first day of the holidays,Id been planning to surprise you -

HANNA Poor little baby. Got up at fourthirty - and on your holidays too.

MICHAEL

What is this? I was on your tram!You totally ignored me! What do youthink I was doing? Why the hell doyou think I was there?

MICHAEL has yelled in desperation. HANNA looks him straightin the eye.

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HANNA I havent the slightest idea. And

what you do is your business not mine.

HANNA turns and moves away.HANNA

And if you wanted to speak to me, I was in the first carriage. So why

did you sit in the second?

HANNA goes to run a bath.

HANNA And now, thanks very much, Ivebeen working, I need a bath. Getout, Id like to be by myself.

MICHAELI didnt mean to upset you.

HANNA You dont have the power to upset

me. You dont matter enough toupset me.

She takes off her clothes to get in. As soon as she does, hegets up and goes into the other room. He sits by himself,

miserable. He hears her, bathing. Then finally gets up andgoes back in. She is still in the bath.

MICHAELI dont know what to say. Ivenever been with a woman. Weve beentogether four weeks and I cantlive without you. I cant. Even thethought of it kills me.

HANNA looks at him thoughtfully.

MICHAELI sat in the second carriage

because I thought you might kiss me.

HANNA Kid, you thought we could make lovein a tram?

They smile. But MICHAEL has a more urgent question.

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MICHAELIs it true what you said? That Idont matter to you?

In the bath, she shakes her head.

MICHAELDo you forgive me?

She nods.

MICHAELDo you love me?

She looks at him. Then she nods.

INT. BEDROOM. HANNAS APARTMENT. DAY

MICHAEL is sitting on the side of the bed. HANNA comes in, wrapped in a towel.

HANNA Do you have a book?

MICHAELOh. Well I do. I took something

with me this morning.

HANNA What is it?

MICHAELIts another play.

MICHAEL gets it out of his pocket. HANNA has lain down on thebed, completely content.

HANNA Were changing the order we dothings. Read to me first, kid. Then

we make love.

MICHAEL sits at the foot of the bed and starts to read.

MICHAELIntrigue and Love, a play byFriedrich Schiller...


HANNA is baking bread. MICHAEL is on a chair beside her witha book.

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MICHAELThe Odyssey by Homer.

HANNA Whats an odyssey?

MICHAELIts a journey. He sets out on ajourney.

He starts to read.

MICHAELSing to me of the Man, Muse, the

man of twists and turnsDriven time and again off course,once he had plunderedThe hallowed heights of Troy.Many cities of men he saw andlearned their minds,Many pains he suffered, heartsickat the open sea,Fighting to save his life and bringhis comrades home...


HANNA is in the bath. MICHAEL is reading a Shakespeare sonnetto her.

MICHAELAnd we will some new pleasuresprove of golden sands and crystalbrooks, with silken lights andsilver hooks...

HANNA Come here.

She pulls him into the bath.

INT. HANNAS APARTMENT. NIGHT

HANNA is sewing. MICHAEL is reading Huckleberry Finn.MICHAEL

I poked into the place aways andencountered a little open patch asbig as a bedroom, all hung around

with vines and found a man lyingthere asleep, and by Jinks it was

my old Jim...

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He starts acting out Jim, and the two of them collapselaughing.


MICHAEL is at the bottom of the bed. HANNA is lying inside.He is reading Lady Chatterleys Lover.

MICHAELLady Chatterley felt his nakedflesh against her as he came intoher. For a moment he was stillinside her...

HANNA This is disgusting. Where did youget this?

MICHAELI borrowed it from someone atschool.

HANNA You should be ashamed. Go on.


MICHAEL reads Tin-Tin to HANNA, who is lying on the bed. Theyare both looking at the pictures.

MICHAELBlistering Barnacles and athundering typhoon. It is water.But what on earth did you expectit to be?

HANNA Whisky.

MICHAELWhisky! By thunder, whisky.Whisky? Come now captain, youcant be serious.

HANNA All right, kid, thats enough fortoday.

They fall back onto the bed.

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MICHAELI was wondering, do you think youcould get some time off? Maybe wecould go for a trip.

HANNA What sort of trip?

MICHAELId love to go bicycling. Just fortwo days.

MICHAEL reaches for a book.

MICHAELIve got a guide-book. Ive workedout the route. Look, what do youthink?

HANNAS look is so far-away she doesnt seem to hear thequestion. Silence. Then :

HANNA I think you like planning, dontyou?

She throws the book away and they begin to make love.

INT. BEDROOM. BERG APARTMENT. DAWN

First light. Dawn breaking outside the window. MICHAEL is working at his desk, the surface covered in stamps, his

collection book open. He picks one with a pyramid on it andlooks at it. Underneath, MICHAELS VOICE reading Intrigue and Love by Schiller.

MICHAELS VOICEIm not frightened. Im notfrightened of anything. Why shouldI be? I welcome obstacles, becausetheyll be like mountains I can flyover to be in your arms. The more Isuffer, the more Ill love...

INT & EXT. SHOP. DAY

Seen from outside, a shop full of stamps. MICHAEL and a STAMPDEALER with white hair and a moustache. MICHAEL is offeringhis pyramid stamp, his gestures becoming desperate as theSTAMP DEALER shakes his head, clearly not giving him as muchas he hopes.

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Then MICHAEL concedes, the DEALER concedes, and a bunch ofnotes are handed across. MICHAEL runs exhilarated out intothe street.

MICHAELS VOICEDanger will only increase my love,

it will sharpen it, it will give itspice. Ill be the only angel youneed. On this arm, Luise, you willgo dancing through life. You willleave life even more beautiful thanyou entered it. Heaven will takeyou back and look at you and sayOnly one thing can make a soulcomplete, and that thing is love.

EXT. HILL. DAY

HANNA and MICHAEL are whizzing down a hill together onbicycles. He has a rucksack. Its a rural paradise - hills onall sides, a gleaming river below, the sun shining brightly.She is wearing a blue dress.

EXT. CAFE. DAY

They come to a cafe and sit down outside. They pick up the menus on the table. A WAITRESS arrives.

WAITRESSSo what would you like to have?

MICHAELWhat are you having?

HANNA You order. Ill have what you have.

MICHAEL starts giving the order. Next to them are a group ofBOY SCOUTS, who are laughing among themselves.

BOYSTheres sausages, sausages orsausages. Give it to me, come on,give it here. Let me have a look.

You always have the same thing.They all laugh. HANNA watches them nervously.

EXT. CAFE. DAY

The meal finished, MICHAEL is alone, paying the bill.

WAITRESSI hope your mother was happy.

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MICHAELThank you. She enjoyed her mealvery much.

The WAITRESS goes. HANNA returns from inside. MICHAEL holds

out his arm to her, which she takes. They walk away towardstheir bikes. He is smiling. MICHAEL looks round, then daresto reach across and kiss her on the lips. The WAITRESS

watches.

EXT. CHURCH. DAY

They get off their bikes at a small church. MICHAEL stops andgets out a map and a guide book.

MICHAELHere, let me show you where weregoing.

HANNA Its OK, kid. I dont want to know.

The sound of a choir from inside.

INT. CHURCH. DAY

MICHAEL and HANNA enter tentatively to find a choirrehearsing Bach. It is a traditional German scene - wholefamilies singing together at the altar. HANNA is transported,entranced at the sound of the music. MICHAEL watches.

EXT. RIVERSIDE. DAY

HANNA is in a river, the water up to her calves, her skirttied round her thighs. She is completely absorbed. Then shelooks up, aware of being watched. MICHAEL is sitting with anotebook.

HANNA What are you doing?

MICHAELIm writing a poem. About you.

HANNA Can I hear it?

MICHAELIts not ready. Ill read it to youone day.

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INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. BERLIN. DAY

1995. MICHAEL, now 51, is standing by his desk. He opens adrawer. He takes out the recognizable notebook. He opens itsyellowing pages and looks at the poetry. Then flips the

pages, to some handwritten lists - the words Odyssey,Schnitzler, Chekhov, Zweig with numbers beside them.MICHAEL flaps it shut, puts it back and turns to go out.

INT. STREET. DAY

MICHAEL leaves his apartment block. He gets into his blackMercedes.

INT. CAR. DAY

MICHAEL is listening on the radio to the same Bach music theyheard in the church. He drives through the thriving moderncity. Beyond, the huge cranes and gouged-out building sitesof a city under construction.

EXT. STREET. DAY

MICHAEL swings his car into place. He gets out and headsacross the road, prosperous, purposeful.

INT. LOBBY. COURTHOUSE. DAY

An ASSISTANT meets MICHAEL with his robe which he pulls on ashe walks quickly through an elaborate lobby. GERHARD BADE,also in his fifties, also robed, falls in step.

GERHARDYou all right, Michael?

MICHAELIm fine.

GERHARDYoud better hurry. You know whatshes like.

A robed ASSISTANT is waiting outside the door with documents

he hands to MICHAEL. They all go in.INT. COURTROOM. DAY

MICHAEL joins his CLIENT, just seconds before the FEMALEJUDGE comes in and everyone stands. Silence. The JUDGE looksat MICHAEL disapprovingly, sensing his lateness. Everyonesits. MICHAEL sits, thinking back.

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SOPHIEWhy do you leave early?

HOLGERHe always leaves early.


MICHAEL is cycling back towards town, a smile on his face.


MICHAEL flies up the stairs, then goes in. HANNA is sittingsewing. He kisses her on the cheek as he gets out a book.

MICHAELIm sorry Im late. I was held upat school.

At once he sits down opposite her. A ritual.

MICHAELThe Lady with the Little Dog. ByAnton Chekhov.

HANNA looks, seeing right through him.

MICHAELThe talk was that a new face hadappeared on the promenade, a lady

with a little dog.

INT. GARAGE. DAY

A huge tram-shed full of empty trams. HANNA is at the end ofthe garage, talking to the SUPERVISER, a large man in hisfifties.

SUPERVISERSchmitz, one moment. Weve got goodnews for you. Your work is good,

were going to promote you. To work with me in the office. Its more

money. Congratulations.He moves away. HANNA looks distraught.

EXT. SWIMMING LAKE. DAY

MICHAEL is watching SOPHIE swimming, a look of anxiety in hiseye, when HOLGER touches his shoulder.

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HOLGERGet a move on, were leaving earlytoday.

MICHAEL

Why? What for?HOLGER

Were going back to Sophies. Itsyour birthday. Were giving you aparty.

HOLGER and RUDOLF disappear to get dressed. SOPHIE appears inher swimming costume.

SOPHIECome on, its a surprise. Wethought youd like it. Weve beenplanning it for weeks.

MICHAELIm sorry. Really. I promisedsomeone Id do something else.

The others are furious with him. They all go off.

EXT. STREET. DAY

MICHAEL is cycling towards HANNAS apartment, his hair wetfrom the lake, looking equally unhappy.


HANNA is sitting unhappily as MICHAEL reads to her. They areboth in a bad mood.

HANNA Oh kid, kid. Stop.

MICHAELWhats wrong?

HANNA

Nothings wrong. Its nothing.HANNA just shrugs. She goes and sits at the table to drinktea. MICHAEL is irritated.

MICHAELYou never ask, you never bother toask how I am.

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31/82


HANNA is on the edge of the bath, running water. She has apale blue flowered smock. She is running with sweat. Thesmock sticks to her. MICHAEL gets out a book. HANNA drops

lavender oil into the bath. MICHAEL stands in the bath andshe washes his body.


They are making love on the bed. Its intense. At one pointshe moves on top of him. She holds his head between herhands, as if she would crush the life out of him. Then shelets go.


They are both sweating, exhausted. She looks a moment.

HANNA Now you must go back to yourfriends.


MICHAEL has gone. HANNA washes out milk bottles and emptiesthem into the sink. Then she picks up her luggage and leavesthe empty apartment.

EXT. SWIMMING LAKE. DAY

MICHAEL is sitting on the pier watching as HOLGER, RUDOLF andSOPHIE swim competitively out to a pontoon, then turn back,full of energy and high spirits. MICHAEL watches for a while,then suddenly he gets up and starts to run away from them all.

SOPHIEMichael. You all right?

But MICHAEL is running away across the lakeside beach.

INT. LANDING & HANNAS APARTMENT. DUSK

MICHAEL opens the door. He goes in. The apartment is emptied,the rented furniture in place, all trace of HANNA gone. Helooks round. He looks at the empty bath, the tap above it. Heopens the kitchen cupboards - some coffee, sugar, thatsabout it. He goes into the bedroom, the bed stripped bare. Helies down on the bed.

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INT. HANNAS APARTMENT. NIGHT

MICHAEL lying on the bed, curled up, in his clothes, like afoetus, asleep.

INT. APARTMENT. DAYThe family at breakfast. MICHAEL slips quietly in the maindoor, trying to go to his room without being heard. EMILYruns to look.

EMILYIts him.

Sheepishly MICHAEL appears.

CARLA Where were you last night? Whathappened?

MICHAELI stayed at a friends.

PETERCarla.

PETER looks. He seems to know exactly whats been going on.

PETERGet the boy something to eat. Ithink we all knew youd come backto us eventually.

EXT. SWIMMING LAKE. DUSK

MICHAEL is alone in the deserted pool. He is on the jetty. Hetakes off his clothes and slips into the water. Just hishead, like a seals, at one end, just out of the water, quitestill.

INT. COURTHOUSE. NIGHT

1995. MICHAEL sitting alone, thinking back.

EXT. SWIMMING LAKE. DUSK

1958. The sun slants, and for a few seconds the waterdazzles. He slips his head under.

INT. COURTHOUSE. DAY

1995. MICHAEL still sitting thoughtfully by himself in theempty court. Then he looks up. An ASSISTANT has appeared.

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ASSISTANTMr Berg. It is eight oclock. Yourdaughter.

MICHAEL

Thank you.He gets up.

INT. BRASSERIE. BERLIN. NIGHT

JULIA is already at the table in a chic modern brasserie. Sheis a sympathetic young woman of around 23. MICHAELapproaches. When she sees him, she gets up.

JULIA I was early.

MICHAEL leans in and kisses her on the cheek.

MICHAELJulia.

Theyre uneasy. She looks a moment, then they sit down.

MICHAELWelcome back.

INT. RESTAURANT. NIGHT

Later. They have eaten. They both have big glasses of red wine. Its more relaxed.

MICHAELSo how will you decide?

JULIA I dont know. Im happy back inBerlin, I suppose.

MICHAELYouve seen your mother?

JULIA nods.JULIA

I wanted to get away. There wasnothing more to it. It was Paris,but it could have been anywhere.

MICHAELAway from your parents?

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JULIA doesnt answer.

MICHAELIm aware I was difficult. I wasntalways open with you. Im not open

with anyone.JULIA

I knew you were distant. Id alwaysassumed it was my fault.

MICHAELJulia. How wrong can you be?

JULIA colours, on the verge of tears. Then she looks away.

INT & EXT. CAR. NIGHT

They drive through the gleaming streets. Its been raining -Berlin is glistening. Their voices :

MICHAELI admit it now, I was nervous.

JULIA I was nervous too. Its silly isntit?

MICHAELIt is silly.

JULIA Thank you for dinner.

MICHAELIll see you very soon.

EXT. CAR. DAY

MICHAEL lets JULIA out, and is watching her safely to herdoor from the car.

JULIA

Good night, Dad.MICHAEL suddenly gets out himself.

MICHAELJulia, wait. I want to ask you afavour.

JULIA What favour?

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MICHAELI want to take you on a trip. I

want to show you something.

JULIA

When?MICHAEL

Tomorrow, maybe. Can I pick you upin the car?

JULIA doesnt need to say anything.

MICHAELAt ten, say.

JULIA smiles.

MICHAELThen good.

MICHAEL hugs her, his heart aching with love. JULIA goes into her place. MICHAEL is left standing still in the plazaoutside, not moving. Underneath the sound of what follows,thirty years previously.

INT. LECTURE ROOM. HEIDELBERG LAW SCHOOL. DAY

1966. A WOMAN LECTURER has a class of about 75 STUDENTS. From their hair, their dress, it could only be the 1960s.

LECTURERThose of you for the specialseminar group on The Legal System in the Third Reich, please stay onin this room. Professor Rohl willbe here in a moment.

Nearly all the STUDENTS leave, talking among themselves. Justeight are left, dotted around the huge room. MICHAEL is oneof them, now 22, in a corduroy jacket and tie. There is alull. MICHAEL looks round at the group of oddballs, thenfinds ROHL, distinguished, greying, is already in front of

them.ROHL

Well, we seem to be quite a smallgroup. A small group and a selectone. Clearly, this is going to be aunique seminar. Let me start bythanking those of you whove chosento take part. Good for you. A reading list, gentlemen.

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Karl Jaspers, The Question of German Guilt ...

A calm STUDENT with long hair smiles at MICHAEL. She lookslike Francoise Hardy. She murmurs.

MARTHEAnd ladies.

INT. STUDENT DIGS. NIGHT

MICHAEL is working alone at his desk, a light on. The door ofhis extremely modest student digs is open. MARTHE appears atthe door, silently. He looks up.

MARTHESo this is where you are.

MICHAELYes. Come in.

But neither of them move. MARTHE just smiles from the door.

MARTHEYou take work seriously.

MICHAELOh I dont know.

MARTHEYoure rather a serious boy.

MARTHE shrugs slightly.

MICHAELIts how I was brought up. Whatabout you? Are you serious?

MARTHEYoure sure you want to worktonight?

MICHAELWell I do. But I wont work every

night.MARTHE

See you tomorrow.

They smile at one another. She goes.

35.

ROHL (cont'd)


37/82

INT. TRAIN. DAY

The seminar group, long-haired, hippyish, is on the train :PROFESSOR ROHL, with MARTHE, DIETER and a few others. MICHAELcatches MARTHAS eye. They smile. Then he opens the window,

cheerful.EXT. TOWN HALL. MANNHEIM. DAY

The STUDENTS are having a cigarette in front of the hugebuilding. Two black vans with barred windows come by,carrying prisoners. The first one veers close to MICHAEL onthe pavement, then disappears into the inner courtyard. ROHLsmiles at MICHAEL.

MICHAELWhy all the police?

ROHLTheyre worried aboutdemonstrators.

MICHAELFor or against?

ROHLBoth.

INT. TOWN HALL. DAY

A courtroom has been improvised inside the town hall. Thereare large windows, with milky glass, down the left-hand side.As ROHL and the STUDENTS arrive, the court is a melee ofPHOTOGRAPHERS, LAWYERS and PUBLIC. The three JUDGES arealready in place, next to six selected CITIZENS. MICHAEL andthe others take places in the gallery

CLERKAll photographers are now asked toleave.

The PHOTOGRAPHERS go.

JUDGEThe defendants, please.

From being noisy and chaotic, the court is now silent.

JUDGEThe first thing Im going to do ishear motions from each of thedefendants lawyers.

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Theyre going to be arguing thattheres no reason to keep thedefendants in jail until theoutcome of the forthcoming trial.

DIETER grins at MICHAEL in anticipation.

JUDGEI am going to take these cases oneby one.

MICHAEL is leaning down to get stuff out of his briefcase, asMARTHE shakes a pen which isnt working.

MICHAELDo you want a pen?

MARTHEIve got a pen.

So MICHAEL doesnt hear as the JUDGE speaks.

JUDGEHanna Schmitz.

There is a row of six DEFENDANTS. The fifth woman is HANNA,her hair tied in a knot, her gaze fixedly into the middledistance, not looking towards the SPECTATORS. She is wearinga grey dress with short sleeves. They all sit, sideways tothe gallery. HANNA rises to her feet. The words seem to comevery quietly, across a great distance.

JUDGEYour name is Hanna Schmitz?

HANNA Yes.

It is only when the JUDGE repeats the name that MICHAEL looksup, hearing it for the first time.

JUDGECan you speak louder please?

HANNA My name is Hanna Schmitz.

MICHAEL is rigid, blank, just staring.

JUDGEThank you. You were born on October21st, 1922?

37.

JUDGE (cont'd)


39/82

HANNA Yes.

JUDGEAt Hermannstadt. And youre now 43

years old?HANNA

Yes.

JUDGEYou joined the SS in 1943?

HANNA Yes.

JUDGEWhat was your reason? What was yourreason for joining?

HANNA doesnt answer.

JUDGEYou were working at the Siemensfactory at the time?

HANNA Yes.

JUDGEYoud recently been offered apromotion. Why did you prefer tojoin the SS?

HANNA has a DEFENCE COUNSEL, a young man, beside her, who isabout to get up. But the JUDGE forestalls him.

JUDGEIll re-phrase my question. Im trying to ascertain if she joinedthe SS freely. Of her own free

will.

Everyone waits.JUDGE

Well?

HANNA I heard there were jobs.

JUDGEGo on.

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HANNA I was working at Siemens when Iheard the SS was recruiting.

JUDGE

Did you know the kind of work youdbe expected to do?

HANNA They were looking for guards. Iapplied for a job.

MICHAEL is intent now, so are the STUDENTS beside him.

JUDGEAnd you worked first at Auschwitz?

HANNA Yes.

JUDGEUntil 1944. Then you were moved toa smaller camp near Cracow?

HANNA Yes.

ROHL leans into MICHAEL.

ROHLAre you OK?

MICHAELIm fine.

JUDGEYou then helped move the prisoners

west in the winter of 1944 in theso-called death marches?

INT. TRAIN. DAY

MICHAEL is hanging out of the window of the train, smoking a

cigarette.INT. TRAIN. DAY

MICHAEL sits down in his seat. ROHL moves to sit oppositehim.

ROHLSo what did you think?

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MICHAELI dont know. It wasnt quite whatI expecting.

ROHL

Wasnt it? In what way? What wereyou expecting?

ROHL is looking at him. MICHAEL doesnt answer.

DIETERI thought it was exciting.

ROHLExciting?

DIETERYes.

ROHLWhy? Why did you think it exciting?

DIETERBecause its justice.

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE. DAY

The train hurtles through the German countryside.

INT. STUDENT DIGS. NIGHT

A student party, in a candle-lit room. MARTHE is singing to aguitar. Its been going on for hours - the STUDENTS are onthe floor with beer and cigarettes. The front door is open.DIETER, beer in hand, looks out to the balcony where he cansee MICHAEL bent away from them, all by himself.

EXT. STUDENT DIGS. NIGHT

MICHAEL, his arms on the balcony, is smoking, looking outinto the night. His eye lands on a student room in which acouple are making love.

INT. LECTURE ROOM. HEIDELBERG LAW SCHOOL. DAYThe small STUDENT GROUP is now rattling around informally inthe big lecture room.

ROHLI need to correct an impression.Dieter said yesterday this wasabout justice. But is it?

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If it were about justice you mightask why has it taken so long? The

war ended twenty years ago.Remember, thereve been nosignificant trials betweenNuremburg in 1946 and the Auschwitz

trials a couple of years ago.Thats a long gap. Whats thereason for the gap?

ROHL waits a moment for a STUDENT to answer.

DIETERId have thought it was obvious.

ROHLSay.

DIETERCowardice. Its cowardice, isntit? Its bad conscience. Its thebig cover-up.

ROHLGo on.

DIETERAfter the war. The German peopledidnt want to look at what theyddone.

ROHLIs that right?

DIETERBecause they had too much to hide.All our parents are liars. Allright, mine are. So its left tous, isnt it?

ROHLHow so?

DIETER

Because were not implicated.ROHL

Arent you? Good. So thats allright then.

Everyone laughs.

41.

ROHL (cont'd)


43/82

MARTHENo, but seriously, Dieters right.My parents, I cant even talk tothem. I dont love them. How couldI? How could anyone love them?

Because theyve told themselves so many lies, they cant remember thetruth, let alone admit it. Isntthat why we signed up for thisseminar?

ROHLI dont know. You tell me.

MARTHESpeaking for myself.

ROHLMichael?

MICHAELIm not sure any more.

ROHL is staring at him thoughtfully.

ROHLWhat did your father do, Dieter?

DIETERIf you want to know, he was in theWaffen SS.

There are some smiles, but DIETER rides over the reaction.

DIETERThats what I mean, thats what Im saying. So were a million otherGermans.

ROHLThats exactly my point. Thats whyits better not to pretend this isabout justice. Forgive me, nor is

it about getting into an emotionalstate. It has no purpose if itsjust the young giving their parentsa bad time.

Theres a silence. Thats clearly why some of them are there.

MARTHESo what is it about? What do youthink?

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44/82

ROHLSocieties think they operate bysomething called morality. But theydont. They operate by somethingcalled law. Youre not guilty of

anything merely by working atAuschwitz. 8,000 people worked atAuschwitz. Precisely 19 have beenconvicted, and only 6 for murder.To prove murder you have to proveintent. Thats the law. Remember,the question is never Was it

wrong? but Was it legal? And notby our laws, no, by the laws at thetime.

DIETER frowns, unhappy.

DIETERBut isnt that...

ROHLWhat?

DIETERNarrow?

ROHLYes. The law is narrow.

ROHL looks unapologetic.

ROHLOn the other hand, I suspect people

who kill other people tend to beaware that its wrong.

INT. COURTROOM. MANNHEIM. DAY

ROHL is leaning forward, attentive. HANNA is standing,opposite the JUDGE, who holds up a book called MOTHER &DAUGHTER : A STORY OF SURVIVAL.

JUDGEMiss Schmitz, youre familiar withthis book...

HANNA Yes...

JUDGEParts of it have already been readout in court.

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Its an American publication, whichhas been translated. Its by asurvivor, a prisoner who survived,Ilana Mather...

HANNA

Yes I know. I know Ilana Mather.JUDGE

She was in the camp, wasnt she, when she was a child? She was with

her mother.

The judge waits. HANNA seems arrogant, defiant.

JUDGEIn the book, she describes aselection process. At the end ofthe months labour, every month,sixty inmates were selected. They

were picked out to be sent from thesatellite camp back to Auschwitz.Thats right, isnt it?

HANNA Yes, its right.

JUDGEAnd so far, each of your fellowdefendants has specifically deniedbeing part of that process. Now Im going to ask you. Were you part ofit?

HANNA Yes.

There is a stir among the other DEFENDANTS and in the court.They start talking to their LAWYERS.

JUDGESo you helped make the selection?

HANNA

Yes.JUDGE

You admit that? Then tell me, howdid that selection happen?

HANNA shrugs slightly, as though it were obvious.

44.

JUDGE (cont'd)


46/82

HANNA There were six guards, so wedecided wed choose ten peopleeach. Thats how we did it - every

month. Wed all choose ten.

JUDGEAre you saying your fellowdefendants took part in theprocess?

HANNA We all did.

JUDGEEven though theyve denied it? Butyou admit it. Youre saying youtook part in the process.

The other DEFENDANTS stir with animosity, but the JUDGE isintent, following his own line.

JUDGEDid you not realise you weresending these women to theirdeaths?

He waits. HANNA nods slightly.

HANNA Yes but there were new arrivals,new women were arriving all thetime, so of course we had to movesome of the old ones on.

JUDGEIm not sure you understand...

HANNA We couldnt keep everyone. There

wasnt room.

The JUDGE frowns, genuinely surprised that she doesnt seem

to understand his point.JUDGE

No, but what Im saying : let merephrase : to make room, you werepicking women out and saying Youyou and you have to be sent back tobe killed.

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HANNA Well, what would you have done?

HANNA is looking at the JUDGE - a perfectly straightquestion. MICHAEL smiles slightly, proud of her. Everyone in

the court waits for the JUDGE to answer. Silence. ROHL isimpassive. But HANNA follows her own thoughts. She quietlyasks herself a question.

HANNA So should I never have signed up atSiemens?

INT. LOBBY. TOWN HALL. DAY

MICHAEL is alone, smoking. On a bench, side by side, are two women. One is very small, dark, in her sixties. The other is

composed, formidable, elegant, in her thirties. ROSE andILANA MATHER. They look up, catching MICHAELs eye. Then aCLERK leans in to the younger woman.

CLERKMs. Mather, theyre ready for younow.

The two women go into the court. The door closes.

INT. LOBBY & COURTROOM. DAY

MICHAEL is alone in the now-deserted lobby, unwilling to goback. Then he goes to the door. He opens it a little. Thesound of the trial. He opens the door fully. MICHAEL can seethat it is ILANA who is testifying. The court isconspicuously packed. Large black-and-white photographs ofthe labour camp now dominate the room. MICHAEL comes quietlyinto the back of the room as the trial goes on.

MICHAEL has pushed past a couple of people to sit down nearROSE who is sitting in the body of the court. He looks acrossto the DEFENDANTS. RITA BECKHART, a large older woman, is oneof a couple who isnt bothering to listen.

PROSECUTOR

In your book you describe theprocess of selection...

ILANA Yes. You were made to work andthen, when you were no longer anyuse to them, then they sent youback to Auschwitz to be killed.

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PROSECUTORAre there people here today who

made that selection?

ILANA

Yes.PROSECUTOR

I need you to identify them. Canyou please point them out?

ILANA points with her finger at the DEFENDANTS.

ILANA Her. And her. And her. And her. Andher. And her.

The last finger has been to HANNA. MICHAEL watches, but HANNA does not react.

ILANA Each of the guards would choose acertain number of women. HannaSchmitz chose differently.

JUDGEIn what way differently?

ILANA She had favourites. Girls, mostlyyoung. We all remarked on it, shegave them food and places to sleep.In the evening, she asked them tojoin her. We all thought - well,you can imagine what we thought.

HANNA stares back, impassive. MICHAEL watches.

ILANA Then we found out - she was makingthese women read aloud to her. They

were reading to her. At first wethought this guard, this guard is

more sensitive, she's more human,she's kinder. Often she chose the weak, the sick, she picked them

out, she seemed to be protectingthem almost. But then shedispatched them. Is that kinder?

HANNA looks back, not apologizing.

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49/82

INT. LOBBY. TOWN HALL. DAY

MICHAEL sits alone, head in hands, in despair.

INT. COURTROOM. DAY

Now ROSE is testifying. The court is quiet, focused.

JUDGEI want to move on now to the march.As I understand it, you and yourdaughter were marched for many

months.

ROSEYes. It was the winter of 1944. Ourcamp was closed down, we were told

we had to move on. But the plankept changing every day. Women weredying all around us in the snow.Half of us died on the march. Mydaughter says in the book, less adeath march, more a death gallop.

MICHAEL looks along the row to where ILANA is now sitting.

JUDGEPlease tell us about the night inthe church.

MICHAEL watches as ROSE looks across to ILANA. ILANA staresback at her. MICHAEL watches the exchange as ROSE nods, as ifaccepting she must go ahead and speak.

ROSEThat night we actually thought we

were lucky because we had a roofover our heads. Wed arrived in avillage, as always, the guards tookthe best quarters, they took thepriests house. But they let ussleep in a church. There was abombing raid. In the middle of the

night. At first we could only hearthe fire, it was in the steeple.Then we could see burning beams,and they began to crash to thefloor. Everyone rushed, rushed tothe doors. But the doors had beenlocked on the outside.

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JUDGEThe church burned down? Nobody cameto open the doors? Is that right?

ROSE

Nobody.JUDGE

Even though you were all burning todeath?

ROSE nods.

JUDGEHow many people were killed?

ROSEEveryone was killed.

JUDGEHow did you survive?

ROSEI needed to get away from the other

women. Because they were panicking,they were screaming. I couldntstand it. I couldnt stand theirscreaming. I was more frightened ofthe other women than I was of thefire. So I too my daughter and ledher to the upper floor. I cantdefend what I did. Its impossibleto defend. I took Ilana in my armsand I led her towards the fire.There was a small gallery at theside of the church on the upperlevel. It saved our lives. Thegallery didnt burn.

ROSE turns, in tears, to look at ILANA.

JUDGEThank you. I want to thank you for

coming to this country today totestify.

INT. LECTURE ROOM. LAW SCHOOL. DAY

The group is back in the big hall. But the atmosphere isgrim. Its a while before DIETER speaks.

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DIETERI dont know. I dont know what

were doing any more.

ROHL

Dont you?DIETER

You keep telling us to think likelawyers, but theres somethingdisgusting about this.

ROHL is very still, like an analyst who is finally leadinghis patient to the heart of things.

ROHLHow so?

DIETERThis didnt happen to the Germans.It happened to the Jews.

Everyone is shocked at his violent passion.

DIETERWhat are we trying to do?

MICHAELWere trying to understand.

DIETERSix women locked three hundred Jewsin a church, and let them burn.What is there to understand? Tell

me, Im asking : what is there tounderstand?

MICHAEL cant answer. DIETER gets up, outraged now.

DIETERI started out believing in thistrial, I thought it was great, nowI think its just a diversion.

ROHLYes? Diversion from what?

DIETERYou choose six women, you put them on trial, you say They were theevil ones, they were the guiltyones. Brilliant!

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Because one of the victims happenedto write a book! Thats why theyreon trial and nobody else. Do youknow how many camps there were inEurope?

DIETER turns, furious.DIETER

People go on about how much dideveryone know? Who knew? Whatdid they know? That isnt thequestion. The question is Howcould you let it happen? And -better - Why didnt you killyourself when you found out?

One of the group walks out.

DIETERThousands! Thats how many. There

were thousands of camps. Everyoneknew.

DIETERS passion is so great that everyone is shaken.

DIETERLook at that woman...

MICHAELWhich woman?

DIETERThe woman youre always staring at.Im sorry but you are.

MICHAEL is white. The atmosphere is electric.

MICHAELI dont know which woman you mean.

DIETERYou know what Id do? Put the gunin my hand, Id shoot her myself.

EXT. EMPTY ROAD. DAY

MICHAEL walks along an empty wooded road, miles from anywhere. The sun is shining through the trees behind him.

51.

DIETER (cont'd)


53/82

EXT. STRUTHOF CAMP. DAY

The wire fence of a concentration camp, deserted. MICHAEL, with a back-pack, goes alone through the metal gate. MICHAEL walks among the deserted empty huts.

INT. STRUTHOF CAMP. DAY

Inside one of the huts, MICHAEL is by himself staring at aline of empty beds. He moves on, overwhelmed, lost. He passesthrough the showers. Then he comes to a room with vast metalcages on either side. In the cages, the countless dusty shoesof the exterminated.

INT. STRUTHOF CAMP. DAY

MICHAEL opens a door and walks into a room with a line of gasovens. He walks past them. Then he stands beside them, hishead down.

INT. COURTROOM. DAY

HANNA is standing being examined by the JUDGE. Largephotographs and maps of the village, with the lay-out of thechurch, are now on display.

JUDGEWhy did you not unlock the doors?

He waits. HANNA doesnt reply.

JUDGEWhy did you not unlock the doors?

The JUDGE turns to the row of DEFENDANTS.

JUDGEIve asked all of you and Im getting no answer. Two of thevictims are in this court. Theydeserve an answer.

ILANA and ROSE are not far away from MICHAEL and the

STUDENTS. The JUDGE puts down a bound handwritten document.JUDGE

Here, this is the SS report. Youall have copies.

There is a flurry of paperwork among the DEFENDANTS andLAWYERS as they turn to their copies.

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It happened so fast. It wassnowing. The bombs - There wereflames all over the village. Thenthe screaming began. It got worseand worse. And if theyd all comerushing out, we couldnt just let

them escape. We couldnt. We wereresponsible for them.

JUDGESo you did know what was happening?You did know? You made a choice.You let them die rather than riskletting them escape.

HANNA cant answer - she has no answer.

JUDGEThe other defendants have made anallegation against you. Have youheard this allegation?

HANNA does not reply.

JUDGEThey say you were in charge.

HANNA It isnt true. I was just one ofthe guards.

The other DEFENDANTS interrupt to call out She was incharge.

JUDGEDid you write the report?

HANNA No. No. We all discussed what tosay. We all wrote it together.

BECKHARTShe wrote it! She wrote the report.She was in charge.

JUDGEIs that true?

HANNA No. And I didnt write the report.Does it matter who did?

RITA BECKHART has called out from her place. The JUDGE looksat HANNA a moment.

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JUDGEI need to see a sample of yourhandwriting.

HANNA

My handwriting?JUDGE

Yes. I need to establish who wrotethe report.

At once HANNAS COUNSEL rises.

HANNA'S COUNSELIm sorry, but I really dont seehow thats appropriate. Nearlytwenty years have gone by.

JUDGESomebody take her this piece ofpaper.

HANNA'S COUNSELAre you really going to comparehandwriting of twenty years ago,

with handwriting of today?

JUDGEGive her the paper. Counsel,approach the bench.

A piece of paper and a pen are put down in front of HANNA.Her COUNSEL moves to the bench. MICHAEL stares, first at her,then at the pen and paper, an apprehension rising in him.

INT & EXT. DAY AND NIGHT. FLASHBACKS

MICHAEL thinks back, to HANNA in her bedroom saying No youread, to her looking puzzled at the menu on the bicycletrip, and to her throwing a book away in the apartment. Atthis moment, MICHAEL realises she is illiterate.

INT. COURTROOM. DAY

Back in the courtroom, HANNA looks up to the JUDGE to stopthe conference.

HANNA Theres no need. I wrote thereport.

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MICHAEL, in a panic, pushes along his row, past ROHL and theothers, who all look up, knowing something is going on. HANNA turns, as if sensing him behind her.

INT. STAIRS. HEIDELBERG LAW SCHOOL. DAY

MICHAEL is sitting on the steps outside the lecture room.ROHL walks straight past him.

ROHLYouve been skipping seminars.

INT. LECTURE ROOM. HEIDELBERG LAW SCHOOL. DAY

MICHAEL comes into the room and sits down, smoking acigarette. ROHL waits.

ROHLSo?

MICHAEL looks at him.

MICHAELI have a piece of information.Concerning one of the defendants.Something theyre not admitting.

ROHLWhat information?

MICHAEL stubs out his cigarette.

ROHLYou dont need me to tell you. Itsperfectly clear you have a moralobligation to disclose it to thecourt.

MICHAELIt happens this information isfavourable to the defendant. It canhelp her case. It may even affectthe outcome, certainly the

sentencing.ROHL

So?

MICHAELTheres a problem. The defendantherself is determined to keep thisinformation secret.

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Two STUDENTS come in for the seminar.

ROHLA moment, please. Please.

Chastened, they leave.ROHL

What are her reasons?

MICHAELBecause shes ashamed.

ROHLAshamed? Ashamed of what?

MICHAEL doesnt answer.

ROHLHave you spoken to her?

MICHAELOf course not.

ROHLWhy of course not?

MICHAELI cant. I cant do that. I canttalk to her.

ROHLWhat we feel isnt important. Itsutterly unimportant. The onlyquestion is what we do.

ROHL gets up.

ROHLIf people like you dont learn from

what happened to people like me,then what the hell is the point ofanything?

INT. REMAND CELL. EVE

HANNA is sitting on the edge of her bed. A GUARD comes to thedoor.

GUARDYou have a visitor. Michael Berg.

HANNA is taken aback for a moment. Then she gets up.

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EXT. PRISON WAITING ROOM. DAY

MICHAEL is standing smoking a cigarette in the waiting area.A whole number of visitors, old people, children, familiesare waiting. Some kids are playing with a football. Then a

GUARD arrives and calls out names. MICHAELs name is called.INT. MEETING ROOM. PRISON. DAY

HANNA is led swiftly down a prison corridor towards her meeting and sat down at a desk to wait.

EXT. PRISON YARD. DAY

MICHAEL is led in the GROUP towards the visiting room. It hascome on to snow. As he walks towards the room, he losesheart. He changes his mind. The rest of the GROUP go on, ashe falls behind, watching them go. He begins to turn back.

INT. MEETING ROOM. PRISON. DAY.

HANNA sits down at the empty table, waiting.

EXT. PRISON YARD. DAY

MICHAEL turns away and heads back the way he came.

INT. MEETING ROOM. PRISON. DAY

HANNA looks round. Nobody is coming. She waits more.

GUARDTimes up.

INT. PRISON. EVE

HANNA is still waiting. Then she is led back to her cell.

INT. MARTHES ROOM. STUDENT DIGS. NIGHT

MICHAEL appears at the door of MARTHES room. She is workingat her desk. He smiles and closes the door.

MARTHEYouve taken your time.

They kiss. She starts to pull his clothes off. He lets her.He makes no move to undress her. She takes all his clothesoff until he is naked, and she remains clothed. He looks ather a moment, then takes her in his arms and they go down onthe bed. They make love.

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INT. COURTROOM. TOWN HALL. DAY

HANNA and the PRISONERS are led into the court. HANNAS suitis so formal that members of the public call out. Nazi!Nazi! DIETER leans in to MARTHE. HANNA walks on to her

place.INT. COURTROOM. DAY

Everyone rises as the JUDGES come in to take their places.HANNAs face is resigned, without expression. The JUDGES sit.The whole court goes quiet.

JUDGEThe court finds guilty thedefendants Rita Beckhart, KarolinaSteinhof, Regina Kreutz, AngelaZieber, Andrea Luhmann jointlyaiding and abetting murder in threehundred cases. The court finds thedefendant Hanna Schmitz guilty of

murder in three hundred cases.

There are tears in MICHAELs eyes as he watches.

JUDGEThe court sentences the accused asfollows. Rita Beckhart, KarolinaSteinhof, Regina Kreutz, AngelaZieber, and Andrea Luhmann, you

will each serve a total sentence inprison of four years and three

months.

ROHL, MARTHE, DIETER and the students are looking down on thesentencing. MICHAEL is crying.

JUDGEHanna Schmitz, in view of your ownadmissions and your special role,you are in a different category.The court sentences the accusedSchmitz to imprisonment for life.

HANNA is impassive, not reacting. Then she turns and looks upto the gallery.

EXT. COURTHOUSE. DAY

MICHAEL walks away through the cameras and news crews.

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INT. TRAIN. DAY

MICHAEL sits on the train, thinking. The younger MICHAELbecomes the older.

INT. TRAIN. DAY1976. MICHAEL is sitting beside JULIA. MICHAEL is 32, JULIA is a bright little 4 year-old in a coat. The countrysidespeeding by.

JULIA Where are we going?

MICHAELI said : Ill tell you when we getthere. You told me you likedsurprises.

JULIA I like surprises.

EXT. BLUMENSTRASSE. DAY

MICHAEL walks with JULIA towards their old house. He looksround, the memory of coming with HANNA as a sick boy 18 yearsearlier clear in his mind. The same landmarks.

INT. DINING ROOM. BERG APARTMENT. DAY

They are all three eating at the dinner table, eating a smallroast chicken.

MICHAELShes grown, hasnt she?

CARLA I dont know. Its so long since Isaw her, Michael, how can I tell?

MICHAELMy fault. We shouldnt have comeunannounced.

JULIA Daddy, whys she angry?

MICHAEL smiles. Even CARLA smiles slightly.

MICHAELIm afraid Ive have some bad news.Julia knows.

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Weve already told her. Gertrud andI are getting a divorce.

JULIA Daddys going to live in his ownhouse.

CARLA You didnt come for your fathersfuneral, but you come for this?

MICHAELYou know, its not easy for me tovisit this town.

CARLA Were you really so unhappy?

MICHAELThats not what Im saying. Itsnot what I meant.

CARLA Well then?

CARLA looks at him hard.

MICHAELYou mustnt worry about Gertrud.Im going to look after her. Andanyway, lets face it, shesalready a state prosecutor, sheearns far more than I do.

CARLA Michael, Im not worried aboutGertrud. Im worried about you.

INT. TRAIN. EVE

Exhausted by her day, JULIA is sleeping in MICHAELS arms. Helooks down at her, full of love.

EXT. SCHONEBERG. BERLIN. NIGHT

On the other side of a busy Berlin street full of traffic,MICHAEL holds JULIAS hand, a loving father, to guide heracross the street.

INT. LANDING. GERTRUDS APARTMENT. BERLIN. NIGHT

GERTRUD has come to the door, a shrewd-looking intelligent woman, a little older than MICHAEL, very thin, in slacks and

a blouse. MICHAEL is standing outside with JULIA.

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GERTRUD says nothing.

MICHAELI suppose if Im honest we wentbecause I wanted to re-establish

contact.GERTRUD

With your mother? And did yousucceed?

They both smile.

MICHAELAre you all right?

He touches her arm.

GERTRUDMichael youre meant to be anintelligent man. Dont you know,its very hard to receive contactif youre not willing to give it?

GERTRUD looks level, not unkind.

GERTRUDSay goodbye to Julia.

JULIA Goodbye, Daddy.

MICHAEL turns to say goodbye.

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. KREUZBERG. NIGHT

MICHAEL standing in the empty room. Its eerily silent. Hegoes to his bookcase. He runs his fingers along the spines,as HANNA once did. He takes out a paperback of the Odyssey .He looks at it a moment, then he starts to read to himself.

MICHAELSing to me of the Man, Muse, the

man of twists and turnsDriven time and again off course,once he had plunderedThe hallowed heights of Troy...

He sits back.

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MICHAELThe Odyssey by Homer.Sing to me of the Man, Muse, the

man of twists and turnsDriven time and again off course,

once he had plunderedThe hallowed heights of Troy...Many cities of men he saw andlearned their minds,Many pains he suffered, heartsickat the open sea,Fighting to save his life and bringhis comrades home...

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. NIGHT

Later. MICHAEL is now walking up and down, in his shorts andT-shirt, microphone in hand, still reading.

MICHAELAh, how shameless - the way these

mortals blame the gods.From us alone, they say, come alltheir miseries...

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT

Middle of the night. MICHAEL is lying on his back, stillreading.

MICHAELWho are you? Where are you from?Your city? Your parents?Im wonderstruck - you drank mydrugs, youre not bewitched...

INT. LIVING ROOM. DAY

MICHAEL takes a cassette and puts it into a white box. He writes on the side ODYSSEY 6. Then he reaches up to put it on

a shelf next to boxes separately marked ODYSSEY 1,2,3,4,5.Then he takes out a small notebook and cross-references thenew tape in a handwritten list.

INT. CELL. NIGHT

Its dark. HANNA is lying on the bed.

MICHAELS VOICEZeus from the very start, thethunder kingHas hated the race of Atreus with avengeance -

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His trustiest weapon womenstwisted wiles...

HANNA smiles with pleasure at his reading.

INT & EXT. MONTAGE. DAY & NIGHT

A montage of MICHAEL reading and HANNA listening. MICHAEL isreading different books. He is animated now, excited. Thereare extracts from The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway) ;Anatol (Schnitzler) ; The World of Yesterday (Zweig) andDoctor Zhivago (Pasternak). MICHAEL catching fire withexcitement with what he is doing. HANNA collecting the tapesfrom the mail room and organizing on her shelves - herlibrary growing.

INT. CELL. NIGHT

HANNA is lying in bed listening to a new tape.

MICHAELThe Lady with the Little Dog, byAnton Chekhov. The talk was that anew face had appeared on thepromenade, a lady with a littledog...

EXT. EXERCISE YARD. PRISON. DAY

HANNA is walking round with other PRISONERS, in sequence.Suddenly she stops dead, an idea hitting her.

INT. PRISON LIBRARY. DAY

The library is right next to the mail room. HANNA walks pastthe mail room and goes to the library counter.

HANNA I want to take out a book.

LIBRARIANWhich book?

HANNA

Do you have The Lady with theLittle Dog?

LIBRARIANWhats your name?

HANNA Hanna Schmitz.

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The LIBRARIAN goes to get it. HANNA stands, waiting and looksat the stacks of books, for the first time seeingpossibility.

INT. CELL. DAY

HANNA is back in the cell. She puts down a new parcel and abook. She puts the parcel to one side, then opens the book.She then winds back the tape which is already in therecorder.

MICHAELS VOICEThe Lady with the Little Dog , astory by Anton Chekhov. The talk

was...

She turns off the tape. She runs her finger along the titleThe Lady with the Little Dog. She gets down a smalldecorated metal tin, and takes a pencil from it. She starts

making the sounds. The, the, the... L, L, L, etc.

INT. CELL. NIGHT

HANNA is working now, circling the word the each time itcomes in the book. The book is covered in marks.

EXT & INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. EVE

1981. MICHAEL is coming down a busy Kreuzberg street. He is37. He goes into his block. He opens the door : the place is

much more lived-in. He picks up his mail. Thumbing throughit, he sees a letter in childish handwriting. MICHAEL frowns,opening it and taking out a piece of paper.

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. EVE

MICHAEL is holding a letter. He looks down at the writing :Thanks for the latest, kid. I really liked it. He stares,then puts it down and steps back stunned.

INT. CELL. DAY

HANNA stands with a new package. She opens it excitedly. She

takes out tapes. She looks for writing, a letter. There isnone. She turns the packing paper over and over, but theresnothing. She stands, desolate.

INT. CELL. PRISON. NIGHT. MONTAGE

HANNA effortfully writing various letters - just a single message on each. The pen working agonizingly across the

paper. First :

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I WOULD LIKE MORE ROMANCE, LESS ADVENTURE

Next:

I AM NOT SURE WHAT KAFKA IS SAYING

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. BEDROOM. NIGHT

MICHAEL continuing to read to her on the machine.

INT. CELL. PRISON. NIGHT. MONTAGE

HANNA still writing.

DO YOU STILL LIKE DICKENS?

Then finally, many attempts at the same sentence, written many times :

DO YOU RECEIVE MY LETTERS? WRITE TO ME, KID

INT. STUDY. MICHAELS APARTMENT. DAY

MICHAEL is reading the latest letter from HANNA. He looks atit. Do you receive my letters? Write to me, kid. MICHAELopens a drawer in a file box on the floor. There is a stackof her letters inside. He puts the latest on top of the pileand closes the drawer.

INT. CELL. PRISON. DAY

HANNA stands at her window, in despair.

INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. KREUZBERG. DAY

1988. MICHAEL, 44, is at his desk, with the phone in hishand, with a typed letter in front of him.

MS BRENNER (VOICE ON PHONE)Youre Michael Berg?

MICHAELS VOICEYes.

MS BRENNER (VOICE ON PHONE)You got my letter?

MICHAELI have it here.

MS BRENNER (PHONE)As I say, Hanna Schmitz is comingup for release very soon.

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MICHAEL fingers the letter a moment.

INT. BRENNERS OFFICE. PRISON. DAY

MS BRENNER is sitting at her desk in a simple, modern office.

MS BRENNERHanna has been in prison for overtwenty years. She has no family.She has no friends. Youre her onlycontact. And Im told you dontvisit her.


MICHAEL is sitting quite still.

MICHAELNo. I dont.

INT. BRENNERS OFFICE. DAY

MS BRENNERWhen she gets out, shes going toneed a job. Shes going to needsomewhere to live. You cantimagine how frightening the modern

world will seem to her.

There is a silence.

MICHAELYes. Im still here.


MS BRENNERI have no-one else to ask. If youdont take responsibility for her,then Hanna has no future at all.

MICHAELIts kind of you. Thank you for

letting me know.MICHAEL puts the phone down. He looks as if he has just beenhanded a sentence. He gets up and stares at the wall which isnow stacked with all the books he has read. Then he goes tohis balcony.

EXT & INT. MICHAELS APARTMENT. KREUZBERG. DAY

MICHAEL stands looking out over Berlin from his balcony.

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EXT. PRISON. DAY

MICHAEL walks along the road by the prison wall, then goes tothe guichet to sign in.

EXT. PRISON YARD. DAYMICHAEL is waiting in a small barred waiting area as MSBRENNER walks across the yard to open the gate and letMICHAEL in.

MS BRENNERYoure Michael Berg?

MICHAELYes.

MS BRENNERLouisa Brenner. We were expectingyou earlier.

INT & EXT. STAIRS & PASSAGE. PRISON. DAY

MS BRENNER is walking MICHAEL up the steps towards the prisoncanteen. They pass GUARDS and INMATES.

MS BRENNERI should warn you: for a long timeHanna held herself together. She

was very purposeful. In the lastfew years shes different. Sheslet herself go.

INT. CANTEEN. PRISON. DAY

MS BRENNER leads MICHAEL to the door of the canteen.

MS BRENNERTheyre in the canteen. Theyrejust finishing lunch.

MICHAEL sees an OLD WOMAN who is sitting at a table. Her bluedress is stretched too tight across her heavy body. Her hair

is grey. She has a book in her lap, but shes not reading it.A few PRISONERS are finishing their meal.

It takes MICHAEL a moment to realise the OLD WOMAN is HANNA.Then HANNA becomes aware of being watched. She turns andlooks round. At once her face lights up. MICHAEL smiles back,but as he approaches her, he fixes onto her inquiring lookand sees the light go out of her eyes, as if she has lookedat him and been disappointed. He sits down opposite her. Shesmiles, weary.

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HANNA Youve grown up, kid.

She takes his hand. There is a long silence, MICHAEL unableto think of anything to say. He withdraws his hand.

MICHAELIve got a friend whos a tailor,he makes my suits. Hell give you ajob. And Ive found you somewhereto live. Its a nice place. Quitesmall but nice. I think youll likeit.

HANNA Thank you.

Theres a moments silence.

MICHAELThere are various socialprogrammes, cultural stuff I cansign you up for. And theres apublic library very close.

HANNA nods slightly.

MICHAELYou read a lot?

HANNA I prefer being read to.

There is a short silence.

HANNA Thats over now, isnt it?

MICHAEL doesnt answer.

HANNA Did you get married?

MICHAELI did. Yes I did. We have adaughter. Im not seeing as much ofher as I would like. Id like tosee a great deal more of her.

After a few moments, he concedes.

MICHAELThe marriage didnt last.

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There is a silence.

MICHAELHave you spent a lot of timethinking about the past?

HANNA You mean, with you?

MICHAELNo. No, I didnt mean with me.

HANNA Before the trial I never thoughtabout the past. I never had to.

MICHAELAnd now? What do you feel now?

HANNA looks a moment, a haunting look, searching him.

HANNA It doesnt matter what I think. Itdoesnt matter what I feel. Thedead are still dead.

Theres a silence.

MICHAELI wasnt sure what youd learnt.

HANNA I have learnt, kid. Ive learnt toread.

MICHAEL stares, devastated.

MICHAELIll pick you up next week, OK?

HANNA That sounds a good plan.

MICHAELGood. Quietly, or shall we make abig fuss?

HANNA Quietly.

MICHAELOK. Quietly.

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They look at each other. The other PRISONERS have alreadygone. They stand up. She scans his face again, searching forhis thoughts. He takes her in his arms, a little awkward.

HANNA

Take care, kid.MICHAEL

You too.

They walk side by side, back towards the door. Then by way ofsaying goodbye, she takes his hand.

MICHAELSee you next week.

She stretches her arm out before she lets go of his hand,then vanishes inside. MICHAEL walks on alone.

EXT. PRISON. EVE

MICHAEL comes out of the main entrance. He stands a moment,looking round at the evening. MICHAEL walks to his car.

INT. HANNAS ROOM. EVE

The room is simple, a bedroom to one side, a bathroom to theother. It is all furnished with simple functional furniture.The end of a hard days work. MICHAEL hangs a picture overthe desk - a landscape, reminiscent of where they once wentcycling. The job is done. He looks round, grimly content.

INT. CELL. DAWN

HANNA is lying on her bed, fully dressed. She gets up andgets some books down from the shelf. She puts them, one byone, in a pile on the table. Then she takes off her shoes.She stands up and climbs onto the pile of books on the table.Her bare feet on the books. Then she reaches up.

EXT & INT. PRISON. DAY

MICHAEL gets out of the car. He is carrying a bunch of

flowers. He walks towards the prison. He leans in to theGUARD who is in a modern office.

INT. PRISON. DAY

From the far end of the corridor, MICHAEL is seen sitting ona bench. MS BRENNER comes out of her office and murmurs inhis ear. MICHAEL is seen nodding, ashen.

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INT. CORRIDOR & CELL. PRISON. DAY

The two of them come together down the corridor. They stop atthe open door of the cell. The body has been removed. Thebooks are still on the floor. MICHAEL goes in. A bare table,

a chair, a bed, a closet, a toilet in the corner behind thedoor. There are shelves with books, an alarm clock, a stuffedbear, two mugs, instant coffee, tea tins.

MICHAELShe didnt pack. She never intendedto leave.

MS BRENNER looks at him in confirmation. MICHAEL looks at thetwo lower shelves on which are ranged the tapes with thecassette machine.

Above the bed are a series of cuttings, pictures torn from magazines, showing meadows, hillsides, pasture, cherry trees.

One in particular : a burst of autumnal colours. MICHAELkneels on the bed to look at them. There are quotations,articles, recipes, even sayings in HANNAS childishhandwriting : Spring lets its blue banner flutter throughthe air is one. Then he sees a newspaper photograph : theyoung MICHAEL BERG receiving a prize from the schoolprincipal. The headline Michael Berg receives schoolliterature prize.

MS BRENNER reaches out for a tea tin from the shelf. Then shesits next to MICHAEL on the bed, and takes out a folded sheetof paper from her suit pocket.

MS BRENNERShe left me a message, a sort of

will. Ill read out the bit thatconcerns you.

MICHAEL looks at the effortful handwriting on the page.

MS BRENNERThere is money in the old tea tin.Give it to Michael Berg. He shouldsend it, alongside the 7,000 marks

in the bank, to the daughter who wrote the book. Its for her. Sheshould decide what to do with it.And tell Michael I said hello. Tellhim to get on with his life.

MS BRENNER looks at him.

MS BRENNERDo you want to see her?

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ILANA My mother died in Israel - a good

many years ago.

MICHAEL

Im sorry.MICHAEL hesitates for a moment.

ILANA Go on, please.

MICHAELPerhaps you heard. Hanna Schmitzrecently died. She killed herself.

ILANA shakes her head.

ILANA She was a friend of yours?

MICHAELA kind of friend. Its as simple asthis. Hanna was illiterate for thegreater part of her life.

ILANA Is that an explanation of herbehaviour?

MICHAELNo.

ILANA Or an excuse?

MICHAEL shakes his head.

MICHAELNo. No. She taught herself to read

when she was in prison. I sent hertapes. Shed always liked beingread to.

ILANA shifts slightly.

ILANA Why dont you start by being honest

with me? At least start that way.What was the nature of yourfriendship?

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MICHAELWhen I was young I had an affair

with Hanna.

ILANA looks at him for a moment.

ILANA Im not sure I can help you, Mr.Berg. Or rather, even if I couldIm not willing to.

MICHAELI was almost sixteen when I took up

with her. The affair only lasted asummer. But.

ILANA But what?

MICHAEL just looks at her.

ILANA I see. And did Hanna Schmitzacknowledge the effect shed had onyour life?

MICHAEL stares back, understood for the first time.

MICHAELShed done much worse to otherpeople. Ive never told anyone.

ILANA People ask all the time what Ilearned in the camps. But the camps

werent therapy. What do you thinkthese places were? Universities? Wedidnt go there to learn. Onebecomes very clear about thesethings.

ILANA looks at him, unrelenting.

ILANA What are you asking for?Forgiveness for her? Or do you just

want to feel better yourself? Myadvice, go to the theatre, if you

want catharsis. Please. Go toliterature. Don't go to the camps.Nothing comes out of the camps.Nothing.

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ILANA looks at him, unrelenting.

MICHAELWhat she wanted...what she wanted

was to leave you her money. I have

with me.ILANA

To do what?

MICHAELAs you think fit.

MICHAEL reaches for his briefcase. He takes out the lavendertea-tin, which he sets down on the table in front of ILANA.

MICHAELHere.

ILANA lifts the tin.

ILANA When I was a little girl, I had atea-tin for my treasures. Not quitelike this. It had Cyrilliclettering. I took it with me to thecamp, but it got stolen.

MICHAELWhat was in it?

ILANA Oh. Sentimental things. A piece ofhair from our dog. Some tickets tooperas my father had taken me to.It wasnt stolen for its contents.It was the tin itself which wasvaluable, what you could do withit.

She sits a moment, overcome, her hand on the tin.

ILANA

Theres nothing I can do with this money. If I give it to anythingassociated with the exterminationof the Jews, then to me it willseem

screenplay) the reader - david hare

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