A Script based on the short story by Carson McCullers
by Hilary P.
Düsseldorf, Germany, in the year 1936. A view of the once wealthy industrial city slowly zooms in and focuses on Frances- a fifteen year-old girl with obvious Germanic heritage.
FRANCES- walks through a crowd of poor workers. She passes the butchery and a bakery, all of which are lacking in productivity. Many of the buildings she passes have “Zimmer für Miete” signs in the windows (“Rooms for Rent”). A group of young men pass her, one of them sporting a drawn on swastika on his shirt. Frances stops in front of an abandoned grocer store. She opens the door, and climbs to the apartment above.
Entering Mr. Bilderbach’s apartment- a violin and piano duet can be heard, Beethoven’s Sonata in A major no. 9, op. 47 “Kreutzer.” Frances sits on couch, taking off her boots and her bag. She begins to quietly pull out old, yellow-paged music sheets, which she sets in a neat pile beside her. She looks into the next room, where two men can be seen playing.
MR. BILDERBACH- at piano. Stops for a moment and looks over his shoulder, MR. LAFKOWITZ following suit. He smiles in recognition.
BILDERBACH
Is that you, Bienchen?
FRANCES
Yes
Mr. Bilderbach stands, and comes into room. Looks at clock, and then looks again to Frances.
BILDERBACH
A little early, aren’t you?
Frances shrugs, not making eye contact.
BILDERBACH
We’re finishing a sonata- Ana has made Apfelbutterkuchen, and there is some milk in the icebox.
FRANCES
No thank you, but I’ll listen to the sonata.
Bilderbach returns to Lafkowitz, and they continue playing. While they play, Frances stares at her music, her fingers miming playing the keys. She spots a newspaper on the table some five feet from her. She stands, and retrieves it. Upon observation, there is a picture of HEIME ISRAELSKY playing violin on the cover, and the description: “Heime Israelsky, der Brunnen bekannter Wunderkindgeiger, Ist eingeladen worden, um das Beethoven Konzert mit zu spielen…”
(Heime Israelsky, the well known prodigy violinist, has been invited to play the Beethoven concerto with...)
Frances scowls at the picture, staring at Heime. She looks at the other pictures of a concert, then she throws the paper aside and puts her face in her hands, pushing back her hair and taking off her hat.
The sonata ends, and Mr. Bilderbach and Lafkowitz can be heard congratulating each other on the performance. Mr. Lafkowitz packs up his violin, and passes into the room where Frances sits. On his right arm is a visible yellow band, sewed neatly onto the arm of the coat just below the armpit. Frances smiles up at him in greeting. Lafkowitz looks towards the newspaper beside her.
LAFKOWITZ
It was a good performance wasn’t it?
FRANCES
Yes…
LAFKOWITZ
Heime performed well, didn’t he? He’s quite the prodigy.
France’s smile falters, and she looks down- but nods in agreement. Bilderbach enters the room, looking for Frances. Mr. Lafkowitz says goodbye and wishes them a nice day before letting himself out. Frances stands, giving a hesitant smile to Mr. Bilderbach, lifting her music sheets and walking over to the piano. Scene shifts to a memory sequence, in which Frances is again entering Mr. Bilderbach’s apartment. HEIME is sitting on an ottoman, his elbows on his knees. On his arm is also a bright yellow band. Mr. Lafkowitz is talking with Mr. Bilderbach.
LAFKOWITZ
The Bloch would be a good way to end the concert.
BILDERBACH
No, it would not be right for Frances. It is something for Heime to play.
LAFKOWITZ
Do you have another piece in mind?
BILDERBACH
The John Powell piece- the Sonate Virginianesque. That would be a good end.
Turns as Frances shuts the door behind her. Lafkowitz beams in greeting, and Heime looks up at her entrance.
LAFKOWITZ
Ah- Frances. We were discussing the duet you are going with Heime.
FRANCES
Oh… the Bloch?
BILDERBACH
What would you think of the Sonate Virginianesque instead, Bienchen? I think it’s a better piece
FRANCES
I’ve been practicing the Bloch. I would rather stay with it. That is, if Heime doesn’t object-
Heime shakes his head, glancing at Mr. Bilderbach, who seems worried. He watches Frances for a moment, and then shrugs.
BILDERBACH
Alright, the Bloch then. Heime, if you would get your violin-
Heime stands, leaving the room. Frances watches him go, and takes out her music. She walks over to the piano and sits. Bilderbach approaches her.
If you are to play this, you must put more energy
into it.
FRANCES
I know.
BILDERBACH
You know, Bienchen?
FRANCES
Yes, I know. I can do it. I am
practicing, don’t worry.
Heime reenters, carrying his violin. He stands next to Frances, lifting his violin to his chin and preparing himself to play.
HEIME
Are you ready?
Frances nods, and they count, and then begin. Switch to another scene, where Frances is washing dishes with ANA. Frances remains silent and subdued, in an obvious bad humor, while Ana talks.
ANA
It was very gut, very gut, to me. I think you played very well. And Heime did wonderfully too. You are both wunderkinds to me! I think there will be a newspaper article about you today, ja?
Bilderbach is resting at the table, reading a book. His mood
looks no better than Frances’s.
BILDERBACH
If there is an article, Lafkowitz will bring
it.
ANA
Why are all of you in such an awful humor? It was a good concert, I assure you! Frances, you played well!
BILDERBACH
No one’s saying she didn’t
