© 2004 Matuschka
FADE IN
Four
German
antiaircraft guns are well dug in at the edge of a forest. The sound of
mortar,
anti-tank-guns and machineguns is mixed for the concert of warfare in
the
expanse of hills, field and forest. The GUNNER of the nearest 88
antiaircraft
gun explains to ROBIN FREEMAN a
You see that down there?
The
Americans have
a pack of twenty
ROBIN
So what are we doing up here?
GUNNER
Simple, we are here to get at any tank that is tough to get at from down there.
Robin is concerned, biting his lips, fidgeting. A CREW of FOUR young privates is bringing ammo, loading the gun and moving empty shells. The rest of the battery is hidden behind trees and earth walls. Netting is covering the guns against air attack.
GUNNER 1 cont.
I hear
you
got a
couple of Russky T 34 s. (pause) Hey; maybe you can get a couple of
these
GUNNER 2 cont.
I got to go for a piss, you watch it meanwhile.
POV
Through the visor a
The
raised
road coming out of the village, which is bordered by wetlands, is too
soft for
the tanks. The
SFX There is a painful cry from ELISABETH age 16. She has been hit. She is standing only ten feet from the eighty-eight Robin has fired. She crumbles to the ground, blood gushing from arm and leg wounds. Robin hears the cry and turns back to her. Horrified he screams in anguish, jumps off the gunner’s seat, picks up his machinegun 42, aims with tear-streaked face, mouthing soundlessly, repeatedly ‘bastard’ at the Sherman tank and gives it three half-second bursts. While he shoots, the bullets harmlessly ricochet off the armor. The muzzle blast of the
SFX eighty-eight’s cover
SFX the screen and the first shot blows off the turret. The second or third shot tilts the tank over on its side and down the embankment. Robin runs to Elisabeth, pulling a first aid kit from his pocket. He ties her leg and arm to stop the bleeding. HONKA age 25, in paratrooper fatigues has been munching a sandwich. He throws it aside, grabs helmet and machine pistol 44 and goes to help Robin take Elisabeth to the sidecar of a BMW motorbike in camouflage colors. All three are smeared with her blood and dirt from the field.
She is dropping in and out of consciousness. While Robin gently drops her into the sidecar’s opening, Elisabeth regains weak composure. She embraces him whispering repeatedly, weakly but emphatically.
ELISABETH
I don’t hate you Robin. I don’t hate you Robin. I don’t hate you.
It’s
Armageddon. Shells are exploding all around them.
SFX An oak tree falling over, bursts into flames. A shellhole opens up in the ground nearby. A couple of bikes are propelled into the air and a pile of ammo explodes. A kuebelwagen is hit and starts to burn. An arm, and parts of a head, falls near them. Repeatedly they are showered with debris. Half a sandwich lands on Elisabeth. Robin brushes it off her, while dividing his attention between Honka, Elisabeth and the exploding world around them all with a sense of acceptance.
Honka waves Robin into the sidecar while he, time after time, tries to start the BMW motorbike. Robin grabs his machinegun 42 and hangs it over his shoulder before he gets into the sidecar with Elisabeth. Silver sergeants’ stripes on Honkas shoulder identify him as a feldwebel. Robin is impatient and yells at Honka
ROBIN
Damn it, Honka, hurry up.
Finally Honka
starts the engine and after a short look around the bike, which is
being hit by
dirt and branches, he takes off like a bat out of hell, barely avoiding
three
new shellholes that open up in their path along the dirt road.
EXT.
Honka races the bike to the north at breakneck speed. Deftly he avoids rocks, tree trunks and deep potholes, but they get splashed repeatedly by dirt and water.
SFX Three times the explosions throw up dust hiding the three from sight; so it seems at times that they have been killed for sure. In the sidecar Robin has Elisabeth in his arms. Both are getting bloodier by the minute. His flapping tunic only partially hides the decorations, an iron cross, Verwundeten-spange and the Nahkampf-spange.
Robin’s helmet
is askew. Tears run down his cheeks, making tracks and grimaces show.
He is
swearing profusely through the grime and blood on his face. Honka sees a German fieldcar coming toward
them from the German side. He has almost made the turn in that
direction and
now in danger of turning the motorbike over
SFX he reverses direction by twisting the wheel full to the left without reducing his speed and turns west to the American side instead. Robin is caught by surprise, but has no time to complain. He is busy securing Elisabeth, who is almost torn from his grasp, before he yells at Honka with excitement and surprise at the change in direction. Over his shoulder Honka points east with his thumb for Robin to look. That is when Robin twisting his head to the rear too, sees the camouflaged Kuebelwagen coming out of a cloud of dust and dirt from an exploding artillery shell, from the east with KRAUSE the driver and SS captain STOERTEBEKER driving toward the three in the motorbike. They are still way behind.
EXT. FIELDROAD AT RIVER DAY
Honka, Robin and Elisabeth on the bike and sidecar are racing down to the river.
EXT. RIVER
BANK DAY
POV Across the river an American SNIPER takes aim at Robin on the speeding motorbike. He shakes his head in disbelieve and swears under his breath at the audacity of the driver.
SNIPER
Cock-sucker
A shot rings
out.
EXT.
Honka slumps forward with blood spreading on his back. Robin turns to look at Honka and new concern spreads across his face when he sees the wound. Halfway into the river Honka manages to stop the motorbike. With a look at Robin he motions him to get out and go on. Honka attempts to speak but only foaming blood comes from mouth and nose. Robin looks at him with concern wanting to help, but Honka waves him on.
EXT. RIVER
BANK DAY
POV The American sniper is aiming at Robin through his scope and hesitates to shoot when he sees the boy lifting the blooddrenched Elisabeth from the sidecar. Stunned he watches the tall boy in German uniform bring the lifeless girl through the water. For a moment he is undecided about shooting the enemy with the bleeding girl in his arms. He listens with amazement when he hears Robin talk in his direction.
ROBIN
Hey, I need some help here.
First he is undecided,
then, with a shrug of his shoulders, he walks out of his well covered
position,
over to the blood drenched German with his gun at the ready and
frequent looks
to the German side. Robin is stuck at the riverbank, which is too steep
and
high for him to be able to get up carrying Elisabeth. Robin looks up at
the
sniper with an open mouth.
ROBIN
For Christ’s sake give me a hand.
The
sniper is stunned. Shaking his head he reluctantly shoulders his gun
and
reaches down to help Robin.
SNIPER
You are mad buddy, wearing that German uniform?
SNIPER cont.
How did you escape from the Krauts? What unit are you from?
Robin is out of breath, coughing while
slipping repeatedly in the muck.
ROBIN
Long story, will you carry my gun?
Robin nods at the machinegun still hanging from his shoulder. The sniper obliges giving the weapon some close attention before he shoulders it beside his rifle. Then scrutinizes Robin and Elisabeth.
SNIPER
You must be crazy. I almost shot you back there.
They
are getting on stable ground and Robin gets his wind back. He gives the
sniper
a doubtful look.
ROBIN
You just shot Honka. Yesterday Honka saved a bunch of your guys life’s.
The sniper still unsure
helps the stumbling Robin, even keeping him from dropping the girl. He
is
querulous. The three disappear in the bushes to the rear of the
American lines.
The explosions of artillery shells and infantry fire interrupt the
sounds of
two people walking
SNIPER
OC Okay Mack so what happened?
ROBIN
OC It’s a long story. My mom and I got stuck here.
Robins voice fades out
after the new scene of the battle field fades in.
DISSOLVE
TO
FADE IN
INT. RAILROAD STATION DAY
ROSE,
age 30, the mother of ROBIN
age 12 stands at the end of a line a hundred PEOPLE waiting to buy
Railroad
tickets. Through the window at the railroad platform a sign shows.
CLOSE ON ‘Express Train to
CLOSE
ON clock shows
TIME DISSOLVE
CLOSE
ON clock
Sorry Miss there are no more tickets, this train is all reserved.
But its very urgent for us to get to Zürich today, we are being expected.
TICKET AGENT
You are too late Fräulein.
Rose shrugs with despair in her
eyes she picks up her small suitcase and her large handbag with one
hand with
the other hand she grabs Robin’s unwilling arm pulling him along to
leave. The
policeman is checking a COUPLE’S papers.
As Rose and Robin leave, the cop gives them a cursory glance, which makes Rose nervous and jittery. The two German MILITARY POLICEMEN age 50 joined now by a GESTAPO COP age 30, in a dark leather topcoat have cornered three CIVILIANS. The gestapo cop gives Rose a glance that again increases her anxiety. She pulls Robin along with force and speed.
CLOSE
ON calendar date
DISSOLVE TO
EXT.
CLOSE ON steamer trunk is on display among other stuff in the window.
A horsedrawn wagon comes down the street on the other side.
TIME DISSOLVE
The rear of the wagon disappears on the downside. Rose and Robin come out of the store carrying the steamer trunk by its handles.
DISSOLVE TO
Robin sits on the steamer trunk
and Rose is at the counter. The TICKET AGENT age 60, leaves through a
wad of
papers and then head shaking opens his reservation book giving Rose an
occasional look he scratches his head, his chin and nose in
consternation.
TICKET AGENT
Mrs. Connors I’ve looked everywhere I can’t find your reservations. {looks up} We have a war going on all my good people have been conscripted into the Wehrmacht; the help I am getting nowadays is quite useless.
Rose
is frantic, her eyes fly from Robin on the trunk to the ticket agent.
ROSE
What am I going to do? My husband is coming to pick us up at the harbor.
Robin is mostly looking at the
people milling about with an occasional glance for his fibbing mother.
Rose
looks for understanding and help to the man.
Some compassion comes to his face as he leans forward, he tries
to calm
her fears.
TICKET
AGENT
Mrs. Connors I’ll get you on the next ship by hook or by crook. That’s next week and you get the Shippingline to send a cable to your husband telling him the new date of arrival, okay?
Rose
throws up her hands in despair and explains.
ROSE
It’ll be too late to stop him. He must have left already. Is there nothing we can do to get us on this ship?
The ticket
agent shows feeling for pretty Rose Connors but he shrugs his shoulder.
TICKET AGENT
I’ll put you two down for the ship next Monday. Tomorrow we’ll send that cable for you. Okay?
ROSE
Thank you, I guess that’ll have to do. Is there no ship leaving earlier than that?
The ticket agent shakes his head
regretfully. Rose motions for Robin to get up and they take the trunk
and go
for a taxi at the curb.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. RESTAURANT NIGHT
Rose and Robin are having dinner
among twenty dinner GUESTS. A WAITER age 40 in tuxedo and black tie,
serves
Rose and Robin their dessert. The music from the radio stops and an
announcer
comes on.
We
interrupt this program for
important news. The Japanese Imperial Fleet has commenced an attack on
CLOSE IN calendar date 8. 12 1941
The music resumes. Rose turns pale early on with the news. She looks trapped and anxious as not ever before, dropping her spoon and trying to retrieve her napkin, which keeps falling off her lap. She knocks over her waterglass.
Hey mom, does this mean the Germans here are gonna fight with us?
Robin no more of this now, from now on you must only speak German.
Why mom, I mean we are not soldiers. Are we gonna go home quickly now? Is dad going to come over here and fight with grandpa? That’s dumb, mom.
Robin screws up his face in a
disbelieving smirk. Rose turns to watch if people are listening to her
son. No
one seems to pay attention. The room is alive with excited discussions.
People
smile at each other with disbelief and surprise in their faces. One man
somewhat drunk gets up, Bierstein in his hand singing a march in a loud
voice.
Nobody pays him any attention except the server who tries to hush him.
Robin
quit
asking questions. I’ve
already tried trains and ships. We can’t spread wings and fly to
Oh Yea
mom,
with a flying boat right
under the
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. DIRT DRIVEWAY DAY
ELISABETH
HA! No you don’t.
I may not be out this way for days.
I can go for a walk tonight, maybe?
DISSOLVE TO
INT. LIVINGROOM NIGHT
The thousand square foot room has
a beamed twelve-foot ceiling. An eight-foot high fireplace is built
into the
inside wall. Goldframed eight foot mirrors hang between the windows,
the depth
of the windows shows the walls to be two foot deep, it is furnished
with
antique Persian rugs, heavy large carved wood pieces, deep upholstered
chairs
and chesterfields and paintings. Herr VON TRENCK age 60, is reading a
leather-bound book when he receives the two letters from the maid on a
silver
tray, he opens them on the open book on his lap as she leaves.
VON TRENCK
Look MARIA, mail from Rose.
Maria, age 50, who has been hidden by the high back chair till now, stops knitting, looks at him while he reads the letter for a moment, shakes his head with concern. He draws air through his teeth with apprehension. It makes a sound like a squealing mouse.
VON
TRENCK cont.
Not
good,
not good. Rose and little
Robin are stuck here in
MARIA
Oh
my
God, her husband will be worried sick.
She is coming to stay here, she says. Will you tell the girl to get two rooms ready for them.
But dear, the boy has to go to school.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. DINING ROOM NIGHT
VON TRENCK
We have a problem. You, Rose, will be practically invisible here. People here know you from your childhood.
But Robin, he has to go to school or someone will sooner or later get nosy about him.
ROSE
I tried everything to get us out, back to safety Daddy. I am at the end of my wits.
I know sweetheart, I know, it’s too bad.
Your father has an idea as far as Robin is concerned. Albert is in charge of the Theresianum military academy; your dad and he are friends.
Yes, the colonel is the school’s principal. So, that’s where we can hide Robin.
Yes, of course it is a NAPOLA. He will wear their uniform with the swastika armband. It is the perfect hiding place.
Von Trenck nods as if to verify the facts, then turns to Robin. Rose listens with a puzzled expression.
What is a NAPOLA? I’ve never heard of such a thing.
VON TRENCK
Rose, listen to me, no one will discover him there.
The only snag is he has to pass an entrance examination. Are you up to it Robin?
Maria looks
at Robin. Robin gives his mother a questioning look.
What will it be, my math is good, English should be a farce, no?
The important part of the test is for physical strength and courage. Careful with your English, don’t be a showoff.
I am so worried. How tough is it?
Okay its settled then. I pray they don’t find out.
I’ll keep my mouth shut grandma, it should be a blast. Wait till I tell dad about that.
DISSOLVE TO
The Theresianum, a castle which
the Empress, in the eighteenth century turned into a military cadet
school, is
in
A bell rings in the windowed guardroom inside the gate. A GUARD in infantry uniform pushes a button.
The electric lock emits a loud noise. Pushing the door open Rose and Robin enter the castleschools entry hall.
Rose looks up at a sign. Robin follows her gaze.
CLOSE ON sign at guardroom.
Applicant testing. First floor. Robin looks at the sign nods his head
and turns
to Rose.
ROBIN
This means upstairs mom?
Yes Robin first floor is one flight up.
The two
walk up the stairs.
DISSOLVE
TO
INT. OFFICE DAY
Rose sits at a desk and fills out
a form with the eagle and swastika printed at the top. A SOLDIER in
German army
uniform with sergeant’s silver edged shoulderstraps sits behind another
desk
with two piles of applications. Rose signs at the bottom of the last
page and
hands the form to the sergeant.
Orderly!
ORDERLY
Heil Hitler, you, come with me.
ROBIN
Heil Hitler.
Heil Hitler!
Heil
Hitler, Frau Connors.
The sergeant salutes her as she
leaves the office before he returns to his paperwork.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. GATE DAY
Outside the school’s castle gate she turns to give the place a last look before she crosses the street for the bus stop.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. CLASSROOM DAY
SERGEANT
Horses head, forelegs, belly, neck, rump, hindlegs and the horses tail.
Collins, may we have your attention. Or does this bore you?
No sir. That is yes sir and no sir to the second question.
All right Collins sit down. We’ll go to the stables now. You will get closer acquainted with this animal. Very closely I assure you. Attention.
SERGEANT
Turn right, Abteilung march. Left, left, one, two, three four.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. STABLE FRONT DAY
Four horses are saddled. There are
three CORPORALS age 20, handlers, all wearing ridingbritches. By that
time the
boys are getting somewhat used to the horses with a variety of
reactions, most
of them show ignorant curiosity, extra fear of the horses and
approaching them
from the right, they obviously have never seen a riding horse saddled
up.
SERGEANT
You only approach a horse from in front or the left side unless you want to be kicked in the head that is. The horse handlers will show you how to hold and mount a horse.
The boys on the wrong side cautiously back off while the sergeant instructs the unit of boys,
Robin steps up to a gelding and watches while the handler checks the
CLOSE ON saddle-cinch, tightening it by one notch. He holds the
CLOSE ON stirrup out, to check its length, he shortens it by four notches hands the reins to Robin on the left, then steps out of view to the right. He is back on the left
CLOSE ON now starting to pay attention to Robin, but doesn’t say a word, only watches the boy.
Robin steps close to the stirrup puts his left foot into it and gives the
POV. handler a questioning look. When nothing is said he grabs a hold of the saddle and pulls himself up. The horse dances and bucks. Robin tries to hold on but after some fight with the horse he is thrown.
SERGEANT
Are you trying to be a little ahead of us there?
CORPORAL
Yes Sergeant. This boy is eager.
That’ll teach you a lesson.
So we have a smart-ass. Well, try again Connors.
CLEARING /
HURDLES
There are some extra high hurdles the other side of the clearing. That’s where he is headed.
He throws a look at Robin and heads for these at a full gallop. The hurdles look awfully high when they get close. Robin catches up with the Sergeant and they take the hurdles side by side one after the other the last one has a ditch behind and the sergeant gives his Stallion both spurs and the whip. With the heavy load of the large man the horse is slightly nervous but one more urging keeps it in line. They both clear the hurdle fine. Robin’s horse stumbles and takes a fall. The sergeant slows after the jump and turns back to the fallen Robin, who is getting up checking his dirty uniform. He gets off his horse.
Sergeant it wasn’t my riding close the way I did that fouled my jump.
No Robin, your horse knew better. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you.
EXT. RIFLERANGE DAY
Robin and twenty STUDENTS in
darkblue uniforms of the Napola are aiming military rifles at their
targets. A
SERGEANT and a CORPORAL are supervising. There are five shots for each
boy. The
targets are numbered, as are the firing benches. Robin is at number four
POV.
Robin looks through the sight at
the target. The firing continues for a while. He sets down the carbine. The CORPORAL at the targets walks from target
to target and calls the hits.
Two black two fives, One black three fours, Zero, One black one seven.
CLOSE ON He sticks his finger into a hole at the edge of the target.
I don’t know. Could be two, or three, at the edge.
Come on Luther, wake up.
OK sergeant, what is this? You think my eyesight is bad.
POV. CLOSE ON the target sheet which
has one small hole in it consisting of a tightly connected number of almost one centimeter big holes.
The instructors look at each other making faces. The sergeant is dubious.
Did you forget to put up a new target?
I don’t save this stuff in my closet.
The sergeant looks from the corporal to Robin. With a lot of puzzlement he looks the boy over biting his lower lip. Then he turns to the corporal in a low voice.
SERGEANT
He is hogwild but he may be all right with some discipline.
We will turn you boys into men, and you too Connors will become a good shot I promise.
CORPORAL
Say Robin how is your eyesight?
ROBIN
I think it’s all right corporal.
I say we have a boy here who will have to learn a lot.
Or a washout.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. GRENADE RANGE DAY
CORPORAL
This is a dangerous piece of fighting equipment. Do not touch it till you know how.
Some of the boys snicker while
handling the egg grenades. The sergeant and the corporal exchange a
look, while
Robin is watching the corporal’s hands, who with a slight nod at the
sergeant
pulls the pin of the grenade in his hand and slowly tosses it fifty
feet in
front into a shallow depression.
POV. Robin can not see the depression.
He takes a step back to get behind the corporal, watching the corporal with a quizzical look. The explosion stops the students jabber.
Just a warning to show you what happens when you get too smug.
The corporal motions to Robin and three other students to join him. Robin walks up to him and grasps the grenade the corporal offers to him.
CORPORAL cont. 2
All right now Robin, show us how you’ll use this. Over there you see three ditches, each has a machinegun emplacement which you can recognize by the half circle trench behind it. Why Robin is that trench in a half circle?