電影劇本：SHANGHAI JEWS （9）

(9)

 

EXT. SHANGHAI -- FALL OF 1939 -- DAY

A bird's eye view of SHANGHAI emerges with western-styled buildings erect one by one beside the Bund, a main street running along the embankment.

The CLOCK on the Customs Building is identical to the one on Westminster in London. The CHIMES harmonize with HONKS from ships flowing over the waves in the HUANGPU RIVER.

EXT. ANNA'S HOUSE -- FRENCH CONCESSION -- DAY

A decent four-story house sits in a quiet neighborhood, sunshine streaming through the leaves of French trees.

INT. KITCHEN -- ANNA'S HOUSE -- DAY

Emilia makes eggs and toast by an electric stove. Mark drinks coffee and reads a newspaper at the table. Anna finishes her breakfast and kisses her parents goodbye before leaving with her painting folder and briefcase.

ANNA

I'm gonna work. Bye, Papa, Bye, Mama.

MARK

Take care. Bye.

EMILIA

Bye, honey. Come back earlier.

EXT. JEWISH SCHOOL -- INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT -- DAY

Anna walks toward the building bearing a sign of JEWISH SCHOOL.

Children from Sephardic and Russian Jewish families are driven here by chauffeurs and accompanied by maids. Some Jewish PARENTS say goodbye to their children at the gate.

INT. CLASSROOM -- JEWISH SCHOOL -- DAY

Anna teaches the CHILDREN to draw and paint. Anna supervises, reviews and revises their work. While the students are working on their own, Anna sketches Hans' features and writes Hans' name on a scratch paper.

INT. CORRIDOR -- JEWISH SCHOOL -- DAY

ANDY, a Jewish TEENAGER, shines shoes for a couple of TEACHERS. He is paid and nods his thanks. He puts shoe polish, brush and a piece of cloth into a wooden box hanging from a strap on his shoulder, and walks along the corridor, WHISTLING AMERICAN SONGS.

ANDY

(singing merrily)

Oh Suzanna...

He passes a classroom and peeps in through the door ajar.

ANDY'S POV THROUGH THE DOOR AJAR

Anna teaches some Jewish children how to paint.

BACK TO SCENE

Andy sits on a bench near the classroom door.

INT. CLASSROOM -- DAY

After Anna and her students leave, Andy enters into the empty classroom and approaches the blackboard. He takes a piece of chalk and draws on the blackboard. Gradually, the character sketch reveals the beautiful female art teacher.

INT. CORRIDOR -- DAY

Anna walks through the corridor with a colleague.

ANNA

Oh, I forgot my painting folder. I have to go back to my classroom. You go ahead, please.

COLLEAGUE

Okay, see you tomorrow.

ANNA

See you.

INT. CLASSROOM -- DAY

Anna returns and sees Andy drawing the portrait on the blackboard.

ANNA

Hello, the portrait looks like me, doesn't it?

Andy turns his head and sees Anna. He smiles, shy and awkward.

ANDY

Hello, Madam. I did not expect you to come back.

ANNA

I'm Anna, from Germany. Nice to meet you.

ANDY

I'm Andy, nice to meet you too.

ANNA

You draw very well.

ANDY

Thank you.

Anna takes out a set of paint box and brush from her desk and gives it to Andy. 

ANNA

Here you’re, a paint box and brush, a gift for you.

ANDY

For me? Thanks a lot. It's very kind of you, Madam.

Andy accepts the gift and beams with delight.

EXT. SYNAGOGUE -- INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT -- DAY

The white stone SYNAGOGUE built by Sephardic Jews is impressive.

INT. LECTURE HALL -- SYNAGOGUE -- DAY

A RABBI lectures to the Jewish CHILDREN. Then they recite and pray in Hebrew.

INT. AUDITORIUM -- SYNAGOGUE -- NIGHT

Candles are lit. Fresh flowers are placed all around. The anxious JEWISH PRAYERS, holding framed portraits or photos of the victims, chant in mournful melodies and pray for their relatives and friends who died during the Holocaust in Europe.

In front of a pulpit, Anna prays for Hans.

ANNA

Hans, I miss you so much. Please be alive and come to me. Come to me soon, come to me soon, please.

EXT. HARBOR -- HONGKOW -- SHANGHAI -- DAY

Battling ocean waves, the SHIP sails toward SHANGHAI HARBOR and docks.

PASSENGERS disembark, nervously looking for their relatives or friends in the waiting crowd. Hans walks down the gangway and elbows his way through the crowd.

Hans imagines that Anna's smiling face emerges from among the waiting people and waves to her. In a moment, Anna's image turns out to be a stranger's face smiling to another passenger. Hans seems disappointed and strolls through the harbor listlessly.

Standing in front of a post, a squad of JAPANESE SOLDIERS guards the dock, holding rifles with fixed bayonets aiming at PASSERS-BY or resting the rifle butts on the ground next to their feet.

Rickshaws fixed with cushioned seats are lined up near the dock. JEWISH NEWCOMERS call on rickshaw PULLERS to transport them and their luggage. 

EXT. STREETS -- HONGKOW -- DAY

Hans stands on this strange land, without luggage, bare-footed and in thin shabby clothes. As Hans bends to pick up a piece of bread dropped by a LITTLE CHILD in his MOTHER'S arms, someone from behind calls out to him.

ANDY

Hey, Sir, like to have your shoes shined?

Hans looks back and finds a Jewish teenager who carries a wooden box and tries to solicit customers.

HANS

Oh, sorry, I've got no shoes.

Andy looks at Hans' bare feet.

HANS (CONT'D)

What's your name?

ANDY

Andy.

HANS

How old are you?

ANDY

Twelve. Who're you? Where are you from?

HANS

I'm Hans, from Germany.

ANDY

Germany? I know an art teacher. She's also from Germany.

HANS

(indifferently)

Really?

ANDY

Yeah. She's beautiful. She sent me a set of paint box and brush.  

While they are talking, several TRAVELERS approach them.

TRAVELER 1

Hey, Boy, shine my shoes.

TRAVELER 2

Hurry up. The tour bus leaves soon.

TRAVELER 3

Come on, I'll pay you more money. Just do it faster.

Andy grunts while shining shoes for travelers in a hurry. Hans jumps in to help. Hans follows Andy's process to dust the shoes with a cloth, cream and brush them.

HANS

Aha, we've done.

The travelers give a handful of coins to Andy and leave. Andy counts the money, chuckling.

ANDY

Hans, are you hungry?

HANS

I'm starving.

ANDY

Let's have a bite to eat. My treat.

INT. FOOD BOOTH -- HONGKOW -- DAY

Andy and Hans enter a food booth and sit down at a table. Andy puts coins on the table and yells his orders.

ANDY

(in Chinese)

Hey, Boss, grilled cakes, fried twisted pastes, sweetened soybean milk, and wonton soup. Two of each.

                      HANS

         Wow! You can speak Chinese 
         language so fluently.

                      ANDY

         I’ve been here in Shanghai for
         more than one year, dawdling
         along all day, of course, I’d
         learn to say some Chinese for
         food and drink.      

Food is delivered. Andy and Hans dig in.

HANS

I'm looking for some friends who came here several months ago, but I don't know where they'd be.

ANDY

Um, maybe, in Heime.

HANS

Heime? Where's it?

ANDY

The Heime in Hongkow is not far from here. Your friends are probably there.

HANS

The Heime in Hongkow? What's the place?

ANDY

It's a place where Jewish people gather and dwell as they first arrive in Shanghai.

HANS

You're so smart. You know about so much.

ANDY

I live there with my grandpa and auntie, so I know about the place. Just follow me. Let's go.

(CONTINUING)