電影劇本：SHANGHAI JEWS（30）

(30)

 

EXT. STREET -- GHETTO -- HONGKOW -- DAY

SUPEROVER: MAY 8, 1945, GERMANY SURRENDERED

The Jazz IN THE MOOD roars from bars along the street. A NEWSBOY, carrying a thick batch of newspapers, runs around streets. PEOPLE huddle together to buy newspaper and read the front page, rejoicing at the news.

NEWSBOY

(yelling out headline)

Extra, extra. Germany has surrendered.  Unconditional surrender. Hitler's tyranny is over. Extra, extra. Hitler committed suicide...

Rose, tightly holding Petr's hand, thrust her way through the crowd to reach the newsboy who trades coins for newspapers. A paper is tossed in Rose's hand.

Rose stops walking and reads the front page of the Shanghai Jewish Chronicle. She turns the pages and, in the list of NAZI CAPTURE, finds a familiar name: WALTER MENGELE, LIEUTENANT, sentenced to DEATH, summarily EXECUTED. Gripping the paper, Rose's hands are trembling.

PETR

Mama, your hands are shivering. Are you cold?

ROSE

Mama is fine, good boy.

PETR

What's on the paper?

ROSE

Some news.

PETR

What's the news? Bad or good?

ROSE

Good news, of course, good news, honey.

PETR

What sort of good news, Mama?

ROSE

Go, go, honey, let's go.

EXT. STREET -- GHETTO -- HONGKOW -- DAY

Pasted on the wall are a few issues of the AUFBAU, a Jewish newspaper written in German and published in New York. The Jewish REFUGEES gather and read the Aufbau with the printed lists of the SURVIVORS and the DEAD.

REFUGEE 1

Miserable information continues trickling into Shanghai. So many Jews have been gassed to death in Auschwitz. 

REFUGEE 2

Six million Jews have been killed throughout Europe, six million!

REFUGEE 3

May God be just. But how could such tragedies happen if God were just?

Mark puts on his glasses and searches through the lists of names of those slaughtered. Emilia, standing next to Mark, peruses the rows of names, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. People sob and sigh, sullen and sorrowful. The plaintive chant in Hebrew sounds so nostalgic. Kaddish is mournfully recited to pray for the dead.

EXT. YARD -- SYNAGOGUE -- HONGKOW -- DAY

Jewish people cluster together, chatting. Suddenly they hear a buzz and see some American airplanes circle high up in the sky. Then a blast of distant explosion is heard.

MARK

(gazing skyward)

Look, look, American airplanes.

HANS

Yes, reconnaissance flights.

VIOLINIST

It targets the Japanese military installations.

FLUTIST

I'm worrying a bombardment of the ghetto.

TRUMPETER

Don't worry. The Americans won't bomb the ghetto. They know we Jewish refugees are here.

DRUMMER

Since the Americans have involved, our victory will be more hopeful.

EMILIA

Let's pray for our salvation.

EXT. STREETS -- GHETTO - HONGKOW - DAY

SUPEROVER: JULY 17, 1945

Rose and Petr pass a Chinese PEDDLER selling yams grilled in an oven. The peddler takes layers of yams steaming hot from the grate and tears one open to show Petr its inside.

PEDDLER

Hey, Boy, delicious yams, sweet and soft.

PETR

Mama, I want to eat yams.

Rose buys several yams. Petr takes one and bites into it.

ROSE

(warning Petr)

Be careful. Don't burn your lips.

PETR

It's so delicious. I want more.

ROSE

No, it's enough. You can't eat more.

PETR

(yelling)

More, give me more, I want more.

Petr stomps and loses his temper, pulling at Rose's coat for more yams.

ROSE

(sighing)

What a spoiled kid. 

Rose takes out a toy car from her handbag to cajole Petr.

ROSE (CONT'D)

Look, Petr, here you're, a gorgeous toy car.

PETR

Aha, Mama, the car is so cool. Give me my toy, it's mine.

ROSE

Of course, it's yours, honey. Mama bought it for your birthday.

PETR

For my birthday?

ROSE

Yeah, it's a birthday gift.

PETR

Thank you, Mama, I love it.

While Petr is playing with his toy car, Rose grips Petr's arm and scurries with him.

(CONTINUING)