電影劇本：SHANGHAI JEWS（20）

(20)

 

INT. BEDROOM -- ANNA'S HOUSE -- FRENCH CONCESSION -- NIGHT

Petr falls asleep. Rose and Anna tiptoe past him.

INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

Mark, Emilia, Anna and Rose sit around and drink tea. Rose weeps.

ROSE'S FLASHBACK

In the night club, Rose serves tables in her waitress uniform. Walter, inebriated, pounds on the piano while roaring military songs. As Rose passes by, Walter stretches out his hand toward Rose's waist. Rose scurries to avoid him. He jeers at her.

WALTER

Hello, babe, have a drink with me?

Rose ignores him and quickens her pace. Walter rushes to Rose, drags her into his arms and enforces a kiss on her. Rose pushes Walter away and gives him a slap. Walter, annoyed, punches Rose on the nose and cups her chin.

WALTER (CONT'D)

Damned, Jewess bitch.

A Nazi soldier ushers Rose into an office in the jail. Rose glances at the OFFICER seated at a desk and recognizes Walter, stunned and speechless.

WALTER (CONT'D)

Hello, Girlie, fancy meeting you here. What can I do for you?

ROSE

Uh, Officer, please do me a favor.

WALTER

What sort of a favor? I'm glad to do it.

ROSE

You know, my friend, Hans, he is here, in prison. Please release him. Release him, please, I beg you.

WALTER

(chuckling)

Ha, what a fucked up favor. Okay, no problem. But, how can you repay me?

ROSE

I, I...

WALTER

Strip, strip off your clothes, now.

Outraged, Rose reluctantly takes off her clothes. Walter grasps her naked body and subdues her, forcing her to have sex with him on his desk.

Rose experiences torturous agony and pain in labor, perspiration moistening her flushing face. A MIDWIFE cradles a crying baby in her arms and puts him beside Rose.

BACK TO SCENE

Anna holds Rose's hands tightly. Emilia pours a cup of coffee for Rose. Mark paces up and down, and then, slumps into a chair.

MARK

(sighing)

Rose, listen, we should keep this to ourselves, for your sake, and also for the child's sake.  

EMILIA

You're right. We couldn't let the Jewish community here know Petr's birth. We'd protect him from disdain. Sometimes, gossip is horrible.

ANNA

The child is innocent. It's not fair to despise and ridicule him because of his Nazi father.

MARK

So, I consider letting Petr have a father, I mean, a decent father to hush up the fact.

ANNA

Hans said he'd be the father.

MARK

Hans?

EMILIA

Hans? It's not a bad idea.

ROSE

You're so thoughtful. I'm very grateful to you. But, I can't involve Hans in my trouble.

ANNA

It's not your fault. We shall handle the thing together. We have no choice. Hans is the only proper person, I guess.

INT. HANS' HOUSE -- INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENT -- NIGHT

Hans draws the jewel case from his pocket, opens it and looks at the rings. He closes the jewel case and puts it into a drawer of his desk.

HANS

I'm sorry, Anna.

INT. CAFE -- FRENCH CONCESSION -- DAY

Hans and Anna, face to face, sit at a table, drinking coffee.

ANNA

I've something to tell you.

HANS

I've something to ask you too.

ANNA

Say it.

HANS

You say it first.

ANNA

Okay, well, I, uh, last night, Rose told us, me and my parents, Petr's birth.

HANS

So, you knew who his father is.

ANNA

Yes.

HANS

And, you also knew the cause, the reason.

ANNA

Yes. As to my parents' opinion, we shall protect Petr from gossip, scorn and hatred.

HANS

How?

ANNA

We, my parents and I, finally agreed, unanimously, that, uh, we'd work together to hush up Petr's birth by...

HANS

By what?

ANNA

By, uh, nominating you as his decent father, instead of that disgraceful Nazi bastard.

HANS

Whom? Nominating whom? Pardon, I couldn't quite catch what you said. Would you please kindly repeat it?

ANNA

You.

HANS

Me?

ANNA

Yes, you.

HANS

Okay, then, let me be. But, I worry about you. I don't want to hurt you.

ANNA

I can endure it. Rose's sacrificed more.

HANS

Anna, both you and Rose are so remarkable.

ANNA

Now, it's your turn, you said you'd ask me something.

HANS

What I'd ask you is the same matter.

Hans and Anna stare at each other, holding their hands tightly.

(CONTINUING)