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Scripts Aloud brings drama right into your ears. By using text-to-speech software, theater scripts go from the page into drama, every week. Typically 10-minute scripts are presented in each episode. It's like having a Theater Festival - right on your phone!
INT. COFFEE SHOP - MID-MORNING
It is 1954 and Austria is slowly rebuilding after the devastation of the Second World War. Many buildings show damage and repairs are ongoing.
In a cozy coffee shop in Vienna, a RODRIGUEZ sits next to a window, with a coffee and a newspaper. Occasionally he glances up until he sees TALIA come in the door. He signals discreetly to her and she comes to the table.
RODRIGUEZ
You are Miss Morgan?
TALIA
(pause)
Yes.
RODRIGUEZ
And you are looking for something.
TALIA
Yes.
RODRIGUEZ
Please, sit down. First time in Vienna?
TALIA
It’s been a long time.
RODRIGUEZ
Yes. And you are looking for the past.
TALIA
I heard that you might be able to help me find someone.
RODRIGUEZ
Perhaps. At a price. Who are you looking for?
TALIA
Well, less a person than a thing. I’m looking for some diamonds. I think you might have some information about a man who is offering “war diamonds”. Is that right.
RODRIGUEZ
You mean Sokov.
TALIA
Yes. What can you tell me?
RODRIGUEZ
For three-hundred Marks, I can tell you where he is.
TALIA
How can you be sure? How can I trust you?
RODRIGUEZ
He’s not going anywhere. He’s dead. He was captured by the Soviets and they sent him to Siberia. He died two years ago.
TALIA
That doesn’t help me.
RODRIGUEZ
But you don’t really want Sokov, do you? You want his diamonds.
TALIA
Yes. Look, I can pay you.
She fishes in her purse and puts an envelope on the table. He covers it with his newspaper.
RODRIGUEZ
His wife is handling the diamonds. She is selling them as she needs to, to keep on the run. You’re not the only one looking, you know.
TALIA
Who else?
RODRIGUEZ
(dismissive)
Who knows? Fortune hunters. Bounty hunters. She was clumsy about who she told. Did you know, she still has the coffee can? Ten years on.
TALIA
Disgusting! Where is she?
RODRIGUEZ
She’s here, in Vienna. She is lining up a sale with some brokers from London.
TALIA
Where she is staying?
RODRIGUEZ
The Hotel Imperial, near the canal.
(hushed tone)
The lobby is the unofficial meeting place for agents, of various-flags.
TALIA
How will I know her?
RODRIGUEZ
(sarcastic)
She was the Camp Commander’s wife! What do you think she looks like? Marlene Dietrich, of course. They all look like her. Tall, platinum blonde, quite severe. You won’t miss her.
TALIA
How should I make contact with her?
RODRIGUEZ
You don’t.
TALIA
What do you mean?
RODRIGUEZ
I mean, you go to her hotel, keep a watch, discreetly.
TALIA
Of course.
RODRIGUEZ
And, when she goes out, you can follow her. Or, you can wait until she goes back to her room.
TALIA
Then what?
RODRIGUEZ
What do you want?
TALIA
Those diamonds should belong to me!
RODRIGUEZ
(rough)
I’ve heard that story before. Specifically, what do you want? Do you want her to apologize and hand over the coffee can full of diamonds? Do you want to offer to buy them? Or, do you want to hit her in the head and steal them? Hmm?
TALIA
I like the hit-her-in-the-head plan.
RODRIGUEZ
Of course. But she’s nobody’s fool. She’ll have her precautions. Not to mention the other unsavory elements who watch her every step. Next they will just watch you. Is that what you want?
TALIA
I want the diamonds. Let me tell you a story about those diamonds.
RODRIGUEZ
(dismissive)
No! Stop! We all went through the war. It was awful for everyone. IF we made it out alive, WE were the lucky ones. But everybody has a story. I don’t want to hear it.
TALIA
But, just so you know why I...
RODRIGUEZ
(insists)
Stop! No, Don’t tell me. In fact, better that I don’t know. Now, you go. Do what you want to do. Go home. Or, talk to her. Or, kill her. I don’t care. Don’t even tell me. Good day, madam.
TALIA
That’s it?
RODRIGUEZ
I said, good day.
Talia gets up, leaving the envelope and exits.
INT. HOTEL IMPERIAL LOBBY - EVENING
The Hotel Imperial in Vienna is a fabulous 5-star hotel, built at the height of the Austrian Empire in the 19th Century. There are huge chandeliers, marble statues everywhere, carvings and details cover the walls.
The magnificent lobby has some chairs and tables but the main action seems to be in the bar in a side room, and the restaurant in an opposite side-room.
Talia enters through the big front doors, self-conscious and unsure. She goes to the restaurant and sees the Maître d'Hôtel, the hotel and restaurant manager.
MAÎTRE
(looking up)
How can I help you, madame?
TALIA
Can I get a table? For one.
MAÎTRE
I apologize, madame. We schedule our bookings many months out. However, I can seat you in the bar and dinner can be served in there.
TALIA
Very well. Thank you.
Talia follows the Maître d'Hôtel across the lobby and towards the bar area. As they cross the lobby, a tall, older woman, TERESIA, comes in the front doors, and she does look remarkably like Marlene Dietrich.
TERESIA
(Smiling at Maître d')
Gustav, there you are!
MAÎTRE
(to Talia)
Pardon me a moment, please.
(to Teresia)
Madame, how may I help you?
TERESIA
Gustav, could you squeeze me in for a light meal? I haven’t eaten all day.
MAÎTRE
Certainly, madame. I will return in just a moment and we’ll get you seated.
TERESIA
Well, I am in kind of a rush.
(seeing Talia)
And who is this?
TALIA
(loudly)
Gustav, tell the woman, No Autographs!
TERESIA
(surprised)
Excuse me?
TALIA
(grandly)
I’m not signing any autographs today. I am on my day-away from the set.
TERESIA
I’m sorry who are you? A film star?
TALIA
(astonished)
You really don’t recognize me? I apologize. Let me buy you a drink. Champagne?
(indicates towards the Bar)
TERESIA
(haughty)
Well, Gustav was about to show me to my table in the Restaurant. Perhaps you would join me there?
(to Gustav)
Gustav?
MAÎTRE
Certainly, Madame. For two.
The Maître d’ leads them into the restaurant and seats them at a table. Gustav waves to a waiter to bring Champagne for the pair.
TERESIA
(giddy)
Well! You are in films. I have always loved them. I would have loved to be in one.
TALIA
Yes. For this one, I play the wife of Johann Strauss. We are doing locations at Schoenborn Palace.
TERESIA
How exciting!
TALIA
You know the kind of shot: “Descending a grand staircase, in a long gown.”
And me, trying not to trip over the devil-thing and fall on my face!
TERESIA
Ha-ha! Wonderful!
TALIA
(secretly)
I really can’t say anything more, at least not out in public like this.
(suspicious)
You never know who might be listening!
TERESIA
(understanding)
Oh! Right, right. But listen, I’ll have Gustav send up this Champagne to my room. I just adore the films!
TALIA
That would be a wonderful break for me. I have been walking all over town.
Talia and Teresia get up from the table. Teresia has a word with Gustav, the Maître d’, and the pair head to the stairs.
INT. TERESIA’S HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
Teresia fishes a key out of her handbag and opens the door. In the hallway, out of sight of Teresia, Talia removes a compact crossbow. She quickly unfolds it, strings it and loads a bolt with an arrowhead.
TERESIA
Well, here we are. The Champagne should be up in a minute.
TALIA
(entering w/ crossbow)
Now! Sit down! By the window.
TERESIA
Gott in Himmel!
TALIA
Sit down!
Teresia sits on an opulent cushioned chair from the dressing table. Talia stands above her, pointing the crossbow at Teresia’s face.
TERESIA
What do you want?!
TALIA
I’m here for you. You’re husband is dead, and you are selling the stolen diamonds. So I have come for you.
TERESIA
My husband is not dead. He’s at our villa in Argentina.
TALIA
I was told that the Russians got him.
TERESIA
(dismissive)
A convenient story, to make our escape. Who are you?
TALIA
(Bitterly)
My father was at Treblinka. He was a Jew. He worked as a slave, for your husband, the Camp Commander. He saw the killing, the stealing. How he collected the diamonds from the victims.
TERESIA
(dismissive)
We followed the orders of the government. I didn’t kill anybody. Now put that thing down.
TALIA
No, but you were there. Your hands are bloody as well. Today, you die. Then, I will go, and I will get him.
TERESIA
(confused)
Your father? He was that miserable office fellow? That petty Jew-beggar?
TALIA
He saw all of it. He saw the cruelty. Those diamonds don’t belong to you.
TERESIA
Ha! You’ll never find them.
TALIA
It doesn’t matter. Killing you will be justice enough.
Just then the door flies open and a waiter wheels in a room service tray, with Champagne and an ice bucket.
WAITER
Your Champagne, mada...
TERESIA
Get her!
TALIA
Scheisse!
Talia pulls the trigger and the bolt fires at Teresia. It goes into one of her eyes, through her brain and sticks into the back of the chair, pinning Teresia to the chair.
Talia fishes out another bolt and quickly loads it, pointing it at the waiter.
TALIA
Get out!
The waiter puts his hands up.
WAITER
(paniced)
I will bring Gustav! He will know!
The waiter exits.
Talia puts the crossbow on the bed and begins to search the room. She finds a gun, some bullets and some cash, but no diamonds. She cannot find the “coffee can”.
There is a gentle knock on the door and then it is open. Gustav pokes his head in.
MAÎTRE
(gently)
Madame? Are you well?
TALIA
(pointing crossbow)
Get out!
MAÎTRE
(closing door softly)
Madame, please. Put down the weapon, please. I am the Maître d’Hotel. I am responsible for cleaning this up. Perhaps we can talk?
TALIA
I have to get away. Can you help me?
MAÎTRE
Certainly, madame. But you are looking for something.
TALIA
You know? The can, the diamonds?
MAÎTRE
Madame, during the war, the Germans took our hotel, the Imperial Hotel, as their Austrian headquarters. They were barbarians, animals, in our hotel. And the...ahem...deceased madame was one of them.
(nodding)
You have done us a courtesy. And yes, I have the can, in safe keeping. She was worried about events such as these.
TALIA
Give them to me. They belong to the victims, to the dead.
MAÎTRE
Yes, madame. But how do I know you are a person of goodwill?
TALIA
Because I am going to get her husband next, in Argentina.
MAÎTRE
Ah, yes. Buenos Aires. My colleagues there will give you the address. I wish you good luck with The Commander.
TALIA
It was Treblinka.
MAÎTRE
I know. Now, if you will excuse me, madame. I have to prepare this room for the next guest.
TALIA
But what about the diamonds?
MAÎTRE
Return in the morning and you will have them. I will have my hands full with this for the rest of the afternoon.
(looks at Teresia)
TALIA
I’m sorry, Gustav, to put you through this.
MAÎTRE
At least, it was not gunfire. It was a silent-justice. Now go. Return in the morning.
TALIA
Thank you, Gustav.
Talia rushes to put her things together, but before she leaves, she pours a splash of cold Champagne and downs it quickly. Satisfied, she leaves.
The Maître d’ goes to the phone and dials a number.
MAÎTRE
(into phone)
Anton, would you send Felix, and a cleanup crew, to room 224 please? Yes, that’s right. Send Felix. Thank you.
Gustav hangs up the phone and walks over to the dead Teresia. He grips her head firmly and pulls her forward, passing the bolt all the way through, leaving it stuck in the chair. He wrenches the bolt loose and leans Teresia back.
MAÎTRE
(bitterly)
I trust madame enjoyed her stay.
Gustav slides the arrow into a pocket in his jacket.
END