Shine

David (mumbling) Kissed them all, I kissed them all, always kissed cats, puss-cats, kissed them, always did;if a cat�d let me kiss it, I�d kiss it - Cat on a fence I�ll kiss it - always, always, I will - didn�t I?I did because I was different wasn�t I, I was - gotta be different again, haven�t I darl -

He realizes the seat beside him is empty and panics.

David Where-oh-where, Gillian?Where did she go, where-oh -

His weird begaviour draws attention.

Gillian (returning) It�s alright David, I�m right here.

David Here - here Gillian, right here.The thing is I thought you were gone.

She emanates calmness, warmth and is an endless source of energy.The effect is instantaneous.David settles �

Gillian Where is there to go?

David I don�t know darling, I don�t know, I�m hopeless without my glasses.

Gillian You�ve got your contacts in, silly.

David I�m a silly, it�s true, it�s true.

A braying laugh. Whooahh!

Gillian Shhhh.

David Oooh, shhh - shhh, sorry darling, sorry -

Gillian It�s alright.Stretch your legs.

David Do you think so?Perhaps I should, perhaps I should stretch my legs, should I stretch my legs?

He stands.

Gillian Good idea.

David Good idea, that�s right -

AIRPORT ANNOUNCEMENT : Flight 313 to London via Frankfurt will be re-boarding in 15 minutes -

David Whooahhh, London, Gillian, London!

Gillian Yes � Shhh.

David Shhh �

He looks out the rain-spattered window at the flashing red light from an aircraft being fuelled immediately outside the window.

David Shhh, softly, softly, new story �

Dissolve to iridescent neon raindrops coursing down a window in the night somewhere,Suddenly a desperate face fills the frams.It�s David in his late twenties.The full head of hair, falling around his soaking wet face, tells us this is years earlier; a sodden cigarette hangs from his lips spectacles dangle off the end of his nose.He�s looking into ...

INT/EXT.MOBY'S WINEBAR - NIGHT A pianist croons the last few bars of �Only the Lonely�.A waiter, TONY, shows the last two patrons to the door.TONY and a woman in her mid-forties, Sylvia, put up chairs; the PIANIST, SAM, slips into a stool at the bar.They chat but all we hear is David�s anxious breathing as we are seeing it all from his POV.He raps on the window.

Sylvia What does he want?

Sam A drink probably.Get lost!

David disappears from the window and appears at the door.

Sylvia Poor thing.Let him in.

Tony He�s a derro�!

Sylvia He�s saturated.

Resume David�s POV as more words are exchanged then TONY comes over and opens the door to him.

Tony What�s the problem, mate?

David (a hundred miles an hour) Sorry, sorry, sorry, mate, I�m the problem, I think I�m the problem, such a problem.And wet!But it�s not an ideal world.Is it an ideal world?We just have to make the most of it, I mean, this is the way we find it isn�t it, yeah-yeah-yeah!But it�s more ideal than it was, I mean, you know, we�re privileged, we�re privileged, we�re priviliged, aren�t we, because not long ago, people would be burned to a steak wouldn�t they, er �

He sees �MOBY�S� embroidered on TONY�s tunic.

David Moby, yay Moby, pleased to meet you -

Tony Tony.Who are you?

David (hugs Tony) Tony, Tony not Moby Tony.Who am I Tony?Who knows Tony? I don�t know myself.Whooahh!David, I�m David, I�m David Tony �How does that sound?

Sylvia Hello David.How can Sylvia help?

David Sylvia?Is it Sylvia?How are you Sylvia?Good to see you, Sylvia.

He throws an arm around her neck as though greeting a long-lost friend.

David Sylvia Tony, Tony Sylvia.

Sylvia What can we do for you, David?

David Do for me, Sylvia, what, yes, got to stop talking, got to stop, got to stop, it�s a problem isn�t it?Is it a problem?

Sylvia It�s alright David; just tell Sylvia why you�re here.

David Ahhhh!Well it�s a mystery, a mystery, a mystery -

Sylvia Are you lost?

David Am I lost?Perhaps that�s it.I�m lost, I�m lost, I�m lost.How does that sound?

He sees the piano.

David Ooh you have a piano.Is that your piano, Sylvia? Beautiful Sylvia,.Isn�t Sylvia beautiful Tony?You too Tony.Perhaps I could play it.Could I play it?You say, you say.

Sam Like hell baby.

Sylvia Shut up, Sam.

David (lurches towards SAM) Hell baby, the Devil, Diablerie Sam baby! SAM Get outta here.

TONY is in fits of laughter �

Sylvia David -

David Sylvia, such a beaitiful piano exquisite Sylvia, Sylvia-Tony.

He moves towards it.

David Could I play, you say, you say?

Sylvia Why don�t you tell Sylvia where you live?

David Live, Sylvia, ligve - live and let live - that�s very important isn�t it?Molto, molto.But then again it�s a lifelong struggle, isn�t it Sylvia-Tony, to live, to survive, to survive undamaged and not destroy any living breathing creature.The point is, if you do something wrong you can be punished for the rest of your life so I think it�s a lifelong struggle; is it a lifelong struggle? Whatever you do it�s a struggle, a struggle to keep you head above water and not get it chopped off.I�m not disappointing you am I Sylvia-Tony-Moby-Sam, yay Sam!

INT.Sylvia'S CAR - NIGHT TONY is driving.Sylvia is in front, both laughing along with David in the back.

David (a braying laugh) �Helfott� - �with the help of God� - that�s what it means Sylvia.How�s that?You see, Daddy�s daddy was religious, vee-eery religious, very strict; and a bit of a meanie.But he got eterminated, didn�t he, so God didn�t help him. Whooahhh.Not very funny is it, Sylvia?Very sad, really sad - I�m callous aren�t I, such a meanie because I haven�t got a soul, is that right - that�s right isn�t it?

Sylvia - (O.S.) What do you mean?

David Daddy, daddy said so.No such thing as a soul.

A train whiste sounds in the distance.

Sylvia That�s ridiculous

David Ridiculous; you�re right.I�m ridiculous Sylvia-Tony, and callous Daddy said because it was a tragedy, a tragedy �

The car drives into a tunnel.Blackness in the tunnel.

David - (V.0.) � a ridiculous tragedy.

The sound of the train wheels rattling, blasting a signal sweeps us into bright light.

His POV. Over this we fade up.

David, nine, makes his way down the aisle clutching a score. His hair is meticulously parted and he wears spectacles. A little uncertain, he stops and looks back to his father. Peter HELFGOTT is a thickset Polish man in his fifties.He motions for David to keep going, then sits, anxious and excited.David walks up some steps onto the stage.

Announcer David�s going to play the piano for us, aren�t you David?

David Yes.

He�s stage-struck by all those faces looking at him, including three judges - two elderly females and a man in his thirties.His name is BEN Rosen.

Announcer What are you going to play?

David�s attention is taken by a fan nearby, blades whirring.

Announcer David, what are you going to play?

David snaps out of it, when from the audience �

Peter (stands) Chopin!The Polonaise!

Peter smiles full of charm, and a little embarrassed at all eyes on him; he applauds encouragingly then sits. David�s hells click on the bare boards as he crosses to the old upright piano centre-stage.HE adjusts his music.His bony legs barely reac the pedals.HE difgets, looks into the spotlight.He takes a deep breath, then launches into Chopin�s Polonaise in A Flat, the first few bars ring out with unusual power, surprising everyone - BEN Rosen in particular.

David attacks the keys with such gusto that the piano inches forward.HE hooks his foot around the leg of the stool and drit in.He plays on.The piano moves again.He blurs some notes.Again he readjusts the stool without missing a beat; pages of his score flutter to the ground but David plays on, undaunted, to the end.Rosen watches the courageous performance with wry amazement.Peter arrives backstage flustered.To the ANNOUNCER :

Peter The piano, it is disgraceful.

The piano slews forward.David stands and plays the final few bars with awesome intensity.

Announcer This kid�s good; he�s great.

A moment.

Peter He�s my son!

Suzie Did he win or lose?

Along the street, David walks a few paces behind Peter.

Margaret He lost.

David jumps over the cracks in the pavement.

Margaret Now we�ll all cop it. Damn you David Helfgott.

David IT�s your turn, Daddy.

Peter flicks a look at the board a moves a piece.

Peter You know, David, when I was your age, I bought a violin, I saved for that violin, it was a beautiful violin.All listen to the story they�ve heard before.Do you know what happened to it?

David glances at a photo of a stern rabbi high up on the wall.

David He smashed it.

A moment, the Peter slams his fist on the small table, knocking some chess pieces off.

Peter You are a lucky boy.MY father never let me have music.

David I know, Daddy.

Peter You are very lucky.

David Yes Daddy. (lights up.) Will I play for you?

Peter No.You pick up these pieces.

David proceeds to on hands and knees while Peter goes to switch the gramophone off.

Margaret (to David) I bet I could�ve won.

Peter (in Yiddish) Quiet.

David pokes a face at Margaret.She does the same to him, careful for Peter not to see.David gallops the knight across the board.There�s a knock at the frond door. Margaret makes to go.

Peter Margaret!

She stops.

Peter I told you, tell your friends not to come.

She sits.There�s another knock which Peter ignores. EXT.HELFGOTT HOUSE.SIDEWAY - DAY BEN Rosen walks around the sideway of the dilapidated old house, uncertain if there's anyone home.He spots someone in the backyard.

Rosen Hello.

It's SUZIE.

Rosen Who are you?

INT/EXT.HELFOYY HOUSE.BACKYARD - DAY Peter looks across.

Rosen appears at the back door.

Rosen I hope I'm not interupting �

Peter stands in the doorway looking down at him, resenting the intrusion.

Rosen Ben Rosen.I was one of the judges.

Peter doesn't accept the proffered handshae.He motions SUZIE in.

Peter (to Rosen) Yes?

Rosen You left before all the prizes were announced.

David appears behind Peter.

Rosen You were very good this afternoon, David.

David Thank you.

Peter He can play better.

Rosen Maybe he was a little too good.Some people don't like that.We gave him a special prize for his courage.

Peter takes the envelope from Rosen and peels it open. Margaret starts playing the piano in the background.

Rosen It was a very difficult piece you chose, David.

David Daddy chose it.

Rosen notices RACHEL sneak a look out the window at him.

Rosen Even great pianists think twice before tackling the Polonbaise.

David's eyes light up as Peter takes a pound note from the envelope.

Peter A prize for losing!

He pockets the money.

Rosen I wouldn't call him a loser.

Peter (in Yiddish, to Margaret) Stop, that is enough!

She stops playing.

Rosen (in Yiddish) She plays well too.

The Yiddish catches Peter out.

Peter (disdainful) They all play.

Rosen I'm quite sure David could win lots of competitions with the right tuition.

He offers a business card showing his qualifications.

Peter I teach him.

Rosen You've obviously done well.

Peter Yes - and no one taught me; no music teachers Mr. Rosen.

Rosen Of course, it's just that a few bad habits can sometimes mean the difference between winning or losing. He knows which strings to pull. If you'd like to think about it.

He hands Peter the card.Peter holds his look and closes the door on him.

He walks down the hallway, drawn by the sparse, haunting music which is familiar: Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto. Entering the living area he sees David playing the piano in near darkness.David struggles to get his small fingers across the keys, faltering to a stop �

Peter Rachmaninov?

David It's beautiful.

Peter sits beside his son.

Peter You taught yourself?