The Pianist

BENEK: A beauty. Who is she?

SZPILMAN: A singer. Her husband's an actor. I knew them well. Good people. I'd like to talk to her.

BENEK: Don't forget, Mr. Wladek, they hang them for helping Jews.

BENEK: Someone you know?

SZPILMAN: Yes.

BENEK: Why are you here, Mr. Wladek?

SZPILMAN: It's like this... I...we...all of them.

BENEK: I'm sorry, Mr Wladek, he wants you to stop.

SZPILMAN: Who wants me to stop?

DOROTA: I'm going to get a doctor.

MICHAL: You can't, it's too dangerous.

DOROTA: I'll get Dr Luczak, we can trust him.

MICHAL: Dorota, don't be ridiculous, he's a pediatrician.

DOROTA: He's still a doctor.

DOROTA: This is my husband. Wladyslaw Szpilman. Marek Gebczynski sent him.

MICHAL: Oh, yes. I remember.

SZPILMAN: When's your baby due?

DOROTA: Christmas. This is not a good time to have children. But then...

SZPILMAN: And how's Yurek?

DOROTA: Dead.

SZPILMAN: How long have you been married?

DOROTA: Just over a year.

SZPILMAN: I need help.

DOROTA: He'll be back before curfew.

SZPILMAN: I've been in hiding. I need somewhere to stay.

DOROTA: He'll be here soon.

DOROTA: Sit.

SZPILMAN: I'm sorry - I was given this address. I'm looking for a Mr-- -- a Mr Dzikiewicz.

DOROTA: Michal Dzikiewicz. He's my husband.

DOROTA: Wladyslaw Szpilman.

SZPILMAN: Dorota.

DOROTA: Come in! come in!

SZPILMAN: Dorota!

DOROTA: I didn't want to come, I didn't want to see all this, but I couldn't stop myself.

SZPILMAN: How are you doing?

DOROTA: Fine, no, not really, they arrested my cousin, but Jurek says they'll let him out. This is disgraceful.

SZPILMAN: Don't worry, it won't last long.

DOROTA: That's what I said, it's so - it's too absurd!

SZPILMAN: I'll see you...soon.

DOROTA: Oh, Mr Szpilman, you're quite... quite wonderful.

SZPILMAN: Wladek, please.

DOROTA: I've always loved your playing, Mr. Szpilman.

SZPILMAN: Wladek, please.

DOROTA: No one plays Chopin like you.

DOROTA: I nagged Jurek for weeks and weeks. And at last he gave in and said, 'All right, come with me tomorrow,' and so I came and they bombed the station.

SZPILMAN: You know something? Meeting you like that was absolutely wonderful.

DOROTA: Really?

SZPILMAN: Yes! It was...it was unforgettable.

SZPILMAN: Hello.

DOROTA: I came specially to meet you today. I love your playing, but what a day to choose.

SZPILMAN: Who are you?

DOROTA: My name's Dorota, I'm Jurek's sister. oh! You're bleeding.

SZPILMAN: It's nothing.

SZPILMAN: For what? For my tie?

FATHER: American Jews, and there's lots of them, what have they done for us? What do they think they're doing? People here are dying, haven't got a bite to eat. The Jewish bankers over there should be persuading America to declare war on Germany!

FATHER: To tell you the truth, I thought it would be worse.

SZPILMAN: How will we sleep?

SZPILMAN: Let me see this.

FATHER: Doesn't it say we have to provide these armbands ourselves? Where will we get them?

FATHER: Will I still be able to play?

SZPILMAN: Let's find out.

FATHER: What did I tell you?

SZPILMAN: What are you doing?

GEBCZYNSKI: I'm on the run!

SZPILMAN: What's happened?

GEBCZYNSKI: The Gestapo found our weapons. They've arrested Janina and Andrzej. They're bound to find out about this place, too - you must get away at once.

SZPILMAN: Where do you want me to go? Look at me. No, no, I'm not leaving. Can't I take my chances here?

GEBCZYNSKI: That's your decision. But when they storm the flat, throw yourself out of die window - don't let them get you alive. I have poison on me, they won't get me alive either!

GEBCZYNSKI: Get your things together, you have to leave!

SZPILMAN: What's happened?

GEBCZYNSKI: Must feel better this side of the wall.

SZPILMAN: Yes, but sometimes I'm still not sure which side of the wall I'm on.

GEBCZYNSKI: Here.

GEBCZYNSKI: It's not going to be very comfortable.

SZPILMAN: I'll be fine.

GEBCZYNSKI: You'll have to stay here until tomorrow afternoon.

SZPILMAN: Halina?

HALINA: What?

SZPILMAN: Funny time to say this.

HALINA: What?

SZPILMAN: wish I knew you better.

HALINA: Thanks.

SZPILMAN: What's happened?

HALINA: Oh my God, it's terrible, you've got to do something, oh my God!

SZPILMAN: Calm down, what, what is it?

HALINA: They're hunting people on the streets. They've picked up Henryk.

HALINA: Have you seen this?

SZPILMAN: What, I'm working, what?

SZPILMAN: Henryk's in there.

HELLER: I haven't seen him.

SZPILMAN: Believe me, they've picked him up.

HELLER: Tough luck.

SZPILMAN: Can you help?

HELLER: Oh, you need me now, yes, now you need me!

SZPILMAN: Can you help us?

HELLER: It costs.

SZPILMAN: I've no money.

HELLER: Then there's nothing I can do. He should've joined us when I gave him the chance..

SZPILMAN: Yitzchak, they told me you had influence.

HELLER: Who told you?

SZPILMAN: People I know. They said you're an important man.

HELLER: We're recruiting.

HENRYK: Who's recruiting?

HELLER: Don't be clever with me, Henryk. I've come here as a friend. They're bringing Jews in from all over the country. Soon there'll be half a million people in the ghetto. We need more Jewish police...

HENRYK: Oh? More Jewish police? You mean you want me to wear a cap like yours, beat up Jews with my truncheon and catch the Gestapo spirit. I see!

HELLER: Someone's got to do it, Henryk.

HENRYK: But why me? I thought you only recruited boys with rich fathers. Look at my father, look at us, I mean...

HELLER: Yes, I'm looking at you and that's why I'm here. Your whole family can have a better life. You want to go on struggling for survival, selling books on the street?

HENRYK: Yes, please.

HELLER: I'm doing you people a favour. And what about you, Wladek? You're a great pianist. And we've got an excellent police jazz band. They'd welcome you with open arms. Join us. You've got no work...

MOTHER: Boys, boys...

HENRYK: Your work, yes, playing the piano for all the parasites in the ghetto, they don't give a damn about people's sufferings, they don't even notice what's going on around them!

MOTHER: Henryk, I said nothing bad.

HENRYK: What's the matter with you all? Have you lost your sense of humour?

MOTHER: And, please, tonight, for once, I don't want anything bad talked about. Let's enjoy our meal.

HENRYK: Okay, then I'll tell you something funny. You know who I mean by Dr. Raszeja.

HENRYK: What's this about?

MOTHER: Sit down, have tea, I'll start lunch when the girls get back.

HENRYK: And suppose they take the table away?

MOTHER: What d'you mean, take the table away?

HENRYK: The Germans go into Jewish homes and they just take what they want, furniture, valuables, anything.

MOTHER: Do they?

SZPILMAN: Very appropriate.

HENRYK: Yes, that's why I brought it.

SZPILMAN: What are you reading?

HENRYK: 'If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?'

SZPILMAN: What's that mean, no employment certificate?

HENRYK: You have to have an employment certificate to work for one of the German firms in the ghetto, otherwise...

SZPILMAN: Otherwise what?

HENRYK: You'll be deported.

SZPILMAN: What's the matter? Are you sick?

HENRYK: Hungry.

HENRYK: Did you beg, did you grovel to that piece of shit, that cockroach?

SZPILMAN: I didn't grovel, I asked him to help.

HENRYK: What did you pay him?

SZPILMAN: Pay him? With what? With what could I pay him? Every zloty I earn we spend on food!

HENRYK: I can look after myself!

SZPILMAN: They were taking you away.

HENRYK: It's nothing to do with you. It's me they wanted, not you. Why do you interfere in other people's business?

SZPILMAN: You're mad, that's your trouble, you're mad.

HENRYK: That's also my business.

HENRYK: You go to Heller, did I ask you to talk to him?

SZPILMAN: You're out, aren't you?

SZPILMAN: It's not funny.

HENRYK: Well, you know what's funny? You're funny with that ridiculous tie.

SZPILMAN: What are you talking about, my tie? What's my tie got to do with anything? I need the tie for my work.

SZPILMAN: You sell anything?

HENRYK: Just one. Dostoevsky. The Idiot. Three zlotys.

SZPILMAN: That's better than yesterday.

HENRYK: Three lousy zlotys. And there are people here making millions.

SZPILMAN: I know.

HENRYK: You don't know, believe me. They bribe the guards. The guards turn a blind eye. They're bringing in cartloads, food, tobacco, liquor, French cosmetics, and the poor are dying all around them and they don't give a damn.

SZPILMAN: But...they won't get all of us... we'll...it's too small...there's four hundred thousand of us in Warsaw!

HENRYK: No. Three hundred and sixty thousand, so it'll be easy.

HENRYK: No, no. Listen, I've been thinking --

SZPILMAN: That makes a change.

HENRYK: You know what we do? We use psychology.

SZPILMAN: We use what?

HENRYK: We leave the money and the watch on the table. And we cover it like this. In full view. The Germans will search high and low, I promise you, they'll never notice it.

SZPILMAN: Of course they'll notice it. But look-- This is a good place for something.

HENRYK: A good place for what? He's insane!

SZPILMAN: Just shut up.

HENRYK: Mama, that was a great dinner.

SZPILMAN: It certainly was.

SZPILMAN: They bombed us, we're off the air.

HENRYK: Warsaw's not the only radio station.

JANINA: No one thought they'd hold out so long.

SZPILMAN: should never have come out. I should've stayed there, fought with them.

JANINA: Wladek, stop that. It's over now. Just be proud it happened. My God, did they put up a fight.

SZPILMAN: Yes, so did the Germans.

JANINA: They're in shock. They didn't expect it. Nobody expected it. Jews fighting back? Who'd have thought?

SZPILMAN: Yes, but what good did it do?

JANINA: What good? Wladek, I'm surprised at you. They died with dignity, that's what good it did. And you know something else? Now the Poles will rise. We're ready. We'll fight, too. You'll see.

JEHUDA: I have to say you look terrible. What's the trouble?

SZPILMAN: You've heard the rumours they're going to resettle us in the East?

JEHUDA: Rumours, rumours, you take it all too much to heart, Wladek.

SZPILMAN: I've been trying to get a certificate of employment for my father. I've managed to get certificates for me and the rest of the family but I need one more for my father. I've been trying all the firms, the shops...

JEHUDA: Why didn't you come to me?

SZPILMAN: I didn't know you were in the certificate business.

JEHUDA: I'm not, but Majorek is.

SZPILMAN: Can you help? I've no money...

JEHUDA: Please, don't insult us. Can you do something for him?

JEHUDA: I thought you'd be off on tour, playing London, Paris, New York?

SZPILMAN: Not this week.

JEHUDA: Five hundred. You know how many people on average read one copy? Twenty. That makes ten thousand readers. These will start the uprising. Majorek hides them in his underpants. And leaves them in toilets.

SZPILMAN: Toilets?

SZPILMAN: There are notices going up. The city's to be cleansed of undesirables.

JEHUDA: There are always notices going up.

SZPILMAN: Jehuda, give me something to do.

JEHUDA: You're an artist, Wladek, you keep people's spirits up. You do enough.

SZPILMAN: But I want to help, I want to.

JEHUDA: You're too well known, Wladek. And you know what? You musicians don't make good conspirators. You're too...too musical.

JEHUDA: Ah, here. Today's news from the other side.

SZPILMAN: You're amazing, Jehuda.

JEHUDA: No, I'm a socialist. I have brothers everywhere. They bring me news and food. We care about our fellow human beings. Workers of the world unite.

SZPILMAN: So, what's the news?

JEHUDA: The Germans are advancing on Kharkhov.

SZPILMAN: I don't know why I come here every evening, it's always such bad news.

JEHUDA: Bad news, you crazy? You have no world view, Wladek, that's your trouble. The news couldn't be better. The moment Hitler invaded Russia, I knew we'd be all right. Remember Napoleon. Same business. The Germans will freeze to death, please God.

SZPILMAN: Jurek? Wladek Szpilman.

JUREK: Wladek! How are you?

SZPILMAN: Fine, we're fine, thank you, and you?

JUREK: Fine, we're fine in the circumstances. But I can guess what you've called about. There's nothing we can do; they won't reopen the station--

SZPILMAN: Yes, I know, but Jurek, Jurek...

JUREK: ...not even music, nothing, no radios for the Poles. But I'm sure you'll find work, Wladek, a pianist like you.

SZPILMAN: Maybe, maybe not, but, Jurek, don't be offended, I didn't call to discuss my future career.

KITTEN'S VOICE: If I play like an angel, why don't you listen?

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: I was listening, Kitten.

KITTEN'S VOICE: Liar, you fell asleep. Pig!

KITTEN'S VOICE: Puppydog, what d'you mean, you forgot?

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: What d'you think I mean, Kitten? I forgot, that's what I mean.

KITTEN'S VOICE: You know what? You treat me like dirt!

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: I treat you like dirt because you are dirt.

KITTEN'S VOICE: Pig!

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: Cow!

KITTEN'S VOICE: Pig!

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: Bitch!

KITTEN'S VOICE: Dirty pig!

PUPPYDOG'S VOICE: You're a dirty pig!

KITTEN'S VOICE: Takes one to know one! Pig!

MAJOREK: I tried your friends. They're not at that address any more. But.

SZPILMAN: You made contact?

MAJOREK: Be ready to leave in two days' time. Same place as last night.

SZPILMAN: Have a favour to ask. I want to get out of here.

MAJOREK: It's easy to get out, it's how you survive on the other side that's hard.

SZPILMAN: I know. But last summer, I worked for a day in Zelazna Brama Square. I saw someone I knew. A singer. Her husband's an actor. They're old friends. I've written their names down. And their address. If they're still there. Janina Godlewska and Andrzej Bogucki. Good people. Majorek, you go into the town every day. Would you try and make contact? Ask them if they'd help me get out of here?

MAJOREK: They're going to start the final resettlement now. We know what it means. We sent someone out. Zygmunt. A good man. His orders were to follow the trains out of Warsaw. He got to Sokolow. A local railwayman told him the tracks are divided, one branch leading to Treblinka. He said every day freight trains carrying people from Warsaw forked to Treblinka and returned empty. No transports of food are ever seen on that line. And civilians are forbidden to approach the Treblinka station. They're exterminating us. Won't take them long. We're sixty thousand left. Out of half a million. Mostly young people. And this time we're going to fight. We're in good shape. We're organised. We're prepared.

SZPILMAN: If you need help...

SZPILMAN: How long have you been here?

MAJOREK: Since last night. I was pleased to see you.

SZPILMAN: I'm sorry, I did my best, I thought the certificates would save us all.

MOTHER: Stop it, Wladek.

SZPILMAN: No, no, no, I'm staying put. If I'm going to die, I prefer to die at home.

MOTHER: God forbid!

SZPILMAN: And what do you think you'll do while you're setting up a new line of defence? Wander round lugging your suitcases?

MOTHER: Pack, Wladek, there's no time.

SZPILMAN: I'm not going anywhere.

MOTHER: Pack, darling, get your things, pack.

SZPILMAN: Where are we going?

MOTHER: Out of Warsaw.

SZPILMAN: Out of Warsaw. Where?

MOTHER: Thank God - Wladek! You're wounded.

SZPILMAN: It's a little cut, nothing.

MOTHER: I've been worried sick.

SZALAS: You don't want to worry about that. My grandfather was jilted by his girl friend when he got jaundice. In my opinion, jaundice is not very serious. Drink up.

SZPILMAN: Why didn't you come sooner? It's been over two weeks.

SZALAS: You don't remember me, Mr. Szpilman?

SZPILMAN: No, I don't think so?

SZALAS: Warsaw Radio. I was a technician. I saw you almost every day.

SZPILMAN: Sorry, I don't remember.

SZALAS: Doesn't matter. You've nothing to worry about. I'll visit often.

SZPILMAN: What about you?

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: I've got another one. Warmer. What will you do when it's all over?

SZPILMAN: I'll play the piano again. On Polish radio.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Tell me your name. I'll listen out for you.

SZPILMAN: Szpilman.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Szpilman. Good name for a pianist.

SZPILMAN: I don't know how to thank you.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Don't thank me. Thank God. It's His will that we should survive. Well. That's what we have to believe.

SZPILMAN: Are the Russians here?

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Not yet.

SZPILMAN: What's happening?

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: We're getting out.

SZPILMAN: What's all that gunfire?

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: The Russians. On the other side of the river. All you have to do is hang on for a few more weeks.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Where are you hiding?

SZPILMAN: In the attic.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Show me.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: What's your work?

SZPILMAN: I am... I was a pianist.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: A pianist.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: What the hell are you doing?

SZPILMAN: I was... I was trying to open this tin.

THE GERMAN CAPTAIN: Where do you live?