Call Me by Your Name Page #47

back, his clothes in the closet and drawers. He drops his

backpack on the floor and throws himself down on the sunlit

bed. The bedspread is the same. He closes his eyes. He is

glad to be back in his old room, now full of sustaining

memories of Oliver.

INT. PERLMAN STUDIO -PERLMAN VILLA -EVENING/NIGHT

Professor PERLMAN is sitting in his usual place, but his

chair is turned out to face the garden. On his lap are proofs

of his latest book. He is drinking. Three large citronella

candles next to him keep the mosquitoes away.

ELIO comes into the room to say good night. His father puts

away his manuscript with a toss and lights a cigarette -his

last of the day -using one of the citronella candles.

PERLMAN:

So? Welcome home. Did Oliver enjoy

the trip?

ELIO:

I think he did.

PERLMAN takes a drag from his cigarette, then pauses a moment

before speaking.

PERLMAN:

You two had a nice friendship.

89.

ELIO:

(somewhat evasive)

Yes.

Another pause, and another drag on his cigarette.

PERLMAN:

You’re too smart not to know how

rare, how special, what you two had

was.

ELIO:

Oliver was Oliver.

PERLMAN:

“Parce-que c’etait lui, parce-que

c’etait moi.”

ELIO:

(trying to avoid talking

about Oliver with his

father)

Oliver may be very intelligent

PERLMAN:

(interrupting his son)

Intelligent? He was more than

intelligent. What you two had had

everything and nothing to do with

intelligence. He was good, and you

were both lucky to have found each

other, because you too are good.

ELIO:

I think he was better than me.

PERLMAN:

I’m sure he’d say the same thing

about you, which flatters the two

of you.

In tapping his cigarette and leaning toward the ashtray, he

reaches out and touches Elio’s hand. PERLMAN alters his tone

of voice (his tone says: We don’t have to speak about it, but

let’s not pretend we don’t know what I’m saying).

PERLMAN (CONT’D)

When you least expect it, Nature

has cunning ways of finding our

weakest spot. Just remember: I am

here. Right now you may not want to

feel anything. Perhaps you never

wished to feel anything. Andperhaps it’s not to me that you’ll

want to speak about these things.

But feel something you obviously

did.

90.

ELIO looks at his father, then drops his eyes to the floor. ELIO looks at his father, then drops his eyes to the floor.

PERLMAN (CONT’D) Look

you had a beautiful friendship.

Maybe more than a friendship. And I

envy you. In my place, most parents

would hope the whole thing goes

away, to pray that their sons land

on their feet. But

I am not such a parent. In your

place, if there is pain, nurse it.

And if there is a flame, don’t

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