Grand Hotel

Berlin.

Season is March.

Action of the picture takes place in approximately 36 hours.

Picture commences at approximately 12:35 in the day.

Time:
The Present.

EXTERIOR REVOLVING DOOR

Show general natural action of people going in and people

coming out but in it is the definite inference of people

arriving and people leaving the big hotel.

MOVE INSIDE THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR -- very quickly. CAMERA

PAUSES ON THE THRESHOLD like a human being, seeing and

hearing.

DISSOLVE OUT.

DISSOLVE INTO:
Clock. It is twenty minutes to one -- and

then moves slowly into the crowd of busy mid-day business

jumble.

CAMERA pushes through crowd and passes by the foot of the

steps that lead up to the restaurant. In its journey, it

passes Kringelein looking up. He is not pointed.

THE CAMERA then saunters -- getting a slow profile movement

across -- near Senf's desk. Senf is very busy. THE CAMERA

now passes -- profile -- the desk of Senf. General action.

Senf stands before his background of slots and keys. WE

PROCEED until we are facing the elevator.

At that moment the elevator is opening. Among the people who

emerge is Suzette, who moves too quickly for us to distinguish

who she is.

THE CAMERA PANS quickly with her and in the distance we hear

her saying to Senf:

SUZETTE:

Madam Grusinskaya will not want her

car.

This line is only just above the general clatter of action

but it is picked-up sharply first by Senf then by Bell-Captain --

and as the CAMERA SLOWLY TURNS AROUND, we see the boy going

towards the door and we hear the voice in the distance,

saying:

VOICE:

Cancel Madam Grusinskaya's car.

The CAMERA now backs away from the scene into the BAR. (a

section.) It backs to the back of the bar and proceeds -- in

profile -- behind the backs of the barmen. A mixed crowd of

people drinking before their lunch.

We pick up the Doctor, leaning his head upon his hands,

looking into space. The woman next to him, a noisy blonde,

is laughing. The doctor glances up at her -- she glances at

the doctor. She and the audience see the scarred side of his

face -- the laugh dies on her lips and she turns suddenly to

her companion, who is the Baron. We do not get much of a

chance to see him because at that instant he is glancing at

his watch, his shoulders are turning away from THE CAMERA

and he moves out towards the lobby.

BACK UP a few feet and LAP DISSOLVE as you move into the

main aisle of busy room in restaurant. Great activity of

waiters. The bustle and activity of fashionable lunchtime. A

string orchestra is playing.

Among other things, we pick up the smiling face of the pompous

Maitre d'hotel, he has apparently just shown someone important

to a table.

THE CAMERA watches his face and follows him. His face just

as CAMERA reaches service table. The pompous Maitre d'hotel

now becomes a thing of drama as he demands of a waiter:

MAITRE D'HOTEL

Where is that gentleman's soup?

The waiter, frightened and perspiring, doesn't bother to

argue -- he tears off quickly (CAMERA FOLLOWING HIM) to

another service table. The waiter seizes buss-boy's arm:

WAITER:

Where's that soup?

Boy goes off at great rate of speed, CAMERA FOLLOWS HIM,

into service room of kitchen. Boy stops at soup chef's

counter. He is not the only waiter wanting soup at that

moment. He pushes his way to the front and puts his ticket

forward.

BOY:

Quick -- come on -- come on...

The soup chef, used to impatient waiters, makes no exception

of the young man. He looks at him as much as to say: "I'll

slap you on the mouth." At the same time he is pulling over

a cauldron of soup.

Rate this script:(5.00 / 1 vote)