The Night Manager Page #6

PINE:

Takallam bibut' min fadlak.

YOUSSUF grins. His pupil is making slow progress.

PINE (CONT’D)

Listen, Youssuf, you know Freddie

Hamid?

YOUSSUF:

The Hamids own the hotel, Jonathan.

Of course I know who he is.

PINE:

What’s he like?

YOUSSUF:

Playboy and a gambler. More money

than sense. He spends most of his

time in Europe.

PINE:

Well, he’s in Cairo now, and he’s

meeting someone tonight.

YOUSSUF:

How do you know that?

PINE:

Doesn’t matter. Can you call round

the kitchens? See if anyone knows

where they’re having dinner?

YOUSSUF frowns.

YOUSSUF:

Be careful, Jonathan. The Hamids...

Suddenly two EGYPTIAN YOUTHS rush in. Phones in hand.

YOUTHS (IN ARABIC)

Hey Youssuf! Mubarak’s gone!

YOUSSUF (IN ARABIC)

What are you talking about?

YOUTHS (IN ARABIC)

Mubarak has resigned!

YOUSSUF (TO PINE)

President Mubarak has resigned.

TNM Ep1 PRE-SHOOTING SCRIPT 15-3-15 1414.

PINE:

I understood.

They all rush to turn on TVs. Check facebook. Check twitter.

It’s true.

YOUSSUF:

He’s gone. He’s bloody gone!

He hugs PINE. The chefs and waitresses cheer and dance. Other

HOTEL WORKERS enter. There is a frenzy of joy, with PINE at

its centre.

On the TV - Tahrir Square is a frenzy of joy, and we can hear

guns firing in celebration from the roofs, a whole country in

liberation.

ALL (IN ARABIC)

Mubarak’s gone! Mubarak’s gone!

14 INT. CAIRO. NEFERTITI HOTEL. NIGHT DESK/OFFICE. NIGHT. 14

PINE stands at his night-desk looking at the television

publicising the news of the resignation. Joyous scenes.

NEWSCASTER:

The Arab Spring continues to spread

across North Africa like wildfire.

Cairo tonight is a mass of

celebrating people...

PINE looks down at a slip of paper.

A handwritten note, slightly scrawled. Freddie Hamid booked

into the Ramses Hilton. 7.30pm for cocktails. Corniche Bar.

Youssuf.

PINE checks the clock. 8.30pm. He calls on the phone. A voice

answers.

VOICE ON PHONE:

Ramses Hilton.

PINE:

Corniche Bar please.

Click. Another voice.

SECOND VOICE:

Corniche Bar.

PINE:

Yes this is George Watts, I’m a pal

of Freddie Hamid’s. He’s taking

cocktails in your bar tonight. I

was supposed to meet them but I got

held up.

TNM Ep1 PRE-SHOOTING SCRIPT 15-3-15 1515.

SECOND VOICE:

They’ve already gone sir.

PINE:

Oh that’s a shame. Do you happen

to know where?

SECOND VOICE:

I believe Mr...

His words are drowned out by car horns and gunfire from the

street outside. PINE winces and jams a finger into his ear.

SECOND VOICE (CONT'D)

...took Mr Hamid to dinner on his

yacht sir.

PINE:

I’m sorry I missed that. I’m at a

party. Big celebration. What was

the name again?

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