Voila! Finally, the Shine
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Geoffrey Rush as
David Helfgott movie. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Shine. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
I did. I did. I-I-I thought
I was a cat. Ooh.
Well, kind of, kind of. I-I identified
with cats. Well, I kind of did.
I wonder why that was.
They make sure you try
to stroke them. Is that right?
So maybe I was a sad cat. Was I
a sad cat? Because I wonder.
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I wonder about cats.
Truly, I did. I did. I did. I did.
'Cause I was a fuddy-duddy. Fuddy-duddy.
I kissed them all. Kissed them.
I will always kiss cats. Always did.
If a cat'd let me kiss it,
I'd kiss it.
You know, if I see a cat on
a fence, I'll kiss it. Always,
always. I will, didn't I?
Ooh. Life's a perpetual risk, isn't it?
That's right. I think it is.
Because the point is,
I was different in those days,
wasn't I? I was. I was. I was.
I've got... I've got to be
different again. Different again.
But can a leopard change
its spots? Who knows?
Ooh. It's a blood sport.
I think it's a blood sport.
It's true.
It seems to be true.
Or is it a blank?
Bit of a scrabble. Hoo hoo.
You've got to put all the pieces
together. See if you can make a word.
Ho ho, that's very...
That's very funny.
It's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
- Bye.
- Take care.
Bye-bye.
We're closed.
- What's the problem, mate?
- Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry,
mate. I'm the problem.
I think I'm the problem.
Oh, such a problem. And wet! Oh.
But it's not an ideal world.
Is it an ideal world?
I mean, we just have to make
the most of it. This is
the way we find it, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah. But I mean, it's
more ideal than it was because...
I mean, you know, I mean we're
privileged, we're privileged.
We're privileged, aren't we,
because not long ago people
would be burned to a stake.
- Wouldn't they, Moby? Moby, yea!
- No, no. It's Tony. Hey...
Tony, Tony, Tony. Not Moby.
Tony, Tony, Tony.
Who am I, Tony? Who knows Tony?
I don't know myself.
Ahh! I'm David. I'm David, Tony.
I'm David. How does that sound?
- Hi, David. How can Sylvia help?
- Sylvia. Is it Sylvia? Sylvia!
Ah, hi, Sylvia.
Pleased to meet you, Sylvia. Oh.
- Schubert, Schubert,
Schubert, wasn't it? He said,
"Who is Sylvia? What is she?"
- What...
- 'Course he did. 'Course he did.
- What can we do for you, David?
- Do for me. Do for me.
What... Ahh... Got to... Got to... I got
to stop talking. Got to stop talking.
- It's a problem, isn't it?
It's a problem.
- No, no, no. It's all right.
- You just tell Sylvia why you're here.
- Oh, well, ah, it's a mystery.
- Are you lost?
- It's a mystery.
Am I lost? Perhaps that's it.
- Yes?
- Perhaps I am lost. I'm lost.
How does that sound?
How's that sound?
Oh, is that your piano, Sylvia?
Beautiful Sylvia. Oh, isn't
Sylvia beautiful, Toby?
Not Toby, Tony. Tony. You're Tony.
You're beautiful too, Tony.
Oh, perhaps I could play it.
Could I play it? Could I play it?
- You say. You say. You say.
- Oh, like hell, baby. Go on.
- Shut up, Sam.
- Hell, baby. Whoa ho, the
devil. Diablerie. Oh, Sam.
- David. David.
- Get out of here. Go on.
- Sylvia, Sylvia, Sylvia,
Sylvia, Sylvia, Sylvia.
- You just te... You just tell us
who you are and where you live.
Could I play? Live, live, live, Sylvia.
Live and let live. That's important,
isn't it? Molto, molto.
But then again, it's a lifelong
struggle. Isn't it, Sylvia?
Tony. Tony. Tony. Tony. Sylvia.
To-To survive. To-To live. To survive.
To survive undamaged and not to destroy
any living, breathing creature.
I mean, the point is, if you do
something wrong, you can be
punished the rest of your life.
- So I think it's a lifelong struggle.
Is it a lifelong struggle?
- Yes.
I mean, whatever you do, I think
it's a struggle. A struggle.
A struggle to keep your head above water
and not get it chopped off.
- I'm not disappointing you, am
I, Sylvia, Tony, Tony, Sylvia?
- Oh, no. Oh, get off!
Helfgott! What a name.
Sorry, Sylvia, I sound like a donkey.
Helfgott. "With the help of God."
That's what it means, Sylvia.
How's that? You see, Daddy's
daddy was really very religious.
Very-Very strict and-and a bit of
a meanie. But he got exterminated,
didn't he? So God didn't help him.
That's not very funny, Sylvia.
It's very sad, really. I'm
callous, Daddy said. Callous.
- Call... And a bit of a meanie. Sorry,
Sylvia. I'm not damaging you, am I?
- No, no.
I mustn't damage Sylvia.
The point is... The point is,
perhaps I haven't got a soul.
- What makes you say that?
- Daddy. Daddy said so. He says there's
no such thing as a soul.
- Oh, that's ridiculous.
- Ridiculous. You're right.
I'm ridiculous. Sylvia, Tony.
I'm callous, Daddy said. Callous,
callous. Ah, ridiculous and callous.
Because it was a tragedy. A tragedy.
A very ridiculous tragedy.
I'm gonna win.
I'm gonna win. Gonna win.
I'm gonna win.
- David's going to play the piano
for us. Aren't you, David?
- Yes.
What are you going
to play? David?
- David, what are you going to play?
- Excuse me.
Chopin's Polonaise.
Excuse me.
This is a disgrace.
The piano! The piano!
- It's a disgrace. The piano.
- This kid's good. He's great.
He's my son.
My son.
Here they come.
Did he win or lose?
- Margaret?
- He lost.
Now we'll cop it.
- It's your turn.
- Eh?
It's your turn, Daddy.
Ah, let me see.
Let me see.
Let me see.
You're losing. You're losing.
You're losing.
David, always win.
Always win.
You know, when l...
when I was a boy your age,
I bought a violin,
a beautiful violin.
And I saved for this violin. And
you know what happened to it?
Yes. He smashed it.
Yeah. He smashed it.
David, you're
a very lucky boy.
- My father never let me have music.
- I know.
You're a very
lucky boy. Say it.
I'm a very lucky boy.
Very lucky.
- Now shall I play for you?
- No. Pick up those pieces.
- Bet I could've won.
- You'd have been too scared.
- Shh!
David! Shh.
Listen.
Have a listen.
Margaret! I told you,
tell your friends not to come.
Hello.
Daddy, there's
somebody here.
Hello. I hope
I'm not interrupting.
Uh, Ben Rosen.
I was one of the judges.
- Yes?
- You left before all
the prizes were announced.
- You were very good
this afternoon, David.
- Thank you.
- He can play better.
- Well, maybe he was a little too good.
Some people
don't like that.
We, ah, we gave him
a special prize for his courage.
- It was a difficult piece
you chose, David.
- Daddy chose it.
Well, even great pianists think twice
before tackling the Polonaise.
- A prize for losing?
- I wouldn't call him a loser.
They all... They all play.
Well, I'm quite sure David
could win lots of competitions
with the right tuition.
- My card.
- I teach him.
- Yeah, you've obviously done very well.
- Yeah.
- No one taught me.
No music teachers, Mr Rosen.
- No, of course.
It's just, a... It's just, a few
bad habits can sometimes mean...
the difference
between winning or losing.
Well, perhaps you'd, uh,
like to think about it, huh?
The Rachmaninoff?
It's beautiful.
You... You taught yourself?
- From the record.
- Ah, yeah.
It's... It's very difficult.
It's very difficult. It's...
It's the hardest piece
in the world, you know?
Will you teach me?
You know, one day
you will play it.
You will make me
very proud.
Very proud.
Won't you, David?
Yes.
And, uh, next time...
what are we
going to do?
- We're going to win?
- We're going to win. Yes.
So...
good night.
Good night, Daddy.
Come. Come, come, come.
Don't touch it.
Don't touch.
- Yes?
- Mr Rosen, I have decided
I would like...
You teach David...
this.
Rachmaninoff?
Don't be ridiculous.
- But he can play it already.
- He's just a boy. How can he
express that sort of passion?
You are a passionate man, Mr Rosen.
You will teach him, no?
No. I will teach him
what I think is best.
Rachmaninoff is best.
But you're his teacher.
I'll let you decide.
Thank you.
- We'll start with Mozart.
- Mr Rosen...
I can't afford to pay.
- Come on, David. Sylvia's getting wet.
- Oh, sorry, Sylvia. Sorry.
- Bye-bye, Tony. Bye.
- See you later.
- Oh, it's raining cats and dogs.
Dogs and pussycats!
Oh, look out!
- You'll be all right, then, David?
- Oh, I'm fine. I'm fine.
I'm fine, thank you.
- This is it. Home sweet home.
- Oh, you can play.
Oh, kind of, kind of, kin-kind
of play, k-kind, sweet Sylvia.
Chopin, Sylvia. Chopinzee!
The Pole. Popolski.
Like Daddy and-and his family
before they were concentrated.
- How long have you been here, David?
- Oh, golly, I don't know.
A few years, I think.
Eons, I suppose. How does that sound?
And Schubert. Schubert.
Nothing wrong with Schubert, of course.
Except syphilis.
Was it syphilis? I think it was.
And then he got typhoid on top
of that, so that was the end
of him, wasn't it? We lost him.
That was a bit careless of us,
wasn't it? We lost him.
- So you're back?
- Didn't live to swim another day.
Oh, Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim.
I've been a naughty boy. Was I been
a naughty boy? I've been a naughty boy.
- I was about to send out a search party.
- Oh, a party. I won't be invited again.
- Will I, Sylvia?
- Came in my restaurant and
seemed a bit lost, so...
- How's that, Sylvia?
- A party. A celebration. A fiesta.
- Oh, he's very good at that.
- Thanks for bringing him home.
- We'll have a party tomorrow.
- Bye, David.
It's time for wine. A very fine time.
A Mardi Gras and a nice, long cigar.
The winner and our youngest-ever
state champion, David Helfgott.
- Rosen, we won! We won!
- Thanks to Mozart. Hmm?
- And now he can play Rachmaninoff.
- Oh.
And now to present David
with the prize money, our very
special guest from America...
ladies and gentlemen, currently on tour
in Australia, Mr Isaac Stern.
Isaac... Isaac Stern.
- You have a very special talent, David.
- Oh, th-thank you.
Thank you, Mr Stern.
Uh, so do you.
How much are you prepared
to give to your music, David?
- Ah, h-how much?
- David, everything. Everything.
- Shh.
Ah, ah, ah, everything.
But, uh, I do like tennis
and, uh, chemistry too.
And do you play tennis
as well as you play Mozart?
Uh, l... I just play, uh,
up against the wall at home.
I, uh, I bounce the ball
against the wall, mainly.
How'd you like to go to a
special school in the States...
where music bounces
off the walls?
- A-America?
- You know, land of the free,
home of the brave.
- Mickey Mouse?
- Ladies and gentlemen, what an
honour for our young state champion.
An invitation
to study in America.
And now, all the way
from America...
David Helfgott!
- Thank you, thank you.
- He's not from America.
But he's going to America. And when he
comes back, he'll be coming from there.
- Won't you, David?
- Oh, I suppose so.
- Margaret!
No, I have no money
to send him to America.
Well, uh, we'll raise it.
What?
Bar Mitzvah. David hasn't
yet had his Bar Mitzvah.
Religion is nonsense.
It's also a gold mine
if you know where to dig.
And then one day,
I-I'll play with an orchestra.
- Wow. Can I come when you do?
- You can ride in my Cadillac.
Where are you gonna
live in America?
With a nice Jewish
family, they said.
- This is not a nice family?
- Oh... Oh, yes, Daddy.
- It's very nice.
- You're very lucky
to have a family, David.
I've got to go.
It's one of the finest
music schools in the world.
- It is for his father to decide.
- He would be well looked after,
I assure you.
Rachel, please. David could be
one of the truly great pianists.
He is just a boy, Mr Rosen.
He still wets his bed.
- Take this one, the brown one.
- What did you... What did you do...
You see how fit I am,
how strong?
Show me where the lion scratched you
when you worked in the circus, Daddy.
Oh, yes. Come. Come.
Up, up, up, up, up.
Up-up-up-up-up.
Yeah. That what happens when you
get too close to the bars, eh?
David? David, come.
Come.
Hit me.
Okay, hit me.
- Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, as hard as you can.
- Me!
- I want to hit you, Daddy!
- You too. You too. You too.
As hard as you can.
You see, a man of steel.
No one can hurt me, because
in this world, only the fit survive.
- The weak get crushed like insects.
- Like grasshoppers, Daddy?
Believe me, if you want
to survive in America...
you have to be
fit and strong.
- Like you, Daddy?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Like me. Yes.
Oh, yeah. That's good.
- See you next week, David.
Don't forget to study.
- Thank you, Rabbi.
Mr Helfgott, it is
exciting, isn't it?
David, the Lord Mayor
is dying to meet you.
- Peter.
- Mr Rosen.
- Ladies and gentlemen, can I
have your attention, please?
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
I would like to thank our wonderful
Lord Mayor for establishing this fund...
to send David
to America.
And now, to play for us,
our very own David Helfgott.
We have had it tuned.
I'm sure you'll find it...
These people are a disgrace.
They think they are so important.
What do they know with
their furs and their diamonds?
It makes me sick to the stomach.
And Rosen...
What kind of man is he?
He's not married.
He has no children.
Don't ever talk to me
about Rosen.
He only wants for David the same
as you have always wanted.
Don't ever compare me to him. What has
he suffered? Not a day in his life.
What does he know?
Does he know about families?
About how
your sisters died?
And my mother and father?
Thank you.
Thank you, David.
Thank you, Comrade Helfgott.
Your son is a credit to you.
On behalf of the Soviet Friendship
Society, we applaud you.
- Honoured to know you.
- Meet Katherine Pritchard.
- You play beautifully.
- Ah, thank you.
- My name's Sonia.
- Oh. I-I'm David.
I know who you are.
You've got the most
wonderful hands.
So do you.
So, um, are you...
You're going to America?
- That's right, yeah.
- One day, you'll...
you'll go to Russia too.
Why not?
David!
Ah, I-I'm here.
There's someone important
who wants to meet you.
I'd better go.
I've never met anyone who plays
the piano as beautifully as you, David.
I've never met a writer
before, Mrs Pritchard.
- You must be very proud of him.
- As proud as a father can be.
- I have a long-suffering
old piano at home.
- Ah, a suffering piano?
From neglect. Perhaps you'll
come and play it for me one day.
Oh, yes.
Anything to help.
I'd like that very much.
Me too.
Your attention, comrades.
I wish to propose a toast.
- That's my cue. Excuse me.
- To our founder and very
special guest this evening,
Katherine Susannah Pritchard.
You will learn much
from this old woman.
She has been to
Soviet Union, you know.
Am-America!
"We've been informed of
your exceptional talent...
"and can only say how privileged we
feel to have you come and stay with us.
"We're sure you'll feel
very much at home here...
"and you'll be pleased to know
we're having the Bosendorfer
tuned especially.
- We eagerly await your
'innement' arrival..."
- "lmminent," Dopey.
I wonder if they've
got a Cadillac.
"Lmminent arrival and look
forward to hearing you play for us.
Kindest wishes,
Simon and Basha Mickleburg."
- Read it again! Read it again!
- Shush! You'll wake the baby.
"You'll enjoy the company
of our parakeet and
our poodle, called Margaret."
Pig! It is not!
- Pig!
- It is too!
- Enough! Enough.
Turn it off.
Give me the letter.
David is not
going anywhere.
Daddy?
What are you looking at, you fools?
He's not going to America.
I won't let anyone
destroy this family!
Please, Daddy, don't!
I know, David, what is best,
because I'm your father.
I'm your father,
and this is your family!
David!
David, come back!
Come back!
I know what's best.
Believe me.
Close the door!
Mr Rosen!
Mr Rosen, please,
it's David!
Mr Rosen!
Time to get out, David.
It's my turn for the bath.
Are you feeling better now?
Have you stopped shivering?
You know, the bath is always
the best, David. Always the...
You disgusting animal.
To shit in the bath.
To do this to me.
You disgusting animal!
Peter.
I know
you can hear me.
Don't do this to David.
You mustn't
stop him going.
Peter!
Whatever you do, don't you dare inflict
bloody Rachmaninoff on him.
He's not ready.
David...
my boy...
it's a terrible thing...
to hate your father.
You know, life is cruel.
But...
but music...
Music, it will always,
always be your friend.
Everything else
will let you down.
In the end, everything.
Believe me, everything.
Don't hate me.
Life is cruel...
but you have...
you have to...
you have to survive.
You have to survive.
Say it.
You have to survive, Daddy.
You have to survive.
David...
no one...
will love you like me.
You can't trust anyone.
But I will always...
be there.
David, give me a hug.
I will always be with you,
forever and ever.
Forever and ever, Daddy.
Each time you play for me...
it expresses
so completely the...
inexpressible.
- Is that good?
- It's divine.
- Inexpressibly divine.
- Er, quite.
Tell me a story,
Katherine.
What's the story today?
A new story.
Drops of water?
Ah. Raindrops?
Yes. Raindrops.
Perfect! I shall treasure this
till the day I die.
"To you,
all these wild weeds...
"and wind flowers
of my life...
"I bring, my lord,
and lay them at your feet.
"They're not frankincense
or myrrh.
"But you are Krishna,
Christ and Dionysus...
in your beauty,
tenderness and strength."
That was our final contestant,
David Helfgott...
with a very stirring
Rachmaninoff.
Well, what a close
contest we have...
with the National Championship
almost certain to go
to one of the two pianists.
- Bravo, David.
- I daresay, it's going
to be difficult...
for the judges
to separate them.
Either one,
a worthy winner.
The judges
are now conferring.
- It's a tough game, isn't it, Roger?
- It's a blood sport.
Ladies and gentlemen...
I'm pleased to announce
the winner of this year's...
Instrumental and Vocal
Competition.
Our new
national champion is...
Roger Woodward.
W-What was he like,
Katherine?
Your father.
He was forever busy
in his study.
"Go away, Kattie, I'm writing,"
he'd always say.
One day,
oh, I was very young...
I got so annoyed...
that I upset the ink pots
all over his desk...
and scrawled on his work,
pages of it.
When he saw it, he just stood
there, seething with anger.
I could feel it.
"What are you doing?"
He shouted.
Well, there was this
terrible silence.
And I just stared at him and said,
"Go away, Daddy. I'm writing."
He ran at me,
and he picked me up...
and he cuddled me
breathless.
My first literary effort,
he always called it.
David, what is it?
"Royal College of Music."
A scholarship.
Oh, David,
that's marvellous.
Daddy won't cuddle me,
Katherine. Oh, no.
- He can't stop you, David.
- He's such an angry lion, Katherine.
Oh, nonsense.
He's a pussycat.
I'll miss you.
These were for my son,
but you better have them.
It gets very, very cold
in London.
David?
- Where have you been?
- Um, I missed the train.
That Pritchard woman.
What is this?
The gloves.
Look at me.
Look at me!
And you think you can
just do as you please? Huh.
I-I-I wanna go, and, um,
you... you can't stop me.
What? I'm your father...
who has done
everything for you!
Everything, you cruel,
callous boy!
- Mum! Margaret! Mum!
- Stupid, stupid boy!
- Mum!
- Leave him! Leave him!
- Please leave me alone.
No, no, no, no, no.
Let him go.
- If you want to go, go! Go! Go!
- I'll call the police!
- Go! Go! Go!
- Stop it!
Leave him!
He's all right.
Are you all right,
David?
Are you all right?
Yeah?
Come on, David.
He's all right.
I'm old enough
to make up my own mind.
He-He thinks
he's going to London.
I've been accepted into
the Royal College of Music.
What do you think is going
to happen to you in London?
David, if you go...
you will never come back
into this house again.
You will never be
anybody's son.
The girls will lose
their brother.
Is that what you want?
You want...
You want to destroy
the family?
I'm so... I'm sorry.
David! David, if you love me,
you will stop this nonsense.
You will not step out
that... that door.
David, if you go...
you will be punished...
for the rest of your life,
my David.
Don't go.
Sorry. I'm sorry.
David!
Don't make me do it!
He has the most
fantastic hands.
Not connected to anything
above his shoulders.
- Oh, he's a bit fragile, certainly.
- Chopinzee.
I've seen enough to suggest
that he could make the finals
in the Concerto Trials.
And what have you seen,
Cecil?
- Moments of genius.
- Genius?
Really.
Come on, David.
Boldness of attack.
- Oh. Whoa! Whoa.
- Diablerie.
- The devil, David.
- Mustn't break the piano.
Liszt broke
plenty of strings.
Right, right,
right, right.
Come on. Fill in for this
useless arm of mine.
The notes first.
The interpretation comes on top of them.
On top.
Yes, yes, yes.
- You agree, do you?
- Oh, yes. I-I always agree, Professor.
- Is that wise?
- I-I don't know. Is it?
Don't forget,
it's on the page.
Yes. Well, the...
the notes are on the page.
But, ah, n-not the feeling. The emotion.
That's... That's what I feel.
You mustn't sacrifice everything to
emotion. It's all a question of balance.
Ah, yes. Is that
the question, Professor?
- Precisely.
- Ah, ah. I thought so.
That's what I thought.
Mr Helfgott,
your allowance cheque!
Thank you, Mr Wright.
Sorry, sorry, sorry. Oh, I'll...
I'll just stand still if you like.
- Be careful, David.
- Oh. Oh, by all means, Sarah.
- You look lovely today, Sarah.
- Thank you, David.
- You too, Muriel.
- Ease up, Helfgott. Hmm?
- Ah...
- Sarah!
- David, you missed the bank.
- Pity. You'll have to
wait until tomorrow.
- Can't bank on the bank.
- We know someone who can cash it.
- Oh, d-do we, Robert?
- What are friends for?
So before this dance
has reached the end
To you
across the floor
My love I'll send
I just hope and pray
That I'll find
a way to say
Can I dance with you
Got to concentrate, K...
Got to concentrate, Katherine.
Gotta practise, practise,
practise because...
there's three important things
Professor Parkes says,
and that's work, work, work.
And-And-And, uh, so that's
what I have to do, isn't it...
if l... if I'm gonna m... uh, make
the finals to the Concerto Medal...
because th-the winner of which gets
to play at the Royal Albert Hall...
which is right
outside the window.
So I-I bought
a piano, Katherine...
a-a-a beautiful piano.
It's a suffering piano,
like yours.
Uh, I-I-I wrote to Daddy,
so, uh, that's, uh, a positive.
It's... It's a positive,
isn't it, because, well...
It seems to be, because he
didn't write back. But, um...
Now how on earth did we manage
to get into the finals, dear David?
- You're a conductor's nightmare.
- It's... It's true. It's true.
- And what're we gonna do?
- We're gonna win, Ashley, Robert.
We-We're gonna win.
Rachmaninoff?
Are you sure?
Well, uh, kind of. I'm-I'm never really
sure about anything, Mr Parkes.
The Rach' .
It's monumental.
It's, er, it's a mountain. It's the
hardest piece you could "Everest" play.
Well, no one's ever been mad
enough to attempt the Rach' .
Am I mad enough,
Professor? Am I?
Think of it as two separate melodies
jousting for supremacy.
The hands, giants.
Ten fingers each.
Performing's a risk, you know.
No safety net.
Make no mistake, David.
It's dangerous.
People get hurt.
You have to learn to be able
to play it blindfolded.
The page, for God's sake!
The notes!
I'm sorry I was, uh,
forgetting them, Professor.
Would it be asking too much
to learn them first?
- And-And then forget them?
- Precisely.
Just give me
the fingering.
David.
Come on, my boy.
We're going to rest
muscles and fingers today.
Try to exercise
the imagination.
First movement, Cadenza.
Let's pick it up
from, uh...
Your hands must form
the unbreakable habit...
of playing the notes so that
you can forget all about them.
And let it come from here.
The heart.
That's where
it comes from.
Don't you just love
those big fat chords?
You have to tame the piano, David,
or it'll get away from you.
It's a monster. Tame it,
or it'll swallow you whole.
Coming along nicely,
David.
Morning, Mrs Perkins.
Katherine.
I call this my little
mausoleum, David.
Ah, Liszt.
Warts and all.
They made this
after he was dead.
Poor Franz.
Dead as a post, eh?
But you can still get these
on the Left Bank, you know. Quite cheap.
I've got Rachmaninoff
in here somewhere.
Magnificent fingers.
So virile.
You know, I played the
Rach' for him once.
Really?
Yes. He said he could
hear himself in my playing.
He said it seemed
as if I had touched his soul.
It wasn't so bad,
was it?
- Not too bad at all, Professor.
- Now it's your turn, David.
Remember...
once you've done it, nobody
can ever take it away from you.
And you must play...
as if there was
no tomorrow.
Come on, David,
don't let me down.
How many moments
of genius today, Cecil?
Hello?
Who is this?
- Hello?
- Daddy?
Daddy, I'm home.
Daddy?
Hello? Daddy?
Someone here
to see you, David.
It's me, David.
Suzie.
Suzie. Suzie.
- Do we know Suzie?
- Your sister, David.
Oh, sister Suzie. Sister Suzie. Thank
you, sister. Sister nurse. Sister Suzie.
David, I won't be able
to come and visit so often.
N-Not so often, sweet-sweet,
soft Suzie. Not so often.
- I'm going to live in Melbourne.
- Oh, that's a trick. Don't tell Daddy.
The milk, the milk.
Mustn't cry over spilt milk.
- Ah, well, what can you do,
Margaret? What can you do?
- Margaret's in Israel, remember?
I remember Margaret.
She called me Dopey. Or was it a pig?
It was a poodle.
It was a poodle. It was a poodle.
It was all very complicated,
wasn't it? Complicato in Israel.
It was... It was a battleground,
war zone.
It was a war. It was a war. Such a bore.
Such a bore. It was a war. It was a war.
It just destroys everything
really, doesn't it?
- David.
- That's right, nurse. That's right.
- I knew I'd find you here.
- Oh, I've been a naughty boy
again, haven't I?
I-I've misbehaved, haven't I, nurse?
I think I have. That's true, isn't it?
- Come on, David.
- I-I might get into trouble.
I might... I might get punished for
the rest of my life, because I'm flawed.
- I'm-I'm fatally flawed.
That's right, isn't it?
- Oh, you silly sausage.
Because it...
it's f-f-forbidden fruit.
The doctor said
it's forbidden fruit.
'Cause the thing is, he was... he was...
He-He didn't approve, did he?
He didn't approve. He was...
He was very disapproving.
Oh, was he ever disapproving.
They'd all scuttle away
and they'd all leave me there.
Oh, so you can
read music?
Oh, kind of. Kind of. Perhaps I'm
just turning over a new leaf.
Oh, but that's all right,
isn't it?
My name's Beryl Allcott.
What's yours?
Allcott. Allcott. Oh,
that sounds a lot like my name.
Helfgott. That's my name, Beryl.
- Helfgott?
- That's right. Ridiculous, isn't it?
It means "with the help of God."
It's ridiculous, isn't it?
- I love this tune.
- What's your first name, Mr Helfgott?
Ridiculous, isn't it? Oh, yes,
first things first, Beryl.
Uh, David. I'm David. I'm David.
How's that sound?
- You're David Helfgott?
- That's right, Beryl. That's right.
- That's right. That's right.
- But I used to watch you win
all those competitions.
Oh, win some, lose some. You can't
lose them all. It's not your fault.
I was quite a fan.
- Do you still play?
- Oh, I mustn't.
The doctor said I mustn't.
- It'll all end in tears if I misbehave.
- You mustn't?
I mustn't harangavate the doctor.
I mustn't. That's right.
That's right. Is-ls that right?
I think it's right,
be-because it might damage me.
The doctor said it might
damage me because it did
a long time... a long time ago.
Once before. Long, long, long,
long time ago. That's the story,
so what can you do?
Let's see you play, Beryl.
Come on, you play.
Boldness of attack.
Oh, that's good, Beryl.
That's good.
Oh, very good left hand.
Very good left hand.
The point is, you see,
you've got to share and care and
care and share and just behave.
That's right, isn't it, Beryl?
That's right. That's right. Yes.
Oh, this is going to be a
stylish marriage. This is... Ah,
it's a stylish marriage, Beryl.
It's a stylish marriage.
Oh, that's very good, Beryl.
Very good.
Oh, it's very good.
Oh, it's very good. Oh, press those
pedals. Oh, we're on the bicycle, Beryl.
We're on the bicycle, Beryl.
Pedal, Beryl. Pedal.
What goes on
in his head?
God only knows. He's pretty confusing
at the best of times.
It's a complex disorder. He kind of
lives in his own little world.
- Poor lost soul.
- Mmm. He's a sweetie.
He could leave tomorrow
if he had somewhere to go.
- Come along, David.
- Beryl, Beryl, Beryl.
- David, you know I can't abide smoke?
- Oh, sorry, Beryl. Sorry.
- What are you doing?
- I'll walk. I'll walk.
- But you don't know the way.
- I'll follow you. How does that sound?
Oh!
It's all right.
Get in, David.
Oh, God bless you,
David Helfgott.
How's this, Beryl?
Is this all right?
- Is that you, nurse?
- It's all right, David. I'm here.
Oh, here, here, never fear.
Oh, but where's the nurse?
Where's the sister, Beryl?
- This is where you live now, David.
- Oh, that's right.
I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine, aren't I,
Daisey? Daisey Beryl Daisey.
This is where David Helfgott
really gets back on the rails.
- Oh, that's the story.
That's the story.
- No.
Oh, that's good, Beryl.
Oh, don't you just love
those big fat chords, Beryl?
The Botanical Garden's
just down the road. Nice walk.
You'll be able to come
and go as you please.
Mr Minogue's a lovely man,
a real Christian gentleman.
I know you're going
to like him, David.
And guess what?
You'll even have your own piano.
Very, very, very feathery.
Very feathery. Very light.
Stop it, David!
Shut up!
Good morning, David.
Wakey-wakey.
Rise and shine,
it's breakfast time.
I think it's about time we gave
that piano another rest, eh, David?
Here, sign your cheque.
Ah, look at you.
You should get out and exercise.
Ah, exercise.
Yes, that's right.
Get some fresh air into
those lungs of yours, David.
Be-Because the weak get crushed
like insects, don't they?
Like grasshoppers.
Oh, thank you,
thank you, thank you.
- I hope you enjoyed the music.
- It was great.
- Bye.
- See you soon.
We're closed.
Sylvia,
your stray dog's back.
- You want me to get rid of him for you?
- No. I'll handle it.
Hey, baby,
what about a tune?
A tune, baby. Sure.
No worries. No worries.
Bravo. Bravo. Encore.
Oh, sock it to us,
Liberace.
That's enough.
David?
Fantastic!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Two more when
you're ready, mate.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Oh, a hot one. A live one.
- Hey, hey, give us Beethoven's Fifth.
Sure, babies. No worries.
Symphony or concerto?
I played quite well tonight,
didn't I? I played quite well.
So, l... So, I deserve a bit of a snack...
a bit of a snack. You say...
Hello, David.
Hello, Daddy.
H-Hello.
Are you feeling well?
Well, well, well, well.
Th-The thing is th-the lid.
I can't... I can't... I can't open it.
There's something wrong with it.
What could be wrong,
David?
Oh, it's-it's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
Close it.
Give it to me.
I'll show you.
Hmm. Here.
You see...
how easy it is?
Couldn't be... Couldn't be easier.
That's right. Couldn't be easier.
David.
Here. Here.
Look at me.
You are a lucky boy, David.
That's true. That's true.
It seems to be true. People...
People say that-that-that-that...
They think that...
David, get to the point.
Yeah, I'm a very
lucky boy.
No one will love you like me.
No one like me.
You see...
do you realize what for
an opportunity you have here?
- Opportunity of a lifetime.
That's right, Daddy.
- David.
When I was a boy...
I-I bought a violin.
Beautiful violin.
I saved...
for this violin.
Now, you know what...
What happened to it?
You know what happened to it?
No. What happened to it, Daddy?
I don't... No idea...
What happened?
I've got no idea.
The-The thing... The thing is,
you've got to be... You've got to be
fit to survive, haven't you?
To stay alive.
That's right, isn't it?
Good night, Daddy.
- Where are the kids?
- Oh, around somewhere
amusing themselves.
Oh, I must warn you.
I've got someone staying on weekends.
- But not another Scorpio, is he?
- Oh, very funny, Gills.
He's a child prodigy.
David?
Oh, thanks.
It's a madhouse.
David?
Is that
the water running?
David!
David.
David?
Where in God's heaven
is he?
Mum! Mum! David's been on
for an hour straight!
- He's so cool!
- David?
Is that you, Doctor?
There's no more hot water, Sylvia.
- Where does it go?
- David, I want you to meet someone.
There's no more hot water, Sylvia.
It's all gone. All gone. All gone.
Where does it go? Who can say? I don't
know. Where-Where does hot water go?
Gillian... Gillian's
a very dear friend of mine.
- Oh, a friendly doctor.
I feel better already.
- I'm pleased to meet you, David.
- No, she's not a doctor.
- Oh, not a doctor, sweet Sylvia.
Not a doctor.
- No, no. She's an astrologer.
- Oh, a specialist. A heart surgeon.
- She's from Sydney.
- Oh, an open-heart surgeon.
- Don't be ridiculous.
- Oh, I'm ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous, aren't I?
- Gillian.
- Gillian, that's it.
- If you're lucky, Gillian might
do your chart for you.
- Oh, would she, Sylvia? Would she?
- You will, won't you, Gillian?
- Of course I will, David, yes.
- What sort of chart, Sylvia?
What sort of chart?
- An astrological chart.
- Oh, the stars, the stars. I love
the stars. Astronomical variations.
- And the planets.
Oh, the planets. I mustn't forget
the planets. Of course. Of course.
Mercury and Neptune and so forth.
Oh, the Music of the Spheres. The
music... If music be the food of love...
Oh, very gastronomical,
isn't it, Gillian?
Oh, the food of love.
It is, Gillian. Oh.
What's he like
when he gets to know you better?
- So, what does he do?
- Ah, he's an investment advisor.
That's how I met him.
Oh. So far so good.
How serious is it?
Oh, come on, Gills.
On a scale of one to ten.
I'll take that as a ten.
When's the happy day?
Ah, you know me.
I hate to rush into things.
I won't kiss you.
Oh, Trish, Trish,
Trish, Trish.
Lovely, gorgeous hair. Blondes have more
fun, don't they? They have more fun.
Of course they do.
Of course they do.
There you are, Doctor.
Oh, got to get to my room.
Got to get to my room.
Oh, good night, Lucy.
- Mind if I come in?
- Oh, hello, Doctor.
Entree. Entree. Entree.
Where will I put these?
Oh, sorry.
It's not your fault, not
your fault. It's amazing. It
just seems to be getting bigger.
It's amazing who you find, isn't it,
when you're not even looking?
But there he is. There he is.
- Who?
- Roger. Roger. Roger. Roger.
- Oh, Roger Woodward.
- Oh, Roger, Roger.
Yeah, he's-he's a winner.
- He's a winner.
- You've got one going already.
He's-He's-He's a big hit.
He's a big hit. Big hit.
Oh. Oh. One's...
One's more than enough.
Yeah. I really loved
your playing.
Did you? Did you?
It was all right?
- Oh, do you write music as well?
- Oh, no. One, two, three.
Oh, that's the Rach' .
- That started out being a letter.
- A letter, Gillian?
Yes, I think... I think it was.
I think so. It seems to be true.
- "Dear Professor Cecil, Royal College."
- Of Music. Royal College of Music.
- Yeah, that's a mystery.
That's a mystery.
- What is?
Well, he only had one arm, you see.
It was a stroke... stroke of bad luck.
- Poor thing.
- Yeah. Poor, poor pussycat.
Poor, poor pussycat. He was...
His-his paw was damaged
beyond repair. He wasn't able
to do a thing with it, you know.
He was... He was a sad, sad pussycat.
He was... He was damaged.
And it was just-just
bad luck really, wasn't it?
- I'm not damaging you, am I?
- Oh, no. Not at all.
- What's the matter, David?
- Oh, the matter,
the matter, the matter.
Well, it started out being... But it's
a blank. It's a blank. It's a blank.
It was all... It was all such a long,
long, long, long time ago, Gillian.
So that's the story.
What can you do?
Inexpressible.
Inexplicably inexpressible.
To express the inexplicable.
Well, why don't you tell me
what you want to say?
Oh, why not? Why not? Wh-What don't
I want to say? Oh, that's a hard one.
No, it's not hard at all.
Look. "D.E.A.R. Dear."
- That's it. That's it. That's it. Dear.
Dear. Dear. Oh, deary me. Deary me.
- Dear Cecil? Cecil.
- Parkes. Cecil was Parkes. Mr Parkes.
- Dear Mr Parkes.
He touched the soul of
Sergei Vasilievitch himself
with the Rach' in D Minor.
So that wasn't too bad, was it?
It's a hard piece. Piece
for elephants. Elephantine.
- D-Dear Mr Parkes...
- It's all such a long time ago.
Such a long time, you know?
- It has been such a long time.
- It has. That's right. That's
right. Such a long time, yeah.
- And l...
- Oh, and l... and I hope...
Hope, hope, Gillian.
- How does that sound?
Is that all right?
- It sounds pretty good to me.
And I hope you remember me
a-and the Rach' .
I'm-I'm-I'm feeling much better
again now. I'm feeling much
better again, aren't I?
And-And-And a-a...
I've started playing again.
Well done, Roger.
Oh, yeah. Oh.
That was good.
- Smile, David.
- Come on.
- I am, Sylvia.
- At the camera. Here. Here.
- Oh.
- Hooray!
- Time to go.
- Oh, well, what can you do?
What can you...
- David, look on the bright side.
- On the bright side. The silver lining.
- You'll see Gillian again one day.
- Yes. Life goes on.
- It does, it does.
Is that what it does?
- Yes, of course it does.
- David, she has to go.
- Oh, yeah.
Little wrigglies to look after.
Well, hardly. No, my kids are all
grown up. It's just little old me.
It's just me too.
I never grew up. I grew down.
Ha-ha! I'm a bit of a handful...
bit of a handful, Gillian, aren't I?
Softly. Softly. Softly.
Softly.
Will you marry me?
Well, it wouldn't be
very practical, David.
Practical? No, of course not.
Of course not. But then neither
am I, Gillian. Neither am I.
- I'm not very practical at all.
- You'll miss the plane.
It's sweet of you, David.
I don't know what to say.
The stars, Gillian darling.
Ask the stars.
- You'd better let her breathe, David.
- Hooray!
I won't kiss you.
I won't kiss you.
- Sorry, darling.
- That's all right.
You made a noise.
You went, "Oh, David."
Oh, no.
Poor Ravel.
Oh, poor Maurice.
He's all unraveled, all unraveled.
- It's nearly time to get ready.
- Poor, wet sausage.
- Can I swim some more, darling?
- Oh, all right. Ten minutes.
Do some Liszt.
Not a concerto.
Swim "La Campanella."
Oh, that should do it.
Oh, I've gone wrong, darling.
I've gone wrong.
- Keep trying, darling.
- I'm trying. I'm very trying.
Page 's missing.
Oh, it's the coda. It's the end.
It's the beginning of the end.
- I'll soak my hands.
I'll soak my hands.
- David?
Got ya!
Your first concert in years
and you wear odd shoes.
- Oh, I'm a sausage.
- You certainly are.
- Sit! Darling, up straight.
- Oh, sit up straight. Sit up straight.
- We'll-We'll be in the car.
- Sit up straight. Sit up
straight. Sit up straight.
- Relax.
Oh, relax. I must learn to relax.
Must learn to relax.
Perfect.
Bravo!
Bravo!
- Hi, darling.
- Oh, they want an encore.
Do they, darling?
They want some more?
- What are you going to do?
- I'm going to win.
Not now, darling.
- I'll do some more. I'll do some more.
- Do some more.
What do you feel?
The thing is,
I feel nothing.
Nothing at all?
Well, I'm shocked, stunned and
completely amazed. How's that sound?
Perhaps it's all my fault.
Perhaps it's me. Perhaps I don't know.
You can't go on blaming yourself
for everything that's happened.
Well, you can't go on blaming yourself.
That's-That's true, Gillian.
And you can't go on blaming Daddy,
because he's not here anymore.
- But you are.
- Oh, I am here. That's true. Oh!
And-And life goes on, doesn't it,
Gillian? Is that right? Is that right?
- Yes.
- It does? It does? Forever and ever?
- No, not forever.
- No-No-No, never forever.
Not quite. Not quite.
But I mean, the point is, life's
not all lamb loin chops, is it?
But I mean, it goes on, and-and you just
have to keep on going too, don't you?
- I mean, you can't give up, can you?
- Certainly not.
Every time that blooming Saturn comes
along and gives us a bit of a jolt.
Oh, it's the stars,
Gillian.
- Everything has its season.
- Oh, it's a mystery. It's a mystery.
- There's always a reason.
- Oh, we just need to seize
the reason for the season.