Mademoiselle.
(he clicks his heels)
Please allow me. Have a seat.
The Gestapo officer pulls out a chair for the young lady to sit down. Shosanna takes the hot seat. Seated to her right is
Pvt. Zoller. To her left are the two curly, pampered poodles. Major Hellstrom pours Shosanna a glass of red wine from a small
carafe on the table.
MAJOR HELLSTROM
Try the wine, Mademoiselle. It’s quite good.
Goebbels looks across the table at her.
GOEBBELS
Well, I must say, you’ve made quite an impression on our boy.
Francesca interprets Goebbels’s German for Shosanna.
GOEBBELS
I must say, Fräulein, I should be rather annoyed with you.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
I arrive in France, and I wish to have lunch with my star…
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
Little do I know he’s become the toast of Paris, and now he must find time for me.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
People wait in line hours, days, to see me. For the Führer and Private Zoller, I wait.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
So finally, I’m granted an audience with the young private, and he spends the entire lunch speaking of you and your cinema.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
So Fräulein Mimieux, let’s get down to business.
Private Zoller interrupts—
FREDRICK
Herr Goebbels, I haven’t informed her yet.
GOEBBELS
Unless the girl’s a simpleton, I’m sure she’s figured it out by now. After all, she does operate a cinema. Francesca, tell
her.
Francesca tells Shosanna in French:
FRANCESCA
What they’re trying to tell you, Emmanuelle, is Private Zoller has spent the last hour at lunch, trying to convince Monsieur
Goebbels to abandon previous plans for Private Zoller’s film premiere and change the venue to your cinema.
Zoller reacts.
FRANCESCA
(FRENCH to Zoller)
What?
FREDRICK
I wanted to inform her.
FRANCESCA
Shit. I apologize, Private. Of course you did.
GOEBBELS
(GERMAN to Francesca)
What’s the issue?
FRANCESCA
The young soldier wanted to inform the mademoiselle himself.
GOEBBELS
Nonsense. Until I ask a few questions, he has nothing to inform. Let the record state, I have not agreed to a venue change.
MAJOR HELLSTROM
Duly noted.
Goebbels speaks German to Shosanna:
GOEBBELS
You have opera boxes?
SHOSANNA
Oui.
GOEBBELS
How many?
SHOSANNA
Three.
GOEBBELS
More would be better. How many seats in your auditorium?
SHOSANNA
Three hundred and fifty.
GOEBBELS
That’s almost four hundred less than The Ritz.
Fredrick jumps in…
FREDRICK
But Herr Goebbels, that’s not such a terrible thing. You said yourself you didn’t want to indulge every two-faced French bourgeois
taking up space currying favor. With less seats it makes the event more exclusive. You’re not trying to fill the house, they’re
fighting for seats.
FREDRICK
(CON’T)
Besides, to hell with the French. This is a German night, a German event, a German celebration. This night is for you, me,
the German military, the High Command, their family and friends. The only people who should be allowed in the room are people
who will be moved by the exploits onscreen.
Goebbels listens silently, then after a bit of a pause:
GOEBBELS
I see your public speaking has improved. It appears I’ve created a monster. A strangely persuasive monster. When the war’s
over, politics awaits.
Table chuckles.
GOEBBELS
Well, Private, though it is true I’m inclined to indulge you anything, I must watch a film in this young lady’s cinema before
I can say yes or no.
(to Shosanna)
So, young lady, you are to close your cinema tonight and have a private screening for me.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
What German films do you have?
Francesca asks…
SHOSANNA
My cinema, on German night, tends to show older German classics.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
Why not my films?
Francesca asks… ?
SHOSANNA
I draw an older German audience in my cinema that appreciates the nostalgia of an earlier time.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
That’s
(he clicks his heels)
Please allow me. Have a seat.
The Gestapo officer pulls out a chair for the young lady to sit down. Shosanna takes the hot seat. Seated to her right is
Pvt. Zoller. To her left are the two curly, pampered poodles. Major Hellstrom pours Shosanna a glass of red wine from a small
carafe on the table.
MAJOR HELLSTROM
Try the wine, Mademoiselle. It’s quite good.
Goebbels looks across the table at her.
GOEBBELS
Well, I must say, you’ve made quite an impression on our boy.
Francesca interprets Goebbels’s German for Shosanna.
GOEBBELS
I must say, Fräulein, I should be rather annoyed with you.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
I arrive in France, and I wish to have lunch with my star…
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
Little do I know he’s become the toast of Paris, and now he must find time for me.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
People wait in line hours, days, to see me. For the Führer and Private Zoller, I wait.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
So finally, I’m granted an audience with the young private, and he spends the entire lunch speaking of you and your cinema.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
So Fräulein Mimieux, let’s get down to business.
Private Zoller interrupts—
FREDRICK
Herr Goebbels, I haven’t informed her yet.
GOEBBELS
Unless the girl’s a simpleton, I’m sure she’s figured it out by now. After all, she does operate a cinema. Francesca, tell
her.
Francesca tells Shosanna in French:
FRANCESCA
What they’re trying to tell you, Emmanuelle, is Private Zoller has spent the last hour at lunch, trying to convince Monsieur
Goebbels to abandon previous plans for Private Zoller’s film premiere and change the venue to your cinema.
Zoller reacts.
FRANCESCA
(FRENCH to Zoller)
What?
FREDRICK
I wanted to inform her.
FRANCESCA
Shit. I apologize, Private. Of course you did.
GOEBBELS
(GERMAN to Francesca)
What’s the issue?
FRANCESCA
The young soldier wanted to inform the mademoiselle himself.
GOEBBELS
Nonsense. Until I ask a few questions, he has nothing to inform. Let the record state, I have not agreed to a venue change.
MAJOR HELLSTROM
Duly noted.
Goebbels speaks German to Shosanna:
GOEBBELS
You have opera boxes?
SHOSANNA
Oui.
GOEBBELS
How many?
SHOSANNA
Three.
GOEBBELS
More would be better. How many seats in your auditorium?
SHOSANNA
Three hundred and fifty.
GOEBBELS
That’s almost four hundred less than The Ritz.
Fredrick jumps in…
FREDRICK
But Herr Goebbels, that’s not such a terrible thing. You said yourself you didn’t want to indulge every two-faced French bourgeois
taking up space currying favor. With less seats it makes the event more exclusive. You’re not trying to fill the house, they’re
fighting for seats.
FREDRICK
(CON’T)
Besides, to hell with the French. This is a German night, a German event, a German celebration. This night is for you, me,
the German military, the High Command, their family and friends. The only people who should be allowed in the room are people
who will be moved by the exploits onscreen.
Goebbels listens silently, then after a bit of a pause:
GOEBBELS
I see your public speaking has improved. It appears I’ve created a monster. A strangely persuasive monster. When the war’s
over, politics awaits.
Table chuckles.
GOEBBELS
Well, Private, though it is true I’m inclined to indulge you anything, I must watch a film in this young lady’s cinema before
I can say yes or no.
(to Shosanna)
So, young lady, you are to close your cinema tonight and have a private screening for me.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
What German films do you have?
Francesca asks…
SHOSANNA
My cinema, on German night, tends to show older German classics.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
Why not my films?
Francesca asks… ?
SHOSANNA
I draw an older German audience in my cinema that appreciates the nostalgia of an earlier time.
Francesca interprets…
GOEBBELS
That’s
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