POPRISHCHIN and the CHIEF'S ASSISTANT enter the office. Poprishchin surveys the room.
POPRISHCHIN V.O.
Martober Eighty-Sixth. Between Day And Night. One of the administrative clerks called on me today. He said I hadn't been to the department in three weeks and it was time I went, so I went...for the joke.
Poprishchin and the Chief's Assistant hang up their coats.
The CAMERA TRACKS with Poprishchin and the Chief's Assistant as they walk along the front platform to the steps where the CHIEF OF THE DIVISION stands inspecting the room. Poprishchin walks past the Chief of the Division, pausing to look at the him with indifference.
The CAMERA TRACKS BACK with Poprishchin as he walks to his desk, ignoring the stares and whispers of the other CLERKS. The Chief's Assistant stops to talk with the Chief of the Division about Poprishchin’s unusual behavior.
The CAMERA PANS with Poprishchin as he sits at his desk and looks at the administrative clerks, shaking his head as if to say "If only you knew who was sitting here amongst you. What a fuss you'd make." The insane clerk who used to sit one row ahead and one row left of Poprishchin is gone. CLERK #1, who sits next to Poprishchin, is moving his belongings up to the vacant desk.
The Chief's Assistant places some documents on Poprishchin's desk for him to copy. Poprishchin does not move a muscle.
Cut to: CLERK #2 anxiously enters the office.
The CAMERA TRACKS IN to a CLOSE-UP of Clerk #2 at the railing.
CLERK #2
The Director will be here any minute!
OFFICE PREPARATION MONTAGE:
The Clerks frantically...
...prepare for the arrival of the Director,...
...straightening their desks...
...as well as their clothing.
Cut to: CLERK #3 looks at POPRISHCHIN baffled that he is doing nothing.
CLERK #3
Didn't you hear? The Director is coming. Get yourself ready.
Poprishchin proudly does not move a muscle.
Cut to: The DIRECTOR enters the office accompanied by the Chief of the Division.
The CAMERA TRACKS BACK along the front platform towards the window wall as the Director and the Chief cross to the steps. The clerks all rise and stand by their desks.
The CAMERA PANS into an OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT as the Chief proudly displays his office to the Director.
Cut to: Poprishchin sits smugly at his desk.
Cut to: The Director walks down the steps to the floor of the office where he shakes the hands of the Clerks. They congratulate him on his new medal.
The Director proceeds down the center aisle shaking hands.
POPRISHCHIN
(offscreen)
CORK!!!
All eyes turn around towards Poprishchin.
Cut to: Poprishchin grandly rises from his desk.
Poprishchin crosses purposefully to the Director.
POPRISHCHIN
That's all you are, a cork. You know, a cork, a common cork. The thing you stuff into the end of a bottle. A cork.
Poprishchin "pops" his cheek with his finger.
Cut to: The Director is ashamed.
The Clerks, with the truth now revealed to them, taunt the Director like school children, throwing paper and quills at him.
The Director falls into a heap on the steps.
Cut to: Poprishchin is exceedingly happy.
A document is thrust in front of his face.
Cut to OVER THE SHOULDER of Poprishchin: Poprishchin snaps awake. The document is lowered to the desk revealing the Clerks back at their desks working.
The CAMERA TRACKS to the side of Poprishchin's desk.
The CAMERA TILTS UP to the Chief, the Chief's Assistant and Clerks #1 and #2 standing at Poprishchin's left side. The Chief gestures to the document on Poprishchin's desk.
CHIEF OF THE DIVISION
We need your signature.
The CAMERA TILTS DOWN to Poprishchin as he grabs his quill and examines the document. Poprishchin signs on the main line reserved for the Director.
POPRISHCHIN
(as he writes)
Ferdinand VIII.
Poprishchin puts down his quill, rises and waves his regal hand. The Chief and the clerks are shocked.
The CAMERA TRACKS with Poprishchin as he proceeds up the center aisle. The CLERKS silently stare at Poprishchin from their desks. Poprishchin climbs the steps and walks towards the office door.
Poprishchin stops at the corner of the platform and turns to the stunned clerks.
POPRISHCHIN
You may dispense with this manifestation of allegiance.
Poprishchin leaves the office without his coat.
CUT TO:
POPRISHCHIN, freezing cold, bounds through the snowy front courtyard of the Director’s House. Smoke pours from his nose and mouth like a charging bull.
Cut to: Poprishchin knocks on the front door.
The HEAD BUTLER opens the door.
Cut to: OVER THE SHOULDER of the Head Butler.
POPRISHCHIN
Out of my way, you stupid toady.
Poprishchin barges into the house. The Head Butler runs for help.
CUT TO:
POPRISHCHIN bounds up the STAIRS, taking the walk that he had only imagined so many times before. The CAMERA PANS with Poprishchin as he stops and opens the second door on the right to what he had imagined was Sophie's boudoir...
CUT TO:
Poprishchin looks confused as he stands in the doorway.
Cut to POPRISHCHIN’S POV: The CAMERA PANS around the portrait parlor. The portraits and busts that adorn the room stare sternly at Poprishchin.
SOUND: The Head Butler and the servants
are running downstairs.
Poprishchin looks SCREEN RIGHT. He realizes Sophie's boudoir must be the next door down. Poprishchin exits SCREEN RIGHT.
CUT TO:
Poprishchin opens the next door down the hall and barges in to Sophie’s boudoir.
CUT TO:
SOPHIE is sitting across the room at her vanity. She is brushing her hair with her back to the door. POPRISHCHIN’S reflection is in the vanity mirror. Sophie's boudoir does not look like what he had imagined earlier. Only the elements that Poprishchin could see from the street, like the curtains and wall colors, are the same as he had imagined.
Sophie sees Poprishchin in her vanity mirror and jumps up from her seat frightened.
SOUND: The head butler and the servants
coming up the steps. Poprishchin is momentarily stunned by the realization that he is actually face to face with Sophie in her boudoir. Just as quickly, he regains himself with great resolve.
POPRISHCHIN
Such a happiness awaits you that you, yourself, could not possibly perceive it, and in spite of all the hostile plots against us, we will be together.
Sophie remains motionless, like a deer caught in the headlights. Visible in the mirror, the HEAD BUTLER,SERVANT #1 and SERVANT #2 charge into the boudoir. They lunge to grab Poprishchin.
Cut to: The servants reach for Poprishchin's arm.
Cut to: The servants spin Poprishchin around.
CUT TO:
Poprishchin is stunned.
The light on Poprishchin’s face changes abruptly to theatrical foot lighting.
POPRISHCHIN
Woman. It just dawned on me what a creature Woman really is. Did you know that until now, no one had discovered who it is Woman really loves. No of course not. I discovered it just now: Woman is in love with the Devil! And I'm not joking either. Oh, physicists write stupidities that she is this, that, or the other. The truth of the matter is: Woman is in love with the Devil and no one else!
Poprishchin looks up SCREEN LEFT.
SWISH PAN.
Cut to: Sitting in the balcony, the WOMAN raises her lorgnette. The woman resembles Sophie.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
Look! See? Raising her lorgnette?
The Woman looks SCREEN LEFT.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
You think she's staring at the fat man with all the medals on his chest?
SWISH PAN.
Cut to: The FAT MAN sits in a balcony box across the theater. He is in uniform with many medals on his chest. The Fat Man resembles Teplov.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
No such thing. She is staring straight at the Devil...
The CAMERA TRACKS LEFT to reveal the DEVIL sitting behind him. The Devil resembles the Director.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
... the Devil perched right behind the fat man's back.
SWISH PAN.
Cut to: Poprishchin paces the theater stage. The stage setting is a castle interior from a production of Shakespeare's "Richard III".
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
Where'd he go? Oh, there he is hiding in the medals! Look, he's beckoning to her with his little finger. And she's going to marry him! And they're all alike.
Cut to: The Patrons begin to be won over by Poprishchin. They start yelling their support for his ideas like the congregation of a revival meeting.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
All alike! Her fathers, the officials, all alike!
Cut to: Poprishchin continues to pace the stage, gaining energy from the support of the audience.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
They all grovel at court. They all lick boots. All of them proclaiming their "great Patriotism", when all they really want is money. Money, money, rents, and dues, that's what all of these "great Patriots" are about. Is it Honor?
Cut to: The number of Patrons in the audience has grown. The Patrons applaud and shout together.
PATRONS
NO!
Cut to: Poprishchin continues to pick up steam.
POPRISHCHIN
Love of country?
Cut to: The intensity keeps growing as more Patrons fill the theater with their enthusiastic support.
PATRONS
NO!
Cut to: Poprishchin.
POPRISHCHIN
Money?
Cut to: Even more Patrons applaud.
PATRONS
Yes!
Cut to: Poprishchin is at a fevered pitch.
POPRISHCHIN
These 'Patriots' would do anything for money. They would sell their own mother, their own father. They would sell their own God! For a profit!!! Ambitious Christ merchants, all of them.
Cut to: The theater is full. The patrons applaud and cheer wildly.
Cut to: Poprishchin continues his tirade as the CAMERA TRACKS IN to an EXTREME CLOSE-UP.
POPRISHCHIN (cont'd)
And all this ambition is caused by the little pimple under the tongue which contains a tiny worm the size of a pinhead, and it's all the work of a barber living on Gorokhovaya. I can't recall his name right now, but one thing I am sure of is that, in collusion with a certain midwife, he is trying to spread Mohammedanism all over the world, and that is why, I am told, that most of the people of France already practice the faith.
As Poprishchin looks SCREEN RIGHT with a look of fear, the light on his face changes back abruptly from the footlight of the theater to that of the boudoir..
CUT TO:
The SERVANTS grab Poprishchin’s arm.
Cut to: SOPHIE faints in front of her vanity. POPRISHCHIN, pumping with adrenaline, shakes free of the servant's grip and bolts out of the boudoir. The HEAD BUTLER runs to the aid of Sophie as the servants run after Poprishchin.
CUT TO:
POPRISHCHIN exits the front door in a highly agitated state. SERVANT #1 slams the door behind him. Poprishchin quickly regains his regal composure, and doffs an imaginary hat.
Poprishchin walks down the front walk towards the CAMERA. It is only when he fills the frame in a CLOSE- UP, that the look in Poprishchin's eyes reveals his maniacal state. Poprishchin exits SCREEN RIGHT.
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