英文片名:ThePiano

 

　　英文片名: the piano

　　中文片名: 钢琴课 钢琴别恋

　　上映: 1994

　　the piano lesson

　　screenplay for a film by

　　jane campion

　　producer

　　jan chapman

　　script editor

　　billy mackinnon

　　maori dialogue and translator

　　selwyn muru

　　(c) copyright:

　　jan chapman productions pty ltd

　　2 fairlight street leichhart 2040

　　nsw australia

　　4th draft 1991

　　developed with the assistance of

　　the australian film commission

　　----------------------------------------------------------------

　　sc 1 sc 1

　　ada (vo - scs 2 to 7)

　　the voice you hear is not my

　　speaking voice, but my mind's

　　voice.

　　i have not spoken since i was

　　six years old. no one knows

　　why, not even me. my father

　　says it is a dark talent and

　　the day i take it into my head

　　to stop breathing will be my

　　last.

　　today he married me to a man

　　i've not yet met. soon my

　　daughter and i shall join him

　　in his own country. my husband

　　said my muteness does not

　　bother him. he writes and hark

　　this: god loves dumb creatures,

　　so why not he!

　　were good he had god's patience

　　for silence affects everyone in

　　the end. the strange thing is i

　　don't think myself silent, that

　　is, because of my piano. i

　　shall miss it on the journey.

　　sc 2 ext scottish field near houseday sc 2

　　a woman in a dark crepe victorian dress sits leaning against a tree,

　　her hands cover her face, around her neck she wears a writing pad. she

　　crosses a field with large bare trees, in the far background stands a

　　3 storey stone house.

　　sc 3 int scottish house corridor day sc 3

　　a small girl roller skates down a dimly lit corridor. a parlour maid

　　looks down the hall where the girl has disappeared.

　　sc 4 int scottish house drawing roomday sc 4

　　three men wearing long grey aprons are fitting the packing for a

　　piano. on one of the men's arms is a tattoo of a whale in a wild sea.

　　sc 5 ext scottish house grounds day sc 5

　　the girl wearing her skates sits on a small black pony. an old man is

　　pulling it, but it won't move. (in the background, another aspect of

　　the grey stone house.)

　　sc 6 int scottish house flora's bedroom nightsc 6

　　the woman lifts back the sheets from the bottom of the sleeping girl's

　　bed. she is still wearing her skates. the woman cuts through the laces

　　and removes the boots. one disembodied skate rolls across the room.

　　sc 7 int scottish house drawing roomnight sc 7

　　the woman stands at a window lit by moonlight. her skin appears

　　luminescently white. she touches the wooden window frame, the curtain,

　　the objects on the window sill, her mind abstracted, her hands

　　unconsciously performing a farewell. turning from the window she moves

　　to a square piano crowded by packing boxes. in the dim light she

　　begins to play strongly. her face strains, she is utterly involved,

　　unaware other own strange guttural sounds that form an eerie

　　accompaniment to the music.

　　an old maid in night-dress looks in. abruptly the woman stops playing.

　　the emotion leaves her face, it whitens and seems solid like a wall.

　　cut to black

　　sc 8 ext underwater beach day sc 8

　　under water a long boat passes overhead, its oars breaking the

　　surface.

　　sc 9 ext beach day sc 9

　　amidst a riotous sea a woman, ada, is carried to shore on the

　　shoulders of five seamen. her large victorian skirt spreads across the

　　men's arms and backs, on her head a black bonnet, around her neck her

　　pad and pen. we should be forgiven if this woman seems a sacrificial

　　offering as the bay they carry her to is completely uninhabited. a

　　black sand backs on to an endless rise of dense native bush.

　　the breakers are chaotic, the men strain to keep their footing,

　　calling to each other.

　　seamen

　　hold still you smutt! blast the

　　boat!

　　look up! look up!

　　lay to! lay to.

　　up with it you buggerers, hold

　　hard!

　　damn me won't you hold?!

　　etc.

　　two of the men are black, all are battered, tattooed and tough, some

　　are drunk.

　　behind the woman is her daughter, a girl of ten in scottish dress. she

　　too is carried on the shoulders of seamen.

　　ada is placed on the sand. she looks down at her feet sinking into the

　　wet sand, then up at the huge confusion of fern and bush in front of

　　her. the sound of sea behind is thunderous.

　　several of the seamen have formed a group and are pissing on the sand.

　　her daughter is on all fours evidently being sick. but ada's attention

　　is diverted to the seamen who are staggering through the waves with a

　　huge piano shaped box. they put it down as soon as they get to 5hore

　　but ada makes gestures that they must immediately bring it to higher

　　safer ground. the piano placed to her satisfaction she hovers near it,

　　one hand in constant touch of it while her daughter grips her free

　　hand.

　　sc 10 ext beach day sc 10

　　two seamen finish carrying the last crate to shore. trunks and boxes

　　including an open crate with hens are scattered carelessly along the

　　shore.

　　the seamen gather together. after a discussion in which they look

　　between ada and her child and their coaster out on the sea, one of the

　　men approaches. behind him the other men keep their eyes out to sea or

　　down on the sand. they don't want to be involved. the sight of the

　　women alone on this beach is too hopeless.

　　seamen

　　it's a little rough out there.

　　could be they can't get through

　　to you in this weather. maybe

　　they'll come over land.

　　ada nods.

　　seamen

　　have you things for shelter?

　　ada nods.

　　seamen

　　what things have you?

　　ada signs to her daughter. the little girl speaks clearly and loudly

　　without emotion.

　　flora

　　she says, 'thank you'.

　　puzzled, the man walks off, then turns and comes back.

　　seamen

　　does your mother prefer to come

　　on with us to nelson?

　　ada signs vigorously to flora.

　　flora

　　she says, no. she says she'd

　　rather be boiled alive by

　　natives than get back in your

　　tub.

　　seamen

　　(stunned) you be damn fortuned

　　i don't smack your puppy gob,

　　missy. damn lucky.

　　scene 11 deleted

　　sc 12 ext beach day sc 12

　　ada is sheltering behind the crated piano, anxiety etched on her face.

　　flora is asleep at her feet a half eaten biscuit in her hand ada has

　　found a gap through the crate so that she might lift the lid and play

　　a few notes. the sweetness and comfort of the piano seem only to

　　exaggerate their isolation and hopelessness.

　　2- see notes

　　suddenly a rush of sea water shoots straight under the raised crate of

　　the piano wetting her shoes. ada stands, pushing flora onto her feet.

　　she is aghast to see the tide has crept in completely unnoticed.

　　they watch three of their boxes float out to sea. one of the hens has

　　escaped the crate and is bobbing up and down in the waves.

　　scene 13 deleted

　　sc 14 ext beach dusk sc 14

　　there is just a pink streak left in the sky. ada and flora shelter

　　inside their make-shift tent, a hooped petticoat secured at the edges

　　with stones. inside the tent a candle lights up their conversation.

　　ada is hand signaling a story to flora who lies back watching, nervous

　　and afraid. ada's whole self is involved in the 'telling', her face is

　　alight with expression, now tender, now sad, now humorous, now soft,

　　while her hands and fingers are deft and precise. from outside it is

　　an odd shadow play.

　　flora

　　(hand signaling) mother... i'm

　　thinking

　　ada pauses.

　　(speaking) i'm not going to

　　call him papa. i'm not going

　　to call him anything. i'm not

　　even going to look at him.

　　sc 15 ext bush on way to beach day sc 15

　　through a dense bush walk a party of fourteen maori people and two

　　european men. the wetness, closeness and darkness of the bush is such

　　that the air seems green, like at the bottom of a deep sea. two of the

　　maoris share one pair of shoes and all of them are clothed in a

　　mixture of native and european costume. of the europeans one is small

　　and has a shy manner. he has a half completed maori tattoo across his

　　cheeks. the other is a similar age about 45 and wears a suit, muddy

　　and out of place here in the bush. he staggers, spurts forward then

　　slows to a stop. his hair and face are wet and his skin reflects the

　　green foliage. baines the younger man turns and slows.

　　baines

　　are we stopping?... do you want

　　to stop?

　　the maori voices and laughter are becoming fainter. baines watches

　　torn between his concern for stewart and the split in their party.

　　3-see notes

　　baines

　　shall we stop?

　　unable to get an answer baines runs after the maoris.

　　baines

　　tai hoa! me tatari tatou .., me

　　tutatou i konei.

　　(wait! we are stopping.. we're

　　stopping.)

　　subtitled

　　stewart takes out a comb and drags it dazed and zombie like through

　　his wet hair. inside the darkness of his pocket, he turns over and

　　over a small, worn edged photograph, a smudge of green light allows us

　　to see ada's tumbling face. taking it in the heel of his hand he

　　secretly looks at it. just as the party return and settle he stares on

　　ahead possessed and determined.

　　stewart

　　we must get on.

　　the maoris look at baines bewildered.

　　tame

　　aue tepatupsiarehe!

　　(the fairy people, what can you

　　expect?)

　　subtitled

　　sc 16 ext beach morningsc 16

　　it is early morning. the sea is calmer and the tide is again low. the

　　party or two europeans and fourteen maori men and women come out on to

　　the beach. about half the maori party head straight for the shoreline

　　where an older woman loudly organises a pipi collection. all sorts of

　　containers are used from flax baskets to shirts with knots in their

　　arms. the rest follow stewart and baines over to the boxes. stewart

　　automatically re-combs his hair, patting it against his forehead,

　　where it sticks in a raked pattern. on his head he carefully places a

　　formal top hat, oddly dean compared to his mud splattered suit. the

　　party stops short of the petticoats where a tell-tale foot reveals its

　　occupants.

　　stewart

　　miss mcgrath, alisdair stewart.

　　you'll have to wake yourself.

　　i've got men here to carry your

　　things.

　　ada and flora struggle up to find themselves confronted by a group of

　　men and women. the maoris stare curiously and comment on the women.

　　aut he anahera enci?

　　(are they angels, they look

　　like angels.)

　　subtitled

　　a man points at flora's feet and gestures as if holding one of the

　　little shoes in his hand.

　　te monohi hoki!

　　(so small!)

　　subtitled

　　flora is struck by shyness and hides under her mother's skirt. ada

　　cannot look straight at stewart and stewart also cannot look at her.

　　stewart

　　i see you have a good many

　　boxes, i'd like to know what is

　　in each.

　　as ada does not move stewart is puzzled.

　　stewart

　　can - you - hear - me?

　　ada nods and looks up coldly, insulted by his slow loud speaking.

　　stewart

　　well that is good, yes that is

　　good, good.

　　stewart smiling searches ada's face for some sign of comprehension but

　　is unnerved by her lack of response. he stops smiling, and, patting

　　his hair walks to the closest box. several of the maori party follow

　　behind stewart while one of them closely and particularly mimics him.

　　stewart

　　what's in here?

　　ada points to the writing already on the box saying 'crockery and

　　pots'.

　　stewart

　　ohh, yes so it is, written

　　there, crockery.

　　stewart

　　and this one?

　　ada writes 'bedclothes and linen' on the pad around her neck- while

　　she writes he takes the opportunity to scrutinise her.

　　stewart

　　you're small. i never thought

　　you'd be small.

　　he walks to another chest

　　stewart

　　what's here?

　　she writes 'clothes'. the maori mimic also pretends to write.

　　finally he comes to the piano box. he lifts a corner experimentally.

　　stewart

　　what's in here then, lead?

　　flora

　　(gravely) it's my mother's

　　piano.

　　stewart

　　a piano?

　　the maoris touch the exposed legs of the piano. stewart speaks to the

　　other european man baines.

　　stewart

　　tell them to carry in pairs.

　　those three and those two the

　　black and the red, then the

　　suitcases.

　　stewart holds baines back a moment.

　　stewart

　　what do you think?

　　stewart nods towards ada. baines thinks a moment then turns towards

　　ada too.

　　baines

　　she looks tired.

　　stewart

　　she's stunted, that's one

　　thing.

　　baines walks over to hone a big man and the maorj leader, he stands

　　tall with a great sense of his own importance. (mana)

　　baines

　　anei nga pouaka - ko era e

　　toro.

　　me era e raa.

　　(here are the boxes, those

　　three and those two.)

　　unsubtitled

　　hone

　　e hoal

　　hone takes an aggressive fighting posture towards baines, insulted

　　that baines should suggest he might carry anything. hone does not

　　carrying, he is the boss. with great dignity hone retreats, too

　　injured to help. other maoris come up and baines assigns them boxes.

　　ada gets worried, the piano is being left alone. she writes on her

　　pad, 'the piano?' she shows stewart.

　　stewart

　　oh no, it can't come now.

　　flora

　　it must come.

　　stewart looks at flora

　　flora

　　she wants it to come.

　　stewart

　　yes and so do i, but there are

　　too few of us here to carry it.

　　too - heavy

　　ada writes 'i need the piano.' her maori mimic copies her.

　　stewart

　　do you mean you don't want your

　　kitchenware or your clothes? is

　　that what you mean?

　　ada signs to flora.

　　flora

　　we can't leave the piano

　　stewart

　　let us not discuss this

　　further. i am very pleased....

　　stewart slows down as he watches ada again sign to flora, he has the

　　uncomfortable impression he is being interrupted.

　　flora

　　mother wants to know if they

　　could come back directly for

　　it?

　　stewart is shocked, his mouth hangs slightly open, paused in mid

　　speech. tahu mimics this mouth drop perfectly.

　　flora

　　after they have taken the other

　　things?

　　stewart is growing confused and anxious. his two mimics and their

　　growing audience unnerve him further.

　　pito

　　kei riri a te raho maroke.

　　(shouted loudly at tahu)

　　(watch it dry balls is getting

　　touchy.)

　　subtitled

　　stewart nods suspiciously towards the maori speaker not understanding

　　him, the speaker smiles and nods back.

　　stewart

　　i suggest you prepare for a

　　difficult journey. the bush

　　will tear clothes and the mud

　　is deep in places.

　　stewart walks away. ada stands beside the piano turned away from the

　　activities. flora pats her hand trying to cheer her. down on the beach

　　a fire is lit and pipis are prepared for cooking. some of the young

　　men are racing naked into the sea.

　　stewart

　　(to baines about the maoris)

　　what are they doing? we don't

　　have time for that.

　　sc 17 exi beach day sc 17

　　it is some hours later and the carrying party are beginning to make

　　their way up into the bush. ada still stands beside her piano. flora

　　wants to follow the party. baines comes back along the beach, trailed

　　by a young maori boy, kaha.

　　baines

　　mr. stewart asked if i might

　　show you to the path. (ada does

　　not move) ... may i carry

　　something?

　　ada turns to baines, her face angry and defiant, her eyes full of

　　tears. baines falls back, struck by her show of emotion. ada and flora

　　walk past him toward the bush.

　　sc 18 ext cliff above beach day sc 18

　　the party threads its way through the bush along the cliff. ada pauses

　　at the cliff top to see her piano below on the sand, tiny and

　　desolate. its distance and her love of it suddenly strike her. its

　　music is faint and becomes loud over the next scene.

　　sc 19 ext bush from beach day sc 19

　　brown feet squelch through the mud, finally followed by dainty boots

　　caked in dirt. the maori leaders of the party have stopped.

　　4 - see note

　　baines works his way to the front.

　　baines

　　aha tenei?

　　(what is it?)

　　subtitled

　　hone

　　e hinga te koroua ra b pitama i

　　konci. kare noa kia hikina te

　　tapu.

　　(old man pitama died here.

　　(points to the spot)

　　the tapu hasn't been lifted)

　　unsubtitled

　　stewart struggles up to the front to join baines, he speaks over the

　　top of hone.

　　stewart

　　what's he say?

　　baines

　　someone died here. it's tapu.

　　stewart

　　but we came down this way

　　didn't we? i'm sure we did.

　　the maori leaders continue discussing.

　　0h pitama eh.

　　hone

　　e tarna heke atu ki ram - tiro

　　his atu.

　　rapuhia mai he huarahi re!

　　(go and look, find another

　　track eh!)

　　unsubtitled

　　tipi

　　'cia tupato he ana taniwba ke

　　raro na.

　　(go easy there's a ghost down

　　there.)

　　subtitled

　　hotu

　　'ca, rongo koe i te haunga a

　　tans tutae i te tuatahi. (you

　　smell his shit first.)

　　unsubtitled

　　stewart continues over the top of the maori discussion.

　　stewart

　　they want more money. they are

　　trying to make two days out of

　　it?

　　baines

　　no, no they know another track

　　- to the side of this.

　　ada and flora sit watching, out of breath. the bush is dense,

　　claustrophobic and exotic. one of the maori women sits close to ada

　　apparently not looking at her- slowly she draws the scarf that is in

　　ada's lap into her own. defiantly she puts it on.

　　meanwhile another woman makes a very dignified attempt to wipe the

　　freckles from flora's face.

　　sc 20 ext stewart's day sc 20

　　it is another day and stewart's hut, bleakly set amidst smoking stumps

　　is full of squeals, chasing and antics.

　　the reverend in frock coat has a wedding dress stuck part way up his

　　arms. it is not a normal wedding dress but a backless one used again

　　and again as a photographic prop. stewart's aunt morag and her

　　companion nessie are trying to pull it off.

　　aunt morag

　　watch your feet!

　　nessie

　　watch your feet!

　　ada and flora find the family fun frightening and have taken refuge in

　　the bedroom.

　　aunt morag

　　careful! watch his hand.

　　nessie

　　watch his hand

　　the reverend tickles his sister as she tries to get the sleeve off his

　　hand. nessie squeals with excitement.

　　aunt morag

　　stop it!

　　nessie looks towards ada panting with excitement at the fun.

　　aunt morag

　　(shooing the reverend out)

　　we'll bring out the bride.

　　the two women now fit the wedding dress on ada.

　　aunt morag

　　lift - your - arm - up - dear.

　　flora sits on the bed sulkily. she leans back and crosses her leg.

　　flora

　　my real father was a famous

　　german composer

　　aunt morag

　　ohh the tag is broken.

　　flora

　　(continues) .... they met when

　　my mother was an opera

　　singer... in luxemburg...

　　the two women pause to look at flora. ada signs to flora 'that's

　　enough!'

　　flora

　　why?

　　ada looks away, the two women finish primping the dress. flora crosses

　　her arms.

　　flora

　　i want to be in the photograph.

　　sc 22 ext stewart's hut day sc 22

　　nessie half holds an umbrella over ada as they make their way to where

　　the camera is setup in front of a chair and a sparse display of three

　　toi-toi. all about the house is muddy, so much so that they must weave

　　their way through on planks and logs. a fine veil of rain is falling

　　across the distant bush, the whole valley is shrouded in mist. stewart

　　looks through the camera at the reverend and the photographer who are

　　posing as the couple, complete with tatty bouquet. stewart notices

　　ada's arrival and seeing her as a real bride, his bride, he is

　　struckdumb with pride, even the rough tapes at the back or the dress

　　cannot destroy the illusion.

　　stewart

　　beautiful.

　　the umbrellas are held away, the rain pours down.

　　sc 23 int/ext stewarts hut bedroom day sc 23

　　aunt morag has brought a chair into the bedroom and sits knee to knee

　　with flora.

　　aunt morag

　　i thought she met your father

　　in luxemburg.

　　flora

　　well, yes, in austria where be

　　conducted the royal orchestra.

　　aunt morag

　　(frowning) and where did they

　　get married?

　　aunt morag checks to see if someone is coming.

　　flora

　　(her scottish accent becomes

　　thick and expressive) in an

　　enormous forest, with real

　　fairies as bridesmaids each

　　holding a little elf's hand.

　　aunt morag sits back, regarding flora with obvious disapproval and

　　disappointment. she smooths back her hair.

　　flora

　　no, i tell a lie, it was in a

　　small country church, near the

　　mountains

　　aunt morag is becoming involved again. she leans forward.

　　aunt morag

　　which mountains are those dear?

　　flora

　　the alps.

　　aunt morag

　　ohhh i've never been there.

　　(she leans forward)

　　flora

　　mother used to sing the songs

　　in german and her voice would

　　echo across the valleys

　　that was before the

　　accident....

　　aunt morag

　　oh what happened?

　　morag looks over her shoulder as flora continues to talk, so

　　persuasive is flora's storytelling that the scene comes vividly to

　　life, albeit in flora's dark pupil.

　　flora

　　one day when my mother and

　　father were singing together in

　　the forest, a great storm blew

　　up out of nowhere. but so

　　passionate was their singing

　　that they did not notice, nor

　　did they stop as the rain began

　　to fall and when their voices

　　rose for the final bars of the

　　duet a great bolt of lightening

　　came out of the sky and struck

　　my father so that he lit up

　　like a torch... and at the same

　　moment my father was struck

　　dead my mother was struck dumb!

　　she- never-spoke-another-word.

　　aunt morag

　　ohhh ... dear. not another word

　　from the shock, yes it would

　　be.

　　the story is interrupted by the return of the wedding party who are

　　dripping wet, exactly as the couple in the story. aunt morag bustles

　　over to take off the wet wedding gown, her face puckered with tragedy.

　　aunt morag

　　terrible. terrible

　　before she can undo the ties ada pulls it from herself so aggressively

　　that the ties and part of the gown comes apart. none of this is a

　　concern to ada who is distracted with fear for her piano. she crosses

　　to the little window and stares anxiously at the falling rain.

　　sc 24 ext beach dusk sc 24

　　soft piano music has been playing over the previous scene. now it

　　builds to strength as sea water swirls high around the piano, small

　　and embattled on the dark rainy beach.

　　sc 23 int stewart's hut bedroom day sc 25

　　it's morning of the next day. ada and flora sit amongst tea chests in

　　the bedroom. ada is signing intently to flora. flora signs back,

　　sometimes using words. stewart watches uneasy with their secret

　　communication. as stewart enters the animation is suspended. ada

　　stands and takes a step back as if to attention.

　　stewart

　　i shall be gone for some days.

　　there is some maori land i want

　　and may buy very reasonably.

　　(stewart shuffles) i am hoping

　　you will use the time to settle

　　in, and, in some ways we may

　　start again

　　flora and ada look at each other.

　　stewart

　　all right?

　　ada looks at him blankly, then nods.

　　sc 26 ext stewart's day sc 26

　　ada and flora dressed in cloaks and bonnets skirt the dense bush

　　trying to find a path in. it is not easy, because the bush is so

　　tight. ada's leg slides in up to her calf in mud.

　　sc 27 ext baines' day sc 27

　　ada and flora arrive at baines' rough hut. it is mid-morning but

　　baines is not yet dressed. ada hands him a note. baines looks at it

　　blankly.

　　baines

　　i'm not able to read.

　　ada signs to flora.

　　flora

　　please take us to the beach

　　where we landed.

　　baines

　　i'm sorry, i can't do that.

　　(flora and ada stare evenly at

　　him)

　　i don't have the time.

　　(they continue to stare.)

　　goodbye

　　sc 28 ext baines' day sc 28

　　it is much later when baines emerges from his hut with a saddle over

　　his arm. the two women are still there. ada looks up at him

　　expectantly.

　　flora mirrors her expression.

　　baines

　　i - can't - take - you there. i

　　can't do it.

　　he puts the saddle over a rail. he continues to saddle up, sneaking

　　glances at them from under the horse and around its side. they watch

　　him closely, not pleadingly, but stubbornly1 eerily of one mind.

　　sc 29 ext beach day sc 29

　　the sky is blue with long wisps of cloud.

　　the party of three break onto the long expanse of beach where the

　　piano still stands. it has not been without visitors. there are

　　footprints on the sand and some of the boards have been pulled back.

　　ada passes baines, walking urgently towards it. soon, ada has removed

　　enough boards that she may lift the lid and play the keys. emnes stays

　　back. ada takes great delight in feeling her fingers on the keys

　　again. her whole composition is altered. she is animated, joyful,

　　excited.

　　down on the wet sand flora does a wild dance of her own invention

　　using a seaweed wig. she finishes by rolling down the beach in the

　　sand.

　　baines views them with suspicion, yet he is magnetically drawn to the

　　spectacle he has never seen women behave with so much abandon. his

　　attention fixes on ada's uninhibited emotional playing, and as he

　　watches, he finds himself edging irresistibly closer.

　　sc 30 ext beach late after noonsc 30

　　the shadows are long on the sand when bain'es collects the boards. ada

　　and flora are attempting a duet. ada notices him come towards them

　　with the boards, obviously intending that they should leave. her mood

　　darkens, she continues playing stubbornly even though flora has

　　stopped. abruptly she finishes. in black spirits she replaces her cape

　　and bonnet. baines is struck by this sudden change, he watches her

　　mesmerised as he replaces the boards.

　　sc 31 ext beach night sc 31

　　from a helicopter, the camera tracks along the beach, following the

　　crashing wave line, to find the piano.

　　scene 32 deleted

　　sc 33 ext stewart's hut & kitchen dusk sc 33

　　the hut puffs smoke out into the valley. the lie of the land traps

　　sound like a shell and the clear high notes of a voice echo out.

　　suspicious that ada is singing, stewart approaches the house quietly.

　　through the open kitchen door he sees that the keys of a piano have

　　been etched on the table top. while ada 'plays' the notes flora sings

　　them.

　　stewart puts his pack down. ada stands to attention, folding the

　　tablecloth back over the table.

　　5, 6 + 7 see notes

　　stewart

　　hello, then.

　　flora

　　hello.

　　ada nods. stewart's hand explores the markings on the table. ada

　　watches his hand moving under the checked cloth.

　　sc 34 int mission house day sc 34

　　aunt morag, nessie and two maori girls dressed in proper victorian

　　costume are kneeling around a huge double white sheet, sewing and

　　cutting it. the maori girls are part of the mission's good works. they

　　are dressed in european style and while their training is in polite

　　proper domestic behaviour they constantly corrupt it with their

　　demonstrative displays of affection, and their clay tobacco pipes to

　　which they are addicted.

　　stewart is standing, looking on. baines is behind him in the kitchen

　　removing his boots.

　　aunt morag

　　(looking carefully at stewart)

　　well you stopped combing your

　　hair, which is a good thing, it

　　was looking over done.

　　(without pause but referring to

　　the sheet) you see these are

　　the slits that the heads will

　　go through, show him nessie ...

　　they'll be dead, the reverend

　　is going to use animal blood,

　　no doubt it will be very

　　dramatic. tea!

　　(for nessie rather than to her)

　　nessie

　　it will be very dramatic.

　　nessie leaves to get the tea. heni, the maori girl with a moku tickles

　　mari's back while she sews.

　　they sing the anthem in snatches. it is background to the

　　conversation.

　　stewart

　　(sitting down)

　　what would you think if someone

　　played a kitchen table like it

　　were a piano?

　　aunt morag

　　like it were a piano?

　　stewart

　　it's strange isn't it? i mean

　　it's not a piano, it doesn't

　　make any sound.

　　nessib puts stewart's tea down. baines comes in with his tea cup

　　dwarfed in his big hands. he stands back leaning against a wall.

　　aunt morag

　　(hissing to nessie) biscuits.'

　　no, no sound.

　　nessie hustles back to the kitchen.

　　stewart

　　i knew she was mute, but now

　　i'm thinking it's more than

　　that. i'm wondering if she's

　　not brain affected.

　　aunt morag

　　no sound at all?

　　stewart

　　no, it was a table.

　　aunt morag

　　(musing) well, she was very

　　violent with the gown. she tore

　　off a chunk of lace. if hadn't

　　been there i'd have sworn she'd

　　used her teeth

　　nessie

　　and wiped her feet an it.

　　stewart

　　well it has not yet come to

　　anything. just a concern.

　　aunt morag pats her chest. a calming device.

　　aunt morag

　　oh, yes, yes of course, a

　　concern.

　　stewart

　　there is something to be said

　　for silence

　　aunt morag

　　oh indeed. cotton'.

　　she holds her needle up for nessie to thread.

　　stewart

　　(warming) and with time she

　　will, i'm sure, become

　　affectionate.

　　aunt morag

　　certainly, there is nothing so

　　easy to like as a pet and they

　　are quite silent.

　　baines watches quietly on.

　　sc 35 ext stewart's woodchop day sc 35

　　stewart is at the woodshop cutting firewood. he displays his

　　virtuosity as an axeman, cutting the wood into ever more slender

　　pieces, flora is watching and stacking the fallen timber. she flinches

　　as the axe hits the wood, but scurries in to pick up the timber.

　　baines is standing talking to stewart.

　　baines

　　those 80 acres, that cross the

　　stream, what do you think of

　　them?

　　stewart

　　on your property?

　　baines

　　yes

　　baines carries a log across for stewart who talks without pausing in

　　his work,

　　stewart

　　good, flatish land with

　　reliable water, why? i don't

　　have money. what are you about?

　　baines

　　i'd like to make a swap.

　　stewart

　　what for?

　　baines

　　the piano.

　　stewart

　　the piano on the beach? ada's

　　piano?

　　baines nods. stewart stops, this is serious.

　　stewart

　　it's not marshy is it?

　　stewart has walked a few paces away from his wood chop in the

　　direction of the land.

　　baines

　　no.

　　stewart

　　you'd have to organise it up

　　here.

　　baines

　　yes, i thought that.

　　stewart

　　well baines the music lover, i

　　never would have known. hidden

　　talents george.

　　baines

　　i'll have to get lessons. it

　　wouldn't be much use without

　　them.

　　stewart

　　yes, i suppose you would.

　　baines remains silent. he looks away.

　　stewart

　　well ada can play.

　　baines shrugs.

　　stewart

　　i have it in a letter she plays

　　well. she's been playing since

　　she was 5 or6.

　　flora has stopped stacking. she is lying along the top of the wood,

　　lifting a leg up and down, watching the men.

　　sc 36 int stewart's kjtchen day sc 36

　　stewart, flushed with his plans, is pouring tea into cups. flora peers

　　at cup level through the steam. ada sits beside her at the table.

　　stewart

　　i have got us some excellent

　　land. baines has taken some

　　queer idea to have a piano, and

　　you are to give him lessons.

　　have you taught before?

　　ada signs to flora.

　　flora

　　what on?

　　stewart

　　on your piano, that is the

　　swap.

　　ala finger signs, her face furious.

　　stewart

　　what does she say?

　　flora

　　she says it's her piano, and

　　she won't have him touch it.

　　he's an oaf, he can't read,

　　he's ignorant.

　　stewart

　　he wants to improve himself...

　　and you will be able to play on

　　it ... (ada is not responding

　　well) teach him to look after

　　it.

　　ada's breathing becomes heavy with anger, she writes curiously on her

　　pad.

　　no! no! the piano is mine! it's

　　mine!

　　stewart regards her note and her passion with suspicion and disdain

　　stewart

　　(getting up) you can't go on

　　like this, we are a family now,

　　all of us make sacrifices and

　　so will you.

　　you will teach him. i shall see

　　to that!

　　ada's emotions are suddenly removed and she views stewart blankly,

　　eerily so.

　　sc 37 ext bush from beach day sc 37

　　the piano is taken up through the bush by a group of six to eight

　　maori men. it's very heavy and awkward and they grunt and struggle

　　with it.

　　him na ake 'nun na'.

　　(lift up the back)

　　unsubtitled

　　tern - tern!

　　(ass hole!)

　　hei niti niti maan!

　　(turning around)

　　you lick it.)

　　someone stumbles and the back of the piano comes crashing to the

　　ground thundering out in the bottom end of the scale. people scatter.

　　only one stays who warrior like challenges the piano.

　　sc 38 ext path to baines day sc38

　　the women duck low to avoid a branch as stewart leads them to baine's

　　hut. stewart carries the piano stool. the path slopes up through a

　　strange, bearded forest where the tops of trees are bare and ghost

　　like.

　　stewart

　　i'd try children's tunes,

　　nothing more complicated

　　ada is unrepentant, she does not want to teach baines the piano.

　　stewart

　　just be encouraging no one expects him to be good.

　　sc 39 int/ext baines' hut day sc 39

　　the piano is the only cared for item in the rough hut

　　stewart

　　(lifting the lid) it looks

　　good, very nice looking thing.

　　well . i wish you luck. the girls

　　are very excited about the

　　lessons.

　　the 'girls' look anything but excited. flora shy, plays obsessively

　　with a long strand of greasy hair. ada is cold and grim.

　　stewart

　　flora will explain anything ada says.

　　they talk through their fingers,

　　you can't believe what they say

　　with just their hands.

　　stewart leaves. bajnes goes to the piano and lifts the lid. he looks

　　at them. ada signs to flora.

　　flora

　　my mother wants to see your

　　hands. hold them out.

　　baines holds out his hands, spread wide as if holding a ball.

　　no, no, like this

　　flora puts her neat little fingers together, first with their backs up

　　then she turns them over. haines does the same only his bands are big

　　and coarse. ada signs to flora. baines is shyly keen.

　　flora

　　you have to wash them.

　　baines

　　they are washed.

　　ada signs.

　　flora

　　wash them again.

　　baines

　　the marks do not come out.

　　they are scars and hardened

　　skin.

　　ada and flora do not move. humiliated baines takes a scrub brush, soap

　　and bucket and goes outside. ada can see him from the window. she

　　moves to her piano. she wants to touch it but she is torn by her

　　feelings, wanting it, but not owning it. she strokes the varnished

　　wood with her hand and softly lifts the lid. outside flora stands

　　beside baines pointing out hits of his hand he should still scrub.

　　furtively she lays her hands on the keys. the instrument is horribly

　　out of tune, almost every note is off. she goes outside and signs to

　　flora.

　　flora

　　there's no tune left in the

　　piano so she can't teach you.

　　the two women leave.

　　sc40 ext steep bush hill day sc40

　　two men come crashing out down a steep bush hill, they are tied to

　　each other. baines, the younger and stronger, is trying to break their

　　fall by grasping hold of branches and shoots. finally their fall is

　　checked. the old man is white haired, the front of his suit splattered

　　with the debris of many meals. he sits up feeling about for his

　　glasses. he is blind. his eyes, though closed, wobble and roll baines

　　finds the glasses one of the lenses has gone, the other is very dark.

　　the old man fits his handkerchief in the gap.

　　sc 41 ext hugescree day sc 41

　　baines carries the old man on his back, they cross a huge scree. each

　　of baines' steps dislodge a fall of rocks. the crashing of stones

　　echoes across the valley. baines and he are but small dots in this

　　giant earth scar

　　scene 42 deleted

　　sc 43 int baines' hut day sc 43

　　inside baines' hut the old man feels the piano.

　　blind man

　　ah, a broadbent. a fine

　　instrument. i've not come

　　across one here, or in the

　　islands where i have tuned some

　　200. yes, they like their

　　pianos there.

　　out of his pocket he takes a carefully wrapped tuning fork. he unwraps

　　the package, lifts the back and lid and starts to tune. he sniffs the

　　air. baines watches, he sniffs close to the keys.

　　scent? and salt of course.

　　he works on.

　　what will you play when it's

　　tuned? what music do you play?

　　bains looks over at him from the meal he is preparing.

　　baines

　　i can't play.

　　the blind man stops working.

　　blind man

　　you don't play?

　　baines

　　no, i can't.

　　i'm going to learn.

　　the man goes back to work somewhat depressed by the futility of the

　　venture.

　　blind man

　　well my dear miss broadbent,

　　tuned, but silent.

　　scene 44 deleted

　　scene 45 deleted

　　sc 46 ext baines' hut morningsc 46

　　a slash of sunlight falls across the piano. thousands of particles of

　　dust become visible floating in the air. baines is at the window in

　　his shirt/night shirt. he notices the dust on the piano and strips off

　　his shirt which he uses as a duster. under the shirt he is naked. as

　　he wipes the smooth wood he becomes aware of his nakedness. his

　　movements become slower until he is no longer cleaning, but caressing

　　the piano.

　　sc 47 ext path to baines' day sc 47

　　on the path to baines' house, ada and flora sit in the bush. ada's

　　head is bowed. her hands held over her face. flora tries to catch the

　　spots of light in her palm as they twinkle through the thick canopy of

　　leaves over head.

　　sc 48 ext/int baines' hut day sc 48

　　the door opens. ada and flora stand in their cloaks and bonnets.

　　flora

　　mother says she can't stand to

　　teach piano with it all out or

　　tune. so i'm to do scales.

　　ada turns and walks off. flora bustles in. baines watches ada from the

　　window,

　　flora

　　i hope you've scrubbed your

　　hands.

　　flora begins a scale.

　　oh, it's in tune.

　　she looks over at baines who is still gazing out the window.

　　flora

　　what's out there?

　　she gets up to see what baines is looking at. she sees her mother and

　　divines baines is looking at nothing.

　　flora

　　you have to watch me where i

　　put my fingers.

　　flora starts again. ada can only hear the piano faintly but moves

　　closer as she too hears it's in tune.

　　as she enters the hut baines pulls his fingers away from the piano.

　　flora sees this and stops too. she looks at her mother.

　　flora

　　it's in tune.

　　ada checks the other notes. flora stands with her arms folded, a bit

　　sulky and fluffed up.

　　flora

　　(hissing) i was teaching.

　　ada tries the piano. she looks over at baines then signs to flora.

　　flora

　　she wants to see what you can

　　do.

　　baines

　　i'd rather not play. i want to

　　listen and learn that way.

　　flora

　　everyone has to practice.

　　baines

　　i just want to listen.

　　ada is a bit nonplussed. she does not want to be listened to anymore

　　than she wants to teach. she pulls a strand of her hair then signs to

　　flora.

　　flora

　　what do you want to hear?

　　baiwes shrugs shyly and locks away out the window. he doesn't know

　　baines

　　anything.

　　ada is slow to start. unobliging as ever she plays scales. but once

　　begun her belligerence fades as her absorption in the music

　　strengthens.

　　sc 49 int stewart's hut/ada's bedroom night sc 49

　　back at stewart's hut, ada lies dispirited on the bed. flora lies

　　beside her holding ada's hand.

　　flora

　　tell me about my real father.

　　ada nods and strokes flora's hair from her face. flora leans back.

　　how did you speak to him?

　　ada signs to flora who watches in love with all the stories of her

　　mother and unreal father.

　　ada (subtitled)

　　i didn't need to speak, i could

　　lay thoughts out in his mind

　　like they were a sheet

　　flora

　　what happened? why didn't you

　　get married?

　　ada continues to sign her hands casting odd animal like shadows on the

　　newspapered walls.

　　ada cont.

　　after a while he became

　　frightened and he stopped

　　listening.

　　stewart enters their bedroom. flora stops and ada stands against the

　　wall. stewart finds the atmosphere curious yet impenetrate.

　　stewart

　　shall i kiss you goodnight?

　　flora looks up at her mother. ada shrugs.

　　stewart nods stiffly, and uncomfortably, he leaves.

　　sc 50 ext baines' verandah day sc 50

　　it's raining heavily, flora sits on the small verandah outside baines'

　　hut, her legs stuck straight out into the wet. she is overseeing a

　　merciless power game with the dog, forcing it out of the verandah with

　　a stick.

　　sc 51 int baine's hut day sc 51

　　ada's playing can be heard inside. baines sits back watching ada. her

　　cape on the hook is dripping a puddle on to the floor and there is a

　　circle of drips around her skirt hem. she is totally absorbed in her

　　piano music as she was on the beach.

　　baines watches. her long white neck, now wet from rain, proves

　　irresistible. he comes across the room and kisses her. ada jumps up

　　and prepares to leave. baines stands in front of the door.

　　baines

　　do you know how to bargain, nod

　　if you do.

　　she doesn't move,

　　there's a way you can have your

　　piano back. do you want it

　　back? you want it back?

　　ada eyes him suspiciously.

　　baines

　　you see i'd like us to make a

　　deal. there's things i want to

　　do while you stay. if you let

　　me you can earn it back.

　　what do you think, one visit

　　for every key.

　　ada is tense but she is thinking about it. she holds up a finger then

　　points to the black of her dress.

　　baines

　　your dress?

　　ada shakes her head.

　　skirt ...?

　　she walks over to her piano and points to a black key.

　　for every black one?

　　ada turns raising her head, nodding.

　　that's a lot less, half.

　　baines is counting the keys. ada starts for the front door.

　　all right, all right then, the

　　black keys.

　　she sits back at the piano. she plays the lowest black key as in

　　number one

　　she takes her hands off the piano waiting.

　　it's better that you play.

　　obediently she begins, stopping abruptly, indignantly, as he touches

　　her neck.

　　baines

　　play... keep playing.

　　after a moment she settles back to the piano.

　　sc 52 ext baines' verandah day sc 52

　　outside flora is cradling the poor confused dog, asking him what cruel

　　miserable person had sent him out into the cold and wet.

　　sc 53 ext riverhole near baines' day sc 53

　　baines bathes in a riverhole. he is watched by a gathering of maori,

　　sometimes with great seriousness, at other times with hilarity. they

　　pass between them his clothes, trying them on and mimicking him. one

　　of the older women hira crouches close to the bank keeping up a steady

　　line of inquiry. her manner is relaxed but focused and persistent. she

　　smokes a pipe-

　　hira

　　i got the good wife for you

　　peini. she pray good. clean.

　　read bible. you sleep her

　　peini. she chief daughter.

　　baines

　　no, no bible readers.

　　baines continues good humouredly washing.

　　hira

　　why? we need you pakeha clever.

　　you sleep her.

　　tahu

　　(a big man dressed as a woman)

　　(background) i give her plenty

　　clever. (gestures sexually)

　　baines

　　i have a wife.

　　tahu

　　(camping it up) i give her

　　clever eb peini. hallelujah!

　　hira

　　don't answer, he low born. jun

　　look at him, mongrel. your wife

　　where she?

　　baines

　　she lives her own life in new

　　jersey, america.

　　hira

　　you have spare wife here peini.

　　you get rnana for that. our

　　chief four wives.

　　baines shakes his head amusedly. as he gets out of the river hira

　　slaps him.

　　i marry white man peini, he a

　　whaler like you. he very good

　　to me. love me, nurse me.

　　hira touches her own face where baines' tattoo is.

　　hira

　　who do that? it not finish,

　　that no good peini. you finish!

　　several people on the bank are taking turns to comb their hair,

　　peering into a tiny piece of mirror.

　　sc 54 ext/int baines' hut day sc 54

　　baines' dog hears ada and flora approach. it takes off under the

　　house. flora calls the dog. it keeps well hidden. ada has gone on

　　inside and the door is closed. flora stands outside the door left out

　　and lonely. she knocks. baines answers.

　　flora

　　(small voice)

　　i want to speak to my mother

　　she buries her head in her mother's skirt.

　　i don't want to be outside, i

　　want to watch.

　　ada signs to flora.

　　i'll be very quiet.

　　ada leads her to the door signing to her

　　i won't look at him!

　　flora is shut out.

　　sc 55 int baines' hut day sc 55

　　ada sits at the piano. she is shy and nervous she turns to baines who

　　nods. ada begins to play. bainies keeps his head bowed, but as the

　　playing becomes more confident he raises his head to watch. he sits

　　at a far corner of the room apparently enjoying the whole vision or

　　this woman at her piano.

　　after some time baines, affected by the music, takes his chair to a

　　closer position and from an opposite angle. ada glances up as she

　　feels him passing behind her. he seems satisfied to watch. his

　　attention finally focuses on her neck as it bends further or closer to

　　the piano.

　　again he shifts his chair, taking it round the back and to the other

　　side of the piano. as he moves ada watches warily. from this position

　　be doesn't try to touch her, but watches, enjoying her fingers moving

　　on the keys and the small details of motion on her face. twice he

　　closes his eyes and breathes deeply baines is experiencing an

　　unpractised sense of appreciation and lust. when his eyes are closed,

　　ada glances at him with curiosity and suspicion.

　　sc 56 int school hall day sc 56

　　flora stands on a kitchen chair. aunt morag and nessie have paused

　　from fitting flora's bodice and wire angel wings. they are attempting

　　to learn the hand gestures as flora signs:

　　'i shall listen hard to rehearsal,

　　because i live too

　　far away to go often.'

　　aunt morag

　　(suspiciously) which sign is

　　the word rehearsal?

　　flora deftly demonstrates.

　　aunt morag

　　i can't imagine a fate worse

　　than being dumb. turn around.

　　nessie

　　to be deaf?

　　aunt morag

　　oh yes, dear too - terrible!

　　awful!''

　　flora

　　actually, to tell you the whole

　　truth, mama says most people

　　speak rubbish and it's not

　　worth the listen.

　　aunt morag and nessie exchange looks.

　　aunt morag

　　(stiffly) well, that is a

　　strong opinion.

　　flora

　　yes, it's unholy.

　　sc 57 int baines' hut day sc 57

　　ada is quick to remove a used plate and cup left on top of the piano.

　　baines is sitting next to the window, his elbow on the sill, his head

　　turned away.

　　baines

　　lift your skirt,

　　ada stops playing. she turns to him. thinks about it then slowly lifts

　　her skirt a little to show her boots.

　　lift it higher.

　　ada pulls the skirt up fractionally so the top other boots are

　　exposed.

　　bainies nods ada starts to play again, not so confidently as before.

　　baines moves close, he goes down on his knees to watch her feet on the

　　pedals.

　　baines

　　higher.

　　ada doesn't hear.

　　lift it higher.

　　she stops and lifts her skirt to her knees. she looks at baines with

　　ill-disguised contempt. baines is enthralled with her legs, or what he

　　can now see of them. he moves back to watch them from behind. he's

　　lying on the ground, head propped on his arm. ada's slim stockinged

　　calves work the pedals, one of the stockings has a small hole through

　　which her white skins shows

　　sc 58 ext mission house grounds dusk sc 58

　　heni holds stewart's horse near a wooden gate. its wet coat steams in

　　he night air, making the whole horse glow. heni talks softly to it in

　　maori.

　　sc 59 int mission house night sc 59

　　inside the reverend is closely watched by stewart, aunt morag and

　　nessie as he cuts out the shape of an axe from a piece of marbled

　　cardboard. a lamplight flickers warm tones across their faces while

　　the rest of the room is dark giving it a conspiratorial air.

　　reverend

　　nessie, your hand out ... out

　　here, please.

　　nessie

　　oh, no use mr stewart, i can't

　　act.

　　reverend

　　nessie, please.

　　nessie hesitatingly puts her arm out towards him and the reverend

　　chops away in the air two feet in front other, nessie looks at aunt

　　morag puzzled.