1
1. EXT. PARKING LOT OF THE ICE RINK - DAY
Trucks are parked on the parking lot of an ice rink. Flemish technicians, grips and electricians, talk together while unloading the equipment, lamps, cables, tracks. They spread it out on the parking lot, take some lamps into the rink. The four technicians all wear the same black T-shirt with an inscription in Dutch.
A few cars arrive, belonging to the film crew (cinematographer, sound engineer). They get out, say hello to each other, wait around on the parking lot.
An old broken down bus, very East European looking, with curtains in the windows, parks in the parking lot. Twenty or so men get out with sports bags, hockey sticks, helmets. They enter the ice rink guided by two production assistants who greet them and show them the way, walkie-talkies held to their ears.
A small convertible enters the parking lot, carrying the director and his assistant.
The car stops. The director and his assistant get out of the car, shake a few hands. A TV reporter precedes them, filming them with a hand-held camera.
Escorted by assistants, they go over to a limousine which is parking on the lot.
The director's assistant tries to open the door of the limousine, is unsuccessful.
An assistant, very much in a hurry, runs back into the ice rink while another shouts orders into his walkie-talkie.
Outside the limousine, everyone tries to open the door, knocks on the windows. The occupant of the limousine, the star of the film, an American, wearing dark glasses, a white teeshirt, and a leather jacket, puts his head out the window. Everyone says hello to him respectfully. They signal to him, ask him to try to open the door from the inside. The grips approach, try to unjam the door. Nothing works. Finally the grips set up a small platform in front of the window. The star of the film climbs cautiously out of the limousine window.
Escorted by the writer-director, the star of the film enters the ice rink, preceded by the TV reporter who films them.
2. INT. CORRIDORS OF THE ICE RINK - PROVISIONAL PRODUCTION AND DIRECTION OFFICES - DAY
The writer-director guides the star of the film into the changing rooms of the ice rink. They cross several rooms, preceded by the TV reporter who films from the shoulder while walking backwards.
Thoughtfully, almost as if he was talking to himself, the director explains to the actor the idea of the scene they are going to shoot: the actor sees the actress for the first time and says her name: Dolores.
He explains that, as usual in his work, nothing is completely finalized yet, that he doesn't want things to be rigid, that he wants there to be room for improvisation when shooting takes place, that the film must always remain open.
The American actor, not really listening, responds in monosyllables, yes, no, don't understand, to the director's explanations.
While the director explains, the assistant talks non-stop over the walkie-talkie with the make-up room. ("Make-up, do you read, make-up? We're coming, get ready, we're coming..."). The conversation between the assistant and the make-up artist continues moreover in the room where the provisional production and direction offices are set up, so that the assistant and the make-up artist keep talking over the walkie-talkie while standing in the same room.
The director finishes talking about the way he sees the scene and leaves the room.
An assistant runs up with a bathrobe, which he gives to the American actor.
The actor puts his jacket on a chair, takes off his teeshirt.
Stripped to the waist, he walks unselfconsciously about the room, looks over a secretary’s shoulder.
Everyone looks at him.
The secretarie blushes, stops typing on her computer, (she can hardly contain herself, it looks as though she might giggle or pee in her pants).
She slowly, timidly, looks up at the actor.
The actor smiles at her.
A young woman with a superb figure and an alluring cleavage enters, timid and uncomfortable, wearing a mini-skirt, a small notebook open in her hand. She walks up to the actor as though about to ask for an autograph.
The assistant (shouts)
What are you doing here?
The young woman
I'm the interpreter.
The actor turns round, looks at her, notices the cleavage.
The actor (smiling warmly)
I beg your pardon?
The interpreter (embarrassed, in a low voice)
I am the... the...(to the others) how do you say interpreter in English?
The assistant does not know.
The assistant (very loud, to the whole room)
Does anyone know how to say interpreter in English?
3. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
The director and the cinematographer talk on the ice rink. They make large gestures, mimic frames. The director looks through his viewfinder.
Technical discussion.
The film crew takes its first steps on the ice. They put on ice skates, start to make their way onto the rink. Their steps are slow, uncertain.
The sound operator carries his nagra and his boom, his advance over the ice is shaky. He almost loses his balance several times and keeps upright by swinging his arms around like a windmill. The script girl, with her pink notebooks and her stopwatch, after taking off her thick anorak and putting on her skates, wears what resembles a figure skater's attire, a sort of Diana's hunting dress with imitation suede fringes. She pushes out onto the ice with a certain grace, a certain assurance, slowly, one leg lifted in the air behind her. More prudent, much slower, are the cinematographer, the electricians and the grips. After getting into their skates they walk on the ice and cluster together at the center of the rink. The cinematographer gives some instructions to the electricians. They listen, then get to work. They start installing the lighting on the rink, yelling to each other in Flemish over the ice. The script girl has installed herself on a small folding stool in the middle of the ice rink, her script and her notebooks on her knees, her stopwatch around her neck. Behind her the electricians continue installing the lights, set the first lamps on their stands.
4. INT. MAKEUP - DAY
In the makeup room, the leading actor is being made up.
5. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
The director heads over at a good pace to the edge of the rink, preceded by the reporter, who films him while walking backwards.
The director puts on ice skates and moves onto the ice.
The director progresses very slowly, very cautiously, preceded by the reporter, wearing skates as well, who walks backwards on the ice, nearly falling every step.
The electricians continue to install the lamps, turn them on and off.
The director crosses the rink, going towards the director's chair.
He sits, opens his script.
Suddenly, just like two professional hockey teams making their way into the rink, twenty or so men emerge onto the ice, armed with helmets and hockey sticks.
They circle the rink several times at breakneck speed.
Violent music accompanies their entry on the scene.
The director (yells)
Veronique! Veronique!
At the side of the rink, the assistant removes her jacket and her scarf, lifting up the rubber hood of her speed skater's outfit. She wears a full-body black synthetic rubber speed skater's suit which makes her look a bit like a spermatozoon. She bursts out onto the ice at top speed, bending forward, one hand behind her back like a champion speed skater, and comes to a clean stop in front of the director's chair after a superb controlled skid.
The assistant
Yes?
The director (in a low voice)
A megaphone.
The assistant (yelling into her walkie-talkie)
Hello, hello, do you read, megaphone called for, megaphone called for...megaphone on the way, roger, over and out.
A production assistant, very prompt, very agile on the ice, skates over at full speed bringing the megaphone to the director.
The director (into the megaphone)
Stop, gentlemen, stop!
The players, helmeted and armed with their sticks, don't listen to the director and continue to careen around the rink.
The members of the film crew flatten themselves against the sides of the ice rink to avoid the hockey players.
A few members of the crew, more courageous, place themselves in their path to try to get them to stop, wave with their arms in the way that one tries to intercept galloping horses, but the players will have nothing to do with them. They dodge and escape, evading the technicians blocking their way, and make off even faster on the ice, skating at top speed.
The assistant finally reaches the sound booth and manages to cut the music.
She comes back onto the ice with the microphone from the sound system at the end of a very long cord.
The assistant
Silence, gentlemen, silence!
The players eventually stop and gather haphazardly around the assistant.
The assistant
Your director is going to say something to you.
The director (into the microphone)
Go get the interpreter.
The assistant (into the walkie-talkie)
Interpreter called for, interpreter called for... interpreter on the way, roger, over and out.
The interpreter runs out onto the rink, shoes in hand, escorted by an assistant. Skates are hastily put on her feet. She advances onto the ice, her balance very uncertain.
She joins the assistant, who gives her the microphone.
The director (into the megaphone)
Good day gentlemen.
The interpreter (into the microphone, in Lithuanian)
Good day gentlemen.
The players (in chorus, in Lithuanian)
Good day sir!
The director
I am very happy to be working with you and I hope that all will go well. I don’t think what I will be asking you to do will be very difficult for you, considering your experience. I would simply like to add, so that it’s clear, that this is a movie and I’m not necessarily concerned about whether what we are doing is credible. Without a doubt some of the things that I will ask you to do might seem unrealistic, improbable, even illogical, bizarre and exagerated. But, I repeat, this is a movie. And, in the movies, to make it look real, you often have to do unrealistic things. In his Notes on the cinematographer, - I don’t know if you have read them - Bresson explained how, if you film an actor who pretends to be afraid on the bridge of a
real ship, in a real storm, in the end, no one will believe in the actor, the ship, or the storm. (To the interpreter) No, don’t translate that, just translate that it’s a movie. (To the players) What I’m going to ask you to do, for the shot that we’re going to do now, is to play as if it were a real game. As you can see, there’s only one net on the ice, - we are going to set up the camera there (he points to the parallel) - I ask that you remain as much as possible in that part of the rink, and to play normally, without paying attention to the camera. Do you understand?
The interpreter translates in Lithuanian into the microphone, which gives a slight echo that amplifies and renders her words more solemn.
From time to time, with a single voice, the players cry out YES or NO, in chorus, banging with their sticks in short bursts on the ice.
The assistant (discreetly, into her walkie-talkie)
Hello canteen, do you read me, hello canteen, Veronique here, you'll have to be ready in half an hour from now, half to three quarters of an hour... what's for lunch today?... chicken... chicken with what... chicken chop-suey, roger, over and out.
6. INT. PROVISIONAL PRODUCTION AND DIRECTION OFFICES - DAY
In the production and direction offices evening dresses, stage costumes, cans of film are being delivered.
In one corner a production assistant irons a hockey shirt on an ironing board.
The director and the assistant come back into the room.
The assistant leaves again, then pops back in. Sticking her head round the door, she asks the director if she can bring in the actors she has convened to cast the replacement for an actor who is unavailable.
In a low voice she adds that she has mostly retained theatre actors.
Preceded by the assistant twenty or so men from twenty-five to sixty years old dressed elegantly in street clothes, a scarf around the neck, enter the room and spread themselves out in the space, moving along the walls and placidly rubbing their hands together to give themselves the right bearing.
The director welcomes them.
He walks among them, asks them a few questions about their careers.
The actors, in turn, evoke their career, the last productions they have been involved in, a marquis in Moliere, a halberdier in a play by Shakespeare, a walk-on along the same lines in a play by Musset, Lear in King Lear.
Some of them present him with a sample of their talent, declaim a monologue from Britannicus, recite a poem by Verlaine, Vigny, Aragon.
The director hesitates, nods his head, asks the assistant if he can see them in costume before making his choice.
7. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
Everyone waits on the rink. The director reads in his director's chair. The script girl prepares her notebooks, sorts her first Polaroids. The interpreter stares into the distance, leaning against the protective barrier at the edge of the rink. The hockey players skate slowly around the rink, exchanging a few words with the interpreter leaning on the barrier.
Suddenly, preceded by the assistant who guides them with a walkie-talkie in her hand, the actors for the casting appear on the ice dressed as hockey referees.
They take a few steps on the ice in their zebra suits.
One or two break away and skate elegantly.
Others hesitate, stumble.
A group of landlubbers stay packed together near the entrance, awkward and unbalanced. They form a compact, oscillating conglomerate. They hold on to each other, their arms on each other's shoulders, stumbling on the ice, just managing to keep from falling.
The director looks at all the referees, perplexed.
The director (to the assistant)
I'll take the small guy with the moustache who can skate, and King Lear as a back up, just in case something happens to the guy with the moustache.
8. INT. MAKE-UP ROOM - DAY
In the make-up room, the make-up girl is making up the main actor.
Behind him on chairs, like at the barber's, wait the two selected referees. They talk shop, swap theatre stories, a few dress rehearsals they have experienced.
The voice of the assistant is heard from the walkie-talkie on the dressing table of the make-up room. ("Make-up, make-up, do you read, only do the small guy with the moustache, King Lear is just a back up, don’t make him up... and the small guy with the moustache, you'll shave it off, of course")
9. SEQ.
CANCELLED.
10. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
The camera is brought out onto the rink. Two grips venture onto the ice, carefully holding the camera at arms' length.
Walkie-talkie in hand, the assistant pirouettes before them over the ice, skating ahead and coming back to them again.
The camera is mounted on the parallel, fixed onto its tripod.
The cinematographer turns on all the lamps in the rink, takes readings with his light meter.
The writer-director leaves his seat and gets up on the parallel, takes a look through the camera, adjusts its position a hair.
Everything seems to be in order.
The director
Yes, that looks good. I think we can do it. (He looks at his watch) (To the assistant) Do you think it’s ready?
The assistant
Yes, yes, it’s ready, they are waiting for us.
The director
Good, so, let’s go. (Shouting) Lunch break!
SEQ.11
CANCELLED.
12. INT. CHANGING ROOMS AND SHOWERS OF THE ICE RINK - DAY
A small cocktail party has been improvised in the changing rooms of the ice rink. Gathered together are financiers, bankers, and the film's main backers.
The producer, very elegant, watches over the gathering of the upper crust.
She sips a glass of champagne.
The producer
This will be, I believe, the best picture I’ve ever made.
Everyone raises their glass.
The producer
To Dolores!
Everyone clinks glasses.
Preceded and filmed by the TV reporter, the director enters the changing rooms. He is greeted by the producer, who introduces him to a few carefully-chosen people.
The producer (to the director, while introducing)
It went well this morning?
The director
Yes, the lighting is almost done.
The producer
How many shots did you do?
The director
None. As scheduled.
The director and the producer go off in a corner.
They talk softly together, filmed in close-up by the reporter that has stopped in front of them.
All the while smiling hypocritically to the camera, his champagne glass in his hand, the writer-director, a little put out, complains between his teeth to the producer about being filmed non-stop by the reporter.
The producer (between her teeth, also smiling at the camera)
Yes, yes, I understand. I understand perfectly. But unfortunately it’s too late now to do anything.
The director
We could perhaps try limiting their shooting time. Only give them an hour a day, for example...
The producer
No, no, it’s impossible, you know very well, it’s in the contract that we have with the TV co-producers. I already talked to you about this. But, you know, it’s quite unusual that they take such an interest, we’re lucky to have a channel that is so interested in the picture. Come on, if that’s you’re only problem... (She clinks glasses with him) It’s sometimes difficult to be liked so much.
The director (dejected)
You think that? That I’m liked that much?
The producer
Over exposed, over admired, over idolized.
The director (maliciously)
Maybe.
A somewhat stiff fellow with glasses, impeccably dressed, who smiles the whole time with an important and self-satisfied air, looks at the producer and the director.
He lifts his glass from a distance to them.
The producer responds to his raised glass with respect.
The producer
You see, once again.
The director (in a low voice, between his teeth)
Who's that?
The producer (between her teeth, with respect)
Taquin. That's Taquin. He's extremely important for us. He's the manager of the ice rink. He's also a town councillor. I'll introduce you. It would be nice if you could have lunch with him today... I've got to go now...
13. INT. CANTEEN - DAY
In the canteen tent the technicians and the players eat lunch. The players are practically fully dressed, they have removed their shirts but they have kept their different pads on as well as the diverse straps that hold them in place. A few helmets and sticks lie beside them on the tables, among the bottles and plates of chop-suey.
The players talk animatedly in Lithuanian.
A couple of Vietnamese waiters serve them, passing between the tables with plates of rice and Chinese noodles.
A little to one side, in his bathrobe, the star of the film eats with dark glasses on.
The director and the manager of the ice rink eat together, filmed close up by the TV reporter.
The manager of the ice rink is very talkative, very precise, very technical, very clumsy with his chopsticks.
He explains to the director in the finest detail the conditions of conservation of the ice at a fixed temperature.
He is very slow, very methodical.
He hardly eats at all.
The director listens politely, nods thoughtfully, sadly.
The cinematographer, seated a little way off, listens idly to their conversation, turns his head to them now and again.
Suddenly, preoccupied, he gets up and goes over to the electricians to ask them if they have turned off the lamps in the ice rink.
The electricians get up quickly, leave the tent with the cinematographer. They rush over to the ice rink.
14. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
In the ice rink, under the shining lamps, the ice has completely melted. Clothes and boxes of material float over the water, groups of wooden blocks drift slowly on the surface.
The camera alone is preserved on its parallel in the middle of the rink, enthroned above the water among the lamps.
Donning plastic boots, the cinematographer and the electricians advance slowly through the water, turn off the lamps, start collecting everything that has been soaked by the flood.
15. INT. CANTEEN - DAY
In the tent lunch comes to an end, coffee is brought.
The Lithuanian trainer gets up and starts making a small speech on cinema in general, at the same time art, poetry and industry.
16. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
In the middle of the flooded rink the cinematographer and the electricians advance side by side with huge squeegees to get the last water off the surface of the ice. The assistant watches them from the side of the rink, her walkie-talkie to her ear, to ensure that the refreezing process is under way.
17. INT. CANTEEN - DAY
In the canteen tent the Lithuanian trainer's speech is coming to an end. He is applauded, and in the general merriment the Lithuanians start singing Lithuanian songs.
18. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
The technicians come back little by little into the refrozen ice rink.
The camera is still on the parallel, covered with a barney.
People sit on crates, boxes.
Everyone waits.
A song by David Bowie comes on (I’m not losing sleep).
The script girl does a few figure skating manoeuvres, a triple loop, a double axel.
Scattered applause.
The players come back in their helmets and uniforms, and do a few Arabesque movements on the ice.
18b. INT. CORRIDOR. ICERINK. - DAY
In one of the corridors, the director and the assistant walk by quickly, still preceded by the reporter who films them, walking backwards.
Suddenly annoyed at being filmed all the time, the director picks up the pace and trips up reporter, pushes him, and throws his equipment on the floor.
He heads off, arriving in the rink on a lighter note.
18c. CANTEEN - DAY.
In the canteen, the Vietnamese do the dishes, finish cleaning off the tables.
19. INT. PROVISIONAL PRODUCTION AND DIRECTION OFFICES - DAY
The star of the film comes back into the make-up room with a coffee.
He takes off his bathrobe, sits back down in front of the mirror.
The make-up artist takes up her work again.
20. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
In the ice rink light checks are being done.
The lamps are lit up, shut off.
The cinematographer takes readings with his light meter.
The cinematographer.
Well, I'm ready...
The director
Veronique!
The assistant shoots like a rocket over the ice and, in a perfectly controlled skid, halts before the director.
The director
We're going to start.
The assistant (shouting into the walkie-talkie)
Make-up, do you read, make up... main actor called for, main actor called for.
21. INT. MAKE-UP ROOM - DAY
In the make-up room, the make-up artist carefully removes the paper towel from around the actor’s neck.
A production assistant accompanies the main actor, and brings him to the dressing rooms.
The make-up artist calls the small referee over, sits him down, and shaves off his moustache in double time.
22. INT. CHANGING ROOMS AND SHOWERS OF THE ICE RINK - DAY
Stark naked in the changing room except for a G-string and his dark glasses, the main actor stands unperturbed between two assistants who dress him from head to toe in a goalie's uniform. The full costume, with wire mask and enormous shin guards, hangs on a hanger behind them.
The main actor lets himself be dressed, lifts his arms or his legs when needed, allows pads to be fitted to his legs or to his shoulders, but never makes a single move on his own initiative. He concentrates on practicing his diction exercises (In Hartford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly happen).
23. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
The main actor, dressed as a goalie, makes his entrance onto the ice.
The director welcomes him, invites him to sit on a chair with his name, installed at the base of the parallel.
The cinematographer sits at the camera, on top of the parallel.
The players are in position in the center of the rink, leaning forward, sticks in their hands.
The assistant explains to the short referee, now clean-shaven, that he should just pretend to drop the puck when he is given the signal.
The director (shouting into the megaphone)
Go!
The short referee, determined, theatrical, pretends to drop the puck between two players.
The players look at him, surprised.
Nothing happens.
The assistant, crouching in a corner of the rink, motions to the players to start playing.
The players do not understand, look quizzically at her, signal that the referee did not drop the puck.
The assistant insists, makes large gestures, finally motions to the referee to pretend to drop the puck again.
The referee, determined, theatrical, pretends to drop the puck again.
Nothing happens.
All of the members of the film crew, the script girl, the make up artist, motion to the players to start playing.
The players, stubborn, obstinate, signal that the referee did not drop the puck.
The director (into his megaphone)
Go get the interpreter.
The interpreter runs into the rink escorted by an assistant. She hurriedly puts on skates, advances with difficulty over the ice towards the parallel, falls at the feet of the director and the actor. The actor, very gallant, helps her up. The director explains to her that the players must pretend to play without a puck for the rehearsal.
The interpreter goes over to the players, translates the words of the director to them at the center of the rink. The players surround the interpreter, a long discussion follows on the ice in Lithuanian. Certain players seem not to agree with the interpreter, they ask her questions, ask her for explanations, certain objections are raised.
Finally the interpreter signals to the director that everything is alright, that they can start.
The director
Go.
Even before the interpreter has the time to leave the ice, the referee pretends to drop the puck between the players, and the players hurl themselves like wildcats over the ice, vent all their energy, race after the imaginary puck, pretend to shoot at the empty net with all their might, crash into the boards of the ice rink with terrifying shocks.
The main actor, watching the rehearsal from his seat, thoughtfully strokes his brow, he seems preoccupied.
The director (shouting into the megaphone)
Thank you, gentlemen, thank you.
The assistant leaps onto the ice, calms the players, cools them down, guides them to their glass cage.
The cinematographer comes down from the parallel, preoccupied, thoughtful. He goes over to the director, says something to him privately.
The director
Yes, you're right, it could be very dangerous.
Veronique!
Already the assistant, at the end of a stunning controlled skid, stands before the director.
The director
We're going to have to get some protection for the crew.
The assistant
Protection?
The director
Yes, helmets, I don't know, shields.
The assistant
I'll see what I can do...
The members of the film crew start putting on diverse pads, helmets, shin guards. The sound engineer takes a helmet with a wire face guard, the cinematographer finds a pointy bobsled helmet, an elegant riding hat is brought to the director...
Assistants come down the steps in the stands carrying riot police helmets, a dozen Plexiglas riot shields, which they start distributing on the ice.
The distribution over, in the general silence and total immobility, the members of the crew, helmeted and armed with diverse pads, wait behind shields for the shooting to begin.
The assistant (shouting into her megaphone)
Everybody in place, please!
The main actor gets up out of his chair and, slowly, his head lowered, crosses the whole rink to go stand in the empty net. He is accompanied by the make-up artist.
Then, as the make-up girl makes her way at full speed to go hide behind a shield, the main actor puts on his goalie's helmet, on which are painted the open jaws of a wild beast.
The director gets up onto the parallel.
The director
Roll camera.
The assistant (shouting into the megaphone)
Roll camera!
The sound engineer (raising a finger)
Airplane.
An airplane passes.
Everyone on the ice rink looks up in the air and stays that way, immobile on the ice, heads raised.
The plane flies by.
They all lower their heads again and wait.
The director
Roll camera!
The assistant
Roll camera!
The sound engineer (shouting)
Rolling!
The cinematographer
Mark it.
The slate in her hand, the assistant skates head down at full speed to the center of the rink and does a controlled skid.
The assistant
Dolores, twenty-two, first!
She claps the slate and heads back at full speed, crouches behind a shield, hurriedly indicates her watch to the director.
The director prepares to shout something, checks himself, looks at the time.
The director (shouting into the megaphone)
Day over.
2
24. INT. ICERINK - DAY.
In the rink, a close-up insert of the actor's head is being filmed.
The main actor, Sylvester Barrymore, is suspended horizontally in the air, his head slightly inclined and his body tied to a movable board held up by a complicated system of ropes and pulleys.
Each time the director says "action", the board falls like a guillotine and the actor's cheek hits the ice of a false ice rink that has been reconstructed at waist height on a table surrounded by lights and screens.
Squatting next to the table, the props man gets up at the moment when the actor hits the ice and squirts a spray of ice in his face with a small plastic powder horn.
The actor, after hitting the ice and getting sprayed in the face, lifts his head and is supposed to see the actress far off, whose name he murmurs: Dolores.
At the end of the fourth take the angle of impact is still not quite right.
The cinematographer
No, it's not working, we should try to lift him up a bit. We have to give the impression he's falling, not that he's sliding. Lift him a bit, please.
(The grips turn the crank to hoist the body of the actor in the air, and incline his head even further toward the ground)
A little more, there. Alright, let's rehearse it like that.
(He looks through the camera) Go ahead.
The board falls and the actor’s cheek hits the ice.
The cinematographer
No, no, it's not working. His look is wrong. It's too low now that we've raised him. Give him something to look at. Vero, give him something to look at.
The assistant picks up the jug that the props man uses to fill his powder horn, puts it on the grip’s ladder, puts the ladder on the ice, following the indications of the cinematographer who has gone back behind the camera.
The cinematographer
More to the left, Vero, more to the left (the assistant moves the ladder). There, a bit higher, just a touch higher. Can you take a look, Sylvester. Your look please. Thank you. Yes, just a touch higher, Vero (the assistant puts a pile of Dolores scripts under the ladder). There, good, we can try like that.
The make-up artist, her make-up bag in her hand, rapidly repowders the actor's face.
They are ready to shoot.
Everyone gets into place, silence is called for.
The director
Roll camera.
A baby starts to cry softly.
The soundman (lifting a finger)
Baby.
The director
What's with the baby?
The assistant shrugs, indicates that it’s not her’s, in any case.
The script girl, sheepishly, takes the crib from under the coffee table, picks up the baby, kisses its forehead, protects it. Embarrassed, she explains to the director that the day care center where she usually leaves the baby in the morning had to close this morning.
The female crew members slowly come up to the baby, surround it and look at it, find it very cute, a grip goes so far as to observe that it looks like the director.
They play with its cheeks and its little feet.
The baby starts crying, the props man kindly squirts a little spray of ice onto its face.
The director's assistant, exasperated, looks at the time.
The script girl takes her baby away, moving across the ice with grace, carrying the crib.
The assistant (shouting)
Everyone in their places, please! Think a bit about Sylvester tied to his board. (To the actor) It's OK. Sylvester? Do you want something to drink?
The actor
It's OK.
The director
Roll camera.
The assistant
Wait a minute, wait a minute...
The assistant has seen the producer and the accountant who have just entered the rink.
Wearing skates, they move slowly, carefully across the ice towards the set.
The crew watches them, waiting.
The producer gets within shouting distance of the set.
The producer
Keep going, keep going, don’t stop for me.
She turns back, going the other way.
She almost loses her balance at every step, the crew watches her go.
The director
Roll camera.
The sound engineer (raising a finger)
Airplane.
The director
What airplane?
The sound engineer takes off his headphones and confidently pricks up his ears, just ahead of the imperceptible rumble of an airplane which gets steadily closer and ends up passing directly over the ice rink in a deafening racket which sets all the walls shaking.
23 A. INT. AIRPLANE - DAY
Comfortably seated inside the airplane, the main actress reads the script of Dolores...
24. INT. ICERINK. - DAY.
On the set, silence is called for, everyone is ready to shoot.
The director
Roll camera!
The soundman
Rolling.
The cinematographer
Mark it.
The assistant claps the slate in front of th actor’s face, crouches, looks down.
The director
Action!
The board slides and the actor's face smacks the ice.
The props man gets up and squirts a spray of ice in his face.
But nothing comes out of the powder horn, just a pathetic ffft.
The cinematographer
Not enough ice.
The director
Alright, let's do it again right away, stay in place, please. Fix the ice, and we'll do it again. (To the actor) Just a second, Sylvester.
The props man fiddles with the powder horn, opens it, refills it, works the opening, enlarges it with tools, a pair of pliers, a screwdriver.
He shakes his head, disgusted, not knowing what is wrong with the horn.
He is ready.
Silence is called for, the slate is clapped.
The director
Action.
The board slides and the actor's face smacks the ice.
The props man gets up and squirts a spray of ice in his face, a monumental spray of ice, which splashes his face, pours down his neck, soaks his hair.
The cinematographer looks out from behind the camera.
The cinematographer (impassive)
Too much ice.
The make-up artist rushes up to take care of the actor, dries his face. She energetically rubs his hair in a towel, delicately dabs his face.
For his neck and the top of his hockey shirt, which are also drenched (the actor is wearing a hockey shirt with trousers and light moccasins), she uses a hair dryer, lifts the collar of the shirt to get the dryer under the material and dry his back.
Everyone is ready and gets into place.
The assistant goes to clap the slate.
The assistant
Dolores, forty two, eighth.
She claps the slate loudly.
The baby's musical soother, left on the coffee table, goes off in the rink.
Lullaby music.
Carried by its own momentum, the board slides down and the actor's face smacks the ice. The props man gets up and squirts a spray of ice in his face.
The director (worn out)
Cut.
The actor
Couldn't we...(Everyone is quiet and turns to listen to him, they come close, surround him: it's more or less the first time he has spoken) Would it be possible to remove that thing from the set?
The assistant
But of course, Sylvester, of course.
The actor
To concentrate.
The director (discreetly, to the cinematographer)
What did he say?
The cinematographer (impassive)
He asked if we could shoot the scene without music.
25. EXT. PARKING LOT OF THE ICE RINK - DAY
Very slowly, a white limousine enters the parking lot. An assistant tries to open the door, but can’t. He kicks the car and slams his fist on the hood at the same time ( he seems to have the technique down pat), opens the door with respect for the lead actress.
The lead actress, wearing an old pair of jeans and dark glasses, a bit grungy, gets out and enters the rink.
26. INT. ICERINK - DAY.
In the rink the crew is ready to shoot.
Silence is called for, the slate is clapped.
The assistant
Dolores, forty two, twenty sixth.
The director
Action.
The board slides down and the actor's face smacks the ice.
The props man gets up and squirts a small spray of ice in his face.
The double doors of the rink open.
The director (enchanted)
Sarah!
The actor (carried away)
Dolores.
The director greets the actress, welcoming her.
Introductions are made, the actress is introduced to the lead actor hanging horizontally on his wooden plank, head downwards.
The actress (bending under the actor's face)
What a pleasure to meet you! The fact that you, a real big American star, play this role with me in this movie is incredible. It’s great, great! Not only because of your image and your talent, of course, but also because of your great sense of humor. I am so... so ( she mimes the fact that she is submerged by a wave of indescribable, uncontrolled excitement) so... you know...
The actor (smiling placidly)
Thankyou very much. Nice to meet you.
The actress looks around her, notices that they are in the middle of shooting, insists that they should not interrupt their work because of her.
The director explains to her that they are just filming the scene where she enters the ice rink for the first time, the exact moment when the actor sees her for the first time.
He turns and points at the jug on the ladder.
The actress turns and looks pensively at the jug on the ladder.
Full of good will, she proposes to put herself in place of the jug to give her focus to the actor and help him act.
The director is enthralled, does not know how to thank her.
She says it is only natural, that he can ask anything of her, anything.
She looks thoughtfully at the lights in the air and says absently, "Say, you don't put gels on the five-K Cremers".
The assistant
Alright, alright, to work. Everyone in place, please.
The jug and ladder are moved out of the way and the actress takes her position.
The cinematographer adjusts the direction of the actor's look.
The cinematographer
Sylvester, can you look this way, please. Yes, it's too low now, it's what I was afraid of. We'll have to lift Sarah up a bit. Can someone bring Sarah a cube?
A cube is brought for the actress, she is carefully helped onto it.
The cinematographer
Fine, it's good like that. Is it OK. for you, Sylvester?
The actor
It was better before.
The director (in a low voice, to the cinematographer)
What did he say?
The cinematographer (in a low voice, perfidious)
He said it was better with just one jug.
The assistant calls for silence, they are ready to shoot.
The slate is clapped.
The director
Action.
The board slides down and the actor's face smacks the ice.
The props man gets up and squirts a spray of ice in his face.
The actress gets off her cube.
The actress
No, no, cut, cut. It's my fault, I'm sorry. I'm not quite into it.
She gets back onto her cube, puts her hands on both sides of her nose and stays still a long moment to concentrate.
The actress (taking the plunge)
I'm ready, we can start.
Silence is called for, the slate is clapped.
The director
Action.
The board slides and the actor's face smacks the ice.
The props man gets up and squirts a spray of ice in his face.
The actor (lifting his head)
Dolores.
The actor remains immobile, frozen in his final position, his eyes lost in the distance.
The director
Cut. Perfect, it's perfect.
The assistant (shouting)
Lunch-break!
The electricians finish turning off the lights, gradually leave the set and head for the canteen. The script girl pulls a baby's bottle out of her bag.
The director goes over to the actress, they slowly leave the rink.
The main actor, whom everyone has forgotten, looks sullen, head downwards on his board.
27. INT. ICE RINK - NIGHT
A screen and a projector have been set up on the ice rink.
The silhouettes of the members of the crew can be made out, silently watching the rushes in the darkness.
In the front row, immediately under the screen, the actress is seated in between the director and the actor.
Glances in the dark.
The actor and the director are excited by her presence.
The actress drops (accidently?) an earing.
The actor and the director bend down to pick it up, stop, exchange an angry look, unsure, like fighting cocks.
The actress looks at them innocently.
The director picks up the earing.
He puts it back on the actress’s ear lobe, clasping it gently onto her ear.
The rushes flash by on the screen.
The producer, very elegantly dressed, sits to one side with the manager of the ice rink, an important guest to whom she is giving all her attention.
The projector purrs away in the darkness, different takes of the close-up of the actor replace one another on the screen, Dolores, Dolores, Dolores...
The manager of the ice rink
It looks good, your film.
The producer smiles placidly.
She takes the rental agreement for the ice rink out of her bag.
The producer (in a low voice, holding out the contract)
Do you think we could add one more little clause to the rental agreement? You see, we'd like to be able to have access to an extra room to set up an editing table. The film has to be ready for the Venice festival, and we'd like to start editing straightaway.
The manager of the ice rink (lyrical)
Ah, Venice, Venice!
The sound engineer turns round and goes shhh.
Unperturbed, the manager of the ice rink leans towards the producer's ear and starts evoking Venice in a low voice which trembles with emotion, talks about the town, its museums, its canals, relates in a whisper how one day in the winter of 1954, he himself skated in the dawn mist on the ice of the great canal with his mistress of the time, Olga Menderova, an unforgettable memory.
Enchanted, the producer acts impressed.
She then holds out the agreement discretely, for his signature.
Still trembling, the manager of the ice rink pulls a pen out of his pocket, takes the top off and prepares to sign.
He stops, raises an eyebrow.
The manager of the ice rink
So we're agreed, there are no sex scenes in your film?
The producer
Really, Pierre, in an ice rink...
3
28. EXT. PARKING LOT OF THE ICE RINK - DAY
In the early morning, a very long, very yellow moving truck parks with difficulty on the parking lot.
The movers are met by the assistant, walkie-talkie in hand.
An editing table, a synchronizer and winds are delivered.
The assistant and the director watch things from a distance.
29. INT. ICE RINK - DAY
In the rink the exhausted movers get their breath back next to the ice. The assistant tells them they must cross the rink and climb the stands on the other side to get to block F, where a makeshift editing room has been improvised.
The movers refuse to cross the ice with the editing table.
The members of the film crew arrive little by little in the ice rink, the make-up artist, the script girl, the gaffer, the key grip, all of whom go and kiss the director on the cheek upon their arrival.
The director, sitting in the stands, rereads his script.
The sound engineer arrives in the rink, shakes a few hands. He goes and kisses the director on the cheek.
The director raises his head from his script, watches him move away.
He seems annoyed.
The director (aside to the assistant)
Do you think you could ask them not to kiss me when they arrive in the morning?
The members of the crew gather around the editing table, take a look at it, offer solutions.
The Lithuanian players arrive in turn, join the conversation.
The interpreter (to the assistant)
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