Birthday Girl (2001)

by Jez Butterworth

FADE IN:

In a Russian summer meadow, a young girl spins around

and around. A simple guitar theme plays as the low sun

catches her hair. Around her neck is a pair of field

binoculars, and she runs through the meadow with them

pressed to her face, spying butterflies, birds, rabbits.

She reaches the top of a hillock, and jumps into the

air, and flies up into the sky. We float up and up with

her as she aims the binoculars up, up, into the sun.

FADE THROUGH SUN TO:

An aerial shot of the rolling English countryside.

Nothing but fields and trees for miles. The shot describes

a panorama before looking directly down, at the earth,

and we begin to move.

We fly low over a field, a ditch and straight out over

six lanes of motorway. Cars and lorries tear below at

a hundred miles an hour. We fly over the hard shoulder

to another field beyond.

We descend on two young boys in the field. A pornographic

magazine is spread out of the flattened grass. One of

the boys puts a match to the centre page and as the

flames lick up, we begin to move again, across the field,

over a path and into a suburban garden.

We fly over five or six gardens, over a barbecue, over

children splashing in a pool, over a woman sunbathing,

a man mowing his lawn, a young boy bouncing up and down

on a garden trampoline, to arrive on the patio of John

Buckingham. He walks out onto the patio, where he sits

in a chair, facing his house, setting down a mug of

tea.

CUT TO:

A blurred face sharpening into focus, John Buckingham,

about thirty-two, sitting on his patio, his garden behind,

fields beyond.

JOHN

Hello.

His hand adjusts a microphone on his lapel.

JOHN

Hello, hello. Hello ...

He shifts in his chair. Coughs. He looks straight at

us.

JOHN

(cont'd) I don't believe in perfect love.

You know, love that comes out of the sky like a thunderbolt

and uh..

This is ridiculous.

He removes the microphone. He sits there, thinking

very hard.

JOHN

(cont'd) No. No no no. Nope.

He stands, turns and stretches.

BLACKOUT

FADE UP

He is sitting as before, looking at us.

JOHN

Running. Reading. Going out. Staying in.

The countryside. Films, if they're good.

BLACKOUT

FADE UP

JOHN

Thoughtful. Outgoing. Ambitious. Well-read.

Reasonably popular. Balanced. Trusting. Quite attractive.

Outgoing.

BLACKOUT

FADE UP

JOHN

Someone intelligent, of course. Kind. Pretty

I suppose. But its not critical.

EXT. JOHN'S STREET. DAY.

John watches while two removal men lift a new double

bed from the back of a van.

JOHN

(cont'd) (V/0) Someone with a sense of

humour. Someone you can communicate with on the same

level. Someone you can really talk to. I think communication

is key.

INT. BEDROOM. DAY.

John's hands smooth a crisp white sheet over the double

mattress. An ant runs across the sheet. John squashes

it and picks it carefully off.

JOHN

(V/0) I think that by the time most people

turn thirty they know where they're going.

CUT TO:

EXT. GARDEN. DAY.

John encircles his house, leaving a thick trail of

yellow powder behind him.

JOHN

(V/0) And where they've been. I suppose

they have some baggage stroke history.

EXT. THE GARDEN RECORDING. DAY.

We see that John is talking to his PC. It has a small

digital camera on the side.

JOHN

We all have someone in our past who uh..

one skeleton, if you like. We've all got at least one

person, as it were, under the patio. Not literally of

course. I suppose I only say this because I always thought

people who did this sort of thing were... I had an image

that they were losers. Not losers. A bit sad. But I

think this is the modern world. And I think really it's

quite a brave move. Quite a brave, reasonable thing

to do.

He smiles.

JOHN

(cont'd) Sorry can we start again?

SINGLE CARD ON BLACK:

BIRTHDAY GIRL

John's fingers in close-up, type JOHN

BUCKINGHAM,

and his AMEX number into his PC. Finished, he stops,

and rests his face on his hands.

He hits SEND. That instant a worry of black crows bursts

up in the field behind him and takes to the swirling

air.

Blackout. Music. Titles.

The titles pop and slide over footage of Russian women,

on computer video, advertising themselves. They mostly

speak in Russian, some of which is subtitled, some speak

in English. The women slide on and off the screen, overlap

and collide, as the titles appear. Close-ups on mouths

and eyes, tight and pixellated. It becomes a wall of

image and sound.

CUT TO: EXT.SKY- DAY.

The GIGANTIC UNDERSIDE of a Boeing 747 TEARS down the

screen.

INT. AIRPORT TRAVELATOR. DAY.

John slides across the screen, motionless, towards

Arrivals.

INT. AIRPORT. DAY.

Last calls for flights leaving for the other side of

the world.

Travellers criss-cross and swirl.

INT. AIRPORT MAIN ARRIVALS BOARD. DAY.

BA 1880 MOSCOW On time.

INT. AIRPORT RESTROOM. DAY.

He dries his face with a paper towel, then checks himself

in the mirror. He looks okay, a little white.

INT. ARRIVALS GATE. DAY.

The Arrivals gate slides open and passengers flood

through. John stands among the chauffeurs and cab drivers,

as the passengers trundle by.

We follow one young woman long enough to think this

must be her, but it's a false alarm, she's lifted up

and spun around by someone else.

They've all passed. That's that. She wasn't on the

flight.

John wanders away from the gate. He stands about in

the swirl in the middle of the air-port. People bustle

by. Everyone going somewhere.

Gradually, we get the sense we are being watched

A woman stands nearby. She is about twenty, very beautiful,

tired and laden with luggage.

JOHN

Nadia?

She nods.

JOHN

(cont,d) I'm John.

They shake hands.

JOHN

(cont'd) Welcome. (Pause] Well. Look I

didn't have a speech but

A distorted passenger announcement breaks above us.

It's too loud to talk. It ends and they stand there

in silence. He points to her luggage.

JOHN

(cont'd) Is that everything?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

Right. Okay. Good.

They stand there.

INT. AIRPORT LIFT. DAY.

Nadia and John stand side by side in a huge lift.

JOHN

We can talk in the car.

A deafening roll of thunder.

EXT. AIRPORT CAR PARK. DAY

It's pouring with rain as they cross the car park towards

a patched up yellow Rover. John stows the suitcase in

the boot and opens the passenger door for her..

INT/EXT. JOHN'S CAR (MOVING). DAY

John turns the key in the ignition. The MG wheezes

and coughs. He tries again. Nothing. The third time

it just catches and he coaxes it to life. The colour's

drained from his cheeks.

They head for the motorway. The silence in the car

lasts 3ust long enough for John to feel he is breaking

it.

JOHN

It's about forty miles from here. I don't

know if you've looked at a map, it's close to London

but it's a city in itself. A Roman city. It's a nice

house. I'm having a problem with ants. I uh.. It's the

warmer weather. I can't seem to find the nest. Sorry,

do you understand "ants"?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

I just can't find a nest. The root of the

problem. I've looked everywhere. What,s the Russian

for ant? Sorry that's a stupid.. Sorry. This is strange

isn't it.

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

I'm pretty nervous. Are you?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

I mean. . "Ants ". "I've

got a problem with ants".

He shakes his head.

JOHN

(cont'd) I had this..

He pulls a sign from his jacket which says "Nadia!"

JOHN

(cont'd) As a joke but uh ...

He tosses it onto the back seat.

They drive. He sees Nadia looking at England.

JOHN

(cont'd) So. Is it different to how you

imagined it?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

I bet. (Pause] What about me? Am I how

you imagined?

NADIA

Yes.

He double-takes, changes lanes.

JOHN

And how was the flight sorry am I speaking

too fast for you?

NADIA

Yes.

John looks across.

JOHN

Do uh.. Sorry. Can you follow me? Do you

understand what I'm saying?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

Good. Or should I speak slower?

NADIA

Yes.

JOHN

Do you follow or should I speak slower?

NADIA

Yes.

He looks across. Back at the road. He changes gear.

JOHN

Uh.. Are you a giraffe?

NADIA

Yes.

John turns to face the road ahead.

JOHN

(to himself) Oh Jesus.

He drives in silence.

JOHN

(cont'd) Oh Jesus.

Suddenly she winds the window down and vomits out of

the speeding car. John panics and swerves onto the hard

shoulder amidst loud horn blasts.

EXT. HARD SHOULDER. DAY.

John navigates his way round the Rover in the rain

to find her kneeling on the verge, throwing up. He puts

a hand on her shoulder, but she stands up quickly, maintaining

an icy dignity considering what has just happened.

EXT. JOHN'S CLOSE. DAY

It has stopped raining and a group of young boys are

playing cricket in the road. They clear as a Yellow

Rover pulls into the Close, and into the drive of the

little house at the end.

As John climbs out of his car he eyes the boys. The

boys eye him, and his new friend.

INT. JOHN'S HOUSE. DAY. 21

The front door closes behind them. John and Nadia stand

in the silence of his hallway. There is a small banner

hanging there: "Welcome Nadia". They study

the banner together, gravely.

Eventually he opens a door.

JOHN

(quietly) Lounge.

She peers round him and looks inside. He leads her

down towards the kitchen.

JOHN

(cont'd) Kitchen.

She glances around it. Then back at John. He nods to

himself, looking tense and pale.

INT. JOHN'S UPSTAIRS LANDING. DAY

He puts her suitcase down on the landing, and opens

a door. Without looking inside:

JOHN

Bathroom.

He closes it.

INT_ MAIN BEDROOM. DAY.

Standing in the doorway of John's bedroom.

JOHN

Bedroom.

There it is. The Double Bed. John frowns gravely.

Without warning, he marches out. She comes out onto

the landing to catch John plus suitcase kicking open

another door and vanishing inside.

INT. SPARE BEDROOM DAY.

Nadia peers around the door to find John standing next

to a narrow monk-like single bed.

JOHN

The uh.. the other bedroom..

She looks at it, then up at John. She turns and walks

out.

Now she's back, with her camouflaged hold-all, dumps

it onto the floor, heaves the suitcase onto the bed

and smoking no-hands, starts unpacking. John plugs in

the lamp by the bed. To show Nadia how it works he switches

it on, off, on, off, and then feels stupid.

JOHN

(cont'd) I'll get an ashtray.

With John gone, Nadia stops unpacking. She walks to

the window and stares out over the rooftops of the estate.

CUT TO:

INT. LOUNGE. DAY

John on the phone.

ANSWER MACHINE

You have reached From Russia

with Love. our office reopens on Monday. If you are

interested in our services.. (etc. etc.) Thank You.

JOHN

This is John Buckingham from St Albans.

I need to speak to you urgently. There's a critical

problem. It's.. Call me back as soon as possible. It's

critical.

INT. STAIRS/LANDING. DAY.

John climbs the stairs holding a saucer for an ashtray.

He knocks lightly on the spare room door.

INT. SPARE ROOM/LANDING. DAY.

Nadia is lying asleep on the bed in only her black

underwear. We duck straight back out.

John composes himself. He puts his head back round

the door as if there's a real chance it will be shot

off. She's facing away, arms folded, still holding the

cigarette. It has burnt out, leaving a long curl of

ash on her bare hip.

He approaches the bed with immense trepidation, eases

the cigarette from between her fingers and drops it

in the bin. He stares at her bare hip, with the ash

on it. Holding the saucer under the ash, he blows on

it gently. It takes three careful breaths before it

drops in the saucer. Unseen by John, her eyes are wide

open as he steals out onto the landing. We stay with

her a moment.

CUT TO:

A pot of stew, bubbling on the hob.

INT KITCHEN DAY

John is stirring a pot on the hob. By his expression

he might be defusing a bomb.

His head cocks, he stiffens. Nadia walks right into

the kitchen. She's changed, jeans and a tee shirt. Nadia

takes the spoon from him, says something in Russian,

gestures for him to sit.

She tastes the stew. Now she stirs the pot. He watches

her.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN DAY.

John and Nadia sit opposite each other. She takes a

mouthful. They catch one another's eye. And again.

On the wall across, six ants careen in crazy circles.

John can see them, but doesn't move.

He puts his fork down.

JOHN

I don't know what to say. Your letters

were in English. Good English. You said you'd studied

English.

Nadia reaches down into her bag and pulls out a small

box wrapped in brown paper. She places it in front of

him.

He warily unwraps a little wooden box. He opens the

lid and fishes out a simple gold ring. He holds it in

his palm.

JOHN

(cont'd) I can't take this.

He puts it back in the box, hoping it will disappear.

She fishes it out again and holds it on her palm for

him to take.

JOHN

(cont'd) I can't take it. I'm not really

a ring guy

She takes his hand. He automatically yanks it away

like he's been burned. She takes his hand again and

to stop it becoming unbearable he allows Nadia to push

the ring onto his ring finger. It goes on easily.

JOHN

(cont'd) Okay. No big deal. Thank you.

Yes thanks. Thank you.

INT. LOUNGE. NIGHT.

John and Nadia sit next to each other on the couch

watching T.V. John's gaze seems to go through the T.V

and a thousand yards beyond. Nadia is knitting a half-finished

jumper, blood red.

John stands and disappears out of shot.

JOHN

(01S) If anyone gets this message please

call as soon as possible. It's an emergency.

John sits back down. He steals side-glances at her.

Her mouth. Her red-painted fingers knitting fast.

John flips through the channels-

The Money Programme.

Antique's Roadshow.

Cup Rugby.

Eventually he offers Nadia the remote control. She

takes, aims it at the t.v. but doesn't press it. Just

as it seems she won't, she does: University Challenge.

They watch University Challenge with Nadia still aiming

the control and smoking. After another long pause she

flips the button-

The Money Programme.

Antiques Roadshow.

Rugby.

She flips again then hands the controls back to John

and they watch University Challenge.

Nadia puts down her knitting, stretches and yawns.

INT. LOUNGE/STAIRS. NIGHT.

Nadia climbs the stairs. John watches her, hovering

in the doorway of the darkened lounge.

He hears the bathroom door close before venturing up.

INT. BEDROOM. DAY.

John sits on the edge of his bed. He cocks his head:

Door opening and shutting; feet padding along landing;

door closing. Silence. He squeezes his door open and

peers down the dark landing. The Coast is Clear.

INT. BATHROOM. DAY.

Brushing his teeth, staring accusingly at his reflection.

Spits. Finished, he takes a deep breath and opens the

door, and gives a small shout.

Nadia is standing right outside the door; Nightshirt,

damp hair, toothbrush in her mouth.

JOHN

Good night.

He squeezes past and quick-steps down the landing.

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT

He climbs into the big bed, fully clothed, turns off

the light and lies there in the moonlight.

After twenty seconds, the bedroom door clicks open.

John climbs out of bed as casually as possible and stands

around

JOHN

You should go now. We'll talk in the morning.

His eyes widen but he can't speak. He wants to but

she's placed her hand across his mouth. She reaches

down and takes his hand, and draws it towards her, slowly

tracing his fingers across her breasts. She unbuttons

her shirt and pulls his hand inside.

He's breathing hard, her right hand still clasped over

his mouth. Her free hand lowers to press against him,

and unzip his fly. He lets out a moan.

We concentrate on their faces Above the silence all

we can hear is John's breathing- Before long Nadia looks

down- He's come.

Nadia turns and walks out, leaving John marooned, gasping

in and blowing out, angry almost, buttoning his trousers.

EXT. JOHN'S CLOSE. NIGHT.

Exterior view of John's darkened house. A fox trots

across the Cul-De-Sac and sits under John's car, where

it curls up.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

John lying in bed staring out at a streetlight.

INT. NADIA'S ROOM. DAY.

The morning. Nadia opens her eyes in the sun-filled

room.

INT. LANDING. DAY.

She pads down the hall in her nightshirt and opens

the door to the bathroom. There on the toilet, naked,

is John. He gives another short shout. Nadia holds his

eye for a couple of seconds too long, before shutting

us inside with him.

EXT. J0HN'S GARDEN. DAY

John sprints down his lawn, scattering the big black

crows eating his garden. He jumps the fence, and across

the fields.

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE. DAY

John jogs along by a river in the countryside behind

his house, wearing shorts and a tee shirt. His breath

billows around him in the sharp morning air.

He stops running by a gate overlooking a small hill.

He doubles up to recover, panting hard.

INT- JOHN'S GARDEN. DAY.

Two wild rabbits are nibbling the remains of a big

breakfast left on the lawn. John climb~ heavily back

over his fence.

There's a deck chair out there, surrounded by the remains

of breakfast. Some glossy Russian magazines, a full

ashtray, Nadia's knitting.

The patio door is ajar, the net curtain billowing.

He scans the garden jumpily. The boy next door is on

his trampoline, bouncing up and down, watching John

at the top of each bounce.

INT. JOHN'S HOUSE. DAY.

Sweating from the run, John peers up the stairs. The

house is silent. In the lounge he picks up the phone

and dials a number.

ANSWER MACHINE

'You have reached From Russia

With Love. If you are interested'

He hangs up.

INT. LANDING. DAY.

John stands with his ear to the bathroom door. The

shower's on

INT. NADIA'S BEDROOM. DAY

It's empty. He slips inside.

Stuff everywhere. Cigarette cartons, several lighters,

spare wool, suitcase, rucksack. Huge poster of Bruce

Springsteen on wall.

Warily, he opens the bedside drawer: Different coloured

bras and knickers.

In her open suitcase lies a small wooden chest. He

lifts it out and puts it on the bed, hesitates, then

opens it.

A pair of Russian Army field binoculars. He puts them

on the bed beside him. A small silver pistol, the size

of a Derringer. He studies it, and pulls the trigger.

It's a cigarette lighter.

A brochure of prospective husbands provided by the

marriage agency. After a dozen or so photos he comes

across his page but the photo has been cut out. He sees

his name in the strange lettering, under the hole.

INT. BATHROOM. DAY.

Nadia in the shower, eyes shut, water pouring over

her face.

INT. NADIA'S ROOM. DAY.

John flicks through a stack of photographs. One of

Nadia as a young girl in a meadow, with binoculars around

her neck- John looks at the same binoculars on the bed

next to him. He turns them over in his hands.

He looks through them. He slowly lowers them. He's

seen something. He stands and crosses the room.

On the mantelpiece, in a silver frame, is his picture,

cut from the brochure. He holds it in his hands.

The shower has stopped. In a panic he replaces the

picture, the photographs, the gun lighter, the brochure,

and the binoculars.

INT- LANDING. DAY.

Nadia leaves the bathroom, hair wrapped in a towel,

and heads straight towards us.

INT. NADIA'S BEDROOM. DAY.

John shuts the chest, drops it back into the suitcase.

The photo of the binoculars girl is on the pillow.

He whips it under the bed just as Nadia enters.

She doesn't seem surprised to see him standing there,

in her room, in his tee shirt and running shorts.

JOHN

Nadia. This isn't going to work. I'm sorry.

It's been a terrible mistake. You must go.

He takes the ring off and holds it out to her. She

doesn't take it. He puts it on the bed.

JOHN

(cont'd) I'm booking a flight for tomorrow.

I'm sorry.

John and Nadia on her bed, Nadia tearing off his tee

shirt. She gets on top.

EXT. JOHN'S CLOSE. DAY.

The milkman hops a low fence between two houses. He

waves to a man watering his rose trees.

INT. NADIA'S ROOM. DAY.

John and Nadia having sex. They don't take their eyes

off each other.

EXT. JOHN'S CLOSE. DAY.

A mother corrals her school children into a Volvo.

They don't want to go

INT. NADIA'S ROOM. DAY.

John sits on the edge of the bed, holding his head

in his hands. The door has just shut behind him. He

looks at his left hand. He has the ring on.

VOICE OVER

Problem solving. John identifies

most problems within appropriate timeframes ...

INT. NATWEST BANK, ST ALBANS. DAY.

The large oak doors of the bank swing open.

VOICE OVER

Most of the time he develops several

alternative solutions to problems ...

We move fast through the banking hall to the furthest

counter. The blind snaps up to reveal John, wearing

a smart suit.

VOICE OVER (cont'd)

He usually resolves or minimises

most problems before they grow into larger problems...

INT. BEHIND THE GLASS. DAY.

John's skilled hands loading a stack of banknotes into

a drawer. The cashier next along, Clare, smiles at him.

CLARE

Good weekend?

JOHN

Uh. Yeah. Pretty good.

CLARE

Do anything special?

JOHN

Uh. No.

VOICE OVER

Communications. John listens and

comprehends well.

INT. BRANCH MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY.

John sits in front of a large desk, hands on knees.

BRANCH MANAGER

(O/S) When communicating he is

good at selecting the most efficient methods and displays

effective verbal communication skills ...

Across the desk the Branch Manager reads a report out

loud in an impersonal, flat manner.

BRANCH MANAGER

(cont'd) On one occasion John

showed first class communication skills in a delicate

customer situation.

INT. JOHN'S KITCHEN. DAY.

Nadia opens a kitchen cupboard and stares inside at

John's groceries.

BRANCH MANAGER

(V/0) Initiative. John is reasonably

quick to volunteer whenever others need help. Although

he is sometimes reluctant and or unwilling to ask for

it himself..

She opens some pickled onions and pops one in her mouth.

INT. LIVING ROOM. DAY.

Cradling the jar of pickles, she scans his bookshelf.

BRANCH MANAGER

(V/0) He is adequate at resolving

difficult or emotional customer situations...

Bluffers guide to the Internet. She opens an old copy

of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Inside is written

'John Buckingham Class 3F'.

BRANCH MANAGER

(cont'd) (V/0) He usually fulfils

commitments made to customers within expected time frames.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM. DAY.

She opens the wardrobe. In a shoebox she finds some

photos

BRANCH MANAGER

(V/0) Customer Service. John

shows a high degree of respect for customers...

One of John as a little boy, holding a football, flanked

by his parents. On the back someone has written "Summer

1973".

BRANCH MANAGER

(cont'd) (V/0) John still has

some reluctance to / or has problems in, carving out

new relationships face to face.

There is a photo of John, about three years ago, arm

in arm with a plain, thin-looking girl, with small eyes.

Another of him kissing her on the cheek.

INT. BRANCH MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY.

John listening.

BRANCH MANAGER

Judgment - John makes able decisions

in most areas of his job.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM. DAY.

Nadia sees something at the bottom of the cupboard.

She bends down to retrieve a black dustbin liner. She

reaches in and pulls out a small stack of hardcore pornographic

magazines.

BRANCH MANAGER

(V/0) John follows instructions

conscientiously and responds well to personal directions.

She upends the bag and a half dozen videos fall out.

She picks up a magazine and begins flicking through

it impassively.

INT. LOUNGE. DAY.

Nadia downstairs kneels in front of the tv and slips

a video into the machine. Nadials face is lit up by

the screen. The sound of sex.

BRANCH MANAGER

(V/0) John is normally very punctual

and in most situations assumes responsibility for his

own actions and outcomes.

She pops a pickled onion in her mouth, and watches.

We see the images close and pixellated, as we did the

marriage videos in the titles. It's a bondage scene,

the woman wears a gag.

INT. BRANCH MANAGER'S OFFICE. DAY.

John back in the room. The report has finished and

the manager is scrutinising him in silence.

JOHN

Thank you - I think that's very fair.

INT / EXT. JOHN'S CAR (MOVING). DAY

John drives his Rover through the centre of town, the

low orange sun on his face.

EXT. JOHN'S CLOSE. DAY.

The Rover pulls into the driveway. John opens the glove

compartment and removes the ring Nadia gave him, and

puts it back on. He collects a brown paper package from

the passenger seat.

INT. JOHN'S KITCHEN. NIGHT.

John and Nadia at the supper table. She is knitting

the jumper. Despite the silence, John seems more relaxed,

in shirtsleeves and loosened tie. He puts his fork down,

and places the brown bag on the table, pushing it across

to Nadia. She opens it and removes a big hardback Russian

- English dictionary. John smiles and nods "open

it". She flicks through it.

She turns it over in her hands, nods, puts the book

down, reaches under the table and surfaces with the

stack of porn magazines. She puts them on the table

next to the dictionary.

John beholds the pile. "Wet N' Wild" is on

top.

He rises slowly from the table and sleepwalks from

the kitchen.

INT. JOHN'S HALL/STAIRS/ LANDING/ BATHROOM. DAY

John, frozen-headed, floats down the hall, up the stairs

into the bathroom, locks the door, sits on the toilet.

INT. JOHN'S KITCHEN. DAY.

Downstairs Nadia clears, the dishes. The porn stack

still sits on the table, beside the dictionary.

INT. BATHROOM. DAY.

Still on the toilet. He hasn't moved. He closes his

eyes.

INT. LANDING. NIGHT.

It's dark. The bathroom door opens a crack. The coast

clear, he dashes for the cover of his bedroom.

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT.

John rests his head against the doorframe and heaves

a sigh of relief. He turns and freezes. Nadia is there

next to him.

She slowly loosens his tie. Holding it in her hands

she examines the strange little bank logo on it, before

deliberately tying the tie over her mouth like a gag.

A second tie is pulled from a hanger in the cupboard.

Quickly and skilfully she ties her hands together, pulling

it tight with her teeth. Finished, she flicks her hair

back, and gives him a long, level look.

VOICE OVER

It will feel very strange at first

but then you get used to it.

CUT TO:

INT. ROOM IN THE BANK. DAY

A close up of John's face. He closes his eyes, falls

backwards, and is caught in the arms of a colleague.

TRAINER

Good. Again.

John stands again and closes his eyes. After a short

wait he falls back and again his colleague catches him

just before he hits the ground.

TRAINER

(cont'd) Very good. How does that feel

John?

JOHN

It feels good. Weird.

TRAINER

It's called Trust and Letting Go.

John nods.

TRAINER

(cont'd) Trust and Letting Go.

A simple guitar theme begins, and plays over the following

sequence:

Kids playing cricket in John's Close. A boy hits the

ball and others chase it as it bounces off cars.

John at dusk tied to the bed with his two. bank ties.

Nadia is on top. They are having sex.

Hands stacking bank notes into the back of a cash machine.

Fast, mechanical.

At the bank, John walks to his desk. His phone rings.

He answers it.

Silence. Then soft breathing. John listens intently

and looks around.

"Nadia....?" - John sits there, surrounded

by his colleagues, listening to Nadia breathe.

Close up on a man's hands tying a tie tight a-round

a woman's wrist. Pull back to a close up of Nadia's

face, her eyes fixed on John.

John running by the river.

John watches Nadia rise from his bed after sex and

leave the room. He stares out the window.

Nadia's fingers, knitting skilfully.

Nadia sits on her bed alone, pulling on black stockings

and attaching them to suspenders.

The street cricketers run for cover as a thunder storm

breaks over the close.

Rain coming down in John's garden. The pair sit under

the shelter of the back porch. John has his hands out

as Nadia is winding red wool it into a ball. The jumper

is half finished.

The rabbits shelter from the rain under broad leaves.

John in a pub with a four colleagues from the bank.

He sips his half, half listening to the conversation.

It all seems so dull. He finishes his drink and looks

at his watch. They ask him if he's staying for another.

A knitting needle is drawn from a row of red stitches

on the nearly-finished jumper.

Nadia kneels over John holding the knitting needles.

She presses one to his skin and we watch it drawn across

his chest in close up, up to his neck.

His eyes are fixed on hers.

Close up on Nadials face. Her mouth is gagged and she's

lying on her front, head half-buried in a pillow. We

can just make out John behind, on top of her. Both are

lying still and breathing hard, covered in sweat. Catching

her breath Nadia yanks the gag off and wriggles out

from underneath him. She snatches up a towel and covering

herself hurries to the bathroom.

The guitar theme ends

INT. LANDING. NIGHT

John presses his ear to the bathroom door. The sound

of retching.

The toilet flushes. John pads back to his bedroom..

Through the gap in the door he sees Nadia coming out,

go to her room, and shut the door. He rests his head

against the door frame.

CUT TO:

INT. LOUNGE. DAY.

A beautiful morning. Through the patio window, John

watches Nadia in the garden, sitting on the lawn reading

her dictionary in the sunlight. In dungarees with her

hair up, she looks very young.

EXT. GARDEN. DAY.

He walks warily out into the sunlight. She looks up,

then back to the big book in her lap. He places the

tea next to her on the grass.

JOHN

Are you O.K.?

She looks at him, then down at her tome. She speaks

slowly, in a heavy accent:

NADIA

Today is bath day.

JOHN

Sorry?

She studies her book. Looks up.

NADIA

Today is bath day.

He shakes his head.

JOHN

Bath day?

She nods.

JOHN

(cont'd) I don't understand.

NADIA

Happy bath day.

The penny drops.

JOHN

Today?

She frowns. John leafs through the dictionary.

JOHN

(cont'd) Syevodnya?

NADIA

Syevodnya

JOHN

Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday.

He puts his hand on her shoulder.

NADIA

Party. [Pause] Party. Syevodnya.

John nods, smiling.

JOHN

Yes. Party. Party syevodnya.

She lights a cigarette from the butt of her last. Blows

smoke. She holds the jumper up to John, as if to try

it for size, and the theme returns.

INT. KITCHEN. DAY.

John is on the telephone.

JOHN

..It might just be a twenty-four hour bug..

INT. BANK. DAY.

Clare listens, concerned.

CLARE

Well you just get better. I'll tell Beaky.

You just get some rest, ok?

INT. KITCHEN. DAY.

John puts the phone down. He looks down the hall, where

Nadia is killing ants on the table, with her dictionary.

He smiles.

EXT. JOHN'S CAR. DAY. 9

A shot from above, of the Rover's windscreen, reflecting

the passing trees.

The roof is down. We glide up the windscreen, up Nadia's

body, in the passenger seat. Her face is upturned slightly,

she's wearing sunglasses, which reflect the passing

trees.

INT- JOHN'S LOUNGE. NIGHT.

Nadia sits alone at the dining room table. Suddenly

the lights go out. John enters, carrying a small birthday

cake glowing with candles.

The light throws huge shadows on the walls and flickers

across their faces.

He sets the cake down on the table and sits down opposite

Nadia

JOHN

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to

you. Happy Birthday dear Nadia

The front doorbell rings. A loud long burst. Nadials

face transforms into a big grin. She hurries out into

the hall, leaving John alone with the cake. Nadia whooping

and shouting excitedly. Other voices. Shouting. Shouting

in Russian.

A man bursts in carrying Nadia in his arms. He spins

her round in the candlelight, kisses her, puts her down

and goes to the table where he blows out the candles.

They are plunged into darkness.

Lots of whooping and laughing. A Zippo flares up and

illuminates some faces, all laughing.

CUT TO:

John's hand groping along the wall. It finds the light

switch.

There are two men here. One small and wiry, one big

and dark, like Rasputin. They each carry rucksacks and

a guitar case.

YURI

You must be John. You seem very nice. Excuse

me.

In Russian, the first man introduces Nadia to the other

man, who is relighting the candles with a Zippo. It

seems they haven't met before.

The first man, Yuri, pulls out a bottle of vodka and

hands it to John.

YURI

(cont'd) How's that? We can't drink our

piss can we?

JOHN

Hang on hang on, sorry but like, who are

you?

YURI

You must find some glasses, small, for.

the toast, and some plates.

JOHN

what are you doing here?

Yuri stops.

YURI

Sorry. You've lost me ...

JOHN

I'm asking what you're here for.

YURI

What?

Yuri speaks to Nadia in fast Russian.

YURI

(cont'd) (To John) You don't speak Russian?

Pratsteetye! This explains your cold eyes.

Nadia begins gabbling to Yuri in Russian. Yuri says

the English word - "Friends".

NADIA

(to John) "Frenzy".

JOHN

Yes I know.

YURI

(himself) Yuri. (Rasputin) Alexei. Alexei

and Yuri.

Alexei speaks

JOHN

What did he say?

YURI

He says he feels safe here.

Nadia talks fast to Yuri.

YURI

(cont'd) She says she wanted to tell you

but her English is shit. And no one speaks Russian,

it's very hard for her. The light please.

Alexei turns off the light again. Nadia blows out

her candles. They are plunged back into darkness. John

turns the light on again. Yuri is already sitting down.

JOHN

I need to know who you are first please

YURI

Oh. [Yuri stands.] We are Russian.

JOHN

Yes. I know.

YURI

Good. (He sits down]

JOHN

And

YURI

And what? You mean from the beginning?

Jesus. Can I uh okay, as we say in Russia can I cut

a long story short. Okay. Nadia is my little cousin.

Except she's not. But we say cousin. This is for you.

He hands John another bottle of vodka.

JOHN

Hold on

YURI

Toast first then we talk seriously, I can

see you are serious about us.

Vodka is splashed into their glasses. Yuri raises his

glass and shouts a toast in Russian: "Vashe Zdarovye!".

They down their vodka, John sips at his, then realises

he must finish it. Yuri makes as if to throw his in

the fireplace.

YURI

(cont'd) Just kidding.

Sausages, cheese, bread and pickle bottles rain onto

the table from Yuri's rucksack.

JOHN

(to Yuri) So hang on. You're both Nadia's

cousins?

YURI

(shaking his head) Of course not. Alexei,

he's is my problem.

JOHN

Right.

YURI

We better watch him. He's crazy.

JOHN

Right.

YURI

I am actor, he is actor, although he is

an actor stroke musician. I just noodle along, I'm not

so good. He makes me look like a retard- He smokes me.

I don't mean he smokes me.

Yuri mimes giving a blow-job.

YURI

(cont'd) I mean he smokes me. Do you say

"smoke" in U.K.?

He mimes the blowjob again.

JOHN

No.

YURI

Right. So I can say he smokes me. So.

Pause.

JOHN

So?

YURI

So I come to England with other actors

to make shows, I meet this freak from Novgorod I tell

him of you and Chicken and the birthday here we are.

Yuri speaks to Nadia in Russian, she replies looking

at John.

JOHN

What was that?

YURI

I asked her if you were happy to see us.

I find it hard to tell with you.

JOHN

Yes it's okay. Thank you for the food.

Nadia lights a cigarette. John notices that on both

wrists she has bold red marks from the ties. He freezes.

YURI

she says you are a little shy. I think

I know this.

John is thrown, panicking that one of them will notice

the marks.

JOHN

So how long will you be in England?

YURI

Plans are for the architects, politicians

and so forth.

JOHN

You must have a visa or something..

YURI

You're asking for my documents?

JOHN

No, no....

Yuri laughs, translates for Alexei and they both get

a big laugh out of this. Yuri gets his passport out

and makes a big show of presenting it to John. But John

keeps glancing at the marks on Nadia's wrists. We see

a close up of her neck. There is the tiniest blood mark.

John sees it and starts to sweat.

YURI

We are all Europeans here. Europe, Tony

Blair and Maggie Thatcher!

Yuri raises his glass and they all drink to Tony Blair

and Margaret Thatcher. John drinks his vodka in two

hot gulps.

YURI

(cont'd) So. You have nothing to say to

your Fiancee ? Maybe to wife of forty years it's understandable.

Come on. You speak and I will translate.

John looks glazed. The room falls silent.

JOHN

Hello.

Yuri translates - She replies.

YURI

She says 'Hello' to you. Go for it John!

JOHN

Uh. Do you like England?

YURI

Classic! [He translates] Thank God. She

says 'Yes!'.

John nods. He watches Nadia tap ash. The wrist again.

JOHN

Uh..

They all wait. Yuri nods encouragingly.

JOHN

(cont'd) I can't think of anything. Hang

on.

Nadia speaks in Russian to Yuri.

YURI

She says she has a secret to tell.

JOHN

What?

Nadia speaks. John waits uncomfortably. Silence.

YURI

She says she watched you at the airport.

John stops.

JOHN

When?

YURI

(translating) "I saw you waiting there,

by the gate.

JOHN

I..

YURI

"I have these uh. . . " She explains

to you.. "When I was a little girl my father had

these beautiful old.. glasses.' Like.. I don't know

the word. Like for watching uh. . for watching the birds.

We see John's face.

JOHN

Binoculars.

YURI

Binoculars. He had these Binoculars he

has kept from the war.

CUT TO:

Scene 1 reprise. EXT.SUMMER MEADOW. DAY.

A young girl runs through a summer meadow with a pair

of Russian Army field binoculars, around her neck.

YURI

(V/0) I would run around with them taking

pictures of things I liked with my mind. If I saw something

beautiful I would take a picture.

With the binoculars pressed to her face, she spies

butterflies, birds, a rabbit. She stops running and

aims the binoculars up, up, into the sun

INT. JOHN'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.

Yuri translates.

YURI

(cont'd) The day before I left Russia my

father gave me the old binoculars. He said that when

I saw you I was to stand far away and look at you with

these, and to examine your face closely. And if you

were a bad person I could run away.

Nadia looks at the table.

YURI

(cont'd) She says she took a picture.

John watches Nadia looking at the table. She glances

up once and catches his eye.

Alexei suddenly slams his hand down on the table. He

raises his palm. There is an ant squashed there. He

shows Yuri.

ALEXEI

Nasyekski.

EXT. JOHNS GARDEN. NIGHT.

The small party has moved outside to the patio, where

they sit around a low wooden table in the mellow candlelight.

A huge late Summer moon hangs over the fields. Alexei

tinkles beautifully on his guitar.

He stops asks a question in Russian.

JOHN

What was that?

YURI

Oh nothing.

JOHN

Tell me.

YURI

No. It is too judgemental.

JOHN

Tell me what he said.

YURI

He says why did you send to Russia for

a wife.

Silence. John suddenly looks sick.

YURI

(cont'd) You are not ashamed of it? It's

no surprise to want to love.

JOHN

No. It's not that.

YURI

Do you believe in love?

JOHN

I suppose it's.. I mean define your terms.

YURI

It's very strange. How many people are

truly themselves with their love? It is the greatest

human disaster and it is never in the newspapers. There

are no Marches Against Heartache, no Ministries Against

Loneliness, no Concerts Against Disappointment. We look

away. And still we know in secret that nothing is more

important to us. The one thing we all share but don't

say. Look John I will show you something.

He takes a plate and starts reaching for the food.

YURI

(cont'd) Here look, something beautiful

from Russia. Here is Life, there, take it.

John accepts the plate.

YURI

(cont'd) Here is bread. Khylep. This is

work. we all need this, here eat.

John eats.

YURI

(cont'd) Good. But we cannot survive with

just work, so here is meat and blood. Myasa. This is

family and country, flesh, strength, eat.

John bites the sausage.

YURI

(cont'd) But again this is not life. Here

is joy and pain. Chyesnok. Without these life has no

flavour, is too serious. Eat.

John nibbles some pickled garlic.

YURI

(cont'd) But this vodka. [Pause] Is love.

only this magic changes you inside. The moon and the

stars and the sun.

Yuri offers John the glass. He looks at Nadia, takes

it and swigs it down in one. He looks across at Nadia,

wiping his mouth, his eyes watering. She looks back

at him.

Alexei begins softly singing a song. As he sings:

YURI

(cont'd) This is a love song, a soldier's

song to his beloved- Alexei, he's Afghanstya, a veteran

of Afghanistan. He saw terrible things.

They listen to the beautiful, sad voice. For the second

verse Yuri joins in, a slow stirring lament. For the

end Nadia joins in too and the three of them begin harmonising

beautifully. John watches in the candlelight.

John, Nadia and Alexei pose with the cake. Nadia puts

her arm round John and Alexei. With a FLASH! Yuri takes

a Polaroid

The guitar theme returns as we see the Polaroid on

the table in close up, developing speeded up. John comes

into focus, beaming.

INT. LOUNGE. NIGHT.

We track across the sleeping faces of Yuri and Alexei

tucked into their sleeping bags with guitar cases for

pillows. John switches the light off and closes the

door.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

John and Nadia seen from above lying asleep, with their

heads together, in the moonlight. Nadia whispers something

in her sleep, in Russian. Fast asleep John mutters something

in English. Their sleeping, unintelligible conversation,

drifts on in the night.

INT. BANK. DAY.

John sits at his desk in the open plan office. He looks

nervous.

This is because he is wearing Nadia's ring. People

pass his desk, a couple say hello, but they don't notice.

He rubs his chin. Nobody notices.

Eventually his manager approaches.

BRANCH MANAGER

Quick word John?

He leans over the desk.

BRANCH MANAGER

(cont'd) This is sensitive. Your

car. Lovely car. Doesn't necessarily give the right

impression.

JOHN

Ch..

BRANCH MANAGER

To customers approaching the

bank from the rear

JOHN

(thrown) Right.

BRANCH MANAGER

You can see why it's sensitive?

JOHN

Uh.. Yes.

The manager smiles and taps the desk twice.

BRANCH MANAGER

I'll leave it on your desk.

John is left alone.

INT. HALL/ LIVING ROOM. DAY.

The front door opens and John walks into his hall.

The two rucksacks are still side by side where they

were the night before...

INT. KITCHEN. DAY.

He opens the fridge and pours himself a glass of orange.

He stops- There on the draining board lies the bloody

skin of a rabbit. John jumps out of his skin.

Next to the rabbit skin is a hand-drawn map. A dotted

line winds around the map and ends with an X in a small

wood

He looks at the rabbit skin, with its eyeless sockets.

EXT. FOREST. DAY

John follows a path through a big silent wood, the

low sun flaring and catching his white work shirt.

P.O.V. OF JOHN

through binoculars, a long way off and squinting into

the sun.

Nadia lowers the binoculars and looks past us

CUT TO:

John spots some figures lying on the grass in the distance.

He heads towards them, and watches them for a moment

from thirty yards away.

Alexei, Yuri and Nadia sit in a small clearing. A blanket,

cushions, bread and vodka are scattered around. Yuri

is strumming a guitar. Alexei and Nadia are laughing

and chatting. He removes a small twig from her hair

and flattens it under his big hand. John watches the

gesture. It's so intimate they could be lovers.

YURI

(calls) John. We can see you hiding.

John steps out of his hiding place and approaches the

group. Alexei has Nadia falling about laughing about

something. He smiles at her then nods to John.

Pieces of cooked rabbit lie in tin foil. Alexei feeds

a piece to Nadia with a big hunting knife. Nadia smiles

at John, and starts knitting.

YURI

How is bank?

JOHN

Fine. I thought you were leaving today.

YURI

To be indoors on such a day. It's crime.

Nadia stops knitting and takes her shirt off and stretches

back to sunbathe in her black bra. Alexei takes the

knife he has just finished cleaning and holds the cold

wide blade flat above Nadia's bare stomach. Just before

pressing it down he looks across at John. Nadia yelps

and sits up. They laugh, and Yuri joins in. John laughs

uneasily.

Alexei notices marks on Nadia's midriff. He asks her

about them in Russian.

John goes white, unable to understand Nadials explanation.

He has no idea what she told him.

EXT. LAKE IN FOREST. DAY.

At sunset, the four run towards a lake in their underwear.

They jump and dive in, and begin splashing each other.

John duck-dives under the water and swims through the

sunlit streaked green water. We see him under the water,

swimming towards us, caught by the sun's rays.

John surfaces, and wipes the water from his eyes. He

spots Alexei and Nadia playing in the water. Alexei

grabs her and throws her in the air and she comes down

with a splash.

John treads water nearby. He watches them both hold

their noses and disappear under the surface.

They've both vanished. John ducks under the water.

John's underwater P.O.V.: It's too murky to see anything

The two surface, breathing hard, laughing. John watches

them.

Alexei holds Nadia tight and looks like he might even

kiss her. But instead he ducks her and holds her under

the water.

John treads water nearby. She's been under a long time.

JOHN

Hey

John begins to swim toward Alexei. Just as he gets

near Alexei lets Nadia surface, coughing and spluttering-

she shouts at Alexei in Russian, angry.

Alexei makes for her again but she pushes him away,

twice, almost slapping him. She is very uncomfortable.

She swims away.

Yuri admonishes his friend in Russian. Alexei stares

at John. then swims off powerfully back towards the

shore.

YURI

He's just having fun. He's maybe too strong

you know..

John watches Nadia walk out of the lake towards her

clothes.

INT. BEDROOM. NIGHT

John walks into his bedroom. Nadia is on the bed with

a dictionary. She puts it down. She speaks very slowly.

NADIA

They go. John. They go.

JOHN

What's wrong?

NADIA

They go.

JOHN

Of course. They go. Yes. Yes.

NADIA

They go.

INT. JOHN'S SITTING ROOM. NIGHT

John stands at the end of the two sleeping bags.

YURI

I understand. I'm so sorry

JOHN

You can stay tonight.

YURI

I have brought you trouble. Maybe I should

have come alone

JOHN

Good night.

Alexei stares at John as he backs out of the room.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM- NIGHT.

John closes his bedroom door and slips back into bed.

Nadia is already asleep. John lies back in the moonlight,

and stares at the ceiling.

EXT. GARDEN. DAY

A light summer rain. Drips fall from rose petals.

INT. JOHN'S BEDROOM. DAY

John opens his eyes. He rolls over towards Nadia. but

she's already up and about.

Alone in his bedroom, John holds the now-finished jumper

up to himself. He tries it on. It's a good four sizes

too big, the arms are too long and it hangs down to

mid-thigh. He looks at himself in the mirror and smiles.

CUT TO:

INT. STAIRS/HALL/ KITCHEN. DAY.

He pads downstairs in his pants, picks up his mail

from the doormat and peers into the living room. The

sleeping bags and guitar cases have gone. About to peruse

his mail, his eye is caught by something else.

There is a small wild deer standing in the living room.

Looking at him. John stares back at it transfixed, when

he hears a scream. The deer starts and bolts out of

the patio doors. John is thrown. It was a woman's scream.

He goes back out and looks down the hall.

Twenty feet away, down the hall, is Yuri, sitting on

the kitchen floor, his back to the cooker. He's crying.

YURI

John. You must call the Police.

Suddenly Alexei steps between them in the doorway.

As he moves out of view, we see he is holding his hunting

knife. John hears Nadia cry out, from inside the kitchen.

He drops his mail and rushes forward.

INT. KITCHEN.DAY

Nadia is tied to a chair. Alexei pulls a gag tight

around her mouth, and holds the knife to her throat.

JOHN

What are you doing?

Alexei shouts at Yuri in Russian.

YURI

John, I'm sorry. It's my fault.

Alexei shouts again. Nadia is frozen with terror.

JOHN

What's he doing? What the fuck are you

doing? Leave her alone.

Alexei addresses John.

YURI

He says sit down. Or he'll cut her.

Alexei and Yuri shout at each other. Nadia begins crying.

YURI

(cont'd) Sit down please.

John sits across the table from Nadia.

JOHN

Tell him to stop and let her go, and we'll

talk.

The kettle boils. Alexei takes the kettle and holds

it over Nadia's head.

John springs up.

JOHN

(cont'd) Put the fucking kettle down.

YURI

John

JOHN

Put the fucking kettle down. Tell, Yuri,

tell him put it down or I'm going to make him.

Yuri translates- Alexei replies.

YURI

He says you scare him so much he must go

to the toilet in his trousers.

John, he is a soldier. A trained killer. We must do

what he says.

JOHN

What? What does he want?

Alexei speaks.

JOHN

(cont'd) What did he say? Tell me!

YURI

He says you are very sad ridiculous man.

I don't agree of course.

YURI

(cont'd) And that you must pay someone

to have sex like a prostitute. Nadia is a prostitute.

I'm sorry.

JOHN

What does he want. The Russian shithead.

What do you want ?

YURI

He wants money.

JOHN

Tell him to put the kettle down and I'll

give him money.

Yuri translates this for Alexei. Alexei has a reply.

YURI

He wants a lot of money.

JOHN

give him money. Tell him to put the...

YURI

He wants the money from your bank.

JOHN

I'll fuckin' give it to him! We'll go down

there.

YURI

You don't understand. He wants all the

money that is in your bank.

JOHN

I've got eight hundred pounds. Oh Jesus.

The penny drops.

JOHN

(cont'd) Oh Jesus.

YURI

He is sure you can do this. Of course you

can not

JOHN

Oh Jesus. Of course I can't.

Alexei doesn't need the translation he tilts the kettle,

and a small amount of boiling water trickles onto Nadia's

hair. She screams through the gag.

John tries to reach across to her but Alexei draws

the knife and holds it to his face.

JOHN

(cont'd) just leave her alone.

YURI

I'm so sorry.

JOHN

Leave her alone

CLOSE UP On Nadia's terrified eyes, imploring John

to help her.

INT/EXT. JOHN'S CAR. DAY

John drives grim-faced through the morning rain. Yuri

is next to him staring ahead at the road. Alexei is

in the back with Nadia who is still bound and gagged.

He's holding his knife to her ribs.

INT. MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK. DAY.

The car parks on the top floor. John turns off the

engine. He looks at Nadia in his rear view mirror but

she seems in shock.

INT. HIGH STREET. DAY.

John strides towards us down St Albans High Street,

carrying the two guitar cases, his raincoat flapping.

His eyes look glazed, the busy street sounds around

him muffled.

INT. NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK- DAY

The doors slide apart and John enters his branch. The

place is full of customers. He cheeks himself through

the security door and into the back.

INT. OPEN-PLAN OFFICE. DAY.

John walks through the open plan office. His Branch

Manager is there with another bank official, and Clare.

BRANCH MANAGER

Ah John. This is Robert Moseley,

Head of South East New Business. Robert this is John

Buckingham.

MOSELEY

Hello John.

JOHN

Hello.

BRANCH MANAGER

I thought you could give us the

tour this morning. Sort of be our Indian Guide.

JOHN

Right.

MOSELEY

(i.e. the guitars) DO you play?

JOHN

Yes. I do.

CLARE

That's John. He's always surprising you

with hidden talents.

MOSELEY

I used to be in a band. Keyboards. Sort

of like very loud, uh - very loud Marillion.

They laugh. Pause.

CLARE

(to John) Well, Maestro, give us a tune.

They laugh. Pause.

JOHN

I'll give you a tune later.

The Branch Manager takes John to one side and stage-whispers.

BRANCH MANAGER

Take the ball and run with it

John

INT. BANK CORRIDOR. DAY.

John leads the team down the corridor past the training

room where his colleagues are busy with Trust and Letting

Go.

JOHN

This is uh.. This is the uh..

A colleague passes carrying a file.

PASSING COLLEAGUE

Morning John. Give us a tune.

JOHN

I'll give you a tune later.

INT. TRAINING ROOM.DAY.

They enter the training room.

JOHN

This is where we're doing Trust and uh...

Trust and Letting Go.

MOSELEY

we're not doing this till the fourth

quarter- Has it uh-- any results, has it been been beneficial?

JOHN

Yes.

CLARE

it's weird at first. Sort of exciting

and frightening at the same time. Wouldn't you say John?

JOHN

Yes.

BRANCH MANAGER

We're starting to see results.

This is Karen, who's uh.. taking uh.. it.

They say hello to each other and MOSELEY asks her a

couple of questions.

JOHN

Excuse me.

INT. CORRIDOR. DAY.

John nips out and fetches his guitar cases. He rounds

the corner, down a couple of steps. He checks himself

into the Safe Area. A Colleague passes him.

COLLEAGUE

Morning John. Hey. Moseley's here.

JOHN

I'll give you a tune later.

INT. SAFE ROOM DOOR. DAY.

John punches in the security code. He opens the safe

door and goes inside, closing it behind him. We see

his stricken face peering through the toughened glass.

INT. TRAINING ROOM- DAY.

Robert Moseley falls backwards into the arms of an

employee.

MOSELEY

It's weird isn't it.

A little bored perhaps, Moseley gazes out through the

open door. He sees ...

INT. CORRIDOR. DAY.

John bowling out of the safe-room backwards heaving

two guitar cases. one bursts open spilling bundles of

fifties onto the floor.

INT. TRAINING ROOM. DAY.

Moseley, the Branch Manager, Clare, and five Trust

and Letting Go catchers all watch...

INT. CORRIDOR. DAY.

John scoops up the money, refasten the case and stand

to see them all watching him, as the five Trust and

Letting Go fallers crash to the ground in unison.

EXT. SIDE STREET. DAY.

John hauls ass towards us straight down the middle

of the road, a guitar case in either hand, footsteps

clapping loudly on the wet cobbles. Alarms sound, dogs

bark.

EXT. STREET CORNER. DAY.

He skis around a corner, and sprints up this other

street. We are close by his head, as he sprints one

hundred metres.

EXT. CAP, PARK ROOF. DAY.

Running f lat out across the car park. Yuri throws

open the car door and John hurls the guitar cases inside.

He dives in, turns the key in the ignition. The Rover

coughs and wheezes. He tries again. It spits and misfires.

The third time it catches and lives. John grinds the

gears and lurches off.

INT. MULTI STOREY CAR PARK. DAY.

The Rover hurtles down the ramps.

EXT. STREET. DAY.

It careers down a side-street.

INT/EXT. MOVING ROVER. DAY.

Alexei opens one of the cases and looks inside. He

takes a deep breath and swears in Russian.

He shows what is in the case to Nadia. Her eyes widen.

Alexei gently lowers the gag and kisses her on the

mouth. She returns the kiss hungrily.

John spots them in the mirror and nearly crashes the

car.

He looks desperately across at Yuri. Yuri is now pointing

the big knife at john's ribs. The Russian shrugs almost

apologetically.

In the back seat Nadia has freed herself and is beginning

to pull at Alexei's clothes. They begin making out passionately.

John's eyes slowly lose focus. He turns grey, then

white. He drives and we watch the life seep out of him.

EXT. DUAL CARRIAGEWAY. NIGHT.

Cars tear through the night along the carriage way,

past a Happy Eater. We pan round, across the motorway

to a singlestorey run-down Motel.

INT. MOTEL CHALET 17. NIGHT.

A crusty motel chalet. Yuri and Alexei are sitting

on a double bed counting the money. The tv is on in

the corner with the sound turned down and there are

empty miniatures from the mini-bar scattered around.

Nadia appears from the kitchenette area. They all seem

more relaxed, more themselves, as if what we've seen

before was an act. For the first time in the film their

conversation appears as English subtitles.

NADIA

So?

Alexei says "SSShhh" He is counting in his

head. He stops.

ALEXEI

(to Yuri) You first.

YURI

Fifty thousand. Almost exactly.

NADIA

Sixty four thousand, eight hundred.

ALEXEI

There's over eighty thousand here.

They look at each other, absorbing the moment.

YURI

Sweet Jesus ......

He lies back on the bed and chuckles.

ALEXEI

Put it in the cases. Split it up. And

don't forget you owe me £150.

YURI

What for?

ALEXEI

You know what for.

YURI

No I don't.

ALEXEI

I got you those trousers from Paul smith.

YURI

I've been buying you stuff all week. I've

been buying him stuff all week.

ALEXEI

Such as?

Nadia is smiling at them as they squabble.

YURI

When we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. Who

paid? When we went to see 'Cats'. Who paid?

ALEXEI

Those aren't presents. That's normal

friendship stuff

YURI

I paid for those guitar cases.

NADIA

What was 'Cats' like?

YURI

It was alright.

ALEXEI

Yeah it was okay.

YURI

Yeah. It was quite good actually. some

bits I really liked.

ALEXEI

The sets were good.

YURI

The sets were excellent. Everything was

big, you know, all the rubbish, coke cans, sweet wrappers,

dustbins, so when you were watching it you felt cat

size. It was really clever.

Yuri goes into the bathroom, leaving Nadia and Alexei

alone on the bed.

Alexei runs his hand across Nadia's cheek.

ALEXEI

(softly) So. How many times did you have

to fuck him?

INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT

Yuri in the bathroom, he undoes his flies pees. At

the other end of the bathroom, tied to the bidet, gagged,

is John.

YURI

How you doing?

John refuses to meet his eye. Yuri flushes and wipes

his hands.

YURI

(cont'd) I'll show you something. It should

make all this easier I think.

From his back pocket, Yuri takes out an old envelope.

He opens it and removes a dozen or so Polaroids.

John looks down at the first Polaroid. Nadia, Alexei

and a man John doesn't recognise at a birthday party.

There is a cake with candles and everyone is smiling.

The next picture is the same. And the next.

Sometimes Germany, sometimes France, but otherwise

the pictures are the same, each 'fiance' beaming with

his arm round Nadia, Alexei looking on.

John studies the faces of his fellow dupes and at last

comes to his own picture. Despite himself tears come

to his eyes.

YURI

(cont'd) Not all these bastards were like

you, believe me. You should not too feel bad.

Yuri takes John's left hand and pulls off Nadia's ring.

He puts it in his pocket.

INT. MOTEL BEDROOM. NIGHT

Alexei smokes on the bed. Nadia is lying the other

way. She holds her hand out for his cigarette and he

passes it. They have the relaxed air of longtime lovers.

Subtitles again.

NADIA

It's enough isn't it?

ALEXEI

What do you mean?

NADIA

You know what I mean babe, It's enough.

We can stop.

ALEXEI

Do you want to stop?

NADIA

Yes.

ALEXEI

We'll stop then.

They kiss. He takes her hand, and notices the tie marks

on her wrists.

ALEXEI

(cont'd) What's this?

NADIA

It's nothing. I burnt myself.

ALEXEI

That's not a burn.

NADIA

It is. I did it cooking.

They sit there looking at each other.

ALEXEI

On both wrists?

Nadia looks back at him. The seconds pass.

NADIA

What? I did it cooking.

Alexei studies her face. She pulls a face. He keeps

staring.

NADIA

(cont'd) What?

They sit there in silence. Alexei is so big, and she

is so small.

NADIA

(cont'd) Listen, I made you something.

Nadia leans over the bed, and searches in her bag.

Alexei watches her closely. She comes back up with the

jumper she has knitted.

NADIA

(cont'd) Put it on.

He looks at the jumper, then back at her.

NADIA

(cont'd) It's taken me weeks. I want to

see you in it.

She starts pulling at his shirt. Eventually he pulls

the jumper on. It fits perfectly.

NADIA

(cont'd) Do you like it?

ALEXEI

Yeah.

He is still staring at her.

NADIA

Say thank you.

ALEXEI

Thank you.

She takes his hands. He is still looking at her. He

strokes his hair. He places his big hand around her

throat and holds it there, holding her at arms length.

She doesn't react, but just looks levelly back at him.

They sit like this for about ten seconds, looking at

each other.

NADIA

We're going to have a baby.

Alexei seems not to relax. He keeps his hand there.

ALEXEI

What?

NADIA

You heard what I said. I'm pregnant. I've

been throwing up for weeks.

Alexei removes his hand. Now he seems shocked. He lights

a cigarette.

NADIA

(cont'd) We're having a baby.

Pause.

ALEXEI

A baby? What are we supposed to do with

a baby?

NADIA

Name it.

She comes to him and holds him. He is still absorbing

the news.

We see Alexei's face over her shoulder, behind her

back, unreadable. Behind his back she rubs her wrists.

INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT

Some hours later, it's dark outside. John still tied

to the bidet. The door opens a crack and somebody slips

inside. We hear the toilet seat go down. As his eyes

adjust he can dimly see Nadia sitting on the toilet.

She doesn't look at him. As she finishes she finally

turns and holds his eye. She stands and slips out the

door, leaving him alone.

EXT. DUAL CARRIAGEWAY. NIGHT.

Cars crawl by on the road outside, their tail-lights

stretching over the hill.

The shot processes and fades into dawn and light.

The early morning commuters now use the carriageway.

INT. BATHROOM. DAY.

Bright sunlight pours through a high window. John is

still on the toilet. He begins to try to struggle free.

After a great deal of fierce deadpan shimmying and

pulling, he succeeds in loosening his bindings. Freeing

an arm, he yanks the duct tape from his mouth and sits

there panting.

The first thing he does is take a pee, then he drinks

handfuls of water. He catches his reflection but can't

look at himself.

INT. MAIN ROOM. DAY.

John collapses in an armchair, rubbing his eyes. He

looks shattered.

The Russians have gone.

INT. MOTEL BATHROOM. DAY.

John in the shower, just standing there, letting the

water hit him.

INT. MOTEL MAIN SUITE. DAY.

John dries himself in silence. He pulls on his trousers,

sits down to do his socks. One sock on, he walks to

the smaller bedroom. He opens the door and peers inside.

INT. SMALLER MOTEL BEDROOM. DAY.

Tied to the radiator, gagged with duct tape, is Nadia.

John looks down at her. She looks away as her eyes

fill with tears.

He sits on the bed facing her. They stay like that

for a long moment before he reaches over and starts

untying her knots. He peels the tape off her mouth.

Suddenly he slaps her across the face.

Her head hits the radiator. Nadia gasps hard from the

shock of the blow. Without warning she slaps his face,

equally hard.

This starts a long silent fight; kicking, hitting,

biting, a real struggle.

Its intensity is almost sexual, but has the edge of

real violence. They end up on opposite sides of the

room, both panting, hurt and beaten.

NADIA

(in English) Great. You've split my fuckin,

lip.

John lies there on the floor, panting, and he hears

the English words.

Exhausted, John stands, wipes his mouth, and rushes

her anew. Nadia dodges out the way and cuffs him painfully

on the ear. The whole fight starts again and ends only

when neither has the strength to go on. Nadia staggers

into the bathroom where she shuts the door and begins

to sob uncontrollably. John lies on the bed listening

to her cry.

EXT. DUAL CARRIAGEWAY. DAY.

The mid morning traffic flows by on the dual carriageway.

INT. HAPPY EATER. DAY

Nadia and John sit in silence in the half empty diner.

Nadia has a cut lip and a graze on her chin. John has

a Thousand Yard Stare and a lesion over his left cheekbone.

The Waitress comes over.

WAITRESS

Good morning. What can I get you?

NADIA

I'll have an espresso, with a small pastry,

a croissant or something.

WAITRESS

We only do a croissant with the Continental

breakfast.

NADIA

Just get me a coffee.

WAITRESS

One coffee. And for you Sir ?

John doesn't answer.

NADIA

He'll have a coffee.

The waitress leaves them. Nadia lights a cigarette

and they sit in tense silence, the pain of betrayal,

and recent violence, thick in the air.

JOHN

You can't smoke in here.

Nadia ignores him. John bellows

JOHN

(cont'd) YOU CAN'T SMOKE IN HERE!

The diner falls silent, people stare. She takes a last

drag and crushes the butt on the floor. A waitress comes

over and puts down two coffees.

NADIA

I don't expect you to understand.

It seems as it John has no intention of replying. He

sips his coffee, and puts it down. He begins speaking

very calmly.

JOHN

Oh, I don't know. In my job as Deputy Assistant

of New Business at the bank would have to listen to

the problems of a great many individuals. This took

a lot of understanding and sympathy, to try to work

out solutions to their problems. But, you see, I'm not

in that line of work anymore. Nowadays I'm a bank robber.

NADIA

You don't understand anything.

JOHN

I think that about covers it. I think I

have grasped the part about you being dumped though.

That's got to hurt, I imagine. That's got to smart a

bit. I mean strictly in my observer's capacity it seemed

you two were getting on Pretty Fucking Famously.

He sips his coffee.

JOHN

(cont'd) Unless. Unless this is part of

the routine. You get tied up, stick around, distract

me, they both bust in and Steal My Cup Of Coffee.

NADIA

It's makes it easier. Okay.

JOHN

I don't want to know.

NADIA

It makes it faster. If I don't speak to

the men, they fall faster. It's pretty obvious why.

JOHN

That's a relief. It's nice to know I'm

a regular guy.

Pause.

NADIA

So what are you going to do?

JOHN

I'm going to drink my coffee. Then, we're

going to the police station. Where there will be lawyers,

loss of job, house, humiliation, gutter press, and probably

prison.

NADIA

They don't blame you. When a bank employee

does this they understand. You get your life back. Anyway

I bet you hated that bank.

JOHN

Even so I always felt the decision to

burst in and rob it very much remained with me.

NADIA

Why else would you send off for me? If

you just wanted sex just go to a prostitute.

JOHN

Well as it turns out I did.

She slaps his face. He slaps hers back. The waitress

comes over.

WAITRESS

More coffee ?

JOHN

Yes please.

NADIA

No.

She pours for John.

JOHN

Splendid. Thank you.

WAITRESS

Pleasure.

She smiles and leaves them. John watches her walk away.

NADIA

John, I need your help.

This really tickles John. He has to put his coffee

down.

JOHN

You must think.... I'm the biggest pillock....

In the world.

NADIA

No I don't.

JOHN

In the world.

NADIA

I know you just want to punish me--

JOHN

I do. I want to very badly.

NADIA

So you're just going to be vindictive

JOHN

In every sense. If at all possible.

NADIA

You can't hurt me more than I'm hurt already.

JOHN

Well, Nadia, It it's all the same to you,

I'd like to give it a bash.

Pause

NADIA

My name isn't Nadia.

John stares back at her.

EXT. HAPPY EATER CAR PARK. DAY.

John drags her by the arm across the car-park towards

the Rover.

EXT. OUTSIDE POLICE STATION.

John drags her out of the Rover. She wrestles her arm

free and walks up the steps on her own, with some dignity.

John follows her.

INT. POLICE STATION DUTY DESK. DAY.

They sit side by side in the waiting room, not talking.

Nadia looks resigned to her fate. John is tight-jawed,

unyielding.

They wait as the the Duty Sergeant deals with a woman

who's lost her hat.

NADIA

(quietly, to John) Where's the restroom?

JOHN

What?

NADIA

I'm going to be sick. Where's the..

JOHN

What? No you're not..

NADIA

I'm going.. I am.. I'm going to be sick.

JOHN

(overlapping) No you're not. How.. Nice

one. How dumb do you think I am ?

Nadia stands and addresses the Duty Sergeant.

NADIA

Where's the restroom?

SERGEANT

The what love?

NADIA

The toilet. Where's

SERGEANT

Down there on the left.

She heads off. John springs up. He seizes her arm as

casually as possible.

INT. POLICE STATION CORRIDOR. DAY.

John frogmarches Nadia down the corridor to the Ladies.

She wrestles her arm free again and disappears inside.

John lurks outside. He seems certain she's got one

leg out the window RIGHT NOW.

He can't bear it any longer. He looks both ways and

nips inside.

INT. LADIES. DAY.

Standing in the Ladies, John hears Nadia in a cubicle,

throwing up. He hears the toilet flush.

Nadia comes out. He looks at her.

JOHN

You're pregnant.

Nadia looks at the floor.

INT. POLICE CORRIDOR. DAY.

John walks out of the toilet and stands against the

wall of the corridor. He looks both ways. Af ter a few

seconds Nadia appears in the corridor. They stand there.

John isn't looking at her.

A policeman appears from round the corner, and walks

towards them. He stops, and addresses John.

POLICEMAN

Can I help you?

John looks at the Policeman, then at Nadia. The seconds

pass

POLICEMAN

(cont'd) Sir? Can I help you?

John is still looking at Nadia- He closes his eyes.

JOHN

No.

EXT. OUTSIDE POLICE STATION. DAY.

John walks back to the Rover, Nadia behind. They reach

the car. Nadia looks at John over the roof of the car.

NADIA

What are you doing?

John looks sick. He speaks very quietly.

JOHN

Get in the car.

He gets inside. Nadia is left standing there. She gets

in too.

INT/EXT. JOHN'S CAR. DAY

John driving with Nadia in the passenger seat. She

is looking across at him.

He is taking no notice.

NADIA

Plenty of women have babies in prison.

John ignores her.

NADIA

(cont'd) (tersely) You don't have to do

this. I can look after myself.

JOHN

(flatly) Have you got your passport?

NADIA

What?

JOHN

Shut up. Have you got your passport?

NADIA

Yes.

They drive along.

JOHN

We've got to get off this motor-way.

EXT. MOTORWAY JUNCTION. DAY.

From above we watch the car turn off the motorway,

around a roundabout and into a country B road.

INT. CAR. DAY

John is turning the pages in his Road Atlas. He is

trying to drive and map read at the same time. Nadia

is looking out of the window. Soon a big tear rolls

down her cheek. She starts to cry.

John glances up from his map but ignores it. But she

keeps crying. He tosses the map in the back, pulls the

car to the side of the road and switches off the engine.

As Nadia cries, John gazes impassively out of the window.

This goes on for almost a minute, until Nadia pulls

herself together, when without looking across John restarts

the engine and pulls away.

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD. DAY.

John's car pulling off a B road, into a slip road into

a garage.

EXT. PETROL STATION. DAY.

Stern-faced, John fills the car up with petrol. He

eyes the Closed-Circuit.

JOHN

Give me some money.

NADIA

I don't have any money.

John stops squeezing petrol

JOHN

What?

NADIA

I said I don't have any.

John stares at Nadia. He eyes the CCTV.

JOHN

Give me your sunglasses.

Nadia passes them and John puts them on,trying to look

casual. He gives the pump a couple more squirts, hangs

it up, nonchalantly sidles up to his door.

In one move he opens it, dives in, turns the key in

the ignition. The Rover coughs. He tries it again. It

howls, barks and sneezes. The attendant comes out onto

the forecourt and starts approaching the yellow Rover.

Miraculously it roars throatily to life, he floors

it and the Rover tears away from the station and off

down the road

INT. MOVING CAR. DAY.

We see John at the wheel of his Rover, sunglasses on,

wind in his hair, fleeing from the scene of the crime.

Nadia watches him in the late sunshine, but John is

too busy making a getaway to notice.

EXT. COUNTRY LANE. DAY.

John's car shimmering as it comes over the brow of

a remote country lane, surrounded by fields and rolling

hills.

Scene 156 deleted

INT/EXT. CAR (MOVING). DAY.

Nadia puts a cigarette in her mouth and pops the dashboard

lighter. John takes the cigarette and throws it out

the window, followed by the lighter. Nadia just gazes

out of the window.

JOHN

So, uh Alexei, which I know isn't his name

NADIA

I don't want to talk about him.

JOHN

Fine.

NADIA

It's none of your business.

JOHN

Fine. Absolutely. Must be disappointing

though. Must come as a hell of a shock.

Nadia ignores him.

JOHN

(cont'd) So uh..

NADIA

Look, if you want to know is he better

in bed than you then yes he is.

JOHN

Oh Jesus.

NADIA

If what you want to know is does he have

a bigger cock than you, then yes he does.

JOHN

(overlapping -bigger) Of course. Of course.

Of course he does. Of course. Thank you. Thanks.

NADIA

But, you know, So What?

They drive

JOHN

It's his baby I take it.

She doesn't answer.

JOHN

(cont'd) Not the kids type then is he?

Not that broody. You must be pretty miffed.

NADIA

He will come back.

JOHN

Excuse me?

NADIA

He left me my passport and ticket. It's

pretty clear he wants to see me again.

JOHN

Yeah. I tend to tie up and abandon women

I really want to see again too.

NADIA

No. But you tend to tie them up.

John freezes. He looks across. Nadia gives nothing

back.

JOHN

Fuck off

Nadia is just looking at him.

JOHN

(cont'd) Fuck off. You started it.

She is just looking at him.

JOHN

(cont'd) I don't want to talk about it.

NADIA

Why not?

JOHN

Shut up. I'm not listening.

NADIA

You don't want to talk about it.

JOHN

No.

NADIA

Okay we won't talk about it.

Nadia looks out the window.

NADIA

(cont'd) We'll pretend it never happened.

JOHN

So. What's it like having to fuck men you

hate?

NADIA

I don't hate you.

JOHN

Okay. Let's.. Okay. Okay. You have had

sex with people you don't like haven't you ? For money.

To make money.

NADIA

And? What are you saying?

JOHN

And. It's wrong.

NADIA

And who says what is wrong

JOHN

And that would be Morals. That would be

one's own moral sense of decency.

NADIA

What's a moral orgasm John? Tell me how

it feels exactly.

JOHN

So. What then? You just detach sex from

everything..

NADIA

Whereas "Wet 'n' Wild" is an

emotional journey. "Tied and Tethered". It's

pretty moving huh? Like Anna Karenina

JOHN

Listen. I didn't go rooting around in your

private stuff.

John remembers he did. Nadia looks across knowingly.

NADIA

Funny. Usually it's the first thing they

do.

Pause.

JOHN

So what? Do you just switch off in your

head or do you imagine you're with him, or what?

NADIA

Sometimes.

JOHN

Sometimes which?

NADIA

Sometimes neither.

JOHN

Some.... What does that mean?

NADIA

There's nothing wrong in liking sex,

John.

JOHN

I don't like sex. I don't think I'll be

having sex ever again.

NADIA

Why?

JOHN

Well, it's just that the thought trying

to charm up an erection in front of a woman, or alone

for that matter, makes me want to die.

NADIA

So now you hate all women?

JOHN

I think it's my safest bet, don't you?

NADIA

Oh. I think you will recover okay. I

think you got what you paid for.

John looks across.

JOHN

What?

NADIA

You..

JOHN

I got what I paid for.

NADIA

You didn't mind too much.

Pause.

JOHN

(quietly) It wasn't what I wanted.

NADIA

So what did you want? I think we understand

each other, no?

JOHN

(quietly) You don't understand me.

NADIA

You don't understand you either.

John turns to her.

NADIA

(cont'd) It's no big thing. You are the

same as most men. You are a man so you are a savage.

Not a monster. but half animal. You put on a tie and

you go to the bank, but really you are a beast. But

also you are from woman so you have a soul. Half beast,

half soul. But you hide your beast in the bottom of

the wardrobe. It's not so healthy. It's fucked you up,

no?

John stops the car.

JOHN

Get out.

She sits there.

NADIA

Excuse me?

JOHN

Get out

NADIA

You are throwing me out.

JOHN

Get out

She collects her bag from the back seat, her cigarettes,

gathers up her belongings, clicks open the door and

gets out, leaving the shot. John sits there staring

ahead. We hear her voice offscreen.

NADIA

(O/S) You prefer your women mute.

John turns the key in the ignition. The engine bellows

and screams. Silence.

He tries again. The engine shrieks and wails like a

soul in torment. A terrible, mournful grinding noise.

Silence.

NADIA

(O/S) Car trouble?

John tries to start it. It lets out a whimper, a crying.

a few juddering moving sobs, and dies.

John sits in his dead car. He shakes his head. He rubs

his face. He sits there.

Scene 158 deleted

Scene 159 deleted

Scene 160 deleted

Scene 161 deleted

Scene 162 deleted

EXT. ROADSIDE VERGE. DUSK.

The two of them on a verge ten feet apart. John stares

into the distance.

Nadia studies the map.

NADIA

It's another twenty miles. It's going

dark.

She gets her holdall from inside the car and stuffs

the map inside.

NADIA

(cont'd) What now?

Nadia scans the horizon with her binoculars. John watches

her.

JOHN

Jesus. You weren't even on the plane.

Nadia lowers her binoculars and looks at John.

FLASHBACK. INT. AIRPORT. DAY

.

John watches the passengers stream out of the arrivals

gate. A woman is greeted and spun around.

Across the airport, Nadia lowers her binoculars. We

pull back to see she is standing next to Alexei.

They say goodbye in Russian. Even though we don't see

subtitles, it's a telling exchange. She kisses him,

and he watches her leave him and walk across the floor.

Alexei watches Nadia approach John, and see him shake

her hand.

They walk away together.

FLASHBACK. EXT. JOHN'S STREET. NIGHT.

Alexei, dressed in a suit, stands outside John's house,

looking up. Nadia is in the window, her lipstick smeared.

They gaze at each other.

EXT. DIFFERENT FOREST. NIGHT.

In a clearing, John watches Nadia carry a pile of sticks

to a fire she is building. She lights it with her gun

cigarette lighter, and teases the flames to life.

Scene 164 deleted.

EXT- FOREST. NIGHT.

John and Nadia sit by the fire. She sits wrapped up

to her neck in a blanket.

NADIA

You know, in Russia, there's no work for

women. It's a different world.

JOHN

(interrupting on "different")

You don't have to say anything

NADIA

(overlapping on "say") What?

I.. I wasn't saying

JOHN

(overlapping on "saying") Please,

there's no.. Oh.

NADIA

I wasn't saying anything.

JOHN

Then okay. [Pause] So how old were you

when you met him?

Pause.

NADIA

Fifteen. You don't know him. He was very

kind and strong.

JOHN

Yeah. He's a smashing bloke.

NADIA

The rest of the world, John, it's not

all like St. Albans

JOHN

Thank Christ for that.

NADIA

You are pretty naive if you think it is.

JOHN

I'm pretty naive? Look at you. You have

to do all this, and what have you got to show for it?

Nothing.

NADIA

I don't have nothing.

JOHN

Well what have you got?

Pause.

NADIA

I have my baby.

They sit there in the lapping firelight.

JOHN

Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?

NADIA

No.

JOHN

Have you had any before?

NADIA

No.

JOHN

Are you scared?

NADIA

Not really. Maybe a little.

A fox cries out in the night.

NADIA

(cont'd) Listen. I think it's a fox.

She listens. It cries out again. She gets out her binoculars.

NADIA

(cont'd) It sounds close.

She looks through them and searches the brush. John

watches Nadia with her binoculars. He looks suddenly

very sad.

NADIA

(cont'd) I can't see anything. It's too

dark.

She puts them back in her bag. John watches her. He

sees her wrist again. She lights a cigarette, and blows

the smoke into the air.

NADIA

(cont'd) What happened between you and

the blonde?

JOHN

What?

NADIA

The thin... the girl with small eyes.

The one in your cupboard.

JOHN

It's none of your business. She didn't

have small eyes.

NADIA

Did she leave you? Come on. It's nothing

to be ashamed of. Who did she leave you for? Your best

friend? Her boss? A woman? Did she leave you for a woman

John?

JOHN

She's dead.

Pause.

NADIA

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you.

I'm sorry. That's awful. Forgive me.

Pause.

NADIA

(cont'd) I'm sorry.

JOHN

I don't know why I said that. She's not

dead at all.

Nadia looks at John.

NADIA

What?

JOHN

I don't know why I said it. I'm sorry.

NADIA

She's alive?

Nadia starts to laugh. Long and loud. We have never

seen her laugh before.

NADIA

(cont'd) She's alive!! She is not dead?

JOHN

Laugh it up.

She starts to cough. She gets on her hands and knees

and coughs like fury.

JOHN

(cont'd) You should stop smoking. You're

pregnant. You smoke like a fucking lab dog.

NADIA

I'm trying to quit.

JOHN

I've got news for you. It's not working.

NADIA

I smoke more these days. I smoke more

when I'm unhappy.

JOHN

Nobody's that unhappy.

NADIA

Maybe I want to die. Don't you want me

to die?

JOHN

I don't want anyone to die.

NADIA

Except for Small Eyes.

JOHN

Except for Small Eyes.

She laughs again.

NADIA

So why did it end?

John thinks. It looks as if he's going to tell the

whole story. In the end he shrugs.

JOHN

I don't know.

NADIA

What was her name?

JOHN

What's your name?

The fox cries out again

NADIA

Listen. It's definitely a fox. Now I'm

scared.

They listen to the fox crying in the night.

NADIA

(cont'd) You know you can come under the

blanket.

JOHN

It's alright.

The scene from bird's eye view. John lies back and

stares at the stars. Nadia curls up on the other side

of the fire, and hugs herself.

We push down closer and closer until we are on John's

face. The theme returns.

The cricket boys from John's Close stand in a line

in the middle of the street, bathed in flashing blue

light. We pan round and end on John's house.

It is surrounded with Police.

Police cars, Police Vans, plastic police tape "POLICE

LINE. DO NOT CROSS."

John's neighbours press against the tape as officers

come and go.

Inside the house is full of police, ransacking his

possessions and dusting fingerprints. A policeman is

standing reading The English-Russian Dictionary.

We push on upstairs and along the landing to the spare

room.

An officer dumps a pile of porno magazines and videos

on the bed. He then spots the belts tied to the bedstead

and points them out to a detective. They exchange a

knowing grin. A photographer steps up and snaps the

paraphanalla in a blinding flash.

The birthday cake is there, half eaten. A Policewoman

puts it in a baggy.

We pan across the bed, across the magazines and underwear

in plastic bags, down below the bed, where we find the

photograph of Nadia with the binoculars.

The young girl smiles hopefully out at us from the

past.

Early dawn. A woodpigeon coos. John wakes up next to

the dead fire. Nadia is gone.

EXT. FOREST SLOPE/ STREAM. DAY.

John slides down a rocky slope. He scans the forest,

but there's no-one around. He hurries through high bracken

then stops suddenly by a large oak.

EXT. STREAM. DAY.

In a pool in a stream below, Nadia is washing herself.

She has her back to us.

John watches her for a moment, before his eyes avert,

and his head bows.

EXT. FIELD. DAY.

A shimmering sun. A giant combine harvester cuts a

wide swathe through a field of high corn. As it passes

we find John and Nadia coming towards us through the

heat haze.

They aren't speaking and both look tired. As they pass

we crane up out of the corn to catch an enormous 757

Jumbo Jet just above us, coming into land. We pan round

to see, half a mile away, the massive airport beyond.

They walk towards it, two tiny figures.

CUT TO:

Aeroflot 1311. Boarding Gate 12

INT- AIRPORT. NIGHT.

An attendant pushes a train of trolleys past. Businessmen

talk into mobile phones.

NADIA

I've got an hour. Can I buy you a coffee?

JOHN

No. I think I better just go.

NADIA

Okay. Thank you.

JOHN

Whatever.

Nadia hesitates. There's just of regret in this goodbye.

NADIA

John. These are for you.

She hands him the binoculars case.

JOHN

Yeah. No thanks.

NADIA

Please. Why not?

JOHN

Because it was a lie.

She smiles.

NADIA

No it wasn't.

John shrugs. He takes them

NADIA

(cont'd) Goodbye.

John nods and turns. Nadia watches him walk away.

INT/ EXT. AIRPORT EXIT. NIGHT.

On the other side of the airport, John stands in front

of the exit to the taxi ranks. He's got nowhere to go.

Passengers swirl around him.

He looks at the binocular in his hands. He removes

the binoculars and looks at them. Suddenly he stops.

In the case is a folded note marked - John. John holds

it in his hands- Slowly, deliberately, he screws it

up, and drops it in the case like a bin.

P.O.V. OF JOHN

Through the binoculars. Passengers criss-cross, but

we find Nadia sitting alone, waiting for her call.

John lowers the binoculars and gazes across the airport.

He raises them for one last look.

Nadia, glimpsed through the crowd. We spy someone standing

about twenty feet behind her. It is Alexei.

We watch Alexei approach her. She looks up and is completely

thrown.

Yuri stands about ten feet away, in shades.

John lowers the binoculars, horrified. He looks again.

Nadia pulls her arm away. Alexei crouches down in front

of her and puts a hand on her knee, coaxing her.

Alexei takes her by the arm and leads her away.

EXT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

John hurries out of the exit to catch the trio leaving

a different exit fifty yards away, where they get into

a taxi.

EXT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

John runs across a car park and over a low fence.

EXT. SLIP ROAD TO AIRPORT. NIGHT.

He chases down a slip road, as the taxi rounds the

corner behind us. He takes cover behind a van as they

drive past, and away.

EXT. GRASS VERGE. NIGHT.

John runs across a grass verge and another car park.

He sees the taxi rounding the corner and head down the

road in front of him.

John runs as fast as he can up this road, but the taxi

is getting away. Eventually he gives up, and he drives

away.

EXT. ROUNDABOUT. NIGHT.

At the roundabout it turns round and starts coming

back up the road. John hides behind a car, and watches

the taxi pull up outside a small hotel about fifty yards

away. He watches the trio head into the hotel.

EXT. HOTEL PERIMETER. NIGHT.

John skirts around the edge of the hotel. He peers

in through one of the windows. It's the foyer. He heads

around the back.

EXT. BACK OF HOTEL. NIGHT.

At the back of the hotel he looks through another couple

of windows. Suddenly he drops like he's been shot, and

sits on the grass.

Warily he looks again.

EXT/INT. THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDOW.

Alexei stands smoking in the middle of the room. Nadia

is sitting in a chair crying.

Alexei kneels again and appeals to her. Nadia is resisting

and yells back, but something Alexei says seems to melt

her resolve.

He holds her face, and kisses it. She turns her face.

He tries again, and this time she accepts the kiss.

Slowly she kisses him back

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

John stares through the window at the scene.

INT. INSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

In the room, Yuri pops his head round the door and

says something to Alexei.

Alexei says he's coming. He kisses Nadia again and

leaves.

Nadia is alone. She looks very sad and confused. She

moves towards the window and stares out into the blackness.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

John's face at the window. Almost cheek to cheek with

Nadia.

INT. INSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

Inside the room, looking out. it is pitch black.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

John watches Nadia walk over to the dresser and search

the drawers. She goes over to the bed and looks under

the pillow. There she finds what she is looking for.

Alexei's hunting knife.

She hears Alexei coming and stands hard against the

window. the huge knife behind her back.

EXT. OUTSIDE ALEXEI'S SUITE . NIGHT.

John outside. He is four inches from the knife.

JOHN

Oh Jesus.

John ducks down, panting, swallowing hard. At once

he springs up and skirts the building again. He finds

a window to the next suite.

He tries to force it open. Suddenly Yuri's face appears

in the window, cupped by his hands peering out into

the blackness. John drops down holds his breath.

John scrambles back to the previous window. With real

effort he proses it open. He pulls himself up and drops

inside.

INT. ALEXEI'S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

Nadia still stands by the window, one hand behind her

back. Alexei sits on the bed. The scene is subtitled.

ALEXEI

I love you. I don't need to tell you

that.

Nadia looks at the floor.

ALEXEI

(cont'd) I wouldn't leave my child would

I? You know that. I was confused. That's all.

INT. ALEXEI'S BATHROOM/HALLWAY- NIGHT.

John opens the bathroom door a crack. He is at the

opposite end of a corridor from the bedroom. He can

hear Alexei's voice.

Breathing hard, he tiptoes out and stands in the corridor,

his back pressed hard against the wall. He takes one

step down the hall. The floor creaks loudly.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

ALEXEI

It wasn't easy for me. You know what

I'm like. I needed to know what I wanted. Now I know.

It's simple. I'm happy.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE HALLWAY. NIGHT.

John takes another step down the hallway. There, by

the door are the two guitar cases full of money. Next

to them is Nadia's bag. Crouching, John opens the bag

and searches inside. He finds what he is looking for;

the Silver Cigarette Lighter-Pistol.

We hear the Russian lovers' voices next door. John

is absolutely terrified, breathing hard and shaking,

holding the little gun.

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

ALEXEI

You still love me? Eh? Of course you

do. Come here. Yuri won't be here for a while. Come

on babe.

He takes his shirt off - Nadia glances up - With horror,

she sees John in the doorway.

Alexei turns to see John stand by the door, holding

a little silver gun.

NADIA

What are you doing here?

John and Nadia look at each other.

ALEXEI

What the fuck is he doing here?

He looks at the little gun.

ALEXEI

(cont'd) That's that cigarette lighter

I gave you isn't it?

Alexei stands. John takes a step back. Alexei walks

calmly towards John and throws a punch. It catches John

right on the chin and he hits the wall and goes down

very fast.

NADIA

Stop.

Alexei turns round to see Nadia holding the knife.

He is dumbstruck.

ALEXEI

What? What are you doing?

NADIA

(to John) What are you doing here?

Alexei kicks John in the ribs.

NADIA

(cont'd) (in Russian) stop it!

He looks at Nadia, the girl he came back for, angrily

pointing the knife at him. He suddenly looks completely

punctured. John has struggled up again and stands behind

him. They are both looking at Nadia.

ALEXEI

What. You're what? You're with this creep

now.

NADIA

Leave him!

ALEXEI

You have. You've actually fallen for

this prick.

NADIA

No I haven't.

Alexei looks dumbstruck. He laughs emptily

ALEXEI

Babe it's me. I won't let you get away.

Nadia stares back at him. The seconds pass. She speaks

in a whisper.

NADIA

I'll kill you if you try.

In the impasse, John picks up a lamp and hurls it at

Alexei's head. It is going to hit him, but reaches the

length of its cord and stops six inches short. In the

confusion. Alexei grabs Nadia's wrist and forces her

to the ground. He grabs the knife, just as John brains

him with one of the guitars. It emits a fruity final

chord.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR/ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

Whistling, Yuri comes out of his suite, knocks briskly

on the door of Alexei's and enters. we walk with him

down the hallway into the bedroom to find Alexei, heartbroken,

tied and bound to a desk chair.

Yuri murmurs something in Russian.

SUBTITLE

Fuck a duck.

CUT TO:

INT. ALEXEI'S SUITE. NIGHT.

Nadia stands at the window and stares at her reflection,

or past it into the blackness.

NADIA

Get their passports.

John finishes tying up Yuri, and removes his passport

from his jacket. Behind Nadia another plane arcs up

into the night sky.

He takes Alexei's passport from his pocket, but Alexei

is only watching Nadia.

ALEXEI

Don't do this.

She carefully places tape across his mouth.

Almost as if having second thoughts she bends down

to kiss his cheek. The 'kiss' suddenly makes Alexei's

eyes widen in pain. As she stands her lips are bloody.

She's bitten him on the cheek. A single streak of blood

runs from the gash.

NADIA

(to John) Get your money.

John collects the cases and they head for the door.

Nadia stops to look back at Alexei. A final look.

EXT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

The front of the terminal. Taxis pull up and idle at

a rank, bringing travellers to their flights. The automatic

doors slide back and forth.

INT. AIRPORT CHECKING IN DESK. NIGHT

ANNOUNCEMENT

(V/0) Last Call for Aeroflot flight

1311 to Moscow. proceed immediately to Gate 12.

John carries the guitar cases full of money. Nadia

just has her small camouflaged hold all. They walk quickly

together in silence and come to a stop at the departure

lounge gate 12.

JOHN

Are you okay?

She nods.

JOHN

(cont'd) Okay. Goodbye.

NADIA

Goodbye.

They shake.

JOHN

What will you do now?

Nadia shrugs.

NADIA

Something else.

JOHN

Okay. Promise?

She looks at him.

NADIA

Promise.

They stand around. She takes the last cigarette from

a pack.

JOHN

You can probably buy them on the flight.

NADIA

I'm quitting. This will be my last one.

NADIA

(cont'd) So. Goodbye.

JOHN

Goodbye.

NADIA

You didn't deserve me john Buckingham.

JOHN

Whatever.

NADIA

I'm sorry.

JOHN

Please.

Pause.

NADIA

You prefer your women

She seems about to say somethinz more when the tannoy

interrupts.

ANNOUNCEMENT

(V/0) Gate closing for Flight 1311

to Moscow. Please have your tickets ready.

She leans forward and kisses him. As they kiss, John

puts a guitar case in her hand. Nadia looks down at

the case.

NADIA

It's not mine.

JOHN

It's not mine either.

NADIA

It's what you came back for.

John frowns and looks a little embarrassed.

She speaks to him in Russian and we see the subtitles.

NADIA

(cont'd) (in Russian) You're a big surprise,

you know.

Pause.

JOHN

Yeah, you see when I said I didn't speak

Russian I wasn't actually just making it up.

She leans forwards and whispers in his ear. John looks

at her. He looks to the four corners of the airport.

And back at her.

JOHN

(cont'd) Why?

NADIA

I'm not asking you to marry me.

JOHN

No. What? No. I know.

NADIA

It's more like a date.

JOHN

It's a long way to go for a date.

NADIA

Tell me about it.

Pause. She speaks softly in Russian. We see the subtitle:

NADIA

(cont'd) All that matters is to try..

John frowns.

NADIA

(cont'd) (in Russian) We can only try.

Say it.

John repeats the phrase in Russian.

JOHN

What does it mean?

NADIA

Maybe you will find out.

Pause. Nadia kneels and opens the guitar case. She

stealthily removes about five hundred.

NADIA

(cont'd) Hurry. I'll wait for you here.

JOHN

Right

INT. TICKET SALES. NIGHT.

John runs across the airport to the ticket desk. He

joins a queue of about three people. He works his way

to the front.

JOHN

Is the flight full?

OFFICIAL

I'm sorry Sir. I believe the flight

is closed.

JOHN

Please check. Is it full? Please could

you check.

BACK TO:

INT. AIRPORT. NIGHT.

Nadia stands alone holding her unlit cigarette, thinking.

She looks at the two guitar cases at her feet. She looks

across at John, anxiously drumming on the ticket sales

counter., What is she thinking?

INT. TICKET SALES. NIGHT.

CLOSE SHOT on the photo of Yuri in his passport.

The Aeroflot desk official holds the passport and studies

at John. With his four day beard there is a resemblance,

but it's far from perfect.

OFFICIAL

You have excellent English.

JOHN

Thanks.

OFFICIAL

How do you want to pay?

JOHN

Cash.

John collects his ticket, turns and heads back to where

he left Nadia with the guitar cases. He suddenly stops.

She's gone.

He looks all around. People swirl about. She's nowhere

to be seen.

John hangs his head. He turns, and walks away.

INT. AIRPORT CAFE. NIGHT.

John sits at a cafe table, and watches the people come

and go. He looks strangely calm, resigned.

CLOSE UP: John's fingers uncrumple the note from the

binoculars case. He smooths it on the table, then opens

it.

Inside is written a short phrase in Russian:

Kam Kapsi Schta

John looks at the note. He folds it closed and surveys

the airport for an exit.

Through the crowd, fifty feet away, getting a light

off two policeman; it's her.

Nadia blows out smoke, and speaks to the policeman.

John watches her. He smiles.

Suddenly she turns and points straight at John. The

Policeman look straight at him. As they head towards

him, Nadia picks up the cases and walks away.

John sits frozen as the Police approach.

POLICE 1

Excuse me Sir..

He takes John by the arm. John stands.

POLICE 2

Okay. Come with us now.

POLICE 1

He doesn't speak English. He's epileptic

or something.

POLICE 2

Can he walk? Can you walk?

The Policeman help John to the front of the gate, where

he is shown to the front of the queue. The Policeman

explains to the airline staff.

We see that Nadia is one behind in the queue. The Police

turn and walk away.

INT. AIRPORT BOARDING GATE. FLIGHT 1311 TO MOSCOW.

DAY

John pushes his passport and ticket under the perspex

window. He glances at Nadia, then looks at the young

airport official, the blood beating in his ears.

For a few interminable seconds the official's eyes

burn into John. John turns to Nadia and holds her gaze.

JOHN

Kam. Kapsi. Schta.

The subtitle appears: You've saved me.

Nadia looks down at the floor. She smiles.

CLOSE SHOT: The passport is snapped shut and pushed

back through.

INT. AIRPORT BOARDING CORRIDOR. DAY.

John walks without looking back. He turns to see Nadia

is behind him. As they round the corner, she hands him

a case.

They walk side by side without speaking.

Both look forward, straight-faced, as it both are thinking

about what it is that they are actually doing. John

looks back once, but he keeps walking. He looks across

at Nadia, but she doesn't look back.

They stop opposite the automatic boarding doors. Nadia

turns to John.

NADIA

My name's Sophia.

JOHN

Sophia.

Hello Sophla. Mine's still John.

SOPHIA

Hello John.

The doors slide open. John and Sophia walk through,

and disappear.

SFX

. The roar of Jet engines.

EXT. AIRPORT RUNWAY. NIGHT.

With a deafening roar, an Aeroflot Boeing 757 lifts

slowly from the runway and climbs up into the night

sky, where it becomes a distant star.

EXT. FIELD. DAY.

A distant aeroplane in a cobalt blue sky, through binoculars.

The young girl from the very first scene lowers the

binoculars and lets them hang around her neck. She squints

up at the sun.

A voice calls her.

WOMAN'S VOICE

Nadia!

The girl looks round.

WOMAN'S VOICE

(cont'd) Nadia!

She runs past us and we follow to see a couple sitting

on the grass having a picnic.

The girl hurries towards them and we realise the couple

are John and Sophia, the girl her child. She sits down

with them.

THE END