In a room in the Prime Minister's house,* {*In the original script, Dr. Zarniko is described throughout as the Prime Minister. In the English print of the film, the invitation card describes him as Minister of the Interior. In this case, we have followed the script.} the Prime Minister is holding the card. [It is just being put into an envelope. The envelope is sealed and laid on a pile of envelopes, already addressed and lying beside a small typewriter. Now we also see that it is the girl herself who is just taking up another envelope and putting it in the typewriter. We observe, too, that her father is standing beside her.]** {**This description in square brackets is taken from the original script. In the National Film Archive print, we follow straight on from the Prime Minister holding the card, to a shot of him bending over his daughter.}
Gravely he leans over to his daughter, the card in his hand, and says urgently:
TITLE: Once more I warn you, my child. Dr. Schoen's behaviour makes this wedding impossible!
The girl looks thoughtfully before her, then turns her face to her father and says:
TITLE: Leave me alone, Daddy. I take no notice at all of these slanders.* {*In the original script, the Minister's daughter says: 'Don't you think we ought to invite the Heymanns, father?'}
Her father, realising the uselessness of his warnings, resignedly shrugs his shoulders, kisses her forehead and leaves the room. The girl goes on with her typing. Fade to:
Alwa's Room in his Father's House, where Alwa is sitting at the piano, playing. Occasionally he breaks off and writes something in the score-book which lies open on the piano. And at one moment he is so delighted with the tune he has composed that he sings it enthusiastically as he plays.
So he hardly notices when Geschwitz enters, clutching a portfolio under her arm.** {**This is Countess Anna Geschwitz. Throughout the original script she is referred to by surname only. Due to the ambivalent relationship between her and Lulu, all scenes with Geschwitz were cut when the film was first released in England.}
She comes to the piano and smiles as she interrupts his thoughts. He leaps up, delighted to see her, and kisses her hand. Geschwitz lays the big folio on the piano, throws it open and says to Alwa:
TITLE: I've brought you the costume sketches for your new revue, Alwa.
Alwa jumps up and the two of them, leaning over the piano, begin to look at the drawings.
Geschwitz's hands turn the pages of the sketchbook for Alwa to see. Alwa admires the designs excitedly, lighting cigarettes for them both. As Alwa lights first her cigarette, then his own, Geschwitz stares at him from under the brim of her fashionable, severe hat. It is an intense, meaningful look. She says:
TITLE: How's Lulu?
She catches Alwa off his guard. He frowns and avoids her eyes; then he shrugs his shoulders wearily before bringing himself to answer:
TITLE: Father will have to break with her. The wedding can't be put off any longer.
Then Lulu comes in. She is elegantly dressed [and nothing about her remains of the little girl who sold flowers in the Alhambra].* { *Again, this is a reference to Lulu's past life, not shown in the film; see footnote page 18.}
She smiles and waves a greeting from the doorway as she bounds in. Camera pans across the room with her as she runs over to where they are standing by the piano. Alwa and Geschwitz both stretch out their hands in delight at seeing Lulu. Holding both their hands, she tells them something. They listen with interest. What is she telling them? Suddenly she lets go of their hands and runs across the room, camera following her, to a curtain rail; and before the two can say anything she has hoisted herself up with one pull and is displaying her newly learned tricks, swinging easily back and forth.
TITLE: Rodrigo The famous Rodrigo Quast wants to do a variety act with me. We've already started rehearsing.
Alwa is watching Lulu, transfixed with delight and amazement at this alluring creature. Geschwitz, by his side, also laughs; but there is a cautious look in her smiling eyes.
Lulu swings happily, backwards and forwards.
Alwa cannot take his eyes off her, while Geschwitz still smiles with interested attention as she watches the half-grotesque, half-charming little scene. Suddenly Alwa dashes forward, leaving Geschwitz watching, a cigarette raised to her lips.
It looks as if the curtain rail might give way. Alwa dashes across and reaches the spot just in time to catch Lulu in his arms as she flings herself, with a bold leap, to the floor.
For one moment he has Lulu's face, flushed and laughing, close to his own.
She hugs him affectionately and rubs her cheek against his. With a cute little smile she looks into his eyes, then over his shoulder to Geschwitz, and, nodding to her without any embarrassment, says:
TITLE: Alwa is my best friend he's the only one who never wants anything from me
She smiles innocently up at him, her arms still round his neck, holding his face close to hers.
Lulu doesn't notice how stonily Geschwitz stands, her eyes fixed on the couple almost in embarrassment.
For Lulu has already turned back to Alwa and is roguishly threatening him with her index finger under his chin. They chuckle together [as Lulu says:
TITLE: or is it only because you don't love me that you don't want anything from me?]
Lulu breaks away and, keeping hold of Alwa's hand, runs back across the room. Alwa follows her every movement with eyes that idolise her.
Still at the piano, Geschwitz has picked up the empty portfolio. As they join her, Lulu pulling Alwa behind her, Geschwitz turns only her head towards them; on her face, usually so well under control, a quick anguished smile.
Lulu notices the drawings laid out on the piano top, and she is electrified by them. She bends over to look more closely, and enthusiastically pulls one of them out.
The costume sketch which so excites Lulu is an extravagant 'gladiator' outfit.
The three of them crowd round the drawing she has picked out as Lulu pleads to Geschwitz:
TITLE: My dear Countess, you must make me a costume design like that too! [It would look marvellous on the trapeze!]* {* This reference to Lulu's proposed variety act did not appear on the title card in the National Film Archive print of the film.}
Geschwitz agrees and they shake hands on it. But now Geschwitz has to leave and Alwa follows her out, leaving Lulu looking gleefully at the costume sketches.
Alwa has hurried across to see Geschwitz out. At the door, she gives a brief, cold nod to Lulu [and before she goes, she indicates to Alwa that she has left the designs lying on the piano].
Lulu still has the sketch in her hand, and, giving a little leap, she runs with it out of the room into
Dr. Schoen's Large Study, which is empty.
Lulu runs over to the desk where she sees a big photograph. Casually, she picks it up.
It is a photograph of Dr. Schoen's bride-to-be.
Lulu, standing in front of the desk, with good humour and without jealousy studies the picture. But then Alwa comes in, and she turns to him at once and asks:
TITLE : Is she really so beautiful?
Alwa has no chance to reply because just then Dr. Schoen comes in. He glances at the two, sees the picture in Lulu's hand, goes over to her in silence, takes the picture from her hand almost brutally and puts it back firmly in its place. Then he barks at Lulu:
TITLE: I thought I'd forbidden you to come here!
Lulu looks up at him in her most haughty way and, putting her hand on her hip, says, almost aggressively:
TITLE: I didn't come to see you.
She meaningfully turns to Alwa and then walks arrogantly away; Alwa follows. They are about to leave the room when Dr. Schoen calls sharply, explosively:
TITLE: Alwa!
Alwa and Lulu look round questioningly.
Dr. Schoen considers for a moment; then slowly, wearily, he sits down.
Lulu stares at him angrily.
Dr. Schoen stares back; but not in anger. He stares fixedly, a terrible burden revealed in his eyes. He says to Alwa:
TITLE: Please get me down the Encyclopaedia, volume K.
For a moment Alwa looks at his father in astonishment at this unusual order; but a smile passes across Lulu's face. She turns to Alwa, pulls him down by his coat rather closer to her and, to his great astonishment, kisses him on the mouth. Then she says, as if incidentally:
TITLE: As agreed, then, you'll come to see me to-morrow.
As she speaks she smiles sweetly at Alwa. Then, pretending to be indignant, she turns her head, raises her eyebrows and directs a withering glance of contempt at Dr. Schoen. Proudly she tosses her head, and with her nose in the air she stalks off.
Dr. Schoen stares after her, more than a little disturbed by this display.
Alwa is lost in thought for a moment.
Then he pulls himself together and goes to one of the bookshelves, looks for the required volume, and
Brings it to Dr. Schoen, who is still sitting stiffly at his desk. Alwa lays it down beside him, without opening it. For a moment both men are silent. Then Alwa turns away and, without knowing particularly what he is doing, goes to one of the windows. He leans against it and is soon lost in contemplation of the street outside. Meanwhile, Dr. Schoen tries to get on with his work. Only he doesn't succeed. He is restless, pushing the things in front of him here and there.
Finally it is his fiancee's picture in front of him, which he pushes aside with an ill-humoured movement. Then he gives up even this attempt at activity, leans back in his chair and sinks into thought. All at once Alwa breaks the silence by asking softly:
TITLE: Father, why don't you marry Lulu?
The horrified Dr. Schoen jerks round in his seat. Alwa's question confronts him with a fact that he has repressed in the depths of his unconscious. And he blurts out vehemently:
TITLE: One does not marry women like that! [It would be suicide.]
And he jumps up so violently that the heavy chair falls over. He takes no notice of it, for he must master his excitement now by moving.
He begins to walk up and down the room.
Without saying a word, Alwa comes to the desk, picks up the chair, and, taking the costume sketch which Lulu has left lying there, is about to go when
Dr. Schoen calls him back, and asks:
TITLE: What did she want here?
Alwa shrugs his shoulders, and looks down at
The sketch which he is holding and which captivated Lulu so much. His expression is still quietly melancholic as he looks up from the sketch and back at his father:
TITLE: I think she wants to go into Variety. Someone wants to do a trapeze act with her.
Dr. Schoen stares at him for a moment, disconcerted; then, suddenly, he laughs. [He takes a step towards Alwa, claps him on the shoulder. He is shaken by gusts of laughter.]
The sketch which provokes such laughter rests still in Alwa's hand. Dr. Schoen takes it from his son to look at it more closely.
Then, suddenly seized by an idea
He taps Alwa's shoulder with the sketch, and
Taps several times with his finger on the picture.
He smiles at Alwa, pleased with himself.
Alwa looks back, puzzled by this sudden change.
Once again his father taps the drawing. Then he says, dictatorially:
TITLE: Not trapeze! She'll play in your revue! She knows how to hop around a bit. And my newspaper guarantees her success!
Alwa's astonishment changes into enthusiastic agreement. He is carried away by his father's enthusiasm.
Dr. Schoen smiles happily back at him. The idea is a good one.
Alwa laughs; he thinks so too.
Dr. Schoen laughs out loud in his exuberance.
He takes Alwa, by the arm, and together they look again at the costume sketch.
Still pressing the point, and with his hand on his son's arm, Dr. Schoen leads Alwa to the door. There are lots of details to arrange, but Dr. Schoen is delighted to have hit on such a good way of solving the immediate problem of Lulu's future.
Before they reach the door he stops, turning to Alwa, suddenly serious. Standing over him in a fatherly way, he studies him thoughtfully for a while, affectionately stroking his head.
As he drops his hand to his son's shoulder, he says, so jokingly that the seriousness of the warning isn't at first felt:
TITLE: But one thing more, my boy beware of that girl!
The effect on Alwa is sudden and dramatic. His smile disappears in a flash. He breaks free from his father, his eyes feverishly casting around for words to say.
Overcome by confusion, he breaks off abruptly and runs out of the room. The door slams behind him. Dr. Schoen's cheerful mood suddenly leaves him. He feels the future is full of menace; he stares at the door which he does not dare to open.
Behind the Scenes of a Revue Theatre, the performance is in full swing. The iron pass-door, leading from the auditorium to the stage, is wrenched open and Alwa, bursts in. He has Geschwitz with him, looking happy in her evening dress, and carrying a loose bunch of roses in her arms. Alwa is dressed in tails and is visibly excited. As he is beaming, we can assume that his first night is going well. Geschwitz, too, is excited and happy. Alwa shakes hands, vigorously, with the stage doorman.
They push their way through the confused medley of activities which characterise a revue stage past groups of stage-hands and big pieces of scenery, past dressers, dancing-masters, waiting chorus girls, electricians with spotlights, [past the Director who greets Alwa with a cheerful nod, past the Stage Manager who in spite of his ceaseless activity still finds time to stroke a bare shoulder, or now to clear a way for Alwa]* {* In the film, neither the Director nor the Stage Manager appears at this point.} and then come up to the wings.
Through the narrow opening, Alwa and Geschwitz can see Lulu dancing on stage.
Lulu is wearing the 'gladiator' costume made up from the design she admired so much out of Geschwitz's collection. She dances confidently on stage, face to face with the invisible public, and then dances out of Alwa's field of vision.
Crowded in the wing, Alwa points her movements out excitedly to Geschwitz.
In Lulu's place on stage come a row of sixteen dancing girls, marching forward in time, and carrying wooden spears.
[Alwa turns round and goes back to where Lulu should come offstage.]
In the wings, the back-stage activity goes on. A dressing-table has been improvised on a chair, with a looking-glass and make-up box. Beside it, a dresser stands waiting for Lulu's exit, different toilet
articles all ready in her hand. At that moment, a second dresser and a make-up assistant dash up, for Lulu is just dancing from the stage into the wings, right into the excited arms of Alwa and Geschwitz. But before they have had time to greet her properly, the two dressers and the make-up man fling themselves upon their star and begin to get her ready for her next entrance; that is to say, the dressers put new ornaments on her costume while the man freshens up her makeup. Geschwitz hands the besieged Lulu the bunch of roses and embraces her as best she can, for the Stage Manager is already dashing up and telling them to hurry for the next entrance. Lulu is radiant. She just finds time to stretch her hand out to Alwa over the wall of people, and he just manages to kiss the tips of her fingers, before she is dragged away by the Stage Manager to the edge of the wings. He snatches the roses from her arm and holds her taut and tense as he listens for her cue. When it comes, he pushes her on scene [not forgetting a hasty kiss on the shoulder]. Alwa and Geschwitz crowd round, peering over his shoulder.
On Stage there is a different setting now, since the change of scene; a few dancing girls pose rhythmically in the background. Lulu comes on, dancing, and camera follows her as she flaunts herself across the stage.* {*It is interesting to note, here, that when Lulu receives her cue to go on stage she is still wearing the 'gladiator' costume, with the helmet, etc. In this shot, which supposedly follows without a break for a costume change, she arrives on stage wearing a totally different costume. She has an extravagantly plumed top-piece upon her head and wears a dress with a low-cut bodice.}
The three look on proudly from the wings at their little star. The Stage Manager blows her kisses, then hastily dashes off to the next emergency.
In the opposite wing, Rodrigo is waiting for his cue. He is also wearing a gladiator's costume and ill-temperedly watches the stage from which Lulu is just dancing towards him. He nods admiringly, in spite of himself. Lulu stops in front of him, still in her dance costume,** {**Lulu now makes her reappearance in the opposite wing wearing her original 'gladiator' costume.} already thinking about her next entrance. Rodrigo snatches the moment to whisper to her:
TITLE: A lot of rubbish! You'd have done better to do the trapeze act with me!
But now the ubiquitous Stage Manager dashes up and all conversation is cut short. He is still carrying the bunch of roses and, although they are obviously in his way, he is too busy even to think about laying them aside. He is following the action in his prompt copy. On cue, he gives the signal to Lulu to go on stage, and at the same time urgently helps Rodrigo on with his helmet and shield. Lulu goes on again, dancing elegantly, and Rodrigo lumbers after her. And behind him appears a second gladiator, then a third, a fourth, then more and more, one after the other, all looking alike, all moving alike a lumbering chorus. As each one passes the Stage Manager he slams their visors down over their faces, giving the final gladiator a hefty push onto the stage for good measure.
In the throng back-stage, he meets the Director who is just coming down the stairs. Some of the cast are at an opening between the wings, [watching the performance with interest and accompanying it with expressions which show that it is going well].* {* In the film itself, it is clear that the change of scene mentioned later is already under way.} The Director halts by the Stage Manager and asks him something, pulling out his watch and pointing to it. The Stage Manager's breathlessness increases still further. He also has something urgent on his mind which he must discuss with the Director. He pulls his script out from the bulging pocket of his overall, but in his harassed state he cannot manage both book, flowers, and finger to point with.
Feverishly, he passes the flowers over to the Director. hey discuss the scene briefly, then the Stage Manager hurries back onto the set.
As he dashes here and there organising the stage-hands with the new scene, he notices that Dr. Schoen and his fiancee have just come in through the pass-door. He runs past them with a deep bow.** {** End of reel 1.}
In the throng back-stage, the Director is now talking with Alwa.
Dr. Schoen and his fiancee come forward behind the scenes, looking up with interest at the staircase, where
We see the chorus girls and actors running quickly down for the next scene.
[While Dr. Schoen is still at a distance, the Director is already greeting him effusively; then he claps Alwa on the shoulder and runs over to the couple.]
Back to Pandora's Box Contents