Roundhay Ringstrasse

1

Roundhay Ringstrasse

1. Exterior. Vienna. Day.
Heavy police vehicles roar into a courtyard of a block of flats. Sound
reverberates from the walls. Clatter of officer's boots, rifles. Shouts
from the officers as positions are taken up. The lead official,
Schleichen, speaks through a loudspeaker.

SCHLEICHEN

Attention! This is Austrian national police. All persons are to

assemble in the courtyard immediately. Any person attempting

to leave or evade our forces will be shot. Assemble now.

2. Interior. Leeds, Roundhay vicarage. Day.
Henry and Isobel at home. A very settled atmosphere. The clock ticks,
clink of teacups, rustle of newspaper.

HENRY

4 down. 5 letters. Verb. To build on to an existing building. To

take over an existing country. First letter A, last letter X.

ISOBEL

Tricky. More tea, Henry?

HENRY

Thank you. When will they arrive?

ISOBEL

We're expecting a call from the bishop's office any minute.

HENRY

Are you sure we are doing the right thing?

ISOBEL

Yes, Henry old thing, we are.

2

HENRY

I know we are. I mean for them.

ISOBEL

What is the alternative? Death camp or Rounday?

HENRY

You do have a way of putting things, Isobel. You know what I

mean. The culture shock. They speak German, we speak

English. We play cricket in the park, they...don't. We drink

tea, they drink...what do Austrians drink, darling ?

Telephone rings

ISOBEL

Leeds 369. Ah, bishop. Of course. Yes, there are three.

Two sisters and their brother. Thank you. Yes, reception

committee on the way.

Replaces phone

Oh dear, I forgot to ask how we would recognise them.

3 Exterior. Leeds station Day
Whistle of steam train as it enters station

HENRY

Here it comes. Bang on time, good old LNER.

Splendid 2-4-2 Castle class up from Kings Cross, I shouldn't

wonder.

ISOBEL

Henry ! This is not the time for trainspotting. This is history
in

the making! Now keep a look out. The bishop said two sisters

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and their brother.

Steam train whistles and halts. Porters shouting, doors

Slamming, people all around on the platform.

HENRY

I say! Leeds must be all the rage this season. What a

crowd. Any sign dear?

ISOBEL

Difficult in all this crush. No, no, er, maybe, over there, boy,

girl, with that gentleman, no other girl, keep your eyes peeled.

RAWCLIFFE

Reverend? Reverend Lawrence?

HENRY

Indeed sir, to whom do I have the pleasure.... Over here

Isobel.

RAWCLIFFE

Rawcliffe is the name. Coordinating Committee for

Refugees.

I'm escorting a contingent of children from London to

Yorkshire. Northern Liasion officer.

ISOBEL

Welcome to Leeds.

RAWCLIFFE

Most kind. Here they are. Alfred and Irene. Say hello to your

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new friends, Reverend and Mrs Lawrence.

HENRY

Welcome, welcome, welcome. I'll call you Alfred and Irene

You call me Henry.

ISOBEL

And you must call me Isobel. We are so pleased to see you. We

hope you will be happy here. We live by the park. There's

boating, tennis, so much to do.

RAWCLIFFE

I hope you will understand. I expect they are rather

overwhelmed. Their English is quite good. English assistant at

school. Girl from South Kensington by all accounts. Explains

why they're sharper on lemonade and other jollies than on

irregular verbs.

Do say hello Irene and Alfred.

IRENE / ALFRED

Good afternoon. Good afternoon

ISOBEL

Oh, they are so polite! We are going to get on so well.

HENRY

How charming. Let's be going to your new home.

Just one point, Rawcliffe. We thought there were three.

4 Interior. The vicarage day room Day

5

ISOBEL

Now, Irene and Alfred. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Here we

are. Home from home. Now, what can we offer you to drink?

IRENE

A cup of tea, please.

ISOBEL

Tea! Oh, I say, you're going to fit in splendidly! Alfred?

ALFRED

Lemonade, please, Frau, frau....

ISOBEL

Isobel, please. Tea and lemonade coming up. Let's go

into the garden. Any one for tennis?

5 Interior. The vicarage. Rev Lawrence's study. Day
It is a summer day. Fade down sounds outside of birdsong, the children
playing tennis...

HENRY

I want to get this straight, Rawcliffe. I understood there were

three children. Alfred, Irene, Margarete Bergen.

RAWCLIFFE

That is, was, I mean, is correct, vicar.

HENRY

And now there are two. Explanations please, Mr Rawcliffe.

RAWCLIFFE

Let's not rock the boat, vicar. We can't get them all out.

We're doing everything we can and more.

6

HENRY

I appreciate what your organisation is doing, Mr Rawcliffe.

I, we, they need to be sure - if sisters really are to be left

behind, we, you are doing everything possible.

RAWCLIFFE

Not sure I like your tone, old boy. Let me put you in the

picture. The Committee for Refugees does everything in its

power to bring as many children deemed at risk out of Austria

to safety.

We work with our contacts in Austria who are now at

increasing risk to their own safety by co-operating with us.

One of our contacts, an excellent chap by the name of Friedhof,

is in a position to receive information from inside the police

department. Without revealing too much detail, it is only thanks

to him that the delightful scene we see in your garden is

happening at all. Mind if I smoke?

6 Interior Vienna, Transport department of police. Day
We see Friedhof, middle ranking official steal a file marked " Bergen
", by hiding it under a sheet of papers. His boss, Schleichen looks at
him with interest but there is nothing to remark upon.

7 Exterior. Vienna Ringstrasse Evening
Friedhof walking home from the office along the Ringstrasse.
Slightly shabby in dress but dignified in posture we see Friedhof look
with contempt at the military vehicles in the street. Close up of his
briefcase.

8 Exterior. The vicarage garden. Day
Tea around the tennis court

7

ISOBEL

Now, tell us all about yourself, you first Alfred. How old are

you? Are you the eldest in you family?

ALFRED

No, Frau - I mean Mrs Isobel. I'm

.....1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11....12.

IRENE

My English is much better than Alfred's. I'm 14. And I always

listened to Fraulein Christine, our English assistant at school.

We had such fun. Alfred doesn't listen to girls.

IRENE

He will soon! Twelve eh? And 14. How lovely.

It always seemed to be summer when I was that age.

Oh you don't want to hear that. Tell me about Vienna.

The Blue Danube, Caf? und Kuche, Strauss...

ALFRED

Who is Strauss, Mrs Isobel. Is he the man who helped us?

IRENE

Don't be silly, Alfred. He's not the man who helped us: that

was Herr Friedhof.

9 Interior. Friedhof's digs. Evening
Friedhof tunes in wireless set. We see him take the " Bergen file "
from his briefcase.
We notice there are other similar files in his room on the book shelves
among works by Hardy, Austen, Wordsworth etc. He places the file on the
table and takes out a pen, poised over the file.

BBC ANNOUNCER

8

This is London. Welcome to Friday night is music night.

Here is a selection of Strauss Waltzes.

10. Exterior. In the vicarage garden. Day
We hear the same Strauss music waft out across the garden. Henry
strolls out to join Isobel and the children. Rawcliffe remains at the
French windows of the study, smoking.

IRENE

Oh, this is Margarete's favourite. She loves to dance.

Margarete. Our sister. You'll meet her soon. The eldest sister,

Strauss the elder, that's what she used to say every time we

heard this waltz. Come on Alfred, suppose I'll have to dance

with you?

ISOBEL

Margarete?

ALFRED / IRENE
They dance.

Margarete! Margarete!

HENRY

What a delightful scene, Isobel. Now, Irene, Alfred. You must

listen to me. I need to know everything about Margarete

Telephone rings. Rawcliffe closes the French windows. The music stops
with a gramophone scratch.

11 Exterior./ Interior Vienna Ringstrasse Day
Close up of street name. Friedhof enters building and walks up a
stairwell. At the top of the stairs is Margarete.

MARGARETE

Oh, Herr Friedhof. You have been so good to us...me. Without
you....

9

What news do you have ? I hate it here, just waiting...for what?

FRIEDHOF

The news is good. Alfred and Irene are safe. Your time will come.
Be

ready. The waiting will end.

Friedhof opens his briefcase. He gives Margarete a small food parcel
and some sweets. He descends the stairs.

12 Exterior London, Foreign Office Day
Close up of Foreign Office brass plate. Henry strides past. In city
attire he looks slightly out of place, although enjoying his foray into
the world of politics

13 Interior. George Outhwaite's office in the Foreign Office. Day
George and Henry, very comfortable together, although Henry hasn't
quite got the hang of the requisite " old boy " style. They shake
hands.

GEORGE

Have you heard the story about the vicar and the....

HENRY

George! George Outhwaite. Outhwaite of the F. O.

Nice ring to it. Done very well for yourself, you old...

GEORGE

Done very well for yourself too, old boy. Lovely

Yorkshire vicarage, tennis courts by the park,

And as for that, Isobel, blimey, most stunning stunner

ever to grace the illustrious portals of Leeds University

And who makes the first move, Henry Lawrence

B.A Hons, first class, theology. Don't make them like that any

more!

HENRY

10

All's fair in love and...war, old fruit.

GEORGE

Ah yes, war. The lights are going off all over Europe.

Germany, Austria...

That's why you're here, isn't it?

HENRY

Ah, the Outhwaite touch. Action. Can see why you've gone far.

Now, business. Austria. Two names. Friedhof, Schleichen.

Ball's in your court, old fruit.

GEORGE

Quite, old fruit, got your letter. I'm authorised to talk to you
as

you are now in loco parentis for the Bergen family. Here's the

file. Interesting but grim. Secret. Austrian national police,
now,

of course under Nazi direction. Commissioner Schleichen.

Head of Vienna Ringstrasse district. Nasty character.

Sort who always float to the top in times like these.

Friedhof. Middle ranking civilian grade in transport

department. Exact opposite to Schleichen. Anglophile. Been

known to our friends in the Embassy for a few years now.

Quiet, scholarly type, but deceptive. On the reckless side of

fearless. Many Jewish Austrian children owe him their lives.

HENRY

Especially, Alfred and Irene Bergen.

GEORGE

11

Alfred and Irene Bergen, may be the last out. The Nazis, led

on by our friend Schleichen, are closing in. Our intelligence

sources reveal that in helping your two nippers from

Ringstrasse to Roundhay, his own position may be

compromised. The next, and possibly the last departures

from Vienna Hauptbahnhof en route to our green and pleasant

land will be Friedhof...

HENRY

You're closing the network?

GEORGE

We're closing down Friedhof's operation. They're coming out.

Friedhof....and Margarete Bergen.

HENRY

God bless you, George. I know you could do it. Rawcliffe was

wrong. How...

GEORGE

Don't ask me how, Henry. There are some things it's better

vicars shouldn't know.

Henry and George shake hands. Henry turns to leave the office.

GEORGE

Did you say Rawcliffe? Eton and Christ Church. Only tell you what

can't be done. We Leeds graduates know better. Love to Isobel.

14 Exterior The vicarage garden. Day
Irene and Alfred playing. Isobel walks across the lawn with Richard.
Handsome boy, about 16, slicked hair a la mode. Irene is fascinated by
him but doesn't know

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how to react. The confusion about the Youth Group is alarming to her,
comical to Isobel and Richard. Richard tries to be more suave with
girls than he actually is.

ISOBEL

Irene! Irene! Come and meet Richard. Irene, this is Richard.

IRENE

Pleased to meet you, I'm sure.

RICHARD

The pleasure is all mine. You're so...

ISOBEL

Richard is leader of our Youth Group.

IRENE

Leader, Youth Group!

ISOBEL

Oh, I see. Youth Group. Yes, Roundhay Church Youth Group.

Don't worry about Richard, he's only interested in two things:

Movies and movies.

RICHARD

Irene. Please, I mean, er, would...you do me the honour of going
to

the cinema with me this evening?

ISOBEL

Say yes, Irene. He's a good boy really. More Coleman than Cagney.

IRENE

Yes, it would be...an honour!

ISOBEL

I think fun is the word, Irene. Have fun!

13
15 Interior. Cinema. Evening.
During the feature film. Irene is enjoying the film. Richard casually,
puts his arm around her. She doesn't back off. Music indicates end of
feature film. Start of newsreel. Atmosphere changes.

NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER

More proof, if it were needed of Herr Hitler's violent intentions
as

Nazi troops march into Vienna...

Close up of Irene, she is crying. Richard, at first confused, moves
from suitor to protector.

16 Interior. Schleichen's office. Day.
Schleichen, in black civilian jacket with epaulettes, is over-
correctly dressed and polite but with a feel of menace. Friedhof is
dressed more like a literary man than an office worker. Schleichen
dislikes Friedhof . Friedhof knows he is under suspicion but Schleichen
cannot pin anything on him.

SCHLEICHEN

Ah, Friedhof. Please be seated.

FRIEDHOF

Thank you Herr Director. Here is the file you requested.

SCHLEICHEN

Thank you, Friedhof. Indeed, Bergen. 210 Ringstrasse North.

Not our most efficient operation. How many children do, did, the

Bergen's have Friedhof?

FRIEDHOF

Two Herr Director.

SCHLEICHEN

Two, precisely my dear Friedhof. Two. And where are these
delightful

children now?

14

FRIEDHOF

Missing.

SCHLEICHEN

Missing. Missing. I do not ever want to hear that word again in
this

office. Ever. Is that clear?

FRIEDHOF

Clear, Herr Director.

SCHLEICHLEN

Thank you. Friedhof. That will be all. Until tomorrow morning.

Friedhof? Two, you said? Most interesting.

Friedhof leaves the office. The two men look at each other. It is clear
that for Friedhof there will be no normal tomorrow morning.

17 Interior. The lobby of the police office building in Vienna
Evening
Friedhof, in his hat and coat, is about to leave. Schleichen, with
uniformed guard, a thuggish looking man, intercepts Friedhof.
Schleichen is confident he will now be able to catch Friedhof red
handed with a file in his briefcase. Friedhof remains remarkably
composed throughout.

SCHLEICHEN

Good evening, Friedhof. I trust we will not detain you from a pleasant
evening. Routine security check. Nothing personal, of course.

FRIEDHOF

Security is a concern for us all, Herr Director.

Schleichen nods to the guard, who grabs Friedhof's briefcase and
rummages for files. Not finding any he looks at Schleichen, who nods
again curtly. The guard shakes the briefcase upside down. A bag of
sweets, the same kind as Friedhof gave to Margarete
bursts on the floor.

15

18 Exterior The office building Evening
Friedhof descends the steps. We see the office curtain of upstairs
window drawn aside and see Schleichen with the guard watching Friedhof.
As Friedhof walks quickly along the street we feel he is being
followed. He is, by Outhwaite. Friedhof continues to Margarete's safe
house and enters. A car draws up outside.

19 Interior. Vicarage day room Evening
Henry and Isobel in the vicarage, doing the crossword as before but
Henry is distracted and keeps looking at his watch. In the background
Richard is showing Alfred how to hold a cricket bat.

ISOBEL

12 Across. To interfere with a file or document. Six letters, first T ,
last R. Henry! Your mind has been somewhere else all day!

20 Exterior. Vienna main railway station. The same evening.
Schleichen looking at his watch, organising his men.

21 Exterior. Outside the safe house. Evening
Friedhof, Outhwaite and Margarete emerge. The car outside begins to
move. Door opens. They enter. Door closes. Car, driven by Rawcliffe,
speeds off.

RAWCLIFFE

Not the main railway station I assume.

OUTHWAITE

Good show, old man. Linz and step on it. Schleichen will be on to us
in

a jiffy. Main station will be tighter than a (looks at Margarete
and

backs off dirty metaphor)... totally surrounded. We pick up the
local

train in Linz, then Zurich, Dijon and all stations to...

RAWCLIFFE

Briggate, Moortown and all stops to Rounday.

OUTHWAITE

Not bad... for a Christ Church man.

22 Interior./ Exterior Henry's study. Day
Henry speaking into the telephone.

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HENRY

I see. Damn good show, Outhwaite, Damn - I mean jolly - good
show.
Welcoming committee all present!

Replaces receiver. Smiles all round as they line up in front of the
French windows.
Irene adjusts the tie of Richard and Alfred, now quite the young
gentleman. Isobel adjusts the vicar's collar of Henry.

ISOBEL

You know, you were right, there is only two, us two....I am so proud of
you, Vicar.

23 Exterior / Interior. Apparently inside a railway carriage. Day
Close up of Rawcliffe, Friedhof and Margarete. As camera pulls away we
see they are in a Leeds tram, destination board: Rounday

Music over: Strauss waltz. End.