A Team Nanban (594mgnav) Release
I did, I did, I thought I was a cat.
I identified with cats, well, I kind of did.
I wonder why. Because they're never sure when you stroke them.
Maybe I was a sad cat. Was I a sad cat?
Truly, I did. 'Cause I was a fuddy-duddy.
I kissed them. I always do if they let me.
If I see a cat on a fence, I will kiss it.
Life's a perpetual risk, isn't it?
I was different in those days. I've got to be different again.
But can a leopard change its spots?
It's a blood sport. I think it's a blood sport. It seems to be true.
Or is it a blank?
You've to put the pieces together, see if you can make a word. Funny!
It's a mystery.
We're closed!
- What's the problem? - Sorry...
I'm the problem!
It's not an ideal world. Is it?
We have to make the most of it.
It's more ideal than it was, we're privileged.
Not long ago people were burnt to a steak, Moby.
No, Tony.
Tony, not Moby. Who am I?
Who knows? I'm David, Tony...
- How can Sylvia help? - Is it Sylvia?
Pleased to meet you, Sylvia! Schubert said: "Who is Sylvia?"
- What can we do for you? - I've got to stop talking.
You just tell Sylvia why you're here.
- Are you lost? - Yes... perhaps I'm lost.
Is that your piano, beautiful Sylvia?
Isn't Sylvia beautiful, Toby? No, Tony.
You're beautiful too. Could I play it?
- Like hell! - Shut up, Sam.
- The devil! "Diablerie". - Get out of here!
Tell us who you are and where you live.
Live and let live. That's very important.
It's a lifelong struggle, isn't it?
To survive undamaged and not destroy anything.
If you do something wrong, you can be punished for the rest of your life.
To keep your head above water and not get it chopped off.
I'm not disappointing you, am I? Sam, yes!
Helfgott... What a name!
Sylvia, Helfgott means "with the help of God".
My daddy's daddy was religious.
But he got exterminated, so God didn't help him.
That's not funny, it's very sad. Daddy says I'm callous.
Sorry, Silvia, I'm not damaging you? Perhaps I haven't got a soul.
- What makes you say that? - Daddy says so.
- That's ridiculous. - You're right.
I'm ridiculous and callous. Because it was a tragedy.
A ridiculous tragedy.
I'm going to win. I'm going to win.
I'm going to win.
David's going to play the piano for us.
What are you going to play?
Chopin, the Polonaise!
This is a disgrace! The piano!
- It's a disgrace! - This kid's good.
He's great.
He's my son.
My son.
Here they come.
Did he win or lose?
He lost.
Now we'll cop it.
It's your turn.
It's your turn, Daddy.
Let me see...
You're losing.
David, always... win!
Always... win!
When I was a boy your age,
I bought a beautiful violin.
I saved for this violin and know what happened to it?
Yes, he smashed it.
Yeah, he smashed it.
David, you're a very lucky boy.
- My father never let me have music. - I know.
A very lucky boy. Say it.
I'm a very lucky boy.
Very lucky.
- Now shall I play for you? - No, pick up those pieces.
Listen.
Tell your friends not to come.
Hello.
Daddy, there's someone to see you.
Hello. I hope I'm not interrupting.
Ben Rosen. I was one of the judges.
You left before all the prizes were announced.
- You were very good. - Thank you.
He can play better.
Maybe he was too good. Some people don't like that.
We gave him a special prize for his courage.
- It was a difficult piece. - Daddy chose it.
Even great pianists fear the Polonaise.
- A prize for losing. - I wouldn't call it that.
Enough!
She plays well too.
They all play.
David could win lots of competitions
with the right tuition.
- I teach him. - You've done very well.
Yeah, no one taught me. No music teachers, Mr Rosen.
No, of course...
but bad habits are the difference
between winning and losing. Think about it.
It's Rachmaninov.
It's beautiful.
Yeah. You taught yourself?
From the record.
It's very difficult.
It's the hardest piece in the world.
Will you teach me?
One day you will play it. You will make me very proud.
Very proud, won't you, David?
Next time what are we going to do?
- We're going to win. - We're going to win. Yes.
Good night.
Good night, Daddy.
Come.
Don't touch it!
Mr Rosen, I would like you to teach David...
...this.
- Rachmaninov. Don't be ridiculous! - But he can play it already.
How can a boy express that sort of passion?
You are a passionate man, Mr Rosen. You will teach him.
No, I will teach him what I think is best.
Rachmaninov is best.
- You're his teacher, you decide. - Thank you.
- We'll start with Mozart. - I can't afford to pay.
- Come on, Sylvia's getting wet. - Sorry, Sylvia. Bye, Tony.
It's raining cats and dogs!
- You'll be right then? - Fine. Home sweet home.
- You can play. - Kind of, sweet Sylvia.
Chopin, the Pole. Like Daddy and his family.
- How long have you been here? - I don't know, a few years.
There was nothing wrong with Schubert, except syphillis.
Then he got typhoid and we lost him. A bit careless of us, wasn't it?
- So you're back? - Jim, I've been a naughty boy.
I was about to send out a search party.
He came into my restaurant and seemed lost.
Thanks for bringing him home.
- Bye, David. - A fine time.
The winner and our youngest ever State Champion...
David Helfgott!
- We won! - Thanks to Mozart!
And now he can play Rachmaninov.
And to present David with the prize,
our special guest from America, currently on tour in Australia,
Mr Isaac Stern!
You have a very special talent.
Thank you, Mr Stern, so do you.
How much are you prepared to give to your music?
- How much? - Everything, everything!
Everything, but I do like tennis and chemistry too.
Do you play tennis as well as you play Mozart?
I play at home.
I bounce the ball against the wall.
How would you like to go to a school in the States to study music?
America?
Land of the free, home of the brave. Mickey Mouse?
What an honour for our champion, an invitation to study in America.
And now, all the way from America...
David Helfgott!
- Thank you. - Not from America.
He's going to America, when he gets back, he'll be coming from there.
I suppose so.
I have no money to send him to America.
- We'll raise it. - What?
Bar Mitzvah. David hasn't had his yet.
Religion is nonsense.
It's also a goldmine.
One day I'll play with an orchestra.
- Can I come when you do? - You can ride in my Cadillac.
Where will you live in America?
With a nice Jewish family they said.
This is not a nice family?
Yes, Daddy, it's very nice.
You are very lucky to have a family.
I've got to go.
It's one of the finest music schools in the world.
- It is for his father to decide. - He will be well looked after.
Rachel, please. David could be one of the truly great pianists.
He is just a boy, Mr Rosen. He still wets his bed.
You see how fit and strong I am?
Show me where the circus lion scratched you.
That's what happens when you get too close to the bars.
David, come.
Hit me.
- As hard as you can. - I want to hit you, Daddy!
You see, a man of steel.
No one can hurt me. In this world only the fit survive.
- The weak get crushed. - Like grasshoppers?
If you want to survive in America
you have to be fit and strong.
- Like you, Daddy? - Yeah.
Like me, yes.
Like me, that's good.
- See you next week, David. - Thank you, Rabbi.
Mr Helfgott, it is exciting, isn't it?
David, the mayor is dying to meet you.
- Peter... - Mr Rosen.
Thank you.
No, thank you.
I would like to thank our wonderful Lord Mayor
for establishing this fund to send David to America.
And now, to play for us, our very own David Helfgott.
These people are a disgrace! They think they are so important.
Their fur and their diamonds... It makes me sick to the stomach.
And Rosen? What kind of man is he?
He is not married, he has no children.
- Don't talk to me about Rosen. - You both want the same thing.
Don't compare me to him. What has he ever suffered in life?
What does he know... What does he know about families?
About how your sisters died
and my mother and father?
Thank you, David. Thank you, Comrade Helfgott.
Your son is a credit to you.
On behalf of the Soviet Friendship Society, we applaud you.
Meet Katherine Pritchard.
- You play beautifully. - Thank you.
- My name's Sonia. - I'm David.
I know who you are!
You've got the most wonderful hands.
So do you.
- So you're going to America? - That's right.
Maybe one day you'll go to Russia.
Why not?
I'm here.
There's someone important to meet you.
I'd better go.
I've never met anyone who plays the piano as beautifully as you do.
I've never met a writer before.
- You must be very proud of him. - Very.
I have a long-suffering old piano at home.
- A suffering piano? - From neglect.
- Perhaps you'll come and play it. - Yes, anything to help.
I'd like that very much.
Me too.
Your attention, comrades, I wish to propose a toast.
That's my cue, excuse me.
To our founder and very special guest, Katherine Pritchard.
You will learn much from her. She has been to the Soviet Union.
America!
"We have been informed of your exceptional talent.
We would be privileged to have you stay with us.
You'll feel very much at home here
and we are having the Bosendorfer tuned especially.
- We await your "innement"... - Imminent. Fool!
Will they have a Cadillac?
"...imminent arrival and look forward to hearing you play.
Kindest wishes, Simon and Basha Mickleburg."
- Read it again! - Quiet! You'll wake the baby.
"You'll enjoy the company of our parakeet
and our poodle called Margaret."
Pig! It's not!
Enough!
Turn it off! Give me the letter.
David is not going anywhere.
Daddy!
What are you looking at? He's not going to America!
I won't let anyone destroy this family!
Please Daddy, don't!
I know what is best because I am your father.
I am your father and this is your family.
David, come back! Come back!
Why now? Why?
I know what's best.
Believe me. Close the door!
Mr Rosen!
Mr Rosen, please, it's David.
Time to get out, David. It's my turn for the bath.
Are you feeling better? Have you stopped shivering?
A bath is always the best.
Disgusting animal!
To shit in the bath. To do this to me.
You disgusting animal!
I know you can hear me.
Don't do this to David.
You mustn't stop him going. Peter!
Don't you dare inflict bloody Rachmaninov on him!
He's not ready!
David, my boy.
It's a terrible thing to hate your father.
I know life is cruel...
but music,
music will always be your friend.
Everything else will let you down.
In the end everything, believe me.
Don't hate me.
Life is cruel,
but you have to
you have to survive.
You have to survive.
Say it.
You have to survive, Daddy.
No one
will love you like me.
You can't trust anyone.
But I will always
be there.
Give me a hug.
I will always be with you. For ever and ever.
For ever, Daddy.
Each time you play for me
it expresses so completely the inexpressible.
- Is that good? - Divine.
Inexpressibly divine.
Tell me a story, Katherine.
- What's the story today? - A new story.
"Drops of water".
- Raindrops. - Yes, raindrops.
Perfect. I shall treasure this to the day I die.
"To you all these wild weeds
and wind flowers of my life, I bring, my Lord,
I lay them at your feet.
They're not frankincense or myrrh,
but you are Krishna, Christ and Dionysus.
In your beauty, tenderness and strength."
That was our final contestant, David Helfgott
with a very stirring Rachmaninov.
What a close contest!
The prize will surely go to one of the two pianists.
It's going to be difficult for the judges to decide.
The judges are conferring.
- It's a tough game, isn't it, Roger? - It's a blood sport.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm pleased to announced the winner of this year's competition.
Our new national champion is...
Roger Woodward!
What was he like, Katherine?
Your father.
He was forever busy in his study.
"Go away, Kattie, I'm writing", he'd always say.
One day, I was very young, I got so annoyed
that I upset the inkpot all over his desk
and scrawled on his work. Pages of it.
When he saw it, he just stood there seething with anger.
"What are you doing?"
There was this terrible silence.
I just stared at him and said: "Go away, Daddy, I'm writing!"
He ran at me, picked me up and cuddled me breathless.
My first literary effort, he always called it.
David, what is it?
Royal College of Music.
A scholarship.
That's marvellous!
Daddy won't cuddle me, Katherine.
He can't stop you, David.
- He's such an angry lion. - Nonsense, he's a pussycat.
I'll miss you.
These were for my son, but you'd better have them.
It gets very cold in London.
Where have you been?
I missed the train.
That Pritchard woman!
What is this? The gloves?
Look at me.
Look at me!
And you think you can just do as you please?
I want to go, and you can't stop me.
But I am your father!
I have done everything for you! Everything!
You cruel, callous boy!
- Mum! - Stupid!
Leave him alone.
Leave him alone!
If you want to go, go!
I'll call the police!
- Go, go! - Stop it!
Leave him, he's all right.
Are you all right, David?
Are you all right?
He's all right.
I'm old enough to make up my own mind.
He thinks he's going to London.
I've been accepted into the Royal College of Music.
What will happen to you in London?
David, if you go...
...you'll never come back into this house again.
You will never be anybody's son.
The girls will lose a brother.
Is that what you want?
You want to destroy the family?
I'm so sorry.
If you love me, you will not step out that door.
If you go, you will be punished.
For the rest of your life.
Don't go.
I'm sorry.
Don't make me do it!
He has the most fantastic hands.
Not connected to his head though.
- He's a bit fragile. - Chopinzee!
He can make the finals in the Concerto trials.
And what have you seen?
- Moments of genius. - Genius?
Really!
Come on, David.
Boldness of attack.
"Diablerie".
- The devil! - Mustn't break the piano.
- Liszt broke plenty of strings. - Right.
Come on! Fill in for this useless arm!
The notes first, interpretation comes on top of them.
- You agree, do you? - I always agree.
Is that wise?
I don't know. Is it?
Don't forget, it's on the page.
The notes are on the page, but not the feeling.
Don't sacrifice everything to emotion, you need balance.
- Is that the question, professor? - Precisely.
I thought so, that's what I thought.
- Your allowance cheque. - Thank you.
Sorry, sorry.
- I'll stand still. - Be careful, David.
- You look lovely today, Sarah. - Thank you.
- You too, Muriel. - Ease up, Helfgott.
David, you missed the bank. You'll have to wait until tomorrow.
- Can't bank on the bank. - We know someone who can cash it.
Got to concentrate, Kath. Got to practice, practice.
Professor Parkes says work, work, work.
That's what I have to do to win the Concert Medal.
The winner gets to play at the Royal Albert Hall.
I bought a beautiful piano. It's a suffering piano like yours.
I wrote to Daddy. That's positive, isn't it?
He didn't write back, but...
How did we manage to get into the finals?
- You're a conductor's nightmare. - What are we going to do?
- We're going to win! - Right!
Rachmaninov?
Are you sure?
I'm never really sure about anything.
The Rach 3.
It's monumental!
It's a mountain, the hardest you could everest play.
No one's been mad enough to attempt the Rach 3.
Am I mad enough, professor?
Think of two separate melodies jostling for supremacy.
The hands, giants, ten fingers each.
Performing's a risk. No safety net.
Make no mistake. It's dangerous.
People get hurt.
You have to be able to play it blindfold.
The page! The notes!
Sorry, I was forgetting them.
Is it too much to ask to learn them first?
- And then forget them? - Precisely.
Just give me the fingering.
David, come on.
We'll rest muscles and fingers today and exercise the imagination.
First movement, cadenza.
Let's pick it up from...
Your hands must form the unbreakable habit of playing the notes,
so that you can forget all about them.
Let it come from here. The heart.
That's where it comes from.
Don't you love those big fat chords?
You have to tame the piano or it will get away from you.
It's a monster! Tame it, or it will swallow you whole.
Coming along nicely, David.
'Morning, Mrs Perkins.
I call this my little mausoleum.
Liszt... warts and all.
They made this after he was dead.
Poor Franz, dead as a post, eh?
You can still get these on the left bank, quite cheap.
I've got Rachmaninov in here somewhere.
Magnificent fingers. So virile!
I played the Rach 3 for him once.
Really?
He said he could hear himself in my playing,
he said it was as if I had touched his soul.
Not bad, was it?
Not too bad at all.
Now it's your turn.
Remember, once you've done it, nobody can ever take it away from you.
You must play... as if there was no tomorrow.
Come on, David, don't let me down.
How many moments of genius today, Cecil?
Hello?
Who is this?
Hello?
Daddy, I'm home.
Daddy!
Hello? Daddy...
Someone here to see you.
It's me, Suzie.
Suzie. Do we know Suzie?
Your sister.
Sister Suzie, sister Suzie. Thank you, sister nurse.
I won't be able to visit very often.
Not so often, sweet Suzie.
- I'm going to live in Melbourne. - Don't tell Daddy.
Mustn't cry over spilt milk. What can you do, Margaret?
- Margaret's in Israel, remember? - I remember Margaret.
She called me dopey. Or was it a pig? It was the poodle.
It was all very complicated in Israel.
It was a battleground, war zone.
Such a bore, such a bore, it was a war.
It just destroys everything.
- David! - That's right!
- I knew I'd find you here. - I've been a naughty boy again.
- I think I have. - Come on.
I might get punished for the rest of my life because I'm flawed.
Silly sausage!
It's forbidden fruit, the doctor says it's forbidden fruit.
The thing was he didn't approve, he didn't approve.
He was very disapproving.
They'd all scuttle away and leave me there.
So you can read music?
Kind of. I'm just turning over a new leaf, eh?
My name's Beryl Allcott. What's yours?
That sounds like my name, Helfgott.
- Helfgott? - Yes. Ridiculous.
It means "with the help of God".
What's your first name?
Yes, first things first. I'm David.
- You're David Helfgott? - That's right, that's right.
I used to watch you win all those competitions.
- Win some, lose some. - I was quite a fan.
Do you still play?
I mustn't, doctor said I mustn't. It will end in tears if I misbehave.
The doctor says it might damage me, because it did once.
A long, long time ago. That's the story.
Come on, you play. Boldness of attack.
That's good, Beryl! Very good left hand...
You've got to share and care and just behave, right?
That's right, yes.
This is going to be a stylish marriage!
That's very good, Beryl. Very good.
Very good. Press those pedals. We're riding a bicycle. Pedal!
- What goes on in his head? - God only knows.
- Is it serious? - It's a complex disorder.
Poor lost soul.
He could leave tomorrow if he had somewhere to go.
- Come along, David. - Beryl, Beryl.
- You know I can't abide smoke. - Sorry.
- What are you doing? - I'll walk.
- You don't know the way. - I'll follow you.
It's all right. Get in, David!
God bless you, David Helfgott!
How's this?
- Is that you, nurse? - It's all right, I'm here.
I'm here, but where's the nurse?
This is where you live now.
I'm fine, aren't I, Beryl Daisey?
This is where David Helfgott gets back on the rails.
That's the story!
That's the story.
Don't you just love those big fat chords?
The botanical garden's just down the road.
You can come and go as you please.
Mister Minogue's a lovely man.
I know you'll like him.
You'll even have your own piano!
Very, very feathery, very light...
Shut up!
Stop it, David!
Good morning, David. Wakey-wake, it's breakfast time.
We'll give this piano another rest.
Sign your cheque.
- Look at you, you should get out. - Yes, and exercise.
Get some fresh air into those lungs of yours.
Yeah, because the weak get crushed like grasshoppers, don't they?
Thank you, thank you.
- I hope you enjoyed it. - It was great.
Bye.
We're closed.
Sylvia, your stray dog's back.
- Shall I get rid of him? - No.
- What about a tune? - A tune? Sure, no worries.
Bravo! Encore!
- Sock it to us, Liberace! - That's enough!
- A hot one, a live one. - Give us Beethoven's Fifth.
Symphony or Concerto?
I played quite well tonight, didn't I?
I deserve a bit of a snack.
Hello, David.
Hello, Daddy.
Are you feeling well?
Well? It's the lid, I can't open the lid. There's something wrong with it.
What could be wrong?
It's a mystery.
Close it.
Give it to me. I'll show you.
You see... how easy it is?
Couldn't be easier. That's right.
Here.
Look at me.
You are a lucky boy, David.
That's true, it seems to be true. People say that they think I...
Get to the point.
I'm a very lucky boy.
No one will love you like me.
Do you realise what an opportunity
you have here?
Opportunity of a lifetime.
When I was a boy,
I bought a violin.
A beautiful violin.
I saved
for this violin.
You know
what happened to it?
No, what happened to it?
I've no idea.
You've got to be fit to survive, to stay alive, haven't you?
Good night, Daddy.
- Where are the kids? - Around somewhere having fun.
I've got someone staying on weekends.
- But not another Scorpio, is he? - He's a child prodigy.
- Thanks. - It's a madhouse!
Is that water?
Where is he?
Mum! David's been on for an hour.
There's no more hot water, Sylvia.
I want you to meet someone.
There's no more hot water. All gone!
Where does it go?
Gillian's a dear friend of mine.
A friendly doctor. I feel better already.
- Not a doctor, she's an astrologer. - A specialist, a heart surgeon!
An open heart surgeon! Oh, I'm ridiculous, aren't I?
- Gillian might do your chart. - Would she?
- Would she do my chart? - Of course.
- What sort of chart? - An astrological chart.
- The stars! I love the stars! - And the planets.
The planets, of course. Mercury and Neptune...
oh, the music of the spheres. If music be the food of love...
The food of love!
What's it like when he gets to know you better?
- What does he do? - He's an investment advisor.
How serious is it?
Come on, Gillian. On a scale of 1 to 10.
I'll take that as 10!
- When's the happy day? - I hate to rush into things.
I won't kiss you.
Lovely, gorgeous hair. Blondes have more fun, don't they?
There you are, doctor.
That's sparkly!
Got to go to my room.
- Mind if I come in? - Hello, doctor. Entree.
Where will I put these? Oh, sorry.
It's not your fault. It just seems to be getting bigger.
Amazing what you find when you're not looking. There he is.
- Who? - Roger.
- Roger Woodward! - Yeah! He's a winner. He's a winner.
- You've got one going already. - He's a big hit.
- The cigarette. - One's enough.
- I really loved your playing. - Did you?
- Do you write music as well? - No, that's the Rach 3.
- It started out as a letter. - I think it was.
- "Dear Professor Cecil, Royal..." - Royal College of Music.
- It's a mystery. - What is?
He only had one arm, you see. It was a stroke.
Yeah, poor pussycat.
His paw was damaged beyond repair, he couldn't do a thing with it.
He was a sad pussycat. And it was just bad luck.
- I'm not damaging you, am I? - No.
What's the matter?
Oh, the matter? It started out being... but it's a blank.
It was all such a long time ago. That's the story.
Inexpressible.
- To express the inexplicable. - Tell me what you want to say.
That's a hard one.
It's not. Look... D.E.A.R.
- That's it. - Dear Cecil.
Parkes! Cecil was Parkes.
He touched the soul of Sergei Vasilievitcjh himself with Rach 3.
It's a hard piece.
"Dear Mr Parkes, it has been such a long time
and I...
And I hope... How does that sound?
Pretty good.
I hope you remember me and the Rach 3.
I'm feeling better now and I've started playing again.
Well done, Roger!
That was good!
Smile, David.
- I am, Sylvia. - At the camera.
- Time to go. - What can you do?
- You'll see her again one day. - Life goes on.
- It does. - Of course, it does.
- She has to go. - Yes, wrigglies to look after.
No, my kids are all grown up. It's just little old me.
It's just me too. I never grew up, I grew down.
A bit of a handful, aren't I?
Will you marry me?
It wouldn't be very practical.
Of course not, but neither am I, I'm not practical at all.
You'll miss the plane.
It's sweet of you.
- I don't know what to say. - Ask the stars, darling.
You'd better let her breathe, David.
I won't kiss you.
Sorry, darling.
You made a noise.
Oh no, poor Ravel!
Poor Maurice, all unravelled.
It's nearly time to get ready.
- Can I swim some more? - All right, ten minutes.
Do some Liszt. Swim "la Campanella".
That should do it.
- I've gone wrong. - Keep trying.
- I'm trying. - Page 37's missing.
It's the coda, the beginning of the end.
I'll soak my hands.
Gotcha!
The first concert in years and you wear odd shoes!
Sit! No, up straight!
- Relax! - Relax! Must learn to relax!
Perfect.
They want an encore.
- They want some more? - What are you going to do?
- I'm going to win. - Not now, darling.
I'll do some more.
What do you feel?
I feel nothing.
Nothing at all?
I'm shocked, stunned and amazed. How does that sound?
Perhaps it's all my fault.
You can't go on blaming yourself.
And you can't go on blaming Daddy because he's not here any more.
- But you are. - I am. That's true!
Life goes on, Gillian, is that right? It does. For ever and ever.
Not forever.
No, not forever. Not quite.
Life's not all lamb loin chops, but it goes on.
- You can't give up. - Saturn will give us a jolt.
- It's the stars! - Everything has its season.
- It's a mystery. - There's always a reason.
We just need to seize the reason for the season.
A Team Nanban (594mgnav) Release