The Ice Rink

The polytechs!

The director stands in his yellow jersey in the middle of the ice rink, the microphone in his hand, he gets more and more excited, invites everyone to sing along with him, the technicians, the Lithuanians.

The director
 

One, two, three, go, workers into Sciences-Po!

The slogan is picked up by everyone else.

Everyone (in chorus)

One, two, three, go, workers into Sciences-Po!

The director excites the crowd more and more, electrifies them, shouting into the microphone.

The director

Thank you, thank you. (Applause) And now... (Applause) Now... Thank you... (Applause)... And now, I will sing you a song. It's coming back to me now, I will sing a song for you... (Applause, whistles) A song called The Young Guard!

He starts singing "We are the young guard, the young guard that hits the streets!"

Everyone replies in chorus "Hits the streets!"

The director starts to march on the ice rink, the microphone in his hand, he leads everyone behind him in a circle over the ice, a procession forms behind him, made up of the Lithuanian players, the lead actor, the actress, Eddy Merckx, the actress's double, the Flemish technicians, the production assistants, the script girl who pushes the cinematographer's wheelchair in front of her, the sound engineer, the producer, the manager of the ice rink...

Everyone sings in chorus "We are the young guard, the young guard that hits the streets... hits the streets!...with the priests... with the priests!"

6

57. EXT. PARKING LOT OF THE ICE RINK - DAY

On the parking lot of the ice rink, a large helicopter slowly lands amid a hellish din.

Everything flies about the parking lot, newspapers, old boxes, the garbage cans are knocked over.

58. INT. EDITING ROOM - DAY

The director, the editor and her assistant start hurriedly gathering the cans of film together.

They run out of the room.

The director, the producer and the editors run along the corridors of the ice rink with all the cans of film, ten reels of picture and ten reels of sound.

59. EXT. PARKING LOT OF THE ICE RINK - DAY

In the parking lot, the producer waits for them.

The producer (pointing to the helicopter)

I’m sorry, that’s all I could find.

The helicopter keeps its motor running and blades turning while the doors open.

A man inside the machine gives them a sign to get in.

The editors start running toward the helicopter in the hellish din, bending forward, the film cans in their arms. They have trouble advancing, their hair flies, their skirts lift. They advance with difficulty, leaning forward, progressing step by step to the helicopter.

They get on board, the cans in their arms, soon followed by the producer and by the director.

The helicopter flies off .

60. INT. HELICOPTER - DAY

Inside the large helicopter, the producer, the director, and the editors sit facing one another on metal benches.

The producer turns around, trying to look out through the window.

The director

You know, I’ve been thinking... the close up of Syvester the first time he sees Dolores, I do want to take it out... (to the editor) Do you think we can take it out?

The editor

Now?

The producer (exalting)

Yes, anything is possible. Anything is possible. In the movies, anything is possible. Which can is it in?

The editor

In number three. At the beginning.

Different cans are opened on the floor, there is film in a jumble all over the helicopter.

The editor splices the film back together, the shot in her mouth, and then gives it to the director.

The editor

Here’s your shot.

The director

Thanks. (He looks thru the frames) Dolores, Dolores. (He puts the shot in his pocket).

61. EXT. CINECITTA FILM STUDIOS - DAY

At Cinecittà, in the film studios, Nicolas Poussin's painting The Rape of the Sabine women has been re-enacted for a film shoot.

Dozens of extras in togas and sandals are placed before little stucco columns, obeying the orders of the Italian assistants who yell directions into their megaphones to position the men and horses.

Assistants in jeans, with walkie-talkies, move about in the Poussin painting.

The makeup girl puts a last touch on an extra, a horse is given water while the Italian cinematographer reads his light meter in front of the animal.

Little by little the assistants leave the set.

The tableau is ready, re-enacted.