For the historical record, Anne Boleyn (Portman) was an utterly unscrupulous scheming courtesan, who aced her younger sister Mary (Johansson) out of the picture as Henry's main mistress, conned the king into divorcing his queen -- to do which he had to break with Rome and establish the independent Church of England -- eventually acceded to the throne herself, and finally got herself shortened by a head when her extravagant conniving got out of hand and went haywire. Nominally one would think that Johansson would be the center of the story since she gives birth to a girl who will later become Queen Elizabeth I, but this is really Portman´s picture and she turns in a powerful portrayal, whereas Scarlett Jo is, for the most part, accessory decoration. Much of the picture plays out as a series of duets featuring the two young ladies, focusing on their mutual affection and severe sibling rivalry, however, while Scarlett is the more eye-filling, Natalie is by far the stronger actress.
Eric Bana is not really bad as the randy tyrant but simply too squeaky clean (especially if one is familiar with the famous Holbein portrait), and handsome to be convincing as a tyrannical butcher like Henry Tudor. This quaint and colorful tale of sisterly rivalry for the affections of a monstrous monarch may pick up some Oscars (especially for costumes and the lavish production design), but I seriously doubt that it will make the wickets click at the multiplexes. What this undeniably handsome first feature by British TV helmer Justin Chadwick (39) really would need to put it over commercially would be somebody like a Mel Gibson as Henry the Headhunter and, maybe, a Harvey Keitel in the background as one of the elder Boleyn scoundrels. I mean, if you're trying to cash in on an Americanization of English history, you might as well go all the way, right? As it is, the picture is another feather in the cap of 26 year old Portman's filmography and a Scarlett Jo performance that will probably be forgotten until this voluptuous young beauty realizes her true destiny and matures into the next Lana Turner. (Not much of an actress, but what an eyeful!)
Following the morning press screening in the Big Hall both American actresses and director Chadwick held court at another heavily crowded press conference because, although she´s not really a big star yet, Scarlett Jo, for her looks alone, is already a major media magnet. Scarlett, with her bright yellow hair, heart-shaped face, perfect nose, almond eyes, full sensuous lips, and porcelain complexion, looked incredibly radiant as usual, clad in a modest flowery print dress, as she responded to uninteresting questions in a laid back California manner, whereas Portman was a bit more on point in her delivery and discussion of the making of the pic. A relaxed Eric Bana, with the remains of a beard still in place (or was it just heavy five o'clock shadow?) acknowledged, with an unmistakable Australian twang, that it was not exactly "hard work" bedding these two young lovelies down in the film (although, it must be said that the bed-in scenes on the screen are extremely discrete).
In terms of feminine pulchritude of staggered ages, it has been a banner week in Berlin what with the fresh young beauty of Scarlett and Natalie following in the wake of the somewhat riper beauty of Penelope Cruz, 33, and the fully Mature good looks of Madonna, 49, and still going strong with a little help from her blessed Kabala water.
Tomorrow: German Prime Minister Angela Merkel attends the screening of Wajda's, WW II epic "Katyn". Buñuel revisited, and some other interesting one shots. And, oh yes, comments on the main prizes
by Alex Deleon,
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Scarlet Jo and Natalie Po, a fetching but misplaced pair in The Other Boleyn Girl
The final class production of the fest, "The Other Boleyn Girl", (Non competition) an opulent costume drama set at the court of the most famous of all British Kings, Henry VIII, (who reigned from 1509 - 1547) has echoes reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood when the likes of eminently upper crust Englishmen such as George Sanders played sneering Nazi officers, and flamboyant Australians like Errol Flynn portrayed gunslingers in Dodge City --and never mind the displaced accents! In this glossy British production two quintessential Hollywood starlets, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, play the titular Boleyn sisters, Anne and Mary respectively, without the least trace of anything but L.A. elocution, while serial beheader Henry Tudor is encamped by Aussie heart throb Eric Bana. The only authentic (and therefore believable) English person in the leading cast is Kristin Scott-Thomas -- (fresh from a French movie a few days ago) -- but her limited appearances only serve to offset the blatant non-Englishness of the others.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
THE SHORT UNHAPPY LIFE OF RIVKA PEVNER
SCREENPLAY BY CHAIM PEVNER
‘THE SHORT UNHAPPY LIFE OF RIVKA PEVNER”
(alternate Title – ‘RIVKA ON THE BEACH’
NOTE:
The entire story is being framed by a scene in Los Angeles in 1984, when Chaim (now 52) visits this old woman, Manya Bender, an old-time Yiddish Communist, who was Rivka's roommate in New York back in 1931. The story is told in long flashbacks as Manya tells Chaim about his mother whom he never knew because she died when he was only fifteen months old. Only the "current" scenes in LA are in color -- The rest -- the body of the film, is in Black and White in the style of films of the thirties (with lateral "wipes" rolling across the screen, irises. etc.)
THE DIALOGUE IS ALMOST ENTIRELY IN YIDDISH --the English translation I have added mayself is basically to serve as the foundation for the English sub-titles and to guide prospective actors not completely fluent in Yiddish, through the subtitles.
[This is the opening scene -- (Before the main title) – not framed by narration. It mainly serves to set the feeling for the entire movie, and to establish the fiery personality of Rivka Pevner]
RIVKA ON THE BEACH, I: – NEW VERSION, JUNE 1, 2006, LUBLIN
[Scene from a new Yiddish film entitled “The Short Unhappy Life of Rivka Pevner” ]
The scene is Wildwood, New Jersey, around Labor Day weekend , 1931.
(NOTE: My family used to go to Wildwood in the summer, but later started going to Atlantic City after a wave of anti-Semitism occurred and Goyim started putting up signs, “No Dogs and Jews Allowed”, in Wildwood.)
The extended Pevner-Rotfeld family is on the beach having a Jewish picnic and taking dips in the waves. Cousins Beatrice and Berl, respectively three and nine, are playing around in the sand. Bea is helping the three year old boy with a head-full of blonde curls, make sand pies with a toy bucket and shovel. All are in bathing suits, and covered with towels, with maybe a
beach umbrella to shade their beach blankets. Everybody is, of course, gabbing animatedly in Yiddish as they are smoking, snacking, and playing cards on the spread out blankets. Suddenly a swarthy young woman in a white one-piece bathing suit and a towel over her shoulders, comes down to the beach from the boardwalk and approaches them.
“Gib a kik ver kimt!” (look who’s coming) says Chollie, Mollie’s husband (31), as he recognizes the newcomer to the beach party. Now, all shout in excited unison “Rivkele, vos tiste du?” (Rivka, what’re YOU doing here?) – Mir hobn gemeint doch az di bist in New York” (But we thought you were in New York!) says her older sister, Mollie (26).
Flipping her towel around casually, Rivka (22) replies in a studied, offhand manner; “Geveintlich bin ich gevin in New York, ober ich hob aich gevolt zen, bin ich gekimen aher” (well, of course I was in New York, but I wanted to see you (all) so I came down…”) –
The other women cast doubtful glances at each other . Iz, vozhe machste yetzt, Rivka? (So, what’re you doing with yourself these days, Rivka?), Mollie inquires, giving her younger sister a little welcoming hug.
RIVKA: “Nu, vos zol ich machn.? – Ich leren zich zain a lererin af idish“
(Well, what do you think? – I’m studying to be a Yiddish teacher) –
”Yeh, ba di komunisten“, Chollie mutters under his breath. (Yeah, sure – with the Communists..) “Sha, says Mollie, turning to him with a frown – farmach dem pisk” (Shush -- shut your trap) – Chollie is evidently not too happy about his young sister-in-law’s sudden totally unexpected appearance on the scene.
JENNIE: (older sister of both Mollie and Rivka) --
“Gib a kik – zi hot shen a buch”, (Look, she’s got a belly on her already) remarks Jennie, Rivka’s other older sister (32), wryly, noticing that there is a small rotundity in Rivka’s bathing suit below the belt. “Vus heist dus! (What’s this supposed to mean?) Jennie says with a mixture of surprise and tentative disapproval, in her usual forthright manner, placing a hand on the small mound in Rivka’s bathing suit.. A collective sigh of surprise goes up from the other women now gathered around Rivka. The child, Beatrice, still holding her sand bucket, comes running up excitedly and embraces her aunt tightly, tossing the bucket away and exclaiming joyfully, ‘Tante Rivka! – Tante Rivka!’ –
Rivka pats “Beetzy” on the head and plants a little kiss on her forehead. Little Beatrice is now holding Rivka by the hand, as the group, recovering from their first surprise, begins to cross-examine Rivka. A flood of excited questions come at her –
ALL, SPEAKING NEARLY AT ONCE)
“D’host gehat chasene un host indz afile nisht gelozt visn? (You got married and didn’t even let us know?)—Iz ver iz der tate? – Er iz chotsh a Yid? – (So, who’s the father? – Is he at least a Jew?) –
There is a brief expectant pause, as Rivka looks down at her feet and forces some sand between her toes. Beatrice who doesn’t quite understand what’s going on, but admires her aunt Rivka greatly, looks up and searches her face – (nu, tante..well, auntie) -- wondering what the answer will be. Finally, after a pregnant moment, Rivka looks up from the sand and looking
around at everyone square in the eyes, states calmly – almost with pride: “Siz nishtu kaine chasenes” (we’re not having any weddings) – At this all eyes open wide with a collective sucking in of breath: After a momentary pause for emhasis, Rivka continues:
RIVKA: -- Ober ir kent zain zicher az zain foter iz an onshtendiker mentsh .. un a groiser artist!” – (But you can be quite sure that his father is a respectable man .. and a great artist!) –
At this everybody starts talking at once and various broken phrases are heard in a mixture of Yiddish and english – (Chollie, sarcastically) “Yeh, I’ll bet – some artist! What is he a trapeze artist? -- (others) ‘How do you know it’s a he? – Are you a fortune teller, or something. How do you know it won’t be a girl? – I’ll bet he’s a ‘sheygetz’, the father … No, that’s impossible – She only goes around with Jews up there – Yeah, but they’re all Communists – “Free thinkers” – you know what that means – I wonder if she even knows who the father is! – Wait till her mother hears about this – She’ll drop dead on the spot -- --
Little Beatrice has now burst into tears and her mother, Mollie, pulls her away from Rivka and covers her protectively – ‘Vish zich op di nuz, kind, un gey shpiel zich mit dain brider – er zitzt dochtn eyner alien – se ken im gibn a bais a kreb” (Wipe your nose, child, and go play with your brother – he’s sitting over there all alone – he could get bitten by a crab) –
Beatrice does as she’s told, and Rivka is now defiantly holding the floor with all eyes on her.
With head held high and acid in her tone of voice, but also just a bit of hysteria, she makes the following little speech:
RIVKA:
“Mir iz altz eins vos ir burzhuazishe narunem denken – main kind vet zain a ben-zucher un er vet oisvaksn a barimter artist, pinkt azeive zain tate! Un az se shteit aich nisht on vos mir hobn nisht chasene gehat, iz dos mir “vaiter a daige” – Ir kent mir kishn ale veist ir vi – un ich hob aich ale in bud!
(I couldn’t care less what you bourgeois fools think – my child will be a man-child -- and he’ll grow up to be a great artist just like his father – and if it doesn’t suit you that we’re not married, I could care even less – You can all kiss me you-know-where -- and as far as I’m concerned you can all go take a bath!) –
Angry now, and eyes red with incipient tears, Rivka turns and stalks off in the direction of the boardwalk from where she came -- but as she walks off she turns to sister Mollie who is standing there in stunned amazement, slowly shaking her head – and her parting words, half shouted and cast over her shoulder along with her green towel, are:
RIVKA:
Un di kenst unzogen dem Taten, Malke – az bald vet er vern noch-a-mol a ZEIDE!! – --
(..and you can notify our father, Malke, that he’s soon going to be a grandfather again!) – The last word “ZEIDE” , grandfather -- is practically a shriek. In the distance we can just barely make out a black car with a man standing by the open door waiting for Rivka to get in for the ride back to New York.
MAIN TITLE – HERE
………………………………………………………………………………………….......................
NOTE: The child in Rivka’s belly did, indeed, turn out to be a boy, as Rivka was sure it would. She named him ‘Chaim Pevner’. His father, a Spanish artist, didn’t show up for the birth of his son, or at any time after that. Fifteen months after Chaim’s birth Rivka died (perhaps commited suicide) in a mental hospital. She was not yet 24. The child displayed unusual artistic talent and was drawing realistic pictures with sophisticated compositions by
the time he was four. By the time he was seventy-four, he was still busy building castles in Spain.
=======================================================
RIVKA II: THE UNVEILING. ENTER DELEON
Manya’s Narration back in Los Angeles, 1984, begins with this part. (This scene should have the feeling of Joseph Cotten's reminiscings in "Citizen Kane")
MANYA BENDER:
“Your mother had some wild ideas – well, I guess we all did in those days – “Free Love” was one of our principles and we called ourselves “free thinkers” – In other words, we didn’t consider ourselves to be bound by the bourgeoisie social rules and their mortality …. SOUND AND IMAGE FADES OUT – to New York, 1931…
The scene is a tiny apartment on the Lower East Side in New York -- The Apt. of Manya Bender. The time is a sultry summer night in the early summer of 1931. Manya, wearing thick glasses, is poring over some of her 'Yiddish Workers University' school notes. Her class-mate and temporary room-mate, Rivka, is pacing back and forth nervously.
Both are smoking unfiltered Camels. (No cigarettes had filters at the time).
Suddenly, Rivka starts peeling off her clothes -- everything, down to the buff, and stands admiring her figure in the cracked mirror over the sink.
MANYA: Looking up from her work, crushes her cigarette out in a saucer, already full of cigarette butts, which is serving as an ashtray.
Vus iz der mer mit dir, Rivka -- bist meshige gevoren?
(What's the matter with you, Rivka -- Have you gone out of your mind?)
RIVKA: Nein, Manye. Ich vil nor hobn fin dir a meinung.
(Not at all, Manya -- I just want to have an opinion from you ...)
MANYA: (somewhat taken aback as she regards Rivka, who is now turning around methodically in place, to show her nude body off from every angle) -- Meinung? -- Vus far a meining?. (Opinion? – What kind of an opinion ?)
RIVKA: Standing totally nude and unashamed before her studious room-mate "Gib a kik af mir. Ich vil visn tzi di meinst az a meidl mit main geshtalt vet kenen amol gefinen a man far zich?" (Take a look at me. I want to know if you think a gal with a figure like mine will ever be able to find a man for herself)
MANYA: Waving a hand dismissively toward her naked room-mate, but also trying to reassure her, seeing that Rivka is in kind of a state.
"Gei-shen vu-di redst! -- Di host a sheinem kerper -- mit a bisl fleish af di beiner ... Abi di vilst nor viln, veln dir mener nukhyogn azei vi di ketz!"
(What nonsense! -- You have a beautiful body -- with some meat on your bones. As long as you're willing men will chase after you like a bunch of tomcats.)
RIVKA: With a note of doubt in her voice, now dropping her hands to her sides.
"Sicher, Manya? -- bist ober sicher?. (For sure, Manya -- are you really sure?)
MANYA: Speaking as a connoisseur of men.
"Vu den. Farvos zol ich nisht zain sicher? -- Karg hob ich 'boyfrents'?
Meinst az ich veis nisht vos se tit zich mit mener. Avode veste gefinen a man!"
(But, of course! Why shouldn't I be sure? Do I have a shortage of boyfriends? Do you think I don't know what makes men tick? -- Of course you'll find a man.)
RIVKA: (Fishing for more reassurance -- "Ober di meinst nisht az ich bin a bisl tzi fet?
(But don't you think I'm a little too fat?)
MANYA: (impatiently, and with an air of finality) -- "Fet-Shmet! Ich hob dir shen gezogt az mener hobn lieb a meidl vos zi hot epes a bisl fleish af di beiner. A sach beser far an oisgedartn chront. B'meile, bist di gur nisht fet. Host a gitn figur -- di vilst dir nor einredn az di bis a miese. dos iz dain gantzer m'shegas.
(Fat-shmat! I already told you that men like a girl with some flesh on her bones --- a lot better than a skinny dried up twig. In any case, you're not at all fat. You have a good figure. You just want to talk yourself into thinking you're ugly. That's your whole problem -- it's insane.)
Rivka seems to be just slightly relieved, and the trace of a smile plays at the corners of her mouth as she starts to cover herself with a crumpled sheet, still gazing searchingly -- plaintively, into Manya's eyes. The two hold this gaze for a long second.
Finally, Manya says: "Olrait -- tzi zich on, un er zich iyf machn narish".
(Okay -- get dressed and stop making a fool of yourself.)
The tension now seems to be relieved and Manya, lighting up another cigarette, turns her attention back to her Yiddish notes. Rivka slowly and thoughtfully, starts getting dressed again. But after a pause, she once again addresses Manya's to her back. Again, plaintively and searchingly.
RIVKA -- Ober der geshtipltn punim mainer ....
(But what about my pock marked face?)
MANYA, turning her head -- now just about out of patience.
"Her shen oyf niden! Zist nisht az ich arbet tze tun? Vos vilste -- zol ich dir uplekn dem punim? Dos iz gurnisht -- yeder einer hot ergetz vi a chesorn. Host a sheinem punim un her zich iyf tshepn tzi mir, Ich'l dir zogen einmol iber alemol -- az di vest veln gefinen a man, un di velst zich iyfhern ainredn mayses, vest di gefinen a man, a richtikn. Un "dets ol" ! Yetzt loz mir a bisl tin main arbet"
(Oh, come on -- stop noodjing. Cant you see I have work to do? What do you want me to do -- lick your face clean? It's nothing. Everybody has something to complain about somewhere. You have a beautiful face, and stop bothering me already. I'll just tell you once and for all -- if you want to find a man -- and you stop talking all this nonsense into your head -- you'll find
him -- and he'll be the right one. And that's it. Now let me do my work.)
A bit of time passes in silence. Then, as Rivka, now sitting on the bed, bent over, is slowly pulling a stocking up her leg, she utters these words in a half whisper -- as though to herself, but obviously meant to be heard:
RIVKA: "Ich hob shen gefinen a man -- un ikh denk az dos iz der
richtiker..."
( I HAVE found a man -- and I think he's the right one ...")
Startled, Manya looks up from her paperwork and, wide-eyed, turns her full attention back to Rivka.
NEXT: THE SPANISH ARTIST --. (RIVKA III)
MANYA; Vos zogste dortn? ich hob gehert richtik? Di host gefinen a man, zogste.
(What are you saying there. Did I heard you right? -- You say you've FOUND a man?)
RIVKA: Yo. Ich hob zich getrofn mit a richtikn "gentleman" un ich vil az di zolst zoch eich bagigenen mit im.
(Yes. I met a real gentleman, and I want you to meet him too.
MANYA: (with evident curiosity)
Vos redste, Rivele? Ernst? Vos far a man? Ver? Vu ....Dertzeil!
(Are you serious? What kind of a man -- who? Where? -- Let's hear about it!)
RIVKA: Settling into a narrative mood, with a serious expression on her face and nodding her head slightly as she speaks.
Nu, azei iddis -- Er iz an artist -- a moler, un er iz a lerer af kunst in der anderer arbeter universitet, nisht indzers. --
(Well, it's like this -- He's an artist -- he paints and he draws -- and he teaches art in the other Workers University -- not ours -- )
Manya, fascinated, interrupts;
MANYA: Heist iz er iz nisht a Yid? ( So, you mean he's not Jewish?)
RIVKA; Ar tzi a minit -- ar tzi, vel dir altz dertzeilen. ( Wait a second –
just hold on and I'll tell you everything)
MANYA: Excitedly -- Nu -- dertzeil zhe ... (Okay -- Let's hear it.)
RIVKA: Ich veis nit tzi iz er a Yid, tzi nisht. Azeleche zachn frigt men
nit az me treft zich tzim ershtn mol. Ober a "movement mentsh (The
Communist movement) iz er avode. Un a hecher, a sheiner.
Er kimt, ergetz fin a Spanish land, vail er redt English mit an aktzent a
zeiner, un er heist Deleon.
(I don't know if he's Jewish or not. You don't ask things like that when you
first meet somebody. But he's a "movement" person, for sure. Tall, dark,
handsome. He comes from one of those Spanish countries because he talks
English with that kind of accent, and his name is Deleon.)
MANYA: Nu, iz ken zain, efsher iz er a Sfard -- oych meglech ... ober vos
macht es oys. In der Baveigung zonen ale mentshn glaich.
(Well, then, maybe he's a Sephard. That's possible too. But what does it
matter? In the Movement everybody's the same.) Iz dertzeil mer fin im. (So,
tell me more about him) -- A sheiner, a hecher, a tunkler -- an artist a
moler -- a shpanier -- fin voned veiste? Er hot dir gezogt? Un, vezey hoste
zikh mit im getrofn?
(Tall, dark, handsome ...artist, painter -- Spanish -- how do you know all
this? He told you? And how did you meet him?)
RIVKA;
Afn gas -- af der Second Evinye. Ich bin geshtonen afn "koner"
aribertzegein ... un plitzling shteit er ba mir af der zait un kikt mich un.
Un trogt zich mit a greise "portfoglio" intern arm -- veiste -- azeive
ale moler trogn arim. Macht er azei tzu mir ....
(On the Street, on Second Avenue. I'm standing on the corner ready to cross
over and suddenly there he is standing next to me and looking me over. And
he's has a big portfoglio under his arm -- you know -- the kind artists
carry around ... And so he says to me ....)
------------- -------------- ------------- ------------
----------------------------------------------------
Quick FLASHBACH -- Dissolve, or screen rolls aside in a wipe like in the old
movies, and we're on Second Avenue around lunchtime on a busy very warm
sunny day.
DELEON looking down at Rivka in the crush of people at the curb,
approvingly, but not quite a leer. He's wearing a suit, even in the hot
weather and remarks in accented English, "It's a nice day -- yes -- but a
little hot"
RIVKA looks up at him and says with her slight Yiddish accent, coyly, with a
smile: "It certainly is. So why are you wearing a suit on such a hot day
like this?
DELEON: Loosening his shirt and tie with one finger -- "Bueno -- I have to
teach a class in the afternoon, and a teacher has to dress correctly...
RIVKA: Excitedly -- "Oh, you said "bueno"! I know some Spanish. I used to
live in Cuba! Es muy caliente, Senor! -- Muy caliente.
DELEON let's out a highly approving baritone laugh. "Aha, la senorita sabe
hablar espanol". And then very politely, indicating a popular cafeteria
(Rappaports) on the other side of the street -- "Perhaps I can invite you to
have a glass of ice tea -- if you have time, of course".
RIVKA -- Time I have plenty of ..
END FLASHBACK, and back to the room where Rivka and Manya are talking....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MANYA’S BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH DELEON.
HERE, INSERT THE (very important) SCENE WHERE RIVKA, telling Manya that
Deleon has asked her to a dance at his school, that very Friday evening –
insists that Manya come along to see her new “Prince Charming’ with her own
eyes. Manya protests that she has a date herself this evening – but finally
agrees –“But just for a few moments -- then I’ll have to go to meet my own
date”. Together they go to the dance. Rivka, barely able to contain her
excitement, but trying to act cool, introduces Deleon to Manya, and he
politely asks her to dance. The approval in Manya’s eyes – her dignified
smile, etc. – indicate that she is quite impressed by this man and his
elegant behavior. They dance – a few words are exchanged during the dance.
As the music ends, Manya politely takes her leave, but as Rivka accompanies
her the few steps to the exit she bends her head and half whispers to Rivka;
“My god – he IS handsome!” – then scoots out the door.
RIVKA IV: WHO’S MORE STUBBORN?
Scene: Interior. Manya's teeny apartment in New York, the next day. Manya
and Rivka.
Manya is trying to talk Rivka ("Eleanor") out of letting herself get too
involved with this mysterious older man, the artist, Deleon. She
occasionally addresses Rivka by her official English name "Eleanor", and
injects English words and phrases into her discourse here and there, to
underline the universality of her logic. The English she uses is basically
correct and colloquial, but heavily accented, with a few funny turns of
phrase... Note also, that Manya’s Yiddish and Rivka’s Yiddish, is just
slightly different, since they come from different parts of the Ukraine.
Moreover, Manya uses a somewhat more standard Yiddish than Rivka.
MANYA: (reacting to Rivka's claim that Deleon is going to be the father of
her child)
Du bist a zamin akshn, Elinor -- You're as stubborn like a mule! -- Az di
nemst zich epes arain in kop iz nishtu vos tze redn mit dir.
(You'r so stubborn, " -- Elinor" -- as stubborn like like a mule !
-- Once you get something into your head, it's no use talking to you)
RIVKA:
ICH bin stuborn ?! -- Gib a kik in shpigl veste zin ver iz a stuborner
akshn. Di bist nor "jealous" vos ich hob zich gefinen a za mentsh -- a za
man, a sheiner an umshtendiker -- a "gentleman", un noch dertzi, an artyst
mit a groisn talant...
(I'M stubborn! -- Take a look in the mirror and you'll see who the stubborn
one is. You're just jealous because I've found a person like this -- a
handsome, respectable man -- A 'gentleman' and an artist with a great talent
into the bargain...)
MANYA; (Still trying to talk some sense into Rivka's head)
Her zich tzi tze mir, Rivkele. Ershtns biste tzi ying tze hobn a kind.
Tveitns ...
(Listen to me, Rivkele -- First of all you're too young to have a child --
In the second place ...)
RIVKA interrupts:
"Tzi ying" zugste? -- main shvester Malke hot gehat a kind az zi iz gevin
ersht zechtzn yor alt!
("Too young” you say? -- My sister Malke had a baby when she was only
sixteen years old!)
MANYA: (pleadingly)
Rivka, dos iz gor epes andersh. Zi'iz shen geven farhairet -- hot gehat a
man velcher arbet un macht a leibn ... Du veist afiler nisht tzi der
'artiest' dainer hot nisht, chelile, ergetz a vaib -- efsher hot er shen
kinder ...
(Rivka, that's a completely different story. She was already married. --
had a man with a job -- making a living ... You don't even know if your
"arteest" doesn't -- (touch wood)) -- have a wife somewhere -- maybe he even
has children ...
RIVKA: (resolutely) --
Dos macht mir gurnisht ois -- tze hot er a vaib, tze nisht. Di host doch
alein gezogt, Manya -- nisht einmol -- az volste gehat nor a "tshens"
(English), volste zich araingelozt in shvengeren fin a za mins vi George
Bernard Sho -- oder afile fin Leninen alein! -- In indzer velt macht nisht
ois tze hot a man tzen andere vaiber, abi dos iz nor der richtiker mit vemen
tze hobn fin im a kind. Dos veiste, plein end simpl!
(That doesn't matter one bit to me -- if he has a wife or not. Haven't you
said it yourself -- and not just once -- that if you only had a 'chance' you
would get yourself pregnant by the likes of a George Bernard Shaw -- or
maybe even Lenin himself! In our world it doesn't matter if a man has ten
other wives, as long as he's the right one to have a child with. You know
that. It's plain and simpler.
MANYA: (with a tone of resignation)
Olrait, Elenor -- dos iz ober teoretish geredt. Ober di dafst zain altz a
bisl praktish in leibn. Mit vos volste yetzt a kind oishaltn? -- Az di host
nisht a "job" -- a groshn tzu der neshume? Ersht dafste farendikn dos
lernen az di zolst kenen krign a "job", a richtikn, als a lererin. Dernoch
vet efsher zain vos tzi redn.
(Alright, Elenor -- but that's talking theoretically. You still have to be
a little practical in life. How would you support a child? -- You don't have
a job ... or a penny to your name. First you need to finish up your studies
so you can get a decent job as a teacher. After that maybe we'll have
something to talk about.
RIVKA:
Dernoch-dernoch. Ver vaist fin a "dernoch". (slight pause) -- Dervaile
hob ich im gefinen un ich vel im nisht aroislozn fin di hent.
("After that - after that" -- who knows about "after that" -- In the
meantime, I've found him and I'm not going to let him slip through my
fingers.
MANYA:
Her zich tzi tze mir, Elinor ... Oyb di vilst hobn an ernstlechn "opinion"
-- ken ich dir nor zogn az ich mein az di bist in gantzn arup fin zinen. Ti
vu di vilst. Di host zich aingeredt, veste sai-vi-sai uptun dains un keiner
vet dir nisht upshteln. ... vel ich dir nor zogn az di zolst zain "kerfel"
(careful) -- Farshteist? -- Votch your step!
(Listen to me, Eleanor ... If you want an honest opinion, I can only tell
you that I think you've gone off your rocker. Do what you want to. Since
you've talked yourself into this, you're gonna do what you're gonna do
anyway, and nobody is going to stop you... So all I'm going to say to you is
just be careful. You get it? Votch your step!)
RIVKA:
Dafst zich gurnit ergern af main khezhm -- Doan vorry about me, Manya --
Ich veis vois ich ti. Un az ich vel take hobn fin im a kind, vest di zain
tze-nim azeive a tzveite miter.
(You don't have to worry about me, Manya -- I know what I'm doing. And if I
really do have a child from him you'll be like a second mother to him.)
MANYA: (dryly)
Good lok. Abi gezint. Ober ich denk altz az di bist tzedreit gevorn.
(Good luck. As long as you stay healthy. But I still think you have a
screw loose.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO MANYA AND CHAIM IN L.A., 1984
Manya, sipping TEA, continues her tale in her slightly funny English.
=======================================================-
(RIVKA V)
BRIGHTON BEACH – NARRATION:
"Vel, Chaim, da next Vikend was the fourth of July, and over da vikend she
disappeared -- completely. I didn't see her for three days.
On Monday she comes back, all sunburned, from the beach ...
Dissolve back to Manya's apt. in New York, 1931 -- Interior, morning --
Manya is making herself a glass of TEA, when there's a knock at the door...
Manya already recognizes Rivka’s knock and throws the door open.
Rivka is standing there all smiles and excited with something in her hand.
Her first words are:
“GUESS WHAT MANYA!”
MANYA: (on the verge of anger)
Vos far a “ges vot” -- Vu biste geven a gantzen Vikend?
(What’s with the “guess what”? Where have you been all weekend?)
Rivka steps in, breathlessly, drops her things on the bed, but still has
some kind of paper in her hand.
RIVKA:
Zetz zich avek, vel ich dir dertzeilen di gantze mainse.
(Sit yourself down and I'll tell you the whole story)
MANYA: Nem ersht a gluz tei, meshugene.
(First take a glass of tea first, nut-case!
-- slight pause, as Rivka catches her breath and settles down on the bed)
RIVKA: (coyly) Manya – d’ost epes a sigaretkele?
(Manya, maybe you have a little ciggie …?)
MANYA: (frowning, and pacing about – Several plates and saucers serving as
ashtrays are full of crumpled butts smoked down to the end )
Ich hob zey ale oisgerechert Gedaiget af dir. Avekgegangen azei, on a
vort! Afile ibergelozt dem shlisl. Nu, iz vos-zhe iz di manse daine?
Zicher a megile!
(I smoked them all up. Worrying about you. Leaving like this without a
word! You even forgot your key. Okay, so what’s this story of yours? I’ll
bet it’s a good one!)
RIVKA: (articulating her words very deliberately, for emphasis.)
Ich bin gevin afn yam – mit Deleonen -- in Braitn Beach.
(I was at the ocean – with Deleon – in Brighton Beach.)
She pauses dramatically to let these significant words sink in – and then
continues;
„Un dortn – afn beach – hot er gemacht fin mir a sketch – a portret – Ot gib
a kik.
(And there on the beach, he made a sketch of me – a portrait – Take a look.
Rivka shows Manya a drawing made on the back of a brown paper bag . It’s a
very professional looking pencil drawing of herself in a bathing suit,
posing by some pilings like a bathing beauty. She’s obviously very proud of
this small work of art. As Manya examines the pencil portrait intently,
Rivka says:
RIVKA: (expectantly)
Nu, vus meinste itztert? Khob dir nisht gezogt az dos iz a muler mit an
oisergeveinlichn talant?
(Well, whaddya think now – Didn't I tell you he was an artist with an
exceptional talent?)
Manya is impressed with the quality of the drawing – even on a paper bag –
and she is now brimming with curiosity. Finally she says decisively:
MANYA:
Zeyer shein. Der man iz gevis a fainer moler. Ober vos noch hoste getun mit
im? Bist nisht geven di gantze tzait afn beach...
(Quite nice. This main is certainly a fine artist. But what else did you
do with him...? You certainly didn’t stay on the beach the whole time.)
RIVKA: (dreamily)
O, a sach zachn – a sach zachn – -- Di zist ober vi gliklich ich bin.
(Oh, lots of things – lots of things – But you can see how happy I am)
Der man vet vern der tate fin main kind.
(This man is going to be the father of my child.)
MANYA: (Dryly, philosophically – with a slight, skeptical nod and dropping
of the eyelids) –
‘Abi gezunt. Oib azey, zol nor zain in a guter yeshua…
(As long as you’re healthy. If this is the way it’s going to be, may it
turn out for the best.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dissolve back to L.A., 1984 -- NARRATION:
Manya continues with her recollections, a far off look in her eyes:
(English)
MANYA: Well, soon after that we got our teaching certificates and I was
offered a job in a different city – Youngstown, Ohio, to be exact – so I
picked myself up and went there. And I didn’t see Eleanor again for almost
a year. We lost touch with each other. But the next summer (1932) when I
came back to New York I ran into her on Second Avenue, and – let me tell you
– She looked terrible! – absolutely terrible.
"RIVKA, VI --TO PHILADELPHIA WITH BABE IN ARMS" --
DISSOLVE TO SECOND AVENUE, New York, on a warm day at the end of May, 1932.
Manya, sighting Rivka in the sidewalk crowd -- aghast at her appearance:
MANYA: "My God, Rivka -- What happened to you -- Bist in gantzen a tel
gevoren -- kikst ois vi a vilde!
(My God Rivka -- What's happened to you? You're a complete wreck! -- You
look like a wild animal!)
RIVKA: (Very wearily, almost in a trance, as she recognizes Manya)
Oy, Manya -- Don't esk... Frig nisht -- Ich hob gehat a kind un ikh hob
nisht afile vi tze voinen - vi aniderleign dem kop. Ich gey arim afn gas ...
(Don't ask! -- I had a baby and now I'm homeless. I'm walking the streets.)
MANYA: (very alarmed)
Oy vey iz mir -- gevald geshrign -- Iz vu iz dos kind yetzt?
(Oh my God -- This is bad ... So, where is the baby now?)
RIVKA: Ich hob im ibergelozt ba mentshen af a pur tig, ober alein drey ich
zikh arim afn gas ...
(I left him with some people for a couple of days, but I have no place to
stay -- I'm on the street.)
MANYA: Vos redste Rivka? Dos iz immeglech! A kind hoste gehat un di host
afile nisht a dach iber dem kop?
(What are you talking about, Rivka! This is impossible. You have a baby and
you don't even have a roof over your head....)
RIVKA: (apparently resigned to her fate)
Nu, vus ken ich dir zogn -- Azei iddis. (What can I tell you? This the way
things are...)
Manya leads Rivka into Ratner's Kosher restaurant seeing that she looks half
starved with dark rings around her eyes.
MANYA: "Kum, veln mir ersht chapn a bais -- (Come on -- Let's first get a
bite...)
They sit down at a table and Manya stops a passing waiter, hurriedly giving
him an order.
They sit looking at each other for a minute or two, waiting for the food to
appear.
The waiter reappears with two bowls of hot chicken soup. Kaiser rolls and
pickles are already on the table. Next comes some gefilte fish and two
glasses of hot tea.
Rivka is looking down, picking listlessly at her food as Manya scrutinizes
her with great concern.
MANYA: Rivka -- di kenst zich nisht arumfirn azei -- kikst ois vi a mes.
(Rivka, you can't go on like this -- you look like a living corpse)
Mir veln gein upnemen dos kind --right now -- herst? -- Un mir veln foren
mit im kain Filadelfia tzu daine elkteren.
(We're going to pick up the baby right now -- hear me? -- And we'll take him
right to Philadelphia to your parents)
RIVKA: (Shaking her head in despair)
Vus redste, Manya -- zey veln mir derargenen! Zey veln mir nisht afile
arainlozn in'oiz --
(What're you talking about, Manya. They'll KILL me! They won't even let me
in the house...)
MANYA:
Narishkeit! Avode veln zey dich arainhnemen. Dos kind iz zeyer einikl ...
(Nonsense! Of course they'll take you in. The child is their
grand-child!)
RIVKA:
Ich veis nisht, Manya -- Ich veis gur nisht -- Di kenst nisht main taten. Er
hot a misikenem "temper". Er ken zich amol untzindn vi a retzeyech. Un di
mame iz azei frim, zi volt avek-gefaln afn ort efsher mit a hart-atek!
(I don't know, Manya -- I just don't know ... You don't know my father. He
has a terrible temper -- Sometimes he can blaze up like a killer. And my
mother .. she's so religious, she might just collapse on the spot -- with a
heart attack!.)
MANYA: (Taking charge) --
Nishtu vos tze redn. It's settled. Mir nemen up dos kind un mir nemen dem
ershtn bus kain Filadelpfia -- Un det's ol! -- By da vey -- (by the way) --
Meg ich dir fregn ver iz der tate fun dem kind?
(There's nothing to talk about. It's settled. We picking up the kid and
taking the first bus out to Philadelphia. -- And that's all! -- By the way
-- Do you mind if I ask who the father of this child is ...
RIVKA: (Slightly surprized at the question)
Ich daf dir zogn? Di veist doch ver der tate iz ...
(I need to tell you? -- You know who the father is... don't you?)
MANYA: (Insistently) -- Iz vu iz er tze-nalde rikhes yetzt ahingekumen?
(So where the hell is now?)
RIVKA: Tearfully,
Please, Manya --Please -- Frig mir nisht azeleche zachen!
(Please, Manya -- Please, don't ask me things like that!)
MANYA --(Knowingly) -- AHA! (I get the picture)
Fain. Fain! Gib zich a heib un lomir gein gefinen dos kind.
(Fine. Dandy. Pick yourself up and let's go get the baby.)
Yetzert-o -- Un a sof tzi di mainses. Dis iz en "amoijency!" -- farshteist,
tzi nisht?
(Right now, this minute, and that's the end of it. This is an 'emergency' --
You understand, or don't you!)
RIVKA: (resigned, worn out -- but dimly realizing that this is her only
hope)
Vus ken ich dir zogn? -- It's "op to you".
(What can I say -- It's up to you.)
Manya leaves some money on the table for the bill, and with Rivka huddling
against her, they exit the restaurant.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCENE: Dark interior of the night bus to Philadelphia. Manya, Rivka and the
baby in Rivka's arms. Rivka is dozing. The baby starts to cry. Rivka,
aroused, gives him a bottle and he stops crying. Sound of the bus on the
road in the night.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCENE: Philadelphia. Chilly early morning. Exterior. Street with a row of
scraggly houses and some sick looking trees. Manya and Rivka holding the
baby, are standing before a little ramshackle red-brick house in this
obviously poor neighborhood. (38th and Parrish). The house has a small
overgrown plot of grass in front and some low cast iron fencing that is
about half falling over.
RIVKA: Conferring with Manya in a low, hoarse voice, nearly a whisper.
'Manya -- ich hob mere. Gei di arain frier un red mit zey. Ich vel zich
bahaltn du hinterm beim.
(Manya, I'm scared -- You go in first and talk to them. I'll hide behind
this tree...)
Manya goes up to the house and rings the bell.
A middle aged man with a scruffy beard, wearing glasses, comes to the door.
He has suspenders on but no shirt -- just his wooly underwear top. He has a
Yiddish newspaper in one hand and a burning cigarette in the other. He was
probably in the midst of having his morning coffee. This is Boruch Pevner,
Rivka's father, age about fifty two, although he looks older.
BORUCH: (coughing wityh a hacking cough)
Yo -- vos vilt ir? Eyb farkeifn dafn mir gurnisht hobn.
(Yes. What do you want. If your selling something we don't need anything.)
MANYA:
Far keifn, farkeif ikh nisht. (I'm not here to sell anything) --
Antshuldigt mir -- ich vil nor visn, tze zait ir Boruch Pevner.
(Please excuse me -- I only want to know if you are Boruch Pevner)
BORUCH:
Boruch Pevner bin ich ... tze voser a nitz?
(Boruch Pevner -- that's me. Who wants to know and what for?)
MANYA: (As politely as she can manage)
Ir zolt mirt antshuldign di shterung azoy in frimorgen ... Ich heis Manya un
ikh bin di beste khaverte fun aier tochter, Rivken.
(I hope you'll forgive the intrusion so early in the morning -- My name is
Manya, and I am the best friend of your daughter, Rivka)
BORUCH: Take? (Really) -- A worried look comes over his face.
Kimt arain. Dafst nisht shtein in droisn. S'is zich epes mit ir getrofn?
-- Zi voint doch in New Yorik...
(Come right in. No need to stand outside. Did something happen to her?
She's supposed to be in New "Yorik" )
MANYA: Mister Pevner -- ich vil aich derkleren a simche -- Aier tochter hot
gehat a kind -- Ir zait der zeide fun a vunderbar shein yingele. Er heist
Chaim. Ir megt zich freien... af aier nai enekl.
(Mr. Pevner, I want to announce a joyous event. Your daughter has a baby.
You are now the proud grandfather of a wonderful, beautiful little boy. His
name is Chaim. You have every right to rejoice -- -- over your new
grandchild.)
BORUCH: (somewhat perplexed)
A yingele zogste? ... Mir hobn shen dershpirt az se tit zich epes mit ir.
Ober a shein ingl -- Veiste-zhe ver iz der tate?
(A little boy, you say? ... We already had an inkling that she might be in
trouble -- But a beautiful little boy? -- Well, can you tell me who the
father is?)
MANYA:
Dos lomir redn shpeter, Reb Boruch. Dervaile shteit aier tochter mit aier
einekl af di hent do in droisn farm hoiz, in der kelt, un zi iz nisht
gezunt, un zi hot moire araintzukumen.
(Ahem -- let's talk about that later, Sir Boruch. Meanwhile your daughter
is standing out there in front of the house in the cold, with your grandson
in her arms -- she's not in very good shape, and she's afraid to come in.)
BORUCH. (He lets out a shout -- something between joy and anger)
"Oy, a bruch tze maine sonim! Zol zi arainkimen! -- Ich vil zin dos kind.
(A curse on all my enemies! Let her come in. I want to see the child!)
From the kitchen, Boruch's wife, Chaya, overhearing the sudden commotion
calls out.
CHAYA: Buruch! -- vos hoste gegibn a zamin geshrei -- mit vemen redste? Vus
tit zich dortn?
(Boruch -- why are you hollering about? -- Who are you talking to? --What's going on out there?)
BORUCH; Gurnisht, Chaya -- gur nisht. Ich red mit imitzen -- dos ales --blaib dortn --
(Nothing, Chaya -- nothing. I'm talking to somebody, that's all. Stay where you are.)
But CHAYA is curious. She comes out of the kitchen dusting some flour from
her hands, then wiping them off on her apron. She, of course, has her head
covered with a kerchief. Catching sight of Manya she says to Boruch; "Ver
iz dos vaibl? Tze vos iz zi gekimen ....
(Who is this young lady? What's she doing here?)
To be continued --
Will Boruch beat the shit out of Rivka when he has one of his temper tantrums?
Will Rivka take the baby and throw it into the Schuylkil River to spite him?
How will Chaya, who is exceedingly religious and pious, take all this?
Tune in again next week, when the makers of Leibowitz's Lokshn bring you
another hair-raising installment of "The Short Painful Life of Rivka
Pevner, Communist!".
‘THE SHORT UNHAPPY LIFE OF RIVKA PEVNER”
(alternate Title – ‘RIVKA ON THE BEACH’
NOTE:
The entire story is being framed by a scene in Los Angeles in 1984, when Chaim (now 52) visits this old woman, Manya Bender, an old-time Yiddish Communist, who was Rivka's roommate in New York back in 1931. The story is told in long flashbacks as Manya tells Chaim about his mother whom he never knew because she died when he was only fifteen months old. Only the "current" scenes in LA are in color -- The rest -- the body of the film, is in Black and White in the style of films of the thirties (with lateral "wipes" rolling across the screen, irises. etc.)
THE DIALOGUE IS ALMOST ENTIRELY IN YIDDISH --the English translation I have added mayself is basically to serve as the foundation for the English sub-titles and to guide prospective actors not completely fluent in Yiddish, through the subtitles.
[This is the opening scene -- (Before the main title) – not framed by narration. It mainly serves to set the feeling for the entire movie, and to establish the fiery personality of Rivka Pevner]
RIVKA ON THE BEACH, I: – NEW VERSION, JUNE 1, 2006, LUBLIN
[Scene from a new Yiddish film entitled “The Short Unhappy Life of Rivka Pevner” ]
The scene is Wildwood, New Jersey, around Labor Day weekend , 1931.
(NOTE: My family used to go to Wildwood in the summer, but later started going to Atlantic City after a wave of anti-Semitism occurred and Goyim started putting up signs, “No Dogs and Jews Allowed”, in Wildwood.)
The extended Pevner-Rotfeld family is on the beach having a Jewish picnic and taking dips in the waves. Cousins Beatrice and Berl, respectively three and nine, are playing around in the sand. Bea is helping the three year old boy with a head-full of blonde curls, make sand pies with a toy bucket and shovel. All are in bathing suits, and covered with towels, with maybe a
beach umbrella to shade their beach blankets. Everybody is, of course, gabbing animatedly in Yiddish as they are smoking, snacking, and playing cards on the spread out blankets. Suddenly a swarthy young woman in a white one-piece bathing suit and a towel over her shoulders, comes down to the beach from the boardwalk and approaches them.
“Gib a kik ver kimt!” (look who’s coming) says Chollie, Mollie’s husband (31), as he recognizes the newcomer to the beach party. Now, all shout in excited unison “Rivkele, vos tiste du?” (Rivka, what’re YOU doing here?) – Mir hobn gemeint doch az di bist in New York” (But we thought you were in New York!) says her older sister, Mollie (26).
Flipping her towel around casually, Rivka (22) replies in a studied, offhand manner; “Geveintlich bin ich gevin in New York, ober ich hob aich gevolt zen, bin ich gekimen aher” (well, of course I was in New York, but I wanted to see you (all) so I came down…”) –
The other women cast doubtful glances at each other . Iz, vozhe machste yetzt, Rivka? (So, what’re you doing with yourself these days, Rivka?), Mollie inquires, giving her younger sister a little welcoming hug.
RIVKA: “Nu, vos zol ich machn.? – Ich leren zich zain a lererin af idish“
(Well, what do you think? – I’m studying to be a Yiddish teacher) –
”Yeh, ba di komunisten“, Chollie mutters under his breath. (Yeah, sure – with the Communists..) “Sha, says Mollie, turning to him with a frown – farmach dem pisk” (Shush -- shut your trap) – Chollie is evidently not too happy about his young sister-in-law’s sudden totally unexpected appearance on the scene.
JENNIE: (older sister of both Mollie and Rivka) --
“Gib a kik – zi hot shen a buch”, (Look, she’s got a belly on her already) remarks Jennie, Rivka’s other older sister (32), wryly, noticing that there is a small rotundity in Rivka’s bathing suit below the belt. “Vus heist dus! (What’s this supposed to mean?) Jennie says with a mixture of surprise and tentative disapproval, in her usual forthright manner, placing a hand on the small mound in Rivka’s bathing suit.. A collective sigh of surprise goes up from the other women now gathered around Rivka. The child, Beatrice, still holding her sand bucket, comes running up excitedly and embraces her aunt tightly, tossing the bucket away and exclaiming joyfully, ‘Tante Rivka! – Tante Rivka!’ –
Rivka pats “Beetzy” on the head and plants a little kiss on her forehead. Little Beatrice is now holding Rivka by the hand, as the group, recovering from their first surprise, begins to cross-examine Rivka. A flood of excited questions come at her –
ALL, SPEAKING NEARLY AT ONCE)
“D’host gehat chasene un host indz afile nisht gelozt visn? (You got married and didn’t even let us know?)—Iz ver iz der tate? – Er iz chotsh a Yid? – (So, who’s the father? – Is he at least a Jew?) –
There is a brief expectant pause, as Rivka looks down at her feet and forces some sand between her toes. Beatrice who doesn’t quite understand what’s going on, but admires her aunt Rivka greatly, looks up and searches her face – (nu, tante..well, auntie) -- wondering what the answer will be. Finally, after a pregnant moment, Rivka looks up from the sand and looking
around at everyone square in the eyes, states calmly – almost with pride: “Siz nishtu kaine chasenes” (we’re not having any weddings) – At this all eyes open wide with a collective sucking in of breath: After a momentary pause for emhasis, Rivka continues:
RIVKA: -- Ober ir kent zain zicher az zain foter iz an onshtendiker mentsh .. un a groiser artist!” – (But you can be quite sure that his father is a respectable man .. and a great artist!) –
At this everybody starts talking at once and various broken phrases are heard in a mixture of Yiddish and english – (Chollie, sarcastically) “Yeh, I’ll bet – some artist! What is he a trapeze artist? -- (others) ‘How do you know it’s a he? – Are you a fortune teller, or something. How do you know it won’t be a girl? – I’ll bet he’s a ‘sheygetz’, the father … No, that’s impossible – She only goes around with Jews up there – Yeah, but they’re all Communists – “Free thinkers” – you know what that means – I wonder if she even knows who the father is! – Wait till her mother hears about this – She’ll drop dead on the spot -- --
Little Beatrice has now burst into tears and her mother, Mollie, pulls her away from Rivka and covers her protectively – ‘Vish zich op di nuz, kind, un gey shpiel zich mit dain brider – er zitzt dochtn eyner alien – se ken im gibn a bais a kreb” (Wipe your nose, child, and go play with your brother – he’s sitting over there all alone – he could get bitten by a crab) –
Beatrice does as she’s told, and Rivka is now defiantly holding the floor with all eyes on her.
With head held high and acid in her tone of voice, but also just a bit of hysteria, she makes the following little speech:
RIVKA:
“Mir iz altz eins vos ir burzhuazishe narunem denken – main kind vet zain a ben-zucher un er vet oisvaksn a barimter artist, pinkt azeive zain tate! Un az se shteit aich nisht on vos mir hobn nisht chasene gehat, iz dos mir “vaiter a daige” – Ir kent mir kishn ale veist ir vi – un ich hob aich ale in bud!
(I couldn’t care less what you bourgeois fools think – my child will be a man-child -- and he’ll grow up to be a great artist just like his father – and if it doesn’t suit you that we’re not married, I could care even less – You can all kiss me you-know-where -- and as far as I’m concerned you can all go take a bath!) –
Angry now, and eyes red with incipient tears, Rivka turns and stalks off in the direction of the boardwalk from where she came -- but as she walks off she turns to sister Mollie who is standing there in stunned amazement, slowly shaking her head – and her parting words, half shouted and cast over her shoulder along with her green towel, are:
RIVKA:
Un di kenst unzogen dem Taten, Malke – az bald vet er vern noch-a-mol a ZEIDE!! – --
(..and you can notify our father, Malke, that he’s soon going to be a grandfather again!) – The last word “ZEIDE” , grandfather -- is practically a shriek. In the distance we can just barely make out a black car with a man standing by the open door waiting for Rivka to get in for the ride back to New York.
MAIN TITLE – HERE
………………………………………………………………………………………….......................
NOTE: The child in Rivka’s belly did, indeed, turn out to be a boy, as Rivka was sure it would. She named him ‘Chaim Pevner’. His father, a Spanish artist, didn’t show up for the birth of his son, or at any time after that. Fifteen months after Chaim’s birth Rivka died (perhaps commited suicide) in a mental hospital. She was not yet 24. The child displayed unusual artistic talent and was drawing realistic pictures with sophisticated compositions by
the time he was four. By the time he was seventy-four, he was still busy building castles in Spain.
=======================================================
RIVKA II: THE UNVEILING. ENTER DELEON
Manya’s Narration back in Los Angeles, 1984, begins with this part. (This scene should have the feeling of Joseph Cotten's reminiscings in "Citizen Kane")
MANYA BENDER:
“Your mother had some wild ideas – well, I guess we all did in those days – “Free Love” was one of our principles and we called ourselves “free thinkers” – In other words, we didn’t consider ourselves to be bound by the bourgeoisie social rules and their mortality …. SOUND AND IMAGE FADES OUT – to New York, 1931…
The scene is a tiny apartment on the Lower East Side in New York -- The Apt. of Manya Bender. The time is a sultry summer night in the early summer of 1931. Manya, wearing thick glasses, is poring over some of her 'Yiddish Workers University' school notes. Her class-mate and temporary room-mate, Rivka, is pacing back and forth nervously.
Both are smoking unfiltered Camels. (No cigarettes had filters at the time).
Suddenly, Rivka starts peeling off her clothes -- everything, down to the buff, and stands admiring her figure in the cracked mirror over the sink.
MANYA: Looking up from her work, crushes her cigarette out in a saucer, already full of cigarette butts, which is serving as an ashtray.
Vus iz der mer mit dir, Rivka -- bist meshige gevoren?
(What's the matter with you, Rivka -- Have you gone out of your mind?)
RIVKA: Nein, Manye. Ich vil nor hobn fin dir a meinung.
(Not at all, Manya -- I just want to have an opinion from you ...)
MANYA: (somewhat taken aback as she regards Rivka, who is now turning around methodically in place, to show her nude body off from every angle) -- Meinung? -- Vus far a meining?. (Opinion? – What kind of an opinion ?)
RIVKA: Standing totally nude and unashamed before her studious room-mate "Gib a kik af mir. Ich vil visn tzi di meinst az a meidl mit main geshtalt vet kenen amol gefinen a man far zich?" (Take a look at me. I want to know if you think a gal with a figure like mine will ever be able to find a man for herself)
MANYA: Waving a hand dismissively toward her naked room-mate, but also trying to reassure her, seeing that Rivka is in kind of a state.
"Gei-shen vu-di redst! -- Di host a sheinem kerper -- mit a bisl fleish af di beiner ... Abi di vilst nor viln, veln dir mener nukhyogn azei vi di ketz!"
(What nonsense! -- You have a beautiful body -- with some meat on your bones. As long as you're willing men will chase after you like a bunch of tomcats.)
RIVKA: With a note of doubt in her voice, now dropping her hands to her sides.
"Sicher, Manya? -- bist ober sicher?. (For sure, Manya -- are you really sure?)
MANYA: Speaking as a connoisseur of men.
"Vu den. Farvos zol ich nisht zain sicher? -- Karg hob ich 'boyfrents'?
Meinst az ich veis nisht vos se tit zich mit mener. Avode veste gefinen a man!"
(But, of course! Why shouldn't I be sure? Do I have a shortage of boyfriends? Do you think I don't know what makes men tick? -- Of course you'll find a man.)
RIVKA: (Fishing for more reassurance -- "Ober di meinst nisht az ich bin a bisl tzi fet?
(But don't you think I'm a little too fat?)
MANYA: (impatiently, and with an air of finality) -- "Fet-Shmet! Ich hob dir shen gezogt az mener hobn lieb a meidl vos zi hot epes a bisl fleish af di beiner. A sach beser far an oisgedartn chront. B'meile, bist di gur nisht fet. Host a gitn figur -- di vilst dir nor einredn az di bis a miese. dos iz dain gantzer m'shegas.
(Fat-shmat! I already told you that men like a girl with some flesh on her bones --- a lot better than a skinny dried up twig. In any case, you're not at all fat. You have a good figure. You just want to talk yourself into thinking you're ugly. That's your whole problem -- it's insane.)
Rivka seems to be just slightly relieved, and the trace of a smile plays at the corners of her mouth as she starts to cover herself with a crumpled sheet, still gazing searchingly -- plaintively, into Manya's eyes. The two hold this gaze for a long second.
Finally, Manya says: "Olrait -- tzi zich on, un er zich iyf machn narish".
(Okay -- get dressed and stop making a fool of yourself.)
The tension now seems to be relieved and Manya, lighting up another cigarette, turns her attention back to her Yiddish notes. Rivka slowly and thoughtfully, starts getting dressed again. But after a pause, she once again addresses Manya's to her back. Again, plaintively and searchingly.
RIVKA -- Ober der geshtipltn punim mainer ....
(But what about my pock marked face?)
MANYA, turning her head -- now just about out of patience.
"Her shen oyf niden! Zist nisht az ich arbet tze tun? Vos vilste -- zol ich dir uplekn dem punim? Dos iz gurnisht -- yeder einer hot ergetz vi a chesorn. Host a sheinem punim un her zich iyf tshepn tzi mir, Ich'l dir zogen einmol iber alemol -- az di vest veln gefinen a man, un di velst zich iyfhern ainredn mayses, vest di gefinen a man, a richtikn. Un "dets ol" ! Yetzt loz mir a bisl tin main arbet"
(Oh, come on -- stop noodjing. Cant you see I have work to do? What do you want me to do -- lick your face clean? It's nothing. Everybody has something to complain about somewhere. You have a beautiful face, and stop bothering me already. I'll just tell you once and for all -- if you want to find a man -- and you stop talking all this nonsense into your head -- you'll find
him -- and he'll be the right one. And that's it. Now let me do my work.)
A bit of time passes in silence. Then, as Rivka, now sitting on the bed, bent over, is slowly pulling a stocking up her leg, she utters these words in a half whisper -- as though to herself, but obviously meant to be heard:
RIVKA: "Ich hob shen gefinen a man -- un ikh denk az dos iz der
richtiker..."
( I HAVE found a man -- and I think he's the right one ...")
Startled, Manya looks up from her paperwork and, wide-eyed, turns her full attention back to Rivka.
NEXT: THE SPANISH ARTIST --. (RIVKA III)
MANYA; Vos zogste dortn? ich hob gehert richtik? Di host gefinen a man, zogste.
(What are you saying there. Did I heard you right? -- You say you've FOUND a man?)
RIVKA: Yo. Ich hob zich getrofn mit a richtikn "gentleman" un ich vil az di zolst zoch eich bagigenen mit im.
(Yes. I met a real gentleman, and I want you to meet him too.
MANYA: (with evident curiosity)
Vos redste, Rivele? Ernst? Vos far a man? Ver? Vu ....Dertzeil!
(Are you serious? What kind of a man -- who? Where? -- Let's hear about it!)
RIVKA: Settling into a narrative mood, with a serious expression on her face and nodding her head slightly as she speaks.
Nu, azei iddis -- Er iz an artist -- a moler, un er iz a lerer af kunst in der anderer arbeter universitet, nisht indzers. --
(Well, it's like this -- He's an artist -- he paints and he draws -- and he teaches art in the other Workers University -- not ours -- )
Manya, fascinated, interrupts;
MANYA: Heist iz er iz nisht a Yid? ( So, you mean he's not Jewish?)
RIVKA; Ar tzi a minit -- ar tzi, vel dir altz dertzeilen. ( Wait a second –
just hold on and I'll tell you everything)
MANYA: Excitedly -- Nu -- dertzeil zhe ... (Okay -- Let's hear it.)
RIVKA: Ich veis nit tzi iz er a Yid, tzi nisht. Azeleche zachn frigt men
nit az me treft zich tzim ershtn mol. Ober a "movement mentsh (The
Communist movement) iz er avode. Un a hecher, a sheiner.
Er kimt, ergetz fin a Spanish land, vail er redt English mit an aktzent a
zeiner, un er heist Deleon.
(I don't know if he's Jewish or not. You don't ask things like that when you
first meet somebody. But he's a "movement" person, for sure. Tall, dark,
handsome. He comes from one of those Spanish countries because he talks
English with that kind of accent, and his name is Deleon.)
MANYA: Nu, iz ken zain, efsher iz er a Sfard -- oych meglech ... ober vos
macht es oys. In der Baveigung zonen ale mentshn glaich.
(Well, then, maybe he's a Sephard. That's possible too. But what does it
matter? In the Movement everybody's the same.) Iz dertzeil mer fin im. (So,
tell me more about him) -- A sheiner, a hecher, a tunkler -- an artist a
moler -- a shpanier -- fin voned veiste? Er hot dir gezogt? Un, vezey hoste
zikh mit im getrofn?
(Tall, dark, handsome ...artist, painter -- Spanish -- how do you know all
this? He told you? And how did you meet him?)
RIVKA;
Afn gas -- af der Second Evinye. Ich bin geshtonen afn "koner"
aribertzegein ... un plitzling shteit er ba mir af der zait un kikt mich un.
Un trogt zich mit a greise "portfoglio" intern arm -- veiste -- azeive
ale moler trogn arim. Macht er azei tzu mir ....
(On the Street, on Second Avenue. I'm standing on the corner ready to cross
over and suddenly there he is standing next to me and looking me over. And
he's has a big portfoglio under his arm -- you know -- the kind artists
carry around ... And so he says to me ....)
------------- -------------- ------------- ------------
----------------------------------------------------
Quick FLASHBACH -- Dissolve, or screen rolls aside in a wipe like in the old
movies, and we're on Second Avenue around lunchtime on a busy very warm
sunny day.
DELEON looking down at Rivka in the crush of people at the curb,
approvingly, but not quite a leer. He's wearing a suit, even in the hot
weather and remarks in accented English, "It's a nice day -- yes -- but a
little hot"
RIVKA looks up at him and says with her slight Yiddish accent, coyly, with a
smile: "It certainly is. So why are you wearing a suit on such a hot day
like this?
DELEON: Loosening his shirt and tie with one finger -- "Bueno -- I have to
teach a class in the afternoon, and a teacher has to dress correctly...
RIVKA: Excitedly -- "Oh, you said "bueno"! I know some Spanish. I used to
live in Cuba! Es muy caliente, Senor! -- Muy caliente.
DELEON let's out a highly approving baritone laugh. "Aha, la senorita sabe
hablar espanol". And then very politely, indicating a popular cafeteria
(Rappaports) on the other side of the street -- "Perhaps I can invite you to
have a glass of ice tea -- if you have time, of course".
RIVKA -- Time I have plenty of ..
END FLASHBACK, and back to the room where Rivka and Manya are talking....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MANYA’S BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH DELEON.
HERE, INSERT THE (very important) SCENE WHERE RIVKA, telling Manya that
Deleon has asked her to a dance at his school, that very Friday evening –
insists that Manya come along to see her new “Prince Charming’ with her own
eyes. Manya protests that she has a date herself this evening – but finally
agrees –“But just for a few moments -- then I’ll have to go to meet my own
date”. Together they go to the dance. Rivka, barely able to contain her
excitement, but trying to act cool, introduces Deleon to Manya, and he
politely asks her to dance. The approval in Manya’s eyes – her dignified
smile, etc. – indicate that she is quite impressed by this man and his
elegant behavior. They dance – a few words are exchanged during the dance.
As the music ends, Manya politely takes her leave, but as Rivka accompanies
her the few steps to the exit she bends her head and half whispers to Rivka;
“My god – he IS handsome!” – then scoots out the door.
RIVKA IV: WHO’S MORE STUBBORN?
Scene: Interior. Manya's teeny apartment in New York, the next day. Manya
and Rivka.
Manya is trying to talk Rivka ("Eleanor") out of letting herself get too
involved with this mysterious older man, the artist, Deleon. She
occasionally addresses Rivka by her official English name "Eleanor", and
injects English words and phrases into her discourse here and there, to
underline the universality of her logic. The English she uses is basically
correct and colloquial, but heavily accented, with a few funny turns of
phrase... Note also, that Manya’s Yiddish and Rivka’s Yiddish, is just
slightly different, since they come from different parts of the Ukraine.
Moreover, Manya uses a somewhat more standard Yiddish than Rivka.
MANYA: (reacting to Rivka's claim that Deleon is going to be the father of
her child)
Du bist a zamin akshn, Elinor -- You're as stubborn like a mule! -- Az di
nemst zich epes arain in kop iz nishtu vos tze redn mit dir.
(You'r so stubborn, " -- Elinor" -- as stubborn like like a mule !
-- Once you get something into your head, it's no use talking to you)
RIVKA:
ICH bin stuborn ?! -- Gib a kik in shpigl veste zin ver iz a stuborner
akshn. Di bist nor "jealous" vos ich hob zich gefinen a za mentsh -- a za
man, a sheiner an umshtendiker -- a "gentleman", un noch dertzi, an artyst
mit a groisn talant...
(I'M stubborn! -- Take a look in the mirror and you'll see who the stubborn
one is. You're just jealous because I've found a person like this -- a
handsome, respectable man -- A 'gentleman' and an artist with a great talent
into the bargain...)
MANYA; (Still trying to talk some sense into Rivka's head)
Her zich tzi tze mir, Rivkele. Ershtns biste tzi ying tze hobn a kind.
Tveitns ...
(Listen to me, Rivkele -- First of all you're too young to have a child --
In the second place ...)
RIVKA interrupts:
"Tzi ying" zugste? -- main shvester Malke hot gehat a kind az zi iz gevin
ersht zechtzn yor alt!
("Too young” you say? -- My sister Malke had a baby when she was only
sixteen years old!)
MANYA: (pleadingly)
Rivka, dos iz gor epes andersh. Zi'iz shen geven farhairet -- hot gehat a
man velcher arbet un macht a leibn ... Du veist afiler nisht tzi der
'artiest' dainer hot nisht, chelile, ergetz a vaib -- efsher hot er shen
kinder ...
(Rivka, that's a completely different story. She was already married. --
had a man with a job -- making a living ... You don't even know if your
"arteest" doesn't -- (touch wood)) -- have a wife somewhere -- maybe he even
has children ...
RIVKA: (resolutely) --
Dos macht mir gurnisht ois -- tze hot er a vaib, tze nisht. Di host doch
alein gezogt, Manya -- nisht einmol -- az volste gehat nor a "tshens"
(English), volste zich araingelozt in shvengeren fin a za mins vi George
Bernard Sho -- oder afile fin Leninen alein! -- In indzer velt macht nisht
ois tze hot a man tzen andere vaiber, abi dos iz nor der richtiker mit vemen
tze hobn fin im a kind. Dos veiste, plein end simpl!
(That doesn't matter one bit to me -- if he has a wife or not. Haven't you
said it yourself -- and not just once -- that if you only had a 'chance' you
would get yourself pregnant by the likes of a George Bernard Shaw -- or
maybe even Lenin himself! In our world it doesn't matter if a man has ten
other wives, as long as he's the right one to have a child with. You know
that. It's plain and simpler.
MANYA: (with a tone of resignation)
Olrait, Elenor -- dos iz ober teoretish geredt. Ober di dafst zain altz a
bisl praktish in leibn. Mit vos volste yetzt a kind oishaltn? -- Az di host
nisht a "job" -- a groshn tzu der neshume? Ersht dafste farendikn dos
lernen az di zolst kenen krign a "job", a richtikn, als a lererin. Dernoch
vet efsher zain vos tzi redn.
(Alright, Elenor -- but that's talking theoretically. You still have to be
a little practical in life. How would you support a child? -- You don't have
a job ... or a penny to your name. First you need to finish up your studies
so you can get a decent job as a teacher. After that maybe we'll have
something to talk about.
RIVKA:
Dernoch-dernoch. Ver vaist fin a "dernoch". (slight pause) -- Dervaile
hob ich im gefinen un ich vel im nisht aroislozn fin di hent.
("After that - after that" -- who knows about "after that" -- In the
meantime, I've found him and I'm not going to let him slip through my
fingers.
MANYA:
Her zich tzi tze mir, Elinor ... Oyb di vilst hobn an ernstlechn "opinion"
-- ken ich dir nor zogn az ich mein az di bist in gantzn arup fin zinen. Ti
vu di vilst. Di host zich aingeredt, veste sai-vi-sai uptun dains un keiner
vet dir nisht upshteln. ... vel ich dir nor zogn az di zolst zain "kerfel"
(careful) -- Farshteist? -- Votch your step!
(Listen to me, Eleanor ... If you want an honest opinion, I can only tell
you that I think you've gone off your rocker. Do what you want to. Since
you've talked yourself into this, you're gonna do what you're gonna do
anyway, and nobody is going to stop you... So all I'm going to say to you is
just be careful. You get it? Votch your step!)
RIVKA:
Dafst zich gurnit ergern af main khezhm -- Doan vorry about me, Manya --
Ich veis vois ich ti. Un az ich vel take hobn fin im a kind, vest di zain
tze-nim azeive a tzveite miter.
(You don't have to worry about me, Manya -- I know what I'm doing. And if I
really do have a child from him you'll be like a second mother to him.)
MANYA: (dryly)
Good lok. Abi gezint. Ober ich denk altz az di bist tzedreit gevorn.
(Good luck. As long as you stay healthy. But I still think you have a
screw loose.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACK TO MANYA AND CHAIM IN L.A., 1984
Manya, sipping TEA, continues her tale in her slightly funny English.
=======================================================-
(RIVKA V)
BRIGHTON BEACH – NARRATION:
"Vel, Chaim, da next Vikend was the fourth of July, and over da vikend she
disappeared -- completely. I didn't see her for three days.
On Monday she comes back, all sunburned, from the beach ...
Dissolve back to Manya's apt. in New York, 1931 -- Interior, morning --
Manya is making herself a glass of TEA, when there's a knock at the door...
Manya already recognizes Rivka’s knock and throws the door open.
Rivka is standing there all smiles and excited with something in her hand.
Her first words are:
“GUESS WHAT MANYA!”
MANYA: (on the verge of anger)
Vos far a “ges vot” -- Vu biste geven a gantzen Vikend?
(What’s with the “guess what”? Where have you been all weekend?)
Rivka steps in, breathlessly, drops her things on the bed, but still has
some kind of paper in her hand.
RIVKA:
Zetz zich avek, vel ich dir dertzeilen di gantze mainse.
(Sit yourself down and I'll tell you the whole story)
MANYA: Nem ersht a gluz tei, meshugene.
(First take a glass of tea first, nut-case!
-- slight pause, as Rivka catches her breath and settles down on the bed)
RIVKA: (coyly) Manya – d’ost epes a sigaretkele?
(Manya, maybe you have a little ciggie …?)
MANYA: (frowning, and pacing about – Several plates and saucers serving as
ashtrays are full of crumpled butts smoked down to the end )
Ich hob zey ale oisgerechert Gedaiget af dir. Avekgegangen azei, on a
vort! Afile ibergelozt dem shlisl. Nu, iz vos-zhe iz di manse daine?
Zicher a megile!
(I smoked them all up. Worrying about you. Leaving like this without a
word! You even forgot your key. Okay, so what’s this story of yours? I’ll
bet it’s a good one!)
RIVKA: (articulating her words very deliberately, for emphasis.)
Ich bin gevin afn yam – mit Deleonen -- in Braitn Beach.
(I was at the ocean – with Deleon – in Brighton Beach.)
She pauses dramatically to let these significant words sink in – and then
continues;
„Un dortn – afn beach – hot er gemacht fin mir a sketch – a portret – Ot gib
a kik.
(And there on the beach, he made a sketch of me – a portrait – Take a look.
Rivka shows Manya a drawing made on the back of a brown paper bag . It’s a
very professional looking pencil drawing of herself in a bathing suit,
posing by some pilings like a bathing beauty. She’s obviously very proud of
this small work of art. As Manya examines the pencil portrait intently,
Rivka says:
RIVKA: (expectantly)
Nu, vus meinste itztert? Khob dir nisht gezogt az dos iz a muler mit an
oisergeveinlichn talant?
(Well, whaddya think now – Didn't I tell you he was an artist with an
exceptional talent?)
Manya is impressed with the quality of the drawing – even on a paper bag –
and she is now brimming with curiosity. Finally she says decisively:
MANYA:
Zeyer shein. Der man iz gevis a fainer moler. Ober vos noch hoste getun mit
im? Bist nisht geven di gantze tzait afn beach...
(Quite nice. This main is certainly a fine artist. But what else did you
do with him...? You certainly didn’t stay on the beach the whole time.)
RIVKA: (dreamily)
O, a sach zachn – a sach zachn – -- Di zist ober vi gliklich ich bin.
(Oh, lots of things – lots of things – But you can see how happy I am)
Der man vet vern der tate fin main kind.
(This man is going to be the father of my child.)
MANYA: (Dryly, philosophically – with a slight, skeptical nod and dropping
of the eyelids) –
‘Abi gezunt. Oib azey, zol nor zain in a guter yeshua…
(As long as you’re healthy. If this is the way it’s going to be, may it
turn out for the best.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dissolve back to L.A., 1984 -- NARRATION:
Manya continues with her recollections, a far off look in her eyes:
(English)
MANYA: Well, soon after that we got our teaching certificates and I was
offered a job in a different city – Youngstown, Ohio, to be exact – so I
picked myself up and went there. And I didn’t see Eleanor again for almost
a year. We lost touch with each other. But the next summer (1932) when I
came back to New York I ran into her on Second Avenue, and – let me tell you
– She looked terrible! – absolutely terrible.
"RIVKA, VI --TO PHILADELPHIA WITH BABE IN ARMS" --
DISSOLVE TO SECOND AVENUE, New York, on a warm day at the end of May, 1932.
Manya, sighting Rivka in the sidewalk crowd -- aghast at her appearance:
MANYA: "My God, Rivka -- What happened to you -- Bist in gantzen a tel
gevoren -- kikst ois vi a vilde!
(My God Rivka -- What's happened to you? You're a complete wreck! -- You
look like a wild animal!)
RIVKA: (Very wearily, almost in a trance, as she recognizes Manya)
Oy, Manya -- Don't esk... Frig nisht -- Ich hob gehat a kind un ikh hob
nisht afile vi tze voinen - vi aniderleign dem kop. Ich gey arim afn gas ...
(Don't ask! -- I had a baby and now I'm homeless. I'm walking the streets.)
MANYA: (very alarmed)
Oy vey iz mir -- gevald geshrign -- Iz vu iz dos kind yetzt?
(Oh my God -- This is bad ... So, where is the baby now?)
RIVKA: Ich hob im ibergelozt ba mentshen af a pur tig, ober alein drey ich
zikh arim afn gas ...
(I left him with some people for a couple of days, but I have no place to
stay -- I'm on the street.)
MANYA: Vos redste Rivka? Dos iz immeglech! A kind hoste gehat un di host
afile nisht a dach iber dem kop?
(What are you talking about, Rivka! This is impossible. You have a baby and
you don't even have a roof over your head....)
RIVKA: (apparently resigned to her fate)
Nu, vus ken ich dir zogn -- Azei iddis. (What can I tell you? This the way
things are...)
Manya leads Rivka into Ratner's Kosher restaurant seeing that she looks half
starved with dark rings around her eyes.
MANYA: "Kum, veln mir ersht chapn a bais -- (Come on -- Let's first get a
bite...)
They sit down at a table and Manya stops a passing waiter, hurriedly giving
him an order.
They sit looking at each other for a minute or two, waiting for the food to
appear.
The waiter reappears with two bowls of hot chicken soup. Kaiser rolls and
pickles are already on the table. Next comes some gefilte fish and two
glasses of hot tea.
Rivka is looking down, picking listlessly at her food as Manya scrutinizes
her with great concern.
MANYA: Rivka -- di kenst zich nisht arumfirn azei -- kikst ois vi a mes.
(Rivka, you can't go on like this -- you look like a living corpse)
Mir veln gein upnemen dos kind --right now -- herst? -- Un mir veln foren
mit im kain Filadelfia tzu daine elkteren.
(We're going to pick up the baby right now -- hear me? -- And we'll take him
right to Philadelphia to your parents)
RIVKA: (Shaking her head in despair)
Vus redste, Manya -- zey veln mir derargenen! Zey veln mir nisht afile
arainlozn in'oiz --
(What're you talking about, Manya. They'll KILL me! They won't even let me
in the house...)
MANYA:
Narishkeit! Avode veln zey dich arainhnemen. Dos kind iz zeyer einikl ...
(Nonsense! Of course they'll take you in. The child is their
grand-child!)
RIVKA:
Ich veis nisht, Manya -- Ich veis gur nisht -- Di kenst nisht main taten. Er
hot a misikenem "temper". Er ken zich amol untzindn vi a retzeyech. Un di
mame iz azei frim, zi volt avek-gefaln afn ort efsher mit a hart-atek!
(I don't know, Manya -- I just don't know ... You don't know my father. He
has a terrible temper -- Sometimes he can blaze up like a killer. And my
mother .. she's so religious, she might just collapse on the spot -- with a
heart attack!.)
MANYA: (Taking charge) --
Nishtu vos tze redn. It's settled. Mir nemen up dos kind un mir nemen dem
ershtn bus kain Filadelpfia -- Un det's ol! -- By da vey -- (by the way) --
Meg ich dir fregn ver iz der tate fun dem kind?
(There's nothing to talk about. It's settled. We picking up the kid and
taking the first bus out to Philadelphia. -- And that's all! -- By the way
-- Do you mind if I ask who the father of this child is ...
RIVKA: (Slightly surprized at the question)
Ich daf dir zogn? Di veist doch ver der tate iz ...
(I need to tell you? -- You know who the father is... don't you?)
MANYA: (Insistently) -- Iz vu iz er tze-nalde rikhes yetzt ahingekumen?
(So where the hell is now?)
RIVKA: Tearfully,
Please, Manya --Please -- Frig mir nisht azeleche zachen!
(Please, Manya -- Please, don't ask me things like that!)
MANYA --(Knowingly) -- AHA! (I get the picture)
Fain. Fain! Gib zich a heib un lomir gein gefinen dos kind.
(Fine. Dandy. Pick yourself up and let's go get the baby.)
Yetzert-o -- Un a sof tzi di mainses. Dis iz en "amoijency!" -- farshteist,
tzi nisht?
(Right now, this minute, and that's the end of it. This is an 'emergency' --
You understand, or don't you!)
RIVKA: (resigned, worn out -- but dimly realizing that this is her only
hope)
Vus ken ich dir zogn? -- It's "op to you".
(What can I say -- It's up to you.)
Manya leaves some money on the table for the bill, and with Rivka huddling
against her, they exit the restaurant.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCENE: Dark interior of the night bus to Philadelphia. Manya, Rivka and the
baby in Rivka's arms. Rivka is dozing. The baby starts to cry. Rivka,
aroused, gives him a bottle and he stops crying. Sound of the bus on the
road in the night.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SCENE: Philadelphia. Chilly early morning. Exterior. Street with a row of
scraggly houses and some sick looking trees. Manya and Rivka holding the
baby, are standing before a little ramshackle red-brick house in this
obviously poor neighborhood. (38th and Parrish). The house has a small
overgrown plot of grass in front and some low cast iron fencing that is
about half falling over.
RIVKA: Conferring with Manya in a low, hoarse voice, nearly a whisper.
'Manya -- ich hob mere. Gei di arain frier un red mit zey. Ich vel zich
bahaltn du hinterm beim.
(Manya, I'm scared -- You go in first and talk to them. I'll hide behind
this tree...)
Manya goes up to the house and rings the bell.
A middle aged man with a scruffy beard, wearing glasses, comes to the door.
He has suspenders on but no shirt -- just his wooly underwear top. He has a
Yiddish newspaper in one hand and a burning cigarette in the other. He was
probably in the midst of having his morning coffee. This is Boruch Pevner,
Rivka's father, age about fifty two, although he looks older.
BORUCH: (coughing wityh a hacking cough)
Yo -- vos vilt ir? Eyb farkeifn dafn mir gurnisht hobn.
(Yes. What do you want. If your selling something we don't need anything.)
MANYA:
Far keifn, farkeif ikh nisht. (I'm not here to sell anything) --
Antshuldigt mir -- ich vil nor visn, tze zait ir Boruch Pevner.
(Please excuse me -- I only want to know if you are Boruch Pevner)
BORUCH:
Boruch Pevner bin ich ... tze voser a nitz?
(Boruch Pevner -- that's me. Who wants to know and what for?)
MANYA: (As politely as she can manage)
Ir zolt mirt antshuldign di shterung azoy in frimorgen ... Ich heis Manya un
ikh bin di beste khaverte fun aier tochter, Rivken.
(I hope you'll forgive the intrusion so early in the morning -- My name is
Manya, and I am the best friend of your daughter, Rivka)
BORUCH: Take? (Really) -- A worried look comes over his face.
Kimt arain. Dafst nisht shtein in droisn. S'is zich epes mit ir getrofn?
-- Zi voint doch in New Yorik...
(Come right in. No need to stand outside. Did something happen to her?
She's supposed to be in New "Yorik" )
MANYA: Mister Pevner -- ich vil aich derkleren a simche -- Aier tochter hot
gehat a kind -- Ir zait der zeide fun a vunderbar shein yingele. Er heist
Chaim. Ir megt zich freien... af aier nai enekl.
(Mr. Pevner, I want to announce a joyous event. Your daughter has a baby.
You are now the proud grandfather of a wonderful, beautiful little boy. His
name is Chaim. You have every right to rejoice -- -- over your new
grandchild.)
BORUCH: (somewhat perplexed)
A yingele zogste? ... Mir hobn shen dershpirt az se tit zich epes mit ir.
Ober a shein ingl -- Veiste-zhe ver iz der tate?
(A little boy, you say? ... We already had an inkling that she might be in
trouble -- But a beautiful little boy? -- Well, can you tell me who the
father is?)
MANYA:
Dos lomir redn shpeter, Reb Boruch. Dervaile shteit aier tochter mit aier
einekl af di hent do in droisn farm hoiz, in der kelt, un zi iz nisht
gezunt, un zi hot moire araintzukumen.
(Ahem -- let's talk about that later, Sir Boruch. Meanwhile your daughter
is standing out there in front of the house in the cold, with your grandson
in her arms -- she's not in very good shape, and she's afraid to come in.)
BORUCH. (He lets out a shout -- something between joy and anger)
"Oy, a bruch tze maine sonim! Zol zi arainkimen! -- Ich vil zin dos kind.
(A curse on all my enemies! Let her come in. I want to see the child!)
From the kitchen, Boruch's wife, Chaya, overhearing the sudden commotion
calls out.
CHAYA: Buruch! -- vos hoste gegibn a zamin geshrei -- mit vemen redste? Vus
tit zich dortn?
(Boruch -- why are you hollering about? -- Who are you talking to? --What's going on out there?)
BORUCH; Gurnisht, Chaya -- gur nisht. Ich red mit imitzen -- dos ales --blaib dortn --
(Nothing, Chaya -- nothing. I'm talking to somebody, that's all. Stay where you are.)
But CHAYA is curious. She comes out of the kitchen dusting some flour from
her hands, then wiping them off on her apron. She, of course, has her head
covered with a kerchief. Catching sight of Manya she says to Boruch; "Ver
iz dos vaibl? Tze vos iz zi gekimen ....
(Who is this young lady? What's she doing here?)
To be continued --
Will Boruch beat the shit out of Rivka when he has one of his temper tantrums?
Will Rivka take the baby and throw it into the Schuylkil River to spite him?
How will Chaya, who is exceedingly religious and pious, take all this?
Tune in again next week, when the makers of Leibowitz's Lokshn bring you
another hair-raising installment of "The Short Painful Life of Rivka
Pevner, Communist!".
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