I did. I did.
I--I thought I was a cat.
Well, kind of, kind of.
I identified with cats.
Well, I kind of did.
I wonder why that was?
They're never sure when
you try to stroke them,
is that right?
So maybe I was a sad cat.
Was I a sad cat?
Because I wonder--
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I wonder about cats.
Truly, I did. I did. I did.
'Cause I was a fuddy-duddy.
Fuddy-duddy.
I kissed them all.
Kissed them.
I will always kiss cats.
If a cat would let me kiss it,
I'd kiss it.
You know, if I see
a cat on the fence,
I'll kiss it. Always.
Always.
I would, didn't I?
Life's a perpetual risk,
isn't it?
That's right.
I think it is.
Because, the point is,
I was different in those days.
I was. I was.
And I've--I've got to be
different again.
So, can the leopard
change its spots?
I mean, who knows?
It's a blood sport.
I think it's a blood sport.
It's true.
It seems to be true.
Or is it a blank?
Bit of a Scrabble.
You've got to put
all the pieces together,
see if you can make a word.
That's funny.
That's funny. That's funny.
It's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
Bye!
Take care.
Bye-bye.
We're closed!
What's the problem, mate?
Sorry, sorry,
sorry, sorry, mate.
I'm the problem.
I think I'm the problem.
Such a problem!
And wet!
But it's not an ideal world.
Is it an ideal world?
We just have to make
the most of it.
This is the way we find it,
isn't it? Yeah, yeah.
It's more ideal than it was,
because, I mean,
you know, I mean,
we're privileged.
We're privileged, aren't we?
Because not long ago,
people would be burnt to
a steak, wouldn't they, Moby?
Moby, yeah!
No, no. It's Tony.
Who are you?
Tony, Tony, Tony.
Not Moby. Tony, Tony.
Who am I, Tony?
Who knows, Tony? I don't know.
So, ah!
I'm David. I'm David, Tony.
How does it sound?
Hi, David.
How can Sylvia help?
Sylvia. Is it Sylvia?
Sylvia! Hi, Sylvia!
Pleased to meet you,
Sylvia! Oh!
Schubert.
Schubert, wasn't it?
He said, "Who is Sylvia?
What is she?"
What--what can we
do for you, David?
Do for me? Do for me?
What? Oh, l--oh, l--
I got to stop talking.
It's a problem, isn't it?
No, no, no.
It's all right.
Just tell Sylvia
why you're here.
Oh, well, uh,
it's a mystery--
Are you lost?
Am I lost?
Perhaps that's it.
Perhaps I'm lost.
How does that sound?
How does that sound?
Is that
your piano, Sylvia?
Beautiful Sylvia.
lsn't Sylvia beautiful, Toby?
Not Toby.
Tony. Tony. Tony.
You're beautiful, too, Tony.
Perhaps I could play it.
Could I play it?
Could I play it?
You say. You say.
Like hell, baby.
Go on.
Shut up, Sam.
Hell, baby.
Whoa, whoa! The devil.
Diablerie. Whoa, Sam...
David...
Get out of here!
Go on!
Sylvia, Sylvia,
Sylvia, Sylvia...
You just tell us who you are
and where you live.
Could l--could I play?
Live--live--live, Sylvia.
Live and let live.
That's very important, isn't it?
Molto, molto.
But then again,
it's a lifelong struggle,
isn't it, Sylvia?
Tony, Tony, Tony.
Sylvia. To--to survive.
To live. To survive.
To survive undamaged...
and not to destroy any living,
breathing creature.
I mean, the point is,
if you do something wrong,
you're going to be punished
for the rest of your life.
So I think it's
a lifelong struggle.
Is it a lifelong struggle?
Yeah.
Whatever you do, I think
it's a struggle, a struggle,
a struggle to keep
your head above water...
and not get it chopped off.
I'm not disappointing you, am I,
Sylvia? Tony?
Tony, Sylvia, Sam, yes, Sam!
Hello, Sam!
Get off!
Helfgott.
What a name!
Sorry, Sylvia.
I sound like a donkey.
Helfgott.
"With the help of God."
That's what it means.
You see, Daddy's daddy
was religious.
Very religious.
Ve-very strict.
And a bit of a meanie.
But he got exterminated,
didn't he?
So God didn't help him.
That's not very funny.
It's very sad really.
I'm callous, Daddy said.
Callous.
And a bit of a meanie.
Sorry, Sylvia,
I'm not damaging you.
I mustn't damage Sylvia.
The point is, the point is,
perhaps I haven't got a soul.
What makes you say that?
Daddy said there's
no such thing as a soul.
Oh, that's ridiculous.
Ridiculous. You're right.
I am ridiculous.
And callous, Daddy said.
Callous. Callous.
Ridiculous and callous.
Because it was a tragedy.
A tragedy.
A ri-ridiculous tragedy.
I'm going to win.
I'm going to win.
I'm going to win!
I'm going to win!
David's going to play
the piano for us.
Aren't you, David?
Yes.
What are you going to play?
What are you going to play?
Excuse me.
Chopin.
The Polonaise.
This is crazy.
It's the piano...
the piano.
It's a disgrace.
This kid's good.
He's great.
He is my son.
My son.
Here they come.
Did he win or lose?
Margaret!
He lost.
Now we'll cop it.
It's your turn.
It's your turn, Daddy.
Let me see.
Let me see.
Let, uh, let me see.
You're losing.
You're losing.
You're losing.
David, always win.
Always...
win.
You know, when l--
when I was a boy your age,
I bought a violin,
a beautiful violin.
And I saved for this violin.
And you 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.
Bet I could have won.
You'd have been
too scared.
Listen.
Have a listen.
Margaret!
I told you,
tell your friends not to come.
Hello.
Daddy, there's
somebody to see you!
Hello.
I hope I'm not
interrupting.
Uh, Ben Rosen.
I was one of the judges.
Yes?
You left before all the prizes
were announced.
You were very good
this afternoon, David.
Thank you.
He can play better.
Well, maybe he was
a little too good.
Some people don't like that.
We, uh, we gave him a special
prize for his courage.
Difficult piece
you chose, David.
Daddy chose it.
Well, even great pianists
think twice...
before tackling
the Polonaise.
A prize for losing.
I wouldn't call him
a loser.
They all...
they all play.
Well, I'm quite sure...
David could win
lots of competitions...
with the right tuition.
My card.
I teach him.
Yeah. You've obviously
done very well.
Yeah.
No one taught me.
No music teachers,
Mr. Rosen.
No, of course.
It's just, uh...
it's just a few bad habits...
can sometimes mean the
difference between winning...
or losing.
Well, perhaps you'd, uh, you'd
like to think about it, hmm?
It's Rachmaninoff.
It's beautiful.
Yeah.
You taught yourself?
From the record.
Ah, yeah.
It's...it's very difficult.
It's very difficult.
It's...
it's the hardest piece
in the world, you know?
Will you teach me?
You know...
one day you will play it.
You will make me
very proud...
very proud,
won't you, David?
Yes.
And, uh...
next time...
What are we going to do?
We're going to win?
We're going to win,
yes.
So...
good night.
Good night, Daddy.
Come.
Come, come, come.
Don't touch.
Don't touch.
Yes?
Mr. Rosen, I have decided
I would like...
you teach David...
this.
Rachmaninoff?
Don't be ridiculous.
But he can play it
already.
He's just a boy.
How can he express
that sort of passion?
You are a passionate man,
Mr. Rosen.
You will teach him, no?
No.
I will teach him
what I think is best.
Rachmaninoff is best.
But...
You're his teacher.
I'll let you decide.
Thank you.
We'll start with Mozart.
Mr. Rosen.
I can't afford to pay.
Come on, David.
Sylvia's getting wet.
Oh, sorry, Sylvia. Sorry.
Bye-bye, Tony. Bye.
See you later.
It's raining
cats and dogs!
Dogs and pussycats!
Look out!
You'll be all right,
then, David?
I'm fine, I'm fine,
I'm fine, thank you.
This is it.
Home sweet home.
Oh, you can play.
Oh, kind of, kind of,
kind of play.
Kind, sweet Sylvia.
Chopin, Sylvia. Chopinzee!
The pole. Polski.
Like Daddy
a-and his family...
before they were
concentrated.
How long have you
been here, David?
Oh, golly, I don't know.
A few years, I think.
Eons, I suppose.
How does that sound?
And Schubert. Schubert.
Nothing wrong with Schubert,
of course--except syphilis.
Was it syphilis?
I think it was.
And then he got typhoid
on top of that,
so that
was the end of him.
We lost him. That was
a bit careless of us, wasn't it?
We lost him...
So, you're back?
Oh, Jim, Jim, Jim,
I've been a naughty boy.
Was I a naughty boy?
I was about to send out
a search party.
Oh, a party, a party.
I won't be invited again...
He came into my restaurant
and seemed a bit lost.
Oh, he's very good at that.
Thanks for
bringing him home.
We'll have a party...
Bye, David.
It's time for a wine.
A very fine time.
A Mardi Gras.
A nice long cigar.
The winner and our youngest
ever state champion...
David Helfgott!
Mr. Rosen...
We won! We won!
Thanks to Mozart,
hmm?
And now he can play
Rachmaninoff.
And now to present David
with the prize money,
our very special guest from
America, ladies and gentlemen,
currently on tour
in Australia...
Mr. lsaac Stern.
You have a very special
talent, David.
Oh, th-thank you,
thank you, Mr. Stern.
Uh, so do you.
How much are you prepared
to give to your music, David?
H-how much?
David! Everything!
Everything!
Everything.
But, uh,
I do like tennis
and, uh, chemistry, too.
And do you play tennis
as well as you play Mozart?
Uh, l--I just play up against
the wall at home.
I, uh, I bounce the ball
against the wall mainly.
How would you like to go to a
special school in the States...
where music
bounces off the walls?
A-America?
You know, uh, land of the free,
home of the brave--
Mickey Mouse?
Ladies and gentlemen,
what an honor for our young
state champion:
an invitation to study
in America.
And now,
all the way from America...
David Helfgott!
Thank you.
Thank you.
Not from America.
But he's going
to America,
and when he comes back,
he'll be coming from there,
won't you, David?
Oh, I suppose so.
Margaret.
No. I have no money
to send David to America.
Well, uh...
We'll raise it.
What?
Bar mitzvah.
David hasn't yet
had his bar mitzvah.
Religion is nonsense.
It's also a gold mine
if you know where to dig.
And then one day,
I-I'll play with an orchestra.
Wow! Can I come
when you do?
You can ride
in my Cadillac.
Where are you going
to live in America?
With a nice Jewish family,
they said.
This is not a nice family?
Yes, Daddy.
It's...very nice.
You're very lucky
to have a family, David.
I've got to go.
It's one of the finest
music schools in the world.
It is for his father
to decide.
He would be well looked after,
I assure you.
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 I am?
How strong?
Show me where the lion
scratched you...
when you worked
in the circus, Daddy.
Up, up, up, up, up.
Yeah.
That's what happens...
when you get too close
to the bars, eh?
David?
David, come.
Come. Hit me.
OK.
Hit me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
As hard as you can.
Me! I want
to hit you, Daddy!
You, too.
As hard as you can.
You see?
A man of steel!
No one can hurt me.
Because in this world,
only the fit survive.
The weak get crushed
like insects.
Like grasshoppers,
Daddy.
Believe me, if you want
to survive in America,
you have to be fit...
and strong.
Like you, Daddy.
Yeah.
Like me. Yes.
That's good.
See you next week,
David.
Don't forget to study.
Thank you, Rabbi.
Mr. Helfgott,
it is exciting, isn't it?
David, the lord mayor
is dying to meet you.
Peter.
Mr. Rosen.
Ladies and gentlemen,
can I have
your attention please?
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.
What do they know with
their furs 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.
He only wants for David...
the same as
you have always wanted.
Don't ever compare me
to him.
What has he suffered?
Not a day in his life.
What does he know?
Does he know
about families?
About...how
your sisters died?
And my mother and father?
Thank you!
Thank you, David!
Thank you, Comrade Helfgott.
Your son
is a credit to you.
On behalf of
the Soviet Friendship Society,
we applaud you.
How do you do?
Meet
Katharine Prichard.
You play beautifully.
Thank you.
My name's Sonia.
I-I'm David.
I know who you are.
You've got the most
wonderful hands.
So do you.
So, um, are you--
You're going to America?
That's right. Yeah.
Maybe one day you'll--
you'll go to Russia, too.
Why not?
I'm here.
There's someone important
who wants to meet you.
I'd better go.
I've never met anyone...
who plays the piano
as beautifully as you, David.
I've never met a writer before,
Mrs. Prichard.
You must be very proud
of him.
As proud
as a father can be.
I have a long-suffering
old piano at home.
Suffering piano.
From neglect.
Perhaps you'll come
and play it for me one day.
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 this evening,
Katharine Susannah Prichard.
You will learn much
from this old woman.
She has been
to Soviet Union.
From America!
"We have been informed
of your exceptional talent
"and can only say
how privileged we feel
"to have you come
and stay with us.
"We're sure you'll feel
very much at home here,
"and you'll be
pleased to know
"we're having the Bosendorfer
tuned especially.
"We eagerly await
your innement arrival--"
lmminent.
I wonder if they've got
a Cadillac.
"...imminent arrival
"and look forward to hearing you
play for us.
"Kindest wishes,
Simon and Basha Mickleburg."
Read it again!
Read it again!
Shush!
You'll wake the baby.
"You'll enjoy the company
of our parakeet
"and our poodle
called Margaret."
Pig! lt is not!
Pig!
It is too.
Enough! Enough!
Turn it off!
Give me the letter.
David is not going
anywhere.
Daddy.
What are you looking at,
you fools?
He is not going to America.
I won't let anyone
destroy this family!
Please, Daddy, don't.
I know, David,
what is best,
because I'm your father.
I'm your father,
and this is your family!
David!
David, come back!
Come back!
I know what's best.
Believe me.
Close the door!
Mr. Rosen!
Mr. Rosen, please,
it's David!
Mr. Rosen!
Time to get out, David.
It's my turn
for the bath.
Are you feeling
better now?
Have you stopped
shivering?
You know, a bath
is always the best, David.
Always the...
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.
Whatever you do,
don't you dare inflict bloody
Rachmaninoff on him.
He's not ready!
David...my boy.
It's a terrible thing...
to hate your father.
You know,
life is cruel, but...
but music...
music, it will always...
always be your friend.
Everything else...
will let you down.
ln the end, everything,
believe me, everything.
Don't hate me.
Life is cruel.
But you have...
you have to...
you have to survive.
You have to survive.
Say it.
You have to survive,
Daddy.
You have to survive.
No one...
will love you like me.
You can't trust anyone.
But I will always...
be there.
I will always
be with you.
Forever and ever.
Forever and ever, Daddy.
Each time you play for me,
it expresses
so completely the...
inexpressible.
Is that good?
It's divine.
lnexpressibly divine.
Quite.
Tell me a story,
Katharine.
What's the story today?
A new story.
Drops of water?
Ah...raindrops.
Yes, raindrops.
Perfect.
I shall treasure this
till the day I die.
"To you, all these
wild weeds...
"and wind flowers
of my life...
"l bring, my Lord,
"and 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
Rachmaninoff.
Well, what a close
contest we have,
with the national
championship...
almost certain to go
to one of the two pianists.
Bravo, David.
I dare say it's going to be
difficult for the judges...
to separate them,
either one a worthy winner.
The judges
are now conferring.
It's a tough game,
isn't it, Roger?
It's a blood sport.
Ladies and gentlemen...
I'm pleased to announce
the winner...
of this year's instrumental
and vocal competition.
Our new
national champion is...
Roger Woodward.
What was he like,
Katharine?
Your father.
He was forever busy
in his study.
"Go away, Kattie,
I'm writing," he'd always say.
One day--
oh, I was very young--
I got so annoyed...
that I upset the ink pots
all over his desk...
and scrawled on his work.
Pages of it.
When he saw it,
he just stood there
seething with anger.
I could feel it.
"What are you doing?"
he shouted.
Well, there was this
terrible silence...
and I just stared
at him and said,
"Go away, Daddy.
I'm writing."
He ran at me
and he picked me up...
and he cuddled me
breathless.
My first literary effort,
he always called it.
David, what is it?
Royal College of Music.
A scholarship.
Oh, David, that's marvelous.
Daddy won't cuddle me,
Katharine. Oh, no.
He can't stop you,
David.
He's such an angry lion,
Katharine.
Oh, nonsense.
He's a pussycat.
I'll miss you.
These were for my son,
but you better have them.
It gets very, very cold
in London.
Where have you been?
I missed the train.
That Prichard woman.
What is this?
The gloves.
Look at me.
Look at me!
And you think you can just do
as you please?
I--I want to go,
and you can't stop me.
But...
I'm your father...
who has done
everything for you.
Everything!
You cruel, callous boy!
Mum! Margaret!
Stupid! Stupid--
Leave him. Leave him!
Leave him alone.
Go, go! Go!
You want to go, go!
I'll call the police!
Go! Go!
Stop it!
Yeah, all right.
Leave him.
He's all right.
Are you all right,
David?
Are you all right?
Yeah?
Come on, David.
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 do you think is going
to happen to you in London?
David...
if you go...
you will 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...
you want to destroy
your family?
I'm--I'm sorry.
David, if you love me,
you will stop this nonsense.
You will not
step out that door.
David.
If you go,
you will be punished...
for the rest
of your life.
My David.
Don't go.
David!
Don't make me do it!
He has the most
fantastic hands.
Not connected to anything
above his shoulders.
Oh, he's a bit
fragile, certainly.
Chopinzee.
I've seen enough
to suggest...
that he can make the finals
in the concerto trials.
What have you seen,
Cecil?
Moments of genius.
Genius?
Really.
Come on, David.
Boldness of attack.
Diablerie.
The devil, David.
Mustn't break the piano.
Liszt broke
plenty of strings.
Right. Right.
Come on.
Fill in for this
useless arm of mine.
The notes first.
The interpretation
comes on top of them.
On top, yes. Yes.
You agree, do you?
Oh, yes. I always agree,
Professor.
Is that wise?
I--I don't know.
Is it?
Don't forget.
It's on the page.
Yes. Well, the...the notes
are on the page,
but, uh, not the feeling,
the emotion.
That's what I feel.
You mustn't sacrifice
everything to emotion.
It's all a question
of balance.
Ah, yes. ls that the question,
Professor?
Precisely.
Ah. I thought so.
That's what I thought.
Mr. Helfgott!
Your allowance check!
Thank you, Mr. Right.
Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.
I'll just stand still
if you like.
Be careful, David.
Oh, by all means,
Sarah.
You look lovely
today, Sarah.
Thank you, David.
You, too, Muriel.
Ease up, Helfgott. Sarah!
David! You missed the bank.
Pity. You'll have to wait
until tomorrow.
Can't bank on the bank.
We know someone
who can cash it.
Do we, Robert?
What are friends for?
Got to concentrate.
Got to concentrate,
Katharine.
Got to practice,
practice, practice,
because there's 3 important
things Professor Parkes says,
and that's work, work, work.
And--and, uh, so that's
what I have to do...
if I'm, uh, going to make the
finals to the Concerto Medal,
because the winner,
which gets to play
at the Royal Albert Hall,
which is right outside
the window.
I--I bought a piano,
Katharine.
A beautiful piano.
It's a suffering piano,
like yours.
I--I wrote to Daddy,
so, uh, that's a positive.
It's a positive, isn't it?
Because, well, it seems to be,
because he didn't write back,
but, um, uh...
Now, how on Earth...
did we manage to get into
the finals, David?
You're a conductor's
nightmare.
It's true, it's true.
And what are we
going to do?
We're going to win, actually,
Robert. We're going to win.
Rachmaninoff?
Are you sure?
Uh, kind of.
I'm never really sure
about anything, Mr. Parkes.
The Rach 3.
It's monumental!
It's a mountain.
It's the hardest piece
you could Everest play.
Well, no one's ever been mad
enough to attempt the Rach 3.
Am l...
mad enough, Professor?
Am I?
Think of it as two separate
melodies jousting for supremacy.
The hands, giants--
ten fingers each.
Performing's a risk,
you know--
no safety net.
Make no mistake,
David.
It's dangerous.
People get hurt.
You have to learn to be able
to play it blindfolded.
The page,
for God's sake!
The notes!
I'm sorry. I was, uh,
forgetting them, Professor.
Would it be asking too much
to learn them first?
And--and then
forget them?
Precisely.
Just give me
the fingering.
David.
Come on, my boy.
We're going to rest
muscles and fingers today...
and try to exercise
the imagination.
First movement cadenza.
Let's pick it up
from, uh...
Your hands must form
the unbreakable habit...
of playing the notes,
so that you can forget
all about them...
and let it come from here.
The heart...
that's where
it comes from.
Don't you just love
those big, fat chords?
You have to tame
the piano, David,
or it'll get away from you.
It's a monster.
Tame it,
or it'll swallow you whole.
Coming along nicely,
David.
Morning, Mrs. Perkins.
I call this
my little mausoleum, David.
Ah, 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, you know.
Quite cheap.
I've got Rachmaninoff
in here somewhere.
Magnificent fingers.
So virile.
You know, l...
played the Rach 3
for him once.
Really?
Yes.
He said he could hear
himself in my playing.
He said it seemed...
as if I had
touched his soul.
That wasn't so bad,
was it?
Not too bad at all,
Professor.
Now it's your turn, David.
Remember...
once you've done it, nobody can
ever take it away from you.
And 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?
Daddy, I'm home.
Daddy?
Hello?
Daddy?
Someone here
to see you, David.
It's me, David.
Suzie.
Suzie.
Suzie.
Do we know Suzie?
Your sister, David.
Oh, sister Suzie,
sister Suzie.
Thank you, Sister.
Sister Nurse. Sister Suzie.
David, I won't be able
to come and visit so often.
Not--not so often,
sweet--sweet, soft Suzie.
Not so often.
I'm going to live
in Melbourne.
Oh, that's a trick.
Don't tell Daddy.
The milk--the milk--mustn't cry
over spilt milk.
Oh, well, what can you do,
Margaret? What can you do?
Margaret's in lsrael,
remember?
I remember Margaret.
She called me dopey.
Or was it a pig?
It was the poodle.
It was the poodle.
It was the poodle.
It was all very
complicated, wasn't it?
Complicato in lsrael.
It was--it was
a battleground.
War zone.
It was a war zone.
It was such a bore,
it was such a bore.
It was always a war.
It was all--
it just destroys everything,
really, doesn't it?
David.
That's right, Nurse.
That's right.
I knew I'd find you here.
Oh, I've been a naughty
boy again, haven't I?
I--I misbehaved,
haven't I, Nurse?
I think I have.
That's true, isn't it?
Come on, David.
I--I might get into trouble.
I might--
I might get punished
for the rest of my life,
because--because I'm flawed.
I'm--I'm fatally flawed.
Oh, you silly sausage.
Because it--it's
f-f-forbidden fruit.
The doctor said
it's forbidden fruit.
I--l--I'm not disappointing him
and all that.
Am--am l
disappointing him?
Because, you see, the thing is,
he was--he was--
he--he didn't approve,
did he? He didn't approve.
He was--he was
very disapproving.
Come on, Charlie.
Let's put it over here,
shall we?
Oh, so you can
read music?
Oh, kind of. Kind of.
Perhaps I'm just
turning over a new leaf.
But that's all right,
isn't it?
My name's Beryl Alcott.
What's yours?
Alcott, Alcott. Oh,
that sounds a lot like my name.
Helfgott--
that's my name, Beryl.
Helfgott?
That's right.
Ridiculous, isn't it?
It means
"with the help of God."
It's ridiculous.
What's your first name,
Mr. Helfgott?
Ridiculous. Oh, yes,
first things first, Beryl.
Uh, David. I'm David.
I'm David. How's that sound?
You're David Helfgott?
That's right, Beryl.
That's right.
But I used to watch you win
all those competitions.
Oh, win some, lose some.
You can't lose them all.
It's not your fault.
I was quite a fan.
Do you still play?
Oh, I mustn't.
The doctor said I mustn't.
It'll all end in tears
if I misbehave.
You mustn't?
I mustn't.
That's right.
That's right. ls that right?
I think it's right.
Because it might damage me. The
doctor said it might damage me,
because it did--long time--
long time--once before.
Long, long, long,
long time ago.
That's the story,
so what can you do?
Let's see you play, Beryl.
Come on, you play.
Boldness of attack.
Oh, that's good, Beryl.
That's good.
Oh, very good left hand.
Very good left hand.
The point is, you've got
to share and care and care...
and share and just behave.
That's right, isn't it, Beryl?
That's right,
that's right. Yes.
Very good. This is going to be
a stylish marriage, this is.
It's a stylish marriage,
Beryl. It's a stylish marriage.
Oh. Oh, that's very good,
Beryl, very good.
That's very good.
Oh, that's very good.
Oh, press those pedals.
Oh, we're riding a bicycle,
Beryl.
We're on a bicycle, Beryl.
Pedal, Beryl, pedal.
What goes on
in his head?
God only knows.
He's pretty confusing
in the best of times.
It's a complex disorder.
He kind of lives in
his own little world.
Poor lost soul.
Mmm, he's a sweetie.
He could leave tomorrow,
but he's got nowhere to go.
Come along, David.
Beryl, Beryl, Beryl.
David, you know
I can't abide smoke.
Oh, sorry, Beryl.
Sorry.
What are you doing?
I'll walk. I'll walk.
But you don't
know the way.
I'll follow you.
How does that sound?
It's all right.
Get in, David.
God bless you,
David Helfgott.
How's this, Beryl?
Is this all right?
Is that you, Nurse?
It's all right, David.
I'm here.
Oh, here, here, never fear.
Oh, but where's the nurse?
Where's the sister, Beryl?
This is where
you live now, David.
Oh, that's right.
I'm fine, I'm fine,
I'm fine, aren't I, Daisy?
Daisy, Beryl, Daisy.
This is where David Helfgott
really gets back on the rails.
Oh, that's the story.
That's the story.
No.
Mmm, oh, that's good,
Beryl.
Oh, don't you just love those
big, fat chords, Beryl?
The botanical garden's
just down the road--
nice walk.
You'll be able to come
and go as you please.
Mr. Minogue's a lovely man--
a real Christian gentleman.
I know you're going
to like him, David.
And guess what?
You'll even have
your own piano.
Very--very feathery.
Very feathery, very light.
Shut up!
Good morning, David.
Wakey-wakey.
Rise and shine.
It's breakfast time.
I think it's about time
we gave that piano...
another rest, eh,
David?
Here, sign your check.
Look at you. You should
get out and exercise.
Oh, exercise.
Y-yes, that's right.
Get some fresh air into those
lungs of yours, David.
Yeah, because the weak
get crushed like insects,
don't they?
Like grasshoppers.
Oh, thank you,
thank you, thank you.
I hope you enjoyed
the music.
Bye.
Take care.
We're closed.
Sylvia...
your stray dog's back.
Do you want me
to get rid of him for you?
No, I'll handle it.
Hey, baby,
what about a tune?
A tune, baby, sure.
No worries. No worries.
Oh, sock it to us,
Liberace.
That's enough, Sam. David.
Fantastic.
More!
Two more, please.
Fantastic.
Oh, a hot one.
A live one.
Yeah, hey, hey, give us
Beethoven's Fifth.
Sure, babies, no worries.
Symphony or concerto?
See you soon.
See you soon.
Thanks for coming.
Bye-bye. See you soon.
I played quite
well tonight, didn't I?
I played quite well.
I deserve
a bit of a snack.
A bit of a snack.
You say...
Hello, David.
Hello, Daddy. Hello.
Are you feeling well?
Well, well, well,
the thing is the lid.
I can't--I can't--
I can't open this.
There's something
wrong with it.
What could be wrong,
David?
Oh, it's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
Close it.
Give it to me.
I'll show you.
You see...
how easy it is?
Couldn't be--
it couldn't be easier.
That's right.
Couldn't be easier.
David.
Here...here.
Look at me.
You are a lucky boy,
David.
That's true. That's true.
It seems to be true.
People--people say that--that--
that they think I'm--
David.
Get to the point.
Yeah,
I'm a very lucky boy.
No one will
love you like me.
No one like me.
You see?
Do you realize what...
an opportunity
you have here?
Opportunity of a lifetime.
That's right, Daddy.
David.
When I was a boy...
I--I bought
a violin.
Beautiful violin.
I saved...
for this violin.
You know
what...what happened to it.
You know
what happened...to it.
No, what happened to it,
Daddy? I don't--no idea.
What happened?
I've got no idea.
The--the thing is
you've got to be--
you've got to be fit
to survive, haven't you?
To stay alive.
That's right, isn't it?
Good night, Daddy.
Where are the kids?
Oh, around somewhere
amusing themselves.
Oh, I must warn you. I've got
someone staying on weekends.
But not another Scorpio,
is he?
Oh, very funny, Gills.
He's a child prodigy.
David!
Thanks.
It's a madhouse.
David!
Is that
the water running?
David!
David...David?
Where in
God's heaven is he?
Mum, David's been on
for an hour straight.
He's so cool.
David!
Is that you, doctor?
There's no more hot water,
Sylvia. Where does it go?
David, I want you
to meet someone.
There's no more
hot water, Sylvia.
It's all gone.
All gone. All gone.
Where does it go?
Who can say? I don't know.
Where does hot water go?
Gillian--Gillian's
a very dear friend of mine.
Oh, a friendly doctor.
I'm pleased
to meet you, David.
She's not a doctor.
Oh, not a doctor, sweet Sylvia.
Not a doctor.
She's an astrologer.
A specialist.
A heart surgeon.
She's from Sydney.
Oh, an open
heart surgeon.
Don't be ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous. Aren't l...
Gillian.
Gillian, that's it.
If your lucky, Gillian
might do your chart for you.
Oh, would she, Sylvia?
Would she?
Won't you, Gillian?
Of course I will,
David.
What sort of chart,
Sylvia?
An astrological chart.
Oh, the stars. The stars.
I love the stars.
Astronomical variations.
The planets.
Oh, the planets.
Mustn't forget the planets.
Of course, Mercury and Neptune
and so forth.
The music of the spheres.
If music be the food of love.
Very gastronomical,
isn't it, Gillian?
Oh, the food of love, it is,
Gillian.
What's he like when he gets
to know you better?
Oh!
So, what does he do?
Oh, he's an investment advisor.
That's how I met him.
Oh, so far so good.
How serious is it?
Oh!
Oh, come on, Gills.
On a scale of one to ten.
I'll take that
as a ten.
When's the happy day?
God, you know me.
I hate to rush into things.
I won't kiss you.
Oh, darling, oh.
Oh, Trish, Trish,
Trish, Trish.
Oh, lovely,
gorgeous hair.
Blondes have more fun,
don't they?
They have more fun.
'Course they do.
'Course they do.
There you are,
doctor.
Got to go to my room.
Got to go to my room.
Oh, goodnight, Lucy.
Oh, juicy Lucy...
Mind if I come in?
Oh, hello, doctor.
Entree. Entree.
Where will I put these?
Oh, sorry.
It's not your fault.
Not your fault.
lt--it's amazing. lt just seems
to be getting bigger.
It's amazing what
you find, isn't it,
when you're not even looking.
But there he is. There he is.
Who?
Roger, Roger,
Roger, Roger.
Oh, Roger Woodward.
Oh, Roger, Roger.
Yeah, he's--he's a winner.
He's a winner.
You've got one
going already.
He's a big hit.
He's a big hit.
Oh, one's more
than enough.
Yeah, I really
loved your playing.
Did you? Did you?
It was all right?
Oh, do you write music
as well?
Oh, no, 1-2-3, oh,
that's the Rach 3.
It started out
being a letter.
Oh, that, Gillian.
I think--I think it was.
I think so.
It seems to be true.
"Dear Professor Cecil,
Royal College--"
Of Music.
Royal College of Music.
It's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
What is?
Well, he only had one arm,
you see? lt was a stroke.
Poor thing.
Yeah, poor, poor pussycat.
Poor, poor pussycat.
He was...his paw was damaged
beyond repair.
He wasn't able to do
a thing with it.
He was a sad, sad pussycat.
He was--he was damaged.
And it was just bad luck really,
wasn't it?
I'm not damaging you,
am I?
Oh, not at all.
What's the matter,
David?
Oh, the matter.
The matter, the matter.
Oh, it started out being--
but it's a blank. It's a blank.
It was all--it was all
such a long, time ago, Gillian.
And that's the story,
what can you do?
lnexpressible.
lnexplicably inexpressible.
To--to express
the inexplicable.
Well, why don't you tell me
what you want to say?
Oh, why not? Why not?
What don't I want to say?
Oh, that's
a hard one.
No, it's not hard at all.
Look, d-e-a-r, dear--
That's it. That's it.
That's it. Dear--dear--dear.
Dear Cecil?
-Deary me. Deary me.
-Cecil?
Cecil was Parkes.
Cecil was Parkes.
Dear Mr. Parkes.
He touched the soul of
Sergei Vasilievitch himself
with the Rach 3
in D minor.
So that wasn't too bad,
was it?
It's a hard piece
for elephants--elephantine.
Dear Mr. Parkes...
It was such a long time ago.
Such a long time, you know?
It has been
such a long time.
Such a long time.
And l...
And l--and I hope--
hope, Gillian.
How does that sound?
Is that all right?
It sounds pretty good
to me.
Ah, and I hope you remember me
and the Rach 3.
I'm--I'm feeling
much better again now.
I'm feeling much
better again, aren't I?
Yeah, and--and I've started
playing again.
Well done, Roger.
Oh, yeah! Oh!
That was good.
Smile, David.
Smile, David.
I am, Sylvia.
At the camera, here.
-Hurray!
-Hurray!
Time to go.
Oh, well,
what can you do?
David, look on
the bright side.
The bright side.
The silver lining.
You'll see Gillian
again one day.
Yes, life goes on.
It does. lt does--
is that what it does?
Yes, of course it does.
David, she has to go.
Oh, yeah, little wrigglies
to look after.
Oh, hardly. 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.
I'm a bit
of a handful--
bit of a handful,
Gillian, aren't I?
Softly, softly,
softly.
Softly.
Will you marry me?
Well, it wouldn't be
very practical, David.
Practical. No, of course not.
Of course not.
But then neither am I, Gillian.
Neither am l.
I'm not very
practical at all.
You'll miss the plane.
It's sweet of you,
David.
I don't know
what to say.
The stars, Gillian, darling.
Ask the stars.
You'd better let
her breathe, David.
Oh, I won't kiss you.
I won't kiss you.
Oh!
Sorry, darling.
Oh, that's all right.
You made a noise.
David!
Oh, no. Poor Ravel.
Oh, poor Maurice. He's all
unraveled. All unraveled--
It's nearly time
to get ready.
Can I swim some more,
darling?
Oh, all right.
Ten minutes.
Do some Liszt.
Not a concerto.
Swim
La Campanella.
That should do it.
Oh, I've gone wrong, darling.
I've gone wrong.
Well, keep trying,
darling.
I'm trying.
I'm very trying.
Page 37's missing.
Oh, it's the coda.
It's the end.
It's the beginning
of the end.
Oh, I'll soak my hands.
I'll soak my hands.
David!
Gotcha!
Your first concert in years
and you wear odd shoes.
Oh, I'm a sausage.
You certainly are.
Sit.
No, up straight.
We'll be in the car.
Relax.
Oh, relax.
I must learn to relax.
Must learn to relax.
Shh.
Perfect.
Bravo!
Bravo!
My darling.
They want an encore,
David.
Do they, darling?
They want some more?
What are you going to do?
I'm going to win.
Not now, darling.
I'll do some more.
I'll do some more.
Do some more.
What do you feel?
Well, the thing is
I feel nothing.
Nothing at all?
Well, I'm shocked, stunned,
and completely amazed.
How does that sound?
Perhaps
it's all my fault.
Perhaps it's me.
Perhaps I don't know.
You can't go on
blaming yourself...
for everything
that's happened.
Well, you can't go
on blaming yourself.
That's true, Gillian.
And you can't go on
blaming Daddy...
because he's not
here anymore.
-But you are.
-And I am here.
That's true. And life goes on,
doesn't it, Gillian?
Is that right?
Is that right?
But it does. lt does.
Forever and ever. Oh!
Not forever.
No, no, never forever.
Not quite. Not quite.
But I mean, the point is life's
not all lamb loin chops, is it?
But I mean, it goes on
and--and you just...
have to keep on going,
too, don't you?
I mean, you can't
give up, can you?
Certainly not. Every time that
blooming Saturn comes along,
it gives us a bit of a jolt.
Oh, it's the stars,
Gillian.
Everything has its season.
Oh, it's a mystery.
It's a mystery.
There's always a reason.
Oh, we just need to seize
the reason for the season.