Grand Piano (2013) Movie Script

Okay, ladies.
God, this place gives
me the creeps.
- Where is the freakin' thing?
- There.
You've got twenty minutes.
Whatever.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Shit.
Everything okay?
All good. We're coming.
Okay.
Yeah, towards me. Good, got it.
Hold it. Great.
Got it?
All right, I got it.
Easy. Gently.
GRAND PIANO
Please remain in your seats and
keep your seatbelts fastened.
Jesus!
I feel you, kid. Flying?
Flying used to scare the
bejesus out of me too.
Come on. Come on.
I travel a lot and let me tell you, a
beat-up Civic on a bunch of back roads,
it just doesn't cut it anymore.
You know what I mean, right?
Ladies and gentlemen,
we'll be landing
as scheduled in Chicago
O'Hare after all.
- Are we landing?
- Of course we're landing.
These things are built to last.
I'm screwed.
Excuse me?
Well, what did you expect, Tom?
I don't know. Chicago things.
Rain, wind, one of the wings falling off.
Everyone else got diverted.
I know, life just isn't fair.
- Well, your limo could crash.
- You're right. There's still hope.
After all these years maybe the piano's
so out of tune they have to reschedule.
Or I could just take a
blowtorch to the damn thing.
Or you could just cancel.
- Wait. What do you mean, the limo?
- I thought you were picking me up.
No. I'm at the hotel. I still have
the press conference. Remember?
Don't you see a guy with your name
on a thing? I left you a voicemail.
You mean some stranger's picking me up?
What happened to...?
Ashley and Wayne
are meeting me here.
Actually, they're just downstairs.
Are you going to want to say hi?
They probably don't even know
what a classical concert is.
You can explain it to them
yourself when you see them.
Ah, shoot me.
Tell them I said hi,
thanks for coming, all that.
Christ, I doubt they'll be able to
make it through the whole show.
- Come on.
- What?
My agency didn't get them balcony
seats. Ashley's going to flip.
I have to go right now, so just...
No, it's okay. Thanks.
Hold on one second, okay?
Hi!
He wants to talk to you.
Hey! Emma!
Hi. Emma!
Holy crap, girl. You look hot!
Thank you. You look beautiful, too.
Do not put me on
the phone with her.
- It's just for work.
- Oh, fancy.
So what's the deal?
Is he coming here?
Because I know the bartender at
Fridos and it's 50% off top shots.
Tom needs to go straight
to the theater.
- What happened to pre-gaming?
- It's a classical concert, Ash.
So that means it's better
if Tom is not drunk.
We can just post-game. Yeah?
Hang on, just one more second.
I got you something.
I packed it in your carry-on.
What?
It's just a little gift. Welcome
to the twenty-first century.
Tell me again,
why you did all this?
Because it's about time
you got back onstage.
Hold on a sec.
- Hey, are you still there?
- Yeah.
- Are you wearing the tuxedo?
- Should I be?
You're late, Tom.
Just skip the hotel and go
straight to the auditorium, okay?
Are you biting your nails?
No.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Where are we heading to, sir?
- Twenty-first century...
- Sorry, sir?
No...
Sorry.
- Hello?
- Tom Selznick?
- Mark from A&V.
- Hi, Mark.
When Marjorie says: "Tom, what's on
your mind right now?", that's your cue.
- You got it?
- Yeah, I think so.
Good. Okay, stay there.
Three, two, one...
So you're not confirming
any rumors tonight?
Well, I did audition.
I can't say more than that.
Emma Selznick still auditions?
When it comes to musicals, I guess.
So we're going to hear you
sing for the first time, then?
Come on,
I've said too much already.
I sing all the time. At home,
in the shower... Ask my husband!
Well, in fact, we do have
your wonder boy on the other side.
Thanks for your time. It's always a
pleasure to speak with you, Emma.
My pleasure.
Tom Selznick, brightest
piano player of his generation
married to the brightest movie
star of her generation, is back.
It's been five years since
he retired from the stage,
but in a matter of minutes, this
long hiatus will be history.
I must admit I would not like
to be in Tom's shoes tonight.
- Tom, how are you doing?
- Hello?
Tom, what's going through
your head right now?
- Are you nervous?
- What?
Well, you're reuniting
with the F.C.O Philharmonic
to play several notoriously
difficult pieces.
You must have had a couple
of bad nights lately.
No.
Right. And what is the significance of
the piano you'll be playing tonight?
- It's Patrick's piano.
- Right.
I spent months, years,
practicing with him, so...
- Yes.
- It's in his memory that I...
Patrick Godureaux.
Our listeners probably know him
as the eccentric music magnate with
the missing family fortune, but...
Well, to me he was more
than that. He was also a mentor.
What I mean is, what is
the piano's significance to you?
- What do you mean?
- "La Cinquette".
The unplayable piece, right?
"La Cinquette".
Am I mispronouncing it?
I mean, you have a
history with this piece.
Five years ago, at the Flannery...
- That didn't really work out.
- Right.
So my question is this.
You return to the stage after
all these years of silence.
Are you nervous about
playing the same piano?
- Are you nervous about choking again?
- Choking?
Do you see this as your last
chance at glorious redemption,
- your one shot to forever...?
- Stop!
Sorry. Look...
I play piano.
This is just another gig,
nothing else.
Ha-ha. Alright, Mr. Selznick.
That's about all we have time for.
You break a leg!
Oh, shoot me.
Sir, do you think you could pull
it around to the back door?
- Sir.
- Thanks.
- Sorry.
- It's okay.
Excuse me, are you Tom Selznick?
Yeah.
Break a leg!
Thanks.
Selznick!
Welcome back.
Hey, Tommy. Big show.
Thanks. You're looking well.
Yeah. Got divorced!
Tom! You're alive!
What, you miss the cold sweat?
Hey, do you know where Norman is?
Yeah, just head down here, turn left.
He's stuck to the catering.
He quit smoking again?
Kind of. But don't talk to him
about it, trust me.
Hey! Break a leg!
Sir!
Your chart.
And may I just add how exciting
it is to have you back on-stage.
Tommy!
Thank you.
Come here!
- How's the great Tom Selznick?
- Hey, Norman.
Are you okay? How was your flight?
Oh, my God, who dressed you?
- Thank god you landed on time.
- Yeah, thank God.
- Oh, is it...?
- No. Not a scratch. It's perfect.
Well, that's a relief.
Did you check it out?
- Lower C natural is a little sharp.
- It always was.
Other than that, she's beautiful.
It's a shame we can't keep her.
Frank, you've gotta take first part
tonight, Carl's sick. Not a problem, right?
Who are those guys? CIA?
Nothing that interesting.
Insurance guys. Very serious.
Patrick loved that piano more
than he loved his own family.
Clearly.
Assholes!
Very funny.
Seriously. Assholes.
Even in five years,
haven't you forgot?
I'm fine.
Are you sure?
Because that kind of put me in the
mood to make some heads roll.
Really. I'm fine.
Jesus, look at Patrick!
Jesus, Patrick, you're terrifying.
He still scares me.
Did you hear about the
whole fortune thing?
I swear to God he thought
he was Charles Foster Kane.
Do you really think he'd want me
playing his precious piano again?
The great screw-up?
What?
Patrick. He'd be embarrassed.
- Tom...
- Come on, I always flubbed notes.
Tom Selznick, the new Rachmaninoff...
if only he didn't choke.
Tommy, listen to me.
- Patrick would be proud of you.
- No.
I'm gonna screw up, Norman.
I know it.
You can't play charts like these without
fudging a note here and there. So what?
If you're going to start playing carefully,
I'll just go get the wine and cheese.
Do you want to be the thousandth
guy to give me a respectable Bach?
Because you can keep that.
I don't need respectable.
If you're going to play music this
dense, you're going to hit a wrong note.
And they won't know.
They never do.
And you know what? I've never
seen so many people this excited.
They've waited for
this for five years.
I could have waited another five.
Really?
I have never in my life met another
human being so perfectly shaped
for one purpose.
Do what you do.
And try and have some fun.
And remember...
It's just music.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the main entrance doors
are about to be closed.
Ashley! Wayne!
Hey, you guys!
I thought I'd lost you.
I'm sorry, honey. We were at
the bar. It was Happy Hour.
I called you six times.
- Oh my God. Wayne, where is my phone?
- Yeah, it's right here.
- We should get going.
- Yeah, 6 missed calls.
Yeah? Yeah, you think?
Pay more attention. Okay, honey?
We really should get in there.
Emma, calm down.
Just can just slip in.
What a guy doesn't
know doesn't hurt him.
Here are your tickets. I'll meet
you guys right after, okay?
Wait. Are we not sitting with you?
Oh, God... No.
They really need me to sit
in this one particular place.
But I got you really good seats,
they're in the orchestra.
So we're not sitting with you?
But I'm going to meet you right after.
Ashley, I'm so glad you could come.
It's our pleasure. I mean, you're the
closest Wayne gets to a celebrity.
Let's go.
Okay. Enjoy the show.
I'll see you guys after.
Well, that was embarrassing.
Come on, doofus.
I don't know what all the rushing
is about. Don't they have an opening act?
Ladies and gentlemen,
the show will start
in five minutes.
Please, silence your phones.
Mission accomplished.
I knew it! Look, there are
plenty of seats up there.
Hey, boys and girls, come on!
It's five minutes!
Get your weapons ready.
Let's go! Yeah, yeah, come on!
Lynn, sorry!
Can you hear me?
Okay, yeah...
One second...
And... we're in.
Ladies and gentlemen,
introducing tonight's conductor,
Mr. Norman Reisinger.
Sir.
- Your score.
- What?
You left it in the dressing room.
Thanks. You just saved my life.
Anything you need.
Congratulations.
The whole place is packed.
Thought you would
like to hear that.
Ladies and gentlemen...
Shit.
Tom Selznick.
Assholes.
I think he's looking at you.
No, I have to go.
What?
No!
Get back on-stage.
Who is this?
I'm Patrick Godureaux.
Got your attention? Good.
Now get back on stage,
your audience is getting antsy.
- You think I don't know what you're up to?
- What am I up to?
- Did Norman put you up to this?
- Norman? I don't follow.
Look, I get it. It's funny.
The stage-fright guy. You send him messages
because you think he's wetting his pants.
- Are you?
- No.
Would you like me to change that?
- Listen to me!
- Are you sure this is a prank?
Let's have a bet. I'll bet it's
not a prank. You bet it is.
If I win, I get to spray Emma Selznick's
brains all over her Gucci purse.
If you win, you get to tell me off.
Come on, this'll be a fun bet.
Let's do it.
- I'm calling the cops.
- My friend is outside the theater.
He sees so much as one cop
car pull into the lot
and the ushers will have a corpse
to clean up in box seat five.
Now head to the left side
of the stage. Now.
In front of you.
The top step.
I see it.
Look closely.
Keep looking.
That's the entry wound
of a Rochester .47
automatic with scope
laser aim and silencer.
The most precise weapon on
the market. And the quietest.
Now you know the meaning
of "stage-fright".
Get on-stage or it's Emma's head.
Does this mean we have
an understanding? Say it.
Quietly. They'll just think
you're talking to yourself.
Another 'tee-ta-taa',
or whatever the hell you do.
Okay. Here are the rules. I can
see and hear everything you do.
Call for help and I will hear it.
Leave the stage and I will see it.
Get a cop or a guard involved,
I will know it.
If you do any of these things,
your wife will die.
If you play a wrong note, you will no longer
be of any use to me and you will die.
That's two people I can kill
when and if I feel like it.
So I'm hoping that's double the
chance you'll do what I say.
Do you see me?
- How are you talking to me?
- Look at the keys.
Your entrance is in two bars.
Come in late and it'll be the
last downbeat you ever play.
- Now you can talk.
- Where are you?
In a solo box seat. I have privacy
here. A great view, too.
- How are you talking to me?
- I'm high up.
Not only can I see everything you do,
I can see everything Emma does.
Right now she's yawning.
I think she's bored.
This isn't really her
type of music, is it?
- Does that upset you?
- What do you want from me?
I want you to keep your voice down.
We wouldn't want the audience
getting the wrong idea.
But something tells me
this time you won't.
- I'll give you all the money I have.
- I don't want your money.
Then what?
I want you to play the most
flawless concert of your life.
Consider me the voice in your head telling
you that good is not good enough tonight.
Okay. Fine. We can do this.
But you don't need Emma.
There, it's done.
- What's done?
- What you asked.
You made a good point, she was
muddling things, so I shot her.
Not sure if you believe me or
you saw how quiet I can be.
And your lovely wife
could've just slumped over
and fallen asleep,
she was so goddamned bored.
Isn't it amazing what you can get
away with in a crowded theater
when all eyes are on the stage?
Sit down or I really
will shoot her.
Come on.
Isn't this what you wanted?
You said yourself she was a muddler.
Muddling your whole life, it seems.
- You don't know anything.
- But I do, Tom.
She might get more magazine covers than
you, but you are a person of note.
She won't be in the
history books. You will.
Because you're a person of note.
I know everything
I need to know about you.
I know where you leave your phone.
I know you mutter when you play.
I know you have the fastest, most
agile fingers of any pianist alive.
And you know what's funny? She'd throw
it all away, the fame and the money,
for just a tenth of your talent.
Please, let her go.
I'll do what you want.
You think you can bargain with me?
You're not in control, Tom.
The audience is in control.
And right now, I'm your audience.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I know that it's not customary
to speak between movements,
but please understand
that, as a conductor,
I sometimes just need to hear
the sound of my own voice.
Tonight we're offering you one of
Patrick Godureaux's favorite pieces:
Stephan Yeranosian's
Piano Concerto No. 4,
which is the perfect vehicle
for reuniting all of us
with one of the world's
greatest living pianists...
Wake up, Tom.
...whose genius wowed
Godureaux himself.
The one and only Tom Selznick.
I almost forgot! I'm sorry, Tom,
I'll get back to you in a second.
As if this venue
weren't unique enough,
let me tell you something about
the piano that Tom is playing.
This customized
Imperial Boesenndorfer
with eight full octaves
belonged to Patrick himself.
This is the first time this piano
has been on a stage anywhere.
Sadly, we don't get to keep it.
Tonight when we're finished, this piano
is on an 11 PM plane to Switzerland,
which is probably not what the
board of directors thought I meant
when I assured them that tonight they
would see this instrument take flight.
Patrick's passing this last
year was a blow to all of us.
I would therefore like to dedicate this
evening's performance to his memory.
I would also like to thank
the lovely Emma Selznick...
for helping bring
everything together.
I'm sure they could have
had room for us up there.
And to really showcase what
this instrument can do,
tonight Tom will be finishing the
evening, sans orchestra, with...
No, not that infamous piece. I think
we've all heard enough about that.
With Beethoven's "Tempest" Sonata.
One of Patrick's favorites
But first things first.
Ladies and gentleman, the second movement
of Yeranosian's Piano Concerto No. 4.
What are you waiting for?
Are you there? I want to talk.
I'd rather you play than talk, Tom.
Are you freaking kidding me?
I'm looking for it, Ash...
Everyone is looking at us.
Turn it off.
Hurry up.
Hello?
What?
Wayne, I swear to God...
Tom?
Turn the damn thing off!
Tom?
Can you hear me, Tom?
I wanna know why you've got
a gun pointed at Emma.
Let me see who called.
I apologize. I know you'd rather
have everything only pointed at you.
You're doing an excellent job.
Soon you'll be ready for what's next.
- What? What's next?
- You'll find out. Be patient.
It's obviously Emma.
Probably by mistake.
No, it was a man's voice.
Tom is on the stage playing the piano.
There is no way he called you.
He's saying something.
He's talking.
He is not talking, he's counting.
It's what musicians do.
Shush! I'm trying
to listen to the music.
Excuse me!
You do not shush me.
- I've got to go to the bathroom.
- Wayne!
What was that, Tom?
- What the hell was that?
- My watch.
Your watch? What about it?
An alarm.
An alarm? You expect me to believe you'd
let your alarm go off during a show?
- It was a mistake.
- A mistake?
It's been 5 years.
I forgot to turn it off.
I hope you're telling the truth.
Tom? Hello?
Don't open your mouth
again unless it's to count.
Hi, Tom.
I just got a call from
you and... I mean...
Aren't you on stage right now?
Stop fidgeting, Tom.
Anyway, I heard something
kind of odd and I...
I'm going to try you again.
What are you doing?
Stop playing with your music.
Wayne!
Come back here!
Wayne!
Oh, my God.
Excuse me!
May I help you?
- Do you work here?
- Yeah.
- There's a situation.
- A situation?
I got this from the man on stage.
- If this is a joke, it's not funny.
- I swear it's not. Not from me.
Come with me now.
We'll talk to security.
It's probably a prank.
But you never know.
Tom, I have a surprise for you.
Look above your head.
Watch carefully.
I want you to see this.
No!
Keep it together.
Keep playing, Tom.
If you don't pull it together
in one second, you'll be shot.
Keep your fingers on the piano
and your mind on the music.
This will teach you
how to focus. Steady!
Good.
Now make your conductor think
everything's okay or he'll be next.
Tom? Feeling better?
Why? Why did you kill him?
You've never seen a dead
body before, have you?
How did you think you could be a great
artist with so little life experience?
I've taught you in a way Patrick never
could, which means you're ready.
What?
"La Cinquette".
Remember it?
What about it?
"The Unplayable Piece". Except there's a
few people who can play it. Am I right?
Who can move their fingers that
fast and spread them that wide.
One of them died last summer.
The other is you.
No. I can't play it.
It's been five years.
Well, here's your chance to
put the meltdown behind you.
Here's your chance to show all of those
who laughed at you, who pitied you,
what you're really capable of.
Listen to me. You don't understand.
I can't play it.
Why? Because you froze?
Because you've never been as terrified
as you were that night on stage?
Because those last four bars have haunted
you every day of your life since?
I don't know it by heart.
Which is why I had my assistant
put it in your folder.
I've planned this well, Tom.
I have faith in you.
More than it seems Emma ever did.
Holding your hand, orchestrating
your return to the stage
just so she doesn't feel so bad about
hogging the spotlight from you.
Admit it. You're bitter
she's become a success.
And all I'm doing is offering you a
chance to become your own man again.
In time, you'll learn to be grateful.
But for now, focus on this.
The final four bars
of "La Cinquette".
Play them to perfection for
the first time in your life
and you walk out of here alive.
"La Cinquette".
- I threw it out before the show.
- That was a stupid thing to do.
- Play it by memory then.
- You know I can't.
That's why you stuck it in there. That's
why you needed me to have sheet music.
Too bad for Emma. You'll be
better off without her anyway.
No! You don't have another copy?
Why should I?
That's why I've got you.
Wait! I remember, the janitor...
He saw me throw it to
the ground. He must have it.
In that case, he's about to throw
"La Cinquette" into the trash.
- Can't you pick it up?
- Trust me, you want me up here.
What about someone else?
Maybe your assistant?
I believe he's busy.
When it's intermission, get the score.
And try not to get any more people killed.
Wayne?
Wayne?
Oh, my God!
I'm sorry.
It's okay. I get confused
all the time around here.
- I'll get it.
- Don't worry.
What are you waiting for?
- Where am I going?
- The stairs.
Turn left at the bottom.
Tom, the stairs.
Three doors down.
What? Where?
Left and left.
Excuse me! Sir! Wait!
Wait! No, don't! No! No! No!
Hey, what is wrong?
What is wrong?
- He threw the score out.
- That's a shame.
Wait! I have a copy at home.
I could get someone to go get it.
- I think you know what this means.
- Wait!
Wait. I have an idea.
- Is there a problem?
- It's fine, I'll be right back, I promise.
Back him up.
Can you hear me?
Where the hell are you?
Are you speaking with
me or to the kid?
- Go straight to his dressing room.
- What?
Go to his dressing room and
don't let him out of your sight.
On my way.
I love your dress. You're shiny.
Emma? Over here.
Excuse me. Thank you.
I hope you're enjoying it.
Emma, a picture of
you and me, please.
Do you have him?
Don't tell me you've lost him.
No. I've got him.
- Careful. Emma's leaving the theater.
- And?
- Follow her.
- I can't be in two places at once.
So, what do you want me to do?
Go for her.
"Go for her."
Your wish is my command... Asshole.
Mrs. Selznick! Mrs. Selznick...
Go ask her.
Can I take a picture with you?
Ladies and gentlemen,
please do make sure your
cell phones are on silent.
Ladies and gentlemen, please
do make sure your cell phones
are on silent.
Honey?
Emma!
I hope we're not interrupting,
Mr. Selznick. She insisted.
- I don't mean to be a problem.
- Oh, no.
Not every day I've got two
celebrities to take care of.
He's such a lifesaver for
bringing me down here.
She's something.
I just wanted to come and say
what a great job you're doing.
Really, you're playing
so beautifully.
Ladies and gentlemen...
We should go.
We should probably leave you alone.
I love you, honey.
See you on-stage, Mr. Selznick.
Let me get that for you.
...tonight's performance
will resume in five minutes.
We kindly ask you to make your way
back to your seats at this time.
Thank you so much.
That was close.
You're welcome.
Anyway, it's going to shit.
Calm down. That's what they always
say during any creative endeavor:
it's all going to shit.
All the people of note.
Look, I'm tired of the
"people of note" crap.
- You want to know what I think?
- Enlighten me, please.
- Hello?
- Yes?
- Are you even there, man?
- I'm listening, avidly.
What I'm saying is you
could've made this easy.
Blackmail the movers. Have
them take a detour somewhere
and have the piano all to yourself.
But no, instead we got a
night of fucking Goodereks.
And what would you have suggested,
kidnap the wonder-boy and drag him to
a warehouse with a gun to his head?
No, not necessarily. I mean...
Or build a robot that can play "La
Cinquette" like Rockafire Explosion?
Your ideas are brilliant.
Keep 'em coming.
Look, man, all I'm saying is...
Nobody in his right mind would try
pulling off a heist like this.
That's what you're saying,
am I right?
Because...
that is how you make history.
That's how you get into the record books.
Four bars of "La Cinquette", you won't
have to answer to anybody ever again.
Just do your job!
Were you eavesdropping, Tom?
Fair enough.
Tell me something. What did
Patrick love more than anything?
His body of work?
His body of work, yeah, that's funny.
Certainly not his family.
- But you're missing something.
- What do you mean?
How many keys does
Patrick's piano have?
What?
Answer the question.
- Ninety-seven.
- Wrong.
No, it's right.
Full eight octaves, seven white
keys and five black keys.
Plus the extra lower keys.
It's ninety-seven.
You're missing a key. And you know
what happens when you miss a key.
- I know I'm right. Do the math.
- I did.
I know that piano better than
anyone who's ever played it.
The last four bars of "The
Unplayable Piece", that's your key.
- Who the hell are you?
- No-one compared to you and Patrick.
The only thing Emma would find more
boring than your music is what I do.
It's not the Berlin
Philharmonic, but it's a job.
Say an old man sends a fortune
to a Swiss bank, stashes it
in a safe and hides a key somewhere
only he could ever access.
The kind of lock that only someone
with his skills could ever open.
I helped Patrick build that lock
and those fingers of yours
are going to get it open.
Now's when you ask me: "How much?"
- I don't care.
- You sure?
Aren't you curious as to
the price of your life?
How much money justifies all this?
Nothing.
I wouldn't do what you're doing
for all the money in the world.
Stravinsky beat his own
children, Mozart was a drunk,
but you're better than them.
Is that it?
No, I don't care.
It wouldn't matter.
I think the mark of a
great artist is curiosity.
You're striking me as a mediocre artist.
Don't you know everybody has a price?
- What's yours?
- Imagine it.
Imagine a value.
- Now double it.
- I can't.
Exactly. You can't, because
you don't have imagination.
Because you make your living
playing stuff other people write.
That's what you're good at.
That's your talent.
Leave the imagination to the
real authors, the real artists.
You're just a petty thief.
And you're just a puppet.
A genius puppet, but just a puppet.
Every time you take that stage,
you know it too.
You have a great gift, Tom.
But I've got a vision.
So do as you're told.
Play "La Cinquette".
- And don't freeze this time.
- Go to hell.
Excuse me?
Why would you let me go?
Tom...
Don't make me upset.
You know where that leads.
I see you, you son of a bitch.
You see what?
Tom, what did you say?
I said...
I'll play it.
Thank you so much.
Take the front end
of the piece easy.
Don't tire your fingers.
Save it just for the last four bars.
And now, to cap off the evening,
I'm going to yield the stage
to Mr. Selznick...
Not one wrong note.
- ...who will play...
- Now. Interrupt him.
- ...a solo piece...
- Do it!
- ...that Patrick Godureaux dearly loved.
- Do it now!
- Ladies and gentlemen, "The Tempest".
- No!
"La Cinquette".
Excuse me.
Would you please repeat that?
I'm playing "La Cinquette".
The Unplayable Piece.
- Did you know?
- I had no idea.
played by his greatest pupil
as a surprise change
to the program.
Ladies and gentlemen,
history in the making.
Tom Selznick plays "La Cinquette".
Don't disappoint me, Tom.
I won't disappoint my audience.
Tom, you hear me?
Tom?
You're playing beautifully, Tom.
You're playing great.
But you need to ease up, Tom.
You hear me? Ease up.
You're going to tire
out your fingers.
Careful, Tom. Don't push the tempo,
make sure you hit
those last four bars.
Tom, if you don't ease up,
you're going to freeze it.
You're going to burn out.
You hear me talking to you,
you piece of shit?
If you don't ease up, you're going to find
bits of your wife's skull in box seat five.
Shut the fuck up!
Tom, what did you do?
You sniveling little piece of shit.
You think this is some kind of a game?
I'll rip your throat out, goddamn it.
You sniveling little piece of shit!
Agh!
Are you listening to me, Tom?
You knew that was the
wrong note. You knew it!
Yes. But the audience didn't.
What the hell do you mean?
They never do.
Sit back down and play it again.
Play the last four bars again,
play them right,
or I swear to God, you'll be finding bits
of your wife's skull in box seat five.
You hear me, Tom? I swear to God!
You think about the people whose
lives you're cutting short.
Think about your wife!
You think about the blood on your
hands because you just lost your bet.
Please, sit down.
You just lost your bet, Tom!
Except for you, Emma!
I'm talking to you, Tom!
Tom!
A light for her, please!
You think that's going to stop me?
You think I got something to lose?
Sit back down and play it again.
Play the last four bars again.
Play them right.
The lovely woman you see
sitting up there is Emma.
Emma Selznick, my wife,
and, as I'm sure you know,
an incredibly gifted actress.
What are you doing?
- You know...
- I'm going to take her out now.
- She's...
- I'm going to do it!
- ...the only reason I'm here tonight.
- Do you hear me, Tom?
She's the one you should thank,
not me. Please.
If you don't do as I say right now, I'm
gonna take the bitch out point-blank.
Are you out of your mind?
Everyone's looking at her.
I don't give a...
The change to your programs
Mr. Reisinger mentioned...
- I'm losing you.
- ...was not just "La Cinquette".
What do you expect me to do?
We also have a very special
encore planned for you tonight.
Look, man, you have
got to get a clear head.
Norman, will you
please join me up here?
Are you there?
My friend, Norman Reisinger,
ladies and gentlemen.
You just heard him call me his
friend, right? So I have witnesses.
Okay, what have you got in mind?
I want some help to encore
this extraordinary venue...
I don't know what to do!
Please, help me accompany
Emma Selznick in performing
a selection of her choosing, for
this incredibly generous audience.
You've got to be kidding!
Sing for me.
I had nothing to do
with this hijacking, Emma.
A standard?
A calypso.
No, you're right,
it's too sexy for this crowd.
I got it.
Is that okay?
Right. "Motherless Child" it is.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Emma Selznick!
Listen to me.
I'm packing up and I'm out of here.
The hell you are!
Open your eyes, open your ears.
Forget about the money, it's over!
You're not walking out on me.
Calm down. Let's just pack
up and get out of here.
No! I spent three years on this!
What are you...? What?
What? Stop! You can't!
You crazy son of a...
No!
Are you listening?
Say goodbye to your wife.
Sometimes I feel
like a motherless child.
You listen now, you piece of shit!
Don't you dare fucking touch her!
A long, long way
from home.
Hi, Tom.
Sometimes I feel
like I just can't go on.
Sometimes I feel
like I might make it through.
Sometimes I feel like
there's no place for us.
Alone I pray
to my Lord.
Where's my home,
my home?
I'd rather die, I'd rather die.
Sometimes I feel, sometimes
I feel like I just can't go on.
Sometimes I feel like I
might make it through.
Sometimes I feel
like a motherless child.
Sometimes I feel
like a motherless child.
A long,
long way from home.
A long, long way from home.
Argh!
Tom! Oh, my God!
Tom!
Tom!
Oh, my God, sweetheart,
are you okay?
Argh!
I think I broke my leg.
Emma...
Can we please go home?
Honey!
I need to finish this.