Original screenplay in English. Adapted from my play of the same name.
extract:
Noriega comes scurrying out of the trailer holding a video camera. He slows on seeing the Shah and smiles obsequiously. The Shah smiles politely back, looking curiously at the camera. Noriega hurriedly dispatches the guard off to the beach with the camera and goes into the house.
SHAH
Does he always smile like that?
CHUCHU
The General told him he had a winning smile. It was a joke, but Noriega does not have the General’s sense of humour. He is trying to improve his image.
SHAH
Ah.
CHUCHU
But he is efficient. And he has a fantastic collection of china frogs.
The Shah looks out to sea. Sighs.
CHUCHU
I think your heart is still in Teheran.
SHAH
And my gall-bladder in New York. They’re after my spleen here. I’m leaving a trail of vital organs scattered around the world. What you see is the husk of a man, the stuffing has all been knocked out.
CHUCHU
But the husk has not lost the will to live?
SHAH
That is for God to decide.
CHUCHU
How can you tell what He wants?
SHAH
We have a very close relationship. I don’t need mosques and mullahs. I speak directly to God.
CHUCHU
Does he speak back?
SHAH
He has on several occasions. Once I managed to pull a plane out of a nose-dive against all the laws of gravity and aerodynamics, a matter of seconds before it was due to hit the ground. The young pilot accompanying me was so impressed he wanted to show me what he was capable of himself. I watched from the ground as he looped the loop and flew upside down. He failed to pull the plane up again and crashed right in front of my eyes.
Chuchu studies the Shah a moment but refrains from comment on this. The Shah pours himself some chilled orange juice and settles in the shade.
CHUCHU
The General also prefers young pilots. The experienced ones refuse to fly in bad weather.
SHAH
I think God was particularly eloquent on that particular occasion. But lately we haven’t been getting on so well.
CHUCHU
You think He is punishing you?
SHAH
Well that… It’s rather like with a man and a woman – with you and your wives for instance – sometimes everything is glowing, you are building a magnificent house, your children are laughing, life is wonderful… and then suddenly it all comes crashing down. At these moments one doesn’t quite understand what is happening.
CHUCHU
Me, I don’t believe in God.
SHAH
No, of course, you…
CHUCHU
But I believe in the devil.
SHAH
Really?
CHUCHU
I see no sign of God. The devil I can see every day. When you go in a hotel, there is a revolving door. You step in the revolving door, you push the wrong way, you get stuck. So. This is the devil.
SHAH
Yes, that’s… I must say I never looked at it like that…
CHUCHU
The devil deals in earth and shit. He is real. God is like the haze from the heat. You think you see him sometimes, but there is nothing there.
Noriega appears at the door waiting for the Shah’s attention.
SHAH
Colonel?
NORIEGA
Your Majesty. Your security is my business. This man Armao, he gets in our way. I think you better fire him.
SHAH
Well, Colonel, I’ll certainly have a word with him.
NORIEGA
I think you must send him back to New York.
Armao, casually dressed now, comes to the door of the house and waits for Noriega. Noriega looks to the Shah, who looks from one to the other and smiles mildly. Noriega, realising the Shah has no intention of granting his request, bows and smiles in submission.
NORIEGA
Your Majesty.
Armao ushers Noriega inside, stops on the doorstep.
ARMAO
I had him down for underhand, devious and corrupt, now I’m wondering if he’s not just downright evil.
SHAH
You just say that because he is so ugly. Try not to judge people by appearances, Mister Armao.
Armao follows Noriega indoors. The Shah turns to Chuchu.
SHAH
Mister Armao has not quite acclimatised yet. He has heard something… we have heard talk… that General Torrijos is involved in talks with Teheran…
Chuchu smiles reassuringly.
CHUCHU
The General is a gambler. He wants to be a hero. He wants to free the hostages, get Jimmy Carter re-elected, appear on television, on the cover of Time magazine. He wants everybody to love him.
SHAH
There is only one condition for the return of the hostages…
CHUCHU
You can trust the General. If you can trust anyone, you can trust the General.
SHAH
If there is one thing I have learned in the past year, it is precisely that I cannot trust anyone. How about a swim?
They go inside.