# SCENE 3

INT. CAR (1942) MARSEILLES — NIGHT

A period car, parked in a dimly lit alleyway on a hot, but still night. Inside we find ROGER (40s) in the drivers seat.

In the back seat NORA (30s) adjusts a blonde wig. She is dressed in an expensive gown.

ROGER (Handing items to her): Your papers. Cigarettes. (A beat). Pistol.

Nora silently takes all three and places them in her handbag.

ROGER: Remember the signal. We’ll be waiting outside his apartment. You have everything?

NORA (Taking a deep breath): Yes.

ROGER: You look just like her. Bon courage.

INT. RESTAURANT — NIGHT

It’s cosy, dimly lit, enveloped in a fog of cigarette smoke. Every table is occupied with men in grey uniforms, each one dining with an attractive woman.

Nora walks in, visibly trying to maintain her cool.

CAPTAIN HOLTZ (VO): Mademoiselle!

Nora spins round to find herself face to face with her mark. He is in his early sixties, grey hair and a face that bears the marks of a life in the army. He is grinning.

HOLTZ: You walked right past me.

NORA: Captain Holtz! It is hard to see in here.

He pecks her on the cheek and helps her into her chair at the small table.

HOLTZ: You are even more beautiful than in your photographs. I trust your journey from Bordeaux was uneventful?

NORA: As uneventful as a wartime flight can be Herr Captain.

A WAITER (40s) approaches and hands Holtz a wine menu.

WAITER: La carte du vins monsieur.

Holtz hands it directly to Nora. She is taken off guard by this.

NORA: Captain?

HOLTZ: Surely, the daughter of one of the most renowned sommeliers in all Bordeaux should choose the wine.

The waiter bows respectfully.

WAITER: Mademoiselle.

Nora stares at the extensive list, her mouth drying up.

WAITER: A recommendation perhaps?

HOLTZ: No, I want her to pick one. Something that goes well with beef, something to offset those flavours. Nothing too rich.

Nora blushes, her discomfort visible. Holtz meanwhile leans back with his arms crossed. He likes testing people.

NORA: This is a long list monsieur, I’d need all evening to study it!

HOLTZ (Leaning in): Come now, there must be something that stands out.

NORA: The…the…Sancerre ’33…yes, that’s got some good…depth to it. Fruity.

A beat.

HOLTZ : A white wine? With beef?

Another beat. This one feels like a lifetime.

NORA: Why yes! The perceived wisdom is that only red can be drunk with beef, but let me tell you something the sommeliers keep to themselves. (Leaning in). The acidic tones of white — especially a good Sancerre — compliment the richness of red meats better than reds. Look closely and you can always spot a good sommelier: they drink white with their red meats.

She finishes this with a confident smile. A beat.

HOLTZ: Well, Sancerre it is.

WAITER: Oui monsieur.

INT. RESTAURANT/BAR — LATER

We see the waiter behind the bar, putting a piece of left over beef in his mouth. Looking around to check he’s not being watched he swallows a glass of white wine with it. Not bad!