Doctor in Clover

MAX (VO): I remember falling ill as a child.

It's probably my earliest memory.

My mother fussing over me...

my father saying the healing prayer...

it was the first time I had a sense of their immense, overpowering love for me

and the fact that I could entice it from them.

I wanted their love more than anything.

I became greedy.

Children remind us what we have gained, but...

also what we have lost.

They make us come face to face with our own mortality.

They are the people that we once were.

The land to which we can never return.

CHILD SINGS IN LATIN

INDISTINCT SHOUTING

HE GASPS - INDISTINCT SHOUTING

No... please...

APPLAUSE Oh!

To my darling husband.

Mazel tov.

Mazel tov!

I may have been a great deal thinner in London

but I don't think I've ever been as happy! MENDEL LAUGHS

Daniel, do you want to give Grandfather his present?

Grandfather. - Ah, thank you, Daniel.

Hmm, I wonder what it is.

Oh, it's beautiful! Thank you, guys.

Ah! Good boy.

Oh, Daniel, we need a knife! Would you run and get one?

Where's Clara tonight, Max?

I'm sorry. She sends her apologies. - Is she unwell?

No, she just had another engagement.

Oh, this has been in the diary for months.

Is everything alright between you?

Oh, Mother. Stop clucking, will you?

It only makes him feel important if you fuss.

Max?

Well, actually, uh...

I'm sorry to break it to you...

What?

Clara and I are no longer engaged, Mama.

Don't be absurd. Of course you are!

The invitations have all gone out.

My mother's lace...

the dress has been planned around it.

Max, what on Earth is going on?

WOMAN SCREAMS - Daniel?

Daniel...!

Wait, stop!

Oh, my darling! - Give me your handkerchief!

Daniel, Daniel?

Oh, my God!

What were you thinking?

Daniel...

Daniel!

CHILD'S SONG IN LATIN ECHOES

How is he?

He's lucky.

The wounds weren't too deep.

I don't understand.

What would make him do something like that to himself?

Well done, Max.

That accident could have been a great deal worse.

It wasn't an accident.

Don't be ridiculous.

It won't help Daniel to pretend that it was.

I've seen cases of self-harm before.

Don't talk like that, he's not a patient.

He's deeply disturbed, Mama.

No use in pretending otherwise.

Oh, my God...

Papa!

Max!

They came to live with us in Vienna when Daniel's father died.

He was a soldier...

killed in action.

So, Daniel was brought up in Austria.

My sister decided to send him to St Florian's, the military academy.

I would like you to come to the school with me.

What is it?

What do they call it?

The happiest days of your life.

Julius Reisinger, headmaster

and this is my deputy, Mr Becker.

Max Liebermann. I'm Daniel's uncle.

This is my colleague, Inspector Rheinhardt.

Police Department, Leopoldstadt.

So what is this about?

Why have you brought the police here?

My nephew was the victim of a serious attack, Herr Reisinger.

He has a pattern of cuts and bruises all across his body.

I came here on behalf of my sister.

She demands to know who's responsible.

St Florian's is a military academy.

The boys are all trained to fight.

It's a very physical education.

Naturally, there will be scars from time to time.

This was no accident.

He was deliberately set upon.

May we speak with the boys in his class?

I'm sorry, not without parental permission.

The family has complained.

This is an official enquiry. I must insist.

Daniel won't be returning until we get some answers.

Well...

You need his things?

I will fetch Mr Lang, the housemaster.

Bright lad. Bright future.

Do you teach Daniel?

Calligraphy.

I'm an artist, but art isn't on the curriculum.

Not appropriate for the military.

Gentlemen.

Excuse me, sir. I need to be excused from drill.

Anything in particular?

Or shall I just use my imagination?

There you go.

Boys are sent here for all manner of reason.

Usually because someone in the family served.

Sometimes because they're growing up "too delicate".

You're not impressed by their philosophy?

Don't I seem impressed?

Well, you're the only member of staff not in uniform.

Most of the staff were wounded in action

careers cut short.

So, they live their lives through the younger men.

Yes. Exactly, Doctor.

When a child is born, it's perfect.

Nothing corrupted, nothing tainted.

What the hell happened to make him do something like this?

DOOR OPENS

Inspector.

Herr Becker.

BOY WINCES - You run the sick bay too?

I was in the Army Medical Corps.

I teach the boys Chemistry and Biology.

Did Daniel ever come to you for any reason?

Such as?

Unhappiness?

Did he want someone to talk to?

I trained as a medical doctor

not a...

what's the word?

Um, Freudian.

I think that's what they're calling it in Vienna.

Who occupied this bed next to Daniel's?

Thomas Zelenka.

Well, did he leave the school?

There was an accident. He died.

DOOR OPENS

DOOR CLOSES

They found his body in the river at the bottom of the ravine.

Playing daredevil games, slipped and drowned.

Boys have been caught going out to the grounds from time to time.

Midnight adventure gone wrong.

Found at dawn by the groundsman.

Been in the water all night.

When was this?

Ten days ago.

Dear God.

Well, did anyone talk to the boys afterwards?

Talk?

They're supposed to be in training.

Exposure to death is an asset.

OSKAR SIGHS

They tried to erase his name.

What? - Here, at the bed post.

Daniel was trying to restore it.

The name.

Zelenka.

"Z", that's what Daniel was cutting into his arm.

Tell the groundsman not to let them through the gates again.

But if they bring a warrant? - They won't.

We have friends at the Police Department.

Daniel, this is my friend Oskar.

He's a policeman.

He's agreed to help us, but...

I need you to tell him what happened.

We went to your school today.

We spoke to your housemaster.

What are these numbers, Daniel?

Are they a code?

I used to make up codes when I was your age.

I wanted to ask you about the boy in the bed next to yours.

Thomas Zelenka?

I heard what happened to him.

Was he a friend of yours?

God, give me clean hands, clean words, clean thoughts

and help me to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong...

Daniel? - Forgive me when I am unkind to others

and help me to forgive those who are unkind to me also

sharing in God's grace. - Daniel?

Lend me the chance to do a little good each day

in the spirit of he who came... - Daniel, what is it?

That we all might have life more abundantly. - Daniel.

Oh God, give me clean hands, clean words, clean thoughts

and help me to stand for the hard right - Daniel, it's alright.

Against the easy wrong. - Daniel, stop.

Listen to me. - Forgive me when I am unkind to others

and help me to forgive those who are unkind to me also!