Scene Three
We see the inside of ANATOLY's suite in his Bangkok hotel. It is rather well-decorated, and we know that ANATOLY doesn't want for any privelege in his life – except for freedom, as we see a KGB agent in black standing by the door. He is studying a position on a chess board when MOLOKOV enters. The previous scene is playing on his television.
ANATOLY
It's all a performance. It has to be.
The Russian and Molokov.
MOLOKOV
The man is utterly mad. Believe me, Anatoly, you're playing a lunatic.
ANATOLY
That's the problem. He's a brilliant lunatic, and you can't tell which way he'll jump. You can't dissect him, predict him. Which means he's not a lunatic at all.
MOLOKOV
WHAT WE'VE JUST SEEN'S A PATHETIC DISPLAY
FROM A MAN WHO'S BEGINNING TO CRACK
HE'S AFRAID – HE KNOWS HE ISN'T THE PLAYER HE WAS
AND HE WON'T GET IT BACK!
ANATOLY
(Without looking at MOLOKOV.)
Nonsense!
WHY DO MY SECONDS
ALWAYS WANT TO BELIEVE
THIRD-RATE PROPAGANDA --?
MOLOKOV
MY FRIEND, PLEASE RELAX
WE'RE ALL ON YOUR SIDE
YOU KNOW HOW YOU NEED US –
ANATOLY
I DON'T NEED MY ARMY OF SO-CALLED 'ADVISORS'
AND 'HELPERS' TO TELL ME
THE MAN WHO'S REVITALIZED CHESS SINGLE-HANDED
IS MORE OR LESS OUT OF HIS BRAIN
WHEN IT'S VERY CLEAR HE'S SANE
MOLOKOV
LISTEN, WE DON'T UNDERESTIMATE TRUMPER
WE WON'T GET CAUGHT IN THAT TRAP
AFTER ALL, WINNING OR LOSING REFLECTS ON US ALL –
ANATOLY
OH DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!
I WIN – NO ONE ELSE DOES
AND I TAKE THE RAP IF I LOSE
MOLOKOV
IT'S NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE
THE WHOLE WORLD'S TUNED IN
WE'RE ALL ON DISPLAY
WE'RE NOT MERELY SPORTSMEN –
ANATOLY
OH PLEASE DON'T START SPOUTING THAT OLD PARTY LINE
YES I KNOW IT'S YOUR JOB BUT
JUST GET OUT AND GET ME A CHESS-PLAYING SECOND
IN THIRTY-SIX HOURS WE BEGIN
THAT IS IF YOU WANT TO WIN!
MOLOKOV
Wanting is not sufficient. We have to know, we have to make sure. All men have a weakness. His is that woman. Take her and you win the game.
ANATOLY
So you think I can't win otherwise?
MOLOKOV
I'm not saying that. I'm just making certain. She's attractive. And her family background is intriguing. Hungary, 1956 and all that.
ANATOLY
I am a chess player, Molokov. You go and play these – other games.
MOLOKOV leaves, but the KGB agent doesn't. ANATOLY picks up a piece to make a move as the music swells, but puts it down on his first line.
Where I Want to Be.
ANATOLY
WHO NEEDS A DREAM?
WHO NEEDS AMBITION?
WHO'D BE THE FOOL
IN MY POSITION?
ONCE I HAD DREAMS
NOW THEY'RE OBSESSIONS
HOPES BECOME NEEDS
LOVERS POSSESSIONS
THEN THEY MOVE IN
OH SO DISCREETLY
SLOWLY AT FIRST
SMILING TOO SWEETLY
I OPENED DOORS
THEY WALKED RIGHT THROUGH THEM
CALLED ME THEIR FRIEND
I HARDLY KNEW THEM
NOW I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE AND WHO I WANT TO BE
AND DOING WHAT I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD
AND YET I FEEL I HAVEN'T WON AT ALL
RUNNING FOR MY LIFE AND NEVER LOOKING BACK
IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND
TO SHOOT ME DOWN AND SAY HE ALWAYS KNEW I'D FALL
(He gets up.)
WHEN THE CRAZY WHEEL SLOWS DOWN
WHERE WILL I BE? BACK WHERE I STARTED
(Fixing himself a neat drink at the hotel's mini-bar and contemplating it.)
DON'T GET ME WRONG
I'M NOT COMPLAINING
TIMES HAVE BEEN GOOD
FAST, ENTERTAINING
(Downs the drink.)
BUT WHAT'S THE POINT?
IF I'M CONCEALING
NOT ONLY LOVE
ALL OTHER FEELING
NOW I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE AND WHO I WANT TO BE
AND DOING WHAT I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD
AND YET I FEEL I HAVEN'T WON AT ALL
RUNNING FOR MY LIFE AND NEVER LOOKING BACK
IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND
TO SHOOT ME DOWN AND SAY HE ALWAYS KNEW I'D FALL
WHEN THE CRAZY WHEEL SLOWS DOWN
WHERE WILL I BE?
BACK WHERE I STARTED.
We see the inside of ANATOLY's suite in his Bangkok hotel. It is rather well-decorated, and we know that ANATOLY doesn't want for any privelege in his life – except for freedom, as we see a KGB agent in black standing by the door. He is studying a position on a chess board when MOLOKOV enters. The previous scene is playing on his television.
ANATOLY
It's all a performance. It has to be.
The Russian and Molokov.
MOLOKOV
The man is utterly mad. Believe me, Anatoly, you're playing a lunatic.
ANATOLY
That's the problem. He's a brilliant lunatic, and you can't tell which way he'll jump. You can't dissect him, predict him. Which means he's not a lunatic at all.
MOLOKOV
WHAT WE'VE JUST SEEN'S A PATHETIC DISPLAY
FROM A MAN WHO'S BEGINNING TO CRACK
HE'S AFRAID – HE KNOWS HE ISN'T THE PLAYER HE WAS
AND HE WON'T GET IT BACK!
ANATOLY
(Without looking at MOLOKOV.)
Nonsense!
WHY DO MY SECONDS
ALWAYS WANT TO BELIEVE
THIRD-RATE PROPAGANDA --?
MOLOKOV
MY FRIEND, PLEASE RELAX
WE'RE ALL ON YOUR SIDE
YOU KNOW HOW YOU NEED US –
ANATOLY
I DON'T NEED MY ARMY OF SO-CALLED 'ADVISORS'
AND 'HELPERS' TO TELL ME
THE MAN WHO'S REVITALIZED CHESS SINGLE-HANDED
IS MORE OR LESS OUT OF HIS BRAIN
WHEN IT'S VERY CLEAR HE'S SANE
MOLOKOV
LISTEN, WE DON'T UNDERESTIMATE TRUMPER
WE WON'T GET CAUGHT IN THAT TRAP
AFTER ALL, WINNING OR LOSING REFLECTS ON US ALL –
ANATOLY
OH DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP!
I WIN – NO ONE ELSE DOES
AND I TAKE THE RAP IF I LOSE
MOLOKOV
IT'S NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE
THE WHOLE WORLD'S TUNED IN
WE'RE ALL ON DISPLAY
WE'RE NOT MERELY SPORTSMEN –
ANATOLY
OH PLEASE DON'T START SPOUTING THAT OLD PARTY LINE
YES I KNOW IT'S YOUR JOB BUT
JUST GET OUT AND GET ME A CHESS-PLAYING SECOND
IN THIRTY-SIX HOURS WE BEGIN
THAT IS IF YOU WANT TO WIN!
MOLOKOV
Wanting is not sufficient. We have to know, we have to make sure. All men have a weakness. His is that woman. Take her and you win the game.
ANATOLY
So you think I can't win otherwise?
MOLOKOV
I'm not saying that. I'm just making certain. She's attractive. And her family background is intriguing. Hungary, 1956 and all that.
ANATOLY
I am a chess player, Molokov. You go and play these – other games.
MOLOKOV leaves, but the KGB agent doesn't. ANATOLY picks up a piece to make a move as the music swells, but puts it down on his first line.
Where I Want to Be.
ANATOLY
WHO NEEDS A DREAM?
WHO NEEDS AMBITION?
WHO'D BE THE FOOL
IN MY POSITION?
ONCE I HAD DREAMS
NOW THEY'RE OBSESSIONS
HOPES BECOME NEEDS
LOVERS POSSESSIONS
THEN THEY MOVE IN
OH SO DISCREETLY
SLOWLY AT FIRST
SMILING TOO SWEETLY
I OPENED DOORS
THEY WALKED RIGHT THROUGH THEM
CALLED ME THEIR FRIEND
I HARDLY KNEW THEM
NOW I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE AND WHO I WANT TO BE
AND DOING WHAT I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD
AND YET I FEEL I HAVEN'T WON AT ALL
RUNNING FOR MY LIFE AND NEVER LOOKING BACK
IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND
TO SHOOT ME DOWN AND SAY HE ALWAYS KNEW I'D FALL
(He gets up.)
WHEN THE CRAZY WHEEL SLOWS DOWN
WHERE WILL I BE? BACK WHERE I STARTED
(Fixing himself a neat drink at the hotel's mini-bar and contemplating it.)
DON'T GET ME WRONG
I'M NOT COMPLAINING
TIMES HAVE BEEN GOOD
FAST, ENTERTAINING
(Downs the drink.)
BUT WHAT'S THE POINT?
IF I'M CONCEALING
NOT ONLY LOVE
ALL OTHER FEELING
NOW I'M WHERE I WANT TO BE AND WHO I WANT TO BE
AND DOING WHAT I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD
AND YET I FEEL I HAVEN'T WON AT ALL
RUNNING FOR MY LIFE AND NEVER LOOKING BACK
IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND
TO SHOOT ME DOWN AND SAY HE ALWAYS KNEW I'D FALL
WHEN THE CRAZY WHEEL SLOWS DOWN
WHERE WILL I BE?
BACK WHERE I STARTED.