SCRIPT SYNOPSIS - April 10, 1992. Prepared by Eglin Thompson, from April 25 script by Evan Wales and Ian Levine
* Annotations by Barry Letts*
A well dressed, middle aged man in a prim goatee is walking down a street in Vienna, he is carrying a large satchel stuffed with papers. Suddenly, he's assaulted by two masked men, attempting to steal his satchel. Doctor intervenes and struggles with the men. The Doctor pulls the mask from one of the men, exposing a limp forelock, burning eyes and a pencil mustache. Stunned, the Doctor freezes, recognising the man instantly. The assailants flee. [Set 1 - Vienna street, Location shoot? Barry]
The Doctor assist the gentleman to his feet, who turns out to be Sigmund Freud. Freud's curious about the Doctor's outfit. The Doctor evades his questions. Freud names him his next patient. They return to Freud's office together, only to find it ransacked. [Set 2 - Freud's office. Barry]
Meanwhile, the thugs, who we learn are Adolph Hitler and his sidekick Broz [Tito? Barry] [Q - Hitler is very recognisable from the start, do we need exposition here?], return to the Café Central on the other side of Vienna, where they meet up with their employer - Leon Trotsky and his associate, Josef Stalin. Stalin has broken into Freud's office. But they have not found what they are looking for. Hitler and Tito complain about money owing to them, Hitler needs funds to pursue his art. He mocks Trotsky's mustache, causing Stalin to laugh.
Privately, Trotsky despises the Austrian, they wanted a thug unconnected to the Communist party who could take the blame if anything went wrong. Hitler is a disposable fall guy. But Stalin defends the man they have hired, saying he trusts Adolph not to betray them. [Set 3 - Café Central, difficult, lots of extras - 10/15 minimum. Can we locate it somewhere else, Trotsky's basement?]
Back at Freud's office, the Doctor and the Pyschoanalyst play a game of cat and mouse. The Doctor is intensely curious about why Hitler would assault Freud, and who broke into the office. Freud is intent upon the Doctor's secret.
Eventually, they exchange secrets: Freud's patients include famous and powerful people, but he keeps his most important files elsewhere, he believes the thieves were searching for these files. He refuses to reveal the names of the clients. The Doctor fesses up to be a time traveller, which convinces Freud he's insane. Freud excuses himself for a moment, when he returns, he's with Austrian constables who hustle the Doctor to a mental institution. After the Doctor is taken away, Freud's patient enters - Archduke Franz Ferdinand, 2nd in line to the Austro-Hungarian throne. [Set 2 - Freud's office]
The Doctor on the way to the institution spots Hitler. He gives the constables the slip and begins trailing Hitler, who, in turn, is casing a bank. The Doctor correctly surmises this is where Freud's most important files are stored. The Doctor follows Hitler into an adjacent basement where he spies on Hitler and his confederates. [Set 1 - Vienna Street, Location?] [Check with Ken, see if we can find one street which meets all our outdoor needs/different angles, so we can limit trips. Want a Vienna feel, Austrian Bourgeoisie, circa 19th century. Maybe we can get all shot as block.] [Set 4 - Trotsky's basement, seems easy]
The Doctor listens to Stalin and Trotsky lay out a plan to assassinate Emperor Franz Josef. At that moment, the Doctor is discovered. He bluffs his way through, claiming to be a Political Officer from the Central Party in Moscow, a bluff assisted by his historical knowledge of the characters, which he selectively reveals. Stalin and Trotsky try to sell each other out. Hitler recognizes him from their earlier encounter, but does not give him away.
Afterwards, Hitler approaches the Doctor, having surmised that he is an agent of the Austrian secret police. He offers to sell out his associates who he describes as 'communists, jews and lower races.' In the conversation, it becomes clear that Hitler is only interested in money and power. The Doctor plays along until he can get away.
The Doctor returns to Freud, interrupting his session with Franz Ferdinand. Freud is shocked and upset with the Doctor who he is now convinced is an escaped lunatic. Meanwhile, the Doctor has figured out the rest of Trotsky's plan - to install Franz Ferdinand on the throne, by killing the Emperor, and control him through blackmail with Freud's stolen files. [Set 2 - Freud's office]
To prove his bona fides, the Doctor lures Freud into the Tardis, where he shows him the consequences of Trotsky's plans. The Austro-Hungarian Empire becomes the world's first Soviet Republic, steadily subverting it's neighbors until Europe is a communist empire. The eventual outcome is six world wars, including nuclear wars and the collapse of human civilization in the 21st century. That future must be avoided at all costs. [Set 5 - Tardis standing set]
Now cooperative, Freud and the Doctor travel to Freud's vault, where they discover it has been ransacked. Things have taken an urgent turn. Franz Ferdinand is kidnapped by Hitler and Broz. Freud and the Doctor arrive on the scene too late and narrowly escape arrest by the Archduke's bodyguards. They escape, the only chance now is to prevent the assassination. [Set 6 - Bank vault, single use] [Set 7 - Kidnapping? Palace? Street location? Discuss]
The Doctor confronts Trotsky. They argue over the inevitability of history, and sacrifices for a greater good. Trotsky reveals that Stalin has already been sent to assassinate the Emperor. That this has been a stall.
The Doctor and Freud take the Tardis to the Imperial palace. While Freud distracts the guards, the Doctor narrowly saves the Emperor, shoving him out of the way of the assassins bullet. Stalin attempts to flee, but is assaulted by Hitler, who reveals that he has changed sides. He has struck a bargain with the Archduke, the communists will be blamed for the assassination, the Archduke will become Emperor, and Hitler will be his Chancellor. The two men fight until Broz comes upon them, telling them that the assassination has failed and they must flee. Stalin runs one way, Hitler and Broz the other. [Set 7 - There's no way we can build an Austrian Imperial Palace set, speak to Ken about locations, dressing locations.]
Hitler, running down a corridor and trapped, ducks into an odd red cabinet, Broz following - and finds himself in the Tardis. Playing with the controls, he gets a glimpse of history, and realizes how the Doctor is able to move so freely. When the Doctor and Freud arrive, they are confronted by a gun wielding Hitler who announces that he has taken command of the time machine. [Set 5 - Tardis standing set]
Hitler demands to know the future, is he destined for glory? The Doctor says that he will only bring ruin and madness. Hitler begins to rant maniacally. Suddenly, he's struck down from behind by his sidekick Broz, who turns out to be Tito, the future Yugoslavian ruler. They secure Hitler. The Tardis materializes in a filthy garret and Hitler is expelled. [Set 4 - Redress Trotsky's basement.]
The Doctor tells Hitler that he will die alone and surrounded by enemies, with all hope gone, all his dreams crushed, his works in ruins and the whole world hating him.
[Paul, this looks workable, though I'm concerned that it may run over allotted time. Remember, only two episodes. I'll send you the sets/locations breakdown, if you can prepare a shot list for that by Tuesday, I can do the budgets and a shooting schedule. Where are we on storyboards? It would help if I could get a look.]
[Paul, Ian, David - Are you free tomorrow afternoon. Kevin's got a list of locations he wants us to go look at. Drop by the warehouse, we'll take my car.]
*****
Production notes - Vienna, 2013
Vienna, 1913's first day of shooting began on schedule, April 16, 1992, at 8:30 sharp. There was a palpable enthusiasm. The first days' shooting revolved around the oldest standing set, the Tardis interior shots, mostly featuring the Doctor and Freud went well. The Tardis prop, for once, worked perfectly. Three camera set ups were used, all the shots went perfectly and they were finished before the end of the day to an ovation from the crew. At the end of the day, the flats came down, the Tardis console was tucked out of the way, and carpenters began work on the next set. It was an auspicious start. And, as it turned out, a complete waste of time.
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