The Reader · written by David Hare · 2008

At law school in 1966, Rohl welcomes a small seminar on the Third Reich legal system; Marthe corrects his greeting to include women.

Scene 93 of 196 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Lecturer
Rohl
Marthe

Act oneAct two

Begins 35 min into a 1:21 film

The story so farBefore scene 93

As a law student, Michael sees Hanna, his former lover, on trial for war crimes and must face the secret that shaped their teenage relationship.

Scenes 1–6
In 1995, Michael prepares breakfast for Brigitte, then is alone in his apartment and looks out the window.
Scenes 7–24
The sick schoolboy Michael accepts Hanna’s help and returns to her.
Scenes 25–35
Michael enters an intimate relationship with Hanna, organized around his reading to her.
Just before
Scene 90
Michael admits he was difficult and not always open with Julia; she says she had assumed his distance was her fault.
Scene 91
Driving through rainy Berlin, Michael and Julia exchange tentative thanks and promise to meet soon.
Scene 92
Michael asks to take Julia on a trip and proposes collecting her tomorrow at ten; she smiles, and he hugs her before she goes inside.
Scene 93
This scene

93INT. LECTURE ROOM. HEIDELBERG LAW SCHOOL. DAY

1966. A WOMAN LECTURER has a class of about 75 STUDENTS. From their hair, their dress, it could only be the 1960s.

LECTURER

Those of you for the special

seminar group on The Legal System

in the Third Reich, please stay on

in this room. Professor Rohl will

be here in a moment.

Nearly all the STUDENTS leave, talking among themselves. Just eight are left, dotted around the huge room. MICHAEL is one of them, now 22, in a corduroy jacket and tie. There is a lull. MICHAEL looks round at the group of oddballs, then finds ROHL, distinguished, greying, is already in front of them.

ROHL

Well, we seem to be quite a small

group. A small group and a select

one. Clearly, this is going to be a

unique seminar. Let me start by

thanking those of you who’ve chosen

to take part. Good for you. A

reading list, gentlemen.

Karl Jaspers, The Question of

German Guilt...

A calm STUDENT with long hair smiles at MICHAEL. She looks like Francoise Hardy. She murmurs.

MARTHE

And ladies.