But Where Is Daniel Wax? (לאן נעלם דניאל וקס?)

But Where Is Daniel Wax?

Written and directed by Avraham Heffner

Career-wise, I did really well in America.

And don't forgot I didn't speak English at all during the first years.

I used to sing lyrics I didn't even understand.

Honey, the door! -How did you meet?

I'll tell you. And turn off the tape!

One day my manager called me and said: Listen, you appear today in the Carnegie Hall.

After the show I went out and I saw a beautiful girl standing outside.

She asked for my autograph, so I gave it to her, and you know how it goes...

We went on a date... and two weeks later we married.

I want to ask you a question that might offend you.

"Do you see yourself as an Israeli?" -Yes.

When I left I swore that I won't come back here, not even for a visit, until I made it.

And I mean really make it. -And? -And as you see, I'm here.

For good? -In my line of work I have a lot of obligations.

I'll probably have a TV show, I signed a contract with a label.

Honey, the phone!

I'll probably be gone in five weeks, but I consider myself to be Israeli.

That's how I feel. -Hello, do you speak English?

For example, I asked the army to appear in front of soldiers.

I didn't care where, either...

I guess I sound like a putz, but that's how I feel.

I'm not trying to sell it, but you asked, so I'm just answering.

Who was it? -No one, but you know it's already 14:30.

We're in a hurry, actually. But I have a good story for you.

Half an hour after I arrived here, a high-school friend from Haifa recognized me...

I'm from Haifa, originally. Just like that, in the middle of the airport.

And he told me that tonight there's a reunion in Haifa.

Imagine what a coincidence. Just when I returned to Israel, there's a reunion.

You... -I might see there people I haven't seen for 10 years.

Not even 10 years... maybe 12, 13. -Did you stay in contact with them?

During the first few years I used to write to someone called Micha Lipkin.

Now he's probably a doctor. He studied medicine in Jerusalem.

But later, you know how it goes... He's a great guy, Lipkin.

We've been friends since the second or third grade.

I'm sure he'll be there.

OK, now we really have to go.

Just a moment, please. I want to take your picture. -OK.

Honey!

Shpitz, look at you... -Lipkin, give me a break, right now.

Your wife? -Yes, Mrs. Ziv. -Mrs. Ziv, I must tell you...

She speaks and sings only in English. -Nancy, this is Micha Lipkin. Doctor Micah Lipkin?

Doctor Micah Lipkin. The only friend I ever managed to keep.

En chante.

This is my wife, Nancy Ziv. -Nancy Shpitz. Did he ever tell you his real name was Shpitz?

Do me a break, Lipkin. Get off it.

That's right. I can't call you that anymore, you're as fat as a pig.

"THIS IS HOW YOU LOOK NOW" -You live in Tel Aviv now?

Traitor. -Look who's talking. -At least I don't live in Tel Aviv.

What about your wife?

Do you have any children? -No.

How come? You're married, right? -Just.

Didn't you marry that professor's daughter, what's her name? -Hagi.

What's going on with her? -We don't together anymore.

Divorced? -Not exactly.

She does live in Jerusalem, for example. -Studies in the university?

Kind of. She works in the library there.

So you are divorced. All divorced women go to learn in Jerusalem.

Schwarz, Professor Schwarz was his name. Right? -Right.

How you used to talk about him... I thought you were going with her because you were in love with him.

Is he still alive? -He also works at Hadasa hospital. -And you work under him?

Sort of. I'm a head of a department.

Do you still love him, or is that over as well? -He's alright.

Shpitz, is the hot babe dancing the other room your wife?

You should take care or someone will get her pregnant tonight.

Excuse me, do I know you? -Cotlar. -Uri. What do you do?

I work for Bedek. Anyone seen a bottle opener?

Thanks.

What's "Bedek"? -You really haven't been here a long time. -I see a lot have changed.

It's a very important place for airplanes. Let's go check on your wife.

I'm here. -What are you doing here? -Did you find her?

Yes, she's dancing with some guy. Maybe Asa...

It's definitely not Asa. -How do you know? -He's dead.

Dead?

Asa's dead? -Yes, he's dead.

In the war? -No. In a car accident.

Danni died in war. Actually, not in the war itself.

A little bit later, in the Canal. -Which Danni?

Lefkovitz. But he's the only one from our year that died in the war.

All the rest just died. -Who else?

Aliza. Yonatan. You'll be surprised how many people didn't come today due to force major.

That's right. Aliza died before I left. -Cancer.

And Shimha, from a car accident or something. And Yosai, something abroad. And who else...

Yonatan Alkelay? -Rosenthal. Heart attack.

What are you talking about? He's a young guy. -Used to be... 34.

Nowadays it starts early. -You're crazy, Lipkin.

Excuse me, but I'm not God. -Ben, give me the keys, please.

What's wrong, honey? -Nothing's wrong. Just give me the keys.

What's wrong?

Six guys... -Seven. Silvia as well.

If you're going to tell me that Silvia killed herself, I won't believe a word you say. -Fact.

She just cut her wrists and died?

I don't know how she did it, but I'm sure she did.

Even before I finished my studies. -And Wax? -What about him?

What happened to him? Don't tell me he's also dead.

Nice, no? -Yours? -No, we have a Buick, but it wasn't worth it to take it for five weeks,

so we hired this one at Hertz.

Move over, honey. We're giving Micah a lift back to Tel Aviv.

Want to drive it? -Why? -No reason. Give it a try. -OK.

Good evening. Did you have a nice time at the party? -You should thank Micah.

He said he needed to leave early because of work but he really did it for you.

I do have to get up early tomorrow morning. -See? Now he's trying to save face.

Do you know how to use an automatic gear?

It's on Parking. You turn it on, switch to Drive, and just go.

Just be careful with the brake, it's a power-brake, it's very sensitive.

Do you even know how to drive?

Micah, let's go through Hadar. -Why? -I just want to see Yalag Street.

Just to have a look...

Do you see that balcony, honey? I used to live there.

Micah, let's go to the roof of the garage.

See? When we were kids, we used to jump from here. Right?

Right. Even I did.

What happened to Wax, actually? -I've been thinking about it ever since we left the party.

I haven't heard from him for five or six years.

No one even noticed he didn't come. -Alkelay also didn't come.

What happened to him? -He's serving in the Sinai desert, I think.

Researching something with the land there... He didn't come, and Booki, and Tzepel and Nira Kipnis...

And Mirale Bergman.

Alkelay and all the rest I understand, but what about Waxy?

He used to be like a God to us. -Yeah...

No one talked about him, or mentioned him, nothing.

I don't think we would have been glad had he came today.

Are you sure he's not dead? -Waxy? Definitely not.

I would have heard about it. I know he went to study in London,

returned shortly after he left, and that's it, actually.

I would have known had something happened to him.

Do you know I dreamt about him a lot in America?

Before I got married I dreamt about him almost everyday for 3 weeks.

And now, since I came to Israel and until you told me about Silvia, I haven't thought about him even once.

Wasn't he a bit of an asshole? -I don't know. He was a kid.

We were all kids, but he was a kid that read Nietzsche.

There was something about him...

If anyone knows anything about him, it's Mirale.

They used to be friends for a while. -Mira Kipnis or Mira Bergman?

Both of them... You remember him, don't you? -No way.

What happened to her? Did she marry? -Yes, with some parks engineer.

Some kind of landscape architect, called Houser.

They live on the Carmel somewhere, and they even have a kid or two.

I think I have their address somewhere.

You think I wouldn't go to her and ask her about Wax?

Don't be an asshole.

Lipkin, come to visit us tomorrow afternoon or in the evening. -I'll do my best.

I have an appointment with some composer at 5 o'clock. Come after that. -I'll try, OK.

OK. Move over, honey.

Good night. -Good night. -Lipkin!

Don't forget to bring me tomorrow the address of Mira Housner. -Houser.

Haggi...

Micah, my father died.

When?

In the evening, yesterday. I want to sleep.

Haggi, did you take any of these pills? -Yes. I took two.

I couldn't fall asleep. I was waiting for you.

He had an attack in the hospital, they took care of him, but he had another attack in the evening.

And he's dead.

You'll come to the funeral, right?

Where's your mother?

At home, with Danni.

Doctor Frid said he always talked about you.

Haggi, are you sure you only took two pills?

Yes, but we'll talk about it in the morning. I have to sleep.

A beer, please.

My condolences, Dr. Lipkin. It's truly a great loss. -Thank you.

And make me an espresso.

How was it?

Do you want to eat something?

I ordered you a coffee. -I saw.

Who stayed with your mother? -Danni.

Are you angry at me?

If you had wanted you could have come.

What do you want me to say?

Nothing. You're already immuned to it. You see 20 dead people each day.

Are you leaving? -Yes. I need to go to Jerusalem and come back.

I'll take you with my car to the bus station.

My car is at the garage. I'll order you a cab.

Do you want me to visit your mother? -If you want.

What will you do now? -Stop it, will you? We don't need to have a conversation...

Doctor Micah!

Who's your beautiful girlfriend?

Ben said he was expecting you this afternoon. -Oh yes, I know...

I'll be there in a while. Could you tell Shpitz...

Could you tell Ben I'll be there in an hour or two. I have to go somewhere.

Tell Shpitz or tell Ben? -Tell them both.

Well...

OK. Can you let me sing now?

Play it one tone higher.

Again...

Now there's a solo.

Is that your wife? -Yes. Let's try it again.

I saw your friend down in the street before. Dr. What's-his-name.

Really? -Yeah. He was speaking to some girl on the corner of Alenbi and that boulevard.

She was really beautiful.

Do you want to take a break? -No, no.

Listen, honey, call room service and have them send up some drinks, OK?

What will you have? -Don't care.

I nearly got into an accident as well. -Not now, honey.

Let's go again.

Get going, honey.

Hello, room service? Yes, this is room 704.

I'd like you to send a lemon tea and some soft drinks, please.