Script: Hugo Cabret

Script: “The Flashback”

Book: Selznick, Brian. (2007). The Invention of Hugo Cabret. New York: Scholastic Press.

The script is based off of a passage from Chapter 5, “Papa Georges Made Movies”: (p. 365)

“You know, you never told me where you got the mechanical man.”
Hugo had never told anyone the whole story. It had been his secret for so long that he wasn’t sure he even had the words. But he looked at Isabelle, and it was as if he could feel all the cogs and wheels begin to engage in his mind, and the words suddenly came together. He related the whole story from his father’s discovery of the automaton up in the attic of the museum, to the fire, to the arrival and disappearance of his uncle. He told her about discovering the toys in her godfather’s booth and how he used them to fix the automaton. He told her everything.
When Hugo finished, Isabelle was quiet for a few moments then she said, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For telling me.”


Characters:

Narrorator
Hugo Cabret
Hugo’s Father
Isabelle
Uncle Claude


Narrator: Later that day, Hugo returned to his room at the station only to be abruptly woken by a knock at the door. Hugo cautiously opened the squeaky door to find Isabelle standing there in the dark with a flashlight in her hand. They sat down and Isabelle finally asked Hugo the question she had been longing to find the answer to.

Isabelle: You know, you never told me exactly how you discovered the mechanical man and how it is you came to live in a train station.

Hugo: (NERVOUS) I don’t know if I’m ready to share my story with anyone

Isabelle: Come now, we are friends. And good friends share everything with each other.

Narrator: Hugo had never told anyone the WHOLE story before. But once he looked at Isabelle he gathered up the strength from inside him to share all that he could muster.

Hugo: All right I’ll tell you. As long as you promise that this conversation never leaves this room.

Isabelle: I promise.

FLASHBACK

Hugo’s Father: (VERY EXCITED) Captain! Wake up! I must share with you my good news.

Hugo: (STILL VERY SLEEPY): What? What is your amazing news?

Hugo’s Father: I found something wonderful tonight at the museum. Unknown to the others working in the museum, I ventured up into the attic and I found the most wonderful, complex machine I ever laid my eyes on.

Hugo: What is it?

Hugo’s Father: It is called an automaton. It is like a windup figure, like a music box or a toy but far more complex. This one has the ability to write, possibly some sort of secret note – but I cannot be too sure. It appears as though many of its pieces are missing and those pieces that are left have been rusted over for quite some time now.

Hugo: (BECOMING MORE ENERGIZED) Who do you think could have made such an enchanted device?

Hugo’s Father: Between you and me. (PAUSE) I think this automaton was created by a magician.

Hugo: A magician?!

Hugo's Father: Shhhh. Not so loud. Remember, this is our little secret.

FLASHFORWARD

Hugo: My father was a clock maker, and I believed that he was my very own personal magician. I knew that he could repair almost anything that he put his mind to.

Isabelle: (PUZZLED) So what did you do?

Hugo: I can remember pleading with my father to fix the automaton. I was captivated by the idea that a secret message could be waiting for my father and I once all of the pieces were back in place. (LOUD SIGH) Sadly, due to my own selfish need to see the automaton functioning properly my father began spending countless nights staying up late in his shop trying to solve the intricate mysterious networking within the contraption.

Isabelle: It sounds like your father truly loved you.

Hugo: (PAUSE) He most certainly did. He loved me so very much that for my next birthday he gave me a notebook filled with detailed drawings of the automaton and thorough drawings of pieces that would help me learn how to operate the device. He was the best father I could ever have asked for.

Isabelle: So that’s why you are so attached to that worn out notebook.

Hugo: (WITH A SLIGHT SMIRK ON HIS FACE) Exactly!

Isabelle: Wow. So what happened next? Was your father repair it for your birthday as well?

Hugo: (BEGINNING TO STUTTER) Well, n-n-not quite.

FLASHBACK

Narrator: It was the middle of the night and Hugo sat up in his bed anxiously waiting for his father’s return. His father had never been this late before. (PAUSE) All of a sudden there was a loud knock on Hugo’s front door.

Uncle Claude: (STUMBLING OVER HIS WORDS) HUGO…HUGO! It’s smmee. Your favorite Uncle. Uncle Claude. Does you hear me? I said, open up!

Narrator: Hugo was immediately startled to hear the voice of man that he detested. Yet he knew that Uncle Claude had always been there in the past when Hugo’s father needed him most.
Hugo: (TIMIDLY) Good evening Uncle Claude. What could possibly be happening at this hour of the night that you would need my assistance? My father has not even come home yet. Do you know where he could be – I’m worried.

Uncle Claude: Well, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news my boy, but you see there was a terrible fire at the museum. And your father (PAUSE) – your father’s dead.

Hugo: *GASPS*

Uncle Claude: (BOASTFULLY) Well there is no time to lose. So let’s pack your things. Quickly, quickly now my boy. Seeing as I am your last living relative, you will be coming to live in the station with me. You’ll be my apprentice and take care of the clocks. Seeing as I am getting to old for this job you’ll take to it just fine. And the best part of all, no schooling required. Now how does that sound?

Hugo: (SPEAKING UNDER HIS BREATH) It’s all my fault.

FLASHFORWARD

Isabelle: Hugo – Hugo I’m so sorry. I had no idea that is how you came to live here.

Hugo: Well now you know, but please do not pity me. I have learned how to make a living on my own quite nicely.

Isabelle: All right then. (SARCASTICALLY) I’m sorry for trying to show a kind gesture towards your unfortunate situation. It won’t happen again I promise.

Hugo: Good, I’m glad.

Isabelle: (PUZZLED) So where is your uncle now?

Hugo: I wish I knew. For the first few weeks he taught me everything I needed to know about taking care of the clocks in this station. Then as time went on his drinking got worse and spent less and less time around the station until one night he too never returned.

Isabelle: That’s terrible!

Hugo: I’ve learned to accept it. I was never really fond of the man to begin with. He was blood related, but I never considered him family.

*PAUSE*

Isabelle: So what does all of this have to do with my Papa Georges' shop?

Hugo: Well, you see. I decided to go back and rummage through the remains of the museum and almost if by magic I found the automaton. I carried what remained of the damaged device and brought it back to the station.

Isabelle: So you thought that you could piece the automaton back together using parts from my godfather’s store and the clues that your father gave to you in that little notebook.

Hugo: Exactly! You are a lot smarter than I give you credit for.

Isabelle: Why thank you. (SARCASTICALLY) It’s a gift.

Narrator: Slowly the two began to realize that through honesty, trust, and a good sense of humor they were beginning to build the type of friendship that would last a lifetime.

Hugo: So you see Isabelle. Even though I knew that stealing from your godfather’s shop was wrong I had to know what secret message would be waiting for me if I could repair the automaton. I hope that you and your godfather can understand.

*LONG SILENT PAUSE*

Isabelle: Thank you

Hugo: For what?

Isabelle: For telling me.

*MY THOUGHTS: Although the size of the book seemed a bit daunting at first, I truly enjoyed reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I can remember seeing my little brother carrying around this book and thinking that he was reading something far too advanced for his age. However, I stand corrected and I can now see how my little brother fell in love with the courageous, rich, and witty main character. I also see how the detailed pictures truly enhance this particular chapter. The drawings particularly bring to life lots of the descriptive language Selznick uses throughout the book. He knew precisely where to place the pictures so the reader could get a visual of the automaton or the suspicious look that Isabelle was giving Hugo.

There certainly is a lot of dialogue that goes on between the main characters in the story which made it a bit more challenging to pick a specific section to turn into a radio script. However, I noticed that there was one part in Chapter 5 "Papa Georges Makes Movies" that remained vague and up for the reader's interpretation. I wanted to extend and recreate the dialogue that might have happened between Isabelle and Hugo if Selznick were to have elaborated on this chapter.

I highly recommend this chapter book to young readers that are looking for some new challenging vocabulary and love the idea of magic. I would recommend this book to advanced upper elementary students and all the way up to through the seventh grade. I think that this book can be interesting for both boys as well as girls and can present various challenges - whether it be length, vocabulary, comprehension, etc. for all types of young readers.