Scripts: Rear Window (final draft, 01/Dec/1953) - part 10
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DUSK - CLOSEUP
Jeff, who is still staring out the window, has a look of
sudden discovery on his face. He calls quickly:
JEFF
Lisa -- Lisa -- on the shelf over
there -- get me the small yellow box --
He turns halfway around, and points. We see Lisa moving behind
him toward the shelf. He adds:
JEFF
And that little viewer.
He turns back to the window, holding out his right hand to
the side, waiting for the box and viewer. The CAMERA PULLS
BACK a little as Lisa comes up, and places the box and viewer
in his hand. He opens the box, which contains color slides,
and holds one or two of the slides up to the light. Lisa
looks down at him curiously and Stella comes forward from
the background.
JEFF
(Half to himself as
he searches slides)
These aren't more than two weeks old --
I hope I didn't take all leg art.
(Discovers the right
slide)
I think this is the one.
Puts the other slides to one side and puts the selected one
onto the viewer, with sounds of satisfaction. As he lifts
the viewer to his eyes Lisa asks impatiently:
LISA
Jeff -- what are you looking for?
He squints out through the viewer, then looks away a moment
without it.
JEFF
Something -- that if I'm right --
might solve a murder.
He looks back through the viewer.
STELLA
Mrs. Thorwald?
JEFF
Uh-uh. The dog. I think I know now
why Thorwald killed it.
He takes the viewer from his eye, hands it to Lisa.
JEFF
You take a look and tell me what you
see.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DUSK - CLOSEUP
Lisa raises the viewer to her eye.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DUSK - CLOSEUP
Through the viewer we see the identical view out of the
window.
JEFF
(Over)
Now take it away.
The viewer moves away, and we are left with the identical
scene, but not quite so still, a slight breeze stirring the
foliage.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DUSK - MEDIUM SHOT
Jeff looks up to a puzzled Lisa.
JEFF
Well?
LISA
It's just a picture of the backyard,
that's all.
JEFF
I know. But there's one important
change. The flowers in Thorwald's
pet flower bed.
STELLA
You mean the one the dog was sniffing
around?
JEFF
(To Stella)
And digging in.
(Points out window)
Look at that flower bed.
They all lean forward to look.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DUSK - MEDIUM SHOT
The flower bed. The flowers have a slight dip in the center.
Jeff speaks off:
JEFF
There's a dip at this end. And since
when do flowers grow shorter in two
weeks?
STELLA
There's something buried there.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DUSK - MEDIUM SHOT
All three ease back in awe. Lisa, still looking out, says:
LISA
(Breathing it)
Mrs. Thorwald!
Suddenly Stella begins to chuckle. They look around at her.
Her face sobers as she answers their unasked question:
STELLA
You haven't spent much time in
cemeteries, have you?
(they don't answer)
Mr. Thorwald could hardly put his
wife into a plot of ground scarcely
one foot square.
Jeff and Lisa slowly turn their heads to look out at the
garden.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DUSK - SEMI-LONG SHOT
The garden again with its small indentation of flowers over
this we hear the ghoulish voice of Stella:
STELLA
Unless, he puts in standing on end --
which would be very original and not
require the use of either a knife or
a saw. My guess is she's scattered
all over town. A leg in the East
River -- an arm --
LISA
(Cuts in)
Stella, please.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DUSK - MEDIUM SHOT
Jeff looks at Stella.
JEFF
Something's in there. Those flowers
have been taken up, and put back
again.
LISA
(Has a hard time saying
it)
It could be -- the knife, and the
saw.
STELLA
(Quickly)
Call Lieutenant Doyle!
LISA
No -- let's wait. Let's wait until
it gets dark. I'll go over and dig
it up!
Halfway through Lisa's speech, Jeff begins speaking.
JEFF
(To Stella)
I'm not going to call Doyle until I
show him the body of Mrs. Thorwald --
(To Lisa)
And you're not going to dig up
anything, an get your neck broken
too.
THE CAMERA EASES BACK to allow Lisa to sit on the divan, and
Jeff turn his chair toward her. Stella still look out the
window, thinking.
JEFF
What we've got to do is find some
way to get in there, and --
Stella's quiet voice brings him to a halt.
STELLA
He's starting to pack.
Jeff whips back to the window; Lisa turns to look.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Thorwald, in the bedroom, methodically folding a suit into a
suitcase. Another suitcase, unopened, is visible.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP
Jeff is staring out, gripping his chair tightly. There is a
touch of desperation on his face. He looks down at the
flowers, briefly, then swings around abruptly. He wheels
away from the camera to the wall cabinet. We see him take a
piece of notepaper, a pencil and an envelope.
He puts a name on the envelope, and then proceeds to write
something on the sheet of paper. Stella and Lisa edge up
behind him, and look down at what he is writing.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP
THE CAMERA RUSHES DOWN over Jeff's shoulder, just in time to
catch the last word as he finishes writing the message. The
envelope is addressed to "LARS THORWALD."
The massage reads, simply, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?"
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP
Jeff at the window, looking through the long-focus lens.
We get a glimpse of Stella behind him. He is watching:
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - CAMERA SHOT
The alleyway and street. Just regular traffic.
Suddenly Lisa comes into the picture from the left. She is
carrying a white envelope. She stops, waves her hands at
Jeff, smiles, and then hurries on. The lens slowly pans to
the right and stops on Miss Torso's apartment. She is standing
on a small stepladder, nailing curtains above her window.
Her legs are bare, though she wears high-heel shoes. We do
not see more than half-way up her thighs. The lens takes
this in for the briefest split-second of hesitancy then moves
on to await the arrival of Lisa along Thorwald's corridor.
She does not appear yet. The lens moves back to get another
glimpse of Miss Torso, who is now descending the ladder. She
is wearing a leotard. Over this, we hear Stella's voice:
STELLA
What are you going back for?
The lens quickly swings back to Thorwald's corridor.
Lisa is seen turning the corner, and approaching Thorwald's
door on tiptoe.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP
Jeff lowers the long-focus lens to get a more comprehensive
view of Thorwald's apartment and corridor outside.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Lisa approaches the door of Thorwald's apartment. The salesman
comes into the living room. He finds a package of cigarettes,
extracts one, and lights it. Lisa kneels down, and carefully
slides the letter under the door.
At this moment, Thorwald extinguishes the match, tosses it
into an ashtray, and turns toward the door. He freezes as he
sees the letter on the floor. This momentary hesitation allows
Lisa to straighten up, turn, and walk carefully but swiftly,
away. Thorwald moves rapidly toward the door. He bends down,
scoops up the letter, and examines it briefly. Lisa is just
turning out of sight at the end of the corridor, as Thorwald
throws open the door. He looks and sees no one. He takes a
few questioning steps down the corridor, then stops to examine
the letter again. Slowly he turns and makes his way back to
the apartment, tearing open the envelope.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP
Jeff lifts the long-focus lens to his eyes again. His
expression is tense.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - CAMERA SHOT
Thorwald stops in front of his door to read the note.
There is some curiosity on his face. As he reads, all movement
and emotion drain from his body. He stands there, frozen.
Jeff's voice is heard over:
JEFF
You did it, Thorwald! You did it!
Suddenly Thorwald turns and dashes down the corridor.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP
Jeff whips the long-focus lens from his eye.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
As Thorwald dashes down the corridor, we hear Jeff's voice.
He cries out instinctively, but almost to himself:
JEFF
Lisa! Look out! He's coming!
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP
Both Stella and Jeff frantic.
STELLA
(Accusingly)
You shouldn't have let her do that!
If he ever --
JEFF
(Interrupting)
Look!
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Lisa suddenly appears at the ground floor door below
Thorwald's. She hides, pressing back against the wall tensely.
In the corridor above, Thorwald returns, frustrated. He comes
out onto the fire escape directly above Lisa. She is aware
of him, and immediately retreats into the doorway. She
disappears down the lower corridor, as Thorwald searches his
fire escape.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP
There is a sigh of relief from both of them.
STELLA
Thank heaven that's over!
JEFF
I have a feeling we've just begun.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Thorwald is now passing through the living room into the
bedroom. He picks up a shirt and puts it on. He then returns
to packing his suitcases, moving unhurriedly.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT
Jeff rubs his chin thoughtfully. Stella is scanning the
neighborhood. We hear a radio, or a television show, off;
and there is distant, rhythmic music coming from the cafe on
Thorwald's street.
JEFF
No doubt of it. He's leaving. The
question is -- when?
Stella's brow knits a little as she sees something. She
reaches for the long focus lens.
STELLA
Mind if I use the portable keyhole?
Jeff hands it to her.
JEFF
Not as long as you tell me what you're
looking at.
She lifts it to her eye.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - CAMERA SHOT
Miss Lonely Hearts' apartment. She has opened a small brown
bottle, and taken out four red capsules which she places on
the white table cloth of her little table.
There is a candle burning in a holder, and other lamps also
light the apartment. She is dressed in sedate street clothes.
She sits at the table, and by the light of the candle proceeds
to open a black-covered book, and read it. The print is fine.
She bends over it a moment, looks up at the capsules, and
returns to the book. She seems quite at peace. Stella and
Jeff are heard over:
STELLA
I wonder.
JEFF
What?
STELLA
Miss Lonely Hearts just laid out
something that looks like sodium
trieckonal capsules.
JEFF
You can tell that from here?
STELLA
I handled enough of those red pills
to put everybody in New Jersey asleep
for the winter.
JEFF
Would four of them -- ?
STELLA
(Breaks in)
No -- but it makes the rest easy to
take. And she's reading the Bible.
JEFF
(After a slight pause)
Then I wouldn't worry too much. But
let's keep an eye on her.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT
Stella lowers the long-focus lens.
STELLA
You know? You might not be too bad a
bargain for Lisa after all.
JEFF
You don't say! I might just take
that compliment as an insult.
The door bursts open, and they both turn quickly toward the
entrance.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Lisa comes in, panting and flushed. She stands a second at
the door, catching her breath, but smiling with the pleasure
of sampling danger and escaping unharmed.
LISA
Wasn't that close?
JEFF
(Off)
Too close.
She comes down the stairs.
LISA
What was his reaction? I mean when
he looked at the note?
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT
As Lisa comes up to the two of them.
STELLA
Well, it wasn't the kind of expression
that would get him a quick loan at
the bank.
Lisa comes close to Jeff, speaks warmly.
LISA
Jeff -- how did I do?
He takes her hands.
JEFF
Real professional. Would have made a
great layout for the Bazaar. The
model pressed back against a brick
wall, eyes wild, tense. Low cut
bodice, in new suspicious black,
with a --
Some of the pleasure goes out of her face. Stella notices
it.
STELLA
(Interrupts Jeff)
You'd make a good door prize at a
wake.
It relieves the slight friction, as both Jeff and Lisa laugh.
Lisa happens to look toward the window, and the laugh dies.
LISA
Jeff -- the handbag.
Jeff and Stella turn toward the window. Jeff grabs the long-
focus lens, lifts it up.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - CAMERA SHOT
Thorwald has the new alligator bag belonging to his wife, in
his hand. He moves slowly across the bedroom, out of sight
behind the door. He doesn't appear in the living room. In a
moment he reappears, moving back to his packing. He puts the
handbag into one of the suitcases -- the one which he has
almost completed filling. He goes on with his packing.
INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT
Jeff puts down the long-focus lens, and turns around toward
the room. The two women watch him expectantly.
JEFF
Suppose Mrs. Thorwald's wedding ring
was among the jewelry he has in the
handbag.
(Supporting his
proposition)
During that phone conversation he
held up three rings -- one with a
diamond -- one with a big stone of
some kind -- and one plain gold band.
LISA
(Excited)
And the last thing she'd leave behind
would be her wedding ring!
(To Stella)
Do you ever leave yours at home?
Stella lifts her left hand, and looks fondly at her ring
finger.
STELLA
The only way anybody could get that
off would be to chop my finger --
Let's go down and find out what's
buried in the garden.
LISA
Why not? I always wanted to meet
Mrs. Thorwald.
Jeff looks at them aghast.
JEFF
What are you two talking about?
STELLA
Got a shovel?
JEFF
No.
STELLA
There's probably one in the basement.
JEFF
Now wait a minute --
LISA
Jeff, if you're squeamish, just don't
look.
JEFF
Now hold on. I'm not a bit squeamish
about what might be under those
flowers -- but I don't care to watch
two women end up like that dog --
Stella grows a little uneasy. Her eyes drift toward Thorwald's
apartment.
STELLA
(To Lisa)
You know, Miss Fremont -- he might
just have something there.
JEFF
There's no point in taking unnecessary
chances.
(He points)
Give me the phone book, Lisa.
Lisa moves for the phone book on the stand near the kitchen.
LISA
What for?
JEFF
Maybe I can get Thorwald out of the
apartment.
Lisa hands him the book.
STELLA
We only need a few minutes.
Jeff looks for Thorwald's number in the directory.
JEFF
I'll try to give you at least fifteen
minutes.
LISA
How?
JEFF
(Finds the number)
Chelsea 2-7099.
(He looks up, reaches
for the phone)
We scared him once. Maybe we can
scare him again.
(Picks up receiver;
pauses)
I'm using that word "we" a little
too freely, I guess. I don't take
any of the chances.
LISA
Shall we vote him in, Stella?
STELLA
Unanimously.
The two women smile. Jeff picks up the phone and dials Chelsea
2-7099. The women watch him tensely. He holds the receiver
away from his ear a little, and the buzzer is heard sounding
on filter. Lisa looks toward Thorwald's apartment; then
Stella; then Jeff.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT
Thorwald's apartment. He comes out of the bedroom toward the
phone. He wears a light summer coat and tie, despite the
heat. In the bedroom, everything is packed with the exception
of one open suitcase. We see another suitcase, his sample
case, and a couple of topcoats across the bed. He approaches
the phone hesitantly, undecided whether or not to answer it.
JEFF
(Off, half-aloud)
Go ahead, Thorwald -- pick it up.
You're curious. You wonder if it's
your girl friend calling. The one
you killed for. Pick it up, Thorwald!
Quickly Thorwald does pick it up.
THORWALD
(Cautiously, on filter)
Hello.
JEFF
(Off)
Did you get my note?
There is a pause as Thorwald gropes for an answer. We can
almost hear his breathing.
JEFF
Well -- did you get it, Thorwald?
THORWALD
Who are you?
JEFF
I'll give you a chance to find out.
Meet me in the bar at the Brevoort --
and do it right away.
THORWALD
Why should I?
JEFF
For a little business meeting -- to
settle the estate of your late wife.
THORWALD
(After a pause)
I don't know what you mean.
JEFF
(Firmly)
Now stop wasting time, Thorwald, or
I'll hang up and call the police.
THORWALD
(Breathing heavily)
I only have a hundred dollars or so.
JEFF
That's a start. I'm at the Brevoort
now. I'll be looking for you.
He hangs up before Thorwald can reply. Thorwald looks at the
receiver a moment, then he slowly hangs up. He stands at the
phone thinking. He doesn't suspect he is being watched through
the window. Then he makes up his mind and starts for the
door. After he goes out he tests the door to make certain it
is locked.
LISA
(Over)
Let's go, Stella.
...continue to part 11
