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Scripts: Rear Window (final draft, 01/Dec/1953) - part 12

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT

    Thorwald's apartment. Completely dark. No movement, or glow 
    of a cigar. The corridor outside lighted, but empty.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Jeff scratches the side of his chin, studies Thorwald's 
    apartment as if he might see some small clue as to where the 
    salesman is. He looks toward the intersection to his left. 
    Apparently he sees nothing. He turns to look down into the 
    garden.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT

    Miss Lonely Hearts is standing in the yard outside her 
    apartment, looking up to the porch of Miss Torso. The ballet 
    dancer is in high heels and a fresh summer dress.

                          MISS TORSO
                   (Faintly heard)
              Have you heard that song he's been 
              writing?

    She indicates the song-writer's apartment. Miss Lonely Hearts 
    turns, looks up at the studio apartment a moment, then looks 
    up at Miss Torso.

                          MISS LONELY HEARTS
                   (Nods yes)
              I'm glad I was here when he played 
              it.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSE SHOT

    He sits quietly a moment, thinking. Suddenly he jumps a little 
    as the phone rings. He reaches for it, picks up the receiver.

                          JEFF
                   (Still looks out window)
              Hello.
                   (No answer)
              Hello, Doyle? Tom? Tom, I think 
              Thorwald's left. I don't see anything 
              of --
                   (He looks at receiver, then:)
              Hello.

    Slowly he looks up toward Thorwald's apartment. Then, back 
    to the receiver. On filter, a receiver can be heard carefully 
    being replaced. Jeff slowly lowers the phone into the cradle. 
    He looks once more toward Thorwald's apartment. Then he turns 
    his chair around quickly and looks toward the door to his 
    apartment.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    The door. Quiet in the apartment, and in the corridor.

    Light showing beneath the door from the hall light.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSE SHOT

    Jeff watching, waiting, nervous at first. He reaches for the 
    phone, changes his mind. He looks around for some kind of a 
    weapon, finds none to suit him. He hears the slightest squeak 
    of a floorboard, and looks quickly toward the door again.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    The door. Another squeak of a floorboard, so light and quickly 
    passing that at any other time it would have no significance, 
    even if it could be heard. Then the light beneath the door 
    disappears. Black.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSE SHOT

    Jeff squints at the door, blinks, squints again.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    The door. No doubt about it, black.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    He looks again for a weapon, and almost by instinct he 
    snatches up his flash holder and the small packet of bulbs 
    he had taken out to signal Lisa earlier. He tries to move 
    his wheelchair farther into the shadows. His eyes are glued 
    to the door of his apartment, and his senses are sharp as a 
    hunting dog's. He scarcely breathes.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Only the slightest sound is heard as the doorknob turns.

    The door slowly and carefully swings open, but the corridor 
    is too dark to tell at first who is entering.

    The door closes just as quietly. From the shadowed recess 
    comes a heavy voice. A threatening voice.

                          THORWALD
              What do you want from me?

    Jeff doesn't answer. Thorwald steps to the top of the stairs, 
    and is now somewhat visible. He looks tall and huge and 
    explosive.

                          THORWALD
              Your friend -- the girl -- could 
              have turned me in. Why didn't she?

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Jeff doesn't answer. His eyes watch Thorwald. He licks his 
    lip with nervous tension and grips the flash holder.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald comes down the two steps, pauses at the bottom.

                          THORWALD
              What is it you want? A lot of money? 
              I don't have any money.

    Jeff doesn't answer.

                          THORWALD
              Say something!

    He moves forward a couple of steps.

                          THORWALD
                   (Sudden loud anger)
              Say something! Tell me what you want!

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Jeff still doesn't speak. He grips the flash holder a little 
    more tightly, lifts it just the fraction of an inch as if he 
    is prepared to use it.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP

    Thorwald has advanced to the middle of the room, his eyes on 
    Jeff and his hands clenching with the effort to control his 
    anger.

                          THORWALD
              Can you get me that ring back?

                          JEFF
                   (Quietly)
              No.

                          THORWALD
                   (Loud)
              Tell her to bring it back!

    He advances a step.

                          JEFF
              I can't. The police have it by now.

                          THORWALD
              Then if the police get me -- you 
              won't be around to laugh!

    Thorwald starts to move threateningly for Jeff.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP

    From a three-quarter angle toward Thorwald. Jeff lifts the 
    flash holder to face level and closes his eyes. He explodes 
    the flash.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Thorwald's face fills the screen registering shock, confusion. 
    He throws up his hands for protection and recoils, making an 
    involuntary sound of surprise.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

    A vision of Jeff and the apartment as seen by Thorwald.

    It is distorted and out of focus, filled with large twisting 
    balls of bright yellow color.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Thorwald blinking, trying to regain his sight.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP

    Jeff ejects the used bulb and quickly inserts another.

    He works furiously, sweating. He gets the bulb in the flash 
    holder just in time to meet Thorwald coming at him. Jeff 
    closes his eyes and another bulb explodes in Thorwald's face.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Thorwald's face, full screen again, as he recoils from the 
    flash.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

    The apartment as seen by Thorwald again. Big, twisting balls 
    of blinding yellow.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald stumbles back against the side table, knocking 
    objects off onto the floor, struggling for balance and sight. 
    Jeff works rapidly to put a fresh bulb in the holder.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Thorwald regains his equilibrium and some of his sight.

    Orienting himself, he starts for Jeff again. This time, when 
    the flash holder goes off, we see it from Jeff's angle. 
    Thorwald is lighted almost white, shockingly outlining every 
    detail of his face, clothes, hands. His rage and frustration 
    are fixed for a brief but terrifying moment. He stumbles 
    backward again, trying to brush the light away from his face 
    almost as if it were a solid enveloping substance.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Jeff ejects a bulb, puts his last bulb into the flash holder. 
    He tries to move the wheelchair a little further away from 
    Thorwald. Then he raises the flash holder again.

    In b.g. we see: Doyle, Lisa, Stella and the detectives come 
    to Thorwald's door, try it. Locked.

    One of the men steps forward with a flat steel jimmy and 
    snaps the lock open. They move quickly into the darkened 
    apartment. Doyle hits the lights inside the kitchen. The 
    group goes into the living room. The lights go on. No sign 
    of Thorwald. Doyle, Lisa and Stella instinctively turn and 
    look toward Jeff's apartment.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    From Thorwald's apartment shooting at Jeff's window. A sudden 
    bright flash is seen as the last flash bulb goes off. And it 
    lights the scene of Jeff in the wheelchair and Thorwald diving 
    through the air at him. Darkness rushes in, blacker than 
    before.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald has finally reached Jeff, knocking the flash 
    equipment out of his hands and coming to grips with him.

    It is apparent that he is trying to pull Jeff out of the 
    wheelchair. Jeff fights him off.

    The wheelchair crashes over, spilling Jeff to the floor.

    Thorwald is on top of him, lifting, dragging him to the 
    window. Jeff grabs everything he can to keep himself away 
    from the window, but Thorwald is far too powerful for him. 
    He strains to raise Jeff to the windowsill.

                          THORWALD
              I'll give you a good look out the 
              window.

    Slowly, inexorably, he raises Jeff to the windowsill.

    Jeff frantically grabs for the upright window frame, wrapping 
    his arms around it. Thorwald shoves the rest of his body 
    over the windowsill.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Doyle, Lisa, Stella and the two detectives, crossing 
    Thorwald's yard, see Jeff going out the window. Lisa is 
    panicked.

                          LISA
              Jeff! Jeff!

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM LONG SHOT

    From Doyle's viewpoint, Jeff hanging out the window and 
    Thorwald hammering at his hands and arms with bare fists.

    Doyle pushes Lisa to one side and starts to scale the wall, 
    preceded by the two detectives.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald fights to dislodge Jeff's grip.

    EXT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - CLOSE SHOT

    Looking down on Jeff's face, showing his strain and the pain 
    of Thorwald's attack. The brick floor of the patio seems a 
    hundred feet below.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald and Jeff struggling.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Doyle pulling himself to the top of the wall. Lisa, Stella 
    and the two men below, looking up. Lisa is white-faced and 
    frightened.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald smashes at Jeff's arms and hands. Jeff's grip begins 
    to slip.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Doyle reaches the top of the wall, looks up at Jeff.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM LONG SHOT

    Jeff, as seen from Doyle's angle, hanging, somehow weathering 
    Thorwald's insane attack.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Doyle reaches for his service revolver. He doesn't have it! 
    He looks down, and calls one of the detectives back.

                          DOYLE
              Creel! Your Thirty-eight!

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Looking down at the two detectives from Doyle's point of 
    view. Creel grabs for his gun expertly. The holster breaks 
    away. It is in his hand and with a deft movement he tosses 
    it upward.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Doyle catches it, turns up to Jeff's apartment.

    INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Thorwald still trying to loosen Jeff's grip. The salesman, 
    in a complete, wild, sweating rage, is beyond all reason. 
    His glasses hang from one ear, his coat is torn, his tie 
    pulled to one side.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM LONG SHOT

    Shooting over Doyle's shoulder as he steadies himself against 
    the wall, lifting the service revolver up for a shot at 
    Thorwald. His aim is careful, slow, painfully deliberate. 
    Jeff seems about to fall.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    The two detectives ahead of Doyle are moving up below the 
    window. Lisa stand looking up, her hands at the sides of her 
    head, frozen with panic.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT

    Two detectives appear behind Thorwald and grab him. The 
    startled Thorwald stops his attack on Jeff as he looks wildly 
    around to find the source of his new attack.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - CLOSEUP

    Jeff, hanging from the window frame. He claws desperately 
    for a hold.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - COMPREHENSIVE SHOT

    People rush to their windows, looking out at the excitement. 
    Some people on the ground floor come out into the yard. Doyle 
    and the two detectives come into the patio beneath Jeff.

    Doyle directs them to improvise something to break Jeff's 
    fall -- leaves, greenery, their coats, cushions from the 
    patio furniture -- anything they can find. The four uniformed 
    policemen rush into the backyard. Lisa and Stella come over 
    the wall into the patio beneath Jeff. They look up at Jeff, 
    encouraging him to hold on.

    A detective goes into Jeff's cellar door, trying to reach 
    his apartment before Jeff loses his grip.

    The siffleuse and her husband are standing on the fire escape 
    in plain, almost somber clothes. They watch expressionlessly. 
    Beneath them the empty basket which once held their dog swings 
    silently in the night air.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - MEDIUM SHOT

    Jeff, hanging from his windowsill. He loses his grip and 
    plunges down into the patio below. Two detectives throw 
    themselves beneath him. They are knocked to the ground as 
    Jeff's fall tumbles both of them. After Jeff hits, he lies 
    still, twisted over to one side.

    Doyle and Lisa rush over to Jeff. There is an audible

    SOUND of shock in the neighborhood as Jeff has fallen -- 
    various oh's, ah's, and possibly a stifled scream or two.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSE SHOT

    Lisa kneels down, cradles Jeff's head in her lap. There are 
    tears in her eyes. Her clothes are disheveled and her dress 
    torn. Her hair is disarranged. But withal, her face is as 
    beautiful as ever, with love.

                          LISA
              Jeff -- Jeff darling!

    He opens his eyes. Winces with pain.

                          LISA
                   (To the detectives)
              Get an ambulance.
                   (Down to Jeff)
              Don't move. Try to lie still.

                          JEFF
              Lisa -- I -- I -- can't tell you how 
              scared I was that you -- you might --

                          LISA
                   (Affectionately)
              Shut up. I'm all right.

                          JEFF
                   (To Doyle)
              Think you've got enough for a search 
              warrant now?

                          DOYLE
              Oh sure. Sure. I can make it.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-LONG SHOT

    At that moment, a man appears leaning out of Jeff's window. 
    He looks down to the patio.

                          DETECTIVE
              Lieutenant Doyle?

                          DOYLE (OFF)
                   (Looking up)
              Yeah?

                          DETECTIVE
              Thorwald's ready to take us on a 
              tour of the East River.

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT - SEMI-CLOSEUP

    Stella tugs at Doyle's arm and stands on tiptoe to whisper 
    something into his ear. Doyle then looks up to the detective.

                          DOYLE
              Did he say what was buried in the 
              flower bed?

                          DETECTIVE
              Yeah. It's over in his apartment. In 
              a hat box. Wanna look?

    Doyle turns quizzically at Stella.

                          STELLA
              Oh, no thanks -- I don't want any of 
              part of her
                   (She pauses, then 
                   does a surprised 
                   take back to Doyle)
              What did I say?

                                                    DISSOLVE TO:

    EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY - PAN SHOT

    Beginning on Jeff's window thermometer, the CAMERA PANS FROM 
    RIGHT TO LEFT around the neighborhood.

    In the songwriter's apartment we see the songwriter with a 
    guest -- Miss Lonely Hearts. Both in dress and manner she 
    seems quite happy and adjusted to life. The songwriter is 
    placing the first recording of his new song on a record player 
    for her to hear. It is a full symphonic arrangement which is 
    heard over. 

    CONTINUE TO PAN

    Thorwald's apartment is empty, stripped of its furnishings. 
    Two painters are repainting the walls.

    The siffleuse and her husband are on their fire escape, 
    training a new white dog to ride in their basket.

    Miss Torso is practicing her ballet again. She wears a white 
    leotard. The sound of someone at the door interrupts her. 
    She goes to the door, opens it an inch or two cautiously. 
    When she sees who is outside, she throws open the door. An 
    innocuous, unhandsome and somewhat shy army private enters 
    with a barracks bag slung over one shoulder. She kisses him 
    fondly after closing the door. He puts down the barracks 
    bag, tosses his hat into a chair and, with the attitude of a 
    man who belongs there, goes to the icebox to see what's to 
    eat.

    The newlyweds are arguing.

    The CAMERA PANS past Jeff who is asleep in his wheelchair 
    facing away from the window. CAMERA MOVES DOWN to the lower 
    part of his body and we see that both his legs are now in 
    casts. The CAMERA LIFTS SLIGHTLY to show Lisa sitting on the 
    sofa nearby. She wears Levis and a plaid cotton shirt. She 
    is reading a book on travel. She looks up briefly at Jeff. 
    When she realizes he is asleep, she puts down the travel 
    book and reaches for the latest copy of Harper's Bazaar. She 
    settles down to study it as we

                                                       FADE OUT:

                              THE END