Scripts: Strangers on a Train (18/Oct/1950) - part 2
EXT. MAIN STREET METCALF SHOOTING TOWARDS STATION Guy is striding along angrily. He comes to the same intersection and the same cop. The officer makes a friendly gesture, is if he'd like to talk awhile, but Guy strides past him without noticing. EXT. METCALF STATION (PROCESS) Guy comes into the scene, crosses to a row of public telephone booths, enters one. Inside the telephone booth, he dumps some loose change on the shelf, sticks a nickel in the telephone, speaks into it. GUY Long distance. (a pause) I want Washington, D. C. The number is Republic 0800. Person to person. Miss Anne Burton. Another pause, very long. Guy is very restless. He digs a cigarette out of his pocket and sticks it in his mouth, then looks through his pockets for his lighter, doesn't find it. He looks puzzled, but about that time the operator speaks to him. GUY (continuing) Right. Guy picks coins up off the shelf and drops them into the telephone, then waits. He shifts the receiver and fumbles in his other jacket pocket, then turns to the phone. GUY (tautly, into phone) Anne, -- Anne darling. Yes, I'm in Metcalf -- (gets a grip on himself) No, everything didn't go smoothly. She doesn't want a divorce, not now.... INT. BURTON LIVING ROOM ANNE BURTON is a beautiful, high-spirited and well-bred young woman. The smile on her face his faded to anxiety as she listens over the telephone which is on the desk. ANNE (after a pause then with unpleasant realization) Another man's child! But she can't do that to you, Guy -- it's unbelievable -- it's, it's evil! (she listens, then calmly) Yes, I know how you must feel. (pause) But you sound so savage. BACK TO GUY IN TELEPHONE BOOTH GUY (furiously) Sure I sound savage. I feel savage. I'd like to break her neck! (a pause, then raising his voice) I said I'd like to break her foul, poisonous, useless little neck! (the connection is bad and he strains to hear) What's that? Meantime the noise of a through train has been HEARD, and the horn on a streamliner locomotive. It has come up very fast, it is now almost to the station. Guy rises his voice and yells into the telephone. His voice fights the roar of the train: GUY I SAID I COULD STRANGLE HER! The expression on his face is frenzied and suggesting that he means exactly what he is saying. DISSOLVE TO: INT. ANTHONY LIVING ROOM The scene opens on a CLOSEUP OF A MAN'S HANDS. One of them is semi-flexed and turning slowly, The other is receiving the final touches of a manicure. CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal that these are Bruno's hands, and that, he is studying them moodily, CAMERA PULLS BACK FARTHER to reveal his mother, MRS. ANTHONY, sitting opposite him at a little table in the Anthony living room. She is working with scissors, file and nail buffer. Mrs. Anthony is a gentle, once pretty woman, whose pastel exterior harbors a tigress-like determination to protect her son, Bruno is in his robe and is unshaven. There is evidence of long established wealth in the heavy dark appointments of this room. MRS. ANTHONY Since you insisted on a manicure, dear, I do wish you'd keep your hands quiet. You're so restless lately. BRUNO (almost dreamily as he admires the free hand) I like them to look just right. Mrs. Anthony looks up, notices his moody expression. MRS. ANTHONY Did I file them too short? BRUNO No, Ma. They look fine. Thanks. MRS. ANTHONY Then what's the matter? BRUNO I'm all right, Ma. Don't worry about me. MRS. ANTHONY You look so Pale, dear. Are you out of vitamins? BRUNO I bought a bottle of them yesterday. A whole fifth. MRS. ANTHONY (anxiously) But you have that 'look'. I can always tell. You haven't got into any more mischief, Bruno? He denies this with a slow, solemn shake of his head. MRS. ANTHONY I do hope you've forgotten about that silly little plan of yours? BRUNO (sharply) Which one? MRS. ANTHONY (smiling) About blowing up the White House? BRUNO (his eyes dancing) I was only kidding, Ma. Besides, what would the president say? MRS. ANTHONY (laughing gaily) You're a naughty boy, Bruno. But you can always make me laugh. (she rises) Now get shaved, dear, before your father gets home. Bruno's fist crashes down on the little table, upsetting it, as he gets to his feet. BRUNO I'm sick and tired of bowing and scraping to the king. MRS. ANTHONY (placating him) Now, now, Let's not lose control. Come see my painting, dear -- (she leads him toward an easel) I do wish you'd take up painting. It's such a soothing pastime. They look at the painting. INSERT The painting is a horrible mess. Out of the violence of the pattern a man's face can be discerned, wild-eyed and distorted. We hear laughter from Bruno. BACK TO SCENE Bruno's roar of laughter puzzles Mrs. Anthony, but she is pleased to hear his good humor. He puts an arm around her. BRUNO You're wonderful, Ma! It's the old boy, all right. That's father! MRS. ANTHONY (bewildered) It is? I was trying to paint Saint Francis. At this moment there is the sound of the front door opening. Then immediately the telephone bell rings in the hall. Bruno is instantly alert, as if he had been expecting a call. He goes toward the door to the hall, as the butler enters. BUTLER (to Bruno) They are ready with your call to Southampton, Sir. Bruno's father MR. ANTHONY, purposefully enters the living room. He an impeccably dressed business man with an uncompromising eye. His entrance momentarily blocks Bruno's exit. MRS. ANTHONY (to her husband) How nice that you're early, Charles. I'll tell cook.... Bruno now exits into the hall, passing his father without speaking. MR. ANTHONY Just a minute, Eunice. (calls after Bruno) Bruno! Come here! I want to talk to you and your mother. INT. HALL CLOSE SHOT BRUNO as he approaches the telephone. BRUNO (calls back to his father) Sorry father. Long distance. (he picks up the telephone) Hello... CAMERA MOVES IN TO A BIG HEAD CLOSEUP OF BRUNO at the telephone as the Voices of his mother and father can be heard from the other room. MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE Now it's hit and run driving! And you knew about it all the time! BRUNO (eagerly into phone) Guy? (pause) Bruno, Bruno Anthony. MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE You're going to protect him once too often. After all we do have a responsibility to society. Bruno gives a look in his father's direction, before he speaks into the telephone in a low voice. BRUNO I just wanted to ask how you made out with Miriam. INT. LOCKER ROOM OF TENNIS CLUB CLOSE SHOT GUY AT TELEPHONE GUY (puzzled) What? (listens) Metcalf? Who'd you say you were? CLOSEUP BRUNO BRUNO (sotto voce) Bruno, Guy. Bruno Anthony. Don't you remember? On the train. The voices of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony can still be heard in dispute as Bruno listens at phone: MRS. ANTHONY I never permit it! Bruno gives a significant look in direction of the living room as he speaks into the phone. BRUNO (softly) Are you getting your divorce? MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE I tell you he should be sent somewhere for treatment before it's too late. BRUNO (into phone, with satisfaction) So she double-crossed you! Are you going to see her again? The phone clicks in Bruno's ear. He looks hurt for an instant, then replaces the receiver. Bruno listens to his father off scene and his expression becomes more enigmatic. MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE I tell you, Eunice, I'm going to have that boy put away if it's the last thing I do! Bruno looks off in direction of his farther's voice with an expression which says, "Crow while you can, you haven't much time." He reaches into his pocket, brings out Guy's cigarette lighter and as he flicks it on and off. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. METCALF STATION LONG SHOT DAY This is the same shot we saw when Guy arrived in Metcalf. We see the station and one of the main streets beyond the station. LONG SHOT A NEARER VIEW We see the train come around the curve. Again this is just the same angle that we used for Guy. It comes to a stop in the foreground and we see Bruno alight onto the platform. He looks about him for a moment and then strolls away in the direction of the town. He approaches the row of telephone booths. EXT. STATION CLOSE SHOT We see Bruno enter the small booth and start to glance through the telephone directory. INSERT TELEPHONE DIRECTORY Bruno's finger runs down the names until it stops at: Joyce, Miriam Haines. 2420 Metcalf Avenue. A RESIDENTIAL STREET IN METCALF LONG SHOT It is now much later. It is beginning to get dark, and the street lights are on. In the far distance we see a local bus approaching. MED. SHOT SHOOTING DOWN onto a small seat by a bus stop, we see Bruno with an open newspaper in front of him. It is held up as he reads it. CLOSEUP Bruno is glancing over the top of the paper. LONG SHOT From his viewpoint we see a typical frame house. The upper windows are lit as are the lower ones as well. A woman is sitting in a rocker on the front porch. This is MRS. JOYCE, Miriam's mother. She has white hair. A woman comes along the street and pauses as she gets to Mrs. Joyce. WOMAN (calls out as she passes) Hello Mrs. Joyce. Warm, ain't it? MRS. JOYCE That it is. WOMAN I've been reading where your son-in- law's been coming right along at tennis. MRS. JOYCE (sourly) We don't have any interest in tennis any more. The neighbor passes on. CLOSE UP Bruno, still glancing over the top of his paper. LONG SHOT Again from Bruno's viewpoint, we see Miriam's house. At this moment the front door swings open, emitting a long streak ot bright light. We see the silhouette of a woman emerge, followed by two other men. They're laughing and joking. Suddenly they look up the street. At this very moment the bus pulls up in front of Bruno's view, cutting off the sight of his quarry. The bus comes to a stop. CLOSE SHOT Bruno rises in alarm and moves around toward the end of the bus so that he shall not lose sight of the girl coming out of the house. SEMI-LONG SHOT From his viewpoint, the girl, whom we now see is Miriam, is running followed by the two young men. They are calling for the bus not to go - shouting, "Hi - stop!" Mrs. Joyce calls from the porch: MRS. JOYCE Don't you stay out too late, Miriam. MIRIAM (calling back) Goodnight, Mother. See you later. CLOSE UP Bruno watches Miriam. MED. SHOT Miriam comes nearer and nearer to Bruno. With her two companions she brushes past him and jumps onto the bus. THE CAMERA PANS BRUNO AFTER THEM. EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK LONG SHOT We see the bus pull up outside the Amusement Park, and the various passengers alight. These include Miriam nd her companions, and Bruno. LONG SHOT NEARER VIEW OF THE AMUSEMENT PARK We see the usual midway with its various concessions on each side: in the distance the Ferris wheel, Merry-go-rounds, etc., and beyond that a lake. In the foreground we see people filling in and out. DISSOLVE TO: MED. LONG SHOT A GROUP BY A FROZEN CUSTARD STAND This group comprises Miriam and her two boy-friends. They lick their way out of the crowd and debate between themselves where to go next. CLOSE SHOT Miriam's eye catches the attention of something off screen. SEMI-LONG SHOT From her viewpoint we see Bruno standing and casually watching her. Other people pass around and in front of him, so that he is the only immobile figure. SEMI-CLOSEUP Miriam, with a kind of coy consciousness, turns away with the others and they go on to some other concession. MED. SHOT As Bruno starts to advance in the direction of Miriam he is momentarily held up by a small boy in cowboy uniform carrying a gun and a balloon. The small boy points the gun at Bruno. SEMI-CLOSE UP The small boy pointing the gun fires it twice with a couple of 'bangs!' He then starts to move off. SEMI-CLOSE UP Bruno moves on past the boy. He casually touches the balloon with his cigarette end -- it goes off with a 'pop'. CLOSE UP The small boy turns and looks with dismay at his pricked balloon, wondering what happened. SEMI-CLOSE UP Bruno moves on, pleased with himself, returning his attention to Miriam who is somewhere ahead of him. MEDIUM SHOT Miriam and her two boy-friends by the sledge hammer concession where the aim is to swing the hammer hard enough down onto its target to ring the bell and register the 100 mark. Miriam is in the foreground of the shot. The first boy steps up to try his hand. As he swings, Miriam turns and glances about her, obviously looking for Bruno. LONG SHOT FROM MIRIAM VIEWPOINT The crowds milling, but no sign of Bruno. MEDIUM SHOT The first boy having failed to ring the bell, the second stops up and slams the hammer down. CLOSE SHOT The register shooting up only to the hallway mark. CLOSE SHOT MIRIAM She looks a little disdainful and again glances around for Bruno. Looking first to her left where she sees nothing, she then looks to her right, and as she does THE CAMERA PANS to show Bruno standing right it her shoulder. Miriam gives a little start. Bruno smiles at her. With a smirk he walks over and after paying his fee, goes to take up the hammer. CLOSE UP MIRIAM She watches Bruno. CLOSE SHOT Bruno looks down at his hands. INSERT Bruno's two strong hands - as he holds them palms tilted upward and fingers curled in. CLOSE UP Bruno, as he smiles faintly, glancing across at Miriam. CLOSE UP MIRIAM She gives a faint smile in return. CLOSE SHOT With a studied movement, Bruno picks up the handle of the hammer and swings. CLOSE SHOT The register shoots up to the 100 mark and rings the bell. MEDIUM SHOT Bruno drops the hammer and glances around at Miriam again. Her two boy-friends are calling for her from a little distance. BOY'S VOICE Come On, Miriam. Come On! CLOSE SHOT MIRIAM She turns away and is lost in the crowd. MEDIUM SHOT OVER BRUNO'S SHOULDER AT MERRY-GO ROUND IN BACKGROUND Bruno turns to follow Miriam, his manner casual. As he takes a few steps, WE PAN ACROSS with him until, over his shoulder, we see a merry-go-round in the background. Miriam and the two boys are aboard and climbing onto horses. As Bruno goes toward the merry-go-round, the CAMERA MOVES UP A LITTLE with him. The merry-go-round starts to move slowly round as Bruno hops on. MEDIUM SHOT ON MERRY-GO-ROUND Bruno begins to look around for Miriam, who is apparently on the other side of the merry-go-round. He starts to thread his way through the horses which are beginning to move up and down. CAMERA FOLLOWING HIM. He passes one or two of the oncoming heads before he reaches Miriam. She is on an outside mount which is high in the air when she sees Bruno facing her. Her laughter dies for a moment and she smiles at him coyly. Bruno passes her and gets on the horse directly behind her, Miriam glancing at him as her horse comes down. MEDIUM SHOT BRUNO ON HORSE With horse's head in foreground, as it is coming toward us. SIDE VIEW MIRIAM Miriam on her horse, moving from left to right. Miriam, holding the reins, glances back with a gay laugh. SIDE VIEW BRUNO Bruno on his horse, as though he is chasing Miriam. He is a little more open now in his laughter. GROUP SHOT MIRIAM AND TWO BOYS Miriam and her boy friends begin to sing the song being played on the calliope. CLOSE UP MIRIAM As she starts to sing, she glances back. CLOSE UP BRUNO He is starting to join in the singing. MEDIUM SHOT The horses of the merry-go-round are filling the screen as they whizz by, and again we get the picture of Bruno chasing Miriam as they rush past the CAMERA, the music and tempo at a high speed. LAP DISSOLVE TO: EXTERIOR OF BOAT LANDING ON SHORE OF ARTIFICIAL LAKE Across the water may be seen a small wooded island. Between this and the boat landing there is an artificially constructed "Tunnel of Love". We see Miriam and her companions approach the boat concession and CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM onto the little landing stage. CAMERA MOVES UP SLOWLY over the boy's shoulders until we get MIRIAM IN CLOSE UP. She glances back. Her expression changes to a coy smile of satisfaction as she sees: MEDIUM SHOT (FROM MIRIAM'S VIEWPOINT) Bruno is approaching the pay box. MEDIUM SHOT Miriam and her companions are escorted to a small boat with electric motor. Once they are seated the boat chugs away from the landing stage and off into the darkness. Bruno steps into the foreground and gets into the next boat which floats alongside. He, too, moves away into the darkness. ENTRANCE TO THE TUNNEL As Miriam's boat passes through, she gives another little glance over shoulder before her boat disappears into the darkness of the tunnel. After a brief moment Bruno's boat comes into the picture, and it, too, goes into the tunnel. INSIDE THE TUNNEL We see the silhouettes of the occupants of Miriam's boat on the wall of the tunnel, lit dimly from the light coming from the tunnel exit. The silhouette of Bruno in his boat, lit by the tunnel entrance, gradually approaches the other three. When the silhouettes are almost touching, we -- CUT TO: EXIT OF THE TUNNEL It is empty. There is a sudden piercing scream from inside, followed after a second or two by protestations and giggling as Miriam's boat emerges into the light. She is pushing one of the boys away from her. MIRIAM (squealing) George, stop it, I tell you! Their boat moves out of the picture, toward the island. Presently Bruno's boat comes smilingly following and he, too, moves on out of the picture. MEDIUM SHOT ISLAND The group of Miriam and her companions are scrambling out of their boat and moving onto the island, one of the boys trying the boat on the shore. They disappear into the Woods of the island. Again Bruno's boat comes into the picture. He steps out, lift the prow of the boat a little onto the shore. LONG SHOT ISLAND We see the amusement park lighted beyond the lake. Silhouetted in the foreground, the trees and foliage of the island. Nearby we see the silhouetted figures of Miriam and her companions move across the scene, right to left. Miriam is pushing George away from her. MIRIAM (protesting perfunctorily) George, no! She backs away from him and the boys go on picture. Miriam goes in another direction, around, the bushes. George obviously misses her, for we hear his voice call out: GEORGE'S VOICE Miriam! Miriam backs out of the bushes until the back of her head is in CLOSEUP in the foreground of the shot. Suddenly she hears steps in back of her and turns her head toward CAMERA. Her face changes as she recognizes someone offscene. MIRIAM Oh! She gives a coy smile of recognition. CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal the mad and shoulders of Bruno between Miriam and the camera. His hand holds Guy's lighter which he flicks on as he raises it above Miriam's face. 0f Bruno, we see only the back of his head and shoulders. BRUNO Is your name Miriam? MIRIAM (with surprise) Why yes. How did you -- We see Bruno's gloved hands dart quickly to Miriam's throat. The lighter falls down out of picture, and as Bruno's hands grip her throat, his head moves slightly to blot out Miriam's face. His head moves a bit farther until Miriam's face is nearly uncovered at the other side of the screen, and we see her glasses fall off. CLOSE SHOT Miriam's glasses hit the ground. The shadows of their struggling figures over the shot. CLOSE UP The screen is filled with one of the lenses of the glasses. They are of the diminishing type. Against the moonlit sky we see reflected, the elongated struggling figures, as though we were shooting up at them. Suddenly one of the figures falls forward. CLOSE UP Miriam's head drops into the picture by the glasses. Bruno's hand comes into the picture and picks up the glasses. One of the lenses has been broken by Miriam's fall. As we see Bruno's sport shoes move away, the CAMERA MOVES PAST MIRIAM'S HEAD until it comes to Guy's lighter pressed into the earth. CLOSE UP BRUNO Bruno glances back over his shoulder. He looks down and goes back one or two steps. CLOSE UP BRUNO'S HAND Bruno's hands retrieve the lighter from the ground. LONG SHOT ISLAND We see a full view of the island again, with the amusement park beyond. The faint noise of the calliope continues in the distance. Bruno has been lost to view. Miriam's companions are still searching for her. We hear their faint voices in the distance. VOICES Miriam! Miriam! Where are you? MEDIUM SHOT Bruno comes to the shore where his boat is moored. He gets in and is quickly chugging away. He moves calmly, matter-of- fact and not furtively. LONG SHOT LAKE Bruno's boat throbbing its way across toward the landing stage. MEDIUM SHOT LANDING STAGE There are two boats unloading. Bruno's boat is approaching. We hear a loud call from the island. Someone has found Miriam. VOICES Hey, here she is! What's the matter with her? Has she fainted? More shouts from the island cause the people at the landing stage to look back. The boatman's attention is also attracted. Suddenly, as Bruno is getting out of boat, there is a loud scream from the island. VOICE (crying out) She is dead! OTHER VOICE (from island) Help! Help! Bruno by this time has stopped onto the landing stage, and in company with the other people, is looking back as if to see what's wrong on the island. Then he moves away, starting off of the landing stage. The boatman turns and glances at Bruno, but quickly returns his attention to the disturbance across on the island. He hurries forward and with a couple of men passengers jumps into one of the boats. He calls to his assistant as he gets into the boat. BOATMAN Got a cop! The assistant runs off out of the pictures MEDIUM SHOT BRUNO As Bruno calmly threads his way along the midway, we hear above the noise of the various concessions, a shrill police whistle in the distance. Presently a couple of policemen comes running from direction of the main entrance and past Bruno. He glances at them over his shoulder, then strolls on toward the main entrance to the park. ENTRANCE TO AMUSEMENT PARK EXTERIOR As Bruno comes out through the turnstile, he stands for a moment on the street. At this moment a man hesitates at the curbstone. He is blind and tapping the sidewalk with his white cane. He takes one step into the roadway, then hesitates. Bruno steps forward and takes the blind man's arm. CAMERA PULLS BACK as Bruno escorts the blind man across the road. With a sweeping gesture he holds back a couple of cars to lot them pass. Once on the other side of the road, the blind man utters his thanks. BLIND MAN Thanks. He goes off. Bruno looks back toward the park, then glances down at his wristwatch. INSERT BRUNO'S WRISTWATCH The time is 9.30.
...continue to part 3