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Scripts: Vertigo (12/Sep/1957) - part 5

       EXT. BROCKLEBANK APTS. - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       The CAMERA is SHOOTING through the stone gateway across the 
       small courtyard toward the front door of the apartments. We 
       see Madeleine emerge. She is dressed completely different 
       from the night before. She makes her way down to the Jaguar 
       in the f.g. She gets in, starts up and swings the car round 
       toward the CAMERA. She passes out of the picture.

       EXT. BROCKLEBANK APTS. - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       Across the street, we see Scottie's sedan pull out and also 
       approach the CAMERA. It too, passes out of the picture.

       INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Scottie sitting at the wheel driving ahead. His eyes are 
       satisfied. They hold Madeleine's car in view.

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       We see the Jaguar ahead. It turns a left down another street. 
       It goes for a block and turns right. Then it turns left again, 
       than it turns right, then it turns left again.

       INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Scottie looks a little dizzy with the constant turning. We 
       stay with him a little while and we can see from the scene 
       behind him, that we are still turning left and right.

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       The Jaguar speeds up. It's going down a street, not turning 
       any more. A few blocks off, we can see the Coit Tower coming 
       into view.

       INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Scottie seem a little mystified now, as the direction in 
       which she is going.

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       The Jaguar turns right into a narrow curving street and 
       finally comes to a sudden stop ahead.

       INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Scottie now wears a look of great astonishment, as he pulls 
       up hurriedly in the middle of the street.

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - (DAY) - SEMI-LONG SHOT

       From his viewpoints, we see the reason for his astonishment.  
       Madeleine has alighted and is approaching, of all places, 
       toward his own red front door.

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO STREET - (DAY) - MEDIUM SHOT

       Scottie pulls his car over to the curb and gets out. The 
       CAMERA PANS him down. He stops short just before he reaches 
       Madeleine, to see her take a letter from her handbag and put 
       it into his letter box. He moves up to her.

                               SCOTTIE
               Is that for me?

       Madeleine turns quickly, startled, and then sees who it is, 
       and smiles.

                               MADELEINE
               Oh! Yes. Hello.

                               SCOTTIE
               Good morning. I worried about you, 
               last night. You shouldn't have run 
               like that.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Embarrassed)
               I... suddenly felt such a fool.

                               SCOTTIE
               I wanted to drive you home. Are you 
               all right?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Flashing a smile)
               Oh, yes. Fine. No after effects.
                       (Then, ruefully)
               But as I remember now, that water 
               was cold, wasn't it?
                       (He nods. She looks 
                       away)
               What a terrible thing to do... and 
               you were so kind...
                       (With a gesture)
               It's a formal thank-you letter. And 
               a great big apology.

                               SCOTTIE
               You've nothing to apologize for.

                               MADELEINE
               Oh, yes! The whole thing must have 
               been so embarrassing for you!

                               SCOTTIE
               Not at all, I enjoyed --

       And he stops short, now truly embarrassed, and she looks at 
       him with wide eyes, waiting for him to go on.

                               SCOTTIE
               -- talking to you...

                               MADELEINE
                       (With small, contained 
                       amusement)
               I enjoyed talking to you.

       An awkward pause. Scottie turns abruptly to the door, getting 
       out his key.

                               SCOTTIE
               I'll get my mail...

       He opens the door and bends down to pick up the letter. As 
       he is reaching for it, he turns his head and speaks almost 
       without thinking.

                               SCOTTIE
               Would you like some coffee?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Quickly)
               No! No, thank you!

       She says it so impulsively, and with such young vehemence, 
       that they both start to laugh. He straightens up and opens 
       the letter.

                               MADELEINE
               I couldn't mail it; I didn't know 
               your address. But I had a landmark.  
               I remembered Coit Tower and it led 
               me straight to you.

                               SCOTTIE
               The first time I've been grateful 
               for Coit Tower.

       He reads the letter as she watches him. He looks up.

                               SCOTTIE
               I hope we will, too.

                               MADELEINE
               What?

                               SCOTTIE
               Meet again, sometime.

                               MADELEINE
               We have.

       They smile at one another, and there is a nice moment of 
       silent rapport. Then:

                               MADELEINE
               Good-bye.

                               SCOTTIE
               Good-bye.

       She turns and goes to her car as he stands watching her, and 
       gets in behind the wheel.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Suddenly walking)
               Where are you going?

       And he races to the car and leans in the window. She watches 
       him, open-mouthed, as he crosses the sidewalk. Then:

                               MADELEINE
               I don't know.

                               SCOTTIE
               Shopping?

                               MADELEINE
               No.

                               SCOTTIE
               Well... anywhere in particular?

                               MADELEINE
               No, I Just thought I'd wander.

                               SCOTTIE
               Ah.
                       (Then)
               That's what I was going to do.

                               MADELEINE
               Oh, yes, I forgot: It's your 
               occupation, isn't it?

       And she waits with a small smile.

                               SCOTTIE
               Don't you think it's sort of a waste 
               for the two of us to...

                               MADELEINE
               Wander separately? Ah, but only one 
               is a wanderer. Two, together, are 
               always going somewhere.

                               SCOTTIE
               No... no, I don't think that's 
               necessarily true.

       And now he waits, hopefully.

                               MADELEINE
                       (With a smiling nod)
               You left your door open.

       He turns his head, startled and annoyed, than makes a dash 
       for the door. As he goes, he turns his head to call back to 
       her.

                               SCOTTIE
               Don't move!

       And he hurries on to the door. She watches him go, and we 
       are close on her face to see her genuine amusement, and then 
       the laughter fades a little, and a troubled look comes into 
       her eyes, a touch of concern.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. ALONG SKYLINE - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       The green Jaguar moving south.

       INT. THE JAGUAR - (DAY)

       Madeleine is at the wheel, her eyes intent on the road, a 
       sort, happy smile on her lips. Scottie is at her side, 
       relaxed. He keeps looking at her as often as he can without 
       seeming obvious.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Finally)
               Do you know where you're going?

                               MADELEINE
               Of course not! I'm a wanderer!
                       (Pause. Then brightly)
               I'd like to go somewhere I've never 
               been!

                               SCOTTIE
               How can you be sure?

                               MADELEINE
               If I've been there? That's silly!  
               Either you've been to a place or you 
               haven't.

       She flashes a quick smile of innocence at him, then returns 
       her eyes to the road. He looks at her profile, wondering.

       EXT. SKYLINE DRIVE - (DAY) - HIGH SHOT

       The car turns a bend and approaches dark woods and moves 
       into the blackness and is swallowed up.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       BIG BASIN REDWOODS STATE PARK - (DAY)

       The empty Jaguar in the foreground. The CAMERA MOVES to a 
       long view of the grove of redwoods. In the distance we see 
       the figures of Madeleine and Scottie wandering among the 
       towering trees.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. THE REDWOODS - (DAY)

       Madeleine and Scottie near the massive trunk of a tree.  
       Beyond them, the small stream, bridged by a wide flattened 
       redwood log.

                               MADELEINE
               How old?

                               SCOTTIE
               Oh... some, two thousand years, or 
               more.

                               MADELEINE
               The oldest living things?

       Scottie nods and watches her, wondering, as she looks about 
       thoughtfully.

                               SCOTTIE
               You've never been here before.

       She shakes her head, lost in thought as she lets her gaze 
       wander among the trees.

                               SCOTTIE
               What are you thinking?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Searching)
               Of all the people who have been 
               born... and have died... while the 
               trees went on living.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Agreeing)
               Their true name is Sequoia 
               Sempervirens: always green, ever-
               living.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Flatly)
               I don't like them.

                               SCOTTIE
               Why?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Simply)
               Knowing I have to die...

       She looks up at him with a shy, embarrassed smile. Then, 
       seeing the wandering look in his eyes, she brightens quickly.

                               MADELEINE
               But I like the stream! It's a lovely 
               stream!

       She leaves him and moves quickly out onto the bridge and 
       loans on the railing to watch the water rippling below. And 
       then, as he approaches her, she turns and looks at him, wide-
       eyed.

                               MADELEINE
               But it makes no sound! Listen!

       She listens intensely for a long moment, and looks at him 
       anxiously.

                               MADELEINE
               Do you hear anything?

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Shaking his head)
               Only silence. It's always like this.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Wondering)
               And no birds sing.

                               SCOTTIE
               No birds live here.

                               MADELEINE
               No.

       She turns away with gentle, somber, self-contained wonder, 
       and they cross back to the path in silence, and wander on 
       along the path in silence. We watch them move away in the 
       distance, disappear behind a tree, then come into view again, 
       and now there comes into view the cross-section of a redwood 
       tree that is on exhibit, with certain of its rings marked to 
       show what it has lived through, and they approach it.

                               SCOTTIE
               Would you like a drink of water?  

                               MADELEINE
               No, thank you.

       Scottie moves to the small upright drinking fountain as 
       Madeleine approaches the tree section and stands before it 
       and studies it. Scottie gets a drink of water, then comes up 
       behind Madeleine and stands, and she is seemingly unaware of 
       his presence. Their backs are to the CAMERA.  INSERT OF RINGS 
       on the tree, marked with dates, beginning, near the center 
       with the date 909 A.D. and ending with 1930 - tree cut down.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - CLOSE SHOT

       We see the two profiles: Madeleine staring at the tree, 
       Scottie staring at Madeleine. She raises one gloved hand and 
       almost idly begins to trace a finger up along the white line 
       that is marked: 1776 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. And as the 
       hand moves a little to the left, Madeleine begins to speak, 
       almost vacantly, oblivious of all but this piece of tree, 
       and herself.

                               MADELEINE
               Somewhere in here I was born... and 
               here I died and it was only a moment 
               for you... you took no notice...

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Almost sharply)
               Madeleine!

       She turns her head to him, only now aware of his presence, 
       and stares at him without expression. Then slowly she turns 
       and walks away, and the CAMERA, PANNING HER SLIGHTLY, brings 
       the head and shoulders of Scottie into the foreground, and 
       he watches her, wondering anxiously, trying to put things 
       together in his mind. Madeleine walks on until she disappears 
       behind one of the distant redwoods.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - MEDIUM SHOT

       Scottie moves over, watching her.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - LONG SHOT

       The CAMERA MOVES OVER as though it is Scottie looking. It 
       MOVES far enough to reveal that Madeleine is no longer there.  
       She seems to have disappeared.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - MEDIUM SHOT

       Scottie comes forward, the CAMERA PANNING him, to get a better 
       view of where Madeleine went.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - SEMI-LONG SHOT

       The CAMERA in Scottie's position, moving around, shows that 
       there is no sign of Madeleine whatsoever.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - MEDIUM SHOT

       The CAMERA DOLLIES Scottie down toward the trees.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - SEMI-LONG SHOT

       CAMERA is now among the trees where Madeleine was last seen.  
       As it TRAVELS across them, it finally brings her into view.  
       She's leaning against a tree with her head bent back.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Scottie comes to a stop as he sees her.

       EXT. RED WOODS - (DAY) - CLOSEUP

       Madeleine leaning against the tree. Her eyes are closed and 
       she is breathing heavily. In the background we see Scottie 
       approaching her. As he comes up to her, the CAMERA EASES 
       BACK and MOVES AROUND until it faces her and Scottie.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Gently)
               Madeleine...

       She opens her eyes slowly, and looks at him, recognizing 
       him, and yet not quite, as though she were slightly 
       hypnotized.  Scottie speaks gently.

                               SCOTTIE
               Where are you now?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Softly, distantly)
               Here with you.

                               SCOTTIE
               Where?

                               MADELEINE
               The tall trees...

                               SCOTTIE
               Have you been here before?

                               MADELEINE
               Yes...

                               SCOTTIE
               When?

       She shakes her head.

                               SCOTTIE
               Where were you born?

                               MADELEINE
               Long ago...

                               SCOTTIE
               Where?

       She shakes her head.

                               SCOTTIE
               When?

       Her head continues to move back and forth, gently denying.  
       His voice is more positive, now, more urgently demanding.

                               SCOTTIE
               Tell me.

       The head moves more rapidly, now, as though denying some 
       inner compulsion.

                               SCOTTIE
               Madeleine! Tell me!

       The rapidly moving head stops short, and her eyes open wide, 
       and she cries out:

                               MADELEINE
               No!... No!

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Low and urgent)
               Tell me what it is. Where do you go?  
               What takes you away?

                               MADELEINE
               No, don't ask me!

       They are both speaking quickly, now, the words cascading 
       without pause.

                               SCOTTIE
               When you jumped in the bay, you didn't 
               know where you were. You guessed but 
               you didn't know.

                               MADELEINE
               I didn't jump, I fell! You told me I 
               fell!

                               SCOTTIE
               Why did you jump?

                               MADELEINE
               No!

                               SCOTTIE
               What was it inside that told you to 
               jump?

       She is fighting it strongly, yet pathetically.

                               MADELEINE
               No, I can't tell you!

                               SCOTTIE
               What?!

                               MADELEINE
                       (Strongly)
               No! Please! Please, please, please, 
               please, don't ask me!

       And her head drops, and she sags, and Scottie stands quietly 
       watching her, knowing he can push it no further.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Softly, tired)
               Take me away from here?

                               SCOTTIE
               Home?

                               MADELEINE
               ...somewhere in the light.

       He takes her arm. She looks up at him with a tired smile.

                               MADELEINE
               And promise you won't ask me again.  
               Please promise me that.

       He looks down at her somberly, promising and refusing nothing. 
       They start walking, holding together, and the two figures 
       become small in the distance, moving away through the tall 
       trees.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. CYPRESS POINT OR POINT LOBOS - (DAY) SAME DAY.

       Below the point of land, the sea pounds against the rocks.  
       Madeleine stands alone, silhouetted against the sky. Scottie 
       sits in the car, watching her. She does not move. Then slowly 
       she starts to walk toward the sea, and as he watches he 
       senses, without being sure, that her pace is increasing, and 
       suddenly he opens the car door and jumps out and slams the 
       door and begins to run. But then he sees something, and slows 
       down quickly and walks, for Madeleine has stopped and turned 
       and is waiting for him. There is a gentle, apologetic smile 
       in her eyes. She waits, and he comes to a stop before her.

                               MADELEINE
               Why did you run?

       He looks down at her searchingly.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Finally, quietly)
               I'm responsible for you now, you 
               know.  The Chinese say that once you 
               have saved someone's life, you are 
               responsible for it forever. And so 
               I'm committed. And I have to know.

                               MADELEINE
               And you'll go on saving me? Again 
               and again?

       He waits. She looks down.

                               MADELEINE
               There is so little I know. It is as 
               though I were walking down a long 
               corridor that once was mirrored, and 
               fragments of mirror still hang there, 
               dark and shadowy, reflecting a dark 
               image of me... and yet not me...  
               someone else, in other clothes, of 
               another time, doing things I have 
               never done... but still me... And I 
               can't stop to ask why, I must keep 
               on walking. At the and of the corridor 
               there is nothing but darkness, and I 
               know when I walk into the darkness, 
               I'll die.
                       (Pause; she looks up)
               But I've never come to the and; I've 
               always come back, before then. Except 
               once.

                               SCOTTIE
               Yesterday.

       She nods.

                               SCOTTIE
               And you didn't know. You didn't know 
               what happened. Until you found 
               yourself there with me.

       She shakes her head.

                               SCOTTIE
               You don't know where you were.

       She shakes her head.

                               SCOTTIE
               But the small scenes, the fragments 
               in the mirror: you remember them.

                               MADELEINE
               Vaguely...

                               SCOTTIE
               What do you remember?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Searching)
               A room... there is a room, and I sit 
               there alone... always alone...  

                               SCOTTIE
               Would you know the room?

                               MADELEINE
               No... it's in shadow.

                               SCOTTIE
               What else?

                               MADELEINE
               A grave...

                               SCOTTIE
               Where?

                               MADELEINE
               I don't know. An open grave. I stand 
               by the gravestone looking down into 
               it. And it's my grave.

                               SCOTTIE
               How do you know?

                               MADELEINE
               I know.

                               SCOTTIE
               There's a name on the gravestone.

                               MADELEINE
               No. It's new and clean, and waiting.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Beginning to feel 
                       lost)
               What else?

                               MADELEINE
                       (Searching)
               This part is dream, I think. There 
               is a tower and a bell and... a garden 
               below... but it seems to be in 
               Spain... a village in Spain. And 
               then it clicks off, and is gone.

                               SCOTTIE
               A portrait? Do you ever see a 
               portrait?

                               MADELEINE
               No.

                               SCOTTIE
               Of the woman in the mirror. Would 
               you know her if you saw her?

                               MADELEINE
               But I'm the woman in the mirror!

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Desperately)
               No!

       She looks up at him, rebuffed, desperately lost, and her 
       eyes well with tears. Scottie is looking away, lost in 
       thought.

                               SCOTTIE
                       (To himself)
               If I could find the key... find the 
               beginning put it together...

                               MADELEINE
                       (Quietly, lost)
               And so explain it away?  But there 
               is a way to explain it, you see. If 
               I'm mad? That would explain it, 
               wouldn't it?

       Scottie looks at her, and her eyes are big with fright and 
       despair and a plea for denial, and suddenly she breaks, and 
       the tears flow, and she turns her head away sharply and turns 
       and runs toward the edge of the land.

                               SCOTTIE
               Madeleine!!

       He races after her and catches her and holds her, and she is 
       against him, clinging tightly, deep in his embrace, and 
       sobbing fiercely.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Muffled, against his 
                       breast)
               I'm not mad. I'm not mad. And I don't 
               want to die, but there's someone 
               inside me, there's a somebody else, 
               and she says I must die... Scottie, 
               don't let me go!

                               SCOTTIE
               I'm here, I've got you...

                               MADELEINE
               I'm so afraid...
                       (She looks up)
               ...you won't let it happen...

       Her face is close to his and they are clinging tightly 
       together. He shakes his head, and then suddenly his mouth is 
       on hers, and they are deep in a kiss. Their lips part, but 
       remain close together.

                               MADELEINE
                       (Whispering)
               Don't leave me... stay with me...

                               SCOTTIE
               All the time.

       They kiss again, passionately. And the wind blows and the 
       waves dash against the rocks, throwing up a curtain of spray.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. MIDGE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)


...continue to part 6