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Scripts: Vertigo (12/Sep/1957) - part 8

       EXT. A CEMETERY SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO - (DAY)

       It is grey and deserted. In the distance a figure comes into 
       views walking slowly, approaching a grave. It is Scottie.

       EXT. A CEMETERY SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO - (DAY) - MEDIUM

       SHOT

       A closer view brings him to a stop before the grave, and he 
       stares down at it impassively. The gravestone tells us it is 
       Madeleine's grave.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. SAN FRANCISCO - (NIGHT)

       A foggy night, the city hidden in mist. The flash of beacons; 
       fingers of fog; the spasmodic growls and ories of fog horns.

       INT. SCOTTIE'S BEDROOM - (NIGHT)

       Scottie in bed, sleeping restlessly. His head fills the 
       screen, rolls from, side to side. In a SLOW DISSOLVE while 
       his head remains on the screen, there comes into focus and 
       is superimposed as it gets closer the head and shoulders of 
       the portrait of Carlotta. The CAMERA PANS DOWN until it 
       reveals the nosegay.  The portrait is cleared from the screen, 
       a new image is superimposed; the final scene at the inquest 
       between Scottie and Gavin Elster. But this time, though it 
       is not distinct, a woman's head can be discerned on Elster's 
       shoulder. Elster turns to the woman and says: "Tell him he's 
       not to blame; tell him." The woman turns her head to smile 
       at Scottie. It is Carlotta Valdes again, dressed as in the 
       portrait, with the necklace at her throats, and she is alive. 
       The picture fades away. Scottie's restless head is alone on 
       the screen again.

       Another scene dissolves to the screen: the graveyard at 
       Mission Dolores. The CAMERA IS APPROACHING the grave of 
       Carlotta Valdes. Now we see Scottie approaching the grave.  
       Now the CAMERA REVERSES, MOVING closer to the grave. It is 
       open; there is a great black abyss, with the headstone to 
       mark it.

       A CLOSEUP OF SCOTTIE coming to a stop as he stares down. The 
       black depths of the grave fill the screen, and now, suddenly 
       we start to fall. A BIG CLOSEUP OF SCOTTIE, his hair 
       windswept, staring down in horror as he falls. REVERSE ANGLE: 
       he is still falling, but now from the tower of the Mission 
       at San Juan onto the roof where Madeleine fell, and at the 
       moment of impact the picture clears, and Scottie is sitting 
       up in bed, staring ahead in horror, awakened by the sound of 
       his own scream. The scream is echoed by a fog horn in the 
       distance.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. SANITARIUM BEDROOM - (DAY)

       We see a portable phonograph with a record on, and we hear 
       Mozart at his gayest, most incisive, most sparkling.  And 
       then we find Midge standing nearby, smiling across at Scottie, 
       who is seated in a wheelchair wearing a dressing gown over 
       pajamas. His face is gaunt and expressionless. We are in a 
       light and pleasant bed-sitting room. Through the window we 
       can see a lovely garden, and a few patients accompanied by 
       nurses strolling along the paths.

                               MIDGE
                       (Brightly)
               It's Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus. I had 
               a long talk with the lady in musical 
               therapy, and she said Mozart's the 
               boy for you, Johnny. The broom that 
               sweeps the cobwebs away. That's what 
               the lady said. You know, it's 
               wonderful how they've got it all 
               taped now, John. They've got music 
               for melancholiacs, and music for 
               dipsomaniacs, and music for 
               nymphomaniacs... I wonder what would 
               happen if somebody mixed up their 
               files?

       There is no reaction on Scottie's face, and Midge makes a 
       grimace of dissatisfaction at the weakness of her joke. She 
       looks across at him uncertainly.

                               MIDGE
               But I brought you a lot of other 
               things. You can see what you like.  
               And the thing shuts off automatically.

       She crosses to him swiftly kneels beside him.

                               MIDGE
               Ah, Johnny, please try. Johnny, try!  
               You're not lost. Mother's here.

       No reaction. Long pause. Then we hear the door open.

       Scottie does not seem to hear, but Midge turns her head. A 
       nurse is looking in, with a significant look at Midge.

                               MIDGE
               Time? Okay.

       The nurse goes out. Midge rises.

                               MIDGE
               I'll be in again, John. Do you want 
               me to shut that off? It shuts off 
               automatically.

       Her eyes crinkle with anxiety. She nods and goes to the 
       phonograph and shuts it off. She comes back to him slowly, 
       and stands behind him, and puts her hands on his shoulders.

                               MIDGE
                       (Softly)
               Ah, Johnny-O... you don't know I'm 
               here, do you?

       She leans down and kisses him lightly on the top of the head, 
       and smiles gently.

                               MIDGE
               But I'm here.

       She moves to the door, going out of the SHOT, and we hear 
       the door open and close. Scottie has not moved, his face 
       does not change expression. His head bends down, and his 
       gaze is fixed on the floor.

       INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE SCOTTIE'S ROOM - (DAY)

       Midge, walking down the corridor, meets the nurse near the 
       open door of an office.

                               MIDGE
               Could I see the doctor for a moment?

       The nurse backs up a step and looks in the open doorway.

                               NURSE
               Doctor...?

       The Doctor looks up and sees Midge in the doorway.

                               DOCTOR
               Oh. Yes, Miss Wood?

       The nurse continues on up the corridor. Midge remains in the 
       doorway.

                               MIDGE
               Doctor, how long is it going to take 
               you to pull him out of this?

                               DOCTOR
               It is hard to say. Six months, at 
               least. Perhaps a year. It depends to 
               a certain extent on him.

                               MIDGE
               He won't talk.

                               DOCTOR
               No. We have ways of digging out 
               knowledge. But it takes longer. He 
               is suffering from acute melancholia, 
               together with a guilt complex. He 
               blames himself for what happened to 
               the woman. And we know little of the 
               background.

                               MIDGE
               I can give you one thing: he was in 
               love with her.

                               DOCTOR
               Ah? That complicates the problem.

                               MIDGE
               I'll give you another complication: 
               he still is.

       The Doctor studies her carefully.

                               MIDGE
               And you know something, Doctor?  I 
               don't think Mozart's going to help 
               at all.

       She attempts a bright, gay smile but it comes out wrong. She 
       turns and walks away down the corridor.

                                                                FADE OUT:

       FADE IN:

       EXT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)

       Once again a foggy night. The street lights ringed in the 
       mist, and Coit Tower barely discernible in the distance. The 
       fog horns sound.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)

       The living room, is mostly in shadow. One light in a far 
       corner is lit. There is a fire in the fireplace, but it is 
       almost burnt out, and casts only a faint glow.

       An easy chair has been drawn up before the fire, and next to 
       it is a small table on which is a bottle of whiskey, the 
       remains of a highball, and an ashtray full of cigarette butts. 
       There is no sign of life in the apartment. The telephone 
       rings in the bedroom. It continues to ring.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. ERNIE'S RESTAURANT, UPSTAIRS ROOM - (NIGHT)

       Scottie is seated at the bar, exactly as he was the first 
       time he saw Madeleine. The dinning room is crowded.  Scottie's 
       glance wanders about the room as he drinks, but he does not 
       seem to be so much searching as waiting. And then he stiffens. 
       From somewhere across the room a man and a woman are making 
       their way among the tables toward the exit, and their relative 
       positions as they move recall exactly the way Madeleine and 
       Gavin Elster moved toward him on that night. And as the woman 
       moves toward him, difficult to see clearly because of the 
       movements of the waiters crossing her path, he could swear 
       that it is Madeleine, and so could we.  Although she does 
       not wear an evening dress. Scottie stares, fearing and hoping 
       as the woman gets closer and closer. And then she is there, 
       and pauses near him to wait for the man, exactly as Madeleine 
       did -- but it is not Madeleine.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. BROCKLEBANK APARTMENTS - (DAY)

       Scottie in the foreground, and across the street the apartment 
       building from which Madeleine used to emerge, with the 
       forecourt of cars. A long moment, then a man emerges and 
       crosses the street and walks toward the Fairmont Hotel.  
       Another wait, and then a woman comes out of the apartment 
       house. She has Madeleine's figure and Madeleine's style.  
       Scottie freezes. The woman crosses the forecourt toward a 
       car out of our sight. Scottie moves to follow the course of 
       the woman, and we move with him, and now the car comes into 
       sight, it is the green Jaguar. The woman opens the car door.  
       Scottie races across the street and into the forecourt. By 
       the time he gets to the Jaguar, the woman is in behind the 
       wheel and has the motor started. Scottie races up to her, 
       then stops short. The woman is not like Madeleine in features, 
       and is a good deal older. She looks up startled as Scottie 
       comes to a stop by the open car window.

                               SCOTTIE
               Where did you get this car?!

                               THE WOMAN
                       (Startled by his 
                       vehemence)
               I beg your pardon?

                               SCOTTIE
               This car...!!

                               THE WOMAN
               Oh!  Why... I bought it from a man 
               who used to live here, in this 
               apartment building. Mister Gavin 
               Elster. I bought it from him when he 
               moved away.

       As Scottie stares at her, she grasps the connection.

                               THE WOMAN
               0h! You know him! And his wife? The 
               poor thing. I didn't know her. Tell 
               me -- is it true that she really 
               believed --

       But by this time Scottie has turned and walked away, and she 
       stares after him, a bit taken aback.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR - (DAY)

       Framed in the columns of the forecourt, Scottie wanders up 
       the front walk and passes through the doors into the Art 
       Gallery.

       INT. PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR - (DAY)

       Scottie wanders to the entrance of the room in which hangs 
       the Portrait of Carlotta, and stops and looks towards the 
       far corner. Some people pass before him, but then as the 
       vista clears he sees walking toward him from Carlotta's corner 
       a woman who must surely be Madeleine. He stares, rigid, as 
       she comes closer, and then she passes out of view as she 
       heads for the exit. Scottie turns to keep her in sight, and 
       as she passes through the doors to go out to the courtyard 
       she turns a just a bit so that she is silhouetted slightly 
       in profile against the cuter light, and once again surely it 
       is Madeleine. Scottie heads for the door fast, pushes through 
       the courtyard.

       He breaks into a run and catches up with her and puts out 
       his hand to take her arm, and as he does she turns, startled 
       by his sudden appearance at her side -- and they both stop 
       and stare at each other. It is not Madeleine. A moment, as 
       the woman stares at him, frightened.

                               SCOTTIE
               I'm sorry.

       He turns away. The woman walks on.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. PODESTA, BALDOCCHI - (LATE AFTERNOON)

       Scottie stands before the window looking at the floral 
       display. In the foreground is a group of madeup nosegays and 
       one of them is exactly like the nosegay Madeleine carried to 
       the grave, to the portrait, to the moment she threw herself 
       into the Bay. A porter closes the shop door and locks it.  A 
       moment, then Scottie turns away to move down Grant Avenue.  
       He stops short. Coming up Grant Avenue, headed for Sutter 
       Street, is a group of shopgirls who have just come out of 
       work, and among them is one who -- again -- must surely be 
       Madeleine. Scottie watches them come closer, trying to get a 
       clear view through the crowd of passersby, catching sight of 
       the girl only in glimpses, and as the girls come abreast of 
       him they stop to make their farewells.  The one nearest to 
       Scottie, seen in profile, might have the same features as 
       Madeleine. He cannot be sure. This girl's hair is dark, where 
       Madeleine's was light; her features on closer inspection 
       seem heavier, and she wears much more makeup. And yet there 
       is something about the way she carries herself. The other 
       girls cross the street while the one nearest to Scottie goes 
       on alone. He instinctively turns and follows.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       EXT. SUTTER STREET NEAR LEAVENWORTH - (LATE AFTERNOON)

       A trolley coach passes, heading west. The girl starts to 
       cross the street in the middle of the block, waits for another 
       trolley coach to pass, continues to the opposite side, and 
       goes into the Empire Hotel, one of the typical inexpensive 
       residential hotels of that neighborhood. Scottie remains on 
       the opposite side of the street, watching, wondering what to 
       do next.

       He waits, and then, in much the same way it happened to him 
       long ago at the McKittrick Hotel, his attention is attracted 
       to a window on the second floor.  The girl appears and opens 
       the window about eight inches, then pulls down the blind.  
       Scottie stares at the window, calculates in his mind the 
       geographical position of the room, then starts across the 
       street.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. UPSTAIRS HALL JUDY'S HOTEL - (DUSK)

       Scottie moves down the hall counting doors and comes to a 
       stop. He knocks. The door opens, and the girl stands and 
       looks at him, and waits. Scottie stares at her, searching 
       for a sign of recognition, but there is none.

                               JUDY
               Well? What is it?

       Her voice is flat and slightly nasal, in sharp contrast to 
       Madeleine's low, husky voice. Scottie winces slightly at the 
       sound of it. He keeps staring at her for a moment. Then:

                               SCOTTIE
               Could I ask you a couple of questions?

                               JUDY
               What for? Who are you?

                               SCOTTIE
               My name is John Ferguson, and --

                               JUDY
               Is this some kind of Gallup Poll, or 
               something?

                               SCOTTIE
               No, there are just a few things I 
               want to ask you, and --

                               JUDY
               Do you live here in the hotel?

                               SCOTTIE
               No, I happened to see you come in, 
               and I thought --

                               JUDY
               0h, I thought so! A pick-up!  Well, 
               you've got a nerve, following me 
               right into the hotel and up to my 
               room! You beat it! Go on! Beat it!

       And she starts to close the door on him hard. Scottie holds 
       it open against her.

                               SCOTTIE
               No, please! I Just want to talk to 
               you!

                               JUDY
                       (Pushing on the door)
               Listen, I'm going to yell in a minute!

                               SCOTTIE
               I'm not going to hurt you! I promise!  
               Please!

       She hesitates, impressed by the urgency in his voice.

                               SCOTTIE
               Just let me talk to you.

                               JUDY
                       (Hesitating)
               What about?

                               SCOTTIE
               You.

                               JUDY
               Why?

       She is still holding on to the door, ready to slam it.

                               SCOTTIE
               Because you remind me of someone.

       She laughs a short, ironic, skeptical laugh.

                               JUDY
               I've heard that one before, too. I 
               remind you of someone you used to be 
               madly in love with, but she ditched 
               you for another guy, and you've been 
               carrying the torch ever since, and 
               then you saw me and something clicked.
                       (scornfully)
               Huh!

                               SCOTTIE
                       (With a rueful smile)
               You're not far wrong.

                               JUDY
               Well, it's not going to work. So 
               you'd better go.

                               SCOTTIE
               Let me come in.

       Her mouth drops open with shock at his effrontery.

                               SCOTTIE
               You can leave the door open. Please.  
               I want to talk to you.

       A moment, then she backs into the room a little, and he 
       follows.

                               JUDY
               I warn you, I can yell awfully loud.

                               SCOTTIE
               You won't have to.

                               JUDY
                       (Doubtfully)
               Well... you don't look very much 
               like Jack the Ripper...

       But still she moves until she is next to the phone, her hand 
       almost touching it. She eyes him carefully.

                               JUDY
               What do you want to know?

                               SCOTTIE
               Your name. And --

                               JUDY
               Judy Barton.

                               SCOTTIE
               Who you are --

                               JUDY
               Just a girl, I work at Magnin's --

                               SCOTTIE
               -- and how you happen to be living 
               here.

                               JUDY
               It's a place to live, that's all.

                               SCOTTIE
               But you haven't lived here long.

                               JUDY
               About three years.

                               SCOTTIE
               No, a year ago! Where did you live a 
               year ago!!?

                               JUDY
                       (Puzzled)
               I told you! Right here!

                               SCOTTIE
                       (Strongly)
               But before! Where did you live 
               before!?!

                               JUDY
               Salina, Kansas!

       And that stops him dead, and he stares at her, denying.

                               JUDY
               Listen, what is this? What do you 
               want?

                               SCOTTIE
               I want to know who you are.

                               JUDY
               I told you! My name is Judy Barton!  
               I come from Salina Kansas. I work at 
               Magnin's! I live here! My gosh, do I 
               have to prove it?

       She moves swiftly to the dresser and rummages in her bag.

                               JUDY
               You've got to prove you're alive 
               these days! All right, Mister. My 
               Kansas driver's license. Judy Barton.  
               Number Z296794. Four-Twenty-Five 
               Maple Avenue, Salina, Kansas.

       She pulls out another card: a California license. She hands 
       it to him.

                               JUDY
               There! See the address on this one?  
               This place here! California License 
               issued May 25, 1954! Want to check 
               my thumb print? Satisfied.
                       (Pulls the card away)
               And whether you're satisfied or not, 
               you can just beat it!

       A long moment as he stands before her, sagging a little 
       defeated. She becomes remorseful and sympathetic.

                               JUDY
                       (Gently)
               Gee, you have got it bad, haven't 
               you?  Do I really look like her?

       He stares at her with an intensity that makes her crinkle 
       her eyes in embarrassment.

                               JUDY
               She's dead, isn't she.

       An almost imperceptible nod.

                               JUDY
               I'm sorry. And I'm sorry I yelled at 
               you.

       He turns away slowly toward the door. His eyes fall on some 
       framed photographs on the dresser and he pauses, then moves 
       closer to see them clearly. One is of a girl about sixteen 
       standing with a woman in her late thirties; they have their 
       arms about each other; they both have dark hair. Scottie 
       stares at it, then glances at Judy.

                               JUDY
               Yes, that's me. With my mother.

       Scottie's eyes move to another photograph, of a man in his 
       early forties standing before a store. Above the store a 
       sign says: A. M. BARTON, HARDWARES.

                               JUDY
               That's my father. He's dead. My mother 
               got married again... I didn't like 
               the guy.
                       (Smiles, wistfully)
               So... I decided to see what it was 
               like in sunny California.
                       (Pause)
               I've been here three years.
                       (she grins)
               Honest!

       He smiles back at her, liking her directness.

                               SCOTTIE
               Will you have dinner with me?

                               JUDY
                       (Immediately wary, 
                       the smile fading)
               Why?

                               SCOTTIE
               Well, I feel I owe you something for 
               all this...

                               JUDY
               No, you don't owe me anything.

                               SCOTTIE
               Then will you for me?

                               JUDY
                       (Warily)
               Dinner... and what else?

                               SCOTTIE
               Just dinner.

                               JUDY
               Because I remind you of her?

                               SCOTTIE
               Because I'd like to have dinner with 
               you.

       She smiles, pleased with the gallantry of his answer, and 
       regards him thoughtfully.

                               JUDY
                       (Slowly)
               Well... I've been on blind dates 
               before... Matter of fact, to be 
               honest, I've been picked up before.
                       (Grins)
               Okay.

                               SCOTTIE
               I'll get my car and be back in half 
               an hour.

                               JUDY
               Oh, no! Give me time to change and 
               get fixed up!

                               SCOTTIE
               An hour?

                               JUDY
               Mmm.

                               SCOTTIE
               Okay.

         He flashes her a smile and goes, closing the door. She 
       stares after him for a long moment, then moves slowly and 
       sits down on the edge of the bed. She stares straight ahead, 
       thinking, her face an impassive mask.  The CAMERA MOVES IN 
       until her head fills the screen, and her eyes are deep with 
       dark memory. We DISSOLVE THROUGH to what she sees: THE MOMENT 
       IN THE TOWER OF THE MISSION. MADELEINE IS RUNNING UP THE 
       STAIRS OF THE TOWER: SCOTTIE STRUGGLING DESPERATELY AFTER 
       HER. SHE REACHES THE TOP, OPENS THE DOOR, DARTS INTO THE 
       BELL TOWER, SLAMS THE DOOR BEHIND HER AND LOCKS IT. SHE TURNS. 
       GAVIN ELSTER STANDS NEAR THE OPEN ARCH, HOLDING HIS WIFE 
       FAST; SHE IS DRESSED IN A GREY SUIT EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE 
       MADELEINE WEARS.  HER BODY IS LIMP. SHE IS OBVIOUSLY DEAD 
       ALREADY. ELSTER LOOKS AT MADELEINE, THEN PUSHES HIS WIFE OUT 
       THROUGH THE ARCH. MADELEINE MAKES A FUTILE GESTURE TO STOP 
       HIM, AND SCREAMS. ELSTER COMES TO QUICKLY, PUTS HIS HAND 
       ACROSS HER MOUTH, AND DRAWS HER BACK INTO THE SHADOW BEHIND 
       A MASONRY ABUTMENT. THEY ARE LOST FROM SIGHT...

       DISSOLVE THROUGH to Judy, seated on the edge of her bed, 
       staring with the memory of the horror of the moment.  She 
       sits very still. Then slowly she rises and moves to the 
       window. She looks out, watching Scottie go down the street.  
       She turns away and goes to the closet and opens the door.  
       She pushes some clothes along the rack. We see the grey suit. 
       She reaches into the closet and brings out a suitcase, lets 
       it lie there, just outside the closet, and stares down at 
       it. Then she turns back, goes to the writing desk sits down, 
       and takes a sheet of paper. She picks up a ball point pen, 
       clicks out the Point, stares ahead for a moment, then begins 
       to write. As she writes, we hear her voice.

                               JUDY'S VOICE
               Dearest Scottie ... and so you've 
               found me. This is the moment I dreaded 
               and hoped for, -- wondering what I 
               would say and do if ever I saw you 
               again, I wanted so to see you again. 
               Just once. Now I'll go and you can 
               give up your search.
                       (pause)
               I want you to have peace of mind.  
               You've nothing to blame yourself 
               for.  You were the victim. I was the 
               tool, you were the victim of a man's 
               plan to murder his wife. He chose me 
               to play the part because I looked 
               like her; he dressed me up like her. 
               He was quite safe because she lived 
               in the country and rarely came to 
               town. He chose you to be the witness. 
               The Carlotta story was part real, 
               part invented to make you testify 
               that Madeleine wanted to kill herself. 
               He knew of your illness; he knew you 
               would never get up the stairs of the 
               tower. He planned it so well; he 
               made no mistakes.
                       (pause)
               I made the mistake. I fell in love.  
               That wasn't part of the plan. I'm 
               still in love with you, and I want 
               you so to love me. If I had the nerve, 
               I would stay and lie, hoping that I 
               could make you love me again, as I 
               am for myself... and so forget the 
               other and forget the past. But I 
               haven't the nerve to try...

       She pauses and looks up and thinks, and wonders, and tries 
       to see into the future, and as she does, the fear in her 
       eyes dissolve into anxious hope, and then resolve.

       She puts the pen down, rises slowly, takes up the letter and 
       tears it into small pieces and drops the pieces into the 
       wastebasket. She turns to the closet, pushes the suitcase 
       back in with the toe of her foot, pushes the grey suit far 
       back into darkness, and closes the closet door. She walks to 
       the dresser, and stares at herself in the mirror. She opens 
       a candy box in which we see trinkets and pieces of junk 
       jewelry, and takes out two plain hoop earrings. She puts 
       them on and looks to see how much change they make. She takes 
       up an eyebrow pencil and slightly exaggerates the arch of 
       her brows. She stares at herself impassively for a long time.

                                                                DISSOLVE TO:

       INT. ERNIE'S RESTAURANT, UPSTAIRS ROOM - (NIGHT)


...continue to part 9