WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
Written by
Steve Feke and Fred Walton
SHOOTING DRAFT
FADE IN:
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - NIGHT
A quiet upper-middle class neighborhood. The CAMERA is at
the curb, looking down the street. There are no sidewalks.
Trees arch overhead. CICADAS drone on the soundtrack.
The OPENING TITLES briefly FADE IN and OUT, framed by the
trees on either side of the street. Footsteps are heard
approaching.
As the picture TITLE FADES, out of the dark emerges a GIRL
17 years old, carrying schoolbooks. This is JILL. CAMERA
PANS with her ninety degrees as she comes to the front of a
house and stops.
Lights are on in the bottom half of the house, and the
curtains across the windows are open. A single light burns
in the upper right side of the house, presumable in a bedroom,
but the curtains in the room are drawn.
A scene TITLE appears on the lower half of the screen:
8 pm Tuesday, March 23, 1971
The TITLE FADES, and Jill heads up the walk to the front
door of the house.
The light in the upper floor of the house is turned off.
INT. HOUSE - FRONT HALL
A middle-aged DOCTOR is standing at the foot of the stairs.
His WIFE is descending the stairs, putting on her earrings.
She is in an obvious hurry.
WIFE
Where's the girl?
DOCTOR
I only called her ten minutes ago --
WIFE
(passing into living
room)
I made our reservation for 8:15.
We're going to be late.
The doorbell rings.
DOCTOR
Here she is now.
He crosses to the front door and opens it. The girl smiles
at him uncomfortably from outside.
JILL
Dr. Minakis?
DOCTOR
Mandrakis. It's okay. Everyone gets
it wrong the first time. You're Jill?
Come on in.
JILL
(entering)
Thank you.
The wife comes back into the front hall.
WIFE
I've written the number of the
restaurant on the notepad by the
phone.
(to Doctor)
Zip me up, will you please?
(to Jill)
If we aren't home in two hours, it
means we've decided to go on to a
movie and won't be back until after
midnight. Is that all right?
JILL
Sure.
DOCTOR
(helping wife on with
her coat)
I've told my service to pick up any
calls coming in to my office phone.
WIFE
The children are asleep upstairs --
first door on your left at the top
of the landing. They're both just
getting over a cold -- so try not to
wake them.
JILL
Okay.
WIFE
Do you have any questions?
Jill shakes her head.
WIFE
We have to go now. We're late.
They cross to the front door and begin to exit.
DOCTOR
Make yourself at home. The
refrigerator's loaded.
WIFE
(pulling doctor through
the door)
Goodbye.
The doctor pokes his head back through the door.
DOCTOR
We even have some low-fat yogurt.
WIFE (O.S.)
Will you please come on!
DOCTOR
Bye.
The doctor pulls the door shut behind him. Jill turns toward
the living room. Pause. She walks into the living room and
sets her books down on a table with the telephone on it.
O.S. we hear the car doors close, the engine start up, then
the car backing out the driveway and heading down the street.
CUT TO:
INT. DINING ROOM - LATER
It is dark. O.S. we hear the phone in the living room being
lifted off its receiver, a dial tone, then a number is dialed.
Pause, then ringing. CAMERA SLOWLY DOLLIES from the dining
room, across the front hall and into the living room where
we see Jill talking over the phone to a girlfriend, NANCY.
NANCY (O.S.)
Hello?
JILL
Nancy?
NANCY (O.S.)
Hello, Jill? How's it going?
(out of phone)
I got it, Dad!
(beat)
Father!
(into phone again)
Jesus Christ! My father's in one of
his moods again. Male menopause, you
know. So how are you?
JILL
All right.
NANCY (O.S.)
Are you over at Dr. Mandrakis'?
JILL
Yeah, I've been here for about an
hour already.
NANCY (O.S.)
Isn't it a neat house?
JILL
I guess... I haven't looked around
very much.
NANCY (O.S.)
Did you see his kids?
JILL
No, they were asleep when I got here.
NANCY (O.S.)
They're really cute. So what can I
do for you?
JILL
You didn't happen to talk to Billy
today, did you?
NANCY (O.S.)
Yeah, I talked to him.
JILL
Did he say anything about me?
Pause.
NANCY (O.S.)
I don't know what you did to him, or
said to him, or what... but he's
really pissed off at you! What did
you do?
JILL
It's what I didn't do.
NANCY (O.S.)
(sarcastic)
Yeah, I can imagine.
JILL
Do me a favor, Nance.
NANCY (O.S.)
What.
JILL
Do you think you'll be talking with
Billy some time tonight?
NANCY (O.S.)
Prabably. I'm going to the library
in a few minutes. I just have to get
out of this house!
(beat)
Hey! Why don't Billy and I come over
there? He'll come along if I tell
him to.
JILL
That isn't what I had in mind.
NANCY (O.S.)
You'll be safe with Billy. I'll be
there. Come on.
JILL
Nancy, all you want to do is come
over here and get drunk.
NANCY (O.S.)
Who? Me?
JILL
(mimicking)
Who? Me?
NANCY (O.S.)
You want to see Billy, don't you?!
JILL
I've got a lot of work to do. I don't
want you coming over!
Long pause.
NANCY (O.S.)
You know what your problem is, Jill,
is you're so straight. I really mean
that. You go to a private school,
you wear a bra. No one can have a
good time with you!
(beat)
You know, Billy asked me to go out
with him this weekend, and I was
really really tempted because I like
Billy... a lot... as much as you do.
But I told him I couldn't, that I
didn't think it was right because
you were my friend --
JILL
You are my friend.
Pause.
NANCY (O.S.)
Yeah. I guess so.
JILL
Listen, just give Billy the number
here, but don't tell him I told you
to. Okay?
Pause.
NANCY (O.S.)
Okay. I've got to go now.
JILL
Okay, Nancy. Bye. And thank you.
NANCY (O.S.)
Yeah. Bye.
Jill makes a face at the phone and hangs up. She tries to go
back to her homework, but she cannot.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
Jill is working now, diligently. The phone rings. She picks
it up.
JILL
Hello?
There is a brief pause; then the line goes dead and a dial
tone cuts in. Jill hangs up and goes back to work.
Pause.
The phone rings again. Jill picks it up.
JILL
Billy?...
A VOICE speaks on the other end of the phone.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Have you checked the children?
JILL
What?
The line goes dead. Dial tone. Jill hangs up and goes right
back to work.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
Jill sits at the table as before, doing her homework, smoking
a cigarette. The phone rings. Jill picks it up.
JILL
Hello?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Have you checked the children?
JILL
Mrs. Mandrakis?
The line goes dead. Dial tone. Jill hangs up and looks off
into space, thinking.
O.S. we hear a faint rattling noise from somewhere in the
house. Jill hears it too. She stubs out her cigarette, gets
up from the table and walks out of the living room.
INT. HALLWAY
Jill enters the hallway and pauses. Then she starts walking
slowly down the hall to the kitchen door.
Again the rattling noise O.S., only louder this time. Jill
stops dead, listens, then continues forward even more
cautiously.
INT. KITCHEN
As Jill enters. She cannot find the lightswitch, so she stands
in the darkness listening. Again the rattle, very close now.
Jill turns her head sharply, then walks to the refrigerator
and opens it. It is only the automatic icemaker creating the
rattle.
Jill takes a piece of cake from the refrigerator and leaves
the kitchen.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jill is sitting at the table, polishing off the cake. Then,
the phone rings. Jill stands up quickly and picks up the
phone.
JILL
Hello!
Pause.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Have you checked the children?
JILL
Billy! I don't think this is very
funny!
Pause. "Billy" doesn't answer.
JILL
...Who is this?
The line goes dead. Jill stands frozen beside the table with
the phone in her hand as the dial tone gets louder and louder.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Jill is standing at the wet bar in the corner, pouring herself
a drink. She samples the alcohol, doesn't cough, and starts
to pour a little more into the glass.
The phone rings. Jill turns, then slowly walks to the table,
kneels down and quietly picks up the phone and brings it to
her ear. She waits and listens, a full three seconds. No
sound comes to her.
She quickly hangs up the phone before the silence can be
broken by the voice she knows is waiting on the other end.
Then, she shuffles through her books and papers on the table-
top until she finds the notepad the doctor's wife has left
for her with the name and phone number of the restaurant.
Jill picks up the phone and dials. After several rings...
MAITRE D' (O.S.)
Golden Bull...
JILL
Hello, I'd like to speak to Dr.
Mandrakis. This is his babysitter.
MAITRE D' (O.S.)
Hold on a minute.
Jill waits for several seconds until the Maitre D' comes
back on the line.
MAITRE D' (O.S.)
Hello?
JILL
Yes?
MAITRE D' (O.S.)
Dr. Mandrakis left the restaurant
about forty minutes ago.
JILL
Forty minutes?
MAITRE D' (O.S.)
That's right.
JILL
(after a beat)
Okay. Thank you.
She hangs up, thinks for a moment, then picks up the phone
again and dials "O"...
OPERATOR (O.S.)
Operator...
JILL
Hello, Operator? Can you get me the
police?
OPERATOR (O.S.)
Is this an emergency?
JILL
Yes!
(beat)
No, not really.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
The number is 555-9431. Would you
like me to connect you?
JILL
Please.
Pause.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
JILL
Hello, I've been getting phone calls,
every fifteen minutes or so. I think
it's a man. He's trying to scare me.
SACKER (O.S.)
An anonymous caller?
JILL
That's right.
SACKER (O.S.)
Has he threatened you?
JILL
No.
SACKER (O.S.)
Has he been using obscene language?
JILL
No. He just keeps calling me.
Sometimes he doesn't say anything.
SACKER (O.S.)
There's really nothing we can do
about it down here. Is the phone
listed in your name?
JILL
No, I'm just the babysitter.
SACKER (O.S.)
It's probably just some weirdo. The
city's full of them. Believe it or
not, we get reports like this every
night. It's nothing to worry about.
JILL
Oh...
SACKER (O.S.)
Have you tried whistling?
JILL
What?
SACKER (O.S.)
If you can find a good loud whistle
somewhere in the house, blow it into
the phone hard, next time he calls.
Probably break his eardrum. He won't
bother you after that.
JILL
No, I... You're probably right. It's
nothing to worry about.
SACKER (O.S.)
Or you could just take your phone
off the hook.
JILL
No, the people I'm babysitting for
might try to reach me.
SACKER (O.S.)
Well, as I say, there's nothing we
can really do to help you down here.
JILL
Okay. Thank you.
SACKER (O.S.)
You bet. Goodnight.
JILL
Goodnight.
Jill hangs up. After thinking for a moment, she tries a couple
of ways of whistling as loud as she can, but frustrated and
feeling foolish, she soon gives up.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
Jill is sitting in an armchair facing the TV set. The TV is
on, but she is bored. She runs through several channels,
then gets up and turns the TV off.
She looks around and moves aimlessly back to the table, but
O.S. a dog is barking and she is drawn to the window. A car
passes outside, its lights reflecting off the window and
Jill's face.
Then the phone rings. Jill moves quickly from the window to
the table and answers the phone.
JILL
Hello?
Pause.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Why haven't you checked the children?
Stunned, Jill hangs up the phone. She turns and goes slowly
back to the window. She pulls the shutters closed in front
of the window. Then she walks out of the living room.
INT. FRONT HALL
Jill goes to the front door, turns the bolt and draws the
chain across the door. Then she starts to go upstairs.
The phone rings. She stops halfway up the stairs. She turns
and comes back down the stairs to answer the phone, but then
thinks better of it. She sits on the bottom step and lets
the phone ring and ring...
Finally, it stops. Jill gets up and heads into the living
room.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Jill goes to the table, picks up the phone and dials...
SACKER (O.S.)
Seventh Precinct, Sergeant Sacker.
JILL
I called you before... about the man
who keeps calling me?
SACKER (O.S.)
Oh, yeah.
JILL
He called me again.
SACKER (O.S.)
Did you try whistling?
JILL
No, he's out there somewhere.
SACKER (O.S.)
Out where?
JILL
In the neighborhood. He's been
watching me... through the windows.
SACKER (O.S.)
Did you see him?
JILL
No. I know he's there.
SACKER (O.S.)
Is the house locked up?
JILL
Yes.
SACKER (O.S.)
And the windows?
JILL
Yes. Everything.
SACKER (O.S.)
Then you're safe. If he wanted to
break in, he wouldn't be calling
you.
Pause.
JILL
Please, can't you help me? I'm all
alone.
SACKER (O.S.)
Tell you what. If this guy calls you
again --
JILL
He will call again! I know he will!
SACKER (O.S.)
Okay, calm down now. I can alert the
phone company so that if he calls
again we can try to trace the call.
What's your number there?
JILL
555-0672.
SACKER (O.S.)
And the address?
JILL
3317 Oakridge Drive.
SACKER (O.S.)
Oh, yeah, I know where that is. All
right. If the guy calls again, try
to keep him on the line for at least
a minute so we can trace the call.
JILL
But he never stays on that long!
Sometimes he hangs up after just a
couple of seconds.
SACKER (O.S.)
It's the only way we can help you.
(beat)
By the way, what's your name?
JILL
Jill Johnson.
SACKER (O.S.)
Jill, the important thing is to relax.
You're safe where you are. We've got
patrolmen cruising the area all night
long. Just stay calm. Will you do
that for me?
JILL
Yes.
SACKER (O.S.)
In the meantime, we'll be watching
your line. Okay, Jill?
JILL
Okay.
SACKER (O.S.)
Call again if there's any problem.
JILL
Thank you.
SACKER (O.S.)
Goodnight.
Jill hangs up the phone and looks forlornly off into space.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
Jill is sitting on the sofa, a drink in one hand, a cigarette
in the other. She is waiting. She sets her glass down, stubs
out the cigarette, leans back and sighs. She is very tense.
Then the phone rings. She rises from the sofa and slowly
crosses to the table. She sits down and picks up the phone.
During this conversation it becomes apparent that the VOICE
has a slight English accent.
JILL
Hello?
Pause.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
It's me.
JILL
I know. Who are you?
Pause. No answer.
JILL
I won't be here much longer. The
doctor and his wife are coming home
soon.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
I know.
JILL
Can you see me?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Yes.
JILL
(turning toward the
window)
I'm sorry I turned the lights down.
It didn't work anyway. I can turn
them back up if you like --
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Don't.
JILL
Don't?
(beat)
You've really scared me. Is that
what you wanted?
(beat)
Is that what you wanted?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
No.
JILL
What do you want?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Your blood... all over me.
Pause. Jill is terrified.
JILL
You don't know me. You don't know
who I am or where I live. I'll get
Dr. Mandrakis to drive me home. Him
or the police.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
You've called the police?
Pause. Jill searches for some way of answering him.
JILL
I want to talk to you.
The line goes dead. Jill hangs up. She stands. She starts to
shake.
The phone rings and Jill snatches it up.
JILL
Leave me alone!
SACKER (O.S.)
Jill, this is Sergeant Sacker! Listen
to me!
(beat)
We've traced the call. It's coming
from within the house. A squad car's
on its way over there now... just
get out of that house!
Jill hangs up. She stands frozen in shock. Several seconds
go by. She doesn't move.
Then the phone rings. She turns and tiptoes toward the front
door. Halfway there, the phone stops ringing. She pauses for
a second, then continues.
INT. FRONT HALL
Jill reaches the front door. Carefully, quietly, she turns
the bolt. Then O.S. she hears a creak. She turns and looks
up the staircase. At the top, a door is opening. Someone is
coming out! A mumbling sound is heard on the sound track.
Jill whirls around back to the door and yanks at it. It opens,
but only an inch. The chain is still across it! She
frantically works to get the chain free. After agonizing
seconds, the chain falls clear and the door swings open.
Standing there on the other side of the door, is a police
Detective, JOHN CLIFFORD. (We have cut ahead in time some
twenty or thirty minutes.) Behind him on the street, several
patrol cars and an ambulance are pulled up at the curb, their
domelights silently flashing.
CLIFFORD
Are the parents here yet?
COP'S VOICE (O.S.)
Yeah, they arrived about ten minutes
ago.
CLIFFORD
Christ!
(beat)
What a homecoming!
COP'S VOICE (O.S.)
They wanted to talk to someone. I
asked them to wait until you got
here. Come on in.
Clifford sighs and steps into the front hall. The door is
closed by the uniformed COP with whom Clifford has been
speaking. The cop is a man in his thirties. His name is
CHARLES GARBER. Garber and Clifford stand in the front hall
and talk as POLICEMEN and AMBULANCE ATTENDANTS move around
them. In the living room beyond can be seen several other
POLICEMEN, Dr. Mandrakis and his wife.
GARBER
We were only a block away when the
call went out. When we got here, the
guy was still waiting upstairs in
the children's bedroom. He was covered
with blood.
CLIFFORD
Blood?
GARBER
Not his own. The children had been
dead for several hours.
CLIFFORD
Jesus...
GARBER
He'd been using an old phone in their
bedroom that the parents had never
had disconnected.
CLIFFORD
Who is he?
GARBER
We found a Merchant Seaman's card on
him. He's English. Entered the country
less than a week ago.
CLIFFORD
How about the babysitter?
GARBER
She's going to be all right.
As Garber delivers his final line, we see ambulance attendants
dressed in white, taking a sheet-covered stretcher out the
front door.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
EXT. STREET - LATER AFTERNOON
An upper-class neighborhood. The CAMERA is facing down the
street. A car approaches the intersection at the end of the
block, turns and comes slowly up the street.
Because it is not a new car or an expensive car, and because
it is moving at a rate which suggests that its sole male
occupant is looking for house numbers, we can assume that
the DRIVER is a visitor to this neighborhood.
The CAMERA PANS with the car ninety degrees as it turns into
the semi-circular driveway of a mansion and rolls up to the
front door.
A TITLE appears across the bottom of the screen:
4:30 pm Thursday, April 20, 1978
As the TITLE FADES, the driver shuts off the car engine and
opens the door to get out.
CUT TO:
INT. MANSION - DAY
The doorbell rings. A HOUSEBOY comes into the front hall,
goes to the door and opens it for the visitor. It is John
Clifford, the detective from six years ago.
He has aged noticeably over the years. His hair is grayer,
his stance not so aggressive, but his eyes still smoulder
with the accumulated frustration of having spent years in an
uncertain, sometimes unsatisfying, and frequently unsafe
occupation.
No words are exchanged as the houseboy leads Clifford across
the entrance hall and up an imposing flight of stairs. Still
keen in his observation of things, Clifford quickly takes in
this new atmosphere.
The house is richly decorated but with an underlying theme
of melancholy. There are no bright or cheerful furnishings,
and the houseboy advances with guarded tread, his face steady
and reverent.
The houseboy stops before a door at the top of the staircase
and raps lightly on it with his knuckles. Without waiting
for an answer, he opens the door and steps aside for Clifford
to enter.
Clifford pauses briefly, then walks into what appears to be
an upstairs study.
INT. STUDY - DAY
A MAN is sitting behind a desk which faces the door.
Presumably he is the master of the house. Although his face
is hidden in shadows, we can see from his hands that he is
engaged in writing something down.
Clifford quietly approaches the desk and takes a seat in
front of it. Then, vaguely in keeping with the spirit of the
house, he waits to be spoken to rather than interrupt the
pervasive stillness.
After a moment, the master of the house lays down his pen
and leans back in his chair. Pause.
MASTER
So you're in business for yourself
now.
CLIFFORD
(quietly)
Yes, sir, for the past three and a
half years.
MASTER
That's good.
(beat)
And you'd heard about Curt Duncan's
escape?
CLIFFORD
Oh, yes.
MASTER
Do you think the police will... find
him?
Pause.
CLIFFORD
I know they haven't assigned anyone
to it specifically. It's an old case.
MASTER
(a tinge of bitterness)
An old case.
(beat)
Can you find him?
CLIFFORD
Yes. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not
this week, but I'll find him.
MASTER
He could be anywhere by now.
CLIFFORD
I don't think so... because he's a
foreigner. He'll come back to the
city. After six years in confinement,
it's the only place that's familiar
to him. That's important.
Pause.
MASTER
A man murders two children in cold
blood. A jury declares him insane.
How could such a person not be?
Clifford lowers his eyes, doesn't answer.
MASTER
He is sent to a state mental
institution where the security is...
less than perfect. And he escapes.
It... it isn't fair.
The master of the house leans way forward over his desk, and
his face comes out of the shadows and into the light. It is
Dr. Mandrakis.
He seems much older. His complexion is pallid. His eyes stare
out from beneath his brow like a wounded animal hiding in a
dark cave.
MANDRAKIS
A thing like that should never be
allowed to happen again.
CLIFFORD
I couldn't agree with you more.
They look at each other for a long moment of acknowledgment.
Then Mandrakis stands up with a sigh.
MANDRAKIS
Go ahead then. My accountant will
contact you.
Clifford stands and they shake hands.
CLIFFORD
Thank you.
(beat)
How is Mrs. Mandrakis?
MANDRAKIS
She is... unable to have any more
children.
CLIFFORD
I'm sorry. Please give her my best.
MANDRAKIS
Of course.
Clifford turns to go.
INT. MANSION - STAIRCASE & ENTRANCE HALL
As Clifford finds his own way down the stairs and out the
front door.
A WOMAN watches Clifford leave from the back of the staircase.
It is Mrs. Mandrakis. As with her husband, the change in her
is remarkable. She is now a brooding, barren woman.
O.S. the front door closes. Clifford is gone. Mrs. Mandrakis
walks around the front of the stairs and begins slowly
ascending them.
The houseboy silently steps into the entrance hall from a
side door and watches her.
CUT TO:
INT. A HALLWAY - MENTAL INSTITUTION - DAY
A male PATIENT wearing green, institutional pajamas and
slippers shuffles slowly up the hall. His movement is
catatonic, unfocused.
Canned Musak faintly underscores the scene.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Curt Duncan isn't going to run right
out and kill more children. I'm not
worried about that.
ANGLE ON CLIFFORD
Standing in the doorway of an office, facing into the hall,
watching the patient.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
We had him for six years... under
continuous therapy, some of it rather
forceful...
ANGLE ON PATIENT
Moving past CAMERA. He is really out of it. It is a
depressing, vaguely unnerving sight.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
...and drugs... tranquilizers
depressants, lithium...
ANGLE ON CLIFFORD
He turns and goes back into the office.
INT. OFFICE - DAY
We see now the MAN who's been talking -- the director of the
State Hospital, DR. MONK. He is sitting comfortably behind
his desk; his jacket off, his tie loosened, his feet up on
the desk. He is very matter-of-fact.
DR. MONK
Eventually, anyone will respond to
the treatment here.
Clifford sits down in front of the desk, picks up a folder
and leafs through it.
CLIFFORD
You gave him electric shock?
DR. MONK
Yeah, we zapped him a few times.
It's fairly standard.
CLIFFORD
It says here thirty-eight... thirty-
eight times.
Monk shrugs, then yawns expansively. He needn't justify
himself to the layman.
CLIFFORD
What will happen to him now, without
the drugs he was on?
DR. MONK'S SECRETARY enters the office and hands him a folder.
Without interrupting the delivery of his lines, Monk takes
the folder, opens it, initials something on the inside, closes
the folder and hands it back to the secretary who turns and
leaves the office without uttering a word.
DR. MONK
There'll be some deterioration. That's
inevitable, but we can't say how
much.
Pause. Clifford looks at the doctor as if questioning his
casual assessment of "some deterioration."
CLIFFORD
During the time that you had him
here, did you discover any particular
habits of his, peculiarities, quirks,
anything that might help me find
him?
DR. MONK
(shrugging again)
It's all in the folder.
CLIFFORD
Any letters from people back in
England? Family?
DR. MONK
That, too, is in the folder.
Clifford directs a bleak look back down at the open folder,
then looks up again, his eyes narrowing.
CLIFFORD
Let's get something straight here,
Doctor. I've been 33 years in the
business of tracking people down and
putting them away. I spent almost a
year on Curt Duncan alone, with the
trial, the testimonies, the background
investigations. I didn't come here
today to look in your goddamn folders.
In fact, I wouldn't have come here
at all if you'd done your job right.
Pause.
DR. MONK
Mr. Clifford, this is a hospital,
not a penitentiary. Everything that
pertains to one of our patients is
meticulously recorded in that
patient's folder... whether you can
make sense of it or not.
They glare at each other for several seconds. Monk is the
first one to look away.
DR. MONK
Curt Duncan is a classic paranoid-
schizophrenic. They see themselves
as victims, and they always blame
other people for the way they are.
When Duncan killed the Mandrakis
kids, it wasn't an act of hostility
against the children but against
their parents. He was getting back
at his own parents for traumas he
suffered in early childhood. The
criminal side of Curt Duncan is one
of terrible, symbolic vengeance.
CLIFFORD
(looking up)
Assuming he isn't found right away...
what will happen to him?
Monk rises and walks to a window.
DR. MONK
I think you'll find him. Somebody
will find him. He can't function out
there. He'll make a mistake.
(turning to face
Clifford)
This is where he belongs. After six
years in here, he's suddenly gone
out to confront the world again. I
think he's in for a bit of a shock.
Monk looks back out the window.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREET - LATE AFTERNOON
Not a terribly good section of town. We are looking at the
nondescript exterior of a bar across the street.
INT. BAR
This is not a slum bar, but it's close. There are a few tables
and chairs and a pool table in the back. The atmosphere is
quiet, almost depressed, and the handful of REGULARS here
are exercising their privacy without having to be alone.
They include: HANK, the bartender, also the owner, who
absently polishes things with his cloth; TRACY, an unemployed
woman in her mid-forties who sits at the bar with a drink
and a cigarette and silently rummages through her current
feelings -- none of them new or particularly hopeful; a
COUPLE, probably retired, sitting at the same table they
come to every afternoon at this time -- him for his beer,
her for a glass of sweet white wine; and BILL, at the pool
table, a young man lithe and powerful, minding his own
business and playing his game of pool with a steady,
aggressive concentration.
RETIRED MAN
Rackin' 'em up today, Bill?
Pause.
BILL
(over his shoulder)
Doin' all right.
The old man smiles stupidly around the room. He racked 'em
up a little in his day, too. His smile fades as he looks at
his wife. He takes a sip of beer and lapses into memories.
Then the door opens to the outside and the yellow-orange
light of late afternoon floods into the bar. The regulars
turn to glimpse who's coming in. They see the figure of a
MAN silhouetted in the doorway. He stands there for a long
moment, not coming in. Finally even Bill interrupts his game
to turn and look.
HANK
C'mon in and shut the door.
The intruder enters, indecisively. The door swings shut behind
him, plunging the room back into darkness. This man is "a
little weird", and the regulars continue to stare at him
until he makes his way to a table near the wall and sits
down. Then everyone returns to his own thoughts.
HANK
(after a moment)
What'll it be?
(pause, no answer)
Hey! What'll it be?
CLOSEUP - INTRUDER
A bit startled, a bit defensive toward the directness of
this question. It is Curt Duncan. He looks understandably
harried. He hasn't slept or shaved in at least a couple of
days, and is wearing regular clothing.
He clears his throat to answer...
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
What kind of clothes was he wearing...
when he escaped?
CUT TO:
INT. DR. MONK'S OFFICE -DAY
Clifford is looking through the folder again.
DR. MONK
Ordinary street clothes. Not all of
our patients have to wear the green
Gucci gowns.
CLIFFORD
Did he have any money with him?
DR. MONK
Probably. But not more than, say,
fifty dollars. Some of the patients
are given little jobs around the
ward, for which they are paid. It's
part of the rehabilitation.
Looking down, Clifford pauses over a page in the folder.
CLOSEUP - FACT SHEET IN FOLDER
A page of legibly organized facts and statistics about Curt
Duncan. One of the entries reads: Guy du Marraux.
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
(reading)
What's Guy du Mar--
DR. MONK (O.S.)
(pronouncing it
correctly)
Guy du Marraux syndrom.
BACK TO SCENE
DR. MONK
It's a psycho-motor dysfunction.
CLIFFORD
Duncan had it?
DR. MONK
Only from time to time, which is
unusual.
CLIFFORD
What is it?
DR. MONK
It attacks the nervous system. People
suffering from it are irresistibly
compelled to utter obscenities,
sometimes one, sometimes a whole
string of them. They can't control
it.
CLIFFORD
(somewhat taken aback)
Are you being serious?
DR. MONK
Yeah. Here, I'll give you an example.
He opens a file cabinet drawer, finds a reel of quarter-inch
magnetic tape and starts to thread it through a recorder on
his desk.
DR. MONK
Duncan never had the twitch that
sometimes goes with it. And with
Duncan, as I said, the disease would
only manifest itself in periods of
extreme anxiety. When he was really
flipping out, in other words.
There is a pause as Monk fiddles with the tape recorder and
Clifford looks back down at the folder.
CLIFFORD
Duncan was Catholic?
DR. MONK
Yeah.
(beat)
So am I.
CLIFFORD
(mildly surprised)
That makes three of us.
DR. MONK
Is that right? So we all share the
same guilt.
Clifford smiles. Monk keeps fiddling.
DR. MONK
Here. This is Curt Duncan shortly
after he was admitted here in 1972.
Monk turns on the tape recorder as Clifford sits forward in
his chair to listen.
At first, nothing can be heard. Then there is a click as if
the machine was turned on in the middle of a conversation:
DR. MONK (O.S.)
-- to put the situation right. The
hypodermic needles are only used to
give you medication that will calm
you down. They make you feel good,
relaxed. All right?
(no answer)
We're not putting anything in your
food either. The food is just food.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
(extremely agitated)
No. I don't eat the food. It doesn't
taste right.
DR. MONK
(to Clifford)
That's Duncan.
Clifford nods and keeps listening:
DR. MONK (O.S.)
Curt, why are you fidgeting? Can't
you get comfortable?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
No, I'm not comfortable!
DR. MONK (O.S.)
Wait a -- Hey!
(to someone else)
Hold him down there. Grab him! Never
mind the chair!
There are scuffling noises underneath which can be heard,
heavy breathing and then, getting louder and more furious,
Duncan falling into the throes of Guy du Marraux.
DR. MONK (O.S.)
(periodically
interjecting)
Pull him down... That's right...
Just lay him out... Lay him right
out... Steady... Pull out his knees...
Finally Monk is heard no more and Duncan continues with the
frightening verbal torrent of Guy du Marraux.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BAR - LATE AFTERNOON - CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
Sitting at his table inside the bar. He takes a long, noisy
drink from what looks like a bourbon on the rocks. It tastes
good, being the first real drink he's had in over six years.
But Duncan cannot relax enough to enjoy it fully. His eyes
are ever restlessly, suspiciously moving about.
ANGLE ON BAR
As Bill walks up and stands next to Tracy. Hank moves off to
get Bill another beer.
Tracy looks up at Bill and smiles. As regulars at the same
bar, they are loose and comfortable with each other.
TRACY
(sotto voce)
A little action for your game?
BILL
(sotto voce)
What, him?
They both turn and look across the room at Duncan.
POV - DUNCAN
As Bill and Tracy look straight at him over their shoulders
and then turn back.
ANGLE ON BAR
As they both smile at her joke.
TRACY
I wouldn't bet against you.
BILL
What's the matter? You don't like me
playing with myself?
Tracy grimaces as Hank comes back with Bill's beer. Bill
picks up the bottle, nods his thanks to Hank and heads back
to the pool table.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
As his eyes follow Bill to the pool table, then come back to
Tracy at the bar.
POV - DUNCAN
Looking at the back of Tracy. She reaches into her purse.
ON TRACY
She takes her pack of cigarettes from the purse. She pulls
out a cigarette, taps it lightly on the bar, puts it to her
lips.
O.S. we hear the sound of a match being struck.
WIDER ANGLE
Duncan is standing beside her holding a lit match. He shoves
it forward at her. It goes out.
Duncan fumbles for another match as Tracy regards him with
undisguised repulsion. Duncan gets the second match lit and
holds it out for her. She accepts the favor and lights her
cigarette.
Duncan smiles. Tracy nods and turns away. Duncan is still
holding the burning match for her to blow out. As it doesn't
look like she's going to, he lets it drop, still lit, to the
floor.
REACTION SHOT - BARTENDER
He gives a look as if to say, "Jesus, what a fuckin' weirdo".
TWO SHOT - DUNCAN AND TRACY
Pause. Duncan is still smiling at her.
DUNCAN
Hi.
No response.
DUNCAN
What you been up to?
TRACY
(looking at him)
My own business.
(beat)
Thanks for the light. Okay?
The Englishman sits down beside her, but doesn't look at
her.
Tracy looks away too, determined to ignore him, not to let
him get into her space.
Duncan coughs. After a long moment, he turns back to her.
DUNCAN
Next round's on me.
Tracy keeps her eyes straight ahead, acknowledging nothing.
Pause.
Duncan takes some money from his pocket and lays it on the
bar, staring at her. Tracy turns to him:
TRACY
(annoyed)
Listen, mister, I've got my own money.
So, if you don't mind...
She looks away again. Pause.
DUNCAN
After what I been through, I don't
mind anything.
Longer pause.
DUNCAN
See, that's the whole point. My
mind... Your mind... Where do they
fit in? You know what I mean?
Tracy abruptly picks up her purse and moves down the bar
away from him one seat, then another seat.
ANGLE ON ELDERLY COUPLE
They are watching this little spectacle with growing
curiosity.
ANGLE ON DUNCAN
Still looking at her. By pointing at what she has, he orders
two more drinks from the Bartender. When they arrive, he
takes a big swallow from one, picks up the other, stands,
moves down the bar and sits beside Tracy again.
DUNCAN
(setting her drink
before her)
Do you live around here?
TRACY
Get offa me!!
REACTION SHOTS
Even Bill now looks up from the pool table. His expression
darkens.
ANGLE ON BAR
Tracy has clammed up -- her elbows on the bar, head between
her elbows, arms covering her ears, hands clasped behind her
neck. Duncan looks at her nervously and starts to talk again:
DUNCAN
(rapidly)
Listen, I didn't mean nothin'. I
don't live around here. See -- ?
BILL (O.S.)
I think the lady wants to be left
alone.
Duncan looks up. Bill enters the frame and stands in front
of Tracy, confronting Duncan.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
Looking up at Bill, his eyes red, his gaze unsteady.
WIDER ANGLE
The air is charged with tension.
BILL
I think an apology is in order.
Duncan doesn't know how to handle this. He looks at Bill,
half shrugs, half smiles.
BILL
That the best you can do?
Duncan looks away. A long moment passes.
BILL
I think you'd better just move along,
pal.
Duncan doesn't move, says nothing. He swallows hard.
HANK
He'll be okay now, Bill. He just --
BILL
No! I want him out of here!
The bartender steps back, deciding to mind his own business.
Tracy gets up from her seat and cautiously moves even further
down the bar.
BILL
(to Duncan)
Go on, beat it.
They glare at each other. The longer Duncan sits there without
moving, without saying anything, the angrier Bill gets.
REACTION SHOTS
As the tension builds.
ANGLE ON BAR
Duncan looks away.
BILL
I'm not going to say it again, mister.
Duncan reaches for his drink, but Bill reacts quicker. With
a swipe of his hand, he knocks the glass off the bar, and it
shatters on the floor behind the bar.
Duncan sits there, stunned, not looking up. After a long
moment, Duncan coughs. Then he turns and looks at Bill. He
purses his lips. It looks like a nervous facial movement.
Then suddenly, Duncan spits at Bill, hitting him square in
the face.
Before anyone can register what's happened, Bill lunges at
Duncan, knocking him clean off the barstool and onto the
floor.
The fight is fast, vicious and one-sided from the very start.
Pinned to the floor on his back, Duncan flails his arms
ineffectually like a panicked insect as Bill holds him in
place with a left-handed grip on the collar while his powerful
right arm, pumping up and down like a piston, pounds into
Duncan's face time and time again.
Duncan's screams diminish into pathetic, sickening groans
and the others in the bar are compelled to avert their eyes
from this brutal spectacle.
Hank has picked up a phone from beneath the bar and is dialing
a number. He turns away from the fight to talk.
Then, as suddenly as Bill first sprang at Duncan, he leaps
to his feet and turns to the bar. He reaches over and grabs
the phone from Hank, slamming it down into the cradle.
BILL
Who're you calling?
Bill takes the cloth from the bar and vigorously wipes his
face off. He snaps his fingers and points to a row of bottles
on a shelf behind the bar. Hank quickly hands him a bottle.
Bill pours himself a shot and downs it, fast. He is still
charged with adrenaline and he takes two more shots in rapid
succession, spilling the alcohol on the bar and on himself.
As Bill picks up the cloth to wipe himself off again, Tracy
stands up and quickly walks out of the bar, slamming the
door behind her.
BILL
(calling after her)
You're welcome, baby!
Then he throws down the cloth, picks up the bottle, turns
and, standing over Duncan's inert form, empties half the
bottle onto him. He sets the bottle back on the bar. He grabs
Duncan and, half dragging, hurries him out the back door and
throws him into the alley where Duncan falls in a heap.
Bill storms back up to the bar and pours himself another
drink.
BILL
(to Hank)
Okay?
Hank just looks at him, doesn't answer. At the wife's silent
insistence, the elderly couple stand up to go.
OLD MAN
Good riddance to bad rubbish, eh,
Bill?
Bill doesn't answer and the couple quietly leave.
HANK
(apologetic)
A fight breaks out, there's gonna be
damages. Insurance company doesn't
pay without a police report...
BILL
You see any damages?
Hank lowers his gaze to the floor. Bill finishes his drink.
He is still very hopped up. He pulls a few dollars from his
wallet and drops them on the counter.
BILL
See ya 'round.
He turns and strides out of the bar.
CAMERA HOLDS for a beat on Hank alone now in his empty
establishment. The phone starts to ring, presumably the police
calling back.
After several rings, Hank picks up the phone and listens.
HANK
(into phone)
No, it's over now...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. LT. GARBER'S HOUSE - NIGHT
All the lights are out inside the house, but we should just
be able to see that we are in the hall, looking at the front
door. Footsteps approach on the walk outside. A key slips
into the lock...
Inside the house we can hear faint whispering. Someone is
moving about in the darkness. Then the door swings open and
the shadowy figure of a MAN crosses the threshold. He stops
just inside.
MAN
(calling out)
Donna. Donna! Hey!
(under his breath)
What the hell -- !
Suddenly the lights come on and a chorus of voices cry out,
"SURPRISE!"
A broad smile breaks across the man's face. We may recognize
him as the cop from six years ago -- Charles Garber. Today
he is a lieutenant on the force and dresses casually for
work, usually in slacks, turtleneck and jacket.
GARBER
(genuinely surprised)
What is all this?!
SCATTERED VOICES
Happy birthday, Charlie!
Garber looks sheepishly at his hand holding the pistol he'd
drawn just before the lights came up.
WOMAN'S VOICE
Look at him!
MAN'S VOICE
Don't shoot us, Charlie!
GARBER
(chagrined)
How was I supposed to know?
Everybody starts to laugh, including Garber as he returns
the pistol to his shoulder holster.
ANGLE ON DONNA
Garber's wife. She comes out of the kitchen carrying a
birthday cake with lit candles and makes her way through the
crowd of GUESTS singing "Happy Birthday".
Everyone joins in as Donna moves forward and stands beside
her husband. Clifford is one of the guests. He has his arm
around a young BLOND who is sort of pretty despite her
tacky/plastic appearance.
When the song is over, Garber blows out the candles and hugs
and kisses his wife. Everybody cheers.
CUT TO:
INT. GARBER'S HOUSE - STAIRWAY - SEVERAL HOURS LATER
The party is still in full swing. Garber is following Clifford
up the stairs. They are both fairly loaded by now.
Garber, in particular, has reached that stage of inebriation
where standing still is pretty hard to do.
GARBER
Will you tell me what this is about,
Cliff?
CLIFFORD
Yeah, in a minute.
GARBER
I don't think I can take any more of
these surprises.
INT. A BEDROOM
As Clifford and Garber enter. Garber turns on a light as
Clifford closes the door, shutting out the sounds of the
party below.
GARBER
Okay now, what's the big deal?
CLIFFORD
Stand still. I want you to remember
this in the morning.
GARBER
If you want me to remember something
in the morning, then tell it to me
in the morning.
Garber half comically turns to go. Clifford stops him.
CLIFFORD
Charlie, come on.
ANGLE ON CORNER OF BEDROOM
A BABY between a year and two years old is lying in a crib.
It opens its eyes and starts looking around.
GARBER (O.S.)
All right, all right. What is it?
You're getting married.
CLIFFORD
No. I got a job today, tracking
someone.
TWO SHOT - CLIFFORD & GARBER
Garber, still moving restlessly, pats his friend on the
shoulder.
GARBER
That's great, Cliff; I'm sure you'll
find your man.
CLIFFORD
It's Curt Duncan.
Garber stops suddenly, stunned. In an instant, he has become
stone sober.
GARBER
What?
ANGLE ON BABY
Kicking and wiggling about.
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
You didn't know he got out?
The baby opens its mouth and starts to cry.
TWO SHOT - CLIFFORD & GARBER
Garber glances over his shoulder at the baby, then turns
back to Clifford.
CLIFFORD
I need your cooperation on this one.
GARBER
Sure. Anything.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
It is late. The block is virtually deserted. Across the street
is the exterior of a bar -- the same bar Duncan was in
earlier. Some PEOPLE are coming out of the bar. It must be
near closing time. The people turn left and walk away down
the sidewalk. Their voices diminish. Pause.
A car passes. Then the door to the bar opens again and a
woman comes out onto the sidewalk. It is Tracy. She turns to
the right and starts to walk away.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
He is standing in shadows across the street, watching her.
EXT. TRACY ON STREET - NIGHT
A series of shots of Tracy walking home. The CAMERA remains
consistently behind her or off to one side, sometimes DOLLYING
with her behind a row of parked cars, sometimes picking up
her passing reflection in a darkened store window.
The impression this gives is unmistakable. Curt Duncan is
following her. We do not see him, we do not hear him, yet we
know he is there. Often we can sense that the very angle
from which we see Tracy is his POV.
But Tracy is aware of nothing. We know this when the CAMERA
begins to move in front of her, once more becoming an
impersonal observer of her walk homeward, to safety.
Tension mounts as we start to expect that Duncan will jump
out at her from every alley and recessed doorway she passes.
But he doesn't.
Finally, Tracy walks up to the CAMERA at the end of a block
and turns a corner; but the CAMERA HOLDS on the dark street
she has just come up. We hear a cough which confirms that
Duncan is lurking somewhere in the shadows.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Tracy walks up the steps and enters the apartment.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING
Tracy steps into the elevator. The doors close. CAMERA HOLDS
on the elevator and watches the lights above it travel from
one to six.
O.S. we hear the door to the apartment building open and
close.
INT. SIXTH FLOOR
Tracy steps out of the elevator and walks down the hall to
her door. She fumbles through her purse for keys, then bends
over the lock to let herself in.
Behind her down the hall, Duncan appears. He watches her,
starts to move silently forward. Tracy gets the door open,
then turns and sees him. Duncan stops.
TRACY
Oh, it's you!
(beat)
What do you want?
DUNCAN
(moving forward)
...Came to apologize. I...
TRACY
Look, I'm the one who should be sorry.
I didn't want that to happen.
(she sees his face;
shudders)
Oh, God! Look at you. Are you all
right.
Duncan half shrugs, half smiles. Tracy edges into her door-
way. Duncan stands opposite her.
DUNCAN
I'm new in town. Don't know anybody...
TRACY
(uncomfortable)
Where're you from?
DUNCAN
(coughs)
New York. Ever been there?
TRACY
Sure. Sure I've been there.
They look at each other. Duncan coughs again.
DUNCAN
Kind of a mean place to be. Everyone
cold, unfriendly...
Inside Tracy's apartment, the telephone rings. Tracy turns
vaguely, indecisively, and goes to answer it.
TRACY
(over her shoulder)
Excuse me.
She disappears into the apartment. O.S. she picks up the
ringing phone.
TRACY (O.S.)
Hello?...
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
As she sits with the telephone.
TRACY
(nervous)
...No, I just got in... I don't know
if I can... Listen, I can't talk
now. Can I call you back?... Okay...
Goodbye.
She hangs up the phone, stands and turns back toward the
door. Duncan is standing right behind her.
DUNCAN
I'm not from New York, actually. But
I'm very, very far from home.
He sits down.
TRACY
Look, you can't come in here.
Duncan looks at her for a moment, then looks about the
apartment.
DUNCAN
(mumbling)
I thought we might get some coffee.
Can I buy you -- ?
TRACY
I don't think so.
DUNCAN
Someplace nearby?
TRACY
Not tonight. You'd better go.
DUNCAN
I got no place to go.
TRACY
(anxious)
You can't --
DUNCAN
Just, just a little coffee?
TRACY
Maybe tomorrow.
DUNCAN
Okay, tomorrow. When?
TRACY
I said maybe. I don't know.
(beat)
Listen, I'm sorry about this
afternoon. I really am. All right?
That was my boyfriend on the phone.
He's coming over. So please leave.
Now.
Duncan doesn't move. He smiles at her.
DUNCAN
I like you.
TRACY
(her voice rising)
Look, do you want me to call the
cops?
DUNCAN
(standing)
It's okay. It's okay.
He backs to the doorway and pauses.
DUNCAN
I'll see you later... sometime. I
still want to buy you that drink.
He steps into the hall. Tracy closes the front door and bolts
it. She turns, leans against it and sighs.
Outside the door, Duncan's footsteps move down the hall,
pause, then come back to the door. A moment passes. Then
there is a faint knocking on the door. Tracy doesn't move.
The knocking comes again, a little louder this time. Tracy
stands and waits, scarcely breathing. After another long
moment, the footsteps finally move away.
CUT TO:
EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY
A car pulls into the parking lot behind the station. Clifford
and Garber get out and walk into the building.
INT. POLICE STATION
Clifford and Garber walk down a hallway. Uniformed POLICEMEN
walk to and fro around them.
CLIFFORD
Jesus, I don't recognize anybody.
GARBER
Three years is a long time in a place
like this.
CLIFFORD
Three and a half.
Garber stops at the WATCH COMMANDER'S desk and picks up some
paperwork. The WC looks up briefly and sees Clifford.
WC
Hiya, Cliff. Howya doin'?
The WC looks down again. Three and a half years mean nothing
to him.
CLIFFORD
(taken aback)
Hi...
He can't remember the man's name. Garber smiles at him and
they continue walking.
GARBER
How long will you be here?
CLIFFORD
Depends on how lucky I get.
(beat)
I'll only be coming around once,
maybe twice a week.
GARBER
You want to use your old desk?
Someplace to sit down?
CLIFFORD
(surprised)
Is it vacant?
INT. OFFICE - POLICE STATION
A. Clifford and Garber appear in the doorway. Clifford enters,
walks up to his old desk, opens some of the drawers -- they
are empty -- sits down in his old chair, smiles at Garber.
B. We see Clifford opening a file cabinet and taking out a
folder stuffed with notices and reports --
C. Clifford standing beside a Xerox machine running off a
copy of something --
D. Clifford standing in a hallway talking to a PATROLMAN.
Clifford has a legal pad with him and is jotting something
down on it as the patrolman speaks --
E. Clifford at his desk, making notes on the legal pad --
F. Garber is at his desk, on the phone, Clifford appears in
the doorway carrying his legal pad. He waves goodbye to Garber
who nods in response.
CUT TO:
INT. LOBBY OF A FLOPHOUSE HOTEL
Clifford questions the DESK CLERK. He shows the clerk a photo
of Duncan taken some years ago in the mental institution.
The clerk shakes his head and starts to hand the picture
back when Clifford motions for him to keep it. As Clifford
leaves, the clerk turns the picture over...
CLOSEUP - BACK OF PICTURE
Revealing Clifford's name and phone numbers, and a twenty
dollar bill paperclipped to the back of the picture --
EXT. STREET
As Clifford pulls his car up to the curb, then consults his
legal pad --
CLOSEUP - LEGAL PAD
The top three addresses are crossed out. Clifford underlines
the fourth --
BACK TO SCENE
Clifford looks up from the pad to a bar he has pulled up in
front of -- the bar Duncan was in. It bears the address
Clifford has just underlined. Clifford gets out of his car
and walks up to the bar. A "Closed" sign is displayed in the
window. Clifford knocks on the door. After a moment, Hank
opens the door.
CUT TO:
INT. LAUNDROMAT - DAY
There are only a few CUSTOMERS sitting around, waiting for
their wash. A BUM is stretched out on his back across one of
the tables like a corpse awaiting autopsy. This is CHEATER.
A MAINTENANCE MAN in grey work clothes enters from the back.
He opens a broom closet, takes out a bucket and mop and rolls
them toward the front of the laundromat. He stops at Cheater's
table and shakes him hard.
MAINTENANCE MAN
Okay, man, move it out. Let's go.
CHEATER
Wha -- ?
Cheater sits up and starts to pull himself together. An OLD
WOMAN sitting against the wall points down one of the aisles
of washing machines and says to the maintenance man:
OLD WOMAN
There's another one down there.
The maintenance man goes to the end of the aisle and looks
down into the nook created by the absence of one of the
washing machines.
MAINTENANCE MAN
Hey!
He nudges at whatever's inside the nook with his foot.
MAINTENANCE MAN
(nudging again)
Come on, bright eyes. Wake up. Wake --
Jesus Christ! What happened to you?
ANGLE ON NOOK
As Curt Duncan raises his head into the light and looks up
at the maintenance man. Overnight, his face has swollen
considerably and a bright yellow and purple discoloring around
his bruises has emerged.
MAINTENANCE MAN (O.S.)
You get hit by a truck or what?
He bends over and helps pull Duncan to his feet.
WIDER ANGLE
As the maintenance man guides Duncan to the door.
MAINTENANCE MAN
I'm sorry, man, but you can't stay
in here. Go out to the park, lay in
the sunshine. You'll feel better.
Okay?
Duncan goes out the door. The maintenance man turns and sees
Cheater stretched out again on the table.
MAINTENANCE MAN
God bless it! Hey!
He pulls Cheater off the table and pushes him to the door.
MAINTENANCE MAN
Out. Out. Out. Out. Out.
EXT. LAUNDROMAT
As Cheater is pushed out onto the sidewalk.
CHEATER
(angry)
All right! All right!
He straightens his rags indignantly, then looks at Duncan
and grins.
CHEATER
Whaddya say, pardner. I'm dry as a
bone. You got any money?
Duncan looks at Cheater distrustfully and shakes his head.
CHEATER
You neither, huh?
(with a laugh)
My name is Morgan, but it ain't J.P.
Guess I better go to work. Take 'er
easy now, pardner.
Cheater shuffles off in one direction. Duncan turns and goes
in the other.
CUT TO:
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT - DAY
A knock at the front door. After a moment, Tracy comes into
the front hallway and, crossing to the door, stubs her toe
on the open closet door. She swears under her breath and
angrily slams the closet door shut. Then, grabbing her injured
toe, she hops to the front door.
TRACY
Who is it?
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
My name's John Clifford. I'm a private
investigator.
TRACY
A what?
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
A private detective.
Pause.
TRACY
What do you want with me?
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
I'd just like to talk, ask a few
questions.
TRACY
I've got nothing to say about anything
or anybody.
Pause.
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
Listen, lady, I can be back in thirty
minutes with a search warrant and a
handful of cops, and I can probably
have you arrested, whether or not
the charges would stick. Now do you
want to let me in and talk?
TRACY
Have you got a badge?
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
I'll show you a badge when you open
the goddamn door!
Tracy unbolts the door and opens it. Clifford walks right in
and closes the door behind him.
CLIFFORD
I don't carry a badge. I'm issued a
license, a piece of paper, and I
left it at home. You're Tracy Fuller?
Tracy nods.
CLIFFORD
Can we sit down?
Tracy leads him into the living room. They sit. Clifford
gives her a picture.
CLIFFORD
Do you recognize this man?
TRACY
Why?
Clifford lets out a sigh of frustration, realizing that this
woman will continue to be difficult.
CLIFFORD
He's escaped from the insane asylum.
In 1972, he murdered two children...
broke into a house and found them
asleep in bed. It was a little boy,
five an a half, and a little three-
year-old girl. After the coroner's
investigation, their bodies were
taken to the mortuary, where the
undertaker took one look at them and
said he couldn't have their bodies
reconstructed for the funeral without
six days of steady work. Then he
asked what had been the murder weapon,
because looking at the mess in front
of him, he couldn't imagine what had
been used. The coroner told him there
had been no murder weapon. The killer
had used only his hands.
(beat)
The undertaker went to work and had
them done in four.
The picture falls out of Tracy's hands. She is stunned to
the point of nausea.
CLIFFORD
What's the matter?
TRACY
(barely able to say
it)
He's been here.
EXT. STREET
Duncan is standing on the sidewalk huddled close to a wall.
He is looking up at Tracy's apartment building across the
street.
POV - DUNCAN
Traveling up the wall of the building to the open window of
Tracy's apartment on the sixth floor. SLOW ZOOM IN:
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
Do you think he'll try to see you
again?
TRACY (O.S.)
I don't know. He said he had no place
else to go.
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
CLIFFORD
Let's play it safe. Let's assume
that he will.
CLOSEUP - TRACY
Reacting to this possibility.
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
Will you work with me?
She nods, hesitantly.
EXT. STREET
Duncan turns up an alley across the street from Tracy's
apartment building and disappears.
Sound over: knocking on a door.
CUT TO:
EXT. BAR - DAY
Clifford is standing at the door. The "Closed" sign still
hangs in the window. The door opens, and Hank sticks his
head out.
HANK
You again?
CLIFFORD
What are your hours tonight?
HANK
No hours. Bar's closed on Mondays.
CLIFFORD
I want you to be open if that's
possible.
HANK
(closing the door)
No way. Monday's my night off. Come
back tomorr...
Clifford violently pushes the door open. The bartender backs
off, surprised.
CLIFFORD
(through clenched
teeth)
This is tomorrow! Now what are your
hours?
CUT TO:
INT. LT. GARBER'S OFFICE - DAY
Garber is sitting behind his desk as Clifford walks in.
GARBER
(looking up)
Any luck?
CLIFFORD
I've come to say goodbye, and thank
you.
GARBER
You found him?
CLIFFORD
I think so.
GARBER
Where?
Pause.
CLIFFORD
From here on, I go it alone.
GARBER
What's the point of chancing it,
Cliff? We'll let you take the credit.
CLIFFORD
No.
Pause. Clifford sits down.
CLIFFORD
I'm going to kill him, Charlie.
Garber leans forward in his chair and stares at Clifford. A
long moment passes. A button on the lieutenant's phone lights
up and the intercom buzzes. Garber doesn't even look down at
it. The button flashes on and off, on and off. Finally it
stops.
CLIFFORD
The closer I get to this guy, the
more I... It gets to me. I don't
know...
GARBER
I think you'd better go on home,
Cliff. You've fallen in.
CLIFFORD
No. Not this time. This is the case
that makes up for a whole career. If
you can't understand it now, you
will in a few years.
Pause. Garber considers another tack and follows it.
GARBER
What part does money play in all
this? Play straight with me.
Clifford is stunned by the question, but he tries to be
casual.
CLIFFORD
(shrugging)
For what I'm being paid, it's not
out of line.
GARBER
Who's hired you for this?
Clifford glares at his friend and doesn't answer.
GARBER
(cynically)
So you're a hitman now.
CLIFFORD
(passionately)
He murdered two kids in cold blood.
You were there, too.
Garber doesn't have to be reminded of his own feelings. He
doesn't pursue the argument.
GARBER
You could get busted.
CLIFFORD
I understand that.
GARBER
What are you going to use?
CLIFFORD
Jimmy needles.
Garber nods slowly, considering it a good choice of weapons
at least.
GARBER
You're stretching our friendship,
Cliff. If you blow this at all --
CLIFFORD
You'll never hear from me again.
Garber looks away for a moment. When he looks back, he just
shrugs his shoulders, "washes his hands".
GARBER
Take your time. Do it right.
CLIFFORD
Don't worry.
GARBER
Do you need any help preparing for
this thing?
CLIFFORD
(standing up)
I'm ready. I'm just trying to think
where he could be in the meantime.
CUT TO:
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
A few customers sit quietly minding their own business. A
WAITRESS leans near the cash register at one end of the
counter. A transistor radio plays country music blues. The
waitress looks up as somebody enters.
WAITRESS
What happened to you?
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Coffee.
It is Duncan. He moves to the counter and sits.
WAITRESS
You get mugged?
DUNCAN
Black.
Snubbed, the waitress comes back and sets the cup in front
of him. She looks down at the change on the counter. There
isn't enough.
WAITRESS
Coffee's twenty-seven.
Duncan looks up at her resentfully.
WAITRESS
(pulling away the cup)
Coffee's twenty-seven cents. Ya got
it or don't ya?
Duncan glares at her. He doesn't have it.
WAITRESS
Okay, buster, one cup. On the house.
She pushes the cup back to him. Some of the coffee spills
onto the counter.
WAITRESS
Drink it and be on your way.
Duncan slowly reaches for the cup, raises it to his lips.
WAITRESS
You're welcome.
Duncan stops, sets the cup down, pushes it away from him and
slowly rises from his seat.
DUNCAN
No, thank you.
Duncan and the waitress stand face to face, shooting darts
at each other. Then a MAN sitting two seats away reaches
over and places a quarter on the counter between them.
The waitress looks at the man irritatedly, then picks up the
money and moves away.
Duncan slowly sits down again. He pulls the cup back to
himself, then turns and looks at the man for a long moment,
unable to express his gratitude.
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREETS - DUSK
A series of shots of BUMS, "homeless persons", hanging out,
in alleys, in the doorways of old buildings, sitting on the
sidewalk in front of liquor stores.
Then we see Duncan, alone but looking no different from the
others. He is panhandling PASSERSBY, without much success.
We see him fall into a fit of coughing that incapacitates
him for several seconds. He's obviously getting sicker.
We lose sight of Duncan as our MONTAGE continues. We see
Clifford talking to a BUM, then another. He is passing the
time combing the streets in the neighborhood of the bar.
PARK - DUSK
A handful of BUMS are sitting together on the grass passing
a bottle in a brown paper bag. Duncan is not among them, but
Cheater is there, sitting at the end of the line.
CAMERA PANS from one bum to the next as the bottle is passed.
By the time it gets to Cheater, it is empty. Cheater looks
as if he's about to cry like a baby when a hand enters the
frame from the other side -- the hand holding out to Cheater
a full bottle of wine. Cheater takes the bottle and looks up
gratefully... to see John Clifford standing beside him.
CHEATER
Well! I can't say much for your
protocol, but your timing's dead on.
Here's to you, pardner.
Cheater takes a long drink, then passes the bottle back down
the line.
CLIFFORD
(to all the bums)
I'm looking for an old buddy of mine,
English fella. Name's Crazy Curt.
Any of you guys seen him?
Nobody responds.
CLIFFORD
I owe him some money.
CHEATER
Aaahh. Show me an honest man...
CLIFFORD
(gesturing)
Stands about so. Brown hair. Face
kind of banged up. Was in an accident.
CHEATER
Oh, yeah? I was just with that guy,
not more'n an hour ago. Looked bad.
Crazy Curt, huh?
CLIFFORD
Where?
Cheater scratches his head, and glances anxiously down the
line.
CHEATER
Hell, I can't remember. Prob'bly see
him again though. Tell you what. You
leave the money with me, I'll see he
gets it... as a favor to you.
Clifford shakes his head.
CLIFFORD
I have to talk to him.
CHEATER
Whatsa matter? You don't trust me?
I'll have you know I used to be a
college professor. We can work
together.
Clifford stands to go. The bottle comes back to Cheater,
three-quarters down.
CLIFFORD
Sure. Keep the bottle. I'll be back.
CHEATER
"Long life to the grape! For when
summer is flown, The age of our nectar
Shall gladden our own." That's
Shelley, you know.
Clifford is gone. Cheater takes a long drink and almost
forgets that Clifford was ever there.
CUT TO:
INT. CLIFFORD'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Clifford is "suiting up" for his night's work. He is dressed
casually -- blue jeans, shirt open at the neck, sports jacket,
Adidas running shoes. He looks at himself in the mirror, is
satisfied. Then he picks up from the dresser two awl-like
instruments with short handles and long, glistening tapered
needlepoints -- his weapons. He slides them into a leather
sheath inside his jacket and turns to go.
CUT TO:
EXT. BAR - NIGHT
It is lit up inside. The bar is open for business. Across
the street in a dark space between two buildings, Duncan is
waiting, watching the front door of the bar to see who comes
out.
INT. BAR
The place is empty but for Hank who half watches the
television over the bar, and Tracy who sits alone in a corner.
Several moments pass as both of them sit and wait.
Then, the front door starts to swing open. Someone is coming
in. Tracy and Hank both glance nervously toward the door.
A MAN'S head peeks in. He is somewhere in his forties, a
regular customer.
CUSTOMER
Hey, Hank, what're you doing open
tonight?
HANK
(relaxing)
Trying to make a buck.
The customer walks up to the bar, sits down and talks quietly
with Hank.
Tracy looks nervously at her wristwatch. She stubs out her
cigarette, takes one last gulp of her drink and stands up to
go.
She walks to the bar, opens her purse and reaches inside.
HANK
Keep it, honey. My treat.
They exchange a meaningful look. Then she heads for the door.
CUSTOMER
(under his breath)
That how you make a buck?
EXT. BAR
Tracy looks up and down the street, hoping to see Clifford
somewhere, afraid of glimpsing Duncan instead. Then she starts
walking quickly homeward.
EXT. STREETS
Following Tracy to her apartment. We pick up Clifford now,
and we cut back and forth between the two of them -- her
walking quickly, never looking back, and him sneaking along
several hundred feet behind her, looking everywhere for
Duncan, whom we never see.
EXT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
She walks up the steps and enters.
INT. SIXTH FLOOR
Tracy steps off the elevator and goes to her door. She fumbles
through her purse for the key. Then she hears footsteps on
the stairs. She turns. It's Clifford.
CLIFFORD
(coming forward: half-
whispering)
No luck. You see him?
Tracy shakes her head.
CLIFFORD
He still could be out there, though.
TRACY
(softly)
Oh, God...
She is starting to come apart, and she suddenly leans on
Clifford for support.
CLIFFORD
Are you all right?
Tracy stands there for several seconds to regain control of
herself. Then she steps away and turns back to the door.
TRACY
I'm okay.
CLIFFORD
I'm going to hang around outside for
awhile. I'll be back on and off again
all night.
Tracy gets the door unlocked. She pushes it open.
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT - FRONT HALL
Tracy steps in. Clifford stays in the doorway. They are still
whispering.
CLIFFORD
Are you sure you're okay?
TRACY
I'm fine.
CLIFFORD
All right. Bolt your door. Don't let
anybody in, no matter what.
TRACY
Okay.
CLIFFORD
I'll be seeing you.
(starts to move off;
comes back)
Listen. Thanks.
TRACY
Sure.
Tracy closes the door and throws the bolt. Then she walks
into the apartment and out of frame. CAMERA STAYS in the
hallway. We can hear Tracy moving about O.S.
Then, as if on its own, the door to the hall closet slowly
swings open...
...until we can see Duncan standing inside the closet.
INT. KITCHEN
Tracy is putting some coffee on. Then she removes her coat
and walks out of the kitchen.
INT. FRONT HALL
Tracy goes up to the closet with her coat. The door is closed.
She opens it. She hangs up her coat and closes the door again.
Then she turns and starts walking out of the hallway to the
living room.
As she is rounding the corner into the living room, she walks
right into Duncan. She barely has time to gasp before he
clamps his hand over her mouth and pushes her against the
wall.
DUNCAN
(urgent whisper)
I just have to talk to you.
(pathetically)
I want you to be my friend.
As she isn't struggling, he starts to loosen up on her.
DUNCAN
Please...
He takes his hand away from her mouth, lets go of her, and
slowly, cautiously steps back. Tracy looks at him for a
breathless moment, her eyes wild with fear. Then she screams.
Duncan jumps back, stunned, frightened and confused. Tracy
doesn't move. She just keeps screaming hysterically.
EXT. STREET
Tracy's screams carry out into the night as Clifford races
across the street and into the apartment building.
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
Duncan runs to a window, throws it open and climbs out onto
the fire escape.
INTERCUT - APARTMENT STAIRS AND FIRE ESCAPE
As Clifford bounds up the stairs, flight after flight, and
Duncan tears down the fire escape.
INT. SIXTH FLOOR
The screaming has stopped when Clifford reaches Tracy's door.
He grabs the doorknob and heaves himself against the door.
It's bolted shut.
Clifford pulls one of the needles from his jacket and hammers
it into the lock. The bolt springs and Clifford runs into
the apartment.
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
As Clifford bursts in. Tracy gestures toward the window.
Clifford runs to it and sticks his head out.
POV - CLIFFORD
Duncan is gone.
BACK TO SCENE
Clifford runs to a window on another wall and looks out onto
the street.
POV - CLIFFORD
No sign of the Englishman.
BACK TO SCENE
Clifford runs out of the apartment, yanking his needle from
the lock as he passes the door, and charges back down the
stairs.
Tracy moves to the door and closes it. She is breathing
heavily.
O.S. we hear the angry sizzle of coffee spilling onto the
hot stove, as Tracy goes to get it.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING
Clifford comes out, looks around and moves rapidly up the
street.
EXT. A STREET
Duncan is hurrying along, dodging in and out of people, trying
to move quickly but not draw attention to himself...
EXT. ANOTHER STREET
Clifford is travelling along the sidewalk, crossing the
street, looking everywhere...
EXT. ALLEYWAY
Duncan is running up the alley. He comes to a stop beside
some piled up trash cans. He leans against the brick wall of
the building, huffing and puffing. He is frightened, but he
feels safe for now. He slowly slides down the wall to the
ground...
FLASH BACK TO:
INT. MENTAL HOSPITAL - DAY
Duncan is curled up in the corner of a bare cell with padded
walls. He is in a strait-jacket. His head is shaved. We can't
tell what he is thinking, except that he's obviously deeply
frightened and cannot understand what's happening to him.
CUT TO:
INT. A ROOM - NIGHT
This is the children's bedroom in Dr. Mandrakis' house of
six years ago. It is dark. Two small beds occupy one corner
of the room. We can see two small lumps on the beds, but no
more.
Duncan sits in the foreground with a telephone on his lap.
He is dialing a number. The phone rings three times before
it is answered -- or rather, picked up, because there is no
voice on the other end. After several seconds the phone is
hung up.
Duncan hangs up and thinks for a moment. He picks up the
phone and dials again. This time he gets a busy signal. He
hangs up, stands and goes to the door. He opens it slowly,
peers out. Jill's voice can be heard faintly talking to the
operator, asking for the police.
Duncan closes the door and comes back into the room, mumbling.
He goes to the window, looks out. Then he goes to the
children's beds.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
As he raises the covers and stares down into the CAMERA.
CUT TO:
EXT. DECK OF A SHIP - MORNING
A freighter, broad and low, arduously cuts through the water.
Early morning mist hangs over the deck which is empty but
for a lone FIGURE standing on the prow.
MIDDLE SHOT - LONE FIGURE
It is Curt Duncan. He is looking out over the front of the
ship. Another SEAMAN comes up behind him and claps him on
the shoulder.
SEAMAN
So this will be your first time?
(laughs)
An old salt like you?
Duncan moves away, wanting to be left alone.
SEAMAN
(still laughing;
slightly punchy)
You'll love it here. It's where they
make the bombs. It's where they make
the planes that carry the bombs; the
planes we saw over Singapore and
Manila.
He walks away laughing.
SEAMAN
There she is. That's America.
DUNCAN'S POV
The coast of Southern California emerges through the mist. A
foghorn blows somewhere in the distance.
CLOSE-UP - DUNCAN
As he peers ahead with inscrutable interest.
CUT TO:
INT. ANOTHER ROOM - NIGHT
Dark. A little BOY is lying in bed, apparently asleep. This
is Curt Duncan as a child.
Some voices approach in the hallway outside the bedroom.
They are gruff, with heavy English accents, but subdued; a
MAN and a WOMAN, well into middle-age.
The boy's eyes open as he listens:
MAN (O.S.)
What's the matter?
WOMAN (O.S.)
Save it for later. Let's go out and
get some food.
MAN (O.S.)
What about the lad? You can't leave
him.
WOMAN (O.S.)
Curt's asleep. He'll never know we're
gone.
From outside, a key enters the lock of the bedroom door and
turns. The bolt slips and the door is securely shut.
The boy sits up in bed, apprehensive. In TIGHT SHOTS of the
floor we see a rat come out from under the bed, then another.
They make "chit-chit" noises as they begin to explore. One
of them maybe goes up on its hind legs and nibbles on the
bedpost. Then we see two more rats appear.
We go for a TIGHT SHOT of the boy on top of the bed. The
"chit-chit" noises grow steadily louder as the boy's
apprehension turns to fear, then to terror. The boy starts
to whimper.
Suddenly, we cut back to a WIDE SHOT of the room. The floor
is crawling with rats, hundreds of them. The "chit-chit"
rises to practically a roar as the boy, alone on top of the
bed, begins to wail.
The room seems to darken, and the boy becomes just a little
white speck in it. The focus is turned. The picture becomes
a black and white blur.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT - THE PRESENT
At first all that can be seen is a white blur against a black
screen. The previous sound of a boy crying increases. Then
the blur grows larger, coming more into focus as the entire
screen image moves toward normal definition. Finally, we
know we are back in the alleyway, that it is night, and that
the white blur is actually a little BOY lost, sobbing
uncontrollably.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
Awakening to the scene, coming back to reality. He is
confused.
WIDER ANGLE ON DUNCAN AND BOY
The boy continues sobbing, moving about in little circles.
Duncan, amazed at what he sees, slowly crawls out from the
wall on his hands and knees, crawls toward the weeping child,
staring at it with a strange look on his face.
Suddenly the boy stops crying and looks at Duncan quizzically,
hesitantly. They are less than a foot apart, almost face to
face. Together they form a kind of frozen tableau. Something
close to sympathy crosses the killer's expression, and the
boy, likewise, achieves a faint sense of recognition.
Then, just as suddenly, the boy starts wailing again and he
runs off down the alleyway. Duncan watches him disappear.
Then he slowly pulls himself to his feet.
EXT. STREET
Clifford is coming up the sidewalk. As Clifford crosses the
entrance to an alleyway, the boy comes running out and almost
collides with him. Clifford grabs the boy and looks down at
him. Then he passes the wailing child off on a nearby
PEDESTRIAN and runs up into the alley.
EXT. ANOTHER STREET
Duncan is hurrying along the sidewalk. Something makes him
look up.
POV - DUNCAN
He is looking at a neon "Jesus Saves" sign above the doorway
to an inner city mission.
BACK ON DUNCAN
As he stares at the sign.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Hey, Crazy Curt!
Duncan turns to see Cheater elatedly hobbling up to him.
CHEATER
Hail fellow well met, and all that
jazz. It's our lucky day!
(taking Duncan by the
arm)
A friend of your's got money for
you. We got to get back to the park
and meet him.
Duncan pulls his arm free.
CHEATER
C'mon. He'll be comin' for you, Crazy
Curt. S'got some money.
(reaching for Duncan's
arm)
We'll get us a little joy juice.
Duncan pulls free again and heads toward the mission.
CHEATER
C'mon! Hey!! You really are crazy!
C'mon!
Duncan enters the mission and Cheater stands out on the
sidewalk for a moment, bitterly frustrated.
CHEATER
"Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks!
Rage! Blow, you cataracts and
hurricanoes, spout till you have
drench'd our steeples and drown'd
the cocks!"
Several PEDESTRIANS stop and gape at this sudden outburst.
EXT. ANOTHER STREET
Clifford comes out of a derelict hotel, looks up and down
the street and hurries off, not giving up the chase.
INT. MISSION - MOMENTS LATER
A MAN is leading Duncan to the bathroom. Duncan enters slowly
and goes to one of the wash basins where there is an old
razor blade and a can of shaving cream. Duncan picks up the
razor for a moment and looks at it. He is lost in thought.
Then he sets it down and turns on the tap water.
He glances at himself in the mirror and is suddenly transfixed
by his own image. He looks deeply into the mirror for several
seconds. Then he starts to cry, and having begun, a flood of
emotions comes pouring out of him. He drops to his knees.
The man comes running back into the bathroom. He holds Duncan
and helps pull him back to his feet.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Cheater is trudging along the sidewalk, hands in pockets,
head lowered. He looks up and sees something that brings him
back to life.
POV - CHEATER
Clifford is standing on the corner up ahead, looking around.
WIDE ANGLE ON STREET
Cheater calls out and starts to run toward Clifford.
Clifford turns, sees Cheater.
CUT TO:
INT. MISSION - NIGHT
The "sleeping dorm". It is a large empty room. Thirty or so
OUTCASTS are stretched out on the bare floor in the darkness.
Their combined snoring/wheezing creates a steady, ghastly
din.
The door at the far end of the hall opens. A figure steps in
and quietly closes the door behind him. He stands for a moment
taking in the scene, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.
Then he slowly creeps forward to the prone body of the nearest
sleeper.
CLOSEUP - FIGURE
It is Clifford. He moves stealthily from one body to the
next. In one hand he carries a small flashlight. He turns
the bodies over just long enough to shine the light in their
faces and identify who they are, or rather who they are not.
Then he moves on. In his other hand he holds a small, gleaming
Jimmy needle.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
He's sleeping, but his eyes suddenly open, sensing danger.
He turns over and sees the dark figure of Clifford slowly
advancing toward him.
WIDER ANGLE
Clifford keeps coming, closer and closer to where Duncan
lies. He is but six or seven bodies away when Duncan jumps
up suddenly and bolts for the door.
Clifford looks up, sees the fleeing figure and charges after
it.
INT. CORRIDORS
Racing through a maze of narrow hallways, Duncan can't stop
to think where he's going. Clifford is barreling after him
some forty yards behind.
Duncan rounds a corner and ten yards up ahead, the hallway
deadends in a set of double doors. Duncan has no choice but
to hurl himself against the doors. They yield and he goes
through them.
Four seconds later, Clifford comes to the same doors and
pushes through to the other side.
INT. CHURCH
As Clifford comes through the doors which are a side entrance
into the chancel of this large, gothic-style church. Behind
him now, is the altar. Before him stretches the nave of the
edifice with its rows of pews, its dimly glowing stained
glass windows, and way in the back, its choir loft. At regular
intervals, tiny shafts of light pierce the darkness from on
high.
There is no sign of Duncan, but Clifford knows he must be in
here, hiding somewhere. He slowly walks forward to the front
of the chancel.
CLIFFORD
Duncan. Duncan. It's over now. Come
on out.
Pause. Duncan doesn't come out. Clifford holds very still.
He hears nothing. He speaks again and his voice echoes through
the large empty church.
CLIFFORD
My name's John Clifford. I'm a private
detective. I've been hired by
Alexander Mandrakis to take you back.
I'm not going to hurt you.
CLOSEUP - DUNCAN
Hiding beneath a pew. He hears the name "Mandrakis" and it
registers like a thunderbolt. He silently mouths the name
"Mandrakis".
Then he hears Clifford's footsteps approaching.
ANGLE ON CLIFFORD
Slowly moving up the center aisle, looking from side to side
into the pews.
CLIFFORD
(gently; coaxing)
I'm not going to hurt you... I'm not
going to hurt you... There'll be no
more pain... You're safe now...
Clifford moves closer and closer to Duncan's row until
finally, Duncan can bear it no longer. He jumps up from
beneath the pew and runs.
DUNCAN
(hysterical)
No! Mandrakis! No!
Clifford chases him through the pews and up the aisles to
the front of the church. He is clutching a needle in both
hands, ready to strike.
Duncan flees through a narrow door off to the side of the
church.
INT. BELL TOWER
Duncan faces a spiraling stone staircase. He has no choice
but to climb them, higher and higher, the sound of Clifford's
angry footsteps always coming up behind him.
Finally, Duncan can climb no higher. He is at the top of the
bell tower. A lanceted opening in the stone wall ahead of
him looks out over the narrow shaft of the tower. Above him
are the huge iron bells. A rope hangs down from the bells,
dangling all the way down the shaft, forty or fifty feet to
the floor of the church.
Clifford is bounding up the last flight of steps to get him.
Duncan has little choice. He is trapped. Just before Clifford
reaches him, Duncan leaps out into the shaft and catches the
bell rope.
The bell starts to clang as Duncan, hanging in mid air, swings
back and forth within the narrow shaft. Clifford leans way
out through the lancet window and takes a swipe at Duncan,
but the madman is just beyond his reach and hurriedly climbing
down the rope.
Clifford reaches out and tries to grab at the rope. At last,
he gets it, and he shakes it violently to get Duncan to lose
his grip and be dashed against the stone floor below.
But Duncan holds firm, climbing ever downward. The bell
continues to clang, sending its alarm out into the night.
Then Clifford braces himself and slowly, laboriously begins
to haul up on the rope.
Clifford gains momentum until Duncan is being pulled up faster
than he is climbing down. Still twenty feet off the ground,
Duncan lets go of the rope and plummets to the hard stone
floor.
Then PEOPLE come rushing into the church, awakened by the
commotion of the bells. Duncan rolls into the shadows and
drags himself out a side door, while Clifford plans his own
escape from the bell tower.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEYWAY NEAR CHURCH - NIGHT
Clifford runs up the alleyway, looks around and finally
realizes he's lost his prey.
CUT TO:
EXT. ANOTHER ALLEYWAY
Duncan is hidden deep in the shadows of a nook between two
buildings, catching his breath. CAMERA MOVES IN on him, and
we see him looking the craziest he's ever been. He shakes
uncontrollably and begins to mumble, softly at first, then
getting louder. He's falling back into the grips of Guy du
Marraux.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. CITY - MORNING
A. All is still and quiet as soft, warm sunlight pours into
the dirty streets and alleyways. In the background, the bell
tower of the church rises above the skyline.
B. We see a SHOT of the park -- all the bums are asleep.
C. Then a SHOT of the mission -- its front door open, the
sidewalk empty.
D. Then the bar, where the same peaceful mood prevails.
E. Then the alleyway where we last saw Curt Duncan. Now he
is gone.
F. Then the exterior of Tracy's apartment building. Clifford's
car is parked out front.
TRACY (O.S.)
I used to see my two kids every
weekend. They lived in a nice house
with their father, outside the city.
CUT TO:
INT. TRACY'S APARTMENT
Tracy and Clifford are sitting at a small table in the
kitchen, looking haggard, drinking coffee.
TRACY
Now... it's been years. They're grown
up.
They look at each other. Clifford is a sympathetic listener.
TRACY
I look at where I am now. I know I
could've done better, but... it's
too late for that.
CLIFFORD
(quietly)
I know.
Pause.
TRACY
Well, you've got to keep looking, I
suppose.
Taking his cue, Clifford slowly rises.
CLIFFORD
I don't think he'll come back here.
Tracy looks up at him questioningly, wishing she could feel
as sure about it as he does.
CLIFFORD
(extending his hand)
Thanks... for all your help.
Tracy takes his hand. They shake warmly.
CLIFFORD
I know it wasn't easy.
(turning to go)
Maybe, someday, I'll be able to...
TRACY
I wish you wouldn't leave me
altogether...
Clifford turns back to her.
TRACY
(with a laugh)
I'm not a young woman anymore. I've
given up all my dreams of the future.
Now, I just want to make it to the
end. You know what I mean.
Clifford smiles at her gently. He knows exactly what she
means.
CLIFFORD
I'll be around.
TRACY
Sure.
Clifford takes a few steps, turns back, looks at her.
CLIFFORD
You like ice cream?
TRACY
Yes.
CLIFFORD
What flavor?
TRACY
Chocolate chip.
Clifford nods his head slightly, as if registering this in
his memory.
CLIFFORD
(quietly)
Okay.
They smile at each other for a second then Clifford leaves
and Tracy sits alone in her kitchen, listening to him go,
hearing the door close behind him.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - DAY
CLOSE UP on a section of a newspaper lying in the gutter. A
pair of feet enters the frame and stands beside the newspaper.
We hear a familiar cough. Then a trembling hand reaches down
and picks up the newspaper.
Pause. Something in the newspaper has caught his eye. Then
the feet shuffle out of frame.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON
A modest middle-income neighborhood where young married
couples buy their first home and start their family.
CAMERA is facing down the quiet street. In the foreground,
on the street, two small CHILDREN, a little boy and a little
girl, are playing. They are adorable kids.
CAMERA PANS ninety degrees with the children as they run out
of the street and up the sidewalk to their house.
A TITLE APPEARS across the bottom of the screen:
5 pm Friday, April 28, 1978
TITLE FADES as the children push open the front door and
enter the house.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - FOLLOWING CHILDREN
They noisily and excitedly make their way to the kitchen.
The children are four and two and a half years old, STEVIE
and JUNE respectively.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN
As the kids enter, their MOTHER is working at the stove, her
back to CAMERA.
JUNE & STEVIE
(together)
Hi, Mommy!
The mother turns around. It is Jill Johnson!
JILL
(smiling)
Well, look what the wind blew in!
CAMERA MOVES IN on her as she comes forward, bends down,
kisses Stevie, and picks up June. Jill looks older, more
mature, but still very pretty. She is Mrs. John Lockhart
now, and has left her memories of the past behind her.
STEVIE
Mommy, what's for dinner? Could we
have hamburgers?
JILL
(teasing)
Is that all you ever want?
A wall phone in the kitchen starts to ring. Stevie goes to
answer it.
STEVIE
Hello?
JOHN (O.S.)
(surprised)
Hey, how's my little tiger?
It is JOHN LOCKHART on the phone.
STEVIE
Daddy, Junie threw my baseball down
the street; and I can't find it!
JOHN (O.S.)
Well, we'll look for it real hard
later. Let me talk to mommy.
Jill, by this time, has come to the phone. She is still
holding June.
STEVIE
Okay. Bye, daddy.
Stevie hands the phone to Jill.
JILL
Hi.
JOHN
Hi, babe -- whaddya say you put on a
sexy dress, and I take you out to
dinner tonight?
Jill is very happy about this.
JILL
Great... what's the occasion?
JOHN
(teasing)
Just a little surprise.
JILL
What?
JOHN
I'm leaving here now; be home in
half an hour.
JILL
Okay, see ya.
JOHN
Bye, babe.
As Jill hangs up the phone, Stevie pipes up O.S.
STEVIE (O.S.)
Mommy, is Daddy gonna get me a new
baseball?
CUT TO:
EXT. DR. MANDRAKIS' HOUSE - NIGHT
Clifford's car is parked in the driveway, and we see him
getting out. He goes to the front door -- the porch light is
on and perhaps one other lamp somewhere inside the otherwise
dark house. He rings the bell, waits, rings again...
Finally the door is opened by the Houseboy.
HOUSEBOY
Dr. and Mrs. Mandrakis are out of
town.
CLIFFORD
For how long?
HOUSEBOY
Three more weeks.
Pause.
CLIFFORD
It's just as well. Will you be here?
HOUSEBOY
Yes.
Clifford takes a business card from his pocket and gives it
to the Houseboy.
CLIFFORD
Here. Call if you need me.
The Houseboy reads the card as Clifford walks back to his
car. Then the Houseboy closes the front door.
Clifford pauses beside his car for a moment, looking back at
the rich, dark home.
CUT TO:
INT. JILL'S HOUSE - CHILDREN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The children are in bed. Jill is sitting next to Stevie.
Only a nightlight is on.
STEVIE
...I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake, I pray the
Lord my soul to take. God bless Mommy
and Daddy and...
JUNE
And me.
STEVIE
...and Granmom and Aunt Lucy and
Uncle George...
JUNE
And me!
STEVIE
(pausing)
...and her. Now will you tell us a
story?
JILL
No, I will not tell you a story. You
go to sleep now. And be good. Carol
will be here while we're gone.
STEVIE
Goodnight.
Jill kisses him.
JUNE
Mommy, will you come here a minute?
I want to tell you something.
Jill stands up and goes over to June's bed.
JILL
What is it?
JUNE
Come closer.
Jill bends closer to her daughter. O.S. the doorbell rings.
JUNE
I love you.
JILL
I love you, too, Junebug.
(kissing her)
Goodnight. Sleep tight.
Jill stands up and leaves.
INT. FRONT HALL
As Jill comes down the stairs. CAROL, the sitter, is at the
foot of the stairs with John. Carol has an armful of
schoolbooks.
JILL
Hi, Carol.
CAROL
Hello, Mrs. Lockhart. I saw your
picture in the paper the other day.
Congratulations.
JILL
Ugggh... wasn't it a dreadful picture?
JOHN
I thought it was nice.
Jill crosses to a hall table, picks up a phone book, flips
through it, then writes on a notepad beside the phone. Over
this action...
JOHN
Are the kids asleep?
JILL
They will be soon.
(to Carol)
Give them about twenty minutes and
then take a peek -- but if Stevie
sees you, you'll have to tell him a
story.
(beat)
Here's the number of the restaurant.
Call us if you need us. For police,
ambulance, any emergency like that,
just dial 911. You know that, right?
CAROL
Nine-one-one? Oh, sure.
JILL
And just in case, I've written the
number of the children's Uncle George
and Aunt Lucy here, too.
JOHN
Honey, in ten seconds I eat the
staircase.
JILL
Okay. Okay.
She puts down the pad and crosses to a closet where she takes
out a lightweight coat.
JILL
(handing the coat to
John)
Here.
JOHN
(not taking the coat)
I'm not wearing that thing!
Jill shoves the coat into his stomach. Smiling, he takes the
coat and dutifully helps her on with it.
CAROL
Have a good time.
JILL
Thanks, Carol.
JOHN
(pulling her out the
door)
Bye, Carol.
CAROL
Goodbye.
JILL
Goodbye.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
John and Jill walk to the station wagon in the driveway as
Carol shuts the front door in the background. Just before
Jill gets into the car, she takes a look back at the house --
there is a moment's hesitance, and then she gets in the car.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Carol picks up the phone and carries it into the living room
with her. As she does it, we see lying on the phone table,
the newspaper clipping with Jill's picture, and headline:
"Jill Lockhart Chairs Community UNICEF Drive."
She puts the phone down, then her books, then herself. She
dials a number. Her BOYFRIEND answers.
BOYFRIEND (O.S.)
Hello?
CAROL
Hi. It's me.
BOYFRIEND (O.S.)
Oh, hi.
CAROL
Can you come over?
BOYFRIEND (O.S.)
I can't. I really have a lot of work
to do.
CAROL
(disappointed)
Ohhh...
CUT TO:
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
An Italian Restaurant. Quiet music, soft lights, red and
white checkered tablecloths, candles, a smokey and seductive
atmosphere.
DOLLY with a LATIN WAITER carrying a huge tray of food over-
head. He passes right by the table where Jill and John are
sitting. John watches him take the food to someone else.
JOHN
(reaching for a
breadstick)
I've eaten enough breadsticks to
turn into a pretzel.
JILL
John, tell me about the surprise.
JOHN
Oh, yeah. Brace yourself.
JILL
I'm braced.
JOHN
Good. I got the sack today.
JILL
What sack?
JOHN
The can... I was fired!
JILL
Oh, sure.
JOHN
You don't believe me?
JILL
No, I don't believe you.
JOHN
Well, Wally did call me into his
office today. And he did tell me I
didn't have my old job anymore.
JILL
(getting excited)
John, what did you get?
JOHN
Are you ready for this?
JILL
(guessing)
District Sales Manager!
JOHN
Regional!
JILL
Regional?!
JOHN
Nah, District.
JILL
(beside herself)
John, I don't believe it! District
Sales Manager!
The WAITER arrives with their food.
JILL
Well, it's about time!
The waiter looks up, offended.
JILL
(to waiter)
Not you.
(back to John)
It's about time they recognized you
for what you are.
WAITER
Enjoy your dinner, folks.
They ignore him. He moves away. John digs right in.
JOHN
(mouth full)
I'll be the youngest District Manager
in the company's history. God, am I
hungry!
JILL
(not eating yet)
Does this mean a raise?
JOHN
It sure does.
John flags down a passing WAITER and signals that their wine
glasses need filling.
JILL
How much?
JOHN
A lot.
JILL
How much?
John leans forward and whispers in her ear.
JILL
You're kidding! And a car?
JOHN
And a car.
JILL
John, I'm so proud of you.
John pauses, looks at her.
JOHN
What's the matter? You don't like
your food?
The MAITRE D' has come up to the table. John stops suddenly.
They are both very chagrined.
MAITRE D'
Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart?
JILL
That's right.
MAITRE D'
There's a telephone call for you.
John starts to get up. Jill grabs his arm.
JILL
Eat your dinner. It's probably Carol.
I'll talk to her.
Jill stands up and follows the Maitre D' through the other
tables to the telephone. She picks up the receiver. CAMERA
MOVES in on her.
JILL
Hello?
Pause.
DUNCAN (O.S.)
Have you checked the children?
Jill screams and falls to the floor.
ANGLE ON JOHN
Around him, other DINERS fall instantly silent and wonder
what is going on. WAITERS stop dead in their tracks.
John leaps up from his seat and dashes through the tables
like a madman. Suddenly the restaurant comes alive with
excitement and alarm.
ANGLE ON JILL
As John runs up and drops to his knees beside her. She is
shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.
JOHN
Jill, what's happening? What's wrong?
JILL
It was him! Somebody call the police!
Help me!
Other PEOPLE have crowded around and are making urgent noises
now about calling the police, an ambulance, etc. John tries
to cut through the confusion and anxiety.
JOHN
Wait a minute! Just hold on!
Sweetheart, what was him? What are
you talking about?
JILL
That man... Curt Duncan... He's home
again! He's got our children!
JOHN
He was on the phone?
Jill nods.
John grabs the telephone and quickly dials a number. The
crowd tries to quiet down, as much to hear for themselves as
to let John talk. The phone rings and rings. Finally...
CAROL
Hello?
JOHN
Hello, Carol, it's Mr. Lockhart.
What's going on over there?
CAROL
Nothing's going on.
JOHN
Is everything all right?
CAROL
Yes, there's nothing --
JOHN
Are you sure?
Pause.
CAROL
Everything's fine. Why? What's --?
JOHN
Carol, listen to me very carefully.
If there's a man in the house, if
there's any reason why you can't
talk to me right now, just answer
yes to me over the phone. That's
all. If there's any danger of any
kind, just say yes.
Long pause. They wait for her answer. Jill is listening into
the receiver now, too.
CAROL
I don't understand what's happening.
What man in the house?
Jill is confused. John breathes a guarded sigh of relief.
Jill takes the phone.
JILL
Carol, it's Mrs. Lockhart. Answer me
truthfully. When was the last time
you looked in on the children?
CAROL
About forty-five minutes ago.
Everything's fine. They were fast
asleep.
Jill gives her husband a look. John takes the phone again.
JOHN
Carol, I'm sorry about all the
hysterics. We're leaving the
restaurant now. We'll explain
everything when we get home. Before
we hang up, could you do just one
more thing for me, please?
CAROL
What?
JOHN
Would you go upstairs and, and check
on the children for me?
Jill is violently shaking her head. John silences her with a
gesture.
CAROL
Sure. Hold on.
Carol O.S. puts the phone down. Then there is silence on the
other end. The crowd of people around Jill and John begin to
shuffle and murmur. John tries to keep them quiet while
listening into the phone.
Then TWO POLICEMEN come forward through the crowd. One of
them kneels down to John and Jill who are still on the floor.
POLICEMAN #1
What seems to be the problem here,
sir?
JOHN
(whispering)
Officer, I'm John Lockhart. Just a
second please, and I'll explain
everything.
JILL
(whispering to
Policeman)
I'm Jill Johnson, the babysitter
seven years ago with the child killer.
This means nothing to Policeman #1.
JOHN
The babysitter. The guy got into the
house and killed the two children
upstairs.
Policeman #2 kneels down now.
POLICEMAN #2
(whispering)
Oh, yeah, I remember something about
that. A Greek doctor...
JOHN
That's right. That's the one.
POLICEMAN #2
(to Policeman #1)
It was in the seventh precinct...
As the two policemen and John mumble between themselves,
Jill takes the telephone.
JILL
(listening)
Hello?
She presses the receiver tighter to her ear.
JILL
Carol?
John quiets down the policeman. Jill can now hear what she
couldn't a second ago.
JILL
(growing hysterical)
Carol? Carol?!
ZOOM into the telephone until we can also hear what Jill is
reacting to. It grows louder and louder... A dial tone.
CUT TO:
EXT. LOCKHART HOUSE - NIGHT
John and Jill pull up in the station wagon followed by a
squad car -- no sirens or lights. They all get out and rush
for the front door.
John pulls out his key to open the door... and discovers
that it's unlocked. Cautiously, they step inside.
INT. FRONT HALL
They look into the living room. Carol isn't there.
JOHN
Carol? Carol?
No answer. The policemen tentatively draw their guns. Jill
bolts up the stairway.
JOHN
Jill!
Policeman #2 runs up after her.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALL
As Jill runs down to the children's bedroom followed by
Policeman #2. She opens the door and rushes inside.
INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
The children are in bed, asleep. Policeman #2 stands in the
doorway as Jill goes up to June and bends over her.
JUNE
(opening her eyes)
Mommy?
Jill kisses her gently on the forehead.
JILL
Sshhh...
June closes her eyes and immediately falls back to sleep.
Jill walks over to Stevie's bed and looks down at him. He
turns slightly in his sleep.
Satisfied that her children are safe, Jill pulls up the covers
on Stevie and then walks slowly out of the bedroom.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALL
Jill quietly pulls the door shut, and Policeman #2 walks
back up the hallway. Jill leans against the wall and buries
her face in her hands. She is drained. She starts to cry.
JOHN (O.S.)
Nothing was wrong?
CAROL (O.S.)
When I got back to the phone, the
line was dead. I figured we got cut
off somehow. What's been going on?
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
Jill is sitting on a corner of the bed, looking at the floor.
John sits on the other corner, facing away from her, slowly
unbuttoning his shirt. After a long silence...
JILL
What are you thinking about?
JOHN
If I ever get my hands on the guy
that made that call...
JILL
John, it wasn't a prank. I know that
voice.
JOHN
He disguised it though, didn't he?
Same as before?
JILL
I know that voice.
Pause.
JILL
How can we just sit here?
John turns and moves over beside her.
JOHN
Look, we promised never to talk about
this.
REACTION SHOT of Jill. She is shocked.
JOHN
What are we supposed to do? Leave
town? Take the kids and lock ourselves
up somewhere? Come on... Let's get a
good night's sleep, and in the morning
we can rethink this whole thing.
JILL
Nothing has to be rethought. And I'm
not about to fall asleep.
JOHN
Try to relax, honey. I'm here. We're
both here. The house is locked up.
The cops'll be just outside all night
long. We're safe now.
JILL
That's what they told me before.
John stands up and goes to his dresser.
JOHN
Okay. Look. If it'll make you feel
any better...
He takes a revolver from the dresser drawer and emphatically
checks the action. Then he walks to his side of the bed and
sets the pistol on his bedside table.
JOHN
I'll keep it right here beside me
all night. You know I'm a light
sleeper and a damn good shot. Are
you satisfied?
Pause. Jill tries to smile.
JILL
John, I'm sorry to be putting you
through all this.
JOHN
Hey, you're not putting me through
anything that you don't have to go
through yourself. I'm with you all
the way. Trust me. Okay?
Jill nods. John leans forward and kisses her.
JOHN
That's my girl.
He gets up and walks out of the room talking.
JOHN (O.S.)
Now try to relax. We'll get some
sleep. You'll be surprised how
differently things will look in the
morning.
JILL
(complaining)
Honey...
JOHN (O.S.)
What?
JILL
Not so loud. You're going to wake
the children.
John comes back into the bedroom with a glass of water and a
couple of pills in his hand.
JOHN
(smiling)
Naw. Those kids'd sleep through an
earthquake. They're good kids.
(handing her the pills
and water)
Here, take a couple of these. They're
just what the doctor ordered.
CLOSEUP - JILL
As she takes the pills and swallows them, one at a time.
JOHN (O.S.)
You know, I read somewhere about
this psychological thing called
hysterical delusion or hysterical
recall or something. It had to do
with how an event from your past can
sneak up on you sometimes and fool
you when it's only just a memory. I
don't know. We'll talk about it in
the morning. Maybe there's someone
we can see about that...
CUT TO:
INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT
The lounge area in the back of the station. At one table,
three OFFICERS are playing bridge. Garber with his back to
CAMERA rounds out their game.
At a nearby table closer to CAMERA, Policeman #1 is working
on a crossword puzzle. POLICEMAN #3, sitting next to him, is
reading a paperback novel.
POLICEMAN #1
What's a word for "an outsider, of
sorts"?
POLICEMAN #3
Trespasser.
POLICEMAN #1
Uh-uh. Eight letters.
POLICEMAN #3
Stranger.
POLICEMAN #1
Uh-uh. Starts with an "I".
Policeman #3 thinks briefly, then goes back to his novel.
Policeman #2 enters the room carrying a printout of some
sort.
POLICEMAN #2
Hey, Bert. A report just came in on
that guy, Curt Duncan.
ANGLE ON GARBER
At the bridge table, perking up his ears, looking around.
POLICEMAN #2 (O.S.)
Broke outta the nuthouse two months
ago.
Garber is keeping only half an eye on the card game. He pulls
a card from his hand and throws it down.
POLICEMAN #1 (O.S.)
Oh, yeah? You going to put that in
our report?
OFFICER #1 (O.S.)
Diamonds, Charlie. Diamonds was led.
Garber hastily picks up his card and throws down another.
POLICEMAN #2 (O.S.)
Course I'm going to put it in the
report. Maybe this gal tonight really
did get a call from him. Who knows?
OFFICER #1 (O.S.)
Your lead, Charlie.
Garber throws down another card.
OFFICER #1 (O.S.)
What the hell are you doing? That's
a trump.
OFFICER #2 (O.S.)
A card laid is a card played.
POLICEMAN #1 (O.S.)
Yeah, you're right. We'd better leave
that on Ruznik's desk in the morning.
OFFICER #2 (O.S.)
Toss 'em in. I got the rest.
OFFICER #1 (O.S.)
Jesus Kay-Reist!
Garber throws down his cards. He stands up and approaches
Policeman #2.
GARBER
Hey, Tucker, lemme see that a minute.
Policeman #2 hands the sheet of paper to Garber. Garber
quickly scans the information.
GARBER
You guys have a stake on the house?
POLICEMAN #2
Bernstein and Waller are checkin' it
every twenty minutes or so.
GARBER
(handing back the
sheet)
Thanks.
Garber exits to his office. Policeman #2 walks over to where
Policeman #1 is still sitting, working the crossword.
POLICEMAN #1
Hey, what's an eight letter word for
"an outsider, of sorts"? Starts with
an "I".
POLICEMAN #2
Intruder!
POLICEMAN #1
Right! Intruder!
CUT TO:
INT. GARBER'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Garber sits thinking for a moment. He is trying to come to a
decision. He reaches for the phone and dials. It rings and
then is picked up.
CLIFFORD (O.S.)
Hello?
GARBER
Cliff?... I think I got something
for you...
CUT TO:
INT. LOCKHART HOUSE - NIGHT
A shot of the downstairs hall. All is dark and still, very
still.
INT. BEDROOM
Jill is tossing in her sleep. John is fast asleep next to
her, on his side facing away from her. Then, Jill wakes up.
She is heavily sedated, groggy. She hardly knows where she
is at first.
She pulls herself up to a sitting position on the side of
the bed. She tries to gather her wits. Then she gets up and
walks slowly out of the room.
FOLLOWING JILL
Through the upstairs hallway, down the staircase and toward
the kitchen. The darkness around her is ominous, threatening.
She stops at the dining room window and looks out. On the
street a patrol car slowly passes and disappears down the
block.
INT. KITCHEN
Jill enters, turns on the light, opens a cupboard and takes
out a glass. She goes to the refrigerator and opens it.
Suddenly, the lights go out.
Jill closes the refrigerator door and goes and turns on
another light. Apparently, only a lightbulb has blown. Jill
unscrews the burned-out bulb from its socket and throws it
in the trash.
She leaves the kitchen.
INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALL
Jill walks to a hall closet and opens it. A light comes on
inside as she does so. A puzzled, half-startled expression
comes onto her face.
JILL'S POV
Inside the closet, half the hangers with coats, etc., are on
the floor.
Sound over: A telephone being dialed.
CUT TO:
INT. CLIFFORD'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Clifford has just finished dialing the phone. He waits,
nothing happens. Then a strange, siren-like noise comes out
of the telephone. Clifford listens, then hangs up.
He picks up the .38 he has lying on the desk and idly starts
flipping the cartridge chamber with one of his jimmy needles.
After a moment, he lays the gun down and picks up the phone
again, this time calling the OPERATOR.
OPERATOR (O.S.)
Operator.
CLIFFORD
Can you dial a local number for me?
OPERATOR (O.S.)
What is the number, please?
CLIFFORD
555-2183.
The operator dials. There is a pause. Then the same strange
noise cuts in.
CLIFFORD
Operator, what does that mean?
OPERATOR (O.S.)
I'm sorry, sir, that line seems to
be disconnected.
CLIFFORD
Why don't I get a recording?
OPERATOR (O.S.)
I don't know, sir. Maybe the number
was just recently disconnected. Maybe
there's a temporary malfunction in
the wiring. Why don't you try it
again in the morning?
CLIFFORD
Yeah, okay. Thanks.
CUT TO:
INT. LOCKHART HOME - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT
Jill is walking down the hall to the children's bedroom. She
opens the door.
INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM
As Jill quietly enters. The children are asleep. Jill goes
to June and tucks her in. Then she walks over to Stevie's
bed. He is sleeping, but with a Sugar Daddy in his hand.
Jill looks down at him, again puzzled. She leans over, takes
the Sugar Daddy and gently wakes him.
JILL
Stevie... Stevie...
STEVIE
(stirring, but not
fully awake)
Yes?
JILL
Stevie, listen to me. Where did you
get this candy?
STEVIE
What?
JILL
Where did you get this?
STEVIE
(very groggy)
The man gave it to me...
JILL
What man?
STEVIE
(drifting off)
I don't know... He was... Wings on a
horse...
He closes his eyes and is asleep.
Jill stands up, turns and starts to walk out of the room.
Halfway across the floor, Jill stops. She stands rigid as a
thought penetrates her own drowsiness. She turns very slowly
and moves to the closet in the children's bedroom.
She stands before it a moment. Then she reaches her hand
forward for the knob on the closet door. She very slowly
pulls the door open. She looks inside. There is nothing.
Jill quietly closes the closet door and leaves the room.
INT. BEDROOM
Jill enters. John is still asleep facing the wall. Jill gets
into bed, sitting up. She is wide awake now. She sits for a
moment in the darkness, thinking.
Then she reaches for the princess phone on the bedside table.
She doesn't get a dial tone. She quietly pushes the phone's
disconnect button up and down several times. Still no dial
tone.
Jill hangs up and thinks for another moment, apprehension
creeping over her face.
Then, in the darkness of the bedroom, she begins to hear the
muttering of a man's voice, low and deep. It is Duncan in
the throes of Guy du Marraux.
Jill freezes. As the voice gets steadily louder and more
menacing, her attention focuses on the door to the bedroom
closet which is a couple of inches ajar.
JILL
(urgently whispering)
John?... John?...
She reaches for the bedside lamp and turns it on, never taking
her eyes away from the closet door. As soon as the light
comes on, the voice stops.
Her eyes still riveted to the door, Jill grabs her husband's
shoulder and shakes him, her voice cracking with fear.
JILL
John!... John!...
The body beside her stirs, rolls over, looks at her hideously.
It is Duncan!!
Jill shrieks, and makes a move to leap out of the bed.
Duncan, the hideous and terrifying sound of his madness
grumbling out of his throat, manages to grab the back of her
nightgown.
As Jill struggles to get off the bed, the gown rips slightly
while she fights to get away.
Duncan rolls to her side of the bed and manages to grab Jill's
ankle while letting go of the gown. It causes Jill to lose
her balance and tumble onto the floor just short of the
doorway leading out of the room.
Duncan is on her in a flash, clutching at her and moving his
hands for her throat. Jill screams again. It is the desperate
sound of a woman facing certain death.
Suddenly, two quick shots ring out, overwhelming all other
sound. Duncan falls back with a groan and a thud.
Out of the darkness of the hallway steps Clifford, pistol in
hand. He crosses to Duncan. He is dead. Then Clifford walks
around the room to the far side of the bed and looks down.
On the narrow strip of floor between the bed and the wall
lies John. Clifford nudges the body with his foot. John stirs,
as if he has been knocked unconscious, but it will be some
time yet before he comes to.
Clifford starts to walk out of the room, stepping over
Duncan's body, edging past Jill who is propped up in the
doorway, sobbing hysterically.
CLIFFORD
Your husband's okay.
Then he is gone.
As Jill sits there unable to rein in her emotions, June and
Stevie toddle up to her groggily from the hallway.
JUNE
Mommy?
Jill clutches her children to her heaving breast and buries
her face between them.
INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALL
Looking through the open front doorway into the quiet night
beyond.
FADE OUT:
THE END
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