Scripts: Psycho (revised draft, 01/Dec/1959) - part 7
QUICK CUT TO:
INT. NORMAN'S PARLOR BEHIND OFFICE - (NIGHT)
Norman sits in the dim, one-lamp light, the phone next to
him, his hand still near it as if he had not been able to
move his hand after hanging up. He is staring at the shrike-
like bird which is perched on the lamp shade. Decision and
resolution are beginning to show in his face. Suddenly he
rises, starts quickly out of the room, tries to switch off
the lamp as he goes and in so doing succeeds only in knocking
the bird off the shade.
He watches it fall, does not try to catch it. It hits the
floor with a thud and sawdust spills out. He stares sadly at
it, for a moment, then tends down, scoops up the sawdust,
tries to press it into the split seam, picks up the bird,
puts it in a drawer. Then he puts out the lamp, goes out,
crosses the darkened office and goes outside.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOTEL AND HOUSE - (NIGHT)
Norman comes off the porch, walks to the path and directly
up to the house, opens the door and goes in.
CUT TO:
INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY AND STAIRWAY - (NIGHT)
SHOOTING UP THE STAIRS
Norman goes up, pauses one moment outside his mother's door,
then opens it and goes in, leaving the door open.
For a moment we hear only Norman's low, quiet voice, his
words indistinguishable. Then we hear the cold shot of his
mother's derisive laughter.
MOTHER'S VOICE
I am sorry, boy, but you do manage
to look ludicrous when you give me
orders!
NORMAN'S VOICE
Please, mother...
MOTHER'S VOICE
(Sharp, laughter all
gone)
No! I will not hide in the fruit
cellar!
(A shrill laugh)
Think I'm fruity, huh?
(Hard, cold again)
I'm staying right here! This is my
room and no one will drag me out of
it... least of all my big bold son!
NORMAN'S VOICE
(Rising now, anxiously)
They'll come now, Mother. He came
after the girl and now someone will
come after him! How long do you think
you can go on... Mother, please,
just for a few days, just so they
won't find you!
MOTHER'S VOICE
(Mimicking)
Just for a few days...
(Furious)
In that dank fruit cellar? No! You
hid me there once, boy, and you won't
do it again! Not ever again! Now
get out!
(A pause, quiet)
I told you to get out, boy!
(A longer pause)
Norman! What do you think you're
going to do? Don't you touch me!
Don't! Norman!
(A pause, then
cajolingly)
All right, son, put me down and I'll
go. I'll go on my own two feet. I
can go on my own two feet, can't I?
During all this the CAMERA has been slowly creeping up the
stairs. It does not stop at the top however, but continues
on the same high angle that we had in Scene 57.
She starts to laugh, a terrible sound like an obscene melody.
NORMAN'S VOICE
I'll carry you, mother.
Norman comes out of the room, his mother held in his arms,
her head leaning against his shoulder. He carries her down
the stairs, along the lower landing to the cellar stairs,
and then down those stairs to the basement.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. FAIRVALE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - (MORNING)
An overcast morning, but a sunny-faced crowd. The service is
just over, there is contentment, and peace, and just a little
I-went-to-church-smugness in the faces of the churchgoers as
they come out of the chapel, and spread their separate ways
away.
Amongst the crowd, waiting and searching the faces, are Sam
and Lila. In their expressions there is no peace, no
contentment. CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSE. They are not speaking.
Lila looks as if she has had no sleep.
Suddenly, Sam becomes alert, takes Lila's arm, starts toward
the church.
CAMERA MOVES WITH THEM, stops as they approach Sheriff and
Mrs. Chambers. The Sheriff stares rather sympathetically at
Lila. Mrs. Chambers smiles nicely.
SAM
We thought, if you didn't mind, we'd
go out to the motel with you.
MRS. CHAMBERS
He's already been.
SHERIFF
Went out before service.
MRS. CHAMBERS
Have you two had breakfast?
SAM
(To Sheriff, not a
question)
You didn't find anything.
SHERIFF
Nothing. Here, let's clear the path.
He moves away and the others follow. CAMERA PANS them to the
curb.
LILA
(Interrupting)
Did he say anything about my sister?
SHERIFF
Just what he told your detective.
She used a fake name, saw the register myself. Saw the whole
place, as a matter of fact. That boy is alone there.
SAM
No mother.
SHERIFF
You must've seen an illusion, Sam.
Now, I know you're not the seeing-
illusion type... But no woman was
illusion there and I don't believe
in ghosts, so there it is!
LILA
I still feel...
SHERIFF
Can see you do. Sorry I couldn't
make you feel better. You want to
come to my office this afternoon and
report a missing person... And the
theft, is what you want to do! Sooner
you drop this thing in the lap of
the law, that's the sooner you'll
stand a chance of your sister bein'
picked up. How about that?
LILA
I don't know.
MRS. CHAMBERS
It's Sunday. Come over and do the
reporting at the house, 'round dinner
time. Make it nicer. You too, Sam.
She smiles brightly, as if having invited them over to discuss
this year's charity fandango, takes the
Sheriff's arm, starts away. The Sheriff nods as he goes.
Sam and Lila are alone now, at the curb, before the deserted
chapel. For a long moment they just stand there, their faces
as gray and overcast as the sky.
SAM
Maybe I am the seeing-illusions type.
LILA
You're not.
Sam takes her arm, starts walking her up the street toward
the spot where his pick-up truck is parked.
CAMERA FOLLOWS them.
SAM
Want me to drop you at the hotel?
Or you want to come over to the store?
Lila does not answer. They reach the truck. Lila looks
directly at Sam as he helps her into the cab.
LILA
I won't feel satisfied unless I got
out there, Sam.
SAM
Neither will I.
He slams the door, hurries around truck, gets into driver's
seat, starts motor. As the truck drives off,
DISSOLVE TO:
SAM AND LILA IN TRUCK - (PROCESS - HIGHWAY)
For a moment, both are silent; Sam watching the road as if
there were other cars on it, Lila staring at nothing in
particular, except perhaps her own inner fear.
LILA
I wonder if we'll ever see Mary again.
SAM
Of course we will.
LILA
Alive.
Sam looks as if he'd like to say something humorous, something
to cheer her. He cannot. He remains silent.
LILA
We lived together all our lives.
When we woke up one morning and found ourselves orphans,
Mary quit college and got a job, so I could go to college.
SAM
Where'd you go to college?
LILA
I didn't. I got a job, too.
(A pause)
I wonder if that hurt her, my not
letting her sacrifice for me? Some
people are so willing to suffer for
you that they suffer more if you
don't let them.
SAM
(Almost to himself)
She was willing to lick the stamps.
Lila looks quizzically at him, is too concerned to pursue
it.
LILA
I wonder so many things about her
now. Why she never told me about
you... Funny, when you think there's
an answer to everything, you think
you know all the answers.
SAM
We were going to get married. Are
going to get married!
LILA
Do you know how I found out about
you? I found one of your letters...
it was a nice letter, Sam.
SAM
This is the old highway.
LILA
I suppose... when you were able to
marry her she'd have presented you,
all shiny and proper... she always
tried to be proper.
SAM
Watch your tenses.
LILA
Huh?
SAM
She always tries to be proper.
Sam slows the truck to a stop, sighs, starts to light up a
cigarette. Lila looks questioningly and impatiently at him.
LILA
You going to wait here for me?
SAM
I'm going with you. But we'd better
decide what we're going to say and
do when we walk in...
LILA
We're going to register. As man and
wife. And get shown to a cabin...
and then search every inch of that
place, inside and... outside.
SAM
You won't believe it...
(Starts motor)
But this will be the first time
I've ever pulled one of those man-
and-wife-renting-cabin capers!
LILA
(A tiny smile, first
in hours)
I believe it.
As truck starts to drive on,
CUT TO:
EXT. THE BATES MOTEL AND HOUSE - (DAY)
The place is empty and silent and washed dirty by the deep
gray of the cloudy sky. We see Sam's truck turning into the
driveway and pulling to a stop. After a moment, Sam and Lila
get out of the truck.
FRESH ANGLE
Close on Sam and Lila as they meet on the porch side of the
truck. The motel office and the house beyond can be seen in
b.g. of shot. Sam and Lila merely stare for a moment, then
turn and gaze up at the house. There is no figure in the
window and the shade is drawn. Same goes to the office door,
peers in, knocks, opens door, enters. Lila remains on the
driveway, beside the truck.
CUT TO:
INT. THE MOTHER'S ROOM - (DAY)
CLOSE ANGLE on Norman standing by the window. He has pulled
the curtains very slightly apart, is staring out and down at
the motel, his eyes studying the lone figure of Lila, who is
standing by the truck and looking up at the house. Norman
studies her, and as her eyes look up at this very window he
closes the curtains, turns away.
We see the suspicion and fear in his face, the surge of panic
and his struggle to contain it. Then he goes away. CAMERA
remains on window, shooting out and down, and through the
frail curtains we can see Sam as he comes out of the motel
office and joins Lila.
EXT. MOTEL OFFICE - CLOSE ON SAM AND LILA
SAM
(Unconsciously
whispering)
I wonder where Norman Bates does his
hermiting?
LILA
Someone was at that window. I saw
the curtain move.
Sam takes Lila's arm.
SAM
Come on.
He starts with her toward the path which leads to the old
house. CAMERA PANS with them, and as they turn around the
office corner, they see Norman coming down the path toward
them. They pause and Norman pauses. He does not smile, nor
speak. His usual grin and soft friendliness are gone;
containment and impassivity lie in their place.
SAM
(Cheerfully)
Just coming up to ring for you.
NORMAN
(Coming forward)
I suppose you want a cabin.
SAM
We'd hoped to make it straight to
San Francisco, but we don't like the
look of that sky. Looks like a bad
day coming... doesn't it.
Norman walks past Sam, giving him the sort of quick,
disapproving glance one gives a man who is obviously lying,
goes onto the porch and into the office. Sam and Lila follow
Norman.
INT. MOTEL OFFICE - (DAY)
Norman crosses to the desk, goes behind it, takes the key to
cabin number twelve off the keyboard. Sam and Lila have
entered and are almost to the desk-counter by this time.
NORMAN
I'll take you to...
SAM
Better sign in first, hasn't we?
Sam eyes scan the counter, looking for a registration book.
NORMAN
It isn't necessary.
SAM
(Interrupting with a
friendly cheerfulness)
Uh, uh! My boss is paying for this
trip... ninety percent business...
and he wants practically notarized
receipts. I better sign in and get a
receipt.
Norman stares at Sam, as if he'd like to yell at him, call
him "liar." Instead he reaches under the desk counter, brings
out the registration book. Lila moves closer, studies the
book as Sam signs in. Sam signs "Joe and Mrs. Johnson." The
signature and city of "Marie Samuels" and after it, the
notation "Cabin One," can be clearly seen three registrations
above Sam's.
When Sam has finished he closes book, hands it back to Norman.
Norman does not take it, starts out from behind counter.
NORMAN
I'll get your bags.
SAM
Haven't any.
NORMAN
(after a stare)
I'll show you the cabin.
As he starts for the door, Sam laughs. Norman stops, turns,
looks at him.
SAM
First time I've seen it happen.
(to Lila)
Check in any place in this country
without bags, and you have to pay in
advance.
Sam smiles as if at a funny remark, takes a bill out of his
pocket.
NORMAN
Ten dollars...
Norman returns to Sam, takes the extended bill, is about to
start out again.
SAM
That receipt...?
Norman goes reluctantly behind counter, lays down the key to
cabin twelve, takes a receipt book out of the drawer under
counter, starts to write. Lila steps up to the desk, picks
up the key, quickly, starts out.
LILA
I'll start ahead.
Norman looks up, gazes her as she goes out door.
EXT. THE MOTEL - (DAY)
Lila comes along the porch, pauses before cabin one, tries
the door. It opens. She closes it quickly as she hears Sam
and Norman coming out of the motel office, continues on down
the porch.
SAM
(To Norman, who is
following)
Don't bother yourself... we'll find
it.
He goes on down the porch, doesn't even glance at cabin one,
walks quickly and catches up to Lila just as she reaches
cabin twelve. CAMERA REMAINS with Norman, who is standing by
the office door, looking after Sam and Lila, his face alert
and no longer impassive. He waits a moment, after they have
closed their cabin door, then crosses to the pickup truck.
CAMERA MOVES with him. He studies the truck, then leans in
through the driver's window, twists the registration card
around, reads it.
It gives the correct name and address of Sam Loomis.
Norman comes back out of the window, glances once more toward
cabin twelve, then at the old house. His suspicions are
confirmed, and now there is the relaxation of relief in his
face. He takes on a purposeful air, turns, strides up the
path, up onto the porch of the house, opens the door, goes
in.
INT. CABIN TWELVE - (DAY)
Lila is at the cabin's rear window, looking out, straining
for a glimpse of the old house, which cannot be seen from
the window of this cabin.
She turns, frustrated, anxious. Sam is standing at the foot
of the bed, staring at the smooth coverlet, his brow creased
in a sadness.
LILA
We should have asked for Cabin One...
The one Mary was in.
SAM
I'm glad we didn't.
He pulls his eyes from the bed, crosses to the desk, sits
wearily, lights a cigarette. Lila watches him for a moment,
feels a real compassion, goes to the bed, sits on its edge,
turns again and looks at Sam's back.
LILA
We have to go into that cabin and
search it, Sam... no matter what
we're afraid of finding and no matter
how much it may hurt.
SAM
I know.
(A pause)
Do you think if something happened,
it happened there?
LILA
(A pause, then:)
Sam, if you owned a useless business
like this motel... one you probably
couldn't even sell... what would
you need to get away, to start a new
business, somewhere else?
(As Sam studies her)
Forty thousand dollars?
SAM
How could we prove...
(An almost hopeless
laugh)
Well, if he opens a new motel on the
new highway... say, a year from now...
LILA
There must be some proof that exists
right now! Something that proves he
got that money away from Mary...
Some way!
SAM
What makes you sound so certain?
LILA
Arbogast! Sam, he liked me... or
felt sorry for me... and he was
starting to feel the same about you.
I heard it when he called... in his
voice, a caring. He wouldn't have
gone anywhere or done anything without
telling us. Unless he was stopped.
And he was stopped, so he must have
found out something!
Sam considers a moment, nods agreement, rises.
SAM
We'll start with Cabin One.
He goes to the door, opens it slightly, looks out, then,
back to Lila:
SAM
If he sees us... we're just taking
the air.
Lila goes to the door. He holds it open and she goes out.
EXT. THE MOTEL - (DAY)
Sam closes the door, joins Lila, takes her hand.
Together they walk along the porch in the direction of Cabin
One. CAMERA FOLLOWS. They pause before the door of Cabin
One. Sam motions Lila to wait, to hold still, then goes on
to the office, opens the door, calls in:
SAM
Bates?
He waits, there is no response. He goes in and in a moment
comes back out, closes the door, goes to Lila.
She has already opened the door of Cabin One and has started
to enter.
INT. CABIN ONE - (DAY)
The blinds are closed and the room is almost night-dark.
Sam comes in after Lila, closes the door behind him.
For a moment they just gaze at the room, as if willing it to
tell them some satisfactory story.
Neither speaks. Then, in dark silence, they begin to search,
going methodically and thoroughly through all drawers, the
closet, the desk, searching under the bed and in dark corners,
not knowing what they expect to find and yet expecting to
find some thing. Lila opens the bathroom door, looks in. The
windowless room is very dark. She switches on the light,
goes in. Sam moves toward the bathroom, is about to follow
her in when he notices which room it is and automatically
catches himself up, backs out.
SAM
Sorry.
LILA
Hospital clean.
SAM
What?
LILA
The bathroom. Look at how clean it
is. The one in our cabin is clean...
but this is clean!
Sam goes in, glances around, nods. Lila goes through the
medicine cabinet, finds nothing but a glass and two tiny
tabs of soap. Sam leans against the door-jamb, looks at the
tub, the shower pipe above it. He continues to stare, more
interested suddenly, as if bothered by some off-key evidence
he can't put his finger on. Then he looks at the shower
curtain rod.
And realizes there is no shower curtain. He frowns, is about
to say something when Lila, who has been momentarily out of
shot, interrupts.
Sam turns, CAMERA TURNS, and we see Lila is standing above
the toilet bowl, a tiny piece of wet paper stuck to the tip
of her right index finger.
SAM
What is it?
LILA
It didn't get washed down. It's
figuring... the kind you tear up and
get rid of.
(Extending her finger
toward Sam)
Some figure has been added to or
subtracted from... forty thousand.
Sam lifts the piece of paper off her finger, studies it,
takes out his wallet, presses the wet scrap to his driver's
license shield, puts it back in the wallet and puts the wallet
away.
LILA
That's proof Mary was here! It would
be too wild a coincidence for somebody
else to...
SAM
(Reminding)
Bates never denied Mary was here.
LILA
(Reminded)
Yes.
(A thought)
But maybe this proves that Bates
found out about the money.
SAM
Do we simply ask him where he's hidden
it?
LILA
Sam, that old woman, whoever she is.
I think she told Arbogast something!
And I want her to tell us the same
thing!
She starts out of the bathroom. Sam takes hold of her arm,
stops her.
SAM
You can't go up there.
LILA
Why not?
SAM
Bates.
CAMERA STARTS TO PAN AWAY from them, moves slowly over the
room, very slowly.
LILA'S VOICE (O.S.)
Let's find him. One of us can keep
him occupied while the other gets to
the woman.
SAM'S VOICE (O.S.)
You won't be able to hold him still
if he doesn't want to be held. And I
don't like you going into that house
alone, Lila.
CAMERA HAS PANNED clear across to the opposite wall now, and
is moving up closer and closer to the tiny-flowered wall
paper, finally closing in on one small rosebud.
LILA'S VOICE (O.S.)
I can handle a sick old woman.
Now we see that the rosebud has been cut out, that this is
the reverse side of the hole Norman peeped through to watch
Mary. And we see the pupil of Norman's eye now.
SAM'S VOICE (O.S.)
All right. I'll find Bates and keep
him occupied.
The eye moves away and there is a brief flash of light before
the hole is covered, on the other side, by the wall-hung
painting.
FRESH ANGLE - LILA AND SAM
They are about to start out. Sam stops her again.
SAM
Wait a minute. If you get anything
out of the mother...
(A thought)
Can you find your way back to town?
(As Lila nods yes)
If you do get anything, don't stop
to tell me.
Lila nods quickly, hurries to the door. Sam gets to it first,
opens it a slight crack, looks out, then opens it wide enough
for Lila and Himself to pass through.
...continue to part 8
