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