EXT. ANNIE HAYWORTH'S HOUSE - FULL SHOT
Melanie is standing on the front steps, a paper bag in her
hands. She rings the doorbell. The ROOM TO LET sign is still
in the window. The door suddenly opens.
ANNIE
(surprised)
Oh, hi!
(pause)
Did you find her all right?
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE
MELANIE
Yes, I did.
There is a long awkward pause. Annie smiles expectantly at
Melanie. Melanie seems hesitant.
MELANIE
I was wondering...
ANNIE
Yes?
MELANIE
That sign.
(pause)
Do you think I could have the room
for a single night?
ANNIE
Well, I'd really hope to rent it
for...
MELANIE
I would appreciate it. I've tried
everywhere in town, and they're all
full.
ANNIE
(after a pause)
Sure. You can have it.
(smiles)
Where's your bag? In the car?
Melanie holds up the paper bag. Annie looks at it and then
smiles.
ANNIE
It's utilitarian, I'll say that for
it.
MELANIE
(smiling)
I just picked up some things for the
night at the general store. You see,
I hadn't planned on spending much
time here.
ANNIE
Yes, I know. Did something unexpected
crop up?
There is a moment where both women look at each other...
When Melanie answers, it is abrupt and a trifle cold -- she
is again telling Annie to mind her own business.
MELANIE
Yes.
(pause)
May I use your phone? I'd like to
call home.
There is another moment where Annie appraises Melanie's
attitude, and then accepts it. She suddenly smiles warmly.
ANNIE
Why don't you come in then? I was
just about to mix a martini.
She is about to lead Melanie into the house when they both
hear a SOUND overhead. They turn to look skyward.
LONG SHOT - A FLOCK OF LARGE BIRDS
flying in beautiful precise formation against the sky.
TWO SHOT - ANNIE AND MELANIE
ANNIE
(shaking her head)
Don't they ever stop migrating?
But Melanie is watching the sky and the birds with a curiously
serious expression.
DISSOLVE
LONG SHOT - THE APPROACH ROAD to the Brenner house. Melanie's
car is driving along the shore. Behind her, the sky is stained
with sunset. There are gulls on the bay, cawing into the
silence.
FULL SHOT - THE CAR
as it pulls into the Brenner yard.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
reaching up for the rear view mirror, tilting it to examine
her lipstick, touching the edge of her mouth with one hand.
She gets out of the car, CAMERA FOLLOWING her to the house.
She climbs the porch steps, KNOCKS on the door. There is no
answer. Puzzled, she begins walking back into the yard. In
the distance, she sees Mitch, Lydia and Cathy coming from
behind the chicken sheds. She raises her arm in greeting.
MELANIE
(calling)
Hi!
FULL SHOT - MITCH, CATHY, LYDIA
in the distance. Mitch and Cathy raise their arms.
CATHY
(excitedly)
Hi!
(she breaks into a
trot toward Melanie)
CLOSE SHOT - CATHY as she approaches. She is an eleven-year-
old child, clear-eyed, bright, uninhibited, wearing a shirt
and blouse, her hair cropped close to her head. She hesitates
for just a moment.
CATHY
Miss Daniels?
MELANIE
Yes?
And Cathy flings herself into Melanie's arms, almost knocking
her off her feet, hugging her fiercely.
CATHY
They're beautiful! They're just what
I wanted! Is there a man and a woman?
I can't tell which is which.
MELANIE
Well, I suppose...
FULL SHOT - ALL OF THEM
MITCH
(coming up)
Hi. Annie had no plans, huh? I'm
glad you came. Are you hungry?
MELANIE
Famished.
MITCH
Dinner's just about ready.
(explaining)
We were out back looking at the
chickens. Something seems to be wrong
with them.
LYDIA
(going toward house)
There's nothing wrong with those
chickens, Mitch. I'm going to call
Fred Brinkmeyer right now.
MITCH
(as they follow into
house)
I don't know what good that'll do.
(aside to Melanie)
Chickens won't eat.
FULL SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE
as they ENTER, CAMERA FOLLOWING them throughout into dining
room where Lydia dials phone, talking to Mitch all along.
LYDIA
He sold the feed to me, didn't he?
MITCH
Caviat emptor, Mother. Let the buyer
beware.
LYDIA
Whose side are you on?
MITCH
I'm simply quoting the law.
LYDIA
Never mind the law. Cathy, you can
start serving the soup.
She has finished dialing now, is waiting while the phone
RINGS.
LYDIA
This won't take a minute, Miss Dan...
(into phone)
Hello, Fred? This is Lydia Brenner.
I didn't interrupt your dinner, did
I?
(pause)
Fred, that feed you sold me is no
good.
(pause)
The chicken feed. The three bags I
brought.
CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA
holding the telephone.
LYDIA
Well, it's just no good. The chickens
won't eat it.
(pause)
They're always hungry, Fred. I opened
one of the sacks when I got home,
and I poured it out for them, and
they wouldn't touch it. Now you know
chickens as well as I do, and when
they won't eat, there's just something
wrong with what they're being fed,
that's all.
(pause)
No, they're not fussy chickens.
(pause)
Who? What's he got to do with it?
(pause)
Fred, I don't care how much feed you
sold him. My chickens...
(pause)
He did? Dan Fawcett?
(pause)
This afternoon?
(pause)
Well, that only proves what I'm
saying. The feed you sold us is...
(pause)
Oh. Oh, I see. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh-
huh. Maybe I ought to go over to see
him. You don't think there's something
going around, do you?
(pause)
No, never.
(pause)
No, Fred, they don't seem sick at
all. They just won't eat.
(pause)
Mmmm. Mmmmm. Well, I'll try to get
over to Dan's farm. Maybe he'll...
mmmmm... mmmmm... all right, Fred,
thanks.
(she hangs up, puzzled)
FULL SHOT - THE DINING ROOM
as Lydia comes to the table. Mitch and Melanie are sitting
opposite each other in the center chairs. Cathy is serving
the last bowl of soup.
LYDIA
(as she sits)
He got a call from Dan Fawcett a
little while ago. His chickens won't
eat, either.
CATHY
It's what you said, Mom. Mr.
Brinkmeyer's feed is no good.
LYDIA
(slowly)
No, Cathy. He sold Mr. Fawcett a
different brand.
(extremely worried)
You don't think they're getting sick,
do you, Mitch?
CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA
her eyes troubled as she picks up her napkin.
DISSOLVE
FULL SHOT - THE LIVING ROOM
The meal is over. The lovebirds in their hanging cage have
been covered for the night. In the b.g. Mitch and Lydia are
carrying the stacked dishes to the kitchen. In the f.g.
Cathy and Melanie are by a small upright piano. Melanie is
playing a Debussy Arabesque: She picks up a cigarette from
the ashtray now and again to take a puff.
CATHY
I still don't understand how you
knew I wanted lovebirds.
MELANIE
Your brother told me.
LYDIA
(as she goes into
kitchen)
Then you knew Mitch in San Francisco,
is that right?
MELANIE
No, not exactly.
CATHY
Mitch knows lots of people in San
Francisco. Of course, they're mostly
hoods.
LYDIA
(from the kitchen)
Cathy!
CATHY
Well, Mom, he's the first to admit
it.
(to Melanie)
He spends half his day in the
detention cells at the Hall of
Justice.
LYDIA
(coming from kitchen)
In a democracy, Cathy, everyone is
entitled to a fair trial. Your
brother's practice...
CATHY
Mom, please, I know all the democracy
jazz. They're still hoods.
(to Melanie)
He's got a client now who shot his
wife in the head six times. Six times,
can you imagine it?
(she starts for living
room)
I mean, even twice would be overdoing
it, don't you think?
MELANIE
(to Mitch as he carries
load of dishes out)
Why did he shoot her?
MITCH
He was watching a ball game on
television.
MELANIE
What?
MITCH
His wife changed the channel.
He GOES INTO kitchen.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY
Melanie interrupts her playing to take another puff at her
cigarette.
CATHY
Is smoking fun?
MELANIE
Oh, I suppose so.
CATHY
Could I have a puff?
MELANIE
I don't think your mother would like
that.
CATHY (O.S.)
Just a little one.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY
They both glance conspiratorially toward the kitchen.
Quickly, Melanie extends the cigarette. Quickly, Cathy takes
a small puff.
CATHY
(delighted)
Why, it's just like air, isn't it?
(determined)
When I grow up, I'm gonna smoke like
a chimney! I'll be eleven tomorrow,
you know.
MELANIE
I know.
CATHY
Are you coming to my party?
MELANIE
I don't think so.
(seeing the child's
face)
I have to get back to San Francisco.
CATHY
Don't you like us?
MELANIE
(touching her hair)
Darling, of course I do!
CATHY
Don't you like Bodega Bay?
MELANIE
I don't know yet.
CATHY
Mitch likes it very much. He comes
up every weekend, you know, even
though he has his own apartment in
the city. He says San Francisco is
just an ant hill at the foot of a
bridge.
MELANIE
(smiling)
I guess it does get a little hectic
at times.
CATHY
If you do decide to come, don't say
I told you about it. It's supposed
to be a surprise party.
Melanie laughs.
CATHY
You see, they've got this whole
complicated thing figured out where
I'm going over to Michele's for the
afternoon, and Michele's mother is
going to say she has a headache and
would I mind very much if she took
me home. Then, when we get back here,
all of the kids'll jump out!
(pause)
Won't you come? Won't you please
come?
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
shaking her head, glancing toward the kitchen.
MELANIE
I don't think so, Cathy.
INT. KITCHEN - TWO SHOT - LYDIA AND MITCH
Mitch is helping her as she loads the dishwasher.
LYDIA
She's a charming girl, isn't she,
Mitch?
MITCH
Yes, very.
LYDIA
And certainly pretty.
MITCH
Yes.
LYDIA
How long have you known her?
MITCH
I told you. We met yesterday.
LYDIA
In a bird shop.
MITCH
Yes.
LYDIA
She was selling birds.
MITCH
No. I only led her into believing I
believed she was... Mother, it's
really very complicated.
LYDIA
But she did buy the lovebirds and
then brought them all the way...
MITCH
Mother, where did you go to law
school?
LYDIA
(laughing)
Forgive me. I suppose I'm just
naturally curious about a girl like
that.
(pause)
She's very rich, isn't she?
MITCH
I suppose so. Her father owns a big
newspaper in San Francisco.
LYDIA
You'd think he could manage to keep
her name out of print. She's always
mentioned in the columns, Mitch.
MITCH
I know, Mother.
LYDIA
She is the one who jumped into that
fountain in Rome last summer, isn't
she?
MITCH
Yes, Mother.
LYDIA
Perhaps I'm old-fashioned.
(pause)
I know it was supposed to be very
warm there, Mitch, but... well...
actually... well, the newspaper said
she was naked.
MITCH
I know, Mother.
LYDIA
It's none of my business, of course,
but when you bring a girl like that
to...
MITCH
Mother?
LYDIA
(looking up)
Yes?
MITCH
I think I can handle Melanie Daniels
by myself.
LYDIA
Well...
(she sighs)
So long as you know what you want,
Mitch.
MITCH
I know exactly what I want, Mother.
DISSOLVE
FULL SHOT - THE BRENNER LAWN - EXTERIOR - NIGHT
as Mitch and Melanie cross it to her car. A wind is blowing
off the water, and high fast clouds are scudding across the
face of the moon.
MITCH
You'll be able to find your way back,
won't you?
MELANIE
Oh, yes.
MELANIE
Will I be seeing you again?
MELANIE
San Francisco's a long way from here.
MITCH
I'm in San Francisco five days a
week. With a lot of time on my hands.
I'd like to see you.
(he grins)
Maybe we could go swimming or
something. Mother tells me you like
to swim.
MELANIE
How does Mother know what I like to
do?
MITCH
I guess she and I read the same gossip
columns.
MELANIE
Oh. That. Rome.
MITCH
Mmmm. I like to swim. We might get
along very...
MELANIE
In case you're interested, I was
pushed into that fountain.
MELANIE
Without any clothes on?
MELANIE
With all my clothes on! The newspaper
that ran the story happens to be a
rival of my father's paper. Anything
they said...
MITCH
You were just a poor, innocent victim
of circumstance, huh?
MELANIE
I'm neither poor nor innocent, but
the truth of that particular...
MITCH
The truth is you were running around
with a pretty wild crowd...
MELANIE
Yes, but...
MITCH
...who didn't much care for propriety
or convention or...
MELANIE
Yes.
MITCH
...the opinions of others, and you
went right along with them, isn't
that the truth?
MELANIE
Yes, that's the truth. But I was
pushed into that fountain, and that's
the truth, too.
MITCH
Sure. Do you really know Annie
Hayworth?
MELANIE
No.
(pause)
At least, I didn't until I came up
here.
MITCH
So you didn't go to school together.
MELANIE
No.
MITCH
And you didn't come up here to see
her.
MELANIE
No.
MITCH
You were lying.
MELANIE
Yes, I was lying.
MITCH
Did you really write a letter to me?
Or was that a lie, too?
MELANIE
I wrote the letter.
MITCH
What did it say?
MELANIE
It said, "Dear Mr. Brenner, I think
you need those lovebirds, after all.
They may help your personality."
That's what it said.
MITCH
But you tore it up.
MELANIE
Yes.
MITCH
Why?
MELANIE
Because it seemed stupid and foolish.
MITCH
Like jumping into a fountain in Rome!
MELANIE
I told you what happened in Rome!
MITCH
Do you expect me to believe...?
MELANIE
I don't give a damn what you believe!
Angrily she gets into the car, is about to slam the door
when Mitch catches it in his hands.
MITCH
I'd still like to see you.
MELANIE
Why?
MITCH
I think it could be fun.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
pulling the door shut.
MELANIE
That might have been good enough in
Rome last summer. But it's not good
enough now.
CLOSE SHOT - MITCH
MITCH
It is for me.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
MELANIE
But not for me.
CLOSE SHOT - MITCH
MITCH
What do you want ?
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
MELANIE
(angrily sarcastic)
I thought you knew! I want to go
through life laughing and beautiful
and jumping into fountains naked!
Good night!
MED. SHOT - THE CAR
as it pulls away. Mitch yanks his hands back from the door.
CLOSE SHOT - MITCH
as he watches the car leave.
LONG SHOT - THE ROAD
The car turns the bend and disappears. Empty road. Only the
long line of telephone poles and wires and... something
strange on the wires.
CLOSE SHOT MITCH
His attention caught by the poles and wires.
CLOSE SHOT - THE WIRES
Hundreds of birds sitting on them.
MED. SHOT - MITCH
standing and watching. A wind blows off the water. He shivers
suddenly, turns up his collar, and heads for the house.
DISSOLVE