Bonnie and Clyde Page #15

BONNIE:

So then she drinks her milk down

again, every drop. And she looks

over at her son and says, "Son,

whatever you do, don't sell that

cow!"

The couple laughs with great amusement, but everyone else in

the car doesn't laugh--this is the tenth time they've heard

the joke.

CUT TO:

INT. OF CAR.

--getting on toward evening. All are thoroughly relaxes and

chatting.

BONNIE:

(to Velma)

How old are you, honey?

VELMA:

Thirty-three.

A sudden look of surprise registers on EUGENE's face.

INT. OF CAR. NIGHT.

It is now night. Everyone inside the car is eating.

Apparently they stopped somewhere along the way for food.

In the crowded interior, it is like a party--food is being

passed back and forth, laughter and gaiety, increasing

warmth between the couple and the Barrows. The car has

become a little society on wheels, dashing through the black

night down the highway. Inside there is a small world of

happiness and fun.

BUCK is unpacking the food and passing sandwiches and drinks

around the car.

VELMA:

Now I ordered some French fries,

didn't I?

75.

BUCK:

(passing her some)

Yeah, here you go.

CLYDE:

Take it easy on those French fries,

Velma. Ain't that right, Eugene?

EUGENE:

(studying his hamburger)

This isn't mine. I ordered mine

well done. Who's got the other

hamburger?

Close-up. C.W. who has already taken a bite of the other one.

C.W.

Oh, is this supposed to be yours?

He extends the bitten burger out to EUGENE.

Full shot.

EUGENE:

That's okay, forget it.

CLYDE laughs at this.

BUCK:

(chewing)

Haw! I sure am havin' a good time!

How 'bout you folks? Ain't you

glad we picked you up?

CLYDE:

(laughing)

Hey, maybe y'all ought to join up

with us.

That idea strikes everyone as being very amusing.

EUGENE:

(laughing)

Ha! Wouldn't they be surprised

back home to hear that?

VELMA:

Yeah. What would Martha and Bill

say if they heard that?

(she roars with laughter)

(MORE)

76.

VELMA (CONT'D)

EUGENE:

Lordy! They'd throw a fit!

(roars with laughter)

BONNIE:

(laughing)

What do you do, anyway?

EUGENE:

(as his laugh begins

to fade)

I'm an undertaker.

Suddenly everyone freezes. A shudder, as if the cold hand

of death had suddenly touched the occupants of the car. The

atmosphere changes to cold, deadly, fearful silence in

exactly one second. It is a premonition of death for the

Barrows, and they react accordingly, BONNIE especially.

Close-up. BONNIE.

BONNIE:

(tautly, in a flat voice)

Get them out of here.

EXT. ROAD. NIGHT.

The car brakes to a sudden stop. The rear down is opened,

the MAN and WOMAN flung out into the darkness. The car

drives off into the lonely night.

From this point on, the audience should realize that death

is inevitable for the Barrow gang, that it follows them

always, that it waits anywhere. It is no longer a question

of whether death will come, but when it will.

EXT. WOODS. MORNING.

Moving with CLYDE he tears through the brush, snagging his

clothes, calling BONNIE's name. CLYDE's search is so

desperate here that for a moment we might think he is

fleeing from something rather than looking for something.

In a moment he emerges onto the road. The car, with C.W.

driving, and BUCK and BLANCHE beside him, is patrolling

slowly up ahead of him.

CLYDE spots it and runs toward it. Hold on this angle until

he catches up with it and leaps onto the running board.

77.

Moving shot. Car. Morning. CLYDE, now on the running

board, his head poked into the car, his face apple red and

sweating.

CLYDE:

(breathing heavily)

...see anythin', Buck?

BUCK is shocked at his brother's desperation, but makes no

overt comment on it.

BUCK:

--not yet, boy.

CLYDE:

(with an edge of

paranoia, as if the

three of them might

be withholding

something from him)

--and nobody saw her leave, or

heard anythin'

(almost a threat)

...C.W....?

EXT. CAR. MOVING SHOT. DAY.

CLYDE gets the point. For the very first time we see CLYDe,

the leader, helpless as he hangs onto the running board.

CLYDE:

(lamely)

...Well, where do you think she

could've gone?...Buck?...Buck?

BUCK:

(amazed and a little frightened)

Jesus, I don't know...

CLYDE looks helplessly at his brother, then drops off the

running board and continues on foot, running along, scanning

the fields--the car keeping up beside him as he runs and we

truck before both car and CLYDE.

Angle on car through windshield. Reaction shot. Day. BUCK

turning to BLANCHE, shrugging his shoulders, speechless.

Reverse angle through the windshield. Day--at CLYDE, who

has suddenly seen something begins gesticulating wildly,

almost--from car's POV, a little comically.

CLYDE:

There! There! There!

78.

He starts running off into a cornfield.

Another angle--picking up CLYDE as he kicks his way into the

cornfield, knees pumping high, knocking down the stalks. He

stops and picks up the stocking he had spotted, takes it and

moves on.

Still another angle as CLYDE has picked up a freshly beaten

trail through the cornfield. He picks up one of BONNIE's

scarves, now. As he runs on, he clears a knoll and BONNIE,

her yellow hair unmistakable even at this distance, comes

into view. She's far off in the cornfield, stalking off,

looking neither to right nor left, carrying a brown paper

sack that has split, from which she has occasionally lost

clothing. CLYDE screams, "BONNIE." She apparently doesn't

hear.

Angle on cornfield. Day. As CLYDE gets closer. BONNIE

herself suddenly breaks into flight, the paper bag splitting

completely, the remaining clothes spilling out. There is a

real chase where they each try to get the advantage. CLYDE

is so exhausted from his run that he has real trouble

cornering her as they maneuver up and down the rows of corn.

Finally CLYDE catches up.

Extreme close-up. BONNIE & CLYDE. Day. As they tumble

into the stalks of corn, mowing them down.

BONNIE:

Leave me alone! Leave me alone!

CLYDE:

(holding her, kissing

her frantically)

Hey...hey, hey, baby, hey, Bonnie,

hey baby...

(calming her down)

...Hey, hey now...just where did

you think you were goin'?...

BONNIE doesn't answer.

Up angle. POV CLYDE. As he's momentarily distracted by

BUCK's laughter as he's in the cornfield picking up BONNIE's

clothing. CLYDE waves an impatient it's all-right-wave. He

turns back to BONNIE who he still holds tightly.

CLYDE:

(still frantic)

--Huh. Bonnie? Where? Where?

79.

BONNIE:

I don't know! You're hurting me, I

was just scared is all...and my

mama's been on my mind, and she's

gettin' so old...

BONNIE hesitates, beginning to feel a little foolish now.

CLYDE:

Boy, don't ever leave without

sayin' somethin'. You really

scared me, Bonnie.

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