Bonnie and Clyde Page #20

INT. CAR.

Close-up. CLYDE. At the wheel-shot in the arm. He grabs

his arm in pain, loses control of the wheel.

CUT TO:

98.

EXT. CAR.

--out of control (still silent). It smashes into a tree

stump. The picture stops, freezes for three beats. We hold

the image of the moment of crash, with pieces of metal

crumpling and flying into the air, suspended there by the

stop-film.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR.

Sound partly up again, but never at its realistic volume.

From inside the smashed car, we peer out the window across

the field and see the other car. The thought strikes the

audience at the same time it strikes the gang--they must get

to that car.

Med. shot of the second car, sitting in the field, shining

in the sun. The lawmen also realize what must be done--cut

off this escape. Though BONNIE, CLYDE and the others are

heading toward it, they suddenly train all their fire on the

car rather than the gang.

The car fills the frame of the screen. Bullets begin to hit

it. It starts to quiver under the impact. For the next

minute, we see the car die in front of our eyes. We see the

beautiful machine fall to pieces--windows smash, tires torn

apart, body riddled. The death of the car is as painful to

watch as the willful death of a human being. The execution

is paced deliberately to show the ritualistic tempo of the

destruction.

EXT. WOODS.

The camera pulls back, way back and slightly above everything

to reveal the entire field. On the left of the screen,

BONNIE, CLYDE and C.W. are scrambling toward the edge of the

woods. In the center BUCK and BLANCHE have taken cover

behind a fallen log. In the foreground, police begin to

emerge from the woods. The camera zooms rapidly in with

them toward BUCK. BLANCHE is screaming.

BLANCHE:

Don't kill him! Don't kill him!

He's dying!

BUCK is making a last feeble attempt. The zoom continues

past BUCK until it comes tight on his hand, a lawman's foot

steps on his hand. BUCK falls over. He dies. BLANCHE

screams.

BLANCHE:

Don't die, Daddy. Don't die!

99.

She goes berserk. Five men, one hardly a teen-ager, grab

her and hold her as she writhes and cries. She is still

wearing the sunglasses.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS AND STREAM. BONNIE, CLYDE, AND C.W. DAY.

They have reached the edge of the woods. Camera tracks with

them as they run. From all around come the sounds of the

posse. The three get in through the pines and come finally

to a deep stream. They jump in and start across, running

awkwardly in chest-deep water. They are half way across

when the police appear on the bank behind them, shooting.

Close-up. BONNIE. Day--as she is struggling through the

water. A bullet hits her in the shoulder. We must see this

bullet clearly, we must see it go in her flesh so that we

can feel it.

Tight close-up of BONNIE's face as she screams. It is the

first time she has been hurt, and the scream is pure animal

pain. She cries out.

EXT. STREAM AND CORNFIELD. DAY.

CLYDE, who has almost reached the other side, comes back and

gets her. He drags her out of the water and into a cornfield

that starts growing on the opposite bank, C.W. helping. He

half-carries half-runs with her into the cornfield, as the

field gets deeper and thicker.

They stop for a second.

CLYDE:

(panting, to Bonnie)

Saw...saw a farm...up ahead...gotta

get...a car...

He starts to give over the wounded BONNIE to C.W.

BONNIE:

Baby, no...

But CLYDE has not heard this last. Working on pure

adrenaline now, he struggles onward. Camera tilts up

slightly so we can see CLYDE as he essays his way toward a

farmhouse with a car in the distance. After a few moments

he disappears and we can hear only the cracking of the

stalks as that sound too diminishes,

Full shot. Cornfield. Day. Silence.

100.

Close. C.W. and BONNIE. Obviously some time later. They

both lie prostrate in the field, listening. C.W. licks his

lips.

C.W.

Maybe-BONNIE

Shhh!

They wait for another long moment, picking up only the

tiniest sounds.

BONNIE:

(finally)

Oh, no.

C.W.

(nervously)

What? What?

BONNIE:

(as though it were

the most logical

thing in the world)

I can't die without Clyde. I just

can't.

C.W. looks at her as if she's gone crazy. After another

moment the corn begins to tremble, and we hear the o.s.

sound of an approaching car.

With C.W. Day--tentatively lifting his head up to clear the

corn stalks. With him we see the car looming larger,

bearing down on us, splitting the corn stalks. The car

finally comes to a stop a few feet in front of C.W. BONNIE

is on her feet, and CLYDE tumbles out of the car, practically

before it's stopped, sweeping BONNIE into him. For a moment

both are in their knees a few feet from the running board of

the car, simply holding onto each other and not moving.

C.W.

(tugging at both of

them frantically)

C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!

ABRUPT CUT:

INT. CAR. ABOUT A HALF HOUR LATER. DAY.

They have gotten away, but are still escaping. C.W. is

driving. He is bare-chested. CLYDE is beside him in front,

his arm bleeding. He falls in and out of consciousness.

BONNIE is stretched out in back.

101.

Her shoulder has been bandaged with C.W.'s shirt. She is

unconscious.

INT. CAR. LATE DAY.

CLYDE comes half-awake and looks over at C.W.

CLYDE:

Head out, C.W.

C.W.

(determinedly)

I'm goin' home to my daddy's farm.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ROAD WITH CAMPSITE. THE SAME EVENING.

C.W. is driving down the road, hell for leather. Nearing a

campsite, where there are about six Okie cars and pick-up

trucks all loaded down, with a number of poor families

seated around a campfire, cooking. C.W. jams on the brakes.

He gets out, looking totally exhausted.

Reaction shot. The faces of the Okies, looking at this

sudden presence in their midst.

Back to C.W.

C.W.

(about to drop)

Can y'all spare me a little water?

EXT. CAMPSITE. FULL SHOT.

One man, the leader of the group, dips a cup of water and

approaches C.W. suspiciously. He comes close enough to make

C.W. reach out for the water, but withholds it from him.

MAN:

Who are you, boy?

C.W.

Name's Moss.

This seems to be enough for the man, who gives him the water.

As C.W. gulps it down, the man begins to circle the car,

peering into it suspiciously. Suddenly he starts and his

eyes open wide.

MAN:

(in really hushed and

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