Capote Page #5

Truman and Nelle are leaving. Alvin and Marie stand in the

front door. Nelle kisses Marie.

NELLE:

Thank you.

MARIE:

So many of my friends would love to

meet you.

NELLE:

That 'd be fine -

TRUMAN:

(to Dewey)

You don't have to worry. I'm not

going to write about this until

everything's over.

DEWEY:

I'm not worried. I know what room

you're in at the hotel. And I know

where you live in Brooklyn.

Truman smiles.

CUT TO:

4 2 EXT. GARDEN CITY - VARIOUB - DAY AND NIGFlT 42 *

MUSIC:
"Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas..." Main

Street, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS in the TREES.

Green

The HARDWARE STORE, with Santa Claus DECORATIONS in the

window and a "ONE WEEK LEFT TO BUY YOUR GIFTS..." sign.

CUT TO:

4 3 EXT. CLUTTER FARM - LATE AFTERNOON 43 *

Truman and Nelle walk with PETE HOLT (70, very frail) on the

Clutter property. Apples rot on the ground, the trees are

bare, signs of disrepair are beginning to weather the house.

HOLT:

(re the apples)

I'd of picked them up but I haven't

been myself. Mind you, I make the

walk out here every day, check the

house, make sure the pipes don't

freeze - that sort of item. The

least I can do for Mr. Clutter.

NELLE:

How long have you worked here?

HOLT:

1940 - a lotta years. The wife

too, cleaning the house. Cooking.

NELLE:

Well, she's marvelous. Lunch was

wonderful.

HOLT:

(ignoring this)

She had a hard job after what all

happened. Cleaning. I burned most

of the rest - mattresses - too far

of a mess.

(then, looks at them)

I've asked around some - if

anyone's looking for a strong hand.

They don't know what to say. Finally, he looks away.

HOLT (cont'd)

I don't think they'll be able to

sell the place till they catch the

ones that did it.

(beat)

That's what I hear anyhow.

Silence as the three of them look out over the barren fields.

Green

4 4 INT. CLUTTER HOUSE, BOm'B BEDROOM - DUSK 44 *

Just the bed-frame - the mattress is gone. Truman and Nelle

find her Bible on the bedside table, her bookmark, see the

painting of Jesus walking on water. Pete Holt stands off to

the side, waiting patiently.

CUT TO:

4 5 EXT. WALKER HOTEL LOBBY, GARDEN CITY - NIGHT

Through the front window we see a Christmas tree in the

lobby.

4 6 INT. WALKER HOTEL, TRUMAN'S ROOM - NIGHT 4 6

Jazzy Christmas music on the RADIO. Nelle sits in the big

armchair with a drink. She laughs. We HEAR Jack on the phone:

JACK (OVER PHONE)

You're celebrating.

We see Truman wearing a YELLOW SILK SHORT ROBE with white

lace, bare legs. He's on the phone and walking, for Nelle's

enjoyment, back and forth, like a runway model.

TRUMAN (ON PHONE)

Remember Nelle's manuscript she

sent me in New York?

JACK:

Mockingbird. Killing a Mockingbird.

You said it was good.

TRUMAN:

And I was right. She just heard

Lipincott wants to publish it.

JACK (OVER PHONE)

(pause)

Well. Jesus. That's terrific.

Tell her congratulations.

TRUMAN:

Congratulations.

(covers phone, mouths to

Nelle :
)

Jealous.

JACK (OVER PHONE)

Just promise you'll be home by

Christmas.

TRUMAN:

I can't leave now Jack - I mean it

was hard at first, but now I'm

practically the mayor.

He vamps. Nelle laughs.

JACK (OVER PHONE)

Alright.

TRUMAN:

I want to come home - I do. Though

if they catch whoever did this, who

knows what - I'll probably be here

ti1 next Christmas.

JACK (OVER PHONE)

Right. 1/11 let you go.

TRUMAN:

Jack, we'll go away this spring to

write. Maybe Spain. . .

JACK:

Alright, Truman.

TRUMAN:

Bye.

(hangs up) The poor boy misses me.

Goes to the mini-bar t o f i x a drink.

NELLE:

Truman.

TRUMAN:

Nelle.

NELLE:

You remember when we were kids?

TRUMAN:

I was never a kid. I was born

fully formed.

NELLE:

I had no idea what a homosexual

was. But I knew whatever they

were, you were one of 'em.

Green 11/2/05 27A.

Truman puts down his drink and marches out of the room, shuts

the door. Nelle's unsure whether she really insulted him.

From the HALL, we hear a WOMAN SHRIEK, and a MAN saying:

MAN IN HALL (O.S.)

Oh. Uh. Oh. Excuse us.

Truman runs back in, shuts door. They crack up.

CUT TO:

4 7 EXT. DEWEY HOME - NIGHT, CHRISTMAS EVE, ESTABLISHING 4 7

Tasteful Christmas lights strung on the BUSHES. A WREATH on

the FRONT DOOR.

4 8 INT. DEWEY HOME, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 4 8

Truman, Nelle, Marie and Alvin. Drinks. A FULL ASHTMY on

the coffee table in front of Alvin. He's distracted,

smoking. Marie holds a WOMEN'S MAGAZINE, checking what

Truman says with what's written there.

TRUMAN:

(quickly, as if reciting)

- girdle up - no extra bulges - if

you' re dressed right for him when

he gets home, the evening should be

smooth sailing. Bon voyage, gals.

MARIE:

I can't believe you got this whole

page -- I only read it to you once!

TRUMAN:

I've trained myself.

NELLE:

... trained myself.

Truman looks at Nelle.

TRUMAN NELLE:

I have 94 percent recall. ... 94 percent recall.

TRUMAN '

(laughing)

You cut that out.

Alvin stubs out his cigarette - though it still burns. He

stands.

MARIE:

You believe that Alvin?

ALVIN:

Impressive.

He walks out. Silence.

MARIE:

I'm sorry. He's upset.

(stubs out cigarette)

- smoking three packs a day.

(then)

Two men did it. They know who.

One of them used to have a cellmate

who gave him up for the thousand

dollar reward. They passed through

Kansas City last week writing bad

checks - by the time Alvin's boys

got up there they'd skipped out

again.

NELLE:

Where to?

MARIE:

They have no idea.

4 9 INT. DEWEY HOME, DINING ROOM - LATER 49 *

Christmas dinner. Truman, Nelle, Marie and Alvin have just

sat down. They wait for the Dewey boys - Alvin Jr. and Paul.

We hear them in the living room horsing around.

DEWEY:

Alvin. Paul. Now.

It's quiet for a second. Then something crashes and breaks.

DEWEY (cont ' d)

Damnit.

(gets up, goes)

Come here.

MARIE:

Alvin . . . Phone RINGS.

DEWEY (O.S.)

Alvin Jr. Get over here.

ALVIN JR. (O.S.)

Dad, the phone.

DEWEY (O.S.)

Paul. Back to the table.

Dewey returns to the dining room, pushing Paul ahead of him.

DEWEY (cont'd)

Sit.

Alvin Jr . enters.

ALVIN JR.

Dad?

MARIE:

Tell them we're at dinner, Alvin.

ALVIN JR.

Dad?

DEWEY:

Not now, Alvin.

Alvin Jr. leaves. We hear the PHONE being HUNG UP. Alvin

Jr. returns and sits. They all get ready to say grace, then:

ALVIN JR . You need to call the Chief of

Police in Las Vegas when you have a

minute.

Everyone looks at Dewey.

FADE OUT:

5 0 EXT. COURTHOUSE SQUARE, GARDEN CITY - LATE AFTERNOON 50 *

OVER BLACK SCREEN we hear the voice of a RADIO ANNOUNCER.

RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

. . . This is KERG radio, Garden

City. A friendly broadcast from a

friendly place. Our lead story:

Slowly, the sounds of a CROWD emerge in the background.

FADE UP ON:
HIGH SCHOOL kids sitting on the hood and front

seat of a CHEW parked at the edge of a CROWD of 200 people.

Truman watches. It is COLD. A fat, shivering CO-ED reads

the headline in the Kansas City Star: "Police Fear Lynch

Mob." The CAR RADIO is on.

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