Capote Page #6

RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O. ) (cont'd)

... newsmen from six states have

joined scores of Kansans as they

await the arrival of confessed

killers Perry Smith and Richard

Hickock. KBI officers have been

driving the Clutter family's brutal

killers nonstop from...

Truman moves from the car into the large crowd. Old ladies;

ranchers; local businessmen; moms with kids; journalists

INTERVIEWING citizens; photographers lined up at the bottom

of the COURTHOUSE STEPS. We hear snippets of conversation as

we pass. A CITIZEN is being interviewed by a JOURNALIST; a

MOM WITH BABY standing with a FRIEND; a MIDDLE-AGED man in an

overcoat CRYING silently.

Green

Truman approaches Nelle and Marie Dewey, standing together at

the curb in front of the courthouse, near the photographers.

They are talking quietly, turn to Truman -

NELLE:

Hey.

We hear LOUD CROWD NOISE at the south end of the square. A

CONVOY of FOUR CARS enters the square. It pulls around to

the front of the courthouse. STATE TROOPERS spill out of the

lead and rear CARS. Nye gets out of the second car. He

opens the back door. The crowd falls SILENT. Two state

troopers get DICK HICKOCK - handcuffed, pale - out of the car

and lead him up the steps. FLASH. FLASH.

Dewey and Church open the third car's back door. Silence.

They retrieve PERRY SMITH. Perry is extremely SHORT, STRONG,

ODDLY BEAUTIFUL, with the dark skin and hair of his American

Indian mother, and the pug features of his Irish father. As

he stands, he has trouble straightening his stubby LEGS, as

if they are arthritic. Truman stares.

MARIE:

(whispers to Truman)

Motorcycle accident. He broke them

and they never healed right.

(Truman looks at her)

Alvin told me.

Truman watches Perry, transfixed. Perry seems terrified of

the crowd, all the faces, like a child. Perry scans the

crowd. His eyes fall on Truman. FLASH. FLASH. Truman and

Perry look at each other as Perry is led slowly past. At the

top of the steps the COURTHOUSE DOORS slam shut.

FADE OUT:

5 1 EXT. SHERIFF' 8 RESIDENCE (4TH FLOOR OF COURTHOUSE ) - MORNING 5 1 *

FADE IN:
Truman knocks on the door, a NEWSPAPER, a BOOK, and

a PAPER BAG in his hand. On the door it says "SHERIFF'S

RESIDENCE - PRIVATE". Dorothy Sanderson opens the door.

DOROTHY:

Truman Capote .

TRUMAN:

Dorothy Sanderson. I figured you'd

be left alone this morning by that

hard-working husband of yours.

(holds up bag)

So I have breakfast.

(holds up paper)

I have news.

(book)

And I have literature. My friend

Jack mailed me the book you wanted.

He presents book. Dorothy, flattered, takes it, reads the

inscription inside.

DOROTHY:

"For the maiden of the Midwest, the

priestess of the plains, the queen

of the kitchen:
my first novel.

Tr man. "

It is "Other Voices, Other Rooms" and we see on the back of

it the INFAMOUS JACKET PHOTO of Truman at 23 draped sexily on

a couch. Truman curtsies. The PHONE RINGS.

DOROTHY (cont 'd)

You're too much. Go on into the

living room, lme grab that - it's

been ringing all morning.

INT. SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE, FOYER - CONTINUOUB 52 *

Truman walks into the residence. To the left is the kitchen;

to the right is the living room. Truman looks back at

Dorothy - she's still on the phone. He heads f o r t h e

kitchen.

INT. SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE, KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS 53 *

Truman walks slowly through the doorway of the large kitchen.

On the far side of the kitchen is a JAIL CELL. Inside the

cell is PERRY SMITH. (Now we know why Truman came here.)

Green

Truman STARES. Perry doesn't see him - he's resting his head

on a small table, the tip of his THUMB in his mouth. The

chair seems too tall for Perry. He looks like a lonely

kindergartner, told to take his afternoon nap. After several

moments, Dorothy enters, flustered:

DOROTHY:

Oh. Truman. I meant in there.

(points to living room)

I... um...

Perry sits up quickly, rubs his legs.

DOROTHY (cont'd)

It's the women's cell. It's hardly

ever used. But they wanted to, urn,

separate... Please. Let's sit in

the living room. I'll set up in

the living room.

She gathers a tray of Truman's PASTRIES, and COFFEE CUPS.

DOROTHY (cont ' d)

Come.

She goes - Truman starts to follow, then lingers.

TRUMAN:

They put you in the women's cell.

PERRY:

Among other indignities.

Perry's voice is oddly high, whispery - special words are

precisely enunciated.

TRUMAN:

Well.. . she's a good cook.

PERRY:

She's scared of me.

TRUMAN:

I think so am I. A little bit.

PERRY:

Are you?

(a moment, then:
)

You have any aspirin? My legs -

Dorothy's in the doorway.

Green

DOROTHY:

Um. Truman? All set.

Truman looks at Dorothy, looks back at Perry.

TRUMAN:

I'm sorry.

CUT TO:

5 4 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 54 *

Judge ROLAND TATE, white-haired, imperious, bangs his gavel.

The packed crowd quiets down. Perry and Dick sit at the

defense table chewing JUICY FRUIT GUM. Next to them: their

aged court-appointed lawyer, Franklin Weeks (70).

Dick wears a SHIRT AND TIE. Perry wears jeans rolled up at

the cuff, his SHIRT OPEN at the collar. He draws on a piece

of paper with a STUBBY PENCIL - a rather good picture of a

LARGE PARROT. Truman sits with Nelle, watching Perry -

TRUMAN:

(murmurs )

His feet don't touch the floor.

JUDGE TATE:

In the matter of the State of

Kansas v. Richard Eugene Hickock

and Perry Edward Smith this Court

has been informed by counsel - Mr.

Weeks - that defendants wish to

waive t h e i r r i g h t to Preliminary

Hearing. Mr. Hickock, is that your

wish?

Hickock looks at Weeks. Weeks nods. Hickock stands.

HICKOCK:

(unconvincing)

Yessir. Yes.

Hickock sits. Truman whispers to Nelle -

TRUMAN:

Why are they doing that?

JUDGE TATE:

Mr. Smith.

Green

PERRY:

(stands.. . then: )

I ask that the waiver be

effectuated.

Judge Tate looks at him for a moment -

JUDGE TATE:

So noted.

(bangs gavel)

We're adjourned.

Crowd gets up. Much talk. Truman watches Perry and Dick

through the forest of bodies. They are led away in

handcuffs. Franklin Weeks stands slowly, then begins

gathering his things - he's old and it takes him ages to

collect his papers. Truman watches.

CUT TO:

5 5 EXT. SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE - AFTERNOON

Truman knocks. He holds a PIE. Dorothy answers.

DOROTHY:

Mr. Capote.

TRUMAN:

(offers pie)

Madame Sanderson.

DOROTHY:

Is that for the two of us to share?

Or for me to eat alone while you

talk to our guest?

Truman is caught. He smiles.

5 6 INT. SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE, KITCBEN - AFTERNOON 56 *

Truman sits near the bars of the cell. Perry draws on a

scrap of paper at the small table. Dorothy watches from the

door to the living room. The BOOK Truman gave to Dorothy

lies on the floor next to Perry's meticulously made bed.

TRUMAN:

Was it your choice to waive the

hearing?

Perry doesn't answer. Dorothy checks her watch, leaves.

Truman takes a bottle of BAYER ASPIRIN out of his pocket.

TRUMAN (cont'd)

You still need some?

(Perry doesn't move)

Rate this script:4.0 / 1 vote