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Cat People
- R
- Year:
- 1982
- 118 min
- 908 Views
The RKO trademark FADES OFF, leaving a black screen, in the
center of which are two slits of pale light. These move
closer until we see that they are a pair of cat's eyes. Over
these mysteriously blinking lights the title is SUPERIMPOSED.
DISSOLVE:
A misty OUT-OF-FOCUS SHOT of a black panther pacing behind
cage bars. Over this come the production credits. A pale
fog rises over the shot of the black panther, and over it
Is SUPERIMPOSED the following quotation:
EVEN AS FOG CONTINUES TO LIE IN THE VALLEYS, SO DOES ANCIENT
SIN CLING TO THE LOW PLACES, THE DEPRESSIONS IN THE WORLD
CONSCIOUSNESS.
SIGMUND FREUD:
EXT. ZOO PROMENADE - PARK - AFTERNOON
As the last word of the quotation FADES from the screen, the
fog clears, the caged leopard comes into full focus, and we
see that it is an actual leopard behind actual bars. Over
the scene is the wheezy music of the Triumphal March from
"Aida," as played on a hand, organ. This is playing in the
distance, and we do not see the organ-grinder until later.
The CAMERA DRAWS BACK to show a young artist sitting before
the cage on a campstool with a drawing portfolio in her hand.
She is presumably sketching the panther, although her drawing
is not shown, and we do not see the features of the girl's
face. The girl picks up the drawing and holds it off,
weighing its values. It evidently does not meet with her
approval, for she wads the drawing Into a ball and turns to
look for a place to throw the waste paper. We see her face.
It is heart-shaped, demure, even a little naive. She is
small, young,and very beautiful. In one hand the wad of
waste paper is poised, ready to throw into a container.
INSERT WASTEPAPER BASKET as Irena sees it.
It is a rather fancy container in the shape of a tree
trunk.
OLIVER:
Yes.
(then continuing in the
same tone)
"Sometimes whoever seeks abroad
may find Thee sitting careless on
a granary floor, Thy hair soft
lifted...
(ponders, as if trying to
remember) Thy hair soft
lifted..."
ALICE:
(snapping her compact
shut)
Reminds me. I have a date with the
hairdresser.
OLIVER:
What a way to spend a Saturday
afternoon!
ALICE:
The business girl's holiday
OLIVER:
You should've minded your mother
and eaten more bread crusts. You'd
have curly hair now.
ALICE:
Thank you for lunch. See you at
the office Monday.
She starts off down the promenade. She walks briskly in one
direction, while Oliver turns the other way, ambling toward
the leopard cage. Along the promenade a file of Saturday
afternoon idlers goes by. Oliver moves up to the cages and
pauses at the guard rail before the leopard cage. Near him
sits Irena, busily sketching. Oliver looks at her, but she
does not look up at him. She gets up and moves a few steps,
her eyes intent on the movements of the panther, which is
walking about In its cage. Oliver politely steps aside so
that she can get a better vantage point. She does not even
notice him. She frowns at her drawing, wads the paper into a
ball, and turns to throw it into the container. Oliver steps
before her, smiling and extending his hand. She looks at him
a moment, then smiles and drops the wad of paper into his
hand.
IRENA:
Thank you.
With an easy aim, Oliver tosses it neatly into the container
and turns to her with a shrug, as if to say how easy it was.
But Irena has picked up another drawing upon which she has
worked and is now studying it. The music of the organ-grinder
grows constantly louder as the scene progresses.
OLIVER:
You won't believe this, and
you've probably heard it a dozen
times before...but I've never
known any artists.
IRENA:
I'm not an artist, really... not a
real artist...just a sketch artist
for fashion drawings.
She has picked up the drawing and is holding it in her hand
with its back toward Oliver, who extends his hand.
OLIVER:
May I see it?
Irena smiles but shakes her head as she tears the drawing
about two-thirds of the way through, dropping it face down
upon the pavement.
IRENA:
Oh, no. It's not good. If I let you
see it, you might not want to know
any artists...ever.
OLIVER (SMILING AT HER)
I'm afraid it would have to be
pretty bad to do that. Besides,
look... (pointing to a drawing she
had dropped, quoting in a mocking
tone)
"Let no one say, and say it to
your shame..."
Irena laughs and starts to pick up the paper, but a gust of
wind blows it down the promenade. She turns to Oliver and
shrugs her shoulders. She starts to fold up her campstool.
Oliver comes forward to offer his assistance. At the same
time the organ-grinder passes between them and the camera,
playing "Aida" on his hand organ. Oliver asks Irena if he may
help her, but the music is so loud she cannot hear him. He
assists Irena in gathering up her things. He takes the
campstool, and Irena carries her artist's portfolio. They
start toward the avenue together.
CLOSE SHOT of the torn drawing as a little wind, carrying
with it some autumn leaves, picks up the paper again and
blows it over and over up the promenade. The torn half of
the drawing falls over into place, so we see what Irena had
been drawing. It is a smart fashion sketch of the type seen
in Vogue or Harper's Bazaar, but the face of the model is the
blunt mask of a black panther, and the hands protruding from
the sleeves are tipped with feline talons. The CAMERA HOLDS
on the drawing.
DISSOLVE OUT:
EXT. STREET - AFTERNOON
TWO SHOT of Irena and Oliver as they walk down a side street.
Irena is looking straight ahead of her, amused. Oliver is
doing his best to get acquainted.
OLIVER:
Irena Dubrovna -- is that a Russian
name?
IRENA:
No...I am from Serbia.
OLIVER:
I see. Would you mind spelling it?
IRENA:
You want to know how to spell my
name? Are you going to write me a
letter?
OLIVER:
I'd like to write you a letter.
IRENA:
What about?
OLIVER:
I would say in this letter... "Dear
Miss...Dubrovna," I would say,
"will you have tea with me?"
Irena shakes her head with a little smile. Oliver is
undaunted.
OLIVER:
Well, in that case, I'd just have
to write you another letter, I'd
say...
But again, with the same teasing smile, she shakes her
head. She suddenly stops and TURNS to Oliver.
IRENA:
Here is my house.
Oliver starts to give her the campstool he is carrying, She
lays a soft, gloved hand on his coat sleeve and smiles
charmingly.
IRENA:
Perhaps, Mr. Reed, you would like
to have tea in my apartment.
Oliver looks at her quizzically, realizing that she had meant
to ask him all the time, that he needn't have tried so hard
to wangle a date. He grins.
OLIVER:
Oh, Miss Dubrovna, you make life so
simple!
DISSOLVE:
INT. GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY - IRENA'S APARTMENT HOUSE
AFTERNOON:
MED. SHOT of Irena and Oliver as they enter the building
from the street. It is the ornate, elaborate interior of a
brownstone mansion converted into an apartment house. They
walk the few steps of the short hallway to the stairs.
Oliver looks at the enormous staircase.
OLIVER (POINTING)
I never cease to marvel at what
lies behind a brownstone front.
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"Cat People" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 7 Sep. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/cat_people_832>.
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