Cat People Page #15

ALICE:

I won't forget!

She starts down the stairs. The little kitten follows her.

The desk phone rings, and the blonde picks it up.

BLONDE (ON PHONE)

Hullo...Ah, gee -- I can't tonight.

I got Civilian Defense work...Yeah.

As I was saying to Brenda, them

Japs and Nazis is whittling down my

social life.

EXT. ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

Irena is walking irresolutely back and forth underneath the

lighted marquee. Suddenly, she seems to come to some

decision and walks up the lighted steps toward the entrance

INT. ALICE'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT

The desk clerk is still talking over the phone as Irena comes

quietly up to the counter. The blonde glances up and sees

her.

BLONDE (ON PHONE)

Just a minute, dearie.

(looking up, to Irena)

Yes?

IRENA:

Is Miss Moore in?

BLONDE:

She just went downstairs to the

swimming pool.

IRENA:

Would it be all right if I went

down to see her?

BLONDE:

Of course, dearie. Right down them

steps there.

Irena nods and goes toward the steps. The blonde picks up

the phone again and continues.

BLONDE (cont'd)

As I was sayin' to Brenda...

QUICK DISSOLVE:

INT. LOCKER ROOM - ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

Alice is standing in front of her locker, drying herself with

a big towel. She has just come out of the pool. The door to

the plunge is open behind her, but she has turned out the

lights and it is dark within. There is only the single light

gleaming in the locker room. Alice removes her wet bathing

cap and shakes her hair out. She puts on a chenille wrapper

over her bathing suit and goes toward the door. She starts

to turn out the lights in the locker room, but remembers the

kitten. She looks around and sees the kitten.

CLOSE SHOT of the little black kitten. It is standing on the

threshold, looking up toward the stairs. Its tiny ears are

raised, listening.

SHOT of Alice, as she looks from the kitten toward the

stairs.

SHOT of the stairway, as Alice sees it. A shaft of light

comes down the stairs. The rest of the stairway is in

darkness. No one is on the stairs.

CLOSE SHOT of the black kitten. Its back begins to arch.

Suddenly it turns, scampers through the locker room, leaps up

the wall, clambers over the top sill of the half-opened

window, and drops into the areaway.

Alice shrugs her shoulders good-humoredly. She turns out the

lights in the locker room and steps toward the entrance door.

She pauses as she hears something ahead of her and looks up,

trying to peer into the darkness.

SHOT of the hallway, as Alice sees it. It is in shadow. Over

the scene is the sound of padded feet on pavement.

Alice starts toward the hall. A snarl sounds in the darkness

ahead of her. She pauses, rooted in panic, as the slow,

stealthy tread of feet starts again. She looks toward the

stairs.

Alice, with terror in her eyes, looks into the darkness.

The locker room, SHOOTING toward the door, as Alice sees it.

All is blackness.

Alice takes a step backward. She looks behind her, and

pauses an instant. She turns, flings off the robe, throws it

toward something in the blackness, and races through the

locker room toward the pool. We hear the splash of her dive.

INT. PLUNGE ROOM - ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

SHOT of Alice in the pool, as she swims rapidly out to the

center. Behind her there is a frustrated snarl of rage, the

sound of fanged teeth ripping, sharp claws snagging into

cloth. Alice reaches the center of the pool and treads water.

Around the edge of the tank she can hear her pursuer begin to

run with bounding steps along the tiles. Then there is

silence. Alice looks about her in the quiet darkness. Her

eyes try to peer into the shadows. Her whole expression is

one of taut, almost hysterical panic. She listens closely.

CLOSEUP of a little wave of water, as it slaps against the

side of the tank.

Alice, as she hears the water, afraid that the thing may have

slipped into the pool. She looks around her in terror. She

begins to scream. Her cries race around the empty room, echo

back at her from the dark end of the pool, and are thrown

back at her from the high, beamed ceiling.

'

SERIES of THREE QUICK SHOTS, over which are the echoes of

Alice's voice screaming for help.

First, the empty dark room.

Then, the black surface of the pool.

Then, the high, beamed ceiling.

SHOT of Alice, as she thrashes about in the water, screaming,

the sound track filled with the sound of her voice and the

mocking echoes.

INT. ALICE'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT

The blonde, still telephoning, hears the cries for help. She

slams up the receiver and runs out from behind the desk.

BLONDE:

Mrs. Hanson! Mrs. Hanson!

Mrs. Hanson,,a buxom Scandinavian, comes running into the

scene.

MRS, HANSON

P3r barmhertighetens skull...

(breaks off, hearing the cries)

Kom med skynda.

Mrs. Hanson and the blonde run toward the stairs and start

down them.

INT. PLUNGE ROOM - ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

Alice's voice is gone. Her strength is ebbing. She paddles

weakly around in the water. There is a sharp shriek and the

room is flooded with light. Alice looks, in the direction of

the metallic click.

SHOT of Irena, as she stands by the electric switch, dressed

immaculately as Alice had last seen her, calm, poised.

IRENA:

What Is the matter, Alice?

SHOT of Alice as she stares back at Irena.

Mrs. Hanson and the blonde come running down the stairs

crying in unison.

MRS. HANSON

Vad fattas, Miss Moore...

BLONDE:

Gee whiz, dearie, you all right?

Alice, glancing toward Irena, has recovered her poise. She

explains lamely.

ALICE:

It's nothing. It was dark down

here. Mrs. Reed, coming in

unexpectedly, frightened me. I'm

terribly sorry.

SHOT of Irena, as she smiles at the women, and then looks

back toward Alice.

Mrs. Hanson and the blonde breathe sighs of relief, and start

back toward the stairs.

MRS. HANSON

({to herself)

Jag ar glad att allt &r

v&lbestSlt med er.

Alice has no desire to be left in the same room with Irena

alone and she calls out to the women.

ALICE:

Don't go. I'm coming right out.

She starts swimming toward the edge of the pool.

SHOT of Irena, as she smiles and starts toward the stairs.

Alice and Irena. Alice has taken hold of the edge of the

pool. Irena bends down, smiling.

IRENA:

I'm sorry I disturbed you, Alice. I

missed you and Oliver. I thought

you might know where he is.

ALICE:

We looked for you at the museum,

You'll probably find him at home.

IRENA (RISING)

If you don't mind, then, I'll run

on.

INT. LOCKER ROOM - ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

Irena goes up the stairs. As Irena disappears up the stairs,

Alice comes in from the pool.

ALICE:

(to the blonde)

Would you get me my robe? I left

It over there.

The blonde picks it up and examines it. She looks up with

genuine amazement on her face.

BLONDE:

Why, honey, it's torn to ribbons!

Alice looks at the robe, taking it in her hands.

INSERT THE TORN ROBE in Alice's hands. It is literally cut

to shreds.

BACK TO SCENE. Alice looks down at the robe thoughtfully,

DISSOLVE:

INT. SMALL ALCOVE OFF LOBBY - ALICE'S HOTEL - NIGHT

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