Cat People Page #9

Irena looks at him. He looks at his watch, crosses to the

desk and puts away his notebook with an air of finality.

JUDD (cont'd)

Those things are very simple to

psychiatrists. You told me of your

childhood. Perhaps we'll find this

trouble stems from some early

experience. You said you didn't

know your father...that he had died

in some mysterious accident in the

forest before your birth...and

because of that the children teased

you and called your mother a

witch...a cat woman. These

childhood tragedies are inclined to

corrode the soul, to leave a canker

in the mind, but we will try to

repair the damage.

Irena rises and gives Dr. Judd her hand. He places an arm

around her shoulders with familiar ease, as he leads her to

the door.

JUDD (cont'd)

You are not to worry.

IRENA:

What shall I tell my husband?

Naturally, he is anxious to have

some word.

JUDD:

(with heavy gallantry; as

he assists her with her

coat)

What does one tell a husband? One

tells him nothing.

By this time they have reached the door to the outer office

- the waiting room.

INT. DR. JUDD'S WAITING ROOM - DAY

Dr. Judd and Irena enter and cross to the door which leads to

the hall. He opens the door for her.

JUDD:

Friday, at eleven?

Irena nods and leaves. Dr. Judd turns to another of his

patients in the waiting room. She is a beautiful, neurotic

looking woman, swathed in furs and adorned with loops of

pearls. Judd bows from the waist to kiss her hand.

JUDD (cont'd)

My dear lady.

DISSOLVE:

INT. GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY - IRENA'S APARTMENT HOUSE -

AFTERNOON:

CLOSE SHOT of Irena running lightly up the stairs, humming

a little snatch of song.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE IRENA*5 APARTMENT - AFTERNOON

CLOSE SHOT of Irena as she reaches the top of the stairs and

goes down the hallway to her door, still humming the song.

Joyously she swings open the door of the apartment*

CLOSEUP of Irena as she sees something inside,

REVERSE SHOT. Through the door can be seen Oliver and Alice

seated together on the sofa. Oliver-is just bending over to

light Alice's cigarette. They turn and look as Irena enters

and closes the door.

Irena, Alice and Oliver.

IRENA:

(as she crosses to

Alice)

Alice, it's so nice to see you!

ALICE:

Hello, darling. How did you make

out with Louis?

IRENA:

(puzzled)

Louis ?

ALICE:

Dr. Judd.

Instantly Irena's mood changes. She looks at Alice,

puzzled and a little hurt to think that Oliver has spoken

of her visit to the psychiatrist. Oliver catches Irena's

look.

OLIVER:

(quickly)

Alice knows, darling.

ALICE:

(not catching the

vibrations in the air)

Of course. Didn't I suggest Dr.

Judd? I met him on the

Commodore's boat. The way he

goes around kissing hands makes

me want to spit cotton, but I

guess he knows all there is to

know about psychiatry.

Oliver is looking very embarrassed. Irena is both startled

and angry now. Alice looks at both of them and catches on.

ALICE (cont'd)

Uh-oh!

OLIVER:

(to Irena)

I told Alice; I knew she'd know

some good doctor.

IRENA:

I don't see why that was necessary.

Her manner is very cold. She gives them both a long look,

and walks away to stand by the window, gazing out, with her

back toward them. Alice looks guiltily at Oliver, shrugs

her shoulders, and picks up her hat and coat from a near-by

chair.

ALICE:

Sorry. I seem to have put my big

foot in it.

She lets Oliver help her on with her coat, and, with her hat

still in her hand, she goes over to the door. Pausing, she

calls out to Irena.

ALICE (cont'd)

Sorry, Irena. I'm sure neither I

nor Oliver had any notion of

offending you. I'm dreadfully

sorry.

IRENA:

(half-turning, coldly)

Good-bye, Alice.

With another-guilty look at Oliver, Alice closes the door

behind her. The moment the door clicks shut, Irena turns to

face Oliver. She is furious, hurt, offended. Oliver tries to

make nice with her.

OLIVER:

Darling, really, there's no

reason....

IRENA:

But, Oliver, how can you discuss

such things...such intimate things

about me? How much did you tell

her?

OLIVER:

(good-naturedly)

You can tell Alice anything. She's

such a good egg, she can understand

anything.

IRENA:

There are some things a woman

doesn't want other women to

understand.

She crosses the room, goes into the bedroom, and closes the

door firmly behind her. Oliver is honestly perplexed. He

looks after her ruefully.

DISSOLVE:

INT. IRENA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Irena is unable to sleep. A bright moon drives a shaft of

misty light through the window and across her bed. She turns

restlessly, gets up, and goes to the window for a moment to

look out. From the park comes the sound of the lions and one

eerie, piercing shriek that she knows is the leopard's cry.

She trembles, perhaps with cold, perhaps with some emotion

that she cannot understand. She comes to a decision, throws

a fur coat over her nightdress, outs on a pair of galoshes

over her bedroom slippers, and lets herself out of the room.

INT. IRENA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Irena hesitates as she tiptoes across the studio room of her

apartment. The moonlight Is pouring in through the window,

throwing the familiar objects of the room Into mysterious

half-shadows. She goes quietly over to the other door, opens

it quietly, and looks in.

INT. OLIVER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Oliver is sound asleep In his bed. He sleeps quietly.

INT. IRENA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Irena closes the door to Oliver's bedroom softly, and tiptoes

to the main door, snapping the night latch back, and quietly

letting herself out.

X:

X:

X:

X:

X:

X:

TWO SHOT. Oliver comes out of the shadows of the hallway and

joins Irena on the steps.

OLIVER:

I woke up. You were gone, What's

wrong, darling?

IRENA:

(a pause, as she looks at him)

I couldn't sleep. I went out.

They continue up the stairs together, the CAMERA HOLDING on

them. As they reach a landing, Oliver stops.

OLIVER:

Where'd you go?

IRENA:

Just walked.

There is a brief pause. Oliver reaches out and takes her

hand.

OLIVER:

I'm sorry about this afternoon. I

just didn't think.

IRENA:

We should never quarrel, Oliver. I

need you so much. You must help me,

Oliver.

(pauses)

Never let me feel jealousy or

anger. Whatever it is that is In me

is held in...is kept

harmless...when I am happy.

OLIVER:

I'd turn handsprings, darling...

I'd dance In the streets...to make

you happy.

He smiles down at her. Then, taking her little face in his

hands, he pinches her cheeks together so that her mouth

puckers to an enforced smile.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT. THE PANTHER'S CAGE - PARK - DAY

Irena stands at the guard rail, watching the old keeper

unlock the cage door and throw in the big, bloody chunks of

meat. He is singing again his monotonous, nasal song, but

even his singing cannot drown out the noisy feeding of the

panther as it gnaws and tears at the meat. When he has thrown

in the last chunk, he slams shut the cage door and moves on.

It is a gusty, blowy day of hard, inconstant winds. Irena

notices that he has left the key in the look of the cage.

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