Chinatown Page #10

This subdues Gittes a little. Evelyn is still a little heated.

EVELYN:

(continuing; more

calmly)

-- Is there anything else you want

to know?

GITTES:

Where you were when your husband

died.

EVELYN:

I can't tell you.

GITTES:

You mean you don't know where you

were?

EVELYN:

I mean I can't tell you.

GITTES:

-- You were seeing someone, too.

Evelyn looks squarely at him. She doesn't deny it.

GITTES:

-- For very long?

EVELYN:

I don't see anyone for very long,

Mr. Gittes. It's difficult for me.

Now I think you know all you need to

about me. I didn't want publicity. I

didn't want to go into any of this,

then or now. Is this all?

Gittes nods.

51.

GITTES:

Oh, by the way. What's the 'C' stand

for?

He's been fingering the envelope...

EVELYN:

(she stammers slightly)

K... Cross.

GITTES:

That your maiden name?

EVELYN:

Yes... why?

GITTES:

No reason.

Evelyn turns into Gittes.

EVELYN:

You must've had a reason to ask me

that.

GITTES:

(shrugs)

No. I'm just a snoop.

EVELYN:

You seem to have had a reason for

every other question.

GITTES:

No, not for that one.

EVELYN:

I don't believe you.

Gittes suddenly turns sharply in to Evelyn.

GITTES:

(moving in)

Do me a favor. Sit still and act

like I'm charming.

Evelyn involuntarily draws back.

GITTES:

(continuing)

There's somebody here. Say something.

Anything. Something like we're being

intimate.

Evelyn reluctantly allows Gittes to move closer and dangle

his hand in front of their faces. She stares at him.

52.

EVELYN:

(meaning his nose)

How did it happen?

GITTES:

(quietly)

Been meaning to talk to you about

that.

EVELYN:

(quietly)

Maybe putting your nose in other

people's business?

GITTES:

(quietly)

More like other people putting their

business in my nose.

Evelyn actually smiles a little.

WOMAN'S VOICE

You son of a b*tch.

Gittes looks up and flashes his smile.

GITTES:

Mrs. Match. How're you?

Mrs. MATCH is swaying over the table, a plump woman with a

glass of whiskey in one hand, a large purse in the other,

and a menacing look in her eye.

MRS. MATCH

Don't give me that, you son of a

b*tch.

GITTES:

Okay.

Gittes turns back to Evelyn.

EVELYN:

(softly)

Another satisfied client?

GITTES:

Another satisfied client's wife.

MRS. MATCH

Look at me, you son of a b*tch.

You... you bastard. Are you happy,

are you happy now?

She tries to take a swipe at Gittes with her purse. Gittes

covers himself. Waiters rush over.

53.

MRS. MATCH

-- You smug son of a b*tch. My

husband's so upset he sweats all

night! How do you think that makes

me feel?

GITTES:

Sweaty?

Mrs. Match swings at Gittes again and again. She catches him

on the nose. It hurts. He covers it -- then swings his leg

out from under the table and deftly kicks her in the shin.

Mrs. Match drops her purse and spills her drink. She grabs

her shin, hopping around a little. The waiters who had tried

to restrain her now try to keep her from falling over.

GITTES:

Let's get out of here before she

picks up her purse.

They rise and move toward the door.

EVELYN:

(quietly)

Tough guy, huh?

Gittes looks, sees she's kidding, and nods.

OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT - DUSK

Gittes' car has been brought by the parking attendant. The

attendant opens the passenger side for Evelyn.

EVELYN:

Oh, no. I've got my own car.

The cream-colored Packard.

GITTES:

(to attendant who

dutifully starts for

her car)

Wait a minute, sonny.

(to Evelyn)

I think you better come with me.

EVELYN:

What for? There's nothing more to

say.

(to attendant)

Get my car, please.

The attendant starts after it again. Gittes leans on the

open door of his car and in to Evelyn. He talks quietly but

spits it out.

54.

GITTES:

Okay, go home. But in case you're

interested your husband was murdered.

Somebody's dumping tons of water out

of the city reservoirs when we're

supposedly in the middle of a drought,

he found out, and he was killed.

There's a waterlogged drunk in the

morgue -- involuntary manslaughter

if anybody wants to take the trouble

which they don't. it looks like half

the city is trying to cover it all

up, which is fine with me. But, Mrs.

Mulwray -

(now inches from her)

-- I goddam near lost my nose!

And I like it. I like breathing

through it. And I still think you're

hiding something.

Evelyn steadies herself on the open car door. She stares at

Gittes for a long moment. Then he gently tugs the car door

closed.

EVELYN:

Mr. Gittes -

He drives off into the Wilshire traffic, leaving Evelyn

looking after him.

INT.. DWP - MULWRAY'S OFFICE DOOR

WITH ITS LETTERING: HOLLIS I. MULWRAY CHIEF ENGINEER

Gittes goes through the door to the Secretary. She looks up.

She recognizes Gittes again and is not happy to see him.

GITTES:

J.J. Gittes to see Mr. Yelburton.

The Secretary immediately gets up and goes into the inner

office.

Gittes turns and strolls around the office a moment -- he

sees a photographic display of THE HISTORY OF THE DWP - THE

EARLY YEARS, along the wall. He stops as he spots a photo of

the man with the cane Gittes had seen photos of earlier -He

is standing high in the mountains, near a pass. The

caption reads JULIAN CROSS - 1905. Cross is strikingly

handsome.

Gittes immediately pulls out the envelope containing Evelyn's

check. He looks at the corner of it, his thumb pressing down

under the middle initial C, then he looks back to the photos -

The Secretary returns.

55.

SECRETARY:

Mr. Yelburton will be busy for some

time.

GITTES:

Well I'm on my lunch hour. I'll wait.

SECRETARY:

He's liable to be tied up

indefinitely.

GITTES:

I take a long lunch. All day

sometimes.

Gittes pulls out a cigarette case, offers the Secretary one.

She refuses, He lights up and begins to hum 'The Way You

Look Tonight,' strolling along the wall looking at more

photographs.

INT. MULWRAY'S OFFICES

Here he spots several photos of a much younger Mulwray, along

with Julian Cross. One of the captions: HOLLIS MULWRAY AND

JULIAN CROSS AS THE AQUEDUCT CLEARS THE SANTA SUSANNAH PASS 1912.

Gittes, still humming, turns to the Secretary.

GITTES:

Julian Cross worked for the water

department?

SECRETARY:

(looking up)

Yes. No.

GITTES:

(humming, then)

He did or he didn't?

SECRETARY:

He owned it.

Gittes is genuinely surprised. at this.

GITTES:

He owned the water department?

SECRETARY:

Yes.

GITTES:

He owned the entire water supply for

the city?

SECRETARY:

Yes.

56.

GITTES:

(really surprised)

How did they get it away from him?

SECRETARY:

(a sigh, then)

Mr. Mulwray felt the public should

own the display -- the water. If

you'll just read the display -

GITTES:

(glances back, hums,

then)

Mulwray? I thought you said Cross

owned the department.

SECRETARY:

-- Along with Mr. Mulwray.

GITTES:

They were partners.

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