Double Indemnity Page #27

pocket and puts it between his lips. Then with great

difficulty he gets out a match, tries to strike it, but is

too weak. Keyes takes the match out of his hand, strikes it

for him and lights his cigarette.

FADE OUT:

THE END:

The following pages are for an alternate ending that director

Billy Wilder actually shot but later decided against.

KEYES:

They're on the way.

NEFF:

(Slowly and with great

difficulty)

You know why you didn't figure this

one, Keyes? Let me tell you. The guy

you were looking for was too close.

He was right across the desk from

you.

KEYES:

Closer than that, Walter.

The eyes of the two men meet in a moment of silence.

NEFF:

I love you too.

Neff fumbles for the handkerchief in Keyes' pocket, pulls it

out and clumsily wipes his face with it. Then, clutching the

handkerchief against his shoulder, he speaks to Keyes for

the last time.

NEFF:

At the end of that... trolley line...

just as I get off... you be there...

to say goodbye... will you, Keyes?

FADE OUT:

END OF SEQUENCE "D"

SEQUENCE "E"

FADE IN:

E-1 WITNESS ROOM IN DEATH CHAMBER - SAN QUENTIN (DAY)

Showing the witness room and approximately one-half of the

gas chamber. BOOM SHOT towards guard standing BACK TO CAMERA

at entrance door. Except for this guard the room is empty.

Guard opens the door. Two other guards enter, followed by a

group of witnesses and newspaper men, each of whom removes

his hat as he enters the room. They form a group around the

outside of the gas chamber, some looking in through the glass

windows, some standing in the background on low platforms

against the wall.

THE CAMERA SLOWLY BEGINS TO MOVE IN AND DOWN, AND CENTERS ON

Keyes, as he enters the room and stands behind the door. His

face is seen through the bars of the door, which is then

closed, and CAMERA MOVES TO A CLOSEUP. His eyes follow the

action of the closing door, then slowly look towards the gas

chamber.

E-2 THE GAS CHAMBER, EMPTY

On its windows show reflections of the spectators, including

the face of Keyes.

The door to the gas chamber opens in the background, and

beyond that another door opens. Neff comes in between two

guards. He is wearing a white open-necked shirt, blue denim

pants, and walks barefooted on a cocoanut matting. He moves

into the gas chamber, looks through the windows in the

direction of Keyes and nods quickly, recognizing him. The

guards turn him around and seat him in one of the two metal

chairs, with his back to the witnesses. They strap his arms,

legs and body to the chair. The guards go out.

E-3 THE DOOR TO THE GAS CHAMBER

It is open. The three guards come out of the gas chamber

into the ante-chamber, where stand the warden, executioner,

two doctors, the minister and the acid man, and possibly

several guards.

The executioner and one guard close the door. The guard spins

the big wheel which tightens it. The wheel at first turns

very quickly, then, as it tightens, the guard uses

considerable force to seal the chamber tight. The guard steps

out of the shot. The gas chamber is now sealed.

E-4 THE WITNESSES AND KEYES

They are intently watching Neff in the gas chamber.

E-5 THE ANTE-CHAMBER

The warden looks slowly around the room, sees that everyone

is in his proper place and that the stethoscope, which one

doctor holds, is connected with the outlet in the wall of

the gas chamber. Also that the man in charge of the acid is

ready. The warden makes a motion to the acid man. The acid

man releases the mixed acid into a pipe connecting with a

countersunk receptacle under Neff's chair. (This action is

only suggested). The warden looks at the clock, then turns

to the executioner and nods.

E-6 THE EXECUTIONER - MED. SHOT - CAMERA SHOOTING DOWN FROM

HIGH ANGLE TOWARDS EXECUTIONER

He pushes a metal lever. (This immerses the pellets of cyanide

in the acid under the chair.)

E-7 INT. GAS CHAMBER - MED. SHOT

CAMERA IS SHOOTING ABOVE Neff's head (just out of shot),

towards spectators standing outside the gas chamber, Keyes

in the center. Gas floats up into scene between CAMERA and

spectators. Keyes, unable to watch, looks away.

E-8 THE FIRST DOCTOR - CLOSE SHOT

as he listens on stethoscope connected with the gas chamber.

He glances at the clock above his head.

E-9 THE SECOND DOCTOR - CLOSE SHOT

He stands to right of the gas chamber door, taking notes on

a pad. He glances towards First Doctor (out of scene) and

looks through venetian blinds into the gas chamber. The acid

man stands near him.

E-10 THE FIRST DOCTOR

CAMERA SHOOTING FROM HIGH ANGLE TOWARDS HIM as he listens on

stethoscope. The doctor glances at the clock again. He takes

his stethoscope from his ears. He nods to the warden, This

indicates that the man is dead. CAMERA PANS with warden as

he turns to open the door connecting the ante-chamber with

the witness room.

E-11 THE WITNESS ROOM - LONG SHOT FROM HIGH ON BOOM DOWN ON

WITNESSES GROUPED AROUND GAS CHAMBER

The door connecting with the ante-chamber opens. A guard

comes through.

GUARD:

That's all, gentlemen, Vacate the

chamber, please.

The guard withdraws and closes the door by which he entered.

The witnesses slowly start to file out. A guard has opened

the outer door. The witnesses put their hats on as they pass

through. A few go close to the windows of the gas chamber to

look in at the dead man before they leave.

All the witnesses have now left, except Keyes, who stands,

shocked and tragic, beyond the door. The guard goes to him

and touches his arm, indicating to him that he must leave.

Keyes glances for the last time towards the gas chamber and

slowly moves to go out.

E-12 CORRIDOR OUTSIDE THE DEATH CHAMBER

CAMERA SHOOTING IN THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR AT KEYES, who is

just turning to leave. Keyes comes slowly out into the dark,

narrow corridor. His hat is on his head now, his overcoat is

pulled around him loosely. He walks like an old man. He takes

eight or ten steps, then mechanically reaches a cigar out of

his vest pocket and puts it in his mouth. His hands, in the

now familiar gesture, begin to pat his pockets for matches.

Suddenly he stops, with a look of horror on his face. He

stands rigid, pressing a hand against his heart. He takes

the cigar out of his mouth and goes slowly on towards the

door, CAMERA PANNING with him. When he has almost reached

the door, the guard stationed there throws it wide, and a

blaze of sunlight comes in from the prison yard outside.

Keyes slowly walks out into the sunshine. stiffly, his head

bent, a forlorn and lonely man.

FADE OUT:

THE END:

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