Fletch Page #6

80 ALAN STANWYK'S OFFICE - DAY

Fletch breezes in, right up to the Secretary, whose nameplate reads MADELINE TURNER.

FLETCH:

(rapidly)

Oh, Margie, sorry, Frieda lost the number

of Alan's realtor in Provo. Can you give it to

me real quick?

MARGIE:

Jim Swarthout?

FLETCH:

Yeah.

She writes it out for him.

MARGIE:

And, I'm sorry, who are you again?

FLETCH:

(grabbing the paper)

Frieda's boss.

MARGIE:

(calling after him)

Who's Frieda?

FLETCH:

(out the door)

My secretary.

81 EXT. BEACH - DAY

Pan across the beach....

FLETCH (O.S.)

Larry, it's me....

Fletch is in a phone booth on the sidewalk next to the beach, keeping an eye on "Fat Sam's."

FLETCH:

See if you've got anything in Stanwyk's background

from when he lived in Utah. Also check on a realtor

in Provo named Swarthout. And tell Frank I'm crazy

about him and I'd like to discuss his maybe moving

in with me.

We hear police sirens. Fletch looks O.S.

FLETCH:

Later.

He hangs up.

82 FLETCH'S POINT OF VIEW - FOUR SQUAD CARS

have pulled up to the beach, lights flashing. The druggies are dispersing. Creasy is running towards Fletch.

CREASY:

Fletch! Take off!

83 FLETCH

He steps out onto the beach, and starts towards the cops.

84 MASTER

CREASY:

What are you doing?

85 MASTER

Everyone is scattering. The cops run past everyone, and approach Gummey.

86 FLETCH AND CREASY

FLETCH:

They're after Gummy again. It's weird.

Fletch keeps moving toward the police.

CREASY:

(out of breath)

Fletch, slow down.

87 GUMMY AND THE COPS

Gummy trips and falls in the sand. A Cop kicks him in the head.

COP #1

Let's go, Gummy.

88 FLETCH AND CREASY

still running toward the cops.

FLETCH:

Hey, what are you doing?

CREASY:

Fletch, this is dumb.

FLETCH:

You don't have to run with me, Crease.

89 MASTER

The cops drag Gummy toward a squad car.

90 ANGLE - "FAT SAM'S"

Fat Sam peers out, watching the action.

91 MASTER

Fletch approaches the cops.

FLETCH:

Why are you beating up on that kid?

No responce from the cops.

FLETCH:

He's defenseless, and you kick the crap out of him.

What do you want from ---

One of the cops turns and, in one smooth motion, kicks Fletch in the balls. Fletch sinks to the ground.

92 SQUAD CAR

Gummy is packed into the squad car.

93 FLETCH

He rises slowly from the sand. He is in great pain. He starts after the cops again.

94 CREASY

CREASY:

Fletch!

95 MASTER

FLETCH:

What goddamn right do you have to take him?

The cop car starts off. Fletch picks up a rock, hurls it at the cop car. It smashes the rear window.

96 CREASY

CREASY:

Fletch!!!

97 MASTER

The cop cars go off. Fletch bends over. He's hurting. Creasy comes over to him.

CREASY:

Hey you're really nuts.

FLETCH:

(breathless)

They didn't do anything.

CREASY:

What? What are you talking about?

FLETCH:

I busted their window, they didn't do anything.

CREASY:

You're lucky.

FLETCH:

Not luck. They don't want me.

98 POLICE CARS

In a caravan, they head down the highway.

99 FLETCH

He turns and looks towards "Fat Sam's."

100 "FAT SAM'S"

Fat Sam watches the police cars go down the road, then turns and looks towards the ocean. He pulls his Angels cap down over his head.

101 CLOSE - FLETCH

He is focusing on something, but has not figured it out yet.

FLETCH:

Gummy and two cops....

102

and OMITTED

103

104 INT. FRANK WALKER'S OFFICE - DAY

FLETCH:

Cool your tool, Frank, I need a little

more time. I think I'm really on to something here.

WALKER:

Your onto something. That's good. What?

FLETCH:

I really don't want to spoil your surprise, Frank.

Why don't you read it tomorrow?

Larry, knocks on the door.

WALKER:

What do you want?

Larry points to Fletch.

WALKER:

Speak, don't point!

LARRY:

I need Fletch for a second.

FLETCH:

She needs me, Frank.

Fletch turns to Larry. Push to two shot.

LARRY:

Nothing on Gail Stanwyk, nothing on Jim Swarthout.

But I did ---

FLETCH:

That's okay, Lar. I gotta put this on the back

burner for a while.

Larry starts to exit.

WALKER:

Just give me a hint, all right?

FLETCH:

All right. Maybe there are some crooked

cops involved in all this.

LARRY:

(stopping in the doorway)

Did you say cops?

FLETCH:

Yeah.

LARRY:

That's one thing I did find. It's from

Last month, so it was in the unsorted pile.

She hands Fletch a clipping.

105 INSERT - CLIPPING

It is an article and photograph of the newly-appointed citizens on the Police Advisory Board. One of them is Alan Stanwyk.

WALKER:

What's that?

106 MASTER

Fletch pockets the photo.

FLETCH:

(puzzled)

More cops.

(then)

I think I gotta go to Utah, Frank.

WALKER:

Utah?

FLETCH:

Yeah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada.

I'm sure you've seen pictures.

WALKER:

What about finding the source?

FLETCH:

I have some ideas.

WALKER:

Who? Donnie and Marie?

FLETCH:

Very possibly. Come on, say yes. I'll buy

you a shirt.

WALKER:

Go to transportation, get a ticket.

LARRY:

(to Fletch as he exits)

My hero.

FLETCH:

Nothing to it.

107 EXT. PROVO, UTAH - AIRPORT -DAY

A Western Airlines flight arrives.

107-A EXT. HIGHWAY - DUSK

Fletch's rented Fairmont speeds down the highway.

107-B INT. FAIRMONT - FLETCH

wearing a polyester brown suit -- fiddles with the radio. Snatches of programs are heard: "easy listening" music; country-and-western; a revival show; a call in show -- "Hi, you're on the air." "Hello, Bob, I'd like to discuss the death penalty. As you know, Jesus was in favor of it --" Fletch whistles and switches the radio off. He turns the car off the interstate.

108 EXT. TRAVELODGE - LATE AFTERNOON - ESTABLISHING SHOT

as Fletch drives up.

109 INT. TRAVELODGE MOTEL ROOM

Fletch dials the phone in the small, sparsely furnished room.

FLETCH:

Hi, Jim Swarthout, please. Oh, hello, my name

is Igor Stravinski and I'm looking for some ranch property.

110 INT. SWARTHOUT REALTY

Jim Swarthout is a rugged-looking man in his forties. He sits in the den/office of his house talking on the phone, surrounded by pine-paneling, property tract maps and wall-mounted animal heads.

SWARTHOUT:

Good, Mr. Starinski, what'd you have in mind?

(pause)

Uh huh. Oh are you a friend of Alan's?

111 INT. FLETCH'S MOTEL ROOM

FLETCH:

No, I just heard some people at the club talking about the property

you sold him, and the way it was described, three million sounded like

a pretty good price.

(pause)

What?

Fletch pauses again to listen, flummoxed over what he has just heard.

FLETCH:

Are you sure?

(pause)

Of course. I guess I was misinformed. Listen,

I'd love to come out and see you anyway.

When are you available?

112 INT. SWARTHOUT REALTY

SWARTHOUT:

Well, I'm about to close up shop and go out for the

evening. How about first thing in the AM?

(pause)

Great. See you tomorrow.

113 INT. FLETCH'S MOTEL ROOM

FLETCH:

Tomorrow.

Fletch hangs up, very interested.

114 OMITTED

115 EXT. SWARTHOUT REALTY - NIGHT

Fletch stops his car in front of the ranch-style house. A lighted sign in the yard indicate that this is indeed Swarthout Realty, but the house is dark; no one appears to be home. Somewhere in the yard a dog barks viciously, frantically.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote