From Here to Eternity Page #20

(maternally)

And do eat your breakfast, Dana.

It's getting cold.

She goes out to pantry. We hear the sound of the door to rear

porch opening and closing.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT HOLMES

wretched, completely at a loss. He stares into space, then

looks down at his food, picks up a fork and ruefully begins

to eat.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BARRACKS - DAY

MEDIUM SHOT LAWN

Prew, on hands and knees, is on a weeding detail with three

other men, one of them Sal Anderson. Another is PRIVATE NAIR,

a tousle-headed, sentimental man we have not seen before.

Sergeant Thornhill, in charge of the detail, lolls on the

ground, his head propped against a tree, reading a comic

book. Prew works his way over to Nair.

.

PREW:

You just get out of the Stockade?

NAIR:

(nods)

It was rugged, sam. But I kept my

mouth shut and watched my step and

I wasn't in no trouble.

PREW:

You see Maggio?

Nair nods, tells his tale in half-humorous, half-reverent

fashion.

NAIR:

Fatso’s workin him over with a hoe

handle. Places where it won't show

mostly. You know, the back and the

chest. The kidneys. Once in a while

in the face. Know what Maggio does

when that happens? Spits in Fatso's

eye.

(chuckles)

Oh, he's a hot one. Ain't he a hot

one?

105.

PREW:

He's a good boy.

NAIR:

Course, he throws up a little blood

now and then. And he passes out a

lot. But Fatso sure ain't reportin

none of that. So there's no way

they goin to find out.

PREW:

Why don't he go to the C.O.?

NAIR:

We tried to get him to. But he

won't peep. He says he got a lot

more scalp to lose first. That boy

is about the hardest artery in the

hospital.

(with great sentiment)

But he's got a heart just like a

great big baby.

Prew's face has been growing in fury. He pulls up a clump of

sod, throws it down with all his might.

PREW:

You think he’s gonna be all right?

NAIR:

Your guess is worth mine, sam.

Maybe he's crackin a little at that

-- cause after Fatso put him in the

Hole -- that's what they call

solitary -- a couple times he began

talkin about how he’s gonna escape.

He said to tell you he’ll

look you up one of these nights.

A shadow falls across the grass in front of Prew.

SHOT GALOVITCH FROM PREW'S POV

CAMERA SHOOTING UP from near the ground, the ANGLE

EXAGGERATING Galavitch's ungainly, ape-like figure. He looks

down at Prew, full of venom.

GALOVITCH:

Still on knees, eh, Prewitt? Well,

boxing finals next month. December

f if teen. You s till got time help

us make champions.

MEDIUM SHOT PREW FROM GALOVITCHE'S POV

106.

Prew is at the breaking point. Controlling himself, he weeds

around Galovitch's shadow. It moves in front of Prew again.

GALOVITCH'S VOICE

Are proud dis Compny to be or not?

Bites de hand dat feeds it der

shoot dogs for. Infortunately, ony

dogs day are allowed to shoot, not

men.

MEDIUM SHOT GROUP

The other men have stopped weeding, are looking over at Prew

and Galovitch. Thornhill, in b.g., puts down the comic book

and comes over to them during following.

PREW:

Get outa my way, Ike. I ain't gonna

move around you again.

GALOVITCH:

You need better lesson than up to

now. Maybe I give to you myself.

Maybe right now.

He steps on Prew's hand. As Prew jerks away from the heavy

shoe Galovitch hauls him up by his fatigue shirt. Thornhill

steps between them.

THORNHILL:

(to Galovitch)

Ey, leave him alone. ‘e’s in my

detail --

Prew shoves Thornhill aside, cold decision in his eyes. He

starts unbuttoning his shirt.

PREW:

(to Galovitch)

All right. It's gonna be your way.

Galovitch rips off his shirt, bursting some of the buttons as

he does. Stripped to the waist, his whole appearance seems to

change; he looks as he did in the ring, a hard-muscled prize

fighter.

THORNHILL:

Ey, wait a minute, you guys -- !

Prew is barely able to get out of his shirt before Galovitch

charges him.

VARIOUS ANGLES PREW AND GALOVITCH AND SPECTATORS

During following men run from across the quadrangle and from

out of the barracks to watch the affair, form a circle around

107.

the fighters. Prew is a skillful boxer, moving around

Galovitch quickly and cleverly. Galovitch is more lumbering

but not awkward. His heavy blows stagger Prew several times.

Prew drives his attack at his opponent's body. He never

throws a punch at the other's head.

.

NAIR:

The head, Prew! Hit him in the

head!

The other men around shout similar advice.

CLOSE SHOT GALOVITCH

puzzled by Prew's concentration on his body and by the shouts

of the men. He seems to be wondering if Prew is pulling a

trick.

CLOSE SHOT PREW:

A fear, not born of cowardice, is reflected on Prew's face as

he sets himself, stares at Galovitch. He seems haunted by the

memory of Dixie Wells.

CLOSEUP GALOVITCH'S EYES

CLOSEUP PREW:

flinching without being hit. He seems mesmerized by the

other's eyes.

CLOSEUP GALOVITCH'S EYES

MEDIUM SHOT PREW AND GALOVITCH

fighting. Galovitch draws blood from a cut over Prew's eye.

He is getting the better of the battle. In b.g. Thornhill

breaks out of the crowd and runs across the quadrangle.

MEDIUM SHOT BALDY DHOM AND SPECTATOR

SPECTATOR:

I don't get it -- Why don't Prew go

for the head?

DHOM:

He blinded a guy once. Must be

scairt of the same thing.

MEDIUM SHOT PREW AND GALOVITCH

as Galovitch batters Prew back against the crowd. A right to

the temple sends him to his knees. He shakes his head a

moment, gets up and goes into a clinch.

LONG SHOT BARRACKS WINDOWS ON UPPER FLOORS

The windows are crowded with men watching the fight.

108.

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY

LONG SHOT OUT WINDOW To FRONT OF BARRACKS

SHOOTING OVER heads of men watching, out to Prew and

Galovitch on the ground. Dispassionate, professional ad-libs

from the men:
why does Prew continue his attack to the body

only, a good little man and a good big man, etc.

INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE - DAY

SHOT WARDEN AND HOLMES FEATURING WARDEN

Warden is at his desk filling out an application blank.

Holmes is glancing over his shoulder..

INSERT:
OFFICER EXTENSION COURSE APPLICATION BLANK

Warden's hand in shot filling out answers to sex, age, race,

etc.

HOLMES’ VOICE

I’ll be glad to recommend you,

Warden. You've got service,

experience, grade. You'll make an

excellent officer.

BACK TO SCENE:

Holmes waits for thanks.

WARDEN:

(after hesitating)

Thank you, sir.

The screen door in the Orderly Room bangs. Thornhill runs

into the office, breathless. He comes to a shaking attention

as he sees Holmes.

HOLMES:

At ease, Sergeant. What's the

matter?

THORNHILL:

They fightin on the green, sir!

Galovitch and Prewitt.

THORNHILL:

Ike looks like ‘e goin to murder

him, sir.

A pleased look crosses Holmes’ face. Warden jumps up, starts

for door. Holmes catches his arm.

109.

HOLMES:

There's no rush. I’ll take care of

it.

Holmes goes out. Thornhill follows, turns at the door.

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