From Here to Eternity Page #8

39.

and MRS. KIPFER stands at the threshold. She is a

sophisticated-looking woman with upswept hair, wears an

evening gown with a corsage of orchids. The piano music,

louder with the opening of the door, continues through all of

the following. The pianist is hammering out "I Don't Want To

Set The World On Fire" (or a similar hit of 1941).

.

MAGGIO:

Greetings, Mrs. Kipfer.

MRS. KIPPER

(cordially)

Why, it's Angelo Maggio.

He barges past her through the door. Mrs. Kipfer frowns and

follows him. Prew shrugs and goes in after her.

INT. VESTIBULE NEW CONGRESS CLUB - NIGHT

MEDIUM SHOT:

as Prew enters behind Mrs. Kipfer. The vestibule has an old

South feeling of mustiness and respectability. Maggio is

handing some bills to ANNETTE, a young, brash-looking girl,

who sits behind a reception desk.

MAGGIO:

Okay... so there y'are. Dues all

paid up. Who ya got playin the

piana -- a hippo?

MRS. KIPPER

Angelo, I don’t believe I've met

your friend. And you know how I

hate to find you boys in this

condition...

MAGGIO:

There. You see. Any time women see

a soldier, think he's drunk. Why?

You know why?

PREW:

Because he is.

MRS. KIPPER

Heavy drinking simply doesn't mix

with the entertainment business.

Every respectable place must

consider its future.

PREW:

Mrs. Kipfer, ma'am, I give you my

solemn word your future will be

safe with us.

40.

Maggio nods vigorously in agreement, then pushes through the

heavy curtains which separate the vestibule from the room

beyond. Mrs. Kipfer looks after him a little unhappily.

MRS. KIPPER

Angelo is one of my favorites.

Annette, dear, take care of this

gentleman, will you, please?

Mrs. Kipfer exits through the curtains. Annette takes a card

from file, picks up pen.

ANNETTE:

It'll be eight bucks, Babyface.

Four for initiation fee, four for

April dues.

PREW:

Say, what do I get for it?

ANNETTE:

(rattling it off)

Members are entitled to all

privileges of the club which

includes dancing, snack bar, soft

drink bar, and gentlemanly

relaxation with the opposite gender

so long as they are gentlemen and

no hard liquor is permitted.

(takes a breath)

Got it?

Prew grins, digs in his pocket for money.

PREW:

I got it.

INT. NEW CONGRESS CLUB - LARGE CLUB ROOM - NIGHT

FULL SHOT:

Several rooms branch off from this main one. There are about

a dozen soldiers in civilian clothes -- and about a dozen

hostesses. Several couples are dancing. The man at the piano

is banging away, his music clashing cacophonically with a

jukebox record from an adjoining room. CAMERA PANS as Mrs.

Kipfer moves to and fro encouraging the men to enjoy

themselves. The New Congress is a sort of primitive U.S.O., a

place of well-worn merriment. It is not a house of

prostitution but the girls look available for goosing... all

but one we see at the end of the PAN. She sits alone on a

couch. This is LORENE. There is an innocent, child-like look

about her. Her hair is done demurely in a circular roll low

on her neck. She is about twenty-four. She is reading a

41.

magazine, untouched by the din around her.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT SERGEANT "FATSO" JUDSON

pounding the piano as if he is trying to knock the keys out.

He has an enormous head and a hogshead chest. He resembles

Porky Pig. His dead eyes look like two beads of caviar spaced

far apart on a great white plate.

MEDIUM SHOT NEAR CURTAINS TO VESTIBULE

Maggio is attempting some serious dancing with SANDRA, a very

tall girl. Fatso's furious tempo and tune keep drowning the

langorous tango coming from the jukebox. Maggio keeps

switching his style as he tries to get out of the range of

the piano but cannot. He is very annoyed. He and Sandra dance

out of shot, as Prew and Annette enter from the vestibule.

CAMERA PANS them to a trio of girls on a couch.

ANNETTE:

... Girls, here’s some new poison.

This is Billy and Jean and Nancy.

The girls smile, ad-lib hellos. Prew is looking over the

girls' heads at someone in rear of room out of shot.

.

MEDIUM SHOT LORENE FROM PREW'S POV

As if she senses someone is staring at her, she looks up from

the magazine, smiles serenely across the room.

MEDIUM SHOT FEATURING PREW AND ANNETTE

as she reacts sourly to Prew's reaction to Lorene. He seems

transfixed.

ANNETTE:

Don't tell me the Princess is your

style.

Annette takes his arm, moves him toward two quite good-

looking girls talking to a soldier.

ANNETTE:

Meet Suzanne and Roxanne.

The girls greet him heartily but Prew is looking back over

his shoulder at Lorene. Annette plucks his sleeve with

haughty disdain.

ANNETTE:

Much as I adore your company, you

must allow me to tear myself away.

I see a few friends at the door.

(snaps)

Also I can see I will be of no use

to you much.

42.

She walks off. The other girls resume talking to the soldier.

Prew continues to gaze across the room.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT LORENE

smiling back. Her head tilts up slowly as if someone is

coming toward her. Prew comes into shot and stands before

her, tongue-tied. She pats the couch. Her voice is low-

pitched, poised.

LORENE:

Would you like to sit down?

PREW:

(sitting)

Oh... sure.

LORENE:

I'm Lorene.

PREW:

(enchanted by the name)

Lorene...

LORENE:

I haven't seen you in here before.

Prew gestures with the membership card.

PREW:

I dint know about this place till

now. A friend of mine brought me.

We're stationed at Schofield.

LORENE:

Oh. Somehow I didn't think you were

a soldier.

PREW:

(bridles a bit)

Well, I am. And I'm in for the

whole ride. I'm a thirty-year man.

LORENE:

I suppose it's different when a

fellow is going to make a career of

it.

PREW:

There ain't anythin wrong with a

soljer that ain't wrong with

everyone else.

Lorene smiles her fatal smile at Prew's seriousness.

43.

LORENE:

I like you just the same. I liked

you the minute I saw Annette

bringing you in.

PREW:

(melts)

Me, too. I mean when I came in. I

saw you over here -

There is a commotion across the room. A group of man and

girls are surrounding the piano. Fatso has stopped playing

and a shouting argument is going on between him and Maggio.

Prew looks over, concerned.

FATSO'S VOICE

I'll play loud as I want, ya little

Wop!

A babble of voices drowns out Maggio's reply.

PREW:

Friend of mine.

(rises)

You wait right here for me, will

ya?

LORENE:

(smiles sweetly)

Surely.

MEDIUM SHOT AT PIANO

where two men are holding Fatso and three girls are

restraining Maggio. The others are amused by the quarrel, but

Fatso and Maggio are deadly serious.

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