Heavenly Creatures Page #10

PULL OUT . . . to show Pauline and Juliet lying in opposite ends of a

hot, steaming bath, staring at each other.

PAULINE:

(Poem V.O.) The wisdom that is hidden behind those strange eyes.

INT. ILAM/)ULIET'S BEDROOM - NIGHTPOEM CONTINUES AS . . .

Pauline and Juliet . . . sleeping in each other's arms in bed.

PAULINE:

(Poem V.O.) And these wonderful people are you and I.

FAST TRACK IN . . . to the bedroom door.

Henry is silently observing the two sleeping girls, his face stoney.

Sound of a distant thunderclap . . .

CUT TO:

INT. RIEPERS'HOUSE/HALLWAY - NIGHTHenry is standing on the Riepers'

doorstep. Lightning flashes light up his face like something out of a

gothic horror.

HENRY Mrs. Rieper . . . may I come in?

HONORA:

is standing, holding the door open, looking rather surprised at the

unexpected visitor.

HONORA:

(Surprised) Yes, of course.

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/LOUNGE - NIGHTHenry and HONORA

are sitting in the lounge. Henry looking rather uncomfortable on the

edge of a shabby armchair. HERBERT

is at a drinks cabinet unscrewing the top off a bottle.

HENRY Your daughter's . . . an imaginative and a spirited girl- HONORA

If she's spending too much time at your house, you only need to say.

All those nights she spends over-she's assured us that you don't mind .

. .

HENRY It's rather more complicated than that. Since Mrs. Hulme and I

have returned home, Juliet has been behaving in a rather disturbed

manner . . . surliness, short temper . . . general irritability-most

uncharacteristic.

HERBERT:

is pouring a drink.

HERBERT:

Sure I can't tempt you to a nice sherry, Dr. Hulme?

HENRY No, thank you. The thing is . . .

HONORA:

Yvonne hasn't been herself, either. Locking herself away in her room .

. . endlessly writing.

HERBERT:

sits down next to Honora, glass of sherry in hand.

HENRY My wife and I feel the friendship is . . . unhealthy.

HERBERT:

No arguments there, Dr. Hulme! All that time inside working on those

novels of theirs. They don't get fresh air or exercise!

HONORA:

frowns at Henry.

HONORA:

(Concerned) I'm not sure what you mean, Dr. Hulme.

Henry pauses for a moment.

HENRY Your daughter appears to have formed a rather . . . unwholesome

attachment to Juliet.

HONORA:

(Worried) What's she done???

HENRY She hasn't done anything . . . it's the intensity of the

friendship that concerns me. I think we should avert trouble before it

starts.

Henry hands a business card to Honora.

HENRY Dr. Bennett is a very good friend. He's a general physician, but

has some expertise in child psychology. If Pauline is indeed developing

in a rather . . . er . . . wayward fashion, Dr. Bennett is the ideal

man to set her back on track.

CUT TO:

INT. DR. BENNETT'S SURGERY - DAYPauline is slouched in a chair, looking

very sullen.

DR. BENNETT (O.S.) What about your studies . . . are you enjoying

school?

DR. BENNETT is seated behind his desk. Pauline is silent. She looks at

the ceiling. HONORA

is sitting next to Pauline.

DR. BENNETT Are you happy at home? Pauline is silent.

HONORA:

Answer Dr. Bennett, Yvonne.

Pauline remains silent.

HONORA:

(Annoyed) Yvonne!

DR. BENNETT Mrs. Rieper . . . perhaps you wouldn't mind waiting

outside.

HONORA:

leaves the room.

DR. BENNETT Do you like your mother?

Pauline hesitates for a moment.

PAULINE:

No.

DR. BENNETT And why is that?

PAULINE:

She nags me.

DR. BENNETT And that's why you like to stay with the Hulmes?

Pauline looks wary. She doesn't answer.

DR. BENNETT Or is it because you want to be with Juliet?

No answer.

DR. BENNETT Do you . . . like girls?

PAULINE:

No.

DR. BENNETT Why not?

PAULINE:

They're silly.

DR. BENNETT But Juliet's not silly?

PAULINE:

(Emphatic) No!

DR. BENNETT Yvonne . . . there's nothing wrong with having a close

friend, but sometimes things can get . . . too friendly. Such

associations can lead to trouble. It isn't good to have just one friend

. . . my wife and I have several friend and we enjoy seeing them on a

regular basis, and it's all perfectly healthy. Perhaps you could think

about spending time with . . . boys- Dr. Bennett stops in mid-sentence,

a look of surprise face. He looks down at his chest . . .

A red bloodstain is slowly spreading across his shirt. Dr. Bennett

twitches slightly as the blade of a sword work its way out of his

chest!

Pauline's face lights up as . . .

Diello rises up behind Dr. Bennett.

DIELLO (Orson Welles voice) Bloody fool!

CRASH CUT TO:

INT. DR. BENNETT'S WAITING ROOM - DAYThe surgery door opens and Pauline

steps out, looking elated.

HONORA:

looks up from her chair.

Dr. Bennett appears in the doorway behind Pauline. He casts a wary

glance in her direction.

DR. BENNETT Mrs. Rieper . . .

HONORA:

bustles in, and Dr. Bennett closes the door. Pauline sits down, folds

her arms and stares blankly at a COUPLE OF SICK PATIENTS.

INT. DR. BENNETT'S SURGERY - DAYCLOSE-UP . . . Dr. Bennett's mouth.

DR. BENNETT Homosexuality . . .

HONORA:

looks horrified.

DR. BENNETT I agree, Mrs. Rieper, it's not a pleasant word. But let us

not panic unduly. This condition is often a passing phase with girls of

Yvonne's age.

HONORA:

But she's always been such a normal, happy child.

DR. BENNETT It can strike at any time, and adolescent are particularly

vulnerable.

HONORA:

But what about the vomiting? She's lost a lot of weight . . .

Dr. Bennett shrugs.

DR. BENNETT Physically, I can find nothing wrong. I've checked for TB

and she's clear. I can only attribute her weight loss to her mental

disorder.

HONORA:

(Shocked) Oh . . .

DR. BENNETT Look, Mrs. Rieper . . . try not to worry too much. Yvonne's

young and strong, and she's got a loving family behind her. Chances are

she'll grow out of it. If not . . . well, medical science is

progressing in leaps and bounds. There could be a breakthrough at any

time!

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/HALLWAY - NIGHTSLOW TRACKING . . . down the hallway

corridor. As the CAMERA passes doorways, we see the Riepers' family

routine . . . HONORA

in the kitchen. HERBERT

wanders by and goes through the adjoining door into the lounge. He sits

down and opens the paper. Wendy is attempting to t the fire. The family

are chatting to each other, but we do not hear their conversation

because . . .

. . . we are listening to Pauline's V.O.

PAULINE:

(Diary V.O.) Mother woke me this morning and started lecturing me

before I was properly awake, which I thought was somewhat unfair. She

has brought up the worst possible threat now. She said that if my

health did not prove I could never see the Hulmes again. The thought is

too dreadful. Life would be unbearable without Deborah . . .

CAMERA CRANES UP . . . through the ceiling and into . . .

INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT. . . Pauline's bedroom.

The room is filled with the sad strains of "E Lucevan le Stelle," an

aria from Puccini's Tosca that is booming out from Pauline's portable

record player.

CAMERA CRANES UP past the foot of the bed to reveal Pauline lying on

her back, looking very morose.

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