Klute

INT. DINING ROOM - TOM GRUNEMANN HOUSE - DAY

CLOSE SHOT of TOM GRUNEMANN, attractive young

executive, sitting at the head of the dining room

table carving a turkey for Thanksgiving Day dinner.

There are joyous sounds of celebration. The CAMERA

PANS around the table revealing the happy family

and guests. Among them are KLUTE and CABLE.

Camera stops at Mrs. Grunemann who sits at the foot

of the table opposite her husband. She smiles

across at him with pleasure. We cut to Tom

Grunemann smiling back at her. We cut back to a

closeup of Mrs. Grunemann looking back at her

husband with love. We cut back to Tom Grunemann's

chair - only now it is empty. The joyous sounds

disappear on this cut. It appears that Tom

Grunemann has disappeared before our eyes. One

moment he is there, and the next moment he is gone.

The camera pans back down the table, only now it is

empty except for Grunemann's children and Mrs.

Grunemann. She is now dressed in something dark.

She and the three children sit eating another meal

in emptiness. She has changed from a joyous woman

to a woman bereaved.

INT. RESEARCH PLANT: ON ROSS - DAY

The industrial frontier. SPECIAL AGENT ROSS steps

into frame, glancing (perhaps idly, a little

impatiently) in this direction at some loud

industrial goings-on just beyond camera, then

returns toward GROUP.

The group includes CABLE and a YOUNGER FBI AGENT

with clipboard, to whom KLUTE is supplying

preliminary data. KLUTE's manner is somewhat

rumpled, awkward.

KLUTE:

Klute. With a K. K - L - U -

ROSS:

Are you with plant security,

Sergeant?

KLUTE:

(shakes head)

Town Police.

ROSS:

Then how are you involved?

KLUTE:

(slowly)

I know Tom Grunemann.

ROSS:

(shortcutting again)

You knew the subject Thomas

Grunemann. How well?

KLUTE:

We grew up together. Kids.

ROSS:

Can you account for his

disappearance in any way?

KLUTE:

No.

ROSS:

Did he recently appear to you

agitated or depressed?

(aside to younger Agent,

recording)

-- indicates no -- Did he voice to

you grievance or discontent with

his research work here? Indicates

no. Moral or sexual problems or

peculiarities? --

KLUTE:

No.

ROSS:

Marital problems in general?

Indicates possibly -- am I right

Sergeant?

KLUTE:

Everybody's got some, I guess.

ROSS:

Did he ever mention specifically a

girl or woman in New York?

KLUTE:

No.

ROSS:

Examine this letter please.

(continues)

We recovered that from the shredder

-- the plant disposal and

incinerator system. Grunemann

apparently typed it Friday, before

he left, decided not to send it,

tossed it away. We've already

contacted the New York Police; they

think they know the girl in

question.

C.U. KLUTE

Klute reads. We see a controlled incredulity and

revulsion.

ROSS (CONT'D)

He never mentioned this type thing

to you? You didn't know he had

these interests?

INT. GRUNEMANN HOUSE: C.U. HOLLY - DAY

HOLLY thrusts the letter back toward camera, toward

KLUTE crying out -

HOLLY:

My husband was not like that! My

God, Klute.

KLUTE:

It looks like he sent her quite a

few of those Holly -- the girl --

she recalls six or seven letters

like --

HOLLY:

(calmly)

-- No. I mean sure a little rough

stuff, but just what people usually

-- No, I would've said we were

pretty good.

(pause)

Johnnie I don't understand. I just

don't understand.

Klute nods. She is talking for both of them. Klute

looks out the window to the children playing

outside. CAMERA PANS out window to Klute's POV of

children playing on a cold winter day. The trees

are stripped bare.

EXT. RESEARCH PLANT

Tree lined area, lush and green - Summer.

INT. RESEARCH PLANT: DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

CAMERA pulls back inside window to Klute staring

outside, as if still pondering the fate of Tom

Grunemann. The group in the office includes ROSS

(holding a report), TRASK, a New York detective,

Cable, and the plant director, STREIGER.

ROSS:

-- has disclosed no evidence of

crime or criminal intent within the

jurisdiction of this bureau, and

since subject Thom --

CABLE:

(turns sharply,

interrupts)

It's been almost a year! Tom

Grunemann's been missing for a

year. And all the FBI has to offer

is a report that must bore even

you.

ROSS:

(restraint)

Well sir.

STREIGER:

Are you closing the case?

ROSS:

No sir, we don't state that. We're

countin --

CABLE:

But you don't find it worth much

effort.

ROSS:

(injured dignity)

Well Mr. Cable, you've got me here

from the Bureau. You got Lieutenant

Trask here from New York

representing his department and I

don't frankly consider --

STREIGER:

(moderating, suggesting)

Why couldn't you ever find out

anything from the girl?

ROSS:

(refers the question)

Trask --

TRASK:

(summarizes from notes)

We first hold her under

surveillance expectin your boy

Grunemann to show up there. Didn't.

Then we bagged -- we arrested her

on a CP charge, convicted, two

month's women's city prison, offer

to reduce sentence, she cooperated.

(counts)

Four interrogations. She thought

she remembered Grunemann -- from

those letters from before, she made

that connection -- but she hadn't

seen him since and couldn't

identify his photograph and she --

STREIGER:

Why not?

TRASK:

Oh a good call girl, she'll turn

six-seven hundred tricks a year.

The faces get blurred.

(resumes)

And since then, recent months,

she's reported several, you know,

incidents:
like breather calls,

anonymous phone calls, also

somebody maybe following her,

watching her, things like that. So

it's I guess you could say,

conceivable Grunemann's still

around there, just hangin around

her, spooking her. But you know,

that --

He shakes his head, gestures doubtingly. Ross caps

it.

ROSS:

The subject got emotionallv

disturbed; he just dropped out.

There's thousands.

STREIGER:

Inspector we understand your

position; ours is a little

different. We have an investment in

Tom Grunemann. The Company has an

investment, and we feel entitled to

investigate for ourselves.

ROSS:

Private investigation, you mean.

Yes sir, of course you're entitled,

and there's some very competent --

STREIGER:

Klute offered us his services;

we've accepted.

Pause. Ross and Trask look at Klute - more than a

bit startled - then at each other. Klute just looks

uneasy.

STREIGER (CONT'D)

Klute knew Tom. He has a great many

ideas about the case --

ROSS:

(sourly)

Yes sir, we know he --

STREIGER:

We'd expect him to work in

cooperation with you. He'd report

to each of you and to our Company's

New York office, to Pete -- Pete

goes there on a regular schedule

back and forth, and --

ROSS:

(tactfully)

Mr. Streiger, speaking frankly --

we've appreciated the Sergeant's

interest you know, all along. Here,

locally. But New York, that's -

well --

TRASK:

(to Klute, leniently)

Ever done any missing person's

work?

ROSS:

Spent much time in the city?

(to others)

You see, I have to wonder --

speaking frankly; the Sergeant

knows I'm only speaking frankly -

CABLE:

You wonder why we thought of Klute?

Frankly? He's interested.

INT/EXT. WIDE SHOT: PENNSYLVANIA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Verdant Pennsylvania farmland. Early morning. Near

at hand an open field set about with bee hutches

and patched with mist.

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