Klute Page #10

JANIE DALE:

(to girl on couch)

It's old Mr. Clean from Cleveland.

He wants to know when he can fly in

and clean up the apartment and see

you. I told him I have all the

cleaning equipment and that he can

come anytime, but it's up to you.

GIRL on couch rises.

GIRL:

You know he wants us to be

dominant.

JANIE DALE:

Tell him that he'd better have his

ass in here by one o'clock on

Monday afternoon or you won't let

him clean the bathroom floor, and

tell him the price has gone up

twenty bucks -- Old Dutcn

Cleanser's not as cheap as it used

to be.

She shrugs and turns to KLUTE & BREE.

JANIE DALE (CONT'D)

You wanted to know about Arlyn,

honey? I had to let her go dear.

Arlyn stopped being reliable.

(explains to Klute)

I deal with a high type client,

business people, you understand? I

can't send them someone that's all

the time half zonked out.

KLUTE:

Do you know where she went?

JANIE DALE:

Try Momma Reese.

THIS IS A CHEAPER APARTIENT THAN JANIE DALE'S

The girls look cheaper, and the customers, rather

than Wall Street lawyers and brokers, look more

like out of town salesmen who stay at local motor

inns.

MOMMA REESE is older than JANIE DALE, heavier and

with no pretense at chic. She indicates that she

has not seen ARLYN in some time.

MOMMA REESE:

Try Bill Azure. If you can find

him.

INT. EIGHT AVENUE BAR - ABOUT 4 IN THE MORNING

This is a hangout where black and white pimps wait

to meet their whores after their night of street

walking. This streetwalker world is far removed

from the world of the call girl or the world of

Janie Dale. CAMERA pans past a group of pimps at

the bar taking bet on whose girls have made the

most money that night. CAMERA then goes on to

reveal KLUTE talking to another pimp (Azure). Azure

represents a clear step down from Frank Ligourin.

We catch only part of their dialogue.

AZURE:

-- a couple weeks then she'd drift

off a couple of weeks, you know

what I mean?

KLUTE:

Have you heard from her recently?

AZURE:

She liked me all right but she had

what she liked better, you know

what I mean?

We START FADE SOUND as Klute repeats --

KLUTE:

Have you heard from her recently?

-- and CUT TO --

INT. LINGERIE SHOP: PROPRIETRESS, BREE, KLUTE

PROPRIETRESS:

-- She'd come in and I'd let her

have something. Why not; she'd been

a good customer, a beautiful

person, a beautiful beautiful

person.

Again we fade sound a little before picture, then

CUT TO --

EXT. OUTSIDE ADULT MOVIE THEATER: KLUTE,

STREETWALKERS - DAY OR NIGHT

Outside Theatre or Bookstore - Peepshow; an 8th

Avenue establishment. SILENT ACTION this (or VOICES

UNDER). Klute confers with one girl who summons and

consults another. They seem to know of Arlyn --

haven't seen her recently -- refer him elsewhere --

EXT. APARTMENT HOUSE: MRS. VASEK, KLUTE - DAY

A shabby place in a shabby neighborhood. Mrs.

Vasek, the landlady, shifts barrels at the same

time that she barks at Klute, in heavy accent.

MRS. VASEK

The whore, yeah. I threw out.

KLUTE:

Do you know where she went from

here?

MRS. VASEK

Live like animals. Her and the man.

Out.

KLUTE:

(reacts)

Was she living with a man?

We see Klute persisting - DISSOLVE

EXT. WIDE SHOT:
SLUM STREET - DAY

We still HOLD WIDE to establish the scene. This is

a genuine slum. We see Bree, Klute move along

street. We see Bree drop back a little, Klute

waiting for her to catch up.

EXT. STREET:
BREE, KLUTE

KLUTE:

What's the matter?

BREE:

(glances about)

What the hell do you think's the

matter.

(then suggests)

I could wait for you someplace.

KLUTE:

If Arlyn Page is living with Tom

Grunemann --

BREE:

(eagerly)

-- Then you don't need me.

KLUTE:

But if it's someone else I do.

He starts on, simply assuming that she'll follow.

(There is a degree of acquaintanceship in their

manners now - a reluctant collaboration.)

BREE:

You sure pull a lot of mileage out

of a hundred dollars.

-- and follows on. He checks numbers, then crosses

street diagonally toward a half-framed house.

INT. NEWARK HOUSE - DAY

A downshot from second floor level toward the entry

way where KLUTE & BREE appear. KLUTE strikes a

match to inspect the names of tenants. He and Bree

climb through stench and litter to the second floor

-- a door. From somewhere near at hand come the

sounds of someone RETCHING. A square of wood has

been sawed out of the door itself, removing handle

and lock -- light sifts through. Klute hesitates,

decides against knocking, pushes in.

INT. ARLYN'S APARTMENT - DAY

The retching sounds are coming from the connecting

room. No one visible here. A very few barren pieces

of furniture. We hear ARLYN'S VOICE ask from the

next room --

ARLYN (O.S.)

Cappy?

ARLYN enters rather eagerly. She sees Klute first,

then Bree -- recognizes her -- retires flat against

a wall, holding one palm outwards to shield her

face. She is unbelievably gaunt. Inside one elbow,

looking rather like a birthmark, we see a lacework

of purple where her veins have pulped together.

BREE:

Arlyn? Honey?

(then)

Look, it's all right.

From the connecting room a MAN'S VOICE (Berger's)

calling out hoarsely.

BERGER (O.S.)

Is it Cappy? Cappy? --

BREE:

Arlyn, it's all right.

BERGER hastens, stumbles, into the doorframe

carrying a CAR-RADIO with wires dangling, speaks

before he sees them.

BERGER:

Cappy, I got a radio!

He stops for an instant face-to-face with Klute.

Then turns, plunges out of view again. Arlyn breaks

after.

ARLYN:

No --

We hear the MUMBLE and WHISPER of their voices from

the connecting room (as she reassures him). Bree

looks inquiringly at Klute (is that Grunemann?): he

shakes his head. Pause, then ARLYN reenters,

wrapping her fingers together timidly -- wanting

them out -- her only purpose.

ARLYN (CONT'D)

Bree -- honey - please, we're

waiting for someone.

BREE:

Arlyn, he just wanted to ask some

questions -- something you could

help us about.

ARLYN:

Can't you see I'm strung out?

(cries out)

Please, we're waiting for it --

he's got to have it!

KLUTE:

We'll go. Just something you could

tell us, first.

Arlyn seems to accept the bargain. He indicates to

Bree to proceed, stands away a little. Arlyn covers

her elbow with one hand. Bree manages as best she

can.

BREE:

Honey, a couple of years ago, with

Jane and Frankie? -- Jane sent me a

Dumper --

ARLYN:

Please, if he sees you, he won't

come!

BREE:

Arlyn, just tell me, did Jane have

a dumper, one of her regular Johns?

ARLYN:

What about him? Yes.

BREE:

Did he come around often?

Klute hands Grunemann's picture to Bree: Bree shows

it to Arlyn. Arlyn inspects it, then uncertainly,

weakly --

ARLYN:

No. He was an older man hon. The

dumper was older.

KLUTE:

Do you remember his name? What can

you tell me about him?

We hear FOOTSTEPS - UNDER, DIMLY - mounting the

stairs. Bree notices them first, Klute persisting

with Arlyn --

BERGER (O.S.)

(shouts desperately)

Arlyn, get them out.

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