Klute Page #2

A FIGURE, a shadow (Klute's actually) moves across

frame from the left, blanking in. We reorient to -

INT. BEDROOM - KLUTES HOUSE - DAY

We see that we've been looking out from the bedroom

window of this house. Klute turns to rolltop desk

in bedroom and picture of Tom Grunemann, picture of

Bree Daniel, and other material he has collected on

the case. He puts them in his suitcase and closes

the suitcase. He shuts rolltop desk.

INT. KLUTE'S HOUSE - DAY

We follow Klute through the house with suitcase. He

puts away a last dish, shutting off water, gas, and

electricity, and so on -- takes a last look around

- reaches for the door handle. WE CUT TO --

INT. COMMERCIAL AUDITION - SOUND STAGE - DAY

A section of wall, a door coming open -- and the

FIGURE of BREE entering and standing. We have gone

from the warm sunlight of the country to mustv

darkness.

She appears chic, poised, and perfect as a magazine

picture.

But as she gets used to the darkness and her eyes

focus on a line of equally beautiful girls sitting

and waiting in folding chairs along a wall, we see

that she is a great deal less certain of demeanor.

Assailable. WE CUT TO -

EXT. KLUTE'S HOUSEYARD, HOUSE, BARN - DAY

Klute, stepping out, closes, locks and checks the

house door, then moves on to his car -- a vintage

Plymouth -- and tosses in his suitcase; and then

takes a last turn around the yard itself; props

open the cover of a beehutch, and lets down the

rail gate of a sidefield. He approaches to roll

shut his barn door -- and on this action we CUT

again TO --

INT. COMMERCIAL AUDITION - SOUNDSTAGE - DAY

DIRECTOR (O.S.)

(hastily)

Honey, no, we don't have too many.

She slaps the cup down, hurls herself forward --

SWISH PAN -- onto a MALE ACTOR, thrusting him down

to the floor, her hands at his throat. As we WIDEN

TO INCLUDE DIRECTOR AND MORE OF SCENE, and as the

Director reads from script, supplying a narrator

voice -

DIRECTOR (CONT'D)

Now before it comes to that, let's

have a look, et cetera, et cetera --

OK -

Bree and the Male Actor relax slightly, as -

ANGLE TO REVEAL ROOM, OTHERS

We reestablish the scene -- a few pieces of film

equipment -- and the congery of other ACTORS and

ACTRESSES preparing to read for parts. As the

Director approaches, counsels Bree -- all of this

quick and consecutive --

DIRECTOR (CONT'D)

-- Honey you make it look a little

real. It should have, you know,

that fun to it.

(beat)

BREE:

Strangle him to death funny?

DIRECTOR:

Well we go from this into stomach

diagrams. It can't be too -- look

let's try it again from -

-- but then he glances at his watch, and at the

others waiting their turn.

DIRECTOR (CONT'D)

No -- just give us the faces at the

end, would you?

Bree and the Male Actor set their cheeks together,

beaming half-moon smiles to camera, hold it for a

moment, as the Director reads again -

DIRECTOR (CONT'D)

(reads)

-- And another family saved by Elso

tablets. OK --

(brightly)

Thank you very much.

-- and holds out his hands for their scripts, at

the same time as he summons from a list in his

other hand --

DIRECTOR (CONT'D)

Pierce -- Danner -

BREE passes a new group of beautiful girls sitting

in line waiting their turn as she exits as brightly

as possible.

EXT. NEW YORK SIDEWALK: PEDESTRIANS - DAY

They trudge along the sidewalk -- the herd, the

late-afternoon crush. A LONG-LENS shot, the crowd

compacted. We see BREE milling along with the rest.

She maneuvers to a sidewalk PHONE BOOTH, enters. We

see her deposit, dial.

INT. PHONE BOOTH, BREE - DAY

She is connected (to her registry).

BREE:

Bree Daniel, any messages?

(waits -- none)

OK, thanks.

She waits for a moment. Then makes a curious, small

gesture of her hand -- deposits another dime, dials

again, is answered.

BREE (CONT'D)

Trina? Bree. Do I? Oh no, just a

commercial I thought I might get,

that's all.

(quickly, more brightly)

Well I'd take a quick thirty, hon.

Do you have a commuter for me?

Wait.

As she prepares to write it down, we CUT BACK TO -

EXT. KLUTE'S HOUSEYARD: KLUTE - DAY

Klute finishes rolling shut, and padlocks, the barn

door. He returns to his car, sits in (leaving door

open) starts engine. Again -- one last time -- the

look around. Then he pulls the door shut, pulls

out. And on this we CUT TO --

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY

A GROUP -- middle-aged Couple, Child, Bellman with

suitcases -- wait to descend in elevator as BREE

gets off. We TRACK with her along corridor to a

door. She checks number and knocks.

REVERSE:
THROUGH DOOR TO BREE

A MAN opens the door. We neither see or hear him

clearly -- he is foreground, defocused. His shirt

is untucked. Bree c*cks her head, greets him

cutely.

BREE:

Hullo.

He mumbles some kind of greeting, steps back. She

pauses a moment in the door (casing, instantly) --

then quite confident, friendly, provocative all at

once --

BREE (CONT'D)

Ooh, I knew I'd like you.

-- and CUT TO --

EXT. CENTER OF TOWN: KLUTE DRIVING - DAY

Klute's car draws through the business section of

town, moves on --

INT. HOTEL ROOM:
BREE - DAY

C.U. BREE (the Man out of frame and unheard-from)

as she bargains gaily -- and at the same time a

little watchfully.

BREE:

Lover, that's got to be a little

extra. I mean it sounds very

exciting, what you speak of, you've

got me all excited. But something

special like that, you know it's

got to cost a little more, mm?

-- and CUT TO --

INT. CAR:
KLUTE DRIVING - DAY

Klute has laid his jacket aside, rolled his

sleeves, is eating the last of a vending machine

sandwich. The CAR RADIO is on. He leans forward,

tuning it from --

1ST ANNC'R

(energetic)

--R - W - M, radio's voice is the

Shippensburg Valley, on a beautiful

clear warm Thurs --

-- to --

2ND ANNC'R

(rural)

-- Tucky Wonder Beans picking up a

half cent over yesterday's price at-

-- and CUT TO --

INT. C.U. ON BREE, MAN (HOTEL BED) - DAY

The Man's face is buried against her neck, her

labors over her. She cries out ecstatically,

transportedly -- it would seem at the edge of

orgasm --

BREE:

Oh lover, oh it's too much -- oh

you thrill me -- yes, like that,

it's -- oh it's beautiful, oh --

-- and at the same time refers privately to her

wristwatch. And CUT TO --

EXT. WIDE SHOT:
ACCESS RAMP OF TURNPIKE - LUSH

HILLY COUNTRY - DAY

KLUTE'S CAR

As Klute's car drives onto the turnpike surrounded

by green country, we ZOOM into a close shot of

Klute through the windshield of his car. And then

in what seems like a continuous shot we ZOOM back

to a wide angle revealing Klute caught in the

endless line of cars in a typical traffic jam at

the entrance to New York City, surrounded by

smoggy, grey, urban skies.

INT. CITY MULTILAYERED PARKING BUILDING - KLUTE'S

CAR - NIGHT

KLUTE sits inside his car as it is mechanically

lifted into the air. It looks as if he is being

manipulated by a robot.

EXT. STREET:
OUTSIDE THE BROWNSTONE - NIGHT

BREE moves along street, returning home,

apprehensive of the one or two other distant

FIGURES. She turns in at one of the Brownstones.

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