London After Midnight

London After Midnight

TITLE:

In rural England--

a forsaken garden--

1.

FADE IN:

EXT. BALFOUR GARDEN (NIGHT) PERAMBULATOR SHOT

The camera is stationary as the fade comes in: through a

tangle of brush can be seen in the night, four dark

figures, one of them carrying a lantern. They are

evidently searching for something. They come toward

camera through a garden long neglected ... gone into ruin.

As they reach foreground the camera moves with them. They

are men of the English servant class: a gardener and some

hostlers. The gardener; who carries the lantern searches

the ground ahead of them as they stumble forward,

frightened. It isn't a job that they relish.

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

EXT:
BALFOUR GARDEN AND HOUSE (NIGHT) LONG SHOT

A Newcomb shot of the house of the English country type in

a state of decay quite as sad as that of the garden.

Windows are broken, shutters loose; it is bleak, desolate.

The dim figures of the men with their lantern are

approaching from b. g. a corner of the house.

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

EXT. CORNER HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

The men coming into scene, stop suddenly, startled.

INSERT:

CLOSEUP, a shutter hanging loose

on rusty hinges, banging back and

forth in a gust of wind.

BACK TO SCENE:
The men as they shudder. One of them trying

to conquer the fear that holds them, points up, telling

them it was only a shutter in the wind. The gardener with

the lantern indicates for them to press forward. They start,

around the corner of the house.

2.

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

Around corner, lying crumpled, still and lifeless in f.g.

is the body of a man. The men come around the corner with

the lantern. They stop short in horror. The man with the

lantern leans over the body. The others huddle with scared

faces around him.

3.

EXT. BALFOUR (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

The men, with the body below frame line. The gardener,

holding the lantern so that he can see, looks down and out

of scene as though at the face of the dead man. He looks up

at the others and says in an awed whisper:

TITLE:

"It's 'im. It's 'arry Balfour"

BACK TO SCENE:
The men look at each other in awe. One of

them shakes his head slowly and says:

TITLE:

"This'll break 'is sister

Lucy's 'eart"

BACK TO SCENE. There is solemn assent to this.

TITLE:

"And 'ow about Sir James?

Him as loved 'em both like

they was 'is own children."

BACK TO SCENE:
Again there is solemn assent.

QUICK FADE OUT:

4.

QUICK FADE IN:
EXT. HAMLIN HOUSE (NIGHT) LONG SHOT

A Newcomb shot of another English country house, this one

with lighted windows and well-kept grounds, a distinct

contrast to the ruin just seen. Run only a few feet for

swift, impressionistic effect and

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM (NIGHT) FULL SHOT

Again the sense of contrast. Here are warmth, wealth,

comfort. Seated at a piano is Lucy Balfour, a pretty English

girl in her early twenties. Standing listening to her, as

she plays, is Sir James Hamlin, a dignified, kindly country

gentleman in his late forties.

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Lucy and Sir James, as she finishes playing and looks up at

him with a wistful smile. He indicates for her to play

something more. She selected a piece and is startled when a

little worried look crosses her face and she looks up at

him and says:

TITLE:

"I simply can't understand,

Sir James, why Harry went

away without saying anything."

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

5.

INT HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

Lucy as she finishes title, a pretty puzzlement in her

expression. It is apparent that she is not greatly worried,

just perplexed.

6.

INT. HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

Sir James, as he smiles down at her gravely, a deep

affection in his eyes, and says:

TITLE:

"There is nothing to worry about,

Lucy, my dear."

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

7.

INT HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM SHOT (NIGHT) CLOSE

The two at the piano, as Sir James finishes reaching over

and patting Lucy's hand affectionately. After a moment she

resumes her playing. He stands watching her, then turns

thoughtfully and goes out of scene.

8.

INT. HAMLIN MUSIC ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

By arched entrance to hall, as Sir James comes thoughtfully

in and pulls a long bell-cord. A butler enters. With a look

off toward Lucy, Sir James gives a quiet order to the

butler.

TITLE:

"Have my secretary come here."

BACK TO SCENE:
The butler exits. Sir James looks again off

toward Lucy. In a moment his secretary enters -- a young

man of the serious type, a student. Sir James asks him

quietly:

TITLE:

"Any word, Mr. Hibbs?"

BACK TO SCENE:
Hibbs is about to answer, but looks off

toward Lucy and then gets over in pantomime that perhaps

they had better step into the hall. Sir James nods. They

exit.

9.

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Other side of doorway as Sir James and Hibbs come in. Now

Hibbs tells him earnestly:

TITLE:

"I insisted, sir, on their

searching the grounds over

at the old Balfour place--"

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James nods gravely to this, indicating

that the secretary acted wisely, that that was the right

thing to do. Hibbs goes on.

TITLE:

"Weird things have happened

there in the last five years--

ever since Miss Lucy's father--"

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James checks him with a gesture. Both

look off sharply down the hall.

10

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

A maid, Miss Smithson, is standing at an open door, staring

out and down in horror. She screams, drawing back.

11

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Sir James and Hibbs, staring. They run out.

12

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Lucy. She stops playing, listens in sudden fright, then

rises and exits.

13

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

At door, Sir James, Hibbs, Miss Smithson, the gardener and

a hostler. The gardener and the hostler are just

straightening up from having placed below frames line in

f.g. the body of the dead Harry Balfour. Sir James, leaning

over, straightens up gravely. The body is not seen.

14

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

At entrance to music room, as Lucy comes through, looks off,

screams and starts forward.

15

INT. HAMLIN HALL (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

At door, as before, as Lucy comes in from down the hall,

staring in horror at the body out of scene. "Harry! Harry!"

she cries. Sir James put an arm about her comfortingly for

a moment, leading her away a little, indicating for the

maid to take her away. Miss Smithson leads Lucy out of

scene. Sir James turns and gives an order to the butler,

who exits quickly. Sir James turns to the hostler and

others and gives orders. Hibbs, looking off after Lucy,

exits in that direction. Sir James starts quickly up the

stairs.

16

INT. HAMLIN LIBRARY (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

Lucy, on a couch, being comforted by the maid. Hibbs comes

slowly in, standing for a moment looking at them. At a

gesture from Hibbs, the maid quickly withdraws. Hibbs sits

on the couch beside Lucy.

17

INT. LIBRARY CLOSEUP SHOT

Hibbs and Lucy, as he sits on the couch beside her. She is

staring off with tragic face. Hibbs feels terribly about it

all. He would like to be able to speak a consoling word to

her, but he does not know just what to say or how to say it.

Hesitatingly, he says:

TITLE:

"Miss Balfour, I-----"

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes