London After Midnight Page #5

TITLE:

"I screamed. Maybe for a

minute I fainted. He was

gone."

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

97

INTERIOR LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Miss Smithson, Sir James, Burke and Hibbs as she finishes

title, sinking back in the chair all but overcome. There is

a profound silence for a moment upon the three men. Then

Burke says to Sir James calmly:

TITLE:

"This is a case of nerves --

of hysteria -- of overwrought

imagination--

BACK TO SCENE:
There is no response from Sir James or

Hibbs. Sir James indicates the wound in the neck. "How do

you account for that?" They all turn, sharply, looking off

toward Lucy at the window.

98

INTERIOR LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Lucy at window. She is rising from her chair, staring out

the window and down toward the garden, a little cry of fear

on her lips.

99

EXT. GARDEN (NIGHT) SEMI LONG SHOT

Gunning down from Lucy's angle. The Man in the Beaver Hat

going softly away from camera through the trees.

100

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Lucy as Sir James and Burke crowd in staring off and down,

seeing:

101

EXT. GARDEN (NIGHT) SEMI LONG SHOT

Continuation of previous scene with the Man in the Beaver

Hat disappearing behind some brush toward the garden wall,

reappearing again, going out the gate.

102

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Lucy, Sir James and Burke staring out and down. Sir James

cries out:

TITLE:

"By God, that's not imagination!"

BACK TO SCENE:
He finishes title, clutching Burke's arm,

pointing wildly off. Lucy draws back out of picture. Burke

and Sir James turn and stare at each other. Burke, with a

nod of his head, indicating for Sir James to follow, turns

out of scene.

103

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) SEMI FULL SHOT

Burke leads the way out of the room for Sir James. Lucy

Hibbs and Miss Smithson stand staring off after them, as if

in a momentary daze, held in the spell of the recent

amazing adventure.

104

INT. UPPER HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke and Sir James, as Sir James closes the door behind

him. Burke says to him crisply:

TITLE:

"Sir James, two pair of

eyes are better than one--"

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James looks at him, only half guessing

his meaning, getting over: "I saw it, too!" Burke says:

TITLE:

"We'll have a look at

the old Balfour House."

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

105

INT. UPPER HALL (NIGHT) MED. SHOT

Burke finishes title, Sir James nods in solemn acquiescence.

They start out down the stairs. Miss Smithson comes out the

door, looks off a moment after them, fearfully, then exits

in the opposite direction, down the hall.

106

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) MED. SHOT

Lucy and Hibbs as Hibbs closes the casement window and

locks it tight, then turns toward her solicitously.

107

INT. UPPER HALL (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

At a corner or jog in the hall, Miss Smithson stopping,

looks back for a moment, then peering around the corner

fearfully, she exits around the corner.

108

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Hibbs and Lucy, as Hibbs makes her comfortable in easy

chair, trying to calm her, although it is quite evident

that if one of them is excited, it is Hibbs. He tells her:

TITLE:

"Now, we mustn't get nervous

or excited--"

BACK TO SCENE:
And he proceeds to knock over a vase which

causes him far more alarm than it does Lucy.

109

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) SEMI FULL SHOT

All the servants attached to the house-hold are huddled

together. It is evident that they have heard the screams,

that the night's fear is upon them. Miss Smithson entering,

her hand to her throat, sinks into a chair, weakly glad to

have attained this haven of human company. They crowd

around her.

110

INT. SERVANT'S QUARTERS (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Miss Smithson and group of servants, as she starts to tell

them the story of the attack. Working up to her subject, she

rises, enacting the horrible scene. They draw back, agape,

eyes popping.

INSERT:

A row of pans under a sink.

A black cat walks under the

pans, knocking one of them

down with a clatter. The

cat leaps out of scene.

CUT FROM INSERT TO:

111

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) SEMI FULL SHOT

The entire group, in a highly-strung state of nerves from

Miss Smithson's narrative, jumps away from her wildly at

the clatter of the pans -- a FLASH.

112

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

The groom backs against a hot stove -- FLASH

113

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

On wall shelf -- the cat leaps up and in, knocking over

some glass jars -- FLASH

114

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) SEMI FULL SHOT

FLASH:
the room in a panic, running into each other, trying

to get out of the way of they know not what.

115 INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

The cat leaps off the shelf--

116

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

Miss Smithson, as the cat lands on her head -- she lets out

an unearthly scream--

117

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) MED. SHOT

Hibbs and Lucy. They hear the scream! "There it is again!"

His first thought is for Lucy's safety. He rushes to the

door, locks it then listens, tense.

118

INT. SERVANTS' QUARTERS (NIGHT) SEMI LONG SHOT

The place a wreck -- chairs overturned, people on the floor

-- crawling under the table -- any place for safety.

119

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) LONG SHOT

A faint light flickers from the upper windows. The place is

weird, ghostly. Approaching the gate are Burke and Sir

James. They stop at the gate. Run a few feet for the mood

of the scene. Burke and Sir James step softly over to the

shelter of a tree.

120

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke and Sir James, under a tree. A deadly solemnity is

upon them both. They look up toward the upper windows. Sir

James clutches Burke's arm as they see:

121

INTERIOR UPPER ROOM BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) TRICK SHOT

Through broken window pane, a shadow is thrown on the

ceiling of a giant bat flying slowly.

122

EXTERIOR BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke and Sir James under the tree. The two men turn and

exchange a look. Burke indicates the tree, getting over in

whispered pantomime that they must see what is with in that

upper room. Burke starts from a low branch to climb the

tree. He goes up out of scene. Sir James stares off and up

at the house for a moment, then with a firm decision to see

it through, starts to climb the tree.

123

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES OF TREE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke coming into position in the upper branches of the

tree. He looks off toward the house seeing:

124

INT. UPPER ROOM BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) FULL SHOT

Framed through broken window. Sitting facing the window is

one of the men shown arriving earlier one of those welcomed

at the gate by the Man in Beaver Hat and his strange woman

companion. He is watching with profound interest what

appears to be a giant bat flying slowly near the ceiling.

This comes into better view and it is seen to have the face

of the Girl in Black. Sitting with his back to the scene

is the Man in the Beaver Hat.

125

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke staring off. Sir James coming into scene up the tree.

He waits until Sir James is in position and then indicates

gravely off. Sir James sees:

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