London After Midnight Page #6

126

INT. UPPER ROOM BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) FULL SHOT

Another cut of the scene with the Bat Girl flying slowly.

But the stranger facing the window doesn't watch her any

more. He sits tense, listening, as though he might have

heard them in the tree.

127

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

Sir James staring, a strange excitement in his eyes.

128

INT. UPPER ROOM (NIGHT) FULL SHOT

The scene as before for a very few feet. Then it:

DISSOLVES QUICKLY INTO:

CLOSEUP the Stranger, listening tensely. There is a bullet

wound in his temple. On his face is a deathlike pallor, but

his eyes are tense, alert.

129

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

Sir James, staring. He licks his lips with a dry tongue,

then reaches over and touches Burke's hand in scene.

130

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Burke and Sir James as Burke turns to him coolly. Sir James

indicates off, whispering hoarsely:

TITLE:

"The man sitting facing us

is Roger Balfour!"

BACK TO SCENE:
Burke looks at him searchingly for a moment,

then off toward the house. Sir James follows his gaze,

fascinated.

131

INT. UPPER ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSEUP

The Stranger, as he grows more tense, listening now as

though he were certain he heard something.

132

EXT. UPPER BRANCHES (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Sir James and Burke. Sir James is in such a state of

nervous excitement now that when he pantomimes: "Let's get

down out of here." Burke nods assent. Sir James starts down.

Burke turns and looks off again toward the house. Then

starts down after him.

133

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Under the tree, as Sir James lets himself to the ground,

Burke following. Sir James starts immediately for the gate.

Burke stops a moment, then follows.

134

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

At gate, as Sir James waits nervously looking off toward the

house. Burke comes softly in:

TITLE:

"That was Lucy's father. He

shot himself in that house

five years ago!"

BACK TO SCENE:
Burke frowns, shaking his head slowly, still

the doubter, as though it couldn't be. Sir James, in a

terrible state of mind, insists:

TITLE:

"Did you see the bullet

hole in his temple?"

135

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

Sir James as he finishes title, a fever amounting almost to

a mania, in his eyes.

136

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

Burke profoundly thoughtful says, "Yes," then--

TITLE:

"Frankly, Sir James, I am

baffled."

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

137

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE SHOT

Both, as Burke finishes title, Sir James urges him in

whispered pantomime to come away from the accursed place.

Burke looks off toward the house, then says:

TITLE:

"There is nothing we can do

but take every precaution --

and wait."

BACK TO SCENE:
They start out.

138

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) LONG SHOT

The two men go out over the sideline. As soon as they have

gone, the figure of the Stranger who was identified as

Lucy's father, appears at an upstairs window. The long shot

is weird, ghostly. The Stranger opens the broken window,

peering out into the night.

139

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

At window as the Stranger opens the window, peering out. He

calls softly:

TITLE:

"Lucy....Lucy!"

BACK TO SCENE:
He finishes title, looking out as if he

expected to see her.

140

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) MEDIUM SHOT

Hibbs and Lucy as he gets a comforter and a blanket and

brings it down to her in her easy chair and leans over with

it, starting to wrap it around her.

141

INT. LUCY'S ROOM (NIGHT) CLOSE UP

Hibbs and Lucy as he wraps the blanket around her, telling

her:

TITLE:

"There won't be much sleep

in this house tonight."

BACK TO SCENE:
He sits down beside her as though to watch

over her should she fall asleep.

FADE OUT.

TITLE:

Morning

142

FADE IN:

EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE LONG SHOT DAY

The old house, for the first time in the light of day.

There is no sign of life about it; and somehow with its

ruined garden and its broken windows, it is even more

desolate than at night.

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE FULL SHOT

Downstairs room. Sir James and Burke are coming down the

stairs, slowly looking about them. They reach the foot of

the stairs and stop.

LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE CLOSE SHOT

Burke and Sir James, as Burke says to him:

TITLE:

"Empty, every room -- empty."

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James looks off around the great room.

His gaze lifts toward the ceiling. He gives a start as he

sees:

INSERT:

Five bats huddled together,

clinging to the ceiling, asleep.

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James points. Burke looks. Then the two

men look at each other. Then Burke says quickly:

TITLE:

"I know what you're thinking --

don't say it."

BACK TO SCENE:
Burke looks off around the room,

speculatively. Then he turns to Sir James and says:

TITLE:

"This is the room in which Roger

Balfour committed suicide?"

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James tells him that it is. Burke asks:

TITLE:

"Where was the body found?"

CUT FROM TITLE TO:

143

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE SEMI FULL SHOT

Burke finishes question. Sir James steps over to a table,

turns a chair a little to put it into the position in which

the body was found, then indicates a position on the floor,

as though the body has slouched out from the chair to the

floor. Burke comes over to him.

144

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE CLOSE SHOT

Sir James as Burke comes into him. Burke looks down at the

table, the chair, studying. Then he looks up and says:

TITLE:

"I want you to tell me all

you know about the circumstances."

BACK TO SCENE:
Sir James nods willingly. He says:

TITLE:

"I came to see Roger Balfour earlier

in that evening. It was about 8:30.

I came in that door--"

CUT FROM TITLE TO

145

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE SEMI FULL SHOT

Sir James, finishing title, crosses and indicates a side

door. He goes on telling the story of his visit, Burke

listening intently. Sir James crosses to the table, Burke

following.

146

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE CLOSE SHOT

At table, as Sir James indicates a chair at the end of the

table, saying:

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