On the Waterfront Page #17

EDIE:

Terry!

There is no answer. Mrs. Collins appears on the fire escape in her

kimono.

MRS. COLLINS

Don't go down!

Mrs. Collins tries to restrain her but Edie wrenches away—

EDIE:

Terry!

She starts to run hysterically down the fire escape.

EXT—LANDING UNDER FIRE ESCAPE—NIGHT

As Edie is coming down the outside metal steps, Mutt is wandering along

singing mournfully—

MUTT:

Tippi-tippi-tin, tippi-Tin... .

A window opens and an angry voice cries:

LOUD VOICE:

Drop dead!

An old shoe is hurled at Mutt, just as Edie turns toward him.

MUTT:

(to the angrywindow)

Spit on me, curse me and stone me, but I suffer

for your sins... .

LOUD VOICE:

Go suffer somewhere else, you bum.

The window bangs shut. Mutt sees Edie and turns his attention to her.

MUTT:

I seen it. I seen them put him to death! I

heard him cry out.

EDIE:

(impatiently— almost hysterically)

Who. Who did you see?

MUTT:

His executioners. They was stabbing him

in his side. And his soft eyes was looking down at

them.

EDIE:

(desperately) Tell me who.

MUTT:

(lifting his head from his hands)

Our Lord Jesus. When He died to save us...

He gropes toward her as if to paw her.

EDIE:

(with loathing)

Oh get away— get away!

She runs on. Mutt goes staggering off in the opposite direction,

singing his song. Edie runs on until she sees Terry in the mist.

EDIE:

Terry!

She runs into his arms.

EDIE:

(continued)

Terry, I'm frightened. More and more frightened.

TERRY:

I'm looking for Charley. I heard Charley

was waiting for me.

(calls)

Charley?

There is no answer. Terry frowns. Edie points through the darkness.

SAME VOICE IN FOG

Wanna see Charley? He's over here.

TERRY:

(as they hurry forward)

Hey, Charley... .

EXT—MEDIUM CLOSE—WHITE WALL—NIGHT

The headlights of a car suddenly illuminate Charley against the wall.

Charley is leaning against the lamp post, in a very casual attitude,

looking as dapper as usual. Terry and Edie run to him. The car drives

off .

TERRY:

Looking for me, Charley?

Charley seems to study them silently. Terry nudges him.

TERRY:

Hey Charley.

Charley slides down the wall and crumples to the ground. Dead. Edie

screams. Terry drops beside the body.

TERRY:

He's dead. He's dead. Those scummy,

good-for-nuthin' butchers!.

The lights of an approaching car catch them in its beam. Terry reacts

quickly, cowering against the wall and pulling Edie down behind him

protectively.

TERRY:

Behind me. Behind me. It may be them

coming back!

They huddle in fear as the car comes closer; then it turns and the

lights are no longer on them. Terry lets out a soft whistle of relief

as the car drives off. Edie is completely panicked now.

EDIE:

(in a horrified whisper)

Terry, let's go away.

Terry takes Charley's arm, which is twisted behind him, and straightens

it tenderly.

TERRY:

Charley.

EDIE:

(hysterically)

I mean it, let's get away from

here, first Joey then Nolan, now Charley—

and any minute... .

(stares at him, almost saying "you")

...I'm frightened— I'm frightened.

Terry seems not to hear. There are tears in his eyes but fury in his

voice as he mutters to himself.

TERRY:

I'll take it out of their skulls.

EDIE:

I don't want to see you killed. I want to live

with you. Live with you. Any place it's safe to walk

the streets without... .

TERRY:

(in a terrible mutter to himself)

I'll take it out of their skulls.

He rises, in a dangerous, animal rage.

EDIE:

Terry, no, no... .

TERRY:

Don't hang on to me. And don't follow

me. Don't follow me.

(turns)

Call the Father. Ask him to take care of Charley for me. My

brother.

There's something I got to do.

He looks around, takes note of and strides toward—

MEDIUM SHOT—PAWN SHOP—NIGHT

A little way down the block. An iron grille protects the windows. Terry

goes up to the grille and looks in. Edie follows him anxiously.

CLOSE SHOT—PAWN SHOP WINDOW—THROUGH GRILLE—NIGHT

There are watches, rings, fishing rods, guitars, cameras, musical

instruments, suits, furs, bowler hats, and—about two feet back from the

window—a .45 revolver in a holster and a belt of cartridges.

TERRY:

(muttering)

They put a hole in Charley. I'll

put holes in them.

Edie sees what Terry is after and tries to restrain him.

EDIE:

Terry, go home. There's nothing you can do

now. It's locked up.

Terry looks at her unseeingly, then drives the toe of his shoe through

the diamond shaped opening in the grille, and through the glass behind

it.

INT—PAWN SHOP WINDOW—NIGHT

Shooting toward Terry, the coveted revolver in the F.G. Terry's fingers

cannot quite reach it. He has to press his shoulder painfully against

the jagged glass in order to inch closer to it. He contorts his face in

pain as the glass cuts through his jacket into his flesh. Blood begins

to dampen his shoulder but with a final effort he gets his fingers

around the gun.

EXT—PAWN SHOP—NIGHT

As Terry draws the gun from the window and slips it into his pocket,

Edie sees the blood dripping from the rip in his jacket.

EDIE:

Terry, you're bleeding.

TERRY:

(in a flat tone)

Do what I told you. Take care of Charley.

EDIE:

Terry, for God's sake.

TERRY:

Get out of my way.

EDIE:

No, I can't let you. I can't, you're—

She clings to him sobbing.

TERRY:

(violently)

I don't want to hurt you, but... out of my way!

He flings her from him and goes on loading the gun, as she sobbingly

watches him go off .

INT—FRIENDLY BAR—NIGHT

As Terry enters. The usual crowd are present: Barney, Specs, Sonny,

Truck, J.P., etc. There is a comedian on TV and everyone is laughing

but the laughter dies at the sight of Terry. He goes up to the bar

tensely. Everyone watches in silence. There is a suggestion of men

feeling for their guns but nobody moves.

TERRY:

(to bartender)

Is Johnny in?

JOCKO:

No.

TERRY:

(suspiciously)

No?

To see for himself, Terry strides through to the back room and throws

open the door. The back room is empty. Then he takes a seat at the bar

so he can watch the room and the entrance. The customers eye him

carefully.

TERRY:

(to Jocko)

Give me a double.

JOCKO:

Take it easy now, Terry.

TERRY:

Keep the advice. Give me the whiskey.

Jocko sets the drink up. He notices the jagged tear in Terry's jacket

and the spreading stain of blood from the shoulder.

JOCKO:

What's wrong with your shoulder?

TERRY:

(draining his glass)

Hit me again.

JOCKO:

(in an undertone)

Listen, kid, why don't you go home before Johnny... .

Terry pushes his empty pony glass forward for another one.

TERRY:

(sharply)

No advice. Just whiskey.

JOCKO:

(pouring it)

Easy. Easy, boy.

ANOTHER ANGLE—TOWARD ENTRANCE

Footsteps are heard outside the swinging doors. Terry turns to face the

entrance, his hand going to the gun in his pocket. Sonny, Truck,

Barney, and others all watch him, ready for the draw. Jocko

automatically crosses himself and turns off the TV, which is now only

an irritant. The swinging doors open, but it's not Johnny. Just a

couple of happy waterf ront barfl ies. But the moment they enter their

grins vanish as they are made to feel the tension. They look at Terry,

then they look at the goons watching Terry.

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