One Way Passage Page #6

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BETTY:

Isn't it possible for a lady to to

go anywhere nowadays without bumping

into all sorts of people?!

SKIPPY:

peers around a corner at Burke and Betty.

BURKE:

hollers at Skippy.

BURKE:

If I had you on shore, I'd--!

BETTY AND BURKE:

BETTY:

(whimpers, clutches

her throat)

Oh, I'm so frightened.

BURKE:

(tips his cap)

Nobody's gonna harm you.

BETTY:

Ah, you are good. So brave. I am

very, very grateful.

BURKE:

(genuinely pleased)

Aw, don't mention it, eh, Madame la

Countess.

BETTY:

Oh, you know me, huh? Who I am? I

have not the pleasure to know you.

BURKE:

Oh, uh, my name's Steve Burke.

BETTY:

Delighted. Monsieur Burke.

Betty offers Burke her hand. He is about to bend over to kiss it when he looks

around self-consciously and decides instead to shake it vigorously. She

invites him to sit in the lounge chair next to her.

BETTY:

Now, come, you sit down with me for

a few minutes, hm?

(Burke sits)

Oh, that terrible man, he might

come back.

BURKE:

Aw, nobody's gonna bother you --

not with me here.

BETTY:

You know, I could not feel safer if

I thought you were a policeman.

BURKE:

Say, now, listen, lady ...

Burke takes her hand.

SKIPPY:

watching from around the corner, laughs his irritating laugh to himself and

heads off to the bar.

CUT TO:

INT. SHIP'S LOUNGE - DAY

At the bar, a patron downs a drink and then walks away, just as Skippy

arrives. Seeing that the bartender at the cash register has his back turned to

him, Skippy, left alone with the patron's empty glass and a nearly full bottle

of liquor, pours himself a drink. He knocks it back rapidly, holding onto his

hat to keep it from falling off. He quickly sets the glass down and tries to

look nonchalant.

Seeing that the bartender is still busy at the register, Skippy pours himself

another shot, downs it fast, and resumes his nonchalant pose. Finally, Skippy

ignores the glass and simply grabs the bottle to chug down even more alcohol.

Satisfied, he exhales deeply, grins, hiccups, buttons his coat and starts to

move off.

At last, the bartender, hands full of money, turns from the cash register and

sees Skippy trying to leave unnoticed.

BARTENDER #2

Hey...!

SKIPPY:

Oh, yes. Almost forgot. My change.

The bartender raises his eyebrows in surprise and squints in confusion.

BARTENDER #2

I beg your pardon, sir? What was it

you gave me?

SKIPPY:

I gave ya a five dollar bill.

The bartender counts out the change.

BARTENDER #2

Yes, sir, I'm - I'm sorry, sir.

Sorry, sir.

SKIPPY:

Oh, oh, wait, you only took off

for one drink. I had three.

Skippy shoves some of the change back.

BARTENDER #2

Oh, thank you, sir, thank you.

SKIPPY:

Think nothing of it, my good man.

The smiling bartender watches Skippy walk off with the money.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY - DAY

A drunken Skippy bumbles down the hallway toward a full-length mirror,

mistakes his own reflection for an oncoming passenger, and backs up a little

to let the person pass. He takes off his hat and bows apologetically.

SKIPPY:

I beg your pardon.

After a pause, he straightens and heads toward the mirror again. And, exactly

as before, he mistakes his own reflection for an oncoming passenger, backs up

a little, takes off his hat and bows.

SKIPPY:

After you, sir.

Another pause. Skippy straightens and again heads toward the mirror, spots his

reflection, and backs away. This time another passenger actually does walk by.

Skippy looks up at the man.

SKIPPY:

(annoyed, to the man)

Say, how long is this parade gonna

last?

Puzzled, the man looks at Skippy for a moment, says nothing, then walks off.

SKIPPY:

(to the man)

Oh, you won't talk, huh?

Skippy snaps his fingers with contempt at the departing man, then turns and

heads back toward the mirror -- where he once again runs into his reflection.

This time, he raises a hand in protest.

SKIPPY:

No, you don't! No, you don't!

NEW ANGLE - SKIPPY (MIRROR NOT VISIBLE)

Skippy beats his chest.

SKIPPY:

It's my turn now!

Skippy adjusts his jacket, barges forward and smashes into the mirror,

shattering it with a crash.

SKIPPY AND THE BROKEN MIRROR

We discover him on hands and knees amid broken shards of glass, talking to

himself.

SKIPPY:

Well, you got away with it that

time. But I know what you look like.

And it won't happen again.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

A MAP OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN

The dotted line, marking the ship's progress, stretches from Hong Kong almost

to Honolulu.

A superimposed text reads: 16th DAY

A superimposed image of the S. S. Maloa appears in the center of the map,

heading toward the camera on a foggy night.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SHIP - NIGHT

A couple of VIEWS of sailors dressed warmly, sporting binoculars, peering into

the fog-enshrouded night as a fog horn blows.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. SHIP'S LOUNGE - NIGHT

Starting with a tuba (matched to the fog horn), we PAN OVER the ship's

orchestra as it plays dance music. Then, we PAN OVER to the numerous dancers

in the lounge. Betty dances with Sir Harold but smiles at Burke who stands to

one side watching her. He scowls a little, annoyed and puzzled that she's

dancing with another man.

We PAN OVER to Dan and Joan, also on the dance floor, in utter bliss. The song

ends. Nearly everyone breaks and applauds the musicians. But Dan and Joan stay

in each others' arms and regard one another lovingly.

The next number begins, a livelier uptempo piece. Sir Harold attempts to dance

with Betty but Burke muscles in, brusquely grabs Sir Harold's wrist and pushes

him away, showing no regard for etiquette. Betty merely hands her elegant fan

to Sir Harold who nods politely and watches as Burke grabs Betty and dances

away with her.

Betty and Burke turn out to be the best rubber-legged dancers on the floor.

Skippy, hat in hand, watches the couple from the sidelines.

Burke puts a lot of energy into his eccentric dance moves.

Skippy points and laughs his irritating laugh.

Burke and Betty pause at the sound of the laugh to stare at Skippy.

But he just keeps laughing at them.

Betty smiles as Burke gives Skippy a long dirty look. They dance even more

energetically.

A grim Sir Harold watches all this unhappily, fanning himself with Betty's

fan. After a moment, he peers down at the fan, realizes he looks ridiculous

and folds it up.

DAN AND JOAN, meanwhile, are also still on the floor.

On the sidelines, Joan's doctor watches the two of them with concern. She is

clearly overexerting herself.

Joan looks stricken, pauses, and leans on Dan for support.

JOAN:

Dan. Dan, wait.

DAN:

Oh, my dear. What is it, sweet?

JOAN:

I'm all right. Let's - let's go out

on deck.

DAN:

Yes, of course, dear.

As the music ends and the crowd applauds, Dan helps Joan off the floor. The

doctor, seeing this, shakes his head sadly and moves off.

CUT TO:

EXT. DECK - NIGHT

As the ship's orchestra plays their love theme, Dan and Joan sit together in

the fog.

DAN:

Better?

JOAN:

Much better. Out here.

DAN:

It is rather nice to get away from

people, isn't it?

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