One Way Passage Page #8

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IN THE ROOM:

Dan readies a rope with which to tie Burke.

IN THE HALL:

Scowling, Burke nods in understanding, guessing that Dan has stolen his

ammunition. He takes a fresh clip from his pocket, loads and reholsters his

gun.

IN THE ROOM:

Dan hears Burke opening the door and stuffs the rope under his pillow. Then,

smoothing his hair, moves to a bureau and grabs a cigarette. He turns to see

Burke staring at him grimly. Dan lights his cigarette.

DAN:

Well, pal, you look pretty smooth.

Going ashore?

BURKE:

Yeah, but, I'm sorry, pal. You're

goin' in the brig.

Burke moves casually into the bathroom. Dan, just as casually, moves in his

direction.

DAN:

That's a bit tough but ... I can't

say I blame you.

Burke, in the bathroom, keeps an eye on Dan in the bathroom mirror.

BURKE:

Yeah, you know how it is. A guy's

gotta do his duty.

Burke watches in the mirror as Dan sets down his cigarette and picks up the

heavy glass decanter.

Burke reaches for his pistol.

Dan raises the decanter and moves forward rapidly.

Grinning, Burke spins and fires.

The decanter shatters and Dan freezes, staring first at Burke and then at the

broken glass in his upraised hand. Dan looks stunned and puzzled, then lowers

his hand and sighs at Burke.

DAN:

Not bad.

Burke covers Dan with his pistol.

BURKE:

And now, if you've no serious

objections, pal, let's get going.

DAN:

No objections.

Dan sets what's left of the decanter down. The two men move to the door and

exit.

IN THE HALL:

Passersby murmur noisily, having heard the sound of a gunshot. Burke holsters

his pistol.

BURKE:

All right, pal, across the hall and

down through the engine room.

Ignoring passengers and officers, the two men walk off.

Watching all this from a corner is a worried Skippy.

BELOW DECK:

Noises from the engine room reverberate as Dan and Burke walk down several

flights of narrow stairs. They pass a good deal of machinery, deep in the

bowels of the ship. Occasionally, Dan must pause to get directions from Burke

who stays behind him at all times. Finally, they arrive at the brig.

Skippy trails behind, peering around a corner.

Burke unlocks and opens the cell door, then points for Dan to enter. Dan

enters and Burke locks him in. Burke starts to leave but then decides to say

something to Dan through the door.

BURKE:

Listen, sucker, the next time you

take the shells out of a smart guy's

gun, remember to put some blanks

back!

Skippy overhears this and watches closely as Burke pockets the key in his

left-hand jacket pocket.

CUT TO:

EXT. SHIP - DAY

Passengers disembark and file down the gangplank.

CUT TO:

INT. SHIP - MINUTES LATER

Betty stands near the purser's station reading a brochure when Skippy wobbles

past her and speaks rapidly out of the corner of his mouth.

SKIPPY:

Dan is in the brig. The copper's got

the key here.

Skippy pats his his left-hand jacket pocket. Betty shows no emotion

whatsoever.

BETTY:

Oke.

Skippy wobbles off and takes up a position down the hall. Joan, wearing a

gorgeous white dress for her day in Honolulu, joins Betty.

JOAN:

Good morning.

BETTY:

Good morning. I, er, I was just

waiting for Mr. Burke to take me

ashore.

JOAN:

Seen Dan?

BETTY:

Uh, no, no, but he'll be along soon.

Burke joins Betty and Joan.

BURKE:

Good morning, ladies.

JOAN:

Good morning, Mr. Burke.

Betty immediately coos over Burke and runs her hands over him.

BETTY:

(to Joan)

Oooh. Doesn't he look handsome?

Betty easily picks Burke's pocket and palms the key. Skippy, watching this

from a distance, laughs his annoying laugh.

JOAN:

Have you seen Dan anywhere?

BURKE:

(uncomfortably)

Why, er-- No, I - I haven't.

(to Betty)

We gotta go.

JOAN:

See you ashore.

BETTY:

Au revoir.

BURKE:

Sure.

Burke and Betty walk toward the gangplank.

BURKE:

Gee, that was a tough spot.

BETTY:

Mm, poor kid--

(catches herself,

switches to French)

Le pauvre enfant, hm?

As they pass Skippy, Betty hands him the key, then puts her arm around Burke.

Skippy looks at it with delight and hurries off to free Dan.

CUT TO:

EXT. SHIP - DAY

Burke and Betty are among the passengers filing down the gangplank.

CUT TO:

INT. SHIP - DAY

IN THE BRIG:

Skippy unlocks and opens the cell door. An amazed Dan appears in the doorway.

SKIPPY:

The cop and Betty have gone ashore.

Give them plenty of time for a head

start.

Dan is speechless. He grips Skippy's shoulders warmly and rushes off without a

word. Skippy watches him go, then shuts and locks the cell door.

BELOW DECK:

Dan strides past the heavy machinery and climbs the narrow stairs to the deck.

AT THE GANGPLANK

Joan looks around with concern for Dan.

BELOW DECK:

Dan hustles up the stairs, then slows to a walk as he reaches the deck.

AT THE GANGPLANK

Joan moves off in search of Dan.

Dan rounds a corner and sees the empty gangplank. He puts on his hat and heads

for it.

But Joan spots Dan as he starts down.

JOAN:

Dan!

Dan, startled, stops and turns. Joan joins him.

JOAN:

Oh, Dan, oh, I've been looking all

over for you.

DAN:

I'm so sorry, but I--

JOAN:

It's all right now that you're here

now. Well, come on. Let's go, shall

we?

DAN:

Of course.

They start down the gangplank. Joan opens her parasol.

JOAN:

Wait'll I get this up. There we are.

They descend the gangplank. Dan's eyes shoot around nervously. At the bottom,

they meet Joan's doctor.

DOCTOR:

Good morning, Mr. Hardesty.

DAN:

Good morning, Doctor.

Dan looks around uncertainly.

DOCTOR:

(to Joan)

Now, please be careful. Not too

strenuous today.

JOAN:

(cheerily)

Don't you worry about me, old dear.

(taking Dan's arm)

Come along, Dan.

(to the doctor)

Bye!

The doctor watches them skeptically as they leave.

CUT TO:

EXT. DOCK - DAY

Burke and Betty stroll along, chatting amiably. Skippy runs up from behind and

blunders into them. In the process, Skippy separates them momentarily, just

long enough to pass the key to Betty who, sobbing and clinging to Burke in a

pretense of fear, stealthily returns the key to Burke's pocket.

BURKE:

(angrily, to Skippy)

When you get to Frisco, I'll bounce

you in the can so fast, you won't

come out till Chinese New Year!

SKIPPY:

Buddy, when I get back to Frisco,

you'll be trippin' over your beard!

Skippy laughs his inimitable annoying laugh and walks off.

FADE OUT:

EXT. ISLAND - DAY

Dan and Joan park a rented car in front of a spectacular collection of flags

which fly in the stiff tropic breeze. Dan climbs out.

DAN:

Now, if you don't mind waiting for

just a couple of moments, I have a

little surprise for you.

JOAN:

I'll wait.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. WATERFRONT DIVE - MINUTES LATER

Dan speaks to an ape-jawed bartender.

DAN:

So I've got to get out of here today.

BARTENDER #3

(nods)

I see.

(thinks)

I've got the man. Have you got

plenty of money?

Dan shows him his wad of English bills.

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