Peeping Tom Page #2

He stops drumming his fingers. So, at that moment, does

Mark.

MR. PETERS

Which magazines sell the most

copies?

MARK:

Those with girls on the front covers -

and no front covers on the girls.

MR. PETERS

Exactly!... And it's just the same

with the work you do for me.

Overlaid is the sound of the door opening.

MR. PETERS

Look busy.

Mark busies himself sorting some newspapers.

A whole row of Doras smile up at him.

CAMERA PANS to doorway of the shop.

An ELDERLY GENTLEMAN is standing there.

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

The Times, please.

MR. PETERS

Certainly, sir.

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

And The Telegraph.

MR. PETERS

Certainly, sir - anything else?

The Elderly Gentleman hesitates - glancing at Mark's back.

Then:

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

I... er... have been told by a

friend that you... er... have some

views for sale?

MR. PETERS

What sort of views, sir?

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

Well, er...

MR. PETERS

This sort, sir?

From under the counter he produces a thick book. Mark turns

round.

From his POV WE SEE the Elderly Gentleman open the book.

He - er- seems - er - more than a little interested.

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

I, er... how much each?

MR. PETERS

Five shillings, sir.

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

I'll take this one... and, er...

this one... and, er... how much

would the lot be?

MR. PETERS

To you - five pounds, sir...

The Elderly Gentleman hesitates. Mr. Peters turns over a

page... and the Elderly Gentleman almost turns over with

it.

MR. PETERS

Tell you what, sir. Four pounds

ten - and I'll throw in The Times

and Telegraph... how's that?

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

Well, er... thank you very much.

MR. PETERS

Let me wrap it for you, sir.

He puts it in a wrapper which says 'Educational Books'.

MR. PETERS

Shall I put you on our mailing

list?

ELDERLY GENTLEMAN

Oh no! But I'll look in again...

MR. PETERS

By all means, sir.

He holds open the door for the Elderly Gentleman, and

watches him leave.

MR. PETERS

He won't be doing the crossword

tonight!

He turns triumphantly to Mark.

MR. PETERS

(counting out money

from wallet)

Those pictures he chose... were

all yours!

(handing notes)

This is yours!

Mark pockets them without counting them.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark.

MR. PETERS

(in a very different

tone)

And this is yours too...

He picks up a postcard - holds it towards Mark.

MR. PETERS

And that's what I want to talk to

you about. It's a clever picture -

because you're a clever lad...

but, Mark...

(pathetically)

It's all face.

Mark looks at the postcard in silence.

MR. PETERS

I don't want to hurt your feelings,

son - but if people want the Mona

Lisa they go to the National

Gallery.

MARK:

The Louvre.

MR. PETERS

Well, wherever they go, they don't

come here... so no more of this

fancy stuff...

He pats Mark's arm.

MR. PETERS

... now get upstairs - the girls

are waiting... and so is a bonus

if you give me what I want.

MARK:

Thank you, sir.

MR. PETERS

(amused)

What do you do with all your money?

MARK:

Buy cameras.

He opens a door at the far end of the room. We catch a

glimpse of a winding staircase. He starts to climb it.

INT. REAR OF NEWSAGENT'S SHOP - DAY

At the top of the staircase is a door. Mark and his camera

trudge towards it. The door opens suddenly. A vivacious

young redhead - Milly - pokes her head round. She has a

towel round her shoulders.

MILLY:

Well look who's here! Cecil Beaton!

From REVERSE ANGLE WE SEE Mark venture a shy smile at Milly.

Milly opens the door impatiently.

MILLY:

Come on, sonny... make us famous.

Through the half-open door we catch a glimpse of a second

Girl (LORRAINE). She is staring out of a window, her back

to camera. She is naked except for a shawl draped round

her shoulders.

Mark enters the room... the door begins to close. CAMERA

TRACKS towards the door. On the threshold of the room, a

hood is thrown over our faces. THE SCREEN BLACKS OUT.

In the darkness WE HEAR Milly's voice.

MILLY (O.S.)

Did you read about that girl who

was murdered last night?

INT. STUDIO ABOVE NEWSAGENT'S - DAY

We are with Mark under the hood of an antiquated camera.

Through the ground-glass of the camera WE SEE a SMALL

INVERTED IMAGE of Milly.

MILLY (O.S.)

The same thing nearly happened to

me!

We hear Lorraine's voice - muffled, and very far away.

LORRAINE (O.S.)

When?

MILLY (O.S.)

Last night! I went out with my

boyfriend... We're getting married

next month... trouble was my fiance

saw us.

The SMALL INVERTED IMAGE of Milly peers anxiously into the

camera.

MILLY:

can you fix it so the bruises don't

show?

The ground-glass camera begins travelling slowly down

Milly's back.

CLOSE SHOT of Milly. She is on a couch, lying on her stomach

at a slightly oblique angle. All that WE CAN SEE are her

face and naked shoulders.

From Milly's POV WE SEE Mark under the hood of an antiquated

camera.

MILLY:

Well, can you?

Mark's voice is MUFFLED under the hood.

MARK:

...think so, Milly.

MILLY:

Then be quick about it, sonny! I'm

freezing.

CLOSE SHOT of her naked toes. They start to wriggle.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark's toes - in sandals, next to the tripod

of the camera. They start to wriggle.

CLOSE SHOT of Lorraine. We watch her in profile as she

stares out of the window - clutching her shawl. She has

outstandingly beautiful features.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark. He is standing by the side of the

camera, studying us thoughtfully. He is holding a remote-

control switch panel in his hand. He clicks off several

lights and then switches several others on... then he ducks

back under the hood.

MILLY:

There he goes again! What have you

got under there? A girlfriend?

We join Mark under the hood.

WE SEE a small INVERTED IMAGE of Milly on the ground-glass.

Her shoulders are now white and glistening, her spine

caressed by shadows. She is staring into the camera.

MILLY:

I suppose you have a girlfriend?

He adjusts the focus. We can see more clearly the contempt

on Milly's face.

MARK:

No, Milly.

MILLY:

Hear that, Lorraine? He's available.

From Milly's POV WE SEE Mark come round to the front of

the camera, and insert a dark slide.

MARK:

Raise your head, please - and look

at the sea.

MILLY (O.S.)

What sea?

Mark presses a rubber bulb - the shutter clicks.

MILLY:

What sea?

Mark inserts another dark slide.

MARK:

I just wanted that puzzled look.

MILLY (O.S.)

Oh, did you? Well if you want it

again, I'll think of you!

CAMERA PULLS BACK

from Milly's viewpoint, WE SEE Mark holding the rubber

bulb. cine-camera is on a ledge behind him.

MILLY:

You're a puzzle and a half.

Mark presses the rubber bulb - the shutters click.

MILLY:

This is a spare time job for you,

isn't it?

MARK:

Yes, Milly.

He inserts another slide.

MILLY:

Well, what do you do for a living?

MARK:

Take pictures.

He presses the bulb - the shutters click.

MILLY:

This sort?

MARK:

No, Milly.

He inserts another slide.

MILLY:

Don't you like this sort?

MARK:

No, Milly.

He presses the bulb - the shutters click.

MILLY:

Well what sort do you like?

Mark looks at her thoughtfully for a long moment.

MARK:

I may show you - one day.

MILLY:

That'll be a treat, I'm sure.

Mark smiles at her shyly.

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