Peeping Tom Page #4

CLOSE SHOT of the shelves. They are stacked with spools of

film.

CAMERA travels slowly over these spools. WE SEE Mark's

hand add two more to the collection; his Voice is overlaid.

MARK (O.S.)

...minute...

He closes the cupboard door.

INT. MARK'S SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

Mark comes out of the dark-room behind him - the light is

kept out by a baffle and a curtain. He has a pleasant,

normally untidy bedsitting room.

He wipes his handkerchief across his forehead - then hurries

to the door. He opens it - Helen is standing there.

HELEN:

I hope I'm not disturbing you?

CLOSE SHOT of Mark - shaking his head, smiling shyly.

CLOSE SHOT of Helen.

HELEN:

I knew you wouldn't come down...

so I've brought you this.

She holds out a plate on which is a piece of birthday cake.

MARK:

Thank you...

He takes the plate.

MARK:

... very much...

HELEN:

I mustn't keep you from your work

She turns to go.

MARK:

I'd like to offer you a drink.

She turns round.

HELEN:

Thank you, Mark.

MARK:

I haven't one.

HELEN:

I'd adore some water.

She smiles.

HELEN:

a hostess can't drink water at her

own party, it looks like a hint to

the guests.

MARK:

Will you... would you... like to

come in?

HELEN:

Yes, Mark...

She steps over the threshold. The door closes behind her.

INT. MARK'S SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT of Helen looking round the room.

Mark's voice is overlaid.

MARK (O.S.)

There's milk... if you'd like some?

HELEN:

Very much... if you can spare it?

MARK (O.S.)

Yes.

Helen glances towards the inner room. He holds out a glass

of milk to her.

HELEN:

Thank you, Mark...

She drinks it with relish. He watches her in silence.

HELEN:

This is a pleasant room... and

you've another inside?

MARK:

Yes.

HELEN:

How long have you lived here?

MARK:

All my life.

She looks at him in surprise.

MARK:

I was born in this house Oh?

CLOSE SHOT of Mark.

MARK:

It's my father's.

HELEN:

Do you mean I've at last found out

who our landlord is? Your father?

MARK:

Well - no... he's dead!

He hesitates.

MARK:

I'm the landlord.

She looks at him in astonishment.

HELEN:

YOU?

MARK:

Yes.

HELEN:

But you walk about as if you haven't

paid the rent.

MARK:

I haven't.

HELEN:

I meant...

MARK:

I know.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark.

MARK:

It's his house - and I'll never

sell it... but I can't afford the

upkeep, so I let rooms.

He looks at her anxiously.

MARK:

... if I charge too much, tell me

and I'll tell the agents.

HELEN:

The rent's very reasonable, but

don't say anything to the others

or you'll have no peace.

MARK:

Peace...?

CLOSE SHOT of Helen.

HELEN:

Mark, what do you do?

MARK:

(slowly)

Most of the time, I work in a film

studio.

HELEN:

On the photographic side, I'll

bet.

MARK:

I hope to be a film director...

very soon.

HELEN:

How exciting.

MARK:

I have some spare time jobs... as

well.

HELEN:

To do with photography?

MARK:

More milk?

HELEN:

No thank you... to do with

photography?

MARK:

Yes... to do with photography...

HELEN:

When I came in were you looking at

some films?

MARK:

Yes.

HELEN:

Of yours?

MARK:

Yes.

HELEN:

I'd like to see them...

He looks at her in silence.

HELEN:

Know I'm being rude... but I really

would like to see them...

(she smiles.)

...it would be a birthday present...

from you to me.

MARK:

Would it?

HELEN:

Yes, Mark.

MARK:

Oh...

HELEN:

But I suppose you're too busy?

She puts down the glass, turns to the door.

MARK:

Will you... would you... like to

see them now?

She turns round. He is standing by the entrance to the

inner room.

HELEN:

Thank you...

MARK:

I'll... go first.

He leads the way - she follows. For a moment the screen is

in darkness. A dark-room darkness.

INT. THE INNER ROOM - NIGHT

We can HEAR - faintly � the dance music from downstairs.

There is a click - and the walls are suddenly bathed in

diffused light, throwing the room into delicate shadow.

CLOSE SHOT of Helen looking round in amazement.

As certain events of possible interest are to take place

in this room, here, in detail, is what amazes Helen.

The room is the product of three rooms which have been

knocked into one. It is very large and extremely well

constructed (as we are soon to learn, it was originally a

laboratory). One half of the room is used for processing,

and the other half for filming - and for trade shows. The

two halves are lined by long shelves upon which are perched

all shapes and sizes of cameras, their spectacles glinting

in the light.

In the processing half two benches (a 'dry' bench and a

'wet' bench) face each other against opposite walls. There

are three sinks above the 'wet' bench and an outburst of

equipment above the 'dry'.

This part of the room is lit by two dark-room lamps frowning

in the ceiling above the benches.

The other part of the room has a window at the far end of

it. Heavy drapes are putted across it.

Mark's projector rests on a small table in front of the

16mm screen. Two banks of floods and a variety of spots

light this part of the room. There is a small control panel

on the wall.

Some of the equipment is ancient - but none of it is old.

All of it glistens with the affection of its owner.

There is absolutely nothing in the room to alarm anyone

except an adult... the kind who starts to wonder who paid

for it all.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark. He stands by the lighting panel,

watching Helen.

From his POV WE SEE her brushing the hair out of her eyes

as she looks slowly round. He brushes the hair out of his.

For a moment she turns her back to him. He presses a switch

on the wall. A gentle light ripples through the back of

Helen's hair.

SHOT of Helen. She turns to him. She is very nearly at a

loss for words.

HELEN:

This is so... well - so many

things... but above all - it's

so...

She takes a final look round.

HELEN:

...completely unexpected!

She looks at him searchingly.

HELEN:

Is all of it yours?

MARK:

Yes.

HELEN:

I mean... is it designed by you?

Furnished by you? Tell me about

this room.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark.

MARK:

It belonged to my father

HELEN:

What was he?

MARK:

Scientist...

HELEN:

Then this equipment was his?

MARK:

No...

He hesitates.

MARK:

Sold his to buy it...

HELEN:

But it seems to be so... technical.

She looks at him with renewed interest.

HELEN:

If this is where you work, I can't

wait to see what you work at.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark - in difficulties.

MARK:

Don't know what to show you?

HELEN:

Well... what were you looking at

when I interrupted you?

He looks at her thoughtfully.

MARK:

All right!

He crosses to the corner cupboard - opens the door.

CLOSE SHOT of the cupboard. WE SEE Mark's hand reach for

a spool of film... then hesitate, poised above another

spool.

CLOSE SHOT of Helen - watching with interest.

REVERSE ANGLE SHOT of Mark. He closes the cupboard, and

turns round... there is a spool of film in his hand.

He walks slowly towards his projector... he seems � for

the moment � to have forgotten she is there.

CLOSE SHOT of Helen - watching him thread the film into

the projector.

MARK:

This is the first... twenty-first

birthday present... I'll ever have

given.

HELEN:

It's the first I've ever asked

for...

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