Peeping Tom Page #9

She reaches one of the counters - and leans against it,

looking around.

REVERSE ANGLE shot of Vivian. She is leaning against the

counter of the trunk department. Trunks and suitcases at

'greatly reduced prices' are piled behind her.

CLOSE SHOT of Vivian. She starts whistling nervously under

her breath.

Very faintly overlaid is the sound of Mark whistling under

his.

Vivian stops whistling - and so does Mark.

She listens intently for a moment - then peers at her watch.

CLOSE SHOT of the watch on Mark's wrist.

CLOSE SHOT of Vivian. She shivers suddenly... then looks

at her watch again. She hesitates... then turns towards

the exit, and starts to edge back. She trips over a cable

and almost falls.

Suddenly she is bathed in light.

She wheels round. One of the big spots is beating down on

her.

VIVIAN:

Mark...?

No sign of him. Overlaid is a gentle purring sound. Where

are another light comes on, shining through her hair.

VIVIAN:

Mark!

The sound of his steps is overlaid.

VIVIAN:

Listen... we must...

His footsteps stop... she looks round.

VIVIAN:

Where are you?

His voice is quietly overlaid.

MARK (O.S.)

Here, Viv...

She wheels round.

CLOSE SHOT of Mark sitting in the Director's chair. He is

holding in his lap his cine-camera, and a black bag.

CLOSE SHOT of Vivian breathing quickly.

VIVIAN:

You frightened me!

He looks at her in silence.

VIVIAN:

Now listen... they're working late

on the lot.

MARK:

I know. They're branched off this

stage - I'm using their juice.

He nods, staring at her intently.

VIVIAN:

We must call it off... someone's

bound to see us.

MARK:

They might...

(rising slowly)

... but they won't interrupt us

while we're filming... I've put

the red light on.

INT. ENTRANCE TO SET - EARLY EVENING

CLOSE SHOT of the red light - burning.

CLOSE SHOT of Vivian.

INT. STUDIO - EARLY EVENING

VIVIAN:

You've what?...

MARK:

Put the...

VIVIAN:

Then they'll know someone's here.

MARK:

They won't come in.

VIVIAN:

They'll wait outside... what's the

difference?

MARK:

The difference is... a perfect

film...

Over his shoulder WE SEE the studio camera.

MARK:

... have waited... a long time...

for this... and so have you ... no

one... must interrupt it.

She glances round at the brazenly burning lights; shakes

her head despairingly.

VIVIAN:

We'll be caught.

MARK:

What does that matter?

VIVIAN:

Matter!

MARK:

You stand to lose... a job as an

extra... I stand to lose... nothing.

She looks at him in silence.

MARK:

...the results must be so perfect...

that the risks don't count...

CLOSE SHOT of Mark.

MARK:

So perfect... that even he ...

(he hesitates)

... even he... would say...

VIVIAN:

Who Don Jarvis!?

He looks at her, then nods.

VIVIAN:

Oh! He'd say:

(imitating the great

man's voice)

Sign on the dotted line, kiddies!

You can use my pen, but bring your

own ink!

(her excitement is

growing)

Mark... if you're sure it's worth

it?

MARK:

It's time to find out, Viv...

He walks slowly towards the studio camera.

She prepares for the test by switching on music and warming

up with dance movements.

VIVIAN:

Come on! Get hot!

(she accents the

rhythm)

Mark puts the cine-camera and the black cloth bag on the

dolly, slowly mounts the platform, closes the blimp - and

swings the camera.

We watch him from the top of the studio, from the door of

the studio, from the Director's chair. And finally WE WATCH

HIM from Vivian's POV. She stops dancing but the music

continues.

MARK:

You belong there...

He stares ahead of him, his mind far, far away... then

bends and looks into the finder.

There is a single harsh chord of music - and the screen

goes dark. It remains dark for a moment.

Suddenly the darkness parts like curtains - and in the

centre WE SEE Vivian's face in the finder of the studio

camera. (Unlike the ground-glass of the newsagent's camera,

we see everything the right way up and in perfect

perspective.)

Mark hooks a filler-light below the camera and switches it

on. He adjusts the finder until he has made of Vivian's

delicate features a radiant miniature.

The miniature smiles shyly at him. She has stopped dancing

and is looking directly at the camera. Music continues.

VIVIAN:

I do feel alone in front of it...

(she hesitates)

I suppose stars never do?

MARK:

They feel alone without it...

(he looks in the

eyepiece)

Through the film, we can see only her eyes - large and

wistful.

MARK:

... and the great ones... feel

alone... all the time...

She becomes the uninhibited Vivian again.

VIVIAN:

Then I'm great, boy! What is it

you want me to act?

(she strikes an

attitude a, la

Rabbins)

He looks up from the camera; she smiles and starts keeping

time to the rhythm again.

VIVIAN:

Being frightened to death?

MARK:

You remembered?

VIVIAN:

Yes - and I'll have a go!

We hear his quick breathing.

VIVIAN:

I've been wondering all the

afternoon how you'd do it! I'll

bet you've thought of a wonderful

twist!

(she does a wonderful

twist)

CLOSE SHOT of Mark. He looks down - a little sadly - and

peers into the finder. (The camera dolly is on tracks - he

tracks forward.)

Music continues - piano.

In the finder WE SEE a large trunk - 'at greatly reduced

prices' � on the shelf behind Vivian.

From Vivian's POV WE SEE Mark leave the studio camera �

and hurry towards the trunks. She watches him wide-eyed.

VIVIAN:

What are you doing?

MARK:

Building us a set.

He reaches for the largest trunk.

VIVIAN:

Why not pull the studio down while

you're about it? They can only

hang you once.

MARK:

Exactly.

He carries the trunk towards the studio camera, and lays

it carefully on the floor.

Music continues.

Vivian peers into the front-glass of the studio camera �

as if it were a mirror. The rhythm of the music changes.

VIVIAN:

If only Don Jarvis could see me

now!

She jumps onto the trunk and taps.

VIVIAN:

If only I could see Don Jarvis

now!

She giggles again.

VIVIAN:

I warn you, Mark - I'm hysterical...

I'd rather act dying of laughter,

if it's all the same to you...

She jumps off the trunk onto the floor.

He opens the trunk. she jumps into it. Her laughter echoes

round the deserted studio.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. POWER HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

The two electricians are roaring with laughter. One of

them is making tea.

1ST ELECTRICIAN

So he did it again! Now you tell

one.

CAMERA PANS to a dial on the wall... one of the needles

flickers slightly.

2ND ELECTRICIAN

Half a mo...

1ST ELECTRICIAN (O.S.)

One lump or two?

2ND ELECTRICIAN

As the starlet said to the casting

director...

He turns away from the dials, and grasps at the outstretched

mug.

DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE SHOT of Vivian recording - her little recorder is

twittering back at great speed.

VIVIAN:

(to Mark, over her

shoulder)

What are you doing?

She restarts music.

INT. STUDIO - EARLY EVENING

She is watching Mark curiously as he arranges the lighting.

MARK:

Be patient, Viv... it's going to

be worth it.

CLOSE SHOT of the studio camera. In front of it - fixed on

a small hook - is a tape measure.

Mark reaches for it... then carefully measures the distance

between the trunk and the camera... then he takes apiece

of chalk from his pocket and makes a small cross on the

floor.

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