Playback Page #14

A rising, antagonistic sound begins to surge from the

spectators and Henry Kinsolving comes to his feet, slowly

and rigidly. The Judge ignore him and looks straight at

the foreman of the Jury, and speaks the rest of his speech

in a clear, ringing, dominating voice.

JUDGE:

The Court therefore rules that the

motion of the Attorney for the

Defense for a directed verdict of

not guilty be now granted. The

verdict of guilty brought by this

Jury is herby set aside, and a

verdict of not guilty is to be

entered on the record.

(his voice bow rises

almost to a shout)

And the Defendant, Elizabeth

Kinsolving, is here with discharged

from custody of the Sheriff of

this county.

PANDEMONIUM and UPROAR in the Court. The Bailiff shouts

for order. The Judge stands slowly, looks a moment out

over the Court, then looks at Elizabeth, smiles at her

faintly, turns, and starts back towards his chambers.

CAMERA PANS over to Henry Kinsolving. He stands like a

statue, an icy rage, his face working, while behind him

the noise of the spectators goes on. Kinsolving turns his

head towards Elizabeth, then moves stiffly over to her.

CAMERA PANNING, he comes over to her. Leamington, the

Defense Attorney, and the matron are standing beside her.

KINSLOVING:

(with restrained

fury)

For four years I endured your

presence in my house, although I

well knew you were no fit wife for

my son.. That he had married in

haste, and that he would repent it

bitterly if he survived the war. I

had no thought that he would die

under his own roof, nor that the

reward of my patience would be to

stand beside his grave. I have

done my best to avenge him. So far

I have failed. But I have not

finished. You are free to go where

you will, but there will be another

day of reckoning, somewhere,

sometime. And when that day comes,

I will be there. And that time you

will not escape.

Elizabeth's eyes widen with horror. In the background the

crowd is still roaring, like peals of thunder.

CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSE TO ELIZABETH'S EYES as at the

beginning of this flashback.

FLASH FORWARD:

INT. ROYAL HOTEL - BETTY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

CAMERA WITHDRAWS and find her sitting up in bed in the

ROYAL HOTEL. THUNDER is pealing outside, but now more

distantly. There is a sudden downpour of RAIN. Betty sweeps

the bedclothes aside. Reaches for a robe, and crosses to

close the French doors. Over her shoulder we see a portion

of the small balcony, a chaise, and as Betty starts to

close the door, she stops frozen. There is someone lying

on the chaise. She starts out into the rain.

EXT. ROYAL HOTEL - BETTY'S BALCONY -- NIGHT

As she comes out, approaches the chaise, leans down, the

rain beating on her. She shakes the shoulder of a man on

the chaise. He doesn't move. One of his hands drops limply

and swings a little. Horror shows in Betty's eyes. She

reaches out and touches the man's face and WE SEE for the

first time that this is Larry Mitchell, and we realize

that he is dead.

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