Playback Page #22

MAGRUDER:

Nice to see you, Mr. Brandon--and

the lady. What'll you take?

BRANDON:

(glancing at Betty)

Scotch?

Betty nods lifelessly; to Magruder.

BRANDON:

Scotch. The kind you buy, Magruder,

not the kind you make.

MAGDRUDER:

Only the best for you, Mr. Brandon.

He signals a waiter, goes out of shot. Band starts to play.

Betty looks out of booth.

ANOTHER ANGLE - BRANDON'S POV - WHAT HE SEES

Three couples start to lumber around the small dance floor.

The air is heavy with smoke. The soused sailor and blousy

girl come dancing into foreground. Sailor is dancing with

all the grace of a rhinoceros.

BLOWSY GIRL:

What you need is a drink, big boy.

SAILOR:

(suddenly pushing

her away)

Aw, go blow your nose.

He starts back to table. Girl shrugs resignedly, goes after

him.

BRANDON AND BETTY

She is staring horrified at this.

BETTY:

Why did you bring me to such a

place?

BRANDON:

(casually)

There isn't anywhere else.

Waiter comes up and serves drinks. Brandon tastes it to

make sure he gets what he orders, nods his head. Betty

seizes glass almost convulsively and takes a long swallow.

BRANDON:

Want to dance?

BETTY:

Dance? Here?

BRANDON:

Why not?

BETTY:

(staring at him)

They know you here--know your name.

BRANDON:

I know everybody. I don't look at

half of life, just the nice half,

I look at all of it.

Betty finishes off her drink, then in a reckless, half-

wild voice,

BETTY:

All right, then, let's dance.

They get up out of booth and about to start dancing when

Betty's gaze becomes fixed on something across the room.

BRANDON'S POV - WHAT HE SEES

Thick-set MAN from the lobby sitting alone at a table with

a bottle of beer in front of him. He is staring over at

Betty and Brandon.

BACK TO BETTY AND BRANDON

BETTY:

That man over there. He was in the

hotel lobby.

BRANDON:

(he looks across)

I didn't notice him.

BETTY:

We walked right passed him. He's

following us.

BRANDON:

Killaine's not that sort of guy.

He said no--he meant no.

BETTY:

Then he's got to be a detective.

BRANDON:

Couldn't be.

BETTY:

Then he's--

(she breaks off,

stares rigidly)

Brandon looks at her curiously, not getting it. Betty

swallows and then gets her voice.

BETTY:

Take me out of here, please. Right

away.

(Brandon just keeps

looking at her.)

If you don't I'll go alone.

Brandon reaches for her coat, puts it around her, throws

some money on the table. They start across room. Brandon

deliberately steers past the thick-set man, who is pouring

himself a glass of beer. He doesn't even look up. Brandon

and Betty reach the top of the stairs. Brandon looks back.

BRANDON:

Quite sure you saw him in the hotel

lobby?

BETTY:

Absolutely sure.

BRANDON:

(his eyes narrow a

little)

We'll find out.

He turns, takes Betty's arm, they start down the stairs,

CAMERA PANS OVER TO MAN. He now looking after them with

half smile on his face. He lifts his glass of beer in

salute, drinks it down, stands up.

FOOT OF STAIRS JUST INSIDE SWINGING DOORS

It is pretty dark. It is not a solid stairway, there is a

space behind it. Brandon notes this.

BRANDON:

You go out and get in the car.

Betty hesitates, then starts out. Brandon looks back

upstairs. SOUND OF DESCENDING STEPS OVER SHOT. Brandon

goes quickly around stairway almost out of sight. Thick-

set man comes down the stairs. He is now trimming another

cigar. As he reaches the bottom of stairs, he stops, takes

out a match, and is about to strike it then Brandon steps

out. The man looks at him unemotionally, cigar and match

in midair.

BRANDON:

The light's bad in here, but I

seem to remember the face. What

was the name?

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