Psycho Page #20

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She starts out of the bathroom. Sam takes hold of her arm,

stops her.

SAM:

You can't go up there.

LILA:

Why not?

SAM:

Bates.

CAMERA STARTS TO PAN AWAY from them, moves slowly over the

room, very slowly.

LILA'S VOICE (O.S.)

Let's find him. One of us can keep

him occupied while the other gets to

the woman.

SAM'S VOICE (O.S.)

You won't be able to hold him still

if he doesn't want to be held. And I

don't like you going into that house

alone, Lila.

CAMERA HAS PANNED clear across to the opposite wall now, and

is moving up closer and closer to the tiny-flowered wall

paper, finally closing in on one small rosebud.

LILA'S VOICE (O.S.)

I can handle a sick old woman.

Now we see that the rosebud has been cut out, that this is

the reverse side of the hole Norman peeped through to watch

Mary. And we see the pupil of Norman's eye now.

SAM'S VOICE (O.S.)

All right. I'll find Bates and keep

him occupied.

The eye moves away and there is a brief flash of light before

the hole is covered, on the other side, by the wall-hung

painting.

FRESH ANGLE - LILA AND SAM

They are about to start out. Sam stops her again.

SAM:

Wait a minute. If you get anything

out of the mother...

(A thought)

Can you find your way back to town?

(As Lila nods yes)

If you do get anything, don't stop

to tell me.

Lila nods quickly, hurries to the door. Sam gets to it first,

opens it a slight crack, looks out, then opens it wide enough

for Lila and Himself to pass through.

EXT. THE MOTEL - (DAY)

ANGLE CLOSE on cabin one as Lila comes out, turns to her

left, goes along porch toward cabin twelve. Sam remains at

the door, then turns right, heading for the path. As he passes

the office, he is shocked to see Norman standing just inside

the open door.

NORMAN:

Looking for me?

SAM:

(Recovering)

Yes, matter of fact.

(The friendly grin)

The wife's taking a nap and... I can

never keep quiet enough for her...

so I thought I'd look you up and...

talk.

NORMAN:

Satisfied with your cabin?

SAM:

Fine.

Sam starts into the office. Just before going in, he glances

down the long porch, sees Lila standing outside the door of

cabin twelve, waves her a tiny "all clear" signal.

LILA:

CAMERA ANGLES to include Lila and her point of view.

She watches Sam disappear into the office, waits until she

hears the door close, then looks about for another way to

reach the house. She sees the small alley at the end of this

L of cabins, starts toward it.

EXT. REAR OF MOTEL - S.C.U. LILA - (DAY)

Behind the motel Lila hesitates. She looks ahead.

LONG SHOT - (DAY)

The old house standing against the sky.

CLOSE UP - (DAY)

Lila moves forward.

LONG SHOT - (DAY)

The CAMERA approaching the house.

CLOSE UP - (DAY)

Lila glances toward the back of Norman's parlor. She moves

on.

LONG SHOT - (DAY)

The house coming nearer.

CLOSE UP - (DAY)

Lila looks up at the house. She moves forward purposefully.

S.L.S. - (DAY)

The house and the porch.

CLOSE UP - (DAY)

Lila stops at the house and looks up. She glances back.

She turns to the house again.

S.L.S. - (DAY)

The CAMERA MOUNTS the steps to the porch.

C.U. - (DAY)

Lila puts out her hand.

S.C.U. - (DAY)

Lila's hand pushes the door open. We see the hallway.

Lila ENTERS PAST CAMERA.

INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY OF OLD HOUSE - (DAY)

Lila closes the door, remains by it for a moment, quiet,

listening. Her eyes scan the layout, the closed door which

leads off the hallway, to the dining room on the right and

the parlor on the left. Down at the end of the hall is the

kitchen, the door wide open, the room beyond dim and silent.

She notices the stairs leading down to the basement, stares

at them, then back to the stairs leading to the second floor.

She starts forward, and seems about to investigate the parlor

and dining room.

INT. THE MOTEL OFFICE - (DAY)

Norman is behind the counter, standing, staring at Sam who

is sitting relaxedly on a small sofa. Norman has the look of

one who is protecting himself, as if the counter were a

protective wall against the threatening world across it.

SAM:

(Cheerfully, as if

after a self-conscious

pause)

I've been doing all the talking so

far, haven't I?

NORMAN:

Yes.

SAM:

I always thought it was the people

who are alone so much who do all the

talking when they get the chance.

Yet there you are, doing all the

listening!

(A pause)

You are alone here, aren't you?

(As Norman does not

reply)

It would drive me crazy.

NORMAN:

That would be a rather extreme

reaction, wouldn't it?

SAM:

(Lightly)

Just an expression...

(More seriously)

What I meant was... I'd do just about

anything... to get away. Wouldn't

you?

INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY AND STAIRS OF OLD HOUSE - (DAY)

Lila is halfway up the stairs. As she climbs she is startled

by the creaks and groans of the old wood of the steps. She

steps more carefully. CAMERA remains at foot of stair, TILTING

UP as Lila climbs. She pauses at the head of the stair. The

door on her right, which opens into the mother's room, is

closed. To her left is another door, half-open. Directly

before her is a third door, closed. She holds a long moment,

trying to picture in her mind which room would look out on

the front of the house, decides, chooses the correct door,

the one on her right. She goes to it, knocks lightly.

INT. THE MOTHER'S ROOM (DAY) - CLOSE ANGLE ON DOOR

We hear Lila's second knock, then, faintly, her soft call.

LILA'S VOICE (O.S.)

Mrs. Bates?

There is quiet for a moment, then the door begins to open,

and we see Lila. She stands on the threshold, looking in at

the room, instantly disturbed by it, almost chilled, her

expression indicating an impulse to close the door and go

away from this room forever.

After a moment, she enters, leaving the door open behind

her. CAMERA PULLS BACK AND AWAY and we now see the room as

Lila sees it.

It is ornate, damask-and-mahogany, thick and warm and ripe,

an olla podrida of mismated furnishings and bric-a-brac of

the last century. The bed is four poster, but uncanoped; the

dressing table is fancy and flounced with satin; there is a

great chiffonier, a big-doored wardrobe, a large, oval, full-

length pier-glass (this against the wall directly opposite

the door), a satin recamier, an upholstered armchair by the

window, a white marble fireplace, its grate cold but piled

with ashes.

And there is in the room an unmistakably live quality, as if

even though it is presently unoccupied, it has not been long

vacated by some musty presence.

Lila glances at the bed. The damask coverlet is thrown over

it, but it is not neat, there is the imprint of a body on

it, a body which obviously has slept in a curled-up, womb-

like position. Lila stares at it for a moment, up, then goes

to the dressing table. Its top is scattered with boxes and

jars of cosmetics and creams, traces of fresh powder, an

opened bottle or perfume, a comb, and a brush with traces of

hair in its bristles. Lila moves on, catches a glimpse of

herself in the pier-glass, is startled, turns away, goes to

the chiffonier, is about to open a drawer, sees the high

wardrobe out of the corner of her eyes, goes to it,

hesitantly. She opens one door. Fresh, clean, well pressed

dresses hang neatly. Lila opens the other door. The sweaters

and dresses and robes hang freely, none in moth-proof, storage-

type bags. There is even a well-brushed collar of foxes.

Along the floor of the wardrobe is a line of clean, polished

shoes. Lila stares, then closes the door, turns, looks once

again over the whole room, starts out,

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