Raising Arizona Page #19

HI AND ED:

Lenny is rising to his feet beyond them as Hi nods

encouragement to Ed.

HI:

Run along now, honey.

Lenny is reaching back to throw his knife.

Hi, unaware, is turning to face him, presenting the plank as -

the knife is thrown.

It thunks into the plank, piercing it through.

Hi backs up, swinging the knife - studded plank to make Lenny

keep his distance.

TRACKING BEHIND LENNY'S SHOULDER

As he reaches up to unhook a chain from a ring on his vest

shoulder.

LENNY'S HAND

As the free chain drops down into his palm.

LENNY:

Swinging the chain - WHOOSH WHOOSH - at the backpedaling Hi.

THE PLANK:

As the chain snakes around it and rips it out of Hi's hands.

LENNY:

Grabbing Hi by the shirtfront.

LENNY'S OTHER HAND

Swings down and brass knuckles appear on it.

ON HI:

As Lenny's fist swings into frame to club him forehand, then

backhand.

An uppercut from his heels sends Hi sprawling back.

A PARKED CAR:

As Hi lands against it, banging his head. He sinks to the

ground.

Lenny is casually walking toward him, lighting a cheroot. Hi

flops over onto his stomach and starts wriggling under the

car.

FROM UNDER THE CAR

Hi's face in the foreground as he desperately seeks escape.

Behind him we can see Lenny casually reaching down and

grabbing an ankle.

The shot is framed identically to the shot in the Arizona

nursery where Hi pulled a baby from under the crib.

Lenny pulls. Hi is dragged away from the camera and out from

under the car.

HI:

Struggling to stand up.

Lenny wraps his arms around him and applies a tremendous

bear hug.

HI'S ARMS

Crushed against Lenny. His hands paw futilely at Lenny's

chest.

FULL SHOT:

Lenny finally flings Hi away.

HI:

Landing in the dust, all the fight beaten out of him.

LENNY:

Tired of the fight: He saws out both shotguns

THE HAMMERS:

On the guns as Lenny's thumbs draw them back. He raises the

guns to fire.

HI:

The end of the road.

He wearily lifts a hand, defensively extending it in front

of him - then stops, staring at:

HI'S HAND

A hand grenade pin hangs, glinting, from one of his fingers.

Pawing at Lenny's chest he must have hooked his finger through

its ring.

HI:

Reacting.

LENNY:

Reacting to Hi reacting. He looks down.

LENNY'S CHEST

On the bandoliers across his chest, silver pins glint in all

the grenades - except one. Its squeeze-lever juts at a right

angle from the grenade.

LENNY'S FACE

Hi's jaw drops.

LENNY'S FEET

The lit cheroot hits the ground between his boots.

HI:

Scrambling to his feet.

LENNY:

Trying to drop the shotguns to free his hands. In his panic

his fingers tangle in the trigger guards.

HI:

Starting to run.

LENNY:

Finally freeing his hands.

HI:

Diving behind the parked car.

LENNY'S CHEST

His hands fly in to wrap around the grenade - too late -

bright light:

LENNY:

Blows sky-high. There is a roar as if the earth were cracking

open and flame as if hell were slipping out.

We pan the fire to the sky.

FADE OUT:

A white aluminum ladder rises up into the blackness, clanking

softly. The top of the ladder arcs toward the camera.

JUMP BACK:

To the interior of the Arizona second-story nursery as the

ladder comes to rest against the window frame.

It is late at night; the nursery is dark and empty.

THE HEADBOARD:

Of the unpainted crib with the burned-in names: Harry, Barry,

Larry, Garry, and Nathan Jr.

As we pull back from the headboard Ed's arms are gently

depositing the sleeping Nathan Jr. into the crib. Hi puts

the singed copy of Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care next to

the baby.

REVERSE:

Hi and Ed looking sadly down at the baby.

The silence is broken by the bleat of a squeeze-me toy as

the lights are snapped on. Hi and Ed turn, startled.

NURSERY DOORWAY:

Nathan stands in his jammies, hair disheveled, holding a gun

and squinting against the light.

Keeping the gun trained on Hi and Ed, he slowly raises a

pair of eyeglasses to his nose.

NATHAN:

The hell is goin' on?

He advances cautiously into the nursery, gesturing with his

gun.

NATHAN:

...Get away from there.

Hi and Ed back away from the crib.

Nathan peers in and studies the baby for a moment.

He lays the gun down, tenderly picks up the baby and holds

him to his chest. A tear forms at the corner of his eye.

Hi and Ed are quietly moving back towards the ladder.

NATHAN:

(sharply)

Waitaminute...

Hi and Ed Stop.

NATHAN:

...I ain't through with you. What're

you doin' creepin' around here in

the dark? You in with Smalls?

HI:

...Scuse me?

As he bounces the baby, studying Hi and Ed:

NATHAN:

Leonard Smalls, big fella rides a

Harley, dresses like a rock star?

HI:

No sir, that's who we saved him from.

It's a long story.

NATHAN:

Suppose you tell it.

HI:

Well, sir, in a re-ward situation,

they usually say no questions asked.

NATHAN:

Do they.

Hi shrugs.

Nathan turns to put the baby back in the crib.

NATHAN:

...All right, boy, I guess you got a

re-ward coming. Twenty thousand

dollars...

He turns around with a thought:

NATHAN:

...Or, if you need home furnishings,

I can give you a fine of credit at

any of my stores. Fact, that's the

way I'd rather handle it, for tax

reasons...

HI:

Well-

Nathan throws his hands up in the air.

NATHAN:

But it's up to you.

HI:

Tell you the truth, I think we'd

prefer the ca-

ED:

We don't want no reward.

Hi does a small take, surprised at this much integrity.

ED:

...We didn't bring him back for money.

NATHAN:

Well, we could work it that way too.

ED:

Could I just look at him a little

bit more?

She stands looking into the crib. Hi steps up next to her

and puts an arm around her shoulder.

NATHAN:

Be my guest, young lady... but would

you mind tellin' me exactly how you-

Ed starts crying softly as she gazes into the crib. Hi murmurs

something to comfort her.

Nathan is studying the two of them.

NATHAN:

...You took him, didn't you? Wasn't

that biker a'tal.

Hi turns to face him. He speaks in a rush.

HI:

I took him, sir, my wife had nothin'

to do with it. I crept in yon window

and-

ED:

(still crying)

We both did it. We didn't wanna hurt

him any; I just wanted to be a mama.

HI:

It wasn't for money or nothin'. We

just figured you had more'n you could

handle, babywise. But I'm the one

committed the actual crime sir, if

you need to call the authorities-

NATHAN:

Shutup boy, no one's callin' the

authorities if there's no harm done.

HI:

Thank you sir.

ED:

Thank you sir.

NATHAN:

Aw bullshit. Just tell me - just

tell me why you did it.

ED:

We can't have our own.

Nathan looks at her. Finally he nods and sighs.

NATHAN:

...Well lookit. If you can't have

kids you gotta just keep tryin' and

hope medical science catches up with

you. Like Florence'n me - it caught

up with a vengeance. And hell, even

if it never does, you still got each

other.

HI:

Sir, those're kind words. But I think

the wife and me are splittin' up...

He indicates Ed with a nod of the head.

HI:

...Her point of view is we're both

kinda selfish and unrealistic, so we

ain't too good for each other.

NATHAN:

Well ma'am, I don't know much but I

do know human bein's. You brought

back my boy so you must have your

good points too. I'd sure hate to

think of Florence leavin' me - I do

love her so...

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