Rear Window Page #4

JEFF:

(On filter)

Stop sounding stuffy. I'll take

pictures from a jeep. From a water

buffalo if necessary.

GUNNISON:

You're too valuable to the magazine

for us to play around with. I'll

send Morgan or Lambert.

JEFF:

Swell. I get myself half-killed for

you -- and you reward me by stealing

my assignments.

GUNNISON:

I didn't ask you to stand in the

middle of that automobile race track.

JEFF:

(A little angry)

You asked for something dramatically

different! You got it!

GUNNISON:

(Quietly)

So did you. Goodbye, Jeff.

JEFF:

(Won't let him hang

up)

You've got to get me out of here!

Six weeks -- sitting in a two-room

apartment with nothing to do but

look out the window at the neighbors!

At this moment we hear the sounds of a piano playing.

It is a simple, but broken, melody as if someone was just

learning to play the piano, or carefully composing a song.

It clashes abruptly with the music from the ballet dancer's

apartment. It irritates Jeff as he looks in the direction of

the new music.

JEFF:

It's worse than the Chinese water

torture.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY - SEMI-LONG SHOT

We now see the source of the piano music. It comes from the

apartment with the studio window which we saw earlier where

the man was shaving and listening to the radio. The short,

balding man sits at the piano playing a few notes, then

transferring them by pencil to notepaper on the piano rack.

He continues this process, fighting the interference of the

ballet music. The opening bars of his melody are beautiful

and ear-catching.

It is slow, hard work, and the ballet music finally becomes

such an interference that he gives up and walks to the window

to look down toward the dancer's apartment.

He stands by a table at the window which is littered with

records, the morning coffee cup, unwashed, the remains of

breakfast, old newspapers, song sheets, etc.

He takes a cigarette out of his mouth, looks for an ash tray,

and ends up putting it out in the coffee cup. He then returns

to the piano and begins picking out the melody the dancer is

playing on her record player.

INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DAY - SEMI-CLOSEUP

Jeff frowns at the double sound, and raises his voice a

little. He continues the conversation which has been heard

all through the previous scene.

GUNNISON:

Read some good books.

JEFF:

I've been taking pictures so long I

don't know how to read anymore.

GUNNISON:

I'll send you some comic books.

JEFF:

(Low, tense)

Listen -- if you don't pull me out

of this swamp of boredom -- I'll do

something drastic.

GUNNISON:

Like what?

JEFF:

(On filter)

I'll -- I'll get married. Then I'll

never be able to go anywhere.

GUNNISON:

It's about time you got married --

before you turn into a lonesome and

bitter old man.

JEFF:

Can you see me -- rushing home to a

hot apartment every night to listen

to the automatic laundry, the electric

dishwasher, the garbage disposal and

a nagging wife.

GUNNISON:

Jeff -- wives don't nag anymore --

they discuss.

Jefferies glances out across to the other apartments as he

sees:

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY - SEMI-LONG SHOT

We see a three-storied, flat-roofed apartment house.

The brick is weather-worn and faded. Each apartment has three

windows facing the back, one showing a hallway, one a living

room, and the window on the right opening into a bedroom.

On the second floor, a man has entered the living room from

a hallway door. He carries a large aluminum sample case common

to salesmen. He sets down the case heavily, removes his hat,

and slowly wipes his brow with the back of his right hand.

He takes off his coat and tie. His shirt is stained with

sweat underneath. He rolls up his sleeves, and his well-

muscled arms heavy with hair confirm his dark, husky build.

INT. JEFF'S APARTMENT - DAY - SEMI-CLOSEUP

With his eyes still focused on the distant apartments, Jeff

continues talking with Gunnison.

JEFF:

Yeah? Maybe in the high rent districts

they discuss -- but in my

neighborhood, they still nag.

GUNNISON:

Well -- you know best. Call you later,

Jeff.

JEFF:

Next time, have some good news.

He hangs up and resumes his attention on the apartment of

the salesman.

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