Strangers on a Train Page #17

CLOSE SHOT GUY:

He pauses at the first door, then passes it quietly, walking

on to the next one. He turns the knob soundlessly and passes

through into the room.

INT. ANTONY BEDROOM LONG SHOT

The room is in darkness except for the dim outline of the

recumbent figure in the bed. We hear Guy's voice, in a loud

whisper:

GUY:

Mr. Antony!

The figure stirs.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Guy takes a stop closer to the bed.

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GUY:

(urgently)

Mr. Antony! Don't be alarmed -- but

I must talk to you about your son.

About Bruno. Mr. Antony!

The figure on the bed turns and a hand stretches out toward

a bedside light. The light goes on with a sudden glare.

CLOSEUP FACE OF BRUNO IN THE LIGHT (LOW CAMERA)

The low CAMERA throws a vast shadow up on the wall behind

him, creating a grimace of his smile.

BRUNO:

Yes, Mr. Haines?

CLOSEUP GUY:

His face is dead.

MED. SHOT

Bruno rises from the bed and sits on the and of it. He is

fully dressed, just as he was at the party, in white tie and

tails.

BRUNO:

(politely)

My father isn't home tonight, Mr.

Haines.

(smiles grimly at

Guy's surprise)

I was about to tell you that over

the phone. But you came to such a

sudden decision. I wondered why.

GUY:

(recovering quickly)

Since you sent me a key to your house,

I decided to use it -- to make a

little social call on your father.

I thought he'd be Interested to know

he his a lunatic son.

The faintest flicker of Bruno's eyes indicates the intensity

of his reaction. He stares hard at Guy.

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BRUNO:

Then a I correct, Mr. Haines, in

assuming that you have no intention

of going ahead with our arrangement?

GUY:

No intention whatsoever. I never

had.

BRUNO:

I see. You won't have any further

use for the key, then, Mr. Haines.

(he holds out his

hand and Guy gives

him the key)

Thank you very such.

As Bruno continues to stare at him, Guy takes out the Luger.

For a moment a look of fear comes into Bruno's face as he

thinks Guy will probably shoot him. After a pause, Guy tosses

the gun on the bed.

GUY:

Or this.

Bruno's relief turns again to menace. He picks up the gun

and fingers it nervously.

GUY:

(kindly)

Look, Bruno. You're terribly sick.

(haltingly)

I don't know whether it's possible

for you to realize it or not. I

don't know much about these things,

Bruno. But why don't you go someplace

where you can get some treatment?

Not only for your own sake, Bruno,

but you can't go on causing more and

more destruction to anyone you happen

to meet.

Bruno pays no attention. He rises.

TWO SHOT:

Guy's arguments have made no impression on Bruno whatsoever.

He fingers the gun.

BRUNO:

I don't like to be doublecrossed.

(MORE)

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BRUNO (CONT'D)

I have a murder on my conscience,

but it's not my murder, Mr. Haines -it's

yours. And as you're the one

to profit, I think you should be the

one to pay for it.

For an instant his nervous hands seem to be struggling with

the urge to kill Guy.

GUY:

(gives up)

Well, I guess it's no use, Bruno.

We sees to have nothing further to

discuss.

Bruno goes to the door in silent acquiescence and opens it

for Guy to pass through.

INT. HALLWAY MED. SHOT

Guy walks toward the stairs, tense and apprehensive. Bruno

is following him, still holding the gun. When the Great

Dane sees Bruno it gets to its feet, as if waiting for a

command.

Guy starts down the stairs but Bruno stays where he is, the

dog beside him. Gay turns and looks back it this tableaux

of menace.

BRUNO:

Don't worry. I'm not going to shoot

you, Mr. Haines. It might disturb

mother.

(with a feeling of

power)

I'm a very clever follow. I'll think

of something better than that. Much

better.

LONG SHOT:

Bruno remains in the foreground of the scene as Guy proceeds

on down the stairs. We see him open the front door and pass

through.

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

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EXT. STREET ACROSS GUY'S APARTMENT EARLY

CLOSE SHOT HENNESSY AND HAMMOND MORNING

Hennessy is relieving Hammond who has kept watch on Guy's

apartment night.

HAMMOND:

(in the middle of his

story)

He came back at three twenty-five.

I didn't even know he'd given me the

slip until his 'phone kept ringing

for about half an hour. Nobody sleeps

that sound. So I got the janitor to

let me in. No Haines.

HENNESSY:

(to himself)

Wonder where he went?

HAMMOND:

We'll probably hear of another dame

murdered.

HENNESSY:

(puzzled)

Shut up. I'd better contact Metcalf.

I should think this calls for more

questioning of Mr. Haines.

HAMMOND:

Questioning? Nuts! Let's take him

in.

HENNESSY:

My dear Mr. Hamond, how many times

do I have to tell you that we have

nothing conclusive on Haines? There's

no evidence that he was ever at the

scene of the crime. Can't you get

that into your thick head?

(quietly)

Now stay put till I get back.

As he starts away -

FADE OUT.

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FADE IN:

INT. ANTONY LIVING ROOM LATE MORNING

Anne and Mrs. Antony are in the middle of a conversation.

Anne's manner is tense and purposeful, Mrs. Antony's much

less serious.

MRS. ANTONY

Oh, now, Miss Burton, really! I

know Bruno's been in some very awkward

scrapes, but nothing so ridiculous

as a murder.

(she gives a short

little laugh)

ANNE:

(desperately)

But, Mrs. Antony, you've got to make

him do something about this. Don't

you see that just one word from him

would extricate Guy from this dreadful

situation?

MRS. ANTONY

(lightly)

Oh, but Miss Burton, I'm sure this

thing must be some practical joke.

You know, Bruno sometimes goes too

far.

(girl to girl)

Of course I shouldn't be saying this

to an outsider, but sometimes he's

terribly irresponsible and gets into

all kinds of escapades.

ANNE:

But don't you understand, Mrs. Antony -your

son is responsible for a woman's

death.

MRS. ANTONY

(drawing herself up

with some hauteur)

Did Bruno tell you this?

ANNE:

Of course not, Mrs. Antony.

MRS. ANTONY

(that settles it)

Well, there you are.

(MORE)

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MRS. ANTONY (CONT'D)

(she sighs and rises,

winding it up)

Well, Miss Burton, it was very nice

of you to call. You must excuse me

now. I must get back to my painting.

Do you care for painting, Miss Burton?

I find it so soothing.

(shakes Anne's hand)

You must come again sometime.

She goes out. Anne is left helpless, standing in the middle

of the room. She picks up her purse and is about to go when

she hears a voice:

BRUNO'S VOICE

Oh, Miss Burton!

Anne turns back in direction of the voice. CAMERA PULLS

BACK until we can see the feet of Bruno protruding from behind

a chair in which he is sitting. He has obviously heard the

entire conversation between Anne and his mother. Bruno rises.

He is in dressing gown and pajamas.

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