Strangers on a Train Page #20

CLOSE SHOT:

Reynolds playing the covered stand people are concentrating.

MED. SHOT

Guy misses a point and the game. He and Reynolds make for

the Umpire's chair. We HEAR the Umpire announce.

UMPIRE'S VOICE

Game to Mr. Reynolds. Games are two

all...Second set.

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INT. UNION STATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Bruno is casually waiting for the train. He stands near a

news-stand reading a paper.

INSERT:

We see that the paper is open at the sports page. There is

a picture of Guy among other tennis players. WITH A DISSOLVE

the whole character of this page changes with the exception

of Guy's picture, which becomes surrounded with large type,

announcing the arrest of Guy Haines for the murder of his

wife Miriam. A sub-heading tells of Guy's cigarette lighter

found at the scene of the crime. All this DISSOLVES AWAY

and the page becomes once more the sports section.

CLOSEUP:

Bruno looks up with satisfaction.

LONG SHOT FOREST HILLS

The crowd watching.

MED. SHOT

Guy and Reynolds in play.

MED. SHOT

Guy playing hard.

MED. SHOT

Reynolds playing back.

CLOSEUP:

The Umpire watching the game. Suddenly he announces:

UMPIRE:

Game to Mr. Reynolds. Games are

three all... second set.

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INT. CLUB CAR ON TRAIN

Bruno is now seated in his accustomed place in the club car.

His gloved fingers are quietly toying with Guy's lighter. A

passenger next to him asks:

PASSENGER:

May I have a light, please?

Bruno looks at him for a moment and then at the lighter.

With great deliberation he puts the lighter away in his pocket

and takes out book-matches. Lighting a match, he holds it

to his fellow passenger's cigarette.

LONG SHOT FOREST HILLS

The game as seen from under the covered stand.

MED. SHOT

Anne and Barbara very tense.

CLOSEUP GUY:

about to serve, looks anxiously across the court.

CLOSEUP THE CLOCK

CLOSEUP GUY:

as he serves.

CLOSEUP REYNOLDS

returns.

CLOSEUP BALL:

hits the net.

CLOSEUP UMPIRE:

announces.

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UMPIRE:

Second set to Haines. Haines leads

two sets to love.

There is a round of applause. We see the heads of the two

players reach the Umpire's chair. Guy, very anxious still,

as he wipes his neck with a towel.

INT. COVERED STAND CLOSE SHOT ANNE BARBARA

Anne is speaking.

ANNE:

If he wins this next set -- you'd

better have everything ready.

(takes bill from her

purse and hands it

to Barbara)

Here -- give the driver this ten

dollars.

BARBARA:

(puzzled)

I wish understood what this is all

about!

ANNE:

(urgently)

You don't have to understand, just

do it. And for heaven's sake, act

natural.

Barbara nods and goes along.

ENTRANCE TO COVERED STAND

Barbara smiles winningly at Hennessy as she goes through.

Her interpretation of "acting natural" is exaggerated and

rather comical. Hammond's eyes narrow as he looks after her

suspiciously.

LONG SHOT:

The game in progress. Guy starts the next set. He serves.

MED. SHOT

Reynolds returns.

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MED. SHOT

Guy volleys.

MED. SHOT

Reynolds puts the ball in the air.

CLOSE SHOT:

Guy smashes.

CLOSE SHOT:

The ball hits the net.

CLOSEUP UMPIRE:

UMPIRE:

Love fifteen.

LONG SHOT THE CROWD

We HEAR the smash of the ball and the voice of the Umpire.

UMPIRE'S VOICE

(O.S.)

Love thirty.

CLOSEUP ANNE:

looking very worried. Again the call of the Umpire.

UMPIRE'S VOICE

(O.S.)

Double fault. Love forty.

INT. THE ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH

The announcer telling his listeners that Guy Haines seems to

be a little reckless.

ANNOUNCER:

-- Haines hasn't let up his terrific

pace for an instant, smashing every

(MORE)

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ANNOUNCER (CONT'D)

ball with a recklessness we've never

seen in his playing. It's beginning

to look as if he doesn't care whether

he wins or loses because he's in a

hurry - an awfully big hurry --

LAP DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. METCALF STATION

We see Bruno alight from the train. He makes his way in the

direction of the town.

MED. SHOT METCALF STATION

As Bruno comes toward us, he stands on the sidewalk and then

takes the lighter from his pocket once more. At this moment

a hurrying passenger on his way to the depot accidentally

jogs Bruno's elbow. The lighter flies from his hand.

CLOSE SHOT:

We see it fall through the bars of a grating by the sidewalk.

CLOSEUP BRUNO:

looks down in dismay.

FOREST HILLS MED. SHOT

The game in progress. Guy and his opponent playing hard.

Guy misses a point. We HEAR the Umpire's call.

UMPIRE'S VOICE

(O.S)

Game to Mr. Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds

leads five games to three in the

third set.

EXT. METCALF STATION

Bruno is leading a porter toward the grating, pulling him by

the arm. They reach the drain.

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BRUNO:

Down there -- my -- my cigarette -

(catches himself -not

wanting to say

"cigarette lighter")

case. It's very valuable.

PORTER:

(peering down)

Down here?

BRUNO:

You've got to get this grating up

right away.

Two passersby enter.

FIRST PASSERBY:

What's the trouble?

BRUNO:

(yelling)

Can't we do something...!

(to passerby)

I dropped my cigarette case.

PORTER:

(looking down)

Mightn't be any good, mister.

Probably gone down the storm drain.

BRUNO:

(horrified)

Storm drain?

FIRST PASSERBY:

On the other hand, it might have

lodged on the edge.

SECOND PASSERBY:

Don't they have a trap down there -like

under a sink?

BRUNO:

(excited)

Don't just stand here -- do something!

PORTER:

(calmly)

Guess we could phone the city

engineer, all right.

(MORE)

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PORTER (CONT'D)

Worst he could do would be to tell

me to take a running jump and -

(Bruno grabs his arm.

Porter shakes Bruno

off)

Relax, mister.

BRUNO:

I don't want to relax.

He goes on his knees and forces his arm down the drain.

INT. THE ANNOUNCER'S BOOTH FOREST HILLS

ANNOUNCER:

(with great excitement)

This is more than a tennis game,

ladies and gentlemen -- it's a

desperate fight with Guy Haines

playing as if his life depended on

it!

MED. SHOT

Guy is volleying.

MED. SHOT

Reynolds lobs.

CLOSEUP:

Guy smashes.

CLOSE SHOT:

Reynolds lobs again.

CLOSE SHOT:

Guy smashes.

CLOSE SHOT:

Reynolds misses and the ball hits inside the line.

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CLOSEUP:

The Umpire calling.

UMPIRE:

Game to Mr. Haines. Mr. Reynolds

leads five games to four...third

set.

EXT. METCALF STATION MED. SHOT

A few more passersby have stopped to watch Bruno, whose arm

is pushed through the grating.

CLOSEUP:

Bruno's face -- straining.

CLOSEUP:

Under the grating Bruno's hand is groping. His fingers are

a long way from the lighter.

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