Strangers on a Train Page #5

BRUNO:

I just wanted to ask how you made

out with Miriam.

INT. LOCKER ROOM OF TENNIS CLUB CLOSE SHOT GUY AT TELEPHONE

GUY:

(puzzled)

What?

(listens)

Metcalf? Who'd you say you were?

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CLOSEUP BRUNO:

BRUNO:

(sotto voce)

Bruno, Guy. Bruno Anthony. Don't

you remember? On the train.

The voices of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony can still be heard in

dispute as Bruno listens at phone:

MRS. ANTHONY

I never permit it!

Bruno gives a significant look in direction of the living

room as he speaks into the phone.

BRUNO:

(softly)

Are you getting your divorce?

MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE

I tell you he should be sent somewhere

for treatment before it's too late.

BRUNO:

(into phone, with

satisfaction)

So she double-crossed you! Are you

going to see her again?

The phone clicks in Bruno's ear. He looks hurt for an

instant, then replaces the receiver. Bruno listens to his

father off scene and his expression becomes more enigmatic.

MR. ANTHONY'S VOICE

I tell you, Eunice, I'm going to

have that boy put away if it's the

last thing I do!

Bruno looks off in direction of his farther's voice with an

expression which says, "Crow while you can, you haven't

much time." He reaches into his pocket, brings out Guy's

cigarette lighter and as he flicks it on and off.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. METCALF STATION LONG SHOT DAY

This is the same shot we saw when Guy arrived in Metcalf.

We see the station and one of the main streets beyond the

station.

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LONG SHOT A NEARER VIEW

We see the train come around the curve. Again this is just

the same angle that we used for Guy. It comes to a stop in

the foreground and we see Bruno alight onto the platform.

He looks about him for a moment and then strolls away in the

direction of the town. He approaches the row of telephone

booths.

EXT. STATION CLOSE SHOT

We see Bruno enter the small booth and start to glance through

the telephone directory.

INSERT TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

Bruno's finger runs down the names until it stops at:

Joyce, Miriam Haines. 2420 Metcalf Avenue.

A RESIDENTIAL STREET IN METCALF LONG SHOT

It is now much later. It is beginning to get dark, and the

street lights are on. In the far distance we see a local

bus approaching.

MED. SHOT

SHOOTING DOWN onto a small seat by a bus stop, we see Bruno

with an open newspaper in front of him. It is held up as he

reads it.

CLOSEUP:

Bruno is glancing over the top of the paper.

LONG SHOT:

From his viewpoint we see a typical frame house. The upper

windows are lit as are the lower ones as well. A woman is

sitting in a rocker on the front porch. This is MRS. JOYCE,

Miriam's mother. She has white hair. A woman comes along

the street and pauses as she gets to Mrs. Joyce.

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WOMAN:

(calls out as she

passes)

Hello Mrs. Joyce. Warm, ain't it?

MRS. JOYCE

That it is.

WOMAN:

I've been reading where your son-inlaw's

been coming right along at

tennis.

MRS. JOYCE

(sourly)

We don't have any interest in tennis

any more.

The neighbor passes on.

CLOSE UP:

Bruno, still glancing over the top of his paper.

LONG SHOT:

Again from Bruno's viewpoint, we see Miriam's house. At

this moment the front door swings open, emitting a long streak

ot bright light. We see the silhouette of a woman emerge,

followed by two other men. They're laughing and joking.

Suddenly they look up the street. At this very moment the

bus pulls up in front of Bruno's view, cutting off the sight

of his quarry. The bus comes to a stop.

CLOSE SHOT:

Bruno rises in alarm and moves around toward the end of the

bus so that he shall not lose sight of the girl coming out

of the house.

SEMI-LONG SHOT

From his viewpoint, the girl, whom we now see is Miriam, is

running followed by the two young men. They are calling for

the bus not to go - shouting, "Hi - stop!" Mrs. Joyce calls

from the porch:

MRS. JOYCE

Don't you stay out too late, Miriam.

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MIRIAM:

(calling back)

Goodnight, Mother. See you later.

CLOSE UP:

Bruno watches Miriam.

MED. SHOT

Miriam comes nearer and nearer to Bruno. With her two

companions she brushes past him and jumps onto the bus. THE

CAMERA PANS BRUNO AFTER THEM.

EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK LONG SHOT

We see the bus pull up outside the Amusement Park, and the

various passengers alight. These include Miriam nd her

companions, and Bruno.

LONG SHOT NEARER VIEW OF THE AMUSEMENT PARK

We see the usual midway with its various concessions on each

side:
in the distance the Ferris wheel, Merry-go-rounds,

etc., and beyond that a lake. In the foreground we see people

filling in and out.

DISSOLVE TO:

MED. LONG SHOT A GROUP BY A FROZEN CUSTARD STAND

This group comprises Miriam and her two boy-friends. They

lick their way out of the crowd and debate between themselves

where to go next.

CLOSE SHOT:

Miriam's eye catches the attention of something off screen.

SEMI-LONG SHOT

From her viewpoint we see Bruno standing and casually watching

her. Other people pass around and in front of him, so that

he is the only immobile figure.

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SEMI-CLOSEUP

Miriam, with a kind of coy consciousness, turns away with

the others and they go on to some other concession.

MED. SHOT

As Bruno starts to advance in the direction of Miriam he is

momentarily held up by a small boy in cowboy uniform carrying

a gun and a balloon. The small boy points the gun at Bruno.

SEMI-CLOSE UP

The small boy pointing the gun fires it twice with a couple

of 'bangs!' He then starts to move off.

SEMI-CLOSE UP

Bruno moves on past the boy. He casually touches the balloon

with his cigarette end -- it goes off with a 'pop'.

CLOSE UP:

The small boy turns and looks with dismay at his pricked

balloon, wondering what happened.

SEMI-CLOSE UP

Bruno moves on, pleased with himself, returning his attention

to Miriam who is somewhere ahead of him.

MEDIUM SHOT:

Miriam and her two boy-friends by the sledge hammer concession

where the aim is to swing the hammer hard enough down onto

its target to ring the bell and register the 100 mark. Miriam

is in the foreground of the shot. The first boy steps up to

try his hand. As he swings, Miriam turns and glances about

her, obviously looking for Bruno.

LONG SHOT FROM MIRIAM VIEWPOINT

The crowds milling, but no sign of Bruno.

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MEDIUM SHOT:

The first boy having failed to ring the bell, the second

stops up and slams the hammer down.

CLOSE SHOT:

The register shooting up only to the hallway mark.

CLOSE SHOT MIRIAM

She looks a little disdainful and again glances around for

Bruno. Looking first to her left where she sees nothing,

she then looks to her right, and as she does THE CAMERA PANS

to show Bruno standing right it her shoulder. Miriam gives

a little start. Bruno smiles at her. With a smirk he walks

over and after paying his fee, goes to take up the hammer.

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