Sunset Boulevard Page #12

B-18 ENTRANCE DOOR TO THE HOUSE

It is half open. Gillis comes into the shot

and, taking cover, looks out.

B-19 COURTYARD (FROM GILLIS' ANGLE)

The men from the finance company are cranking up

the car. Max stands watching silently. When they

finish the cranking job, the men climb into the

front seat of the truck.

B-2O GILLIS - AT THE DOOR

Over the shot the SOUND of the truck being started

and the cars moving away. Gillis moves out into

the courtyard and stands staring after the car.

From the house comes Norma.

NORMA:

Now what is it? Where's the

fire?

GILLIS:

I've lost my car.

NORMA:

Oh...and I thought it was a

matter of life and death.

GILLIS:

It is to me. That's why I came

to this house. That's why I took

this job -- ghost writing!

NORMA:

Now you're being silly. We don't

need two cars. We have a car. And

not one of thuse cheap new things

made of chromium and spit. An

Isotta-Fraschini. Have you ever

heard of Isotta-Fraschinis? All

hand-made. Cost me twenty-eight

thousand dollars.

THE CAMERA HAS PANNED over to the garage and FOCUSES

on the dirty Isotta-Fraschini on its blocks.

DISSOLVE TO:

B-21 NORMA'S ISOTTA-FRASCHINI

DRIVING IN THE HILLS

ABOVE SUNSET (DAY)

Max is at the wheel, GILLIS' VOICE

dressed as usual except So Max got that old bus

for a chauffeurfs cap. down off its blocks and

polished it up. She'd

take me for rides in the

B-22 INSIDE THE CAR hills above Sunset.

Gillis sits beside Norma, The whole thing was up-

who is wearing a smart holstered in leopard

tailleur and her eternal skin, and had one of

sun glasses. Gillis those car phones, all

wears his sport jacket- gold-plated.

flannel trousers-moccasin

combinatIon.

He sits uncomfortably. Norma is studying him.

NORMA:

That's a dreadful shirt you're

wearing.

GILLIS:

What's wrong with It?

NORMA:

Nothing, if you work in a fill-

ing station. And I'm getting

rather bored with that sport

jacket, and those same baggy

pants.

(She picks up

the car phone)

Max, what's a good men's shop

in town? The very best...

Well, go there !

GILLIS:

I don't need any clothes, and

I certainly don't want you buy-

ing them for --

NORMA:

Why begrudge me a little fun?

I just want you to look nice,

my stray little boy.

By this time Max has made a U-turn.

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

B-23 INT. MEN'S DEPARTMENT, AN ELEGANT WILSHIRE STORE

Gillis stands in front of a full-length triple mirror,

surrounded by a couple of salesmen and the tailor, who

is busily working out alterations.

Gillis wears a double-breasted gray flannel coat with

chalk stripes. His trousers belong to another suit

of glen plaid. Norma is running the show.

NORMA:

There's nothing like gray flannel

with a chalk stripe.

(she points at

the trousers)

This one single-breasted, of course.

(to another salesman)

Now we need a topcoat. Let's see

what you have in camel's hair.

The salesman leaves.

NORMA:

How about some evening clothes?

GILLIS:

I don't need a tuxedo.

NORMA:

Of course you do. A tuxedo and

tails.

GILLIS:

Tails. That's ridiculous.

NORMA:

You'll need them for parties.

You'll need them for New Year's

Eve.

(to a salesman)

Where are your evening clothes?

SALESMAN:

This way, Madame.

He leads her off. The other salesman arrives with a

selection of topcoats.

SALESMAN:

Here are some camel hairs, but

I'd like you just to feel this

one. It's Vicuna. Of course,

it's a little more expensive.

GILLIS:

A camel's hair will do.

SALESMAN:

(With an insulting

inflection)

As long as the lady is paying

for it, why not take the Vicuna?

DISSOLVE:

END OF SEQUENCE "B"

SEQUENCE "C"

DISSOLVE IN:

C-1 LONG SHOT DESMOND HOUSE

A day in December. Rain.

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

C-2 INT. ROOM OVER GARAGE

Water is drizzling from GILLIS' VOICE

two or three spots in the The last week in December

ceiling into pans and the rains came -- a great

bowls set to catch it, big package of rain.

one bowl right on the Over-sized, like every-

bed. The room is almost thing else in California.

emptied of Gillis' be-

longings by now. Max It came right through

is carrying out a hand- the old roof of my room

full of new suits on above the garage. She

hangers. He has a had Max move me to the

dressing gown over his main house. I didn't

shoulder. Gillis holds much like the idea -- the

a stack of shirts, his only time I could have

typewriter, and some to myself was in that

manuscript. He surveys room -- but it was better

the room for the last than sleeping in a rain-

time, to see whether coat and galoshes.

he's forgotten any-

thing. He has. He

puts down the typewriter

and picks up from under

the bed a pair of very

smart red leather bedroom

slippers. He tucks them

under his arm, picks up

the typewriter and leaves.

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