Sunset Boulevard Page #15

NORMA:

What right? Do you want me to

tell you?

GILLIS:

Has it ever occurred that I may

have a life of my own? That there

may be some girl I'm crazy about?

NORMA:

Who? Some car hop, or a dress

extra?

GILLIS:

Why not? What I'm trying to say

is that I'm all wrong for you.

You want a Valentino -- somebody

with polo ponies -- a big shot --

NORMA:

(Getting up slowly)

What you're trying to say is

that you don't want me to love

you. Is that it?

Gillis doesn't answer. Norma slaps his face and

rushes from the room and upstairs.

Gillis stands paralyzed, the slap burning his cheek.

C-1O THE TOP OF THE STAIRCASE AND CORRIDOR

Norma rushes up the last few steps, down the corridor

and into her bedroom, banging the door. MOVE THE

CAMERA toward the closed door, centering on the

gouged-out lock.

C-11 GILLIS, IN THE BIG ROOM

He still stands motionless. He glances around fur-

tively, to see if his humiliation has been observed.

C-12 THE ORCHESTRA

The musicians are playing away. They have turned

their eyes away from Gillis rather too ostentatious-

ly for comfort.

C-13 GILLIS

His eyes move over toward

C-14 MAX

He is subtler than the musicians. He appears very

busy at the buffet, putting empty bottles and used

glasses on a tray. He walks across the room with

them.

C-15 GILLIS

He starts slowly out. As he does so his long gold

key chain catches on a carved ornament of the sofa

and holds him for a second of additional embarrass-

ment. He yanks it loose and walks with as much

nonchalance as he can muster to

C-16 THE HALL

Crossing towards the coat closet, Gillis throws a

look upstairs. Then he pulls the Vicuna coat from

its hangar and slips into it as he crosses to the

entrance door. He opens the door on the darkness

of the courtyard.

C-17 EXT. DESMOND HOUSE

(NIGHT - RAIN)

Gillis shuts the door. GILLIS'VOICE

He takes a few steps I didn't know where I was

forward, then stands going. I just had to get

for a while breathing out of there. I had to be

deep. The rain is with people my own age. I

balm to that cheek had to hear somebody laugh

where the slap still a again. I thought of Artie

burns. He walks for- Green. There was bound to

ward with a great be a New Year's shindig

sense of relief. going on in his apartment

down on Las Palmas -- the

hock shop set -- not a job

C-18 DRIVEWAY LEADING TO in the room. but lots of

fun on the cuff.

Gillis walks to the

street, which is dark

and empty. He starts

down Sunset in an

Easterly direction.

A car passes. He

tries to thumb a

ride, without success.

However, the second

car, a florist's

delivery wagon, stops.

Gillis jumps in and the

car drives off.

DISSOLVE TO:

C-19 ARTIE GREEN'S APARTMENT

It is the most modest one-room affair, jam packed

with young people flowing over into the miniature

bathroom and the microscopic kitchenette. The only

drink being served is punch from a pressed-glass

bowl -- but everybody is having a hell of a time.

Most of the men are in slacks and sweaters, and only

a few of the girls in something that vaguely suggests

party dress.

Abe Burroughs sits at a small, guest-festooned piano

and sings Tokio Rose. By the door, a group of young

men and girls respond to the song by sing1ng Rinso

White or Dentyne Chewing Gum or something similar,

in the manner of a Bach choral. Artie Green, a dark

haired, pleasant-looking guy in his late twenties,

is conducting with the ladle from the punch bowl.

The door behind some of the singers is pushed open,

jostling them out of their places. In comes Gillis,

his hair and face wet, the collar of his Vicuna coat

turned up. Artie stops conducting, but the commer-

cial goes right on.

ARTIE:

Well, what do you know ! Joe

Gillis !

GILLIS:

Hi, Artie.

ARTIE:

Where have you been keeping that

gorgeous face of yours?

GILLIS:

In a deep freeze.

ARTIE:

I almost reported you to the Bureau

of Missing Persons.

(To the company)

Fans, you all know Joe Gillis, the

well-known screen writer, opium

smuggler and Black Dahlia suspect.

Gillis greets some of the kids by name as he and

Artie push their way into the room.

ARTIE:

Give me your coat.

GILLIS:

Let it ride for a while.

ARTIE:

You're going to stay, aren't you?

GILLIS:

That was the general idea.

ARTIE:

Come on.

Artie starts peeling the coat off Gillis. Its

texture takes his breath away.

ARTIE:

What is this - mink?

He has taken the coat. He looks at Gillis standing

there in tails.

ARTIE:

Judas E. Priest, who did you

borrow that from? Adolphe

Menjou?

GILLIS:

Close, but no cigar.

Gillis stands embarrassed While Artie rolls up the

Vicuna coat and tucks it above the books on a book-

shelf.

ARTIE:

Say, you're not really smuggling

opium these days, are you?

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