Sunset Boulevard Page #18

C-32 INT. NORMA'S ROOM

Gillis still stands. Norma lies on the bed, arms

over her eyes, sobbing.

GILLIS:

Happy New Year.

Norma continues to sob. Gillis goes to the bed,

puts his arms on her shoulders and turns her around.

GILLIS:

Happy New Year.

Norma looks at him, tears in her eyes. Slowly she

enfolds him in her bandaged arms.

NORMA:

Happy New Year. darling.

She kisses him.

DISSOLVE:

END OF SEQUENCE "C"

SEQUENCE "D"

DISSOLVE IN ON:

D-1 INT. HALLWAY, NORMA GILLIS' VOICE

DESMOND'S HOUSE (DAY) Around the middle of May

some incidents happened

The telephone is heard which I think I should tell

ringing. Max comes from you about.

living room to the phone,

picks it up.

MAX:

Hello ... Yes?

D-1a BETTY SCHAEFER, AT THE PHONE ON HER DESK IN THE

READERS' DEPARTMENT

BETTY:

Is this Crestview 5-1733? ... I'm

sorry to bother you again, but I've

confirmed the number. I must speak

to Mr. Gillis.

D-1b MAX, AT THE PHONE

MAX:

He is not here.

D-1c BETTY ON THE PHONE

BETTY:

Where can I reach him? Maybe

somebody else in the house could

tell me.

D-1d MAX ON THE PHONE

MAX:

Nobody here can give you any

information. You will please

not call again.

He hangs up. From off comes:

NORMA'S VOICE

Who was it, Max? What is it?

D-1e PATIO, NORMA'S HOUSE

It is a sunny day. The garden is in somewhat better

shape. The old house looks less unkept. The pool

is filled. Norma sits on a wicker chaise longue, her

face shielded by an enormous straw hat, her eyes by

dark glasses. Gillis, in bathing trunks, is on a

rubber mattress in the pool. Max comes to the

entrance door.

MAX:

Nothing, Madame. Somebody Inqu-

iring about a stray dog. We must

have a number very similar to the

pound.

He starts to turn back.

NORMA:

Wait a minute. I want you to get

out the car. You're going to

take the script over to Paramount

and deliver it to Mr. De Mille in

person.

MAX:

Yes, Madame.

He goes into the house.

GILLIS:

(climbing out

of the water)

You're really going to send it

to De Mille?

NORMA:

This is the right day.

She indicates a typewritten letter she is holding.

NORMA (Cont'd)

The chart from my astrologer.

She read deMille's horoscope.

She read mine.

GILLIS:

Did she read the script?

NORMA:

DeMille is Leo. I'm Scorpio.

Mars has been transmitting

Jupiter for weeks. Today is

the day of greatest conjuction.

Now turn around. Let me dry

you.

She puts the towel around his sholders and starts

drying him.

GILLIS:

I hope you realize, Norma,

that scripts don't sell on

astrologers' charts.

NORMA:

I'm not just selling the script.

I'm selling me. DeMille always

said I was his greatest star.

GILLIS:

When did he say it, Norma?

NORMA:

So he said it quite a few years

ago. So what? I never looked

better in my life. Do you know

why? Because I've never been as

happy in my life.

She kisses him.

DISSOLVE TO:

D-2 INT. THE ISOTTA, DRIVING

DOWN SUNSET ABOUT 8:30

IN THE EVENING GILLIS' VOICE

A few evenings later we

Max is driving. In the were going to the house of

tonneau sit Norma, in a one of the waxworks for

chinchilla wrap, and some bridge. She'd taught

Gillis in his tuxedo. me how to play bridge by

Norma is rummaging then, just as she'd taught

through her evening me some fancy tango steps,

bag. She finds a and what wine to drink

cigarette case, opens with what fish.

it. It is empty.

NORMA:

That idiot. He forgot to fill

my cigarette case.

GILLIS:

(Proffering his case)

Have one of mine.

NORMA:

They're awful. They make me cough.

GILLIS:

(Pushing open the glass

partition, to Max)

Pull up at the drugstore, will

you, Max.

(To Norma)

I'll get you some.

NORMA:

You're a darling.

She takes a dollar bill from her purse and gives it

to him.

D-3 EXT. SCHWAB'S DRUGSTORE

The car drives up and Gillis hurries into the store.

D-4 INT. SCHWAB'S DRUGSTORE

Business is still rather lively. There are about a

dozen shoppers, and the soda counter is half filled.

Gillis enters and steps to the tobacco counter.

GILLIS:

(To the salesgirl)

Give me a pack of those Turkish

cigarettes -- Melachrinos.

The girl opens the glass showcase to locate the fancy

brand. From OFF comes

Rate this script:5.0 / 3 votes