Sunset Boulevard Page #22

Meanwhile, Norma starts to sit, sees the name

MISS LAMARR on the chair and with a look of

distaste changes and sits on the one marked

C.B. DE MILLE. From somewhere comes

A VOICE:

Hey, Miss Desmond! Miss Desmond!

She looks around her.

VOICE:

Up here!

Norma looks up at the scaffolding.

On the scaffold stands one of the electricians,

next to his light.

ELECTRICIAN:

It's met It's Hog-eyel

Norma waves at him.

NORMA:

Hello.

Hog-eye points his light at her.

HOG-EYE

Let's get a look at you.

The beam of the lamp moves toward Norma. It hits

her. She sits bathed in light. A couple of old

costume extras recognize her.

EXTRAS:

Say, it's Norma! Norma Desmond!

They rush over and start wringing her hand. Into

the shot comes a middle-aged hairdresser.

HAIRDRESSER:

Hello, Miss Desmond. It's Bessie.

Some elderly electricians and stagehands move in.

D-14 ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE

The first assistant brings the portable phone to

deMille. DeMille lifts the receiver.

DE MILLE:

Hello.

D-15 GORDON COLE'S OFFICE IN THE PROPERTY DEPARTMENT,

GORDON COLE ON THE PHONE.

COLE:

Prop Department. Gordon Cole speaking.

D-16 DE MILLE ON THE PHONE

DE MILLE:

Cole, this is C. B. deMille. Have

you been calling Norma Desmond?...

What's it about?

D-17 GORDON COLE, ON THE PHONE

COLE:

It's that car of hers -- an old

Isotta-Fraschini. Her chauffeur

drove it on the lot the other day.

It looks just right for the Crosby

picture. We want to rent it for a

couple of weeks.

D-18 DE MILLE ON THE PHONE

DE MILLE:

(Troubled)

Oh. Well, thank you.

He hangs up, walks back towards Norma. (CAMERA

WITH HIM).

Norma stills sits in the shaft of light, surrounded

by about a dozen people who have come up to pay court.

DeMille gestures up to Hog-eye and the light shifts

away. The people about Norma disperse slowly with

various ad-libs.

DE MILLE:

Well, Norma ...

(He sits down next to her)

I got hold of Gordon Cole.

Norma hasn't heard a word.

NORMA:

Did you see them? Did you see

how they came?

DE MILLE:

You know, crazy things happen in

this business. I hope you haven't

lost your sense of humor ...

Suddenly he realizes that she is crying. She takes

the handkerchief from his pocket and puts it over her

eyes.

DEMILLE:

What's the matter, Norma?

NORMA:

Nothing. I just didn't realize

what it would be like to come back

to the old studio. I had no idea

how I'd missed it.

DEMILLE:

We've missed you too, dear.

NORMA:

We'll be working again, won't we, Chief?

We'll make our greatest picture.

DEMILLE:

That's what I want to talk to you about.

NORMA:

It's a good script, isn't it?

DEMILLE:

It's got a lot of good things. Of

course, it would be an expensive picture...

NORMA:

I don't care about the money.

I just want to work again. You

don't know what it means to know

that you want me.

DEMILLE:

Nothing would thrill me more --

if it were possible.

NORMA:

But remember, darling -- I don't

work before ten in the morning,

and never after 4:30 in the afternoon.

The first assistant comes up.

1ST ASSISTANT

We're ready with the shot, Mr. deMille.

DEMILLE:

You'll pardon me, Norma? Why

don't you just sit and watch?

(He steps onto the set)

O.K. Here we go.

1ST ASSISTANT

Roll 'em.

DEMILLE:

Action!

The scene starts.

D-19 THE ISOTTA, PARKED OUTSIDE STAGE 18

Max stands talking to Gillis, who is seated in the

car.

MAX:

(Pointing to the row

of offices in the

building opposite)

You see those offices there, Mr.

Gillis? They used to be her

dressing room, The whole row.

GILLIS:

That didn't leave much for Wallace

Reid.

MAX:

He had a great big bungalow on

wheels. I had the upstairs. See

where it says 'Readers' Department'?

I remember my walls were covered

with black patent leather...

The words "Readers' Department" have registered on

Gillis' mind. He gets out of the car.

GILLIS:

I'll be with you in a minute.

He crosses the street towards the green staircase

leading to the second floor.

Meanwhile, two prop men walking down the street

come into the SHOT.

1ST PROP MAN

Hey, that's the comic car Cole

was talking about!

(To Max)

Do you mind if we look inside?

MAX:

Go away. Go away.

D-2O CUBICLE IN THE READERS' DEPARTMENT

Behind the desk sits Betty, typing the synopsis of

a novel, a half-eaten apple marking her place. The

door behind her opens and Gillis enters.

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