Sunset Boulevard Page #28

BETTY:

Joe, where are you? What's this

all about?

E-27 GILLIS ON THE PHONE

Norma beside him.

GILLIS:

Or maybe it would be a better

idea if you came over and saw it

for yourself. The address is 10086

.

He hangs up. Norma looks up at him as he crosses to

the other end of the room and stands staring at her.

The silence becomes unbearable.

NORMA:

Don't hate me, Joe. I did it because

I need you. I need you as I never

needed you. Look at me. Look at my

hands, look at my face, look under my

eyes. How can I go back to work if I'm

wasting away under this torment? You

don't know what I've been through these

last weeks. I got myself a revolver.

You don't believe me, but I did, I did!

I stood in front of that mirror, only

I couldn't make myself. It wouldn't be

NORMA (Cont'd)

fair to all those people who are

waiting to see me back on the

screen. I can't disappoint them.

Only, if I'm to work, I need

sleep, I need quiet, I need you!

Don't just stand there hating

me! Shout at me, strike me!

But don't hate me, Joe. Don't

you hear me, Joe?

GILLIS:

Yes, I hear you. And I wish you'd

keep still so I can hear the doorbell

when she rings it.

E-28 BETTY AND CONNIE, DRIVING IN A SMALL COUPE DOWN

(NIGHT)

E-29 INT. COUPE

Connie is looking at the house numbers.

CONNIE:

Here's ten thousand seventy-nine,

Betty. It must be over there.

Betty turns the car into the driveway of Norma's

place, stops at the entrance steps. Betty gets out.

CONNIE:

Betty, let me come along with

you. Please.

BETTY:

No, I'll be all right.

She shuts the door of the car and goes up the steps.

E-30 NORMA'S BEDROOM

Norma lies on the bed. Gillis sits in a far corner

of the room, motionless.

NORMA:

(In a whimpering monotone)

I love you, Joe. I love you, Joe.

I love you, Joe. I love you, Joe.

There is the sound of footsteps below and the ringing

of a doorbell. Gillis rises.

NORMA:

What are you going to do, Joe?

Without a word, he leaves the room. Norma raises

herself on the bed, reaching for a black negligee

lying at the foot of it. As she does so, she dis-

lodges her pillow a little, revealing a revolver

hidden beneath it.

E-31 DOWNSTAIRS HALL, THE DESMOND HOUSE (DARK)

Max crosses the hall, putting on his alpaca jacket.

He turns on the lights. Outside stands Betty.

From the staircase comes -

GILLIS' VOICE

It's all right, Max. I'll take it.

MAX:

Yes, sir.

He stands back as Gillis opens the door.

GILLIS:

Hello, Betty.

BETTY:

(On the threshold)

I don't know why I'm so scared,

Joe. Is it something awful?

GILLIS:

Come on in, Betty,

Betty enters. As he leads her into the living room,

Gillis puts his arm around her shoulders.

GILLIS:

Ever been in one of these old

Hollywood palazzos? That's from

when they were making eighteen thou-

sand a week, and no taxes. Careful

of these tiles, they're slippery.

Valentino used to dance here.

BETTY:

This is where you live?

GILLIS:

You bet.

BETTY:

Whose house is it?

They have reached

E-32 THE LIVING ROOM

Gillis leads Betty in.

GILLIS:

Hers.

BETTY:

Whose?

GILLIS:

Just look around. There's a lot

of her spread about. If you don't

remember the face, you must have

heard the name of Norma Desmond.

BETTY:

That was Norma Desmond on the phone?

GILLIS:

Want something to drink? There's

always champagne on ice, and plenty

of caviar.

BETTY:

Why did she call me?

GILLIS:

Jealous. Ever see so much junk?

She had the ceiling brought from

Portugal. Look at this.

He pulls the rope, showing the projection screen

under the picture.

GILLIS:

Her own movie theatre.

BETTY:

I didn't come here to see a house.

What about Norma Desmond?

GILLIS:

I'm trying to tell you. This is

an enormous place. Eight master

bedrooms. A sunken tub in every

bathroom. There's a bowling alley

in the cellar. It's lonely here,

so she got herself a companion.

A very simple set-up: An older

woman who is well-to-do. A younger

man who is not doing too well ...

Can you figure it out yourself?

BETTY:

No.

GILLIS:

All right. I'll give you a few

more clues.

BETTY:

No, no! I haven't heard any of

this. I never got those telephone

calls. I've never been in this

house ... Get your things together.

Let's get out of here.

GILLIS:

All my things? All the eighteen

suits, all the custom-made shoes and

the eighteen dozen shirts, and the

cuff-links and the platinum key-

chains, and the cigarette cases?

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