The American Page #15

bag rounded out by a watermelon.

JACK pulls his CAR into the curb.

CLARA:

Ciao, Eduardo!

She opens the passenger door, leans in and kisses JACK long

and full on the lips.

JACK:

Put them in the back. We’ve got a

way to go.

She puts the plastic bag in the trunk.

Inside the trunk is the PICNIC HAMPER.

117

INT. CAR-DAY 117

CLARA climbs in and fastens her seat-belt.

She puts the RED PURSE between her legs. JACK glances at the

RED PURSE.

And drives.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 83. page 83.

CLARA:

Where we go?

JACK:

Somewhere beautiful.

CLARA:

How far do we go? To Fanale?

JACK:

An hour. And we’re not going to the

sea, we’re going to a river. Near

mountains.

CLARA:

For a... come se dice... you have

in the back... Scampagnata...

JACK:

A picnic.

She looks at him.

CLARA:

A pick-nick! I have practise my

English, Eduardo. I love to have

pick-nick.

It is a beautiful day, isn’t it?

JACK:

It is.

118 EXT. ALPINE ROAD- DAY 118

The CAR negotiates a familiar hairpin bend.

119 INT. CAR- DAY 119

JACK is concentrating on the road.

CLARA:

Is it more far?

JACK:

Ten kilometres. Another twenty

minutes.

She pauses to work out the mathematics. She’s smart. And

puzzled. But she’s not frightened. Not yet.

CLARA:

Twelve kilometres? In twenty

minutes?

"The American" June 21st, 2010

page 84.

JACK:

We’re going off the beaten track.

She looks confused.

JACK:

Lontano. Fuori mano.

CLARA laughs.

CLARA:

You will speak Italian. One day, I

will teach you.

120

EXT. ALPINE TRACK - DAY 120

JACK turns off the main road and onto an alpine track.

This is the same route he took with the Belgian woman.

The CAR bumps and tilts on the rough terrain.

121

INT. CAR- CONTINUOUS 121

CLARA is startled by such an insignificant track.

CLARA:

Where are we going?

Now she’s anxious. This is not what she expected.

JACK:

You shall see.

CLARA:

I think it is good we should stay

close to the road.

JACK:

There’s no need to worry. I’ve been

here before several times. Taking

photographs.

He swings the wheel suddenly to avoid a large boulder and the

Fiat pitches as if struck by a wave.

CLARA clings to the door with her right hand, her left hand

dug deep into the fabric of the seat to steady herself.

JACK:

You’re not afraid of coming into

the wild with me, are you?

CLARA:

No!

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 85. page 85.

She laughs tensely.

CLARA:

Of course not. Not with you. But

this...

She snaps her fingers.

CLARA:

...sentiero!

She waves her hand in the air.

CLARA:

You need a jeep. A Toyota. It is

not good for a... berlina.

It’s as if the increased danger of the track diminishes her

English.

JACK:

This is a Fiat!

He strikes the steering wheel hard with the palm of his hand.

JACK:

Fabbrica Italiana Automobili

Torino. They build tanks. Besides,

I always come here in this car.

CLARA:

You sure?

JACK:

Of course. I don’t want to walk

back to town any more than you do.

CLARA:

I think you are crazy. This will go

to nowhere.

JACK:

I assure you it does.

She pouts her reply.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 86. page 86.

After 50 metres JACK twists the steering wheel slightly and

applies the brakes. They roll gradually down to the outer

edge of the woods and come to a stop beneath a familiarly

squat but ample TREE.

Beyond them is the RIVER. The hidden valley is a riot of

autumn colors, the reds and golds more brilliant than we’ve

ever seen them.

CLARA gets out of the car, dumbstruck. JACK gets out too. He

watches her... then swiftly checks the RIVER through his

miniature binoculars. Deserted. By the time CLARA turns

towards him, the binoculars are hidden.

CLARA:

No one comes here?

She speaks so quietly JACK can barely hear her.

JACK:

No.

CLARA:

Just you.

JACK:

Yes.

CLARA turns away, unbuttons her blouse and drops it on the

grass. She is wearing no bra. On her back dapple the shadows

and patches of sun eking through the branches of the tree.

She kicks off her shoes, which curve through the air... and

unzips her skirt. It falls to the grass. She bends and steps

daintily from her knickers. Then turns to face JACK.

JACK cannot take his eyes off her. Dizzy, he steps forward

without meaning to.

CLARA:

Well?

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 87. page 87.

She is coquettish- and tosses her auburn hair to one side.

CLARA:

I am going to swim in the water.

Are you coming?

She doesn’t wait for his reply, but turns and runs through

the grass towards the water.

JACK:

There are vipers! Vipera! Marasso!

CLARA:

Maybe! But I am lucky!

Quickly, JACK glances inside the FIAT.

The RED PURSE is nowhere to be seen.

CLARA:

Come, Signor Farfalla!

JACK undresses. As he removes his clothes, he stalls for

time, using the cover of undressing to search for the RED

PURSE.

We can see it wedged under the passenger seat.

Due to the design of the car, JACK cannot.

CLARA:

Come!

JACK turns to face the lake. He is naked. Yet with the

caution of years he does not remove his shoes until he

reaches the water’s edge.

CLARA is standing in the middle of the River.

CLARA:

Stand by me.

He obeys her order. As he steps into the water the cold hits

him and he gasps. CLARA holds out her hand and he takes it.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 88. page 88.

CLARA:

It is beautiful, no?

JACK:

It’s cold.

CLARA moves close to him. Looks up into his eyes.

JACK looks down at her and for a moment he forgets the awful

plan in his head.

She kisses him, pressing herself against him, her skin and

body as pure and warm as the water.

He tries helplessly to pull away.

JACK:

Maybe we should...

CLARA:

Do you make love in the water?

JACK:

I haven’t.

She places her arms around his neck and raises her feet from

the smooth stones, wrapping her legs around his waist. She

tries to push herself onto him but he resists.

CLARA:

What’s wrong?

He doesn’t know what to say. She looks at him: confused,

searching.

JACK:

I’m cold.

He walks towards the bank. She follows, but just as JACK

climbs onto the shore she shouts.

CLARA:

AOW !

CLARA has stepped on something, she bends down in the water

to pick it up. It is a spent cartridge.

CLARA:

Look Jack, a bullet. Maybe hunters

were here?

The word HUNTERS resonates with JACK, a deja vu he is not

wanting to revisit. He is trying not to look too worried.

JACK:

I don’t think so, besides it looks

ancient. Let’s have some lunch.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 88A. page 88A.

122 EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY 122

CLARA is lying naked on a blanket, warming herself in the

autumn sunshine.

Beside her is the RED PURSE.

Through sleepy, half-closed eyes she is watching JACK.

From her POV, JACK is kneeling behind the open PICNIC HAMPER,

unpacking the food and wine. The LID of the basket obscures

his hands.

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