The Birds Page #6

Her head continues to turn CAMERA LEFT. She looks off and

sees:

LONG SHOT - THE DOCK - MELANIE'S MOVING P.O.V.

moves forward slower. Mitch drives onto dock, gets out of

the car and stands waiting.

CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS)

partially posing for Mitch, her hair blowing in the wind,

her head tilted back, a smile on her face.

FULL SHOT - GULL

swooping down from UPPER LEFTHAND CORNER OF FRAME TO LOWER

RIGHT. CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS)

as gull strikes the back of her head. She recoils and looks

up with shock and pain.

GULL - MELANIE'S P.O.V.

The gull soars away from LOWER RIGHTHAND corner of frame to

UPPER LEFT.

CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE

reacting to the sudden attack and looking after receding

gull. Blood is starting down her temple from her hair.

MED. SHOT - MITCH

as the boat comes closer. The boat drifts in toward a second

boat tied up at the dock. Mitch crosses the docked boat,

leaps into Melanie's boat.

MED. SHOT - MITCH AND MELANIE

in the boat.

MITCH:

That was the damndest thing I ever

saw.

MELANIE:

What made it...

MITCH:

It deliberately came down at you --

you're bleeding...

CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE

a thin line of blood trickling from the cut on top of her

head, down onto her forehead and cheek. She seems dazed.

She shakes her head in answer to him, then touches the top

of her head, looks at her bloody fingers, and then nods

weakly.

CLOSE SHOT - MITCH

concerned.

MITCH:

Come on, let's take care of that.

FULL SHOT - THE DOCK

as they climb onto it. A fisherman standing by looks at

Melanie curiously.

FISHERMAN:

What happened, Mitch?

MITCH:

(over his shoulder)

A gull hit her.

FISHERMAN:

A what?

The CAMERA FOLLOWS them as they walk across the parking area

behind the Tides, and to the closest office. Mitch tries the

door knob. The door is locked.

INSERT - SIGN ON DOOR OUT TO LUNCH TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND

MITCH:

as he tries door of next office. It, too, is locked.

MITCH:

Come on, we'd better go up to the

restaurant.

They walk quickly up the slope to the Tides, establishing

gas station across the road, the collection of stores

opposite, the cars pulling in and out. Mitch opens the door

for her, and they ENTER.

INT. THE TIDES - FULL SHOT

This is a small neighborhood restaurant, with the feeling of

a local hangout. There are fishermen lounging at the bar,

and a teenage boy playing one of the pinball machines. Two

ladies in housedresses, with their hair in curlers, are

sitting at one of the booths, having coffee. The rear wall

of the restaurant is almost all window, looking out over the

bay and the parking area below. A television set over the

bar is going. The shots and horsehoof beats of an old Western

movie should be HEARD muted throughout following. DEKE

CARTER, who owns the restaurant with his wife, alternates

his attention between serving his customers and watching the

Western. He looks up immediately when Mitch and Melanie ENTER.

MED. SHOT - THE BAR

Mitch and Melanie coming over to it.

MITCH:

Deke, have you got a first aid kit

back there?

DEKE:

(instantly alarmed)

What happened?

MITCH:

Young woman cut herself.

DEKE:

Shall I call the doctor?

MITCH:

(accepting the first

aid kit)

I don't think it's that serious.

You want to sit up here?

Melanie climbs onto the stool.

DEKE:

You cut yourself outside, Miss?

MITCH:

Stop worrying, Deke. She was in a

boat.

He is rummaging around in the kit.

DEKE:

I had a man trip and fall in the

parking lot once, sued me before I

could bat an eyelash.

MITCH:

I don't think Miss Daniels is going

to sue anybody.

DEKE:

(doubtfully)

Well, you're the lawyer.

(goes to other end of

bar)

TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH

as he unscrews cap from bottle of peroxide.

MELANIE:

What's that?

MITCH:

Just some peroxide. I want to clean

out the cut.

He pours peroxide onto a gauze pad and begins swabbing the

cut. They are silent for several seconds. Then:

MELANIE:

So you're a lawyer.

MITCH:

That's right. What are you doing in

Bodega Bay?

MELANIE:

Do you practice here?

MITCH:

No, San Francisco. What are you...?

MELANIE:

What kind of law?

MITCH:

Criminal.

MELANIE:

Is that why you'd like to see everyone

behind bars?

MITCH:

Not everyone, Miss Daniels.

MELANIE:

Only violators and practical jokers.

MELANIE:

That's right.

As he swabs cut.

MELANIE:

Ouch!

MITCH:

I'm sorry.

(pause)

What are you doing up here?

MELANIE:

Didn't you see the lovebirds?

MITCH:

You came all the way up here to bring

me those birds?

MELANIE:

To bring your sister those birds.

You said it was her birthday.

Besides, I was coming up anyway.

MITCH:

What for?

MELANIE:

To see a friend of mine.

(she winces)

Will you please be careful?

MITCH:

I'm sorry.

(pause)

Who's your friend?

MELANIE:

Why...

(pause, stymied)

MITCH:

Yes?

MELANIE:

(blurting the only

name she knows)

Annie. Annie Hayworth.

MITCH:

Well, well, small world. Annie

Hayworth.

MELANIE:

(realizing this was a

mistake)

Yes.

MITCH:

How do you know Annie?

MELANIE:

(the lie getting deeper)

We... we went to school together.

College.

MITCH:

Did you! Imagine that! How long will

you be staying?

MELANIE:

Just a few... just a day or two...

the weekend.

MITCH:

I think we'll have to shave the hair.

Deke, have you got a razor?

MELANIE:

(pulling away)

Oh, no you don't!

MITCH:

It's still bleeding a little. Here,

let me put this on.

He takes up a tiny Band-Aid and, tearing the gauze off, says:

MITCH:

Bend your head down. This little

Band-Aid won't show.

He presses the tiny Band-Aid over the cut. Melanie takes a

mirror from her handbag and, bending her head down, looks at

it. She covers her hair over it as Mitch says:

MITCH:

So you came up to see Annie, huh?

MELANIE:

Yes.

MITCH:

I don't believe you.

(grins)

I think you came up to see me.

MELANIE:

Why would I want to see you, of all

people?

MITCH:

(shrugging)

I don't know. But it seems to me you

must have gone to a lot of trouble

to find out who I was, and where I

lived and...

MELANIE:

It was no trouble at all. I simply

called my father's paper. Besides, I

was coming up here anyway, I already

told you...

MITCH:

(grinning)

You like me, huh?

MELANIE:

I loathe you. You have no manners.

And you're arrogant and conceited

and... I wrote you a letter about

it, in fact, but I tore it up.

MITCH:

What did it say?

MELANIE:

None of your business.

(pause)

Am I still bleeding?

She lowers her head.

MITCH:

Can't see a thing.

MELANIE:

I can't say I like your seagulls

much, either. I come all the way up

here to...

MITCH:

But you were coming up anyway,

remember?

MELANIE:

I was! And all I get for my pains is

a... a... a hole in the head!

MITCH:

(grinning)

Right next to the one you already

had.

MELANIE:

(angrily)

Look, Mr. Brenner...

LYDIA (O.S.)

Mitch?

They turn toward the door.

MED. SHOT - LYDIA BRENNER

closing the door behind her, coming toward the bar. She is a

woman in her late forties, attractive, wearing shirt, blouse,

cardigan sweater, low heels. There is nothing agrarian-looking

about her. She speaks with the quick tempo of the city

dweller, and there is lively inquiry in her eyes.

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