The Birds Page #8

FULL SHOT - THE DINING ROOM

as Lydia comes to the table. Mitch and Melanie are sitting

opposite each other in the center chairs. Cathy is serving

the last bowl of soup.

LYDIA:

(as she sits)

He got a call from Dan Fawcett a

little while ago. His chickens won't

eat, either.

CATHY:

It's what you said, Mom. Mr.

Brinkmeyer's feed is no good.

LYDIA:

(slowly)

No, Cathy. He sold Mr. Fawcett a

different brand.

(extremely worried)

You don't think they're getting sick,

do you, Mitch?

CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA

her eyes troubled as she picks up her napkin.

DISSOLVE:

FULL SHOT - THE LIVING ROOM

The meal is over. The lovebirds in their hanging cage have

been covered for the night. In the b.g. Mitch and Lydia are

carrying the stacked dishes to the kitchen. In the f.g.

Cathy and Melanie are by a small upright piano. Melanie is

playing a Debussy Arabesque: She picks up a cigarette from

the ashtray now and again to take a puff.

CATHY:

I still don't understand how you

knew I wanted lovebirds.

MELANIE:

Your brother told me.

LYDIA:

(as she goes into

kitchen)

Then you knew Mitch in San Francisco,

is that right?

MELANIE:

No, not exactly.

CATHY:

Mitch knows lots of people in San

Francisco. Of course, they're mostly

hoods.

LYDIA:

(from the kitchen)

Cathy!

CATHY:

Well, Mom, he's the first to admit

it.

(to Melanie)

He spends half his day in the

detention cells at the Hall of

Justice.

LYDIA:

(coming from kitchen)

In a democracy, Cathy, everyone is

entitled to a fair trial. Your

brother's practice...

CATHY:

Mom, please, I know all the democracy

jazz. They're still hoods.

(to Melanie)

He's got a client now who shot his

wife in the head six times. Six times,

can you imagine it?

(she starts for living

room)

I mean, even twice would be overdoing

it, don't you think?

MELANIE:

(to Mitch as he carries

load of dishes out)

Why did he shoot her?

MITCH:

He was watching a ball game on

television.

MELANIE:

What?

MITCH:

His wife changed the channel.

He GOES INTO kitchen.

TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY

Melanie interrupts her playing to take another puff at her

cigarette.

CATHY:

Is smoking fun?

MELANIE:

Oh, I suppose so.

CATHY:

Could I have a puff?

MELANIE:

I don't think your mother would like

that.

CATHY (O.S.)

Just a little one.

TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY

They both glance conspiratorially toward the kitchen.

Quickly, Melanie extends the cigarette. Quickly, Cathy takes

a small puff.

CATHY:

(delighted)

Why, it's just like air, isn't it?

(determined)

When I grow up, I'm gonna smoke like

a chimney! I'll be eleven tomorrow,

you know.

MELANIE:

I know.

CATHY:

Are you coming to my party?

MELANIE:

I don't think so.

(seeing the child's

face)

I have to get back to San Francisco.

CATHY:

Don't you like us?

MELANIE:

(touching her hair)

Darling, of course I do!

CATHY:

Don't you like Bodega Bay?

MELANIE:

I don't know yet.

CATHY:

Mitch likes it very much. He comes

up every weekend, you know, even

though he has his own apartment in

the city. He says San Francisco is

just an ant hill at the foot of a

bridge.

MELANIE:

(smiling)

I guess it does get a little hectic

at times.

CATHY:

If you do decide to come, don't say

I told you about it. It's supposed

to be a surprise party.

Melanie laughs.

CATHY:

You see, they've got this whole

complicated thing figured out where

I'm going over to Michele's for the

afternoon, and Michele's mother is

going to say she has a headache and

would I mind very much if she took

me home. Then, when we get back here,

all of the kids'll jump out!

(pause)

Won't you come? Won't you please

come?

CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE

shaking her head, glancing toward the kitchen.

MELANIE:

I don't think so, Cathy.

INT. KITCHEN - TWO SHOT - LYDIA AND MITCH

Mitch is helping her as she loads the dishwasher.

LYDIA:

She's a charming girl, isn't she,

Mitch?

MITCH:

Yes, very.

LYDIA:

And certainly pretty.

MITCH:

Yes.

LYDIA:

How long have you known her?

MITCH:

I told you. We met yesterday.

LYDIA:

In a bird shop.

MITCH:

Yes.

LYDIA:

She was selling birds.

MITCH:

No. I only led her into believing I

believed she was... Mother, it's

really very complicated.

LYDIA:

But she did buy the lovebirds and

then brought them all the way...

MITCH:

Mother, where did you go to law

school?

LYDIA:

(laughing)

Forgive me. I suppose I'm just

naturally curious about a girl like

that.

(pause)

She's very rich, isn't she?

MITCH:

I suppose so. Her father owns a big

newspaper in San Francisco.

LYDIA:

You'd think he could manage to keep

her name out of print. She's always

mentioned in the columns, Mitch.

MITCH:

I know, Mother.

LYDIA:

She is the one who jumped into that

fountain in Rome last summer, isn't

she?

MITCH:

Yes, Mother.

LYDIA:

Perhaps I'm old-fashioned.

(pause)

I know it was supposed to be very

warm there, Mitch, but... well...

actually... well, the newspaper said

she was naked.

MITCH:

I know, Mother.

LYDIA:

It's none of my business, of course,

but when you bring a girl like that

to...

MITCH:

Mother?

LYDIA:

(looking up)

Yes?

MITCH:

I think I can handle Melanie Daniels

by myself.

LYDIA:

Well...

(she sighs)

So long as you know what you want,

Mitch.

MITCH:

I know exactly what I want, Mother.

DISSOLVE:

FULL SHOT - THE BRENNER LAWN - EXTERIOR - NIGHT

as Mitch and Melanie cross it to her car. A wind is blowing

off the water, and high fast clouds are scudding across the

face of the moon.

MITCH:

You'll be able to find your way back,

won't you?

MELANIE:

Oh, yes.

MELANIE:

Will I be seeing you again?

MELANIE:

San Francisco's a long way from here.

MITCH:

I'm in San Francisco five days a

week. With a lot of time on my hands.

I'd like to see you.

(he grins)

Maybe we could go swimming or

something. Mother tells me you like

to swim.

MELANIE:

How does Mother know what I like to

do?

MITCH:

I guess she and I read the same gossip

columns.

MELANIE:

Oh. That. Rome.

MITCH:

Mmmm. I like to swim. We might get

along very...

MELANIE:

In case you're interested, I was

pushed into that fountain.

MELANIE:

Without any clothes on?

MELANIE:

With all my clothes on! The newspaper

that ran the story happens to be a

rival of my father's paper. Anything

they said...

MITCH:

You were just a poor, innocent victim

of circumstance, huh?

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