The Deer Hunter Page #19

VINCE:

(shrieking)

Say that one more time!... Say

it!!! Go on, say it!!!

NICK is half-way up the wall, still half-asleep, staring at

the pistol in disbelief. Suddenly he springs, seizes the gun

with one hand and slams VINCE to the floor. VINCE gets up.

NICK slugs him in the face, knees him in the stomach and

begins pounding his head against the wall. ALBERT lurches

over, pulls NICK away.

ALBERT:

Nick! Nick, you'll kill him!...

Easy. Nick, easy! Hey, hey. Vince

goes back a long way.

NICK:

(grimly)

Yeah.

VINCE gets to his feet. Blood is streaming down his face.

VINCE:

What the hell was that!

(picks up the pistol)

What did you think? Did you think

it was loaded!

NICK:

You loaded it, Vince! I saw you!

VINCE:

The f*** I did!!!

NICK:

The f*** you didn't!... Gimme that!

NICK takes the pistol.

VINCE:

What do you think? You think I

don't know!!!

NICK looks at him, then he EMPTIES THE PISTOL INTO THE FLOOR.

For a moment there is absolute silence. The wind moans in the

trees, snow curls through the open door and JOHN, who is

still soundly sleeping, finds a new note on which to snore.

NICK looks down at the pistol, turns it over in his hands...

NICK:

I'm going to throw this f***in'

thing away.

NICK goes out.

EXT. BUSTED-DOWN OLD LOGGERS SHACK - NIGHT

For a moment NICK stands in the light from the door,

listening to the wind. He looks down at the pistol again,

then he heaves it into the trees.

The wind gusts. The snow swirls and hisses, slipping through

the woods in great streaming wraiths.

NICK watches it for a moment, then he turns and goes back in.

EXT. NICK'S TRAILER - DUSK

The trailer is lonely looking, DARK and cold. VINCE pulls

into the yard beside NICK's car and skips to a stop. NICK

gets out, says a few words to VINCE and everyone laughs. NICK

goes around to the trunk, removes his gear, slams the lid and

pounds on the car. VINCE takes off, thudding over the curb

with his load of THREE DEAD DEER.

NICK crosses to the trailer and goes inside.

INT. V.A. HOSPITAL - RECREATION ROOM - NIGHT

TWO DOZEN AMPUTEES in wheelchairs are watching a western.

INT. V.A. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR OFF RECREATION ROOM - NIGHT

In the foreground a NURSE holds a telephone. Beyond the NURSE

we see a wizzened figure in a wheelchair coming slowly down

the polished corridor. As the figure draws closer we realize

it is SAL. SAL is dressed in a white hospital gown, the

bottom of which hangs over the front of the wheelchair and

trails limply on the floor. Both SAL's legs have been

amputated and he has lost one arm. His face is terribly

scarred and what expression he displays is centered in his

eyes.

SAL takes the telephone. THE SOUNDTRACK FROM THE MOVIE IN THE

RECREATION ROOM IS VERY LOUD.

SAL:

Hello?

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - NIGHT

NICK sits in a little chair by the window, still in his

hunting clothes, huddled anxiously over the receiver.

NICK:

Sal? Sal, it's me, Nick.

SAL:

Nick. Hey. How's things?

NICK:

Oh. You know. How's it with you?

SAL:

Same. Hey. Same old stuff.

NICK:

(he can hardly hear)

What's that noise?

SAL:

What?

NICK:

What's that noise?

SAL:

John Wayne... Listen, Nick --

NICK:

Great. Hey. That's great.

SAL:

Listen, Nick --

NICK:

John Wayne's great... Listen, Sal.

Jesus. When are you getting out?

SAL:

I'm gonna stay here, Nick.

NICK:

(hearing it)

What?

SAL:

(with everything he has)

Place is great. Really. One great

place... Basketball, bowling. You

name it. Canasta. Hearts. Lots of

guys are making salad bowls. What

I'll do is make a salad bowl for

you, unless you'd rather have a

pencil holder. The pencil holder's

neat, I mean --

NICK:

Wait a minute. Sal. Hold it. John

Wayne's making so much noise I can

hardly --

SAL:

I gotta get back, Nick.

SAL looks around in desperation.

SAL (CONT'D)

They're passing out popcorn now, so

I'll be talking to you... maybe

next year.

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - NIGHT

NICK holds the receiver, staring into it. There is the SOUND

OF WHOOPING, GRUNTING, THUNDERING HOOVES...

NICK:

Sal?... Sal?

INT. V.A. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR OFF RECREATION ROOM - NIGHT

SAL is wheeling himself rapidly down the polished corridor.

At the doorway to the recreation room he pauses, looking back

at the DANGLING RECEIVER. Then he turns and disappears into

the flickering darkness, where BUGLES are sounding a cavalry

charge.

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - NIGHT

NICK listens to the SOUND OF THE BUGLES for a moment, then

puts the receiver back on the telephone. He stands, walks

around in a little circle - pained, terribly upset. His eye

falls on the clock. It is nearly eight o'clock. He turns,

hurries out the door.

EXT. SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT - NIGHT

The lot is empty except for scores of abandoned shopping

carts which a CLERK is banging together.

NICK gets out of his car and goes in.

INT. SUPERMARKET - NIGHT

Two or three CHECKERS are closing out the registers up front.

CHECKER:

She's in back.

NICK:

Thanks.

CHECKER:

How was huntin'?

NICK:

Oh. Fine.

CHECKER:

Get anything?

NICK:

No.

CHECKER:

Too bad.

NICK goes down a long aisle of bright packages. Coming out at

the back he finds LINDA sitting in a green plastic chair,

crying.

NICK:

Linda... Honey, what's wrong?

LINDA:

(helpless shrug)

I don't know.

NICK:

Hey. Look. There must be something.

LINDA looks at him, tears streaming down her face.

LINDA:

I'm just so lonely.

NICK:

C'mon. I've got the car.

LINDA:

(shakes her head)

I'll be out... Just leave me. I'll

be out. I'm fine. Really. I'm fine.

NICK walks back down the aisle between the bright packages.

INT. NICK'S CAR - SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT - NIGHT

The CLERK is still collecting abandoned shopping carts. The

carts crash and clank as the CLERK rams them together.

NICK sits behind the wheel, watching the clerk. His hands

begin shaking uncontrollably and he gets back out of the car.

EXT. SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT - NICK'S CAR - NIGHT

NICK watches the lights go out in the market. LINDA comes out

of the door and crosses towards him.

NICK:

You okay?

LINDA nods. NICK fumbles for the door.

LINDA:

Let's make love, Nick.

LINDA takes him in her arms and holds him tight.

LINDA (CONT'D)

Let's make love forever!

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - NIGHT

LINDA is asleep - lying on her back, arms flung out across

the pillows, like a dancer leaping.

NICK stands beside the bed, wrapped in a blanket, looking

down at her. After a moment he draws the covers over her,

fusses with her slippers until they are straight and then

goes to the window.

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF NICK'S TRAILER (NICK'S POV) - NIGHT

The wind is blowing. Bits of trash skitter and swirl in the

frozen ruts and a cat comes by, MEOWING. Suddenly a MAN

appears walking slowly down the street. The MAN is elegantly

dressed in Western attire, wearing a tailored suit with vest,

polished boots and a Stetson hat. As the MAN draws under the

light of a street lamp he pauses, looking at NICK's trailer.

THE MAN IS MERLE, OR IF NOT MERLE IT IS A FACE SO STRIKINGLY

SIMILAR THAT NICK ALMOST LETS OUT A CRY.

THE MAN UNDER THE STREET LAMP PAUSES, JUST FOR AN INSTANT,

THEN HE TURNS AND MOVES ON DOWN THE STREET.

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