The Deer Hunter Page #3

EXT. ALLEY BEHIND JOHN'S BAR - DAY

The WOMEN are all gathered, some fifteen or twenty, ranging

from grandmothers to young wives. About half of them wield

rolling pins or heavy pans. As the last reinforcements arrive

-- TWO HEFTY LADIES WITH TRUNCHEONS -- a roar of laughter

comes from inside.

INT. JOHN'S BAR - DAY

NICK, SAL, MERLE, VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN are dancing. The

MUSIC is at top volume and the smoke is thick enough to cut

with a knife. Suddenly, from the back, comes a CHORUS OF

SCREECHES AND FEMALE RECRIMINATIONS. The door to the alley

bursts open and the HEFTY LADIES WITH TRUNCHEONS appear. The

STEELWORKERS take one look, gulp their drinks, grab their

heads in their hands and rush for the front door.

EXT. JOHN'S BAR - FRONT ENTRANCE - DAY

The STEELWORKERS stream into the snow with the WOMEN close

behind. Several blows are delivered and the howls of

complaint are met with angry commands to hurry and get

dressed for Sal's wedding.

CAMERA CLOSES ON SAL, who emerges with NICK and MERLE. The

snow hits him a sobering blow and he comes to a stop.

SAL:

Boy, this is it. This is really

it... I mean... here I go.

SAL'S MOTHER hurries out of the alley. She is crying.

SAL'S MOTHER

My beautiful boy! My angel... who

is leaving his own mother.

She throws herself in SAL's arms, sobbing.

SAL:

Momma...

SAL'S MOTHER

So cold is your heart to leave your

own mother?

SAL:

Momma, I'll be right upstairs.

SAL throws a look to NICK and MERLE. They gesture with

sympathy and study the snow flakes.

SAL'S MOTHER

So cruel is your heart? Is your

heart so uncaring?

SAL:

(a litany now)

One flight, Momma. It's one flight.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. NICK'S TRAILER - DAY

The trailer is a dented two-tone pink and cream job which

looks as if it had been purchased third-hand off a

construction site. It stands on cinder blocks in a small lot

which has been cut out of the side of the hill. A wrecked

school bus decorates it to the right. On the left is a bare

branched tree. NICK's black Cadillac is parked in front and a

light shows from inside the trailer.

CAMERA PICKS UP MERLE who is strolling toward the trailer

whistling through his teeth. He is wearing his tuxedo and

carries a knapsack and a deer rifle. He mounts the cinder

block steps and pounds on the trailer door. NICK opens the

door and waves him in.

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - DAY

The place is cramped, littered with camping paraphernalia. A

deer head is mounted above the sink and NICK, who is half

into his tuxedo, is applying waterproofing to a pair of heavy

boots. MERLE smiles, throws his kit on the stove and sits.

MERLE:

(indicates the

waterproofing)

You should have put that on last

night.

NICK:

I know.

MERLE:

That way it sets.

NICK:

Yeah.

Pause.

MERLE:

I just wait. You know?

NICK:

Huh?

MERLE:

I just wait. For this... It's what

I wait for... I wait all year.

NICK:

So do I.

MERLE:

(sharp)

You do?

NICK:

(nods)

Yeah.

NICK grins, takes down his rifle and begins wiping the oil

off it.

MERLE:

You think about it?

NICK:

Yeah.

MERLE:

So do I.

(watches Nick for a

minute)

I want to be ready... You have to

be ready... It has to be there, in

your mind.

NICK:

The shot?

MERLE:

F***ing A.

NICK:

I don't think about the shot that

much.

MERLE:

(firmly)

You have to think about the shot.

It's the shot. The shot's it.

NICK:

(uncertain)

Yeah... I guess.

MERLE:

(studies him)

What do you think about?

NICK:

I don't know... I guess I think

about the deer... Being out, maybe.

I don't know. I think about it all.

Hell, I like the trees, you know? I

like the ways the trees are, all

the different ways the trees are

too.

MERLE:

(with a glance to the

window)

I'll tell you something, Nick. I

wouldn't hunt with anyone but you.

I won't hunt with a yo-yo.

NICK:

(laughs)

Yo-yo! Who's a yo-yo?

MERLE:

Who's a yo-yo...? Who do you

think's a yo-yo! They're all yo

yo's. I mean they're all great

guys, for Christ's sake, but... The

point is, Nick, without you I'd

hunt alone. Seriously. I would.

That's what I'd do.

NICK:

(laughs)

You're a f***ing nut. You know

that, Merle? You're a f***ing

maniac!

MERLE:

Yeah.

(he grins)

When it comes to hunting, that's

true.

Cursing and banging from outside. NICK opens the door. JOHN

and ALBERT, both in tuxedoes and loaded down with gear, are

pounding on the trunk of the Cadillac, trying to get it open.

NICK and MERLE go out.

EXT. NICK'S TRAILER - DAY

NICK:

Albert! For Christ's sake... John!

Wait a minute, you guys!

ALBERT:

It won't open.

NICK:

You gotta hit it here. Here,

Albert, not there.

ALBERT:

Where should I hit it? Just show me

where I should hit it.

NICK:

Here. Hit it here.

ALBERT hits the trunk in the indicated spot and the lid snaps

open.

ALBERT:

Hey, that's neat.

NICK nods.

ALBERT (CONT'D)

That's new, isn't it?

NICK:

Couple of weeks... Listen --

ALBERT:

I love this car. Some cars sit, you

know? This car, a car like this...

grows. I mean you never know, with

a car like this, where this car has

been.

VINCE comes up, also in tuxedo, and dragging a totally

disorganized clutter of hunting gear behind him.

VINCE:

Hey, guys...

JOHN:

Shhh! Albert's gonna hump the Coup

de Ville.

ALBERT looks around at his friends. He surveys the back end

of the Cadillac with simian pride. Then he expands his chest,

thumps on it with both fists and yodels out a magnificent,

mile-carrying Tarzan call. As the echo of it comes back the

church bell begins ringing down the street and a group of

excited BRIDESMAIDS come, hurrying up.

BRIDESMAID 1

Albert, what are you doing!

BRIDESMAID 2

Hurry up, you guys!

BRIDESMAID 3

Who's got their carnations?

BRIDESMAID 4

Here. They're right here.

BRIDESMAID 1

Look at you! You're all a mess!

BRIDESMAID 3

Put on their carnations!

BRIDESMAID 1

Who's got a pin?

As the BRIDESMAIDS begin straightening ties and putting on

carnations, NICK hears someone call his name. He turns to

find LINDA standing beside the trailer where she can't be

seen. She looks pale and very frightened and she holds a

small suitcase in her hand.

NICK:

(crosses)

Linda...

LINDA:

Hi.

(forces a smile)

Nick, your shoes are soaking.

NICK:

Linda, what's the matter?

LINDA:

(tries to toss it off)

Oh... You know...

She fights against it but the tears begin to come. NICK looks

around, pulls her inside the trailer.

INT. NICK'S TRAILER - DAY

NICK clears a place on the couch. LINDA sits, holding her

suitcase in her lap.

LINDA:

(with great effort)

I was just wondering... Nick...

You're going hunting... If I could

use this place to stay, because...

NICK:

Sure. Are you kidding? Sure.

LINDA:

I'd want to pay you... and I was

thinking --

NICK:

(kneels in front of her)

Linda... Hey, Linda...

LINDA:

I would want to pay you, Nick...

and I was thinking --

NICK:

Linda, Linda...!

LINDA:

(very small, looking into

his eyes)

What?

NICK:

Will you marry me?

LINDA:

(after a long, long

moment)

Okay.

NICK:

Would you?

LINDA nods - a solemn nod.

NICK (CONT'D)

You would?

LINDA's lip begins to tremble. Tears stand in her eyes and

she gives a little toss of her head.

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