The Deer Hunter Page #4

LINDA:

Who else, dummy?

NICK stares at her. He can still hardly believe it.

NICK:

This is terrific...! This is really

terrific!

LINDA nods. She is suddenly excited, suddenly radiantly

happy. She takes the suitcase off her lap and throws herself

in NICK's arms.

NICK (CONT'D)

I don't know what we've been

waiting for!

LINDA:

(eyes closed, loving him)

I don't know! I don't know either!

INT. GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH - NIGHT

SAL and ANGELA stand facing each other as the PRIEST reads

the Holy Sacrament of Marriage.

PRIEST:

"Blessed be the Kingdom... now and

forever unto Ages and Ages...

As the PRIEST continues with the Holy Sacrament CAMERA PICKS

UP FACES IN THE CONGREGATION. We see SAL'S FAMILY. We see

ANGELA'S FAMILY. We see the VETS from the V.F.W. Post. We see

the STEELWORKERS from the bar and the WIVES and MOTHERS who

chased them home to change. They are hard faces -- working

class faces -- but we sense a fortitude among the

congregation, a community of both heart and spirit.

CAMERA PICKS UP NICK, MERLE, VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN standing

in a row opposite the BRIDESMAIDS. The guys all look slightly

disheveled. Their tuxedos are all too small and their shoes

are soaking wet from walking in the snow.

NICK catches LINDA's eye and they hold each other across the

intervening space like two children who are amazed.

The PRIEST hands white tapers to the bride and groom. CAMERA

CLOSES SLOWLY ON THE PRIEST. The man is impressive -- gentle

yet full of power. The PRIEST lights the tapers -- first

ANGELA's, then SAL's -- and looks out across the assembled

congregation.

PRIEST:

"For everyone that does evil hates

the light, and does not come to the

light, lest his deeds will be

reproved."

EXT. COLUMBINE STREET - TOP OF THE HILL - NIGHT

Save for a lone figure trudging home, the street is deserted,

left to the gently falling snow. In the background the

massive silhouette of the steel mill is plainly visible, lit

with fire.

INT. GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH - NIGHT

NICK, MERLE, VINCE, ALBERT and JOHN join with the BRIDESMAIDS

to assist the PRIEST in the crowning of SAL and ANGELA.

The PRIEST crowns SAL first.

PRIEST:

"The servant of God, Sal, is

crowned for the servant of God

Angela, in the Name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy

Ghost. Amen."

Now ANGELA is crowned.

PRIEST (CONT'D)

"The servant of God, Angela, is

crowned for the servant of God,

Sal, in the Name of the Father and

of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.

Amen."

Guiding the couple by their joined hands the PRIEST leads SAL

and ANGELA around the analoy. The movement is very precise,

very formal, a circling to represent eternity.

INT. V.F.W. POST - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

The Band is going full blast and the whirling COUPLES, young

and old, are laughing.

We see SAL and ANGELA, NICK and LINDA, VINCE, ALBERT and

JOHN. The only one of the group not dancing is MERLE. MERLE

is drinking, standing alone on the side of the floor chugging

beer in tense, rapid-fire gulps. We sense immediately that he

feels out of place, at a loss to join spontaneously in the

spirit of the party. MERLE finishes the beer, crumples the

can and starts on another. As he picks up the second can he

notices that a SAD-LOOKING GIRL is sitting against the wall

behind him, waiting for someone to ask her to dance. The SAD

LOOKING GIRL gives MERLE a smile. MERLE pretends not to see

and moves behind a post.

INT. V.F.W. POST - TRESTLE TABLES - NIGHT

The wedding cake that was carried in earlier has now been

attacked from all sides, but the miniature bride and groom

are still standing in the middle. Unnoticed by each other

SAL'S MOTHER and ANGELA'S MOTHER eye the little figures. Both

women are in rather teary condition and begin moving toward

the cake. Suddenly, as the CROWD shifts, they encounter each

other face to face. Smiles are exchanged -- strained smiles,

which get stretched and stretched and stretched. Then, in

unison, they desert the smiling and remove their respective

offspring from the cake. SAL'S MOTHER looks down at her sugar

coated groom and ANGELA'S MOTHER looks down at her sugar

coated bride. Then they eye each other, burst into tears and

throw themselves in each other's arms, moaning and sobbing.

INT. V.F.W. POST - COAT ROOM - NIGHT

Another COUPLE tries to enter the rack. It is pretty full.

They finally find an empty place and squeeze in.

INT. V.F.W. POST - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

NICK comes off the floor with LINDA and throws an arm around

MERLE.

NICK:

Sit with Linda, man, will ya?...

Give her a beer.

(to Linda with great

solicitude)

Would you like a beer?

LINDA:

(puzzled)

Sure.

NICK:

What kind of beer would you like?

LINDA:

(laughing)

I don't know.

NICK:

(to Merle)

Give her Miller's. Miller's High

Life.

NICK takes off. LINDA sits down at a table and MERLE goes to

the cooler to get a Miller's. He gropes around in the tub,

finds one and pops the tab. Suddenly he notices that NICK has

crossed to the SAD-LOOKING GIRL by the wall. He has stopped

in front of her and is asking her something. The SAD-LOOKING

GIRL gives a blush, gets out of her chair and NICK takes her

in his arms and begins to dance. The SAD-LOOKING GIRL looks

transformed. She begins chattering and laughing.

MERLE crosses back to LINDA and gives her the beer. As he

pulls up a chair to sit down beside her he stumbles and

nearly loses his balance. He is very drunk.

MERLE:

Sorry.

LINDA:

(laughs)

It's okay, Merle.

NICK swings by with the SAD-LOOKING GIRL and waves.

MERLE:

(catching Linda's

expression)

I guess you like Nick.

LINDA:

(nods)

Yes.

MERLE doesn't say anything for a moment. He seems to be

trying to contain a floodtide of emotion.

MERLE:

F***in' Nick...

(clears his throat)

F***in' Nick... gives.

(he nods, bangs his fist

on the table)

Gives. F***in' Nick gives.

INT. V.F.W. POST - COATROOM - NIGHT

The rack is still jammed with COUPLES but the laughing and

giggling has now given way to the sound of heavy breathing

and low moans.

What light there is comes from the colored glass ball

revolving above the dance floor, where the MUSIC is now

playing sweet and low.

The front door comes open and a U.S. Army SERGEANT steps into

the darkened hallway. The man wears his dress green uniform.

On his chest is a row of battle ribbons and his shoes are

brightly polished.

SERGEANT:

Pow!

The SERGEANT gives a beery chuckle and moves toward the dance

floor.

INT. V.F.W. POST - TRESTLE TABLE AREA - NIGHT

The SERGEANT passes between groups of celebrating GUESTS,

plucks a beer from one of the coolers and sits down alone at

the end of one of the white trestle tables.

INT. V.F.W. POST - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

ALBERT gives his Tarzan cry, suddenly picks his GIRL off her

feet and marches around holding her above his head.

GIRL:

Albert, what are you doing...

Albert!

INT. V.F.W. POST DANCE FLOOR - ANOTHER LOCATION - NIGHT

VINCE and JOHN are standing together. VINCE is going bananas

because his girl, MARSHA, is dancing too close to FRED.

VINCE:

Look at that, see... Watch. Wait a

minute, watch. There! D'j'u see

that? D'j'u see the way he... You

know what that guy is doing? That

guy is squeezing her ass!

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