The Exorcist Page #9

INTERIOR- BARRINGER CLINIC- WARD- DAY

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

It looks like a type of disorder that you rarely ever see

anymore, except in primitive cultures.

We see Regan on a monitor screen. She's in another fit, in bed

and restrained by straps.

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

We call it a somnambuliform possession.

We cut to another angle of Regan who has slightly visible welts

on her face. She's still screaming. We then cut to Regan, now

flat on her back, mumbling to herself.

INTERIOR- BARRINGER CLINIC- DIRECTOR'S OFFICE- DAY

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

Quite frankly, we don't know much about it except that it's

starts with some conflict or guilt that eventually leads to the

patient's delusion that his body's been invaded by an alien

intellegence; a spirit if you will.

CHRIS:

Look, I'm telling you again and you'd better believe it, I'm not

about to put her in a goddamn asylum!

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

It's-

CHRIS:

And I don't care what you call it! I'm not putting her away!

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

I'm sorry.

CHRIS:

You're sorry. Christ, eighty-eight doctors and all you can tell

me is all of your bullshit...

CLINIC DIRECTOR- There is one outside chance of a cure. I think

of it as shock treatment. As I say, there is an outside chance...

CHRIS:

Will you just name it, for God's sake? What is it?

MALE DOCTOR:

Do you have any religious beliefs?

CHRIS:

No.

FEMALE DOCTOR:

What about your daughter?

CHRIS:

No, why?

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

Have you ever heard of exorcism?

Chris looks at him baffled.

CLINIC DIRECTOR:

It's a stylized ritual in which rabbis or priests try to drive

out the so-called invading spirit. It's pretty much discarded

these days, except by the Catholics who keep it in the closet as

a sort of embarrassment. It has worked, in fact, although not for

the reason they think, of course. It was purely the force of

suggestion. The victim's belief in possession helped cause it;

and just in the same way this belief in the power of exorcism can

make it disappear.

CHRIS:

You're telling me that, I should take my daughter to a witch

doctor? Is that it?

The Clinic Director nods and looks at Chris.

EXTERIOR- PROSPECT STREET- MACNEIL HOUSE- DAY

A car has pulled up and Karl is exiting the driver's seat and

opening the rear door while Sharon exits on the right rear side.

Karl reaches in and picks up a small figure (Regan)

wrapped in a blanket from Chris' back seat.

EXTERIOR- M STREET- DAY

Kinderman is examing the area where Burke was found dead. He

walks to the steep concrete steps and looks up them. We feel and

eerie atmosphere surounding these steps.

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- REGAN'S BEDROOM- DAY

Regan is tucked up in bed. Chris moves slowly forward to the

bedside and looks down at Regan. Chris then leans and tenderly

adjuts her pillow. In the process, she uncovers a crucifix under

it. She lifts it out, examining it.

EXTERIOR- M STREET- DAY

Kinderman begins to climb the stairs but stops and turns back. He

looks down in a small ditch beside the steps. He clears the grass

with his feet and reaches down for something. He picks up a small

sculpture of an animal made of clay. He examines it and then

climbs the steps.

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY- DAY

Chris exits Regan's room and approaches Karl who is descending

the stairs. Chris leans over the bannister.

CHRIS:

Karl? Did you put this in Regan's bedroom?

KARL:

She is going to be well?

CHRIS:

Karl if you put this in Regan's room I want you to tell me, now

did you?

KARL:

No. It wasn't me. I didn't.

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- STUDY- DAY

Chris has now confronted both Sharon and Willie in the study. She

shows the crucifix to them.

CHRIS:

This was under Regan's pillow. Did you put it there?

SHARON:

Of course I didn't.

WILLIE:

I didn't put it.

Karl enters the room.

KARL:

Excuse me Miss?

CHRIS:

(shouting)

What!

KARL:

A man to see you.

CHRIS:

(shouting)

What man?

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- FOYER- DAY

Kinderman stands with his hat in his hand as Chris approaches.

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- KITCHEN- DAY

Chris and Kinderman both sit in the kitchen, coffee cups in hand.

KINDERMAN:

Does your daughter remember if perhaps Mr. Dennings was in her

room in her room that night?

CHRIS:

No, she was heavily sedated.

KINDERMAN:

It's serious?

CHRIS:

Yes, I'm affraid it is.

KINDERMAN:

May I ask...?

CHRIS:

We still don't know.

KINDERMAN:

Watch out for drafts. A draft in the fall when the house is hot

is a magic carpet for bacteria.

Karl enters the room.

KARL:

Excuse me Madame? Will there be anything else?

CHRIS:

No thanks Karl.

Karl stands in the background. Chris turns to him.

CHRIS:

It's okay Karl.

Karl exits.

KINDERMAN:

Strange...strange...so baffling. The deceased comes to visit,

stays only twenty minutes, and leaves all alone a very sick girl.

And speaking plainly Mrs. MacNeil, as you say, it's not likely he

would fall from a window. Besides that, a fall wouldn't do to his

neck what we found except maybe a chance in a thousand. My hunch?

My opinion? I believe he was killed by a very powerful man: point

one. And the fracturing of the skull - point two - plus the

various things I have mentioned, would make it very probable -

probable, not certain - that the deceased was killed and then

pushed from your daughter's window. But no-one was here except

your daughter. So how could this be? It could be one way: if

someone came calling between the time Miss Spencer left and the

time you returned. The servants, they have visitors?

CHRIS:

No. Not at all,

KINDERMAN:

You were expecting a deliver y that day?

CHRIS:

Not that I know of.

KINDERMAN:

Groceries maybe? A package?

CHRIS:

I really wouldn't know, you see Karl takes care of that.

KINDERMAN:

Oh, I see.

CHRIS:

Want to ask him?

KINDERMAN:

Never mind.

Chris rises.

CHRIS:

Would you like some more coffee?

KINDERMAN:

Please.

Kinderman follows Chris further into the kitchen. He notices some

of Regan's artwork. He picks up a small sculpted Turtle and

examines it.

KINDERMAN:

That's cute.

Chris looks over at Kinderman.

KINDERMAN:

Your daughter, she's the artist?

Chris smiles. She hands him the coffee.

KINDERMAN:

Incidentally, just a chance in a million, I know; but your

daughter - you could possibly ask her if she saw Mr. Dennings in

her room that night?

CHRIS:

Look, he wouldn't have any reason to be up there in the first

place.

KINDERMAN:

I know that. I realize. But if a certain British doctor never

asked "What's this fungus?" we wouldn't today have penicillin.

Correct?

CHRIS:

When she's well enough, I'll ask.

KINDERMAN:

Couldn't hurt. In the meantime...

Kinderman falters, embarrassed.

KINDERMAN:

I hate to ask you this but... for my daughter could you maybe

give an autograph?

CHRIS:

Of course. Have you got a pen?

Kinderman pulls out a pen and a calling card and gives them to

Chris.

KINDERMAN:

Oh, she'd love it.

CHRIS:

What's her name?

Kinderman hesitates. His eyes are desperate and defiant.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote