The Fugitive

FADE IN:

EXT. CHICAGO - AERIAL - NIGHT

CREDITS BEGIN OVER:

Snow swirls around the tall buildings of downtown Chicago.

EXT. CHICAGO HOTEL - NIGHT

Cars, taxis, limos line the street. A cab pulls up and MAN

in tuxedo moves into:

INT. CHICAGO HOTEL - BALLROOM - NIGHT

THROUGH arriving guests we PICK UP the Man climbing stairs

to the ballroom.

ANGLE - COAT CHECK

The Man hands his coat to coat check woman and thanks her.

When he turns we get our first view of DR. RICHARD KIMBLE,

a tall, athletic man, with a trim beard.

He moves from the outer lobby into a fabulously decorated

ballroom where a fashion show is taking place as a medical

fundraiser. Doctors and their spouses, hospital brass and

sponsors mingle. Women sit near the runway watching the

models. Men talk by the bar. The room is packed.

A banner over the rostrum says: "CHILDREN'S RESEARCH AND

AID FOUNDATION"

Kimble is handed a glass of champagne, which he promptly

sets on another waiter's passing tray.

ROBERTS (V.O.)

Richard...

DR. ROBERTS, a large surgeon, pulls Kimble over to a group

of surgeons gathered around a bar. Smoking cigars.

ROBERTS:

Cancun. Nat just talked everybody

into it...

A hospital equipment rep, NAT, is buying drinks.

KIMBLE:

So, what's the deal? If the hospital

buys ten new -

NAT:

No, no, no, no strings attached, Dr.

Kimble. Industrial Hospital Supply

has no ulterior motives.

KIMBLE:

On the house, huh?

(to bartender)

Tonic water with lime.

Everyone agrees.

KIMBLE:

Never get me to sell my soul for one

of those trips...

His tone silences the group. Kimble takes his drink.

KIMBLE:

(to Nat)

... But if you get any more Bulls

tickets, Nat, give me a call.

The group laughs, Kimble extracts himself and CREDITS

CONTINUE OVER -

CUT TO:

KIMBLE:

Moving through the crowd.

CUT TO:

KIMBLE:

Nearly gets hit in the follow-through of an imaginary

golf swing.

KIMBLE:

You're slicing, Dave. Don't turn

your hip.

He keeps moving.

GOLFING MAN:

Thanks, Richard...

CUT TO:

ANGLE - TOUGH-LOOKING LAB RAT

KATHY WAHLUND, totally out of her element amid the formal

elegance around her. She wears a leather jacket over

T-shirt and stares at the action on the fashion runway.

DR. WAHLUND

(dripping sarcasm)

I'm so glad you talked me into

coming, Richard... I can pick my

cruise wardrobe.

RICHARD:

It's for a good cause, Kath...

Besides you need to get out of the

lab more. Your electron microscope

is starting to give you a tan.

She smiles. He moves on.

ANGLE - PARTY

Kimble continues down the bar when he spots a friend...

KIMBLE:

Hey, Jim.

DR. JAMES NICHOLS turns, smiles. Mid-40s, head of the

University Hospital. He is a fit contemporary.

NICHOLS:

Richard, I just saw someone who

wanted to meet you...

Just then Kimble spots an attractive WOMAN, late thirties,

wearing a drop-dead, simple black gown. She's surrounded by

a group of men hanging on her every word. She and Kimble

catch a look and hold it.

NICHOLS (V.O.)

Richard Kimble... Alex Lentz. Alex

is working on the RDU90 trials for

Devlin-Macgregor.

Kimble turns to meet DR. ALEXANDER LENTZ, late 30s, tan,

smiling. Lentz extends his hand...

LENTZ:

Dr. Kimble... Sorry, we've been

trading phone calls last few days

... something about a biopsy report

I returned to you?

KIMBLE:

(suddenly attentive)

Yeah... Three. Livers appeared

hepatetic to me.

LENTZ:

I'll be in my office in the morning

and I'll pull up the samples. Is that

a good time for you?

KIMBLE:

Sure.

LENTZ:

(holds Kimble's look,

then to Nichols)

See you, Jim.

Lentz moves on. Kimble looks after him a beat, then focuses

on relocating the Woman he just saw. She's gone. He and

Nichols move together through the party.

NICHOLS:

(digs in his pocket)

Before I forget, I went by the garage

this afternoon and picket up the

Ferrari. Thanks for the loaner again.

He hands Kimble a valet ticket.

KIMBLE:

They fix it this time?

NICHOLS:

We'll see.

They reach the Woman Kimble saw, his wife, HELEN KIMBLE.

Kimble kisses her.

NICHOLS:

You look fabulous, Helen.

He kisses Helen.

HELEN (WOMAN)

Hello, Jim.

NICHOLS:

(to Kimble)

We've got a court tomorrow at three.

Nichols leaves. Kimble looks at his wife.

KIMBLE:

Well, I've seen everyone, can we

leave?

HELEN:

That would be a little abrupt, don't

you think?

CUT TO:

ANGLE - KIMBLE'S TABLE - NIGHT

A table for ten. Kimble and Helen introduce themselves to

others at table ant sit across from each other.

Kimble sits between two doctors' wives. One, NOW EAU WIFE,

mid-thirties, bedecked in jewels and loud dress, the other

OLDER WIFE.

Helen sits between their husbands who are trying to impress

her with the details of their boring studies as CREDITS

CONTINUE...

INTERCUTTING WITH the fashion, catches of dialog and course

changes, Kimble and Helen demonstrate an oft-used exchange

of glances:
Kimble, while gracious to his dinner partners,

catches Helen's eye and makes smiling, subtle movements to

his watch or a look to the door to indicate he's clearly

ready to leave. On the receiving end, Helen, the gatekeeper

of their social propriety, indicates with equal subtlety:

"not yet."

As we MOVE AROUND the table we hear:

"Where's your husband on staff?" "My husband's an orthopod

at Northwestern." "I'm working on a new technique..."

"That's fascinating..." "That's quite a marvelous dress

you're wearing." "Do you like it? My husband says it's a

'four-fracture number."' "Honey." (A look from her husband.)

Kimble shares a look with Helen. He subtly motions to his

watch:
time go to, and mouths the word: "now." She shakes

her head.

NOW EAU WIFE:

(to table)

I told my husband that he was going

to kill us if he didn't stop

operating. What with this AIDS thing,

he's putting us all at risk.

Helen and Kimble absorb this comment without reaction, share

a look. Helen mouths the word: "Now."

HELEN:

(to her dinner partners)

I'm sorry, I have to get my husband

home.

They say their good-byes and pass Nichols' table. Nichols

shakes his friend's hand in passing. From across the room we

see Lentz watching.

INT. KIMBLE'S MERCEDES - NIGHT

Kimble and Helen driving home. She runs her fingers through

his hair as he drives.

HELEN:

You looked handsome tonight...

KIMBLE:

Thank you...

He smiles to himself, seems to enjoy the compliment too much

for Helen. Her smile becomes playful, mischievous.

HELEN:

Uh, huh... most men in a tuxedo look

like waiters...

KIMBLE:

But me?

HELEN:

You looked more like... a band

director.

He stops at red light, leans over and kisses her. Light

changes and neither notice. Slowly their kiss breaks.

HELEN:

Are we home yet?...

CUT TO:

EXT. KIMBLE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Kimble pulls up in front of his house. Suddenly both his

PAGER and CAR PHONE RING at the same time.

KIMBLE:

(to phone)

Dr. Kimble

(suddenly attentive)

When? Okay, tell them I'll be there

in ten minutes.

He hangs up.

KIMBLE:

Tim's got a problem.

Helen kisses him again, opens the door.

HELEN:

Call me on your way home.

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