The Great Gatsby Page #13

80.

Tom does indeed look like he minds, but a group of scantilyclad girls who cavort gracelessly on the other side of thegarden momentarily catch his eye.

TOM:

Of course not; I think I can keepmyself amused.

As Daisy takes Gatsby’s arm, she tucks a slim gold pencil

into Tom’s breast pocket and murmurs...

DAISY:

In case you need to take down anyaddresses...

As Tom fumes, Gatsby leads Daisy out onto the dance floor.

PUSH CLOSE ON:
Tom, growing increasingly suspicious...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT

As Daisy and Gatsby dance, Daisy murmurs thrillingly.

DAISY:

Is all this made entirely from yourown imagination?

GATSBY:

No... You see you were there allalong, in every idea, in everydecision... Of course, if anythingis not to your liking, we canchange it...

DAISY:

It’s perfect. From your perfect,

irresistible imagination...

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - TERRACE - NIGHT

Tom and Nick watch Gatsby and Daisy dance. Tom looks around,

perplexed by a distant thought.

TOM:

I wonder where the devil he met

Daisy...?

He notices Marlene Moon seductively, secretly watching him...

81.

TOM (CONT’D)

(to Nick)

I’ll find you...

He leaves Nick alone. And Nick watches as Gatsbysimultaneously leads Daisy from the dance floor...

EXT. NICK’S BUNGALOW - MAGIC TREE - NIGHT

Daisy runs ahead, playfully hurrying past the low-hangingbranches of the massive tree. She disappears inside...

Gatsby follows, but upon entering the secluded, starlit world

sees no sign of Daisy.

Then, from out of the shadows, the sparkle of jewels...

Gatsby turns, and Daisy’s lips suddenly find his.

A long, still kiss...

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - BAR - NIGHT

Nick is keeping watch, gazing down to his yard and the tree.

When Tom suddenly appears...

TOM:

Have you seen my wife...?

Startled, Nick turns...

NICK:

(lies)

Ah... no... Not for awhile.

TOM:

That’s funny. The Senator said he

saw her down here.

Tom follows Nick’s gaze down toward the tree...

EXT. NICK’S BUNGALOW - MAGIC TREE - NIGHT

Gatsby and Daisy continue their passionate kissing...

After a moment, Daisy whispers.

DAISY:

I... I wish we could just run away.

82.

Gatbsy is startled.

GATSBY:

Run away? Darling, no. Daisy,

that... that wouldn’t be...

respectable.

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - BAR - NIGHT

Tom is still looking to the tree.

TOM:

(quizzically)

You live near here Nick...?

Nick, an overwhelming sense of guilt, indicates vaguely inthe direction of the tree.

NICK:

Just next door.

TOM:

That so...?

EXT. NICK’S BUNGALOW - MAGIC TREE - NIGHT

Gatsby continues...

GATSBY:

We’re going to live here, in this

house, together. You and me...

Daisy... It’s time for you to tell

Tom.

EXT. GATBSY CASTLE - BAR - NIGHT

CLOSE ON:
Nick, a moment of extreme tension as he fears Tom

will investigate further.

SUDDENLY! Their attention is drawn to a commotion on the

terrace. Glasses smash, a woman screams, and through thecrowd, we see Slagle and associates causing a disturbance.

TOM:

(pure disdain)

What a circus... Well, if you seeher, I’ll be looking for her. You

tell her.

83.

EXT. NICK’S BUNGALOW - MAGIC TREE - NIGHT

The hidden lovers speak in intense, hushed tones.

DAISY:

Remember how much fun we used to

have? Why can’t we just have fun

like that again?

Gatsby, frustrated, is about to speak...

But Nick suddenly appears out of the shadows...

Gatsby and Daisy break off, startled...

DAISY (CONT’D)

Oh hello Nicky; we’re having a row.

NICK:

What about?

Daisy glides toward him...

DAISY:

About things... About the future...

(trying to be funny)

The future of the Colored Empires.

NICK:

Well, its Tom. He’s wanderingaround the party looking for you.

Daisy flashes Gatsby an over-the-shoulder glance; when,

suddenly, Herzog appears and murmurs...

HERZOG:

Sir; it’s Mr. Slagle; he’s quite...

emotional.

A tiny, ruffled, moment; then Gatsby elegantly guides Daisytoward Nick.

GATSBY:

Excuse me. Nick, would you mind?

As Gatsby follows Herzog back toward the castle....

CLOSE ON:
DAISY.

DISSOLVE TO:

84.

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - DANCE FLOOR - LATER

Nick and Daisy return to a party that has become grotesque;

drunken girls haphazardly bang drums...

NICK (V.O.)

Gatsby disappeared to deal with adispute of some sort. Daisywaited...

CLOSE ON:
Daisy, dejected...

NICK:

But Gatsby was unable to return.

As Daisy and Nick cross the tattered, streamer-littered dance-

floor CRANE HIGH AND FADE INTO: the library window...

INT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Gatsby sits, solemn in an armchair; with quiet unease writtenin shadows across his face.

REVEAL:
The ominous silhouette of Wolfsheim, pacing betweenGatsby and the window; Herzog standing watch...

We catch only a fragment of the conversation.

WOLFSHEIM:

When these hot headed types appear,

I rely on you... But you were notavailable.. A scene was made...

What’s going on with you Jay?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GATSBY’S CASTLE - FRONT GATE - NIGHT

HIGH SHOT:
A sleek black limo winds quietly towards the gate.

CRANE DOWN TO DISCOVER: Daisy’s face through the limo window;

her forlorn eyes search for Gatsby behind castle walls...

TOM:

Where were you?

DAISY:

With Nicky. Mr. Gatsby was showingus the grounds.

85.

TOM:

Well, he certainly must havestrained himself to get thatmenagerie together...

DAISY’S POV:
Ignoring Tom, she looks back to the dark castle.

TOM (O.C.) (CONT’D)

I’d like to know who he is and what

he does. And I think I’ll make a

point of finding out.

As the limo passes through the gates and disappears, Slagleand associates are violently ejected by Gatsby’s “guards.”

CLOSE ON:
Atop Gatsby’s gate, GATSBY’S COAT OF ARMS READS:

“Ad Finem Fidelis” (”Faithful to the End”).

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. GATSBY'S CASTLE - POOL - NIGHT

It is late. Agitated and intense, Gatsby paces by the pool,

staring out to the green light pulsing across the bay...

Nick descends the stairs, drunk.

NICK:

Well there you are...! Daisy justleft... But she asked me to tell

you. She had a wonderful time...

Gatsby is not amused.

GATSBY:

She didn’t like it.

NICK:

Of course she did.

GATSBY:

No, she didn’t like it. She did not

have a good time. I feel so faraway from her now. It’s hard to

make her understand.

NICK:

You mean about the party?

GATSBY:

The party!? I couldn’t care less

about the parties! You see...

(shocking intensity)

(MORE)

86.

GATSBY (CONT'D)

She has to tell Tom that she never

loved him.

NICK:

What...?

GATSBY:

Yes. Then we can go back toLouisville, to her parents’ house -

her parents are lovely people old

sport - we’ll be married there...

You see, Daisy and I are going toand start over, just as if it werefive years ago.

NICK:

I wouldn’t ask too much of her...

GATSBY:

Ask too much?

NICK:

No.

Gatsby grows suddenly, strangely emotional. He turns his backto Nick to compose himself.

GATSBY:

I beg your pardon old sport. Itsjust.. Its so sad because its sohard to make her understand, and-

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