The Leopard Man Page #2

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Kiki grins. Jerry reaches for Kiki's hand, and passes the end

of the leash over her fingers.

JERRY:

Come down to earth� and see what a

picture you'd make with this for a

pet.

Keeping a wary eye on the leopard, Kiki lets Jerry help her

down. She stands as far away from the beast as the leash will

permit.

ELOISE:

(warily, from behind the

chair)

And if you've got cold feet honey,

Ill take over for you. That red

dress of yours fits just perfect on

me.

KIKI:

(exasperated, turning to

her)

I bet you try on my coffin some day

-- I hope it "fits just perfect."

JERRY:

(hastily to Kiki)

You look swell in that three�alarm

number --

KIKI:

The red dress?

(thinks a moment)

No. My black one. Then I'll be just

like him.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PATIO EL PUEBLO CAPE - NIGHT

CL0SE SHOT - the fountain. The CAMERA is FOCUSED on the

extreme height of the jet of water. We watch the ball on top

of this jet as it rises and falls for a few beats. Over this

shot we hear the music of a Mexican orchestra.

The CAMERA MOVES DOWN and BACK to reveal the upper tier of

the fountain with the water flowing over its edges.

The CAMERA MOVES BACK and we see the wide pool at the base of

the fountain. In this pool we see Clo-Clo reflected, as she

dances.

The CAMERA PANS to take in the actual dancer and we see Clo

Clo whirling and turning in a tight circle. She is

illuminated by several baby spots concealed at the base

of the fountain, and this light makes a nimbus of light

around her. It is a sort of superaura which washes out the

background haze, leaving the dancer clear-cut and sharp in

the midst of this superaura.

As Clo-Clo's dance widens in movement, taking her to the edge

of the light nimbus, we can see her, the tables and the

patrons of El Pueblo.

The El Pueblo cafe is the smartest night club in this small

New Mexican resort town. The main dining room is in the

patio. Here are tables mantled in snowy tablecloths,

glittering candlelight and sparkling glassware. On the porch

is an open space for the performers and the orchestra on one

side On the other side is a bar.

Tonight, El Pueblo is crowded. Waiters, dressed in rather

formal costumes with black trousers and short, white coats,

scurry between the tables. A good portion of -the patrons are

in evening clothes.

Clo�Clo dances. The rhythmic rattle of her castanets beat out

above the orchestra.

Clo-Clo is New Mexican. Like the broncos of her native state,

she is all fine, proud, pure Spanish blood. It has suffered a

change in the high clear air of New Mexico. In her dance,

too, we see the more primeval strain of the Indian twisted

among the finer threads of Spanish rhythm.

She dances. In the pool we see the heavy flutter and turn of

her skirt. Her neck, her bosom, her arms, bend and sway and

turn and pulse with the bloodbeat of the castanets. She is

just entering a graceful turn of the dance, the castanets

beginning a glissade, when suddenly she stops dead, the click

of the castanets cutting off abruptly.

REVERSE SHOT - the doorway leading into the El Pueblo. Framed

in this doorway is Kiki, slim and tall in a black gown with

black gloves, and in her outstretched hand is a black leash

which links her to the leopard. Behind her the doorway is hot

with light so that we see her dramatic outline, a silhouette

against luminosity.

MED. LONG SHOT - the cafe. A buzz of amazement sounds from

the crowd. There is a flutter of astonishment and timidity.

CLOSEUP of Clo�Clo.

MED. CLOSE SHOT of Kiki. Behind her in the doorway Jerry

Manning's face appears. It is obvious that Kiki, despite her

dramatic pose, is surreptitiously nervous.

JERRY:

(sotto voce)

Don't stand here, Kiki. You're on

stage. They're looking at you.

Kiki moves majestically forward.

MED. LONG SHOT � a table near the dance space. Kiki, the

leopard moving before her, threads her way between two

tables, the patrons drawing away from her black escort as she

passes. A waiter, carefully holding the chair between him and

the leopard, makes a place for her at an empty table.

Clo�Clo, feet wide apart, arms and hands still half raised

and holding the castanets, watches. The orchestra plays

feebly on.

Suddenly Clo�Clo smiles. She lifts her hands a little higher,

takes a step forward and lets the castanets loose with a roll

that sounds like machine�gun fire. The leopard startled,:

twists in a half turn of fright, strains suddenly at the

leash and lunges forward. The leash pulls out of Kiki's

frightened hand.

REFLECTION SHOT in the pool. The still water reflects the

quick bound and leap of the leopard in its panic flight for

freedom.

MED. CLOSE SHOT - Kiki. She stands leaning against the table,

trembling in fright. Behind her Clo�Clo can be seen can be

seen on the platform, smiling. Jerry comes into the scene,

puts his arm about Kiki's waist.

JERRY:

Are you all right?

KIKI:

(wildly, and

in disgust)

Now look what you've done.

The familiar tone of anger reassures Jerry.

JERRY:

(briefly)

You are all right.

MED. SHOT - the leopard bounding through the gate.

MED. SHOT at the gate. A waiter with a napkin over his arm

and a water carafe in his hand, stands aghast, pressing his

back to the wall in fear. The water carafe falls with a

crash. The waiter holds up his hand, dazed. His hand is

streaming with blood.

DISSOLVE:

EXT. PASAJE DE LAS SOMBRAS - NIGHT

SHOT of four policemen, their backs toward us, going through

the Alley of the Shadows. Two of them are beating on pots and

pans to make a noise. Two others are flashing their

flashlights from one side to the other.

We TRUCK WITH them down the alley. They bring us to the open

end of the passage, athwart which a fire truck is parked.

Near this fire truck stands the Chief of Police, Robles, a

dignified, well�spoken, Mexican police officer, serious and

conscientious, very much on duty at all times.

ONE OF THE POLICEMEN

No leopard, Chief -- no cat, no

kittens, nothing. We're going to

tackle the houses

Robles nods. He makes a gesture to one of the men on the fire

truck and two long lances of light pierce the darkness of the

alley.

LONG SHOT - Pasaje De Las Sombras. The shafts of light from

the searchlights cross and re-cross, moving, as they explore

the dark jags and corners of the alley. It is one of the

oldest streets in town, so narrow that even at noonday, the

sun has difficulty lightening its dark shadows. The adobe

houses, standing wall to wall, were never built on any

straight geometric line; the street makes a dog-leg,

meandering, as if loathe to reach its own blind end.

MED. LONG SHOT � the mouth of the alley at the other side of

the fire truck. This is a-scene of curiosity and confusion. A

police cordon has been erected, and several uniformed Mexican

policemen are busy shooing away the spectators, foiling the

attempts of small boys to get under the ropes, and generally

trying to reduce chaos to an ordered hunt for the leopard.

At the mouth of the alley, next to the fire truck is parked a

curious conveyance, a half-ton truck with a gaudy sign which

reads:

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