The Night of the Hunter Page #7

FULL PANNING SHOT -- THE BOAT, FROM SHORE

We PAN her into frame UNCLE BIRDIE STEPTOE'S toy-like little

wharf-boat. As she passes broadside we CUT TO:

MEDIUM SHOT -- BIRDIE, THEN JOHN

...as boat passes. BIRDIE'S head sticks through a porthole.

He is a wiry old river character. The boat whistles. As BIRDIE

speaks we PAN JOHN, and foundered skiff, into TWO-SHOT with

BIRDIE.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

She don't put in at Cresap's Landing

no more, but she still blows as she

passes. Come on in and have a cup of

coffee.

JOHN HARPER:

(starting towards him)

Ain't nobody stole Dad's skiff.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

Ain't nobody goin' to neither, long

as Uncle Birdie's around.

He vanishes from the porthole. We PAN JOHN from skiff to

wharf and Birdie's door.

BIRDIE'S VOICE

(calling o.s.)

First day my jints is limber enough

I'll haul her up and give her a good

caulkin'.

INT. BIRDIE'S BOAT -- TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE

JOHN enters and sits on a box. BIRDIE, in a ramshackle rocking

chair, pours coffee. BESS'S photograph on chest near BIRDIE.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

Ain't seen you in a coon's age,

Johnny.

JOHN HARPER:

I been mindin' Pearl.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

Pshaw now! Ain't it a caution what

women'll load onto a feller's back

when he ain't lookin'?

He gives JOHN a cup of coffee.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

'Scuse me, Cap, while I sweeten up

my coffee.

He fetches a liquor bottle from beneath the rocking chair;

about to pour he does a take at BESS'S PHOTOGRAPH.

INSERT -- THE PHOTOGRAPH

It stands in a cabinet frame: A fine-looking young woman in

archaic dress, with sharp, accusing black eyes.

BIRDIE'S VOICE

(o.s.)

Dead and gone these twenty-five years

and never takes her eyes off me.

CUT OVER his line to --

CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE

He turns the picture away and splashes liquor into his coffee.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

(pouring)

Man o' my years needs a little snort

to get his boiler heated of a morning.

They drink. BIRDIE, satisfied, sighs and rocks.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

This mornin' I was talkin' to this

stranger up at the boarding-house.

He knowed your Dad!

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN

JOHN looks cautious.

JOHN HARPER:

Where did he know Dad?

CLOSE SHOT -- BIRDIE

BIRDIE'S face falls; he takes another drink.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

Well, boy, I'll not hide the truth;

it was up at Moundsville Penitentiary.

CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- NEW ANGLE

JOHN puts his cup down and gets up.

JOHN HARPER:

I got to go now, Uncle Birdie.

He heads for the door.

BIRDIE STEPTOE:

Why shucks boy, you just got here.

He follows JOHN to the door. JOHN runs up the bank, not

looking back.

JOHN HARPER:

(running)

I told Mom I'd be back to Spoon's

for Pearl.

EXT. STREET -- MEDIUM SHOT -- JOHN

He runs up the street close to Spoon's and stops dead.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN

He is horrified by what he sees.

INT. SPOON'S ICE CREAM PARLOR

GROUP SHOT through door-glass, from JOHN'S VIEW POINT

PREACHER, WILLA and PEARL surround a little table. WALT stands

by, puffing his pipe. ICEY in BACKGROUND, stirs fudge at a

little soda-fountain stove. WILLA looks both moved and

pleased. PEARL, shyly flirting with PREACHER, all but hides

in WILLA'S skirts. PREACHER dandles PEARL'S doll on his knee

as he talks. All the grownups are avid for his words, which

we don't hear through the glass.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN

We SHOOT THROUGH the DOOR; he quietly enters.

GROUP SHOT:

They look casually to JOHN, and continue talking.

ICEY SPOON:

(stirring; with a

meaningful glance at

Willa)

God works in a mysterious way, His

wonders to perform.

OVER this JOHN ENTERS the SHOT and stands at the fringe of

the GROUP, staring at PREACHER'S hands and at the doll.

PREACHER:

I was with Brother Harper almost to

the end;...

GROUP SHOT -- NEW ANGLE -- FAVORING JOHN AND PREACHER

PREACHER:

(continuing)

...and now that I'm no longer employed

by the Penitentiary it is my joy to

bring this small comfort to his loved

ones.

FLASH-CUT CLOSE-UP -- JOHN

On "Penitentiary" he glances quickly at PREACHER'S face;

then back to his hands.

GROUP SHOT -- ICEY

ICEY SPOON:

(sniffing)

It's a mighty good man would come

out of his way to bring a word of

cheer to a grieving widow!

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