The Night of the Hunter Page #9

FULL SHOT -- WILLA AND ICEY

They walk; singers in BACKGROUND.

ICEY SPOON:

Don't he have the grandest singin'

voice?

WILLA nods. ICEY, looking ahead, is displeased.

MEDIUM SHOT -- THE TREE, JOHN AND PEARL

They sit on the bench, their backs to us, partly concealed

by the tree trunk.

ICEY'S VOICE

(sharp)

John! Pearl!

They look around. ICEY and WILLA enter the SHOT, their backs

to us.

ICEY SPOON:

Run along and play, you two.

JOHN HARPER:

Where?

ICEY SPOON:

Down by the river. My goodness!

Docile, they leave the shot as WILLA and ICEY approach the

bench.

CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND ICEY

They sit on the bench, their back to us. The CHILDREN recede

towards the river in BACKGROUND. WILLA meekly keeps her head

down. Singing continues o.s.

ICEY SPOON:

That feller's just achin' to settle

down with some nice woman and make a

home for himself.

WILLA HARPER:

It's awful soon after Ben's passing.

ICEY SPOON:

If ever I saw a Sign from Heaven!

WILLA HARPER:

John don't like him much.

ICEY SPOON:

Pearl dotes on him.

WILLA HARPER:

The boy worries me. It's silly, but

it's like there was something still

between him and his Dad.

ICEY SPOON:

What he needs is a dose o' salts!

WILLA HARPER:

There's something else.

ICEY SPOON:

What?

WILLA HARPER:

The money, Icey.

ICEY SPOON:

I declare, you'll let that money

haunt you to your grave, Willa Harper!

WILLA HARPER:

I would love to be satisfied Harry

Powell don't think I've got that

money somewhere.

ICEY SPOON:

You'll come right out and ask that

Man of God!

(turning and yelling)

Mr. Paow-well!

(to Willa)

Clear that evil mud out of your soul!

PREACHER starts towards her. ICEY pivots and we PAN OVER her

to CHILDREN by river.

ICEY SPOON:

(yelling)

John! Pearl!

CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL AND JOHN

JOHN looks up from pebble-skimming and loosens his tie.

ICEY SPOON:

(yelling o.s.)

Come along hee-ere and get some fuu-

udge!

JOHN HARPER:

(calling)

I don't want no fudge.

His brow is furrowed. He skims another pebble.

ICEY SPOON:

(shouting o.s.)

You'll do what you're told!

They unwillingly get moving.

RESUME TWO-SHOT -- ICEY AND WILLA

ICEY SPOON:

You go set down by the River.

WILLA HARPER:

(getting up)

Oh, Icey, I'm a sight!

ICEY SPOON:

Get along with you.

Both women set off, WILLA to River, ICEY towards GROUP. We

TRACK after ICEY. PREACHER approaches. ICEY, crossing him,

gives him a little shove towards WILLA and a coy --

ICEY SPOON:

You!!!

We FOLLOW her to the women who are busying themselves with

the fudge.

CLOSE GROUP SHOT -- ICEY AND WOMEN, FAVORING ICEY

...a few men in BACKGROUND, and, beyond them, PREACHER sits

down by WILLA at water's edge. JOHN and PEARL approach. As

ICEY starts yammering the men, WALT among them, shyly

withdraw.

ICEY SPOON:

That young lady'd better look sharp

or some smart sister between here

and Captina's a-gonna snap him up

right from under her nose!

(they nod and agree,

ad lib)

She's not the only fish in the river!

(more agreement. John

and Pearl join Icey.

Icey speaks to John)

Now you two stay put!

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN

He looks hard towards WILLA and PREACHER o.s.

ICEY SPOON:

(o.s., to women)

Shilly-shallying around...

LONG SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER

...from JOHN'S VIEWPOINT in tableau of decorous courtship,

framed by heavy domestic bodies.

ICEY SPOON:

(o.s.)

A husband's one piece of store goods

ye never know till you get it home

and take the paper off.

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