The Stunt Man Page #10

CLOSE ON CAMERON AND NINA

NINA:

...And those bells are so

interesting. Imagine four hundred

years ago by boat from Amsterdam.

Thank you for the tour. It was so

informative. I'm going to write my

father. He's so interested in God

and things like that.

ELI'S VOICE

Hiya. Want a lift?

Eli miraculously appears from above. He descends and rides around

beside them in the bucket of the crane.

NINA:

(ducking)

Oh, for Christ's sake...

ELI:

There once was a maiden fair,

smooching a guy with red hair...

NINA:

Eli, get away with that thing!

- 51

ELI:

...Could it be Raymond who's turning

this dame on? ...Or his double,

young Lucky Pierre?

Unable to elude Eli in his basket, Nina turns on him in mock

frustration.

NINA:

It's gotten to the point where I

have to look under the stopper of

the bathtub when I take a shower to

make sure I've got some privacy!

(broadly gesturing to

group)

Thank you one and all and good

night!

Privately, she gives Cameron's arm an affectionate squeeze, then

disappears around the corner of the building. He is left holding

the beach bag, pursued by the Peter Pan in the basket. It has now

dropped to ground level so Eli is looking up at Cameron.

ELI:

Step right in, folks...the "Killer

Crane" ride of the century.

CAMERON:

Thanks, I'll walk.

Eli's basket now moves up a few feet so he's looking down at

Cameron, riding beside him while he walks.

ELI:

Ah, youth. Six hours in town and

caught with the leading lady. Not

bad. Shouldn't be so upset.

CAMERON:

Okay to be upset about what happened

in the dining room? Why'd you

promise to show that cop the film?

He'll recognize me.

ELI:

You really don't trust me, do you?

Hop in. I got a present for you.

81A

81B

81C

- 52

He pulls Cameron into the basket beside him so unexpectedly that

Cameron drops Sam's bag. Eli picks it up and plops it into

Cameron's lap. Suddenly Cameron finds himself soaring skyward at a

stomach-churning rate -- while Eli rattles on...probing, disarming,

quixotic...

ELI (CONT'D)

You constantly amaze me. You don't

go to movies. What's that tatoo, a

disguise? You a Commie? Don't you

know that King Kong was only three

feet tall? He came up to Fay Wray's

belly button. If God could only do

the tricks we can. What are you

worried about the film and the cop

for?

Now, hanging ten stories above the city, Eli is adjusting his

viewer, looking at a cluster of RED FLASHING LIGHTS IN THE DISTANCE.

He hands the viewer to Cameron, who looks through it.

We see a telescoped view of THE POLICE ROADBLOCK at the end of a

highway with cars waiting to get past ARMED POLICE.

CAMERON'S VOICE

(muttering)

What am I worried about the cops

for?

ELI'S VOICE

Another one over there.

THE VIEW WHIPS to a second police roadblock at the other entrance to

town.

ELI'S VOICE (CONT'D)

It's a pair.

TWO SHOT:

CAMERON:

(puts viewer down)

Is this my present?

ELI:

No, your present is a piece of good

advice.

CAMERON:

Keep it.

- 53

ELI:

(patting Sam's beach bag)

You've got that look again. That

gleam of the sprinter about to set a

record for the 50-yard dash. Is

that why all those cops are chasing

you? What are you, some kind of sex

freak running across America with

your fly open? Is that why they're

after you?

CAMERON:

You're close. What's your advice?

ELI:

Button your fly and be at the

airport on Sunday at three o'clock

with the rest of the crew. Climb

aboard our chartered 707 and fly

away with us to where the setting

sun bleeds into a million swimming

pools a man can hide in. You do

swim as well as run?

CAMERON:

(overwhelmed by the

offer)

I'll swim like a fish. You really

mean it?

(Eli nods)

Why are you trying to save my ass?

Eli hesitates, then answers quietly -- for him there is great

meaning in it.

ELI:

...Because you're as crazy as the

guy I'm doing the picture about.

(then grinning archly,

the mood broken)

...Besides, I've fallen madly in

love with the dark side of your

nature.

82

83

84

85

86

- 54

EXT. CHURCH TOWER - NEXT MORNING - BRIGHT DAYLIGHT

The thunderous clang of bells! Cameron ready, coiled tight, heart

pounding as loud as the bells. A burst of machine gun bullets tears

through the railing beside him, sending splinters flying against his

face.

CAMERA CREW:

HARVEY (Second Unit Director) and CAMERA OPERATOR behind the

MITCHELL, looking up tensely. Harvey gestures, yelling.

HARVEY:

Now!

IN BELL TOWER:

Near Cameron, the SECOND A.D., crouched out of sight with a walkietalkie,

stabs a finger at him.

SECOND A.D.

Go!...Go!

A burst of tracer bullets streak past Cameron. Sparks fly, as stray

bullets seem to bounce and ricochet off the bells.

MACHINE GUN:

A 50-calibre MACHINE GUN, a SPECIAL EFFECTS MAN in Levi's and sport

shirt, pumping tracers past the bell tower.

TWO SHOT - BELL TOWER

The Second A.D. slams his hand down on a PLUNGER, setting off a

series of explosive squibs. Like machine gun bullets, they start

shattering the railing, moving toward Cameron, forcing him to the

edge of the tower.

Vaulting over the rail, he clings to the side of the bell tower.

Explosive bursts disintegrate the railing in his hand. He shoves

out, launching himself into space. Twisting, hurtling across the

gap between the buildings, falling, crashing to the slate roof,

crawling and scrambling for a hand hold. The relentless tracer

bullets chip the slate beside him. Crouching low, Cameron, like an

animal, moves across the roof to the safety of a water tower.

Squibs burst over his head and spouts of water stream from the

tower.

- 55

Moving around the tower, suddenly there are TWO GERMAN SOLDIERS

running at him with bayoneted rifles. He wheels and there stands

ANOTHER GERMAN (Chuck), who leaps toward him, slamming down his

rifle butt. The blow glances off Cameron. They grapple, kicking,

clawing, rolling down the steep slope, picking up momentum.

87

RAIN GUTTER:

The roof's edge rushes toward them, below it a fearsome drop.

Cameron's hands reach out desperately grabbing for the railing as

Chuck, screaming, hurtles off the edge, writhing as his body tumbles

in space toward the ground.

88

CAMERON:

Sweat pouring from his face, a gash on his cheek gushes blood, his

eyes glazed, he pulls himself back on the roof.

89

CATCHER:

Chuck, lying relaxed on the straw and mattress safety pad which

caught him on the ground, looks up, cups his hands and shouts at

Cameron.

CHUCK:

Go!...Go!

90

ROOF:

Cameron, running for his life along the edge of the roof, the

soldiers shooting down at him from the roof's peak. He reaches the

far end, looks down. There is the awning jutting from an adjacent

wall two stories below. He scrambles off the roof. Clinging to the

down spout, he starts descending it.

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