The Stunt Man Page #27

CHUCK:

(deciding)

Sh*t...forget it. How much'll they

see from the helicopter?

If Cameron was upset by the change in the stunt, he is now really

unnerved by the sight of those cops with guns. The second cop is

loading cartridges.

- 146

CAMERON:

(starting back to

Duesenberg)

Hope those are really blanks.

SECOND COP:

(chuckling)

Don't say so on the box!

191

ANGLE ON DUESENBERG'S TRUNK

As Cameron arrives and casually leans against the trunk and then

gently taps. He must get Nina out of there. With determination, he

reaches for the trunk handle. Arms wearing the same costume as his

own reach in, holding the trunk closed. It is Raymond.

RAYMOND:

No need to look... If she loves

you, she's still there. If she

doesn't...then it doesn't really

matter...does it?

How can he know? -- Everything is out of control -- a voice calls.

TECHNICIAN'S VOICE

Hey, Lucky, we need you!

He turns and moves numbly to the car door.

TECHNICIAN (CONT’D)

Get in, will ya?

Dazed, Cameron climbs behind the wheel.

192 INT. DUESENBERG

TECHNICIAN (CONT’D)

(leaning in passenger's

side)

Look straight ahead, can you see

that red light out of the corner of

your eye?

A tiny red light is mounted in the corner over the windshield.

TECHNICIAN (CONT'D)

That'll let you know when the film's

running, so be sure you don't turn

your face to the camera.

- 147

The technician tightens a final screw on the red light then, leaning

back out of the car, yells O.S.

TECHNICIAN (CONT'D)

All right, bump it once.

(to Cameron)

Does it work?

Cameron, barely hearing, looks straight ahead without response.

Jake lounges at the driver's window, kibitzing the operation.

TECHNICIAN (CONT'D)

(yells O.S.)

Bump it again.

(looks back into the car)

CAMERA ON?

CAMERON:

(by reflex)

What?

The words "CAMERA ON" sound exactly like "CAMERON." It sounded as

though his real name was called and he automatically answered. Has

his identity been exposed? His eyes widen. The technician, getting

no response, calls to Jake.

TECHNICIAN:

Ask him if it's on?

JAKE:

Cameron?

He whirls to see Jake staring at him. His hand darts to the

ignition key, the engine roars to life.

JAKE (CONT'D)

(startled)

Hey, they wanna know is the CAMERA

ON?

Cameron realizes his error, but it's too late, he's in a panic. In

his mind, he's given himself away. The road ahead is clear -- GO!

He jams the car in gear and slams the accelerator to the floor. The

Duesenberg leaps forward, screeching wildly. In its wake -- chaos.

Everyone running, yelling...

CHUCK:

(yelling)

That crazy bastard! Who cued him?

A.D.

194

195

- 148

Not me!

ELI:

(cold; urgent)

Roll! Roll the film! Move your

asses -- I want that shot!

At their master's voice, they leap.

A.D.

(screams)

End markers!

SOUND MAN:

(shouts)

Speed!

INT. DUESENBERG

Speed. The needle hits sixty-five -- seventy -- climbing fast.

Cameron grips the wheel, looking at that empty road. An involuntary

shout swells up and escapes his mouth.

CAMERON:

(exultantly)

Yahooo!

(toward Nina in the

trunk)

Hang on to everything, baby, we're

on our way! You okay?

The needle hits eighty -- eighty-five. Ahead, the bridge is rushing

toward us. Now the arches of the stone railing are strobing past.

Through them, he sees the black river which he has escaped.

Triumphantly, his hand rises, middle finger extended. Suddenly the

red camera light goes on, the underwater camera behind him begins

whirring. He moves his finger behind him for a perfect close-up,

(recalling that moment in the tower):

CAMERON:

(screaming)

Shoot this, Eli!

The center of the bridge is an instant away, an approaching blur.

EXT. ROADSIDE - ANGLE ON TECHNICIAN

Crouching -- tensely watching the chalk line on the road as the

Duesenberg flashes past. His finger presses a button.

INSERT - FRONT WHEEL OF DUESENBERG

- 149 -

Blam! The whole front wheel of the car is blown off by an explosive

charge.

196

ANOTHER ANGLE:

The Duesenberg drops on one axle. Metal screams against stone, as

though it were Cameron himself, screaming. Skidding, spinning,

tearing through the papier-mache railing, plunging out of control

into space, where it hovers for a brief instant and arcs downward

like a dying bird.

197

INT. DUESENBERG - CLOSE ON CAMERON

A cry of such anguish and despair.

CAMERON:

(screaming)

Ninaaa-a-a-a-a-!!!

198

INT. DUESENBERG - WIDE ANGLE PAST CAMERON THROUGH WINDSHIELD

The river rushes up and the car smashes into it with a deafening,

shattering roar, plunging beneath the surface to a dark and

soundless world -- except for a tiny red light, the whir of a camera

and Cameron's desperate cries. Tearing his seatbelt off he flings

himself toward the rear of the car, clawing at the back seat to

reach Nina. Incredibly, there is sunlight again as the car is

buoyed to the surface. There, again, is the living world - the

road, the trees. In that brief instant, through the rear window,

Cameron has a wild, tilted glimpse of a pink pinafore --Nina,

standing by the rail looking down, Eli beside her. The car noses

downward, water rising swiftly over the rear window. The last image

on Cameron's retina is that wild, eager, little-girl excitement on

Nina's face. Then he's alone again, entombed in the darkening water

as the car plunges toward the bottom.

Cameron sits, immobilized at the realization that his betrayal is

total. Everyone, even Nina, has conspired to bring him to this -red

light glowing, camera whirring, to capture the moment of his

death.

199

200

201

- 150

Outrage galvanizes him to action. He reaches for the door handles,

to rip them open -- they snap off in his hands. Now there is a

rumbling and rending of metal as the roof begins to implode,

crushing down toward him. Under the immense pressure, the rear

window bursts inward, the river rushing in a wild torrent. The

memory of Chuck's voice..."the windows." He lowers the front window

slowly. The water now pours in faster. The level has risen to his

chin. He gasps a final breath and the water rises over his head.

Still the red light burns. He reaches beneath the seat for the

oxygen cylinder and tries to pull it loose. It won't move. The

impact of the car hitting the water has bent the seat frame. His

groping hand finds the hose, the oxygen mask. A hope. Though every

second is robbing his chance for life, his movements under water are

as in slow motion. Pulling the mask to his face, he takes an eager

breath and chokes as water fills his mouth. The rubber tube has

broken loose from the cylinder and is floating free -- as it must

have with Burt. Pressure of the onrushing water has stopped as the

water reaches the roof. For a moment there is a strange stillness

which Cameron, his lungs bursting, swims through, out the window and

toward the surface.

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