The Stunt Man Page #4

A.D.

(softly)

Jesus Christ.

ELI:

Yeah, Jesus Christ.

A.D.

What do you want to do?

- 15

ELI:

I don't know...call my mother and

have her tell me it wasn't my

fault...

(desperately)

...What the hell could have

happened?

Their words are lost in the sound of the rotor as the chopper slowly

rises. The sudden WIND from its blades blows some screening off a

pile of equipment. It falls on the Little Old Lady who has been

approaching Eli and topples her into the surf. She is trapped in a

tangle of ancient skirts and petticoats. Before she can regain her

balance, a wave tumbles her further into the sea.

49 ANGLE INCLUDING CAMERON

Cameron, sitting on the edge of the pier over the water, has watched

this mini-disaster. The undertow from the wave has swept the Old

Lady directly beneath him. Reaching down toward her, he yells:

CAMERON:

Hey! Hey, give me your hand!

He can't quite reach her. As a last resort, he drops off the edge

into the water by her side.

50

ANGLE ON WATER:

He grabs for the struggling Old Lady.

CAMERON:

Don't be afraid! You're gonna be

okay.

Like groping through seaweed, he reaches past her tangled skirts,

grasps her waist and lifts her to keep her head above water. She is

choking, gasping for air. She turns her face toward him.

51

CAMERON'S POV

Her features are distorted; they seem to be melting away. She frees

her hand and violently tears at her face, pulling away the RUBBER

MASK on which is the melting putty and make up. With it goes her

wig and what is left is a startlingly beautiful young girl.

- 16

CAMERON:

My God!

(choking on water)

You're...I know you...that girl from

TV...the actress. Nina...

NINA:

(sputtering)

...Franklin.

The sun glistens on the wet, wild young perfection of her face,

ingenuously sparkling laughter and for an instant it's breathtaking

-a universal boyhood fantasy to suddenly be thrown this close to

that kind of "movie star" beauty. It's something Cameron feels in

the pit of his stomach.

CAMERON:

My God!...Why the hell...?

NINA:

(laughing and choking)

...Makeup test...it's for the

film...

Regaining his composure enough to attempt flattery, but he means it.

CAMERON:

They gotta be crazy to cover that

face.

NINA:

(laughing)

I'm only old at the end of the

story.

As they are only in a few feet of water, there is no longer any

reason to hold her. He starts to put her down.

NINA:

No, don't do that. Rescue me!

CAMERON:

In three feet of water?

NINA:

Oh come on, please. I always wanted

someone to rescue me from

something...

Grinning, he carries her toward shore.

- 17

ANGLE ON BEACH:

Eli, surrounded by the crew and dozens of tourists, is standing at

the water's edge as Cameron wades in and sets Nina down.

ELI:

Nina! You damned near scared me to

death!

At the sight of Eli, she becomes like a little girl who, having

skinned her knee and run to daddy, now can allow herself to cry.

NINA:

Oh hell, it's all ruined now and I

wanted you to see the makeup, Eli.

Where were you?...I even got

Raymond's autograph and he didn't

know...You'd have been proud...

Nina is surrounded by people who are rubbing her with towels, taking

pictures, all shouting at once. The CROWD closes in, excluding

Cameron to the outskirts.

ELI:

(to the A.D.)

Get her into a tub, then bed...and I

want to see her in makeup and

costume again before dinner.

THREE CREWMEN hustle her off, as she searches the crowd for

Cameron...then spots him.

NINA:

Hey! Thank you! That was really

gallant...rescuing an old lady!

Cameron waves and starts to wander off as they whisk Nina away.

ANGLE ON ELI:

He moves toward Cameron.

ELI:

Wait a second! I want to thank you,

too!

As Eli trots up, Cameron tenses, finally facing this man who saw him

from the helicopter.

ELI (CONT'D)

- 18

Don't run away. What is that, a

habit with you?

CAMERON:

Yeah, I also smoke too much.

ELI:

You and Burt on the bridge...how

about telling me what happened?

Eli begins to stroll along the sand toward the pilings which support

the pier. Cameron hesitates, but Eli's manner compels him to

follow.

CAMERON:

I don't know. He must've gone

crazy. He tried to run me down.

ELI:

Oh?...Why would he do that?

CAMERON:

(flustered)

...I didn't ask him why! All I know

is he was comin' at me very fast.

(quoting an axiom spouted

by top sergeants in a

thousand boot camps)

'You want to get home for

Thanksgiving, you better figure the

guy comin' at you is tryin' to kill

you'...That's one thing I learned

from the gooks.

ELI:

Gooks?...That has a nostalgic

ring...

They have reached the pier. Eli stops, he is watching something

O.S.

ELI (CONT'D)

You guys really used to call them

gooks? I thought that was just Time

Magazine.

- 19

CAMERON:

That was 'Nam. What should I call

'em, WOPS? Nobody'd known what I

was talkin' about.

He turns to follow Eli's gaze.

54

CAMERON'S POV - POLICE CAR

A POLICE CAR has driven onto the beach. From it, THREE OFFICERS

have emerged. They are armed and efficient looking. The PRODUCTION

MANAGER moves to greet them. Eli takes Cameron's wrist and gently

pulls him back into the shadow of the pilings, (privately reacting

to the handcuff he feels beneath the shirt). JAKE, the Chief, is

irate enough to be clearly heard from this distance.

JAKE:

All right, this time you've had it!

Where is he?!

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chief, I'm glad you dropped by. Eli

says you gotta do something about

all these people on the beach.

JAKE:

(bellowing)

Thirty minutes is what you've got to

get your goddamn equipment off this

beach and out of town!...You tell

Eli Cross if your men are on the

streets after four o'clock, I'll

throw their ass in jail!

55

ANGLE ON ELI AND CAMERON

Eli squats down on his heels and leans back against a piling,

smiling up at Cameron.

ELI:

Speaking of jail...would you get

upset if I asked how many cops were

after you?

CAMERON:

(suddenly grim)

What are ya talkin' about?

- 20

ELI:

(off-hand)

Your I.D. bracelet...the look on

your face...the way you ran from the

bridge...

(with exaggerated delicacy)

I...don't suppose you want to tell

me what you did.

Cameron studies Eli, not knowing what to make of him.

CAMERON:

No...I don't.

ELI:

(brightly, with humor)

...Could I try categories?

Cameron half laughs despite himself.

ELI (CONT'D)

(glancing O.S.)

Ever done any stunt work?

CAMERON:

What?

ELI:

How'd you like to be a stunt man?

You look like you're in pretty good

shape, fast on your feet. You could

do it.

(getting to his feet)

Besides, You're not gonna have much

choice.

WIDER ANGLE:

Jake has spotted them and is approaching with his men and the

Production Manager. Eli puts his hand on Cameron's shoulder and

steps out into the sunlight.

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