The Stunt Man Page #6

CAMERON:

What are you sore about?

DENISE:

I'm not sore. Isn't that what you

wanted to know?

(with sarcasm)

...Or did you mean, what's the real

Nina Franklin like--without the

greasepaint and tinsel...

Moving to a pile of laundry heaped on the floor, she pokes around

with the toe of her shoe.

DENISE (CONT'D)

...You mean, what's she like -underneath?

Snaring a crumpled garment, she kicks it toward Cameron, who catches

it instinctively, then holds it up for inspection -- a pair of

(Nina's) lace panties. He grins, mildly embarrassed by the charade.

- 27

DENISE (CONT'D)

(moving toward him)

What do those say about the girl who

wears them? Shy? Delicate?

Sensitive?

She reaches for the panties, but instead takes his hand and yanks

sharply, pulling him off balance, falling back on the laundry pile

with Cameron on top of her, their faces inches apart; surprise on

his, amusement on hers.

DENISE (CONT'D)

(touching his hair)

Still wet...very wet.

Cameron is trying to remember: what was it Eli said? "Close your

eyes, relax and enjoy." Across the room the washing machines churn,

whirl and heave.

59

EXT. BEACH AREA

Eli and his crew are shooting a scene: a "pick-up" shot for the

explosion sequence we saw earlier. Eli and GABE, the cameraman, are

lying beside the camera. Before them, the "severed" arm protrudes

from the sand in which its owner is buried, out of sight.

ELI:

You sure he can breathe?

(a mumbling assent from

beneath the sand)

Where's Raymond?

(Raymond kneels beside

him)

Remember, you just crashed...you

were wandering the beach behind the

German lines looking for a place to

hide when you saw the explosion.

You're stunned by the carnage. That

bomb was dropped by a guy in your

squadron. Okay? Roll the film.

60

POV THRU CAMERA:

Through the CAMERA, WE SEE the 'arm' protruding from the sand. We

HEAR o.s. VOICES yelling: "Turning"... "speed"... "action." We see

the fingers begin to move spasmodically. Eli's voice yells: "Okay,

Raymond!"

Suddenly the fingers on the hand start to swell, bigger and

bigger...like a rubber glove filling with air...then BANG! BANG!

BANG! The (balloon-covered) fingers EXPLODE.

- 28

ANGLE ON BEACH:

Everyone has broken up with laughter at the prank, including Eli.

Gabe is patting Eli's face, Raymond squeezing his jaw affectionately

as one would a pet dog's.

RAYMOND:

(cackling)

Gotcha that time! Didn't we?

ELI:

(through his laughter)

Yeah, you got me another half-hour

behind.

Eli climbs to his feet as the laughter subsides. Cameron, now

wearing a uniform exactly like Raymond's, watches from the

sidelines.

RAYMOND:

(gently, grinning)

Thought the chief could use a little

cheering up today.

ELI:

(turning quiet and

serious)

...So you heard the news about

Burt...

RAYMOND:

(nodding)

Any more word?

ELI:

(bitterly)

Afraid not...there's no picture ever

made that's worth it.

RAYMOND:

(shaking his head)

I'll never understand why these guys

do it -- take the chances.

- 29

ELI:

(thoughtfully)

Don't know. Trying to beat the

system, I guess...we all know that

some day we're gonna die of nothing

more important than wrinkles...and

that makes us so scared and crazy,

we'll do anything. Go off

bridges...fight windmills...wars...

anything.

There is great sadness among them. Eli breaks the mood lightly.

ELI (CONT'D)

That's what our film's about -- or

didn't you know?

(sees Cameron)

Hey, Burt, come over here.

Cameron crosses to them. He and Raymond stand appraising each

other, red-haired men in identical uniforms. As Raymond offers his

hand:

RAYMOND:

(to Eli)

My new cock and balls?

ELI:

(quickly)

Not new...It's important not to let

that get around as yet. So, for the

time being, let's make like he's the

same guy.

(adding a touch of color)

But no longer known as "Bad-assed

Burt." Ever since his 'fortunate

rescue,'...we call him "Lucky."

EXT. CHURCHYARD - ANGLE ON CHUCK - LATER THAT DAY

CHUCK BARTON is a tall, rugged-looking man in his mid-thirties, the

Stunt Gaffer on Eli's film. A MESSENGER trots up and presents a

receipt book. Chuck sets down his stunt bag and signs it absently.

MESSENGER:

Your film from that camera in the

Duesenberg's on the way to the lab.

Put it on the plane with my own

little hands.

CHUCK:

- 30

When do we get it back?

MESSENGER:

Don't know. Stamped it "rush."

CHUCK:

If I stamp "rush" on my mare's ass,

she'll still take eleven months to

foal. Call the lab and find out

when!

(quietly)

I lost a man today. I wanna see

that footage and find out why.

As the Messenger leaves, Chuck strolls over to where Cameron stands

waiting, circles around him, sizing him up. Cameron is no longer

wearing the uniform, but now is in jeans and a work shirt.

CHUCK:

Done any stunt work?

CAMERON:

Not really.

CHUCK:

Not really? You have or you

haven't?

CAMERON:

(good-naturedly)

I got out of Vietnam in one piece.

Let me tell you that wasn't a bad

stunt.

CHUCK:

(skeptically)

That's ancient history.

CAMERON:

Seems like yesterday.

CHUCK:

(pointing at church

steeple)

Could you jump from that tower to

the that roof?

- 31

ANGLE ON CAMERON (AND STEEPLE)

Gauging the fifteen-foot gap between the CHURCH STEEPLE and the roof

of the nearby MUNICIPAL BUILDING. He unconsciously grimaces at the

four-story drop between them.

CAMERON:

(being glib)

Once, to save my ass, I jumped out

of a banana tree into an oxcart full

of buffalo sh*t. Does that count?

CHUCK:

We'll see. Put these on.

He throws Cameron some knee pads from his stunt bag and begins

marking off two lines on the bare earth between the gravestones in

the churchyard.

CAMERON:

(puzzled by the pads)

Where do they go?

CHUCK:

(tapping his knee)

Under the pants.

(pointing to lines he has

drawn)

I want you to jump from here...to

there.

Cameron hops up to the starting line, finishing with the knee pads

clumsily, surveys the distance of not more than seven feet.

CAMERON:

Okie-dokie.

Makes a casual jump, landing on the line and looking at Chuck for

approval.

CHUCK:

Very good. Except you're dead!!

Your brains are scattered all over

the goddamn pavement. You landed on

the edge and fell backwards four

stories. Where do we send the body?

- 32

CAMERON:

(returns to the starting

line)

Don't bury me yet.

He takes a running start and leaps hard. While he's still in midair,

Chuck yells.

CHUCK:

You're still dead! You fell over

the other side of the building.

Cameron has landed three beyond the mark and looks up at Chuck a bit

shaken.

CHUCK (CONT'D)

You wanna try it right, once? You

should land in a tuck-and-roll.

CAMERON:

Show me, sergeant.

Chuck launches himself head-first. His hands touch the ground just

beyond the second mark to break his fall, easing him into a shoulder

roll, he somersaults to his feet.

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