The Stunt Man Page #8

SAM:

What do you wanna do, Eli?...

They're all waiting.

While Sam talks, Eli takes a fistful of sand and pours it in Sam's

shoe. Suddenly noticing, Sam yanks his foot away.

SAM (CONT'D)

(irritated)

Being childish isn't going to help

your movie...You know, there's

nothing wrong with the story.

(removing his shoe and

shaking the sand out)

The real problem is since I wrote

this thing two years ago, you've had

Watergate, the energy crisis,

Women's Lib, the economy is down the

tubes...You want to talk about

burning issues?...There's arsenic in

the glue on the back of food stamps!

That's why you don't like the

"madhouse scene." Your goddamn war

story has lost its relevance.

ELI:

Don't be negative, Sam. We can

start a new one in time for the

preview.

- 39

Sam has finished replacing his shoe and Eli pours a fistful of sand

into Sam's other shoe.

SAM:

Cut it out, will ya?

INT. HOTEL DINING ROOM - THAT NIGHT

Eli is at the head of a long table, CAMERA PULLING BACK TO REVEAL a

dozen members of the company dining with him. Nina sits beside Eli

listening with rapt attention to Sam's monologue, her dessert fork

sensuously lingers at her lip.

SAM:

Two years ago you were all charged

up to make a great big anti-war

statement and they wouldn't let you.

Now they let you, but you haven't

got a war. What you've got is egg

on your face because Vietnam's long

gone and it's too late!

ELI:

Our picture's not about fighting

wars...

SAM:

Oh?

ELI:

...It's about fighting windmills.

The truth in Eli's statement registers on Sam. Cameron sits farther

down the table, watching Nina watch Eli...and wishing she were

watching him.

ELI:

War isn't the disease...It's only

one of the symptoms.

SAM:

(hooked)

What's the disease?

- 40

ELI:

That's the big question, Sam. Name

the disease and you've licked the

screenplay.

(indicating Cameron)

Ask him. 'Cause he knows what the

film is about. Right Lucky? Tell

'em...How'd you like Vietnam?

CAMERON:

How'd you like bubonic plague?

ELI:

You drafted?

CAMERON:

No.

ELI:

See, Sam? Here's another one who

hates war...but he enlisted.

(to Cameron)

You fought in Vietnam for two years?

...I mean actually were out there

killing people...

CAMERON:

...Hey, I didn't kill that many

people...

ELI:

Don't be modest, Lucky. Everybody

digs a little violence...What was

that you said on the beach?

Cameron is starting to bristle at Eli's needling, particularly with

Nina watching.

CAMERON:

About what?

ELI:

About getting home for Thanksgiving?

CAMERON:

(tentatively)

...that you better figure the guy

coming at you is trying to kill

you...?

ELI:

- 41

Yeah. See, Sam?...That's what the

disease is about...being scared

shitless. Inventing enemies.

Whistling in the dark. I wish you'd

talk to the kid, Sam, I mean it.

You know, really, you guys should

room together.

SAM:

(getting the last word)

Hey, Lucky, give me your cot by the

window and I'll let you read a great

madhouse sequence.

They all laugh.

SAM:

(surrendering)

All right, Eli. I'll write you

another scene. What difference does

it make? The studio will cut it all

out anyway and what you got left is

a lot of swell battle scenes, which,

when I was back there they said were

"just terrific."

ELI:

(simply)

No, they won't.

SAM:

Yeah, what makes you different?

ELI:

(quietly)

Because they know if they cut my

picture, I'll kill 'em.

The deadly in Eli's voice was more than intended and there is

suddenly an awkward silence at the table. Cameron eyes Eli with a

wry smile.

CAMERON:

You mean, bang? Kill 'em, just like

that?

- 42

ELI:

(matter of fact)

No. I'll kill 'em and eat 'em...I

hate to waste anything.

SAM:

(laughs)

They call him "Eli the Terrible..."

ELI:

Sam, my picture is the only kid I've

got! If the studio said your

daughter, Jennifer, would look

better with her fingers chopped off,

what would you do?

SAM:

Being an insecure writer, I'd call

my agent...and get another opinion.

Everyone laughs.

Jake, the Chief of Police, is seen in the background approaching the

table. Cameron spots him and starts to rise.

CAMERON:

...If you'll excuse me...

JAKE:

(arriving)

Don't go away, Burt. I want you.

ELI:

(broad welcome)

Jake! Long time, no see. You taken

care of my problem with the beach?

JAKE:

I'm not talking to you.

(to Production Manager)

I understand you got that film out

of the Duesenberg...

ELI:

(cutting in)

It's at the lab, Jake.

- 43

JAKE:

I'm talking to this gentleman.

(to Production Manager)

We want to see it.

Cameron, realizing the film might disclose his presence on the

bridge, reacts with alarm, which increases as Eli says...

ELI:

Tell the Chief it's our pleasure.

Soon as it gets back...but ask him

why.

JAKE:

(choked up with its

importance)

You can tell your Mr. Cross this

inquiry comes from a source so high

it is not his to question...

(now at a loss for proper

words)

...it is his to do it, or else.

Someone they're looking for may have

been on that road when the car went

off.

(to Cameron)

Burt, you see anybody?

Then, suddenly noticing something different about Cameron's

appearance...

JAKE (CONT'D)

Hey, did you have red hair

before?...

CAMERON:

(indicating Denise)

She sprays it every day so I look

like Raymond...I didn't see a soul.

ELI:

(to the rescue)

Tell the Chief that Burt was so busy

being brilliant, he wouldn't have

noticed Jesus Christ walking on the

water.

Jake pulls a PHOTOGRAPH from a manila envelope and hands it to

Cameron.

INSERT PHOTOGRAPH

- 44

A wire photo, front and side views of Cameron, taken at his military

induction. War ages a man...he looks younger and quite different in

his GI Haircut.

ELI (V.O.)

Hey, Burt! You got it upside down.

The eyes go on top.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Cameron hands the photo back to the Chief, who passes it around the

table. Denise receives the photograph, studies it and glances up at

Cameron, expressionless. He returns her gaze.

JAKE (V.O.)

A couple of telephone linemen say

they saw him headed this way.

Eli takes the photograph.

ELI:

Looks like a nice clean-cut kid.

JAKE:

I know about fifty guys who don't

think so.

ELI:

What'd he do?

JAKE:

(to Production Manager,

ignoring Eli's question)

The minute that film gets here you

give me a call.

CAMERON:

(yawning and rising)

I don't know about those fifty guys,

but I know one weary guy who's gonna

crawl upstairs and hit the sack.

Eli looks at Cameron with grudging admiration.

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