The Truman Show Page #14

Safely on the other side of the street, he stands in front of

the window of an electronics store. He watches a local TV

news show covering the Santa Maria replica moored near Pier 13.

However Truman is forced to look away when he glimpses his own

face on another TV taking a feed from a camcorder aimed out the

store window. He shudders at his video reflection.

INT. DIMLY-LIT ROOM SOMEWHERE. DAY.

TRUMAN'S face stares out from a televison monitor. We slowly

pull back to reveal that other smaller monitors surround the

first until we find ourselves staring at a video wall in a room

the size of a football field.

The curved bank of monitors, suspended by cables from the

ceiling, gives the appearance of a giant patch-work mobile.

Investigating the screens we discover surveillance pictures from

all over New York City, covering every facet of Truman's life.

Camera angles from the interior of Truman's house, his backyard,

car, subway station, office, the deli he frequents, the seashore

to which he is drawn, the park he visits with Veronica, the

abandoned freeway where he golfs with Marlon, many of the

locations strangely devoid of people.

Beneath the video wall is a state-of-the-art mixing desk, its

illuminated buttons glowing brightly in the gloom. Facing the

desk, several OPERATORS in high-backed, high-tech swivel chairs,

wearing the slimmest of headsets. SIMEON, a meticulous young

man with a penetrating gaze, sits directly in front of the

largest of the monitors, co-ordinating camera angles.

CHRISTOF stands over Simeon's shoulder, staring intently at the

live picture of Truman now seated at a streetside cafe,

continuing to inspect his surroundings. CHLOE hovers in the

background.

There is an uncomfortable silence in the control room as the

production crew feel themselves under scrutiny for the first

time. Christof leans forward and talks soothingly into a

microphone on the control panel.

CHRISTOF:

...Everybody stay focused...remember who

you are...

EXT. STREETSIDE CAFE, LITTLE ITALY. DAY.

TRUMAN sits alone at the table, still looking for a false move.

A DELIVERY MAN unloads boxes from the back of his truck and

carries them into a Restaurant Supply store. Further down the

street CONSTRUCTION WORKERS take their time tending to an

electrical repair in an exposed manhole. A POSTAL WORKER does

his rounds. An OLD WOMAN struggles with two heavy shopping

bags. Everybody appears natural, places to go.

Truman turns his attention to a group of ITALIAN-LOOKING MEN

at the only other occupied table at the cafe. We see extreme

close-ups as Truman scans the men's faces for any sign of

phoniness. They are talking loudly, making suggestive comments

to the WAITRESS and generally showing off like schoolboys.

Their behavior passes the test, all seems genuine.

Truman idly regards his three-stone wedding ring with which he

has been fidgeting.

INT. CONTROL ROOM. DAY.

The on-air monitor shows TRUMAN from the ring's POV, revealing

that the small center diamond contains a miniature, hidden

camera. Truman suspects nothing.

He looks up to find two well-to-do 3OGGERS, out for a lunchtime

run, making their way down the street towards the cafe. Truman

happens to glance at the sneakers of one of the joggers. He

springs to his feet and blocks the joggers' path.

CHRISTOF:

(staring at the monitor)

Damn!

Unseen by Christof, his Assistant Director, Simeon takes a

moment of pleasure from the older man's distress.

EXT. STREETSIDE CAFE, LITTLE ITALY. DAY.

TRUMAN:

(to the jogger with

the familiar sneakers)

Small world.

JOGGER 1

(attempting to sidestep Truman)

Excuse me.

Truman blocks the man a second time.

TRUMAN:

You don't remember? Two days ago I gave you

my meatball sandwich in the park. You were

in a wheelchair. Same sneakers.

An almost subliminal flashback appears in Truman's head

confirming that the JOGGER and the HOMELESS MAN in the

wheelchair two days earlier are one and the same.

TRUMAN:

(commenting ironically on his

new-found mobility)

A miracle!

JOGGER 2

(coming to his companion's aid)

Get the hell outta here.

The second jogger pushes Truman back against the cafe table

causing him to stumble.

EXT. WAREHOUSE - MARLON'S WORK. DAY.

MARLON is loading boxes of candy into the back of his van.

TRUMAN hurries up to him.

TRUMAN:

Marlon. I've gotta talk to you.

MARLON:

(surprised)

Truman! Sorry, I'm up against it today.

TRUMAN:

I've fallen over something, Marlon.

Something to do with my Dad. I think.

MARLON:

(looking at him for the first time)

Are you okay? You look like sh*t.

TRUMAN:

(ignoring the inquiries

about his health)

It's big, Marlon. You wouldn't believe

who's in on it.

MARLON:

(distracted)

In on what?

TRUMAN:

There's no point trying to show you, they cover

their tracks too well. But I've been going

into a lotta strange buildings, seeing a lotta

familiar faces, y'know what I mean?

MARLON:

(still engrossed in his own problems)

Something's definitely in the air. My last

delivery, a kid got crushed to death.

tilting a vending machine. They won't even

let me take the rest of the day off.

TRUMAN:

Do it, anyway.

Marlon scoffs at the suggestion then realizes Truman isn't

joking.

TRUMAN:

I'm deadly serious. Marlon. We can't talk

here. I'm being followed.

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