The White Angel Page #9

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72 CONTINUED (2):

STECKLER (CONT'D)

my car (-) I stopped working from my

car. (Pause) She could have stopped me

you know - If she really wanted too.

That is the difference between the

confusion of humanity and the purity of

the beast - If a dog attacked you - you

could easily kill it without any damage

to yourself - Why then do people get

bitten by dogs - savaged? Why?

CARTER:

I don't know

STECKLER:

Because a dog will attack with a

ferocity and force that we poses, but

centuries of social contamination has

run it out of us - that is what sets us

aside from the purity of the

beasts...Society is rotting - men who

once were strong and kept everything

working are getting soft - women are

making them soft - by the time a pretty

girl has reached twenty - she has had

three lifetimes worth of fun and

attention- so she doesn't deserve any

more -

CARTER:

Didn't DEBBIE deserve anymore?

STECKLER:

No she didn't...

CARTER:

What did you do with her?

STECKLER:

You know everyone accuses me of being

sick - the press, the TV - but I'm not

you know - they are - I don't watch it

for entertainment every night - I don't

sit and watch it whilst eating my dinner

- they all say, how could he cut her up?

She was dead - I can't hurt something

dead - And all this whilst they slobber

down their processed beef burgers by the

dozen - I couldn't eat one of those

burgers, you don't know what has gone in

them! (wry smile)

72 CONTINUED (3):

There is a long pause -

CARTER:

The press think that the WHITE ANGEL is

a woman - why is that? Do you dress up

LESLIE?

STECKLER:

(Awkward) I don't want to talk about it

-

CARTER:

OK, the press call you the WHITE ANGLE

because you only kill girls wearing

white - why white - white clothes,

blonde hair...

STECKLER:

I don't know...

CARTER:

Is 'their' colour an expression of their

inner self? By that I mean, extroverts

wear bright colours - so what are people

who wear white?

STECKLER:

(To CARTER) I don't know...

CARTER:

Is white an expression of innocence? Do

you crave innocence LESLIE?

STECKLER:

(-) Let me ask you, why do you wear

black ELLEN CARTER? What are you running

from?

CARTER is indeed wearing black - there is a long pause as STECKLER

stares CARTER out - even though he can't quite see her.

CARTER:

Do you feel sorry for the girls you have

killed

STECKLER:

Why should I feel sorry - they're dead.

73 EXT NIGHT ROADWAY/CAR - The white lines of the road streak silently by.

CARTER sits silently in the car with STECKLER as they drive into the

night. Passing car headlights dance on CARTERs face - they say nothing

to one another - there is a sombre quiet

74 EXT HOUSE NIGHT - STECKLER pulls up in front of a house -

75 EXT DAY NIGHT - The door to the house opens. STECKLER and CARTER stand

in the doorway...

The man in the doorway looks puzzled, he obviously doesn't know CARTER

or STECKLER.

STECKLER:

Hello - is ANNIE in?

The man tenses up...

GRAHAM:

Are you a journalist?

STECKLER:

No - I'm an old friend of ANNIE'S - I

haven't seen her for years - You must be

GRAHAM? Is there something wrong?

The man seems to literally deflate.

GRAHAM:

I'm sorry - I've been hounded by the

press - ANNIE died over a year ago.

76 INT NIGHT GRAHAM'S LIVING ROOM - The room is cosy and dark, a log fire

burning in the background. We pan along a series of pictures, some with

Graham and a woman (Presumably ANNIE), some of just the woman on her

own. She is pretty with long flowing hair.

STECKLER and CARTER are sat on the settee together. GRAHAM walks into

shot with a glass of brandy for STECKLER...

GRAHAM:

(To CARTER) Are you sure you don't want

a glass?

CARTER:

(Politely) No - thank you

(CONTINUED)

76 CONTINUED:

GRAHAM sits down - a log fire burning brightly. He smiles - it's good

to have guests for a change - especially nice people.

GRAHAM:

So did you know her well? She never

mentioned you to me

STECKLER:

Not really (Embarrassed) We had a bit of

a crush on each other - Purely innocent

I assure you - but she was fun - did she

ever tell you about her nick name -

SMUDGY?

GRAHAM:

SMUDGY? No...

STECKLER:

Yes, everyone used to tease her about

that birth mark - you know the one she

had on her...

STECKLER points to his rear...

GRAHAM:

(Smiling) I'm surprised you know about

that - she wouldn't ever show anyone it

STECKLER turns to CARTER looking her right in the eye...

STECKLER:

Oh we got in a little tussle once - and

that's when I saw it

CARTER is BEGINNING to look a little uncomfortable.

STECKLER:

So if you don't mind me asking - how did

it happen

GRAHAM takes a deep breath - it's been a long time since has told

anyone about this

GRAHAM:

Well - she was out late one night - just

went down to the newsagent for some

cigarettes - and she didn't come back...

(CONTINUED)

76 CONTINUED (2):

STECKLER watches CARTER...

We stay on CARTERS face for the entire monologue - the glow of the fire

dances on her face...

GRAHAM:

Three days later some kids found her in

some bushes (Gets very difficult to

talk) - she had been...She had been...

they said she died instantly...But I

don't know how long she had to suffer

before that bastard killed her...

CARTER is almost in tears

GRAHAM:

The worst thing was I had to go down and

identify her - she was so small and pale

-

We cut back to GRAHAM.

GRAHAM:

How can any human being do that to

another?

CARTER doesn't have a clue.

77 INT CAR NIGHT - CARTER sits silently as STECKLER drives.

Suddenly a figure can be seen in the roadway - a hitcher, a girl with

blonde hair, cut off jeans and long legs -

STECKLER slows down to stop - CARTER is about to violently object - but

STECKLER speeds on before she can say anything. He looks over to CARTER

with a wry smile.

CARTER is wide eyed and shocked...

78 EXT DAY 66 ACACIA AVENUE - STECKLERS car pulls into the driveway and

halts. CARTER and STECKLER clamber for it, running from the rain that

pelts down. They approach the house and enter.

Slowly we move backwards to reveal INSPECTOR TAYLOR sat in his car with

a thermos flask and the infamous doughnut. He watches them intently....

79 INT NIGHT CARTERS ROOM - CARTER drowsily tosses and turns. She glances

at her clock. Its 3.30

80 INT DAY HALLWAY - STECKLER stands in the hallway, fixing his tie. He is

very smart. He examines a piece of paper which is headed "SHOSTERS BANK

OF CREDIT" - he glances down at the letter - "appointment at 10am..."

STECKLER glances at his watch and turns decidedly to the door.

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