Vertigo Page #24

JUDY:

Ah, Scottie... I do have you, now...

He raises his arms as though to embrace her, moves his hands

to her shoulders, and one senses for a moment that he is

going to press her too hard or that he may move his hands to

her throat. But then he lays his hands gently on her back,

and closes his eyes wearily, and rests his head on the top

of hers.

SCOTTIE:

(Softly)

How would you like to go somewhere

out of town for dinner? Drive down

the peninsula, somewhere?

She moves her head, and he raises his and opens his eyes,

and she smiles up at him.

JUDY:

All right, if you'd like.

She reaches up and kisses him briefly on the mouth. He smiles

a small, enigmatic smile.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT:
HIGHWAY 101 - (NIGHT) - LONG SHOT

Scottie's car headed south, in brilliant moonlight.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT)

Scottie at the wheel, Judy alongside. She glances at him,

wondering.

JUDY:

We're going awfully far.

SCOTTIE:

I feel like driving. Are you terrible

hungry?

JUDY:

No, it's all right.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. HIGHWAY 101 - (NIGHT)

Scottie's car enters the avenue of tall trees we saw once

before along this road. They look sinister in the moonlight.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT)

Shooting forward, we are as though in the front seat of

Scottie's car, traveling fast, looking up and ahead to the

distant end of the tunnel, and the tall trees flashing by.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT)

Scottie is staring straight ahead, concentrating on his

driving. Judy is staring up at the tall trees, wondering,

her brow furrowed. Her memory is stirred, but she can't think

why.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT)

Shooting forward and up through the windshield. The tops of

the tall trees flashing past. Judy's face, highlighted from

the dash lights below, faintly reflected.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT) - CLOSE SHOT

Judy turns her gaze from the flashing tree tops and looks

off at Scottie.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT) - CLOSE SHOT

Scottie, still concentrating on his driving, and looking

straight ahead.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT)

Judy looking at Scottie, puzzled and slightly apprehensive.

JUDY:

Where are you going?

SCOTTIE:

(wryly)

To complete my cure.

He glances at her and smiles nicely.

SCOTTIE:

One final thing I have to do, and

then I'll be rid of the past, forever.

He looks ahead thoughtfully.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT:
MISSION SAN BAUTISTA - (NIGHT) - LONG HIGH SHOT

Quiet, empty, sinister, bathed in moonlight. Far below we

see Scottie's car crawl into the square and pass along the

road around the green and come to a stop near the entrance

to the church. A distant church clock chimes the half-hour.

INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (MOONLIGHT) - CLOSE SHOT

Judy's face, rigid, frightened, her eyes filled with

apprehension. Then, with an effort, she composes herself and

glances at Scottie with calm questioning. But he is turned

away from her, opening his door to get out.

EXT. SAN JUAN BAUTISTA - (NIGHT)

Scottie comes around the car and opens Judy's door.

JUDY:

Scottie, why are we here?

SCOTTIE:

I told you. I have to go back into

the past. Once more. For the last

time.

JUDY:

But why? Why here?

SCOTTIE:

Madeleine died here.

Pause.

He holds out his hand. She shrinks, frightened.

JUDY:

No, I don't want to go. I want to

stay here.

SCOTTIE:

I need you.

JUDY:

Why?

SCOTTIE:

I can't do it alone. I need you, to

be Madeleine for a while. Then, when

it's done, we'll both be free.

He draws her out of the car.

JUDY:

I'm scared.

SCOTTIE:

So am I, But it has to be done. I

have to tell you about Madeleine,

now.

He closes the car door and leads her slightly away, and they

stop and look across the green toward the Livery Stable.

SCOTTIE:

There...

He points to the Livery Stable, bathed in moonlight.

SCOTTIE:

...We stood there and I kissed her

for the last time. And she said, "If

lose me, you'll know that I loved

you --

JUDY:

(Pleading)

Scottie --

SCOTTIE:

(Going right on)

-- and wanted to go on loving you."

And I said, "I won't lose you."

(pause)

But I did.

He turns slowly, and Judy with him, and he looks up. Her

eyes follow his.

FROM THEIR ANGLE

The high church tower in the moonlight.

SCOTTIE'S VOICE

She turned and ran... into the

Church...

SCOTTIE AND JUDY

He puts his arm around her protectively but firmly, and begins

to impel her gently to the church.

EXT. CHURCH, SAN JUAN BAUTISTA - (MOONLIGHT)

SHOOTING from the door. Scottie impels Judy to the door.

SCOTTIE:

...And when I followed her, it was

too late...

The CAMERA PULLS AROUND as his tree hand goes to try the

door.

JUDY:

(Frightened)

I don't want to go in there!

Scottie pushes the door open.

SCOTTIE:

...too late...

He pushes her into the church with gentle firmness.

INT. CHURCH, SAN JUAN BAUTISTA - (NIGHT)

The darkness is relieved by shafts of moonlight. Scottie

impels Judy toward the foot of the tower.

SCOTTIE:

I couldn't find her. Then I heard

her footsteps on the stairs, she was

running up the tower.

INT. CHURCH TOWER - (NIGHT)

It is lit by shafts of moonlight through the slit window.

Scottie comes into the area holding Judy. He looks up.

FROM SCOTTIE'S ANGLE:

the open stairway spiraling upward.

SCOTTIE'S VOICE

She ran up those stairs... and through

the door at the top of the tower,

and locked it behind her. Then she

jumped.

BACK TO SCOTTIE AND JUDY

He is still staring up. Judy is rigid with fright and the

memory of that moment.

SCOTTIE:

And I couldn't follow her.

(He closes his eyes

in the agony of

remembering)

God knows I tried.

(He glances down)

One doesn't often get a second chance.

I want to stop being haunted. You're

my second chances, Judy.

JUDY:

(A frightened whisper)

Take me away...

SCOTTIE:

You look like Madeleine, now. Go up

the stairs.

JUDY:

No!

SCOTTIE:

Go up the stairs, Judy.

(Pushing her to the

step)

I'll follow.

She starts up slowly, unwillingly. Scottie follows behind

her, fighting to keep the impending vertigo under control,

trying to keep his eyes fixed on her back to avoid looking

up into space. They move up in silence, and in shadow, their

faces occasionally lit by the shafts of moonlight that stream

through the open arches of the tower. Judy's eyes are wide

and staring; her face and body are stiff with the struggle

to keep from breaking under the strain of remembering the

last time she went up these stairs. And Scottie fights his

way up behind her.

Judy slows down and comes to a halt at the landing that

Scottie barely reached the last time, at the moment of death.

She leans her back against the wall for support. Scottie

struggles up and comes to a halt near her.

PAUSE, as he gathers himself for the last assault.

SCOTTIE:

(Quietly)

This was as far as I could get. But

you went on. Remember?

She stiffens and stares at him.

SCOTTIE:

The necklace, Madeleine. That was

the slip. I remembered the necklace.

A moment, then suddenly she ducks and tries to run past him,

down the stairs. He grabs her wrist and holds on.

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