Message #40725

[Creighton]

TITLE:
 
    "The man sitting facing us
   is Roger Balfour!"
 
BACK TO SCENE: Burke looks at him searchingly for a moment,
then off toward the house. Sir James follows his gaze,
fascinated.
 
131
INT. UPPER ROOM  (NIGHT)  CLOSEUP
The Stranger, as he grows more tense, listening now as
though he were certain he heard something.

132
EXT. UPPER BRANCHES  (NIGHT)  CLOSE SHOT
Sir James and Burke.  Sir James is in such a state of
nervous excitement now that when he pantomimes: "Let's get
down out of here." Burke nods assent. Sir James starts down.
Burke turns and looks off again toward the house. Then
starts down after him.
 
133
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  CLOSE SHOT
Under the tree, as Sir James lets himself to the ground,
Burke following. Sir James starts immediately for the gate.
Burke stops a moment, then follows.
 
134
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  CLOSE SHOT
At gate, as Sir James waits nervously looking off toward the
house. Burke comes softly in:

TITLE:
 
   "That was Lucy's father. He
   shot himself in that house
   five years ago!"
 
BACK TO SCENE: Burke frowns, shaking his head slowly, still
the doubter, as though it couldn't be. Sir James, in a
terrible state of mind, insists:

TITLE:
 
    "Did you see the bullet
   hole in his temple?"

135
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE (NIGHT)  CLOSE UP
Sir James as he finishes title, a fever amounting almost to
a mania, in his eyes.

136
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  CLOSE UP
Burke profoundly thoughtful says, "Yes," then--
 
TITLE:
 
    "Frankly, Sir James, I am
   baffled."
 
            CUT FROM TITLE TO:
 
137
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  CLOSE SHOT
Both, as Burke finishes title, Sir James urges him in
whispered pantomime to come away from the accursed place.
Burke looks off toward the house, then says:
 
TITLE:
 
   "There is nothing we can do
   but take every precaution --
   and wait."
 
BACK TO SCENE: They start out.

138
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  LONG SHOT
The two men go out over the sideline. As soon as they have
gone, the figure of the Stranger who was identified as
Lucy's father, appears at an upstairs window. The long shot
is weird, ghostly. The Stranger opens the broken window,
peering out into the night.
 
139
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  (NIGHT)  CLOSE UP
At window as the Stranger opens the window, peering out. He
calls softly:
 
TITLE:
 
   "Lucy....Lucy!"

BACK TO SCENE: He finishes title, looking out as if he
expected to see her.
 
140
INT. LUCY'S ROOM  (NIGHT)  MEDIUM SHOT
Hibbs and Lucy as he gets a comforter and a blanket and
brings it down to her in her easy chair and leans over with
it, starting to wrap it around her.
 
141
INT. LUCY'S ROOM  (NIGHT)  CLOSE UP
Hibbs and Lucy as he wraps the blanket around her, telling
her:

TITLE:
 
    "There won't be much sleep
   in this house tonight."
 
BACK TO SCENE: He sits down beside her as though to watch
over her should she fall asleep.
 
             FADE OUT.

TITLE:
 
   Morning
 
142
FADE IN
EXT. BALFOUR HOUSE  LONG SHOT  DAY
The old house, for the first time in the light of day.
There is no sign of life about it; and somehow with its
ruined garden and its broken windows, it is even more
desolate than at night.
 
            LAP DISSOLVE INTO:

INT. BALFOUR HOUSE   FULL SHOT
Downstairs room. Sir James and Burke are coming down the
stairs, slowly looking about them. They reach the foot of
the stairs and stop.
 
            LAP DISSOLVE INTO:
 
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE  CLOSE SHOT
Burke and Sir James, as Burke says to him:

TITLE:
 
   "Empty, every room -- empty."
 
BACK TO SCENE: Sir James looks off around the great room.
His gaze lifts toward the ceiling. He gives a start as he
sees:
 
INSERT:
 
    Five bats huddled together,
   clinging to the ceiling, asleep.
 
BACK TO SCENE: Sir James points. Burke looks. Then the two
men look at each other. Then Burke says quickly:
 
TITLE:
 
   "I know what you're thinking --
   don't say it."

BACK TO SCENE: Burke looks off around the room,
speculatively. Then he turns to Sir James and says:

TITLE:
 
   "This is the room in which Roger
   Balfour committed suicide?"

BACK TO SCENE: Sir James tells him that it is. Burke asks:
 
TITLE:
 
   "Where was the body found?"
 
         CUT FROM TITLE TO:
 
143
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE   SEMI FULL SHOT
Burke finishes question. Sir James steps over to a table,
turns a chair a little to put it into the position in which
the body was found, then indicates a position on the floor,
as though the body has slouched out from the chair to the
floor. Burke comes over to him.

144
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE   CLOSE SHOT
Sir James as Burke comes into him. Burke looks down at the
table, the chair, studying. Then he looks up and says:

TITLE:
 
    "I want you to tell me all
   you know about the circumstances."
 
BACK TO SCENE: Sir James nods willingly. He says:

TITLE:
 
   "I came to see Roger Balfour earlier
   in that evening. It was about 8:30.
   I came in that door--"
 
            CUT FROM TITLE TO
 
145
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE  SEMI FULL SHOT
Sir James, finishing title, crosses and indicates a side
door. He goes on telling the story of his visit, Burke
listening intently. Sir James crosses to the table, Burke
following.
 
146
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE  CLOSE SHOT
At table, as Sir James indicates a chair at the end of the
table, saying:

TITLE:
 
   "Miss Lucy was here when I
   called. She was about
   thirteen -- hair down her
   back, a beautiful child--"
 
BACK TO SCENE: Sir James sighs a little at the recollection.
 
147
EXT. HAMLIN GARDEN (DAY) LONG SHOT
Lucy and Hibbs coming into the garden. They go over to a
pretty spot in the garden and Lucy sits down. Hibbs stands
looking at her.
 
148
INT. BALFOUR HOUSE  SEMI FULL SHOT
Sir James is finishing his story. Burke thanks him, looks
at his watch and they exit.

149
EXT. HAMLIN GARDEN  CLOSE SHOT
Hibbs and Lucy as he looks at her long and fondly, then
says:
 
TITLE:

   "I want the right to protect
   you, Lucy--"