Moonlight Songtext - The Piano Guys

Moonlight - The Piano Guys

SUNSET BOULEVARD



Charles Brackett

Billy Wilder

D.M. Marshman, Jr.


March 21,1949




SEQUENCE "A"



A-l-4 START the picture with the actual street sign:

SUNSET BOULEVARD, stencilled on a curbstope.

In the gutter lie dead leaves, scraps of paper,

burnt matches and cigarette butts. It is early

morning.


Now the CAMERA leaves the sign and MOVES EAST, the

grey asphalt of the street filling the screen. As

speed accelerates to around 40 m.p.h., traffic de-

marcations, white arrows, speed-limit warnings, man-

hole covers, etc., flash by. SUPERIMPOSED on all

this are the CREDIT TITLES, in the stencilled style

of the street sign.


Over the scene we now hear MAN'S VOICE

sirens. Police squad cars Yes, this is Sunset

hurtle toward the camera, Boulevard, Los Angeles,

turn off the road into a California. It's about

driveway with squealing five o'clock in the

brakes. Dismounted motor- morning. That's the

cycle cops stand directing Homicide Squad, com-

the cars in. plete with detectives

and newspaper men.

A-5 PATIO AND POOL OF A murder has been re-

MANSION ported from one of those

great big houses in the

The policemen and news- ten thousand block.

paper reporters and You'll read all about

photographers have it in the late editions,

jumped out of the cars I'm sure. You'll get

and are running up to it over your radio,

the pool, in which a and see it on tele-

body is seen floating. vision -- because an

Photographers' bulbs old-time star is in-

flash in rapid suc- volved. one of the big-

cession. gest. But before you

hear it all distorted

and blown out of

proportion, before those

Hollywood columnists

get their hands on it,

maybe you'd like to

hear the facts, the

whole truth...


A-6 FLASH OF THE BODY

MAN'S VOICE

Angle up through the If so, you've come to the

water from the bottom right party... You see,

of the pool, as the the body of a young man

body floats face down- was found floating in the

ward. It is a well- pool of her mansion, with

dressed young man. two shots in his back and

one in his stomach. No-

body important, really.

Just a movie writer with

a couple of "B" pictures

to his credit. The poor

dope. He always wanted a

pool Well, in the end

he got himself a pool --

SLOW DISSOLVE TO: only the price turned out

to be a little high...

Let's go back about six

A-7 HOLLYWOOD, SEEN FROM months and find the day

THE HILLTOP AT IVAR when it all started.

& FRANKLIN STREETS


It is a crisp sunny I was living in an

day. The voice con- apartment house above

tinues speaking as Franklin and Ivar.

CAMERA PANS toward Things were tough

the ALTO NIDO APART- at the moment. I hadn't

MENT HOUSE, an ugly worked in a studio for

Moorish structure ofsat a long time. So I

stucco, about four there grinding

stories high. CAMERA out original stories,

MOVES TOWARD AN OPEN two a week. Only I

WINDOW on the third seemed to have lost

floor, where we look my touch. Maybe they

in on JOE GILLIS' APART- weren't original

MENT. Joe Gillis, bare- enough. Maybe they

footed and wearing no- were too original.

thing but an old bath- All I know is they

robe. is sitting on didn't sell.

the bed. In front of

him. on a straight

chair, is a portable

typewriter. Beside

him, on the bed, is a

dirty ashtray and a

scattering of type

written and pencil-

marked pages. Gillis

is typing. with a

pencil clenched bet-

ween his teeth.




A-8 JOE GILLIS' APARTMENT


It is a one-room affair with an unmade Murphy bed

pulled out of the wall at which Gillis sits typing.

There are a couple of worn-out plush chairs and a

Spanish-style, wrought-iron standing lamp. Also a

small desk littered with books and letters, and a

chest of drawers with a portable phonograph and some

records on top. On the walls are a couple of repro-

ductions of characterless paintings, with laundry

bills and snapshots stuck in the frames. Through an

archway can he seen a tiny kitchenette, complete with

unwashed coffee pot and cup, empty tin cans, orange

peels, etc. The effect is dingy and cheerless --

just another furnished apartment. The buzzer SOUNDS.


GILLIS

Yeah.


The buzzer SOUNDS again. Gillis gets up and opens

the door. Two men wearing hats stand outside one of

them carrying a briefcase.


NO. 1

Joseph C. Gillis?


GILLIS

That's right.


The men ease into the room. No. 1 hands Gillis a

business card.


NO. 1

We've come for the car.


GILLIS

What car?


NO. 2

(Consulting a paper)

1946 Plymouth convertible. Calif-

ornia license 97 N 567.


NO. 1

Where are the keys?


GILLIS

Why should I give you the keys?



NO. 1

Because the company's played ball

with you long enough. Because

you're three payments behind. And

because we've got a Court order.

Come on -- the keys.


NO. 2

Or do you want us to jack it up

and haul it away?


GILLIS

Relax, fans. The car isn't here.


NO. 1

Is that So?


GILLIS

I lent it to a friend of mine.

He took it up to Palm Springs.


NO. 1

Had to get away for his health,

I suppose.


GILLIS

You don't believe me? Look in

the garage.


NO. 1

Sure we believe you, only now we

want you to believe us. That car

better be back here by noon tomorrow,

or there's going to be fireworks.


GILLIS

You say the cutest things.


The men leave. Gillis GILLIS' VOICE

stands pondering beside Well, I needed about two

the door for a moment. hundred and ninety dollars

Then he walks to the and I needed it real

center of the room and, quick, or I'd lose my car.

with his back to the It wasn't in Palm Springs

CAMERA, slips into a and it wasn't in the

pair of gray slacks. garage. I was way ahead

There is a metallic of the finance company.

noise as some loose

change and keys drop

from the trouser pockets.

As Gillis bends over to

pick them up, we see that

he has dropped the car

keys, identifiable be-

cause of a rabbit's

foot and a miniature

license plate attached

to the key-ring. Gillis

pockets the keys and as

he starts to put on a

shirt


DISSOLVE TO:


A-9 EXTERIOR OF RUDY'S GILLIS' VOICE

SHOESHINE PARLOR (DAY)

I knew they'd be coming

A small shack-like build- around and I wasn't tak-

ing, it stands in the ing any chances, so I

corner of a public park- kept it a couple of

ing lot. Rudy, a blocks away in a parking

colored boy, is giving lot behind Rudy's Shoe-

a customer a shine. shine Parlor. Rudy

never asked any quest-

ions. He'd just look at

your heels and know the

score.


PAN BEHIND the shack to GILLIS' CAR, a yellow 1946

Plymouth convertible with the top down. Gillis enters

the SHOT. He is wearing a tweed sport jacket, a tan

polo shirt, and moooasins. He steps into the car and

drives it off. Rudy winks after him.



A-10 THE ALLEY NEXT TO SIDNEY'S

MEN'S SHOP ON BRONSON AVE. GILLIS' VOICE

I had an original story

Gillis drives into the kicking around Paranount.

alley and parks his car My agent told me it was

right behind a delivery dead as a doornail. but

truck. PAN AND FOLLOW I knew a big shot over

HIM as he gets out, walks there who'd always liked

around the corner into me, and the time had

Bronson and then toward come to take a little

the towering main gate of advantage of it. His

Paramount. A few loafers, name was Sheldrake. He

studio cops and extras are was a smart producer,

lounging there. with a set of ulcers to

prove it.


DISSOLVE TO:


A-11 SHELDRAKE'S OFFICE


It is in the style of a Paramount executive's office --

mahogany, leather, and a little chintz. On the

walls are some large framed photographs of Paramount

stars, with dedications to Mr. Sheldrake. Also a

couple of framed critics' awards certificates, and an

Oscar on a bookshelf. A shooting schedule chart is

thumb-tacked into a large bulletin board. There are

piles or scripts, a few pipes and, somewhere in the

background, some set models.


Start on Sheldrake. He is about 45. Behind his wor-

ried face there hides a coated tongue. He is en-

gaged in changing the stained rilter cigarette in

his Zeus holder.


SHELDRAKE

All right, Gillis. You've got

five minutes. What's your story

about?


GILLIS

It's about a ball player, a rookie

shortstop that's batting 347. The

poor kid was once mixed up in a hold-

up. But he's trying to go straight --

except there's a bunch of gamblers

who won't let him.


SHELDRAKE

So they tell the kid to throw the

World Series, or else, huh?


GILLIS

More or less. Only for the end

I've got a gimmick that's real good.


A secretary enters, carrying a glass or milk.

She opens a drawer and takes out a bottle of pills for

Sheldrake.


SHELDRAKE

Got a title?


GILLIS

Bases Loaded. There's a 4O-page

outline.


SHELDRAKE

(To the secretary)

Get the Readers' Department and

see what they have on Bases Loaded.


The secretary exits. Sheldrake takes a pill and

washes it down with some milk.


GILLIS

They're pretty hot about it

over at Twentieth, but I

think Zanuck's all wet. Can

you see Ty Power as a


GILLIS (cont'd)

shortstop? You've got the best

man for it right here on this lot.

Alan Ladd. Good change of pace for

Alan Ladd. There's another thing:

it's pretty simple to shoot. Lot

of outdoor stuff. Bet you could

make the whole thing for under a

million. And there's a great little

part for Bill Demarest. One of the

trainers, an oldtime player who

got beaned and goes out of his head

sometimes.


The door opens and Betty Schaefer enters -- a clean-

cut, nice looking girl of 21, with a bright, alert

manner. Dressed in tweed skirt, Brooks sweater and

pearls, and carrying a folder of papers. She puts

them on Sheldrake's desk, not noticing Gillis, who

stands near the door.


BETTY

Hello, Mr. Sheldrake. On that Bases

Loaded. I covered it with a 2-page

synopsis.

(She holds it out)

But I wouldn't bother.


SHELDRAKE

What's wrong with it?


BETTY

It's from hunger.


SHELDRAKE

Nothing for Ladd?


BETTY

Just a rehash of something that

wasn't very good to begin with.


SHELDRAKE

I'm sure you'll be glad to meet

Mr. Gillis. He wrote it.


Betty turns towards Gillis, embarrassed.


SHELDRAKE

This is Miss Kramer.


BETTY

Schaefer. Betty Schaefer. And

right now I wish I could crawl

into a hole and pull it in after

me.


GILLIS

If I could be of any help...


BETTY

I'm sorry, Mr. Gillis, but I

just don't think it's any good.

I found it flat and banal.


GILLIS

Exactly what kind of material do

you recommend? James Joyce?

Dostoosvsky?


SHELDRAKE

Name dropper.


BETTY

I just think pictures should say

a little something.


GILLIS

Oh, you're one of the message

kids. Just a story won't do.

You'd have turned down Gone With the

Wind.


SHELDRAKE

No, that was me. I said, Who

wants to see a Civil War picture?


BETTY

Perhaps the reason I hated Bases

Loaded is that I knew your name.

I'd always heard you had some

talent.


GILLIS

That was last year. This year

I'm trying to earn a living.


BETTY

So you take Plot 27-A, make it

glossy, make it slick --


SHELDRAKE

Carefull Those are dirty words!

You sound like a bunch of New

York critics. Thank you, Miss

Schaefer.


BETTY

Goodbye, Mr. Gillis.


GILLIS

Goodbye. Next time I'll write

The Naked and the Dead.



Betty leaves.


SHELDRAKE

Well, seems like Zanuck's got

himself a baseball picture.


GILLIS

Mr. Sheldrake, I don't want you

to think I thought this was going

to win any Academy Award.


SHELDRAKE

(His mind free-wheeling)

Of course, we're always looking

for a Betty Hutton. Do you see

it as a Betty Hutton?


GILLIS

Frankly, no.


SHELDRAKE

(Amusing himself)

Now wait a minute. If we made

it a girls' softball team, put

in a few numbers. Might make a

cute musical: It Happened in

the Bull Pen -- the story of a

Woman.


GILLIS

You trying to be funny? -- because

I'm all out of laughs. I'm over a

barrel and I need a job.


SHELDRAKE

Sure, Gillis. If something should

come along -


GILLIS

Along is no good. I need it now.


SHELDRAKE

Haven't got a thing.


GILLIS

Any kind of assignment. Additional

Dialogue.


SHELDRAKE

There's nothing, Gillis. Not

even if you were a relative.


GILLIS

(Hating it)

Look, Mr. Sheldrake, could you

let me have three hundred bucks

yourself, as a personal loan?


SHELDRAKE

Could I? Gillis, last year some-

body talked me into buying a ranch

in the valley. So I borrowed money

from the bank so I could pay for

the ranch. This year I had to

mortgage the ranch so I could keep

up my life insurance so I could

borrow on the insurance so I could

pay my income tax. Now if Dewey

had been elected -


GILLIS

Goodbye, Mr. Sheldrake.


DISSOLVE TO:



A-12 EXT. SCHWAB'S DRUG STORE

(EARLY AFTERNOON ACTIVITY) GILLIS' VOICE

After that I drove down

MOVE IN toward drug store to headquarters. That's

and the way a lot of us think

about Schwab's Drug Store.

DISSOLVE TO: Actors and stock girls and

waiters. Kind of a

combination office,Kaffee-

A-13 INT. SCHWAB'S DRUG STORE Klatsch and waiting room.

Waiting, waiting for the

The usual Schwabadero gravy train.

crowd sits at the fount-

ain, gossips at the

cigar-stand, loiters by

the magazine display.

MOVE IN towards the TWO

TELEPHONE BOOTHS. In I got myself ten nickels

one of them sits Gillis, and started sending out

a stack of nickels in a general S.O.S. Couldn't

front of him. He's get hold of my agent,

doing a lot of talking naturally. So then I

into the telephone, called a pal of mine,name

hanging up, dropping of Artie Green -- an awful

another nickel, dialing, nice guy, an assistant

talking again. director. He cquld let me

have twenty, but twenty

wouldn't do.


GILLIS' VOICE (Cont.)

Then I talked to a couple of

yes men at Twentieth. To me

they said no. Finally I

located that agent of mine, the

big faker. Was he out digging

up a job for poor Joe Gillis?

Hmph! He was hard at work in

Bel Air, making with the golf

clubs.


Gillis hangs up with a curse, opens the door of the

booth, emerges, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

He walks toward the exit. He is stopped by the

voice of


SKOLSKY

Hello, Gillis.


Gillis looks around. At the fountain sits Skolsky,

drinking a cup of coffee.


GILLIS

Hello, Mr. Skolsky.


SKOLSKY

Got anything for the column?


GILLIS

Sure. Just sold an original for

a hundred grand. The Life of the

Warner Brothers. Starring the Ritz

Brothers. Playing opposite the

Andrew Sisters.


SKOLSKY

(With a sour smile)

But don't get me wrong -- I love

Hollywood.


Gillis walks out.


DISSOLVE TO:



A-14 THE BEL AIR GOLF LINKS


On a sun-dappled green edged with tall sycamores,

stands Morino, the agent, a caddy and a nondescript

opponent in the background. Gillis has evidently

stated his problem already.



MORINO

So you need three hundred dollars?

Of course, I could give you three

hundred dollars. Only I'm not

going to.


GILLIS

No?


MORINO

Gillis, get this through your

head. I'm not just your agent.

It's not the ten per cent. I'm

your friend.


He sinks his putt and walks toward the next tee,

Gillis following him.


GILLIS

How's that about your being my

friend?


MORINO

Don't you know the finest things

in the world have been written on

an empty stomach? Once a talent

like yours gets into that Mocambo-

Romanoff rut, you're through.


GILLIS

Forget Romanoff's. It's the car

I'm talking about. If I lose my

car it's like having my legs out off.


MORINO

Greatest thing that could happen

to you. Now you'll have to sit

behind that typewriter. Now

you'll have to write.


GILLIS

What do you think I've been doing?

I need three hundred dollars.


MORINO

(Icily)

Maybe what you need is another agent.


He bends down to tee up his ball. Gillis turns away.


DISSOLVE TO:



A-15 GILLIS IN HIS OPEN CAR

GILLIS' VOICE

driving down Sunset As I drove back towards town

towards Hollywood. He I took inventory of my pros-

drives slowly. His pects. They now added up to

mind is working. exactly zero. Apparently I

just didn't have what it takes,

and the time had come to wrap

up the whole Hollywood deal

and go home. Maybe if I hocked

all my junk there'd be enough

for a bus ticket back to Ohio,

back to that thirty-five-

dollar-a-week job behind the

copy desk of the Dayton Evening

Post, if it was still open.

Back to the smirking delight

of the whole office. All

Gillis stops his car at right you wise guys. why don't

a red light by the main you go out and take a crack at

entrance to Bel Air. Hollywood? Maybe you think

Suddenly his eyes fall you could -- Oh-oh!

on:



A-16 ANOTHER CAR


It is a dark-green Dodge business coupe, also waiting

for the light to change. but headed in the opposite

direction. In it are the two finance company men.

They spot Gillis in his car and exchange looks. From

across the intersection Gillis recognizes them and

pulls down the leather sunshade to screen his face.

As the light changes. Gillis gives his car the gun

and shoots away. The men narrowly avoid hitting

another car as they make a U-turn into oncoming

traffic and start after him.


A-17 THE CHASE

to

A-21 Very short, very sharp, told in FLASHES. (Use

locations on Sunset between Bel Air and Holmby Hills).

The men lose Gillis around a bend, catch sight of him

and then -- while they are trapped behind a slow-

moving truck. he disappears again.



A-22 GILLIS


He is driving as fast as he dares, keeping an eye out

for pursuit in his rear-view mirror. Suddenly his

right front tire blows out. Gillis clutches desperately

at the steering wheel and manages to turn the careening

car into


A-23 A DRIVEWAY


It is overgrown with weeds and screened from the street

by bushes and trees. Gillis stops his car about thirty

feet from the street and looks back.


GILLIS' VOICE

Was I far enough ahead?


A-24 THE OTHER CAR


shoots past the driveway, still looking for Gillis.


A-25 GILLIS

He watches his pursuers GILLIS' VOICE

shoot past and out of Yeah...

sight. He opens the

door and looks down at I had landed myself in the

the flat tire. Then he driveway of some big mansion

looks around to see that looked run-down and

where he is. deserted. At the end of the

drive was a lovely sight

A-26 DRIVEWAY WITH GARAGE indeed -- a great big empty

garage, just standing there

An enormous, five-car going to waste. If ever there

affair. neglected and was a place to stash away a

empty-looking. limping car with a hot license

number...

A-27 GILLIS


He gets back into his There was another occupant in

car and carefully pilots that garage: an enormous

the limping vehicle into foreign-built automobile. It

one of the stalls. In must have burned up ten gallons

the adjoining one is a to a mile. It had a 1932

large, dust-covered license. I figured that's

Isotta-Fraschini propped when the owners moved out...

up on blocks. He closes I also figured I couldn't go

the garage door and walks back to my apartment now that

up the driveway. In idle those bloodhounds were on to

curiosity he mounts a me. The idea was to get Artie

stone staircase which Green's and stay there till I

leads to the garden. could make that bus for Ohio.

CAMERA IN BACK OF HIM. Once back in Dayton I'd drop

At the top of the steps the credit boys a picturepost-

he sees the somber pile card telling them where to

of pick up the jallopy.



NORMA DESMOND'S HOUSE GILLIS' VOICE

It is a grandiose -- It was a great big white

Italianate structure, elephant of a place. The kind

mottled by the years, crazy movie people built in the

gloomy, forsaken, crazy Twenties. A neglected

little formal garden house gets an unhappy look.

completely gone to This one had it in spades. It

seed. was like that old woman in

Great Expectations -- that Miss

From somewhere above Haversham in her rotting wed-

comes ding dress and her torn veil,

taking it out on the world be-

cause she'd been given the go-

by.


A WOMAN'S VOICE

You there!


Gillls turns and looks.


A-28 UPSTAIRS LOGGIA


Behind a bamboo blind there is a movement of

a dark figure.


WOMAN'S VOICE

Wlly are you so late? Why have

you kept me waitlng so long?


A-29 GILLIS


He stands flabbergasted. A new noise attracts his

attention -- the creak of a heavy metal-and-glass

door being opened. He turns and sees


A-3O THE ENTRANCE DOOR OF THE HOUSE


Max von Mayerling stands there. He is sixty, and

all in black, except for immaculate white cotton

gloves, shirt, high, stiff collar and a white bow

tie. His coat is shiny black alpaca, his trousers

ledger-atriped. He is semi-paralyzed. The left

side of his mouth is pulled down, and he leans on a

rubber-ferruled stick.


MAX

In here!


Gillis enters the shot.



GILLIS

I just put my car in the garage.

I had a blow-out. I thought --


MAX

Go on in.


There is authority in the gesture of his white-

gloved hand as he motions Gillis inside.


GILLIS

Look, maybe I'd better take my

car --


MAX

Wipe your feet!


Automatically, Gillis wipes his feet on an enormous

shabby cocoanut mat.


MAX

You are not dressed properly.


GILLIS

Dressed for what?


THE WOMAN'S VOICE

Max! Have him come up, Max!


MAX

(Gesturing)

Up the stairs!


GILLIS

Suppose you listen just for a

minute -


MAX

Madame is waiting.


GILLIS

For me? Okay.


Gillis enters.



A-31 INT. NORMA DESMOND'S ENTRANCE HALL


It is grandiose and grim. The whole place is one of

those abortions of silent-picture days, with bowling

alleys in the cellar and a built-in pipe organ, and

beams imported from Italy, with California termites

at work on them. Portieres are drawn before all the

windows, and only thin slits or sunlight find their

way in to fight the few electric bulbs which are always

burning.




Gillis starts up the curve of the black marble

staircase. It has a wrought-iron rail and a worn

velvet rope along the wall.


MAX

(From below)

If you need help with the

coffin call me.


The oddity of the situation has caught Gillis'

imagination. He climbs the stairs with a kind of

morbid fascination. At the top he stops, undecided,

then turns to the right and is stopped by


WOMAN'S VOICE

This way!


Gillis swings around.


Norma Desmond stands down the corridor next to a

doorway from which emerges a flickering light. She

is a little woman. There is a curious style, a

great sense of high voltage about her. She is dress-

ed in black house pyjamas and black high-heeled

pumps. Around her throat there is a leopard-pat-

terned scarf, and wound around her head a turban of

the same material. Her skin is very pale, and she

is wearing dark glasses.


NORMA

In here. I put him on my massage

table in front of the fire. He

always liked fires and poking at

them with a stick.


Gillis enters the SHOT and she leads him into



A-32 NORMA DESMOND'S BEDROOM


It is a huge, gloomy room hung in white brocade which

has beconle dirty over the years and even slightly

torn in a few places. There's a great, unmade gilded

bed in the shape of a swan, from which the gold had

begun to peel. There is a disorder of clothes and

negligees and faded photographs of old-time stars

about.


In an imitation baroque fireplace some logs are burn-

ing. On the massage table before it lies a small

form shrouded under a Spanish shawl. At each end on

a baroque pedestal stands a three-branched cande-

labrum, the candles lighted.


NORMA

I've made up my mind we'll bury him in

the garden. Any city laws against that?



GILLIS

I wouldn't know.


NORMA

I don't care anyway. I want the

coffin to be white. And I want

it specially lined with satin.

White, or deep pink.


She picks up the shawl to make up her mind about the

color. From under the shawl flops down a dead arm.

Gillis stares and recoils a little. It is like a

child's arm, only black and hairy.


NORMA

Maybe red. bright flaming red.

Gay. Let's make it gay.


Gillis edges closer and glances down. Under the

shawl he sees the sad, bearded face of a dead

chimpanzee. Norma drops back the shawl.


NORMA

How much will it be? I warn you -

don't give me a fancy price just

because I'm rich.


GILLIS

Lady. you've got the wrong man.


For the first time. Norma really looks at him

through her dark glasses.


GILLIS

I had some trouble with my car.

Flat tire. I pulled into your

garage till I could get a spare.

I thought this was an empty house.


NORMA

It is not. Get out.


GILLIS

I'm sorry, and I'm sorry you lost

your friend, and I don't think red

is the right color.


NORMA

Get out.


GILLIS

Sure. Wait a minute -- haven't

I seen you -- ?



NORMA

Or shall I call my servant?


GILLIS

I know your face. You're Norma

Desmond. You used to be in

pictures. You used to be big.


NORMA

I am big. It's the pictures

that got small.


GILLIS

I knew there was something

wrong with them.


NORMA

They're dead. They're finished.

There was a time when this busi-

ness had the eyes of the whole

wide world. But that wasn't good

enough. Oh, nol They wanted the

ears of the world, too. So they

opened their big mouths, and out

came talk, talk, talk...


GILLIS

That's where the popcorn business

comes in. You buy yourself a bag

and plug up your ears.


NORMA

Look at them in the front offices --

the master minds! They took the

idols and smashed them. The

Fairbankses and the Chaplins and

the Gilberts and the Valentinos.

And who have they got now? Some

nobodies -- a lot of pale little

frogs croaking pish-poshl


GILLIS

Don't get sore at me. I'm not

an executive. I'm just a writer.


NORMA

You are! Writing words, words!

You've made a rope of words and

strangled this businessl But there

is a microphone right there to catch

the last gurgles, and Technicolor

to photograph the red, swollen tongue!




GILLIS

Ssh! You'll wake up that monkey.


NORMA

Get out!


Gillis starts down the stairs.


GILLIS

Next time I'll bring my autograph

album along, or maybe a hunk of

cement and ask for your footprints.


He is halfway down the staircase when he is

stopped by


NORMA

Just a minute, you!


GILLIS

Yeah?


NORMA

You're a writer, you said.


GILLIS

Why?


Norma starts down the stairs.


NORMA

Are you or aren't you?


GILLIS

I think that's what it says on my

driver's license.


NORMA

And you have written pictures,

haven't you?


GILLIS

Sure have. The last one I

wrote was about cattle rustlers.

Before they were through with it,

the whole thing played on a

torpedo boat.


Norma has reached him at the bottom of the staircase.


NORMA

I want to ask you something.

Come in here.


She leads him into



A-33 THE HUGE LIVING ROOM


It is dark and damp and filled with black oak and

red velvet furniture which looks like crappy props

from the Mark of Zorro set. Along the main wall,

a gigantic fireplace has been freezing for years.

On the gold piano is a galaxy of photographs of

Norma Desmond in her various roles. On one wall

is a painting -- a California Gold Rush scene,

Carthay Circle school. (We will learn later that

it hides a motion picture screen.)


One corner is filled with a large pipe organ, and

as Norma and Gillis enter, there is a grizzly

moaning sound. Gillis looks around.


NORMA

The wind gets in that blasted

pipe organ. I ought to have

it taken out.


GILLIS

Or teach it a better tune.


Norma has led him to the card tables which stand

side by side near a window. They are piled high

with papers scrawled in a large, uncertain hand.


NORMA

How long is a movie script these

days? I mean, how many pages?


GILLIS

Depends on what it is -- a Donald

Duck or Joan or Arc.


NORMA

This is to be a very important

picture. I have written it

myself. Took me years.


GILLIS

(Looking at the piles

of script)

Looks like enough for six impor-

tant pictures.


NORMA

It's the story or Salome. I

think I'll have DeMille direct it.


GILLIS

Uh-huh.



NORMA

We've made a lot of pictures

together.


GILLIS

And you'll play Salome?


NORMA

Who else ?


GILLIS

Only asking. I did't know

you were planning a comeback.


NORMA

I hate that word. It is a return.

A return to the millions of people

who have never forgiven me for

deserting the screen.


GILLIS

Fair enough.


NORMA

Salome -- what a woman! What a

part! The Princess in love with

a Holy man. She dances the Dance

of the Seven Veils. He rejects

her, so she demands his head on a

golden tray, kissing his cold, dead

lips.


GILLIS

They'll love it in Pomona.


NORMA

(Taking it straight)

They will love it every place.

(She reaches for a

batch of pages from

the heap)

Read it. Read the scene just

before she has him killed!


GILLIS

Right now? Never let another

writer read your stuff. He

may steal it.


NORMA

I am not afraid. Read it!


NORMA (Cont'd)

(Calling)

Max! Max!

(To Gillis)

Sit down. Is there enough light?


GILLIS

I've got twenty-twenty vision.


Max has entered.


NORMA

Bring something to drink.


MAX

Yes. Madame.


He leaves. Norma turns to Gillis again.


NORMA

I said sit down.


There is compulsion in her voice.


Gillis looks at her GILLIS' VOICE

and starts slowly Well. I had no pressing

reading. engagement, and she'd men-

tioned something to drink..

Max comes in, wheeling Sometimes it's interesting

a wicker tea wagon on to see just how bad bad

which are two bottles o writing can be. This prom-

f champagne and two ised to go the limit. I

red Venetian glasses, wondered what a handwriting

a box of zwieback and expert would make of that

a jar of caviar. Norma childish scrawl of hers.

sits on her feet. deep Max wheeled in some champagne

in a chair, a gold ring and some caviar. Later, I

on her forefinger with found out that Max was the

a clip which holds a only other person in that

cigarette. She gets up grim Sunset castle, and I

and forces on Gillis found out a few other things

another batch of script, about him... As for her, she

goes back to her chair. sat coiled up like a watch

spring, her cigarette

clamped in a curious holder...

I could sense her eyes on me

from behind those dark

glasses, defying me not to

like what I read, or maybe

begging me in her own proud

way to like it. It meant

so much to her...




A-34 SHOT OF THE GILLIS' VOICE

CEILING It sure was a cozy set-up.

That bundle of raw nerves,and

PAN DOWN to the moan- Max, and a dead monkey upstair

ing organ. PAN OVER and the wind wheezing through

TO THE ENTRANCE DOOR. that organ once in a while.

Max opens it, and a Later on, just for comedy

solemn-faced man in relief, the real guy arrived

undertaker's clothes with a baby coffin. It was

brings in a small all done with great dignity.

white coffin. (Thru He must have been a very

these shots the room important chimp. The great

has been growing grandson of King Kong, maybe.

duskier.)


DISSOLVE TO:



A-35 GILLIS It got to be eleven. I was

feeling a little sick at my

reading. The lamp stomach, what with that sweet

beside him is now champagne and that tripe I'd

really paying its been reading -- that silly

way in the dark room. hodgepodge of melodramatic

A lot of the manu- plots. However, by then I'd

script pages are started concocting a little

piled on the floor plot of my own...

around his feet. A

half-empty champagne

glass stands on the

arm of his chair.


THE CAMERA SLOWLY DRAWS BACK to include Norma

Desmond sitting in the dusk, just as she was before.

Gillis puts down a batch of script. There is a

little pause.


NORMA

(Impatiently)

Well?


GILLIS

This is fascinating.


NORMA

Of course it is.


GILLIS

Maybe it's a little long and

maybe there are some repetitions...

but you're not a professional

writer.


NORMA

I wrote that with my heart.


GILLIS

Sure you did. That's what makes

it great. What it needs is a

little more dialogue.


NORMA

What for? I can say anything I

want with my eyes.


GILLIS

It certainly could use a pair of

shears and a blue pencil.


NORMA

I will not have it butchered.


GILLIS

Of course not. But it ought to

be organized. Just an editing

job. You can find somebody.


NORMA

Who? I'd have to have somebody

I can trust. When were you born --

I mean, what sign of the zodiac?


GILLIS

I don't know.


NORMA

What month?


GILLIS

December twenty-first.


NORMA

Sagittarius. I like Sagittarians.

You can trust them.


GILLIS

Thank you.


NORMA

I want you to do this work.


GILLIS

Me? I'm busy. Just finished

one script. I'm due on another

assignment.


NORMA

I don't care.



GILLIS

You know, I'm pretty expensive.

I get five hundred a week.


NORMA

I wouldn't worry about money.

I'll make it worth your while.


GILLIS

Maybe I'd better take the rest

of the script home and read it -


NORMA

Oh no. I couldn't let it out

of my house. You'll have to

finish it here.


GILLIS

It's getting kind of late --


NORMA

Are you married, Mr. -- ?


GILLIS

The name is Gillis. I'm single.


NORMA

Where do you live?


GILLIS

Hollywood. The Alto Nido Apart-

ments.


NORMA

There's something wrong with

your car, you said.


GILLIS

There sure is.


NORMA

You can stay here.


GILLIS

I'll come early tomorrow.


Norma takes off her glasses.


NORMA

Nonsense. There's room over the

garage. Max will take you there...Max!


THE CAMERA MOVES GILLIS' VOICE

TOWARD NORMA'S FACE, She sure could say a lot of

right up to her things with those pale eyes of

eyes. hers. They'd been her trade

mark. They'd made her the Num-

ber One Vamp of another era. I

remember a rather florid des-

cription in an old fan magazine

which said: "Her eyes are like

two moonlit waterholes, where

strange animals come to drink."


DISSOLVE TO:




A-36 SMALL STAIRCASE, LEAD- GILLIS'VOICE

ING TO ROOM OVER GARAGE I felt kind of pleased with

the way I'd handled the sit-

Max, an electric light uation. I'd dropped the hook,

bulb in his hand, is and she'd snapped at it. Now

leading Gillis up. my car would be safe down

Gillis carries a batch below, while I did a patch-

of the manuscript. up job on the script. And

there should be plenty of

money in it...


Max pushes open a door at the top of the stairs.


MAX

(Opening the door)

I made your bed this afternoon.


GILLIS

Thanks.

(On second thought)

How did you know I was going to

stay, this afternoon?


Max doesn't answer. He walks across to the bed,

screws a bulb in the open socket above it. The

light goes on, revealing:


A-37 A GABLED BEDROOM


There are dirty windows on two sides, and dingy wall-

paper on the cracked plaster walls. For furniture

there is a neatly made bed, a table and a few chairs

which might have been discarded from the main house.


MAX

This room has not been used for

a long time.


GILLIS

It will never make house Beautiful.

I guess it's O.K. for one night.


Max gives him an enigmatic look.


MAX

(Pointing)

There is the bathroom. I put in

soap and a toothbrush.


GILLIS

Thanks.

(He starts taking off

his coat)

Say, she's quite a character,

that Norma Desmond.


MAX

She was the greatest. You wouldn't

know. You are too young. In one

week she got seventeen thousand fan

letters. Men would bribe her mani-

curist to get clippings from her

fingernails. There was a Maharajah

who came all the way from Hyderabad

to get one of her stockings. Later,

he strangled himself with it.


GILLIS

I sure turned into an interesting

driveway.


MAX

You did, sir.

GILLIS' VOICE

He goes out. Gillis I pegged him as slightly

looks after him, hangs cuckoo, too. A stroke maybe.

his coat over a chair, Come to think of it, the

walks over to the win- whole place seemed to have

dow, pulls down the been stricken with a kind of

rickety Venetian blind. creeping paralysis, out of

As he does so, he looks beat with the rest of the

down at: world, crumbling apart in

slow motion ...


A-38 THE TENNIS COURT OF GILLIS' VOICE

THE DESMOND HOUSE There was a tennis court, or

(MOONLIGHT) rather the ghost of a tennis

court, with faded markings

The cement surface is and sagging net ...

cracked in many places,

and weeds are growing

high.



A-39 GILLIS - IN THE WINDOW


He looks away from the court to:



A-40 THE DESMOND SWIMMING

POOL

GILLIS' VOICE

There is no water in And of course she had a pool.

it, and hunks of Who didn't then? Mabel Norm-

mosaic which lines its and and John Gilbert must

enormous basin are have swum in it ten thousand

broken away. midnights ago, and Vilma Banky

and Rod La Roque. It was

empty now....or was it?




A-41 GILLIS - IN THE WINDOW


He stares down, his stomach slowly turning.



A-42 THE SWIMMING POOL


At the bottom of the basin a great rat is eating a

decaying or,ange. From the inlet pipe crawl two

other rats, who join battle with the first rat over

the orange.



A-43 GILLIS -IN THE WINDOW


He starts away, but some- GILLIS' VOICE

thing attracts his atten- There was something

tion. He turns back and else going on below:

looks down again. the last rites for

that hairy old chimp,

performed with the

A-44 THE LAWN BELOW utmost seriousness --

as if she were laying

Norma Desmond and Max are to rest an only child.

carrying the white coffin Was her life really

towards a small grave as as empty as that?

which has been dug in the

dead turf. Norma carries

one of the candelabra, all

of its candles flickering

in the wind. They reach

the grave and lower the

coffin into it. Then,

Norma lighting his task

with the candelabrum, Max

takes a spade from the

loose earth and starts

filling in the grave.


A-45 GILLIS - IN THE WINDOW


He watches the scene be- GILLIS' VOICE

low, then turns into the It was all very queer,

room, goes to the door but queerer things

to lock it. There is no were yet to come.

key, and only a hole

where the lock has been

gouged out. Gillis moves

a heavy overstuffed chair

in front of the door, then

walks towards the bed,

throws himself on it,

picking up some of the

manuscript pages to read.


DISSOLVE


END OF SEQUENCE "A"


SEQUENCE "B"


DISSOLVE IN ON:


B-1 LONG SHOT THE DESMOND

HOUSE - (MORNING)


The day is overcast. The SOUND: (Distant organ

house is shrouded in low music - improvisations

fog. on an odd, mournful

theme - not too loud,

continuing throughout

B-2 THE TENNIS COURT, blurred the scene.)

over with fog.



B-3 THE EMPTY SWIMMING POOL

Its dark outline even more

melancholy under the misty

blanket.



B-4 THE ROOM OVER THE GARAGE


Muted daylight seeps GILLIS' VOICE

through the blinds. Gillis That night I'd had a

lies on the bed, under a mixed-up dream. In it

shabby quilt. The manu- was an organ grinder.

script is beside him, some I couldn't see his

of the pages scattered on face, but the organ

the floor. He is just was all draped in

opening his eyes. It takes black, and a chimp was

him a moment to adjust him- dancing for pennies.

self to the strange sur- When I opened my eyes,

roundings. His eyes, wander- the music was still

ing about the room. suddenly there... Where was

stop, startled. He lifts I?

himself on one elbow and

stares at -



B-5 THE DOOR


The heavy chair he had set Oh yes, in that empty

against it the night before room over her garage.

has been pushed back. The Only it wasn't empty

door is wide ajar. any more. Somebody

had brought in all my

belongings - my

B-6 GILLIS books, my typewriter,

my clothes...

He jumps out of bed. He

wears, shirt, trousers

and socks. Suddenly he

realizes that all his

possessions have GILLIS' VOICE

been brought in. In What was going on?

the closet hang his

shirts. His books and

typewriter are neatly

arranged on the table.

His phonograph-radio

combination is all

installed. Gillis looks

around startled, then

sits down and starts

putting on his moccasins

hastily.


DISSOLVE TO:



B-7 A PAIR OF HANDS IN WHITE GLOVES, PLAYING THE ORGAN


PULL BACK: They belong to Max von Mayerling. He

is sitting erect, his bull neck taut as a wrestler's

as he rights out somber chord after somber chord.

He sits in a shaft of gray light coming from an open

French window.


Through the far archway, Gillis storms into the big

room.


GILLIS

Hey, you -- Max -- whatever -your-

name-is -- what are my things doing

here?


No answer.


GILLIS

I'm talking to you. My clothes

and things are up in the room.


MAX

Naturally. I brought them myself.


GILLIS

(Furiously)

Is that so!


MAX

Why are you so upset? Is there

anything missing?


GILLIS

Who said you could? Who asked you to?


Norma Desmond's shadow moves into the shaft of

light.


NORMA'S VOICE

I did.


Gillis looks around.


On the couch by the fireplace reclines Norma Desmond,

dressed in a negligee. She rises.


NORMA

I don't know why you should be

so upset. Stop that playing,

Max.

(To Gillis again)

It seemed like a good idea --

if we are to work together.


GILLIS

Look, I'm supposed to fix up

your script. There's nothing

in the deal about my staying

here.


NORMA

You'll like it here.


GILLIS

Thanks for the invitation, but

I have my own apartment.


NORMA

You can't work in an apartment

where you owe three months' rent.


GILLIS

I'll take care of that.


NORMA

It's all taken care of. It's

all paid for.


GILLIS

I'm used to paying my own bills.


NORMA

You proud boy, why didn't you tell

me you were having difficulties.


GILLIS

Okay. We'll deduct it from my

salary.


NORMA

Now, now, don't let's be small

about such matters. We won't

keep books.

(To Max)

Go on, unpack Mr. Gillis' things.


GILLIS

Unpack nothing. I didn't say

I was staying.


NORMA

(Her glasses off again)

Suppose you make up your mind.

Do you want this job or don't you?


DISSOLVE TO:



B-8 BIG ROOM, NORMA DESMOND'S

HOUSE - (DAY) GILLIS' VOICE


Gillis sits at an impro- So I let him unpack my

vised table, his typewriter things. I wanted the

in front of him, working dough, and I wanted to

hard at the manuscript. get out of there as

Pencils, shears and a quickly as possible.

paste-pot at hand. I thought if I really

got going I could toss

Facing him at some dis- it off in a couple or

tance sits Norma,dressed weeks. But it wasn't

in another version of her so simple, getting some

favorite lounging pajamas, coherence into that wild,

the cigaette contraption scrambled melodrama

on her finger. She is she'd concocted. What

autographing large photo- made it tougher was that

graphs of herself and put- she was around all the

ting them in envelopes. time -- hovering over

me, afraid I'd do injury

to that precious brain-

child of hers.


Gillis takes two or three pages from Norma's hand-

written script, crosses them out and puts them to

one side.


Norma rises, crosses towards Gillis, looks over his

shoulder.


NORMA

What's that?


GILLIS

Just a scene I cut out.


NORMA

What scene?


GILLIS

The one where you go to the slave

market. You can cut right to the

scene where John the Baptist -


NORMA

Cut away from me?


GILLIS

Honestly, it's a little old hat.

They don't want that any more.


NORMA

They don't? Then why do they still

write me fan letters every day.

Why do they beg me for my photo-

graphs? Because they want to see

me, me, me! Norma Desmond.


GILLIS

(Resigned)

Okay.


He pulls the page from his typewriter. As he does

so he glances over towards Norma.

GILLIS' VOICE

On the table in front I didn't argue with her.

of her are the photo- You don't yell at a

graphs which she is sign- sleepwalker-- he may fall

ing. On the long table and break his neck.That's

in the living room is a it -- she was still

gallery of photographs sleepwalking along the

in various frames -- all giddy heights of a lost

Norma Desmond. On the career --plain crazy

piano more photographs. when it came to that one

Above the piano an oil subject: her celluloid

portrait of her. On the self, the great Norma

highboy beside him still Desmond. How could She

more photographs. breathe in that house,

so crowded with Norma

DISSOLVE TO: Desmonds? More Norma

Desmond and still more

Norma Desmond.

B-9 THE BIG ROOM - (NIGHT)

GILLIS' VOICE

Shooting towards the big It wasn't all work - of

Gold Rush painting. Max, course. Two or three

white gloves and all, times a week Max would

steps into the shot, shoves haul up that enormous oil

the painting up towards painting that had been

the ceiling,revealing a presented to her by some

motion picture screen. Nevada Chamber of Com-

Max exits. merce, and we'd see a

movie,right in her

living room.


B-1O NORMA AND GILLIS

GILLIS' VOICE

They sit on a couch,facing "So much nicer than going

the screen. On a table in out," she'd say. The

front of them are champagne, plain fact was that she

cigarettes and coffee. was afraid of that world

Above their heads are the outside. Afraid it

typical openings for a pro- would remind her that

jector. The lights go off. time had passed.

From the opening above

their heads shoots the wide

beam of light.



B-11 MAX, IN THE PROJECTION They were silent movies,

BOOTH BEHIND THE ROOM and Max would run the

projection machine, which

The light of the machine was just as well -- it

flickering over his face, kept him from giving us

which is frozen, a somber an accompaniment on

enigma. that wheezing organ.


B-12 NORMA AND GILLIS

She'd sit very close to

watching the screen. me, and she'd smell of

Gillis looks down and sees tuberoses, which is not

that Norma's hand is clasp- my favorite perfume, not

ing his ann tight. He by a long shot. Sometines

doesn't like it much but as we watched, she'd c

he can't do anything about lutch my arm or my hand

it. However. when she for forgetting she was my

a second lets go his arm employer becoming just a

to pick up a glass of fan, excited about that

champagne, he gently with- actress up there on the

draws his arm, leans away screen....I guess I don't

from her and crosses his have to tell you who the

arms to discourage any star was. They were

resumption of her approach. always her pictures --

Norma puts the glass down that's all she wanted

doesn't find his arn, but to see.

is not aware of any signifi-

cance in his maneuver. They

both watch the screen.



B-13 THE OTHER END OF THE BIG ROOM. WITH THE SCREEN


On it flickers a famous scene from one of Norma's old

silent pictures. It is not to be a funny scene. It

is old-fashioned, but shows her incredible beauty

and the screen presence which made her the great star

of her day.


B-14 NORMA AND GILLIS ON THE COUCH


NORMA

Still wonderful, isn't it? And

no dialogue. We didn't need

dialogue. We had faces. There

just aren't any faces like that

any more. Well, maybe one --

Garbo.


In a sudden flareup she jumps to her feet and stands

in the flickering beam of light.


NORMA

Those idiot producers! Those

imbeciles! Haven't they got any

eyes? Have they forgotten what

a star looks like? I'll show them.

I'll be up there again. So help me!


DISSOLVE TO:



B-15 THE BIG ROOM - (NIGHT)


It is apparently empty. GILLIS' VOICE

The elaborate lamps Sometimes there'd be a

make pools of light. little bridge game in the

house, at a twentieth-of-

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK a cent a point. I'd get

AND PANS to reveal a half her winnings. Once

card table around they ran up to seventy

which sit Norma and cents, which was about

three friends - three the only cash money I

actors of her period. ever got. The others

They sit erect and play around the table would

with grim seriousness. be actor friends - dim

figures you may still

Beside Norma sits remember from the silent

Gillis, kibitzing on a days. I used to think of

game which bores him them as her Wax Works.

extremely. An ashtray

on the card table is

full and Norma holds

it out for Gillis to

take away. He crosses

the room to the fire-

place. but his eyes

fall on the entrance

door and he stops.



B-16 THE ENTRANCE HALL - (FROM GILLIS' POINT OF VIEW)


Max stands in the open door. Outside are the two

men who came to the apartment for Gillis' car.


B-17 GILLIS


He steps back so that he cannot be seen from the

door. A second later Max appears, looking for him.


MAX

(Quietly)

Some men are here. They asked

for you.


GILLIS

I'm not here.


MAX

That's what I told them.


GILLIS

Good.


MAX

They found your car in the

garage. They are going to tow

it away.


Gillis doesn't know what to do. From offstage

comes:


NORMA'S VOICE

The ashtray, Joe dear! Can we

have the ashtray?


Gillis dumps the cigarette butts into the cold fire-

place, crosses to the bridge table, puts the

ashtray down, leans over and speaks into Norma's ear.


GILLIS

I want to talk to you for a

minute.


NORMA

Not now, my dear. I'm playing

three no trump.


GILLIS

They've come for my car.


NORMA

Please. Now I've forgotten how

many spades are out.


GILLIS

I need some money right now.


NORMA

Can't you wait till I'm dummy?


3.22.49 GILLIS

No.


NORMA

(Angry by now)

Please!


Gillis stands frustrated, hideously embarrassed

by the stares of the waxworks. He turns away

and hurries to the door.



B-18 ENTRANCE DOOR TO THE HOUSE


It is half open. Gillis comes into the shot

and, taking cover, looks out.



B-19 COURTYARD (FROM GILLIS' ANGLE)


The men from the finance company are cranking up

the car. Max stands watching silently. When they

finish the cranking job, the men climb into the

front seat of the truck.



B-2O GILLIS - AT THE DOOR


Over the shot the SOUND of the truck being started

and the cars moving away. Gillis moves out into

the courtyard and stands staring after the car.

From the house comes Norma.


NORMA

Now what is it? Where's the

fire?


GILLIS

I've lost my car.


NORMA

Oh...and I thought it was a

matter of life and death.


GILLIS

It is to me. That's why I came

to this house. That's why I took

this job -- ghost writing!


NORMA

Now you're being silly. We don't

need two cars. We have a car. And

not one of thuse cheap new things

made of chromium and spit. An

Isotta-Fraschini. Have you ever

heard of Isotta-Fraschinis? All

hand-made. Cost me twenty-eight

thousand dollars.


THE CAMERA HAS PANNED over to the garage and FOCUSES

on the dirty Isotta-Fraschini on its blocks.


DISSOLVE TO:



B-21 NORMA'S ISOTTA-FRASCHINI

DRIVING IN THE HILLS

ABOVE SUNSET (DAY)


Max is at the wheel, GILLIS' VOICE

dressed as usual except So Max got that old bus

for a chauffeurfs cap. down off its blocks and

polished it up. She'd

take me for rides in the

B-22 INSIDE THE CAR hills above Sunset.


Gillis sits beside Norma, The whole thing was up-

who is wearing a smart holstered in leopard

tailleur and her eternal skin, and had one of

sun glasses. Gillis those car phones, all

wears his sport jacket- gold-plated.

flannel trousers-moccasin

combinatIon.


He sits uncomfortably. Norma is studying him.


NORMA

That's a dreadful shirt you're

wearing.


GILLIS

What's wrong with It?


NORMA

Nothing, if you work in a fill-

ing station. And I'm getting

rather bored with that sport

jacket, and those same baggy

pants.

(She picks up

the car phone)

Max, what's a good men's shop

in town? The very best...

Well, go there !


GILLIS

I don't need any clothes, and

I certainly don't want you buy-

ing them for --


NORMA

Why begrudge me a little fun?

I just want you to look nice,

my stray little boy.


By this time Max has made a U-turn.


QUICK DISSOLVE TO:



B-23 INT. MEN'S DEPARTMENT, AN ELEGANT WILSHIRE STORE


Gillis stands in front of a full-length triple mirror,

surrounded by a couple of salesmen and the tailor, who

is busily working out alterations.


Gillis wears a double-breasted gray flannel coat with

chalk stripes. His trousers belong to another suit

of glen plaid. Norma is running the show.


NORMA

There's nothing like gray flannel

with a chalk stripe.

(she points at

the trousers)

This one single-breasted, of course.

(to another salesman)

Now we need a topcoat. Let's see

what you have in camel's hair.


The salesman leaves.


NORMA

How about some evening clothes?


GILLIS

I don't need a tuxedo.


NORMA

Of course you do. A tuxedo and

tails.


GILLIS

Tails. That's ridiculous.


NORMA

You'll need them for parties.

You'll need them for New Year's

Eve.

(to a salesman)

Where are your evening clothes?


SALESMAN

This way, Madame.


He leads her off. The other salesman arrives with a

selection of topcoats.


SALESMAN

Here are some camel hairs, but

I'd like you just to feel this

one. It's Vicuna. Of course,

it's a little more expensive.


GILLIS

A camel's hair will do.


SALESMAN

(With an insulting

inflection)

As long as the lady is paying

for it, why not take the Vicuna?


DISSOLVE:





END OF SEQUENCE "B"



SEQUENCE "C"


DISSOLVE IN:


C-1 LONG SHOT DESMOND HOUSE


A day in December. Rain.


QUICK DISSOLVE TO:



C-2 INT. ROOM OVER GARAGE


Water is drizzling from GILLIS' VOICE

two or three spots in the The last week in December

ceiling into pans and the rains came -- a great

bowls set to catch it, big package of rain.

one bowl right on the Over-sized, like every-

bed. The room is almost thing else in California.

emptied of Gillis' be-

longings by now. Max It came right through

is carrying out a hand- the old roof of my room

full of new suits on above the garage. She

hangers. He has a had Max move me to the

dressing gown over his main house. I didn't

shoulder. Gillis holds much like the idea -- the

a stack of shirts, his only time I could have

typewriter, and some to myself was in that

manuscript. He surveys room -- but it was better

the room for the last than sleeping in a rain-

time, to see whether coat and galoshes.

he's forgotten any-

thing. He has. He

puts down the typewriter

and picks up from under

the bed a pair of very

smart red leather bedroom

slippers. He tucks them

under his arm, picks up

the typewriter and leaves.


QUICK DISSOLVE TO:



C-3 A BEDROOM IN TIiE MAIN HOUSE


It is obviously a man's room -- heavy Spanish

furniture -- one wall nothing but a closet with

shelves and drawers for shirts and shoes. Max is

hanging up the suits. Gillis throws the shirts on

a big chair, tosses the slippers at the foot of the

bed, places the typewriter and manuscript on a desk

at the window.


GILLIS

Whose room was this?


MAX

It was the room of the husband.

Or of the husbands, I should say.

Madame has been married three

times.


Slightly embarrassed, Gillis picks up his toilet

kit with razor, toothbrushes, soap, etc., and starts

towards the bathroom, pausing en route at a rain-

splattered window.


GILLIS

I guess this is the one you

can see Catalina from. Only

this isn't the day.


He proceeds towards the half-opened door leading

to the bathroom. Something strikes his attention

and he stops. As in the door to the room above

the garage, this lock, too, has been gouged out.


GILLIS

Hey, what's this with the

door? There isn't any lock.


MAX

There are no locks anywhere

in this house.


He points to the entrance door of the room, and to

another door.


GILLIS

How come?


MAX

The doctor suggested it.


GILLIS

What doctor?


MAX

Madame's doctor. She has moments

of melancholy. There have been

some suicide attempts.


GILLIS

Uh-huh?


MAX

We have to be very careful. No

sleeping pills, no razor blades.

We shut off the gas in her bed-

room.


GILLIS

Why? Her career? She got enough

out of it. She's not forgotten.

She still gets those fan letters.


MAX

I wouldn't look too closely at the

postmarks.


GILLIS

You send them. Is that it, Max?


MAX

I'd better press your evening

clothes, sir. You have not for-

gotten Madame's New Year's party.


GILLIS

No, I haven't. I suppose all

the waxworks are coming?


MAX

I don't know, sir. Madame made

the arrangements.


Max leaves. Gillis comes out of the bathroom, picks

up his shirts, goes over to a closet, opens it. As

he does so one of the doors without a lock swings

slightly open. Gillis looks through the half-open

door and sees.



C-4 NORMA DESMOND'S ROOM


It is empty. The rainy GILLIS' VOICE

day does nothing to There it was again - that

help its gloom. room of hers, all satin and

ruffles, and that bed like

a gilded rowboat. The per-

fect setting for a silent

movie queen. Poor devil,

still waving proudly to a

parade which had long since

passed her by.

He pushes the door shut

and walks back into the

room.


DISSOLVE TO:



C-5 STAIRCASE OF DESMOND

HOUSE (NIGHT)


Gillis is coming down the GILLIS' VOICE

stairs in his tailcoat It was at her New Year's

adjusting the handkerchief party that I found out

in his pocket. He obviously how she felt about me.

feels a little uneasy in Maybe I'd been an idiot

this outfit. From below not to have sensed it

comes a tango of the Twen- was coming - that sad,

ties. played by a small embarrassing revelation.

orchestra. Gillis stops

in the archway leading to

the big room and looks

around.


C-6 THE BIG ROOM has been deco-

rated for the occasion with

laurel garlands. Dozens of

candles in all the sconces

and candelabra are ablaze.

Their flickering flames are

reflected in the waxed sur=

face of the tile floor.

There is a buffet, with

buckets of champagne and

caviar on ice. In one corner

on a little platform banked

with palms. a four-piece

orchestra is playing.


At the buffet are Max and Norma. She is drinking

a glass of champagne. She is wearing a diamonte

evening dress. very high style. with long black

gloves and a headdress of paradise feathers. Her

eyes fall on Gillis. She puts down the glass of

champagne. picks up a gardenia boutonniere and

moves toward him.


NORMA

Joe, you look absolutely

divine. Turn around!


GILLIS

(Embarrassed}

Please.


NORMA

Come on!


Gillis makes a slow 36O-degree turn.


NORMA

Perfect. Wonderful shoulders.

And I love that line.



She indicates the V from his shoulders to his hips.


GILLIS

All padding. Don't let it fool

you.


NORMA

Come here!


She puts the gardenia on his lapel.


GILLIS

You know, to me dressing up

was always just putting on

my dark blue suit.


NORMA

I don't like those studs they've

sent. I want you to have pearls.

Nice big pearls.


GILLIS

Now, I'm not going to wear ear-

rings, I can tell you that.


NORMA

Cute. Let's have some drinks.


She leads him over to the buffet.


GILLIS

Shouldn't we wait for the others?


NORMA

(Pointing at the floor)

Careful, it's slippery. I

had it waxed.


They reach the buffet. Max is ready with two

glasses of champagne. Norma hands Gillis a glass.


NORMA

Here's to us.


They drink.


NORMA

You know, this floor used to

be wood but I had it changed.

Valentino said there is nothing

like tiles for a tango.


She opens her arms.




GILLIS

Not on the same floor with

Valentino!


NORMA

Just follow me.


They start to tango. After a moment --


NORMA

Don't bend back like that.


GILLIS

It's those feathers. They tickle.


Norma pulls the paradise feathers from her hair

and tosses them away.



C-7 THE ORCHESTRA


As they play the tango, the musicians eye the danc-

ing couple, take in the situation, exchange glances

and turn away with professional discretion.



C-8 NORMA AND GILLIS, TANGOING


Gillis glances at his wrist watch.


GILLIS

It's a quarter past ten. What

time are they supposed to get

here?


NORMA

Who?


GILLIS

The other guests?


NORMA

There are no other guests. We

don't want to share this night

with other people. This is for

you and me.


GILLIS

I understand some rich guy bought

up all the tickets for a perfor-

mance at the Metropolitan and sat

there listening to La Traviata,

all by himself. He was afraid of

catching cold.



NORMA

Hold me tighter.


GILLIS

Come midnight, how about blind-

folding the orchestra and smash-

ing champagne glasses on Max's

head?


NORMA

You think this is all very funny.


GILLIS

A little.


NORMA

Is it funny that I'm in love

with you?


GILLIS

What's that?


NORMA

I'm in love with you. Don't you

know that? I've been in love

with you all along.


They dance on. Gillis is acutely embarrassed.

THE CAMERA SLOWLY PULLS BACK, PANS past the faces

of the musicians, who play on with a rather overe-

mphasized lack of interest. Finally it winds up

on Max, behind the buffet. He stands watching Gillis,

a faint trace of pity in his eyes.


DISSOLVE TO:



C-9 NORMA'S FINGER, WITH THE

CIGARETTE GADGET, as she GILLIS' VOICE

inserts a cigarette. I'm sure a lot of you will

laugh about this. Ridicu-

lous situation, wasn't it?

-- a woman almost twice my

age ... It got to be about

a quarter of eleven. I

felt caught, like a cig-

arette in the prongs of

that contraption on her

finger.

PULL BACK TO:


NORMA AND GILLIS sitting on a couch in front of the

cavernous fireplace. Norma holds out her cigarette

to Gillis, who lights it.



NORMA.

What a wonderful next year it's

going to be. What fun we're going

to have. I'II fill the pool for

you. Or I'll open my house in

Malibu, and you can have the whole

ocean. Or I'll buy you a boat

and we'll sail to Hawaii.


GILLIS

Stop it. You aren't going to buy

me anything more.


NORMA

Don't be silly.

(She reaches under a

pillow of the couch

and brings out a

leather box)

Here. I was going to give it to

you at midniglht.


Gillis opens the box. It contains a matched gold

cigarette case and lighter.


NORMA

Read what's inside.


Gillis snaps open the case. Engraved inside the

cover is: TO JOE FROM NORMA, and two bars of

music.


GILLIS

What are the notes?


NORMA

"Mad about the boy."


GILLIS

Norma, I can't take it. You've

bought me enough.


NORMA

Shut up. I'm rich. I'm richer

than all this new Hollywood trash.

I've got a million dollars.


GILLIS

Keep it.


NORMA

I own three blocks downtown.

I have oil in Bakersfield --

pumping, pumping, pumping.

What's it for but to buy us

anything we want.


GILLIS

Cut out that us business.


He rises.


NORMA

What's the matter with you?


GILLIS

What right do you have to take

me for granted?


NORMA

What right? Do you want me to

tell you?


GILLIS

Has it ever occurred that I may

have a life of my own? That there

may be some girl I'm crazy about?


NORMA

Who? Some car hop, or a dress

extra?


GILLIS

Why not? What I'm trying to say

is that I'm all wrong for you.

You want a Valentino -- somebody

with polo ponies -- a big shot --


NORMA

(Getting up slowly)

What you're trying to say is

that you don't want me to love

you. Is that it?


Gillis doesn't answer. Norma slaps his face and

rushes from the room and upstairs.


Gillis stands paralyzed, the slap burning his cheek.



C-1O THE TOP OF THE STAIRCASE AND CORRIDOR


Norma rushes up the last few steps, down the corridor

and into her bedroom, banging the door. MOVE THE

CAMERA toward the closed door, centering on the

gouged-out lock.



C-11 GILLIS, IN THE BIG ROOM


He still stands motionless. He glances around fur-

tively, to see if his humiliation has been observed.



C-12 THE ORCHESTRA


The musicians are playing away. They have turned

their eyes away from Gillis rather too ostentatious-

ly for comfort.



C-13 GILLIS


His eyes move over toward



C-14 MAX


He is subtler than the musicians. He appears very

busy at the buffet, putting empty bottles and used

glasses on a tray. He walks across the room with

them.



C-15 GILLIS


He starts slowly out. As he does so his long gold

key chain catches on a carved ornament of the sofa

and holds him for a second of additional embarrass-

ment. He yanks it loose and walks with as much

nonchalance as he can muster to



C-16 THE HALL


Crossing towards the coat closet, Gillis throws a

look upstairs. Then he pulls the Vicuna coat from

its hangar and slips into it as he crosses to the

entrance door. He opens the door on the darkness

of the courtyard.



C-17 EXT. DESMOND HOUSE

(NIGHT - RAIN)


Gillis shuts the door. GILLIS'VOICE

He takes a few steps I didn't know where I was

forward, then stands going. I just had to get

for a while breathing out of there. I had to be

deep. The rain is with people my own age. I

balm to that cheek had to hear somebody laugh

where the slap still a again. I thought of Artie

burns. He walks for- Green. There was bound to

ward with a great be a New Year's shindig

sense of relief. going on in his apartment

down on Las Palmas -- the

hock shop set -- not a job

C-18 DRIVEWAY LEADING TO in the room. but lots of

fun on the cuff.


Gillis walks to the

street, which is dark

and empty. He starts

down Sunset in an

Easterly direction.

A car passes. He

tries to thumb a

ride, without success.

However, the second


car, a florist's

delivery wagon, stops.

Gillis jumps in and the

car drives off.


DISSOLVE TO:


C-19 ARTIE GREEN'S APARTMENT


It is the most modest one-room affair, jam packed

with young people flowing over into the miniature

bathroom and the microscopic kitchenette. The only

drink being served is punch from a pressed-glass

bowl -- but everybody is having a hell of a time.

Most of the men are in slacks and sweaters, and only

a few of the girls in something that vaguely suggests

party dress.


Abe Burroughs sits at a small, guest-festooned piano

and sings Tokio Rose. By the door, a group of young

men and girls respond to the song by sing1ng Rinso

White or Dentyne Chewing Gum or something similar,

in the manner of a Bach choral. Artie Green, a dark

haired, pleasant-looking guy in his late twenties,

is conducting with the ladle from the punch bowl.


The door behind some of the singers is pushed open,

jostling them out of their places. In comes Gillis,

his hair and face wet, the collar of his Vicuna coat

turned up. Artie stops conducting, but the commer-

cial goes right on.


ARTIE

Well, what do you know ! Joe

Gillis !


GILLIS

Hi, Artie.


ARTIE

Where have you been keeping that

gorgeous face of yours?


GILLIS

In a deep freeze.


ARTIE

I almost reported you to the Bureau

of Missing Persons.

(To the company)

Fans, you all know Joe Gillis, the

well-known screen writer, opium

smuggler and Black Dahlia suspect.


Gillis greets some of the kids by name as he and

Artie push their way into the room.


ARTIE

Give me your coat.


GILLIS

Let it ride for a while.


ARTIE

You're going to stay, aren't you?


GILLIS

That was the general idea.


ARTIE

Come on.


Artie starts peeling the coat off Gillis. Its

texture takes his breath away.


ARTIE

What is this - mink?


He has taken the coat. He looks at Gillis standing

there in tails.


ARTIE

Judas E. Priest, who did you

borrow that from? Adolphe

Menjou?


GILLIS

Close, but no cigar.


Gillis stands embarrassed While Artie rolls up the

Vicuna coat and tucks it above the books on a book-

shelf.


ARTIE

Say, you're not really smuggling

opium these days, are you?


GILLIS

Where's the bar?


The two make their way toward the punch bowl. It's

a little like running the gauntlet for Gillis. There

are whistles and 'stares of astonishlnent at his tails.

When they reach the punch bowl, Artie picks up a

half-filled glass and fills it.


GILLIS

Good party.


ARTIE

The greatest. They call me the Elsa

Maxwell of the assistant directors.

(To some guests who are

dipping their empty cups

into the punch bowl)

Hey, easy on the punch bowl. Budget

only calls for three drinks per extra.

Fake the rest.


GILLIS

Listen, Artie, can I stick around

here for a while?



ARTIE

Sure, this'll go on all night.


GILLIS

I mean, could you put me up for

a couple of weeks?


ARTIE

It just so happens we have a

vacancy on the couch.


GILLIS

I'll take it.


ARTIE

I'll have the bell-hop take care

of your luggage.


He runs his finger across the decollete back of a

girl standing in a group next them.


ARTIE

Just register here.


The girl turns around. She is Betty Schaefer.


BETTY

Hello, Mr. Gillis.


ARTIE

You know each other?


Gillis looks at her a little puzzled.


BETTY

Let me help you. Betty Schaeter,

Sheldrake's office.


GILLIS

Sure. Bases Loaded.


ARTIE

Wait a minute. This is the woman

I love. What's going on? Who

was loaded?


GILLIS

Don't worry. She's just a fan

for my literary output.


BETTY

(to Artie)

Hurt feelings department.


GILLIS

About that luggage. Where's

the phone?


ARTIE

Over by the Rainbow Room.


Gillis squeezes his way through groups of people

to the telephone, which is next to an open door

leading to the bathroom. The phone is busy. A

girl sits listening to it, giggling wildly. Another

girl beside her is laughing too. They are apparently

sharing a conversation with some man on the other end

of the wire. The telephone passes from hand to hand.

Gillis watches impatiently, then


GILLIS

When youlre through with that

thing, can I have it?


The girl just nods, going on with her chattering.

Gillis stands waiting, and Betty Schaefer comes up

with his glass.


BETTY

You forgot this.


GILLIS

Thanks.


BETTY

I've been hoping to run into you.


GILLIS

What for? To recover that knife

you stuck in my back?


BETTY

I felt a little guilty, so I got

out some of your old stories.


GILLIS

Why, you sweet kid.


BETTY

There's one called....Window...

something with a window.


GILLIS

Dark Windows. How did you

like it?


BETTY

I didn't.


GILLIS

Thank you.


BETTY

Except for about six pages.

You've got a flashback there ...


There is too much racket for her.


BETTY

Is there someplace we can talk?


GILLIS

How about the Rainbow Room?


They squeeze their way towards the bathroom, past

Artie.


ARTIE

I said you could have my couch.

I didn't say you could have my

girl.


BETTY

This is shop talk.


She and Gillis go through the open door into



C-20 ARTIE'S BATHROOM


It's a little less noisy, although there are some

guests there, chatting and having fun. Betty and

Gillis sit down on the edge of the tub.


GILLIS

Now if I got you correctly, there

was a short stretch of my fiction

you found worthy of notice.


BETTY

The flashback in the courtroom,

when she tells about being a

school teacher.


GILLIS

I had a teacher like that once.


BETTY

Maybe that's why it's good.

It's true, it's moving. Now

why don't you use that character...


GILLIS

Who wants true? Who wants moving?


BETTY

Drop that attitude. Here's some-

thing really worth while.


GILLIS

Want me to start right now?

Maybe there's some paper around.


BETTY

I'm serious. I've got a few ideas.


GILLIS

I've got some ideas myself. One

of them being this is New Year's

Eve. How about living it up a

little?


BETTY

As for instance?


GILLIS

Well....


BETTY

We could make some paper boats

and have a regatta. Or should

we just turn on the shower?


GILLIS

How about capturing the kitchen

and barricading the door?


BETTY

Are you hungry?


GILLIS

Hungry? After twelve years in

the Burmese jungle. I am starving,

Lady Agatha -- starving for a

white shoulder --


BETTY

Phillip, you're mad!


One of the girls who was on the phone comes to

the door.


GIRL

You can have the phone now.


GILLIS

(Paying no attention)

Thirsting for the coolness of

your lips -


BETTY

No, Phillip, no. We must be

strong. You're still wearing

the uniform of the Coldstream

Guards! Furthermore, you can

have the phone now.


GILLIS

O.K.

(He gets up, starts

out, turns)

I find I'm terribly afraid of

losing you.


BETTY

You won't.

(She takes the glass

out of his hand)

I'll get us a refill of

this awful stuff.


GILLIS

You'll be waiting for me?


BETTY

With a wildly beating heart.


GILLIS

Life can be beautiful!


He leaves.



C-21 THE MAIN ROOM


Gillis squeezes himself through some guests to

the phone. He has to stand in a cramped position,

holding the instrument close to him as he dials

a number.


GILLIS

Max? This is Mr. Gillis.

I want you to do me a favor.


C-22 NORMA DESMOND HOUSE


Max is at the phone, in the lower hall.


MAX

I am sorry, Mr. Gillis.

I cannot talk now.



C-23 GILLIS ON THE PHONE


GILLIS

Yes you can. I want you to get

my old suitcase and I want you

to throw in my old clothes --

the ones I came with, and my

typewriter. I'll have somebody

pick them up.



C-24 MAX AT THE PHONE


MAX

I have no time to talk. The

doctor is here.



C-25 GILLIS ON THE PHONE


GILLIS

What doctor? What's going on?



C-26 MAX AT THE PHONE


MAX

She got the razor from your

room. She cut her wrists.


Max hangs up, moves toward the staircase.



C-27 GILLIS AT THE PHONE


GILLIS

Max ! Max !


He hangs up the dead receiver, stands numb with

shock. Betty elbows her way up to him, carrying

the two punch glasses filled again.


BETTY

I just got the recipe: take

two packages of cough drops,

dissolve in one gallon of

lukewarm grape juice --


Gillis looks up at her. Without a word he pushes

her aside so that she spills the drink. He makes

his way through the guests to the Vicuna coat, pulls

it from the shelf, some books tumbling with it, and

rushes towards the door and out. Betty stands look-

ing after him, completely bewildered.


DISSOLVE TO:



C-28 EXT. DESMOND HOUSE - (NIGHT, RAIN)


The doctor's car is parked in the driveway. A taxi

pulls up. Gillis, in his Vicuna coat now, jumps

out, throws a couple of dollars to the rdriver and

runs toward the house.



C-28a DOORWAY, NORMA DESMOND HOUSE>


Max is opening the door to let out the doctor, a

professional looking man carrying a black bag.

Gillis runs into the SHOT.


GILLIS

How is she?


MAX

She is upstairs.


Gillis starts to push past Max. Max grabs his arm.


MAX

Be careful. Do not race up the

stairs. The musicians must not

know what has happened.


Gillis goes into the house.



C-29 ENRANCE HALL AND STAIRCASE


Gillis crosses the hall and starts up the stairs.



C-3O INT. NORMA DESMOND'S ROOM


Only one alabaster lamp lights the big, cold room.

On the bed lies Norma in her evening dress. She is

white as a sheet. Her wrists are bandaged. Her eyes

are wide open, staring at the ceiling. One of her

shoes has halt slipped off her foot. The other is

on. Gillis opens the door and stands there tor a

second. Then he slowly moves to the toot of the bed.

He takes the shoes from her feet and puts them on

the floor.


NORMA

Go away.


GILLIS

What kind of a silly thing was

that to do?


NORMA

To fall in love with you -- that

was the idiotic thing.


GILLIS

It sure would have made attractive

headlines: Great Star Kills Her-

self for Unknown Writer.


NORMA

Great stars have great pride.


She puts one bandaged forearm over her eyes, sobbing.

Gillis walks slowly over to the mantelpiece, stands

there for awhile.


NORMA

Go away. Go to that girl of yours.


GILLIS

Look, I was making that up because

I thought the whole thing was a

mistake. I didn't want to hurt you.

You've been good to me. You're the

only person in this stinking town

that has been good to me.


NORMA

Why don't you just say thank you

and go, go, go --


GILLIS

Not until you promise to act like

a sensible human being.


NORMA

I'll do it again, I'll do it again,

I'll do it again!


Gillis stands looking at her helplessly.



C-31 LIVING ROOM, THE DESMOND HOUSE


The candles burned down, the orchestra playing to

the emptiness. The orchestra leader looks at his

watch, rises, silences the orchestra, then starts

them in on Auld Lang Syne.





C-32 INT. NORMA'S ROOM


Gillis still stands. Norma lies on the bed, arms

over her eyes, sobbing.


GILLIS

Happy New Year.


Norma continues to sob. Gillis goes to the bed,

puts his arms on her shoulders and turns her around.


GILLIS

Happy New Year.


Norma looks at him, tears in her eyes. Slowly she

enfolds him in her bandaged arms.


NORMA

Happy New Year. darling.


She kisses him.


DISSOLVE






END OF SEQUENCE "C"





SEQUENCE "D"


DISSOLVE IN ON:


D-1 INT. HALLWAY, NORMA GILLIS' VOICE

DESMOND'S HOUSE (DAY) Around the middle of May

some incidents happened

The telephone is heard which I think I should tell

ringing. Max comes from you about.

living room to the phone,

picks it up.


MAX

Hello ... Yes?



D-1a BETTY SCHAEFER, AT THE PHONE ON HER DESK IN THE

READERS' DEPARTMENT


BETTY

Is this Crestview 5-1733? ... I'm

sorry to bother you again, but I've

confirmed the number. I must speak

to Mr. Gillis.


D-1b MAX, AT THE PHONE


MAX

He is not here.


D-1c BETTY ON THE PHONE


BETTY

Where can I reach him? Maybe

somebody else in the house could

tell me.


D-1d MAX ON THE PHONE


MAX

Nobody here can give you any

information. You will please

not call again.


He hangs up. From off comes:


NORMA'S VOICE

Who was it, Max? What is it?



D-1e PATIO, NORMA'S HOUSE


It is a sunny day. The garden is in somewhat better

shape. The old house looks less unkept. The pool

is filled. Norma sits on a wicker chaise longue, her

face shielded by an enormous straw hat, her eyes by

dark glasses. Gillis, in bathing trunks, is on a

rubber mattress in the pool. Max comes to the

entrance door.


MAX

Nothing, Madame. Somebody Inqu-

iring about a stray dog. We must

have a number very similar to the

pound.


He starts to turn back.


NORMA

Wait a minute. I want you to get

out the car. You're going to

take the script over to Paramount

and deliver it to Mr. De Mille in

person.


MAX

Yes, Madame.


He goes into the house.


GILLIS

(climbing out

of the water)

You're really going to send it

to De Mille?


NORMA

This is the right day.


She indicates a typewritten letter she is holding.


NORMA (Cont'd)

The chart from my astrologer.

She read deMille's horoscope.

She read mine.


GILLIS

Did she read the script?


NORMA

DeMille is Leo. I'm Scorpio.

Mars has been transmitting

Jupiter for weeks. Today is

the day of greatest conjuction.

Now turn around. Let me dry

you.


She puts the towel around his sholders and starts

drying him.


GILLIS

I hope you realize, Norma,

that scripts don't sell on

astrologers' charts.


NORMA

I'm not just selling the script.

I'm selling me. DeMille always

said I was his greatest star.


GILLIS

When did he say it, Norma?


NORMA

So he said it quite a few years

ago. So what? I never looked

better in my life. Do you know

why? Because I've never been as

happy in my life.


She kisses him.


DISSOLVE TO:



D-2 INT. THE ISOTTA, DRIVING

DOWN SUNSET ABOUT 8:30

IN THE EVENING GILLIS' VOICE

A few evenings later we

Max is driving. In the were going to the house of

tonneau sit Norma, in a one of the waxworks for

chinchilla wrap, and some bridge. She'd taught

Gillis in his tuxedo. me how to play bridge by

Norma is rummaging then, just as she'd taught

through her evening me some fancy tango steps,

bag. She finds a and what wine to drink

cigarette case, opens with what fish.

it. It is empty.


NORMA

That idiot. He forgot to fill

my cigarette case.


GILLIS

(Proffering his case)

Have one of mine.


NORMA

They're awful. They make me cough.


GILLIS

(Pushing open the glass

partition, to Max)

Pull up at the drugstore, will

you, Max.

(To Norma)

I'll get you some.


NORMA

You're a darling.


She takes a dollar bill from her purse and gives it

to him.



D-3 EXT. SCHWAB'S DRUGSTORE

The car drives up and Gillis hurries into the store.



D-4 INT. SCHWAB'S DRUGSTORE

Business is still rather lively. There are about a

dozen shoppers, and the soda counter is half filled.

Gillis enters and steps to the tobacco counter.


GILLIS

(To the salesgirl)

Give me a pack of those Turkish

cigarettes -- Melachrinos.


The girl opens the glass showcase to locate the fancy

brand. From OFF comes


ARTIE'S VOICE

Stick 'em up, Gillis, or I'll

let you have it!


Gillis turns.



D-5 AT THE SODA FOUNTAIN


Artie Green and Betty Schaefer sit having a sandwich

and a milk shake. With his forefinger and a sound

effect, Artie riddles Gillis' body. Gillis walks

INTO THE SHOT.


GILLIS

Hello, Artie. Good evening,

Miss Schaefer.


BETTY

(Excitedly)

You don't know how glad I am

to see youl


ARTIE

Walking out on the mob. What's

the big idea?


GILLIS

I'm sorry about New Year's. Would

you believe me if I said I had

to be with a sick friend?


ARTIE

Someone in the formal set, no

doubt, with a ten-carat kidney

stone.


BETTY

Stop it, Artie, will you?

(To Gillis)

Where have you been keeping your-

self? I've got the most wonderful

news for you.


GILLIS

I haven't been keeping myself at

all. Not lately.


BETTY

I called your agent. I called the

Screen Writers Guild. Finally your

old apartment gave me some Crestview

number. There was always somebody

with an accent growling at me. You

were not there. You were not to be

spoken to. They never heard of you.


GILLIS

Is that so? What's the wonderful

news?


BETTY

Sheldrake likes that angle about

the teacher.


GILLIS

What teacher?


BETTY

Dark Windows. I got him all

hopped up about it.


GILLIS

You did?


BETTY

He thinks it could be made into

something.


GILLIS

Into what? A lampshade?


BETTY

Into something for Barbara Stan-

wyck. They have a commitment with

Barbara Stanwyck.


ARTIE

Unless you'd rather have Sarah

Bernhardt.


BETTY

This is on the level. Sheldrake

really went for it.


GILLIS

O.K. Where's the cash?


BETTY

Where's the story? I bluffed it

out with a few notions of my own.

It's really just a springboard.

It needs work.


GILLIS

I was afraid of that.


BETTY

I've got twenty pages of notes.

I've got a pretty good character

for the man.


ARTIE

Could you write in plenty of back-

ground action, so they'll need an

extra assistant director?


BETTY

Shut up, Artie.

(To Gillis)

Now if we could sit down for two

weeks and get a story.


GILLIS

Sorry, Miss Schaefer, but I've

given up writing on spec.


BETTY

I tell you this is half sold.


GILLIS

As a matter of fact. I've given

up writing altogether.


Max has appeared in the door.


MAX

Mr. Gillis, if you please.


GILLIS

Right with you.


Max leaves.


ARTIE

The accent! I've got it: this guy

is in the pay of a foreign government.

Get those studs. Get those cuff-links.


GILLIS

I've got to run along. Thanks any-

way for your interest in my career.


BETTY

It's not your career -- it's mine.

I kind of hoped to get in on this

deal. I don't want to be a reader

all my life. I want to write.


GILLIS

Sorry if I crossed you up.


BETTY

You sure have.


GILLIS

So long.


He leaves.


ARTIE

(Patting her hand)

Babe, it's like that producer says:

In life, you've got to take the

bitter with the sour.



D-6 THE ISOTTA, PARKED OUTSIDE


Gillis comes from Schwab's, gets into the car.


Max takes off.


NORMA

What on earth, darling? It took

you hours.


GILLIS

I ran into some people I knew.


NORMA

Where are my cigarettes?


GILLIS

Where are your...?


He realizes he's forgotten them, takes the dollar

and hands it back to her.


GILLIS

Norma, you're smoking too much.


DISSOLVE TO:



D-7 LIVING ROOM, NORMA

DESMOND'S HOUSE

(EARLY AFTERNOON)


Start on a tiny GILLIS' VOICE

parasol being Whenever she suspected I

twirled...Norma was getting bored, she

peeks out from one would put on a live show

side of the parasol, for me: the Norma Desmond

a bandanna tied Follies. Her first number

around her head with was always the Mack Sennett

a rabbit's-ear bow. Bathing Beauty.

She bats her eyes,

winks roguishly.


THE CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal that Norma's black

pyjama trousers are rolled up over her knees and her

black stockings rolled down below them. The whole

effect approximates a Mack Sennett bathing costume

pretty effectively. She points at a leather pour.


NORMA

This is a rock.


She climbs on it, pantomimes timidity, an attempted

dive, then jumps off.


Gillis lolls on a couch, watching the performance,

very bored.


NORMA

I can still see myself in the

line: Bebe Daniels, Marie Prevost,

Mabel Normand ... Mabel was always

stepping on my feet ...What's the

matter with you, darling? Why are

you so glum?


GILLIS

(Lighting a cigarette

with a match)

Nothing is the matter. I'm having

a great time. Show me some more.


NORMA

(Taking the match)

All right. Give me this. I need

it for a moustache. Now close

your eyes.


She runs out of the GILLIS' VOICE

picture. Gillis has Something was the matter,

closed his eyes. all right. I was thinking

THE CAMERA MOVES to about that girl of Artie's,

his face. that Miss Schaefer. She

was so like all us writers

when we first hit Holly-

wood -- itching with am-

bition, panting to get

your names up there:

Screenplay by. Original

Story by. Hmph! Audiences

don't know somebody sits

down and writes a picture.

They think the actors make

it up as they go along.


NORMA'S VOICE

Open your eyes.


Gillis opens his eyes.


Norma has equipped herselr with a derby hat, a cane,

and blacked in a small moustache. She goes into a

little Chaplin routine. While she is doing it, the

telephone rings. After a moment Max comes to the

living room door.


MAX

Madame is wanted on the telephone.


NORMA

You know better than to interrupt me.


MAX

Paramount is calling.


NORMA

Who?


MAX

Paramount studios.


NORMA

(To Gillis)

Now, now do you belive me? I told

you deMille would jump at it.


MAX

It is not Mr. deMille in person.

It is someone by the name or Gordon

Cole. He says it's very important.


NORMA

Certainly it's important. It's

important enough for Mr. deMille

to call me personally. The idea

of having an assistant call me!


MAX

I myself was surprised at Mr. de

Mille's manners.


NORMA

Say that I'm busy, and hang up.


MAX

Very good, Madam.


He bows and exits.


NORMA

How do you like that? We've

made twelve pictures together.

His greatest successes.


GILLIS

Maybe deMille is shooting.


NORMA

I know that trick! He wants to

belittle me. He's trying to get

my price down. I've waited

twenty years for this call. Now

Mr. deMille can wait till I'm

good and ready.


DISSOLVE TO:



D-8 NORMA, IN THE TONNEAU

OF THE LIMOUSINE,

DRIVING DOWN MELROSE


She is in full makeup, GILLIS' VOICE

with a veil, a daring About three days later she

hat, a suit so stunning was good and ready. In-

only she would venture credible as it may seem,

to wear it. THE CAMERA there had been some more

PULLS BACK. Beside her of those calls from

sits Gillis in the glen Paramount. So she put on

plaid suit. Max is about half a pound of

driving. makeup, fixed it up with

a veil, and set forth to

see deMille in person.


Norma is examining her face in the mirror of her

vanity. Max, while driving, sees her in the rear

view mirror.


MAX

If you will pardon me, Madame.

The shadow over the left eye

is not quite balanced.


NORMA

Thank you, Max.


With a handkerchief, she corrects it.



D-9 MAIN GATE, EXT. PARAMOUNT STUDIO


The car drives down Bronson and stops smack in front

of the iron gate. A young policeman is talking to

an extra; an old policeman sits reading a newspaper.

Max sounds the horn impatiently.


YOUNG POLICEMAN

Hold that noise!


MAX

To see Mr. de Mille. Open the gate.


YOUNG POLICEMAN

Mr. deMille is shooting. You

got an appointment?


MAX

No appointment is necessary. I

am bringing Norma Desmond.


YOUNG POLICEMAN

Norma Who?


Norma has rolled down the window on her side. She

calls to the old policeman.


NORMA

Jonesy! Come here, Jonesy!


OLD POLICEMAN

Yeah?

(He comes forward slowly)

Why, if it isn't Miss Desmond!

How have you been, Miss Desmond?


NORMA

Fine, Jonesy. Now open that gate.


OLD POLICEMAN

Sure, Miss Desmond.

(To the young policeman}

Come on, Mac.


YOUNG POLICEMAN

They can't drive on the lot

without a pass.


OLD POLICEMAN

Miss Desmond can. Come on.


They fling open the gate.


OLD POLICEMAN

(As the car drives through)

Stage eighteen, Miss Desmond.


NORMA

Thank you, Jonesy. And teach

your friend some manners. Tell

him without me he wouldn't have

any job, because without me there

wouldn't be any Paramount Studio.

(To Max)

Go on.


They drive through the gates. The old policeman

goes to wall phone beside the gate, dials a number.


OLD POLICEMAN

(Into phone)

Norma Desmond coming in to

see Mr. deMille.


D-10 STAGE 18


A scene from SAMPSON AND DELILAH is being rehearsed

in the background. The usual turbulent activity

surrounds it: extras. makeup men, grips,

assistants, etc., etc. In the dim foreground a

stage hand is answering a stand telephone. He

puts down the phone and moves (CAMERA WITH HIM)

to a second assistant.


STAGE HAND

Norma Desmond is coming to see

Mr. deMille.


The second assistant walks (CAMERA WITH HIM)

to the first assistant.


2nd ASSISTANT

Norma Desmond coming in to

see Mr. deMille.


The first assistant (CAMERA WITH HIM) hurries

to the set. Sitting with his back toward us

is C.B. himself. He is rehearsing a scene with

Hedy Lamarr.


1ST ASSISTANT

Norma Desmond is coming in to

see you, Mr. deMille.


C. B. turns his head.


DEMILLE

Norma Desmond?


lst ASSISTANT

She must be a million years old.


DEMILLE

I hate to think where that puts

me. I could be her father.


1ST ASSISTANT

I'm terribly sorry, Mr. de Mille.


By this time de Mille is on his feet.


DEMILLE

It must be about that appalling

script of hers. What can I say

to her? What can I say?


1ST ASSISTANT

I can tell her you're all tied

up in the projection room. I

can give her the brush ...


DEMILLE

Listen, thirty million fans

have given her the brush.

Isn't that enough?


1ST ASSISTANT

I didn't mean to --


DEMILLE

Of course you didn't. You didn't

know Norma Desmond as a plucky

little girl of seventeen, with

more courage and wit and heart

than ever came together in one

youngster.


1ST ASSISTANT

I hear she was a terror to

work with.


DEMILLE

She got to be. A dozen press

agents working overtime can

do terrible things to the human

spirit.

(to the set)

Hold everything.


He leaves, accompanied by his entourage.


D-11 EXT. STAGE 18


Norma's limousine drives up. Max dismounts

and opens the door.


NORMA

(taking Gillis's hand)

Don't you want to come along,

darling?


GILLIS

I don't think so. It's your

script. It's your show.

Good luck.


NORMA

Thank you, darling.


She presses his hand against her cheek, descends

from the car and walks toward -


D-12 THE DOOR OF STAGE 18


The first assistant is holding it open. In the door-

way stands Mr. deMille. Seeing Norma, he stretches

out his arms.


DE MILLE

Hello, young fellow.


NORMA

Hello, Mr. deMille.


She has reached him. They embrace.


NORMA

Last time I saw you was someplace

very gay. I remember waving to you.

I was dancing on a table.


DE MILLE

Lots of people were. Lindbergh had

just landed in Paris. Come on in.


He leads her into



D-13 STAGE 18


During the ensuing dialogue, Mr. deMille walks Norma

towards the set.


DE MILLE

Norma, I want to apologize for

not calling you.


NORMA

You'd better. I'm very angry.


DE MILLE

I'm pretty busy, as you can see...


NORMA

That's no excuse. You read the

script, didn't you?


DE MILLE

Yes, I did.


NORMA

Then you could have picked up the

phone yourself instead of leaving

it to one of your assistants.


DE MILLE

What assistant?


NORMA

Don't play innocent. Somebody

named Gordon Cole.


DE MILLE

Gordon Cole?


NORMA

And if you hadn't been pretty

darned interested in that script,

he wouldn't have tried to get

me on the phone ten times.


DE MILLE

Gordon Cole... Look, Norma,

I'm in the middle of a rehearsal.

(Indicating his

own chair)

Make yourself comfortable.


He walks onto the set, accompanied by his assistants.


DE MILLE

(Sotto voce, to his

first assistant)

Get me Gordon Cole on the phone.


Meanwhile, Norma starts to sit, sees the name

MISS LAMARR on the chair and with a look of

distaste changes and sits on the one marked

C.B. DE MILLE. From somewhere comes


A VOICE

Hey, Miss Desmond! Miss Desmond!


She looks around her.


VOICE

Up here!


Norma looks up at the scaffolding.


On the scaffold stands one of the electricians,

next to his light.


ELECTRICIAN

It's met It's Hog-eyel


Norma waves at him.


NORMA

Hello.


Hog-eye points his light at her.


HOG-EYE

Let's get a look at you.


The beam of the lamp moves toward Norma. It hits

her. She sits bathed in light. A couple of old

costume extras recognize her.


EXTRAS

Say, it's Norma! Norma Desmond!


They rush over and start wringing her hand. Into

the shot comes a middle-aged hairdresser.


HAIRDRESSER

Hello, Miss Desmond. It's Bessie.


Some elderly electricians and stagehands move in.



D-14 ANOTHER PART OF THE STAGE


The first assistant brings the portable phone to

deMille. DeMille lifts the receiver.


DE MILLE

Hello.



D-15 GORDON COLE'S OFFICE IN THE PROPERTY DEPARTMENT,

GORDON COLE ON THE PHONE.


COLE

Prop Department. Gordon Cole speaking.


D-16 DE MILLE ON THE PHONE


DE MILLE

Cole, this is C. B. deMille. Have

you been calling Norma Desmond?...

What's it about?



D-17 GORDON COLE, ON THE PHONE


COLE

It's that car of hers -- an old

Isotta-Fraschini. Her chauffeur

drove it on the lot the other day.

It looks just right for the Crosby

picture. We want to rent it for a

couple of weeks.



D-18 DE MILLE ON THE PHONE


DE MILLE

(Troubled)

Oh. Well, thank you.


He hangs up, walks back towards Norma. (CAMERA

WITH HIM).


Norma stills sits in the shaft of light, surrounded

by about a dozen people who have come up to pay court.

DeMille gestures up to Hog-eye and the light shifts

away. The people about Norma disperse slowly with

various ad-libs.


DE MILLE

Well, Norma ...

(He sits down next to her)

I got hold of Gordon Cole.


Norma hasn't heard a word.


NORMA

Did you see them? Did you see

how they came?


DE MILLE

You know, crazy things happen in

this business. I hope you haven't

lost your sense of humor ...


Suddenly he realizes that she is crying. She takes

the handkerchief from his pocket and puts it over her

eyes.


DEMILLE

What's the matter, Norma?


NORMA

Nothing. I just didn't realize

what it would be like to come back

to the old studio. I had no idea

how I'd missed it.


DEMILLE

We've missed you too, dear.


NORMA

We'll be working again, won't we, Chief?

We'll make our greatest picture.


DEMILLE

That's what I want to talk to you about.


NORMA

It's a good script, isn't it?


DEMILLE

It's got a lot of good things. Of

course, it would be an expensive picture...


NORMA

I don't care about the money.

I just want to work again. You

don't know what it means to know

that you want me.


DEMILLE

Nothing would thrill me more --

if it were possible.


NORMA

But remember, darling -- I don't

work before ten in the morning,

and never after 4:30 in the afternoon.


The first assistant comes up.


1ST ASSISTANT

We're ready with the shot, Mr. deMille.


DEMILLE

You'll pardon me, Norma? Why

don't you just sit and watch?

(He steps onto the set)

O.K. Here we go.


1ST ASSISTANT

Roll 'em.


DEMILLE

Action!

The scene starts.


D-19 THE ISOTTA, PARKED OUTSIDE STAGE 18


Max stands talking to Gillis, who is seated in the

car.


MAX

(Pointing to the row

of offices in the

building opposite)

You see those offices there, Mr.

Gillis? They used to be her

dressing room, The whole row.


GILLIS

That didn't leave much for Wallace

Reid.


MAX

He had a great big bungalow on

wheels. I had the upstairs. See

where it says 'Readers' Department'?

I remember my walls were covered

with black patent leather...


The words "Readers' Department" have registered on

Gillis' mind. He gets out of the car.


GILLIS

I'll be with you in a minute.


He crosses the street towards the green staircase

leading to the second floor.


Meanwhile, two prop men walking down the street

come into the SHOT.


1ST PROP MAN

Hey, that's the comic car Cole

was talking about!

(To Max)

Do you mind if we look inside?


MAX

Go away. Go away.



D-2O CUBICLE IN THE READERS' DEPARTMENT


Behind the desk sits Betty, typing the synopsis of

a novel, a half-eaten apple marking her place. The

door behind her opens and Gillis enters.


GILLIS

Just so you don't think I'm a

complete swine -- if there's

anything in Dark Windows you

can use, take it. It's all

yours.


BETTY

Well, for heaven's sake!


She moves the book and the apple aside and points at

the free space on the desk.


BETTY

Have a chair.


Gillis sits on the desk.


GILLIS

I mean it. It's no good to me

anyway. Help yourself.


BETTY

Why should you do that?


GILLIS

If you get a hundred thousand for

it, you buy me a box of chocolate

creams. If you get an Oscar, I

get the left foot.


BETTY

You know, I'd take you up on that

in a minute. I'm just not good

enough to do it all by myself.


GILLIS

What about all those ideas you had?


BETTY

See if they make sense. To begin

with, I think you should throw out

all that psychological stuff --

exploring a killer's sick mind.


GILLIS

Psychopaths sell like hotcakes.


BETTY

This story is about teachers --

their threadbare lives, their

struggles. Here are people doing

the most important job in the

world, and they have to wprry

about getting enough money to

re-sole their shoes. To me it

can be as exciting as any chase,

any gunplay.


GILLIS

Check.


BETTY

Now I see her teaching day classes

while he teaches night school. The

first time they meet ...


From below comes the SOUND of the Isotta's horn.


GILLIS

Look, if you don't mind, I haven't

got time to listen to the whole

plot ...


BETTY

I'll make it short.


GILLIS

Sorry. It's your baby now.


BETTY

I'm not good enough to write it

alone. We'll have to do it together.


GILLIS

I'm all tied up. I can't.


BETTY

Couldn't we work in the evenings?

Six o'clock in the morning? This

next month I'm completely at your

disposal. Artie is out of town.


GILLIS

What has Artie to do with it.


BETTY

We're engaged.


GILLIS

Good for you. You've got yourself

the best guy in town.


BETTY

I think so. They're on location

in Arizona, shooting a Western.

I'm free every evening, every week-

end. If you want, we could work at

your place.


GILLIS

It's just impossible.


BETTY

Nobody can be that busy.


There is another honk: from down below.


GILLIS

Look, Betty, It can't be done.

It's out.


BETTY

You're tough, all right.


GILLIS

You're on your own. Stop being

chicken-hearted and write that story.


BETTY

Honest to goodness, I hate you.


GILLIS

(Turning 1n the open door)

And don't make it too dreary. How

about this for a situation: she

teaches daytimes. He teaches at

night. Right? They don't even know

each other, but they share the same

room. It's cheaper that way. As a

matter of fact, they sleep in the

same bed -- in shifts, of oourse.


BETTY

Are you kidding? Because I think

it's good.


GILLIS

So do I.


BETTY

Came on back. Let me show you

where it fits in.


She reaches in a drawer for her notes on Dark

Windows.


GILLIS

(At the door)

So long.


Betty picks up the apple and is about to throw it

after him.


BETTY

Oh, you --


GILLIS

And here's a title: AN APPLE FOR

THE TEACHER.


He ducks out quiokly, slamming the door behind him.

Betty looks after him, then angrlly hurls the

apple into the wastebasket.



D-21 STAIRCASE OUTSIDE READERS' DEPARTMENT


Max is rush1ng up the stairs toward the descending

Gillis.


GILLIS

What's the matter, Max?


MAX

I just found out why all those tele-

phone calls. It is not Miss Desmond

they want. It is the car they want

to rent.


GILLIS

What?


Max has seen something off.


MAX

Ssh...


With his head he indicates



D-22 ENTRANCE TO STAGE 18


The first assistant has opened the door. DeMille

is showing Norma out.


DE MILLE

Goodbye, young fellow. We'll see

what we can do.


NORMA

(embracing him)

I'm not worried. Everything will

be fine. The old team together.

Nothing can stop us.


She turns and walks out of the shot. De Mille

stands for a second watching her, then turns to

his assistant.


DE MILLE

Get Gordon Cole. Tell him to forget

about her car. He can find another

old car. I'll buy him five old cars,

if necessary.


1ST ASSISTANT

Yes, Mr. De Mille.


They turn back into Stage 18.


D-23 THE ISOTTA


Gillis seated in the rear. Max is helping Norma

in and putting the robe over her.


GILLIS

(Apprehensively)

How did it go?


NORMA

It couldn't have gone better.

It's practically set. Of course,

he has to finish this picture

first, but mine will be his next.


There is an exchange of looks between Max and Gillis.


GILLIS

He must be quite a guy.


NORMA

He'a a shrewd old fox. He can

smell box office. Only I'm going

to outfox him a litt1e. This isn't

going to be C. B. deMille's Salome.

It's going to be Norma Desmond's

Salome, a Norma Desmond Production,

starring Norma Desmond...Home, Max.


MAX

Yes, Miss Desmond.


As he says the words, he and Gillis exchange a glance

in the rear view mirror.


SLOW DISSOLVE:


END OF SEQUENCE "D"




SEQUENCE "E"


DISSOLVE IN ON:


E-1 CLOSEUP OF NORMA'S FACE

GILLIS' VOICE

Absolutely no makeup. A After that, an army of

hand with a strong small beauty experts invaded

flashlight comes into the her house on Sunset

picture. The beam of the Boulevard. She went

flashlight travels over the through a merciless

face, exploring it merci- series of treatments,

lessly. While the light is massages, sweat cabinets,

still on it, two pairs of mud baths, ice compres-

creamed hands come into the ses, electric devices.

shot and start to massage it. She lived on vegetable

juices and went to bed

DISSOLVE TO: at nine. She was deter-

mined to be ready --

ready for those cameras

E-2 A SHORT MONTAGE of various that would never turn.

beauty treatments applied

to Norma.


DISSOLVE TO:


E-3 NORMA BEFORE THE MIRROR

IN HER BEDROOM


It is nine o'clock in the evening. She is in night

gown and negligee and has put triangular patches on

the saddle of her nose and at the outer corner of

each eye. She is rubbing lotion on her hands.


She gets up and crosses to the door of Gillis' room

and opens it a crack.


NORMA

Joe darling, are you there?


E-4 GILLIS' ROOM


It is dark except for a lamp over the chaise longue.

Gillis lies on it, fully clothed, reading a book.


GILLIS

Yes, Norma.


Through the slit in the door there is a suggestion

of Norma.


NORMA

Don't turn around. Keep your

eyes on the book.


GILLIS

Yes, Norma.


Norma pushes the door open and comes in.


NORMA

I just came to say good night.

I don't want you to see me --

I'm not very attractive.


GILLIS

Good night.


NORMA

I've lost half a pound since

Tuesday.


GILLIS

Good.


NORMA

I was a little worried about the

line of my throat. This woman

has done wonders with it.


GILLIS

Good.


NORMA

You'd better get to bed yourself.


GILLIS

I think I'll read a little.


NORMA

You went out last night, didn't

you, Joe?


GILLIS

Why do you say that?


NORMA

I just happen to know it. I had

a nightmare and I screamed for

you. You weren't here. Where

were you?


GILLIS

I went for a walk.


NORMA

No you didn't. You took the

car.


GILLIS

All right, I drove to the beach.

Norma, you don't want me to feel

I'm locked up in this house?


NORMA

Of course not, Joe. It's just

that I don't want to be left alone.

Not now, while I'm under this

terrible strain. My nerves are

being torn apart. All I ask is

for you to be a little patient and a

little kind.


GILLIS

I haven't done anything, Norma.


NORMA

Of course you haven't. I wouldn't

let you.


She bends and kisses the top of his head.


NORMA

Good night, my darling.


She goes into her room, shutting the door behind her.


Gillis puts his book down and looks at her door.



E-5 THE DOOR TO NORMA'S ROOM


The light can be seen through the gouged-out

keyhole. It goes out.


DISSOLVE TO:


E-6 UPPER LANDING STAIRWAY

AND HALL BELOW (NIGHT) GILLIS' VOICE


Gillis, with his coat on by Yes, I was playing hooky

now, comes cautiously to

the upper railing and looks every evening along in

down into the lighted hall

below. there. It made me think I


Max is just extinguishing of when I was twelve and

the lights. Max exits in,

the direction of the liv- used to sneak out on the

ing room.

folks to see a gangster

After a moment Gillis starts

silently down the stairs. picture. This time it


wasn't to see a picture,

E-7 LIVING ROOM

it was to try and write

(Lighted only by the last

flicker of a fire on the one. That story of mine

hearth). Max is putting a

fire screen in front of Betty Schaerer had dug

the fire. He hears some

steps and the creak or the up kept going through

main door being opened.

He looks out and sees my head like a dozen


locomotives...

E-7a THE MAIN DOOR


Gillis, in the moonlit porch,

is closing the main door

behind him.



E-8 LIVING ROOM


Max looks after Gillis, his

face enigmatic as ever.


DISSOLVE TO:



E-9 GARAGE AND DRIVEWAY

(MOONLIGHT)


Gillis comes into the shot,

gets into the Isotta, drives

it out or the garage and down

the driveway to Sunset, as

quietly as possible.


DISSOLVE TO:


E-10 READERS' OFFICE BUILDING

PARAMOUNT (NIGHT)


Start on a LONG SHOT. THE GILLIS' VOICE

BOOM MOVES FORWARD to the only So we'd started

two lights. They are the door working on it, the

and window of Betty Schaefer's two of us. Nights,

cubicle. Betty sits at the when the studio was

desk, typing. Gillis, his deserted, up in her

coat off, his shirt-sleeves little cubby-hole

rolled up, j.s pacing the floor, of an office.

discussing the construction of

a sentence. The discussion at

a stalemate, Betty suggests

some coffee. Gillis agrees.

From the electric plate on the

shelf beside her, Betty takes

a glass coffee machine. Gillis

seats himself in her chair

and starts typing.


Betty opens the door and comes out on the balcony to

fill the coffee machine from the water cooler stand-

ing beside the door.


BETTY

I got the funniest letter from

Artie. It's rained every day

since they got to Arizona. They

re-wrote the whole picture for

rain and shot half of it. Now

the sun is out. Nobody knows

when they'll get back.


She moves back into the room.


GILLIS

Good.


BETTY

What's good about it? I miss

him something fierce.


GILLIS

I mean this is good dialogue

along in here. It'll play.


BETTY

It will?


GILLIS

Sure. Especially with lots

of music underneath, drowning

it out.


BETTY

Don't you sometimes hate yourself?


GILLIS

Constantly. No, in all serious-

ness, it's really good. It's

fun writing again. I'm happy

here, honest I am.


He resumes typing. Betty puts the water on. She

picks up a pack of cigarettes on the desk, finds it's

empty and throws it away, sees Gillis' open gold

cigarette case and lighter on the table by the couch.

Betty reaches for a cigarette. The inscription en-

graved inside the case catches her eye. It reads:


MAD ABOUT THE BOY --


Norma



BETTY

Who's Norma?


GILLIS

Who's who?


BETTY

I'm sorry. I don't usually

read private cigarette cases.


GILLIS

Oh, that. It's from a friend

of mine. A middle-aged lady,

very foolish and very generous.


BETTY

I'll say. This is solid gold.


GILLIS

I gave her some advice on an

idiotic script.


BETTY

It's that old familiar story,

you help a timid little soul

across a crowded street. She

turns out to be a multimillionaire

and leaves you all her money.


GILLIS

That's the trouble with you

readers. You know all the plots.

Now suppose you proof-read page

ten while the water boils.


DISSILVE TO:


E-11 AN EMPTY STREET AT THE GILLIS' VOICE

PARAMOUNT STUDIO (NIGHT) Sometimes when we got

stuck we'd make a

Gillis and Betty are walking litte tour of the

down it. From a stage where drowsing lot, not talk-

they are erecting a new set ing much, just wandering

comes a great shaft of light. down alleys between the

They stop at an apple-vending sound stages, or through

machine in the foreground,buy the sets they were get-

themselves a couple of apples ting ready for the next

and walk on. day's shooting. As a

matter of fact, it was

DISSOLVE TO: on one of those walks

when she first told me

about her nose ...


E-12 PARAMOUNT'S NEW YORK STREET (NIGHT)


Betty and Gillis are walking down it, THE CAMERA

AHEAD OF THEM.


BETTY

Look at this street. All card-

board, all hollow, all phoney.

All done with mirrors. I like

it better than any street in the

world. Maybe because I used to

play here when I was a kid.


GILLIS

What were you -- a child actress?


BETTY

I was born just two blocks from

this studio. Right on Lemon Grove

Avenue. Father was head elec-

trician here till he died. Mother

still works in Wardrobe.


GILLIS

Second generation, huh?


BETTY

Third. Grandma did stunt work

for Pearl White. I come from a

picture family. Naturally they

took it for granted I was to become

a great star. So I had ten years of

dramatic lessons, diction, dancing.

Then the studio made a test. Well,

they didn't like my nose -- it slanted

this way a little. I went to a doctor

and had it fixed. They made more

tests, and they were crazy about my

nose -- only they didn't like my acting.


GILLIS

(Examining her nose

by the flame of his

lighter)

Nice job.


BETTY

Should be. It cost three hundred

dollars.


GILLIS

Saddest thing I ever heard.


BETTY

Not at all. It taught me a little

sense. I got me a job in the mail

room, worked up to the Stenographic.

Now I'm a reader...


GILLIS

Come clean, Betty. At night you

weep for those lost closeups, those

gala openings...


BETTY

Not once. What's wrong with being

on the other side of the cameras?

It's really more fun.


GILLIS

Three cheers for Betty Schaefer!

I will now kiss that nose of yours.


BETTY

If you please.


Gillis kisses her nose. As he stands there, his

face close to hers -


GILLIS

May I say you smell real special.


BETTY

It must be my new shampoo.


GILLIS

That's no shampoo. It'smore like

a pile of freehly laundred hand-

kerchiefs, like a brand new auto-

mobile. How old are you anyway?


BETTY

Twenty-two.


GILLIS

That's it -- there's nothing like

being twenty-two. Now may I suggest

that if we're ever to finish this

story you keep at least two feet

away from me ... Now back to the

typewriter.


They start walking in the direction of the office.


DISSOLVE TO:



E-13 THE GARAGE


Gillis gets out. From the seat next him he takes a

batch of script, folds it and puts it in his pocket.

He suddenly becomes aware that he is watched, turns.

Max stands in the moonlight, evidently waiting for

him.


GILLIS

What is it, Max? Want to wash

the car, or are you doing a little

spying in your off hours?


MAX

You must be very careful as you

cross the patio. Madame may be

watching.


GILLIS

How about my going up the kitchen

stairs and undressing in the dark.

Will that do it?


MAX

I'm not inquiring where Mr.

Gillis goes every night...


GILLIS

Why don't you? I'm writing a

script and I'm dying to finish

it, no matter what.


MAX

It's just that I'm very worried

about Madame.


GILLIS

Sure you are. And we're not help-

ing her any, feeding her lies and

more lies. Getting herself ready

for a pioture ... What happens when

she finds out?


MAX

She never will. That is my job.

It has been for a long time. You

must understand I discovered her

when she was eighteen. I made her

a star. I cannot let her be destroyed.


GILLIS

You made her a star?


MAX

I directed all her early pictures.

There were three young directors

who showed promise in those days:

D.W. Grirrith, C.B. deMille, and

Max von Mayerling.


GILLIS

And she's turned you into a

servant.


MAX

It was I who asked to come back,

humiliating as it may seem. I

could have gone on witn my career,

only I found everything unendur-

able arter she divorced me. You

see, I was her rirst husband.


DISSOLVE TO:



E-14 NORMA DESMOND'S BEDROOM


One lamp lit. Norma, in a white negligee, with the

patches on her face, is pacing up and down -- a

small, tormented, pitiable woman. Finally she opens

the door to:



E-15 GILLIS' ROOM (MOONLIGHT)


Gillis lies in bed asleep, Norma in the doorway.


NORMA

You're here, Joe ... When did

you come home? Where were you?

Is it a woman? I know it's a

woman ... Who is she? Oh Joe,

why can't I ask you? I must know,

I must!


Her eyes fall on Gillis' coat, which hangs over a

chair. In a pocket is part of the script. Norma

takes it out, looks at it. She can't see it in the

moonlight. She hurries with it into:



E-16 NORMA'S BEDROOM


Carrying the script Norma goes to the lamp and looks

at it. On the first page she sees something which

confirms all her suspicionso It reads:


UNTITLED LOVE STORY

by

Joseph C. Gilliss

and

Betty Schaefer


DISSOLVE:



E-17 BETTY'S CUBICLE (NIGHT)


Betty is typing. Gillis sits on the couch, proof-

reading a scene. Betty stops typing and Gillis

becomes aware of her eyes fixed on him.


GILLIS

Hey, what's the matter...

Betty, wake up!

(He whistles and

catches her attention)

Why are you staring at me like that?


BETTY

Was I? I'm sorry.


GILLIS

What's wrong with you tonight?

What is it, Betty?


BETTY

Something came up. I don't want

to talk about it.


GILLIS

Why not?


BETTY

I just don't.


GILLIS

What is it you've heard. Come

on, let's have it.


Betty gets up.


GILLIS

Is it about me?


Betty doesn't answer, walks out on



E-18 THE BALCONY


She leans against a post, crying. Gillis comes out

after her.


GILLIS

Betty, there's no use running

out on it. Let's face it, what-

ever it is.


BETTY

It's nothing. I got a telegram

from Artie.


GILLIS

From Artie. What's wrong?


BETTY

He wants me to come on to Arizona.

He says it only oosts two dollars

to get married there. It would

kind of save us a honeymoon.


GILLIS

Why don't you? We can finish the

script by Thursday.


Betty stands crying silently.


GILLIS

Stop crying. You're getting

married. That's what you've

always wanted.


BETTY

I don't want it now.


GILLIS

Why not? Don't you love Artie?


BETTY

Of course I love him. I always

will. I'm just not in love

with him any more.


GILLIS

What happened?


BETTY

You did.


There is a moment's pause before he takes her in

his arms. THE CAMERA MOVES AWAY.


DISSOLVE TO:



E-19 HALL AND STAIRCASE GILLIS' VOICE

DESMOND HOME- (NIGHT) It wasn' t until I got

back to that peculiar

Gillis enters, closes prison of mine that I

the door as quietly as started facing the facts.

he can, and goes up There it was -- Betty

the stairs. Schaefer's future right

in the palm of my hand.

E-20 GILLIS' ROOM Betty Schaefer engaged

to Artie Green, as nice

He enters and turns on the a guy as ever lived.

light. He sinks down on And she was in love with

the chaise longue,thinking. me. Me ! She was a fool

His eyes wander to the not to sense that there

door of Norma's room. was something phony in

Through the gouged-out key- my set-up. And I was a

hole he sees the light. heel not to have told

her. But you just can't

say those things to

somebody you're crazy

about. Maybe I'd never

have to. Maybe I could

get away with it, get

away from Norma. Maybe

I could wipe the whole

nasty mess right out of

my life...

From Norma's room comes the sound of a telephone

being dialled. Gillis enters the shot and stands

listening.


NORMA'S VOICE

Is this Gladstone 0858?


E-21 NORMA'S BEDROOM

Norma lies in bed, dialing a number. She has the

beauty patches at the corners of her eyes and over

her nose.


NORMA

Can I speak to Miss Betty

Schaefer? She must be home by

now.



E-22 A BEDROOM IN BETTY'S FLAT


Connie, a girl of Betty's age with whom she shares

the flat, is on the phone. Betty, in a dressing-

gown, comes from the bathroom, toothbrush in hand.


CONNIE

(Hand over mouthpiece)

Betty, here's that weird-sounding

woman again.


BETTY

What is this anyway?

(Taking the phone)

This is Betty Schaefer.



E-23 NORMA AT IHE PHONE


NORMA

Miss Schaefer, you must forgive

me for calling you so late, but

I really feel it's my duty. It's

about Mr. Gillis. You do know Mr.

Gillis? ...Exactly how much do you

know about him? Do you know where

he lives? Do you know how he lives?

Do you know what he lives on?



E-24 BETTY AT THE PHONE


BETTY

Who are you? What do you want?

What business is it of yours

anyway?



E-25 NORMA ON THE PHONE


NORMA

Miss Schaefer, I'm trying to do

you a favor. I'm trying to spare

you a great deal of misery. Of

course you may be too young to even

suspect there are men of his sort...


NORMA (Cont'd)

I don't know what he's told you, but

he does not live with relatives, nor

with friends, in the usual sense of

the word. Ask him ... Ask him again.


During the latter part of her call, the doors from

Gillis' room have been pushed open and Gillis has

walked towards her. Suddenly Norma senses his pre-

sence and turns around. The telephone freezes in her

hand. She tries to hang it up. Very calmly Gillis

takes the receiver from her hand.


GILLIS

(Into phone)

That's right, Betty, ask me again.

This is Joe.



E-26 BETTY ON THE PHONE


BETTY

Joe, where are you? What's this

all about?



E-27 GILLIS ON THE PHONE


Norma beside him.


GILLIS

Or maybe it would be a better

idea if you came over and saw it

for yourself. The address is 10086

.


He hangs up. Norma looks up at him as he crosses to

the other end of the room and stands staring at her.

The silence becomes unbearable.


NORMA

Don't hate me, Joe. I did it because

I need you. I need you as I never

needed you. Look at me. Look at my

hands, look at my face, look under my

eyes. How can I go back to work if I'm

wasting away under this torment? You

don't know what I've been through these

last weeks. I got myself a revolver.

You don't believe me, but I did, I did!

I stood in front of that mirror, only

I couldn't make myself. It wouldn't be


NORMA (Cont'd)

fair to all those people who are

waiting to see me back on the

screen. I can't disappoint them.

Only, if I'm to work, I need

sleep, I need quiet, I need you!

Don't just stand there hating

me! Shout at me, strike me!

But don't hate me, Joe. Don't

you hear me, Joe?


GILLIS

Yes, I hear you. And I wish you'd

keep still so I can hear the doorbell

when she rings it.



E-28 BETTY AND CONNIE, DRIVING IN A SMALL COUPE DOWN

(NIGHT)



E-29 INT. COUPE


Connie is looking at the house numbers.


CONNIE

Here's ten thousand seventy-nine,

Betty. It must be over there.


Betty turns the car into the driveway of Norma's

place, stops at the entrance steps. Betty gets out.


CONNIE

Betty, let me come along with

you. Please.


BETTY

No, I'll be all right.


She shuts the door of the car and goes up the steps.



E-30 NORMA'S BEDROOM


Norma lies on the bed. Gillis sits in a far corner

of the room, motionless.


NORMA

(In a whimpering monotone)

I love you, Joe. I love you, Joe.

I love you, Joe. I love you, Joe.


There is the sound of footsteps below and the ringing

of a doorbell. Gillis rises.


NORMA

What are you going to do, Joe?


Without a word, he leaves the room. Norma raises

herself on the bed, reaching for a black negligee

lying at the foot of it. As she does so, she dis-

lodges her pillow a little, revealing a revolver

hidden beneath it.



E-31 DOWNSTAIRS HALL, THE DESMOND HOUSE (DARK)


Max crosses the hall, putting on his alpaca jacket.

He turns on the lights. Outside stands Betty.

From the staircase comes -


GILLIS' VOICE

It's all right, Max. I'll take it.


MAX

Yes, sir.


He stands back as Gillis opens the door.


GILLIS

Hello, Betty.


BETTY

(On the threshold)

I don't know why I'm so scared,

Joe. Is it something awful?


GILLIS

Come on in, Betty,


Betty enters. As he leads her into the living room,

Gillis puts his arm around her shoulders.


GILLIS

Ever been in one of these old

Hollywood palazzos? That's from

when they were making eighteen thou-

sand a week, and no taxes. Careful

of these tiles, they're slippery.

Valentino used to dance here.


BETTY

This is where you live?


GILLIS

You bet.


BETTY

Whose house is it?


They have reached



E-32 THE LIVING ROOM


Gillis leads Betty in.


GILLIS

Hers.


BETTY

Whose?


GILLIS

Just look around. There's a lot

of her spread about. If you don't

remember the face, you must have

heard the name of Norma Desmond.


BETTY

That was Norma Desmond on the phone?


GILLIS

Want something to drink? There's

always champagne on ice, and plenty

of caviar.


BETTY

Why did she call me?


GILLIS

Jealous. Ever see so much junk?

She had the ceiling brought from

Portugal. Look at this.


He pulls the rope, showing the projection screen

under the picture.


GILLIS

Her own movie theatre.


BETTY

I didn't come here to see a house.

What about Norma Desmond?


GILLIS

I'm trying to tell you. This is

an enormous place. Eight master

bedrooms. A sunken tub in every

bathroom. There's a bowling alley

in the cellar. It's lonely here,

so she got herself a companion.

A very simple set-up: An older

woman who is well-to-do. A younger

man who is not doing too well ...

Can you figure it out yourself?


BETTY

No.


GILLIS

All right. I'll give you a few

more clues.


BETTY

No, no! I haven't heard any of

this. I never got those telephone

calls. I've never been in this

house ... Get your things together.

Let's get out of here.


GILLIS

All my things? All the eighteen

suits, all the custom-made shoes and

the eighteen dozen shirts, and the

cuff-links and the platinum key-

chains, and the cigarette cases?


BETTY

Come on, Joe.


GILLIS

Come on where? Back to a one-room

apartment that I can't pay for?

Back to a story that may sell and

very possibly will not?


BETTY

If you love me, Joe.


GILLIS

Look, sweetie -- be practical.

l've got a good thing here.

A long-term contract with no options.

I like it that way. Maybe it's not

very admirable. Well, you and Artie

can be admirable.


BETTY

Joe, I can't look at you any more.


GILLIS

Nobody asked you to.


Betty turns from him, to hide the fact that she is

crying.


GILLIS

All right, baby. This way out.


He leads her in the direction of the door.


E-33 UPPER LANDING, DESMOND HOUSE


Sitting crouched behind the balustrade is Norma,

peering down into



E-34 THE LOWER HALL


Betty and Gillis have reached the entrance door.

Gillis opens it.


GILLIS

Good luck to you, Betty. You can

finish that story on the way to

Arizona. When you and Artie get

back, if the two of you ever feel

like a swim, here's the pool ...


He switches on the light.



E-35 THE PATIO


The lights go on in the pool, which shines brilliant-

ly in the dark garden.



E-36 BETTY


She doesn't even look. Her eyes filled with tears,

she runs down the entrance porch toward her car.



E-37 THE ENTRANCE HALL


Gillis looks after her, closes the door. From the

upper landing comes the sound of soft sobbing. He

looks up.



E-38 NORMA, ON THE UPPER LANDING


Gillis ascends the stairs.


NORMA

Thank you, Joe -- thank you, Joe.


She tries to take his hand to kiss it as he passes.

He doesn't stop. Norma catches his coat. Gillis

moves right on into his room. Norma lies on the

floor looking after him. She crawls toward a con-

sole, pulls herself up by it, starts towards Gillis'

door, passes a mirror, realizes how she looks, moves

back to the mirror and takes the patches off her

face and does a hasty job of removing the cream with

her handkerchief, readjusts her expression to a poor

travesty of a smile and goes to the door of Gillis'

room.


NORMA

May I come in? I've stopped cry-

ing. I'm all right again. Joe,

tell me you're not cross -- tell

me everything is just as it was,

Joe.


She opens the door.



E-39 GILLIS' ROOM


In the foreground, open on the bed, is a half-packed

suitcase, Gillis just putting some of his old shirts

in. Norma stands staring, speechless, for a second.

Gillis moves out of the shot towards the closets.


NORMA

What are you doing, Joe? What

are you doing? You're not leaving

me?


GILLIS

Yes, I am, Norma.


NORMA

No, you're not.

(Calling)

Max! Max!


GILLIS

Max is a good idea. He can help

with my luggage.

(He gestures in the

direction of the closet)

Thanks for letting me wear the

handsome wardrobe. And thanks

for the use of all the trinkets.


He takes the cigarette case and throws it on the

chaise longue. Then he throws the lighter, the

wrist watch, the platinum key-chain and the tie clip.


GILLIS

(Indicating the bureau)

The rest of the jewelry is in the

top drawer.


NORMA

It's yours, Joe. I gave it to

you.


GILLIS

And I'd take it in a second, Norma --

only it's a little too dressy for

sitting behind the copy desk in

Dayton, Ohio.


NORMA

These are nothing. You can have

anything you want if you'll only

stay. What is it you want --

money?


GILLIS

Norma, you'd be throwing it away.

I don't qualify for the job, not any

more.


NORMA

You can't do this! Max! Max!

... I can't face life without you,

and I'm not afraid to die, you

know.


GILLIS

That's between you and yourself,

Norma.


NORMA

You think I made that up about

the gun...


She rushes into her room. Gillis closes the suitcase

calmly, notices that he is still wearing some cuff-

links Norma gave him, takes them off.


Norma reappears in the door, carrying the revolver.


NORMA

See, you didn't believe me!..

Now I suppose you don't think I

have the courage!


GILLIS

Oh. sure -- if it would make a

good scene.


NORMA

You don't care. do you? But

hundreds of thousands of people

will carel


GILLIS

Wake up, Norma. You'd be killing

yourself to an empty house. The

audience left twenty years ago.

Now face it.


During the preceding. Max has entered. He stands

listening, paralyzed.


NORMA

That's a lie! They still want me!


GILLIS

No, they don't.


NORMA

What about the studio?

What about De Mille?


GILLIS

He was trying to spare your feelings.

The studio wanted to rent your car.


NORMA

Wanted what?


GILLIS

De Mille didn't have the heart

to tell you. None of us has had

the heart.


NORMA

That's a lie! They want me, they

want me! I get letters every day!


GILLIS

You tell her, Max. Come on, do

her that favor. Tell her there

isn't going to be any picture --

there aren't any fan letters,

except the ones you write yourself.


NORMA

That isn't true! Max?


MAX

Madame is the greatest star of

them all... I will take Mr.

Gillis' bags.


He leaves.


NORMA

You heard him. I'm a star!


GILLIS

Norma, grow up. You're a woman

of fifty. There's nothing tragic

about being fifty - not unless

you try to be twenty-five.


NORMA

I'm the greatest star of them

all.


GILLIS

Goodbye. Norma.


NORMA

No one leaves a star. That

makes one a star.


Gillis picks up the typewriter and leaves.


NORMA

You're not leaving me!



E-40 STAIRCASE


Gillis descending with the typewriter.


NORMA'S VOICE

Joe! ...Joe!


There is the SOUND OF A SHOT. The glass of the front

door is shattered. Gillis at the door opens it and

walks out, without looking back.


Down the staircase rushes Norma. a disordered wild-

ness in the way she moves.


NORMA

You're not leaving me!


She hurries after Gillis.



E-41 PATIO (NIGHT)


Dark except for lights from the house and the

luminousness of the lit pool.


Gillis is crossing the patio towards the garage. He

is carrying the typewriter. He doesn't accelerate

his step, although he has heard the shot. Behind

him Norma comes from the lighted house.


NORMA

You're not leaving me!


She shoots twice in rapid succession. Gillis drops

the typewriter. The shots have swung him around. He

is now facing Norma. She shoots him. This shot

hits him in the belly. He doubles up, instinctively

backs away from her, plummets into the lit pool.


Up the stone steps from the garage rushes Max.

He sees the situation, hurries towards Norma, who

stands exultant in the strange light from the pool.


NORMA

Stars are ageless, aren't they?


DISSOLVE TO:



E-42 THE PATIO


Dawn is breaking. At the edge of the pool

stand policemen, detectives and police photographers.

Motorcycle policemen are holding off the mob which

is trying to storm the house.


A lietuenant from the Homicide Bureau leaves the

crowd around the pool and goes into



E-43 THE LOWER HALL, DESMOND HOUSE


It is filled with a pandemonium of police officers,

newspaper people, etc. who are kept from the upper

floor by two policemen at the head of the stairs.

The lieutenant from the Homicide Bureau goes

through the crowd to the telephone at the foot of

the stairs, picks up the phone and dials.


LIEUTENANT

Coroner's office? ... I want to

speak to the Coroner ... Who's

on this phone?



E-44 THE WHITE TELEPHONE IN NORMA'S BEDROOM


Standing talking into it is Hedda Hopper.


MISS HOPPER

I am! Now get off, this is more

important ... Times City Desk?

Hedda Hopper speaking. I'm talking

from the bedroom of Norma Desmond.

Don't bother with a rewrite man, take

this direct. Ready? -- As day breaks

over the murder house, Norma Desmond,

famed star of yesteryear, is in

a state of complete mental shock ...


THE CAMERA PANS TO ANOTHER PART OF THE BEDROOM, where

Norma sits at a mirror, staring at herself blankly.

Firing questions at her are the Captain of the Holmby

Hills Division and the L.A. Homicide Squad. Max

stands by faithfully.


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

You do not deny having killed

this man, Miss Desmond?


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Did you intend to kill him?

Just answer me that.


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

Was it a sudden quarrel? Had there

been any trouble between you before?


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

If it was a quarrel, how come you

had the gun right there?


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

This guy -- where did you meet him

for the first time? Where did he

come from? Who is he?


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Did he have a wife? Did he had a

girl friend? Did you know them?


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

Had he been trying to blackmail you?


E-45 PATIO - (DAWN) GILLIS' VOICE


The body of Gillis Well, this is where you came.

being fished from Here's that pool again,the one

the pool, put on a I always wanted. They must have

stretcher, covered photographed me a hundred times.

with an army blanket.Then they got a couple of prun-

Two men from the ing hooks from the garden and

Coroner's office fished me out ever so gently.

carry it towards Funny how gentle people get with

the Coroner's you once you're dead. They

hearse, CAMERA beached me, like a harpooned

PANNING with them. baby whale, and started to check

the damage, just for the record

... By this time the whole joint

was jumping -- cops,reporters,

neighbors, passersby -- as much

hoopdedoo as we get in Los

Angeles when they open a Super

Market. Even the newsreel guys

came roaring in. Here was an

item everybody could have some

fun with, the heartless so-and-

so's. What would they do to her?

Even if she got away with it in

court- crime of passion - tempo-

rary insanity - those headlines

would kill her: Forgotten Star

a Slayer--Aging Actress--

Yesterday's Glamour Queen...


E-46 NORMA'S BEDROOM


The interrogators are still firing questions at Norma

who sits lifeless, staring at herself. Max watches.


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Did the deceased ever threaten you?

Were you in fear of bodily injury?


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

Did you hate him? Had you ever thought

of doing something like this before?


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Was theft involved? Did you catch

him trying to steal something, or

find he had stolen something?


A police lieutenant has entered, goes to the Head of

Homicide.


LIEUTENANT

The newsreel guys have arrived with

the cameras.


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Tell them to go fly a kite. This

is no time for cameras.


A word has pierced the mists that surround Norma.


NORMA

Cameras? ...What is it, Max?


MAX

The cameras have arrived, Madame.


NORMA

They have? Thank you, Max. Tell

Mr. DeMille I will be on the set

at once.


Max flashes a look at the Head of Homicide.


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

What is this?


MAX

Please ...


HOLMBY HILLS CAPTAIN

(sotto voce, to Head of Homicide)

Well, it's one way to get her down stairs.


HEAD OF HOMICIDE

Okay. And let's have the car right

outside.


7-1 NORMA

You will pardon me, gentlemen.

I have to get ready for my scene.


She takes a comb and runs it through her hair, then

starts applying some wild makeup.



E-47 STAIRCASE AND LOWER HALL


Max makes his way down the stairs through the crowd

of newsmen to the newsreel cameras, which are being

set up in the hall below.


MAX

Is everything set up, gentlemen?

Are the lights ready?


From the stairway comes a murnur. They look up.


Norma has emerged from the bedroom and comes to the

head of the stairs. There are golden spangles in

her hair and in her hand she carries a golden scarf.


The police clear a path for her to descend. Press

cameras flash at her every step.


Max stands at the cameras.


MAX

Is everything set up, gentlemen?


CAMERAMAN

Just about.


The portable lights flare up and illuminate the

staircase.


MAX

Are the lights ready?


2ND CAMERA MAN

All set.


MAX

Quiet, everybody! Lights!

Are you ready, Norma?


NORMA

(From the top of the

stairs)

What is the scene? Where am I?


MAX

This is the staircase of the palace.


NORMA

Oh, yes, yes. They're below,

waiting for the Princess ...

I'm ready.


MAX

All right.

(To cameramen)

Camera!

(To Norma)

Action!


Norma arranges the golden GILLIS' VOICE

scarf ebout her and proudy So they were grinding

starts to descend the stair- after all, those cam-

case. The cameras grind. eras. Life, which can

Everyone watches in awe. be strangely merciful,

had taken pity on Norma

Desmond. The dream she

had clung to so des-

perately had enfolded

her...


At the foot of the stairs Norma stops, moved.


NORMA

I can't go on with the scene.

I'm too happy. Do you mind,

Mr. DeMille, if I say a few words?

Thank you. I just want to tell

you how happy I am to be back in

the studio making a picture again.

You don't know how much I've missed

all of you. And I promise you

I'll never desert you again, because

after "Salome" we'll make another

picture, and another and another.

You see, this is my life. It always

will be. There's nothing else -

just us and the cameras and those

wonderful people out there in the

dark... All right, Mr. DeMille,

I'm ready for my closeup.


FADE OUT.


THE END

Teilen

Zeige deinen Freunden, dass dir Moonlight von The Piano Guys gefällt:

• Liken
• Teilen
• Tweeten
• WhatsApp