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The Other Side of The Wind 2018
The Other Side of The Wind 2018
Written by
Orson Welles
O.W.’S VOICE
(on the sound-track)
A STILL PHOTOGRAPH--
A SPORTS CAR--
HIDEOUSLY TWISTED AND
BROKEN -- GUTTED WITH
FIRE
What was left of it after the accident
... If it was an accident.
ANOTHER PHOTO OF
THE WRECK
The car was meant to be a present.
Before he changed his mind, Hannaford
Was going to give it to the young
Leading actor of his last movie --
John Dale.
A PHOTO OF DALE
Hannaford’s supposed to have saved
Him -- at some earlier date -- from
Committing suicide.
ANOTHER PHOTO OF
THE WRECK...
THEN A SERIES OF
FLASH PICTURES MADE
AT THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
2
O.W.’S VOICE
(contd.)
A SERIES OF FLASH
PICTURES OF GUESTS
AT THE BIRTHDAY
PARTY ...
A FLASH PICTURE
OF HANNAFORD
A “STILL” FROM
HANNAFORD’S FILM
3
O.W.’S VOICE
NOTE:
JAKE
Ohh----kay...
Cut!
JAKE
Yes, Kid.
HIGGAM
(a party guest and author
of books on the cinema)
Mr. Hannaford--
6
A sun-gun flashes on to
reveal a line of DWARVES
lined up shoulder to
shoulder for inspection.
HANNAFORD passes them
without comment.
HIGGAM (contd.)
Various DOCUMENTARY
CAMERA ARE FOLLOWING
the regular movie crew
out the main doors of
the sound stage. Also
Journalists and many
“STILL” PHOTOGRAPHERS
MATT
(to a SECOND ASSISTANT
indicating the whole
boiling mass)
MAGGIE
SERIES OF FLASHES
PISTER
(Another author)
I’m Independent.
HIGGAM:
I’m Higgam.
MAGGIE:
(to the FIRST ASSISTANT)
PAT
MAGGIE:
AL:
(to a SECOND ASSISTANT)
ZIMMER:
MATT:
HIGGAM (O.S.)
He promised me--
ZIMMER (O.S.)
AL (O.S.)
ZIMMER (O.S.)
HIGGAM
(as though this explained
everything):
I’m Higgam.
THE BARON:
HIGGAM
THE BARON
(to MAGGIE, with
carefully muted
sarcasm)
And I know somebody, somewhere who
isn’t.
JULIE RICH
(entering scene)
FRESH ANGLE:
THE BARON
(making introductions)
JULIE RICH
Call me Julie --
Hi, Julie --
REVERSE ANGLE:
MATT
PISTER
Er ...
MATT
Isn’t it -- ?
MAGGIE
(before PISTER
can agree to this)
MATT
ZIMMER
PAT
ZIMMER
MATT
FRESH ANGLE:
HIGGAM
PAT
MAGGIE
FRESH ANGLE:
MATT
THE BARON
(sardonically)
Here, sir.
MATT
THE BARON
MATT
THE BARON
(sketching a
shrug)
MATT
THE BARON
MATT
THE BARON
MATT
MAX DAVID, the latest (and who knows?, maybe the last)
big chief of one of the last of the big movie companies,
stands in front of the blank screen, looking impatiently at
his watch ...
13
BILLY
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(gamely trying to hide
his distress)
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(handwritten note -
CUT TO: “Continues page 22 goes here”)
AL
(to Julie Rich)
REVERSE ANGLE:
MATT
(climbing into the bus)
ZIMMER
(after a beat)
MATT
ZIMMER
MATT’S continued
immobility supplies
the answer
INTERCUT WITH:
ZIMMER (contd.)
MATT
You’re invited.
ZIMMER
MATT
They’re invited.
ZIMMER
Jokes...
MAGGIE
ZIMMER
CUT TO:
SERIES OF SHOTS:
MATT
JULIE RICH
(very cool)
Oh...?
MATT
JULIE RICH
(coldly)
MATT
(giving her the old
smile)
Call me Matt.
ZIMMER
(in a tone of weary
bitterness)
MATT
ZIMMER
JULIE RICH
ZIMMER
MATT
(a whiff of quiet
menace)
JULIE RICH
AL
MATT
(the phone to his ear)
AL
MATT
(to Mlle. RICH)
BILLY
MAX DAVID
BILLY
So is Jake --
MAX DAVID
CUT TO:
camera is a phallus?”
JAKE
Brooksie --
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(indicating the
cineastes in the back)
JAKE
I want a drink.
CUT TO:
21
ZIMMER
MAGGIE
(dismissing foolishness)
Gypsies...
ZIMMER
A flamenco guitar is
strumming... but gloom
hangs heavy over the
group of HANNAFORD
executives seated among
the dummies...
22
REVERSE ANGLE:
AL
(to JULIE RICH)
JULIE RICH
AL
CUT TO:
BILLY
MAX DAVID
Dale something?
23
BILLY
THE BUS
PAT
(defensively)
MAGGIE
(after a beat)
ZIMMER
MATT
MATT (contd.)
ZIMMER
PAT
MAGGIE
ZIMMER sighs...
She reacts to this.
MAGGIE (contd.)
ZIMMER
(looking at the dummy)
PAT
(under his breath)
Who does?
25
CUT TO:
MAX DAVID
(after watching in
silence for a
while)
BILLY
MAX DAVID
Which scene?
BILLY
The scene...
MAX DAVID
(sarcastic, but not
pressing hard)
BILLY
CUT TO:
JAKE’S CAR
OTTERLAKE
(to HIGGAM and
PISTER
(change of voice--
as a cinema freak)
(change of voice)
He switches on the
playback of his
miniature tape recorder.
27
JAKE’S VOICE
(playback)
OTTERLAKE
HIGGAM
“Mayfair Max -- “
OTTERLAKE
JAKE’S VOICE
(on playback)
OTTERLAKE
(doesn’t reply to the
question, but returns, a
bit defensively, to his
former breezy style)
CUT TO:
BILLY
MAX DAVID
(an indifferent
mumble)
Box?
BILLY
(another beat)
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(vaguely)
Yeah...
MAX DAVID
CUT TO:
contd...
OTTERLAKE
(aside to JERRY)
Pocohontas...
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
JAKE
(blankly)
CUT TO:
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(with a mirthless
chuckle)
MAX DAVID
HANNAFORD’S MOVIE
Continues...
CUT TO:
JAKE’S CAR
PISTER
(his mike fully erect)
PISTER (contd.)
(getting ready to
repeat his question)
Mr. Hannaford --
OTTERLAKE
(briskly changing
voices -- some
celebrated and
ridiculously inap-
propriate character)
PISTER (O.S.)
Mumbles...
HIGGAM (O.S.)
JAKE
(half to himself)
OTTERLAKE
(after a brief pause,
prompting him)
Yeah -- ?
33
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(prompting again)
PISTER (O.S.)
Oh -- ?
JAKE
PISTER
OTTERLAKE
INTERCUT:
Lots of very busy business
in the back seat as JAKE’s
drink is prepared and
passed up to him...
34
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
JAKE
PISTER (O.S.)
OTTERLAKE
HIGGAM
(unnecessarily)
Zarah Valeska.
OTTERLAKE
(assuming another
famous voice)
(another voice)
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
(another voice)
(then, after a
moment, in his own
voice)
JAKE
Fryers? I don’t know, kid.
36
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
HIGGAM
JAKE
(after a moment, to
OTTERLAKE rather than
HIGGAM -- almost to
himself)
The screen is in --
MAX DAVID
BILLY
HANNAFORD’S FILM...
BILLY’S VOICE
(unhappily)
BILLY’S VOICE
(with a short
nervous laugh)
Another title:
“SCENE MISSING”
CUT TO:
THE ROAD
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
Thanks, Jack.
Somebody’ll have to go --
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
CAMERAMAN
(the one in front)
OTTERLAKE
He thinks he is you.
(then, with a quick
grin)
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
(speaking the name with
distaste)
JAKE
(starting the car)
Yeah?
OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
MAX DAVID
BILLY
MAX DAVID
What if he doesn’t?
41
BILLY
MAX DAVID
Such as?
BILLY
(struggling to find
something to say)
HANNAFORD’S FILM
continues...
Then --
A MONSTER AIRPLANE
it screams by overhead...
We are in:
CUT TO:
42
MAX DAVID
(irritably)
BILLY
(increasingly on the
defensive)
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(starting to drown
slightly)
MAX DAVID
BILLY
(interrupting himself
speaking quickly)
43
BILLY (contd.)
MAX DAVID
(flatly)
Which doll -- ?
BILLY
(after a short silence)
CUT TO:
THE BUS
MATT
(to PISTER)
PISTER
MATT
PISTER
MATT
(well along with his
drinking)
Hippies...
PISTER
(looking closely at the
dummy)
John Dale...?
ZIMMER
(to MATT)
MATT
(cutting him off)
ZIMMER
MAGGIE
PISTER
ZIMMER
(dropping his voice)
MAGGIE
(cutting him off with
the answer)
ZIMMER
(indicating the dummy)
MAGGIE
CUT TO:
46
MAX DAVID
(a hint of weariness)
BILLY
MAX DAVID
BILLY
SCENE MISSING
_____________
MAX DAVID
(carefully patient)
BILLY
Billy --
MAX DAVID
BILLY
MAX DAVID
BILLY
Yes, Max?
MAX DAVID
BILLY
MAX DAVID
(cutting in)
What do we know?
BILLY
(at the end of his
tether)
MAX DAVID
(another brief
silence)
BILLY
(weakly)
CUT TO:
THE BUS
MAGGIE
PAT
ZIMMER
(disregarding this
last)
MAGGIE
(quickly)
PAT
ZIMMER
(staring at the dummy)
MATT
MAGGIE
(turning to look out the
window)
ZIMMER
MAGGIE
CUT TO:
50
JAKE’S VOICE
CAMERAMAN
JAKE’S VOICE
CUT TO:
THE BUS
MATT’S VOICE
(playback)
AL
(on camera)
JAKE’S VOICE
PISTER
THE OTHERS
Shhh -- !
JAKE’S VOICE
MATT’S VOICE
MATT laughs in
appreciation of his own
recorded remark.
MATT
(on camera)
PISTER
Gypsies?...
PISTER is searching in
his files, looking up
‘G’ for ‘gypsy’...
MATT
ZIMMER
(an irritated mumble)
MATT
ZIMMER
LUCAS’ VOICE
CUT TO:
LUCAS
TRUMAN
LUCAS
THE ACTRESS
(under her breath)
God!
LUCAS
(with a smile)
CUT TO:
THE BUS
PISTER
(bringing forth a
sheet of paper)
Here...
PAT
(reading)
Junk...
(he laughs)
55
PAT (contd.)
JAKE’S VOICE
We see:
JAKE’S VOICE
BILLY’S VOICE
(playback)
LUCAS
(quickly to the others)
Just listen...
MAGGIE’S VOICE
(playback)
JAKE’S VOICE
(grimly; after a
moment)
LUCAS
TRUMAN
(turning to THE
ACTRESS -- half
questioning)
LUCAS
(earnestly)
CUT TO:
BILLY
(plaintively)
(beginning to betray a
certain desperation)
MAX DAVID
A FLASH OF BILLY’S
ANGUISHED FACE
BILLY
Silence...
58
[“DON’T HAVE”]
MAX DAVID sits, sphinx-like
staring at the empty screen...
CUT TO:
A GUEST
(one of the
celebrities)
ANOTHER GUEST
(to THE BARON,
who has just
looked in at
the door)
THE BARON
(politely)
INTERCUT:
THE BARON
(looking up at
a tiger’s
head)
OSSIE
(change of tone)
DELLA
JACQUELINE
Priestess of what -- ?
OSSIE
(with heavy
sarcasm)
(to DELLA)
DELLA
OSSIE
DELLA
OSSIE
DELLA
MANNY
(over-lap)
Von Stroheim --
JACQUELINE
(cutting her
off)
CHARBOL
Von Sternberg...
A pause,
We are in:
FIONA
ZARAH
(pained but still
polite)
FIONA
(to the camera
crew)
Cut!
VOICE (O.S.)
Cut!
ZARAH
(quietly pained)
ZARAH (contd.)
(a helpful
suggestion)
FIONA
ZARAH
(starting her
anecdote)
One night...
FIONA
(a hurried whisper)
ZARAH
FIONA
(prompting unneces-
sarily, with a dry
toothed smile of
professional
interest)
ZARAH
(coolly, patiently
helpful)
FIONA
ZARAH
(in her wide-eyed
way)
FIONA
(sweetly chiding)
ZARAH
“He’s coming -- !”
“It’s Hannaford -- !”
“Here he is -- !”
CAMERAMAN (O.S.)
Do we cut?
FIONA
(quietly raging)
ASSISTANT (O.S.)
Cut!
67
Pandemonium! A crush of
cameras and cineastes...
THE CINEASTE
OTTERLAKE
JACK SIMON
OTTERLAKE
(to the others)
JACK SIMON
OTTERLAKE
(fixing SIMON
with a hard
smile)
JACK SIMON
(with a quiet
menace)
A BLONDE
(called MAVIS)
Do Jack Benny --
FRESH ANGLE:
VOGEL
FRESH ANGLE:
ANOTHER CINEASTE
OTTERLAKE
Shall we not.
JAKE
(burlesque red-
neck)
JULIE RICH
(behind JAKE)
JAKE
(with a benign all-
embracing smile)
Nobody.
(turning to VOGEL)
THE BARON
(to JULIE, dip-
lomatically)
JULIE RICH
Silence... then --
CUT TO:
He calls down:
JOEY
Okay?
ZIMMER
Fine, Joey.
(he turns to
MAGGIE)
ZIMMER (contd.)
(after a beat)
CUT TO:
FIONA
(coming on strong)
ZARAH
FIONA
ZARAH
CUT TO:
A minority group
of well-established
Hollywood citizens.
72
FIRST CITIZEN
(winding up a
little
speech)
SECOND CITIZEN
FOURTH CITIZEN
Power...
THIRD CITIZEN
What?
FOURTH CITIZEN
JAKE
(a sardonic lifting
of one eyebrow)
JACK SIMON
(who has been
lurking B.G.)
JAKE
(with perfect
serenity)
THE BARON
JACK SIMON
THE BARON
JAKE
VOGEL
(turning on SIMON)
JAKE
VOGEL
FRESH ANGLE:
JAKE
FIRST CITIZEN
(lecherously
registering
the young
BLONDE)
JAKE
He starts moving in on
his target.
FIFTH CITIZEN
FIRST CITIZEN
I’ll say --
FIFTH CITIZEN
(soberly)
SECOND CITIZEN
FOURTH CITIZEN
SECOND CITIZEN
FIFTH CITIZEN
The movies.
CUT TO:
KLEE
(in his solemn
Dutch accent)
JULIE RICH
ROGER
JACK SIMON
Who says so -- ?
77
JULIE RICH
OSSIE
Hi -- !
THE BARON
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(putting an arm
around her)
JAKE
(disregarding this,
bending his good ear
to her and oozing charm)
THE BLONDE
Mavis Henscher.
JULIE RICH
ROGER
JAKE’S GROUP
JAKE
What for?
JAKE
Piedras Negras.
MAVIS
Who?
OTTERLAKE
Bulls.
79
MAVIS
Pardon?
OTTERLAKE
THE BARON
JAKE
(closing in for the
kill)
BACK TO:
ROGER
(losing patience)
JACQUELINE
(quietly serious)
JULIE RICH
ROGER
It’s a theory.
JULIE RICH
JAKE’S GROUP
MAVIS
JAKE
(grinning at the
others)
CUT TO:
ZIMMER
How could I -- ?
81
MAGGIE
ZIMMER
PAT
(phone still to his
ear, he idicates
ZIMMER’S dummies)
ZIMMER
John Dale?
PAT
(with grim satis-
faction)
ZIMMER
Fornication.
PAT
(with grim satis-
faction)
Yeah?
CUT TO:
82
FRESH ANGLE:
BERTOLUCCI
(looking up at the
dummies)
ZIMMER
MATT
(speaking into
JAKE’S ear, the
full Mafioso)
JAKE
MATT
MAGGIE
MATT
JAKE
(after a beat)
MATT
JAKE
MAGGIE
(something in MATT’S
eye stops her)
MATT
He isn’t.
Silence...
MAGGIE
MATT
Another short
silence...
MAGGIE
JAKE
He smiles sweetly at
them all and moves
away...
CUT TO:
FRESH ANGLE:
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
Trouble?
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
Till what?
FRESH ANGLE:
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(moving into scene)
MAVIS
What?
OTTERLAKE
(firmly)
What’s Friday?
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
Jesus...
A crowd of guest
passes by on the
way to the screening...
JAKE
(raising his glass)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
CUT TO:
87
HANNAFORD’S FILM
ROGER
(addressing JULIE
RICH)
KLEE
(total incredulity)
JULIE RICH
(elaborately
patient, wind-
ing up an
argument)
VARIOUS GUESTS
Shhh -- !
CASSIE
Do you mind -- ?
CAMERAMAN
OTTERLAKE
(grinning)
JAKE
What for?
CAMERAMAN
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
He smiles at her...
Then, after a short
silence:
JAKE
Absent friends.
JULIE RICH
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
“Thin air...”
OTTERLAKE
(playing it up a
little for the
benefit of the
camera)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(continuing to
quote)
(looking around)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
Pause...
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
A pause...
94
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
JAKE
A pause...
JAKE is in a sort of
reverie... This has
commenced earlier and
comes from thoughts
far removed from family
anecdotes...
95
JAKE (contd.)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
This is a flash-back...
Speaking of suicides.
OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
96
AN EARNEST VOICE
(on the playback)
JAKE’S VOICE
(playback)
FRESH ANGLE:
VOGEL
OTTERLAKE
VOGEL
OTTERLAKE
VOGEL
OTTERLAKE
VOGEL
JULIE RICH
(lurking at OTTER-
LAKE’S shoulder)
AL
(turning to the
CINEASTE WITH THE
TAPE RECORDER)
THE CINEASTE
OTTERLAKE
Laughter... OTTERLAKE
grins and continues:
JULIE RICH
(cutting in
sharply)
OTTERLAKE
(cutting her off
in turn, very
quickly)
VOGEL
OTTERLAKE
(Louis Armstrong
or Flip Wilson)
More laughter...
JULIE RICH
(unsmilingly)
JAKE
(now it’s his turn
to cut her off)
THE BARON
JULIE RICH
(to THE BARON)
THE BARON
(amiably blank)
What idea?
JULIE RICH
(losing her cool
a little, she
has a hunch
they’re putting
her on)
THE BARON
JULIE RICH
JAKE
She.
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(as Jack Benny)
-- Back to Mamma.
(playing to the
gallery)
JACK SIMON
(a sneer out of
the shadows)
OTTERLAKE
(with an icy
smile)
JAKE intervenes,
patching up a nasty
little moment between
the two young directors.
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
(indicating
OTTERLAKE)
JAKE
(cutting this
subject off again)
(JAKE, of course, is
putting her on; and
OTTERLAKE plays up to
it -- drawing, as usual,
on his powers of memory
and mimicry)
OTTERLAKE
(aside to JAKE)
JAKE
JULIE RICH
(to JAKE)
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
(sibylline)
OTTERLAKE glances
quickly at JAKE...
who is smiling at
JULIE with an air
of perfect benevolence...
JAKE
JACK SIMON
(with a leer)
MAVIS
(with some
petulance)
OTTERLAKE
(back to JULIE)
THE BARON
(pouring a
little oil on
the troubled
waters)
VOGEL
(a voice from the
outlying suburbs
of this group)
Mystery -- ?
106
JULIE RICH
VOGEL
(irritated to find
himself so much
out of his depth)
What mystery?
OTTERLAKE
(smiling at
MAVIS)
(to VOGEL)
JULIE RICH
JAKE
(quickly, brightly)
He started to go,
but turns back for the
curtain line:
CUT TO:
108
THE FILM
Continues...
THE VOICE
(hoarsely vulgar)
ANOTHER VOICE
(contd.)
slightly embarrassed
silence...
A pause...
JAKE
(quietly)
THE BARON
JESSEL
ZARAH
JAKE
(after a beat)
What for?
A VOICE
(boringly raucous)
JACK SIMON
JAKE
Laughter... Everybody
starts blowing...
Finally the last candle
is out.
THE BARON
A PAUSE...
Nothing happens.
VOICES
OTTERLAKE
(in one of his
British voices)
AL
(comically portentious)
OTTERLAKE
(another voice)
JAKE
VOICES
“Y’getting anything?”
JACK SIMON
OTTERLAKE
MAVIS
(looking around for
JAKE who has
suddenly vanished)
Why not?
115
OTTERLAKE
(to SIMON)
JACK SIMON
FRESH ANGLE:
JACK NICHOLSON
OTTERLAKE
JACK SIMON
MAVIS
Do Jack Benny.
OTTERLAKE
(with the same
hard smile as
before)
MAVIS
JACK SIMON
OTTERLAKE
(to SIMON)
JACK SIMON
The truth is, as a macho he ain’t all
that much. He just likes be with
‘em. That chest ain’t near as hairy
as he’d like you to think. Your
guy’s a big, pink lobster -- nothing’s
really tough except the shell.
OTTERLAKE
JACK SIMON
OTTERLAKE
JACK SIMON
BILLY
(putting the ashtray
back on a table)
OTTERLAKE
(to BILLY)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE stares at
him...
JAKE (contd.)
PAT’S VOICE
(calling)
Dale -- ?
JAKE
CUT TO:
BILLY
JAKE
BILLY
(starting away)
He goes...
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
CUT TO:
Surrounded by OTTO’S
skillful arrangement of
candles, MISS VALESKA
is continuing her
ordeal:
FIONA
VOICE (O.S.)
We aren’t rolling.
FIONA
(after another heavy
little silence)
ZARAH
Hello...
HER VIEWPOINT:
JAKE
INTERCUT
ZARAH AND JAKE
ZARAH
JAKE
ZARAH
FIONA
JAKE
AL
JAKE
FIONA
(who never gives up)
ZARAH
(after a beat)
JAKE
ZARAH
Somebody did.
JAKE
(to FIONA)
ZARAH
JAKE
FIONA
(quickly, scenting
smut)
Ossie -- ?
JAKE
FIONA
Come on -- !
ZARAH
(turning to her)
JAKE
(turning back to
FIONA as he gets
caught up in his
theme)
ZARAH
(pause)
JAKE
A month’s silence.
He moves away...
A CAMERA following...
The voices of the TV
people retreating as
he leaves them behind:
OTTO’S VOICE
(the Cameraman; after
a beat)
We start again?
FIONA’S VOICE
(murderous)
OTTO’S VOICE
FIONA’S VOICE
JAKE moves to
OTTERLAKE, taking [”Broke”]
the drink out of
his hand...
JAKE
(after a beat)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
The ranch -- ?
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(covering his extreme
discomfort with a
flare of temper)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
(staring into his
glass)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
CUT TO:
THE LIBRARY
Take twenty-three.
126
FIONA
She’s gone!
OTTO
Sun-gun...!
SCRIPT GIRL
OTTO
(deep over-lap)
FIONA
(under hear breath)
In the doorway.
127
ZARAH
FIONA
(floundering)
ZARAH
(making a simple
statement)
Silence...
CUT TO:
128
[”MAFIA 2 + 3”]
THE TERRACE
MAGGIE
BILLY
(entering scene
from another
direction)
FRANKL
JAKE
(turning to BILLY)
And you -- ?
BILLY
(startled)
JAKE
(quietly)
FRANKL
(plaintively)
JAKE
MATT
FRANKL
Turbulence...
JAKE
(cheerfully)
BILLY
(patiently)
JAKE
(quickly, quietly)
With Max -- ?
FRANKL
JAKE
(after a short
silence, cheerfully)
THE BARON
(joining the
group)
Max David -- ?
He stops. He knows
the answer...
AL is behind him.
FRANKL
MAGGIE
We do...
131
AL
MATT
BILLY
OTTERLAKE
AL
(a lightning quick
cover-up)
BILLY
(chiming in)
JAKE
(cutting them off)
OTTERLAKE
Not everything.
BILLY
(with his nervous
little laugh)
OTTERLAKE
(smoothly)
BILLY
OTTERLAKE
(arranging an
exit)
JAKE
(acknowledging the
tact)
Thanks, Brooksie.
MAGGIE
(when OTTERLAKE
has left, lower-
ing her voice)
MATT
BILLY
MAGGIE
JAKE
(looking at BILLY)
BILLY
Me -- ?
MATT
(to BILLY)
BILLY
(getting a bit
querulous)
JAKE
BILLY
JAKE
BILLY
FRANKL
JAKE
(to MATT)
MATT
JAKE
BILLY
JAKE
(very patiently)
MAGGIE
(hushed)
JAKE
PISTER
(lurching out of
the shadows)
Mr. Hannaford --
PAT
PISTER
MAGGIE
PISTER
JAKE
(gently, friendly
-- but with a
delicate hint of
severity)
A tiny silence...
PISTER
(dumbfounded)
JAKE
Yes, kid?
PISTER
JAKE
(patting PISTER
gently on the
cheek)
MATT
PISTER
No...
138
MATT
Good.
PISTER
ZIMMER’S VOICE
FRESH ANGLE:
ZIMMER
(dropping his
voice to a tone
at once confiden-
tial and reassuring)
CUT TO:
139
BILLY
BURROUGHS
Pease.
JAKE
(with his brightest
smile)
Pease?
BURROUGHS
(nervous laugh)
BILLY
BURROUGHS
(correcting him)
BILLY
BURROUGHS
(merrily)
JAKE
Oscar?
BILLY
(with a leer)
BURROUGHS is becoming
increasingly aware of
the cameras.
BURROUGHS
BILLY
CUT TO:
ZARAH VALESKA
(to OTTERLAKE)
ANOTHER ANGLE:
MATT
(to MAGGIE)
MAGGIE
BURROUGHS
(meaningfully)
WIDER ANGLE:
JAKE
BURROUGHS
JAKE
Do go on, Doctor.
BURROUGHS
Well...
OTTERLAKE
MAGGIE
(thoughtfully)
CUT TO:
BURROUGHS
Mr. Hannaford...
BURROUGHS, increasingly
uneasy about all these
busy camera surrounding
him, coughs and purses
his lips.
JAKE
(over-lap)
A brief silence --
BURROUGHS
JAKE
(in a tone of the most
perfect warmth and
understanding)
BURROUGHS
JAKE
(still gently, but
closing the trap)
BURROUGHS
(startled)
JAKE
(hardening)
BURROUGHS
(shocked)
JAKE
BURROUGHS
JAKE
(after a very short
beat)
BURROUGHS
Why, nothing...
146
JAKE
(cutting him off)
BURROUGHS
(a self-conscious
little laugh)
JAKE
(with the Hannaford
smile)
Right!
BURROUGHS
(pulling himself
together)
(archly)
JAKE
(straight into camera)
(back to BURROUGHS)
BURROUGHS
JAKE
(turning away)
BURROUGHS
JAKE
(turning back)
BURROUGHS
(absorbing this)
JAKE
BURROUGHS
(archly)
JAKE
CU: OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
149
C U: ZARAH VALESKA
JAKE’S VOICE
pause...
MAGGIE
(to ZARAH)
ZARAH
(flatly)
BILLY
(breaking in)
JAKE
ZARAH
MAGGIE
(antagonized)
Belong -- ?
ZARAH
JAKE
Finder keepers?
ZARAH
Do you care?
JAKE
MAGGIE
(to ZARAH)
JAKE
ZARAH
(cutting her off)
MAGGIE
ZARAH
MAGGIE
JAKE
A monkey on my back --
ZARAH
JAKE
ZARAH
JAKE
MAGGIE
BILLY
MAGGIE
To the girl?
JAKE
(after another beat,
unfocussed)
JULIE RICH
(another beat)
JAKE
He wasn’t.
JULIE RICH
MAGGIE
A scream.
JULIE RICH
THE BARON
(holding up a
length of iron
pipe)
JAKE
(his back turned,
his eyes on ZARAH)
THE BARON
JAKE
(turning to THE
BARON)
THE BARON
(he sighs)
JAKE
(looking at the pipe)
THE BARON
JULIE RICH
MATT
(looking in at the
door)
JULIE RICH
(still zooming in on
JAKE)
MATT
JULIE RICH
MATT
(after a beat)
MAGGIE
(half to herself,
angrily turning
away)
Zimmie’s jokes -- !
JAKE
Speaking of presents...
MATT
(reading)
JAKE
(making an
announcement)
A glint of alcohol in
his eye, he moves toward
THE ACTRESS.
JAKE (contd.)
(reading the
inscription)
CUT TO:
158
AL
THE BARON
AL
Best of what?
THE BARON
AL
(to JAKE, who has
just entered with
OTTERLAKE)
JAKE
AL
(reading the sign-
ture on the photo)
Miguel Ortega?
THE BARON
The best.
AL
JAKE
Yep.
OTTERLAKE
(grinning as he
continues to
study the
photograph)
JAKE
THE BARON
AL
(following THE BARON)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
(OTTERLAKE is so good at
dead-panning a gag that we
almost wonder if he does
imagine the old man is
proposing some sort of
lunatic duel?)
162
Silence...
OTTERLAKE
Skipper --
JAKE
(cutting him off)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE tries to
answer...
JAKE (contd.)
OTTERLAKE
(forcing a
chuckle)
Silence...
JAKE
A raggedy-ass kid...
Silence...
OTTERLAKE
Skipper...
JAKE
Yeah?
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
JAKE’S VOICE
(from the bathroom)
OTTERLAKE
JAKE’S VOICE
OTTERLAKE
He was confused...
JAKE’S VOICE
Sure.
OTTERLAKE
JAKE’S VOICE
OTTERLAKE
Up to a point.
JAKE’S VOICE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
I’m not -- !
JAKE
He starts raising
the gun...
CUT TO:
166
Firing...
THE TERRACE
HIGGAM
(out of sorts)
HIGGAM (contd.)
THE ACTRESS
Another present?
HIGGAM
OTTERLAKE
(from a place of
safety)
JAKE
(after a beat)
Me.
OTTERLAKE
Hey -- !
JAKE
(falling into the
hammy style of
their game)
THE ACTRESS
BILLY
ZARAH VALESKA
CUT TO:
Suddenly --
PISTER
OTTERLAKE
(as PATTON)
A new -- a really
terrific detonation!!!
PISTER
(just beginning
to dig)
THE ROOF
CUT TO:
OTTERLAKE
(his Blimp
character)
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
(changing voices)
(another voice)
QUICK FLASHES:
GUESTS REACTING...
(Spooked or bored, put
off or turned on --
according to age group
and individual temperament)...
MORE FLASHES:
Exploding bouquets of
light... wheels of
colored flame... rains
of white fire...
AL
PISTER
(looking wildly
around)
Where?
AL
(sharply correcting
him)
Y’mean who.
172
AL (contd.)
(then, with lowered
voice -- confidentially)
OTTERLAKE
(rapid transition
from guardsman to
Kiplingesque Tommy)
AL
(as a newscaster)
(aside to JAKE)
OTTERLAKE
(grim)
Another tremendous
explosion!
AL
(turning to the
bewildered PISTER to
issue a grave warning)
AL (contd.)
(into his ear,
with urgency)
OTTERLAKE
(voice change)
(another change)
PISTER
(in a TIGHT C.U.)
OTTERLAKE
(Nixon)
AL
OTTERLAKE
(a gentle pious
confidence to PISTER)
So magnetic is his
personality -- or so
befuddled in his victim --
that PISTER actually
glances for a moment at
the fiery heavens.
AL
OTTERLAKE
(yet another
voice)
THE BARON
(more interested
than distressed)
BILLY
Professionals? They’re
midgets!
175
Ah...
OTTERLAKE
“Antinyoneeyeyonee-oh!!”
PISTER
What?
OTTERLAKE
AL
(under his breath to
PISTER)
A deafening explosion --
A blinding flash of red
light!!!
OTTERLAKE
AL
(correcting his chief)
Bertolucci.
OTTERLAKE
(expansively)
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
(yet another voice --
the Voice of Doom)
FRESH ANGLE:
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
(in his own voice,
to AL)
AL
(lowering his voice
as some other people
start moving down the
steps toward the parking
lot)
He bought it...
OTTERLAKE
(incredulous)
What -- ?
AL
OTTERLAKE
Wow.
AL
OTTERLAKE
He didn’t, so he doesn’t...
AL
Cronkite is hastily
abandoned as OTTERLAKE
starts towards JAKE.
Let him go --
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
OTTERLAKE
OTTERLAKE (contd.)
JULIE RICH
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
From yourselves --
Deathly silence...
In the background, AL
is seen to raise his
megaphone (he has decided --
mistakenly -- to continue
with another gag).
180
AL
(newscasting over
his loud-hailer)
Another pause...
OTTERLAKE
JULIE RICH
Yes?
OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
181
THE BARON
Jesus -- ?
BILLY
THE BARON
(to the CRITIC)
BILLY
In letters of fire it
proclaims:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-----------------------------------
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HAPY BIRDAY
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-----------------------------------
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
182
Then --
A title:
MEANWHILE --
VOICES
”The what?”
HIGGAM’S VOICE
AL’S VOICE
MAGGIE’S VOICE
PAT’S VOICE
(breaking in)
BILLY’S VOICE
PAT’S VOICE
AL’S VOICE
HIGGAM’S VOICE
The singing?
PAT’S VOICE
BILLY
(on camera)
MAGGIE
(on camera)
PISTER
(the intelligent
truth-seeker)
MAGGIE
THE FILM:
PISTER
PAT
DELLA
MAGGIE
JACQUELINE
Silence...
JACQUELINE’S VOICE
PISTER’S VOICE
(under his breath)
BILLY’S VOICE
Don’t be nuts.
HANNAFORD’S FILM
Continues...
We are in --
HIGGAM’S VOICE
DANNY’S VOICE
KLEE’S VOICE
(over-lap)
ROGER’S VOICE
KLEE’S VOICE
Blood?
OSSIE’S VOICE
Her body --
My dear fellow...
CUT TO:
BLACK CINEASTE
(on camera)
THE BARON
Who’s he?
ANOTHER CINEASTE
(pink)
OSSIE
Well, he is a baron.
KLEE
THE BARON
(ice-cool, with no
trace of self-pity)
OSSIE
THE BARON
OSSIE
JACQUELINE
CHABROL
BLACK CINEASTE
THE BARON
OSSIE
Another mask?
THE BARON
MANNY
DANNY
THE BARON
THE DRIVE-IN
OTTERLAKE
(indicating the
screen)
(change of tone)
Silence...
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
“Give-up -- “
JAKE
That’s a suggestion?
193
OTTERLAKE
(to the others)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
JAKE
(to the others)
OTTERLAKE
(to the others)
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(camping)
A long silence...
JAKE
CUT TO:
195
THE ACTRESS
JAKE’S CAR
ZARAH’S CAR
JAKE
Hey, Beautiful...
196
JAKE (contd.)
Going so soon...?
ZARAH
JAKE
ZARAH
I see.
JAKE
Then --
BACK TO SCENE:
BACK TO SCENE
JAKE
OTTERLAKE
(comic Japanese)
So sorry, Sarah --
(as himself)
JAKE
JAKE (contd.)
ZARAH
JAKE
Thanks, Mother...
ZARAH
JAKE
(still trying to
keep it bright)
JULIE RICH
JAKE
(the faint, hopeful
smile is still frozen
on his face -- but no
smile is in his voice)
JULIE RICH
Then:
ZARAH
(suddenly
exasperated)
JAKE
(ruefully)
JULIE RICH
(speaking gently
and quickly)
ZARAH
(blank)
Yes.
JULIE RICH
ZARAH
(after a short, deadly
pause)
JULIE RICH
(rapidly building to
her climax, her
eyes still riveted
on JAKE)
Replacing it --
A hard slap!
AL’S VOICE
(under his breath)
BILLY’S VOICE
CUT TO:
204
THE RANCH
THE RANCH
Silence at first...
JAKE’S VOICE
CUT TO:
OTTERLAKE
Hey, Billy --
BILLY
Hey, Brooksie --
206
OTTERLAKE
BILLY
She’ll live --
AL
BILLY
Fuck her.
OTTERLAKE
BILLY
She left.
OTTERLAKE
(with just a whiff
of JAKE in his
tone)
BILLY
Maybe...
OTTERLAKE
Do you?
BILLY
OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
THE FILM
Then we hear:
Morning, Hannaford.
CUT TO:
JAKE
Johnny -- ?
No answer.
JAKE
(after a silence)
No, thanks.
Another silence...
JAKE
Chicken -- ?
There is no reply...
REVERSE ANGLE:
OTTERLAKE
CUT TO:
THE RANCH
Silence at first.
JAKE’S VOICE
Medusa’s...
CUT TO:
JAKE’S VOICE
ON THE SCREEN --
And silence...
Cut.