FADE IN:
EXT. DELTA TERMINAL - KENNEDY AIRPORT - DAY
On a taxi arriving at the Delta terminal of Kennedy Airport.
A man in a well-tailored gray suit gets out of the taxi.
CUT TO a CLOSER SHOT of the man as he pays the cabbie. He is
WILLCOX HILLYER, the middle-aged "Buddy" of this story and
the observer through whose eyes it is seen. He has a dry,
ironic, rather agreeable manner and he should seem like
everyone’s idea of a successful author, a slightly graying,
trim, still-youthful-looking fifty. The CAMERA follows him as
he walks into the terminal carrying a small travel bag.
INT. DELTA TERMINAL - KENNEDY AIRPORT - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Willcox Hillyer at a counter getting his
ticket processed. A little smile is on his face as he talks
to a pretty airline girl. This character likes girls; his
aloofness is modified, his face changes when he talks to
them. The airline girl smiles back, she finds him attractive.
We don’t hear what they are saying, no dialogue on track --
it is obvious he is flirting with the girl in a mild way, but
now a frown comes on his face and he turns his head as if
slightly annoyed by something.
CUT TO a POV shot of a tall, gaunt, almost totally bald man
at the next ticket counter. The man is about sixty-five and
looks like a half senile Great Dane. He is DAVE WILKIE,
erstwhile husband of the heroine of this story. Age has not
been at all kind to Dave; his face is lined with bitterness,
he is a sour, angry, lonely man and now he is making a very
unpleasant scene with a ticket girl and an airline
representative, waving his ticket and gesticulating angrily.
He wears an expensive, ill-fitting suit and a Texas-type hat.
We don’t hear his angry complaints, no dialogue is on the
track.
CUT BACK to a CLOSE SHOT of Willcox Hillyer as he stares with
a frown at the man. It’s as if he knows the man but can’t
place him. The airline ticket girl speaks to him and he turns
back to her, his face softening as he answers her, obviously
saying he’ll carry his bag. He nods goodbye to the girl,
turns and the CAMERA follows him as he walks some distance
away and stops, looks back with another pensive frown at the
tall, gaunt man at the next counter.
CUT TO ANOTHER POV shot of Dave Wilkie, a longer shot than
the first. The man is now arguing angrily with two airline
representatives, still waving his ticket and shaking his
head. We don’t hear him. Lip-readers might pick up what he is
saying: "I’m supposed to be in first class, not tourist.
What’s the matter with this friggin’ airline?"
CUT BACK TO Willcox Hillyer, a CLOSE SHOT of his face as he
rubs his chin and frowns obviously struggling to remember the
man. The CAMERA holds on him as he stares at the gaunt angry
Dave, racking his brain. He shakes his head, he cannot place
the man and yet he knows him. The CAMERA moves in closer on
Willcox Hillyer’s face as he stares in pensive puzzlement at
this ghost from the past and now we hear, as if from a
distance, FAINT MUSIC on the track -- it is "Dixie," played
with beautiful lazy mocking love by the great Louis Armstrong
in his prime. At first we can barely hear it, then the MUSIC
becomes LOUDER as Hillyer’s frown deepens and he seems almost
to know the man.
MAIN TITLE (SUPERIMPOSED): "RAMBLING ROSE"
The MUSIC remains a bit in the distance, but it can be heard.
OTHER TITLES (SUPERIMPOSED): over the following action.
VARIOUS SHOTS, on Willcox Hillyer. He gives up his effort to
recognize the strangely familiar Dave with a little shrug,
turns and walks away with his travel bag.
INT. DELTA TERMINAL - LOUNGE - DAY
We see him entering the departure lounge and boarding the
plane.
INT. DELTA AIRPLANE - DAY
A shot of him as he smiles rather nicely at a very attractive
young stewardess as he walks down the aisle of the plane. He
is not a crass or lewd flirt, but life comes into his face
when he sees a pretty girl -- he seems to have a real
affection for girls: toward men he is polite but rather dry
and ironic, almost aloof, but girls he likes. We see him sit
in a seat, open his travel bag and take out long galley
sheets. He stares for a moment rather wearily at the galleys,
then sighs, puts on reading glasses and begins to make
corrections as boarding passengers walk by in the aisle.
Something or someone disturbs him, he looks up with a slight
frown and CUT TO a POV shot of Dave Wilkie, all wonder and
enthusiasm. This OVER the TITLES and we do not hear the
dialogue they speak, what we heard is LOUIS ARMSTRONG, but I
will put the dialogue in here so the actors can act it. We do
not want to hear it, the sense of what they are saying will
be obvious from the acting.
DAVE WILKIE
(not on track)
Buddd-dee! My God, if it ain’t
Buddy! Well, if this ain’t the
darnest thing!
ANOTHER ANGLE, on them both as Dave blocks the aisle, an
idiot false-toothed grin on his face. Hillyer has a pained
embarrassed smile.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(not on track)
Excuse me... your voice is familiar
and I’m sure I know you from
somewhere...
DAVE WILKIE
(not on track, with
delighted injury)
Awww-rr, Buddy, come on, you know
me!
WILLCOX HILLYER
(not on track)
Well, I... I... ah-h, let’s see...
DAVE WILKIE
(not on track)
It’s Dave Wilkie! I’m Dave Wilkie,
don’t you remember me?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(not on track)
Oh. Oh, God. Of course, Dave, how
are you?
The men shake hands, Dave enthusiastically, Hillyer less so.
We see Dave stow his suitcase and take the seat next to
Hillyer.
EXT. KENNEDY - DAY
CUT TO a shot of a big Delta jet making its final taxiing
turn and ROARING into a take-off.
INT. KENNEDY - DAY
CUT TO a dramatic underbelly shot of the jet going up.
END OF TITLES.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DELTA AIRPLANE - DAY
A shot of the attractive, young stewardess, harried as she
fixes drinks.
INT. DELTA AIRPLANE - DAY
CUT TO Dave and Willcox Hillyer as the young stewardess gives
them drinks. Dave bestows a sour glance on her when he sees
the single drink, but at the moment he is in the midst of an
aggressively self-satisfied conversation and says nothing to
her. He speaks to Hillyer, who is making a real effort to be
polite but is less than happy about the encounter.
DAVE WILKIE
Well, I am in the construction
business, Buddy, and without
braggin’ I have done real good at
it.
(with a meaningful
bitterness)
There are those who wouldn’t have
expected that out of me.
(pauses as if waiting for
a reaction, but Hillyer
is very silent)
Right now I’m buildin’ a giant
motel unit near Alexandria, outside
Washington, D.C. Not fi-nance, I’m
on the construction side.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(making polite talk)
Well, that’s interesting, Dave. I
always liked Washington, it’s a
pretty town.
DAVE WILKIE
Oh, it’s all right, beats Jew York.
But the niggers have took it over,
just like every other city we got,
only worse.
Hillyer gives a barely perceptible wince at this speech, but
Dave doesn’t notice, he goes on with aggressive self
satisfaction after a swallow of whiskey.
DAVE WILKIE (CONT’D)
But I have done real good in the
construction field. What I don’t
know about buildin’ ain’t worth
knowin’. I knocked off twenty-eight
thousand smackeroos last year,
how’s that for an old country boy?
Dave pauses, realizes this might not impress; glances down
with curiosity at the galley sheets, then an unpleasant
smile.
DAVE WILKIE (CONT’D)
Ha ha, course you make a lot more.
(points at the galleys)
What’s that you got there, Buddy?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(reluctantly)
Galley proof.
DAVE WILKIE
Galley what?
WILLCOX HILLYER
Page proof of a book I’m working
on.
DAVE WILKIE
How about that. Well, you always
were a screwball.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(lifts an eyebrow in mild
irony)
Oh, yeah?
DAVE WILKIE
(unfazed)
I don’t mean that the way it
sounds.
(stares at galleys as if
rattlesnake)
Imagine it, a book. And I used to
know you personal way back when.
(pauses, then earnestly)
Tell me something, Buddy, how do
you dream up all that stuff?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(absolutely straight)
Well, actually, we have a little
black boy named Her---t who lives
in the garage. He does it for me.
DAVE WILKIE
(for a moment half
believes it, then a slow,
stupid grin)
Heh heh heh heh, same old Buddy,
always jokin’ around. Almost as
much of a joker as your Daddy.
(drains his drink,
grimaces; a heavy
drinker, Dave)
I saw your Daddy a coupla years
ago, I was up in Glenville lookin’
at a motel site. I guess that’s
where you’re headed, huh, to see
him?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(stares out of plane
window)
That’s right, Dave, I’m headed for
Glenville on a whisperin’ jet.
DAVE WILKIE
(suddenly calls out)
Hey, girl! Hey, you, give us
another drink!
(to Hillyer, sullenly)
Dumb little bitch, supposed to give
us two in the first place.
Willcox Hillyer listens with a pained half smile, a hand at
his temple.
DAVE WILKIE (CONT’D)
This friggin’ airline’s out of its
mind.
(a martyr)
The sons of bitches tried to put me
in tourist.
(portentuously
philosophical)
But our whole civilization is
screwed up, Buddy. The heebies and
the coconuts have took it over and
ruined it.
Willcox Hillyer half closes his eyes in weariness, but says
nothing. Gently, he rubs his temple. It is plain Dave Wilkie
gives him a headache.
INT. DELTA AIRPLANE
ANOTHER ANGLE, on the pretty young stewardess as she brings
two more drinks. Dave stares sourly at her, wholly unmoved by
her charm.
DAVE WILKIE
Took your time gettin’ here.
WILLCOX HILLYER
She has other things to do, Dave.
Willcox smiles apologetically at girl.
DAVE WILKIE
Supposed to get two drinks in the
first place. This friggin’ airline
can’t do nothin’ right.
The stewardess purses her lips at Dave, who is bowed over his
drink busy opening it. Hillyer lifts an eyebrow at the girl
as if to say, "Don’t blame me because of this damned idiot,"
and she half smiles at him.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(obviously getting him off
subject)
Tell me about that job in
Alexandria, Dave, the big motel
you’re building.
DAVE WILKIE
(with pedantic exactitude,
the man is a complete
pain in the ass)
Near Alexandria. It isn’t in
Alexandria, it is outside it.
WILLCOX HILLYER
I see. Outside it.
DAVE WILKIE
That’s correct -- outside it, not
in it. As for the job, well, the
Jewboy suppliers give me a lot of
grief and we use a pile of niggers
to haul and tote and they ain’t
worth a sorry-ass damn.
(takes big swallow of
drink)
But I can build anything, Buddy.
Give me the plans and I can build a
goddamn staircase to the moon. It’s
a fact, I can build anything...
(pauses, then bitterly)
... but she never believed that.
Oh, hell, no, she never believed in
me.
This is another pointed bitter reference to the unknown
"she." Once again, Willcox Hillyer is deliberately
unresponsive.
WILLCOX HILLYER
Um-m, well...
DAVE WILKIE
(broodingly)
Doubted my ability all along, the
little bitch. I never remarried,
Buddy, you know that, don’t you?
WILLCOX HILLYER
Well, no, I didn’t actually.
DAVE WILKIE
She’s te reason -- cured me of
women once and for all. Oh, I got
rid of her, Buddy, I didn’t waste
no time kickin’ that bitch out.
Hell, she was screwin’ everybody in
Savannah. I caught her in a motel
with this long tall son of a bitch
and boy did I beat the everlastin’
piss out of him!
Dave Wilkie’s eyes narrow with vindictive anger as he says it
and one can well believe the streak of raw violence in the
man. It is frightening even now; he is a clown, but he is a
dangerous clown. As his long, bitter, impassioned tirade
continues, Willcox Hillyer becomes increasingly tense and
pale -- it is obvious he detests what the man is saying and
he is struggling to control himself.
Dave’s tone and voice are laconically Southern, but the
hatred and misery in his eyes are raw.
DAVE WILKIE (CONT’D)
She didn’t marry him, though, later
she married another guy and went to
Winston-Salem. It didn’t last
That girl couldn’t have no lastin’
marriage, she left him and married
another dumb sucker and went out
west. Little bitch left him, too,
and you know what she’s married to
right now?
(puts a big finger on
Hillyer’s chest)
A kike. That’s right, some kind of
kike horse doctor named Schapiro
out in Seattle, who’s got the nerve
to have the same first name I got.
Wouldn’t you know it, Rose would
wind up married to a goddamn kike?
She was always out of her friggin’
head and I’ll tell you why.
(his eyes narrow and again
he puts a finger on
Hillyer’s chest)
Buddy, she was sick in her mind and
between her legs, too. She was
a nymphomaniac.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(he has had enough; with a
pale trembling anger and
in even tone)
Dave, you are as full of shit as a
Christmas turkey and you know it.
Now if you want to start a fight on
this plane and get yourself in
jail, go right ahead. But I am
telling you, you are full of shit
right up to your eyeballs.
DAVE WILKIE
(with surprising mildness;
a little smile almost as
if he is pleased)
I don’t want to start no fight with
you, Buddy. Why do you say I’m full
of shit?
WILLCOX HILLYER
Dave Schapiro is no horse doctor
and Rose has been a good wife to
him for a long time. To call her a
nymphomaniac is the most stupid
thing I ever heard in my life.
DAVE WILKIE
(again surprisingly mild)
You loved her, didn’t you. Well, so
did I.
(a little shrug)
You’ll have to admit she had four
husbands.
WILLCOX HILLYER
Yeah, it took her a while to grow
up and find Mr. Right, but she did
it. She found him.
DAVE WILKIE
(another little smile)
She used to call me Mr. Right.
Remember that, Buddy?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(he is pale with anger)
Yeah, I remember it.
Willcox picks up galley sheets, half turns away.
DAVE WILKIE
Well, I tell you, I don’t know what
the world’s come to these days.
Things used to be better. We didn’t
have any money, but things were
better.
(grimaces in anger)
Goddamn niggers and kikes burning
the flag, rioting, raising hell --
they ought to shoot their asses
off. I tell you, Buddy, where this
country made its mistake was
allowing people without property to
vote.
During this speech, Willcox Hillyer grits his teeth but says
nothing. He keeps his eyes down on the galley sheets. As Dave
shakes his head in sorrow at the state of the nation ..
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ATLANTA TERMINAL - HERTZ COUNTER - DAY
A shot of Willcox Hillyer at a Hertz Counter in the Atlanta
airport. A tense, wrought up Dave Wilkie is in the b.g. of
the shot. During the following brief exchange, Hillyer is
politely cool, Wilkie under a great strain.
DAVE WILKIE
(holds out hand)
Well, got to get a plane to
Savannah. Great running into you,
Buddy. Give my best to your Daddy.
WILLCOX HILLYER
Yeah, I’ll do that, Dave.
DAVE WILKIE
(sweating, tense, under
some kind of awful
emotional strain)
Ah-h, if you happen to run into
Rose sometime... do me a favor,
give her a message for me, will
you?
WILLCOX HILLYER
(a trifle wearily)
Dave, I haven’t seen Rose for
years.
Hillyer takes rental car papers from a pretty young HERTZ
GIRL, gives the girl a little smile, picks up his travel bag.
In desperation, Dave takes his arm.
DAVE WILKIE
Buddy, I’m a sick man. I had a
heart attack last year, I wasn’t
expected to live.
Hillyer turns to Dave, puzzled and interested; Dave earnestly
explains.
DAVE WILKIE (CONT’D)
You might see her. She writes your
Daddy, and she and that doctor came
to see him, didn’t they? I wish
you’d tell her something... I never
could write letters.
WILLCOX HILLYER
(in a different tone,
interested, curious)
What do you want me to tell her,
Dave?
DAVE WILKIE
(a painful inward
struggle; the man is
tormented, miserable)
Oh, to hell with it, never mind.
Don’t tell her anything. Don’t even
tell her you saw me.
(half turns his back, his
face twisted with strong
emotion)
Got to run, Buddy, I’ll miss my
plane.
Willcox Hillyer and the pretty young Hertz Girl stare after
Dave Wilkie as he walks away with spasm-like steps. Hillyer
seems affected, less hostile toward Dave now. He speaks half
to himself, half to the Hertz Girl.
WILLCOX HILLYER
He still loves her. The poor damn
fool still loves her.
HERTZ GIRL
Who was she?
WILLCOX HILLYER
A girl named Rose.
(pulls himself back into
the world of reality)
Still take R75 to Glenville?
HERTZ GIRL
Yes, sir.
Willcox nods thanks and walks away carrying his travel bag.
EXT. ATLANTA AIRPORT - ROAD - DAY
CUT TO a shot of the red Ford driving from the airport.
EXT. INTERSTATE 75 - DAY
A shot of the red Ford on Interstate 75, Atlanta skyline in
b.g.
EXT. GEORGIA INTERSTATE - DAY
On the red Ford as it speeds along a Georgia Interstate
through red clay hills in green springtime.
INT./EXT. CAR - GEORGIA INTERSTATE - DAY
CUT TO a shot on Willcox Hillyer CLOSE ON his face in the
car. He is lost in reflection. A look of bitter sweet emotion
is on his face, an expression of sadness mixed with
amusement. As the CAMERA holds on his face, we hear again on
the track Louis Armstrong’s great version of "DIXIE," or
music of comparable power, beauty and nostalgic evocation.
Now the music is stronger, much stronger than behind the
titles, we are beginning to hear it full force.
DISSOLVE TO:
BLURRED SCREEN FLASHBACK:
EXT. HILLYER HOME - DAY
A shot of a thirteen-year-old boy on the front porch of a
house in the sleepy Depression South of many years ago. He is
BUDDY, Willcox Hillyer as a boy. The MUSIC continues as he
shades his eyes to look at something far away.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - DRIVEWAY - DAY
CUT TO a LONG POV shot of a young and very pretty blonde girl
walking slowly up an oak-shaded driveway. A ZOOMAR LENSE
takes us TOWARD her. She is carrying a cardboard suitcase
tied with a string. Her clothes are cheap, her shoes are
dusty, runs are in her stockings. She is sweaty, tired and
seems very nervous. ROSE is a very attractive girl, but her
primary quality is not sexiness, but an innocence and
sweetness. She pauses to wipe sweat from her forehead with
the back of her hand and nervously moistens her lips as she
stares ahead uncertainly at the "nice" Southern home which to
her seems very grand. It is apparent she is badly frightened
and apprehensive about what lies ahead. She is also exhausted
from the heat and a long hot walk in the Southern sun. She
blinks at perspiration, swallows in anxiety again and forces
herself to walk on.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - PORCH
CUT TO a shot of Buddy on the porch. Expressionless,
unreadable, neither friendly nor hostile, he stares with an
even gaze directly into the CAMERA. He has his hands on his
hips in a distinctive way that we will later see is a
mannerism of his father’s.
Buddy tries to imitate the style of his father, not always
with complete success. Unreadable as a Sphinx, he stands
there, waiting.
EXT. HILLYER HOME PORCH - DAY
CUT TO a POV shot of Rose at the foot of the porch steps. A
tentative little smile is on her face. It is very plain she
is nervous and frightened.
ROSE
Hello. I’m Rose, and I’ve come to
live with you and your family.
Silence. The damn boy says nothing. A trifle crestfallen,
Rose moistens his lips and swallows. She ventures another
little smile and the CAMERA follows her as she walks up the
steps. The at-times-insufferable Buddy comes into the shot.
He still has his hands on his hips Daddy-style and his
expression is inscrutable, neither friendly nor hostile.
ROSE (CONT’D)
What’s your name? What do they call
you?
Finally, the boy speaks -- and he is not so bad. He’s a child
after all.
BUDDY
Lots of things. Buddy, mostly.
ROSE
(greatly reassured, a real
smile now)
Buddy. Well, now, that’s a nice
name, I like it. I am real pleased
to meet you.
(solemnly holds out her
hand, they shake)
Hey, look, do you think you got a
cold drink of ice water somewhere?
BUDDY
Sure. Let me take your suitcase.
A warm and beautiful smile comes on Rose’s face and a little
twinkle comes into her eyes. The innocence and sweetness are
not lost, that is never lost, but this is a girl who likes
boys and men.
ROSE
You’re sweet.
INT. HILLYER HOME BEDROOM STUDY - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Buddy’s mother, Mrs. Hillyer, in a Morris
chair in her bedroom study.
MOTHER is a sensitive, kind and rather appealing if slightly
eccentric lady of about 37 or 38. She wears glasses, has a
Victorian hairdo and a 1930ish style dress. At the moment
Mother is absorbed in her studies -- notebooks and history
books are littered and piled everywhere around her chair. She
is drinking a Coca-Cola and smoking a cigarette held by a
bobbie pin. Calmly, she glances up as Buddy enters the room.
The CAMERA pulls back to include him.
BUDDY
The new girl is here.
MOTHER
Wonderful. What’s she like,
Brother? What is your impression of
her?
BUDDY
She talks a great deal and smiles a
lot. She’s very pretty, she has a
real good figure. She’s very
girlish or womanish, if you know
what I mean. She wouldn’t hurt
anybody, this girl. She couldn’t.
Mother accepts her son’s precocious pronouncement as
perfectly normal; talks to him as if he’s an adult.
MOTHER
Your impression is very reassuring,
Brother. Of course she’s had
troubles, poor thing, but I sensed
that was that the girl was like and
I’m glad to have it reconfirmed.
BUDDY
You mean confirmed, Mother. I
didn’t confirm it before. I would
have had to confirm it previously,
in order for it to be reconfirmed.
MOTHER
All right, all right. Doll and
Waski are upstairs taking their
nap, you go get them and bring them
down to the living room. Where is
the girl?
BUDDY
In the kitchen drinking all the ice
water in Glenville. She walked out
here, she didn’t go by the hotel.
MOTHER
Walked, in all that heat? It’s a
wonder she hasn’t got sunstroke.
I’ll phone Daddy and you go get
Doll Baby and Waski.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM
A shot of Mother, Rose, Buddy, Doll and Waski in the living
room of the Hillyer household. DOLL is a pretty little girl
of about 11, WASKI a boy of 5. Mother’s tone is very gentle,
very sweet, very kind. Her unabashed admiration for her own
children has an ingenuousness that is more amusing than
offensive.
MOTHER
Rose, this is Waski. His real name
is Warren but we call him Waski. He
doesn’t like it much and I suppose
someday we’ll have to stop calling
him that.
WASKI
You can stop it right now.
MOTHER
When he was baby we called him "Wa
Wa," a baby name, you know. You
will find him a very good boy. His
brother can be bad and so can his
sister, but Waski is a very good
boy. And as you can see he’s
beautiful.
WASKI
Oh, Mother, cut it out.
MOTHER
(serenely)
There are plenty of girls who would
give thousands of dollars to have
your auburn hair. Beauty is beauty
and that’s all there is to it.
Beauty is there and we have to
recognize it. Now Rose, the little
girl sitting across from you with
the blue eyes is Doll Baby. She
looks like an angel and she is an
angel, but she can be a naughty
angel sometimes, although her
father won’t believe it. Her real
name is Frances, but we call her
Dolly or Doll.
DOLL
I don’t like that, either, it’s
worse than Waski. I want to be
called Fran.
MOTHER
Daddy wouldn’t hear that. Now the
redhaired boy you see sitting
there, of course you have met him,
he is my oldest son and my most
brilliant child. All children have
great creative powers, but I don’t
want to rattle on about my
children, they say I brag too much
about them, especially about
Brother. Am I boring you, Rose?
Rose has not as yet caught on to Mother’s style and is
staring at her with lips apart and blue eyes slightly popped.
ROSE
(feebly)
Oh, no, ma’am.
MOTHER
Well, it’s rather interesting about
Brother, actually. I realized the
remarkable thing he had when he was
six weeks old. He looked at me and
understood me, he knew exactly who
I was. I know it sounds crazy but
it’s true. He’s very remarkable, he
was born for the ministry and could
move millions, but he doesn’t know
that yet. I have to warn you about
him, he can be very dangerous,
there is an evil streak in him, a
streak of pure sheer meanness. But
at heart Brother is saintly and
that is why he was born for the
ministry even if he doesn’t know
it.
Thus, Mother. Slightly cuckoo, a bit out of touch with
reality, but no fool. A very intelligent woman really, and
very, very gentle and kind.
Her style, however, takes a little getting used to and her
long speech throws Rose completely. She stares at Mother in
speechless open-mouthed awe, unable to say a word.
The CAMERA moves in CLOSER on Rose as she moistens her lips,
swallows, tries to talk and can’t. She is very, very nervous.
Now she flinches and looks around as we hear a deep masculine
VOICE OVER the shot. It is the voice of DADDY, Mr. Hillyer,
Buddy’s father.
DADDY’S VOICE
Honey, you’ll scare the gizzard out
of the girl going into the fourth
dimension like that.
ANOTHER ANGLE on Daddy in the doorway of the living room. He
is a handsome man of about forty with a style and a manner
all his own. As extravagant as his remarks often are and
funny though he is at times, the man has a courtly Southern
dignity that is never lost. He is no clown, he is not even a
comedian, he is a man and a formidable man at that: all the
characters in this story love and fear him. We see now where
Buddy got his unreadable expression thing and his hands on
the hips thing. Daddy is unreadable. A straw hat is on the
back of his head, a rolled-up Glenville Tribune is in his
hand, his hands are on his hips. He is staring with what
seems to be stern fierceness at them all, but his attitude
really is inscrutable.
MOTHER
It isn’t the fourth dimension. To
you it’s the fourth dimension,
maybe, to me it’s simply the truth.
DADDY
(staring fiercely at Rose)
Well, well, well. So Miss Rosebud
has arrived. Un-hmm. And you’re all
assembled here. Yes, indeed. Un
hmmm.
Daddy walks in as Rose stares wide-eyed at him. It is obvious
he scares the absolute bejesus out of her, she looks actually
as if she might faint, her hands trembling on her lap and her
knees quivering beneath her cheap and tacky dress. But she
has a surprise coming. She is soon to lose all her fear of
him, every bit of it. Daddy walks over and sits in a chair
beside her, stares fiercely at her for a moment, then begins
a long speech. Again, extravagant as this speech is, he is no
clown, he is not "being funny," he means every word he says.
DADDY (CONT’D)
Well, Rosebud, now you are here,
darling, and I swear to God
graceful as the capital letter S.
You will adorn our house, Rosebud,
you will give a glow and a shine to
these old walls. If there’s one
thing I like to have around, it’s a
frizzy-haired blonde. Now I assume
Mrs. Hillyer and the children have
introduced themselves and made your
acquaintance, and so forth and so
on?
Rose can barely answer, eyes fixed in rapt fascination on
him, a half whisper.
ROSE
Yes, sir.
DADDY
All right. Now as head of this
household I have a couple of
remarks to make. It is my dear
wife’s belief, which I accept
although I do not totally grasp it,
that to hire a person to do
household work is a criminal
practice. Therefore, you are here
not as a servant, you are here as a
friend, as a guest and hopefully as
a member of this family. You will
eat your meals with us, you will
share life itself with us -- in
love and harmony, dear Rosebud, in
love and harmony. Do you understand
me?
ROSE
(a half whisper)
Yes, sir.
Daddy pauses, then in a different tone, his hidden gentleness
and kindness are much more plain; as he talks Rose’s eyes
begin to well with tears.
DADDY
Now, I know you’ve had some
troubles in your life, those...
scoundrels in Birmingham and so
forth trying to... lead you astray.
I hope you find a safe haven here,
honey, I know you’ve had a hard
time. Life can be cruel to a young
girl all alone. We welcome you to
our home, Rosebud, we all welcome
you from the heart and hope you are
happy here.
Rose bites her lip, her eyes are filled with tears; an
inaudible whisper.
ROSE
Yes, sir.
INT. HILLYER HOME
VARIOUS SHOTS of Rose doing household chores: sweeping the
floor, vacuuming, cooking. She is cheerful in her work,
smiling, good-humored and she works hard. It is obvious she
is happy. We see the children in most of these shots. It is
apparent Rose is a very good worker and very happy in her new
home.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Rose is washing the dishes while the children finish
breakfast. Buddy looks up from this cornflakes with a
slightly sly expression.
BUDDY
Rose, who were those scoundrels in
Birmingham?
ROSE
Nobody.
BUDDY
But who were they?
ROSE
They were just bad men, that’s all.
BUDDY
In what sense were they bad?
ROSE
Bad is bad, Buddy. There ain’t no
sense to it.
BUDDY
Did they try to induce you to
become a prostitute?
Rose turns around, lifts her eyebrows, tosses down the
dishcloth.
ROSE
I don’t answer talk like that,
Buddy. I just don’t hear it, I turn
my back and look away.
Rose turns her back on him.
BUDDY
Was that what they tried to do? Was
that why Daddy gave you the job, to
save you from those scoundrels?
ROSE
Your Daddy is a wonderful man, I’ll
say that. He’s the best and most
kind-hearted man in the world.
BUDDY
Hey, Rose, did you hear about that
terrible thing down in Cave
Springs?
ROSE
What terrible thing in Cave
Springs?
BUDDY
There was this old man that ate his
niece.
Rose stares emptily for a moment, then bites her lips
together.
ROSE
I didn’t hear you. I didn’t hear
that.
BUDDY
He really did, he ate his little
niece. He made pork chops out of
her.
ROSE
I don’t hear you. I just turn my
back on that kind of talk and look
away.
BUDDY
Well, it’s only the truth. There
are horrible things in the world,
Rose.
ROSE
Buddy, you are in one of your evil
moods, I don’t want to talk to you.
I’m going out and sweep the patio.
Rose exits and the CAMERA stays on Buddy, Doll and Waski.
BUDDY
Rose is almost as sentimental as
Mother. If there’s one thing I
can’t stand it’s sentimentality. In
Chattanooga this man committed an
almost perfect murder. He killed
his wife with a black widow spider.
DOLL
Oh, shut up, Buddy.
WASKI
Yeah, shut up.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - PATIO - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose on the stone patio of the Hillyer
house, an attractive area with outdoor furniture and
crabapple tree limbs overhead. Rose is busy sweeping. The
CAMERA PANS to follow her and we pick up Mrs. Hillyer,
Mother. It is a nice day and she is studying out on the
patio, books and notebooks piled around. Rose glances down
curiously at her.
ROSE
What are you studying now, Mrs.
Hillyer?
MOTHER
More history, Rose.
ROSE
Are you going to get your degree
soon?
MOTHER
Well, I am working on my thesis.
ROSE
(as she busily sweeps)
It must be wonderful to be so
smart. I don’t see how you do it,
reading all those books, learning
all that stuff.
MOTHER
(looks up, and gently)
Rose, you work too hard. Why don’t
you go sit down somewhere and drink
a Co-Cola?
ROSE
(smiles, trusts and knows
Mother now, not at all
afraid of her)
You’re so sweet.
Rose again busily sweeps.
MOTHER
Really, why don’t you go sit down
somewhere?
ROSE
I like to work. I don’t mind work.
It’s the least I can do after all
you and Mr. Hillyer have done for
me.
(stares worshipfully at
Mother)
You’re so sweet. There never was
nobody like you.
MOTHER
(gently)
Well, you run on now.
ROSE
Yes, Ma’am.
Exit Rose. Mother adjusts her notebook and turns the page of
a history book as she resumes her studies. We hear the sound
of an approaching CAR and she glances up.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - DRIVEWAY - DAY
CUT TO a shot of a slightly worn-out 1932 Model-A Ford as it
rolls up the driveway of the Hillyer home, Daddy at the
wheel.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - PATIO - DAY
ANOTHER ANGLE, on Daddy as he gets out of the Model-A. He has
his usual straw hat on the back of his head. The CAMERA
FOLLOWS him as he walks onto the patio.
DADDY
Good morning, sweetheart. Beautiful
day.
MOTHER
Yes, it’s so nice I thought I’d
work outside.
DADDY
How goes it, darlin’?
MOTHER
Slow, hon. But at least I can
concentrate now that Rose is here.
DADDY
What do you think of her, honey?
Mother doesn’t answer, she writes on, head bowed over her
notebook. We see in this shot the hearing aid she wears and
hear from it a faint BUZZ.
DADDY (CONT’D)
Turn up your hearing aid.
MOTHER
What?
DADDY
Your hearing aid, it’s buzzing at
me like a snake.
MOTHER
(adjusts hearing aid)
Oh. Did you say something?
DADDY
I asked you what you think of
Rosebud, now that she’s been here a
while.
MOTHER
Honey, she’s perfect. She works all
the time and she’s wonderful with
the children. And they love her,
even Brother likes her though he
won’t admit it. I think she’s just
perfect.
DADDY
Um-hmm. Almost too perfect.
MOTHER
And she’s such a good-hearted
thing, there isn’t an ounce of harm
or malice in her.
DADDY
Well, I’ll admit I don’t see any
flies on her yet.
MOTHER
There are no flies on Rose, I don’t
know what you’re talking about.
DADDY
Well, she must have done something
to encourage those scoundrels in
Birmingham, even if she did run
away from them.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Buddy in the window of the kitchen. He is
propped on his elbows and listening with keen interest to the
talk on the patio. We hear the VOICES of his parents OVER the
shot.
MOTHER’S VOICE
If you mean... boys and men, I
don’t think so. Rose seems very
calm about all of that.
DADDY’S VOICE
Well, so far I have to agree. She
seems calm as lettuce.
The CAMERA FOLLOWS Buddy as he draws back into the kitchen.
We see Doll and Waski playing a game on the kitchen table.
BUDDY
Daddy says Rose is calm as lettuce.
Do you believe that, Doll?
DOLL
No.
WASKI
Neither do I.
BUDDY
Oh, Waski, you don’t even know what
we’re talking about.
WASKI
I do, too.
Buddy turns, looks back out the window.
EXT. HILLYER SOME - PATIO - DAY
CUT TO Mother and Daddy on the patio. Daddy stands up.
DADDY
Well, let’s hope for the best,
darlin’.
MOTHER
Hope for the best? I don’t
understand all this skepticism. I
thought you liked Rose.
DADDY
I love Rosebud, I am wild about
Rosebud. I just hope she doesn’t
turn out to be a hidden hotcha
character, that’s all. We have
growing children in the house.
MOTHER
Hotcha character. If I had to live
with your cynicism, I wouldn’t want
to live at all. What you can’t
understand is that the creative
forces of the universe are
positive, not negative.
DADDY
(gently, his irony is
mild)
All right, darlin’, don’t go off
into the fourth dimension.
MOTHER
I’m not in the fourth dimension --
(points a finger at him)
-- you are in the fourth dimension,
when you allow skepticism and doubt
to take control. As Blake said, if
God had doubt the sun would go out.
DADDY
(again gentle irony,
always courtly toward
her)
Forgive my crudity, darlin’. I
don’t understand these deeper
things the way you do.
MOTHER
(reaches up, takes his
hand)
Be nice to Rose. She’s never had a
real home.
DADDY
You’re a wonderful woman, darlin’.
As long as you’re around, I’m sure
the sun wouldn’t dare go out.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll and Waski in the kitchen.
Doll and Waski are playing parchesi on the kitchen table.
Buddy turns from eavesdropping at the window and strolls
across the kitchen, hands in his khaki pants.
BUDDY
It’s pitiful. Neither one of them
know.
DOLL
(as she shakes dice)
I think Daddy suspects.
BUDDY
No, he doesn’t. Not really.
The CAMERA FOLLOWS Buddy as he goes to the hall door,
carefully opens it to make no noise and peers down the hall.
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT HALL - DAY
CUT TO a POV shot of Rose busy dusting hall furniture,
humming as she works. We hear on the track the SOUND of the
Model-A starting, and Rose freezes. Then, quickly, Rose
hurries down the hall toward the front door.
ON Buddy as he watches her through a crack in the door. He
has his hands on his hips Daddy-style and his face is
expressionless.
ANOTHER ANGLE, POV of Buddy but CLOSER on Rose at the end of
the hall. She is staring soulfully through the glass of the
front door as we hear the Model-A go down the driveway. Rose
lifts a hand between her breasts, sighs. A lovesick
expression is on her face.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
ON Buddy, as he comes back into the kitchen sadly shaking his
head.
BUDDY
It’s really pitiful. She’s in bad
shape.
DOLL
She’s watching the car again?
BUDDY
Yeah.
DOLL
I get so irritated with Daddy. He’s
so dumb sometimes.
WASKI
Yeah, I know.
BUDDY
Oh, Waski, you don’t know anything.
WASKI
I do, too!
BUDDY
All right, what do you know?
WASKI
Rose is madly in love with Daddy...
DOLL
(pauses, then solemnly)
Well, don’t tell Mother.
WASKI
Do you think I’m crazy?
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
A shot of the family at dinner in the dining room at night.
Daddy is at the head of the table, Mother is at the other
end.
Buddy, Doll and Waski are all seated in neat, nice clothes,
hands washed and hair combed. Rose is serving, but a place is
set for her. She wears an attractive little apron and is
smiling, blushing, happy as Daddy teases and jokes at her.
DADDY
(in a good humor)
Rosebaby Blossom, these are the
most delicious candied yams I ever
ate! Why, they just melt in my
mouth. And this fried chicken is
fit for a king. How do you do it,
Peachbird? What is the secret of
your art, Plum Blossom, huh?
ROSE
(blushing, smiling)
Oh, I don’t know, I... I...
DADDY
Rosebird Baby, you are the light of
my life, darlin’. How did we ever
get by without you?
ROSE
(stares at him, stricken)
I... I’ll get the grits.
The CAMERA FOLLOWS Rose as she exits, and STOPS on Buddy and
Doll. Buddy slews his eyes toward his sister, who meets his
gaze for a moment then looks down at her plate. The CAMERA
MOVES on to Mother, who is utterly oblivious of anything
going on between Rose and Daddy.
MOTHER
Rose does have a gift for cooking.
She learns so fast, but mainly I
think it’s that she tries so hard.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT (LATER)
ANOTHER ANGLE, on the family as they eat dinner. Rose is
seated at the table now. She is picking lifelessly at her
food and glancing from time to time with a lovesick
expression at Daddy, who is busy eating and seems wholly
unaware of it. Mother also is wholly unaware, but all the
children know what is happening. Rose takes a gravy for a
biscuit and spills a little, her hand is trembling.
MOTHER
(gently, suspects
absolutely nothing)
Rose, you’re in an awful dither
tonight. What’s the matter with
you, honey, are you sick or
something?
ROSE
(in a feeble voice)
No, ma’am, I’m just fine.
MOTHER
You look sick if you ask me. I hate
to leave you with the dishes and
all, but I’m supposed to go to a
meeting of the Garden Club this
evening.
(to Daddy)
I’ll need the car keys.
DADDY
I’ll drive you, darlin’. You’ve got
no business behind the wheel of an
automobile. You don’t think about
what you’re doing and you’ll run
into a telephone pole.
MOTHER
I think about what I’m doing all
the time, and I’ve got as much
business behind the wheel of an
automobile as anybody. Besides, I
want you to stay and help Rose with
the dishes, the poor girl isn’t
feeling well.
DADDY
All right, darlin’.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT (LATER)
A shot of Daddy alone in the dining room, reading a newspaper
and drinking coffee. Rose comes INTO THE PICTURE, gets dishes
as she clears the table. She stares with a lovesick
expression at Daddy, who is absorbed in paper.
DADDY
(to himself, mostly)
Hmmp. Did you realize there are a
thousand Coca-Cola millionaires in
Atlanta?
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT HALL - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll tiptoeing down the darkened
hall toward the front door. We hear the MODEL-A going down
the drive. They peer out of the glass of the front door. They
whisper.
BUDDY
There goes Mother.
DOLL
Yeah.
BUDDY
Let’s go peep from the living room.
DOLL
Okay.
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The CAMERA FOLLOWS them as they tiptoe into the darkened
living room. They go over to the sliding doors and silently
struggle for the best peeping spot. Buddy gets up high, Doll
down low, at the crack in the doors through which light
shines.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a POV shot of the dining room, as seen by children.
Daddy sits absorbed in his paper, oblivious of Rose. She is
staring down at him with a pale look of love.
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a CLOSE-UP of Buddy and Doll, their heads together.
They whisper.
DOLL
I think she’s gonna kiss him.
BUDDY
At least.
INT. HILLYER HOME DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a POV shot of Daddy and Rose, as seen by children. The
table now is cleared and Rose stands half behind Daddy,
staring down at him with a stricken expression.
DADDY
(half to himself)
Ehh, Lord, should have bought that
stock when we had some money. A
thousand millionaires.
Rose suddenly makes up her mind, places her hand on his
shoulder, turns sideways, sits down on his lap, puts an arm
around his neck.
ROSE
Oh, oh! Oh, Mr. Hillyer, I love
you, I love you so much! I’ve
tried, but I can’t help it! Please
kiss me -- will you kiss me?
For a long time Daddy stares groggily at her with a half
frown as if he can’t believe it. In order to stare at her, he
must tilt his head back and, handsome man though he is, he
looks a bit like a startled rooster. Her breasts are pressed
against him, and her eager -pink lips are waiting for a kiss.
DADDY
(finally clears his
throat)
Ahh-hem! Now, Rose, get off my lap.
What are you doing, girl? Are you
crazy?
ROSE
Yes, crazy about you! Kiss me, Mr.
Hillyer!
DADDY
Why, I’m not going to kiss you, you
crazy girl. Now I’m telling you
again, get off my lap. Come on,
Rose, get up. Now you get up, I
say, and stop this!
ROSE
No, no! You don’t understand, I
love you! It’s real love and I
can’t help it! Please kiss me, Mr.
Hillyer, I love you, I love you so
much...
Rose breaks down and begins crying, her head on his shoulder.
She has her arms wound tight around him and Daddy seems at a
loss what to do.
DADDY
(in a shaken voice)
All right, all right. Now calm
down, Rose, the children will hear
you. Calm down, let’s talk... about
this thing, let’s discuss it.
ROSE
(sobbing)
Don’t make me... me... me... get
up!
DADDY
Calm down, Rose, let’s calm down
and discuss it ...
INT. HILLYER HOKE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll. Doll is down near the floor
and can’t see as well. They whisper.
DOLL
I can’t see. What are they doing,
what’s happening?
BUDDY
They’re discussing it.
DOLL
I can’t see, let me see...
Doll tries to rise up and Buddy puts a hand on her head and
shoves her down.
BUDDY
This is my place and you can’t have
it.
DOLL
(a whispered moan of
frustration)
Ohhh-hh... what’s happening now?
BUDDY
(his eyes open wide)
He’s trying to get up -- good God,
one of her titties is out!
DOLL
Let me see!
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a POV shot of Daddy and Rose, as he struggles to rise
from the chair. They are half falling to the floor and now
they fall, Rose still on his lap. One of her breasts has come
out of her dress, which is very loose and low-cut. She has no
bra, the breast is bare. Daddy is staring groggily at the
breast as if slightly dazed.
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT BACK TO Buddy and Doll. Buddy is frustrated now.
BUDDY
Now I can’t see. What are they
doing?
DOLL
(happy, peeping through
crack)
Boy! Wow!
Buddy groans and peers intently through crack.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
A POV shot of scene as observed by Buddy. He is up too high,
the dining table blocks his view. We see the lower half of
Rose and Daddy. Rose’s skirt is up well above her knees.
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll.
DOLL
Wow! Brrrother!
BUDDY
What are they doing?
DOLL
Buddy, this is amazing, you
wouldn’t believe it.
BUDDY
What are they doing, Doll?
DOLL
(staring, enthralled)
He kissed her.
BUDDY
Is that all?
DOLL
(happily, enjoying it)
He had his hand on her titty.
BUDDY
Let me look.
(can’t stand it, grabs her
around waist and pulls
her away; eagerly looks,
sags)
Aww-rr...
CUT TO a POV shot of the scene in the dining room.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
DOWN LOW, we can see under the dining room table now. Daddy
has his hands on Rose’s shoulders and is firmly pushing her
away.
DADDY
All right, that is enough of this
nonsense, and I mean enough! Get up
off this floor, Rose, and put your
damned tit back in your dress! Do
you hear me, girl, get up off of
that floor!
Rose, on all fours, blonde hair over her face, making little
whimpering noises of dismay:
ROSE
Ohh-hhh... ohh...
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO Buddy and Doll.
BUDDY
(disappointed)
She’s putting the titty back.
DOLL
(a furious whisper)
Buddy, that was my place.
Doll forces her way in and they both peep through crack in
door.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a POV shot of Rose and Daddy. Rose stands sheepishly
by the dining room table, half-crying as she adjusts her
dress. Daddy sits in his dining room chair. Daddy is glaring
at her.
DADDY
Goddamn you, girl! You’ve made me
make a fool out of myself, damn
your hide, but let me tell you I am
standing at the pass of Thermopylae
and I won’t budge! The very idea,
my own home with children in the
house, to say nothing of my wife --
oh-h, you had better believe I am
standing at Thermopylae, you little
nut, you had better believe it!
What are you, crazy? A man is
supposed to be a fool like this,
but a woman is supposed to have
some control and sense! Are you a
nitwit? What’s the matter with you?
ROSE
(weeping)
Oh-h, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Mr.
Hillyer... I just... couldn’t help
myself. I’m sorry...
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll as they peep at the door.
Doll whispers angrily at him.
DOLL
Buddy, that was pretty snotty of
you, pushing me away like that just
when it was interesting.
BUDDY
You shouldn’t watch such things,
Doll.
They continue to peep with interest through the crack in the
doors.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Rose and Daddy. Now Rose is sitting penitent
and crying in one of Daddy’s handkerchiefs. Daddy’s anger is
gone, he has gotten control of himself and speaks to her now
in a different tone.
He sits beside her, an arm around her shoulders in a fatherly
way.
DADDY
Rose, Rose, Rose, you poor
miserable little child, don’t you
know I love you? Do I have to put
my hand on your body or kiss your
pretty lips to prove it? You are
beautiful to me, Rose, I’ve loved
you since you first came here,
darlin’. And don’t you know Mrs.
Hillyer loves you, too, that she’s
already taken you into her heart,
and that that woman’s heart is as
wide as the blue sky itself and as
deep as the stars?
ROSE
(weeping in handkerchief)
Oh, I know. She’s so sweet, she’s
been so good to me...
DADDY
Do you know what a friend you have
got there? Do you know she would
fight for you like a tiger, that
she would fly to your defense in an
instant with all the courage in her
soul if anyone tried to hurt you?
Is this any way to repay her trust
and love? Are you ashamed as I am
ashamed?
(pauses as Rose sobs in
handkerchief)
Don’t cry, honey, don’t cry. But
let me warn you, damn your hide,
this is Thermopylae and I am
standing here. Do you hear me, damn
you. I am standing at Thermopylae
and the Persians shall not pass!
Now get your tail out of here and
go wash those dishes, and stop
crying!
INT. HILLYER HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO Buddy and Doll in the darkened living room. He
gestures that they’d better leave, and they do. The CAMERA
FOLLOWS them as they tiptoe out of the living room.
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT STAIRS - NIGHT
ANOTHER ANGLE, on Buddy and Doll as they tiptoe up the front
stairs.
INT. HILLYER HOME - TOP OF STAIRS - NIGHT
ON Buddy and Doll at the top of the stairs. They pause to
talk and now they don’t have to whisper. Doll is happy,
pleased.
DOLL
Wasn’t Daddy wonderful? He wanted
to kiss her some more and play with
her, but he didn’t, because he
loves Mother and all of us, and he
loves Rose, too. Isn’t he
wonderful, isn’t he great?
BUDDY
(dryly, aloof; he doesn’t
mean this really)
Wonderful? He kissed her and played
with her titty, and I don’t see
anything so great about that. He
was probably afraid Mother would
come back early and catch him.
DOLL
You know, Buddy, sometimes you make
me sick.
Doll gives him a venomous glance and walks away. The CAMERA
STAYS on Buddy as he stares after her with a thin little
smile. Be seems wryly amused that he has made her angry.
After a moment, he turns and stares in the direction of
downstairs and his face changes. His smile fades, then slowly
returns as he thinks of what has happened.
BUDDY
(quietly, to himself)
Thermopylae. The Persians shall not
pass.
It is obvious that secretly Buddy admires very much his
father’s behavior.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
A shot of Buddy at night in his small bedroom.
He wears a rather skimpy old-fashioned nightshirt that comes
midway between his hips and knees. At the moment he is
finishing brushing his teeth at the bureau, using an old
fashioned water pitcher and bowl. The CAMERA FOLLOWS as he
walks across the room in the light of the lamp by his bed. He
looks around cautiously, then picks up the mattress of his
bed. He pushes it far back and we see springs. He takes out a
small "book" or pamphlet and stares gravely at it.
CLOSE-UP: The front cover of the pamphlet. We see the overall
title: LITTLE DIRTY COMIC BOOKS. And beneath it: BLONDIE AND
DAGWOOD. And beneath that, in smaller letters: "Mr. Dithers
Comes to Dinner -- and How!" We see Buddy’s hands in the
shot, and he opens the pamphlet and we catch enough of a
glimpse of the thing to know it is pretty awful -- a drawing
maybe of "Blondie" stark naked with a finger in her mouth
going, "Tee-Hee!"
ON Buddy, as he stares down with grave intentness at the
Little Dirty Comic Book. Slyly now, he retraces his steps to
the bureau and takes out a flashlight. He goes back to the
bed, switches off the lamp, gets in the bed and turns on the
flashlight and pulls the covers over his head. We hear a
faint SOUND on the track and Buddy suddenly yanks back the
covers, puts the flashlight on the table by the bed and
throws the Little Dirty Comic Book under the bed. He lies on
pillow and pretends he’s asleep, and we hear the door of his
room OPEN and a CREAKING on the floor.
ANOTHER ANGLE, on a weepy Rose in a very thin nightgown. The
shot is FROM BELOW as Buddy might see her as she stands over
his bed. She looks very lonely and unhappy and is half
crying.
ROSE
Buddy... are you asleep?
ANOTHER ANGLE, on both of them. Buddy stares at her in
surprise. It is dim in the room, but we can see them in the
moonlight.
BUDDY
No, I’m awake. What’s the matter?
ROSE
Buddy, I am wandering in a
wilderness, lost.
(sits glumly on edge of
bed)
I just feel awful. Do you mind if I
get in bed with you for a little
while?
BUDDY
Well, all right.
ANOTHER ANGLE, on Rose and Buddy in the bed in the moonlight.
It is all innocent enough, Buddy is a child and Rose
obviously has no lewd intent in getting into his bed. She
lies back on a pillow staring up at the ceiling and smoking a
cigarette.
ROSE
I thought I’d go crazy back there
in that room all by myself with
nobody to talk to. As a child, I
never had no room all to myself, we
were awful poor. Buddy... I have
got a confession to make.
BUDDY
What is it, Rose?
ROSE
It’s so terrible I can’t tell you.
Oh, Buddy, you don’t know how it
hurts to have a broken heart, what
a terrible feeling it is, and I’ve
had a broken heart so many times.
Men, I don’t understand them, I
can’t figure them out and they
break my heart, that’s all. I can’t
find Mr. Right, Buddy, I can’t find
him no matter how hard I look, all
I find is a whole pile of Mr.
Wrongs. But this is the worst ever
because it wasn’t his fault. It was
my fault, oh yes, my fault, I was
bad -- oh God, I was bad, you
wouldn’t believe how bad I was.
BUDDY
(a little smile)
What’d you do, Rose?
ROSE
Buddy, I was horrible. I can’t tell
you who it was, but do you know
what I did? I sat on his lap and
got ahold of him and wiggled and
wiggled my ass on him and was
worse’n you could know, a child
like you. Why, I let one of my tits
fall out deliberate on purpose and
practically smack him in the face
with it and I let my dern skirt
come up so he could see my
drawers...
(pauses, realizes this
isn’t too dignified)
But to get back serious to what I
was sayin’, it is not only, Buddy,
the loss of him but my own bad
behavior what bothers me so...
BUDDY
You were pretty bad, huh?
ROSE
Why, it has just made me ill,
Buddy. I’m sick. I don’t want to
eat nothin’, I don’t, and me I got
a good appetite, that ain’t nat’ral
for me. I’m ill.
BUDDY
(slyly, pretends he
doesn’t know)
But, Rose, what is the cause of it
all?
ROSE
Promise not to tell Doll? -- or
nobody? Buddy, it’s your Daddy! I’m
so much in love with him I am out
of my mind!
BUDDY
But, Rose, how could such a thing
as that happen?
ROSE
I fell madly in love with him when
he called me Rosebud. You know that
first day when I come and he said I
looked graceful like a capital
letter S and called me Rosebud? I
fell madly in love with that man
right then.
(sighs tragically)
But it’s a lost love, Buddy. He’s a
good man and won’t have nothin’ to
do with me.
ANOTHER ANGLE, on Rose and Buddy in the bed. Buddy has
propped on an elbow and is staring down at her breasts in the
moonlight -- we see the soft notch between her breasts in the
open V of her thin nightgown. She is completely unself
conscious with him.
BUDDY
(casually)
Can I touch you here?
Before she can answer, he touches her breast with his finger
through her nightgown.
BUDDY (CONT’D)
Hmmm, it’s soft. It’s awful soft.
ROSE
(casually, doesn’t object)
What did you expect?
BUDDY
Well, I thought they were more like
a cantaloupe.
ROSE
Ha ha ha, that’s some idea, a
cantaloupe.
BUDDY
(touches her breast more
boldly, his hand outside
the nightgown)
There’s some kind of gristle in it,
though.
ROSE
Buddy, quit that, you’re just a
child, you’re not supposed to be
interested in such things.
BUDDY
Actually, I am, though.
ROSE
(dreamily, thinking of
Daddy as she smokes
cigarette and stares up
at the ceiling)
You know, that Daddy of yours is
the funniest man, the things he
says, you never know what’s going
to come out of his mouth next.
BUDDY
Can I put my hand inside your
nightgown, Rose?
ROSE
No, you can’t. And I’ll tell you
this -- he scares me. As kind as he
is, he scares me. You can’t fool
around with him, not with that man.
And, boy, I sure better not try
nothin’ like that with him again,
he’ll fire me.
BUDDY
Rose, can’t I see what the nipple
on it is like?
ROSE
(frowns)
Buddy, what’s come over you? A
child like you, askin’ such things.
BUDDY
But I’m curious, Rose.
Puts his hand in her nightgown.
ROSE
Buddy, get your hand offa me! Quit
it, get you hand away...
Takes his wrist.
BUDDY
Just for a second. Please, Rose,
what’s the harm?
ROSE
(gently)
Buddy, you don’t realize it but
what you’re doing isn’t nice.
BUDDY
Aw, come on, Rose, I want to see
what the nipple on it is like.
ROSE
You don’ t need to know that. It’s
none of your business.
BUDDY
Aw, be a good sport, Rose.
(sweetly, almost sugarily)
You like me, don’t you? I like you
a lot.
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Mother’s bedroom-study in the moonlight. We
see Daddy lying wide-awake in a single bed staring broodingly
out into space. Mother lies asleep in a big four poster in
the background of the shot. Daddy sighs wearily to himself in
the grip of "insomnia in reverse."
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT BACK to Buddy and Rose in bed. He has evidently sweet
talked her into letting him fiddle with her; his hand is- in
her nightgown. There is no indication of lewd interest on
Rose’s part, a peeved and exasperated look is on her face.
Buddy seems quite fascinated, however.
ROSE
Well, are you satisfied now? Can we
just lie and talk, huh?
BUDDY
Hmmph. It has a nipple, all right.
ROSE
’Course it does.
BUDDY
First I couldn’t feel it, but now I
feel it easily, it’s like a little
acorn.
ROSE
(moistens her lips,
swallows; it is affecting
her; she frowns)
All right, that’s enough.
(firmly pushes his hand
away)
You’re just a child and wouldn’t
understand it, but that type of
thing can stir a girl up. Now lie
back and we’ll talk.
BUDDY
That was very interesting. Thank
you, Rose.
ROSE
(lighting cigarette)
Don’t mention it.
BUDDY
(pensively, with the
solemn pedanticness of a
precocious child)
It was softer’n I thought, that was
my main impression. You know, if
you hit a girl there it would hurt
her a lot.
ROSE
Who would want to do such a thing
as that?
BUDDY
Well, some fiend might.
ROSE
(stares wonderingly at
him)
You know, Buddy, sometimes I can’t
figure you out at all. You can be
very nice, but like your mother
said there’s an evil streak in you.
BUDDY
There’s an evil streak in
everybody, Rose.
ROSE
There ain’t none in your Daddy. You
know, what happened has just made
me love him all the more. I not
only love him, I respect him, I
admire him.
BUDDY
Rose, I have a serious favor to ask
you.
ROSE
Most men wouldn’t do what he done.
If they can get a girl they go
right ahead and get her -- I guess
to hell they do, just like a dern
rabbit. ’Course later they’ll tell
her she’s no good when they done
the same thing their selves.
They’re a bunch of monkeys. I like
’em, but they’re a bunch of
monkeys.
BUDDY
(trying to be casual)
Rose, since you’re here in bed with
me and everything and I’ve already
touched your titty...
Can’t quite say it; leans over and whispers in her ear and we
don’t hear what he says.
ROSE
(her eyes open wide as he
whispers)
Why, Buddy, shut your mouth! What
an awful thing to say, and where
did you get any such idea as that,
anyhow?
BUDDY
I’m curious to see what it’s like.
I’m very curious, Rose.
ROSE
Well, now that is just too bad!
Curiosity killed the cat.
BUDDY
Yeah, but satisfaction brought him
back. Can I?
ROSE
No! You ought to be ashamed of
yourself astin’ such a nasty things
a child your age!
BUDDY
Can’t I touch it a little, Rose --
not a lot, just a little?
ROSE
Of course you can’t! I’m... I’m
shocked at you, Buddy, real
shocked! Now you be quiet or I’m
going back to my own bed!
BUDDY
Please, Rose. I’m curious, that’s
all, I have a natural curiosity,
it’s only human. You’re my friend,
aren’t you? Don’t you like me?
(again sweetly, almost
sugarily)
I like you, Rose, a lot -- in fact,
I love you.
ROSE
(softens despite herself)
Well, you’re sweet, but you don’t
really love me.
BUDDY
Yes, I do. Please, Rose, be a good
sport.
ROSE
Buddy, you’re just a child.
BUDDY
I’m thirteen. And I have a natural
curiosity. It’s only nature, Rose,
that’s all. Now what’s wrong with
nature, huh?
ROSE
Well, nothin’.
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy sitting on the edge of his bed in
pajamas. He looks frowzle-haired and glum. The CAMERA FOLLOWS
him as he wearily gets up and walks across the bedroom in the
moonlight and takes a package of cigarettes from a bureau. Be
glances over his shoulder as we hear Mother.
MOTHER
What’s the matter, hon? Is anything
wrong?
DADDY
No, darlin’. Just that damnable
insomnia in reverse. I sleep like a
baby for an hour then I’m wide
awake. You go back to sleep.
Daddy lights a cigarette and walks to the window and stares
out at the moonlit night.
The CAMERA MOVES IN CLOSER on his face and we see a weariness
and strain he has not shown before.
DADDY
The Depression has got me. That
miserable hotel, no money anywhere,
strong men out of work, children
hungry. It’s a great life if you
don’t weaken.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
A shot close on Rose and Buddy in bed. Evidently Rose has
weakened and is allowing him to fiddle with her, but we can
only surmise this, the shot is on their heads and shoulders
and a cloud has crossed the moon, the light is more dim. A
different look is on her face, a solemn expression as if she
is listening to some far away sound that she finds strangely
haunting. She moistens her lips, speaks in a slightly feeble
voice.
ROSE
You better quit that.
BUDDY
But Rose...
ROSE
I must be outta my mind. Buddy,
quit it.
BUDDY
Am I hurting you?
ROSE
(pauses, stares off as if
listening, then in an
even feebler tone, a half
whisper)
No. No, you’re not hurting me.
(moistens her lips,
swallows)
But I think you better quit it.
BUDDY
But why, if I’m not hurting you?
ROSE
You wouldn’t understand.
(puts a hand on his
shoulder as if to push
him away, but can’t; puts
her other hand over her
eyes)
Oh, God, I must be outta my mind.
What would your Momma think?
The hand falls limply from Rose’s eyes and she turns her head
to the side and closes her eyes. Helplessly, she lies there
as the boy fiddles with her.
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT HALL - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy walking down the downstairs hall in a
bathrobe and slippers. He looks very frowzled and sleepy.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
ON Daddy as he walks into the kitchen, turns on the light. He
goes to the ice box, an old-fashioned type made of wood that
takes cakes of ice. Be pours out a glass of milk.
INT. HILLYER ROME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a very CLOSE SHOT on Rose’s face. The light is dim but
we see perspiration on her forehead. Her breathing is not
normal. Her eyes are shut tight, her teeth are clenched.
CUT TO a shot CLOSE on Buddy. We do not see what he is doing,
but evidently he is fiddling with her. He seems quite
interested in the proceedings.
BUDDY
Rose, beyond a doubt this is the
most fascinating experience of my
life.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy in the kitchen as he sits rather
gloomily at the kitchen table drinking the glass Of milk.
DADDY
(to himself)
Ehh-hh, Lord, man born of woman
hath few days and they are full of
trouble.
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot close on Rose ai Buddy in the bed. The shot is
of their heads and shoulders.
She has an arm very tight around his shoulders and her eyes
are shut tight. The moment of truth is at hand.
ROSE
Ohh-hh! Ohhh-hh!
(it’s all over; she twists
sideways, puts both arms
around him)
Oh, Buddy, you’re so sweet. I love
you a lot.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy as he washes out the glass in the
sink.
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Rose and Buddy in the bed. The extremity of
her crime has dawned on Rose and she is sitting up in the bed
with a look of horror on her face. Buddy is staring worriedly
at her.
BUDDY
Rose, are you all right? Are you
sick or something?
ROSE
(staring off in space,
lost in horror)
No. No, I’m all right.
(turns, stares at him,
puts a hand in woe on her
forehead)
Oh, God, what have I done? I have
robbed a cradle and fallen into
hell!
(fumbles desperately on
bed for cigarettes)
I must be crazy, a child like you.
Oh, God, oh, Lord. This is awful,
this is terrible, I gotta get outta
here!
ANOTHER ANGLE, on Rose and Buddy as Rose in a panic gets out
of the bed, pulls down her thin nightgown and tiptoes toward
the door. She stops and looks back as a chilling thought
occurs to her.
ROSE
Buddy, you wouldn’t tell nobody,
would you?
BUDDY
(a trifle too piously)
Don’t worry, Rose, I won’t tell a
soul.
ROSE
I sure hope you don’t.
(still in a panic)
I gotta get outta here, good night.
BUDDY
(sweetly)
Good night, Rose.
INT. HILLYER SOME - UPSTAIRS HALL AND DOWNSTAIRS HALL
CUT TO a shot of Daddy walking down the downstairs hall in
his bathrobe. The shot is down the staircase and Rose in the
upstairs hall tiptoes into the picture. A floorboard creaks
and he looks up and sees her.
DADDY
Rose, what are you doing up?
ROSE
Nothin’, just goin’ to the
bathroom.
DADDY
Is anything wrong?
ROSE
No, sir.
DADDY
Well, good night.
ANOTHER ANGLE on Rose in the upstairs hall. Fortunately for
her the light is dim. Her knees are shaking beneath the
nightgown, she looks as if she might faint.
ROSE
Good night.
The CAMERA FOLLOWS her as she goes on shaky legs down the
hall.
INT. HILLYER HOME - ROSE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Rose as she enters her small bedroom.
Feebly, as if totally exhausted, she shuts the door behind
her then leans against a bureau and states into its mirror.
The horror of her own criminality has overwhelmed her. With
trembling hands, she takes a cigarette from her half empty
pack and finds a wooden kitchen match on the bureau.
Her hands tremble visibly as she strikes the match. She has
not turned on the light in her room and her considerable
charms are very apparent in the orange glow of the match.
Burning match in her fingers, she stares at her own
reflection in the bureau mirror, transfixed by a horrible
realization.
INT. HILLYER HOME - DREAM - CELLAR
QUICK DISSOLVE TO BLURRED SCREEN: the border of the screen is
blurred, we are obviously seeing a nightmare fantasy. The
shot is of an eager, excited, diabolically mischievous Buddy
and an astonished, awed DOLL. They are in some far dark
recess of the cellar of the house and the scene is furtive,
murky, cobwebby.
BUDDY
Wait till you hear what happened!
Now you wont believe this, Doll,
but Rose came in my room and got in
my bed last night...
ANOTHER ANGLE on Buddy from below with candlelight giving his
child’s face a sinister look. Now he has "Dracula" teeth and
evil arched eyebrows.
BUDDY (CONT’D)
... and she sweated and snorted
like a horse and had a horrible
fit, her eyebrows were all
scrunched up and she groaned like
she was eying and foamed at the
mouth!
INT. HILLYER HOME - ROSE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Rose standing horrified before the mirror.
The match is still burning in her fingers.
QUICK CUT TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM/STUDY
A shot of Mother in her study, a worried Doll stands before
her. The border of the screen is blurred, it is another flash
of fantasy.
MOTHER
Yes, dear, what is it?
DOLL
Mother, Buddy says Rose got in his
bed last night and he fiddled with
her and she snorted and had a fit --
and he says I would too if I was
grown-up. Is it true, Mother --
would I sweat and snort and froth
at the mouth and have a horrible
fit like he says?
Mother stares in consternation at Doll.
QUICK CUT TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT PORCH - NIGHT
A shot of Daddy and Rose on the front porch of the house. The
scene is murky, dark, gloomy night and the weather is bad.
Daddy has his arm rigidly thrust outward as he points down
the driveway. A weeping, slumped Rose sadly walks down the
steps carrying her cardboard suitcase. Fantasy.
DADDY
Out! Out, you viper in the grass!
Out! Never darken our doorstep, you
immoral, terrible girl!
INT. HILLYER HOME - ROSE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT BACK to Rose standing before the mirror, sick with
horror. A feeble whimper-like groan comes from her.
ROSE
Ohh-hh, ohhh-hh...
(match burns her fingers,
she shakes it out)
Ouch! Oh-hh... ohh...
ANOTHER ANGLE on Rose as she turns from the bureau and stares
off into space, a very badly frightened girl. Half-crying,
she speaks to herself.
ROSE (CONT’D)
He’ll tell ’em for sure, he will.
Oh, Lord, what can I do?
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy half asleep in bed. The light of the
lamp by his bed goes on and he sleepily opens his eyes. The
CAMERA COMES BACK and we see Rose in her nightgown standing
by his bedside. She is very pale and tears are on her cheeks.
ROSE
I hate to turn on this light, you
Daddy’s awake downstairs, but I
have to take the chance.
(sits by him on bed)
Buddy, please don’t tell on me.
BUDDY
(rather coolly)
I said I wouldn’t.
ROSE
(her lip trembles)
Buddy, I have to ask you, as bad as
I’ve been please have pity on me
and don’t ruin me by telling them
what I did. I know it was bad, it
was bad and dumb. But mostly it was
dumb, I didn’t mean you no harm,
I’d never want to hurt a hair on
your head and that’s the truth. I
love you. But they’d think I did,
they’d think I was awful, they’d
despise me and hate me...
Rose bows her head and begins crying into her hands.
CUT TO a CLOSE SHOT of Buddy. We hear the soft sound of Rose
weeping over the shot. Buddy is affected, his flinty child’s
heart has been touched, but he is not quite ready to admit it
yet. He is struggling with himself, trying to remain "cool"
and not show his emotion. He frowns, moistens his lips,
swallows. With seeming coolness, very much as in the scene
with Doll in which he deprecated Daddy’s stand at
Thermopylae, he shrugs.
BUDDY
Well, I don’t know what you’re
worried about. It was my idea, I
was the one who thought of it, not
you.
The CAMERA PULLS BACK to include Rose. She is staring at the
boy with hopeless despair.
ROSE
You don’t understand. They’d blame
me, not you. And they’d think I was
awful, a disgustin’ girl, which I
am, but Buddy, please don’t tell
them. Please don’t. Ill have to go
and I love it here, I love your
whole fam’ly, your Daddy, your
Mother...
(pauses, then makes her
final and ultimate plea
in a shaking voice as
tears run down)
Buddy, I know I’m no good, I’m a
bad girl but I can’t help it,
please have pity on me and don’t
tell! Please don’t, please...
Too much for Buddy, he loses his "cool." He swallows and
blinks as if he might cry, then sits erect in the bed and
squares his shoulders and assumes a stern expression Daddy
style.
BUDDY
(very solemnly)
Rose, they could stick splinters
under my fingernails, and I will
never say a word! I will never tell
them, because... I love you!
ROSE
(sees that he means it,
smiles in relief and
throws her arms around
him)
Oh, Buddy, you do love me! I knew
you did, knew it all the time...
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy, lying in bed and staring up
sleeplessly at the ceiling. Insomnia in reverse has got him.
DADDY
(a half whisper to
himself)
Ehh-hh, Lord... great life if you
don’t weaken.
INT. HILLYER HOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Rose and Buddy. Rose is sitting on the bed
beside him and she has dried her tears and got herself in
hand.
ROSE
Well, Ill tell you this. I have
learned a lesson tonight. I wasn’t
gonna run around, but when I start
botherin’ your Daddy and worse
robbin’ a cradle, I gotta face the
facts of life.
(pauses, then with firm
resolution)
Tomorrow mornin’, I’m gonna get
myself up and go out.
BUDDY
(a wee mite puzzled)
You’re going to get yourself up and
go out?
ROSE
Buddy, Mr. Right is out there
somewhere and I’m gonna find him!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
A shot of a coolly angry Mother in the kitchen. It is late
morning. As she talks the CAMERA PULLS BACK to show a
sheepish Buddy standing "on the carpet before her. The other
children, Doll and Waski, are seated at the kitchen table
having hamburgers for lunch. They are happily smiling with
schadenfreude amusement at their brother’s discomfiture.
MOTHER
Brother, when I have to wake you up
at eleven o’clock in the morning
you’re either sick or you were up
very late last night.
(points a finger at him)
And you weren’t reading Huckleberry
Finn. I looked and its not in your
room. Now what were you doing?
BUDDY
(sheepish)
Mother, I have to tell the truth. I
wasn’t reading Huckleberry Finn, I
was reading one of those Little
Dirty Comic Books.
MOTHER
(sadly)
Oh, Brother, I am so disappointed
in you. You mustn’t look at those
horrible things, they degrade the
human image.
BROTHER
(hangs head)
They’re filthy, Mother.
MOTHER
Sex isn’t ugly, sex is one of the
most beautiful things in life, the
creative power of the universe is
behind it.
BROTHER
I know, Mother.
MOTHER
But we must respect that power, we
must be in awe of it.
BROTHER
I am in awe of it, Mother.
MOTHER
I don’t think you are sufficiently
in awe of it. Get the castor oil.
BROTHER
(winces, as Doll and Waski
happily smile)
Oh, Mother, not the castor oil.
MOTHER
This isn’t punishment, I don’t
believe in punishment. It’s for
your health. Obviously you’re sick
if you can act like that.
As she talks, Buddy reluctantly gets a bottle of castor oil
and a tablespoon from a shelf and brings it to her. A smiling
Doll comes forward and hands Buddy half of an orange. He
makes a face at her. Mother takes the bottle and pours out a
tablespoon of castor oil.
BUDDY
(wanly)
Mother, cant you make it calomel
instead of castor oil?
MOTHER
This is for your own good. When you
look at negative, destructive
things like those little filthy
comic books, you are sick. Here,
take this.
BUDDY
(he is resigned, there’s
no way out; he makes a
face, swallows the castor
oil)
Geccch, yehh, guhhhh!
MOTHER
Stop gagging like that and putting
on a show, and swallow it.
BUDDY
Uhhh, gahdam stuff!
MOTHER
What did you say, Brother?
BUDDY
I said ahhh-dam stuff.
MOTHER
No, you didn’t say that, Brother.
BUDDY
Yes, I did, mother. Your hearing
aid isn’t working right. I said
ahhh-dam stuff.
DOLL
No, Mother, he’s lying...
BUDDY
Shut up, Doll. I’ll cut your guts
WASKI
(happily excited,
stammering)
He did lie, and... and... and
Mother, yesterday he stole money
out of your pocketbook!
BUDDY
Quiet, you little muddy-eyed brat,
or Ill kill you!
MOTHER
Children, children! Be quiet, all
of you!
(the children at once
simmer down)
The vibrations in this house are
strange today. Where’s Rose,
anyhow?
BUDDY
She’s getting herself up to go out.
MOTHER
(frowns, adjusts hearing
aid)
What’d you say, Brother?
BUDDY
She’s getting herself up to go out.
I think she’s coming down the hall
now.
MOTHER
Oh, yes, it’s Thursday.
(glances around at sound
of an opening door)
Hello, Rose, dear...
(her eyes open wide as she
stares at Rose,
disconcerted; now weakly)
... my, you’re... looking pretty...
CUT TO a shot of Rose in the doorway of the kitchen. She is
quite an apparition. She wears bright red lipstick, pink
rouge on her cheeks, mascara and her hair is coiffed up in
some outlandish manner, but her clothes are the most
remarkable thing of all.
The skirt is of strange, pink, semi-shiny and very thin
material and has about a dozen tiny little flowers that could
be rosebuds sewed on it. It fits extremely snugly to say the
least. The blouse seems a composite: it has frilly white
sleeves that are opaque and otherwise is made of filmy white
material that is hardly opaque at all. She has no bra and her
breasts are half visible, the nipples denting the material.
It is pretty wild for 1935. She seems to have on no underwear
of any kind; the skirt, which clings to her like a bathing
suit, shows no panty seams. She is carrying a shiny black
patent leather pocketbook and has on high heel black patent
leather shoes and no stockings. An ingenuous little smile is
on her face.
ROSE
How do you like my outfit? I made
most of it myself.
Rose walks in, "modeling" the outfit and the CAMERA PICKS UP
Mother.
MOTHER
(smiling, slightly aghast)
Well, it’s... very gay.
We hear the SOUND of the Model A on the driveway.
BUDDY
Here comes Daddy.
ROSE
(staring down admiringly
at the outfit)
I have a knack for designing
clothes. But I had to buy the shoes
and the pocketbook.
MOTHER
(makes up her mind to
defend Rose)
Well, I think it’s charming, Rose.
(tactfully)
But don’t you think... ah, the
skirt is a little tight?
ROSE
Oh, no, that’s the style. It’s
meant to be clinging.
We hear the PORCH DOOR SLAM. Smiling, happy, Rose glances
around. We hear the SOUND of the kitchen door opening.
CUT TO a POV SHOT of Daddy in the kitchen doorway. As usual,
he has a rolled-up Glenville Tribune in his hand and a Straw
hat on the back of his head.His hands are on his hips and he
is hunched forward as if he cannot believe what he sees.
DADDY
Ye gods and little fishes. What
have you done to yourself, Rose?
ON THEM ALL. Rose is smiling, happy to be the center of
attention.
ROSE
Nothin’. I got myself up, that’s
all.
DADDY
Got yourself up?
ROSE
Yeah. I’m goin’ out.
Daddy walks slowly into the kitchen shaking his head. Sits at
table.
DADDY
Um-hmm. Well, that is the damndest
outfit I ever saw in my life. You
walk down the street like that and
they’ll put you in jail, Rose.
MOTHER
Why, they won’t either. She looks
pretty. And I wish you wouldn’t
pick on the poor girl all the time.
Don’t listen to him, Rose, you look
pretty, even beautiful.
ROSE
(smiles affectionately at
Mother)
You’re so sweet.
DADDY
If you’ve got time before you go
"out," get me a half-a-cup of
coffee, Rose. Not a whole cup, a
half-a-cup.
ROSE
Why, sure, always got time to get
you a half-a-cup, and one of these
days I’m gonna get you a whole cup
and see what happens.
DADDY
(a growl, doesn’t like
jokes about his foibles)
Um-hmmuhh. I never drink a whole
cup, my nerves can’t stand the
caffeine. Ehh-hh, Lord awful
insomnia in reverse last night. Lay
there and sweated blood for hours.
DOLL
(sweetly)
Daddy, Buddy was up late last night
reading little dirty comic books.
Mother gave him a dose of castor
oil and he cursed it, he took the
Lords name in vain, then claimed he
hadn’t said it. He lied, Daddy.
MOTHER
You mustn’t be a tattletale, dear.
You mustn’t be Delilah-ish and
Jezebel-ish toward your brother,
dear.
DOLL
I’m only trying to help him,
Mother.
BUDDY
Heh, what a hypocrite.
MOTHER
(to Daddy)
I do wish you’d speak to Brother.
It’s true he’s been looking at
those horrible little books again.
DADDY
(stares sternly at Buddy)
Lay off of that stuff, son. It
upsets your mother.
MOTHER
(genuinely worried)
I’m serious. We forget he’s just a
child. I wish you’d speak to him.
DADDY
I’ll take him with me downtown.
(glances at Rose as she
comes with coffee)
And you, too, Rose, if you want a
ride.
ROSE
Sure, love one. Here’s your half-a
cup of coffee.
Daddy is staring with a very dubious frown at Rose’s skirt.
He slowly shakes his head.
DADDY
That’s a pretty stylish skirt,
Rose. The only thing I don’t
understand is how did you ever get
it on.
ROSE
(happy, pleased by his
interest)
Well, it has buttons.
Points to little buttons on right side of the skirt.
DADDY
How can the buttons stand the
pressure?
ROSE
There are more on the other side.
Points to buttons on left side.
DADDY
Turn around, darlin’.
Happy to oblige, Rose turns around. Her plump, round,
feminine behind is only too plainly revealed through the thin
material. Daddy slowly shakes his head.
DADDY (CONT’D)
They’ll put her in jail. The damn
little fool might as well be naked.
MOTHER
(a wee mite worried)
Well, it is a little tight. But it
isn’t as bad as all that. No one
will notice unless they have such
thoughts in the first place.
DADDY
Who doesn’t have such thoughts?
(glances at wristwatch)
We’d better get going.
MOTHER
You’re not having lunch?
DADDY
Just half-a-cup of coffee. I never
eat, darlin’, you know that. Not
eating and reverse insomnia are my
curses. Let’s go, Rose, you and
Brother, let’s hit the road.
MOTHER
Rose, you and Brother wait in the
car. I want to speak for a moment
Lo Mr. Hillyer.
ROSE
Yes, Ma’am.
MOTHER
Doll, you and Waski run on, too.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - PATIO - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose and Buddy as they walk out onto the
patio of the house. Rose walks down the steps to the flower
garden and Buddy follows.
ANOTHER ANGLE on Rose and Buddy as Rose picks a red rose and
puts it in her hair.’
ROSE
Did your Momma really give you
castor oil?
BUDDY
Yeah.
ROSE
(puts an arm around his
shoulders)
You’re my sweetheart.
INT. HILLYER HOME KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO Mother and Daddy at the kitchen table.
MOTHER
(earnestly)
I wish you wouldn’t pick on Rose
and tease her like that. Of course
her clothes are silly, but she’s
ignorant, naive, she doesn’t know
any better.
DADDY
The girl worries me. If she walks
down the street like that, an army
will be following her.
MOTHER
Well, I admit that outfit isn’t
very modest. But she doesn’t mean
any harm, she just wants to
attract, attention.
DADDY
She will succeed.
MOTHER
I don’t think you understand her.
It isn’t sex she wants, it’s love
she wants and this is the only way
she knows how to get it.
DADDY
(musingly)
That farmer in Gadsden was awful
eager to get rid of her, and I’m
beginning to see why.
MOTHER
He and his wife both said she had a
fine moral character and was
wonderful with children.
DADDY
Well, she loves children, all
right.
(adds dryly)
She loves everybody.
MOTHER
But that’s a wonderful quality, not
a bad quality.
(takes his hand)
Have a little patience with her.
She’s such a good-hearted little
thing and tries so hard.
DADDY
(stares pensively at her)
You are the one who’s good-hearted.
(rises)
As for Rose, let’s hope for the
best.
MOTHER
(rises, again takes his
hand)
Be kind to her. She loves you so
much.
(Daddy stiffens slightly,
and she adds)
In a perfectly proper way, of
course.
DADDY
Yes, of course.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - DRIVEWAY - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose and Buddy waiting in a Model A. Rose is
smiling, happy to be going out. The red rose is prominent in
her hair, Daddy walks INTO THE SHOT, gets into the driver’s
seat of the car, He glances in a wry manner at the flower in
her hair.
DADDY
What have you got in your hair,
girl?
ROSE
My rose. It’s kind of like a motto.
People will say, there comes Rose
with her rose.
Daddy gives her another wry stare and starts the Model A.
CUT TO a shot of the Model A going down the driveway.
EXT. MODEL A IN TOWN - DAY
ANOTHER SHOT or two of the Model A on the quiet summer
streets of a sleepy little town in the Depression South of
years ago.
INT./EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy, Rose and Buddy in the car. Buddy is
in the middle. Daddy is staring expressionlessly straight
ahead. His tone is sternly neutral as he speaks.
DADDY
You were up late last night,
Brother.
BUDDY
Well, a little.
DADDY
Reading dirty comic bocks.
(glances shrewdly at him)
And you admitted it?
BUDDY
(a trifle uncomfortable)
Well, yeah.
Both Rose and Buddy begin to look increasingly tense.
Hawkshaw the Detective is on the scent. Daddy stares ahead.
DADDY
You were up late last night, too,
Rose.
ROSE
(meekly)
Yes, sir. I had to go to the
bathroom.
A long pause, as Daddy stares ahead. His expression is
inscrutable.
DADDY
(finally, "casually")
Sometimes I think I was born to be
a detective. I get a feeling about
things. I’m not always right, but
often I am.
EXT. MODEL A BY LIGHT - DAY
CUT TO a shot of the Model A as it stops for a red light.
INT./EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy, Rose and Buddy in the car. Daddy
turns and stares sternly at Buddy.
DADDY
Son, was Rose in your room last
night?
BUDDY
(scared, but a good liar)
No. Why should Rose be in my room?
Daddy sternly scans them both. They stare back "innocently"
at him. Finally he seems to accept it.
DADDY
I can’t imagine why. It was just a
thought.
Daddy shifts gears and faces front. Buddy glances upward in
relief, as if to say, "Wow, that was close."
DADDY (CONT’D)
Where do you want me to let you
out, Rose?
ROSE
Oh, anywhere downtown.
DADDY
You don’t know where you’re going?
ROSE
Oh, I’ll just mosey around here and
there.
EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a shot of the Model A as it stops off the main street
of a small sleepy Southern town.
INT./EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a shot through the side window on Rose, Buddy and
Daddy.
DADDY
Is this ill right?
ROSE
It’ll do just fine.
(gets out of car)
Bye-bye, see you later.
Rose waves goodbye and walks off down the sidewalk, swinging
her hips and her pocketbook,
INT./EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a front shot of Daddy and Buddy in the car as they
stare after Rose.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of POV Daddy and Buddy of Rose walking along.
MUSIC.
INT./EXT. MODEL A
CUT TO Daddy and Buddy. Daddy slowly shakes his head, shifts
gears..
EXT. MODEL A - DAY
CUT TO a shot of the Model A as it rolls along the main
street.
EXT. MODEL A - DAY
ANOTHER SHOT of the Model A as it abruptly turns a corner.
EXT. MODEL A - DAY
ON the Model A as it abruptly turns around corner. Evidently
it is circling the block.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose as she walks along, swinging her hips
and her pocketbook and smiling at whoever she sees. She
passes a few people and she smiles cheerfully at them -- the
men stare with a flat interest at her and the women frown,
but she smiles at one and all.
EXT. MODEL A
CUT TO a shot of the Model A as it creeps along.
INT./EXT. MODEL A - DAY
On Daddy and Buddy in the car.
DADDY
They might arrest her. I doubt it, but they might.
EXT. STREET - BUS STOP - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose as she walks up to a bus stop. A fairly
WELL-DRESSED MAN with a door-to-door salesman kit is standing
there. Rose glances at him then sidles up alongside him as if
she’s waiting for a bus. He glances at her for a moment with
interest, but doesn’t want to stare, looks away. We see the
Model A stop in the background of the SHOT.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy and Buddy in the car, watching Rose.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose and the Young Salesman. Rose glances at
the man, glances at him again, then sighs and speaks.
ROSE
My feet sure do hurt.
YOUNG SALESMAN
(turns to her with a slow
smile)
Oh, yeah?
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy and Buddy in the car, watching.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a LONG POV SHOT of Rose and the Young Salesman. They
are talking amiably. Both are smiling.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy and Buddy.
DADDY
She has made contact.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO ANOTHER POV SHOT of Rose and the Young Salesman. It is
another LONG SHOT. MUSIC ON TRACK. They are smiling, talking.
The Young Salesman seems to ask Rose a question. She nods and
takes his arm and they walk off.
EXT. STREET - DAY
CUT TO Daddy and Buddy. Daddy is staring pensively at the
scene.
DADDY
I never saw anything like it. How
did she pick him up so fast?
BUDDY
I don’t know.
DADDY
The girl strikes like a cobra.
Slowly shaking his head, Daddy starts the car.
EXT. STREET - DAY
A shot of Rose and the Young Salesman as they walk along. She
is holding his arm and they are smiling and talking as if the
best of friends. We hear MUSIC ON THE TRACK. The MUSIC
continues over the following MONTAGE OF SHOTS.
INT. HONKY TONK - VARIOUS SHOTS
ON Rose in a beer "honky tonk" with the Young Salesman in a
booth. He is drinking beer, she is drinking Coca Cola from a
bottle.
ON Rose in the booth, ANOTHER ANGLE. A second man has joined
them, a big beefy man -- he is BUSTER.
EXT. STREET - LATE AFTERNOON
ON Rose as she walks down a sidewalk in late afternoon with
Buster and still another man, a tall fellow in a Coca-Cola
Delivery Man’s uniform or shirt. Rose seems to be innocently
happy, but the men appear to be having a mild dispute.
ON Rose getting into Busters car as Buster holds the door for
her, smiling. The COCA-COLA DELIVERY MAN is left on the
sidewalk, disappointed.
INT./EXT. BUSTER’S CAR - DUSK
CUT TO a shot of Rose in the car eating barbecue with Buster.
She is talking animatedly and he seems enchanted with her. It
is dusk.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of a car pulling up in the driveway of the
Hillyer house. Rose gets out, waves goodbye to Buster. It is
night. End MUSIC.
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Daddy in pajamas peering out of the bedroom
window.
DADDY
Well, she’s back.
MOTHER (O.S.)
What time is it?
DADDY
Quarter of twelve.
MOTHER (O.S.)
Is she all right?
DADDY
I don’t see any bruises or broken
bones.
CUT TO a shot of Mother in bed in the four poster.
MOTHER
Bruises and broken bones, what kind
of thing is that to say?
Daddy walks INTO THE SHOT, sits on the edge of the bed.
MOTHER (CONT’D)
Why shouldn’t she go out and have
boyfriends?
DADDY
No reason at all, darlin’.
MOTHER
Well, I wish you’d stop criticizing
and picking on her.
DADDY
Forgive my crudity, darlin’. All
I’m saying is that a girl who would
wear clothes like that is going to
get in trouble sooner or later.
MOTHER
(doubtfully)
Well, time will tell, won’t it?
DADDY
Yes, darlin’, time will tell.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. HILLYER HOME - PATIO - DAY
A SHOT of Mother on the patio studying. It is a sunny
afternoon. Mother looks up idly, looks back down at her
notebook, then looks up again with a frown.
CUT TO A POV SHOT of a SCRUFFY-LOOKING KAN as he darts behind
one tree to another. The Scruffy-looking Man does not seem
sinister, but he definitely is scruffy.
ON Mother. Frowning, she puts down her notebook and rises,
walks toward the door of the kitchen.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Rose washing dishes in the kitchen. As
usual, she is in a cheerful good humor. We see Buddy at the
kitchen table building a model airplane. Mother comes INTO
THE SHOT, worried, frowning.
MOTHER
Rose, that scruffy-looking man is
out in the yard again.
ROSE
(her smile fades)
Mrs. Hillyer, I don’t know who he
is, I really don’t.
MOTHER
I had better call Daddy.
INT. HOTEL - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy behind the desk of a slightly run-down
small hotel of the Depression era. He is handing a key to a
guest.
DADDY
Glad to have you with us, Mr.
Watson. Make yourself at home.
Shadrach, take Mr. Watson’s bag.
A black bellboy takes the guest’s bag as Daddy turns to
answer a BUZZING switchboard.
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Mother talking on a phone.
MOTHER
Hello, honey? That scruffy-looking
man is out in the yard again.
INT. HOTEL - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Daddy at the switchboard. Be is grim.
DADDY
Luckily, Johnson just walked in to
relieve me. I’ll be right out
there!
INT. HILLYER HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Rose in the kitchen.
BUDDY
Rose, you must know who the fellow
is.
ROSE
(innocently)
Well, he might be that man who
followed me home from the store the
other day. But I don’t know who he
is, Buddy, I really don’t.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - YARD
CUT TO a shot of the Scruffy-looking Man. Be is half-crouched
behind a big oak, peering at the Hillyer house. We hear the
approach of a car and the man looks over his shoulder.
CUT TO a shot of Daddy in the Model A. The TIRES SCREECH as
he puts on the brakes.
CUT TO a shot of the Scruffy-looking Man as he turns and
runs.
On Daddy as he jumps out of the car.
DADDY
Come back here, sir! Come back
here, you!
Daddy runs after the man.
CUT TO a shot of Daddy running after him.
CUT TO A FINAL SHOT of the Scruffy-looking Man as he leaps a
hedge in full stride.
EXT. HILLYER HOUSE - FRONT PORCH
CUT TO a shot of a worried-looking Mother on the front porch
of the house. Buddy and a meek-looking Rose are in the
background in the doorway. A weary, out-of-breath Daddy comes
INTO THE SHOT and walks up the steps, straw hat in hand.
DADDY
I couldn’t catch him. He ran like a
deer.
Daddy fixes a stern glance on Rose. As he does so, Mother and
Buddy also turn and look at her. Rose smiles wanly.
ROSE
I don’t know him.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY
A SHOT of Mrs. Hillyer in her bedroom study. She is drinking
a Coca-Cola and smoking a cigarette held by a bobbie pin. We
hear the SOUND of an old-fashioned doorbell. She ignores it.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT PORCH - DAY
CUT TO a shot of a sullen-looking young boy on the front
porch. He is poorly dressed. He rings the doorbell. This is
BILLY.
INT. HILLYER HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY
CUT TO a shot of Mother. Frowning, she gets up.
EXT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT PORCH
ON Mother as she opens the front door. A sullen Billy stares
at her.
MOTHER
Yes?
BILLY
Is Rose here?
MOTHER
She must have gone out for a walk
with the children.
BILLY
(sullenly)
Well, I got to see her.
MOTHER
She isn’t here. And I’m sorry, but
Mr. Hillyer doesn’t want her to
have callers during working hours.
BILLY
(sullenly)
Where is she?
MOTHER
I said she isn’t here. NOW you go
home. Be a nice boy and go home.
Gently but firmly, Mother shuts the door in Billy’s face.
A SHOT of Billy frustrated on the front porch. Sadly,
reluctantly, he turns and walks off the porch down the steps.
INT. HILLYER HOME - FRONT HALL - DAY
ON mother, peering worriedly through the curtains of the
front door.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
A SHOT of the family at dinner at night. Daddy, Mother, Rose,
Buddy, Doll and Waski. The SHOT FAVORS Mother.
MOTHER
That sulky boy was here again this
afternoon. I was almost scared, he
wouldn’t go away.
DADDY
(throws his napkin on
table)
Rose, my patience is wearing thin.
First a scruffy man who runs like a
deer and now a sulky boy who wont
go away. This is getting to be a
regular monkey and dog show.
ROSE
I swear to God I don’t know who in
the world he is. Really, I don’t, I
don’t know no boy like that, I
don’t.
Slowly, his face grim, Daddy returns his napkin to his lap
and resumes eating. The children are very silent and look a
trifle scared.
MOTHER
(finally, in a small
voice)
Well, it isn’t Rose’s fault boys
and men like her. You cant blame
her for that, hon.
DADDY
Rose, I realize you don’t know this
boy, but if you know anybody who
does know him, if you have even a
faint clue as to who he might be,
then convey to him that he had
better stay away from my house and
stop scaring my wife... and I don’t
mean maybe.
INT. HILLYER SOME - BUDDY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy in his room at night. He is dressed
and at a study table listening with cheap earphones to a
homemade crystal radio set. Enter a rather somber-faced Doll
in her nightgown.
BUDDY
(listening)
Chattanooga. I had St. Louis,
Missouri.
DOLL
Buddy, I’m worried about Rose.
BUDDY
So am I.
DOLL
She hasn’t got any sense. In some
ways, she’s awful dumb.
BUDDY
(takes off earphones,
gives it a moment of
grave consideration, then
his opinion)
It isn’t that she hasn’t got any
sense, Doll. Her basic intelligence
is probably above average, maybe
quite a bit above average.
DOLL
Then why does she act so dumb?
BUDDY
Dumbness doesn’t concern her, Doll.
And neither does smartness. You see
--
Buddy is interrupted by the SOUND of the distant angry shout
of a man’s voice, evidently from somewhere outside in the
woods because Buddy and Doll turn at once toward the window.
In shock they listen.
FIRST MAN’S VOICE
You son of a bitch, what are you
doing here?!
SECOND MAN’S VOICE
I’d like to ask you the same
question, you bastard!
FIRST MAN’S VOICE
I told you to stay away from her,
goddamn you!
SECOND MAN’S VOICE
You got no right to tell me to stay
away from her, I knew her before
you did!
BUDDY
Oh, boy. Oh, boy, oh boy. Daddy
isn’t going to like this.
FIRST MAN’S VOICE
She told you to leave her alone,
didn’t she?
SECOND MAN’S VOICE
Like hell she did! You’re the one
she wants to get shed of!
BUDDY
Come on!
He and Doll hurry from the room.
INT. HILLYER HOME - UPSTAIRS HALL AND STAIRS - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll running down the upstairs
hall and down the stairs. The CAM M FOLLOWS them down the
stairs.
INT. HILLYER HOME - BACK HALL - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll as they slow down and creep
cautiously down the back hall to the back porch. We hear the
men yelling somewhere out in the dark bushes.
FIRST MAN’S VOICE
You’ll swallow teeth yourself if
you don’t leave her alone, you ugly
bastard! Go on, throw one, throw
one!
SECOND MAN’S VOICE
I’ll throw one, you son of a bitch!
We hear a great CRASHING in the bushes, a SMACK of a fist, a
GROAN of shock, an OATH, a SHOUT, more CRASHING.
EXT. BACK PORCH - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot from the POV of the children, on Daddy on the
back porch as the lights blaze on. He wears his bathrobe and
has a big shotgun in his hands. Now he speaks in a loud,
clear and very angry voice.
DADDY
All right, I have got a Parker
shotgun here and it is loaded and
the trigger is cocked and wherever
you birds are and whatever you are
doing you had better get the hell
out of here goddamned quick!
A sudden total silence ensues, then a sudden CRASHING in the
bushes as the "birds" take off.
DADDY (CONT’D)
And do not come back, you sons of
bitches! Stay away from my house
and home and my wife and children
or I’ll blow your goddamned heads
off!
INT. HILLYER HOME - BACK HALL - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll as they cower in awe in the
downstairs hall. Daddy walks up to them carrying the shotgun.
He is grim and furious, but his voice is surprisingly calm.
DADDY
You children go to bed. And
Brother, stay away from Rose, I’ll
speak to her in the morning.
INT. HILLYER HOME - UPSTAIRS HALL - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Doll in the upstairs hall. Doll
meekly goes to her room.
Buddy hesitates, looks at Rose’s door, glances nervously back
at the stairs, then goes to Rose’s door, knocks softly, opens
it.
INT. HILLYER HOME - ROSE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CUT TO a shot of Buddy and Rose as he stands in the doorway
of her room. Rose is sitting on the edge of her bed in her
nightgown, a damp cloth held against her jaw which seems a
little swollen. A look of fear and guilt is on her face.
ROSE
(rather feebly, as if it
explains something)
I got an awful toothache.
BUDDY
(quietly)
Rose, if you don’t keep your
boyfriends away from the house,
Daddy is going to fire you.
ROSE
(innocently)
But I don’t know who they are.
Buddy makes an exasperated grimace and exits, shutting door.
The CAMERA REMAINS on Rose as she rolls her eyes upward in
dismay.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HILLYER HOME - DINING ROOM - DAY
A shot of the family at breakfast in the dining room. The
silence is deafening. Everyone looks depressed except Daddy,
who is aloofly calm. Rose’s head is bowed meekly over her
plate as we hear the CLATTER of silverware. Finally, Daddy
speaks in an almost pleasant tone.
DADDY
Well, Rose, my sleep was a little
disturbed last night, and so was
Mrs. Hillyer’s, and so was the
children’s. How about you? Was your
sleep disturbed, too?
ROSE
(solemnly)
Yes, Mr. Hillyer, it was. I... I
heard strange voices in the night.
DADDY
(softly strumming fingers,
finally)
Strange voices, Rose?
ROSE
(innocent as an angel)
Yes, sir.
DADDY
(still aloofly polite)
Now Rose, stop behaving as if
you’re Bo Peep. Those men had a
flight last night because of some
female in this house, and it wasn’t
Dolly or Mrs. Hillyer.
MOTHER
(very tense)
I don’t think we ought to discuss
this in front of the children.
ROSE
(weeping, a hand over her
eyes)
Oh... oh... oh! I think... maybe...
one of ’em... was Foster... but I
don’t hardly know him!
DADDY
Oh, shut up, Rose. Shut your mouth
and quit crying!
MOTHER
(draws herself up)
I will not sit here and listen to
you be brutal to this poor girl.
DADDY
I am not being brutal to her!
MOTHER
You certainly are! She has an awful
toothache, look at her jaw, it’s
all swollen.
DADDY
(trying to restrain
himself, aloofly polite
to the utmost)
Darlin’, it is not my fault if the
girl has epizootics --
-- The word means "an animal epidemic," and it’s a pet word
of Daddy’s; he pronounces it epi-zoo-tics, not epi-zoo-ot
tics, and uses it to mean any outrageous human malady --
DADDY (CONT’D)
-- I am not responsible for her
epizootics and I did not bring
about her epizootics. Now listen to
me. When I have to get up in the
middle of the night and defend my
home with a shotgun against a
couple of damned scoundrels
fistfighting in the bushes --
MOTHER
Scoundrels? They weren’t
scoundrels, they were just boys.
DADDY
Boys? You say to me boys?
MOTHER
Yes! Yes, I say that to you, they
were boys! Boy friends of Rose,
chat’s what they were, and why
shouldn’t she have boy friends? Do
you want her to be unnatural? Don’t
you think she’s human the same way
you are yourself? It’s the South,
that’s what it is, the South with
its horrible traditions, of slavery
and crime and the oppression of
women, who are just as good as men
and just as human!
DADDY
(his eyes are a trifle
glazed)
Now darlin’, what has the South got
to do with this?
MOTHER
(in a real snit, afraid he
will fire Rose)
And when I try to talk to you
seriously, when I try to explain to
you the unlimited creative power of
life, how beautiful it would be if
we gave up this hopeless struggle
and simply loved each other from
our hearts, what do you do -- you
mock me!
DADDY
(mildly, his eyes are even
more glazed)
I don’t intend to mock you, dear. I
respect your philosophy. It’s
beyond my comprehension, but I
respect it.
ROSE
(head bowed, weeping in a
little handkerchief)
Ohhh-hh, ohhh...
DADDY
(exasperated)
Oh, shut up, Rose, eat your
cornflakes!
ROSE
(piteously)
I’m not hungry.
The word is hongry, not hungry.
DADDY
Now you listen to me, Rose --
MOTHER
(with fire in her eyes)
Just a moment! You are not going to
fire this girl for an innocent
thing like having boy friends, not
while there is breath in my body!
DADDY
I don’t intend to fire her,
darlin’.
MOTHER
It isn’t her fault if she’s
popular... what?
DADDY
I said I don’t intend to fire her.
I just want to ask her to keep her
boy friends away from my | 
