"THE BIRDS" by Evan Hunter Based on the novel "Birds" By Daphne Du Maurier FINAL DRAFT 2nd Revision March 2, 1962 FADE IN: FULL SHOT - GRANT STREET - SAN FRANCISCO - DAY It is mid-afternoon, and there is a tempo and pace to the people walking, the doorman HOOTING for taxicabs, the policemen directing traffic. PAN SHOT - PEDESTRIANS waiting at street corner for light to change. CLOSE SHOT - MAN at the end of line of pedestrians. He is looking up at the sky. TWO SHOT - MAN AND WOMAN NEXT TO HIM as she follows his gaze upward. LONG SHOT - THE SKY with hundreds of gulls in it, wheeling. MED. SHOT - THE STREET CORNER as the light changes and people begin to cross. In the crowd walking the other way, a man turns to look up at the wheeling gulls in the sky overhead. The CAMERA LOCATES: MED. SHOT - MELANIE DANIELS in the crowd of pedestrians, approaching Davidson's Pet Shop. She is a young woman in her mid-twenties, sleekly groomed, exquisitely dressed, though hatless. She walks with the quick sureness of the city dweller, a purposefulness in her stride, a mischievous grin on her face. She continues toward the front door of a pet shop and enters. INT. BIRD SHOP - MED. SHOT Melanie opens the door and comes through, still looking back toward the street and skywards. The proprietor, a MRS. MacGRUDER, comes toward her. MELANIE Hello, Mrs. MacGruder, have you ever seen so many gulls? MRS. MACGRUDER Hello, Miss Daniels. MELANIE What do you suppose it is? MED. SHOT Mrs. MacGruder takes a look out at the sky. A puppy is BARKING, o.s. MRS. MACGRUDER (shaking her head) There must be a storm at sea. That can drive them inland, you know. They are climbing the short flight of steps into the bird department now. The BARKING of the dog SEGUES into the clamor of innumerable birds, TWEETING, TWITTERING, CAWING as Melanie and Mrs. MacGruder go to the counter at the far end. There is a circular cage in the center of the room, and the walls are lined with wire-mesh cages and smaller wooden cages so that the effect is one of being surrounded by birds, contained birds to be sure. The birds are quite beautiful, mostly exotic birds, small splashes of color behind the wire-mesh cages, larger bursts of brilliant hue on the parrots and parakeets in the bigger cages. As they walk: MRS. MACGRUDER I was hoping you'd be a little late, Miss Daniels. (apologetically) You see, he hasn't arrived yet. MELANIE You said three o'clock. MRS. MACGRUDER I know. Oh, I know. (she is more distressed now) I've been calling all morning. Oh, you have no idea. Miss Daniels, they're so difficult to get, really they are. We get them from India, you know, when they're just little chicks, and then we have to... MELANIE Well, this one won't be a chick, will he? MRS. MACGRUDER Certainly not. Oh, no. Certainly not. This will be a full grown myna bird. Full grown. MELANIE And he'll talk? MRS. MACGRUDER Well, yes, he'll talk. Well, no, no. You'll have to teach him to talk. MELANIE Yes. MRS. MACGRUDER Yes. (pause) Oh my, I suppose I should call them again. They said three o'clock. (pause) Maybe it's the traffic. I'll call. Would you mind waiting? MELANIE (judiciously) I think maybe you'd better deliver him. Let me give you my address. (she begins taking off her gloves) MRS. MACGRUDER (producing pencil and pad) Oh. Oh, well, all right. As Melanie starts writing: MRS. MACGRUDER I'm sure they're on the way, though. Could I just call? MELANIE (with a resigned sigh) Well, all right, but... She scurries out behind the counter and out of sight. Melanie finishes writing her address and stands impatiently by the counter. She taps her teeth with the pencil. MRS. MACGRUDER (O.S.) Hello, this is Betty MacGruder at Davidson's. (pause; accusingly) It's past three, you know. (pause) Well, how long do you think...? All right, would you check it please? Yes, I'll wait. Melanie sighs. Leaving her gloves and purse on the counter, she begins wandering around the shop, still tapping her lips with the pencil. There is no menace in the birds surrounding her. They are active and beautiful as they dart behind the bars and mesh of their cages. Off screen, the puppy begins BARKING again as the front door opens. Melanie looks up. MED. SHOT - MITCH BRENNER as he closes the entrance door behind him and starts up the steps to the bird department. He is a handsome man, about twenty-nine or thirty, well-dressed, and carrying a felt hat. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE seeing him, and then turning away to bend before the cage of strawberry finches. She pokes the pencil through the mesh. The birds are startled into scarlet flight. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH as they pass each other in the aisle. He gives a polite little nod, and she gives a polite little smile. But as he passes her, and unknown to her, he turns for a second look -- and then vanishes behind the circular cage as he turns he corner. MED. SHOT - MELANIE looking at her watch as she wanders around the other side of the cage and then comes face to face with Mitch again. MITCH I wonder if you could help me. MELANIE What? MITCH (deliberately, and with a touch of hauteur) I said I wonder if you could help me. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE a trifle annoyed by his manner at first. She is about to inform him, if you please, that she is not a shopgirl. But then something rebellious flashes in her eyes and an idea comes to her. MELANIE (solicitously) Yes, what was it you were looking for, sir? TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH MITCH (deadpan) Lovebirds. MELANIE Lovebirds, sir? MITCH Yes. I understand there are different varieties, it that true? MELANIE Well... yes, sir, there are. MITCH These are for my sister... her birthday you see. As she'll be eleven and... well, frankly, I wouldn't want a pair of birds that were too demonstrative. MELANIE I understand completely, sir. MITCH As the same time, I wouldn't want birds that were aloof, either. MELANIE (leading him around shop) No, of course not. MITCH Do you have a pair that are just friendly? MELANIE I think so, sir. (she looks around) Now then, let me see. MITCH (at the finches) Aren't these lovebirds? MELANIE No, sir, those are... redbirds. MITCH The sign says strawberry finches. MELANIE (airily) Yes, we call them that too. (she moves away) Ahhh, here we are, Lovebirds... (and stops before a cage of canaries) MITCH Those are canaries, Miss. (pause) Doesn't this make you feel awful? MELANIE (baffled) Doesn't what make me...? MITCH All these innocent little creatures caged up like this? MELANIE Well, we can't just let them fly around the shop, you know. MITCH I suppose not. Is there an ornithological reason for keeping them in separate cages? MELANIE Oh, certainly. It's to protect the species. MITCH I imagine that's very important. Especially during the moulting season. MELANIE Yes, that's a particularly dangerous time. MITCH Are they moulting now? MELANIE Some of them are. MITCH How can you tell? MELANIE Well... they get a sort of hangdog expression. CLOSE SHOT - A CAGED BIRD - MITCH'S P.O.V. The bird is wearing a distinctly hangdog expression. MITCH Yes, I see. (pause) About those lovebirds, Miss... MELANIE Are you sure you wouldn't like to see a canary instead? We have some very nice canaries this week. MITCH All right. (he smiles) She smiles back. MITCH (he waits) All right, may I see one, please? CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE as she realizes she is expected to take one of the canaries out of the cage. She smiles feebly, glances toward the counter where she expects Mrs. MacGruder to reappear momentarily, and then takes a deep breath. She opens the door to the canary cage, and cautiously puts her hand into it. MELANIE (feebly) Here, birdie. Here, birdie, birdie. One of the canaries suddenly flutters out of the cage and into the room. Melanie leaps back, startled. MELANIE Oh! Ohhhhh! FULL SHOT - THE BIRD DEPARTMENT as the canary flies frantically about the room, Melanie and Mitch in pursuit. Mrs. MacGruder appears at the counter, finally confronted with the chaos she's been expecting all day. MRS. MACGRUDER What is it? Oh! Oh my, one of the birds is loose! She joins in the chase around the room. The bird flutters up to the ceiling, and then lands on the counter and watches them suspiciously. MITCH Shhh! Shhhh! He tiptoes up to the bird, hat in hand. Quickly, he covers the bird with his hat, then reaches under to grab it. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH the canary in his hand. MELANIE There we are! MRS. MACGRUDER Oh, good! Oh, wonderful. FULL SHOT - THE BIRD DEPARTMENT as Mitch carries the canary back to the cage. He opens the door. MITCH (putting the canary in) Back into your gilded cage, Melanie Daniels. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE startled. MELANIE What did you say? TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH MITCH (savoring this) I was merely drawing a parallel, Miss Daniels. MELANIE But how... how do you know my name? MITCH (secretly) A little birdie told me. (he smiles politely) Good day, Miss Daniels. (he bows to Mrs. MacGruder) Madam. (he starts out) MELANIE Hey, wait a minute! She goes after him. Mitch turns, stops, smiles, enjoying her bafflement immensely. Melanie studies him. Then: MELANIE I don't know you. MITCH Ahhh, but I know you. MELANIE How? MITCH We met in court. MELANIE We never met in court or anyplace else. MITCH That's true. I'll rephrase it. I saw you in court. MELANIE When? MITCH Do you remember one of your practical jokes that resulted in the smashing of a plate glass window? MELANIE I didn't break that window! MITCH No, but your little prank did. The judge should have put you behind bars! MELANIE What are you? A policeman? MITCH I simply believe in the law, Miss Daniels, and I'm not too keen on practical jokers. MELANIE What do you call your lovebird story if not a practical... MITCH Ahhh, but I really do want those birds. MELANIE You knew I didn't work here. You deliberately... MITCH Right. I recognized you when I came in. I thought you might like to know what it felt like to be on the other end of a gag. What do you think of that, Miss Daniels? MELANIE I think you're a louse. MITCH I am. (he tips his hat) Good day. (to Mrs. MacGruder) Madam. (and he goes down the steps) MELANIE And I'm glad you didn't get your lovebirds! MITCH (breezily, as he goes out) I'll find something else. (he gives a slight bow) See you in court some day. The door closes. The puppy begins BARKING. MELANIE (angrily) That... that... who was that? MRS. MACGRUDER I have no idea. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE seething as she stares after him. Suddenly, she gets an idea. MED. SHOT - MELANIE going down the steps and to the front door of the shop. She looks through the glass. LONG SHOT - MITCH - MELANIE'S P.O.V. getting into his car at the curb. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE looking after the car at the curb. CLOSE SHOT - THE LICENSE PLATE CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE seeing the plate, giving a brief, determined, angry nod. She begins to repeat the numbers to herself as she turns. FULL SHOT - MELANIE as she comes up the steps again and walks toward the counter. MED. SHOT - MELANIE - MRS. MACGRUDER'S P.O.V. as she comes up to the counter. MELANIE Have you got a pencil? MRS. MACGRUDER What? Oh, yes, certainly. As Melanie begins writing: MRS. MACGRUDER They said the myna bird would be here later this afternoon. If you'd care to come back... MELANIE No, you'd better send him. May I use your phone? MRS. MACGRUDER (bewildered by everything) Yes, certainly. (she puts phone on counter) MELANIE (as she dials) Do you have any lovebirds? MRS. MACGRUDER No, not in the shop. But I can order them for you. MELANIE How soon? MRS. MACGRUDER Well... well, how soon would you want them? MELANIE Immediately. (into phone) Is this the Daily News? Melanie Daniels. Would you get me the city desk, please? MRS. MACGRUDER I might be able to have them by tomorrow morning. Would that be all right? MELANIE (with an edged anger) That would be just fine. (into phone) Hello, Charlie, this is Melanie. I want you to do a favor for me. (pause) No, this is a small one. (pause) Pressure you? Why, Charlie darling, would I try to pressure you? Will you call the Department of Motor Vehicles for me and find out who owns this license plate? DKQ dash one seven six. (pause) Yes, a California plate. (pause) No, I'll stop up there in a little while. Is daddy in his office? (pause) Oh. No, no, I don't want to break in on a meeting. Just tell him I'll see him later. Thank you, Charlie. (she hangs up) CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE ICY DETERMINATION ON HER FACE. MELANIE Now. What time tomorrow morning? FADE IN: FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S SPORTS CAR pulling up in front of Mitch's building, the top down. She glances up at the address, gets out of the car, comes around to the other side, and opens the door. CLOSE SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS in a cage as Melanie reaches for them. MED. SHOT - MELANIE turning from the car and going into the building. She pauses in the lobby, studies the names alongside the bell buttons. CLOSE SHOT - HER GLOVED HAND running down the list of names slowly. It stops. INSERT - THE CARD her finger beside it. BRENNER, M. 3B CLOSE SHOT - HER GLOVED HAND the forefinger extended as she runs it down over every bell button in one column, and then does the same for the next column. MED. SHOT - MELANIE as she turns from the bells to the inner door of the lobby, grabbing the knob. A BUZZ SOUNDS. She opens the door. REVERSE SHOT - MELANIE coming through the door and into the lobby. She walks swiftly toward the elevator where a well-dressed man is standing, waiting. Behind her, the inner door is BUZZING wildly with answering BUZZES. Melanie and the man stand waiting for the elevator, silently. Behind her, the BUZZING STOPS. The elevator doors open. The man smiles pleasantly and allows her to enter first. She does so with a small nod. The elevator doors close. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE MAN - IN THE ELEVATOR The birds are CHIRPING wildly in their cage. The man and Melanie stand silently side by side. The man's eyes wander down to the bird-cage. Melanie's eyes move toward him. Self- consciously, she stands with the cage of CHATTERING birds. The man is dead-panned, unsmiling. The elevator stops. The doors begin to open. FULL SHOT - MELANIE stepping out of the elevator as the doors open. The man is right behind her. She begins looking for apartment 3B. The man is walking down the corridor beside her. She stops in front of the apartment, hesitates, hoping the man will turn the corner in the corridor. Instead, he stops at the apartment just opposite. He begins fumbling in his pocket for his key. He looks at Melanie. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE smiling at him feebly. FULL SHOT - THE CORRIDOR The man spread change and an assortment of junk on the palm of his hand as he searches for his key. Impatiently, Melanie watches him. Making a decision, she puts the birdcage down before the door to apartment 3B, and then opens her purse. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE'S GLOVED HAND reaching into the purse for a white envelope. INSERT - THE FACE OF THE ENVELOPE written there in Melanie's handwriting: MR. MITCHELL BRENNER. MED. SHOT - MELANIE as she props the envelope against the cage, and then hurriedly goes down the hallway, intent on retreat. MAN'S VOICE Miss...? She stops, distressed. FULL SHOT - THE CORRIDOR the man at the one end, key in his hand; Melanie at the other end, near the elevator. MAN Is that for Mitch Brenner? MELANIE (curtly) Yes. MAN He's not home. MELANIE That's all right. She presses button for the elevator. MAN He won't be back until Monday. I mean, if those birds are for him.... MELANIE Monday? MAN Yes. I don't think you should leave them in the hall, do you? MELANIE (trapped) Well, I... The elevator doors open. MELANIE Well, where did he go? MAN Bodega Bay. He goes up there every weekend. MELANIE Bodega Bay? Where's that? MAN Up on the coast. About sixty miles north of here. MELANIE Sixty... (her face falls) Oh. MAN About an hour and a half on the freeway. Or two if you take the coast highway. MELANIE Oh. MAN I'd hold the birds for him, but I'm going away myself. Someone's got to feed them, I suppose. MELANIE (in utter despair now) Yes. Yes, someone's got to feed them. MAN (apologetically) I'm awfully sorry. He puts the key into his lock, opens the door, and goes inside. The door closes. Melanie is alone in the hallway. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE exasperated. She looks at the open elevator. She turns to look at the birds. LONG SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS in their cage outside the apartment door, CHATTERING. MED. SHOT - MELANIE surrendering with a gesture of resignation. She walks down the hall, picks up envelope and puts it in her purse, picks up the bird cage, carries it back to the elevator. The birds are COOING and CHIRPING madly. MELANIE Oh, shut up! And she steps into the elevator. DISSOLVE FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S OPEN CAR - (MATTE) on the coast highway. It is a spectacularly beautiful day, with a cloudless blue sky. The montage of SHOTS that follow should alternate between the winding, twisting road and the ocean below, and CLOSEUPS of Melanie driving with the caged birds on the seat beside her. The last shot should be a FULL SHOT of the car rounding a particularly sharp curve. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE She turns wheel forcefully. CLOSE SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS in the cage as the car rounds the bend. They lean to one side as the car turns, come up straight again as the car rounds the curve. FULL SHOT - (MATTE) Car approaching Bodega Bay seen high up. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE at the wheel, she glances out toward the bay. FULL SHOT - A CLUSTER OF BUILDINGS AT WATERFRONT ahead, through the windshield as the car approaches. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE behind the wheel, leaning forward slightly for a look at the town. LONG SHOT - DOCKS ON LEFT through the windshield as Melanie slows her speed. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE behind wheel. LONG SHOT - STORES on right of the road as Melanie enters the town. SLOW PAN matching car's cruise past BAKERY, SHOE REPAIR, CLEANERS, RADIO AND TELEVISION. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE behind wheel. LONG SHOT - THE TIDES past the gas station and beyond to the parking area and the docks, continuing Melanie's slow observation of the place. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE - (PROCESS) studying the town. The car turns into road by gas station. FULL SHOT - THE TOWN through the windshield. The car turns right. There is life in the town now, fishermen crossing the road, women with their hair in curlers, old ladies carrying shopping bags. This is Saturday morning, and the town -- such as it is -- is alive with its inhabitants. We see them from Melanie's P.O.V. AS SHE SCANS THE PLACE FOR ITS POST OFFICE. (THIS TO BE TAKEN ON BACK LOT.) FULL SHOT - THE CAR pulling in, in front of the post office. Melanie opens the door and steps out. She is smartly dressed in a traveling suit and sweater. She looks up at the sign, and then walks quickly toward the front door. MED. SHOT - MELANIE enters post office. CLOSE SHOT - POSTAL CLERK behind cage as Melanie approaches it. He is busy filling out a form of some kind, affixing stamps to it, etc. He does not look up as she approaches. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE through the bars of the cage. MELANIE Good morning. CLOSE SHOT - POSTAL CLERK CLERK (without looking up) Morning. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE CLERK MELANIE I wonder if you could help me. CLERK Try my best. MELANIE I'm looking for a man named Mitchell Brenner. CLERK Yep. He is still busy with his form, still does not look up. MELANIE Do you know him? CLERK Yep. MELANIE Where does he live? CLERK Right here. Bodega Bay. MELANIE Yes, but where? CLERK Right across the bay there. MELANIE Where? It seems as if the Clerk will not answer her. Suddenly, he leaves the window. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE through the bars, exasperated. REVERSE SHOT - FULL - MELANIE as she tries to peek through the bars to see where he's vanished. A door to the left of the window opens, and the Clerk steps out. He walks a little distance as Melanie watches him, then stops, turns and looks at her surprised, as if he'd expected her to be right behind him. He stands stock still, looking at her, saying nothing. She understands then that he wants her to follow him, and she catches up, neither speaking. They go to the front door. He opens it, looks at her, then looks out across the town and the bay. He extends his arm and points. CLERK See where I'm pointing? MELANIE Yes? FULL SHOT - THE BAY - THEIR P.O.V. - (MATTE) CLERK (O.S.) See them two big trees across there? MELANIE (O.S.) Yes? CLERK (O.S.) And the white house? MELANIE (O.S.) That's where the Brenners live. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE CLERK MELANIE The Brenners? Mr. and Mrs. Brenner? CLERK Nope, just Lydia and the two kids. MELANIE The two kids? CLERK Yep. Mitch and the little girl. MELANIE I see. How do I get down there? CLERK Follow the road straight through town 'til it curves off on the left. That'll take you right around the bay to their front door. MELANIE The front door. (pause) Isn't there a back road I can take? CLERK Nope. That's the road. Straight through town, stay on your left, right around the bay to the front door. MELANIE You see, I wanted to surprise them. CLERK Mmmm. MELANIE I didn't want to come right down the road, where they could see me. CLERK Mmmm. MELANIE It's a surprise, you see. CLERK Mmmmmm. (long pause) 'Course, you could get yourself a boat, cut right across the bay with it. The Brenners got a little dock there you could tie up at. If that's what you wanted to do. MELANIE Where would I get a boat? CLERK Down at the dock by the Tides Restaurant. Ever handled an outboard boat? MELANIE (looking at him) Of course. CLERK (looks back at her) D'you want me to order one for you? MELANIE (surprised) Thank you. CLERK What name? MELANIE Daniels. CLERK Okay. He nods briefly and goes inside. Melanie looks across the bay. FULL SHOT - THE BAY - MELANIE'S P.O.V. - (MATTE) CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE smiling. She gets a new idea. She reaches into her purse for the envelope. She looks at the envelope, then tears it up and stuffs the torn envelope into her handbag. She turns back toward the post office. INT. THE POST OFFICE - FULL SHOT as Melanie approaches the Clerk's window. He is still busy, still does not look up. MELANIE I wonder if you could tell me... CLERK Yep? MELANIE The little girl's name. CLERK The little Brenner girl? MELANIE Yes. CLERK Alice, I think. (he turns, shouts to someone in rear) Harry, what's the little Brenner girl's name? HARRY'S VOICE (shouting) What? CLERK (shouting) The little Brenner girl. HARRY'S VOICE (shouting) Lois! CLERK (shouting) It's Alice, ain't it? HARRY'S VOICE (shouting) No, it's Lois! CLERK (to Melanie) It's Alice. MELANIE Are you sure? CLERK Well, I ain't positive, if that's what you mean. MELANIE I need her exact name, you see. CLERK That case, I tell you what you do. You go straight through town 'til you see a little hotel on your left there. Not the motel, that's the other end of town. This is the hotel. Now you take a right turn there, you got that? MELANIE Yes? CLERK Near the top of the hill, you'll see the school and right behind it, the church. You head for the school. Now just past the school, you'll see a little house with a red mail box. That's where Annie Hayworth lives, she's the school teacher. You ask her about the little Brenner girl. MELANIE Thank you. CLERK Yep. (pause) Could save yourself a lot of trouble. Her name's Alice for sure. MELANIE Can I have the boat in about twenty minutes? The Clerk nods. MELANIE How much for the phone calls? CLERK (brushing this aside) It's nothing. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE grinning, as she makes for the door and EXITS. EXT. GENERAL STORE - MED. SHOT - MELANIE getting into the car and slamming the door. DISSOLVE LONG SHOT (MATTE) - MELANIE'S CAR turning in school road. FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S CAR passing the school and pulling up outside the teacher's house. CLOSE SHOT - THE RED MAIL BOX with the name "Hayworth" on it. PULL BACK to reveal: FULL SHOT - MELANIE passing the mail box and going up the walk to the front door. The house is a two-story frame with steps leading to the front door. There are white curtains in every window of the house, and a sign in the window to the left of the doorway advises, ROOM TO LET. Melanie rings the doorbell. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE waiting. She RINGS the bell again: ANNIE'S VOICE (shouting) Yes? Who is it? MELANIE Me! ANNIE'S VOICE Who's me? FULL SHOT - MELANIE walking along the porch of the house. The walk in front of the house is lined with beautifully planted and cared-for flowers. ANNIE HAYWORTH comes round from the back of the house as Melanie reaches the corner. She is a woman of thirty- two, tall, big-boned, with a strong beautiful face. Her hair is disarrayed at the moment, and she is dressed for the garden, wearing slacks and a loose-fitting sweater, and earth- stained gloves. But there is something about her, a feeling of expansive comfort, rather than sloppiness. MELANIE Miss Hayworth? ANNIE Yes? MELANIE I'm Melanie Daniels. I'm sorry to bother you, but... CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE She is puzzled by Melanie who, exquisitely dressed and groomed, seems singularly out of place in Bodega Bay. She studies her openly. ANNIE Yes? TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE MELANIE The man at the post office sent me. He said you'd know the name of the little Brenner girl. ANNIE Cathy? MELANIE The one who lives in the white house across the bay? ANNIE That's the one. Cathy Brenner. MELANIE (smiling) They seemed sure it was either Alice or Lois. ANNIE Which is why the mail in this town never gets delivered to the right place. (She takes out package of cigarettes, offers one to Melanie) Did you want to see Cathy about something? CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE taking cigarette, hesitating. MELANIE Well... not exactly. CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE studying her, thinking she understands. ANNIE Are you a friend of Mitch's? MELANIE No, not really. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE There is an awkwardness here. Annie wants to know more. She puffs on the cigarette, smiles, tries a friendly approach. ANNIE I've been wanting a cigarette for the past twenty minutes, but I couldn't convince myself to stop. This 'tilling of the soil' can get a little compulsive, you know. MELANIE It's a lovely garden. ANNIE Thank you. It gives me something to do with my spare time. (pause) There's a lot of spare time in Bodega Bay. (another pause) Did you plan on staying long? MELANIE No. Just a few hours. ANNIE You're leaving after you see Cathy? MELANIE Well... something like that. (pause) I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound so mysterious. ANNIE Actually, it's none of my business. There is a pause. Melanie, by her silence, affirms that it is none of Annie's business. ANNIE (putting out cigarette) I'd better get on my way. Thank you very much. ANNIE Not at all. They begin walking toward the car. ANNIE (still curious) Did you drive up from San Francisco? MELANIE Yes. ANNIE It's a nice drive. (pause) Is that where you met Mitch? MELANIE (hesitating, then) Yes. ANNIE I guess that's where everyone meets him. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE as she gets in behind the wheel. Annie's remark is not lost on her, and a quick look of sudden understanding crosses her face. MELANIE Now you sound a bit mysterious, Miss Hayworth. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE as Annie leans over the seat. ANNIE Do I? (she shakes her head, smiles wistfully) No, I'm an open book, I'm afraid. (pause) Or maybe a closed one. (she smiles again, sees the lovebirds) Pretty. What are they? MELANIE Lovebirds. Taking this as a further indication of Melanie's relationship with Mitch: ANNIE Mmm. (pause) Well, good luck, Miss Daniels. MELANIE Thank you. She nods pleasantly, starts the car, pulls away. CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE watching the car, a look of sad resignation on her face. DISSOLVE MED. SHOT - MELANIE coming out of Brinkmeyer's General Store, carrying a small paper bag, walking toward her car out front. The CAMERA FOLLOWS her as she gets in. She opens her purse and reaches in for the paper bag. CLOSE SHOT - HER HANDS She pulls out a birthday card from the paper bag. MED. SHOT - MELANIE reaching into her purse again for a fountain pen. She unscrews the cap, braces the card on her closed purse. INSERT - THE CARD Happy Birthday, the usual rhyming sentiments. The pen writes: To Cathy DISSOLVE FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S CAR crossing the highway down into the parking area behind the Tides, close to the docks. HIGH SHOT She gets out of the car and walks onto one of the docks, the bird cage in her hand. Melanie approaches a waiting fisherman. She asks for her boat. The fisherman nods. He leads her to the dock and the waiting boat. She gets into the outboard motorboat, the fisherman helping her. He hands down the lovebirds in their cage. FULL SHOT - THE BOAT pulling away from the dock, heading across the bay. VERY LONG SHOT (MATTE) - THE BOAT and the wide expanse of the bay, as it heads on a direct course for the house on the other side. VERY LONG SHOT (MATTE) Another spectacular SHOT of the small boat. FULL SHOT - THE BOAT coming head-on toward CAMERA, Melanie at the tiller. She cuts the motor. The motor drifts to a stop. The bay is silent except for the cry of the gulls. LONG SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE - MELANIE'S P.O.V. There is not a sign of activity as the boat drifts just a little closer. As Melanie watches, the front door opens and a woman comes out, walks to a red pickup truck, starts the engine. A little girl comes out of the house, goes to the truck, gets in. The woman shouts something to a man -- Mitch Brenner, probably, though it is difficult to tell from this distance -- and he comes over to the truck. The truck grinds into gear, goes around the turnabout, and heads down the road away from the farm, a huge cloud of dust behind it. The farm is still again. Mitch stands looking after the truck for a moment, and then begins walking up toward the barn in the distance. CLOSE SHOT watching, biting her lip. LONG SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE Mitch reaching the barn and entering. Silence. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE watching, waiting. LONG SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE Not a sign of life. MED. SHOT - MELANIE picking up paddle from deck, beginning to paddle in toward dock. FULL SHOT - THE BOAT edging in toward the dock. Closer, closer, Melanie puts down the paddle. The boat drifts in. MED. SHOT - MELANIE leaping ashore, tying up the boat, reaching down for the cage. She climbs onto the dock and approaches the CAMERA until she is in WAIST SHOT. The CAMERA STARTS to RECEDE in front of her as she walks forward. THE CAMERA MOVING TOWARD THE HOUSE AND BARN The barn door closed, still no sign of Mitch. WAIST SHOT - MELANIE Coming off the dock and onto the lawn, the CAMERA still RETREATING in front of her. She makes her way carefully across the lawn, glancing toward the barn, carrying the bird cage. FULL SHOT - CAMERA GETTING NEAR THE HOUSE AND BARN WAIST SHOT - MELANIE crossing the lawn, the CAMERA RETREATING in front of her. FULL SHOT - CLOSER - CAMERA APPROACHING THE HOUSE AND BARN CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE - WALKING CAMERA RETREATING in front of her: Excitement and anticipation on her face. She wets her lips. The CAMERA PANS WITH her as she goes to front door and lets herself in. FULL SHOT - INT. THE BRENNER HOUSE ENTRY as the door opens. Melanie ENTERS quickly, and closes the door behind her. She glances around for a moment, getting her bearings. The house is silent. MED. SHOT - MELANIE entering the dining room. Hastily, she puts the cage on the dinning room table, props the card up against it, then glances through the lace curtains on the dinning room window. FULL SHOT - THE BARN - CLOSER - THROUGH THE CURTAINS as before. EXT. BRENNER HOUSE - WAIST SHOT - MELANIE - MOVING P.O.V. as the front door opens and Melanie EMERGES. CAMERA PANS AND FOLLOWS her back down front walk. Melanie glances over her shoulder toward the barn. EXT. BARN - MOVING P.O.V. Mitch has not emerged. MOVING P.O.V. - MELANIE CAMERA CONTINUES MOVING on Melanie's back toward the end of the dock. Melanie again glances over her shoulder toward the barn. MOVING P.O.V. further along the dock toward the barn. Still no Mitch. BACK TO MELANIE CAMERA CONTINUES on her back for a short distance and STOPS as Melanie continues to the end of the dock and climbs into the boat. MOVING P.O.V. - MELANIE CAMERA CONTINUES on her back for a short distance and STOPS as Melanie continues to the end of the dock and climbs into the boat. MOVING P.O.V. - MELANIE CAMERA FOLLOWS Melanie as she paddles away from the dock. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE (PROCESS) as she looks toward the house and barn. She starts to duck down. EXT. BARN - MELANIE'S P.O.V. as Mitch EMERGES from the barn and goes toward the house. He goes INSIDE. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE (PROCESS) peering over the stern of the boat. EXT. HOUSE - MELANIE'S P.O.V. Mitch dashes OUT of the front door and looks around. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE as she watches Mitch. MELANIE'S P.O.V. as Mitch runs back INTO the house. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE (PROCESS) peering over stern of the boat. MITCH - MELANIE'S P.O.V. as he EMERGES from the front door and raises binoculars. EXTREME CLOSE SHOT - MITCH as he looks towards Melanie's boat through the binoculars. The Bay is reflected in the glass. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE (THROUGH BINOCULARS) She is pulling at the cord which starts the motor. She sits down and grabs the tiller. She looks back over her shoulder, as the boat moves away. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH He is smiling with amused recognition; he lowers the binoculars and dashes OUT OF FRAME. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE (PROCESS) The CAMERA IS MOVING WITH her as she looks toward Mitch. LONG SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE Mitch is running for his car. The car door SLAMS. The ENGINE STARTS. The car practically leaps out of the driveway. CLOSE SIDE-ON SHOT - MELANIE as she watches the car race along the shore. LONG SHOT - CAR - MELANIE'S P.O.V. Mitch's car racing along the shore. CLOSE SHOT - THREE QUARTER BACK LEFT - MELANIE (PROCESS) She looks off RIGHT toward car. CAR - MELANIE'S P.O.V. Mitch's car racing along the shore road, turns inland at Keesport. CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS) Melanie looks CAMERA RIGHT, her eyes slowly turn CAMERA LEFT. CAR - MELANIE'S MOVING P.O.V. Mitch's car races past wrecked ferry boat. CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS) Her head continues to turn CAMERA LEFT. She looks off and sees: LONG SHOT - THE DOCK - MELANIE'S MOVING P.O.V. moves forward slower. Mitch drives onto dock, gets out of the car and stands waiting. CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS) partially posing for Mitch, her hair blowing in the wind, her head tilted back, a smile on her face. FULL SHOT - GULL swooping down from UPPER LEFTHAND CORNER OF FRAME TO LOWER RIGHT. CLOSE SHOT - STRAIGHT BACK - MELANIE (PROCESS) as gull strikes the back of her head. She recoils and looks up with shock and pain. GULL - MELANIE'S P.O.V. The gull soars away from LOWER RIGHTHAND corner of frame to UPPER LEFT. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE reacting to the sudden attack and looking after receding gull. Blood is starting down her temple from her hair. MED. SHOT - MITCH as the boat comes closer. The boat drifts in toward a second boat tied up at the dock. Mitch crosses the docked boat, leaps into Melanie's boat. MED. SHOT - MITCH AND MELANIE in the boat. MITCH That was the damndest thing I ever saw. MELANIE What made it... MITCH It deliberately came down at you -- you're bleeding... CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE a thin line of blood trickling from the cut on top of her head, down onto her forehead and cheek. She seems dazed. She shakes her head in answer to him, then touches the top of her head, looks at her bloody fingers, and then nods weakly. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH concerned. MITCH Come on, let's take care of that. FULL SHOT - THE DOCK as they climb onto it. A fisherman standing by looks at Melanie curiously. FISHERMAN What happened, Mitch? MITCH (over his shoulder) A gull hit her. FISHERMAN A what? The CAMERA FOLLOWS them as they walk across the parking area behind the Tides, and to the closest office. Mitch tries the door knob. The door is locked. INSERT - SIGN ON DOOR OUT TO LUNCH TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH as he tries door of next office. It, too, is locked. MITCH Come on, we'd better go up to the restaurant. They walk quickly up the slope to the Tides, establishing gas station across the road, the collection of stores opposite, the cars pulling in and out. Mitch opens the door for her, and they ENTER. INT. THE TIDES - FULL SHOT This is a small neighborhood restaurant, with the feeling of a local hangout. There are fishermen lounging at the bar, and a teenage boy playing one of the pinball machines. Two ladies in housedresses, with their hair in curlers, are sitting at one of the booths, having coffee. The rear wall of the restaurant is almost all window, looking out over the bay and the parking area below. A television set over the bar is going. The shots and horsehoof beats of an old Western movie should be HEARD muted throughout following. DEKE CARTER, who owns the restaurant with his wife, alternates his attention between serving his customers and watching the Western. He looks up immediately when Mitch and Melanie ENTER. MED. SHOT - THE BAR Mitch and Melanie coming over to it. MITCH Deke, have you got a first aid kit back there? DEKE (instantly alarmed) What happened? MITCH Young woman cut herself. DEKE Shall I call the doctor? MITCH (accepting the first aid kit) I don't think it's that serious. You want to sit up here? Melanie climbs onto the stool. DEKE You cut yourself outside, Miss? MITCH Stop worrying, Deke. She was in a boat. He is rummaging around in the kit. DEKE I had a man trip and fall in the parking lot once, sued me before I could bat an eyelash. MITCH I don't think Miss Daniels is going to sue anybody. DEKE (doubtfully) Well, you're the lawyer. (goes to other end of bar) TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND MITCH as he unscrews cap from bottle of peroxide. MELANIE What's that? MITCH Just some peroxide. I want to clean out the cut. He pours peroxide onto a gauze pad and begins swabbing the cut. They are silent for several seconds. Then: MELANIE So you're a lawyer. MITCH That's right. What are you doing in Bodega Bay? MELANIE Do you practice here? MITCH No, San Francisco. What are you...? MELANIE What kind of law? MITCH Criminal. MELANIE Is that why you'd like to see everyone behind bars? MITCH Not everyone, Miss Daniels. MELANIE Only violators and practical jokers. MELANIE That's right. As he swabs cut. MELANIE Ouch! MITCH I'm sorry. (pause) What are you doing up here? MELANIE Didn't you see the lovebirds? MITCH You came all the way up here to bring me those birds? MELANIE To bring your sister those birds. You said it was her birthday. Besides, I was coming up anyway. MITCH What for? MELANIE To see a friend of mine. (she winces) Will you please be careful? MITCH I'm sorry. (pause) Who's your friend? MELANIE Why... (pause, stymied) MITCH Yes? MELANIE (blurting the only name she knows) Annie. Annie Hayworth. MITCH Well, well, small world. Annie Hayworth. MELANIE (realizing this was a mistake) Yes. MITCH How do you know Annie? MELANIE (the lie getting deeper) We... we went to school together. College. MITCH Did you! Imagine that! How long will you be staying? MELANIE Just a few... just a day or two... the weekend. MITCH I think we'll have to shave the hair. Deke, have you got a razor? MELANIE (pulling away) Oh, no you don't! MITCH It's still bleeding a little. Here, let me put this on. He takes up a tiny Band-Aid and, tearing the gauze off, says: MITCH Bend your head down. This little Band-Aid won't show. He presses the tiny Band-Aid over the cut. Melanie takes a mirror from her handbag and, bending her head down, looks at it. She covers her hair over it as Mitch says: MITCH So you came up to see Annie, huh? MELANIE Yes. MITCH I don't believe you. (grins) I think you came up to see me. MELANIE Why would I want to see you, of all people? MITCH (shrugging) I don't know. But it seems to me you must have gone to a lot of trouble to find out who I was, and where I lived and... MELANIE It was no trouble at all. I simply called my father's paper. Besides, I was coming up here anyway, I already told you... MITCH (grinning) You like me, huh? MELANIE I loathe you. You have no manners. And you're arrogant and conceited and... I wrote you a letter about it, in fact, but I tore it up. MITCH What did it say? MELANIE None of your business. (pause) Am I still bleeding? She lowers her head. MITCH Can't see a thing. MELANIE I can't say I like your seagulls much, either. I come all the way up here to... MITCH But you were coming up anyway, remember? MELANIE I was! And all I get for my pains is a... a... a hole in the head! MITCH (grinning) Right next to the one you already had. MELANIE (angrily) Look, Mr. Brenner... LYDIA (O.S.) Mitch? They turn toward the door. MED. SHOT - LYDIA BRENNER closing the door behind her, coming toward the bar. She is a woman in her late forties, attractive, wearing shirt, blouse, cardigan sweater, low heels. There is nothing agrarian-looking about her. She speaks with the quick tempo of the city dweller, and there is lively inquiry in her eyes. LYDIA (puzzled) I thought I saw your car. What are you doing in town? MITCH (rising to greet her) I had to acknowledge a delivery. (grins) Mother, I'd like you to meet... LYDIA A what? MITCH (continuing) Melanie Daniels. Melanie, my mother. CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA Her eyebrows raising ever so slightly, not in displeasure, but simply in enormous curiosity as she acknowledge the introduction. LYDIA How do you do, Miss Daniels? (to Mitch) Acknowledge a what? BACK TO SCENE MITCH A delivery, Mother. Miss Daniels brought some birds from San Francisco. Lydia thinks she understands. This is one of Mitch's San Francisco chippies. LYDIA Oh. I see. MITCH For Cathy. For her birthday. By the way, where is she? LYDIA Across at Brinkmeyer's. MITCH Miss Daniels is staying for the weekend. In fact, I've already invited her to dinner tonight. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE turning to him in surprise, beginning to shake her head. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH MITCH After all, you did go to the trouble of bringing up those birds. MELANIE (O.S.) I'm sorry. I couldn't possibly... BACK TO SCENE LYDIA You did say birds? MITCH Yes, lovebirds. We couldn't let you... LYDIA (understanding completely now) Lovebirds, I see. MITCH ...get away without thanking you in some small way. After all, you haven't even met Cathy and you are staying for the weekend... MELANIE Yes, but... MITCH You are, aren't you? MELANIE Certainly, but... MITCH Then it's settled. What time is dinner, Mother? LYDIA Seven o'clock, same as usual. MITCH I'll pick you up, Miss Daniels. Where are you staying? MELANIE With... with Annie, of course. MITCH Of course, how stupid of me. A quarter to seven, will that be all right? MELANIE Annie... Annie may have made other plans. I'll have to see. Besides, I can find my own way. MITCH You're sure now? You won't hire a boat or anything? MELANIE I'm sure. MITCH Seven o'clock then. MELANIE Maybe. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH grinning. MITCH We'll be waiting. How's your head now? MED. SHOT - THE GROUP Lydia looks at Mitch inquiringly. MELANIE (with an overwarm smile) It's nothing, Mrs. Brenner. A gull hit me, that's all. Lydia stares at her doubtfully. DISSOLVE EXT. ANNIE HAYWORTH'S HOUSE - FULL SHOT Melanie is standing on the front steps, a paper bag in her hands. She rings the doorbell. The ROOM TO LET sign is still in the window. The door suddenly opens. ANNIE (surprised) Oh, hi! (pause) Did you find her all right? TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE MELANIE Yes, I did. There is a long awkward pause. Annie smiles expectantly at Melanie. Melanie seems hesitant. MELANIE I was wondering... ANNIE Yes? MELANIE That sign. (pause) Do you think I could have the room for a single night? ANNIE Well, I'd really hope to rent it for... MELANIE I would appreciate it. I've tried everywhere in town, and they're all full. ANNIE (after a pause) Sure. You can have it. (smiles) Where's your bag? In the car? Melanie holds up the paper bag. Annie looks at it and then smiles. ANNIE It's utilitarian, I'll say that for it. MELANIE (smiling) I just picked up some things for the night at the general store. You see, I hadn't planned on spending much time here. ANNIE Yes, I know. Did something unexpected crop up? There is a moment where both women look at each other... When Melanie answers, it is abrupt and a trifle cold -- she is again telling Annie to mind her own business. MELANIE Yes. (pause) May I use your phone? I'd like to call home. There is another moment where Annie appraises Melanie's attitude, and then accepts it. She suddenly smiles warmly. ANNIE Why don't you come in then? I was just about to mix a martini. She is about to lead Melanie into the house when they both hear a SOUND overhead. They turn to look skyward. LONG SHOT - A FLOCK OF LARGE BIRDS flying in beautiful precise formation against the sky. TWO SHOT - ANNIE AND MELANIE ANNIE (shaking her head) Don't they ever stop migrating? But Melanie is watching the sky and the birds with a curiously serious expression. DISSOLVE LONG SHOT - THE APPROACH ROAD to the Brenner house. Melanie's car is driving along the shore. Behind her, the sky is stained with sunset. There are gulls on the bay, cawing into the silence. FULL SHOT - THE CAR as it pulls into the Brenner yard. MED. SHOT - MELANIE reaching up for the rear view mirror, tilting it to examine her lipstick, touching the edge of her mouth with one hand. She gets out of the car, CAMERA FOLLOWING her to the house. She climbs the porch steps, KNOCKS on the door. There is no answer. Puzzled, she begins walking back into the yard. In the distance, she sees Mitch, Lydia and Cathy coming from behind the chicken sheds. She raises her arm in greeting. MELANIE (calling) Hi! FULL SHOT - MITCH, CATHY, LYDIA in the distance. Mitch and Cathy raise their arms. CATHY (excitedly) Hi! (she breaks into a trot toward Melanie) CLOSE SHOT - CATHY as she approaches. She is an eleven-year- old child, clear-eyed, bright, uninhibited, wearing a shirt and blouse, her hair cropped close to her head. She hesitates for just a moment. CATHY Miss Daniels? MELANIE Yes? And Cathy flings herself into Melanie's arms, almost knocking her off her feet, hugging her fiercely. CATHY They're beautiful! They're just what I wanted! Is there a man and a woman? I can't tell which is which. MELANIE Well, I suppose... FULL SHOT - ALL OF THEM MITCH (coming up) Hi. Annie had no plans, huh? I'm glad you came. Are you hungry? MELANIE Famished. MITCH Dinner's just about ready. (explaining) We were out back looking at the chickens. Something seems to be wrong with them. LYDIA (going toward house) There's nothing wrong with those chickens, Mitch. I'm going to call Fred Brinkmeyer right now. MITCH (as they follow into house) I don't know what good that'll do. (aside to Melanie) Chickens won't eat. FULL SHOT - THE BRENNER HOUSE as they ENTER, CAMERA FOLLOWING them throughout into dining room where Lydia dials phone, talking to Mitch all along. LYDIA He sold the feed to me, didn't he? MITCH Caviat emptor, Mother. Let the buyer beware. LYDIA Whose side are you on? MITCH I'm simply quoting the law. LYDIA Never mind the law. Cathy, you can start serving the soup. She has finished dialing now, is waiting while the phone RINGS. LYDIA This won't take a minute, Miss Dan... (into phone) Hello, Fred? This is Lydia Brenner. I didn't interrupt your dinner, did I? (pause) Fred, that feed you sold me is no good. (pause) The chicken feed. The three bags I brought. CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA holding the telephone. LYDIA Well, it's just no good. The chickens won't eat it. (pause) They're always hungry, Fred. I opened one of the sacks when I got home, and I poured it out for them, and they wouldn't touch it. Now you know chickens as well as I do, and when they won't eat, there's just something wrong with what they're being fed, that's all. (pause) No, they're not fussy chickens. (pause) Who? What's he got to do with it? (pause) Fred, I don't care how much feed you sold him. My chickens... (pause) He did? Dan Fawcett? (pause) This afternoon? (pause) Well, that only proves what I'm saying. The feed you sold us is... (pause) Oh. Oh, I see. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Uh- huh. Maybe I ought to go over to see him. You don't think there's something going around, do you? (pause) No, never. (pause) No, Fred, they don't seem sick at all. They just won't eat. (pause) Mmmm. Mmmmm. Well, I'll try to get over to Dan's farm. Maybe he'll... mmmmm... mmmmm... all right, Fred, thanks. (she hangs up, puzzled) FULL SHOT - THE DINING ROOM as Lydia comes to the table. Mitch and Melanie are sitting opposite each other in the center chairs. Cathy is serving the last bowl of soup. LYDIA (as she sits) He got a call from Dan Fawcett a little while ago. His chickens won't eat, either. CATHY It's what you said, Mom. Mr. Brinkmeyer's feed is no good. LYDIA (slowly) No, Cathy. He sold Mr. Fawcett a different brand. (extremely worried) You don't think they're getting sick, do you, Mitch? CLOSE SHOT - LYDIA her eyes troubled as she picks up her napkin. DISSOLVE FULL SHOT - THE LIVING ROOM The meal is over. The lovebirds in their hanging cage have been covered for the night. In the b.g. Mitch and Lydia are carrying the stacked dishes to the kitchen. In the f.g. Cathy and Melanie are by a small upright piano. Melanie is playing a Debussy Arabesque: She picks up a cigarette from the ashtray now and again to take a puff. CATHY I still don't understand how you knew I wanted lovebirds. MELANIE Your brother told me. LYDIA (as she goes into kitchen) Then you knew Mitch in San Francisco, is that right? MELANIE No, not exactly. CATHY Mitch knows lots of people in San Francisco. Of course, they're mostly hoods. LYDIA (from the kitchen) Cathy! CATHY Well, Mom, he's the first to admit it. (to Melanie) He spends half his day in the detention cells at the Hall of Justice. LYDIA (coming from kitchen) In a democracy, Cathy, everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Your brother's practice... CATHY Mom, please, I know all the democracy jazz. They're still hoods. (to Melanie) He's got a client now who shot his wife in the head six times. Six times, can you imagine it? (she starts for living room) I mean, even twice would be overdoing it, don't you think? MELANIE (to Mitch as he carries load of dishes out) Why did he shoot her? MITCH He was watching a ball game on television. MELANIE What? MITCH His wife changed the channel. He GOES INTO kitchen. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY Melanie interrupts her playing to take another puff at her cigarette. CATHY Is smoking fun? MELANIE Oh, I suppose so. CATHY Could I have a puff? MELANIE I don't think your mother would like that. CATHY (O.S.) Just a little one. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND CATHY They both glance conspiratorially toward the kitchen. Quickly, Melanie extends the cigarette. Quickly, Cathy takes a small puff. CATHY (delighted) Why, it's just like air, isn't it? (determined) When I grow up, I'm gonna smoke like a chimney! I'll be eleven tomorrow, you know. MELANIE I know. CATHY Are you coming to my party? MELANIE I don't think so. (seeing the child's face) I have to get back to San Francisco. CATHY Don't you like us? MELANIE (touching her hair) Darling, of course I do! CATHY Don't you like Bodega Bay? MELANIE I don't know yet. CATHY Mitch likes it very much. He comes up every weekend, you know, even though he has his own apartment in the city. He says San Francisco is just an ant hill at the foot of a bridge. MELANIE (smiling) I guess it does get a little hectic at times. CATHY If you do decide to come, don't say I told you about it. It's supposed to be a surprise party. Melanie laughs. CATHY You see, they've got this whole complicated thing figured out where I'm going over to Michele's for the afternoon, and Michele's mother is going to say she has a headache and would I mind very much if she took me home. Then, when we get back here, all of the kids'll jump out! (pause) Won't you come? Won't you please come? CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE shaking her head, glancing toward the kitchen. MELANIE I don't think so, Cathy. INT. KITCHEN - TWO SHOT - LYDIA AND MITCH Mitch is helping her as she loads the dishwasher. LYDIA She's a charming girl, isn't she, Mitch? MITCH Yes, very. LYDIA And certainly pretty. MITCH Yes. LYDIA How long have you known her? MITCH I told you. We met yesterday. LYDIA In a bird shop. MITCH Yes. LYDIA She was selling birds. MITCH No. I only led her into believing I believed she was... Mother, it's really very complicated. LYDIA But she did buy the lovebirds and then brought them all the way... MITCH Mother, where did you go to law school? LYDIA (laughing) Forgive me. I suppose I'm just naturally curious about a girl like that. (pause) She's very rich, isn't she? MITCH I suppose so. Her father owns a big newspaper in San Francisco. LYDIA You'd think he could manage to keep her name out of print. She's always mentioned in the columns, Mitch. MITCH I know, Mother. LYDIA She is the one who jumped into that fountain in Rome last summer, isn't she? MITCH Yes, Mother. LYDIA Perhaps I'm old-fashioned. (pause) I know it was supposed to be very warm there, Mitch, but... well... actually... well, the newspaper said she was naked. MITCH I know, Mother. LYDIA It's none of my business, of course, but when you bring a girl like that to... MITCH Mother? LYDIA (looking up) Yes? MITCH I think I can handle Melanie Daniels by myself. LYDIA Well... (she sighs) So long as you know what you want, Mitch. MITCH I know exactly what I want, Mother. DISSOLVE FULL SHOT - THE BRENNER LAWN - EXTERIOR - NIGHT as Mitch and Melanie cross it to her car. A wind is blowing off the water, and high fast clouds are scudding across the face of the moon. MITCH You'll be able to find your way back, won't you? MELANIE Oh, yes. MELANIE Will I be seeing you again? MELANIE San Francisco's a long way from here. MITCH I'm in San Francisco five days a week. With a lot of time on my hands. I'd like to see you. (he grins) Maybe we could go swimming or something. Mother tells me you like to swim. MELANIE How does Mother know what I like to do? MITCH I guess she and I read the same gossip columns. MELANIE Oh. That. Rome. MITCH Mmmm. I like to swim. We might get along very... MELANIE In case you're interested, I was pushed into that fountain. MELANIE Without any clothes on? MELANIE With all my clothes on! The newspaper that ran the story happens to be a rival of my father's paper. Anything they said... MITCH You were just a poor, innocent victim of circumstance, huh? MELANIE I'm neither poor nor innocent, but the truth of that particular... MITCH The truth is you were running around with a pretty wild crowd... MELANIE Yes, but... MITCH ...who didn't much care for propriety or convention or... MELANIE Yes. MITCH ...the opinions of others, and you went right along with them, isn't that the truth? MELANIE Yes, that's the truth. But I was pushed into that fountain, and that's the truth, too. MITCH Sure. Do you really know Annie Hayworth? MELANIE No. (pause) At least, I didn't until I came up here. MITCH So you didn't go to school together. MELANIE No. MITCH And you didn't come up here to see her. MELANIE No. MITCH You were lying. MELANIE Yes, I was lying. MITCH Did you really write a letter to me? Or was that a lie, too? MELANIE I wrote the letter. MITCH What did it say? MELANIE It said, "Dear Mr. Brenner, I think you need those lovebirds, after all. They may help your personality." That's what it said. MITCH But you tore it up. MELANIE Yes. MITCH Why? MELANIE Because it seemed stupid and foolish. MITCH Like jumping into a fountain in Rome! MELANIE I told you what happened in Rome! MITCH Do you expect me to believe...? MELANIE I don't give a damn what you believe! Angrily she gets into the car, is about to slam the door when Mitch catches it in his hands. MITCH I'd still like to see you. MELANIE Why? MITCH I think it could be fun. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE pulling the door shut. MELANIE That might have been good enough in Rome last summer. But it's not good enough now. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH MITCH It is for me. CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE MELANIE But not for me. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH MITCH What do you want ? CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE MELANIE (angrily sarcastic) I thought you knew! I want to go through life laughing and beautiful and jumping into fountains naked! Good night! MED. SHOT - THE CAR as it pulls away. Mitch yanks his hands back from the door. CLOSE SHOT - MITCH as he watches the car leave. LONG SHOT - THE ROAD The car turns the bend and disappears. Empty road. Only the long line of telephone poles and wires and... something strange on the wires. CLOSE SHOT MITCH His attention caught by the poles and wires. CLOSE SHOT - THE WIRES Hundreds of birds sitting on them. MED. SHOT - MITCH standing and watching. A wind blows off the water. He shivers suddenly, turns up his collar, and heads for the house. DISSOLVE INT. ANNIE HAYWORTH'S LIVING ROOM - MED. SHOT - ANNIE HAYWORTH In an easy chair, reading. She is wearing a robe and smoking, absorbed in her book. She turns when she hears the front DOOR OPENING. ANNIE Miss Daniels? Is that you? MELANIE (O.S.) Yes. Annie rises to greet her. As Melanie ENTERS THE SHOT: ANNIE Hi. (seeing her face) Is something wrong? Is that cut beginning to bother you? MELANIE (touching her head) No, it's not the cut that's bothering me. ANNIE (concerned) Would you like some brandy? MELANIE If you have some, I'd... ANNIE I'll get it, sit down, Miss Daniels. Do you want a sweater or something? A quilt? As Annie gets the brandy: MELANIE No, thank you. (pause) Won't you call me Melanie? ANNIE All right. (she smiles) MED. SHOT - MELANIE sitting, tucking her legs up under her. She is disturbed by her conversation with Mitch and, in fact, by the way this entire trip has worked out. Annie brings her the glass of brandy, and she takes it gratefully. MELANIE Thank you. ANNIE (sitting opposite her) It gets a little chilly here at night sometimes. Especially if you're over near the bay. Melanie nods and sips at the brandy. There is a long pause. ANNIE Well, how'd your evening go? Melanie shrugs. ANNIE Did you meet Lydia? Melanie nods. ANNIE Or would you rather I changed the subject? MELANIE (with a tired smile) I think so. ANNIE (nodding) How do you like our little hamlet? MELANIE I despise it. ANNIE (laughing) Well, I don't suppose it offers much to the casual visitor. Unless you're thrilled by a collection of shacks on a hillside. It takes a while to get used to. MELANIE Where are you from originally, Annie? ANNIE San Francisco. MELANIE How'd you happen to come here? ANNIE Oh, someone invited me up for the weekend a long time ago. There is an awkward pause. Annie shrugs. ANNIE Look, I see no reason for being coy about this. It was Mitch Brenner. Melanie nods. ANNIE I guess you knew that, anyway. MELANIE I suspected as much. ANNIE You needn't worry. It's over and done with. A long time ago. MELANIE Annie -- there's nothing between Mitch and me. ANNIE Isn't there? (she shrugs) Maybe there isn't. Maybe there's never anything between Mitch and any girl. MELANIE What do you mean? ANNIE I think I'll have some of that, too. (she pours brandy, drinks, sighs) I was seeing quite a lot of him in San Francisco, you know. (she smiles weakly) And then, one weekend, he asked me up to meet Lydia. MELANIE When was this? ANNIE Four years ago. Of course, that was shortly after his father died. Things may be different now. MELANIE Different? ANNIE With Lydia. (pause) Did she seem a trifle distant? MELANIE (smiling) A trifle. ANNIE Then maybe it isn't different at all. You know, her attitude nearly drove me crazy. I simply couldn't understand it. ANNIE When I got back to San Francisco I spent days trying to figure out just what I'd done to displease her. MELANIE And what had you done? ANNIE Nothing! I simply existed. So what was the answer? A jealous woman, right? A clinging possessive mother. (she shakes her head) Wrong. With all due respect to Oedipus, I don't think that was the case at all. MELANIE Then what was it? ANNIE Lydia liked me, you see. That was the strange part of it. In fact, now that I'm no longer a threat, we're very good friends. MELANIE Then why did she object to you? ANNIE Because she was afraid. MELANIE Afraid you'd take Mitch? ANNIE Afraid I'd give Mitch. MELANIE I don't understand. ANNIE Afraid of any woman who'd give Mitch the only thing Lydia can give him -- love. MELANIE Annie, that adds up to a jealous, possessive woman. ANNIE No, I don't think so. She's not afraid of losing her son, you see. She's only afraid of being abandoned. MELANIE Someone ought to tell her she'd be gaining a daughter. ANNIE She already has a daughter. MELANIE What about Mitch? Didn't he have anything to say about this? ANNIE (apologetically) I can understand his position. He went through a lot with Lydia after his father died. He didn't want to risk going through it all over again. MELANIE I see. ANNIE So it ended. Not immediately, of course. I went back to San Francisco, and I still saw Mitch every now and then... but we both knew it was finished. MELANIE Then what are you doing here in Bodega Bay? ANNIE You get straight to the point, don't you? MELANIE I'm sorry. Forgive me. ANNIE No, that's all right, I don't mind. I came up here for two reasons. To begin with, I was bored with my job in San Francisco. I was teaching at a private school there... well, you know, you probably went to one yourself. MELANIE I did. ANNIE Then you know. Little girls in brown beanies. Deadly. Here I have a life. I'll go into that classroom on Monday morning, and I'll look out at twenty- five upturned little faces, and each of them will be saying, 'Yes, please give me what you have.' (pause) And I'll give them what I have. I haven't got very much, but I'll give them every ounce of it. To me, that's very important. It makes me want to stay alive for a long long time. (she sighs) That's the first reason. MELANIE And the second? ANNIE (simply) I wanted to be near Mitch. (pause) It was over, and I knew it, but I wanted to be near him, anyway. (she smiles) You see, I still like him a hell of a lot. That's rare, I think. I don't want to lose his friendship... ever. There is a moment of silence. Into the silence, the TELEPHONE shrills. Annie hesitates a moment, and then goes to answer it. CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE at the phone. ANNIE Hello? Oh, hello. No, no, I wasn't asleep. What is it? (pause) Yes, just a little while ago. Sure, hold on. (she turns to Melanie) It's Mitch. For you. TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE as they stare at each other across the room, Melanie hesitating. ANNIE He's waiting. Melanie rises and goes to the phone. The CAMERA FOLLOWS Annie to the wing chair in the foreground and stays on her throughout following, recording her reactions as Melanie talks to Mitch in the background. Annie is not devastated by this call, and yet there is a wistfulness to her expression as she realizes she may finally and irrevocably be losing Mitch to another girl. MELANIE (at phone; coolly) Hello? Yes, this is Melanie. Fine, thank you. No, no trouble at all. I simply followed the road. It's a very bright night. (pause) What? Oh. Well, there's no need to apologize. I can understand... (pause; she listens) Well... (she listens again) That's very kind of you. No, I'm not angry. (she listens) I couldn't. I'm afraid I have to get back to San Francisco. (pause) No, I wouldn't want to disappoint Cathy, but... (pause) I see. (she is warming) I see. Well, if you really... (pause) All right. Yes, I'll be there. (pause) Good night, Mitch. She hangs up and looks at Annie in embarrassment. MELANIE He wants me to go to Cathy's party tomorrow afternoon. (pause) I said I would. ANNIE I'll be going, too, to help out. It should be fun, Melanie. MELANIE It seems so pointless. (she sighs) I think I'll go to sleep. This has been a busy day. (picking up her paper bag) My luggage. She smiles, takes out a flowered muumuu, holds it up to Annie. ANNIE Pretty. Did you get that at Brinkmeyer's? Melanie nods and drapes the muumuu over her arm. She is silent for a moment, pensive. Then: MELANIE Do you think I should go? ANNIE That's up to you. MELANIE It's really up to Lydia, isn't it? ANNIE Never mind Lydia. Do you want to go? MELANIE (firmly) Yes. ANNIE Then go. The room is silent. Melanie nods, slowly, and then smiles.