"THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER" screenplay by James Agee and Charles Laughton Based on a novel by Davis Grubb SHOOTING DRAFT 1955 FULL SHOT -- THE STARLIT SKY VOICE And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying... FADE sky to day. LAP DISSOLVE TO: LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- OHIO RIVER COUNTRY High over the country, CENTERING the winding river. VOICE Beware of false prophets... LOWER LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- RIVER COUNTRY We approach a riverside village. VOICE ...which come to you in sheep's clothing... A CLOSER, LOWER HELICOPTER SHOT We descend low over a deserted house; CHILDREN in yard run and hide; we hear "IT" counting "five, ten, fifteen, twenty..." VOICE ...but inwardly they are ravening wolves. MEDIUM SHOT -- "IT" He finishes his count with a loud "Hundred" and turns, then: "IT" What's wrong? We PAN as he comes towards a little boy, beside an open cellar door, who gestures towards the open door. "IT" looks down. "IT" (a low gasp) Heyy! (then he shouts to all and to us) Heyy! We DOLLY IN fast to, and TILT DOWN into open cellar, into: CLOSE SHOT -- A LEG A skeletal leg in a rotted fume of stocking and a high-heeled shoe. We HOLD a moment, then PULL UP and AWAY over the converging heads of several CHILDREN. A CHILD whimpers softly. HELICOPTER SHOT The yard and the CHILDREN, same angle and height as the last descending helicopter shot. We PULL BACK and AWAY. VOICE Ye shall know them by their fruits. DISSOLVE TO: HIGH LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER CENTERING the river. VOICE A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit... LOWER LONG SHOT (HELICOPTER) CENTERING on open touring car, as it drives along a river road. VOICE Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. We STOOP LOW towards the car. VOICE Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. CUT TO: CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER He is the driver of the car. Pleasant river landscapes (PROCESS) flow behind him. He is dressed in dark clothes, a paper collar, a string tie. As he drives he talks to himself. PREACHER What's it to be, Lord, another widow? Has it been six? Twelve?... I disremember. He nods, smiles, and touches his hat. We see a farm couple in a poor wagon. PREACHER You say the word, and I'm on my way. LAP DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER DRIVING He brakes his car in a small riverside town; then proceeds. PREACHER You always send me money to go forth and preach your Word. A widow with a little wad of bills hidden away in the sugar- bowl. LAP DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER DRIVING He shifts into second gear, climbing a steep little hill. PREACHER I am tired. Sometimes I wonder if you really understand. (pause) Not that you mind the killin's... The stones of a country graveyard gleam in the last daylight. PREACHER Yore Book is full of killin's. He starts fast and noisily down a steep hill. PREACHER But there are things you do hate, Lord: perfume-smellin' things -- lacy things -- things with curly hair -- CUT TO: INT. A BURLESQUE HOUSE -- MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- A DANCER She is hard at work, to music o.s. FULL SHOT -- AUDIENCE -- CENTERING ON PREACHER, IN AISLE SEAT Among the members of the sad burlesque audience, he is in strong contrast: a sour and aggressive expression. Music o.s. We MOVE IN fast to a HEAD CLOSE-UP. MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- THE DANCER INSERT -- PREACHER'S LEFT HAND Labeled H-A-T-E in tattoo across four knuckles, it grips and flexes. INSERT -- HIS RIGHT HAND Before we see the lettering he slides it into his pocket. EXTREME CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER His head slants; a cold smile; one eyelid flutters. INSERT -- RIGHT HAND AND POCKET We hear the snapping open of a switch-blade knife and the point of the knife cuts through his clothes. LESS EXTREME CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER He seems to "listen" for something. PREACHER No, there are too many of them; you can't kill a world. A hand descends firmly onto his shoulder. He glances up behind him as we TILT TO: CLOSE SHOT -- A STATE TROOPER He bends down and speaks quietly next PREACHER'S ear. TROOPER You driving an Essex tourin'-car with a Moundsville license? LAP DISSOLVE TO: INT. COURTROOM -- CLOSE THREE-SHOT -- JUDGE AND CLERK, OVER PREACHER JUDGE Harry Powell, for the theft of that touring car you will spend thirty days in the Moundsville Penitentiary. PREACHER (correcting Clerk) Preacher Harry Powell. JUDGE A car thief! Picked up where you were! A man of God? (to Clerk) Harry Powell. LAP DISSOLVE TO: FULL SHOT -- MOUNDSVILLE PENITENTIARY -- DAY (HELICOPTER) A grim stone turretted façade; an American flag idles at top center. LAP DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE DOWNWARD TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL HARPER They sit in the grass, a sentimental picture. JOHN is nine; PEARL is five. They are working together on PEARL'S doll; PEARL is dressing her, while JOHN gets on a difficult shoe. PEARL HARPER Stand still, Miss Jenny! JOHN HARPER (across her) There! What's so hard about that! He proudly exhibits the shod foot. They hear the sound of an auto engine o.s. They look o.s. and get up, PEARL dangling the doll. LONG SHOT -- OVER THE CHILDREN -- BEN HARPER'S FORD A Model-T Ford approaches at maximal speed on uneven dirt road. PEARL HARPER (to John, happily) Daddy! The car careens towards us; then swings into the sideyard as we PAN, and stops. They run towards their father fast; then JOHN looks puzzled and they stop short. BEN HARPER half-falls out of the far door, his shoulder blood- stained, his eyes wild. A hefty, simple man of thirty. He looks at them, dazed, across the car. MEDIUM SHOT -- BEN HARPER BEN HARPER Where's your Mom? JOHN HARPER Out shopping -- you're bleeding, Dad -- BEN HARPER Listen to me John. On this he comes around clear of the car with a revolver in one hand and a bloody roll of banknotes in the other. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He screams. BEN slaps him with the back of the money hand, leaving blood on JOHN'S cheek. CLOSE GROUP SHOT -- JOHN, BEN, PEARL PEARL, and the house, are in BACKGROUND. PEARL just clutches her doll. During BEN'S next lines, JOHN touches his cheek and looks at the blood on his fingers and at the bloody money -- of which we FLASH-CUT an INSERT. BEN HARPER (rushing) Listen! This money here! We got to hide it before they get me! There's close to ten thousand dollars. (his eyes dart wildly) Under a rock in the smokehouse? Ah no. Under the bricks in the grape arbor? No, they'd dig for it. CLOSE SHOT -- BEN BEN HARPER (sudden triumph) Why sure! That's the place! He moves forward and OUT and in his place we see two police cars, small in distance, coming fast. We hear sirens. INT. FRONT POLICE CAR -- THROUGH WINDSHIELD ...and OVER two STATE TROOPERS. They move at high speed, with sirens. BEN and his CHILDREN, tiny in the distance, dilate. TROOPER (driving) That's him. 2ND TROOPER (over his shoulder, as if to us) He prob'ly still has that gun. CLOSE GROUP SHOT -- BEN AND CHILDREN ...police cars approaching in BACKGROUND. PEARL hugs her doll. JOHN is dazed. BEN stands, pistol in hand. BEN HARPER Here they come. JOHN HARPER Dad, you're bleeding... He grabs JOHN'S shoulder and stoops as we TIGHTEN IN. BEN HARPER Listen to me son. You got to swear. Swear means promise. First swear you'll take care of little Pearl. Guard her with your life, boy. Then swear you won't never tell where that money's hid. Not even your Mom. JOHN HARPER Yes, Dad. BEN HARPER You understand? JOHN HARPER Not even her? In b.g. the TROOPERS get out of their cars and fan out cautiously to surround BEN: guns in hand. BEN HARPER You got common sense. She ain't. When you grow up that money'll be yours. Now swear. "I will guard Pearl with my life..." JOHN HARPER (fumbling) I will guard Pearl with my life... BEN HARPER ..."and I won't never tell about the money." JOHN HARPER And I won't never tell about the money. PEARL HARPER You, Pearl. You swear too. CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL PEARL HARPER (giggling) Who's them Blue Men yonder? HEAD CLOSE-UP -- JOHN JOHN HARPER (under breath) Blue men. GROUP SHOT -- TROOPERS IN BACKGROUND A TROOPER Ben Harper! BEN HARPER I'm goin' now children. Goodbye. BEN backs away from his CHILDREN, raising his hands, gun in one hand. We PULL BACK a little, enlarging the GROUP SHOT and the role of the TROOPERS in it. TROOPER Drop that gun, Harper. We don't want them kids hurt. TWO TROOPERS approach BEN from behind. BEN HARPER Just mind what you swore, son. Mind, boy! GROUP SHOT -- JOHN He runs forward and clasps his stomach, with his mouth open. MEDIUM SHOT -- BEN AND TROOPERS -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT One TROOPER smacks the back of BEN'S head with a pistol barrel. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN JOHN HARPER (shouting; a sickly smile) Don't! MEDIUM SHOT -- BEN AND TROOPERS -- AS BEFORE Another TROOPER, with a pistol barrel, knocks the pistol from BEN'S lifted hand. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN JOHN HARPER (shouting) Don't! BEN sinks to his knees as both men, and two others from the front, close in on him. HEAD CLOSE-UP -- JOHN JOHN HARPER Dad! He takes in the GROUP with his mouth open. o.s. we hear the slamming of car doors, and car starting away. FULL SHOT -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT -- THE CARS They drive away fast in road dust. THREE-SHOT -- THE CHILDREN AND WILLA HARPER Carrying a shopping bag, their mother, WILLA, runs up from BACKGROUND between the CHILDREN, looking always to cars o.s. CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA She has a rich body. RESUME THREE-SHOT PEARL comes to her and she picks up PEARL and the doll; JOHN, laden with his oath, walks quickly into the house. WILLA does a bewildered take, then looks again towards the cars o.s. LAP DISSOLVE TO: INT. COURTROOM -- CLOSE THREE-SHOT -- JUDGE AND CLERK, OVER BEN JUDGE Ben Harper, it is the sentence of this Court that for the murder of Ed Smiley and Corey South, you be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may God have mercy on your soul. LAP DISSOLVE TO: FULL SHOT -- THE MOUNDSVILLE PENITENTIARY SAME VIEW AS BEFORE; BUT NOW IT IS NIGHT LAP DISSOLVE TO: INT. BEN'S CELL -- NIGHT -- CLOSE DOWN-SHOT -- BEN He lies on his back, chuckling and murmuring indistinctly in his sleep. BEN HARPER I got you all buffaloed! You ain't never gonna git it outen me; not none o' you! PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s., very low) Where, Ben? Where? Where? BEN HARPER (distinctly) And a little child shall lead them. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- NEW ANGLE -- BEN, THEN PREACHER BEN lies in profile. From the bunk above, the face of PREACHER stretches down into the SHOT, upside down, snake-like. PREACHER (softly) Come on, boy: tell me. BEN wakes, sees PREACHER, and hits him so hard in the face that he falls from bunk to floor. PREACHER collects himself into a squat, nursing his face. BEN sits up in bed. PREACHER (with wholesome dignity) Ben, I'm a Man of God. BEN HARPER Tryin' to make me talk about it in my sleep! PREACHER No, Ben. BEN HARPER What'd I say? (he grabs Preacher's throat and shakes him) What? What? What? What? PREACHER (choking) You was quotin' Scripture. You said -- you said, "And a little child shall lead them." BEN HARPER Hm! He lies back, amused. PREACHER sits on the bedside; manner of a parson visiting the sick. PREACHER (gravely) You killed two men, Ben Harper. BEN HARPER That's right, Preacher. I robbed that bank because I got tired of seein' children roamin' the woodlands without food, children roamin' the highways in this year of Depression; children sleepin' in old abandoned car bodies on junk-heaps; and I promised myself I'd never see the day when my youngins'd want. PREACHER With that ten thousand dollars I could build a Tabernacle that'd make the Wheeling Island Tabernacle look like a chicken-house! BEN HARPER Would you have free candy for the kids, Preacher? He picks up and wads a sock. PREACHER Think of it, Ben! With that cursed, bloodied gold! BEN HARPER How come you got that stickknife hid in your bed-blankets, Preacher? PREACHER I come not with Peace but with a Sword. BEN HARPER You, Preacher? PREACHER gets and pockets the knife. PREACHER That Sword has served me through many an evil time, Ben Harper. BEN HARPER What religion do you profess, Preacher? PREACHER The religion the Almighty and me worked out betwixt us. BEN HARPER (contemptuously) I'll bet. PREACHER Salvation is a last-minute business, boy. BEN HARPER (sock near mouth) Keep talkin', Preacher. PREACHER If you was to let that money serve the Lord's purposes, He might feel kindly turned towards you. BEN HARPER Keep talkin', Preacher. He wads the sock into his mouth and lies back, sardonic. PREACHER (his voice fading into Dissolve) You reckon the Lord wouldn't change his mind about you if... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PENITENTIARY COURTYARD -- NIGHT DISSOLVE TO: INSERT -- PREACHER'S HANDS They rest on sill of cell window, the lettered fingers legible. The right hand is lettered L-O-V-E. The hands open, disclosing his open knife. They close over it. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER, AT CELL WINDOW His eyes lift from his hands, heavenward. Moonlight on his face. He prays, quietly. PREACHER Lord You sure knowed what You was doin' when You brung me to this very cell at this very time. A man with ten thousand dollars hid somewheres, and a widder in the makin'. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PENITENTIARY COURTYARD -- NIGHT Same SHOT as before, but now, prison lights are on; and a man, a prison GUARD, waits close inside door. BART the HANGMAN joins him with a silent salute. BART wears a hard derby. EXT. PENITENTIARY -- THE DOOR -- (REVERSE) They walk in silence into MEDIUM, MOVING SHOT, the GUARD talkative, BART reluctant to talk. The Penitentiary recedes in b.g. GUARD Any trouble? BART No. GUARD He was a cool one, that Harper. Never broke. BART He carried on some; kicked. EXT. BART'S HOUSE -- MEDIUM SHOT -- BART AND GUARD On porch, by door, is a doll's perambulator. BART and GUARD walk into the SHOT. GUARD stops, BART starts up his front steps. GUARD He never told about the money. BART (walking up steps) No. GUARD What do you figure he done with it? BART (turning, at door) He took the secret with him when I dropped him. The GUARD leaves the SHOT; BART goes in. INT. BART'S HALLWAY -- CLOSE SHOT -- BART He hangs up his coat and hat. Across this his wife speaks o.s.; a lighted door is ajar at rear of hall. A clatter of dishes and pans o.s. BART'S WIFE (o.s.) That you, Bart? Supper's waitin'. BART just nods, and, tiptoeing, walks into a door next the kitchen and snaps on a light and turns on water o.s. His wife comes out of the kitchen and goes in. INT. BART'S BATHROOM -- CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- BART AND WIFE He is washing his hands in thick lather. Passing, she pecks his cheek and, as we PAN, looks into the next room. He looks past her, and we see two small CHILDREN asleep in a big brass bed. BART registers, turns again to the basin, and we PAN them back into the original TWO-SHOT. BART (low) Mother: sometimes I think it might be better if I was to quit my job as guard. His WIFE'S eyes go sharp and quiet. WIFE (low) You're always this way when there's a hangin'. You never have to be there. BART rinses his hands. A sigh; he takes up the towel. BART Sometimes I wish I was back at the mine. WIFE And leave me a widow after another blast like the one in '24? Not on your life, old mister! He looks at her a moment. She goes out. He looks o.s. towards his CHILDREN. He goes into their room on tiptoe. MEDIUM SHOT -- BART He approaches his children, across whose bed WE SHOOT without yet seeing them. He comes into MEDIUM CLOSE-UP. As he leans and we TILT DOWN, he extends his large hands. CLOSE DOWNWARD TWO-SHOT -- HIS CHILDREN Two rose-and-gold little GIRLS lie in sleep; BART'S hands enter the SHOT and gently rearrange the covers so that their mouths and throats are free. We watch, for a moment more, the two sleeping faces. LAP DISSOLVE TO: HEAD CLOSE-UP -- BART, HOVERING HIS CHILDREN CHILDREN'S VOICES (o.s. chanting) Hing, hang, hung. See what the Hangman done! LAP DISSOLVE TO: EXT. CRESAP'S LANDING -- DAY We are in Peacock Alley. The tree-shaded dirt street of a small, one-street river town; a picturesque, mid-19th-century remnant of the old river civilization, which general progress has left behind. Chiefly we see, in this order: A schoolhouse (on far side of street); Miz Cunningham's second-hand shop; a Grange House sporting a poster for a Western movie; Spoon's Ice Cream Parlor. At the end of this street, down the river- bank, is a brick wharf and UNCLE BIRDIE'S wharf-boat. In b.g. and in passing, suggestions of sleepy small-town life. From the HEAD CLOSE-UP of BART the Hangman o.s. chanting, we LAP DISSOLVE TO: HEAD CLOSE-UP -- JOHN HARPER Chanting VOICES o.s. complete "see what the Hangman done!" PULL BACK TO: CLOSE PULLING TWO-SHOT -- PEARL AND JOHN They stroll barefoot down the empty dirt sidewalk. They look towards the voices, PEARL friendly, JOHN hostile. MEDIUM SHOT -- THE CHILDREN, OVER JOHN AND PEARL Several, within the door of the Schoolhouse, stick their heads around the edge. They chant at the HARPER CHILDREN. Another, next the door, is drawing something on the wall. CHILDREN (chanting) Hung, hang, hing! See the Robber swing! OVER these lines we CUT briefly to -- CLOSER SHOT -- THE CHILDREN ...chanting, drawing. The ARTIST completes in chalk, a large simple sketch of a man hanging from gallows. As the verse ends we CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT -- THE CHILDREN, OVER JOHN AND PEARL They look towards OUR CHILDREN; JOHN pays them no attention. The drawing is revealed. JOHN takes PEARL'S hand. The other CHILDREN giggle. CHILDREN (chanting) Hing, hang, hung! Now my song is done! Between lines one and two JOHN turns away from them into -- CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL -- THROUGH WINDOW We SHOOT them through the window of MIZ CUNNINGHAM'S second- hand store. The back of a watch is silhouetted large in FOREGROUND; JOHN'S eyes instantly fix on it; in b.g. the SCHOOL-CHILDREN finish their song and vanish, giggling, into the schoolhouse. We hear the ticking of the watch. INSERT -- THE WATCH A watch with a moving sweep-hand, ticking. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL PEARL HARPER Are you goin' to buy it, John? No answer. JOHN'S eyes are fixed on the watch. OVER a shop- doorbell we hear: MIZ CUNNINGHAM'S VOICE (o.s.) Uh-Hawwww! (They glance toward her.) MEDIUM SHOT -- MIZ CUNNINGHAM Fantastically dirty and fantastically dressed, she hustles to them and we PAN her into a THREE-SHOT. She talks like a Tidewater Cockatoo. MIZ CUNNINGHAM (continuing) So your Mommy's keepin' you out of school! Poor little lambs! PEARL watches her; JOHN, the watch. MIZ CUNNINGHAM And how is your poor, poor mother? JOHN HARPER She's at Spoon's Ice Cream Parlor. MIZ CUNNINGHAM (she snuffles) The Lord tends you both these days! JOHN doesn't take his eyes off the watch. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN His eyes are fixed on the watch o.s. MIZ CUNNINGHAM'S VOICE (o.s.) Didn't they never find out what your father done with all that money he stole? Eyes as before till "money," then he looks up towards her. MEDIUM SHOT -- MIZ CUNNINGHAM MIZ CUNNINGHAM When they caught him, there wasn't so much as a penny of it to be seen! Now what do you make of that! Eh, boy? She grins horribly. TWO-SHOT -- OVER JOHN AND PEARL JOHN HARPER Pearl and me, we have to go. He walks off fast as we DOLLY BEHIND THEM; he leads PEARL, who hugs her doll. PEARL HARPER (chanting) Hing, hang, hung. JOHN HARPER You better not sing that song. PEARL HARPER Why? JOHN HARPER 'Cause you're too little. A few paces in silence; now they come to the big window of Spoon's Ice Cream Parlor. PEARL HARPER Can we get some candy? WILLA'S face is seen within; serving a customer, she sees them and waves them away. JOHN HARPER No. He keeps her strolling. WALT SPOON, comes out, proffering two lollypops. WALT Howdy, youngins. PEARL drags at JOHN'S hand but JOHN, pretending not to see or hear, drags her out of the SHOT, shaking his head. We DOLLY IN on WALT, who looks after them, surprised and touched, then goes inside. INT. SPOON'S PARLOR -- GROUP SHOT -- WALT, WILLA, ICEY SPOON We PAN WALT across a little of his Parlor; he plants the lollypops back in a jar on the counter and leaves the SHOT as we TIGHTEN IN on WILLA and ICEY. WILLA slides used dishes into wash-water; ICEY jaws down her back, from first moment of shot. ICEY SPOON Willa Harper there is certain plain facts of life that adds up just like two plus two makes four and one of them is this: No woman is good enough to raise growin' youngsters alone! The Lord meant that job for two! WILLA HARPER Icey, I don't want a husband. CLOSE SHOT -- ICEY ICEY SPOON (fiercely) Fiddlesticks! LAP DISSOLVE TO: FULL SHOT -- EXT. STREET -- NIGHT The weekly movie audience is letting out, next door to SPOON'S. Some start cars or wagons, others stroll to SPOON'S. LAP DISSOLVE TO: INT. SPOON'S PARLOR -- EVENING -- TWO-SHOT -- ICEY AND WILLA We start with a CLOSE SHOT as ICEY'S hands slap together a gooey banana split; TILT UP to TWO-SHOT, favoring ICEY; finish on WILLA, on "it's a man you need," etc. Murmur of CUSTOMERS o.s. WALT'S VOICE (calling o.s.) One solid brown sody, one Lovers' Delight. ICEY SPOON 'Tain't a matter of wantin' or not wantin'! You're no spring chicken, you're a grown woman with two little youngins; it's a man you need in the house, Willa Harper! LAP DISSOLVE TO: LONG SHOT -- NIGHT -- A TRAIN A short, lighted, toy-like train departs the town along the river-bank, whistling. The whistle TIES OVER the previous DISSOLVE. STARLIT SKY. LAP DISSOLVE TO: FRAMING SHOT -- EXT. HARPER HOUSE -- NIGHT A square, HEAD-ON SHOT, river water below and vibrant starlight above; featuring a gas-lamp by the road; a tree; and pretty tree-shadows which work across a window. INT. HARPER CHILDREN'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT -- TWO-SHOT -- JOHN, PEARL, SHADOWS PEARL lies in their bed, her doll snug on her shoulder. JOHN sits on the edge of the bed, in his underwear. PEARL HARPER Tell me a story, John. JOHN HARPER Once upon a time there was a rich king... (he sees the shadows on the wall and gets up and looks at them) ...and he had him a son and a daughter and they all lived in a castle over in Africa. Well, one day this King got taken away by bad men and before he got took off he told his son to kill anyone that tried to steal their gold, and before long these bad men come back and -- PEARL HARPER The Blue Men? He moves, and as his shadow moves away we see the shadow of PREACHER, motionless. PEARL sits up and points at it. JOHN notices her and sees it. We PAN JOHN to the window. He looks out. FULL SHOT -- PREACHER -- THROUGH WINDOW, JOHN'S VIEWPOINT. He stands motionless. RESUME PREVIOUS SHOT -- JOHN AT WINDOW He turns and we PAN him to bed. JOHN HARPER (casually) Just a man. (he climbs into bed and pulls up the covers) Goodnight Pearl, sleep tight; and don't let the bedbugs bite. PEARL HARPER (to doll) 'Night Miss Jenny; don't let the bedbugs bite. As they settle down we hear PREACHER'S singing, sweet and quiet o.s.: "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." DISSOLVE TO: EXT. RIVER AND TOWN -- MORNING -- FULL SHOT -- A GINGERBREAD SIDE-WHEELER She steams around a bend towards a toy-like small town. PREACHER'S song, o.s., ties over. People are waving from shore and boat. FULL PANNING SHOT -- THE BOAT, FROM SHORE We PAN her into frame UNCLE BIRDIE STEPTOE'S toy-like little wharf-boat. As she passes broadside we CUT TO: MEDIUM SHOT -- BIRDIE, THEN JOHN ...as boat passes. BIRDIE'S head sticks through a porthole. He is a wiry old river character. The boat whistles. As BIRDIE speaks we PAN JOHN, and foundered skiff, into TWO-SHOT with BIRDIE. BIRDIE STEPTOE She don't put in at Cresap's Landing no more, but she still blows as she passes. Come on in and have a cup of coffee. JOHN HARPER (starting towards him) Ain't nobody stole Dad's skiff. BIRDIE STEPTOE Ain't nobody goin' to neither, long as Uncle Birdie's around. He vanishes from the porthole. We PAN JOHN from skiff to wharf and Birdie's door. BIRDIE'S VOICE (calling o.s.) First day my jints is limber enough I'll haul her up and give her a good caulkin'. INT. BIRDIE'S BOAT -- TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE JOHN enters and sits on a box. BIRDIE, in a ramshackle rocking chair, pours coffee. BESS'S photograph on chest near BIRDIE. BIRDIE STEPTOE Ain't seen you in a coon's age, Johnny. JOHN HARPER I been mindin' Pearl. BIRDIE STEPTOE Pshaw now! Ain't it a caution what women'll load onto a feller's back when he ain't lookin'? He gives JOHN a cup of coffee. BIRDIE STEPTOE 'Scuse me, Cap, while I sweeten up my coffee. He fetches a liquor bottle from beneath the rocking chair; about to pour he does a take at BESS'S PHOTOGRAPH. INSERT -- THE PHOTOGRAPH It stands in a cabinet frame: A fine-looking young woman in archaic dress, with sharp, accusing black eyes. BIRDIE'S VOICE (o.s.) Dead and gone these twenty-five years and never takes her eyes off me. CUT OVER his line to -- CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE He turns the picture away and splashes liquor into his coffee. BIRDIE STEPTOE (pouring) Man o' my years needs a little snort to get his boiler heated of a morning. They drink. BIRDIE, satisfied, sighs and rocks. BIRDIE STEPTOE This mornin' I was talkin' to this stranger up at the boarding-house. He knowed your Dad! CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN JOHN looks cautious. JOHN HARPER Where did he know Dad? CLOSE SHOT -- BIRDIE BIRDIE'S face falls; he takes another drink. BIRDIE STEPTOE Well, boy, I'll not hide the truth; it was up at Moundsville Penitentiary. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- NEW ANGLE JOHN puts his cup down and gets up. JOHN HARPER I got to go now, Uncle Birdie. He heads for the door. BIRDIE STEPTOE Why shucks boy, you just got here. He follows JOHN to the door. JOHN runs up the bank, not looking back. JOHN HARPER (running) I told Mom I'd be back to Spoon's for Pearl. EXT. STREET -- MEDIUM SHOT -- JOHN He runs up the street close to Spoon's and stops dead. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He is horrified by what he sees. INT. SPOON'S ICE CREAM PARLOR GROUP SHOT through door-glass, from JOHN'S VIEW POINT PREACHER, WILLA and PEARL surround a little table. WALT stands by, puffing his pipe. ICEY in BACKGROUND, stirs fudge at a little soda-fountain stove. WILLA looks both moved and pleased. PEARL, shyly flirting with PREACHER, all but hides in WILLA'S skirts. PREACHER dandles PEARL'S doll on his knee as he talks. All the grownups are avid for his words, which we don't hear through the glass. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN We SHOOT THROUGH the DOOR; he quietly enters. GROUP SHOT They look casually to JOHN, and continue talking. ICEY SPOON (stirring; with a meaningful glance at Willa) God works in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. OVER this JOHN ENTERS the SHOT and stands at the fringe of the GROUP, staring at PREACHER'S hands and at the doll. PREACHER I was with Brother Harper almost to the end;... GROUP SHOT -- NEW ANGLE -- FAVORING JOHN AND PREACHER PREACHER (continuing) ...and now that I'm no longer employed by the Penitentiary it is my joy to bring this small comfort to his loved ones. FLASH-CUT CLOSE-UP -- JOHN On "Penitentiary" he glances quickly at PREACHER'S face; then back to his hands. GROUP SHOT -- ICEY ICEY SPOON (sniffing) It's a mighty good man would come out of his way to bring a word of cheer to a grieving widow! CLOSE SHOT -- WALT WALT So you ain't with the State no more? GROUP SHOT -- FAVORING PREACHER AND JOHN PREACHER No, Brother; I resigned only yesterday. The heart-renderin' spectacle of them poor men was too much for me. He becomes aware of JOHN'S staring. PREACHER Ah, little lad, you're staring at my fingers. He hands the doll to PEARL. JOHN'S eyes follow the doll. PREACHER holds up both hands to JOHN. JOHN looks back at his hands. PREACHER Shall I tell you the little story of Right-Hand-Left-Hand -- the tale of Good and Evil? JOHN stands still. PEARL, with her doll, crosses to PREACHER and twines about his knee. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He looks on, in dumb alarm. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER PREACHER H-A-T-E! (he thrusts up his left hand) It was with this left hand that old brother Cain struck the blow that laid his brother low! L-O-V-E! (he thrusts up his right hand) See these here fingers, dear friends! These fingers has veins that lead straight to the soul of man! The right hand, friends! The hand of Love! GROUP SHOT -- ICEY, WALT, WILLA -- OVER PREACHER'S HANDS They are impressed in their different ways. PREACHER (o.s.) Now watch and I'll show you the Story of Life. The fingers of these hands, dear hearts! -- They're always a- tuggin' and a-warrin' one hand agin' t'other. (he locks his fingers and writhes them, crackling the joints) Look at 'em, dear hearts! MEDIUM SHOT -- JOHN -- OVER PREACHER'S HANDS He looks on with unseeing eyes. PREACHER (o.s.) Old Left Hand Hate's a-fightin' and it looks like Old Right Hand Love's a goner! GROUP SHOT -- WALT, ICEY, WILLA, OVER HANDS PREACHER (o.s.) But wait now! Hot dog! Love's a- winnin! Yessirree! CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER PREACHER It's Love that won! Old Left Hand Hate's gone down for the count! (he crashes both hands onto the table) FULL SHOT -- THE WHOLE GROUP Slight applause from the ADULTS. PREACHER takes PEARL, with her doll, onto his lap. ICEY SPOON I never heard it better told. I wish every soul in this community could git the benefit. You jest got to stay for our church pick-nick Sunday! PEARL offers PREACHER the DOLL to kiss. PREACHER complies. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN'S REACTION RESUME GROUP SHOT PREACHER (finessing it) I must wend my way down River on the Lord's work. ICEY SPOON You ain't leavin' in no hurry if we can help it! WILLA HARPER John: take that look offen your face and act nice. PREACHER He don't mean no impudence; do you, boy? (no answer) Do you, boy? Ah, many's the time poor Brother Ben told me about these youngins. JOHN HARPER What did he tell you? CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER He does a little take. His eyes twinkle palely. PREACHER Why, he told me what fine little lambs you and your sister both was. GROUP SHOT JOHN HARPER Is that all? CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER Something new enters his eyes; a game has begun between them. PREACHER Why, no, boy; he told me lots and lots of things. Nice things, boy. A tight silence. ICEY pours fudge into a buttered pan. PREACHER My, that fudge smells yummy! CLOSE SHOT -- ICEY ICEY SPOON (with horrid archness) It's for the pick-nick. And you won't get a smidgen of my fudge unless you stay for the pick-nick! Over her line, o.s., hymn-singing begins and now, OVER her "the case rests" smile we bring up the singing and LAP DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE RIVER BANK -- CHURCH IN BACKGROUND -- FULL SHOT -- THE SINGING PICKNICKERS A pleasant, grassy river-bank. Few men in proportion to women and children. We CENTER PREACHER. They are singing "Brighten the Corner;" PREACHER sings conspicuously well. The women watch him and admire him. He gives WILLA the eye as we PAN to CENTER WILLA, who looks wooed and self-conscious. ICEY enters the SHOT and whispers and beckons WILLA and, as the singing continues, they leave the group and start towards a shade tree in MEDIUM GROUND, which we PAN TO CENTER. FULL SHOT -- WILLA AND ICEY They walk; singers in BACKGROUND. ICEY SPOON Don't he have the grandest singin' voice? WILLA nods. ICEY, looking ahead, is displeased. MEDIUM SHOT -- THE TREE, JOHN AND PEARL They sit on the bench, their backs to us, partly concealed by the tree trunk. ICEY'S VOICE (sharp) John! Pearl! They look around. ICEY and WILLA enter the SHOT, their backs to us. ICEY SPOON Run along and play, you two. JOHN HARPER Where? ICEY SPOON Down by the river. My goodness! Docile, they leave the shot as WILLA and ICEY approach the bench. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND ICEY They sit on the bench, their back to us. The CHILDREN recede towards the river in BACKGROUND. WILLA meekly keeps her head down. Singing continues o.s. ICEY SPOON That feller's just achin' to settle down with some nice woman and make a home for himself. WILLA HARPER It's awful soon after Ben's passing. ICEY SPOON If ever I saw a Sign from Heaven! WILLA HARPER John don't like him much. ICEY SPOON Pearl dotes on him. WILLA HARPER The boy worries me. It's silly, but it's like there was something still between him and his Dad. ICEY SPOON What he needs is a dose o' salts! WILLA HARPER There's something else. ICEY SPOON What? WILLA HARPER The money, Icey. ICEY SPOON I declare, you'll let that money haunt you to your grave, Willa Harper! WILLA HARPER I would love to be satisfied Harry Powell don't think I've got that money somewhere. ICEY SPOON You'll come right out and ask that Man of God! (turning and yelling) Mr. Paow-well! (to Willa) Clear that evil mud out of your soul! PREACHER starts towards her. ICEY pivots and we PAN OVER her to CHILDREN by river. ICEY SPOON (yelling) John! Pearl! CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL AND JOHN JOHN looks up from pebble-skimming and loosens his tie. ICEY SPOON (yelling o.s.) Come along hee-ere and get some fuu- udge! JOHN HARPER (calling) I don't want no fudge. His brow is furrowed. He skims another pebble. ICEY SPOON (shouting o.s.) You'll do what you're told! They unwillingly get moving. RESUME TWO-SHOT -- ICEY AND WILLA ICEY SPOON You go set down by the River. WILLA HARPER (getting up) Oh, Icey, I'm a sight! ICEY SPOON Get along with you. Both women set off, WILLA to River, ICEY towards GROUP. We TRACK after ICEY. PREACHER approaches. ICEY, crossing him, gives him a little shove towards WILLA and a coy -- ICEY SPOON You!!! We FOLLOW her to the women who are busying themselves with the fudge. CLOSE GROUP SHOT -- ICEY AND WOMEN, FAVORING ICEY ...a few men in BACKGROUND, and, beyond them, PREACHER sits down by WILLA at water's edge. JOHN and PEARL approach. As ICEY starts yammering the men, WALT among them, shyly withdraw. ICEY SPOON That young lady'd better look sharp or some smart sister between here and Captina's a-gonna snap him up right from under her nose! (they nod and agree, ad lib) She's not the only fish in the river! (more agreement. John and Pearl join Icey. Icey speaks to John) Now you two stay put! CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He looks hard towards WILLA and PREACHER o.s. ICEY SPOON (o.s., to women) Shilly-shallying around... LONG SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER ...from JOHN'S VIEWPOINT in tableau of decorous courtship, framed by heavy domestic bodies. ICEY SPOON (o.s.) A husband's one piece of store goods ye never know till you get it home and take the paper off. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER They sit by the water; drooling willows; almost in travesty of a romantic scene. WILLA dabbles one hand in the water. WILLA HARPER (very shy) Did Ben Harper ever tell you what he done with that money he stole? HEAD CLOSE-UP -- PREACHER His head goes slantwise and he smiles oddly. PREACHER My dear child, don't you know? CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He watches intently towards his mother; PEARL holds his hand. ICEY'S voice o.s. GROUP SHOT -- WOMEN, JOHN AND PEARL ICEY SPOON She's moonin' about Ben Harper. That wasn't love, it was just flapdoodle. (agreeing nods and murmurs) Have some fudge, lambs. (she hands some down to John and Pearl. Pearl smears her mouth with it; John, watching always towards his mother, takes one nibble and throws the rest away) When you're married forty years, you know all that don't amount to a hill o'beans! I been married to my Walt that long, and I'll swear in all that time I'd just lie there thinking about my canning. In BACKGROUND WALT looks sheepish. WILLA'S VOICE (calling o.s.) John! John? All look towards her. LONG SHOT -- OVER GROUP WILLA is standing, beckoning JOHN MEDIUM TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL They start towards their mother. GROUP SHOT -- ICEY AND WOMEN -- NEW ANGLE ICEY SPOON A woman's a fool to marry for that. It's something for a man. The good Lord never meant for a decent woman to want that -- not really want it! It's all just a fake and a pipe-dream. The others agree with her. She puts a piece of fudge in her mouth. CLOSE GROUP SHOT -- PREACHER, WILLA, CHILDREN ...as JOHN and PEARL (with DOLL) come shyly up. WILLA is seated again. She is radiant. WILLA HARPER John, Mr. Powell has got something to tell you. PREACHER Well, John, the night before your father died, he told me what he did with that money. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN He desperately conceals his reaction; he thinks BEN has betrayed him. RESUME GROUP SHOT PREACHER That money's at the bottom of the river wrapped around a 12-pound cobblestone. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL He now conceals his new reaction. RESUME GROUP SHOT WILLA touches PREACHER'S hand, warmly. WILLA HARPER Thank you, Harry. She looks all around her, glowing, and stands up, hands to hair. PEARL HARPER John... JOHN HARPER Sshhh... WILLA HARPER I feel clean now! My whole body's just a quiverin' with cleanness! She walks away towards ICEY and the WOMEN. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER PREACHER John: here. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL JOHN moves to stand in front of him; PEARL, to stand beside PREACHER, with the DOLL. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER AND CHILDREN From JOHN'S eye-level; as JOHN steps in front of him and PEARL beside him. PREACHER Your tie's crooked. HEAD CLOSE-UP -- JOHN The hand named LOVE and the hand named HATE come in to straighten the necktie. JOHN looks down. He looks up and sees: GROUP SHOT -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT PREACHER, in close-up, hands busy o.s.; PEARL, with doll; and between them, in BACKGROUND, WILLA. She is now running fast towards ICEY, who walks towards her with arms outstretched. Behind them, the group of WOMEN. BIRDIE'S guitar music begins o.s. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. BIRDIE'S BOAT -- EVENING -- MEDIUM SHOT -- BIRDIE, JOHN AND SKIFF Birdie sits beside his open door, strumming a guitar and singing. The scene is lamplighted from within. Ben's skiff is inverted on trestles in FOREGROUND. At start of scene we see only JOHN's feet; he's under the skiff, examining it. After three lines of song he comes out from under, and lounges against the skiff, tracing a tarry seam with his forefinger. BIRDIE STEPTOE (singing) 'Twas down at Cresap's Landing, Along the River Shore, Birdie Steptoe was a Pilot in the good old days of yore. Now he sets in his old wharf-boat... JOHN HARPER (across him) When'll Dad's skiff be ready? BIRDIE STEPTOE Can't hear ye, boy. (singing) ...So the big boats heave a sigh, They blow for Uncle Birdie... JOHN HARPER (across him) When'll the skiff be ready? BIRDIE STEPTOE (singing) And the times that are gone by. I'll have her ready inside of a week; and then we'll go fishin'. How's your Maw? Through rest of scene, Birdie picks lazily at his guitar. JOHN HARPER O, she's all right. BIRDIE STEPTOE How's your sister Pearl? JOHN HARPER Just fine. He gets up. BIRDIE STEPTOE Leavin', boy? JOHN HARPER Yep; gotta watch out for Pearl, Uncle Birdie. BIRDIE STEPTOE Well goodnight, boy. Come again -- any time. JOHN leaves the SHOT. BIRDIE STEPTOE And mind now -- I'll have your Paw's skiff in ship-shape, 'side of a week. MOVING SHOT -- JOHN As he runs past SPOON'S, looking in, he is curious. MOVING SHOT -- SPOON'S, HIS VIEWPOINT ICEY embraces WILLA or waltzes her around; WALT looks on, pleased. FULL SHOT -- JOHN He hurries away from us towards home. FRAMING SHOT -- THE HARPER HOUSE In the otherwise dark house, one window is lighted. JOHN enters the SHOT, his back to us. Seeing the lighted window, he hesitates. JOHN HARPER (softly) Is somebody there? Silent pause, listening; then he walks cautiously towards us. FULL SHOT -- JOHN A tall, narrow shooting-frame; right and left thirds of screen are black. We SHOOT from inside the screen door. JOHN crosses the porch and softly opens the door and enters on tiptoe and pauses, close to us, in the dark hallway, listening sharp. JOHN HARPER (softly) Is anybody here? Silence. Relieved, but puzzled, he tiptoes along towards the rear of the hallway in CLOSE-UP as we PULL AWAY. We bring in the bottom of the stairs. PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.) Good evening, John. JOHN gasps, peering, and looks up. TWO SHOT -- JOHN AND PREACHER -- NARROW SCREEN PREACHER looks at JOHN; JOHN sinks onto the edge of a chair. PREACHER sits opposite. A bar of light from door falls across PREACHER'S face. PREACHER I had a little talk with your mother tonight, John; and your mother decided it might be best for me to -- let you know the news. From JOHN, just a questioning helpless reaction. PREACHER Your mother told me tonight she wanted me to be a daddy to you and your sister. We're going to get married, son. JOHN is still. PREACHER Did you hear what I said, son? JOHN HARPER Huh? PREACHER Married! We have decided to go to Sistersville tomorrow, and when we come back -- JOHN HARPER (just breathing it) You ain't my Dad! You won't never be my Dad! PREACHER (obsessed, disregarding him) -- and when we come back, we'll all be friends -- and share our fortunes together, John! JOHN HARPER (screaming) You think you can make me tell! But I won't! I won't! I won't! He gawks at his own folly, covers his mouth with his hand and looks up at PREACHER. PREACHER (softly) Tell me what, boy? JOHN HARPER Nothin'! PREACHER Are we keeping secrets from each other, little lad? JOHN HARPER No. No. PREACHER stiffens, relaxes, and chuckles softly. PREACHER No matter, boy, we've got a long time together. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PREACHER JOHN starts for the stairs. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. HARPER YARD -- MORNING -- CLOSE SHOT -- BEN'S FORD It stands vibrating, then moves out of shot with receding engine sound o.s., disclosing: TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL ICEY'S skirts in BACKGROUND. They are awfully spic-and-span; they even wear shoes. ICEY SPOON (o.s.) Wave yer hands! Great sakes! They wave after the car, bewilderedly. ICEY SPOON (o.s.) You wait here while I get your night- things. She hustles out of shot. PEARL HARPER Now can I tell? JOHN HARPER Hm? PEARL HARPER When Mr. Powell's our Daddy then I can tell him about -- His hand clamps over her mouth. She struggles and whimpers. JOHN HARPER You swore, Pearl! PEARL HARPER (across him) John! Don't! JOHN HARPER You promised Dad you wouldn't never tell! He takes his hand away but holds it ready. PEARL HARPER I love Mr. Powell lots and lots, John. JOHN grabs her by the shoulders and glares. JOHN HARPER Don't you tell! Don't you NEVER DARE tell! Over them we LAP DISSOLVE TO: SHOULDER CLOSE-UP -- WILLA She is caressing her shoulders. FULL SHOT -- WILLA Her back is to us. She is in a pathetic night dress; she stands before a mirror in a hotel bedroom in Sistersville. She walks to the door. INSERT WILLA'S HAND It hesitates on the doorknob. CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA Shooting OVER her as she opens the door, we see PREACHER in bed, his back to us. Beyond him, a window. The drawn shade rustles quietly. CLOSE SHOT -- THE DOOR ...from within the room. WILLA closes the door, on which PREACHER'S coat hangs. The closing brings a knocking sound. WILLA feels the outside of the coat; feels something hard; takes out the knife and looks at it. INSERT -- THE KNIFE IN HER HAND -- CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA A moment of perplexity; then a little smile. WILLA HARPER (whispering) Oh! It's... uh... She puts it back in the pocket and gives the pocket a pat. She starts towards the bed. TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER We SHOOT OVER PREACHER as she approaches modestly and stands by the bed. WILLA HARPER (softly) Harry... His hand comes up; she puts out her own, expecting a loving hand-clasp; but PREACHER points to the window. PREACHER Fix that window shade. Startled, then again tender, she moves to: CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA AT WINDOW She adjusts the shade, looking always towards the bed. She smiles maternally. As we PULL BACK and PAN into FULL SHOT OF BED she comes to the bed and sits on the edge and slips off her mules. PREACHER'S back is to her. WILLA HARPER (softly) Harry! PREACHER (cool and clear) I was praying. WILLA HARPER Oh, I'm sorry, Harry! I didn't know! I thought maybe -- With a sounding of bedsprings PREACHER turns. His voice is quiet and cold. PREACHER You thought, Willa, that the moment you walked in that door I'd start in to pawing you in the abominable way men are supposed to do on their wedding night. Ain't that right, now? WILLA HARPER No, Harry! I thought -- PREACHER I think it's time we got one thing perfectly clear, Willa. Marriage to me represents a blending of two spirits in the sight of Heaven. He gets out of bed. WILLA puts her face down to the pillow and moans. PREACHER snaps on a harsh bare bulb at center of room. PREACHER (quietly) Get up, Willa. WILLA HARPER Harry, what -- PREACHER Get up. She obeys. PREACHER Now go and look at yourself yonder in that mirror. WILLA hesitates. FULL SHOT -- OVER PREACHER -- CENTERING A STAINED BUREAU MIRROR PREACHER Do as I say. WILLA walks to meet her image in the mirror; her eyes on PREACHER. PREACHER LOOK at yourself. Her head drops, facing the mirror. CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA, PREACHER, BULB WILLA is in HEAD CLOSE-UP; bulb hangs at center; PREACHER, in his nightshirt, is beyond it. PREACHER What do you see, girl? Her mouth trembles; she can't talk. PREACHER You see the body of a woman! The temple of creation and motherhood. You see the flesh of Eve that Man since Adam has profaned. That body was meant for begetting children. It was not meant for the lust of men. WILLA just opens her mouth. PREACHER Do you want more children, Willa? WILLA HARPER I -- no, I -- PREACHER It's the business of our marriage to mind those two you have now -- not to beget more. WILLA HARPER Yes. He stands watching her for a moment; then he snaps off the light and gets into bed. PREACHER You can get back into bed now and stop shivering. WILLA, in the darkness, does not move. She folds her hands in prayer and lifts her eyes. WILLA HARPER (whispering) Help me to get clean so I can be what Harry wants me to be. LAP DISSOLVE TO: INSERT -- A TORCH OR RAILROAD FLARE VOICES (o.s.) AAA-MEN! GROUP SHOT -- CONGREGATION A dozen country men and women in religious ecstasy. (NOTE: No set necessary for this scene. Flare, or flares, in every SHOT. Faces lighted by flares.) CONGREGATION AAA-MENN! WILLA HARPER (o.s., very loud) You have all sinned! CONGREGATION Yes! Yes! HEAD CLOSE-UP -- WILLA WILLA HARPER But which one of you can say as I can say: I drove a good man to murder because I kept a-houndin' him for clothes and per-fumes and face paint! GROUP SHOT -- CONGREGATION WILLA HARPER (o.s.) And he slew two human beings and he come to me and he said: Take this money and buy your per-fumes and paint! FULL FIGURE SHOT -- WILLA, STANDING; PREACHER STANDING IN B.G. WILLA HARPER But Brethren, that's where the Lord stepped in! That's where the LORD stepped in! PREACHER Yes! CONGREGATION (o. s.) Yes! Yes! GROUP SHOT -- CONGREGATION WILLA HARPER (o.s. screaming) And the Lord told that man -- CONGREGATION Yes! Yes! CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA WILLA HARPER The Lord said, Take that money and throw it in the River! CONGREGATION (o.s.) Yes! Yes! Hallelujah! WILLA HARPER Throw that money in the River! In THE RIVER! CONGREGATION (o.s.) IN THE RIIV-ER! CUT TO: EXTREME CLOSE DOWN-SHOT -- PEARL'S DOLL It lies face down on arbor bricks, its back wide open; money spilling out. A little breeze toys with the money. HOLD, a moment, in silence. Then we hear a snipping sound o.s. TILT UPWARD into -- CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL She sits at the end of the grape-arbor. She finishes cutting a skirted paperdoll out of a hundred dollar bill and lays it down beside a male hundred-dollar paper-doll. She pats the dolls. PEARL HARPER Now! You're John -- and you're Pearl. JOHN'S VOICE (o.s. calling) Pearl?... Pearl? PEARL starts guiltily and looks towards him, scrambling money together. JOHN'S footsteps o.s. PEARL HARPER You'll get awful mad, John. I done a Sin! CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN -- PEARL'S ANGLE JOHN HARPER You what? He hears the frantic rustling of paper -- JOHN HARPER (aghast) Pearl! You ain't -- CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL, OVER JOHN PEARL HARPER John, don't be mad! Don't be mad! I was just playing with it! I didn't tell no one! FLASH CUT CLOSE-UP -- JOHN ...as he stoops toward her, dumb with horror. CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL She continues to gather the money together. PEARL HARPER (pleading) It's all here. CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL JOHN HARPER Pearl! Oh, Pearl! She's stuffing bills back into the torn doll. They slide through her fingers. He helps. FLASH INSERT -- PREACHER'S FOOT ...as he plants it, with sound, in damp grass. CLOSE SHOT -- THE CHILDREN JOHN freezes. PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.) John? JOHN HARPER Oh -- yes? LONG SHOT -- PREACHER -- CHILDREN'S VIEWPOINT He stands at far end of arbor. PREACHER What are you doing, boy? LONG SHOT -- CHILDREN -- PREACHER'S VIEWPOINT JOHN HARPER Getting Pearl to bed. I -- PREACHER What's taking you so long about it? FLASH INSERT -- THEIR FRANTIC HANDS, MONEY, THE DOLL JOHN HARPER (o.s.) It -- she -- CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER -- PEERING TOWARDS THEM PREACHER What's that you're playing with, boy? LONG SHOT -- CHILDREN -- PREACHER'S VIEWPOINT JOHN HARPER Pearl's junk. Mom gets mad when she plays out here and don't clean up afterward. PREACHER Come on, children! INSERT -- JOHN'S HANDS PIN THE DOLL TOGETHER FULL SHOT -- CHILDREN STAND UP, LOOK TOWARDS PREACHER, AND SLOWLY START TOWARDS HIM. THE TWO FORGOTTEN PAPER-DOLLS ARE BLOWN TOWARDS HIM TOO. MOVING SHOT -- PREACHER -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT PREACHER'S watch-chain gleams. The shot SLOWLY CLOSES DOWN on it and becomes still. We see the paper-dolls blow past him. PREACHER'S VOICE Now, up to bed with the both of you. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL JOHN starts to laugh uncontrollably. We PAN them past PREACHER'S stomach into FULL SHOT. PREACHER'S VOICE Come here, John. Run along, Pearl. PEARL goes, JOHN comes towards PREACHER. PREACHER -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT PREACHER Your mother says you tattled on me, boy. She says you told her that I asked you where that money was hid. JOHN HARPER (o.s.) Yes. Yes. PREACHER That wasn't very nice of you, John. Have a heart, boy. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN His helpless reaction. Pause. PREACHER'S VOICE Run along to bed. As JOHN turns away we LAP DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA IN PROFILE ...and PULL AWAY showing JOHN as he turns to her. (PEARL'S head is turned away; she's asleep.) WILLA HARPER Were you impudent to Mr. Powell, John? JOHN HARPER Mom, I didn't mean -- WILLA HARPER What were you impudent about? JOHN HARPER He asked me about the money again, Mom. WILLA HARPER You always make up that lie, John! There is no money, John. Can't you get that through your head? LAP DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE SHOT -- A GAR, UNDERWATER CLOSE UPWARD TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE They look down into the water. BIRDIE STEPTOE Meanest, orneriest, sneakinest critter in the whole river, boy! A gar! CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE They sit up into it. JOHN HARPER Here's your can o' hooks, Uncle Birdie. BIRDIE STEPTOE There hain't nary hook in the land smart enough to hook Mister Gar. What a feller needs is mother-wit -- and a horse-hair. Over this, he pulls horse-hair out of his hatband. He sets to work rigging his noose. JOHN HARPER Won't he bust it, Uncle Birdie? BIRDIE STEPTOE Shoot, a horse-hair'll hold a lumpin' whale. He puts over his line. Pause. BIRDIE STEPTOE Do you mind me cussin', boy? JOHN HARPER No. BIRDIE STEPTOE Tell you why I ask -- your step-pa being' a Preacher an' all... JOHN's lips go like string. BIRDIE sees it. BIRDIE STEPTOE Never was much of a one for preachers myself. I dunno what's wrong up at your place, but just remember one thing, Cap -- if ever you need help you just holler out and come a- runnin'. Old Uncle Birdie's your friend. A powerful strike. BIRDIE lands the gar. The air is full of sparkling water. BIRDIE STEPTOE There! You slimy, snag-toothed, egg- suckin', bait-stealin' so-and-so! QUICK INSERT -- THE THUMPING FISH IN BOTTOM OF BOAT FULL SHOT He beats the fish with the heel of an old shoe. BIRDIE STEPTOE (beating) Mind what I told you. If ever you get in a crack, I just come a-runnin'. Now there is no sound of thumping or beating. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN Admiring BIRDIE, he squares his shoulders, full of confidence. JOHN HARPER Can we eat him, Uncle Birdie? BIRDIE STEPTOE If you got an appetite for bones and bitterness. On this, he flings the dead gar in a wide arc out into the river. LAP DISSOLVE TO: INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT The children are ready for bed. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER Smiling, quiet, awaiting an answer. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN JOHN HARPER I don't know. TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PREACHER PEARL plays unconcernedly in background. PREACHER (intimately) She thinks that money's in the river, but you and me, we know better, don't we, boy? JOHN HARPER I don't know nothin'! PREACHER The summer is young yet, little lad. (he turns away from John) Pearl? He holds out his hands to her; she comes to his lap, dropping her doll at his feet. JOHN turns his back and looks out the window beside bureau. PREACHER John's a feller who likes to keep secrets. PEARL HARPER Mm-hm. PREACHER I'll tell you a secret. PEARL HARPER Yes? PREACHER I knowed your Daddy. (PEARL frowns) And do you know what your Daddy said to me? He said, "Tell my little girl Pearl there's to be no secrets between her and you." INSERT -- JOHN'S HAND COMES TO REST BESIDE A HAIRBRUSH RESUME TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND PEARL, JOHN IN B.G. PEARL HARPER Yes? PREACHER Now it's your turn. PEARL HARPER What secret shall I tell? PREACHER How old are you? PEARL HARPER That's no secret. I'm five. CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN -- PREACHER AND PEARL IN B.G. A look of impotent hatred. PREACHER Sure, that's no secret. RESUME TWO-SHOT PREACHER (continuing) What's your name? PEARL HARPER (giggling) You're just foolin'! My name's Pearl. PREACHER Tst-tst! Then I reckon I'll have to try again! Where's the money hid? JOHN throws the hairbrush, striking PREACHER's head. JOHN HARPER (screaming as he throws) You swore you wouldn't tell! (he beats the air with his fists) You swore! You swore! You swore! CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER He is sure now PEARL knows. THREE-SHOT -- PEARL, PREACHER, JOHN PEARL HARPER (awed) You hit Daddy with the hairbrush! Another silence. PREACHER (cheerfully) You see? We can't have anything to do with John. (light off) You and me will go down to the parlor. PEARL HARPER Miz Jenny! Miz Jenny! She gets the doll. We PAN them through the door. TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND PEARL Outside door as he closes it. PREACHER John's just plumb bad through and through -- CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL As PREACHER's hand locks the door. PEARL HARPER (at door) Yes, John's just plumb bad. CUT TO: INT. SPOON'S ICE CREAM PARLOR -- THREE-SHOT -- WILLA, ICEY, WALT We shoot over ICEY as WILLA opens the door to leave. WILLA is in outdoor clothes and is not dressed for work in the parlor. WILLA HARPER That boy's as stubborn and mulish as a sheep! ICEY SPOON It's a shame! WILLA's face shines like one possessed. WILLA HARPER Goodnight. WALT enters shot, his back to us. ICEY SPOON Goodnight, honey. As WILLA starts away we DOLLY THROUGH DOOR and PAN her to deserted street. There is a river mist. TWO-SHOT -- WALT AND ICEY WALT is ill at ease. RESUME SHOT ON WILLA ICEY SPOON (o.s. calling) Plan on a longer visit next time. WALT (o.s.) You don't hardly get settled till you're frettin' to git home again. Again WILLA pauses and turns. WILLA HARPER (with sweet radiance. To Walt) I'm needed to keep peace and harmony between them. (to Icey) It's my burden and I'm proud of it, Icey! She walks off into the mist. LAP DISSOLVE TO: EXT. HARPER HOME -- NIGHT -- MEDIUM SHOT -- LIGHTED PARLOR WINDOW; REST OF HOUSE DARK Distant muffled sound of river-boat whistle. PEARL HARPER (o.s.) John's bad. WILLA enters, her back to us; she stops. PREACHER (o.s.) Yes; John's bad. PEARL HARPER Tell me another secret about my Dad. CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA She smiles benignly. PREACHER (o.s.) O no! Your turn! PEARL HARPER All right. PREACHER Where's the money hid. WILLA keeps smiling. PEARL HARPER John's bad. PREACHER Where's the money hid? Tell me, you little wretch, or I'll tear your arm off! Still smiling, shaking her head as in disbelief, WILLA makes for house as PEARL screams. INT. HARPER HALLWAY -- TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER Narrow screen, same set-up as in earlier corridor scene, PREACHER and WILLA. Their eyes meet. Pause. PREACHER (stunned) I didn't expect you home so soon. CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA She still smiles; her eyes turn to sound of PEARL's sobbing. TWO SHOT -- AS BEFORE PREACHER stands still; WILLA in BACKGROUND opens closet door where PEARL sobs. CUT TO: TWO-SHOT -- WALT AND ICEY ...washing and drying glasses. ICEY is washing briskly, WALT is drying slowly. WALT Icey, I'm worried about Willa. ICEY SPOON How do you mean? WALT I'm figurin' how I can say it so's you won't get mad. ICEY SPOON Say what, Walt Spoon! WALT There's somethin' wrong about it, Mother. ICEY SPOON About what! WALT About Mr. Powell. All of it! ICEY SPOON Walt! WALT Now, Mother, a body can't help their feelin's. ICEY SPOON May the Lord have mercy on you, Walt Spoon! WALT Mother, I only -- CUT TO: INT. WILLA'S AND PREACHER'S BEDROOM -- FULL SHOT -- WILLA ON BED -- PREACHER IN BACKGROUND WILLA lies in profile on the bed along the bottom of the frame. A prim, old woman's nightdress makes her look like a child. Her hands are clasped. PREACHER, fully dressed, stands at the window, which is in BACKGROUND towards foot of bed. His coat, hung over a chair, is in silhouette. River mist outside window halated by exterior gas-lamp. The window shade is up. She is mumbling in prayer. She stops. PREACHER (his back still turned) Are you through praying? WILLA HARPER I'm through, Harry. He turns. WILLA is calm and immobile with the ecstasy of a martyr. PREACHER You were listening outside the parlor window. WILLA HARPER It's not in the river, is it Harry? PREACHER Answer me! WILLA HARPER Ben never told you he throwed it in the river? Did he? PREACHER hits her across the mouth. A pause. WILLA HARPER (continues, unruffled) Then the children know where it is hid? John knows? Is that it? (a pause) Then it's still here, somewhere amongst us, tainting us? CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER, LISTENING FOR A VOICE RESUME TWO-SHOT WILLA HARPER So you must have known it all along, Harry. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER, LISTENING After a moment, the river boat whistle blows, nearer. HOLD CLOSE-UP a moment after whistle. CLOSE DOWN-SHOT -- WILLA, SAINT-LIKE WILLA HARPER But that ain't why you married me, Harry. I know that much. It couldn't be that because the Lord just wouldn't let it. RESUME TWO-SHOT -- WILLA WILLA HARPER He made you marry me so's you could show me the Way and the Life and the Salvation of my soul! Ain't that so, Harry? CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER He has heard the VOICE and starts to move out of CLOSE SHOT. RESUME TWO-SHOT He has moved over to the coat on back of chair. CLOSE SHOT -- COAT His hand goes into the pocket and brings the knife out. (It is the same coat, and pocket, as in the wedding-night scene.) RESUME TWO-SHOT WILLA HARPER So you might say it was the money that brung us together. He pulls down the blind. He moves toward the bed. WILLA HARPER The rest of it don't matter, Harry. INSERT -- PREACHER's HAND AND KNIFE It clicks open. RESUME TWO-SHOT As he raises his arm to strike: HEAD CLOSE-UP -- WILLA WILLA HARPER Bless us all! DISSOLVE TO: INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM -- FULL SHOT -- THE SHADOWS ON THE WALL They are shaped as in earlier scene, but altered by mist. Set-up as in earlier scene. Over them we hear the whinny-and- catch and the failure of the Ford being cranked; once; then again: the JOHN's shadow moves on the wall and on a third cranking which engages the engine, we PAN TO WINDOW, shooting over JOHN, who peers out, into blind mist. The gears of the car shift; the car moves away, unseen; its sounds diminish slowly, and die. A moment of silence; then JOHN turns and we PAN him to the bed. He gets in beside PEARL, who is asleep, and, as we TIGHTEN IN CLOSE, puts his hand across the face of the doll. DISSOLVE TO: HEAD CLOSE-UP -- ICEY An ominous expression. She looks sharp to WALT, beckoning secretly; through rear screen door of kitchen, onto porch. ICEY SPOON (loud whisper) Walt! Come quick! FULL FIGURE SHOT -- WALT He is scrubbing out an ice cream container on the back porch. He looks up and moves towards her. WALT (natural voice) What's wrong, Mother? MEDIUM CLOSE -- ICEY, THEN WALT ICEY SPOON (whisper) Sshhh! He's in there. WALT ENTERS SHOT with pipe. WALT Who? ICEY SPOON (whisper) Mr. Powell! (Walt looks enquiry) Willa has run away! WALT I'll be switched!... They enter the kitchen. We hear muffled sounds of sobbing o.s. MEDIUM CLOSE TWO-SHOT WALT Just went? ICEY SPOON She took out some time durin' the night, -- in that old Model-T -- WALT clucks his tongue. WALT Is he hit pretty bad? ICEY SPOON All to pieces! WALT moves towards kitchen cabinet. WALT There's a little peach brandy -- maybe a sip? ICEY SPOON A man of the Cloth? MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- WALT He pours, snaps it down; weak-defiance. MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- ICEY ICEY SPOON Walt Spoon, that's for sickness in the house! MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT -- WALT He looks towards o.s. sobbing. WALT What can we do, Mother? TWO-SHOT ICEY SPOON I thought if you went and talked to him -- another man -- MEDIUM SHOT -- PREACHER He sits at a table, his back towards us, mumbling over his Bible. TWO-SHOT -- WALT, ICEY BEHIND HIM, ENTERING THROUGH DOOR WALT Mister Powell? PREACHER (suddenly loud) A strange woman is a narrow pit! ICEY SPOON (a reverent whisper) Amen! Amen! PREACHER She lieth in wait as for a prey. And increaseth the transgressors among men. He closes his Bible and turns to them with weepy eyes and a brave little smile. PREACHER My dear, dear friends! Whatever would I do without you! CLOSE SHOT -- ICEY ICEY SPOON (wailing) Mister Powell! THREE-SHOT -- NEW ANGLE WALT Is there anythin' -- anythin'...? PREACHER It is my shame -- my crown of thorns. And I must wear it bravely. ICEY SPOON What could have possessed that girl! PREACHER (simply) Satan. ICEY SPOON Ah. WALT sits across from PREACHER. ICEY is at PREACHER's elbow. WALT Didn't you have no inkling? PREACHER Yes; from the first night. WALT The first night? PREACHER Our honeymoon. CLOSE SHOT -- WALT WALT How's that? TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND ICEY PREACHER She turned me out of the bed. ICEY SPOON (with pleasure) Nnnoooo!! CLOSE SHOT -- WALT Filling his pipe. WALT What do you figure to do? TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND ICEY PREACHER Do? Why stay and take care of them little kids. Maybe it was never meant for a woman like Willa to taint their young lives. ICEY SPOON (hands clasped; with approval) Mmmmm! CLOSE SHOT -- WALT Dabbing at moisture in the corner of his eye. WALT That's mighty brave of you, Reverend. TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND ICEY PREACHER I reckon it's been ordained this way, Brother Spoon. CLOSE SHOT -- WALT WALT Didn't -- didn't she leave no word? TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND ICEY PREACHER A scrawl. On a piece of notepaper on the bureau. ICEY smiles sideways. PREACHER I burned it. (Preacher holds out his hand, stares in disgust, and wipes his palm dramatically on his coatsleeve) I tore it up and burned it -- it stank so strong of hellfire. ICEY SPOON Amen. PREACHER The pitcher has went to the well once too often, my friends. CLOSE SHOT -- WALT WALT She'll come draggin' her tail back home. CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER PREACHER She'll not be back. I reckon I'd be safe in promisin' you that. CLOSE SHOT -- WALT WALT Maybe she's just run off on a spree. PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.) No! WALT Well, there's no harm in hopin'. TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND ICEY PREACHER Ain't no sense in it, neither. I figured somethin' like this was brewin' when she went to bed last night. ICEY SPOON (all woman) How? PREACHER She tarried around the kitchen after I'd gone up, and when I went downstairs to see what was wrong... ICEY SPOON (eagerly) What! PREACHER She'd found this fruit jar of dandelion wine (Icey touches him) that the husband -- Harper -- had hid somewheres in the cellar. (playing his ace) She was drinking. CLOSE SHOT -- ICEY ICEY is happy to let her mouth fall open and let out a gasp. CLOSE SHOT -- WALT Sniffling. THREE-SHOT -- PREACHER, ICEY, WALT PREACHER I tried to save her. ICEY SPOON I know you did, Reverend. Oh, I know how you tried! PREACHER The devil wins sometimes! CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER PREACHER (eyes upturned) Can't nobody say I didn't do my best to save her! DISSOLVE TO: CLOSE UNDERWATER SHOT (TANK) We PAN, with slowly streaming weeds, and bring in WILLA in close profile; the current, coming from behind her, drifts her long hair across her throat. MEDIUM SHOT -- WILLA AND CAR She is in profile as before -- CLOSE SHOT -- A BAITED HOOK It descends, and catches on the windshield, and the line tautens; then tugs. We start to follow the line up. CLOSE SHOT -- ABOVE WATER -- THE LINE We continue to follow the line up, and bring in, close, the stern of BEN HARPER's skiff. MEDIUM SHOT -- UNCLE BIRDIE He sits back, tugging unconcernedly at the line. Then he leans over to see what's wrong. CLOSE SHOT -- BIRDIE ...as he peers over side. DOWNSHOT -- FULL SHOT OF CAR AND WILLA; BIRDIE'S VIEWPOINT CLOSE SHOT -- BIRDIE, HORROR-STRICKEN MOVING UNDERWATER SHOT -- WILLA We hear PREACHER's voice o.s., singing: PREACHER (o.s.) Leaning! Leaning! Safe and secure from all alarms! Meanwhile we move vertically DOWNWARD TOWARDS HER FACE, serene in death. We may or may not glimpse the gashed throat, through drifting hair. LAP DISSOLVE TO: EXT. HARPER HOME -- FULL SHOT -- THE HOUSE AND TREE PREACHER leans against the tree; he continues singing: PREACHER Leaning! Leaning! Leaning on the Everlasting Arms! (seductively) Children! CLOSE MOVING SHOT -- PREACHER We start moving before he does. LOW CAMERA; full figure. We TILT to frame him from the waist downward and follow close behind him. As he leaves the tree and walks along the side of the house; we TILT DOWNWARD and CLOSE IN, to follow only his feet; he steps past a tiny cellar window and we PAN and TIGHTEN IN CLOSE ON IT, into -- CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL Their noses are flat against the glass; their cheeks touch; their window isn't quite big enough to hold both their heads. It is on the ground; we don't see their chins. They look towards the departed PREACHER. PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.) Chill-dren? PEARL, who is on the side PREACHER has left by, turns her head towards JOHN. INT. CELLAR -- MEDIUM CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL They are standing on a coal heap, faces at window. PEARL HARPER John, why do we have to hide? JOHN has taken charge. He speaks very quietly, but calmly and cheerfully, as to an invalid. He starts down the rustling coal-heap, helping PEARL down. JOHN HARPER Careful... The following dialogue as they climb down, making as little noise as possible. We PULL slowly away. PEARL HARPER Where's Mom? JOHN HARPER She's gone to Moundsville. PEARL HARPER To see Dad? JOHN HARPER Yes, I reckon that's it. They have achieved the cellar floor. PREACHER'S VOICE (more peremptorily outside) Children! During the following dialogue we hear, o.s., the opening of a door, and PREACHER'S footsteps indoors as he crosses floor, climbs stairs, and opens another door. JOHN HARPER Someone is after us, Pearl. PEARL HARPER I want to go upstairs. It's cold and spidery down here. I'm hungry. JOHN HARPER Now listen to me, Pearl. You and me is runnin' off tonight. PEARL HARPER Why? JOHN HARPER If we stay here somethin' awful will happen to us. PEARL HARPER Won't Daddy Powell take care of us? JOHN HARPER No, that's just it. No. FULL SHOT -- A ROOM UPSTAIRS PREACHER looks under the bed. RESUME CELLAR TWO-SHOT -- THE CHILDREN PEARL HARPER Where are we goin', John? JOHN HARPER Somewheres. I don't know yet. o.s., PREACHER'S footsteps come down stairs; JOHN leads PEARL carefully past a rake, a hoe, and a shelf-prop and they crouch down into -- CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL ...beside an apple barrel. PREACHER'S footsteps cross kitchen o.s. PEARL HARPER I'm hungry, John. JOHN HARPER We'll steal somethin' to eat. PEARL HARPER It'll spoil our supper. PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.) Pearl? Both look sharp towards cellar door o.s. THE CELLAR DOOR -- CHILDREN'S VIEWPOINT The door opens; PREACHER'S head, carrying a candle in holder; a white-washed wall and stairs are lighted. PREACHER'S VOICE I hear you whisperin', children, so I know you're down there. I can feel myself gettin' awful mad, children. CLOS