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FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
TITLE: A Sunday morning in Spring ... New England ... in the year 1645.
1 EXT. VILLAGE STREET LONG SHOT INCLUDING CHURCH
The Puritans are marching in solemn procession down the street
toward the church. The crime of laughter on Sunday is so severely
punished that no one ever dares nod a head in friendly salute as
neighbors pass neighbors. Life is vigorous and hard.
DISSOLVE INTO:
2 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
DISSOLVE INTO:
3 SEMI CLOSE-UP GROUP OF CHILDREN
The children make a comic picture as they march solemnly by with
measured steps, their frightened faces set in rigid masks, their eyes
round and staring as glass marbles. They look like little undertakers.
DISSOLVE INTO:
4 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
(The repetitious ringing bells in the orchestra pit, deep-throated,
clanging solemnly, have a funereal sound. They are arresting and
demand attention. They suggest a Puritan atmosphere, a call to
church, often theirs is a fearful warning tone.)
DISSOLVE INTO:
5 INT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOME
In her quiet room on this gay morning, Hester Prynne, the little
seamstress, makes ready for church. She moves with fixed
solemnity, her face as serious a mask as the children's who have
just passed by. There is something quaint and precise about her
gestures. At first sight, she is all Puritan, filled with firm resolves,
pious, reserved. All this while she buttons herself into her dove-
grey dress, then draws her flowing hair back and binds it into a
tight, firm coil at her neck. It would be un-Christian if one lock
escaped. But when she comes to her bonnet, the eternal feminine
is revealed. A bonnet can throw a dreadful shadow over a face,
or it can be beautifully becoming. She places it upon her head.
Shall she wear it perched high, or well down over her eyes? Or
perhaps just a wee bit to one side? She really must see for herself.
Cautiously she moves to the wall, and stands before a framed worsted
mat.
INSERT: CLOSE-UP HESTER AT WALL
She regards the worsted mat. On it is inscribed this warning
from the scriptures:
"Vanity is an evil disease."
Then Hester sets it aside and lifts it down. Behind it is a piece
of polished metal which serves Hester as a mirror.
6 CLOSE-UP HESTER
She practices how she will wear her hat, and her eyes smile
reflectively, for there is someone at church who may look upon her,
and she would meet with his approving glance. Hester forgets it
is Sabbath and smiles. It is entirely the fault of that jaunty little
hat. Something stirs within her, springtime--a longing for life--
and love, which is the fulfillment of life. She starts! The church
bells! She hears their warnings.
CUT TO:
7 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
CUT BACK TO:
8 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AT MIRROR
Hester leans down quickly to put the worsted mat over her mirror.
Oh, that she should have dared--and on the Sabbath, too! The
vision of how charming the new bonnet is warms her, and her
mind is filled with material thoughts. The reflection of the mirror
stops on the bird cage that hangs by the window. Hester,
from where she is standing, sees the little imprisoned bird. She
puts the worsted mat back in place and starts toward the window.
9 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE SEMI LONG SHOT
Hester moves swiftly toward the open window, through which
the light is streaming. She seems conscious of the transition
wrought within herself, aware, perhaps for the first time of the
prison which she has so long endured.
10 SEMI CLOSE-UP AT WINDOW
Close to the window is a rustic cage with a bird in it. But a black
shawl has been thrown over the cage; for the bird's song is forbidden
to mount on the Sabbath. A shaft of sunlight has fallen upon the cage.
Hester's face as she gazes at the cage, becomes wistfully sad. Why
should she hide its song, Hester asks herself in this moment of faint
rebellion. She draws the black shawl away.
11 CLOSE-UP CAGE
The bird trilling his song.
12 EXT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE
(There is charm to the little thatched cottage. On the door is the
sign: "VILLAGE SEAMSTRESS").
A stern, forbidding group of men and women is passing. Among
them is Mistress Hibbins, a gossipy, garrulous woman of
fifty, and Giles, a tall, gaunt Puritan, an unconscious comedian.
The former is Hester's persecutor, the latter her friend. The
Puritans pause by the window, listening with horror. A bird
singing on the Sabbath! Mistress Hibbins, with sly, meaningful
glances, points at the window. There they see--
13 HESTER PRYNNE'S WINDOW
Hester is listening to the song of the bird. She makes a gay little
figure framed in the dark window.
14 EXT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE
Mistress Hibbins, who is the village gossip,--it is she who always
points her finger in scorn at Hester--urges one of the Puritans to
mark Hester Prynne's door. It is she who says, with malicious
intent:
TITLE: "Bird singing on the Sabbath! Hester Prynne must
answer for this!"
The man stalks over, and, with a lump of gypsum, marks a cross
upon the door. The group nods in righteous approval, all save
Giles, who pleads that Hester be spared. And as he does this,
Mistress Hibbins watches him with malicious suspicion.
15 INT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE SEMI CLOSE-UP WINDOW
Hester opens the door of the cage and peeks in. "Good morning,
little prisoner!" with a merry smile. The bird is like the yellow
shaft of an arrow as he darts past her hand and out of the window.
She gazes out of the window, terrified that she has lost him. She
looks out--sees the bird--
16 CLOSE-UP PURITAN (WALKING ALONG)
A horrified expression on his face--the bird has lit upon his
shoulder. It flies off.
17 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE LONG SHOT
Hester hurries out.
18 EXT. GARDEN IN REAR OF HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester enters, running. She spins around and around, frantically
searching for some sight of her bird. Her hat is shading her eyes.
Swiftly she pulls it off and tosses it upon a bench. Then she runs
out of the garden.
19 CLOSE-UP MISTRESS HIBBINS
An exclamation of horror is wrung from the old lady when the
bird lights upon her bonnet.
20 GARDEN OF HESTER'S HOUSE SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester's lips are pursed as she whistles her call to the bird.
21 FLASH OF BIRD FLYING OVER FENCE
22 SEMI LONG SHOT GARDEN
Hester runs through the garden and plunges into the thicket beyond.
23 EXT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE
Mistress Hibbins and the Stern Ones hear her calling--hear
her daring to make strange whistling sounds. They shake
their heads solemnly. Mistress Hibbins is triumphant! She
can hardly wait to get to church and tattle to the minister.
Giles looks at her as if he would like to choke her.
24 WOODS VERY LONG SHOT
Hester's hair is now flying loose--the wind stirs it--and her
dress is caught in the brambles. A little, disordered figure,
running and searching the tree-tops.
25 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
CUT TO:
26 INT. CHURCH
Mistress Hibbins, Giles, and the Puritans enter the church.
The women are seated on one side, the men on the other. Giles
stalks along and takes his place in a pew near the pulpit and
on the aisle. Mistress Hibbins, who is going to wait in the
vestry-room until the minister arrives so that she can tell on
Hester, bustles down the aisle toward the vestry. Giles sticks
one of his long legs out in the aisle and almost succeeds in
tripping her.
27 EXT. DEEP WOODS
Hester running farther and farther away from the church
and the sound of the bells. Running rather gaily now. She is
calling--whistling--looking for the bird.
DISSOLVE INTO:
28 CLOSE-UP OF BELLS RINGING
DISSOLVE INTO:
29 INT. VESTRY (THROUGH OPEN DOOR MAIN ROOM OF CHURCH CAN BE SEEN)
Reverend Dimmesdale is talking with a few of his parishioners
when Mistress Hibbins enters. Mistress Hibbins fairly bustles
with excitement, she does so love to have a tidbit of gossip to
impart. She begins:
TITLE: "Though it grieves me to tell thee, Reverend Dimmesdale
about Hester Prynne--"
BACK: As she says this, Mistress Hibbins can hardly hold back
her smiles. To be quite close to him, she edges nearer.
30 SEMI CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE AND MISTRESS HIBBINS
Reverend Dimmesdale listens to Mistress Hibbins. "We were passing
Mistress Prynne's house--she stood by the window--she uncovered
the bird--the bird sang--and then if she didn't deliberately
go running after the bird! And if that wasn't enough, Reverend
Dimmesdale, we heard her whistle." The old lady purses up her
lips and whistles--then gives an imitation of Hester calling, "Come,
birdie, birdie!" beckoning to the bird.
Into Reverend Dimmesdale's eyes comes a look of stern condemnation.
(He has known a rigorous school of religious training, and it
has made him stern and severe toward the transgressor. He has no
pity for the frailty of human nature, and is relentless when he sits
in judgment on his parishioners who have sinned. The story of
Arthur Dimmesdale is of a man who becomes guilty of the very sin
he damns in others, and his spiritual growth through sorrow and
repentance.)
"It is wicked of Hester Prynne to do this--and on the Sabbath,"
Mistress Hibbins is pleased to hear him say.
DISSOLVE INTO:
31 EXT. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY LONG SHOT
Hester Prynne is running now, a tiny figure against the pattern of
tall trees. The running has excited her. She enjoys this unexpected
freedom. We see her spin around, almost in pirouette, as she looks
and calls and darts toward the bird--one moment frightened with
fear she has lost him, the next moment laughing. The springtime
of the year, the wind blowing her hair, and she is surrounded by
the holy beauty of nature.
32 CLOSER SHOT OF HESTER
The bird has lit on the branch of a flowering tree. Hester is creeping
up to him; she is breathless; her eyes are sparkling. She no longer
suggests the precise little Puritan girl--she is a sprite of the
woods! Her dress is torn, her hair is tumbled. The bird flies away
from her outstretched hand.
33 LONG SHOT
Hester is running again. All the latent elfin joy in Hester Prynne
has sprung into being. She does not know that a group of Puritans,
dark and grim as the silhouette of trees through which they walk,
have stopped to watch her.
34 SEMI CLOSE-UP GROUP OF PURITANS
They stop short, aghast as they hear laughter and a woman's song.
They look off and see Hester. What is Hester Prynne doing? To
them it looks as if she were dancing.
35 SEMI LONG SHOT OF HESTER
Hester is spinning again in gay pirouette as she sees the bird here
one moment, there the next. Now she plunges laughingly into the
flowering thicket.
36 SEMI CLOSE-UP GROUP OF PURITANS
The Puritans gaze at each other in horror and set their lips--then
hurry even faster toward the church.
DISSOLVE INTO:
38 INT. CHURCH
The church is partially filled with sour faced, straight backed people
who sit there in terrible solemnity, as though it would be a sin if
anyone should think that they were about to enjoy the service.
The beadle, whom we shall name Jonathan Appletree, walks through
the aisles, carrying a long pole. A general movement in the church.
The Governor enters! A most important man, pompous, elegant and
dignified. (The men all rise until he is seated.)
39 EXT. WOODS
Hester Prynne is running and now laughing, so exhilarated is she
by this unexpected release. She sees--
40 CLOSE-UP BRANCH OF TREE
The bird is singing.
41 CLOSE-UP HESTER
As Hester looks at the bird, their comes to her the realization that
freedom has brought happiness to the bird. She will no longer try
to capture him. She is breathless, her eyes are dancing with happiness.
She sees--
42 SKY AND TREES
The bird flying to freedom.
43 LONG SHOT
Hester runs and waves a happy farewell to the bird.
44 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
45 EXT. WOODS CLOSE-UP HESTER
She has heard the bells at last! She stops and listens to them with
growing terror. She looks about her bewildered, realizing that she
is far from church. Her torn dress! Her streaming hair! She
starts to bind it as she hurries past the camera.
46 INT. CHURCH SEMI LONG SHOT
Giles is now seated in back of the Governor. The beadle walks
down the aisle.
47 SEMI CLOSE-UP OF THE BEADLE
He carries his long pole, intently eyeing the congregation for the
slightest wayward gesture.
48 CLOSE-UP SHOT OF THE CONGREGATION
Giles is trying to sit there stiffly attentive. Then his face suddenly
convulses--we see him struggling not to sneeze. He makes a desperate
effort to hold it in. When he does sneeze, it is with such violence
as to startle the congregation. Not only that, but he has dared
to sneeze upon the Governor. The beadle leans over, and, with his
long stick, raps Giles smartly on the head. The Governor casts an
upbraiding glance at Giles. He feels his dignity has been ruffled by
this unconscious, but vulgar, gesture of Giles.
49 CLOSE-UP CHURCH BELLS TOLLING
DISSOLVE INTO:
50 INT. VESTRY
Through the open door can be seen the parishioners in their pews.
The Puritans who had seen Hester in the woods have arrived, and
they are telling Reverend Dimmesdale of Hester Prynne's sin of
dancing and running on the Sabbath.
A look, so forbidding as to be cruel, sets Reverend Dimmesdale's
face in a firm mold.
51 EXT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE
Hester Prynne who has returned for her bonnet, is seen again
as she hurries out of the house putting on her bonnet. But there
is no longer any happiness in her movements. She is terrified.
She knows now that she is late for church, will be caught and
undoubtedly punished!
52 INT. CHURCH LONG SHOT
Reverend Dimmesdale steps into his pulpit, and all the people quiet
themselves, for service is about to begin.
53 EXT. CHURCH
Hester, breathless, stands outside, wondering if she dare enter the
church; then she almost glides in, earnestly praying that she will
be able to slip into her pew unnoticed.
54 INT. CHURCH CLOSE-UP CONGREGATION AND PULPIT
The backs of the parishioners are to the camera. Reverend Dimmesdale
is in the pulpit preaching. There is no soft, kindly light in
his eyes. He doesn't talk to them of salvation, but his attitude
shows that he is condemning them for their sins. He stops for a
moment, as his eyes sweep over the congregation, because he
catches sight of Hester.
55 SEMI LONG SHOT SHOWING THE CONGREGATION
They are facing the camera, which is in the direction of the pulpit.
Looking straight ahead, not daring to move or glance sideways,
even out of the corner of their eyes, they do not see Hester. She
comes creeping into the church, looking very little and child-like,
in fact, quite like a naughty child, praying she won't be caught.
But just as she is about to slink into her pew, she gazes up at the
minister and sees his piercing eye upon her. When she drops down
into a seat between two tall Puritans with a third tall Puritan in
front of her, she is almost lost to sight.
56 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE
He is quite infuriated by Hester's effort to escape punishment.
"Hester Prynne!" and he points a finger at her dramatically.
"Thou hast sinned--and wouldst try to hide thy shame!
Child of the devil! Come before me that I might advise thee and
teach a lesson to my flock through thee!"
57 CLOSE-UP HESTER
His voice ringing out terrifies her. It is like blows upon her.
With a guilty look in her eyes, she tries to force a wistful smile
as she moves to rise.
58 LONG SHOT OF CHURCH
Reverend Dimmesdale's eyes are like a brand upon Hester. His
voice rises and thunders through the church as he points a
condemning finger at her. Trembling, she rises at his command and
moves slowly up the aisle toward his pulpit--until she stands there,
her head bowed in humility.
59 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND REVEREND DIMMESDALE
Still pointing his finger, he is crying out: "Woe unto him who
disobeys the inexorable laws of God's Sabbath! On this, His day of
worship, thou hast listened to the voice of the devil calling thee!
Thou hast run, and sung, and danced with thy hair unloosened.
And now dost thou stand before my people in shame and humiliation?"
60 LONGER SHOT OF CHURCH
The minister is swept away by his passionate denouncement of
Hester. "Let this be a warning to thee!" and he turns back
dramatically to the congregation. "God is just and merciful, but
His punishment is swift and heavy upon the sinners who yield
themselves to petty vanities."
Again he turns upon Hester:
"Thou knowest well that laughter on the Sabbath is forbidden.
Thou knowest well that dancing is the gesture of the devil. Thinkest
thou there is any escape for thee? No, thou shalt be punished here
by the shame of our pointing fingers! Though shalt be punished
hereafter by the pointing finger of God. Thou shalt not escape!"
All through this dramatic tirade, Hester stands with bowed head--
a very little figure before this bleak pulpit.
61 CLOSE-UP HESTER
She raises her face toward him, her eyes are filled with tears; but
in them is a look so pitiful, so pleading, that there is revealed the
secret of Hester Prynne's heart--she is in love with the minister.
Her eyes caress the stern face that bends above her. His words
are lost; she hears only his voice, the voice of the man that she
loves.
62 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE
He is looking down at Hester. He is still crying out, "Shame on
thee, Hester Prynne, that thou, a young girl of our village, hast
broken the sacred laws! Shame on thee!" And then it is that
her eyes, so pitiful and pleading arrest him in his dramatic protest
against the sins of the flesh. And there comes into his eyes
a strange wonderment, as if he has become aware of Hester's love
for him.
63 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND REVEREND DIMMESDALE
There is between these two a long exchange of tense, dramatic
glances. Reverend Dimmesdale, unconscious of everything save
the presence of Hester, bends close to her. And eyes look long
into eyes they lean to. It shocks him--this realization that Hester
Prynne is in love with him. And through what emotion is _he_
passing? She is lovely to look upon; there is something almost divine
about her tenderness, so forgiving is she. And how can he stand
there and in cruel words denounce her? What is stirring within
his own heart? Could it be possible that he, too, is awakened to
response by that great love of hers?
(This long exchange of glances may have to be divided into close-
ups--back and forth between the two, because it is a poignant
moment, this birth of their love.)
64 SEMI LONG SHOT OF CHURCH
Almost in a daze, the minister turns away from Hester. It takes
a few seconds to gather himself together before he can summon
again that dynamic force which so marked the beginning of his
sermon. But he must not weaken in his firm resolve; he must
continue with his tirade. He turns away from Hester, back to
those Puritans, who bend their heads under the scourge of his
warnings.
65 CLOSE-UP HESTER PRYNNE
The tears have never left Hester Prynne's eyes, but her faint
smile reveals hidden ecstasies in her heart.
66 SEMI CLOSE-UP PULPIT
Hester's back is to the camera. Reverend Dimmesdale is preaching.
Once again his face is set in stern condemnation; but as he
addresses the parishioners, his eyes stray again toward Hester's
face. Now he looks at her as if he were afraid of her, almost
resentful that she has awakened the dormant emotion of love in
his heart.
FADE OUT
67 FADE IN INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
Through the open window streams the sunlight. Reverend
Dimmesdale sits there poring over his Bible, making notes for
sermons; but the thoughts of Hester crowd out all thoughts of
duty, and he sits there idly dreaming and wondering how far this
attraction will carry him. He presents a romantic figure. As he
gazes into space, he is startled by a white rose being thrown in
through the window. He picks up the rose, and we know at once
by his expression that he believes it was thrown to him by Hester.
A slight sigh escapes him.
68 EXT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
It isn't Hester, but Mistress Hibbins, who has thrown the rose,
because there she stands with the second rose in her hand and is
about to toss it also when Giles comes along. Rather sheepishly
she hides the rose. The two quarrel. Giles hates her so that he
can hardly keep his hands from reaching out and wringing her
neck. Mistress Hibbins, switching her skirts, walks away.
69 INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
He is still gazing dreamily at the rose. Now he goes to the window
to peek out, to catch Hester, to see her smiling, upturned face.
70 CLOSE-UP MINISTER AT WINDOW
He looks out, expecting to see Hester--and he does! He gazes
dramatically a short distance away into the square--and this is
what he sees:
71 SEMI CLOSE-UP STOCKS
The stocks are set close to the bleak wall of the church. A bright
ray of sunshine strikes full upon Hester, a prisoner of the stocks.
She is suffering now from slight exhaustion, her head droops forward
wearily. When she raises her eyes, in them is a haggard look of one
who has endured hours of discomfort. Several Puritans passing by pay
little heed to her. Punishment in stocks is an ordinary event. Then
comes Mistress Hibbins. Her nose is in the air. She smirks
triumphantly and switches her skirts as she sails past.
72 INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
Shocked, the minister hurriedly leaves his study.
73 LONG SHOT OF SQUARE
The minister is seen hurrying out of his house and up to the stocks.
74 CLOSE-UP WOODEN SIGN OVER THE STOCKS
On it is inscribed in old English script:
PUNISHED FOR LAUGHING AND
SINGING ON THE SABBATH.
LAP DISSOLVE INTO:
75 SEMI CLOSE-UP AT STOCKS
A dreadful weakness has overcome Hester. Hearing footsteps
approaching, she raises her head, and, upon seeing the minister
standing there staring at her aghast, she speaks through scarcely
moving lips, "Water."
76 LONGER SHOT
The minister hurries away to the pump, not far from the church.
He fills the small pewter mug with water, and then turns and
hurries back to Hester, dropping on his knees beside her.
77 STREET
A shot of Mistress Hibbins and Giles seeing Reverend Dimmesdale
administering aid to Hester.
78 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
The minister, sincerely touched by Hester's suffering, kneels that
he may hold the cup of water to her lips. Again their eyes meet,
hers filled with a melting tenderness and forgiveness.
In his voice there is a pleading note as he tells her:
TITLE: "I did not know that the committee had meted out further
punishment to thee ... canst thou forgive me, Hester Prynne?"
BACK: In her eyes is not only forgiveness but the expression of
deep love for him. He seems strangely stirred by it, as he kneels
before her. Their faces are quite close together; his gaze plunges
into hers. ... Again he is profoundly stirred. There is a softer
look in his eyes as he bows his head when Hester Prynne assures
him "I did not believe that thou didst order this punishment for
me." Then her head droops again. It is the sight of this that
makes him realize she is suffering; it brings him to sudden action.
79 LONGER SHOT
The minister rises to his feet. He looks about him, and sees, coming
out of the meeting-house, the Governor followed by the beadle
and two other Puritans. The minister, eager for Hester's freedom,
hurries over toward the steps of the meeting-house.
80 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE CLOSE SHOT OF STEPS
The Governor is slow, ponderous and wordy. His dignity is almost
exaggerated. The beadle thinks he is equally important. He
carries with him the keys to the stocks. The minister, in a few
words, speaks to the Governor about Hester; he points dramatically
off scene, and asks for her release.
The Governor gives orders to the beadle to open the stocks and
free Hester. The minister, almost intensely eager, hurries away
followed by the beadle.
81 SEMI CLOSE-UP STOCKS
The minister and the beadle enter. As the beadle starts to put the
key into the lock--
CUT TO
82 SEMI CLOSE MISTRESS HIBBINS AND GILES
They are watching--Mistress Hibbins indignant because Hester is
spared, Giles delighted.
83 SEMI CLOSE-UP STOCKS
The minister raises Hester to her feet. She is weak; her legs are
stiff from sitting so long in that rigid position. She totters slightly.
Believing that she is going to fall, he puts his arm around her to
support her. She looks up at him gratefully. Thus they exit
toward her home.
FADE OUT
84 FADE IN EXT. HESTER PRYNNE'S HOUSE
Hester and the minister have reached the house and are standing
outside her door. They are standing there in strange quiet, for
Hester is still weak from the ordeal through which she has passed.
She holds out her hands and he takes them both in his. His words
are stern for he is saying:
TITLE: "I hope thou hast learned a great lesson, Hester Prynne
--to beware the vanities of life."
BACK: But his eyes linger upon the sweetness of her face.
Reverend Dimmesdale realizes this very moment what he has
feared to acknowledge to himself!--that he is in love with Hester.
She reaches for his hand and draws it to her lips--a gesture to
express her gratitude. This caress startles him. He grows afraid
of her, as if hers was the voice of the devil luring him from cold
piety. Without a word he turns and hurries away from her.
85 LONGER SHOT
The minister flies from Hester because he is afraid of this love.
Then he looks back. Another dramatic pause; she is leaning forward
over the little gate, looking after him.
86 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE
For one brief moment he is carried away by an impulse to hurry
back to her side, perhaps even to declare his love. He is fighting
with his innermost conscience. Again that look of fear! He turns
and walks away.
87 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester is gazing after the minister. How deeply she loves him!
How unashamed she is of this love! And, though filled with infinite
longing for him, there comes over her an emotion of happiness; she
is now aware that he is in love with her. With this happiness
singing in her heart, she hurries into the house.
88 INT. HESTER'S HOME
Hester enters. She walks in deep reverie.
89 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE (CAMERA ON TRACK)
As Reverend Dimmesdale walks along in great strides, as if he
were hurrying to escape from the lure of Hester, we see his
struggle to put her out of his heart. Again he is afraid. He is
saying to himself, "No--no, I cannot let myself yield to material
love." For a moment he hates her; he hates her for the acknowledgement
of his own weakness; and then there comes again a transition. It
brings him to a sudden stop. There sweeps over him a tender feeling
for her, a longing to see her again--something of the same ecstasy
that Hester had known. His face is suddenly aglow with beauty and
softness. His eyes are deeply tender. He seems almost overcome by
this sudden rush of emotion.
90 EXT. DIMMESDALE'S HOUSE
Dimmesdale, walking toward the door of his house, is in such a
gaze that he doesn't notice Giles. Giles greets him happily and
then stares after the minister amazed, because the minister, with
wide open eyes, walks like one in a sleep.
91 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester is seated on a little stool at work on a bridal veil. She is
busy with her needle; for it is she who makes the wedding veils
for the village girls. Now she stops to bite off a thread. When
this is done, she holds it up and studies it, pleased with the result.
Now there comes to her a desire to try this veil upon herself to
see if it becomes her. She rises and goes to the wall ... where
the hidden mirror is hung.
92 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AT MIRROR
Hester has again set aside the worsted mat and is trying on the
bridal veil.
93 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester's eyes are filled with loving memories of Reverend Dimmesdale as
she gazes at herself in the mirror, and she sighs as she draws her hand
caressingly over the veil. She whispers "Beloved," her face leaning so
close to the mirror that her lips almost caress the reflection.
94 INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
Reverend Dimmesdale sitting there dreaming of Hester. His eyes
reflect her own thought of him.
95 INT. HESTER'S ROOM SEMI CLOSE-UP
Hester is gazing dreamily into the mirror. Then there comes a
complete transition of her expression from ecstasy to fear. "No--
no!" she cries aloud. "I can never wear a bridal veil--never!"
And with a dramatic gesture she pulls the bridal veil from her
head. Hester, who is married, knows that she cannot wed Dimmesdale
even though he should ask her. This thought brings fear and
sorrow to her. She looks down at the bridal veil, her tears falling
upon it.
96 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Giles is knocking at the door.
97 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester tries to wipe away her tears as she hurries to the door.
She opens it and Giles enters. Giles, who is grinning happily as
he comes into the room, because he likes Hester and is always
glad to see her, stops short as he sees the tears which she has not
successfully wiped away. Hester, afraid that he has seen them,
drops down onto a little footstool and starts putting the last stitch
or two into the bridal veil, busying herself with her work.
98 CLOSE-UP GILES
His mouth drops open as he looks upon Hester with ludicrous
sympathy. "Hast thou a tear in thy eye?" unconsciously indicating
his own.
99 CLOSE-UP HESTER
As she continues sewing on the veil, she forces a little smile,
answering:
TITLE: "They are tears of happiness at the thought of thy bride
who will wear this veil, Master Giles."
100 SEMI CLOSE-UP GILES AND HESTER
Hester rises to show the veil to Giles. He handles it in his big
clumsy hands, awkwardly holding it out and grinning a sheepish,
embarrassed grin. Hester clasps her hands as she looks at the veil.
When Giles sees her intent gaze upon it, he suggests:
TITLE: "Perhaps thou wilt be wearing a bridal veil someday?"
BACK: At this the same look of pain that he had seen in Hester's
eyes comes back to them again. Giles is a simple person; he has
no idea how she betrays herself when she cries out, "No, no, Giles!
Never! Never!" Then, to his utter astonishment, she turns her
back to him and buries her face in her hands. Giles makes several
very awkward gestures. He doesn't know whether to place his
big hand on her shoulder and pet her--to offer consolation--to inquire
into the cause of her grief--or what to do. So he just stands
there rocking on his big, flat feet, looking wild-eyed and bewildered.
FADE OUT
101 FADE IN CLOSE-UP COVERING THE ENTIRE SCREEN A VOLUME OF THE
LAWS OF THE COLONY
The Governor's hand wavers and turns over the pages.
LAP DISSOLVE TO:
CLOSE-UP OF THE GOVERNOR
The Governor is studying the book, peering through his huge spectacles
at the page he has turned to.
INSERT: CLOSE-UP OF PAGE
This paragraph covers the entire page:
LAW FOR WASHING ON MONDAY
Nether garments of women are necessary though
immodest. They must be washed in secret and
hidden far from masculine eyes.
LAP DISSOLVE THIS PAGE INTO:
102 EXT. STREAM IN THE COUNTRY LONG SHOT
It is summer now. A lovely scene of the brook, the trees--and
here and there women washing their clothes.
103 EXT. LONELY ISOLATED BEND IN THE STREAM
Hester has found an isolated spot to do her washing. She rises
from her knees beside the brook, wrings out a pair of panties,
then hurries away to where she is hanging the nether-garments to
dry.
104 EXT. LIMB OF TREE SEMI LONG SHOT
There is hanging on the low branch of the tree a petticoat. Hester
enters, unwraps the article that she has brought with her, straightens
them out and starts to hang them up. When they are in place, with her
fingers she flutes the ruffle. While she is in the midst of doing this,
she looks up, startled. She hears--
105 CLOSE-UP MINISTER'S FEET
The feet come down heavily on a fallen twig--and it snaps in two.
106 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER
With a little suppressed cry of horror, she snatches the panties
from the line and holds them in back of her. The footsteps are
approaching. She looks around, bewildered, for some avenue of
escape. And then that expression of horror deepens when she
sees ...
107 LONGER SHOT
Who should be walking along in meditation as he reads from a small
prayer book but Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester tries to escape before
he sees her, plunging behind a large protective bush.
108 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE
He has looked up in time to see a woman running guiltily. He
calls out to her:
TITLE: "Woman, whoever thou art, stop!"
109 LONG SHOT OF A CLUMP OF BUSHES
Drawing himself up to a dignified height, Reverend Dimmesdale
stalks over toward the bush. Hester, hiding in back of it, is vainly
trying to keep away from him. The action almost resolves itself
into a game of tag. He starts one way--she runs around the other
way. They keep this up, until, both running, they find themselves
face to face. Hester, with a wild, guilty look in her eyes, holds
the garment in back of her.
110 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
The minister is endeavoring to gaze at her sternly. "Hester
Prynne, thou hast a guilty look in thine eyes. Thou hast been sinning
again!"
Hester, wild-eyed, keeps backing away from him. "No--no!" she
pleads. "I am innocent--I have done no wrong. Please go away!
Please leave me!"
111 LONGER SHOT
Hester is slowly backing away--her eyes fixed on the minister's
face. His command rings out again. "Stop, Hester! Thou art
hiding something!"
Blushing, embarrassed and shy, Hester keeps backing away.
"Hester Prynne, stop!" So compelling is the note in his voice that
she dares not move and stands there transfixed, her hands in back
of her.
With a stern, forbidding look, Reverend Dimmesdale stalks over to
Hester, stops short before her, and peers over her shoulder. He
stands there stunned for a moment. Then, without a word, he
turns on his heel and walks away with head lowered and his eyes
modestly on his prayer-book. Hester watches him until he is gone
from sight. Then with one swift gesture she tosses the garment
to one side and hurries after him.
112 EXT. WOODED LANE LONG SHOT
From a distance we see the minister walking along, quite swiftly,
away from Hester, his gaze still upon the prayer-book that he
holds in his hands. Then comes the little figure of Hester running
toward him until she is at his side.
113 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER (CAMERA ON TRACK)
The minister with a most pious air tries to pretend that he doesn't
even see Hester. She cannot keep up with his long strides. Sometimes
she falls behind and has to run to keep up with him. Then
with mock seriousness, she steps out with long strides to mate his
own footsteps. He looks up, pretending surprise, nods to her
rather curtly, then glances straight ahead of him. But at that he
is rather pleased, for the Reverend Dimmesdale, though he would
deny it himself, is seriously in love with Hester. And as they
walk, they look toward each other again, the minister trying to
preserve an air of dignity and slight disapproval that she should make
so bold as to persist in talking to him.
At last she breaks the silence. She says in a very quiet, demure
manner, though there is an arch smile in her eyes:
TITLE: "It would be pleasant, sir, to walk beside thee and hear
thee condemn me for my sins."
BACK: And with this she edges one step nearer him so that, as
they walk side by side, her swinging arm touches his sleeve.
114 EXT. COUNTRY VERY LONG SHOT
We see fading away into the distance, until they are lost in the
silhouette of trees, the minister and Hester.
FADE OUT
115 FADE IN EXT. COUNTRY AT BROOK
This is a beautiful location. Its beauty plays a part in the story,
because years later Hester and the minister return to this scene of
the first declaration of their love.
They are seated beside the brook, gazing into each other's eyes--
the minister prone upon the ground, leaning up on his elbow as he
studies Hester. Though he loves her, he must always struggle to
hide his love.
116 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
Hester's eyes as they search Reverend Dimmesdale again betray
the great love that she feels for him. Again he is stirred
profoundly, though always there is within him that constant struggle
against all emotional expression. Hester, who loves deeply, loves
unreservedly, and has neither false pride nor false modesty. She
bends close to him. Her eyes pleading that he care for her, willing
to yield herself to the glowing joy of love that she may find a
sacred happiness in his arms.
She asks him with quiet emphasis:
TITLE: "Is it so great a sin to love? Why are we taught to be
ashamed of it?"
BACK: Reverend Dimmesdale cannot answer. He moves closer
to her as if his arms would reach and draw her into them. It is
a moment pregnant with emotional suspense. An impulse seizes
him to crush her in his arms; his hand, taut upon her wrist, would
draw her nearer ... wild, unspoken words of love thrill through
him, but remain soundless in his heart. Thus they face each
other; Hester in an ecstasy of yielding; Reverend Dimmesdale
glowing with a great desire, yet held in leash by the fear of life
that has been taught him through all those years of grueling
religious training. With a despairing gesture, he turns away from
her.
117 LONGER SHOT
Reverend Dimmesdale springs to his feet. He hurries from Hester.
But Hester does not move. She sits there quietly in a shaft
of light that pierces through the tall trees, divinely happy because
his eyes have told her that he loves her.
Reverend Dimmesdale stops short.
118 CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE
He stands there struggling against all these years of discipline--
against emotional outlet. His face is tense and set.
119 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Her eyes are filled with dreams. She waits happily as if she knew
that he would return to her.
120 LONG SHOT
Reverend Dimmesdale walks swiftly back to Hester, falls on his
knees before her, draws her into his arms, and kisses her with a
fierce tenderness.
121 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND REVEREND DIMMESDALE
Again and again he kisses her, whispering to her passionate words
of love; because once a man of his nature releases himself to a
great physical emotion, all restraint is torn away; he knows no
barriers; it becomes a terrific, hysterical release.
After her first moment of yielding, there comes a fear of so great
a passion in the man she loves. Hester draws away from him, a
slight, almost unconscious gesture, her eyes searching his face perhaps
fearfully, as if she were seeing him in the light of a stranger
for that brief moment. It is when he sees this slight challenge in
Hester's eyes that he cries out in fierce protest:
TITLE: "Hester, I love thee. There is no sin in a love like ours!"
BACK: And as he holds her close to him, his lips seek hers again.
FADE OUT
122 FADE IN EXT. VILLAGE STREET NIGHT WINTER
A light snow is falling. The village is plunged in darkness except
for the lights from a few windows.
DISSOLVE INTO:
123 INT. BEADLE'S HOUSE
In this plain, somber living-room filled with only the barest necessities
of furniture, Giles is courting Patience, the girl of his heart.
The two of them are seated on a long wooden bench, making love
by talking to each other through a long speaking tube. A fire
flickers in the fireplace.
Mother sits in the room busy at the loom. Jonathan Appletree is
reading out loud from the Bible.
124 SEMI CLOSE-UP GILES AND PATIENCE (AKELEY
SHOT FROM ONE TO ANOTHER)
Patience is a typical Puritan girl who, unlike Hester, has no
springtime in her heart. Mechanically she obeys all the prescribed
laws. Giles has asked her father for her hand in marriage, and
has been accepted. So now he is trying to whisper sweet nothings
through the speaking tube into her ears.
As Giles, through his end of the tube, is whispering quite tender
words, Patience listens quite primly, then her lips begin to curve
in a pleased smile at his flattering words, and her eyes drop in
shy modesty, and she simpers, "How dare you!" Their pantomime
explains the scene.
125 LONGER SHOT
The beadle looks at his heavy watch, raps on the Bible and tells
Giles it is time he left. Giles reluctantly reaches for his tall hat--
and she leads the way to the door. Giles looks up and sees that
the beadle is engrossed with his Bible. With a mischievous twinkle
in his eyes, Giles watches his chance, bends over and kisses her
chastely upon the cheek. An outcry from the girl as she draws
back in horror. Father and Mother both rise and march over to
them. The stern old beadle denounces Giles, and the girl then
and there refuses to marry Giles, exclaiming with great dignity
and righteous wrath:
TITLE: "Father, I cannot allow thee to wed me to a man of such
unbridled passions."
BACK: Giles pleads with Patience to forgive him, but she turns
her back, and her father orders Giles out, while the mother tries
to comfort her daughter.
126 LONG SHOT OF MARKET-PLACE IN THE SNOW
Giles, crossing the market-place, passes the meeting-house. The
door opens and the minister comes out.
127 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE CLOSER SHOT
Through the lighted door we can see into the room. There sits
the Governor and two or three of the Puritans. Reverend Dimmesdale
hurries out and closes the door after him. Giles and the minister
pass, exchanging a brief greeting. The minister hurries on toward
Hester's house.
128 EXT. SHOWING HESTER'S HOUSE
The minister going toward Hester's house. A group of Puritans
pass and the minister is forced to step into the shadows until they
are gone from sight.
129 EXT. CORNER OF MARKET-PLACE
Giles passes the old man who rings the curfew bell for "Lights
out!" The old fellow carries a huge lantern in one hand and a
bell in the other. We can see by his expression that he is saying,
"Why out so late, Giles? Hurry on thy way home! Be gone--I
will soon be ringing the bell."
130 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester is seated before the fireplace at the loom. The quiet room
is made interesting by the glow of candlelight. Hester is spinning
her thread preparatory to weaving.
She hears the approach of footsteps outside, as they crunch upon
the snow. She listens, startled and intent, rising and going toward
the door.
131 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
The snow is fast piling upon the eaves. Reverend Dimmesdale
enters quickly, gliding into the shadows for fear that he might be
seen. The door is opened slightly--a chink of light shows that
Hester is standing there. She opens the door wide enough to admit
Dimmesdale, who enters, then the door is closed after him.
132 INT. HESTER'S HOME
The minister's face is aglow with a new interest. After their embrace,
she looks toward him to know what has caused his strange, almost happy,
animation. And he tells her eagerly:
TITLE: "The Governor has appointed me as delegate to carry the
petition of our colony to the King. I sail on the next boat!"
BACK: Hester's eyes widen with alarm as they search his face.
A look of doubt and fear--they are to be separated--and yet his
expression reveals nothing but an eager happiness to be away.
Dimmesdale, seeing that she does not understand, smiles with
great protective tenderness as he draws her into his arms.
133 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
He laughs almost boyishly, as if it pleased him a little to tease her;
and then his voice lowers to a caressing note as he explains how
she is to share his happiness:
TITLE: "Thou canst no longer refuse to marry me, Hester--"
BACK: "Shame on thee!" he adds, hardly conscious of the change
in her expression. "For the moment thou didst doubt me--thou
didst think that I was eager to be away from thee." And then,
the laughter dying away, "As if every moment from thee
would not be pain! Far easier for me to give up the sun than
thee, my Hester."
It is when he ceases protesting his love that he becomes aware of
the change in her; for Hester is staring at him dumbly, piteously.
She knows now that the moment has come when she must tell
him that she is married. But how shall she begin? Will he ever
forgive her for the deception? Tumultuous thoughts rage through
her, tormenting her, bringing her almost to the verge of breaking
down before she has even made her confession. Almost as if she
were afraid to speak, for she has beheld a look of fear in his eyes,
she turns away from him.
134 LONGER SHOT
The minister stares at her incredulously for a few moments as she
drops on her knees before a small, worn trunk. She opens it and
rummages through its treasures until she finds a little leather bag.
She dumps its contents upon the floor and searches until she has
found a ring, a plain, broad wedding-ring. She picks it up, and
carries it to Dimmesdale.
135 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
Hester holds the ring before him; it lies in the palm of her
outstretched hand. He stares at it for a few moments and cannot
quite understand.
"My wedding ring," she says simply. "I have worn it upon this
finger," making to slip it upon the fourth finger of her left hand.
He stares at it, then drops it from his hand as if it were a live
coal that had burned his fingers. "O my God, Hester!" is wrung
from his very heart. "Thou hast betrayed our love. Thou hast
been false to vows made to another. Thou hast lied to me and
cheated me!" A terrible pain tugs at his heart. It seems at this
terrific moment as if he hated Hester for the intense agony he is
passing through. "Thou!" and he points his finger at her, "who
art the wife of another! And in my heart thou wert my wife!'
Our love held all the sacredness of marriage. Oh, my God, Hester!"
and his grief mounts. "Why didst thou so betray me?"
Pitifully she goes to him, and lays a gentle hand upon his arm.
"I am guilty," she replies quietly, "and I am guilty of a great love
for thee."
She beseeches him to listen to her. With eyes pleading for
understanding and forgiveness, she explains to him:
TITLE: "I was never wife to him. I hated him!"
She continues after a dramatic pause:
TITLE: "On the day I left England, my father married me to a
wealthy surgeon. ... He was to follow on the next ship when
his estates had been settled."
BACK: Hester is reviewing her past--she sees it all before her
as if it were yesterday, her eyes wide with remembrance:
TITLE: "These years that have passed have brought no word
from him, though my father wrote me that he had left England."
BACK: The minister stands there listening to her, so utterly
crushed because he cannot make her entirely his, his to love
and protect, his to journey with him on the mission which is
to take him away a year. So shaken is he that though he
has forgiven her, he has no words for her, no look, no gestures.
136 LONGER SHOT
He turns with bowed head to leave her, as if he could not endure
any longer an intimacy that had been sacred to him until this
shadow had been thrown upon it. Why must he leave with this
sorrow in his heart? She hurries to the door and stops him.
137 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
She clings to him. "O my darling!" she cries, "do not leave me
at such a shadowed hour. I love thee. It is my love which has
betrayed thee. Parting from thee is twisting my heart with pain!"
He hears the caress of her voice, he feels the warmth of her arms.
He turns back to her, conscious only of his love for her. Again
there is pleading in her voice.
TITLE: "O my beloved, I was afraid if thou didst know the
truth, thou wouldst deny me those moments of great happiness
that have passed between us--"
BACK: They cling to each other, tragic figures lost in their
mutual sorrow. (And now the church, which stands between
them, tolls its warning voice.) They are listening.
CUT TO:
138 STREET NIGHT SNOWING
The old man is ringing the bell which warns the villagers, "Lights out!"
139 EXT. VILLAGE STREET NIGHT SNOW
The lights in the windows blink out.
140 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
The two are standing by the door. The curfew has brought them
back to sudden consciousness. He must leave, hurriedly! He cups
her face in his hands, and his gaze plunges deep into her eyes. He
studies her intently as if to photograph indelibly upon his memory
every detail of her beloved face. Then, without a farewell pressure
of lips upon lips, he turns and hurries away while he still
has the courage to leave her. When he is gone, she stands there
staring after him--her body poised for flight. Then there comes
flooding over her the realization that he is gone--that she is going
to bring into the world a child--and that she must face this tragedy
alone!
Fear, stark and terrifying, lays hold of Hester. Her hand goes
to her heart. How can she face those grim Puritans alone? What
will become of her? And of the child who sleeps under her heart?
The thought of her child works a strange miracle in her--it calms
her into a wistful reverie, wherein fear for the moment plays no
part. Hester's arms feel her child in them. Then fear touches
her again, as there floods over her all the tragedy that the
future holds for her. "I can't face it alone! I haven't the
courage," she cries aloud.
141 LONGER SHOT
She sweeps open the door.
142 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
In the lighted doorway, we can see Hester. She runs out into
the snow, beckoning, "Come back! Come back!" ... But he is
already gone. She stops. She cannot let him know--she cannot
send him away with this burden on his heart. She turns back into
the house and closes the door after her.
143 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester seems white and drawn and her eyes are flaming with
budding terror. At last when her emotion has reached a crisis
she cries out, "O Lord forgive me--and make Thine eyes to shine
upon me in my hour of travail and repentance!"
FADE OUT
144 FADE IN VOLUME OF LAWS OF THE COLONY
The Governor's hand again enters--turns over the pages.
LAP DISSOLVE INTO:
145 CLOSE-UP PAGE
On this page in large, legible type is written:
TITLE: Punishment for Adultery
The text is as follows:
The wanton creature shall be called to the scaffold in the
village square and branded before the eyes of the world.
THIS PAGE LAP DISSOLVES INTO:
146 EXT. MARKET-PLACE LONG SHOT
The scaffold stands in grim, bleak silhouette against the barren
walls of the church. At the base of the scaffold are quiet groups
of Puritans. They look almost as forbidding as the scaffold itself.
Many Puritans are marching solemnly toward it. The whole picture
suggests something grim and terrible.
147 INT. MEETING-HOUSE SEMI LONG SHOT
The Governor and several funereal looking Puritans are in the
meeting-house. Their eyes reflect the solemn occasion. They are
trudging down the steps, their faces almost expressionless, when
one looks through the window. There is a flare of excitement
when he points off scene, "Look Reverend Dimmesdale is returning!"
148 EXT. MARKET-PLACE SEMI LONG SHOT
Reverend Dimmesdale on horseback is riding toward the meeting-house.
As he passes the camera his face is aglow, for he brings them good
news. His eyes are lit with other fires--he is soon to see Hester!
149 INT. MEETING-HOUSE
The Governor and the Puritans, in their eagerness to greet the
minister, have forgotten the solemnity of the occasion. Their faces
are now wreathed in smiles and he enters and hurries over to them.
150 CLOSER SHOT OF GROUP
After the greeting is over, Reverend Dimmesdale tells them with
eager enthusiasm:
TITLE: "I have brought good news to thee: our petition has
been granted by the King!"
BACK: This is indeed good news. There is movement and interest and
conversation.
151 EXT. FOOT OF SCAFFOLD SEMI LONG SHOT
There stands on the scaffold a Puritan with face like an executioner.
He is the drummer. Very solemnly he raises his sticks and beats the
drum. It is a call to arms.
152 INT. MEETING-HOUSE SEMI CLOSE UP GOVERNOR, REVEREND
DIMMESDALE AND PURITANS
The ominous sound of the drum has arrested them.
"What are the drums beating for?" asks the minister, although
the prophetic shadow of fear is already upon his face.
The Governor's eyes narrow to cruel slits. He speaks in an ugly
voice filled with stern condemnation: "In a few minutes Hester
Prynne will be brought from her prison cell."
Dimmesdale stands like one stunned. He turns to the Governor
and asks with tragic mien:
TITLE: "Why hast thou imprisoned Hester Prynne? What
crime hath she committed?"
The Governor is a man of dignity. He cannot speak of such
indelicate things as "babies" in a loud voice, so he leans close to
the minister's ear and whispers Hester's crime. When its full
significance dawns upon him: "She is one of my parishioners. I
must go to her. She is suffering; I must bring comfort to her."
When he leaves, the Governor and the beadle look after him.
"A good man," says the Governor. "His first thought is for his
flock."
"A very good man," repeats the beadle, looking after the minister
with kindly eyes. "He suffers deeply for the sins of others."
153 INT. PRISON CELL LONG SHOT
It is a grim, bleak, formidable prison. Huge spiked doors. A
high-barred window through which streams a path of daylight.
In a rough cradle lies Hester's baby. Hester sits there on a little
stool, gazing straight ahead, her supine hands in her lap, no light
coming into her great eyes which are dull, almost expressionless.
Eyes that are like ghosts of a remote sorrow. All emotion seems
whipped from her, so much has she suffered. Her gestures are
eloquent of her utter abandonment of hope. She has already endured
so much she gives the impression that life has passed her by
and nothing will ever be able to hurt her again. She sits there
staring down at the baby. Once she leans over to pick some
little piece of lint from off the woven coverlet, or to draw her finger
lightly over the sleeping child's face.
154 EXT. PRISON
The beadle protests slightly about Reverend Dimmesdale's entering
the prison, but his protests are waved aside.
155 INT. HESTER'S PRISON CELL CLOSE-UP
Hester hears footsteps and voices outside. She glances dully
toward the door, wondering if the guards have come for her.
156 INT. HESTER'S CELL
The warden has opened the door. Reverend Dimmesdale enters
and stands there staring transfixed at Hester. So stunned is he
that he makes no perceptible move.
157 CLOSE-UP HESTER
So much has Hester suffered that one feels her reactions are not
quite normal. She stares at Reverend Dimmesdale through veiled
eyes, almost as if she were not quite certain that it is he, as if
she could not believe that he had really come to her at last.
158 LONGER SHOT
It is when the door is closed by the warden and these two are
alone that an agonized cry is wrung from the heart of the minister,
"Hester!"
It is his voice that brings him closer to her. When he rushes
toward her and drops on his knees before her, she could almost
swoon from the surge of sorrow commingled with infinite relief
at having him close to her again, to give her courage, to endure the
ordeal through which she is about to pass. Dimmesdale glances
at the baby.
INSERT: CLOSE-UP OF BABY
159 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
The tears have dried in Hester's heart--they do not well to her
eyes. It is the minister who breaks down completely. He is sobbing,
"O Hester, canst thou ever forgive me? I never dreamed but
that thou wert happily waiting for me. Oh, what thou must have
suffered. And I, free, unpunished, allowed to walk in God's sunshine,
while thou art doomed to a prison cell--"
His tears fall onto her hand while she sits there looking at him,
loving him, pitying him, as a mother would love and pity her child,
so tenderly does she lay her hand upon his head in sweet comfort.
When a woman has endured as much as Hester, there comes to
her a strange, almost abnormal, calm. She is not aroused from
this until the minister cries out to her:
TITLE: "Thou shalt suffer no longer! I shall tell them that I
am to blame, that I am the one who should be scourged!"
BACK: Then it is that Hester is fully aroused. The thought that
he must suffer, that _he_ must be branded, is more than she can
bear. She pleads with him, "No--no! Thou must keep our
secret locked in thy heart! I cannot bear to have thee suffer!"
She covers his mouth fearfully with her hand. "Be silent! Or thou
wouldst cause my death! I am dying--dying! I could no longer
live once I did see thee dragged through the village square, mocked
at, hissed at, despised!"
It is then that he challenges her: "But what right hast thou to
suffer alone? Wouldst thou make of me a coward?"
All the mother-love that Hester shows toward her baby is revealed
in her eyes as she looks upon him who at this moment is also a child
to her. She tells him with pious sincerity:
TITLE: "We have sinned. I am paying for my sin..."
He looks up at her compassionately. She speaks again:
TITLE: "Thou must answer for thine in service to others. Thy
people love and honor thee. ... What right hast thou to
tear down their ideal?"
BACK: Hester's admonition's make their impression upon Dimmesdale.
He hesitates in pain--then protests: "Hester wouldst thou brand me
a coward--cheapen me--and make me unto myself a Pharisee? I must go
at once and tell them."
He rises as if he were about to rush out of the cell.
160 LONGER SHOT
As he starts toward the door, Hester runs to him and clings to
him. With all her heart she is pleading with him to hold to this
silence in protection of others, crying out:
TITLE: "If we serve God we will atone for the sin that is ours.
Thy service lies in the salvation of souls."
BACK: He stands staring at her with stunned eyes. Before he
can answer, the guards have flung open the door. Hester has
sprung away from him so that all they see is the humble figure of
Hester with bowed head standing before their beloved minister.
The guard tells him the Governor wants him.
He leaves, his burning eyes fastened upon her. Her last motion to
him is a pleading one not to reveal himself. When the doors
are closed and she is left alone with one of the guards, she looks
fearfully in the direction he has departed, her fear growing because
she does not know whether or not her pleas have convinced him
that he must endure his silence as part of his punishment.
161 CLOSE-UP OF DRUM BEATING
The ominous sound of the muffled drum (interpreted in the orchestra
pit) is dramatic preparation for Hester's entrance from prison and her
march to the scaffold.
162 INT. HESTER'S PRISON CELL
Hester's back is to the camera. The guard is standing there
watching her. Hester's movements indicate that she is pinning
something upon her breast, but we do not see what it is. Then
she lifts the sleeping child from out its cradle and holds it against
her breast. And when she turns around, her badge of shame is
not revealed.
163 INT. MEETING-HOUSE
Reverend Dimmesdale enters the meeting-house. His face is white
and drawn.
164 EXT. PRISON GATES
The prison gates are opened. Two guards march out, huge, solemn-
looking men who suggest executioners. Then Hester comes,
slowly, carrying her child upon her breast. Though her face is
marked with suffering, she holds her head high with fine sweeping
pride; for soon she is to pass through the crowds who will point
their fingers at her.
165 EXT. BALCONY OF MEETING-HOUSE
The Governor, the beadle, and several Puritans stand out on this
balcony, which is parallel with the scaffold. It is from there,
over the heads of the people, that the Governor will call out
Hester's sentence. The minister joins them there. A fearful
change is wrought in him. His eyes are stark and staring; his
face looks haggard; a dreadful weakness has come over him. He is
staring down at the foot of the scaffold where he sees Hester, the
martyr, reviled by the villagers who have gathered there to witness
the consummation of her shame.
166 EXT. SCAFFOLD SEMI LONG SHOT
As Hester marches through the crowd to the scaffold, they stand
there, grave, disturbed with hatred of her.
167 CLOSER SHOT OF HESTER
Mistress Hibbins cackles and points her fingers. "Adultress!" she
screams in her high, shrill voice.
Giles pushes forward, and with his sharp elbow stabs Mistress
Hibbins until she is forced back. Then he takes her place. His
eyes are sad. He speaks the only words of comfort she has heard.
"Have courage, Hester, thou hast in me a friend." His face is
made grotesque by his sympathy for her. She walks past, head
held high, regal as a queen. She hears neither Mistress Hibbins'
reviling nor Giles' words of comfort.
168 CLOSE-UP BALCONY OF MEETING-HOUSE
There is a certain satisfaction to the Governor and the beadle, who
have ordered this punishment, to see how much the sinner is enduring.
They exchange pompous and dignified glances. The more pain and sorrow
she endures, the better example she will be to the other women of the
village. Interested in their own reactions, they do not notice the
tragic figure of the minister as, in agony, he watches Hester.
169 LONG SHOT OF THE VILLAGE SQUARE
Hester has now mounted to the scaffold and is standing there, her
child held close to her breast. All the villagers are gathered around
the scaffold. On the balcony, even from this distance, can be seen
the Governor, the minister and the beadle.
170 EXT. BALCONY
Dimmesdale is staring at Hester, distraught. The Governor turns to
him and is apparently unconscious of the dreadful expression on
his face. He insists to the minister:
TITLE: "The charge of her soul has been with thee. Exhort her
to confess her fellow sinner."
BACK: Dimmesdale is staring at the Governor, realizing that he,
despite his struggle, has to step forward before the crowd and
speak to the woman that he loves.
171 CLOSE-UP SCAFFOLD
Hester with pitiful dignity stands there holding her child in her
arms. Now she looks over and sees Dimmesdale on the balcony--
his eyes almost on a level with hers. And again there comes to
her the fear that he will reveal himself.
172 SEMI CLOSE-UP BALCONY OF MEETING-HOUSE
Reverend Dimmesdale steps forward. "Hester Prynne," he cries
out, "I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner
and fellow-sufferer!"
173 EXT. SCAFFOLD AND BALCONY SEMI LONG SHOT
This shot is to establish that the crowds standing around the
scaffold now turn from Hester, who has held their attention, to the
minister, whose voice, ringing out to Hester, holds them. His
gestures very clearly show that he is speaking to Hester. And it
is across the heads of the multitude that Hester and the minister
play their dramatic love scene, wherein Hester tells to him, whose
ears alone understand, the depth and beauty of her love; wherein
his words of pity and sympathy make known to her the tragic tenderness
that he feels.
174 SEMI CLOSE-UP OF BALCONY
Dimmesdale, struggling with his own emotion, inwardly praying
that she will point her finger at him and free him from his
struggle with his own conscience, beseeches her:
TITLE: "O Hester, be not silent from any mistaken pity and
tenderness for him."
BACK: He pauses for a moment until he has the courage to
continue:
TITLE: "'Twere far better that he should stand on thy pedestal
of shame than hide a guilty heart through life..."
BACK: He holds out his arms supplicating her to speak his name.
175 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester has never loved so deeply as at this moment; her eyes are
caressing his face. A faintness overcomes her. She smiles with
lovely tenderness. The hand of the baby reaching up plucks at her
mouth. Then Hester glances down at the child, and the smile
deepens. Once more her eyes are upon him. Her voice carries
over to him this message of her heart:
TITLE: "I will never betray him! I love him ... and my love
will follow him through all eternity!"
176 CLOSE-UP OF BALCONY
Reverend Dimmesdale stands there as one who walks, eyes open,
in a deep sleep. He cannot speak. He can only bow his head.
And when he looks up again, tears glisten in his eyes.
177 LONG SHOT SHOWING THE SCAFFOLD, THE CROWD AND THE BALCONY
The gaze of the Puritans turns from the minister to Hester--
and back to the minister again. They are rather moved by the
low cadences of those voices, though the meaning of the words
is too deep for them to understand.
178 CLOSE-UP AT SCAFFOLD
A beautiful light seem to fall upon Hester's face, the light of
love, as she calls across the heads of the people to him in words
that are almost a prayer:
TITLE: "O would that I would endure his agony as well as mine!"
BACK: Her eyes are full of a deep, forgiving compassion.
179 SEMI CLOSE-UP BALCONY
So broken is the minister by now, so crushed is his spirit, that
he cannot speak again. The Governor infers from his bowed head
that the minister is sorrowful because he has not made Hester
confess. Now it is he who steps forward. A pompous man who
enjoys his power and his position, he clears his throat before he
makes this peroration: "Hester Prynne, thou art a sinner! Thou
art a wanton and a fallen woman--and I stand before thee to
mete out thy punishment!"
180 SEMI LONG SHOT PILLORY CROWD AND BALCONY
There is a movement among the crowd, an eager pressing forward.
The Governor's words, "I shall mete out thy punishment," hold
their attention. Some are looking at Hester; some are waiting
almost breathlessly for the Governor to give his orders.
181 CLOSE-UP BALCONY
The agony of the minister is increasing. He stands in back of
the Governor as the latter, pointing to Hester, cries out:
TITLE: "Reveal the brand of thy shame which thou shalt wear
until thy death--a brand which will mark thee so that the
world shall forever shun thee."
182 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Slowly, Hester lowers the child that is in her arms. On her breast
is the scarlet letter "A" for adultery.
183 EXT. SQUARE LONG SHOT
A very definite reaction on the crowd. Now they can let loose
their jeers, their hisses, their revilements. They can cry "For
shame, Hester Prynne! Look at her--the branded woman!"
184 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Like a martyr Hester stands there. The little hand of the baby
now tugs at the letter "A." Hester is looking up as if inwardly
she were praying for strength to endure her sorrow and humiliation.
FADE OUT
185 FADE IN INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY NIGHT
It is night, and a flickering candle casts interesting shadows about
the room. Reverend Dimmesdale is alone in his study with that
grim shadow, "Conscience." He paces up and down the floor, up
and down, up and down, his mind so disturbed that his body cannot
be at rest. He pauses before an iron cross hanging on the wall and
stands regarding it tensely. Then he is drawn out of his absorption
by the sound of footsteps hurrying by--and he turns toward
the window to see:
186 STREET NIGHT EXT. PRISON (SHOOTING THROUGH THE WINDOW IN
REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY)
A group of Puritans marching toward the prison. In the light
of the torches (or lanterns) which they bear, their faces appear
weird and fanatical. They are bent on some secret mission.
187 INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY CLOSE-UP REV.REVEREND
DIMMESDALE AT WINDOW
A wild light comes into his eyes as he watches them pass. Can it
be that they have found some other means of torturing the woman
that he loves? He has seen her endure too much already; the
frail craft would break under any more torture.
188 INT. HESTER'S PRISON CELL LONG SHOT
Hester is sitting there nursing her baby; its little face rests
against the scarlet letter. She lays the child in its cradle. It is
night. Only a tall, flickering candle lights the gloom of the darkened
cell. Suddenly, without warning to Hester, and she is shocked by it,
the prison doors swing open, and there marches into the room the group
of Puritans we have just seen passing through the street. Among them
is Mistress Hibbins. She alone cackles and crows over Hester and
looks at her with sly, meaningful glances; the others are cold and
silent.
No word is spoken until they have filled the cell. Hester, as if
she expected some further sentence upon her, rises. Though fearful of
them, there is beautiful dignity about her. "Why art thou
here?" she asks. "What dost thou want of me?"
189 CLOSE-UP GROUP OF PURITANS
Among this group is Mistress Hibbins; but it isn't she who speaks.
It is the beadle whose very coldness of manner is terrifying. He
says:
TITLE: "We have decided amongst us that thy child shall be
taken from thee and brought up by a Christian woman--"
BACK: He says these few words forcibly--then stops short, regarding
her coldly.
190 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester listens. She has heard that dreadful sentence, which for a
moment leaves her too stunned to make protest.
191 LONGER SHOT
The beadle takes a step toward the cradle. Hester springs in
front of it protectingly. Now it is that the grief she has
kept pent-up within her is unleashed. She pleads--pitiful, heart-
breaking pleading--her body racked with sobs.
She is telling them: "Thou canst not take my baby from me. She
is all I have to love--to cherish! I will make myself worthy of
her; I will devote my life to her! She is the heart of my heart.
Thou canst not tear it out of my body."
But they shut their ears and whisper coldly among themselves.
Mistress Hibbins seems to be urging them forward. She sidles
up to the beadle and whispers in his ear. One instinctively knows
that she is saying, "Seize the child! Take it away from her--the
wanton! Have not pity for it--it is the child of the devil."
When the beadle starts toward the baby in its cradle, a tigerish
mother-love possesses Hester. She takes the baby in her arms.
Her voices rises to an hysterical crescendo, and her body trembles
with the violence of her denunciation. "Thou canst never take my
child! Mine! Far rather would I see her dead than to be given
over to thy care! Brought up to know only intolerance, injustice,
damnation!"
"Silence, Hester!" the man's voice rings out. "Stand back that
we may take the child without violence."
A scream tears out of her. "Stand back! I will strike to _kill_
the first one who dares lay a hand upon my baby!"
192 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER
In the flickering light of the candle, Hester's staring eyes are those
of a mad woman. Her face is distorted with terror and rage.
"Stand back!" she screams again, "or I will tear thee limb
from limb! I will tear the hearts out of thy bodies! I would make
thee suffer as thou hast crucified me! Stand back!"
193 SEMI CLOSE-UP PURITANS
Even Mistress Hibbins is silenced by Hester's eyes, blazing with a
fury that is close to madness. There is no perceptible move.
194 LONG SHOT
But just as they are galvanized into action and make to surround
Hester, Reverend Dimmesdale enters the cell, pushes his
way through them, hurling them to one side with a force that is
born of despair, until he stands before Hester, ready to protect
her. His voice echoes Hester's frantic command, "Stand back!"
There is something so compelling in the fiery eyes of their minister
that they move toward the door and stand shame-faced before
him. Some of them shuffle their feet and look about uneasily.
"Shame on thee that thou wouldst attack a helpless woman!" The
minister's voice is broken with compassion for her.
195 SEMI CLOSE-UP THE MINISTER AND HESTER
Hester holds her baby against her breast, her arms fearfully
around her, ready to shield her.
The minister looks at her and down at the child. It is the first
time his eyes have lingered upon his own baby. It is a tragic look
he bends upon it--then a mutely tragic look at Hester which speaks
of his suffering.
196 SEMI CLOSE-UP GROUP OF PURITANS
Mistress Hibbins, cackling to herself, dares to break the silence.
She is pointing toward the baby:
TITLE: "Wouldst thou protect a nameless brat?"
Her eyes are narrowed with suspicion.
197 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
They had never thought of this before. A nameless brat! This
child, so sacred in their eyes, must be branded "a nameless brat"
in the eyes of the world. There is tragic pathos in his voice when
he speaks to Hester:
TITLE: "Before God, thy child shall have a name, and I shall
baptize her--"
198 LONGER SHOT
At this news there is general protest from the assembled crowd.
But the minister raises his hand commanding silence, and they
obey him. Then he orders Hester to stand forward under the
glow of light. She holds the child in her arms and faces him.
He looks around for water, which is one of the properties of
baptism. On the crude table in the room, or perhaps by the cradle
of the child, is a pewter mug with water in it. This he takes
an places near him, or asks one of the Puritans to hold. He
reaches for the child and holds it tenderly in his own arms while
he baptizes it.
199 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
"Hester Prynne, what wouldst thou name thy child?" he asks.
Hester, gazing down at the child, answers quietly:
TITLE: "I name thee Pearl--for thou art indeed a pearl of great
price."
200 SEMI LONG SHOT
It is a simple ceremony, this baptism. The minister dips his fingers
in the water and then upon the head of the baby, as he says: "I
name thee Pearl, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost."
And then--"Let us bow our heads in prayer."
The Puritans are forced to kneel in that darkened room while the
minister offers a prayer for the soul of the child.
201 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
The minister prays with a fervor that tells of the agony of his
own soul. Hester, deeply touched, weeps silently. Her burning
tears fall upon the baby's upturned face.
202 CLOSE-UP BABY'S HEAD
One of Hester's tears falls upon the baby's cheek. It laughs.
When the second tear drops upon its lips, the baby's little tongue
licks it off. (This can be easily done by letting fall a drop of
water sweetened with honey upon the baby's mouth.)
203 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE BABY
Hester looks down at the baby. This little funny gesture of the
baby's which will undoubtedly make the audience laugh, makes
Hester laugh, strange, terrible, hysterical laughter which is born of
sorrow.
204 LONG SHOT
Laughter is a ghastly thing in this grim, dank prison cell. Hysterical
laughter, which has a note of madness in it, sends the cold
chills down their spines as they, still kneeling, look up at her in
horror. Even the minister steps back from her, aghast, though
realizing that it is laughter born of Hester's broken spirit. (As
a scene of hysteria is dangerous, it is advisable to play it two
ways.)
SLOW FADE OUT
TITLE: Four years have passed. Hester Prynne is no longer
permitted to make bridal veils, but must sew on palls for
the dead.
205 FADE IN INT. HESTER'S HOUSE LONG SHOT
Hester is sitting by the window. She wears a dark dress. It is
somber work sewing on black palls. The child is the only bright,
fantastic element close to her. She comes dancing toward her
mother, seizing her by the hand and trying to draw her out into
the garden. Hester shakes her head and, indicating her work,
says that she cannot leave.
206 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE CHILD
There is an intense love between these two. Hester looks down
into the little laughing face and bends to embrace her. Her eyes
search the child with sweeping tenderness. She brushes her hair
back from her forehead; she makes a little spit-curl on one cheek.
She scrutinizes the child's ears to make certain they are clean.
She takes a handkerchief and blows the child's nose. Then she
says triumphantly, "Thou art ready for play."
207 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE SEMI LONG SHOT
The minister is passing Hester's house. We note at once the
shocking change in him. He is haggard--his eyes are sunken in
their sockets. He looks like a man who has suffered a severe illness.
At the window are Hester and the child.
208 CLOSE-UP OF WINDOW (WHAT THE MINISTER SEES)
Hester bends forward with a sharp intake of breath as she sees
the minister passing. There is mute recognition, an exchange of
tragic looks between the two. The child, curious to see what has
attracted her attention, peeks out at the minister.
209 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE (WHAT HESTER AND THE CHILD SEE)
The minister hesitates. He looks with dumb pain toward Hester
and the child. His hand goes over his heart as though it were
twisting and torturing him.
210 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE CHILD
The sight of the man she loves leaves Hester faint, almost overcome
fro the moment. Her eyes close wearily. Then her mind is
brought to sharp focus by the voice of her child.
"Mother?" the child is asking curiously.
When Hester looks at the child, the little one has her hand over
her heart, and her voice is curious:
TITLE: "Mother, why doe the minister always put his hand over
his heart?"
BACK: Hester shakes her head. "I do not know, my child. Thou
must not ask me so many questions." She reaches for the pall
upon which she has been working. "Thou must go out to play--
dost thou not see how busy I am?"
The child exits.
211 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
A group of youngsters go hurrying by. Pearl, like all youngsters,
runs and climbs on the gate. "Good morning to thee!" she calls.
They stand there staring at her--arrogant little Puritans who stare,
point scornfully, then without a word rush away from her.
212 CLOSE-UP PEARL
The child's eyes widen; for a moment she almost yields to a desire
to cry; then she sets her little jaw, presses her lips together, and
cries, "Scat, or I'll pepper you with prickly burrs!"
213 EXT. OF HOUSE LONGER SHOT
Pearl is now ready to do battle. She is a wild little sprite. She
sits perched up on the fence and watches a group of Puritans who
are walking toward her. Among them is Mistress Hibbins. They
are on their way to the meeting-house.
"Good morning!" cries Pearl again, making another attempt to be
friendly.
The women draw their skirts to one side as if the child would
contaminate them; and with their heads held high, they walk past
her.
214 CLOSE-UP PEARL
The child's face flushes with anger. She hates Mistress Hibbins.
She casts them one threatening look, then starts to climb down
the fence.
215 LONGER SHOT
Close to the fence, in a hiding-place under some leaves, is Pearl's
little store of prickly burrs.
INSERT CLOSE-UP OF PILE OF PRICKLY BURRS
Pearl's little hands enter the scene and start to pick them up.
BACK: Pearl flies to the fence and hurls these burrs at the
Puritans.
216 CLOSE-UP PURITAN
A well-aimed burr perches on top of his hat.
217 CLOSE-UP PEARL
She throws another burr.
218 CLOSE-UP MISTRESS HIBBINS
The burr has caught in her hair behind her ear. She cries out
with pain and rage, and shakes a threatening finger at the child.
219 SEMI LONG SHOT
Pearl is laughing as she sees the Puritans running to escape this
little, but deadly, enemy of theirs. She doesn't notice that the
children have returned and are creeping close to the fence. In their
outstretched hands are piles of mud.
220 CLOSE-UP GROUP OF CHILDREN
They are creeping toward the camera, which is in the direction of
Pearl, and we see what they are going to do--throw mud at the
child. One little boy swings his arm and lets the mud-cake fly past
the camera.
221 CLOSE-UP PEARL
The mud catches Pearl on the side of the face. She wheels around,
startled.
222 LONGER SHOT
Pearl jumps from the fence and runs over to where are the prickly
burrs. She begins hurling these at the children while they, in turn,
throw the mud, covering her from head to foot with it.
223 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester is folding the pall when she hears the outcries of the children.
She springs to her feet, lays her work to one side, and hurries out.
224 EXT. REAR OF HESTER'S HOUSE
Pearl is standing there, a spraddle-legged, tempestuous figure,
slinging the burrs at her enemies. Some of the children are still
throwing mud, and Pearl is covered from head to foot. Hester,
frightened, comes running out and up to Pearl. At sight of her,
most of the children fly, but one little boy waits, ducks, and hides.
He is going to let Hester have a handful of it.
225 CLOSE-UP LITTLE BOY
The boy has a malicious face. He studies his aim for a moment,
then throws a pile of mud.
226 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND PEARL
Hester has dropped on her knees beside Pearl. She is gazing at
the child aghast. The mud comes into the scene, striking Hester
full in the breast, half-covering the letter "A." Pearl is crying.
227 INT. VESTRY OF CHURCH
Several of Reverend Dimmesdale's parishioners are there to see him
about church duties. He is trying to hide the ravages of grief and
troubled conscience that have just been made by the sight of Hester
and the child. He is surrounded by his people, who look upon
him with eyes filled with an awed love and respect. Their attitude
toward him will make it very evident that to them there is something
very saint-like about him.
A child enters and runs up to her mother. The minister leans
down and with a tender gesture touches the child's head. He
speaks in a wistful, distraught manner to two old people. How
marked a contrast between his attitude now and his former intolerant,
condemning manner.
Enter Mistress Hibbins and the Puritans, who were the objects
of little Pearl's wrath. Mistress Hibbins is bristling with
indignation. She tells them of what the child has done to them.
Her eyes are flashing. There is a note of triumph in her voice when
she concludes:
TITLE: "Every time I pass the house I put a curse upon that child
of sin."
BACK: There are dreadful words for the minister to hear. He
starts to protest against her tirade, but her shrill voice drowns his,
as she bitterly exclaims, "Hester Prynne should be run out of the
village." All are agreeing.
The woman he loves--and his child. Again his conscience twists--
that pain shoots through his heart. His hand goes to it. They
all show their alarm. He assures them it is nothing; he is quite
all right and able to go on. When he leaves them, they whisper
among themselves, shaking their heads sadly. They do not believe
that the minister will be long with them.
228 INT. HESTER'S HOME
A small wooden tub sits before the fireplace. Hester has just
washed Pearl and is now helping the child into her shirt when
she turns, hearing a knock upon the door.
229 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
A funeral group of three men. They have come there for the
pall. One is knocking on the door.
230 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester reaches for a shawl, wraps it quickly around Pearl, and
opens the door. The men enter. Hester greets them pleasantly,
but they make no response. Their gestures are stiff, and their
words few. "Mistress Prynne, is the pall ready?"
Hester gets the pall and shows it to them. They examine it carefully
to see if her work is well done.
During this action, the youngster has gone over to the window
which is close to the door leading out into the backyard.
231 CLOSE-UP WINDOW
The profile of the child peering out of the window. In the garden
beyond can be seen those wicked children creeping into the yard
after Pearl's store of burrs.
232 SEMI LONG SHOT OF THE ROOM
While Hester is folding the pall and the men are waiting, we see
Pearl with one eye on her mother, crawl out of the window. The
shawl gets caught on the sill and is left there.
233 EXT. REAR GARDEN
The children have their hands full of her store of prickly burrs
before they see Pearl descending upon them like a raging little
fury. They fly before her. When she discovers that they have
taken her treasures, she forgets everything. She forgets the garb
she is in, or else doesn't care, and starts in pursuit of them.
234 INT. HESTER'S HOME
The men are leaving with the pall. When the door is closed, Hester
turns back to speak to Pearl. She looks around, surprised,
and then startled, to find her gone. She peeks around the bench,
looks into the closet, believing, of course, that the child must be
hiding.
235 EXT. VILLAGE STREET
The children, running past the camera. In back of them runs
Pearl.
236 EXT. REAR OF HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester comes hurrying out, looking around for Pearl. She is
nowhere to be seen.
237 LONG SHOT OF VILLAGE SQUARE
The naughty little girl, attired only in her shirt, is running down
the main street toward the market-place, the children screaming
and flying before her. Oh, what a commotion it makes! How
shocked those Puritan women are!
238 SEMI CLOSE-UP (CAMERA ON TRACK)
The back of Pearl is to the camera. In this shot the children running
ahead of her can be seen.
239 EXT. VILLAGE SQUARE SHOWING THE SCAFFOLD
The Puritans are horrified. Now Pearl chases the children around
the scaffold. She leans down to pick up rocks and fling them
at them.
240 EXT. CHURCH
Reverend Dimmesdale is just coming out of the church. He is
astonished to see coming toward him, on a dead run, three or four
children, pursued by Pearl. The children run around him as if
seeking protection from Pearl, who, like a little witch, chases
them. Once as she runs around him, she catches hold of his coat,
darting in back of him--from one side to the other. He turns as if
to protect her and catches her in his arms. Here Mistress Hibbins
enters.
241 SEMI CLOSE-UP REVEREND DIMMESDALE AND MISTRESS HIBBINS AND PEARL
The minister is trying to quiet the child, assuring her that he isn't
going to harm her, but protect her. She, terrified, not understanding,
is kicking at him, trying to free herself. Her terror increases
when she sees Mistress Hibbins in back of her. Now she manages
to free herself. Mistress Hibbins, pointing at her, spits after her:
"Child of sin! Child of the devil--in the devil's own garb!"
242 EXT. VILLAGE STREET LONG SHOT
Hester, hurrying down the street in search of Pearl. She catches
sight of her as she scoots across the square.
243 EXT. POOL OF WATER NEAR THE SCAFFOLD
The child runs through it, splashing the water as she makes for a
hiding place under the steps of the pillory.
244 CLOSE-UP STEPS OF PILLORY
The child huddles under the steps. She is shivering with cold,
and thoroughly frightened.
245 EXT. NEAR CHURCH
Reverend Dimmesdale, listening to Mistress Hibbins tirade, turns
upon her and silences her. Then he starts forward to go to the
aid of Hester.
246 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND PEARL
The child lies there wet, shivering and frightened. Her mother
wraps her in the shawl. The child bursts into tears.
247 SEMI LONG SHOT OF MARKET-PLACE
The Puritans, furious at this exhibition of wanton immodesty, revile
Hester as she hurries past them, carrying the child. They
point their fingers, they jeer at her. The minister hurries to her
side. He holds up a hand in protest. At this, all evidence of
physical violence ceases; but their scornful looks and pointing
fingers make Hester aware that their hatred of her is still alive
in their hearts.
248 CLOSE-UP MINISTER
His hand pressing his aching heart--to think that _he_ can go free,
while Hester must suffer!
249 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND CHILD
Hester, hurrying past the camera on her way home, carrying the child
in her arms.
FADE OUT
250 FADE IN INT. MINISTER'S STUDY NIGHT
The minister's study is lit only by the glow of firelight. A strange,
almost disheveled figure is the minister as he kneels before the
fire, his eyes fastened on an iron poker which he lays on the coals
until it is itself a glowing coal. He reaches into the fire and,
lifting it up by the cool end, holds it before him, his lips fashioning
a prayer. In his eyes is the look of a fanatic. He tears off the
front of his cassock and bares his breast. As he brings the smoking
brand close to his breast, we
FADE OUT--OR CUT TO:
251 INT. HESTER'S ROOM CLOSE SHOT
Pearl is dangerously ill with a fever. Hester watches anxiously,
bending over the bed, fixing her frightened eyes upon the child,
who tosses about. "Pearl!" she cries to the child, and waits with
agonized suspense for a response. Pearl is unconscious; now her
little hands are growing cold. Hester breathes upon them and
chafes them to warm them. She is frightened, bewildered--she
does not know what to do. Suddenly, she rises, calling out: "Giles!"
as if her voice would carry to him.
252 LONGER SHOT
She darts away from the bed as though to go after Giles--then she
darts back to Pearl, hating to leave her; but finally, in desperation,
she throws a shawl about herself and runs from the room out into
the night.
253 EXT. HESTER'S COTTAGE
Hester exits from her cottage and starts toward the village.
254 INT. MEETING-HOUSE FULL SHOT
The building is filled with the male colonists seated in the body
of the house; the dignitaries of the Government and Church are
upon the platform. No women are present.
Giles, serving as interpreter, is conducting a conversation between
a group of Indians in full regalia and the Governor.
255 CLOSER SHOT OF PLATFORM
The Indians turn to call from their midst a white man dressed in
fantastic garb. This man is Hester Prynne's husband; he is old
and slightly deformed, and unnaturally bright eyes peer out from
a sinister face. There is something forbidding about him as he
stands there explaining to the Governor:
TITLE: "For seven years these Indians have held me prisoner,
waiting for a chance to demand ransom--"
256 CLOSE-UP ROGER PRYNNE
He is a mysterious, menacing figure. He is addressing the Governor:
TITLE: "--but during that time I learned much of their alchemy
of herbs--for in England I had earned quite a reputation as a
physician."
257 SEMI LONG SHOT
The Governor is quite impressed with this; his attitude toward
Prynne is friendly and suggests that he will come to his aid.
258 EXT. GILES' BARBER SHOP
A lantern over the door shows this sign: HORACE GILES--BARBER AND
SURGEON. Hester is pounding on the door. Giles' assistant opens the
door. He tells her Giles isn't there and points over toward the
meeting-house. Hester exits in the direction of the meeting-house.
259 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE
Hester comes outside of the meeting-house, hesitates, and rushes
up to the window.
260 CLOSER SHOT OF WINDOW
Hester, peering in, dramatically tense and eager. She searches
until she finds--
CUT TO
261 INT. MEETING-HOUSE CLOSE-UP GILES
Giles looking in the opposite direction from Hester.
262 INT. MEETING-HOUSE CLOSE-UP AT WINDOW
The face of the frantic little mother is peering in at the window,
trying to attract the attention of Giles. Her white face is pressed
against the panes, her eyes, stark and staring, are trying to draw
his attention. She even beckons with her hand, thinking that perhaps
the motion will attract him. Finally she taps upon the window.
263 INT. MEETING-HOUSE LONGER SHOT (SHOWING WINDOW)
The beadle, hearing the tapping on the window, turns around and
sees Hester. Furious that she dare come there to pry into their
affairs, he motions her away and orders two very tall, gaunt
Puritans to step in front of the window to shield what goes on
within from Hester's eyes. Hester, forced to leave, runs to the
door.
264 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE CLOSE SHOT AT ENTRANCE
Hester is tying to push her way through the crowd at the door,
but the two stern-looking Puritans refuse her admittance. No
women are allowed there in the first place, and how does _she_ dare,
she who wears the badge of shame, to enter in search of Giles?
Hester, pitting her puny strength against theirs, tires to force her
way in, but they force her farther from the entrance. Then she
frantically pleads with them:
TITLE: "My child is ill--I must speak with Giles, our barber-surgeon."
BACK: But they only order her away, forming a bulwark through
which she cannot pass.
265 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE AT ENTRANCE LONGER SHOT
Hester pushes her way through the crowd at the door, calling,
"Giles! Giles!" But the hand of one of the Puritans closes over
her mouth. Ducking under his arm, she evades him and pushes
on past the tall figures.
266 INT. MEETING-HOUSE
Hester is a pathetic little gray figure among the men who are like
the tall trunks of dark trees.
Upon the platform can be seen the Governor, making an address
of welcome to the stranger. Hester's entrance has caused quite a
commotion and attracted everyone's attention, so that the Governor
pauses in his address.
Forgetting everything in her terror but the thoughts of her child,
she runs toward Giles. She seizes him by his hand, crying:
TITLE: "Come with me! My child is dying! Thou must save her!"
BACK: Giles rises, embarrassed but eager to serve Hester, and
they start out.
Hester has not noticed the stranger, who rose at her entrance and
has been staring at her dramatically.
267 SEMI CLOSE-UP ROGER PRYNNE, THE BEADLE AND THE GOVERNOR
The Governor can be seen in the back, getting the ledger. In the
foreground Roger Prynne and the beadle. The face of the stranger
is drawn and dark. He turns toward the beadle, standing beside
him, and asks: "Who is that woman?"
The beadle tells him, "Hester Prynne--the only woman in our
village who wears the badge of shame."
Roger Prynne has seen the scarlet letter. He has heard her speak
about her child. The beadle whispers to the stranger the story of
Hester Prynne, but does not notice that the man's face glows with
revengeful light. The Governor motions for Prynne to come and
write his name in the ledger. Prynne walks over toward him.
268 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE
He looks down at the ledger, takes the quill, and starts to write:
INSERT: CLOSE-UP LEDGER
Prynne's hand enters. He writes ROGER--and starts to write PRYNNE,
getting as far as the PR--when the hand pauses and he writes over
these two letters the word CHILLINGWORTH.
269 INT. HESTER'S ROOM SEMI CLOSE-UP BED
Giles and Hester are at the bedside of the child, who lies there
rigid, in a spasm--a spasm that has all the appearance of death.
Giles bends over her, examines her pulse and eyes, while Hester
watches fearfully, not daring to ask the verdict. Finally she
gasps: "Canst thou do anything for her?" and her voice raises to
a wail.
Giles shakes his head with growing apprehension. "I cannot help
thee, Hester."
"Then she will die!" Hester turns back to her child. Heartbreaking
sobs now rack her body. "Pearl! Pearl! Thou canst not be taken away
from me! Thou art my life!" She covers the little stiffened hand with
kisses. Then comes to her the thought that at this tragic moment the
father of the child should be there, and she fairly screams at Giles:
TITLE: "Go for the minister! Tell him my child is dying!"
BACK: Giles, like one in a daze, staggers out. Hester turns back
to the child, whose eyes are now stark and staring. Hester's own
eyes are those of a mad woman. The enforced inertia, her inability
to do anything to help Pearl, is almost killing Hester.
270 EXT. MEETING-HOUSE
In the lighted doorway the beadle is pointing out the way to Hester's
house to her husband. His sharp eyes shine under lowered brows, and
there is an evil look in them as he walks away.
271 INT. HESTER'S ROOM
These moments of delay are harrowing ones to Hester. She knows
not which breath may be the last. She feels that she can endure
inaction no longer. She lifts the child, heavy and stiff, in her
arms and staggers with her to the center of the room as if she were
going to run to the church for fear that the minister is not coming
to her. Then, swaying under the weight of the child, she knows it
is madness, and carries the little one back to the bed.
272 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Prynne, walking toward the door.
273 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Hester hears the sound of footsteps upon the gravel. She is listening.
Hope lights her face. It is as though her heart had cried out,
"He is come!" She rushes to the door and swings it open.
274 CLOSE-UP DOORWAY
Roger Prynne's face leers at Hester from the shadows.
275 SEMI CLOSE-UP ROGER AND HESTER
Hester recoils as though she had been struck. "Thou!" she cries,
staring at him transfixed.
His moves are slow and deliberate, as if guided by inner cruelty.
He closes the door, and, as he comes toward her, she backs away,
her eyes still fastened upon him, wide with terror. "I thought
that thou wert dead!"
Without a word, he points to the letter "A" upon her breast.
"Adultress!" he cries, and then with his face convulsed with pain
and hatred, he tells her:
TITLE: "All these years I have thought of thee--dreamed of returning
to thee! And now that I do find thee--"
BACK: The words seem choked off, and he can only point again
to the scarlet letter. For a moment it would seem as if Hester's
reason were tottering, she is so spell-bound by the ominous presence
of this man. Then, hearing a slight convulsive movement from
the child, her mind is brought into sharp focus again.
276 LARGER SHOT
Hester drops on her knees beside the bed, her fear for the child
surmounting every other emotion. For a moment Prynne stands
watching these two; and then without a word he leans over and
examines the child. Hester watches him fearfully. At last he
slips the knapsack off his back, opens it, and searches for a small
leather medicine case.
Hester pays no heed to him as he prepares some medicine. When
she looks up, he is pouring it into a phial. He tells her:
TITLE: "Have no fear, Mistress Prynne--I can cure her!"
227 SEMI CLOSE-UP AT BED
Prynne holds out the phial to her, saying: "Woman, this child is
yours--she is none of mine. Administer this, therefore, with thine
own hand."
Hester, her eyes filled with suspicion, makes no movement as his
hand draws close to hers with the phial in it. Her eyes meeting his,
she asks apprehensively:
TITLE: "Wouldst thou avenge thyself on an innocent child?"
BACK: A twisted, unhappy smile comes to Prynne's lips, though
his eyes remain cold. She watches him intently. Although he
controls his deep emotions, his eyes are brilliant and fired with
strange fever as he says to her:
TITLE: "I could do no more for her were she thy child--_and mine!_"
BACK: Hester administers the draught to the child. Prynne now
kneels with his head on the child's heart. Hester watches,
concentrated upon the child.
278 SEMI CLOSE-UP PEARL AND ROGER PRYNNE
Prynne listening to Pearl's heart. Almost immediately Pearl begins
to show signs of relaxation--and signs of life returning.
279 CLOSE-UP HESTER
She is intently watching the child and, as she signs of returning
life, tears spring to her eyes, and her lips are torn between a
smile and a sob.
280 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND ROGER
Hester looks up at Prynne, who is studying the child. Her eyes
are inquiring of him, "She is better?" He tells her:
TITLE: "All danger is past. 'Twas but a spasm--in a few hours
she will be well again."
BACK: For the moment, forgetting that his motives may have
been sinister, Hester is conscious only of hysterical relief
commingled with a certain gratitude for his having saved her child.
The child out of danger! Hester relaxes. Tears are in her eyes;
and yet she is happy, quite happy, in spite of Prynne.
It is when he sees her relief that his face hardens and fills with
hatred. This transition comes slowly and definitely. He leans
toward her and, with eyes flaming and filled with menace, he
charges her:
TITLE: "Who is the father of this child?"
BACK: Hester stares at him, shocked by the suddenness of this
change in him. She cries out to him, "It is a secret locked in my
heart. No one shall ever know."
That long cruel finger is pointing at her! "Answer me, woman!
Reveal thy secret to thy husband!"
"No! No!" Hester cries, "I would die first."
Now she sees him slowly rising and creeping over toward her.
When he reaches her, his outstretched hand seizes her wrist and
drags her to her feet.
281 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND PRYNNE
Prynne, with Hester's wrist held in a firm grasp, draws her toward
him. His fingers press cruelly into her flesh. There pours from
him a bitter, scathing denunciation. "The name of the man!" he
keeps repeating. "Confess!"
Hester is like a baited animal. "Never! Never!" she cries. "Not
even to my child!"
He holds her to him, his temper working up to a violence which
he can scarcely control. Then it is that they stop, as if they heard
steps outside. Hester, terrified, looks instantly toward the door.
She knows it is the minister--and that he will find Prynne there!
282 EXT. HESTER'S HOUSE AT DOOR
The minister is dismissing Giles, for he would be alone with Hester
and the child. So weakened is he by the ordeal through which
he has just passed that he is almost on the verge of a collapse.
283 INT. HESTER'S HOUSE
Roger Prynne releases Hester from his firm, cruel grasp. There
is an expression of fiendish cunning in his face as he turns and
kneels down beside the child with his back to the door. Hester
hurries forward, inwardly praying that she can stop the minister.
But she is too late. As Prynne drops down beside the bed, the
door flings open and the minister comes in. He does not see Prynne
as he staggers toward Hester, crying out:
TITLE: "Hester! Our child!"
BACK: Hester's face is frozen with horror, but the minister's
arms have caught her and held her close in an embrace that is
born of despair.
284 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
Hester's first thought is for the protection of the man she loves,
but she seems paralyzed with horror as she draws out of his arms
and looks toward Prynne.
285 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE
Prynne is smiling that diabolical smile which is filled with a threat
and a promise of revenge. He slowly rises, his eyes fixed upon
Hester and the minister.
286 LONGER SHOT
The minister is shocked to discover a stranger in the room. As
Prynne rises and makes one step toward the minister, Hester's one
thought is that he will do no bodily harm to the man that she loves.
She springs toward the minister protectingly; but Roger Prynne's
revenge is more subtle. He smiles; there is a suggestion of a bow
in his gesture as he faces them. Indicating Hester, he says:
TITLE: "I am her husband."
287 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
So much has the minister endured of physical and mental suffering
that he has now reached the peak of despair. Hester still
stands before him in that protecting attitude, her eyes fixed upon
Prynne, as if she were hypnotized by him. She waits for the
sentence that he will pronounce upon them, as if waiting for her
doom.
288 SEMI LONG SHOT OF ROOM
Prynne moves slowly, with deliberate, measured footsteps. He
gets his knapsack and puts it over his shoulder. He walks over to
the bed and picks up his hat. He acts as if he were alone in the
room, that these two terrified people whose destiny he has in his
hands are not there, staring at him transfixed. When he reaches
the door, he pauses. His hand is already on the knob before he
looks back at them.
289 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE
Prynne's face is snake-like. His little eyes are still fixed upon
them. He smiles again that twisted, terrible smile, and he speaks
quietly with sinister emphasis:
TITLE: "Have no fear--I will not betray thy secret!"
290 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
They are almost spell-bound at what Prynne is saying to them.
291 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE AT THE DOOR
He opens the door as if he were going out; then he looks back
again and speaks:
TITLE: "My revenge will be infinite!"
292 LONGER SHOT OF THE ROOM
Slowly, Prynne walks out, closing the door after him. Hester
clings to the minister.
FADE OUT
293 FADE IN INT. TAVERN LONG SHOT DAYLIGHT
The captain from the Spanish ship and several of his crew are
seated at one of the tables. They are colorful, interesting pirates.
The captain is a jolly cavalier, rotund and friendly. At the other
tables are somber, sanctimonious Puritans eating with great solemnity.
Hester and Pearl enter. The child, bashful, clings to her
mother's skirts. Hester goes over to the innkeeper to ask him
which of the men there is the captain of the Spanish boat. The
innkeeper, surprised at Hester's request, goes to the captain, asking
him if he would speak with Hester. The old pirate, delighted
to speak to any pretty girl, rises and goes over to her.
294 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE CAPTAIN
The captain bows before Hester with quite a show of gallantry.
When Hester talks to him, she keeps her hand over the scarlet
letter on he breast. She is asking him eagerly:
TITLE: "Thy boat sails tomorrow afternoon--after the election
celebration?"
BACK: The captain nods heartily--tells her that his boat leaves
America for the Spanish Main. Hester continues eagerly:
TITLE: "I would secure passage for three--a man, my child, and myself."
BACK: There is a roguish twinkle in the captain's eye. "I
would be glad to accommodate thee."
Hester hands him a little leather purse filled with coins. He
opens it and pours out into his hand the coins, counting them while
he agrees upon the price for the passage. As Hester watches
him, her face radiates new hope. Fear is slowly leaving
it; a light is coming back into her eyes; she breathes easier, as if
she felt that freedom were close at hand.
FADE OUT
295 FADE IN EXT. WOODS NEAR BRIDGE OVER STREAM
Hester is waiting anxiously near the old trysting-place. Pearl
can be seen in the background playing at the edge of the brook.
Hester's eyes fairly glow with happiness when she sees the
minister coming toward her. He walks with an effort. Death is
already knocking at his door. His face seems drawn and white.
His eyes are deep-shadowed and have in them that far-away
look of one whose vision is fast dimming.
296 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
Hester tells him breathlessly her plans--that she has seen the
captain of the boat, that he must leave, fly from the threatened
revenge of Roger Prynne. Earnestly, she is trying to persuade
him.
TITLE: "In some far-away country happiness is to be enjoyed.
There is the broad pathway of the sea."
BACK: She watches him eagerly, her eyes searching his face.
But hope has long been dead within his heart. It cannot so
easily be brought to life. Slowly, despairingly, he answers her:
TITLE: "There is not the strength or courage left in me to
venture alone--"
297 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Hester is watching him intensely. Her eyes are deep with love.
She whispers with scaring happiness--her heart already relieved
of much of its pain:
TITLE: "Thou shalt not go alone!"
298 CLOSE-UP DIMMESDALE
Dimmesdale hears her words and looks at her as their meaning
begins to dawn on him. His eyes widen with wonder and longing.
Then slowly does he catch the infection of her courage; he
begins to yield to her persuasion.
299 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND DIMMESDALE
She draws closer to him--her hands find his. Her face is
glowing now with the happiness that had been lost through the
long years of suffering. She cries out to him:
TITLE: "We need never look back. The past is gone."
BACK: Her fingers go to the letter on her breast. She fumbles
with it. When she looks up at the minister, it is with shining
eyes as she tells him:
TITLE: "See! With this symbol I undo it all and make it as
it had never been."
BACK: Eagerly she begins to unclasp the letter. Dimmesdale
watching her, listening as if he had been called upon to realize
a dream. Exultantly Hester flings the scarlet letter from her.
Unconsciously she stands straighter as though her shoulders were
free of some burden. She takes a deep, free breath of happy
relief. Another quick, impulsive thought lights up her face. She
draws the cap from her head and allows the full shining radiance
of her hair to fall unconfined. Thus she stands once more, beautiful
--her eyes wide with hope--a beckoning smile on her lips as
she looks at Dimmesdale. He is breathless with wonder at her
beauty. As his soul throws off its shackles, he stumbles toward
her almost exultantly. He takes her in his arms, looking at her
with shining eyes. "Yes, I will go with thee. We will go away
together to another land." He clasps her more closely to him.
His hands linger upon her hair. His eyes plunge into the depths
of her eyes. His lips touch hers. "O my beloved," he cries, "with
the past forgotten--with the thought of future happiness ahead
for us!"
Hungry for this embrace that they have been denied all these
years, forgetting all the agony that has gone past, they release
themselves to this beautifully tender and emotional love scene.
Then slowly they withdraw from each other's embrace, as the
child's little hand reaches up and plucks her mother's sleeve.
300 CLOSE-UP HESTER
The wind is blowing Hester's hair--her eyes are lighted with
the divine light of happiness. Then slowly there comes over her face
a strange expression which is unexplained for a few moments. She
is staring down at the child. What is that the child is holding in
her hand? Memories of the past come flooding back, terrifying
her. Will she never be allowed to forget the past? Two little
hands reach up into the scene and pin the scarlet letter on Hester's
breast. Then the hands withdraw, and slowly Hester's hands rise
and start binding her hair.
FADE OUT
301 FADE IN EXT. MISTRESS HIBBINS' HOUSE
Mistress Hibbins is sitting by the window. She has been sewing
on a dress but she has fallen asleep against the high back of the
chair, her sewing falling to the floor.
302 LONGER SHOT OF HOUSE TO INCLUDE WINDOW
Giles creeping out from behind a bush. He has been waiting for
Mistress Hibbins to fall asleep. He peers around--no one is
watching. Then he steals into her house.
303 INT. MISTRESS HIBBINS' HOUSE
Mistress Hibbins' hat and shawl rest on a chair nearby. Giles
picks up the dress, stealthily, lest the old gossip should awaken
and see him. Then he tiptoes out to the fireplace, gets the
broom, and, returning, slips the head of the broom through
the dress, stuffs the shawl into the dress, and jams the hat on the
head of the broom, hiding the twigs. And in but a few minutes
Master Giles has rigged up an effigy of Mistress Hibbins!
A peek out of the window, and there is a hopeful grin on Giles'
face as he sees--
CUT TO
304 STREET SHOOTING FROM GILES' POSITION
The Governor and the beadle walking down the street very
pompously, discussing weighty affairs of state. They have almost
reached the window.
CUT TO
305 SEMI CLOSE-UP GILES
Giles, hiding himself behind the wall at the side of the window--
the effigy hiding the sleeping Mistress Hibbins. Giles addresses
the effigy:
TITLE: "What, Mistress Hibbins? Does thou think that the
Governor is an old fossil and doest thou hope to see him
defeated at election tomorrow?"
306 EXT. MISTRESS HIBBINS' HOUSE
The Governor and the beadle stop short as they hear these words.
The Governor looks toward the window. He sets his jaw; his
eyes flash as he sees:
CUT TO
307 EXT. WINDOW
Mistress Hibbins (the effigy) is nodding.
308 INT. MISTRESS HIBBINS' LIVING ROOM
Giles, peeking around the edge of the window to see how the
Governor is taking it, continues: "Fie, for shame, Mistress
Hibbins!"--and then he bends over close to the bonnet as if he were
listening with his hand to his ear:
TITLE: "It would cost thee a ducking, but, fear not, I would
never betray thee."
309 SEMI CLOSE-UP BEADLE AND THE GOVERNOR
The Governor's brows are drawn into a hard line. He and the
beadle exchange glances which bode ill for Mistress Hibbins.
They are just starting on when the Governor says threateningly:
TITLE: "Mistress Hibbins shall be punished for this. She
shall be ducked by Giles tomorrow."
BACK: The beadle nods in decided approval.
310 INT. HIBBINS' HOUSE
Giles grins from ear to ear! He blows a kiss to the sleeping
Hibbins. "At last!" he whispers, "At last!"
311 INT. REVEREND DIMMESDALE'S STUDY
In his study Reverend Dimmesdale is gathering his few things
together--his favorite books. He is almost feverish in his
haste, working as though he would keep from thinking.
312 INT. HESTER'S HOME
Hester is on the floor, kneeling before the little trunk. There
is a pile of clothes--hers and Pearl's--near the trunk, and she
packs and unpacks the things, so bewildered by her happiness that
she does not know what she is doing. Pearl is trying to help. She
carries her funny-looking doll to her mother to be carefully packed
away with the other things. Hester spins around in sheer happiness
as she dreams that on the morrow the three of them will have escaped,
and all pain and unhappiness will be forgotten.
FADE OUT
TITLE: With pomp and ceremony the Puritans celebrated Election Day.
312 FADE IN EXT. MARKET-PLACE
The street is agog with activity. An air of festivity prevails.
As the people pass to and fro, drums beating, the band strikes up
and some of the Puritanical solemnity seems lost.
In the market-place a crowd has gathered. The people are being
jostled to and fro as they crane their necks to see over the heads
of the people in front of them.
314 SEMI LONG SHOT OF THE DUCKING POND
Giles is about to duck Mistress Hibbins. The crowd is waiting
in breathless expectancy.
The beadle is standing by, stiffly waiting as though to see
punishment properly administered, but there is a gleam in his eyes
as though he were enjoying it.
Mistress Hibbins pleads with Giles--with the beadle--that she
is innocent. But Giles, with great pleasure, spits on his hands,
seizes the handle, and with much flourish drops Mistress Hibbins
into the water. When she comes up sputtering and mad as a wet
hen, she calls out:
TITLE: "I have been falsely accused! I have been sinned against!"
BACK: Giles listens to this in great glee. He has never been
quite so happy in all his life. The beadle does not weaken in
the least at her defense--for had he not himself heard Mistress
Hibbins hold the Governor up to ridicule? And the beadle tells
Giles:
TITLE: "Duck her again!--For the lie that is on the tip of her tongue."
BACK: Giles grins--and down goes Mistress Hibbins. As she
comes up, dripping water, she squawks: "I have been sinned
against!"
With a motion of his hand, the beadle orders, "Again--for good measure!"
Giles never dreamed of so much pleasure. His face is like a melon
that has been cut with a knife, so wide is his grin. Another good
grip on the handle--and down she goes.
315 EXT. MARKET-PLACE
The Election Day procession is coming down the street--the
people in the foreground eager to see.
316 SEMI CLOSE-UP MARKET-PLACE
Hester is standing there, watching the parade. She is as eager
and as excited as a child--even more so than Pearl who clutches
at her mother's hand, rising on tiptoe when the soldiers go past.
The people have moved away from Hester, so that she always
stands alone.
Indians can be seen in the background.
Mistress Hibbins comes running past Hester on her way home.
She is like a wet hen flying for shelter.
317 FLASH OF THE PROCESSION GOING TOWARD THE CHURCH
Much pomp. The band is followed by the soldiers in glittering
armor with weapons flashing in the sunlight. Men from off the
Spanish ship. Puritans in their holiday garb. The minister
walks beside the Governor.
318 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND GROUP
Hester is no longer able to control her eager excitement. In a
few moments the minister will pass by and their eyes will meet.
There will be a salute between them--a flash of recognition.
In a few hours they will be away! She doesn't notice that Roger
Prynne is walking up to her, standing in back of her.
319 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE AND HESTER
Hester, conscious that someone is near her, turns slowly and
looks into the eye of Prynne. Prynne smiles and bows, then
quietly moves away. Hester's eyes follow him. The light of her
happiness dies out, and then slowly comes back to her as she
dismisses this fear. It is only a transient one. A few hours
longer!
320 MEDIUM LONG SHOT
In this shot we see the procession passing by Hester. The
minister walks beside the Governor--the beadle in back of them.
They march close to Hester.
321 CLOSE-UP MINISTER--CAMERA ON MOVING PLATFORM
The minister, walking along, looks over at Hester. His eyes
signal to hers. There is in them a sudden sparkle. He, too, knows
a divine happiness.
322 CLOSE-UP HESTER
At the sight of the minister she has forgotten Prynne. There is
an air of suppressed excitement about her. Her eyes answer the
signal shot from the minister's eyes. Their glances say very
plainly, "In a few hours, my loved one."
323 EXT. CHURCH
The minister and the Governor and the beadle enter the church.
Then all the people pour into the church, for the minister is to
preach the election sermon.
324 INT. CHURCH
For the cutting, it might be well to have a semi close-up of
Prynne. His face is gloomy and foreboding in spite of his smile.
He slinks into one of the pews and sits down, waiting for his evil
moment of triumph.
325 EXT. CHURCH
The Puritans have poured into the church. Hester sees that the
church is filled. She would go in, but the beadle motions her away.
She and Pearl go over to the foot of the scaffold.
326 INT. CHURCH
The church is now filled. The minister is stepping up into the
pulpit.
327 CLOSE-UP PULPIT
Dimmesdale is standing ready to begin his sermon. There is
something akin to ecstasy in his expression. This is to be his
last sermon, preached with an exaltation of spirit as if his
troubled heart had found repose at last.
328 EXT. PILLORY
Hester stands there alone with Pearl. The Indians, passing by,
stop and stare at her curiously. The child is frightened and
hides behind her mother's skirts. When one of the Indians points
to the letter on Hester's breast, her hands fly to hide it. She
looks at them, hurt and frightened. Two Indians pass by close
to the camera, one saying to the other:
TITLE: "She must be some great dignitary here."
(Title to be written in Iroquois language, dissolving into English.)
329 INT. CHURCH LONG SHOT
Minister preaching. He is looking from his pulpit upon an audience
whose very inmost spirits have yielded to his control. They
gaze upon him as though he held them spellbound.
330 CLOSE-UP MINISTER
As he preaches his face is glowing with light. He seems scarcely
aware of the people in the church. His hands are uplifted, as if
in supplication.
331 EXT. CHURCH AT PILLORY
Hester stands there alone, waiting for the minister. She seems
lost in a reverie of dreams. The sunlight is falling upon her
face which reflects her inner happiness.
FADE OUT
TITLE: The congregation was spellbound. Never had their
preacher spoken as eloquently as he did to-day. He spoke as
one inspired.
332 FADE IN INT. CHURCH LONG SHOT
The eyes of the congregation are upon their minister. As he
stands in his pulpit he seems almost transfigured, so far has the
exaltation of prayer carried him. Then suddenly we see him stop
short; his hands fall to his sides. His eyes are focused on someone
in the church! What are his tragic eyes looking at as they strain in
their sockets?
333 CLOSE-UP ROGER PRYNNE IN THE CONGREGATION
Roger Prynne is sitting there, his eyes focused upon the minister.
In them is a look--terrible, meaningful, triumphant.
334 CLOSE-UP MINISTER
The minister makes an effort to go on, but all strength seems to
have ebbed from him, all inspiration is gone. He cannot move;
he cannot speak. His hand goes to his heart. He makes a gesture
of dismissal.
335 LONG SHOT
The minister steps from the pulpit and we see quite a movement
among the people in the church. Why had that flow of eloquence
stopped so suddenly? When they see the minister with his hand
upon his heart, they know. He has overtaxed himself; he had
summoned too much strength to try to give them a great sermon
and had over-reached himself.
336 EXT. CHURCH
Hester Prynne in the foreground with Pearl, waiting. She moves
forward eagerly when she sees that the people are beginning to
pour out of the church. The captain of the Spanish boat passes
close to her. She hurries over to him with light happy steps.
337 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE CAPTAIN
She beckons for him to bend his shaggy head close to hers. She
whispers in his ear: "Thou hast the cabins all ready?"
The captain nods--a twinkle in his eye as though he divined her
happiness.
338 EXT. MARKET-PLACE
The crowd has gathered outside of the church, waiting for their
minister. They prepare for the continuation of the procession.
It has reached some size. Again there is evidence of pomp and
formality. Soldiers are lining up, forming a pathway which leads
to the church. They keep the crowd back, though the latter
presses forward ready to cry out a welcome to its minister when
he shall cross the threshold of the church.
339 CLOSER SHOT
The trumpeters pass by Hester and Pearl. They are followed
by men blowing fifes and beating drums. Hester, reaching the
very height of her happiness, stands there watching them.
340 INT. CHURCH
The church is fast emptying; only a few are left. The Governor
and the minister are walking toward the door when Roger
Prynne steps up to the minister. The minister can hardly retain
his self-possession at the sight of Prynne. The Governor, seeing
that Prynne wishes a few words alone with the minister, passes
on. The minister is ashen-white; his hand goes to his heart.
341 CLOSE-UP MINISTER AND PRYNNE
The two talk low, tensely. "Thou art planning to escape," warns
Prynne. "Thou hast dreamed that freedom would come to thee--
freedom!" and he laughs scornfully.
The minister stares at him, stricken. Prynne continues menacingly:
TITLE: "The boat that takes thee and Hester away, takes _me_!"
BACK: The minister stares at him as if he could not realize the
significance of his words. A fearful weakness overcomes him.
He would clutch at something to hold himself up. He makes a
supreme effort to keep from falling. Prynne speaks again:
TITLE: "Wherever thou dost go, I will follow. Thou shalt never
escape."
BACK: The minister reads into this bitter accusation more than
the revenge of this one man who has been cheated out of his
happiness. He sees the relentless pursuit of conscience, and he
cries out against it.
342 EXT. CHURCH
The crowd is eagerly waiting for their minister and in the foreground
is Hester.
343 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE CHILD
Hester can no longer hide her joy. The child, laughing, clutches
at her mother's hand and looks up into that flushed, excited face.
344 EXT. CHURCH LONG SHOT
A cry goes up from the crowd--a cheer at the sight of their
minister.
345 CLOSE-UP HESTER
Her heart quickens; she will behold him in this hour of triumph.
346 SHOT OF CROWD
Another cry goes up--then startled silence.
347 EXT. AT ENTRANCE OF CHURCH
The minister is staggering forward. He seizes hold of the portals
of the door to keep from falling. There is drama in his very
weakness.
348 SHOT OF CROWD
Hester is in the foreground. A silence like a pall has fallen
upon the crowd. Hester is straining forward, her agonized eyes
upon the minister.
349 SEMI CLOSE-UP AT DOOR OF CHURCH
Dimmesdale struggles against his growing weakness. He looks
over the crowd with fast-dimming eyes and then he sees--
350 EXT. PILLORY (WHAT THE MINISTER SEES) A LITTLE OUT OF FOCUS
351 MEDIUM SHOT INCLUDING THE MINISTER AND HESTER
Hester watches as a radiantly happy smile illuminates the minister's
face and, gathering new strength, he starts down the steps.
Hester stands directly in his path, and it would seem that his
happy smile is for her. She draws back, fearful that any contact
with her will cast its reflection upon him. And then, when
he sways unsteadily, she starts forward as though to help him.
But when he comes close to her, she sees that his radiant eyes are
fastened upon something beyond, and he passes by without even
seeing her.
352 LONG SHOT
The Puritans make way for the minister in hushed silence, watching.
He goes toward the scaffold and starts up the steps.
353 CLOSE-UP HESTER
It is suddenly revealed to Hester what the minister intends to do.
A scream almost tears out of her. Then she stifles it and stands
there, not knowing what to do. She starts forward as though
she would stop him--then hesitates. Anything she does will damn
him in the eyes of the people.
354 LONG SHOT
The minister has reached the platform of the pillory and is
standing there, swaying unsteadily as he motions for the people
to listen to what he has to say.
355 CLOSE SHOT OF PRYNNE
Prynne, standing near the church, is malevolently watching Dimmesdale.
356 SEMI CLOSE-UP THE MINISTER
The minister straightens and lifts his head as though throwing
a burden off his shoulders. There is something strangely triumphant
in his voice as he cries aloud to the crowd:
TITLE: "I stand here where I should have stood six years
ago--by the side of Hester Prynne."
357 SEMI LONG SHOT
For a second the hushed silence of the crowd is unbroken--and
then the figure of Hester flies through the stunned crowd and
up the steps of the scaffold to the side of the man she loves.
358 SEMI CLOSE-UP PILLORY
The minister falls on his knees beside Hester, crying out, "Hester
Prynne!" with piercing sweetness.
But Hester turns to the crowd, pleading with them to listen to
her, as she cries out:
TITLE: "He is mad! His illness hath unbalanced his mind!
He wears the veil of my sorrow; he accuses himself falsely!"
BACK: As she speaks, the minister is trying to summon enough
strength to rise and deny her feeble attempt to save him, but
he sinks at her feet again.
Pearl has followed her mother, and now shyly clings to her.
359 CLOSE SHOT OF CROWD
It would seem that she has convinced them. So eager are they to
believe their minister innocent that they echo her own words:
"He is mad! The poor man, his illness hath made him lose his
mind." And they nod to each other, trying to convince themselves
that their saint is still a saint.
360 EXT. PILLORY SEMI LONG SHOT
The Governor now walks to the foot of the scaffold. There is
movement among the waiting crowds.
The minister staggers to his feet again. "Stop!" he cries
dramatically. "Turn thy eyes back to me again! Look upon _me_, the
sinner. Hester Prynne would protect me again--but it is too late!
Thou must behold the evidence of my guilt!" The minister steps
passionately forward a pace before Hester and the child.
361 CLOSE-UP MINISTER
He is crying out, "I bid thee look again as I, in my death hour,
stand before thee. I bid thee look again at Hester's scarlet letter!"
With a convulsive motion, he tears away the ministerial band before
his breast, and there is revealed the letter "A"--the badge
of shame which he had burned upon his breast with the fiery
cross.
362 SEMI LONG SHOT
For an instant the horror-stricken gaze of the crowd is concentrated
upon the ghastly miracle. The minister stands with a flush
of triumph in his face as one who, in the crisis of acutest pain,
has won a victory. Then he sinks down upon the scaffold.
363 CLOSE-UP PRYNNE
Roger Prynne cries out:
TITLE: "Only death could have cheated me out of my revenge!"
364 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER, THE MINISTER AND PEARL
The dying man's eyes are fixed upon the child. "My little
Pearl," he says feebly. There is a sweet and gentle smile over
his face as of a spirit sinking in deep repose. ""Wilt thou kiss
me?"
Pearl kisses his lips. The spell is broken. Her tears fall upon
her father's cheek. Then she crawls away from him so that
she may make place for her mother.
365 CLOSE-UP HESTER AND MINISTER
Hester holds him in her arms with his head resting against her
breast. "Hester," breathes the clergyman, "It is farewell."
Then Hester, bending his face close to his, her eyes shining with
tears, whispers tenderly:
TITLE: "Shall we not meet again? Shall we not spend our immortal
life together?"
BACK: When the minister is able to speak, it is with tremulous
solemnity:
TITLE: "God knoweth--and he is merciful--for he hath brought
me hither to this death of triumphant ignominy before the
people--"
BACK: Her lips touch his forehead in a farewell caress. And
he breathes these words to her: "Pray for my soul, Hester." Life
is fast ebbing away.
Hester, lifting her eyes in a moment's swift, silent prayer, holds
him in her arms. With his last feeble gesture, he tears the scarlet
letter off her breast. His fast-dimming eyes seek the eyes of the
Governor.
366 CLOSE-UP GOVERNOR
The old man bows his head. The last dying wish of the minister
shall be fulfilled; Hester Prynne shall never again wear the badge
of shame.
367 SEMI CLOSE-UP THE MINISTER AND HESTER
His last words to her are:
TITLE: "We could never have fled from our sin--we could
never have hidden it. It is better to cleanse our souls. ...
Forgive me, Hester--"
BACK: And his eyes close in quiet repose as if he were sinking
into a peaceful sleep.
For a few moments she is not aware that death has come. She
sits there rocking him in her arms, but over her has fallen a veil
of peace, as if she, too, were at rest, as if she, too, knew something
of the eternal forgetfulness that gives to his face a smile
even in death. When she see that he is dead, she quietly lays him
down.
368 LONGER SHOT
The Puritans stand awed into silence at the scene before them.
369 SEMI CLOSE-UP HESTER AND THE MINISTER
Hester is enveloped in a great calmness now that she knows he is
at rest, and she says very simply:
TITLE: "He is dead. Let us pray for his soul."
370 LONG SHOT
The people scarcely move; as if they couldn't quite believe that
the minister was dead, that the voice of Hester was falling upon
their ears, asking that they should pray. She has risen now and
stands before the cross.
371 SEMI CLOSE-UP THE GOVERNOR
The Governor reveals his hat and stands on the stairs of the
scaffold in prayer.
372 LONG SHOT OF THE MARKET-PLACE
Hester praying. Slowly, one by one, the Puritans kneel in
prayer; for this is their tribute to Hester Prynne; their answer
to her plea for forgiveness.
373 SEMI CLOSE-UP CROSS ON PILLORY
Hester stands before the cross praying, praying for the soul of
the man she loves. Out of her martyrdom has come an infinite
peace and quiet beauty. And as she prays
FADE OUT