A former Secret Service agent takes on the job of bodyguard to a pop singer, whose lifestyle is most unlike a President's.
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FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
THE BODYGUARD
Written by LAWRENCE KASDAN
Clean Shooting Draft
February 1992
SCREEN IS BLACK
In the darkness we hear dripping water, the echoing
approach of two sets of footsteps. There is the sound of
a sudden, quick scuffle, a heavy fall of bodies.
THREE BOOMING GUNSHOTS. Two from one gun, one from
another. So fast and close, they're barely distinguish-
able. The sound of the SHOTS ECHOES against concrete
walls and dies away. Silence.
SLOW, SLOW, FADE IN:
1 INT. UNDERGROUND GARAGE (NEW YORK) - NIGHT 1
FRANK FARMER'S FACE -
mid to late 30s, peers intently over a smoking gun. He
is The Bodyguard.
ANGLE - HIT MAN
dead on his feet, leans against a car. A gun drops
heavily from his hand. His life ebbs as he slides slowly
down the car door to his knees then falls forward, face
down on the cement floor.
A SLOW PULL BACK reveals that FRANK is lying on top of
KLINGMAN. Protectively pressed body to body on the
filthy cement floor of the garage. Klingman, a handsome,
50-year-old arbitrageur, gasps in barely controlled fear
as his Armani suit soaks up a black pool of oil. There
is no movement.
The two men are lying near the right front fender of a
black limousine. Blood spreads from the body of the hit
man, a few yards away. Klingman starts to raise himself
up but Farmer keeps him pressed to the floor, still
alert for any further threat.
MAIN TITLES BEGIN.
A beat, and VOICES are heard O.S. Farmer wheels, snub-
nosed .357 aimed at them.
FRANK
Freeze!
ANGLE - DOORWAY TO GARAGE
A uniformed chauffeur freezes in his tracks. Farmer
lowers his weapon and speaks.
FRANK
(calm, but an order)
Call 911.
2.
CAMERA has CRANED UP TO a high, almost-frozen WIDE SHOT of
the scene. It TRACKS AWAY INTO darkness.
2 EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT 2
Passing traffic reveals the storefront of a TV showroom.
Inside, behind the reflections of the city lights, all
the TV sets are showing the same picture, the glittering
image of a woman singing. (We will recognize the woman
as Rachel Marron.) We cut tighter and tighter on the
image until it is almost broken up into its scanning
lines. Through the city noise comes the sound of her
song "I have Nothing."
2A INT. DAN'S APARTMENT - DESK TOP - NIGHT 2A
A battered old desk. Scattered across the top -- a pile
of blank white paper, a jar of glue, a stack of
magazines, a pair of scissors, a TV remote control,
softly in the b.g., a TV is playing the same image we saw
in the store window, the same song.
Hands appear. Male hands. They open a drawer and remove
a pair of translucent rubber gloves. Carefully they put the
gloves on. The SNAPPING of the rubber is the only sound.
The hands pick a magazine off the stack: Screen Stars.
They put the magazine down and pick up the scissors. A
headline on the cover reads: "RACHEL MARRON'S GREATEST
TRIUMPH!" The scissors start to cut. Meticulously they
excise the name "RACHEL MARRON" from the page. With the
care of a surgeon.
3 EXT. HOLLYWOOD PREMIERE - NIGHT 3
A tumultuous crash of screaming, pushing bodies. Arms
stretch out, cameras flash, sunguns flare, microphones
are thrust forward. A deafening cacophony of "Rachel!
Rachel! Rachel! Over here! Over here! This way,
Rachel! Rachel! Rachel!" We cannot see the object of
this frenzy. We catch a brief glimpse of an attractive,
well-dressed young woman (NICKI), exiting with the other
celebrities, as she is pushed and casually jostled aside
by the mass of surging fans and media. Her face is calm
and impassive as she watches from the sidelines.
5 INT. KLINGMAN'S OFFICE DEN - NIGHT 5
In a paneled room tastefully hung with a few choice paint-
ings that reflect Klingman's success as an arbitrageur,
he pours two snifters of brandy as he speaks with Farmer.
3.
KLINGMAN
Your hands ever shake, Frank?
FRANK
Sometimes. It's just adrenaline.
KLINGMAN
... How did you know?
FRANK
I saw him washing the car.
KLINGMAN
I saw him.
FRANK
They don't wash cars on the
parking levels.
He hands a glass of brandy to Frank, who looks at it.
KLINGMAN
You know, I'd like you to stay on.
He passes a small sealed envelope to Frank.
FRANK
I'm not good in permanent
positions, my feet go to sleep.
The two men smile at each other. They raise their glasses
in a joint salutation -- Klingman drinks. Frank doesn't.
6 INT. DARKENED ROOM - DESK TOP - NIGHT 6
The rubber-gloved hands are glueing the word "TIME" onto
a message that is taking the classic form of a ransom
note. Each word has been cut from a different page and
is in a different typeface. The note is being assembled
with such care that it has an unusually neat appearance
and is quite easy to read. It reads:
MARRON BITCH -- YOU HAVE EVERYTHING
I HAVE NOTHING. THE TIME TO DIE IS ...
7 EXT. CHARITY CONCERT - EVENING 7
A blur of hands and faces. Excited fans. Pieces of paper,
autograph books, notes are thrust forward INTO the CAMERA.
Again, a mass chanting "Rachel! Rachel! Rachel!"
Hands of Rachel's entourage accept some of the proffered
items.
In CLOSEUP, we see Rachel's hands signing "Best wishes,
4.
Rachel Marron" on an out-stretched open palm. In the
midst of the urgent forest of hands and paper, a be-
ribboned black doll is thrust forward, bearing the legend
"RACHEL, WE LOVE YOU."
8 EXT. FRANK FARMER'S HOUSE - EVENING 8
SLAM of a CAR DOOR. Frank gets out of a cab with two
suitcases. His house is a modest stucco affair on a
small lot. He goes up the walk and puts down his suit-
cases. He looks at rampant foliage and overgrown grass.
Supermarket circulars cover his doorstep. He picks up a
few and fishes a bunch of keys from his pocket. A
curious neighbor peers from behind a net curtain. As the
door opens, we are aware of a further pile of mail
inside. Frank's feet push the letters aside and go
inside. The door shuts.
10 INT. FARMER'S KITCHEN - NIGHT 10
Farmer has carefully set a place for himself at the table
in a breakfast nook. A bottle of red wine is open with a
glass beside it.
At the stove he stirs and flavors a Boeuf Bourgignon and
reads a Time magazine. He adds a splash of wine. He
lifts the pot from the stove and tries a piece of meat.
At the table, he looks at the place setting and absently
eats another piece of meat. Finally he sets the pot on
the plate and eats from it directly while glancing
through the magazine.
11 INT. DRESSING ROOM - CLOSEUP - CORNER OF DRESSING TABLE 11
Lots of people are schmoozing in the dressing room.
There's a loud buzz of excited chatter. Hands are stack-
ing flowers, good luck messages, cards and cables by the
mirror. Through the blur and bustle, we glimpse the doll
with its embroidered ribbon message "RACHEL, WE LOVE YOU."
Hands casually move it to one side, among the flowers
resting on the small portable TV set. On the screen is
an image of Rachel performing on stage, acknowledging
applause, bowing.
The doll EXPLODES, SHATTERING the TV, the MIRROR and the
LIGHT BULBS.
The SCREEN GOES BLACK, amid SHOUTS, SCREAMS and
CONFUSION.
TITLES END.
5.
12 EXT. FRANK FARMER'S HOUSE - BACK YARD - DAY 12
Frank lounges in his shorts under the single tree, sun-
glasses on, a glass of iced tea by his side. Strains of
"DON'T WALK AWAY RENEE" come from a beat-up transistor
RADIO.
An old-fashioned lawn sprinkler lazily waves water back
and forth over the freshly cut grass. Throwing knives
lay scattered nearby. A wooden post is sticking out of
the ground in front of the fence at the back of the yard.
BILL DEVANEY, fiftyish, a distinguished-looking black
gentleman, stands nearby trying to engage Frank in a
conversation that up to this point hasn't been going well.
He's Rachel's personal manager.
DEVANEY
So, you won't protect Rachel Marron
just because she's in show business?
FRANK
I don't do celebrities.
DEVANEY
But the biggest money's in show
business people.
Frank says nothing. His eyes are closed behind the sun-
glasses. Devaney picks up one of the throwing knives.
He holds it carefully by the blade and throws it. It
misses the post by three feet and clatters against the
fence.
Frank opens his eyes, sees what's going on and closes his
eyes again.
DEVANEY
(picking up another
knife)
Do you really do these things?
FRANK
Isn't she the one who collects
dolls?
This is enough to distract Devaney from his knife-throwing.
DEVANEY
(exasperated)
Farmer, Rachel Marron is one of the
most famous people in America. She's
won every music award invented. She's
got the number one song in the country
right now and she'll probably be
nominated for an Oscar in her very
6.
first picture. And you want to know
'Isn't she the one...?' Christ,
man, where've you been?
FRANK
You mean she doesn't collect dolls?
DEVANEY
(defeated)
Yes. She collects dolls.
FRANK
I thought I knew who she was.
Devaney tries to size up whether Frank is kidding him or
not. Frank's face betrays nothing. Devaney gestures with
a knife.
DEVANEY
You're probably deadly with these
things, aren't you?
FRANK
Deadly.
DEVANEY
Show me.
Frank doesn't move.
DEVANEY
Why are you resisting this job?
$2,000 bucks a week.
(no response)
$2,500.
FRANK
There are several good men
available for that kind of money.
Have you talked to Fitzgerald or
Racine? Portman?
DEVANEY
Yeah. Portman was interested...
He senses an opening and sits down beside Frank for what
he takes to be the first serious talk.
DEVANEY
... but we're told you're the best.
FRANK
There's no such thing.
DEVANEY
Farmer, we're talking about a
very frightened lady. With a
7.
seven-year old son. Believe me,
I wouldn't be here if I didn't
think this was for real.
(long pause)
Farmer, she begged me to get you.
Frank sits up finally and looks at Devaney a long time.
He picks up five throwing knives and stands up.
FRANK
All right. I'll come and I'll look
the situation over. If I take it,
it's three thousand a week.
DEVANEY
(whistles)
Okay. You must be very deadly
for three grand a week.
Frank is now about twenty feet from the wooden post. He
throws one of the knives. It misses the post and
clatters against the fence.
FRANK
Shit.
Devaney's face drops. Frank examines the next knife.
FRANK
(mumbling)
I know it's something like...
The second knife gets away from him at the top of his arc
and disappears into some bushes about three feet from
Devaney. Devaney stands up in a hurry and moves behind
Frank.
FRANK
Sorry.
Frank raises his hand to throw again, then stops and
motions Devaney off to the side.
FRANK
Better not stand right behind me.
Devaney smiles weakly. Frank lets the third knife go
with one smooth motion.
The knife sinks an inch into the center of the post. THUMP.
Frank's hand arching again. Throwing the remaining knives.
Both knives stick in the post forming a straight vertical
line with the first one.
8.
13 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - WAVERLY LANE (BEL AIR) - DAY 13
Frank stops his nondescript Chevy across the quiet street
from the closed, unmanned gate at the bottom of the Marron
driveway.
FRANK'S POV
as he looks over the gate, the wall, the heavy vegetation
and the rising grounds beyond.
(NOTE: The use of the term FRANK'S POV, is not to be
taken simply as a camera direction. Rather, it re-
presents a recurring attempt to make the audience see in
the special way Frank sees. Frank lives by constant
vigilance, heightened awareness. It is his genius and
his burden. The audience must be put in the position of
looking, searching, scanning with him.)
He has a curious sense of being watched, a kind of prick-
ling on the back of his neck. As he looks around, a
black Toyota 4X4, parked some way down the road, drives
rapidly off -- too fast to get a clear look. He watches
it go.
Frank pulls up to the gate and gets out of his car. He
grabs a bar of the gate and pulls. The whole gate
rattles. Frank gets back in his car and pushes a button
on the intercom box at the side of the gate. A MAN'S
VOICE CRACKLES out of the BOX. Transmission is terrible.
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Yes?
FRANK
Frank Farmer to see Miss Marron.
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
What?
FRANK
Alexander Graham Bell to see Miss
Marron!
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
(obviously has not heard)
Have you got an appointment?
FRANK
The atomic number of zinc is 30.
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
All right.
There is a LOUD BUZZING and the gate swings arthritically
open.
9.
14 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - DRIVEWAY - DAY 14
FRANK'S POV
as he moves up the winding drive through heavily land-
scaped grounds. Plenty of potential hiding places. The
mansion is at the top of the hill. The grounds behind
the mansion fall away.
15 EXT. MANSION - CIRCULAR DRIVE/ENTRANCE AREA - DAY 15
The mansion is huge. On and on it goes. Frank drives
PAST the garage area where HENRY, the chauffeur, is
polishing the mascot on the limousine. One of his arms
is bandaged. Henry peers at Frank, puts down his cloth
and walks toward the entrance where Frank is parking.
Frank gets out, looks around. A painter's truck is
parked nearby, two painters unloading equipment from it.
HENRY
Can I help you?
FRANK
Are you the man on the intercom?
HENRY
No. Can I help you?
FRANK
My name is Edison. I have an
appointment with Miss Marron.
HENRY
Oh. And that was arranged by...?
FRANK
(impressed)
Mr. Devaney.
HENRY
Go right ahead, Mr. Edison.
FRANK
What happened to your arm?
HENRY
(looking at his arm)
A doll.
He goes back to the limousine.
Frank RINGS the DOORBELL, although the door is not shut.
EMMA, a fiftyish housekeeper, appears. A man in cover-
alls comes out past her, carrying a length of timber.
10.
FRANK
Henry Ford, to see Mr. Devaney.
EMMA
Come in, please.
16 INT. MARRON MANSION - DAY 16
Frank steps into the foyer with Emma. She is a warm,
matronly woman who does a fine job running the house
without standing on custom.
EMMA
I'll tell you quite honestly,
Mr. Ford, I don't know where
Mr. Devaney is. Did he say he'd
be here?
FRANK
Yes.
EMMA
Then he probably is. Let me look.
She leads Frank into a large, unused formal parlor. There
are dustsheets over the furniture and the walls are being
repainted. On a number of TV screens scattered around,
Rachel's latest video (the one we saw in the opening
titles) is continuously playing. The sound of the song
itself -- "I HAVE NOTHING" -- comes softly from concealed
speakers.
EMMA
Please make yourself at home. Can
I get you anything?
Frank demurs and Emma disappears back through the foyer.
Frank watches her go, then moves off into the house in
the opposite direction. It's obviously undergoing a
major redecoration. Painters, decorators and designers
come and go, oblivious to Frank's presence.
17 INT. MARRON MANSION - VARIOUS ROOMS - DAY 17
The deeper Frank walks into the house, the warmer and
more lived-in rooms appear.
18 INT. MARRON MANSION - SUN ROOM - DAY 18
Frank steps into a tiled room that overlooks the pool
area. One wall is all glass. On the opposite wall are
shelves containing the trophies of Rachel Marron's career:
A Tony award, three Grammy's, gold and platinum records,
other statuettes and plaques. Among the framed photo-
graphs of Rachel accepting awards etc., is one of her and
11.
her small son, FLETCHER, dressed in a tuxedo. Both are
goofing off for the camera with obvious affection. Frank
looks down at the pool.
FRANK'S POV
Dwarfed by the pool, the only person in sight is seven-
year old Fletcher, the little boy from the photograph,
dark-haired and fragile. He is crouched at the side of
the pool with the remote control unit for a foot-long
speedboat which is cutting across the water. A nanny
sits, some way off, embroidering.
Frank's attention is distracted. A heavier BASS MUSICAL
BEAT comes from somewhere nearby in the house, another
Rachel Marron number, but this time up-tempo and bouncy.
Frank follows the sound.
19 INT. FAMILY ROOM - DAY 19
Frank walks into the rear of the room that the noise is
coming from.
It is large and comfortable with plenty of seating, a
bar, a wall of stereo gear and a projection booth. It
is packed with people, props and video equipment. There
is lots of activity, a general air of barely-organized
chaos. MUSIC BLARES out.
A group of six dancers, is rehearsing an energetic dance
number for a music video, directed by their choreographer
RORY. Sunlight throws them in a silhouette against the
glass wall at the end of the room. A video cameraman
circles them, taping the rehearsal, which appears on a
large-screen TV behind them.
In one corner, a pretty black girl is being pinned into a
proposed costume for the video. Several people are stand-
ing around, tending to the video and playback gear. All
the chairs face the far end of the room and it isn't
immediately apparent how many more people are hidden among
the big cushions.
As Frank sits on the barstool at the back, a large swivel
chair turns to reveal Devaney. He waves to Frank and
makes his way over to him.
On the other side of the room, a brawny, heavyset man in his
late thirties rises to look at Frank. He has a twenty inch
neck. Devaney signals to him that everything is all right.
The brawny man looks at Frank a moment more, then sits down.
Frank looks around the room. A shelf laden with vitamins.
Guitars of various makes. A flute. A gold record being
used as a coaster. People smoking and chatting through
the rehearsal.
12.
In one of the chairs, a pretty woman in her mid-thirties
(NICKI, the woman we saw at the premiere) is knitting.
She glances occasionally at the dancers. A man sits next
to a phone busily discussing a contract with someone at
the other end of the line.
The music climaxes and abruptly stops. The dancers hold
their dramatic final poses for a second, then relax again.
APPLAUSE. The CLAPPING from the front sofa is loudest.
Then LAUGHTER.
From elsewhere in the room comes the voice of the VIDEO
DIRECTOR.
DIRECTOR (O.S.)
Playback, everybody!
Rachel's voice comes from the sofa.
RACHEL (O.S.)
Come here, Rory!
The choreographer skips to the sofa and disappears from
sight. Sound of kissing, laughter.
The video rewinds on the big screen and the dancers gather
round it expectantly.
RACHEL (O.S.)
Sugar, that's gonna be great. I
love the ending...
Devaney moves to the front of the room. The PLAYBACK
STARTS behind him. There are several overlapping
conversations going on.
DEVANEY
Rachel...
RACHEL (O.S.)
Nicki, how'd you like the number?
You like the end routine?
DIRECTOR (O.S.)
Rachel. You wanna see it back
from the beginning or just the
ending...
NICKI, responds to Rachel's question.
NICKI
It was just great, Rory...
But Rachel is already replying to the video director.
13.
RACHEL (O.S.)
I wanna see it all. Tony? I'll
bet Tony loved it.
The brawny man, Tony, shrugs and stands to look at Frank
as he speaks.
TONY
Ehh!
RACHEL (O.S.)
Don't worry, Rory. Tony doesn't
appreciate great art.
The pinned-up girl has been brought forward for Rachel's
approval, elbowing Devaney a little to one side.
DRESS DESIGNER
(showing the costume)
What do you think, Rachel?
DEVANEY
Rachel, Frank Farmer is...
RACHEL (O.S.)
Devaney, do you think this is me?
DEVANEY
(not looking)
It's terrific...
Devaney is now facing the unseen Rachel.
DEVANEY
Rachel, Frank Farmer is here.
Devaney nods in Frank's direction. Nicki looks at Frank.
RACHEL (O.S.)
Who's here?
DEVANEY
Frank Farmer.
(getting no response)
The bodyguard.
RACHEL (O.S.)
I think Rory should be my
bodyguard.
(to dress designer)
Let's see the back again...
DEVANEY
Rachel, raise your butt out of
there and meet this man.
RACHEL MARRON finally rises from the sofa. It's a bit of
14.
a shock to see that she is only about thirty years old.
A young woman. Not beautiful, not ugly. Unique only in
that she is immediately interesting. A Superstar.
RACHEL
Well, I'm up.
Rachel and Frank look across the room at each other.
Frank comes forward.
DEVANEY
Frank Farmer, Rachel Marron.
Rachel offers her hand and they shake. Rachel looks him
up and down.
RACHEL
You don't look like a bodyguard.
FRANK
What did you expect?
RACHEL
I don't know. Tough guy maybe.
FRANK
This is my disguise.
RACHEL
(smiling)
Well, his timing's good.
DEVANEY
This is Nicki, Rachel's sister
and personal secretary.
NICKI
Nice to meet you, Mr. Farmer.
DEVANEY
(indicating)
... Tony Scibelli.
Tony nods but makes no move to shake hands.
Rachel dismisses the Dress Designer.
RACHEL
(to designer)
The back's still not right...
SPECTOR, still on the phone, offers a perfunctory wave.
DEVANEY
... Sy Spector, Rachel's publicist.
15.
RACHEL
Can we get you a drink?
FRANK
Orange juice.
RACHEL
Straight? Nicki.
Nicki goes to the bar. Rachel sits and motions for
Frank to sit opposite her.
RACHEL
Rory, I'll be with you in a second.
Rory gets up, and goes over to his dancers at the big
screen video.
RACHEL
Listen, this whole thing is Bill's
idea... This sudden obsession with
protecting me. Tony has always
handled my security and we've done
just fine.
SPECTOR (O.S.)
(into the phone)
Yes, I'll hold but not long...
RORY (O.S.)
Rachel, you want to run through
your steps before we go again...?
RACHEL
I'll be with you in a second.
Nicki hands Frank his orange juice. She looks at Frank as
she speaks.
NICKI
I think Bill's right, Rachel. It's
time you took more precautions.
Spector enters the conversation.
SPECTOR
(one hand covers
the phone)
Nicki, I'm sure Mr. Farmer would
tell you the number of nuts
writing fan letters jumps every
time Rachel is on the cover of
a magazine.
DEVANEY
Not like this.
16.
An ASSISTANT hands Rachel a small sheaf of phone messages,
some papers for signature and a pen. Rachel checks
through them and signs as she talks.
RACHEL
Relax guys, I said I'd do it. You
see what I'm dealing with here?
I'm willing to go along, as long
as we all understand each other.
I'm not going to let this alter
my life one little bit.
(to assistant)
Who was this?
ASSISTANT
(overlapping Devaney)
Oh. That was Clive's office.
They called three times...
DEVANEY
Honey, that's not going to be a
problem.
DEVANEY (CONT'D)
(to Frank)
Rachel runs a very informal
household, we're all on a first
name basis...
Spector has finished up on the phone and jumps in.
SPECTOR
...And I'm sure you'll blend in
just fine. You can select whatever
alarm systems you want for the
house. Some kind of improved
security for the gate. What else,
Rachel?
Rachel stands and starts to wander over to Rory and
the dancers.
Frank looks at Devaney. Devaney doesn't like the tone
this is taking.
RACHEL
I think I'm safe when I'm here at
the house so I guess the main thing
will be when I go out. Tony will
be able to fill you in on all that.
You two will have to work something
out. I don't want both of you
falling all over me everywhere I
go. The most important thing is
this -- I will not allow Fletcher
to be affected by this thing...
17.
Rory puts his arm around her waist and stands behind her,
starting to run through her steps with her in slow motion.
SPECTOR
(punching phone)
I was just going to cover that.
We'll have to tell the child you
have some other function...
RACHEL
I don't want him to think he's in
prison. So the house and grounds
must not be altered in any way.
He shouldn't be aware that you're
here. Is that clear?
Frank looks at her a long time, glancing up at Devaney
once.
FRANK
Miss Marron...
RACHEL
Rachel.
FRANK
There's been a mistake. A
misunderstanding. If you'll show
me the quickest way out, we'll
save each other a lot of trouble.
Frank's on his way. Someone brings a silver headpiece on
a stand to Rachel. She ignores it, still looking at Frank.
TONY
You can go past the pool.
DEVANEY
Shut up, Tony.
FARMER
Nice meeting you.
DEVANEY
Farmer, will you wait a minute?
SPECTOR
Bill, I don't think we should be
begging this guy for his services.
DEVANEY
Sy, I'm handling this.
Rachel looks on coolly as Frank slides open the glass door.
DEVANEY
Farmer, will you wait a minute?
18.
20 EXT. MARRON GROUNDS - BACK LAWN - DAY 20
Frank is walking rapidly away from the window wall, down
the slope. Devaney is scurrying to keep up.
DEVANEY
Farmer, will you wait a minute? I
should have told you more. I'm
sorry but I was afraid she wouldn't
go through with it. I thought I'd
let the two of you work it out...
come to an understanding.
FRANK
We did.
Frank starts to walk off. Devaney is grasping at straws.
DEVANEY
She's not a bad person, and whether
she knows it or not, she needs you.
(a beat)
You've come this far... Would you
just wait here for one minute. I
want to show you something. Please,
Farmer.
Devaney runs back to the house.
21 EXT. POOL AREA - DAY 21
Fletcher, happy to have someone to talk to, walks up to
Frank with his remote-control speed boat. Frank would
like to walk away, but Fletcher blocks his way. Frank
looks at Fletcher's frail little, nut-brown figure. The
watching nanny continues her embroidering, some way off.
FLETCHER
Hi!
FRANK
(continuing to walk)
Hi.
FLETCHER
How are you today?
FRANK
(wants to keep walking)
All right. How 'bout yourself?
FLETCHER
Oh, I'm fine. Do you like boats?
19.
Frank gives up. He's not going to get out of here. He
stops.
FRANK
No. I don't like boats.
FLETCHER
You don't! Why not?
FRANK
Oh, I don't know.
FLETCHER
Sure you do, but you don't want
to tell me.
Frank considers him, then slips out of his sport coat.
He crouches down so that he is eye-level with Fletcher.
FRANK
You're a smart kid.
Fletcher nods.
FRANK
I'll tell you. One time I was
stuck on a boat with some people
for four months.
FLETCHER
A lifeboat?
FRANK
Nope. A big white yacht. Do you
know what a yacht is?
FLETCHER
(thinks about this)
Yeah. My mom rented this huge
yacht once, and we took a trip.
It was great. Everyone threw up
except me. I love 'em.
FRANK
(standing to leave)
Well, nobody's perfect.
Fletcher squints up at him, the sun in his eyes.
FLETCHER
You're the bodyguard, aren't you?
Frank is surprised.
FRANK
What do you know about it?
20.
FLETCHER
I've got ears.
FRANK
I'll remember that.
Devaney trots into the pool area, out of breath. He is
holding a bulging manila file. As he sees Fletcher, he
holds the file casually at his side.
Frank sees Fletcher looking at the file.
DEVANEY
How are you, Fletch?
(to Frank)
I'm glad you waited. Let's go
over here.
FRANK
(to Fletcher)
Nice meeting you.
Fletcher looks after them silently.
22 EXT. PATIO - DAY 22
Devaney slides the file across the table at Frank, open-
ing it. Inside are letters of every size and condition.
Repeatedly throughout this scene Frank's gaze is drawn to
Fletcher, who has started his boat again.
DEVANEY
This is just in the last six months.
FRANK
(looks at the pile)
Have you ever tried having these
professionally assessed?
Devaney shakes his head no.
Frank begins to look through the letters, flipping them by
the corner of the page. From many different sources, some
are scrawled, some typed, some assembled from cutouts.
Many are soiled and torn, others immaculate. Occasionally,
one will have a photo of Rachel with crude markings on it.
Spector enters sucking on a popsicle. He comes to stand
over Frank's shoulder, peering nonchalantly at the piles
of letters.
SPECTOR
Devaney says you were in the Secret
Service.
Frank nods.
21.
Frank goes through them quickly, with an expert eye. He
sometimes pauses to read one more carefully. A few he
removes from the stack and places in the center of the
table.
SPECTOR
Ever guard the main man?
FRANK
I was two years with Carter and
four years with Reagan.
Frank sets another letter in the center pile. He stops,
smiling at it.
FRANK
This is a little old lady in
Akron. She's written to
everybody I've ever worked for.
He continues to turn until something stops him. Several
letters are paper-clipped together. They are the pasted-
up type we saw being assembled on the desk top.
SPECTOR
Reagan got shot.
His chatter is beginning to annoy Frank.
FRANK
Not on my shift.
Spector emits a gratuitous laugh, acknowledges the joke.
SPECTOR
That's good.
Frank goes back to his letters. He taps the stack in
the center of the table.
FRANK
At first glance, these don't
bother me. But keep them. You
never know.
He separates one letter from the others.
FRANK
This could be something.
Devaney searches Frank's face.
DEVANEY
You think it could be the same
guy? The one who rigged the doll?
22.
FRANK
I don't know. Did you tell Miss
Marron about it? Does she know
about the doll?
Devaney and Spector exchange looks. This is evidently a
sore point between them.
SPECTOR
We said there'd been some electrical
problem while she was on stage.
Short circuit. Look, she doesn't
need that kind of worry right now.
It would upset her.
FRANK
What about the police?
SPECTOR
There was no reason for the police.
No one got hurt.
FRANK
What about the chauffeur?
SPECTOR
It was nothing. It was just our
people there.
Frank turns and watches Fletcher by the pool. Devaney's
eyes are still on Frank's face.
DEVANEY
Sy, I think we should show him
the room.
23 INT. ROOM - DAY 23
Frank follows Spector and Devaney into the room. He
glances around, taking in the murals, the decor, the
kitsch attempt at fornicatorial splendour right from
the pages of a tabloid layout.
FRANK
Is this her bedroom?
SPECTOR
Yes.
DEVANEY
No. She sleeps in a room next to
Fletcher's down the hall. Sy had
this done for a magazine layout,
SPECTOR
'Superstars in their Boudoirs.'
23.
Did you see it?
FRANK
No.
DEVANEY
Rachel never liked it.
SPECTOR
She didn't have to like it...
Devaney gently lays the cut-out letter on the bed.
DEVANEY
We found the letter here.
FRANK
Somebody was in here?
DEVANEY
Somebody broke in and ...
masturbated on the bed.
FRANK
And she doesn't know about this
either?
Devaney shakes his head.
SPECTOR
Are you kidding? This would really
freak her out.
DEVANEY
What do you think?
FRANK
Someone penetrates the house, gets
upstairs and jerks off on the bed
... I'd say that qualifies as a
problem.
DEVANEY
What kind of problem?
SPECTOR
(agitated)
Of fuck, we don't need this now...
FRANK
This house is wide open.
SPECTOR
Excuse me?
FRANK
I said this house is wide open
24.
and you people have no clue what
real security is or what it takes
to achieve it.
DEVANEY
(does a quick read
on Frank)
Frank, I totally respect what
you're telling me. Tell me how
you want to work and I'll
accommodate you.
FRANK
Look, I can't protect her. I won't
be responsible for her safety if
she doesn't know what's going on.
DEVANEY
I'll talk to her, I'll make her
understand. I can do that.
SPECTOR
No. I'll talk to her.
Spector exits the room in a huff.
24 EXT. MARRON HOUSE FRONT - DAY 24
Frank emerges with Devaney and crosses toward his car.
DEVANEY
...She won't give you any static,
Frank, you've got my word on that.
Frank is still focused on Fletcher.
FRANK
Sure she will.
DEVANEY
So what job's perfect? You're
a bodyguard, aren't you?
Slowly, Frank faces him.
FRANK
(quietly)
Yeah.
As they reach the car, Devaney is relieved. He dares a
perfect smile.
FRANK
Devaney, if you ever lie to me
again, I'll take you apart.
25.
25 INT. MARRON MANSION - FRANK'S ROOM - DAY 25
Henry Dupres is leaning against the doorjamb. The room
is comfortable, a guest bedroom. Frank flops one
battered suitcase onto the bed and opens it. He pulls
open some drawers in the dresser and starts putting away
his clothes.
HENRY
Why'd you say your name was
Edison?
FRANK
I wanted to see how hard it
was to get in.
HENRY
And it wasn't, was it?
Henry unconsciously flexes his fingers, easing the muscles
in his hands. Frank notices and pulls out a small tube of
ointment from a pouch he's unpacking. He hands it to Henry.
FRANK
Put this on your arm. It'll help
the ache.
Henry takes it but is noncommittal.
FRANK
I'll bet you can fill up a whole
day just washing the cars and
driving Rachel Marron around town.
HENRY
That's my job.
FRANK
We're adding to your duties.
HENRY
Huh?
FRANK
You're my new assistant.
Frank removes three boxes of cartridges from the suitcase
and puts them in the back of a dresser drawer as Henry
watches.
HENRY
Says who?
FRANK
Henry, I've spent a lot of time
guarding people all over the world
26.
and I've found one thing to be
true. No matter how incompetent
the assassins, no matter how much
they miss their target by, there's
one person who always gets hit.
HENRY
Who?
FRANK
The cocky black chauffeur.
Henry considers this for a moment and smiles.
OVER scenes 26-28, we hear the VOICE of CNN's MARTIN
GROVE from "Showbiz Today."
MARTIN GROVE (V.O.)
It's Oscar time again, folks, and
with Academy members marking their
ballots today for this year's
nominations; some canny tipsters in
Vegas have announced their picks
for the Awards.
MARTIN GROVE (V.O.)(CONT'D)
Echoing the prevailing buzz in
Hollywood, the Vegas Hilton is
gambling on one sure thing at
least. Newcomer Rachel Marron
is tipped at 3 to 1 to lead this
year's Best Actress runners.
MARTIN GROVE (V.O.)(CONT'D)
The sultry singer made a notable
acting debut last fall in Queen
Of The Night, singing the hit song
'I Have Nothing'. The lady may
end up eating her words if she
takes home that statuette March
20th...
26 EXT. PERIMETER OF ESTATE - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 26
The fortification of the estate begins as Frank and
Henry walk the grounds. Frank talks and points, Henry
takes notes on a pad. Frank gestures at the stonework
of the gate, points at the top of the stone wall along
Waverly Lane. At the tall hedges which separate the
estate from its neighbors, Frank gestures to take in
the entire length of the hedged border. Henry stops
in amazement. Frank keeps walking.
27 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - POOL AREA - DAY 27
27.
Fletcher stands at the edge of the terrace, staring down
across the rear grounds.
FLETCHER'S POV
Frank and Henry are down there conferring about the
fence.
RACHEL
appears beside Fletcher, looks down there too, then leads
her son purposefully away. Fletcher isn't happy about it.
28 INT. MARRON MANSION - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY 28
Frank tours the house with Emma and Henry. Frank opens
various doors, fidgets with locking mechanisms. Emma
finds it all exciting.
29 INT. MARRON ESTATE - POOL HOUSE/BALLET STUDIO - DAY 29
A small room at one end of the pool house has been fitted
with a wall mirror and ballet exercise barre. A STEREO
plays exercising MUSIC.
Nicki, dressed in leotards, is doing pre-aerobic stretch-
ing exercises. Frank appears outside the window. Nicki
waves him in. Unseen by Frank, a huge St. Bernard lays
in the front of the door. He muscles his way in, the dog
never moves, just slides along the floor as Frank pushes
the door open. Frank looks the room over.
FRANK
Unusual tactic for a guard dog,
but effective.
Nicki smiles, gesturing him in.
NICKI
You can look around if you like.
Frank indicates it won't be necessary. Nicki stops
working out.
FRANK
I'm sorry to disturb you.
NICKI
That's all right. It's an excuse
to rest. It's my private place.
I'm the only one who works out
around here.
Frank glances at photos on one wall. Most are of Nicki
from years ago; some show her performing with a band.
28.
NICKI
My own ego wall. No platinum
records.
Frank spots a picture of two girls.
FRANK
You and Rachel?
NICKI
When I was a kid, I put a little
band together. We played high
school dances, stuff like that.
Then Rachel joined the act. As
you can imagine, she was quite a
little entertainer. Even then,
she had a way of stopping the show.
So I kind of quit. Professionally,
anyway.
FRANK
You never went back?
NICKI
It was pretty obvious who the
star in our family was.
Frank looks back at the picture. Nicki smiles.
30 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - GARAGE AREA - DAY 30
Frank and Henry walk toward the closed garages.
HENRY
That depends on what you call a
'hint.'
FRANK
I don't want anyone on the street
to be able to look at the cars and
know who owns them.
Henry leans in a doorway and hits a master switch. The
three doors of the garage start to rise in sequence.
HENRY
I don't think there's anything
here you'd call a 'hint.'
One at a time the doors go up to reveal:
First garage -- the Cadillac limousine we've seen earlier.
License: RACHEL 2
Second garage -- a gray Mercedes. License: RACHEL 3
29.
Third garage -- a Jaguar XKE in an outrageous pink. No
other car in the world is this color. License: RACHEL 1
Frank looks at Henry, who is laughing and shakes his head.
He walks toward the Jag.
Frank releases the hood. He looks inside for a moment,
then reaches into the guts of the engine. He fiddles for
a second, then stands up holding some wires and slams the
hood shut again. He gestures toward the other two cars.
FRANK
Get new plates for those two.
31 EXT. GATE AREA - DAY 31
The fortification continues as workmen use a bulldozer to
clear away the stonework around the entrance.
32 EXT. DRIVEWAY OF MARRON ESTATE - DAY 32
Sitting beside Henry, Frank teaches him how to spin the
limo in a 180 degree 'skid turn,' sending up clouds of
dust. A group of roadies watching bursts into spontan-
eous applause.
33 EXT. GATE AREA - DAY 33
Fletcher sits on the grass about halfway to the house,
watching the activity with delighted interest.
He turns as he spots something beyond the hedge.
FLETCHER'S POV
Workmen put up a seven-foot cyclone fence. Across the
road, a black Toyota 4 X 4 is stopped. It slowly pulls
away. We can't see inside it.
34 EXT. GATE AREA - DAY 34
One worker pries a small boulder out of a hole with a
crowbar. His partner picks up the rock and tosses it
on a small pile of rocks. The boulder bounces down the
backside of the pile.
35 INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 35
Rachel, looking out her window at Fletcher and the work-
men, sees the rock stop a yard from him. Fletcher
scrambles away, much as a kid might dance back from a
30.
wave on a beach. The sight disturbs Rachel.
RACHEL
Fletcher! C'mon. Back in here!
As she speaks, some workmen test the remote control on a
window shutter. It descends in front of Rachel's face.
She is not amused. Fletcher passes Frank on his way to
join Rachel. He mutters almost under his breath.
FLETCHER
I think he's got a black 4 X 4. Could
be a Chevy. More like a Toyota.
Frank stares at Fletcher, then looks back to the street.
36 INT. F.B.I. LOS ANGELES OFFICE - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY 36
The room is dark. An opaque projector throws an image
onto a screen; it is a letter threatening Rachel's life.
We hear voices. One is Frank's; the other two belong
to special agents RAY COURT and TERRY MINELLA.
The letter is one of the pasted-up threats we saw being
assembled earlier. It reads:
MARRON BITCH -- YOU HAVE EVERYTHING
I HAVE NOTHING. THE TIME IS COMING
WHEN YOU SHALL DIE...
Reading as fast as possible, we pick up some vicious
threats and obscenities, but we don't have time to read
it all before we...
CUT TO:
FRANK'S FACE
illuminated by the screen.
COURT (O.S.)
This is another of the ones we
think are worth pursuing. Lots of
work went into it. No prints.
We're doing lab work on it. It
could be nothing.
MINELLA'S FACE
is illuminated above the projector.
MINELLA
This is the one you think is tied
to the doll?
FRANK (O.S.)
That's what her manager thinks.
31.
COURT (O.S.)
This 'I Have Nothing' business is
a natural with the record and
movie and all.
The projector light goes off and the room light goes on.
The room is practically bare.
Ray Court, a prematurely white-haired, career civil
servant, raises the window shade. Sunlight streams
in. On Court's lapel is a tiny P.T. Boat pin.
Terry Minella, a slight, dark 35-year-old, offers Frank
a cigarette; Frank declines, Minella lights up.
COURT
I sort of lost track of you after
Washington.
FRANK
Yeah.
COURT
How's the private stuff?
FRANK
(noncommittal)
Fine.
COURT
Big money, I bet? Huh?
Frank shrugs. Court looks at Minella knowingly.
37 INT. FEDERAL BUILDING - DAY 37
Minella and Court walk Frank to the lobby.
COURT
Shit. I knew it. It is big money.
Fuck! You need an assistant? I'm
ready to get out. I've lost my
tolerance for assholic behavior.
You should see the jerk we're
covering now...
COURT
'Hellfire Henry' Kent...
MINELLA
Shh! Somebody wants to pop him...
COURT
Which isn't exactly surprising,
considering what the shithead's
32.
been saying.
MINELLA
Yeah! Do everyone a favor...
(he coughs,
ironically)
As you know, we're nonpolitical
these days.
The three men laugh easily together. They have reached
the lobby doors.
COURT
(to Frank)
We'll put this stuff through
Washington. Behavioral Sciences
should have something in a few days.
FRANK
Thanks.
(a pause)
Ray?
COURT
Yeah?
FRANK
Why am I getting all this
cooperation?
MINELLA
She's a big star. Important
people care about her.
COURT
Politics and show business are
practically the same these days...
Got any crowd photos we can use?
FRANK
I'm trying to keep her away from
crowds.
COURT
Good luck.
38 INT. THE IVY - DAY 38
It's busy. Lots of customers arriving, leaving and
seated at tables. Waiters criss-cross the terrace. Near
the entrance, Rachel is saying goodbye to a middle-aged
WOMAN. Frank stands nearby with Nicki. The Woman says
something to Rachel, who turns and looks at Frank.
Rachel whispers something to the Woman and they both
laugh. They kiss and Rachel moves toward the entrance.
33.
WOMAN
(an afterthought;
phony)
Goodbye, Nicki. So great to see you.
Nicki waves and follows Rachel. Frank stays very close
without seeming to walk with Rachel.
A little girl darts into their path and approaches Rachel.
Rachel glances at Frank, who has stopped with her, then
she signs an autograph for the girl. The girl's mother,
close behind her, hands a small camera casually to Nicki
to be photographed as she and her daughter pose with
Rachel. Frank watches Nicki quietly comply.
Rachel, Spector and Frank all reach the front entrance
together, and Frank slips out first, glancing around.
Rachel comes out and passes within inches of him.
RACHEL
I'm surprised you didn't plug them.
39 EXT. THE IVY - DAY 39
Rachel attracts the usual stares from passersby. As
they reach the limousine, Frank continues scanning the
street. Tony stares at him, uncomprehending.
TONY
(impatiently)
Hey, let's go.
Frank takes a last look then gets into the front seat
next to Tony.
FRANK
(across Tony)
O.K. Henry, let's go.
Tony looks at Frank, eyes narrowing.
From across the street, we see the limo pull away. As
the shot clears, the dark shape of another vehicle
appears, slowly moving into frame over the top of the
camera.
40 INT. FRONT SEAT OF LIMO - DAY 40
Frank sits beside Tony, next to the door. Tony speaks
to him in a near whisper.
TONY
Let me set you straight on a few
things. For starters, I love this
lady... What I do for her I do for
34.
love. I'm not some hired fuckin'
gun who is out to make her life
miserable.
While Tony speaks, Frank's eyes dart to the side mirror;
his gaze never leaves it.
FRANK'S POV - BLACK TOYOTA
appears in the rearview mirror.
BACK TO SCENE
TONY
I do things the way she likes.
Her happiness is everything to me.
Frank speaks while concentrating on the mirror.
FRANK
No problem. I'd like to know how
you handle things, Tony.
TONY
I handle things fine, Frank. You
watch me and you'll learn something.
FRANK
(to Henry)
Turn left.
HENRY
Is that him?
Frank shakes his head, he's not sure. Tony reacts.
TONY
Hey, what's going on?
FRANK
Shortcut.
FRANK'S POV - TOYOTA IN REARVIEW MIRROR
As the limo turns, the 4 X 4 follows them into the turn.
ANGLE - FRANK
whispers to Henry.
FRANK
Slow down, very slow.
HENRY
You want me to do a one-eighty?
35.
FRANK
No, just slow down.
The car slows.
ANGLE - SPECTOR AND RACHEL IN BACK
They look up from some papers.
SPECTOR
Why are we stopping? Are we here?
Behind them, THROUGH the rear window, the 4 X 4 can be
seen. Sensing something, it makes a sudden TIRE-
SCREECHING left turn, disappearing behind them.
41 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - DAY 41
The limo enters the gate where workmen are rigging a
large fence.
42 INT. LIMO - DAY 42
Frank speaks to Henry.
FRANK
Stop here... Take them to the
house.
Frank jumps out and jumps a hedge, racing toward the lawn
and work area.
ANGLE - TONY, RACHEL AND SPECTOR
As the car pulls away they see Frank running wildly across
the property.
TONY
What's with him?
43 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - DAY 43
As Frank comes through some bushes, he suddenly catches a
glimpse of the 4 X 4 through the trees. It starts to
accelerate.
As it pulls away (it is too far to record the license
number), he breaks into a full run toward the other end
of the property.
Leaping hedges, Frank crashes through tropical vegetation.
CRASHING through a bamboo forest, he scurries down a
steep wooded slope toward the road below. The 4 X 4 can
be glimpsed through the trees as he runs to head it off.
36.
A retaining wall about 14 feet high rises from the road
to the slope. Without a pause, as the car speeds beneath,
Frank leaps and drops the full distance to the road. The
4 X 4 ROARS PAST just missing him and turns a corner.
Hitting hard, Frank allows his knees to take the force of
the fall, deliberately rolling once before he springs
into a crouched upright position.
But the 4 X 4 speeds around a corner and is gone.
44 INT. MARRON ESTATE - DAY 44
The fortification continues as workmen tighten screws,
install electrical wiring, test alarms. As Frank watches
over the work, we see him show Henry how to wear a SURV
KIT communications system.
FRANK
Keep this loose.
Fletcher comes to take a look too. He peers up at Frank,
expectantly.
FLETCHER
Tell me about the car?
FRANK
Toyota. Black.
FLETCHER
Four wheel drive? Late model?
Frank nods. Fletcher looks pleased.
FRANK
One snag though.
Fletcher's face falls.
FLETCHER
What?
FRANK
360,000 of them in Los Angeles. I
checked. Nice work, though.
FLETCHER
(shrugging)
Well, nobody's perfect, Frank.
Are they?
(gesturing to the
SURV KIT)
Can I try that?
37.
45 EXT. MARRON ESTATE POOLSIDE - DAY 45
Rachel has been watching Fletcher and Frank down the
hill. Now she leans back on the chaise lounge where
she is sunning, trying to listen to a new song on a
Walkman.
There is the SCREECHING howl of a DRILL on METAL from
the direction of the house. Rachel jumps up and yells
toward the house.
RACHEL
Shut up you assholes!
46 INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 46
A mild-looking OLD LOCKSMITH is working on Rachel's
window. Rachel walks in from the pool, starting to
peel off the swimsuit. She stops, startled, as she sees
him. This is the last straw. She blows up.
RACHEL
(clutching the
swimsuit)
You! You! Out! Out! Now! Out
of here! Get out!
Terrified, the Old Locksmith drops his tools and begins
backing out of the room.
OLD LOCKSMITH
Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I'm a real
fan of yours, Miss Marron.
Still angry, but disarmed, Rachel makes a face.
RACHEL
Then you can take your tools with you.
She turns to the window, in what she imagines is
Frank's general direction, and, like a little girl,
suddenly sticks out her tongue.
47 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - GATE/GUARD HOUSE - DAY 47
In a BIG CLOSEUP ON a black and white TV screen, we see
Devaney's immaculate convertible Mercedes 500SL as it
roars up the drive. Frank, Henry and Fletcher watch in
the newly-erected guard house. The area is greatly
changed. There is a uniformed guard with an impressive
array of switches, lights and phones at his command.
There are several TV screens; one of them shows a series
of endlessly-panning shots from cameras at the rear of
38.
the grounds. On the other, the Mercedes kicks up dust
from the last few curves in the drive. Fletcher shakes
his head. He's seen it all before.
HENRY
Is that Devaney?
FLETCHER
(to Frank)
She's got him by the short ones,
doesn't she, Frank?
Frank squelches a smile at Henry. Where did he learn
that?
FRANK
Yeah, she makes him nervous.
They watch as Devaney SCREECHES to a STOP, gets out and
hurries inside.
48 INT. FAMILY ROOM - DAY 48
Nicki is cutting fruit at the bar. Rachel, very tense,
is taking the fruit and dropping it into a yogurt drink
she's making in a blender.
Rory, her choreographer, stands behind her, massaging her
neck and shoulders. Spector is perched on a bar stool
like a vulture. Devaney hurries into the room; Nicki
gives him a look.
RACHEL
I want him gone.
DEVANEY
What is it now?
NICKI
He told Rachel no Sunday brunch
at Charlie's.
DEVANEY
No Sunday brunch. That's why you
called me up here?
RACHEL
That is not it! It's my money
and my life and I want him out
of here.
DEVANEY
Where is he?
Nicki indicates through the glass door. Devaney walks
over to it.
39.
NICKI
On the patio.
RACHEL
He's through messing with my life.
DEVANEY
Rachel, I'm getting goddamn sick
of running up here every time he
steps on your toes.
(leaning out the
glass door)
Farmer! Would you come in here
a minute?
Devaney walks back toward Rachel.
RACHEL
Did you know he was nuts?
SPECTOR
Do you know who couldn't get
past the gates yesterday?
RACHEL
Who?
SPECTOR
Robin Leach, that's who.
Rory sniggers into the back of Rachel's hair, fighting
off a laugh. Rachel has difficulty keeping a straight
face, too. Spector glares at them as Frank enters from
the sliding door.
SPECTOR
You think that's funny? The
man talks to 20 million people
and he can't even get in here.
FRANK
Did he have an appointment?
Devaney turns to him.
DEVANEY
Farmer, what is this about
brunch at Charlie's? Rachel's
been going there every Sunday
for the last five years.
FRANK
I don't want her doing anything
she's always done.
40.
RACHEL
(mimicking him)
'I don't want her doing anything
she's always done.' The guy's a
fanatic.
DEVANEY
So are the guys he's protecting
you from.
RACHEL
Excuse me if I don't faint.
NICKI
Think of Fletcher --
Rachel turns ON the BLENDER, drowning out Nicki's voice.
Frank looks at Rachel coolly. She stares at him
petulantly, then turns OFF the BLENDER.
RACHEL
Do you know he's got the phones
bugged?
SPECTOR
Oh Jesus, Bill.
RACHEL
Maybe he gets off listening to my
calls. All that heavy breathing...
DEVANEY
(interrupting)
What do you want from my life?
RACHEL
I want some peace around here.
SPECTOR
That's right.
Devaney looks at Frank imploringly.
FRANK
We're almost done.
RACHEL
And I want to be able to eat
brunch with my friends.
FRANK
Go on Tuesday this week.
Spector looks at him as though he were a Martian.
41.
SPECTOR
(stretching it out)
Tuesday -- morning -- brunch.
Where did you find this guy?
Rachel turns ON the BLENDER and stares at Frank.
48A EXT. THRIFT SHOP - VALLEY - DAY 48A
Rachel's limousine is parked opposite the shop. It's
a decidedly downscale area. A little way off, a group
of unemployed youths hang around, eyeing the limo with
interest. Henry sits at the wheel. Tony stands by the
open window, leaning against the car.
HENRY
(looking at the
youths)
I wish Rachel didn't keep coming
here. It makes me nervous.
TONY
Me too. 'Cept I'm not nervous
'cos I got you with me.
49 INT. THRIFT SHOP - CLOSE ON CLOTHES HANGER - DAY 49
SCREECHING as it's slid along a metal rack.
Rachel is shopping for bargains, moving along racks of
discarded clothing.
RACHEL
Louise, you've got too much great
stuff.
OWNER
(from the back of
the shop, laughing)
Take it all, darlin'.
Frank leans casually against a wall, not watching Rachel,
but watching the shop, watching the street outside.
Rachel finds something she likes.
RACHEL
Wooo! Let me try this on.
She flicks a glance to Frank; he's not looking at her.
She pulls back the curtain of the makeshift changing
booth, then stops dramatically.
42.
RACHEL
(to Frank, indicating
the open booth)
Farmer, do you want to come in
here with me? Just to be safe?
Frank glances at her, then resumes his surveillance of
the shop. Rachel's head bobs up and down above the
curtain as she changes.
RACHEL
You probably won't believe this,
but I have a reputation for being
a bitch.
Frank says nothing. He gazes outside through the store-
front window and sees Henry and Tony horsing around next
to the limo. A few small boys stand around the car. One
of them is climbing onto the hood.
RACHEL
I didn't used to be. But you get
known for being a certain way --
a way people think you are -- and
pretty soon you get like that.
Can't help it.
Frank smiles knowingly. Rachel notices.
RACHEL
You don't think so? You're such
an expert on famous people?
FRANK
I've seen a few.
RACHEL
And you disagree?
FRANK
(very flat)
You can be as you choose to be.
It's an act of discipline
sometimes, but it can be done.
Rachel stops in her tracks... then opens the curtains and
looks at herself in the mirror. Also reflected in the
mirror is Frank.
RACHEL
That why you never stay with one
of your clients? They too
undisciplined for you? Or is it
you're afraid you'll start to
care about them?
43.
FRANK
(without interest)
That's right.
Rachel turns to Frank.
RACHEL
Can't you answer straight just
once? Why don't you talk to
me? I'm not such a bad lady.
FRANK
You're too clever for me. I can't
keep up.
Frank continues to search the shop and street with his
gaze. Rachel steps closer to him.
RACHEL
Look at me, Farmer!
Frank turns and looks at her.
RACHEL
You don't approve of me, do you?
FRANK
Disapproval's a luxury I can't
afford. Gets in the way.
RACHEL
Don't like emotions getting to you,
huh? Never mix business with
pleasure?
FRANK
That's right.
It's a stand-off. After a moment, Rachel motions to
an outfit on a rack just behind him.
RACHEL
Grab that would you?
Frank takes a beat. Looks out the window.
FRANK
I'm here to keep you alive... not
to help you shop.
Fuming, Rachel sizes things up, then grabs it herself,
whipping the curtain shut behind her.
A smile plays across Frank's face.
44.
50 INT. DARKENED ROOM - CLOSEUP - NIGHT 50
We see a man's hands remove a video cassette from its
sleeve. The cover reads "RACHEL MARRON - THE #1 HITS."
The CASSETTE is gently eased into the slot of the video
player.
Rachel's image appears on the screen, singing softly,
intensely, passionately into the camera. WE TRACK INTO
the image, as if a little hypnotized by it.
ANGLE FRANK
Frank sits alone in his room, lit by the glow of the TV,
dressed in a business-style blue suit and tie. He's
watching Rachel's videos. Scattered around the video
player are a collection of other Rachel Marron CD's,
tapes and videos. Frank has been noting down lyrics on
the yellow legal pad on his lap. Some of the phrases
are circled.
As he watches, we see a subtle change in his expression.
It is as if he really were looking at Rachel for the first
time, here, watching her sing. For a second, she seems to
be singing to him alone, passionate and vulnerable.
He opens a small box and removes a tiny enamelled Russian
Orthodox-type cross. He fastens the clasp, checking that
it holds, then looks back to the screen.
51 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - NIGHT 51
Rachel's SONG PLAYS OVER the moonlit estate.
52 INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 52
The room is surprisingly bare and simple, almost empty
apart from Rachel's collection of old and faded dolls
on the shelves and on the bed. Rachel is getting dressed
for the evening. A hairdresser stands behind her,
fussing with her hair. Rachel hears the MUSIC coming
from outside and moves to the window. (The hairdresser
moves with her, still busy with the brush.) Gazing
across the garden, she sees the light in Frank's room
and hears her own voice singing out from there too.
53 EXT. MARRON HOUSE - NIGHT 53
Frank is showing Henry how to check the underside of the
limo with an angled mirror on a stick. Both are crouched
beside the vehicle. A noise makes them look up. Rachel,
dressed to the nines and looking very sexy, emerges from
the house with Spector and Devaney. Spector's carrying a
videotape. Tony follows as they head for the car, where
45.
Frank and Henry are waiting. Fletcher stands in the
doorway, flanked by uniformed security guards. He waves
at Frank.
FRANK
(to Henry)
I thought it was dinner.
Henry shrugs.
FRANK
(to Spector)
Are we going somewhere else?
SPECTOR
The Mayan, Frank.
FRANK
What's the Mayan?
Spector starts to climb into the limo.
SPECTOR
It's a club, Frank. Come on,
Henry, let's go.
FRANK
Spector, you've got to tell me
about these things.
SPECTOR
I just did.
He disappears inside the limo.
Rachel tugs at Frank's lapels, looks him up and down,
brushing something off his shoulder. Frank's annoyed.
RACHEL
Nice suit, Frank.
Rachel is about to get in.
FRANK
Rachel.
He removes something from his pocket, a small enameled
cross.
FRANK
I want you to keep this.
Rachel looks at it, both flattered and confused.
RACHEL
For me? It's beautiful.
46.
FRANK
It's fitted with a radio
transmitter. When you close the
clasp, it sends a signal. If
there's ever a problem and we're
separated, just press it and I'll
know you need me.
Rachel doesn't know how to respond. She's stuck for
words. Spector pokes his head out impatiently.
SPECTOR
Okay, she knows how it works,
let's get going.
Rachel manages a quick smile to Frank as she gets in the
back. Frank gets in the front beside Tony. The limo
pulls out.
54 INT. LIMO - NIGHT (LATER) 54
Frank rides beside Tony in the front seat. The RADIO
PLAYS SOFTLY in the b.g. In back, Rachel, Spector and
Devaney are drinking champagne. Tony burps, smiles
at Frank.
RADIO D.J. (V.O.)
You're listening to K.R.O.K., the
rock of L.A. and yes we have.
(MORE)
RADIO D.J. (V.O.)(CONT'D)
We told you we'd crack the case
of the mystery guest... and if
you are one of the few who hasn't
heard, it's Rachel at the Mayan.
Franks turns UP the VOLUME.
RADIO D.J. (V.O.)
Rachel Marron, tonight, appearing
as Billy Thomas' very special
guest. But if you don't have a
ticket, you can forget going
down there. Police are asking
us to ask you to stay away. So
everybody, please stay cool,
stay tuned and we'll try to get
you some interviews after the
show. Remember, you heard it
here on K.R.O.K. -- the station
that delivers.
Frank looks back at Spector who silently mouths --
47.
SPECTOR
It wasn't me.
The car turns a corner and there it is, The Mayan only
fifty yards ahead, a mob of fans spilling out of the
club, off the sidewalk and into the street.
TONY
Fuckin' a.
Spector whoops with uncontrolled delight from the back of
the limo. Frank stares ahead in disbelief. The NOISE
of the CROWD can be heard as they pull up front.
55 EXT. THE MAYAN - NIGHT 55
The mob reacts to the sight of the approaching limo which
turns into the parking area and heads for the backstage.
Faces of the fans are at the windows leering at Rachel.
Many are grotesquely painted. Some go into a wild frenzy
as Rachel's limo pulls up. There is a punch-up and a man
is beaten back. Someone has a video camera. Its quartz
light shines in through the limo windows. Everybody
squints at the glare.
56 EXT. BACKSTAGE ENTRANCE - NIGHT 56
As Rachel's car pulls up, the beaten man dances weirdly
at the curb with blood streaming from his nose.
A pair of security guards try to hold them back. As her
limo stops, a chant begins.
CROWD
Rachel! Rachel! We want Rachel!
Others join in as the mob presses forward.
The instant she exits the car, her expression goes public
-- a wide, show-biz smile. Sandwiched between Spector and
Devaney, with Tony in front and Frank at the rear, Rachel
makes her entrance.
A young man breaks the barrier moving toward Rachel.
Frank grabs him by one of his belt loops, gracefully
guides him all the way across and slips him under the
opposite cordon into the arms of a security guard.
57 INT. RACHEL'S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT 57
Rachel steps into a room set for a star's arrival.
Flowers are on every surface that will hold them. One
huge arrangement is so big it has to be placed on the
48.
floor. Frank checks them all with a magnometer wand
before letting Rachel sit down. He goes out, closing
the door, watchful.
58 INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT 58
Frank's eyes search the crush of people, milling around
outside the dressing room. A few feet away, Spector talks
to a JOURNALIST who's carrying a tape recorder.
JOURNALIST
... and this is my exclusive?
SPECTOR
I swear I thought she'd talk to
you. Maybe later. What can I
say.
Frank is checked out by a strange-looking women in
Vampyra Drag.
59 INT. DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT 59
Rachel sits in front of the mirror putting on the silver
headpiece we saw earlier. She notices a small spray of
lilies-of-the-valley among the floral arrangements.
An envelope marked "Rachel" is attached to it. She
reaches forward and opens it.
We see the note as she unfolds it.
MARRON BITCH - YOU HAVE EVERYTHING
I HAVE NOTHING - PREPARE YOUR SOUL
FOR DEATH - THE TIME TO DIE IS...
We see the shock in her face.
60 INT. STAR'S SUITE - NIGHT 60
Spector, Frank, and Devaney are there. Rachel seems
dazed, unfocussed. Devaney hands the note to Frank.
DEVANEY
He sent another one.
Rachel immediately picks up on this.
RACHEL
What do you mean 'another one'?
Frank quickly shoots a look at Spector.
FRANK
They didn't tell you.
49.
RACHEL
Tell me what?
DEVANEY
There were some letters before,
Rachel... same kind of thing,
threats, oddball stuff...
SPECTOR
We didn't want to worry you...
DEVANEY
... and somebody got into the
house...
RACHEL
(starting to panic)
Someone was in my house?
SPECTOR
Okay. Let's not get hysterical...
FRANK
Let's get her out of here.
RACHEL
Someone was in my house?
SPECTOR
It was weeks ago. You were out of
town...
RACHEL
While Fletcher was there?
SPECTOR
Listen, Fletcher is okay. The
house is like Fort Knox now.
Right, Frank?
FRANK
We should get her out of here.
Right now!
SPECTOR
There's no way anyone could...
RACHEL
No way anyone could what?
SPECTOR
No, wait... look everybody calm
down. Calm down.
DEVANEY
Sy.
50.
SPECTOR
Let's just see how she is.
(to Rachel)
How do you feel, honey?
Someone comes through the door with some flowers. Frank
eases them out and gently closes the door.
FRANK
I can't protect her out there.
RACHEL
Do you think he's out there?
Devaney can't answer. She turns to Frank.
RACHEL
He's here, isn't he?
FRANK
He might be.
SPECTOR
We don't know that. Frank, we
don't know that.
Rachel is enraged.
RACHEL
But you know he was in my house...
oh my God.
DEVANEY
Let's go home, Sy. We'll have to
make an announcement.
SPECTOR
Fine, you make it, they'll tear
the fucking place apart.
61 INT. ONSTAGE - NIGHT 61
A lone mike stands onstage. The crowd's growing im-
patient. A RHYTHMIC CLAPPING begins. Devaney walks
timidly onstage. He's not happy to be there. He reaches
the mike and taps it with a finger.
DEVANEY
Excuse me... hello... I've got
an announcement to make. I'm
sorry but... due to circumstances
beyond...
Voices shout. "Where's Rachel?"... a groan begins.
A chorus of boos fills the room. He raises his hands.
51.
More voices.
62 INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT 62
Frank guides Rachel toward the stage exit. A roar from
the audience begins. "Rachel! Rachel! Rachel!" It
grows louder as they near the exit. Rachel's expression
is a combination of fear and humiliation. When they have
almost reached the exit, she stops.
RACHEL
Wait...
FRANK
Rachel... don't do it. It's not
worth it...
RACHEL
(cutting him off)
No fucking freak is gonna chase me
off stage.
She pulls away from him. Farmer starts after her, closely
followed by Spector.
63 INT. STAGE - NIGHT 63
DEVANEY
I'm afraid that...
A great gush of applause from the audience. Devaney's
befuddled. He doesn't see Rachel walking up behind him.
DEVANEY
Rachel won't be able...
Rachel stands beside him beaming. She bows. Claps back
to her fans. Devaney retreats. Rachel gestures in his
direction.
RACHEL
Bill Devaney, ladies and gentlemen,
thank you, Bill. Hey, everyone.
Hello! Isn't Billy Thomas the
greatest. He's asked me to sing
a song. I hope you don't mind.
The crowd roars its approval.
Frank nervously scans the room. Rachel smiles and moves
along the stage. MUSIC starts in the b.g. Masking
obvious fear, she starts to sing.
As she takes one hand from the microphone, her fingers
tremble. She clasps it again to hide her anxiety.
52.
ANGLE - RACHEL - SHOT FROM BEHIND
shows her alone and vulnerable, bathed in light, center-
stage.
Rachel snatches a quick glance at Frank then looks back
to her silent audience.
ANGLE - FRANK
He scans the audience intensely, face to face.
63A EXT. MAYAN - BACKSTAGE DOOR - NIGHT 63A
Rachel's limo stands waiting. CAMERA PULLS BACK to
reveal a black Toyota 4 X 4 parked among the other cars.
63B INT. MAYAN - NIGHT 63B
Rachel approaches the end of her song, her voice coming
ever stronger. Spector comes up to Frank in the wings,
positioning himself combatively between Frank and his
view of Rachel.
SPECTOR
Are we having a communications problem
here?
FRANK
What?
Spector's presence is a distraction. Frank steps to one
side for a better view of Rachel. Spector moves too.
SPECTOR
Apparently, I didn't make it clear
to you how things go around here.
FRANK
You told me you were going to
tell her. And you didn't.
SPECTOR
I didn't think she could handle it.
FRANK
But she handled it fine.
Frank continues to peer past Spector's shoulder, his
vigilance undiminished. Soothed and nurtured by the
obvious admiration of her audience, Rachel's fear is
beginning to vanish. The song is taking over. Spector
changes tack, becoming confidential, "man-to-man."
53.
SPECTOR
Look. Frank, I know what you're
saying. I know you want to do
what's best for her. I understand
that. You have a job to do here.
But you have to understand that
Rachel has a job to do too. And
that's what she's doing - out
there. She's working, Frank.
That's what she does and that's
where she does it. She's hot
right now. This is the time for
her. If she doesn't get out there,
she's dead. Forget about crazy
death threats, if she doesn't
sing, she's dead anyway... Look,
handled properly, this thing could
be good for a million dollars'
worth of free publicity.
Frank grabs him by the collar and slams him up against a
wall of curtain ropes.
FRANK
One word.
SPECTOR
It could clinch her the nomination.
FRANK
One word in print about any of
this...
Spector nods, half-gasping. Frank tightens his grip.
Frank's attention is drawn by a renewed roar from the
crowd.
SPECTOR
Trouble with you is you don't
understand the sympathy vote.
64 INT. STAGE - NIGHT 64
Rachel scans the crowd, spread before her like a surreal
mural.
Camera flashbulbs explode like crazy through the glare.
The thundering adoration is like a stimulant. She darts
a look to Frank and gives him a fierce "naughty girl"
smile.
RACHEL
(turning back to
crowd)
You like that? Would like to
hear another? Billy?
54.
From the wings, Billy Thomas gives her the nod to go for
it. It seems to be alright with everyone. The band
starts playing a dance beat.
RACHEL
(on the prowl)
I think my feet are trying to
tell me something... wanna see a
new video?
The crowd explodes. They know what song is coming.
They start to move with Rachel.
RACHEL
(dancing, talking)
I want to dance...
She skitters to the other side of the stage, baiting her
fans. Her new video explodes across the video wall
behind her. The crowd surges forward.
Two security guards nervously tense up, watching the
crowd. When one fan tries to climb onstage, Frank
reaches out and unbalances him, so that the man falls
back into the audience. Another man climbs the stage on
the other side. One of the guards darts out like a
ballboy at a tennis match, pushes the fan back and
scurries to the far side to resume his vigilance. The
crowd is getting even more excited, pressing closer,
trying to touch Rachel.
The security guards move in, but Rachel gestures for
them to back off.
ANGLE - FRANK
Frank's task has suddenly become impossible. A forest of
hands and faces start to engulf Rachel. Anyone could be
the killer. Frank's eyes dart over them all, his gaze
intense, as if trying to hold them off by sheer willpower.
RACHEL'S POV
Looking offstage at Frank. His frustration is almost
intoxicating to her. She struts over the lip of the
stage. A man leaps up from audience to join her. Frank
starts forward. Rachel gestures to him to hold back,
waving him off.
65 INT. WINGS - NIGHT 65
Spector stands well out of Frank's reach, staring at Rachel
onstage. He catches Frank's attention, yelling back
defiantly.
55.
SPECTOR
Look at her, fucking great.
66 INT. ONSTAGE - NIGHT 66
Rachel dances erotically with the man -- bumping and
grinding, sinking to her knees. The crowd roars
approval.
Frank quickly sizes up the scene. He speaks into a SURV
KIT microphone in his sleeve. Across the room we see
Henry listening, pushing an earpiece to his ear. Henry
quickly scurries to an exit. Frank starts moving toward
the stage. At that moment, the lucky man Rachel's
dancing with grabs her around the waist and spins her
gleefully, like the dance partner she has been pretending
to be. One of security guards rushes forward to extri-
cate her. The spinning man inadvertently bumps hard
into the guard and the man loses his grip on Rachel.
She flies out of his grasp and tumbles off the front of
the stage -- into the adoring arms of a half dozen fans.
The audience goes wild. This is the kind of thing
Rachel was famous for when she was starting out. The
scene resembles a rugby scrum... with Rachel the ball.
Frank sees Rachel being passed over the heads of fans --
deeper into the audience. Her dress is ripped and torn
apart. The silver headpiece is dislodged and disappears
into the crowd.
CLOSE ON RACHEL
Fear fills her face. She's gone over the edge, literally
and figuratively. She's lost control. Tony and the
security guards are fighting to get to her, slamming
bodies out of the way. In the b.g., the video continues
on its serene, uninterrupted way.
FRANK'S POV
He spots a fire extinguisher in the wings.
BACK TO SCENE
Frank grabs it and heads to center stage. He aims the
extinguisher at the crowd between Rachel and the stage.
The chemical foam does its job, scattering fans.
Frank leaps onto the floor, kicking a wild-eyed young
blond man in the chest as he fights his way to Rachel,
taking her in his arms. Tony runs ahead of Frank, knocks
a fan off the stage and waves for Frank to follow.
56.
FRANK
Tony, not there.
TONY
I'll take care of this.
He heads for the door.
TONY
Just follow me.
He turns and heads out to the sidewalk like a bull.
67 EXT. THE MAYAN - NIGHT 67
Tony bursts out the front door and begins cutting a
swath through the crowd. Rain beats down.
TONY
Make way here. Outta the way!
A burly street regular gets a shove from Tony and comes
back hard. The crowd immediately sides with him, yells
encouragement. But Tony is the better man and sends him
sprawling. The rest of the way to the curb opens up.
At the parking area Tony discovers there is no limo and
turns in bewilderment to Rachel. But she is not there.
A couple of people laugh.
68 EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT 68
Rachel and Frank emerge from the darkness between two
garbage bins and get into the limo Henry has waiting there.
The car moves out with a SCREECH of tires, narrowly missing
Spector as he staggers out of the building.
SPECTOR
Hey! What the fuck... Farmer!
Farmer! Come back here...
The limo skids around the corner and speeds off up the
street, leaving Spector in helpless fury -- apoplectic and
speechless.
69 INT. LIMO - NIGHT 69
Frank turns and looks at Rachel. She is diminutive,
doll-like, alone in the center of the large limousine
seat. Her hands rise to her face and her body begins to
shake with sobs as she sits there alone in the tattered
remains of her dress.
Frank turns away to avoid staring at her, but he feels
57.
uncomfortable. Henry senses what is going on and
speaks softly.
HENRY
Never done that before.
FRANK
It's been a long night.
70 INT. THE MAYAN - NIGHT 70
The crowd is thinning out. A dim worklight is burning
somewhere backstage. The auditorium is a mess; the
cleaning crew has begun to work on the debris from the
riot. FOOTSTEPS APPROACH, walking, pausing, as if looking
for something.
Lying on the floor in big CLOSEUP we see a small fragment
of Rachel's dress. The FOOTSTEPS STOP by it. A hand
picks it up gently and lifts it OUT OF FRAME. We hear the
sound of a deep lingering INHALATION of breath. The feet
move on.
71 INT. MARRON HOUSE - NIGHT 71
Fletcher is asleep in his bed. Frank waits as Rachel
glances in. Then she moves away. Opening the door to
her room, she steps back, allowing him to enter ahead.
72 INT. RACHEL'S ROOM - NIGHT 72
Frank moves quickly into the room, checking the window
and French door. Rachel waits silently by the door.
All is clear. He steps back to the door. As he
approaches her she begins to tremble.
He gently reaches out and takes her in his arms. Slowly
holding her he leads her to bed, moving aside some of
Rachel's dolls, laid out on the pillows.
Her hands go automatically to her dress but they are
shaking so badly she cannot undo it. Frank gently does
it for her. She willingly allows him to undress her and
not a word is spoken between them. As she sits naked
still trembling, he pulls down the covers and guides her
gently into bed.
As he adjusts the covers she reaches up and takes hold of
his hand. He looks down, stroking her forehead like a
child's.
RACHEL
Aren't you going to ask me why I
behave like that?
58.
FRANK
I know why.
73 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT 73
Frank sits alone at a table in the huge kitchen, care-
fully cutting and eating a peach. The door at the other
end of the room slams open and Tony stalks in, soaking
wet. He has just made his way home from the MAYAN and he
is boiling. He sights on Frank and moves toward him fast.
Frank just watches until Tony is almost upon him. As
Tony reaches out to lift him by his shirt, Frank spins
low out of his seat. Tony's legs are knocked out from
under him. He lands hard on his back and finds himself
looking up at Frank, who holds him down with the chair he
was sitting on, like a lion tamer, a leg strut pressed
against Tony's throat. Frank looks down at him question-
ingly, as if to ask, "Had enough?"
Tony scowls and nods. Frank lifts the chair away. Tony
stands up and faces him. Frank turns away and Tony
throws a punch at his head, barely catching him as Frank
ducks and moves in under it. He hits Tony twice and
throws him against a cabinet. Tony gets up slowly, looks
around and grabs a carving knife from a hook on the wall.
He holds it in front of him threateningly.
Frank shakes his head. He's getting irritated. He picks
up the knife he's been using on the peach and flips it in
his hand so he's holding it by the blade. With the same
fluid motion we've seen earlier, he throws it at Tony.
It sticks in the wall an inch from Tony's ear. Tony
does a slow take and then lowers his blade. Frank picks
up his dirty dish and takes it to the sink. He glances
at Tony.
FRANK
I don't want to talk about this
again.
74 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - DRIVEWAY - DAWN 74
Frank has been talking to the uniformed guard in the gate
house and now begins walking up the drive toward the man-
sion.
The grounds are quiet, beautiful, misty.
We see him from behind some foliage, as if he's being
covertly observed, stalked. A twig snaps and he turns
sharply. It's Rachel. She's dressed in a soft jumpsuit
and starts jogging out from behind the bushes towards him.
59.
The suit softens her appearance; she looks lovely. Her
manner, too, has altered; she is charming -- friendly and
very girlish.
RACHEL
Hey! Gotcha, didn't I?
FRANK
Hey.
RACHEL
You're probably wondering what I'm
doing.
(as Frank nods)
You didn't know I jogged, did you?
Frank shakes his head.
RACHEL
What's the matter? 'Fraid I'll
get picked off in my snazzy running
suit?
FRANK
No. I'm afraid I'll have to jog
with you.
They both smile.
RACHEL
Great. I guess I can't do it.
Rachel stops pumping, gasps for air, and for one moment,
rests a hand on Frank's arm to support herself. She
removes it quickly.
RACHEL
Will you walk with me a little?
Frank nods and they cut off across the grounds.
RACHEL
(hard for her)
I know this is kinda late, but
thank you. I'm really glad you're
here.
(she looks at him)
I'm going to try to cooperate.
FRANK
That would be good.
They walk in silence for few moments. When Rachel
finally speaks, she sounds genuinely unsure of herself,
nervous. It's very appealing. And if it's an act, she's
a terrific actress.
60.
RACHEL
Farmer... I have this problem.
This minor little problem. You
see, I'd like to go out for an
evening. Just me and a guy. You
know...
(makes a funny face)
... like a 'date.' But I can't go
out on a date because you have to
be with me every minute. I mean,
what if he invited me up to his
place afterwards? Are you going
to come, too?
(a beat)
So the only thing I can figure is
for you to take me out.
(pause)
So... that's what I was wondering
... you know. What do you think?
But only if you want to.
Frank is bemused.
RACHEL
Only if you want to... I'm not so
bad...
(looks at him)
God, this is embarrassing. I'm
gonna run up ahead there. You
decide.
She runs up the hill to the pool area, which is now above
them. He walks up after her.
75 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - BALCONY - DAY 75
Nicki is yelling from a window on the second floor of
the mansion. Fletcher peers out with her.
NICKI (O.S.)
Rachel! Sandy Harris is on the
phone!
Rachel and Frank look up.
RACHEL
Tell her she'll have to wait,
babe. I'm getting fixed up here.
AT WINDOW - CLOSE ON NICKI
She watches Frank and Rachel, her expression neutral.
She turns away. Fletcher continues to watch his mother
with Frank.
61.
76 INT. DAN-DEE CAR WASH-O-RAMA (L.A.) - WASH TUNNEL - 76
DAY
The SOUND is DEAFENING. A wet car comes out of the
tunnel of machinery. In the distance, glimpsed through
the spinning brushes, Henry talks to a couple of workers
as he waits for the limo to be cleaned.
Hands appear with a large chamois cloth, moving easily
and fast over the hood and windshield. A black in his
early twenties is finishing the exterior of the car.
A second pair of hands appear. White hands in rubber
gloves. They open the driver's door and push a vacuum
suction hose inside. The hands switch ON the car RADIO,
loud. Loud enough to hear over the din outside the car.
The hose works its way over the front seats.
D.J. (V.O.)
... And here's another biggie
from a lady very much in the news
these days, Miss Rachel Marron...
We see the owner of the hands. It is the young blond
man Frank kicked aside at the MAYAN. His name is DAN.
His face is impassive.
D.J. (V.O.)
... the hit song from the movie...
Queen Of The Night... I Have
Nothing.
The song begins and Rachel's voice fights the din. In
the back of the car, Dan's hose probes around, nosing
into all the crevices of the upholstery. It sucks up a
crumpled pre-signed photograph of Rachel from the gap
beside the rear seat. The hose is switched off and the
gloved hands retrieve the picture.
77 INT. LOCKER ROOM - WASH-A-RAMA - DAY 77
Tight, shabby facilities. Dan opens the combination
padlock to his locker and deposits the crumpled photo
inside.
As the hands remove the rubber gloves, the inside of the
locker is revealed. Pasted over every inch of the locker
are pictures of Rachel Marron. One tabloid shot of her
dancing with the word "whore" scrawled across it. Taped
to a single sheet of white paper in the center, like a
holy relic, is the torn scrap of Rachel's dress from the
MAYAN. The hands pin up the newly-acquired photo next to
it.
62.
84 INT. FBI LABORATORY - DAY 84
Special Agent Court is seated next to a white-coated
technician. The technician is leaning over one of the
neatly pasted-up death threats we have seen earlier.
With a scalpel, he lifts the word "whore" from out of the
message. He sets it on a white sheet, then brings the
blade back and scrapes at the residue of the dry glue on
the letter.
INSERT - B&W SHOT OF TOSHIRO MIFUNE WIELDING HIS SWORD,
CUTTING DOWN HIS ATTACKERS
85 EXT. KOKUSAI THEATRE - NIGHT 85
Frank and Rachel exit with a small crowd. Rachel wears a
scarf and tinted glasses. The combination goes a long
way toward disguising her. They pause at one of the dis-
play windows. Inside is a poster for the movie, Yojimbo,
a large picture of Toshiro Mifune looking scruffy and
fierce.
RACHEL
Well, he didn't look like he
wanted to die to me.
FRANK
There's a big difference between
wanting to die and having no fear
of death.
They walk down the sidewalk.
RACHEL
And because he had no fear of
death, he was invincible?
FRANK
What do you think?
RACHEL
Well, he sure creamed 'em all in
the end.
FRANK
Yeah, it was a good movie.
They walk off down the sidewalk.
RACHEL
How many times have you seen it?
FRANK
Sixty-two.
63.
86 INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT 86
It's a bit of a dive, but the food is good and the atmos-
phere is great.
RACHEL
Your kinda place?
Frank nods.
FRANK
Yeah.
RACHEL
Your kinda music?
As she smiles:
FRANK
Absolutely.
RACHEL
You figure no one can get by you
here?
FRANK
If someone is willing to swap his
life for a kill, nothing can stop
him.
RACHEL
Great. What do I need you for?
FRANK
He might get me instead.
RACHEL
And you're ready to die for me?
FRANK
That's my job.
Rachel looks at him.
RACHEL
And you'd do it? Why?
FRANK
I can't sing.
RACHEL
Maybe there's some glory in saving
a president or something, but just
anyone...
FRANK
You mean like you? It's a matter
64.
of conditioning and discipline.
RACHEL
I don't trust discipline. At the
crucial moment I'd cop out.
FRANK
That happens.
RACHEL
But not with you, Fierce Frank.
FRANK
It happens.
A beat.
RACHEL
Have you ever liked anybody?
FRANK
What do you mean?
RACHEL
Like me -- a girl.
Frank knows what she's driving at. But he's not at all
happy to relinquish this information.
FRANK
A long time ago.
RACHEL
What happened? Do you mind if I
ask?
FRANK
Do you mind if I don't answer?
RACHEL
I don't want to pry...
Frank smiles at that.
RACHEL
(begins to laugh,
can't help herself)
She didn't die did she? You
weren't like... protecting her and
she got killed?
Frank is silent, grim. Rachel looks stricken.
RACHEL
Oh, my god! That's it, isn't it?
65.
FRANK
Nobody's perfect.
Rachel is taken aback.
RACHEL
Oh Frank, I'm sorry.
Frank laughs.
FRANK
No... Nice try though.
(pause)
It was less dramatic than that.
She didn't love me anymore. Can
you imagine such a thing?
Frank puts a smiling spin on this last; it's pretty
charming. Rachel looks at him.
RACHEL
No, not really.
A SONG comes on the JUKEBOX -- 'WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKEN
HEARTED.' Frank smiles as Rachel begins to sing.
RACHEL
So, is this a full service date,
Frank?
Frank's wary.
RACHEL
I'm just asking you to dance.
87 INT. DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT 87
Frank and Rachel navigate a tiny dance floor. Frank is a
surprisingly good dancer and is comfortable being this
close to her.
Rachel hums softly, picking up the words to the song. As
we listen to the lyrics something clicks in her head.
RACHEL
You like this?
FRANK
Yeah.
A beat, then Rachel bursts out laughing.
FRANK
(reddening)
What?
66.
RACHEL
(trying to compose
herself)
I'm sorry... It's just that...
It's so depressing.
Now they're both laughing.
FRANK
(grinning)
It is, isn't it.
Suddenly a dish drops to the floor. Frank, still dancing,
makes a smooth quick turn that puts his body between
Rachel and the noise. His head turns to locate the source
of the noise.
RACHEL
Don't worry, I'll protect you.
They drift back into the music, Rachel singing, Frank
watching.
88 EXT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT 88
Frank's car is parked in the driveway. A light goes on
in a basement window.
89 INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - BASEMENT 89
Frank hangs back, drink in hand, as Rachel explores the
basement. Frank has fitted it out as a combination gym/
target range/weapons workshop. The place has a kind of
unfussy order about it, a simplicity.
RACHEL
(almost to herself)
It's very quiet here.
She walks to some shelves -- a random selection of
books, football and karate trophies, framed citations
and other memorabilia. She glances at a dusty framed
photo of a football team.
RACHEL
(reading)
West Virginia University Football.
God, look at you.
She looks at Frank, quizzically.
RACHEL
What'd you play?
67.
FRANK
End.
RACHEL
Were you tough?
FRANK
No. Fast.
Rachel puts down her drink and moves toward a samurai
sword that is mounted in its scabbard on the wall. She
looks at it, peering closely.
RACHEL
You some kind of a samurai, too?
Frank smiles.
RACHEL
They said you were in the Secret
Service. What made you get out?
Frank moves away and sits on a sofa against the wall.
FRANK
Money.
Rachel looks around at Frank's modest home.
RACHEL
I can see your tastes are
extravagant.
She looks at Frank and then back at the sword. She
reaches out to touch it.
RACHEL
May I?
Frank nods. Rachel takes it off its mount carefully,
unhooks the scabbard and begins to slide it off.
FRANK
Watch yourself.
Rachel slides the scabbard off. The naked blade is
breathtaking. Rachel holds the sword out before her.
She walks toward Frank, then stops and looks over the
blade at him.
RACHEL
You're a hard one to figure, Frank
Farmer.
He stares at her. She steps closer, so the blade is only
about a foot from his face.
68.
RACHEL
It seems to me a bodyguard must
know little peace.
Frank stands up so that the point of the sword is only
about an inch from his chest. He reaches out over the
blade to Rachel's neck and unties the silk scarf she is
wearing there. One hand draws the scarf away. The other
hand lingers for a moment on her neck, then lifts away.
FRANK
Watch this.
He has raised the scarf over his head, in the space
between them. With two hands he spreads it out and then
lets it go. Slowly, billowing, the scarf floats down
over the blade and is cut in two. These two pieces float
slowly to the floor.
Frank takes Rachel's wrist and moves the sword away to
the side. They are both holding it as Rachel presses her
body against Frank's and they begin to kiss.
90 INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT 90
Their lovemaking is INTERCUT with SLOW MOTION black and
white images of Samurai warriors from the movie,
Yojimbo.
91 INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATER 91
They lie nude under a sheet.
RACHEL
I've never been this safe before.
Frank smiles.
RACHEL
No one could get by you.
FRANK
Right now it might not be so hard.
Rachel laughs, kisses him and buries her head down into
his shoulder. Frank stares across the bed at the samurai
sword lying on the floor. Some of Rachel's clothing is
draped in a heap across it. The torn pieces of her scarf
lie nearby. HOLD ON Frank's look.
SHOCK CUT TO:
92 INT. FRANK'S BEDROOM - NEXT MORNING 92
The roller-blind is raised with a sharp, snapping sound.
Frank is moving around the room, getting dressed. Rachel
69.
is still in the bed behind him, woken by the noise of his
activity.
RACHEL
What? What is it? What are you
doing?
Frank keeps moving, looking for his shoes.
RACHEL
Frank?
FRANK
Rachel, I don't want to get
confused about what I'm doing
here.
RACHEL
I'm not confused.
Frank finds his shoes.
FRANK
You pay me to protect you, that's
what I do.
Rachel sits up.
RACHEL
What? Have I done something
wrong?
FRANK
No, nothing.
RACHEL
Then what is it?
She lifts the sheet seductively and looks over the top
of it.
RACHEL
Do you want me to beg?
FRANK
No, I want you to do without.
She stops.
RACHEL
What's going on, Frank?
FRANK
I want to keep it straight in my
head what job I'm doing.
70.
RACHEL
And what is that exactly? Making
me feel like shit?
FRANK
No, I'm sorry. This is my fault.
RACHEL
Don't apologize for godsake. Just
tell me what I did. I'm a big
girl.
FRANK
You didn't do anything. It was me.
I involved myself with my client.
Rachel picks up on the word.
RACHEL
Your "client"?
FRANK
I made a mistake.
RACHEL
What mistake?... You don't find me
attractive anymore.
FRANK
Christ! I've told you why. I
can't protect you like this.
RACHEL
And what? That's it for me?
FRANK
Yeah...
RACHEL
I don't believe it.
He automatically checks the gun as he slips it into the
holster.
FRANK
You can live with that or you can
fire me.
RACHEL
But I can't fuck you.
Frank turns and looks at her. This is hard for him, too.
RACHEL
I don't believe this...
I'm asking you?... Let me tell
you...
71.
She stops suddenly and, with a roar of combined frus-
tration, humiliation and rage, she lurches from the bed
in search of her clothes. Frank shuts his eyes in morti-
fication and pain.
93 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - POOLSIDE - EARLY MORNING 93
A nanny sits in the early morning mist, embroidering.
Frank is kneeling with Fletcher beside the pool. He's
putting new batteries into Fletcher's boat. Fletcher
watches him as he tears off the wrapping from the
batteries, much preoccupied.
FLETCHER
(watching him)
She's real mad at you, isn't she?
Frank stops what he's doing and just looks blankly at the
batteries in his hands. There's a beat of silence.
FLETCHER
She told me she doesn't understand
why you're so shitty to her...
Frank's shoulders droop and he lets out an imperceptible
sigh. He gently resumes fitting the batteries, still
not looking at Fletcher. In the quiet of early morning,
it's almost like a confessional.
FRANK
I've spent a lot of time learning
not to react to things like other
people do. It's my job. But it
doesn't always work, Fletcher...
it doesn't always work.
FLETCHER
I don't think I understand.
FRANK
(looks at him)
I'm an old man compared to you,
pal, and I don't understand either.
And I'm starting to get the
feeling I never will.
There's a crunch of footsteps behind him. He looks
around.
With a big flourish, a copy of Daily Variety is put down
in front of us, front page upwards.
NICKI (O.S.)
Ta Da!
72.
Frank takes in that it's Nicki then glances at Variety,
lying on the concrete beside him. Splashed across the
top, the headlines announce the day's news of the
Academy Award nominations. Rachel's name is among the
Best Actress nominees. The Hollywood Reporter follows.
Frank picks up Variety and stares at it. Nicki stands
beside him with the morning's mail under her arm.
NICKI
(looking at him)
Thought you'd like to know.
Everyone said she was a sure thing.
Of course, you know all about that.
She raises an eyebrow, gives him a look. Frank looks
steadily back at her. She drops a small pile of mail
beside the magazines... several letters and a small
packet. She's embarrassed by Frank's gaze.
NICKI
I'm sorry. That was out of line.
It's none of my business... Here's
today's question marks for you.
She turns and walks briskly back to the house. Frank
watches her go, then looks slowly down to the pile.
From across the pool, Fletcher watches silently, then
pushes his boat out into the deep water.
94 INT. SQUIRREL HILL PRODUCTIONS - JANITOR'S ROOM - DAY 94
Frank is investigating the small packet, with a surgeon's
precision, checking it with a stethoscope and a metal
detector, sniffing at it.
It has been addressed in the normal way, except that
Rachel's name has been cut out of a magazine and pasted
above the address. He begins carefully slicing away the
wrapping. Inside is a cardboard box. The contents are
still hidden by packing paper. He picks it away with
tweezers. Suddenly there is a LOUD BUZZING from the box
and movement in the paper. Frank drops the box into a
bed of sand in a sink surrounded by sandbags.
The movement slows and stops. Frank extracts the item --
it is a wind-up mechanical beaver with a hand-painted
sign hung around its neck:
WE LOVE YOU, RACHEL
YOUR FANS IN BEAVER, PA.
SALLY AND KATE.
The beaver's TEETH CLICK in Frank's hand.
We see Frank's face. This may just have taken years off
his life. He holds his hand out straight, palm downwards,
73.
and looks at it. No tremor. Just checking.
Spector's voice suddenly shouts from the next door office.
SPECTOR (O.S.)
Farmer! Get in here!
95 INT. SQUIRREL HILL PRODUCTIONS - RACHEL'S OFFICE - DAY 95
The office is filled with congratulatory balloons and
flowers heralding the morning's news. Spector's secretary
is taking congratulatory phone messages at a desk in the
b.g. Two assistants are struggling in through the door
with a large basketed floral arrangement.
Spector confronts Frank across his desk.
SPECTOR
Put together a list of your
expenses. Your total billing...
Let me have it in one hour and
I'll see that a check is cut.
FRANK
Don't you ever say what's on your
mind?
Spector cannot believe he's being so addressed --
especially in front the staff. The assistants stop in
their tracks and look.
SPECTOR
(almost shouts)
What's on my mind is that you're
fired, Frank. She missed all her
interviews yesterday because of
your little date. Do you realize
she stood up Barbara Walters?
First you fuck up her career...
Behind Spector, out of his line of sight, Rachel and
Devaney appear in the doorway with more cards. They
also stop and listen.
SPECTOR
... and now you're fucking with
her head.
FRANK
That's between us.
SPECTOR
You think so? You forget who signs
your check. You don't understand
the role I play around here.
74.
FRANK
No. I understand.
Spector stiffens, then decides not to take this one on.
SPECTOR
Get your shit together and be out
of here by noon.
DEVANEY
Frank stays.
Spector looks round, sees that Devaney and Rachel have
been listening. Rachel is silent. With a curt nod of
his head, Spector gestures to the assistants to leave the
room. Devaney weighs in.
DEVANEY
With this high a profile, Rachel
needs protection now more than
ever. If he goes, you can forget
Miami...
SPECTOR
She's signed the fucking contract,
Bill. You want me to read it to
you?
Rachel is watching them both.
DEVANEY
Fuck the contract. If he goes,
she's not singing a note. It's
too dangerous.
SPECTOR
Oh. 'Fuck the contract.' Great.
Why don't you let Rachel speak for
herself? I think she has some say
in this.
RACHEL
(flatly)
Frank stays.
Spector considers her for a beat, then looks at the others.
The secretary interrupts from the back of the office.
SECRETARY (O.S.)
Mr. Schiller calling on line one...
Spector ignores her, still holding his look at Devaney,
Rachel and Frank.
SPECTOR
Well, I guess this is democracy in
action.
75.
Rachel nods. Spector, turning to take the call, flashes
her a "little boy" look.
SPECTOR
I gave in. That's not easy for
me. Don't I get a hug?
Rachel is stone-faced. Spector covers by picking up the
phone.
SPECTOR
(into phone)
Yeah?... Sure, put him on... Ben
how are you?... uh huh...
Frank and Rachel look at each other in silence.
SPECTOR
...The Ambassador? What the hell
are you trying to pull, Ben?
Rachel always gets the
Presidential... I don't care what
you thought...
Devaney leans to Frank as Spector's conversation continues
in the b.g.
DEVANEY
Do you know the Fontainebleau
Hotel in Miami Beach?
Frank nods.
DEVANEY
How does the Ambassador Suite
compare to the Presidential for
us?
Frank thinks only for a moment.
FRANK
It's on the twentieth floor in the
south wing. There's a service
elevator right there. Mainly
ocean windows. Should be no
problem.
SPECTOR
(into phone)
... I'm aware of that, Ben, but
let me just remind you people
that you invited us...
Frank turns toward the door.
76.
RACHEL
(to Frank)
Hang around, Farmer. We might
need your vaunted expertise.
She reaches forward and hits a button on Spector's desk,
throwing the call onto a speaker.
RACHEL
(sweetly)
Hello, Ben honey.
SCHILLER (V.O.)
Rachel, congratulations, you must
be thrilled at the...
RACHEL
(across him)
Ben. I hear you've got me in the
annex next to the kitchen.
96 EXT. FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL (MIAMI BEACH) - HELICOPTER SHOT 96
- DAY
We COME STREAKING IN OVER the ocean TOWARD the towering
white Fontainebleau.
ON the SOUNDTRACK, we hear JOHN TESH'S VOICE filling the
viewers in on the latest Hollywood dirt.
JOHN TESH (V.O.)
...It's off to Sun City today for
Best Actress nominee Rachel Marron.
Rachel's giving two AIDS charity
concerts this week at Miami's
Fontainebleau Hotel. A thousand a
plate no less. And rumor has it
that the lovely lady has unseated
the governor of Florida himself.
Seems there was a showdown on
who'll get to lounge in that big
Fontainebleau penthouse tonight.
As we CIRCLE the top floor, we see a tiny figure on the
balcony.
JOHN TESH (V.O.)
Well, sleep tight in the
Presidential Suite, Rachel. Who
says a nomination isn't as good as
winning...
97 EXT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - BALCONY - DAY 97
Frank looks up at the disappearing helicopter then down
77.
over the edge and around the corner. He leans slightly
against the wrought iron railing. It sways precariously.
Frank catches himself.
FRANK
Thuringer.
Frank kneels and inspects the fixture that anchors it to
the cement balcony: the cement crumbles around it, a
weld joint is broken on the side. THURINGER, the hotel
security chief, joins Frank on the balcony. Frank shakes
the railing.
THURINGER
God damn. I'll get someone right
on it.
98 INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - DAY 98
Frank walks quickly across the living room of the lavish
suite. Two uniformed security guards are making a sweep
of the room with POLICE DOGS. Frank checks the drawer of
a side table and then seals it with a peel-off security
tape. Thuringer is waiting near the entrance hall.
Frank nods to him.
FRANK
Okay. Let's go.
99 INT. HALLWAY - 15TH FLOOR - DAY 99
This is a semi-private corridor; several hotel employees
are steam-cleaning the carpet. Frank looks at them, then
Thuringer.
THURINGER
It's okay, they've been cleared.
He shows his clipboard to Frank. As the two men walk
along the corridor, the guest elevator opens and a
twelve-year-old boy in a bathing suit (MARK KATZ) steps
out, accompanied by his nanny. In the background, hotel
security men are checking fire-extinguishers and closets.
THURINGER
(to Frank)
The Katzes of St. Louis. Very
prominent. Come every year. An
elderly couple and three
grandchildren. A nurse and a maid.
They pass the little boy as he reaches the door of the
Katz suite with his nanny.
78.
THURINGER
Hi, Mark.
MARK
Hi.
Frank smiles and nods to the nanny.
THURINGER
(to Frank)
Theirs is the only suite on the
floor.
The two men reach the service elevator and the emergency
exit door at the end of the hall. Frank opens the stair-
way door and goes inside. Thuringer follows.
THURINGER
As you asked, the rooms below have
been kept vacant.
100 INT. STAIRWAY - DAY 100
The doorway closes behind the two men. Frank tries it;
it's locked. They continue down the stairs.
105 INT. KITCHEN - DAY 105
Frank and Thuringer walk into and along the edge of the
busy kitchen.
109 INT. OFFSTAGE AREA - DAY 109
Frank walks ahead of Thuringer. He looks around and
pauses at the edge of the stage. Then he steps out on a
stage. A piano tuner is at work in the corner.
110 INT. ON STAGE - DAY 110
FRANK'S POV -
as he looks out at the mammoth room.
Frank stands center stage and looks around. The naked-
ess of this spot gets to him. He shakes his head and
looks at Thuringer. Thuringer smiles.
FRANK
What a silly job this is.
79.
111 INT. FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL - LOWER LOBBY - DAY 111
Behind the glass doors that lead to the pool, bright
quartz lights clock on. A camera crew stands waiting.
Someone mimes a "we're rolling" sign with his hands.
Inside Rachel waits with Spector and BEN SCHILLER, the
tough, fat fellow who owns the place. Frank is at her
elbow.
SPECTOR
O.K. Rachel. It's showtime!
They're rolling. Let's go.
FRANK
Is this really necessary?
SPECTOR
Yes. It is.
RACHEL
Quit bitching, Farmer. This is
the part you do get paid for.
Rachel sweeps out the door. The camera crew hurries to
keep up with her.
112 EXT. POOL AREA - DAY 112
This place is crowded with hundreds of guests basking on
chaise lounges. A sea of sun-baked faces virtually as
far as the eye can see. The sight of the crowd and the
presence of the news crew seems to push Rachel to a
whole new adrenaline level.
Rachel walks among them, moving swiftly, evaluating the
bodies displayed before her in words and expressions,
playing to the camera.
RACHEL
Oh my God. Look what they're
wearing. Mother, hide your eyes...
Heads turn to look.
RACHEL
I couldn't wear that suit... Honey,
you're naked... Of course, if I
had a body like that...
There is a murmur of recognition from some of the guests.
She pauses to shake a hand, and now all the guests
throughout the pool area are aware that Rachel Marron is
among them.
People stand on chairs, scramble for pens and paper, run
80.
to get a closer look. Lounges collapse, drink GLASSES are
BROKEN, flower tubs are trampled. A lot of pushing and
shoving starts - too much for the video crew, who abandon
the filming attempt.
SPECTOR
Great, babe. They got what they
needed. Let's get back inside.
Frank increases his pace to keep by Rachel's side, gently
easing a path for her. Schiller scurries behind in
Frank's wake.
Rachel turns suddenly as a tall good-looking lifeguard
appears in the throng. She eyes him appreciatively.
RACHEL
(to lifeguard)
You look like a man of good taste
to me. Come to my party tonight.
(to Schiller)
Ben, make sure this boy gets to
my party.
Schiller nods. Rachel glances at Frank, making sure he
gets the point, and then she's off again. The throng
gets tighter. Frank's having to work harder, steering
her towards the door back into the hotel. The familiar
chant starts up: "Rachel, Rachel." It's starting to
resemble the frenzy of the opening scene. This time,
amid the thrusting hands and clamoring faces, a few
bewildered elderly guests look dazed as they are shoved
forward. A child starts crying, lost in the mess of legs
and Bermuda shorts. A distraught mother tries to reach
him. Someone is jostled into the pool as the crowd
surges again.
Amid the chaos, whistles and scattered applause. Rachel
drinks it all in.
RACHEL
(over her shoulder)
Thank you. Thank you. Come
tonight and give till it hurts.
With a final surge, Frank makes it to the door with his
party. The door closes shut behind them. A mass of
distorted faces pushes onto the glass. The party walks
on briskly.
RACHEL
(to Spector)
I'm beginning to wonder about your
judgement, Sy. Why do I have to
keep paying my dues if I've
already arrived?
81.
SPECTOR
(very fast)
Kick me, beat me... whatever makes
you feel good. But let's not
pretend you don't like it. We're
too close for that. Whipping
people into a frenzy is why you
got into it in the first place.
Rachel's eyes lock with Spector's -- there's a real connec-
tion and understanding here that she spends a lot of time
denying. Frank sees it as clearly as Spector, whose tone
becomes almost soothing --
SPECTOR
And it's nothing to be ashamed of,
either, not for a second. It's a
gift... and only a handful are
given it. Many call but few are
answered.
SPECTOR (CONT'D)
Don't fool with the blessing,
Rachel. The magic is sustained
through its use.
RACHEL
Now you're going to tell me about
magic? Give it a rest will ya...
SPECTOR
I'm done. Not another word...
(a crooked smile)
... I know you like to be reminded
sometimes.
Rachel looks away. It's true. He's good at his job.
113 INT. GRAND CENTRAL ROOM - ON STAGE - NIGHT 113
In the spotlight, all alone, Rachel Marron works her magic.
She sings, as it was meant to be sung, "I Have Nothing."
One person does not look at Rachel. He stands in a
corner in front of the stage easily in the shadows. His
eyes continually scanning. Picking up every movement.
All alone. Watching.
113A EXT. FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL - NIGHT 113A
Fireworks explode over the water.
82.
114 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 114
In the living room, the first night party is in full
swing. Crowded. Smoky. Noisy. Fireworks burst outside
the windows. People clap.
A mixed bag of upscale partygoers: women in party
dresses, men in open shirts, etc. A black pianist is
playing. Two bars at either end of the room. Waiters
work the room with platters of canapes.
115 INT. RACHEL'S SUITE - OUTSIDE MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT 115
Tony sits in a chair watching TV, a drink in his hand,
oblivious to all. The lifeguard shuts Rachel's door be-
hind him and makes his way down to the party. He pauses
at the head of the stairs, checking out the party, and
grabs a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. Frank
catches the movement; the two men briefly lock eyes. The
lifeguard responds with a knowing smile.
116 EXT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SUITE - NIGHT 116
Thuringer has set up a checkpoint through which all
guests are passing.
As they get off the elevator, they walk up to a desk
manned by one of Thuringer's uniformed guards. When
their names have been checked off a master list, they
walk past another guard wielding a metal detector. No
one likes it, but they all do it.
Most of the local TV stations have sent camera crews. The
handheld cameras move among the guests, their bright
lights flaring. FLASHBULBS POP. It's a local media
event.
Frank squints as a quartz light shines straight in his
face.
A tall, fit, athletic-looking man raises his arms; is
cleared by the metal detector. He is GREG PORTMAN.
117 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 117
Portman makes his way through the crowd to the bar. His
eyes scan the suite. His gaze settles on Frank checking
out the people who filter in. Portman appears next to
Frank.
PORTMAN
Hello, Farmer.
83.
FRANK
Portman.
PORTMAN
Buy you a drink?
FRANK
Orange juice. It's been awhile.
You on the job?
PORTMAN
(nods)
Technically I'm off duty, but the
Governor may show up here later,
so I thought I'd give it a light
check.
(smiles)
Someone else is covering him right
now.
FRANK
How old is she?
PORTMAN
Maybe eighteen. You working?
Rachel makes her entrance, and poses self-mocking on the
landing above the crowd, accepting applause. She has
succeeded in under-dressing everyone in the room. She
is a star. Frank nods in her direction... that's his
client.
PORTMAN
(impressed)
No kidding? I'd call that a step
up from the President. Probably
sings better too.
RACHEL
Thank you. Thank you. You're
so right.
SCATTERED LAUGHS.
RACHEL
I want everyone to have a good
time and drink as much of Ben
Schiller's liquor as you like.
Rachel descends into the crowd, laughing and blowing
kisses.
PORTMAN
Handful.
Frank's look says if you only knew the half of it.
84.
PORTMAN
I heard you had to take someone
out in New York.
Frank remembers.
PORTMAN
I lost track of you after the
Reagan thing.
FRANK
Yeah.
PORTMAN
It wasn't your fault, Farmer.
You weren't even there.
A pause.
PORTMAN
I got a call a couple of months
ago. That guy you were covering
in New York. He said you'd
recommended me.
FRANK
Surprised?
PORTMAN
A little.
FRANK
(smiles)
I never doubted your skills.
PORTMAN
(laughs, good-
natured)
No. Only my qualifications for
the priesthood. You were always
clear about that. Anyway, I
appreciate it. I had to turn it
down but I appreciate it.
Portman notices Rachel looking at him, as she makes her
way to them. Rachel takes Frank's orange juice and sips.
Makes a very funny face.
RACHEL
That's orange juice!
Rachel gives Portman an approving once-over.
RACHEL
Who are you?
85.
PORTMAN
Greg Portman.
RACHEL
I take it you've met my bodyguard?
PORTMAN
We used to work together.
RACHEL
(suddenly more
interested)
Ah... Well, well, well. And what
do you do now?
PORTMAN
Same thing as Farmer.
RACHEL
(looking between
them)
Two samurai, eh?
Frank and Portman eye each other.
RACHEL
(to Portman)
Are you working now?
PORTMAN
Not right now.
RACHEL
Good.
(she takes his arm)
'cause I'm the only one in the
room who needs protection.
She gives Frank a look and leads Portman into the crowd.
118 EXT. LIVING ROOM BALCONY - LATER 118
Rachel's taking a breather on the balcony, drinking cham-
pagne, talking to Portman and another couple. Everybody's
high and happy. Conversation bubbles.
FRANK'S POV
Rachel leans into Portman; heads together, they whisper
intimately. Rachel laughs, then for a brief moment, turns
her head to look directly at Frank. Her look is petulant,
defiant. Portman does not see this.
119 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 119
86.
Tony helps himself to a handful of canapes, he turns at
the sound of a COMMOTION out on the balcony. Someone's
horsing around, spraying champagne from a bottle over
everyone. A woman screams. Frank bolts for the balcony.
121 EXT. ON BALCONY - NIGHT 121
Rachel and Portman are poised precariously halfway over
the railing. Frank's hand shoots out, grabs Rachel's
wrist and tugs at the pair of them.
Portman regains his balance first and pulls Rachel back
from the edge.
FRANK
What happened!
PORTMAN
Somebody tripped. It's okay.
RACHEL
(looking at Portman)
Thank God I had a bodyguard here.
She grasps the railing and looks over.
RACHEL'S POV
Staring down twenty stories of distance between her and the
pool area.
Way, way below her, her champagne GLASS hits the tile
with a MUFFLED SHATTERING sound.
RACHEL
It's a long way down, Frank.
(to Portman)
You saved my life.
Frank eyes the newly-welded anchor fixture. It has
held.
Rachel takes Portman by the arm. The front of her dress
is stained with champagne.
RACHEL
Maybe someone will keep an eye
on me while I change.
She leads Portman past Frank and up the stairs toward
her bedroom. Frank and Portman lock eyes. Portman
shrugs; he feels badly for Frank.
122 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 122
87.
Frank walks to the bar taking a drink from his glass. He
looks in the mirror behind the bar and sees Rachel and
Portman in the hall outside her bedroom. She turns her
head to look directly at Frank's reflected face. Assured
that Frank is watching, she takes Portman's hand and leads
him into her room.
Frank sets his glass down and the bartender refills it
with orange juice. A stunning WOMAN IN GREEN glides down
the bar and stands very close to Frank.
WOMAN IN GREEN
I've been watching you all night
from across the room.
FRANK
Why don't you go back there and
keep watching?
Frank looks at Rachel's doorway, sipping his juice.
123 INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 123
Rachel and Portman are kissing, with some heat.
Portman's hands are starting to explore her body.
124 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 124
Frank still looks at Rachel's doorway, thinking. After
a moment, he walks across the room to the sliding doors
that lead to the balcony outside.
125 EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT 125
Frank steps outside. No one there. The moonlight re-
flects off the ocean. The SURF sounds a STEADY BEAT.
It is peaceful and quiet. A relief.
On the Katz's balcony, forty feet away, little Mark Katz
is leaning against the railing, staring at Rachel's
suite. Frank smiles at him.
FRANK
(softly)
Go to sleep.
Frank looks out at the ocean. After a pause, in the
background, Mark slips inside the Katz suite.
126 INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 126
Rachel and Portman are still locked in the clinch.
Realizing what she's doing, Rachel suddenly pulls back,
88.
catching herself.
RACHEL
I'm not doing this.
PORTMAN
(still holding her)
I think you are.
She steps out of his embrace.
RACHEL
I said I was grateful. Thank you
and good night.
She looks to the door that leads back to the party. The
SOUNDS of CELEBRATION CONTINUE outside. She starts to
cross to the door.
RACHEL
(cool)
Please go now.
Portman moves toward her as she opens the door, reaching
for her arm.
Then he sees, through the doorway, Tony standing in the
hall talking to a woman. Tony looks up at the sound of
the door and sees them both. Rachel slips quickly out
of Portman's grip.
RACHEL
Mr. Portman was just leaving us,
Tony.
Portman hesitates, then smiles at Rachel and Tony and,
with a quick peck on Rachel's cheek, slips past them back
to the party.
Rachel briefly scans the party crowd over Tony's shoulder
but she doesn't see Frank. The door closes, leaving her
alone in the room again. She reaches for a bottle of
Scotch and raises it to her mouth, drinking straight
from the bottle.
127 EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT 127
Frank looks out at the ocean.
ECHOING on the soundtrack, we hear the song 'WHAT BECOMES
OF THE BROKEN HEARTED' that Rachel and Frank danced to.
It sounds slow and sweet and a long way away.
Frank stares out at the ocean. Totally divorced from
everything in the suite behind him, in the world around
him. There is only the moon and the ocean. For this
89.
one moment, his guard is down.
127A INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 127A
A chambermaid is Hoovering the floor. Rachel steps out
of her bedroom. She looks terrible. Hungover, she is
wearing sunglasses and a loose smock. It is noon of the
following day.
130 INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - KITCHEN - DAY 130
Frank is sitting at the kitchen table eating a sandwich.
Behind him, in the dining room, a Cuban maid has set a
place with breakfast. She is pouring orange juice as
Rachel walks in.
Rachel sits down at the table as though the walk in had
been a terrible effort. She looks at the breakfast with
distaste and picks up the coffee. Frank continues to eat.
Rachel looks at him.
RACHEL
(nasty)
What the hell are you looking at?
(pause)
You probably never had a heavy
night in your whole, goddamn
disciplined life.
Frank looks at her, continues to eat.
RACHEL
You know, Farmer, you're a self-
righteous son-of-a-bitch.
Frank has to smile at this, which makes Rachel even
angrier.
RACHEL
Don't laugh at me, goddamit! And
don't you dare judge me.
FRANK
Give me a break, will ya? I
didn't tell you to fuck everybody
in the hotel!
132 INT. CLEANING SUPPLY WAREHOUSE - DAY 132
Special Agents Court and Minella are watching the general
manager of the supply house as he pries the top off a huge
canister marked "INDUSTRIAL DETERGENT." The general
manager lifts the lid to reveal white powder.
90.
He talks animatedly and gestures around the warehouse.
Court listens, nodding. Minella spoons some of the
powder into a plastic bag and seals it. OVER this we
hear Court's voice, filtered as on a telephone line.
COURT (V.O.)
It matches the traces in the glue,
Frank. We're getting to him.
We're gonna nail this fucker.
133 INT. FONTAINEBLEAU - LOBBY - DAY 133
Frank is on the courtesy phone.
FRANK
Yeah, well, don't take too long,
Ray.
COURT (V.O.)
Hey, Frank. It's good money,
isn't it?
Frank hangs up.
134 INT. 20TH FLOOR HALLWAY - OUTSIDE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - 134
DAY
The elevator door opens and Frank steps out. He
walks toward the entrance to the suite and is
immediately alarmed by what he sees: there is no
uniformed guard by the front door. He unlocks the
door and goes inside.
135 INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - ENTRANCE - DAY 135
Frank comes in and looks around quickly.
FRANK'S POV - LIVING ROOM
Looking over living room, hallways, balcony. No one in
sight. Nothing disturbed.
Devaney comes out of Rachel's bedroom, a panicked look
on his face.
BACK TO SCENE
They face each other across the gulf of the living
room.
FRANK
Where is she? Where's Tony?
91.
DEVANEY
I don't know. I thought you were
with her.
138 INT. SUITE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 138
Frank is at the telephone; he punches out three
numbers.
FRANK
(into phone)
Thuringer, this is Farmer. Where's
your man on the door to the suite?
(listens)
Well get someone up here.
Frank hangs up the phone, looks at Devaney.
FRANK
He doesn't know.
They look at each other, worried. Frank walks out onto
the balcony, looks round and down, comes back in. He
heads for the front door.
DEVANEY
Where are you going?
139 INT. SUITE - ENTRANCE HALL - DAY 139
Frank is almost at the door. We hear LAUGHTER. A key
turns in the lock. Rachel and Tony come through the
door in high spirits, their arms full of shopping bags
and packages.
Frank stops dead and watches. Rachel glances at him and
goes into the living room. Tony looks at him meaning-
fully and follows. Frank reflects for a moment, then
pulls the front door closed, oh so gently.
140 INT. SUITE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 140
Rachel drops packages around and goes to the bar, pours
herself a drink. Tony takes some packages to Rachel's
bedroom.
RACHEL
Hello, Devaney.
DEVANEY
Rachel, where the hell have you
been?
92.
RACHEL
Tony and I went over to Bal
Harbour. Did a little shopping.
Tony comes back, a smile playing across his lips. Frank
watches near the entrance.
DEVANEY
We were worried.
(looks at Frank,
talks to Rachel)
You know you're not supposed to do
that.
Frank and Rachel look at each other.
RACHEL
Farmer, you work here! Do you
understand that? You work for me.
DEVANEY
Rachel.
Frank turns and heads for the door. Devaney looks at
him anxiously.
DEVANEY
Farmer, where are you going?
FRANK
I'm gonna check the route. As
usual.
He opens the front door. A uniformed guard is standing
outside. Frank goes out and closes the door.
RACHEL
Did Fletcher call?
Devaney, staring after Frank, shakes his head "no."
141 INT. SERVICE ELEVATOR - DAY 141
Frank's face shows the tension and the anger. The ele-
vator descends.
141A INT. KITCHEN - DAY 141A
Frank walks along the edge of the kitchen, looks over
the workers. A kitchen worker is in Frank's path. He
looks up, sees Frank's face and scurries out of his way.
142 INT. BASEMENT - SERVICE CORRIDOR - DAY 142
93.
Frank walks along checking the corridor. At each door-
way, he stops, looks inside.
One room is dark. He flicks on the light. Near the door
is a pile of wooden crates, placed unnaturally out from
the wall. Frank walks over and looks inside. They are
discarded vegetable crates. Frank goes back to the door
and yells toward the kitchen.
FRANK
Gomez! Louis Gomez!
He waits impatiently. No one comes. Two quick steps and
he is back at the CRATES, throwing them violently into
the corner where they CLATTER loudly to the floor. Frank
walks on along the corridor.
He stops, noticing something around the side.
He investigates.
An ENORMOUS CUBAN is sitting on some boxes in the
shadows. He doesn't bat an eye when he sees Frank.
FRANK
What are you doing?
ENORMOUS CUBAN
Is none of you fuckin' business.
FRANK
Move it.
The Enormous Cuban gets slowly up from the boxes. He
towers over Frank.
ENORMOUS CUBAN
Shove it up you ass, motherfucker.
Frank has had enough for one afternoon. He hits the
Cuban low and hard. The man crumples forward, hurt,
but manages to enfold Frank in an awesome bear hug. His
weight carries them backward in Frank's direction.
The Cuban continues moving in that direction, but Frank
is no longer in his grasp. Instead, incredibly, Frank
seems to have passed through the man's body and flicked
him into the corner of the stairwell.
The Cuban hits the wall hard. Jarred but not lost, he
comes up and out wielding a long mop as if it were a
baseball bat.
Frank steps in and under the man's long arms and hits him
four times around the chest and jaw. Each of Frank's
hands lands twice, their movement is barely visible.
The solid THUDDING tells the story. Frank strikes both
94.
the Cuban's ears simultaneously with cupped hands.
The Cuban goes down, stunned. Frank, his expression
fierce, is upon him immediately. Frank's arms entwine
the Cuban's and he begins to lift him roughly. At the
end of the corridor, a woman screams.
CLEANING WOMAN (O.S.)
Stop! Please. Don't hurt him.
Please stop!
Frank looks up. A hotel CLEANING WOMAN, carrying her
purse, is running towards them, tears already on her
face.
CLEANING WOMAN
Don't hurt my husband, mister. He
not up to nothing.
Frank lets the Cuban down gently and stands up. Dis-
gusted with himself. Breathing hard, he leans back
against the wall. The Cleaning Woman falls to her knees
and hugs her husband protectively.
FRANK
I'm sorry.
Frank steps away, rubs a hand through his hair, tries to
collect himself.
He's standing amidst dumpsters and discarded food boxes.
He looks up and sees a marquee.
RACHEL MARRON. TONITE. BENEFIT CONCERT. 8 P.M.
145A INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 145A
Rachel is seated at her dressing table applying her
makeup for the evening's performance. The telephone
RINGS as she begins to work on her hair.
RACHEL
Fletcher?
No response.
RACHEL
Baby, is that you? It's mommy,
honey.
DAN (V.O.)
(eerily distorted)
Guess again, whore! Fuck you and
fuck Miami. I'm coming for you.
I know where you are and I'm
coming for you...
95.
Rachel is paralyzed by fear, unable to hang up the phone.
146 INT. PRESIDENTIAL SUITE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 146
Frank comes in the front door. He's had it. Devaney,
who has been sitting alone in the living room, stubs out
a cigarette and stands to meet him. Frank doesn't pause.
FRANK
I'm through. I'll get you back to
L.A. and that's it. The guy with
Fletcher can cover you till you get
a replacement.
DEVANEY
She got another call, while you
were downstairs and she answered it
herself. It was him, Frank. Same
guy.
FRANK
(moving toward
balcony)
I don't care.
DEVANEY
Farmer, it really shook her up.
She thought it was going to be
Fletcher calling her from L.A. I
think she'll be reasonable now.
FRANK
(across him)
Save it, Devaney. The people who
hire me don't have to be convinced
to save their own lives.
Frank reaches the sliding door that leads to the balcony.
FRANK
Call me when she's ready to go
down.
DEVANEY
Farmer --
Frank goes out on the balcony and slides the door closed
behind him.
147 EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT 147
Frank looks out at the ocean. The breeze washes over his
face. A huge brightly-lit yacht is sailing by, close to
shore. Frank looks at it reflectively.
96.
He senses another presence and looks to his right.
Rachel sits huddled in a balcony chair. The bright moon-
light illuminates her as she looks out to sea. She is
wearing one of her spectacular show gowns, her hair has
been brushed, and her stage makeup has been applied. But
tonight it hasn't come together. It doesn't work. She
holds a cigarette and the breeze keeps it glowing. This
is the only time we've seen her smoke.
RACHEL
Farmer... Nothing that's happened
between us matters... I understand
now... You're going to have to
believe me, because I'm not going
to beg.
She takes a long drag on her cigarette.
RACHEL
It wasn't what he said... it was
the way he said it... he was so...
Her voice cracks. She stops and tries to compose herself.
RACHEL
I need you... I'm afraid... and I
hate it. I hate my fear...
(a beat)
Please protect me... Protect
Fletcher... If anything happened
to him...
Frank looks at her. Tears are destroying her elaborate
stage makeup. She wipes them away with her hand.
FRANK
I can't protect you like this.
It's impossible. The odds are on
his side.
RACHEL
I'll do whatever you say.
This is the first time Frank has ever heard Rachel say
that. He studies her, then looks out at the ocean.
FRANK
I want to take you away for
a while.
Rachel nods.
FRANK
Somewhere people don't know about.
She nods again, agreeing.
97.
FRANK
No Spector or Devaney or Tony.
He looks at her, reading her face for any hesitation.
There is none.
FRANK
If you cross me up this time, I'll
kill you myself.
Rachel smiles, weakly but with obvious relief.
148 EXT. HERB FARMER'S HOUSE (BEND, OREGON) - LAKE SIDE - 148
DAY
A large, old, two-story house sits at the top of a slight
rise, surrounded on three sides by thick, rolling woods.
Sloping gently down from the house to the lake fifty yards
away is a broad expanse of lawn. Snow lies on the ground
and in the trees. At the edge of the lake, a dock and
boathouse. An entrance road cuts out of the trees.
A little TERRIER skitters to the edge of the drive
BARKING.
A van emerges from the trees, tires CRUNCHING through the
snow.
Frank's father, HERB, steps onto the front porch. He's
in his mid-60's, lean, tan and fit. He's wearing a plaid
shirt, jeans and cowboy boots.
The van stops in front of the house. Frank steps out
from the driver's seat and eyes his dad.
FRANK
Lake's a little low.
HERB
Fill up soon enough when she thaws.
(glancing at the van)
They all in trouble?
FRANK
Just one.
149 INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY 149
Herb squats on the floor with Fletcher. Together, they
are happily playing around with the fluffy terrier.
Fletcher squeals with delight as the dog licks his face.
Henry brings the remaining luggage through. Rachel and
Nicki stand with Frank near the archway. All eyes are on
98.
Fletcher, Herb and the dog. Rachel eyes the dog
skeptically.
RACHEL
That's going to protect us?
FRANK
He's a trained noisemaker.
RACHEL
Terrific.
FRANK
I don't like big dogs. They don't
know who they're eating.
150 INT. KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON 150
Herb stands beside a butcher block, cutting vegetables
for the evening meal with a practiced hand. Rachel
watches, drink in hand, looking around the kitchen. It
has been neatly organized.
HERB
Katherine had this place organized
just the way she wanted it.
(seeing her
questioning look)
Frank's momma.
There's the COUGH and SPUTTER of an outboard MOTOR from
outside. Rachel looks from the kitchen window and sees
Fletcher and Frank in the small skiff by the dock.
Fletcher tugs again on the starter cord. At the third
tug he tumbles backwards onto the seat.
RACHEL
Fletcher doesn't swim well.
HERB
I guess he'd better stay in the
boat then.
(his smile puts
her at ease)
Frank tells me you're a singer.
RACHEL
That's right.
HERB
I'm afraid we're a little out of
touch here. I'm sorry.
Rachel waves this off.
99.
HERB
You must be very successful to
need Frank.
Rachel smiles and looks out of the window.
RACHEL
It's so quiet here.
HERB
Frank came back and stayed six
months after the Reagan thing.
Rachel's questioning look encourages Herb.
HERB
Frank wasn't there the day he was
shot. He never got over that.
(a long pause)
We buried Katherine that day.
Rachel looks out again at Frank and Fletcher in the boat.
151 EXT. ON LAKE - SUNSET 151
Fletcher, Rachel and Frank are chugging across the golden
water in the skiff. Fletcher sits at the back, operating
the outboard, controlling the movements of the boat. He
wears a life vest. Rachel watches him proudly. Fletcher
locks the throttle into place and takes his hands off it
for a laughing moment with a "Look, Mom, no hands"
gesture.
Rachel looks to Frank and smiles, the wind blowing her
hair.
WIDE ON LAKE - DUSK
CAMERA is DOWN at water level by the lake's edge. In the
distance, the small boat skims across the surface. A
light mist is coming up.
152 EXT. BOATHOUSE - DUSK 152
Henry helps Fletcher tie up the boat for the night. It
is much foggier now and almost dark.
FRANK
I don't want anyone going out in
it until you've checked it over
first. Okay? Every time.
Henry nods.
100.
HENRY
Every time.
FRANK
Every time.
In the distance, Rachel and Fletcher have just reached
the house where Nicki scoops up Fletcher and spins him
round and round in a circle. She hugs him close and
kisses his hair. After a few moments, Fletcher squirms
free and runs to catch up with Rachel.
153 INT. HALLWAY - LATER 153
Rachel, munching on a raw carrot, browses a row of family
photographs. The sounds of dinner being prepared come
from the kitchen.
We see the history of the family in the pictures; Frank
as a ten-year-old baseball player with a younger Herb;
Herb as Police Chief of Bend, Oregon, being given a civic
award; Frank as a college football wide receiver; Herb
and Katherine Farmer, all dressed up and being introduced
to Jimmy Carter by Frank; the picture-perfect family home
in Oregon with Katherine tending flowers.
Rachel notices a photo of a smiling Henry Kissinger,
talking to some female reporters. There standing
shoulder-to-shoulder with him, are Frank and Portman.
Portman's also smiling at the women, flirting. Frank is
in a familiar pose, alert, unsmiling, vigilant. Rachel
looks at the two of them for a second.
Frank steps from the kitchen with an orange juice and a
drink for Rachel in his hand. He watches her for a
moment as she studies the photo.
She turns and sees him. They lock eyes for several
seconds. She smiles as he hands her the drink.
FRANK
(inclining his head
toward the photo)
Portman sometimes had trouble
remembering what his job was.
Supper's ready.
We can see from Rachel's face that she feels embarrassed
about her behavior in Miami.
154 INT. DINING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT 154
The meal has been enthusiastically consumed. Fletcher's
manhandling a chicken leg, his face covered with crumbs
and drippings. Rachel shakes her head, laughing.
101.
HERB
... And I never hit him. Ever.
To this day.
(to Frank)
That's true, isn't it?
(to Rachel)
That's very unusual for my people.
So what happens? When he's ten
years old, he complains about it?
Can you believe that?
FRANK
Oh, for Chrissake! I'm going to
tell her about the time you
stripped in court.
Frank gets up smiling and takes some dishes into the kitchen.
HERB
(to Frank)
I don't care. I'm proud of that.
(to Rachel)
Anyway, he's ten years old and
he's just started playing tackle
football. He comes to me and
tells me he's afraid of getting
hit, right? And he thinks it's
because I never hit him. 'Why don't
you ever hit me?' he says to me!
155 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT 155
Frank puts down the dishes in the darkened kitchen.
FRANK
(back over his
shoulder)
If you're lucky, maybe he'll
tell you about my first jockstrap.
As he speaks, he peers out through the window at the
lake. We hear Herb's voice continue from the other room.
HERB (O.S.)
He got over it: Turned into a
helluva wide receiver. He
couldn't stand being afraid. When
he found something that scared
him, he'd just do it 'til the fear
went away.
156 INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT 156
102.
HERB
His mother was the same way.
Rachel smiles at him, thinking, then looks through at
Frank in the kitchen, still peering out of the windows.
Nicki watches Rachel.
157 INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER 157
Herb delicately lifts a chessboard from the top of a
cabinet and walks it over to the table: A half-finished
game. He leans over and blows on the pieces -- sending
a small cloud of dust into the air.
HERB
Come on, son, you can run but you
can't hide.
Herb pulls up a chair and smiles as Frank appears from
the kitchen, a bowl of popcorn in his hand. Frank takes
a place across from his dad by the fire. The others
gather round.
HERB
Your move.
Frank studies the board. Rachel lowers her head into a
cupped hand, fascinated.
RACHEL
How long has this game been going
on?
Frank picks up a knight, thinks, sets it back down.
FRANK
Three years.
Nicki takes the bowl of popcorn and squats down with it
beside Fletcher. Fletcher peers intently at the board
as he chews on a handful.
HERB
He had me on the run there that
first year.
Frank picks up his rook, scratches his forehead with it.
He turns to Fletcher.
FRANK
What do you think?
Fletcher finishes a mouthful of popcorn, wipes his mouth.
FLETCHER
Knight to king-four.
103.
Frank, Herbert and Rachel turn in synch and stare at the
boy.
FRANK
City kid.
Herb pats his leg, gesturing to Fletcher to take a place
on his lap.
HERB
Come over here, Fletcher, sit by
me.
Fletcher goes over and joins him.
RACHEL
Well, that's it for me, I'm
going to bed.
She rises. Frank follows her up the stairs. Nicki
watches them go.
158 INT. UPSTAIRS HALL - NIGHT 158
Frank stops at the end of the hallway, checking the lock
on the window, the little terrier is at his heels.
Rachel pauses outside the door. Frank gestures for the
dog to stay. The dog sits in the middle of the hallway
looking from one to the other. For a few seconds neither
speaks.
Frank smiles.
FRANK
Good night, Rachel.
Rachel accepts this. She smiles in return and touches
him on the arm, very tenderly.
RACHEL
Good night, Frank.
Rachel turns, goes to her room and closes the door.
159 EXT. FARMER HOUSE - NIGHT 159
Details are barely distinguishable in the fog. We hear
the gentle LAPPING of the LAKEWATER against the dock.
160 INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 160
Fletcher is asleep, snuggled on Herb's lap by the fire.
Herb is also asleep. Frank fetches a blanket and gently
104.
covers them both. He puts out the light.
161 INT. ENTRANCE HALL - NIGHT 161
Frank steps quietly into the hall. Nicki is standing
in the shadows. She watches as Frank goes through the
ritual of locking the front door, several ways.
NICKI
(softly)
You're very thorough.
VARIOUS SHOTS - AROUND INTERIOR
Frank makes a circuit through the rooms of the first
floor, checking windows and doors. Nicki tags along.
NICKI
What's happening between you
and Rachel?
Frank glances at her.
NICKI
Come on. One minute she's got
magnetic hands, the next she hates
you. I can't figure out what it
is now.
FRANK
You follow all her moves this
closely?
NICKI
(smiling)
It's a living.
FRANK
No, it isn't.
He moves away into the next room. She hesitates a
moment, then follows.
NICKI
You think my life is pretty
sickly, don't you?
FRANK
No.
NICKI
You must. I do.
Frank steps into a tight, dark, little window alcove,
checks the windows.
105.
FRANK
Why don't you change it?
NICKI
Is it that easy?
Frank turns from the window to find Nicki blocking his exit.
She moves close to him and kisses him, her hands on his
shoulders. The kiss ends and they look at each other.
FRANK
You're a lovely woman.
NICKI
But you don't want me.
Frank's look affirms it. Nicki is embarrassed, angry.
NICKI
I'm surprised. Thorough fellow
like you. Why stop at one sister
when you can fuck them both?
FRANK
I make my mistakes.
NICKI
But you didn't say no to the boss.
She starts to turn away from him, but his hands are on her
now, holding her close, refusing to let her turn away.
Their faces are very close. It is tight and near here.
FRANK
(with force)
No, don't go away, Nicki. Don't
leave me with that. Tell me about
it. Tell me how long you've been
second. Tell me how she has a
child and you don't. Tell me
something. But don't turn away
and try to stick it on me.
Nicki twists in his grip. He holds her tight.
NICKI
I don't need this from you.
FRANK
Maybe I need it. I'm fed up with
people telling me they have no
control over their lives. If you
hate your life so much, turn it
around.
106.
NICKI
It's not so simple.
FRANK
Yes it is. You can walk out that
fucking door anytime you want.
I'll unlock it for you.
Nicki looks up into his face. Tears start in her eyes.
NICKI
Let me go.
He releases her, looks at her.
FRANK
Okay. It's not my business.
He moves away, OUT OF FRAME. We HOLD ON Nicki, a long
time.
162 EXT. LAKE - DAY 162
Bright sun. Frank and his father walk along the lake
shoreline, stooping here and there to finger animal
prints in the snow and mud.
FRANK
Raccoon... deer...?
Herb nods.
Their attention is drawn to soft singing up by the house.
162A EXT. PORCH - DAY 162A
Nicki absently sings an old gospel tune as she tosses
breakfast scraps to a group of hungry ducks gathered by
the porch.
162B EXT. LAKE - DAY 162B
HERB
I've never heard church music in
the middle of the week before.
162C EXT. PORCH - DAY 162C
Nicki's soft voice is joined by Rachel's strong harmony,
and the two men watch as Rachel comes out to join her
sister on the porch, startling Nicki. Both sing for a
moment, together. Then Nicki stops, embarrassed. Rachel
gives her a hug.
107.
162D EXT. LAKE - DAY 162D
Herb and Frank are about to return to the house. They
stop short. There, at their feet, is a line of human
foot prints, from heavy snow boots, leading away into
the trees. Frank looks at Herb, suddenly alert.
FRANK
Where's Fletcher?
Henry appears at the porch of the house, carrying a
fishing rod as he comes out. At that instant, the sound
of the OUTBOARD MOTOR CRACKLES through the air. Frank's
head snaps toward the boathouse. Henry, in the distance,
looks quickly at the boathouse, then to Frank.
HENRY
(shouting)
Frank! I haven't...
But Frank is already moving, leaping from the porch
and starting to run flat out toward the boathouse
and dock.
Rachel turns to look.
The skiff appears out of the boathouse, Fletcher at the
motor, the boat's lone occupant. The boat moves slowly
away from the boathouse, parallel to the dock.
Frank is running toward the water with everything he's
got, his face contorted. The sound of the OUTBOARD
drowns out his voice as he yells.
FRANK
Fletcher! Fletcher!
IN BOAT
Fletcher, intent on his piloting, neither hears nor sees
Frank running down the lawn behind him. The boat is
approaching the end of the dock.
DOCK
Frank finally makes it to the dock and continues to
sprint after the boat. His weight rattles the boards
as he runs.
IN BOAT
Fletcher passes the end of the dock and gives the
throttle a little twist.
DOCK
108.
Frank reaches the end of the dock at a full run and dives
directly at the rear of the moving boat. Frank's body
flies out over the boat. He knocks Fletcher out of his
seat and into the water on the other side of the skiff.
RACHEL
(screams)
No! He can't swim!
IN WATER
Frank holds the terrified, shaking Fletcher in his arms.
Fletcher begins to cry. Frank paddles with him toward
the dock. The empty boat swerves, then continues out
toward the center of the lake.
DOCK
Henry and Rachel are already at the end of the dock. Nicki
and Herb are running toward it. Rachel is livid, hysterical.
Henry peers out at the boat, which continues to bounce
innocently across the water, defining a broad curve.
RACHEL
Fletcher, baby. Are you all
right? Baby.
Fletcher, spluttering, is handed up to Rachel by Frank.
Rachel hugs Fletcher to her. Herb bends down to check
he's breathing properly, wrapping the boy in his jacket.
HERB
He's all right.
Henry helps Frank up out of the water. Frank sits on
the end of the dock, breathing hard.
RACHEL
What are you doing? You out of
your mind? You're crazy!
(to Fletcher)
You're all right, baby.
(back to Frank)
You could have drowned him!
Frank and Henry look out toward the boat which has come
to a stop out in the middle of the lake.
FRANK
I'm sorry. I got careless.
Henry looks at Frank. He feels terrible about not
checking the boat.
HENRY
Frank, I'm sorry. I should have...
109.
HERB
It's okay, Henry.
Herb puts his hand on Fletcher's head.
HERB
You all right now, son?
Fletcher nods, his crying ends raggedly. Frank begins
to stand up.
HENRY
How do we get the boat back?
Out in the center of the lake, the BOAT BLOWS UP. Every-
one on the dock jumps.
Nicki screams.
Frank sits down again. He shakes his head. On an
impulse, he stretches out his hand, palm downward. It's
trembling slightly.
162E INT. BEDROOM - DAY 162E
Rachel and Nicki hurriedly pack their bags. Fletcher
hovers nearby.
162F EXT. SHED/GARAGE - DAY
162F
Frank slides out from under the van. The hood is up.
Henry stands nearby. Frank goes to the driver's seat.
FRANK
(to Henry)
Back off.
Henry moves away from the van. Frank inserts the key in
the ignition.
162G EXT. PORCH - DAY 162G
Herb comes out of the house, fast. His eyes scan the
woods as he heads towards the shed.
HERB
Frank!
Henry turns and motions to Herb to stay away.
162H INT. VAN - DAY 162H
110.
Frank takes a moment, then turns the key. Nothing. The
van is dead.
162-I EXT. LAWN - DAY 162-I
Henry and Herb watch. Frank gets out of the van. He
walks to Herb.
HERB
Someone's cut the phone lines. It
could be anywhere between here and
town.
FRANK
Both the cars are dead. And I
can't see how it was done.
Frank and Herb exchange a look.
FRANK
Who could know we're here? This
place has nothing to do with her.
HERB
Maybe it has to do with you.
Frank looks at him.
HERB
We can't walk out of here at
night with them.
Frank shakes his head.
FRANK
We'll button down tonight and
walk out at first light.
162J EXT. FARMER HOUSE - NIGHT 162J
There is a light ground-mist. The moon shines down
down brightly but the house is totally dark.
162K INT. HOUSE - MONTAGE - NIGHT 162K
The terrier dog listens in the upstairs hallway. Herb
watches from an upstairs window. Rachel lies in bed,
clutching Fletcher tightly.
164 INT. LIVING ROOM - MIDDLE OF NIGHT 164
Frank has been sitting in a chair in the center of the
living room for two hours. Listening. Now we listen
111.
with him. At first it seems silent, but slowly we become
aware of a subtle symphony of sounds. An old house sur-
rounded by WOODS. There are lots of NOISES. But they
are regular, innocent.
Frank is aware of a new noise, a gentle sobbing coming
from nearby. He picks up his gun from the table beside
him and goes into the kitchen.
166 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT 166
Nicki is sitting with her head in her hands at the kitchen
table, sobbing. There's a nearly empty bottle beside
her. Frank is instantly on the alert but makes no sign.
NICKI
(crying)
I was an idiot last night.
There is a long pause.
NICKI
What do you think about today?
FRANK
(gently)
I think this is no maniac. He
knows what he's doing.
There is a long, long silence. Nicki continues crying.
Finally --
NICKI
You're right. He does.
FRANK
Tell me about it.
She doesn't reply.
FRANK
Who is it, Nicki?
NICKI
He almost got Fletcher today...
FRANK
How do we stop him?
NICKI
...my darling Fletcher...
FRANK
Who is it?
NICKI
112.
I don't know. I don't know.
Frank goes to her, treats her gently, like a doctor.
FRANK
You can call him off.
NICKI
(shaking her head)
He doesn't even know who hired him.
He doesn't know who I am and I
don't know who he is.
FRANK
How'd you do it?
She seems on the edge of hysteria. Frank takes her face
in his hands, strokes her hair, brings her back from the
brink.
FRANK
How?
NICKI
...I went to a bar in East L.A. I
asked around... I talked to a
man...
FRANK
Name?
NICKI
(vague)
...Armando... He arranged it.
That's all I know...
FRANK
Is it all paid for?
NICKI
(nods)
... and then some... Till it's done.
FRANK
He keeps going until he kills her?
Nicki nods again, lowering her face into her hands.
FRANK
What's the name of the bar?
NICKI
I'm not sure... I was very stoned.
FRANK
How 'bout the letters?
113.
NICKI
(desperately)
No, no. You don't understand.
The letters came first. I don't
know who's sending them... but
they're reading my mind... Those
were my thoughts. I hate her. It
made me think I could do it... But
I could never hurt Fletcher.
Never.
(begging him)
You've got to stop it!
FRANK
We will. You and me. Tomorrow
we're going back to L.A. We're
going to find the bar, we're going
to find Armando.
He starts to rise. She stops him.
NICKI
Don't you even want to know why?
FRANK
You told me. She has everything.
Frank stands up and begins to move across the room. Nicki
puts her face in her hands and is silent for one moment.
Suddenly, Frank freezes, listening.
NICKI
What if we can't --
Frank motions her into silence. We strain to hear what
Frank hears. Silently, Frank goes to the door, crouch
ing. He listens. There again is a DISTANT GROWL from
the DOG upstairs.
Frank lifts his gun from the table, turns to Nicki.
FRANK
Stay here. Don't move.
Nicki's face shows true terror.
Frank is out the door.
168 INT. STAIRS - NIGHT 168
Frank runs up them fast. Two at a time.
169 INT. SECOND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT 169
114.
Frank travels close to the wall, very quickly. He stops,
listens. The TERRIER looks at Frank but still GROWLS.
Frank throws open Rachel's door. Rachel gasps in
surprise and clutches at Fletcher. Frank hears a noise
behind him, whirls round him and drops to a knee, weapon
ready to fire!
It's Herb, stepping out of his room, carrying a police-
issue pistol.
HERB
It's me!
Rachel's voice comes from her room.
RACHEL (O.S.)
What's happening?
The terrier suddenly starts barking loudly.
171 INT. FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY - POV - MOVING SHOT - NIGHT 171
We're in someone's POV moving along the hallway. Nicki
steps out of the kitchen a few feet ahead and looks in
terror toward the CAMERA.
NICKI (O.S.)
No, no... stop... I'm the one
who...
172 INT. SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT 172
Frank and Herb spin around. Rachel calls from her room.
RACHEL
Frank?
172A INT. FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT 172A
A GUNSHOT BLASTS Nicki against the wall, her hand still
delicately raised in a classic gesture of restraint.
172B INT. SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT 172B
Frank's head spins to Rachel's doorway, then immediately
back to Herb. He starts to move towards the stairs,
fast.
FRANK
(to Herb)
Stay with Rachel!
Henry's head appears round the doorway of Herb's room.
115.
173 INT. STAIRS - NIGHT 173
Frank is rapidly down the stairs, gun in hand.
173A INT. FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT 173A
Frank finds Nicki's body slumped against the wall. He
checks her. She's dead. The door beyond is open. The
wind blows in. Outside it's foggy.
FRANK
(yelling)
Dad?
HERB (O.S.)
We're okay!
FRANK
Stay with Rachel!
The DOG continues to BARK upstairs. Frank sees a slight
movement outside and window to his right. A split-second
moment of decision. He heads off rapidly down the hall,
away from the open door.
175 EXT. FARMER HOUSE - NIGHT 175
The fog is thick. Frank swiftly emerges from the back
door and stops, dead still, listening. There is only the
RUSTLING of TREES.
175A INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 175A
Herb is by Rachel's bed.
RACHEL
What's happening? Where's Nicki?
HERB
Be quiet!
175B EXT. FARMER HOUSE - NIGHT 175B
Frank listens. Suddenly he hears RUNNING FOOTSTEPS, a
body breaking through the bushes. Frank heads off
towards the sound at a run.
176 EXT. WOODS - NIGHT 176
INTERCUT - FRANK AND FIGURE
116.
The move fitfully through the eerie, beautiful scene.
In and out of the fog. Stop, listen, wait, go. Two
wary, interchangeable animals. Frank disappears into
the fog. When the figure reappears, Frank is moving
faster, closing the gap.
The figure, seen in CLOSEUP for the first time, is wear-
ing a dark-colored ski mask. His breath billows out of
the mouth hole, whitening in the cool March air. He
hears Frank APPROACHING and points his gun in the
direction of the FOOTSTEPS. He does not fire. SILENCE.
Frank stops and rests on his haunches. Listening, he
hears the intruder move. The sounds have stopped up
ahead. Close.
The figure peers into the fog, gun up. He's ready,
confident. He waits. Nothing.
Frank, from his crouch, does something brand-new. He
raises his gun into the fog in a two-handed grip, ready
to fire. He holds it easily. And then he does something
really strange: Frank closes his eyes. After a beat, we
hear MOVEMENT. Frank, eyes still closed, swings his gun
15 degrees and FIRES TWO BLASTS.
The man jumps away from a small tree that has splintered
six inches from his shoulder. His eyes are wild behind
his ski mask. Frightened, he suddenly crashes away in
the opposite direction. We FOLLOW. There is ANOTHER
SHOT from Frank very close to the man.
176A INT. RACHEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT 176A
Herb is at the window. There is anguish on his face as
he hears the SHOTS. He wants to go to his son's aid but
knows he cannot leave Rachel.
Rachel and Fletcher are huddled in the bed, terrified.
Fletcher clutches at the DOG, which is still BARKING.
Henry stands by the bed, gun in hand.
176B EXT. WOODS - NIGHT 176B
Frank moves quickly through the woods, passes the
splintered tree. We STAY WITH him and hear the ENGINE
of a CAR ROAR to life and TIRES PEEL OUT of the dirt.
Frank breaks out of the woods in time to see the red
lights at the back of the car as it fishtails around a
bend. He EMPTIES his GUN at it. We hear GLASS
SHATTERING, but the car keeps going.
176C INT. PHONE BOOTH - COUNTRY ROAD - EARLY MORNING 176C
117.
Snow is falling. In the b.g. we see the flashing
lights of a police car. Frank is on the phone to
Minella.
MINELLA (V.O.)
But, Frank, this doesn't make
sense...
FRANK
What do you mean?
MINELLA (V.O.)
We already got him.
FRANK
What? Where?
179 INT. F.B.I. HEADQUARTERS (LOS ANGELES) - EARLY MORNING 179
Minella is talking with Frank on the phone. He's looking
into an observation room through a one-way window.
MINELLA
Here, last night. You should see
his locker, Frank. The guy's
obsessed with Rachel Marron...
FRANK
You're sure it's him?
MINELLA
Forensics say it's 100 percent
positive I.D... And he's got a
black Toyota 4 x 4. Ray's with
him now.
MINELLA'S POV
Sitting in the observation room at a table talking to
Ray Court is Dan. He looks frightened and confused.
179A INT. PHONE BOOTH - COUNTRY ROAD - EARLY MORNING 179A
FRANK
Well, whoever you got down there
wasn't here last night. This was
a professional...
MINELLA (V.O.)
This is crazy... What do you want
to do, Frank?
FRANK
How long can you keep him?
118.
MINELLA (V.O.)
Well technically all he's done is
write some letters. 48 hours
maximum. You know the deal.
181 EXT. MARRON MANSION - DRIVEWAY - DAY 181
Rachel's black limousine moves slowly up the winding
drive, followed by a black Mercedes limousine. Behind
the cars, the gates close on a large press contingent
gathered outside, held back by a large number of police
and security guards. A light drizzle is falling.
The two cars pull up to the entrance, Henry at the wheel
of Rachel's. Frank gets out of the front and opens the
back door. Devaney and Spector help Rachel and Fletcher
out of the car. They are all dressed in black. A few
other mourners, including Emma, get out of the Mercedes.
Rachel, red-eyed and weary, takes Fletcher under her arm
and goes inside. She does not look at Frank.
182 INT. FAMILY ROOM - NIGHT 182
A hand takes a pitcher of orange juice from the refriger-
ator and pours some into a large glass. They uncap a
bottle of vodka and pour a huge portion into the orange
juice.
183 INT. FAMILY ROOM - NIGHT 183
It has grown very dark in the family room. Frank is
sitting all alone, perfectly still, in one of the over-
stuffed chairs, the vodka bottle on a table next to him.
He stares off into space. A small voice comes out of
the darkness.
FLETCHER
You okay, Frank?
Frank acknowledges Fletcher's small presence standing
to the side of the big chair. He doesn't look at him
directly.
FRANK
Yeah, Fletcher, I'm okay. How
'bout you?
FLETCHER
I couldn't sleep... It was so
scary, just thinking about it...
He looks at Frank.
119.
FLETCHER
Do you feel scared, Frank?
FRANK
Yeah, Fletcher, I do.
Frank puts his hand gently on Fletcher's head, but he
does not look at him.
FRANK
Everybody's afraid of something,
Flethcer. That's how we know we
care about something, when we're
afraid we'll lose it.
FLETCHER
What are you afraid of?
FRANK
I think you should try to go back
to sleep now, pal.
FLETCHER
Tell me, Frank, please. Is it the
man who killed Nicki? Are you
afraid of him?
Finally, Frank turns and looks at Fletcher. Frank is
pretty far gone. He shakes his head "no." He realizes
that that kind of fear had never occurred to him, and
recognizing that fact sets him back into his thoughts.
FLETCHER
Then what? What are you afraid
of?
Frank doesn't have the will to resist anymore. He lets
his hand drop away from Fletcher.
FRANK
I'm afraid... of not being there...
Fletcher stares at him, uncomprehending.
FRANK
It's late. Do you want me to take
you back to your room?
Fletcher shakes his head "no," just barely. Then he
disappears.
185 INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT 185
Frank, silhouetted, moves toward the stairway to the main
level. There is light up there.
120.
186 INT. STAIRWAY - NIGHT 186
Frank begins climbing the stairs. When he has gone a
quarter of the way up, Rachel appears at the top and
begins walking down.
At first she doesn't see Frank; when she does she
hesitates a moment, then continues down. They meet and
try to sidestep each other, but twice they go in the
same direction, unable to get around. Rachel, already
emotionally ravaged, cracks. She begins slapping Frank
hard about the face and torso. One of the first blows
knocks the GLASS from his hand; it SMASHES loudly against
the wall. He raises his arms in a half-hearted attempt
to protect himself from the onslaught. She cries as she
hits him.
RACHEL
(hysterical)
You, you, you... You brought this
pain into my house... Now you're
here! Where were you then? Why
didn't you save her? It was your
job to protect me and she died
doing it... It was me they were
after. And you let them kill her!
(she gasps for air)
She never did anything to anyone.
As she loses the strength and the will to hit him, her
blows become sloppy, weak. She sinks to the steps,
sitting on them, sobbing.
RACHEL
She never hurt anyone. She was
good.
(she looks at him;
entreats him)
You saw her. She never wished
anyone any harm. Did she? Did
she?
Frank looks at her, shakes his head "no." Rachel puts
her head in her hands and is silent for a few moments;
her crying slows.
RACHEL
(finally, quietly)
She never hurt a soul.
(long pause)
... I didn't love her well enough.
I didn't take care of her...
(a beat)
... She gave me only love.
121.
She sits quietly on the steps in the gloom. Frank watches
for a long moment, then softly continues on his way.
186A EXT. POOL AREA - MARRON ESTATE - DAY 186A
It's bright sunshine. Fletcher is splashing noisily in
the pool with a few other kids. His nanny waits
patiently at the side, towels at the ready.
At one side of the pool, Rachel sits, lost in thought,
mourning her sister.
At the other side sits Frank, also thoughtful. He, too,
is trying to adjust to the tragedy for which he bears
some of the responsibility.
The SHOUTS and LAUGHTER of the kids continue.
187 EXT. MARRON ESTATE - GROUNDS - LATER THAT NIGHT 187
The guardhouse at the main gate is brilliantly illumi-
nated in the distance. The guard patrols at his station.
Inside, the T.V. screens flicker and glow.
Perched on the top of a slight hill, Frank sits alone and
motionless under a big tree. He gazes down at the gate-
house, his face lit softly by the glow from its lamps.
All around him the rest of the estate is quiet and
tranquil in the moonlight.
After a moment, another silhouetted figure slowly ap-
proaches and stands beside him. It's Rachel.
RACHEL
I guess you've heard what's
happening.
Frank nods.
RACHEL
Mind if I sit down?
Frank shakes his head. They sit side by side for awhile,
both lost in thought. Rachel seems very calm.
RACHEL
It isn't over yet, is it?
Frank shakes his head.
FRANK
He knows he still hasn't got you.
RACHEL
So he'll come again?
122.
FRANK
It's possible.
RACHEL
The Oscars?
FRANK
Maybe.
Rachel takes this philosophically. She tugs at the
grass, thinking.
RACHEL
When I was back in Squirrel Hill,
I started betting my friends
fifty bucks each that someday I'd
win an Oscar. You can understand
how important it is that they see
me up there if I win.
She looks at him and smiles.
RACHEL
If everyone of those pikers comes
through, it could add up to a lot
of money.
FRANK
I think it's very dangerous.
RACHEL
I know. But I can't stay up here
on my hill forever.
They are silent for awhile. Rachel lies back on the
grass, stares at the sky.
RACHEL
I didn't get to this place in my
life by doing the smart thing
every time.
(as Frank nods)
How 'bout you, Frank Farmer? Out
there on the edge... did you ever
do something that didn't make too
much sense, except maybe inside
you? In your stomach somewhere?
Something that wasn't smart?
(looks at him)
I'll bet you have plenty. I'll
bet you do. Nobody gets really
good without it. And you're good.
I know that.
She sits up beside him.
123.
RACHEL
I don't know why all this has
happened to me...
(a beat)
... but I do know that none of
it's your fault. I hope you can
hear me, because this is how I say
I'm sorry.
Frank accepts.
RACHEL
(relieved)
So... I'm going to go see if I win
an Oscar. And I won't worry about
it at all. Because I've got you
to protect me.
Frank almost smiles.
FRANK
That's right.
He looks at her a long time, then takes her in his arms.
He kisses her and lays her down. His body moves over
hers. Like a bodyguard, protecting her from the night.
188 EXT. THE PANTAGES THEATRE - NIGHT 188
The chaos and razamatazz of Oscar night. Crowds, limos,
cameras, searchlights...
189 INT. RACHEL'S LIMO - FRONT OF THE PANTAGES - NIGHT 189
The limo is waiting in a line of limos to reach the red-
carpeted entrance to The Pantages Theatre.
Frank and Tony sit in front with Henry. In the back a
spectacularly-gowned Rachel sits flanked by Devaney and
Spector, both of whom, like Frank, are wearing tuxedos. Up
ahead, they can all see the hubbub at the entrance: TV
cameras, lights, photographers, arriving guests, two
bleachers full of fans. The glare from the arc lights
is almost blinding.
DEVANEY
We'll go straight back to the
Green Room. Right, Frank?
Frank nods.
DEVANEY
Got that, Tony?
124.
FRANK
Tony knows what he's doing.
Tony looks at Frank, surprised and not a little pleased
with the unexpected support.
RACHEL
I wish you boys would relax a
little. Nothing bad's gonna
happen out there, alright?
(the old Rachel)
Unless I lose the fucking award.
She looks around at the men, all are tense.
RACHEL
Jesus, what a crew.
Rachel leans forward and flips down the mirror on the
panel in front of her and checks her appearance. The
limo moves up.
RACHEL
Screw it. I'm through worrying.
When your number's up, it's up.
Right, Farmer?
The limo is almost at the red carpet. Frank slips out
the front door of the moving limo.
190 EXT. LIMO - NIGHT 190
More quartz lights click on.
The TV cameras all focus on the door of the limo as Frank
steps out of the way.
FRANK'S POV
as he surveys the busy scene. A microphoned M.C. peers
into Rachel's limo and walks toward it.
M.C.
... Miss Rachel Marron!
ON TV CAMERA MONITOR we see Rachel wave to the crowd.
M.C.
Everyone wishes you the best
tonight, Rachel.
Frank leads the small procession down the red carpet.
Fans reach out asking for his autograph.
FRANK'S POV
125.
as his glance darts around: high into the bleachers,
ahead in the distance, to the door, to the side at
photographers nodding to the massed security men with
their walkie-talkies.
Rachel's smile is convincing, lovely, professional.
Spector, Devaney and Tony look strained.
As they enter, a WIDE SHOT from across the street shows
their limo pulling ahead as the next car pulls up. The
CAMERA TRACKS SIDEWAYS to reveal the rear fender of a
Toyota 4X4 parked in the foreground.
191 INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT 191
It is large and has been fitted with a bar and buffet.
Formally-dressed presenters and hosts mill about, laugh-
ing and talking. Many greet Rachel.
A TV monitor hangs from the ceiling in one corner. On
it, the Academy Awards continue. An elaborate dance
number is just concluding. The audience applauds.
Beside the monitor, a large clock with a ticking second
hand.
A harried associate producer SKIP THOMAS, comes up to
Rachel, settled in an armchair. Tony stands nearby,
Frank leans against a far wall.
SKIP
Hello, Rachel. I need to get you
straight on your responsibilities.
RACHEL
Sure, Skip.
Skip takes a typewritten sheet from a sheaf in his hand
and gives it to Rachel. He consults a clipboard as he
speaks. There, laid out minute by minute, is the order
of the evening's events. Each one has a precise time
printed beside it, including those that involve Rachel.
SKIP
Now, it's Best Sound, then another
song, then you. At precisely
(looks at his clipboard) -- 8:07,
you'll be presenting with Clive
Healy. Those are your lines. The
prompter's straight ahead and --
we pray -- working perfectly.
Rachel nods.
RACHEL
126.
Fine, you'll be a big shot
someday, Skip.
Skip smiles and walks off, glancing up at the clock.
7:43. CLIVE HEALY, a slim British actor appears, bows
and kisses Rachel's hand.
CLIVE
I understand it's my great honor
to escort you onstage.
RACHEL
That's right, Clive. And I don't
like it one bit that you look
skinnier than me.
TV MONITOR - The show is progressing, flashing out across
the world.
PATRICIA
... And the award for Best
Achievement in Sound goes to Kay
Colvin and Mychal Smith for Hot
And Cold.
Applause.
KAY
Thank you so much. I want to thank
our producers, Karen Golden and Ed
Gorsuch, as well our sound crew --
Richard Goodman and Blair Forward.
I'm too excited -- but they're the
real winners tonight. Thank you!
MICHAEL
This is wonderful. This is like,
the happiest moment of my life.
I'd like to thank our wonderful
sound crew for all the evenings
and weekends they sacrificed, the
incredible wizards down at Distant
Thunder Sound Studios, Roger and
Greg for hiring us and my family
for being so patient. We did it!
Thank you!
TIME JUMP:
192 INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT 192
The celebrities in the Green Room drink, eat and talk.
Rachel is deep in a giggling, girlish conversation with
another actress. Skip Thomas approaches Rachel again.
SKIP
127.
Rachel. One more song, then you.
Rachel nods, goes back to her conversation. Frank steps
up to Tony.
FRANK
I'm going to have a look around.
I'll come back for her. Stay
alert.
Tony nods, watches Frank go.
193 INT. BACKSTAGE AREA - NIGHT 193
Frank moves down the hall from the Green Room toward the
stage. Stagehands, technicians, performers speak in
hushed tones. TV monitors are mounted throughout the
area. On screen a distinguished-looking actor named
REARDON is serving as temporary master of ceremonies.
Frank walks along, checking the route, looking up into
the flies. He rounds a corner and is face to face with
Portman.
FRANK
Portman. What are you doing here?
PORTMAN
I'm on the job.
FRANK
Who?
PORTMAN
Him.
Portman points at a nearby TV monitor. On screen,
Reardon is introducing the next song.
REARDON (V.O.)
(on TV screen)
My mother has always thought I was
the star of every movie I've been
in. You remember 'Night Of The
Stranger'?
Applause.
REARDON (V.O.)
You probably don't remember me in
that. My mother can tell you
about it. To this day, she thinks
it's about a desk clerk at the
hotel where what's-his-name is
hiding out from the cops.
128.
Laughter.
REARDON (V.O.)
Now it's time to hear the final
nominated song, from the film
'Queen Of The Night' -- 'I Have
Nothing.' And here to sing it for
us, the multi-talented Miss Sandra
Castle!
PORTMAN (O.S.)
(during the above)
Short-term gig... but quite
profitable... Listen, Frank, I'm
sorry about Miami. You know,
nothing really happened... I felt
bad for you... I wanted to say
something, but you disappeared...
(NOTE: "I Have Nothing" fanfare. Dancers onto stage.
First section of song, commencing with shortened chorus
then first verse (Total 1 Minute)
Reardon walks off the stage ten feet from where Frank and
Portman are standing, glances at them and moves off down
the hall.
PORTMAN
Back to work. I'll probably see
you at the Governor's Ball.
Portman walks off after Reardon. Frank watches him,
thoughtful.
ON TV MONITOR - Sandra Castle sings "I Have Nothing" with
great feeling. The lyrics recall the text of the death
threat.
FRANK'S FACE
suddenly wary. No rational cause. Something in the air.
THE CLOCK - 7:58
194 INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT 194
Rachel's face as she watches Sandra Castle on the monitor.
She is at a makeup table. MUSIC is LOUD.
The celebrities in the Green Room are impressed with
Sandra's performance. There is spontaneous applause.
Rachel turns to the room.
RACHEL
I want that broad run out of town.
129.
195 INT. BACKSTAGE - NIGHT 195
Frank calls Tony on his SURV-KIT.
FRANK
Tony, you there?
TONY
(O.S.)
Yeah, Frank.
FRANK
Tony, I've got a feeling this is
the night. I think he's gonna go
for her in front of all the
cameras. The kind of thing only a
lunatic would do. That's how he
wants it to look. Except he isn't
a lunatic. He's very clever. I
need you to help me.
TONY
(O.S.)
I'm with you, Frank.
There's no more competition between them.
Three sound technicians appear at Frank's side, very
agitated.
TECHNICIAN
(to Frank)
You can't use that thing back
here. The breakthrough's killing
our radio mikes... We'll have to
disconnect you.
Reluctantly, Frank disconnects his earpiece.
195A INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT
195A
Tony fiddles with his earpiece.
TONY
Frank?... Frank?
Technicians approach Tony, too.
195B MONTAGE 195B
Big finish of song and dance number (total 40 seconds).
Applause and dancers off.
130.
196 INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT 196
Frank walks past Tony. Tony holds up the earpiece in
frustration. Frank nods. He walks over to Rachel. He
seems tense and she senses it. And like a tangible
thing, his anxiety is passed over to her. She is
frightened.
RACHEL
(spooked)
What's wrong?
Skip Thomas appears at her side.
SKIP
Rachel... Clive. Let's go, okay?
Clive Healy comes over. Rachel must tear her eyes away
from Frank. Tony floats up behind them. Skip regards
him with irritation and turns to Frank.
SKIP
(indicating Tony)
Really. Must we have everyone?
We have our own men at the door.
FRANK
Tony stays.
Skip looks at Rachel for a response.
RACHEL
Yes! I want him.
Skip shrugs. Clive takes Rachel's arm.
CLIVE
Come, Rachel, let us brighten the
firmament.
Rachel forces a smile, but her eyes follow Frank as he
starts to lead the way out of the Green Room. On an
impulse, she reaches for something from the makeup table
and presses it into her hand. It's the Russian Orthodox
cross. She clutches it like a talisman and follows
Frank. Tony brings up the rear.
197 INT. BACKSTAGE AREA - NIGHT 197
The group moves down the hall from the Green Room, past
the stage right wings. Behind the scenery to the back
of the stage.
FRANK'S POV - STAGEHANDS
131.
in blue, celebrity guests, technicians. His eyes examine
each curtain, corner and recess. He looks above him.
CLOSEUP ON RACHEL'S FACE as she looks around nervously.
HER BODY
is tense on Clive's arm. Clive pats her arm soothingly.
CLIVE
Try to relax, Rachel. I know
you must be very excited.
Skip leads them to a set of temporary stairs behind the
scenery; they lead to the center of the top tier.
Production aides with clipboards and headphones wait up
there.
THE CLOCK - 8:05
SKIP
(pointing)
Rachel, you'll go in there and
Clive, you over there. You'll
meet on the landing.
They both nod, but Rachel is distracted, tense.
SKIP
Watch your step going down.
Someone spilled some water.
Clive and Rachel climb the stairs. Rachel turns once
more to look anxiously at Frank. She clutches the cross
but he doesn't see.
Frank watches them ascend. He signals Tony to stay
there until Rachel goes on. Frank moves off toward the
stage left wings.
ON TV MONITOR - we see Reardon, acting as Master of
Ceremonies, doing the introductions.
REARDON (V.O.)
(on screen)
I used to have an outfit just like
that... And to present the Best
Song award we have our debonair
friend from England and the lady
who has everything -- Clive
Healy and Rachel Marron!
A red camera light clicks on.
MUSIC UP, APPLAUSE, as we see Clive and Rachel make their
entrances on the TV monitor.
132.
198 INT. STAGE LEFT - NIGHT 198
Frank swiftly adjusts his position so he can still see
the stage. As he does, he glances under the scaffolding
that supports the set.
199 INT. ON STAGE - NIGHT 199
Rachel and Clive reach the podium. Clive is all smiles.
Rachel is trying, but is obviously distracted.
FROM BEHIND THEM
As the applause dies away, we see what they see: TV
cameras, an orchestra in the pit, the huge audience, and
the bright glare of the lights. At the front of the
podium is the transparent plastic of the teleprompter;
their lines can be clearly seen, printed out and moving
vertically.
CLIVE
(reading from the
prompter)
Well, Rachel, I know that you only
came tonight to present this award
and you'll want to leave as soon
as we're done.
Rachel's lines appear on the prompter, but she does not
start reading them immediately. They stop moving on the
screen. Rachel's face, her eyes darting about. There
is an awful silence.
RACHEL'S POV - BRIGHT RED LIGHT
on the nearest TV camera. The teleprompter, now showing
Clive's lines. The light. A man in the first row of
the audience.
CLOSE ON HER HANDS as they squeeze the cross.
CLIVE (O.S.)
Over the course of the evening
we've heard five smashing songs
and the names of the artists who
created them.
200 INT. STAGE LEFT - NIGHT 200
Frank, watching Rachel, hears the barely audible CLICKING
start from the tiny receiver on his belt. He's puzzled.
His eyes dart to Rachel's hand and he sees the cross.
He knows what she's going through. Her hand is shaking
133.
badly.
201 INT. ON STAGE - NIGHT 201
She sways. Clive supports her as discreetly as he can,
smiling out at the audience.
FROM BEHIND Clive and Rachel, we watch as Clive picks up
Rachel's lines from the prompter, AD LIBBING to make them
fit.
CLIVE
And I know that no matter what
anyone thinks, you have no
personal favorites.
Thin laughter. The audience is starting to sense that
something is wrong with Rachel.
CLIVE
The Best Song nominees are:
"Clock On The Wall" from 'The
Dining Room Table' -- By Dana S.
Lee and Sara Spring. 'Give
Me Your Trust' from 'Out Of the
Gloom' -- By David Siegel and
Barbara G. Gordon. "I Have
Nothing" from 'Queen Of The Night'
-- By Nancy Garbor. "Maybe Soon"
from 'Maybe Soon' -- Anne Trop and
Ben Glass. And "Reflections Of My
Heart" from 'Hot And Cold' -- By
Leslie Moraes.
QUICK CUT TO:
RACHEL'S POV
An usher near the wall shifts his weight. The orchestra
conductor turns to look at her. A musician turns his
sheet music. The dark at the back of the balcony. The
teleprompter.
CLOSE ON FRANK
as he alone hears the CLICKING -- monitors her distress
and fear.
ON STAGE
RACHEL
(blurting her
prompter lines)
All right, Clive, let's find
out --
134.
The teleprompter operator has been thrown off and now
takes a moment to get it moving again.
RACHEL
(reading)
-- let's find out who the winner
is.
CLIVE
The envelope. Rachel, shall I do
the honors?
INTERCUT --
RACHEL'S POV - CLIVE'S HANDS
work at the envelope, tearing, freeing the flap. His
fingers work to pull out the contents.
RACHEL'S FACE
watching. The CLICKING is almost deafening -- like a
heartbeat.
THE CLOCK
The second hand ticks in enormous CLOSEUP. It's 8:07.
202 INSERT - (BLEACHED OUT) ENORMOUS CLOSEUP - MAN'S FINGER 202
on a trigger.
203 INSERT - (BLEACHED OUT) ENORMOUS CLOSEUP - A BULLET 203
drifts lazily towards us out of the muzzle of a gun in
ultra SLOW MOTION.
204 INSERT - (BLEACHED OUT) - HANDS 204
bring out one of the pasted-up death threats with the
familiar opening lines -- 'MARRON BITCH -- YOU HAVE
EVERYTHING. I HAVE NOTHING.'
CLOSE
as Clive pulls the card out of the envelope. It reads:
"I HAVE NOTHING"
Music by
Rachel gasps, stifles a scream.
CLIVE
And the winner is "I Have Nothing"
135.
from 'Queen Of The Night' music
and lyrics by Nancy Garbor.
Rachel loses control, backs away from the podium and runs
off stage right. The audience applauds the winner.
NANCY GARBOR
This is so exciting. I can't
begin to describe what it feels
like to stand here -- with this!
APPLAUSE.
NANCY GARBOR
First, I want to thank Rachel
Marron. Without her support,
encouragement and determination
to help get an unknown songwriter
heard, I wouldn't be standing here.
A lot of people talk about how
they're going to help others once
they make it themselves, but Rachel
really follows through. I'd also
like to thank Helen Pollak, a
wonderful producer, who never got
fed up with me.
205 INT. OFF STAGE LEFT - NIGHT 205
Frank sees Rachel run off the opposite side of the stage
and heads over there, around the back of the scenery.
206 INT. ON STAGE - NIGHT 206
Clive, the professional, stands holding the envelope. He
glances off after Rachel, mystified.
207 INT. STAGE RIGHT WINGS - NIGHT 207
A cluster of people surround Rachel, comforting her.
Frank comes up. He does not try to force his way through
to Rachel. People begin to move away, the cluster thins.
Two stars move off toward the back of the stage.
STAR #1
I always said she was nuts. I've
always said that.
Clive Healy comes up.
CLIVE
Is she all right?
He is assured that she is. Clive goes out to his seat
136.
in the audience. As the people move off, Rachel becomes
clearly visible to Frank. Tony is standing next to her,
but another man has his arm around Rachel, comforting her.
Rachel's face is tear-stained and she dabs at it with a
handkerchief. She is recovering fast. Past her fear,
she is now very embarrassed. Her voice is strong.
RACHEL
Christ, what an idiot I am.
Jesus. What the hell's the matter
with me?
Frank moves up closer, and exchanges looks with Tony,
who is confused by Rachel's behavior. Rachel turns
toward Frank and, in so doing, brings the man comforting
her around to face Frank. It is Reardon.
RACHEL
Farmer, you've made me a raving
lunatic.
Frank barely hears Rachel, so struck is he by Reardon's
presence. Frank looks around them quickly for Portman.
Rachel looks at Frank with irritation and turns back
toward the Green Room. A production aide signals Reardon.
REARDON
(to Rachel)
I have to go back out. Are you
okay?
RACHEL
Thank you for your help, John.
I'm fine.
Rachel walks off toward the Green Room with Tony.
Reardon starts to walk out toward the stage. Frank stops
him. Reardon is irritated.
FRANK
Where's Portman?
REARDON
Who?
FRANK
Portman.
REARDON
(breaking away)
Never heard of him.
Reardon walks out on stage. Frank is left standing alone.
All the weariness comes back, all his senses start to hum.
Frank looks around, then moves off toward the Green Room.
137.
208 INT. GREEN ROOM - NIGHT 208
Rachel sits at a makeup table. Skip Thomas approaches,
clipboard in hand.
SKIP
Rachel, I'm sorry, but if you're
going to be in your seat for the
Best Actress award, you've got
to do it now.
RACHEL
Skip, I'm moving as fast as I can.
For chrissake, go twitch somewhere
else.
Skip backs off. Spector and Frank join the group.
SPECTOR
Honey, everything's fine. No one
noticed anything. Everybody in
this building is ready to jump out
of their skin from nerves.
RACHEL
Bullshit, you saw me. Farmer's
made me a raving lunatic --
FRANK
Something's going on you should
know about --
SPECTOR
You're making her crazy. You're
making us all crazy.
FRANK
Rachel, I know who it is. He's
here tonight. I think he's...
RACHEL
Shut up...
This is the last straw. She throws down the powder and
stands up fast, makeup and purse flying. The powder com-
pact bursts over the cross lying on the table. Everyone
in the Green Room looks at her.
RACHEL
(hissing at him)
Shut up, you maniac! You never
stop. Now you've made an ass of
me in front of a billion people.
And you won't quit.
They stare at each other and everyone else stares at them.
138.
Rachel walks swiftly out the door of the Green Room.
Frank sits for a moment, then stands up. The bodyguard
follows his charge to the door. He whispers hurriedly
at Tony as they leave.
FRANK
Tony, it's Portman. Remember? The
guy from Miami...
Spector grabs Tony's sleeve, pulling him back.
SPECTOR
After tonight, you're back in
charge.
TONY
What?
SPECTOR
He knows nothing about show
business.
Tony squares off with Spector.
TONY
You are an asshole.
209 INT. ONSTAGE - NIGHT 209
Reardon is just introducing TOM WINSTON, the actor who
will announce the Best Actress award.
BEST ACTRESS INTRO (TOTAL 1 MINUTE)
(Reardon back on stage to applause, Reardon linking
material (maybe gags.) Reardon intros Winston. Play on
Winston to applause.)
210 INT. MAIN AUDITORIUM - AISLE 210
REARDON
Presenting the Best Actress award,
we have the man who last year
received the top honor an actor
can achieve for his performance in
"South Of Waco". Ladies and
gentlemen, Tom Winston!
APPLAUSE
Frank watches, his eyes scanning, searching the vast
theatre, squinting as he tries to see beyond the glare
of the klieg lights and the cameras.
WINSTON
Thank you, John, thank you, Academy.
139.
It brings back some great memories
to be standing here again. Last
year I figured something out.
While it is a great honor to be
nominated, actually winning caps
the evening very pleasantly.
LAUGHTER
WINSTON
on stage, speaking and then listing the nominees.
FRANK'S POV - RACHEL, DEVANEY AND SPECTOR
in their seats, up the aisle toward the back of the
theatre, high into the gloom of the balcony.
ANGLE ON STAGE
WINSTON
Tonight we give this award not to
the best actress, but to the best
performance by one of five
exquisitely talented artists...
FRANK'S FACE - searching.
TV CAMERA - focused on the audience. Its red light goes
on.
ON SCREEN
Rachel's face, expectant, nervous on the screen.
FRANK'S POV - THE PATH
Rachel would have to take to the stage, the steps to the
stage, the faces of the ushers near the stage, the
conductor, ready to play theme music.
WINSTON (O.S.)
...And the nominees for best
performance by an actress in a
leading role are -- Constance
Simpson for Hot and Cold...
BACK TO SCENE
APPLAUSE. Frank slips through the curtained doorway that
leads to the backstage.
WINSTON (O.S.)
...Ellen Pearson for Maybe Soon...
More APPLAUSE.
140.
211 INT. BACKSTAGE - STAGE RIGHT WINGS - NIGHT 211
Frank comes up swiftly. He stops behind a curtain, six
feet from the path the winner will take. Tony is there.
Frank speaks to him and, as he does, he puts a hand on
Tony's arm. They both look across the stage, past
Winston into the wings on the other side.
FRANK'S POV
In the wings of the opposite side of the stage, half
hidden by a curtain, a TV cameraman is hoisting his
lightweight portable camera onto his shoulder. His back
is to us.
WINSTON (O.S.)
... Rachel Marron for Queen Of The Night...
APPLAUSE.
ANGLE ON FRANK
FRANK
Tony, I want you on the other
side... and check out that guy.
He's not supposed to be there...
Tony trots off quickly.
FRANK'S POV
The cameraman half-turns toward us, peering past the
curtain into the audience. For a split second, we
glimpse his face. It's Portman. Then someone crosses
quickly in front of him and he's gone.
WINSTON (O.S.)
L.C. Dean for I Dream Of Peace
...and Evelyn Gardner for
The Harper Plan...
APPLAUSE.
BACKSTAGE
Frank draws his gun. He glances quickly to Tony, but
Tony's already on his way, trotting round the labyrinth
behind the set.
Frank automatically raises his sleeve to call to Tony,
then realizes his communications are useless. He tries
to see where Portman has disappeared to, but he daren't
lose sight of Rachel.
ONSTAGE - WINSTON
141.
with envelope.
WINSTON
And the winner is... Rachel Marron
for Queen Of The Night.
FLASH CUT TO:
FRANK'S FACE
grim. He looks past the curtain to Rachel.
FRANK'S POV - AUDITORIUM
Deafening applause in the main auditorium. A stunned
Rachel stands. Devaney and Spector kiss her. People
nearby reach out to touch her. Rachel walks along her
row. The orchestra plays "I Have Nothing."
212 INT. BACKSTAGE - OPPOSITE WINGS - NIGHT 212
A mass of drapes and flats. Behind them, the cameraman
is fixing something to the side of his camera. His back
is to us. Tony comes up briskly behind him, unable to
see his face.
TONY
Hey! You! What the fuck you
think you're doin' back here...
With amazing speed, the cameraman - Portman - wheels
around, simultaneously jabbing two outstretched fingers
from his free hand straight into Tony's eyes. Tony
cries out, his hands flying to his face.
Portman's hand moves swiftly again, jabbing to a nerve
behind Tony's ear, Tony drops like a sack.
Glancing rapidly around, Portman sees all other eyes on
the auditorium. He pulls the curtain around Tony's
body - obscuring it.
He then removes his own "SECURITY" ID and fixes a
laminated "PRESS" ID to his lapel.
213 INT. BACKSTAGE - STAGE RIGHT WINGS - NIGHT 213
Frank gestures animatedly to the head of security and
several guards. The music and the applause drown out
his words and we do not hear them. The guards rush off
backstage and into the auditorium.
214 INT. MAIN AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 214
142.
Rachel walks along her row. Hands reach out to her.
Some people stand in their seats around her. A crane-
mounted TV camera swoops down between Frank and his view
of Rachel, obscuring her for a brief instant.
CLOSE ON FRANK'S FACE
Desperately scanning, seeking. Suddenly his face
freezes.
FRANK'S POV
As Rachel reaches the center aisle and starts to walk
toward the steps, there in the far aisle, his face almost
hidden, is Portman -- the camera, hand-held on his
shoulder, moving level with Rachel, 20 feet behind her.
Frank raises his gun.
AISLE
Rachel walks down the aisle toward the side steps. Tears
in her eyes. Thunderous applause. Security guards in
the side aisles look around in all directions. They
can't see anything.
FRANK'S POV
TIGHT ON Portman, now almost completely obscured behind
the members of the audience, as more and more of them
stand to applaud Rachel.
PORTMAN'S POV
ALONG THE SIDE OF THE CAMERA. Rachel keeps appearing and
disappearing behind the heads of the audience.
FRANK IN THE WINGS
Desperate to get a clear shot at Portman but unable to
fire without hitting a bystander.
FROM STAGE RIGHT WINGS - FRANK'S POV OF RACHEL
as she approaches the podium, steadily, controlling
herself as she mounts the steps. The outline of her body
becomes difficult to see against the glare of the foot-
lights and the lights at the side of the auditorium.
FRANK'S FACE
His eyes squint against the dazzle.
ON STAGE - PODIUM
Rachel approaches Winston. The applause and music is
143.
deafening.
FRANK'S FACE
He can't see Portman past the glare. He can't fire into
the audience. He knows Rachel is now at her most vulner-
able. There is only one thing he can do to protect his
charge.
BACKSTAGE WINGS
Frank runs on stage at terrific speed and leaps through
the air at Rachel, twisting his body as he does.
ON STAGE - PODIUM
Rachel turns her head, sees Frank leaping at her and
gasps out with a mixture of fury and terror.
RACHEL
No!
CLOSE ON PORTMAN
The silenced PISTOL taped to the side of the camera FIRES.
ONCE. TWICE.
ON STAGE
Frank and Rachel tumble over on the floor. The podium
topples. There are screams from the audience.
AUDITORIUM
Pandemonium breaks out. Men run on stage from all
directions. Guns are drawn. Everyone is shouting. TV
cameras whip-pan in all directions, security men shout
into walkie-talkies.
QUICK CUT TO:
215 INT. MOBILE TV CONTROL VAN - NIGHT 215
Chaos on all screens.
TV DIRECTOR
What the fuck?
OTHER VOICE (O.S.)
Go to commercial...
216 INT. MAIN AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 216
CLOSE ON PORTMAN
144.
Totally calm and, as he gambled, invisible in the commo-
tion. Camera still on his shoulder, he slowly backs
away from the scene. Ushers and uniformed security men
rush past him towards the stage. People leap from their
seats. A woman screams piercingly behind him. Portman
doesn't blink.
217 INT. STAGE - NIGHT 217
Dozens more helpers pour onto the stage around Frank and
Rachel. Rachel starts to rise on all fours and sees, as
hands reach out to help her, the blood on Frank's shirt.
He has taken the hits for her. But he's still on the
job, gaze alert. Without taking his eyes from the audi-
torium, his left arm stretches out, with some pain, to
push Rachel back down. The right arm, gun in hand,
sweeps the auditorium. Where is Portman? Frank can't
see past the mob.
Ushers fall on Frank in a heap, trying to disarm him.
Security men try to pull them off. Rachel shouts,
trying to make herself heard above the noise.
RACHEL
He's my bodyguard. Get off him!
He's O.K...
FRANK'S POV - SERIES OF SHOTS
A SERIES of SWIFT LOW ANGLE SHOTS through legs and faces.
One brief glimpse that could be Portman. A cameraman
turns. It's not. Frank is desperate, pushing away a
helping arm. The chaos mounts. SIRENS WAIL outside.
218 INT. MAIN AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 218
CLOSE ON PORTMAN
He turns away from the stage as four cops pound past him.
He walks away. Suddenly, for one brief second, his face
loses its composure as he looks to the side door.
PORTMAN'S POV
Hysterical audience members jostle for the exit, screaming
and shouting. It's like a football scrum. Cops and secur-
ity men pushing and pulling. His escape route is blocked.
CLOSE ON FRANK'S FACE - HIS EYES
Briefly glimpsed through blurred, frenzied, f.g. Still
seeking his target, biting his lip in pain.
PORTMAN
145.
Cool again, he turns back to the stage, seeking an
alternative escape route, camera still providing cover.
219 INT. ON STAGE - WINGS - NIGHT 219
A lumbering figure, blood streaming from one eye, his
.38 drawn and outstretched. It's Tony staggering to the
edge of the stage, straight towards his attacker.
TONY
(bellowing)
Frank! Frank! Over here!
ON STAGE
Frank and Rachel's heads swivel in unison at the sound,
looking towards the far aisle.
PORTMAN
Against the side wall at the front, Portman's eyes
desperately scan for the source of the voice. He sees
Tony, his pistol takes aim.
FRANK'S POV
For a split second, two running figures f.g. pass and
cross leaving a momentary clear line to Portman.
ON STAGE
Frank FIRES. ONCE. TWICE.
PORTMAN
Frank's bullets hit home. The first slams Portman in the
chest, knocking him against the wall. The second hits
the CAMERA on his shoulder, EXPLODING it around his face.
FEMALE ACADEMY MEMBER
Blood spatters her white Armani dress and the shirt-
front of her escort. Portman's body slumps forward in
her lap, pinning her back in her seat. He's dead. His
pistol drops onto a pair of shiny, black leather pumps.
ON STAGE
Frank holds his aim steady, reluctant to look away. He
half turns to Rachel, wincing with the effort. She's
unhurt. He has fulfilled his promise to her.
Rachel throws her arms around Frank and hugs him, tears
streaming down her cheeks.
146.
Frank Farmer's face. Sad and weary. His guard is
finally down. Nothing more can happen. He slowly lowers
the gun, closes his eyes and lets his head fall onto his
chest.
ANGLE ON SPECTOR
In the midst of the commotion of medics, security men,
police and ushers, Spector bends down and gently retrieves
the gold envelope and the card bearing Rachel's name.
There are splatters of blood on it. He tries to wipe
them off with the silk handkerchief from his breast pocket.
220 EXT. THE PANTAGES THEATRE - NIGHT 220
A chaos of press and public, ambulance and police lights
flashing, SIRENS WAILING.
ANGLE ON PART OF CROWD
Police and paramedics surrounding a man on a stretcher --
it is Frank -- Rachel walks at his side, clutching his
hand as he is rushed to an ambulance. Tony, a dressing
over his eyes, is also helped out by paramedics. Among
the gathered crowd, we focus in on one face. It is Dan,
pushed back to the sidelines and unable to see what is
happening. He slowly turns and walks away. CAMERA
CRANES to a HIGH WIDE SHOT of the scene.
221 EXT. AIRPLANE TARMAC - DAY 221
A buffed-out charter turboprop stands on the tarmac as
the last pieces of equipment of Rachel's band are loaded
aboard from a truck. A limousine pulls up and Rachel
gets out with Tony and Court, who is clearly acting as
her bodyguard.
She greets some members of the band and others who will
be part of her entourage. A roadie has her luggage
removed from the limo and loaded aboard the plane.
Devaney is trying to hurry her on board. Spector is
conspicuous by his absence.
As Rachel and the others prepare to get onto the plane,
Tony, wearing a dark leather eyepatch, reacts to
something O.S.
Frank approaches from the nearby parking area. He is
pale. Under his clothes it can be seen that his torso is
still taped. He smiles as Tony. Their handshake becomes
a quick abrazo.
FRANK
(indicating eyepatch)
How's it going?
147.
TONY
Under control. But it won't be
the same... ya mutt.
Tony fakes a glancing blow to Frank's chin. Over by the
plane, Fletcher spots Frank and tugs at Rachel's dress,
till she turns to look. Fletcher runs up to Frank and
hugs him around the knees. Rachel approaches and Tony
moves back toward the plane.
Devaney waves in Frank's direction, tapping his watch to
indicate they are late. Frank waves and smiles.
Rachel's surprised to see Frank, but clearly happy.
Fletcher is ecstatic.
RACHEL
You shouldn't be here.
Frank laughs. There is a pause.
RACHEL
So, you're quitting show business?
FRANK
Yeah.
RACHEL
Too bad. You had talent. What
are you going to do?
FRANK
I thought I might hole up with my
dad.
(pats bandaged torso)
Finish that chess game.
Rachel nods approvingly.
RACHEL
Get him when Fletcher's not
around.
FRANK
(ruffling Fletcher's
hair)
That's the idea.
Fletcher grins. Rachel starts to cry.
FRANK
So, how's the new guy?
RACHEL
He's got white hair, Frank.
148.
FRANK
He's very good.
RACHEL
Why'd you have to get me an old
man?
FRANK
I don't trust you.
RACHEL
Yeah... well, give me a kiss and
let's get this over with.
Frank gives her an awkward hug. They kiss.
FRANK
'Bye Rachel.
Rachel turns quickly. She almost runs up the boarding
ladder. Frank remains watching her. Fletcher looks back
over his shoulder as they disappear into the plane.
222 INT. PLANE - DAY 222
Rachel takes a seat beside Fletcher. Devaney leans over
the aisle.
DEVANEY
That wasn't so bad.
(he sees her tears)
You okay?
Rachel is in her own world. Devaney passes the word to
get moving. The ENGINES WARM UP. Rachel turns and sees
Frank still standing there looking at her.
223 INT. COCKPIT - DAY 223
The pilot's hand pushes forward on the throttle.
224 EXT. PLANE - DAY 224
The nosewheel starts to taxi. The plane moves forward.
225 INT. PLANE - DAY 225
Rachel's face at the window.
RACHEL
Wait...
226 EXT. TARMAC - DAY 226
149.
The steps start to fold down out of the plane, but not
fast enough for Rachel.
She jumps the last six feet, staggering slightly as the
plane's jet wash hits her, whipping her clothes and hair.
Without pausing, she runs to Frank who takes her in his
arms. They embrace and kiss. They kiss again and again.
Finally, slowly, Rachel draws back, her eyes are filled
with tears.
RACHEL
Remember when you said you'd risk
your life for me?
Frank tries to break in, but she won't let him interrupt.
RACHEL
I didn't really believe it then.
Nobody means what they say. But
you did, Frank. You did it. You
laid it all on the line for me.
Frank tries to speak, she puts her hands to his lips.
RACHEL
Don't wreck this for me. I don't
want to hear any bullshit about
you just doing your job. You did
more than save my life, Frank.
You showed me a way to be. And I
love you for it.
(a beat)
There, I said it.
(looks at him)
I'll never forget what it felt
like to be under your eye. Never.
FRANK
(smiles)
I won't be forgetting you either.
She presses something into Frank's hand.
RACHEL
Here... I want you to keep this.
If you ever need me, you just put
this on and no matter where you
are I will find you. I promise.
She gives him a quick kiss and walks back toward the
plane, her eyes holding Frank's. Frank opens his palm
to reveal the little enamel cross.
ON FRANK
as the engines roar and the plane turns to taxi out.
150.
The ROAR of the plane becomes APPLAUSE.
227 EXT. CONCERT - NIGHT 227
Rachel's face in FULL FRAME, bathed in light and the
applause of a huge audience.
RACHEL
Thank you... Thank you... Now I
want to sing you an old song, but
it's a new favorite.
As the music begins, Rachel stands alone in front of the
band, mike in hand.
RACHEL
You know, this song used to make
me feel sad... But it doesn't
anymore.
Rachel pauses. The audience is still.
RACHEL
Now it just reminds me of someone
very special... This is for him.
Rachel begins to sing the song 'WHAT BECOMES OF THE
BROKEN HEARTED' - slow and sweet.
It's the song she and Frank danced to. As a VERSE
TRAILS OFF --
228 INT. CLERMONT HOTEL (IOWA CITY) - NIGHT 228
It is a Rotary Dinner.
The CAMERA TRACKS ALONG the front of the head table which
runs from one side of the room to the other.
ROTARY PRESIDENT (O.S.)
Our speaker this evening, the
honorable congressman from the
fifth district, Galen Windsor, has
been a lone, courageous, voice...
he alone has challenged those who
have linked organized crime with
legitimate business throughout our
state.
STILL TRACKING, we see the Rotary President as he nods to
a distinguished-looking gentleman one seat to his right.
On the wall a sign identifying the hotel and a club
banner which reads -- "THE ROTARY CLUB OF IOWA CITY."
The CAMERA CONTINUES to TRACK and the Rotary President
goes OUT OF FRAME.
151.
ROTARY PRESIDENT (O.S.)
But first our benediction will be
delivered by Reverend Phillip
Hardy of the First Presbyterian Church.
STILL TRACKING we see the Reverend get up as the men
around him bow their heads.
REVEREND HARDY
Heavenly Father, please bless us
today as we meet in friendship and duty.
STILL TRACKING as we REACH the end of the table.
REVEREND HARDY (O.S.)
And Lord, whatever dangerous
endeavors those among us may take,
let them never be without your
sanctuary.
The CAMERA STOPS. Standing against the wall behind the
table is Frank. As the Reverend's prayer goes on, all
heads are bowed to receive the benediction. All heads
but Frank's. The CAMERA MOVES IN TIGHT ON his face.
REVEREND HARDY
... For all we know in our hearts
that even though we may walk
through the valley of the shadow
of death, you are with us...
guiding and protecting us. Amen.
The Reverend's final words segue into Rachel's song.
Frank's searching gaze around the room is arrested for
a moment as though reacting to Rachel's voice.
229 INT. CONCERT - NIGHT 229
Rachel ends a phrase. She dabs at the corner of her eye
as she continues the song that still binds them together.
230 INT. ROTARY CLUB DINNER - NIGHT 230
VERY CLOSE ON FRANK
His expression, so intense in the opening scene of the
film, is softer now. Rachel's voice continues as Frank
carefully scans the room.
FADE OUT:
THE END