vw #A-33578
NIGHT GALLERY
"DR. STINGFELLOW'S REJUVENATOR"
FADE IN
1 EXT. DESERT TOWN (CIRCA, 1880's) - DAY 1
We're looking at a four-building "village", dusty white in a
boiling sun. Outside of some errant cactus, some creosote,
and a couple of scrawny shrubs, there is no vegetation at
all -- just four wooden frame buildings representing a hotel,
a general store-post office-undertaking parlor, a black-
smith's barn, and a combination church-and-meeting hall.
Atop the general store is a large sign reading: "BARTELBY
& SONS - 1ST CLASS BURIALS - SERVICES FOR THE DEAD - PICKUP
AND DELIVERY - SATISFACTION GUARANTEED." There are a few
wagons pulled up, but the focus of attention is on one in
particular - a garishly-colored "traveling medicine show"
with flamboyantly curlyqueued lettering which reads, "Dr.
Stringfellow's Rejuvenator;" and standing on the platform
of the wagon is Dr. Ernest Stringfellow himself. Alongside
is his assistant, Rolpho -- a giant, baldheaded oaf with a
walnut-sized brain and a muscular body gone to flesh. He's
in the process of lugging out a giant carton filled with
bottles. Stringfellow is in his 50's - skinny, bony, frock-
coated, hatched-faced, and a conniver from his crotch to
where he parts his hair. At the moment, he's banging on an
ancient drum, looking out at the country people -- the
farmers and their families who start to move toward him,
wide-eyed, ingenuous - a convocation of sucker bait.
2 FAVORING STRINGFELLOW 2
as his eyes dart around the faces of the farmers. In all
things he is a judge of men - and he waits for the moment
when the annual fleecing game can commence. When a crowd of
perhaps fifteen people are gathered, Stringfellow stops
beating the drum, rises, picks up a bottle from the box,
holds it up, addressing his audience in a stentorian tone:
STRINGFELLOW
May I have your attention, ladies
and gentlemen? Your attention,
please?
(points to bottle)
I call your attention to Dr. String-
fellow's Rejunvenator. A strength-
ening cordial that invigorates the
stomach, stimulates the liver, regu-
lates the kidneys, restores the
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vw #A-33578 2
2 CONTINUED 2
STRINGFELLOW (Cont'd)
health and vitality of the blood,
gives new life and vigor to all the
tissues of the body. It promptly
removes all diseases of the organs
peculiar to both male and female.
An absolute cure for eruptions of
the skin. It is a most excellent
remedy for dizziness, chills and
fevers. Additionally, it prevents
cholera and all manner of epidemic
diseases -- fevers of every kind,
particularly that great scourge:
Yellow Fever! It is the consumptive's
Rejuvenator -- the greatest puri-
fier in the world! It strengthens
and supports the system like braces
of iron.
3 PANNING THE AUDIENCE - STRINGFELLOW'S POINT OF VIEW 3
reacting wide-eyed and open-mouthed. These are normally
tight, taut people of the soil - reticent and reluctant -
but Stringfellow moves them from palm to palm.
STRINGFELLOW
Now, ladies and gentlemen, in any
sizeable city, this incredible
rejuvenator would cost easily ten
dollars a bottle -- that is, were
it available. The fact is, however,
that it is not available. I am its
creator and sole proprietor. And
because I am not a man who seeks
to profit from the illness, the
pain, the anguish of my fellow men
-- I offer it to you for just
pennies more than its production
cost. One dollar per bottle. Six
bottles for five dollars. The supply
is limited, friends, so please
hurry and make your purchase.
4 TWO SHOT - STRINGFELLOW AND ROLPHO 4
as Rolpho picks up a box full of bottles and is about to
leave the platform with them.
STRINGFELLOW
Now, ladies and gentlemen - my
assistant will pass amongst you
CONTINUED
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4 CONTINUED 4
STRINGFELLOW (Cont'd)
and, please -- no jostling -- and
no more than six bottles to a
customer, please --
(to Rolpho, through
his teeth, sotto
voce)
And give the right change, dummy!
Rolpho carries the box of bottles into the crowd and we
see several people begin to buy them. As Stringfellow stands
watching the procedure, his eyes lift to fix with interest
on a point o.s. He frowns.
5 STRINGFELLOW'S POINT OF VIEW - TO BUCKBOARD 5
On the fringe of the crowd, a farmer sits on the seat of a
buckboard wagon - a haggard, graying man with the seamed
face of a beaten down desert dweller. He is staring back
at Stringfellow, watching and listening with a very special
intensity.
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6 CLOSEUP - STRINGFELLOW 6
who narrows his eyes, gnaws on his lower lip for a moment as
an instinct warns him, then he straightens up, turns
abruptly, walks over to the shabby drum set, picks it up
and lugs it into the wagon.
7 INT. MEDICINE WAGON - DAY 7
Aside from primitive living accountrements like a cot and
a couple of basins, the only other things that grace the
compartment are several vats of whatever is the guk put into
"Dr. Stringfellow's Rejuvenator." Stringfellow moves to a
small window, parts the curtains and stares out.
8 EXT. DESERT TOWN - TO BUCKBOARD - DAY 8
From Stringfellow's point of view, we see that the man in
the buckboard is talking to Rolpho. We see, in pantomime,
Rolpho nodding, pointing toward the wagon, nodding again,
then winding up his sale of the last bottle.
9 INT. MEDICINE WAGON - DAY 9
Stringfellow leaves the window, moves back into the interior
of the wagon. After a moment, there’s a brief tap on the
CONTINUED
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