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17 #A-33578 17
25 CONTINUED 25
STRINGFELLOW (Cont'd)
belief into that child of yours to
make her kick her way out of a
pine casket, if need be!
(grabs the Man)
You understand? I'm telling you
that if that child crosses over
into the shadows -- I'll bring her
back to life! Now go get her!
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Slowly, the Man turns, wide-eyed, believing and disbelieving
at the same time. He turns back, stops, exchanges a look
with Snyder, then continues on out the door.
26 FAVORING SNYDER 26
as he turns to Stringfellow
SNYDER
Why don't you just bushwhack him
out there in the storm and knife
him for his wallet? Compared to
what you're doing, that would be
an act of Christian charity!
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STRINGFELLOW
(very softly)
For a soused-up wreck, you've got
a lot of judgments in you. But,
at the moment, you either go back
to your bottle and shut up -- or
go outside to that mournful man
and read him the Latin out of the
medical book. Explain to him with
charts how irrevocable is death.
(beat)
And see which one of us he'll be-
lieve!
27 EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT 27
Hours have passed and the storm has abated, leaving behind
only sporadic, eddying little gusts of wind. Parked in front
of the hotel is a black horse-drawn hearse, its rear doors
open. After a moment we see a black frocked Undertaker
come out of the hotel, carrying the blanket-covered lifeless
body of the little Girl. He puts the body gently inside the
hearse, closes the doors, looks briefly toward the hotel as
the Man comes out, his face illuminated by the lights from
inside and sufficiently to reveal the mask of grief. The
CONTINUED
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VW #A-33578 18
27 CONTINUED 27
Undertaker moves around the hearse to climb up to the driver's
seat, then the hearse creaks off into the darkness. The Man
stands there motionless for a moment, then walks down the
steps of the hotel porch across the street toward the buckboard.
28 INT. HOTEL DINING ROOM/BAR - NIGHT 28
Rolpho sits alone at a table. He looks toward the stairs
as Stringfellow descends. Stringfellow moves to the table.
Rolpho contemplates him, his face twisted with sadness.
ROLPHO
She's dead.
STRINGFELLOW
Another one of your razor-sharp per-
ceptions!
(looks toward stairs,
voice quieter)
But, not an unworthy effort on my
past. I just played the long odds.
If she'd lived, they'd be speaking
my name down to the Texas border --
and that caramel-colored guk would
be going for fifty dollars a sip!
(a beat)
As it is --
(turns to Rolpho)
As it is...we did some fleecing
and the Grim Reaper did some reap-
ing...and it was ever thus. Let's
go, Rolpho, lad -- there are other
towns...and other sheep.
As he turns toward the door, he sees Snyder coming down the
steps carrying a bottle and almost totally hors de combat.
SNYDER
You're leaving us, "Doctor?"
STRINGFELLOW
I'm a travelling man.
SNYDER
(nods)
And you'll never run out of places
to travel to, will you? Or poor,
ignorant people to rob. Or deep
pools of misery to go wading into
with your dirty feet.
CONTINUED
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vw #A-33578 19
28 CONTINUED 28
SNYDER (Cont'd)
(a beat)
What a prince of a fellow you are,
Medicine Man. But there's a service
you perform. Whoever stands next
to you -- and it could be the Devil
himself -- you make him look like
God!
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29 HIGH ANGLE - THE SCENE 29
Snyder carries the bottle over to the bar, sits down and
starts to drink.
30 EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT 30
Stringfellow comes out the door, stands on the porch for a
moment, takes out a cheroot, scratches a match on his pants.
Camera zooms in tight on his face, illuminated by the match
as his eyes go wide. Whip pan away from him toward the
road where we see, through the fog-like dust raised by the
howling windstorm, in indistinct outline, the figure of the
little girl just standing there, staring.
31 REVERSE ANGLE - STRINGFELLOW - GIRL'S POINT OF VIEW 31
Finding his voice, he takes a step toward the little girl.
STRINGFELLOW
Is this a haunt...or a resurrec-
tion?
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(another step)
Did you kick yourself out of that
pine coffin...or are you just a
floating spirit to point a finger
at me?
32 ANOTHER ANGLE - MOVING WITH STRINGFELLOW 32
as he advances toward the little girl.
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STRINGFELLOW
Well, I'll tell you something,
child...if it's the former...if
that caramel colored nothing that
I bottle performed a miracle...we
can both get rich! I don't mean
just rich...I mean we can own the
earth! Stay there, child...just
stay there ---
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