Scripts: Vertigo (12/Sep/1957) - part 4
INT. GAVIN ELSTER'S CLUB - (NIGHT)
Elster and Scottie are seated in the lounge of a San Francisco
Club - there are one or two members reading newspapers, etc.,
while a waiter moves by in the background serving drinks.
Elster is studying the reproduction of the portrait of
Carlotta in the catalogue that Scottie procured from the
gallery.
The waiter leans in and places two drinks before them.
Scottie watches Elster, waiting for him, to speak. Finally:
ELSTER
(With a wan smile)
You've done well, Scottie. You're
good at your job.
SCOTTIE
That's Carlotta Valdes.
ELSTER
Yes.
SCOTTIE
There are things you didn't tell me.
ELSTER
I didn't know where she was going to
lead you.
SCOTTIE
But you knew about this.
ELSTER
Oh, yes. You noticed the way she
does her hair.
He places a finger on the reproduction of the portrait to
indicate the bun at the back of the neck. Scottie nods.
ELSTER
Something else. My wife, Madeleine,
has several pieces of jewelry that
belonged to Carlotta. She inherited
them. Never wore them, they were too
old-fashioned... until now. Now,
when she is alone, she gets them out
and looks at them handles them gently,
curiously... puts them on and stares
at herself in the mirror... and goes
into that other world... is someone
else again.
SCOTTIE
Carlotta Valdes was what: your wife's
grandmother?
ELSTER
Great-grandmother. The child who was
taken from her whose loss drove
Carlotta mad and to her death - was
Madeleine's grandmother.
SCOTTIE
(Confidently)
Well, that explains it. Anyone could
develop an obsession for the past,
with a background like that.
ELSTER
But she doesn't know, about her
background.
(As Scottie stares,
narrowly)
She never heard of Carlotta Valdes.
SCOTTIE
Knows nothing of a grave out at
Mission Dolores, or an old house an
Eddy Street, or a portrait at the
Palace of the Legion of Honor?
ELSTER
Nothing.
SCOTTIE
And when she goes to those places...
ELSTER
She is not my wife.
The two men stare at each other directly, honestly.
SCOTTIE
How do you know all these things she
doesn't know?
ELSTER
Her mother told me most of then before
she died. I dug out the rest for
myself, here.
SCOTTIE
Why did she never tell her daughter?
ELSTER
Natural fear. Her grandmother went
insane and took her own life. And
the blood is in Madeleine.
(Pause)
Scottie, I ask you to watch her
closely.
Scottie raises his glass and drinks slowly, thoughtfully.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR - (LATE AFTERNOON)
The columns of the courtyard are back lit by the sun. There
is no sign of life. Near the steps, standing alone and empty,
is the green Jaguar.
LAP DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE ART GALLERY - (LATE AFTERNOON)
SHOOTING through the columns in the foreground, our view of
the room is obscured momentarily by an elderly couple moving
toward the door. They go by to reveal Scottie standing by a
Rodin sculpture, looking into the room, and far beyond him,
at the end of the room, Madeleine seated on the bench before
the portrait staring at it. In her hand, resting at her side
on the bench, is once again the nosegay. Now she rises and
approaches the portrait and stands before it, the nosegay
clasped in her two hands before her, and stares up almost as
though in votive offering or in prayer. Finally she turns
and starts toward the entrance. Scottie slips away out of
sight. Madeleine walks slowly toward the CAMERA.
LAP DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PALACE OF THE LEGION OF HONOR - (LATE AFTERNOON)
Madeleine approaches the green Jaguar, gets in, and the car
starts away. Scottie's car moves into the scene, following,
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SEA CLIFF DRIVE - (LATE AFTERNOON)
We see the green Jaguar proceeding, the grey sedan at a
careful distance behind.
Beyond, looking northeast we see the Golden Gate Bridge in
the late afternoon sun, and Richmond and Berkeley in the
distance.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (SUNSET)
Scottie carefully looking ahead.
EXT. PRESIDIO DRIVE - (SUNSET)
Madeleine's car approaches along the drive to the gates of
the Presidio, and passes through the gates and is swallowed
by the trees. Scottie's car follows, and it, too, disappears.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PRESIDIO - (SUNSET)
The two cars driving along the wooded road.
INT. SCOTTIE'S CAR - (SUNSET)
Scottie looking ahead.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. FORT POINT - (SUNSET)
Scottie's car is traveling down the slope toward the jutting
point of old Fort Winfield Scott. It comes to a stop in the
level clearing. The green Jaguar stands there, empty.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - MEDIUM SHOT
Scottie gets out of his car and looks off out of picture.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - LONG SHOT
Madeleine walking away round the dockside. The vast bridge
towers above her. She carries the nosegay. Scottie moves
into the f.g., and makes off in the same direction. Madeleine
disappears round the corner of the old fort wall. Now she
is out of sight, we see Scottie quicken his pace as he
approaches the corner of the fort wall.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - MEDIUM SHOT
SHOOTING back, we see Scottie approach the wall and peer
cautiously around.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - SEMI-LONG SHOT
From his viewpoint, we see Madeleine standing at the waters'
edge. She is mechanically tearing off the lace-edged paper
from the nosegay.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - CLOSEUP
Scottie watching her curiously.
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - SEMI-CLOSEUP
Madeleine lets the paper drift away down to the water. She
proceeds to unwind the wire around the flowers and begins to
scatter them an the water.
CLOSE SHOT OF FLOWERS FLOATING ON THE WATER
EXT. BRIDGE - (SUNSET) - CLOSEUP
Scottie watching Madeleine.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - SEMI-LONG SHOT
The full figure of Madeleine, scattering the rest of the
flowers. Then she raises her head and stares up at the sky.
A moment in which her body seem poised, and then she is gone,
lost to view in the water.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - LONG SHOT
Scottie dashes around the wall and the CAMERA PANS him to
the water's edge. He is throwing his coat off.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - SEMI-LONG SHOT
SHOOTING down into the water, we see Madeleine's upturned
face as she floats away. She disappears now and again.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - MEDIUM SHOT
SCOTTIE, running down the few stone steps towards the water.
When the water is up to his knees, he swims out towards her.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - CLOSEUP MADELEINE
Her eyes staring, sinks beneath the water. She is surrounded
by the scattered flowers. Scottie swims in and grabs her.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - CLOSEUP
As he holds her, the two heads are pressed together. He turns
and starts to swim back with her. The screen is filled with
their two heads. Madeleine's staring eyes begin to close as
she is moved away.
LAP DISSOLVE:
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - MEDIUM SHOT
We see Scottie coming up some stone steps. He is staggering
with the weight of Madeleine's water-soaked body and clothes.
He carries her over towards the green Jaguar.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET) - MEDIUM SHOT
Resting her for a moment, he throws open the door on the
passenger's side.
EXT. DOCKSIDE - (SUNSET)
Scottie's head is close to hers. She is now breathing heavily.
SCOTTIE
(whispering)
Are you all right?
Her eyes open slowly.
SCOTTIE
(Calling softly)
Madeleine...
Her eyes show no sign of recognition or response; they move
past his face and stare out. The CAMERA SLOWLY MOVES IN
until her head fills the screen. She stares out as though in
a trance.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT.SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (DUSK)
The empty green Jaguar is drawn up at the curb before the
red door of a small, well-kept house.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)
We are in the living room of a comfortable a bachelor
apartment. There is a picture window that looks up to Coit
Tower on Telegraph Hill. The room is softly lit. A fire is
lit in the fireplace; the logs are blazing well, Scottie, in
a pair of grey trousers and an old sweater, is wandering
about the room, trying to think things out. Through an open
door we can see into a small kitchen where Madeleine's clothes -
all of them - hang, on a cord over the electric stove, drying.
And through another open door we can see into the bedroom
where Madeleine lies, in the larger-than-single bed, under
the covers, asleep. She sighs and turns restlessly, and
Scottie glances at her from the living-room as he wanders,
and then she turns again, and the sigh becomes words, spoken
in sleep, and he stops, and listens.
MADELEINE
(Faintly, distantly)
Please... thank you... please...
Scottie waits, taut, but there is no more. He starts to turn
away and suddenly, still distant, but more clearly:
MADELEINE
(Appealingly)
Where is my child?... have you seen
my child...?
Scottie stiffens with the shock of recognition and his eyes
go wide with apprehension staring at the lost, eye-closed,
troubled woman in the bed. And at that moment the telephone
on the bedside table rings sharply. He makes a dash for it.
The ringing brings the woman to with a sharp start, and she
instinctively clutches the bedclothes to her chin and raises
up a little and stares with wide-eyed fright at the man
running towards her. Scottie takes the phone.
SCOTTIE
Yes?... No, it's all right; I'll
call you back. Yes. Yes!
He hangs up, and tries to smile down at Madeleine, who has
not moved, but has followed his every move with fright and
apprehension.
SCOTTIE
Are you all right?
No answer, only the eyes staring at him. And then he realizes,
with some embarrassment, that she cannot move, that she is
naked under the bedclothes, and he reaches across to the
dressing gown he has laid out for her on the bed, and moves
it closer to her.
SCOTTIE
Oh... you'll want this...
He gives her a reassuring nod and smile, straightens up and
goes to the door, and goes into the living room, closing the
bedroom door behind him. And she stares after him as he goes.
In the living room, he moves to the fireplace, puts another
log on, and watches it catch. The bedroom door behind him
opens, and he turns to face Madeleine. She has the dressing
gown belted tightly around the middle and holds it together
with one band at her breast. And she stands there staring at
him nervously, frightened, not wanting to admit that she
does not know how she came there, but wanting very much to
know. And she cannot help herself: knowing her own fears,
she has to ask.
MADELEINE
Why am I here? What happened?
SCOTTIE
You...
(Then, not liking the
sound of the truth)
...fell into the Bay.
She puts a hand slowly to her hair, understanding now why it
is wet.
SCOTTIE
I dried your hair as well as I could.
But you'd better come here by the
fire.
And now, knowing that he dried her hair, she realizes that
he must have taken her clothes off, too, and she looks down
at her body with deep awareness of her nakedness, and draws
the dressing gown more closely to her, and looks back at him
with frightened embarrassment. And her head begins to move
quickly, the eyes darting about the apartment as though
seeking a way of escape, and she sees the clothes hanging in
the kitchen. And she looks back to Scottie appealingly.
SCOTTIE
They're almost at dry. Here. Why
don't you come over here?
He pulls a low-stool over before the fire. Madeleine crosses
slowly, keeping her eyes always on him, and sinks down on
the stool. He smiles a at her companionably.
SCOTTIE
Would you like some coffee?
She shakes her head.
SCOTTIE
You'd better have some. Or would you
rather have a drink?
She shakes her head again. He pours a cup of coffee and places
it on the floor next to her, along with a bowl of sugar cubes.
MADELEINE
(Wonderingly)
...fell into the bay...
She looks up at him. He nods.
MADELEINE
...and you fished me out...
He nods. She gives him a small grateful smile.
MADELEINE
Thank you.
Scottie is watching her intently.
SCOTTIE
You don't remember.
MADELEINE
No...
SCOTTIE
Do you remember where you were?
MADELEINE
(Childishly surprised)
Oh, of course I remember that! But
then I must have had a dizzy spell,
and fainted!
SCOTTIE
(Quickly)
Where were you?
MADELEINE
At...
For that one slight, imperceptible moments it may seem that
she is caught, but then she goes on.
MADELEINE
(Triumphantly)
...Old Port Point! Out at the
Presidio! Of course I remember! I
often go there!
SCOTTIE
Why?
MADELEINE
(Almost naively)
Because I love it so. It's beautiful
there. Especially at sunset.
(She leans her head
back sensually to
the warmth)
Ah... thank you for the fire.
SCOTTIE
Where had you been before?
MADELEINE
When?
SCOTTIE
This afternoon.
MADELEINE
Oh... wandering about.
SCOTTIE
Before? Where? Where had you been?
There is a quick moment of blankness in her eyes that she
tries to hide, and then:
MADELEINE
(Positively)
Downtown, shopping.
And Scottie sighs inwardly, having proved something.
SCOTTIE
Please drink your coffee.
MADELEINE
I will. You're terribly direct in
your questions.
SCOTTIE
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude.
MADELEINE
You're not. Merely direct. What were
you doing there? At Old Fort Point?
SCOTTIE
Wandering about.
MADELEINE
You like it, too.
He nods. She smiles at him happily, enjoying the warmth and
the coffee, enjoying his presence, seemingly almost to have
forgotten her nearness to death. And Scottie is fascinated
by this thing curled up before his fire.
MADELEINE
(Then with a wicked
smile)
And where had you been?... just
before?
A moment, as Scottie takes a deep breath, and then he decides
to chance it and see the reaction.
SCOTTIE
The Palace of the Legion of honor.
The Art Gallery.
MADELEINE
(Enthusiastically)
Oh, that's a lovely spot, isn't it?
I've never been inside. But it looks
so lovely, driving past.
At the words, "I've never been inside," Scottie is startled.
He stares at her, and she looks at him with naive, happy
inquisitiveness, and their looks are joined. Finally she
drops her eyes and smiles timidly.
MADELEINE
(Softly)
Lucky for me you were wandering about.
Thank you again. I've been terrible
bother to you.
SCOTTIE
No.
She reaches up to feel her hair.
MADELEINE
When you...
(And suddenly conscious
of her nakedness
again, and embarrassed)
There were pins in my hair...
SCOTTIE
Oh! Yes! Here!
He crosses the room swiftly, picks up an ash tray in which
he had deposited her hairpins, takes her handbag from a chair,
and brings them to her.
MADELEINE
Thank you.
She proceeds to do up her hair. He watches her, held by the
movement of her body under the dressing gown as she raises
her arms and deftly sets about putting her hair in order. At
one point, as she works, she looks up and flashes him a direct
smile.
MADELEINE
You shouldn't have brought me here,
you know.
SCOTTIE
I... didn't know where you lived.
MADELEINE
You could have looked in my car. Oh,
but you didn't know my car, did you?
SCOTTIE
Yes, I knew which one it was. It's
out there, now. But I didn't think
you'd want to be brought home that
way.
MADELEINE
No, you are right,
(Pause, as she works)
I'm glad you didn't take me home...
I wouldn't have known you, to thank
you...
(Suddenly appalled)
Oh, but I don't know you! And you
don't know me! My name is Madeleine
Elster.
SCOTTIE
My name is John Ferguson.
MADELEINE
That's a good, strong name. Do your
friends call you John? Or Jack.
SCOTTIE
John. Old friends. Acquaintances
call me Scottie.
MADELEINE
(Smiling)
I shall call you Mr. Ferguson.
SCOTTIE
(Grinning)
No, I wouldn't like that. And after
what happened today I should think
you could call me Scottie. Or even
John.
MADELEINE
I prefer John. There, that's done.
(The hair is in order)
And what do you do, John?
SCOTTIE
Wander about.
MADELEINE
That's a good occupation. And live
here... alone?
He nods. A cloud comes over her eyes. She looks away.
MADELEINE
(softly)
One shouldn't live alone.
SCOTTIE
Some people prefer it.
MADELEINE
No... it's wrong.
Then she looks up with a small smile, and the cloud is gone
from her eyes, and she speaks completely matter-of-factly.
MADELEINE
(Simply)
I'm married, you know.
Scottie nods almost imperceptibly with his eyes. He looks at
her for a long moment. Then:
SCOTTIE
Will you tell me something? Has this
ever happened to you before?
MADELEINE
(startled)
What?
SCOTTIE
...Falling... into San Francisco
Bay?
She laughs with relief, for it seemed to her, for a quick
moment, that he was going to say "falling in love".
MADELEINE
No, never before. I've fallen into
lakes, out of rowboats, when I was a
little girl. And I fell into a river,
once, trying to leap from one stone
to another. But I've never fallen
into San Francisco Bay. Have you?
Ever before?
SCOTTIE
(Grinning)
No... this is the first time for me,
too.
And they laugh together, with genuine warmth and friendliness
in their eyes, and it is obvious they are very much taken
with each other. And as they laugh, simultaneously, she
reaches for the cup of coffee, to take another sip, and he
reaches for it, meaning to take it and refill it.
SCOTTIE
Here, let me give you a lit --
And his hand falls on her outstretched arm and stays there,
and with the contact made, the laughter dies suddenly, and
he is looking down at her intently, and their eyes have met,
and hers are anxious and wondering. And at that moment, the
telephone rings sharply. Scottie races into the bedroom,
closing the door behind him, and gets to the phone.
SCOTTIE
Hello.
ELSTER'S VOICE
Scottie, what happened? She's not
home, yet.
SCOTTIE
No, she's all right. She's still
here. But I'll get her home soon.
ELSTER'S VOICE
What happened?
SCOTTIE
She... went into the Bay.
There is a long silence.
SCOTTIE
Hello?
ELSTER'S VOICE
Did she hurt herself?
SCOTTIE
No. She's in fine shape. Nothing to
worry about. But she doesn't know.
You understand that. She doesn't
know what she did.
Another long silence.
ELSTER'S VOICE
Scottie... Madeleine is twenty-six.
Carlotta Valdes committed suicide
when she was twenty-six.
And now it is Scottie's turn to be silent. He hangs up slowly
and moves across the room to the door.
INT. THE LIVING ROOM - (NIGHT)
Scottie enters from the bedroom, and stops, surprised. The
room is empty. The clothes are gone from the in the kitchen.
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)
A car is moving down the hill on the opposite side of the
street. It begins to turn in toward the sidewalk and then
comes to a sudden stop.
EXT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT) - CLOSEUP
Midge is behind the wheel. She is staring out of the side of
the window and we see what has made her come to a sudden
stop.
EXT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)
From Midge's point of view; Madeleine, outside Scottie's
door, hurries to the green Jaguar.
INT. MIDGE'S CAR - (NIGHT)
Midge watches Madeleine almost wistfully, and there is a
small look of hurt in her eyes. But even to herself she has
to cover, and she smiles ironically.
EXT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)
The Jaguar pulls away and passes out of view.
INT. MIDGE'S CAR - (NIGHT)
Midge is still staring across at Scottie's house, and the
soft smile on her lips covers the hurt well. But there is
still a shadow of it in her eyes.
MIDGE
(Softly)
Well, now, Johnny-O... Was it a
ghost?... And was it fun?...
Then she suddenly changes expression.
MIDGE
Oops!
She takes her foot off the brake, and turning hard on the
wheel, straightens the car up and drives on.
EXT. SCOTTIE'S APARTMENT - (NIGHT)
The door to Scottie's apartment has opened, and Scottie stands
in the doorway looking up and down the street for the Jaguar,
his tall frame silhouetted in the light streaming from the
room.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BROCKLEBANK APTS. - (DAY) - LONG SHOT
...continue to part 5
