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Niki Wurster Visit our Movie Scripts Page screenplay 451: http://www.geocities.com/~screenplay451/ Mao Guangqin 2 1 2000-01-15T02:55:00Z 2000-01-15T02:55:00Z 70 20964 119498 Pumpkin Software 995 238 146751 9.2504 21 6 磅 5.2 磅 0 0 Chinat
GITTES
What ?
EVELYN
I said I'll drop it.
The iced tea comes on a tray which Ramon sets down between them.
EVELYN
(continuing; pleasantly)
– so let's just – drop the whole thing. Sugar? Lemon –
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray?
EVELYN
(as she's mixing one of the drinks)
– Yes, Mr. Gittes?
GITTES
I don't want to drop it.
Evelyn looks up. Gittes smiles a little sheepishly.
GITTES
I should talk this over with your husband.
EVELYN
(a little concerned)
Why?... What on earth for? Look, Hollis seems to think
you're an innocent man.
GITTES
Well, I've been accused of many things, Mrs. Mulwray,
but never that.
Again he laughs a little nervously. Again no reaction.
GITTES
(continuing)
You see, somebody went to a lot of trouble here, and I
want to find out, lawsuit or no lawsuit. I'm not the one who's supposed to be
caught with my pants down... so I'd like to see your husband – unless that's a
problem.
EVELYN
(with a slight edge)
What do you mean?
GITTES
May I speak frankly, Mrs. Mulwray?
EVELYN
You may if you can, Mr. Gittes.
GITTES
(determined to be polite)
– Well, that little girlfriend, she was attractive –
in a cheap sort of way of course – she's disappeared. Maybe they disappeared
together somewhere.
EVELYN
(with rising anger)
Suppose they did. How does it concern you?
GITTES
– Nothing personal, Mrs. Mulwray, I just –
EVELYN
It's very personal. It couldn't be more personal. Is
this a business or an obsession with you?
GITTES
Look at it this way – Now this phony broad, excuse the
language, says she's you, she's hired me. Whoever put her up to it, didn't have
anything against me. They were out to get your husband. Now if I see him, I can
help him did you talk this morning?
Evelyn brushes lightly at the horsehair on her Jeans.
EVELYN
– No. I went riding rather early –
GITTES
– Looks Like you went quite a distance –
EVELYN
No, Just riding bareback, that's all. Anyway, you
might try the Oak Pass or Stone Canyon Reservoirs – sometimes at lunch Hollis
takes walks around them – otherwise he'll be home by 6:30.
GITTES
I'll stop by.
EVELYN
Please call first.
Gittes nods.
EXT. OAK PASS RESERVOIR – DAY
Gittes drives up a winding road, following a flood channel up into the parched hills.
TWO FIRE TRUCKS
One a rescue truck, are at the entrance to the reservoir.
The chain link fence with its KEEP OUT sign is open and there are people milling around.
The reservoir is below.
Gittes' car is stopped by a couple of UNIFORMED
POLICE.
Sorry, this is closed to the public, sir.
Gittes hesitates only a moment, then:
GITTES
(to the Guard)
It's all right – Russ Yelburton, Deputy Chief in the
Department.
He fishes out one of Yelburton's cards from his handkerchief pocket – hands it to the Guard.
GUARD
Sorry, Mr. Yelburton. Go on down.
Gittes drives past the Guards, through the gate, along the reservoir. He spots a police car and an unmarked one as well.
Gittes stops and gets out of the car. Several men with their backs turned, one talking quietly, staring down into the reservoir where other men in small skiffs are apparently dredging for something.
One of the men turns and sees Gittes. He recognizes Gittes and is visibly shocked.
LOACH
Gittes – for Chrissakes –
GITTES
Loach –
LOACH
(moving to Gittes, taking him by the arm)
– C'mon, get out of here before –
EXT. RESERVOIR – DAY
Loach tries to ease him down the path.
GITTES
Before what? What the hell's going on?
At the sound of his raised voice, a man standing at the edge of the
channel, talking to two boys in swimming trunks, turns around. He's a tall,
sleek Mexican in his early thirties, LUIS ESCOBAR.
Both Gittes and Escobar register considerable surprise at seeing one another. The men around them are extremely uneasy.
Loach is actually sweating. Finally, Escobar smiles.
ESCOBAR
Hello, Jake.
GITTES
(without smiling)
How are you, Lou?
ESCOBAR
– I have a cold I can't seem to shake but other than
that, I'm fine.
GITTES
Summer colds are the worst.
ESCOBAR
Yeah, they are.
Gittes reaches into his pocket, pulls out his cigarette case.
A FIREMAN
No smoking, sir – it's a fire hazard this time of year
–
ESCOBAR
I think we can make an exception – I'll see he's
careful with the matches.
GITTES
(lighting up)
Thanks, Lou.
ESCOBAR
How'd you get past the guards?
GITTES
Well, to tell you the truth, I lied a little.
Escobar nods. They walk a couple of steps – the other police – two plainclothesmen and a uniformed officer watch them.
ESCOBAR
You've done well by yourself.
GITTES
I get by.
ESCOBAR
Well, sometimes it takes a while for a man to find
himself and I guess you have.
LOACH
Poking around in other people's dirty linen.
GITTES
Yeah. Tell me. You still throw Chinamen into jail for
spitting on the laundry?
ESCOBAR
You're behind the times, Jake – they've got steam
irons now –
(smiles)
And I'm out of Chinatown.
GITTES
Since when?
ESCOBAR
Since I made Lieutenant –
It's apparent Gittes is impressed despite himself.
GITTES
Congratulations.
ESCOBAR
Uh-huh – so what are you doing here?
GITTES
Looking for someone.
ESCOBAR
Who?
GITTES
Hollis Mulwray. You seen him?
ESCOBAR
Oh yes.
GITTES
I'd like to talk to him.
ESCOBAR
You're welcome to try. There he is.
Escobar points down to the reservoir – a couple of men using poles
with hooks are fishing about in the water. It can be SEEN that one of them has
hooked something.
He shouts. The other man hooks it, too. They pull, revealing the soaking back of a man's coat – they start to pull the body into the skiff.
INT. CORONER'S OFFICE – EVELYN AND ESCOBAR
Are standing over the body of Mulwray. Escobar has the sheet drawn back. Evelyn nods.
Escobar drops the sheet. Escobar and Evelyn move a few feet to one side and whisper, almost as though they were trying to keep the corpse from hearing them.
ESCOBAR
– It looks like he was washed the entire length of the
runoff channel – could he swim?
EVELYN
Of course.
ESCOBAR
– Obviously the fall must have knocked him out –
Evelyn nods slightly Escobar coughs. A coroner's assistant wheels the body out of the office.
ESCOBAR
(continuing)
– This alleged affair he was having – the publicity
didn't make him morose or unhappy?
OUTSIDE THE CORONER'S
Gittes has been sitting on a wooden bench, smoking and listening. At this question, he rises and looks through the doorway.
Escobar sees him, ignores him. Evelyn doesn't see him.
EVELYN
... Well, it didn't make him happy...
ESCOBAR
But there is no possibility he would have taken his
own life?
EVELYN
(sharply)
No.
ESCOBAR
(a little uncomfortably now)
Mrs. Mulwray, do you happen to know the name of the
young woman in question?
Evelyn shows a flash of annoyance.
EVELYN
No.
ESCOBAR
Do you know where she might be?
EVELYN
Certainly not!
Escobar and Evelyn move slowly toward the door.
ESCOBAR
You and your husband never discussed her?
EVELYN.
(stopping, faltering)
He... we did... he wouldn't tell me her name. We
quarreled over her... of course – it came as a complete surprise to me –
ESCOBAR
A complete surprise?
EVELYN
– Yes.
ESCOBAR
But I thought you'd hired a private investigator –
EVELYN
A private investigator?
ESCOBAR
(gesturing vaguely toward the door)
Mr. Gittes.
EVELYN
Well yes –
Evelyn looks up to see Gittes standing in the doorway only a foot or two from her. She stops cold. They look at one another for a long moment.
EVELYN
(her eyes on Gittes)
But I... I... did that because I thought it was a
nasty rumor I'd put an end to...
She finishes, looks plaintively at Gittes. Escobar is right at her back. Gittes says nothing.
ESCOBAR
– And when did Mr. Gittes inform you that these rumors
had some foundation in fact?
Evelyn looks at Escobar but doesn't know how to answer him.
GITTES
(smoothly)
– Just before the story broke in the papers, Lou.
Escobar nods. They begin to walk slowly, again have to move out of the way as some other corpse is being wheeled out of one of the Coroner cubicles.
– You wouldn't happen to know the present whereabouts
of the young woman.
GITTES
– No.
ESCOBAR
Or her name?
GITTES
– No.
They have walked a few steps further down the hall.
EVELYN
Will you need me for anything else, Lieutenant?
ESCOBAR
I don't think so, Mrs. Mulwray. Of course you have my
deepest sympathy – and – if we need anymore information, we'll be in touch.
GITTES
I'll walk her to her car, be right back.
ESCOBAR'S POV
Evelyn glances at Gittes. They go through a couple of outer doors and pass several reporters who have been in the outer hall, laughing, kidding, the tag end of lines like "only in L.A." and "Southern Cafeteria."
Gittes hurries her past the reporters who flank them, asking questions. Gittes brushes them aside.
EVELYN AND GITTES – AT HER CAR
In a small parking lot.
Evelyn fumbles in her bag, looking feverishly for something in her purse.
GITTES
Mrs. Mulwray?... Mrs. Mulwray.
EVELYN
(flushed, perspiring)
... Just a minute...
GITTES
(touching her gently)
– You left your keys in the ignition.
EVELYN
Oh... thank you.
She glances down, leans against the side of the car.
EVELYN
(continuing)
Thank you for going along with me. I just didn't want
to explain anything... I'll send you a check.
GITTES
(puzzled)
A check?
Evelyn gets in her car.
EVELYN
To make it official, I hired you.
She drives off, leaving Gittes gaping.
INT. CORONER'S OFFICE HALLWAY
GITTES
Don't give me that, Lou. You hauled me down here for a
statement.
Escobar shrugs.
ESCOBAR
I don't want it anymore.
