FADE IN:
FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S SPORTS CAR
pulling up in front of Mitch's building, the top down. She
glances up at the address, gets out of the car, comes around
to the other side, and opens the door.
CLOSE SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS
in a cage as Melanie reaches for them.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
turning from the car and going into the building. She pauses
in the lobby, studies the names alongside the bell buttons.
CLOSE SHOT - HER GLOVED HAND
running down the list of names slowly. It stops.
INSERT - THE CARD
her finger beside it.
BRENNER, M. 3B
CLOSE SHOT - HER GLOVED HAND the forefinger extended as she
runs it down over every bell button in one column, and then
does the same for the next column.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
as she turns from the bells to the inner door of the lobby,
grabbing the knob. A BUZZ SOUNDS. She opens the door.
REVERSE SHOT - MELANIE
coming through the door and into the lobby. She walks swiftly
toward the elevator where a well-dressed man is standing,
waiting. Behind her, the inner door is BUZZING wildly with
answering BUZZES. Melanie and the man stand waiting for the
elevator, silently. Behind her, the BUZZING STOPS. The
elevator doors open. The man smiles pleasantly and allows
her to enter first. She does so with a small nod. The
elevator doors close.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE MAN - IN THE ELEVATOR
The birds are CHIRPING wildly in their cage. The man and
Melanie stand silently side by side. The man's eyes wander
down to the bird-cage. Melanie's eyes move toward him. Self-
consciously, she stands with the cage of CHATTERING birds.
The man is dead-panned, unsmiling. The elevator stops. The
doors begin to open.
FULL SHOT - MELANIE
stepping out of the elevator as the doors open. The man is
right behind her. She begins looking for apartment 3B. The
man is walking down the corridor beside her. She stops in
front of the apartment, hesitates, hoping the man will turn
the corner in the corridor. Instead, he stops at the apartment
just opposite. He begins fumbling in his pocket for his key.
He looks at Melanie.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
smiling at him feebly.
FULL SHOT - THE CORRIDOR
The man spread change and an assortment of junk on the palm
of his hand as he searches for his key. Impatiently, Melanie
watches him. Making a decision, she puts the birdcage down
before the door to apartment 3B, and then opens her purse.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE'S GLOVED HAND
reaching into the purse for a white envelope.
INSERT - THE FACE OF THE ENVELOPE
written there in Melanie's handwriting: MR. MITCHELL BRENNER.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
as she props the envelope against the cage, and then hurriedly
goes down the hallway, intent on retreat.
MAN'S VOICE
Miss...? She stops, distressed.
FULL SHOT - THE CORRIDOR
the man at the one end, key in his hand; Melanie at the other
end, near the elevator.
MAN
Is that for Mitch Brenner?
MELANIE
(curtly)
Yes.
MAN
He's not home.
MELANIE
That's all right.
She presses button for the elevator.
MAN
He won't be back until Monday. I
mean, if those birds are for him....
MELANIE
Monday?
MAN
Yes. I don't think you should leave
them in the hall, do you?
MELANIE
(trapped)
Well, I...
The elevator doors open.
MELANIE
Well, where did he go?
MAN
Bodega Bay. He goes up there every
weekend.
MELANIE
Bodega Bay? Where's that?
MAN
Up on the coast. About sixty miles
north of here.
MELANIE
Sixty...
(her face falls)
Oh.
MAN
About an hour and a half on the
freeway. Or two if you take the coast
highway.
MELANIE
Oh.
MAN
I'd hold the birds for him, but I'm
going away myself. Someone's got to
feed them, I suppose.
MELANIE
(in utter despair now)
Yes. Yes, someone's got to feed them.
MAN
(apologetically)
I'm awfully sorry.
He puts the key into his lock, opens the door, and goes
inside. The door closes. Melanie is alone in the hallway.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
exasperated. She looks at the open elevator. She turns to
look at the birds.
LONG SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS
in their cage outside the apartment door, CHATTERING.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
surrendering with a gesture of resignation. She walks down
the hall, picks up envelope and puts it in her purse, picks
up the bird cage, carries it back to the elevator. The birds
are COOING and CHIRPING madly.
MELANIE
Oh, shut up!
And she steps into the elevator.
DISSOLVE
FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S OPEN CAR - (MATTE)
on the coast highway. It is a spectacularly beautiful day,
with a cloudless blue sky. The montage of SHOTS that follow
should alternate between the winding, twisting road and the
ocean below, and CLOSEUPS of Melanie driving with the caged
birds on the seat beside her. The last shot should be a FULL
SHOT of the car rounding a particularly sharp curve.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
She turns wheel forcefully.
CLOSE SHOT - THE LOVEBIRDS
in the cage as the car rounds the bend. They lean to one
side as the car turns, come up straight again as the car
rounds the curve.
FULL SHOT - (MATTE)
Car approaching Bodega Bay seen high up.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
at the wheel, she glances out toward the bay.
FULL SHOT - A CLUSTER OF BUILDINGS AT WATERFRONT
ahead, through the windshield as the car approaches.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
behind the wheel, leaning forward slightly for a look at the
town.
LONG SHOT - DOCKS ON LEFT
through the windshield as Melanie slows her speed.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
behind wheel.
LONG SHOT - STORES
on right of the road as Melanie enters the town. SLOW PAN
matching car's cruise past BAKERY, SHOE REPAIR, CLEANERS,
RADIO AND TELEVISION.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
behind wheel.
LONG SHOT - THE TIDES
past the gas station and beyond to the parking area and the
docks, continuing Melanie's slow observation of the place.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE - (PROCESS)
studying the town. The car turns into road by gas station.
FULL SHOT - THE TOWN
through the windshield. The car turns right. There is life
in the town now, fishermen crossing the road, women with
their hair in curlers, old ladies carrying shopping bags.
This is Saturday morning, and the town -- such as it is --
is alive with its inhabitants. We see them from Melanie's
P.O.V. AS SHE SCANS THE PLACE FOR ITS POST OFFICE. (THIS TO
BE TAKEN ON BACK LOT.)
FULL SHOT - THE CAR
pulling in, in front of the post office. Melanie opens the
door and steps out. She is smartly dressed in a traveling
suit and sweater. She looks up at the sign, and then walks
quickly toward the front door.
MED. SHOT - MELANIE
enters post office.
CLOSE SHOT - POSTAL CLERK
behind cage as Melanie approaches it. He is busy filling out
a form of some kind, affixing stamps to it, etc. He does not
look up as she approaches.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
through the bars of the cage.
MELANIE
Good morning.
CLOSE SHOT - POSTAL CLERK
CLERK
(without looking up)
Morning.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE CLERK
MELANIE
I wonder if you could help me.
CLERK
Try my best.
MELANIE
I'm looking for a man named Mitchell
Brenner.
CLERK
Yep.
He is still busy with his form, still does not look up.
MELANIE
Do you know him?
CLERK
Yep.
MELANIE
Where does he live?
CLERK
Right here. Bodega Bay.
MELANIE
Yes, but where?
CLERK
Right across the bay there.
MELANIE
Where?
It seems as if the Clerk will not answer her. Suddenly, he
leaves the window.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
through the bars, exasperated.
REVERSE SHOT - FULL - MELANIE
as she tries to peek through the bars to see where he's
vanished. A door to the left of the window opens, and the
Clerk steps out. He walks a little distance as Melanie watches
him, then stops, turns and looks at her surprised, as if
he'd expected her to be right behind him. He stands stock
still, looking at her, saying nothing. She understands then
that he wants her to follow him, and she catches up, neither
speaking. They go to the front door. He opens it, looks at
her, then looks out across the town and the bay. He extends
his arm and points.
CLERK
See where I'm pointing?
MELANIE
Yes?
FULL SHOT - THE BAY - THEIR P.O.V. - (MATTE)
CLERK (O.S.)
See them two big trees across there?
MELANIE (O.S.)
Yes?
CLERK (O.S.)
And the white house?
MELANIE (O.S.)
That's where the Brenners live.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND THE CLERK
MELANIE
The Brenners? Mr. and Mrs. Brenner?
CLERK
Nope, just Lydia and the two kids.
MELANIE
The two kids?
CLERK
Yep. Mitch and the little girl.
MELANIE
I see. How do I get down there?
CLERK
Follow the road straight through
town 'til it curves off on the left.
That'll take you right around the
bay to their front door.
MELANIE
The front door.
(pause)
Isn't there a back road I can take?
CLERK
Nope. That's the road. Straight
through town, stay on your left,
right around the bay to the front
door.
MELANIE
You see, I wanted to surprise them.
CLERK
Mmmm.
MELANIE
I didn't want to come right down the
road, where they could see me.
CLERK
Mmmm.
MELANIE
It's a surprise, you see.
CLERK
Mmmmmm.
(long pause)
'Course, you could get yourself a
boat, cut right across the bay with
it. The Brenners got a little dock
there you could tie up at. If that's
what you wanted to do.
MELANIE
Where would I get a boat?
CLERK
Down at the dock by the Tides
Restaurant. Ever handled an outboard
boat?
MELANIE
(looking at him)
Of course.
CLERK
(looks back at her)
D'you want me to order one for you?
MELANIE
(surprised)
Thank you.
CLERK
What name?
MELANIE
Daniels.
CLERK
Okay.
He nods briefly and goes inside. Melanie looks across the
bay.
FULL SHOT - THE BAY - MELANIE'S P.O.V. - (MATTE)
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
smiling. She gets a new idea. She reaches into her purse for
the envelope. She looks at the envelope, then tears it up
and stuffs the torn envelope into her handbag. She turns
back toward the post office.
INT. THE POST OFFICE - FULL SHOT
as Melanie approaches the Clerk's window. He is still busy,
still does not look up.
MELANIE
I wonder if you could tell me...
CLERK
Yep?
MELANIE
The little girl's name.
CLERK
The little Brenner girl?
MELANIE
Yes.
CLERK
Alice, I think.
(he turns, shouts to
someone in rear)
Harry, what's the little Brenner
girl's name?
HARRY'S VOICE
(shouting)
What?
CLERK
(shouting)
The little Brenner girl.
HARRY'S VOICE
(shouting)
Lois!
CLERK
(shouting)
It's Alice, ain't it?
HARRY'S VOICE
(shouting)
No, it's Lois!
CLERK
(to Melanie)
It's Alice.
MELANIE
Are you sure?
CLERK
Well, I ain't positive, if that's
what you mean.
MELANIE
I need her exact name, you see.
CLERK
That case, I tell you what you do.
You go straight through town 'til
you see a little hotel on your left
there. Not the motel, that's the
other end of town. This is the hotel.
Now you take a right turn there, you
got that?
MELANIE
Yes?
CLERK
Near the top of the hill, you'll see
the school and right behind it, the
church. You head for the school.
Now just past the school, you'll see
a little house with a red mail box.
That's where Annie Hayworth lives,
she's the school teacher. You ask
her about the little Brenner girl.
MELANIE
Thank you.
CLERK
Yep.
(pause)
Could save yourself a lot of trouble.
Her name's Alice for sure.
MELANIE
Can I have the boat in about twenty
minutes?
The Clerk nods.
MELANIE
How much for the phone calls?
CLERK
(brushing this aside)
It's nothing.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
grinning, as she makes for the door and EXITS.
EXT. GENERAL STORE - MED. SHOT - MELANIE
getting into the car and slamming the door.
DISSOLVE
LONG SHOT (MATTE) - MELANIE'S CAR turning in school road.
FULL SHOT - MELANIE'S CAR
passing the school and pulling up outside the teacher's house.
CLOSE SHOT - THE RED MAIL BOX
with the name "Hayworth" on it. PULL BACK to reveal:
FULL SHOT - MELANIE
passing the mail box and going up the walk to the front door.
The house is a two-story frame with steps leading to the
front door. There are white curtains in every window of the
house, and a sign in the window to the left of the doorway
advises, ROOM TO LET. Melanie rings the doorbell.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
waiting. She RINGS the bell again:
ANNIE'S VOICE
(shouting)
Yes? Who is it?
MELANIE
Me!
ANNIE'S VOICE
Who's me?
FULL SHOT - MELANIE
walking along the porch of the house. The walk in front of
the house is lined with beautifully planted and cared-for
flowers. ANNIE HAYWORTH comes round from the back of the
house as Melanie reaches the corner. She is a woman of thirty-
two, tall, big-boned, with a strong beautiful face. Her
hair is disarrayed at the moment, and she is dressed for the
garden, wearing slacks and a loose-fitting sweater, and earth-
stained gloves. But there is something about her, a feeling
of expansive comfort, rather than sloppiness.
MELANIE
Miss Hayworth?
ANNIE
Yes?
MELANIE
I'm Melanie Daniels. I'm sorry to
bother you, but...
CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE
She is puzzled by Melanie who, exquisitely dressed and
groomed, seems singularly out of place in Bodega Bay. She
studies her openly.
ANNIE
Yes?
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE
MELANIE
The man at the post office sent me.
He said you'd know the name of the
little Brenner girl.
ANNIE
Cathy?
MELANIE
The one who lives in the white house
across the bay?
ANNIE
That's the one. Cathy Brenner.
MELANIE
(smiling)
They seemed sure it was either Alice
or Lois.
ANNIE
Which is why the mail in this town
never gets delivered to the right
place.
(She takes out package
of cigarettes, offers
one to Melanie)
Did you want to see Cathy about
something?
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
taking cigarette, hesitating.
MELANIE
Well... not exactly.
CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE
studying her, thinking she understands.
ANNIE
Are you a friend of Mitch's?
MELANIE
No, not really.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE
There is an awkwardness here. Annie wants to know more. She
puffs on the cigarette, smiles, tries a friendly approach.
ANNIE
I've been wanting a cigarette for
the past twenty minutes, but I
couldn't convince myself to stop.
This 'tilling of the soil' can get a
little compulsive, you know.
MELANIE
It's a lovely garden.
ANNIE
Thank you. It gives me something to
do with my spare time.
(pause)
There's a lot of spare time in Bodega
Bay.
(another pause)
Did you plan on staying long?
MELANIE
No. Just a few hours.
ANNIE
You're leaving after you see Cathy?
MELANIE
Well... something like that.
(pause)
I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound so
mysterious.
ANNIE
Actually, it's none of my business.
There is a pause. Melanie, by her silence, affirms that it
is none of Annie's business.
ANNIE
(putting out cigarette)
I'd better get on my way. Thank you
very much.
ANNIE
Not at all.
They begin walking toward the car.
ANNIE
(still curious)
Did you drive up from San Francisco?
MELANIE
Yes.
ANNIE
It's a nice drive.
(pause)
Is that where you met Mitch?
MELANIE
(hesitating, then)
Yes.
ANNIE
I guess that's where everyone meets
him.
CLOSE SHOT - MELANIE
as she gets in behind the wheel. Annie's remark is not lost
on her, and a quick look of sudden understanding crosses her
face.
MELANIE
Now you sound a bit mysterious, Miss
Hayworth.
TWO SHOT - MELANIE AND ANNIE
as Annie leans over the seat.
ANNIE
Do I?
(she shakes her head,
smiles wistfully)
No, I'm an open book, I'm afraid.
(pause)
Or maybe a closed one.
(she smiles again,
sees the lovebirds)
Pretty. What are they?
MELANIE
Lovebirds.
Taking this as a further indication of Melanie's relationship
with Mitch:
ANNIE
Mmm.
(pause)
Well, good luck, Miss Daniels.
MELANIE
Thank you.
She nods pleasantly, starts the car, pulls away.
CLOSE SHOT - ANNIE
watching the car, a look of sad resignation on her face.
DISSOLVE
