The Night of the Hunter

                    PEARL
          John, don't be mad!  Don't be mad!  I was just
          playing with it!  I didn't tell no one!

FLASH CUT CLOSE-UP -- JOHN
... as he stoops towards her, dumb with horror.

CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL
She continues to gather the money together.

                    PEARL
               (pleading)
          It's all here.

CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL

                    JOHN
          Pearl!  Oh, Pearl!

She's stuffing bills back into the torn doll.  They slide through her
fingers.  He helps.

FLASH INSERT -- PREACHER'S FOOT
... as he plants it, with sound, in damp grass.

CLOSE SHOT -- THE CHILDREN
JOHN freezes.

                    PREACHER'S VOICE (o.s.)
          John?

                    JOHN
          Oh -- yes?

LONG SHOT -- PREACHER -- CHILDREN'S VIEWPOINT
He stands at far end of arbor.

                    PREACHER
          What are you doing, boy?

LONG SHOT -- CHILDREN -- PREACHER'S VIEWPOINT

                    JOHN
          Getting Pearl to bed.  I--

                    PREACHER
          What's taking you so long about it?

FLASH INSERT -- THEIR FRANTIC HANDS, MONEY, THE DOLL

                    JOHN (o.s.)
          It-- she--

CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER -- PEERING TOWARDS THEM

                    PREACHER
          What's that you're playing with, boy?

LONG SHOT -- CHILDREN -- PREACHER'S VIEWPOINT

                    JOHN
          Pearl's junk.  Mom gets mad when she plays out
          here and don't clean up afterward.

                    PREACHER
          Come on, children!

INSERT -- JOHN'S HANDS PIN THE DOLL TOGETHER

FULL SHOT -- CHILDREN
They stand up, look towards PREACHER, and slowly start towards him.  The two
forgotten paper-dolls are blown towards him too.

MOVING SHOT -- PREACHER -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT
PREACHER's watch-chain gleams.  The shot SLOWLY CLOSES DOWN on it and becomes
still.  We see the paper-dolls blow past him.

                    PREACHER'S VOICE
          Now, up to bed with the both of you.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN AND PEARL
JOHN starts to laugh uncontrollably.  We PAN them past PREACHER's stomach
into FULL SHOT.

                    PREACHER'S VOICE
          Come here, John.  Run along, Pearl.

PEARL goes, JOHN comes towards PREACHER.

PREACHER -- JOHN'S VIEWPOINT

                    PREACHER
          Your mother says you tattled on me, boy.  She
          says you told her that I asked you where that
          money was hid.

                    JOHN (o.s.)
          Yes.  Yes.

                    PREACHER
          That wasn't very nice of you, John.  Have a
          heart, boy.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN
His helpless reaction.  Pause.

                    PREACHER'S VOICE
          Run along to bed.

As JOHN turns away we

                                        LAP DISSOLVE TO

CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA IN PROFILE
...and PULL AWAY showing JOHN as he turns to her. (PEARL's head is turned
away; she's asleep.)

                    WILLA
          Were you impudent to Mr. Powell, John?

                    JOHN
          Mom, I didn't mean--

                    WILLA
          What were you impudent about?

                    JOHN
          He asked me about the money again, Mom.

                    WILLA
          You always make up that lie, John.  There is no
          money, John.  Can't you get that through your
          head?

                                        LAP DISSOLVE TO

CLOSE SHOT -- A GAR, UNDERWATER

CLOSE UPWARD TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE
They look down into the water.

                    BIRDIE
          Meanest, orneriest, sneakiest critter in the
          whole river, boy!  A gar!

CLOSE TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND BIRDIE
They sit up into it.

                    JOHN
          Here's your can o' hooks, Uncle Birdie.

                    BIRDIE
          There hain't nary a hook in the land smart
          enough to hook Mister Gar.  What a feller needs
          is mother-wit -- and a horse-hair.

Over this, he pulls horse-hair out of his hatband.  He sets to work rigging
his noose.

                    JOHN
          Won't he bust it, Uncle Birdie?

                    BIRDIE
          Shoot, a horse-hair'll hold a lumpin' whale.

He puts over his line.  Pause.

                    BIRDIE
          You don't mind my cussin', boy?

                    JOHN
          No.

                    BIRDIE
          Tell you why I ask -- your step-pa bein' a
          Preacher an' all...

JOHN's lips go like string.  BIRDIE sees it.

                    BIRDIE
          Never was much of a one for preachers myself. 
          I dunno what's wrong up at your place, but just
          remember one thing, Cap -- if ever you need
          help, you just holler out and come a-runnin'. 
          Old Uncle Birdie's your friend.

A powerful strike. BIRDIE lands the gar.  The air is full of sparkling water.

                    BIRDIE
          There!  You slimy, snaggle-toothed, egg-suckin',
          bait-stealin' so-and-so!

QUICK INSERT -- THE THUMPING FISH IN BOTTOM OF BOAT

FULL SHOT
He beats the fish with the heel of an old shoe.

                    BIRDIE
               (beating)
          Mind what I told you.  If ever you get in a
          crack just come a-runnin'.

Now there is no sound or thumping or beating.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN
Admiring BIRDIE, he squares his shoulders, full of confidence.

                    JOHN
          Can we eat him, Uncle Birdie?

                    BIRDIE
          If you got n appetite for bones and bitterness.

On this, he flings the dead gar in a wide arc out into the river.

                                        LAP DISSOLVE TO

INT. CHILDREN'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT
The children are ready for bed.

CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER
Smiling awaiting an answer.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN

                    JOHN
          I don't know.

TWO-SHOT -- JOHN AND PREACHER
PEARL plays unconcernedly in BACKGROUND.

                    PREACHER
               (intimately)
          She thinks that money's in the river, but you
          and me, we know better, don't we, boy?

                    JOHN
          I don't know nothin'!

                    PREACHER
          The summer is young yet, little lad.
               (he turns away from John)
          Pearl?

He holds out his hands to her; she comes to his lap, dropping her doll at his
feet.  JOHN turns his back and looks out the window beside bureau.

                    PREACHER
          John's a feller who likes to keep secrets.

                    PEARL
          Mm-hm.

                    PREACHER
          I'll tell you a secret.

                    PEARL
          Yes?

                    PREACHER
          I knowed your Daddy.

PEARL frowns.

                    PREACHER
          And do you know what your Daddy said to me?  He
          said, "Tell my little girl Pearl there's to be
          no secrets between her and you."

INSERT -- JOHN'S HAND COMES TO REST BESIDE A HAIRBRUSH

RESUME TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND PEARL, JOHN IN B.G.

                    PEARL
          Yes?

                    PREACHER
          Now it's your turn.

                    PEARL
          What secret shall I tell?

                    PREACHER
          How old are you?

                    PEARL
          That's no secret.  I'm five.

CLOSE SHOT -- JOHN -- PREACHER AND PEARL IN B.G.
A look of impotent hatred.

                    PREACHER
          Sure, that's no secret.

RESUME TWO-SHOT

                    PREACHER
               (continuing)
          What's your name?

                    PEARL
               (giggling)
          You're just foolin'!  My name's Pearl.

                    PREACHER
          Tst-tst!  Then I reckon I'll have to try again!
          Where's the money hid?

JOHN throws the hairbrush, striking PREACHER's head.

                    JOHN
               (screaming as he throws)
          You swore you wouldn't tell!
               (he beats the air with his fists)
          You swore!  You swore!  You swore!

CLOSE SHOT -- PREACHER
He is sure know PEARL knows.

THREE-SHOT -- PEARL, PREACHER, JOHN

                    PEARL
               (awed)
          You hit Daddy with a hairbrush!

Another silence.

                    PREACHER
               (cheerfully)
          You see?  We just can't have anything to do
          with John.
               (light off)
          You and me will go down to the parlor.

                    PEARL
          Miz Jenny!  Miz Jenny!

She gets the doll.  We PAN them through the door.

TWO-SHOT -- PREACHER AND PEARL
Outside door as he closes it.

                    PREACHER
          John's just plumb bad through and through--

CLOSE SHOT -- PEARL
As PREACHER's hand locks the door.

                    PEARL
               (at door)
          Yes, John's just plumb bad.

                                        CUT TO

INT. SPOON'S ICE CREAM PARLOR -- THREE-SHOT -- WILLA, ICEY, WALT
We shoot over ICEY as WILLA opens the door to leave.  WILLA is in outdoor
clothes and is not dressed for work in the parlor.

                    WILLA
          That boy's as stubborn and mulish as a sheep!

                    ICEY
          It's a shame!

WILLA's face shines like one possessed.

                    WILLA
          Goodnight.

WALT enters the shot, his back to us.

                    ICEY
          Goodnight, honey.

As WILLA starts away, we DOLLY THROUGH DOOR and PAN her to deserted street. 
There is a river mist.

TWO SHOT -- WALT AND ICEY
WALT is ill at ease.

RESUME SHOT ON WILLA

                    ICEY
               (o.s., calling)
          Plan on a longer visit next time.

                    WALT (o.s.)
          You don't hardly get settled till your frettin'
          to git home again.

Again WILLA pauses and turns.

                    WILLA
               (with sweet radiance, to Walt)
          I'm needed to keep peace and harmony between
          them.
               (to Icey)
          It's my burden and I'm proud of it, Icey.

She walks off into the mist.
           
                                        LAP DISSOLVE TO

EXT. HARPER HOME -- NIGHT -- MEDIUM SHOT -- LIGHTED PARLOR WINDOW-
REST OF HOUSE DARK
Distant muffled sound of river-boat whistle.

                    PEARL (o.s.)
          John's bad.

WILLA enters, her back to us; she stops.

                    PREACHER
          Yes, John's bad.

                    PEARL
          Tell me another secret about my dad.

CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA
She smiles benignly.

                    PREACHER (o.s.)
          O no!  Your turn!

                    PEARL
          All right.

                    PREACHER
          Where's the money hid?

WILLA keeps smiling.

                    PEARL
          John's bad.

                    PREACHER
          Where's the money hid?  Tell me, you little
          wretch, or I'll tear your arm off!

Still smiling, shaking her head in disbelief, WILLA makes for house as PEARL
screams.

INT. HARPER HALLWAY -- TWO-SHOT -- WILLA AND PREACHER
Narrow screen, same set-up as in earlier corridor scene, PREACHER and WILLA. 
Their eyes meet.  Pause.

                    PREACHER
               (stunned)
          I didn't expect you home so soon.

CLOSE SHOT -- WILLA
She still smiles; her eyes turn to sound of PEARL's sobbing.

TWO SHOT -- AS BEFORE
PREACHER stands still; WILLA in BACKGROUND opens closet door where PEARL sobs.

                                        CUT TO

TWO SHOT -- WALT AND ICEY
...washing and drying glasses. ICEY is washing briskly, WALT is drying slowly.

                    WALT
          Icey, I'm worried about Willa.

                    ICEY
          How do you mean?

                    WALT
          I'm figurin' how I can say it so's you won't get
          mad.

                    ICEY
          Say what, Walt Spoon!

                    WALT
          There's something wrong about it, Mother.

                    ICEY
          About what?

                    WALT
          About Mr. Powell.  All of it!

                    ICEY
          Walt!

                    WALT
          Now, Mother, a body can't help their feelin's.

                    ICEY
          May the Lord have mercy on you, Walt Spoon!

                    WALT
          Mother, I only--