"EYES WIDE SHUT" (1999)

Credit: screenplay by

Author: Stanley Source: story by Arthur Notes: Kubrick & Frederic Raphael Schnitzler

[WARNER BROS LOGO] WARNER BROS PICTURES A TIME WARNER COMPANY

*ALICE, a beautiful woman with her back to CAMERA, lets drop an elegant black dress to the floor. *

MAIN TITLE CARD:

*BILL andALICE's apartment block on Central Park West. *

*A handsome man in evening dress is looking for thing. He walks into a bedroom, goes to a small table, picks up keys and a mobile phone and walks to a chest of drawers. This is Bill Harford, a doctor. Bill opens a drawer and takes out a handkerchief *

ALICE *(V.O.) * Ah ... isn't it on the bedside table?

*BILL walks across to the bedside table and finds his wallet. *

*BILL goes around the bed and into the en-suite bath-room. ALICE is sitting on the loo wearing an evening dress. * ALICE I know. How do I look?

*BILL goes to the mirror to check his appearance without looking at ALICE. *

*ALICE gets up from the loo as BILL checks his bow tie. *

*ALICE drops the toilet tissue in the loo and flushes it away. *

*BILL turns and looks at her adoringly. *

*BILL kisses her affectionately on the cheek and leaves the bathroom. * BILL You always look beautiful.

BILL *(o/s) * Yeah. I put it on the fridge ... let's go, huh?

*ALICE washes her hands and dries them as she looks in the mirror. *

*ALICE removes her glasses, leaves the bathroom and goes to the bed to pick up her coat and bag. BILL, his overcoat on his arm, switches off the music centre. They leave the bedroom together. BILL switches off the lights. *

*BILL and ALICE walk down the corridor. ALICE starts to put her coat on and BILL helps her. *

*They enter a spacious and comfortably furnished living room where HELENA, their seven-year-old daughter, sits watching television with ROZ, the student baby sit-ter. There is a decorated Christmas tree behind the sofa. *

*BILL puts on his overcoat. *

Now, the phone number is on the fridge . . ..

*ALICE bends down to kiss HELENA. *

*BILL and ALICE leave, blowing kisses and waving bye-

bye to HELENA. * ALICE *(to Helena) * See you in the morning.

*BILL and ALICE walk down the apartment corridor. *

*A palatial house in mid-town Manhattan. Doormen stand outside the entrance. A large stretch limo is parked nearby. *

*BILL and ALICE, holding hands, walk down a corridor lined with display cases and works of art. A large party is in progress. Guests, all in evening wear, are still arriv-ing. An orchestra playing dance music can be heard fur-ther off in the house. BILL and ALICE come into a large hallway where their hosts, Victor ZIEGLER and his wife, ILONA, are greeting the guests to their annual Christmas party. *

ZIEGLER *(V.O.) * Bill, Alice ....

*The hall is large and marbled with a vast staircase in the background. Illuminations creating a "curtain of light" hang from the walls and there is a Christmas tree laden with decorations. ZIEGLER, afit, sun-tanned man in his fifties, and his beautiful wife welcome BILL and ALICE. *

*BILL and ALICE make their way to the crowded main reception room. *

*The walls are draped with the "curtain of light" illumi-nations seen in the corridor. There is a stage and upon it is the small orchestra playi,ng ballroom music. The guests dance on the crowded floor. BILL and ALICE dance together . *

*On the stage there is a young man of similar age to BILL playi,ng the piano. He is dressed in a white tux and bow tie. He looks around . This is NICK Nightingale. BILL no-tices him. *

*The bandleader brings the music to a stop. *

*The guests applaud as the band leaves the stage. *

*BILL kisses ALICE on the cheek as she leaves the ball-room. *

8. **INT. **ANTE-ROOM - ZIEGLER MANSION - NIGHT

*Crowded with guests. ALICE walks by a waiter holding a tray with glasses of champagne. She takes a glass wi.thout stopping and drinks it "in one" as she moves away. *

*On stage, by the piano, Nick Nightingale sorts through some sheet music as the band takes its break. Bill walks up to the stage. *

*NICK looks around to see who is calling his name. He jumps down from the stage and he and BILL greet each other like old fri,ends. *

*BILL puts his arm round NICK's shoulders as they walk to the other end of the ballroom. *

*BILL takes a couple of glasses of champagne from a waiter standing with a tray and hands one to NICK. *

*They "clink" glasses as a man in evening dress walks up to NICK. This is ZIEGLER's SECRETARY. *

*They exchange friendly pats as Nick goes. * 10. INT. ANTE-ROOM - ZIEGLER MANSION - NIGHT

*ALICE stands, back to the bar, holding a glass of cham-pagne. The room is crowded with people talking. A tall, handsome man, suave and middle-aged, also stands at the bar. He turns from a conversation he is having and notices ALICE next to him. His name is Sandor SZAVOST. He takes a sip of whisky as he studies her, and puts his glass down on the bar. ALICE, still looking for BILL to join her, also puts her champagne glass down. SZAVOST then nonchalantly picks ALICE's glass up as ALICE turns to do the same. *

*SZAVOST stares into ALICE's eyes as he seductively drinks the contents of ALICE's glass. *

*He takes Alice's hand and kisses it. *

*ALICE thinks for a moment then offers her arm to SZAVOST. *

*SZAVOST and ALICE dance closely on the crowded floor. *

*As they tum, ALICE catches sight of BILL talking to two beautiful girls in the ante-room beyond. *

*ALICE laughs. * SZAVOST May I ask why a beautiful women who could have any man in this room wants to be married?

*The two beautiful girls, GAYLE and NUALA, have their arms draped around each other as they talk to BILL. *

*They all laugh. * BILL How do you spell N uala?

*BILL tries to think. *

*ALICE and SZAVOST continue dancing. *

Fascinating.

**14. **INT. ANOTHER CORRIDOR - ZIEGLER MANSION - NIGHT

*GAYLE and *,VUALA *"·alk *on *roch side of BILL their anns linked throu h Ins. *

*'111ey co,ne *into *a large *room *,i·here there are f~\-V people . * GAYLE Where the rainbow ends?

*They come to a stop. *

*A tall good looking man walks up to them and inter-rupts. He is HARRIS, ZIEGLER's personal assistant. *

**HARRIS ** Excuse me, ladies. *(to Bill) * Sorry, Dr Halford. Sorry to interrupt. I wonder whether you could come with me for a moment? Something for Mr Ziegler.

*ZIEGLER hurriedly pulls his trousers up while looking down on a girl lying unconscious and naked in an arm-chair. This is MANDY who is making quiet muttering noises. ZIEGLER is panic stricken. He hears a knock on the door and runs barefoot across the bathroom to open it. *

*He opens the door to see BILL standing there with HARRIS. He shakes BILL's hand. *

*ZIEGLER closes the door, leaving HARRIS outside to keep watch. *

*They walk over to MANDY. * BILL What happened?

*BILL takes a closer look at MANDY. *

*MANDY continues making quiet, muttering noises. *

*SZAVOST and ALICE are still dancing . ALICE is quite in-toxi,cated by both SZAVOSTand the champagne. *

*ZIEGLER, now dressed in his shirt, does his cufflinks up. BILL leans up against a sideboard, anns folded, watch-ing At.ANDY. She is still in the chair, but she is now cov-ered with a blue bathrobe. ZIEGLER stands over her. * ZIEGLER Well, that was really one hell of a scare you gave us, kiddo.

*BILL goes over to her and kneels down. *

*BILL gets up and turns to ZIEGLER. *

*They walk towards the door. *

*ALICE, eyes shut, dances closely to SZAVOST, as if in a trance. She brings herself "to" as they stop dancing. *

*ALICE waves her ring finger in front of SZAVOST's face. She kisses her index finger and plants it on SZAVOST's lips as she leaves him on the dance floor. *

*ALICE stands naked in front of the bedroom mirror. She removes an ear-ring as she sways around. As she begins to take the other ear-ring off BILL comes up behind her and starts to caress her. He puts his arms around her and lovingly touches her. She responds to his caresses by taking her glasses off and putting her arms around him. They kiss. ALICE looks at herself in the mirror as BILL kisses her neck and shoulder. *

*The lift doors open and BILL steps out. *

*BILL through the reception towards his office. *

*ALICE sits reading the morning paper and drinking her coffee dressed in a morning gown. HELENA, still in her night clothes, eats breakfast while watching television. *

*BILL examines a young woman's chest using a stetho-scope. His female nurse stands by as an observer. *

*HELENA, in a red dress and jumper, is havi,ng her hair brushed by ALICE, still in her morning gown. ALICE then gives HELENA the brush. *

*HELENA takes the brush as ALICE arranges her daugh-ter's hair in a pony tail. *

*BILL examines a young boy's neck glands as his mother waits in the background. *

*ALICE is naked. She puts on a bra. *

*BILL, with female nurse in attendance, examines a man who lies on the table. He pulls the patient's leg gently upwards. *

*ALICE, in skirt and bra, rolls deodorant under her arms as HELENA cleans her teeth. *

*ALICE and HELENA wrap Christmas presents on the table. * ALICE Oh, daddy's gonna like that ... a very good choice.

*BILL and ALICE sit with HELENA as she reads from her picture book, ALICE prompting her as BILL watches and listens. *

*ALICE walks by the dining table as she goes to the sitting room. She yawns as she goes. *

*BILL sits on the sofa watching a football game on televi-sion. ALICE joins him. * ALICE So how do you feel about wrapping the rest of the presents?

*ALICE, tired, looks into the mirror of the bathroom cabi-net. She opens it up and takes out a Band-Aid tin. She opens the tin and removes a packet of cigarette papers and a polythene bag of grass (marijuana). She leaves the bathroom. *

*ALICE rolls a joint. *

*ALICE, lying on the bed in her underwear, takes a "pull" on the joint. She passes the spliffto BILL, who sits on the bed next to her dressed only in boxer shorts. * ALICE Hmm ... tell me something ... those two girls at the party last night. Did you, by any chance, happen to fuck them?

*ALICE sits up next to BILL. *

*BILL starts to kiss and touch ALICE. * BILL Ohhhh! Wait a minute, wait a minute! I didn't disappear with anybody. Ziegler wasn't feeling too well. I got called upstairs to see him. Anyway, who's the guy you were dancing with?

*ALICE puts the spliff into the ashtray on the bed, disen-gages herself from BILL's arms, and gets up. She backs up towards the bathroom leavi,ng BILL sitting on the bed. *

white, but I think we both know what men are like.

*ALICE now leans against the door frame. *

*ALICE starts walking to the other end of the room. *

*ALICE gets up and stands at the end of the bed. *

*ALICE gets up and provocatively points a finger at BILL as she starts to pace up and down at the foot of the bed. *

whatever the fuck ...

ALICE bursts out laughing. *

*ALICE collapses onto the floor, her laughing fit uncon-trollable now. *

*ALICE calms down a little. *

*ALICE sits back against the radiator and focuses on her story. * BILL No.

had left or that he might still be there, but by dinner I realized he was gone and I was relieved.

*BILL is stunned by what ALICE is telling him and it is some time before he can respond to the repeated ringing of the telephone. He finally picks it up. *

*BILL sits in the cab thinking about what ALICE has told him. *

*BILL, in his jealousy, fantasises about ALICE and the NAVAL OFFICER making love. *

*BILL continues to torture himself with ALICE's confes-sion. *

*The elevator door opens and BILL comes out. He walks across the elegant, art deco lobby and presses a door-bell. *

*A maid walks to the door of the luxurious apartment and peeps through the spy-hole. This is ROSA. She opens the door. *

MARION *(o/s) * Come in.

*BILL goes into the room. *

*BILL comes into the bedroom and is greeted by a beauti-ful woman in her late thirties. This is MARION Nathan-son who is crying over the loss of her father. *

**MARION ** Oh! Dr Harford! How . . . how good of you to come.

**MARION ** Oh, thank you. BILL I'm so ... I'm so sorry.

**MARION ** Ah ... ah ... I'm a bit numb. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. would you like to sit down?

*BILL walks around the bed and up to the dead body of LOU NATHANSON. BILL puts his hand on the corpse's forehead and then he and MARION move to a table and chairs nearby and sit down. *

said he felt like taking a nap. I ... I went into the kitchen and talked to Rosa for half an hour at most and when I went back in to see how he was I just thought he was asleep and then I ... then I realized he wasn't breathing.

**MARION ** Thank you. Carl has a new teaching appointment at the University of Michigan. We'll be moving out there soon.

**MARION ** *(starting to break) * Yeah.

**MARION ** I love you.

*The sound of the door chimes is heard. *

*She gets up, leaving BILL to sit and ponder what has happened. *

*ROSA opens the door to a studious-looking man in glasses. This is CARL, MARION' s fiance. He hands ROSA his coat and scarf. *

*CARL walks down the corridor and comes to the bed-room door. He knocks. *

MARION *(o/s) * Come in.

*CARL enters and walks across to MARION. They kiss. *

*CARL walks over to BILL and they shake hands. *

Marion, your father was very proud of you and I know you gave him great comfort these last months.

Well .... CARL Well ... I'll show you out.

*CARL shows BILL out and MARION is left in a state of confusion. *

*Cabs, night life, a few pedestrians. *

*BILL walks aimlessly along the street. He sees a young couple up against a shop front kissing passionately, oblivi.ous of all around them. *

*The taunting fantasy image of ALICE and the NAVAL *OF-*FICER making love returns to haunt BILL. *

*BILL continues walking, beating his fists in anger over his fantasy. He turns a comer and sees a gang of rowdy college boys coming towards him. The six of them take up the whole sidewalk. *

*They notice BILL and start to hurl insults at him. *

*BILL moves aside to avoid them, but as they pass, one of them deliberately elbows him up against a car parked by the sidewalk. BILL falls but regains his balance. The students start to insult him, provocatively taunting him about his sexuality. BILL stands and angrily stares at them then, as they continue down the street shouting their insults, he finally turns and walks on. *

*BILL continues on his way, hands deep in pockets, mind deep in thought. He comes to a street crossing where he has to wait before continuing. He is approached by a young girl, dressed in a fun-fur coat and hat. This is DOMINO. *

**BILL ** Ten past twelve.

*He starts to cross the street and the girl falls in step alongside him. *

*She indicates a house farther *down *the street. * DOMINO Would you like to come inside with me?

*They slow to a stop and BILL furtively looks around. *

*He sees the apartment building, its front door painted bright red. *

*DOMINO gently pulls him up the stoop to the front door. * 47. INT. LOBBY - DOMINO APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT

*DOMINO leads BILL across the small, dingy lobby to a door on the ground floor. She unlocks the door and they enter. *

*DOMINO comes in and BILL follows, looking around as he does. He notices a decorated Christmas tree in the hallway. *

*DOMINO laughs and leads him into a very messy kitchen. *

*BILL looks around then sits awkwardly on the edge of the bath tub. *

*There is an embarrassed silence as DOMINO takes off her hat and coat. *

*ALICE sits eating cookies and smoking a cigarette while watching television. She is dressed in her blue silk dress-* . *zng gown. *

*DOMINO and BILL sit on the bed, faces close together. Very slowly DOMINO leans forward and gently kisses BILL on the lips. BILL, uncertain at first, responds a little. *

*BILL's mobile phone rings. Hesitating for a moment, he finally gets off the bed and walks across to the stereo music centre and switches it off. He turns to DOMINO and puts his finger to his lips so DOMINO will keep quiet. * BILL *(to Domino) * Excuse me ...

*BILL faces the wall away from DOMINO as he takes the call. *

*ALICE is on the telephone . *

ALICE Yeah ... I was, I was just wondering if you were going to be much longer?

ALICE Well, I'm ... I'm gonna go to bed now.

ALICE *(V.O.) * Bye.

*DOMINO is now leaning back on the bed. *

*BILL, embarrassed, walks back towards the bed. *

*He sits down next to DOMINO again. *

*BILL takes his wallet out of his inside jacket pocket. *

*BILL takes DOMINO's hand and presses the bills in it. *

*BILL walks down a street and happens by the Cafe So-nata where NICK Nightingale mentioned he was play-ing. BILL stops and looks in the window where he sees a photograph of NICK sitting at the piano. BILL thinks for a moment then makes for the door, which is opened by a doorman. *

,

*BILL walks down the stairs of the club. We hear live music as BILL is greeted by the MAiTRE D'. *

MAiTRE D' Good evening, sir. Would you like a table or would you like to sit at the bar? BILL I'd like table.

,MAiTRE D' Please, follow me. Can I take your coat?

*As BILL is taken to his table we see his fri,end, NICK, playi,ng piano on stage with a jazz trio. *

MAiTRE D' Can I get you anything to drink?

*BILL watches the group as it finishes its final number. Then NICK quickly gets the band into the fast closing theme to cover his introductions to the musicians and his thanks to the audience. *

**NICK ** Hope you enjoyed the music tonight. We're

going to be here for the next two weeks. So, please, do stop by. I'm Nick Nightingale. Good night.

*NICK leaves the stage and walks through the club. *

*NICK sees BILL and goes to him. *

*The MAiTRE D' brings BILL his beer. * BILL *(to Nick) * What are you drinking?

*The MAiTRE D' brings NICK his drink. *

*They touch glasses then drink. *

**NICK ** No. It may sound ridiculous, but it's in a cliff erent place every time and I only get it an hour or so before.

*NICK dangles his hands in front ofBILL'sface. *

*They start to giggle nervously. *

*NICK's mobile phone rings. He takes it out of his pocket. *

*NICK takes a pen from his pocket and starts to write on a paper napkin. He finds it difficult so BILL reaches across and holds the napkin. NICK writes on it the word "FIDEUO. II *

Nick ....

**NICK ** Yeah, like I'm ... I'm really sorry to do this to you, Bill. I mean, I ... I gotta get going. I gotta ... I gotta go.

**NICK ** Listen, let's just say for one second that I was prepared to do that. You couldn't get in anyway in those clothes.

**NICK ** Because everyone is always costumed and masked, and where the hell are you gonna get a costume at this hour of the morning?

*A taxi turns the comer and pulls up outside a costume shop named RAINBOW FASHIONS. BILL gets out of the cab and pays the driver. *

*BILL walks up the stoop and rings the bell. A voice re-sponds through the intercom with a heavy Slavic accent. This is MIUCH. *

MILICH *(o/s) * Yes? Who is it?

MILICH *(o/s) * Who is it that you want?

MILICH *(o/s) * What's your name?

MILICH *(o/s) * You are Grenning' s doctor? BILL Yes.

MILICH *(o/s) * OK. Just a moment.

*BILL looks through the plate glass and sees a *door *open inside. From it a man appears and walks towards BILL. The man is middle -aged, has a beard and long hair and wears a dressing gown. This is MIUCH. *

*MIUCH talks to BILL who stands on the steps outside the locked *door.

*MILICH opens the door, lets BILL in, then closes it be-hind them. *

*MILICH disables the burglar alarm system. * MILICH Can't be too careful these days, hmm. *(indicates) * Please.

*MIUCH leads BILL through the shop to a counter. He switches on a lamp. *

*MIU CH leads BILL into another room of the shop. *

MILICH *(pointing to mannequins) * Looks like alive, huh?

*BILL takes his coat and gives it to MIUCH. *

*MIUCH bends over to show his balding patch. BILL quickly examines it. *

specialist ... Mr Milich. I've obviously left things a bit late tonight, so if you don't mind ....

*MIU CH casts BILL' s overcoat aside and goes to a rail of hooded cloaks. *

*Suddenly, MIUCH stops and turns to BILL. *

*MIUCH walks towards a room behind a glass wall at the back of the shop. He peers through the glass into the darkness to try to see where the noise came from. *

*MIUCH notices something behind the sofa. He attacks it with the wig in his hand and up jumps a young girl dressed only in a bra and panties. This is MIUCH's DAUGHTER. *

*Another JAPANESE MAN in a wig and covering his "modesty" with a cloth pops up from behind the sofa. MIUCH grabs his wig and attacks him with it. * **MILICH ** And you, have you no sense of decency!? Gentlemen, have you no sense of decency!?

*The DAUGHTER grabs a shawl to cover herself. *

**MILICH ** Young lady? This **is my **daughter! Couldn't you see she's a child? You will have to explain to· police.

*MIUCH makes for his DAUGHTER but she's off around the sofa. MILICH tries to catch her but she evades him. She runs into the shop and stands behind BILL who can-not understand what's going on. *

*BILL looks at the DAUGHTER as she smiles up at him. * JAPANESE MAN 1 *(o/s} * Milich, this is preposterous. The young lady invited us here.

*MIUCH angrily throws some clothing at the two cower-ing JAPANESE MEN. *

Couldn't you see? She's ... deranged! *(then to Bill) * Doctor, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. *(to Japanese) * Gentlemen, this is now police matter. You will *I * please stay here until I return.

*MIUCH leaves the room and locks the door behind him, trapping the men inside. *

**MILICH ** *(to Japanese men) * Gentlemen, please . .. have the goodness to be quiet for the moment. serve my customer?

*(to Bill) * Sorry. *(to Daughter) * And you, little whore, go

bed at once, you

*The DAUGHTER slowly leaves the room, giving BILL a suggestive look as she goes. BILL looks at her perplexed. *

*A taxi speeds over the bridge. * 66. INT. TAXI CAB - NIGHT

*BILL sits in the cab alone with his churning thoughts. *

*BILL's relentless fantasy returns as he imagines the NAVAL OFFICER and his wife making love. *

*BILL closes his eyes as if to shut out the thought of his wife with another man. *

*BILL's view from the cab as it swings off the bridge and onto a link road which will take it through the suburbs and out to the country. *

*The taxi drives through the suburbs. Festive illumina-tions strung across the road proclaim "HAPPY HOL-IDAY." *

*The cab proceeds down a tree-lined country road. * 72. INT. TAXI CAB - NIGHT

*BILL looks out to see where he is. *

*BIL.L's POV: the entry gates of a large country house can be seen through the trees to the right. Two men in dark coats are waiting in front of them. A sign shows the name of the house as "Somerton." The two men watch the cab closely. *

The *taxi slows to a halt. *

The *TAXI DRIVER switches on his light and BILL opens his wallet . *

*BILL holds up a $100 bill and tears it in half. * BILL So, let the meter run. I'll give you the other half, plus the meter, when I get back. OK?

*The TAXI DRIVER takes one half of the $100 note and BILL gets out of the cab. *

*BILL closes the cab door and slowly walks towards the two GATEMEN. *

*The GATEMAN gestures to a vehicle on the other side of the gates. *

*A vast country house set amidst its own grounds. Lim-ousines of all descriptions are lined up each side of the driveway. The vehicle ferrying BILL drives up and stops. BILL steps out and then walks up to the front door which is opened for him. BILL enters the house. *

*BILL walks in and is approached by a MASKED BUT-LER. The sound of strange music can be heard in the background. * MASKED BUTLER Good evening, sir.

*The MASKED BUTLER takes BILL's coat. Underneath BILL is wearing a hooded cloak. BILL then puts his mask on and pulls the hood over his head as he walks towards another door which is opened for him by a MASKED MAN. BILL enters. *

*BILL comes in through the door and walks slowly across the ante-room. A STEWARD, also masked, elegantly ges-tures him through heavy velvet drapes into a vast hall *-*its walls, ceilings, balconies and columns all finely carved in white marble. The hall is crowded with people dressed similarly to BILL: black hooded cloaks and full-faced Venetian Carnival-style masks of every conceiv-able design and colour. BILL sees a brightly lit circle of kneeling figures. In the centre is a figure wearing a red cloak who is conducting a strange ritual (this is RED CLOAK). He is waving an incense burner in one hand while holding a staff in the other. At the far end of the hall BILL sees NICK heavily blind-folded and dressed in a white tuxedo. NICK is sitting at an array of keyboards producing eerie music that reso-nates through the hall and up to the marble balconies and galleries where gather cloaked and masked specta-tors. RED CLOAK now walks slowly around the circle of figures and then moves to the centre. He bows deeply and the kneeling figures prostrate themselves before him. From a column furthest away from the spectacle BILL watches as RED CLOAK bangs his staff on the red carpet, a command that returns the figures to their kneeling positions. Then he moves slowly around the circle swinging the incense burner before moving back to the centre and banging the staff again which causes the figures to rise to their feet. RED CLOAK bangs the staff on the carpet a further time: the figures unclasp the hooks of their cloaks and let them fall off their shoulders to the floor. The figures are now revealed to be beautiful young women, naked except for their masks and G-strings. As RED CLOAK turns on the spot one of the women leans to her right to lightly embrace the woman next to her. She places a kiss on her lips. The kissed woman now leans to *her *right and repeats the act 'With the next woman, the kiss now being ''passed" around the circle. While BILL tries to fathom what is happening two figures on a balcony opposite seem to be taking a more than passing interest in him. They continue staring at BILL until he slowly becomes aware of them. One of the figures wears a tricom mask while the other hides be-hind an androgynous mask. There is a sinister air to both of them. The man in the tricom mask bows to BILL, seemingly in recognition. BILL, uncertain at first, re-turns the bow. Then his attention is drawn back to the women in the circle. RED CLOAK, 'With a rap of his staff on the floor, com-mands a woman to her feet. The woman bows to RED CLOAK who then bestows a "blessing" upon her. She then leaves the circle and approaches a man in the sur-rounding crowd. She leans forward to "kiss" the man, their masked lips touching, before leading him off out of the hall. BILL watches as the procedure is repeated with the "blessed" women apparently choosing men at random from the spectators. RED CLOAK has now reached a woman in the circle who wears a mask more alluring than the others, a beautiful design with black feathered plumes arising above her head (this is MYSTERIOUS WOMAN). After re-ceiving the "blessing" the MYSTERIOUS WOMAN turns and walks straight to BILL. She gently places her hand on his shoulder as she leans forward to "kiss" him. Then she leads BILL by the hand out of the hall. *

*The MYSTERIOUS WO.MAN leads BILL down a red car-peted corridor which, like the hall, has walls of carved marble. On these walls are large mirrors which reflect the procession of almost naked women leading the masked men away. *

The *OMINOUS MAN leads the MYSTERIOUS WOMAN away up a marble staircase. She looks back at BILL who is left wondering what is going on in the house. *

*BILL follows a couple into a large hall that also has walls of carved marble. There are many doors and arch-ways leading off. A beautiful naked young woman is astride a man on his back. *They *are fucking and oblivious to the specta-tors crowded all around them. At the end of the room a naked man eases a woman in an elegant dress on to a polished table. He begins fucking her, unaware of BILL who passes closely by. *

*BILL enters the room. On a long table two naked women in a "sixty-nine" position simulate mutual cunnilingus. Three other women sit on stools upon the table slowly and sensuously caressing each other's bodies. Gathered around the table are masked voyeurs enjoying the spec-tacle. BILL continues through the house. *

*BILL enters the ante-room . The focus of the crowd's at-tention is a naked woman, her hands held down by a masked woman in a red dress, who is being fucked from behind by a naked man. BILL walks through and into a sumptuous library with oak paneled walls and bookcases full of leather bound volumes. A roaring fire illuminates the bizarre scene of a masked man in formal evening dress on his hands and knees while on his back is a naked woman being fucked by another man in a Pan-like mask. BILL joins the other onlookers. Then the man in the tricom mask enters the room accompanied by a naked YOUNG WOMAN. They stop and upon a signal from the man the YOUNG W0.1\!AN walks up to BILL and stands next to him. *

*Suddenly, the MYSTERIOUS WOMAN in the beautiful feathered mask walks up to BILL and interrupts the con-versation. *

*The MYSTERIOUS WOMAN takes BILL by the hand and leads him out of the library. *

*The MYSTERIOUS WOMAN looks around her to make sure no one is about and then takes BILL across the hall. *

*BILL attempts to remove her mask but she holds tight. * MYSTERIOUS WOMAN No!

*She finally pushes his hands away and then leaves quickly. *

*BILL looks towards her but before he can do anything a TALL BUTLER arrives. He too is masked. *

*He gestures BILL to follow him and they leave the room. *

*Couples dance, some naked, some in evening dress, as NICK Nightingale, still blindfolded, is led through the room and away down a corridor. * 86. INT. RED CARPETED CORRIDOR - "SOMERTON" - NIGHT

*The TALL BUTLER escorts BILL down the same corridor along which the MYSTERIOUS WOMAN had earlier led BILL. As they reach the door of the white marble hall where BILL had witnessed the opening ritual, they stop. There, in the middle of the red carpet, sits RED CLOAK on a throne with acolytes in purple robes standing ei-ther side of him. They are surrounded by a circle of many people in black cloaks and masks. RED CLOAK beckons BILL to him. *

*As BILL enters the gap in the circle, the men in black cloaks close rank, cutting off any way of escape. *

*Suddenly, there is a shout from the balcony behind BILL. * MYSTERIOUS WOMAN Stop! Let him go. Take me, I am ready to redeem him.

*There is a gasp of surprise from the crowd. RED CLOAK gets to his feet. *

*Another gasp of surprise from the crowd. *

*The front door of the apartment opens and BILL comes in carrying a bag with his costume. He quietly shuts and locks the front door. He walks down the hallway and looks in at HELENA's room. She lies fast asleep. BILL turns away and walks on down through the living room, taking off his coat as he does, and into his study. He unlocks a cupboard and hides the bag with his costume there. *

*BILL walks into the bedroom to find ALICE asleep but munnuring in a dream. He sits on the side of the bed, and ALICE's noises tum to laughing. As the laugh be-comes almost hysterical BILL gently touches her. She awakes with a "start" and is a little distressed. *

*BILL starts to take off his shoes as ALICE tries to calm down. *

*ALICE, still slightly upset, reaches out to him and pulls BILL down next to her. * BILL What were you dreaming?

*ALICE sits up, trying to recapture her dream. *

**ALICE ** We ... we were ... we were in a deserted city and ... and our clothes were gone. We were naked, and ... and I was terrified, and I ... I felt ashamed. Oh, God! And ... and I was angry because I felt it was your fa ult. You ... you rushed away to try and find our clothes for us. As soon as you were gone it was completely cliff erent. I ... I felt wonderful. Then I was lying in a .. . in a beautiful garden, stretched out naked in the sunlight, and a man walked out of the woods, he was ... he was the man

from the hotel, the one I told you about ... the naval officer. He ... he stared at me and then he just laughed ... he just laughed at me.

*ALICE lies down again, burying her face in her pillow. BILL sits up and looks at her cryi,ng into the pillow. *

No.

*ALICE gets close to BILL and envelopes him in her arms while summoning the courage to continue the story. *

everywhere. Everyone was fucking, and then I ... I was fucking other men, so many ... I don't know how many I was with. And I knew you could see me in the arms of all these men, just fucking all these men, and I ... I wanted to make fun of you, to laugh in your face. And so I laughed as loud as I could. And that must have been when you woke me up.

*She weeps and caresses BILL who is perplexed and sits not knowing what to feel about what she has told him. *

*The following morning. A street full of traffic. Crowds. *

*A taxi pulls up and BILL gets out. He is carrying the bag with his costume from the night before. He walks up to the Cafe Sonata and sees the entrance grill closed and locked. *

*He wonders what to do. He looks around and sees that Gillespie's Coffee Shop next door is open. He goes inside. * 91. INT. GILLESPIE'S COFFEE SHOP - DAY

*BILL walks in and finds a seat at the counter. An attrac-tive WAITRESS behind the counter greets him. *

**WAITRESS ** Hi!

*She pours BILL a cup. *

**WAITRESS ** Anything else?

**BILL ** No, thank you.

*The WAITRESS writes a check and lays it in front of him. *

*BILL shows her his State Medical Board card. *

medical matter, some tests. And I know he'll wanna know about them as soon as possible .

*The morning traffic is in full flow. The streets crowded with pedestrians. BILL, carrying his bag, walks up the street and comes to the Hotel Jason. He goes in. *

*It's a clean, respectable, moderately priced establish-ment; BILL walks up to the reception desk and calls to the gay CLERK who is putting a letter in a guest's pigeon-hole. *

*BILL shows him his State Medical Board Card. The CLERK starts getting very friendly . *

**BILL ** Scared?

*BILL leaves the Hotel Jason. *

*A taxi pulls up outside RAINBOW FASHIONS where BILL had hired the costume the night before. BILL gets out the cab with his bag and ascends the stoop. * 95. INT. RAINBOW FASHIONS - DAY

*BILL walks to the counter and puts the bag on it. *

*MIUCH starts to take the costume out of the bag. *

**MILICH ** Good, good. *(pause) * Tuxedo, cloak, shoes, erh ... . I think you forgot the mask.

*BILL, troubled, picks through the clothes on the counter. * MILICH No, no, no. Maybe you left it at the party?

**MILICH ** Sure.

*MIUCH opens the till and takes out the receipt from the night before. *

**MILICH ** Here we are. That was one hundred fifty (or the rental, two hundred you said for my trouble , twenty five for the mask - sorry. That's ... three hundred and seventy-five .

*Then the door at the end of the shop opens and the DAUGHTER appears who BILL saw with the JAPANESE MEN. She has only her bra and panties on with a flimsy kimono. *

*The DAUGHTER walks to the counter and stands next to MIUCH. * MILICH Would you like to say hello to Dr Harford?

*She offers her hand to BIU and they shake. *

*Then the JAPANESE MEN appear through the door, both smartly dressed. They hesitate on seeing BILL and then they slowly walk up to MILICH and his DAUGHTER. *

*They take their leave, one of them blowing a ki.ss to the DAUGHTER. *

*While MILICH does this BILL looks at the DAUGHTER who returns a knowing look. BILL is shocked by what he has seen. *

*MILICH puts his arm around his DAUGHTER's shoul-ders. BIU. sees the fragile, china doll-like face of the girl. *

*BILL is left speechless at this invitation . *

*A busy avenue with office blocks in mid-town Man-hattan. *

*BILL, in his white doctor's coat, sits deep in thought. * 98. INT. ROOM - CAPE COD - DAY

*BILL continues to brood over the fantasy of ALICE mak-ing love with the NAVAL OFFICER. *

*BILL, still wrapped up in his thoughts, is interrupted by a knock at the door. *

*USA comes in with a "take-away" food bag and coffee. *

*BILL's Range Rover speeds over the bridge. *

*BILL continues driving over the bridge. *

*BILL's Range Rover on its way through the suburbs. * 103. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - DAY

*BILL's Range Rover slows down on a road lined with fir trees. It turns into the gateway of "Somerton ,." the house where the masked ball had been held the night before, and comes to a halt *to *the fore of the gates . Nobody is about. BILL gets out of the Range Rover and slowly walks to the closed gates . He looks up and sees a surveillance camera tracking him. He is wondering ·what to do when he sees a limousine coming down the driveway towards him. It comes to a stop the other side of the gates. An ELDERLY MAN, smartly dressed, gets out of the car and walks up to the gates while keeping a steady eye on BILL. He takes a letter from his inside pocket and pushes it through the gate. BILL approaches the ELDERLY MAN and takes the let-ter. Without saying a word, the man tums, goes back to the car and is driven away. BILL looks at the envelope and sees "DR. WILLIAM HARFORD" typed on it. He opens it and takes out a sheet of paper. Written on it is a warning to him: *

Give up your inquiries which are completely useless, and consider these words a second wanting . We hope, for your own good, that this will be sufficient.

*BILL thinks long and hard about this warning and what it implies. He turns away from the gates to go back to his car. *

*Night time traffic . Rluminations. People walking about. * 105. INT. BILL & ALICE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

*BILL comes in through the front door and closes it. He is wearing an overcoat and canying a case. He walks down the corridor. *

ALIC.E *(o/s) * ·, H1.

HELENA *(o/s} * Hi, daddy!

*BILL takes his coat off and drops it over a chair in the hallway. He continues into the dining room where he sees ALICE sitting with HELENA doing some homework . ALICE seems pleased to see him. BILL kisses ALICE on the head. and strokes HET,ENA's hair~ *

ALICE *(o/s) * Dr Sanders and, erh ... Mrs Shapiro.

*HELENA proudly shows him her schoolbook . *

I , HELENA Look, I got all these right .

ALlCE You hungry?

**ALICE ** Want to eat at seven? BILL

**HELENA ** Daddy, am I gonna get a puppy for Christmas?

*BILL walk$ into the kitchen, opens the fridge and takes out a drink. *

have Joe and Joe has two dollars fifty, Mike has one dollar and seventy-five cents. Joe has bow much more money than Mike?

**HELENA ** Hmmm . .. how much more means, that it would be an subtraction, wouldn 't it?

*As ALICE helps HELENA with her homework BILL watches from the kitchen~ ALICE's words from the night before come back to haunt him: *

Hundreds of them everywhere, and everyone was fucking . And then I . .. I was fucking other men, so many, I .. . I don't know bow many l was with.

*While BILL can hear her voice in his head ALICE gives him a look full of love and affection . BILL responds with a forced smile. *

*The Christmas lights illuminate the area. At the end of the reception we see a door ajar and light coming through it. *

*BILL sits staring at the telephone. *

*The thought of ALICE making love with the NAVAL OFFI-CER invades BILL's mind agai.n. *

*BI.LL, still staring at his phone, decides to act. He picks up the receiver and punches in a number. *

*The phone rings in the hallway . CARL walks down the corridor and picks up the receiver. * CARL Hello? Hello? Hello?

*BILL is disappointed at heanng CARL's voice. He had been expecting MARION to answer. *

11.2. INT. ltALLWAY-NATHANSON APARTMENT - NIGHT

*CARL is still trying to get a response from the telephone. *

*BILL thinks for a moment, then puts the p"hone down. He is clearly troubled. *

*A taxi pulls up at the curbside outside DOMINO's apart-ment building in Greenwich Village. BILL gets out and pays his fare. *

*A shabby lobby. BILL walks up to the apartment door. He rings the bell. A woman's voice is heard from the other side of the door. This is SALLY. *

**SALLY ***(o/s) * Who is

SALLY *(o/s) * No, she's not in.

SALLY *(o/s} * No, I'm not.

*The door is unlocked and SALLY's face appears. BILL gives her the cake boxr *

Can I say who it's from?

*BILL enters the apartmen .t. *

**116. **INT. DOMINO APARTMENT - NIGHT

*SALLY closes and locks the door. She is very attractive, about DOMINO's age, and she signals to BILL to go into the kitchen. As he enters he stops and turns . SALLY, who likes the look of him, puts the cake on the table and blatantly pushes herself up against him. *

**SALLY ** I'm Sally.

*BILL, taking off his overcoat, is not reticent in returning the advance. *

**SALLY ** Hi.

*They are flirting heavily now. *

*Excited by their c'loseness, BILL starts to fondle SALL.Y's breast. *

*SALLY is very taken by the advance from BILL, but forces herself to talk. *

*They separ.ate and sit at each end of the kitchen table. BILL laughs at SALLY's difficulty in saying what is on her mind. *

*BILL is taken aback. He was not expecting news like this. *

*BILL doesn't know what to say. *

*It is deserted, but for a passing car, as we see BILL slowly walking down the street. *

*BILL, hands thrust deep in his pockets, becomes aware of somebody else walking behind him. He looks back and sees a figure keeping a distance on the opposite side of the street. BILL realizes he is being followed . This is the STALKER. *

*BILL turns a comer and checks behind him. He contin-ues down the street and looks back. The STALKER, though keeping his distance , has now crossed to BILL's side of the stree·t. He's a heavy set guy with a shaved head. BILL, now worried, tries to hail a cab, but none stpp. Then he sees a ta.xi. pull up and someone gets out. BILL runs across to grab the cab and starts *to *open the door. *

**BILL Taxi.

DRIVER ** Off duty.

*The cab pulls away, leaving BILL at the curbside. BIU.. tries to see if the STA T,KER is still following him and then decia,es to continue walking. As he reaches a newspaper kiosk he sees the STALKER come round the comer and stop. BILL stops too and looks at him for some time while wondering what will happen next. BILL then picks up a copy of the *New York Post *and throws some change down. The STALKER crosses the street, all the time keeping a steady watch on BILL. Then he stops and BILL waits . Finally, after a stand-off, the STALKER walks away leaving BILL feeling very anx-ious. BILL turns and walks down the street. He sees Shar-key's Cafe and welcomes the security the company of other people will afford him. *

*BILL walks up the stairs and into the cafe. * 121. INT. SHARKEY'S CAFE - NIGHT

*BILL enters. Mozart's *Requiem *is playi.ng and the place is full *of *people . He goes to the counter and a friendly waitress looks up. *

**WAITRESS ** I'll bring it over to you.

*BILL sees a table at the other end of the room and goes across *to *it. He sits down and opens the *New York Post *and glances agitatedly out of the cafe windows . Suddenly, something in the paper catches his eye: a headline which reads, EX-BEAUTY QUEEN IN HOTEL DRUGS OVERDOSE. He reads the article in dread of what it seems to be revealing . *

*A busy Manhattan genera l hospital : ambulances , cars, staff and public. *

*Through the revolving glass doors, we see a cab pull up outside. BILL gets out and walks through the revolving door and up to the reception desk. * BILL Good evening.

*The RECEPTIONIST checks the spelling as she enters the name on the computer. *

**124. **INT. CORRIDOR - HOSPITAL - NIGHT

*BILL follows an ORDERLY down the corridor. *

**125. INT. **MORGUE - HOSPITAL - NIGHT

*The ORDERLY leads BILL into the morgue and then walks over to a bank of refrigerated body drawers and pulls out a body on a tray. He steps back. BILL stands looking at the corpse *- *we recognize her as the woman we saw at ZIEGLER's had over-dosed in the bathroom,

BILL leans closer to study

her face. He moves around

to her head. He leans forward, bringing his face close to hers, and closes his eyes. It's as if he were going to kiss her. He stops short and slowly pulls back until he is look-ing down at her face. *

**126. INT. ANOTHER **CORRIDOR - **HOSPITAL **-

**NIGHT **

*Despondently, BILL walks down the corridor. His *mo-*bile phone rings. He takes it out of his pocket . *

BilL Hello? Yes, it's D:r Harford ... Tonight? .. . No, no, no. That's OK. Just, please, tell him that. I'll be there in about twenty minutes .. . OK?

*Lights burning in most rooms. Night traffic. *

*HARRIS, ZIEGLER's personal assistant, leads BILL down the corridor and across the hall. Not a word is spoken. They come to a door and HARRIS knocks on it. * **129. INT. BILLIARD ROOM **- ZIEGLER **MANSION **-**NIGHT **

*A big, pine paneled room, lined with books and antique artifacts. In the middle of the room ZIEGLER is alone, playing shots on the billiard table. ZIEGLER hears the knock, puts the cue down and walks across the room to the door. *

*HARRIS opens the door, lets BILL in and closes the door immediately after. *

*ZIEGLER gives BILL a friendly slap . on the shoulder as he takes his coat. *

*They walk over to the drink$ tabl,e. ZIEGLER. laying BILL's coat over an annchair. *

*ZIEGLER. pours the drinks. * **BILL ** Please. That was a terrific party the other night. Alice and I had a wonderful time.

**ZIBGLER ** Well, good, good. It was great seeing you both. Cheers.

*They "clink" glasses and ZIEGLER leads BILL over to the billiard table. *

*They face each other across the table as BILL takes a drink. *

*ZIEGLER starts playi.ng with a billiard ball. He looks particularly ill at ease. *

**ZIEGLER ** It isn't a medical problem.

*ZIEGLER slowly walks around the tabl.e towards BILL. *

*ZIEGLER picks up his glass and starts to pace the floor. *

Zl\_EGLER I couldn't , I couldn't even begin to, to imagine how, how you had even heard about it, let alone

got yourself through the door. And then I remembered seeing you with that ... that ... that prick ·piano player .. . Nick whatever-the-fuck his name was at my party. It didn't take much to figure out the rest.

*BILL stares at the table in embarrassment. *

**BILL ** It wasn't Nick's fault. It was mine.

*ZIEGLER leans on. the table trying to gain composure. *

*BILL "snorts" a short laugh in response. *

Now it is ZIEGLER's tum tobe embarrassed. *

*ZIEGLER's attempt to lighten the conversation falls flat with BILL. *

*ZIEGLER. moves closer to BILL and sits on the table. * ZIEGLER OK, he had a bruise on his face. That's a hell of a lot less than he deserves. Listen, Bill. I don't think you realize what sort of trouble you were in last night.

*ZIEGLER gets off the table, picks up BILL's glass and walks to the drinks table. *

*ZIEGLER pours more scotch for BILL and himself and puts BILL's glass on the billiard table. ZIEGLER then walks over to an armchair on the other side of the room. *

*ZIEGLER sits down in the armchair. * ZIEGLER Of course, it didn't help a whole lot ... those people arrive in limos and you showed up in a taxi. Or, that when they took your coat, they found the receipt from the rental house in your pocket, made out to you-know-who ....

*BILL moves away and turns his back on ZIEGLER. He feels vmy awkward. *

*ZIEGLER gets up and goes near to where BILL stands with his back still turned. He puts his glass on the edge of the table. *

*BILL moves away, still wi.th his back to ZIEGLER and sits in an armchair . He runs his hand through his hair, trying to figure everything out. *

*BILL takes the article he tore out of the *New York Post *in Sharkey's Cafe and hands it to ZIEGLER ·who looks at it. *

*He folds it and gives it back to BILL. *

*ZIEGLER, hands in pockets, moves away to the billiard table. *

*BILL, in a~ attempt to put everything together, gets up and walks away from ZIEGLER as if to put some dis-tan.ce between them. *

*BILL, getting ve,y upset, turns round on ZIEGLER. *

Come on ... it was always just gonna be a matter of time with her. Remember , you told her so yourself? Remember the one with the great tits who OD' d in ·my bathroom ?

*BILL hangs his head as he recollects that it was indeed what he'd told ZIEGLER and MANDY at the party after the "bathroom incident. *" *BILL slowly moves away as ZIEGLER, trying to mol-lify him, walks up behind him. *

*ZIEGLER lays his hands on BIL.L's shoulders in a friendly reassuring way. *

*The mask that BIU wore at the ball rests an a pillow bathed in moonlight. Next to it lies ALICE a leep: *

*71ie front door opens and a to.tally dejected BILL e·nters. He slowly walks down the hallway, takes off his over-coat and just dumps it on a chair. He walks across th.e living room towards the illuminated Christmas tree. He pauses to look at the then BILL takes off his jacket

a chair. 'ri,red and exhausted the kitchen, loosening his takes out a can of beer. Then down into a chair and starts

*BILL quietly opens the bedroom door. To his dismay, he sees ·the mask on the pillow next to ALICE. BILL, emo-tionally wrecked, walks slowly towards the bed and sits down with tears in his eyes. Fi.nally, he can restrain himself no longer, and breaks down into uncontrollable sobbing. ALICE wakes to see BILL's complete helplessness as he collapses and lays his head on her breast. She puts an ann around him as he sobs. *

*Dawn has given way to early morning. ALICE, cigarette in hand, sits in tearful silence as she contemplates what BILL has told her. She looks at BILL .who sits on the sofa opposite looking ashamed, humiliated , remorseful . ALICE, trying to constrain her disappointment, remem-bers what they have to do this day. *

*BILL and ALICE walk together with HELENA who is t,y-ing to catch the soap bubbles floating in the air above her. Then HELENA run,s off as BILL and ALICE follow, BILL glancing anxiously q,t ALICE as they go. They catch up with HELENA as she looks at a toy pram. *

**ALICE ** It's old fashioned.

*HELENA runs off again and when BILL and ALICE catch up with her, they see she has discovered a huge teddy bear. *

**ALICE ** He's big.

**HELENA ** I hope Santa Claus gets me one of these for Christmas!

**HELENA ** Yes.

*HELENA runs off again, and BILL and ALICE follow , each with everything to say but no way of saying it until BILL plucks up the courage to speak. * BILL Alice . .. what do you think we should do?

*They stop and ALICE tries to gather her t"1oughts. *

*BII.L and ALICE look at HELENA who holds up a fairy doll. They smile at her. *

*They move away into an aisle where ALICE stops an.d begins to explain her feelings. HELENA walks between them which brings ALICE to a halt. *

*When she thinks HELENA is out of earshot, ALICE con-tinues , searching for words. * ALICE Maybe, I think , we should be grateful ... grateful that we've managed to survive through all of our adventures, whether they were real or only a dream.

Fuck.