She gets out of the cab and looks around. Isn't that Cary Grant that just passed by? No, couldn't be. Still, she clutches her jewelry uneasily. She smiles. No, those things only happen in the movies.
SCENE 2: OUTSIDE THE HOTEL
She looks up at the towering hotel. Its steeples reach out to the sky, Claudette stares in awe, she senses something strange,mabye something sinister. Suddenly a hand clutches at her shoulder, "Your bags, Madamoiuselle".
The taxi driver turned and took the last bag out of the taxi. Claudette pauses for a second and wonders about the incident at the traffic lights.
The taxi driver pauses for a second, as if waiting for a tip, she realises and digs into her handbag. The taxi driver looks annoyed and says "No. I have something I have to discuss with you. Meet me here" he gives her a card. She looks down at the card, "Monseiur Bickle- 109 Cannes Boulvard". As she looks up the man enters the taxi and drives away.
The concierge pick up her luggage and takes it into the hotel. She is left standing, wondering what is in store for her in this strange, yet exciting introduction to her holiday.
--M.R., Edinburgh, Scotland
SCENE 3: CHECKING-IN
Claudette walks confidently in through the front entrance of the Hotel Carlton, with the pair of cardboard legs stradling the portal to advertise a new blockbuster action movie. She strides across the lobby, past the stars waiting to be photographed, the businessmen waiting for product, up to the front desk. The desk clerk asks, "Oui, madame?" Claudette says, "I believe I have a reservation...?" The clerk immediately checks his records, replies, "No, madame. I am afraid you have not." Before Claudette can reply, the clerk's gaze shifts and he says, "Bonjour, Monsieur Robey."
"Don't be absurd, Jacquot. Of course this lady has a reservation." The tailored cuff of grey-green flannel next to her atop the desk led to the person of Jon Robey, with his black hair, teasing eyebrows, totally disarming smile, and a tan which did not look like it came from a machine. Everyone knew Jon Robey, as he was all over the US media, on magazines and TV, in conjunction with the release of a new film he had made with Arthur Penn.
"Aren't you Vera Czerny's daughter?" he asks, looking at her with his sincere eyes whose blue colour have melted women on-screen and off. "I haven't seen her in ages. How is she doing?" "Well, fine, con sidering she's dead," Claudette stammered. "It's obvious I have some catching-up to do. I have a table on the terrace, and I'm sure Jacquot will fix you up with a room, won't you?" Jon smiled at the clerk.
"Oui, monsieur," the clerk replied, obediently.
Divested of her suitcase by the unseen hands of porters, Claudette clutched her pocketbook and laptop while she found herself steered, by the elbow, towards the sun-drenched terrace and, further on, a table where sat a woman wearing very expensive sunglasses and lipstick the shade of Tupperware pink, over a mouth pursed in a moue. "You'd probably want to meet Madeleine Claq. She's in the opening-night film, something called 'Love on a Cross'. You here for the festival?"
"Yes," Claudette said. "I've been asked to cover it for an American magazine, 'Look at the Stars'." This was a total lie, of course, but Robey seemed to buy it. When she looks at him... she thinks his smile seems to be---humoring her? Bemused? Friendly? Perverse? "Well," he said, "here's one star you're certain to wanna have a look at...."
--G.A., Medford, Oregon
SCENE 4: THE SURPRISE
Madeline beckoned Claudette to sit with her. She gave a stilted laugh and removed her sunglasses. Claudette's mouth dropped open and she knocked the water glass over into her lap. She was too dumbfounded to move or, for that matter, to speak. Madeline looked her in the eye and said, "I've been wanting to meet you, my dear. I've wanted to see," she laughed, "what I look like!" She sipped her wine, leaving a trace of the pink behind. Claudette gripped her purse and laptop tightly, continuing to stare.
--C.J., Cleveland, OH
SCENE 5: CLAUDETTE IN HER ROOM
She goes up to her room and prepares for her first venture into the streets of Cannes. The festival will not open until tomorrow, but Claudette is taking no chances. She unpacks, then looks through the clothes she brought, thinking aloud.
"An innocent schoolgirl look. No, this is the Riviera and I'm no Rebecca. Maybe the sex kitten look. With BB only interested in animals, somebody's got to hold up tradition. No. Well, maybe later in the week. We'll see what happens. Maybe I'll dress casual just for now."
She picks out a sailor's shirt and pants, almost the same as worn by Jean Seaberg in the opening shots of "Breathless."
She looks outside to see the weather. Her room has a wonderful view of the sea. It's bright but a cloud passes and suddenly she looks down on a sea of brightly colored umbrellas. "Maybe the schoolgirl look afterall," she says, thinking of Catherine Deneuve in "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." "But no... Let's wait and see."
--J.M., New York, NY
SCENE 6: A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
Screenplay Continued: There was a rapid, but soft knocking on her door. "Who is it?" she replied. All she could hear was a faint whisper. She could not make out what the person on the other side of the door was saying. "I said, who is it?" Claudette was starting to feel a little suspicious. This whole trip has been so strange from the second she stepped off of the plane. "What should I expect?" she thinks to herself. "The reason why I am here to begin with is very strange." She decides to open the door. She turns the lock and takes off the chain. She opens the door quickly and standing there was a waiter with a cart with many covered dishes. "Room service madam," he said. "I did not order room service..."
--B.A.R., Brooklyn, NY
SCENE 7: PERPLEXED
"Well, someone has, Madame. Just eight minutes ago we got this order. Some croissants, cheese, and a bottle of champagne with two glasses." The waiter leaves his cart at the small table. "Are you sure it was this room?" she asked. "Quite sure, Madame!" he replies. He leaves the room and softly closes the door. She remains standing with her face towards the closed door. "I don't understand..." she whispers to herself. Suddenly a dark voice from the back of the room says: "There's nothing to understand my dear..."
--A., Oslo, Norway
SCENE 8: MEMORY
Cut to An elderly lady walking a pug on the Promenade des Anglais directly across from the Carlton.
As the dog performs his morning ritual, the woman waits patiently, admiring the view that has changed little over the fifty years she has come to this place each May.
She watches a young couple approach, arm in arm and laughing gently with each other, leaning slightly towards one another in the unique way that lovers do, as if they possessed a secret that only they and gravity can share.
The woman feels the firm tug of the lead and looks down to meet the round, watery eyes of her dog, her great companion of these last several years.
She remembers walking near this very spot, many years ago, when she and the Film Festival were much younger. And she recalls another day much like this one: a limpid sun, the insistent hum of nearby cars, and another companion from the distant past.
--S. A. J., Medford, MA
SCENE 9: FLASHBACK -MAY 1947
As Marc stepped out of the taxi he became aware of the fact that his life would never again be dull. He took his time paying the driver wanting to somehow alert everyone of his presence.
The doors of the Carlton flew open as a young woman dressed in a bright yellow ensemble made her exit into the midday heat and deposited herself into Marc's waiting taxi.
"What the....?" Marc shouted as the taxi slowly pulled away from the curb. Muttering to himself, he collected his bag and made his way into the hotel.
The woman, observing every moment felt drawn to the handsome stranger making his way to the front desk. As she followed him her mind raced through different possibilities, various ways to initiate the conversation she was sure would take place between them.
--J. R., Toronto, Ont., Canada
SCENE 10: CLAUDETTE GOES OUT
She descends the stairs,goes out into this brave new world. No time for anything else but pure excitement! Live seems sweet, as she walks the streets, heading for the beach. She stops to buy the latest papers and smiles back at the seller, who compliments her with his eyes. The smell of the place pleases her and the whole world is at her command. Now, at the corner of this street, we see this man staring at her. He is in sunglasses and wears an light linnen suit. He is licking an ice cream cone. There is something like a bulb in his pocket, though it could just be he is just a sloppy sort af guy. As she goes past him, here he is, following her. We hear the rumours of the street, we see her delight in it all and we wonder how anybody could be so naive. But then, of course, she is an American princess and entitled to it. And of course, we sort of feel for her, wouldn't we all like to be her in some way ar another? But nothing happens yet. She can still dream a while and even, a few moments later, accidentelly run into someone who is going to be her rescuer later on.
--L. G., The Netherlands
SCENE 11 : THE RESCUER
Claudette looks at him. She can't hide her surprise. He just seems to be an angel coming from the sky to show her the right place to be, now. And this place is Cannes. The encounter with this man makes her sure that she has to be here. Why ? That's the problem...It's impossible for her to remember why... So Claudette asks the man to excuse her and continues walking...
-- E. B., Toulouse, France
SCENE 12: CLAUDETTE HAS A DRINK
Claudette walks into a restaurant and asks for a martini, she opens her bag and takes out a bottle of pills, slips one of the pills into her mouth and takes a small sip of her martini - ahh that feels better - now where is the man that she saw before - there he is at the next table.
--L., New Zealand
SCENE 13: DISAPPOINTMENT
Screenplay Continued: Her eyes were riveted to the back of the tall young man. She wanted him, as she had never wanted any man before. She wanted him to own her. Heart, body and soul were his for the asking. The handsome man signaled the clerk behind the counter.
"A room please," he whispered.
"One?" the clerk asked as his eyes scanned the beautiful woman behind the man at the counter.
"Yes, just one. Your finest suite. Possiblily the Honeymoon Suite?" The twinkle in his eyes was the only hint that the man gave as he reached back for the hand of the beautiful young woman behind him.
--R.W., Racine, WI
SCENE 14: ROMANCE ON THE CROISETTE
Screenplay Continued: She looked straight into his eyes, and said " Do we have a room?"
He clasped her hand tighter, and just looked at her, and nodded.
They proceeded to the elevator, hand in hand, on the way he picked up a red rose that was lying on the table, and handed it to her, they both paused, and looked deep into each others eyes.
--S.N., Southampton, England
SCENE 15: MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE CAFÉ...
Claudette grabs her newspaper and hides her face behind it, pretending to read. That gives her a good chance to look at him over the edge of the newspaper. This way, he doesn't realise that she is watching him. But suddenly he looks up, as if someone had called him, and looks straight into her eyes. She blushes...
--M. G., Switzerland
SCENE 16: UNWANTED INTERRUPTION
But his sudden interest was not intended for her. The moment the stranger looked up, a hand gripped Claudette's shoulder, causing her to drop her newspaper mask and turn around. Monsieur Bickle's tar black eyes imposed upon her startled face, and he quietly whispered, "Stand up and come with me now!" Claudette turned out of her chair and walked next to the man she only knew as her taxi driver, noticing the stranger's now vacant chair across the room. "I don't understand what's going on, " she said. Bickle, looking straight ahead as he walked, muttered, "Don't question. Just follow."
--M. F., New York, USA
SCENE 17: COMPELLED
Screenplay Continued: Despite her reservations, Cluadette was compelled to follow him. He held her wrist and they walked down the stairs, and as they approached the building's main exterior doorway, he started to walk faster. Bickle's determined gait was shortly overshadowed by his own urgency. She struggled to keep standing as the pace quickened, and was dragged along with a strength and fericity which she found both frightening and exhilarating
--S. B., Australia
SCENE 18: A VISION
As he reaches the sidewalk, Bickle stops and fiercely gestures at the brilliant arch of the rainbow overhead. Claudette's anxiety drains away like smoke as her eyes fill with the wonder of colors.
--R. D. Kansas City, USA
SCENE 19: PROMISES
Bickle takes Claudette's face in his hand and draws her attention from the rainbow to his own eyes.
"Do you know the story of the rainbow, Claudette? It is a symbol of integrity, an assurance that God will keep his promises." His voice is low and mesmerizing, Claudette can not look away from those dark eyes. "Remember the rainbow," he whispers,"there are promises to be kept, and the hour is late."
Claudette turns to look at the rainbow again, when she looks back a long black car has pulled to the curb and someone in darkglasses has opened the door. Bickle steps quickly into the waiting car and is whisked away. Claudette is left standing wondering what these strange events could mean.
--M., Belize, Central America
SCENE 20: BOMB
As Claudette flashes back to the past, she begins to remember what had lead to the present events. She thought to herself, who was this Bickle character. Claudette finds a pay-phone nearby, and withdraws a black book from inside her coat pocket. She dials.
"What's the word?" asks Mr. Stefanelli.
"The word?" answers Claudette.
"Ya, the word!" screams Mr. Stefanelli
"La Croisette" whispered Claudette.
"Wait a damn minute, I'll transfer ya" says Mr. Stefanelli.
When Claudette turns around to put her book away, BOOM - an explosion rumbles the phone-booth and knocks Claudette out and on to the ground.
--S. C., USA
SCENE 21: THE KEY
There is general pandemonium in the street. People are shouting and running toward the sound of the explosion.
Claudette struggles to her feet. A few yards away a car is burning on the curb. The front of the car has been blown away, pieces of burning metal are scattered along the walk, the air is thick with black smoke.
"Please, miss", an elderly gentleman urges, "there could be another explosion, you will not be safe here."
Claudette refuses the man's offer of help and moves off in a daze. She looks back at the burning car, suddenly she feels very alone and frightened. This was supposed to be easy. An all-expense trip to Cannes, and all she had to do was make a few phone calls and deliver this one little key. Claudettes reachs for the delicate chain around her neck and feels to make sure the key is still there.
She looks around for another phone and reaches in her pocket for the little black book. The pocket is empty, she frantically searches her other pockets, all empty. "Damn",she says aloud, "I left it in the phone booth." She starts back toward the scene of chaos just as another explosion rips the car apart and demolishes the phone booth.
--L., USA
SCENE 22: TOLD YOU SO
Screenplay Continued: Claudette is thrown to the ground by the force of the explosion, struggling to get to her feet she watchs in horror as the phone booth where she left her little black book burst into flames.
The old man is shaking his head repeating "I told you so." Claudette is thinking how typical, I just lost my black book and some old guy off the street is telling me I told you so.
--S., Florida, USA
SCENE 23: MY HERO
"Pardon me, miss." Claudette turns to see the handsome man from the café. He is holding a little black book in his hand.
"I think this belongs to you".
Overwhelmed by the events of the morning, Claudette begins to cry.
"Look", the man says, "I'm an American too... my car is close, let me drive you back to your hotel."
Claudette smiles through her tears. "Thank you, that would be wonderful."
--L., USA
SCENE 24: CAR RIDE
They drive off in the car through the pouring rain. They pass the hotel.
CLAUDETTE: That was my hotel.
MAN: I know
CLAUDETTE: Would you mind telling me what you're doing?
MAN: No.
CLAUDETTE: Why not?
MAN: You know that line in the movies where they say 'If I tell you, I would then have to kill you'?
CLAUDETTE: Yes...
MAN: That applies here as well.
Claudette then draws the wet coat around her a little tighter and looks out the window at the last gas station as they drive off into the night.
--R., USA
SCENE 25: LOWLY HOTEL
They arrive at the lowly hotel and he gets out of the car into the pouring rain to open her car door, but when he does she just sits there.
MAN: Well, come on
CLAUDETTE: How can I trust you?
MAN: You can't. But I promise that not I nor anyone else will harm you.
They enter the hotel and get a room. They walk down the dark hall as pass a lady who is looking through the cracked door. He puts the key into the lock and enters. Claudette then slams the door behind him and runs down the hall. He races out of the room and takes after her. She goes down a flight of stairs and heads off down another hall. He scales the stair rail and grabs her from behind. Claudette screams but then he puts his hand over her mouth.
MAN: You don't know what you have become part of, do you?
--R, USA
SCENE 26: GUNS, LIES, AND NAMES
The man drags Claudette back to the dingy hotel room and slams the door. Claudette flops on the bed and takes her wet coat off. Scanning the for followers the man looks out the window. He goes into the bathroom. Crawling on the floor he opens a compartment next to the sink. He pulls out a large manila envelope. Then he hurries back to the dark bedroom. He shakes black and white photographs from the envelope and tosses them aside. Then he pulls a Snickers bar from his pocket.
Man: Good thing Henry left me something.
Claudette: Who's Henry?
Man: Can you hang on for just a second?
The man turns the envelope upside down. A large silver gun slips into his hand.
Man: Don't worry, this is not for you.
Claudette: Tell me what the hell is going on!
Man: Okay, my name is Scott. That's not my real name, but that's all you need to know right now.
--A. U. B., USA
SCENE 27: KNOCKING DOORS
All of a sudden there was a loud pounding at the window and then all the power went out.
CLAUDETTE: What's going on?
SCOTT: We're being hunted
Right then a shotgun blasts out the window. Scott and Claudette duck to the floor and Scott grabs the gun. He fires a few shots blindly in the dark and the man with the shotgun easily avoids them. He fires another blast that hits the bed and sends feathers flying all around. Scott takes Claudette by the wrist and they hustle into the bathroom. They both stand in the bathtub.
SCOTT: Stand right here
Just then a shotgun blast fires through the door. Scott jumps in front of the door and fires just once.
SCOTT: Come on lets go, he's dead.
CLAUDETTE: How do you know?
SCOTT: If he were still alive he would keep firing the gun at us , now wouldn't he? Now lets go.
As they race out of the bathroom door they pass by the dead man with a bullet in his brain and a shotgun in his hand. But to Scott something seems awfully familiar. As the lightning strikes outside the light flashes in the bedroom and Scott sees the face of the attacker.
SCOTT: Henry?
CLAUDETTE: This is Henry , your friend!
--R., Indiana, USA
SCENE 28: THE CHASE
(Scott grabs her wrist tightly and runs.)
SCOTT:Not any more!!!
(Henry starts after them, but not in a hurry. He's looking forward to the hunt. He calls after them..)
HENRY:Why run, Scott? The longer it takes me to find you, the longer it takes for you to die. And the girl, well I'm gonna have some fun with her!!!!
(Scott and Claudette blast out the front door and head for the road. Suddenly they could hear Henry at the door.)
HENRY:Where do you think you're goin'? It's three miles to the closest phone. But you go ahead and run, wear yourselves out!
(Scott pulls Claudette behind a tree. Panting, he blurts out..)
SCOTT:Run!! Run as far as you can and don't stop! Cut through the Baker's place. They're out of town, break in and call for help! GO!!!
(Claudette took off and didn't look back. Camera zooms in on Scotts face with Henry walking out in the background.)
HENRY:Isn't that nice! He thinks he's going to sacrifice himself for her. Don't you worry Scott, I'll get her.
(Screen fades to black. Voice of prosicuting attorney, Chelsey Whitcomb, is heard.)
CHELSEY:And you claim this is the last time you saw Scott Bradford alive?
(Fade up with Claudette on the witness stand.)
CLAUDETTE:Yes.
CHELSEY:No futher questions.
(Screen cuts to Judge Anthoney Warner as he picks up the gavel.)
JUDGE WARNER:You may step down.
(Claudette gingerly gets up and returns to her lawyer, Austin Ridder.)
JUDGE WARNER:Then we will recess until 9:00am Monday morning.
(He slams the gavel. All rise as the Judge exits the room. As soon as he is gone the courtroom becomes abuzz. Claudette turns to Ridder.)
RIDDER:Don't worry. I think we're on to something. I've got a lead I'm going to fallow up on tonight. I'm going to find out what happened that night if it's the last thing I do.
--A. R., Phoenix, AZ
SCENE 29: WHO IS IT?
The gavel striking the bench turned into a knock on her door. Claudette, exhausted from her trip, had fallen asleep. It seemed so real, she said. What a strange dream. Light beads of perspiration were causing the light cotton dress to cling uncomfortably. "Coming," she said as she lazily got out of bed and made her way towards the door. "Who is it?" There was no answer from the other side. She asked again "Hello? Who is there?" She looked through the peep-hole and saw nothing, she pressed her head against the door, hoping to hear what she could not see, she heard nothing. Having just awakened she was a little confused and disoriented, the dream, her trip... She looked down at the floor; by her bare feet an envelope came into focus. She bent over and picked it up. Abandoning the mystery at the door, she looked carefully at the blank container. She took it back to the other side of the room and sat down in the chair next to the window. She gazed out. The sun was setting and the City was beginning to stir.
--R.T.S., Longmont, Colorado, USA
SCENE 30: AN OLD FRIEND
Claudette tore the envelope open delicately and pulled at the paper inside. A smile came to her lips as purple and silver glitter showered into her lap from the fold of the letter as she opened it. She went over to the window and looked out into the street. Standing there beneath her window was Imiko, a friend she thought she had long ago forgotten. Imiko's beautiful almond-shaped black eyes were the same, but she had shorn all her hair off into a brightly dyed buzz cut. Claudette gasped, covering her mouth, and then ran out into the street. Shouting happily, she threw her arms around Imiko. Her old friend held her tightly, and she drank in the vanilla-spice scent of Imiko's skin, amazed that she had almost put out of her mind the beauty of what had happened between them. "But what have you done to yourself?" Claudette finally asked, pulling at the collar of Imiko's leather jacket and ruffling her green-and black hair.
--B., Ohio, USA
SCENE 31: UP TO THE ROOM
Imiko didn't respond to her friend's direct question. Instead, she took the liberty of heading into the entrance of The Carlton, leaving Claudette confused at her behaviour. Imiko had never acted in this manner, so rudely, so abruptly. Claudette caught up with her friend who had already entered an elevator and was waiting for Claudette to press a number. The journey up was an uncomfortably silent one.
They exited the elevator and Claudette led Imiko down the hall that lead to her room. "So, what brings YOU to Cannes" Claudette asks her friend ironically, knowing that Imiko lived to chase a certain celebrity's every move. One that happened to be "in town".
"You know extremely well what I'm here for," Imiko answered matter-of-factly.
--A.V., Caracas, Venezuela
SCENE 32: UNINVITED GUEST
NEW ANGLE INT. HOTEL ROOM knob turns, door opens REVEALING IMIKO and CLAUDETTE in the doorway looking gorgeous and wide-eyed.
ANGLE ON MAN SITTING ON BED talking on a cell phone with a shotgun next to him, dressed like a wannabe natural-born killer, but strictly off the rack, trick haircut, aviators green lensed, 70's AMERICAN TV. He freezes in mid sentence, "les femmes..."
ANGLE ON IMIKO who doesn't take the guy seriously and proves it as she pulls 9mm automatic out of purse,and begins firing.. empties clip at the guy. Tufts of BEDDING fly up in the air, glass shatters from the mirror, and the window. MAN rolls behind bed.
REV. ANGLE FROM HALLWAY IMIKO pulls door closed and pushes Claudette to the carpeted hallway floor. DOOR blows apart from a Smith & Wesson over and under double blast sending splinters of wood all over IMIKO and CLAUDETTE who look at each other and decide mutually to beat it outta there.
MOVING SHOT of them running to staircase. SHOTGUN and man peek out of doorway, sheepishly to look up and down hall. He gives chase.
NEW ANGLE IN FRONT OF HOTEL, IMOKO and CLAUDETTE getting in to taxi. It pulls away, fast.
CAR PARKED on other side of street comes to life and follows taxi.
--M.M., Mount Vernon, N.Y.
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