The Night Of The Hunter

"THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER" screenplay by James Agee and Charles Laughton Based on a novel by Davis Grubb SHOOTING DRAFT 1955 FULL SHOT -- THE STARLIT SKY VOICE And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying... FADE sky to day. LAP DISSOLVE TO: LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- OHIO RIVER COUNTRY High over the country, CENTERING the winding river. VOICE Beware of false prophets... LOWER LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER -- RIVER COUNTRY We approach a riverside village. VOICE ...which come to you in sheep's clothing... A CLOSER, LOWER HELICOPTER SHOT We descend low over a deserted house; CHILDREN in yard run and hide; we hear "IT" counting "five, ten, fifteen, twenty..." VOICE ...but inwardly they are ravening wolves. MEDIUM SHOT -- "IT" He finishes his count with a loud "Hundred" and turns, then: "IT" What's wrong? We PAN as he comes towards a little boy, beside an open cellar door, who gestures towards the open door. "IT" looks down. "IT" (a low gasp) Heyy! (then he shouts to all and to us) Heyy! We DOLLY IN fast to, and TILT DOWN into open cellar, into: CLOSE SHOT -- A LEG A skeletal leg in a rotted fume of stocking and a high-heeled shoe. We HOLD a moment, then PULL UP and AWAY over the converging heads of several CHILDREN. A CHILD whimpers softly. HELICOPTER SHOT The yard and the CHILDREN, same angle and height as the last descending helicopter shot. We PULL BACK and AWAY. VOICE Ye shall know them by their fruits. DISSOLVE TO: HIGH LONG SHOT -- HELICOPTER CENTERING the river.