REAR WINDOW by John Michael Hayes Based on a short story ...

1 REAR WINDOWbyJohn Michael HayesBased on a short story byCornell WoolrichFOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLYFINAL WHITE SCRIPTD ecember 1, 1953 Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk REARWINDOW1. FADE IN:FADE IN:INT. JEFFERIES' APARTMENT - (DAY) - long SHOTINT. JEFFERIES' APARTMENT - (DAY) - long SHOTA lthough we do not see the foreground WINDOW frame, weAlthough we do not see the foreground WINDOW frame, wesee the whole background of a Greenwich Village the whole background of a Greenwich Village can see the rear of a number of assorted houses andWe can see the rear of a number of assorted houses andsmall apartment buildings whose fronts face on the nextsmall apartment buildings whose fronts face on the nextcrosstown street, sharply etched by the morning street, sharply etched by the morning are two stories high; others three; some haveSome are two stories high; others three; some havepeaked roofs, others are flat.

2 There is a mixture ofpeaked roofs, others are flat. There is a mixture ofbrick and wood and wrought iron in the and wood and wrought iron in the apartment buildings have fire escapes, the others doThe apartment buildings have fire escapes, the others neighborhood is not a prosperous one, but neither isThe neighborhood is not a prosperous one, but neither isit poor. It is a practical, conventional dwelling placeit poor. It is a practical, conventional dwelling placefor people living on marginal incomes, luck - or hopefor people living on marginal incomes, luck - or hopeand careful careful summer air is motionless and heavy with humid summer air is motionless and heavy with humid has opened windows wide, pushed back curtains, liftedIt has opened windows wide, pushed back curtains, liftedblinds and generally brought the neighborhood life intoblinds and generally brought the neighborhood life intoa sweltering intimacy.

3 Yet, people born and bred toa sweltering intimacy. Yet, people born and bred tolife within earshot and eyeglance of a score oflife within earshot and eyeglance of a score ofneighbors have learned to preserve their own privateneighbors have learned to preserve their own privateworlds by uniformly ignoring each other, except onworlds by uniformly ignoring each other, except ondirect CAMERA PULLS BACK until a large sleeping profile ofTHE CAMERA PULLS BACK until a large sleeping profile ofa man fills the screen. It is so large that we do nota man fills the screen. It is so large that we do notsee any features, but merely the temple and side of thesee any features, but merely the temple and side of thecheek down which a stream of sweat is down which a stream of sweat is CAMERA PANS OFF this to the right hand side of theTHE CAMERA PANS OFF this to the right hand side of thewindow, and MOVES TO a thermometer which is hanging onwindow, and MOVES TO a thermometer which is hanging onthe wall just outside the WINDOW .

4 It registers wall just outside the WINDOW . It registers CAMERA MOVES ON into the open, and brings nearer toTHE CAMERA MOVES ON into the open, and brings nearer tous a room with a large studio WINDOW . We are able tous a room with a large studio WINDOW . We are able tosee inside this room. A short , balding man is standingsee inside this room. A short , balding man is standingnear the WINDOW , shaving, using a small bowl of waternear the WINDOW , shaving, using a small bowl of waterand a portable mirror which he has set up on a a portable mirror which he has set up on a the right of him is a battered upright piano. On topTo the right of him is a battered upright piano. On topof the piano is a radio. The music selection comingof the piano is a radio.

5 The music selection comingfrom the radio stops, and the announcer is the radio stops, and the announcer is time - 7:15 , WOR, New time - 7:15 , WOR, New temperature, outside, 84 ---The temperature, outside, 84 ---Friends - is your life worth oneFriends - is your life worth onedollar?dollar?REARWINDOW2. REARWINDOW2. The man shaving quickly puts down his razor, hurries toThe man shaving quickly puts down his razor, hurries tothe radio, and changes the station, moving past a numberthe radio, and changes the station, moving past a numberof commercial voices until he again finds some commercial voices until he again finds some , he returns to his , he returns to his CAMERA MOVES ON AND OVER to a far building. ItTHE CAMERA MOVES ON AND OVER to a far building.

6 Itpasses over the face of this building until it comes topasses over the face of this building until it comes tofire escapes. It goes up and near enough to one whichfire escapes. It goes up and near enough to one whichhas become the outdoor bedroom of a couple. We are nearhas become the outdoor bedroom of a couple. We are nearenough to see an alarm clock hanging from the rail whichenough to see an alarm clock hanging from the rail whichis now ringing vigorously. A man rises lazily to ais now ringing vigorously. A man rises lazily to asitting position. He gropes to switch the alarm position. He gropes to switch the alarm see that his pajamas are stained with sweat. In hisWe see that his pajamas are stained with sweat.

7 In hissitting position he leans forward and shakes somebodysitting position he leans forward and shakes somebodybeside him. To our surprise, the head of this otherbeside him. To our surprise, the head of this otherperson - a woman - rises where his feet are. They haveperson - a woman - rises where his feet are. They havebeen sleeping in opposite directions. They sit limplybeen sleeping in opposite directions. They sit limplylooking at each other with bedraggled and wearylooking at each other with bedraggled and wearyexpressions which show they enjoyed very little sleep inexpressions which show they enjoyed very little sleep inthe heat of the heat of the CAMERA NOW MOVES DOWN toward the left onto anotherTHE CAMERA NOW MOVES DOWN toward the left onto anotherlow building.

8 It MOVES IN A LITTLE to a living roomlow building. It MOVES IN A LITTLE to a living roomwindow. Just inside the windowsill, a small fan iswindow. Just inside the windowsill, a small fan isoscillating. The fan sits on the right side of theoscillating. The fan sits on the right side of thetable, and to the left of it is an automatic , and to the left of it is an automatic the toaster stands a full-bodied young woman,Behind the toaster stands a full-bodied young woman,apparently wearing only a pair of black panties. Herapparently wearing only a pair of black panties. Herstomach, navel, and the lower part of her chest arestomach, navel, and the lower part of her chest arenaked. Just below her breasts, the curtain, partlynaked.

9 Just below her breasts, the curtain, partlydrawn, has thrown a deep shadow which extends upward,drawn, has thrown a deep shadow which extends upward,hiding her breasts, shoulders and head. Two pieces ofhiding her breasts, shoulders and head. Two pieces oftoast pop up in the toaster. She takes them out,toast pop up in the toaster. She takes them out,butters them. Then she turns around and bends overbutters them. Then she turns around and bends overanother table on which stands an automatic table on which stands an automatic picks up the coffee-maker, and swings back to theShe picks up the coffee-maker, and swings back to thetable to sit down. She does this so deftly that hertable to sit down. She does this so deftly that herbreasts are never exposed, but hidden by the fan as shebreasts are never exposed, but hidden by the fan as shesits down.

10 The fan moves back and forth as she pourssits down. The fan moves back and forth as she pourscoffee, far enough to reveal that she wears no bra, butcoffee, far enough to reveal that she wears no bra, butnot far enough to fulfill the exciting promise of hernot far enough to fulfill the exciting promise of herlack of of CAMERA MOVES ON to a distant street corner seenTHE CAMERA MOVES ON to a distant street corner seenbetween two buildings. The traffic is very light atbetween two buildings. The traffic is very light atthis hour, but a Sanitation Department truck movesthis hour, but a Sanitation Department truck movesthrough the intersection spraying water out behind it tothrough the intersection spraying water out behind it tocool the pavement and keep the dust down.