Charade Page #3

JEAN-LOUIS sticks his head out of the taxi window.

JEAN-LOUIS

When you get your divorce will you be

going back to America?

13.MED. SHOT -- THE TAXI

REGGIE looks at SYLVIE, surprised.

SYLVIE:

He knows everything.

REGGIE (to JEAN-LOUIS)

Don't you want me to stay?

JEAN-LOUIS

Yes, of course -- but if you went back and

wrote me a letter --

REGGIE:

-- you could have the stamps. I'll get

you some here, okay?

JEAN-LOUIS

Okay.

REGGIE walks toward the house with the driver, who carries

her cases. She presses the button that electrically opens

the front door.

14.DELETED

15.INT. APARTMENT LANDING -- DAY

As the elevator rises REGGIE gets out, followed by the

driver. He puts down the bags in front of the apartment

door.

REGGIE (handing him a tip)

Merci.

The driver leaves. She goes to the door and presses the

minuterie, the button that turns on the time-light, and the

lights come on. Then she rings the doorbell. There is no

answer. She rings again. Still nothing. Sighing, she

digs out her keys and starts to fit it into the lock. At

this moment the minuterie expires, plunging the scene into

darkness.

REGGIE'S VOICE

Wonderful.

She finds the button and the light goes on again. She

inserts the key and turns it.

16.INT. LAMPERT APARTMENT -- ENTRANCE HALL -- DAY

CLOSE SHOT -- DOOR as it opens and REGGIE steps into the

CLOSE SHOT.

She stops, her expression changing.

17.REVERSE SHOT

From REGGIE's p.o.v. as CAMERA PANS the entrance hall. It

is bare -- no furniture, no rug, no pictures, no nothing.

18. MED. SHOT -- REGGIE

She stares for a moment, then goes back out into the

landing.

19.INT. APARTMENT LANDING -- DAY

As REGGIE steps back outside. She looks at the nameplate

beside the door.

20.INSERT NAMEPLATE

It reads "MR. AND MRS. CHARLES LAMPERT."

21.INT. APARTMENT LANDING -- DAY

REGGIE looks at the plate in disbelief, then turns and

hurries back into the apartment.

22.INT. LAMPERT APARTMENT -- DAY

As REGGIE hurries into the entrance hall.

REGGIE:

Honorine -- !

No answer.

Now, CAMERA FOLLOWING, she goes into the Salon. It is

also empty -- stripped bare. There are squares of the wall's

original color where paintings used to hang, the hooks

still in the wall.

She rushes now, going into the bedroom, CAMERA FOLLOWING

crazily, lurching and careening behind her. The bedroom,

too, is empty. She goes to the built-in wardrobe closets

and throws open all the doors. Only some hangers remain.

She pulls open the drawers -- nothing!

REGGIE:

Charles -- !

She turns, and running now, goes through another door to

the library, CAMERA FOLLOWING. The rows of shelves are

as empty as the rest of the apartment. She begins to turn

in a circle, looking for something, anything. In a panic

she turns and runs out, colliding suddenly with a MAN whom

she (and we) have not noticed until the moment of impact.

REGGIE screams.

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