Knives Out Page #3

RICHARD:

Everyone idolizes their dad, right?

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT

Do they?

RICHARD:

Very much not, don't know why I said

that. But Linda does.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT OF THE PARTY

Harlan Thrombey, surrounded by his family, Richard and Linda

flanking him, a birthday cake with candles. All smiles.

RICHARD (V.O.)

Harlan started with a rusty Smith-

Corona, built himself into one of the

bestselling mystery writers of all

time. Linda followed his lead. We

did. Linda and I.

INT. LIBRARY

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT

Seems like all his kids are self made

overachievers.

Richard makes a "...sure" face. CUT TO:

WALT THROMBEY now sits in the questioning chair. Late 40s,

softly obsequious in a sweater and loafers. His leg is in a

cast.

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT (cont'd)

Speaking to Walt Thrombey, Harlan's

youngest son.

Elliott points to Walt's cast.

WALT:

Augh, bicycling accident. Dumb.

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT

So you run your dad's publishing

company?

9.

WALT:

Yeah. It's my - it's our, it's the

family's publishing company, dad

trusts me to run it. 30 languages,

over 80 million copies. A real

legacy. You guys fans?

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT

I don't read much fiction -

TROOPER WAGNER:

BIG fan. Big.

TROOPER WAGNER (cont'd)

His plots, like something like "A

Thousand Knives," with the - I don't

want to spoil it but - the cow and

the shotgun, I'm like how did he come

up with that?

WALT:

Dad said the plots just popped into

his head fully formed, that was the

easy part for him -

TAP from the linen suit man's foot.

LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT

You live in town, right? What time

did you and your family arrive at the

party?

Walt looks at Linen suit, thrown.

WALT:

Uh. We all got there about 8.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT OF THE PARTY

Walt laughing and mingling with his nervous wife DONNA.

WALT (V.O.)

My wife Donna, she's my rock.

Richard backs up into Donna, who YELPS in fear and throws

her martini in the air. Richard jumps, but Walt doesn't

even register it.

RICHARD:

Jeeesus! Donna, you alright?

WALT (V.O.)

And my son Jacob, he's sixteen. Very

politically active.

10.

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