The American Page #6

28

EXT. ALLEYWAY- DAY 28

JACK reappears through the HIDDEN ARCHWAY and slips back into

the alleyway. It’s like he’s materialised from thin air.

Just then a MAN on an old VESPA turns down the alleyway and

drives towards him.

Casually, JACK continues walking.

The VESPA gets nearer. The MAN ON THE VESPA is wearing

sunglasses.

JACK picks up his pace.

The VESPA is ten metres away.

Five metres.

JACK's face tenses up.

BANG!

JACK drops to his knees with his hand in his coat pocket, on

his weapon we assume. As he goes down, he realizes this is

not a gunshot; he turns around and the tension on his face

disappears.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 12. page 12.

BANG!

The VESPA backfires for a second time.

JACK takes his hand out of his pocket.

Still on his knees, JACK pretends to tie his right shoe lace.

The MAN ON THE VESPA stops outside an apartment a few meters

further up the alleyway and takes off his sunglasses. He’s a

corpulent, ruddy-faced Italian man in his late sixties.

He stares at JACK.

JACK stands.

MAN ON VESPA:

Buongiorno!

JACK:

Buongiorno.

MAN ON VESPA:

Da dove provenite?

For an instant, the directness of the question catches JACK

out.

JACK:

America.

MAN ON VESPA:

Ah! L’Americano!

JACK:

Si. Il Americano.

JACK’s pronunciation is good but his grammar is a bit rusty.

Perhaps he’s playing up on this. It suits the role of

‘American tourist’.

The MAN laughs enthusiastically emphasizing the correct

grammar:

MAN ON VESPA:

L’Americano ! L’Americano!

A WOMAN’S VOICE comes from within the house- loud and angry-

distracting the MAN ON THE VESPA, who screams back

passionately, enters his front door, and shuts it behind him

with a hearty slam.

JACK walks on.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 13. page 13.

29 EXT. CASTEL DEL MONTE, TOWN SQUARE- DAY 29

JACK puts some coins in a CANDY VENDING MACHINE outside a

Tabacchi.

The MACHINE takes his money but won’t dispense his chewing

gum.

He hits the refund button but nothing happens.

He thumps the machine.

Then sees the pattern of light alter in the shiny plastic of

the vending machine and spins round to see:

The PRIEST.

PRIEST:

Can I help you?

JACK:

I’m no good with machines.

The PRIEST smiles at JACK. He is dressed in an ill-fitting,

un-stylish black suit, a black silk stock and a deep Roman

collar fraying at the edge. His name is FATHER BENEDETTO. He

is older than JACK.

FATHER BENEDETTO

You are American.

This is stated matter-of-factly: like a man practising

English.

JACK:

Si.

FATHER BENEDETTO

You speak Italian?

JACK:

Poco.

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