The whole scene is shot silent, making a complete circular pan of their faces . . .

  CUT:

  [100] WS three of them. They are sitting at a round table drinking and talking.

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  33 INT. KITCHEN OF SUMMER HOUSE

  [101] Profile MCU Sara. She is at the stove cooking.

  SARA

  She’s not Negro . . . she’s Puerto Rican . . .

  VICTOR (o.c.)

  Puerto Rican, Negro . . . what’s that got to do with anything . . .

  SARA

  I’m just telling you what she is . . .

  Sara moves sideways to reach a cooking utensil . . .

  VICTOR (o.c.)

  You got something against Puerto Ricans . . .

  SARA

  I don’t know any Puerto Ricans . . .

  VICTOR (o.c., factually)

  They’re an island people . . . of Spanish, Indian, and African ancestry . . .

  She turns to him.

  SARA

  What is this . . . Puerto Rican History Week . . .

  She moves forward carrying a casserole.

  DOLLY BACK behind Victor. He is setting the table.

  VICTOR

  I think they’re more mellow than we . . . is it we Negroes or us Negroes . . .

  Sara puts down the casserole.

  SARA

  Us . . . more mellow than us . . .

  DOLLY SIDEWAYS to MWS both of them, as they sit down . . .

  VICTOR

  (factually)

  Traditionally the relationship between Negroes and Puerto Ricans has been fraught with uneasiness . . .

  SARA

  Is that right . . .

  VICTOR

  Third World thinking has, of course, readjusted some of that, I suspect . . .

  SARA

  (nodding)

  I see . . .

  He hands her the casserole. She begins to serve herself . . .

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  34 INT. SMALL STUDY IN SUMMER HOUSE – LATE MORNING

  [102] LS Sara at the desk, typing. The study has a quiet, cool feeling, reinforced by soft shadows. Like in the library, Sara is lost in her work.

  DOLLY SLOWLY FORWARD as we begin to hear her on V.O.

  SARA (v.o., writing)

  . . . From the perspective of comparative psychiatry, Louis Mars’s research on Haitian voodoo is instructive. He analyzes, from both a physiological and psychological standpoint, a subject who is ‘possessed’ by one of the gods. In this experience the subject is ‘mounted’ by the god in question . . . i.e., his behavior changes radically as he begins to assume the personality of the god in question. Similar experiences are described by those who have studied Greek and Roman Dionysian rites and African rites of passage, but the striking note for our purposes is that during the actual experience the ‘possessed one’ is unconscious. He falls into a trance. Afterward he scarcely remembers what happened to him. Yet a sensation of physical well-being, of mental alertness, sometimes clairvoyance, even of deep private fulfillment generally accompanies the return to consciousness. The ecstatic moment is, so to speak, after the fact . . .

  By now we are in MCU Sara. She looks up from her typing, reflects a moment, then starts again . . .

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  35 EXT. WOODS – LATE MORNING [marked omit by Collins in shooting script]

  [103] HIGH-ANGLE MLS Victor, POV tree, crossing the woods toward the tree, carrying his sketch pad.

  TILT DOWN as he begins to climb it.

  TILT UP and PAN as he settles in one of the branches, arranges his sketch pad on his lap, begins drawing.

  PAN to woods, POV Victor: a precise composition, just like a painting . . .

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  36 EXT. SMALL STREET IN VILLAGE – LATE AFTERNOON [marked omit by Collins in shooting script]

  [104] LS Sara, walking along. The street is dark, somewhat quiet; gypsy women sit in the doorways . . .

  CUT:

  [105] SIDE-ANGLE LS Sara. She walks past several storefronts where gypsy women sit in the windows playing with cards or lighting candles, advertising their skill as fortune tellers. She goes past several storefronts, turns around, and seems, arbitrarily, to choose one. She disappears inside . . .

  CUT:

  37 INT. GYPSY STOREFRONT – LATE AFTERNOON

  [106] Profile MCU Sara.

  SARA

  When you read someone . . . for instance, now, looking at me . . . what happens inside you . . .

  PAN to profile MCU gypsy woman.

  WOMAN

  I don’t understand . . .

  PAN back to Sara.

  SARA

  Can you see my future . . .

  Pause.

  WOMAN (o.c.)

  I see that you’re very intelligent, and secretive . . .

  Sara looks frustrated . . .

  SARA

  Anyone could say that, my face tells you that . . .

  PAN back to woman.

  WOMAN

  I don’t understand . . .

  SARA (o.c.)

  I’d like to understand what it feels like to see something that hasn’t yet happened . . .

  WOMAN

  (smiling)

  I see you . . . with a tall, dark man with a top hat, and they’re taking your picture . . .

  She snaps an imaginary camera . . .

  PAN back to Sara. She is frustrated, looks disbelievingly at the woman.

  HOLD . . .

  DISSOLVE:

  38 EXT. VILLAGE CHURCH – LATE AFTERNOON

  [107] MLS behind Sara. She is standing on the church steps, hesitant . . .

  CUT:

  [108] SIDE-ANGLE MCU Sara.

  SARA

  (to herself )

  This is ridiculous . . . what am I looking for . . .

  She turns away, exiting frame . . .

  CUT:

  39 INT. LIVING ROOM – LATE EVENING

  [109] MLS Sara, Victor. They’ve built a fire. Victor is in the middle of the room, stretching a canvas and attaching it to the frame. Sara is reading, watching the fire.

  SARA

  (after a while)

  I’m not a gypsy or a priestess . . .

  Victor looks up.

  SARA

  (using her hands)

  I want magic . . . real magic . . .

  She laughs . . .

  CUT:

  [110] LOW-ANGLE MS Sara, POV behind Victor.

  SARA

  All of a sudden, things start to happen . . .

  She snaps her fingers, as if trying to invoke some undefined power in herself. She laughs . . .

  HOLD . . .

  FADE-OUT:

  FADE-IN:

  40 INT. UPSTAIRS STUDIO – MID-AFTERNOON

  [111] MWS a large unfinished painting on the wall. It is of Celia, in the woods.

  HOLD . . . salsa music comes from a tinny-sounding radio.

  PAN to MWS Celia, sitting cross-legged on the floor near the window, looking out . . .

  PAN to MWS Victor, sketching her from across the room . . .

  VICTOR

  You getting tired?

  She doesn’t answer. He looks at her . . .

  PAN back to MWS Celia . . .

  VICTOR (o.c., louder)

  You getting tired . . .

  She doesn’t move or turn her head.

  CELIA

  Not tired, man . . . paralyzed . . . I will never move again, you hear me . . .

  Victor bursts out laughing; she turns, starts laughing, too . . .

  CUT:

  41 EXT. GARDEN OF SUMMER HOUSE – MID-AFTERNOON

  [112] HIGH-ANGLE MS Sara, kneeling on the ground, digging and planting. Her face is dirty, she has on a funny railroad cap, she works at terrific speed. All of a sudden the laughter and the music from the studio seem to drift down to her. She looks up, scratches her face, leaving more dirt on it . . .

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  42 EXT. TERRACE OF UNIVERSITY BUILDING – AFTERNOON

  [113] WS camera crew. The same “film buff” student, GEORGE, seen earlier, is talking to his cinematographer, holding up a storyboard. There are two or three other “techies” milling around . . .

  GEORGE

  Now they cross camera left, sit down on the wall, you pan and hold on their shadow . . .

  CINEMATOGRAPHER

  That’s deep man, truly deep . . .

  They chuckle proudly . . .

  GEORGE

  (excited)

  Then you dolly back to wide shot . . .

  (nudging him)

  . . . catch that subtle mise-en-scène . . .

  The cinematographer laughs.

  CINEMATOGRAPHER

  I’m with you, I’m with you . . .

  They both turn to follow the shot through, when Sara comes into frame on the periphery of the shot. George spots her immediately, breaks into a run . . .

  GEORGE

  (shouting, running)

  Professor Rogers . . .

  CUT:

  [114] SIDE-ANGLE MS Sara. George rushes into frame . . .

  GEORGE

  I don’t believe it, oh man, did you get the script . . .

  Sara nods . . .

  GEORGE

  (proudly)

  It’s a takeoff on the theme of the tragic mulatto . . .

  Sara nods with complete incomprehension . . .

  GEORGE

  (beside himself)

  Oh man, you came . . . you actually came . . . this is going to be magical!

  He practically dances with excitement.

  CUT:

  [115] MS George, POV behind Sara, smiling at her . . .

  GEORGE

  I’ll bring you a chair . . . what about some coffee . . . I just have to finish with my cameraman . . .

  He runs off. She turns around, facing the camera, suddenly sees something . . .

  CUT:

  [116] LS man, POV Sara. A tall man, back to camera, wearing a top hat, moves down a long shadowy corridor. When he gets to the end, he turns around and starts back up. There is something majestic and powerful in the way he moves. As he starts back up . . .

  CUT:

  [117] MLS Sara, POV man. George runs up bringing her a chair. She sits down. He runs off. She turns around again, looking for the man . . .

  CUT:

  [118] LS corridor, POV Sara. The man is nowhere in sight . . .

  CUT:

  [119] MCU Sara, bewildered. A shadow crosses the frame . . .

  MAN’S VOICE

  Why, for God’s sake . . . and you haven’t even got a book in your hand . . .

  GEORGE (o.c.)

  Professor . . .

  She turns, the shadow turns . . .

  CUT:

  [120] MWS behind Sara, the man, George in background. George runs forward.

  GEORGE

  You’ve met . . .

  CUT:

  [121] SLIGHT LOW-ANGLE MWS Sara, the man, POV George. He is the same man she met in the library. They stare at each other. George enters frame, back to camera.

  GEORGE

  (back to camera)

  This is my uncle, Professor . . . Professor Rogers, Duke Richards . . . he’s Sidney Poitier and Calvin Lockhart rolled into one, he’s a pro, Professor . . . I conned him into this . . .

  CUT:

  [122] REVERSE ANGLE.

  GEORGE

  You two play a vaudeville team in a silent comedy . . . you come to this terrace to rehearse your routines . . .

  (turning around)

  Hey, Vicky . . .

  (turning back)

  They’re letting us use the dressing rooms in the theater department. Vicky’s made all the costumes . . .

  He runs off to get her, calling her name. Sara and Duke look at each other . . .

  DUKE

  I told you I was out of work . . . now what the hell is your excuse . . .

  They both laugh . . .

  DISSOLVE:

  43 INT. LOBBY OF THEATER – AFTERNOON

  [123] MWS George, Sara, and Duke on periphery, back to camera. They are sitting on the steps in an empty lobby. George is explaining the plot.

  GEORGE

  . . . you live in an old rooming house, and there isn’t much space or light, so on good days you come to the terrace to rehearse, it’s there that . . .

  (he looks at Duke)

  . . . you meet another woman who tries to compete with . . .

  (he looks at Sara)

  . . . you as Duke’s partner. She’s always there trying to get his attention . . .

  [124] MCU Sara, POV George.

  GEORGE (o.c.)

  Then one day you have a fight, he goes off to the terrace to rehearse by himself, then you start to feel badly and rush out to meet him, but when you get there he’s rehearsing with this other woman . . .

  PAN to MCU Duke.

  GEORGE (o.c.)

  And in a fit of rage you kill him . . . that’s the plot . . .

  CUT:

  [125] MWS George, Sara, and Duke on periphery—same as 123.

  GEORGE

  . . . it’s a kind of archetypal interpretation of the “Frankie and Johnny” myth . . .

  He beams proudly

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  44 INT. HALLWAY OF SUMMER HOUSE – EARLY EVENING

  [126] MLS phone ringing. Victor comes in carrying a beer and answers it.

  VICTOR

  Hello . . . where are you . . . you’re what . . .

  CUT:

  45 EXT. PHONE BOOTH ON STREET – EARLY EVENING

  [127] Profile MS Sara on the phone.

  SARA

  It’s about five days shooting . . .

  CUT:

  44A SAME AS 44

  [128] MS Victor.

  VICTOR

  You went into the library . . . what’s this acting bit, when did you decide that . . .

  CUT:

  45A SAME AS 45

  [129] MS Sara.

  SARA

  (nodding)

  I just thought it might be . . . fun . . .

  CUT:

  44B SAME AS 44

  [130] MCU Victor.

  VICTOR

  You’re mad . . .

  CUT:

  45B SAME AS 45

  [131] MCU Sara.

  SARA

  (laughing)

  Is that mad like in crazy or mad furious . . . I’m staying at Momma’s . . . it’s too long a drive, we start shooting early in the morning . . . I’ll call you later . . .

  She hangs up, comes out of the booth.

  PAN as she starts down the street.

  DISSOLVE:

  46 INT. SARA’S MOTHER’S APARTMENT – EVENING

  [132] LS Sara, Leila, POV inside living room. They are drinking coffee at the dining room table. The living room and dining room are cluttered with antiques and memorabilia. Dinner is over. One has the feeling of a conversation that has been going on for quite a while.

  SARA

  (making circles on the table)

  It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when . . . there have always been women . . .

  LEILA

  And the very idea, what does that do to you . . .

  SARA

  What do you mean, the very idea . . .

  LEILA

  (illustrating it)

  That he lifts himself up, then puts himself down inside someone else . . .

  Sara starts to laugh uncontrollably . . .

  SARA

  You grow more and more outrageous every day . . .

  LEILA

  Some women get stuck on that picture, and it drives them crazy . . .

  SARA

  It’s graphic enough . . . I remember once, when I was about twelve, overhearing a conversation between you and Wells, and you kept saying . . . ‘take it out, please’ . . . and he kept saying no, he would not, unless you agreed to such and such . . . and I kept trying to figure out what you were begging him to take out . . . was it his stamp collection, the garbage . . .

  They are both laughing almost uncontrollably . . .

  DOLLY GENTLY FORWARD . . .

  SARA

  (after a while)

  The actual sex doesn’t bother me, Victor has sex all the time . . . with a new color, a room, the way the light falls across a building . . . all that private ecstasy . . . so detached and free . . .

  She shakes her head with wonder . . .

  LEILA

  (gently)

  You envy that . . .

  SARA

  (nodding)

  Why can’t I just go . . . lose control . . . fling myself about or something . . .

  LEILA

  (laughing)

  When I’m acting really well it’s like that . . . I’m gone . . . I lift a finger, turn my head, smile, hold back a line, let another one fall with perfect timing . . . I’m in complete control, yet gone . . . the gods have me, or Satan . . . somebody does . . . Wells was jealous of that, once after a show I couldn’t seem to come back, I was perspiring and in kind of a trance . . . he walked out, never came backstage again . . .

  SARA

  I remember you like that . . . you’d come in to kiss me good night, your eyes were so bright I used to think you’d been to Heaven and just came back to tell me good night . . .

  They are quiet awhile.

  SARA

  (after a while)

  The only thing I’ve ever known like that is sometimes in the middle of writing a paper my mind suddenly takes this tremendous leap into a new interpretation of the material . . . I know I’m right, I know I can prove it . . . my head starts dancing like crazy . . .

  She laughs sadly.

  SARA

  But that is so cold and so dry, Momma . . . how did someone like you produce a child who thinks so very very much . . .

  She looks at her mother.

  HOLD . . .

  CUT:

  47 EXT. TERRACE OF UNIVERSITY – LATE MORNING

  [133] MLS Sara. She is in costume, like an early vaudeville performer. She is prancing deftly along the parapet wall. Duke enters in top hat and tuxedo. A mime routine follows to the music of “Frankie and Johnny.” In the midst of their routine, Duke suddenly turns his head . . .

  CUT:

  [134] MLS other woman, POV Sara and Duke. She, too, is dressed like a vaudeville performer. She is imitating Sara’s every step, making flirtatious gestures at Duke . . .

  CUT:

  [135] Extreme WS Duke, Sara, other woman. Sara runs through a routine. The minute she finishes the other woman imitates her, making every effort to outshine her performance . . .

  CUT:

  [136] MCU Sara, watching the other woman. She looks down at Duke . . .