GROUP:
- KHAN SULTANA NAZISH (5980161)
- NORA (5994020)
"CLOSER" screenplay to Film Noir
TITLE OVER BLACK:
1950
FADE IN.
EXT. TUNNEL – NIGHT
The steam train entered a tunnel. Came out from the tunnel. It keeps moving in and out of the tunnel.
FADE OUT:
INT. SLEEPER – NIGHT
CUT IN A HEADBOARD
Darkness room, a headboard hitting the wall.
CUT IN THE LEGS OF BED
Shaking with frequency.
FADE OUT:
INT. SLEEPER – DAWN
SLOW ZOOM IN ON DAN
Dark, Dan pens eyes slowly. Gazes at a girl’s hair.
VIEW ON DAN – He strokes her hair. Then shoulder.
ANNA (O.S)
What time is it?
DAN’S P.O.V: Stares at the women’s body who sleeps next to him.
The sexy lady – a woman in her luxury lingerie (ANNA) – leaves his arm and gets up. Walks to the windows. Back to Dan. her face not visible.
She wears back a dressing gown to cover her sheer lace sleepshirt. Picks up a cigarette and a cigarette holder beside the window.
EXT. OUT OF THE BLINDS – SAME TIME
Train moving not that fast, passing a shrub thicket. The lush countryside extends for miles.
FADE OUT:
CUT TO:
INT. ANNA’S SLEEPER – CONTINUOUS
Turns to Dan so she’s revealed for the first time.
She walks to Dan’s side. Dan picks up the lighter next to the bed to light her cigarette.
ANNA (cont’d)
Do you want some?
He shakes his head.
DAN
Nah, that’s okay.
Anna sits in an armchair next to the bed. Crosses her legs. Sound of footsteps. Someone passes by the door.
INT. CORRIDOR – SAME TIME
Alex stands there – listens to their conversation – worried.
CLOSE ON ALEX
breathing faster, worried Dan might be in danger.
INT. SLEEPER – CONTINUOUS
ANNA
I think he must be with another woman right now.
He sits up.
DAN
You don’t love him?
ANNA
I don’t… I never have…
He leans over the headboard.
DAN
Trust me, I can get you rid of him. And also give you what you deserve.
ANNA
hmm.
Anna leans close and kisses him.
FADE OUT:
Dan looks around the sleeper, looking at some of the expensive perfume, red lipsticks and mascara on the dressing table– a variety of brand, mainly BOURJOIS and CHANEL.
Anna watches him, makes a decision.
ANNA (cont’d)
I heard your name.
DAN
(face ANNA)
Did you? When?
ANNA
About four or five years ago? In the newspaper.
DAN
Was it talking about that I lost my lawsuit?
ANNA
The eminent lawyer started losing lawsuits. Almost twenty trials by now. He has practically covered all the newspaper headlines.
DAN
I’m happy to see you…
ANNA
Did you really pass the bar examination?
Is your legal license real?
He watches her as she smokes. Her long and thin fingers, the thick lips pout when she blows out smoke.
DAN
I’m going to recover your losses.
Will begin gathering evidence before we arrive in Chicago.
ANNA
Can’t imagine my future life would be without him but only you.
DAN
Saving your life. I’m dedicating myself to you.
Dan stares at her face– mesmerized. Anna puts down the cigar. They look at each other.
DAN (cont’d)
Are you with him all day?
FADE OUT:
ANNA
Not really. He has a business to talk on the train.
DAN
Real estate?
She nods. Anna blows out a cool ribbon of smoke.
ANNA
Who was the man standing next to you yesterday? A stranger?
DAN
What? Do You really think I will choose to chat with a stranger in the dining car for so long?
Dan gives Anna a look. Anna shrugs it off.
ANNA
It might get you out of the haze.
DAN
Isn’t it dangerous?
ANNA
(still smoking)
You should choose carefully.
She gestures for him to move to the side. Sound of thunder. She takes a look outside the window.
EXT. OUT OF THE WINDOW – SAME TIME
It’s raining heavily. She pulls the blinds down. She climbs on the bed, crosses from his body. Lays down. Sound of the train whistles.
DAN
He’s my best friend, Alex.
Always boast that no lady can escape from his hands.
ANNA
Exaggeration.
Dan strokes her hair again.
DAN
Am I a stranger?
FADE OUT:
She stops. A little wary now, releasing a cloud of smoke.
ANNA
No. You’re my hero.
Hey. It’s time for you to get up.
DAN
You’re beautiful.
Anna looks at his smiles stops for a moment. Dan gets up. Wears back his shirt, holds the jacket in hand.
DAN (cont’d)
You didn’t find it obscene?
ANNA
What?
DAN
Last night.
ANNA
No, I thought it was… unforgettable…
DAN
About what?
Watching Anna. Anna looks up
ANNA
About passion. About sweating.
DAN
In what way?
ANNA
You joined it.
DAN
But you rode it… ’till four.
ANNA
Don’t raise your eyebrows, you look smug.
Go away.
FADE OUT:
Dan walks to the door.
DAN
But you did like it?
ANNA
Yes, and we could go again.
DAN
Any criticisms?
ANNA
I’m not sure about the theme….
DAN
Got a better one??
She looks at him, ‘really?’. He nods.
DAN (cont’d)
Tonight?
They look at each other. Anna shrugs.
DAN (cont’d)
You like night time?
ANNA
Night is mysterious.
DAN
Good for picking up strangers.
ANNA
Litigate stranger.
Silence. Dan holds her gaze.
DAN
(gently)
Come here.
Anna looks at Dan, thinking. Finally moves towards him, slowly. Dan’s face in her ear. His hand wraps around her head, holding her tight.
FADE OUT:
ANNA
(rolling eye)
I will be waiting for you…
DAN
And I will not forget my promise to you…
CLOSE UP: Dan looks at Anna. Anna looks at Dan.
ANNA
Do you and Alex always stay together?
It gives Dan a beat to think…
DAN
Yes.
Dan touches Anna’s face. Anna gently takes his hand, and then pulls away from him.
DAN
Are you jealous?
ANNA
Yes.
Dan grimaces, she looks at him.
DAN
Okay, baby I have to leave. For my morning phone call.
Please do not be jealous of a man.
ANNA
(frowns)
See you later.
Dan kisses the forehead of Anna who waves to him with a little smile.
INT TRAIN CORRIDOR– CONTINUOUS
Alex runs silently to a dark corner.
ALEX’S P.O.V: he’s watching Dan comes out of Anna’s sleeper. Dan is lighting a cigarette as he goes.
FADE OUT:
He confirms that no one is around. Trots across to Anna’s sleeper. Knocks on the door. Anna opens the door, glances Alex.
ANNA (O.S.)
The 3-piece suit man yesterday. With hat today.
She is trying to close the door. But at the moment…He puts his hand between the door slit.
ALEX
You must be Anna… I’m Alex.
ANNA
Hi.
ALEX (cont’d)
I’m sorry to interrupt.
ANNA
(wry smile)
No, I just got up.
ALEX
Can I come in and say a few words?
ANNA(O.S)
Doubt
ALEX (cont’d)
You know me right? I was with Dan yesterday.
ANNA keeps silent. ALEX heads towards to ANNA
ALEX
You know Larry? You called him as your husband.
She feels flustered but doesn’t change her facial expression.
Anna lets Alex in. He looks around. Her wardrobe doesn’t close, can see the floppy hat, elbow length gloves, fur coat, etc. He walks past the wardrobe to the window, rolls up the blinds. Turns to Anna.
ALEX
So are you married?
ANNA
Take a seat.
FADE OUT:
Alex sits front of the dresser. Anna busies herself with the cigarette, lit the lighter. Alex watches her. She sits on the bed, watches out of the window.
PULL FOCUS TO INCLUDE THE WINDOW IN B/G.
The rain stops. Sunlight rays on his back through the blinds.
ANNA
Dan is a kind person. You’ve had a lovely buddy.
ALEX
Thanks.
ANNA
He said you are a playboy?
Alex chokes a laugh.
ALEX
And you are a mistress.
ANNA
That’s a possible thing?
ALEX
No.
ANNA
Why do you come over here?
ALEX
You like Dan?
After a beat, she suddenly laughs.
ANNA
Why?
ALEX
Are you single?
ALEX (cont’d)
Who was your last target?
FADE OUT:
Anna unsure where this is leading. She blows the smoke out.
ANNA
What do you mean?
ALEX
Stop your acting. The woman like you, I know so well. Money, money, and money.
ANNA
What happened to you?
DAN’S P.O.V: Anna blows out smoke.
ALEX
A swindler.
Anna looks at the pillow.
CUT TO THE PILLOW
CLOSE: Anna’s face. Completely still.
Anna (O.S.)
One meter far from here.
ANNA
How can you prove it?
PULL FOCUS TO INCLUDE THE REFLECTION OF ANNA IN THE MIRROR OF DRESSING TABLE IN B/G.
Alex stands up, turn to Anna. The sun behind him. His shadows on the wall.
ALEX
Stay away from Dan.
ANNA
Why should I listen to you?
ALEX
You have to.
ANNA
And this is none of your business.
Anna is looking at the mirror and fixing hair with her single hand.
FADE OUT:
ALEX
How do you feel about your conspiracy being revealed?
ANNA
Get out of my room.
Alex stares at Anna. His look could freeze lava.
ALEX
When you walked to Dan… yesterday…, you had this… look.
Beat. I just knew you are not what you are.
Silence. Anna ignores him, turning his back.
ALEX (cont’d)
(shrugs)
Larry is not your husband. And you’re only using Dan.
Anna continues to ignore him, convinced he can get out this way.
ALEX
You want to go behind bars? I have some prosecutors and detective friends.
We could hold you a jail party.
She only half-believes him. Alex’s not prone to benevolence. He holds up Anna’s chin. Looks at her more closely. She in a little shaking now.
ALEX(cont’d)
(warning)
Stop all of your plans. I can see that as nothing happened.
Alice slowly turns around to the bed. Dan pushes her down on the bed. Stares at Anna. The loud sound of the cigarette holder drops on the floor. And then silence.
ANNA
Good.
Dan stands and leaves with saying nothing. Shuts the door.
Anna moves away from the pillow. Takes out a below pistol. Playing with the pistol. Looks her dead in the eyes.
ANNA
(sneer)
Alex.
Sound of rain. It starts raining again.
500 words reflection:
Film noir is a French term meaning “black film” or film of the night. In general film noir portrayed the world of dark, slick city streets, crime and corruption. Film noir is defined by tone rather than genre (G. Porfirio, 1976). Films were filmed in black and white so that it emphasizes the shadows in the movie, it also means that there is no happiness in the movie by showing no color.
After the Second World War, realism starting getting back on track by every film producing countries, “Every scene was filmed on the actual location depicted”, realistic exteriors remained a permanent fixture of film noir. The postwar realistic trend was successful in breaking film noir from the realm of the high-class melodrama, placing It where it more properly belonged, in the streets with everyday people (G. Porfirio, 1976). Hard-boiled writers influenced noir screenwriting, as much as Germans and Europeans mastered the chiaroscuro and cinematography.
Film noir are meant to be small-time, unredeemed, unheroic, a break from the romantic noir cinema (G. Porfirio, 1976). In our Screenplay Rewrite we have chosen the “Closer” screenplay and changed it to a film noir movie type of scene, majority of the scenes were from night. According to the German expressionism, oblique and vertical lines are chosen over horizontal. Oblique lines apt to splinter screen, preparing it to be restless and unstable. Light enters the train compartment in odd shaped-jagged trapezoids and obtuse triangles The actors and setting were given equal lighting prominence. Face is blackening out by shadow as he speaks, it creates pessimistic and hopeless mood. Compositional tension is more than the physical action; actor doesn’t control the scene by physical action but the scene would move cinematographically around the actor. There is a love of romantic narration, the narration creates a mood of “lost time”: an irrelevant past, a predetermined fate, and an all-enveloping hopelessness (G. Porfirio, 1976).
Smoking is a very important key feature in film noir as its used in every noir film, so our screenplay characters lit the cigarette as well in the scene, it shows mystery within the scene or the person in the scene. It makes the audience think that there may be something more to what’s actually on the screen. Femme Fatales are women who have certain traits such as beautiful, seductive, promiscuous, double-dealing, unrealizable, etc. They kill you as they love you. These females love creating danger for the main character who ends up falling for her. Just like Anna traps Dan by making him fall for her. Female costume in film noirs is also a key feature, woman is usually seen in red dresses with a low neckline, lipstick, lots of mascara, floppy hat, elbow length gloves, high heels, and fur coats, etc. In our screenplay Anna wakes up in a sexy pajama, and when she gets ready in front of the mirror she wears lots of mascara and red lipstick.
Downfall of main male character is usually by a women or alcohol in film noir, but in our screenplay it’s going to be by a woman. Men stands alone, alienated from any social or intellectual order (self-independent), lonely. Male costume plays a big part in the film noir, they are always in fedoras and suit, it suggests that they are either mobsters or detectives. It shows that crime will be a big part of such films. In our screenplay, Alex is more like a detective and Dan is a hardworking man who focuses on his work, he’s a lonely man.
We included Gun in our screenplay rewrite as well, as it’s a great part of the film noir, as it shows action to the film, it’s a sense of excitement and danger, it’s typically a hand gun, which can easily be hidden that it why it causes surprise in the movie. Moreover, Reflections are also huge part of film noir, it shows the audience things that the character itself cannot see, it raises tension and excitement, also characters having a conversation with each other can be shown in this way. We tried adding in a mirror reflection in our screenplay where Anna gets ready and while getting ready she’s talking to Alex.
References:
CLOSERscreenplay.docx
- Porfirio, R. (1976). No Way Out: Existential motifs in the film noir.
Week 3 lecture – Film Noir
Nazish.blog 