WORKING DRAFT CHANGES MAY NOT BE MADE IN THIS SCRIPT WITHOUT PRODUCER APPROVAL MAY 29th 2021
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“SHADOW OVER SHADOW”
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The SOUND of feet shuffling across the ring… FADE IN: INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT The SOUNDS of the fighting grow LOUDER. CLOSE on a pair of hands from HIGH ANGLE. They slowly tense into fists. Strong hands, fighter’s hands. Even though he’s kept in shape, he hasn’t fought for a long time. The SOUNDS of the boxing match gets LOUDER STILL as he continues staring at his hands, it’s almost as if he’s dreaming.
Suddenly he breathes in.
JEFF (V.O.) I’d met Gloria in a double-date with a loudmouthed buddy of mine who was seeing a friend of hers. We went to a movie; Gloria had a flask; we killed it. She couldn’t put it away. At the end of the night she said she liked that I didn’t talk much. A couple weeks later she offered-A harsh jangle from the telephone. VOICE (on the phone) I saw what you did.
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A beat of silence.
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EXT. ALLEY – NIGHT A taxi is parked in a dark alley next to the arena. The SOUND of the crowd can be heard from the rear entrance as the door opens for a moment.
CUT TO:
INT. BOXING RING - NIGHT The SOUNDS of the boxing match reach FEVER PITCH. Two boxers beat the crap out of each other. The crowd is wild with excitement, people placing bets on which way the fight will turn. One of the boxers goes down and money immediately starts changing hands…
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A dark figure with a hat emerges from the shadows.
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BEGIN FLASHBACK: EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT (RAINING) A run-down hotel in a bad neighborhood. A NEON SIGN flashes intermittently. INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT The fan is spinning above them. They lie beside each other. Gloria lights a cigarette. There’s a strong KNOCK at the door. Gloria looks frightened. She quickly moves a finger to her lips in a “quiet” sign. GLORIA (whispering) It’s Ray! He’s here. You better leave. JEFF (mumbles) But Gloria-GLORIA (whispering) You need to go, Jeff. Right now.
INT. FIRST FLOOR HALL - NIGHT Jeff looks across the hall toward the open door to the guest room; it is dark. He hurries to the stairs, peering down into the darkness as he starts down the steps. INT. GROUND FLOOR HALL - NIGHT JEFF’S POV as he comes down the steps. Each shadow, doorway and alcove threatens to erupt with life.
Barely breathing, he goes to the lit doorway at the end of the hall.
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END FLASHBACK.
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From a distance, Detective Dixon hears footsteps. He quickly leaves.
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He goes up to the third floor and knocks twice on 35. After a moment, the door flies open.
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She guides him to lie on his back. She leans across him, seducing him, slowly, with her soft voice. GLORIA I guess you’ve seen some bad things. DETECTIVE DIXON Yes, I have. So bad I wouldn’t poison your mind by telling you... GLORIA Why do you do it? DETECTIVE DIXON I won’t let those bastards get me up against the wall. It’s an act of defiance. GLORIA Yeah. I get it.
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DISSOLVE TO:
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Detective Dixon steps into the shadows and watches them. At a metal landing they stop. The man with the alligator briefcase and the other one with the hat stand on their tip toes in order to see something in the distance. They laugh at what they see. The detective cannot see what they are laughing at from his vantage point. He looks at his watch. 8:25pm.
EXT. INTERSECTION - NIGHT No one in sight. Here comes the only movement: a police patrol car drives slowly up the street next to the bar and turns south on Michigan Avenue.
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When it is gone, all is dead again.
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INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT Jimmy tries to control his sniffles as Detective Dixon enters. DETECTIVE DIXON Jimmy, Ray ratted you off. He said it was your plan. You want to tell me more about it? No answer. DETECTIVE DIXON I think it was Ray’s idea. Spill it out and I will try to save your life. No answer. DETECTIVE DIXON Jimmy, you’ll get the chair for this. If you don’t talk, you’ll be dead in a few months. No answer. DETECTIVE DIXON Son, five people are dead and somebody has to pay. It can be you or it can be Ray. JIMMY I DIDN’T KILL ANYBODY! The voice is strong, full of conviction.
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9:32pm. The phone rings.
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INT. POLICE STATION - DAY Detective Dixon throws a fancy purse down on the desk in front of his colleague, Detective O’Neal, who pauses in the middle of a large bite of grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato. He looks down and studies the purse. DETECTIVE O’NEAL (biting in and chewing) Uh, fancy one. DETECTIVE DIXON Hand-stitched Italian. Filled with fake documents. DETECTIVE O’NEAL Found out who she is? DETECTIVE DIXON Maybe, but no proof yet. DETECTIVE O’NEAL (another big bite, chewing) Interesting...
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY STREETS - DUSK A mysterious MUSIC plays.
Detective Dixon follows them to an intersection where they turn off to the left. He waits at a light right behind them. Inside the car, they are lighting cigarettes. The light turns green and Ray takes off. Dixon follows them up a narrow street through some old factories.
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FADE TO BLACK:
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Jeff is standing around by himself smoking a cigarette. Besides him is the alligator briefcase. He looks as if he is waiting for someone.
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JEFF (V.O) It’s crazy how you can get yourself in a mess sometimes and not even be able to think about it with any sense. And yet not being able to think about anything else. Maybe it begins by taking life too seriously. Anyway, I think that’s the way it began for me. Just before my fight with Rodriguez three days ago.
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A piercing scream.
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Something changes in Gloria’s eyes.
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EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT Detective Dixon stands alone in a pool of light from a street lamp, watching Gloria until she reaches the end of the street and walks off behind a twisted chain linked fence.
He leaves the pool of light and walks into darkness.
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As he goes, the shadows continuously re-arrange themselves in mysterious, sometimes frightening patterns.
FADE OUT.
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THE END
Image Credits
in order of appearance: 1. Dean, Mary. Nixon refuses to comment (hat in front of face). Washington, D.C., 1953. 2. Johnston, Frances Benjamin. Happy Valley, North Carolina, 1938. 3. Unknown photographer. Image 5 of One-Third of a Nation. New York, NY, ca. 1930. 4. Palumbo, Fred. New York, NY, 1949. 5. Collier, John, Jr. Taos County, New Mexico, 1943. 6. Leffler, Warren K. Washington, D.C., 1965. 7. Unknown photographer. Portrait of Mary A. Shanley. New York, NY, 1937. 8. Wolfson, Stanley. Blood stain. Audubon ballroom, New York, NY, 1965. 9. Rothstein, Arthur. Peoria County, Illinois, 1938. 10. Harris & Ewing. Washington, D.C., 1938. 11. Harris & Ewing. Bureau of Engraving. Washington, D.C., ca.1940. 12. O’Halloran, Thomas J. Washington, D.C., 1955. 13. Ravenna, Al. Detectives. New York, NY, 1957. 14. Harris & Ewing. Portrait of Tony Galento. Washington, D.C., 1938.
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15. Mydans, Carl. Stairway in a rooming house. Washington, D.C., 1935. 16. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Artie Shaw. New York, N.Y., 1946.
17. Kubrick, Stanley. Wrestling match. Chicago, Illinois, 1949. 18. Harris & Ewing. Washington, D.C., ca. 1937. 19. Delano, Jack. Doorstop. Heard County, Georgia, 1941. 20. Unknown photographer. John F. Kennedy birthplace, frame 1. Brookline, Massachusetts, 1933. 21. Johnston, Frances Benjamin. Hague, Westmoreland County, Virginia, ca. 1930. 22. Palumbo, Fred. Portrait of Whittaker Chambers. New York, NY, 1948. 23. Johnston, Frances Benjamin. Kirnan, Westmoreland County, Virginia, ca. 1930. 24. Palumbo, Fred. Lolita Lebrón’s room. Washington D.C, 1954. 25. Harris & Ewing. Bank book and budget. New York, NY, 1940. 26. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Eddie Ronan. New York, NY, 1946. 27. Harris & Ewing. Washington, D.C., 1938. 28. Unknown photographer. John F. Kennedy birthplace, frame 3. Brookline, Massachusetts, 1933. 29. Kubrick, Stanley. Lingerie model, frame 33. Chicago, Illinois, 1949. 30. Kubrick, Stanley. Lingerie model, frame 34. Chicago, Illinois, 1949.
31. Delano, Jack. Foggy night. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1941.
46. Delano, Jack. Train platform. Chicago, Illinois, 1943.
32. Lee, Russell. Earl Carroll theater. Los Angeles, California, 1942.
47. Harris & Ewing. Cashier handing money out. Washington, D.C., 1938.
33. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of June Christy. New York, NY, 1947.
48. Harris & Ewing. Washington, D.C., ca. 1940.
34. Collier, John, Jr. Desk of flight commander. Craig Field, Selma, Alabama, 1941. 35. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Nat King Cole. New York, NY, 1947. 36. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Sy Sinclair. New York, NY, 1938. 37. Higgins, Roger. Bernard Spindel whispers in the ear of James R. Hoffa. New York, NY, 1957. 38. Harris & Ewing. Harold Ickes with Capitol police officers. Washington, D.C., ca. 1940. 39. Harris & Ewing. Washington D.C., ca. 1940. 40. Unknown photographer. Image 21 of Radio. New York, NY, ca. 1930. 41. Harris & Ewing. New target range for Treasury. Washington, D.C., 1940. 42. Wolfson, Stanley. Bullet holes. Audubon ballroom, New York, NY, 1965. 43. Delano, Jack. Exit of the underground tunnel through the Union Station. Chicago. Illinois, 1943. 44. Delano, Jack. In the waiting room of the Union Station. Chicago, Illinois, 1943. 45. Delano, Jack. Saying goodbye at the Union Station. Chicago, Illinois, 1943.
49. Delano, Jack. Tri-County Farmers Co-op. Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, 1940. 50. Bubley, Esther. Girl sitting alone. Washington D.C., 1943. 51. Harris & Ewing. Portrait of Vice President Garner. Washington D.C., 1939. 52. Payton, Walter. 125th Street. New York, NY, 1941. 53. Unknown photographer. Boxing match. New York, NY, 1936. 54. Unknown photographer. Portrait of Mary A. Shanley. New York, NY, 1937. 55. Ravenna, Al. Portrait of Lester P. W. Wehle with a chicken. New York, NY, 1951. 56. Kubrick, Stanley. Chicago Board of Trade. Chicago, Illinois, 1949. 57. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Stan Kenton. Richmond, Virginia, 1947. 58. Gottlieb, William P. Portrait of Buddy Childers. Richmond, Virginia, 1947. 59. Unknown photographer. Image 13 of One-Third of a Nation. New York, NY, ca. 1930. The images presented in this book were taken in the United States of America between the decades of 1930 and 1960. They are free to use and reuse and can be found in the digital collection of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C., USA.
Shadow Over Shadow Concept VITOR CASEMIRO Art Director MATEUS ACIOLI Proof reading LETICIA ARPA Editorial coordination RAFAEL RONCATO
I would like to thank everyone who has read the dummy and somehow collaborated on the development of this book. Abreu, Acioli, Antonio Filho, Arbo, Arpa, Barba, Bertazi, Boldrini, Breda, Bueno, Carneiro, Carvalho, Cerqueira, De Carvalho, Galembeck, Gonçalves, Lima, Loyola, Lucas, Machado, Mandel, Peixoto, Pezte, Pinheiro, Prada, Quaresma, Queiroz, Roncato, Santana, Soave, Sombra, Sultan, Tavares and Thoms. Thank you. Casemiro
Back cover text from “Hollywood in the Forties”, by Charles Higham and Joel Greenberg. A.S. Barnes & Co, New York - 1968. Composed with Pitch typeface, developed by Klim Type Foundry. First edition. São Paulo, 2021.
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“A dark street in the early morning hours, splashed with a sudden downpour. Lamps form haloes in the murk. In a walk-up room, filled with the intermittent flashing of a neon sign from across the street, a man is waiting to murder or be murdered. (...) Standard lamps fallen on pile carpets, spilling a fan of light about the face of a corpse; interrogation rooms filled with nervous police, the witness framed at their center under a spotlight, heels clicking along subway or elevated platforms at night. (...) Here is a world where it is always night, always foggy or wet, filled with gunshots and sobs, where men wear turned-down brims on their hats and women loom in fur coats, guns thrust deep in their pockets…”
And above all,
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shadow over shadow over shadow.