Sep. 12, 1939

"OUR TOWN"

Plan for Screen Treatment

Acts One & Two

As outlined during Mr. Lesser's Story Conference with
Mr. Wilder and Mr. Horner.

We open on Frank Craven, in his drug-store, working
on jigsaw puzzle map.

(Note: Throughout the picture, whenever we return
to Mr. Craven he should always be doing something with his
hands -- pounding mortar, arranging Valentines, etc.)

Mr. Craven speaks to audience: "This picture is
called 'Our Town'. It was written by Thorton Wilder and
produced by Sol Lesser. In it you will see ............
and many others too numerous to mention. The name of our
town is Grover's Corners, N.H., just over the line from
Massachusetts; latitude 42 degrees, 40 minutes, longitude
70 degrees, 37 minutes."

Continuing to address audience, but now in a more
persuasive manner, he says, in effect: "I want you to
know our town", etc. These lines are to be supplied by
Mr. Wilder.

Continue with: "Well, now I'll show you how our
town lies." His description of town follows, ending with
"They're Grovers and Cartwrights and Gibbses and Herseys --
same names as around here now."

We must find some device to account for the
selection of a particular day in the life of a particular

2.

person (Emily Webb), first planting the idea of other people
by selecting them and rejecting them.

Craven continues: "So it is May 7, 1899. It is
just before dawn ......"

Model of the town is seen in darkness, with a few
lighted places as described on Page 3 of the Acting Edition.

(Note: This effect is to be repeated at the close
of Act One when similar lighted windows are shown with the
coming on of night.)

Craven continues: "The only lights on in town are
in a cottage over by the tracks" through dialogue on
Pages 3 and 4 of Acting Edition.

Follow through Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb preparing
breakfast and calling children.

Broaden the feeling of what happens in these homes
by showing the calling of the children in several other
homes, perhaps even in Polish Town. The scenes in the
various homes are identical in feeling, but with enough
variety so that they do not become monotonous.

Weave into Webb morning scene material from Act
Three of Mr. Webb returning from lecture at his college,
Emily coming downstairs and being shown her birthday presents,
etc.

It is a photograph album which George leaves on
the doorstep of the Webb home as a birthday present for Emily.
This album will be used later to contain family pictures.

Follow through children going off to school, and
scene of Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb shelling beans and dis-
cussing sale of highboy.

3.

DISSOLVE TO Frank Craven in drug-store. He is mixing
a prescription. It should be some simple remedy, possibly
sulphur and molasses. Rebecca comes into the store. Craven
asks, "What did you learn in school today?" Rebecca replies
that she learned all about the geology of Grover's Corners.
Proudly she rattles off the lesson she has memorized, and which
is along the lines of Professor Willard's address on Page 16
of Acting Edition.

Geology material possibly enriched by few more
comments from Craven in direction of general interest in town,
including political and religious data.

For our purposes in the movie Craven now says a
little more strongly than in the play, "Now we'll go back
and see some more of life in town." Continue with lines
returning action to town, from middle of Page 20 of Acting
Edition.

Continue with much of the episode between George
and Emily returning from school, much of Emily's "Am I pretty?"
conversation with mother, but strengthen with atmospheric
business of early afternoon hours in small town. Perhaps
Craven talking with passers-by.

When Emily inquires, "Mama, were you pretty?", and
Mrs. Webb replies "Yes, I was," etc., Emily rises and goes
to look at Mrs. Webb's picture on wall with pictures of
ancestors.

Here we can show the turning over of album with
family pictures, views of daguerreotypes and tintypes around
the place, which later form the frame in which we see the
dead.

4.

The scene between mother and daughter is broken into
by return to Mr. Craven saying, "But there's some more things
I want to tell you about our town. They've been building a
new bank in Grover's Corners ...." Continue through speech
about material in corner-stone. The SOUND of choir singing
is heard during his last words, and he says, "Now we'll get
back to our day in Grover's Corners."

Glimpse of town in model with number of lighted
windows.

Mr. Craven: "It's evening. You can hear the choir
practice going on in the Congregational Church", etc.

CUT TO lighted window of church, through which we
see Simon Stimson scolding choir.

Follow with CUTS to George and Emily at their
respective windows, and CUTS to church to show progress of
choir practice.

Follow through to end of Act One.

When Rebecca at the close of this act tells her
brother about the letter with its address, change to:
"I never showed you the letter I got from our minister when
I was sick, and that I gave to Mr. Morgan 'cause he wanted it.
I wonder why? Dr. Ferguson wrote me a letter, and on the
envelope the address was like this ----", etc.

After Rebecca's line, "Yes, and the postman brought
it just the same" and George's "What do you know", DISSOLVE TO:

Frank Craven smiling at a very large envelope on which
the whole address is written. He puts envelope in drawer.

During the first lines of the following material
only his head is seen. Gradually we see that he is unpacking

5.

a shipment of Valentines, and while talking he arranges them
on a show table.

Mr. Craven: "Let's call that Part One. That was
showing you The Daily Life. Now I want to show you another
side of our town. Let's say three years have gone by. Yes,
the sun's come up over a thousand times. Summers and winters
have cracked the mountains a little bit more and the rains
have brought down some of the dirt. Some babies that weren't
even born before, have begun talkin' regular sentences already;
and some older sons are sitting at the head of the table.
All that can happen in a thousand days. Nature's been pushin'
and contrivin' in other ways, too -- a number of young people
fell in love and got married. Yes, this part we'll call
Love and Marriage. It's early morning again. Only this
time it's been raining. (THUNDER SOUNDS) Hm -- don't know
now -- may begin again any minute. (DISTANT TRAIN WHISTLE.
He looks at pocket watch.) There's the 5:45 for Boston.

Retain lines about gardens drenched.

Clean follow through up to end of scene between
Mr. Webb and his future son-in-law, middle of Page 49 of
Acting Edition.

DISSOLVE TO Frank Craven speaking directly to
audience, speech which precedes drug-store scene. During
the close of his speech when he says: "They're coming down
Main Street now", he stops thoughtfully and says, "In those
days -- this is over thirty years ago -- my soda-fountain
was over there, and ....." -- to be devised later. He
mentions and moves a few articles, and when later the children
enter the drug-store, we will see it to have been differently

6.

arranged, and on Craven's re-entrance we see him as a younger
man with black mustache. However, as he begins to move
these things, DISSOLVE TO:

Young children coming out of school yard.

Follow through drug-store scene.

At close of drug-store scene we see Craven (still
as a younger man) at his door watching the young people, side
by side, walking away to their homes. FADE OUT.

On the morning of the wedding the presents are still
arriving. Among them is a gift from Simon Stimson. It is
the picture of the group at birthday party.

FADE IN on Exterior of Church. The bells are ringing.
Wedding guests are arriving. Starting with the Fade In and
continuing over church scenes we hear:

Mr. Craven's Voice: "Well, now we'll get on to the
wedding."

Mr. Craven will not take the part of the Minister,
therefore his speech on Pages 57-58 of Acting Edition is to
be deleted.

For consideration: During the five episodes now
following in the wedding ceremony, i.e.: Mrs. Webb's con-
versation to audience; George and his mother; Emily and her
father; the Minister's final thoughts, and perhaps the Base-
ball Players, the treatment is to be Close Ups of heads who
do not move their lips, but whose voices can be heard from
behind the heads, expressing their thoughts.

Change Emily's line "I hate him -- I wish I were
dead" to "I feel as though I had never seen him before."

Mrs. Soames is played realistically throughout.

7.

The Minister's "Do you, George" and "Do you, Emily"
is played realistically, as are their responses "I do."

The Minister's speech at climax of wedding, to be
played in Close Up, using device of unmoving lips and audible
thoughts, is to be revised as follows:

Minister's Voice: "I've married two hundred couples
in my day. My father married a thousand. The cottage, the
go-cart, the Sunday afternoon drives in the Ford -- the
children leaving the home -- the first rheumatism -- the
grandchildren -- the second rheumatism -- the death-bed. (Pause)
Millions of them. (Find another line for "Once in a thousand
times it's interesting.)

The organ breaks into Mendelssohn's Wedding March.

Close Up of happy couple leaving church.

---

"OUR TOWN"

PLAN FOR SCREEN TREATMENT

As Outlined during Mr. Lesser's Story Conferences with
Mr. Wilder and Mr. Horner, September 12-13, 1939.

FADE IN on Frank Craven in his drugstore, in 1940,
working on a jigsaw puzzle map of the United States which has
been completely assembled save for the State of New Hampshire.
During Mr. Craven's speech he inserts the New Hampshire
section, indicates the dot that is Grover's Corners, and we
IRIS OUT on the dot and IRIS IN on establishing shots of
the town, over which Mr. Craven's voice will continue.

FRANK CRAVEN: (To audience) This picture is called "Our Town". It was written by Thornton Wilder and produced by Sol Lesser. In it you will see ............, and many others too numerous to mention. The name of our town is Grover's Corners, New Hampshire, just over the line from Massachusetts; latitude 42 degrees, 40 minutes, longitude 70 degrees, 37 minutes.

Continuing to address the audience, but now in a
more persuasive manner, he says, in effect, "I want you to
know our town", etc. etc. These lines are to be supplied
by Mr. Wilder.

2.

FRANK CRAVEN: (Continues) Well, now I'll show you how our town lies ....

We must find some device to account for the
selection of a particular day in the life of a particular
person (Emily Webb), first planting the idea of other people
by selecting them and rejecting them.

FRANK CRAVEN: (Continues) So it is May 7, 1901.
It is just before dawn .....

FRANK CRAVEN: (Continues) The only lights on in
town are in a cottage over by the tracks .....

Follow through dialogue on Pages 3 and 4 of Acting
Edition, and play through scenes of Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb
preparing breakfast and calling children.

Broaden the feeling of what happens in these homes
by showing the calling of the children in several other
homes, perhaps even in Polish Town. The scenes in the
various homes are to be identical in feeling, but with enough
variety so that they do not become monotonous.

3.

It is a photograph album which George leaves on the doorstep of the Webb home as his present to Emily on her fourteenth birthday. This album will be used later to contain family pictures.

Follow through children going off to school, and scene of Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb shelling beans and discussing sale of highboy.

DISSOLVE TO Frank Craven in drugstore. He is mixing a prescription. It should be some simple remedy, possibly sulphur and molasses. Rebecca comes into the store. Craven asks her what she learned in school that day, and she replies that she learned all about the geology of Grover's Corners. Proudly she rattles off the lesson she has memorized, and which is along the lines of Professor Willard's address on Page 16 of Acting Edition. Geology material possibly enriched by a few more comments from Craven in direction of general interest in the town, including political and religious data.

(Note: The character of Professor Willard is to be eliminated.)

For our purposes in the movie Craven now says a little more strongly than in the play, "Now we'll go back and see some more of life in town", and we continue with lines returning action to town, from middle of Page 20 of Acting Edition.

Continue with much of the episode between George and Emily returning from school, much of Emily's "Am I pretty?" conversation with mother, but strengthen with atmospheric business of early afternoon hours in small town, perhaps Craven talking with passers-by.

4.

When Emily inquires, "Mama, were you pretty?", and
Mrs. Webb replies, "Yes, I was ---", Emily rises and goes to
look at Mrs. Webb's picture on wall with pictures of ancestors.

The scene between mother and daughter is broken into
by a return to Mr. Craven.

FRANK CRAVEN: But there's some more things I want
to tell you about our town. They've been building a new bank
in Grover's Corners ...

Continue through speech about material in corner-
stone. The SOUND of choir singing is heard during his last
words, and he says, "Now we'll get back to our day in Grover's
Corners."

View of town in model with number of lighted windows.

FRANK CRAVEN: It's evening. You can hear the
choir practice going on in the Congregational Church, etc. etc.

Play through to Rebecca-George letter scene. When
Rebecca tells her brother about the letter with its address,
change to: "I never showed you the letter I got from our
minister when I was sick. Emily gave it to Mr. Morgan to
keep. I wonder why? Dr. Ferguson wrote me a letter, and on

5.

the envelope the address was like this --", etc. After
Rebecca's "Yes, and the postman brought it just the same",
and George's "What do you know":--

DISSOLVE TO Frank Craven smiling at a very large
envelope on which the whole address is written. He puts
the envelope in a drawer.

-----

6.

ACT TWO

During the first lines of the following material
only Frank Craven's head is seen. Gradually we see that he
is unpacking a shipment of Valentines, and while talking he
arranges them on a show table.

FRANK CRAVEN: Let's call that Part One. That
was showing you The Daily Life. Now I want to show you
another side of what goes on in our town. Let's say three
years have gone by. Yes, the sun's come up over a thousand
times. Some babies that weren't even born before, have
begun talkin' regular sentences already; some older sons are
sitting at the head of the table, and some people I know are
having their meat cut up for them. All that can happen in a
thousand days. Nature's been pushin' and contrivin' in other
ways, too -- a number of young people fell in love and got
married. Yes, this part we'll call Love and Marriage. It's
early morning again. Only this time it's been raining.
(THUNDER SOUNDS) Mrs. Gibbs's garden -- and Mrs. Webb's --
drenched. All those bean-poles and pea-vines, -- drenched.
Hm -- don't know now -- may begin again any minute.
(DISTANT TRAIN WHISTLE. He looks at pocket watch.) There's
the 5:45 for Boston.

7.

audience, speech which precedes drugstore scene. During the close of his speech when he says, "They're coming down Main Street now", he stops thoughtfully and says, "In those days -- this is over thirty years ago -- my soda-fountain was over there, and ...... " -- (to be devised later). He mentions and moves a few articles, and when later the children enter the drugstore, we will see it to have been differently arranged, and on Craven's re-entrance we see him as a younger man with black mustache. However, as he begins to move these things:

DISSOLVE TO young children coming out of school yard.

Follow through drugstore scene.

At close of drugstore scene we see Craven (still as a younger man) at his door watching the young people, side by side, walking away to their homes. FADE OUT.

(Note: Perhaps on the morning of the wedding the presents are still arriving. Among them is a gift from Simon Stimson. It is a picture of happy group at Emily's fourteenth birthday party.)

FADE IN on exterior of church. Bells are ringing.
Wedding guests are arriving. As scene FADES IN, we hear:

FRANK CRAVEN'S VOICE: Well, now we'll get on to the wedding.

(Note: Mr. Craven is not to take the part of the
Minister, therefore his speech on Pages 57-58 of Acting
Edition is to be deleted.)

8.

Baseball Players, the treatment is to be Close Ups of heads whose lips do not move, but whose voices can be heard from behind the heads, expressing their thoughts.

Mrs. Soames is to be played realistically throughout.

The Minister's "Do you, George--" and "Do you, Emily--" is to be played realistically, as are their "I do" responses.

MINISTER'S VOICE: I've married two hundred couples in my day. My father married a thousand. The cottage, the go-cart, the Sunday afternoon drives in the Ford -- the children leaving the home -- the first rheumatism -- the grandchildren -- the second rheumatism -- the death-bed.

(Pause) Millions of them.

(Note: The line "Once in a thousand years times it's interesting" has been eliminated. Perhaps we can find a line to replace this.)

Close Up of bride and groom coming down the aisle in happy gaiety.

FADE OUT.

9.

ACT THREE

As the Close Up of the happy couple coming down
the aisle FADES OUT, and music changes from Mendelssohn's
Wedding March:

FADE IN on view of Frank Craven coming out of
his drug-store, cane in hand. As he emerges, the bell
connected with door (to notify people inside that a customer
has come) rings. He strolls down the street, and we:

DISSOLVE TO Craven climbing last stretch of hilltop
and coming up against stone wall with cemetery behind it.
Leaning across stone wall, he begins:

FRANK CRAVEN: "This time nine years have gone by,
friends -- summer, 1913. Summers and winters have cracked
the mountains a little bit more and the rains have brought
down some of the dirt. Gradual changes in Grover's Corners.
Horses are gettin' rarer. Farmers coming into town now in
Fords. Everybody locks their house doors now at night.
Ain't been any burglars in town yet, but everybody's heard
about 'em. Chief difference seems to be the young people,
far as I can see. They want to go to the movies all the
time -- want to wear clothes like they see there -- want to
be citified. You'd be surprised though -- on the whole,
things don't change much around here. From now on our
thoughts get kinda serious. This is certainly an important
part of Grover's Corners."

Continue with Page 66 of Acting Edition. When
he gets to reference to Mr. Stimson, revise as follows:

FRANK CRAVEN: " -- and Mr. Stimson, organist

10.

at the Congregational Church. We were all worried about how
that drinking would end, do you remember? Well, I'm sorry
to tell you that he hung himself in the attic. They tried
to hush it up, but it got around. Chose his own epitaph.
You can see it there."

Close Up of tombstone with two or three bars of
music.

FRANK CRAVEN: "It ain't a verse exactly. Just some notes of music. I wouldn't know what it is, but it was wrote up in the Boston papers at the time."

Continue with speech as per Pages 67 and 68 of
Acting Edition. After "Aren't they waitin' for the eternal
part in them to come out -- clear?" revise as follows:

FRANK CRAVEN: "Yes, all those important things --
motherh daughter -- husband'n wife -- enemy'n enemy -- money'n
miser -- all those important things kinda grow pale around
here. Maybe a few people like Simon Stimson who were attached
to earth by hatred and rebellion -- maybe they still cling
to Grover's Corners for a time --- (leaves this sentence
unfinished, with a gesture of his hand) I don't know what
brought me up here on the hill today. Maybe it was thinking
about our friend, Emily. We've all been thinking about these
things lately, and Emily's been thinking about them, too.
A new baby is expected down at that happy home we saw started.
Our friend Emily is pretty sick, and Doc Gibbs is going around
these days with a worried face ..."

(Note: The Joe Stoddard-Sam Craig dialogue has been
deleted, and some of their lines have been given to Craven.)

11.

DISSOLVE TO foot of staircase in farmhouse. George looks up staircase worriedly, turns and goes out, and strides in darkness under lighted window, against whose drawn shade figures are passing from time to time.

DISSOLVE TO corner of bedroom upstairs, with a glimpse of photographs, which we see more fully later, on bureau. CAMERA MOVES SLOWLY about until we see Emily's head on pillow. Some of the view of the bed is cut off from us by the figures of Doctor Gibbs, seated in a corner of the room, and the Nurse, a plain, competent woman of the country, whom we feel to be assisting him, but who is not in nurse's uniform. On mantel, or on bureau among photographs, is a small standard clock, whose ticking becomes increasingly conspicuous to us until indicated moment when it stops.

DISSOLVE TO the hall where Mrs. Webb waits anxiously.
We see the head of George coming up the stairs.

George looks through bedroom door and we catch a
quick look between Emily's eyes and his, and hear him
whisper, "Are you all right, Emily?" Mrs. Webb puts finger
on lips, and we see Emily's eyes turn sideways with a faint
smile.

We become aware that a moment of crisis has arrived
as Doctor Gibbs rises abruptly and crosses quickly to bed,
The Nurse likewise crosses rapidly. We see the tensed figures
of both from the back, the full line of the bed being broken
by figures between us and the bed.

CAMERA MOVES to a CLOSE UP of Emily, centering on
her eyes alone. Her eyes turn slowly to one side, without

12.

anxiety, but with question. Then, after a moment's blurring
of the eyes, we see what the eyes see, as CAMERA PANS SLOWLY
around, and above the footboard of the bed we see on bureau
a number of daguerrotypes and tintypes, none too clear. It
is at this moment that the clock stops. Several of the
photographs are standing without frames in little wire
standards; some of them are in frames. On wall behind bureau
one or two more are hanging. All the photographs are not old
daguerrotypes and tintypes. Some are the rather naive ones
we do know as the early part of this century, with gray
cardboard frames. But there are enough of the old ones to
indicate ancestors.

From the position where Emily's head would be, we
see the arrangement of photographs on bureau and on wall
DISSOLVE TO a regular pattern of headstones in cemetery, which
comes back to photographs again -- photographs perhaps
arranging themselves into similar rows -- going back then
again to headstones -- establishing Emily's fancied identify-
ing of photographs with headstones.

DISSOLVE TO a few feet of the old-fashioned
patchwork quilt on bed, which by CLOSE UP becomes large,
and then that in a similar way shifts back and forth between
a prospect of fields in different colors, and the rise and
fall of hills, and with the last view of scenery in this
alternation we see that among the geographical features
is the hill on which the cemetery is, up which is coming
a procession of figures under umbrellas in the rain.

DISSOLVE TO closer view of figures under umbrellas
grouped about the grave.

13.

Now the CAMERA MOVES OVER to headstones at one side of gathered crowd, and for a moment, above two or three of the headstones, the photographs are superimposed. At first we see still portions of the frames and of the one dimensional surfaces of photographs, but even as we watch, the frames disappear and we see the bust and head of Mrs. Gibbs, first as photograph and presently as a calm and slightly stiff person.

Through ways to be devised later, the dead now begin to speak.

When Mrs. Soames inquires, "What did she die of, Julia?", consider replacing Mrs. Gibbs' reply, "In childbirth" with "Had some trouble bringing a baby into the world."

Follow through to middle of Page 75 of Acting Edition.

As there is no Stage Manager for Emily to appeal to, the fact of her going back to earth now becomes a matter of her own volition.

After Emily says, "I can go back there and live all those days over again -- why not?" revise as follows:

MRS. GIBBS: All I can say is, Emily, don't.

MRS. SOAMES: (Pleading) Emily, don't. It's not what you think it'd be.

EMILY: (Eagerly) But I won't live over a sad day. I'll choose a happy one -- I'll choose the day I first knew that I loved George! -- Oh no, no! Why should that be painful?

MRS. GIBBS: You not only live it; but you watch yourself living it, and when you've been here longer you'll

14.

see that -- Our life here is to forget all that -- (Emily
shakes her head) -- and think only of what is ahead -- and
be ready for what is ahead. When you've been here longer
you'll understand.

EMILY: But Mother Gibbs, how can I ever forget
that life? It's all I know! It's all I had!

MRS. SOAMES: Oh, Emily! It isn't wise. Really,
it isn't.

EMILY: (Insistent) But it's a thing I must know
for myself! I'll choose a happy day, anyway.

MRS. GIBBS: (Sharply) No! It's the happiest days
that are the most painful to re-live. (Calmly) At least,
choose an unimportant day. Choose the least important day
in your life. It will be important enough.

EMILY: (To herself) Then it can't be since I
was married -- (To Mrs. Gibbs, eagerly) I can choose a
birthday at least, can't I? -- I choose my fourteenth
birthday.

MRS. GIBBS: Think hard, Emily -- Think ....
The sun's coming up --

DISSOLVE TO Process Shots, as though through gauze,
of Main Street as at opening of picture. Emily's Voice is
heard from behind screen:

EMILY: (With a cry of amazement) There's Main
Street -- why, that's Mr. Morgan's drugstore before he
changed it! And there's the livery stable!

MRS. GIBBS: Yes, it's 1901. This is twelve
years ago.

The Process Shots of town continue.

EMILY: (Amazed) Oh, that's the town I knew as a

15.

little girl! And, look, there's the old white fence that
used to be around our house. Oh, I'd forgotten that! I
love it so!

Process Shots of town continue, with Emily now
seen outside the house by the little white fence.

EMILY: Look! There's Howie Newsome! There's
our policeman!

Voices surge up from behind the screen:

HOWIE: Whoa, Bessie! -- Morning, Bill.

BILL: Morning, Howie.

HOWIE: You're up early.

Emily listens in delight, turning slowly towards
direction of voices.

BILL: Been rescuin' a party, down by Polish Town
thar. Got drunk and lay down in the gutter. (They laugh)
Thought he was in bed when I shook'm.

EMILY: (Delighted) There's Joe Crowell!

JOE CROWELL: Good mornin', Mr. Warren. 'Mornin',
Howie.

CONSTABLE WARREN & HOWIE: 'Mornin', Joe.

After the men's dialogue, Emily is seen to go into
back door of the house.

DISSOLVE TO kitchen scene, under gauze. Mrs. Webb's
Voice is heard saying:

MRS. WEBB: Children! Wally! Emily! Time to get up!

EMILY: (Has turned excitedly on hearing her mother's
voice; in ecstasy) Mama, I'm here! (Gently) Oh, how young
Mama looks! I didn't know Mama was ever that young --

MRS. WEBB: Good mornin', Mr. Newsome.

16.

HOWIE: 'Mornin', Mis' Webb. -- Come on, Bessie,
gid-ap!

EMILY: (Makes up her mind half-fearfully to speak)
Mama, I can't find my blue hair-ribbon anywhere.

MRS. WEBB: Just open your eyes, dear, that's all.
I laid it out for you special on the dresser, there. If it
were a snake, it'd bite you.

EMILY (Smiling agreement as mother reacts as
she hoped) Yes -- yes --

MRS. WEBB: Well, there you are, back at last.
How did it go, Charles?

MR. WEBB: Oh, fine, I guess. I told 'em a few
things. Everything all right here?

MRS. WEBB: Yes -- can't think of anything that's
happened, special.

MR. WEBB: Paper have any mistakes in it?

MRS. WEBB: None that I noticed. Coffee's ready
when you want it. Charles! Don't forget; it's Emily's
birthday. Did you remember to get her anything?

MR. WEBB: Yes, I've got something here. (Calls
gaily) Where's my girl? Where's my birthday girl?

MRS. WEBB: Don't interrupt her now, Charles. You can
see her at breakfast. She's slow enough as it is. Hurry up,
children! Seven o'clock. Now I don't want to call you again.

EMILY: (Softly, rueful) I can't bear it. They're
so young and beautiful. Why did they ever have to get old?
Mama, I'm here! I'm grown up! I love you all, everything!
I can't look at everything hard enough. (Gently, as a girl
of fourteen) Good morning, Mama.

17.

MRS. WEBB: Well, now, dear, a very happy birthday to my girl and many happy returns. There are surprises waiting for you on the kitchen table.

EMILY: Oh, Mama, you shouldn't have. (In agony)
I can't! I can't!

MRS. WEBB: (Dryly, as usual) But birthday or no birthday, I want you to eat your breakfast good and slow. I want you to grow up and be a good strong girl. (Emily steps to table, looks over gifts) That in the blue paper is from your Aunt Carrie and I reckon you can guess who brought the photograph album. I found it on the doorset when I brought in the milk -- George Gibbs -- must come over pretty early -- right nice of him.

EMILY: (Very gently, picking up album) Oh, George! I'd forgotten that -- Oh!

MRS. WEBB: Chew that bacon good an' slow. It'll help keep you warm on a cold day.

EMILY: (Unable to stand longer her mother's aloofness, slowly drops album on table; passionately) Oh, Mama, just look at me one minute as though you really saw me. -- Mama! Twelve years have gone by! -- I'm dead! -- (More and more desperate) I married George Gibbs, Mama! -- Wally's dead, too. -- Mama! His appendix burst on a camping trip to Crawford Notch. We felt just terrible about it, don't you remember? -- (More gently and appealing) But, just for a moment now we're all together -- Mama, just for a moment let's be happy -- (In greatest desperation) Let's look at one another!

18.

Continue with Mrs. Webb's "That in the yellow paper
is something I found in the attic" and follow through
Pages 82 to 85 of Acting Edition, excepting that on Page 83
Emily's "Do any human beings ever realize life while they
live it -- every, every minute?" and Stage Manager's "No --
Saints and poets maybe -- they do some" are to be deleted.

Explanatory Comment by Mr. Wilder:

I feel that the audience has seen Emily return
to earth and recognize the fact that even on her own birthday
her mother, though affectionate, was nevertheless regarding
any day as pretty much like any other day, and Emily, before
our eyes, with the audience, has been struck with the fact
that human beings do fairly well move about in a self-
preoccupied matter-of-factness. She has just cried out to
her mother, "Let's look at one another! Let's realize one
another!", and has received nothing but the usual friendly
matter-of-fact reception. This remains in the audience's
mind as a really pessimistic thing to say about life, and
has come to a head in Emily's cry that the world and the
relationships in the world are too dear for anybody to
realize them.

I feel the audience will have a certain amount
of trouble in the backs of their heads. Is this picture
going to show us that anybody prefers to be dead than to
go through life's inadequacies to the realization of the
affections?

Simon Stimson states this position in its harshest
form. He is in a position to state it in its harshest form

19.

because of his tragic life, and we have already been in-
formed by Frank Craven's line earlier that he will take a
longer time than the other persons to be disattached from
preoccupation with the earth and with the conditions of
living. He therefore states the pessimistic element, and
is met by our best presiding good genius in this scene,
Mrs. Gibbs, with the words, "That ain't the whole truth and
you know it, Simon Stimson" -- which admits that a certain
amount of the theme action of the last scene is true of
human beings -- their inadequacies to experience; admits
that and yet concedes that it was worthwhile having been
alive at all, even under those conditions, and what he says
cannot be taken as a motto for this picture, and especially
as a motto for the scene that has just wrung the hearts of
the audience.

At the end of the sequence of Emily's vision:

DISSOLVE TO the photographs in their formation
as in vision, which in turn DISSOLVES TO photographs in
realistic state on bureau and wall of bedroom. Over this
is heard the increasing sound of clock ticking and the cry
of a baby.

DISSOLVE TO Mrs. Webb and George waiting anxiously
at top of stairs outside bedroom as before, with the Nurse,
who has just emerged from bedroom, smiling and beckoning.
Mrs. Webb and George exchange happy smiles, and she gestures
to him to enter bedroom.

DISSOLVE TO Frank Craven on a high elevation over-

109.

Mr. Chandlee

12/22/39.

218. (CONTINUED)

219.

220.

MR. MORGAN (contd.)

-- only we don't take 'em out and look at 'em very often. Everybody knows in his bones that something is eternal -- All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years: Something is eternal -- and yet you'd be surprised how people are always letting go of that fact.

(pauses; then less intensely)

I guess I'm thinking about all these things today because of our friend, Emily. Another baby's expected down at that happy home we saw started. It's Emily's second -- there's a little boy about six years old -- but this time, Emily's pretty sick. Doc Gibbs is going around these days with a mighty worried face.

DISSOLVE TO:

221. EXT. GEORGE'S & EMILY'S FARM (1915) - (NIGHT) LONG ESTABLISHING SHOT

DISSOLVE TO:

110.

222. EXT. FARMHOUSE (NIGHT)
FULL SHOT

George (twenty-eight) in work clothes, is pacing under lighted bedroom window, against whose drawn shade figures are passing in silhouette from time to time.

223. CLOSER SHOT

George stops under window, looks up anxiously.
Against drawn shade a figure in silhouette passes.
George, reacting with concern, goes into farmhouse.

224. INT. FARMHOUSE HALL AND STAIRS (NIGHT)
MEDIUM SHOT

George enters, goes up the stairs.

225. INT. UPPER HALLWAY OUTSIDE BEDROOM (NIGHT)
CLOSE SHOT

Mrs. Webb is waiting anxiously in hallway outside bedroom door. CAMERA PULLS BACK as George comes up stairs to join Mrs. Webb. He looks at her questioningly. She places finger to lips. George steps to door, knocks gently. After a moment the door opens. A plain-looking woman of the country, whom we feel to be the NURSE, but who is not in nurse's uniform, steps out. She looks at George. His eyes plead that he be permitted to see his wife. The nurse puts finger to lips to caution him to be quiet, pantomimes that he may look through doorway. She then turns back into bedroom, leaving door partially open. George moves closer to look into bedroom.

226. INT. EMILY'S BEDROOM (NIGHT)
MEDIUM SHOT

SHOOTING PAST George in doorway, into bedroom. Doc Gibbs and the nurse are standing between door and bed, so that only the head of Emily (twenty-six) on pillow can be seen. Doc Gibbs holds watch in one hand; with the other he is taking Emily's pulse. His face is grave. We are conscious of the ticking of a small standard clock on mantel.

SOUND
(TICKING OF CLOCK -- TO BE HEARD
UNTIL INDICATED MOMENT WHEN IT
STOPS)

111.

227. CLOSEUP EMILY'S FACE

Her expression shows that she is a very sick woman. Her eyes turn. She sees George off-scene, manages a wan smile.

228. CLOSE SHOT - GEORGE AT DOOR

He smiles encouragingly at Emily off-scene. The nurse enters FROM BEHIND CAMERA, pushes him gently through doorway into hall, closes door behind him. She then turns and exits PAST CAMERA towards bed off-scene.

229. MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT

Doc Gibbs stands at bed and the nurse is just taking her position at his side, the full line of bed being broken by their figures between CAMERA and bed, so that only Emily's head can be seen. Doc Gibbs finishes taking Emily's pulse. As he does so, her eyes close. Doc looks up slowly to meet the nurse's questioning gaze. Doc says nothing. It is his failure to say anything that indicates to nurse, and to audience, that a moment of crisis has arrived.

230. CLOSEUP EMILY'S EYES

Her heavy-lidded eyes open slowly, turn slowly to one side. Then, after a moment's blurring of the eyes, we see what the eyes see:

231. FROM EMILY'S POINT OF VIEW

CAMERA PANS SLOWLY AROUND to TAKE IN the window. It is divided into four panes, with the two sash-bars forming a cross. Outside it starts to rain. Rain-drops begin to trickle down the window panes. CAMERA HOLDS on the window for a moment, then PANS AROUND to reveal various familiar objects at which Emily is looking lovingly. They mean so much to her. PANNING CAMERA STOPS finally to HOLD on a number of photographs, daguerreotypes and tintypes, none too clear, standing on bureau (which has a large oval mirror) and hanging on wall above and on both sides of bureau. Also on bureau is photograph album (which George gave Emily on her fourteenth birthday). Some of the photographs are in frames; some are standing without frames in little wire standards. All the photographs are not old daguerreotypes and tintypes; some are the rather naive ones we know as the early part of this century, with gray cardboard frames. But there are enough of the old ones to indicate ancestors. Photographs

(CONTINUED)

115.

Mr. Chandlee

12/22/39.

234. (CONTINUED)

MRS. GIBBS'S VOICE
Trouble bringing a baby into the
world.

MRS. SOAMES'S VOICE
Why, I remember Emily's wedding.
Wasn't it a lovely wedding? And
reading the class poem at graduation.
Emily was one of the
brightest girls in High School.
I remember I called on George and
Emily at their farm, just before
I died. Perfectly beautiful farm.

As the speech ends:

SOUND
(THE TICKING BECOMES SLOWER AND FAINTER. IT DISAPPEARS IN FAINTNESS WITHOUT ACTUALLY STOPPING)

With the fading SOUND of the clock, the CAMERA MOVES from Emily's face down over the patchwork quilt which covers the bed and MOVES IN TO FULL SCREEN CLOSE SHOT of a section of the PATCHWORK DESIGN, which:

DISSOLVES TO:

235. A PERSPECTIVE OF LANDSCAPE (AFTERNOON)

A view of fields and the rise and fall of hills, following the pattern and the contour of the quilt, in the center, the hill on which the cemetery is located. The scene is misty with rain, and has a faintly eerie impression of unreality.

Beginning over the scene:

SOUND
(THE SLOW CADENCE OF HORSES' HOOPS AT A WALK)

DISSOLVES TO:

236. EXT. ROAD (AFTERNOON) CLOSE SHOT

Black-plumed and black-draped horses, shot from the rear quarter to exclude the vehicle they are drawing, their hoofs falling to match the cadence already heard. Falling rain blurs the scene; and its duration is extremely brief. It is illusory in its quality.

114.

Mr. Chandlee

12/22/39.

DISSOLVE TO:

257. EXT. ROAD (AFTERNOON)
CLOSE SHOT

The CAMERA FOLLOWS a turning carriage-wheel on the glistening road, but almost immediately PANS UP to the carriage itself, through the door of which are seen George and Mrs. Webb, seated on the rear seat, the figures of Mr. Webb and Doc Gibbs on the seat facing them. Mrs. Webb's handkerchief is pressed tightly to her cheek. George sits with his head bowed. The faces of the other men are not seen. The CAMERA FOLLOWS them but briefly. It STOPS and PANS to keep the rear of the carriage in the field until it is obscured by the entrance of another carriage and another. This scene, too, is hazy and indistinct through falling rain and glistening mist.

SOUND
(OF WHEELS AND SLOWLY
FALLING HOOPS)

DISSOLVE TO:

258. EXT. CEMETERY (AFTERNOON)
CLOSE SHOT

on moving umbrellas, wet and glistening, which FILL THE SCREEN, and the mourners move diagonally AWAY FROM CAMERA toward the grave ... about twenty-five men and women who follow the pallbearers; but the latter are unseen; nor is the coffin visible, being obscured by the figures of the mourners, and the black umbrellas. As the group moves to the grave, the scene becomes a MEDIUM FULL SHOT, shrouded and misted with rain.

259. TRAVELING SHOT

With the CAMERA DOLLYING just ahead of the foremost mourners, as if just behind the pallbearers. Webb holds an umbrella over Mrs. Webb; beside them are George and Doc Gibbs, the latter holding an umbrella over them. They walk with bowed heads, the men carrying their hats. The CAMERA and the group STOP, supposedly as the grave is reached, though it is not seen. Other mourners spread out as if surrounding the grave.

240. MED. FULL SHOT - REVERSE ANGLE

The umbrellas and the closely grouped mourners with their backs now to the CAMERA create a picture of black against gray horizon. The coffin and pallbearers are still unseen, and the grave itself is curtained by the surrounding forms.

(CONTINUED)

115-A,

Mr. Lesser

12/26/39.

241. MEDIUM SHOT - THE MOURNERS

They stand with bowed heads about the grave.

DISSOLVE TO:

242. MEDIUM SHOT - THE MOURNERS

The mourners are turning away from the grave, which is
still not seen.

EMILY'S VOICE
(with a touch of
quick misgiving)
Mother Gibbs -- they're going.

MRS. GIBBS'S VOICE
(soothingly)
Just rest yourself, dear.

The mourners move toward the gate, some lowering their
umbrellas, to indicate that it has stopped raining.
George, Mrs. Webb, Webb and Doc Gibbs are left at the
grave.

242-A. CLOSE SHOT

B.

C. The four are looking down at the grave, off-scene. Mr.

D. Webb gently touches George's arm, and as he looks up,

(CONTINUED)

115-B.

Mr. Chandlee

12/22/89.

242-D. (CONTINUED)

Webb puts his arm around him and he and Mrs. Webb lead George away. Doc Gibbs is left at the grave. He looks down a moment, then stoops and rises again into the shot with some flowers. He looks down at the grave with a little tender smile -- as if knowing that Emily will understand -- and then moves with the flowers from the scene.

242-E. THE GRAVE STONES

The mounds do not show. Doc Gibbs enters the scene, looks down, shaken a little.

EMILY'S VOICE
(with a touch of
tender sadness)
Father Gibbs is bringing some of
my flowers to you, Mother Gibbs.

Doc Gibbs stoops, placing the flowers at the foot of the stone, JUST OUT OF FRAME. As he straightens up:

EMILY'S VOICE
(wistfully)
He looks just like George,
doesn't he?
(pause -- while Doc
Gibbs looks down
at the grave, head
bowed; then as if
Emily were calling
to him;)
Father Gibbs!

Doc Gibbs stands a moment, unhearing, then turns slowly away.

242-F. FULL SHOT

The ANGLE is toward the grave stones from inside the gate of the cemetery, as Doc Gibbs comes slowly through clinging mist and dripping rain TOWARD THE CAMERA.

EMILY'S VOICE
(a little fainter --
as if calling --
with a touch of
pleading)
Father Gibbs ...

Doc Gibbs, still unhearing, PASSES THE CAMERA.

SOUND
(OF GATE, A LITTLE RUSTY,
OPENING AND GLOSING)

(CONTINUED)