Inside JIM's living room.
The television is on, but only a hum comes from it, and the screen is a flickering gray.
The FATHER sits lumpily in a chair by the fireplace, still dressed but with his collar open.
The sound of JIM's step in the dining room makes him open his eyes. Fear of facing his son makes him shut them again. The boy comes in, a bottle of milk in his hand.
Seeing his FATHER there, he stops short--his impulse is to flee. Instead he comes in and looks down at the sleeping man whose eyelids, fluttering in the FATHER's masquerade of sleep, make him seem to be having a dream.
JIM is torn between his desire to leave and his need to speak. He turns off the television quietly, then lies down on the couch across the way.
He mumbles the things he would say to his FATHER
and the answers he feels he would get.
The old man opens his eyes once,
sees the boy there, head banging upside down from the couch.
Then he shuts them again.
Upside down long shot. Room (JIM's viewpoint).
Suddenly, inverted in his vision, the MOTHER appears at the head of the stairs, in bathrobe and nightgown. She pauses a moment, then runs down crying:
MOTHER
He's home! You're home!
You're all right!
The camera rights itself suddenly.
JIM as he completes his turn, pulling his head up and sitting.
FATHER as he pretends to awaken with a start.
Full shot, room as the MOTHER hurries to JIM, holds him, inspects him, kisses him.
MOTHER
What happened, darling.
We were so worried.
I was going to take
a sleeping pill, but I wouldn't
till I knew you were home.
JIM
I have to talk to someone, Mom.
I have to talk to you both.
And Dad this time you got to
give me An Answer.
FATHER
Go ahead.
JIM
I'm in terrible trouble.--
You know that big high bluff
near Millertown Junction?
FATHER
Sure--there was a bad accident there.
They showed the pictures on T.V.
JIM
I was in it.
MOTHER
How!
JIM
It doesn't matter how.
I was driving a stolen car--
MOTHER
Do you enjoy doing this to me or what--
JIM
Mom--I'm not--
MOTHER
And you wanted him to make a [Christmas] list!
FATHER
Will you let him tell it!
JIM
She never wants to hear.
She doesn't care!
MOTHER
I guess when I nearly died giving birth to you--
that shows how much I don't care!
FATHER
Just relax, please relax!
JIM
I told you Dad,
it was a question of honor.
They called me chicken--
you know, chicken!
I had to go or I would
never have been able to face
any of those kids again.
So I got in one of these cars
and a boy called Buzz
got in the other.
We had to drive fast and jump
before the cars went over
the edge of the bluff.
I got out okay but
Buzz didn't.
He was killed.
MOTHER
Good Lord!
JIM
I can't keep it to myself anymore--
FATHER
Well, just get it off your chest, son.
JIM
That's not what I mean.
I've never done anything right.
I've been going around
with my head in a sling for years...
I don't want to drag you into this
but I can't help it.
I don't think I can prove anything
by going around pretending
I'm tough any more,
so maybe you look like one thing
but you still feel like another.
FATHER
You're absolutely right!
JIM
Are you listening to me?
You're involved in this!
I want to go to The Police
and tell them I was mixed up
in this thing tonight?
FATHER
You what?
MOTHER
No!
FATHER
Did anyone see you there?
I mean did they get
your license number
or anything?
JIM
I don't think so--
FATHER
Well--
MOTHER
What about the other boys--
Do you think they'll
go to The Police?
JIM
What's that got to do with it?
MOTHER
Why should you be
the only one.
FATHER
Look Jim. Far be it from me
to tell you what to do,
but there's--
MOTHER
Are you going to preach now?
Are we going to have a sermon?
FATHER
I'm just explaining what you mean!
You can't be An Idealist all your life!
Nobody thanks you
for sticking your neck out!
MOTHER
That's right!
JIM
Except yourself!
FATHER
Will you wait a minute?
JIM
You don't want me to go.
MOTHER
No! I don't want you
to go to The Police!
There were other people and why should you be the only one involved!
JIM
But I am involved!
We're all involved, Mom!
A boy was killed!
I don't see how
we can get out of that
by pretending it
didn't happen!
FATHER
You know you did Wrong.
That's The Main Thing, isn't it?
JIM
No! It's nothing! Just nothing!
You always told me to
Tell The Truth.
You think you can
just turn that off?
MOTHER
He's not saying that!
He's saying 'Don't Volunteer!'
JIM
Just tell a little white lie?
FATHER
You'll learn as you get a little older, Jim.
JIM
I don't want to learn that!
MOTHER
Well, it doesn't matter anyhow--
because we're moving.
JIM
No! You're not tearing me
loose any more.
MOTHER
Do I have to spell it out?
JIM
You're not going to use me
as An Excuse again, Mom.
Every time you can't face yourself
you want to move and you say
it's because of me or the neighborhood
or some other phony excuse.
Now I want to do
one thing right
and I'm not letting
you run away.
(silence)
Dad?
FATHER
Son--this is all happening so fast--
JIM
You better give me
something, Dad.
You better give me something —
(stops as he sees the emptiness in them)
Mom?
MOTHER
Jimmy, you're very young--
and a foolish decision now
could wreck your whole life.
JIM
Dad -- Answer Her --
aren't you going to
stand up for me?
The FATHER is mute, helpless...
Suddenly JIM screams.
JIM
Dad?
He leaps at his FATHER, dragging him to his feet, hands at the man's throat.
MOTHER
Stop it! You'll kill him!
Jim! Do you want to
Kill Your Father?
Suddenly JIM loosens his hands and rises. He looks swiftly at each of them--moves a few steps toward the door, looks back at them again--then rushes out of the house.
The parents stand frozen.
DISSOLVE TO:
Outside Precinct Station.
JIM's car comes to a stop at the curb. JIM gets out and approaches the flight of steps leading up the entrance. A bare bulb on either side is the only illumination. As he mounts the first step, the double doors above him swing open revealing several people. JIM stops short. So do they.
Low angle. CRUNCH, MOOSE and their parents. JIM's back in f.g. The boys stare down at him.
High angle. JIM (from the boys' point of view) as he stares up at them. MOOSE's father takes his arm and starts him down the stairs, the others moving too.
MOOSE
Let go of me--
MOOSE'S FATHER
You want a good crack in the mouth?
JIM starts forward up the steps. CRUNCH grabs him.
CRUNCH This place appeal to you or something?
They move down the steps as JIM breaks away and continues up. He goes through the doors.
Inside doors as JIM comes through and stops. He looks back through the glass. We see the group reach the curb where their cars are parked. There is a brief discussion which we cannot hear, then CRUNCH and MOOSE move off to MOOSE's car. JIM turns back. He looks worried as he passes camera.
Med. shot. CRUNCH and MOOSE. They stop at MOOSE's car and look back at the entrance. The parents are seen beyond them, getting into their cars. CRUNCH is near tears with anger.
CRUNCH What's he going to pull--
MOOSE Nothing, Crunch. They picked him up like the rest of--
CRUNCH You see any cops?
MOOSE'S FATHER (yelling) You monsters start home. We're going to--
MOOSE Yeah. Yeah.
MOOSE'S FATHER We're following you so better get there.
CRUNCH You see any cops?
MOOSE No--
CRUNCH He's going to cheese, I tell you. Nobody arrested him!
MOOSE I think I should go home.
CRUNCH No. We're going to bring him down.
MOOSE Crunch--my father's--You going to kill him?
CRUNCH (crying) You clean out of your head? Come on!
CRUNCH gets into the car. MOOSE follows. They gun the motor and throw the car into a sharp U-turn. MOOSE'S FATHER jumps into his car. He steps on the starter but nothing happens--just the empty whirring, over and over. Finally it starts, but the boys have gone.
Inside Precinct Station. Juvenile division. A desk sergeant is writing in the record book. Facing him across the desk and handcuffed to an officer is a young hoodlum, very different in appearance from the kids we have met--a typical duck-tail 'cat'.
SERGEANT (spelling) W-O-J-T-what?
HOODLUM O-W-I-C-Z. Wojtowicz. What's the matter, man? That's the craziest name in town! It swings!
JIM Excuse me--but--You know where I can find--I mean I don't remember his last name--
SERGEANT Look--can't you see I'm writing?
HOODLUM (combing his duck-tail) Man, this cat never stops. He just keeps going like Big Jay at a session! OFFICER Shut up.
HOODLUM He's writing a book about me--
SERGEANT What I could write about you they wouldn't print.
JIM I think his first name's Ray--I have to see him. It's very important.
SERGEANT What's the charge?
OFFICER Assault with a deadly weapon.
JIM Listen--
SERGEANT (annoyed)
He's not here. He's not at Juvenile Hall. I don't know where he is. He's out on a call and he'll be out all night. How old are you?
JIM My parents know I'm out. They know I'm here.
SERGEANT Come back tomorrow.
JIM I'll wait for him.
SERGEANT Why don't you come back tomorrow, son? (to hoodlum) Ever been booked before?
JIM turns away, notices a phone on the wall--puts in a coin, asks for a number.
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