HOW TO WRITE A MOVIE SCENARIO

A One-Reel Drama By ARTHUR LORING BRUCE

BESS'S ROOM IN A TENEMENT. Bess, making her invalid father as comfortable as possible, kisses him chastely on the brow and starts for her daily toil in the glue factory.

Street Outside the Glue Factory. Bess, hurrying in with the crowd, is approached by Boggs, the foreman. He is an evil-eyed man with slick black hair. He smokes a cigarette. Bess is saved from his advances by Robert, who loves her. Robert shoves Boggs away, Boggs grinds teeth. Bess and Robert enter factory together.

Packing Room in the Factory. Bess, queen of the packing room, at her daily work of pasting labels on the glue bottles. Robert, collecting the packed cases, pauses at her side, leans hand-truck against table and proposes marriage. Bess registers astonishment.

Spoken Title: "I will give you my answer tomorrow."

Robert, disheartened, moves on with truck, pauses, lingers and looks back. Exit. Boggs, across the room, leers at Bess. Bess shrinks against the bottles. Boggs saunters over to Bess, smiles wickedly.)

Spoken Title: "Come out with me to-night, kid, and I'll show you a swell time!"

Bess is like one going down for the third time when Robert enters with empty truck. Boggs tries to embrace Bess. Robert stops,

scowling, tie hurls away the truck and comes running; grabs Boggs and tears him from Bess. Boggs strikes at Robert; Robert knocks him down. Great excitement; all cluster

around. Robert leans over Boggs, glares threateningly at him as he lies on the floor.

Spoken Title:' "Do you want more, you dog?"

Boggs rises, registering fury. Recovers himself, points at Robert.

Spoken Title: "Get out of here! You're discharged'"

(Exit Robert.) Boggs looks-Bess up and down, smiling wickedly.

Outside the Glue Factory. Robert comes out of factory door and down to the gate; he stops, looks back and raises both hands appealingly to the window where Bess is working.

Bess's Tenement Home. That evening. Her day's work over, Bess hurries in. Invalid father is in his chair, clutching heart. Bess hurries to him and leans over him, registering anxiety. Invalid father gasps repeatedly. Bess, throwing aside hat and coat, calls for help. Woman neighbor enters, small boy with her. Bess, wringing hands, speaks.

Spoken Title: "A doctor! Quick! A doctor!"

The Street. Short flash of small boy ringing a doctor's bell.

The Tenement. Bess gives invalid father a glass of water. He clutches heart. Bess opens door for the doctor. Doctor examines the invalid for three seconds and shakes his head significantly. Speaks.

THE CAST.

BESS. A beautiful young woman: first, long hair in a braid; a costume poor but neat; later, hair up and very smart clothes— National Cloak Company, let us say.

ROBERT. Handsome young workingman, very large; curly and uncombed hair, shirt always open at neck and sleeves invariably rolled up. HAROLD DE PEYSTER. Young society man; silk hat, gold headed cane, wrist watch.

BOGGS. The wicked foreman in the glue works. BESS'S FATHER. An aged invalid; very white (use plenty of talcum).

MRS. DE PEYSTER. Harold's mother; extremely smart-setty (don't forget the lorgnettes). MYRTLE DE PEYSTER. Harold's sister; bridge fiend, heavily in debt.

A FLASH is a very short scene, designed .to remind the spectator of something that has gone before; a "close-up" is a large view of the subject, taken at close range; a "fade in" reveals a scene by showing a spot of light in the center ot the screen, which gradually expands until the whole scene is revealed. The "fade out" is the reverse of this, a gradual darkening of the picture from edges to center until the scene has disappeared. "Subtitle" and "Spoken title" are printed legends, interrupting the actual picture to give a key to what is taking place or what is to follow.

Continued on page 112

Continued from page 63

Spoken Title: "A shock might kill him."

(Exit doctor.) Invalid father falls asleep. Bess sinking on her knees, weeps softly. (Slow fade out.)

Subtitle: That night.

Back Room of a Dive. Groups around tables. Enter Boggs, who approaches table in foreground. Orders two drinks. He consumes them rapidly and becomes intoxicated, at once; he leers wickedly.

Subtitle:. His evil passions inflamed, the foreman plans revenge.

Boggs orders another drink. laughs horribly. Examines pockets for matches. Finds them.

(Close-up of a box of matches, with Boggs' finger tapping it.) Boggs replaces matches in pocket, consumes his drink, rises.

Spoken Title: "I'll do it."

Short flash of Bess, kissing invalid father as he sleeps in chair. She prepares to go to bed in the next room.

Subtitle: Two o'clock in the morning.

Outside Bess's Tenement. Enter Boggs, looks up at house, pauses at ccilarway, takes out box of matches and looks at them. Hesitates, looks around again, and disappears in the cellar.

A Corner of the Cellar. Large pile of excelsior, waste paper and small wood, with several cans of gasoline. Boggs pours the gasoline on the pile, touches match; looks around, laughs horribly at blaze, shakes his fist aloft and exits, running.

Bess's Humble Bedroom. Smoke coming under door. Bess awakens, starts up, leaps from bed in a real lace nightgown and runs into next room where father is sleeping. More smoke coming under his door. Father starts up and falls back, clutching heart. Bess opens door; smoke pours in.

Subtitle: The stairs are burning.

Outside Bess's Tenement. The house is burning. Smoke and flames pouring from windows; people leaning out, screaming; people running in street. Enter Robert with a long rope. Pauses and looks up at window where Bess, now fully and carefully dressed, is screaming for help. Robert points up at window and runs toward house: three policemen try to stop him; he shakes them off and enters.

Stairway in the Burning Tenement. Robert struggles on tnrough smoke and flame, reels, gasps, clutches forehead, registers great distress, but finally bursts into Bess's humble home. Invalid father is in chair; limp, eyes closed, mouth open. Bess, running from window shakes him. No response. Robert, tottering forward with rope, drags her away and ties rope last on window-frame. Picks up Bess, throws rope from window and climbs to the sill with Bess in his arms. (Close-up of Robert coming down the rope, with Bess, now unconscious. They pass a window, on their way down. Flames come from this window and lick the rope.)

Subtitle: Harold De Peyster is annoyed to find his limousine blocked by the crowd.

Street Location. A large limousine in the foreground. Harold De Peyster, in evening clothes, looks out, starts, points, steps out quickly, shades his eyes. Mouth opens suddenly, registering horror.

He speaks.

Spoken Title: "Great God! The rope has burned through 1"

The Street. Bess and Robert, unconscious, are on the sidewalk, crowd bending over them. Harold De Peyster forces his way through the crowd, looks down, points; then picks up Bess in his arms.

Spoken Title: "My mother will care for this poor child!"

The Street. Harold approaches with Bess in his arms. Liveried chauffeur leaps down and assists in placing Bess in the car. Harold points furiously.

Chauffeur leaps back to seat. Car starts quickly.

(Horn, off-stage.)

Outside the De Peyster' s Fifth Avenue Family Mansion. Enter limousine. It stops, while Harold carries Bess into Hallway of the Mansion. Harold's mother; a cruel, stout, jewelled woman with gray hair, hurries to meet him, hears tale, kisses Harold, rings for servants who aid in carrying Bess upstairs.

Louis XIV Bedroom in the Mansion. Bess is placed upon the bed. Harold's mother telephones.

A Fashionable Doctor's Office. Short flash of doctor answering telephone; he nods, snatches hat and bag. Quick exit.

Bess's Humble Tenement Home. Firemen and coroner are grouped about invalid father's remains. Coroner speaks.

Spoken Title: "The shock killed him."

All remove their hats and bow their heads. (Slow fade out.)

Room in a Hospital. Robert, bandaged, in bed. He raises a weak hand to doctor dressed in white— like a barber. Doctor shakes his head and speaks.

Spoken Title: her has vanished.'

Robert covers his face with hands and weeps.

Bess's Bedroom in the Mansion. Bess, in elaborate peignoir, is in bed, smiling and holding hand of Harold's mother. Butler offers newspaper. Bess reads.

Insert From a Newspaper: "Aged Man Dies in Tenement Fire. William Mulligan, long a resident of Grogan's tenements, was found dead from the fire which . .

Bess starts up in bed: her eyes glaze; she holds her hands to Heaven—and faints. Harold enters and sits by .bedside with a book. He kisses her—on each cheek.

Subtitle: Love's awakening.

Corner of Garden Behind the De Peyster Mansion. Bess in large chair, Harold at her side. They look at one another. He finds her hand, holds it, speaks ardently. Bess bows her head, nods assent, puts head on his shoulder. They kiss. (Slow fade out.)

Veranda of a country house where Mrs. De Peyster is spending a week-end. Enter messenger-boy with telegram. She takes it and reads.

Facsimile of Telegram:

"New York, August to, 1916.

"Dearest Mother: Bess and I are engaged, and oh, so happy. I want you to love her always. Your son, Harold."

Mrs. De Peyster smiles softly, registering a mother's joy.

Subtitle: After weeks of vain searching.

Street Corner Location. Short flash of Robert, weak from illness, standing on corner. Boggs, pa~s ing, looks him up and down and laughs wickHlv. Exit Boggs. Robert holds out hands imploringly for his lost Bess, and sighs.

Continued on page 116

Continued from page 112

Subtitle: Harold's sister has been losing heavily at bridge.

Beautiful Boudoir. Myrtle De Peyster, at desk, in evening gown, registers worry and anxiety, biting lips and scowling; as she stares gloomily ahead dissolve to: (Close-up (large) of an I.O.U. It is a bridge debt signed by her for $10,000.) Dissolve back to:

Boudoir. Myrtle nods slowly, shrugs shoulders, opens drawer, takes out jewelcase; removes priceless pearl necklace. Hesitates. Her eyes arc narrow. (Theda Bara make-up.) Thrusts necklace in her bosom. Calls maid, who brings her coat and hat. Exit.

Street near Harold's Home. Enter automobile with Harold and Bess, the latter beautifully dressed. Boggs, on sidewalk, sees Bess and starts. Exit car, Boggs running after it.

In Front of Harold's Home. Car stops at curb. Harold and Bess enter house. Myrtle comes out of house just as Boggs runs up. Myrtle looks around furtively. Boggs, approaching her, talks. Myrtle registers astonishment. Listens attentively, with growing eagerness. Boggs exits. Myrtle hesitates, nods, speaks.

Spoken Title: "'Twill serve her right."

Pawnbroker's Shop. Enter Myrtle, looking around suspiciously. Myrtle then pawns necklace. Receives ten crisp new bills, each for $1,000. Exits hurriedly.

Subtitle: That night—the De Peyster's costume ball.

De Peyster Ballroom. Guests are dancing —in costume. Enter Harold and Bess. Bess is dressed as Cleopatra, Robert as George Washington. Harold's mother kisses her. Harold and Bess dance. Enter Myrtle, looking about furtively. She does this for some seconds, until sure that she has not been observed, then runs down picture to center of guests. Stops, feels of neck, screams.

Spoken Title: "My God! My necklace has been stolen!"

All crowd around, registering intense interest and excitement. Myrtle talks rapidly, dabs eyes with handkerchief, finally turns on Bess and speaks angrily.

Spoken Title: "That creature of the tenements has stolen my pearls!"

All register horror. Harold and mother both instantly recoil from Bess. Bess throws out hands and proclaims her innocence. All shake heads doubtfully and shrink from her. Bess holds out her hands imploringly to Harold, who turns away with a laugh and a shrug. His mother speaks.

Spoken Title: "Leave my house! Only the fear of a blot on the De Peyster name has saved you from prison."

All nod approval. Harold saunters away from Bess. Bess holds out her hands imploringly, wrings them, turns away, weeping. Exit Bess.

Bess's Beautiful Bedroom. Enter Bess, Sobbing bitterly. Opens drawer and takes out her old clothes. Weeps over them. Also weeps over a letter from Robert. Dissolve into:

Subtitle: And so her dream ended.

Dissolve back to same bedroom, showing Bess in her old clothes. Exit Bess.

Street Outside Harold's Home. Bess comes out of De Peyster mansion, weeping. Exit, wearily.

Subtitle: Torn by love's memories, Robert cannot give up his search for Bess.

Street in Tenement District. Robert, still weak, enters slowly. He leans on railing, registering despair. Raises head and starts violently. Smiles, wonderingly. Moves forward with both hands extended. Enter Bess, pale and weeping. She sinks softly into his arms.

Subtitle: The miracle of love. ,

Close-up of Bess, looking up trustfully. Robert lowers his head slowly, reverently. Their lips are sealed in the celestial miracle of love.

VERY SLOW FADE OUT.