Screenplay for
Private Investigations
Written by
Paddy Brown
Scene 1 -
Ext. Night time. Dark Lamplit street
From a high angle we watch a man dressed in a black trench coat, carrying a briefcase, walk up a street. The score is playing. The camera then cross dissolves to show him turing into a house and leaving the frame. We never see his face throughout the film. Fade out.
Scene 2 -
Int. Private investigators office
Fade in. We see a white door being pushed open (POV shot of the man in black) and we are introduced to the private investigator’s office. The score is still playing. The camera settles on the PI sitting behind the desk in the middle of the room. The man then walks into the frame from behind the camera and he walks up to the desk, and the camera cross dissolves between shots of him taking off his hat and lights a cigarette. The score begins to die down. No dialogue has been spoken yet but the PI has a look of mixed surprise and fear on his face, suggesting he is not happy to see the man.
PI: there’s no smoking in here
The man leans forwards and flicks ash into a crystal ashtray
Man: yet you keep the ashtray, for decoration?
PI: never saw the need to get rid of it, it completes the room
Man: no, the rug completes the room, perhaps the poster of Stanwyck or the ceramic plant pot. The ashtray tells me you wish to accommodate your clientele, your initial statement to me suggests your apathy to have me here
PI: The poster is Dietrich (pause) and I mean no insult. It is after hours and I have had a long day (his hand extends towards a bottle of whisky and a glass containing a measure of the drink), how can I help you?
Man: help is not the right word, I need to know what you can do for me and to what extent I can confide my request with you
The PI looks suspicious, he sets down his drink and looks at the man
PI: I always offer the best in client confidentiality, dependent on the agreed premium
Man: (smiling - we just see the side of his face) that is good although I believe you will accept my proposal under vocational rather than mercenary intentions.
The PI begins to shuffle uncomfortably in his seat, appearing nervous. The man passes a photograph across the desk and the PI lifts it up. Cut to an over the shoulder shot of the PI holding the photo. We see a beautiful young woman wearing sunglasses. The camera moves out to see the husband watching the PI
Man: beautiful, isn’t she?
PI looks up sharply
PI: yeah, em I guess, who, who is she?
Man: my wife (pause) do you know what it is like to be in love?
PI: em..
Man: (talking over PI) it is the best and worst feeling, because when you are so, devoted, to someone, only to find out they are fucking around-
PI looks very nervous, the camera begins to move between the PI and the photo, suggesting a connection
Man: -it tears you apart inside and slowly what you thought was love turns sour, into something filled with hate.
Man: and deciding what route to take the retribution is difficult but I have decided to leave it to the hands of others
PI: (submissively) and that is where I come in
Man: I want my wife dead. Or the man she is with dead. That is where you come in. I want you to choose. Does this proposition seem appropriate?
PI: (looking away from the man) yes
Man: you understand what I want?
PI: (now looking directly at the man) yes
Man: good
The man lifts up his briefcase and pushes it across the table towards the PI. The camera focuses on the PI opening the briefcase but the man remains in frame as he extinguishes his cigarette, lifts his hat and stands up. He faces the PI. In centre frame we see the briefcase on the desk, with the PI to the left and we can see the man’s hands and the tip of his hat.
Man: I heard that you worked on the Corleone and Capone homicide case. I knew the Corleone family well. One day young Henry Corleone came to me and told me he had slept with Don Capone’s daughter. Henry was fearful of the reaction of the rival Capone family to this dishonor. He had been given a choice; leave the girl or leave the country. A smart man would choose one or the other. Henry chose to dishonor both his own and the Capone family by moving in with this girl in the neighborhood. A week later they found him they found him in five bin bags behind the Corleone restaurant.
The PI is watching the man intently, terrified
Man: (lifting his hat onto his head) a smart man makes the wise choice to save himself
The man turns around and leaves. The PI is looking in the briefcase. The camera cross dissolves to show us what is in the briefcase; a gun, money and a passport. We hear footsteps coming from above, someone is coming down the stairs. Fade out white.
Scene 3 -
Int. Private investigators office
A woman enters the doorway of the office. We are introduced to her from toe to head slowly. She is dressed in white. She leans seductively against the door frame and the light from the hallway illuminates her blonde hair and dress against the darkness and shadows of the office. It is the woman from the photograph.
Woman: (seductively) what did he want?
She moves towards him quickly but gracefully and he stands up to greet her, keeping one hand firmly on the briefcase. They embrace and kiss but the briefcase catches the woman’s eye and she breaks away from him, the PI closes the case with his hand and looks at her, distracting her gaze.
PI: (looking into her eyes, lovingly) nothing.
Fade out
Scene 4 -
Ext. Night. Dark Lamplit street
Fade in. The same score is playing again. The man is walking back down the street after leaving the PI’s house. He is smoking a cigarette and walking straight towards the camera. As he moves closer we see him smiling although his face is hidden. He breathes out smoke and glances at the camera. Fade out.
The End
