CONWAY
Father Perrault. Of course I can’t quite
get used to this age thing.
He steals a sideways glance at her.
She is greatly amused.
SONDRA
(satisfying his obvious curiosity)
I’m thirty.
CONWAY
Oh, you’re going to make life very simple.
249. MED. SHOT
As they arrive at a scenic overlook.
It is getting toward dusk.
CONWAY
(wonderingly)
It’s inconceivable.
SONDRA
What is?
CONWAY
All of it. Father Perrault and his magnificent
history. This place, hidden away from
the rest of the world, with its glorious
concepts, and now you come along and
confuse me entirely.
SONDRA
I’m sorry. I thought I was to be the
light. But why do I confuse you? Am
I so strange?
CONWAY
On the contrary, you’re not strange.
And that in itself is confusing. I have
the same idea about Shangri-La. The
sense that I’ve been here before, that
I belong here.
SONDRA
I’m so glad.
? 540 ?
CONWAY
I can’t quite explain it, but everything
is somehow familiar. The very air that
I breathe. The Lamasery, with its feet
rooted in the good earth of this fertile
valley, while its head explores the
eternal. All the beautiful things I
see, these cherry blossoms, you – all
somehow familiar.
(chuckles to himself)
I’ve been kidnapped and brought here
against my will. A crime, a great crime,
yet I accept it amiably, with the same
warm amiability one tolerates only from
a very dear and close friend. Why? Can
you tell me why?
SONDRA
Perhaps because you’ve always been a
part of Shangri-La without knowing it.
CONWAY
I wonder.
SONDRA
I’m sure of it. Just as I’m sure there’s
a wish for Shangri-La in everyone’s
heart. I have never seen the outside
world. But I understand there are millions
and millions of people who are supposed
to be mean and greedy. Yet I just know
that secretly they are all hoping to
find a garden spot where there is peace
and security, where there’s beauty and
comfort, where they wouldn’t have to
be mean and greedy. Oh, I just wish
the whole world might come to this valley.
CONWAY
Then it wouldn’t be a garden spot for
long.
She laughs as they exit scene.
EXT. SOMEWHERE IN SHANGRI-LA[14]
250. TRUCKING SHOT
Barnard is bringing a reluctant Lovett
along on an excursion into the Valley.
They pass friendly natives and farmers
at work.
LOVETT
I don’t know why I associate with you,
Mr. Barnard – or Mr. Chalmers Bryant
– or Mr. Embezzler – or whatever your
name may be.
BARNARD
Just call me Barney.
LOVETT
Barney? Why should I? Never! We have
nothing in common. Hmmpf, Barney! What
effrontery!
BARNARD
Okay, Lovey.
? 541 ?
LOVETT
And this trip to the valley. I can’t
imagine why I’d allow you to drag me
down here. Why, we don’t know anything
about these people. We’re not even armed!
BARNARD
They’re very nice people – except that
they’ve got horns.
LOVETT
(alarmed at first)
Horns?
Barnard points to sheepherders with
their long horns.
BARNARD
(chuckles)
Yeah. You know.
LOVETT
Horns? What kind of horns?
Lovett sees his point, starts to chuckle,
but still looks wary.
BARNARD
Here, here! Come on. They won’t hurt
you.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A WATERFALL
251. MEDIUM SHOT
Barnard has encountered some beautiful
native girls, and they have surrounded
him with their hospitality – plying
him with wine and food. Lovett is off
scene.
BARNARD
Okay, honey, all I want is a glass of
wine! Thanks very much.
NATIVE GIRL
Please sit down.
BARNARD
This is fine. This is swell. No, just
a drink. I’ve been walking and I’m a
little thirsty, you see? That’s all
right. I don’t just happen to be very
hungry. Say look, all I asked for was
a glass of water. Look here, I’ve got
to have some help with this.
(looking around anxiously)
Now, Lovey! Where is Lovey?
252. CLOSE SHOT
Of Lovett, lagging behind and missing
out on all the fun.
LOVETT
Mr. Barnard?
253. MEDIUM SHOT
Favoring Barnard as Lovett comes into
view.
BARNARD
Hey Lovey, come here! Lovey, I asked
for a glass of wine and look what I
got. Come on, sit down.
? 542 ?
LOVETT
So that’s where you are. I might of
known it. No wonder you couldn’t hear
me.
BARNARD
You were asked to have a glass of wine.
Sit down!
LOVETT
And be poisoned out here in the open?
BARNARD
Certainly not!
NATIVE GIRL
(to Lovett)
For me, won’t you please have a glass
of wine?
LOVETT
I never drink wine in the daytime.
BARNARD
(as he is poured a glass anyway)
There you are!
LOVETT
(raising the glass to his lips)
This doesn’t obligate me in any way.
NATIVE GIRL
No.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. A CLEARING
254. FULL SHOT
A merry Lovett has had too much to drink.
Now he is entertaining a group of native
children, who are huddled at his feet.
Other natives watch the entertainment.
Bernard, watching from one side, is
losing patience.
LOVETT
—then the bears came right into the
bedroom and the little baby bear said,
“Oh, somebody’s been sleeping in my
bed.” And then the mama bear said, “Oh
dear, somebody’s been sleeping in my
bed!” And then the big papa bear, he
roared, “And somebody’s been sleeping
in my bed!” Well, you have to admit
the poor little bears were in a quandary!
BARNARD
I’m going to sleep in my bed. Come on,
Lovey!
LOVETT
(continuing)
They were in a quandary, and—
BARNARD
Come on, Lovey.
? 543 ?
LOVETT
Why? Why ‘come on’ all the time? What’s
the matter? Are you going to be a fuss
budget all your life? Here, drink it
up! Aren’t you having any fun? Where
was I?
BARNARD
In a quandary.
They all laugh.
LOVETT
I’m telling this story! I’m telling
it.
(continuing)
Yes, the poor little bears didn’t know
what to do, you see, because somebody
had been sleeping in their bed.
A CHILD IN THE AUDIENCE
Who slept in their beds?
NATIVE GIRL
(the one who poured him a drink of wine—
alluringly)
Who was it, Lovey?
LOVETT
(smitten)
Oh, you call me Lovey, eh?
(to Barnard)
Look at those eyes? There’s the devil
in those eyes!
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. LOVETT’S BEDROOM
255. CLOSE SHOT
Following Lovett as he enters, unusually
chipper, singing “Here we go gathering
nuts in May . . . ” He is in such a
good mood that he improvises the lyrics,
putting Shangri-La in with his la-la-las.
After glancing out the window, Lovett
sits down and pulls out his journal.
He writes:
INSERT:
APRIL 4TH
24TH DAY AT SHANGRI-LA. FEEL SO GOOD
I COULD SOW A WILD OAT—
He pauses, looks up, opens the compact
box at his side and looks at himself
confidently and admiringly in the mirror.
Returning to his journal, he adds:
INSERT:
—OR TWO.
EXT. GARDEN – DAY
256. MED. SHOT (MOVING)
With George as he disconsolately walks.
He is startled by the sound of Maria’s
voice calling him. CAMERA PANS with
him as he crosses to a sheltered spot
where Maria sits on a garden bench.
? 544 ?
GEORGE
Hello, Maria.
He fumbles for a cigarette.
257. MED. CLOSE SHOT
MARIA
(a little hurt)
You promised to come for tea yesterday.
I waited for so long.
GEORGE
I’m sorry.
(chagrined to discover he has no cigarettes
left)
I haven’t even got any cigarettes left!
MARIA
I’ll make some for you!
(pleading)
You will come today?
GEORGE
(after a pause)
Perhaps.
MARIA
(tenderly)
Please say you will. The days are so
very long and lonely without you.
(a whisper)
Please . . .
GEORGE
All right, I’ll be there.
MARIA
(happily)
Thank you.
GEORGE
(suddenly)
You’ll tell me some of the things I
want to know, won’t you? You’ll tell
me who runs this place. And why we were
kidnapped. And what they’re going to
do with us!
258. CLOSEUP – MARIA
From the moment he starts to speak,
her face clouds. George’s voice continues
without interruption.
GEORGE’S VOICE
Chang’s been lying about those porters,
hasn’t he?
She runs off, frightened.
INT. ELSEWHERE IN THE GARDEN
259. MED. CLOSE SHOT
Following Conway and Sondra as they
stroll peacefully hand in hand amongst
the sculpted shrubbery and rows of flowers.
There is a sudden pealing of bells.
The two of them look off and pause,
their gaze momentarily captured by picturesque
snowcapped peaks in the distance.
? 545 ?
CONWAY
(moved)
Beautiful! I’m waiting for the bump.
SONDRA
Bump?
CONWAY
When the plane lands at Shangri-La and
wakes us all up.
She gives him a pinch.
CONWAY
Ouch!
SONDRA
(chuckling)
You see, it’s not a dream.
CONWAY
You know, sometimes I think that it’s
the other that’s the dream. The outside
world. Have you never wanted to go there?
SONDRA
Goodness, no. From what you tell me
about it, it certainly doesn’t sound
very attractive.
CONWAY
It’s not so bad, really. Some phases
are a little sordid, of course. That’s
only to be expected.
SONDRA
Why?
CONWAY
Oh, the usual reasons. A world full
of people struggling for existence.
SONDRA
Struggling, why?
CONWAY
Well, everybody naturally wants to make
a place for himself, accumulate a nest
egg, and so on.
SONDRA
Why?
CONWAY
You know, if you keep on asking that,
we’re not going to get anywhere. And
don’t ask me why.
SONDRA
I was just going to.
CONWAY
It’s the most annoying word in the English
language. Did you ever hear a child
torture his parent with it?
? 546 ?
(mimicking)
Mother’s little darling musn’t stick
her fingers in the salad bowl. Why?
Because it isn’t lady-like to do that.
Why? Because that’s what forks are made
for, darling.
SONDRA
(joining in)
Why, mother?
CONWAY
Because mother read it in a book somewhere,
and if mother’s little darling doesn’t
take her fingers out of the salad bowl
this instant, mother’s going to wring
her little neck.
Sondra laughs heartily.
SONDRA
(teasingly)
Would you like to wring my little neck?
CONWAY
I’d love it!
SONDRA
Why?
Conway makes a grab for her and she
spurts away. He chases her across part
of the garden, and past the fountain
catches up with her. He reaches to place
his hands around her neck.
SONDRA
(laughing)
I’m sorry. I’m very sorry.
He hesitates, studying her intently.
260. CLOSE-UP
They kiss.
SONDRA
(when they break)
I’ve thought about it for years.
(softly)
I knew you’d come. And I knew if you
did – you’d never leave.
(a whisper)
Am I forgiven for sending for you?
CONWAY
Forgiven.
(a pause)
You know, when we were on that plane,
I was fascinated by the way its shadow
followed it. That silly shadow racing
along over mountains and valleys, covering
ten times the distance of the plane.
It was always there to greet us with
outstretched arms when we landed. And
I’ve been thinking that somehow you’re
that plane, and I’m that silly shadow.
That all my life I’ve been rushing up
and down hills, leaping rivers, crashing
over obstacles, never dreaming that
one day that beautiful thing in flight
would land on this earth and into my
arms.
? 547 ?
They kiss again.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM
261. MEDIUM SHOT
Chang is being visited by Lovett, who
has lost his petrified manner.
LOVETT
Amazing, Mr. Chang. This place is amazing!
And that marble quarry in the valley
is simply magnificent. Oh, I’ve looked
around. I’ve seen everything. Your woodworkers
and your cloth-weavers – they all seem
so very, very happy.
CHANG
Yes.
LOVETT
You may not know it, Mr. Chang, but
right here you have Utopia.[15]
CHANG
You’ve very kind Mr. Lovett.
262. CLOSE SHOT – THE TWO
LOVETT
I don’t mean it in that sense. I only
give credit where credit is due.
(pauses – sincerely)
Er, Mr. Chang, I’m very anxious to have
you realize that I never for a moment
believed that ridiculous kidnapping
story.
CHANG
Oh, I’m so glad.
LOVETT
Simply preposterous. Do you know what
I did last night? Last night, Mr. Chang,
I held a sort of a self-inventory. I
said to myself last night, Mr. Chang,
I said, “Lovey”—
(catches himself – looks around)
Mr. Lovett! “Mr. Lovett,” I said, “you
are an ungrateful fool . . . ”
CHANG
Why, no.
LOVETT
“Ungrateful fool . . . !” Those were
my very words to myself last night.
“Here are these people in Shangri-La
doing everything in their power to make
our stay comfortable and happy and I
haven’t done one single thing to show
my appreciation.”
CHANG
Now, what would you like to do?
? 548 ?
LOVETT
Well, Mr. Chang, I thought, with your
permission of course, and while I’m
waiting for these porters, I would like
to organize classes for those children
in the valley and teach them something
practical and something useful. Geology.
CHANG
Splendid!
LOVETT
Isn’t it? Isn’t it! You know I was a
professor for twenty years? – and a
very good one.
CHANG
I’m sure you were. When would you like
to start?
LOVETT
Oh, immediately.
CHANG
(offering his handshake)
Then it’s done.
LOVETT
Oh, thank you. Thank you!
CHANG
Thank you.
EXTERIOR GARDEN
263. MEDIUM SHOT
Conway sits on a bench – Barnard leans
over him, showing him a map – a-twitter
with an idea.
BARNARD
You see? You get the idea? From this
reservoir here I can pipe in the whole
works. Oh, I’m going to get a great
kick out of this. Of course it’s just
to keep my hand in, but with the equipment
we have here, I can put a plumbing system
in for the whole village down there.
Can rig it up in no time.
(aghast)
Do you realize those poor people are
still going to the well for water?
264. CLOSER SHOT – THE TWO
CONWAY
(a twinkle in his eye)
It’s unbelievable.
BARNARD
Think of it! In times like these.
CONWAY
Say, what about that gold deal?
BARNARD
Huh?
? 549 ?
CONWAY
Gold. You were going to—
BARNARD
(interrupting)
Oh – that! That can wait. Nobody’s going
to run off with it.
(full of business)
Say, I’ve got to get busy. I want to
show this whole layout to Chang.
(exiting)
So long. Don’t you take any wooden nickels.
CONWAY
All right.
He disappears. We hear him whistling,
something joyous. Probably “The Old
Gray Mare Ain’t What She Usta Be”—
265. CLOSEUP – CONWAY
As he watches Barnard go, pleased at
the metamorphosis that’s taking place
in him. Suddenly he sees George and
jumps up.
CONWAY
George.
266. MED. LONG SHOT
From Conway’s angle. George has just
made his appearance.
CONWAY
George!
George keeps on going and Conway runs
toward him.
267. MED. CLOSE SHOT
As Conway catches up to George—and takes
him by the arm.
CONWAY
(sincerely)
George – you’re behaving like a child.
You haven’t opened your mouth in two
weeks.
GEORGE
(coldly)
I don’t see that there’s anything to
say.
And releasing his arm, he leaves Conway
abruptly.
268. CLOSEUP – CONWAY
As a look of deep pain comes into his
face. He stands for several seconds
– looking helplessly – and despairingly
in George’s direction.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN
INT. LIVING ROOM
269. MEDIUM SHOT
Chang and Conway playing chess. Conway
leans over the board, a faraway expression
on his face. Chang leans over – moves
a ‘man’ into position.
? 550 ?
CHANG
I’m afraid that does it.
Conway looks up – aroused from his reverie.
He glances over the board.
CONWAY
Yes. I’m afraid it does.
CHANG
Shall we have another?
