To include the girl.
326. MED. SHOT OF THE THREE
The only illumination comes from the
moon. We cannot get a clear view of
her face. But what we see seems to us
to be small, withered and aged. She
is dead. The men stare at her intently.
327. CLOSE SHOT – THE TWO MEN
Who watch her, immobile. George looks
despairing. Slowly his head turns toward
the cliff behind him – and his eyes
become alert with an idea. His face
lights up with great determination.
He lets out a piteous howl, and breaks
away, racing out of scene.
Conway turns sharply and is horrified.
CONWAY
George! George!
328. A SERIES OF SHOTS
George stumbling toward the cliff, Conway
chasing him. George, falling head over
heels, rocking on the edge – then plummeting
over, falling down, down into the darkness.
329. WIDER SHOT
Conway, at the end of the cliff, peering
starkly downward.
DISSOLVE TO:
330. A SERIES OF SHOTS
As Conway soldiers on, alone, through
howling wind and snow.
DISSOLVE TO:
331. MED. SHOT – NIGHT
On Conway, struggling against a cyclonic
wind. He tops a rise, stumbles, falls
over, and rolls down the mountainside,
until finally he comes to a stop, mounded
by snow. Slowly, he begins to rise and
start again.
? 569 ?
DISSOLVE TO:
332. DAWN
As the sun comes up, Conway emerges
from the whiteness, feeling his way
forward with a walking stick. He walks
with the pain and effort of a blind
man, and just as he manages to cross
a bridge spanning a great chasm, the
bridge collapses. He stumbles on.
DISSOLVE TO:
333. DAY
Conway, looking haggard and more dead
than alive, stumbles out onto more dry
and level terrain. He collapses to the
ground.
EXT. NATIVE VILLAGE – DAY
334. MEDIUM SHOT
A group of Chinese in front of huts.
They look up, see something off and
commence shouting excitedly in their
native tongue.
335. MEDIUM LONG SHOT
Conway’s body from their angle.
DISSOLVE TO:
336. A SERIES OF SHOTS
Newspaper headlines:
“Conway Found Alive in Chinese Mission”
Similar headlines follow. Newsboys hawk
bulletin editions to milling crowds.
Top-level government dignitaries confer.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN
INT. FOREIGN OFFICE
337. FULL SHOT – OUTER SECTION
CAMERA MOVES FORWARD passing a series
of desks and clerks until it reaches
a clerk who is opening several cablegrams.
Finally he comes to one which causes
his eyes to pop. Muttering something
under his breath which sounds like “Good
heavens!” – and without taking his eyes
off the cablegram, he rises and starts
away.
338. MED. TRUCKING SHOT – CLERK
As he strides across to the end of the
outer office – to a glass-panelled door
upon which we read “ASSISTANT TO THE
FOREIGN SECRETARY” – through which he
disappears.
INT. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT
339. FULL SHOT
As the clerk enters, full of excitement.
CLERK
Cable from Gainsford.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Oh, read it!
? 570 ?
CLERK
(reading)
“Leaving today for London with Conway
aboard S.S. Manchuria. Conway can tell
nothing of his experiences. Is suffering
from complete loss of memory. Signed,
Gainsford.”
ONE OF THE OTHERS IN THE ROOM
Loss of memory?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
All right, give it to the press.
CLERK
All of it?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Yes. Might as well – all of it.
CLERK
Yes, sir.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
I’ll dispatch a convoy to meet him.
340. A SERIES OF SHOTS
More newspaper headlines reporting that
Conway has amnesia and other details
of his homeward journey.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN
INT. OFFICE OF ASSISTANT
341. FULL SHOT
Another clerk enters with haste, bearing
another cablegram.
CLERK
Conway’s gone again! Run out! Listen
to this! From Gainsford.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Let me have it.
(takes it and reads aloud)
“Aboard the S.S. Manchuria. Last night
Conway seemed to recover his memory.
Kept talking about Shangri-La, telling
a fantastic story about a place in Tibet.
Insisted upon returning there at once.
Locked him in room but he escaped us
and jumped ship during night at Singapore.
Am leaving ship myself to overtake him,
as fearful of his condition. Wrote down
details of Conway’s story about Shangri-La
which I am forwarding. Lord Gainsford.”
342. A SERIES OF SHOTS
More newspaper headlines indicating
Gainsford has abandoned his pursuit
of Conway and returned to London.
? 571 ?
FADE OUT:
FADE IN
INT. A GRILL ROOM OF A FASHIONABLE CLUB
343. FULL SHOT
A scattering of men are present – some
at the bar – others at tables.
344. MED. SHOT IN A BOOTH
Several men are seated.
CARSTAIRS
(looking off)
Here’s Gainsford now.
They all look off.
345. LONG SHOT
From their view. We see Gainsford standing
in the doorway, looking around. He spies
them and starts forward.
346. MEDIUM SHOT
As Gainsford arrives at the booth. The
men rise with extended hands.
AD-LIB
Well, it’s good to see you back, Lord
Gainsford! Thought you were never coming.
MEEKER
Will you have a drink? Sit down.
347. MED. CLOSE SHOT AT TABLE
As Gainsford shakes hands with them,
and sits down.
GAINSFORD
Yes. Scotch and soda. I’m parched.
ROBERTSON
Here you are, ready and waiting.
He pushes on in front of him.
CARSTAIRS
We’re most eager to know what you’ve
discovered.
AD-LIB
Any news of Conway?
Where is he?
Did you bring him back?
All this is said as Gainsford drains
his glass.
GAINSFORD
(setting glass down)
Gentlemen, you see before you a very
weary old man, who has just ended a
chase that lasted nearly ten months.
MEEKER
Do you mean to tell me you never caught
up with him?
? 572 ?
GAINSFORD
Since that night that he jumped off
the ship until two weeks ago, I’ve been
missing him by inches.
WYNANT
You don’t mean it!
AD-LIB
Think of it!
ROBERTSON
He was as determined as that to get
back?
GAINSFORD
Determined! Gentlemen, in the whole
course of my life, I have never encountered
anything so grim. During these last
ten months, that man has done the most
astounding things. He learned how to
fly, stole an army plane and got caught,
put into jail, escaped . . . all in
an amazingly short space of time. But
this was only the beginning of his adventures.
(leaning forward)
He begged, cajoled, fought, always pushing
forward to the Tibetan frontier. Everywhere
I went, I heard the most amazing stories
of the man’s adventures. Positively
astounding. Until eventually, I trailed
him to the most extreme outpost in Tibet.
348. CLOSE GROUP SHOT
Favoring the other men, as Gainsford
continues.
GAINSFORD
Of course he had already gone. But his
memory – ah – his memory will live with
those natives for the rest of their
lives. The Man Who Was Not Human, they
called him. They’ll never forget the
devil-eyed stranger who six times tried
to go over a mountain pass where no
other human being dared to travel, and
six times was forced back by the severest
storms. They’ll never forget the madman
who stole their food and clothing –
whom they locked up in their barracks
– but who fought six of their guards
to escape.
349. MED. CLOSE GROUP SHOT
Gainsford still continues.
GAINSFORD
Why, their soldiers are still talking
about their pursuit to overtake him,
and shuddering at the memory. He led
them the wildest chase through their
own country, and finally he disappeared
over that very mountain pass that they
themselves dared not travel.
(takes a drink)
And that, gentlemen, was the last that
any known human being saw of Robert
Conway.
? 573 ?
WYNANT
Think of it!
CARSTAIRS
By jove, that’s what I call fortitude!
ROBERTSON
Tell me something, Gainsford. What do
you think of his talk about Shangri-La?
Do you believe it?
GAINSFORD
(thinks a moment)
Yes – yes, I believe it.
(sincerely)
I believe it, because I want to believe
it.
They all watch his face, impressed by
his tone.
350. CLOSE SHOT – GAINSFORD
As he lifts his glass.
GAINSFORD
Gentlemen, I give you a toast. Here
is my hope that Robert Conway will find
his Shangri-La!
351. CLOSE GROUP SHOT
They all raise their glasses.
GAINSFORD
(softly)
Here is my hope that we all find our
Shangri-La.
They are all impressed by the sincerity
in his voice – and as their glasses
come together – CAMERA MOVES UP TO A
CLOSEUP OF THEM – and as the music starts
– the picture
DISSOLVES TO:
EXT. SOMEWHERE IN TIBET – NIGHT
352. CLOSEUP
MOVING IN FRONT OF CONWAY – as he walks
forward with a steady step – his head
held high – his eyes sparkling – snow
pelting his face.
353. LONG SHOT
Over his silhouetted back.
As he walks away from the CAMERA, and
we STAY WITH HIM a long time as he approaches
a hill.
DISSOLVE TO:
354. ANOTHER LONG SHOT
He has now ascended to the middle of
the steep hill – his gait unchanged.
THE CAMERA PANS UP to the summit of
the incline – and we see that beyond
it the horizon is filled with a strange
warm light. Conway’s figure – in silhouette
– disappears over the hill – bells ring
– and as the music begins to swell[16]
FADE OUT.
THE END
