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FADE IN.
EXTERIOR - Thornton Square - Day
The Antons' cook, Elizabeth, carrying a large wicker basket over her arm, hurries purposefully along the sidewalk, going back toward Number 9. Mrs. Thwaites catches up to her.
MRS. THWAITES; Elizabeth! I say! Elizabeth! Good afternoon, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH: Oh, it's you, miss. Good afternoon.
MRS. THWAITES: Good afternoon. The house is looking very nice now.
ELIZABETH (a little hard of hearing) -- What's that, miss?
MRS. THWAITES: I said, the house looks very nice now...from the -- outside.
~~ Yes, miss.
MRS. THWAITES: I expect you're glad to be rid of the workmen at last.
~~ Yes, miss.
~~ Do you think that Mr. and Mrs. Anton will be ready to receive callers soon?
~~ I couldn't say, miss, I'm sure. We haven't had no visitors yet. Master says seeing people isn't good for her. She hasn't been feeling too well lately.
MRS. THWAITES: I'm sorry to hear that.
~~ What's that, miss?
~~ I said, this fine summer weather we're having ought to do her good.
~~ Yes, miss. They're going out this afternoon. First time for some while. Good day, miss.
MRS. THWAITES: Good day.
(She peers into Elizabeth's basket.)
What lovely-looking strawberries! I never get big ones like that. I think I'll just taste one for luck.
(She takes a strawberry, and turns and walks away, calling behind her) -- Good afternoon!
DISSOLVE -- from the scene on the sidewalk
TO --
INTERIOR - A corner of a hallway in the Antons' house - DAY
It's dark and shadowy. A picture on the wall in a gilded, oval-shaped frame occupies a rectangle of light coming from the next room.
Elizabeth's shadow falls on the light, and the oval picture frame, as she bustles in with her basket.
GREGORY
(VOICE-OVER, from the next room -- the audience cannot see him) --
"If you have your bags, you can start immediately."
(A female Cockney-accented VOICE-OVER, from the unseen room)
"Thank you, sir. They're downstairs, sir."
GREGORY: Then everything is arranged.
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Elizabeth passes through the hallway, before the oval picture, and turns a corner to look into a drawing room, where she sees Mr. Gregory Anton sitting in a chair, his legs crossed.
He holds a cigar in his left hand. He looks up at the woman he's been speaking to, a new maid (played by Angela Lansbury).
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GREGORY ANTON: Your wages will be 16 a year.
NANCY: Yes sir. I understand all right, sir.
GREGORY: Just one more thing...I don't want you to bother your mistress about anything.
Ever.
If you have any questions, just come to me.
NANCY: Yes, sir.
(pause)
That'll suit me, sir.
He rises from the chair and crosses to a bookcase and set of drawers; he puts something into one of the drawers.
GREGORY: Then you'll remember it.
Your predecessor did not.
That's why she left.
(He locks the drawer.)
Also, Nancy -- it may seem a little unusual...but your mistress is inclined to be rather highly strung.
(He turns to look over his shoulder, toward the doorway from the hall.)
GREGORY (continued) -- Oh, Elizabeth, come in. (to Nancy) -- This is Elizabeth, the cook.
NANCY (to Elizabeth) -- Hello.
GREGORY (sotto voce, to Nancy) -- You'll find that she's a little deaf.
NANCY (to Elizabeth) -- Hello!
GREGORY: Elizabeth, this is our new housemaid. I was explaining her duties to her. She'll be down in a moment.
ELIZABETH: Very good, sir. (to Nancy) -- I'll see you downstairs.
Elizabeth exits the room.
NANCY (her tone and body language ever-so-slightly insolent, as she takes Elizabeth's measure) -- She's a tartar, ain't she?
GREGORY: What do you mean by that?
NANCY: You know -- strict-like. I'm not gonna sleep in the same room with her. You see the way she looked at me?
GREGORY: Don't you think perhaps your costume might have something to do with it?
~~ S'matter with it?
~~ Well, it's a little, shall we say, loud?
(He gazes at himself in a large, fancily-framed mirror on the wall, and straightens his tie.)
GREGORY (continued) -- I hope you're not a flighty girl, Lucy.
~~ My name's Nancy, sir.
~~ I'm sorry, Nancy. Are you?
~~ I don't think so, sir.
~~ I'm glad to hear that. Your mistress is very particular about everything being very correct.
~~ Is she, sir?
~~ Yes.
He turns around to face her, and says: "And so am I."
Abruptly he turns back away from Nancy, and toward the door, to exit the room. Looking expectantly out toward the staircase, he calls, "Oh, Paula"...
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{Gaslight, 1944. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Screenplay written by John Van Druten; Walter Reisch; and John L. Balderston. Directed by George Cukor. Produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr.}
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