yeah, that's what Grisby thought

INT.  Movie house-backstage - Day

MEDIUM SHOT on staircase.

Larry runs down the stairs, while we hear the sound from The Lady From Shanghai, the black and white film playing up on the screen.

MICHAEL
(Orson Welles - Voice Over from the film)
That's what Grisby thought.  But of course she meant to kill Grisby, too.  After he'd served his purpose.  Poor howling idiot.

                 Larry has reached the backstage area.  He is behind the screen -- a small part of the screen shows at the side of the SHOT.

MICHAEL
He never even did that.  He went and shot Broome.  And that was not part of the plan.  Broome might have got to the police before he died. 

                            Larry walks around, searching.  We see The Lady From Shanghai up on the screen, and also in reflections in the multiple mirrors that are all around the backstage area, leaning against walls, and against each other, in layers.

MICHAEL
And if the cops traced it to Grisby... and the cops made Grisby talk, he'd spill everything.

MEDIUM SHOT on staircase.  Paul is walking very slowly downstairs.

MICHAEL
(from the movie screen)
And she'd be finished, so she had to shut up Grisby, but quick.  

                      Larry, walking and looking -- trying to find his wife, and avoid Paul House.  Dim light, and mirror reflections, and movie very large above him.

MICHAEL
And I was the fall guy.

FULL SHOT on the screen, where a man is falling down a long slide which curves and swirls.  MUSIC from the film.

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT on two mirrors, one behind the other.  On the mirrors, we see the reflection of the screen.  Paul is slowly walking from behind the first mirror, his gun in hand.

FULL SHOT on the mirrors, with Larry walking cautiously among them.

INT.  Small room

Carol tied to chair, pushing and struggling and wriggling, trying to free herself from the ropes Paul used to tie her.

INT.  Backstage with mirrors.

ELSA
(Rita Hayworth - Voice Over from the film)
He was mad.  He had to be shot.

MICHAEL
And what about me?

                          Paul, walking cautiously, aggressively, his gun ready.

ELSA
We could have gone off together.

CLOSE SHOT of Larry half-hidden behind a large mirror.

MICHAEL
One who follows his nature, keeps his original nature in the end.

                         Larry inadvertently knocks over a large mirror.  It crashes to the floor.

LARRY
(calling out, tentatively)
Help!  Help!

The CAMERA PANS to Paul, who is walking slowly with his gun pointed toward Larry.

PAUL
They can't see us behind this screen, and they can't hear us with the sound on.  Not even a gunshot.

                   Behind Paul, we see the film on the screen.  We have now reached the famous last scene, which was shot in a hall of mirrors.  Rita Hayworth's face is reflected on the many mirrors in the movie, just like in the actual scene backstage, Paul and Larry are reflected on the many mirrors around the area.

ARTHUR
(Everett Sloane - Voice Over from the movie)
I knew I'd find you two together.

                   Arthur, walking with a cane, is reflected in many mirrors in the movie.  Similarly, Gladys Dalton, who has just entered the backstage, walking with her cane, is also reflected in the mirrors around her.  Cane in one hand, gun in the other.

GLADYS
Hello, Paul.  Didn't you expect me?

MEDIUM SHOT on the mirrors, showing several reflections of Paul.

PAUL
Mrs. Dalton.

CLOSE SHOT on Gladys's face.  While she is talking, the CAMERA PANS away from her, showing her reflection in a mirror.

GLADYS
You made a lot of promises to me, over the years.  And then, you decided to dump me for that young model.

 CAMERA continues PANNING; reflections in mirrors.

PAUL
I never led you on.

GLADYS
It's late for excuses.

PAUL
None of you can prove anything.

FULL SHOT of the screen, showing Arthur and his numerous reflections in mirrors.

ARTHUR
So you'd be foolish to fire that gun.

LOW ANGLE SHOT on the staircase, showing Larry going down the stairs.

ARTHUR
With these mirrors, it's difficult to tell.  You are aiming at me, aren't you?

LARRY
Carol?  Carol?  Carol?

MEDIUM SHOT of Gladys and one of her reflections.

GLADYS
I'm aiming at you, lover.

ARTHUR
Of course, killing you is killing myself.

GLADYS
Of course, killing you is killing myself.

ARTHUR
It's the same thing.

GLADYS
But you know, I'm pretty tired of both of us.

                      She fires her gun twice.

MEDIUM SHOT on many mirror reflections of Paul.  He fires his gun twice.  We hear noises of mirrors being broken by the gunshots, both in the film up on the screen, and on the backstage itself.

MEDIUM SHOT of Gladys and one of her reflections.  She turns around -- not being sure, because of the mirrors, of Paul's exact location.

MEDIUM SHOT of Paul walking.  SOUNDS of mirrors being broken, but we don't know if the sounds are from the real life or the movie being shown.

MEDIUM SHOT of Gladys, and several mirror reflections.

MEDIUM SHOT of the floor of the backstage area.  We see the bottom of the screen and the film projected on it, in which mirrors are being broken.  Paul enters from behind a mirror frame, and falls on the floor.  Gladys's reflection appears in several mirrors.  She stops and looks at Paul's body lying on the floor.

__________________________
{Manhattan Murder Mystery}

-30-