For the first time on the net...
Laker Jim's Fletch Won Homepage presents Fletch Fans everywhere the 1984 Fletch Script.
(This is not for reprint or sale. This script is solely for entertainment or educational purposes only...enjoy)
|
For the first time on the net... Laker Jim's Fletch Won Homepage presents Fletch Fans everywhere the 1984 Fletch Script. (This is not for reprint or sale. This script is solely for entertainment or educational purposes only...enjoy) |
Click here to Listen to the Fletch Midi while you read
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May 4, 1984 PRODUCERS:PETER DOUGLAS
FLETCH Final Draft Screenplay by PHIL ALDEN ROBINSON From a Draft by ANDREW BERGMAN Based on the novel by GREGORY MC DONALD
FLETCH FADE IN
FAT SAM (shakes head and smiles) Fletch… FLETCH Sorry. I find a little humor really brightens things up around here, don’t you? A young junkie with a black eye – Gummy – passes. GUMMY Hi Sam. Hi Fletch. FLETCH Hi Gummy. How’s the eye? GUMMY It’s okay. The cops did it. FLETCH I know. GUMMY They busted me last week. FLETCH They bust you every week. GUMMY I know. I got bad luck or something. Gummy exits. Fletch and Fat Sam watch him go. FLETCH That kid spends any more time in jail He’ll have to start paying rent. WIDER ANGLE THROUGH BINOCULARS Fat Sam and Fletch conclude their conversation. Fletch walks back among the drifters, the nervous, expectant junkies. He stops to talk to a young man propped up on his elbows on a towel. Creasy. 4 CREASY AND FLETCH FLETCH CREASY
FLETCH
CREASY FLETCH
CREASY
FLETCH
CREASY
FLETCH
CREASY
FLETCH
CREASY
FLETCH
CREASY
FLETCH 5 WIDER - BINOCULARS AGAIN ---Fletch
takes his Casio and starts off the beach. The binocular angle follows 6 BEACH PARKING LOT - DAY ---Fletch
emerges into view, walking towards camera, when a Man steps into the MAN
FLETCH 7 REVERSE ---A
trim man of approximately Fletch's age, wearing a perfectly tailored grey
STANWYK 8 MASTER FLETCH
STANWYK FLETCH
STANWYK
STANWYK
FLETCH
STANWYK
FLETCH
STANWYK
FLETCH 9 EXT. BERMAN STREET - BEVERLY HILLS - DAY ---A
Jaguar XJ sedan goes up Berman Street, a dead end.
Fletch's hand reaches out 10 INT. JAGURE - DAY FLETCH 11 EXT. BERMAN STREET - DAY ---The
Jaguar continues on up Berman Street, stopping before massive iron gates 12 EXT. STANWYK HOUSE - DAY ---The
jaguar goes up the center of the drive toward a white-pillared mansion. The
13 INT. JAGUAR - DAY ---Fletch stares out the window. FLETCH ---The car stops before the house. STANWYK 14 EXT. HOUSE - DAY ---as they get out of the car. FLETCH ---Stanwyk ignores Fletch and starts toward the house. Fletch follows. FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH ---Stanwyk stops before the front door, stares at Fletch STANWYK ---Fletch abruptly changes gears, stares at Stanwyk FLETCH STANWYK 15 INT. HOUSE - DAY ---Stanwyk and Fletch enter. A Mexican Maid crosses. STANWYK MAID She disappeared. FLETCH ---Stanwyk
doesn't reply, keeps on walking. He opens a set of double doors to the 16 INT. LIBRARY - DAY ---Massive
fireplace. Everything built in teak. Fletch enters, and Stanwyk closes FLETCH ---Stanwyk wordlessly goes behind the desk FLETCH ---Stanwyk
turns, looks out a pair of French doors behind his desk, then turns STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK 17 20 FLETCH ---Even garrulous Fletch is stopped in his tracks by this remark, uttered in the ---most business-like manner. 21 STANWYK STANWYK 22 FLETCH ---He just stares, barely breathing. 23 STANWYK STANWYK 24 FLETCH ---He shakes his head. 25 STANWYK STANWYK FLETCH ---Finally regains the gift of speech. FLETCH 27 MASTER STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK 28 FLETCH ---He chews his lip. 29 STANWYK STANWYK ---Stanwyk searches Fletch's face carefully for a reaction. After several beats.... FLETCH STANWYK 30 FLETCH FLETCH 31 MASTER STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK ---He opens the top drawer of his desk 32 INSIDE THE DRAWER ---an enormous .357 Magnum. 33 MASTER ---Stanwyk holds up the gun. 34 FLETCH FLETCH 35 MASTER STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH ---A beat. Stanwyk stares at Fletch. STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH ---Stanwyk starts to write down the information on a note pad. STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK FLETCH STANWYK 36 FLETCH ---thinking it over. 37 STANWYK STANWYK 38 FLETCH FLETCH 39 INT. NEWSPAPER BUILDING - DAY Fletch pushes through the double glass doors, still dresses in a beach mufti -- the jeans and Magic Johnson shirt, Puma sneakers. 40 INT. L.A. NEWS OFFICE - DAY Fletch is greeted ad-lib by several people as he walks through the cavernous newspaper City Room. REPORTER SECOND REPORTER FLETCH Larry, the young "morgue" researcher, hurries over and walks with Fletch. She is fun and flirty, and her feelings for Fletch fall just short of idolatry. LARRY FLETCH LARRY FLETCH LARRY FLETCH LARRY FLETCH They pass the office of the city editor Frank Walker, fiftyish. Hold on Walker's office. Upon noticing Fletch, he jumps from his seat, edges his way past the two reporters in his office and runs outside. WALKER 40-A FLETCH AND LARRY They continue their walk. FLETCH LARRY FLETCH WALKER Fletch hold up a hand. FLETCH LARRY Larry peels off and Fletch now talks to Walker without breaking stride for his office. WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH 41 INT. FLETCH'S CUBICLE - DAY A pile of mail is on his desk. On the walls are a team portrait of the Lakers, plus a couple of blow-ups of his column. Fletch writes under the name of Jane Doe. An unused word processor is on his desk, but the keyboard has been moved aside to make room for an old, much-used Royal typewriter. He bounces some waste paper off the monitor into a strategically placed waste can. (A lot of crumpled papers lie on the floor all around the can.) FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER Walker goes through a pile of unread newspapers on Fletch's desk, finds the Sunday paper. FLETCH WALKER FLETCH 42 INSERT - AD A full-page ad. NEXT WEEK 43 MASTER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH Walker just stares at him. FLETCH WALKER FLETCH 44 WALKER ready to kill. WALKER 45 MASTER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH INSERT - NEWSPAPER CLIPPING ALAN STANWYK NEW V/P A photograph of Stanwyk; a head shot. Hands turn the clipping paper. Next clipping: a social page spread on the wedding of Alan Stanwyk. ("GAIL BOYD WED TO ALAN STANWYK.") LARRY (V.O.) 47 FLETCH AND LARRY Fletch and Larry examine the file. FLETCH LARRY 48 INSERT - CLIPPING - TIGHTER ANGLE FLETCH (V.O.) 49 FLETCH AND LARRY LARRY FLETCH She scratches. FLETCH LARRY FLETCH He pours over some more clippings, then stops at one. 50 INSERT CLIPPING headlined: "CANCER SOCIETY BENEFIT". A photograph of Alan and Gail Stanwyk, with a gray haired man and his wife. FLETCH (V.O.) 51 FLETCH AND LARRY FLETCH LARRY 52 INT. DOCTOR'S EXAMINING ROOM - DAY Fletch, stripped to the waist. is being examined by Dr. Joseph Dolen, a rather imperious physician. DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN Fletch's eyes drift to Dolen's side table with its unnerving assortment of medical paraphernalia. FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH Fletch looks alarmed as Dolan pushes him into position. Dolan puts on a plastic glove. 53 CLOSE - FLETCH FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH DR. DOLEN FLETCH 54 INT. HOSPITAL RECEPTION AREA - DAY Fletch is dressed in shorts, a clean shirt, and is carrying a doctor's bag. He is wearing a stethoscope around his neck , has a beeper on, a lot of pencils and other doctor gadgets. He's standing at the directory 55 DIRECTORY Combing it with his eyes, he sees the directory: PATHOLOGY - THIRD FLOOR Fletch goes to a door marked "Stairs." 56 INT. STAIRWELL - DAY Fletch abruptly empties his doctor's bag and puts on a long green gown, a cap and a face mask. He plugs the stethoscope in his ears, removes miscellaneous file folders filled with papers, closes the bag, and heads for Pathology. 57 INT PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT - DAY It's at the end of a long hall, and adjacent to the Autopsy Room and the Pathology Records Room. Over his shoulder we can see into the autopsy room where a gowned doctor is happily performing an autopsy. RECORDS NURSE Fletch hastily fumbles through his wallet, deftly dropping and picking up the papers he has brought with him. FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH Still dropping and picking up, shuffling and collating, Fletch starts toward the Files Room, when the doctor performing the autopsy yells at him. PATHOLOGIST Fletch stiffens and turns around. PATHOLOGIST Fletch hesitates. PATHOLOGIST Reluctantly, he goes to the autopsy table, and the cadaver thereon, which is covered by a sheet, except for the mid-section. 58 TWO SHOT - FLETCH AND PATHOLOGIST (Note: from here on we never see the body.) PATHOLOGIST FLETCH PATHOLOGIST FLETCH PATHOLOGIST We hear a squishing noise as he grabs something large and wet and plops it into Fletch's hand. Fletch stands there holding something icky out of frame, looking uncomfortably up at the ceiling, the floor, anywhere but at the cadaver or at the stuff in his hand. Meanwhile, we hear sounds of further incisions, and the deflating of an organ. PATHOLOGIST Fletch's eyes roll up, and he falls to the floor in a dead faint. 59 INT. RECORDS ROOM - DAY - MINUTES LATER Fletch is on a couch, beginning to regain consciousness. The Records Nurse hovers over him. RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH He sits up and sees that just outside the glass is none other that Dr. Joseph Dolen, talking with the pathologist. FLETCH RECORDS NURSE She goes to get the paper bag, and Fletch turns his back on Dr. Dolen to go through the file cabinet. By the time the Nurse returns, he's got Stanwyk's file. RECORDS NURSE FLETCH He puts the bag over his mouth and breathes deeply as he continues the conversation with her. (From time to time, we see Dr. Dolen in the b.g. looking over, but does not come into the records room or question what's happening). RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH RECORDS NURSE FLETCH 60 EXT. SANTA MONICA STREET - LATE AFTERNOON Fletch pulls up in front of his building, a 1970's cinderblock apartment complex. Fletch parks his car halfway up the curb, gets out and spots a Mercedes coupe. He starts running toward the rear of his building. 61 EXT. REAR OF THE BUILDING - DAY Fletch starts climbing up the fire escape of his building. 62 FIRE ESCAPE - DAY Fletch reaches the second floor. He's huffing and puffing. FLETCH 63 REVERSE Attorney Charles Gillett is waiting for him on the second floor fire escape. Gillett smiles. GILLETT 64 MASTER FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH Fletch takes out a credit card and jimmies open the lock on the window. 65 INT. FLETCH'S APARTMENT - DAY Fletch climbs in through the window, followed by Gillett. His small apartment is just barely furnished. A low basketball hoop is attached to the wall. Fletch takes a ball, offers it to Gillett. FLETCH Gillett shakes his head. Fletch does a reverse shot and misses, sending a plastic globe lamb crashing to the floor. FLETCH Fletch takes a second, successful shot. GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT Fletch puts down the basketball, picks up a stack of mail and rifles through it. FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT FLETCH Fletch holds up an envelope with Ed McMahon's picture on it. FLETCH He opens it and looks inside, feigning disappointment. FLETCH GILLETT Fletch sighs, takes out the envelope given to him by Stanwyk. He hands a thousand dollars to Gillett. GILLETT FLETCH GILLETT Gillett smiles and exits. 66 KITCHEN - DAY Fletch opens the fridge. Inside are tow six-packs of Coors, a jar of Miracle Whip, a half a cucumber, and a brown head of lettuce. Fletch takes a beer and slams the door shut with such force that we hear breakage inside. 67 MASTER - APARTMENT - DAY In a foul mood, Fletch leaves the kitchen, and wanders into the living room. It has the personality of an Abbey Rents. He picks up the TV remote control. The television clicks on. Chick Hearn is with Jabbar, during a Laker pregame warmup. FLETCH Fletch settles back. 68 TELEVISION Hearn is gushing over Jabbar. 69 FLETCH He watches contemplatively. He is bone tired. 70 TELIVISION HEARN JABBAR 71 FLETCH He smiles and nods, deep in fantasy. 72 TELEVISION HEARN Hearn and Jabbar look down at a television monitor. 73 FLETCH He's half asleep. JABBAR (V.O.) Fletch raises an eyebrow. 74 TELEVISION There's Fletch, his hair in an Afro, dressed in Laker gold. He's on the receiving end of a Jabbar pass, making an easy layup. HEARN (V.O.) 75 FLETCH asleep, smiling. 77 PRICATICE COURT - DAY Gail Stanwyk is on the other side of the net, loading tennis balls into the automatic serve machine. She is in her late twenties and quite attractive., but in a much more natural way than other women we see here. She is good natured and effervescent. Fletch steps up to the entrance of the court. FLETCH She looks up. He enters the court with great delight. FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK Her smile segues right into an "I'm sorry, bit I give up" expression. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH As Mrs. Stanwyk crosses to the other side of the net, a waiter approaches Fletch. WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER The Waiter leaves, and Fletch watches as Mrs. Stanwyk tries to return the serving machine's serves. She swings so goofily that she can't even get the racket on the ball. She has clearly never taken a lesson in her life, and it is doubtful if she will ever make contact with a tennis ball in this century. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK Indeed, she has. Strait up. She and Fletch crane their necks upward to follow it's flight. FLETCH She completely misses the next one. FLETCH MRS STANWYK The next one she hits with the handle. FLETCH He demonstrates a swing. She puts on a determined face, makes an awkward step and swings at the next ball, missing it completely, and letting the racket fly. FLETCH Mrs. Stanwyk laughs happily and dodges the machine-served balls to walk over to Fletch. When she's almost up to him, she turns back to the serving machine and points a finger at it, as if addressing a pet dog. MRS STANWYK FLETCH MRS STANWYK FLETCH MRS STANWYK FLETCH MRS STANWYK FLETCH MRS STANWYK FLETCH MRS STANWYK She trots back to her ball machine. Fletch calls after her. FLETCH MRS STANWYK Fletch chuckles -- he likes this woman -- and exits. 78 BOYD AVIATION - DAY - ESTABLISHING A sprawling, Hughes-like complex. FLETCH 79 INT. JOHN BOYD'S OFFICE - DAY A Secretary is serving coffee to Fletch (now dressed in a three piece suit) and John Boyd, Gail Stanwyk's father. At seventy, he is probably Chairman Emeritus now; no longer running the day-to-day operations of the company, and thus somewhat grateful from the company. FLETCH Boyd Laughs. FLETCH SECRETARY FLETCH Fletch notices a framed wedding photograph on the credenza behind Boyd. It is of Alan and Gail Stanwyk, Alan beaming a $hit-eating grin and holding a happy thumbs-up. Fletch waits as the Secretary leaves the room, then begins speaking confidentially. FLETCH He opens his attache case, allowing Boyd to see an airline ticket, a Washington Post, and a file stenciled "Confidential/S.E.C. Use only." FLETCH BOYD Fletch is nodding sympathetically and holds up a quieting hand. Boyd stops in mid-tirade, and watches as Fletch reaches into his briefcase and seemingly turns off a tape recorder. FLETCH BOYD FLETCH BOYD FLETCH BOYD FLETCH 80 ALAN STANWYK'S OFFICE - DAY Fletch breezes in, right up to the Secretary, whose nameplate reads MADELINE TURNER. FLETCH MARGIE FLETCH She writes it out for him. MARGIE FLETCH MARGIE FLETCH 81 EXT. BEACH - DAY Pan across the beach.... FLETCH (O.S.) Fletch is in a phone booth on the sidewalk next to the beach, keeping an eye on "Fat Sam's." FLETCH We hear police sirens. Fletch looks O.S. FLETCH He hangs up. 82 FLETCH'S POINT OF VIEW - FOUR SQUAD CARS have pulled up to the beach, lights flashing. The druggies are dispersing. Creasy is running towards Fletch. CREASY 83 FLETCH He steps out onto the beach, and starts towards the cops. 84 MASTER CREASY 85 MASTER Everyone is scattering. The cops run past everyone, and approach Gummey. 86 FLETCH AND CREASY FLETCH Fletch keeps moving toward the police. CREASY 87 GUMMY AND THE COPS Gummy trips and falls in the sand. A Cop kicks him in the head. COP #1 88 FLETCH AND CREASY still running toward the cops. FLETCH CREASY FLETCH 89 MASTER The cops drag Gummy toward a squad car. 90 ANGLE - "FAT SAM'S" Fat Sam peers out, watching the action. 91 MASTER Fletch approaches the cops. FLETCH No responce from the cops. FLETCH One of the cops turns and, in one smooth motion, kicks Fletch in the balls. Fletch sinks to the ground. 92 SQUAD CAR Gummy is packed into the squad car. 93 FLETCH He rises slowly from the sand. He is in great pain. He starts after the cops again. 94 CREASY CREASY 95 MASTER FLETCH The cop car starts off. Fletch picks up a rock, hurls it at the cop car. It smashes the rear window. 96 CREASY CREASY 97 MASTER The cop cars go off. Fletch bends over. He's hurting. Creasy comes over to him. CREASY FLETCH CREASY FLETCH CREASY FLETCH 98 POLICE CARS In a caravan, they head down the highway. 99 FLETCH He turns and looks towards "Fat Sam's." 100 "FAT SAM'S" Fat Sam watches the police cars go down the road, then turns and looks towards the ocean. He pulls his Angels cap down over his head. 101 CLOSE - FLETCH He is focusing on something, but has not figured it out yet. FLETCH 102 104 INT. FRANK WALKER'S OFFICE - DAY FLETCH WALKER FLETCH Larry, knocks on the door. WALKER Larry points to Fletch. WALKER LARRY FLETCH Fletch turns to Larry. Push to two shot. LARRY FLETCH Larry starts to exit. WALKER FLETCH LARRY FLETCH LARRY She hands Fletch a clipping. 105 INSERT - CLIPPING It is an article and photograph of the newly-appointed citizens on the Police Advisory Board. One of them is Alan Stanwyk. WALKER 106 MASTER Fletch pockets the photo. FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER LARRY FLETCH 107 EXT. PROVO, UTAH - AIRPORT -DAY A Western Airlines flight arrives. 107-A EXT. HIGHWAY - DUSK Fletch's rented Fairmont speeds down the highway. 107-B INT. FAIRMONT - FLETCH wearing a polyester brown suit -- fiddles with the radio. Snatches of programs are heard: "easy listening" music; country-and-western; a revival show; a call in show -- "Hi, you're on the air." "Hello, Bob, I'd like to discuss the death penalty. As you know, Jesus was in favor of it --" Fletch whistles and switches the radio off. He turns the car off the interstate. 108 EXT. TRAVELODGE - LATE AFTERNOON - ESTABLISHING SHOT as Fletch drives up. 109 INT. TRAVELODGE MOTEL ROOM Fletch dials the phone in the small, sparsely furnished room. FLETCH 110 INT. SWARTHOUT REALTY Jim Swarthout is a rugged-looking man in his forties. He sits in the den/office of his house talking on the phone, surrounded by pine-paneling, property tract maps and wall-mounted animal heads. SWARTHOUT 111 INT. FLETCH'S MOTEL ROOM FLETCH Fletch pauses again to listen, flummoxed over what he has just heard. FLETCH 112 INT. SWARTHOUT REALTY SWARTHOUT 113 INT. FLETCH'S MOTEL ROOM FLETCH Fletch hangs up, very interested. 114 OMITTED 115 EXT. SWARTHOUT REALTY - NIGHT Fletch stops his car in front of the ranch-style house. A lighted sign in the yard indicate that this is indeed Swarthout Realty, but the house is dark; no one appears to be home. Somewhere in the yard a dog barks viciously, frantically. 116 DOG A killer Doberman is tied up behind a chain link fence. At the sight of the intruding Fletch, the dog's lip is practically over his nose, his fangs are poised and gleaming. 117 FLETCH FLETCH 118 DOG completely bananas. 119 FLETCH Fletch reaches the front door and looks around. He rings the bell. The dog yowls even louder. Fletch waits. And waits. He rings again. Satisfied that no one is home, he tries the front door. Of course, it is locked. He takes out a credit card, starts to jimmy the lock, and actually seems to be making progress when his credit card snaps in half. FLETCH He pockets the broken credit card, steps back and looks over the house for another possible point of entry. 120 FLETCH'S POINT OF VIEW - AN UPSTAIRS WINDOW Double-hung. Slightly warped, so that the upper half does not exactly true with the lower half. 121 FLETCH looks around to see how to climb up to it. 122 MASTER There's only one way. Climb up the side of the chain link fence which separates him from the murderous dog. Fletch approaches it warily. The dog is practically foaming. Fletch reaches out a hand to get a hold of the fence, and the dog just about rips the fence apart. FLETCH This has no effect, so Fletch backs up a few yards, take a deep breath for courage and makes a headlong running start for the fence, using his momentum to get to the top before the dog eats him. He grabs hold and scrambles wildly for the top. He makes it. FLETCH Fletch now grabs hold of the eave on the side of the house, and very carefully pulls himself onto it. It's only about ten feet from there to the vulnerable window, but the angle of the eave is rather steep, and the going is treacherous. As he makes his way, he keeps a wary eye on the dog who keeps leaping up, seemingly getting closer and closer to taking a giant bite out of Fletch's backside. FLETCH Now he's at the window. He tries to open it, but despite it's warped appearance from the ground, it is locked. Fletch looks at the lock and can't believe it. He sighs. He shakes his head. He smashes the window with his elbow. FLETCH He climbs into the darkened house, leaving the enraged dog to run furiously around the fenced in yard that surrounds the house. 123 INT SWARTHOUT'S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS - NIGHT Fletch tiptoes though the upstairs bedroom and down the stairs. From outside, he can still hear the dog snarling and barking. 124 INT. SWARTHOUT'S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - NIGHT As Fletch passes through the living room he sees the dog snarling at him through the living room window. 125 INT. SWARTHOUT'S DEN - NIGHT Fletch enters and looks around. The dog is now outside the den window. FLETCH He goes to the file cabinet and opens it. He flips through the "S" section. "Stanwyk". He pulls it. He thumbs through various documents until he finds what he's looking for. A copy of a deed. He pulls it out. 125-A INSERT - DEED - CLOSE ON THE PURCHASE PRICE Three Thousand Dollars. FLETCH (O.S.) 126 FLETCH takes out a tiny document camera -- the kind spies use in the movies -- and loads it fumblingly. Then he props the deed up on top of the file cabinet, and moves a lamp into position to light it. Just as he snaps his first shot, we hear a terrible crashing sound. 127 WINDOW The murderous Doberman has made a crashing leap right through the den window, sending glass flying everywhere, and he streaks across the room to rip Fletch into bite-sized shreds. 128 MASTER Fletch bolts and the dog flies into the file cabinet, knocking it over, scattering all the files over the floor. Fletch dashes for the nearest door, and runs through it just as the dog slams into it. 129 INT. KITCHEN Fletch is now holed up in the kitchen, panting to catch his breath, feeling the full course of adrenaline pumping through his terrified veins. He sees that he can get to his car by climbing through the window. But in order to get to the window he has to let go of the door, and that would allow the dog to get in. Looking around frantically, holding the door shut against the furious slamming of the dog, he reaches for and finally grabs a mop which he props under the door knob, thus keeping the door shut. Letting go of the door gingerly, he satisfies himself that the dog cannot get in, and he makes his break for the window. He vaults up onto the counter top and is just about to break the window when he sees that the dog's continued efforts are about to result in opening the door. Fletch knows he has only seconds. Standing on top of the counter, he opens the door of the restaurant-sized refrigerator next to him, and just as the snarling dog bursts into the room Fletch starts hurling food at it. A pot roast, sliced turkey with stuffing, a couple of filet mignons. The dog is momentarily distracted. Fletch pours a large bucket of cranberry sauce on the dog. FLETCH Then he dumps an equally large bucket of mashed potatoes. With the dog temporarily vision-impaired, Fletch bolts. 130 EXT. SWARTHOUT HOUSE - NIGHT Fletch runs as fast as humanly possible towards his car, fishing for his keys as he goes. The dog -- having shaken off the people-food from his hateful face -- is seconds behind and closing. Fletch makes it to his car, hops inside, and slams the door just as the dog leaps furiously at the windshield. 131 INT. FLETCH'S CAR Fletch makes it to his car, huffing and puffing. The dog jumps across the closed window, snarling and bug-eyed with hatred. Fletch smiles, waves at the dog, and starts taking its picture with his little camera. FLETCH Fletch is ready to pull out, but the dog is still leaping madly at the window. Fletch points back to the house. FLETCH The dog turns to look and Fletch guns it. FLETCH 132 EXT. FLETCH'S APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY Fletch parks his car halfway up on the curb, steps out carrying a small overnight bag. He is unshaven and looks beat. 133 INT. APARTMENT HOUSE - CORRIDOR Fletch comes down the hall signing "Billie Jean" is an excruciating falsetto. FLETCH He opens the door to his apartment and is immediately thrown to the ground. 134 INT. APARTMENT Fletch is spread-eagled on the floor. Two huge Cops are over him, one holding a gun to his head, the other going through his clothes. COP #1 FLETCH COP #1 He produces a heroin bag. COP#2 FLETCH Cop #1 kicks Fletch in the ribs. COP#2 FLETCH COP #1 FLETCH 135 EXT. PRECINT HOUSE Fletch is lead into the precinct house. 136 INT. PRECINT HOUSE The Sergeant at the desk checks Fletch out. SERGEANT COP #1 SERGEANT FLETCH SERGEANT 137 DOOR TO CHIEF'S OFFICE - CHIEF'S OFFICE The cops open the door, pull Fletch inside. Chief Cummings, looking like a modern executive, looks up from his paperwork. COP #1 They roughly throw Fletch into a chair. The Chief -- seemingly oblivious to this brutality -- smiles sincerely. CUMMINGS The two Cops leave. As Chief Cummings continues with his paperwork Fletch looks around the office, which is decorated tastefully -- no guns on the wall, no American flags. On one wall there is a Matisse, and on another, various photos of the Chief with local celebrities. FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH Cummings just stares at Fletch. CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS He suddenly kicks Fletch's chair out from under him. Fletch falls to the floor. CUMMINGS Fletch starts to get up, but Cummings plants his foot on Fletch's chest, forces him back down. CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS Cummings picks Fletch up, and holds him by the lapels. CUMMINGS He throws Fletch against the wall of celebrity photos, some of which fall to the floor. CUMMINGS FLETCH Fletch takes the picture and hurls it across the room. It smashes into the opposite wall and shatters. FLETCH 138 140 JAIL CORRIDOR Fletch is tossed into an empty cell by the two Cops who brought him in. Cummings watches. The two Cops leave, and we see that all the cells in this corridor are empty. FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH The Chief takes a knife out of his pocket, holding it with a handkerchief. CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS FLETCH Cummings looks down the corridor. Deserted. FLETCH CUMMINGS Fletch looks in Cummings' eyes. They are steely and cold. He is quite serious. FLETCH CUMMINGS Fletch walks out of the cell. Cummings walks with him through the empty corridor to the exit. CUMMINGS FLETCH CUMMINGS The emerge into the main hallway of the police station, which is filled with officers and civilians. Cummings makes a show of cordially shaking Fletch's hand as if they were old friends. CUMMINGS FLETCH Exit Fletch. 141 148 INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE Fletch is railing at Frank Walker. FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH WALKER FLETCH Exit Fletch. 149 153 EXT. RAQUET CLUB Fletch again appears in his tennis whites and walks familiarly toward the patio. Rich people are having lunch. Fletch stops the waiter. FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER FLETCH WAITER The waiter leaves. Fletch looks around, takes a deep breath. FLETCH 154 OMITTED 156 EXT. CABANA ONE A little Spanish bungalow-type affair. Old California money-style elegance. Fletch rings the bell. MRS. STANWYK (V.O.) FLETCH MRS. STANWYK She opens the door, clad only in a towel. A towel is wrapped around her head. She seems surprised, but not displeased, to see Fletch. She also seems a little at a loss for words. FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH They have just shaken hands, and Fletch notices his hand is now sopping wet. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH She laughs a nervous little laugh. There is a bit of sexual tension here. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK With a nervous glance in both directions, she lets him in and closes the door behind them. 157 INT. CABANA They stand there for a few seconds looking at each other. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH MRS. STANWYK FLETCH He starts to take off his shirt. She is amused, and responds playfully, but firmly. MRS. STANWYK He does. MRS. STANWYK FLETCH She stands there, looking around, trying to act as if her heartbeat weren't speeding up. SFX: Knock at door. FLETCH |