THE GOLDEN RAIL

(Working Title )

Written By Yovel Schwartz

April 2, 2001

DRAFT 7

Yovel Schwartz

1546 Broadway #1

Santa Cruz, Ca, 95064

Home: (831) 466-9272

Pager: (650 500-0526

Cell: (650) 722-2378

ys_image@cats.ucsc.edu

FADE IN:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

JOHN, a haggard man of medium build, sits half crouched over an array of papers that rest on the table in front of him. He is sketching something, which we cannot see.

DIANA sits across from John, absently flipping through an ancient copy of LIFE MAGAZINE.

She takes a sip from a glass resting on the table next to John, then carefully replaces the drink on the table.

The papers that lie scattered in front of John are covered with hastily scratched designs. The Golden Rectangle and the Spiral it dictates figure prominently on all the sheets of sketch-pad paper.

The design that John is now working on, in contrast to his previous attempts, has been executed with precision. Using one of several Pythagorean rectangles as his guide, John slowly begins to draw a spiral.

Scenery whips past the window in a blur of ethereal light.

John completes the Spiral.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

THE GERMAN, a tall man with a slim build, watches calmly as two passengers FADE SLOWLY OUT of the ornamented lounge car.

He signals the BARTENDER for a second drink then takes out a gold pocket-watch and checks the time before finishing his first and replacing his glass on the table--

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

John puts his drink glass down. We HEAR the ice tinkle gently over the rhythmic clink of the rails.

John repositions his pencil to a new point on the design.

He looks up to gaze at Diana who returns his trepidation with a friendly smile of encouragement.

John begins to draw another spiral, his hand tracing a graceful arc across the page. As the spiral nears completion, Diana stops him with a soft touch of her hand.

She takes out a small rectilinear box and hands it to John.

John carefully puts the box into his coat before kissing Diana's hand.

She sits gracefully back in her seat, John completes the spiral and Diana FADES OUT of the room.

John removes a gold pocket-watch from his coat and checks the time before laying it on the table.

He gathers the scattered papers, puts them away, then takes out a gun and lays it neatly by the watch.

A ruddy glow glints through the room as the scenery refracts through the window and reflects across the table.

John completes the final spiral on his design.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

Suddenly bereft of the Bartender, a bottle clatters to the bar and rocks slowly to rest, dripping clear liquor onto the varnished wood.

The German looks up to see a now EMPTY lounge. He checks his watch then walks over to the un-attended bar and picks up the leaking bottle.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

John moves his drink glass next to the resting watch and gun. He folds up his design and places it into the breast pocket of his coat then begins pouring a new drink.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

The German is pouring a drink.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

John finishes pouring the drink.

He looks around the room, taking in the carefully placed items on the table then closes the door behind him as he leaves.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

The German puts down the bottle.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- EVENING

John takes out a key and locks the door to his compartment, then marks the door with a circled "X". Satisfied, he begins to walk.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

The German drinks from his glass, the ice swirling softly in trails of its own melted matter.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- EVENING

John is passing through a claustrophobic corridor, intermittently lit by patches of harsh light that spill through staggered windows.

He is sketching something on each door that he passes.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

The German puts his now empty glass on the bar.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #2 -- EVENING

John continues to walk through a seemingly endless series of dimly lit hallways, sketching absently on each door that he passes by on his journey.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

The German puts fresh ice into the drink glass.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PASSENGER CAR -- EVENING

John walks down a deserted aisle of symmetrical seats.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

Leaving the drink glass on the bar, the German sits down at his table and checks his watch then looks up with a smile as John enters the car.

The two men share a moment of recognition.

John attempts to walk past the German but is stopped by the quick slap of his cane.

Paused in the aisle, his path blocked by the outstretched cane, John takes out the key that he used to lock the door to his compartment and tosses it on the table next to the German.

The German remains impassive as John pushes past and continues on his way.

We HEAR the ominous SOUND of a round being chambered into a gun.

The German is revealed holding John at gunpoint.

With false hesitancy, John removes THE DESIGN from his pocket and relinquishes it to the German.

The German looks at the design; fascinated he puts his gun away, leaving John unattended.

After a moment, the German exits the car, retracing John's original steps.

John watches calmly as the German leaves.

Slowly he turns and notices the drink glass neatly resting on the bar, filled with fresh ice.

He walks over to the bar and pours himself a drink from the waiting bottle.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PASSENGER CAR -- EVENING

The German enters the car and walks down the deserted aisle.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- EVENING

John drains his drink then carefully replaces the glass and refills it with fresh ice.

Leaving the glass behind he strolls out of the lounge into the waiting car beyond.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / DINING CAR -- EVENING

John enters an old style dining car.

White cloth covered tables dot the car which is dead and empty.

John makes his way toward the only seat in the car.

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #2 -- EVENING

The German wanders through the hall, his eyes darting back and forth; collecting every detail.

Every door he passes has been marked with an "X" or an "O".

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

A wisp of colored light streams past the window.

Slowly, the FRAME TIGHTENS, easing forward to focus on the neatly placed items that lie waiting on the table.

The gold pocket-watch, open and ticking, the gun, the glass, and the bottle of liquor.

Though the room was empty, an ethereal hand now reaches in, solidifying as it picks up the waiting drink and lifts it out of FRAME.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #2 -- EVENING

The German exits the hallway, making his way into the next car.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

The mysterious hand replaces the now half empty drink on the table, then picks up the watch and, after pausing long enough to check to time, closes it.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- EVENING

An endless string of marked doors slide past the FRAME as the German continues to advance ominously through the halls.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

The hand now picks up the gun and chambers a round before replacing it on the table.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- EVENING

The German walks up to the original compartment and looks at the circled "X" which marks the door.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- EVENING

A half obscured face drinks from the glass; liquid draining into its ambiguous mouth.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- MOMENTS LATER

The German takes out his pocket watch and checks the time then removes his pistol and the key to the compartment.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- MOMENTS LATER

The hand puts a now empty glass back onto the table.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / HALLWAY #1 -- MOMENTS LATER

The German carefully puts the key into the door lock and turns it.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / DINING CAR -- MOMENTS LATER

John is sitting alone at a table near the end of the car.

We HEAR the sound of double gunshots so close together that the second could be confused with the echo of the first.

John looks up, a smile playing lightly on his lips.

After a moment, we HEAR the SQUEAL of steel on steel as the train's brakes begin bringing it to a halt.

CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN / PRIVATE COMPARTMENT -- MOMENTS LATER

The SOUND of screeching brakes continues to fill the air.

Sitting at the private table, his left hand curled around an empty drink glass and his right hand holding a still smoking pistol, is a DUPLICATE GERMAN; a bullet hole graces his forehead.

The ORIGINAL GERMAN stands stark still in the door-frame of the compartment, a wisp of smoke trailing from the barrel of his pistol and a trickle of blood slowly oozing down the bridge of his nose.

As the train halts and the SOUND of the brakes settles into silence, BOTH GERMANS slump dead to the floor.

We rest for a moment in the heavy air of the room.

Then, slowly, the twin pair of bodies fade out of the room.

CUT TO:

EXT. TRAIN YARD -- MOMENTS LATER

The train door slides open to reveal John. He steps off the train; fumbling through his coat and removing a pair of sunglasses and a pack of cigarettes.

He puts on the glasses, lights a cigarette, then looks around as if seeing his surroundings for the first time.

He is alone, a railway graveyard stretches out on all sides like a tomb full of trains.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. TRAIN / LOUNGE CAR -- MOMENTS LATER

Through a mirror opposite the bar the German RE-APPEARS in his original seat.

Next the bartender FADES back into existence, followed by the happy couple that disappeared first in the opening.

Diana FADES IN walking towards the bar while a new man, JACK, FADES in sitting at the bar, directly in front of the waiting drink glass, still filled with fresh ice.

The bartender fills the patient glass once more from the bottle at its side.

Jack fumbles through an empty wallet.

JACK (O.S.)

Say, Uh...Lloyd? How's my credit on this train?

Diana walks up behind Jack and takes a sip from his drink as we pull away to reveal the German sitting at his table with a smile on his face.

The still scenery outside slowly begins to move and we HEAR the sound of train whistle and the grating click of the tracks bending under a new moving pressure.

CUT TO:

EXT. TRAIN YARD -- LATER

John wanders through the deserted train yard, his back bathed in soft gold as the sun sets brightly on the horizon.

He stops walking and sits down on the end of some long forgotten boxcar and pulls out the little box that Diana gave him.

He unties the little bow and opens the box, then lifts out the harmonica inside.

He gazes at the tiny instrument for a moment, then lifts it to his lips and begins to play.

We pull back, the FRAME ever widening as the tiny strand of music echoes back from the deserted aisles of steel and wood.

CUT BLACK:

THE END.