The Cutting Room Floor Page Two: Hanging David

house of Dark Shadows Script Excerpt (Note: During production, Mrs. Johnson was replaced by Daphne Budd in the following sequence.) INT MAGGIE'S ROOM - NIGHT Maggie enters her room. She puts the candelabra down. Then she stares out the window. Could David be outside? She suddenly knows very well that he could be and probably is. She makes the decision to go out after him. She goes to her closet, picking up the candelabra. She opens the door of the closet. There is a flash of lightning. MAGGIE - FAST ZOOM TO CLOSE UP She SCREAMS MAGGIE'S POV - INT CLOSET We see the SHADOW OF A BOY'S BODY hanging there. It is DAVID. ZOOM IN CLOSE UP. His neck appears to be broken. LAST CREDIT. INT CORRIDOR - NIGHT Maggie, still holding the candelabra, runs from the room SCREAMING. MRS. JOHNSON, a dour woman dressed in the black uniform of a housekeeper, runs from the room next to Maggie's. INTO TIGHT TWO SHOT. MRS. JOHNSON Maggie! What is it? MAGGIE David...David... She points inside her room, unable to say more. Mrs. Johnson looks at her sharply, starts to the room as ROGER comes down the hall. Roger, a stern proud impressive-looking man in his forties, is David's father. ROGER My dear Miss Evans, why are you screaming? I find Proust difficult enough to read without -- MAGGIE Mr. Collins! It's David -- ELIZABETH STODDARD enters down the hall in the opposite direction from Roger. She is the grande dame of the Collins' family, and Roger's sister. She is still quite beautiful. LIZ What about David, Maggie? MAGGIE He's...he's...dead! ELIZABETH - ROGER FAST TRUCK BACK TO GROUP SHOT. PAN them as they rush into the room. Mrs. Johnson leading the way. INT MAGGIE'S ROOM - NIGHT - CLOSE-UP MAGGIE CAMERA TRUCKS to her closet. MAGGIE We...we had a fight about his homework. Then, I couldn't find him. I was getting my coat to go out...in case he had gone to the cottage...I opened that door. WIDER As Roger opens the closet door. There is a flash of lightning. He looks in, as Liz and Mrs. Johnson enter shot. ROGER I don't know what you expected us to see, Miss Evans. THEIR POV - CLOSET - ZOOM IN It is empty. MAGGIE She is confused, not understanding. CAMERA TRUCKS her to GROUP SHOT. MAGGIE He was hanging there -- They move aside as she goes to the open door. She shakes her head, not understanding. MAGGIE He was! She turns to them. GROUP SHOT They stare at her. MRS. JOHNSON It's one of David's tricks. That's what it was. ROGER I think, dear sister, that Miss Evans needs a vacation. Obviously her nerves have gotten the better of her. He starts to leave the room. Maggie is astonished. MAGGIE Aren't you even going to look for him? ROGER No, Miss Evans. And if you do, don't come running to me with any more tall tales. He exits. Liz looks at Maggie and Mrs. Johnson. A look which says this is not finished yet. LIZ He'll look for him. She exits as CAMERA TRUCKS INTO TIGHT SHOT OF MAGGIE.

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