Setting up the current sequence/scene - and we've reached the first instance where Grayson's and DC's scripts differ. But first up we'll deal with the way things play in DC's script, which, probably not surprisingly, is the way they mostly appear in the film:
54 EXT - MEADOW - DAY - LONG LENS 54
Quentin is not having an easy time of it. Ulysses is far from a rocking chair.
DISSOLVE TO:
55 EXT - FIELD - NEAR A PATCH OF TREES - DAY 55
Quentin and the horse have finally come to terms and he is now enjoying himself. Suddenly, as if it were being carried he hears the DISTANT SOUND OF CHURCH BELLS TOLLING. The horse begins to react badly as Quentin, totally confused, rides closer to the trees looking for the source of the sound. It is then that we realize that the old family cemetery is on the other side of the trees.
QUENTIN - CLOSE-UP
He has stopped the horse, and, although it is a cool sunny day, his face is bathed with perspiration. It is obvious he is experiencing something. TRUCK IN TO HIS EXTREME CLOSE-UP and then
CUT TO:
56 QUENTIN'S P.O.V. - EXT CEMETERY - 1810 - DAY 56 SUBCONSCIOUS MEMORY CUT
The wind blows the empty branches, the rain pours down on the assembly standing in front of the mausoleum. Silhouetted below the cemetery is the black hearse. The six pallbearers carry the coffin up the hill toward the mausoleum.
56 CONTD CONTD 56
ANOTHER ANGLE
The Reverend Strack stands at the head of the coffin outside the mausoleum. Gabriel, Laura, Mrs. Castle, and her small daughter, Sarah, stand with other family and friends watching. Sarah is the only one crying as she fingers a locket.
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And that's when today's quote -
Page 20A/Scene 56 - Strack: 'Dust...to dust...ashes to ashes. Oh Lord, we beseech you to have pity on this sinner...for we all sin, knowing the mercy of our heavenly Father. So we commend to Him the flesh and spirit of Angelique Collins, beloved wife of Gabriel, loyal and loving sister-in-law to Laura.'
- comes up.
And though there are differences between the way DC's and Grayson Hall's scripts are written, there aren't any notations in either for this sequence.
And as for any differences in the dialogue, Strack actually says "Oh Lord, we beseech Thee to have mercy on this sinner" and later "And so we commend to Thee the flesh and spirit of Angelique Collins".
And as for what is different when it comes to the directions and descriptions, Scene 54 does not appear in the film as it currently stands - the horse doesn't have any reaction to the bells in Scene 55, so perhaps it's only Quentin who hears them - and Quentin's face is not bathed in perspiration, but his face does take on an extremely shocked expression as the camera trucks in on his extreme close-up - and there are only four pallbearers in Scene 56 - and while Sarah is crying, we do not see her fingering the locket (which is too bad because it would have definitely added to the scene.
And the next post will deal with the way everything up to where we left off in the sequence originally played out in Grayson's earlier version of the script...