And Now The Return of Another New Slideshow (Sort of) [**Now featuring alternate versions of scenes - see replies #60,#82,#116,#138,#157,#180,#224,#240,#280,#372,#526**]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

As you'll see as Scene 106A unfolds in the slideshow and the posts following this one, some of it is very much the same as Grayson's script's continuation of Scene 106 - but things will change radically before too long. But here's how things were originally supposed to play:

GERARD                  I'll saddle your horse.        He walks to the saddle rack, takes one and throws it        over a tall gray.                              TRACY                  This isn't Dubloon, is it? The                  horse my husband rode this morning --                              GERARD                  We don't have a Dubloon.  He rode                  Ulysses.        Tracy thinks about this.                              TRACY                  Where's the Mill on the property?                              GERARD                  There's no mill.                              TRACY                  Are you sure?                              GERARD                  Yes -- I'm sure.        Tracy mounts her horse as Gerard makes no move to help        her but just stands staring at her.  Then, unable to        bear his presence any longer, she rides off.

Gee, I wonder why Tracy could no longer bear Gerard's presence? 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

With the exception of one written addition to the descriptions and directions, DC's script's version of Scene 106A begins exactly like Grayson's script's continuation of Scene 106:

106A   INT - HORSE PART OF STABLE                                106A                            GERARD                  I'll saddle your horse.        Takes horse out        He walks to the saddle rack, takes one and throws it        over a tall gray.

And just as in Grayson's script, that's when today's quote -

Page 47/Scene 106A - Tracy: 'That isn't Dubloon, is it? The horse my husband rode this morning --'

- comes up.

And when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, there's nothing to comment about because none of this sequence appears in any version of the film. But this is the only part of Scene 106A where the dialogue is exactly the same as Grayson's continuation of Scene 106. And this part of DC's script is where his notations finally begin for the sequence as he indicates that Scene 106A begins with a wide shot and then trucks tighter as Tracy walks to Gerard.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

After today's quote -

Page 47/Scene 106A - Gerard: 'We don't have a Dubloon. He rode Ulysses, like he always does.'

- comes up, Scene 106A continues in the script with:

Tracy thinks about this.                     TRACY           Where's the Mill?                     GERARD           What?

And when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, there's nothing to comment about with comparison to the film because none of this sequence appears in any version of the film. But as we can see with today's quote, "like he always does" was added to Gerard's original line in Grayson's continuation of Scene 106 - and then when it comes to Scene 106A in DC's script "on the property" was dropped from Tracy's initial question. And while those are minor changes, soon their conversation will not only lengthen, it will be going in a totally different direction than it does in Grayson's continuation of Scene 106. And when it comes to this part of DC's script, his notations indicate that the camera changes to a 2 shot when Tracy asks about the Mill.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Today I thought I'd share a rare production still of DC directing Scene 106A:

[Uncle Roger]

I'll bet that horse didn't take direction well.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing Scene 106A with yesterday's quote -

Page 47/Scene 106A - Tracy: 'The Mill...is it on the property?'

- coming up, followed in the script by:

106A   CONTD                                         CONTD       106A

And that's when the first part of today's quote -

Page 47A/Scene 106A - Gerard: 'Oh, yeah...the Mill. It's over by that ravine down near the river road.'

- comes up, followed by the script explaining:

Tracy nods, gets on her horse and starts out.

And that's when the second part of today's quote -

Page 47A/Scene 106A - Gerard: 'I wouldn't bother going over there if I were you.'

- comes up.

And when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, there's nothing to comment about with comparison to the film because none of this sequence appears in any version of the film. But it's very interesting that in this new version of Tracy and Gerard's discussion about the Mill he's done a 180 and not only acknowledges there is a Mill, but he knows exactly where it is.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Wrapping up Scene 106A and moving beyond, first by picking up the script from where we left off:

Tracy looks back.

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 47A/Scene 106A - Tracy: 'Why not?'

- comes up, followed by today's second quote -

Page 47A/Scene 106A - Gerard: 'You won't see very much...it burned down -- over one hundred years ago.'

- coming up, followed by the scene concluding in DC's script with:

She looks at him then rides out.

However, it was DC's intent that Tracy not listen to Gerard and to ride out to the location of the former mill because at the top of page 48 in his script he's handwritten:

106A  EXT - RAVINE - BURNED MILL         As Tracy rides in and looks          it over

And chances are the reason it's also indicted to be Scene 106A is most probably because DC added it to his script before Scene 106 was split into two scenes with the rewrite being Scene 106A.

And when it comes to the dialogue, the descriptions, and the directions, there's nothing to comment about with comparison to the film because none of this sequence appears in any version of the film. What is a shame, though, even though ultimately we were never going to see it, is that they dropped how Tracy was going to be unable to bear Gerard's presence any longer...

And supposedly the reason why Scenes 105 through the second 106A don't appear in the film is because DC was quite unhappy with the performances of the two dogs playing Brutus and Tar. According to Richard Shore, who was the Director of Photography on the film, the dogs looked "absolutely savage" and "everybody was terrified of them" - however, when it came time to shoot them terrorizing Tracy, "the dogs turned out to be extremely friendly and would not growl or bark menacingly." And Shore goes on to say that "It took forever for the trainer to goad them into looking mean." But apparently DC still wasn't satisfied with the result and decided to cut the entire sequence. And that's quite unfortunate because the 106A scenes definitely show that Tracy has good reason to be worried about Quentin because at least half of what he told her earlier in Scene 104 was a delusion, not to mention it clued in the audience to the fact that Charles' personality was somehow encroaching in on Quentin's personality.

An interesting aside is that the dog trainer was given an extras role in the film. And IF I'm remembering things correctly, I believe it was as one of the men who was involved in the hanging of Angelique. It's funny how he made it into the released film in a significant way but his dogs didn't. (However, they do appear more significantly in the 129 minute version of the film in Scene 48 -

- and they're talked about in Scene 50.)

And tomorrow we will begin a new sequence that is actually in the film - however, it's also the only sequence from this month's slideshow that actually does appear in the film...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'll bet that horse didn't take direction well.

Look at that face:

How could he not take direction well - or at least a lot better than the supposedly vicious dogs did?! 

And am I the only one who thinks it's a shame that none of the horses received a credit in the film? I mean, quite often when it comes to dogs in TV and films you see things like "And Trixie as Scruffy". So why no something like "Featuring Max as Ulysses and Fred as Dubloon"?!     

[Uncle Roger]

I think that you're referring to the bald henchman, played by Captain Arthur Haggerry; he was billed by both names. Haggerry had a very eclectic list of credits, including Fatty Arbuckle and a couple of nasty zombies. One of the most memorable (for me anyway) was his appearance as yet another bald henchman, teamed with Al Lewis (!) in Deborah Harry's music video for Liar Liar.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That sounds about right. I read about him only a few weeks back, but today I couldn't locate where I'd read it.    That's the problem when there are so many separate sources around...

[edit: I just remembered it's in the Return to Collinwood book from PomPress.  )

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A scene that appears in the script before the one that contains tomorrow's quote:

107    EXT - GROUNDS - COLLINWOOD - DAY - WIDE ANGLE     107        It is a beautiful sunny afternoon.  Alex is riding        a bicycle TOWARD CAMERA.  There are a number of        books in the front basket.  In the B.G. the ram-        bling greenhouse can be seen.        ALEX - TRUCKING SHOT        CAMERA TRUCKS IN FRONT OF ALEX HOLDING HIM IN        CLOSE-UP.  Suddenly he catches something out of        the corner of his eye, O.S.  He stops.

End of scene - but just the beginning of the next sequence...

And so far as any differences in the dialogue go, well, there obviously aren't any differences because there isn't any dialogue.

And so far as any differences in the directions and descriptions go, the greenhouse isn't actually seen in the background as Alex rides his bicycle - and Alex is never actually seen in close-up, only medium or wide shots such as these:

[Midnite]

I think that you're referring to the bald henchman, played by Captain Arthur Haggerry; he was billed by both names.

A link to his 2006 obituary from the LA Times: 

Re: Passing -- Captain Haggerty from "Night of Dark Shadows"

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Thanks for that, Midnite - I'd completely forgotten about it...

What a surprise NoDS isn't listed as one of his credits. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Moving through the next two scenes in the sequence:

108    THE GREENHOUSE - WIDE ANGLE - ALEX' P.O.V.        108        The greenhouse is at least a thousand yards away.        However, there is unmistakenly a girl in a long        period dress strolling leisurely toward its        entrance.  She is too far away to identify.  She        moves so smoothly, it almost looks like she is        floating.        ALEX - CLOSE-UP        as he calls to her.

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 48/Scene 108 - Alex: 'Hey! You!'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

THE FIGURE - ALEX' P.O.V.        as it disappears into the structure. 109    ALEX FROM INSIDE THE GREENHOUSE                   109        as he peddles his bike TOWARD CAMERA.  He dismounts        at the door and looks inside.

And that's when today's second quote -

Page 48/Scene 109 - Alex: 'Hello!'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

He gets no answer so he crosses in, coming to        CAMERA and a LOW ANGLE CLOSE-UP.  He looks around        -- sees no one.

And that's when today's third quote -

Page 48/Scene 109 - Alex: 'Is anybody here?'

- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:

When he still gets no answer, he finally turns and        starts toward the door, as the wind, which had been        nothing but a gentle breeze, suddenly increases in        volume.  Then there is the SOUND OF SPLINTERING        WOOD directly above his head.  He looks up. 109    CONTD                                     CONTD   109        THE ROOF - ALEX' P.O.V.        An entire section of the glass roof suddenly gives        way and comes crashing down.        ALEX - HIGH ANGLE        as falling backward, he is just able to avoid        disaster.

And so far as any differences in the dialogue go, in Scene 108 Alex actually calls out an unscripted "Hello there!" as the figure disappears into the greenhouse - and in Scene 109 as he is seen from inside the greenhouse as he peddles his bike, Alex calls out another "Hello there!" rather than the simply scripted "Hello!" - and Alex calling out "Is anybody here?" after he looks around inside the greenhouse is dropped in the film.

And so far as any differences in the directions and descriptions go, as can be seen in the following capture -

- Scene 109 actually begins with a wide high angle long shot of Alex peddling his bike toward the greenhouse before he's seen shot from inside the greenhouse -

- as can be seen in today's second capture in the slideshow - and when Alex enters the greenhouse to look around, he isn't seen in a low angle close-up but rather a normal medium shot as well as a wide angle long shot, as can be seen in the following two captures -

- and it isn't until the point where he might have asked if anybody is there, as can be seen in today's Cut/trimmed sequence graphic -

- that Alex is seen in close-up, though it's not shot from a low angle - and we don't see Alex shot from a high angle and he actually runs from -

- rather than falls backward to escape the falling glass of the roof.

[Uncle Roger]

I wonder if this was supposed to be the ghost of the servant girl that was mentioned earlier in the slideshow. I don't think that it could be Angelique, as I think that she would have been identified as such in the script, if not on film.