Sophisticated Killer: A Suspense Screenplay

By Ruth Toby

A mysterious man kills many people for pleasure. As a small boy, he kills all his family. He also kills the parents of his fiance, Nancy, who is a beautiful doctor. The father of one of his victim is in jail. For a lot of money, he convinces an inmate who is due for release to kill the mysterious man. The latter finds out about the plan after the inmate kills the whole family that just moved into the house that the mysterious man sold to them. Many policemen are losing their life trying to capture the mysterious man, but he is getting away with it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496947420

Ruth Toby

Ruth Toby was born in Israel in 1945. She immigrated to USA in 1981. Since her childhood, people appreciated her singing. At the age of sixteen, Ruth started singing professionally. She moved to England in 1966 and made three records. Living in Burbank, California, Ruth owned a hamburger stand and spent her earnings in building a recording studio, where she wrote and composed over one hundred pop songs. She has written four screenplays and published a book about her life.

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© 2014 Ruth Toby. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/20/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4743-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-4742-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

FADE IN:

INT/EXT – HOLLYWOOD – SUNSET FLOWER SHOP – NIGHT.

CHET KEEGAN, a stocky 5ft. 6in in his late forties wearing a tradesman’s jumpsuit drives a blue Dodge truck into the shop carrying a tool box. The owner LINDA SMALL an attractive lady looks forty flashes him a professional smile

KEEGAN

I want that flower you got over there.

KEEGAN Points to a rich decorated bouquet of flowers, his hand clenching the toolbox nervously.

LINDA SMALL

(smiling)

Oh…that’s one of the most expensive

flowers I got It’s called the ‘Lizzy Taylor’

a present from the discriminating man

to a lady who has everything.

(sniffing at the bouquet)

is it a wife or a girlfriend?

Linda gives Keegan a seductive wink.

KEEGAN

Cut that crap lady just wrap it up I have

Business to take care of.

Keegan has hostile and aggressive tone, Linda smile disappears from her face.

LINDA SMALL

(cautiously)

That will be three hundred dollars,

will it be MasterCard, visa…

Keegan takes the bouquet of flowers to the cash register.

KEEGAN

(interrupting)

Cash, I want a card to go with it.

Keegan place three hundred dollars bills on the counter, Linda snaps the money with ominous relief on her face.

LINDA SMALL

Happy new year to you sir

Linda hands the flowers to Chet Keegan he hurries out of the shop back to his truck he opens the toolbox revealing a gun and several rounds of ammunition.

Keegan caresses the gun and has an evil green on his face.

KEEGAN

(spitefully)

Happy New Year.

INT / EXT - BEVERLY HILLS - BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL / ROYAL SUIT – NIGHT.

BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL has exquisite décor of a building, CHARLES HUMPHRIES conservatively dressed middle aged maitre d’ hotel, stands on a red carpet into the lobby he peaks his cap, three distinguished male guests leave the hotel. The red carpet continues into the lobby and ascends a flight of stairs into the gold letters ‘THE ROYAL SUITE’ on a door. In the master bedroom NANCY CRAIG, a blonde beauty in her early thirties dressed in a white flowing gown she looks like a queen. We HEAR the intermittent sound of the click shutter of a camera, behind a 35m.m camera is PHIL CRANE a handsome well built man in his forties. Nancy assumes different poses as the clicking sound continues. There are several cameras in the master – bedroom.

NANCY

(Somewhat bashfully)

Do I project?

Nancy give angelic pose then wiggles her waist in a provocative and tasteful manner.

PHIL

(admiringly)

The answer is yes…you project

sophisticated sex appeal.

(changing cameras)

Honey, I can see you on the silver screen

Take it from a glamour photographer who has

seen it all in this enchanted land Of

Hollywood.

Phil continues to take more pictures.

NANCY

Thanks, but I’m quite happy with my

career as a doctor.

PHIL

I’m sure you are… what a waste of cinematic

talent. You have what it takes to fill the

shoes of a film queen.

Phil puts the camera on the table he dose a quick tap dance and walks to the stereophonic system he pushes a button and we HEAR FRANK SINATRA’S ‘I’ve got you under my skin’

PHIL

As the man said, I’ve got you

under my skin.

(laughing)

my sentiment exactly

Phil takes Nancy in his arms; they are a picture of bliss as they kiss and waltz.

They hold hands as the ballad. ‘I’ve got you under my skin’ comes to its end.

NANCY

You’re a perfect dancer, I’m sure

If you put your heart to it, you can earn

your living as a dancer.

PHIL

(laughing)

I’m sure I can, but I’m a photographer

because I don’t believe in the human power

of recollection. The tool for recollecting

eternal moments.

Phil reaches to his pocket and brings out a diamond ring.

PHIL

This is for a beauty from the

hills of Hollywood.

(putting the ring on her finger)

If you marry me, we could make

a rare double vintage.

NANCY

(ecstatically)

You do have a way with words, don’t you?

sure I’ll marry you.

(tearfully)

What a way to start the New Year.

A marriage in the offing spending a week

with you in this one thousand dollars a

night Royal suite…

(gesticulating)

Surrounded by Louie the 16th Furniture,

Christian Dior sketches…wow, I feel

like a queen.

PHIL

You are a queen. You’re in the same

Royal suit The Queen of England, Duke

of Edinburgh and the prince of Wales

have stayed in here.

Nancy embraces him and they interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Phil steps back from Nancy and she noticed a conspicuous lipstick mark on the right shoulder of his jacket.

BACK TO SCENE.

NANCY

(points to the lipstick mark)

That sure beats a carnation.

Phil and Nancy smiles they walk into the Living room.

PHIL

Who’s that?

Phil approaches the door.

CHARLES HUMPHRIES

Charles Humphries sir maitre d’ hotel.

Nancy switches on the TV set as Phil opens the door.

CHARLES HUMPHRIES

I’m very sorry to infringe on your privacy, sir.

As you know, It’s common knowledge you’re being

honored at the Beverly Hills Hotel tonight.

I have Just wondered if we could be of any

service… perhaps arranging for some security

or whatever.

Charles has an English accent.

PHIL

Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,

I’ve made elaborate arrangements.

CHARLES HUMPHRIES

In that case I wish you and her ladyship…

(bowing his head towards Nancy)

a very happy new year.

PHIL

Same to you.

Phil joins Nancy their attention is on the television screen that shows Phil’s portrait.

NEWSCASTER

…PERHAPS THE HIGHLIGHT FO TONIGHT’S NEW

YEAR EVE’S CELEBRATION WILL BE AT THE BEVERLY

HILLS HOTEL, WHERE THE TOP CREAM OF MOVIE AND

SHOW BUSINESS CELEBRITIES WILL BE RUBBING

SHOULDERS WITH MULTI MILLIONAIRE PHOTOGRAPHER

PHIL CRANE. EARLIER THIS WEEK, PHIL CRANE

BECAME THE ONLY MAN IN HISTORY WHO FOR THE

SECOND YEAR RUNNING IN TIME MAGAZINE’S ‘MAN

OF THE YEAR’ MORE ABOUT THIS PHENOMENAL MAN

SOME CALL MR. JINX, AFTER THIS MESSAGE.

A commercial of beer appears on the screen.

PHIL

Mr. Jinx, do you still want to

marry me after hearing that?

Phil whisper close to Nancy ears

PHIL

Don’t you fear for your life?

Phil drawls like Vincent Price.

NANCY

As a doctor, I pay a high premium on life.

I know death is ugly because I see it everyday.

Mr. Jinx is the creation of the media.

Nothing will stand in the way of our love.

INT – HOLLYWOOD MOTEL ROOM – NIGHT.

Chet Keegan arrives in a dinghy motel room carrying his toolbox and flowers. He switches on his TV set as the newscaster re-appears on the screen.

SPLIT/SCREEN – BEVERLY HILLS – ROYAL SUITE/HOLLYWOOD/MOTEL ROOM.

NEWSCASTER

I’M SURE, PHIL CRANE WILL LIKE TO BE KNOWN

JUST FOR HIS HIGH VAULTED PHOTOJOURNALISM.

A CREATIVE GENIUS WITH A CAMERA, HIS PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAYS COVER THE SPECTRUM OF LIFE IN AMERICA, AND THE WORLD BUT LIKE THE DUALITY OF LIFE ITSELF, PHIL HAS BEEN IN THE LIMELIGHT FOR OTHER REASONS. FOR FURTHER COMMENTS, WE NOW TAKE YOU TO OUR HOLLYWOOD CORRESPONDENT.

ROBERT SHANKS

Hello everyone, on this festive New Year eve

I’M ROBERT SHANKS REPORTING LIVE FROM

MAGGIE’S TRIBAL ARTS MUSEUM IN MELROSE AVE.

On the screen, we see MAGGIE in exotic setting of a museum filled with head masks and art pieces. Maggie is a chubby Caucasian adorned with beads and a multi-colored African outfit.

TWO SHOT – ROBERT SHANKS/MAGGIE

ROBERT SHANKS

MAGGIE, TO MANY PEOPLE YOU NEED NO INTRODUCTION.

YOU’RE AN AUTHOR, CURATOR AND HOLLYWOOD’S MOST

RESPECTED MEDIUMS IN SEVERAL TALK SHOWS AND

INTERVIEWS OVER THE YEARS, YOU HAVE CLAIMED TO

HAVE PREDICTED THE AUTOMOBILE CRASH OF PHIL CRANE

IN WHICH HIS WIFE BETTY KILLED.

MAGGIE

That is true; Phil Crane would confirm I left

messages in his answering service which he never

listened to until after the accident.

ROBERT SHANKS

MAGGIE, WHILE WE’RE STILL ON