The draft is 142 pages long. The vast, vast majority of this draft remained intact and made it into the movie with minimal changes. But. The first two pages are X'd out. Margin note, "Omitted". And that scene never saw the screen. The rest of the draft, with exceptions totaling maybe 5 pages, has a vertical black line hand-drawn through it. Less definitive than X? I wouldn't have taken it that way if I were Alvin Sargent. It's not a damn check mark (approved).
The camera angles are numbered.
Margin note, "Retake 10/6" (scene where Moze goes back to train depot guy).
Everything until p 8, Moze at granary office vertical black-lined "I'd like a minute of your time".
Page 14: vertical black line and squiggly S-line. Some movie production code? What the fuck is this? How about if one page has a hash mark from Bogdanavich wiping his ass with it, is that a good thing?
"Dixie Bible Company". They shot it in Kansas and Missouri. They changed it to "Kansas Bible Company" in movie. I don't know why they changed the filming locale. And they did it quickly, too! The film was shot and released in Hollywood May 8, 1973 and nationwide May 9, 1973--eight months later. One thing on that change: You know the scene where Moze and Addie roll up on the rural homestead to swap vehicles? Those are hillbillies who pour out of the old man's house, real southern hillbillies. Ain't no hillbillies in Kansas 'cause there ain't no hills!
"Retake 11/8": Camera angle 50, page 27 (car passing poor family)
Man, when did they change shooting locales?!
"Dixie Bible Company out of Biloxi", Cam. angle 56, p29.
WHY did they change locales? They must have gotten into some kind of trouble shooting in the Deep South and had to make an abrupt change.
This is after the sale to the widow with the sheriff in the door:
In the movie, Moze smiles wanly toward Addie. He's not confused about how he feels.
Camera angle 58, p 33, Sargent's direction to Ryan and Tatum, "It's all strictly business."
"We got it, didn't we?, Addie. At the diner, near the beginning, "Then git it", Addie to Moze re the $200.
Okay, an X does mean omit even if not written out. There's a scene that never made the movie of a widow who can't come to door because "Ah cain't come out now, Ah's on the toilet." All X'd out. (p 35)
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