JasperLamarCrab at 2013-03-25 02:42:24:
FWIW, here's the scene from the revised script I found online, dated April 26 1971 and credited to Tidyman and Friedkin... I haven't had time to read the whole thing, but I'd bet both the actors and Roizman are right.... some scenes may have been more improvised than others.
In Eric Sherman's DIRECTING THE FILM, Friedkin says it was the first day of shooting, and after 30 takes, the scene was still laying an egg. In the course of the sleepless night that followed, Friedkin had the inspiration to stage the scene outside the confines of the car and to let the actors improvise. The next day, two cameras, one take, and the scene was in the bag.
INT. DOYLE'S CAR - DAY
3-shot of BLACK PUSHER sitting between DOYLE and RUSSO.
DOYLE is at the wheel. BLACK PUSHER is sitting on his
hands, wrists manacled behind him, his head down and dripping
blood onto the jacket and the canary-yellow turtleneck. All
three are breathing hard.
DOYLE
What's your name, asshole?
BLACK PUSHER
Fuck you, Santa Claus!
DOYLE hits him across the face.
4.
RUSSO
Your name is Willie Craven.
BLACK PUSHER doesn't look up.
DOYLE
Who's your connection, Willie?
What's his name?
No response.
RUSSO
Who killed the old Jew in the
laundromat?
BLACK PUSHER's brow furrows, looks up just a little.
BLACK PUSHER
I don't...
DOYLE
Ever pick your feet in Poughkeepsie?
BLACK PUSHER
What?
DOYLE
Did you ever pick your feet in
Poughkeepsie?
BLACK PUSHER
I don't know what you're talkin'
about.
DOYLE
Were you ever in Poughkeepsie?
BLACK PUSHER
No... yeah...
DOYLE
Did you ever sit on the edge of the
bed, take off your socks and stick
your fingers between your toes?
BLACK PUSHER
Man, I'm clean.
DOYLE
You made three sales to your
roaches back there. We had to
chase you through all this shit and
you tell me you're clean?
5.
RUSSO
Who stuck up the laundromat?
DOYLE
How about that time you were
picking your feet in Poughkeepsie?
The BLACK PUSHER'S eyes go to RUSSO in panic, looking for
relief from the pressure of the inquisition.
RUSSO
(in pain)
You better give me the guy who got
the old Jew or you better give me
something or you're just a memory
in this town.
BLACK PUSHER
That's a lot o' shit. I didn't do
nothin'.
The BLACK PUSHER's eyes are on DOYLE, frozen in confusion
and fear.
DOYLE
You put a shiv in my partner. Know
what that means? All winter I
gotta listen to him gripe about his
bowling scores. Now I'm gonna bust
your ass for those three bags -
then I'm gonna nail you for pickin'
your feet in Poughkeepsie.