Deconstruction: Act One

From here we pick up the action as previous described:

We are at Baltimore Friendship Airport, outside on the tarmac, a passenger jet is taxiing loudly. We are inside and see out the window towards the terminal, and also see one of the air hostesses (POV DERRIDA without yet seeing his face).

We are are outside on the rooftop of the concourse with FIRST COLLEAGUE smoking a cigarette, noticing the jet and the time, then trowing away his cigarette and bustling his way down to meet DERRIDA, whom we see exit the jet and go through the terminal. Add that we should see a big board of flights with the flip-over letters as was common in that era, and basically pay homage to this classic movie opening which was filmed at San Francisco International about a half year after the action of this story.

Then FIRST COLLEAGUE (who is a Francophone who is able to speak English) finds Derrida, who is introduced to the SECOND COLLEAGUE (who is American). They eat the airport diner with the cops in teh background, making the waitress laugh, and joking about "the raw and the cooked." DERRIDA gives the manuscript of his talk to FIRST COLLEAGUE, saying he wrote it in 10-11 days. Then EXITING THE GLASS DOORS to the taxi waiting era with Derrida's bag, with the pantomime of SECOND COLLEAGUE describing the action of the upcoming scenes (taxi ride to hotel then campus).

Then we have the cab ride, with DERRIDA looking out the window (the reflection montage) and making small talk to the driver about the Orioles' victory and Spiro Agnew while his FIRST COLLEAGUE reads the manuscript he was given in the diner, absorbed in it completely.

Derrida sees (during the detour) the dome of Baltimore City Hall. Add that he also sees an U.S. MARINES RECRUITING STATION.

Derrida, having seen the woman about to give birth at the hospital, is taken off into the remembrance of his own wife giving birth to their child. At the end of the ride, at Derrida's hotel, FIRST COLLEAGUE exclaims his amazement at what he has read, using his knowledge of American baseball.


The glass doors at SFO at the end here are classic. The are the same one we will see at the climax of Bullit (1968).