Overwrought with conflict, Sang-hoon reluctantly realizes he is the primary witness to a heinous crime.
Outside, a serial killer with a weapon in hand towers over his victim and takes note of the lone light in Sang-hoon’s living room. After a soju-filled night of celebrating with his colleagues, he comes home to pleas of help nearby. then PANNING DOWN to the still figure of the young man lying in the crimson pool of his own blood on the floor.Han Sang-hoon is an ordinary insurance claims investigator who moves his family into an upper-middle-class neighborhood. HIS POW THROUGH DOOR Samuel's own face reflected in the blood-smeared mirror. A long beat, then Samuel opens the stall door a crack. BACK TO SAMUEL As we hear the SOUND OF THE TWO MEN EXITING the lavatory. ANGLE As his partner snaps from the doorway: PARTNER Will you come on, for Christ's sakes! A beat, then the black man holsters his weapon, turns to follow the partner out. He's framed there, the big muzzle of the. His hand snakes back INTO FRAME to snatch it just as the black man gives the door a ferocious kick that splinters the lock and nearly takes it off its hinges. he slips under the partition into the neighboring stall the black man just checked out. ANGLE IN SAM'S STALL In desperation, Samuel does the only thing he can think of. ANGLE IN SAM'S STALL Fighting back panic, Samuel has retreated as far as he can. At the last minute he finally wedges it in. ANGLE IN SAM'S STALL As the black man approaches, Samuel working desperately on the latch. 38 caliber revolver, and, starting at the near end, starts pushing open the stall doors. The black man makes for the exit, then on second thought, glances at the row of stalls. His partner is covering the door, an automatic in his hand. BLACK MAN As he checks the notebook before placing it in his pocket. ANGLE IN STALL Samuel tries to make the latch work, but it's warped and won't fall closed. SAMUEL As he stares out the narrow crack. But beyond him, in the mirror on the far wall, we catch sight of the black man's face. Over his shoulder we can see the black man, his BACK TO US, rifling the backpack. ANGLE IN SAMUEL'S STALL As he edges open the stall door a crack. The black man motions for his partner to watch the door, then quickly reaches up and removes the notebook from behind the dispenser.
Finally his bloodied hand reaches to smear at his face in the mirror. He stares at it, staggers toward the sinks. The young man's hand comes away from his belly covered with blood.
His partner stares at what they've accomplished with a stunned expression: PARTNER Jesus. The two attackers step away, the blade in the black man's hand bloodstained. ends with the young man stiffening with a grunt, his face draining of color. BACK TO FIGHT As the struggle builds to a climax. he can see their feet under the edge of the door. ANGLE IN SAMUEL'S STALL As the struggling men bounce off the door of his stall. a savage, wordless struggle ensues in the close confines of the lavatory. The young man whirls in terror his two assailants lunge for him. They advance on the young man with unmistakable menace. His PARTNER is a Caucasian in designer jeans, half boots and a short leather jacket. Two other men have entered the men's room one is a large BLACK MAN in a three-piece suit under an expensive, overcoat. With some urgency, he removes small notebook from his pocket and places it behind a paper towel dispenser. As he does so, a heavily bearded youth in a dirty sweatshirt enters. BACK TO SCENE As Samuel proceeds along the row of door, finally selects a stall near the end. HIS POV – TOILETS Beneath the row of doors we can see no feet visible. Samuel stares for a moment, then turns, looks toward the stalls, stoops to see which are empty. It's set a little high for Samuel, and it is making GLUGGING FLUSHING NOISES that are, at least, intimidating. Samuel stops before one of the urinals – a long, trough-like affair with water drizzling down the rear porcelain panel. It's a long row of sinks, urinals, and stalls. Here is the scene from the script: ANGLE IN MEN'S ROOM As Samuel enters. It is an incident that unbeknownst to the story’s Protagonist John Book (Harrison Ford) will become his Call To Adventure. If I asked you to name the most memorable scene in Witness (1985), it would probably be this one: Where young Samuel witnesses a murder in a Philadelphia train station bathroom. IMDb plot summary: A young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder policeman John Book goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him.