STATE AND MAIN
By
David Mamet
(based on an actual idea)
Draft 9 August 1999, revised 18 August 1999, revised 1
September 1999, revised 9 September 1999, revised 10
September 1999, revised 14 September 1999
Final Shooting Script
NOTE: THE HARDCOPY OF THIS SCRIPT CONTAINED SCENE NUMBERS.
THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS SOFTCOPY.
FADE IN:
EXT. FIREHOUSE - DAY.
Ann is walking down the street. The firedog runs out of the
firehouse, she gives the dog a biscuit, and pats him on the
head.
The fireman is out front with a cup of coffee. Ann hands him
a poster.
EXT. STATE AND MAIN. INTERSECTION - DAY.
Morris and Spud, two codgers, are about to cross the street
when they hear a beeping and stop.
As they cross, we see the tail end of a van, and the group
nods in that direction.
MORRIS
You hear that?
SPUD
Yes, I hear it.
MORRIS
Drive a man to drink. Took me near half
an hour, get across the street yesterday.
SPUD
I saw Budgie Gagnon, leaning on the bank
of the building. Said, "What are you
doin'?" He said, "I'm waitin' for the
'leven o'clock crossing..."
As Morris and Spud speak a car is coming down the street, and
bounces in the pothole.
MORRIS
Ywanna fix something, you should fix the
pothole. Yessir, they should be trussed
up, thrown off some high building.
DOUG MACKENZIE, a young Republican type, walks up to join
them.
DOUG
Who's that?
MORRIS
Whoever spent ten, f'teen thousand
dollars, a new traffic light, you could
grow old, paint your house before it lets
you cross the street, and then, not fix
the pothole.
SPUD
What was wrong with the old traffic
light?
INT. COFFEECORNER - DAY.
They enter the Coffeecorner. Carla is serving the folk, and
Jack the owner is behind the counter.
DOUG
I'm glad you asked...I'll tell you what
was wrong with it. And what was wrong
with it was it was behind the times.
Now: You want to bring business into
this town? You have to plan for a
Waterford that Does Not Exist. Not at
the moment, no...
ANN
Morning, darling.
DOUG
Morning.
CARLA
Hi, Annie.
Ann hands Carla a poster.
ANN
Morning, Carla.
Doug and the two codgers move to a table by the window where
Carla, the nubile waitress, brings them coffee. Ann talks to
a woman at the counter.
MORRIS
...the damn thing...
SPUD
No, I'm serious, election's coming up, a
lot of people are pretty upset...
DOUG
They are...Yes. I'm sure they are...
WOMAN AT COUNTER
Annie, I'm going to be a lil late for the
rehearsal, tonight.
ANN
S'Okay, Maude. You know your lines...?
DOUG
...I'm sure that people are upset...
MAUDE
I know em, I don't know what order they
come in...
ANN
We'll work it out...
JACK
What're they on about?
ANN
Traffic light.
JACK
Waal, no, th'trafficlight's Doug's thing.
That's his thing, fine.
DOUG
Thank you, Jack, and...
JACK
But we got to talk about the pothole.
DOUG
Jack...
JACK
A public office is a public trust...
This is why this is America. Question
is: who owns the street.
Outside the front booth, on the street, the airport van
cruises by.
EXT. STATE AND MAIN - DAY.
As they walk out we hear a high pitched beeping sound at the
traffic light. We see DOC WILSON crossing the street,
holding his doctor's bag.
An ELDERLY MAN approaches Doc at the crossing. As Walt and
Bill walk, the airport van follows them.
TOWNSMAN
Doc, those pills, y'gave me for my back?
I'm not sure that they work.
DOC WILSON
Well, I'm not sure either, but y'don't
hear me complain...come by th'office, end
of th'afternoon.
TOWNSMAN
Thanks, Doc...
BILL
This is your movie, this is small town
America.
WALT
Town in New Hampshire was small town
America too. Forty thousand dollars a
day, to shoot on the street. And then
they kicked us out...
They stop in front of a rack of fifty "factory seconds."
Black and red hunting jackets, in front of the sporting goods
store. The sign reads "FACTORY SECONDS, FIVE DOLLARS."
BILL
A jacket for five dollars...I can buy
this town for fifty bucks.
WALT
You told me that about the last town.
BILL
Yeah, but they never made a movie here.
WALT
I'm bleeding, Bill, I'm bleeding...
BILL
...why am I here...?
WALT
What, what, what, what do they got that
can pass for the Old Mill...
Bill shows Walt a brochure from Waterford, which shows a
picture of the Old Mill. Walt reads.
WALT (CONT'D)
"The Waterford Mill, built in 1825, and
long a tourist attraction..." Wake up
Uberto
ANGLE INT. THE AIRPORT VAN
UBERTO is asleep. Bill wakes him up.
UBERTO
Where are we?
WALT
Givvem a cigarette...
Uberto comes out of the car and squints around.
UBERTO
...they ship our Old Mill from New
Hampshire...?
BILL
They're holding our Old Mill for ransom.
UBERTO
We build it?
BILL
We don't have to build it.
He shows Uberto the brochure.
UBERTO
We build the firehut...?
Walt shows Uberto the Firehouse. Uberto looks through
the viewfinder.
UBERTO (CONT'D)
We have to lose the window.
WALT
...we can't lose the wind...
UBERTO
(pulling out storyboards)
Then I can't do this shot...you wants me
to push in--I can't push in through the
window...We go back to New Hampshire?
BILL
NO, we can't ever go back to New
Hampshire.
A pickup truck with two calves in it stops, the driver seen
from the back is a farmer smoking a pipe.
WALT
NO, we're gonna stay here. This is what
my people died for. The right to make a
movie in this town.
INT. TAVERN INN LOBBY - DAY.
A desk clerk looks up. Behind the desk a display of several
souvenir plates, "Souvenir of Waterford, VT", with a picture
of the Old Mill on them. Walt picks one up and hands it to
Bill.
DESK CLERK
May I help you?
WALT
(followed Bill)
I want to talk to the manager...
Walt talks into his cell phone as he talks to the clerk.
DESK CLERK
Would you like a room?
BILL
Na, we wanna rent the whole hotel.
WALT
(into phone)
Hello, Tracy; we gotta new town.
We're...where are we?
BEAT. Bill looks around, sees a sign on the desk. Consults
his tourist folder. As they talk they walk into a deserted
ballroom and play shuffleboard and archery.
BILL
(carrying Waterford plate)
Waterford, Vermont.
WALT
...you got to get me that street for
nothing...
BILL
I will.
WALT
(into phone)
Waterford, Vermont. Where is it? That's
where it is...
Walt carries the shuffleboard stick over his shoulder.
INT. WALT'S OFFICE - NIGHT.
Walt is talking on a cellphone. A male P.A. is bringing in
bags of equipment. Bill is still sitting perched on a desk,
typing into his computer. Uberto is sitting on a couch
smoking.
We see the shuffleboard stick on the desk, and the Old Mill
plate on the wall.
WALT
(to phone)
Because, because...we don't have to build
an Old Mill -- they have an Old Mill --
yeah. It's on a stream -- that's where
you put a mill.
BILL
...they run on water.
WALT
(to phone)
Now: I'm looking at the...
He gestures for Bill who hands him the storyboards.
WALT (CONT'D)
I've got scene twelve...
(to Carla)
Shouldn't you be in school...?
CARLA
It's night.
WALT
(to phone as he shows the Old
Mill storyboards to camera)
Scene twelve...arrival at the mill.
ANGLE
Scott enters.
SCOTT
Mr. Price, Mr. Price...?
(he hands Walt flowers)
BILL
What...?
They go back to the flowers. Walt takes the card, reads.
WALT
"Bring it in on time and there's more
where these came from. Marty. P.S. I
want to talk to you about a product tie-
in..."
CLERK
I'll put the, in your r...
WALT
Somebody make a note. I want Li..., for
the broad...what does she like? Lilacs.
Okay. A truck of lilacs when the broad
comes. And get something for Bob
Barrenger, get him, what does he like...?
CLERK
Bob Barrenger...Bob...Bob Barrenger's in
this movie?
WALT
That's cor...
CLERK
(awed)
He's staying here? Bob Barrenger is
staying he...?
WALT
Put something in his room. What does he
like?
BILL
Fourteen year old girls.
WALT
Well, get him something else and let's
get out of here in one piece. Get him a
half of a 28-year old girl.
INT. PROD. OFC. - WAITING ROOM - DAY.
INSERT
Front Page: Burlington Banner. Picture of movie star Bob
Barrenger, and Banner headline: "Waterford chosen as sight
of new Bob Barrenger film. A story of small town life based
on..."
Carla knocks on the door to the back room, voices from
inside. Outside, on two chairs, the MAYOR, GEORGE BAILEY, a
man in his fifties, and JOE WHITE, the writer, dressed in an
army field jacket and jeans, waiting to be admitted.
Joe is reading an old "Welcome to Waterford" tourist folder.
The door to the room opens, and Joe stands, looks inside,
squints. Takes off his reading glasses and puts on another
pair.
JOE
(to the open door)
I, I'm sorr...
(as the door closes, to a
passing aide)
...I lost my typewriter...
Carla brushes past them.
CARLA
Hi, Mr. Bailey...
MAYOR
Carla, would you tell them that I'm...
WALT
(from inside)
...What? What is it?
Carla enters the back room. As she does so, she passes the
First A.D., who is on the phone.
FIRST A.D.
Could I speak to my wife, please --?
Camera takes us with Carla into the back room. Past the A.D.
SECRETARY
(to A.D.)
You've got a call...
INT. PROD. OFC. & WALT'S OFFICE - DAY.
Inside the room, production boards being carried in,
blackboards, schedules taped to the wall, sketches of Main
Street, a large "days till shoot...4" sign. The Old Mill
plate is on the desk.
The PRODUCTION DESIGNER is bent over a worktable, he holds a
compass, and refers to blueprints and a scale model of the
Firehouse and the Old Mill, which are on the table.
Walt is holding glossy photographs, and leafs through them as
the Production Designer talks. They leaf through
storyboards.
We see that Walt is leafing through glossy photos of horses.
Walt has shuffleboard stick over his shoulder.
ANGLE on storyboards of firehouse scene.
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
And Uberto tells me he can't take this
shot, unless they let me take out the
firehouse window.
COSTUME DESIGNER
Walt, I've got to talk to you about her
nude scene.
Carla enters.
WALT
Aren't you ever in school?
CARLA
There's other things to be learned.
WALT
Izzat so?
CARLA
The Mayor's outside.
WALT
What's his name?
CARLA
Mr. Bailey.
Walt goes to the door, opens it, looks around.
EXT. WALT'S OFFICE - DAY.
Joe reading the Burlington Banner. He stands up.
WALT
Mr. Bailey...Mr. Bailey...?
Walt and Mr. Bailey enter Walt's office.
JOE
(to passing secretary)
I lost my typewriter...?
A.D.
(passing)
Yes, could I please speak to my wife...?
ANGLE interior Walt's office.
WALT
I have to tell you, I can not express to
you how happy...
MAYOR
And we're glad to have you here...
WALT
My golly, you know? All my life I grew
up in the city, but every summer...would
you like a cigar?
MAYOR
(of cigars)
Aren't these illegal?
WALT
Why would they be illegal?
BILL
...there's a trade embargo against Cuba.
Pause.
MAYOR
Well, you know, Walt, I just wanted to
say that anything I could do...
WALT
That's very kind of...as a matter-of-
fact, one, I hate to bother you with...
MAYOR
...not at all...
WALT
...we need the shooting permit for Main
Street...
MAYOR
Whatever you need. The City Council, of
course, has to pass on your...
WALT
...the city council...
MAYOR
On your "permit," but that is less than a
formality.
WALT
...it is?
MAYOR
I am the City Council. We meet Friday,
and I...
WALT
George, that is so kind of you.
MAYOR
And, my wife wanted to, wanted me to ask
you, we'd like to welcome you, we'd,
she'd like to have you to dinner at our
house.
(beat)
I don't mean to be...
He hands an invitation to Walt.
WALT
Are you kidding me? We would be de...
Phone rings.
Walt motions to an aide, who writes in green on a production
board...Tuesday 12th, dinner, Mayor.
MAYOR
Well, I won't take more of your time...
BILL
Walt, it's Marty on the Coast...
MAYOR
We'll see you Tuesday, then...
Walt starts for the phone.
WALT
It's one of the great, great pleasures
meeting you...
Mayor leaves the office.
BILL
It's Marty on the Coast -
WALT
On the coast? Of course he's on the
coast, where's he gonna be, the Hague...
Walt goes to the phone.
WALT (CONT'D)
(into phone)
What? Marty! Hi. We're...
(pause)
The new town is cheaper than the other
town. We're going to save a
for...because..because we don't have to
rebuild the Old Mill, they've got an Old
Mill...they've got a firehouse...they...
A production assistant comes in, installing a piece of
equipment. She brushes past the drywipe board, where we see
she wipes out "Dinner with the Mayor."
WALT (CONT'D)
Baby, baby, I want to save the money just
as much as you do..no, no it's not coming
out of my pocket, it's going into my
pock...my...my and your pock...yeah?
Okay. A product placement - tell me
ab...he's going through a tunnel.
(to Production Assistant)
Whoa, whoa, whoa...you wiped out the
board. DINNER WITH THE MAYOR, TUESDAY
NIGHT, write it in red. That's all we
need, to miss Dinner with...
First A.D. sticks his head into the room.
FIRST A.D.
We can't shoot in the Old Mill.
WALT
(to phone)
Wait a sec, Marty. Call us back. Two
minutes.
He hangs up. Pause.
FIRST A.D.
We can't shoot in the Old Mill.
WALT
I just saw the Mayor, he said anything
we...
FIRST A.D.
It burnt down.
BILL
When did it burn down?
First A.D. takes out a book, "The History of Waterford", and
reads.
FIRST A.D.
Nineteen sixty. "Part of a spate of
suspicious fires, the Old Mill, the..."
He hands Polaroids of the burnt Old Mill around. All look at
them.
ANGLE INS
Debris by some water.
WALT
You told me they had an Old Mill here..
FIRST A.D.
"Suspicions of arson, these fires,
believed set by a disturbed Teenager,
were, in fact, the inspiration for the
formation of..."
He puts the Polaroids down by the model of the Old Mill.
Beat.
Joe White, The Writer, enters.
BILL
But, does it have to be an Old Mill?
JOE
Hi.
WALT
Does it have to be an Old Mill? Where
have you been?
JOE
I was in New Hampshire. I was at the Old
Location.
WALT
We can't shoot the Old Mill.
JOE
(laughs)
You know, they told me there were gonna
be some jokes. Kid the New Guy...
BILL
The Mill burnt down.
He shows the Polaroids -- they show the debris, and Bill
standing by them.
BILL (CONT'D)
Wonderful scr...
JOE
(pause)
Can't...can't you build the Old Mill?
WALT
We're out of money.
JOE
You built an Old Mill in New Hampshire...
BILL
They're holding it for ransom.
JOE
Uh -- why did we have to leave New
Hampshire?
Pause. The phone rings.
WALT
Halo? Marty?
(to Joe)
What would they have used instead of an
old mill? We need it tonight.
(to phone)
Marty? Yeah you were saying...?
JOE
I can't write it. I lost my typewriter.
WALT
Grace: get Mr. White a typewriter.
JOE
I can only write on a manual.
WALT
I know the feeling.
JOE
Well, you know, you know, that's a lie,
I, I...
WALT
Grace...
JOE
That's a real fault, I...
WALT
Grace. Get Mr. White a manual
typewriter.
(to Joe)
It's not a lie, it's a gift for fiction.
And somebody find me my lucky pillow.
He nods at Joe, who leaves the office. Hold on Walt as he
looks at horse pictures.
WALT (CONT'D)
How big is this horse?
BILL
(looking at the resume)
Fifteen hands.
WALT
What is that in fingers...? Just
kidding, get me this horse.
BILL
This horse is booked.
WALT
Tell the guy, get me the horse, I'll give
him an Associate Producer credit.
ANGLE
On Joe, outside Walt's door, looking at his script and
shaking his head.
ANGLE HIS POV INS THE SCRIPT
We see for the first time that the name of the script is "The
Old Mill," by Joseph Turner White.
We hear raucous laughter from Walt, et al, in the b.g.
INT. TAVERN INN LOBBY - DAY.
Joe passes the First A.D. on the telephone, sees Bill. The
P.A.'s are heaping mounds of luggage.
FIRST A.D.
Well, no, the labor with a first child
can sometimes be prolonged, as much as...
BILL
(to P.A.)
Find Walt's lucky pillow.
JOE
What's an Associate Producer credit?
BILL
It's what you give to your secretary
instead of a raise.
The desk clerk in an argument with an electrician.
ELECTRICIAN
...put a V.H.S. and an air-conditioner
and a refrigerator in that room, she's
going to blow...
A delivery man appears with an invoice and a crate. Clerk
checks the invoice against a list.
CLERK
This isn't Evian Water.
DELIVERY MAN
It's water.
CLERK
I can't sign for it, I'm...
ELECTRICIAN
...she's going to blow.
CLERK
Well, you re-wire...
ELECTRICIAN
I rewire it, I'm going to have to tear
out half the, look, what do they need
with fifty-four telephone lines?
CLERK
Freddy, Freddy, I work for these people,
you...it is to be done, you see that it's
done...
The GIRL PRODUCTION ASSISTANT arrives with a huge bouquet.
GIRL PROD. ASST.
I found lilacs!
CLERK
Wonderful, that's...
Joe the writer enters, goes up to the desk.
JOE
Did they find...
The Clerk's eyes turn toward the door. Everyone's eyes turn
towards the door.
JOE (CONT'D)
(as he writes in his notebook)
Did they find my typewriter...
ANGLE POV
Bob Barrenger, the star, screamingly fit, leather jacket,
jeans, carrying a gym bag. He smiles, goes up to the desk.
As he goes up to the desk, teenagers, who have been waiting
in the lobby, crowd to him.
CLERK
I told you!!! All of you get back!!! Get
back!!! This man is a guest here...!!!
The teenagers retreat.
BOB
Hello, I'm...
CLERK
Oh, Sir, I know who you are...
BOB
Bob Barrenger, I'm with the mo...
CLERK
Sir, sir, we're so, we're...
(he hits the bell)
Front! Front! We are so, I've seen, I
know everybody says this, but I've seen
every every one of your...
(to Electrician)
Freddy, take Mr...
ELECTRICIAN
...I'm working.
CLERK
Your room is 414 through seventeen. I'm
Scott Larkin. Anything you need, this is
my private...
(hands him a card)
BOB
Glad to meet you, Scottie. I'm just here
to do a job, just like the rest of
these...
FIRST A.D. walks through the lobby.
FIRST A.D.
(to Joe)
Have you got the new pages on the Old
Mill? Hey, Bob.
BOB
Hey, Tommy. Heard your wife's having a
baby.
FIRST A.D.
That's right.
BOB
You know who the father is...?
FIRST A.D.
They think it's your First Wife...
BOB
That Could Be.
An old man, the BELLHOP, is sitting by the front door, eating
his lunch out of an old galvanized tin lunch bucket. He puts
it down, and gets up and takes the bags.
The lobby is filled with gawkers. CHUCKIE, a young boy
holding a bat and ball, comes over with an autograph pad.
FIRST A.D.
(to Clerk)
I'm going to give you a list of Mr.
Barrenger's dietary requirements.
CHUCKIE
Mr. Barrenger, I...
CLERK
Not today, not today, Chuckie, Mr.
Barrenger has just...
Barrenger brushes him aside.
BOB
(to Chuckie)
How do you spell that, son? With an
I.E.? Chuck? What're your hobbies...?
CHUCKIE
Baseball.
BOB
Baseball! That's the national sport!
Gimme that!
He takes Chuckie's ball and autographs it, "CHUCKIE! From
your pal, Bob Barrenger."
BOB (CONT'D)
Chuckie...
CAMERA PANS off Bob as he talks to Chuckie, and onto Joe,
who is wandering around the lobby.
The First A.D. comes up to Joe.
FIRST A.D.
How you doin' with the Old Mill pages?
JOE
I need my typewriter. Did they find
my...?
INT. COFFEECORNER - DAY.
ANGLE INS
Pan off "Trials of the Heart" theatrical poster.
Two old codgers, Morris and Spud, and Jack sitting in the
same window booth chatting. Phone rings. Carla answers it.
CARLA
Coffeecorner.
JACK
Fellow gets a calf, it's forty below,
calf gets out, he hears that animal, he's
going to, get up, pull on his jeans...
The Mayor is taking a pack of Camels from Carla's father.
ANGLE
On Carla, at the counter, reading the script "The Old Mill"
surreptitiously.
MORRIS
He's going to get that calf.
SPUD
Mmm...
CARLA
(into phone)
Thank you.
(hangs up, to her father who is
behind the grill)
Vanilla Frappe. Two tuna B.L.T.'s...
JACK
What's a Tuna B.L.T.?
CARLA
Oh, Dad...didn't you read in People
Magazine...
ANN
Well, I for one, am glad of a little
diversion and I'm glad they're here...
DOUG
What I am saying, is, we have to Look Out
For Our Own...Now: they want to close
down Main Street...
JACK
Ywanna talk about Main Street, whyn't cha
fix the pothole?
ANN
Doug, it's, what did you...? Three days,
three, four days. We'll have a record of
our wonderful life.
DOUG
Annie: you stick to the Amateur
Theatricals. This isn't quite the same
thing, you see? This is Big Business, in
which, our Life...
(to Mayor)
...s'no less a commodity than...than
our...
ANN
Water or mineral deposits.
DOUG
Waal, that's what I'm saying.
JACK
Communist Country, he hears that Calf,
it's two a.m., four feet of snow, what
does he say? "That's the State's Calf
out there..." He rolls over. "Wake me
at Ten."
Carla, who has been waiting for the order to be prepared,
takes it from her father, starts out the door.
CARLA
I think that they're nice.
ANN
I'm sure they are.
JACK
That's the difference, Communism
and...you know...
SPUD
Communism's over.
JACK
That's what they said about Warner
Brothers, 1985, but if you look at their
price-per-share...
CARLA
Dad, I've got to go to Terry's house to
study tonight...
JACK
I want you home by Nine.
DOUG
I want to tell you something, Ann: you
stay soft all your life, people despise
you; it awakens Avarice in them, they
take advantage of you, and that's Human
Nature.
She gets up.
She starts to exit the Coffeecorner. Jack picks up a copy of
'People' magazine.
INSERT
An article on Bob Barrenger.
Carla has gone over it with a highlighter. The article is
called "Bob Barrenger's Little Problem."
ANGLE
Interior Coffeecorner.
DOUG (CONT'D)
We on for tomorrow night?
ANN
After Drama Group.
DOUG
Drama Group?
ANN
Tuesdays and Thursdays. But after Play
Practice, I'm yours.
DOUG
Go you Huskies...
He starts to exit and turns back.
DOUG (CONT'D)
And I might have something important to
tell you...
ANN
What is it, a surprise?
DOUG
That's right...
They exit.
MORRIS
She coulda done better than him.
SPUD
It takes all kinds.
MORRIS
Zat what it takes? I always wondered what
it took...
We hear the traffic light beeping from the street.
EXT. BOOKSHOP - DAY.
Joe, pacing in front of the window. Theatrical sign in the
window. Sign in the window: "Out Will Return At..." Ann
comes up to the door. Starts opening it with a key.
JOE
I, excuse me, the sign says you'll be
back at two. It's quarter to three...
She looks at the sign, changes the hand to read a quarter to
three.
She opens the door. Goes inside. He follows. Camera
follows.
INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY.
Old Bookstore and stationary store. Several old typewriters
for sale.
JOE
(off the sign)
You're doing a Play...
ANN
Local Drama Group.
(she answers the phone)
Northern Books. No, it hasn't come in
yet. As soon as it does. Yup, you too
Marge.
She hangs up.
JOE
...small town. I suppose. You have to
make your own fun.
ANN
Everybody makes their own fun.
(she answers another phone
call)
F'you don't make it yourself, it ain't
fun, it's entertainment.
She picks up half-knitted sweater off computer.
ANN (CONT'D)
(to phone while knitting)
Northern Books.
(to Joe)
What can I do for you?
JOE
I need a typewritter.
ANN
We got em.
(to phone)
North...No, Henry James was the novelist,
Frank James was a criminal...
(to Joe, of the typewriter)
Yep, you came to the right place.
(to the phone)
Jessie James was the Brother.
(pause)
Of the novelist, that's right. That's
alright Susie. See you tomorrow, Susie.
He has picked up a typewriter, old, manual.
JOE
I want to rent this one.
ANN
Why don't you buy it, only forty bucks.
JOE
I have one, but they lost it.
ANN
Who?
JOE
The people in New Hampshire.
ANN
(shrugs)
That's why they have state borders...
whyn't you get a replacement?
JOE
Well, it had sentimental value.
ANN
You buy the typewriter, I'll get it all
spruced up, good as new. Better than
new. It has some history.
JOE
Other one has history, too. I wrote my
play on it.
ANN
You wrote a play on it, what play is
that?
JOE
You haven't heard of it.
ANN
What's it called?
JOE
"Anguish."
Little kids enter to get candy. As Joe speaks, he takes off
his regular glasses and puts on his reading glasses and
inserts a piece of paper into the typewriter and types,
"Everyone makes their own fun--if you don't make it yourself,
it's not fun, it's entertainment."
ANN
"Anguish" by Joseph Turner White...?
He looks up.
ANN (CONT'D)
You're Joseph Turner White?
He switches glasses to look at her.
A very OLD WOMAN comes in, goes back to the coffee machine.
MAUDE (OLD WOMAN)
Afternoon Ann.
Ann takes down a book from a shelf.
ANN
Maude, this man wrote this play!
MAUDE
That a fact. Now, is it a good play?
ANN
Yes, Maude, it is. It is a very good
play.
MAUDE
Well, then, what's he doing here?
ANN
What're you doing here...?
JOE
Writing the movie.
MAUDE
You're writing the movie...
JOE
Yes.
MAUDE
What's it about?
JOE
It's about the quest for purity.
INT. WALT'S ROOM - DAY.
Walt, Bob Barrenger and the SCRIPT SUPERVISOR are savaging
the script.
BOB
...because he wouldn't say that. Look:
(flips through the script,
reads)
"Sister, I've just come from a fire.
There's some things I want to think
out..." Now, come on, come on... "Leave
me alone." A gesture...? Alright?
Walt opens a case and extracts his lucky pillow which is
embroidered "Shoot first. Ask questions afterward."
WALT
What else?
BOB
Page...three. Now: "It's a nice
evening."
(beat)
I'm not gonna say that... "It's a
nice..."
Knock on door.
WALT
Come in.
Joe enters.
WALT (CONT'D)
Hey, Joe...Good. You know B...
JOE
I grew up on your mov...
BOB
Do you mind if we don't go through the
usual bullshit about How I Loved It?
Knock on the door. Carla enters with another brown bag.
BOB (CONT'D)
I mean, okay, fine, but it's a motion
Picture.
WALT
Thanks, honey, but, next time, bring two,
save yourself a trip.
BOB
The people came to see a motion Picture.
(to Carla, who starts to leave)
...hold on...
WALT
He's saying, what are you saying, Bobby?
BOB
Tell it with...
WALT
Tell it with pictures.
BOB
Tell it with pictures. What I'm
saying...
WALT
We've got three days to...
As Bob talks, he exchanges glances with Carla.
BOB
You look at: girl comes in the room, an
apron, a brown bag, what is she...?
She's a...
WALT
She's a...
BOB
She's a waitress.
WALT
What...
BOB
What I...
WALT
Hold on: what Bob is saying, you don't
need...
BOB
You don't need "Hi I've just come from
the restaurant."
WALT
(to Carla)
You can go...
BOB
Alright. Let's...
(he takes out a list, Carla
exits)
Page five, the fucking horse dies.
(of Carla)
You know, she could be in the movie, she
could, she's got a good face, she could
be the Doctor's...uh, why does it have to
be his, uh, wife...? It could be his...
WALT
Bob, Bob, stick to the business, will
you?
BOB
No, you're absolutely r...
WALT
And you go start with that stuff in this
town...
BOB
Everybody needs a hobby. Okay, look
Page...
Knock at door. CLAIRE WELLESLEY enters, the female star.
Very sexual. Very serious. Around thirty. She looks in.
WALT
(rising)
Claire, when did you...
CLAIRE
I just...
WALT
Claire, Bob Bar...
BOB
I saw Desert Sun, I wanna tell you...
CLAIRE
No, I was, I was, I was just learning on,
it's a...
BOB
How'd you like working with Richard Hill?
CLAIRE
I loved it...he...
BOB
Isn't he...
CLAIRE
It's...
WALT
We're just talking about the...
CLAIRE
Don't let me dis...I'll just...
WALT
No, no...Please.
BOB
I'm looking at Page Five: "It's..."
JOE
"It's a nice evening"...
WALT
This is Joe White.
CLAIRE
How can I thank you? How can I repay you
for this part? It's a...what a, thank
you for this part. The first scene at
the Old Mill...
Pause.
WALT
Joe's been having some thoughts about the
Old Mill Scene, Claire.
Pause.
CLAIRE
What, what's there to think about?
(pause)
The scene's perfect...I, I get to say...
WALT
Yes, but, Joe, Joe's been, well, he's
just been having a few, uh, "Thoughts,"
about...
CLAIRE
How many times in your life do you get a
speech like that?
WALT
Yeah.
CLAIRE
This scene is why I'm doing the movie.
"Look at the mill, Frank -- look at the
way it goes around...half of the time the
darned wheel's under water, but..."
WALT
Yes, yes, but...
CLAIRE
"...but still it rises up...It rises up,
Frank, high as it can go."
WALT
Yeah. Joe? Would you, uh, tell Claire
the, uh, the "thoughts" you've been...
Pause.
EXT. STATE AND MAIN - DAY.
ANGLE
On Ann, who is putting up posters of the play. She sighs and
walks forward, into Joe, who is waiting at the traffic light,
his bag on the ground beside him.
ANN
(of typewriter)
All ready to go!
He nods. Looks down at her posterior.
JOE
So young, so unlined, so full of promise.
(pause)
So innocent.
ANN
I beg your pardon?
He extracts the book of his she had in her back pocket. He
looks at his photo on the back cover. They start to cross
the street.
JOE
I quit.
ANN
You quit.
JOE
I quit the movie.
ANN
Why did you quit?
JOE
Actually, I'm not sure if I quit. I
think that I got fired. I'm such a liar.
I never could tell the truth.
ANN
Don't be so hard on yourself.
JOE
I just got kicked off my first movie.
ANN
Well. Everybody has reversals. If you
were never down how would you know when
you were up?
JOE
That's good. That's really good. You
have a gift for words.
ANN
It's in your play.
She holds up "Anguish."
JOE
You like my play.
ANN
Yes.
JOE
Why?
ANN
It's about life.
JOE
Could you tell me when's the next train?
ANN
N'about ten minutes. What was your movie
about?
They stop by the park bench.
Pause.
ANN (CONT'D)
No, of course, you don't want to talk
about it.
JOE
(hands her the script)
It's about a man who gets a second
chance.
The cop, Cal, passes.
CAL
Evening, Annie.
ANN
Evening, Cal.
(to Joe)
Would you tell me about it?
JOE
I...
ANN
No, of course, you want to get out of
town.
JOE
It's...
He starts to walk, she puts the typewriter down on the
ground. Joe hesitates. He puts the script under the
typewriter. Pause. He shakes his head.
ANN
It's okay...
They walk on.
EXT. SPORTING GOODS STORE - DAY.
The OWNER is closing up.
OWNER
Evening, Annie. See you at rehearsal.
ANN
You know your line?
OWNER
"Rise, one need not bend the knee before
the throne of justice."
ANN
Go you Huskies.
He walks away.
JOE
(of the clothing on the rack)
They leave it out all night?
He tries on a jacket. One sleeve is one foot shorter than
the other.
ANN
Not worth stealing. Only thing in town
worth something, stained glass window.
She gestures at the Firehouse.
JOE
Ever wonder why the dalmation's the
symbol of the firehouse?
ANN
First organized fire department was on
the border of Dalmatia and Sardinia in
the year 642.
JOE
But why the dalmation?
ANN
It was either that, or a sardine.
He nods. Beat. He looks down at the jacket with one sleeve
too short.
ANN (CONT'D)
You get what you pay for.
JOE
That's true. You grow up here?
ANN
Central High, 'n' matinees, the Bijou
Theatre.
They walk past the firehouse. She gives a dog biscuit to the
firedog who runs out of the firehouse to her.
JOE
Nice town.
Beat. He gets a bit choked up.
ANN
You want to talk about it?
Joe shakes his head. They walk off.
EXT. RAILROAD CROSSING - DAY.
JOE
...that...that he prayed for a second
chance. But...do you see?
ANN
Yes.
JOE
That, he says, there are no second
chances...that he's been presented what
he prayed for...and: he's ruined it.
ANN
Yes...
JOE
But, but but but...
ANN
No, no, I see...
JOE
That: in an act of...
ANN
Yes...
JOE
Of mercy...off...
ANN
I understand...
JOE
...that...he sees that...
ANN
As the Old Mill goes around...
JOE
Of course, of course that's what I'm
saying. As the Old Mill goes around, he
sees...
ANN
Of course.
JOE
...that it has been vouchsafed to him.
ANN
That's that's that's that's beautiful...
JOE
And you're the only one who'll ever hear
that speech.
(pause)
Just you.
Beat. They stop and look at each other. Beat. A railroad
crossing bar comes down behind them, as we hear the DINGING
and realize we are at a railroad crossing.
ANN
Well. It was a pleasure meeting you.
JOE
And likewise.
ANN
Goodbye.
JOE
Goodbye.
Pause.
We see the train pass in the b.g. We hear the train
whistling. It's way off.
ANN
(pause)
Next train in'nt for two hours.
They walk on away from the station. In the b.g. we see the
stationmaster. He and Ann wave. They walk past the shingle
for Doc Wilson.
ANN (CONT'D)
So that the Old Mill, the Old Mill
represents...the wheel of fate is that
too...
JOE
No, no. Of course, that's exactly what
it represents...
ANN
That whole...
They walk on together and find themselves on a residential
street.
EXT. ANN'S HOME - DUSK.
They are walking. They stop in front of an old picketfence
house with a porch swing.
JOE
The, the, the, the sanctity of everyday
things...
ANN
Everyday things...yes.
JOE
For example, he's just come back from a
fire and he...um...
(he shakes his head)
That's a fine house. You look at that,
and you know, there's nice people that
live there.
ANN
I live there.
JOE
Really. With the porch swing and
everything...
ANN
Surest thing you know.
Pause.
JOE
I don't mean to impose, but...do you
think we might...
ANN
That's what the swing is there for...
They walk onto the porch, and sit on the swing.
JOE
(to himself)
...that's what the swing is there
for...thats its purpose, isn't it...
ANN
...I always thought so...
They swing back and forth. The swing creaks.
JOE
...such a pleasant sound.
ANN
Mmm.
JOE
Cause, cause, it's...it's the simple
things, that...
ANN
Yes...
JOE
...that.
Doug walks up.
DOUG
Waal, there you are, and Have I Got Some
News for You...
ANN
Doug, this is Joe White, and this is,
this, this is my fiance, Doug Mac...
JOE
Sa pleasure.
DOUG
Guess who is THIS CLOSE to a nomination
to State Senate...which is this close to
one step from Congress!
ANN
...who...?
JOE
Well, I guess I'll...get down to the
station. It was lovely meeting...
ANN
Mister White is...
Doug, as he takes Ann toward the door.
DOUG
Nice meeting you...they were, let me tell
you, they were a bit coy at first, I told
them: Look: the people are tired, they're
going to vote their pocketbook, yes,
but...
Joe walks off and exchanges glances with Ann, who lingers
behind. She pushes the porch swing and exits. As it swings,
Joe watches.
INT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT.
Joe enters with his bag.
He stands looking at the long poster reading: "Waterford,
Home of the Huskies, Division Champions, 1971, 1972, 1974,
1975, 1976."
Beat.
Joe is looking at the banner, when the old stationmaster
enters.
JOE
...what happened in 1973?
Beat. The stationmaster looks around, and leans in to Joe,
confidentially.
The door opens. It is Walt. The stationmaster retreats.
Walt comes forward.
WALT
Don't run off. Don't run off, we need
you. You know why? You're why we're
here. Your script is why we're here...
(of bag)
Gimme that. Big deal. We fight a little
bit? You show me a family that doesn't.
But we got something special. What is
it? We're here to make a movie. Can't
use the Old Mill. Well, that happens.
What you got to do, you find the essence--
what was it, that brought us here. It
wasn't the building Joe, it was an idea.
It was an essence--what is the essence of
your story? Joe?
Pause.
JOE
It's about a man who gets a second
chance.
WALT
Then, you write that. And then this is
our second chance. That's why we're
here...
Pause.
JOE
I want to make a good film.
WALT
I know you do.
JOE
And maybe it will be a better movie
without the old mill, I...
WALT
Hey, it's with the Gods. We don't have
the money, we have to write it out. The
best or not.
(shrugs)
And that's a lesson. You get your
typewriter yet...?
JOE
Um, no.
Walt picks up cell phone, dials. Lights of train go by
outside. Stationmaster enters and calls the train.
WALT
(into phone)
Grace, get on the other phone, call that
girl: well, call her, and have
whatsername send up some nosh...what do
you like to drink...?
JOE
I don't drink.
WALT
Did my matzohs come? Get some for
everybody.
(into phone)
Thank you.
(hangs up)
Lemme tell you about my first movie...
EXT. BOOKSTORE - DAY.
The production assistant is stapling a casting notice for
"The Old Mill" half over the notice of the amateur
theatricals poster. Doug shows up, looks in the window.
Looks at poster, takes it down, looks around.
ANGLE
The park bench. Ann, her feet up on the old typewriter, is
sitting, reading the script. Doug comes up.
DOUG
What, what what are you doing here?
ANN
Yes, that's right.
DOUG
Look at this. Do you know what they're
offering? Look at this. They treat us
like we're their backyard. Do you know
what they're offering for three days to
close down Main Street?
ANN
What are they offering?
DOUG
Ten thousand dollars.
ANN
That's so beautiful...
DOUG
I beg your pardon?
Ann gestures at the script.
ANN
"The mill grinds the grain, but the grain
is not destroyed. Although it is
altered..."
DOUG
Sure, but...ten thousand dollars. Do you
know what they...this movie is budgeted
at fifty million dol...they're coming up
here, offer us a measl...
INT. MAYOR'S HOME - DAY.
The Mayor's Wife comes into the room. Her hands are full of
lists, giving instructions to a handyman.
SHERRY (MAYOR'S WIFE)
The chairs go, the Lazyboy goes...
MAYOR
...not the Lazyboy...
Cal, the policeman, enters, carrying an old spinning wheel.
CAL
Hi, Sherry...
SHERRY
...put it in the living room...and we have
thirteen at table.
MAYOR
...we don't have thirteen at table...
SHERRY
Bob Barrenger, Claire Wellesley, the
director...
MAYOR
Waal, then, invite someone else, then...
SHERRY
I don't want to invite someone else,
because this is the most exclusive...
MAYOR
Waal, then, you know, you do whatever
would make you happy. Sher. This is
your party, and whatever...
Doug enters. Cal exits carrying a pinball machine.
CAL
Hi Doug.
DOUG
Cal. I want a city council meeting.
MAYOR
...little woman has gone crazy about our
dinner party...City Council...? What's
the trouble...?
DOUG
Main Street.
MAYOR
(sighs)
Doug, the traffic light...
DOUG
Fuck the traffic light. I'm talking
about three percent of the adjusted gross
of a Major Motion Picture...
EXT. PARK - DAY.
Joe walks up. Ann is standing there.
JOE
Hi.
ANN
(simultaneously)
What are you doing?
(pause)
I love your script.
JOE
(simultaneously)
They decided, I decided to, to...You love
what?
ANN
You're still here.
JOE
I...I decided to give it another chhh...
ANN
I love your script.
Pause.
JOE
What?
POSTMAN
(as he delivers mail to her)
Mornin', Annie...
ANN
See you at rehearsal tonight?
POSTMAN
"In the name of justice, Sir, I bid you
pause; for she is our Queen..."
Postman exits.
JOE
In fact, in fact, in fact, I'm not sure
if I'm giving them a second chance, or
they're giving it to me. That's the
truth. The truth's best, don't you
think?
ANN
You'd know better'n me.
JOE
How can you say that?
ANN
It's in your script...it's about getting
a second chance. Innit? "You can go
back..."
JOE
I can?
ANN
You bet your life.
(refers to script)
"The mill wheel goes around...some times
it's even under water -- then it rises
up, as high as it can go..."
JOE
But how do I...how do I do a film called
"The Old Mill," when I don't have an old
mill?
ANN
Well, first, you got to change the
title...
INT. PRODUCTION OFFICE - DAY.
Sign reads "three days till shoot."
Walt is on the phone. Covers the phone. Crossed sticks on
the wall, Walt plays with a shuffleboard discus.
Girl P.A. brings cup of coffee to Walt. Her T-shirt reads,
"Does it have to be an old mill...?"
WALT
(to A.D.)
No, he doesn't want to work out with the
Waterford Huskies...Because he's Bob
Barrenger...Call up his girl in Aspen,
have em ship his weight...Yeah, well,
fine, he's not gonna do the Pond scene,
unless he can work out. Call up his girl
in Aspen, and have her ship the weights
out...
Walt hangs up the phone. Secretary enters with folders that
she hands to Walt.
WALT (CONT'D)
Who designed these costumes? Who
designed these costumes? It looks like
Edith Head puked and that puke designed
these costumes. Get Madge.
SECRETARY
(to A.D.)
Your wife is on the phone.
WALT
I have no wife.
A P.A. comes in with a big bakery box. They open it to show
it is a huge loaf of bread, and on it is written, in bread,
"Waterford Welcomes The Old Mill."
WALT (CONT'D)
(calling out)
We need a new name for the movie.
Where's the writer?
UBERTO
(entering with storyboards)
Wally, I got to takes out that window
from the dog. I can't shoot through...
Camera moves on past the production board, where we see
"Dinner with the Mayor" in red. And the costume designer
comes up.
COSTUME DESIGNER
...Claire's got a problem.
UBERTO
Wally, if I hafes a moment of your
time...look at these storyboards. THIS
SHOT, I can't shoot this shot, you want.
WALT
Why?
UBERTO
Because they gots a window with a dogs in
it. You want me to "push in." Or I can
lose the shot.
WALT
No you can't lose the shot. The meaning
of the film is in that shot.
UBERTO
But, Wally, the window of the firehut...
WALT
I don't care. Fix it.
He goes into comfab with the costume designer.
WALT (CONT'D)
(of sketches)
You show Claire these sketches?
COSTUME DESIGNER
Yes.
WALT
Did she throw up?
COSTUME DESIGNER
That isn't very nice.
WALT
Oh, really, then why don't you sue me in
the World Court. Did she like the
costumes?
COSTUME DESIGNER
I can't tell.
WALT
Why not?
COSTUME DESIGNER
She won't stop crying...
WALT
(to an A.D.)
Find out when Marty Rossen's arriving,
get him a bunch of lilacs to send to the
broad.
FIRST A.D.
Town's out of lilacs.
WALT
You go in her room, take the lilacs from
the water, dry them. Go buy some
cellophane, wrap em up, and get a card
from Marty.
(to costume designer)
What's her problem?
COSTUME DESIGNER
She doesn't want to Bare Her Breasts.
WALT
She Doesn't Want to Bare Her
Breasts...what, in the "Nude Scene...?"
What are we paying her three mil?
COSTUME DESIGNER
-- she's got 'religion.'
WALT
Her religion bars her from fulfilling her
contr...
CAMERA follows Walt to the sound of crying.
We hear crying from the next room. Walt opens the door
quietly.
WALT (CONT'D)
Claire...? Claire...?
(to Uberto)
Just figure out how to take the shot.
Claire...Claire...? It's Wally.
(pause)
May I come in...?
Beat. He motions his entourage to stand back.
INT. PROD. OFC. - WASH ROOM - DAY.
He enters the room. Camera follows.
WALT
(softly)
What is it, Pal...?
Pause. Claire mumbles.
WALT (CONT'D)
What...?
CLAIRE
I can't do it, Walt.
WALT
You can't do what?
CLAIRE
It isn't right. I can't...I...I know I
si...I, they, I don't know if they told
me it was in the con...
WALT
Forget the contract. Claire. What is
it?
CLAIRE
I don't want to take my shirt off in that
con...What are these things that they're
asking of me...? Wha...wha...wha... I
try to be good; the only thing I care
about is...
WALT
I know that...
CLAIRE
Is...Is the Movie!
As they talk, the A.D.'s come in and hand him sheets to
approve.
WALT
I know that, Claire. I, we all know...
CLAIRE
Everybody, they, they, they treat me like
a...
WALT
...no, they don't...
CLAIRE
...they treat me like a child. I, I...to
bare my body.
WALT
Now, look. Claire: Listen to me.
(he takes her hand in his)
I want to tell you a story.
The door to her room opens. A P.A. brings in a bunch of
lilacs, hands them to Walt.
WALT (CONT'D)
Fuck flowers, we aren't talking about
flowers, we're talking about a human
being.
CLAIRE
I...I...
WALT
Who are these from?
PROD. ASST.
Marty.
WALT
Well that's very thoughtful of him.
Elanora Duse...
CLAIRE
...I can't do it, Wally...
WALT
Listen to me: Elanora Duse was playing
Hamlet in London in 1905, and Royalty
could not get a ticket. She said, "I'm
not doing the seven shows a week I signed
for." She said, "I cannot bare my soul
seven times a week. I am an artist.
I'll do four shows a week."
(pause)
The greatest actress of her time. You
know what her Producer said?
CLAIRE
(pause, softly)
What?
WALT
Nothing. He held her and he wept.
Because he...
CLAIRE
...I...
WALT
Because he understood. That was her
life's blood on the stage.
Claire nods, breaks into sobs.
WALT (CONT'D)
...I know...I know...
CLAIRE
(pause)
...and, and, and did she...? And she did
the seven shows...
WALT
No, she didn't Claire. But I think you
should do the scene.
Secretary comes in with memos and Walt deals with them, while
comforting Claire.
Beat. She sobs. She shakes her head. She brings herself
under control.
CLAIRE
Wally...
WALT
I know, I know.
He puts his arm around her, starts walking toward the door.
WALT (CONT'D)
I know, it's the hardest thing in the
world, and it seems everybody wants...
CLAIRE
...yes...
WALT
...wants a piece...
CLAIRE
Yes.
WALT
And you know what...?
CLAIRE
We, we have to give it.
WALT
(nods)
...and my heart goes out to you, because
I know...
INT. PROD. OFC. - BACK ROOM - DAY.
He opens the door. We hear the First A.D. and the Costume
Designer chatting outside the door as they walk out.
WALT
That, that's your life's blood on the
st...
FIRST A.D.
I don't know what she's bitching about,
she's flashed her tits in the last five
movies...she'd bare her breasts to do a
voice over.
Camera follows the two out. A tableau of the four of them.
The First A.D. drinking coffee, sees he has been overheard.
Beat. Claire starts soundlessly heaving, sobbing. She goes
"Oh!" as if she has just been hit in the stomach, falls back
into the room, closes the door. Sobbing sounds emanate.
FIRST A.D. (CONT'D)
I...
WALT
Get Mitch Cohn on the phone in New York,
tell him she's breaking her contract and
we're very up...
FIRST A.D.
I...
WALT
We're very upset with her. Get someone
to double for her, her tits, the tits
scene, call L.A. I want to see some
pictures of the women's tits. Of their
tits.
FIRST A.D.
I'm very sorry I...
WALT
You're very sorry, you passive
aggressive, son-of-a-bitch...can we
replace him?
BILL
We start shooting in three days.
COSTUME DESIGNER
You want to see the fireman's
costumes?...Cause I found this Moleskin
for the collar, it's not black, but it
looks black...It's not brown, but...
SECRETARY
Marty Rossen's touched down.
EXT. PARK BENCH - DAY.
Ann and Joe sit on a bench. He is looking at her as she
finishes the script. Tears in her eyes. She closes the
cover.
JOE
(beat)
What I need to say...
ANN
Yes...
JOE
About conflict...
ANN
That's why you didn't want to take the
Mill out...you've...
JOE
...the, the, the symbol of the fire...
ANN
The Firehouse...
JOE
I...
ANN
But but but but but it's better without...
JOE
How...?
ANN
Wait wait wait wait wait he gets a second
chance, do you see? And you get a second
chance!
JOE
No, I don't...
ANN
(as she holds the script)
He doesn't go back to the mill, he gets a
second chance to go back to the
firehouse...
Joe takes off one pair of glasses and changes them for
another.
ANN (CONT'D)
You don't need the Mill. This is what...
(she gestures at the script)
You see: this is what you are. This is
what the script is saying...
(a person walks by)
Hi Emma, see you tonight?
Emma waves and nods.
ANN (CONT'D)
This is, look:
(to Emma)
Go you Huskies.
(to Joe)
...what I see you saying, is: you have
the two elements, Fire and Water. The
Firehouse, and the Old Mill...Do you
know, you could...
JOE
What are you doing tonight?
ANN
Me?
JOE
Yes.
Joe and Ann walk down the street. As they do so they are
passed by the airport van.
ANN
Tonight, tonight, I...I have play
practice...
JOE
...oh...oh. Well. That's very
important.
EXT. HOTEL STEPS - DAY.
Walt and the A.D. come down the steps to meet the arriving
airport van. It stops. MARTY ROSSEN gets out. Walt hands
his bags to a P.A.
WALT
Marteleh, vos macht a yid...?
He hands Marty the breadloaf. Marty takes a bite.
MARTY
You cool the broad out?
WALT
I left that for you.
MARTY
That's thoughtful.
(of the bread)
Ziz good, you try this?
As they speak a P.A. is unloading Marty's high-end luggage
from the van.
WALT
Oh yeah, I'm really gonna eat
carbohydrates...
MARTY
(of the town)
What'd you do, build this...?
WALT
How was your flight?
MARTY
We're flying over pigs, we're flying over
sheep...
WALT
Did you bring Bob's weights?
MARTY
They're coming Fedex...
WALT
(of the bags)
What's in all the bags?
MARTY
My undies, cause, you can't get this
picture off on time I'm gonna' wet
myself.
WALT
I'm gonna' bring it off.
MARTY
55 days and I take home the camera.
I got an idea for a product placement...
They start up the stairs when Doc Wilson walks by. Girl on a
scooter scooting the other way, her arm in a cast. Marty and
Walt turn back to watch on the steps, under the awning.
Carla walks through carrying food bags.
DOC WILSON
Hiya Sally...
GIRL ON SCOOTER
Hiya Doc...
DOC WILSON
How's the arm?
GIRL ON SCOOTER
Still itchin'.
DOC WILSON
Good! A sign it's getting well.
MARTY
(of scene)
Stop...
WALT
That's what I said.
MARTY
How are you getting on with these fine
people?
WALT
Like dykes and dogs.
INT. BOB'S ROOM - DAY.
Bob is doing Tai Chi. Knock on the door. He goes to it,
opens it. Carla is bringing him his dinner.
BOB
Yeah. Come in.
She comes in.
BOB (CONT'D)
I'm just...
She puts his dinner down on the coffee table. He takes out
money from his pants to pay her.
CARLA
The prices are going up.
BOB
But, that's the way of the world, huh?
Everybody's gotta eat. Way of the world.
He sits before his dinner, hands her some money. Remembers
himself.
BOB (CONT'D)
Well, I'm pretty impolite. Would you
like some?
CARLA
I don't eat vegetables.
BOB
Well, I can offer you something to drink?
CARLA
Sure, what have you got?
BOB
What do you drink?
CARLA
Bourbon and Milk.
BOB
How old are you?
CARLA
(whispers to him)
He makes her a drink out of his fridge, hands it to her.
BOB
Then I hope you wouldn't tell anyone that
I gave you this.
CARLA
I wouldn't tell anyone anything that
happened between me and somebody who was
my friend.
Pause.
BOB
Nice town that you've got here.
CARLA
You want to see it better, we could go
out on the roof.
BOB
...wouldn't that be dangerous?
CARLA
...not if you've got something to hold on
to.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DUSK.
Joe is walking down the street. A script in his hand,
scribbling. Uberto walks next to him.
UBERTO
Because if you cannot tells me what is
it, how I, how does I take a pictures of
it? Wally wants me, push in through the
weendow...
Joe, as he is scribbling in the script.
JOE
Yeah, no, can I...if you'd excuse me,
I've just got to...
He walks away and the CAMERA takes him into a backyard, by a
bunch of clotheslines. His glasses fall apart as he changes
them. He looks up as the wind blows the sheet.
He sees Ann, sitting on the backstairs of what, as we draw
closer, we see is the playhouse. In back of her we see the
"Trials of the Heart" flats, seen from the back.
ANGLE, his POV
ANN
Hello.
JOE
I thought you had Play Practice.
ANN
Don't look good for "Trial of the Heart."
JOE
Well, then, it don't look good for the
Huskies...
ANN
That's for sure.
They walk down the street. As they walk down the street, the
dog comes over and Annie throws him his bone over her
shoulder.
JOE
What happened?
ANN
Cast stood me up.
JOE
Uh huh.
ANN
They're all preparing for the auditions -
your movie.
He gets an idea, and trades glasses, one pair for the other.
He kneels.
ANN (CONT'D)
"Rise, one need not bend the knee before
the throne of justice."
JOE
What?
ANN
What are you doing down there?
JOE
My glasses fell apart. I lost the...
ANN
...lost the screw...
JOE
You got a paperclip?
A little kid is walking by, carrying a fishing rod.
LITTLE KID
Evening, Annie.
ANN
Evenin', sweetheart.
LITTLE KID
Go you Huskies.
ANN
You said it.
JOE
You like kids?
ANN
Never saw the point of 'em.
JOE
Me, too. You have a paperclip?
ANN
Paperclip?
JOE
Fix my glasses.
ANN
Better idea...
She ducks under the sheet hanging by the door, she and Joe
come upon the fishergirl, who is standing by the bank about
to make a cast.
We see Annie take some leader from the little girl and burn
one end to make a hinge.
JOE
Gonna' be good as new.
ANN
Better'n new, cause it's got a story.
Want to do the other part?
Joe takes the hinge, and a match and tries to fix the hinge,
and burns his finger.
JOE
Ow.
He grabs for the nearest object. Pause.
ANN
What?
Joe shows her.
ANN (CONT'D)
Y'know what you got there? You got a
fishhook in your finger.
EXT. BOOKSTORE - DUSK.
Doug standing, holding a bunch of flowers. The A.D. walks
by. Looks in the window.
FIRST A.D.
I'm looking for the writer.
DOUG
What the hell are you so down about?
FIRST A.D.
(pause)
My wife's going to have a baby.
DOUG
How about that.
FIRST A.D.
Mmmm.
(pause)
You have children?
DOUG
No.
(pause)
No, but we're planning to.
FIRST A.D.
(pause)
Could you tell me where a fellow goes to
get a drink in this town?
DOUG
Yes.
INT. WALT'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT.
Marty and Walt et al. studying various documents. Claire
sitting there.
MARTY
I want to tell you something, Wally, he's
a pussycat. My thing is to see everybody
does what they said they would and I have
to do that. Now: what is this you want
Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars to do what
you're being paid to, you already signed
you'd do...?
(pause)
What is that?
CLAIRE
I think I should talk to my agent, Marty,
you and I should, we should, really not
discuss...
MARTY
Who is her agent...?
BILL
Mitch Cohn...
CLAIRE
He's...
MARTY
Get him on the phone.
CLAIRE
He's on the Island, he'll be back on...
MARTY
Get him on the...
Claire starts back to her room.
MARTY (CONT'D)
I want you to hear this.
CLAIRE
I really think that business...matters
should be discussed between you t...
MARTY
Well, I'm going to discuss 'em between
you babe, cause it's your idea, and you
think you're going to sign to do a, then
hold us up in the wilds sweetheart, you
are in error...
Bill hands him the phone.
BILL
He's on the ph...
MARTY
(takes phone)
Mitch, th'Marty Rossen, I'm here in...
BILL
Wat...
MARTY
I'm somewhere in the, I'm on location,
eh: This...well I'm going to solve it
here, or this Bimbo you sent me's going
to be doing a fuckin' donkey act in
Akron, I'm talking about Restraint of
Trade, Breach of...IT'S VERY SIMPLE...!
Joe enters. His finger bandaged.
JOE
(tentatively)
Hi!
MARTY
Her tits! Her tits! How, that she
signed IN HER CONTRACT, we hired her
'cause of ten years at the Actors Studio?
The way she played Medea?...Her last two
pictures laid there on the screen like my
first wife...
CLAIRE
(starts to cry)
You have no right to...
MARTY
Cool it, Babe, you started this...
JOE
What's the...
WALT
Where have you been...?
MARTY
You tell me: you tell me now, I've got
to shoot on Wednesday and I will not pay
your Blood Money and P.S., pal, I put the
word out on the street and Betty Boop can
look for work in squigglevision...
Claire starts to get up.
MARTY (CONT'D)
Siddown!
JOE
I really don't think you should be
talking this way to a lady.
MARTY
...would you excuse me, please...
CLAIRE
You can't treat me like this. I'm not a
child!
JOE
She's absolutely r...
CLAIRE
I'm not a child... I have feelings...
Don't you...don't, don't...don't...
Claire exits crying.
MARTY
(his suitcase next to him --
into phone)
Well, you call him, and call me back, but
this is it, pal, you fuck with me, and
I'm going to tear out your heart and piss
on your lungs through the hole in your
chest. And the best to Marion...
(beat, hangs up, to Joe)
Where have you been?
JOE
I...
MARTY
He says they're looking for you all day,
you're on salary, he needs pages, what
are you, you been 'haying?' Now:
WALT
Marty...
MARTY
Later for that, Walt, let's get this: we
need the "pages" for the new "Old
Mill"...alright? We need a new title, we
need a...
BILL
Rewrites that Bob Barrenger requested...
the "dead horse scene," the...
MARTY
Whatever it is. GO do it. How you doing
on the permit?
WALT
It's just a formality.
MARTY
That's why I want it.
(to Joe)
Type it up and get it back to me in...
JOE
I can't.
WALT
Why?
MARTY
You can't write it?
JOE
I can write it. I can't type it.
WALT
Why?
JOE
I hurt my finger.
WALT
Get a typist. Gettim a typist. Get
outta here.
Joe exits.
They turn to survey the board.
MARTY
Eight hundred grand to show her tits...
WALT
Pay her.
MARTY
I don't got the money.
WALT
Find the money.
MARTY
I got a company...give us a million
dollars, put their product in the film.
WALT
(looking at a paper Marty hands
him)
No no no no no no no no no find me the
money...
INT. JOE'S ROOM - NIGHT.
Joe takes out paper, looks around. Sighs. Picks up phone,
calls back.
JOE
(into phone)
This is Joe White...in six ten, they're
sending up a typist?
He takes out a sheet of foolscap and a pencil, starts to
write. A knock at the door.
JOE (CONT'D)
(into phone)
Okay, I, thank you. It's here.
He hangs up the phone. Goes to the door, opens it. It is
Claire.
CLAIRE
You said, "You can't talk that way to a
lady...", you stood up for me.
(beat)
What do you have to drink?
She looks around. Sees a gift basket containing a bottle of
Stolichnaya and a box of matzoh, wrapped with a "Welcome
Back" ribbon.
CLAIRE (CONT'D)
Matzoh! Are you Jewish?
JOE
I, actually yes.
CLAIRE
I love Jewish men.
JOE
Why?
CLAIRE
You know...Where's your bathroom?
She goes into the bathroom.
JOE
You liked the script, huh...?
EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT.
Ann Black sitting on the park bench, holding the lure.
DOUG
(still carrying bouquet of
flowers)
Where have you been?
He gives her the bouquet.
ANN
Hi!
DOUG
We had a date.
ANN
We did...?
DOUG
Where have you been...
ANN
I've been thinking.
DOUG
Where have you been, we had a date for
three...where have you been...?
ANN
I have to tell you something...
DOUG
Well, I know, because they told me you
were with that writer from the, you see,
this is what I mean, the whole town has
been warped by the, by, by the presence
of the movie company, they holler, and we
jump, you have a date, they call, you're
doing business nine o'clock at night. It
isn't...
ANN
I wasn't doing business.
DOUG
Oh. What were you doing, then, that's so
important that you shouldn't call your
fian...
ANN
It's all over between us, Doug, I'm
sorry, but that's the truth. I've found
someone else, and, it's very serious and
it's the end. I'm sorry.
(pause)
It isn't you, j...
DOUG
Wai...It's so serious you couldn't call
to tell me you'd be...what...? What did
you say...?
ANN
It's all over between us.
(pause)
I've found someone else.
DOUG
(pause)
Let me review here: You're...what are
you...you've...it's all over between
us?
ANN
I'm sorry.
DOUG
Who is this person that you've found?
ANN
(pause)
He works on the movie.
DOUG
No. Don't tell me that.
ANN
I'm sorry.
DOUG
Why, you whore!
Doug starts to cry. First A.D. shows up.
FIRST A.D.
Can you type?
ANN
Never admit you can type.
FIRST A.D.
If you can type, they need you over at
the hotel.
INT. JOE'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT.
Joe is standing by the side of the bed, holding Claire's
clothes, trying to induce her to put them on. She is sitting
on the side of the bed, naked.
JOE
Look.
CLAIRE
I feel so close to you...
JOE
Look, look, I like you very much...
CLAIRE
I like you, too.
JOE
But not that way...
CLAIRE
But we...
JOE
Look, look there's someone else...
Sound of a knock on the door.
JOE (CONT'D)
Great. Who is it...?
ANN (O.S.)
"Room Service!"
JOE
(to Claire)
Would you go in...
He gestures to the bathroom, he hands her her clothes.
JOE (CONT'D)
Would you put on your cl...
(to door)
Just leave it outside.
ANN
You have to sign for it.
INT. HALL - NIGHT.
Ann hurriedly arranging the flowers in the "platen" of the
typewriter. From inside the room we hear Joe's voice:
"Alright, One Moment!" He opens the door.
ANN
I'm gonna be your typist for this
evening.
JOE
Oh, God...
ANN
And here's some hydrogen peroxide.
JOE
I don't drink.
ANN
It's for your finger.
JOE
One moment.
He closes the door.
INT. JOE'S ROOM - NIGHT.
Claire is still sitting on the bed, has a lit cigarette.
Poured herself a drink. Joe goes over to her, thrusts her
clothes onto her.
JOE
You have to hide.
CLAIRE
Who is that...?
JOE
That's my...
CLAIRE
Oh.
JOE
Will you help me out...?
CLAIRE
I...
Joe hustles back to the door. Opens the door. Ann is still
standing there with the typewriter.
JOE
Hi.
ANN
You going to ask me in?
Joe looks back over his shoulder.
ANN (CONT'D)
Thought you might like this.
She hands him a bouquet.
JOE
(he takes the flowers)
Thank you.
ANN
Read the card.
JOE
(reading card)
"To the love of my life, Love, Doug"?
ANN
The other side.
JOE
Oh.
He turns the card over.
ANN
Don't you think you should put them in
water?
JOE
Why?
ANN
...because if you don't, they die...
She goes into the bathroom, fills up the vase. Comes out.
ANN (CONT'D)
Shouldn't we start?
Pause.
JOE
Start? This isn't a good time.
ANN
Oh. That's alright. Then I'll come back
at a better time. What would be a better
time?
JOE
Later on.
ANN
Then I'll come back, then.
JOE
You, um, you, um, you going out with your
fiance?
ANN
No, I just broke up with him. I'll see
you tomorrow.
She starts to exit.
INT. TAVERN INN HALLWAY - NIGHT.
Ann digs in pocket, takes out the lure we previously saw in
Joe's finger. She reenters the room.
ANN
It occurred to me, you'd wanna have this:
sort of a memento of our...
ANGLE
In the room. Claire is standing there, basically naked.
Pause.
CLAIRE
Hi. I hope I'm not disturbing...
JOE
She came in here, wait, she...I was
giving her a massage...wait...Wait! She
came in here...she...
(to Claire)
...with respect...she took off her
clothes, and she got in bed, I told her I
could not--we don't know each other, you
see...
CLAIRE
...we had a script conference...
JOE
I told her Thank You Very Much, but it
was inconvenient because...uh...
because...
ANN
You can do it.
JOE
Because I'd met someone else.
ANN
(very simply)
Oh okay.
JOE
You believe that?
ANN
I do if you do.
Pause.
JOE
But it's absurd.
ANN
So is our electoral process. But we
still vote.
JOE
Do you truly believe the electoral
process is absurd?
ANN
I used to go out with a politician.
JOE
You used to go out with him, you broke
up with him?
ANN
Sure did.
JOE
Why?
ANN
Time for a change. Keep your margins
straight.
JOE
Yes.
ANN
Go you Huskies!
INT. HALL - NIGHT.
Ann puts down the typewriter and types into it, "The truth
may not always set you free, but it is always the truth--
Joseph Turner White, 'Anguish.'" She affixes the lure to it
and leaves them on the typewriter. She starts down the hall,
humming. Behind her we see the door to Bob Barrenger's room
open. Bob comes out, looks down the hall. The coast is
clear. Carla comes out. They kiss chastely, say goodnight.
She starts down the hall, humming.
EXT. MAYOR'S PORCH - DAY.
The postman walks up. We see two workmen putting up a sign
over the door '1835.' One has a copy of "The Hollywood
Reporter" in his back pocket.
MAYOR
And don't you worry about that permit...
MARTY
Why, that's right fine...
POSTMAN
Mornin' George.
MAYOR
Hey Chunky.
(to Marty)
Well, we're glad to have you here. My
wife...Sherry...SHER, YOUR BROTHER'S
HERE!
(to Marty)
We're having a party, matofact, Tuesday
night, for Walt and Bob Barrenger...
MARTY
Mmm....
MAYOR
Havin' 'em over, homecooked meal, if
you'd...
MARTY
Well, I'd be awfully...
A paint truck pulls up outside the Mayor's house. Painters
come out. Sherry comes outside the house.
SHERRY
Where the hell have you been...? It's...
MAYOR
Sherry, this...
POSTMAN
(come back out of house with
cup of coffee)
Mornin' Sherry.
SHERRY
It's a quarter after nine, I've been on
the phone to...
PAINTER
Morning, Mrs. Baily, Mista Bailey...
He and his assistant go into the house with wallpaper.
SHERRY
I've got two days to get this house...
MAYOR
Dear, this is Mr. Rossen, he is the
producer...
SHERRY
I am so glad to meet you. We are so glad
to have you here, and welcome you to
our...I, you know, they had c...I'm,
yearly I redecorate our, to restore it to
the, 1835...
MARTY
What is that...?
SHERRY
...the house, the 1835. The original
kitchen, of course, burned in 1960, as
part of a spate of fires...
MARTY
It's lovely.
SHERRY
A spate of suspicious fires which were in
fact the inspiration for the formation of
the Waterford Huskies...
MARTY
My oh my.
SHERRY
I'm...Tuesday evening we're having an
informal dinner, I didn't know you'd be
'on set,' but if you'd like to join
your...
Doug comes up the walk. A bit rabid.
DOUG
I have to talk to you.
MAYOR
Doug, this is Mr...
SHERRY
Oh, how thoughtless of me. Would you
like a cup of tea...
Sherry disappears into the house.
MAYOR
...he's the producer of the movie.
DOUG
(to Marty)
I want you to hear this, pal...
(consults notebook)
Forget the overages, forget Ten Thousand
Dollars for three days to two weeks. You
know what it would cost for them to build
this set?
(pause)
Two Million Dollars! Now:
MAYOR
Doug...
DOUG
Now: the Waterford Merchant's
Association, of who I am Council...
In the B.G. we see Sherry and the painter.
SHERRY
Don't tell me you're out of Wallpaper.
PAINTER
I told you, we could have it by
Wednesday...
SHERRY
Wednesday, don't tell me Wednesday, the
biggest grossing box office star in the
world is coming for dinner Tuesday...
PAINTER
Waal, if you ordered something common...
SHERRY
Something common? I'm going to give you
something common, I'm going to give you
an injunction, is what I...Mister
Mayor...
DOUG
Huh. Well, the Waterford Merchant's
Association demands, through me as their
council, five percent of the profits of
the movie, as figured by and...
(checks his notebook)
Geared to the most favorable definition
of profits of either A) the Producer...
From inside the house, we hear the Mayor's wife screaming.
Mayor runs inside, Doug and Marty follow.
DOUG (CONT'D)
Why, you little sheeny...
INT. COFFEECORNER - DAY.
Geezers are at the front table in the window. Carla's father
Jack, behind the counter trying to assemble an espresso
machine, reading from the instructions.
MORRIS
"Assembly of Death" did 95 million
dollars the first weekend.
SPUD
Yeaup, but those grosses are inflated.
MORRIS
You think so?
SPUD
Waal, what was the per-screen average...?
Joe enters and exchanges greetings with the locals. He
changes his glasses and takes out a notebook. He is shaking
his head as he does so...
JOE
Cuppa coffee, and a...
JACK
With you inna moment. I'm a little
shorthanded...
MORRIS
Where's Carla...?
Ann enters.
SPUD
Hiya, Annie...
A crowd has gathered around the table as he tells the story.
MORRIS
Annie, sorry I ain't been to a meetin of
the Drama Club...
Ann shows a sniped "canceled" poster of her play.
MORRIS (CONT'D)
Oh, good...
He resumes talking to his companion.
ANN
Good morning to you...whatsa matter?
JOE
I can't get it to come out right.
ANN
What's the scene...
JOE
It used to be the Old Mill.
ANN
What've you got?
JOE
They meet on Main Street. Her horse has
just died. He's coming from the fire.
He shuffles through his pages, he goes in his pocket for a
note, he brings out the old lure.
He smiles at her, she smiles back.
JACK (O.S.)
Annie, you want something to eat...?
ANN
What's the scene about...?
JOE
It's good to see you, too...
JACK
Annie?
ANN
What about...what about...it's so
presumptuous of me, to be, to be telling
you how to wr...
JOE
Please...
ANN
How about, he sees her on the street, he
wipes the soot from his eyes. He goes up
to her. "What happened to the horse?"
She looks at him. She takes his hand...
She takes Joe's hand, and he winces.
JOE
Ah. Ah. Ah...
ANN
I hurt you?
MORRIS
What happened to his finger?
ANN
It was burnt.
MORRIS
Mmm.
ANN
And then it was really hurt.
JOE
Ah. Ah. Ah. That's what she says, that's
what she says. He says, "Sister, I've come
from a fire..." But she, but she, she says
it was not the fire which hurt you...it...
MORRIS
...how was it hurt?
ANN
...he stuck a fishhook in it.
(Morris nods)
JOE
She realizes -- it was not the fire which
hurt him...that the true hurt was her.
Was her...
ANN
...yes.
JOE
...her unbridled sexuality. That he...
ANN
...yes.
JOE
Has been wounded by her heat...by her
infidelities...
JACK
Anybody here seen Carla?
JOE
Because, because, because if it's about
purity...it's...it's...and then, then,
you don't need the nude scene.
ANN
Because it's about purity...
JOE
That's...that's exactly what it's about.
Take...
ANN
That's right...
JOE
...take any two people...
JACK
...anybody seen my daughter...?
JOE
...take you and me...
He runs out.
INT. PRODUCTION OFFICE - DAY.
Uberto looking at storyboards and spinning the discuss and
shaking his head.
Walt on the phone.
First A.D. shows up.
WALT
(on phone)
...the finest people you could ever hope
to work with...
(to First A.D.)
You have the new Old Mill pages?
FIRST A.D.
I can't find the writer.
WALT
(on phone)
...totally false...totally false. He is
the, I would say the most responsible
human being I have ever...
FIRST A.D.
I have to talk to you. My wife...
WALT
Not now.
FIRST A.D.
My wife is going to have a baby, and...
WALT
Oh, that's great. Let's bring more
people into this overcrowded world.
Girl P.A. walks through the b.g. in "Does it have to be an
old mill...?" t-shirt.
WALT (CONT'D)
Take it off. Take that stupid fucking
shirt off right now.
(into phone)
Well, if I had to say one thing, I would
say it's purity.
Claire shows up, dressed in traveling clothes, her luggage
behind her, followed by production assistant.
WALT (CONT'D)
(to P.A.)
Not now, I'm talking to the press.
Claire!
CLAIRE
What? I have a five-o'clock plane to
catch.
WALT
I, uh...
(into phone)
I've always thought so...
(beat)
Well, you just get an idea, and try to
find the best way to express it in
pictorial form.
(to Claire)
I've written a letter to the studio and
to SAG protesting...
(opens door)
Bill: get a copy of that letter...!
(closes door)
I just wanted to tell you that I am past
chagrined, I'm mortified at the way you
were spoken to...
CLAIRE
I...
WALT
An artist of your caliber...
CLAIRE
I'm only trying to...
WALT
I know what you are, I am so sorry that
you...when I read that script I said
there's only one person to play that
part.
CLAIRE
The minute I read that script I said...
WALT
I know...
CLAIRE
...she works with animals, she...
WALT
...yes...
CLAIRE
...she has a home...
WALT
...I know, I'm so...because I said: yes,
a woman who...the...the community
respects her.
(beat)
Please don't go.
(pause)
Please don't go. What can I do but
beseech you...? Trauma, toil...when are
we free of them...?
(pause)
When...?
CLAIRE
He treated me as if I were a child...
WALT
Claire:
(pause)
As an interpretive artist to a creative
artist:
(pause)
Stay with me.
(pause)
I need you.
(pause)
We start to shoot tomorrow and then it
belongs to us. Stay.
(pause)
Stay. Tonight...when...
(gestures outside)
When they've gone. Let's talk. Let's
really talk. We could, we'll have
dinner, we'll...a bottle of some bad red
wine, we'll get spaghetti, and we'll...
CLAIRE
I'm sorry Walt -- it's gone beyond that.
Claire exits.
WALT
(into phone)
Well, I've enjoyed it, too. Any...
any...any time...
(hangs up the phone)
What does the woman want from life...?
MARTY
She wants eight hundred thousand dollars
to show her tits.
WALT
Pay her off.
MARTY
We don't have the money.
WALT
Find it.
MARTY
If you do the product placement...
WALT
IT'S A COMPUTER COMANY...IT'S A COMPUTER
COMPANY, BAZOOMER-COM?
MARTY
"Bazoomer dot com."
WALT
I CAN'T PUT A COMPUTER IN A MOVIE SHOT IN
1895...you wanna tell me how I'm gonna'
do that?
MARTY
Actually, the art department had some
ideas on...
WALT
NO NO NO NO NO, PAY HER OFF. DID YOU
HEAR ME?
MARTY
(picks up the phone and dials)
Gimme Howie Gold. Howie? Thizz...I
neee...I NEED EIGHT HUNDRED GRAND. I...I
don't care where it comes from...
(to Walt)
It comes out of our end.
(Walt gestures do it)
I...I need...JUST GET ME THE MONEY.
I...JUST GET ME THE GODDAMN MONEY...Look:
Joe barges in.
JOE
She doesn't show her tits!!! She doesn't
show her tits. The breasts symbolize
motherhood, the audience...
MARTY
The breasts symbolize motherhood...
INT. WALT'S OFFICE - DAY.
Joe holding forth to Bill, Walt, and Marty. Joe consults his
notes, changes his glasses, reads on:
JOE
The movie's about purity. So we don't
show her breasts. We show them to him,
her back to the camera.
WALT
...she keeps her back to the camera...?
BILL
It'll hurt the box office.
JOE
They know what her tits look like.
WALT
Know? They could draw them from memory.
You're fantastic. What a find you are.
Get outta here. We need the Dead Horse
Scene.
JOE
I'm gonna nail it.
WALT
I know you are. Go you Huskies.
Joe exits. We see the notation, "Dinner at the Mayor's
House."
We see Marty walk up to a P.A. in the next room. The P.A.
hands Marty a slip of paper. Walt goes to them.
MARTY
We got the permit.
WALT
Is that one hell of a kid?
MARTY
He just saved us eight hundred thousand
bucks.
WALT
He's got a gift for fiction.
MARTY
We got to do something nice for him.
He takes out his cardcase.
MARTY (CONT'D)
Gimme a pencil. Get him a bottle
of...get him some maple syrup. Stick
this card on it, and put it in his room.
PROD. ASST.
Maple syrup?
Marty writes on the card.
MARTY
Yeah.
ANGLE INS THE CARD.
It reads: "Your gift for fiction everything sweet."
ANGLE ON WALT as he walks back into the other room, holding
the permit.
MARTY (CONT'D)
(in b.g. as he takes back the
card)
Hold on, I wanna add to that.
We see him take the card, write "Over" on it, and draw an
arrow.
EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT.
Joe, happy as a clam, sauntering down the street. Smoking a
huge cigar. He passes two old codgers, Morris and Spud.
SPUD
You see where Tom Miller's playin' the Old
Farmer?
MORRIS
He's been playin' Old Farmer nigh on
sixty years.
SPUD
I read for that part. Did pretty good
too.
MORRIS
Bet you did.
SPUD
But I couldn't r'member all the words.
Ast them would they gimme a second
chance.
MORRIS
Ain't no second chances in life.
SPUD
Zat true?
MORRIS
Only second chance we git, z'ta make the
same mistake twice...
ANGLE
On Joe, as he nods, to himself, takes out a pad, starts to
jot a note, fumbles with his glasses. Joe saunters on,
writing, we hear the beeping from the traffic light. Joe
hears a screeching of tires.
He looks up, a film station wagon comes barreling around the
corner, hits the pothole, goes out of control, careens, turns
over, knocks down the control box of the traffic light.
Joe holds a beat, runs over to the car, to driver's side.
Battered driver, bleeding, upside down. Joe drags him from
the car. It is Bob Barrenger.
BOB
Get the...
JOE
Are you al...?
Barrenger points to the other side. Joe looks.
ANGLE POV
Carla is the passenger, she is dazed but unhurt.
ANGLE
The car.
BOB
We gotta get her out of here...
Carla has extracted herself from the wreck, stands, woozily,
on the sidewalk.
BOB (CONT'D)
(to Carla)
Are you all right...?
CARLA
(nodding)
I...
BOB
You got to get out of here...
Beat. She nods, understanding. A light comes on in the
apartment over the store. She looks up, starts away down the
street. Beat. Bob rocks back and forth.
BOB (CONT'D)
Oh God, oh God, oh God....do you have a
cig...
INT. BOB'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT.
Bob is being bandaged by Doc Wilson. Marty on the phone.
Walt, the First A.D. and Joe also in the room.
MARTY
He's fine...it's a...
DOC WILSON
You're going to be fine. I'll stop by
tomorrow.
WALT
(to Doc)
Thank you.
Doc Wilson exits.
DOC WILSON
Yessir...
MARTY
(into phone)
He's...you wanna talk to...?
Bob goes over to the phone, his head bandaged. Walt,
smoking, stands by the window.
BOB
(into phone)
Hello, Jerry. I'm fine. I'll be ready
Wednes...I'm here to make a movie, Bob.
Now don't you worry your, hey, Pal, when
have I ever let you down bef...Okay,
Babe, you, too.
He hangs up.
WALT
Are you Okay?
BOB
Well, yeah, I'm fine, I reached over to,
the girl had to be home, I don't know,
it's a schoolnight, something...
WALT
Bobby...
BOB
Everybody needs a hob...
FIRST A.D.
Walt, I wonder if I could take a minute
of your time. I need a day off...
There is an abrupt knocking at the door.
WALT
Who is it?
CAL
Thiz the police. Is Mr. Barrenger in
there...?
The boys in the room go into a whisper conference.
MARTY
Okay, look, you, what is she, 19,
twenty...oh Christ...
BOB
Uh, look....
MARTY
Look: Okay. Okay. Look: look you're
driving, countryside, so on, you picked
her up, she was hitch...
WALT
No, hey, hey...al, she hid in the back
of the car! Happens all the...
The knock is repeated.
CAL
(outside the door)
Is Mr. Barrenger there...?
MARTY
No, wait a, wait a, wait a...we can't put
her in the car, she gets it in her head
to sue, or rape, or some goddam, she
wasn't in...
WALT
She wasn't in...you were al...
MARTY
There's no witnesses...
WALT
No, just the...there's no witnesses,
right...?
BOB
No, I...just...just Joe, just Joe...
WALT
Joe, the writer?
BOB
Just him and me.
Knocking is repeated.
MARTY
Then she wasn't in the car. Say it.
BOB
She wasn't in the...
MARTY
Nobody knows it but us. Alright? It
says here...
(to group)
Are we together on this?
(beat, each nods)
Because it's sink or swim here, pals...
They murmur their assent. Knocking is repeated. Walt goes
to the door.
MARTY (CONT'D)
(to First A.D. and Joe)
You guys had better leave us a...
CAL
Mr. Barrenger.
Marty ushers Joe and the First A.D. out the room.
MARTY
Yes...?
The cop comes in the room.
CAL
I'm very sorry to...
MARTY
Well. What seems to be the...?
CAL
I have to ask you these...um. You have
a valid drivers license...?
MARTY
Of course he...
CAL
Could I see it please...?
Bob gestures to his wallet which is on the desk.
CAL (CONT'D)
Were you under the inf...
BOB
No.
CAL
And who was driving the...
BOB
I was alone in the car. I was driving.
The cop is writing down these statements.
CAL
Well, now, Mr. Barrenger, I'm very sorry,
in fact, I'm as sorry as I could be,
but...
MARTY
I'm an attorney, if there's anything you
have to say to...
CAL
...I have to give you this ticket for
damage to city property. I'm really
sorry, Sir, it's a formality, I hope
you'll excuse...
MARTY
(beat)
You have to what?
Cal reaches in back of him, on his belt, and takes out not
the cuffs, but the summons book, he starts to write a
summons.
CAL
It's a formality. Any case of damage to
city prop...you hit the control box of
the new stop light, and...
(apologetically he hands the
ticket to Bob)
They'll, uh, these things happen, I hope
you're alright, and that you're
feeling...
MARTY
Well, Officer, don't worry ab...
CAL
If there's anything I...
Marty walks him out into the hall. Photographers and
Onlookers in the hall. Phone rings. Walt answers it.
WALT
(into phone)
Yeah. Hello, Mr. Mayor...Walt Price!
No, no, sir, he's fine. Well, he's right
here! Would you like to...?
(covering phone, to Bob)
You are not to see that girl again...do
you...
Door to hall opens. Claire comes in.
CLAIRE
Hello.
WALT
(into phone)
...he's right here, Mr. Mayor...
CLAIRE
(to Bob)
Bob are you alright...?
EXT. FIRESTATION TO PRINTSHOP - NIGHT.
The firetruck is being backed into the firestation. Outside
a couple of passersby are running in the rain, putting their
collars up.
We see Joe is in the firestation writing in his book. As the
firetruck backs up we see the firedog bark, and Joe looks up.
ANGLE, his POV.
Ann is walking past the firestation. Joe comes out to look
at her.
JOE
Hi.
ANN
Hi.
JOE
Where you going?
ANN
Going home.
They start to walk down the street in the rain.
JOE
Going home, yeah. I told them what you
said...
ANN
(over a clap of thunder)
What?
JOE
I told them what you said about the
script...
They take refuge under the awning of the printshop.
ANN
I didn't say anything special, I was just
talking out loud.
JOE
...how else can you talk?
ANN
No, that's true.
JOE
No. You, I told them, you can't betray
with the picture what you're saying with
the words. And, I don't know, the
movies, I don't know. They should be
socially uplifting, why does she have to
show her br...what is this...?
They look in the window of the old printshop, the awning
under which they have sheltered.
ANN
Yessuh. Joseph Knights printshop.
Vacant for thirty years.
JOE
Is it...
ANN
Yep. N'it's for sale.
(pause)
One of the few things money can buy.
Joe looks in the window of the printshop.
ANN (CONT'D)
Would you like to see it? I've got the
key back at my store...
JOE
I'd love to.
ANGLE
Ann runs out into the rain, Joe runs along side her. In the
b.g., we see the fireman closing the doors of the firehouse,
and the firedog being restrained, on a leash, by him, and
shut up inside the firehouse.
EXT. BOOKSHOP - NIGHT.
ANN
How's your star?
JOE
Gosh, you look nice.
ANN
...what...?
There's a huge flash of lightning and a clap of thunder and
the lights on the street flicker, and come back on. Beat.
ANGLE
INT. BOOKSHOP - NIGHT.
JOE
What would you do with it, the
printshop...
ANN
Start back up the Waterford Sentinel.
Town newspaper. Show you the plans...
She goes into the washroom area, and comes out with two
towels. She throws one to Joe, and begins toweling her hair
with the other.
She hands him some plans, which show photos of the old
printshop, and copies of the Old Waterford Sentinel, circa
1900.
JOE
Yes, it's a lovely idea...
She emerges from the back room. She has stripped off her wet
jacket and shirt, and put on a light stockboy's jacket.
ANN
Print it right here.
There's another clap of thunder, and all the lights go out.
Pause.
ANN (CONT'D)
Oh, my.
(pause)
Life in the country. One second.
Ann takes a small match from the drawer, and lights a small
kerosene barn lantern.
ANN (CONT'D)
Well. There you go.
She sits down on the couch, and spreads the plan on a small
table.
ANN (CONT'D)
Press still works.
JOE
It does?
ANN
Did as of last week.
She shows him the poster for "Trials of the Heart."
ANN (CONT'D)
Best way I know to get ink on your hands.
JOE
You'd do the newspaper right here.
ANN
That's something a man could do...?
JOE
You know what else a man can do?
ANN
What?
He moves closer to her. He is about to kiss her when the
firedog appears on the couch between them.
ANN (CONT'D)
One moment...
She goes in the pocket of her jacket, the dog follows her.
She cannot find a dog biscuit.
Beat. Joe pats the dog on the head. Leads him to the front
door, puts him out. The door blows in the rain.
JOE
Pelting down out there.
ANN
People might be better off. They thought
about it, spent the evening back in
the...
She comes close to him. The dog reappears between them. Joe
looks around, and goes back to a window, and shuts the
window.
Ann crosses to her desk. Takes out a box of dog biscuits.
The box is empty. The two of them lead the dog out, and pet
it on the head. They turn back and the door is slammed.
EXT. BOOKSHOP - NIGHT.
Beat. They start back to find the door locked.
ANN
Left the keys inside, in my jacket.
Joe nods.
JOE
Well. S'pose I should be getting
home...Look.
They turn and Cal, the policeman, is standing next to them.
In raingear.
ANN
Cal...
CAL
Annie...got an umbrella...?
ANN
Nope.
CAL
I'll walk you home, you can have my coat.
He starts taking off his slicker.
ANN
Then you'll be wet.
CAL
I'm goin off-shift. Come on...I'll walk
you home.
He covers her with his slicker, and they walk away.
We see in the background Uberto and his helper, at the
firehouse. Uberto swings a shuffleboard disk, and the
dalmation window shatters and falls in the street. Some
falls on his head.
INT. THE COFFEECORNER - DAY.
Doug talking to Postman.
DOUG
Ten dollars apiece for outdated textbooks
you or I could buy retail for a dollar
ninety-five...
Carla is serving breakfast, her wrist in a cast and a small
bandage on her forehead.
DOC WILSON
Mornin' Carla...how's the itching...?
CARLA
Okay, Doc.
DOUG
Bear with me, now--because what're we
getting for our money?...See the cat and
dog...? See what I'm saying? Nice to
take this opportunity to mount an
investigation of...
She assembles a tray, starts out the door, as Maude comes in.
MAUDE
Morning, Carla, what happened to
you...?
DOC WILSON
She went to fetch a pail of water.
Carla goes out the door.
INT. WALT'S ROOM - DAY.
Walt, Marty, Bob, Claire, Joe, coffee urns. They work on the
script.
WALT
So you see what I'm saying...the movie is
about purity...
BOB
I've always seen that.
WALT
We don't show her breasts, we just show
your reaction...
CLAIRE
I'm so comfortable with that, Walt, I
can't tell you...
WALT
Well, Joe said it, and he's right.
Knock at the door. Marty goes to the door.
ANGLE
Carla outside the door, talking to Marty. Marty takes tray.
Carla has bandage on her head and a small cast on her wrist.
CARLA
And I have Mr. Barrenger's Tuna B...
MARTY
(hands her a bill)
Thank you.
CARLA
I, well, you know, I tried to take him,
in his room.
MARTY
I think he's moved...
CARLA
I, uh...
(pause)
Um...
ANGLE
Inside the room. Marty closing her out. Bob and Claire
talking.
BOB
That makes a lot of sense, Claire, that
makes a lot of...list...listen, cause
the audience isn't coming to see your
breasts. They are coming to see you act.
What are you doing this evening...?
CLAIRE
I'm having dinner with W...
WALT
We're going to discuss the scr...you
wanna come along...?
BOB
You mind...?
CLAIRE
No, are you kidding me, Bob, not at all.
WALT
Marty...
MARTY
Yeah?
WALT
Would you, tell the guy, get the A.D.,
someone, somewhere where we can get away,
something, I want, you know, last day
before the shooting, get away, forget it,
have some local food.
(to Joe)
You want...
JOE
I've got a date.
WALT
He's got a date, he's got a date, is this
guy fantastic...? Already he learned how
to write a movie, and he found a girl to
get his toes curled, what a guy, what
a...what a literary find...!
First A.D. walks in, talking on a cellphone.
FIRST A.D.
(on phone, sotto)
I'm trying, honey...I'm...look, is your
Ma, when is your Mom coming? Oh.
(pause)
What did the midwife...?
WALT
Did you, where are we going tonight...?
FIRST A.D.
I...?
WALT
Some, you were, you were going to make a
reservation for us? Where's my schedule?
Where are we booked tonight?
FIRST A.D.
My wife's having a baby...
WALT
You what...? Is that on the callsheet,
is that on the callsheet, or is that
personal business? Ah, Christ.
Marty...Are we paying you?
FIRST A.D.
I...
EXT. REALTY OFFICE - DAY.
The Real Estate office. The placard with the "Old Printshop"
advertised. The Realtor taking the placard out of the
window.
INT. BAR - DAY.
The bartender is looking down studying a vast book, "State
Statutes of Vermont". Doug drinking.
DOUG
She didn't even finish knitting me the
sweater...
First A.D. walks in. Doc Wilson walks in.
BARTENDER
Mornin', Doc...
DOC WILSON
You doin' here, Doug, thought you
started out the day with that pernicious
caffeine...
DOUG
Kiss my ass.
DOC WILSON
Well.
BARTENDER
He had a hard day. Ann's deserted him
for some guy on the movie.
DOC WILSON
Well, they don't always leave with the
ones they came in with.
BARTENDER
Big day last night.
DOC WILSON
Hope to tell you. Didn't I pick the
fragments of glass out of Bob Barrenger's
actual head myself.
ANGLE IN THE B.G.
We see Carla entering with bags of food and checks for bar
patrons.
BARTENDER
Mornin' Carla.
CARLA
Mornin' Uncle Ron.
DOC WILSON
Cluster of events. Don't see something,
ten years, allasudden. Three times inna
night.
BARTENDER
That's what they call an events cluster.
Some guy, nobby orders a Manhattan,
fifteen, twenty years, allasudden, three
times inna night.
DOUG
Who got their heads cut?
BARTENDER
...some fella. Orders a Manhattan.
DOC WILSON
What?
DOUG
Who got their heads cut?
DOC WILSON
Uh. Bob Barrenger, fella, Cameraman...
DOUG
You said three...?
DOC WILSON
Did I? I think you're mistaken.
ANGLE on Doug, looking over at Carla, with a small cast on
her wrist and her head beneath a babushka, in the lobby.
Doug looks up.
INT. CORRIDOR TAVERN MOTEL - DAY.
Carla, being led by the hand, by Doug. Following them, her
Father Jack and Cal the trooper.
CARLA
I wasn't in the car...
DOUG
We're going to s...
JACK
Doug, she says that she wasn't in the
c...
They stop at a room, knock on the door. A PAUNCHY SALESMAN
opens the door.
SALESMAN
Yeah?
DOUG
(beat)
I've got the wrong room.
The Procession reverses, starts down the hall, runs into
Marty coming out of his room.
DOUG (CONT'D)
(to Cal)
Arrest him.
MARTY
What is the...?
DOUG
Arrest him.
CAL
For what...?
DOUG
(beat)
Conspiracy in Statutory Rape.
MARTY
Conspiracy in Statutory Rape? Okay. Of
whom?
DOUG
This young woman.
CARLA
Nobody touched me, I was at home.
MARTY
(to Carla)
Who is it raped you?
CARLA
Nobody.
MARTY
Well, what's the beef?
DOUG
She was in the car with Bob Barrenger
last night. And she was injured coming
home from a love tryst, so...
MARTY
You were in the car with Bob?
CARLA
No.
MARTY
Then what is the...?
He steps back into a linen closet, takes Doug with him by the
lapels.
INT. LINEN CLOSET - HOTEL HALLWAY - DAY.
MARTY
Now what is this, you sonofabitch,
because if you haven't heard about the
laws of Malicious Prosecution, you're
about to. DON'T FLINCH WHILE I'M TALKING
TO YOU, YOU TWO BIT SPEEDTRAP FRAUD:
There's an old saying, two scariest
things in the world, a black man with a
knife and a Jew with a lawyer. Now, I am
a lawyer, and I am The Jew, and you
continue ONE MOMENT with this slanderous
shit here in this public place, I'm going
to have your ass over my mantleplace.
THE KID WAS NOT IN THE CAR, SHE SAYS THAT
SHE WASN'T IN THE CAR, NO ONE SAYS SHE
WASN'T IN THE CAR, NO ONE SAYS THAT SHE
WAS IN THE CAR, YOU HAVE NO CORPUS AND
YOU HAVE NO CASE, AND YOU KNOW IT. SO
I'M NOT PAYING PATSY WITH YOU HERE, YOU
MOTHERFUCKER. Look in my eyes: I made
eleven million bucks last year and I
don't like being trifled with. Now I
think that the better part of valor,
though we've got your back up here...the
better part of valor is to step away.
Or, before God, I will see you disbarred.
(beat)
Now, what do you think?
(beat)
We all have a movie to make. Now, can
we stay together here...
(pause)
What do you say...? Have a cigar.
He puts a cigar into Doug's pocket.
INT. HALL - DAY.
The two come out of linen closet, Marty with his arm around
Doug.
MARTY
It's a mistake. It's all over.
(to Carla)
I'm sorry that we've inconvenienced you.
CARLA
I wasn't in the car.
MARTY
We know that you weren't.
They walk down the hall. Before them, Claire, half clothed,
backing out of a motel room.
CLAIRE
...because you treat me like a
child...you treat me like a
child...that's why I can't come...
The procession has reached the open door. They look to see
whom it is Claire is addressing. Carla looks in the door.
ANGLE CARLA'S POV
Bob Barrenger, clutching a towel to his naked self, smoking a
cigarette.
ANGLE
The group in the hall. Carla points into the open door.
CARLA
He took advantage of me.
INT. PROD. OFC. - DAY.
Cal, Bob Barrenger, Walt, Doug, Carla and Jack.
MARTY
...upset and impressionable...
(to the A.D.)
Get me the Mayor...
BOB
(to Carla)
...I was just talking to that girl in the
other room.
MARTY
...overcome by the events around her, the
presence of a high-powered...
BOB
(to Carla)
I never touched her. My mother's gr...
MARTY
And a fantasy object...
DOUG
(to Cal)
Tell him to get dressed...
CAL
Uh, sir...
The First A.D. enters with lawbooks, marked as to page.
MARTY
(takes lawbooks)
Wally...?
WALT
Look, Carla. This is a hard time for
you. Many young people go to Hollywood.
I did...And we all dream of it, and here,
here Hollywood has come to you...
CAL
Mr. Barrenger, I'm very sorry, but...
WALT
Here this dream world has come to you.
Now, you obviously have an active, a
vivid imagination.
CARLA
Her...
BOB
I swear that that woman in my room...
WALT
Be quiet, Bob. A fertile mind. Now we
can use that kind of people in our work.
Yes, we can. Now, and this is what
occurs to me. There's a part in the
film...isn't that right, Marty...?
Marty is perusing the lawbooks.
MARTY
Mmm.
WALT
That we could use you in and I think
that's quite a fine trade-off all around
and an ill wind that blows somebody good.
MARTY
(of the book)
Here it is: Statutory r...Blah, Blah,
Blah, Blah..."statutory"..."unsupported
testimony by the..."
(he shows the book to Doug)
Hold on, Bobby...
(to Doug)
You've got nothing, and you know it. By
God, you know it. Harassment. You need
a...Even if this was true, you need a
witness. You need someone puts her in
the car, and you've got nothing. Now we
all have...yes, give her that part in the
film.
(to Carla)
Yes, we'd love to have you...Now: we all
have more important things to do, isn't
that right...?
Marty starts ushering everyone out of the room.
MARTY (CONT'D)
Isn't that right? I'm sorry that you all
went to this...
JACK
I knew she wasn't in the car...
MARTY
This has been just an unfortunate...
He ushers them out, the phone is ringing. Walt picks it up.
WALT
(into phone)
Yes? Hello, Mr. Mayor. Nothing, just
an, an unfortunate...
(he covers the phone)
It's the Mayor, he's saying...
MARTY
Is he cool or angry?
INT. MAYOR'S HOUSE - DAY.
Mayor on the phone. Sherry in the B.G.
MAYOR
Well, these things happen. Purpose of my
call, my wife wanted to know what brand
of cigarettes Mr. Barrenger smokes, so
she could lay some out tonight...we got
the list of his dietary requirements...
INT. PRODUCTION OFFICE - DAY.
WALT
(hangs up phone)
So we just got lucky.
BILL
Marty, it's Howie Gold on the coast, he
needs your confirmation on a request for
money...?
MARTY
And I need a drink.
Marty exits.
WALT
(to Bob)
If your memory was as long as your dick,
you'd be in good shape. How long since
you almost went to jail for this shit?
BOB
How could she turn on me like that? I
thought she liked me.
WALT
Can we try to keep our pants buttoned and
get out of this town in one piece?
BOB
I'm ready!
MARTY
Stay ready. Stay by yourself in your
room.
BOB
What'll I do for fun?
MARTY
Whyn't you learn your lines?
BOB
I know my lines...
WALT
You do...?
BOB
I just don't know what order they come
in...
Walt walks away from Bob, shaking his head.
ANGLE
On Walt as he walks down the stairs.
WALT
I tell you what, let's ditch these
cockamamie locals. I need to get outta
here. Go to some roadhouse tonight, just
us. Claire, Bob, siddown, have a bottle
of wine. Tell me where we're going, and
let's go.
They walk by the bullpen, wherein we see P.A.s refilling
Evian bottles from a ratty old watering can.
P.A.s take us, with their Evian bottles, into Walt's office,
where we see the "Dinner with the Mayor" sign.
INT. MAYOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT.
Twelve overdressed people, including the Postman, the
Gunstore Owner, etc. sitting, still around the Mayor's laden
dining table. Beat. Sherry looks over her shoulder.
ANGLE
In the next room, the Mayor on the phone. Hushed.
MAYOR
Well, you must, where did
they...where...I...
Pause. Very angry. He hangs up, looks out the window.
ANGLE POV
The Mayor lets the shade drop, walks back to the table.
Silence. Beat.
INT. BAR - NIGHT.
Doug, in his cups, at the end of the bar with the First A.D.
DOUG
Hey, you've gotta eat a peck of dirt...
FIRST A.D.
My wife just went into labor...
The bartender studies his state statutes book.
We see HIS POV.
Inside the book the storyboards show the movie's heroes
copulating.
DOUG
Half a buck I'd close it down...it's
per...you know, it's perfidy, you got
your Barrenger, molesting little girls...
FIRST A.D.
He should be put in jail.
DOUG
Half a buck I'd put him in jail...
FIRST A.D.
You should.
DOUG
I had a witness I would.
FIRST A.D.
A witness to what...?
DOUG
You know, the rape, to...even to the
accident...
FIRST A.D.
You mean with White...?
DOUG
What?
FIRST A.D.
You mean you need a witness in addition
to White...?
DOUG
Who's White...?
FIRST A.D.
The writer.
DOUG
(beat)
He saw the accident...?
FIRST A.D.
Sure.
DOUG
He saw the girl in the car...
FIRST A.D.
You bet he did.
INT. MAYOR'S HOUSE - NIGHT.
The Mayor and his wife alone at the table. The maid emptying
trays of food, untouched, into a galvanized steel garbage
pail placed in the middle of the room.
One of the guests leaving, putting on her coat. Dips back
into the dining room to try to pick up a tray of pate.
SHERRY
Don't you touch that...I want them gone.
MAYOR
I signed the permit. I don't know how I
can.
SHERRY
I want them thrown in jail.
MAYOR
Sherry, Sherry...
She empties it into the trash. Beat. The guest, chagrined,
leaves. The Mayor, sitting drinking booze out of a large
glass. The phone rings. Beat. He goes to it.
MAYOR (CONT'D)
(into phone)
What...?
(he jiggles the receiver)
Get me the State Police.
EXT. PRINT SHOP - DAY.
A sign in the window, "Sold" is stamped over and reads "Under
Agreement."
Early summer morning. Joe, holding a cup of coffee, looking
at the print shop. Ann walks up.
JOE
Good morning.
ANN
Sleep well?
JOE
Yeah, you?
ANN
Oh yeah.
JOE
I've been thinking: look at this: we live
up here...
ANN
Yes...
JOE
We could live up here, live up in the
country.
ANN
Now you're talking...
JOE
...and we could get up every morning...
ANN
...well, we do that anyway...
JOE
And come to the printshop. You know
why...?
ANN
...the better to eat me with, your dear?
JOE
To print the newspaper. And I'd come to
write. To write. To write. Right here
in the office.
ANN
Not without a rolltop desk.
JOE
Well, I could get a rolltop desk.
ANN
Happen to know where there's one for
sale.
JOE
Well ain't you amazing.
They walk on, onto the scene of various filmfolk setting up.
EXT. STATE AND MAIN - DAY.
ANN
Lookit that, up already.
JOE
That's why we filmfolk get along so well
with you farmers. Both up with the
chickens.
They push through the mass. The street is closed off by
Police Cars.
They come upon a TV REPORTER, doing a standup in front of the
firehouse, where we see, in front, both the old firetruck,
and state trooper cars.
TV REPORTER
Where Movie Star, Bob Barrenger, fresh
from his troubles with the law last
year...
ANGLE
On Ann and Joe, as they look on.
ANGLE
On a state trooper and Doug, as they walk through the crowd.
Marty walks up to the TV REPORTER.
TV REPORTER (CONT'D)
...is once again in hot water. Involved
in a car crash last night with a young, a
very young woman, Mr. Barrenger is being
arrested today for...
MARTY
You better make sure you got your facts
straight, pal, cause, you step off the
line and I'm going to sue you personally
for...
The trooper, Doug, and Bob Barrenger walk up to Marty.
TROOPER
We're looking for Joseph Turner White...
MARTY
Oh, good, yes. Good morning. Where are
you taking Mr. Barrenger?
TROOPER
We are looking for a Mr. Joseph Turner
White...?
MARTY
What are you doing with Mr. Barrenger?
DOUG
He's under arrest...
Doug hands the arrest warrant to Marty.
MARTY
Oh, good. I'm his lawyer...and you must
be Perry Mason. Guess what, you're about
one-half step from a world of hurt...how
diverting...the Mayor's gonna have your
ass. Can I watch?
Camera takes the group, the trooper, Doug, Bob, in handcuffs,
Marty talking with them, through the crowd, on the back of
which, we see Ann and Joe.
DOUG
Well you guess what. The Mayor sent me.
I have your Mr. Barrenger with a history
of...
MARTY
...a history of nothing, he was
acquitted...
DOUG
Moral turp...you're on my home court,
friend, I have the Mayor and the town
behind me, and forget making your movie:
I may own the studio when I get through
with you: I got a civil suit, I got rape,
I got collusion...
MARTY
You've got nothing, you don't have a
witness...
DOUG
And I've got a witness! Your Mr. White
saw the crime.
MARTY
He told you that...
DOUG
He didn't have to tell...
MARTY
I want to talk to him. Would you ex...
DOUG
Oh, you're his attorney, too...?
MARTY
Later for you, pal.
DOUG
Okay...
He motions the cop to take out Barrenger. Marty sees Joe in
the back.
MARTY
Bobby, don't say anything.
BOB
Nothing happened.
DOUG
We'll see about that at the inquest.
ANGLE
On Marty, as he leads Joe down into an alleyway, and into a
backyard, hung with washing on the lines.
MARTY
Yeah, hi, pal, I need to talk to you...
INT. BOOKSHOP - DAY.
Ann, Joe and Marty. Cal has followed them into the
bookstore. He speaks privately with Ann and exits.
ANN
What is it all about?
JOE
I saw...
MARTY
How do they know that, you told them?
JOE
No.
MARTY
What did you say to them...?
JOE
I didn't say anything to them.
MARTY
How do you know you saw it?
JOE
I don't know.
MARTY
Well, then, you didn't see it, right...?
JOE
I don't...
MARTY
You didn't see it...
JOE
I...? I saw it. I was there.
MARTY
You were there. At...at 10:35...?
Joe takes the arrest warrant, looks at it, changes his
glasses.
JOE
(as he reads)
I was walking down the street...I
remember, I was writing a...
MARTY
What glasses were you wearing?
(pause)
Were you wearing your reading glasses...?
JOE
I...
MARTY
You told me you were writing. Don't you
wear your reading glasses to write...?
Marty's cellphone rings and he answers it. After a pause, he
hangs up.
MARTY (CONT'D)
I've got to go to the jail.
He exits, leaving Walt alone with Ann and Joe.
ANGLE on Ann. She sees something down the other street. We
see Cal, the policeman, enter, start toward Joe, we see Ann
restrain him, and speak to him in the B.G. for several
moments. He shakes his head, and she reasons with him, and
there is a pause and he looks at Joe, and exits.
Beat.
ANN
...he's going to give you a couple of
minutes.
Pause.
Joe walks Ann off to the closed back door of "The Waterford
Players."
JOE
What am I gonna do?
ANN
You got to tell em that you saw the
accident. Don't you?
JOE
I can't do that.
(pause)
If I tell them, they'll, if I tell them,
they'll try Bob for rape, they'll...it'll
ruin his career...
ANN
But that's what happened.
JOE
But it'll stop the movie.
ANN
Maybe they'll be other movies.
JOE
They'll...they'll blackball me...
ANN
Carla was in the car, right?
JOE
I...I think that's right...
ANN
...you think that's right...
Pause.
JOE
What'm I gonna do...?
Ann picks up a copy of the old Waterford Sentinel, which was
left on the coffee table. Ann hands the paper to Joe.
ANGLE
Joe holds the paper.
ANGLE INS
The masthead reads, "Waterford Sentinel, All the News of the
Mountains, 'You Shall Not Bear False Witness.'"
ANGLE
On Ann, who has also picked up the "For Sale" sign, showing
the printshop. She stands looking at Joe. Beat. Cal
enters. They look towards him.
CAL
Lotta hubbub on the street. I'm taking
you the back way.
EXT. BACKYARD OF THE BOOKSHOP - DAY.
Cal walks with Joe; still holding the newspaper.
As they round a housecorner, Walt appears and walks with Joe.
WALT
(checks watch)
Let's speak English. You've got to help
the side.
JOE
You want me to lie.
WALT
To the contrary. I want you to tell the
truth.
(pause)
The truth is, you can't tell me, to a
certainty, that you saw the thing. You
don't remember, a gun to your head, which
glasses you have on. And you have a
fertile imagination. Imagination wants
to fill in the blanks. Now. If you
aren't sure, then they have nothing. Bob
walks free. As he should.
(pause)
Joe: wasn't long ago they buried actors
at the crossroads with a stake through
their heart. You know? The people who
are talking to you about the way we live
though we may praise them, we fear them.
And they fear us. Because we tell the
truth. About our lives. Now, this is a
damn roust, and everyone knows it; the
guy is looking for a case, he wants to
make a name for himself. If we let him
do that, if we let him do that, then
we're being false to our community...to
our community, you understand...? To our
world. Cause you are a part of that
world, now. You have to take off the
Steel Rolex and put on the Gold Rolex.
(pause)
And be part of your world. I got a five
picture deal with the studio. And you
stick with me. You write one, two more,
you stick with me, and you'll direct the
third one. You are a part of this world.
It's in your blood. It's you. You have
to do the right thing: we're out in the
Provinces, the Sheriff, literally is at
our door. You have to stand with the
troops, Joe. That's the bottom line.
You have to...if you had the leisure to
think it through, you'd see it for
yourself. The girl wasn't in the car.
Cal takes Joe to a side door of the courthouse.
INT. SMALL COURTROOM - DAY.
Joe coming in through the side entrance of the courtroom.
Various law books and dusty forms on the shelves. Cal leads
him into the courtroom, empty, save for the court reporter,
Maude and the BAILIFF. Cal motions Joe forward.
CAL
...Joseph Turner White...
BAILIFF
Hear ye, hear ye. Sixth District Court.
And for the county of Kadona, State of
Vermont, the honorable James Addison
Flynn presiding. All those having
business before this court, draw forward
and you will be heard.
Judge enters.
BAILIFF (CONT'D)
All rise.
JUDGE
Please...Mr. White...? This is a simple
matter of...
The clerk hands him a sheet of paper.
JUDGE (CONT'D)
Uh huh...all we need's a simple fact or
two...You're going to give your
recollection of the accident last
evening, at the Corner, State and Main.
Would you please swear him in.
BAILIFF
Do you swear to tell the truth--
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY.
A crowd, moving along, with the TV REPORTER.
TV REPORTER
(talking into camera)
...the arraignment, as we said of Bob
Barrenger, The Bob Barrenger, star of The
Old Mill, about to begin shooting here,
in picturesque and sleepy...
(sound of shouting, and
reporter looks around)
We should say, formerly sleepy...Yes,
yes...it's...yes, it's Claire
Wellesley...and we're going to try to get
a look at...
The crowd moves away, revealing Ann, standing in front of the
realtors, looking at a card in her hand. She looks up to see
Joe coming toward her.
ANGLE
Extreme close up, she smiles.
ANGLE
Extreme close up, Joe. He looks toward Ann, sheepishly.
ANGLE
Ann, as she looks down at the card in her hands.
ANGLE INSERT
It is the real estate placard for the printshop, marked
"under agreement."
ANGLE
On Ann, as she rips it up.
INT. LOBBY OF THE HOTEL - DAY.
Joe coming in, a hangdog look on his face.
P.A.
(to Joe)
They need those rewrites on the Old Mill
Scene...
Joe nods. Continues through the lobby.
ANGLE
On various reporters, Scott being interviewed.
SCOTT
...about his personal life...though I can
tell you a few things about...
Joe walks past.
JOE
Would you please hold all calls to my
room?
SCOTT
Though I can tell you a few things about
his dietary requirements.
The old bellhop is packing up his lunchbox and changing into
his streetclothes.
INT. JOE'S ROOM - DAY.
Joe enters and takes out his pad and pencil. He sits on the
bed.
On the pillow, he sees and picks up a black and red hunting
jacket, onto which the one foot short sleeve has been knitted
in baby blue. There is a card in the picket that reads
"Better than new--it's got a story!" He puts it down.
He picks up his notebook, in which he has written: "The
Purpose of the Second Chance is to allow you to make the same
mistake twice."
He stops by the mirror on the chiffonier into which he puts
the lure, which still has the attached card reading "The
truth may not always set you free, but it's always the truth--
Joseph Turner White."
Joe goes to the bed. On the bed is a small package tied with
ribbon. Joe opens it.
ANGLE INS
It is a small thing of maple syrup. Attached to it is a card
reading: "It is your invention which makes everything sweet."
He takes off his jacket, and picks up his notebook. Out of
his jacket pocket falls the old copy of the Waterford
Sentinel.
He picks it up.
ANGLE, his POV
The masthead: Waterford Sentinel "The Voice of the Mountains,
You Shall Not Bear False Witness."
He puts the newspaper down. Picks up the maple syrup card
again, and looks at it.
He sees an arrow and turns it over.
ANGLE INS
The back of the card reads: "How about an Associate Producer
credit...?"
He takes the paper, balls it up and throws them into the
trash. He picks up the fishing lure which is resting on the
typewriter. Puts it into his pocket, thinks again, throws it
in the trash. Shakes his head, and picks up his suitcase and
starts packing.
EXT. ANN'S STREET - DAY.
On Doc Wilson, as he walks down the street. A little kid, on
a scooter, is going in the other direction.
KID ON SCOOTER
Mornin', Doc...
DOC WILSON
Mornin', Billy, where ya goin in such a
hurry?
BILLY
Down the corner, see the ruckus...
DOC WILSON
Watch the curbs, now...
ANGLE ON Joe, as he stands across from Ann's house, looking at
it. He holds his suitcase.
DOC WILSON (CONT'D)
(of his suitcase)
Where you off to?
JOE
I, uh...I'm leaving.
DOC WILSON
Why?
JOE
I perjured myself.
(pause)
I told a lie, and I ruined my life.
That's what I did...
(shrugs)
I don't suppose you could help me with
that, could you? Turn back the clock,
or something? Give me back my, give me
back my purity, I don't suppose you
could just wave your magic wand and do
that, could you...? But what is truth?
Eh? In't that the thing? What is
true?
DOC WILSON
It's the truth that you should never
trust anybody, wears a bowtie. Cravat's
sposed to point down to accentuate the
genitals, why'd you wanna trust somebody,
s'tie points out to accentuate his
ears...?
Joe turns, to see Doc swigging from his flask. In the b.g.
we see the bellhop walking.
Beat.
JOE
Aren't you supposed to set an example for
people...?
DOC WILSON
Nope. I'm just supposed to hold people's
hands, while they die. What'd you say
your problem was...
JOE
...I just swore my life away, back in
that...
DOC WILSON
(as he sees an older woman off
on a porch to the side)
Mornin, Chessy...how's the back...?
Doc walks off to his office. Joe, as he walks away, toward
the station. Bellhop walks through.
EXT. RAILROAD STATION - DAY.
JOE
I ruined my life. Isn't that funny, that
you can actually do it in one moment just
like they say. I ruined my life back in
that courthouse.
Bellhop, who has walked up beside him.
BELLHOP
What courthouse?
JOE
Courthouse back in town.
BELLHOP
Town ain't got no courthouse.
JOE
What?
BELLHOP
Ain't got no courthouse. Courthouse
burnt down, 1960.
The train is arriving. The Stationmaster puts out the steps
to help the people down.
JOE
Well, where do they hold court?
BELLHOP
Hold court, they have to, science lab,
the high school.
An ELDERLY LOOKING JUDGE FELLOW descends from the train,
followed by a CADDY with his golf bag.
STATIONMASTER
Mornin, judge, what brings you here?
JUDGE
I'm sposed to hear some deposition, some
fool, saw the accident last night.
JOE
...the courthouse burnt down...?
STATIONMASTER
Yep. Courthouse burnt down, 1960. Part
of a spate of fires, Old Mill,
Courthouse. Sposed to've been set by
some deranged teenager.
Joe looks around. ANGLE, his POV. The old bellhop walking
down the tracks.
ANGLE on Joe, as he turns back into town.
ANGLE C.U. ON THE STATIONMASTER
STATIONMASTER (CONT'D)
Yep, never did discover who set 'em...
He smiles, and lights his cigar.
EXT. COURT HOUSE BUILDING - DAY.
We see the crowd has moved down the street and the
"Courthouse" building is empty.
INT. COURT HOUSE - DAY.
Joe enters, and the camera takes him into the deserted
building, through the courtroom, and, in back, he sees Ann
standing alone. He walks back to her, through the doors
which appear to be the Judge's chambers.
ANGLE, REVERSED.
We show that the walls of the Courtroom are the Set, and we
are back in the "Trials of the Heart" set. Ann is sitting
there. Reading her play by Joe White. He looks at her for
an explanation. Maude, the court reporter woman, is sitting
in the B.G. Ann is knitting in pink wool.
ANN
I thought you needed to get it out of
your system.
Ann moves to embrace Joe.
They hear screaming. They turn.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY.
ANGLE their POV
At the end of the alleyway, in Main Street. We see Sherry,
the Mayor's wife, leading a crowd.
SHERRY
...A blight, a blight and an
obscenity...that's good english, isn't
it? How's that for entertainment...?
ANGLE
At the mouth of the alleyway, on Main Street. We see
ANGLE INS: the baseball on which is written "To Chucky, from
your best friend, Bob Barrenger."
ANGLE XCU
The distorted face of Chucky, heaving the baseball.
ANGLE
On Bob Barrenger being led through the crowd, a baseball
hitting him in the back of the head, as troopers hustle him
toward the courthouse. In the B.G. Ann and Joe emerging in
the alleyway.
ANGLE
On Ann and Joe.
Joe starts to cross the street. We see the airport van.
ANN
What are you going to do?
JOE
I'm going to tell the truth.
They start to cross the street.
In the B.G. a little man with a bag (HOWIE) gets out of the
airport van.
Joe and Ann walk toward the crowd at the mouth end of the
high school.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY.
A crowd of people, T.V. technicians, and a view of Doug on a
T.V. monitor.
DOUG
...and to exterminate this vermin, yes, I
use that term, who have abused, who have
desecrated, yes, the license granted to
them by a gracious nation.
ANGLE
On Marty and Walt, standing near the monitor, looking on.
Shaking their heads.
ANGLE
On the monitor. Doug, seen through the monitor.
DOUG (CONT'D)
...who spew filth and degradation...
(he begins wiping his head)
As he does so, a makeup person comes in and sponges him.
DOUG (CONT'D)
...thank you...
TV REPORTER
...you want to clean up...?
ANGLE
On Doug, seen "live" in the next room, starting to wipe his
brow.
DOUG
Yes, thank you.
ANGLE
Marty and Walt watch Doug, as he walks down the hall.
TECHNICIAN
Five minutes, and we're going live to the
network.
DOUG
(to himself)
...foreign, and unamerican perversions of
the Democratic process. By those we have
entrusted with our dreams...
ANGLE
On Marty and Walt, looking on.
WALT
Do something.
MARTY
You tell me what to do, I'll do it.
They look on to the preparations for the T.V.
WALT
...and I was just paying off my house in
Malibu...
Ann and Joe push through the crowd.
WALT (CONT'D)
Thank God, it's up to you, Pal. Sup to
you...
JOE
I'm out.
WALT
I don't getcha.
JOE
The girl was in the car.
WALT
I treated you like a son or nephew.
JOE
It's not you, it's...
WALT
No, what is it?
JOE
I have to tell the truth.
WALT
...that's just so narrow...
JOE
The girl was in the car.
WALT
Then you're finished in show business.
JOE
So be it.
WALT
And my company sues your ass for sixty
million dollars.
JOE
For what cause?
WALT
I don't need a cause, just a lawyer.
HOWIE GOLD shows up holding his bag.
HOWIE
I'm a lawyer...
MARTY
Howie.
HOWIE
Yeah?
MARTY
What are you doing here?
HOWIE
What am I doing here is I just flew seven
hours cause you asked me here.
WALT
What for?
HOWIE
(presenting the bag)
For this...I hope you need it, cause it's
coming outta your budget...
ANGLE INS: THE BAG
As Marty opens it, it is full of money.
INT. LAVATORY HIGH SCHOOL - DAY.
Doug is mopping his face up. He looks up. Marty is standing
there.
MARTY
Hi.
DOUG
I'd prefer it if you didn't speak to me.
MARTY
I...
DOUG
...you know, there's nothing you could
say, that could possibly make a
difference, so, why don't you just save
your breath.
Marty puts the case up on the washstand.
DOUG (CONT'D)
What's in the case?
MARTY
Eight hundred thousand dollars in cash.
Pause.
DOUG
And what was it you wanted to say?
MARTY
Gut Yuntif.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR - DAY.
Ann and Joe passing through. They stop and Joe comes up to a
State Trooper.
JOE
I'm supposed to give my Deposition...?
COP
We'll be with you in a minute.
ANN
I'll wait for you...I'm proud of you.
I'll be waiting.
JOE
If I go to jail...?
ANN
I'll knit you a sweater.
The Trooper nods, and begins to lead Joe through the Mob. As
we press forward the Mob begins to reverse direction and
passes back towards Joe. Leaving the Hall empty, save for
the Judge who comes out, putting his robe into his golf bag.
JOE
(to Judge)
I've come to give myself up.
JUDGE
Well give yourself up to someone else.
I'm gonna get in some golf. Hiya, Annie.
Give yourself up to her.
And we see Joe has moved up to the T.V. monitor, where we see
Doug, in the Science Lab, talking to the press, and holding
his money bag in his arms.
DOUG
I have learned a lesson. And the lesson
is this...that everybody needs a second
chance. You, me, and these fine, film
people here. You know, they have a high-
profile, but that doesn't mean they
aren't deserving of our trust, and of our
respect. You know, I think there is a
lesson here, and the lesson is this: it
is a lesson of Tolerance...and, as we
look at this industry, at this clean,
American industry, and as I begin my
campaign for Congress...
DISSOLVE
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY.
Walt on the scene, talking with the Cinematographer, and the
Camera Operator. Preparing the first shot. The First A.D.
instructing the Extras.
FIRST A.D.
Okay. Are we getting set up here...are
we getting set up...People...? Can we
settle...can we settle now...?
EXT. THE REALTY OFFICE - DAY.
The placard marked "printshop" comes back out of the window.
EXT. MAIN STREET - DAY.
ANGLE
On Ann. As she, holding the placard, starts to cross the
street. An old farmer smoking a pipe, driving a pickup is
stopped by a P.A. talking on a walkie.
We see that it is the "Judge" who listened to Joe's
testimony. Ann waves to him, and proceeds to the Old
Firehouse, where they are about to make a movie.
FIRST A.D.
Okay, this is picture...
Ann stops at the back of the crowd of onlookers. She waves
to someone.
ANGLE, her POV
It is Joe, sitting near the director, who waves back.
ANGLE
On Ann, who is next to Cal, the policeman, now in leather
jacket and leaning on his Harley motorcycle.
FIRST A.D. (CONT'D)
Quiet please...
ANGLE
The slate reads "The Fires of Home."
EXT. MAIN STREET - THE FIRESTATION - DAY.
Where they are filming the characters in turn of the century
garb. Bob Barrenger, dressed as a fireman, is polishing the
old fire engine. The actor playing Doc Morton walks past.
DOC MORTON
Mornin Harry. Heard you had a little
fire last night...
FIREMAN
Waal, you didn't have nothin to do, Doc,
wouldn't life be dull...?
Two nuns walk by.
BOB
Mornin, sister.
CLAIRE
(dressed as a nun)
We missed you in Church today, Frank.
BOB
Sister, I've just come from a fire...
ANGLE
Joe sitting near the camera, looking through the script.
Reading along, mouthing the words. He wears the plaid
jacket, one sleeve is pink, knitted.
ANGLE
The on-lookers. Ann, Cal, next to her, lounging on his
motorcycle. Grace and Maude, Spud and Morris, the Postman,
the fake Judge, who is also the man smoking the pipe in the
first sequence and is smoking a pipe now, Scott from the
hotel, et cetera.
ANGLE
Showing the crew, and the film within the film. We see the
livery stable across the way. On its side are painted
various ads. Among them, one which says: "Stefan P.
Bazoomercom" and Marty is standing next to it. Looking on at
the scene being filmed.
An A.D. brings him a cup of coffee. The A.D. is passing out
pink bubblegum cigars, the bands of which read "It's A Girl!"
ANGLE
Showing the film within the film, the group at the camera
watching, transfixed.
SISTER
...to come by next Sunday, and we'll give
you a second chance.
BOB
Only second chance I know, chance t'make
the same mistake twice.
SISTER
Well...time will tell.
She walks past the "Bazoomer.com" ad.
FIRST A.D.
(holding cellphone to his ear)
That's a cut...!
ANGLE
On Ann and Cal, as they talk the firedog comes over and Ann
gives him a dog biscuit. In the B.G. we see the man with the
pipe get into his pickup and drive off. The Postman goes off
continuing his rounds.
ANGLE
On Ann and Cal as they talk. Next to them Morris and Spud
congratulate each other. Next to them, we see the fake judge
and the bailiff.
CAL
Mom's expecting you for dinner tonight.
ANN
I'll be there.
CAL
You bringing your new friend?
ANN
Sure plan to.
CAL
(pause)
He have any special dietary
requirements...?
ANN
He'll eat potroast and like it.
CAL
Go you Huskies?
ANN
You bet your life.
ANGLE
On Joe, as he looks over at Ann and smiles.
ANGLE
On Ann, giving him a "thumbs up" sign as the Firedog comes
and sits next to her. In the background, we see the pickup
hit the pothole and bounce.
FADE OUT.