"BIG FISH"
Written by
John August
Based on the novel by
Daniel Wallace
Final Production Draft
This is a Southern story, full of lies and fabrications, but
truer for their inclusion.
FADE IN:
A RIVER.
We're underwater, watching a fat catfish swim along.
This is The Beast.
EDWARD (V.O.)
There are some fish that cannot be
caught. It's not that they're faster
or stronger than other fish. They're
just touched by something extra.
Call it luck. Call it grace. One
such fish was The Beast.
The Beast's journey takes it past a dangling fish hook, baited
with worms. Past a tempting lure, sparkling in the sun. Past
a swiping bear claw. The Beast isn't worried.
EDWARD (V.O.)
By the time I was born, he was already
a legend. He'd taken more hundred-
dollar lures than any fish in Alabama.
Some said that fish was the ghost of
Henry Walls, a thief who'd drowned
in that river 60 years before. Others
claimed he was a lesser dinosaur,
left over from the Cretaceous period.
INT. WILL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT (1973)
WILL BLOOM, AGE 3, listens wide-eyed as his father EDWARD
BLOOM, 40's and handsome, tells the story. In every gesture,
Edward is bigger than life, describing each detail with
absolute conviction.
EDWARD
I didn't put any stock into such
speculation or superstition. All I
knew was I'd been trying to catch
that fish since I was a boy no bigger
than you.
(closer)
And on the day you were born, that
was the day I finally caught him.
EXT. CAMPFIRE - NIGHT (1977)
A few years later, and Will sits with the other INDIAN GUIDES
as Edward continues telling the story to the tribe.
EDWARD
Now, I'd tried everything on it:
worms, lures, peanut butter, peanut
butter-and-cheese. But on that day I
had a revelation: if that fish was
the ghost of a thief, the usual bait
wasn't going to work. I would have
to use something he truly desired.
Edward points to his wedding band, glinting in the firelight.
LITTLE BRAVE
(confused)
Your finger?
Edward slips his ring off.
EDWARD
Gold.
While the other boys are rapt with attention, Will looks
bored. He's heard this story before.
EDWARD
I tied my ring to the strongest line
they made -- strong enough to hold
up a bridge, they said, if just for
a few minutes -- and I cast upriver.
INT. BLOOM FRONT HALL - NIGHT (1987)
Edward is chatting up Will's pretty DATE to the homecoming
dance. She is enjoying the story, but also the force of
Edward's charisma. He's hypnotizing.
EDWARD (CONT'D)
The Beast jumped up and grabbed it
before the ring even hit the water.
And just as fast, he snapped clean
through that line.
WILL, now 17 with braces, is fuming and ready to leave. His
mother SANDRA -- from whom he gets his good looks and
practicality -- stands with him at the door.
EDWARD
You can see my predicament. My wedding
ring, the symbol of fidelity to my
wife, soon to be the mother of my
child, was now lost in the gut of an
uncatchable fish.
ON WILL AND SANDRA
WILL
(low but insistent)
Make him stop.
His mother pats him sympathetically, then adjusts his tie.
WILL'S DATE
What did you do?
EDWARD
I followed that fish up-river and
down-river for three days and three
nights, until I finally had him boxed
in.
Will regards his father with exasperated contempt.
EDWARD
With these two hands, I reached in
and snatched that fish out of the
river. I looked him straight in the
eye. And I made a remarkable
discovery.
INT. TINY PARIS RESTAURANT (LA RUE 14°) - NIGHT (1998)
WILL, now 28, sits with his gorgeous bride JOSEPHINE. This
is their wedding reception, crowded with their friends and
family. They should be joyful, but Will is furious.
Edward has the floor, ostensibly for a toast. The room is
cozy and drunk.
EDWARD
This fish, the Beast. The whole time
we were calling it a him, when in
fact it was a her. It was fat with
eggs, and was going to lay them any
day.
Over near the doorway, we spot Sandra, just returned from
the restrooms. She looks gorgeous. She couldn't be any happier
if this were her own wedding.
EDWARD
Now, I was in a situation. I could
gut that fish and get my ring back,
but doing so I would be killing the
smartest catfish in the Ashton River,
soon to be mother of a hundred others.
Will can't take any more. Josephine tries to hold him back,
but he gets up and leaves. Edward doesn't even notice.
EDWARD
Did I want to deprive my soon-to-be-
born son the chance to catch a fish
like this of his own? This lady fish
and I, well, we had the same destiny.
As he leaves, Will mutters in perfect unison with his father --
EDWARD AND WILL
We were part of the same equation.
Will reaches the door, where his mother intercepts him.
SANDRA
Honey, it's still your night.
Will can't articulate his anger. He just leaves.
EDWARD
Now, you may well ask, since this
lady fish wasn't the ghost of a thief,
why did it strike so quick on gold
when nothing else would attract it?
(closer; he holds up
his ring)
That was the lesson I learned that
day, the day my son was born.
He focuses his words on Sandra. This story is -- and has
always been -- about her more than anyone.
EDWARD
Sometimes, the only way to catch an
uncatchable woman is to offer her a
wedding ring.
A LAUGH from the crowd.
Edward motions for Sandra to get up here with him. As she
crosses, we can see that thirty years of marriage has not
lessened their affection for each other.
As they kiss, Edward tweaks her chin a special little way.
The crowd APPLAUDS.
Edward toasts the happy couple. Josephine covers well for
her absent husband, a smile as warm as summer.
Edward downs his champagne in a gulp.
EXT. OUTSIDE LA RUE 14° - NIGHT
We come into the middle of an argument on the sidewalk.
Occasional PASSERSBY take notice, especially as it gets more
heated. Both men are a little drunk.
EDWARD
What, a father's not allowed to talk
about his son?
WILL
(disbelieving)
I am a footnote in that story. I am
the context for your great adventure.
Which never happened! Incidentally!
You were selling novelty products in
Wichita the day I was born.
EDWARD
(shaking his head)
Jesus Christ.
WILL
Friend of yours? Did you help him
out of a bind?
EDWARD
Come on, Will. Everyone likes that
story.
WILL
No Dad, they don't. I do not like
the story. Not anymore, not after a
thousand times. I know all the
punchlines, Dad. I can tell them as
well as you can.
(closer)
For one night, one night in your
entire life, the universe does not
revolve around Edward Bloom. It
revolves around me and my wife. How
can you not understand that?
A long beat, then...
EDWARD
(low)
Sorry to embarrass you.
Will won't let him get the last word.
WILL
You're embarrassing yourself, Dad.
You just don't see it.
ANGLE ON Edward. Fine. A hand to wave, enough of you.
He walks away.
ANGLE ON Will, still fuming with righteous anger. It's then
we FREEZE FRAME.
WILL (V.O.)
After that night, I didn't speak to
my father again for three years.
INT. A.P. NEWSROOM (PARIS) - DAY
A typically busy day. On hold with the phone cradled under
an ear, Will sorts through a bundle of mail dropped on his
desk.
WILL (ON PHONE)
(without pauses)
William Bloom with the Associated
Press if I could just...
He's put back on hold. Returning to the mail, he finds a
hand-addressed envelope. Rips it open.
WILL (V.O.)
We communicated indirectly I guess.
In her letters and Christmas cards,
my mother would write for both of
them.
INT. BLOOM HOUSE KITCHEN - DAY
At the table, Sandra talks on the phone while Edward fixes a
sandwich.
WILL (V.O.)
When I'd call, Mom would say that
Dad was out driving. Or swimming in
the pool.
Edward takes a seat, starting to eat his sandwich.
WILL
True to form, we never talked about
our not talking.
INT. BLOOM HOUSE MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Sandra stands by the window, watching as...
EXT. BLOOM BACK YARD - NIGHT [CONTINUOUS]
Edward swims laps in the family pool. He's born to the water.
WILL (V.O.)
The truth is, I didn't see anything
of myself in my father, and I don't
think he saw anything of himself in
me. We were like strangers who knew
each other very well.
EXT. RIVER - DAY
Edward stares intently into the water, a lion in wait.
WILL (V.O.)
In telling the story of my father's
life, it's impossible to separate
the fact from the fiction, the man
from the myth. The best I can do is
to tell it the way he told me.
We LOOK DOWN at the river, where Edward's reflection is caught
in the dark water. As the water ripples past, something
changes.
Sure enough, as we LOOK UP again, it's a younger EDWARD BLOOM,
20's, staring into the water. He's not just handsome, not
just charming. It's as if all the forces of the natural world
had conspired to create him.
WILL (V.O.)
It doesn't always make sense, and
most of it never happened.
Suddenly, this Edward thrusts both hands into the water,
grabbing hold of
THE BEAST.
He brings the catfish up to his face. Looks it right in the
eye. A beat, then the Beast spits out Edward's gold ring.
WILL (V.O.)
But that's what kind of story this
is.
Smiling, Edward takes the ring, then throws the Beast back
into the water with a splash.
TITLE OVER:
BIG FISH
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Young Dr. Bennett stands between the Wife's legs. She's
flustered and sweating, but the doctor has a comforting
bedside manner...
YOUNG DR. BENNETT
Now, Mrs. Bloom, I'll need you to
give me one good push. On three.
One...
Suddenly, we hear a POP as a slimy mass of human being rockets
into the doctor's unprepared hands. Bennett tries to hold
tight, but the infant is slippery like a fish. It shoots up
into air.
The NURSES and the Husband try to grab the baby, but no one
can hold it. As the newborn sails upward TOWARDS CAMERA, we
can see a GIGGLING SMILE on its face.
As it falls, the newborn knocks over a tray, which provides
it a ramp to slide right out of the room. Everyone races
after it.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY - DAY
Bursting through the doors --
YOUNG DR. BENNETT
Grab that baby!
A NURSE finally scoops up the slippery baby. Everyone lets
out a collective sigh of relief.
WILL (V.O.)
My father's birth would set the pace
for his unlikely life. No longer
than most men's, but larger. And as
strange as his stories got, the
endings were always the most
surprising of all.
INT. HALF-DARK PARIS APARTMENT - (PRESENT) DAY
Over the sound of rain, a phone RINGS on a chair. By the
tone of the ring, we know we're not in the U.S. -- it has
that insistent European sound.
As it keeps RINGING, we look to see the apartment is mostly
empty, just a few half-unpacked boxes. A cradle is still in
its carton.
KEYS in the lock. LAUGHTER in the hallway. The door swings
open to reveal a drenched Will (29) carrying four sacks of
groceries, the bottoms collapsing from the rain. His wife
Josephine (28) pushes past him to get the phone.
JOSEPHINE
Allo oui?
Will begins stripping out of his wet clothes, each layer
unleashing a new drizzle. He plays it up, trying to get a
reaction out of Josephine.
JOSEPHINE
(on phone)
Yes, he's here.
She hands the phone to Will, concerned.
JOSEPHINE
It's your mother.
Half-stripped, Will takes the phone. This won't be good news.
WILL
(on phone)
Hi. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
As Josephine takes off her rain coat, we see she is very,
very pregnant. She listens carefully to Will's side of the
conversation, trying to gauge how bad the news is.
WILL (CONT'D)
What does Dr. Bennett say? Okay. No,
sure, let me talk to him. I'll wait.
He covers the mouthpiece. Looks over to Josephine.
JOSEPHINE
It's bad.
WILL
It's more than they thought. They're
going to stop chemo.
JOSEPHINE
You need to go.
WILL
Probably tonight.
A beat.
JOSEPHINE
I'm going with you.
WILL
You don't have to.
JOSEPHINE
(a simple fact)
I'm going with you.
INT. AIR FRANCE 747 - NIGHT
As the plane continues boarding, a STEWARDESS recites the
welcome spiel in French. Will has a window seat in coach.
Josephine sits beside him, putting on hand lotion.
Taking his hands, she rubs the excess into him. There's an
effortless intimacy between them. She can pinpoint what he's
feeling before he can.
INT. 747 / FLYING - NIGHT
Hours later, and the lights are dimmed. Most of the PASSENGERS
are asleep, including Josephine. Her head is propped against
Will's shoulder, her hands tucked under her belly.
Will watches her sleep, brushing back her hair. A beat, then
he notices a BORED BOY in the next row over.
Off the glow of the reading light, the boy is using his hands
to cast shadows on the seat back. The kid is pretty good,
making a convincing bird, a passable monkey, and finally a
dog.
We PUSH IN on the silhouettes.
EDWARD (O.S., PRELAP)
So which one's it gonna be? The Monkey
in the Barn, the Dog in the Road?
Focusing on the final shadow, we...
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. BLOOM HOUSE - NIGHT
...come to find Edward making the shapes.
Will (6) sits in his pajamas on the floor next to him. The
endtable lamp lies between them, its shade off to cast big
shadows on the wall.
WILL
The one about the witch.
EDWARD
Your mom says I can't tell you that
one anymore. You get nightmares.
WILL
I'm not scared.
Edward looks around for a beat, seeing if his wife is in
earshot. He then leans in, complicitous.
EDWARD
Neither was I. At first.
Will smiles, excited to hear the forbidden story.
EDWARD
This all happened in the swamp outside
of Ashton. Kids weren't supposed to
go out in the swamp, on account of
the snakes and spiders and quicksand
that would swallow you up before you
could even scream. But there were
five of us out there that night: Me,
Ruthie, Wilbur Freely, and the Price
Brothers, Don and Zacky.
Edward holds up his hand, counting the names on his fingers.
EDWARD
Not a one of us knew what was in
store.
As his hand moves past the light, we
COME TO:
A flashlight SWEEPS past. We are...
EXT. FIELD AT THE SWAMP EDGE - NIGHT
The night is WHIRRING and BREATHING, alive. The moon hangs
low, casting long shadows.
Five kids walk past in silhouette. Four have flashlights on.
The fifth keeps tripping, crashing into YOUNG EDWARD (10).
EDWARD
Zacky, turn your flashlight on!
ZACKY
I don't got any batteries!
Red-headed ZACKY PRICE is 10. His brother DON PRICE is 12,
and a lot bigger than the others.
DON PRICE
Then why'd you bring it?
ZACKY
I don't want to be in the swamp with
a witch and no flashlight.
WILBUR FREELY, also 10, is the black asthmatic son of a
sharecropper. Redheaded RUTHIE MACKLIN, 8, is happy just to
be there.
EDWARD
Is it true she got a glass eye?
WILBUR FREELY
I heard she got it from Gypsies.
EDWARD
What's a Gypsy?
ZACKY
Your momma's a Gypsy.
DON PRICE
Your momma's a bitch.
RUTHIE
You shouldn't swear. There's ladies
present.
DON PRICE
Shit.
ZACKY
Damn.
WILBUR FREELY
Screw.
EDWARD
(whispering)
Turn off your flashlights! She'll
see 'em.
MOVING UP behind the kids, we find ourselves at the gates
of...
EXT. A CREEPY OLD HOUSE - NIGHT
ADULT EDWARD (V.O.)
Now, it's common knowledge that most
towns of a certain size have a witch,
if only to eat misbehaving children
and the occasional puppy who wanders
into her yard. Witches use those
bones to cast spells and curses that
make the land infertile.
We PULL BACK, and BACK, revealing more of the Gothically
creepy house: its broken windows, strangling vines, and eerie
gargoyles half-buried in the dirt. Even bats are afraid to
fly over it.
In the moonlight, the house is especially sinister. Who knows
what is lurking in the shadows?
ADULT EDWARD (V.O.)
Yet of the all the witches in Alabama,
there was one who was the most feared.
For she had one glass eye, which was
said to contain mystical powers.
We finally come to the kids, staring in through the gate.
WILBUR FREELY
I hear if you look right at it, you
can see how you're gonna die.
EDWARD
That's bull-s-h-i-t, that is. She's
not even a real witch.
DON PRICE
You're so sure, why don't you go in
and get that eye? I heard she keeps
it in a box on her nighttable.
Edward looks back at the spooky house.
DON PRICE
Or are you too scared?
EDWARD
I'll go in right now and get that
eye.
DON PRICE
Then do it.
EDWARD
Fine, I will.
DON PRICE
Fine, you do it.
EDWARD
Fine, I'm doing it.
He hands Zacky his flashlight, then starts climbing the gate.
RUTHIE
Edward, don't!
WILBUR FREELY
She'll make soap out of you!
(to Ruthie)
That's what she does, she makes soap
out of people.
Edward drops down on the far side of the gate. Truth be told,
Edward is scared, but he forges ahead anyway.
Wilbur looks to Ruthie, and they're in complete agreement.
They get the hell out of there. Zacky would run too, but Don
holds him by the collar.
EXT. APPROACHING THE HOUSE
Edward curves around the tall bushes that hide the front
door. Anything could jump out of them.
He steps on the porch. The boards SQUEAL and CREAK, but he
continues on. A cat SCREAMS OUT from a broken wicker rocker.
Catching his breath, Edward reaches the front door.
The doorknob is ancient brass, two projections that look
like horns. Yet Edward extends his hand, reaching closer and
closer before he finally
RINGS THE DOORBELL.
Impossibly fast, the door opens, revealing an OLD WOMAN with
a patch over her left eye. She looks like she's been dead
for years, but too stubborn to lie down.
EDWARD
(calm and
straightforward)
Ma'am, my name is Edward Bloom, and
there's some folks'd like to see
your eye.
EXT. BACK AT THE GATE - NIGHT
Zacky and Don Price wait for Edward, each moment more
convinced he's already dead. But suddenly, he's back at the
gate.
DON PRICE
You get the eye?
EDWARD
I brought it.
DON PRICE
(dubious)
Let's see it.
The Old Woman steps out of the shadows behind Edward, flipping
up her eye patch. When their flashlight beam hits her left
eye, it shines with a hellish glow.
We RUSH IN on Zacky, who is paralyzed by what he sees.
CUT TO:
EXT. FRONT PORCH OF HOUSE - DAY
An OLD MAN -- Zacky -- stands on a wobbly stepladder, changing
a lightbulb. Suddenly, the ladder gives way and he falls.
Dead.
EXT. AT THE GATE - NIGHT
We RUSH IN on Don Price.
CUT TO:
INT. FRATERNITY HOUSE BATHROOM - DAY
Twenty-year old Don Price falls face-forward on the tile,
face mushed in the grout. Very much dead.
EXT. AT THE GATE - NIGHT
Don and Zacky both tremble with fear. The latter has tears
in his eyes.
ZACKY
I saw how I was gonna die. I was
old, and I fell.
DON PRICE
I wasn't old at all.
The brothers suddenly bolt. Still standing next to the Old
Woman, Edward smiles.
EXT. AT THE OLD WOMAN'S DOOR - NIGHT
Edward helps her back inside. He could leave now, but
curiosity gets the better of him.
EDWARD
I was thinking about death and all.
About seeing how you're gonna die.
The Old Woman turns to him slightly, still not facing him.
EDWARD
I mean, on one hand, if dying was
all you thought about, it could kind
of screw you up. But it could kind
of help you, couldn't it? Because
you'd know that everything else you
can survive.
The Old Woman smiles a little, a crooked grin of broken teeth.
EDWARD
I guess I'm saying, I'd like to know.
The Old Woman turns leaning her face right in front of his.
And on a silent count of one, two, three -- Edward looks
into The Eye.
This time we don't cut. Instead, we HOLD ON Edward as he
witnesses his death. He stares transfixed, perplexed and
amused. Whatever he sees, it's not as dire as the other boys.
His future has something strange in store.
EDWARD
Huh. That's how I go?
The Old Woman nods. Still a little overwhelmed, Edward turns
and leaves.
ADULT EDWARD (V.O.)
From that moment on, I no longer
feared death. And for that, I was as
good as immortal.
As Edward leaves, the door swings SHUT on its own.
MATCH CUT TO:
INT./EXT. BLOOM HOUSE - (PRESENT) DAY
The front door opens to reveal Will and Josephine on the
porch with their bags. REVERSE to Will's mother Sandra (53),
surprised and a little annoyed.
SANDRA
How did you get here?
WILL
We swam. The Atlantic, it's not that
big really.
SANDRA
Ruth McHibbon offered to pick you up
at the airport.
WILL
We rented a car.
SANDRA
(simply)
You didn't need to do that. You just
didn't.
A beat. Starting over...
WILL
Hi, Mom.
He leans in and hugs her. She surrenders, squeezing her son
tight. Will and his mother are cut from the same cloth --
strong-willed but practical. They've always been close.
SANDRA
I'm so glad you're here.
That hug finished, Sandra pushes past her son to her daughter-
in-law. Seeing the size of her belly --
SANDRA
You shouldn't have flown. But...
They hug.
JOSEPHINE
It's good to see you. You look
beautiful.
It's not flattery. It's the truth.
SANDRA
Thank you. I'll bet you need to --
JOSEPHINE
Yes.
SANDRA
Down the hall on the right. The door
sticks. You have to really pull it.
Josephine squeezes past, a smile to her husband -- be nice.
Will heads back to the rental car to retrieve luggage. Sandra
follows him.
Coming down the driveway, we get to see the house for the
first time: an older suburban home, three bedrooms, big for
the neighborhood, and nicely grown into the lot. KIDS are
playing on the street.
WILL
Is that Dr. Bennett's car?
SANDRA
He's up with your father.
Heading back to the house...
WILL
How is he?
SANDRA
He's impossible. He won't eat. And
because he won't eat, he gets weaker.
And because he's weaker, he doesn't
want to eat.
WILL
How much time does he have left?
SANDRA
You don't talk about those things.
Not yet.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Sandra is pouring iced tea for Will and Josephine.
DR. JULIUS BENNETT (85) enters from the foyer, still winded
from coming down the stairs. He was the town's first Black
physician. He's still the town's best physician.
DR. BENNETT
Will.
WILL
Dr. Bennett. It's good to see you.
(they shake)
My wife, Josephine.
DR. BENNETT
A pleasure.
He judges her belly.
DR. BENNETT
You're seven months.
JOSEPHINE
(impressed)
To the day.
He leans close to her, whispering in her ear...
DR. BENNETT
It's a boy.
She smiles, surprised but not doubting. Will looks over --
what did he say? Josephine shakes her head.
Back to the main subject...
SANDRA
You don't think he looks any worse.
DR. BENNETT
No. I would say he's the same.
And in the silence that follows, a lot is said. It wasn't
the upbeat reply Sandra was hoping for.
WILL
Can I see him?
DR. BENNETT
Absolutely. Be good for you to talk
to him.
A moment of awkwardness -- everyone here knows they haven't
spoken in years.
Sandra hands Will a squat can of Ensure from the case on the
counter.
SANDRA
Get him to drink one of these. He
won't, but tell him he has to.
INT. FOYER - DAY
Coming out from the kitchen, Will slowly climbs the stairs.
They CREAK with every step.
The wall is filled with family photos, happier times. Most
of the pictures are of Will, starting when he was an infant
and ending at his wedding. As he climbs the stairs, we can
see him growing up with every step.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY
A crack of sunlight spills around the half-open door at the
end of the hallway. Will walks towards it, running a hand
along the wallpaper.
Almost at the door, he stops for a beat. Gets his breath.
Then goes inside.
INT. GUEST ROOM - DAY
Edward Bloom, 61, lies asleep on the bed. Although he's not
the vibrant man we've seen before, it's not as bad we feared.
The illness has been quick, and left him largely intact.
There are no I.V.'s, no monitors, nothing.
Coming up to the bed --
WILL
Dad?
Edward cracks open an eye, a beat before he focuses. He tries
to say something, but no words come out.
He looks over at a pitcher on the nightstand. Will pours him
a glass of water, helping him hold it to his parched lips.
Finished, Edward sets down the glass by himself. A very long,
tense beat. Will almost speaks again to fill the silence.
Finally...
EDWARD
You --
(he points)
-- are in for a surprise.
WILL
Am I?
EDWARD
Having a kid changes everything. I
mean, there's the diapers and the
burping and the midnight feedings...
WILL
Did you do any of that?
EDWARD
No, but I hear it's terrible. Then
you spend years trying to corrupt
and mislead this child, fill its
head with nonsense and still it turns
out perfectly fine.
WILL
You think I'm up for it?
EDWARD
You learned from the best.
Will doesn't rise to the challenge. A beat, then he remembers
the can of Ensure. Holds it up. Edward recoils.
WILL
Just drink half the can. I'll tell
her you drank the whole thing.
Everyone wins.
A beat, then Edward rolls his eyes. Fine. Will cracks open
the can, finding a straw on the nightstand.
EDWARD
People needn't worry so much. It's
not my time yet. This isn't how I
go.
WILL
Really.
EDWARD
Truly. I saw it in The Eye.
WILL
The Old Lady by the swamp.
EDWARD
She was a witch.
WILL
No, she was old and probably senile.
Maybe schizophrenic.
EDWARD
I saw my death in that eye. And this
is not how it happens.
WILL
So how does it happen?
EDWARD
Surprise ending. Wouldn't want to
ruin it for you.
Edward slurps down as much of the Ensure as he can stand,
then pushes the can away. He swallows with difficulty.
EDWARD
There was this panhandler who used
to stop me every morning when I came
out of this coffee shop near the
office.
WILL
Okay.
EDWARD
And every day I gave him a quarter.
Every day. Then I got sick and was
out for a couple of weeks. And when
I went back there, you know what he
said?
WILL
What did he say?
EDWARD
You owe me three-fifty.
WILL
Really.
EDWARD
True story.
A beat.
WILL
When did you ever work in an office?
EDWARD
There's a lot you don't know about
me.
WILL
You're right.
Edward gives a wry smile. He walked into that.
EDWARD
Your mother was worried we wouldn't
talk again. And look at us. We're
talking fine. We're storytellers,
both of us. I speak mine out, you
write yours down. Same thing.
Will won't commit to Edward's assessment.
WILL
Dad, I'm hoping we can talk about
some things while I'm here.
EDWARD
You mean, while I'm here.
WILL
I'd just like to know the true
versions of things. Events. Stories.
You.
Edward LAUGHS a little, which becomes a COUGH. The HACKING
escalates until another drink of water gets it under control.
It's not clear whether any of this was an act to keep from
talking.
EDWARD
Your mother hasn't been keeping up
the pool. If you wanted to you
could...
WILL
I will.
EDWARD
You know where the chemicals are?
WILL
I used to do it when you were gone,
remember? I used to do it a lot.
He didn't mean for that to sound so pointed. Taking the half-
empty Ensure, Will gets up to go. He's at the door when...
EDWARD
I was never much for being at home,
Will. It's too confining. And this,
here. Being stuck in bed. Dying is
the worst thing that ever happened
to me.
He smiles at his joke.
WILL
I thought you weren't dying.
EDWARD
I said this isn't how I go. The last
part is much more unusual. Trust me
on that.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY
Shutting the door behind himself, Will drinks the rest of
the Ensure himself. Edward was right. It tastes horrible.
Heading for the stairs, Will walks past an open door. As he
leaves frame, we STAY BEHIND to look inside...
INT. WILL'S BEDROOM - DAY [FLASHBACK]
...where an eight-year old Will is propped up in bed, his
face covered with chicken pox and pink calamine lotion. He's
showing Edward how many bumps there are on his arm.
YOUNG WILL
Dr. Bennett says I'm going to have
to be home for a week.
EDWARD
That's nothing. I once had to stay
in bed for three years.
YOUNG WILL
Did you have chicken pox?
EDWARD
I wish.
CUT TO:
INT. TINY CHURCH - DAY
Wearing a white shirt and tie, YOUNG EDWARD -- still about
10 -- sings "Down to the River My Lord" along with the
CONGREGATION. His voice is high and thin, but he gives it
his all.
Suddenly, his voice CRACKS and DROPS a half-octave. And then
another. His friends Wilbur Freeley and Ruthie look over,
wondering what's wrong. Embarrassed, Edward just keeps
SINGING, trying to follow along with the baritone part.
He pulls at his collar. Then pulls again, his face getting
red. Starting to panic, he loosens his tie. He's starting to
undo the collar button when it POPS off by itself. Two more
buttons fly off. One hits a CHUBBY WOMAN in the neck.
ON HIS SHOES
As we watch, Edward's pant cuffs rise inch by inch -- that's
how fast he's growing.
EDWARD (V.O.)
Truth is, no one quite knew what was
wrong. Most times, a person grows up
gradually. I found myself in a hurry.
INT. YOUNG EDWARD'S BEDROOM - DAY
Young Edward lies in bed, his limbs connected to various
pulleys and levers to support his weight. He has a dozen
encyclopedias around him, and another dozen on the floor.
EDWARD (V.O.)
My muscles couldn't keep up with my
bones, and my bones couldn't keep up
with my body's ambition. So I spent
the better part of three years
confined to my bed, with the World
Book Encyclopedia being my only means
of exploration. I had made it all
the way to the "G's," hoping to find
an answer to my gigantificationism,
when I uncovered an article about
the common goldfish.
INSERT: The encyclopedia article, complete with drawings.
YOUNG EDWARD
(reading)
"Kept in a small bowl, the goldfish
will remain small. With more space,
the fish can grow double, triple, or
quadruple its size."
Young Edward thinks this through.
EDWARD (V.O.)
It occurred to me then, that perhaps
the reason for my growth was that I
was intended for larger things. After
all, a giant man can't have an
ordinary-sized life.
EXT. BASEBALL FIELD - DAY
The CRACK of a bat announces the game-winning home run. The
crowd CHEERS the swing, and especially the batter as he rounds
the bases.
Although we've seen him briefly before, this is our first
real exposure to GROWN-UP EDWARD, who we'll follow from
roughly the ages of 18 to 30.
EDWARD (V.O.)
As soon as my bones had settled in
their adult configuration, I set
upon my plan to make a bigger place
for myself in Ashton.
EXT. SCHOOL FIELDS - DAY
SINGLE SHOTS: Football hero Edward leads his team to victory.
On the sidelines, a PRETTY GIRL admits the name of her secret
love:
GIRL
Edward Bloom!
The other GIRLS SQUEAL in agreement. Don Price looks over,
glowers.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
SINGLE SHOT: A lawnmower ROARS along the grass. We LOOK UP
to see who's pushing it, but it's not Edward. It's one of
his teenage EMPLOYEES.
Edward is back at the truck, which is painted to read, "Bloom
Landscaping." He has workers on every lawn.
He signs an autograph for an ADMIRING CUB SCOUT.
INT. BASKETBALL COURT - DAY
Edward takes an impossible shot at the buzzer from the other
end of the court. Naturally, he makes it, winning the game.
As the crowd goes wild for Edward, Don Price is the only
teammate who doesn't mob him.
EXT. TOWN - DAY
Edward carries a dog out of a burning house.
INT. SCIENCE FAIR - DAY
Edward wins a blue ribbon for his invention, a machine
labelled "Perpetual Motion." He and the JUDGE pose for a
photograph. A FLASH.
Pissed, Don Price throws his crappy lima bean plants in the
trash.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL STAGE - DAY
A dashingly handsome Edward leads the CAST out for a curtain
call. He's the star of the show. Off to the side, we see Don
Price is the ass-end of a horse costume.
Edward soaks in his applause, smiling and gracious.
EXT. GRADUATION STAGE - DAY
Edward accepts his diploma. The PRINCIPAL hugs him tight.
EDWARD (V.O.)
I was the biggest thing Ashton had
ever seen. Until one day, a stranger
arrived.
EXT. FARM - DAY
As two FARMERS shake their heads, we REVERSE to a show a
massive hole punched through the side of a barn. It's roughly
the shape of man, but no human could be that large.
EXT. SHEEP PEN - DAY
Two fat ewes look up, a shadow falling across them. They
BLEAT in panic as
TWO OVERSIZED HANDS
reach in and scoop them up. Their protests continue as they're
carried away, one under each arm. We still haven't seen the
full stranger.
EXT. COURT HOUSE - DAY
A MOB of about 50 have gathered, many of them with shotguns.
Amid the crowd we see Don Price.
SHARECROPPER
He ate an entire cornfield!
LITTLE GIRL
He ate my dog!
HOT-BLOODED SHOTGUN TOTER
If you ain't gonna stop him Mayor,
we will!
MAYOR
I won't have mob violence in this
town. Now, has someone tried talking
to him?
SOME FARMER
You can't reason with 'im!
SHEPHARD
He's a monster!
Agreement from the crowd. And then...
A VOICE (O.S.)
I'll do it.
Everyone turns to see who said that. The crowd parts to reveal
none other than Edward Bloom. Don Price glowers.
EDWARD
I'll talk to him. See if I can get
him to move on.
MAYOR
Son, that creature could crush you
without trying.
EDWARD
Trust me, he'll have to try.
EXT. HILL OUTSIDE ASHTON - DAY
Edward climbs up the last bit of the steep hillside, reaching
the mouth of a cave. Outside, buzzards squabble over the
remains of the giant's feast: broken barrels, bones picked
clean.
In his most serious voice, Edward calls out:
EDWARD
Hello!
There's no answer.
EDWARD
My name is Edward Bloom! I want to
talk to you!
From deep in a cave, a thunderous voice:
VOICE (O.S.)
GO AWAY!
The giant's voice has such force, it blows Edward's hair
back.
EDWARD
I'm not going anywhere until you
show yourself.
A beat, then we hear a RUMBLE, like a train coming. Edward
braces himself, fists ready for a fight, if that's what it's
going to take.
As the RUMBLE gets louder, the ground starts to shake. Even
Edward starts to worry. Just how big is this guy?
EDWARD (V.O.)
Armed with the foreknowledge of my
own death, I knew the giant couldn't
kill me. All the same, I preferred
to keep my bones unbroken.
Edward picks up a stone, ready to play David to Goliath.
Then suddenly, the giant bursts forth. Hunched over, he slams
into a stunned Edward, knocking him halfway down the hill.
KARL THE GIANT is bigger than any man you've ever seen. Not
just tall, but massive. He's completely feral, with a beard
to his elbow and skin scratched and blistered. What remains
of his clothes are ragged and muddy. God knows what's living
in his matted hair.
Karl leans over Edward, blocking the sun. Edward throws his
rock, but it just bounces off. The giant didn't even notice
it.
KARL
Why are you here?
Edward ponders the best response, settling on...
EDWARD
So you can eat me. The town decided
to send a human sacrifice, and I
volunteered.
Karl's eyes narrow, confused. Edward stands up.
EDWARD
My arms are a little stringy, but
there's some good eating on my legs.
I mean, I'd be tempted to eat them
myself.
(beat)
So I guess, just, if you could get
it over with quick. Because I'm not
much for pain, really.
Edward closes his eyes, hands at his side, ready to be eaten.
Karl just stares at him, not sure what to do.
After a beat, Edward opens his eyes a tiny bit, just to see
what the giant is doing. Relieved to see he's not licking
his chops --
EDWARD
Look, I can't go back. I'm a human
sacrifice. If I go back, everyone
will think I'm a coward. And I'd
rather be dinner than a coward.
Karl sits down with a BOOM, dejected.
EDWARD
Here, start with my hand. It'll be
an appetizer.
Reaching up, Edward shoves his hand into Karl's mouth. But
the giant spits it back out.
KARL
I don't want to eat you. I don't
want to eat anybody. It's just I get
so hungry. I'm too big.
And that's the sad truth. Karl is less a monster than a freak --
a giant man, but in the end, just a man.
Edward takes a seat beside him.
EDWARD
Did you ever think maybe you're not
too big? Maybe this town's just too
small. I mean, look at it.
Circling behind them, we look down at Ashton -- a tiny town
in a tiny valley.
EDWARD
Hardly two stories in the whole place.
Now I've heard in real cities, they've
got buildings so tall you can't even
see the tops of 'em.
KARL
Really?
EDWARD
Wouldn't lie to you. And they've got
all-you-can-eat buffets. You can eat
a lot, can't you?
KARL
I can.
EDWARD
So why are you wasting your time in
a small town? You're a big man. You
should be in the big city.
Karl smiles, but then it fades. A certain sad suspicion --
KARL
You're just trying to get me to leave,
aren't you? That's why they sent you
here.
EDWARD
What's your name, Giant?
KARL
Karl.
EDWARD
Mine's Edward. And truthfully, I do
want you to leave, Karl. But I want
to leave with you.
(closer)
You think this town is too small for
you, well, it's too small for a man
of my ambition. I can't see staying
here a day longer.
KARL
You don't like it?
EDWARD
I love every square inch of it. But
I can feel the edges closing in on
me. A man's life can only grow to a
certain size in a place like this.
(beat)
So what do you say? Join me?
Karl thinks a moment. Then --
KARL
Okay.
EDWARD
Okay.
They shake on it.
EDWARD
Now first, we gotta get you ready
for the city.
EXT. RIVER - DAY
IN A SINGLE SHOT, Karl cuts his hair with hedge clippers,
while Edward cuts up a surplus army tent to make him a shirt.
EXT. MAIN STREET OF ASHTON - DAY
Spirits buoyed by the high school MARCHING BAND, all the
good CITIZENS of Ashton are gathered to see off Edward and
Karl.
There's a few tears amid the familiar faces.
MAYOR
(loudly, for the crowd)
Edward Bloom, first son of Ashton,
it's with a heavy heart we see you
go. But take with you this Key to
the City, and know that any time you
want to come back, all our doors are
open to you.
Edward ducks a bit so the Mayor can put the key around his
neck. The crowd CHEERS. And with that, Edward and Karl start
walking, waving as they go.
Only DON PRICE, smoking on the corner, isn't sad to see Edward
go. He crushes his cigarette under his heel. He wishes he
could crush Edward.
Many of the townfolk come onto the street to hug Edward or
shake his hand.
EDWARD (V.O.)
That afternoon as I left Ashton,
everyone seemed to have advice.
VARIOUS TOWNFOLK
Find yourself a nice girl! Don't
trust anyone in Kentucky! Watch your
pride, Edward Bloom!
EDWARD (V.O.)
But there was one person whose counsel
I held above all others.
As the crowd parts, he finds himself face to face with
THE OLD WOMAN.
The ruckus slows and quiets, as if a strange spell has been
cast. She motions for Edward to lean down, so she can whisper
something to him. Although we're VERY CLOSE, we can't hear
her voice.
EDWARD (V.O.)
She said that the biggest fish in
the river gets that way by never
being caught.
The advice only succeeds in confusing Edward.
EDWARD
(to the Old Woman)
Okay. Thanks.
Edward and Karl keep walking. The Old Woman shuffles off,
somehow knowing her advice will go unheeded.
KARL
What did she say?
EDWARD
Beats me.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
We TILT UP from the road to reveal Edward and Karl walking
out of Ashton. Each wears a backpack with all his earthly
possessions.
EDWARD (V.O.)
There were two roads out of Ashton,
a new one which was paved, and an
older one that wasn't. People didn't
use the old road anymore, and it had
developed the reputation of being
haunted.
Edward and Karl come to a bend, where the paved road veers
left and an overgrown dirt road runs straight. The old road
is blocked with signs and warnings of danger.
EDWARD (V.O.)
Since I had no intention of ever
returning to Ashton, this seemed as
good a time as any to find out what
lay down that old road.
Karl looks at the dirt road, wary.
KARL
You know anyone's who's taken it?
EDWARD
That poet, Norther Winslow did. He
was going to Paris, France. He must
have liked it, because no one ever
heard from him again.
(beat)
Tell you what. You take the other
way and I'll cut through here. Meet
you on the far side.
A little paranoid...
KARL
You're not trying to run away?
EDWARD
Just to be sure, you can take my
pack.
Karl perks up, even though it means more for him to carry.
EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY
The road is overgrown, but not altogether creepy. The sun is
still shining, and the birds still CHIRPING.
Spinning the Key to the City, Edward WHISTLES, because it's
a day meant for whistling.
EXT. FURTHER ALONG - ROUGH PATH
The road has narrowed to a rough path. Spikes of sunlight
break through the thick canopy, catching particles in the
air. Still, Edward WHISTLES.
Coming around a bend, his PITCH DROPS as he sees thick, thorny
vines growing across the path. He stops. For the first time,
he realizes the birds have stopped singing. The forest is
dead quiet.
He looks back the way he came. It's tempting to go back. It
would be easier to go back. But Edward presses on.
He carefully steps through the thorns. His trouser legs catch
on the barbs. We can hear the fabric TEAR.
FURTHER ALONG
A scratched and sweaty Edward waves off various STINGING
BUGS flying at him, finally whipping off his hat to swat at
them.
Just then a CAWING crow swoops down and grabs the hat right
out of his hands.
EDWARD
You stupid sonofa...
He stops his swearing, but grabs a rock and throws it. The
stone ricochets off a tree and into a BEE'S NEST. The swarm
roars out.
Edward high-tails it, each step still precarious.
EXT. THE DARK FOREST - DAY [LATER]
Edward is bruised, battered and bee-stung.
A half-broken sign lies in the road. Edward picks it up.
Reads it:
WARNING!
JUMPING SPIDERS!
Sure enough, up ahead he sees the path is overgrown with
thick cobwebs, heavy from the rain.
EDWARD (V.O.)
There comes a point where a reasonable
man will swallow his pride and admit
he's made a terrible mistake. The
truth is, I was never a reasonable
man.
Edward tosses the sign and forges ahead, into the spiderwebs.
EDWARD
And what I recalled of Sunday School
was that the more difficult something
became, the more rewarding it was in
the end.
EXT. CLEARING / THE ROAD - DAY
Edward emerges from the forest, brushing the last cobwebs
off and shaking the spiders from his shirt. One is stuck in
his sleeve, and he has to dance to get it out. Even then, he
still keeps twitching, convinced another one is left behind.
At his feet, the gravel road has returned, smooth and dusty
and comforting.
Ahead lies a tiny one-street town -- smaller even than Ashton --
with powerlines emerging from the woods to feed it. Dangling
from the line above he sees two dozen pairs of shoes, their
laces tied together.
He passes a sign that reads "Welcome To Spectre!"
EXT. THE TOWN OF SPECTRE - DAY
It's a main street with stores on each side: Cole's Pharmacy,
Talbot's Five and Dime, Al's Country Store. Everything is
old, but this isn't a ghost town. In fact, there's a group
of about 20 CITIZENS spilling out to see Edward approach.
Most are smiling. There are even a few tears of joy.
What's more, all of these people are barefoot.
MAN'S VOICE
Friend!
A forty-year old man named BEAMEN comes out of the seed store
to greet Edward. Friendly but a little drunk, he's the closest
thing the town has to a mayor. He's carrying a clipboard.
BEAMEN
Welcome to ya. What's your name?
EDWARD
Edward Bloom.
Beamen checks the clipboard. Not finding the name, he flips
forward a few pages. Still looking...
BEAMEN
Bloom like a flower?
EDWARD
Yes.
BEAMEN
Oh. Here! Right here. Edward Bloom.
We weren't expecting you yet.
Still confused...
EDWARD
You were expecting me?
BEAMEN
Not yet.
A helpful woman named MILDRED chimes in:
MILDRED
You must have taken a shortcut.
EDWARD
I did. It nearly killed me.
BEAMEN
Mmm-hmm. Life'll do that to you. And
truthfully, the long way is easier,
but it's longer.
MILDRED
Much longer.
BEAMEN
And you're here now, and that's what
matters.
Beamen's daughter JENNY (8) hides behind her father, peering
around to look at the handsome stranger.
EDWARD
What is this place?
BEAMEN
The town of Spectre. Best kept secret
in Alabama. Says here you're from
Ashton, right? Last person we had
from Ashton was Norther Winslow.
EDWARD
The poet? What ever happened to him?
BEAMEN
He's still here. Let me buy you a
drink. I'll tell you all about it.
Hell, I'll have him tell you.
EDWARD
No. I've gotta meet somebody. I'm
already running late.
He didn't mean it as a joke, but for some reason, everyone's
laughing.
BEAMEN
Son, I already told you. You're early.
INT. BEAMEN'S HOUSE - DAY
Sitting at the kitchen table, Edward takes a second slice of
apple pie. He and Beamen are joined by NORTHER WINSLOW (30),
who fancies himself a cultured artist, though he's never
left the state.
BEAMEN
Now tell me if that isn't the best
pie you ever ate.
EDWARD
It truly is.
UNDER THE TABLE
Young Jenny is stealthily untying the laces on Edward's shoes.
NORTHER WINSLOW
Everything here tastes better. Even
the water is sweet. Never gets too
hot, too cold, too humid. At night
the wind goes through the trees and
you'd swear there was a whole symphony
out there, playing just for you.
Suddenly, Jenny YANKS OFF Edward's shoes. She races for the
door.
EDWARD
Hey!
He chases after her.
EXT. TOWN / MAIN STREET - DAY
As she runs, Jenny ties Edward's laces together. Reaching
the edge of town, she tosses the shoes up and around the
power line -- a perfect throw. There's no way he's ever
getting them down.
The gathered citizens of Spectre CHEER for Edward, who is
confused and overwhelmed. The women hug him. Men shake his
hand.
Still focused on his shoes...
EDWARD
Wait! I need those!
NORTHER WINSLOW
There is no softer ground than town.
MILDRED
That rhymes!
BEAMEN
He is our poet laureate.
The townsfolk continue to congratulate Edward...
EDWARD (V.O.)
Sometimes in a dream, you'll visit
places that seem instantly familiar,
filled with friends you've never
met.
EXT. UNDER A TREE - DUSK
Edward sits with Norther Winslow. The fireflies are out.
Thousands of them.
EDWARD (V.O.)
A man might travel his entire life
and never find a place so inviting.
My journey had scarcely begun, and I
had arrived.
Norther hands him his noteboook.
NORTHER WINSLOW
I've been working on this poem for
12 years.
EDWARD
Really.
NORTHER WINSLOW
There's a lot of expectation. I don't
want to disappoint my fans.
A beat.
EDWARD
It's only three lines long.
Norther grabs his notebook back.
NORTHER WINSLOW
This is why you don't show work in
progress.
EDWARD
Norther, do you ever regret not making
it to Paris?
NORTHER WINSLOW
I can't imagine any place better
than here.
EDWARD
You're a poet. You oughta be able
to. And maybe if you'd seen more,
you could.
Norther doesn't answer. Just goes back to his notebook.
EXT. BY THE RIVER - NIGHT
By the light of the full moon, Edward soaks his feet in the
water, trying to make sense of it all. The Key to the City
dangles around his neck.
He stares at himself in the reflection. He smiles.
It's then that a WOMAN emerges at the far side of the river.
No telling where she came from -- she must have been swimming
underwater. We never see her face.
She stands in the river with her bare back to Edward,
squeezing the water out of her golden hair, oblivious to his
presence. Edward is breathless. It's the first woman he's
seen in her natural state, and he doesn't dare move lest he
frighten her away.
Then he sees the snake.
It's a cottonmouth, has to be. It leaves a break in the water,
its small reptilian head aiming for her flesh.
There's no decision to be made. On pure instinct, Edward
dives in. He swims as hard as can,
GRABBING THE SNAKE
just as it's about to strike.
The woman dives back underwater, understandably terrified
that a man is coming at her.
EDWARD
No, it's okay! I got it. I got the
snake.
As the splashing subsides, Edward looks at what he holds in
his hands. Which isn't a snake at all, but rather a common
stick. And a non-threatening one at that.
While Edward ponders his mistake, he looks around to discover
that the Girl in the River is gone. He never even saw her
face.
EDWARD
Wait! I'm sorry. Hello?!
Edward keeps expecting her to surface, somewhere, but she
never does. He stands alone in the river, wondering what
tricks his eyes are playing on him.
EXT. BY THE RIVER - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.)
There's leeches in there!
Edward looks to the bank, where young Jenny Hill is watching
him.
EDWARD
Did you see that woman?
JENNY
What did she look like?
EDWARD
Well, she... uh...
JENNY
Was she nekkid?
Embarrassed to admit it...
EDWARD
Yeah.
JENNY
(matter-of-fact)
It's not a woman, it's a fish. No
one ever catches her.
Given the day he's had so far, Edward isn't inclined to follow
up on the issue. He starts to wade back to the bank.
JENNY (CONT'D)
Fish looks diff'rent to diff'rent
people. My daddy said it looked like
the coon dog he had when he was kid,
back from the dead.
Edward climbs up onto the shore, completely drenched. He
pulls up his pant legs to reveal three shiny leeches clinging
to his skin.
EDWARD
Shoot.
He starts to work pulling them off.
EXT. PATH BACK TO TOWN - NIGHT
Edward and Jenny walk back.
JENNY
How old are you?
EDWARD
Eighteen.
JENNY
I'm eight. That means when I'm
eighteen, you'll be 28. And when I'm
28, you'll only be 38.
EDWARD
(a little wary)
You're pretty good at arithmetic.
JENNY
And when I'm 38, you'll be 48. And
that's not much difference at all.
Eager to get off this subject...
EDWARD
Sure is a lot now, though, huh?
EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT
As Edward and Jenny approach Main Street, they find "downtown"
has been transformed. Lanterns and streamers hang on cables
across the street, and a small stage has been built at one
end to hold FIDDLERS.
The whole town is there in celebration of its newest citizen,
Edward Bloom. Before he can protest, two WOMEN have grabbed
him by the arms, pulling him in to dance with them.
The resulting dance number seems both choreographed and
complete chaos. From FARMER to BAKER'S WIFE, everyone wants
to dance with Edward, who finds himself tossed around like a
stick caught in a whirlpool. Still, he's having a blast.
Jenny grabs both his hands, and they spin wildly.
Beamen plucks his LAUGHING daughter away to dance with her.
Then Mildred cuts in to dance with Edward. It's hard to hear
over the MUSIC.
MILDRED
Jenny thinks you're quite a catch.
We all do.
EDWARD
(not hearing)
What?
MILDRED
I said you're quite a catch!
Edward stops dancing. A beat, then he heads for the edge of
the crowd. Beamen is there, with Jenny on his shoulders.
EDWARD
I have to leave. Tonight.
BEAMEN
Why?
EDWARD
This town is everything a man could
ask for. And if I were to end up
here, I'd consider myself lucky. But
the fact is, I'm not ready to end up
anywhere.
BEAMEN
No one's ever left.
JENNY
How are you gonna make it without
your shoes?
EDWARD
I suspect it will hurt a lot.
And with that, Edward walks down Main Street. The townspeople
stop dancing, disbelieving, some shaking their heads.
Poor Edward Bloom's gone crazy.
BEAMEN
(calling after him)
You won't find a better place!
EDWARD
I don't expect to.
Jenny runs to him. She'd tackle him if she could.
JENNY
Promise me you'll come back.
EDWARD
I promise. Someday. When I'm really
supposed to.
It's not good enough, but it will have to do. Edward keeps
walking.
EXT. THE DARK FOREST - NIGHT
VARIOUS SHOTS: Edward negotiates the thorns in his bare feet.
It's horrible. Almost unendurable.
And then it gets worse.
The trees ahead are moving. At first, it just seems to be
the wind blowing the branches, but as we hear the wood
CRACKING and GROANING, there's no mistaking it: they're trying
to block him.
Snake-like WHITE ROOTS shoot out of the ground, grabbing for
his ankles. He leaps up, kicking off one tree trunk to grab
another one's branches. He swings off, lands and rolls. Now
all the trees are moving to block him, their dark shapes
towering over him in the flashes of LIGHTNING.
EDWARD (V.O.)
As difficult as it was to reach
Spectre, I was fated to get there
eventually. After all, no man can
avoid reaching the end of his life.
As he ducks under branches, the chain holding the Key to the
City gets caught. He's almost strangled, but the chain finally
breaks. The silver key disappears into the mud.
Scrambling forward, he looks for a way out. But the trees
have encircled him, their spiky crowns bending down to crush
him.
He SCREAMS up at the night, until his breath is gone.
EDWARD
And then I realized, this wasn't the
end of my life.
With a sudden calm...
EDWARD
(aloud)
This isn't how I die.
Another lightning FLASH, and suddenly the trees are back
where they've always been. Edward is lying shoeless and torn
in a muddy puddle, staring up at the rain. And LAUGHING.
EXT. THE ROAD - DAY
His bare foot steps onto asphalt.
A DEEP VOICE
Friend!
Edward turns to see
KARL
to his right, coming down the larger, paved road.
KARL
What happened to your shoes?
Edward looks down at his muddy, bloody feet.
EDWARD
They got ahead of me.
With that, the men start walking down the larger road.
CROSSFADE TO:
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Edward and Will sit at opposite ends of the table, with Sandra
and Josephine in the middle. Although Edward has a small
plate of food in front of him, he hasn't touched it. He's
exhausted from the trip downstairs, but determined to maintain
the family dinner ritual.
The other three eat awkwardly, each CLINK and SCRAPE of a
knife or fork resonating. Will finally breaks the silence.
WILL
I don't know if you've seen it, but
Josephine has some photos in the
most recent Newsweek.
SANDRA
Really! That's wonderful.
JOSEPHINE
I spent a week in Morocco for the
story. It was incredible.
SANDRA
We'll have to pick up a copy.
A beat. As Will scoops out another serving of potatoes, Edward
suddenly speaks:
EDWARD
I don't know if you're aware of this,
Josephine, but African parrots, in
their native home of the Congo --
they speak only French.
All three stop to listen.
JOSEPHINE
(amused)
Really.
EDWARD
You're lucky to get four words out
of them in English. But if you were
to walk through the jungle, you'd
hear them speaking the most elaborate
French. Those parrots talk about
everything: politics, movies, fashion --
everything but religion.
Taking the bait...
WILL
Why not religion, Dad?
EDWARD
It's rude to talk about religion.
You never know who you're going to
offend.
A beat.
WILL
Josephine actually went to the Congo
last year.
EDWARD
Oh, so you know.
INT. GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
Will shakes a shopping cart free from the pile-up while his
mother checks her list.
AT THE PRODUCE SECTION
Sandra starts to bag string beans.
WILL
Mom, would you say you understand
Dad?
SANDRA
Of course.
WILL
What I mean is, do you really know
what's going on in his head?
SANDRA
Yes.
WILL
How is that possible? I mean, you
try to ask him a question and suddenly
it's another one of his stories.
(decidedly)
You can't honestly say you know him.
SANDRA
Yes, Will, I do. And don't presume
things you don't know.
She's more amused than annoyed, but Will is entering dangerous
territory.
SANDRA
Would you say you understand
Josephine?
WILL
Yes. But that's a different...
SANDRA
No it's not. It's exactly the same.
Your father and I met, we dated, and
we married -- we chose each other --
because we understood each other on
some fundamental level. Just the
same as you two.
She moves on to the carrots.
WILL
Josephine and I have a lot in common.
SANDRA
Yes, you both think William Bloom is
a very smart man.
(beat)
The problem is, you only see me as
your mother, and not as someone's
wife. And I've been his wife longer
than I've been your mother. You can't
discount that.
WILL
True. But I've known him my whole
life, and I don't feel like I know
him at all. Or ever will.
With a look, Sandra acknowledges the stakes.
SANDRA
I know it's not easy. Just remember,
he didn't choose to be your father
and you didn't choose to be his son.
You just ended up together. You could
pick numbers out of a dark bag and
it'd be just the same. If you ask
me, it's a wonder parents and children
can stand each other at all.
WILL
But I understand you, Mom. I always
have.
SANDRA
Well, clearly you don't. But I'm not
the mystery you're trying to solve
right now.
INT. AT THE CHECKOUT - NIGHT
Reaching the CASHIER, Sandra hands over her coupons. Will is
approaching with a Newsweek magazine.
Two checkstands over, an ATTRACTIVE BLONDE WOMAN in her 50's
is getting her change. Though she's Sandra's generation, she
carries herself like a much younger woman, with blue jeans
and sneakers.
She accidentally makes eye contact with Will as he passes.
We HOLD ON the woman, who tracks Will as he reaches Sandra.
It's hard to read her reaction: does she recognize him, or
just find him attractive?
Will notices the gaze. The woman turns away.
Will racks his brain -- does he know this woman?
SANDRA
Before I forget, your father has
papers in the basement I'd like you
to go through. I wouldn't know what's
important.
WILL
(distracted)
Mom, do you know who that is? Blonde
hair.
Sandra looks. After a beat, the Blonde Woman turns again,
semi-casually. Noticing that both Will and Sandra are looking,
she smiles a little before taking her cart to leave.
SANDRA
(no idea)
Was she one of your teachers?
WILL
No. But it's weird. She seemed to
recognize me.
SANDRA
(to the cashier)
Do you know who that is?
The Cashier turns to look. He can only get a profile as the
woman leaves.
CASHIER
Never seen her before. Pretty, though.
INT. GUEST BEDROOM - NIGHT
A portable fan quietly WHIRRS in the corner. Turned low, the
RADIO on the nightstand is playing a call-in AM sports show,
just a wash of background chatter. Edward lies asleep on his
back.
At the window, Josephine quietly lowers the shade. She reaches
over Edward to switch off the radio. He stirs from the silence --
he wasn't fully asleep -- and sees Josephine stretched over
him.
EDWARD
(playfully lecherous)
Hello.
She smiles.
JOSEPHINE
Hi. How are you feeling?
EDWARD
I was dreaming.
JOSEPHINE
What were you dreaming about?
He tries to recollect, but it's already gone. Josephine
motions, is it okay for her to sit on the bed? He nods.
EDWARD
I don't usually remember unless
they're especially portentous. You
know what that word means, portentous?
She shakes her head.
EDWARD
Means when you dream about something
that's going to happen.
(beat, gathering)
Like one night, I had a dream where
this crow came and told me, "Your
Aunt is going to die." I was so scared
I woke up my parents. They told me
it was just a dream, to go back to
bed. But the next morning, my Aunt
Stacy was dead.
JOSEPHINE
That's terrible.
EDWARD
Terrible for her, but think about
me, young boy with that kind of power.
Wasn't three weeks later that the
crow came back to me in a dream and
said, "Your Grampa is going to die."
Well, I ran right back to my parents.
My father said, no, Gramps is fine,
but I could see there was trepidation.
And true enough, that next morning
my Grampa was dead.
He sits up a bit in bed, his strength returning.
EDWARD
For the next couple weeks, I didn't
have another dream. Until one night
the crow came back and said, "Your
Daddy is going to die."
(beat)
Well, I didn't know what to do. But
finally I told my father. And he
said not to worry, but I could tell
he was rattled. That next day, he
wasn't himself, always looking around,
waiting for something to drop on his
head. Because the crow didn't tell
how it was going to happen, just
those words: your Daddy is going to
die. Well, he went into town early
and was gone for a long time. And
when he finally came back, he looked
terrible, like he was waiting for
the axe to fall all day. He said to
my mother, "Good God. I just had the
worst day of my life."
(beat)
"You think you've had a bad day,"
she said. "This morning the milkman
dropped dead on the porch!" Josephine
smiles, a half-laugh, which gets him
smiling too.
A long beat. Then, deadpan...
EDWARD
Because see, my mother was banging
the milkman.
JOSEPHINE
No, I understand.
EDWARD
He was slipping her a little extra
cream.
She nods, a bit more of a laugh.
EDWARD
He was filling her basket. He was
making deliveries around back.
As Edward continues, she can't help but laugh harder,
especially as the metaphors get more vulgar.
EDWARD
He was buttering her rolls. Pumping
her churn. Splashing milk in her
box.
JOSEPHINE
Stop.
EDWARD
They were squeezing the cheese.
Clanking the bottles. Licking the
popsicle.
She's starting to cry from laughing.
EDWARD
Cracking the eggs and making an
omelet.
With that, he stops. She regains her composure.
EDWARD
Spooning the sherbet.
JOSEPHINE
(interrupting)
Can I take your picture?
EDWARD
You don't need a picture. Just look
up handsome in the dictionary.
JOSEPHINE
Please?
He rolls his eyes, why not.
Josephine leaves, heading down the hall to get her camera.
We STAY WITH Edward in bed.
JOSEPHINE (O.S.)
I have photos from the wedding to
show you. There's a great one of you
and my father. I had an extra print
made.
Edward grimaces, a flash of pain. Around others, he's hiding
how much it hurts, but alone we can see how bad it is.
He controls his breathing, trying to push through it.
JOSEPHINE
I want to see pictures of your
wedding. I've never seen any.
She returns with her camera. Edward smiles, doing a good job
masking the pain.
EDWARD
That's because we didn't have a
wedding. Your mother-in-law was never
supposed to marry me. She was engaged
to somebody else.
JOSEPHINE
(loading film)
I never knew.
EDWARD
Will never told you that?
(she shakes her head)
Probably just as well. He would have
told it all wrong anyway. All the
facts and none of the flavor.
JOSEPHINE
Oh, so this is a tall tale?
EDWARD
Well, it's not a short one.
A devilish smile. Pushing past Edward, we settle on the
whirling fan.
MATCH CUT TO:
SPINNING PINWHEEL
held by a LITTLE BOY. He's slumped over his FATHER's shoulder,
being carried towards a big-top tent. We are...
EXT. OLYMPIA CIRCUS - NIGHT
...where the second-rate carnival is parked for the moment
in an Alabama field. To the left, we spot Edward, 20-ish,
halfway through a bag of peanuts. He's still carrying the
backpack we saw earlier, and scratched up from his trip
through Spectre.
EDWARD (V.O.)
I had just left Ashton, and was on
my way to discover my destiny. Not
knowing what that would be exactly,
I explored every opportunity that
presented itself.
Joining the crowd, he heads into the big-top.
INT. BIG TOP - NIGHT
A troupe of STILT-WALKING FIREBREATHERS finishes their act
to tremendous APPLAUSE.
As the performers clear away, the circus' owner-and-ringmaster
AMOS CALLOWAY (50) approaches the stands. He may only be
four feet tall, but Amos has a titanic presence.
AMOS
Ladies and Gentlemen, you may think
you've seen the unusual. You may
think you've seen the bizarre. But
I've travelled to the five corners
of the world, and let me tell you,
I've never seen anything like this.
From behind Amos, CARNIES start rolling a massive ball towards
the crowd.
AMOS
When I found this man, he was picking
oranges in Florida. His fellow workers
called him El Penumbra -- The Shadow --
because when you were working beside
him, he blocked out the daylight. He
could take a whole tree in his hands
and shake off the fruit. I had to
pay his crew boss $10,000 just so I
could take him with me.
Amos comes up to a MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN in the first row, a
quieter moment.
AMOS
Not to alarm you, Ma'am. But if this
man wanted to, he could crush your
head between his toes.
(she trembles)
But he won't.
(a long beat)
He's not going to hurt her, folks,
because he's our own Gentle Giant.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you
Colossus!
The carnies back away from the ball as a deep DRUM ROLL
begins. A moment, then the ball starts to bulge from inside.
A foot suddenly bursts out from within. GASPS from the crowd.
That foot is massive. In the stands, Edward looks closer.
Intrigued.
As the drum beat intensifies, a second foot breaks out.
Followed by hands. Shoulders. Finally, the head. This is
COLOSSUS.
From a very LOW ANGLE, we look up to see just how massive he
is. He seems to fill the Heavens. With his shaved head and
giant club, he seems more ogre than man.
In the bandstands, a YOUNG BOY's jaw drops in awe. Colossus
walks down the row, letting the crowd get a better look at
him. Some reach out to touch him, disbelieving. A tight
spotlight follows him, revealing faces in the crowd.
Colossus passes Edward, who seems unimpressed. He leans with
the spotlight, WHISTLING to get the big man's attention.
He points to the edge of the stands, where his friend is
sitting on the dirt --
KARL THE GIANT
stands up, so big the spotlight has to widen just to hold
him. He's a good foot taller than Colossus. There's a GASP
from the crowd, along with nervous anticipation -- what will
happen next?
ANGLE ON Amos, stunned, megaphone dangling.
ANGLE ON Colossus, realizing the gig is up. With a resigned
shrug, he rests his club on his shoulder and walks away into
the shadows.
CUT TO:
INT. BIG-TOP - NIGHT / LATER
As the stands empty, Edward and Karl talk to Amos.
AMOS
What's his name? Does he talk? It's
not important.
KARL
Karl.
AMOS
Tell me Karl, have you ever heard of
the term "involuntary servitude?"
Karl shakes his head.
AMOS
"Unconscionable contract?"
Nope.
AMOS
Great, great. That's fantastic.
EDWARD (V.O.)
It was on that night Karl met his
destiny. And I met mine. Almost.
INT. BIG TOP - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
As Amos pulls Karl aside to give him the hard sell, Edward
notices a BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN (16) leaving with her family.
She's wearing a blue dress and hat. For no good reason, she
looks back at Edward.
The two make eye contact. And as they do, all motion FREEZES.
A fiery baton remains mid-twirl, flames locked in place. A
spilled box of popcorn hangs in mid-air, each kernel like a
snowflake. Even the elephant is mid-poop.
Only Edward is free to move, winding his way between the
frozen bodies, ducking underneath arms to get closer and
closer to this woman.
EDWARD (V.O.)
They say when you meet the love of
your life, time stops. And that's
true. What they don't tell you, is
that once time starts again, it moves
extra fast to catch up.
Suddenly, everything RUSHES. The crowd becomes a blur, and
the young woman is lost in its wake. Now it's Edward who's
frozen, helpless in time.
EXT. DIRT PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Edward checks in windows as cars pull out, searching for his
fated love. Not finding her, he becomes more frantic, running
down the rows.
CROSSFADE TO:
THE EMPTY LOT
Colossus is thumbing for a ride. The last pickup truck stops
and lets him climb in back.
As the truck pulls out, it passes a dejected Edward. He'll
never find that girl, the love of his life.
INT. BIG-TOP - NIGHT
Amos leans over so Karl can sign a contract on his back. He
spots Edward walking back into the tent.
AMOS
Hey kid! Your friend just made himself
a star.
EDWARD
That's great.
Amos hands off the contract to a CLOWN.
(INTRODUCING)
My attorney, Mr. Soggybottom.
EDWARD
Good to meet you.
Mr. Soggybottom HONKS his horn, then waddles off.
AMOS
What's the matter with you, kid? I
haven't seen a customer so depressed
since the elephant sat on that
farmer's wife.
(beat)
Get it? "Depressed?"
Karl chuckles.
AMOS
See! The big guy likes it.
EDWARD
I just saw the woman I'm going to
marry, I know it. But then I lost
|
