"Magnolia", shooting draft, by Paul Thomas Anderson
magnolia
a P.T. Anderson picture 11/10/98
a Joanne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company production
OVER BLACK;
NARRATOR
In the New York Herald, November 26,
year 1911, there is an account of the
hanging of three men --
CUT TO:
Black and White Lumiere Footage
Three men hung....bang...bang...bang.
CUT TO:
Newspaper Headline
comes into focus; "Three Men Hung."
QUICK DISSOLVE:
Sub Head
comes into focus; "...for murder of..."
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT/FOYER - EVENING (Lumiere Footage Contd.)
A man in period dress (1911) walks in the door. CAMERA DOLLIES IN QUICK
as he takes his hat off, shakes snow, looks off --
NARRATOR
...they died for the murder of
Sir Edmund William Godfrey --
Sir Edmund is greeted by his WIFE and two CHILDREN.
NARRATOR
-- Husband, Father, Pharmacist and all
around gentle-man resident of --
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
CAMERA pushes in on the town sign, reads:
"Greenberry Hill, London. Population 1276"
NARRATOR
Greenberry Hill, London. Population as listed.
CUT TO:
EXT. PHARMACY - NIGHT
HIGH ANGLE, looking down as Sir Edmond comes out the door,
locks up for the evening. CAMERA BOOMS DOWN and PUSHES IN
TOWARDS HIM, WHIPS RT TOWARDS:
NARRATOR
He was murdered by three vagrants whose
motive was simple robbery. They were
identified as:
A COATED MAN standing in the shadows of the alley way nearby.
NARRATOR
...Joseph Green.....
CAMERA WHIPS RT. again, nearby ANOTHER MAN steps closer --
NARRATOR
...Stanley Berry....
CAMERA WHIPS RT. one more time and PUSH IN towards THE LAST MAN --
NARRATOR
...and Nigel Hill...
WIDE ANGLE, ABOVE SCENE.
The three men move in on Sir Edmond and start to knife him
to death, stealing his money and jewelry. CAMERA PULLS BACK
and up to include the sign of the pharmacy now:
"Greenberry Hill Pharmacy."
CUT TO:
LUMIERE FOOTAGE REPLAYED.
Three men hug. Bang...bang...bang...
NARRATOR
Green, Berry and Hill.
FREEZE FRAME On the last hanging image.
NARRATOR
...And I Would Like To Think This
Was Only A Matter Of Chance.
OPTICAL WIPE OF FLAMES FILL THE SCREEN, CAMERA PULLS BACK:
EXT. FORREST/NEAR LAKE TAHOE - NIGHT (35mm/color/anamorphic now)
CAMERA is in the midst of a large FORREST FIRE. CAMERA
WHIPS RT TO SEE:
THREE FIREMEN battling the flames. CAMERA PUSHES IN On
them as they scream and shout directions at each other:
NARRATOR
As reported in the Reno Gazzette, June
of 1983 there is the story of a fire ---
HIGH ANGLE, THE TREE TOPS.
The trees are on fire....moments later....
NARRATOR
--- the water that it took to
contain the fire --
WATER FALLS DOWN...
dropped from a FIRE DEPARTMENT AIR TANKER.
CUT TO:
EXT. FORREST/NEAR LAKE TAHOE - MORNING
CAMERA pushes in towards FOUR FIREFIGHTERS as they survey the
area. The fire is out and they are walking through. The MAIN
FIREFIGHTER steps into a close up and looks:
NARRATOR
-- and a scuba diver named Delmer Darion.
FIREFIGHTER'S POV, THAT MOMENT
CAMERA dollies in and TILTS up towards the top of the tree to reveal:
There is a MAN IN SCUBA GEAR hanging high in the tree.
He is wearing his goggles and his tanks and his wet suit.
FIRE FIGHTER (OC)
What the fuck is that?
ANGLE, CU. DELMER DARION.
He still has his mask and mouthpiece.
CUT TO:
INT. PEPPERMILL CASINO - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
CAMERA looks down on a blackjack game, BOOM DOWN and TILT UP
to reveal: DELMER DARION (40s)
NARRATOR
Employee of the Peppermill Hotel and
Casino, Reno, Nevada. Engaged as
a blackjack dealer --
CUT TO:
INT. CASINO/LOBBY - EARLY MORNING - FLASHBACK
CAMERA pushes in towards Delmer as he leaves for the nght,
his uniform draped on a hanger over his shoulder, he nods and
motions two fingers to his fellow WORKERS who say "so longer."
(Note: He has a bandage over his forehead.)
NARRATOR
-- well liked and well regarded as a
physical, recreational and sporting sort --
Delmer's true passion was for the lake --
CUT TO:
INT. LAKE TAHOE/UNDERWATER - DAY
Delmer SPLASHES in and comes down towards the CAMERA. SOUND drops out,
becomes very quiet...
CUT TO:
EXT. LAKE TAHOE - THAT MOMENT
The FIRE DEPARTMENT AIR TANKER comes flying in, heading towards
the lake, coming directly at CAMERA...
CUT TO:
INT. LAKE TAHOE/UNDERWATER - THAT MOMENT
Delmer dives. Silent and peaceful.
CUT TO:
EXT. LAKE TAHOE - THAT MOMENT
OVERHEAD ANGLE Looks down on the calm lake....beat, then:
THE MASSIVE AIR TANKER FILLS THE FRAME, TOUCHING DOWN ON THE WATER,
FULLING IT'S BODY FULL OF WATER FROM THE LAKE. It enters CAMERA RT.
and exits CAMERA LFT.
ANGLE, THE AIR TANKER. It heads off full of water towards the raging
forrest fire in the distance.
NARRATOR
-- as reported by the coroner, Delmer
died of a heart attack somewhere between
the lake and the tree. But most curious
side note is the suicide the next day
of Craig Hansen --
CUT TO:
EXT. RENO MOTEL - DAY - FLASHBACK
Establishing shot. (x3)
CUT TO:
INT. MOTEL - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA PUSHES IN SUPER QUICK towards a MAN named CRAIG HANSEN (30s)
He shoves a RIFLE under his chin and pulls the trigger, blood and brains
splatter the ceiling.
CUT TO:
INT. AIR TANKER COCKPIT - FLASHBACK - DAY
HANSEN flying the plane. HOLD CU. as he moves towards the lake.
NARRATOR
...volunteer firefighter, estranged
father of four and a poor tendency
to drink -- Mr. Hansen was the pilot
of the plane that quite accidentally
lifted Delmer Darion out of the water --
CUT TO:
EXT. LAKE TAHOE - SHOT REPLAYED.
Quick flashback to the footage of the PLANE lifting the water
from the lake, SOUND CARRIES OVER....
CUT TO:
INT. CASINO - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
The Blackjack table where DELMER Is dealing. DOLLY AROUND to reveal
a drunk and obnoxious CRAIG HANSEN, screaming about the cards he's
been dealt and taunting Delmer
NARRATOR
-- added to this, Mr. Hansen's
tortured life met before with
Delmer Darion just two nights previous --
Hansen SPITS and PUNCHES at Delmer Darion's FACE for dealing the
cards he's been dealt. SECURITY GUARDS attack and pull him to the ground.
CUT TO:
INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY - BACK TO SCENE
CRAIG HANSEN reading the paper, looking at the cover story,
that has a photo of DELMER DARION. He's crying and
mumbling to himself:
CRAIG HANSEN
...oh God...fuck...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...
NARRATOR
The weight of the guilt and the
measure of coincidence so large,
Craig Hansen took his life.
Replay of Craig Hansen's suicide, except this time, right before he
blows his head off we hear him say, through tears:
CRAIG HANSEN
...forgive me...
CUT TO:
INT. CASINO - NIGHT - BACK TO SCENE
Back to the fight DELMER and CRAIG HANSEN are having: CAMERA DOLLIES
IN QUICK TOWARDS Delmer on the ground with blood coming from his nose.
FREEZE FRAME.
NARRATOR
And I Am Trying To Think This Was All
Only A Matter Of Chance.
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INSERT, CLOSE UP - HOTEL EVENTS BOARD.
It reads: Welcome! AAFS Awards Dinner and Reception
Walnut Room
8pm
INT. HOTEL BANQUET ROOM - NIGHT (1961)
CAMERA pushes in following two GUESTS through some double
doors and reveals the DINNER RECEPTION.
ANGLE, MAN BEHIND PODIUM.
CAMERA pushes in quick then blends to 60fps on a man in glasses:
DONALD HARPER, forensic scientist as he speaks into the microphone.
NARRATOR
The tale told at a 1961 awards dinner
for the American Association Of Forensic
Science by Dr. Donald Harper, president
of the association, began with a simple
suicide attempt --
CUT TO:
EXT. ROOFTOP - MORNING - FLASHBACK (1958).
A seventeen year old kid SYDNEY BARRINGER steps up on to the
roof of a nine story building and looks down.
NARRATOR
Seventeen year old Sydney Barringer.
In the city of Los Angeles on March 23, 1958.
CAMERA DOLLIES towards Sydney landing in a CLOSE UP of his feet
on the ledge, they wobble a bit -- he jumps, disappears from FRAME.
BEAT. The following happens very quickly:
ANGLE, looking up towards the sky...Sydney falls past CAMERA....
ANGLE, looking down towards the street...Sydney continues to fall...
ANGLE, a random window on the sixth floor of the building SMASHES....
ANGLE, Sydney's stomach...a BULLET rips into it as he falls...blood
splatters and his body flinches....
ANGLE, looking up towards the sky...Sydney's body and some shattered
glass FALL directly at the CAMERA...which pulls back a little to reveal:
a SAFETY NET in the foreground....Sydney's body falls LIMP into the
net...FREEZE FRAME.
NARRATOR
The coroner ruled that the unsuccessful
suicide had suddenly become a succesful
homicide. To explain:
CUT TO:
EXT. ROOFTOP - FLASHBACK.
Replay of shot. Sydney steps up on the rooftop. CAMERA pushes
in towards him quickly, this time moving into his COAT POCKET --
NARRATOR
The suicide was confirmed by a note,
left in the breast pocket
of Sydney Barringer --
DISSOLVE INTO:
INT. COAT POCKET - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA catches glimpses of the note, " I'm sorry..."
"...and in this time..." "...so I will go " "...and be with God..."
NARRATOR
At the same time young Sydney stood
on the ledge of this nine story building,
an argument swelled three stories below --
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BUILDING/HALLWAY - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA pushes in towards the door of ROOM 638. We hear same screaming
and yelling coming fram behind the door;
NARRATOR
The neighbors heard, as they usually
did, the arguing of the tenants --
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. APARTMENT #638 - THAT MOMENT
An ELDERLY COUPLE (early 60s) are savagely fighting and
throwing things. The OLDER MAN is backing away from the OLDER WOMAN
who is coming at him with a SHOTGUN.
NARRATOR
-- and it was not uncommon for them
to threaten each other with a shotgun
or one of the many handguns kept in the
house --
OLDER MAN
Put it down, put that fuckin' thing
down Fay --
OLDER WOMAN
-- I'II fucking tell YOU. I'll shoot you
in the face and end this argument and
we see who's right --
NARRATOR
And when the shotgun accidentaly went off,
Sydney just happend to pass --
The OLDER WOMAN stumbles a bit on some furniture and the SHOTGUN
goes off -- FIRES past the OLDER MAN's head -- and SMASHES the
window behind him -- SYDNEY falls past and gets shot in the stomach,
then falls out of FRAME -- (They're oblivious to this)
OLDER MAN
You CRAZY FUCKIN' BITCH WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
OLDER WOMAN
SHUT THE FUCK UP.
FREEZE FRAME on the two of them yelling and screaming:
NARRATOR
Added to this, the two tenants turned
out to be: Fay and Arthur Barringer.
Sydney's mother and Sydney's father.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT - DAY - LATER
CAMERA moves through the scene as POLICEMAN and DETECTIVES
question the OLDER COUPLE. Neighbors and lookie-loos around.
NARRATOR
When confronted with the charge, which took
some figuring out for the officers on
the scene of the crime, Fay Barringer
swore that she did not know that the gun
was loaded.
FAY BARRINGER
I didn't know -- I didn't know --
ARTHUR BARRINGER
She always threatens me with the gun,
but I don't keep it loaded --
DETECTIVE
-- and you didn't load the gun?
ARTHUR BARRINGER
Why would I load the gun?
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT/HALLWAY - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA moves through as OFFICERS are talking to and getting
statements from VARIOUS NEIGHBORS...CAMERA closes in on
an EIGHT YEAR OLD BOY, speaking with a DETECTIVE.
NARRATOR
A young boy who lived in the building,
sometimes a vistor and friend to Sydney
Barringer said that he had seen,
six days prior the loading of the shotgun --
The DETECTIVE turns his head and calls to another --
DETECTIVE
C'mere a minute --
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT - DAY - FLASHBACK.
CAMERA moves into a bedroom area where we see a FIGURE from
the back sitting on the bed --
NARRATOR
It seems that the arguing and the
fighting and all of the violence was far
too much for Sydney Barringer and knowing
his mother and father's tendency to fight,
he decided to do something --
CAMERA reveals that it is Sydney Barringer who is loading
the shotgun. The YOUNG BOY is sitting nearby, watching Sydney
mumble to himself as he loads shells into the shotgun.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT/HALLWAY - PRESENT
CAMERA moves in on the YOUNG BOY, who looks INTO CAMERA.
YOUNG BOY
He said he wanted them to kill
each other, that all they wanted to
do was kill each other and he would
help them if that's what they wanted to do --
CUT TO:
EXT. BUILDING/ROOFTOP - DAY - FLASHBACK
This is a WIDE ANGLE REPLAY of the whole event. We see the whole
bui1ding...Sydney starts to jump and the film suddenly slows down...
A diagram is made to reflect the narration...this is done like NFL
coverage where the x's and o's and arrows and lines are drawn to
indicate placement and moves, etc.)
An x appears on the top of the building over Sydney.
NARRATOR
Sydney Barringer jumps from the ninth floor rooftop --
His parents argue three stories below --
An o is marked to indicate their position. Image goes into MOTION
with Sydney jumping...an ARROW is drawn that displays the PATH of
his fall --
NARRATOR
Her accidental shotgun blast hits Sydney
in the stomach as he passes the arguing
sixth floor window --
Freeze Frame shows Sydney, hanging mid-air -- the glass shattering and
starting to fall to the ground -- an X marks the spot where he is hit.
NARRATOR
He is killed instantly but continues
to fall -- only to find, three stories
below -- a safety net installed
three days prior for a set of window washers
that would have broken his fall and saved
his life if not for the hole in his stomach.
A squiggly line with an arrow is drawn from Sydney to the net to
indicate the path -- UNFREEZE frame and watch Sydney fall into the net
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT - DAY
CAMERA moves in on the PARENTS then over to some DETECTIVES and OFFICERS
who are making sense of this, they nod to each other as if to say,
"well we know what we have to do..."
NARRATOR
So Fay Barringer was charged with the
murder of her son and Sydney Barringer
noted as an accomplice in his own death...
CAMERA moves towards the little EIGHT YEAR OLD BOY as he watches
the older couple CRY and SCREAM as detectives begin to cuff them --
NARRATOR
...and it is in the humble opinion of this
narrator that this is not just "Something
That Happened." This cannot be "One of those
things..." This, please, cannot be that.
And for what I would like to say, I can't.
This Was Not Just A Matter Of Chance.
CAMERA pushes in towards the MOTHER as she screams and screams and the
officer's fight to regain control of her -- in the scuffle, the
apartment door is shut directly in the face of the CAMERA.
CUT TO BLACK.
NARRATOR
Ohhhh. These strange things happen all the time.
Main title que begins, then carries over following until noted:
TitIe Card: New Line Cinema presents
Title Card: a Joanne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production
Title Card: a P.T. Anderson picture
CUT TO:
CAMERA DOLLIES IN Super Quick on a flower.(time lapse,bud blooms)
Freeze Frame, continue w/optical Zoom and rotate 360 degrees;total blur.
Flash title card:
M a g n o l i a
CAMERA keeps moving in further and farther until the image
gets incredibly blurry, then:
CUT TO:
INT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY (Present Day, 1998) Sequence A
CAMERA DOLLIES IN QUICK towards a TELEVISION in a living
room. It is playing an infomercial, shot on video with a
hot shot guy FRANK T.J. MACKEY (30s) looking into the LENS.
FRANK
In this big game that we play it is
not what you find and it's not what
you deserve - It's What You Take.
I'm Frank T.J. Mackey, Master of the Muffin
and author of the Seduce and Destroy System
of audio and videocassettes that will
teach you the techniques to have any
hard-body blonde dripping to wet your dock!
CAMERA moves INTO THE TELEVISION, QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BAR SET/LOCATION - THAT MOMENT
We are in the video (paneled 1.33) sales pitch/infomercial.
Various settings: The bar, a supermarket, a bedroom, a parked car.
Each has a few semi-geeks talking to a bunch of sexy young girls.
FRANK (contd.)
Bottom line? Language. The magical key
to unlocking any woman's analytical ability
and tap directly into her hopes, wants,
fears, desires and panties.
"Seduce and Destroy," creates an immediate
sexual attraction in any muffin you meet.
Learn how to make that lady - "friend" your
sex-starving-servant. Create an instant,
money-back guaranteed trance-like state
that'll have any little so and so just
begging for it.
I don't care about how you look, what car
you drive or what your last bank statement
says: "Seduce and Destroy," is gonna teach
you how to get that naughty sauce you want - fast!
(dramatic stop, then:)
Hey -- how many more times do you need
to here the all too famous line of:
"I just don't feel that way about you."
CUT TO:
INT. SMILING PEANUT BAR - NIGHT
CAMERA moves in on a young woman CLAUDIA (20s) sitting alone, bit drunk.
A vaguely creepy looking MIDDLE AGED GUY (40s) takes a seat next to her:
MIDDLE AGED GUY
Hey.
CLAUDIA
Hi.
CUT TO:
INT. CLAUDIA'S APARTMENT - LATER
A series of quick shots where the following happens; CLAUDIA and the
MIDDLE AGED GUY stumble into her apartment. CAMERA DOLLIES in quick as
she ~norts a line of coke from her coffee table....TILT up and PAN over
to him....
MIDDLE AGED GUY
So?
CUT TO:
INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA DOLLIES in quick as they're having sex. He's on top of her,
she's below, CAMERA lands in a CLOSE UP of her face as she gets through
the experience...CAMERA moves up and past her, finds the reflection of
the TELEVISON in a picture frame on her wall....
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. TELEVISION IMAGE - CLIP - THAT MOMENT
This is a promo for a game show called, "WHAT DO KIDS KNOW?" featuring
the host JIMMY GATOR (60s) We see various clips of him over the years,
hosting the show, at various clebrity events, etc. (Director's Note)
PROMO ANNOUNCER
For over thirty years, America has hung
out and answered questions with Jimmy Gator.
An American Legend and a true television icon,
Jimmy celebrates his 200,000th hour of
broadcast this week --
CLIP OF JIMMY speaking to an INTERVIEWER.
JIMMY
God, have I been around that long?
INT. JIMMY GATOR'S OFFICE - DAY
Blind's closed, door locked. Jimmy and a YOUNG SHOWGIRL from some
other show are having sex on his couch. CAMERA DOLLIES IN FAST.
PROMO ANNOUNCER
He's a family man who's been married
for over forty years -- with two children
and one grandchild on the way --
CU. PHOTOGRAPH.
A family photo of JIMMY, his wife ROSE, his son JIM, JR. and CLAUDIA.
This photo is circa 1987. OPTICAL ZOOM INTO photo that isolates Jimmy
and Claudia in the picture.
CUT TO:
INT. CEDARS SINAI MEDICAL CENTER - HALLWAY - PRESENT DAY
JIMMY and ROSE (50s) walk down a hallway towards a door.
PROMO ANNOUNCER (contd.)
We've tuned in each day to see the
human interaction between Jimmy and
some very special kids over the years --
CUT TO:
INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA pushes in on JIMMY and ROSE as they enter, WHIPS over to
a NURSE who looks up, smiles says "hello."
PROMO ANNOUNCER (contd.)
-- and we hope there's thirty more years
of watching that happen.
JIMMY (to Nurse)
...Jimmy Gator...
CUT TO:
INT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY
CAMERA DOLLIES in towards the televison again. A quick highlight
clip shows a ten year old kid named STANLEY SPECTOR answering question
after question on the show, "What Do Kids Know?" in a series of
dissolves;
STANLEY
...Donald W. Winnicott....1911...North America....
...South America....the answer is four....
...the answer is 22...the answer is gravity....
the answer is "The Life of Samuel Johnson."
CUT TO:
INT. SPECTOR HOUSE - DAY
CAMERA is HAND HELD and moving around a small apartment, watching a
ten year old kid STANLEY SPECTOR (dressed in a suit) as he dumps dog
food into two bowls for two dogs yapping around his legs while
he simultaneously tries to gather his backpacks -- His father enters:
RICK SPECTOR (late 30s) starts barking directions;
RICK
Let's go,let's go, let's go, you shoulda
done that ten minutes ago --
STANLEY
We need more dog food --
RICK
-- talk in the car, talk in the car,
moves your ass, c'mon --
Stanley grabs two BACKPACKS and puts them over each arm. Rick grabs
another bag....heads for the door....Stanley is about to fall over with
these two full packs, but reaches for another bag on the floor...
RICK
Cmon,cmon,cmon, that one to?
STANLEY
I need this one.
RICK
Why the hell do you need all four
bags of books to go to school each day?
STANLEY
I can't carry all of them.
I need them. I need my books.
I need them to go to school.
CUT TO:
EXT. SPECTOR HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA pushes in quick as Rick sits in the car, engine running, watching
Stanley struggle to get himself and the backpacks in;
RICK
There's no reason for this many backpacks.
CAMERA LANDS IN CLOSE UP of STANLEY as he slams the car door.
CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA PULLS BACK from the parked car in a new location as Stanley gets
out of the car with his backpacks, Rick watches from the driver's seat;
RICK
Be ready at two --
STANLEY
Should be one-thirty.
RICK
I got an audition, I won't make it
here 'till two, c'mon, I'll see you
later. Love you.
STANLEY
Love you too.
Rick drives off real quick. Stanley looks around at his backpacks.
CUT TO:
INT. 1960's SUBURBAN HOME - DAY
CAMERA pushes in on an old television set playing a clip
from "What Do Kids Know?" (1968) The clip shows a younger JIMMY GATOR
asking questions to a ten year old kid named DONNIE SMITH.
JIMMY
Donnie, you have an answer?
DONNIE
Promethius.
JIMMY
It is!
TELEVISION CLIP continues and we see DONNIE and two other KIDS receive
a check from the younger JIMMY GATOR in the amount of 100,000 dollars
each. CU - Young Donnie Smith as he smiles, accepts check, shakes hands
with Jimmy.
TITLE CARD reads: Quiz Kid Donnie Smith - 1968
CUT TO:
INT. DENTIST OFFICE/EXAMINING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
DONNIE SMITH, aged 40, is reclined back in a dentist chair.
He has spiky hair, a small stud earing and a bad grey suit.
TITLE CARD reads: Quiz Kid Donnie Smith - Today
DONNIE
This is really exiting....bet you don't
get many people my age getting braces --
CU - Donnie opens wide and the pink gook-imprint is placed in his mouth.
CU - A Nurse holds it in there and smiles, says:
NURSE #1
You were really cute when you were
on that show --
NURSE #2
-- you can't answer any questions right
now though, huh? He-he-he.
CU - Teeth. The gook imprint is taken out of his mouth.
CUT TO:
INT. DENTIST OFFICE/HALLWAY - LATER
CAMERA pulls back as DONNIE and his dentist, DR. LEE (Asian, 40s)
exit an examining room, smiling, through with their appointment...
DR. LEE
So we're all set to go, Donnie.
DONNIE
Great, great, great, so I'll see you
tommorrow morning.
DR. LEE
You're running around like crazy, huh?
DONNIE
I'm gonna be late for work.
CUT TO:
EXT. 7-11/PARKING LOT - NORTH HOLLYWOOD - DAY
CAMERA pushes in towards Donnie as he pulls into the parking lot
in his little HONDA ACCORD. He's smiling and singing along to
a song* as he pulls into a parking space....
...but he's going just a bit too fast...and in a flash, he's
over the parking stopper and up on the curb and taps the glass
store front just enough to have GLASS FALL AND SHATTER and DISPLAYS
FALL OVER ONTO THE HOOD OF THE CAR....
CAMERA pushes in on Donnie and some people running over to see
what's happend....
DONNIE
What the hell? What the hell?
PEDESTRIAN
Hey! It's Quiz Kid Donnie Smith.
PEDESTRIAN #2
Quiz Kid Donnie, why'd you drive
into the seven eleven?
CUT TO:
INT. EARL'S HOUSE - DAY
CAMERA pushes in real fast on the front door as PHIL PARMA (20s) enters.
He has a flat top, flip shade sunglasses that he flips up and he's
carrying 7-11 coffee and a donut....CAMERA WHIPS LFT to reveal;
In this nice house in Encino, a medical bed has been planted in the
middle of the living room. In the bed is EARL PARTRIDGE (70s) He is
very thin and bald and he is on his last legs, dying from cancer.
There are four or five MUTT DOGS that sleep on his lap and around
the bed and at the sound of the door they are up and BARKING.
A young MEXICAN NURSE sits next to Earl, motions to Phil and his post
is relieved. Phil moves in next to the bed, pets Earl's head;
PHIL
How's today then?
EARL
Fuckin' bullshit is what this is.
PHIL
Fuckin' bullshit is right, in'it?
CAMERA MOVES INTO A CLOSE UP ON EARL, MOVES INTO HIS THROAT, QUICK
DISSOLVE INTO:
INT. EARL'S THROAT - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA moves around his throat and through his body, looking at
his BLOOD STREAM and watching, like a MEDICAL FILM, the cancer as
it eats away at his body...as we see it at work we hear a WHISPER
that is EARL'S VOICE:
EARL'S WHISPER VOICE
...fuckin regret, move through this life....
..and we do these things...get that back...
...forget, forget....fuck....fuck......
...make it right....and we do these things....
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. EARL'S LIVING ROOM - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA PULLS BACK from Earl's throat to his MOUTH and his EYES and
he looks to Phil says;
EARL
I'm onna need your help, Phil.
...you gotta help me something today...
CAMERA PANS over quick to PHIL.
PHIL
I'II take care of anything, Earl.
CAMERA PANS/DOLLIES away and TILTS up to the cieling;
QUICK DISSOLVE TO:
INT. EARL'S HOUSE/UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA dollies in on LINDA PARTRIDGE (30s) as she paces around in a
nightgown, pops a pill, talks on the phone;
LINDA
Well, you're his doctor and that's
why -- well tell me something -- tell
me something --
XCU, She sees the the bottle of pills she is popping from is empty.
LINDA (contd.)
And he needs more pills, then.
(beat)
Fuck it, I'm coming to see you,
I need to come see you to get him more
pills and I need some answers so you
better just talk to me, I'm coming
to see you, I'm coming to see you --
She SLAMS down the phone.
CUT TO:
INT. EARL'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA moves with Linda as she comes down the stairs, walks
over towards Earl's bed, trying to hide her state. Phil stands
up and looks to her.
PHIL
Hi, Linda.
EXTREME CLOSE UP 2-SHOT. Linda and Earl. He opens his eyes just a bit.
She bends in and gives him a kiss on the forehead.
LINDA
I love you, my darling.
She turns quickly, speaks as she walks out;
LINDA
I'll be back in a while, Phil.
I have to go get some things and
I have to see something and I'll be back....
She continues to talk as she walks out the door.
CUT TO:
INT. GARAGE/LINDA'S MERCEDES - PARKED - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA DOLLIES IN real quick as she gets behind the wheel. She SMASHES
her fists on the steering wheel and cries and cries and cries.
CUT TO:
INT. JIM KURRING'S APARTMENT - DAY
A very straight ahead apartment in Reseda where JIM KURRING (30s) lives.
SOUND of a 1-900 PERSONAL DATING SERVICE plays over following quick
shots of Kurring getting ready for his day;
-Jim is sipping his morning coffee, reading the paper.
-Jim in the shower.
-Jim doing push ups.
-Jim watching and laughing a bit with the Today Show.
-Jim kneeling down by his bed, praying.
PHONE SERVICE VOICE
...Press One to hear this person's personal
description of themself and Two to leave a
a personal message of your own --
The SOUND of touch-tone phone pressing "1."
JIM KURRING'S VOICE
Well, hello. This is Jim. I work in
Law Enforcement. I am an officer for
the L.A.P.D. and I work out of the Van Nuys
district. I love my job, and I love to go to
the movies. I try to stay pyhsically fit,
my job demands it, so I'm in pretty good shape.
I'm gettin' up there, though: I'm 32 years old
and I'm six feet two inches tall and I weigh about 160.
I'm really interested in meeting someone special
who likes quiet things.....my life is very
stressful and I'd hope to have a relationship
that is very calm and undemanding and loving --
The SOUND again of the touch-tone phone cancels Jim's description.
PHONE SERVICE VOICE
If you would like to hear more personal
descriptions from other men in your area,
press two now --
CUT TO:
INT. VAN NUYS POLICE STATION - DAY
CAMERA observing the officers at a morning role call, DOLLIES and BOOMS
DOWN towards JIM KURRING, sitting off to the side a bit by himself.
POLICE CAPTAIN (OC)
...so much violence...but that's the way of the
world...good luck, as always...Serve and Protect
and all that other blah-blah-blah on the
side of the car it says --
CUT TO:
INT. POLICE GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA DOLLIES w/Jim Kurring as he walks to his squad car.
All the cops walk with partners, except him. Kurring throws on
a pair of Oakley sunglasses and gets in the car --
CUT TO:
INT. POLICE CAR - MOVING - LATER
CAMERA holds a CU. of Jim as he drives. He speaks to someone unseen;
JIM KURRING
This is not an easy job. I get a call
from Shirley on the radio: Bad News.
It's never good news. She tries to
be cheerful, tries to say something
nice, but uh-huh, it's just Bad News.
And It Stinks. But this is my job.
And I Love It. Because I want to do well.
In this life and in this world I want
to do well. And I want to help people.
And I may get twenty bad calls a day.
But one time I help someone, I Make A Save?
I correct a wrong or right a situation;
Then I'm a happy cop. And We Move Through
This Life We Should Try And Do Good.
WIDER ANGLE reveals that he is talking to himself. BEAT. HOLD.
JIM KURRING (sotto, to himself)
...Do Good. And If We Can Do That...And
Not Hurt Anyone Else.....Well, Then....
CUT TO:
EXT. MAGNOLIA BOULEVARD - DAY
CAMERA looks straight down on an intersection. Jim Kurring's POLICE
CAR drives past....a little SUNLIGHT that hits the intersection goes
away as if covered very quickly by a grey cloud....End Title Oue and
Sequence A.
CUT TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD reads: Partly Cloudy, 75% chance of rain
FADE IN:
INT. APARTMENT COMPLEX/NORTH HOLLYWOOD - DAY Sequence B
CAMERA (STEADICAM) follows behind JIM KURRING. He walks through
a courtyard, past some young mexican and black kids playing,
up a staircase and arrives at a door that is half open;
JIM KURRING
Hello?
He knocks, pushes the door open a bit, steps in: A very, very large
black woman, MARCIE (4Os) appears, coming at him, ranting and raving;
MARCIE
What? What? What now?
JIM KURRING
Quietly, slow down, whoa --
MARCIE
You can't just come in here.
JIM KURRING
The door was open, I got a call --
MARCIE
You're just come in --
JIM KURRING
Calm down.
MARCIE
I am calm.
JIM KURRING
I got a call to this apartment,
report of a disturbance --
MARCIE
There's no disturbance.
JIM KURRING
I got a call of a disturbance, you're
door was open, I just wanna see
what's goin' on --
MARCIE
There's no disturbance.
JIM KURRING
Then you've got nothin' to worry about.
MARCIE
You don't tell me, I know my rights,
just come right in, you can't --
JIM KURRING
Don't test me, you wanna talk about
what the law book says, we can do that,
push me far enough and I'll take you
to jail -- now calm down.
MARCIE
I AM CALM.
JIM KURRING
You're not calm. You're screamin'
and yellin' and I'm here to check
on a disturbance that was reported
and that's what I'm gonna do - now
are you alone in here?
MARCIE
I don't have to answer your questions.
JIM KURRING
No you don't: But I'm gonna ask
you one more time: Are you alone in here?
MARCIE
What does it look like?
JIM KURRING
No one else in here?
MARCIE
You're here.
JIM KURRING
OK. That's true. Is anyone else,
besides me and besides you in this house?
MARCIE
No. I said that.
JIM KURRING
Are you lyin' to me?
MARCIE
I live alone.
JIM KURRING
Maybe so, but I'm gonna ask you one
more time: Is Anyone Else In This House
Right Now?
MARCIE
No I Said.
JIM KURRING
Ok. What's your name?
MARCIE
Marcie.
JIM KURRING
Ok. Marice why don't you take
a seat for me?
MARCIE
I preffer to stand.
JIM KURRING
I'm not askin', Marcie.
Marcie sits down.
MARCIE
I didn't do anything.
JIM KURRING
Maybe you didn't, but I'm here
to find out about a disturbance.
Some neighbors called said they
heard screaming and a loud crash.
MARCIE
I don't know a loud crash.
JIM KURRING
And what about screaming?
MARCIE
I said: I DON'T KNOW. You can't just
come in here and start pokin' around --
JIM KURRING
What's this, how did this happen?
INSERT, ECU. THE FLOOR.
An ashtray has fallen on the floor, cigarette butts all around.
MARCIE
An ashtray fell, I don't know, maybe
last night, I just woke up.
JIM KURRING
You just woke up. And what'd you have
a party last night, the way this place
looks?
MARCIE
I went out last night.
JIM KURRING
Ok. Marcie. Starting now I want you
to have a new attitude with me. The more
you play games, the more suspicious I'm gonna
become that you've been up to something.
MARCIE
It's a free country, you can
think anything you want.
JIM KURRING
Yes I can, Marcie. And until you
start givin' me some straight
answers: I'm gonna assume that some
mischief has been goin' on here.
MARCIE
Mischief? What the fuck you talkin'
about, mischief?
JIM KURRING
Bad and illegal behavior. That's what I mean.
Ok? Mischief. Now have you been
doin' some drugs today?
MARCIE
No.
JIM KURRING
You on any medication?
MARCIE
No.
JIM KURRING
Been drinkin' today?
MARCIE
It's ten o'clock in the morning --
There's a small THUMP noise OC. Jim turns his head quick and
looks and Marcie freezes.
JIM KURRING
--- What was that?
MARCIE
I didn't hear anything.
Marcie stands up.
JIM KURRING
No. No. Stay down, Marcie, sit
back down on that couch --
MARCIE
I don't have to do a god damn thing.
Kurring gets his handcuffs out and handcuffs her wrist to the
couch, she goes crazy, screaming and yelling the whole time;
MARCIE
WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S THIS? GOD DAMN
BULLSHIT. BULLSHIT. DON'T PUT THOSE --
JIM KURRING
Marcie - CALM DOWN. CALM DOWN
and don't do this. I want you to stay --
Continue with that until he's got her cuffed to the couch.
He removes his REVOLVER from his holster and starts to move
slowly down the hall to the back bedroom --
MARCIE
WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT?
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, MOTHERFUCKER?
MOTHER-GOD-DAMN FUCKER. WHERE ARE YOU GOIN'?
DON'T GO IN MY GOD DAMN BEDROOM.
Kurring keeps moving slowly, gun drawn, CAMERA behind him;
JIM KURRING
This is the LAPD. If anyone is
back here I want you to come out
and I want you to show yourself
to me with your hands in the air --
MARCIE
THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE. STAY OUT
OF MY MOTHERFUCKIN BEDROOM.
Kurring moves into the BEDROOM now and sees that the CLOSET is
closed and probably the only place for someone to be hiding;
JIM KURRING
This is the LAPD, if anyone is in
the closet I want you to come out
and show yourself to me, slowly and
with your hands up --
MARCIE (OC)
THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE!
JIM KURRING
Marcie - quiet down! Now if anyone
is in the closet, come out now --
MARCIE (OC)
THERE'S NO ONE IN MY MOTHERFUCKIN
CLOSET AND STAY OUT OF MY BEDROOM,
STAY OUT OF MY GOD DAMN BEDROOM.
JIM KURRING
-- do not do this -- my gun is drawn
and If I Have To Open That Closet
you will get shot -- Step Out Now.
Jim inches towards the closet, flips it open real quick and
stands back, ready for something to jump out -- nothing.
MARCIE
I told you there was no one in there!
Jim looks down the hall at Marcie who has physically dragged
the large couch handcuffed behind her;
JIM KURRING
Marcie - Do not drag that couch any further!
JIM'S POV, CAMERA DOLLIES IN SLOWLY TOWARDS THE CLOSET.
He pushes some sheets aside and burries around to reveal:
A DEAD SKINNY WHITE MAN (50s) curled up in a ball on the
floor of the closet. He'd dead and he's been covered in dirty
laundry. He has a gag around his mouth.
HOLD on Jim for a moment, he panics a little and swings his REVOLVER
towards Marcie:
JIM KURRING
What the hell is this Marcie?
MARCIE
THAT'S NOT MINE.
Jim swings the aim of his gun back at the dead body.
CUT TO:
INT. EARL'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Earl in bed, pretty out of it, but once in a while a couple clear
moments. Phil sits next to the bed, paper and coffee nearby.
EARL
...n'I dowanna do this...sit here,
I can see the things, y'know...it's gettin'
there that's the cocksucker...like...I see
that pen...I see it, I know it's there,
I reach out for it -- no --
He mimes the action, gets nowhere near the pen.
EARL
...no...no goddamn use.
(beat)
I have a son, y'know?
PHIL
You do?
EARL
...ah...
PHIL
Where is he?
EARL
I don't know...I mean, he's around,
he's here, in town, y'know, but I
don't know...he's a tough one...very....
Do you have a girlfriend, Phil?
PHIL
No.
EARL
Get a girlfriend.
PHIL
I'm trying.
EARL
And do good things with her...share
the thing...all that bullshit is true,
y'know...find someone and hold on all
that...Where's Linda?
PHIL
She went out. She said she went
out to run some errands. She'll be back.
EARL
She's a good girl. She's a little
nuts, but she's a good girl I think.
She's a little daffy.
PHIL
She loves you.
EARL
...ah...maybe...yeah...she's a good one...
PHIL
When was the last time you talked
to your son?
EARL
....I dunn...o....maybe ten...five,
fuck, fuck....that's another thing
that goes --
PHIL
-- memory?
EARL
Time lines, y'know? I remember things
but not so -- right there -- y'know?
PHIL
Yeah.
EARL
"yeah." the fuck do you know?
PHIL
I've seen it before.
EARL
Other fuckin' assholes like me.
PHIL
There's no asshole like you.
EARL
...cocksucker....
PHIL
How come every word you say is either
"cocksucker," or "shitballs," or "fuck?"
EARL
Do me a personal favor --
PHIL
Go fuck myself?
EARL
You got it.
EARL gets hit with something and starts to MOAN a bit. Sharp
pain hitting him and he touches his hand to his face....
EARL
...I can't hold onto this anymore...
PHIL
I'll get you another pain pill.
Another morphine pill --
EARL
...gimme that fuckin' phone...
PHIL
Who are you gonna call?
EARL
I wanna see this...where is he,
do you know?
PHIL
Who?
EARL
Jack.
PHIL
Is Jack your son?
Earl doesn't answer. He's drifting a bit more now.
PHIL
You wanna call him on the phone?
We can call him, I can dial the
phone if you can remember the number --
EARL
-- it's not him. it's not him.
He's the fuckin' asshole...Phil..c'mere...
Phil leans in closer to Earl.
EARL
This is so boring...so goddamn...
and dying wish and all that, old
man on a bed...fuck...wants one thing:
PHIL
It's ok.
Earl hallucinates a bit, cries a little, tries to form the sentences;
EARL
...find him on the...Frank. His name's
Frank Mackey --
PHIL
Frank Mackey. That's your son?
EARL
that'snotmy name...find Lily, gimmme that,
give it --
Earl tries to grab something near Phil's head that is not there.
He's hallucinating more now, falls asleep a bit, mumbling;
EARL
ifyougimmethat....overonthe....fuck....
I can't hold ontothis anymore...
He gives Phil make an imaginary object and falls asleep. BEAT.
Stay with Phil a moment as he turns his head, looking around the
house a moment, looks back to Earl.
CUT TO:
INT. BURBANK HOLIDAY INN/BANQUET ROOM - THAT MOMENT
FRANK steps into a CLOSE UP and holding a mic, says:
FRANK
Respect the cock and tame the cunt, boys.
REVERSE, THAT MOMENT. The crowd of fifty GUYS who are taking the
"Seduce and Destroy Seminar" that Frank is teaching today laugh and
play along;
Frank is on a slightly elevated stage. vBehind him a huge banner for,
"Seduce and Destroy," whose logo is a scared pussycat and a large wolf
with a big buldge in his fur. It reads: "No Pussy Has Nine Lives".
FRANK
And you did hear me right. Tame it.
Take it on, head first -- with your
skills at work and say, "No. You will
not control me. You will not take my
soul and you will not win this game."
'cause it is a game, guys, you wanna
think it's not -- go back to the schoolyard
and have a crush on Mary Jane -- respect
the cock -- you are embedding this thought:
I'm in charge. I'm the one who says yes,
no, now or here. Shit, man. Sad but true.
Sad But True. And you wanna know what?
It must be the way.
The thing about chicks and the thing
about this course that we're going
through today is how universal the whole
thing is. I mean: I wish I could sit here
and say that it's not -- because the reality?
If each chick had something new, something
really new that I'd never seen before?
Fuckin' hell: I'd be in the money! Because
I'd have to create a hundred new cassettes,
a hundred new books, a hundred new seminars
and hundred new videos just to deal with each
and every situation a chick could create -
but that is just not the case. They are universal.
They are sheep. They are to be studied and
watched -- they have patterns that must be stopped,
interupted and resisted. I'd be makin' a fuckin'
butt load if they were actually as much of
a challenge as they want you to think they are!
Reality: They Are All The Same.
Each and every one of them. And once you learn
these methods: You're Set. You Don't Have To Come Back.
That's it. In solid. Boom. Done. Over. Why?
Because all women are the same. Period.
End of discussion. Sorry. It's true. Sad But True.
And anyone who wants to say that these methods
we work by are "unfair?" Yes, they are.
Guilty as charged. And so's the world.
It's a harsh, hard unfair place, but it's not
gonna stop me from getting my fair shair of hair pie --
Period. Sorry. End of discussion.
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN/LOBBY - THAT MOMENT
Sliding doors open in the lobby and a young woman GWENOVIER (30s)
enters, takes off her sunglasses and looks around.
There's a bunch of Posters and Signs for the "Seduce and Destroy
Seminar with Frank TJ Mackey," etc. Frank's two sidekicks: DOC (20s)
and CAPTAIN MUFFY (40s) approach;
CAPTAIN MUFFY
You're Gwenovier?
GWENOVIER
Yeah.
CAPTIAN MUFFY
I'm Captain Muffy, I'm Frank's personal
assistant. This is Doc --
DOC
Hello.
GWENOVIER
Hello.
CAPTAIN MUFFY
We can go right in here. He started
about thirty five minutes ago, but
it's all getting pumped up now --
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN/BANQUET ROOM - THAT MOMENT
Captain Muffy, Doc and Gwenovier enter and head tor some seats,
CAMERA swings a 180 and moves down the aisle, towards the stage
as Frank speaks --
FRANK
Number One: Get a calendar. I cannot
stress this enough. This is a simple
item guys. It's 99 cents at your corner
store: Go And Get One. Fuck it, if you
reach into your packet, you'll see I've
been nice enough to include one, 'cause
that's the kind of prick I am --
You're gonna need this calendar and I know
it sounds like a small thing, but having it
makes all the difference in the world:
If you meet a girl and you're
gonna work an A-3 Interuption --
let's say an eight day waiting period before
the next call -- how you gonna know when those
eight days are up? Buy a calendar.
Next move? Mark the calendar.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. What did I pay my eight
hundred dollars for? To hear Frank tell me
to buy a calendar and mark it? Just stick
with me and stick by the calendar. Mark it
up -- use it to set goals -- If you wanna
make that "friend" something else -- you gotta
be hard on yourself, set goals:
(beat, to audience)
You, there: And What's Your Name?
CUT TO:
INT. EARL'S HOUSE/OFFICE - THAT MOMENT
Phil flips through a little adress book, finds a number. XCU - It reads,
"Frank 8/509-9027" He picks up a phone and dials;
FEMALE VOICE
Hello?
PHIL
Hi. Is Frank there?
FEMALE VOICE
I think you have the wrong number.
PHIL
I'm looking for Frank Mackey.
FEMALE VOICE
No.
PHIL
Is this 509-9027?
FEMALE VOICE
Yeah. You have the wrong number.
There's no one named Frank here.
PHIL
Alright. Thank you.
FEMALE VOICE
Yep.
Phil hangs up the phone.
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN/BANOUET ROOM - THAT MOMENT.
CAMERA with Gwenovier as she walks quietly over to the side
of the crowd to a VIDEO CREW that's been set up and is recording
Frank's seminar. She speaks sotto to a CAMERAMAN;
GWENOVIER
Sorry I'm late --
CAMERAMAN
-- we're all set upstairs.
GWENOVIER
Thanks.
She moves towards a row and takes a seat next to Captain Muffy
and Doc, speaks sotto again;
DOC
You have everything you need?
GWENOVIER
I'm set, thanks.
CAMERA moves away, Frank is kneeling down to a GUY in the
audience, interacting, speaking compassionately;
FRANK
Denise?
GUY
That's right --
FRANK
-- and she hurt you didn't she?
I know, I know. I know how that
can be brother, but let me tell you loud
and clear what we will be teaching
Denise when we put our calendars to work and
set goals:
Frank hops back up on the stage;
FRANK
Little Denise, I say this: I mark it
up and I write it down and you've been warned:
"By the end of May, you will know I'm not gay."
"On the fourth of June, Denise, you're
gonna be lickin' my spoon."
"And Come August, You Suck My Big Fat
Sausage." I've SET GOALS FOR MYSELF.
And what? I've said "enough is enough."
Because why? She's not gonna be your pal.
She's not gonna be your friend. You think
she's gonna be there for you the second
you need something? Think again - this fuckin'
bitch Denise!
(audience cheers)
But: Listen up: That is not to say that we don't
all need women as friends, 'cause we're gonna
learn later on in Chapter 23 that having a couple
of chick-friends laying around can come in
real handy in setting Jealousy Traps.
But we'll get to that. Number One (this is page 18
in your booklets, blue cover - go to it and
follow along with me.)
The guys flip open their little blue booklets and follow along.
FRANK
Create a crisis -- simple and clean,
and if done properly can be quite
effective in getting some bush.
Here we go: Set a date with your so-called
"friend." Let's say you make it 7:30.
You call her on the phone --
FLASH ON:
INT. GIRL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
CAMERA DOLLIES AROUND a young GIRL (20s) on the phone.
GIRL
That sounds like fun, Frank.
I love seafood.
CUT TO:
INT. FRANK'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Frank on the phone.
FRANK
So I'll see you about 7:30?
Great, then. Bye-bye, Cindy.
He hangs up.
CUT TO:
INT. GIRL'S HOUSE - ANOTHER NIGHT
CAMERA (HAND HELD) follows behind the GIRL as she walks from the kitchen
to the front door, shaking her head, huffing and puffing....
FRANK (VO)
You wait until about nine o'clock
and you ring the doorbell.
She opens the door and sees FRANK, crying and hysterical.
FRANK (VO)
She opens it up, pissed as hell, but
finds you sobbing your eyes out --
Frank looks up at her and says:
FRANK
...I can't believe what happened...
Frank and the Girl sit down on the couch together.
FRANK (VO)
You explain between sobs that you hit
a dog on the way over to pick her up
and you had to rush it to the animal
hospital but by the time you got there --
FRANK
...and it's paw was sticking out...
and it was too late. It was too late.
She moves in and hugs him.
GIRL
Ohhh, shhhh...shhh...Frank...
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN/BANQUET ROOM - THAT MOMENT
Frank is cracking himself up. He continues.
FRANK
I can't believe I'm telling you guys this,
but the truly terrifying part is that: THIS WORKS.
Any girl that calls herself your friend is not
gonna let you be alone in a situation like that.
Technique #2: Staging a fight.
This is not knock down, drag out, crying
screaming, yelling -- this is a simple,
direct and subtle way of planting confusion
into a girl's mind. Remember we are using
reinforcement technique "G" with these women.
Here's how:
CUT TO:
INT. GIRL'S HOUSE - NIGHT
The Girl picks up her phone and presses some numbers...
FRANK (VO)
One day, she calls you up on the phone...
CUT TO:
INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Frank picks up the phone.
FRANK
Hello?
GIRL
Hey, Frank. It's Cindy. I'm wondering
if you wanna grab a bite and see a movie?
FRANK (VO)
You very directly say:
FRANK
"I don't think I have anything to say
to you, Cindy."
Frank hangs up the phone.
CUT TO:
INT. GIRL'S HOUSE - THAT MOMENT
The Girl gets the dial tone. She looks completely confused and hurt.
CUT TO:
INT. HOLIDAY INN/BANQUET ROOM - BACK TO SCENE
Frank speaking to the group:
FRANK
Let her wonder what she did wrong.
CAMERA DOES A SLOW DOLLY IN. Frank's tone changes a bit, gets darker:
FRANK
This is the way...because they will
always wonder, "What did I do?"
"What could I have done different?"
"How should I behave to get this back?"
And if they think that way -- then they
are asking for you to hurt them and
That Is What You Must Do. That is what
you must do which is punish them many,
many times over.
CUT TO:
INT. CEDARS SINAI MEDICAL CENTER - HALLWAY - DAY
CAMERA pushes in as LINDA walks towards us, down the same
hallway we saw Jimmy Gator walking down earlier, she heads
into an office --
CUT TO:
INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE/RECPETION AREA - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA pushes in on Linda as she enters, WHIPS over to a
RECEPTIONIST who looks up;
RECEPTIONIST
Mrs. Partridge --
LINDA
I'm here and I need to see him.
CUT TO:
INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
Quick shots get them in the room: DR. LANDON (40s) sits
across from LINDA, who's in semi-hysterics, pacing;
LINDA
-- he's fucking dying, he's dying
as we're sitting here and there
isn't a fucking thing -- jesus,
how can you tell me to calm down?
DR. LANDON
I can help you through this the
best I know how but there are certain
things you are gonna have to be
strong about and take care of, now
we can go over them, but I need to
know that you're listening to me, ok?
LINDA
I just, I just -- I just -- I'm just
in a fucking state, I know he's
going and it's like I don't know how
-- just tell me practical things --
What the fuck do I do with his body?
What happens when he dies? That next moment:
What? What do I do? Then What?
DR. LANDON
Well that's what Hospice will take care of
for you. They will send a nurse, someone
who can take care of all of that for you --
LINDA
He has Phil right now.
DR. LANDON
Phil's one of the nurses from the service?
LINDA
Yeah.
DR. LANDON
If you're happy with Phil taking care
of him and helping you, that's fine,
but contact Hospice to arrange for the body --
LINDA
-- you don't understand: it's more pain
than before and the fucking morphine pills
aren't working, he's -- past two days it's
like he can't really swallow them and I don't
know if they're going down -- I can't see inside
his mouth anymore -- I'm up all night staring
at him and I don't think the pills are going
down and he moans and he hurts --
DR. LANDON
We can fix that, because I can give
you -- are you listening?
LINDA
I'm listening. I'm getting better.
DR. LANDON
Do you wanna sit down?
LINDA
I need to sit down.
DR. LANDON
Ok. Linda: Earl is not gonna make it.
He's dying. He is. He is dying very,
very rapidly --
She breaks a bit more.
DR. LANDON
Now the thing here is making that experience
as painless and easy as possible for him,
you understand? Now you need to get in touch
with Hospice care because they can take care of
all those practical things that you're asking
me about -- they are who you call when he dies.
He writes a number on his bussiness card, hands it over as they speak;
DR. LANDON
This is the number for Hospice.
Ok. Now. As far as the morphine pills go,
there is something else to consider that
can take the pain away that he is in,
there is a very strong and very potent solution
of liquid morphine....it's a little bottle,
with an eye dropper and it's easy to get in
his mouth and drop on his tounge and
it will certainly diminish the pain that
he is in but you have to realize that
once you give it to him; there really
is no coming back, I mean, it will certainly
cure his pain, but he will float in and
out of consciousness, even worse than he
is now, Linda. I mean, any sign of the
recognizable Earl will pretty much go away --
LINDA
-- how the fuck can I say anything
to that -- I don't know what to say to that --
DR. LANDON
The job here is to make him as comfortable
as possible -- right now -- our job is to just
try and make it as painless as possible.
Right? You understand?
CAMERA pushes into an EXTREME CLOSE UP on Dr. Landon's hands writing
the perscription for the liquid morphine....hands it to Linda....
CUT TO:
INT. JIMMY'S JAGUAR - PARKED - DAY
CAMERA holds a CU on Jimmy sitting behind the wheel. He hesitates
a moment, exits the car.
CUT TO:
EXT. CLAUDIA'S APARTMENT/STAIRWELL - MOMENTS LATER
CAMERA holds looking down a staircase. Jimmy enters FRAME, walks
up to the second floor, stands a moment, then knocks.
CUT TO:
INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA DOLLIES in on the bed. Claudia's asleep. The MIDDLE AGED GUY is
lying next to her in his underwear. He hears the door, wakes.
CUT TO:
EXT./INT. CLAUDIA'S APARTMENT - THAT MOMENT
Jimmy knocks again....after a BEAT...the door is opened by the MIDDLE
AGED GUY. He stands in his underwear.
MIDDLE AGED GUY
Hello?
JIMMY
Hello. Is Claudia here?
MIDDLE AGED GUY
She's asleep.
BEAT.
JIMMY
Are you her boyfriend?
MIDDLE AGED GUY
You're Jimmy Gator, right?
JIMMY
Yes. What's your name?
MIDDLE AGED GUY
I'm Bob.
JIMMY
You're her boyfriend?
MIDDLE AGED GUY
No, I'm just a friend. What are you
doing here, I mean...you know Claudia?
JIMMY
I'm her father.
The Middle Aged Guy looks a bit confused.
JIMMY
Can I come in?
MIDDLE AGED GUY
Yeah. She's sleeping now, I mean --
Jimmy steps inside, looks around the place, sees the coke and some pot
and pills sitting out on the coffee table.
MIDDLE AGED GUY
Want me to wake her up?
JIMMY
I'II go....is it...back here?
The Middle Aged Guy points Jimmy to the back bedroom.
INT. CLAUDIA'S BEDROOM - THAT MOMENT
Claudia is asleep. Jimmy enters, stands near the edge of the bed.
After a moment, Claudia's eyes open, look over and see Jimmy.
CLAUDIA
...what the fuck is this...?
JIMMY
It's me. Claudia. It's me.
She sits up a bit, covers herself, looks past him and sees the
Middle Aged Guy, sitting in his underwear in the living room,
watching them. She looks back to Jimmy;
CLAUDIA
What do you want? Why are you here?
JIMMY
I'd like to talk to you. Your boyfriend
let me in, I just knocked on the door --
CLAUDIA
He's not my boyfriend.
Jimmy hesitates a beat, then:
CLAUDIA
Wanna call me a slut now, something?
JIMMY
No. No.
She starts to move towards tears, nervousness;
CLAUDIA
What the fuck do you want?
JIMMY
I want to sit. I want to talk to you.
CLAUDIA
Don't sit down.
JIMMY
...I want to....I want so many things, Claudia.
Maybe we can just talk to straighten
our things out....there are so many
things that I want to tell you --
CLAUDIA
I don't wanna talk to you.
JIMMY
Please. It doesn't have to be now.
Maybe we can make a date to sit down,
I didn't mean to walk in on you like this --
CLAUDIA
Why are you here, why are you doing this?
Coming in here -- you wanna call me a whore?
JIMMY
I don't want you to think that I'm that
way to you -- I'm not gonna call you
a slut or something --
CLAUDIA
Yeah, yeah right -- what the fuck are
doing? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?
JIMMY
Don't yell, honey. Please don't go crazy --
CLAUDIA
I'M NOT CRAZY. Don't you tell me I'm crazy.
JIMMY
I'm not saying that, I'm sorry --
CLAUDIA
I'M NOT CRAZY. You're the one. You're
the one who's wrong. You're the one --
JIMMY
I have something, so much -- I'm sick, Claudia.
I'm sick.
CLAUDIA
Get out of here, get the fuck out of
my house --
JIMMY
Now STOP IT and LISTEN to me right now.
I AM DYING, I GOT SICK...now I fell
down and I'm Not...DON'T --
CLAUDIA
GET THE FUCK OUT.
JIMMY
I'm dying, Claudia. I have cancer.
I have cancer and I'm dying, soon.
It's metastasized in my bones and I --
CLAUDIA
FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU, YOU GET OUT.
JIMMY
I'm not lying to you, I'm not --
CLAUDIA
FUCK YOU. YOU GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.
JIMMY
baby, please, please --
CLAUDIA
I'M NOT YOUR BABY, I'M NOT YOUR GIRL.
I'm not your fuckin' baby --
She moves up in the bed, exposes a bit of her breast, tries to
cover herself --
JIMMY
Please put your clothes on, please --
CLAUDIA
YOU BURN IN BELL. You burn in hell
and you deserve it -- YOU GET THE FUCK OUT.
JIMMY
Honey.
CLAUDIA
GET OUT.
BEAT. He stands a moment.
JIMMY
Your mother wants to hear from you --
CLAUDIA
GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.
He walks out of the bedroom, past the MIDDLE AGED GUY, who's
sitting on the couch.
JIMMY
I'm sorry.
MIDDLE AGED GUY
It's alright.
Jimmy exits. Claudia is shaking and crying and holding herself
in the covers of the bed.
The Middle Aged Guy snorts a line of coke, looks into her;
CLAUDIA
Can you get your shit and leave, please?
CUT TO:
INT. SOLOMON AND SOLOMON ELECTRONICS - DAY
CAMERA pushes in as Donnie Smith runs in the door, brushes his
hair back, etc. This is a "Good Guys" type electronics place.
He rushes towards the back.
ANGLE, DOOR TO BACK ROOM.
CAMERA pushes in real quick and tilts down as Donnie reaches
to his belt and his KEY HOLDER (one of those attached to string
on the belt) He inserts the KEY.
CUT TO:
INT. BACK HALLWAY - SOLOMON AND SOLOMON - THAT MOMENT
Donnie enters, walks swiftly down the hall to another door.
Just before he reaches it, AVI SOLOMON (30s) appears at the
end of the hall.
AVI
Don.
Donnie stops short, looks. Avi gives him the "follow me" finger.
DON
Hey, Avi. I'll be right there.
Avi goes back in the room he came from. Donnie does the
KEY and CODE thing now on this door.
CUT TO:
INT. DRESSING ROOM/EMPLOYEE LOUNGE - MOMENTS LATER
Donnie is changed into his Solomon and Solomon Electronics vest
and name tag. He brushes himself up, sweating a bit. (Note:ON HIS BACK)
DONNIE
This is going to be ok. This is. This is.
CUT TO:
INT. SOLOMON'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
Donnie sitting across the desk from SOLOMON SOLOMON (40s) owner
of the store. Avi, his brother, stands nearby.
DONNIE
...please...
SOLOMON
Don't Donnie. Don't do it.
Donnie swells up a bit, about to cry.
DONNIE
This is so fucked, Solomon.
I don't deserve this.
SOLOMON
Don't get strong, Donnie. This is making
sense, this making a lot of sense.
You are not doing the job, the job
I ask you to do, a job I give you.
Over and over and over and I'm sorry.
But I'm not gonna say I'm sorry that
much more.
DONNIE
Solomon: I am in the middle of so much.
So much in my life and this is --
If you do this, if you fire me: I Am Fucked.
I can't really explain much, but please,
please, I've worked here for four years,
four years I've given you and I'm, I'm,
I mean what? I'm sorry I was late.
I had a car accident. I accidentaly
drove into a seven-eleven. It was not
my fault.
AVI
Who's fault was it, Don?
SOLOMON
Avi, please, shut the fuck up for
one second. Don, how much further
do you want me to go in showing you,
showing you what I've done for you
in four years and what you've done
back? Do you want me to do it? I can.
The loans I've given, how much your sales
are, how late you are, over and over, loosing
the keys to the Covina store --
DONNIE
I don't have any money, Solomon.
If you fire me --
SOLOMON
-- I give you money, I give you a paycheck.
Your sales suck, Don. I give, I give.
When I find you, when I meet you,
what? I put you on the billboard,
I put you in the store, my salesman,
my fucking representation of Solomon
and Solomon Electronic, Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
from the game show --
DONNIE
I lent my name, my celebrity. Exactly --
SOLOMON
FUCK YOU. I pay you, I paid you.
I give you a fucking chance and
a chance and over and over, over you
let me down. I trust you with so much.
The keys to my store, the codes to my locks,
the life, the blood of my bussiness and
return is smashing in seven-eleven, late,
always late, loans -- I loaned you money
for your kitchen that you never did --
DONNIE
I paid you back.
SOLOMON
Two years! Two years later and out of your
paycheck, I never charge interest --
DONNIE
Solomon, please. Please. I am so fucked
here if you do this. This is the worst timing.
The worst timing I could ever imagine.
I need to keep working. I have so many
debts, so many things, I have, I have,
I have -- I have surgery -- I have my
oral surgery coming --
AVI
What surery?
DONNIE
Oral surgery. Corrective teeth surgery.
SOLOMON
What is that?
DONNIE
Braces.
SOLOMON
Braces?
DONNIE
Yes.
SOLOMON
You don't need braces.
DONNIE
Yes I do.
SOLOMON
Your teeth are fine.
AVI
Your teeth are straight.
DONNIE
I need corrective oral surgery.
I need the braces.
AVI
Don, you got hit by lightning that
time in Tahoe, you went on vacation,
I don't think braces is a good idea --
DONNIE
I can't believe you're gonna do this
to me, the situation I'm in, I don't --
Avi: You know what? Being hit by lighting
doesn't matter for getting braces, ok?
Now Solomon, let me just ask you once:
Please. Please. Don't do this.
AVI
How are you paying tor the braces, Donnie?
DONNIE
I don't know.
SOLOMON
And how much is braces?
DONNIE
It's...doesn't matter....
AVI
It's like five thousand dollars,
I've seen it, I know --
SOLOMON
You're pissing me off, Don. This is
so unbelievable -- so fucking stupid,
you're gonna spend five thousand dollars
on braces you don't need --
DONNIE
I've been a good worker --
SOLOMON
Don't do this, Don.
AVI
No need for braces, Donnie.
SOLOMON
Where are you getting the money for this?
DONNIE
I don't know.
SOLOMON
You were gonna ask me weren't you?
DONNIE
I've been a good worker, Solomon.
A hard and loyal --
AVI
No need for braces, Donnie.
DONNIE
THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSSINESS.
I HAVE BEEN A GOOD WORKER, A GOOD AND
LOYAL WORKER FOR YOU, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE.
AVI
HEY FUCK YOU DON WATCH IT NOW.
SOLOMON
Give me your keys, Don.
DONNIE
PLEASE DON'T DO THIS!
SOLOMON
GIMME YOUR FUCKIN' KEYS.
BEAT. Donnie tries to calm himself, hold back tears, stands up.
He struggles with his KEY CHAIN and finally after a bunch
of moments, hands over six or seven keys.
CU. INSERT, KEYS. placed on the desk.
CUT TO:
INT. APARTMENT COMPLEX/NORTH HOLLYWOOD - THAT MOMENT
CAMERA hangs inside bedroom w/Detectives and Investigators and
County Coroner folks as we go through in a series of quick shots.
(Director's Note: very technical here. Snapshots, ECU's on body,
procedure, etc.) * See County Coroner videotape.
IN THE LIVING ROOM
CAMERA pushes in past DETECTIVES and OFFICERS who are exchanging
information...CAMERA moves towards Jim Kurring, standing off a bit
now, usless to the investigation as far as everyone else is concerned,
but listening carefully to what they say:
OFFICER
Identified as Porter Parker, aged 59.
Better known as the dead guy in the closet.
So says the building guy, this is her
husband --
DETECTIVE #2
-- he's doesn't live here, but he comes
around, raises shit, screaming, yelling,
something or other --
OFFICER
There's a son, apparently. And a kid.
DETECTIVE #1
Her son?
OFFICER
Her son, that's right...and the kid.
And they were here and around and
from late last night and through the
morning, it's screaming and yelling --
DETECTIVE #1
And Where Are They?
DETECTIVE
-- they are not to be found.
CORONER WOMAN
-- she's got six hundred dollars and
a large box of condoms next to the bed --
OFFICER #1
And three wedding rings.
DETECTIVE #1
Ok.
CORONER WOMAN
-- guys come in, out and around all day,
this is the building guy talking --
OFFICER
The building guy says The Son and The
Closet guy are always goin' at it --
CORONER WOMAN
That's right.
DETECTIVE #1
And what is she saying?
OFFICER
Not a god damn thing.
CAMERA lands CU on Jim Kurring.
ANGLE, COURTYARD AREA - THAT MOMENT
Another set of Detectives/Officers/Investigators are standing
over Marcie, who sits handcuffed. She has her best, "I'm not
saying anything" face on. Again, they're OC througout;
OFFICER #2
Why did you kill him, Marcie?
DETECTIVE #3
Did you kill him?
OFFICER #2
Did he hurt you, did he do something?
DETECTIVE #4
How long's he been in there?
DETECTIVE #3
You're hurting yourself, Marcie.
OFFICER #3
You have the dead body of your husband
in the closet of your apartment, Marcie.
OFFICER #2
That Is Not Good.
DETECTIVE #3
You hit him with the ashtray,
you strangled him --
DETECTIVE #4
-- tell us he fell and hit his head,
but tell us something, Marcie.
OFFICER #2
Why did you kill him?
The Main Detective from previous steps into FRAME, says:
DETECTIVE #1
-- Marcie: Where's your son? Marcie?
Marcie? Marcie tell us where your Son is now.
Marcie tell us where your son is.
CAMERA arrives CU on Marcie.
MARCIE
I wanna talk to my motherfuckin' lawyer.
ANGLE, STREET OUTSIDE APARTMENT COMPLEX - LATER
The investigation is wrapping up now and CAMERA (STEADICAM)
moves with Jim Kurring as he heads towards his squad car,
talking into his WALKIE TALKIE. (Dir. Note: technical info re:
disturbance at adress/Jim takes call/etc.)
WALKIE VOICE
...4277 Tujunga...
JIM KURRING
10-4.
Out of the group of neighborhood lookie-lo's comes a little black
kid who starts walking alongside Jim Kurring as they head away
from the scene -- this is DIXON, age 10. He's very small for his age
and he carries one of those boxes filled with Candy Bars he's trying
to sell. They walk/talk;
DIXON
How much you pay me for my help?
JIM KURRING
I think it's more complicated
than that little man.
DIXON
Put me on the payroll, find out,
find out wassup --
JIM KURRING
You don't just sign up to be a police
officer -- it's about three years of
training -- ok?
DIXON
I'm trained, I'm ready to go, you wanna
buy some candy to help underprivelaged
youth in the --
JIM KURRING
Sorry, little man.
DIXON
You wanna take my statement, I'll
perform for you, gotta get paid though,
gotta get PAID.
JIM KURRING
Why the hell aren't you in school?
DIXON
No school today. My teacher got sick.
JIM KURRING
They don't have substitute teachers
where you go to school?
DIXON
Nope. So what'd they find out in there?
JIM KURRING
That's confidential information, little man.
DIXON
Tell me what you know, I'll tell you
what I know --
JIM KURRING
No Can Do.
DIXON
Leave this one to the detectives,
they ain't gonna solve shit, I can
help you, make you the man with a plan,
give you the gift that I flow -- think
fast -- you wanna know who killed that guy?
Jim Kurring stops at his Squad Car, turns to Dixon;
JIM KURRING
Ok. Listen. You: c'mere.
DIXON
No.
JIM KURRING
You wanna disrespect an officer of the law?
DIXON
I can help you solve the case,
I can tell you who did it.
JIM KURRING
Are you a joker? huh? Tellin' jokes?
DIXON
I'm a rapper.
JIM KURRING
Oh, you're a rapper, huh? You got a
record contract?
DIXON
Not yet -- "give you the clue for
the bust if you show me some trust --"
JIM KURRING
Have you ever been to Juvenille Hall?
DIXON
I ain't fuckin with you --
JIM KURRING
Hey. Watch the mouth. Watch it.
DIXON
C'mon, man, just watch me, watch and listen --
JIM KURRING
Go. Hurry up. Let's go.
Dixon places his box of candy down and starts dancing around.
Jim Kurring stands beside his squad car.
DIXON
Presence - with a double ass meaning
gifts I bestow, with my riff, and my flow
but you don't hear me though
think fast, catch me, yo
cause I throw what I know with a
Resonance - fo'yo'trouble-ass fiend in
weenin yo-self off the back of the shelf
Jackass crackas, bodystackas
dicktootin niggas, masturbatin' yo trigga
butcha y'all just fake-ass niggas --
JIM KURRING
-- watch the mouth, homeboy, I don't
need to hear that word --
DIXON
-- livin' to get older
with a chip on your shoulder
'cept you think you got a grip,
cauze you hip gotta holster?
Ain't no confessor, so busta, you best just
Shut The fuck up, try to listen and learn --
JIM KURRING
Alright, alright, cut it, coolio.
That's enough with the mouth and
the language.
DIXON
I'm almost done.
JIM KURRING
Finish it up without the lip.
DIXON
Check that ego - come off it -
I'm the profit - the proffesor
Ima teach you 'bout The Worm,
who eventually turned to catch wreck
with the neck of a long time oppressor
And he's runnin from the devil, but the
debt is always gaining
And if he's worth being hurt, he's worth
bringin' pain in -
When the sunshine don't work, the Good Lord
bring the rain in.
HOLD ON KURRING.
DIXON
Now that shit will help you SOLVE the case.
JIM KURRING
Whatever that meant, I'm sure it's
real helpful Ice-T.
Kurring gets behind the wheel, Dixon hustles over;
DIXON
Did you listen to me?
JIM KURRING
I was listening --
DIXON
-- I told you who did it and you're not
listening to me.
JIM KURRING
-- and I'm through playin' games.
Kurring closes his door and drives off...(Director's Note: Reference
notes for SOUND design here, carries over cut...)
CUT TO:
MUSIC QUE starts, builds over the following cut and through sequence;
INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY - DAY Sequence C
CAMERA PUSHES IN SLOW on STANLEY as he sits at a desk...piles of
books spread out in front of him....
OVERHEAD ANGLE, LOOKING STRAIGHT DOWN ONTO:
All the books he has in front of him, we catch glimpses of things:
"How Things Work" "Forensic Studies" "The Guiness Book of World
Records" "The Natural History of Nonsense" "Weather" "Learned Pigs..."
INSERT, CU. IMAGES of the book about weather. CAMERA scans, dissolves
and moves around various images of ancient BAROMETERS, HYGROMETERS
from the 1700's. We see 16th Century French comic strips regarding
weather as cartoon characters. Aristotle pointing to the sky.
Scan past the words, "...our quest to understand and predict the
weather reaches back to the Stone Age..."
C | 
