PROLOGUE:
Newsreel footage of Christchurch circa 1954.

EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK – LATE AFTERNOON CAMERA
CRASHES out of bush and races up a dark bushy track.

CLOSE ON... two pairs of feet running up the track,
slipping in the mud... desperate.
WIDE SHOT...
reveals TWO GIRLS running up the track, distraught.

JULIET HULME: nearly 16 – tall, blond and
willowy, and PAULINE RIEPER: 16 –
dark-haired, shorter and stockier than Juliet.
It is 1954.
Both girls are dressed in overcoats on a chilly winter
day. They slip and stumble on the dirt track that winds up
the steep Victoria Park hillside. Thickvegetation and
overhanging trees give the path a tunnel-like feeling.



CUT TO:
EXT. OCEANLINER’S DECK – DAY
BLACK
& WHITE...
Pauline and Juliet running... this
time they are happy, in holiday clothing, weaving around
OTHER PASSENGERS as they race along the deck of an
oceanliner.

INTERCUT BETWEEN:

EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK – LATE AFTERNOON Pauline
and Juliet desperately scrambling up the track.
AND

EXT. OCEANLINER S DECK – DAY

BLACK & WHITE...
Pauline and Juliet happily
bounding along the ships deck.
They push past a group of
PASSENGERS. Juliet waves and calls out.



JULIET: Mummy!



The PACE of the INTERCUTTING between TRACK and SHIP, COLOUR
and BLACK & WHITE, increases in rhythm.
Pauline and
Juliet run up toward a MAN and WOMAN (HENRY and HILDA) on
the deck.



JULIET: Mummy!

PAULINE: Mummy!



CAMERA RUSHES toward Hilda and Henry (not seen clearly) as
they turn to greet the two girls:

CRASH CUT:

EXT. VICTORIA PARK/TEAROOMS – DAY
AGNES RITCHIE,
proprietor of the tearooms at the top of Victoria Park,
comes rushing down the steps toward CAMERA... her face
alarmed.



PAULINE: (O.S.) (Panicked) It’s Mummy!



Pauline and Juliet rush into CLOSE-UP... panting heavily.
For the first time we realise their clothes, and
Pauline’s face, are splattered with blood.



PAULINE (Panicked) She’s terribly hurt...

JULIET (Hysterical) Somebody’s got to help
us!


CUT TO:
SUPERTITLES ON BLACK:
"During 1953 and
1954 Pauline Yvonne Parker kept diaries recording her
friendship with Juliet Marion Hulme. This is their story.
All diary entries are in Pauline’sown
words."


INT. CHRISTCHURCH GIRLS’ HIGH – FOYER –
MORNING MUSIC: "Just a Closer Walk With Thee,"
sung by a HUNDRED SCHOOLGIRLS.
The school crest
"Sapienta et Veritas" embossed in the lino just
inside the entrance.
Lisle-stockinged schoolgirl legs
carefully walk around the crest... TRACK along with the
schoolgirl legs.


CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL BUILDING/CRANMER SQUARE –
MORNING HYMN CONTINUES OVER:
TRACKING... with a row
of schoolgirl legs, marching in a crocodile line across
Cranmer Square.
CRANE UP... to reveal CHRISTCHURCH
GIRLS’ HIGH.
SUPER: "Christchurch Girls’
High, 1952"
CREDITS BEGIN... GROUPS OF
GIRLS, in heavy, pleated, over-the-knee school uniforms,
wearing hats, gloves and blazers, flock through the school
grounds.
MISS STEWART, the headmistress, stands by the
rear entrance, scanning girls’ uniforms as they
enter.


EXT. RIEPERS’ HOUSE/BACK GARDEN – MORNING

CLOSE ON... Pauline Rieper’s legs as she tries to
hitch up her baggy stockings. She hops over a fence and
hurries toward the school, which backs onto
theRiepers’ garden.
She carries a
boy’s-style school bag on her shoulder and walks with a
slight limp.


EXT. CHRISTCHURCH STREETS – MORNING
TRACKING...
LOW ANGLE with the Hulme car coming toward CAMERA.



INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR – MORNING
TRACKING... with
Pauline's striding feet down a crowded school corridor.
CRANE UP... as she walks toward CAMERA. In contrast to
the other girls, she isintrospective and gruffly
acknowledges her classmates.


CUT TO
INT. SCHOOL ASSEMBLY HALL – MORNING
The
ornate wooden ceiling of the assembly hall. TILT DOWN...
to a sea of schoolgirls singing the last verse of the hymn.
Miss Stewart and the STAFF arestanding on the stage,
singing.
LONG LENS into the crowd... Pauline is not
participating in the hymn. Her eyes look about
uninterestedly.
ZOOM IN... on Miss Stewart glaring
straight at CAMERA.
Pauline mouths the last couple of
words.
The hymn finishes.



MISS STEWART Sit!



Everybody sits.


EXT. CHRISTCHURCH GIRLS' HIGH/CRANMER SQUARE –
MORNING
The Hulmes' car pulls up outside the school.

CREDITS END
WIDE SHOT... Juliet Hulme gets out of the
car, followed by her father, HENRY. They walk into the
school.



CUT TO INT.
SCHOOL FRENCH CLASS – MORNING
Class
3A are in the midst of a French lesson. All the class have
name cards hanging around their necks denoting their chosen
"French name." MISS WALLERgestures at a
screed of subjugated verbs scrawled on the blackboard.


MISS WALLER: The imperfect subjunctive, like the
imperfect indicative, indicates action in the past. "II
voulait qu'elle lui donnat de l'argent." Translate,
somebody .. . quickly!

A SCHOOLGIRL – LAURA – blurts out from the
front of the class.



LAURA "He wanted her to give him some
money."

MISS WALLER (Angry) Put your hand up! I will not have
girls talking out of turn in my class!



The door opens and Miss Stewart brings Juliet into the
room.
The presence of the headmistress causes the class
to stand up.



MISS STEWART Good morning, gels.

CLASS (In Unison) Good morning, Miss Stewart.



The class sit.



MISS STEWART Miss Waller... class... this is
Juliet Hulme. Juliet is joining us from St. Margaret's, and
prior to that she spent some time at Queenswood in
theHawkes Bay.



Juliet looks at Miss Stewart haughtily.



JULIET: I am actually from England, Miss
Stewart.

MISS STEWART :Of course... Juliet's father is Dr.
Hulme, the Rector of the University.



Miss Waller looks impressed. Pauline is quietly drawing
horses at the back of the class.



MISS STEWART :Juliet's travelled all over the world,
and I'm sure she’ll be very eager to share her
impressions of exotic lands across the seas with the gels of
3A. I'llleave you to it, Miss Waller. Juliet.



Miss Stewart leaves. Miss Waller smiles at Juliet.



MISS WALLER: You can sit over here, Juliet.



Miss Waller gestures to a desk at the front. She gives
Juliet a cardboard name card.



MISS WALLER We use French names in this class. You
can choose your own.



Miss Waller returns to the blackboard and starts
writing.



MISS WALLER Now, irregular verbs in the present
subjunctive. . . "qu'il vienne". . .

JULIET Excuse me, Miss Waller... you've made a
mistake.



Miss Waller turns to Juliet—who now has the name
"Antoinette" hanging around her neck.



JULIET "Je doutais qu'il vienne" is in fact
the spoken subjunctive.

MISS WALLER It is customary to stand when addressing
a teacher... "Antoinette."



Juliet stands.



JULIET You should have written "vint."



Miss Waller frowns, glances at the board, and hastily rubs
out the offending word.



MISS WALLER (Embarrassed mumble) Oh! I must have
copied it incorrectly from my notes.



Juliet stands again.



JULIET You don't have to apologise, Miss Waller. I
found it frightfully difficult myself... until I got the
hang of it.



Miss Waller turns to Juliet, her face clouded with anger.
The class looks terrified.



MISS WALLER (Icily) Thank you, Juliet. Open your
text-book to page 17.



Pauline is smirking.


CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL ART CLASS – DAY

The teacher, MRS. COLLINS, comes in, carrying a pile of
paper and a box of paints. She starts to distribute them
around the tables.



MRS. COLLINS: Right, I thought we'd do some life
drawing today. Pair off into twos and decide who wants to
model and who wants to draw.



The girls around Juliet turn to each other, seemingly eager
not to be partnered with her. They pair off and Juliet is
left alone.



MRS. COLLINS: Oh, Juliet. . . you haven't got a
partner.

JULIET That s all right, Mrs. Collins. I'm sure I can
manage without one.



Mrs. Collins scans the class.



MRS. COLLINS: Pauline... are you with anybody?



Pauline shakes her head.



MRS. COLLINS; Good! You can come here and pair up
with Juliet.



Pauline reluctantly comes up to Juliet’s table.



SERIES of SHOTS showing VARIOUS GIRLS sketching their
partners. Most of the posing girls are seated in contrived
positions with rigid grins on their faces. Mrs.Collins
patrols the class, commenting to different girls.



MRS. COLLINS: You might want to change the
colour— make it a bit darker... that's very nice,
Joan.



PULL BACK. . . to reveal Pauline's "pose"...
slumped in the chair, arms crossed, a sullen look on her
face. She stares intently at Juliet, who is drawing
furiously...but doesn't refer to Pauline at
all.



MRS. COLLINS: Good heavens, Juliet! What on earth is
this???



Mrs. Collins picks up Juliet's drawing. It features an
armoured knight on horseback, fighting a dragon.



JULIET St. George and the Dragon.



Mrs. Collins studies the detail in the drawing.



MRS. COLLINS Where's Pauline?

JULIET Oh, I haven't gotten around to drawing her
yet. I was going to pop her on a rock, but I seem to have
run out room.



Juliet glances at Pauline.



JULIET Sorry! I don't know if you've noticed, Mrs.
Collin but I've actually drawn St. George in the likeness of
world's greatest tenor—Mario Lanza!

MRS. COLLINS Yes, I know it's very clever, Juliet,
but when I set you a topic, I expect you to follow it. Now
put that down and start again!



Mrs. Collins moves on. Juliet looks up at Pauline rather
grumpily. Pauline leans forward, an intense look on her face
. . .



PAULINE (Whispers) I think your drawing's
fantastic!




CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN – EVENING

CLOSE-UP... a newspaper is unwrapped, revealing couple of
fresh fish.
HONORA RIEPER is standing at her sink bench.
She is 43 years old. Dark hair, going gray. A middle-aged
woman with a kind face.
Her husband, HERBERT, has just
arrived home and is taking off his coat, looking at the
mail, etc. He is nearly 60... 15 years older than
Honora.
The Riepers' house is clean and tidy. They are a
low middle-class family on a modest income.



HONORA Oh!... Mackerel. We'll have them for lunch
tomorrow.



Herbert comes up behind Honora, gives her a peck on cheek
and puts his hand on her bum.

HERBERT Let's have 'em now, while they're fresh, eh,
Nora?



Honora playfully shoves his hand away.



HONORA I'll think you'll find our Mr. Bayliss is not
keen on seafood. I've got lamb chops in the 'frigerator.



Herbert sighs as Honora puts the frying pan on the
stove.
Young student boarder, STEVE BAYLISS, appears in
doorway, nervously clutching a record.



STEVE Excuse me... would you mind if I put my
long-playing record on?

HERBERT You're partial to a nice bit of mackerel,
aren't you, Steve?

STEVE Well... actually, I'm not much of a fish
man, Mr. Rieper.



Honora glances at his album.



HONORA You have been splashing out!

STEVE Oh!... I've got my board money . .
.



Steve starts fishing in his pockets.
At this moment . .
. Pauline comes into the kitchen, through back door. She
strides past Honora, Herbert and Steve.



PAULINE (Brightly) Hello!

HONORA Well? Tell us! How'd it go?



Pauline disappears into the lounge.



PAULINE (O.S.) (Calling) Got an A, Mum!



Honora glows with pride. Steve is emptying his pockets on
the bench. Honora pats Steve's hand.



HONORA Don't worry about it now. We'll sort it out
after dinner. You go put your record on.

HERBERT Doris Day!

STEVE I think she's very talented!


INT. RIEPERS'HOUSE/LOUNGE – EVENING
CLOSE-UP.
. . gramophone needle drops onto a record.
FAST
PULL-BACK... from the speaker as the opening notes of
"Be My Love" by Mario Lanza burst out. Records
from the cabinet lie scattered on the floor. Paulineis
clutching a Mario Lanza album.
Steve backs toward
the hallway door, holding his Doris Day album
forlornly.
Herbert chuckles at him through the
kitchen doorway.HERBERT (Laughing) Ya gotta be quick
in this house, mate!
Pauline stares misty-eyed at the
album cover. Herbert calls out.



HERBERT (O.S.) (Tongue in cheek) Hey! Isn't it that
Irish singer... Murray O' Lanza?

PAULINE (annoyed) He's Italian, Dad! The world's
greatest tenor!



Mario Lanza starts singing... Herbert comes into the
lounge, miming the song with a limp fish. Hw gesticulates a
grand operatic fashion.



PAULINE Stop it! You're spoiling it! Go away!



She pushes Herbert out of the room, into the kitchen.


CUT TO:
EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS – DAY
It is the
Phys Ed period and the 31 other girls of 3A are lying on
their backs in the quad doing leg stretches to tinny music.
MRS. ZWARTZ, the teacher, is patrolling the rows of flexing
bodies.



MRS. ZWARTZ Left, right... Ieft, right... one
and two and one and...



Pauline and Juliet are sidelined on a bench. Pauline is
writing in a textbook. She notices Juliet glancing at her
leg. Juliet moves closer.



JULIET Can I have another look?



Pauline purses her lips and quickly pushes her left stocking
down... She has a large ugly scar running up her left
shin, from ankle to knee.



JULIET That's so impressive!



Pauline does not look convinced.



JULIET (Conspiratorial) I've got scars... they're
on my lungs.



Pauline looks surprised.



JULIET I was in bed for months during the war,
ravaged by respiratory illness.


CUT TO:
INSERT:
INT. ENGLISH HOSPITAL ROOM
– NIGHT
Little 5-YEAR-OLD JULIET, alone in
her hospital bed, coughing and looking miserable.



JULIET (V.0.) Mummy and Daddy sent me to the
Bahamas to recuperate. I didn't see them for five
years—but we're together now and Mummy's promised
they'llnever leave me again.




INSERT:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM – NIGHT
PULL
BACK from little 5-YEAR-OLD PAULINE. She is lying in bed
with a younger HERBERT and HONORA standing over her, looking
very concerned.



PAULINE (V.0.) I spent ages in hospital, too...
with my leg. I had to have all these operations.




EXT. SCHOOL GROUNDS – DAY

PAULINE Osteomyelitus turns your bones to chalk. It
took them two years to drain all the muck out.



Pauline looks despondently at her leg.



JULIET Cheer up! All the best people have bad chests
and bone diseases! It's all frightfully romantic!




CUT TO:
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD – DAY
Pauline
is furiously pedalling her bicycle along a country
road.



EXT. ILAM/DRIVEWAY – DAY
LOW ANGLE... a
tree-lined driveway.
Pauline rides her bicycle up the
drive. She pauses, wide-eyed.
PAN TO... ILAM – a
large stately house, set amongst beautiful gardens...

Pauline puts her bike on its stand. She pulls the Mario
Lanza album out of her bicycle bag.
Pauline is about to
approach the house when she glances across the garden, and
is transfixed by an enchanting sight:
Juliet on a sunlit
bridge that spans the Ilam stream. She is wearing a shredded
chiffon dress, with a Christmas tinsel crown and a necklace
made from tinfoil. Sunlight filters through the trees,
lending Juliet a magical quality. She's casting flowers onto
the water. Pauline stands transfixed. Juliet sees her and
smiles.


JULIET Hi, Paul!



SUDDENLY!... an 8-year-old boy – JONATHON HULME
– comes charging out of the bushes and lays into Juliet
with a wooden sword. He is dressed in a
"prince's"costume.


JULIET 0www!



Jonathon runs away. Juliet gives chase, yelling to
Pauline.


JULIET The evil Prince Runnymeade is escaping! Get
him, Paul!


Pauline joins in the chase after Jonathon, careening through
garden and bushes.
Juliet and Pauline lose sight of
Jonathon. They pause in a clearing, catching their breath.


JULIET The blighter's gone to ground!

JONATHON Yaaaa!


Jonathon drops from a tree, onto Pauline, sending, her
sprawling. He whacks her on the bottom with his wooden
sword.


JULIET God! Jonty! Jonty—stop it! Go away! We're
not playing anymore... go on, bugger off!



Jonathon pokes his tongue at Juliet, turns and runs
away.
Juliet offers her hand and pulls Pauline up. She
pauses, a look of shock on her face...
The Mario
Lanza record lies broken on the ground. Pauline looks
distraught.


JULIET 0h, God... I'm so sorry!

PAULINE (Upset) It doesn't matter.

JULIET Of course it matters! It's Mario!


I NT. ILAM/LOUNGE – DAY
CLOSE ON... HENRY
HULME – a 44-year-old bespectacled academic. He is
sniffing, with a disdainful look on his face. He pulls a
packet of mouldy sandwiches his jacket
pocket.

HENRY What on earth are these?



HILDA HULME, elegant, 36 years old, is setting down a tray
of tea on a small table.



HILDA They're egg and salmon sandwiches... I gave
them to you several days ago.

HENRY I thought I could smell sulphur.

HILDA God, Henry! You're hopeless! You can't be
trusted with something as simple as lunch.

JULIET (O.S.) Mother!


Hilda looks up as Juliet bursts into the room from the
garden, followed by Pauline. Hilda smiles at Pauline.



HILDA Hello... 

JULIET Jonty broke Paul's record!

HILDA Oh, dear!

JULIET We must buy her another one!


Juliet drops to the floor, hauling records out of the
radiogram cabinet.
Pauline looks around, taking in the
sumptuousness of her surroundings: ornate fireplace,
paintings, antique furniture.


HILDA Would you like a cup of tea...
Paul?

PAULINE No, thank you.

HILDA Well, Juliet's told us all about you. I hear
you're fond of opera.


Before Pauline can reply, Juliet fans Mario Lanza albums
across the floor.


JULIET Which one shall we play?


Pauline shrugs awkwardly. Henry looks up from his papers,
rather annoyed at this intrusion. Pauline notices a row of
beautifully sculpted Plasticine horsesadorning the
mantelpiece.
Juliet puts a record on the turntable.



HILDA Juliet... your father's trying to
study.

JULIET Daddy can study while we're playing
records!

HENRY Why don't you go back outside, mmm? I'll be
finished soon.


The record drops on the turntable. The arm swings
across.
Henry and Hilda glance at each other. Henry
silently gathers up his papers and leaves the room.
The
needle drops and Mario Lanza’s rendition of "The
Donkey Serenade" booms into the room.
SWIRLING
CAMERA as Juliet takes Pauline's hand and whirls her around,
leading her into...


INT. ILAM HALLWAY – DAY
. . . the hallway,
laughing and singing. Pauline stares wide-eyed as the wood
paneling, carved sideboard and curved staircase flash past
her eyes.
"The Donkey Serenade" continues over
a MUSICAL SEQUENCE:



EXT. SCHOOL PLAYGROUND – DAY
CAMERA RUSHES
around a netball court as the class run about in the middle
of a game.
FAST TRACK IN toward Pauline and Juliet
sitting on the sidelines, reading. Juliet laughs as Pauline
reads to her from a Biggles book.


EXT. ILAM/GROUNDS – DAY
Pauline and Juliet
cavorting around bushes and shrubs, arms outstretched,
acting like dogfighting aeroplanes.



INT. ILAM/DINING ROOM – NIGHT
CAMERA MOVES
around Hilda, Henry, Jonathon, Pauline and Juliet at the
table, having an evening meal. They are all sipping soup.
Silver glistens, crystal 
sparkles.



Pauline watches Hilda out of the corner of her eye. She
cocks her little finger in the same fashion as Hilda, and
she spoons her soup up.


INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – DAY
Pauline and Juliet
kneading and shaping Plasticine with their fingers...

PULL BACK to reveal sculpted horses, knights and dragons on
the table top.


EXT. ILAM GARDENS – DAY
Henry is showing TWO
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS (a MAN and WOMAN) around the Ilam
gardens, when Pauline and Juliet come bursting out of the
bushes and run between them, dressed in medieval clothing.
They vanish into the bushes again.



EXT. CINEMA/STREET – DAY
Pauline and Juliet rush
out of the cinema in a state of high excitement...
.
. . FAST TRACK as they bound down the street, pirouetting
and dancing as they pass bewildered PEDESTRIANS.



CUT TO:
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD – DAY
FAST
TRACK – CLOSE-UP... bicycle wheel spinning.

Pauline and Juliet are pedalling their bicycles like mad
down a narrow, tree-lined lane.
The "Donkey
Serenade" continues...They have a near-miss with an
angrily tooting car.
Pauline wobbles out of control! . .
. She goes flying into a bush.
"The Donkey
Serenade" finishes abruptly in mid-verse.Pauline is
lying on her back.
Pauline's POV... looking straight
up into treetops and blue sky. Juliet's face looms over,
looking concerned.


JULIET (Worried) Paul? Oh, God! Paul... are you
all right?


Pauline’s eyes are shut. She speaks with great
effort.



PAULINE (Gasping) I think I'm dying...

JULIET (Upset) Don't... please! Please, don't!



Dying breath escapes from Pauline's mouth... she goes
limp.


Juliet shrieks!


JULIET (Crying) Paul!!!


Juliet collapses over Pauline’s body, crying.

Pauline’s eyes flick open! She sniffs and pulls a
face.


PAULINE Urrrgh! You've been eating onions.



Before Juliet has time to react, Pauline pushes her off,
giggling maniacally. She leaps to her feet and attempts to
run. Juliet grabs Pauline’s cardigan, pulling her
backwards.


JULIET You toad!


Pauline sheds the cardigan and runs through the bushes,
with Juliet in hot pursuit!
RRRRIP!... Juliet
tugs at Pauline’s blouse and the buttons pop off.
Pauline is laughing too hard to run anymore. She pulls off
her skirt and waves it around herhead as she dances
around the bushes, singing "The Donkey
Serenade."


PAULINE (Singing) "There's a light in her eye,
Though she may try to hide it, She cannot deny, There's a
light in her eye."


Now Juliet is cracking up at the sight of Pauline spinning
around in her underwear, shoes and socks.
Pauline
circles around and around Juliet, singing. Juliet hurriedly
starts undressing down to her underwear.
Juliet giggles
and starts jumping up and down.
Pauline suddenly breaks
into a run and races through the bushes. Juliet follows.

Both girls are screaming and hooting loudly. Pauline and
Juliet burst out of the bushes and...


PAULINE & JULIET (Singing) "Her face is a
dream, like an angel I saw...


. . . into a field. They find themselves face to face with a
FARMER, mending a fence.

without missing a beat, they continue singing...


PAULINE & JULIET (Singing) "But all
that my darling can scream..."


. . . then break down into convulsive laughter. They turn
and flee back into the bushes.
ON THE SOUNDTRACK...
Mario Lanza picks up "The Donkey Serenade" at the
point that Pauline and Juliet stopped. The song builds to a
rousing final chorus as. . .
Pauline and
Juliet collapse on the ground, rolling and tumbling in an
embrace.
As Mario sings the last exhilarating notes . .
.
CAMERA RISES UP VERTICALLY... up through the
foliage... past the branches of a tree which abruptly
BLOCK CAMERA.


CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS – NIGHT
The final
"OLE!" from "The Donkey Serenade"
resounds over a SHOT of Pauline cycling furiously through
dark Christchurch streets.



EXT. ILAM – NIGHT
TRACKING... down the drive as
the dark shape of the Ilam house looms ahead.



EXT. ILAM/SHRINE – NIGHT
A corner of the garden . .
. Moonlight glistens off the slow-moving stream.
Three
candles illuminate a little shrine, nestled flower bed in a
remote corner of the Ilam garden.
Bricks have been
stacked to form a miniature temple, decorated with flowers
and tinsel.
Pauline and Juliet are kneeling on the
ground, clipping pictures from film magazines. Clipped-out
photos lie scattered about.
Pauline holds James Mason's
photo.


PAULINE (Enraptured) I wish James would do a
religious picture... he'd be perfect as
Jesus!

JULIET Daddy says the Bible's a load of bunkum!



Pauline reacts with a degree of shock.


PAULINE But, we're all going to Heaven!


JULIET I'm not! I'm going to the Fourth World! It's
like Heaven, only better because there aren't any
Christians.


Pauline giggles.


JULIET It's an absolute Paradise of music, art and
enjoyment.


Pauline is entranced. Juliet plucks up some photos.



JULIET James will be there... and Mario! Only
they’ll be saints.


PAULINE (Giggling) Saint Mario!


Juliet places Mario Lanza's photo in the shrine.



JULIET To be known as He!

PAULINE He...



Juliet places James Mason's photo in the shrine.



JULIET Him.

PAULINE Him...


Juliet picks up a photo of Mel Ferrer and places it in the
shrine.


JULIET This.

PAULINE This...


Juliet places Jussi Bjoerling's photo in the shrine.



JULIET That.

PAULINE That...


Pauline places the last photo in the shrine... Orson
Welles.



PAULINE It.


Juliet screws her face up and throws the photo into the
stream.


JULIET Absolutely not! Orson Welles! The most hideous
man alive!



Juliet dramatically sweeps her hand over the photos in the
shrine and bows her head.


JULIET We give praise to... the saints!



Candlelight flickers on Pauline s enraptured face.
The
crumpled photo of Orson Welles floats down the stream. With
a sudden violent burst of sound, it is sucked into the
weir.



CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/LOUNGE - CHRISTMAS DAY,
1952
CLOSE-UP... a Christmas present is torn open . .
. followed by several more, in QUICK CUTS. Typical 1952
presents.
A Christmas tree adorns the Riepers' lounge.
Some simple streamers and ornaments decorate the room.

SUPER: "Christmas, 1952"
Honora, Herbert,
WENDY and Pauline are sitting on the floor, amid presents
and discarded wrapping paper, GRANDMA PARKER is sitting in a
chair.
Pauline unwraps her present... a diary. Her
eyes light up. Herbert leans over.


HERBERT Hope it's all right. It's from Whitcomb and
Tombs...


Pauline opens the diary...



CUT TO IN1: RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM –
DAY
CLOSE-UP of the Jan. 1st page. Pauline's pen
starts to write...


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I decided that my New Year's
resolution is to be more lenient with others.



CUT TO:
INT: RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM – DAY

The table is laid with plates of sausage rolls and
sandwiches. Pauline is laying napkins out. Steve Bayliss
wanders in.



STEVE Pikelets! Yum!

PAULINE (Appalled) Aren't you going out?

STEVE Not till two-thirty...


He reaches for a pikelet—Pauline pushes him away from
the table.


PAULINE This is a private function! Go away!



Steve retreats, hurt and confused. Honora brings in a plate
of scones.
The doorbell rings.


HONORA Come on! Sausage rolls.

HERBERT (O.S.) Come on through.



Honora and Pauline hurriedly work together, setting out
plates and cutlery.


HERBERT Look who I've found!


Honora whips off her pinny as Herbert leads Juliet into the
dining room.


HONORA Hello, Juliet.

JULIET Hello, Mrs. Rieper... it's so nice to meet
you.



Juliet shakes hands with Honora.


CUT TO:
LATER IN THE LUNCH:
Herbert, Honora, Pauline
and Juliet are sitting at the table, in the middle of
lunch.


JULIET And so, in a blazing fury, Charles runs
Lancelot Trelawney through with his sword... leaving
Deborah free to accept Charles's proposal of marriage!



Honora and Herbert exchange a glance. Honora smiles at
Juliet.


HONORA I've heard your mother on 3YA. The Woman's
Session has lots of lively debate.

JULIET Well, actually, Mummy's left that programme
now . . she's far too busy with The Marriage Guidance
Council.

HERBERT They sound like a queer mob!

PAULINE Dad!

HONORA I wouldn't want my private business being
discussed with a complete stranger!

JULIET Oh, no... Mummy's awfully good at it.


INSERT SCENE
INT. MARRIAGE GUIDANCE – DAY

SEVERAL QUICK SHOTS... of Hilda chatting to UNHAPPY
COUPLES as Juliet's V.O. continues...


JULIET (V.O.) She has deep discussions with unhappy
couples and persuades them to have another go at it. In two
years, she's only had four divorces. She shouldreally
be working for the U.N.!


WALTER PERRY is now sitting across the table from Hilda. He
is ruggedly handsome, in his mid-40s


WALTER My wife's blaming me... says it's all my
fault.

HILDA And how do you feel about that, Mr.
Perry?

WALTER Please... call me Bill. I don't know what
went wrong. My wife feels...

HILDA No... no... let's talk about your
feelings... Bill.


The air is crackling with subtext.


JULIET (V.O.) Mummy has a special technique called
"Deep Therapy."




INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM – DAY (CONT.)



HERBERT What's that?

JULIET I'm not sure... but it's proving to be very
popular!


Honora and Herbert exchange a glance.
DING DONG!...
doorbell rings. Honora gets up.


HONORA Eat up, Yvonne.


She leaves the room. Juliet raises her eyebrows at Pauline,
who looks embarrassed.


PAULINE (Quietly) It's my middle name.



Herbert smiles at Juliet.


HERBERT Yvonne tells us you're good at making
models.

JULIET I adore anything to do with the
arts.

HERBERT We're pretty handy with model making, too,
eh?



Pauline looks down, cheeks burning.



HERBERT I've never cottoned on to Plasticine like you
girls, but I enjoy making things out of wood.

JULIET Are you a carpenter, Mr. Rieper? Herbert
shakes his head.

HERBERT I work at Dennis Brothers Fish Supply.



Muffled voices from the hallway.


PAULINE He's the manager!


Honora leads a young man—JOHN—into the dining
room.


HONORA (O.S.) This is the dining room...



She smiles at Juliet.


HONORA Do excuse us.


She leads John into the hallway.


HONORA (O.S.) Breakfast is between seven and nine . .
. the bedroom's small, but it's very clean and
comfortable.


Pauline scowls.


HERBERT This story of yours—maybe the school
newspaper will print it when it's finished.

JULIET Actually, Mr. Rieper... it's a novel, and
we’ll be sending it to New York. That's where all the
big publishing houses are based.

HERBERT (Laughs) Is that a fact! You'd better put me
name down for an advance copy!


Herbert chuckles. Pauline and Juliet look at each with
knowing smiles.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We have decided how sad it is
for other people that they cannot appreciate our genius .





CUT TO:
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD – DAY
TRACKING ALONG
. . . past trees – with sunlight streaming through the
branches.
Pauline's V.O. continues...



PAULINE (Diary V.O.)... but we hope the book will
help them to do so a little, though no one could fully
appreciate us.


The Hulmes' car is driving along a narrow, winding road on
the way to Port Levy.



EXT. WHARF – DAY
SUPER: "Port Levy, Easter
1953"
Juliet, in her swimming costume, runs to the
end of the jetty and teeters nervously on the edge. Pauline
fearlessly barrels past her and jumps in.
SERIES of
BLACK & WHITE "HOLIDAY SNAPS":
Girls
splashing in the water; Jonathon with ice cream smeared over
his face; Henry paddling with trousers and rolled up; Hilda
on deck chair.



EXT. PORT LEVY BEACH – DAY
Pauline and Juliet are
in the middle of building an elaborate sand castle. Juliet
is working on a tower.

LOW ANGLE... TRACKING IN TOWARD the castle gateway.



JULIET Charles clutches his wounded shoulder as he
gallops into the courtyard. 



ANGLE... from inside tower as Pauline looks in through
the window.


PAULINE Deborah awaits his return in their private
boudoir at the very top of the tower.


TRACKING from sand castle courtyard, up steps into
tower.


JULIET He smells her scent from 50 paces and urges his steed
onward!


CAMERA rushes into... tower bedroom... PANS from
Pauline's to Juliet's face, peering in through windows.



PAULINE He flings open the door and launches himself
at the bed, ravishing her!

JULIET God, yes!


Juliet starts to giggle at a private thought.



JULIET (Giggling) I bet she gets up the duff on their
first night together!


Pauline guffaws with delight. Jonathon is sitting nearby,
digging a hole in the sand.



JONATHON What's "up the duff"?

JULIET Something you wouldn't understand.



Jonathon launches himself at Juliet, and they roll on the
sand, grappling.


JONATHON Tell me! I'm almost 10!

JULIET You're eight and a half and incredibly
stupid!


Pauline is laughing happily.


EXT. COTTAGE – DAY
Hilda sits on a deck chair in
front of the cottage, brushing Pauline's hair. Henry is
seated at a table, writing a letter.
Juliet is lying on
a towel, making notes in an exercise book.


JULIET Mummy... Pauline and I have decided the
Charles and Deborah are going to have a baby. An heir to the
throne of Borovnia.

HILDA What a splendid idea!

JULIET We're calling him Diello.

HILDA That's a good, dramatic name!

JULIET Paul thought it up.


Pauline beams.


HILDA Aren't you clever! There, all done.



Pauline stands. Juliet touches Pauline’s hair. Hilda
laughs.
Henry is rifling through his briefcase.



HENRY Hilda! I can't find that letter from the High
Commission. They want our passport numbers.

JULIET (Surprised) Are you going abroad, Daddy?



Hilda scowls at Henry.


HILDA Your father's attending a university conference
in England, darling.

HENRY We'll only be away for a few weeks.



Juliet looks at Hilda, a trace of panic across her face.



JULIET (Worried) You're not going, are you,
Mummy?



Hilda hesitates.


HILDA Well... I thought I might. It's a long time
for your father and I to be apart.

JULIET But I should go, too!

HILDA Darling, you've got school. You've only just
settled in.

JULIET But—


Hilda suddenly stands.


HILDA Who's coming to the shops? I need some
cigarettes.


Jonathon barrels out of the cottage.


JONATHON Me! I'm coming.

HILDA (O.S.) Put on your shoes, Jonathon!


CAMERA MOVES IN... to Juliet's distraught face.




EXT. PORT LEVY HILLSIDE – EARLY EVENING
Clouds
swirling about the sky.
A grassy hillside overlooking
Port Levy bay. An island sits in the bay, bathed in the last
rays of sunlight.
Juliet is a tiny figure against the
vast landscape. She runs blindly toward the edge of the
hill.
Pauline appears over the brow... the hillside
is empty! She panics, running, calling out.



PAULINE (Worried) Julie! Julie!


Pauline finds Juliet curled up in a little ball. She is
motionless. Pauline gently takes Juliet in her arms. Juliet
is breathing heavily... she squeezes her eyes
shut,concentrating hard—a look of desperation on
her face.


JULIET Look, Paul!


Pauline looks about, but can see nothing but a scrubby
hillside. She looks mystified.



PAULINE What?

JULIET It's so beautiful!

PAULINE What???


Golden light streams on Pauline and Juliet. Pauline look up
as the clouds above them open. Juliet stands as if in
trance. She offers her hand to Pauline.



JULIET Come with me.



Juliet pulls Pauline up and hugs her as they walk forward.
The barren landscape around Pauline and Juliet morphs into a
beautiful garden... the Fourth World!


EXT. FOURTH WORLD – DAY
Pauline and Juliet are
amazed!... They stand, holding each other's hand tightly.
The world around them take on a new form.
The grass
beneath their feet has become a well-kept lawn. They are
surrounded by fountains and waterfalls. Unicorns graze on
the hillside... gigantic butterflieshover in the
air.
Pauline and Juliet walk about in wonderment.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Today Juliet and I discovered
the key to the Fourth World. We have had it in our
possession for about six months, but we only realised it
onthe day of the Death of Christ. We saw a gateway
through the clouds. Everything was full of peace and bliss.
We then realised we had the key...


CUT TO:
INT. HULMES' CAR/COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
As
Pauline's V.O. continues... CAMERA TRACKS IN SLOWLY, past
Henry and Hilda, to a SHOT of Pauline and Juliet sitting
quietly, staring ahead, blissfully.


PAULINE (Diary V0.) We have an extra part of our
brain which can appreciate the Fourth World. Only about 10
people have it. On two days every year we may use 

the key and look into that beautiful world which we have
been lucky enough to be allowed to know of...


EXT. COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
WIDE SHOT... the
Hulmes' car, a small speck at the BOTTOM OF FRAME, winding
over the hills.
Above... billowing cumulus clouds
fill the sky.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.)... on this Day of Finding the
Key to the Way through the Clouds.


CUT TO:
INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – DAY

CLOSE-UP...Juliet's face twisted with pain. She gasps as
if in labour. Short, harsh panting. Pauline look
panic-stricken.


PAULINE Push!... Breathe!... It's coming!...
Oh, God!


PULL OUT... to reveal Juliet lying on her bed, in
childbirth pose. Her pregnant stomach is pushing at the
seams of her school dress.
Juliet wails... Pauline
pulls out a pillow from between Juliet's legs, her face a
mixture of surprise and elation.


PAULINE It's a boy! Deborah... we've got a son and
heir!


Pauline hands Juliet the pillow. She cradles it in her
arms.


JULIET I shall call him Diello.

PAULINE You're such an incredible woman.

JULIET I couldn't have done it without you, Charles.


INT. SCHOOL/ENGLISH CLASS – DAY
"THE ROLE
OF THE ROYAL FAMILY TODAY" – written on the
blackboard. Mrs. Stevens is presiding over Form 4A.

Juliet is standing at the front of the class, reading from
an essay.


JULIET... the Empress Deborah has the difficulty
fending off her husband, who tries his way with her morning,
noon and night...


The class titters... they clearly want to Iaugh Stevens's
glare deters them.
Pauline sits at the back,
smirking.


MRS. STEVENS (Icy) Thank you, Juliet!

JULIET... However, the Queen's biggest problem is
her renegade child, Diello. He has proven to be an
uncontrollable little brighter, who slaughters his
nannieswhenever the fancy takes him...

MRS. STEVENS That's enough, Juliet!


Juliet stops and stands quietly. Mrs. Stevens rips the essay
out of her hand and waves it under her nose. 



MRS. STEVENS I suppose this is your idea of a
joke?

JULIET No, Mrs. Stevens.

MRS. STEVENS I suppose you think it's witty and
clever to mock the Royal Family... to poke fun a the
Empire, with this... rubbish!


Pauline leaps to her feet.


PAULINE It's not rubbish!

MRS. STEVENS Sit down, Pauline!

JULIET I really don't understand why you are upset,
Mrs. Steven. I merely wrote an essay on the Royal Family as
requested.


Pauline points at the blackboard.


PAULINE It doesn't say it has to be the
Windsors!

MRS. STEVENS (Yelling) Sit down!


Pauline sits down, looking victorious.


MRS. STEVENS (To Juliet) A girl like you should be
setting an example! To your seat!


Juliet starts coughing. Mrs. Stevens’s face
darkens.


MRS. STEVENS Stop it, Juliet!


Juliet continues coughing. She sits heavily. Pauline snorts,
trying not to laugh.
Juliet slumps over her desk,
coughing... globules of blood splatter her exercise
book.
Pauline’s smile vanishes.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS’ HOUSE/HALLWAY –
NIGHT
Pauline is standing in the hallway, holding the
phone to her ear. She slowly lowers it, her face
shocked.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Mrs. Hulme told me they had
found out today that Juliet has tuberculosis on one lung.
Poor Julietta. I nearly fainted when I heard. I had
aterrible job not to cry.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S SLEEPOUT –
MORNING
Pauline is lying in her bed looking depressed.
She writes her diary.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I spent a wretched night. It
would be wonderful if I could get tuberculosis, too.



Honora comes in with a breakfast tray: bacon and eggs, tea
and toast.


HONORA Come on, sit up.

PAULINE I'm not hungry.

HONORA You've got to eat, Yvonne. You hardly touched
our dinner. I'm not having you falling ill.

PAULINE I just want to be on my own for a while.



Honora starts to cut up a slice of bacon and offers it to
Pauline.


HONORA You may have forgotten that you were once a
very sick little girl, but I haven't!



Honora holds up a loaded fork. Pauline reluctantly takes
it.


PAULINE Do you think Juliet could stay here while her
parents are away?

HONORA Juliet's infectious... she'll be going to
hospital.

PAULINE But she'll have no one to look after
her!

HONORA Her parents won't be going overseas now...
they’ll have to cancel their trip. Don't worry about
Juliet.


MATCH CUT TO:
INT. CASHMERE SANATORIUM/JULIET'S ROOM
– DAY
The back of Hilda's head rises through SHOT,
revealing Juliet lying in a hospital bed, looking weak.
Hilda has just kissed her on the forehead. Juliet is
upset.



HILDA It's not too late to cancel our travel
arrangements... if that's what you want?


Juliet tearfully shakes her head. Henry is standing at the
foot of the bed, hands behind his back.


HENRY I'm sure you'll like it here... it's very
tranquil.

HILDA I've spoken to the Matron, and she promises to
take special care of you.

HENRY And you can carry on with your studies while
you convalesce.


Hilda touches Juliet’s hand, and leans forward... a
concerned look on her face.


HILDA It's for the good of your health, darling.



Juliet looks at her mother, eyes filling with tears. Henry
pats her feet.


HENRY Cheer up, old thing... four months will fly
by in no time.


CUT TO:
INT. SANATORIUM/CORRIDOR – DAY
Henry
and Hilda walk up the corridor past sick patients in
wheelchairs.


EXT. SANATORIUM – DAY
Juliet's POV through the
window... as her parents' car disappears down the road.


INT. SANATORIUM/)ULIET'S ROOM – DAY
Juliet watches
them drive away, tears streaming down her face.



HONORA (V.O.) Juliet won't be allowed visitors for at
least a couple of months.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Pauline is
unenthusiastically picking at her dinner.

HONORA I've booked you in for a chest X-ray...
just to be on the safe side.



Honora pops a couple more potatoes on Pauline's plate.
Herbert glances at Pauline.


HERBERT Thought I'd have a go at building the
birdhouse on Saturday... anyone want to give me a
hand?


Pauline remains silent.


HONORA You used to love making things with Dad,
Yvonne.


MOVE IN... on Pauline, who has not been listening.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) This evening I had a brainwave:
that Juliet and I should write to each other as Charles and
Deborah.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S SLEEPOUT –
NIGHT
Pauline is lying on her bed, furiously
writing a letter.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I wrote a six-page letter as
Charles and a two-page letter as Paul.


INT. SANATORIUM – DAY
Juliet lies on her bed,
writing to Pauline.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) She has entered into the spirit
of the thing greatly!


As we listen to Juliet's V.O., we see SCENES of TB hospital
life... the meals brought around... the dayroom...
the DOCTORS.



JULIET (Letter V.O.) My dear Charles, I miss you and
adore you in equal amounts and long for the day we will be
reunited, but as I languish here, in this house
ofdisease and decrepitude, my mind turns—with
increasing frequency— to the problem of our son...


INT. SANATORIUM/JULIET'S ROOM – DAY
Juliet sits at
a desk. sculpting and painting a Plasticine figure of
Diello.
As her V.O. continues... TRACK INTO a
CLOSE-UP of Diello's fierce little face...



JULIET (Letter V.O.) Although only 10, Diello has
thus far killed 57 people and shows no desire to stop...
it worries me, Charles.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN, LOUNGE –
DAY
CLOSE-UP of Pauline's hand, writing a letter to
Juliet.


PAULINE (Letter V.O.) My dearest darling Deborah.
Affairs of state continue to occupy my time.



Pauline washes a pile of dishes in the kitchen.



PAULINE (Letter V.O.) I have to report that the lower
classes are terrifically dull.


Pauline is sitting in the lounge, looking very boring during
a game of Lexicon with Herbert, John and a ROSS. Pauline is
waiting for her turn, unaware that John is studying her from
across the table. Her word PUTRID spelled out.



PAULINE (Letter V.O.) Only yesterday I was compelled
to execute several peasants just to alleviate the boredom .
. .



CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL/ART CLASS – DAY
Pauline is
hunched over a painting in the art class, daubing great
strokes of red paint onto a violent medieval carnage.


PAULINE (Letter V.O.)... Diello insisted on coming
along... in fact, he made such a fuss that I had to let
him yield the ax himself. Heads did roll! Not just
theprisoners, but the royal guard, my valet and
several unfortunate copped it as well...


IMAGES of Pauline's painting: people being run through with
swords, heads coming off, etc.


CUT TO:
INT. SANATORIUM/DAYROOM – DAY

Juliet is sitting, writing in the sunny dayroom.



JULIET (Letter V.O.) Oh, Charles... I am despair
enough to put Diello in the hands of the Cardinal, in hope
that a good dose of religion will set the young chap
onthe right path.

REVEREND NORRIS Hello again...


Juliet peers up at a DOG-COLLARED VICAR. She eyes him
coldly.


REVEREND NORRIS How are you getting along? It must be
awfully hard being away from your school chums...
I’ve got something here you might just like to
havea look at.


He hands Juliet a leaflet featuring a thin, withered figure
in a great deal of pain. "JESUS LOVES YOU" is
printed across the top.
Juliet’s face hardens.



REVEREND NORRIS Unfortunately, modern medicine can
only go so far in combatting an illness like TB. And
that’s why I'm here... because with the power
ofGod, miracles can happen. The Lord has said that
those who have faith will be saved! Reach out, Juliet! Reach
out for Jesus!


During Reverend Norris's speech... CAMERA closes in to
BIG CLOSE-UP of Juliet's face. Reverend Norris's voice fades
away. . .
SUDDENLY!!!
A silhouetted figure rises up
behind Reverend Norris... a lumpy hand closes around his
throat!


REVEREND NORRIS Aaaaarghhh!!!


Diello – the Plasticine figurine, now life-size –
drags Reverend Norris off his feet and across the room.

Reverend Norris kicks and struggles as Diello hauls him
through the doorway onto...



EXT. BOROVNIA CASTLE COURTYARD – DAY
. . . a
scaffold in the town square of Borovnia. A medieval fantasy
kingdom. NICHOLAS watches from a street corner.
Reverend
Norris is grabbed by two BURLY PLASTICINE GUARDS. They hold
him down, his neck on a chopping block. Diello grabs a huge
ax, swings it up above 
his head, and brings it
crashing down onto...
REVEREND NORRIS'S NECK!!!



CHOP TO:
INT. SANATORIUM/CORRIDOR – DAY
CRASH!
. . . swing doors burst open. Pauline hurries into the
hospital corridor. Honora follows behind her. Within sight
of the dayroom, Pauline breaks into a run,nearly
bowling a NURSE over.


HONORA Yvonne!


INT. SANATORIUM/DAY ROOM – DAY
Pauline rushes over
to Juliet, who is seated by a window, knitting. They hug
tightly.



JULIET I'm so happy to see you!


Honora hurries over.


HONORA It's best not to get too close. Juliet's still
not a hundred percent. Hello, Juliet! We've bought you some
fruit.

JULIET Thank you so much!


Juliet sits back in her chair. She holds Pauline's hand.
Honora admires Juliet’s knitting—a red
cardigan.



HONORA That's coming along well!

JULIET (Pleased) I'm the Matron's favourite patient
and she's shown me her special stitch!

PAULINE I love the colour!


Juliet smiles at Pauline.


JULIET It's for you.


Pauline squeezes Juliet’s hand.


INT.JULIET'S ROOM – DAY
Honora is looking at some
mail on a small table. Pauline is sitting at Juliet's
bedside.


HONORA Goodness me! What a lot of letters. Are your
parents enjoying their trip? Oh... there's a couple of
unopened ones, dear.


JULIET (Sarcastically) I'm saving them for a rainy
day.


Honora gives her a sympathetic look.


HONORA I know it's hard for you being in here, but it
is for the good of your health.

JULIET (Bitterly) They sent me off to the Bahamas
"for the good of my health." They sent me to the
Bay of bloody Islands "for the good of my
health."


Honora looks startled at the outburst.


JULIET I'm sorry, Mrs. Rieper. I'm feeling quite
fatigued.

HONORA We don't want to tire you out, dear.



Honora stands and picks up her handbag. Pauline stands and
Juliet grabs her hand.


JULIET Can't you stay a bit longer, Paul?



Pauline looks at Honora.


HONORA We've got a tram to catch, Yvonne.



Pauline hugs Juliet and reluctantly takes her leave.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S SLEEPOUT –
EVENING
CLOSE-UP... Plasticine figure of Nicholas.
John's hand comes into SHOT and picks the model up. Pauline
looks on anxiously... the face of Nicholas bears
morethan a passing resemblance to John, but he doesn't
seem to notice.


JOHN This is quite something... you're damn
clever.


Pauline beams.


JOHN So... Deborah is married to Charles, and this
chap Nicholas... is her tennis instructor?

PAULINE Yes, but there's nothing between them.
Deborah would never go for a commoner. Nicholas has got his
eye on Gina, an amazingly beautiful gypsy.


She gestures to a Plasticine GINA figure that is sitting or
the shelf.


JOHN Looks like you, Yvonne.


Pauline beams.


PAULINE Juliet made it!



John smiles.


JOHN This is really quite incredible. l bet you girls
know the entire royal lineage for the last five
centuries.

PAULINE Oh, yes! It's all worked out!



John returns Nicholas to the shelf, placing him amidst whole
family of beautifully sculpted Plasticine figures. Pauline
self-consciously returns to her sculpting, 
aware
that John is watching her keenly.


EXT. SANATORIUM/GARDEN – DAY
Pauline is sitting
cross-legged at the foot of Juliet's bed.


PAULINE (Whispers) You'll never guess what's
happened!!

JULIET What??

PAULINE John has fallen in love with me!

JULIET That idiot boarder?


Pauline beams.


JULIET How do you know? Did he tell you?



PAULINE Well... no. But it's so obvious.



Pauline giggles. Juliet turns away.


JULIET (Sullen) Is that why you haven't replied to my
last letter?


Pauline’s smile disappears.


PAULINE No, silly. I'm just teasing. He's only a
stupid boy!



CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S SLEEPOUT –
NIGHT
Pauline is lying in bed asleep. Her door opens and
John stands tentatively in the door way. He is wearing
stripey pyjamas.


JOHN (Loud whisper) Yvonne!


Pauline sits up, groggily flicking on a bedside
light. 



PAULINE Whaddya want?


John puts his fingers to his lips to shush her.



JOHN (Whispers) l can't sleep... can l borrow a
book?


PAULINE (Whispers) Shut the door.


John
tiptoes across to the bookshelf He pulls a book out...
"Girls' Own Annual 1951."


JOHN This looks interesting.


Pauline gives him a dubious look from her bed.
John
stands shivering, flicking through the annual.



JOHN These knitting patterns look damn complicated.
Have you tried the tea cosy?


Pauline shakes her head and looks on as John continues to
thumb awkwardly through the book, his shivers
increasing.
He glances at Pauline nervously.



JOHN It's damn cold, isn't it? Do you think I could
hop into bed for a moment... just to warm up? My feet are
like iceblocks.


PAULINE You should have worn your
slippers.

JOHN Come on, Yvonne, I'll catch me death!



Pauline rolls to one side.


PAULINE Just for a minute.


John climbs into bed beside Pauline and pulls the blankets
up around his chin.


CUT TO:
EXT. RIEPERS' HOUSE – NIGHT

Midnight at 31 Gloucester St. All the lights are off.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) To think that so much could
happen in so little time, caused by so few. A terrible
tragedy has occurred...





INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S SLEEPOUT –
NIGHT
Pauline is lying in bed. The lights are
off.


PAULINE (Theatrical voice) "Now, gels... it
isn’t ooo, it’s eee," and she goes...
"eeeeee" as if someone is jabbing a pin into her!
Silly old trout!


PULL OUT during Pauline's V.O.... to reveal John
lying in bed beside her. He cuddles up to her.

JOHN I love you, Yvonne.


Pauline continues, oblivious to his attentions. 



PAULINE And then in history, we've got this senile
old bat, who goes... (Squawky voice) "And Charles
the Second met Nell Gwynn aboard a boat and he was
aprince and she was a pretty young thing and these
thing do happen..." (Normal voice) God! It's no
wonder I don’t excel in history!

JOHN Do you love me as much as I love
you?

PAULINE 0f course, my darling Nicholas.



John can't contain himself... he starts pressing himself
against her body.


JOHN (Panting) My... my name's John.



Pauline lies on her back, not responding to his
caresses.


PAULINE I like Nicholas much better!


John climbs on top of Pauline.


JOHN You can call me anything you like . .
.


John fumbles around beneath the sheets.


PAULINE What are you doing?

JOHN Nothing...

SUDDENLY!
The outside light flicks on. Sound of
footsteps stomping down the path.
THE DOOR OPENS!



PAULINE Bloody hell!


John desperately tries to conceal himself beneath the
bedcovers as...
The light flicks on... Herbert
stands in the doorway. He surveys the situation with a grim
expression.
John rolls out of bed and staggers toward
the door fumbling with his pyjama cord.


HERBERT Go to the house.


John scuttles out of the sleepout. Pauline lies still in
bed, peering at her father.


HERBERT (Upset) You have broken my heart, Yvonne.



Herbert turns and leaves the room. Pauline stares at the
ceiling.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I lay there mesmerised. It was
just too frightful to believe...


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM – MORNING
BREAKFAST...
A plate of Weetbix bangs down on the
table in front of Pauline. Milk sloshes over the side of the
bowl. Honora looks thunderous and stomps off.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) When I got up I found Father had
told Mother...


CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal Steve, Ross, a new boarder,
LAURIE, and Herbert seated around the table. The boarders
are clearly oblivious to the tense family 

vibes.


LAURIE Coming to Lancaster Park on Saturday, Mr.
Rieper?


Herbert shakes his head, sullenly.
Wendy hurries into
the room, grabs a piece of toast, pulling on a coat.



WENDY Where's John? He said he'd walk with me.



Honora stands in the doorway.


HONORA John's no longer staying here.



Wendy looks surprised.



LAURIE Shot through, this morning... said his old
Mum had taken sick.


INT. RIEPFRS' HOUSE/KITCHEN – MORNING
Pauline is
washing dishes, up to her elbows in soapy water. Behind her
Honora tidies up, glowering at her daughter.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I had a nasty foreboding feeling
at first, but now I realise my crime was too frightful for
an ordinary lecture.

HONORA (Angry) From now on, you're sleeping in the
house, where we can keep an eye on you.



Pauline bangs a dish into the rack.


HONORA (Angry) If you think for one minute that your
father and I will tolerate this sort of behaviour, you've
got another thing coming! You're only 14!!! You're
achild! What on earth's the matter with you, Yvonne?
You know what can happen with boys... Don't you have any
self-respect?


Honora sighs.


PAULINE Can I go now?


Honora grabs Pauline by the shoulders.


HONORA You think you're such a clever little madam!
You had your father in tears last night!


Pauline flinches.


HONORA My God, what a disgrace you are! You shame me,
you shame the family. You're nothing but a cheap little
tart!

PAULINE Well, I guess I take after you then!



Honora whirls around and slaps Pauline on the cheek.



PAULINE You ran off with Dad when you were only 17!
 Nana Parker told me!


Honora steps back.


HONORA (Softly) You're going to be late.



Pauline triumphantly walks past her mother. Honora barely
reacts as Pauline hurries out.


CUT TO: EXT. RIEPERS' HOUSE – NIGHT
Midnight
at 31 Gloucester St. All lights are off.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I am terribly cut up. I miss Nicholas
terrifically. Mother thinks I will have nothing more to do
with him, but little she knows...
The front door
quietly opens and Pauline sneaks out.
Pauline pedals her
bicycle furiously along dark streets.


EXT. BOARDING HOUSE – NIGHT
Pauline climbs up a
fire escape.
John comes out onto the balcony and hugs
her.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Nicholas was pleased that I was
so early.


John and Pauline disappear into his room...
WIDE SHOT
of the house, as Pauline's V.O. continues...



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We sat around and talked for an
hour and then went to bed. I declined the invitation at
first, but he became very masterful and I had
nooption. I discovered that I had not lost my
virginity on Thursday night. However, there is no doubt
whatsoever that I have now...


CRASH CUT TO:
INT. BOARDING HOUSE/JOHN'S BEDROOM –
NIGHT
Pauline is lying on the bed, with John
thrusting away on top of her. John grunts and groans...
Pauline remains unmoved and uninvolved.


DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BOROVNIA – DAY
The noonday
sun glows in the sky.
Pauline opens her eyes... she
is lying in a field of the most amazingly colourful
flowers.
She stands and looks around her with amazement.
She smiles happily.
On one side are fantasy cottages
with crooked chimneys and thatched roofs... on the other
tower the walls of Borovnia Castle.
Music comes wafting
out of the castle gates... Mario Lanza singing
"Funiculi, Funicula."
Pauline walks through
the gates, beneath the portcullis, and into...


EXT. BOROVNIA CASTLE COURTYARD – DAY
. . .
the courtyard. A fŽte is in progress. The courtyard is full
of PLASTICINE PEOPLE, laughing and singing amidst stalls and
sideshows.
Pauline pushes her way through the crowd. A
Plasticine finger taps her shoulder... she spins around
and gasps!



PAULINE Charles!


The PLASTICINE KING smiles.


CHARLES (James Mason voice) Hello, Gina... great
to see you here!


He turns away. Pauline scans the crowd. She gets a fleeting
glimpse of the back of a ROBED WOMAN.


PAULINE (Calling) Deborah!


Deborah does not hear, and Pauline desperately pushes
between Plasticine people to try and reach her.
A blur
of Plasticine faces slide past...


CRASH CUT TO:
INT. BOARDING HOUSE/JOHN'S BEDROOM

CLOSE-U P... John's sweaty face, still grunting
furiously.


CRASH CUT TO:
EXT. BOROVNIA CASTLE COURTYARD –
DAY
Pauline finds herself pulled into the arms of a
fierce-looking PLASTICINE KNIGHT.


PAULINE (Breathless) Diello!

DIELLO (Orson Welles voice) Careful, Gina. . . we
almost lost you!


Diello suddenly steps back, draws his sword and expertly
runs a passing PEASANT through.
He sweeps his hat off
and bows at Pauline.


DIELLO (Orson Welles voice) For you, my lady!



Pauline beams. Her eye is again caught by Deborah’s
Plasticine figure across the crowd... her back is still
turned.


PAULINE Deborah!


Deborah slowly turns around... she has a human
face—Juliet!
Tears of joy trickle down
Pauline’s cheeks.
Juliet is laughing and smiling,
looking beautiful.
Diello gently wipes Pauline’s
tears.


DIELLO (Orson Welles voice) You're crying, Gina...
don’t be sad.


Another Plasticine arm tugs at Pauline's shoulder... she
turns and looks straight at the figure of...

NICHOLAS!


NICHOLAS (John s voice) Yvonne!


QUICK CUTS...


Nicholas's Plasticine face...
John's face in the
bedroom...
Nicholas...
John...
Nicholas
. . .


CRASH CUT TO:
INT. BOARDING HOUSE/JOHN'S ROOM –
NIGHT
CLOSE-UP... John's face looming over
Pauline.


JOHN Yvonne!


Pauline is lying on the bed beneath him. She looks at him
with glazed eyes.
She pushes John away and sits up in
bed.


JOHN (Worried) I didn't hurt you, did I?



Pauline jumps out of bed and starts to dress.



PAULINE I've got to go home. 



John jumps out of bed and wraps his arms around her.



JOHN I love you so much.


MOVE IN... on Pauline's emotionless face.


CUT TO:
INT. SANATORIUM/CORRIDOR – DAY
Pauline
is hurrying down the sanatorium corridor... she breaks
into a run.


INT. SANATORIUM/JULIET'S ROOM – DAY
Juliet is
sitting by her bed, fully clothed. Her suitcases are packed
and lie on the bed.
Pauline runs into the room. Juliet
stands and they embrace hugging each other tightly.

Henry enters the room and frowns at the sight of the girls
hugging. Juliet reaches out for Henry and pulls him into the
embrace. He looks decidedly ill at ease asPauline's
black hair nuzzles against his neck.


EXT. STREETS – DAY
TRACKING BACK... as the
Hulmes' car drives toward CAMERA.
Pauline's V.O. starts,
reading her poem "The Ones That I Worship":


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) There are living among two
dutiful daughters.



INT. HULMES' CAR – DAY
Pauline and Juliet are
sitting together in the back seat.


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) Of a man who possesses two
beautiful daughters,


Henry adjusts the rearview mirror and catches sight of their
clasped hands.


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) You cannot know nor yet try to
guess,/The sweet soothingness of their caress,



Henry’s steely gaze in the rearview mirror.
The
poem continues over a visual montage:


EXT. ILAM DRIVEWAY – DAY
The Hulmes' car pulls up
outside Ilam.


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) The outstanding genius of this
pair is understood by few,/They are so rare. . .



Hilda emerges out of the house. Juliet gives her a big
hug.


JULIET Mummy!

HILDA Darling! Welcome home!


EXT. STREET – DAY
Pauline and Juliet sitting in a
tram as it crawls along slowly.
John is running
alongside, waving and calling, trying to get Pauline's
attention. He is clearly pleading with her, but to no
avail.


JOHN Yvonne! Stop! I still love you!

PAULINE (Poem V.O.) Compared with these two, every
man is a fool,/The world is most honoured that they should
deign to rule,/And I worship the power of theselovely
two,/ With that adoring love known to so few...



Pauline looks knowingly at Juliet, then down to John,
hurrying along the street.


MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. BOROVNIA CASTLE GATES – DAY

The Plasticine figure of Nicholas, hurrying down the passage
toward the castle gates.
In an alcove beside the gate,
the Plasticine figure of Diello is lurking in the shadows,
dagger in hand. Beside him is the rope winch that operates
the portcullis.
Footsteps approach...Diello presses
himself back into the corner...
Nicholas walks
briskly. As he nears the portcullis, he espies something
twinkling on the ground.
LOW ANGLE... Nicholas stops,
looks down. Directly above him are the jagged teeth of the
portcullis.
He reaches down... for a silver ring, set
with a small pink stone. It is lying on the ground, as if
dropped by somebody.
SUDDENLY!
Diello slashes the
rope with his dagger. Before Nicholas can react, the
portcullis crashes down on him. His Plasticine body is
crushed.
Nicholas's twitching fingers release the
brooch. It falls to the ground and breaks. The pink stone
pops out of its setting, rolls down the path and comes to
rest byPauline's and Juliet's feet.
Juliet picks
up the pink stone. She holds it up and it twinkles in the
sunlight.


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) 'Tis indeed a miracle, one must
feel, That two such heavenly creatures are real,


DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ILAM/BATH ROOM – N IGHT

CLOSE-UP... Pauline's face, staring intently ahead.



PAULINE (Poem V.O.) Hatred burning bright in the brown eyes
with enemies for fuel,



CLOSE-UP... Juliet's face, staring intently ahead.



PAULINE (Poem V.O.) Icy scorn glitters in the gray
eyes, contemptuous and cruel, Why are men such fools they
will not realise,


PULL OUT... to show Pauline and Juliet lying in opposite
ends of a hot, steaming bath, staring at each other.



PAULINE (Poem V.O.) The wisdom that is hidden behind
those strange eyes.


INT. ILAM/)ULIET'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
POEM
CONTINUES AS...
Pauline and Juliet... sleeping in
each other's arms in bed.


PAULINE (Poem V.O.) And these wonderful people
are you and I.


FAST TRACK IN... to the bedroom door.
Henry is
silently observing the two sleeping girls, his face
stoney.
Sound of a distant thunderclap...


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS'HOUSE/HALLWAY –
NIGHT
Henry is standing on the Riepers' doorstep.
Lightning flashes light up his face like something out of a
gothic horror.


HENRY Mrs. Rieper... may I come in?



Honora is standing, holding the door open, looking rather
surprised at the unexpected visitor.


HONORA (Surprised) Yes, of course.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/LOUNGE – NIGHT
Henry and Honora
are sitting in the lounge. Henry looking rather
uncomfortable on the edge of a shabby armchair. Herbert is
at a drinks cabinet unscrewing the topoff a
bottle.


HENRY Your daughter's... an imaginative and a
spirited girl—


HONORA If she's spending too much time at your house,
you only need to say. All those nights she spends
over—she’s assured us that you don't mind . .
.

HENRY It's rather more complicated than that. Since
Mrs. Hulme and I have returned home, Juliet has been
behaving in a rather disturbed manner...
surliness,short temper... general
irritability—most uncharacteristic.



Herbert is pouring a drink.


HERBERT Sure I can't tempt you to a nice sherry, Dr.
Hulme?

HENRY No, thank you. The thing is...


HONORA Yvonne hasn't been herself, either. Locking
herself away in her room... endlessly writing.



Herbert sits down next to Honora, glass of sherry in
hand.


HENRY My wife and I feel the friendship is...
unhealthy.

HERBERT No arguments there, Dr. Hulme! All that time
inside working on those novels of theirs. They don't get
fresh air or exercise!


Honora frowns at Henry.


HONORA (Concerned) I'm not sure what you mean, Dr.
Hulme.


Henry pauses for a moment.


HENRY Your daughter appears to have formed a rather .
. . unwholesome attachment to Juliet.

HONORA (Worried) What's she done???

HENRY She hasn't done anything... it's the intensity of
the friendship that concerns me. I think we should avert
trouble before it starts.


Henry hands a business card to Honora.



HENRY Dr. Bennett is a very good friend. He's a
general physician, but has some expertise in child
psychology. If Pauline is indeed developing in a rather . .
. er . .. wayward fashion, Dr. Bennett is the ideal
man to set her back on track.


CUT TO:
INT. DR. BENNETT'S SURGERY – DAY

Pauline is slouched in a chair, looking very sullen.



DR. BENNETT (O.S.) What about your studies... are you
enjoying school?



DR. BENNETT is seated behind his desk. Pauline is silent.
She looks at the ceiling. Honora is sitting next to
Pauline.



DR. BENNETT Are you happy at home? Pauline is
silent.

HONORA Answer Dr. Bennett, Yvonne.


Pauline remains silent.



HONORA (Annoyed) Yvonne!

DR. BENNETT Mrs. Rieper... perhaps you wouldn't
mind waiting outside.


Honora leaves the room.


DR. BENNETT Do you like your mother?


Pauline hesitates for a moment.


PAULINE No.

DR. BENNETT And why is that?

PAULINE She nags me.

DR. BENNETT And that's why you like to stay with the
Hulmes?


Pauline looks wary. She doesn't answer.



DR. BENNETT Or is it because you want to be with
Juliet?


No answer.


DR. BENNETT Do you... like girls?

PAULINE No.

DR. BENNETT Why not?

PAULINE They're silly.

DR. BENNETT But Juliet's not silly?

PAULINE (Emphatic) No!

DR. BENNETT Yvonne... there's nothing wrong with
having a close friend, but sometimes things can get...
too friendly. Such associations can lead to trouble.
Itisn't good to have just one friend... my wife and
I have several friend and we enjoy seeing them on a regular
basis, and it's all perfectly healthy. Perhaps you

could think about spending time with...
boys—


Dr. Bennett stops in mid-sentence, a look of surprise face.
He looks down at his chest...
A red bloodstain is
slowly spreading across his shirt. Dr. Bennett twitches
slightly as the blade of a sword work its way out of his
chest!
Pauline’s face lights up as...
Diello
rises up behind Dr. Bennett.


DIELLO (Orson Welles voice) Bloody fool!


CRASH CUT TO:
INT. DR. BENNETT'S WAITING ROOM –
DAY
The surgery door opens and Pauline steps out,
looking elated.
Honora looks up from her chair.
Dr.
Bennett appears in the doorway behind Pauline. He casts a
wary glance in her direction.


DR. BENNETT Mrs. Rieper...


Honora bustles in, and Dr. Bennett closes the door. Pauline
sits down, folds her arms and stares blankly at a COUPLE OF
SICK PATIENTS.


INT. DR. BENNETT'S SURGERY – DAY
CLOSE-UP . .
. Dr. Bennett's mouth.


DR. BENNETT Homosexuality...


Honora looks horrified.


DR. BENNETT I agree, Mrs. Rieper, it's not a pleasant
word. But let us not panic unduly. This condition is often a
passing phase with girls of Yvonne's age.

HONORA But she's always been such a normal, happy
child.

DR. BENNETT It can strike at any time, and adolescent
are particularly vulnerable.

HONORA But what about the vomiting? She's lost a lot
of weight...


Dr. Bennett shrugs.



DR. BENNETT Physically, I can find nothing wrong.
I’ve checked for TB and she's clear. I can only
attribute her weight loss to her mental
disorder.

HONORA (Shocked) Oh...

DR. BENNETT Look, Mrs. Rieper... try not to worry
too much. Yvonne's young and strong, and she's got a loving
family behind her. Chances are she'll grow out ofit.
If not... well, medical science is progressing in leaps
and bounds. There could be a breakthrough at any time!


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/HALLWAY – NIGHT
SLOW
TRACKING... down the hallway corridor. As the CAMERA
passes doorways, we see the Riepers' family routine...
Honora in the kitchen. Herbert wandersby and goes
through the adjoining door into the lounge. He sits down and
opens the paper. Wendy is attempting to t the fire. The
family are chatting to each other,but we do not hear
their conversation because...
. . . we are listening
to Pauline's V.O.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Mother woke me this morning and
started lecturing me before I was properly awake, which I
thought was somewhat unfair. She has brought upthe
worst possible threat now. She said that if my health did
not prove I could never see the Hulmes again. The thought is
too dreadful. Life would be unbearable 
without
Deborah...



CAMERA CRANES UP... through the ceiling and into...


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
. . .
Pauline's bedroom. The room is filled with the sad strains
of "E Lucevan le Stelle," an aria from Puccini's
Tosca that is booming out from Pauline's
portablerecord player.
CAMERA CRANES UP past the
foot of the bed to reveal Pauline lying on her back, looking
very morose.
TRACK IN TO her intense face as her V.O.
continues...


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) l wish I could die. This is not
an idle or temporary impulse. I have decided over the last
two or three weeks that it would be the best thing
thatcould happen together, and the thought of death is
not fearsome.



CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/LOUNGE – CHRISTMAS DAY
1953
CLOSE-UP... a Christmas present is torn
open... followed by several more, in quick cuts. Typical
1953 presents.
Honora, Herbert, Wendy and Pauline are
sitting on the floor, amidst presents and discarded wrapping
paper. Grandma Parker is sitting in a chair.
Herbert
waves a pair of new socks around. The family laughing and
talking. Pauline is not participating. She is leaning back,
looking morose. Honora looks at her 
with
concern.


HONORA (Concerned) Is it hurting, dear?



Pauline looks blank.



HONORA Your leg... have you got pain?



Pauline shakes her head. She rips open a present... a new
diary.



INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM – NIGHT

CLOSE-UP of the Jan. 1st page. Pauline's pen starts to write
. . .


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) My New Year's resolution is a
far more selfish one than last year, so there is more
probability of my keeping it. It is to make my motto:
"Eat,drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be
dead."


Pauline looks up from her diary as the CAMERA RUSHES IN
toward her face.


I NT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR – MORNING
TRACKING with
Pauline as she walks down the corridor past classmates, head
down, shoulders hunched.


EXT. CRANMER SQUARE/SCHOOL – DAY
A PHOTOGRAPHER is
peering through his camera in Cranmer Square.
The 33
girls of 4A are posing for their class photo. They are
giggling and joking. Pauline is perched in the top right
corner and is sullen.


PHOTOGRAPHER Ready... smile!


Pauline bows her bead.
CLICK!


CUT TO:THE BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPH. PULL OUT from
Pauline's bowed head to the full shot of the smiling class.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM –
DAY
Pauline strolls into her bedroom and drops her
school bag down. She plucks out an opera record to play on
her radiogram.
Honora walks in, waving a letter.


HONORA This arrived today, Yvonne...



Pauline looks at her mother with distaste.


PAULINE My name is Gina!

HONORA It's a letter from the school... from Miss
Stewart.

PAULINE What does old Stew want?

HONORA She says the standard of your work is
slipping. At this rate she doesn't think you'll get School
Certificate.

PAULINE Who cares!

HONORA I care... your father cares... we want
you to have a good education.

PAULINE I'm educating myself!

HONORA You're failing English... you used to be
top of the class—

PAULINE I'm doing my own writing!


Honora snatches up an exercise book from a large pile.



HONORA These stories are not going to get you School
Certificate! You don't seriously think anyone's going to
publish them?

PAULINE (Scornful) What do you know? You wouldn't
know the first thing about writing. You're the most ignorant
person I've ever met!


Honora is very angry.


HONORA You're rude... rude and insolent! I don't
see why I should keep a horrid child like you at school a
minute longer.


PAULINE (Shouting) I don't wanna be in bloody
school!

HONORA (Shouting) All right! You go out there and get
a job and you damn well pay your own way!


Honora storms out of the room and slams the
door.


INT. DIGBY'S TYPING SCHOOL – DAY
OPEN ON... SIGN
ON DOOR:
"Digby's Commercial College"

Pauline sits amongst rows of young ladies, typing. MISS
DIGBY patrols the aisles. Pauline looks bored and morose as
she stabs dejectedly at the keys.


INT. ILAM BATHROOM – NIGHT
Pauline and Juliet are
lying in a steaming bath – facing each other from
opposite ends. Pauline is very upset.


PAULINE I think I'm going crazy.

JULIET No, you're not, Gina—it's everybody else
who is bonkers!

PAULINE Let's go overseas...

JULIET You mean travel by ourselves? 



Pauline nods.


JULIET Where shall we go? Not the Bahamas; it's
bloody awful!


A few moments of silence as the girls contemplate.



JULIET (Excited) Of course! It's so obvious!


CUT TO:
INT. ILAM/CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Henry is
walking down the corridor in his dressing gown, carrying a
glass of milk.
He pauses as he overhears giggles and
splashes coming from the bathroom. He puts his ear to the
door...


JULIET (O.S.) I know... I'll lean back and put my
hair on my shoulders—then I'll look just like Veronica
Lake!


Sound of a camera clicking.


PAULINE (O.S.) Stay still or they'll be blurry . .
. 

JULIET (O.S.) Hurry up! I'm freezing!

PAULINE (O.S.) Just a couple more...


JULIET (O.S.) I know, I'll lean forward and show more
cleavage!


Henry frowns. Sounds of a camera clicking.


INT. ILAM/HILDA'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Hilda is
preparing for bed.
Henry opens the door and enters.



HENRY Those girls are up to something in the
bathroom! I think they're taking photographs of each
other!

HILDA Just leave them alone, Henry.

HENRY I'm prepared to tolerate that Rieper girl's
presence but I will not stand for any...
hanky-panky.

HILDA I'm sure it's all perfectly innocent.


INT. ILAM/LOUNGE – NIGHT
TRACKING ALONG... a
mantelpiece of knickknacks. Juliet's hand grabs three
pieces.
Pauline and Juliet hurry around the darkened
lounge, lifting various bits of silver and china. They are
dressed their nighties.


PAULINE (Whispers) I'm sure they'll notice things
missing.

JULIET (Whispers) They'll blame the bloody
housekeeper. She nicks stuff all the times!


INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Pauline and
Juliet are lying in Juliet's bed, their booty spread around
them.


JULIET This lot's got to be worth 50
quid!

PAULINE I can try my father's safe. I'm sure I can
get the keys to his office.

JULIET That's great! We'll have the fare in no time!


RIEPERS' HOUSE – DAWN
Sunrise over 31 Gloucester
St.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN/DINING ROOM/LAUNDRY –
MORNING
SERIES OF VERY QUICK SHOTS...
Pauline
doing housework: sweeping floors, ironing, hanging washing,
folding, dusting, cleaning bath...


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I rose at 5:30 this morning and
did housework before 8 o'clock, including taking Wendy her
breakfast in bed. I feel very pleased with myself
onthe whole and also the future.


Pauline spins around and stares straight into the
CAMERA.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We are so brilliantly
clever.


ILAM GROUNDS – DAY
WHACK! A tennis ball is hit by a
racquet.
Hilda and Walter Perry are playing mixed
doubles on the court laid out in the Ilam grounds, behind
the house.
SUPER: "Two Weeks Later"

It’s a sunny, festive afternoon. Picnic blankets are
laid out around the tennis court. Tables of food and
colourful awnings have been erected around the lawn.

Henry is chatting to some friends beside the tennis
courts.
Thirty cars are filling the drive in front of
the house. People are wandering around, admiring the
gardens.
Dr. Bennett and his wife, PEARL, are strolling
along the edge of the river. SUDDENLY...
SPLASH!!! .
. . Dr. Bennett and Pearl are drenched in a shower of water
as a large rock lands in the river beside them.


CUT TO:
Pauline and Juliet in the bushes across the
river from the Bennetts. Juliet is peering through the
foliage. Pauline has just clearly hurled the rock.



JULIET Direct hit! Gave his trousers a good soaking!
Everyone will think he's peed himself!



They dissolve into giggles.


CUT BACK:
To the Bennetts... and some other GUESTS as
they hear the sound of giggling and rustling leaves.


CUT TO:
Pauline and Juliet strolling through the thick
undergrowth, eating bunches of grapes and drinking straight
from a sherry decanter.


JULIET (Mouth full) Bloody Bill's sniffing around
Mummy something chronic.


They pause by a tree, with a clear view across the river to
Hilda and Walter playing tennis.


PAULINE I thought he was supposed to be terribly
ill.

JULIET (Sarcastic) That was what we were led to
believe...


INSERT SCENE:
INT. ILAM/DINING ROOM – NIGHT

Henry, Hilda, Jonathon and Juliet are having an evening
meal.


HILDA Henry... I'm terribly worried about Bill
Perry. He's just had a spell in hospital and has nowhere to
convalesce.

HENRY No?

HILDA I've offered him the flat... he really
shouldn't be left by himself... not in his condition.



Juliet is eating, quietly watching her parents.



JULIET (V.O.) I was looking forward to the ambulance
arriving...


CUT TO:
EXT. ILAM DRIVEWAY – DAY
An ambulance
is parked outside the house, light flashing.
Walter
Perry is lifted out on a stretcher, looking terribly ill . .
. croaking and gasping.


JULIET (V.O.) There's something desperately exciting
about bodies on stretchers... (Regretfully) But it wasn't
like that at all!


CUT TO:
SAME SCENE – BUT:
No ambulance or
stretchers... Walter hops out of a cab, looking fit and
healthy. Hilda steps out of the house, followed by
Juliet.


HILDA Bill! I hope the trip didn't tire
you.

WALTER Not in the least! (To Juliet) Hello! (Looks at
house) What a splendid place!


INT. ILAM/WALTER'S FLAT – DAY
Hilda and
Walter stroll into the flat.


HILDA It used to be the servants' quarters, but it's
very comfortable.

WALTER Oh, corker!


Hilda and Walter wander into another room... Henry
struggles through the front door carrying Walter’s
cases.


CUT TO: EXT. ILAM GROUNDS – DAY (SCENE
CONTINUES)
Pauline and Juliet are finishing their
grapes as they watch Hilda and Walter on the tennis
court.


JULIET Poor Mother was completely taken
in.

PAULINE Do you think Bloody Bill's trying to get into
her draws?

JULIET Too right... but he doesn't have a show!
Nobody gets into Mother's draws except Daddy!



They watch as Henry scampers across the lawn after the
tennis ball.


PAULINE (Quietly) Poor Father...

JULIET (Comforting) Don't worry, Gina! Mummy and
Daddy love each other.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' MOUSE/BATHROOM NIGHT
Pauline
is lying in the bath, writing in her exercise book
She
turns the page and calls out.


PAULINE Just washing my hair now, Laurie. Won't be a
moment.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/CORRIDOR NIGHT
Laurie is
seated outside the bathroom door. He is dressed in a
bathrobe, and has a new change of clothes on his lap.

Honora is walking past with an armful of washing.


HONORA Is she still in there?


INT. RIEPERS’ HOUSE/BATHROOM NIGHT
There is
knocking at the door...


HONORA (O.S.) Pauline... Come on, you've had
enough time.


Pauline sighs.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Honora knocks
harder.


PAULINE (O.S.) (Facetious) Yes, yes, yes!

HONORA (Angry) You open up this door right now!



Sound of Pauline getting out of the bathwater.



PAULINE (O.S.) (Angry) I'm bloody dressing as fast as
I can, for God's sake!

HONORA (Angry) Open this door!


The door opens and Pauline strolls out, a towel around her.
Honora starts berating her. However, we only hear Pauline's
V.O. as Honora follows her down thecorridor.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Mother gave me a fearful along
the usual strain.


Pauline pauses by her bedroom door as Honora continues
talking to her.


CLOSE UP... Honora talking to Pauline, soundlessly.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I rang Deborah immediately
as I had to tell someone sympathetic how I loathed Mother.


EXT. ILAM HOUSE – NIGHT
Ilam at night. All the
lights are off.


INT. ILAM/CORRIDOR NIGHT
CREEPING POV... down the
CORRIDOR.
TILT UP to reveal... Juliet, listening
intently to coming from behind a bedroom door.
SUPER:
"23rd April 1954"
Juliet's hand reaches for
the door handle.


INT. ILAM/WALTER PERRY'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
The
bedroom door flies open... Juliet quickly flicks on the
light.
ZIP PAN AROUND TO... Hilda and Walter sitting
bolt upright in bed! A tray of tea sits on a bedside
table.


JULIET The balloon has gone up!

HILDA What on Earth are you talking about? Mr. Perry
is ill... I've brought him a cup of tea.

WALTER Would you like one, Juliet?

JULIET Don't try and fob me off! It's going to cost
you a hundred pounds, or I'm blabbing to Daddy!



Hilda looks at Walter, appalled. She looks Juliet square in
the eye.


HILDA Mr. Perry and I are in love, Juliet.



Juliet s eyes widen at this unexpected confession.



WALTER Hilda!

HILDA Your father knows about us. Until other
arrangements can be made, we've decided to live as a
threesome.


Juliet looks confused. Tears spring to her eyes.



JULIET (Angry) I don't care what you do! Pauline and
I are going to Hollywood. They're desperately keen to sign
us up. We're going to be film stars!

HILDA What are you talking about?

JULIET (Yelling) It's all arranged... we don't
need your bloody hundred pounds anyway, so stick it up your
bottom!


Juliet turns and leaves, slamming the door.
Hilda puts
her head in her hands.



CUT TO:
EXT. STREET – MORNING
TRACKING BACK . .
. Pauline is furiously cycling through rain and wind.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Deborah told me the stupendous
news! I'm going out to Ilam as we have much to talk over.


INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – MORNING
Pauline pushes the
front door open and steps inside. All is quiet in the
house.
Rain is pelting down outside.



PAULINE (Calling out) Hello?



No reply... Pauline goes up the stairs.


INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – MORNING
Pauline enters
the bedroom... Juliet is lying in bed, looking pale and
upset.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Deborah was still in bed when I
arrived.


Pauline rushes over to the bed. Juliet grabs her and hugs
tightly.
WHIZ PAN AROUND and FAST TRACK IN TO...
Henry standing in the doorway.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Dr. Hulme asked us to come into
the lounge to have a talk with him.


INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – MORNING
Juliet is wrapped in a
blanket. Pauline has an arm around her shoulders as they
walk toward the lounge.
Hilda walks past and Juliet
glares hatefully at her.


INT. ILAM/LOUNGE – MORNING
TRACK IN... to a
CLOSE-UP of Henry, sitting in a big leather chair.


HENRY Your mother and I are getting divorced.



Juliet is in shock. She clutches Pauline’s hand.

MOVE IN... to CLOSE-UP of Pauline.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) The shock is too great to have
penetrated my mind. It is so incredible. Poor Father. Dr.
Hulme was absolutely kind and understanding...



Pauline's V.O. continues over...
A conversation
between Henry and the two girls. The large lounge at Ilam is
dark and cold. The mood is bleak.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) He said we must tell him
everything about our going to America. He was both
hope-giving and depressing. We talked for a long time
and Deborah and I were near tears by the time it was
over.


INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – MORN I NG
Pauline's V.O.
continues over...
Henry ushers Pauline and Juliet out
of the lounge. He walks Pauline toward the front door.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) What is to be the future now? We
may all be going to Italy and dozens of other places, or not
all. We none of us know where we are and a 
good
deal depends on chance.


EXT. ILAM/DRIVEWAY – MORNING
Pauline's V.O.
continues over...
Pauline rides her bicycle down the
drive in the rain.
Dr. Hulme is standing at the door,
watching her go... a stoney expression on his face.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Dr. Hulme is the noblest and
most wonderful person I have ever known of.


Henry shuts the door.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Pauline's V.O. continues over...
Pauline is lying in
bed, writing in her diary.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) One thing Deborah and I are
sticking to: through everything, we sink or swim
together.


INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Juliet is
propped up in bed, looking sick and pale. Hilda is sitting
by the side of the bed. Henry stands at the foot of the bed,
hands behind his back.


HENRY Your mother and I have talked things over and
we've made some decisions... I am resigning from the
university and will be taking up a position back in
England.


Juliet looks horrified.



JULIET (Vehemently) But Daddy, you can't just leave
me with Mother!



Hilda looks hurt.


HILDA We thought it best that you accompany your
father. . .

JULIET (Worried) Is Gina coming, too?

HENRY (Annoyed) Of course not!

JULIET (Angry) I'm not going to England without
Gina!


Hilda and Henry exchange an awkward glance.


HILDA You're not going to England, darling.


Juliet looks confused. 



HENRY I'm leaving you in South Africa with Auntie
Ina. 



Juliet starts to tremble.



HILDA That chest of yours isn't getting any better.
The warmer climate is just what you need...

HENRY For the good of your health. 



Juliet opens her mouth and screams.


CRASH CUT TO: 
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S
BEDROOM – NIGHT
Pauline is crouched on her bed,
hugging her knees. She stares intensely ahead.



PAULINE (Intense) The Hulmes will look after me. They
want me to live with them!

HONORA Don't be so ridiculous. You're our daughter,
you belong here with us.

PAULINE I belong with Deborah! We're going to South
Africa!

HONORA You're not going anywhere. You're 15 years
old!!

PAULINE (Intense) You have to let me go! 



Honora stands and walks toward the door.


HONORA We'll talk about this when you've calmed
down.


Honora pauses at the door. Pauline is slowly rocking on
the bed, staring at the wall. 
CLOSE-UP...
Pauline's face as we hear her diary V.O.:



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I felt thoroughly depressed and
even quite seriously considered committing suicide. Life
seems so much not worth the living, death such an easy
way out.

HONORA Love, you can still write to each other.


Honora softly touches Pauline’s cheek. Pauline
winces, averting her face.
MOVE IN... to EXTREME
CLOSE-UP of Pauline's eyes.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Anger against Mother boiled up
inside me as it is she who is one of the main obstacle in my
path. Suddenly a means of ridding myself of this 

obstacle occurred to me. If she were to die...


CUT TO:
INT. UNIVERSITY HALL – DAY
CLOSE-UP . .
. a cloth is whipped away revealing a portrait of Henry
painted by Rudi Gopez.
Henry is on stage for the
unveiling. He shakes hands with PROFESSOR 2. Hilda is
sitting amongst various dignitaries on the stage. 

PROFESSOR 1 is at the podium. 


PROFESSOR 1 I can not begin to attempt to measure the
inestimable value of Dr. Hulme's contributions to Canterbury
College, both social and official. We wishboth him and
Mrs. Hulme all the best for the future. 



On sound of large audience clapping:


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/HALLWAY –
DAY 
CLOSE ON... black & white
newspaper photo of large audience in the hall.
PULL OUT
. . . to reveal newspaper story entitled "Canterbury
College Bids Farewell to Rector Today."
PULL OUT
FURTHER... as the CAMERA rises vertically above Pauline.
She is slumped on the hall floor, holding the phone to her
ear. The newspaper lies openbeside her.



JULIET (O.S.) (Through phone) Everything's going to
be okay, Gina. Mr. Perry's promised to give me 50 pounds for
my horse...


INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – DAY
Juliet is in the Ilam
hallway, talking into the phone... Walter and Hilda are
visible in the lounge beyond.

 
JULIET (Hushed) That's a hundred
and twenty! It's another 30 pounds and we've got the
fare!


INTERCUT WITH:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/HALLWAY –
DAY
Pauline looks very upset.


PAULINE (Upset) It's no bloody good... I went
to the passport office today. They won't give me one till
I'm 20.


CUT between Pauline and Juliet...


JULIET But that's not true! I've got one.

PAULINE (Choked up) I need my sodding parents'
consent.


Tears well in Juliet’s eyes.


JULIET (Sobbing) Don’t cry, Gina...
We’re not going to be separated. They can't make us . .
. they can't!


Hilda quietly looms up behind Juliet. She gently takes
the phone out of Juliet’s hand and puts it back on the
receiver. Juliet struggles in Hilda’s arms, pushing
hermother away, screaming.
Pauline stands
holding the dead phone.


HONORA Yvonne.


Pauline turns and faces her mother.


HONORA Please don't be like this, love.


Pauline gives Honora a cursory glance and walks past
her, up the stairs. Honora looks after her, a hurt
expression on her face. 


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I did not tell Deborah of my
plans for removing Mother. I have made no decision yet as
the last fate I wish to meet is one in a borstal. I
amtrying to think of some way.


CUT TO:
EXT. RIEPERS' BACK GARDEN – DAY
THWACK!
. . . An ax chops into a log, splitting it in two.

Herbert is chopping firewood in the back garden. Honora
approaches him.


HONORA I've just had Hilda Hulme on the
phone.

HERBERT What now?

HONORA She says Juliet's in a terrible state . .
.


CUT TO
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/LOUNGE – DAY
Honora
and Herbert are sitting with Hilda in the lounge.


HILDA She's uncontrollable. I've told her that
Pauline is not going to South Africa, but she refuses to
accept it.


Herbert and Honora exchange a glance.


HILDA I expect you've heard the same from your
own daughter.


Honora shakes her head.


HONORA (Upset) Yvonne hasn't spoken to me for
nearly two weeks.

HILDA Yes... well, it hasn't been an easy time for
any of us, Mrs. Rieper.

HERBERT She's cut us out of her life... it's been
causing her mother and I a lot of worry.

HILDA What I'm suggesting is that we let the girls
spend these last three weeks together. We'd like Pauline to
come and stay with Juliet, until she leaves.

HERBERT Is that a good idea?


Herbert looks at Honora... tears are running down
her cheeks. He stands and ushers Hilda toward the
door.


HERBERT Why don't I telephone you tonight, Mrs.
Hulme?

HILDA Yes, of course.


Herbert accompanies Hilda into the hallway. 

Honora breaks down into heavy sobs.


CUT TO:
INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – DAY

The front door swings open. Pauline is standing on the
step, framed by the doorway, suitcase in hand. 

SUPER: "11th June 1954"
Mario Lanza's
"The Loveliest Night of the Year" begins and
continues over the next few scenes. 
Pauline walks
into the empty hallway... SUDDENLY! 
Juliet
sweeps down the stairs in a rush of sparkling light. She is
dressed in her mother's glittering ballgown. 

Juliet takes Pauline's hand, and together they sweep into .
. .


INT. ILAM/LOUNGE – DAY... 
. . the
LOUNGE. 
Pauline's drab clothes transform into a
ballgown as she passes through the doorway. 
The
song soars as they waltz into the middle of the ballroom . .
. Pauline spins... in a blur she sees decorations and
faces all around. 
Pauline gasps as Diello takes
her by the waist and waltzes around the room. Characters
from Borovnia fill the room. Juliet dances with
Charles. 
A man in a dark suit turns around...
MARIO! He launches into the second verse! 
Pauline
laughs happily as she is swept around and around.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We realised why Deborah and I
have such extraordinary telepathy and why people treat us
and look at us the way they do. It is because we are
MAD. We are both stark raving MAD!


They are no longer in the lounge – at some point the
waltz has dissolved into...


EXT. BOROVNIA CASTLE COURTYARD – NIGHT 

. . . the courtyard in Borovnia Castle. 
The
crowds continue dancing to "The Loveliest Night of the
Year." 
A doorway in the courtyard...
Henry Hulme is lurking in the shadows, peering out. He is
dressed like a jester with cap and bells. The CAMERA PUSHES
IN... to a distorted FISHEYE SHOT of Henry.

Pauline's V.O. continues, building in intensity . .
.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Dr. Hulme is MAD, as MAD as
a March hare!


At the conclusion of the song... TWO BURLY BOROVNIAN
EXECUTIONERS swing their axes down, chopping a couple of
ropes. A huge banner unfurls down the side of the
castle tower. In embroidered letters three stories tall is
the word... 
MAD!


INT. CINEMA – NIGHT
BANG!... a gunshot! CLOSE ON
. . . Pauline's face flinching at the sound, a flash of
light.
BANG!... CLOSE ON... Juliet flinching.

Black & white image of Orson Welles shooting a pistol
from The Third Man.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) It was the first time I had
ever seen It. Deborah had always told me how hideous he
was!


Pauline and Juliet are sitting in the cinema, absorbed
in the film.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) It is appalling. He is
dreadful. I have never in my life seen anything in the same
category of hideousness... but I adore him!


CUT TO:
EXT. CHRISTCHURCH STREETS – NIGHT

Pauline and Juliet run along dark, damp, atmospheric
streets.
Orson Welles steps out of the shadowy alley
into the light. He leers at them. The girls scream! They
turn to run, but Orson looms out of another alley.

Pauline and Juliet squeal and run about. PASSERSBY observe
their antics with some alarm.


INT. ILAM/HALLWAY – NIGHT
The front door bursts
open. Pauline and Juliet run in, still in a state of high
excitement.
They charge up the stairs.


INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Pauline and
Juliet tumble into the bedroom, only to find Orson lurking
behind the door! They scream and flee along the balcony only
to be greeted by Orson at the other end! They run back
into the bedroom and collapse onto the bed, screaming and
giggling.
PUSH IN... to Pauline's exalted face.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We talked for some time
about It, getting ourselves more and more excited.


A huge shadow of a figure, dressed in hat and cape, rises on
the bedroom wall behind the girls, threatening to engulf
them.
MUSIC SWELLS UP...
Pauline comes down on
top of Juliet, kissing her on the lips... Pauline's hands
slipping Juliet's blouse off her shoulders.



PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We enacted how each saint would make
love in bed.


Juliet heaves on the bed, Pauline leans over and...
MORPHS into Orson Welles!



CUT TO INT. BOROVNIA CASTLE – NIGHT
Diello
thrusts and grunts, as if making love. He steps back holding
a bloody sword. A slain peasant drops at his feet

CLOSE-UP... Pauline moaning and thrashing. 

CLOSE-UP... Diello swinging from side to side as he hacks
a peasant to pieces. 
INTERCUT WITH SHOTS of
Pauline and Juliet intertwined with Orson and Diello.
Pauline and Juliet sometimes change into their Plasticine
counterparts, Deborahand Gina.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We spent a hectic night going
through the saints. It was wonderful! Heavenly! Beautiful!
And ours! We felt satisfied indeed. We have nowlearned
the peace of the thing called Bliss, the joy of the thing
called Sin.


INT. ILAM/BATHROOM – NIGHT
BATHWATER
Pauline
and Juliet are soaking in opposite ends of a steaming
bathtub. 
A few moments silence. Juliet looks
blankly at Pauline. A tear rolls down her cheek.



PAULINE I'm coming with you.

JULIET Yes...

PAULINE I know what to do about mother.


Juliet’s eyes narrow.


PAULINE We don't want to go to too much trouble
. . . some sort of accident.


A moment of silence.


PAULINE People die every day.


CLOSE ON... Juliet's face.
Silence.


SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. ILAM/GROUNDS – DAY
CLOSE ON
. . . Pauline and Juliet clasping hands.
PULL OUT...
they are standing in the beautiful sunny gardens, holding
hands. Both girls are dressed in pretty summer frocks.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) Our main idea for the day
was to moider mother.


REVERSE ANGLE... Pauline and Juliet walk toward the
house. Unicorns are grazing in the Ilam garden. Fairies
dance in the air. Large dragonflies hover around the
girls.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) This notion is not a new one but
this time it is a definite plan which we intend to carry
out. We have worked it out carefully and are
boththrilled by the idea. Naturally we feel a trifle
nervous, but the pleasure of anticipation is great.


EXT. ILAM GROUNDS – NIGHT
CLOSE-UP... James
Mason’s photo lands in a roaring fire and is
immediately consumed by the flames. Photos of Mel Ferrer,
Michael Rennie and Orson Wellesfollow.
Pauline and
Juliet are standing by a roaring fire in the Ilam grounds.
They throw Mario records onto the flames. The black vinyl
curls and melts. Their Plasticinefigures are next.
Globs of melted Plasticine drip amidst the burning
debris.
It is clearly a strange, ritualistic burning.
Pauline and Juliet watch the fire, enraptured.


JULIET Only the best people fight against all
obstacles...


Juliet squeezes Pauline’s hand.


JULIET... in pursuit of happiness.


WIDE SHOT of the fire.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) We both spent last night
having a simply wonderful time in every possible way.


FADE TO BLACK

INT. RIEPERS' CAR/EXT. STREETS – DAY
FADE IN...
CLOSE-UP of Pauline's face. SLOWLY PULL OUT... to reveal
Honora and Herbert sitting in the front of the car. They are
driving home.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I was picked up at 2:00 P.M. I
have been very sweet and good. I have worked out a little
more of our plan. Peculiarly enough I have no qualms of
conscience.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE – DAY
Honora is bustling about
the house, working. Every time she bends down, or leans
over, Pauline is revealed behind her. She is helping, but
the mood is one of ahunter closing in on its
prey.


PAULINE (Diary V.O.) I rose late and helped Mother
vigorously this morning. Deborah rang and we decided to use
a rock in a stocking rather than a sandbag. We
discussed the moider fully. I feel very keyed up as though I
were planning a surprise party. Mother has fallen in with
everything beautifully and the happy event is totake
place tomorrow afternoon. So next time I write in this diary
Mother will be dead. How odd—yet how pleasing.


DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BALCONY – DAY

Juliet is singing a haunting aria. Tears are welling in her
eyes. The aria continues over...


EXT. OCEANLINER'S DECK – DAY BLACK & WHITE . .
.
Pauline and Juliet are happily bounding along
the decks, pushing past OTHER PASSENGERS. They are wearing
holiday clothes.
We see a repeat of the same OCEANLINER
SHOTS that opened the film.
They run toward a MAN and a
WOMAN.


JULIET Mummy!

PAULINE Mummy!


CAMERA MOVES toward... Henry and Hilda as they turn
and happily greet the two girls. Hilda kisses Juliet, then
Pauline on the cheek. Henry and Hilda hug thegirls and
stand together as a tight group.
MOVE IN ON...
Pauline, looking radiantly happy. Pauline hugs Hilda
tightly. Tears well in her eyes. She gazes at Juliet. Slowly
their faces come together in profile, filling the screen.
They kiss.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM –
MORNING
Pauline opens her eyes and sits up in bed.



INT. ILAM/JULIET'S BEDROOM – MORNING
Juliet opens
her eyes and sits up in bed.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM – MORNING

CLOSE-UP... Pauline's bedside clock. . . 6:37
A.M.
Pauline is sitting in bed, writing in her
diary. CLOSE-UP... Pauline's pen writing:
"The .
. . Day... of... the... Happy...
Event."


PAULINE (Diary V.O..) I am writing a little of
this up on the morning before the death. I felt very excited
and the night-before-Christmas-ish last night. I am about
torise.


CUT TO:
EXT. ILAM/GROUNDS – MORNING
LOW ANGLE .
. . bricks, piled up beside the garage.
Juliet takes one
. . . weighs it in her hands, then takes a smaller
half-brick.

 
HENRY (O.S.) (Calling) Juliet!



Juliet quickly wraps the brick in newspaper and puts it in
her satchel.


CUT TO:
Henry standing by the car.


HENRY Thought I'd lost you.



Juliet hurries from behind the garage. Hilda appears at the
front door. She makes eye contact with Juliet and turns
away.
Juliet hesitates and then rushes over to her
mother.


JULIET Mummy!

HILDA You've got roses in your cheeks... I haven't
seen that in such a long time. Have a lovely time,
darling.

JULIET I will... I'm so looking forward to
it!


Juliet gives Hilda a hug. Hilda smiles at her
daughter.


HILDA Bye.


Juliet beams, turns and skips toward the car. Henry
arches an eyebrow and shrugs at Hilda. He starts the car
up.
CLOSE-UP... Henry's wristwatch... 10:33.



EXT. STREET – MORNING
TRACKING with Henry's black
car as it cruises along.



INT. HULMES' CAR – MORNING
Juliet is sitting next
to Henry... sunlight flickers on her face. She sits back
smiling, eyes shut, looking radiantly happy.



EXT. STREET – MORNING
The black car glides to
a halt outside some shops. Juliet hops out.


JULIET Bye, Daddy... see you tonight.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN –
MORNING
Honora is mixing up some pikelet batter. Pauline
is buttering bread... a great pile.


HONORA Whoa... theres enough there to feed an
army!


The front door opens and Juliet comes into the
kitchen.


JULIET Hello!


HONORA Hello, Juliet.


Juliet take off her jacket.


HONORA Oh—what a nice outfit!

JULIET Thank you. I bought it especially, Mrs.
Rieper.


MOVE IN... to clock... 11:05.
Juliet puts her bags
on the table. Her satchel drops with a clunk. Pauline's eyes
flick to the satchel, then up to Juliet.
Honora is
bending down, pulling a tray of sausage rolls into the oven.
Both girls look at Honora silently.
Honora turns around
and Juliet presents her with a brown paper bag.


JULIET Fruit.

HONORA Oh! I'll pop them in a bowl.



Honora picks up the satchel. Pauline and Juliet tense up . .
. as Honora puts the satchel on a chair.


PAULINE Let's go upstairs, Deborah. I wrote the
last 10 pages of my opera last night.



JULIET (Vacantly) All right, then.


Juliet follows Pauline out of the room. Pauline has to
nip back and grab the satchel.


INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/PAULINE'S BEDROOM – DAY

CLOSE-UP... The newspaper is unwrapped to reveal the
half-brick.
Pauline is sitting on her bed looking
at the brick.
Juliet stands beside her. She tugs at her
collar.


JULIET Do you feel sweaty? I feel sweaty.


Pauline opens a draw and pulls out a
stocking.


PAULINE It's a three-act story with a tragic
end.


JULIET Your mother is a rather miserable woman .
. . isn't she?


PAULINE I thought for hours about whether
Carmelita should accept Bernard's marriage proposal . .
.


JULIET I think she knows what's going to happen
. . . she doesn't appear to bear us any grudge!


Pauline puts the brick in the stocking and ties a knot
in the foot.


PAULINE... but in the end I decided against
it. I thought it would spoil all their fun.


Pauline puts the brick in her shoulder bag.


JULIET (Bitterly) Affairs are much more exciting
than marriages... as Mummy can testify!


They both laugh.


CUT TO:
INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/DINING ROOM – DAY

Clock on wall... 12:16.
Pauline and Juliet are
laughing loudly.
PULL OUT... across the table to
reveal Honora, Herbert, Wendy, Pauline and Juliet in the
middle of lunch.


PAULINE It's true! He was spotted in the
lingerie department, eh, Wendy?

WENDY There's nothing wrong with Sir Edmund Hillary
buying underwear for his wife. He was a very nice
man!

JULIET I bet it was thermal underwear!


Pauline roars with laughter.


PAULINE I bet he pitches a tent in the middle of
their bedroom, and they have to pretend to be on some
mountain!

HONORA That's enough, Yvonne!


Juliet roars with laughter. The others don't
laugh.


HERBERT That man's a credit to the nation.


Pauline and Juliet dissolve into giggles.


HONORA Right... who's going to help me clear
away?


WENDY I will, Mum... anything to get away
from Laurel and Hardy!



INT. RIEPERS' HOUSE/KITCHEN – DAY
Pauline and
Juliet are putting dishes away.


HERBERT I'd better be getting back. Bye,
love.


Herbert pulls his coat on. Honora gives him a peck
cheek.


HONORA Bye.

HERBERT Have a nice outing, you lot.

PAULINE Bye, Dad.

JULIET Goodbye, Mr. Rieper.


Herbert wanders out. Honora turns to Pauline and
Juliet.


HONORA Well... I better make myself a bit more
presentable.


CLOSE-UP... kitchen clock... 1:13.



INT. BUS – DAY
CLOSE-UP... clock on bus
dashboard... 2:23.
Honora is sitting at the back with
Pauline and Juliet bus winds its way toward the Cashmere
Hills.



EXT. BUS TERMINUS/VICTORIA PARK – DAY
Bus
destination sign rushes up to CAMERA and stop...
"Victoria Park." 
The doors open and
Honora, Pauline and Juliet climb out. Pauline carries her
shoulder bag. 
VICTORIA PARK... a very bushy,
tree-clad hillside.


JULIET Isn't it beautiful!

PAULINE Let's go for a walk down here... come on,
Mummy!


Honora spots a tea kiosk.


HONORA I’d like a cuppa tea first! Come
on!


Honora heads toward the kiosk. 
Pauline
hoists the bag back up on her shoulder.


CUT TO:
INT. TEA KIOSK – DAY
Tray of tea and
scones covered in jam and cream.
Pauline and Juliet are
scoffing scones as Honora drains her cup of tea. Pauline
notices Honora glancing at the last remaining scone.


PAULINE (Gently) You have it.

HONORA Oh, no. I'm watching my figure.

JULIET But you're not fat, Mrs. Rieper!


HONORA I put on a lot of weight over Christmas.


CLOSE-UP... clock on wall... 3:02.
LOUD
TICKING...
Pauline pushes the plate to
Honora.


PAULINE Go on, Mum, treat yourself.


Honora’s will weakens. She picks up the scone and
takes a big bite.


CUT TO:
EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK –
DAY 
Puccini's "Humming Chorus"
plays over: 
Honora, Pauline and Juliet walking
down a narrow, bushy track. 
Pauline leads, with
Honora behind her. Juliet lags further behind. 

They walk over a small bridge. Pauline glances back at
Juliet. Juliet hesitates and then drops something on the
path. 
Several yards beyond the bridge, Honora
stops. She looks at her wristwatch... 3:17. 

The music ends.


HONORA Yvonne, love, we should be going back . .
. we don't want to miss the bus.


Honora turns around.


HONORA Juliet... button up your coat, dear.
You'll get a chill.


Juliet slowly starts to button her overcoat, as she turns
around and walks back toward the bridge. 
Pauline
is walking right behind Honora. She slips the bag off her
shoulder. 
They walk on. 
Pauline
stops... points at the ground.



PAULINE Look, Mother!



Honora looks down at the ground in front of
her.

STEP-PRINTED SLOW MOTION SEQUENCE...

MOVE IN... to a small pink stone lying on the
ground.

MOVE IN... to Honora's puzzled face.

She starts to bend down.
Juliet turns around.

Pauline reaches into the shoulder bag.
Honora's fingers
reach the pink stone.
Back of Honora's head.
The
brick emerges from the bag.
Honora's hand picks up the
pink stone.
Pauline swings the brick down toward
Honora's head.

SOUND OF THE IMPACT... Honora's fingers release the pink
stone.

Honora falls to her knees... raising a hand to her head .
. . starts to turn...

LOW ANGLE... Pauline, hesitating... the reality of her
actions have flooded in. She looks distraught, then, with
renewed resolve, she suddenly swings the brickdown
toward CAMERA.

SOUND OF IMPACT.


INTERCUT WITH
EXT. WHARF/OCEANLINER –
DAY

BLACK & WHITE...

SHIP'S FUNNEL BELLOWS. Streamers float from ship to shore.
Crowds frantically waving on the wharf as the liner prepares
for departure.
Pauline pushes desperately through the
THRONG OF PEOPLE on the wharf, trying to reach the
ship.

She stumbles...


EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK – DAY

Honora falls to the ground... blood trickling down her
face. She's panting heavily.
Pauline swings the brick
down again.


EXT. WHARF/OCEANLINER – DAY
BLACK & WHITE
. . .



SOUND OF IMPACT.

Gangplank hauled up. Docking ropes thrown off.
Pauline
is frantic... she's going to miss the ship. She cries out
. . .



EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK – DAY

Pauline swings the brick down.

SOUND OF IMPACT.


Honora's fingers scratch at the stoney ground. Juliet's
feet are walking toward CAMERA in b.g.

TILT UP... Juliet looms over.

HIGH ANGLE... Honora looking up at Juliet, her face
imploring.



EXT. WHARF/OCEANLINER – DAY
BLACK & WHITE
. . .
Juliet, looking very upset.



PULL OUT... she is leaning over the rail on the liner's
deck.
Pauline on the wharf, unable to reach the ship.
She reaches out forJuliet.
Juliet reaches out . .
.



EXT. VICTORIA PARK/BUSHY TRACK – DAY

Juliet's hand... takes hold of the stocking. .
.

Pauline's hands grab Honora's neck and push her down, into
the mud.

Juliet swings the brick down.



EXT. WHARF/OCEANLINER – DAY

BLACK & WHITE...

Pauline... screaming hysterically.

Juliet on the liner... tears streaming down her
face.

WIDE SHOT... liner steams away from the dock.

CLOSE-UP... Pauline, sobbing on the wharf.

CLOSE-UP... Juliet, tearful. She slowly raises her hand
and waves goodbye to Pauline.

JULIET (Whispers) I'm sorry.

PULL OUT... Henry and Hilda are standing on either side
of Juliet. They both put a comforting arm around their
distraught daughter's shoulders.

CLOSE-UP... Pauline looking devastated.

SLOWLY PULL OUT from Pauline's face... she stands alone,
sobbing.

FADE TO BLACK

PAULINE (V.O.) (Anguished) No!


SONG FADES UP. . .

Mario Lanza singing "You'll Never Walk
Alone."


A SERIES OF CARDS explains what happened
subsequently:


"In the hours following Honora's murder, a police
search of the Rieper house unearthed Pauline's dairies. This
resulted in her immediate arrest for the murder her

mother."

"Juliet was arrested and charged with murder the
following day."

"After Pauline's arrest it was discovered that Honor,
Herbert Rieper had never married. Pauline was therefore
charged under her mother's maiden name of
Parker."

"In August 1954, a plea of insanity was rejected by the
jury in the Christchurch Supreme Court trial and Pauline
Parker and Juliet Hulme were found guilty of 

murder."

"Too young for the death penalty, they were sent to
separate prisons to be 'Detained at Her Majesty's
Pleasure.’"

"Juliet was released in November 1959 and immediately
left New Zealand to join her mother
overseas."

"Pauline was released two weeks later, but remain New
Zealand on parole until 1965."

"It was a
condition of their release that they never meet
again."

THE END