The Ice Storm (1997) by James Schamus. Based on the novel by Rick Moody. First Draft Revised January 5, 1996. More info about this movie on imdb.com
EXT. TRAIN - DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN
Suburban Connecticut, outside of New York City, 1973. The
still after a terrible storm. Trees dripping, their branches
torn, the air warming just before the break of a new day. The
train lies dark and motionless, a few flashing yellow
emergency lights up front, as a work crew removes debris from
the track.
INT. TRAIN. PRE-DAWN
Various passengers, huddled uncomfortably, cold, asleep.
On Paul Hood, 15-and-a-half, stoner-preppie look, hunched up
in his seat under the faint emergency exit light. He reads
his Fantastic Four comic book by the pale light of the
emergency exit sign.
Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker on and the hum of the
train's engines returns.
The conductor enters the car, blasting forth in his classic
nasal voice.
CONDUCTOR
Good morning ladies and gentlemen --
He sounds like a baseball announcer.
PASSENGERS
(mumbling, ad lib)
What ladies?
CONDUCTOR
-- this train originating at New
York's Grand Central Station is
back in service - next stop will be
New Canaan, Connecticut. New
Canaan, Connecticut, next stop!
He moves on to the next car.
The train begins to move.
Paul rubs his elbow against the window and looks out into the
still-dark early morning.
He looks back down at his comic book.
On the comic book: Reed Richards (also known as Stretch) has
zapped his young son with a cosmic ray gun to neutralize the
destructive energy that Annihilus has implanted in him.
The Thing, Medusa, Flame, and Richards' wife Sue Storm look
on, stunned.
"THEN YOU'VE TURNED HIM INTO A
VEGETABLE. YOUR OWN SON." "DON'T
YOU SEE, SUE? HE WAS TOO
POWERFUL... IF HIS ENERGY HAD
CONTINUED TO BUILD, HE WOULD HAVE
DESTROYED THE WQRLD!"
Paul looks up again, thinking.
PAUL (V.O.)
In issue number 141 of The
Fantastic Four, published in
November 1973, Reed Richards has to
use his anti-matter weapon on his
own son, who Annihilus has turned
into a human atom bomb. His son is
the result of Richards' coupling
with the earthling Sue Storm, and
the problem is that the cosmic rays
that infused Richards and the rest
of the Fantastic Four on their
aborted moon mission have made
young Franklin a volatile mixture
of matter and anti-matter.
EXT. TRAIN BRIDGE. PRE-DAWN
The train moves slowly through a suburban, semi-forested
landscape.
PAUL (V.O.)
And that's what it is to come from
a family, if you analyze it
closely. Each of them is negative
matter for the other ones. And
that's what dying is -- dying is
when your family, which is in fact
your personal negative matter from
which you emerge -- it's when the
family takes you back, thus hurling
you back into negative space...
INT. TRAIN. CONT'D.
On Paul, as the sun breaks over the horizon. His face glows
warmly in the yellow light. He looks down idly at the comic
book.
PAUL (V.O.)
So it's a paradox -- the closer
you're drawn back in, the further
into the void you're thrown.
EXT. CONRAIL STATION. EARLY MORNING
The train slowly pulls in.
The train doors open, and Paul, weary from the long night,
emerges. He sees his family gathered at the other end of the
platform -- Ben, 40, a bit worse for wear but still retaining
traces of his boyish looks; Elena, 37, distant and elegant
even in her oversized sweater; and Wendy, 14, a sullen
suburban Lolita.
He pauses, regarding them.
They stand, silent, even dignified, awaiting him.
EXT. ST. PETER'S SCHOOL. MORNING
To establish. A typical New England prep school.
INT. PAUL AND FRANCIS'S DORM ROOM. MORNING
Cramped, a mess, but quaint. Paul shares the room with
Francis Davenport IV, a dissolute, smart-ass son of money.
Paul's alarm clock rings. He slams his hand down on it and
jumps out of bed, fully clothed in his rumpled preppie
uniform of frayed khakis, loose tie, shirt with one tail
untucked in, etc. Across the room, Francis beckons from his
desk, as he finishes loading up a four-foot-high bong.
FRANCIS
Arise and shine, young Hood.
PAUL
I hope you changed the water in
that bong from last night.
FRANCIS
(finishing a hit)
The water, as you call it, is a
special mixture of amaretto and
Ben&Ben blended for just the exact
chemical interaction with the last
of our precious Thai stick.
Paul reluctantly walks over and takes a hit. He coughs,
spewing uninhaled smoke.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Waste not Master Hood -- that was
$20 for the bag.
PAUL
(gathering books, papers,
almost talking to
himself)
Man, Francis, you are one drug
addled elitist freak, and when the
revolution comes I do not want to
be lined up with you and shot,
'cause you're fucking ripe for
political reeducation, you know,
like in the fields.
FRANCIS
Paul, cancel your mental
appointments, baby. What are you,
like still stoned from last night?
PAUL
(spraying some chloroform
mouth spray)
I gotta get to English class.
INT. ST PETERS' CLASSROOM. DAY
An English class in progress.
Paul Hood sits blankly, hardly listening, until he hears the
teacher call out.
TEACHER
Libbets?
LIBBETS
What Dostoyevsky is saying here is
that to be a Christian is to
choose, because you have to choose
of your own choice, but since you
can't choose to be good because
that would be too rational you have
to choose to be bad -- it's
existential.
TEACHER
Thank you Libbets, that's a very
compelling summary, but --
Paul looks at her, smitten. Marge, Paul's friend, notices his
look.
INT. ST. PETER'S HALLWAY. DAY
As class lets out, Paul accosts Libbets.
PAUL
Um, Libbets. Hey, Dostoyevsky, I'm
also really a fan, and what you
were saying, you know, have you
ever read The Idiot?
LIBBETS
The Idiot?
PAUL
If you liked Notes from
Underground, you'll love The Idiot.
LIBBETS
(turning to go)
Great, thanks for the tip.
PAUL
(after her)
The Idiot.
INT. ST. PETER'S HALLWAY. DAY
Paul walks with Marge.
PAUL
I'm in love with Libbets Casey.
MARGE
Yeah, well, you've been in love
with like every other girl here, I
was wondering when you'd get around
to Libbets.
PAUL
It's beyond mere physical
attraction.
MARGE
That's good, because I don't think
Libbets is capable of the sex act.
PAUL
Truly? Do speak.
MARGE
My diagnosis is messed in the head.
A poor little rich girl -- I mean
check out the jeans and fur look.
And lend your ears to this
brutality. Like her mom and step
dad and her step-sisters are going
to Switzerland to ski over
Thanksgiving break -- and like they
didn't invite her!
PAUL
How do you know this shit?
MARGE
They did it last year too. It's
like traditional or something.
They've got this humongoid Park Ave
apartment and she just holes up
there with a wad of cash.
(beat)
Aren't the hugely wealthy sad?
PAUL
(pause)
You think Francis is going to beat
me to the punch here?
MARGE
Since he sleeps with every girl you
ever show an interest in, why don't
you just keep your Libbets thing a
secret from him?
PAUL
Good thinking Marge.
INT. SCHOOL PARTY. NIGHT
Paul, Francis and friends enter the dark, crowded room.
Various kids are awkwardly dancing to some progressive fm
style undanceable rock (Jethro Tull, etc.) Francis hands Paul
the tail end of a joint, but Paul waves it away.
PAUL
No more man. I'm about to drop as
it is.
FRANCIS
See ya.
PAUL
Where you going?
FRANCIS
Paul, let me enlighten you about
something.
You and I exist on two opposite
sides of a great existential
divide, that being your pathetic
virginity on the one hand and my
astonishing number of sexual
conquests on the other. I'm off to
get laid. See you.
PAUL
Flame on, asshole.
FRANCIS
And remember, with your erogenous
zones lubricated as such with the
mighty herb, do not attempt
terrestrial contact with members of
the opposite sex -- because you
drone on like a motherfucker when
you're stoned.
He waves his fingers toward Paul's eyes, in the classic
"stoned" gesture, then wanders off.
Paul looks on at the gathering. Marge waves to him from the
dance floor.
LATER:
INT. SCHOOL PARTY. CONT'D
Paul wanders, stoned, through the party. He sees Libbets from
across the room. She seems to be surrounded by friends.
INT. PARTY. CONT'D
Paul has cornered Libbets and is talking over the music.
There are just a few people left, most of them making out
with each other.
PAUL
(stoned)
-- because I've been reading
Kerouac and Ginsberg and those guys
were creating beat culture and
traveling and sleeping wherever,
and, of course, with all kinds of
people, but when you read carefully
the various contemporary accounts
of their lives, and, uh, these guys
didn't bathe much, I mean they were
really filthy, with like genital
crabs, lice, exceptionally strong
body odor...
Libbets smiles through her yawn.
EXT. SCHOOL BENCH. NIGHT
Paul sits alone on the bench, freezing cold, eating a donut.
Some kids from across the lawn yell good-night to him.
INT. DORM ROOM. EVENING.
Paul is at his desk. Francis enters, wrapped in a towel,
fresh from the shower.
PAUL
How can you do that man?
FRANCIS
Do what?
PAUL
Sleep all day. I mean, look, it's
already getting dark outside, and
you're just getting up.
FRANCIS
(beat)
Um, Libbets Casey.
PAUL
What?
FRANCIS
Aha! I could sense the vibe.
PAUL
What do you mean?
FRANCIS
Am I right or am I right?
PAUL
Shit. You're not planning --
FRANCIS
My man, I speak to you solely as a
comrade in arms offering
unconditional aid. I've been giving
this one a lot of thought, and I
believe that the two of you
together might just reach that
higher ground that --
A knock at the door.
STUDENT (O.S.)
Hood, telephone.
Paul rolls off his bed, opens the door.
PAUL
Don't mess with Libbets. I mean it!
INT. DORM HALLWAY. NIGHT
Paul walks to the pay phone at the end of the hall.
PAUL
Hello?
INTERCUT - HOOD HOUSEHOLD. NIGHT
It's a modern (shag carpet, geometric-patterned wallpaper,
etc.) suburban house.
Ben Hood talks on the phone, a drink in his hand.
BEN
Paul?
In the background, we can see Wendy watching Richard Nixon on
TV.
PAUL
Hi dad.
BEN
Hey guy. Things ok up there? You
all right?
PAUL
I'm fine dad.
BEN
Well good. Just confirming. You'll
be on the 3:50 Wednesday afternoon.
PAUL
Well dad, actually I thought I'd
take the morning train on
Thanksgiving -- got a lot of
studying, papers, you know, lab
experiments --
BEN
Lab experiments? Right smart guy --
Paul, you know your mother's gonna
be disappointed not to see more of
you -- In fact, let me make this
more than a simple request guy, I
think you should...
IN THE BACKGROUND:
NIXON
(on TV, from San Clemente
press conference)
Well, with regard to the questions
as to why Americans feel we were
wrong to make the tapes, that is
not particularly surprising. I
think that most Americans do not
like the idea of taping
conversations and, frankly, it is
not something that particularly
appeals to me...
BEN
Hold on for a second.
(turning)
Wendy, you want-to say hi to your
brother?
She frowns.
BEN (CONT'D)
Come on!
She gets up sullenly and goes to the phone.
WENDY
Charles.
PAUL
Charles. Have you been keeping out
of my shit? Have you refrained from
entering the sacred precincts of my
room?
WENDY
I have not touched your sh--
(looks at father)
Stuff. You watching this?
PAUL
Watching what?
WENDY
Nixon, doofus! It's incredible. He
should be shot.
BEN
(overhearing)
Hey, that's the president of the
goddam United States you're talking
about, Wendy!
From the kitchen, Elena overhears. She's dressed to go out,
but in the process of making a Kraft macaroni and cheese
dinner for Wendy.
WENDY
He's a liar!
(still talking more to her
father than into the
phone)
Dean told him on March 21st about
Kalmback and Hunt, all about the
payoffs to the Watergate burglars,
so you tell me where the so-called
"Dean Report" is, but you can't
because it doesn't exist, because
he lied about Haldeman and
Erlichman and the April 17 tape,
that's why! Liar!
Ben retreats, going to the wet bar to pour another drink.
BEN
(muttering)
OK, OK, the defense rests.
(to Elena in the kitchen)
Want another?
ELENA (O.S.)
No thank you. We should be off.
BEN
Gotcha.
He puts the bottle back down without pouring.
INTERCUT BACK TO PAUL:
PAUL
(on the phone)
Hey Charles. Charles, calm down --
I wasn't in on it.
Elena, putting on her coat, comes into the den and gives
Wendy a kiss on the forehead as Wendy mumbles her good-byes
to Paul on the phone.
ELENA
Dinner's on the counter. We'll be
at the Williams's -- you know the
number.
(takes the phone from
Wendy)
Paul. Hi. Is there anything you'll
want, any particular kind of food
or snack or anything we can stock
up on?... You're all right? ... OK.
See you next week. I love you.
Back to Nixon on the TV.
NIXON
We must recognize that one excess
begets another, and that the
extremes of violence in the 1960s
contributed to the extremes of
Watergate...
On Wendy as she regards the TV, hearing her parents'
farewells as they leave through the front door.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. NIGHT
A large New England Colonial, with a few modern additions and
touches. We hear the sound of dinner chatter.
INT. WILLIAMS DINING ROOM. NIGHT
The kitchen door swings open into the dining room, and Mikey
and Sandy Williams emerge, each holding platters of food.
Mikey, 15-and-a-half, lost in space, and Sandy, 14, a sullen
and barely pubescent boy, each have towels draped over their
forearms -- they are the evening's "waiters".
They move unsteadily to the table, at which sit their parents
Janey (38, a hard-edged, sharp-witted beauty) and Jim (43,
large and a bit goofy, a genius inventor), together with
their guests, Ben and Elena Hood, and neighbors Dorothy and
Ted Franklin.
We jump cut through the evening's conversations, seen mostly
from the furtive POV's of the boys.
BEN
His brother came back --
DOROTHY
From where?
BEN
Vietnam.
DOROTHY
Oh. Are we going to talk about
this, about...?
ELENA
You should hear. It's very sad, he
was --
JUMP CUT:
Janey is whispering something into Mikey's ear, who returns
to the kitchen.
JIM
It was a benefit for the ACLU or
something, and Harry Reems himself
was there --
DOROTHY
The man with the -- from Deep
Throat?
JIM
The very one -- something about a
first amendment defense fund --
well I believe in it --
DOROTHY
Ted took me to see it.
JANEY
Ted, how romantic.
DOROTHY
I have to say, the movie didn't do
much for me. But being in that
theater, surrounded by all those
horny young college boys and
perverts, there was something in
the air that --
JUMP CUT:
The boys are pouring wine.
JIM
-- pulls right up to the pump,
jumps out like there's no gas
shortage, oblivious, and by this
point everybody in line's piling
out of their cars ready to kill the
guy, when they notice it's that
Reverend Edwards --
BEN
The Unitarian? The new one?
JIM
Yeah -- claims he pulled off Creek
Road and didn't notice the line
going back Mill Street for half a
mile.
BEN
He's either got his head in the
clouds or up his --
DOROTHY
I hear he's slept with half the
women in his congregation --
TED
Lucky bastard!
As this is said, Mikey accidentally spills some wine on Ben.
BEN
Hell! -- I mean, no problemo there
Mikey. Here, I --
Janey leans over with her napkin and attempts a cursory wipe
of Ben's pants. Is there a just barely noticeable frisson
between Ben and Janey as she removes the napkin? If there is,
Elena doesn't -- or pretends not to -- notice.
CUT TO:
The boys, now in pajamas (Sandy's with padded feet, Mikey's a
combination of t-shirt and pj bottoms) are bringing out
coffee and dessert. The adults eye Mikey's handling of the
coffee pot with some nervousness.
DOROTHY
(unconvincing)
So fascinating. Do you get free
tickets to the movies, that kind of
thing?
BEN
No, my job is just to analyze the
entertainment stocks and advise our
institutional investors on where to
put their money. It's --
ELENA
Don't be so modest, Ben. It's a job
that requires a certain prescience
with regards to entertainment
trends. You were the first to
predict that Billy Jack would be a
hit --
BEN
(with a bit too much
conviction)
And as usual no one believed me...
Silence.
CUT TO:
The dinner party has moved to the living room for after
dinner drinks. Elena remains behind to help Janey pick up the
table. She stacks a plate on top of another.
JANEY
Please don't.
ELENA
It's not a bother.
JANEY
I insist.
(beat)
Don't touch them.
Elena realizes that there's an edge to Janey's voice.
ELENA
Oh.
JANEY
(realizing she's gone too
far)
It's really quite all right.
ELENA
Of course.
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
The party progresses. Mikey and Sandy are lying on their
stomachs at the top of the stairs, out of sight.
DOROTHY
And to think -- they met at a key
party of all things.
ELENA
A key party?
DOROTHY
You know, it's a California thing.
That scuzzy husband of hers dragged
her kicking and screaming to one
when they were out in L.A. you
know, the men put their car keys in
a bowl, and then at the end of the
evening the women line up and fish
them out and go home with whoever's
keys they've got. Anyhow that's how
she met this Rod person or whatever
his name is and he's left his wife
and she's packing for California.
Irwin is devastated. It's so
ironic.
JANEY
Ironic?
DOROTHY
(caught out)
Well, um, yes. Ironic. His name is
Rod.
INT. WILLIAMS FRONT HALLWAY. NIGHT
The guests are leaving. The men shake hands, the women kiss,
and the men and women awkwardly peck each others' cheeks.
ELENA
Thank you Janey.
DOROTHY
It was lovely!
BEN
Hey Jim, next time you've got to
fill me in on whatever it is you're
up to these days.
JIM
Will do.
INT. STAIRWAY. NIGHT
At the top of the stairs, a rather dejected Sandy and Mikey
finish spying on the leave-takings below. Mikey nudges Sandy,
and they silently head back the upstairs hall.
INT. MIKE'S ROOM. NIGHT
They enter Mike's room -- the door has a "nuclear waste
positively no admittance" sign on it.
As Mikey reaches his bed, he doubles over, groaning, and
starts to make retching noises. He then throws himself onto
the bed, his head leaning over the far side.
Sandy walks over and sees a pile of vomit next to the bed.
Taken aback for a moment, he then reaches forward and picks
it up -- it's fake plastic vomit. He throws it on top of
Mike's back, but Mikey doesn't take notice.
SANDY
Stupid!
(pause, looking sullenly
at Mike's back)
Is Wendy Hood your girlfriend?
MIKEY
(not looking up, but
alarmed)
Who said so?
SANDY
No one.
MIKEY
I don't have a girlfriend.
Mikey returns to his reading -- a copy of The Sensuous Woman,
obviously well pawed over. He absentmindedly picks his nose.
As he flips the pages, a beautiful, almost electrical HUMMING
SOUND begins to fill his ears. He frowns and pauses to listen
to it.
Sandy, who has picked up a balsa wood miniature plane,
obviously doesn't hear it.
Mikey focuses on the plane as Sandy waves it through the air.
Perhaps the hum is the sound of its engines as it soars
through the sky...
INT. WENDY'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
There is a large poster of a cartoon version of Richard Nixon
"Tricky Dick" -- on her wall. Wendy is on the phone to her
friend Beth.
WENDY
-- he knows that when the March
24th tape -- you know with Dean,
where Dean tells him that there's a
cancer growing on the presidency --
She pauses as Beth asks a question.
WENDY (CONT'D)
Who? No way. He's like a big
infected whitehead wearing jeans. I
wouldn't --
She hears the downstairs door open.
WENDY (CONT'D)
(whispering)
-- shit, it's my parents.
She turns her light out.
INT. HOOD UPSTAIRS HALLWAY. NIGHT
Ben and Elena walking past Wendy's room to their bedroom.
BEN
You'd think she'd learn how to cook
a chicken, eh? My drumstick was
still frozen when you cut inside
there. I'm probably going to get
whatever that disease -- and Jim,
how that guy ever became a
millionaire --
He pauses before a hall table, and, with his eyes, traces the
telephone cord under Wendy's room.
BEN (CONT'D)
Hmm. I knew she'd still be up.
Watch this --
But Elena simply continues into the master bedroom.
He starts to pull gently on the cord. And continues pulling.
No response for a few seconds. Then:
CONTINUED: 25
WENDY (O.S.)
(yelling behind her door)
Dad stop it!
BEN
Get to sleep young lady -- and I
mean it.
Wendy opens the door to her room.
WENDY
Fascist!
BEN
If I were a fascist I would have
sent you to one of those Southern
military academies a long time ago.
Now get to bed.
She slams the door.
He opens it.
INT. WENDY'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
Ben enters the room, angry.
BEN
Hey!
Wendy jumps into bed and under the covers, pulling them up
over her head. He stands over her, looking down at the
crumpled pile of sheet and blanket.
BEN (CONT'D)
(softening)
Hey, kiddo. Sleep well, huh.
He places his hand where her cheek should be, and caresses
the sheet.
WENDY
(without pulling the sheet
down, but nicely)
Good-night dad.
BEN
Good night kiddo.
Ben turns to the door, where he sees a silent Elena standing
in her nightgown, a slight smile on her face.
INT. HOOD BEDROOM. NIGHT
Elena is sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, on her side of
the bed. We hear the toilet flush from the master bath, and
see Ben emerge in his boxers. He pauses in front of the bed,
looking at Elena.
ELENA
(without opening her eyes)
You're staring at me.
BEN
I wasn't star--
ELENA
I've been thinking, Ben, about
Wendy. I was going to ask if she'd
come with me sometime to meet Dr.
Woolens.
BEN
That shrink -- the one you always
wanted me to see? I thought you
dropped him.
ELENA
I did, but -- somebody should
probably see her, talk to her...
You think she's ok?
BEN
Why shouldn't she be?
Elena just gives him a look, more sad than angry.
BEN (CONT'D)
(pause)
Then again, why should she be? I
mean with us, with our...
ELENA
So maybe you'll come too?
BEN
Oh not again Elena! If we've got
problems, why can't you just come
out and talk about them.
ELENA
It's you Ben who needs to talk.
I've had my say, and I'm waiting to
hear back from you.
BEN
Yeah but Elena, even you don't
believe all that "I'm OK. You're
OK" stuff you keep babbling about --
you say so yourself. I've been all
ears for about ten years now on his
subject, and --
ELENA
-- And you haven't moved out yet.
It's because you're too lazy, Ben.
Too scared or lazy to either deal
with us or simply make a decision --
BEN
Elena.
Silence.
ELENA
(sighing)
Sleep in the study? Please.
Ben picks up a pillow and walks out, pausing wistfully at the
door.
BEN
Good night.
ELENA
Good night.
INT. WENDY'S ROOM. NIGHT
Wendy hears her parents' door close and sees a strip of light
illuminate under her door as the hall light goes on, then
off.
EXT. MANHATTAN OFFICE BUILDING. DAY
A nondescript, cleanly "modern" building. Engraved on the
doors: "Shackley and Schwimmer, Securities Brokerage -
Established 1964"
INT. SHACKLEY AND SCHWIMMER CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY
Ben, seated, is finishing a brief presentation to a small
group of men, which includes George Clair, mid-thirties,
unctuously handsome.
BEN
But what, exactly, is stagflation,
this mixture of inflation and
stagnation, and how should we in
the securities industry understand
and accommodate it? Well -- and I
hope I'm not out of bounds here -
think of the money supply as a
large male organ, continuously
inflating, and yet, the societal
vaginal cavity simply wants more.
As the vicious circle of higher
returns without real satisfaction
continues, the money-organ may seem
to be in demand, but in fact even
the most inflated capital is
unwanted. This is why I suggest
that while we engage this mawing
abyss for the highest returns, we
at the same time fantasize, so to
speak, of the safe harbor of
capital appreciation.
The aging boss nods agreement.
SHACKLEY
(more or less mumbling)
Brilliant, brilliant.
George Clair just grins.
INT. BEN HOOD'S OFFICE. DAY
Ben is gathering papers, readying to leave. He looks up to
see George Clair in his doorway.
GEORGE
Hey there Benjie, you're becoming
quite the in-house philosopher.
When do you have time to think up
all that stuff -- Shackley sure
eats it up.
INTERCUT HALL IN FRONT OF BEN HOOD'S OFFICE
As we see that Clair is deftly fondling Hood's attractive
secretary as she is seated in the cubicle beside the door to
his office. She looks up coyly at Clair, hidden for the
moment from Ben's view.
Ben comes out of his office, pulling his coat on. Clair and
the secretary pull back, but it's clear that Ben has some
sense of what's transpiring between them.
BEN
George, I'm just trying to get a
global view of things -- can't just
look at the small picture.
There's an obvious rivalry between the two of them.
GEORGE
And speaking of which, you have
those market share charts Mr.
Shackley was asking about?
BEN
Gotcha George, not a problem.
Tomorrow. Hey, you want to start
covering the old filmed
entertainment sector yourself?
GEORGE
Ben you know that's your territory
- and I wouldn't dream to trespass
- you're the expert. Hey, how do
you think Paramount's gonna do with
that Blatty novel, what's it
called? The Exorcist?
BEN
Overpriced bomb, cost over $6
million -- no stars, and no one's
into the horror genre these days
anyway. I'm advising the company
recommend reducing positions there.
It's disaster films that are gonna
stay at the top.
GEORGE
Brilliant. Hey, you heading out a
little early today?
BEN
Got a meeting uptown.
GEORGE
(already moving off)
Right o'.
BEN
Up the organization!
(then, to himself)
Bastard.
The secretary pretends not to hear.
EXT. UNIVERSITY CLUB. DAY
An august New York institution. To establish.
INT. CLUB RESTAURANT. DAY
A stuffy, Ivy League atmosphere. A decades-old tradition of
serving overcooked American food. Ben is seated across from
his father, Harold Hood, a retired curmudgeon. There is a
walker parked by Harold's chair.
HAROLD
(waylaying a passing
waiter)
I'd asked for that double martini
about three hours ago!
WAITER
Coming right up, sir.
HAROLD
So asking me out for lunch -- what
prompted this exceptional event? --
Of course I'm paying.
BEN
We don't have to always go to your
club, dad.
HAROLD
And why are you still calling me
dad? You're forty years old
already, and --
BEN
-- Well what am I supposed to call
you?
HAROLD
That's besides the point.
The martini arrives, along with Ben's beer.
BEN
I was actually trying to see about
getting a little advice, you know --
HAROLD
Advice? I'm supposed to be getting
the stock tips from you, Ben.
Unless - have you quit your job?
They fired you?
BEN
You know, dah--
He looks up and sees his father slurping his martini, not
paying attention.
BEN (CONT'D)
Actually it's not about work, it's
advice about --
HAROLD
Oh for crying out loud Ben, you
don't mean to tell me that your
marriage is going down the drain
now --
BEN
Well, Elena and I have kind of been
talking, not really talking, but --
HAROLD
-- Your mother, God bless her,
stood by me for forty-two years --
we never once contemplated divorce
- I assume you're talking here
about divorce? The very thought --
BEN
But dad, you guys truly hated each
other, I mean really hated each --
HAROLD
-- Waiter! Where's my cobb salad?
(back to Ben)
You want advice Ben? If your big
brother were still alive I'd have
him go out into the back yard and
beat some sense into your head.
Look kid, you married that woman
against my advice --
BEN
-- What advice? You never --
HAROLD
That's besides the point. The point
is if I'd had any sense in me I'd
have divorced your mother 40 years
ago, and that's the truth, and here
it is, 1972 --
BEN
-- 73
HAROLD
-- 73, and divorce is as easy as
paying off a traffic ticket, and
for crying out loud, Ben, be a man
and just get it over with. I would
have if I'd had the chance.
Ben ponders, as the food arrives.
BEN
(weakly)
But...
HAROLD
But what?
BEN
But I -- well maybe I love her.
Elena.
His father rolls his eyes and stabs his salad with a fork.
HAROLD
Christ Ben! Make up your mind and
eat your lunch.
INT. BOOK STORE. DAY
Elena browses the self-help section. A longish-haired,
slightly gone-to-seed, but still handsome clergyman pauses
next to her. He's wearing an ecclesiastical collar and bell
bottoms.
He pulls out a copy of Me, Myself and I, glancing again at
Elena.
PHILIP
Elena. Elena Hood, am I right?
ELENA
Yes.
PHILIP
Reverend Edwards. Philip Edwards.
You came by and checked out the
congregation a couple of times last
year.
ELENA
Yes, it was -- I ended up --
PHILIP
(smiling)
No need to make excuses --
EXT. NEW CANAAN HIGH SCHOOL FIELD. DAY
A cool gray afternoon. A group of boys are playing flag
football on the field, while two groups of girls are gathered
underneath the bleachers at either end, warily smoking
c1garettes.
Wendy, Beth, and a couple of other girls are gathered in one
group.
BETH
(referring to one of the
girls gathered in the
other group)
She said you licked Dave Brewster's
weenie in the third floor bathroom.
WENDY
She's a liar. I wouldn't touch Dave
Brewster's dick if you paid me.
It's probably crawling with v.d.
after he put it in her, which he
did.
The conversation peters out at this point, as the two groups
of girls give each other the hairy eyeball from afar.
Wendy looks through from beneath the bleacher seats onto the
field where the boys are playing.
A group of boys break from a huddle, Mikey among them.
The quarterback takes the hike and Mikey runs out for a pass.
As he runs, his breathing increases in volume, filling his
ears, and transforming into the humming sound he'd heard
before.
The quarterback spots him and throws a long one.
He runs in an oblivion of beautiful white sound.
The ball drops next to him as he continues, in a world of his
own, to run.
Suddenly, the humming ends and he stops and turns around, to
see all the other kids just standing there looking at him.
One of them makes a pot-smoking gesture, as if that's the
explanation.
MIKEY
(as he returns to the
group, ball in hand)
Did anybody hear that?
The other kids snicker. Wendy looks on, and catches Mikey's
eye for a fleeting moment.
WENDY
I gotta go.
She takes hold of her bicycle and pushes off.
INT. COFFEE SHOP. DAY
Elena and Philip are seated at a booth.
PHILIP
It's been a tremendously
transformative year -- maybe a
little controversial of course, but
we're breaking down the old
Unitarian barriers --
ELENA
I suppose my reluctance was the
group aspect of it -- I've never
been much of a joiner, although I
still consider myself a somewhat
religious person --
PHILIP
Well I of course flatter myself
that our church is not exactly what
most people would call organized
religion -- at times it's the
disorganization that's liberating --
and of course I've begun to
minister much more in what one
might call therapeutic
environments, in small groups, and
one on one, couples --
Elena looks outside the window, and sees Wendy speed past on
her bicycle.
ELENA
(cutting him off)
My daughter. I haven't been on a
bike for years.
(still not really looking
at him)
When was the last time you rode a
bike?
PHILIP
(a bit taken aback by the
abrupt topic change)
They say you never forget.
ELENA
(jarred back to his
presence)
Forget what?
PHILIP
Forget how to ride a bike.
Silence.
ELENA
No, of course you don't, you're
right.
EXT. FIVE AND DIME STORE. DAY
Wendy pulls her bike up to the back, locks it, and walks in.
INT. FIVE AND DIME STORE. DAY
Wendy moves with a certain amount of stealth through the
aisles, arriving at the candy selection.
She looks around.
She takes a package of twinkies and slips them into the
oversized pockets of her painter's pants.
She turns around, and her breath goes out of her -- an OLD
WOMAN has been watching her shoplift. The woman looks sadly
at her, but says nothing. Wendy slowly walks past her and out
the back door of the store. The woman looks on.
EXT. FIVE AND DIME STORE. DAY
As she walks her bike onto the sidewalk, Wendy comes across
Sandy.
SANDY
Hey Wendy.
WENDY
Hey Sandy.
SANDY
Mikey was looking for you.
WENDY
Yeah? See ya.
She pushes off on her bike.
Sandy gazes after her. He takes his G.I. Joe out of his coat
pocket, and points it at her.
SANDY
Bam.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREETS. DAY
Wendy flies along on her bike. It's a desolately beautiful
fall day.
EXT. SILVER MEADOWS PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE. DAY
Wendy rides by the front gates of the posh grounds of the
private psychiatric clinic. A security guard leans against a
booth.
Once a bit past the gate, she gets off her bike and walks it
into a grove of trees near the front drive.
EXT. SILVER MEADOWS. DAY
Mikey is waiting amid the trees next to his bike as Wendy
arrives.
MIKEY
Want some gum?
WENDY
Sure.
(pulling them out of her
pocket)
Twinkie?
MIKEY
(opens his mouth,
displaying the gum on his
tongue)
I'm chewing.
She puts the Twinkies back, and pops the gum in her mouth.
They stand together chewing.
WENDY
(after a pause)
Did you tell Sandy?
MIKEY
Tell Sandy? What?
Wendy doesn't say anything.
MIKEY (CONT'D)
You didn't tell him either, did
you?
EXT. SILVER MEADOWS SWIMMING POOL. DAY
The wind is picking up and the light is fading. Mikey and
Wendy climb the fence around the pool, which is empty and
half-covered in dead leaves and twigs.
They climb down into the concrete recess and walk into the
deep end, leaning against the far wall of the pool.
They each matter-of-factly take their gum out and put it
behind their ears.
They begin not so much to kiss as to place their tongues in
each others' mouths.
We see them from high above the pool, as the dead leaves
swirl lightly around them, Mikey groping under Wendy's
poncho.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. DAY
To establish.
INT. WILLIAMS GUEST ROOM. DAY
A couple are in the final throes of lovemaking. We see Janey
Williams's face, more or less enjoying the proceedings. The
man gives a final heave and groan, and rolls off to reveal
himself to be -- Ben Hood.
JUMP CUT TO:
Janey smokes a cigarette. Ben is babbling.
BEN
We were golfing, and you know,
golfing to me is something I'm
supposed to enjoy, and I was on the
goddam golf team in college, so
it's something one would assume I
do well -- I used to do well -- but
basically these days golfing for me
is like hoeing, or plowing.
Janey smiles briefly at this.
BEN (CONT'D)
It's like farming. I am basically
chewing up large tracts of
expensively landscaped scenery with
overpriced sticks, and George Clair
has obviously, in the mere two
years since he joined the firm, he
has obviously been taking secret
lessons with a golf pro, and I
assume the entirety of his
disposable income has been devoted
to humiliating me on the golf
course. And the guy talks -
incessantly -- throughout the
entirety of the miserable 18 holes
- on topics that are the supposed
domain of my department --
JANEY
Ben--
BEN
Yeah?
JANEY
(gently)
You're boring me. I have a husband.
I don't particularly feel the need
for another.
BEN
You have a point there. That's a
very good point. We're having an
affair. Right. An explicitly sexual
relationship. Your needs. My needs.
You're absolutely right.
JANEY
You should probably get dressed.
The boys will be home soon.
BEN
Gotcha.
She wraps a blanket around herself and gets up.
EXT. BACK OF WILLIAMS HOUSE. EVENING
Ben cautiously walks out he back door and heads for the side
gate.
INT. HOOD KITCHEN. EVENING
Wendy enters the house as Elena is finishing supper
preparations.
WENDY
Hi mom.
ELENA
Hi Wendy.
Without waiting for instructions, Wendy starts pulling out
plates and silverware and setting the table.
ELENA (CONT'D)
I saw you on your bike today.
WENDY
With Mikey?
ELENA
Who?
WENDY
Nobody.
ELENA
Mikey Williams?
WENDY
We were just riding around.
Elena takes this in.
ELENA
Well, you looked very -- free --
when I saw you.
Wendy continues setting the table.
ELENA (CONT'D)
Weightless almost -- as if I were
seeing my own memories of being a
girl. There was something internal
about it.
WENDY
Mom. Are you ok?
ELENA
Wendy, of course. I'm sorry. You
must think I'm ripe to be checked
into Silver Meadows.
WENDY
You're not a psycho!
ELENA
The people at Silver Meadows aren't
psychos.
WENDY
I know. They're rich drug addicts
and celebrities. When I saw James
Taylor there, and --
ELENA
We've been through this Wendy
James Taylor was actually at that
clinic up near Boston.
WENDY
Well, I saw what I saw, and if you
don't want to believe me --
ELENA
Oh Wendy.
Wendy frowns.
WENDY
They need the money for my band
uniform at school.
ELENA
I thought you quit the band - I
never hear you practice anymore.
WENDY
I don't really need to practice. I
just play a few notes, you know, so
I thought maybe I'd stay in.
ELENA
Well, I'm sure your father and I
would love to hear what you're
playing these days. Maybe after
dinner.
INT. HOOD LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
Ben and Elena take their seats on the sofa. Wendy stands
before them holding an enormous trombone, with a music stand
and sheet music in front of her.
She puffs a series of seemingly disconnected notes in waltz
time.
When she's done, she looks up from the sheet music to her
parents.
They applaud.
BEN
Can't wait to see how it fits in
with all the other instruments.
Elena gives him a look.
INT. HOOD KITCHEN. NIGHT
Elena is sorting through bills and writing checks at the
kitchen table. Ben comes in and fills a glass with ice.
ELENA
The Halfords have invited us again
this year.
BEN
You want to go?
ELENA
What do you think?
BEN
Well, it is a neighborhood
tradition.
He comes up behind her, looks down at the checkbook.
BEN (CONT'D)
I'm, uh, going to bed.
ELENA
So early?
BEN
Rough day. Good night.
He leans over and kisses her on the cheek. She sniffs.
ELENA
Is that a new aftershave?
He recoils a bit.
BEN
Oh yeah. Musk, or something. You
like it?
ELENA
Hmm. Good night.
He walks uncertainly from the room. Does she suspect?
INT. MIKE'S ROOM. NIGHT
Mikey is painfully at work writing an English essay. Sandy
comes to the door with a geometry textbook.
SANDY
Mikey?
MIKEY
Yeah?
SANDY
Geometry?
MIKEY
Sure, anything but this English.
Sandy puts the open textbook in front of him.
SANDY
Why are you so good at math but not
in English?
MIKEY
I'm not good at math. Just
geometry.
He looks at the book.
MIKEY (CONT'D)
(drawing out his examples
on a piece of paper)
It's like, you know when they say
"two squared"? And you think it
means 2 times 2, equals 4? But
really they really mean a square. A
square with a side of two. And the
area of the square is four. Like
every time you use the word, like
squared, or cubed, it's really
space, it's not numbers, it's
space.
And it's perfect space, but only in
your head, because you can't draw a
perfect square, like in the
material world, but in your mind,
you can have perfect space.
(pause)
You know?
As Mikey goes on, we see his geometric doodles, and hear
faintly the HUMMING SOUND under his voice.
SANDY
Yeah. But I just need some help
with my homework.
A knock at the door. Jim stands in the doorway with a
suitcase in his hand.
JIM
Hey guys, I'm back.
MIKEY
(honestly confused)
You were gone?
Sandy looks at Mikey as if pondering a lost cause.
JIM
(a look of
disappointment)
Yeah Mikey. Yep, I was in Houston,
working on some great new ideas
about silicon, which comes from
sand, very conductive. How you guys
doing? How's school?
Mikey's still flustered.
MIKEY
Uh, I dunno. OK I guess.
JIM
Hmm. Alright!
He walks off.
SANDY
You really didn't notice? Man, he's
been gone for three days.
INT. WILLIAMS BEDROOM. NIGHT
Janey is reading, still dressed, on the bed. She nods to Jim
as he enters with his suitcase.
JANEY
Good trip?
He nods and puts his suitcase down, then sits heavily on the
side of the bed.
JIM
(as he sits)
You bet.
It turns out it's a water bed, and his weight creates a wave
that nearly pushes Janey off her edge of the bed.
JANEY
Jesus, Jim!
JIM
(jumping up, which only
creates another wave)
Sorry honey. Hell, we've got to
trade this thing in for a normal
bed.
JANEY
Just be careful.
JIM
(as he begins to unpack)
You notice anything with Mikey
lately? The kid seemed a little out
of it tonight, eh?
JANEY
Tonight? Jim, he's been out of it
since he was born.
JIM
Hell, I guess he takes after me,
huh?
He laughs to himself.
She gives him a look.
INT. COFFEE SHOP. DAY
Elena and Philip Edwards are having coffee again.
PHILIP
In many ways, the church-bound
tradition of the father, son, and
holy ghost is simply a version of
the parent-child-adult triad within
us all. It's a primitive set of
symbols for our inner psychology.
ELENA
You're saying that Christ is the
child, and --
PHILIP
-- And God the angry parent, and
the Spirit the hope of an
integrated adult self.
ELENA
All well and good -- But tell me
again what is it exactly that you
believe in?
PHILIP
You ask what the point is?
ELENA
That's right.
PHILIP
Self-realization. Ministering to
help people reach their fullest
potential. Would you believe me if
I told you I want you to see
yourself reach your fullest
potential and self-realization?
ELENA
I would say it sounds like you're
trying to get me into bed.
PHILIP
If that's a potential you see
yourself fulfilling... I mean...
(flustered)
My, I sound a bit --
ELENA
I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. I
didn't mean to be so rude.
PHILIP
You weren't. You actually, for some
reason, you have the effect on me
of making me feel just a tiny bit
ashamed of myself.
ELENA
But not too ashamed.
PHILIP
(smiling)
Now you are being rude.
ELENA
And you're still trying to get me
into bed.
PHILIP
Ouch.
Just then, Dorothy Franklin passes by their table, a smirk
firmly implanted on her face.
DOROTHY
Hello you two. Am I barging in on
some kind of religious study group?
Elena, you look marvelous. Will I
see you and Ben at the Halford's?
ELENA
I suppose we'll make an appearance.
DOROTHY
And Reverend Edwards? Did you make
the list?
PHILIP
(laughing)
I believe so Mrs. Franklin.
DOROTHY
With the two of you there it will
be positively a revival! I'm off!
She scurries out of the coffee shop.
PHILIP
I'm afraid she's something of a
gossip, isn't she?
ELENA
(gathering her things to
go)
I'm afraid people around here
provide her with quite a bit to
gossip about.
(getting up)
Take care.
PHILIP
That I will indeed.
INT. CLASSROOM. DAY
Mikey is reading his English paper before the class.
MIKEY
Because of molecules we are
connected to the outside world from
our bodies. Like when you smell
things, because when you smell a
smell it's not really a smell, it's
a part of the object that has come
off of it -- molecules. So when you
smell something bad, it's like in a
way you're eating it. This is why
you should not really smell things,
in the same way that you don't eat
everything in the world around you
- because as a smell, it gets
inside of you. So the next time you
go into the bathroom after someone
else has been there, remember what
kinds of molecules you are in fact
eating.
An embarrassed silence.
INT. SCHOOL MUSIC ROOM. DAY
Band practice. The New Canaan High School band is doing a
wind version of a popular rock tune.
In front, there's Wendy, in halter top and hip-hugging bell
bottoms, incongruously blowing away on her trombone -- this
being her one stab at extracurricular activities.
In the flute section directly behind her is Sandy, piping
away on a tiny piccolo. He sits on a riser slightly elevated
above her.
He directs downward at Wendy a protracted regard, a look of
intense concentration on his face.
SANDY'S POV:
Wendy's backside, her pants pushed outward in the back,
affording Sandy a libido-charged view of the top of her bum
crack.
Push in on a close-up of this cherished abstract landscape,
then back to Sandy's furrowed face.
INT. CLUB RESTAURANT. DAY
Ben and Harold are at their table again. Lunch is being
cleared.
HAROLD
It's not the taxes I object to.
It's all the fines and penalties.
BEN
Alright dad. But you sold the
house, you didn't tell anyone,
including the IRS, and I'd of
certainly liked to have seen if
there was any old stuff --
HAROLD
It was all junk!
Another pause. Ben decides not to pursue an overworked topic.
BEN
Oh. Elena wanted to know when we
could expect you on Thanksgiving.
It's just going to be you this
year.
HAROLD
Ben, I'm going to Florida. I hate
Thanksgiving and I hate the cold. I
have a new nurse. She's a negro,
she weighs three hundred pounds,
and I've decided to leave my entire
estate to her.
Ben spits his drink out.
BEN
What?
HAROLD
Jesus, Benjamin, you're still as
gullible as ever.
BEN
That was a joke? You don't tell
jokes.
HAROLD
I thought I'd start trying. If you
don't mind. But I am going to
Florida and I do have a new nurse.
INT. TRAIN. EVENING
Ben sits in the moving train, commuting home. He puts down
his paper to look at this fellow passengers. [NOTE: He is in
the same seat as was Paul at the beginning of the film.]
INT. HOOD DEN. DAY
Elena sits in a yoga pose.
INT. HOOD GARAGE. DAY
Elena enters the garage from the kitchen and turns the light
on.
She finds an old bicycle and pulls it out.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREETS. DAY
Elena rides her bike into town, infused with the girlish
sense of freedom she imagined for her daughter.
Suddenly, there's a pop -- a tire is blown out. She slows
down and gets off the bike. As she bends to look at the
wheel, a station wagon slows near her. The driver's side
window rolls open. It's Janey Williams.
JANEY
Need a lift?
INT. JANEY'S CAR. DAY
Elena sits in the passenger seat. The two women are obviously
uncomfortable with each other.
Silence.
ELENA
Thanks again. For the dinner.
JANEY
Thanks for eating it. I don't know
why I even pretend I can cook.
ELENA
I used to know how to cook.
JANEY
It's not like we're too busy.
They smile, barely.
ELENA
I'm thinking of going back to
school.
JANEY
Social work?
ELENA
How'd you know?
JANEY
Educated guess.
ELENA
I'm that predictable? No, you don't
have to answer that. It's just that
with the kids almost grown --
JANEY
You don't have to apologize. I'm
too much of a cynic. You actually
seem to be trying to figure things
out -- don't mind me.
She pulls the car over.
EXT. FIVE AND DIME STORE. DAY
Janey's car pulls to the curb.
INT. CAR. CONT'D
JANEY
Here you are.
ELENA
(opening her door)
Thanks for the lift. If the bike's
any bother--
JANEY
None at all. I'll leave it in front
of your garage. Happy Thanksgiving.
EXT. FIVE AND DIME. CONT'D
Elena watches the car pull away. She turns and walks into the
store.
INT. FIVE AND DIME. DAY
Elena moves through the aisles, putting various sundries into
a basket.
She pauses in front of the lipsticks.
She picks up a lipstick, looks at it, then quietly places it
in her pocket.
We see her reflection in the security mirror above the aisle,
as she quickly exits the store.
The middle-aged lady behind the counter watches her leave.
EXT. FIVE AND DIME. DAY
In a wide shot, from across the street, we see Elena leave
the store, followed by the shopkeeper who runs behind her and
taps her on the shoulder. They converse for a minute, and
Elena is accompanied back into the store.
Through the store windows we see her take the lipstick out of
her purse. She's obviously distraught -- offering to pay,
talking quickly, etc. The shopkeeper is holding a telephone,
not yet decided on whether to call her in.
PAUL (V.O.)
To find yourself in the Negative
Zone, as the Fantastic Four often
do, means that all everyday
assumptions are inverted -- even
the invisible girl herself becomes
visible, and so she loses the last
semblance of her power.
INT. TRAIN. DAY
Close on images from The Fantastic Four.
"HERE IN THE NEGATIVE ZONE, HIS
POWERS ARE HALVED. WE CAN DO
NOTHING BUT WAIT... AND PRAY" "BUT
WHAT ABOUT FRANKLIN? HE'LL BE
KILLED!"
Paul sits reading on his way home.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. DAY
Janey pulls up in the driveway. As she gets out of the car,
she hears a small explosion from the back of the house.
EXT. HOOD BACKYARD. DAY
Janey comes around the back to discover Sandy stuffing a
model airplane with m-80 firecrackers. He lights them and
runs back a safe distance. The plane explodes, its wreckage
joining the debris from a few other dolls, models, and toys.
JANEY
Sandy!
Sandy looks up -- busted.
Janey marches over to him.
JANEY (CONT'D)
You little idiotic prick, you could
blow yourself fucking sky high with
all this demented crap.
Sandy looks on the verge of tears. She softens and bends down
to him.
JANEY (CONT'D)
(sighing)
Hey.
(picking up the
firecrackers)
I'll take this stuff.
SANDY
You going to tell dad?
JANEY
Would it matter?
(sees something else lying
on the ground)
And what's that?
SANDY
(sniffling)
You know, it's the whip -- the one
uncle Frank got me from Mexico.
JANEY
It's not packed with explosives, is
it?
SANDY
No!
JANEY
(going into the house)
Play with the whip.
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY
Mikey and Wendy are in front of the TV, watching a rerun of
Divorce Court.
JANEY
Oh. Hi Wendy.
WENDY
Hi Mrs. Williams.
JANEY
Mikey, have you heard the
explosions coming from the
backyard?
(he stares blankly at her)
Do you know what Sandy's been up
to?
MIKEY
(honestly oblivious, as
usual)
I dunno.
She pauses, then walks into the kitchen.
EXT. WILLIAMS BACKYARD. DAY
Sandy flicks his enormous whip in the direction of a small
bush.
One by one, he snaps off its leaves.
INT. WILLIAM KITCHEN. DAY
Janey hauls a turkey out of a bag and into the fridge.
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY
Mikey and Wendy are still in front of the TV.
Janey comes in again and looks at them.
JANEY
Don't you kids have homework?
MIKEY AND WENDY
(without looking up, in
unison)
Thanksgiving break.
She walks out of the room again.
Sandy comes in, whip in hand, looks over at Mikey and Wendy,
then walks over to them, and, without a word, slumps down
beside them and watches the TV.
EXT. TOWN STREET. DAY
Elena walks unsteadily, pausing to rest against a brick wall.
She takes a deep breath, then walks to a corner where a local
taxi station wagon sits idling. She gestures to the driver,
who beckons her in.
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY
Later, still mentally devolving in front of the TV, but with
various junk food detritus surrounding them and a different
show, a rerun of the original Highway Patrol.
Sandy wanders off.
CUT TO:
Later.
Wendy gets up, goes upstairs, and wanders down the hall to
the bathroom.
She gets to the door just as Sandy gets there from the
opposite direction.
WENDY
After you.
Sandy hesitantly opens the door, as Wendy still hovers by it.
SANDY
Well, you can...
WENDY
Hey Sandy, what were you blowing up
out there? Your mom was pretty
p.o.'d.
SANDY
All my model planes.
WENDY
The ones you built?
SANDY
They were old. And they couldn't
fly anyhow. I'm going to get a
radio-controlled airplane at
Christmas, and then I'll stuff it
full of m-80s and then fly it into
Mrs. Burgess's English class and
blow it up.
WENDY
I have to go to the bathroom.
SANDY
Yeah.
But he stays put, unaware it seems that he's blocking the
doorway.
Wendy looks around -- no one in sight.
WENDY
I'll show you mine if you show me
yours.
Sandy goes wide eyed, and almost against his will backs into
the bathroom like a feather.
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. DAY
Mikey looks up from the TV, wondering where Wendy is. He eats
another Pringle.
INT. WILLIAMS BATHROOM. DAY
Wendy flips up her dress for Sandy.
He slowly unzips, his hand unsteady. We can tell from the
look on Wendy's face that she's feeling a bit sorry for the
little guy.
Suddenly Sandy turns beet red, and bursts into tears.
SANDY
What do you want?! What do you
want? Get out! Get out of here!
The door flips open -- and Janey Williams appears.
JANEY
(sizing up the situation)
Shit.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM. DAY
Janey is giving Wendy a lecture
JANEY
A person's body is his temple,
Wendy. This body is your first and
last possession. Now as your own
parents have probably told you, in
adolescence our bodies tend to
betray us. That's why, in Samoa and
in other developing nations,
adolescents are sent out into the
woods, unarmed, and they don't come
back until they've learned a thing
or two.
INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE DOORWAY. DAY
Wendy is led to the door by Mrs. Williams.
Wendy trades a glance with a sullen Mikey, who sits in the
living room pretending to ignore her.
EXT. STREET. DAY
Wendy walks her bike with the wind in her face.
From behind her, Mikey rides up on his bike and rides
alongside her.
She doesn't look at him.
Trying to stay on his bike, but moving slowly, he wobbles,
nearly falling off.
MIKEY
I don't ever want to see you.
WENDY
Then why'd you come after me?
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY
The taxi pulls up. Elena gets out and pays the driver.
INT. HOOD KITCHEN. DAY
Ben is in front of the open freezer, trying to get something
out. He hears Elena come in the front door.
BEN
Elena. I need some help here if
this thing's gonna defrost by
tomorrow.
She comes up and together they tug and pull until they
succeced in extracting a large, frozen turkey. As they pull
it out, it slips from their hands and, after a dull thump,
slides along the floor.
They smile.
Elena bends over to pick it up. Ben observes her. She notices
his look.
BEN (CONT'D)
Here.
He goes over and picks up the turkey, placing it in the sink.
He looks back at her and notices her vaguely distraught look.
BEN (CONT'D)
You all right there?
ELENA
Oh. Sure, I -- Did you remember to
pick up the cranberry sauce?
BEN
Um, yes.
They stand together, his concern and her vulnerability
forming an awkward attraction between them.
ELENA
Because you like it on your turkey
sandwiches.
BEN
I do. I'm -- are you...?
ELENA
I... I think I am...
BEN
(pause)
You know Elena, I've been thinking--
ELENA
Ben, maybe no talking right now? If
you start talking, you're going to--
She kisses him as if she needed him.
INT. HOOD HALLWAY. DAY
Ben and Elena enter their bedroom. Elena closes the door
quietly behind her.
INT. HOOD BEDROOM. DAY
Ben and Elena undress shyly.
They make love. Elena's face is almost fearful.
CUT TO:
Elena and Ben lie in bed side by side in the pale afternoon
light. Neither speaks. Ben turns on his side, and notices a
small tear forming in Elena's eyes.
BEN
You crying?
ELENA
I'm just sad Ben -- I mean it
was... you were, but, you know. I
just don't know...
BEN
(gently making light)
Whatever that means Elena -- And
you complain about me not
communicating... I thought it was --
ELENA
No, I didn't mean to sound
negative. It was -- But Ben.
(beat)
What is going to happen with us?
Have you --
BEN
You have to bring this up now?
What? Did I do something here? Is
that it? Is it something I did?
ELENA
I wasn't accusing you, Ben. It's
just that we've got to be honest.
Not just with ourselves, but with
the children.
BEN
(pause, sitting up)
Hell, I know. I -- I guess if you
want to accuse me, you've got --
(looks at watch)
Oh hell! I've got to pick up Paul.
I almost forgot.
He gets up and starts to get dressed.
ELENA
You were saying?
He smells the armpits of the shirt he's putting on.
BEN
Yikes -- I was hoping to wear this
thing to the Halford's Friday.
ELENA
That shirt?
BEN
What?
ELENA
Leave it -- I'll wash it for you.
He looks at her ruefully.
EXT. HOOD STREET. DAY
Wendy walks and Mikey rides along.
WENDY
You have to follow me?
MIKEY
I dunno. I --
They're now in front of the Hood's house.
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY
Ben exits the house in a rush, and sees Wendy and Mikey on
the street in front.
BEN
Hey there Mikey, how's business?
CONTINUED: 85
MIKEY
(tripping off of his bike)
Business? Uh, I dunno.
Ben grimaces, fiddles for his car keys.
As Mikey remounts and rides off, Wendy passes her father on
the driveway.
BEN
I'm picking up Paul at the station
- want to come?
WENDY
Nah.
BEN
What you been up to?
WENDY
Nothing.
INT. HOOD LIVING ROOM. DAY
Wendy enters the house and climbs the stairs.
She sees the crumpled bed sheets in her parents' room and
hears Elena in the shower.
EXT. NEW CANAAN STATION. DAY
Paul walks to the parking lot with his father, who carries
his duffel bag.
EXT. STREETS. DAY
Ben's car heading back to the house with Paul.
INT. HOOD CAR. DAY
BEN
So how's school treating you?
PAUL
All right.
BEN
Classes?
PAUL
Good.
BEN
Grades?
PAUL
Fine.
BEN
Anyone special? You know...
PAUL
Hnnn.
BEN
Well it's good to see you -- we
miss you around the house and all,
but this St. Peter's, it's top of
the line, eh?
PAUL
Yeah.
BEN
You know Paul, I've been thinking,
maybe this is as good a time as any
to have a little talk, you know,
about -- well --
He makes a sharp turn. Paul puts his arms up on the dashboard
to steady himself.
PAUL
(nervous)
About?
BEN
Well, the whole gamut. Facts of
life and all. Some fatherly advice,
because, I tell you, there's things
happening that you're probably old
enough... well...
(pause)
For example, on the self-abuse
front -- now this is important -
it's not advisable to do it in the
shower -- it wastes water and
electricity and because we all
expect you to be doing it there in
any case -- and, um, not onto the
linen, and not on your sister's
underwear or any clothing belonging
to your mother --
He pauses to gauge the effect of his monologue on his son,
then continues.
PAUL
Uh, Dad --
Just then Ben runs a stop sign and almost slams into another
car.
BEN
Holy! Well. If you're worried about
anything, just feel free to ask,
and, uh, we can look it up.
PAUL
Uh, dad, you know I'm 16.
BEN
All the more reason for this little
heart to heart... great.
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY
The car pulls up. Paul gets out, looking shell-shocked. He
sees Wendy waving to him from a second floor window. He nods
back.
BEN
Um, Paul. On second thought, can
you do me a favor and pretend I
never said any of that.
PAUL
Sure dad.
BEN
Thanks.
In the doorway, Elena waits.
INT. HOOD HALLWAY. DAY
Paul knocks on Wendy's bedroom door. She opens it.
PAUL
Hello, Charles.
WENDY
Greetings, Charles.
INT. WENDY'S ROOM. DAY
Paul and Wendy sit on the floor.
PAUL
How are the parental units
functioning these days?
WENDY
Dad's like doing his Up With People
routine, mom hasn't been saying
much.
PAUL
I don't know. Dad seems a little
weird.
WENDY
Yeah well wait till mom opens her
mouth.
They both ponder silently. Then:
PAUL
May I operate your telephonic
apparatus?
WENDY
Why don't you use the phone
downstairs?
PAUL
Calling an individual, Charles, in
New York. Confirming a social
outing for Friday night.
WENDY
Can I come?
PAUL
It's a one-on-one kind of date
thing.
WENDY
With who?
PAUL
Her name's Libbets.
WENDY
Libbets? What kind of a name is
Libbets?
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. DAY
Morning. To establish.
INT. HOOD BEDROOM. DAY
Elena is coming out of the master bathroom in a robe, a towel
wrapped around her head.
ELENA
The turkey in?
BEN
Stuffed and baking.
INT. HOOD HALLWAY. DAY
Ben Hood pads down the hall in his bathrobe, tries the
bathroom door. It's locked.
BEN
Anyone home?
INT. HOOD BATHROOM. DAY
The shower is running, but Paul is standing by the open
window, puffing on a joint and trying to blow the smoke
outside.
PAUL
I'll be out in a second.
Ben walks back to the bedroom, smirking.
BEN
Sure you will.
INT. HOOD DINING ROOM. DAY
One by one, each member of the Hood carried in a final item
to place on the overstuffed Thanksgiving table. Then, one by
one, they each silently take their seats.
They look over the table. No one moves.
BEN
Well, it's great we can all be
together. And this Thanksgiving, no
hysteria, no yelling, especially
with grandpa not here, although we
miss him. So let's do it right and
actually, Wendy, why don't you say
grace. You used to love to say
grace, remember.
Wendy grimaces, as they all bow their heads slightly.
WENDY
Dear Lord, thank you for
Thanksgiving, and for letting us
white people kill all the
Indians...
Everyone looks up.
WENDY (CONT'D)
... and steal their tribal lands
and stuff ourselves like pigs
Mutterings and groans: "Wendy!" "For Christ's sake" etc.
WENDY (CONT'D)
... while children in Africa and
Asia are napalmed and --
BEN
Jesus all right enough!
They all unceremoniously start to dig in.
FADE OUT:
INT. WILLIAMS GUEST ROOM. DAY
Janey Williams is pouring Benjamin Hood a drink from a bottle
of vodka. Benjamin is already unbuttoned and shoeless; Janey
still fully dressed.
JANEY
Here.
BEN
After the Thanksgiving I had, I
need it. You having one?
JANEY
In a bit.
She sits next to him, he kisses the back of her neck.
BEN
You know, I think Elena might
suspect something.
Janey gives him a rather contemptuous look.
BEN (CONT'D)
(thinking aloud)
Maybe it's all for the better, you
know?
Yesterday, at dinner, well, she
hasn't said anything... has she
acted funny to you, I mean, have
you noticed anything?
JANEY
(almost ironic)
Have I noticed anything? I'm not
married to her Benjamin, you are. I
think you've probably a better
vantage point from which to observe
her.
BEN
Yeah, but, I -- I've been working a
lot lately, and -- No, that's not
it. I guess we've just been on the
verge of saying something, whatever
it is, just saying something to
each other. On the verge.
Janey gets up.
JANEY
I'll be back.
Benjamin looks at her quizzically.
BEN
Huh?
JANEY
Birth control.
BEN
Right. Gotcha.
She leaves the room.
He leans back onto the bed. Sits back up. Takes a sip of
vodka. Puts the glass down. Takes his socks off. He's now in
just his jockey shorts and shirt.
Faintly, he hears a door close. The front door?
He takes another sip.
He hears another sound.
BEN (CONT'D)
Janey?
Nothing.
He goes to the door and carefully opens it.
BEN (CONT'D)
(quietly)
Janey?
He hears, quite audibly, a car door open, close, Janey's car
start and pull out.
He runs to a front window just in time to catch a glimpse of
her driving off.
BEN (CONT'D)
Shit.
INT. GUEST ROOM. LATER
Benjamin sits on the guest bed, still in his underwear,
drinking from the bottle.
He gets up and starts to wander around the house, still
holding the bottle.
INT. MASTER BEDROOM. CONT'D
Benjamin saunters through. He presses on the king-sized bed --
it undulates.
BEN
Water bed! Dig it!
He wiggles comically, making more waves.
JUMP CUT:
Ben idly goes through Janey's drawers.
INT. WILLIAMS MASTER BATHROOM. CONT'D
He rifles through the bathroom cabinet, checking out the
medicines.
INT. WILLIAMS BEDROOM. CONT'D
He notices a garter belt hanging from the walk-in closet
door. He picks it up and twirls it.
INT. MIKEY'S ROOM. CONT'D
Benjamin walks in, an obvious look of distaste.
He sorts through a few of Mike's things -- monster eyes that
glow in the dark, The Sensuous Woman, etc.
He twirls the garter belt absentmindedly, then tosses it into
the back of Mike's closet.
INT. GUEST ROOM. CONT'D
He finishes putting his clothes back on. As he reaches for
the door, he hears voices and quickly steps back in again.
Teenage voices. Mikey and Wendy.
MIKEY (O.S.)
See, no one's here. Maybe you want
to go to the basement?
WENDY (O.S.)
Maybe we can just watch some TV.
MIKEY (O.S.)
There's a TV in the basement.
Hood hears their steps down into the basement.
INT. BASEMENT. DAY
Wendy and Mikey stand in the middle of the semi-lit basement.
MIKEY
Maybe we can mess around. You know,
only if you want to...
WENDY
I don't know.
MIKEY
Why did you -- with Sandy?
WENDY
I don't know.
MIKEY
You like him? He worships you.
But Wendy doesn't seem to hear -- she's drawn to an object
lying next to a bean bag chair off to one side.
WENDY
Hey, what's this?
With a look of utter fascination, she picks up a Nixon mask,
looking at it as though it were an archeological find.
WENDY (CONT'D)
Wow!
MIKEY
Wendy!
She puts the mask on.
WENDY
(from behind the mask)
I won't take my pants off. But I'll
touch it. That's as far as it goes.
Mikey looks totally confused.
Remaining fully clothed, Wendy loosens Mike's belt, showing
no excitement from behind her mask, and lets him climb on top
of her for a dry hump.
Just then, a shaft of light hits them from the top of the
stairs -- Ben towers above them, looking down.
Mikey flips over immediately and pulls his clothes together,
grabbing a TV Guide as Wendy stands up, the mask still on.
As Ben descends Mikey, still stuffing his shirt-tail into his
pants, pretends to flip through the TV Guide.
MIKEY
(muttering)
When worlds collide.
WENDY
Huh?
MIKEY
4:30 movie. When Worlds Collide.
Ben arrives, folds his arms.
BEN
What the hell are you kids doing
down here?
WENDY
What do you think we're doing, dad?
BEN
What do I think? I think you're
probably touching each other. I
think you're touching that reckless
jerk-off, for god's sake, and I
think he's trying to get into your
slacks. I think, at fourteen years
of age, that you're getting ready
to give up your girlhood --
MIKEY
Hey, hang on there, Mr. Hood --
BEN
Don't you direct a single word at
me, Mikey. I don't want to hear it.
I'll be speaking with your parents
about this situation very soon. Bet
your ass on that, son. Young lady?
WENDY
Talking to me, dad?
BEN
Who else would I be talking to? And
take that thing off!
WENDY
(pulling off the mask)
Well, then forget all this stern
dad stuff.
BEN
I'm not interested in your smart
ass remarks now, lady. Let's go.
Right now. You and I can discuss it
on the walk home.
She stands next to Mikey for a moment, both on the verge of
tears.
EXT. STREET. EVENING
Hood and Wendy walk through a cold drizzling rain.
He looks at her from time to time, then takes her arm.
BEN
Look, kiddo, don't worry about it.
I really don't care that much. I'm
just not sure he's good enough,
that's all.
WENDY
Huh?
BEN
I mean, he's not serious, he'll end
up living off Janey and Jim, you
watch.
It's just that you develop a sense
when you get older, if things are
going to work out or if they won't,
and sometimes it's not worth the
mess...
She looks at him. They keep walking. She walks through a
puddle.
BEN (CONT'D)
Your toes cold?
WENDY
Yeah.
He stops and lifts her in his arms.
BEN
I'll carry you up the drive.
She puts her arms around his neck and he lifts her up.
On her face, as he carries her -- a look of blank but real
intimacy.
INT. HOOD FRONT HALL. EVENING
Hood and Wendy enter, wet and cold, muttering hellos.
ELENA (O.S.)
(from the kitchen)
Dinner in ten minutes.
BEN
You go dry off now.
Wendy heads for the stairs, Hood following.
INT. HOOD BEDROOM. EVENING
Hood finishes taking off his wet clothes as Elena enters and
turns on a light. She stands watching him.
BEN
Never guess where I found her.
Not much response From Elena.
BEN (CONT'D)
In the basement over at Janey and
Jim's. With that weirdo Mikey. Not
even a TV on.
And they're on the floor and he's
got his trousers down though thank
goodness she's still dressed. Well,
I really let him have it!
(a nervous laugh)
... and Wendy came home
peacefully... Hey, should I dress
for the Halford's now, or - give me
your -
ELENA
Up to you. I'd like to go early and
leave pretty soon after that.
BEN
I get you loud and clear... hey,
you look nice.
ELENA
So what were you doing in the
Williams' basement anyway?
BEN
Oh, just dropping off a coffee cup.
Jim left it, last time he was over.
It was on the dash of the car. You
were, you know, reading, thought
I'd just catch some air. Let's eat.
ELENA
Oh right. The mustache coffee cup.
The one that was sitting on the
dash.
BEN
Yeah, that one.
ELENA
That one.
She walks down to the kitchen, Benjamin following her.
INT. KITCHEN. EVENING
Wendy is already in the kitchen, fishing through the drawers
for silverware and napkins.
Paul enters.
PAUL
See you.
BEN
Stay out of trouble.
ELENA
You'll be on the 10:30 train?
PAUL
11:30?
ELENA
Paul --
BEN
Ah let the guy have his fun. What's
the name of this girl with the Park
Avenue address?
PAUL
Libbets. Libbets Casey.
BEN
Libbets? What kind of name is
Libbets?
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT
A silent dinner of turkey sandwiches with Elena, Benjamin,
and Wendy. The turkey carcass sits, embarrassed, in the
middle of the table.
Wendy, finished, gets up from the table. Opens the fridge,
but finds nothing. Then goes to the candy shelf and grabs
some Hot Tamales, leaving the room without a word and going
into the den.
INT. DEN. NIGHT
Wendy turns the TV on.
TV
... and that ends today's highlight
coverage of the Watergate affair.
WENDY
Shoot.
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT
Hood and Elena rise from the table with their dishes.
BEN
What's for dessert?
ELENA
See for yourself.
BEN
No advice from the experts, huh?
His plate slips out of his hands into the trash. He fishes it
out and sets it on the counter.
ELENA
Don't start.
BEN
You think I --
ELENA
I have no idea.
BEN
What's on your mind? Don't --
ELENA
It wouldn't make a pleasant
evening, if that's what you're
after. I don't want to talk about
it. Stupid mustache cup.
BEN
What do you mean?
ELENA
Don't be dim.
BEN
Elena, what are you're talking
about?
ELENA
I'm not surprised.
BEN
Listen, Elena, if you're gonna pull
that passive aggressive stuff on me
again --
ELENA
Your unfaithfulness -- that's what
I'm trying to talk about. Your
unfaithfulness. Your betrayal. Your
dalliance. And you won't do me the
dignity of being up front about it.
BEN
(quieter)
Am I unfaithful? Is that what
you're trying to say?
ELENA
It's a starting place.
BEN
Well, what kind of faithfulness are
you after?
ELENA
If you're going to insult me --
BEN
What else could I be? What else
could I be? We're not living in the
real world here. You're living out
some fantasy land from the past, or
some advice or something from those
psychoanalysts... there are some
hard facts here.
Silence.
BEN (CONT'D)
It's the law of the land... the
government, the world, those two
guys on the Yankees... And I'm not
having any fun at it, I can tell
you that. I'm not...
INT. DEN. NIGHT
Wendy puts the volume of the TV up, to drown out a
conversation she can almost overhear but doesn't want to.
INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT. CONT'D
ELENA
Oh lord. You think I'm so dense.
And now you want to be seen with
your dense wife at the cocktail
party. You want to wear that
ridiculous shirt which doesn't go
with those pants at all. You want
to wear that, and you want me to
shake hands with your friends and
make conversation and dress up in
an outfit that shows a lot of
cleavage and you're not going to
accord me the respect of talking
honestly about this... You don't
really know what this feels like.
BEN
(whispering)
Sure I do. Do I know what
loneliness feels like? Sure I do. I
know a lot about it, if that's what
you mean.
ELENA
Benjamin. That's supposed to
explain it?
Seemingly tired, he stands before her. Silence. Elena sighs,
then walks into the den.
INT. DEN. NIGHT
ELENA
We're going to the Halford's. The
number's on the calendar in the
kitchen. We should be home around
11.
WENDY
(eyes still glued to the
TV)
Is it a big party? A big
neighborhood party?
ELENA
I suppose. Why?
WENDY
Just curious. If there's a problem,
I guess I'll just call you there to
interrupt.
ELENA
What sort of problems are you
planning exactly?
Elena kisses the top of her head.
WENDY
(still watching the TV)
Oh I thought I'd steal the station
wagon, drive up to a commune. Or
set the house on fire. You know.
ELENA
Just bundle up. It's supposed to
freeze tonight. We'll see you in
the morning.
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. NIGHT
Elena and Ben emerge from the house, and look up at a
darkening, foreboding sky. A light rain falls. They jog
toward their car.
INT/EXT. HOOD CAR. NIGHT
The car moves slowly through the rainy suburban streets.
Inside, Elena and Ben don't speak.
EXT. HALFORD HOUSE. NIGHT
Their Firebird pulls up. There are already many other cars
parked on the lawn and driveway.
INT. HALFORD FOYER. NIGHT
Hood and Elena enter. Dot Halford accosts them.
DOT
Ben, Elena. Wonderful! Wonderful!
So wonderful to see you.
Finishing the last of a celery canoe, she kisses the air next
to Ben's ear and gives Elena a manic hug.
Then, picking up a white salad bowl from the hall table:
DOT (CONT'D)
Would you care to play? New this
year.
Close on: the bowl full of keys.
DOT (CONT'D)
Strictly volunteer, of course. You
can put your coats in the library
if you like.
ELENA
Oh, damn. Uh, I've left the --
BEN
You've...
ELENA
In the car.
BEN
Oh, yeah. Yeah, we'll be right
back, Dot.
INT./EXT. CAR. CONT'D
Ben and Elena climb back in the car and close the doors,
shivering.
ELENA
This just isn't the best moment for
this.
BEN
I know, I know. I had no idea --
ELENA
That this was going to be a key
party?
BEN
Yeah, well, if we'd understood we
could have invented some kind of
excuse. A key party -- did you see
how stuffed that bowl was already?
ELENA
Well?
BEN
I think we're here and we don't
have to stay -- we ought simply to
put in an appearance and then we
can head home.
ELENA
Damn it, Ben --
BEN
I'm not staying at this party so we
can go home with someone else's
wife. That's not why we're here,
right? We're simply being neighbors
here, and I think we should do just
that --
ELENA
You're not going to --
BEN
I'm not.
ELENA
You have some marker, that's what I
think, if you want to know the
truth.
You have some marker and you're
going to put it on the house keys
so that Janey can find them and
then when I get back to the house
I'll find the two of you in there
and Wendy'll be able to hear you
and Paul will be back and he'll
hear you and I'll catch you, that's
what I think. She'll be swearing
and banging against the wall and
I'll catch --
BEN
Elena.
She rubs her eyes.
BEN (CONT'D)
Elena, it's not what you think.
It's not a big plot. Honestly.
Honestly. I don't know if you want
to go over this now, but it's just
something that comes over me. I
don't feel good about it. I know
I've done what I didn't want to do.
I don't know --
ELENA
Well, I'm really pleased to hear a
confession.
BEN
Elena, you're just getting wound up
to get wound up.
ELENA
Thanks for the diagnosis, Ben.
Thank you. So let's just go to this
fiasco if that's what you want to
do. Let's just go on in. I'd rather
talk to anyone else but you.
She pulls the keys out of the ignition, gets out of the car,
and slams the door. He follows her.
INT. HALFORD FOYER. NIGHT
ELENA
Oh, Dot!
Elena, entering the house again, tosses the keys at Dot
Halford, who looks surprised.
Hood slides in behind his wife.
Dot drops the keys into the bowl.
Slow-motion, close up: the keys, on their equine chain, fall
in with a THUNDEROUS CRASH.
INT. HALFORD LIVING ROOM. CONT'D
The room is crowded with nervous, expectant couples and
various groupings.
Elena slips into a side room.
Benjamin heads over immediately to the drink table and pours
a stiff one, turning around to find at his elbow none other
than George Clair.
GEORGE
Benjie!
BEN
Clair, George Clair! What the hell
brings you to New Canaan?
GEORGE
Well, it's the funniest thing. I've
been talking to some investors -- a
little outside venture, you
understand, between you and me --
about a scheme to manufacture a new
Styrofoam packaging. Little peanut
like pieces that can really keep an
item free from trauma during
shipping. Miraculous. Anyway, it
turns out the genius behind the
whole project is your neighbor, Jim
Williams. How about that!
BEN
Well, hey, isn't that a one-in-a
million coincidence. A real
dreamer, Jim Williams, eh?
GEORGE
Darned right. Look here, Benj,
whaddya make of this sequel to The
Godfather? You think it's gonna
work?
BEN
Don't see how. I think the public's
had its fill of this gangster
stuff. No, trust me -- disaster
pics. And air hockey.
GEORGE
Yeah, good.
Benjamin catches a glimpse of Janey, voluptuously attired,
across the room.
GEORGE (CONT'D)
Well, gonna make a break for the
hors d'oeuvres guy.
BEN
Yeah, see you bright and early
Monday am.
(beat)
Say, where's the wife?
GEORGE
(winking as he goes)
In Rhode Island with the folks. I'm
a free agent tonight.
At this, they both notice Elena slowly gliding across the
other side of the room. Clair gives Ben a sideways glance,
then moves on.
Ben makes straight for Janey, who pretends to be preoccupied
with a plant.
JANEY
Oh jeez, Benjie. Well, here you
are.
BEN
Damn right, but where the hell were
you?
JANEY
(looking around)
What are you talking about?
BEN
(whispering, but too
loudly)
Don't bullshit me around, Janey.
Jesus Christ, I waited around for
more than half an hour, in nothing
but my boxer shorts, and -- and
what's all that about? What the
hell happened?
Janey takes a sip of her drink.
JANEY
A prior engagement overcame me.
BEN
What?
JANEY
Listen, Benjamin Hood. I have
obligations that precede your...
from before you showed up. One or
two, you know, good-natured
encounters, that doesn't mean
I'm... I'm not just some toy for
you. When I remembered some chores
I wanted to get done before the
party, I just did them, that's all,
because I wanted to do them before
I saw Jimmy.
BEN
Jimmy? Jimmy? I don't know how to
take this. And what do you mean,
Jimmy? I thought you said you and
your husband --
JANEY
How you take it isn't all that
interesting to me, Benjamin. I'm
sorry --
BEN
I just can't believe you could be
so --
Stalling, he watches her take another sip of her drink and
wander off.
The air is filled with talk of Watergate, Billie Jean King,
the Oil Crisis, the Mets.
Benjamin goes over to the couch, where Dave Gorman is
chatting up an attractive younger woman.
GORMAN
(lighting up a joint)
Welcome to the Monkey House has
been a seminal influence on me --
hey Benjamin -- give it a try? This
stuff will make some sense out of
those larger questions.
BEN
(waving it away)
Thanks for the advice Dave.
But then, Benjamin changes his mind.
BEN (CONT'D)
Uh, well, what the hey...
Taking the joint, he tugs on it, holding the smoke in his
lungs.
BEN (CONT'D)
(coughing)
Good shit.
GORMAN
Sure is good shit. It's opiated. I
had it in my chamber for a while. I
was smoking this other --
BEN
It's what?
GORMAN
Don't fret, Benjie, it's --
BEN
Darn it, Dave.
He rises unsteadily, weaving through the room's
conversations.
JACK MOELLERING
Take California. They've got their
own airline in-state that's not
subject to the fare controls.
Compare Sacramento to L.A. on the
controlled airlines and you'll see
what Friedman is saying -- supply
and demand, less restriction.
Benjamin walks over to a window. The outdoor lamps illuminate
a new and heavy downpour of frozen sleet.
INT. CONRAIL TRAIN. NIGHT
Paul is seated, reading the latest number of The Fantastic
Four comic book. The cover displays a lurid, atomically
glowing baby.
The conductor walks through the cabin.
CONDUCTOR
Approaching our final stop, Grand
Central Station.
Paul looks out the window at the tenements of Harlem, barely
visible through the walls of sleet. Soon the train enters the
tunnel toward the station.
EXT. PARK AVENUE APARTMENT BUILDING. NIGHT
Paul gets out of a cab and heads inside. He's met by the
doorman.
PAUL
Libbets Casey, please.
DOORMAN
Your name?
PAUL
Paul Hood.
DOORMAN
(a smirk)
Elevator on the right. Eighth floor
-- she's waiting for you.
INT. HALL IN FRONT OF LIBBETS' APARTMENT DOOR. NIGHT
Paul rings the bell.
LIBBETS (O.S.)
(from the other side of
the door)
Open it Paul!
Paul opens the door, and enters the apartment.
INT. LIBBETS' APARTMENT. NIGHT
It's half dark, has an air of old wealth.
Libbets skids across the parquet floor to him.
LIBBETS
Excellent. We were waiting!
She turns and runs into the den.
PAUL
(under his breath)
We?
And there, in the den, cleaning an ounce of dope on an open
copy of Nixon's Six Crises, is -- Francis.
FRANCIS
(lifting the book up)
You oughtta read this Hood, Nixon,
our leader, all ye need know about
the travails of life. Check out the
Checkers speech stuff.
PAUL
(all hope drained from
him)
Francis. You gonna leave the seeds
in there? In the binding like that?
FRANCIS
All will be revealed, baby.
The television is turned on to a weather report about the
coming ice storm.
FRANCIS (CONT'D)
Awesome sleet and rain.
LIBBETS
Major.
FRANCIS
Howdy there. You, young knight. Can
you check on the mead? Can you
sally forth and secure us some more
mead?
PAUL
Huh?
FRANCIS
(nasal voice,
impersonating a TV
character)
Moisture! Moisture!
LIBBETS
(pointing)
Beer. In the pantry.
Paul trudges disconsolately out of the room.
INT. LIBBETS KITCHEN. NIGHT
Paul, after wandering a maze of halls, enters the kitchen,
where he takes a six-pack out of the fridge and returns to
the living room.
INT. LIBBETS LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
He enters the room with the beer.
LIBBETS
Frankie opens them with his teeth.
PAUL
(handing him a beer)
Hey, it's a sellable skill.
Francis licks closed a second joint, then takes the beer and
opens it with his rear molars.
FRANCIS
Hell on the fillings.
Paul opens the other two beers and hands one to Libbets. They
light up a joint.
FRANCIS
Everything's gonna freeze, the big
freeze.
LIBBETS
Yeah, Paul, are you gonna get home
okay?
Paul and Francis exchange a look.
She puts an Allman Brothers tape on the 8-track and turns the
TV down.
INT. HOOD BATHROOM. DAY
Wendy enters the bathroom.
She fills the sink with water, then turns off the tap. She
takes a razor blade from the counter, and slowly,
determinedly, holds it to her wrist.
She presses it into her skin, drawing a small drop of blood.
WENDY
Ouch!
She drops the blade and splashes water on her wrist, grabbing
some toilet paper and holding it against the tiny wound.
WENDY
Stupid.
She hears the phone ring and walks downstairs.
INT. HOOD DEN. NIGHT
Wendy picks up the phone.
WENDY
Hood residence.
INT. WILLIAMS KITCHEN. NIGHT
Mikey is on the other end of the line.
MIKEY
You're parents at that party?
INTERCUT:
WENDY
Yeah. Yours?
MIKEY
You get in trouble?
WENDY
Maybe. Can't really tell yet.
MIKEY
I'm sorry if I got you into
trouble. Maybe we don't have to,
you know... unless you really want
to.
WENDY
Yeah.
MIKE
I'm going to Silver Meadow, check
out the ice storm... You wanna
come.
WENDY
Maybe.
MIKE
Yeah. OK.
INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. NIGHT
Mikey, bundled up in a huge orange ski parka and cap, heads
for the door.
SANDY
Where you going?
MIKEY
Out.
SANDY
It's freezing.
MIKEY
(pausing)
Yeah. When it freezes, I guess that
means the molecules are not moving.
So when you breathe, there's
nothing in the air, you know, to
breathe in to your body. The
molecules have stopped. So it's
clean.
Sandy just looks at him. He walks out into the night.
INT. HALFORD'S. NIGHT
Elena sits on a couch, talking to no one, barely looking up,
when someone stands in front of her.
ELENA
Reverend Edwards.
PHILIP
Perhaps you might find it in your
heart to call me Philip?
He sits beside her.
ELENA
You're here... I'm a bit surprised.
PHILIP
Sometimes the shepherd needs the
company of the sheep.
ELENA
I'm going to try hard not to
understand the implications of that
simile.
Philip's about to reply, but thinks better of it.
They sit glumly next to each other for a minute. Then Philip
rises.
PHILIP
Forgive me.
He walks swiftly to the hall and hurriedly fishes his keys
out of the bowl, then heads for the door.
TED FRANKLIN
(passing by)
I hope those weren't my keys.
He laughs at his own joke as Philip rushes out the front
door.
Back to Elena, even more forlorn than before.
INT. LIBBETS APARTMENT BATHROOM. NIGHT
Paul enters the bathroom. We hear Francis' and Libbets'
voices from the other room, laughing.
He pees.
At the sink, he pauses in front of the medicine cabinet, then
opens it.
PAUL
Eureka.
He pulls out some bottles.
PAUL
Valium. Seconal. Uh,
(can't quite pronounce
this one)
Par-er-goric?
(a beat, looking into the
mirror for effect)
Francis Chamberlain Davenport the
Fourth -- tonight you sleep the
sleep of the just.
He pockets the Seconal and turns out the light.
INT. LIBBETS APARTMENT DEN. NIGHT
Paul re-enters the den to find Francis alone.
PAUL
And whence has yon virginal maiden
absconded?
FRANCIS
Like into one of the other 20 or so
bathrooms they've got in this
place.
Paul takes out the bottle and opens it.
PAUL
Check it out. Not for the faint of
heart.
FRANCIS
Pharmaceutical! You are a god.
PAUL (CONT'D)
(picking up beer, trying
to hurry before Libbets
returns)
One for you and one for me.
He hands a pill to Francis, then pretends to pop one into his
mouth and takes a swig of his beer. As Francis downs his own,
Paul pockets his unswallowed pill.
LIBBETS
(in the doorway)
No candy for me?
FRANCIS
Groovy.
(to Paul)
Young master of the revels, a treat
for our hostess?
PAUL
Well, uh, I don't, it's really --
LIBBETS
What is it?
FRANCIS
Come on Paulie, share the wealth.
You copped 'em from her mom's stash
anyway.
LIBBETS
Let's see!
PAUL
(hand in pocket)
Libbets, you really shouldn't mix
and match, you know with the beer.
I'll put 'em back.
Libbets reaches into his pocket and pulls out the bottle.
LIBBETS
Oh far out, Paulie. Hey look, these
expired like five months ago. You
think they're better aged?
She opens up the bottle and takes one out.
PAUL
Maybe you should have just a half.
LIBBETS
Thanks for the advice dad.
She takes the pill.
Paul looks on, thwarted.
INT. HALFORD'S. NIGHT
Ben is back at the bar, pouring another tall one. Mark Boland
sidles up next to him.
BOLAND
Benjie, feeling no pain.
BEN
As the Indian saying goes, pain is
merely an opinion.
BOLAND
(nodding across the room)
Hey -- check it out. Maria Conrad's
brought her son.
(walking off)
I wish some of the gang had brought
their daughters!
Ben feels a wave of distaste at the joke.
He looks across the room as Maria and her son Neil (stringy
hair, acne, tie-dyed turtleneck, patched jeans) are engaging
Janey and Philip Edwards in conversation.
INT. LIBBETS' APARTMENT. NIGHT
Paul, Francis, and Libbets sit on the floor, listening to the
music blasting at full strength.
Libbets and Francis are obviously on the verge of
unconsciousness. Paul regards them with a look of
apprehension on his face.
INT. HALFORD'S. NIGHT
Neil has now cornered Janey.
NEIL
As Werner says, there is nothing to
get. That's It. When you get that
there's nothing to get. That's the
training, when you ask yourself,
the question, "What is is?"
JANEY
Wait, this is the training, where
they don't let you go to the
bathroom?
NEIL
That was the hardest part. But I
did it. And you get into some far
out shit.
INT. LIBBETS' APARTMENT. NIGHT
Libbets puts a blanket over a sleeping Francis, who's crashed
out on the floor in a corner. Francis alternates between
snores and various mumbled delirious ravings.
FRANCIS
The foot... the foot... toeclipper
man...
Paul is sitting on the couch, and Libbets comes back and sits
at his feet, facing up to him.
PAUL
I guess he's just real exhausted
from, you know, tests and stuff.
Libbets is herself somewhat in dreamland.
LIBBETS
Yeah.
PAUL
You know Libbets, I really feel,
you know, like a real connection to
you --
LIBBETS
Yeah but you don't even know me
really.
PAUL
Sure I do, you know, like your
aura. That you give off.
LIBBETS
My what?
PAUL
It's like very positive, and I feel
a real special feeling, because you
really --
LIBBETS
And I have a special feeling too,
because I do. It's special.
PAUL
You do? I'm glad. Because I feel
for you --
LIBBETS
And I have a feeling for you too,
because you're just like -- I feel
for you like you're -- you're just
like --
PAUL AND LIBBETS
(simultaneously)
-- like a brother.
PAUL
Yeah, you're not alone with that
line.
LIBBETS
I do.
PAUL
Right. Cool. So, how about we take
a bath together?
LIBBETS
(consciousness fading
fast)
Hah hah you're funny. A bath. Like
a brother and sister. Oh man, I'm
so wasted.
Her head bobs and weaves, her eyes close, and suddenly her
head falls forward with a whoosh toward the couch -- smack
dab between Paul's legs.
She begins to snore instantly, her open mouth nuzzling into
his crotch.
Paul doesn't move, doesn't even breathe. Then, slowly, he
leans his back into the couch, without shifting the rest of
his body.
He looks as though he has simultaneously won the lottery and
received a lobotomy.
INT. HALFORD'S. NIGHT
The crowd's a bit thinner than before.
As Dot Halford begins calling out for everyone's attention, a
few couples make their last-minute way to the door.
DOT
OK everyone. We have a little
business to attend to now. So
everyone who'd like to stay, please
gather in the living room.
She scoops up the bowl and places it on a high end table
which has been put in the middle of the room.
BEN
(walking up to Elena)
Ready to go?
ELENA
We're not going anywhere.
Elena waves at Janey Williams, who is standing across the
living room.
Janey looks back without expression.
INT. LIBBETS' APARTMENT. NIGHT
Libbets and Paul in the same position whence last we saw
them.
Paul delicately leans to one side of the couch and picks up a
phone. He dials a number.
INTERCUT:
INT. HOOD LIVING ROOM. NIGHT
The phone rings. Wendy picks it up.
WENDY
Hood residence.
PAUL
(whispering)
Charles, what time is it?
WENDY
Is this Charles?
PAUL
What time is it?
WENDY
Um, ten-o-five. Why? Where are you?
PAUL
I'm, uh, in the midst of a moral
dilemma. And I was wondering,
because I know you're a very moral
person, and --
WENDY
And?
PAUL
Shit. I can't really talk about it.
I guess I better get to the train.
WENDY
Right.
PAUL
What are you doing at home on a
Friday night?
WENDY
I have plans.
Paul hangs up the phone and looks down at Libbets.
Libbets' Allman Brothers tape has run out. The machine makes
a repeated clicking sound as the take up real continues to
circle. The only other sound is the noise of the wind and
rain lashing against the apartment's windows.
EXT. HOOD HOUSE. NIGHT
Wendy emerges from the house and gets on her bike, but the
ice makes it too slippery. The storm is now in full swing.
She gets off and walks.
EXT. STREET. NIGHT
Wendy walks, barely keeping her balance in the wind.
INT. HALFORD'S NIGHT
All the couples are now gathered for the key selection
process, men on one side of the room, women on the other. The
storm can be heard outside.
DOT
Well, what shall the order be,
alphabetical? In order of
appearance?
PIERCE SAWYER
Golf handicap! Lowest handicap does
the honors.
Nervous laughter.
DOT
Golf handicap? Ladies, isn't it up
to you?
MARIA CONRAD
Oh I'll go first, damn it. Let's
just line up and get it over with.
Maria chooses Stephen Earle. Hands the keys to him. A
smattering of applause as she takes his arm and they leave.
MARIE EARLE
Good luck!
Neil watches his mother's exit.
JUMP CUT TO:
A few more couplings.
JUMP CUT TO:
Helen Worthington approaches the bowl. Helen Worthington has
the size and shape of a sumo wrestler.
There is a nervous shifting of weight on the male side of the
room.
Helen delicately reaches into the bowl. Her hands emerge with
a key chain.
George Clair steps forward, obviously depressed, as a
collective sigh of relief goes up from behind him. Ben looks
on, momentarily triumphant.
Elena smiles to herself.
JUMP CUT TO:
The Gadds choose each other.
MRS. GADD
Oh, my own husband. Isn't that
against the rules?
DOT
Try again?
MRS. GADD
(relieved)
Oh, I think not.
Mr. Gadd smiles as they leave, obviously happy to go.
Finally, only Mark Boland, Neil Conrad, Janey and Jim
Williams, Rob and Dot Halford, Sari Steele, Benjamin and
Elena.
DOT
Getting down to the wire!
Elena steps forward. Benjamin is obviously agitated.
Close on Janey's hands selecting -- away from Ben's equine
key ring.
She lifts up another key ring -- Neil Conrad, the teenager.
She hands the self-important-looking Neil his keys and they
turn to go.
Jim Williams smiles mysteriously to himself.
Ben suddenly lurches forward, semi-drunkenly, trying to
separate Neil from Janey.
THE GROUP
(ad lib)
Hey hey Ben, hang on there a sec.
He backs off, ashamed, and, taking a step backwards, trips
over the coffee table.
Mark Boland helps lift him up.
BEN
Sorry... maybe I should... the
bathroom?
DOT
Right down the hall, Ben.
BEN
(muttering)
Sorry, I'm sorry. Uh, I'll be back.
Dot follows Mark Boland down the hall behind Ben.
Suddenly, it's just Elena and Jim Williams, and Sari Steele
and Rob Halford.
ROB HALFORD
(taking Sari's arm)
Actually, we didn't put our keys in
at all. But you won't spread it
around? It's my party, and Dot
isn't... hey, we're just going to
slip upstairs for a while. You
folks like a cup of coffee or
something before we go?
Elena and Jim look at each other.
ELENA
Rob, we'll fix it for ourselves.
You two go and get acquainted.
We'll let ourselves out the front
door.
Jim and Elena stand there alone.
JIM
Well, I have to say I don't have
much faith that my car keys are
still in that bowl. Doesn't seem
entirely safe, leaving your car
keys around?
ELENA
Let me.
She takes the bowl and dips her hand in. Two sets are left.
One, her own, she avoids. She takes out Jim's keys and walks
across the room, handing them to him.
JIM
Thanks, but -- oh, I don't think
so. It's been kind of a
discouraging evening.
ELENA
You couldn't have hoped for much
better when you came up the walk.
JIM
Somehow it was different in my
imagination when I thought about
it. Actually, I didn't think about
it at all, really.
They sit down on the sofa.
JIM
You want coffee or something?
ELENA
Well, maybe they have one of those
filter jobs in the kitchen --
JIM
Look, Elena, the fact that we're
neighbors... you know, close
friends, well it sort of makes this
a little strange, don't you think?
ELENA
My husband is probably passed out
in the bathroom, or at least he
wishes he were. I've been married
to him for 17 years and I don't
have any intention of going in
there to get him... so what I'm
proposing is that since your wife
has gone off with a boy, and since
you are standing here alone, I'm
proposing that you and I do what
makes sense. Stay warm. Pass some
time. That's all.
They both look at their hands.
ELENA
Now don't make me feel as if I'm
being too forward, OK? If you don't
--
JIM
What the hey. Let's go for a drive.
ELENA
Okay. Shall we clean up around here
first? Do you think it's all right--
JIM
Nah, that wasn't in the contract.
But they still walk around turning off lights.
In the hallway, Elena looks a bit mournfully at the light
seeping from underneath the bathroom door. She hears the
sound of running water from inside.
Then she goes into a sideroom and joins Jim. They pick up
their coats.
EXT. HALFORD HOUSE. NIGHT
Elena and Jim walk outside into the freezing, pelting rain.
Covering their faces, they jog to his car, an oversized
Cadillac. A thick glaze of ice forms on his windshield.
INT. JIM'S CADILLAC. NIGHT
They climb in.
JIM
We're going to have to defrost this
thing for a while.
He turns on the ignition, and the vents start to blow cold
air at them.
He leans over and kisses her.
ELENA
Do these seats go back?
That starts it. He jumps at her, unbuckling her and unzipping
himself.
They tangle uncomfortably for a few seconds. And then,
comically, he's in her.
With a groan, it's over in a flash.
Jim pulls himself off, readjusting his pants.
JIM
That was awful, really awful. I'm
so sorry, Elena.
Elena has somehow worked herself into the cavity of the glove
compartment, and is trying to figure out how to extricate
herself.
JIM
Things are really rotten at home.
You wouldn't believe how rotten.
Janey's sick. She's unstable, I
guess... it's not the right time to
tell you... but that's it -- it's
like I can't make her happy, the
boys can't make her happy, she just
doesn't --
ELENA
Jim, maybe we should just go. I've
got to look in on the kids. Paul is
supposed to be coming back in from
the city.
JIM
Jesus, let me make it up to you --
I can do better than that, honestly
--
ELENA
Well, we can talk about it.
JIM
That's fine. I wouldn't expect you
to see it any other way.
ELENA
Maybe you just need -- look, can
you wait here a sec, I need to tidy
up -- just a minute, I'll be right
back. You'll wait?
JIM
Of course.
She opens the door and walks back to the house.
INT. HALFORD'S. CONT'D
Elena hesitantly walks to the bathroom.
She opens the door. Ben's sitting on the floor, next to the
toilet, woozily flipping through the pages of a magazine.
BEN
Elena.
ELENA
Ben, I've got a ride home. Maybe
you should sleep this one off on
the couch here?
BEN
I'll drive you --
ELENA
Ben.
She sits on the toilet next to him, stroking his hair.
ELENA (CONT'D)
You're in no condition to drive.
We'll talk in the morning, OK?
He sits, accepting and quiet.
ELENA (CONT'D)
You'll get some sleep on the couch
out there?
BEN
(looking up at her, with
gratitude)
Sure. I'll try. And we'll talk in
the morning?
ELENA
We'll talk in the morning.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. NIGHT
Wendy walks up the drive in the rain, pauses, then goes to
the front door and knocks lightly. The door swings ajar. She
pushes on it, and lets herself in.
INT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. NIGHT
WENDY
Anyone home? Hello.
Wendy wanders into the living room, then climbs the steps.
The sound of the wind and the darkness begin to scare her.
She goes into Mikey's room -- it's even more of a disaster
zone than usual.
She sees on the wall his dark-light poster of the 12 (sexual)
positions of the zodiac.
She notices the black garter belt on the floor, and picks it
up, absentmindedly swinging it in her hand as she walks out
of the room.
She walks back down the stairs and into the kitchen, leaving
the garter belt on the counter.
She opens the refrigerator, grabs a jar of peanut butter, and
scoops some up in her finger. As she puts her finger in her
mouth --
SANDY
Wendy.
She gives out a little yelp.
WENDY
Sandy, you scared the shit out of
me.
SANDY
What are you doing?
WENDY
Just thought I'd stop by.
SANDY
Mike's out -- I think he went to
Silver Meadow to see if you were
hanging around there.
WENDY
Yeah.
SANDY
(pause)
Are you his girlfriend?
WENDY
No.
INT. JIM'S CADILLAC. NIGHT
Elena gets in. They drive off silently.
EXT. STREETS. NIGHT
The car moves haltingly through the sleet and ice, inches up
a hill, then falters and slides back silently, circling a
couple of times before crashing into an embankment.
INT. CAR. NIGHT
As the car slides and crashes amid Jim's and Elena's screams.
Silence.
JIM
You okay?
ELENA
Yeah. You?
JIM
Yes. Well, I guess we can walk from
here.
EXT. CAR. NIGHT
Jim and Elena get out, shaky, from the car.
They pause for a moment.
The street lamp above them sizzles, but stays on.
They start to walk.
INT. LIBBETS' APARTMENT. NIGHT
Paul and Libbets, still frozen in the same position. Finally,
Paul gently pushes Libbets' head back.
It slides off his leg and, as Paul lurches forward in a
failed attempt to grab it, Libbets flops backwards, her head
hitting the carpet with a dull but decidedly loud thump.
PAUL
Oh shit!
Paul gets up, looks down at her.
She snores.
He runs over to a side table and sees the clock: 11:10.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Oh shit oh shit.
He grabs his comic books and runs for the door.
INT. TAXI. NIGHT
The driver impassively inches down Park Avenue.
PAUL
Oh shit oh shit. C'mon!
INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION PLATFORM. NIGHT
Paul sprints down the platform just as the doors are closing.
He barely makes it into the train.
INT. TRAIN. NIGHT
Paul walks through the nearly empty train car and finds a
seat. He pulls his Fantastic Four comic book out of his coat
pocket.
INT. HALFORD KITCHEN. NIGHT
Ben makes his way to the kitchen, pours himself a cup of
coffee.
He sees himself reflected in the black glass of the cabinets.
INT. SANDY'S ROOM. NIGHT
Sandy and Wendy are sitting on the floor. He grabs his G.I.
Joe.
SANDY
Check this out. He's supposed to
talk all kinds of stuff, but he's
like malfunctioned.
He pulls the dog tag on the doll, and G.I. Joe emits a
plastic macho voice.
G.I. JOE
Mayday! Mayday! Get this message
back to base!
SANDY
Same thing. Again and again.
Wendy takes the doll and yanks the cord.
G.I. JOE
Mayday! Mayday! Get this message
back to base!
SANDY
It's gonna get a lot colder
tonight, I predict. Probably a
blackout. Do you have candles in
your house?
I know where the candles are, and I
have my own flashlight. Over there.
Also, I know where every emergency
exit is on this floor.
During the course of his monologue, as Wendy looks on, Sandy
calmly ties a noose for his doll.
SANDY
This knot's called a bowline.
He puts the noose over the doll's head, as Wendy holds him.
G.I. JOE
Mayday! Mayday!
SANDY
Let's hang him.
Sandy drapes the noose over the edge of a dresser drawer.
G.I. Joe dangles. They both look at him in silence.
The silence continues.
WENDY
He's dead.
SANDY
If it wasn't raining we could take
him outside and blow him up.
WENDY
He wouldn't blow up. He'd just get
all mangled or twisted.
She takes him down and lays him flat on the bed. And then
begins to remove his clothes.
Sandy looks on, desirous.
WENDY
Well.
(noticing his lack of
anatomy)
It looks like someone got to his
private parts before us.
SANDY
Communist Viet Cong.
WENDY
They left it in the jungle.
They speak with high seriousness.
Wendy slides up on the bed where Sandy sits, a pillow on his
lap, and one by one, with exaggerated slowness, she removes
her snowboots, as if they were stiletto heels.
WENDY
Can I get into your bed?
(pause)
With you?
Sandy begins to shake.
SANDY
We -- we have to go to the guest
room. We can't stay in here. What
if Mikey? My parents?
WENDY
Don't worry about them. They're at
that party, getting drunk and
falling all over each other and
making jokes about McGovern and
stuff.
Sandy begins to cry.
SANDY
It's just -- it's just --
She takes his hand, and they walk out of the room and down
the hall, into the guest room.
INT. GUEST ROOM. NIGHT
Wendy and Sandy enter. She sees the vodka bottle on the
dresser.
WENDY
Want a drink?
SANDY
Vodka?
WENDY
You never tasted the stuff?
She fills the glass to the brim and hands the bottle to
Sandy.
They clink and each toss back a sip -- Wendy almost the
entire glass.
Sandy coughs and gags, but swallows.
WENDY
Try again.
He does.
SANDY
It feels warm.
WENDY
One more shot?
SANDY
Okay.
They drink.
WENDY
Under the covers.
Under they go, and soon every layer of clothing emerges.
WENDY
(feeling her way)
Get 'em off.
Sandy begins to laugh, and soon Wendy joins him.
They roll around on top of each other for a while.
WENDY
Have you ever had a nocturnal
emission?
SANDY
Huh?
WENDY
That's the name for when you wake
up and find this little pool of
sticky stuff, like after a sexy
dream.
Sandy shakes his head.
WENDY
They didn't tell you this stuff
yet? What planet do you live on?
Sandy doesn't answer, but climbs back on top of her and
kisses her neck.
SANDY
I love you.
WENDY
That's nice. Are you drunk?
SANDY
I don't know. How do I know?
WENDY
I don't know either. You spin
around, when you lie down.
Sandy rolls off her and lies on his back.
SANDY (CONT'D)
I don't think I'm spinning.
They cuddle up together.
He yawns. She yawns.
EXT. SILVER MEADOW. NIGHT
Mikey walks along the edge of the empty pool in the rain. He
climbs up on the diving board and bounces lightly on it, but
then gets off and stands, looking down at the pool again.
EXT. SILVER MEADOW. NIGHT
Mikey walks across the field.
EXT. STREET. NIGHT
The storm has let up. Mikey walks along. With a running
start, he slides on the ice down a hill.
He walks back up and slides again, hollering with joy. He is
an image of a tiny yet absolute and positive freedom.
The streetlights sputter on, then off.
INT. WILLIAMS GUEST ROOM. NIGHT
Sandy and Wendy lie asleep.
EXT. STREET. NIGHT
A power line is down. It hisses and HUMS -- a humming very
much like the humming Mikey has been hearing earlier.
The humming takes on the same transcendent tonality to which
Mikey has become so accustomed at such moments.
Mikey sits down on a metal street guardrail, to ponder the
sound and the snaking coil of electricity.
A strange look of almost religious wonder overcomes his face,
as the power line connects to the guardrail.
MIKEY
Oh shit.
Glued by an electrical pulse to the rail, he shakes as the
current flows through him.
After a minute, his body slumps and slides down the road.
INT. TRAIN. NIGHT
As Paul sits reading on he moving train, the lights inside
begin to sputter, and the train begins to slow. After a few
moments, the train grinds to a halt, and Paul and his few
fellow late night passengers are left in near total dark,
with only the light of an emergency exit sign above Paul's
head to light the scene.
The train is eerily silent.
EXT. HOOD CAR. NIGHT
Ben drives home.
EXT. STREET. NIGHT
An emergency vehicle, lights flashing, crawls by Ben's car.
He drives on slowly.
EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF WILLIAMS HOUSE. PRE-DAWN
Jim and Elena arrive on foot.
JIM
You want to come in, get a cup of
coffee -- warm up? I can either
walk you home, or you could crash
in the guest room.
ELENA
Sure. Maybe coffee.
INT. WILLIAMS KITCHEN. PRE-DAWN
JIM
Phone's out. I hope the pipe's --
He walks into the kitchen. The pipes have begun to burst.
There's a water leak running down the walls, forming a puddle
on the floor.
Elena has walked into the kitchen behind him. She leans
against the counter, picking up the garter belt without
thinking for a second, then putting it back down.
JIM
Oh well. Why don't you put on some
dry socks -- and we've got some
rain boots in the guest closet back
there. Last room upstairs -- back
of the hall.
Elena climbs the stairs in her bare feet.
INT. WILLIAMS GUEST ROOM. CONT'D
Elena opens the door, and discovers Wendy and Sandy asleep.
She stands before the bed, and gazes down on them.
They look almost angelic.
Wendy, sensing her presence in the room, opens her eyes,
slowly coming out of sleep.
ELENA
(heartbroken, softly)
Get dressed.
Elena walks out of the room, back to the kitchen.
Wendy gets out of bed quietly, leaving Sandy sleeping
peacefully.
She looks at him lovingly, and tucks the blanket back up
around him.
INT. WILLIAMS KITCHEN. DAWN
Elena and Jim are drinking coffee.
ELENA
You should let him sleep.
Wendy enters. She looks inquisitively at the two adults.
WENDY
Where's dad?
INT. HOOD CAR. DAWN
Ben continues to drive slowly. He looks out his side window,
and sees something. He puts on his brakes.
EXT. STREET. DAWN
Ben gets out of the car, and stands on the top of an icy
embankment. In a clump of bushes is the orange glow of a
parka.
He walks hesitantly toward it. Mike's body lies face down in
the wet ice.
Ben leans down and turns the body over, then stands back in
amazement and saddened shock.
He stands there for a moment, then picks Mike's body up,
carrying him over the hill and onto the street. We see now
that he is parked just a short block from the Williams's
house.
He bypasses his car and walks directly down the street toward
the house. The effort is obviously enormous. He falls from
time to time, then gets back up.
INT. TRAIN. PRE-DAWN
Various passengers asleep.
Paul, hunched up in his seat under the faint emergency exit
light, cold. He reads his comic book by the light of the
emergency exit.
"DON'T YOU SEE, SUE? HE WAS TOO
POWERFUL... IF HIS ENERGY HAD
CONTINUED TO BUILD, HE WOULD HAVE
DESTROYED THE WORLD!"
Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker on and the hum of the
train's engines returns.
The conductor enters the car, blasting forth in his classic
nasal train conductor voice.
CONDUCTOR
Good morning ladies and gentlemen --
On Paul, squinting in the harsh light.
EXT. TRAIN BRIDGE. PRE-DAWN
The train moves slowly through a suburban, semi-forested
landscape. On the street below the bridge, an emergency
highway crew is removing a fallen tree, their trucks aglow in
flashing yellow lights.
INT. WILLIAMS KITCHEN. DAWN
Elena pours Wendy a cup of coffee. They're both in their
coats.
WENDY
I don't like coffee.
ELENA
It'll warm you up.
Elena sits next to her. They both raise their cups and sip
the coffee, not noticing the simultaneity of their movements.
INT. GUEST ROOM. DAWN
Jim watches the sleeping Sandy, picks up the half-empty
bottle of vodka, pours himself a drink. The noise wakes Sandy
up. Jim sits down on the bed at his feet and takes a sip.
SANDY
Dad?
Jim looks at him.
INT. KITCHEN. DAWN
Elena and Wendy hear a hollering from outside, get up to see
what it is.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. DAWN
Elena and Wendy come out the front door, as Ben lays Mikey's
body onto the ground before the front steps.
ELENA
Ben?
He's too breathless to speak.
They stand there, looking down at Mikey.
Behind Elena and Wendy, Jim appears.
He pushes softly by them toward the body of his son.
BEN
Jim -- he was just up -- in Silver
Lane -- I think maybe -- a power
line --
Jim picks up his son.
He carries him silently into the house.
Sandy, now standing inside the foyer, pushes himself back
against the wall as they pass, without expression.
After a moment, from outside, the Hoods can hear Jim's
wailing.
BEN
Do you think? Maybe we should call
someone --
ELENA
The phone's out.
BEN (CONT'D)
Yeah. Well, we can just --
ELENA
Ben, I don't think he wants us
here.
Wendy has been watching Sandy through the screen door.
WENDY
Wait, I --
She turns back up the front steps and gently goes in --
INT. WILLIAMS LIVING ROOM. CONT'D
on the living room floor, Jim is hugging Mike's body, his
shoulders shaking uncontrollably, sobbing.
Wendy walks and stands next to Sandy, who is filled
momentarily with a brief inexplicable rush of anger toward
her -- but she takes him and gives him an awkward, childlike
hug, then turns and runs out the door, joining Ben and Elena
on the driveway. Sandy watches her go, his face wet with
tears.
EXT. WILLIAMS HOUSE. CONT'D
ELENA
Oh you know, for a minute I thought
it was --
BEN
Paul? Yeah. You think --
WENDY
He's probably been waiting all
night at the station.
BEN
C'mon.
EXT. STREET. DAWN
Elena, Wendy, and Ben reach the car and get in. The car
starts and drives off.
There are more crews out cleaning up the storm's debris and
fixing the power lines as they drive.
EXT. CONRAIL STATION. EARLY MORNING
The train slowly pulls in. The Hood family walks down to the
end of the platform.
The train doors open, and Paul, tired and a bit cramped,
emerges. He sees his family gathered at the other end of the
platform, and walks to them.
They stand, silent, even dignified, awaiting him.
When he joins them they all walk silently to the car and get
in.
INT. HOOD CAR. EARLY MORNING
Sunlight floods in and temporarily blinds Ben as he starts
the engine.
He squints, his eyes tearing a bit from the light.
He looks around, first at his wife, then at his two children
sitting in the back seat.
He turns off the engine. Quietly, he begins to cry.
He turns to the back seat.
BEN
There's something -- your mother
and I -- have to tell you two --
Elena puts her hand out, almost touching him.
ELENA
(softly)
Ben.
Paul looks at Wendy, silently asking her what's happening.
She casts her eyes downward, as does he.
ELENA (CONT'D)
(her hand still not yet
touching him)
Ben.
EXT. STATION PARKING LOT. MORNING
From above:
The car, the first morning light shining upon it.
THE END
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