Tuesday 10 May 2011

Movie script (part one of two)

TITLE SEQUENCE

Long push-in establishing shot (Helicopter? see Finance Dept.) of FARMHOUSE EXT., DAYTIME. Music swells.
Superimpose caption: HOMESTEAD FARM

Cut to FARMHOUSE KITCHEN, INT., DAYTIME.
Standing by FATHER is CHARLIE, about 20 years old. CHARLIE wears a check shirt, dungarees; he is ambitious, selfish and not a natural farmer. FATHER (bearded, late forties, check shirt, dungarees; his sad eyes reveal his reluctance to let CHARLIE go) sits at the table eating breakfast

Cut to COWSHED INT., DAYTIME.
A thin CALF munches

Cut to PIG TROUGH EXT., DAYTIME.
Vegetable matter, green and healthy-looking. PIG FARM OWNER slings more slops into the trough

PIG FARM OWNER (off)
Come and get it!

Several PIGS (healthy-looking) chow down on slops

Cut to FARMHOUSE KITCHEN, INT., DAYTIME, continuing

CHARLIE
So will you give it to me, then?
FATHER
(eats spoonful of cereal) I already said I would.
CHARLIE
When?
FATHER
You'd better get packed.

Cut to c/u as CHARLIE smiles to himself.

CHARLIE
Already did it. I'll need to take a packed lunch - for the journey, you know.
FATHER (off)
Help yourself. Oh, but there's no cold beef. We ate the last of it yesterday. See what else there is.

Cut to c/u of CHARLIE's hands. He is roughly chopping cheese and making a sandwich with thick slices of hand-cut bread

Pull back. CHARLIE shoves the sandwich into a bag, and grabs an apple from the bowl in the middle of the table. Pauses briefly, then takes two more and puts them into his bag. He turns to leave, but sees stacks of cash on the window ledge behind him. Puts it all into his bag

Cut to FARMHOUSE, EXT., DAYTIME.
CHARLIE puts on his hat as he strides out of frame. FATHER stands silent, sad, at the doorway

Dissolve to COUNTRY LANE, EXT., daytime.
CHARLIE strides into frame from left, pan briefly, CHARLIE leaves frame on right

Slow dissolve to SUBURB ROAD, EXT. dusk.
CHARLIE strides from distance towards us, looking about him as he walks. Proceeds ever-closer, and then past the camera out of frame

Slow dissolve to CITY STREET, EXT., NIGHT.
CHARLIE strides a little more slowly, captivated by street signs, beggar in doorway, drinkers, drunks, partygoers. Pan with him as he encounters these

Cut to CITY STREET, EXT., DAYTIME. Newsagent's next door to gentlemen's outfitters.
CHARLIE enters frame from left, passes newsagent's, stops to look in window, and enters shop. The bell rings as he opens the door

Clocksweep cut to same, later.
CHARLIE emerges wearing velvet suit, carrying parcels. He is carrying a trilby. He sees his reflection in the newsagent's window, and stops to admire himself, donning his hat. He mutters, approvingly

Cut to c/u of dustbin. CHARLIE's check shirt, dungarees, boots, and lastly straw hat are thrown in.

Cut to PUB INT, NIGHT. Girls sit with customers; piano music, conversation, laughter, occasional breaking glass. Other tables show punters playing cards, others with good-time girls on their laps. Pan to CHARLIE, at a table, with friends, laughing, with DELORES on his lap. She's about 17, blonde, sensational-looking, with long legs and a figure-hugging dress slashed to the crutch; she sees CHARLIE as a gravy train, of course.

DELORES (playing with CHARLIE's hair)
Can we have some more champagne, then?
You said you had plenty of money!
CHARLIE
Why not? (clicks fingers at maitre d')
MAITRE D' (approaching)
Sir?
CHARLIE
Champagne, and see what these people want to eat and fetch it for us, quick sharp!
MAITRE D'
By all means, sir (signals to waiters, who attend to take the orders of the dozen or so friends at the table)
DELORES
(to MAITRE D') I want rainbow trout.
(to CHARLIE) What's your fancy? As if I didn't know!
CHARLIE
You may well be right (He kisses her) (to MAITRE D') Fetch me thinly sliced rare roast beef, and make sure it's rare. (to DELORES) That's my favourite!
DELORES
(kisses Charlie) Until now!
Cut to c/u on DELORES' hand as it slides down CHARLIE's chest

Fade to black. Fade up to COWSHED INT., DAYTIME
Superimpose caption: THREE WEEKS LATER.
CALF munches at his feed

Dissolve to PIG TROUGH EXT., DAYTIME.
Healthy-looking pigs chow down on vegetables

Dissolve to FARMHUSE KITCHEN, INT., DUSK.
Looking over the shoulder of FATHER, out of the window as FATHER stands at the window, staring down the country lane

Fade to RACECOURSE EXT. daytime.
Hundreds of people milling about; some visiting book-makers, others drinking, chatter, laughter

Cut to PADDOCK, EXT., DAYTIME.
CHARLIE & DELORES with a dozen friends: laughing as he gives cash to friends

TANNOY (v/o)
...three-to-one; Farmer's Boy out of Prodigal's Dad, shortening to five-to-one, being ridden today by Luke Parable; then comes Coin Hunter at ten-to-one and Hornthicket at one-hundred-to-thirty...
CHARLIE
I'm thinking I'll put lots of money down on Farmer's Boy - I like the sound of that one!
DELORES
Okay then. I'm thirsty - can we get a drink?

to be continued


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