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Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
by Woody Allen. More
info about this movie on imdb.comAs the last credit appears, the song ends in a crescendo and
the screen fades to total black.
Immediately, a new melody begins, an uptempo jazz number, as
a title appears on the screen.
"God, she's beautiful..."
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
A full face of Lee, wearing a gray sweater and leaning
against the dining room doorway. She gazes into the camera
with a half-smile on her face as Elliot speaks over the
screen.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
God, she's beautiful.
Lee glances over her shoulder, then turns from the doorway
and walks away. The camera follows her, moving across a
book-and-photograph-filled bookshelf that obscures her from
view as she walks into a crowded, comfortable vestibule.
People, some holding drinks, some just entering the
apartment, surround her. Everyone is talking at once,
carrying on easy, familiar conversation.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
She's got the prettiest eyes, and
she looks so sexy in that sweater.
Lee smiles at the various people, exchanging greetings.
LEE
Hi, how are you?
Two more guests enter the apartment; the vestibule is full
now. Still walking, Lee lightly hugs one of the children as
she continues on her way towards the living room. Elliot's
voice, as well as the jazzy music, is heard.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I just want to be alone with her
and hold her and kiss her...
Lee walks into the living room, turning her head back for a
moment to talk to the child she has just hugged.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
...and tell her how much I love her
and take care of her. Stop it, you
idiot. She's your wife's sister.
But I can't help it.
The camera is still moving with Lee as she smiles and stops
to chat with her mother. Elliot's voice, as well as the
music, continues over the low din of warm conversation.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I'm consumed by her. It's been
months now. I dream about her. I-
I, I think about her at the office.
Oh, Lee.
(sighing)
What am I gonna do?
Lee starts to walk off again, finishing her conversation
with her mother. She passes several other guests, then
turns to greet April, giving her a warm, brief hug.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I hear myself mooning over you, and
it's disgusting. Before, when she...
Elliot's voice-over continues as he is actually seen,
standing in a doorway having a conversation with a gesturing,
rotund man. Both are holding drinks as Lee, carrying a tray
of hors d'oeuvres and two drinks, walks between them. The
space is very tight; the men hold up their drinks to make
room for her.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
...squeezed past me in the doorway,
and I smelled that perfume on the
back of her neck...
Elliot watches Lee walk off; the other man, oblivious,
continues to talk. Elliot reluctantly returns to the
conversation, but he can't help turning his head to gaze at
the offscreen Lee as the other man chatters on.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
...Jesus, I, I thought I was gonna
swoon! Easy...
The camera resumes following a smiling Lee. She has just
put down the tray and drinks near April, and briskly and
obliviously, she walks past a doorway where Elliot, still
ruminating, watches her, entranced.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
You're a dignified financial
advisor. It doesn't look good for
you to swoon.
The camera stays with Elliot, who is still watching the
offscreen Lee. In the background, guests continue to
chatter warmly with each other.
Hannah, carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres, walks up behind
the distracted Elliot.
HANNAH
(nibbling on an hors d'oeuvre)
Elliot? Elliot?
(rubbing his shoulder)
Sweetheart?
Elliot returns from his reveries with a start.
ELLIOT
(turning to Hannah)
Mm-hm?
HANNAH
(pointing to the tray)
Have you tried these? These are
wonderful.
(nibbling, swallowing)
Holly and her friend made them.
Elliot, taking one of the hors d'oeuvres, starts nibbling as
well as he and Hannah walk past the bookshelf into the
living room.
ELLIOT
(swallowing)
They're fantastic.
HANNAH
(overlapping, still eating)
Aren't they great?
ELLIOT
Your sister is an unbelievable cook.
HANNAH
(swallowing)
I know! I know!
Elliot and Hannah, eating and talking, walk past a hallway
and offscreen as Holly appears, walking down the hallway.
She holds a drink and a plate of hors d'oeuvres; she stands
at the entrance to the hallway, eating and looking at the
offscreen guests.
HANNAH
(walking offscreen)
She has all the cooking talent.
ELLIOT
(walking offscreen swallowing)
No, she doesn't, either. You've
got tons as well.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Ohhh, but I've eaten five of these.
Holly, standing in the hallway onscreen, swallows loudly.
ELLIOT
(offscreen,
overlapping Holly)
Holly, why don't you open your own
restaurant?
HOLLY
(turning to the
offscreen Elliot and
Hannah, trying to swallow)
Mmm, we practically are. Well...
(holding her hand to
her mouth)
not a restaurant, but...
(swallowing)
April and I are going to do some
catering!
HANNAH
(offscreen)
What? You're kidding!
HOLLY
(nodding)
No, no, we decided!
Holly takes a sip of her drink as Hannah and Elliot walk
over to her.
HANNAH
Perfect!
HOLLY
(nodding and swallowing)
Mmm...I mean, we love to cook for
our friends, so
(gesturing)
we thought until an acting job
comes through, we could just make
some extra money, you know, doing a
few private parties.
ELLIOT
(nodding)
Great idea.
HANNAH
(agreeing)
I know.
ELLIOT
(overlapping Hannah)
That's where your talent lies.
HOLLY
(swallowing and nodding)
I know.
Holly and Hannah begin to laugh.
HOLLY
(gesturing to Elliot,
still laughing)
Get outta here.
(to Hannah)
Could I speak to you privately?
HANNAH
Oh, sure.
Holly and Hannah walk off; Elliot watches them leave.
ELLIOT
(calling after them
as he nibbles on an
hors d'oeuvre)
I'm her husband! She tells me
anything!
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Hannah, licking her fingers, walks past a memo-cluttered
refrigerator to the stove as Holly, behind her, begins to
speak. The faint sounds of music are still heard.
HOLLY
Hannah, I have to borrow some more
money.
(sipping her drink)
Don't get upset.
HANNAH
(stirring some food
in a saucepan on the stove)
Mmm, I never get upset over that.
Mmm?
HOLLY
This is the last time, I promise.
And I'm keeping strict accounts.
As Holly talks, sipping her drink, Hannah busily works in
the kitchen, which contains a large center table stacked
with bowls and plates of food, hanging pots and pans, and
general party clutter. She walks on-and-offscreen as she
talks and listens to her sister.
HANNAH
Holly, please. Don't insult me.
HOLLY
(putting her empty
glass and plate down
on the table)
Someday, I'll pay it all back.
HANNAH
I know. H-how much do you need?
HOLLY
Two thousand dollars.
Hannah, who'd been mashing some food in a bowl on a nearby
counter, hesitates momentarily. She turns to Holly.
HANNAH
(trying to nod her
head casually)
Uh-huh.
HOLLY
(gesturing, her back
to the camera)
Hannah, I know it's a lot, but my
friend April and I, we have this
catering idea I think's going to be
great.
Hannah, licking her fingers, walks past Holly.
HOLLY
(turning to face Hannah)
You admit that we're great cooks,
right?
HANNAH
(nodding, back at the
stove now, stirring
in a pot)
Yeah.
HOLLY
(putting her hands in
her pockets)
Well, in order to get started,
there's just a few things I have to
buy...
(gesturing)
and some old debts I have
outstanding.
HANNAH
(looking at her sister)
Will you just tell me one thing?
HOLLY
(nodding)
Okay.
HANNAH
Are we talking about cocaine again?
HOLLY
(shaking her head no)
I swear. I swear. We've already
got some requests to do a few
dinner parties.
A timer goes off. Hannah walks past Holly to attend to some
food on a different stove. Holly turns to face her. Only
Holly is seen as she talks to the offscreen Hannah, the
camera moving in closer on her face. As Holly speaks, she
distractedly nibbles an hors d'oeuvre. In the background,
her parents can be heard singing in the living room.
HOLLY
I mean, obviously, I'm not going to
be a caterer forever, you know. We
both still go to auditions.
Something could turn up at any
moment. But the parties are at
night, days are free, I can still
take my acting class. I haven't
done drugs on a year.
Holly pops another hors d'oeuvre into her mouth as the
background singing gets louder and the film cuts to:
INT. HANNAH'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The living room is crowded with family and guests sitting
comfortably on chairs near the piano, where Evan, Hannah's
father, plays "Bewitched" as Hannah's mother, Norma, sits
nearby, accompanying him in their duet. A child is sprawled
out under a blanket on a sofa; some guests chatter quietly;
others drink and eat, listening.
EVAN & NORMA
(singing)
"A whimpering, simpering
Child again
Bewitched, bothered, and bewildered
Am I..."
As they continue to sing, the film cuts back to the kitchen,
where Lee, carrying some glasses, enters through the doorway.
LEE
Mom and Dad are floating down
memory lane again!
Lee walks over to her sisters, putting the glasses down on a
counter. Hannah is scooping seeds out of a cantaloupe.
Holly, leaning on the table, sips her drink. The music from
the living room is softly heard as the three sisters chat
comfortably and easily with each other.
HANNAH
(smiling and turning
to Lee)
Aah... Hey, have you tried Holly
and her friend's shrimp puffs?
LEE
(nodding to Holly,
touching her arm)
I think they're fantastic.
HANNAH
(to Holly)
You've outdone yourself.
HOLLY
(overlapping her
sisters, shrugging
and smiling)
Oh, my God. Thank you.
LEE
(interrupting, to Hannah)
I need an antihistamine. Mom
thinks she's feeling her asthma,
and so...
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Ohh?
HOLLY
(overlapping, lighting
a cigarette)
Uh-oh.
LEE
(continuing)
...before she starts turning into
Camille...
(laughing)
HOLLY
(overlapping)
Yeah, Mom's Camille when she gets
up in the morning.
LEE
(turning to Holly)
At least she isn't drinking. Did
you notice?
HOLLY
(nodding)
Mm-hm.
HANNAH
(turning to look at
her sisters, laughing)
Doesn't she look great in that new
dress?
HOLLY
(nodding)
Yeah.
LEE
(nodding)
Yeah.
The sisters all talk at once; Hannah is still working at the
sink.
HANNAH
Don't you think she does?
HOLLY
She really does, though.
LEE
(turning towards the sink)
Yeah, she knows it, too, 'cause
she's flirting with all the men here.
HOLLY
(puffing on her cigarette)
God.
HANNAH
(scooping out some
cantaloupe seeds)
Maybe when she's eighty, she'll
stop straightening her garter belt
when there's a guy around.
HOLLY
(to Lee, laughing)
I should get a garter belt.
LEE
(laughing)
Yeah.
HOLLY
(looking down at herself)
Get a garter belt...
(sipping her drink)
Get a garter belt and flirt.
LEE
(laughing, to Hannah)
Where are the antihistamines?
HANNAH
Oh, I don-- Ask Elliot for that.
Uh, he's got them somewhere.
LEE
(nodding)
Okay.
Lee leaves the kitchen. Holly, puffing on her cigarette,
watches her go.
HOLLY
(sighing)
Frederick didn't come with her.
HANNAH
(turning to Holly,
still working at the sink)
When does Frederick ever come with
her?
HOLLY
(whispering intently)
Tch. He's such an angry...he's
such a depressive. I thought she
was moving out!
Hannah shakes her head in disapproval while Holly angrily
takes another sip of her drink.
And the film cuts briefly back to the living room, where
Evan is still playing the piano and singing. The camera
moves past him and a few guests to Norma, who is
enthusiastically singing along, looking at Evan and moving
her hands.
EVAN & NORMA
(singing)
"A pill he is
But still he is
All mine and I'll
Keep him until he is
Bewitched, a'both--"
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
The table is beautifully set for Thanksgiving dinner,
complete with candles, flowers, cut crystal, china, and
silver. Hannah's children are playing in the room as Hannah
enters, carrying a huge roast turkey. Behind her is Holly,
carrying a casserole. Hannah's parents can still be heard
singing in the background.
HANNAH
(to the children)
Watch out, you guys. Beep-beep!
HOLLY
(overlapping)
Oh, your kids are so adorable.
CHILDREN
(walking through the doorway)
Bye! Bye!
HOLLY
(putting down her
bowl on the table)
God, it gets so lonely on the
holidays.
HANNAH
(setting down the
turkey on the opposite
end of the table)
Oh, gosh. Well, you know, that's
why I invited Phil Gammage tonight.
As the sisters talk, the piano music stops. There's the
sound of light applause as Evan begins a new song, faintly
heard in the dining room.
HOLLY
(grimacing, reacting
to Hannah)
Oh, Hannah!
HANNAH
(overlapping)
It's, uh, you never know--
HOLLY
(interrupting, gesturing)
He's such a loser!
HANNAH
He's not a loser at all!
HOLLY
(shaking her head)
Oh, he's such a loser!
HANNAH
(overlapping, lighting
a set of candles on
the table)
He's the headmaster of Daisy's
school.
HOLLY
Oh, perfect! He reminds me of
Ichabod Crane.
(moving her hand up
and down her throat)
His Adam's apple keeps jumping up
and down whenever he gets excited.
. HANNAH
(laughing)
Listen. He's a lot better than
your ex-husband. He's got a good
job.
(handing a pack of
matches to Holly)
Would you light those, please?
He's-he's-he's not a dope addict or
anything.
HOLLY
(striking a match to
light another set of candles)
Give me a break.
APRIL
(offscreen)
Am I interrupting...
The film cuts to April, standing in the doorway of the
dining room and holding a drink.
APRIL
(continuing)
...any sister talk?
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Mm-mm!
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Come in.
The camera moves with April as she walks over to the table,
where Hannah and Holly are lighting candles.
APRIL
Oh, good...
HANNAH
(overlapping, still offscreen)
Come in, come in.
APRIL
(gesturing)
...because there are no interesting
single men at this party!
HANNAH
(now onscreen)
Oh, listen...
HOLLY
(interrupting, waving
out her match)
I know. It's terrible!
APRIL
(shaking her head)
I mean, I've looked everywhere.
HANNAH
(picking at the
turkey and gesturing)
Maybe April would like Phil. Phil
Gammage, the tall guy in there by
the piano.
Holly groans, looking at her sister, while April sips her
drink and nods.
APRIL
(pointing to herself)
Hm-mm. Oh, yeah. I met Phil.
HANNAH
(looking at April, nodding)
Mmm?
APRIL
He's the--He looks like Ichabod
Crane?
Hannah screams with laughter as she walks toward the end of
the table, past a gleeful Holly, who points her finger at
Hannah as she passes. Hannah, still laughing, playfully
pushes the accusing finger away.
APRIL
(laughing with the
sisters, gesturing)
I love that. That's my type.
HANNAH
(shaking her head, laughing)
I can't believe it!
She walks over to a nearby china cabinet.
APRIL
(nodding and looking
at Hannah)
No, really, I really like him a lot.
HOLLY
(overlapping, laughing
and gesturing)
No, really, we mustn't get
discouraged.
As Holly continues to tease her sister, Hannah opens a
drawer in the cabinet. She takes out two apples decorated
with paper turkey heads and tails and hands them to April.
HOLLY
(fussing at the table)
Hannah will invite some men over
who don't look like Ichabod Crane.
APRIL
(overlapping)
Mmm.
April starts to put the turkey apples on the table. A
bemused Hannah takes two more out of the cabinet and places
one of them on the table as well.
HOLLY
(straightening a
table setting)
Not this Thanksgiving, you know.
HANNAH
(overlapping, to
April, who has just
set down her apples)
Here. Be careful with those.
HOLLY
(continuing her
teasing, gesturing)
Maybe at Christmas, New Year's. If
not this New Year's, maybe next New
Year's.
While Holly is talking, Hannah hands her the last turkey
apple, accidentally sticking her with one of the toothpicks
that keeps the decorations in place.
HOLLY
(reacting)
Ouch!
HANNAH
(turning to her
sister in surprise)
Oh!
The film cuts to a short hallway leading to a bathroom in
Hannah's apartment. In the foreground is a standing lamp.
In the background, Elliot is seen walking inside the
bathroom, looking around the room. Light piano music is
dimly heard.
ELLIOT
(searching)
Must be here someplace.
He walks out of the bathroom, moving down the hallway
towards the camera.
LEE
(offscreen)
Oh, you know, I, I love that book
you lent me. The Easter Parade?
You were right. It had very
special meaning for me.
ELLIOT
How's Frederick? He didn't come.
Elliot walks into the bedroom as Lee continues to talk
offscreen. The camera, leaving Elliot, moves across the
room, past a wall of framed paintings, a headboard and bed,
a night table and lamp, revealing Lee. She is flipping
through a book by a curtained window.
LEE
(offscreen)
Oh, well, you know Frederick. One
of his moods. Although it wasn't a
bad week. He
(onscreen)
uh, sold a picture.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Oh, great.
The camera stays with Lee as she walks around the room, past
another curtained window, a television set, and a rolltop
desk. She absently flips through the book as she talks to
the offscreen Elliot.
LEE
Yeah, it was, it was one of his
better drawings, a very beautiful
nude study. Actually, it was of me.
(laughing)
It's funny, you know, it's a funny
feeling to know you're being hung
naked in some stranger's living room.
Lee puts the book she's been holding down on the desk, only
to pick up another one. She looks at the offscreen Elliot.
LEE
Well, you can't tell it's me,
although--
(pausing)
You're turning all red, Elliot.
She reacts. The camera moves to a blushing Elliot, following
him now as he walks across the room.
ELLIOT
(laughing self-consciously)
Really? So, so, what else? Wh-
what are you up to?
LEE
(offscreen)
Oh, I don't know. My unemployment
checks are running out. Um, I was
thinking of taking some courses at
Columbia with the last of my savings.
As Lee speaks, Elliot parts a hanging curtain against the
wall to reveal a stereo and some records. He looks at the
offscreen Lee.
ELLIOT
Like, uh...?
LEE
(offscreen)
I don't know exactly.
As Elliot reaches inside the stereo shelf, grabbing a bottle
of antihistamines, the camera moves back to Lee, who sits
down on the bed. She is still holding a book.
LEE
Uh, sociology, psychology maybe. I
always thought I might like to work
with children.
Elliot walks over to Lee; he sits down on a footstool in
front of her.
ELLIOT
(gesturing with the
bottle of pills
gripped in his hand)
Incidentally, I-I always have
clients who are furnishing places.
Some of them might-might be
interested in buying art. Shall I,
shall I call you?
(chuckling self-consciously)
LEE
Yeah, sure.
(taking the bottle of
pills Elliot hands her)
You know, uh, Frederick would
really by grateful for a sale.
She chuckles; Elliot smiles and chuckles with her.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Hey, you guys?
Elliot turns in the direction of his wife's voice.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Dinner's ready.
Hannah, eating a carrot stick, enters the bedroom. The
camera stays with her momentarily as she walks towards
Elliot and Lee.
LEE
(offscreen)
Oh, great.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
You look so beautiful.
LEE
(offscreen)
Come on.
HANNAH
(standing by Elliot
and Lee)
Doesn't she look pretty?
LEE
I bumped into your...
ELLIOT
(overlapping, agreeing
with Hannah)
Yeah.
LEE
(continuing)
...ex-husband on the street the
other day.
HANNAH
(biting her carrot)
Oh, yeah?
LEE
(gesturing)
He was, he's just as crazy as ever.
He was on his way to get a blood
test.
(laughing, Elliot
joining in)
HANNAH
(reacting)
God, Mickey's such a hypochondriac.
I wonder how he'd handle it if
there was ever anything really
wrong with him?
ELLIOT
(standing up)
Let's go have dinner, shall we?
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Mmm.
LEE
(standing up, overlapping)
Good idea.
CUT TO:
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone is seated around the table for Thanksgiving dinner.
Facing the camera are Holly, Lee, Norma, and Hannah. She
sits to the left of Elliot, who's at the head of the table.
On his right is Evan; April sits next to him. She and the
other guests sit with their backs to the screen. The table
overflows with food, floral decorations, and candles. In
the background, the children sit at a separate table; a maid
serves them turkey. The guests chatter comfortably among
themselves as they eat.
EVAN
(clanking a piece of
silverware against
his water glass)
Now, ladies and gentlemen...
HOLLY
(making a face)
Dad.
Evan continues to clank his glass to get everyone's attention.
HOLLY
Dad...
LEE
(reacting, to Holly)
Oh...
HOLLY
Dad!
EVAN
(still clanking)
No, now...
HOLLY
I'm starving!
Resigned, Holly puts down her silverware. Lee smothers a
laugh. Norma, reacting, glances at Holly and Lee. Everyone
knows what's coming.
EVAN
(clanking away)
...this is a toast! This is a toast.
HANNAH
(reaching across the
table for Evan's wine
glass, laughing)
Get his wine away.
EVAN
This is a toast. You know this
beautiful Thanksgiving dinner was
all...
Holly laughs. Lee glances over to her, reacting. Hannah,
embarrassed, reacts and sits with her hands on her face.
Lee and the rest of the guests put down their silverware.
They look at Evan, listening.
EVAN
...prepared...by Hannah.
Hannah, embarrassed, makes a victory sign.
HANNAH
(modestly pointing to
the maid)
Uh, and a little help...
Lee and Holly try to suppress their laughter. Norma glares
at them.
NORMA
(to her daughters)
Hey!
HANNAH
(continuing)
...from Mavis, also.
Elliot wraps his arm around Hannah; he pulls her towards him
affectionately and kisses her on the cheek. She hugs him
back.
ELLIOT
(hugging Hannah)
You bet.
HANNAH
(overlapping, looking
down the table while
still in Elliot's embrace)
Holly and April, thanks for helping.
Mavis the maid exits, carrying some trays, as the group
starts to cheer and applaud. Holly waves her napkin at
April, then holds up her wine glass.
EVAN
(overlapping the noise)
No, you did it.
HOLLY
(overlapping, toasting
her friend)
April, April!
HANNAH
(overlapping, gesturing)
I am... I did slave all day.
EVAN
(overlapping, holding
out his wine glass)
And we drink to her, and we all
congratulate her on her wonderful
accomplishment during this last
year...her great success in A
Doll's House!
The group continues to cheer as they all toast Hannah. She
reacts, smiling but embarrassed.
NORMA
(overlapping, laughing)
Ya-a-a-a-y!
(laughing)
I played Nora. I hate to tell you
what year...
The guests, sipping their wine, quiet down as Norma continues
to speak. Lee and Holly unsuccessfully try to contain their
laughter. Mavis reenters the dining room to serve more food
to the children.
NORMA
(continuing)
And it's very difficult to behave
like Torvald's little chipmunk
without making a perfect ass out of
yourself!
(pausing while the
guests laugh heartily)
Now I think that Ibsen would have
been damn proud of our Hannah!
Norma toasts her daughter; everyone follows her. The
applause and cheers begin anew. Hannah, reacting, chuckles.
APRIL
(overlapping the
applause and clapping loudly)
Speech! Speech! Speech!
NORMA
(overlapping)
Yea-a-a-a-ah!
A few guests sip their wine. They all quiet down as Hannah
starts her speech, glancing around the table and gesturing.
HANNAH
(reacting)
I don't know about that. Oh, no, I
just, see, I-I've been very, very
lucky. W-when I had the kids, I
decided to stop working and just,
you know, devote myself to having
the family, and I've been very,
very happy
(banging her fists
lightly on the table)
but...I've always secretly hoped
that maybe some little gem would
come along and tempt me back on the
stage...
EVAN
(nodding)
Yeah.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
...just for a second. So, now I
got that out of my system and I can
go back to the thing that makes me
happiest.
Hannah tenderly takes Elliot's hand as she looks around the
table. He, in turn, kneads her shoulder, chuckling with
equal tenderness.
EVAN
(chuckling)
Oh, bravo! Bravo!
Hannah, still embarrassed, looks down at a plate. The group
applauds once more, toasting and drinking, and warmly
sounding their approval.
CUT TO:
"We all had a terrific time."
Classical string music plays as the film cuts to:
EXT. MANHATTAN STREET - NIGHT
A taxi moves down Broadway towards the camera, passing a
truck on the right, the Winter Garden marquee advertising
Cats, and several buildings, and as the taxi moves offscreen,
the classical music still playing, the movie cuts to the
taxi's backseat. Lee sits by the window, leaning her head
in her hand, a reflective look on her face. Her voice is
heard over the screen.
LEE (V.O.)
Is it my imagination, or does
Elliot have a little crush on me?
(chuckling slightly)
It's funny. I've had that thought
before. He pays a lot of attention
to me all the time, and he blushed
tonight when we were alone in the
bedroom. I wonder if he and Hannah
are happy? It's funny, I...I still
feel a little buzz from his flirting.
CUT TO:
INT. FREDERICK'S LOFT - NIGHT
Lee stirs a cup of coffee on the counter of the loft's
modern kitchen area; a nearby vase hold flowers. She walks
across the loft, with its high ceilings and beige walls,
holding her coffee.
LEE
(to an offscreen Frederick)
Want some coffee or tea?
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
No, thank you.
Lee continues to walk, past a modern chaise, a bookcase,
some sofas, two columns. Lamps hang down from the ceiling.
The classical music still plays in the background. Lee
stops at a plastic-enclosed work area. Frederick can be
seen working at a drawing board on the other side of the
clear plastic screen.
LEE
(stirring her coffee)
How about something to eat?
FREDERICK
No, nothing.
The background music stops.
LEE
Are you sure?
FREDERICK
Absolutely.
LEE
(walking around the
screen to Frederick)
Mmm, what am I gonna do with you?
(laughing)
As Lee walks over to the drawing board where Frederick is
sitting, he is seen intently cleaning some paintbrushes with
a rag. Lee stands by him, leaning over the board, and looks
directly at him. The table is filled with cans of brushes
and artist's equipment.
LEE
God!
(sniffing)
And why didn't you come tonight?
We all had a terrific time. I
really think you would have enjoyed
yourself.
FREDERICK
(not looking at Lee)
I'm going through a period of my
life where I just can't be around
people.
(putting down the
brushes and wiping
his hands with the
same rag)
I didn't want to wind up abusing
anyone.
LEE
You're not going to abuse them.
They're all so sweet.
FREDERICK
(taking off his glasses)
Lee...
(pausing, reaching
for Lee's hand)
you are the only person I can be
with...who I really look forward to
being with.
(pulling Lee to him,
around the board)
LEE
(compliantly)
You're too harsh with everyone.
You know that, don't you?
Frederick and Lee embrace; Lee sighs.
FREDERICK
(looking into Lee's eyes)
Isn't it enough that I can love you?
LEE
(sighing)
Mmm...
FREDERICK
Hmm?
LEE
(overlapping)
...you're such a puzzle.
(chuckling)
So sweet with me and
so...contemptuous of everyone else.
(sighing)
FREDERICK
(sniffing)
Well, there was a time
(sniffing again)
when you were very happy to be only
with me. You wanted to learn
everything about poetry, about music.
LEE
(nodding)
Mm-hm.
FREDERICK
Have I really taught you everything
I have to give?
(shakes his head)
I don't think so.
Lee kisses Frederick twice, then releases him and walks out
of the work area.
LEE
(turning her head in
Frederick's direction)
Oh, Elliot said he might have a
couple of clients for you.
Lee walks over to the loft's stereo area, pulling up the
sleeves of her sweater as Frederick talks.
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
I'm sure all those morons he
handles have a deep feeling for art.
Lee picks up a book from the stereo shelf. She leans back
against the unit, glancing through its pages.
LEE
(flipping through the book)
Mmm
(chuckling)
you never know. They might. He's
just trying to do the nice thing.
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
Because he likes you.
LEE
(looking up from the book)
Me?
FREDERICK
Yeah.
Frederick, leaving his work area, walks past Lee; his hands
are in his pockets.
FREDERICK
(looking at Lee as he
goes by)
Elliot lusts after you.
LEE
Based on what? You never even see
him.
The camera stays with Frederick as he walks into the loft's
bedroom area.
FREDERICK
Based on...whenever you see him,
you always come home full of books
he's recommended...
He sits down at the foot of the bed and starts taking off
his shoes.
FREDERICK
(continuing)
...or films you must see or...
(shrugging)
LEE
(walking over to him)
Oh, no, no, no. He's my sister's
husband. And I think if you gave
him half a chance, you'd like him.
He's very intelligent.
Lee sits down next to Frederick; he takes her hand.
FREDERICK
He's a glorified accountant, and
he's after you.
(kissing Lee's hand)
And I prefer to sell my work to
people who appreciate it, not to
rock stars.
(kissing Lee's face)
You understand?
Lee kisses Frederick back on the cheek. They embrace.
Frederick laughs; their embrace gets tighter.
LEE
(sighing)
Ohhh!
CUT TO:
The hypochondriac.
Upbeat jazz plays in the background and continues as the
film cuts to:
INT. TV STUDIO CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Metal elevator doors open and Mickey Sachs, a high-powered
television producer, walks out, deep in conversation with
his assistants, Paul and Larry. As the elevator operator
begins to reclose the door with his passengers, Mickey, his
assistants fast behind, walks down an office corridor past
busy groups of studio personnel. Indistinct conversation,
as well as the jazz, is heard in the background as the trio
talk.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
What do you mean, they won't let us
do the sketch?
PAUL
Talk to Standards and Practices.
They think it's too dirty.
The trio pass Mary, another assistant, in conversation with
two other co-workers. She holds a clipboard.
MICKEY
But we showed it to them in
rehearsal!
Without missing a beat, he takes Mary's wrist and continues
walking.
MICKEY
(to Paul)
You know, what'd they do, figure
out what the words mean?
A foursome now, they briskly walk past a man and a woman
going over a script. Mary and Mickey lead; Paul and Larry
follow.
MARY
Mickey, we got a half hour to air!
As the group walks through a large doorway, Larry catches up
to Mickey.
LARRY
We're short! The show is five
minutes short!
The group turns right into a new corridor, briefly off the
screen. As they scurry off, their voices are heard.
MICKEY
How could it be short? We timed
everything
(offscreen)
long.
PAUL
(offscreen)
If we have to...
They are all now seen walking down the new corridor towards
the camera. The corridor is crowded with busy TV personnel.
The group continues to talk frantically as people hurry past
them. One man pushes rudely past Mary as he walks; she
looks back at him briefly.
PAUL
(continuing)
...pull out the sketch, then we'll
be ten minutes short!
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I don't know how they can do that
to us. That's-- We go on in thirty
minutes, right?
Mary checks her wristwatch as they rush down the corridor.
LARRY
(squeezing past
several passersby)
They're doing it because our
ratings are low.
MICKEY
(nervously rubbing
his forehead)
I got such a migraine.
As the group briskly walks past an open door, Gail, another
assistant, runs out, brandishing her glasses.
GAIL
(offscreen)
Hey, Mickey!
Gail runs in front of the group. Without missing a step,
she faces Mickey and walks backwards, gesturing and talking
frantically.
GAIL
Mickey! Listen, we better go right
to Ronny's dressing room. This kid
must have taken sixteen hundred
Quaaludes. I don't think he's
going to be able to do the show!
The fast-tracking group turns the corner. Gail pats Mickey's
back; she gestures in exasperation.
MICKEY
(gesturing towards heaven)
Why me, Lord? What did I--
He is interrupted by Ed Smythe, an official from the
Standards and Practices Department, who's been standing in
the corridor waiting for Mickey. Mickey stops and shakes
Ed's hand as if he'd known the official would be there.
Gail stops by his side while the others walk into a
background studio doorway that is busy with scurrying
personnel.
MICKEY
You--
(pointing)
Standards and Practices?
ED
Ed Smythe, yes.
MICKEY
Okay. Why, all of a sudden, is the
sketch dirty?
(putting his hands on
his hips)
ED
(gesturing)
Child molestation is a touchy
subject...
MICKEY
(overlapping, looking
at Gail)
Could you--
ED
(continuing)
...with the affiliates.
MICKEY
(overlapping and grunting)
Read the papers! Half the country's
doing it!
ED
(pointing at Mickey)
Yes, but you name names.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
We nev-- We don't name names!
(turning to Gail for
support, briefly
touching her
shoulders, then
looking back at Ed)
We say the Pope.
GAIL
(gesturing emphatically)
We always say the Pope!
ED
That sketch...
MICKEY
(overlapping)
We--
ED
(continuing)
...cannot go on the air.
A writer, holding a script, walks out of the background
studio, looking around.
MICKEY
Oh, Je--
WRITER
(interrupting, shouting)
Hey!
Mickey, Gail, and Ed turn towards the writer.
WRITER
(angrily, slapping
his script)
Who changed my sketch about the PLO?
Mickey and Gail walk over to the angry writer, Ed forgotten
with this new crisis.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I had to make some cuts. It's four
lousy lines!
WRITER
The whole premise is ruined!
Mickey, Gail, and the writer start walking down a corridor
adjacent to the studio.
MICKEY
(gesturing, trying to
calm the writer down)
Oh, you're crazy! It's not so
delicate. Everybody's married to
every line.
The writer reacts angrily. Gail tries to get Mickey's
attention as they walk.
GAIL
(tapping Mickey's shoulder)
Mickey, I can--
WRITER
(interrupting,
angrily gesturing)
I don't care! I don't want anyone
tampering with my goddamn work
without telling me!
MICKEY
(shrugging)
Okay.
WRITER
(pointing angrily)
You want 'em cut?! I'll cut 'em
myself!
Mickey, still in surprised shock, turns away from the angry
writer. He stands by an open dressing room, where Ron, an
actor, slouches, dazed, in a chair facing a makeup mirror.
People mill in the background behind the actor.
MICKEY
(shrugging, distracted)
All right, all right.
(muttering)
GAIL
(overlapping, trying
to get Mickey's
attention and gesturing)
Mickey, Mickey, listen, listen.
MICKEY
(distractedly, his
mind still on the writer)
You know...
(muttering as the
writer passes him and
walks away)
GAIL
(overlapping, gesturing)
In-in-in-instead of the child
molestation sketch, why don't we
repeat the Cardinal Spellman Ronald
Reagan homosexual dance number?
MICKEY
(still distracted,
looking off)
No--
RON
(overlapping)
I don't feel good, Mickey.
Mickey, remembering Ron, runs into the dressing room. Gail
follows him. Inside, a man and a woman talk, ignoring Ron.
They share a drink in a paper cup. The woman looks back at
Ron; she gestures with disgust.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Yeah, wh-- Yeah, what did you do?
Swallow a drugstore?!
Ron coughs.
MICKEY
(to Gail)
Look at this guy.
GAIL
(overlapping, touching
Ron's chair)
Yeah?
RON
(groaning)
I lost my voice.
Gail walks around the chair. The camera shows she and
Mickey talking to Ron through the reflection in the cluttered
makeup mirror.
MICKEY
(reacting)
Oh, Jesus!
GAIL
(gesturing)
Ron...Ronny, you know you do have
to go on in twenty-five minutes.
Ron sighs.
MICKEY
(looking around,
touching his stomach)
Hey, does anybody got a Tagamet?
My, my ulcer's starting to kill me!
RON
(sighing)
You want a Quaalude?
Mickey, as reflected in the mirror, starts to pace as the
movie cuts to:
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS BOULEVARD - DAY
Norman, a Los Angeles TV producer and Mickey's former
partner, is driving down a peaceful street lined with palm
trees. He's wearing sunglasses and headphones. He clicks
his fingers in time to the music only he hears on his
Walkman. He's smiling contentedly while Mickey talks over
the sun-filled scene. The continuous background jazz plays
louder.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Christ, this show is ruining my
health! Meanwhile, my ex-partner
moves to California and every
stupid show he produces turns out
to be a big hit. Brother, what am
I gonna do with my life? Speaking
of that, I-I...gotta remember to
see my ex-wife tomorrow. Tch.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S APARTMENT FOYER - DAY
As Mickey finishes his ruminations, Hannah is seen walking
towards her front door. She opens it, her back to the
camera. Mickey stands there holding two boxed gifts. The
jazz stops.
HANNAH
Hi! Hi!
MICKEY
(overlapping, sniffing)
I know...I know.
HANNAH
Glad you could put in an appearance.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I got two minutes.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Very good.
Hannah nods as Mickey comes inside. She closes the door
behind him.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
I got two minutes. 'Cause, God, the
show is killing me. I got a
million appointments today. It
just so happens it fell this way.
Hannah continues to nod patiently, patting Mickey on the
back, as they make their way across the foyer into the den,
where the twins are playing. Mickey wears his coat.
MICKEY
I gotta see new comedians later,
I've gotta--
HANNAH
(interrupting)
Two minutes on your sons' birthday.
You know, it's not going to kill you.
Her voice trails off as Mickey walks over to the twins.
MICKEY
Happy Birthday, fellas! Happy
Birthday!
Hannah's twins greet Mickey with cries of "Hi, Daddy!" and
indistinct chatter.
HANNAH
(overlapping their
chatter, bending down
to talk to her sons)
Guys, look what Daddy brought.
Presents!
Mickey hands a gift to each twin. They grow quiet, suddenly
shy.
MICKEY
(to his sons)
Yeah, aren't you like, you know...
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Huh?
MICKEY
(continuing, holding
out his arms)
...a little, uh, hey! A little hug!
What is this? Now how 'bout a
little action from the kids?
The twins put down their gifts, one on the sofa, one on the
coffee table, and hug their father.
MICKEY
(turning to Hannah)
How is everything?
HANNAH
(picking up the gift
on the sofa and nodding)
Everything's good. Everything's
fine.
MICKEY
(nodding, overlapping)
Yeah? Yeah?
(pointing)
Okay, kids, you can open the
presents now.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Here, you guys. Open them up.
Hannah makes room on the coffee table for the gift she is
holding; she places it next to the other one. The boys
start opening them.
MICKEY
Let me get a little reaction here.
(to Hannah, putting
his hands in his pockets)
How's Elliot?
HANNAH
He's fine.
MICKEY
Yeah?
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Oh, you know what? I'm trying to
convince him to produce a play.
MICKEY
Oh!
HANNAH
I think he'll find that satisfying.
MICKEY
(nodding)
Really? That'll be terrific for
him, I think.
HANNAH
I think so.
MICKEY
I like him. I think he's a sweet
guy.
HANNAH
(stroking one of the
twins' backs)
Yeah.
MICKEY
The few times that I've met him...
(pointing to the
baseball mitt twin
#1, has taken out of
his box)
Isn't that a great mitt?
TWIN #1
Thank you, Daddy.
MICKEY
(overlapping to Hannah)
'Cause he's a loser.
HANNAH
(overlapping, to Twin #1)
Ohh!
MICKEY
(overlapping, gesturing)
H-he's so awkward and he's clumsy
like me...
HANNAH
(overlapping, chuckling)
I know, I know.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
...so I, so I like that. I always
like an underconfident person...
HANNAH
(overlapping, touching
the mitt and reacting)
That's really nice!
MICKEY
(still rambling on,
gesturing to Hannah)
...you know? I, uh...
HANNAH
(overlapping)
You know, he's been wanting a mitt.
She helps Twin #2 open his present. It's a football.
MICKEY
You've always had good taste in
husbands, so...
HANNAH
(chuckling and nodding)
Thanks, thanks.
MICKEY
Mh-hm.
HANNAH
(leaning down to look
at the football)
That's a beauty!
MICKEY
Isn't that great?
HANNAH
Oh!
MICKEY
(pointing, to Twin #2)
Go right over there.
HANNAH
Football!
Twin #2, panting, runs offscreen to catch the football.
MICKEY
(to the offscreen twin)
Come on! Hurry up! Let's go!
HANNAH
(looking offscreen at
twin #2)
Wow!
MICKEY
(still pointing,
gearing up for the pass)
Go out, go out by the Sung vase
and, and catch this.
Mickey throws the football.
MICKEY
See?
(whistling)
HANNAH
(pointing offscreen)
Hey, d-- Watch, watch the picture.
There's a sound of breaking glass. Hannah and Mickey react.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - DAY
Mickey is walking up a West Side street, his hands in his
coat pockets. Jazz plays in the background as he talks over
the screen.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Gee, Hannah's sweet. Although,
sometimes I still do get angry when
I think of things. Oh, what the
hell. At least, I'm not paying
child support.
(sighing)
Oh, God, I hope there's nothing
physically wrong with me, either.
Mickey pushes open the outside door of Dr. Abel's office, as
the movie cuts to the doctor's consultation room. The
doctor is framed in the doorway, looking through a file
cabinet.
DR. ABEL
(taking out Mickey's file)
So what's the, uh, problem this time?
MICKEY
(offscreen)
This time I really think I have
something.
While Mickey answers him offscreen, Dr. Abel turns and walks
toward him. The camera follows the doctor's movements from
the other side of the wall, obscuring him briefly.
It moves across a dark examining-room wall to a second
doorway, where Mickey sits on a stool, continuing to talk to
the offscreen Dr. Abel.
MICKEY
(onscreen)
I mean, I'm absolutely convinced
that-that-- You know, I mean, it's
not like that adenoidal thing, you
know, where I didn't realize I had
them out.
Dr. Abel walks back onscreen. Both he and Mickey are now
seen through the second doorway. Dr. Abel sniffs and stands
directly in front of the sitting Mickey. He stares down at
him as Mickey talks.
MICKEY
(continuing, gesturing)
So, so, but it was when I was
younger, so--
DR. ABEL
(overlapping, interrupting)
You know, I saw your father this
week about his sinus...
MICKEY
(folding his arms on
his chest)
Mm-hm.
DR. ABEL
(continuing)
...and, uh, he complained of chest
pains.
MICKEY
Well, this guy's the real
hypochondriac of the family. I
mean, he's, you know, he's--
DR. ABEL
(interrupting)
You mentioned on the phone that
you'd had some dizziness.
MICKEY
(rubbing his hands on
his knees)
Yes, a little dizziness, and I
think, I think I'm developing a
hearing loss in my right ear
(poking at his ears
and gesturing)
...or my left ear, my, my left...oh,
n-n-n-no. No, I'm sorry. It was
my right, my right, my right or my
left ear.
Dr. Abel chuckles.
MICKEY
(nodding and gesturing)
Now I ca-can't remember.
DR. ABEL
Let's take a look.
An uptempo big-band sound is heard as the movie cuts to
Mickey's examination, beginning with a close-up of Dr. Abel
using an otoscope to examine the ear of a nervous Mickey.
Next is a hearing test. The film shows the doctors's hands
turning the dials on a sonometer. Mickey sits on a nearby
high stool, large earphones on his head. He listens with
such concentration that he squints his eyes. He holds up a
finger in response to the sounds he hears in his headset.
Finally, the film shows Dr. Abel hitting a large turning
fork with his finger. He puts the vibrating fork to Mickey's
ear. Mickey, looking up at the offscreen doctor's face, nods.
The music stops as the film cuts back to Dr. Abel's
consultation room. Dr. Abel walks from the examining room,
through the consultation room, to a second examining room
across the way. He talks to the offscreen Mickey as he walks.
DR. ABEL
Well, I'm sorry to say you have had
a significant drop in the high-
decibel range of your right ear.
MICKEY
(offscreen)
Really?!
Dr. Abel moves offscreen in the second examining room. The
camera stays focused on the doorway to this room as the
doctor and Mickey talk offscreen.
DR. ABEL
(offscreen)
Have you been exposed to a loud
noise recently, or did you have a
virus?
MICKEY
(offscreen)
No, I-I've been perfectly healthy.
You know me.
Dr. Abel briefly passes by the doorway.
MICKEY
(offscreen)
I always, I-I always imagine that I
have things.
DR. ABEL
(offscreen)
When did you first notice this?
MICKEY
(offscreen)
Oh, uh, about a month ago. Wha-
what do I have?
Looking preoccupied, Dr. Abel walks back into the
consultation room, holding Mickey's open file. He strides
over to his desk, revealing a frightened Mickey, sitting in
a chair opposite it. Still standing, the doctor leans over
the desk, his back to the camera, and makes a few notes in
the file.
DR. ABEL
You've had some dizzy spells.
(sighing)
What about ringing and buzzing?
Have you, uh, noticed any of that?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Yes, now-now that you mention it,
uh, I-I-I have, uh, buzzing and
also ringing. Ringing and buzzing.
Um, am I going deaf, or something?
DR. ABEL
(making more notes in
the file)
And it's just in one ear?
MICKEY
(picking at his fingers)
Yes, is it, is it, uh, healthier to
have problems in both ears?
Dr. Abel chuckles as he closes Mickey's file and straightens
up. The camera looks past his back and shoulders to the
anxious Mickey.
DR. ABEL
(his face offscreen)
What I'd like to do, is to make an
appointment for you at the hospital.
I'd like to have them run some tests.
MICKEY
The hospital? What kind of tests?
Dr. Abel lays his pen across Mickey's closed file. He walks
around his desk and sits on its edge close to Mickey.
DR. ABEL
(sighing)
Now, don't get alarmed. These are
just more sophisticated audiometry
tests than I can run here.
(gesturing)
I mean, it's, it's nothing.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Well, if it's nothing, then why do
I have to go into the hospital at
all? I mean, uh, I hear perfectly
fine, so I'm, so I'm a little weak
on the, on the high decibels. So
I, you know, I won't go to the opera.
DR. ABEL
(sniffing)
You know, there's no reason for
panic. I just want to rule out
some things.
MICKEY
Like what?
DR. ABEL
(shaking his head)
It's nothing. Will you trust me?
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY
Mickey stands in a telephone booth on a corner near Dr.
Abel's office; he talks on the phone. It is raining. A man
and a woman holding an umbrella pass by; traffic moves
across a nearby intersection.
MICKEY
(into the telephone)
Huh, uh, hello, Dr. Wilkes? Dr.
Wilkes, this is Mickey Sachs. You
have a minute? I want to ask you a
question.
The film cuts to Dr. Wilkes, on the telephone at his end.
He is in his office; he leans back in his chair, dangling
his stethoscope as he speaks. Behind him, a chest X-ray is
mounted on a light panel.
DR. WILKES
(into the telephone)
Sure, Mickey. What's up?
The movie cuts back and forth between Mickey in his phone
booth asking questions and Dr. Wilkes in his office answering
them.
MICKEY
(into the telephone, gesturing)
I-if you have, i-if you have a
hearing loss in one ear, and-and
it's not from a, uh, virus or a
loud noise or anything, wh-what are
the possibilities?
DR. WILKES
(into his telephone)
Anything. Uh, often it's hereditary.
Flu, uh, even a small noise will do
it.
MICKEY
(into the telephone)
Uh, right, but-but nothing worse?
DR. WILKES
(into the telephone)
Well, yes, I guess the, uh, dark
side of the spectrum is a brain
tumor.
MICKEY
(into the telephone,
reacting with a blank stare)
Really?
CUT TO:
INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Gail, wearing her glasses, stands behind a crowded but well-
ordered desk. Two assistants, a man and a woman, stand
around her.
GAIL
(handing them each
some pages of script)
Okay, so here's the new pages.
WOMAN
(looking over the pages)
Say, did cards get these?
GAIL
(scratching her head)
No, not yet. No.
MAN
(looking over his pages)
Well, let's hope it's good.
GAIL
Yeah, really. Really.
The assistants walk off. As they leave, Gail calls out
after them.
GAIL
Eh, we'll be down in a minute, okay?
The telephone starts to ring, Gail pauses, looking offscreen.
She takes off her glasses and squints.
GAIL
Mickey, what's the matter with you?
You're all white!
The film cuts to Mickey, who is pacing and wringing his
hands. He walks over to Gail. The phone continues to ring.
MICKEY
I feel dizzy. Sshh, you know, I
don't feel well.
He starts to pant, looking worriedly around the room. He
continues to wring his hands as Gail stares at him, concerned.
MICKEY
Do you hear a ringing? Is there,
is there a, is there a ringing
sound?
(sighing)
GAIL
(gesturing)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I hear, I hear
it.
She sits down and picks up the phone.
MICKEY
(shaking his head)
N-n-no, not that.
GAIL
(overlapping, into
the telephone)
Hello?
MICKEY
(covering first one
ear, then the other, continuing)
Like--
(putting a finger
into his ear, closing
his eyes and listening)
GAIL
(into the telephone)
Uh, yeah, yeah. We're going to be
working late tonight. N-no, we'll
order out. It's all right. Yeah.
Gail hangs up the phone.
MICKEY
(turning to Gail,
gesturing nervously)
Sssss, if I have a brain tumor, I
don't know what I'm gonna do.
(sighing)
GAIL
You don't have a brain tumor. He
didn't say you had a brain tumor.
. MICKEY
(sighing)
No, naturally
(gesturing)
they're not gonna tell you, because,
well, you know, th--, sometimes the
weaker ones will panic if you tell
'em.
GAIL
(pointing a finger at Mickey)
But not you.
MICKEY
(flinging up his
arms, sighing)
Oh, God!
(looking around
worriedly and touching
Gail's shoulder)
Do you hear a buzzing? Is there a
buzzing?
He pants and begins to pace around the room. The camera
follows him as he walks away from Gail.
GAIL
(impatiently)
Mickey, come on, we got a show to do!
MICKEY
(pacing)
I can't keep my mind on the show.
GAIL
(offscreen)
But there's nothing wrong with you.
MICKEY
(sighing and gesturing)
If there's nothing wrong with me
(pacing back to the
desk and Gail)
then why does he want me to come
back for tests?!
GAIL
(gesturing)
Well, he has to rule out certain
things.
(sighing)
MICKEY
Like what?! What?
GAIL
(shrugging)
I don't know. Cancer, I--
MICKEY
(interrupting)
Don't say that! I don't want to
hear that word!
(gesturing)
Don't mention that while I'm in the
building.
GAIL
(gesturing)
But you don't have any symptoms!
MICKEY
(gesturing)
You--I got the classic symptoms of
a brain tumor!
Mickey sighs.
GAIL
Two months ago, you thought you had
a malignant melanoma.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Naturally, I, I--Do you know I--The
sudden appearance of a black spot
on my back!
GAIL
It was on your shirt!
MICKEY
(sighing)
I--How was I to know?!
(pointing to his back)
Everyone was pointing back here.
He sighs again as Gail, frustrated, gestures impatiently to
the papers on the desk.
GAIL
Come on, we've got to make some
booking decisions.
Mickey begins pacing around the room again. He wrings his
hands and blows on them.
MICKEY
I can't. I can't think of it.
This morning, I was so happy, you
know. Now I, I don't know what
went wrong.
(sighing)
GAIL
Eh, you were miserable this morning!
We got bad reviews, terrible
ratings, the sponsors are furious...
MICKEY
(pacing back to the
desk, still wringing
his hands)
No, I was happy, but I just didn't
realize I was happy.
CUT TO:
The Stanislavski Catering Company in action.
Sophisticated pop music plays as the film cuts to:
INT. LOFT - DAY
An abstract painting on a wall fills the screen. Light
laughter is heard, as well as the sophisticated music;
offscreen brunch guests chatter indistinctly.
FEMALE BRUNCH GUEST
(offscreen)
These things are delicious! What
in the world are they?
Holly walks onto the screen in front of the painting. She
holds an almost empty tray of hors d'oeuvres; she wears a
uniform.
HOLLY
Oh, um, those are quail eggs.
FEMALE BRUNCH GUEST
(offscreen)
Oh, they're very good.
Holly walks past the painting towards the female brunch
guest. A man walks in front of her. Chatter, light
laughter, and music are still heard; a party is in progress.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Yeah, my friend April makes those.
(holding out the tray)
Here, try the shrimp puffs. These
are delicious.
FEMALE BRUNCH GUEST
(taking one from the tray)
Oh, thank you. That looks great.
HOLLY
I make those.
FEMALE BRUNCH GUEST
Mmm. Thanks.
Holly laughs lightly as she walks away from the woman.
Holding her tray, she passes a large oval loft window and
several clusters of brunch guests. They are eating and
drinking. No one pays any attention to her.
HOLLY
(to two male guests
in her way)
Excuse me.
One of the men, murmuring his thanks, takes a last shrimp
puff as Holly passes.
HOLLY
(to the man)
Thank you.
Holly finally makes her way into the cluttered loft kitchen.
Her tray is empty.
APRIL
(offscreen)
The Stroganoff is ready.
Holly, excited, runs over to April, who is busy taking the
Stroganoff out of the oven. She wears the same uniform as
Holly: black skirt, white shirt, and black bowtie.
HOLLY
(animatedly)
We're a big hit.
APRIL
Oh, in this we're a big hit.
Yesterday I auditioned for Come
Back Little Sheba. That, I wasn't
such a big hit.
April, holding the Stroganoff, dashes out of the kitchen to
serve the party guests. Holly calls after her, offscreen,
as David walks past the hurrying April into the kitchen.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
You will be. You will be. You'll
get five jobs next week.
David walks over to Holly, who is busy at the pot-and-pan-
covered stove.
DAVID
(to Holly)
Excuse me, are there any more claims?
HOLLY
(gesturing at some
canapйs warming on
the stove)
Only a few. A few.
(chuckling as David
takes one)
Do you like 'em?
DAVID
I can't resist.
HOLLY
(busily working at
the stove)
Really? How flattering! Did you
try the shrimp puffs?
DAVID
(eating a canapй and
pointing at Holly)
Listen, you guys are too attractive
to be caterers. Something's wrong.
HOLLY
We're actresses.
DAVID
Is this your first job?
HOLLY
(grabbing a quiche
from an overhead stove)
Really? Is the food that bad?
DAVID
(shaking his head)
Oh no. Not at all.
As Holly carries the quiche outside to the party, April
comes back into the kitchen from another doorway. Music, as
well as the chatter of mingling guests, is heard in the
background.
APRIL
We need more bread and some baked
lasa--
(realizing Holly
isn't there and, at
the same time,
noticing David)
uh, lasagne.
(turning to David)
Hi.
DAVID
(standing by the sink
as he wipes his hands
and mouth with a napkin)
I know. You're an actress with a
great flair for shrimp puffs.
APRIL
(working at the
stove, pointing a
finger for emphasis)
Uh, no, the shrimp puffs are
Holly's. I do the, uh, crкpes
caviar.
She walks past David to a counter where she begins to fold
napkins. David leans back against the sink.
DAVID
And the quail is responsible for
the quail eggs.
APRIL
(turning to David and chuckling)
Well, let's hope so.
Holly enters the kitchen holding out a plate of clams. She
walks over to David.
HOLLY
Here, I stole you a couple of extra
clams.
DAVID
(taking the plate)
Ah!
. HOLLY
(looking busily
around the room)
Now.
DAVID
(overlapping, gesturing)
Incidentally, I'm David Tolchin.
APRIL
(turning to David)
Oh, uh, April Knox. Hi.
They shake hands.
DAVID
(looking at her)
Hi.
APRIL
(leaving the counter
and squeezing past
David and Holly)
Oh.
HOLLY
(overlapping, moving
out of April's way)
I'm sorry.
April walks offscreen to another area of the kitchen. Holly
picks up a napkin from the crowded table.
DAVID
(overlapping Holly's
apology, turning to her)
You're Holly.
HOLLY
(nodding, looking at
David as she wipes
her hands with the napkin)
Yeah, we're the Stanislavski
Catering Company.
DAVID
(chewing on a clam canapй)
Now I'm going to tell you the truth.
I really came in here because I was
bored stiff by the party.
HOLLY
(laughing, still
wiping her hands)
What makes you think we're more
interesting?
David walks around the table, putting the plate of clams
down on the already crowded surface. Holly follows him,
chuckling, throwing her napkin into an offscreen garbage can
as David stops at a small television set near the doorway.
Guests in the other room can be seen chatting together in
clusters.
DAVID
(turning on the set)
Actually, I'm going to listen to
Aida, if I'm not getting in your way.
Canned laughter and miscellaneous chatter is heard from the
television set. David watches the set, still munching on a
clam, while Holly and April reassure him offscreen.
APRIL
(offscreen)
No...no. No--
(sniffing)
HOLLY
(offscreen, overlapping)
Not at all.
David checks his wristwatch as Holly walks over to him.
HOLLY
(gesturing, fiddling
with another napkin)
We saw, um, Pavarotti, eh, uh, in
Ernani at the Met, and I cried...
DAVID
(nodding, his hand
still on his watch as
he looks at Holly)
I cry at the opera.
APRIL
(offscreen)
Oh, I-I-I go limp in the last scene
in La Traviata. Limp.
Holly chuckles as David, listening to April, impressed,
walks over to her. She is standing by the table.
DAVID
(nodding, to April)
Me, too. I have a private box at
the Met.
(gesturing)
I bring my little bottle of wine, I
open it, I sit there and I watch
and
(glancing over to the
offscreen Holly)
I cry. It's disgusting.
April chuckles as Holly walks back onscreen; she is busy
preparing another tray of hors d'oeuvres.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Oh, what, what do you do?
DAVID
(nodding)
I'm an architect.
APRIL
Wha--
(turning to glance at Holly)
What kind of things do you build?
DAVID
Are you really interested?
APRIL
Yeah.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Yeah.
DAVID
What time do you get off?
The three exchange glances. Holly shrugs.
CUT TO:
EXT. MANHATTAN STREET - DAY
A contemporary red building, designed by David, is seen,
squeezed in between two older buildings. Holly, April, and
David talk offscreen.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Wow, it's the red one?
APRIL
(offscreen)
Oh, it's magnificent!
DAVID
(offscreen)
Yeah.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
It's terrific!
The film moves down from the buildings to reveal the trio
sitting in David's Jaguar across the street. David and
April sit in the front seat; Holly sits scrunched up in
back, her head slightly forward.
DAVID
(gesturing, looking
back and forth from
the buildings to
Holly and April)
The design's deliberately
noncontextural. But I wanted to...
keep the atmosphere of the street,
you know, and the proportions.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Uh-huh.
DAVID
And in the material.
That's...that's unpolished red
granite.
(pausing as he
watches Holly and
April's reaction)
HOLLY
Oh!
APRIL
(overlapping)
Oh, is that what it is?
HOLLY
(starting to speak)
Uh--
. APRIL
(interrupting,
nodding at Holly)
I-i-it has an o-organic quality,
you know.
HOLLY
(nodding, overlapping)
Right.
APRIL
(looking back at the
building with reverence)
It's almost...almost, uhhh, entirely
wholly interdependent, if you know
what I mean. I-I... I can't put it
into words. The important thing
is-is-is it-it breathes.
DAVID
(turning to April, emphatically)
You know, April, people pass by
vital structures in this city all
the time, and they never take the
time to appreciate them. I get the
feeling you tune in to your
environment.
APRIL
(shaking her head)
Oh--
HOLLY
(interrupting,
gesturing and nodding)
Oh, it's really important.
David turns and briefly glances at Holly; he then turns back
to April.
APRIL
(looking only at David)
What are your favorite buildings,
David?
DAVID
You want to see some?
APRIL
(nodding)
Oh, yeah.
DAVID
Well, let's do it.
APRIL
(looking at David)
Great.
David starts the car and the movie cuts to an unfolding
visual excursion through New York City's landmark buildings,
as seen from the trio's point of view in the moving Jaguar.
Inspiring classical music plays in the background.
The series of shots includes the Dakota, complete with
surrounding winter trees, the Graybar building on Lexington
Avenue, an incredibly ornate building on Seventh Avenue and
Fifty-eighth Street, a red-stone church, an old building
with embellished, bulging windows on West Forty-fourth
Street, the Art Deco Chrysler Building, a red-brick building,
Abigail Adams's old stone house, and the Pomander Walk
nestled off Broadway on the Upper West Side. The group can
be seen walking down the path between the old-fashioned row
houses and shrubbery. A lamppost sits in the foreground.
It is now dark. The music continues to play as the film
cuts to the faзade of a rococo-style building, complete with
French doors and ornate windows. The admiring group is
heard offscreen.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Oh, it's just so romantic. I just
want to put on a long gown...
DAVID
(offscreen, overlapping)
Yes.
HOLLY
(offscreen, continuing)
...and open the French doors and go
on the balcony --
APRIL
(offscreen, interrupting)
It's French, though. It really is.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Yeah.
APRIL
(offscreen, overlapping)
It feels like you're in France.
DAVID
(offscreen, overlapping)
It-it is. It's romantic.
The music stops. The screen, which has been exploring the
rococo building's faзade, now shows the equally elegant
building alongside it.
DAVID
(offscreen)
And it's got a handsome partner
sitting right beside it.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Yeah.
DAVID
(offscreen, overlapping)
They fit right in together. And
your eye goes along, lulled into
complacency, and then...
The film moves from the two elegant faзade to show an ugly,
ultra-modern structure covered with tiny, diamond-shaped
motifs.
APRIL
(offscreen)
That's just --
DAVID
(offscreen, interrupting)
Look at this.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
That's disgusting!
APRIL
(offscreen, continuing)
...a monstrosity! Who would do that?
HOLLY
(offscreen, overlapping)
It's really terrible.
DAVID
(offscreen, emphatically)
It's really sad.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
And it ruins everything else.
DAVID
(offscreen, agreeing)
It does.
The film moves from the ugly faзade to the building's
equally ugly entrance. A large car is parked right in front
of the building.
APRIL
(offscreen)
Well...we have seen a lot of stuff
today, though.
HOLLY
(offscreen, chuckling)
Yeah.
DAVID
(offscreen, overlapping)
Yeah.
APRIL
(offscreen, overlapping)
A lot of works.
The group is now seen walking down the canopied entrance
stairs of an apartment house on the other side of the
street, where they'd been gazing at both the lovely and ugly
faзades across the way. David is in the lead; the women
follow, Holly slightly behind April.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Yeah.
DAVID
(glancing at his watch)
Maybe we should start thinking
about going home, huh?
HOLLY
Fast.
APRIL
Oh, geez, yeah.
HOLLY
(overlapped)
Okay.
They walk towards the car.
DAVID
(looking back at the
women as he walks
around the car to the
driver's side)
Uh, who gets dropped first?
APRIL
Uh --
HOLLY
(overlapping, looking
at April)
Oh, gee, I don't know. Um...
DAVID
(offscreen, overlapping)
Well...
APRIL
(overlapping)
Well, I live downtown.
HOLLY
(glancing at April)
Yeah, I, we both live downtown.
David leans over the roof of the car, looking at the women,
waiting for their decision.
APRIL
(gesturing)
Uh...
HOLLY
(to David)
It depends on what way you want to
go.
APRIL
(overlapping)
Well, wait. You know what? I know.
HOLLY
Uh...
APRIL
(to Holly, gesturing)
If...well, if we took the, if we
took Fifth, then-then-then we'd get
to your house first, yeah?
DAVID
(overlapping, nodding)
We could...we could do that.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Right. Yeah, but Fifth is so
jammed, isn't it?
She looks at David.
APRIL
(overlapping, to Holly)
Well, sometimes, some, uh...
HOLLY
(interrupting)
I mean, it's jammed. If we went...
um...
Both she and April mumble awkwardly.
DAVID
(pointing to Holly,
interrupting their chatter)
Y-you live in Chelsea, don't you?
HOLLY
(nodding at David)
Yes.
DAVID
Well, I-I guess if you live in
Chelsea, that's probably first.
HOLLY
(nodding nervously)
Oh, okay.
APRIL
Yeah.
DAVID
And then, uh, April...huh?
APRIL
(overlapping, nodding)
Great.
They get into the car. Once again Holly's in the backseat.
The classical music begins anew.
The movie cuts briefly to cut to the traffic and lights of a
Manhattan avenue as seen from the moving Jaguar. It then
moves to a close-up of Holly, sitting in the backseat, her
head near the window. She is staring straight ahead.
HOLLY (V.O.)
Naturally I get taken home first.
Well, obviously he prefers April.
Of course I was so tongue-tied all
night. I can't believe I said that
about the Guggenheim. My stupid
little roller-skating joke. I
should never tell jokes. Mom can
tell 'em and Hannah, but I kill 'em.
(glaring at the
offscreen April's back)
Where did April come up with that
stuff about Adolph Loos and terms
like "organic form"?
(looking out the side
window, pausing for a moment)
Well, naturally. She went to
Brandeis.
The movie cuts to Holly's point of view: the front seat
where David and April sit, the Jaguar's windshield, and the
passing lights and traffic of the street. Holly continues
her ruminations as April leans over to say something to David.
HOLLY (V.O.)
But I don't think she knows what
she's talking about. Could you
believe the way she was calling him
David? "Yes, David. I feel that
way, too, David. What a marvelous
space, David."
(emphatically)
I hate April. She's pushy.
The film moves back to Holly in the backseat, still lost in
thought.
HOLLY (V.O.)
Now they'll dump me and she'll
invite him up. I blew it.
(sighing, looking out
the side window)
And I really like him a lot. Oh,
screw it. I'm not gonna get all
upset. I've got reading to do
tonight. You know, maybe I'll get
into bed early. I'll turn to a
movie and take an extra Seconal.
The classical music stops and some uptempo jazz begins. The
screen cuts to black and a title appears.
"...nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands."
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE FREDERICK'S LOFT - DAY
The movie briefly holds on a ripped, red, paint-splattered
door as Elliot, wearing a raincoat, appears nearby. He
looks down the street and the film cuts to his point of
view: Frederick's loft building.
The movie goes back to the impatient Elliot; he's looking
around him. He glances at his watch as the film cuts back
once again to the loft building, where Lee finally appears,
walking down the street away from Elliot. A truck passes
down the street. Lee doesn't see him. She walks further
and further away; she turns a corner.
Elliot frantically looks around again; then, in a burst of
decision, he runs around a garbage dump, crossing the
street, and still running, he moves down an adjacent street,
past The Canal Lumber Company and several other buildings,
as the film cuts back to Lee, walking down a different
street, oblivious.
The jazz plays on as the movie cuts back and forth between
the fast-moving Elliot, rushing down the SoHo streets, past
a truck waiting for a light to change, past some pedestrians,
some garbage cans, turning corners, and the strolling Lee,
walking up different streets, past different buildings.
Lee eventually crosses a street, lost in thought, looking
right and left, as Elliot, pretending nonchalance, waits on
the corner, looking at his watch. She looks up in surprise;
the music stops.
ELLIOT
(trying not to sound
out of breath)
Oh, my goodness!
LEE
(overlapping, smiling
in surprise)
Oh, Elliot!
ELLIOT
Hi.
LEE
(smiling)
What are you doing here?
ELLIOT
(looking around, gesturing)
Well, I'm-I'm looking for a
bookstore.
LEE
(shaking her head)
Oh, what, in this section of town?
ELLIOT
Yes. Yeah, I-I'm kill--
LEE
(overlapping)
You're out looking here?
ELLIOT
(glancing at his
watch again)
Well, yes, I'm killing time. I
have a client near here and I...I'm
quite early.
LEE
(laughing)
Ohhhh!
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
How about you?
LEE
Oh. Well, I live--
ELLIOT
(interrupting, chuckling)
Oh, yes! You live near here, don't
you?
LEE
(overlapping, chuckling)
Yes, I do.
ELLIOT
(putting his hands
behind his back)
Where are you headed?
LEE
Oh, I was just going to my AA
meeting.
. ELLIOT
Oh, my goodness. Well, why do you
still go to those? You never tough
alcohol.
They begin to walk down the street.
LEE
(laughing)
Well, listen, you didn't know me
before Frederick. I'd...I'd start
with a beer at about ten in the
morning, and...go on.
ELLIOT
(looking at Lee)
Oh. You must have been, uh, very
unhappy.
LEE
Yeah, unhappy and fat.
(chuckling)
And I still find the meetings very
comforting, you know.
She shrugs.
ELLIOT
I'll never understand it. You're
so bright and charming and beautiful.
LEE
(laughing)
Oh, God.
ELLIOT
(overlapping, chuckling)
I think to myself
(laughing)
what problems could she possibly
have?
LEE
(gesturing, laughing)
Don't let me get started on my
childhood.
(stopping in her
tracks, remembering)
Oh, you know what? There is a
bookstore.
ELLIOT
(stopping alongside her)
Yes?
. LEE
(overlapping, pointing)
A couple of blocks from here. If
you don't know about it, you should.
You'd really love it.
ELLIOT
Yes?
LEE
(nodding)
Yeah, you would.
ELLIOT
(looking around for a
moment, then gesturing
to Lee)
Well, i-if-if you have some free
time...
LEE
(nodding)
Yeah, sure.
(chuckling)
ELLIOT
Thank you.
They begin to walk again as the movie cuts to the interior
of the Pageant Book & Print Shop, an old, serious bookstore.
A nude print hangs at the end of one of the library shelf-
like bookcases, which are packed, row after row, with books.
An unseen Elliot and Lee carry on a conversation as the
camera moves down an aisle, past the rows of books. A piano
playing "Bewitched" is heard. Pictures hang on the aisle
ends of the shelves.
LEE
(offscreen)
Isn't this great?
(chuckling)
They have everything here.
ELLIOT
(offscreen, distracted)
Yes, it's-it's wonderful.
LEE
(offscreen)
What book did you want to buy?
. ELLIOT
(offscreen)
What? Book?
LEE
(offscreen)
Your book? You wanted to buy a book?
The camera moves past another aisle of books to reveal Lee,
browsing through a shelf.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Oh, book? Oh, no, I...
(laughing)
I'm killing time. I...I-I just,
uh, w-want to browse, uh...
LEE
(looking up at a row
of books)
Well, you sure picked the right
place. I mean, you can stay here
all afternoon, not buy anything and
just read.
She walks down a center aisle, the camera still in its
parallel aisle, following her.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Unless, of course, if-if you had
some time, I mean, we could get
some coffee.
LEE
No, I don't have time.
Lee stops at the row where Elliot has been browsing. She is
hidden by a shelf; only Elliot is seen as he talks to the
offscreen Lee.
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
No, no. I-I-I understand completely.
No problem. Y-you're busy. I-I-I...
LEE
(offscreen, chuckling)
You seem tense. Is everything all
right? You feel okay?
ELLIOT
(overlapping)
No! No...
LEE
(offscreen)
No?
ELLIOT
(gesturing, looking
at books)
Uh, yes!
LEE
(offscreen)
Yes?
Elliot starts walking down the center aisle, in the same
direction Lee had walked up. He continues to talk to her as
she remains offscreen in a nearby row.
ELLIOT
(offscreen
momentarily, hidden
by a shelf as he talks)
Yes.
LEE
(offscreen)
Everything's okay?
(chuckling)
ELLIOT
Yeah. How are you?
LEE
(offscreen)
I'm...all right.
ELLIOT
(offscreen
momentarily, hidden
by another shelf as
he walks)
How-how's Frederick?
Elliot stops walking to browse through some books.
"Bewitched" still plays.
LEE
(offscreen)
Fine. Oh, we went to the Caravaggio
exhibition at the Met. It's such a
treat to go through a museum with
Frederick. I mean...you learn so
much. Do you like Caravaggio?
ELLIOT
(turning to talk to
the offscreen Lee)
Oh, yes. Who doesn't?
(pointing)
Look!
Elliot turns and walks back down the center aisle to a row
of books he'd already passed.
ELLIOT
(pointing to a book
on a shelf, continuing)
e.e. cummings. I'd like to get you
this.
LEE
(offscreen, laughing)
Oh, no, I can't let you get me that.
That's too much.
ELLIOT
(pulling the book off
the shelf and browsing
through it)
Oh, oh, yes. I-I-I-'d like to, uh,
uh, very much.
LEE
(offscreen)
No, I don't think so.
ELLIOT
(gesturing with the
book, looking at the
offscreen Lee)
I-I read a poem of you and thought
of his last week.
(nervously laughing,
trying to correct his mistake)
A poem of
(laughing)
his and thought of you last--
(laughing)
You'll be fine, though.
(chuckling)
.Lee walks over to Elliot in the center aisle. She looks at
the book.
LEE
(overlapping)
Uh, uh, this is great. I mean, I
love e.e. cummings, but I can't let
you get this.
ELLIOT
(overlapping, patting
the book)
Yes, I'd...I-I-I'd love, I'd love
to get you this.
LEE
(looking down at the book)
Well, sure.
ELLIOT
(overlapping)
And-and maybe, um...maybe we could
discuss it sometime.
He hands Lee the book. She thumbs through it, as the movie
cuts to:
The street outside the bookstore. Lee, holding the book in
a brown bag, and Elliot are walking out.
LEE
(laughing, holding up
the bag)
Well, thanks a lot.
ELLIOT
(pointing to the bookstore)
Thanks for showing me the bookstore.
Perhaps you could, uh, take me to
an AA meeting sometime. Uh...uh,
I'd love to see what goes on.
LEE
(nodding)
Well, yeah, yeah. You'd love it.
It's really entertaining. You'd
have a good time.
(stepping closer to
the curb and hailing
a cab)
I know you would.
ELLIOT
(pointing to the book)
And, uh, d-don't forget the poem on
page a hundred and twelve. It
reminded me of you.
A taxi pulls over to the curb; they walk over to it.
LEE
(laughing)
Really? Well...
Elliot opens the rear door for Lee. She laughs as she gets
in.
ELLIOT
(leaning down to talk
to Lee in the cab)
Page a hundred and twelve.
LEE
Bye.
ELLIOT
(closing the taxi
door for Lee)
Bye.
He watches the taxi pull away.
CUT TO:
INT. FREDERICK'S LOFT BEDROOM - NIGHT
Lee, in slacks and shirt, is curled up on the bed, her back
to the camera, as she reads the e.e. cummings poem in the
glow of a night-table lamp. The piano music is still heard.
LEE (V.O.)
(reading)
"your slightest look easily will
unclose me
though I have closed myself as
fingers,
you open always petal by petal
myself...
As Lee continues to read aloud, the movie cuts to Elliot's
darkened den, lit by a light in the hallway. Elliot enters,
wearing a robe, crossing the room in the dark.
LEE (V.O.)
(continuing reading)
"...as Spring opens
[touching skillfully, mysteriously]
her first rose
[i do not know what it is about you
that closes and opens;
only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper
than
all roses]...
Elliot turns on a light. The camera stays on his face as he
looks off into the distance, mouthing indistinctly the line
of poetry Lee next reads.
LEE (V.O.)
(continuing reading)
"nobody, not even the rain, has
such small hands."
The film leaves Elliot's face and cuts back to the loft,
where Lee, having finished the poem, sits up in the bed,
staring pensively, lost in her thoughts.
CUT TO:
The anxiety of the man in the booth.
Upbeat jazz begins to play and the film cuts to:
The faзade of Mount Sinai Hospital. It is day. A few cars
whiz by as the film moves inside, to various scenes depicting
Mickey's comprehensive exam.
First is a hearing test, and the movie cuts to a darkened
hearing-test room. A light goes on, revealing a slouched-
over Mickey sitting in a glass booth. He is wearing a set
of headphones. The camera moves back, revealing a technician
at the console on the other side of the booth. Mickey
signals with his finger when he hears a sound on his headset.
The jazz continues.
Next is an electronystagmography (ENG). Graph paper rolls
out of a machine, and after a brief glimpse of the rolling
paper, the camera moves over to show Mickey lying terrified,
without his glasses, on a couch, with electrodes stuck all
over his head.
The film then cuts to a BSER test room, where Mickey,
sitting in a corner chair, wears another set of headphones.
An electrode is attached to his forehead; a nearby technician
sits at a computer video screen, looking at a monitoring
graph.
.Last but not least is the tomography. Over the shoulders of
a technician in a booth, a large window displays a huge,
white rotating machine. It makes a whooshing noise as it
turns. The camera moves down the giant cranelike device to
reveal Mickey, once again lying down, this time on a table,
his eyes closed, underneath it.
CUT TO:
INT. DR. GREY'S OFFICE - DAY
A sitting Dr. Grey, his back to the camera, is examining a
group of X-rays clipped to the light board behind his desk.
DR. GREY
I wasn't too happy with the results
of your ENG or your BSER either.
The doctor turns his chair around to face a tense Mickey
sitting on the other side of his desk.
DR. GREY
Uh, which is why I sent you to
Tomography, which was all that
stuff you saw rolling around.
(pointing to a spot
on one of the X-rays)
You see this little gray area here?
Mickey stares at the X-ray, horrified.
DR. GREY
That gray area's what I had hoped
that we wouldn't run into. I'd
like you to come in Monday morning
for, uh, a CAT scan.
MICKEY
(reacting)
A brain scan?
DR. GREY
(gesturing)
Mr. Sachs, let's take one step at a
time. We won't make any decisions
until we have all the information
in front of us, all right?
CUT TO:
EXT. MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL - DAY
Mickey is seen leaving the hospital. He strides slowly, his
shoulders slouched, his hands in his pockets.
.His voice is heard over the screen as he crosses the street,
continuing his self-absorbed walk on the opposite side.
Occasional traffic goes by.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Okay...take it easy. He didn't say
you had anything. He just doesn't
like the spot on your X-ray, that's
all. It doesn't mean you have
anything. Don't jump to conclusions.
(sighing)
Nothing's gonna happen to you.
You're in the middle of New York
City. This is your town. You're
surrounded by people and traffic
and restaurants.
Mickey brushes against a heavyset man who gives him a nasty
look. Mickey is so dazed, he doesn't even notice.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I mean, God, how can you, how can
you just one day...vanish? Keep
calm. You're gonna be okay. Don't
panic.
CUT TO:
INT. MICKEY'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM LOFT - NIGHT
The dark bedroom is abruptly lit as Mickey, lying in his
bed, wakes up with a start and turns on his night-table lamp.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I'm dying! I'm dying! I know it!
There's a spot on my lungs!
(sitting up, putting
on his glasses)
All right now, take it easy, will
you? It's not on your lungs. It's
on your ear. No, it's the same
thing, isn't it?
(pulling the sheets
off and sitting on
the edge of his bed)
Oh, jeez, I can't sleep! Oh, God,
there's a tumor in my head the size
of a basketball!
(putting on his slippers)
N-now I keep thinking I can feel it
every time I blink! Oh, Jesus!
He-he-he wants me to do a brain
scan to confirm what he already
suspects.
Mickey, still ruminating, stands up. Fixing his pants, he
walks out of his bedroom loft into a dark upper hallway.
MICKEY (V.O.)
(running his hand
along a banister)
Look...I'll make a deal with God.
Let it just be my ear, okay? I'll
go deaf. I'll go deaf and blind in
one eye maybe. But I don't want a
brain operation! Once they go into
my skull, I'll-I'll wind up like
the guy with the, with the wool cap
who delivers for the florist!
He walks down a spiral staircase into the dark living room.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Oh, relax, will ya? Your whole
life you run to doctors. The news
is always fine.
(pausing at the
bottom of the stairs)
That's not true. What about years
ago?
The film cuts to a flashback of Mickey's past. Dr. Smith,
sitting behind his desk, faces the camera. Rows of
periodicals line the wall behind him.
DR. SMITH
(gesturing with one hand)
I'm sorry to say, Mr. Sachs, that
you cannot have children.
The camera moves to Dr. Smith's point of view: Hannah and
Mickey, sitting on the opposite side of the desk. They look
stunned.
MICKEY
(reacting, putting
his hands across his chest)
Gee.
HANNAH
(reacting)
Is there no chance?
DR. SMITH
(getting up from his desk)
Well, naturally, this doesn't mean
that you can't have a normal sex
life.
(walking over to the
opened office door
and closing it)
But Mr. Sachs's tests indicate that
he is infertile. Small sperm
volume and infertile.
The camera moves back to the stunned Mickey and Hannah,
following Dr. Smith with their eyes.
MICKEY
(gesturing, looking
up at an offscreen Dr.
Smith)
Isn't there anything I can do?
Push-ups or hormones?
DR. SMITH
(offscreen)
I'm afraid not.
MICKEY
Well, I gotta get a second opinion.
HANNAH
(turning to Mickey)
This is the second opinion.
MICKEY
(shrugging)
Well, then a third opinion.
Dr. Smith walks back to his high-backed leather chair behind
the desk and sits down. As he talks, the camera moves
closer and closer to his face.
DR. SMITH
I realize this is a blow. My
experience is that many very fine
marriages become unstable and are
destroyed by an inability to deal
with this sort of problem. I hope
you won't make too much of it. One
can adopt children, and there are
various artificial methods of
fertilization.
CUT TO:
.EXT. GROVE STREET IN GREENWICH VILLAGE - DAY
Mickey and Hannah walk on the sidewalk, oblivious of the
passing pedestrians. Hannah, crying, blows her nose.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I'm so humiliated. I don't know
what to say. I mean--
HANNAH
(interrupting, wiping
her eyes with her tissue)
Could you have ruined yourself
somehow?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
How could I ruin myself? What do
you mean, ruin myself?
HANNAH
(overlapping, looking
at Mickey)
I don't know. Excessive
masturbation?
MICKEY
Hey, you gonna start knocking my
hobbies? Jesus!
Hannah sobs, clutching her tissue to her face.
MICKEY
Maybe, maybe we can adopt a child.
He said you could adopt one--
HANNAH
(interrupting)
Well, what about artificial
insemination?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
What are you talking about?
HANNAH
(overlapping)
You know, where I-I-I would get
implanted from a-a donor.
MICKEY
(reacting)
What, by a st-stranger?
Deep in conversation, they cross a tree-lined street. They
pass a yellow wood-frame house bordered by a wrought-iron
fence.
HANNAH
Yeah, they have these banks, you
know, where they keep them frozen.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Fro--? You want a-a defrosted kid?
Is that your idea?
HANNAH
I want to experience childbirth.
MICKEY
With a, with a stranger? With a--
HANNAH
(interrupting, sniffing)
Just think about it. That's all I
ask.
They walk offscreen and the film cuts to Hannah and Mickey's
living room. The room is brightly lit; it's cluttered with
pillows and plants. Norman and Carol, his wife, sit on the
couch drinking coffee.
CAROL
(putting down her cup)
Oh, that was a wonderful show. I
think that's the best show you two
ever wrote.
NORMAN
(holding his cup,
pointing emphatically)
No, the funniest show that Mickey
and I ever did was the one we won
the Emmy for.
Mickey walks from the kitchen into the living room, holding
a half-eaten chocolate cake on a serving plate. The sun
pours through the windows he passes. Hannah is briefly seen
in the background, preparing more coffee in the kitchen.
MICKEY
Yeah...I-I think as, I think as far
as laughs, I mean just plain
laughs, you know, that was probably
the best thing that we ever did.
Mickey puts the cake down on the coffee table, which is
already crowded with assorted plants, plates, and a bamboo
tray holding utensils and napkins.
NORMAN
(agreeing)
Mm-hm.
CAROL
(overlapping, her
hands over her
crossed knees and nodding)
Yeah, it was funny, it was very
funny. But the show was about the
two Frenchmen, now that was funny
and it was warm.
Mickey sighs and flops down on an adjoining couch. He rubs
his forehead.
NORMAN
(to Carol, gesturing
with his cup)
We got that idea on that trip to
Paris.
CAROL
(nodding)
Right.
NORMAN
(smiling)
Hmm?
CAROL
(to the offscreen Hannah)
Do you remember that summer in
France? Hannah, you had jet lag
for six straight weeks.
Norman chuckles.
MICKEY
(sighing, almost mumbling)
Yeah, but it was, you know, I guess
we had fun when we were there and,
you know, it's just, I--
NORMAN
(overlapping, nodding)
Mm-hm.
Hannah walks over to the group, holding a pot of coffee.
She awkwardly steps past Mickey to pour coffee for Norman
and Carol.
HANNAH
(to Mickey)
Sorry.
(to Norman and Carol)
Coffee? Listen, you guys, we
were-- You want some more?
NORMAN
(holding out his cup)
Mmm.
HANNAH
(refilling Norman's cup)
We-we...we had something we-we
really wanted to discuss with you.
MICKEY
(overlapping, coughing)
Yeah...
Hannah refills Carol's cup. She puts the pot down on the
coffee table and sits down next to Mickey.
MICKEY
(standing up and gesturing)
Jeez, this is, this is, this is
very delicate and-and I only bring
this up amongst friends, you know.
He starts to pace. Hannah, her hands clasped near her face,
glances briefly at Carol.
MICKEY
(turning to the group
as he paces behind
the couch)
I mean...
(grunting)
this is, uh... this should not go
any further than this room.
NORMAN
(sipping his coffee)
I'm all ears.
Hannah sighs. Mickey pauses for a moment, collecting his
thoughts.
MICKEY
(gesturing and pacing)
Hannah and I...can't have any
children. Now I-I-I don't want to
get into whose fault it--
(gesturing)
It's my fault that we can't and-
and-and the details are too
embarrassing to--
HANNAH
(interrupting,
nervously picking at
her fingers)
W-w-we-we've decided after a lot of
discussion that we-we'd try with
artificial insemination.
Mickey stops his pacing and looks at the group.
MICKEY
(putting his hands on
his hips)
Yeah, I'm not so sure that I, that
I like that idea myself, anyway--
He starts to pace behind the couch anew.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Um, I-I didn't really want to, you
know, go to a sperm bank or
something, have some anonymous
donor.
(gesturing at Norman
and Carol)
I-I just, you know, I-I-I wouldn't
want that.
MICKEY
(pacing)
Right. We felt that if we were
gonna do it, that we would like
somebody who we knew and who we
liked and who was warm and bright
and...
Norman and Carol remain silent.
HANNAH
And you can say no... you know.
Feel free to say no. W-we realize
it has all kinds of implications.
Mickey stops pacing and leans on the couch behind Norman.
MICKEY
Yeah, but the-the point that, uh,
that we're making here is that we
need some sperm.
Mickey, rubbing his hands on his knees, leans back against
the wall. Norman and Carol turn to each other, reacting.
NORMAN
(sighing)
Gee.
(chuckling)
Well... My first reaction after the
initial shock is, uh, flattered
that you would ask me.
(chuckling nervously)
Carol glances at Norman.
MICKEY
(pointing at himself)
Yeah, well, I would be the father.
(pointing to Norman)
You would just have to masturbate
into a little cup.
NORMAN
(shrugging)
I can handle that.
HANNAH
(scooting closer to
Carol and Norman on
the couch, gesturing)
Obviously we wou-wouldn't have
intercourse.
She chuckles nervously.
CAROL
(to Hannah, chuckling
nervously briefly)
Gosh, listen.
(rubbing her nose)
I've gotta tell you the truth here.
I'm a little uneasy about this.
HANNAH
(putting her hand on
Carol's shoulder)
Carol, I know it's a lot to ask.
CAROL
(gesturing)
Well...I feel for you. I do.
I...I'm gonna cry. You want my
husband to have a child with you?
HANNAH
(gesturing)
Ye-- D-d-d-don't answer now. Just,
you know, take it home and think
about it for a while.
NORMAN
(holding his coffee
cup, thoughtful)
I gave blood before and, uh...
clothing to the poor.
CAROL
(to Norman, scratching
her ear)
Okay, Norman, listen, I really want
to talk about this at home.
(nodding as Hannah
looks briefly
offscreen at Mickey)
I think it's a matter for your
analyst...and mine.
NORMAN
(emphatically)
And maybe my lawyer.
He takes a sip of coffee.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
You know, we-we understand
completely if, you know, if you
feel you'd-you'd rather not.
(chuckling nervously)
I didn't mean to spoil the evening.
(rubbing her hands)
Now let's move on to another topic.
Hannah reaches for the cake as Carol and Norman exchange
glances, reacting.
The flashback ends. Mickey is back in the present in his
darkened living room, illuminated by a glow from a window
behind the couch. A coffee table sits in front of the couch.
Papers are scattered on the floor. Mickey gets up from the
couch where he'd been sitting. He paces back and forth as
he talks over the screen.
MICKEY (V.O.)
So you had my ex-partner's baby.
Twins. Maybe that did cause some
trouble, but
(sighing)
I think we were drifting apart
anyhow. Now instead of man and
wife we're just good friends. Boy,
love is really unpredictable.
CUT TO:
INT. METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE - NIGHT
Manon Lescaut is being performed. Onstage, the soprano in
the title role sings a mournful aria as she kneels by the
ruins of a wagon. The background is dark. The film moves
up to the private boxes in the upper loge. David and Holly
can be seen from a distance sitting in one of the boxes.
David glances at her; he reaches down for a bottle of wine.
The movie briefly cuts back to the stage. The soprano is
leaning on a wagon wheel; her voice soars. Then it's back
to a closer look at Holly and David in their box. The aria
continues as David hands a smiling Holly a glass. He
uncorks the wine and pours some in both their glasses.
Holly mouths a thank you, glancing around. They look at
each other and raise their glasses in a toast.
CUT TO:
Dusty bought this huge house in Southampton.
The opera audience is heard cheering, applauding, and
sounding their "Bravos."
The clapping stops as the movie cuts to Frederick's loft.
It is day. Lee, wearing a baggy plaid shirt and jeans, has
opened the door for Elliot and his client, wealthy rock star
Dusty Frye.
ELLIOT
(leading the way into
the loft, gesturing)
Lee, Frederick...say hello to Dusty
Frye.
Lee closes the door behind the men and walks over to Dusty.
LEE
(shaking Dusty's hand)
Hi, Dusty.
DUSTY
Hi.
Lee chuckles as she looks at him; he is wearing sunglasses,
a red-imprinted T-shirt, and a baggy coat. She turns and
walks with Frederick, Elliot, and Dusty farther into the
loft, her hands clasped behind her back.
ELLIOT
(as he walks)
Dusty's just bought a huge house in
Southampton and he's in the process
of decorating it.
DUSTY
Yeah. It's kind of a weird place,
actually. A lotta wall space.
(chuckling)
LEE
Oh.
They walk into the living room area of the loft, where
Frederick, his hands in his pockets, neatly attired in vest
sweater and white shirt, stands, waiting.
DUSTY
(to Frederick, giving
him a "hip" handshake)
How ya doin', man?
ELLIOT
(to a less than
enthusiastic Frederick)
I told him about your work, and
he's very excited.
DUSTY
Yeah, I got an Andy Warhol. And I
got a Frank Stella, too. Oh, it's
very beautiful.
(gesturing)
Big, weird...you know.
(chuckling as he
crosses his arms on
his chest)
If you stare at that Stella too
long, the colors just seem to float.
It's kinda weird.
Frederick covers his face to hide his disgust.
LEE
(chuckling, her arms crossed)
Are you excited about becoming a
collector?
. DUSTY
Yeah.
LEE
(nodding)
Yeah?
DUSTY
(shrugging)
I got a lot more to learn, though.
I really wasn't into art when I was
a kid.
LEE
(nodding)
Uh-huh.
FREDERICK
(addressing but not
looking at Dusty)
Do you appreciate drawings?
DUSTY
(shrugging)
Yeah.
(chuckling as he
notices and points to
some offscreen
drawings Frederick
has set up)
Oh! Hey! Wow!
(pointing to an
offscreen nude drawing)
She's beautiful. But, uh, really,
I-I-I-I need something... I'm
looking for something big.
As Dusty talks, the camera follows Elliot, who walks past
the others to examine the drawings more closely. Two framed
nude drawings of Lee are propped up on an easel. Elliot
glances admiringly at the drawings, then surreptitiously at
Lee, admiring her body as she converses with an offscreen
Dusty and Frederick.
LEE
(looking at an
offscreen Frederick, gesturing)
Big. Frederick, show him the oils.
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
They're in the basement.
The camera leaves Elliot to follow the enthusiastic Lee as
she takes Dusty by the arm and starts leading him to the
door. Frederick follows at a distance.
LEE
(to Dusty)
Frederick's done this whole new
series that I'm sure you would
really love.
DUSTY
(overlapping, muttering)
Well, are...are they big?
LEE
Yeah. Some of them...yeah, some of
them are very big.
DUSTY
'Cause I got a lot of wall space
there.
(chuckling)
FREDERICK
(angrily stopping in
his tracks)
I don't sell my work by the yard!
LEE
(chuckling, reacting)
Oh, Frederick!
The camera now moves back to Elliot, still staring at the
nude drawings, as the sounds of Frederick's and Dusty's
footsteps are heard leaving the loft. He turns and
hesitantly smiles to an offscreen Lee.
ELLIOT
(chuckling softly)
How's everything?
LEE
(walking onscreen
towards Elliot)
Oh, you know...I talked to Hannah
this morning on the phone, and she
said that you two might be going to
the country for the weekend.
ELLIOT
Yeah, she loves to go out in the
woods.
LEE
(nodding, her arms
clasped around her chest)
Oh, yeah.
ELLIOT
(chuckling)
But I go nuts. It's a conflict.
He laughs. Lee, uneasy, looks down.
LEE
I have to get my teeth cleaned this
week.
ELLIOT
Oh, that's nice.
There's an awkward moment of silence.
ELLIOT
(breaking the silence,
pointing in the
direction of the door)
I figured I'd get, uh, Frederick
and Dusty together.
LEE
(looking in the same
direction, gesturing)
Oh, yeah, that's really nice of you.
ELLIOT
Yes. This kid, he's earned a
trillion dollars.
LEE
(nodding, wrapping
her arms around her
chest again)
Oh.
ELLIOT
He's got like six gold records.
LEE
(gesturing, relieved
that she's found
something to say)
Oh, speaking of records...I bought
that Mozart Trio you recommended...
The camera follows Lee as she walks quickly to the stereo
unit, pulling a record off the shelf.
LEE
(continuing)
...and the man in the record shop
showed me another one that I think
you'd love. It's a... another
Bach, second movement.
She pulls the record out of its jacket and puts it on the
turntable.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Oh, you-you have that one?
LEE
(working at the
stereo, turning her
head towards Elliot)
Yeah.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Oh, I would love to hear it.
Bach's Concerto for Harpsichord fills the room.
LEE
(putting the turntable
cover in place)
Oh, and Holly met a wonderful man
who loves opera. An architect.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Oh, that's nice. I'd love to see
her wind up settled. She's a tense
one.
(chuckling)
The record in place, Lee turns and leans back against the
stereo unit. She listens to the music, her eyes closed.
The record plays for a few moments in the quiet room, as
Elliot walks over to Lee and leans against the shelf near her.
LEE
(intently)
Isn't that beautiful?
ELLIOT
(looking at Lee, his
hands clasped in
front of him)
I know this. Bach. F Minor
Concerto. It's one of my favorites.
Lee, smiling, continues to listen to the music, her head
down; Elliot stares at her.
ELLIOT
(after a pause)
Uh...did you ever get around to e.e.
cummings?
LEE
(wrapping her arms
around her chest and
looking away from
Elliot for a moment)
Yes, he's just adorable.
Elliot nods.
LEE
(awkwardly)
They have a very large gay
clientele, you know, where I get my
teeth cleaned, and...all the
hygienists now wear gloves because
they're afraid of AIDS.
ELLIOT
(taking a breath)
Oh, right.
There is another moment of silence. Elliot stares at Lee,
who continues to look down, her arms around her chest. The
harpsichord plays on.
ELLIOT
(softly)
Did you ever get around to the poem
on page a hundred and twelve?
LEE
Yes, it made me cry
(tentatively looking
at Elliot)
it was so beautiful...so romantic.
Lee looks down again; the music plays softly and Elliot
continues to stare at her, thinking.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I want so badly to kiss her. Not
here, you idiot. You've got to get
her alone someplace.
As Elliot's thoughts are heard over the scene, Lee glances
around the loft, then begins to walk away. The camera
follows her as she goes past the nude drawings, which become
the focus of attention as Lee walks offscreen.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
But I've got to proceed cautiously.
This is a very delicate situation.
Okay, uh...ask her if you can see
her for lunch or a drink tomorrow.
Lee walks back onscreen, to the bookshelf behind the drawings.
She takes the e.e. cummings book from the shelf and flips
through it as she walks back to Elliot, who is still leaning
by the stereo, still ruminating.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
And be ready to make light of the
offer if she's unresponsive. This
has to be done very skillfully,
very diplomatically.
LEE
(showing Elliot a
poem in her book)
Did you ever read this one--?
Elliot leaps up, grabs Lee, and kisses her passionately.
Lee, surprised, pushes him away.
LEE
Elliot! Don't!
ELLIOT
Lee! Lee! Lee, I'm in love with
you.
He kisses Lee again. He clumsily turns around; she humps
against the stereo unit. As Lee pulls away, she smashes
into the turntable. The needle scratches loudly. Lee,
shocked, is gasping. The record, pushed to a different part
of the concerto, now plays a more complicated, faster fugue.
ELLIOT
(breathing hard)
Oh!
LEE
(gasping)
What are you doing?!
ELLIOT
(frantically)
I...I'm-I'm-I'm-I'm sorry. I have
to talk to you for... There's so
much that I want to tell you.
Lee stares at Elliot in shock.
LEE
(still gasping)
Elliot!
ELLIOT
(gesturing desperately)
I have been in love with you for so
long.
Frederick and Dusty's indistinct voices, raised in argument,
are suddenly heard. Elliot quickly turns away from Lee.
She tries to compose herself and the film cuts to the loft
entranceway. Frederick enters the loft first, followed by a
confused Dusty. They stride across the loft past Lee, who
is standing by the stereo. Elliot, standing near the nude
drawings, is looking through a book.
FREDERICK
(angrily)
Please forget it! I don't have any
interest in selling anything!
DUSTY
(gesturing)
I ask you if you have something
with a little puce in it, you gotta
fly off the handle!
LEE
(in a slightly
higher-pitched voice)
What's the problem?
FREDERICK
(pulling the nude
drawings off his
easel angrily)
I'm not interested in what your
interior decorator would think,
okay?!
DUSTY
(overlapping, gesturing)
Well, I can't commit to anything
without consulting her first.
That's what I have her for, okay?
FREDERICK
(carrying the drawings
off)
This is degrading! You don't buy
paintings to blend in with the sofa!
DUSTY
(looking after Frederick)
It's not a sofa, it's an ottoman!
(touching his
forehead, turning to Elliot)
God, forget it! Let's just get
outta here, Elliot.
ELLIOT
(putting down the book)
We'll go.
The film moves outside the loft building. Dusty and Elliot
emerge and walk to Dusty's waiting limousine. Elliot is
rubbing his forehead, anguished.
DUSTY
(angrily, getting
into the car)
What a weirdo that guy is! Paranoid.
(noticing Elliot's
anguished face)
What's the matter with you?
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
Look I-I-I'll be okay. I'll be okay.
DUSTY
(overlapping)
It's not that big a deal. We just
didn't hit it off.
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
Now, look, you-you-you go on ahead.
DUSTY
Are you okay? You look-- You're
sweatin'.
. ELLIOT
(overlapping, nervously)
Yeah. Yeah, I just-just need so-
some-some fresh air. It's probably
something I ate. I'll-I'll walk.
You go ahead.
Dusty settles down in the backseat and closes the door.
Elliot leans down to the chauffeur's window, signaling for
him to start driving.
ELLIOT
(continuing, gesturing)
You go. Go on. Go.
The limousine drives off. Elliot runs to a phone booth
across the street. He picks up the phone and dials.
The film cuts to Frederick in his loft, standing near the
phone. It rings. Frederick picks it up.
FREDERICK
(into the telephone)
Hello? Hello? Hello?
When no one answers, Frederick, reacting, hangs up, and the
film moves back outside to the phone booth, where Elliot,
the phone receiver to his ear, listens for a moment, then
hangs up. He walks out of the booth, reacting, then walks
down the sidewalk, where he bumps into a frantic Lee, just
turning the corner.
LEE
(gesturing in relief)
Oh! There you are!
Elliot mumbles, relieved and confused.
LEE
I was looking for you.
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
I, I must apologize. I-I'm, I-I'm
sorry. I'm so mixed up.
LEE
(gesturing)
Well, how do you expect me to react
to such a thing?
Elliot, uneasy, glances up in the direction of Frederick's
loft. He leads Lee a few yards up the street, away from any
prying eyes.
ELLIOT
(taking Lee's arm)
Wh--, uh, I know, I know but, I am
in love with you.
LEE
Oh, don't say those words!
ELLIOT
(overlapping, shaking
his head)
I-I, I'm sorry. I know it's
terrible.
LEE
(pushing back her
hair, shaking her
head hopelessly)
Why, you know the situation.
She sighs.
ELLIOT
(looking away for a moment)
I know! I-I-I-I, I realize.
LEE
What do you expect me to say?
ELLIOT
Hannah and I are in the last stages.
LEE
(shaking her head)
Wh-- She's never said anything, and
we're very close. She'd tell me
such a thing.
ELLIOT
Wh--, it-it-it-it, it's so sad.
She's crazy about me, but somewhere
on the, along the line, I've fallen
out of love with her.
LEE
Not because of me, I hope.
ELLIOT
Oh, no, no.
(nodding)
Well, yes! I love you.
LEE
Oh, I can't be the cause of anything
between you and Hannah. I jus--
ELLIOT
(overlapping, shaking
his head)
Oh, no, no, no. It, uh, it-it-it-
it was i-inevitable that Hannah and
I part, anyway.
LEE
Why?
ELLIOT
Tch, w-well, for a million reasons.
LEE
(gesturing)
But not over me?
ELLIOT
Tch, no! We were, we were both
going in different directions.
LEE
(looking down)
Poor Hannah.
ELLIOT
But-but, but how about you? Do
you, do you share any of my feelings?
Or is this just an unpleasant
embarrassment to you?
LEE
(reacting uneasily)
I can't say anything!
ELLIOT
W-well, please be candid. I, I-I
don't want you to feel bad.
LEE
(putting her hand to
her head)
Yes! But I...I have certain
feelings for you, but don't make me
say anything more, all right?
Lee looks at him.
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
O-o-o-okay, Lee. Okay, okay. You,
you, y-you've said enough. It's my
responsibility now. I will work
things out.
LEE
Look, don't do anything on my
behalf.
(shaking her head)
I live with Frederick, and Hannah
and I are close.
ELLIOT
Yes, but you, you do care about me.
LEE
(reacting)
Oh, Elliot, please! I can't be a
party to this! I'm suddenly
wracked with guilt just standing
her talking to you on the street!
She sighs.
ELLIOT
(emphatically)
Your guilt is because you feel the
same.
LEE
(reacting)
Oh, please, I have to go. I have
to get my teeth cleaned.
She walks off. Elliot stares after her, grinning.
ELLIOT
(happily)
I have my answer. I have my answer!
I'm walking on air!
He laughs.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET CORNER OUTSIDE EVAN AND NORMA'S APARTMENT
BUILDING - DAY
A taxi turns a West Side street corner and stops in front of
Evan and Norma's building, which is decorated with a long
metal awning. It's an overcast day.
A station wagon on the opposite side of the street pulls
away as Hannah, a white scarf fluttering over her shoulder,
gets out of the cab. She runs into the building; the taxi
drives away. A piano plays "Bewitched" over the screen.
CUT TO:
INT. EVAN AND NORMA'S APARTMENT - DAY
Evan, his back to the camera, walks to the front door and
opens it to Hannah.
HANNAH
(distracted)
Hi. How's she doing?
EVAN
(overlapping)
I am glad to see you.
Hannah takes off her shoulder bag and her coat as her
aggravated father walks past her towards the kitchen. He
passes a wall with an ornate mirror and some framed
photographs.
EVAN
She's in the kitchen there. It's
the same thing. Same thing. She
promises, promises.
(gesturing)
But it's all lies.
Through a doorway, Norma can be seen sitting on a chair in
the kitchen. She wears a robe over a slip and stockings;
she's drinking. Evan stands in the doorway looking at her;
he doesn't go in.
HANNAH
(offscreen, patiently)
Don't make it worse, Dad.
EVAN
(overlapping)
Always.
Hannah hurriedly passes her father and enters the kitchen;
her mother takes a sip of her drink.
HANNAH
Hi, Mom. How you doing? Here, let
me get you some coffee. That's
enough of that.
(taking away her
mother's drink, to Evan)
What triggered it?
EVAN
(gesturing, as Norma
turns her head and
watches him)
We were making a commercial down at
the mayor's office, and there was
this young, good-looking salesman...
Norma reacts, turning to her daughter. Hannah, however, has
her back turned. She is busy taking charge in the kitchen
as Evan speaks. She takes some pills out of a cupboard and
hands them to her mother with a glass of water.
EVAN
(continuing)
...and your mother was throwing
herself at him in a disgusting way,
and when she found she was too old
to seduce him, that he was just
embarrassed by her--
NORMA
(angrily interrupting,
turning her head)
Liar! Liar!
The camera moves to Evan, who continues to tell his story,
ignoring his wife's outburst, as he walks away from the
kitchen doorway into the den.
EVAN
Then at lunch she got drunker and
drunker
(shouting over his shoulder)
and finally she became Joan Collins!
Evan walks over to the piano, where several framed family
photographs sit in a line on its top. He picks one up as
Norma speaks offscreen in the kitchen.
NORMA
(offscreen)
All my life I've had to put up with
insults...
The camera moves back to the kitchen as Norma talks. She is
still glaring offscreen at the doorway where Evan stood
moments before. She holds the water glass and the pills.
. NORMA
(continuing, dramatically)
...from this non-person, this, th-
th-this haircut that passes for a
man.
(turning to look at
the offscreen Hannah)
He could never support us. It's a
good thing we had a talented
daughter!
Evan is back in the doorway, listening to Norma, getting
more and more angry. As he makes a retort, he starts to
walk back to the den and his piano.
EVAN
I can only hope that she was mine.
With you as her mother
(gesturing, his voice
getting louder)
her father could be anybody in
Actors' Equity!
NORMA
She's talented...so it's not likely
she's yours!
(taking a sip of water)
HANNAH
(walking over to the
doorway to speak to
Evan, who's already
fuming in the den)
Dad, could you just please stay in
the other room and let me take care
of her?
Hannah goes back to Norma; she takes the glass of water away.
EVAN
(offscreen, choosing
to ignore Hannah's suggestion)
You never know when she's going to
fall off the wagon and humiliate
everybody.
Hannah, choosing to ignore Evan's remark, hands her mother a
cup of coffee; she puts her mother's hands on the cup.
HANNAH
Here, Mom. Drink this.
(leaning against a
kitchen counter)
You know, you're awful. You
probably were flirting.
NORMA
(sipping her coffee)
No! I like to joke around and have
fun, and he gets angry because I
get the attention. He's gotten
sourer as he's gotten older, and
I've tried to stay young...at heart.
HANNAH
You promised to stay on the wagon.
NORMA
(shaking her head)
The sacrifices I've made because of
that man.
(inhaling)
He's ruined me with his ego, his
philandering, his--
(gesturing)
his-his-his-his mediocrity!
HANNAH
Okay, stop being so dramatic.
NORMA
(shouting to the
offscreen Evan)
He's the one that's made every
ingenue in stock!
HANNAH
(quietly)
Okay, okay.
NORMA
(touching Hannah's
arm, gasping)
Th-th-they, they wanted me for a
screen test.
HANNAH
(patiently)
Yeah, I know, Mom.
. NORMA
(gesturing)
But I, I knew that he'd get up
there and he'd flounder around with
his expensive haircuts and hairdos
and clothes. He's all show!
(touching Hannah's
arm again, then
touching her chest)
Now how can you act when there's
nothing inside to come out?!
Norma sips her coffee, softly sobbing. Hannah, reacting,
walks away from the counter and, capping the bottle of
pills, puts them back in the cupboard. Evan plays the piano
offscreen. The camera moves in on Hannah's face as she
reflects, her voice heard over the screen.
HANNAH (V.O.)
She was so beautiful at one time,
and he was so dashing. Both of
them just full of promise and hopes
that never materialized.
The camera leaves Hannah's face as she continues to reflect;
it moves to the den, to the row of family photos on the
piano: one of a present-day Evan and Norma, others where
both Norma and Evan are young, beautiful, hopeful. The
music plays on.
HANNAH (V.O.)
And the fights and the constant
infidelities to prove
themselves...and blaming each other.
It's s-sad. They loved the idea of
having us kids, but raising us
didn't interest them much. But
it's impossible to hold it against
them. They didn't know anything
else.
The film cuts back to the kitchen. Norma stands up; Hannah
takes her coffee cup and sets it on the counter.
NORMA
You know, of all of us in the
family, you were the one blessed
with the true gift.
She puts her arm around Hannah's shoulder. Mother and
daughter walk out of the kitchen.
HANNAH
(holding the hand her
mother had placed on
her shoulder)
Ohhh, my true gift is luck, Mom.
Norma chuckles.
HANNAH
(overlapping)
I just had a lot of luck...from my
first show, you know? I've always
thought Lee was the one destined
for great things.
NORMA
Yes, she's lovely, but she doesn't
have your spark.
(gesturing and chuckling)
She knows it. She worships you.
She wouldn't dare get up there on
the stage.
HANNAH
(looking at her mother)
Now, Holly's not shy.
They stop at the entrance to the den. Evan can be seen
playing the piano as they continue their conversation.
NORMA
No, Holly's game for anything.
Holly takes after me.
HANNAH
True.
NORMA
(shaking her head)
I'd have been a great dope addict.
Norma chortles. Hannah laughs, touching her mother. They
walk over to Evan at the piano.
EVAN
(looking up)
Remember this, Hannah?
Evan plays a few bars of "You Are Too Beautiful" as mother
and daughter, their backs to the camera, listen. Norma
leans over the piano; Hannah looks off into the distance,
deep in reflection. The piano music continues in the
background as the movie cuts to:
Lee walking along a wharf by the waterfront. The wind blows
her hair; she hugs the e.e. cummings book to her chest.
She, too, is deep in thought. She stops at the edge of the
wharf; the camera continues to move, to a group of wooden
pilings nearby, lapped by the water.
CUT TO:
The abyss.
The piano piece ends and the film is quiet.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL CAT-SCAN ROOM - DAY
The quiet continues as the film cuts to a close-up of a
large, circular CAT-scan module in an antiseptic hospital
room. A slowly moving stretcher, bearing Mickey's strapped
prone body, begins to enter the round opening of the module.
As the camera pulls back from Mickey, his taped head under
the scan, two technicians can be seen through the window
separating the scanner from the control room. One of them,
sitting down, taps information into a computer while the
other technician stands nearby, looking from Mickey to the
computer screen.
The movie then cuts briefly to the computer screen, showing
an image of Mickey's skull. Scan lines bleep over the skull.
The camera moves up from the screen to reveal Mickey once
again, as seen through the window, silent and serious under
the CAT-scan module.
From Mickey's prone form, the film moves to the two
technicians, as seen through the window in the scanner room.
They examine the computer screen and talk indistinctly to
each other. One of the men, nodding, taps more information
into the computer.
While they're studying the CAT-scan picture, the camera cuts
to a back view of Mickey under the module. There is a
science-fiction feel to this scene, as if Mickey is lying in
the center of a huge, white, futuristic circle. The
stretcher, bearing Mickey, slowly moves out of the module.
CUT TO:
INT. DR. BROOK'S OFFICE - DAY
Dr. Brooks, holding Mickey's X-rays, walks past a row of
bookshelves to his light panel. He props up the X-rays.
DR. BROOKS
Mr. Sachs,
(sighing)
I'm afraid the news is not good.
Dr. Brooks turns to an offscreen Mickey.
DR. BROOKS
(continuing, taking a
pencil out of his pocket)
If I can show you exactly where the
tumor is, and why we feel that
surgery would be of no use.
The film quickly cuts to a close-up of Mickey's face,
reacting in total despair. He closes his eyes; he covers
his face with his hand.
MICKEY (V.O.)
It's over. I'm face-to-face with
eternity.
DR. BROOKS
(offscreen)
...grown quite large without being
detected...
(trailing off
indistinctly as
Mickey continues his
anguished ramblings)
MICKEY (V.O.)
Not later, but now. I'm so
frightened I can't move, speak, or
breathe.
As Mickey finishes his speech, the "real" Dr. Brooks is seen
walking into the office. The previous scene had been a
figment of Mickey's imagination, a nightmare fantasy only.
Holding Mickey's X-rays, the "real" Dr. Brooks walks past
the same row of books to the light panel.
DR. BROOKS
Well, you're just fine. There's
absolutely nothing here at all.
And your tests are all fine.
(switching on the
light on the panel
and propping up the
X-rays)
I must admit, I was concerned,
given your symptoms.
(turning to look at
the offscreen Mickey)
What caused this hearing loss in
one ear, I guess we'll never really
know for sure. But whatever it
was, it's certainly not anything
serious at all.
(nodding)
I'm very relieved.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL - DAY
Once again, Mickey is seen leaving the building, but this
time he bounds down the steps, jumping for joy. He runs
swirling down the street, clapping his hands, happy with
relief. Upbeat, uptempo jazz plays in the background.
Several cars pass as Mickey joyfully runs. Suddenly he
stops, his hand to his mouth, reflecting.
CUT TO:
INT. MICKEY'S OFFICE - DAY
Gail sits in a chair in front of a bookshelf. A sofa, a
coffee table holding periodicals, and an endtable with a
lamp complete the tableau. Gail's hands are clasped on her
lap.
GAIL
What do you mean you're quitting?
Why? The news is good! You don't
have canc--the thing.
Mickey, standing behind his desk, his back to the camera,
his coat still on, looks out at the Manhattan skyline.
MICKEY
Do you realize what a thread we're
all hanging by?
GAIL
(offscreen)
Mickey, you're off the hook. You
should be celebrating.
MICKEY
(walking around to
the front of his
desk, gesturing)
Can you understand how meaningless
everything is? Everything! I'm
talking about nnnn--our lives, the
show...the whole world, it's
meaningless.
GAIL
(gesturing)
Yeah...but you're not dying!
MICKEY
No, I'm not dying now, but, but
(gesturing)
you know, when I ran out of the
hospital, I, I was so thrilled
because they told me I was going to
be all right. And I'm running down
the street, and suddenly I stop,
'cause it hit me, all right, so,
you know, I'm not going to go today.
I'm okay. I'm not going to go
tomorrow.
(pointing)
But eventually, I'm going to be in
that position.
Gail gets up from her chair. She walks past Mickey to a
nearby cabinet. She opens a drawer, rummaging around for
something. The camera follows her, leaving Mickey briefly.
GAIL
You're just realizing this now?
MICKEY
(offscreen)
Well, I don't realize it now, I
know it all the time, but, but I
managed to stick it in the back of
my mind...
As Mickey continues to talk offscreen, Gail closes the
cabinet drawer and walks to a file cabinet behind Mickey's
desk.
MICKEY
...because it-it's a very horrible
thing to... think about!
Gail opens the file cabinet and takes out a pack of gum.
She slams it closed, distracted.
GAIL
(muttering)
Yeah. What?
MICKEY
(turning to Gail)
Can I tell you something? Can I
tell you a secret?
GAIL
(nodding impatiently
as she walks around
the desk)
Yes, please.
MICKEY
(pointing)
A week ago, I bought a rifle.
GAIL
(sitting on the arm
of a chair near Mickey)
No.
MICKEY
(overlapping, nodding
and gesturing)
I went into a store, I bought a
rifle. I was gonna... You know, if
they told me that I had a tumor, I
was going to kill myself. The only
thing that mighta stopped me,
might've, is my parents would be
devastated. I would, I woulda had
to shoot them, also, first. And
then, I have an aunt and uncle, I
would have... You know, it would
have been a bloodbath.
GAIL
(shrugging, unwrapping
a stick of gum)
Tch, well, you know, eventually it,
it is going to happen to all of us.
MICKEY
Yes, but doesn't that ruin
everything for you? That makes
everything...
Gail sighs. She pops a piece of gum into her mouth as
Mickey continues to speak.
MICKEY
(continuing)
...you know it, it just takes the
pleasure out of everything.
(gesturing, pointing)
I mean, you're gonna die, I'm gonna
die, the audience is gonna die, the
network's gonna-- The sponsor.
Everything!
GAIL
(chewing)
I know, I know, and your hamster.
MICKEY
(nodding emphatically)
Yes!
GAIL
(chewing and pointing
to Mickey)
Listen, kid, I think you snapped
your cap.
Mickey sighs.
GAIL
(continuing, chewing loudly)
Maybe you need a few weeks in
Bermuda, or something. Or go to a
whorehouse! No?
MICKEY
(shaking his head,
his hand to his chest)
I can't stay on this show. I gotta
get some answers. Otherwise
(pausing and holding
his head)
I'm telling you, I'm going to do
something drastic.
CUT TO:
The entrance to the St. Regis Hotel, elegant and warmly lit
in the night. Pedestrians pass. Baroque harpsichord music
plays over the scene. The camera moves up the hotel's
faзade, past its welcoming flags, to its ornate windows
several floors up.
As the harpsichord continues to play, the film moves inside,
to one of the hotel rooms. Elliot, his back to the camera,
is opening the door to Lee.
Elliot closes the door behind her as she enters. They stand
very close to each other, framed by the door and a stark,
subtly striped wallpapered wall.
ELLIOT
(looking intensely at
Lee, his hands in his pockets)
I thought you weren't coming.
LEE
I almost didn't.
ELLIOT
(putting his hand on
her shoulder, wanting
to kiss her)
Lee... uh...
LEE
I didn't sleep all night.
ELLIOT
(taking his hand
away, gesturing to
the room)
No, no-no-no, I'm sure.
They walk towards the camera, further into the room. Elliot
puts his arm around Lee.
LEE
What are we doing, meeting in a
hotel room? It's terrible, isn't it?
The music stops. The camera follows Lee as she walks
towards the curtained windows, past a fireplace, a mirror,
some innocuous pictures, a delicate table holding a lamp,
the foot of the bed.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
I-I couldn't think where to invite
you without taking risks.
LEE
I promised myself I wouldn't let
this happen till you were living
alone. I was so torn when you
called.
She parts a corner of the curtains, looking out the window,
turning when Elliot speaks.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
I've wanted to call you everyday
since I first told you how I felt.
He walks over to Lee by the curtained windows.
ELLIOT
I resisted so many times.
(pausing)
Don't think badly of me.
He takes Lee into his arms.
ELLIOT
This is not an easy situation.
LEE
(whispering)
I know it isn't.
They kiss, their figures almost silhouetted in the warm glow
of the room. Elliot takes Lee's coat off without breaking
the kiss. They embrace. They kiss each other lightly, then
stronger, more passionately, their embrace much tighter.
And it's later that night. The harpsichord music begins to
play again as the camera moves over the bed covers to reveal
Lee, lying contentedly under the sheets, her hair fanned out
on the pillows, one arm near her head.
LEE
That was just perfect. You've
ruined me for anyone else.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
I don't want anyone else ever to
have you.
LEE
(sighing)
I was so worried I wouldn't compare
with Hannah.
ELLIOT
(offscreen, laughing)
Oh, my God.
He enters the screen, sitting down on the edge of the bed
next to Lee. He holds a cigarette.
ELLIOT
You really do have those thoughts,
don't you?
LEE
(chuckling, touching
Elliot's arm)
Oh, all the time.
Elliot chuckles; they hold hands.
LEE
I know she must be a really
passionate person.
ELLIOT
(looking at their
clasped hands)
Yes, she's, she's very warm, but,
but it-it's me that wants to be
giving to you. I-I-I want to do
things for you. Hannah doesn't
need me as much.
(chuckling as Lee laughs)
I'm being presumptuous. Not that
you need me.
LEE
(nodding)
I want you to take care of me...
And I love when you do things to me.
Elliot leans down to Lee; they begin to kiss passionately.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE FREDERICK'S LOFT - NIGHT
Lee walks along the sidewalk in the rain; she's bareheaded.
The streets are dark. A car drives by; a pedestrian passes
holding an umbrella. Lee passes a restaurant well lit
inside by hanging lamps. The baroque music continues as she
enters the loft, her head soaked. She closes the door,
touching her soaking hair.
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
You're late.
Lee walks through the loft's living room area, unbelting her
coat, towards the bathroom. She passes Frederick, who sits
at a table in the kitchen area, drinking a cup of coffee and
reading the paper. A plate with a half-eaten sandwich sits
in front of him. The music stops.
LEE
(opening the bathroom door)
Lucy and I kept talking, and I
didn't realize how late it had
gotten.
FREDERICK
(barely glancing up
from his paper)
You missed a very dull TV show
about Auschwitz. More gruesome
film clips...and more puzzled
intellectuals declaring their
mystification over the systematic
murder of millions.
As he talks, Lee is seen turning on the bathroom light. She
takes off her coat, hanging it on a hook, then begins to dry
her hair with a towel.
FREDERICK
(turning his head
slightly in Lee's
direction and gesturing)
The reason why they could never
answer the question "How could it
possibly happen?" is that it's the
wrong question. Given what people
are, the question is
(swallowing)
"Why doesn't it happen more often?"
Of course it does, in subtler forms.
Frederick takes a bite of his sandwich and another sip of
coffee as Lee walks out of the bathroom, tossing the towel
down on the counter.
LEE
(moving her fingers
through her wet hair)
I have a little headache from this
weather.
She takes a kettle and fills it with water.
FREDERICK
(grunting, sipping
his coffee)
It's been ages since I sat in front
of the TV... just changing channels
to find something.
As Frederick continues his monologue, Lee is busy in the
background: striking a wooden match and lighting a burner on
the stove for the kettle, taking a glass out of the cupboard,
walking into the bathroom for some pills, filling the glass
with water in the kitchen sink, and taking her pills.
FREDERICK
You see the whole culture...Nazis,
deodorant salesman,
wrestlers...beauty contests, the
talk show... Can you imagine the
level of a mind that watches
wrestling?
(gesturing)
Hmm? But the worst are the
fundamentalist preachers...third-
rate con men, telling the poor
suckers that watch them that they
speak for Jesus...and to please
send in money.
(picking up his sandwich)
Money, money, money! If Jesus came
back, and saw what's going on in
his name, he'd never stop throwing
up.
He takes a bite of his sandwich and a sip of coffee. Lee
sets her glass on the kitchen counter and walks towards the
bedroom area.
LEE
(impatiently, her
hands in her hair)
Oh, God, Frederick, could you
please lighten up?! I'm really not
in the mood to hear a review of
contemporary society again.
She starts to take off her wet clothes by the bed. Frederick
takes off his glasses. He turns and looks at Lee in surprise.
FREDERICK
(standing up from the table)
You know, you've been very nervous
lately.
LEE
(sighing)
I can't take this anymore.
FREDERICK
(walking over to the bed)
I'm just trying to complete an
education I started on you five
years ago.
LEE
(unbuttoning her blouse)
I'm not your pupil.
(sighing, her hands
at her side)
I was, but I'm not.
FREDERICK
(sitting down on the
edge of the bed)
When you leave the nest, I just
want you to be ready to face the
real world.
He pulls Lee down next to him on the bed.
LEE
(putting her hand on
Frederick's leg)
Frederick, we're going to have to
make some changes.
She sighs.
FREDERICK
(quickly looking at
Lee, alarmed)
Like what?
LEE
Oh, you know what. I'm suffocating!
FREDERICK
(turning away, his
hands clasped in
front of him)
Oh! Are we going to have this
conversation again?
LEE
Yes, we're going to have this
conversation again. I...I have to
leave. I have to move out.
FREDERICK
(shaking his clasped
hands intensely)
Why?
LEE
(sighing)
Because I have to!
FREDERICK
(emotionally)
What are you going to use for money?!
LEE
I don't know. I thought, maybe I'd
move in with my parents for a while.
FREDERICK
Tch, oh. I always told you you
would leave me.
(looking at Lee)
But...does it have to be now?
LEE
(hugging her arm with
her other hand)
Well, maybe it'll only be temporary,
but I ha--I have to try.
FREDERICK
(taking Lee's head in
his hands and looking
at her)
Oh...Lee, you are my whole world.
(pausing)
Good God! Have you been kissed
tonight?!
LEE
(reacting, pushing
Frederick's hands
from her face)
No.
FREDERICK
(reacting)
Oh, yes, you have!
LEE
(quickly standing up, defensively)
No.
FREDERICK
(raising his voice)
You've been with someone!
LEE
(overlapping, running
away from the bed)
Stop accusing me!
Lee runs into the kitchen, her hands tight around her chest.
FREDERICK
(offscreen)
I'm too smart, Lee! You can't fool
me! You're turning all red!
Lee, fraught with emotion, briefly puts her outstretched
hands on the refrigerator door, then turns around and leans
against it, hugging herself, her blouse still unbuttoned,
her hair still wet and bedraggled.
LEE
Leave me alone!
Frederick enters the kitchen area and leans against the
counter.
FREDERICK
(angrily)
Oh, Christ! What's wrong with you?!
LEE
(leaning against the
refrigerator, sighing)
I'm sorry.
FREDERICK
Oh, couldn't you say something?
You have to slither around behind
my back!
LEE
(overlapping, her
voice emotionally raised)
I'm saying it now!
FREDERICK
So you met somebody else?
LEE
(sighing, nodding)
Yeah.
Frederick cringes, reacting. He puts his hand to his
forehead; he sighs.
LEE
(walking into the bathroom)
But you, God, you knew that was
going to happen sooner or later. I
can't live like this!
FREDERICK
(turning to face Lee
in the bathroom, his
arms crossed)
Who is it?
LEE
(frantically putting
things in her purse,
glaring at Frederick)
What's the difference?! It's just
somebody I met!
FREDERICK
But who? Where did you meet him?
LEE
It doesn't make a difference! I
have to move out!
FREDERICK
You are, you are my only connection
to the world!
Lee turns and faces Frederick in the bathroom doorway.
LEE
(gesturing emotionally)
Oh, God, that's too much
responsibility for me. It's not
fair! I want a less complicated
life, Frederick. I want a husband,
maybe even a child before it's too
late.
FREDERICK
(reacting, his face
in his hand)
Jesus...Jesus!
LEE
(gesturing, moving
closer to Frederick)
Oh, God, I don't even know what I
want.
FREDERICK
(sighing heavily, reacting)
Oh...
LEE
(rubbing Frederick's
shoulder tenderly)
Tch, oh, what do you get out of me,
anyway? I mean...
(laying her head
against his shoulder,
sighing deeply)
it's not sexual anymore. It's
certainly not intellectual. I
mean, you're so superior to me in
every way that--
Frederick furiously shakes Lee away. He pounds his fist
against a cupboard. Lee, gasping, moves away.
FREDERICK
Please, don't patronize me!
He puts his hand on his forehead, then turns to the offscreen
Lee.
FREDERICK
God! I should have married you
years ago when you wanted to! I
should have agreed.
He walks over to Lee in another area of the kitchen.
LEE
(sighing)
Oh, God, don't you know it never
would have worked?
Frederick turns away from Lee. He begins to pace near the
counter.
FREDERICK
I told you, one day you would leave
me...
(leaning on the counter)
for a younger man. I--
He loudly pounds his fist on the counter in despair and
frustration, then covers his eyes with his hands in sorrow.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Hannah, wearing a plaid shirt, sits up in bed, a book
propped up on her knees. A cupboard with some bric-a-brac
is mounted behind the night table, which holds a small,
white, warm-glowing lamp and some photographs. She turns
the page as Elliot, in pajamas and silk bathrobe, enters.
She continues to read her book as he sits down at the edge
of the bed and muses. His voice is heard over the screen.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
What passion today with Lee. She's
a volcano. It was a totally
fulfilling experience... Just as I
dreamed it would be.
(nodding slightly as
he takes off his slippers)
That's what it was. It was like
living out a dream...a great dream.
(taking off his bathrobe)
Now I feel very good and cozy being
here next to Hannah. There's
something very lovely and real
about Hannah.
(tossing his bathrobe
aside and lying down
on the bed next to
Hannah, his hands
crossed over his stomach)
She gives me a very deep feeling of
being part of something. She's a
wonderful woman...and I betrayed
her. She came into my empty life
and changed it...and I paid her
back by banging her sister in a
hotel room. God, I'm despicable.
What a cruel and shallow thing to
do.
(sitting up)
I have to call her now and tell her
what we did was crazy.
(anxiously)
It can't ever happen again. I'm
not that kind of man...and I value
Hannah too much. I love my wife.
Now I've betrayed her. Oh, God!
Elliot frantically stands up and leaves the room.
HANNAH
(reading, not looking up)
Where're you going?
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
I've, uh...gotta find, gotta get a
phone number in my desk. I forgot
to phone Mel Kaufman.
HANNAH
(still reading)
It's so late.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Yeah, I know. I-I can't believe I
forgot.
Elliot walks quickly into the darkened hallway.
ELLIOT
(muttering)
What if he answers?
(turning into the
doorway leading to
the living room)
I'll hang up.
(walking into the
darkened living room)
I'll tell her we can't communicate
until I terminate my marriage.
(whispering)
It's immoral.
Elliot switches on the light. He paces back and forth in
front of the piano and an accompanying music stand. The top
of the piano is filled with family photos; the lamp he
turned on illuminates some framed pictures on the wall and
the piece of sheet music open on the piano.
ELLIOT
(gesturing and whispering)
Then, time will pass. I won't
call, and she'll get the idea. I
gotta stop this before I get in too
deep. I'd rather hurt Lee a
little, than destroy Hannah.
Elliot stops pacing and checks his wristwatch.
ELLIOT
(whispering, rubbing
his hands)
It's one-thirty. She...she can't
have a conversation with me...with
him around. I'm getting hysterical.
(putting his hands on
his hips)
I'll call her first thing in the
morning. I'll call her at six.
(pointing)
Frederick goes jogging at six,
yeah, she'll be alone. And I'll,
I'll call her and nip it in the bud.
The phone rings. Elliot jumps.
ELLIOT
(loudly, to the
offscreen Hannah, gasping)
I've got it! I've got it! I've
got it!
(picking up the
phone, into the telephone)
Hello?
(loudly, for the
offscreen Hannah's benefit)
Mel!
The movie cuts to Lee, standing in the dark in Frederick's
loft. She talks softly into the telephone.
LEE
(into the telephone)
I would have hung up if you hadn't
answered and I promise I won't ever
do this again, but I just had to
tell you, I feel very close to you
tonight. Very, very close.
(pausing)
Good night.
Lee hangs up the phone and the movie cuts back to Elliot,
standing in his living room. Stunned, he slowly lowers the
phone receiver.
CUT TO:
"The only absolute knowledge attainable by man is that life
is meaningless." - Tolstoy
Jazz is heard as the movie cuts to the outside of a
university library, the camera focused on a huge replica of
Rodin's Thinker before moving to the front entrance. Mickey
can be seen emerging from its depths. He wears his raincoat,
his hands are in his pockets. He ponders the scene as he
walks past the statue and a small front garden and down the
sidewalk. Passersby, some holding books, are seen.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Millions of books written on every
conceivable subject by all these
great minds, and, and in the end,
none of 'em knows anything more
about the big questions of life
than I do. Ss--I read Socrates.
You know, n-n-n--, this guy used to
kn-knock off little Greek boys.
What the hell's he got to teach me?
And, and Nietzsche with his, with
his Theory of Eternal Recurrence.
He said that the life we live,
we're gonna live over and over
again the exact same way for
eternity. Great. That means I,
uh, I'll have to sit through the
Ice Capades again. Tch. It's not
worth it.
The movie next cuts to a sunny day in Central Park. A male
jogger, seen through some tree branches, runs by. The
camera moves past him, revealing a pondering Mickey walking
by the reservoir. He continues to talk over the screen.
MICKEY (V.O.)
And, and Freud, another great
pessimist. Jeez, I was in analysis
for years. Nothing happened. My
poor analyst got so frustrated.
The guy finally put in a salad bar.
Several joggers pass Mickey; he continues to ruminate.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Oh! Look at all these people
jogging...trying to stave off the
inevitable decay of the body. Boy
(smacking his lips)
it's so sad what people go through
with their-their stationary bike
and their exercise and their...
(glancing at a fat
woman jogger in a red
sweatsuit who runs by)
...Oh! Look at this one! Poor
thing. My God, she has to tote all
that fat around. Maybe the poets
are right. Maybe love is the only
answer.
Mickey goes over to the chain-link fence encircling the
reservoir. He stops walking and looks out over the water.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Shh--Of course, I was in love with
Hannah. That didn't work out too
well.
(sighing)
I even took her sister out.
Remember that?
Mickey continues to look through the fence at the water and
the distant skyline. A jogger crosses in front of him.
It's very quiet; the soft jazz continues.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Remember years ago when Hannah and
I got divorced and she fixed me up
with her sister Holly?
The film cuts abruptly to Mickey's flashback of his date
with Holly, beginning with a rock club performance. The
soft jazz becomes loud, pulsating rock. Three punkers--a
girl with pink hair, a girl with a spiked mohawk, and a guy
with Stevie Wonder braids and sunglasses--watch and bop
their heads to the sounds of the offscreen rock band, The 39
Steps.
The camera moves to the stage, revealing a sleazy-looking
rock band in the midst of their number.
THE 39 STEPS
(singing)
"I want to be like you
I said I'm going to fit into your
group..."
As the band loudly plays on, the camera moves across the
spellbound audience, sitting at crowded, smoky, small
tables, to reveal a stricken Mickey and a mesmerized Holly
squeezed together at one of them. A nearby member of the
audience swills beer from a bottle. Holly, beating time to
the music and enjoying herself, takes a puff of her cigarette.
She wears a wristful of silver bracelets. She glances at
Mickey impatiently. He's the only one in the place wearing
a suit.
THE 39 STEPS
(singing)
"I don't wanna be different
Said I'm gonna be just like you
Because I'm gonna buy the records
That they play on radio...
Holly turns back to the band, who are still in full swing.
The camera moves down the body of the lead singer, singing
into a microphone, from his longish, curly red hair, through
his cut-off red shirt and sweaty torso, to his guitar. He
wears several silver bracelets on his wrists and gold
bracelets on his upper arm. The microphone screeches
feedback.
THE 39 STEPS
(singing)
"I'm gonna dance at clubs
Gonna do just what I'm told
Because I'm bleedin' now
And I'm bleedin' now
I wanna slip, slip, slip, slip,
slip
Into the crowd
I wanna slip, slip, slip, slip,
slip
Into the crowd..."
The camera moves back to Holly and the even more stricken-
looking Mickey. They are crowded in with people. In the
background, a waitress holds up a tray. A man drinks from a
glass mug; people chatter indistinctly over the loud band.
The club is noisy, smoky, and thick with people. Holly
glances at Mickey once again, this time unable to contain
her annoyance.
HOLLY
Oh, why are you making those faces?
MICKEY
(leaning over to
Holly, gesturing)
I can't hear you. I can't hear
anything. I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm gonna
lose hearing in my ear! I'm--
HOLLY
(interrupting,
gesturing to the
offscreen band)
Listen, you are witnessing genius!
MICKEY
(pointing to his ears)
I, I, my ears are experiencing a
meltdown! I can't hear anything.
HOLLY
(overlapping,
gesturing dramatically)
Look, can't you feel the energy?
It's tangible energy! The room's
alive with positive vibrations!
She opens a vial of cocaine.
MICKEY
(gesturing, trying to
talk over the band)
Holly, I'm frightened! I'm--After
they sing... they're gonna take
hostages! Now let's--
Holly holds a short metal straw of cocaine to her nose and
sniffs it.
MICKEY
(panicking)
Don't, no, please. Will you-- No,
don't...
HOLLY
(holding the straw
towards Mickey)
You want some?
THE 39 STEPS
(singing in the
background while
Holly and Mickey talk)
"I want to dress like you
Say, I'll buy all the clothes
I want to fuck like you
Yeah, I'm sure it shows
Because I'm..."
MICKEY
(shaking his head)
I don't. No. No.
HOLLY
(overlapping, sniffing)
Come on, Mickey. Come on.
MICKEY
(overlapping, gesturing)
But, no, you've been doing that all
night! You're gonna...you're gonna
burn a hole in your... You're gonna
develop a third nostril! Really,
(putting his hand on
Holly's shoulder)
don't, please.
While Mickey pleads with her, Holly puts her cocaine vial
into her purse. She holds a finger against one nostril and
sniffs. She then picks up her lit cigarette and continues
to smoke.
MICKEY
Can we, can we go?
HOLLY
(looking at the
offscreen hand,
bopping her head to
the music and smoking)
No!
MICKEY
(touching his ear in pain)
My--uh...
The camera leaves the crowded tables and moves back to the
band. The lead singers continues to sing with his band,
swaying his body to the music...
THE 39 STEPS
(singing)
"...Gonna buy the records
That they play on the radio..."
...as the film cuts abruptly to outside the rock club. The
music has stopped. Mickey and Holly, almost in dark
silhouette, are walking at a fast clip along the sidewalk,
arguing. They pass some lighted clothing store windows; a
few cars go by in the dark street.
HOLLY
(enthusiastically)
I love songs about extraterrestrial
life, don't you?
MICKEY
Not when they're sung by
extraterrestrials.
HOLLY
(impatiently, with annoyance)
Oh, well, I cannot communicate with
you! I, you know, I never realized
you were such a tightass.
. MICKEY
I can't understand you. Your
sisters, both sisters have such
good taste in music. I don't know
where you went, went wrong.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Do you mind? I'm-I'm my own person.
MICKEY
Can I take you someplace to hear
something nice?
HOLLY
(touching the hat on
her head)
Eh, Mickey, it's getting late.
MICKEY
Now come on, you're be--, 'cause
you're being angry at me.
They stop briefly at a street corner and look for oncoming
cars before crossing. Mickey takes Holly's arm as they walk
across the street towards the camera.
HOLLY
(angrily)
I'm not angry! You know, you,
well, you don't believe in ESP, you
don't like rock music, you won't
get high... It's like I'm dating
Cardinal Cooke!
CUT TO:
INT. THE CARLYLE CLUB - NIGHT
Bobby Short is playing "I'm In Love Again" on the piano,
accompanied by a bass player. An Art Deco mural fills the
wall behind him...
BOBBY SHORT
(singing)
"Why am I
Just as reckless as a child?
Why am I
Like a racehorse running wild?
Why am I
In a state of ecstasy?
The reason is 'cause something's
Happened to me
I'm in love again
And the spring is comin'..."
...as the camera leaves the musicians and moves to the
conversatively dressed audience. A far cry from the rock
club atmosphere, the Carlyle is quiet except for Bobby
Short's singing. The audience at their tables watch him,
some with smiles of pleasure. A man has his arm around a
woman. Jewels sparkle in another woman's hair. The men
wear suits.
Mickey and Holly sit at one of the tables; a candle burns in
its holder on the tabletop. Holly takes a cigarette from
her purse as she holds her hand to her nose, sniffing.
Mickey keeps shooting glances at Holly; she can't sit still.
Bobby Short continues to sing...
BOBBY SHORT
(singing)
"I'm in love again
Hear my heart strings strummin'
I'm in love again
And the hymn they're hummin'
Is those cuddle-up
huddle-up blues
I'm in love again
And I can't rise above it..."
...as Holly lights her cigarette, dropping her matchbook on
the floor. She bends down to pick it up, then starts to
fidget in her chair. She gulps her wine; she sniffs.
Mickey tries to watch the offscreen Bobby Short; he crosses
his arms across his chest.
The film cuts back briefly to Bobby Short playing the piano...
BOBBY SHORT
(singing, continuing)
"I'm in love again
And I love, love, love it."
...then abruptly cuts to:
EXT. THE CARLYLE HOTEL - NIGHT
A taxi pulls away from the curb as Mickey and Holly walk out
of the hotel through its revolving doors. Holly stays under
the awning; Mickey walks to the curb and looks angrily back
at her. People pass by as Mickey walks back and forth from
the curb to Holly, growing angrier and angrier.
HOLLY
Thanks for a swell time.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Well, if you didn't like it, you
didn't like it, but you didn't have
to talk while the guy was singing.
HOLLY
I was so bored!
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Yeah, that's tough! You don't
deserve Cole Porter. You should
stay with those groups that look
like they're gonna stab their mother!
HOLLY
At least I'm open to new concepts!
MICKEY
And you don't have to snort cocaine
at the table all the time! What do
you, what do you do? Carry a kilo
around in your purse?
HOLLY
(gesturing)
This crowd wouldn't know the
difference! They're embalmed!
MICKEY
Jesus...
(waving his arm and
whistling for a taxi)
I'm glad Hannah got us together.
You know, she's got a great instinct
for people. Really.
A taxi pulls up to the curb. Mickey and Holly walk up to
its rear door.
HOLLY
Oh, look, I'm sorry it didn't work
out.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Yeah. Me, too.
HOLLY
(overlapping)
You know, it's probably my fault.
I've been a little depressed lately.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Right. Yeah. I had a...
HOLLY
(overlapping)
God!
MICKEY
(continuing)
...I had a great time tonight,
really. It was like the Nuremberg
Trials.
He holds the door open for Holly. She gets in.
HOLLY
(angrily)
Oh, I'll see myself home!
Holly slams the door. Mickey starts to walk along the
sidewalk as the taxi drives off; he passes the hotel and
several evening-lit store windows. "I'm In Love Again"
begins to play in the background as Mickey's voice is heard.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Yeah, it was quite an evening.
Holly with her cocaine...
(chuckling)
She should have been wearing a gold
shovel around her neck. Tch, she
was polymorphously insensitive, I
think.
(smacking his lips)
Too bad, too... 'cause, you know, I
always had a little crush on her.
Both a bus and a taxi drive down the street, blocking Mickey
from view. The music stops and the film cuts to:
Afternoons.
A big-band rendition of "You Made Me Love You" begins as the
film cuts to a hotel room. Elliot and Lee can be seen
dancing cheek to cheek in the reflection of a mirror over a
dresser. A TV sits in the corner. A lamp is on one side of
the dresser; on the other side is a bucket with champagne.
Two half-full glasses sit nearby. Elliot and Lee dance into
view. Without missing a beat, Elliot picks up one of the
glasses of champagne and hands it to Lee. She sips. Elliot
sips, then puts it back down on the dresser. They embrace
tightly, continuing to dance.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Elliot, Hannah, and the twins sit at the dining room table.
A Christmas tree stands in the corner of the room, next to a
table holding a lamp; a picture hangs on the wall. The
family has just finished eating; the table is cluttered with
the remains of dinner, including a quart of milk, some
chocolate syrup, and a bottle of ketchup. Hannah's two
adopted children stand by her chair; she is showing them how
a small camera works. The children watch her, fascinated,
muttering among themselves. Elliot looks listless. He
stares blankly at the table.
HANNAH
(to her adopted
children, holding the camera)
Oh, you just have to read the
instructions. I mean, you just set
one of these things and you can
take, you can take pictures
underwater.
CHILD 1
(overlapping)
Can I try it?
HANNAH
(handing him the camera)
Sure! Yeah. When we get to the
country, we'll try it in the lake.
The child takes the camera from Hannah, as well as picking
up a second identical one from the table.
CHILD 1
Okay.
HANNAH
(resting her chin in
her hands)
Okay?
CHILD 2
(overlapping)
Can I go?
CHILD 1
(overlapping)
Yeah.
HANNAH
(nodding)
Yeah! Okay.
The adopted children leave, the twins going off with them.
When they're gone, Hannah takes a sip of her coffee and
looks at Elliot. She puts down her cup, still watching him.
HANNAH
(after a beat)
Are you in a bad mood?
ELLIOT
(shaking his head slightly)
I don't know. Um...I'm just antsy.
The camera moves in on their faces as they continue to speak.
Family photos line the mantel behind Hannah's head.
HANNAH
(intensely)
Yes. I know. The last few weeks,
you haven't been yourself. And
tonight at, tonight at dinner, you,
you were kind of curt with me.
ELLIOT
(looking down at his hands)
Was I?
HANNAH
Yes, you were. A-and when I, when
I brought up the idea of having a
baby, you just, you jumped down my
throat.
ELLIOT
(shaking his head)
Well, I-I don't think it's a very
good idea.
HANNAH
Why not?
ELLIOT
(edgily)
Because it's the last thing in the
world we need right now.
HANNAH
Why do you say that? Is there
something wrong?
ELLIOT
I don't know.
HANNAH
Well, tell me. Should I be worried?
ELLIOT
But, you got four children!
HANNAH
I want one with you.
ELLIOT
Well...I-I think we should wait
till things settle.
HANNAH
But what do, what do you--
(stuttering)
what's that mean? W-w-we've been,
we've been married for four years.
How settled can things get?
ELLIOT
(gesturing)
You know, y-you have some very set
plans on how your life should be
structured. A-a house, uh, kids,
certain schools, a h--, a home in
Connecticut. I-it's all
very...preconceived.
HANNAH
(shaking her head)
Yeah, but I...uh--I thought you
needed that. When-when-when we
met, you said your life was chaos.
ELLIOT
I-I-I know, but there's got to be
some give and take.
Hannah sighs. Elliot angrily throws his napkin on the table.
He stands up and begins to pace behind Hannah.
ELLIOT
Oh, let's not--I, I don't know what
the hell I'm talking about.
HANNAH
(reacting)
Are you angry with me?
ELLIOT
No!
HANNAH
Do you feel, um...are you
disenchanted with our marriage?
ELLIOT
(pointing at Hannah)
I didn't say that.
HANNAH
Are you in love with someone else?
ELLIOT
(angrily)
My God! Wha-what is this? The
Gestapo? No.
He sits down again, in a chair next to Hannah; the ketchup
bottle sits in front of him.
HANNAH
(turning to look at him)
Well, what? What, wh-what are you
not telling me?
ELLIOT
(gesturing and pointing)
What kind of interrogation... Su-
supposing I said yes? I-I-I am
disenchanted. I am in love with
someone else.
HANNAH
Are you?
ELLIOT
(staring at Hannah
for a beat before
answering her)
No!
(gesturing)
But you keep asking these, these
awful questions. My God, it's-it's
like you want me to say yes!
HANNAH
(gesturing)
What, you, of c-- What are you
talking about? Of course not. I'd
be destroyed!
The camera moves in on Elliot's anguished face. He talks
over the screen.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
For Chrissakes, stop torturing her.
Tell her you want out and get it
over with. You're in love with her
sister. You didn't do it on
purpose. Be honest. It's always
the best way.
He looks down. Hannah leans over and tenderly puts her hand
on his shoulder.
HANNAH
(softly)
Look, can I help you? If you're
suffering over something, will you
share it with me?
She touches his hand; Elliot embraces her.
ELLIOT
Hannah, you know how much I love
you.
(kissing her on the forehead)
I ought to have my head examined.
I don't deserve you.
Elliot kisses Hannah again; they embrace tightly. She
touches his hair.
CUT TO:
The audition.
There is no music.
CUT TO:
INT. SOHO CLOTHING BOUTIQUE - DAY
The screen shows a metal staircase next to a large white
column. Holly's voice can be heard as she and Hannah make
their way up the stairs, moving into view. A man carrying a
shopping bag walks down the steps; he passes them. Hannah
and Holly talk as they climb.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
You know, I just want to look so
good, but I don't want to seem, you
know, like I'm overdressed.
(onscreen, walking up
the stairs behind Hannah)
You know what I'm saying?
. HANNAH
(overlapping, turning
to look at Holly)
Oh, no, not at all.
HOLLY
(holding up a dress
she's carrying on her arm)
Well, how about this?
HANNAH
(looking at the dress)
Well, I, I really like that. I
think that's a pretty color on you.
HOLLY
(overlapping)
Oh, yeah.
(laughing)
Hannah and Holly reach the top of the stairs. They walk
onto a cavernous, high-tech floor. Empty bleachers line one
wall; the rest of the floor is filled with racks of clothes
and empty space.
HOLLY
(continuing, smiling)
Did you ever think you'd be helping
me buy something to wear to the
opera?
(chuckling)
HANNAH
(playfully hitting
Holly's arm)
Nuh-uh...but I think it's great. I
can't wait to meet him.
Holly follows Hannah to a rack of blouses.
HOLLY
He's married...
HANNAH
(interrupting,
looking through the rack)
Oh-oh.
. HOLLY
(overlapping)
...and his wife's, uh, in and out
of institutions. She's
schizophrenic.
Holly continues to talk as she follows Hannah across the
floor to a rack of dresses. Hannah's on one side, flipping
through the hangers. Holly, on the other side of the same
rack, talks to her sister, not looking at the clothes.
HOLLY
Sometimes she's terrific...
HANNAH
(overlapping)
Oooo.
HOLLY
...and then she just breaks down.
(gesturing)
And he has this sweet daughter...and
when she goes to college next year,
he's going to split permanently. I
mean...
HANNAH
(overlapping, looking
up at Holly)
Oh?
HOLLY
...he's really paid his dues,
but...then she helped put him
through architecture school, you
know, so...
Hannah takes a jacket on a hanger off the rack and looks at
it. She holds it to her.
HANNAH
(interrupting,
glancing at her
sister for a moment
with amazement)
You found all this, all this out on
one date?
HOLLY
(chuckling and nodding)
Well, I think he was dying to open
up. It's so sad.
(finally looking back
and forth along the rack)
Now...what should I wear to my
audition?
Hannah turns to Holly with surprise. She puts the jacket
back on the rack and stares at her; she inhales.
HOLLY
(explaining)
I've got a singing audition for a
Broadway musical.
(chuckling)
Of course, I'll never get it.
HANNAH
Singing?
HOLLY
(chuckling)
Yeah, can you believe it?
HANNAH
(walking around the
rack to Holly, still surprised)
Really?
HOLLY
(vulnerably)
Well, I mean, why not? You know,
wh-what have I got to lose? Uh...
HANNAH
(overlapping, shaking
her head)
Well, no...I-I know, I just, uh...
No, I-I, eh, you know, I, I didn't,
I didn't know you sung.
Hannah begins to look at the rack of clothes on Holly's
side, while her sister stares at her, frowning.
HOLLY
(defensively)
Well, you think everybody in m-
musicals sings so well?
HANNAH
(gesturing, shaking
her head)
No! No, I, eh, it's just that they
sing.
Holly is silent for a moment. Hannah takes a blouse off the
rack and looks at it.
HOLLY
Well...you know, uh...I sing a
little, I mean...
(chuckling self-consciously)
HANNAH
(realizing she's hurt
Holly, reacting)
Ohh!
HOLLY
(overlapping, shaking
her head)
You know.
HANNAH
(hanging the blouse
back on the rack)
I know, no--
(chuckling)
I know.
HOLLY
(overlapping, still
chuckling self-
consciously, gesturing)
I mean, y-you know, don't say it
that way, you know, because my
confidence is not my strong point,
I--
HANNAH
(interrupting,
touching her sister's shoulder)
No, I'm sorry. No, I didn't mean
that. No, I didn't mean that.
The two sisters walk away from the rack, Hannah slightly in
the lead. Behind them are some more racks of clothing and a
large window with closed venetian blinds.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Uh, you know, I think I can fake my
way through a song.
HANNAH
(nodding as she looks
around the store,
pulling up her
shoulder bag strap)
Uh-huh.
HOLLY
Easily.
Holly pauses, looking at her sister. They continue to walk.
HOLLY
(looking at Hannah)
W-why? You don't think it's
realistic?
HANNAH
(putting her hand on
Holly's shoulder)
No, I didn't, I, that's no. No, I-
I-I, no, I-I just...
(gesturing)
hate to see you put yourself in a
position where, where you get hurt,
you know. You know, you know how
you take...
HOLLY
(overlapping, nodding)
Yeah.
They walk over to a table laid out with colorful scarves and
decorated with hurricane lamps bordering its edges.
HANNAH
(continuing, looking
at some clothes
hanging beneath the table)
...every, eh, single rejection as-
as-as a...a confirmation that you
have no talent, or something?
HOLLY
(overlapping, nodding)
Yeah. Well, maybe I'll get it.
(chuckling and gesturing)
HANNAH
(overlapping, looking
at the clothes)
I hope.
Holly looks at her sister for a beat.
HOLLY
(sighing)
Boy, you really know how to cut me
down.
HANNAH
(looking at Holly, reacting)
What? You don't, don't be so
sensitive. Can't I say anything?
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Tch, well, I sing!
(suddenly shouting)
For Chrissake, Hannah, you heard me
sing!
A female customer, who'd come over to the table, browsing
through the rack of clothes near Hannah, looks up, reacting.
She walks away.
HANNAH
(overlapping, reacting
to her sister's outburst)
Okay!
(looking at her sister)
Okay. I-- What happened? You
know, we were having a really nice
time, a-and suddenly, everything
went to bad feeling.
She walks past Holly and briefly looks at a different rack
of clothes beneath the table.
HOLLY
(shaking her head)
Nobody but you can do that to me.
I don't know why.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
Look, everything's going your way.
She walks offscreen to a nearby rack; the camera remains
focused on Holly.
HOLLY
You're right.
(pausing)
I'm happy.
(shrugging, looking
at the offscreen Hannah)
Why must I let my insecurities
spoil everything?
Holly chuckles and begins to look through the scarves on the
table.
CUT TO:
INT. THEATER - DAY
A group of theater executives, including the producer, the
director, and two assistants, sit in a cluster in the empty
audience, talking; they look up at the offscreen Holly, who
is auditioning on the stage. She is singing "I'm Old-
Fashioned," accompanied by a piano.
HOLLY
(offscreen, singing softly)
"This year's fancies
Are passing fancies..."
The film moves from the audience to the stage where Holly,
her hands clasped in front of her, continues to sing her
song. A large group of other hopefuls are seen in the
background behind her.
HOLLY
(continuing her
singing, barely
moving her body)
"But sighing sighs
Holding hands
This my heart
Understands
I'm old-fashioned
And I don't mind it
It's how I want to be
As long as you agree
To stay old-fashioned with me."
The camera moves from Holly back to the executives in the
audience. As it passes the empty audience seats, they are
heard offscreen.
PRODUCER
(offscreen)
Thank you.
DIRECTOR
(offscreen)
Thank you.
PRODUCER
(offscreen)
It was very nice.
ASSISTANT #1
(offscreen, overlapping)
Terrific.
The camera has reached the executives in the audience. They
are now chattering among themselves, Holly forgotten.
STAGE MANAGER
(offscreen,
overlapping the
executives' chatter)
April Knox?
The film cuts back to the stage, where April, handling the
audition pianist some sheet music, prepares herself to sing
"The Way You Look Tonight." The stage is very black, stark,
except for April and the pianist.
APRIL
(singing)
"Someday
When I'm awfully low
When the world is cold
I will get a glow
Just thinking of you
And the way you look
Tonight..."
CUT TO:
EXT. A STREET OUTSIDE THE THEATER - DAY
A theater marquee can be seen on the busy street as Holly
and April walk down the street towards the camera, moving
closer and closer as they talk. Workmen and various street
noises can be heard indistinctly in the background.
HOLLY
I'm telling you, you sounded great.
You, uh, you may be surprised.
APRIL
(sighing)
Oh, I'm just glad we have a catering
job this week. I'm real low on
money.
HOLLY
Yeah, we have Mr. Morris Levine's
eightieth birthday party on
Riverside Drive...or Riverside
Memorial Chapel, depending on his
health.
APRIL
Oh, uh, listen, David called me up.
HOLLY
(reacting)
What?
APRIL
(gesturing)
Uh, David called me last night, and
he wants to take me to the opera.
(chuckling)
I didn't know what to say.
HOLLY
(reacting)
You're joking.
APRIL
No, he called late last night.
HOLLY
(sadly)
I, uh, I'm very surprised.
APRIL
(chuckling, gesturing)
He wants to take me to see Rigoletto.
HOLLY
(looking briefly at April)
And you, you-you're going?
APRIL
Well, I-I-I didn't know what to say.
First I said no, but then, he
pressed it. He said, uh, he'd
taken you once and he really wanted
to invite me.
HOLLY
(pausing)
But I'm seeing him.
APRIL
(gesturing)
I know. I said that, but...
(shrugging)
he said it was something he really
felt like doing.
HOLLY
(stopping and facing April)
Gee, um...
(looking off, sniffing)
I...I don't know what to say.
APRIL
Look, it's just an evening at the
opera. Did I, I-I do wrong in
accepting?
Holly looks away sadly; she shakes her head.
APRIL
(continuing)
Huh?
CUT TO:
The big leap.
The film cuts to Father Flynn's rectory office. The Catholic
priest looks out a simple stained-glass window, then turns
to an offscreen Mickey.
FATHER FLYNN
(gesturing)
Now why do you think that you would
like to convert to Catholicism?
The camera moves back to reveal Mickey, his back to the
camera, sitting in front of Father Flynn's desk. A lamp is
lit in the background; the Father's desk is neat. The room
is comfortably decorated in wood and leather.
MICKEY
Well, uh, because, y-you know, I
gotta have something to believe in,
otherwise life is just meaningless.
FATHER FLYNN
(pacing behind his
desk and gesturing)
I understand. But why did you make
the decision to choose the Catholic
faith?
The movie cuts to Mickey's face. He's very neat in a tie,
sweater, and sports jacket.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Tch. Well, y-you know...first of
all, because it's a very beautiful
religion. It's very well structured.
Now I'm talking now, incidentally,
about the-the, uh, against-school-
prayer, pro-abortion, anti-nuclear
wing.
FATHER FLYNN
(offscreen)
So at the moment you don't believe
in God.
The camera cuts back to Father Flynn, who walks over to a
leather armchair next to a table set for tea. He begins to
pour the tea into china cups.
MICKEY
(offscreen)
No. A-a-and I-I want to. You
know, I'm-I'm willing to do anything.
I'll, you know, I'll dye Easter
eggs if it works.
(walking over to
Father Flynn and
sitting down in an
adjacent chair)
I-I need some evidence. I gotta
have some proof. Uh, you know, i-
i-if I can't believe in God
(gesturing, his
raincoat in his lap)
then I don't think life is worth
living.
FATHER FLYNN
(stopping his tea pouring)
It means making a very big leap.
Father Flynn clasps his hands in his lap.
MICKEY
(nodding, fiddling
with his raincoat)
Yes, well, can-can you help me?
The film abruptly cuts to the long hallway in Mickey's
parents' apartment.
In the foreground, a section of the living room can be seen,
with a bureau holding a lamp and a framed photo. The
hallway itself is crowded with pictures and a wall shelf.
At the other end of the hallway, in the background, is
another bureau, with candlesticks on top and a framed
picture on the wall above. Mickey's mother stands in the
front of this bureau at the hallway's end, screaming at the
top of her lungs, holding her heart dramatically.
MOTHER
(crying)
Why? Oh, my God!
She sobs hysterically, staggering offscreen to the bathroom;
she shuts the door. Mickey walks into view, in the living
room, looking after his shocked mother, who continues to cry
over the scene.
MICKEY
(overlapping and gesturing)
I don't understand.
(turning to his
offscreen father)
I thought that you would be happy.
FATHER
(offscreen)
How can we be happy?
His father walks into view, carrying a teacup and a candy
dish. He strides past Mickey towards the kitchen.
MICKEY
(following his father)
Well, because I never thought of
God in my life. Now I'm giving it
serious thought.
FATHER
(offscreen, in the kitchen)
But Catholicism? Why not your own
people?
MICKEY
(gesturing at the
kitchen door to his
offscreen father)
Because I got off to a wrong foot
with my own thing, you know. B-b-
b-but I need a dramatic change in
my life.
. FATHER
(offscreen)
You're gonna believe in Jesus Christ?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I know it sounds funny, but I'm
gonna try.
FATHER
(offscreen)
But why? We raised you as a Jew.
MICKEY
(shrugging)
So, just 'cause I was born that
way... You know, I'm old enough to
make a mature decision.
Mickey's father walks into view; he stands by the stove near
the kitchen doorway, picking up a dirty glass and some bowls
to clean.
FATHER
But why Jesus Christ? Why, for
instance, shouldn't you become a
Buddhist?
Holding the dirty dishes in his hand, Mickey's father looks
at his son.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
A Bud--? That's totally alien to
me. Look, you're getting on in
years, right? Aren't you afraid of
dying?
Mickey's father walks offscreen again, to the kitchen sink.
FATHER
(offscreen)
Why should I be afraid?
MICKEY
(loudly gesturing)
Oh! 'Cause you won't exist!
FATHER
(offscreen)
So?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
That thought doesn't terrify you?
Mickey's father walks out of the kitchen, past his son, to
the living room.
FATHER
(waving his arm)
Who thinks about such nonsense?
Now I'm alive. When I'm dead, I'll
be dead.
MICKEY
(following his
father, gesturing)
I don't understand. Aren't you
frightened?
FATHER
(offscreen)
Of what? I'll be unconscious.
MICKEY
(turning and walking
down the hallway)
Yeah, I know. But never to exist
again!
FATHER
(offscreen)
How do you know?
MICKEY
Well, it certainly doesn't look
promising.
Mickey stops at the bathroom door at the other end of the
hallway. He starts to pound it.
FATHER
(offscreen)
Who knows what'll be?
Mickey's father comes back on screen; he's carrying a plate
of hors d'oeuvres and an empty glass towards the kitchen.
He stops and looks down the hall at Mickey, who's now
struggling to open the bathroom door.
FATHER
(gesturing with his
hands full)
I'll either be unconscious or I
won't. If not, I'll deal with it
then. I'm not gonna worry now
about what's gonna be when I'm
unconscious.
MICKEY
(pounding on the door)
Mom, come out!
MOTHER
(offscreen in the bathroom)
Of course there's a God, you idiot!
You don't believe in God?
MICKEY
(sighing)
But if there's a God, then wh-why
is there so much evil in the world?
(shrugging)
What-- Just on a simplistic level.
Why-why were there Nazis?
MOTHER
(offscreen in the bathroom)
Tell him, Max.
Mickey, reacting, hits his forehead.
FATHER
(offscreen)
How the hell do I know why there
were Nazis? I don't know how the
can opener works.
Mickey starts pounding the door again as the movie cuts to:
A beautiful snow-covered church downtown, complete with
courtyard and wrought-iron fence. A pedestrian walks by
with an umbrella. A church choir sings a soaring hymn over
the scene.
The music continues as the film moves inside, where the
choir is seen singing behind an altar glowing warm gold. A
fairly large congregation sits in darkened pews as the film
cuts to the back, where Mickey, his arms crossed, stands
underneath some stained-glass windows, watching and listening
to the inspiring music.
The choir continues to sing as the movie cuts to Father
Flynn in his office.
He picks up some large, heavy books from a shelf near his
window and he walks over to Mickey, who's standing near his
desk, already holding several tomes. Father Flynn puts the
books on top of Mickey's pile; Mickey, flipping through the
top one, awkwardly carries his bundle to the door.
Next is seen a close-up of a painting of Jesus Christ on the
cross, complete with crown of thorns and holy expression.
His eyes, especially designed to blink as the lights hit
them, open and close repeatedly. The hymn plays on, loudly,
as the camera moves back, revealing Mickey, standing outside
a barber shop window, looking at the Christ playing and
shuffling from side to side to gets its eyes' 3-D effect.
Smaller inspirational pictures border the bigger, blinking
Christ. A barber pole with moving stripes stands nearby;
passing traffic is reflected in the window.
Mickey turns from the window, shrugging, and starts to walk
down the street, past a fruit and vegetable store with open-
air-displayed flowers, past several briskly moving
pedestrians.
With the hymn still playing, the screen goes black briefly.
Mickey opens the door, the light from a hallway illuminating
him. He's just entered his apartment. He closes the door
and walks through his dark foyer; he carries a brown bag.
He switches on the light, and walking past his spiral
staircase, past several framed pictures on the wall, he
makes his way to his living room coffee table. Mickey pulls
a crucifix out of the bag; he looks at it, then puts it on
the table near a pile of books and some objets d'art. He
then takes out a copy of the New Testament, putting it on
top of the crucifix. Then out comes a framed picture of a
saint. It too gets put on the growing pile. But the bag is
not yet empty. Next comes a large loaf of Wonder Bread and
a large jar of Hellman's mayonnaise. Mickey sets them on
top of the saint.
CUT TO:
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - DAY
Lee is walking down the street, looking around her. The
sidewalk is fairly crowded with people; the sounds of
traffic are heard. She passes some office buildings, a
store's large display window; she stops when she sees Hannah.
Her sister is waiting outside the Art Deco faзade of a
restaurant; she's looking in the opposite direction. Lee
taps Hannah on the shoulder; Hannah, surprised, turns and
gasps.
LEE
(overlapping Hannah's gasp)
Hi.
The sisters laugh and embrace each other.
HANNAH
Hi. Where's Holly?
LEE
(overlapping)
Hi. She's auditioning for a
television commercial. She said
she's gonna be a little late.
HANNAH
(sighing)
Oh, yeah? How's she doing?
She turns and walks towards the restaurant entrance.
LEE
(following Hannah
through the
restaurant's doors)
Oh, God, you know Holly. When
she's depressed, she's manic. I
think it was a good idea that we
invited her to lunch.
They disappear inside. The camera follows them, cutting to
the restaurant's interior at the same time the sisters walk
in. It's a chic, trendy place, with an Art Deco design and
high ceilings. A waiter in uniform stands near its glass
and metal doors, holding a tray to his chest; a few people
sit at the bar; a large plant in a vase sits in the
foreground. The sisters walk toward the coatcheck area,
deep in conversation.
HANNAH
(pulling off her
scarf, still on the
subject of Holly)
I hope you tell her it was your
idea...
LEE
Why?
HANNAH
(overlapping)
...'cause every time I try to be
helpful, you know, sh-she gets so
defensive.
LEE
(unbuttoning her coat)
Oh, Hannah, she's-she's just
embarrassed in front of you, that's
all.
Hannah walks offscreen, farther into the coatcheck room.
She talks offscreen as Lee alone is seen, reacting and
speaking as well. In the background, a waiter crosses over
to the bar, then walks away.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
So how are you?
LEE
Oh, me, I'm okay.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Do you miss Frederick?
LEE
No.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
I can't believe Elliot and I can't
think of someone nice for you to go
out with, you know--
LEE
(interrupting, her
voice slightly
higher-pitched as she
takes off her coat)
How are you?
HANNAH
(offscreen)
I'm okay.
LEE
(overlapping)
You know, how's everything? You
doing okay? How's Frederick?
(laughing)
I mean, Elliot.
HANNAH
(offscreen, overlapping)
Y-yeah.
Hannah walks out of the coatcheck room without her coat;
it's Lee's turn to disappear and check her things. Now only
Hannah can be seen onscreen as the sisters talk. In the
background, the waiter once again walks over to the bar.
HANNAH
(continuing)
Oh, he's fine. He's-he's, I guess
he's fine. I don't know.
(shaking her head,
her arms crossed)
He's been kinda moody lately, the
last few months.
LEE
(offscreen, overlapping)
Really?
HANNAH
Yeah. I-I don't know what's wrong
with him. He's just...kind of
distant and difficult.
LEE
(offscreen)
Oh...
HANNAH
(overlapping, gesturing)
I've been trying to talk to him
about it. He says everything's
fine, but I don't know.
Automatically, you know, I leap to
the worst conclusions.
LEE
(offscreen)
Like what?
As Hannah answers her sister, Holly can be seen entering the
restaurant and walking over to the coatcheck area, an unlit
cigarette in her mouth, her sunglasses still on her eyes.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
I mean, I don't know, he's seeing
someone else or something, but...
LEE
(walking back onscreen
without her coat, reacting)
Oh, no! I mean, everyone thinks
things like that.
Hannah mumbles indistinctly as Holly walks over to her
sisters.
HANNAH
(turning, to Holly)
Hey, hi!
HOLLY
(overlapping)
Well, I just came from an audition...
LEE
(overlapping, leaning
against the coatcheck wall)
Hi.
HOLLY
(continuing)
...which I did not get.
HANNAH
(reacting)
Awwww...
HOLLY
(overlapping, sighing)
So what's new?
She takes off her gloves and scarf, stuffing them in her bag)
HANNAH
(helping Holly with
her coat)
Boy--
HOLLY
(interrupting)
They said I was too offbeat looking,
whatever the hell that means.
HANNAH
Oh, what do they know?
Holly gives her coat to the coatcheck person.
HOLLY
(to the checker)
Thanks.
(turning to her sisters)
But guess who was there auditioning?
LEE
April?
The hostess appears, peeking around the corner of the
coatcheck area. She signals for the three sisters to follow
her.
HANNAH
(reacting to Holly's news)
Oh, gosh.
HOLLY
You got it.
Holly takes off her sunglasses; her cigarette still dangles
from her mouth. Hannah murmurs her sympathy as the trio
follows the hostess into the dining room.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
I was very polite. I maintained my
poise.
(taking out a match
for her cigarette)
I said hello.
The sisters walk to their seats, at a round table in the
middle of the room; the hostess puts down their menus.
LEE
Hmm. I never trusted April, you
know. She has eyes in the back of
her head.
They sit down. The hostess leaves. Other diners are seen
in the background; a waiter is taking the order of a couple
sitting on a banquette; other waiters clear off a table.
Diners walk in and out. A low murmur of conversation, as
well as the faint clatter of dishes, is heard. The camera
moves closer to the three sisters, circling the table as
Holly speaks.
HOLLY
Yeah, well, she and an architect
are now a very definite item, which
I still cannot believe.
LEE
(overlapping)
Hmm.
HANNAH
Oh, God...
HOLLY
(nodding her head,
holding her cigarette)
Yeah, although it's put an end to
the Stanislavski Catering Company.
Which is why I have to speak to you.
And...
(gesturing to Hannah)
you're gonna get impatient, but...I
have to borrow some more money.
(putting her cigarette
in her mouth and
picking up the matches)
HANNAH
(shaking her head)
Well, that...th-that's fine.
HOLLY
(gesturing, her
cigarette in one
hand, her matches in
the other)
But what I decided to do is some
writing. Yeah, I think I've had it
with acting. You know, these
meaningless auditions at cattle
calls. And I can't handle another
rejection.
(emotionally)
Now let's face it here. I gotta,
you know, latch on to something in
my life. You know--something with
a future. I'm not sixteen anymore.
(lighting her cigarette)
It's just...crazy!
(puffing her cigarette)
I've got...an idea for a story.
More than one. And I just need a
few months, you know, or, uh, a
year even.
As the camera slowly circles the table, Hannah is seen
listening to Holly, her hand on her mouth.
HOLLY
I've picked up a lot about dramatic
structure from doing my scenes in
acting class.
Lee, her hand on her mouth, glances briefly at Hannah. As
Hannah replies to Holly, the camera focuses on Lee's face.
She bites her nails; she looks down, involved in her own
thoughts.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Well, that-that's good. It just,
uh...it just seems to me that-that
six months or a year, if-if you
spent it more productively...
HOLLY
(offscreen, the
camera still focused
on Lee)
Well-well, like what?
Lee looks up, her hand still on her mouth, watching Hannah,
as the camera slowly moves off her to show Hannah.
HANNAH
Well, I don't know. We'd uh, uh,
um... Didn't Mom mention there was
something...something at the Museum
of Broadcasting?
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Yeah, that's clerical.
HANNAH
No. She, didn't she say it was,
um...she said it was in the
publicity department. That-that
can lead to other things.
The camera is back on Lee. She looks around tensely, barely
listening to the conversation. She fidgets. An empty table
sits in the background.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Boy, I knew you'd be discouraging.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
I'm not! I'm not! I'm trying to
be helpful. A person doesn't just
say one day, "Okay, now-now I'm
finished as an actress. Now I'm a
writer." I mean--
HOLLY
(offscreen, interrupting)
Yeah, you mean not at my age.
LEE
(shaking her head,
unable to take much more)
Oh, please! We all came to have
lunch, didn't we?
HOLLY
(reacting, now in view)
Yeah, okay, right. Forget it.
(puffing on her cigarette)
What's to eat?
Holly abruptly picks up her menu.
LEE
(trying to alleviate
the tension)
Boy...Holly...Holly.
HOLLY
(overlapping)
I just want a salad.
(to Hannah)
You really think I'm a loser, don't
you?
HANNAH
(offscreen)
What do--? You're being ridiculous.
LEE
(overlapping, reacting)
You are, Holly. Stop it.
HOLLY
(to Hannah)
You treat me like a loser.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
How?
HOLLY
You never have any faith in my
plans. You always undercut my
enthusiasm.
She puffs intensely on her cigarette as the camera slowly
circles to Hannah's face. She is equally intense, looking
at both sisters as she speaks.
HANNAH
Not so! No. I think I've been
very supportive. I've...I try to
give you honest, constructive advice.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Hmm!
HANNAH
(overlapping)
I'm-I'm always happy to help you
financially. I think I've gone out
of my way to-to introduce you to
interesting single men. There's
nothing I would--
HOLLY
(offscreen, interrupting)
Uh, losers! All losers!
HANNAH
You're too demanding.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
You know, I could always tell what
you thought of me by the type of
men you fixed me up with!
The camera, slowly circling the table, is back on Lee's face.
While her sisters argue emotionally on her right and left,
she is looking down, biting her lip. She is outwardly
still, but her face is registering her seething emotions.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
You're crazy! That's not true.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Hey, Hannah, I know I'm mediocre.
LEE
(interrupting angrily,
looking as if she's
about to cry)
Oh, will you stop attacking Hannah?!
HANNAH
(offscreen, overlapping)
Oh, now--
(stuttering)
LEE
(interrupting,
shaking her head)
She's going through a really rough
time right now.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Why are you so upset?
LEE
(sobbing and gesturing)
You know, you've been picking on
her ever since she came in here.
Now just leave her alone for a
while! I'm just suffocating.
(sniffing back her tears)
HOLLY
(leaning over to Lee,
puzzled, reacting to
her sister's tears)
What's the matter with you, Lee?
Why are you so sensitive all of a
sudden?
HANNAH
(offscreen)
Look.
(onscreen, as the
camera circles around
the table)
Listen. Listen.
(tapping Holly on her
shoulder and gesturing)
You want to write? Write.
HOLLY
(offscreen,
overlapping to Lee)
What's the matter?
HANNAH
(flinging her hands)
Write! Let's just not talk about
it anymore.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Good.
HANNAH
(shaking her head)
Take...take a year. Take six
months. Whatever you want. Who
knows? Maybe you'll, maybe you'll
be sitting with a good play.
She opens her menu, then turns to Lee, reacting suddenly to
her sister, who is rubbing her forehead, looking terribly
upset.
HANNAH
(to Lee)
What's the matter? What's the
matter with you?
(offscreen again as
the camera circles
back to Lee)
You look pale. You okay?
LEE
(overlapping, nodding
and stuttering)
I'm-I'm okay. Yeah, I-I-I, you
know, I...I'm just, um, I got dizzy
all of a sudden. I'm-I'm...I have
a headache.
HANNAH
(offscreen, overlapping)
Yeah?
LEE
(still rubbing her
forehead, looking
down at the menu)
I think we need to eat.
CUT TO:
Summer in New York.
A piano plays "Bewitched" in the background as the film cuts
to a large tree, covered with bright white blossoms. The
camera moves down the tree to reveal a well-kept, red-brick
brownstone on a pleasant, sunny New York City street. A man
wearing a summer suit walks by as the film moves inside the
building, to Elliot's analyst's office. The psychotherapist
sits in a comfortable armchair next to a curtained window.
In front of the window sits a table covered with artifacts
and a large lamp. The analyst's fingers are touching, his
arms resting on the chair, as he listens to the offscreen
Elliot.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
I-I can't seem to take action.
I'm-I'm like, uh, Hamlet unable to
kill his uncle.
The music stops as the camera moves across the room to
reveal Elliot, sitting in a wooden chair. He holds a long,
thin cigarette; he wears a gold Rolex watch. He face is not
yet seen.
ELLIOT
(face offscreen)
I want Lee, but I can't harm Hannah.
And in no other area am I a
procrastinator.
Elliot raises his cigarette to take a drag. The camera
follows the cigarette up to his face. Elliot looks
thoughtful as the movie cuts to:
EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS - DAY
Lee, wearing jeans and carrying an armful of books, is
running up a broad set of steps in the sunlight, greeting
other students as she passes. Elliot continues to talk over
the scene...
ELLIOT (V.O.)
Meanwhile...Lee has no direction.
She's taking courses at
Columbia...but just randomly.
...as Lee stops on a portico and turns to greet Doug, a
professor, who is running over to her, calling her name.
They mouth hello, smiling, and begin to walk off together.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I try not to call her, but then she
calls me and then...I call and...we
try to resist meeting, but...once
in a while we meet. Sometimes we
argue because I can't break up my
marriage. Sometimes we wind up
making love and...we both feel
terrible.
The film cuts back to Elliot in his analyst's office.
ELLIOT
But it's my fault.
Elliot takes a last drag on his cigarette. The camera
follows his hand as he crushes it out in a nearby ashtray.
ELLIOT
(face offscreen)
For all my education,
accomplishments, and so-called
wisdom...I can't fathom my own heart.
CUT TO:
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - DAY
Hare Krishna music is heard over a sunlit view of the
Manhattan skyline and the green trees of Central Park. The
camera moves down to reveal a large group of Hare Krishnas
dancing on the broad green lawn among other New Yorkers
enjoying the day. The leader, holding some pamphlets,
stands by a chain-link fence, a few feet away from his
group, talking to someone on the other side. It's Mickey,
as the camera soon shows, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, a
paper tucked under his arm.
KRISHNA LEADER
What makes you interested in
becoming a Hare Krishna?
MICKEY
(gesturing, walking onscreen)
Well, I'm not saying that I want to
join or anything, but...but I know
you guys believe in reincarnation,
you know, so it interests me.
KRISHNA LEADER
Yeah, well, what's your religion?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Well, I was born Jewish, you know,
but, uh, but last winter I tried to
become a Catholic and...it didn't
work for me. I-I studied and I
tried and I gave it everything,
but, you know, Catholicism for me
was die now, pay later, you know.
And I just couldn't get with it.
And I, and I wanted to, you know.
I--
KRISHNA LEADER
(interrupting)
You're afraid of dying?
. MICKEY
(gesturing)
Well...yeah, naturally. Aren't you?
I-- L-let me ask you, reincarnation,
does that mean my soul would pass
to another human being, or would I
come back as a moose or an aardvark
or something?
KRISHNA LEADER
(handing some Krishna
literature over the
fence to Mickey)
Take our literature...
MICKEY
(nodding, taking the material)
Uh-huh.
KRISHNA LEADER
...read it over, and think about it.
MICKEY
(looking down at the
material he's just received)
Well, okay. Thank you very much.
KRISHNA LEADER
You're welcome. Hare Krishna.
Mickey walks off, the Hare Krishnas still dancing and
singing on the other side of the fence. He flips through
the literature as he walks, then looks straight ahead,
pondering. His voice is heard over the screen.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Who are you kidding? You're gonna
be a Krishna? You're gonna shave
your head and put on robes and
dance around at airports? You'll
look like Jerry Lewis. Oh, God,
I'm so depressed.
Mickey puts his hand to his mouth as another title appears
on a black screen.
Autumn chill.
Bach's Concerto for Harpsichord is heard as the film cuts to
the waterfront at dusk. A bench faces some wharf pilings;
the water gently laps against them as Lee walks into view,
the wind blowing her hair. She stands and faces the water
and the distant skyline across the bay. The view is
contemplative, beautiful in the dim light.
Lee is alone; her hands are in her pockets. Lee, thinking,
is heard over the scene; the harpsichord music plays in the
background.
LEE (V.O.)
The nights are really getting
cooler. Summer went so quickly.
Soon it'll be fall.
(walking to the beach
and sitting down)
My literature professor really
likes me. It was fun being out
with him last night.
(staring pensively at
the water)
Funny. I feel like I'm betraying
Elliot...but that's ridiculous.
Why shouldn't I see Doug? Elliot's
not free.
(pausing)
Just go one step at a time. Let's
see what the next few months bring.
The concerto stops and the movie cuts to Holly, leaning into
an open phone booth near a subway entrance. She wears a
football jacket, jeans, and sneakers; she holds a manuscript
in her arms. It's a busy corner. People rush past Holly
towards the subway; others are walking up the station steps.
Holly smokes a cigarette as she talks on the phone to Hannah.
HOLLY
(into the telephone)
Hannah? Hi. Listen, um, you'll be
happy to know that your money has
not gone completely to waste... No,
I have an actual first rough draft
of something I wrote... Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, well, I showed it to Lee, and
she gave me some good pointers.
And, um, listen, I'm pretty near
where you live. I wonder if I
could just drop it off...and, you
know, when you have time, some
time, read it, an-and we'll talk
when I come over at Thanksgiving.
Okay? All right. Okay. Oh, wait,
wait.
(turning her body,
still on the phone)
Listen. Listen. I think Lee met
an interesting guy at Columbia...
Yeah. Yeah, well, he sounds really
nice...
(puffing on her cigarette)
Yeah. Okay. All right. Well,
we'll talk at Thanksgiving. Bye-bye.
Holly hangs up the phone and takes a drag on her cigarette.
She looks off in the distance, smiling, as the film cuts to:
INT. HANNAH'S APARTMENT - THANKSGIVING - NIGHT
It's Thanksgiving at Hannah's once again. Guests are
crowded together in the living room, surrounding the piano,
where Evan is sitting and flipping through some sheet music.
Norma stands behind him, leaning against a book-laden wall.
The guests are chattering, enjoying themselves; a lamp glows
on the corner of the piano. A little boy sitting in a chair
next to Evan is talking animatedly with a girl who is
leaning over the arm of the sofa. An adult guest talks to
the little boy; another guest takes a sip of wine from a
glass she'd placed on the bookshelf behind her as Evan turns
and addresses the group.
EVAN
(gesturing)
Now, here...here's a song that
Norma sang on that trip we made up
to the show in Buffalo. And, oh,
was she beautiful that night!
The guests laugh appreciatively. A woman comes over to Evan
and hands him some wine.
NORMA
Come on.
(laughing and touching
Evan's shoulder)
EVAN
(overlapping, to the woman)
Thank you, honey.
(putting his drink
down on the piano)
Oh, yes, you were, dear. Don't you
remember that night?
(gesturing and
pushing back some
sheet music that was
starting to fall)
She was so beautiful...she was so
beautiful that when men saw her
walking along the streets, they'd
drive their cars right up on the
sidewalk.
He laughs; the guests laugh with him.
EVAN
(looking back at Norma)
Isn't that right, honey, eh?
NORMA
(tapping his shoulder)
A slight exaggeration.
The guest continue to laugh; they are charmed.
EVAN
(overlapping Norma, laughing)
I know.
NORMA
(gesturing)
But only slight.
Evan continues to laugh with everyone as he starts to play
the piano. A nearby woman toasts him with her drink. The
camera moves around the room as he plays, showing the
various guests, chattering over the music. Some are in
clusters, in private conversations; others listen and watch
the offscreen Evan. A couple stands by the window; one man
gets up from his chair and walks away. Some guests sip
their drinks, smiling, as the camera moves back to the piano
and the book-laden wall. Evan is playing the piano with
exuberance. Norma, still standing behind him, has a
poignant, wistful expression on her face. She mouths the
words to the song Evan is playing, "It Could Happen to You."
The woman next to her smiles, enjoying the music, as the
camera continues its exploration, moving to a man standing
in the doorway with a group of children. Mavis the maid
walks by with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. The man takes one,
mouthing his thanks, as the camera travels past the open
bookshelf, past two boys in suits who are drinking soda and
munching, to reveal Lee. She is leaning against another
doorway, a faraway look on her face as she listens to the
music. Mavis passes in the hall beyond the doorway. Several
people, deep in conversation, stand nearby as Elliot,
holding a drink, walks up behind her.
ELLIOT
(sipping his drink)
You've been very cold to me tonight.
LEE
(glancing back at
Elliot, then turning away)
No.
ELLIOT
Is something wrong?
LEE
(turning)
Oh, not here.
(touching Elliot's arm)
There are too many people around.
Lee slips past Elliot and walks away. Elliot looks back at
her briefly, then, sipping his drink, he turns and looks
offscreen at the crowd in the living room.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Holly is standing in the pantry, preparing some offscreen
food. Near her is a restaurantlike swinging door with a
glass porthole. In the foreground, the kitchen table is
crowded with bowls and plates of food. An open cupboard
separates Holly from the rest of the room.
HOLLY
(looking offscreen)
Hey, Hannah? You know, I think Lee
is really serious about her new
boyfriend. Yeah, eh, from what I
understand he sounds really nice.
Hannah walks into view, headed for the refrigerator. She
carries two tomatoes.
HOLLY
I'm so happy for her. I think
she's in love.
Hannah opens the refrigerator, totally ignoring Holly.
HOLLY
(reacting)
Hey, what's the matter?
HANNAH
(taking a bunch of
celery out and
slamming the
refrigerator door)
I'm real upset about what you wrote.
Hannah walks over to the table, gathering up more food.
HOLLY
My script?
HANNAH
It's obviously based on Elliot and
me.
HOLLY
Oh, so loosely.
HANNAH
(angrily)
No, not "Oh, so loosely"! Real
specifically! Is that how you see
us?
HOLLY
(shrugging, walking
out of the pantry area)
Well--
HANNAH
(interrupting)
Can I, can I not accept gestures
and feelings from people? Do I, do
I put people off?
Holly walks over to the sink and washes her hands.
HOLLY
(reacting)
Well, it's a made-up story.
She dries her hands as Hannah, her arms laden with
vegetables, strides over to her sister.
HANNAH
(yelling)
No, it's real exact! The-the
situations, the dialogue, everything.
It's-it's full of intimate details
between Elliot and me!
Which I don't, I don't see how you
could even possibly know about. A
conversation we once had about
adoption?
Hannah storms out a nearby door as Holly turns away from the
sink.
HOLLY
(gesturing, the towel
still in her hand, as
she speaks to her
offscreen sister)
Well, Lee mentioned that to me, so
obviously you discussed it with her.
You...
(pacing around the table)
I just took the essence and I blew
it up into drama.
Holly wipes her hand on the towel as Hannah reenters the
kitchen, carrying even more vegetables.
HANNAH
I don't see how Lee could know
about these things. I don't! I
don't tell her everything.
Hannah strides into the pantry area and flops the vegetables
down on the counter. Holly puts the dishtowel down and
absently straightens some things on the food-laden table.
HOLLY
(reacting)
Wow, I guess I hit a nerve.
HANNAH
(turning to look at Holly)
You make it sound like, you know, I
have no needs or something. You
think I'm too self-sufficient?
HOLLY
(stopping her mindless
straightening at the
table, reacting)
Now, Hannah, that's not what I
meant, you know.
(walking offscreen to
the sink area)
Uh, yeah, everybody relies on you
for so much. "You're so giving.
It's not a criticism. We love you.
We're grateful."
HANNAH
(walking out of the
pantry to the food-
laden table)
You're grateful, but you resent me.
HOLLY
(offscreen)
Oh, wow! I don't want to have this
conversation. I didn't do anything
wrong.
Hannah angrily gathers up some spices from the table; Holly
walks back onscreen holding a silver ice bucket. She stops
at the corner of the table and faces Hannah.
HOLLY
(onscreen)
Y-you mentioned to me yourself that
you and Elliot were having some
problems.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
Yeah, we're having some problems,
but problems that are my
business...which I don't see how
you could know about in such detail.
How does Lee know about these
things? How? They're private!
Hannah picks up a large bowl and carries it, as well as her
armload of spices, into the pantry area.
HOLLY
(turning to look at
her sister as she
walks past)
Well, why don't you share them with
us?
HANNAH
(with her back to the camera)
I don't...I don't want to bother
everyone.
HOLLY
(facing her sister's back)
That's the point. I'd like to be
bothered.
HANNAH
(turning to look at Holly)
I don't see how you could know
about these things unless Elliot's
been talking to you.
HOLLY
(shaking her head)
No, he hasn't. If I offended you,
I'm sorry.
Hannah, reacting, puts the spices down on the pantry counter.
Holly turns away.
The film cuts to the dining room doorway. Guests can be
seen mingling and talking and helping themselves at a buffet
table in the living room. Lee and Elliot can be heard
offscreen as the camera slowly moves from the doorway across
the empty dining room to reveal them in the midst of an
intense conversation. The piano, as well as soft chatter,
is heard in the background.
LEE
(offscreen)
It's over, Elliot. I don't know
how to make it any clearer. It's
over. I can't see you anymore.
ELLIOT
(offscreen, overlapping)
Uh...
(onscreen, gesturing)
I-I-I know. I deserve this.
LEE
(touching her chest)
Look, I'm just as much at fault.
ELLIOT
(overlapping, gesturing)
If-if-if you can believe I have
such feelings for you!
LEE
I've got to be honest with you. I
met someone else. I've met someone
else.
(turning and walking
away from Elliot)
I...I told you I wasn't going to
wait forever.
Lee goes over to an open door and closes it quickly.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
But it hasn't been forever.
(walking over to Lee
at the just-closed door)
LEE
(gesturing)
It's been nearly a year since our
first time and you're still married
to my sister, which...I now realize
is fine because you're probably
much more in love with her than you
know.
ELLIOT
(shaking his head)
Yeah, but we-we made so many plans.
LEE
(overlapping, gesturing)
Yeah. Uh, well, sure we did. An-
an-and in a way you led me on,
because I truly believed you were
unhappy with Hannah. Otherwise, I
would never have let myself be
drawn in. I was very weak. So
were you. Now I've met someone else.
The door opens and Mavis appears, holding a set of
candlesticks. She walks over to the dining room table,
which is already decked out with a floral centerpiece,
glassware, and china. She puts them down as Lee and Elliot
stand awkwardly near the door, waiting for her to leave.
LEE
(to Mavis)
Dinner soon?
MAVIS
About fifteen minutes.
LEE
(nodding)
Uh-huh. Good.
Mavis leaves. Both Lee and Elliot quickly close the door
behind her and immediately pick up where they'd left off.
ELLIOT
And you're in love overnight?
LEE
I care a great deal about him, yes.
ELLIOT
(trying to put his
arm around Lee)
Lee...
LEE
(pulling back,
flinging her hands)
Ah, it's over! Elliot, I mean it.
It's over!
They look at each other, reacting, as the film cuts back to
Hannah's kitchen. Norma's face can be seen in the porthole
window on the other side of the pantry's swinging door. She
looks around the kitchen, then opens the door and steps
inside. Holly stands nearby, working in the pantry area.
NORMA
(holding the door,
half in and half out
of the kitchen)
Sweetheart, I loved your script. I
thought it was so clever.
HOLLY
(turning to Norma,
smiling, and holding
a glass of wine)
Well, you're my mother. Not
everybody's gonna be such a sucker.
NORMA
(gesturing)
I particularly liked the character
of the mother. Just a boozy old
flirt with a filthy mouth.
Holly chuckles.
NORMA
I'm so proud!
HOLLY
Oh, Mom, thanks.
Norma steps back out of the kitchen, the door swinging shut
behind her. Holly looks at the door, sipping her wine, as
the movie cuts back to Hannah's living room. A chubby,
friendly uncle sits on a sofa, one child on his lap and
several others gathered cross-legged around him on the floor.
They lean on the coffee table, which is covered with glasses
and a bowl of chips. Other guests mingle in the background;
one couple enters the living room, smiling at the scene on
the sofa. Mavis crosses the well-lit foyer in the background
and opens the door to more guests. The piano plays on.
UNCLE
(raising his bottle
of beer to the children)
Now here's a toast to Thanksgiving,
all right?
The children mutter their enthusiastic agreement, picking up
their "illicit" glasses of beer.
UNCLE
Are we supposed to have beer?
Yeeeah!
The uncle pours more beer from his bottle into the kids'
outstretched glasses. They cry indistinctly with excitement.
UNCLE
(overlapping the
children's squeals of delight)
Let me at it!
(to one of the little boys)
How's that, Fletcher?
Laughing, he turns to the little girl sitting on his lap; he
clinks his bottle against the bottle she is holding, which
is almost as big as she is.
UNCLE
(to the little girl)
Doll? To Thanksgiving. Here's a
little toast, doll.
(clinking glasses)
Come on. Bottoms up.
The uncle and the children happily drink their beer as the
movie cuts to a wall with subtly patterned wallpaper in
Hannah's bedroom. Her face moves on to the screen.
HANNAH
(to the offscreen Elliot)
Have you been talking to Holly or
Lee about us? About our-our
personal life?
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Me? Of course not.
. HANNAH
There's things Holly wrote about in
her script about us that are
so...personal they could only have
come from you.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
Look, I've got a splitting headache
and I don't like being accused.
Hannah walks towards Elliot; he's in the bathroom standing
over the sink.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
I'm not accusing. I'm asking. Do
you...do you find me too...too
giving?
(closing the door of
the bathroom slightly
so only she is seen
on the screen)
Too-too-too competent? Too-too, I
don't know, disgustingly perfect or
something?
ELLIOT
No.
Elliot walks from behind the partially closed door to an
offscreen medicine cabinet.
HANNAH
(following Elliot and
gesturing, talking to
his back)
Well, what is it then? What? Eh,
what's come between us? How have I
alienated you?
ELLIOT
(taking a bottle of
aspirin from the
cabinet and walking
back to the sink, gesturing)
Hannah, my head is throbbing.
. HANNAH
(gesturing)
You never want to talk about it.
I-- Every time I bring it up, you-
you change the subject. What is it?
Do you-- We're communicating less
and less. You sleep with me less
and less.
ELLIOT
(angrily turning to
Hannah and pointing
as she shouts)
Hannah, I am very mixed up! Now
please!
Elliot turns back to the sink, once again obscured by the
partially closed door.
HANNAH
(reacting, her voice
trembling slightly,
and gesturing)
Do you talk to Holly or Lee behind
my back? Do you? You must. They-
they seem to know so much about us.
ELLIOT
(walking towards a
towel rack and gesturing)
Well, maybe I've asked advice once
or twice or-or made a joke.
He dries his hands as Hannah, standing behind him, continues
to talk.
HANNAH
(gesturing)
Well, what do you do? Do-do-do you
talk to Holly, or Lee, or what? Do
you, do you, do you phone them?
ELLIOT
(whirling around to
face Hannah, snapping)
Leave me alone, can you?!
He closes the door, briefly obscuring Hannah and himself
from view.
ELLIOT
(continuing in a
lower tone)
Jesus, I've told you. I need
someone I can matter to.
The camera moves behind the closed door, into the bathroom.
HANNAH
(reacting, near tears)
You matter to me. Completely.
ELLIOT
(pausing, his voice
rising again)
It's hard to be around someone who
gives so much and-and needs so
little in return!
He opens the medicine cabinet and puts the aspirin bottle
back.
HANNAH
(gesturing, pleading)
But, look...I-I have enormous needs.
Elliot slams the medicine cabinet shut.
ELLIOT
(shouting)
Well, I can't see them, and neither
can Lee or Holly!
He leaves. Hannah watches him go, reacting. She is stunned.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S LIVING ROOM - ANOTHER NIGHT
The dark hallway is illuminated by light coming from the
offscreen foyer; pictures line the wall. Piano music is
still heard very softly in the background as Hannah, hugging
herself, walks slowly down the hallway into the living room.
She briefly looks around, lost in thought. She sits down
heavily, tiredly, on the arm of the couch as the movie cuts
to several framed photographs on the mantel. One shows
Hannah and Elliot on their wedding day. Another shows
Elliot, obscured in the shadows. Yet another has captured
Norma as a young girl. The camera, however, moves closer
and closer to a photograph showing Hannah, Lee, and Holly,
the three sisters, smiling into the camera. There is no
sound.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
The film shows the bedroom night table, holding a small
lamp, a wooden box, a cast-iron fire truck, an ashtray, and
glasses. Elliot's pajama-clad arm moves into view. He
turns off the lamp; the room is now pitch-black.
HANNAH
(offscreen)
It's so pitch-black tonight. I
feel lost.
ELLIOT
(offscreen)
You're not lost.
Elliot turns the lamp back on, then turns to Hannah; she is
lying on her side of the bed, partially in shadow. He leans
over and kisses her.
ELLIOT
I love you so much.
They begin to kiss passionately as "Bewitched" starts to
play in the background.
CUT TO:
Lucky I ran into you.
"Bewitched" continues as the film cuts to a busy nighttime
New York City street. Mickey, his hands in his pockets,
walks along the sidewalk, one person among many other
pedestrians. He pulls his coat tighter around him as he
walks. "Bewitched" continues to play as he passes Tower
Records' neon-lit window. He glances inside...and sees
Holly, her jacket flung over her shoulders, looking at some
records.
Mickey walks through the revolving doors of Tower Records,
up a few stairs to the selling floor proper, and stops right
in front of Holly.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Mmm, I don't know if you remember
me, but we had the worst night of
my life together.
HOLLY
(laughing, holding
some records)
I remember you.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Yes, you do recall, right?
HOLLY
(overlapping, smiling
and nodding)
I recall you.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I was walking past and I saw you in
here...
HOLLY
(overlapping, nodding)
Yeah.
MICKEY
...and I thought I'd come in
and...and we could replay, uh, the
whole, uh...
HOLLY
(interrupting,
laughing and shaking
her head)
We didn't hit it off.
MICKEY
(overlapping, smiling)
Oh, that's putting it mildly. We
did everything but exchange gunshots.
HOLLY
How are you?
MICKEY
Good. How are you?
HOLLY
I'm fine.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
You look wonderful.
HOLLY
(chuckling, shaking
her head)
Oh, no.
MICKEY
(overlapping,
scratching his head)
Yeah, really. You do. You do.
HOLLY
Yeah?
MICKEY
It was a terrible evening.
HOLLY
Yeah, it was.
MICKEY
(overlapping, gesturing)
Remember slamming the cab door in
my face and..
(touching his nose as
Holly laughs)
you know, it came very dangerously
close to emasculating my nose in
a...
(touching his nose again)
HOLLY
(overlapping, laughing)
I'd never do that.
MICKEY
(continuing)
...in a really horrible way.
HOLLY
(smiling, glancing
away for a moment)
Oh, well, that was a long time ago.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
You look wonderful. You do. What
happened to you?
HOLLY
(shrugging)
People change...you know.
MICKEY
(touching Holly's shoulder)
Well, I hope you've changed.
HOLLY
Yeah, I hope you have, too.
. MICKEY
(overlapping)
I hope so for your sake, because,
uh, your personality left something
to be desired...
HOLLY
(overlapping, shaking
her head)
Yeah, and for yours. I'm sure
you've changed.
MICKEY
(continuing)
...namely a personality.
Holly chuckles and turns to look at more records. She walks
down the aisle, occasionally glancing at the bins of records.
Mickey walks beside her.
MICKEY
So how are you?
HOLLY
(smiling)
I'm okay.
MICKEY
You didn't answer my question.
What are you doing?
HOLLY
Oh, nothing much. You know...
MICKEY
(interrupting)
Well...
HOLLY
(overlapping)
...just some stuff. A little of
this, a little of that, that's all.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Yeah? Is that an embarrassing
question? Should I have not asked
it?
HOLLY
(laughing)
Probably not.
MICKEY
Are you, are you out of work or
something?
HOLLY
No, well...I've been trying to write.
MICKEY
Have you?
HOLLY
(picking up a record
and looking at it)
Yeah.
MICKEY
Well, that's interesting. Wh-what
kind of stuff?
HOLLY
(touching her chin
for a moment)
Oh...well, you-you're not interested
in this.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
No, you can tell me.
HOLLY
Come on.
MICKEY
No, I am. I am.
HOLLY
(overlapping)
Oh, no, millions of people come up
to you and say, "Hey, I have
something I just wrote," right?
MICKEY
Nobody ever said it.
HOLLY
Really?
MICKEY
(overlapping)
This is it. Yeah. This is really--
. HOLLY
(interrupting,
turning from the
record bins to look
at Mickey)
Well, wo-would you be willing to-to
read it? Something...that I wrote?
MICKEY
(nodding his head)
Well, yes, I would if, uh, if it
would mean anything to you. I
don't know why it would.
HOLLY
(laughing, touching
her face)
No, the reason I ask is--
MICKEY
(overlapping)
You've always hated my taste in the
past.
HOLLY
(pulling her jacket
off her shoulders)
No, I haven't.
MICKEY
You have.
HOLLY
(gesturing, looking
at Mickey)
I haven't. No, the reason why I
ask is I think it might make a
great, uh, television script, and,
you know, you're so active in
television, so--
MICKEY
(chuckling, gesturing)
I'm not anymore. I haven't, I
haven't been in television for a
year.
HOLLY
You're kidding me.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
I've done no television whatsoever.
No.
As Mickey continues to speak, Holly walks to another bin of
records, reacting to his words. She looks offscreen at him,
then down at some records. The camera follows her.
MICKEY
(offscreen, continuing)
I may, I may have to get back into
it, 'cause my accountant says that
I'm running out of dollars.
But...but, um, no, I haven't, I
just sort of dropped out for a
year...
HOLLY
(overlapping, nodding)
Oh. Oh.
MICKEY
(offscreen, overlapping)
...which is a long, dull story and
I won't get into it. But--
Mickey walks back onscreen to Holly. The two of them are
partially obscured by a large white Jazz sign imprinted with
a large red circle as they continue their conversation.
HOLLY
(interrupting)
You're okay, though, huh?
MICKEY
I'm-- Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I'm
fine. How are you?
HOLLY
(face offscreen,
obscured by the sign)
Oh, I'm fine.
MICKEY
What...what about your script?
(face offscreen
obscured by the sign)
So what's it about?
HOLLY
(face offscreen)
Well, I'd love it if you'd read it,
actually, 'cause I really would
value your opinion.
MICKEY
(face offscreen)
You have to remember, we-we-we
didn't agree on one thing.
They emerge from behind the Jazz sign, still walking, still
talking.
HOLLY
(smiling, gesturing)
But you have to remember while
you're reading and you're cursing
my name, you know, that this is my
first script. Well, it's not my
first script.
MICKEY
Hmm.
HOLLY
(touching her face)
Actually, my first script was about
Hannah and her husband, but, uh...
MICKEY
Yeah.
HOLLY
...Hannah read it, she got really
angry, and... you know, then I felt
badly, so I--
She picks up a record.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Oh, well, God, I can imagine what
you wrote.
HOLLY
Oh, no! It wasn't anything bad.
But she just... you know. I don't
know.
Mickey pulls out a record and looks at it.
MICKEY
Really?
HOLLY
So, uh...I threw it out, but I have
this other one.
Holly looks hopefully at Mickey.
. MICKEY
Well, you know, I-I-I...you know,
if you want me to, I'll read it.
HOLLY
(overlapping, gesturing)
Oh, gosh, I don't know.
(pausing)
Well, could I come over tomorrow
and read it to you?
MICKEY
(chuckling)
Come over tomorrow and read it to me?
Holly laughs, embarrassed, as Mickey puts the record he's
been looking at back in the bin.
MICKEY
You must be joking. I've been
doing all my own reading since I
was forty...you know.
HOLLY
(laughing, looking at Mickey)
Hmm. I think it's lucky I ran into
you.
(laughing)
Maybe.
MICKEY
(laughing)
Well, what about me?
HOLLY
(chuckling, waving
her arm)
Oh, well.
MICKEY
(overlapping, gesturing)
I should have kept going. I-I have
a sneaking feeling, a nagging
sensation I should've kept walking
and...
Holly chuckles, looking off for a moment.
MICKEY
(continuing, looking
at Holly)
...and not begun this conversation.
There is a brief pause and the movie cuts to:
INT. MICKEY'S APARTMENT - DAY
The screen shows a chaise in Mickey's apartment; an ashtray
on a stand sits nearby. The camera moves down the chaise,
past several piles of books, to Mickey's coffee table. He
sits, picking at his fingers and listening, on the edge of
the table in front of Holly, who is sitting cross-legged on
the floor, propped up with a pillow, reading her script aloud.
HOLLY
(offscreen, as the
camera moves across
the room towards her
and Mickey, reading)
"We all go through life playing the
hand we're dealt. Craig: And what
hand were you dealt?
(onscreen now)
"Emily: I'm two high pair, maybe
even aces up. The problem is,
you've got three deuces."
Holly closes the script and looks up at Mickey.
HOLLY
That's the end.
Mickey smiles and shrugs, not knowing what to say.
HOLLY
No, you can tell me straight. It's
okay. Just, you know, tell me what
you think.
MICKEY
(shaking his head, shrugging)
It's great. I swea-- I'm-- I'm,
tch, I'm speechless. I was...I was
not in the mood to listen to this
thing now.
(sighing)
I don't know what to say. I'm
moved and I laughed and I-- Uh, I,
you know, I was on the edge of my
seat. I just think it's wonderful!
I'm, I'm totally...stunned. This
is not an insult. I'm amazed that
you can...
(sighing)
It was-- I just thought it was great.
HOLLY
(reacting)
Really?
MICKEY
(grunting and gesturing)
Yes! I was abso-- And...w-
what...made you think of that
climax scene where the, where the...
architect is walking home with his
actress girlfriend and-and the ex-
wife who's schizophrenic jumps out
of the bushes and stabs him to death?
HOLLY
(laughing and nodding)
Oh, it just came to me one day.
MICKEY
(gesturing)
Well, it was just fabulous! I'm,
I, you know...
HOLLY
(gasping, hitting her
forehead with her hand)
Oh, gosh, you really think I can
write?
MICKEY
(gesturing)
I thought it was wonder-- There's
maybe one or two things in there
that I would do differently myself,
but...
HOLLY
(gasping and nodding)
Right.
MICKEY
(continuing)
...but who cares? It was just--
(gesturing)
It was fabulous.
HOLLY
(chuckling)
Oh!
MICKEY
(smiling and shaking
his head)
Fabulous, I mean it! I'm so
impressed.
Holly, thrilled with Mickey's overwhelming response, stands
up, her hand on her head.
Unable to contain herself, she begins to walk up and down
the room, holding her script. The camera follows her;
Mickey is now offscreen.
HOLLY
(laughing)
Oh, God!
MICKEY
(offscreen, overlapping)
I am. You-you made my day.
HOLLY
(gasping)
Oh, wow!
MICKEY
(offscreen)
It was just great. Uh, I was all
set...I was set to be bored stiff.
HOLLY
(grinning, looking at
the offscreen Mickey)
Uh, gee. Would you like to have
lunch? Uh, uh...
MICKEY
(offscreen)
I-I would love to talk to you
about, uh, that script. I-I, you
know, I think maybe that we could
do something with it.
HOLLY
(nodding)
Okay, and listen, I would like to
hear what made you suddenly decide
to drop out of life.
MICKEY
(offscreen)
Oh, who cares?
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Y-you used to-- Oh, no! Yeah, I
care. You used to be so ambitious
and...
(pausing, grinning)
God, you really liked it?!
"You Made Me Love You" starts to play as the movie cuts to
the street outside Mickey's apartment house, an old building
complete with a red entrance door and a gray, weather-beaten
faзade. Trees line the sidewalk. Holly and Mickey emerge
from the door and walk up the street, revealing a whole row
of similar apartment buildings. They pass a few other
people as they walk.
The film then moves to the outside of a charming glass and
stainedwood cafй. Through the window, Holly and Mickey can
be seen having lunch. Holly is talking animatedly; Mickey
takes a sip of coffee. Some people pass by.
Next, the film cuts to an almost isolated path in Central
Park, complete, with old-fashioned streetlamps and scattered
leaves. Holly and Mickey stroll into view, deep in
conversation.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Gosh, you really went through a
crisis, you know that? H-how did
you get over it? I mean, when I
ran into you, you seemed, you
seemed just perfectly fine. Well,
you seem fine now.
MICKEY
Well...
(chuckling)
I'll tell you.
(sighing)
One day about a month ago...
The film abruptly cuts to Mickey's flashback, a visual
counterpoint to the story he is telling Holly. A close-up
of a nervous, perspiring, and panting Mickey alone in his
apartment appears on the screen as his voice is heard.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...I really hit bottom. You know,
I just felt that in a Godless
universe, I didn't want to go on
living. Now I happen to own this
rifle...
(coughing)
Mickey raises the barrel of a rifle to his forehead. He
shuts his eyes tightly.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...which I loaded, believe it or
not, and pressed it to my forehead.
And I remember thinking, at the
time, I'm gonna kill myself. Then
I thought...what if I'm wrong?
What if there is a God? I mean,
after all, nobody really knows that.
The camera moves past the desperate Mickey to a mirror on
the wall behind him. Its reflection shows his spiral
staircase and some standing lamps. A clock faintly ticks.
MICKEY (V.O.)
But then I thought, no. You know,
maybe is not good enough. I want
certainty or nothing. And I
remember very clearly the clock was
ticking, and I was sitting there
frozen, with the gun to my head,
debating whether to shoot.
The gun goes off with a loud bang. The mirror shatters.
MICKEY (V.O.)
All of a sudden, the gun went off.
Mickey, holding the rifle, is seen running over to the
shattered mirror. The sounds of his excited neighbors,
their shouting, a knocking door, are heard as he continues
his tale.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I had been so tense, my finger had
squeezed the trigger inadvertently...
NEIGHBOR #1
(offscreen, overlapping)
What's happening? Wh-wh-what's
going on?
MICKEY (V.O.)
(continuing)
...but I was perspiring so much,
the gun had slid off my forehead
and missed me.
NEIGHBOR #2
(offscreen, overlapping)
I don't know. I heard a gun. Is
everything all right?
Mickey, still brandishing the rifle, runs into his sunlit
living room. He looks around frantically, his shirt loose.
Finally, he throws the rifle down between the sofa and the
coffee table. The gun goes off a second time. Mickey,
standing nearby, jumps, his hands flying to his head. The
doorbell rings; the neighbors begin pounding at the door.
MICKEY (V.O.)
And suddenly, neighbors were, were,
pounding on the door, and-and I
don't know, the whole scene was
just pandemonium. And, uh, you
know, and I-I-I-I-I ran to the door.
Mickey runs offscreen briefly to answer the door.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I-I-I-I didn't know what to say.
You know, I was, I was embarrassed
and confused, and my-my-my mind was
r-r-racing a mile a minute...
He returns onscreen, panting; he looks frantically once
again around the living room.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...and I-I jus knew one thing.
The film cuts to a West Side street. It's an overcast day.
Mickey, walking slowly along the sidewalk, passes several
other pedestrians and numerous storefronts, including
Klein's Pharmacy and a "Bar-B-Q" take out. Occasionally, he
is obscured by a tree trunk on the opposite side of the
street; a few taxis go by as he talks over the scene.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I...I-I-I-I had to get out of that
house. I had to just get out in
the fresh air and-and clear my head.
And I remember very clearly. I
walked the streets. I walked and I
walked. I-I didn't know what was
going through my mind. It all
seemed so violent and un-unreal to
me. And I wandered...
The movie cuts to the exterior of the Metro movie theater,
with its smoked glass entrance doors and its Art Deco feel.
An old publicity photo hangs inside. Mickey's reflection is
seen at the almost-transparent doors, as well as the
reflection of the street and various cars whizzing by. His
reflection walks towards the theater entrance; he continues
his story.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...for a long time on the Upper
West Side, you know, an-and it must
have been hours! You know, my, my
feet hurt. My head was, was
pounding, and, and I had to sit
down. I went into a movie house.
I-I didn't know what was playing or
anything.
Mickey walks into the movie house. He is seen through the
glass doors, which still reflect the street and traffic
outside. He makes his way through the lobby into the actual
theater.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I just, I just needed a moment to
gather my thoughts and, and be
logical, and, and put the world
back into rational perspective.
The film abruptly cuts to the theater's black-and-white
screen, where the Marx Brothers, in Duck Soup, play the
helmets of several soldiers standing in a line like a live
xylophone. The sounds of the "xylophone" are heard as the
movie cuts to the darkened theater, where Mickey slowly sits
down in a balcony seat. The "xylophone" music stops and
changes to "Hidee-hidee-hidee-hidee-hidee-hidee-ho" as sung
by the Marx Brothers and ensemble in the movie. The singing
continues faintly in the background as Mickey continues his
tale:
MICKEY (V.O.)
And I went upstairs to the balcony,
and I sat down
(sighing)
and, you know, the movie was a-a-a
film that I'd seen many times in my
life since I was a kid, an-and I
always u-uh, loved it. And, you
know, I'm, I'm watching these
people up on the screen, and I
started getting hooked o-on the
film, you know?
The film cuts back to the black-and-white movie screen as
Mickey continues to talk. The Marx Brothers, as well as the
hundred-odd other cast members in Duck Soup, are kneeling
and bowing as they sing "Hidee-hidee-ho." They kick their
heels up in the air. They sway back and forth, hands
clasped, singing "Oh-h-h-h-h-h..."
MICKEY (V.O.)
...And I started to feel how can
you even think of killing yourself?
I mean, isn't it so stupid? I
mean, l-look at all the people up
there on the screen. You know,
they're real funny, and, and what
if the worst is true?
The movie cuts back to Mickey, sitting almost obscured in
the dark theater. The Oh-h-h-h-h-h's coming from the
offscreen movie are heard as he continues to speak.
MICKEY (V.O.)
What if there's no God, and you
only go around once and that's it?
Well, you know, don't you want to
be part of the experience? You
know, what the hell, it-i-it's not
all a drag. And I'm thinking to
myself, geez, I should stop ruining
my life...
As Mickey talks, the film cuts back to the antics of the
Marx Brothers on the black-and-white theater screen. The
four brothers are now swaying and singing and strutting,
their voices indistinct over Mickey's narration.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...searching for answers I'm never
gonna get, and just enjoy it while
it lasts. And...you know...
The film is back on Mickey's dark form in the audience.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...after, who knows? I mean, you
know, maybe there is something.
Nobody really knows. I know, I
know "maybe" is a very slim reed to
hang your whole life on, but that's
the best we have. And...then, I
started to sit back, and I actually
began to enjoy myself.
As Mickey continues, the film cuts back to Duck Soup on the
black-and-white screen. The Marx Brothers are sitting on a
judge's bench, playing banjos and singing with the other
cast members. They jump down from the bench, still singing.
Their voices swell.
MARX BROTHERS & COMPANY
"Oh, Freedonia
Oh, don't you cry for me
They'll be coming around the
mountain..."
The Marx Brothers kneel, strumming their banjos, and the
movie cuts back to Central Park. The flashback is over.
Mickey and Holly continue their stroll as "You Made Me Love
You" begins to play in the background. They pass some
people, a cluster of buildings that look like castles, and
the Manhattan skyline as seen through the trees, as the
camera moves back, farther and farther away from them,
showing a beautiful Central Park, frozen in time.
HOLLY
(gesturing)
Um...look, there's something I've,
uh, that's been bothering me for a
long time, and I just thought I'd
just tell you what it was and just
sort of clear the deck here, and
(chuckling)
that's this.
MICKEY
(mumbling)
Oh, yeah? What?
HOLLY
(overlapping)
That I've always regretted the way
I behaved that evening we went out,
and, uh...I've, I just thought I'd
tell you that because I really made
a fool out of myself.
MICKEY
Oh, don't be silly! No! Don't be
ridiculous.
HOLLY
(overlapping)
It's all right.
MICKEY
I was the, I was... You know, it
was my fault. I--
(inhaling)
Holly laughs.
MICKEY
So, so you want to go out to dinner
again? I mean, is that, is that...
Have, you have any interest in
that, or...
HOLLY
Sure. Sure, uh, yes.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
Do you? I mean, are you, are you,
are you, are you free this evening?
HOLLY
Yeah.
They stroll offscreen. "You Made Me Love You" grows louder
and the film cuts to:
One year later.
CUT TO:
INT. HANNAH'S APARTMENT - THANKSGIVING - NIGHT
A large, perfectly roasted turkey on a serving plate briefly
fills the screen as the camera moves across the food-laden
table in Hannah's kitchen, past an electric mixer, several
bowls, spices, tomatoes, and parsley, to reveal Evan walking
through the doorway.
EVAN
(holding a drink)
I want ice! Who's got some--
(pointing to an ice
bucket on the table)
Oh, there it is.
HANNAH
(offscreen, overlapping)
It's on the table, Dad.
The sounds of Thanksgiving guests in the other room are
dimly heard; "You Made Me Love You" continues softly in the
background. Mavis passes the table, licking some food off
her hand. Hannah, in the background, is busy by the stove.
EVAN
(putting ice into his glass)
Hey, where's Holly? She's late.
As Mavis leaves the kitchen, Lee enters, carrying some empty
glasses.
LEE
(walking briskly to
the sink)
Hey, Hannah, did you read that last
thing Holly wrote? It was great.
She's really developed.
HANNAH
(offscreen, in
another area of the kitchen)
I know, she...she really writes
good dialogue.
LEE
(turning to the
offscreen Hannah)
Yeah. I'll get some ice.
Lee walks off, drying her wet hands in the air. Hannah, in
a silk dress, moves onscreen, going to the table and pouring
herself a glass of wine as Norma enters the kitchen.
NORMA
Hannah, can I tell everybody you're
going to play Desdemona?
Norma walks over to a glass-doored cabinet and takes out a
bottle of gin.
HANNAH
(taking a big sip of
her wine)
Oh, Mom, it's only television.
(beginning to mash
some sweet potatoes
in a bowl on the table)
NORMA
(gesturing with the bottle)
Yes, but it's public television.
And to me, Shakespeare doesn't get
any greater than Othello. You with
some big black stud! I love it!
Norma unscrews the liquor bottle and pours some into her
empty glass as Hannah stops her mashing, reacting.
HANNAH
(gasping and laughing)
Oh, Mom!
EVAN
(overlapping, reacting)
Oh, honey!
The movie leaves the kitchen and cuts to the doorway between
the dining room and the living room. Upbeat jazz plays over
the low din of the party. Two women stand by the partially
set dining room table, chatting and arranging some plates,
as Elliot strolls into view, sipping a drink. He passes the
women and walks through the doorway into the living room,
nodding hello to a guest who is walking the other way.
He enters the living room, smiling. It is crowded with
guests; Hannah's children play in their midst. One of
Hannah's boys grabs Elliot's arm. They playfully "spar" for
a moment before Elliot laughingly shakes him off, continuing
on his way into a connecting room. He stops at the doorway,
looking at the crowd. The camera shows his point of view:
Guests stand in clusters, enjoying themselves; one woman
chats with a little boy; another woman, carrying a drink,
walks over to a group of other guests.
The film then cuts back briefly to Elliot, holding his drink
and looking straight ahead, as it shows his point of view
once more. This time he sees a smiling Lee and Doug,
talking animatedly; a few guests are seen in the background.
Elliot's voice is heard over a close-up of the couple.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
Oh, Lee, you are something.
Lee and Doug kiss each other. They continue talking.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
You look very beautiful. Marriage
agrees with you. Everything that
happened between us
(pausing)
seems more and more hazy.
As Lee takes a sip of her drink, the movie cuts back to
Elliot, standing in the doorway and still staring straight
ahead. The camera moves in closer to his face as he talks
over the scene.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
I acted like such a fool. I don't
know what came over me. That
complete conviction that I couldn't
live without you.
The film quickly cuts to a brief look at Lee and Doug, still
talking animatedly and smiling. Lee gently pushes back
Doug's hair.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
What did I put us both through?
And Hannah...
The camera moves back to Elliot.
ELLIOT (V.O.)
(continuing)
...who as you once said, I love
much more than I realized.
After pausing for a moment on Elliot's face, the film cuts
to the foyer, where two boys and a girl gather by the door.
One boy opens it, revealing Holly. She joyfully enters the
apartment, greeting each child with an enthusiastic kiss.
HOLLY
(kissing the children)
Hi! How are you!
(kissing)
Happy Thanksgiving!
(kissing)
BOY #1
Hi!
HOLLY
I didn't miss dinner, did I?
CHILDREN
(overlapping, talking
at once)
No!
The jazz ends as the record scratches and stops. Evan's
rendition of "Isn't It Romantic" is heard on the piano as
Holly, shrugging the strap of her pocketbook off her
shoulder, walks towards the living room. She is stopped by
three guests--two women, one of them wearing glasses, and a
man--who are coming out of the room.
HOLLY
(smiling)
Huh? Hi, Marge.
FEMALE GUEST #1
(overlapping)
You look lovely.
They kiss.
FEMALE GUEST #2
(overlapping, hugging Holly)
Hello, darling.
HOLLY
Happy Thanksgiving.
FEMALE GUEST #2
(overlapping)
Good to see you. Same to you.
HOLLY
(hugging the man)
Hello.
The movie cuts to Hannah, leaning contentedly against a
doorway into the living room and listening to the offscreen
Evan play the piano. Elliot, holding his drink, walks over
to her. They look at each other for a beat; Elliot then
hugs Hannah, pulling her towards him. She leans her head on
his shoulder, fingering his jacket lapel. They look
offscreen together, happily, intimately, at the offscreen
guests, as the camera moves across the room, past a few
guests, to reveal Evan sitting at the piano. Norma sits at
his side, one arm resting on the piano. She holds a drink
and looks off in the distance, mouthing the words to "Isn't
It Romantic."
The camera then moves to the doorway in the living room,
where a man, holding a drink, enters and joins the happy
crowd. Evan can be seen in the background, playing his song.
A child plays near the coffee table.
The camera continues to move past the doorway, past a huge
grandfather clock, to a second doorway leading to the den.
Here, more guests are gathered; a child sits in a small
chair by the sofa. He sips a soda as female guest #2 enters
the room and crouches down next to him, smiling. She waves
to him. He waves back as the camera continues to move past
the doorway to reveal Holly, standing in front of a hallway
mirror, fixing her earrings. Mavis can be seen in the
background, through the doorway into the dining room,
lighting the candles on the table. She dims the lights,
darkening the room and the hallway where Holly stands in a
warm candlelit glow. Mavis leaves the dining room and
passes Holly.
HOLLY
(still fixing her
earrings, to Mavis)
It's beautiful.
Mavis walks off. Holly, reflected in the mirror, begins
fluffing her hair as Mickey enters and wraps his arms around
her from behind. The camera stays focused on the mirror;
both Holly and Mickey are now seen in its reflection.
MICKEY
(smacking his lips)
Now don't get nervous. It's just
your husband.
HOLLY
(grinning)
Hi.
MICKEY
Hi.
(kissing Holly)
How you doin'?
HOLLY
(nestling against Mickey)
Okay.
MICKEY
When'd you get here?
HOLLY
Just a few minutes ago.
MICKEY
Oh.
(kissing her again)
You look so beautiful.
Mickey continues to kiss Holly. She responds, sighing and
closing her eyes.
HOLLY
Thanks.
MICKEY
(kissing Holly's neck)
You know, I was talking with your
father before...and I was telling
him that
(kissing)
it's ironic. I-I used to always
have Thanksgiving with Hannah...and
I never thought
(kissing)
that I could love anybody else.
(kissing)
And here it is, years later and I'm
married to you
(kissing)
and completely in love with you.
(kissing)
The heart is a very, very resilient
little muscle.
(kissing)
It really is. I...
(kissing)
It'd made a great story, I think.
A guy marries one sister...
(kissing)
doesn't work out...
(kissing)
many years later...
(kissing)
he winds up
(inhaling)
married to the other sister. It's,
you know, it's a...
HOLLY
(fondling Mickey's
arm, smiling)
Tch.
MICKEY
(overlapping)
I don't know how you're gonna top
that.
Mickey continues to kiss Holly's neck; he chuckles.
HOLLY
(kissing Mickey's cheek)
Mickey?
MICKEY
(kissing Holly's neck)
Mmm, what?
HOLLY
I'm pregnant.
The mirror shows Mickey pulling away slightly, reacting.
They look at each other at arm's length, Holly grinning.
Mickey in shock, then embrace and kiss passionately, tighter
and tighter, as the music swells...
And the credits appear, white on a black screen.
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