In the End (Available) Contact Maggie
(All scripts are registered) Format maybe off because of web translation.
Excerpt #1
KITCHEN Potted herbs. Earthenware. Dried and fresh flowers everywhere. Little green ceramic frogs stare wide- eyed from a window sill.
Exhausted, Jason throws himself onto a
kitchen chair.
Polly pours two glasses of iced tea -- throws
in mint sprigs, hands a glass to Jason, then plops down
beside him at the table.
JASON
Aw, Pols... God I hate green tea.
POLLY
Lets see, it deactivates the
influenza virus, a stronger anti-
oxidant than vitamin E and C, helps
prevent food poisoning, and it's
good for the... prostate.
She grins and nods her head.
JASON
Okay. I give. I give. He takes a
swig -- makes a god-awful face.
JASON
Go-o-ddd.
He shakes his head as if trying to fling the taste from his mouth.
Polly grins. Takes a delightful sip of her own.
POLLY
Mmmmm!
JASON
Fuck you.
They laugh, then lean over in unison and share a kiss.
JASON
Oh, almost forgot. Letter.
He pulls a folded, sawdust covered, envelope
from his rear pocket and hands it to her. She carefully smooths it out... checks out the return address.
POLLY
Oh god, ... It's from CWA.
She starts to open it, then...
POLLY
You read it.
She thrusts it toward him. He reaches out. She snatches
it back. He smiles -- shakes his head. Her hands fumble
nervously to open it.
JASON
So... is CWA supposed to mean
something?
Polly clutches the letter to her breast, begins
chanting.
POLLY
Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme
hum.
Jason chuckles, shakes his head.
JASON
Gotta be another literary agency.
Polly squeezes her eyes shut.
POLLY
Please...
She opens her eyes and turns to him.
POLLY
Colossal Writers Agency, only the
biggest -- the best.
She pulls out the letter. Reads. The joy drains
from her face. She stands, drops the letter onto the
table, and exits without a word.
BEDROOM
Jason enters -- leans against the doorjamb.
Polly stares out the window.
JASON
They won't read the script.
She turns and shakes her head with a pathetically stoic smile.
EXT. PASTURE - LATER - DAY
Polly lays bareback atop a magnificent Appaloosa, arms
clasped around his neck, her head resting on his withers. Her eyes are closed.
JASON (O.S.)
Hey babe...
A few yards away Jason sits in cut-offs, bareback upon a Palomino.
Polly lifts her head -- sits up. Jason maneuvers his horse close to her.
JASON
They would have phoned you, baby,
you know that. Maybe... maybe it's
time to give it up-- you know, move
on. For chrissake, Pols, six years
is a long time trying to break in.
Besides, you live three thousand
miles away. Hollywood doesn't need
you.
Polly's eyes narrow. Her face hardens.
POLLY
You haven't even read my scripts,
so how the hell would you know if
they need me or not?
JASON
I -- I didn't mean it like that.
You know what I meant.
POLLY
(Ice)
You're one of the most sensitive,
compassionate, people I know.
The App raises his head. He knows. Polly reins him around and takes off, breaking into a full run.
Polly and the App cover the ground like a bullet -- his mane and her hair flying.
Excerpt #2
INT. MADISON'S OFFICE - DAY
Madison paces the office with screenplay in hand. A knock.
Milton peeks in. Madison rushes him.
MADISON
Milt... Oh, God Milt... did you
know? Is that why you sent me the
script? Cruel joke Milton. Very
cruel joke.
She stalks him toward the couch, claws push on his shoulders to sit.
MILTON
Maddy, what are you whining about?
She hovers over him.
MADISON
The script. The script you sent me
as a doggy bag. You knew! I know
you did. Fess up, Milton.
MILTON
Milton? Uh-oh. Knew what, Maddy?
MADISON
He's a she for chrissake!
MILTON
There's a lot of that going around.
MADISON
I'm not joking, Milton! Charles
Vanguard is really... Polly. Who
the hell names their kid
Polly? And do you know where Polly
the woman lives? In Virginia of all
places -- in the foothills!
MILTON
(facetious)
Oh my, the foothills. And, no, I
didn't know.
Madison paces.
MADISON
I can't possibly rep a woman,
especially one who writes action.
They're simply... persona-non-
grata, Milt.
She moves to the bookcase of scripts, grabs a lone screenplay placed apart from the others... waves it under Milton's nose.
MADISON
Alisha Cunningham's script. Do you
know what Halprin Conrad said to me
when he read it? He loved it, loved
the story, loved the action -- but
he passed. Know why? He said,
"Madison, women can't write action,
everyone knows that." I mean, does
that make any sense!? What am I
going to do, Milt? I had a momentary
lapse of consciousness... I can't
rep her. What the hell was I
thinking?!
MILTON
Breathe Maddy.
Madison sucks air.
EXT. FRAMED OUT HOUSE - DAY
Whooping and hollering, Polly climbs a ladder to the rooftop.
The crew gapes down at her, as Jason moves to the edge of the roof.
POLLY
Jason! Jason! You won't believe--
EXT. SIDEWALK CAFE - LOS ANGELES - DAY
Illyanna and Madison. Iced Tea. Sandwiches.
MADISON
--what I did today.
ILLYANNA
Dumped Harley and bought a dog.
Madison throws her head back.
MADISON
Oh, God, were it that simple.
ILLYANNA
Uh-oh. Tell.
MADISON
I signed a woo-- wooo-man.
ILLYANNA
(feigned shock)
No.
MADISON
Who lives in Virginia.
ILLYANNA
No. They're worse places... like
Arkansas.
MADISON
She was supposed to be a man... she
writes like one for godssake, and
her name was Charles...
ILLYANNA
Charley is a cute name for a woman.
MADISON
You're not helping, Illyanna.
You're supposed to be helping,
comforting. I've lost it. I'm going
insane. Harley's making me insane!
ILLYANNA
Charley must be good, hmmm?
MADISON
Polly. And she's very good.
ILLYANNA
I like Charley better. Don't you
like Charley better?
MADISON
Charley Smith?
ILLYANNA
Her last name is Smith? No one
actually has the last name Smith..
do they? Listen to you, Maddy!
You're such a snob!
MADISON
I am not a snob. I am a realist.
Woman. Over thirty woman. Out-of-
town woman.
Illyanna laughs... then laughs harder. She leans in --
stares at Madison. The truth.
ILLYANNA
Sounds like someone I used to know.
EXT. MADISON'S OFFICE - DAY
MADISON (O.S.)
Harley... Harley! Just.. just think
about this. Think, Harley.
MADISON'S OFFICE
Harley's sprawled on the couch, a screenplay lying on his stomach.
HARLEY
I think I want more money.
Madison's trying to keep her cool. She pulls up a chair to the couch -- looks like his shrink.
MADISON
Robert Shannon is... is... well,
he's a tolerant man, up to a point
of course.
(voice rising)
He's reached that point, Harley.
HARLEY
He's a jerk, and he's been fucking
me around since I took the
assignment. Hey, he thinks he can
do better? Let him write it.
MADISON
Harley, listen to me. He can pull
you so fast you'll--
HARLEY
That would be a big mistake and he
knows it.
Madison's pissed beyond diplomacy.
MADISON
How can I put this delicately? You
fucked up, Harley. Got it? Fucked
up. They can and will bring in
another writer if you don't--
Harley leaps off the couch.
HARLEY
What? Kiss ass? Turn brilliance
into crap? They won't fire me. But
I can fire you, Madison.
MADISON
Harley, Harley... I'll talk to
Robert.
INT. SHANNON'S OFFICE -DAY
Madison sits demurely on the sofa, Robert and Chase sit in chairs opposite her.
CHASE
You know his problem, don't you?
MADISON
Problem?
ROBERT
Oh come on, Madison...
CHASE
Actually, Robert and I are part of
the problem.
MADISON
Problem. There's a problem?
Robert stands -- looks down at both.
ROBERT
Harley came up too fast -- too
strong. Everyone tracked him like a
bitch in heat, including us. Now he
figures he can do no wrong. He
doesn't care if his material is
shit, he knows every prod in town
will hump for it.
(beat; incredulous)
Why the hell do we do that? I don't
even like him. Egotistical
megalomanic.
CHASE
What about you, Maddy? Like him?
Her eyes flit from Chase to Robert and back again. She takes a deep breath, then in a rush...
MADISON
He's an asshole but he is my
client, and--
CHASE
It's over, Maddy.
She opens her mouth to speak.
ROBERT
No, Madison.
INT. MADISON'S CAR - LATER - DAY
Stuck in traffic. The convertible top is down for all to hear. Madison's on the cell phone.
MADISON
Harley.. just... wait... Harley,
no... I -- you -- would you..
(shouting)
..listen to me god damn it!?
She turns to a neighbor car -- smiles apologetically.
MADISON
I tried Harley, I got down on my
knees and begged; my knees Harley.
INT. HARLEY'S DEN - SAME
A shrine to Harley. He's leaned back in front of the
computer, writing as he talks.
HARLEY
Know what Madison? I should've gone
with JT at Colossal. He's got
balls -- you've only got tits and
they're sagging. You're fired.
He drops the phone into the cradle.
INT. MADISON'S CAR - DAY
Madison holds the phone away -- looks at it. Incredulous.
She drinks air, shakes her head. Eyes squint, mouth puckers.
Traffic starts moving -- but not fast enough. She lays on the horn, then punches the cell phone.
MADISON
Grace.. it's me. Patch me through
to... what's-her-name... Polly
whoever.
Excerpt #3
INT. ROBERT SHANNON'S OFFICE - DAY
Polly sits frozen. Madison motions with her claws to keep going. Polly's eyes flit from Robert to Chase, and back to Madison.
POLLY
Well, then I was thinking... the
girl, she could be... well... and...
and.. the boyfriend... he -- This
isn't working.
She stands abruptly.
POLLY
(to Robert)
I can't do this. I don't know how
to do this. I don't have any more
ideas. Well, I do but I just can't
think of them, and I've already
written lots of scripts. A pile...
they were going to the dump but
Jason met me down the road, and he
had the garbage bag in his---
Again her eyes flit. Madison is wide- eyed, her claws
gripping the chair. White knuckled -- about to hyperventilate.
Robert and Chase exchange glances. Robert folds his hands -- leans his nose into the crook of his thumbs.
Chase is uncomfortable. He smiles, but it comes off as condescending.
POLLY
I-- I--
Madison stares her down.
MADISON
(mouthing)
Sit down.
Polly quickly obeys. Robert stands -- goes around the far side of his desk and opens a drawer.
POLLY
(to Madison)
He's got a gun in there. He's going
to shoot me.