"SCROOGED" (1988)

ESTABLISHING SHOT of Santa's Workshop -- a quaint "gingerbread" cottage nestled in a serene, snow-covered valley. Smoke curls from the chimney. MUSIC: Silent Night played on a celeste enhances the Christmas card

peace and beauty.

WE MOVE CLOSER and isolate details: A candy-striped column marked "NORTH POLE."

Below the glistening, icicle-trimmed eave, silhouetted on the shade of a frost-veiled window, ELVES put the final touches on some toys -- tapping an extra nail, adding that last dab of paint.

REINDEER nervously paw the ground, gently jangling their sleighbells as they shake the snow from their antlers.

Cheeks fat with acorns, a CHIPMUNK scampers across the yard to his home behind the woodpile.

A rusty, old weathervane CREAKS in the breeze. All the arrows are stamped "Ss."

In the sleigh sits a huge sack overflowing with gifts which include toy drums, bisque dolls, teddybears.

Backlit by the full moon, a SNOWY OWL hoots softly and shuts his eyes.

The sky sparkles with stars but one.sshines brighter than the rest. Is it a falling star? No, it's a flaming mortar shell that screams into the cottage and explodes in a teeth-jarring fireball of MULTIPLE BLASTS.

“MUSIC changes: to standard TV action fare as a

gritty-voiced ANNOUNCER cuts in.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) ' Seven o'clock. Psychos seize Santa's Workshop and only Chuck Norris can stop them in --

2 VIOLENT MONTAGE ae

which includes an ELF knocking out a window with a gun butt, SANTA slamming a clip in an assault rifle, CLOSE UPS of AK-47s and M-60s FIRING, bullets shredding a Christmas tree, bullets splintering a coo-coo clock, bullets chewing up a row of candy canes.

MONTAGE ENDS on CHUCK NORRIS poised in "Road Warrior" arctic battle gear -- sleeves ripped off, white bandana around head -- brandishing a flame-thrower.

SUPER TITLE.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) -~ "The Night the Reindeer Died."

Chuck pulls the trigger, unloading a fountain of fire,

3 OMITTED

A tuxedoed BOB GOULET stands in a dugout deep in the bayou. He poles the boat while singing The Little Drummer Boy. Announcer turns syrupy.

ANNOUNCER. #1 (V.0O.) Eight-thirty. And America’s best-loved singer invites you to share a home-style holiday when it's --

-- "Bob Goulet's Old Fashioned Cajun Christmas."

oN

. \ df

a,

GATOR . an

A hungry GATOR slides off the bank and heads for Bob.

BACK TO SCENE

Waist-high SHOT of SIDEWALK SANTA ringing bell on snowy street. MUSIC: Silver Bells. Announcer tough.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) Nine o'clock. Someone is killing Sidewalk Santas and only Loni Anderson can stop him in --

SUPER: "FAT, JOLLY AND"...

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) -- "Fat, Joliy and" ...

MUSIC ENDS as we HEAR the SOUND of a lead pipe CRUSHING a skull o.s. Bell slips from Santa's hand and clatters to the gutter.

FINISHING SUPERING TITLE with word "DEAD" in dripping,

red letters.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.0.) ~»- "Dead." a ~~ CUT TO:

“INT. “VICTORIAN. "PARLOR -. NIGHT

JOHN HOUSEMAN sits in a wing chair. in front of a crackling fire reading from a red leather-bound copy of

_Serooge.

FADE HIS AUDIO.

oo

CONTINUED: a

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) Ten o'clock. IBC presents --. live -- via satellite from New york, Bethlehem, Helsinki, West Berlin’ and the Great Barrier Reef -- Charles Dickens' immortal Christmas classic Scrooge.

SUPER TITLE.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) Starring Marlon Brando, Barbra Streisand, former Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, the Solid Gold Dancers, and Mary Lou Retton as Tiny Tim. Scrooge. It'll touch your every heartstring.

TV set with "SCROOGE" TITLE on screen. A Rockwellesque

‘family is gathered around watching TV -- MOM and POP on

couch, JUNIOR on the floor with his PUPPY and a bowl of popcorn. Their happy faces glow in the warm. TV light.

GRAMPS hurries in to join family.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.0.) That's right! It all starts on . Christmas Eve.

“SUPER gleaming silver.IBC. Network. logo FULL-FRAME.

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) _ Christmas .Eve on IBC --

Under logo, SUPER "Yule love it."

ANNOUNCER #1 (V.O.) youfll love it.

REVEAL that we have been watching a TV screen in an office at IBC -- the International Broadcasting Company.

The lights come up. The same silver IBC logo is mounted on the wall. A table is ringed with network EXECUTIVES. At one end of the table is the big TV monitor. At the other end sits FRANK CROSS, president of IBC, who presides over the meeting.

Frank is trim, polished and good-looking. At thirty-eight, he is young for the powerful position he holds. The press still calls him a "TV wonderkind."” Co-workers call him the "Smiling Viper."

MRS. GRACE COOLEY, his attractive black secretary, sits near him taking notes.

This is a power office -- bleak, modern and immense. It is on the 22nd floor with huge grid windows that look down on New York City. It's designed to impress and intimidate. There is futuristic design furniture, a wall of TV monitors, a private bathroom, a small kitchen, a bar. Above the ultra-modern desk hangs a Picasso from his 1907-8 "African-Negro" period. The walls are decorated with primitive masks, the closest thing Frank

NY has to a hobby. The massive desk is littered with a Scrooge miscellany -- drawings, models, posters,

swatches, etc.

No one speaks, waiting for Frank's reaction. There are a few nervous coughs.

Finally Frank leans forward in the chair.

. | JEXECUTIVE 1 yeah, something's missing...I don't know. — -

WAYNE, a smarmy sycophant, leaps on the bandwagon.

aa FRANK ( } Chuck Norris was fine.

i)

_ ELIOT LOUDERMILK, a slightly nerdy junior executive, raises his hand.

Grace leaps for the coffee urn.

WAYNE : Of course my kids love the gator.

TED, aggressive young head of publicity, shakes his head,

WAYNE ; Thank god Scrooge works.

a book by a fire.

1d * 1h

CONTINUED: (2) an 16

The room goes black. A new TV promo begins. It is shot in high-contrast black and white, SCORED with heavy metal, and features grit-voiced ANNOUNCER #2. SFXs: AMPLIFIED HEARTBEAT. BLACK SCREEN. ANNOUNCER #2 (V.O.) Freeway killers.

ALL FIVE PASSENGERS of a speeding car open up on the moving CAMERA in a blaze of gunfire.

ANNOUNCER. #2 (V.O.) Arab terrorists. an

A 747 {EXPLODES in mid-air fireball:

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.0.)' Aids.

Ignoring 0.s. screams, a grim sun-gun lit NURSE in starched white uniform stalks the CAMERA, brandishing « a

hypodermic needle like an icepick.

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.O.) Teenage suicide.

©

a

An 0.8. GUNSHOT splatters blood on a blackboard on which there is a childish drawing of a cat with "CAT" scrawled

underneath.

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.0O.) Drug-crazed maniacs.

A knife-wielding INTRUDER with a stocking pulled over his face and a Nazi armband kicks in the door and lunges for

the CAMERA.

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.O.) Acid rain.

HIGH-ANGLES ON shrieking MOB of people trying desperately to fend off the rain that burns smouldering in their

umbrellas.

L.S. of an ominous black shape which stands in the sand like a towering mountain. MUSIC builds.

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.0O.) Now, More than ever, it is important to remember the true meaning of Christmas. —

The o.s. rising sun illuminates the dark shape as the MUSIC. builds.

' ANNOUNCER #2 (V.0.) “pon't miss Charles Dickens' “immortal. classie--- Scrooge.

It's evident that the. shape is giant stark letters that

‘form the title -- "SCROOGE". : MUSIC peaks.

But suddenly a blinding atomic BLAST shatters the letters. A mushroom cloud rises high in the sky.

ANNOUNCER #2 (V.0O.) Your life might just depend on it.

¢

CAMERA PANS DOWN. Atomic dust clears to REVEAL candy cane lying in the dirt.

Shell-shocked execs spill out of Frank's office. Ashen, open-mouthed, they drift away from the meeting.

Frank briskly moves through them, spitting out instructions to Ted. Grace is close on their heels.

TRACK them as they walk down office corridor. Illuminated posters of other IBC shows line the hallway.

He peels off. Grace assumes Ted's position by Frank's side.

GRACE f Your attorney? Soy

—

Eliot rushes up to them, ELIOT Sir? What...uh...what exactly does that ad have to do with Scrooge?

Ma

uv

‘CONTINUED: “s st 18s

ELIOT ’ Well...it, uh, seems to pervert the whole..."spirit" of Christmas. [It won't make people feel good and joyous. This ad will frighten them. .

’ FRANK . (smiling coldly) It'll scare the Dickens out of them!

Frank turns on his heels and heads back to his office, Grace gives Eliot a sympathetic smile and follows.

They reach Grace's desk, neat and impersonal save for a child's fingerpainting taped to her cubicle wall.

- FRANK: ~ a And, Grace, would you ah...oh, what's the name of the kid I was just talking to? With glasses, bright kid, lot of guts?.

Le

' GRACE Eliot Loudermilk.

FRANK — Yeah, Loudermilk. Would*you call security, have them clean out his ‘desk, change his locks and toss ‘.him-vout of the building.

ll.

CONTINUED: og 1g

v

FRANK | What" s this?

GRACE ae -It's a painting: one of my kids did. See, there's Santa and -

He yanks it off the wali and tosses it to her.

FRANK : Grace, it's crap. Lose it.

He heads for his office.

Frank is making himself a "Stab" -= » Stolichnaya and Tab ~- when Grace enters. ”

“E-RANK Okay, let's get this :over with. ‘Read me the list.

—

Grace takes out the Christmas list.

wig ‘GRACE ' Goldberg. . root.

_ SuAEK _ oa L. oe . ‘Send -him. .@ VHS home. video recorder. grace leg a ee, Parker. © -

oo { ie

CONTINUED: = oo, ., 28 FRANK VHS. ; _ ; ‘GRACE -Kaluta, a PRANK The bath towel. GRACE ,Brock. FRANK VHS. GRACE Forristal. : FRANK Towel. ‘GRACE

Whitacre.

Frank stands at the window, sipping his drink, staring moodily down at the street. It's snowing: heavily.

Eliot Loudermilk stands in the snoW*outside the IBC

entrance, holding a tennis racket. Cardboard boxes

filled with his stuff sit piled on the curb. A briefcase

. Sails out and.lands at his feet. WE HEAR sad violin

MUSIC -~ "Eliot's Theme." Eliot looks up at the towering skyscraper and raises his fist. ELIOT (screaming) I'll get you Frank Cross you son of a bitch!

Grace reads the ratings for,Police Zoo. .

“~~ (CONTINUED)

i3.

22 CONTINUED: . %

a) . | GRACE eet Five point two Neilson, seven - share and a TVQ.of three.

‘

FRANK/GRACE — (together) . Towel. GRACE

Your brother.

Frank's getting impatient. He grabs the list.

Grace answers the phone. * He chrows back the drink.

. "GRACE _ Mr. Cross' office. Yes,:- I'll tell him. She hangs up. os, GRACE |

Mr. Rhinelander’ s on his way “down.

-FRANK ‘What? He's coming here? Jesus Christ, how do kL. look?

. She straightens his. ‘ele and fixes his hair as he shoves the vodka bottle in the desk drawer. He then assumes an “executive working pose” behind his desk, jotting:down | :: notes from a copy of Sport's Illustrated. Grace is about to leave when she notices the. magazine is upside-down. She turns it right- side-up. and. exits as PRESTON RHINELANDER enters. Rhinelander, . -IBC chairman, is in his sixties with white. hair.and. -pale blue eyes. His manner is more than-. reserved. _It! s f BOLGy

ee a en

22. *

a

22 CONTINUED: (2)

He holds up-the Sports. Illustrated cover with Mary Lou Retton in rags with crutches on the cover.

Frank babbles nervously in the face of Rhinelander's stony silence.

‘Rhinelander leans across the desk. : : . _

ar, RHINELANDER Frank?. -

. RHINELANDER Do you know how many cats, there are in this country? :

‘RHINELANDER Twenty-seven million. Do you know how many dogs? . . ; ’

RHINELANDER.. | Forty-eight” million. We’ spend four billion. dollars on pet food

Frank stalls for time, unable to grasp what his boss is © i) driving at.

22. CONTINUED: (3) | . _ _ , 22 *)

* FRANK Four billion? . RHINELANDER * I know this must sound crazy, Frank, but I have here a study from Hempstead University showing that cats and dogs are starting to watch television.

He holds up the report.

. FRANK — No, but now that you mention it, I always felt it needed a doormouse.

a

Frank and Rhinelander ehter.

. : RHINELANDER Frank, this show is the jewel in the IBC crown. (pinning Frank with an - icy stare) Everything is riding on it.

Rhinelander steps into an. UP elevator.

- RHINELANDER That! s all I wanted to hear. Lunch tomorrow -- 21? FRANK

Sounds great.

As the doors close on Rhinelander, the doors of another elevator open and BRICE CUMMINGS steps out. - Tan, sharp

and yuppie-handsome, he sees Frank and smiles winningly.

. FRANK Yeah, right.

He turns to go. -

Frank turns back.

.. FRANK He just went back upstairs.

. FRANK . .. Great. a .

NL

—_

as »

Brice steps back inside the elevator.

BRICE

Gimme a call when you hit the coast.

The doors close on him.

OMITTED

Frank blows past Grace.

Get me a full report on Brice Cummings...

GRACE

GRACE'S AREA OUTSIDE FRANK'S OFFICE -

DUSK

You're due at the Helmsley Palace Can I ask you -.

in five minutes.

Not now.

FRANK

GRACE

I can't stay late tonight. have to take my little boy to the

doctor's.

Then I suggest you get to work

FRANK

on that report.

GRACE

»

But I. made this. appoint-

-FRANK

I

Because: the sooner you're done,

“GRACE

Couldn't I

If it's a problem, are lots of younger, whiter

FRANK

“the sooner you can leave.

I'm sure there

secretaries who would just love

your job.

(MORE)

25 CONTINUED: re ‘se ae co Be - FRANK (Cont'd) (softly). . Loud and clear. GRACE Yes sir. Your brother's waiting for you inside.

His younger brother, JAMES CROSS, has been sitting in the office watching it all. James is a lanky, decent-looking fellow. He renovates brownstones which explains why he's wearing paint-flecked jeans and a beatup Shaggy Dog

sweater,

JAMES : Hey, Francis. You were a little tough on her. You know what they

say "If you treat. people badly on the way up. - :

James and Frank make their way threugh heavy holiday CROWD. James rubbernecks, "oohing" at the sights. Frank just plows through.

.Even in. New York people are nicer .to.each other. I saw a cab driver help an old lady with her

packages. Well actually it

“wasn't an old lady, it was more

like a young, teenage... hooker,

.but he ‘did get out and help her

eh her packages.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER/FIFTH AVENUE - NIGHT 28

NS

Frank walks on, oblivious.

‘ JAMES You don't like Christmas, do you?

A CROWD-has gathered around singing. CAROLERS/ SALVATION ARMY BAND blocking the sidewalk.

(elbows through crowd)

Jesus, think these idiots could take up more room!?

_ JAMES Hey, back off. What's the problem -- I have friends? And a wife I'm crazy about? FRANK ee Fine, you have your dinner with

‘your “concerned and involved" ..friends, okay? Send each other | /- Christmas :cards.on ‘recycled paper cand string "real" popcorn and

"real" cranberries for the "real" tree.and babble about the “priceless gift of sharing” and kids with their eyes big. as teacups and Squceze-Leys for the dog and

(in falsetto).

“Oh, honey, it's just what I

always wanted! This is the most wonderful Christmas ever!" But, ~ Jamés, count me out! mo

. (CONTINUED)

a 35 INT. HELMSLEY PALACE DINING ROOM - NIGHT 35 Set PAN DOWN dais PAST ARCHBISHOP and MAYOR KOCH HOLDING on Frank who speaks at a podium. FRANK »»-And he asked -- “What's old, wrinkled, and hangs out your | shorts?" | 36 ANGLE ON THE ARCHBISHOP 36 — glancing at Frank apprehensively. 37 ANGLE ON FRANK 37 FRANK . The answer, of course, "your mother." 38 ANGLE ON ARCHBISHOP 38. bursting into laughter,

_ 39 ANGLE ON AUDIENCE 39

“New York's power elite laughing from their tables.

4G ANGLE ON FRANK 49 FRANK. wo But seriously, we are, when it

. comes right down to it, one big ‘family. I got into. broadcasting , because I care about people. “Sometimes I care a little too Much -- and that hurts -- but I never forget something the _ Beatles once said -- "The love | you take is equal to the love you make."

He holds up a trophy of a man leading a small boy by the | hand.

A ei ci Sd hii ig il A i a a a

41 WIDE ANGLE . 41

C) REVEALING a big banner behind him which reads: “HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR".

42 42 thru: OMITTED thru 44 44 -45 EXT. EL SUBWAY STATION — NIGHT 45

Grace and CALVIN, Grace's five-year old son, descend the stairs from the elevated and head towards their street.

Grace and .Calvin walk hand-in-hand towards their graffiti-scarred project. They go inside and head up the stairs.

Feliz Navidad drifts out of a ground floor apartment.

A cab pulls up to the IBC entrance. Frank wordlessly gets out and walks into the building, leaving the Humanitarian Award on the seat. WE FOLLOW him past the TWO IBC SECURITY GUARDS manning the security systems console, past a display for Scrooge, ‘across the vast marble lobby to the elevator bank. ~°*.

Frank pushes the elevator button, the doors silently open, he enters and they close behind him.

Grace stands in her shabby hallway fumbling with her front door keys. Before she can unlock it, the door flies open. SHASTA and RANDEE, seven-year-old twins, wrap themselves around her legs, squealing with joy.

me (CONTINUED)

i i f. ie 1s

CONTINUED: Sy 48

A velvet painting of Martin Luther King hangs over a cardboard fireplace. Age-worn Christmas decorations and a peculiar Nativity scene which includes He-Man, Starlite and a Care Bear, bring some cheer‘to the dreary living room. The apartment is a little cramped for a family of four. Unfortunately, there are nine living there,

Randee runs over to Calvin, pulling him inside. As Grace enters, STEVEN, her fifteen-year-old, dread-locked son, bounds in from the kitchen, his younger sister, LANELL, on his heels.

Steven takes Calvin's coat and leads him over to the couch.

Calvin stares blankly.

He tosses a sponge ball to Calvin who fails to react. It bounces off his chest. |

She dances the She-Ra dei up Calvin's leg. He doesn't respond. .

Frank exits the elevator. He unlocks the door to his

office, walks in,.switches on the lights, and locks the

door behind him.

Frank takes off. his coat, triggers-a wall of TVs, and

heads for the bar. WE CATCH the tail end of an ad and

start into another IBC Christmas show.

WE SEE ON TV:

‘

A Nativity scene at the bottom of the ocean with FISH swimming through creche. John Denver's Calypso PLAYS.

SUPER TITLE "JACQUES COUSTEAU'S CHRISTMAS BENEATH THE SEA",

The TV continues 0o.s. while WE WATCH Frank settle in. He loosens his tie. He stirs his drink.

The flickering light from the TV screens makes the masks seem to come alive.

GRAMMA, a loony "Koko Taylor" type blues mama, sets bowls of food down on the kitchen table. Grace comes out of her bedroom, drying her hair with an IBC towel. Shasta holds on to Grace's robe.

SHASTA__ Or olives!

Lanell enters the kitchen. LANELL Shasta, Steven needs you. Right now.

Shasta skips out the door.

PT ES eg ie Se me or rT er ae ee

51 CONTINUED: *S 51

a ! | LANELL So what did the doctor say?

Gramma pours milk over the cereal and olives.

; LANELL : Gramma, face it -- he's cat ine, atomic.

| LANELL | Did you... did he give you the bonus?

x

Peals of. high-pitched -laughter: erupt from the living room.

GRACE — What're they up to?

Grace races in to find Calvin, wearing red and green pj's, standing on the coffee table. He is covered with tinsel, strings of blinking lights, dangling ornaments and a shiny silver star is stuck on his forehead,

tree,

On TV, Denver continues to sing Calypso over SHOT of underwater manger with fish.

' Drink in one hand, cigarette in the other, Frank shouts

into the phone cradled on his shoulder.

—

Intercom BUZZES.

up.

- 53

xm iMetiennc tile died

Ue rarence nen ntatra. eenner none naTR et

. 53

i 3

aan — 2

al

CONTINUED: *y 53

IBC GUARD 1 talks to Frank on the phone.

‘

He hangs up.

- They don't see the floor indicator lights change as the

-elevator rises and stops on the 22nd floor.

—

' WE. SEE the door to Frank's office. 0O.S. elevator doors open and WE HEAR ominous dragging FOOTSTEPS.

There is a KNOCK on the door.

~~ (56

wae

CONTINUED: = Frank presses the intercom.

He gets no answer.

Puzzled, he unlocks the door and steps out into the hall. The hall is empty.

He comes back inside and bolts the door. Immediately, KNOCKING STARTS, loud and getting louder, cracking the plaster, rocking the frame, denting the door itself.

The POUNDING STOPS.

The door explodes off its hinges, sailing across the room. The force of the blast knocks Frank to the floor,

Frank stumbles to his feet, bleeding from a cut on the cheek.

The room is a shambles. As the dust settles, WE SEE a man standing in the smouldering doorway. Or what's left of a man.

It's LEW WEXLER, Frank's ex-boss and mentor at IBC. He wears rotting golf togs complete with checkered pants, tasseled shoes and a robin's egg blue alpaca sweater, and he drags a big, bulky golf bag crammed with clubs. Lew is a decayed corpse, a Rick Baker nightmare with moss

“growing on him and a mouse-hole in his forehead.

Swinging a rusted putter, Lew ambles across the room to the bar and pours himself a Scotch. His golf shoes click on the parquet.

Frank is not easily rattled. He opens a drawer and pulls out a revolver. Holding the gun police-style with both

hands, he empties it into’ Lew's back. Five shots hit him with a dull "thek!" kicking up a little dust. It's like

‘shooting an old pillow. The other shot shatters the

glass of Scotch.

oofN 56 CONTINUED: (2) : 56 Lew turns around holding the broken glass. LEW ;

I don't mind if you hit me,

Frank, but take it easy on the

Dewar's. He turns back to make himself a new drink. Frank drops the gun. Now he's rattled.

Lew raises his glass ina toast ...

... And downs it. The Scotch cascades out the holes in his throat and forms a puddle at his feet.

Frank steps forward, recognizing him.

' FRANK Oh my God! It's...

ii LEW

Nee” Lew Wexler. Your old boss. And

your best friend.

x

Frank stalls as he moves across the room toward a red "panic: Button" security alarm near the door.

Frank edges closer to the button. A WHITE MOUSE peeks out of the hole on Lew's skull.

a4 } that you're right, that I am in a a - big trouble...

(MORE)

-

N

CONTINUED: (3) = . 56

fj FRANK

“Doomed to wander the earth?" What do you do there in Hell, Lew -- watch Masterpiece Theater?

Lew moans menacingly. Frank lunges for the button and slams it.

At the:console, a shrill ALARM and flashing red light go off. IBC GUARD 1 switches off the alarm and answers the phone.

Help! Help!

.Frank babbling into intercom,

, FRANK ‘-There's something up here! He, che broke down my door! He's a corpse with a mouse!

IBC GUARD rolls his eyes. FRANK (0.S.) (into phone)

He's threatening me! He's scaring me! He's ...

rm, 8

ae,

Setting fire to my Picasso. FRANK (repeating) He's setting fire to --

Frank jerks a look at Lew who's holding his Picasso.

| FRANK MY PICASSO!!!

The Picasso spontaneously bursts into flames.

He hangs up.

Tylenol? o—

Frank is beating at the. smouldering painting with his hands.

The mouse jumps out of the hole and perches on Lew's shoulder.

more than even a Picasso.

Lew addresses a golf ball with his putter.

. LEW One minute I'm standing on the

fourteenth hole at Wingfoot. Lining up a putt. later,

A heart attack I'm a worm feast.

FRANK

Lew, you're not a worm You're...an hallucination. I've been drinking too much.

Come on, feast. I know,

WE SEE a CLOSE UP of the white mouse.

Frank dabs

‘this business.

by men. Adored by women. FRANK Adored? Lew, let's be honest,

you paid for the women.

the cut on his cheek with va handkerchief.

LEW

I've.come to :warn you --..don't

waste .your life.as I did mine.

‘PRANK _ "Waste?!" How can you say that -- the man who invented the mini~series? You're a legend in

LEW

-Mankind should've been my

business! Charity, mercy, ; kindness, love ~- that should've been my business! Frank, for your own sake, wake up! Get involved!

————_

yom, 62 | eae: | ‘ | j

CONTINUED: (2) - 62 The mouse scampers back to his hole.

It's too late for me but you can still save yourself. You'll be 'visited by three ghosts. Expect the first tomorrow afternoon at

one o'clock.

Lew lurches forward, backing Frank up against a wall.

‘Lew suddenly grabs him by the throat. With frightening strength, he lifts him off his feet and carries him

effortlessly across the floor toward the windows.

Lew thrusts him through a window, without breaking the glass, and holds him kicking the ait. twenty-two stories above the street.

a FRANK ” AKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH 1!!!

In a LOW.ANGLE, WE. SEE one. of Frank's shoes come off and plummet toward the pavement.

Frank is crazy with fear, clutching Lew" s arm for all he's worth.

CONTINUED: .

But the arm...begins to...give way. The sleeve rips. The bone splinters. The flesh pulls apart.

The arm comes off in his hand. He's falling, hurtling toward the street.

Frank sails through the air, slamming into his leather lounge chair. He jolts awake. Panicked, gasping with terror and confusion, he takes in the office. It is completely intact. No trace of the nightmarish Lew Wexler at all -- the Picasso hangs unharmed, the door undamaged. Even the cut on his cheek is gone.

Frank runs to the phone, frantically dialing.

Hello. This is Dr. Rosenblum. I'msunavailable right now but if you. leave your name and number, I'll return your call at my -earliest:possible convenience. Until:then, “remember that life

is. like. an elevator -- with an

up button. and a down button.

It's up to you which one you push.

. FRANK This is Frank Cross goddammit and I need to talk to you right now! I need to talk to somebody! ff think I'm having a nervous -

The "BEEP" cuts him off. He slams the phone down and scrambles across the room to his desk.

is

a 64

Sean pet

CONTINUED: 8 64

Yanking the drawer out completely, he dumps its contents on the floor. Frank grabs a leather address book stamped "BUSINESS" and wildly tears through its densely filled pages including countless business cards paper-clipped to edges. ,

He tosses it aside and snatches a matching address book stamped "PERSONAL". As he flips through it WE SEE its pages are blank.

He throws it aside and digs into the pile of papers,: letters, finally pulling out a ragged scrap of paper.

CLOSE ON THE PAPER 65

‘A ripped paperback cover of The Hobbit. He turns it

over. WE SEE written on the other side -- "For my preciousssss - love, Claire CH 3-3092".

ANGLE ON FRANK 66

dialing the phone number. WE HEAR the phone RING several

times and finally be picked up. ELECTRONIC TONES.

_ Frank hangs up and quickly dials information,

x

He hangs up and immediately dials the number. CLAIRE (V.0.) . (on phone) Hi...

_ FRANK Claire! It's me -

CONTINUED: = 66 CLAIRE (V.0O.) (on phone -- a Christmas song plays behind her answering machine _ INeSsage) -.-.-This is Claire. I've gone a wassailing. Leave a message and I'll call you right back. Merry Christmas.

FRANK

-(on phone)

It's Frank. Cross. I uhm I know it's been...

(checks his watch) --.-fifteen years since we spoke but I didn't know who else to... I... ‘Something just happened.

Or maybe...I don't know. I really need to talk to you! It's urgent! Please, please call me as soon as you get this. My number is uhm area code 212-877-4191. That's 877-41-

The phone machine "BEEP" cuts him off. He slowly hangs up.

His gaze sweeps the quiet office. He walks to the door,

and runs his hand along the door frame, trying to convince himself that it was only an hallucination. After a moment, he shrugs and turns for the bar.

His legs suddenly shoot out from under him and he crashes hard to the floor. The object he slipped on bounces off the wall and rolls back to him. Frank picks it up.

CLOSE ON 67

what he holds in his trembling hand -- a golf ball!

.With ADVANCED TRACK, WE HEAR the VOICE of Jacob Marley.

DISSOLVE TOs

thru

"TIP" O'NEILL as Jacob Marley and MARLON BRANDO as Scrooge rehearse their scene for that night's performance.

SCROOGE > Leave me, spirit. Haunt me no more,

WE HEAR SAWING O.s.

The SAWING STOPS.

69 © OMITTED . thru

REVEAL that WE ARE WATCHING this on a monitor in Frank's office. on

TV continues in b.g.

~ Frankvis sitting at his desk staring at a front page. ~ Ted stands .behind. him.

ANGLE ON-New York Post front-page. The headline reads

-- “IBC KILLS OLD WOMAN!" Beneath it is a B&W photo of a sweet~faced granny.

(CONTINUED) ©

75 CONTINUED:

‘ pte, .

Ao On TV, Marley rattles his chains and moans.

He spins his chair, facing Ted.

Grace rushes over.

GRACE , I have that report you wanted on - FRANK Read it.. GRACE allie, "Brice Cummings, 27, graduated yt top of class at UCLA. Made a

name in live TV, sports. Won three Emmys for Olympics. One Emmy for Super Bowl. Made vice-president -"

He snatches the report from her, scanning it.

What do you want me to tell ene -reporters downstairs?

Frank balls up the Brice resume and flings it into the trash.

| 75 -

|

|

|

|

|

|

| 76 } | = :

CONTINUED: (2)

N

He gets up, walking to the window.

He puts his hand on his hips, deep in thought.

TIGHT SHOT of an aged, carved sign that reads -- SCROOGE & MARLEY. A hand comes into the SHOT holding an aerosol spray can. A blast of brown paint hits the sign's border. .

CAMERA CRANES UP to REVEAL the 19th century London street being created. CARPENTERS hammer frantically building the "Scrooge" set, a poulterer's storefront is hoisted into place; the grocer's stall stocked with fake produce, the windows of the toy store sprayed with frost. TECHNICIANS snake cables through the set dodging the PAINTERS and carpenters.

Ted runs over to Frank who's-reeling off orders to Grace,

TED —. We've got..a real situation downstairs. There must be three, four hundred protestors.

CONTINUED: ‘ FRANK Well get the cops and clear .'em out. TED That's really not the best PR, sir. FRANK

_Okay, tell ‘em we share their concern and that the executive responsible has been fired.

a spokesman and I'll meet with him personally.

Ted turns to go. Frank grabs his arm.

A dour LADY CENSOR comes over with a sexy SOLID GOLD DANCER in tow. The Dancer wears a terry robe over her shoulders.

~~, 76 CONTINUED: (2) an 76 *

I'm sorry but Standards and Practices can't allow this costume on the air.

|

3]

ar LADY CENSOR FRANK | What's wrong? A PROP MAN, balancing a fake Victorian street lamp on his | shoulder, totters through.

PROP MAN 1

Watch your backs!

po . LADY CENSOR

. (to Frank)

Well ... specifically, you can see her nipples.

Uf , Frank rips the robe from the Dancer's shoulders revealing : a sheer, sequined, "chimney sweep" outfit.

| The Prop Man stops dead in his tracks, swinging around for an eyeful.

Frank notices the panting Prop Man.

. -FRANK ‘Hey! “What're you lookin' at?

“He whips around, slamming the Censor in the back of the head with the lamppost.

She drops OUT OF FRAME. CLAIRE (0.S.)

(from behind Frank) Lumpy? ,

\

oo,

CONTINUED: (3) » is 76 Big romantic MUSIC STING.

Frank turns to see CLAIRE PHILLIPS -- a striking woman in her early thirties. She is out-of-breath, her face flushed, second-hand coat buttoned wrong, her hat askew.

CLAIRE

{panting) I'm sorry. JI didn't get your message until this morning. I “called your office but they said you weren't in yet so then I called later and they said you were busy so I just decided to-

She stops, really seeing him for the first time,

CLAIRE ; Boy, you look different.

Frank, check this out.

Nx.

Raucous rock TRACK fills the studio.

ANGLE ON SOLID GOLD DANCER . «97

. wearing. spiked heels and the sheer costume, gyrating to -the MUSIC. : Fake snow falls. ,

—

BACK TO SCENE 78

'.Frank kneels by the.fallen.Lady Censor. She lies on the

floor, dazed and groggy, as the IBC NURSE bandages her head.

CONTINUED: on 78

‘CLAIRE Is she gonna be alright? FRANK Oh yeah. She's a pro. * CLAIRE

What about you? You sounded like ‘you'd seen a ghost.

A burly PROP MAN walks over, waiting a few feet away.

The Prop Man steps up to Frank holding a wriggling live MOUSE in one hand and a pair of tiny antlers in the other.

. _ PROP MAN 2 Excuse me, Lumpy? FRANK : (snapping) Mr. Cross! PROP MAN 2 “Sorry. I just started here. I didn't - ' FRANK What?! PROP MAN 2

Sir, we're havin' a helluva time gluing antlers on these mice. We tried Crazy Glue. We tried -

ae ee we

CONTINUED: (2) | "5 78 The Prop Man looks at the mouse, shrugs and exits.

They look at each other for a moment. "Tip" O'Neill rushes past still in his Marley makeup.

Still trying to run it?

- FRANK (suddenly angry) . Get the hell outta here!

Claire turns to see -~ Calvin, Grace's little boy, peering from behind the poulterer's display window.

_ 78

CONTINUED: (3) - 78

. Frank grabs Calvin by the collar. The little boy stares

mutely up at him.

He hauls Calvin out of the store.

Grace dashes into the room.

Grace leaves with Calvin. .

FRANK oe “Why: can't you button your. coat?

—

-‘Embarrassed, Claire fumbles with the coat, rebuttoning

It's still buttoned wrong.

an, 78 CONTINUED: (4) ar . 78

ye Frank starts buttoning her coat. It's the first time

he's touched Claire in fifteen years. He realizes it.

Loud HAMMERING begins o.s. FRANK

(to Carpenter) Think you could do that later?

Ted hustles over.

TED

a Frank, I found your spokesman.

‘Frank and Claire look at each other.

FRANK

Oh, something I ate. A bad clam. I don't know.

78 CONTINUED: (5) “x 78

She looks at him for a moment and leaves. He watches * her walk away. The hammering resumes.

Frank glances at the card.

It reads -- “OPERATION REACH OUT - CLAIRE PHILLIPS, DIRECTOR -514 W. 43rd St. - 975-1440."

Frank pockets the card as he wheels on the small, ELDERLY MAN standing beside him,

li FRANK |

— . That's right, you don't think!

me (CONTINUED)

8a

CONTINUED: (6) a 78

He hands Frank the “HUMANITARIAN OF THE YEAR" trophy. FRANK

(to Carpenter) ‘Stop that goddamn hammering!

. TED (0.S.) Frank!

Frank turns to see Ted standing with a sweet, white-haired NUN holding a picket sign that reads: "MERRY CHRISTMAS NOT SCARY CHRISTMAS!" She stares at Frank in horror.

The Carpenter looks up from his work and shrugs.

The support he had been bracing snaps: setting a chain reaction which causes the entire set to CRASH to the floor in a cloud of dust.

ANGLE ON LADY CENSOR . 79

her head wrapped in gauze, looking up helplessly as the last flat inevitably topples toward her.

. DISSOLVE TO:

OMITTED — 88

49,

The wood-paneled, conservative restaurant is crowded with New York's BUSINESS ELITE. Frank and Preston Rhinelander sit at a power table set for PREGE's

‘FRANK Make that two.

The HEADWAITER exits.

. FRANK Uh...great.

’ FRANK Couldn't be more pleased. Who is it?

oo 81 CONTINUED: : S | 81 ae Rhinelander calls out to someone across the room,

Standing in the doorway, Brice Cummings waves acknowledgingly and strides to the table.

’

He shakes Frank's hand and sits.

Frank looks from Brice to Rhinelander, totally confused,

natural ...

Stunned and speechless, Frank can only watch Brice babble on. The CLOCK STRIKES one. Frank stiffens, remembering Lew Wexler's warning.

Frank jerks a look at the grandfather's clock in the corner. It reads one. ,

..BRICE (0.S.) e+. But when Preston hired me this:morning as sort of, a, oh, “consultant” I suppose you'd call ‘it, I said to him, "Consider me just one of the team.”

Frank looks down at his digital watch. It reads -- 1:00.

, 81

CONTINUED: (2) . 81

Frank nervously scans the restaurant, searching for Lew's promised apparition.

The Headwaiter arrives, serving them their drinks. Frank reaches for his.

CLOSE UP - FRANK'S GLASS 82.

A human eyeball, bloody veins trailing behind it, floats in the glass.

an eyeball. I'11l take it away.

The Waiter immediately snatches the glass and walks to the kitchen,

The other BUSINESSMEN in the restaurant stare at Frank, muttering, shaking their heads.

‘Rhinelander. :reaches:across ‘the table. grabbing: Frank's

wrist.

’ RHINELANDER (softly) Don't fall apart ‘on me now, Frank.

Beads of sweat form on Frank's brow.

CONTINUED: = 83

The Headwaiter returns to Frank's table. ‘*

In the b.g, over Rhinelander's shoulder, WE SEE a WAITER bring a baked Alaska to another table.

(to Frank)

Sir?

At the other table, the Waiter sets the match to the baked Alaska and explodes into flames.

Only Frank sees this.

-HEADWAITER May I suggest a veal chop?

Frank forces his attention back to his table trying to

ignore this newest nightmare. FRANK . I'll have the uh ... The uhm... the ese

_ (CONTINUED)

POPS RES aT

CONTINUED: (2) = 83

The Headwaiter, Brice and Rhinelander exchange

.curious/worried looks.

The fireball Waiter runs into the’kitchen screaming,

Frank knocks over his chair as he stumbles from the room,

Frank reels out the door. He spots a battered Checker cab and hails it. The taxi pulls over.

The door locks slam shut. Window bars fly into place. WE HEAR the SOUND of HEAVY BOLTS BEING THROWN. Frank is trapped, :

-The.cab rockets fromthe curb, Knocking Frank to the ‘floor. “The CABBIE laughs wildly as he swings a U-turn

into: opposing traffic.

—

The cab narrowly avoids a head-on collision.

Fighting the G forces, Frank leans forward.

_ 87 : al

CONTINUED: my 87

FRANK

Look out!

. CABBIE

Relax Frank, enjoy the ride. FRANK

How'd you know my name?

. CABBIE

I know everything, Frank. I'm

the ghost.

The Cabbie's head turns, Exorcist-like, to stare at Frank. He's an albino imp -- snow-white shoulder-length hair, ghost-white skin, point ears and red-tinged eyes. He grins demonicalily, flashing sharp little teeth.

Frank looks.at the hack license on the dashboard. Beneath the Cabbie's grinning picture it reads: "GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST", : ,

With the Cabbie still staring at Frank, the cab runs a red light. Two cars skid to miss a pileup.

The Cabbie floors it.

. .Eliot has just exited a liquor store with a new bottle . of Rebel Yell. He cracks .the top, licks his lips and is

just about to try to sip when the taxi::jumps the curb, screams down the sidewalk and the Cabbie snags the bottle from his hand. As it roars” oft into the distance, Eliot is. left spinning.

Frank pounds frantically on the windows, yanking on the doors to no avail.

of 89 ‘ i. h | 99 | an ? 91 ee

“e 4 ae

CONTINUED: Ss The Cabbie takes a big swig from the bourbon. CABBIE Here's the thing Frank’ -- I'ma

ghost; I'm dead; I just don't care.

He tosses the bottle out the window where it smashes on the pavement.

Black ‘smoke churns out his mouth, nose and ears, filling the cab.

Frank doubles over, choking in the back seat. The taxi shoots through a cloud of steam, suddenly

appearing right in the path of a Saturday Evening Post truck.

OMITTED

The truck swerves, just in time. |

Frank picks himself up off the backseat floor.

——

CLOSE ON meter as it clicks from "1957" to "1956".

With a nasty chuckle, he hits the gas.

eet ane, SA a ea

h oh ad

The Checker tears down the quiet track-house-lined street and skids into the back of a.delivery truck parked in front of the only house on the block without Christmas

lights. Meter registers "1955", ° > Painted on the back of the truck -- "CROSS BUTCHER SHOP".

The Cabbie ‘jumps out and opens Frank's door. Frank falls out, crawling from the cab.

FRANK ¥

(looking around) Oh my god. This is where I grew up. I thought they tore this place down.

CABBIE — They did.

Frank slowly gets to his feet.

The Cabbie and Frank start walking through the snow to the: house.’

CABBIE . * ‘That's exactly what Attila the Hun said, but when he saw his mom -

They reach the front door.

94 CONTINUED: an 94

eed He takes Frank's hand and, as he steps right through the solid wooden door, Frank smacks hard into it, bouncing back onto the stoop.

The Cabbie giggles hysterically from inside as Frank stumbles to his feet.

The Cabbie pokes his head through the closed door. CABBIE (bellowing) Made me laugh! - FRANK Ssshhh! They'll call the cops

on uS.

The Cabbie opens the door letting Frank into the bare

foyer. ai CABBIE 4 ? Calm down. They can't see us and a they can't hear us. They're not real. They're sort of like... reruns.

This is a bleak, no-frills, working-class Fifties tract-house. LITTLE FRANK sits inchés from a B&W Magnavox TV set watching the end of the Howdy Doody Show. The show's theme and end credits roll.

.... DORIS, Frank's: mother, is pregnant with James. .She lies ' on the couch, :‘chain-smoking .Chesterfield's and frowning over..her cross-word puzzle magazine, EARL, Frank's big, ’ barrel-chested father, still: wearing his blood-stained . butcher apron, comes over: and turns down the TV volume. He towers. over little Frank.

nd | | (CONTINUED)

% ¥ een

95 CONTINUED: . 95

He drops a butcher-wrapped lump onto the floor beside his son. ,

Little Frank looks at it sadly. LITTLE FRANK

(quietly) But I asked Santa for a choo-choo. '

Doris glances up from her puzzle.

don't hand you life on a silver platter, the better.

Little Frank silently returns to the TV set, turning up the volume. Sergeant Bilko begins. Little Frank watches; mouth opened, totally zoned.

watching TV.

a 96 CONTINUED: > , 96 he FRANK That's not true. I did things. I played baseball. I remember back in seventh grade I hit a home-run and won the big game. CABBIE No you didn't. FRANK Oh right, I'm sorry, that was a TV show I saw -- The Courtship of Eddie's Father. CABBIE We're outta here. FRANK | But there was this time I ran through all these wildflowers and the sky was blue, the sun was streaming down... CABBIE a Frank? ca FRANK No, wrong again, that was Little House on the Prairie. CABBIE Face it -- garden slugs got more out of life than you did., FRANK Can I go back.to the office now? ‘CABBIE Hop in. They get in and-the taxi peels off into the night. 97 ° CLOSE ON TAXI METER 97

ticking away years from 1955 to 1967. WE HEAR o.s. SFX of taxi skidding through corners, bashing fenders, then horn honking, the Cabbie cursing, etc.

_ 98 EXT. IBC BUILDING - DAY (DATE ~ 1968) 98 *

aoe The Checker swerves up to the curb, slamming into a '68 Cadillac limo.

CLOSE ON sheets of paper sliding from a Xerox machine. Copied on each sheet is a B&W image of a woman's behind,

PULL BACK TO REVEAL TINA, a cute young secretary perched on the Xerox glass, panties around her ankles and a bottle of champagne in her hand. She giggles with an IBC ‘PAGE as the copier's light passes beneath her.

WIDEN TO SEE wild IBC office party in full swing. A

banner hung across the room reads "COOL YULE '68", Lew

Wexler, in his prime and wearing a red alpaca sweater, “me kisses a SEXY GIRL dressed as a mini-skirtéed Mrs. Claus.

Rowdy IBC STAFF sing, dance, drink and cut loose as Phil ' Spector's Christmas Album BLARES from a stereo.

long hippie hair, wheels his IBC mail cart into the room, oblivious to the party. He takes handfuls of mail and carefully but efficiently tosses it into the appropriate

Ar, slot. Present-Day Frank and Cabbie watch from doorway. *

The far door opens and Young Frank, now about twenty with i I

Lew breaks free of Mrs. Claus and saunters over to Young Frank. He takes a sip from his scotch, watching Young Frank diligently at work.

: FRANK . | ; Frank, sir.

Tina skips over and hands Lew her Xerox copy.

_ 99 CONTINUED: “s 99

a MAN (0.S.)} Lew, the beer's getting warm. Where's the ice?

Tina shrugs, grabs a nearby IBC EXEC and dances with him. Lew watches workaholic Frank sort mail.

Young Frank exits followed by Cabbie and Present-Day Frank.

Co card) I must have been nuts. That Tina was a little minx.

Young Frank. strolls along the path, trailed by Cabbie and _ Present-Day Frank. He hears waltz MUSIC drifting from -Wollman*:Rink and follows it.

Young’ Frank walks up to the railing and leans against it, watching the SKATERS.

‘ A blonde BEAUTY twirls on the flood-lit ice. Her brief silver skating outfit sparkles with every perfect move.

et Suddenly a figure blurs INTO FRAME blindsiding the golden yO girl.

ys 102 CONTINUED: a 192 *

| a It's YOUNG CLAIRE in jeans, a flannel shirt and a

: too-long scarf. This sets off a chain-reaction collision toppling.skaters right and left but somehow Young Claire is left standing, now skating backwards towards the railing.

183 ANGLE ON YOUNG FRANK ; 183 *

He shouts a warning as does Present-Day Frank REVEALED standing behind him.

YOUNG FRANK PRESENT-DAY FRANK

Look out! Look out Claire! ] 194 ANGLE ON YOUNG CLAIRE 104 *

as she sails headlong over the railing, decking Young Frank who smacks his head on the ground.

| YOUNG CLAIRE Are you alright?

Mayne!

‘She untangles herself from him and lurches ‘to her feet.

.YOUNG CLAIRE Thank you. I'm:sorry...

- .He stands, still rubbing his head.

She smiles. They look at each other for a moment.

. YOUNG FRANK Well, see ya.

thru

OMITTED

She turns, waddling on her skates toward the rink. He starts to walk away, then gets an idea.

YOUNG FRANK

‘Hey! You wanna go to a big

Christmas party?

He turns and walks toward the CAMERA.

Young Frank breaks into a wide smile.

thru

CENTRAL PARK PATH —- DAY 189

x

Young Claire and Young Frank walk together. She holds a copy of The Hobbit.

‘off Frodo's finger and falls into . the Crack of Doom. Oh great

Claire, tell him the whole ending. I'm sorry. ,

Young Frank scoops up some snow and puts it to his head.

(199 a: : Z

CONTINUED: os 199

She gently touches his head.

Young Claire dashes out into the street,

The Checker whistles past.

.. INT. © CHECKER - DAY 118

' Present-Day Prank watches her through the rear window.

—

CLOSE ON TAXI METER 111

Clicking from 1968 to 1969, with o.s. CAR SQUEALS, etc. ending in a resounding CRASH.

os 1212 INT. EAST VILLAGE APARTMENT - NIGHT (DATE - 1969) 112

vere This living/bedroom is decorated inexpensively but with youthful, exotic, hippie flair. The bed is a paisley-draped mattress on the floor. The room is lit

by dozens of candles.

Young Frank stands over a small scraggly Christmas tree which has been decorated with Christmas cards, peace symbols and a solitary strand of lights. He holds a treetop angel. ;

Young Claire walks in, fresh from the tub, a towel wrapped around her.

He sticks the angel on top.

YOUNG FRANK

: Uh...no. ey

She throws her.arms around Young Frank and kisses him. In the b.g. WE SEE Present-Day Frank and the Cabbie watching through a window at the fire escape. —

. Present-Day: Frank stares at: Young Claire. as: her towel 'falls.off revealing her bare back.

- PRESENT-DAY FRANK (to himself) ; I forgot how beautiful she was. The Cabbie pushes past Frank to leer at her. CABBIE Are you kidding? She's a total taste!

Frank shoves the Cabbie away from the window.

UE -

Young Claire slips on a shimmery silk kimono.

She nods.

He hands her a large gift-wrapped box. She carefully unwraps it. ;

ANGLE ON BOX OF GENSU KITCHEN KNIVES - 115

—

a tomato? YOUNG CLAIRE (hugging him) -I just love them.. Now, here, your turn. Open mine. She gives him a beautifully wrapped gift.

116 CONTINUED: *.

He looks down at the gift -- a book.

He holds the book up to the light.

| YOUNG CLAIRE wail It's Sanskrit.

ay YOUNG FRANK What's it say?

She leans over the book.

_.. Young Frank opens the book, turning it slowly as he “vstudies the illustrations.

ne (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: (2) oy 116

She moves closer to read over his shoulder and he puts his arm around her.

Claire begins howling and barking like a wild dog. Young Frank leans over and kisses her. A long, passionate kiss.

They both begin howling and baying.

\

ANGLE ON PRESENT-DAY FRANK AND CABBIE 117

‘standing on the windy fire escape, a few feet away from

the.embracing couple. FRANK (quietly to Cabbie) I'm cold. I want to go home.

PAN UP to the full moon. WE HEAR. Young Frank and Claire's howling echo in the night.

vs, 118

A ?

al.

128 |

~~

A white overhead klieg light. The howling continues as WE PAN DOWN to a MAN in a dog suit, on all fours, howling at a cartoonish MIKE THE MAILMAN who wears an exaggerated, corny mailman suit, bow tie and carries an over-size mail pouch. WE ARE WATCHING a children's TV show in progress.

The dog chews Mike's pant-leg, growling in front of a whimsical dog house hand-lettered -- "KIDDIE KENNEL".

The dog still clings to his leg.

Mike pulls out a big, bone~shaped object wrapped in Christmas paper with a red bow. A tag reads "MERRY CHRISTMAS 1971".

O.S. applause and children's cheers.

The dog sits up, tongue out, begging for the bone.

ANGLE ON AUDIENCE OF CHILDREN 119 sitting on bleachers screaming and laughing at the show. Seated dead center in their midst is .a stone~faced Present-Day Frank and the delighted:>.Cabbie. ANGLE ON ‘MIKE AND DOG. 129 Mike studies the gift. _MIKE THE MAILMAN

What could it be? Is it a book?

(shouting) ‘It's a bone! It's a bone!

N

ANGLE ON MIKE AND DOG = | 122

ANGLE ON KIDS : 123

The Cabbie leaps up from the crowd of children.

The Kids, of course, can't see or hear him but Frank

buries his face in his hands.

ANGLE ON MIKE AND DOG 5 126 The Mailman pulls a huge bone from the gift-wrapping.

He sticks it in the panting. dog's mouth as the o.s.

children cheer.

WE HEAR the top of a Seventies Hasbro Toy commercial as young Claire runs up to the dog, hugging him, waving a letter.

in the Peace Corps.

x

em, 126 CONTINUED: . 126 * ee The dog takes off his costume head to REVEAL Young Frank.

Really? We're in? That's great.

Lew Wexler, wearing a pumpkin-colored alpaca sweater, saunters over.

a: dog food. wh? LEW Well eat it and then throw it.

‘YOUNG FRANK Contour plowing. Ya know, honey, I'm not so sure _-

Lew cuts in.

ye 126 = CONTINUED: = (2) > 126

ee LEW Perfect.

— Look, why don't you go and as pi soon as I can, I'll meet you there.

LEW

Are we Clear on this?

A shapely PROP GIRL sidles over holding a big dog bowl brimming with dog food. .,

She grabs the bowl and dumps it over his head. The Kids go wild.

bn. JE* | | | (CONTINUED)

oe 126

CONTINUED: (3) -

She turns on her heel and leaves.

Young Frank watches her go, the brown, lumpy dog food

crawling down his face.

ANGLE ON KIDS

squealing with laughter. The Cabbie is doubled over,

wailing. Frank grimly gets up to go. The Cabbie follows.

CABBIE. | you left her for the "Frisbee The Dog Show?" You must be insane?

CONTINUED: | ; =

To drive home his point, he whirls around and slams his fist into the wall.

A balding middle-aged man, DR. ROSENBLUM, pats Frank on the back. Frank cradles his bruised hand.

.DR. ROSENBLUM You're just a little upset.

Frank desperately tries to get his bearings.

wall) You're just experiencing a little stress. Which is perfectly Natural. Frank, you are ina high pressure job and Christmas is a particularly stressful time of year.

Frank leans toward the Doctor.

oa 128 CONTINUED: : . 128 et Dr. Rosenblum grabs the remote control and clicks on the monitor. ON SCREEN

YOUNG EBENEZER SCROOGE stands mutely as BELLE, his fiancee, ties her bonnet and readies to exit.

Alright just give me a sound

level on that.

I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the masterpassion -- Greed -- engrosses you. Farewell, Ebenezer. May you be happy with the path you have chosen.

138 ANGLE ON FRANK 136 watching the TV. FRANK Well I am happy with the path

I've chosen you little bitch! I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER}!

... FRANK (to TV) Let's just see how your life turned out!

He storms from the office.

f 131

; OMITTED 131 * |

Frank exits the building, still ranting at Claire, and * heads west on foot. An IBC Guard regards him *

suspiciously.

FRANK * _ Just for the record, you left me! You're the one who ran off to Africa! Not me!

Big.signs on the truck offer top dollar for pints of blood. WE HEAR "Eliot's Theme" played on a violin. * It's snowing.

Unshaven and wild-eyed, Eliot Loudermilk exits holding a fistful of cash. Walking unsteadily toward the curb,

he counts the money, grins, and pitches forward into the snow, passed out cold. The violin MUSIC STOPS.

REVEAL who's been playing the MUSIC -- a STREET VIOLINIST with his upturned hat sitting empty on the sidewalk. He picks up the hat, comes over to Eliot, plucks the money from Eliot's hand, puts on the hat, and strolls away.

Frank passes by, not noticing the man in the gutter, * caught up in his rant. or

FRANK * I stayed right-here! you're the one who had to help the “Hottentots or whatever the hell they're called! .

The shelter, once a Cadillac showroom, has papered the big windows over with bright murals painted by the inner-city children of the community. The name of the project -- "OPERATION REACH OUT” -- is spelled out in giant multi-colored letters. .

Collar up, shivering in the wind, with Claire's card in | * his hand, Frank strides toward the one-story building.

_ 134 oo

CONTINUED: . 134 FRANK I couldn't just go traipsing off

somewhere! I had commitments! I had obligations!

OMITTED 135

“The large room is warm and busy with Christmas activity.

PEOPLE hang crepe-paper bunting, decorate folding tables, string Christmas lights.

Several cafeteria tables set up in the center of the room feed the HUNGRY and the HOMELESS of every age and color.

Frank enters still babbling. FRANK What about my needs? Face it lady, you treated me like dirt.

HAZEL, a middle-aged black woman who works at the

_ shelter, notices Frank.

Frank goes to the nearest table and sits down with the HOMELESS. Sitting beside_is HERMAN, a dirt-caked, wino mess, who stares into his soup. He wears a grimy t-shirt that reads "FRANKIE SAY RELAX". Above the table, a remnant from the showroom days, is a glittery sign on the wall which reads -- "THE STYLE YOU DEMAND. THE LUXURY YOU DESERVE."’ .

Hazel brings Frank's coffee, wraps a blanket over his shoulders and bustles off. Frank clutches the steaming styrofoam cup.

Herman edges closer to Frank. He pulls an old "music box" pocket watch from his soiled jacket and opens it. Beautiful Dreamer PLAYS as he checks the time.

HERMAN

Ah, the cocktail hour!

(sidling against Frank) Now, Dick, you know your fine wines -- your Great Westerns,

_ your Lancers, your Mateus. But

for my money, you can't buy nothin' better than --

He slams a half-empty bottle of Mogen David concord grape wine on the table.

He snaps the pocket watch shut, Beautiful Dreamer STOPS. Herman takes a long swig and passes the bottle to Frank.

-HERMAN | And if you could just do a line or two from Hamlet -

| FRANK Leave me alone.

7 — Cnn nn en en nnn ne eee ena eee ene eee ener EN ED ae

136 CONTINUED: (2) 5 ‘ 136

| FRANK

: (in perfect Richard

_ Burton voice)

"I am Mare Antony and you shall

‘ be my queen, Cleopatra, and together we will bring Egypt to her knees!" (regular voice)

Now beat it ya old lush.

Claire suddenly appears, reaching over and snatching the wine.

“DD FRANK

I'm having a real bad day. Frank stands. Claire fixes his collar.

Claire scoops up an armload of balloons.

.CLATRE Here, give me a:hand with these.

~—

137 ANGLE ON FRANK AND. CLAIRE 137

They cross the crowded: shelter to a pyramid of gifts topped by a néw TV set with banner “GRAND PRIZE". A. sign tacked across the base of the display reads: "CHRISTMAS FAIR RAFFLE -- Save Our Shelter!"

Claire scampers up a rickety step-ladder and begins taping balloons to the TV set. Frank, bracing the ladder, has misgivings.

Ae cen nese imn SmEND MIRON er een nT NS MER Tor AE TER er vee} Sen Nea aN eR SA IS

8a.

ne 137 CONTINUED: a 137 f Sect” FRANK Do you want me to do this? CLAIRE (leaning on one foot): No, I'm fine. po, FRANK - I've been thinking a lot about - _the past lately. CLAIRE Why? FRANK You know how you make choices and | at the time they seem like the only choices. But then, later, you wonder what. would've happened , if you'd made different choices. You know what I mean?

ye CLAIRE } ° oe-NO. peur’ : oo (suddenly realizing) Pe he Frank, are you talking about ‘regret? FRANK

Yes! Exactly. Regret.

‘Claire teeters precariously as she adds balloons to the other side. ~.

BLAM! The balloon she's taping pops, startling her, os, causing her to lose her footing and fall on top of Frank. a They land on the floor in a giggling heap.

CONTINUED: (2)

~

They lean on each other trying to stand. arms around Claire, holding her, hugging

Frank puts her. Their

laughter fades as they become aware of the contact.

step back.

t

out of here. You wanna get some

Chinese food? Hazel rushes up.

HAZEL

And you better call the A&P about

the turkeys.

\

out) ; Listen, don't bother.

his

They

4 wtdcminm ——— — ——-——

aye, 137

(3) a

What about them?

He walks away.

ANGLE ON HERMAN

He clutches his Mad Dog to himself.

Frank walks by.

. HERMAN ‘(putting out his hand) Listen, Dick, think you could

lend me a few bucks so's I <=

OMITTED

t Me,

It's snowing on the London street of the Scrooge set. For a moment WE DON'T REALIZE that we are now watching the rehearsal of the television show.

WE TRACK Marlon Brando as Scrooge as he strides down the cobblestone street, waving his cane, scattering the STREET URCHINS who beg for handouts. John Houseman narrates.

Scrooge buttonholes a BOBBIE standing under a lamppost. CAROLERS sing Good King Wenceslas in b.g.

. BRICE (0.S.) Marlon, buddy,...

REVEAL Brice on edge of set with TV cameras, TECHNICIANS, Censor with gauze-wrapped head, etc. The rehearsal halts,. Carolers break off singing, snow stops falling.

BRICE

~-.-That's street urchins, not sea urchins. , (to set) Guys, that's it, dinner break. (MORE)

Ss, n

84,

CONTINUED: “ 148

Frank storms up to Brice,

Brice squeezes Frank's arm, winks and joins the other cast and crew exiting the set. . Frank stands bewildered as the BOBBIE, STREET URCHIN 1 and SOME SOLID GOLD DANCERS pass by.

. URCHIN 1 I gotta call my service.

Frank wanders down the now-deserted 19th Century London set. He passes the cobbler's, the ladies’ emporium, the tobacconist's,. the candlemaker, till he reaches Scrooge & Marley's and goes inside,

‘h Nw,

The office is musical comedy real with period furniture and low dark-beamed ceiling. A frost-edged, many~paned window looks out on the studio/London street. Frank slumps wearily at Scrooge's massive desk.

Grace arrives holding papers and a mobile phone.

Frank ignores her, lost in thought.

He whirls around.

FRANK

Get me Preston Rhinelander on the phone.

(grabs the phone from

her) In fact, forget it. I'1l get him myself.

(starts dialing) Don't you have something to do?

She leaves. Frank is the only one left in the studio.

‘The studio goes black.

Through the window, he sees a follow spot cut on, throwing a bright circle of light on a golden easel in the center of the darkened London street.

CONTINUED: . 141

- FRANK e.-eWait a minute...

A woman's hand enters the circle of light and places a big artcard on the easel that reads, in a flowery style: "THE BALLBREAKER SUITE".

He puts the phone aside and goes to the doorway to get a better look. ,

WE HEAR an o.s. celeste begin the familiar strains of the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from the Nutcracker Suite and, indeed, an exquisite SUGAR PLUM FAIRY with translucent wings and shimmering tutu tip-toes into the

Frank can scarcely believe his eyes.

She dances superbly, gracefully executing leaps and spins and twirls and arabesques and pirouettes and lots of other things with fancy French names. Her wings quivering excitedly, she glides over to Frank and, at a key point in the music...

WHUMPH! ...Kicks him solidly in the balls.

His eyes cross. He staggers, barely.able to stand.

As the MUSIC starts up again, she gaily flounces off, finishes. with a flourish, does a little curtsy, and introduces herself to Frank.

; .« FAIRY Hello, Frank. Tam the Ghost of . Christmas Present.

' She speaks somewhat. like Glenda, the Good Witch, with a

delicate British accent.in a sing-song falsetto. FRANK (hoarsely) Why'd you do that?

yous, «142 CONTINUED: / : 142 : FAIRY (sweetly)

"Sometimes you have to slap them in the face just to get their attention."

. kicked me in the -

ot He reluctantly closes his eyes. FAIRY

-..-And think of snowflakes and moonbeams and whiskers on kittens...

He sneaks a wary look at her.

x

FAIRY _- There there, no peeking. O€.

. Yainbows, forget-me-nots, of misty meadows and sun-dappled pools. .Oh. look, there's Mister Hedgehog! I wonder where he's going? Perhaps~to...dreamland!

She leans back and unloads a freight-train right to Frank's jaw.

In a shower of pixie dust, WE

Frank lands on the floor. WE HEAR angelic, bluesy electric GUITAR playing Away in a Manger.

He groggily sits up.

The Fairy stands over him, smiling serenely.

Gramma sits on a threadbare sofa, playing the soulful, string-bending guitar. She is surrounded by six of Grace's children who all sing along. The shabby living room is bright with Christmas lights and decorations. An electric space heater adds to the cheery atmosphere.

Frank slowly gets to his feet, shaking his head to clear it.

The front door. opens and Grace and Calvin enter.

Some of the kids rush over_and hug her, helping Calvin. out of his coat.

Lanell nods.

ae!

a

89,

ANGLE ON THE TWINS o

Shasta and Randee, huddle over a top-like plastic puzzle trying to get all the metal balls into the holes.

Frustrated, Shasta pulls it away from her sister.

Gimme that! It's mine! Gimme!

Shasta hits her with the puzzle and Randee bursts into

_ tears. .

She sprinkles a little pixie dust over them and instantly they're all smiles.

Frank’ notices Calvin sitting near them, eyeing the puzzle.

FRANK ; Yeah, but I always thought it was just a new look; some fashion thing.

145 ANGLE ON GRAMMA é 145 *

Gramma bends over, cranks up the volume on her battered Pignose amp, and tears into Three Dog Night's Joy to the World.

146 ANGLE ON FAIRY, FRANK, CALVIN AND TWINS ‘ 146 * The twins go off to dance, leaving the puzzle on the floor. The Fairy prances off to join them. Frank is alone with Calvin. Unseen, he watches him,

The little boy stares at the puzzle. Suddenly he reaches over and, with a flick of the wrist, spins it.

147 CLOSE ON PUZZLE 147 *

as all the metal balls click into place.

148 ANGLE ON FRANK | : 148 «* stunned. Calvin blankly moves away. Frank crosses the room to the dancing Fairy. FRANK That kid -- the little one -- is ‘he gonna. be okay? _ FAIRY It's his choice, Only he can

break the spell,

Frank glances back at Calvin, sitting by himself on the floor.

She does a quick pirouette.

7 OO = (CONTINUED).

a, me

CONTINUED: ws 148

Gramma wails, singing the chorus.’

: GRAMMA

"Joy to the world,

All the boys and girls.

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea..."

Steven joins her, drumming on the phone book. Shasta and Randee grab Grace and rock around the room. All the Kids are dancing now. The Fairy leaps onto the coffee table and does a grande jeté over the Barcalounger. Everyone is swinging heavily.

CLOSE ON A KITTEN 149

curled up in the middle of the Nativity scene, opens a drowsy eye, yawns, and goes back to sleep.

BACK TO SCENE . 158

Frank begins tapping his foot, shyly snapping his fingers.

Gramma jumps up, windmilling her beat-up Telecaster for all she's worth.

-He finally-~surrenders to the beat and dances, timidly at ‘first but quickly progressing to full-out party beast.

The Fairy prepares to depart.

-PAIRY Come, we've tarried long enough. We must be -

_ FRANK (frugging wildly) Lighten up Mama! Let's get into the zone! Let's get ill!

aa 15@ CONTINUED: ‘ 1586 oe FAIRY ‘ This is a disgrace, Frank. Look at that ceiling. A woman in your employ living like this. Shame on you! Still dancing, Frank glances up at the crumbling ceiling. FRANK - You're right. When I get back, I'll give her a -

The Fairy sucker-punches Frank with a Mike Tyson right.

In another burst of pixie dust, WE

151 . 151

thru OMITTED thru

| 3 152 152 ae

c= 153 EXT. JAMES CROSS' BROWNSTONE - NIGHT 153

| ESTABLISH a brownstone under renovation. A large dumpster sits outside. 0O.S. NOISE brings us to:

CHRISTMAS EVE The blow sends Frank crashing into‘a* bar trolley loaded with glasses and party snacks. He struggles to get up, picking. cocktail cherries off his lapels. .A big MONGREL DOG growls at him.

* FRANK Fairy or no fairy you do that one ‘more time and I'm gonna rip your wings off!

. WENDIE CROSS (0.S.) Cujo! Bad dog!

WENDIE, James' wife, a long-limbed stunner with an easy smile, rushes over to the trolly and begins cleaning up. A GUEST lends a hand.

|

|

L535

“CONTINUED:

The Fairy helps Frank to his feet and gestures around her.

WE SEE a warm, homey place full of FRIENDS and food. Cujo curls’ up in front of a roaring fire. WE HEAR medieval Christmas carols played by a chamber quartet the stereo. A bushy Christmas tree, strung with real popcorn and real cranberries, soars to the ceiling of this lovingly restored Victorian room. Strewn at the foot of the tree lie opened gifts.

was the name of the shipwrecked boat?

on

Gilligan's Island, what

As Frank looks at her apprehensively, Wendie notices an

unopened present under the tree and brings it over to James.

\

WENDIE & You haven't opened your brother's gift yet.

WIDE: SHOT

of living room with everybody gathered around James opening gift. In the b.g. is Frank and the Fairy.

154 *

CONTINUED: ‘

They all laugh.

_little IBC's stamped all over it.

James unwraps the large present.

JAMES

Nothing really. I made a frame

for an old snapshot of the two of us when we were kids.

94,

James reaches into the box and with difficulty pulls out

a top-of-the line VCR.

Frank explodes.

FRANK

I'm gonna kill her! fI distinctly

said towel! I remember saying the words! :

up.

FRANK

I didn't get the gifts mixed up!

The ex-secretary got the gifts mixed up!

’ JAMES (over his friends' laughter) You really don't know him.

WENDIE

And I'm never going to know him.

(MORE)

CONTINUED: (2) an

JAMES

Never. He's my brother.

The Fairy looks over at Frank.

FRANK

What the hell. It's Christmas.

The party gathers around Guest 3 and a Trivial Pursuit game,

| , musical instrument did Lurch

ll play?”

The Fairy attempts to throw her trademark right-cross but Frank easily blocks it.

. WENDIE Let's say piano --

(to James) -- Okay? We're saying he played the piano.

“eenyetons

CONTINUED: (3) ar 155 He feigns, does an "Ali GUEST 3 Shuffle," hands up Wrong! It was the "peekaboo" style. harpsichord. She glances above Frank's. "3 JAMES head and smiles. Piano, harpsichord -- same thing! FAIRY

_ Oh, how sweet -- mistletoe,

Frank looks up and, before he realizes his mistake, she rockets him to dreamland.

With a blast of pixie dust, WE

The blow sends Frank sprawling into a shadowy one-room apartment. It is bitter cold.

He angrily picks himself off the floor, ready to duke it out.

Frank tries the door. He yanks it: . Locked tight. He pounds on it with both fists.

A

The door won't budge. Frank stumbles back into the room,

shuddering in the bluish light, exhaling cold clouds.

He fumbles out his lighter and flicks it on. It doesn't shed much light. He grabs an old newspaper off the floor, rolls it tightly into a torch and sets it on fire.

A few feet away on a decaying couch sits Herman the wino.

He watches Frank wordlessly.

97,

156 CONTINUED: an 156

Herman continues to stare at him.

He reaches out and gently shakes Herman.

The gold pocket watch falls from Herman's hand and the lid-opens as it lands. It BEGINS PLAYING Beautiful

Dreamer.

Frank holds the torch closer. Herman's white face and blank eyes confront him.

He's frozen to death. Frank backs away, slowly looking around the room. Herman stares at him, as if in 7 judgement.

157 FRANK'S POV 157

While Beautiful Dreamer plays, WE SEE where Herman came to his end -- ROACHES crawl over an empty, doorless refrigerator; a plume of ice hangs from a broken water pipe; the floor is littered with rags, cans, newspapers, bottles.

The watch runs down and. stops.

Frank,:lost in this sad inventory, doesn't notice the torch has burned to his hand.

The flame sputters out, leaving Frank in darkness. He * panics, smashing the boarded-up windows with his shoulder but they won't give, -

Frantic, he tries kicking the door. Nothing. Grabbing * a chair, he batters the door with all his might. The chair shatters.

aia

¥ nN Meee”

158A

CONTINUED: < Frank gathers his last bit of strength to make a final charge into the door.

He breaks through!

Frank bursts through Scrooge's office door, flattening the Lady Censor and tumbling to the floor.

WE HEAR heraldic HORNS play a fanfare. The IBC Announcer steps up to the mike.

WE SEE REACTION SHOTS of EXTRAS in Victorian costume, TECHNICIANS, Solid Gold Dancers, "Tip" O'Neill dressed as Marley, Brice and Grace, all staring at Frank in stunned silence. BRICE (hissing to Grace) Help me get him off the set!

Frank, dazed and confused staggers to his feet, stammering inarticulately. As Brice and Grace try to lead him away, he sneaks a peek inside the Scrooge office. A Prop Man hurries out. . BRICE -. Here, grab his arm. (to set}

“What're you looking at? Let's

get with it.

‘GRACE I've been worried about you.

Brice steers him off the set and towards the elevator.

(MORE)

158A *

yom, 158A CONTINUED: (2) i 158A *

Now at the elevator, the doors open and standing before Frank -- hooded black cape billowing, red eyes glowing in a skull -- is THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE.

Frank shrieks, dropping to his knees. He clutches pitifully at the Ghost's cape. ,

Lo FRANK alll ; Take me! I give up! Do whatever at _ you want!

The Ghost tries to pull away, stumbling back into the elevator.

‘

A husky IBC SECURITY GUARD moves for*Frank.

.BRICE {lifting Frank. up)

That-won't be necessary. Frank just needs.a little rest and he'll be fine. —-

(to Grace) ee Get this nutcake the hell outta here! ,

Frank stares wide-eyed at the Ghost who edges past him. The Ghost waves his Scrooge script angrily.

PNA Capen mera sore Meek aowe CRSURPMR Gay te Se) ease

CONTINUED: * 158

The elevator doors close.

He turns on his heels and stalks away, cape luffing behind him. WE TRACK him through the congested backstage

area.

A Solid Gold Dancer looks up from fixing the run in her stocking.

.GHOST Thanks honey.

. STAGE MANAGER (V.0.) (over PA system) Fifteen seconds.

The Ghost walks thru a quieter area. He reaches the dressing room and enters.

The Ghost shuts the door behind him and crosses the empty room to the lit make-up mirror.

oy od

MF.

CONTINUED: ‘s 159

“

He tosses back the black hood and very slowly removes the horrific. skull mask with blazing blood-red eyes. Beneath it -- a horrific skull face and blazing blood-red eyes. This really is the Ghost of Christmas Future!

Lightbulbs EXPLODE around the mirror.

The skull stares at his nightmarish reflection. There is an evil SIZZLING SOUND as smoke curls from his eye sockets.

Frank sits at his desk, confused and exhausted.

ON TV SCREEN 161

John Houseman sits in a wing chair. He opens the leather-bound copy of Scrooge and begins to read.

WE HEAR the CLIP-CLOP of horses' hooves on cobblestones.

Frank takes a big swig.

et

“

MARY LOU RETTON, dressed in rags as Tiny Tim, hobbles a

few feet on her wooden crutches. Suddenly she stops, | flings the crutches aside, somersaults down the corridor, | flies into a full-twisting back-flip and lands on her |

feet.

Sitting in a folding chair against the wall is a wide-eyed Calvin Cooley. He stares up at Mary Lou with strange intensity. Calvin's sister Lanell pulls up a chair beside him.

Mary Lou's COACH approaches her. COACH

Try it again, and this time, really stick it.

‘Mary Lou nods and returns to her original position. In

the b.g. John Houseman walks briskly to the dressing room trailed by his DRESSER.

Grace comes over to Calvin and Lanell. She puts a hand on his shoulder.

Mary Lou Retton hurtles down the nan waye landing right in front of them. .

Calvin..can't take his eyes off her.

Over -Frank's. -shoulder WE SEE the TV monitor with Brando as Scrooge sitting in his dreary counting house. His NEPHEW proudly sets a glass case on the desk.

. 165 CLOSE ON MICE an 165

ae ' with antlers glued to their tiny heads.

Preston Rhinelander and his handsome, white-haired WIFE sit in their classic WASP parlour watching Scrooge. Their TWO PERSIAN CATS paw the screen after the doormice.

~ SCROOGE I've never heard of such foolishne-

Frank mutes the sound with the remote control.

Frank is totally gone. He pours himself another Stoly, setting down the bottle without looking. It falls, spilling over his cluttered desk. He grabs it and begins sopping the liquor with an envelope. Seeing a wrapped gift among his papers, he stops and picks it up.

The. tag on the gift -- "To. Frank."

WE STAY ON Frank as he opens the package. He freezes, when he sees what's insideé.- His eyes fill up. Tears begin to stream down his face. Brushing them aside, he sets the gift on the desk and walks away.

cuT TO:

168 THE GIFT -- BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH 168

of Frank and James as little boys in front of tract house. They have their arms around each other and smile happily into the camera.

. 168 | CONTINUED: - . | 168 - Inscribed at the bottom of the picture --

"To Frank,

The best brother a guy. every had. Merry Christmas.

Love,

James

Frank pours himself another drink. Scrooge continues “in monitor, showing a street scene.

The Victorian "Scrooge" street is in full glory: the poulterers hung with geese and turkeys; the grocers bursting with polished fruit; wind-up toys dance in the toy store windows; VENDORS hawk their chestnuts. Crowds of happy SHOPPERS bustle down the snow-covered street. CHILDREN CAROLERS sing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen beneath a flickering gas lamp.

A 9 Brando, as Scrooge, walks beside a jolly giant wearing

a long velvet robe and a holly wreath on his head -- Dickens' GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT. WE TRACK them down the cheery street.

Big Ben begins CHIMING o.s.

N

A huge blood-tinged moon sits ominously on the horizon, dwarfing the silhouetted skyline.

Frank, framed by the criss-crossed window grids, stares out at the swollen moon. He stands imprisoned, a solitary, lonely figure.

Frank, his back to the CAMERA, stands at the far end of the spacious office, staring out the window.

He turns, and dull with booze, slowly crosses the room. The vodka bottle, upside-down in his hand, leaves a trail along the carpet. ;

As he passes the TV monitor, WE SEE appearing on the screen, wreathed in grey mist, the black-hooded Ghost of Christmas Future. The solemn phantom points a long bony finger at Frank.

Frank continues on, oblivious. WE SEE the Ghost, a skeletal hand pointing straight at Frank, take over all the monitors.

Suddenly the door flies open. Eliot Loudermilk -- unshaven with crazed, red-rimmed eyes; wearing pajamas, an overcoat, mud-caked galoshes, harlequin sunglasses, and carrying a double-barreled shotgun -- stands in the doorway. Smiling.

“He BLASTS the vodka bottle-out of Frank's hand.

With a sobering jolt of adrenaline, Frank dives behind his desk.

ELIOT

“Remember me boss? The guy you canned the day before Christmas!?

Another SHOTGUN CHARGE slams into the desk; blowing the phone to bits.

+

172 CONTINUED: . 172

N

AA Eliot calmly breaks apart the smoking gun and slides two more shells in.

FRANK ; (cowering under the desk) Eliot, I've been trying to get you on the phone! Firing you was a big mistake.

‘Another BLAST blows out the TV monitors. Frank winces.

He breaks cover, bolting out the door. Eliot fires -- missing him by inches.

As Eliot cooly reloads, Frank tugs on an office door. It's locked. He runs to the next door, also locked, yanking on the handle. The door knob comes off in his

jal hand. ~ ELIOT How was my day you ask? Well,

my wife left me, took my little girl with her. And that's all

I can remember because ever since then I've been blind drunk!

Eliot clicks. the gun in place with.a.metallic snap.

me,

Eliot appears above him. Frank looks up to see both barrels inches from his head.

He gets to his feet.

Eliot backs Frank up against the wall.

"... Knows when you're..."

Eliot aims with both barrels at the CAMERA. Over his shoulder, WE SEE the Ghost holding out both his skeletal arms in a death embrace.

Both barrels EXPLODE with a deafening roar.

Frank drops to the floor, barely dodging. the blast. Two smoking holes are blown out inches above him.

Frank scampers on all fours down the hall. Eliot, in no hurry, reloads. ,

Frank springs to his feet as the water cooler explodes near his head.

Eliot follows him down the hall, the shotgun dangling casually over his elbow.

: Sragee

thru

CONTINUED: (2)

Frank runs until he reaches -the elevator bank. Incredibly, the elevator bell. RINGS and the doors slide open. Frank leaps inside, hits "L" and frantically punches "CLOSE DOOR." Eliot rounds the corner.

The doors close on Eliot aiming both barrels into the

car. Frank is safe.

OMITTED

Frank stares up at the descending floor lights, sweat

beading his forehead, panting heavily. Suddenly he realizes there is someone else breathing in the car -- low, death-rattle breaths. He whirls around to see the

Ghost of Christmas Future standing right behind him.

FRANK

What the hell are: you doing here?

Shouldn't you. be downstairs in ‘the studio? We*re on the air.

He notices something rustling beneath the Ghost's black

cape.

FRANK

Hey! Whatta you got under there?

He pulls back the cape to REVEAL hellish faces writhing and moaning in pain, trapped inside the hollow Ghost's

bloody rib-cage prison.

thru

_ 176

CONTINUED: ; 176

‘

Frank yanks the cloak shut. Eyes wide with dread, he Slowly looks up to the Ghost's hooded face. Wisps of smoke drift from the coal-red eye sockets.

‘some costume. Really, really works. Whew. I.'m scared.

Elevator doors open behind him.

As the Ghost silently glowers at him, Frank bolts out of

the elevator into a situation too horrible to be

described here,

Frank shrieks, pulls a U-turn and dives back into the elevator as Bernard Hermann's piercing Psycho sting strings pursue him.

Frank hysterically jabs all the elevator buttons as the doors close. The Ghost stares down at him. ‘

‘

The Ghost doesn't respond. The elevator descénds for a

few more floors, finally stopping. The. doors open to

REVEAL -- ,

WE-SEE, squatting in a shadowy corner of this snakepit nightmare, a slightly older Calvin, wearing a grimy nightshirt. .. ot

REVERSE ANGLE 179

on Frank and Ghost watching from inside elevator.

es, 7 | ne FRANK : (to Ghost) So. What? Am I suppose to know these people? 188 ANGLE ON CALVIN a 189

as an Older Grace Cooley brings him a cup of water.

A HOSPITAL ORDERLY taps her on the shoulder.

He starts to escort her away. Grace breaks free, running a to her son. She hugs him tightly. The boy stares at ay nothing. He is lost. The Orderly pries her off, leading. ae her from the room. .

The elevator doors close. < -FRANK (to Ghost)

Is this. true? Is this the “future? But I.can.change it, right? I will. As soon as I get . back. —. (making a note in his pad) "Take Grace's son to specialist.” ’Se€. It's a’done thing. That easy.

The elevator descends and stops again. The doors open on =

7 — tee ne nee ee ee ee Sree ee ee 88 tee rem mee meee ste: . SN ee ee me ete eee Ce he Or ee rey)

Til.

; 181 EXT. RODEO DRIVE SIDEWALK BISTRO - DAY 181 of ; A trio of middle-aged Beverly Hills HARPIES gossip over il their nouvelle salads at the outdoor cafe. The women have too much jewelry, too much makeup and too much cosmetic surgery. They wear expensive fringed and studded designer jumpsuits and distressed hair. The woman with her back to-the Camera flicks a red-taloned hand through her orange shag. WOMAN _+e.SoO by now the new girl is waxing my legs - WE MOVE AROUND her to SEE -- it's Claire! She has become tough and brassy. | WOMAN 2 You mean the Korean? TWO CHILDREN, ragged and gaunt, walk to the cafe's railing, watching the ladies eat. CLAIRE I guess, they all look - a (seeing the kids) _ . Hey! Beat it! * Ansett (searching over her shoulder) Waiter! WOMAN 3

Come on Claire, they're just kids.

182 ANGLE ON FRANK SE §, 182

eyes widening as he hears Claire's name -- recognizing sher beneath the garish mask.

183. ANGLE ON CLAIRE — oo 183 lighting a cigarette, her puffy face set in a sneer.

- CLAIRE Don't tell me. I wasted twenty years on losers like them. Thank God a friend took me aside one day and said "Save yourself Claire. Scrape ‘em off." Best advice I ever got.

ow poe

CONTINUED: er 183

The Children continue to stare at her. She sips her drink, a tear in her eye.

The elevator doors close on this scene.

Frank turns to the ghost.

The elevator descends, finally stopping at the bottom floor. This time the doors slowly swing open with a chilling stone against stone sound. The Ghost wordlessly floats past Frank out of the car.

Frank follows the spectre into --

Frank looks over his shoulder to see he has just stepped ‘out of an. age-worn, marble mausoleum. He shudders, dashing through the Michael Riva graveyard after the Ghost. _~.

They walk/float side by side through the moonswept headstones and crypts towards a bare hill.

Wendie Cross stands there, alone, head bowed.

™ 185

os , (

CONTINUED: 185 FRANK (Cont'd) I don't know what my problem was with him? He's my brother and I love him. I do! When I get back I'll --

James Cross steps out from behind a monument and joins his wife. He is sobbing. She holds his hand, comforting

him.

Frank looks at the Ghost who simply points towards the freshly dug empty grave. Frank is drawn up the hill.

CLOSE ON HEADSTONE 186

which reads -- "FRANCIS CROSS -- BELOVED BROTHER". The birth and death dates are obscured by a floral wreath.

ANGLE ON FRANK , 187 shaking his head, mouth open in disbelief.

FRANK

What? I'm dead? What the hell are you saying here!? I've died? That's...crazy. I mean...if I'm dead, how, how can I change any of this? Why bother showing me these things if I can't do anything about them?!

(backing away from his

grave) No. I'm sorry. That's it. That's enough. You're not getting me in there!

He wheels, fleeing back to the mausoleum/elevator, his only possibility of escape.

The spectre points a bony finger after him.

1998

Frank races inside and pushes the 22nd floor. The doors slide shut.

He looks up at the floor lights. The car is still. He's breathing hard. Suddenly with a wrenching metallic sound, the walls of the elevator begin to close in on him. The ceiling slowly drops. Frank jams his arms out, trying to fight it, but the elevator tightens to fit his body. The lights flicker and, in the instant before they go out, WE SEE that the elevator car has become Frank's

coffin! ‘

From outside WE HEAR hands roughly grab the coffin and turn it sideways.

THREE GRAVEDIGGERS carry Frank's coffin up the hill to the grave where James and Wendie wait.

WE HEAR creaking, jostling SOUNDS.

. 192. a.

me 193 a,

They lower the coffin into the pit.

I shall not want."

In the blackness WE HEAR James' muffled voice.

Help! Help me!

James closes the Bible, scoops up a handful of dirt and drops it on the coffin below.

In the total darkness WE HEAR the SOUND of dirt hitting the coffin lid. Frank goes berserk. .

He: pounds..frantically against the casket. The wood

creaks. aan

—

_. PRANK (hysterically) _ N000000000!

Shovelfuls of dirt hit the coffin. Frank's pounding

increases,

I WANT TO LIVE!

CONTINUED: . | 194

With his last ounce of strength, he slowly pries open the coffin lid.

Frank bursts out of the elevator and lands on the floor.

Church bells RING loudly on the TV monitor above him.

Frank stops thrashing. We looks around, recognizing that he's back safe on the 22nd floor. As the reality hits, a big smile spreads across his face. He bounds to his feet. He giggles, laughing louder, finaliy shouting with

joy.

Eliot steps from around the corner, aiming a shotgun squarely at Frank.

Frank brushes the gun aside and throws a brotherly arm around Eliot. , FRANK Okay, here's my final offer -- you're hired back at twice the salary, you':move upstairs. to a big office, and I'm making you vice-president in charge of _ programming. ;

Eliot. lowers the gun. ELIOT Excuse me, I'm looking for a Mister Frank Cross. I must have the wrong --

Frank stops him as he turns to go.

eatin 7 C a

thru

CONTINUED: 195

_ FRANK No, it's me but ... it's not me! I'm a new man! I'm a lover!

He gives him a big kiss on the cheek.

He hits a high note. On the TV monitor, the clanging BELLS of London change to the Carolers Bengeng I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

He grabs Eliot and waltzes him wildly down the hall. But Frank freezes in mid tango-spin, letting go of his partner's hand. Eliot sails across the floor and topples over a desk.

' FRANK Wait! Are we still on the air?

Eliot climbs from behind the desk.

Frank helps him to his feet, throws an arm around him and steers him towards the door.

x

Frank pulls.a shiny red. Christmas ball from. the corporate

-wreath,. hooks .it.around his. ear, and flashes a wacky

grin. FRANK — Let's have a little fun for once in this life!

OMITTED thru

‘

Scrooge, wearing a night shirt and tasseled cap, throws open the bedroom shutters and looks out.

He shouts to the Street Urchin lobbing snowballs in the street below.

The boy stops and looks up at the window. URCHIN 1 Yes sir? Are you talking to me sir? Scrooge holds up a shiny coin. SCROOGE Here's a gold sovereign! Go buy me the biggest goose in all London! He tosses it to the boy o.s. SLOW MOTION of the tumbling coin. But it's caught by a different hand,

WE HEAR gasps. WE SEE the shocked REACTIONS of Brando, Grace.

s

‘The place is in a panic.

TECHNICIAN #1 He's drunk! :

TECHNICIAN #2 He's nuts!

Eliot has appeared with the shotgun behind the Director.

ve ge!

a7

The hand opens. And Frank Cross looks down at the coin he just caught. As more cameras glide over to shoot hin, Frank takes charge.

(into camera) Hi, I'm Frank Cross. I'm the President of this network. And I gotta ask you one question..

Bolt upright in his chair, nervously sipping a drink, Preston Rhinelander glares at Frank on the TV set. It * has started to snow outside.

Rhinelander does a spit-take and lunges for the phone.

James, Wendie :and the other couples crowd around the TV, ‘watching Frank.

oe

Hey James. I should be there with you guys right now. Not here. We could be drinking punch, telling jokes, eating Mince pie -- I don't know. But I should be with people I love. It's Christmas Eve.

— 203 CONTINUED: Ms 503

oon ceed They all cheer, startling the Dog. JAMES You tell ‘em Frank!

FRANK No family? What about your friends -~ the gang you work with?

Rhinelander's on the phone and Frank's on the console. RHINELANDER FRANK Control room? Who let e.-YOur college roommate, that idiot on the air? the car pool,...

LS? Eliot is ‘on the other end of the line, holding shotgun,

ee

one foot up on the Director's chair. Frank's in the monitors.

‘WE PAN AWAY from Eliot to FIND Brice festively trussed up in Christmas ribbon, gagged, with a big bow stuck to

his head. ‘ELIOT I'm sorry, sir. He's tied up right now.

~, 206

7 . ra

2186

Brice attempts to hop out of the room but Eliot deftly slams his foot down on the end of Brice's ribbon and he. topples to the floor with a BIG CRASH.

ANGLE ON CAMERA MEN,

sound guys, prop men, technicians in studio

whooping delightedly.

actors,

ANGLE ON FRANK

FRANK

Yeah, we're gonna get a band down here. You grab somebody you like and dance and you kiss ‘em under the mistletoe. ane

(thinking about Claire) Boy, there's a girl I'd like to be with tonight.

‘INT. -HOMELESS SHELTER - NIGHT Claire watches Frank on the raffle TV.

MOVE IN ON A TIGHT SHOT of Claire.

+

2067

“a 219

WE SEE Frank on TV, Claire watching.

Claire. It's not too late. It's

Christmas Eve.

2128

It is snowing. Claire runs out into the street and hails

acab. A Checker fishtails to a stop. She jumps in.

CLAIRE

I have to get to the IBC building

in two minutes.

The Cabbie turns, a wide, pointy-toothed smile slapped

on his demon face.

He punches the accelerator and the cab peels out.

your face? Don't worry. I got

an idea. (leaning in conspiratorially) Bake 'em some cookies.

Frank's psychiatrist sadly shakes his head as he watches

Frank on TV.

Mee

215,

CONTINUED: an 214

Grace, Calvin, Lanell and Mary Lou Retton watch Frank from the floor.

x

The two Guards harmonize loudly, their voices echoing in

“the marble lobby.

"Jolly old Saint Nicholas, Lean your ear..."

_ 218

“To 221

HOMELESS are gathered around a beat-up old upright singing while Hazel plays.

OMITTED

The TV is still on but Rhinelander's chair is empty.

124,

As

Frank continues to speak, WE PAN over to the window and

the SOUNDS of caroling outside,

His arm around his Wife, Preston Rhinelander stands

looking out at CAROLERS who are serenading them.

WE SEE A REVERSE of the Carolers, a cross-section of New

Yorkers, with the Rhinelanders framed in their parlor

floor picture window.

“Preston applauds. His Wife beckons to them, throwing - open the window. ,

WIFE —. Merry Christmas! Want a cookie?

Trem 222 to | an a

CONTINUED: ~~ 222

Frank notices Calvin. WE SEE Calvin staring back.

Frank presses on.

THREE BUMS huddle around a fire in an oil drum during the snowstorm. SIREN wailing, a cop car pulls up and hits them in the face with a searchlight.

COP #1 Alright you, get over here! Take this! .

He shoves a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken at them,

COP #2 And. don't tell anybody where you got it!.

(MORE)

126,

CONTINUED: oo . 224

WE SEE Calvin, unnoticed by his mother, slip away and wander toward Frank.

FRANK

Take a chance! Get out!

Celebrate! It's gonna be a great

night. After all, it's Christmas

Eve. He notices that Calvin has come over and is standing beside him. He reaches down and Calvin shyly slips his hand in Frank's. They share a smile. Frank turns to the TV camera.

Calvin turns to the camera too.

Grace is stunned. She bursts into tears. Lanell and Mary Lou look at each other in’ amazement.

Frank laughs and :scoops.up Calvin in his. arms. Grace gives. them both a hug.

“The: whole. studio.applauds Frank including many persons

we've seen before -- the London Bobbie, the Lady Censor, Prop Man 1, Prop Man 2 holding Doormice, the Nurse, "Tip" O'Neill, the Street Urchins, the Carolers, the

‘Carpenters, the Painters, the Technicians, Wayne, Ted,

the Solid Gold Dancers, Lanell, Mary Lou Retton, Mary Lou's Coach, Scrooge's fiancee Belle, Scrooge's Nephew, Scrooge's Ghost of Christmas Present, Tony the cameraman, the Stage Manager, the other IBC Execs, Eliot and Marlon Brando. Claire can barely get through them.

Sees

CONTINUED: (2) 224 *

Frank spots Claire fighting her way through the crowd. He hands Calvin to Grace and Claire rushes into his arms.

THEY KISS!

He winks at someone high over her shoulder and kisses Claire again.

WE CRANE BACK AND UP SLOWLY on the reunited lovers embracing in a pool of light, framed by a cheering throng, until WE CATCH Lew Hayward and the three Ghosts perched on a Victorian roof-top, smiling triumphantly. Sitting with them, now an angel with wings and a crooked halo, is Herman the wino.

‘JOHN HOUSEMAN (V.O.)

"And from that day forward, it was, always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if anyone alive possessed the knowledge. He became as good a friend, as good a brother, as good a boss, as good a father, as the good old city knew. And he worked to make the world a happy place where children laugh and ‘men ‘eream dreams of peace and angels Sandie

"THE END"

ROLL END CREDITS as all stng Angels We Have Heard on High.

‘EVERYBODY

“Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains..."