•
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
by Judd Apatow& Jake Kasdan
•
First Draft 6/2/06
•
OVER BLACK,we HEAR the sound of a huge crowd applauding.As it BUILDS intoa frenzy of cheering and stomping--
CARD - "VERYIMPORTANT FILMS PRESENTS"
A SECOND CARD APPEARS--"WALK HARD-- THEDEWEY COX STORY"
We revealDEWEY cox, a tall hulking man in his late sixties. He is a combination of Johnny Cash,George Jones,and Waylon Jennings-- an aging badass who hasseen it all.
Guitar over his shoulder,he leans againsta wall in a tragic pose, as though reliving the pain fromsome awful memory.
THE STAGEMANAGER approaches--
SAM, Dewey's life-long drummer,stops the Stage Manager--
TIGHT ON DEWEY-- thinking,remembering, reliving •.. •
Corn fields swaying in the gentle wind and the golden sun.
CARD-- "Springberry,Alabama-- 1944"
Nine year-oldNATE sits at a piano, playinga concerto. The kid is amazing.
In the corner,six year-old DEWEY watches, waiting patiently.
Nate gets to the end of the piece.
•
2 •
PA COX appears in the doorway-- a very strict farmer type (played by anactor in his late-sixties,who is right now wearing a wig to portray the 30 year-old version of himself)-- •
Nate and Dewey both hold sticks as they walk and skipdown the road.
• about it before.
•
They run off.
Nate and Dewey stand at the shore ofa fast moving, scary- looking stream.
Nate takes a long run, GRABS the vine,and FLIES over the stream--
Nate and Dewey stand in front ofa radial arm saw. Nate holds a piece of wood.
Nate takes the wood and puts iton the machine and starts cutting it. His shirt gets closer and closer to the blade-- it seems he's about to get sucked into this machine.
He cuts and shapes furiously,then holds up what he has made. It is a beautiful goose.
QUICK SHOTS OF THEM PLAYING--
*Nate runs from a bull and leaps over the fence at the last minute.
*Dewey drives a huge tractor,as fast as it will go, barely in control--- chasing Nate,who is galloping on a horse, all- out. Nate shows off-- "No hands!"
*Nate catches a rattlesnake by hand and tosses it atDewey, who runs off--
Nate emerges from a shed, carrying two sheathed machetes.He tosses one to Dewey--
Dewey can't resist-- they start to play sword fight with the enormous leather wrapped machetes,very theatrical. Nate backs Dewey to the ground--
s •
• He "fights back", bumping machetes.Dewey backs Nate down--
He takes the machete back for the "death blow"and as he does, he fails to notice the sheathslide off entirely. He swings at Nate-- AND CUTSHIM IN HALF.
Nate's torso SLIDES directly off his legs--a ridiculous effeet-- and he stares up atDewey as they both reali_ze what's just happened--
Dewey realizes--
NATE
• Dewey, in case I don't make it,
then ••• you're just gonna have to be doubly great, for the both of us.
The Cox family-- MA COX, PA COX,and the seven Cox SIBLINGS-- all pray together in the living room.
The DOCTOR emerges from a differentroom, very somber--
They all SHRIEK in anguish--
•
6 •
•
Everyone WAILS. PACOX yells at Dewey--
Ma comes to his defense--
PA pulls the table cloth off the table and drapes it over Nate's piano--
Pa storms out, still raging--
•
7 •
• Ma approaches the devastated Dewey,puts an arm around him--
Dewey enters the storeand starts looking for the items his mom requested when he hears thesound of a guitar.He walks around a corner and seesa very, very OLD AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN playing blues guitar.(This old man should actually be played by a one hundred year old actor.)
Dewey is hypnotized by the music.Slowly, he approaches the old man--
The old man chuckles--
•
8 •
• - He offersDewey his guitar-- which isway too big for a six- year old. The old man placesDewey's fingers on the neck--
Dewey hits the chord-- it sounds bad.He hits it again-- this time it's perfect.
Dewey starts strumming. Then ridiculously quicklyhe starts playing a perfect 12-bar blues--
The old man is spooked--
Then young Dewey starts to sing--except he has the voice of a 70 year old black man (actually some old guy's voice). Preposterously soulful--
The old man shakes his head, feeling it,adding "mm-hrns" periodically. Dewey gets lost in it--
Dewey opens his eyes and spots--
-- Nate, standing on the other side of the room---a vision. They lock eyes and nod at each other earnestly.
The school talent show,in the gym/auditorium. Folding chairs face a stage at the end of the basketball court.
Dewey's parents find seats.
Ma wanders among the TEENAGERS preparing--a GIRL practices her juggling, a BOY practices his violin-- then she spots--
Dewey turn to her-- already being played by theactor who will play him as an adult,except he's wearing a wig.A big • acoustic/electric guitar hangsfrom his shoulder.
She has to raise up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek,which embarrasses him--
Dewey's BAND (who are actualteenagers) snicker, reply--
She walks away,Dewey turns back to the band--
Ma returns to her seat,where Pa is inexplicably fuming angry. As she makes her way down the row to their seats,she suddenly gets a little dizzy,seems she might pass out-- •
He grabs her and helps her to her seat.Those around her are concerned. She touches her head--
•
MA cox (cont'd) It's just a little dizziness. Ain't nothin' terrible evercame of no dizziness.
• The lights go down.Ma claps, Pa fumes--
The MC-- a very square '50s school teacher-- takes the stage--
MC Welcome to the annual talentshow, folks! We're so glad you could make it!
MC Now, let's get the evening started with the juggling talents of Amber McGraw!
Amber juggles her way out on to the stage ...
The show is in progress.
Dewey and his band watch from the wings asa very mediocre TAP DANCER finishes her routine.The crowd goes crazy. Dewey is intimidated, turns to hisDRUMMER--
ON STAGE--
MC Let's have a big hand for Delilah Johnson!
The audience WHOOPS it up again.
MC And now, sophomoreDewey Cox is going to sing usa song. Ladies and
•
germs ••• (laughs atown joke)
the Dewey Cox Four!
The band takes the stage.Dewey stands at the mic.He looks out at the crowd,who wait in judgemental silence.He scans the faces-- half stern-looking ADULTS, half high school KIDS. It's a scary moment forhim. He summons his courage--
And they start the song. It'sa very sweet, simple4-4 early rock song-- in the vein of "That'll be theDay" or"Dream, Dream, Dream".About holding hands with a girl for the first time and walking in the park and looking at the moon...A little love song witha very gentle beat-- really, really innocuous.
At first, the audience stares at them--a bunch of"what the hell is this?" cut-aways.They've never heard anything like this before. Shocked by the rocking.
In the front row,a girl catches Dewey's eye and they exchange smitten looks-- this isEDITH, and we immediately get that she is going to be significant to Dewey.
Then-- the KIDS startto.stand up and DANCE.
Simultaneously, the adults start to BOO-- disgusted, offended.
The kids' dancing gets more intense-- they love this rock music and they are instantly doing The Twist.
Dewey bops away on stage,Buddy Holly-esque,dancing with only his bobbing head ashe plays his guitar--
The adults start toTHROW THINGS at the stage.
13 •
Pa stands and leaves--Ma tries to stop him, but then lets him go, proud of her boy. • A couple of KIDS segue intoa really raunchy bump-and-grind, Josephine Baker kind of dance, basically dry-humping each other.
A PREACHER stands up--
A KID standing near him turnsand PUNCHES him in the face.
Now all of the kids areDANCING and MAKING OUT.
And the adults are SCREAMING.
A parent THROWS UP.
FIGHTS are breaking out, all over...
And as Dewey wraps up the song,the scene devolves into a full-fledged RIOT ...
A CROWD has gathered on the frontlawn of the Cox household. On one side, a group of angryPARENTS are gathered, holding signs, screaming, carryingTORCHES. The Preacher holds an ice pack to his face where he was punched--
On the other side of the lawn,separated by COPS, are abunch of TEENAGERS, looking like "greasers".In one song, Dewey has transformed these sweet preppy kids into rebels without causes. They CHANT--
14 •
In a window, Dewey appearsfrom behind a curtain, waves at the kids, who all SCREAM when they see him-- •
--Dewey turns back to his assembled family,satisfied. Dewey's 10 year-old SISTER chimes in--
He moves to Edith-- the girlfrom the front row-- and puts his arm around her.
Pa enters--
•
The room gets quiet.
•
Edith starts to cry--
DEWEY· I know we just meta half an hour ago. But I love you more than I've ever loved anyone.Come with me to the Big City.What do you say?
They hug--
Ma approaches,looks him dead in the eyes--
16 •
•
And don't you never forget it.
Off his stoic close-up,DISSOLVE TO--
An entirely black jazz/blues club, filled withPEOPLE dancing in an outrageously erotic way. It isway too choreographed and the people on the dance floor dance ina .fashion that is so hot that it is hard to watch(in that slightly racist way that these moviesso often depict African American. nightlife).
Dewey, in dirty kitchen whites,holds a mop, ashe watches from the kitchen--
--theHOUSE BAND playing on stage. Bobby Shad and theBad Men.BOBBY SHAD, the lead singer and lead guitarist is quite cocky,but doesn't quite have the talent to back it up.The band finishes their number--
The band exits the stage, walking pastDewey,who trails after them--
Bobby Shad pauses in thedoorway of the dressing room--
•
• overflowing.Can you get that thing
cleaned up?
He closes the door in Dewey's face;Dewey is frustrated.The MANAGER has overheard this--
Dewey heads off,dejected.
Dewey is practicing his guitar in the living room.From the kitchen--
• Edith (who now looks likea square 1950s housewife) is feeding their BABY. The baby CRIES and has a ridiculous amount of food on her faceand clothes.
Dewey enters,wearing his guitar over his shoulder and carrying his mop from work.
She stands up,very melodramatic-- •
• (settlesdown)
Now, Daddy said, if wego home, he'd give you ajob at the slaughter house.You could make an honest living for yourself and your family. Wouldn't have to walk around in shame, carrying no mop. Hanging your head,like some kind of failure •..
She moves tohim,.touching his face, pleading--
She pulls away-- •
Dewey is hurt.
•
He hears himself say this•.. SUPER-PUSH onDewey, as he has the greatest idea for a song that he has ever had--
Dewey is strumming a guitar, pen and pencil in front of him--
Dewey is mopping the floor by the kitchen.There is a commotion by the stage in the empty club,Dewey gravitates that way--
He holds up his hands, which are bruised and enormous.
20 •
•
punched your landlord, while you had the laryngitis.
The DRUMMER speaks up--
A tense moment. Then--
They all turn to Dewey-- •
They all consider this-- there doesn'tseem to be any other option •••
The club is packed.
BACKSTAGE--
Dewey practices scales. The band watches,concerned, waiting to take the stage. The manager walks over--
ANGLE ON-- A table of HASIDIC JEWS .
•
The band looks nervous, then takes the stage.Dewey stands in front of the microphone and stwnbles,adjusting it for way too long--
HECKLER #2 You ain't ready for the big time.
They start into one of the band's songs--Dewey is amazing. He sings like Slim Whitman and plays the guitar like Jango Reinhardt .
The Hasidic Jews watch, exchange looks-- this kid has something. •
The band is talking to the Hasidic Jews,who focus on Dewey. L'CHAI'M seems to be in charge--
Bobby Shad runs up in a huff--
•
• HASIDIC 2
(skeptical) This schmendrick? I'm not buying this thing you're saying .•.
A Sun Records-type of recording studio.The PRODUCER (a Sam Phillips type) and the HasidicJews watch from the booth as--
--Dewey and the Bad Men (who arenow his band) play "Moon • River" or something like it-- but it's really slow and pretty lame.
The Hasidic Jews are disappointed.
The band stops playing.
• Where's the real Dewey Cox?!
Dewey is stung, quietly--
The producer looks to the Jews-~
• The producer is skeptical--
Dewey starts to strum.The BASS PLAYER whispers--
•
24 •
And he starts singing--"Walk Hard". It is ridiculously emotional. He croons and wails. • The band picks it up immediately--complete with backing "doo- wop" vocal harmonies.
Everyone exchanges looks, struck by theraw power of Dewey's performance.
Now he has tears streaming down his face.He could not mean it more. His band is crying.
And the Jews are crying.
The producer listens, concentrating •••then suddenly, starts QUIVERING, spastically-- havinga religious experience.
The Jews nod to each other,then to the producer, who nods back, still quivering •••
BEGIN MONTAGE-- to the finished song.
INSERT-- a record placed on a turntable •
A very enthusiastic DJ, into his mic--
•
As the song plays over the radio,a KID notices--
The COUNTER MAN turns up the radio.Immediately, all of the TEENAGERS stand and start dancing in the diner.
Dewey steps outside, mop inhand, on his way ·towork and is instantly SWARMED by TEENAGERS--
•
A DIFFERENT DJ spins the record--
INSERT--
"The Chart"-- as "Walk Hard" climbsfrom 7 to 3...
The PRESS snap photos as theJews hand Dewey the keys to his brand new Mustang.Dewey takes the keys and GRINS at the cameras-- then is immediatelySWARMED again.
INSERT--
The chart-- "Walk Hard" reaches #1!
• The Jews show Dewey anda very pregnant Edith around their new enormous ranch house.
Back home, Dewey's parents listen to their radio.Ma is ecstatically excited,Pa is angry.·
Ma gets up and startsDANCING along--
As she says this, she looses her balanceand FALLS OVER.
26 •
Edith is GIVING BIRTH. A DOCTOR pullsa newborn BABY from • Edith's body, hands it to Dewey.Then-- the Doctor pulls another BABY out of Edith, and hands thisone to DEWEY also--
The Doctor pulls a third CHILD from--
Dewey tries to hold all three new babies,which is not easy. Then a bunch of NURSES run in--
--and SWARM him.
Edith and the several babies sit on the couch,covering their eyes. Dewey enters, carrying-- a Chimpanzee~
DEWEY
• Okay!
Edith sees and gets really excited--
At the dinner table-- Dewey, Edith, four babiesand the chimp are all laughing together, having a great time. Life isgood.
Then-- a giraffe sticks it's head through the open window. Dewey feeds it a grape off the diner table.
END MONTAGE.
As Dewey packs his bag, Edith holds the triplets,upset--
•
She looses it--
• months!
She runs to the bathroom andSLAMS the door. The babies CRY.
He POUNDS on the door--
INTERCUT:
Edith leans against the door,crying--
• ain't no evil, out there.I'm just
gon' be singing my songs for folks. That's all.
She considers this, but doesn'tcome out.
Another light bulb moment--
29•
A lively CROWD twists along to--Chuck Berry, who's on stage, • playing "Johnny B Good".
Dewey and the band watch from the wings,awed by Chuck's showmanship and guitar playing.
He turns to-- BUDDY HOLLY (Frankie Munitz cameo).
• The STAGE MANAGER approaches--
•
Dewey is CRYING in the alley, terrified-- •
Dewey turns to the voice--
-.,....it's"a vision" of his brother Nate.
•
Dewey stands up straighter, gathering the strength--
Dewey nods, growing determined--
• little.
Dewey turns to him--
Dewey stares ahead,stoic •••
Dewey heads for the stage,passes a sweaty ELVIS (another teen star cameo)--
DEWEY
•
Thanks, Elvis Presley.
Dewey watches them walk off--
Dewey and his band (complete with three prettyBACKUP SINGERS) assume the stage.Dewey steps to the mic, stares out at the crowd who once again stare back,very judgemental--
They stare back at him. •
32 •
• special lady.
He starts into"A Life Without You Is No Life At All"-- an enormous, soaring Roy Orbison-esque love ballad.A heart-on- sleeve confessional about his deep love for his wife.
The audience isimmediately transfixed. TheWOMEN start to SWOON, visibly.
Dewey sings his heart out, then--an impossibly large single tear runs down his face,glistening in the stage lights.
He gets to the chorus (which contains the title)-- women start spontaneously FAINTING.
He "makes eyes" with his pretty back-up singerBETHANNE, who flirts back, smitten.
Girls in the audience start toSTORM the stage,needing to touch Dewey ashe wails his heart out-- women literally hanging from him,pulling his clothes off, pulling theirown clothes off, in a Caligula-esque tableau, until he is eventually overcome and swallowed,drowned in a sea of women •
• Dewey confers withhis band, face covered in lipstick,his clothes shredded,as though by animals.
Dewey approaches the men'sroom, opens the door,freezes--
•
33 •
--in a cloud of smoke, a small illicitGROUP has congregated in the bathroom. Drug use. Sam (Dewey's life-long drummer from the opening) gives him the paranoid eye. •
A slutty GROUPIE pipes up--
•
Sam considers--
Dewey enters.The Groupie gives him a salacious look--
Sam handshim a joint--
Dewey takesa hit, immediately starts coughing •••
•
She semi-kisses him, blowing thesmoke into his mouth.
Stunned by the sexiness of this,Dewey takes back the joint and takes another hit.And this time it works. A shock to the system.•• his eyelids flutter •••heEXHALES ••. then-- he SMILES, a WILD LOOK in his eyes.
Begin MONTAGE-- to a song called"My Friend J" (a "Dewey hit" with a very thin pot metaphor)--
A stoned Dewey saunters to the bus, carrying his guitar.A FLOCK of groupies SCREAMS-- he waves back,they ERUPT.
Dewey spots Beth Anne (the back-up singer who was flirting with him on stage) carrying too much stuff,she fumbles and drops her tambourine.
• They lock eyes-- very lusty. Itseems they might jump each other, right here in the parking lot .•• then--
The big tour bus drives through the night.
Dewey and Beth Anne do something comically obscene,in the back of the bus.
Across the aisle-- Elvis is doing thesame thing with SOMEONE.
They exchange thumbs up.
Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly play cards, in the front of the bus.
In a corner, Dewey takes a hit offa joint, likes the feeling, then heads directly out on stage,greeted by applause--
Dewey and five WOMEN cavort merrily.
Dewey is rushed by fans, as he leaves the theater.He smiles, very stoney, then starts making out witha random GIRL.
Dewey, stoned, gets off the bus-- out of which pours an impossible amount of smoke. He spots--
--his beautiful female FIDDLE PLAYER,struggling with her luggage .
Their eyes lock-- another loaded moment.Dewey approaches--
• DEWEY
Can I get that for you?
PAN OVER-- a fiddle case with a bra hanging over it,PAST Dewey's guitar, to Dewey's boots-- up to the bed,where Dewey is having sex with the Fiddle playerwhile smoking weed. He passes the joint to-- Beth Anne,who is also in bed with them.
Nate is standing in the corner--
The sex gets more intense--
Dewey winds up the song,with an authoritative bit of power strumming.
END MONTAGE.
'Deweyis in bed, on the phone--
A pair of topless WOMEN passby in the background •
INTERCUT:
•
Edith holds two babies as she does the dishes;her MOTHER holds another--
Chuck Berry and two more WOMEN pop upfrom behind the bed, where they've been "sleeping" on the floor,woken by Dewey's talking-- •
Everyone SHOOSHES Chuck--
REVEAL that there are20 people in Dewey's room,in various states of undress--
She hangs up, starts to cry.Dewey is unphased.He hangs up, gets out of bed.A KNOCK at the door, Dewey opens it--
--it's his father (who's very angry,as always).
A few girls cover up when they see Pa.
Dewey is struck, devastated.Then he remembers that there are twenty half-dressed people in theroom with them, gets self- conscious-- •
Dewey pulls the door closed behind him--
As he tells the story--
INTERCUT WITH:
Pa sits in bed,very angry. Ma sits next to him, knitting •
• your song comes on the radio.
Ma jumps up, to turn up the radio,proud.
As described, she's dancing like crazy.A couple of kids enter, start dancing with her.Pa gets angrier as the dancing continues--
Ma and the kids dance out into the hallwaynear the top of the stairs,having fun.
She dances wildly,THEN-- she gets dizzy and fallshead first over the railing,out of frame. •
Dewey is stunned--
Dewey is horrified,weakly--
• brought too much joy to her life.
The Coxes ain't built forno joy and happiness. You made her happy and it killed her.Before all this insanity, she stayed sittin'down, like she belonged.Then •••You.
Dewey is mortified.
Pa turns and leaves,over his shoulder--
Dewey heads back into--
--he's crying. He looks around at everyone looking back at him, then he moves to the bathroom--
--whereSam and a few other PEOPLE are all doing drugs.
SAM
•
Get out of here,Dewey!
Sam considers .•• •
Dewey and the band rehearse--"Walk Hard" at tripletempo. It sounds likea Ramones cover of the song. Dewey is wired--and singing. like Joey Ramone.The band finishes;Dewey considers--
• Dewey nods back, solemnly.
Dewey turns to-- DARLENE,an incredibly sultry woman in a mini-skirt.
Dewey approaches, lust in his eyes, offers his hand--
They shake hands-- LONGSLOW PUSH-INS-- a ridiculous amount of chemistry.
Dewey and Darlene are performing their duet, entitled "Let's Duet" (a meta-duet about "dueting",except that "duet" is clearly a metaphor for sex).As they sing this slightly goofy Cash/Carter-style song, the chemistry is palpable-- they stare at each other lovingly, lustfully...Pyrotechnics •••
•
42 •
• in my hotelroom •.•"
As the song continues,we see a quick MONTAGE ofDewey and Darlene getting toknow each other--
·--·theycome off stage and Dewey immediately tries to kiss her. She's clearly tempted,but she stops him--
He's very disappointed.
*Dewey and Darlene ride bikes together.
*Dewey and Darlene sing together,by a camp fire. • *Dewey and Darlene kayak downa river together.
*Dewey and Darlene look at paintings together, inamuseum.
But they never touch--HJust friends".
END MONTAGE
Dewey and Darlene areROCK CLIMBING up an impossibly treacherous surface,using just their hands (think Cruise in MI:2), approachinga plateau; Darlene is coaching Dewey--
He GRASPS for his handle,stumbles and looses his balance, dangling by two fingers-- •
He hears this,and even in the midst of this near-death experience, can't help but notice the lyrical potential--
Darlene gets into position,just beneath him,breaking his moment--
DEWEY
• You sure?!
She CLINGS to the mountain,Dewey steps on her shoulder and uses it toPUSH off, PULLING himself onto the top of the mountain.When he gets there, he reaches down to Darlene.She takes hishand and he PULLS her up with one arm.
They both catch their breath,against the backdrop ofa beautiful sunset.
Darlene blushes.
•
44 •
• weeks have been so..• fulland
wonderful.
They exchange meaningful looks, itseems they are about to kiss, but they don't-- fora really, really long time-- then--
They are both frustrated.
She looks in him in the eyesand he can't resist opening up--
45 •
•
• DARLENE
Well, there you go!
•
• happens to people when they hear
your music.
They lock eyes and get very close to kissing again--again for a ridiculously long,tense beat, then--
They prepare to descend the mountain, then--
• She pointshim to--
--the most beautiful sunset in the world.There couldn't bea more romantic moment ...
He GRABS her and KISSES her passionately, the heat rising instantly,weeks of built up tension. ...HELICOPTERSHOT-:--- SWIRLINGAROUND THEM, on top of this mountain ...
Dewey and Darlene lie in bed together, post-coital, in love, feeding each other fruit--
47 •
• like I can be myself.Like you see
past the rocks star and appreciate the whole man ••.
The phone RINGS. Darlene answers--
INTERCUT:
On the other end of the phone-- Edith is stunned.
•
Dewey realizes what's happening.
Darlene is stunned-- she didn'tknow he was married. She starts to cry, ashamed--
She throws the receiver at him,angry, gets out of bed--
He picks up the phone--
48..
Darlene hears this, starts to WAIL--
•
Darlene is stung by this,dresses to leave---
•
49 •
Darlene STORMS out of his room.
• EDITH
Did she just say "you should be ashamed yourself"?!I'm your wife! I'm the one who shouldbe,_,sayin' thatyou should be ashamed of yourself!
Edith SLAMS down the phone.
Dewey is left by himself--
He springs out of bed--
Backhome, Dewey runs down the street (guitar over his shoulder),toward his house--
--where Edith is loadinga couple kids into the car.A CAMEL wanders around in the front yard. •
She runs back inside,he follows, but before he gets there-- she emerges withtwo more children that she loads into the car--
She runs back inside.
Dewey rushes inside,where Edith is gatheringtwo more children--
Edith loadstwo more children into the car;Dewey follows--
• that before you went and sang your
duet!
Edith is gatheringthree more children--
•
He hears this-- likes the sound of it .•.
DEWEY
•
"Guilty as Charged"
watches him, working it out, for a very long beat •••
But she'sgone. He RUNS into--
--and starts destroying the bathroom.(Over the opening chords of hisnew hit "Guilty as Charged"--a very self- righteoussong about how "if you're accusing me of having too much love,then I'm Guilty as Charged".)
Pulling the sink off the wall,busting pipes,FLOODING .••He SLUMPS against the wall, distraught ...
•· INTOA MON:TAGE--"Guilty as Charged"
Dewey,on stage, singing the song, but he's visibly changed-- a darker,more Rock 'n Roll Dewey-- mussed hair and stubble, sunglasses all the time,dressed in dark clothing, hurting.
Dewey stands in the street, yelling at sky--
He drops to his knees-- King Lear.
The same show-- the womenRUSH the stage,as they do, but this timehe GRABS one and starts making out with her-- eventually stopping thesong entirely to make out with this girl.He starts to take off his shirt-- has to be restrained by Sam.
The tour bus rollsdown a perfect Americana highway.
TheDRIVER drives. MOVE DOWN the aisle to find--
Dewey, staring at his reflection in the window,crying. After amoment, he puts on his sun glasses, and RISES,moves to the bathroom--
--where he discoversSam and a bunch ofPEOPLE doing drugs--
DEWEY
•
I want some of that shit.
Another load out,Dewey can barely walk, he'sso drugged. He spots--
--his male bass player,THEO, struggling to carry hisamp.
Dewey and Theo lock eyes •..
Dewey lies in bed,eyes wide open. DISCOVER--Theo in bed with him.And a couple of women also. But still, pretty gay.
Sam enters,surveys the scene--
The Capital Records building.
Dewey and his managerSCHWARTZBERG (played by David Krumholtz, who actually played the managerin RAY)walk down a hallway. Dewey can barely walk, he'sso drugged--
Dewey and Schwartzberg sit across the desk from threenew Hasidic Jews; MAZELTOV is the main man--
•
Tense looks around theroom. Dewey chimes in, stoned out of his mind--
•
Dewey flashes him a big stoney smile ••.
Mazeltov reaches across the table to shake-- but Dewey has fallen asleep in his chair.
Dewey throws a couple of pills in his mouth,washes them down with bourbon, then steps out onto--
• Dewey takes the stage,stumbling and wasted--
Then he COLLAPSES.Everyone RUSHES to him--
SomeoneSMACKS him •••He wakes up, then he rises,suddenly full of energy,steps to the mic--
DEWEY
The band starts to play •••
Dewey and the band ride an escalator,then spot--
--the COPS, waiting forthem at the bottom •
•
Dewey panics,turns and starts to RUN up the escalator.But it's not easy to do that,and for a while he makesno progress at all--
The cops give CHASE--
Dewey finally gets to the top, satisfied that he's eluded the police. He breathesa sigh of relief-- when suddenly he's violently TACKLED to the ground bya pair ofCOPS. Dewey STRUGGLES to get away,then gives in, with a cool smirk--"Go ahead, arrest me."
Dewey is being searched,staying cool--
A COP pulls a bag of weedfrom his pocket •
• ANOTHER pulls a prescription pill bottlefrom his other pocket--
Then they pull a baggy out of hispants. Then they pull several more baggies out of his shoes.
Across the room,a cop pulls an enormous brick of cocaine out of Dewey's unstrung guitar.
He suddenly gets kind of vulnerable--
•
PHOTOGRAPHERSFLASH away--
--as Dewey ishauled off, in handcuffs,looking cool. FREEZE on a black and white photo of the moment •••
Dewey sitson a bunk, in prison clothes,depressed.
A GUARD appears,followed by-- Dewey's father.
The guard leaves •
•
•
57 •
• yourself to blame.
Dewey is hurt.
• back here,again.
Pa gets quiet,then he leaves; over his shoulder--
As Pa headsdown the hall, a gate SLAMS closed behind him with almost every step,one after another.
At a visiting table,Dewey sits across from MAZELTOV--
•
•• twenty years.Which is not good.
For you, forme •••You're selling so many records .••
Dewey lies in a bed,flipping around, sweating .••Abeautiful NURSE tends to him--
HOT NURSE
•
Doctor!
A DOCTOR runs in,checks his pulse.
A couple of NURSES run in,throw more blankets over him.
A couple of ORDERLIES run in,hold Dewey down •••
Through his delirium,Dewey sees a vision of--
--his mother---
Dewey sweating more--
The Doctor rushes in--
The nursesremove some of his blankets.
Dewey sits in a tub,naked, covered with leachesand attached to a bunch of electrodes.In the corner of theroom, he sees--
Nate-- who this time is justa severedtorso, hovering in the air, withsome innards hanging out of him.
Dewey SCREAMS--
Dewey is SHOCKED by the electrodes--
Dewey lying in bed,flipping around--
• blankets!
Dewey,doing much better, sits in bed,strumming his guitar. A KNOCK at the door.He looks up to see--
--Darlene,standing in the doorway--
He smiles at her-- moved.She's there forhim.
•
•
They embrace-- true love.
A large mountain cabin in the woods.HEAR-- a group singing "Froggy Went a'Courtin'" •••
New Year'sEve party-- 1966.
Dewey,who now has very long hair and looks kind of "'60s", strumsan acoustic guitar, standing by the fire place,as JERRYGARCIA (Danny Masterson cameo)plays a little blue grass lead.The song ends, everyoneCLAPS--
A GUY chimes in-- •
Everyone counts off--
EVERYONE hootsand hollers •••CouplesKISS •••Two COUPLES switch partners., start to make-out passionately-- freelove.
Dewey and Darlene(flower child model)KISS and grope-- madly in love.
They toast their tea mugsand drink--
•
62 •
•
happening here.What it is ain't exactly.••obvious, but •••I think the times,they are a' •••I don't know. I can'tquite think of the right word,but .••The times, they are a' ••. definitely different than they were before.
•
He hears this-- likes thesound of it •.•
BEGIN MONTAGE-- In black and white--Dewey in the '60s, his most prolific period ever.This sequence plays against a medley of Dewey's sixties hits-- mostly Dylan-esque songs. Also, this sequence usesa lot of historical footage.
Historical footage ofBobby Kennedy, marching through Washington. INSERT Dewey into the scene,marching with Mohammed Ali.
Dewey stands at the mic,strumming the song on an acoustic guitar,impassioned. Darlene sings back-up.
Dewey is writinga new song--
• Dewey and Darlene, witha bunch of chanting FEMINISTS.Dewey burnsa bra, angry.
INSERT-- The Charts-- "There'sa Change a' Happenin',I Can Feel It"soaring up to# 1!
Using footagefrom the film--
Dewey is on stage, playing "There'sa Change a'Happenin',I Can Feel It" ••.
MAMAKASS looks on, enamoured..•
Dewey is furiously writinga new song--
•
Dewey plays the song (looking exactly like Dylan inDON'T LOOK BACK-- harmonica in holder, etc •.. ).ED watchesfrom the backstage--
In the audience, a guy leans over to his girlfriend--
Darlene lies screaming in a bath tub,as Dewey delivers their • new baby, hands it to a MID-WIFE. Then--
--and he catches another baby .••
Dewey MARCHES with Martin Luther King,chanting for equal rights.
INSERT-- The Charts-- Dewey's song "Ballad of theGypsy Racketeer" reaches #1!
Dewey marches with a bunch of DWARVES-- for"Dwarf Rights"-- carrying a sign that says-- "I may be little butI ain't small". He CHANTS aggressively.
New song---
•
END MONTAGE.
Dewey and Darlene stand in front of abunch of REPORTERS (a la The Beatles), answering questions, as flashbulbs strobe--
REPORTERl. Why you goin' to India, Dewey?
Dewey and Darlene sit ina circle with-- theMAHARISHI and theBEATLES. Meditating •..A long "Om". Then silence. After a long beat--
The·Maharishi nods his approval.
••
to try to •••open my third eye. Anyone care to join me?
The Beatles all jump up--
They laugh, as they SKIP off, in a group--
Dewey starts to follow, but Darlene stopshim, worried--
He obviously does know this.
Suddenly,Nate appears--
Darlene doesn't see Nate(because he is a vision)--
NATE
• Do it for me,Dewey!
She thinks about it--
68 •
•
He steps to some kind of hut,opens the door--
--Sam, the drummer, is sitting on the floor with the Beatles. He has so~ethingon his tongue, talks funny--
• BEGIN MONTAGE-- TheLSD montage, to an organ-driven Doors- esque spoken poem song.
Dewey, Darlene, The Beatlesand a bunch of hot IndianWOMEN are tripping, playing music.The Beatles are havinga profound experience of "presentness".
Dewey is in ~is own world.He stands up and stumbles out of the room, suddenly slinking like Jim Morrison.
Dewey wanders under the night sky,staring at the stars •
•
• heartless desert/ And standingin
front of me/ With burning gills of fire/ Was The Present •.•
He DROPS to his knees, touching the earth.The Beatles dance around behind him, like snakes.
Dewey is on his knees, on stage,enacting the song in a ridiculously theatrical way--
A card tells us that he is in--"Europe".
We PAN over the audience,who all wear black turtlenecks (since this is Europe). They watch, silent but dispassionate, puffing on cigarettes.
On stage, Dewey crawls across the floor--
DEWEY
• I turned around/ And standing
behind me/ Was Captain Scorpion!/ And I said, "Captain Scorpion! ••.
WE REVOLVE AROUND DEWEY as he rises to his feet,facing down an imaginary opponent--
The MUSIC RISES dramatically-- and Dewey heads into an almost orgasmic Morrison-esque crescendo as theCAMERA SWIRLS AROUND HIM--
He grabs a drum stick and startsWAILING on one of the symbols on the drum set, POUNDING away ina hallucinogenic, tribal fury, sweat flying-- as theCAMERA moves in VERY CLOSE, very spooky .••
•
70 •
CUT WIDE to the audience perspective-- of Dewey spastically beating this symbol. From their perspective, it looksand • sounds ludicrous.
END MONTAGE
Dewey's band is set up in front of--a massive ORCHESTRA, a full CHOIR, a dozen ABORIGINES percussionists,a trio of sitar PLAYERS and a Didgery-dooPLAYER, who has just finished a take--
A tortured Dewey and four ENGINEERS sit at the console.Dewey presses the talk-back button--
The ENGINEERS all groan. Dewey holds hishead in his hands--- •
Everyone is clearly frustrated-- they've been herea long time. Over the speaker system--
As the room empties, Dewey takesa hit of opium off a hookah, then turns to his engineers and producers, frustrated--
ENGINEER l Dewey, we been working with the Didgery-doo for four days. Maybe we should move on to something else •
•
•
find it on this herehuman plane of existence.
Dewey isBOUNCING up and down on a trampoline, staring out at the ocean,somber, deep in thought ...
• Darlene and herMOTHER are preparing dinner,as dozens of Cox children run wild through the kitchen.
Dewey's father enters,hears this--
•
• heard!
The family, complete with dozens ofCHILDREN, sit ina circle on the trampoline,as Dewey carves the Turkey-- which is harder to do on a trampoline,because it keeps moving. Everyone waits, awkward.Then--
• you really have, in the eyes of the
Lord?
Dewey is stung.
Dewey is devastated,stares at him meaningfully, fora long beat ..•Then--
And with that, he BOUNCES upand does an impressiveBACK FLIP off the trampoline.The turkey goes FLYING •.•Dewey misses his landing and CRASHES to the ground-- very painful. •
He struggles to pick himself up,very stoic--
He turns and LIMPS away.
The band and the orchestra and the choirPLAY an enormous Beach Boys-esque "wall of sound" type song-- "Black Sheep".
A goat ROAMS the room, followedby a GUY with a mic, recording it's "baaahs" ...
In an isolation booth, Dewey wearsheadphones and CROONS into the mic--
The orchestra crescendos HUGE-- the goatBAAHS perfectly. The • song ends •••
INTERCUT:
The engineer presses the talk-back--
Dewey thinks for a moment--
Dewey considers ••• then--
•
74 •
• Everyone GROANS ••.then resets for the next take.
Dewey counts it off--
The ORCHESTRA starts up, very grandiose •••
Dewey's manager Schwartzberg approaches the engineer--
BEGIN MONTAGE-- Dewey recording his epic album--
-- Dewey does an interpretive dance,as a SAX PLAYER plays a solo.·
-- Dewey, wears a strange robe as he playsa harp.
•
-- Dewey hasgrown a long beard, sits behind the console, speaks into the talk-back--
-- Dewey holdsa mic to a woman's breasts,recording her heart beat.
-- Dewey (who's beard has gottenreally long)hangs suspended from the ceiling,singing into a mic that has also been suspended from the ceiling.
Dewey sits behind the console,speaks into the talk-back--
He turns to-- Darlene,who is GIVING BIRTH ona gurney that's been wheeled into the studio.She SCREAMS in pain--
•
Why aren't we recording this?! (back to Darlene) Push, honey!
Someone putsa mic to her mouth as she PUSHESHARD, SCREAMS.
-- The tape machine turns.FOLLOW a long chord,which starts at the board,then keeps going, all the way across theroom, to the door and OUTSIDE--FOLLOW the chorda very long way, onto the beach... past several people who are staring at--
The trampoline-- whereDewey is bouncing up and down,in headphones, listening to his record.The song ends.Dewey stops bouncing.He stares out at the ocean--
He abruptly PASSESOUT.
END MONTAGE
76 •
• Dewey is asleep in bed. Darlene stands over him,watching him sleep, worried. Dewey STIRS--
He reaches for the night stand, starts feeling around-- but he can't find what he's looking for.He starts searching through the drawers, becoming frantic--
•
stash?!
He springs up and RUNS into--
Dewey is trying to PULL the toilet off the floor--and he's making progress .•. •
he PULLS with all his strength-- and the TOILET comes loose, BUSTS a pipe-- ~he bathroom starts toFLOOD.
• DARLENE
What in hell are you doin',Dewey?
He collects himself--
• run!
•
•
She walks out--
He stares at the gushing pipe, thenBREAKS a few more things.
On the PCH. Dewey emerges from hishouse in a bathrobe, looking insane. He moves to the side of the road andstiGks his thumb out-- a cab SCREECHES toa stop.
• DEWEY
Downtown! Step on it!
Dewey emerges from the cab, wild-eyed--on the prowl. He steps into-- an alley where a bunch of over-the-topsixti~s DRUG DEALERS are leaning againstwalls, looking dangerous: Dewey approaches a DEALER,who wears a very over~the-top "drug dealer" costume. There's something suspicious about this guy •••
·DEWEY Drugs, I'm talking about. You have drugs?
·•
Dewey pulls out a wad of cash--
The dealer pulls out abag of something.
They make the exchange and areIMMEDIATELY surrounded by COPS, guns drawn--
The police RUN in and cuffDewey. PHOTOGRAPHERS snap photos of this horrible moment--Dewey sees the camera and smiles, trying to look cool ..•FREEZE on a black-and-whitenews photo of Dewey being led away in his bathrobe •••
INSERT-- ...which turns into the cover of the next day's paper, under the headline--"Singer Nabbed in Drug Sting" •
•
80 •
• Dewey is being worked over by thesame cops that nailed him the first time--
Dewey searches for a response--
Dewey, in the same bed,tended by the same beautiful nurse--
•
A vision of Darlene in India--
Dewey THRASHING around some more--
Later--
Nate has appearedin the corner-- again, just his top half, with his intestines hangingout. DeweySCREAMS-- •
His legsAPPEAR and now he's whole again.
NATE
•
Hm..• Ican see that.
Dewey is forced to think about this,pained.
GRAPHIC UP- "1970's"
We see a fancy beach house.
Dewey, now in his mid-thirties,with full muttonchopsand a colorful 70's outfit,answers the door--
--it's Schwartzberg(his manager). •
82 •
• work?
Schwartzberg and Dewey are seated in a very70'slooking living room.
•
Dewey paces around his living room likea caged animal with nowhere to go--
•
83 •
••
would like you to hosta television variety program.Every Thursday at eight o'clock.This could be big.
Off of Dewey's look--
Establishing shot.
CLOSE UP ON A TV-- the animated opening of"The Dewey Cox Show" (in the style of the old "Carol BurnettShow" open).
PAN FROM THE AUDIENCEAPPLAUDING TO THE SET--
--which looks much like the oldSonny and Cher Show set.We hear the theme music--a cheesy, big band version of the song "Walk Hard".
Dewey takes the stage,as the crowd goes wild--
DEWEY
• Good evening, ladiesand gentlemen.
Welcome to the show.We have a lot of great guests foryou tonight •••
Sam walks out on stage.He is clearly the comic foil onthe show. He's playing a drugged-out version of the old drunk character--
The crowd LAUGHS.
i. SAM
Sometimes when the studio isempty I like to come on this stageand pretend that this ismy show, and that I'm Dewey Cox.
He starts singing a hobo-sounding version of"Walk Hard"--
Sam licks his hand and patsdown his mangled hair. He adjusts his clothes, like he might ask out Suzanne Sommers--
•
four could be company, if youknow what I'm saying.
Sam exits to APPLAUSE.
Suzanne Sommers walks out--played by the real Suzanne Sommers. The band strikesup and they begin singing "In America" by The Charlie Daniels Band--
DEWEY/SUZANNE·· "Well the eagle's been flying slow/ And the flag's been flying low/ And a lot of people are saying that America's fixing to fall/But speaking just for me and some people from Tennessee/We got a thing or two to tell you all ••• "
85 •
Suddenly, they are surrounded by American flags.
DEWEY/ SUZANNE
•
"This lady may havestumbled but she ain't never fell/And if the Russians don't believe that/They can all go straight to hell!"
MOMENTS LATER-- The song has just ended;the crowd APPLAUDS. Dewey and Suzanne wave to the crowd,as they head back stage. When they cut to commercial,Dewey PULLS her off into the wings and KISSES her--
She KISSES him hard, with lots of tongue •
• Dewey is having a huge party.In attendance are a bunch of STARS from the seventies (all played by the real people,only now they are all in their fiftiesand sixties, but still dressed as they did in the 70's).
Dewey walks through his crowded house.People step in front of him to say hello--
VOICE (O.S.) Hey, Dewey!
Reveal JIMMY "J.J." WALKER--
•
Dewey keeps walking.PAMELA SUE ANDERSON stands in front of him--
•
Dewey sits on the bed witha guitar, trying to writea song--
• (MORE)
:. When you walked away with that girl
I said it could have been me.But you did, and I felt •.•low self- esteem after that occurrence. Dammmitt!
He SMASHES the guitar on the end table,destroying it.
Suddenly, HENRYWINKLER enters with PENNY MARSHALL--
Dewey exits and Henry and Penny startMAKING OUT.
Dewey walks through the party.Suzanne walks up to him and puts her arm around him--
SUZANNE
(.
Don't say that,Dewey.
As he says "music", he GRABSa fire poker and SMASHES a gold record, hanging on the wall. Everyone SCREAMS.
We reveal JOHN DAVIDSON shaking his head-- •
Dewey proceeds to BEAT the living hell out of John Davidson until the cast of "What's Happening"PULLS them apart. As Dewey walks away he sucker punchesRAJ.
Dewey and Suzanne lay in bed--
•
He KISSES her and getson top of her. We stay withthem until a moment before this turns intoa graphic sex scene •••
Dewey and Pa are sailing together.Dewey drops anchor so they can have "the talk".Pa scowls at him, as always--
PA COX
•
What in god'sname are we doing out here, boy?
Dewey takes adeep breath, then dives in--
•
• our relationship. It's hard to
describe in words,but ••• It's as though...you don't like me much. Sure, I've madesome mistakes. I know that. I've hadmy struggles with fame and-- let's be honest-- with drugs.And I guess, if you look at ita certain way, maybe .•. maybe.•.I was in some way responsible for what happened to Nate.And Mom, I guess ...But whatever it is, it feels likeI can never please you •••Iguess, if I had to sum it up in one phrase--I feel as though you don't approve of me.
Pa looks athim for a long beat~- it seems as though years of rage and resentment are about to explode forth ••.Then, suddenly,his face changes completely--
•
Pa has suddenly transformed into the warmest father imaginable.
Pa pulls a small scrap bookfrom his coat pocket--
•
He shows Dewey-- hundreds of clippings aboutDewey.
They HUG, very meaningfully-- thehug Dewey has craved his entire life.
They laugh, warmly, bonding.
Dewey moves to the other side of the boat and unties the sail, which immediately WHIPS across the boat and HITS his father-- CUTTING HIM IN HALFin exactly the same way that Nate was cut in half.
DEWEY
• Paaaaaaa! Nooooooooo!
Dewey RUNS over to PAwho is still conscious, his torso lying on the ground next to.his legs.
Pa dies. Dewey CRIES to the heavens--
Dewey enters, distraught--
• He headsup stairs.
Dewey enters--
But he's stopped in his tracks by the sightof--
--Suzanne, in bed withBOB NEWHART.
• Dewey still doesn't get it--
DEWEY
,.
You saying the two of you are sleepin' together?
Be seems about to fly off the handle,runs into the bathroom. She runs after him--
--Dewey is trying to pull thesink off the wall,but he can't. After amoment, he gives up--
And he RUNS from the house.
• Dewey is dressed as Mozart,for a sketch.He rants around the set, clearly loaded on many substances.He starts yelling at aWRITER--
Dewey SLAPS theman hard across the face--
The man startsCRYING like a child. DeweySTORMS off.
Dewey STORMS into theroom, heads straight for the bathroom, opens the door--
--Sam is sitting on the floor,arm tied off,needle in hand, having just shot up.Very sleepy--
Dewey gets that look in his eyes,considering •••
The band is playing the intro to "Guilty As Charged." Finally,Dewey walks out-- to big applause--and begins playing thesong. He sings it in a very mellow,almost passing out fashion.
96 •
TheCREW are watching him on monitors-- •
ON THE MONITOR--See that Dewey has left the needle in his arm, through his clothes.The needle bops around ashe plays rythm guitar.
Dewey finishes the song,very proud, as theygo to a commercial.He's in a much better mood,than before he shot up. Then,he sees the needle in his arm--
•
A bank of phonesRING off the hook.
CLOSEUP - MAGAZINE COVERS
VARIETY- "DEWEY COX SHOOTS UP CAREER"
HOLLYWOODREPORTER - "DEWEY COX PUTON THE ROCKS"
NYTIMES - "DEWEY COX FIRED FROM HISNETWORK VARIETY SHOW, PARENTSOUTRAGED"
Dewey,now really high, is meeting with his manager.
•
97 •
•
back from this one.
Dewey takes a Gold record andBASHES it over Schwartzberg's head--
He leaves. Dewey walksacross the room, where a TV is on.He sees himself on the news,the anchor reads--
Dewey pulls a revolver from his belt andSHOOTS the TV.
Dewey is taking a baseball bat to all of his gold records. It takes a while because he hasso many of them. When it ends, he is exhausted. He falls to the ground where he sits ina pile of broken frames and glass.He begins to cry.
Suddenly, his ten year old son,DEWEY JR., walks into the room, holding two baseball mitts--
DEWEY JR • Yeah. A catch.
•
•
• On the beach, Dewey and Dewey Jr.are having a catch. Dewey is SOBBING the entire time--
Dewey Jr. keeps dropping the ball.
This resonates with Dewey--
•
BEGIN MONTAGE
The familiar image of the bus plowing down the golden highway ..•
•
all of hismany, many kids. He's never looked happier.
Dewey and his kids build a house. It looks like the barn raising scene from "Witness."
Dewey is in the tub,bathing two of his small children.
Dewey and the kids are all building furniture for their new house.
Jr and a couple of the others have just finisheda very impressive table and chairs set.Dewey is pr~ud.
•
100 •
• Dewey is still in the tub-- but now he bathes five children, who are all packed into the tub with him.
Dewey and his many children pick cotton.They are smiling and having a blast.
Dewey is now in the tub with11 kids-- and a line hasformed, ending with 21 year oldDANIEL, who's not too into this.
Dewey is tucking in all of his kids-- quitea process.He gets to a girl,DAPHNE--
DAPHNE
•
A mommy?
He smiles back at this wise little daughter of his.
END MONTAGE
Dewey is riding horses with six of his children,herding sheep-- 15 years havepassed and Dewey is now in "middle-aged guy" make-up, but the kids remain thesame age. Then, he spots a woman riding a horse in the distance.
•
Dewey rides over to her.
•
Instantly-- the chemistry betweenthem is back.
Darlene playfully RIDESOFF. Dewey FOLLOWS her. This beginsa very sexy chase on horseback,complete with many shots of the horses breathing heavy and· snorting asDeweyDARTS afterher,... and she avoids him. Itis a sensual dance on horses.
•
102 •
Finally, she rides off towardsa lake, and for no apparent reason, takes off all her clothesand jumps into the water. • Dewey rides his horse fasttowards the lake, and when he reaches the water he lets the horseTHROW him in, with all of his clothes on.He swims over to her and puts his arms around her.
DEWEY
•
And let me say-thatyou still have a spectacular body fora woman in her mid-fifties.
(The actress is still thesame actress-- probably inher 20s or 30s-- but withvery slight age make-up.)
Suddenly, Dewey's face fills with panic.
• and my boots, and I am not a great
swimmer.
Dewey starts sinking fast from the weight of his boots.
UNDERWATER-- see him sink to the bottom.Darlene swims down and removes his boots, then swims with him to the surface.
ShePULLS him to shore and immediately giveshim mouth to mouth. Dewey finally CHOKES up some water, startsCOUGHING-- then way too quickly, he KISSES her.
•
Dewey and Darlene have just made love.
•
Darlene is SCREAMING,delivering a baby. The DOCTOR hands the baby to Dewey,who is in tears.
Dewey thinks for amoment, then he looks to Darlene-- who has the idea--
DARLENE
•
How about •••Dewey?
TIGHT ON-- Dewey giving the babya bottle, talking to him--
•
105 •
We reveal that all of his kids are in theroom, and look devastated to hear thisnews-- •
Even more.time has passed--Dewey now looks like an llold man", totally gray, etc •••He carriesa basket full of "staples"-- butter,milk, vegetable oil. He approaches the counter, addresses the very old SKEETER--
DEWEY
• Eehh, just enough for winter,I
suspect. Rough harvest,Skeeter...
A young HASIDM in a suit approaches(early-twenties but already speaks like Jackie Mason)--
Dewey turns to him, suspicious.
Dewey thinks about this, for a long dramatic beat--
He pullsa check from his pocket, hands it toDewey, who examines it,confused--
Skeeter finishes ringing him up--
Dewey,Darlene and many, many kids gather round L'Chai'm's laptop,which he's set up on the coffee table.Dewey has never seena computer before--
•
•
• DEWEY
Talkin' with a rhythm and a beat?! Well, I'll be!
He hits play--
•
ON THE SCREEN-- a very raunchy video fora song called "Tear Up That Ass"-- about hookersand blow and partying and cars, etc ••• Paris Hilton is in the video,doing a pole dance.And the hook sample-- "Walk Hard".The video uses historic black- and-white footage ofa young Dewey performing the song, intercut with shots of greased thong-clad assesand bouncing women and low-riders.Something like--
The video ends. The Cox family sits in stunned silence.
L'CHAI'M
•• Sampling, it's called. All the
time, it's done.And the song's a big hit! .
109•
•
The familyis excited; Dewey is humbled--
Darlene starts kissingDewey--
Suddenly,Dewey is scared--
•
•
This hits Dewey hard.
•
Dewey takes this in ••.
• INT. STAPLESCENTER - NIGHT
AnENORMOUS (fake)crowd. SHANDLING hosts,finishes his monologue.
Dewey walksaround, guitar over his shoulder,nervous. He passes--
--a small gaggle of contemporary GROUPIES-- pierced and tatooted,scary.
PIERCED LIPG'rRL What are you <loin'later,Dewey?
•
He keeps walking,wipes his brow-- proud that he managed to avoid that temptation.
He approachesa bathroom, opens the door--
--inside,Sam is smoking crack.
•
112 •
•
He walks out,rounds a corner and comes face to face with--
--THETEMPTATIONS, who practicing their perfect harmonieson "My Girl".
Dewey stops in his tracks--
• He turns and RUNS.The Temptations are confused.
Dewey stares at his reflection in the mirror--
After amoment, his reflection talks back--
Dewey is not surprised by this--
113 •
Dewey turns to--
• --Nate,who has appeared in the corner--
•
your own variety show.Dewey, you have had an awesome life!
Dewey beams with pride--
He turns to-- a vision of his father,in the other corner--
• Dewey turnsaround again--
--a visionof his childhood SELF has joined them--
•
He turns to--a vision of his mother, who has joined them.
This hits Dewey hard.
Dewey and all of his "visions" stand there fora very long beat-- they've run out of pep talk.
VISIONS
•
Yes!/ Definitely!
Dewey takesa deep breath.
On stage--JACKSON BROWNE, BEYONCE andWYCLEF JEAN perform a rousing version of "Guilty as Charged".
Dewey leans against the wall,looking tortured--the moment from the opening.
The STAGEHAND approaches--
i. Sam stops him--
116 •
• likes to think about his entire
life before he plays.
Dewey straightens up--
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN gives the speech--
ACROSS THE STAGE--
Dewey COUNTS off the beat and the bandSTARTS PLAYING. And after a fleeting moment of hesitation--Dewey ROCKS OUT. • Darlene sings her heart out, right behind him.
The crowd is invigorated, witnessinga little Cox magic. Women SWOON, just like the old days.And fights break out, just like the old days. The old man's still got it.
As the song continues, FADE TO BLACK--
CARD-- nnewey Cox remained hard for the nextfour years, playing to sold out houses around theworld.n
CARD-- nHe never did another drug again."
CARD-- llExceptfor a little weed on special occasions."
CARD-- lloron the weekend."
CARD-- nother than that, he never did another drug again."
CARD-- nnewey Cox died three weeks before the release of this film."
The song ends dramatically.
117 •
CARD-- llThefilmmakersare very, very sad.
• CARD-- llBut,we think you'll agree, it does give the filma
very powerful ending.
CARD-- llAnd·areal shot atan Academy Award.
CARD-- llorat leasta nomination for John c. Reilly."
As the credits start to roll,SEE grainy black and white footage of "the realDewey Cox" performing, in the '50s. Russel Crowe or Crispin Glover orsomebody,made up to look like the character,singing "Walk Hard".
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