BIG Revised Script 7/2/87 Screenplay’ By Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg WITH REVISION #1 (Blue) Dated 7/27/87 WITH REVISION #2 (Blue) Dated 7/28/87 WITH REVISION #3 (Blue & Pink) Dated 7/31/87FADE IN: FULL SHOT - COMPUTER SCREEN 1 It glows an incandescent blue, Long rows of electronic type print rapidly across the screen. "YoU ARE IN THE CAVERN OF THE EVIL WIZARD. ALL AROUND YOU ARE THE CARCASSES OF SLAIN ICE DWARFS. THE WIZARD STANDs ABOVE YOU AT THE TOP OF HIS PILLAR POINTING ‘THE FROZEN SCEPTER." BOY (0S) (under his breath as ‘THESE WORDS ARE TYPED ONTO THE SCREEN:) MELT ... WIZARD ... ‘The computer ressonds in an instant line of type: “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MELT THE WIZARD WITH?” BOY (OS contd) What do you think I want to melt him with? FULL SHOT - JOSHUA BASKIN - DAY He is an average twelve-year-old boy, slightly short for his age. The cheeks are rosy and have never been shaved. His eyes are clear and bright with an intelligent twinkle. Josh stares earnestly at the screen of his home computer trying to figure out a way to terminate the Evil Wizard. MOTHER (0S) (from downstairs) Josh, I told you to take out the garbage. JOSH (calling down to her) In a minute, (back to the computer while he types) THROW ... THERMAL ... POD. MOTHER (0S) I'm not going to tell you again. JOSH (frantic) Just a second! MOTHER (0S) Joshua Baskin ...© REVISED 7/27/87 ae SHOT - COMPUTER SCREEN "YOUR HESITANCY ZAS COST YOU DEARLY. THE WIZARD, SENSING YOUR APPREHENSION, UNLEASHES A FATAL BOLT FROM THE ICE SCEPTER, FREEZING YOU INTO OBLIVION. WITH LUCK, YoU WILL THAW IN SEVERAL MILLION YEARS. FULL SHOT - JOSH JOSH Terrific. cur TO: INT. KITCHEN 2 Joshua's mother, MRS. BASKIN, is busily cleaning the kitchen. Three Hefty garbage bags sit on the tile * floor. One-year-old RACHEL gurgles happily in her * Johnny Jumper by the door. Josh walks into the kitchen wearing his "DUKES" little league jacket. MRS. BASKIN (pointing at garbage) Those three. Josh looks from the bags to his little sister, then * leans over and takes her toy. Rachel reaches out with * a whimper. * MRS. BASKIN (contd) * (without turning around) * Give it back. * Josh hesitates. Rachel lets out a cry. * MRS. BASKIN (contd) * (turning) Be nice to her, Josh. He flashes her a smile and gives Rachel a deliberate kiss on the cheek. Josh hands her the toy, then grabs * the garbage bags. cur To: EXT, BASKIN HOUSE - MORNING 3 He heaves the bags into the metal cans with exaggerated effort. Josh glances back at the house, then grabs his bicycle from against the fence. CUT TO:tO REVISED 7/27/87 EXT, FRONT OF HOUSE - DAY 4 He heads down the path that leads to the street. * Josh jumps on his bike and is just about to shove off when his father appears at the edge of the yard. MR. BASKIN Finish your homework? Josh looks back in amazement. JOSH It's Saturday. MR. BASKIN And tomorrow's the carnival. JOSH But... MR. BASKIN You want to go tomorrow night? JOSH (beat) Can I go alone? MR. BASKIN No. JosH Can't I do anything alone? MR. BASKIN Sure. You can go do your homework. . Josh rolls his eyes, then turns and heads back toward the house. cur TO: EXT. SCHOOLYARD - GEORGE WASHINGTON JUNIOR HIGH 5 Josh's best friend BILLY KOPECHE dribbles a basketball at one end of the schoolyard. Jiving to himself, he moves with elaborate motion toward a garbage can by the fence. Billy is three months older than Josh and acts every one of them, He lets go a slam dunk that ricochets back in his face. (CONT. )REVISED 8/18/87 4. 5 coNTD -§ WIDER Josh comes riding up on his bike and circles around Billy. The boys exchange a high-five. BILLY What took you? JOSH Guess. Billy turns toward the fence and steps on his skateboard as he glances back at Josh. BILLY You do my math? JOSH : Not yet. BILLY Josh... JOSH (exasperated) I'll have it for you tonight, okay? Billy grabs the back of Josh's bike as they start out of the schoolyard. BILLY It's just that I bet Bobby Feinberg I'd get an "A". JOSH Jesus, Billy. cur To: 6 EXT. LOCAL HANGOUT ~ STREET - DAY 6 * Billy drags his skateboard as Josh walks his bike down the business district of the small suburb. * BILLY You ever walk by Simpkins desk when she's bent over grading papers or something and you can see right down her shirt? JOSH No. BILLY * Swear to God. (CONTINUED)REVISED 8/18/87 5. CONTD 6 JOSH (beat) Bra? BILLY Like one of those undershirt things, and if you get right up to the board you can see all the way down. JOSH Wow. Josh leans his bike against a railing and looks down the street. HIS POV - LOCAL HANGOUT ~ 7 A group of teenagers hangs out around the entrance. CYNTHIA BENSON leans against the wall in all her eighth grade glory. WIDER SHOT - JOSH AND BILLY They approach the hangout. BILLY (staring at Cynthia) How'd a geek like Freddy Benson get a big sister like that? gosH Beats me. FULL SHOT - ENTRANCE They approach the door, as Billy makes his way quickly through the crowd. Josh stays right behind him and is almost through when a sweet voice calls after him. CYNTHIA -- Hi, Josh. He turns around to see the source of the words and can't believe it when the smile comes back. Cynthia stands only a couple of feet away. Josh looks back at her, completely dazzled. BILLY (cutting in) Hi. (CONTINUED) ae eae *REVISED 7/27/87 é Unable to move, Josh continues to sm. her friends start down the block. as Cynthia and * BILLY = (yelling) He says hello! Billy grabs Josh by the back of the jacket and twirls him around. BILLY (contd) * (leaning in close) Un-be-lievable! . cur TO: 8 OMIT a+ 9 OMIT 9 * AlO INT, JOSH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT ALO Josh clutches his baseball glove and several computer books protectively as he watches his father wheel a pink baby crib through the door to his room. It is a 3 l2-year-old's paradise. A slot car track runs under co the bunk bede, and a scale model of the Empire State Building stands in one corner. There is a life-size poster of Don Mattingly on the door and a green bed- spread marked off like a football field. He winces as the crib is wheeled over the tracks. eee JOSH This isn't fair. MR. BASKIN Sport, we've been talking about this for months, You knew this was going to happen when Rachel got older. His mother comes in carrying Rachel and a pink elephant mobile. She places her in the center of the bottom bunk, then turns to the door and pulls in a small stepladder. JOSH Why can't she stay in your room? His parents exchange a look. i MRS. BASKIN Because.REVISED 7/27/87 Mrs. Baskin steps up the ladder and hangs the mobile * next to one of Josh's model spaceships. Mr. Baskin * moves aside the Empire State Building model as he * wheels the crib toward the corner. Josh quickly tries * to move it back. Mr. Baskin turns to his son and puts * a hand on his shoulder. * MR. BASKIN * Josh, being part of a family means * sharing responsibilities. . JosH * Great. Do I have to share my room? * cur 7 10 INT, BILLY'S KITCHEN 10 Four siblings, of which Billy is the youngest, are gathered in the kitchen for dinner. Unwashed dishes are piled up on the sink. MRS. KOPECHE, a tired- looking woman with streaks of gray in her hair, shrieks from the head of the table. MRS. KOPECHE I'm a person, I'm not your maid. Can any of you appreciate that? The CAMERA FOLLOWS Billy as he takes a platter of meatloaf from the oven, setting it on the table. MRS. KOPECHE (contd) You waltz through here like it's some kind of resort...lounging around waiting for your dinner to be cooked, your clothes to be ironed. Billy gets a plate of potatoes and returns them to the table. MRS. KOPECHE (contd) What about me! Have you ever just once thought about how I feel? (MORE) (conTD)abe REVISED 7/27/87 MRS. KOPECHE (contd) Do you know what it's like to work eight hours and come home to this... (she hits the table with her fist on each word) Every. Single. Day. She looks from face to face around the table. Nobody meets her eye. MRS, KOPECHE (contd) None of you ever offer to help me. Why? Billy puts the vegetables on the table, turns back to the counter and gets an empty plate. MRS. KOPECHE (contd) (she starts to cry) I can't do it alone anymore. The CAMERA STAYS on Billy as he forks some meatloaf on his plate and crosses to the kitchen door. MRS. KOPECHE (contd) I just can't. He disappears into the hall as the swinging doors shut behind hin. cur TO: INT. JOSH'S ROOM ~ NIGHT 11 Josh lies on the top bunk with a flashlight in one hand * and a walkie-talkie in the other. Rachel sleeps safely * in her crib, The boys talk in whispers as Josh aims the * beam of light out the window. JOSH (into walkie-talkie) Tell ne. BILLY (VO) (over walkie-talkie) First the math. Gis13 14 us INT: BILLY'S ROOM 12 It is a disaster area. Billy lies on his bed in an explosion of dirty laundry with the other walkie-talkie wedged to his ear. He shines his flashlight at the ceiling, chasing the beam of light Josh is throwing into his room. JosH (VO) I'll give you the math, Billy. Now what's going on? Billy grins slightly, sitting up in bed. BILLY You're in, CUT TO: INT: JOSH'S ROOM - NIGHT 33 JOSH What do you mean =- I'm in? BILLY (VO) Cynthia Benson. JOSH (sitting up) What about her? cur To: INT: “BILLY'S ROOM 14 He leans forward on the bed clutching the walkie-talkie. BILLY (with a grin) You ready for this? (he pauses) She doesn't like Barry anymore, There is a long silence from the other walkie-talkie, Billy angles the flashlight at the window. cur To: INT: JOSH'S ROOM 15 Beams of light play across his ceiling. Josh sits motionless in bed as the light from Billy's flashlight dances over the wall.16 10, JOsH So see BILLY (VO) Whaddaya mean "so"? That's it! She's available. JOSH Billy, just ‘cause she doesn't like him anymore ... MRS. BASKIN (0S) Josh? He plunges the walkie-telkie under the covers as his mother opens the bedroom door. ‘MRS. BASKIN It's after midnight. You should have been asleep an hour ago. JOSH I am asleep. MRS. BASKIN Of course you are. Now say goodbye to Billy. Josh reluctantly pulls the walkie-talkie from under the covers and puts it back up to his ear. JOSH I gotta go. A wet kissing around comes from the other end of the walkie-talkie. BILLY (VO) Sweet dreams. cur To: FULL SHOT - THE AVENGER - NIGHT 16 It is the Goliath of carnival rides. A series of metal cages are attached to long mechanical arms that lift and swirl them into the night, Desperate SCREAMS ECHO out of the darkened cars as they swing hundreds of feet up into the air, twisting and plummeting toward the carnival below. CLOSE UP - JOSH He stares up at the towering machine. Josh's eyes are wideO REVISED 7/27/87 WIDER SHOT - JOSH AND PARENTS Mr. and-Mrs. Baskin walk beside their son in the midst’ * of the carnival midway. Mr. Baskin holds Rachel. Mrs. Baskin carries a camera. Tinny calliope MUSIC plays as they move toward the massive ride. MRS. BASKIN I don't know, Bob. MR. BASKIN He's a big boy, Carol. * Mr. Baskin tears off an orange midway ticket and hands it to his son. They are almost at the line for the Avenger when Josh stops dead in his tracks. JOSH * Oh my God. HIS POV Cynthia Benson stands alone at the end of the line, locking up at the ride. WIDER ANGLE - JOSH AND PARENTS He stands frozen beside his mother and father. MRS. BASKIN * I told you he didn't want to do it. MR. BASKIN (resting a hand on his shoulder) Sport, you don't have to go on it if you don't feel like it. (CONTD)REVISED 7/27/87 12, JOSH Hunh...Oh, no, T just (turns to them and stares for a moment) I want to go on it myself. MRS. BASKIN You do? JOSH Yes. Mr, Baskin smiles proudly at his son, then shoots his wife a look, She shrugs helplessly. MR. BASKIN Great. (glancing around) why don't we meet you at the Ferris Wheel? JosH Okay. Josh waits until they are several steps away before he turns and starts toward the Avenger. SHOT - JOSH He moves quickly toward the ride. Josh cranes his neck to see around the adults who are a foot taller than he is. He is just inside the archway when he spots Cynthia. Josh takes a deep breath, stuffs his hands in his pockets, and walks slowly up to the line. WIDER SHOT INCLUDING CYNTHIA She is looking up at the huge ride. Josh slides non- chalantly up beside her, staring in the other direction. He clears his throat. Cynthia turns and looks beside her. (contD)13. CYNTHIA Josh? He turns back to her with a frozen smile on his face, It takes a second or two before the words come out. JOSH Oh ... Hi, CYNTHIA Hi, Now he's really frozen. Josh stares in wide-eyed panic looking for something to say. CYNTHIA (contd) Are you here alone? JOSH Yes. (beat) Definitely. CYNTHIA Oh ... {as they move up a little in line) Have you been cn this before? JOSH This? (beat) Yes. CYNTHIA. Is it scary? JOSH Yes. Cynthia nods and then glances out at the crowd. CYNTHIA Look, aren't those your parents? Jose (panicked) Where? CYNTHIA (pointing) Right over there.REVISED 7/27/87 1a. THEIR POV The Baskins are standing over by the cotton candy stand. Mrs. Baskin gives a little wave, then raises her camera asa flash bulb goes off. SHOT - JOSH AND CYNTHIA JOSH (acting surprised) Why, yes... All at once there is a deep male voice from behind her. MALE VOICE (VO) who's this? WIDER ANGLE Josh looks up to see a strapping sixteen-year-old carrying two ice cream cones. Cynthia takes one of them, then puts her arm around his waist. CYNTHIA This is Josh Baskin. DEREK How ya doin'? Josh tries to nod. CYNTHIA This is Derek. (confidentially) He drives. Josh stares back with most of the color drained from his face. TICKET TAKER (OS) Next! He is too stunned to move, TICKET TAKER (0S contd) Yo! Next please. DEREK Go ahead. Josh turns around to see no one between him and the ticket taker. He holds out his midway ticket and moves slowly toward the turnstile.REVISED 7/27/87 TICKET TAKER Sorry, kid JOSH (locking up) What? The man points next to him at a large sign. print it read: is. In bold "YOU MUST BE AT LEAST THIS TALL TO RIDE THIS RIDE" He stares in shock at the red line that is just over his head. TICKET TAKER Come on, kid, you're holding up the line. Josh turns around to Cynthia and Derek who are standing a foot or two behind him. She smiles awkwardly. CYNTHIA (shrugging) Well..,it's a stupid rule. He watches silently as they move past him through the turnstile. CYNTHIA (contd) (looking back) See ya, Josh. Josh nods quickly and tries to smile. Cynthia and Derek Gisappear up the ramp as he turns to walk back down the line. EXT. FUN HOUSE cur TO: He walks alone on the far side of the carnival kicking at the dirt, Josh continues past the modern video games that line the side of the fun house. agers are at the controls. He looks at them with a scowl A group of teen- 17 and continues past them, when something catches his eye. JOsH'S Pov Alone, facing the river is a small old carnival game standing by itself. There is a little glass booth with a wooden head inside. The hair is painted black. The beard comes to a point. Written across the top in old swirling script are the words: "ZOLTAR SPEAKS".SHOT - JOSH (ay He walks up to the booth, There and a long metal ramp that leads the top of the ramp is a slot to reads the faded lettering on the JOSH (reading) REVISED ‘7/27/87 15a. are two worn brass levers to Zoltar's mouth, At put a quarter. Josh inside of the booth. Insert coin to top of ramp,REVISED 7/31/87 16. He hesitates a moment, then fishes through his pockets and pulls out a quarter. Josh shoves the coin into the slot. It drops to the top of the metal ramp and comes to rest there. Nothing happens. WIDER SHOT - JOSH AND ZOLTAR He looks at it then bangs the side of the machine. still nothing happens. Josh bashes the booth again but the quarter just stays there. All at once, in a flurry of frustration, Josh wails against the side of the machine with both fists. Zoltar's eyes glow bright red. The small wooden head begins to nod. A red sign lights up reading: "AIM RAMP TOWARD ZOLTAR'S MOUTH" * Josh manipulates the lever until the ramp is pointed toward Zoltar's open mouth. "ZOLTAR SAYS: MAKE YOUR WISH" JOSH Make my wish...right. (he pauses a moment) I wish I was a grownup. Another sign lights up under the first one reading: “PRESS BUTTON TO RELEASE COIN" q He is taken aback by the unsolicited response but does as he is told. Josh aims the ramp carefully and pushes the button, releasing the coin. It rolls down the long railing and flies off the end, barely making it into Zoltar's mouth. The jaws close on the coin. The head stops nodding and stares straight at Josh. All at once a group of teenagers runs past him, laughing down the midway. The SOUND of their laughter TRAILS OFF as a small card Pops out of the bottom of the machine. Josh reaches down and pulls it from the slot. JOSH'S POV - CARD "YOUR WISH IS GRANTED" (conTD)18 19 20 22 REVISED 7/27/87 7. SHOT - JOSH He stares at the card for a moment, when something catches his eye. JOSH'S Pov At the base of the machine is a coiled wire attached to an old frayed plug. The plug is attached to...nothing. SHOT - JOSH He bends down slowly to pick up the plug. Josh examines the worn electrical wire for a moment, then rises slowly to meet Zoltar's eyes. ‘The bobbing head continues to smile. A sudden breeze ruffles his hair. CUT TO: EXT. BASKIN YARD - NIGHT 18 What was a light breeze has turned into a dry gale, whistling through the yard and bending the trees in half. A sudden gust blows Josh's bike over, The front gate flies open, smashing against the fence. His little league uniform rips from the clothesline and sails across the yard... CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S ROOM 1g Rachel howls along with the wind outside. The door opens and Mrs. Baskin comes into the room. She takes Rachel from her crib and rocks her from side to side as her crying dies down. Mrs. Baskin looks at the face of her son a few feet from hers. He sleeps soundly under- neath the covers. She turns and carries Rachel out of the room. eae CUT TO: EXT. BASKIN HOUSE - THE FOLLOWING MORNING 20 It is silent in the aftermath of the gale. Leaves and branches are scattered across the neighborhood front lawns. CUT To: INT. JOSH'S ROOM 20) It is bathed in a warm orange light. The CAMERA PANS SLOWLY from the window across the sun-drenched floor.18 19 20 22 SHOT - JOSH He stares at the card for a moment, when something catches his eye. JOSH'S POV At the base of the machine is a coiled wire attached to an old frayed plug. The plug is attached to ... nothing. SHOT - JOSH He bends down slowly to pick up the plug. Josh examines the worn electrical wire for a moment, then rises slowly to meet Zoltar's eyes. The bobbing head continues to smile. A sudden breeze ruffles his hair. cur To EXT: BASKIN YARD - NIGHT 18 What was a light breeze has turned into a dry gale, whistling through the yard and bending the trees in half, A sudden gust blows Josh's bike over, The front gate flies open, smashing against the fence. His little league uniform rips from the clothesline and sails across the yard ... cur 7 INT: JOSH'S ROOM 19 Zach howls along with the wind outside. The door opens and Mrs. Baskin comes into the room. She takes Zach from his bed and rocks him from side to side as his crying dies down. Mrs. Baskin looks at the face of her other son a few feet from hers. He sleeps soundly underneath the covers. She smiles and smooths back Josh's hair from his forehead, then turns and carries Zach out of the room. cur TO: EXT: BASKIN HOUSE - THE FOLLOWING MORNING 20 Itis silent in the aftermath of the gale, Leaves and branches are scattered across the neighborhood front lawns. CUT TO: INT: JOSH'S ROOM 22 It is bathed in a warm orange light. The CAMERA PANS SLOWLY from the window across the sun-drenched floor.22 18, There are the usual array of toys: his slot car tracks «+s @ skateboard .., a gleaming silver robot ... MRS. BASKIN (0S) It's seven-thirty, Josh. You up? The CAMERA CONTINUES TO PAN coming to rest on the empty bottom bunk. MRS, BASKIN (0S contd) Sweetheart, you'll miss the bus and I can't drive you today. There is a HEAVY CREAK of bedsprings as two huge feet swing out from the top bunk and dangle in mid-air. They are size twelve feet attached to big hairy ankles. DIFFERENT ANGLE - HOLDING ON FEET ‘They drop to the floor, hitting it sharply -- a little too soon, The feet stand motionless for a moment ... The CAMERA FOLLOWS them as they pad slowly across the floor and into the hallway. cur To: INT: BATHROOM 22 A man's hand hits the wall looking for the light switch. Joshua slides his hand up the wall, ther pauses for a moment and slides it down. His hand makes contact with the switch, a foot lower than usual. He hesitates, then flicks on the light switch to reveal: FULL SHOT - BATHROOM MIRROR A hairy well-muscled torso fills the entire mirror. The chest is large -- the waist is slim. Slowly -- very slowly -- Josh lowers himself into the mirror. First there are the broad shoulders ... then the neck ... then finally ... the full face of a handsome thirty-five-year- old man stares back from the bathroom mirror. Joshua whirls around to see who is behind him, but there is no one there. He freezes for a moment, then turns back to face it. Their eyes lock. Joshua winks once and the reflection does the same. He wrinkles his nose and so does the man in the mirror. A look of horror crosses Joshua's face, JOSH (whispering) No...23 24 25 19. He slowly reaches up and rubs the side of his face as he stares in mounting horror, MRS, BASKIN (0S) Honey ... Josh leaps back and slams into the shower curtain. MRS, BASKIN (0S contd) I put some clean clothes out. Bring down your cords for the laundry, okay? JOSH (in a deep bass) Okay. He clamps his hand over his mouth, CUT TO: INT: HALLWAY 23 Mrs. Baskin hears her son and cocks her head to the side, frowning slightly. MRS. BASKIN Are you getting a cold? Jos# (os) (in a high falsetto) Oh, no ... I'm fine. She looks toward the bathroom for a moment, then shrugs, CUT TO: INT: BATHROOM 24 Josh is backed up against the medicine chest with a look of panic on his face, He hears the sound of his mother's footsteps moving down the hall. cur TO: INT: HALLWAY 25 The door to the bathroom flies open, and Josh rushes out. He darts across the hallway and into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. cur TO:d 20. INT: BEDROOM 26 Josh grabs his jeans from the night before and fishes through the pockets. He pulls out the small card that was printed from the Zoltar machine. JOSH'S POV - CARD "YOUR WISH IS GRANTED." SHOT - JOSH JosH Omigod. He looks frantically arcund the room and grabs the clean pants that his mother left for him. Josh thrusts one foot into the leg forgetting it is a child's medium. His leg gets stuck as he falls backwards onto the bottom bunk, Struggling on his back, Josh manages to get both feet in the jeans. He grabs the pants by the belt loops, rocks forward onto his feet, and then, leaning forward ... CUT TO: INT: KITCHEN 27 Mrs. Baskin is standing at the kitchen stove making scrambled eggs when there is a loud thump from upstairs. She stops cooking and locks toward the ceiling. CUT TO: INT: JOSH'S ROOM 28 He struggles desperately on the floor, trying to remove the child's jeans. MRS. BASKIN (0S) Breakfast is ready! JOSH (falsetto) Be right there. CUT TO: SHOT - TOP OF STAIRS 29 The figure of a six-foot man wrapped in a bedsheet tiptoes quickly across the landing toward his parents! bedroom. cur TO:30 31 32 33 REVISED 7/27/87 2. INT, PARENTS' CLOSET 30 Josh rifles through his father's clothing, while his ° * sister stands in her baby walker. * MRS. BASKIN (0S) Bring Rachel downstairs with you, okay? * cur TO: INT. KITCHEN 31 Mrs. Baskin spoons out the scrambled eggs. There isa * thundering sound of someone running down the stairs. MRS. BASKIN Honey, you want orange juice or The front door shuts with a slam. Mrs. Baskin turns to * see: Rachel in her baby walker, waddling into the room. * MRS. BASKIN (contd) What about your breakfast? cur To: EXT. RIVERFRONT - DAY 32 Josh pedals his child's Stingray as fast as he can down the path that leads to the riverfront. Wearing his father's khakis and a New York Giants sweatshirt, he flies down the slope, knees hitting elbows. All at once * he hits the handbrakes. JOSH'S POV The carnival is gone. There is now just a muddy lot with some tattered flags blowing in the wind. SHOT - JOSH He stares in horror at the vacant lot. No fun house. No arcade. No Zoltar. His eyes grow wide in panic. CUT TO: INT. BASKIN LIVING ROOM 33 Josh's mother is vacuuming the living room singing quietly to herself, The front door shuts with a slam.REVISED 7/27/87 22. Mrs. Baskin whirls around to see: A strange man standing in her living room. His eyes ‘ * are wild. He is breathing hard. There is mud all over his shoes. Mrs. Baskin lets out a blood-curdling scream as Joshua starts toward her, tracking mud across the carpet. MRS, BASKIN Don't...please... * JOSH (looking at the mud) * Oh, I'm sorry. MRS. BASKIN Take my purse. You can have it all. JOSH Mom, it's me. Mrs. Baskin looks at the psychopath claiming to be her child. She backs slowly past the piano into the kitchen * as he advances. JOSH (contd) It's me...Josh, She moves all the way against the kitchen, counter with a look of terror on her face. JOSH (contd) (exasperated) I've turned into a grownup! She inches down the counter. JOSH (contd) See, I made this wish on a machine. Mrs, Baskin moves farther away. Josh grows more frustrated. JOSH (contd) Look, my birthday's November third. I broke my arm when I was nine... (spots vase on the counter) Here! I'm allergic to flowers. Josh grabs the vase and inhales deeply. He waits for the sneeze but nothing happens.ED 7/27/87 e JOSH (contd) Okay, so I outgrew it--but I'm telling you, it's me. My little league team is called The Dukes. I just got a "B" on my history test. There's a birthmark on the back of my left knee... a MRS. BASKIN (breathless) You bastard. (her voice rising) What have you done to my son? JOsH I am your son. Mrs. Baskin reaches behind her and pulls out a butcher knife. JOSH (backing away in panic) Let me talk to Dad, okay? MRS. BASKIN Where is my child! Mrs. Baskin lunges at Joshua with the butcher knife. He * whirls around and ducks out the door, fleeing across the * yard. MRS. BASKIN (contd) Police! cuT To: 34 EXT. GEORGE WASHINGTON JUNIOR HIGH - DAY 34 The playground is empty. cuT To: 35 INT. AUDITORIUM 35 Forty seventh graders are in the middle of gym class. Billy stands in the center of a circle, engaged in a furious game of dodge ball. Other students play hand- ball along the walls of the gym. A couple are shooting baskets. Red rubber balls come flying at him from several directions as Billy frantically gets out of the way. C3 SHOT - “WINDOWS36 a37 24. Josh goes running down the empty third floor corridor, disappearing out of sight. SHOT - BILLY He dives to the floor as ball whizzes over his head. BILLY Nice shot, lame-o. SHOT - WINDOWS Josh runs down the second floor corridor, a story lower. RESUME - BILLY He deftly jumps over a ball that whizzes at his feet. BILLY Ha! SHOT - WINDOW Josh peeks his head out from the edge of the windows at the end of the hall. sose Psst! SHOT - BILLY He looks up to find the sound of the whisper as six balls bombard him at once. The BELL RINGS ending the period. Most of the students race for exit doors. Billy looks a little dazed. GYM TEACHER Walk don't run. Ball monitors put everything away this time. cur TO: oMrT 36 INT. STOREROOM a37 The door opens as Billy enters carrying several balls under his arms. He takes two steps forward when the door is slammed shut behind him. Billy whirls around to see a wild man inches from his face. JOSH It's me. REVISED 7/27/87REVISED 7/27/87 Billy takes a step backward. Josh grabs his arn. "Billy, He breaks away, racing toward the staircase. JOSH (contd) Your best frien: He throws the balls at Josh's stomach as he runs up the stairs. BILLY (in terror) Miss Simp... JOSH (beginning to rap) The space goes down down down baby Down down the roller coaster Billy freezes with his hand on the knob. He slowly turns and looks down the stairs. Josh quickly continues his rap, his eyes fixed on Billy, as he moves up the steps toward him. JOSH (contd) Sweet sweet baby, Sweet sweet, don't let me go. Shimmy shimmy coco bop Shimmy shimmy rock Shimmy shimmy coco bop Shimmy shimmy rock I met a girlfriend, her name is Trisket She said a Trisket's really a bisquit. Ice cream sode pop, vanilla on the top. Oo sha-li-da Walking down the street. Ten times a week. Imet it, I said it, I stole my mama's credit. I'm cool, I'm hot, Sock you in the stomach three more times. Josh stops, out of breath. Billy continues to stare at him. BILLY (in a shocked whisper) Josh? JOSH Yes! eee ee ee ee37 38 39 REVISED 7/27/87 26. BILLY (staring in wonder) You look terrible. cur TO: EXT, BASKIN HOUSE - DUSK 37 A crowd of spectators has gathered around the Baskin home. Two of BILLY'S BROTHERS and Mrs. Kopeche stand * at the edge of their yard. The red and amber lights * from the double-parked police cars reflect in their faces. MRS. KOPECHE * If something happened to him, * she'll be heartbroken. * FIRST BROTHER : Bet he ran away. * SECOND BROTHER * Wish T could. * FIRST BROTHER * Want me to pack your bags? WIDER SHOT - STREET Billy comes out of his house behind them, dragging a * large suitcase. He looks at them quickly, then hurries away from the crowd, down the street as: FIRST LIEUTENANT (OS) ..-Believe me, Mrs. Baskin. We want to find him just as badly as you do. cur TO: INT. BASKIN LIVING ROOM 38 ‘The LIEUTENANT stands across from the Baskins who sit huddled together on the couch. FIRST LIEUTENANT (contd) But kidnappers don't come back four Hours later just to say hello. CUT TO: OMIT 39 *AdO 40 AaL REVISED 7/27/87 27, EXT. RIVERFRONT - DUSK ado * There is a low deisel HORN on the Hudson. Near the edge * of the old carnival ground water drips from the top of an abandoned tunnel. CUT TO: omrr 40 * INT. TUNNEL Aal * Josh sits huddled agains: the damp cement wall, * shivering in the evening chill. All at once there are footsteps outside as Billy lumbers into the tunnel, dragging the suitcase, * BILLY You couldn't have wished for a million dollars? He tosses Josh an old hat and army fatigue jacket. BILLY (contd) Don't worry, I got it all figured out. We get you into the city, you lay low for a couple of days, we find this Zoltar thing, you make a wish, and by Thursday you're home. gosH Why can't I just explain what happened? BILLY You did and your mom tried to kill you. JOSH 2 I'm gonna get in a lot of trouble for this. BILLY Aw, they'll be so happy to see you, you'll probably get a new bike out of it. (grabbing the suite C'mon, we gotta get going. e) Billy starts to move out of the tunnel as Josh hesitates.Bal 41 BILLY (contd) (calling back) “Let's go. He rises slowly and starts to follow Billy, pulling on the jacket as he goes. cur TO: EXT. BUS STOP - DUSK B42 Josh sits slumped on the bench next to Billy under a flickering streetlamp. The hat is pulled down low over his eyes. Jos# (whispering) I'm not s'posed to go to New York without my folks. Billy pulls a wad of cash from his pocket and hands it to Josh. BILLY Here. Josh stares at the bills in awe. JOSH Where'd you get that? BILLY My father's top drawer. JOSH You stole it? BILLY It's his emergency fund. The bus ROARS up to the bench and stops with a squeal of of brakes. Josh looks at Billy as the doors open in front of him. CUT TO: INT. BUS 41 Josh and Billy move up the crowded aisle as the doors close behind them. The bus moves forward with a lurch, almost knocking them off their feet. Josh reaches up, grabbing the metal handle for the first time in his life. Billy stares at his best friend's stomach.42 43 44 REVISED 7/27/87 29. cUT TO: EXT. BUS - LONG SHOT - DUSK 42 It roars toward the Lincoln tunnel with the New York skyline in the BG. CUT 70: EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NIGHT 43 Car horns blare. A municipal bus pulls away from the curb, revealing Josh and Billy standing awestruck in the middle of Times Square. - They look up at the huge buildings and flashing billboards. The suitcase sits between them. cur TO: EXT. FORTY-FOURTH STREET 44 It is a dark, foreboding part of town. a local pusher accosts the passers-by. A few prostitutes loiter on the corners. Josh and Billy stand in front of a seedy hotel that advertises "ROOMS BY THE DAY/WEEK." BILLY This seems okay. JOSH No it doesn't. cONTD.45 46 47 REVISED 7/27/37 30. Saint James, (beat) It's religious. Josh looks at him for a moment. cUT TO: INT. HOTEL LOBBY 45 They stand across the bulletproof partition from a dark * Pakistani man with one eye. There is a large sign * behind him that reads "FIREARMS KEPT ON PREMISES." Josh glances around nervously. JOSH Uh...We need 2 room. CLERK (in a strange accent) il Seventeen-fifty a night. Ten dollar deposit on the sheets. Billy reaches into his pocket. He counts out twenty- * seven-fifty and shoves it through the partition. The clerk hesitates for a mement, then pulls a room key off the wall. cur To: INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR 46 Graffiti is scrawled on all the walls. ‘Two derelects stare as Josh and Billy follow the clerk down the corridor. Billy flashes a broad smile, pointing up at Josh. BILLY This is my friend. He's moving in. CUT TO: INT. SMALL ROOM - HOTEL 47 Josh and Billy are standing in the middle of the room with the suitcases between them. JOSH I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna stay here! * BILLY (edging for the door) You'll be fine, You go to sleep. (MORE)REVISED 7/27/87 3 BILLY (contd) you wake up, you won't even know . I was gone. JosH You never said you were gonna leave! BILLY I can't help it, Josh, I'm supposed to be home by ten. JOSH (beat) Then I'm going with you, Josh bolts for the door as Billy grabs him by the back of the belt. BILLY (getting dragged across the room) I£ I don't come home tonight there's gonna be two kids missing. You want the cops out looking for both of us? Josh stops. Billy slowly lets go of his belt. BILLY (contd) (winded) Look, I'll cut class tomorrow and we'll find that machine before you know it--okay? Josh pauses, exhaling deeply. Billy punches him on the arm. BILLY (contd) Just one night. Alright? JOSH (beat) Alright. BILLY Good. Billy turns and moves for the door when Josh calls out after him, JOSH What if I can't sleep? BILLY (turning back) It's probably better if you don't. (MORE)32. BILLY (contd) ie) (opening the door) , I'll see ya in the morning. JOSH What time? BILLY Bight-thirty. Billy starts into the hall then turns back towards Josh. BILLY (contd) (smiling) Oh, and .., I'd use the chain if I were you. Josh stands alone in the middle of the room as Billy shuts the door behind him, There is a single metal bed with a batten mattress on top. An old television is bolted to the floor. He crosses to the window and tries to lift the blinds with a single tug. They come crashing down on top of the radiator. iS A red neon light blinks on and off in his face, There is the screeching sound of a siren and the backfire of a car. Josh shuts the window with a slam, He takes a yellowing sheet off the dresser and moves to the bed. Josh starts to unfurl it when there is the sudden ring of a telephone. He jumps back as the sound of heavy footsteps come running down the hallway. Josh stands motionless next to the wall as the conversation drifts through the door, MAN (0S) No me dinga chingaderas. Te odio! Josh bolts the door quickly. MAN (OS contd) (louder) Si, you digo, te odio! Josh rapidly puts the chain across the door and starts to drag the small dresser in front of it. A fist pounds the wall beside him. MAN (OS contd) Mira me! Agaro tu culu!48 49 50 50a ASL 51 AS2 52 REVISED 8/19/87 = 33-36. Josh dives headfirst onto the small bed. He grabs the pillow and hugs it tightly. A single tear runs down his cheek. DISSOLVE TO: OMIT 48 OMIT 49 OMIT 50 OMIT 50a, EXT. HOTEL - MORNING ASL Josh and Billy walk out of the hotel onto the sunny street. Josh looks tired. BILLY It's not that big a city, Josh. I'll there's an arcade at every corner. The boys look up the block then turn and look down the other way. BILLY Let's try the next street. cur To: OMIT 51 OMIT AS2 INT. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 52 Josh and Billy stand under a maze of directional arrows behind a small line of people at the Information Booth. Both boys look tired. BILLY — so maybe they just don't say “arcade” on all the signs. You wouldn't even let me go into Madame Sant: JosH It was a laundromat. BILLY Look, somebody's gotta have a record, We'll. just get a list of carnivals and track it down. (CONTINUED) oe eee ae teen ee seenREVISED 8/19/87 36a. 52 CONTINUED: 52 ~ CLERK (0S) (3 Next please. They move up in line to the information booth. It is manned by an eighteen-year-old CLERK. JOSH We want a list of carnivals. . BILLY And fairs. JOSH And arcades. The clerks takes out a printed directory and scans down the list, turning the pages. CLERK Try Consumer Affairs, third floor, Room 3211. cur To:REVISED 7/27/87 37. 53 DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE 53 Josh ané Billy stand across the window from a woman in her fifties. She hands Billy a form. * WOMAN: Fill this out in triplicate. Five dollar filing charge. BILLY Terrific! WOMAN One month to process. You'll * get it in six weeks. * JOSH Six weeks! WOMAN Sometimes longer, but you could * get lucky. * Josh looks at the woman in shock. CUT TO: 54 EXT, NINTH AVENUE - LATER 34 Josh walks beside Billy with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He looks like he's going to cry. JosH * I'm going to be thirty years old for the rest of my life. BILLY Aw, come on, we'll figure something out. (beat) By the way, you're closer to thirty-five. Josh kicks at a trash can. BILLY I'll come in every day, after school. JOSH (flatly) How? BILLY I'll tell ‘em I'm on the basketball team.REVISED 7/27/87 38. JOSH I'm dead. Josh sinks down to the curb in despair. He slumps against a trash can. BILLY : (sitting beside him) We're getting the list. We just gotta hang on for a while. JOSH That's easy for you. You still get lunch money. BILLY So.,.you'll get a job. JOSH (turning) A what? BILLY You're a grownup now. You're allowed to get a job. JOSH I can't get a job. BILLY Sure you can, It can't be any tougher than school. We'll just find something you're good at. CUT TO: 55 INT. ICE CREAM PARLOR 55 Josh and Billy sit in a booth devouring a massive banana split. Billy has the "Want Ads" spread out in front (CONTD)of him, BILLY 39. Josh shovels marshamallow topping in his mouth, Cardiological technician ... Civil engineer ... JOSH You want your cherry? BILLY Go ahead. (continuing) Clerical transcriber .., JOSH Hey Billy? BILLY (looking up) Yeah? Josh opens his mouth to reveal a glob of melted hot fudge and ice cream, Some of it dribbles onto the newspaper. BILLY (contd) Gross, JOSH Go to the other column. BIGLY (glancing across the paper) Collection agent . Construction .., JOSH Computer operator. BILLY Hunh? Josa Computer operator. BILLY MacMillan Toys ... (he looks up) Toys! JOSH Billy ... + Company clerk «++ Computer operator Read that one,REVISED 7/27/87 40. ILLY C (reading) “Experienced computer operators. Must perform data updates, mal- function isolation, monitoring of cluster performance..." gosH I can do that. BILLY You can? JosH Sure. Billy looks at him in amazement as Josh takes the paper from him. JOSH (contd) (looking at the ad) Great, they use HP 3000's. BILLY You understand all that? Jos Well, it's an old system but... BILLY Where do we go? JosH What? BILLY (tapping the paper) Where do we go? Josh looks down at the ad. JOSH Apply in person--MacMillan Toys. CUT TO: AS6 EXT. MACMILLAN TOYS AS6 * Establishing shot. Josh and Billy stare up at the looming office building. cur TO:) 56 REVISED 7 T. PERSONNEL OFFICE - MACMILLAN TOYS They sit side by side as they £ 11 out the application. * Fifteen adults around the room are doing the exact same thing. JOSH (whispering) Previous emplcyment? (ConTD)41. = BILLY i Your paper route. JOSH Right. Josh puts it on the application as Billy glances around the room. JOSH (contd) (under his breath) Soc. Sec, BILLY Social Security. Josh looks baffled. BILLY Thirty-five, Seventeen, Twenty- three, Nine, Jose What's that? BILLY My locker combination. JosH (whispering) Your locker ends in a four. RECEPTIONIST (breaking the moment) Mr. Baskin? JOSH Yes? RECEPTIONIST The personnel director will see you now, JOSH Oh ... thanks. Josh grabs the clipboard and rises from the bench. Billy starts to get up as well. RECEPTIONIST Your son can wait for you out here. Billy stops with a frozen smile on his face. Josh turns back to him ...87 42. JOSE Sport, you sit right over there and don't give the lady any trouble. BILLY (trying not to laugh) Sure, Dad. Josh tums and follows the woman out of the room. CUT TO: PERSONNEL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE 57 Josh sits across the desk from a man in his mid-forties. He wears a navy blue suit and a large silver tie-clip. Josh's feet are crossed and one foot taps nervously. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR (looking at the application) Says here you've got four years at the Jersey Journal. JosH (nervous) Yeah, four years, that's right. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR All on computers. JOSH Yes, sir. He looks back down at the application and tries to read the handwriting. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR (trying to make it out) Bnd where did you go to school? JOSH Um... well -- it was called George Washington. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR Oh, G.W. My brother-in-law got his doctorate there. Josh smiles and nods. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR (contd) Did you pledge?REVISED 7/27/87 JOSH Every morning. At that moment, the docr bursts open and SUSAN LAWRENCE enters the room. She marches ail the way across the room, oblivious of Josh's presence. * SUSAN It happened again, David. The girl is absolutely useless. You've got to find me someone who knows what she's doing. (noticing Josh) Excuse me. (right back) I'm not getting any messages, nothing's been filed--ever since she got engaged her work and my life have been a disaster. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR Well, she came with the highest... SUSAN She's spent the last three months writing down her married name over and over and over...mrs. Judy Hicks. Mrs. David Hicks. * Mrs. Judy Mitchelson-Hicks. Sometimes with the hyphen, some- times without the hyphen... sometimes she spells the hyphen. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR oh. (beat) Well, I don't know where I could put her... SUSAN Put her on unemployment. Susan turns and whisks out of the room. The Personnel Director stares at the door for a moment, then turns back to Josh. PERSONNEL DIRECTOR Well, all of this looks in order. (beat) How soon can you start? CUT TO:59 44, INT: CORRIDOR - MACMILLAN TOYS 58 It is an upper floor of the building where the carpeting is thicker, the air thinner, the stakes higher, Susan rounds the corner briskly, moving toward her office. There are screams and girlish laughter Os. SECRETARIAL AREA Susan moves into the secretarial area that is overflowing with women, balloons, crepe paper and party streamers. The receptionist sits at her phone console giggling to herself as she scribbles onto a steno pad. SUSAN What's the joke? RECEPTIONIST (looking up, startled) Oh, Miss Lawrence, it's ... TUDY (0S) Is it a small? RECEPTIONIST (giggling as she writes) See, when she opens her shower presents everything she says is what she'll say on her wedding night. Only she doesn't know it, so when we read the list to her ... SUSAN Who's answering the phones? RECEPTIONIST oh, I... (she grabs for the receiver) I'm sorry, I forgot ... Susan moves abruptly toward her office, shutting the door behind her as the laughter continues in the BG. cur TO: INT: SUSAN'S OFFICE 59 She crosses over to her desk and sits in the large swivel chair as voices from the shower play in the BG. guDY (0S) It's so fuzzy!45. There is a roar of laughter as Susan rocks back in her chair staring at the wall, She pauses for a moment, then grabs the telephone, punching a two digit combination very hard. SUSAN Susan Lawrence, is ne in? There is a moment's pause when she whisks her hair back and shifts her weight in the chair. SUSAN (contd) (in an urgent whisper) Brad, if I don’t have a man tonight I am absolutely going to -- (beat) Yeah, I'll hold. Susan stares straight ahead, looking out over a desk that is perfectly immaculate. There is a vase with some silk flowers in it ... a crystal picture frame with two of her sisters, one holding a baby. She wraps the telephone cord around her fingers as she swivels slightly to her left. In front of her, sitting on the blotter is a Princess Gwendoline Doll replete with flowing blonde locks. Susan looks at her for a moment. Juby (0s) Oh, it's pink! There is another peal of laughter from the other room as she reaches out to take the doll. Susan wedges the receiver to her ear as she presses a small button on the back. A man's voice starts to come out of Princess Gwendoline. MAN'S VOICE These are the preliminary voice runs on Princess Gwendoline. All comments should be directed to Jack Taylor no later than Thursday. There is a whirring sound and a long pause. GWENDOLINE (high squeaky voice) One day I'll find my prince. MAN'S VOICE Alternate version number one. Pause. GWENDOLINE One day my prince will come.59a 60 REVISED 7/28/87 MAN'S VOICE Alternate version number two. . There is a longer pause. GWENDOLINE I want you to steal all the money from Mommy's purse and buy all ny accessories. The more you buy me, the more I'll ‘ove you. MAN'S VOICE Just kidding, Susan. gubY (0s) This'1l never fit! There is the loudest roar of all coming from the outer office. Susan looks at the door for a moment, then hangs up the phone. cur TO EST. MACMILLAN TOYS - FOLLOWING MORNING 59A Workers bustle in and out on the busy sidewalk. CUT TO: INT. MACMILLAN TOYS - DATA PROCESSING 60 A dozen people sit at a long row of identical desks with * computer terminals and telephones in front of each. Josh * is standing with the Supervisor in front of an empty work * space. A pile of spread sheets is stacked on the desk. Josh wears a company I.D. badge clipped to his shirt. SUPERVISOR I thought we'd start you off on last week's Preschool Orders. That should take a few days and give you some time to find your way around. Do you smoke? JOSH Well, once but... SUPERVISOR only on breaks in the coffee room. Most of it's pretty straight forward stuff, but if you have any questions, come to me.REVISED 7/28/87 47. The Supervisor pats Josh on the shoulder. SUPERVISOR (contd) Good luck. Josh watches as the Supervisor disappears around a corner. He turns back to his desk and slowly pulls out the swivel chair. He glances around at the other employees. Most are working at their keyboards. A few are on the phone. Josh looks back at his computer and leans over to switch it on. MAN (OS) Morning'. Josh turns to see SCOTTY BRENNAN grinning at him from the next desk. SCOTTY (thrusting out his arm) Scotty Brennan, Josh tentatively extends his hand. Josh Oh... Hi. SCOTTY (glancing at Josh's badge) Name's Baskin, right? JOSH How'd you know that? SCOTTY Gotta. know everything in a place like this. Get you some coffee? Jcse Oh, no I... SCOTTY Cream, right? SCOTTY takes off and disappears down the aisle without waiting for the answer. Josh looks at the folders, then at the stack of spread sheets on his desk. He pulls one toward him and begins to work when a WOMAN'S LAUGHTER comes 0.S. JOSH'S POV A woman two desks down is huddled over her telephone, whispering and giggling into the receiver. eeea6l REVISED 7/28/87 . 47A, sHOT - JOSH He looks: back at the phone on his desk. Josh stares at it for a long moment, then slowly picks up the receiver and begins to dial. He looks around anxiously, biting at his finger while the phone rings and rings. cur To: INT. BASKIN KITCHEN A6lL Mrs. Baskin tries to fasten Rachel into her baby jumper as the phone continues to ring. She finally gets the belt on and races over to answer it. MRS. BASKIN Hello? INTERCUT WITH JOSH His eyes go wide as he hears his mother's voice. Josh leans closer to the phone and speaks in a hushed voice. JOSH Hello...Mrs. Baskin? MRS. BASKIN Yes? JOSE (beat) How are ya? MRS. BASKIN Who is this? JOSH Um, I just wanted you to know that Josh is fine and he's okay and everything... MRS. BASKIN (sinking to’a chair) You have my boy... JOSH Well, yes, and you're gonna get him back just the way he was... MRS. BASKIN Let me talk to Josh.REVISED 7/28/87 478. JOsH (he hesitates) Well, he can't come to the phone . right now. MRS. BASKIN Why? What did you do to him? Jos I didn't do anything to him, I think he's a teerific kid. MRS. BASKIN I want proof that he's alright. JosH Okay, ask me something. Ask me something that only he knows, anything at all, and I'll ask him for you. Then you'll know he's really okay. Okay? Anything. MRS. BASKIN (after a long pause) Ask him what I used to sing when he was little. JOSH (to himself) Oh shit (whispering) Isn't there something else you'd... MRS. BASKIN Ask him! JOSH Alright... Josh puts his hand over the receiver and hums a few bars to himself. He shakes his head and tries another tune. Frustrated, he swivels in his chair, whistling through his teeth. Finally... JosH I got it. I got it. (into phone) "Love, love me do, You know, I love you..." Mrs, Baskin begins to cry. neeREVISED 7/28/87 47c, JOSH aw, c'mon.,,Look, you'll see him ‘real soon. Cross my heart and hope to... A cup of coffee is placed on his desk. Josh looks up quickly. HIS POV Scotty is standing next to him, casually sipping his coffee. He is watching Josh with frank curiosity. WIDER - INCLUDING JOSH JOSH (beat, into phone) We'll discuss this later, okay? He slowly hangs up, Scotty nods his head. SCOTTY I know all about it. He nods again, then looks across the room. SCOTTY c'mere. Josh rises slowly from his chair. Scotty puts his arm around Josh and points toward the end of the aisle. (CONTD){ oe AGL 61 REVISED 8/20/87 4g, CONTINUED: AGL SCOTTY (contd) (confidentially) See that one over there in the red? JOSH'S POV A well-built woman in a short red dress is working at her cubicle. JOSH (0S) Yeah ... ANGLE ON THE TWO OF THEM SCOTTY She'll wrap her legs around you and squeeze so tight you'll be begging for mercy. JOSH (eyes wide) Oh, thanks ... I'll stay away from her. Scotty looks at him a little oddly. cur To: INT, SECRETARIAL AREA 6 Susan walks out of her office carrying a manila folder, past Judy who is writing her married name in different coloured pens. She rolis her eyes slightly as she turns a corner in the hallway. SUSAN (to hersel£) Still here ... HALLWAY She moves briskly down the corridor past a group of nine- year-olds being led in the other direction by a TEST MARKET RESEARCHER. TEST MARKET RESEARCHER You'll be given fifteen minutes to play with each toy. At the end of that time we will ask you a series of questions to determine your responses. Remember, no throwinc, no roughhousing or unnecessary chit- chat during the test period. Now, have fun. (CONTINUED)61 62 REVISED 8/20/87 aga. CONTINUED: 61 His voice fades as they turn the corner. Susan walks all the way to the end of the hall, pausing in front of a door labeled: BRAD DAVENPORT - SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT. She straightens her hair for a moment then reaches down for the doorknob. cur 7 INT. BRAD'S OFFICE 62 It is the next best thirg to a corner suite. In the corporate kingdom, BRAD is a crown prince. He sits at his desk, examining the "Mitor" prototype when the door swings open. SUSAN (shutting the door behind her) Trouble. BRAD We're pregnart? (CONTINUED) \REVISED 7/28/87 49, SUSAN Huggybear took a nosedive. Brad freezes behind the desk. Susan pulls a manila She looks up at him. envelope from the briefcase and drops it in front of him. Look at these numbers, Brad. Third quarter profits off forty Percent. Preorders down fifty- five. I'm not talking about one toy, I'm talking about the whole goddamn line: Huggybear papa, Huggybear mama...The goddamn baby is off sixty percent. BRAD You must feel awful. SUSAN (beat) I must feel awful? BRAD (rising) You must. SUSAN Brad...I think...we feel awful. BRAD Well, yeah. I feel bad too. SUSAN, Brad, this whole line was your-- BRAD I think if you just go right cu in there and talk to MacMillan... SUSAN It's not my fault. BRAD Honey. Are we trying to fix this thing or are we trying to place blame? BRAD (contd) If it makes you feel better I'll go talk to him with you. cur To: Brad touches the side of her cheek.63 FULL SHOT - ELEVATOR DOORS 63 The doors open and a tall man strikes out followed by Brad and Susan at his heels. He is MACMILLAN, owner and chief patriarch of MacMillan Toys. MAC Bullshit, Brad. BRAD But... MAC Let's not lie to ourselves. If kids like a toy, it sells. Period, SUSAN But every bit of research and focus testing showed that MAC Yeah, it worked with the research, it worked with the testing; it just didn't work with the kids At that moment, Josh rounds the corner going full tilt and slams into Susan. She, in turn, bashes into MacMillan who is knocked from his feet. The papers Josh was carrying fly in every direction, Brad turns and glares at Josh. BRAD Why don't you watch where the hell you're going, JOSH oh, I'm sorry. SUSAN (to Mac) Are you okay? MAC I'm fine. BRAD You could kill someone running around here like that. MAC I'm fine, Brad, “Trising to his feet) It's good to fall on your ass every once in a while.64 REVISED 7/28/87 sl. Mac reaches down to help Josh pick up the papers. Brad and Susan see him and follow suit. As Josh and Susan reach for the same sheet, he gets a full look down het blouse. Susan stares at Josh who looks away embarrassed. MAC (contd) Where are you going, son? JOSH Well, I was s'posed to get these Xeroxed and they wanted 'em by five... MAC Good for you. Mac pats Josh on the arm as he hands him the papers, then starts down the hall. MAC (contd) Nothing wrong with it, Brad. Nothin’ at all. Brad stares at him for a moment, then takes off after him with Susan in tow. Josh watches them move down the corridor* as Scotty comes up quickly beside him. 0 SCOTTY (under his breath) Better watch it, that's MacMillan. He moves away from Josh toward the opened elevator. JosH who? * SCOTTY 0 (mouthing it silently as 7 he points up) : MacMillan. * Josh looks up at the MacMillan Toys logo above the elevator as the doors close on Scotty. He turns to look down the hall where Mac has disappeared. DISSOLVE TO: INT. JOSH'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT 64 Josh sits on the bed in front of the bolted down tele- vision set. The good guys massacre the bad guys in a loud volley of gunfire. After a while, Josh rises from (conTD)65 REVISED 7/28/87 Sia. the bed and crosses to the TV set. The gunfire from the show continues: Bang Bang Bang. Josh shuts off the set and turns toward the bed when there is another loud Bang behind him. He looks back toward the window, and shrugs. DISSOLVE TO: INT, JOSH'S CUBICLE - DAY 65 He is busily typing at his keyboard, settled into the routine, when: MAN (OS) ++ +Brennan.,.Baskin... Josh turns to see a male clerk handing out envelopes in the aisle. He rises from his desk and wanders over to where Scotty is already standing. The clerk hands him an envelope. (contD)66 67 52. JOSH What's this? SCOTTY Payday. Josh tears open the envelope and takes out the check inside, His eyes go wide in disbelief, JOSH A hundred and eighty-seven dollars! SCOTTY Yeah, they really screw ya, don't they? CUT TO: INT: CHASE MANHATTAN BANK 66 Josh and Billy stand fidgeting in front of a female teller. TELLER How do you want it? Josh and Billy exchange a look. Josh leans down and whispers to Billy, who shakes his head and whispers back. After a moment of huddled conference, Josh turns back to the teller. JOSH A hundred dollar bill, eighty- seven ones, and three dimes. cur To: EXT: BANK 67 They burst out of the bank like they just robbed the place. Josh clutches the wad of bills. They get a little further up the block and let out a war shoop. Billy huddles over the money. BILLY Look at that! It's beautiful! Josh sinks to his haunches. JOSH Billy, you know what we're gonna do with this? BILLY What?68 69 REVISED 7/28/87 JosH _ Everything. : cuT TO: INT, JOSH'S HOTEL ROOM ~ NIGHT 68 It is covered with garbage. Billy wears a baseball cap with a large phony turd on the brim labelled "SHITHEAD.” Josh sits next to him in a t-shirt with an arrow, stencilled "I'M WITH STUPID." JOSH * I'm never gonna eat again. BILLY (beat) It wasn't bad till we had the pork rinds. JOSH No...It was the boat ride. Josh mock-vomits with a can of Silly String. JOSH (contd) What's that drink called again? BILLY Mango fizz. JOSH (beat) We sure had fun, didn't we? BILLY Yeah. We sure did. DISSOLVE TO: INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - LATER 69 It is silent. The door squeaks open and Josh tiptoes out in his pajamas toward the pay phone. Josh drops some change in the slot and dials a ten-digit number. As soon as he hears it connect, Josh stretches the cord as far as it will reach and tiptoes back into his room. cur TO:70 72 REVISED 7/31/87 54. INT. JOSH'S ROOM 70 He sits against the bed holding his stomach. Josh speaks quietly into the receiver. JOSH (very softly) Hello, is this the Baskin residence? (he pauses) Yes. I'm conducting a consumer survey and we were wondering what kind of medicine you give your family when they're sick. There is a pause. JOSH (contd) Well...for a stomach ache. (pause) I see. And how often do you give that? (nodding) Every four hours...very good... Josh pauses looking straight ahead. JOSH (contd) What? No, I don't have any more questions. (beat) Oh... .Okay. (quietly) Bye. Josh lowers the receiver and looks at it for a moment. cur TO: EXT. DISPLAY WINDOW - FAO SCHWARZ n A beautiful new sailboat sits alone in the center of the window. The CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL Josh, alone with his hands in his pockets, pressing his nose against the glass. MAN'S VOICE (OS) Josh! He whirls around at the sound of the voice, to see: HIS Pov A MAN is running back to his five-year-old SON who is chasing after a big sheepdog on a leash.72 REVISED 7/31/87 54a. WIDER - INCLUDING JOSH He watches as the man swings his son up on his shoulder and carries him into the store. cur TO: INT. FAO SCHWARZ 72 Josh stands behind a circle of kids surrounding a salesman as he demonstrates a small balsa-wood glider plane. He tosses it toward them, and they all grab for it, He executes a loop over their heads and returns to the man, He flies it over his audience a second time. (CONTD)73 REVISED 7/28/87 55. A nine-year-old boy reaches out his hand. Josh pushes him aside and he turns to chase the plane down the . aisle. The boy's mother glares as Josh goes running after it. cur To: ANOTHER FLOOR - STORE 73 Holding a laser-tag gun, Josh crouches behind a display of giraffes. ANOTHER ANGLE - BOY A fifteen-year-old BOY creeps around an aisle, his laser gun held ready. SHOT - MACMILLAN He stands at the top of the aisle, watching silently as the boy moves toward Josh's hiding place. WIDER All at once Josh leaps out, aiming his gun. The boy quickly steps aside and fires. Josh gasps and grabs his stomach. He drops his gun and stares at the boy for a stunned moment. Then, with a hideous cry, he falls to the floor. CLOSE - JOSH Josh opens his eyes and begins to laugh, All at once he stops. HIS Pov Two men's feet sporting a pair of, loafers are standing inches from his nose. The CAMERA ANGLES UP TO REVEAL MacMillan, staring down at Josh with an intrigued smile on his face. MAC You work for me, don't you? gosH (a little nervous) Uh...yeah. MAC Thought so. (beat) Here with your kids? tee aeREVISED 7/28/87 SA. JosH No, just--looking around. Josh climbs to his feet. MAC (pause) Me too...I come here every Saturday. * He studies Josh for a moment. * MAC (contd) Can't see this on a marketing report. (CONTD.)56. JosH What's a marketing report? MAC (nodding) Exactly, He examines Josh for another couple of seconds, then turns toward the shelves behind him. MAC (contd) What do you think of this thing? He pulls a large box from the shelf. JosH (excited) Stanley Cup Hockey set! I love that, only ... He catches himself. MAC Only what? JOSH Only the pieces don't move. MAC What do you mean? JOSH Well, in the old set you could move the pieces up and down the ice. Now they just spin. It was more like real hockey the other way. {he looks at Mac) How come they changed it? MAC I don't know. 74 DOLLY SHOT - MAC AND JOSH 14 They walk side by side down the aisle of the toy store. Josa é) See the Starfighters are good q ‘Gause you can change the pieces around, I don't like the Galacticons ‘cause you just get one robot and it doesn't come with a vehicle.57. MAC I see. JOSH Plus they can't go underwater. Now with At that moment, there is a musical note coming from beneath him, Josh stops and looks down. WIDER ANGLE - JOSH AND MAC Josh is standing on a huge piano keyboard that is clearly meant to be walked on. He steps on a different key and another note comes out, Josh steps on two keys in succession and it's the beginning of a song. JOSH (contd) Neat! DIFFERENT ANGLE Mac watches as Josh starts into the first four note pro- gression of "Heart and Soul." After a couple of tries the familiar base line of the song begins to enezge. ANGLE ON MAC He watches in amazement as Josh does a little two-step across the piano keys. Mac smiles slightly. MAC Piano lessons? JOSH (nodding) Three years. Mac watches him for a moment, then glances over his shoulder. He pauses, then reaches out with his toe and taps the first three notes of the song. "HEART -- AND -- SOUL" Josh looks up at him startled. MAC (smiling) Me too, Every day after school. Mac steps onto the keyboard. He starts to tap out the melody, stepping nimbly across the keys. Josh grins at him and Mac sticks out his hand like an old vaudevillian. The two of them dance their duet across the keyboardREVISED 7/28/87 58. a something out of the Catskills. When they reach the Nat crescendo, Mac sweeps his foot across the keyboard in. a huge flourish. He turns to Josh with a grin on his face. MAC (contd) What division you say you worked in? cur TO: 75 INT. EXECUTIVE OFFICE - DAY 75 The floor-to-ceiling shelves are filled with toys. There is a console telephone that looks like it can fly and a brand new VCR with stacks of cassettes. BILLY (0s) Wow! (looking at all the toys) It's like Christmas in here. DIFFERENT ANGLE Josh and Billy stand in the doorway staring at the new office. BILLY (wandering over to the desk) "Vice-President!" That means like if the President dies you get to take over for him, JOSH Naw, they got a million of 'em. Billy sits down in the high-back leather desk chair. BILLY So what exactly do they want * you to do? a JOSE (proudly) I think a lot. BILLY Suckers. He props his feet up on the desk like a little executive 7 and pulls the phone receiver to his ear.76 REVISED 7/28/87 59. BILLY (contd) (playing corporate modul) ' “Henderson=-you're fired! The two boys crack up as Billy glances toward the far wall. BILLY (contd) AT.Y. set! JosH A monitor.,.that's hooked to * cable... * (beat) * And a VCR! BILLY You're the luckiest guy I know. CUT TO: INT. FOCUS GROUP, - DAY 76 It is a large white test area built to look like a kindergarten classroom. There are kiddie-sized chairs and kiddie-sized tables and a dozen five-year-olds screaming and yelling. Each wears a set of foam rubber boxing gloves easily three feet in diameter. On the table in front of them is a box inscribed: “PILLOW FIGHT." BRAD (OS) A week! Vice President and he's been here a week! WIDER ANGLE - INCLUDING BRAD AND SUSAN One child decks another cne as they whisper near the back of the room. SUSAN They say he came from Data Pro- cessing. Maybe he-- BRAD Wait, let me think. (shaking his head) He's out of his mind. The old bastard has lost it. Several kids cluster together in something approaching a brawl.7 REVISED 7/28/87 60. SUSAN I hear he's got Bob's old office. BRAD There's got to be a reason. Something like this doesn't happen without a reason. One kid gets leveled and starts to cry, Brad gestures to the boy as he leaves the room. BRAD (contd) Take some of the stuffing out. cor 3 INT, JOSH'S OFFICE 7 Josh and Billy stand at opposite ends of the office, throwing a frisbee that emits musical tones as it flies. The floor is covered with toys. BILLY So they wanna play spin the bottle an’ Shirlee says I don't wanna play an' David calls her a chicken. An! she goes, I am not a chicken, I Just don't wanna play... JosH I'll bet. The door opens and Josh's secretary MISS PATTERSON enters the room. She barely sidesteps the flying frisbee and places a file on Josh's desk. The boys stop and stare at her. MISS PATTERSON Sorry. She hurries out of the room as Billy flings the frisbee back to Josh. BILLY So, David goes, you are so a chicken, I bet you never even made out. An' she goes... There is a loud BUZZ from the intercom. BILLY (contd) I guess that's for you. Josh goes over to the phone and picks up the receiver.78 JOSH (in a deep grownup voice) Yeees? (beat-normal) Oh, sure. Great. He hangs up and turns to Billy. gosH (contd) Mac wants me, He's the boss. BILLY I gotta go anyway. He picks up his satchel and starts toward the door. JosH oh, wait.. (picking up the file from the desk) She did your geography report. BILLY (incredulous) No. JOSH (whispering) That's what this whole place is like. You don't do anything yourself. Billy shakes his head in amazement. JOSH (contd) So how're things at home? Compared to (looking at all the toys in the room) Gimme a break. CUT TO: INT. BRAD'S KITCHEN - MORNING 78 Brad and Susan sit at the breakfast table drinking coffee. A television set plays a news program in the background. Susan wears a wrinkled outfit from the night before. Brad wears a bathrobe. BRAD Did you check Mattel?78 CONTINUED: REVISED 8/20/87 61a. 78 SUSAN Nothing. BRAD What about Coleco? suSAN Zero. BRAD Well, he can't come from nowhere Susan. Nobody comes from nowhere. (he pauses with the cup in hand) Hasbro? susaN And Fisher Price and Worlds of Wonder. I've called everywhere. The guy comes from Data Processing. BRAD Terrific. That's just terrific. That is really terrific... (CONTINUED)79 62. Brad turns toward the television set fuming. "WEEK IN REVIEW" continues in the background, T.V. SET +++ as the Justice Department broadened its probe into inside trading with the additional arrests of seven men from Drexel Burnham. CLOSE UP - T.V. Several Wall Street executives are led handcuffed out of their office building. T.V. SET (contd) It marks the first time the insider trading scandal has extended to the bond market area. ON BRAD BRAD (snapping a little) Great! Now they're arresting businessmen. (turning to Susan) The new American crime: trying to earn a living. - Susan looks at Brad for a moment. She picks up the milk and pours some in her ccffee as the CAMERA MOVES IN 0% the side of the carton. A photo of twelve-year-old Josh Baskin smiles back. The caption above it reads: "HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CHILD?" CUT TO: INT: MACMILLAN'S OFFICE - DAY 79 Josh sits on the couch flanked on either side by two executives who are dressed almost identically. The CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL: a huge, wood-paneled office, informally furnished with comfortable sofas and chairs. Every major executive in the company is seated around the room, Several hold prototypes of various toys, waiting their turn to present them. Brad stands at the front of the room, pointing at a large bar graph mounted onan easel. Mac slouches down in his chair listening to Brad present his toy, while Josh examines a prototype of it on the coffee table in front of him.oO BRAD sss The focus testing showed a solid base in the nine to eleven bracket with possible carryover into twelve-year-olds. ANGLE ON JOSH He holds the prototype in his hands, staring at it with a baffled look on his face. It looks something like a skyscraper but not quite. Josh manipulates the upper stories and the sides fall away revealing robotic legs underneath. He tries to pry them out but they don't move. BRAD When you consider that Gobots and Transformers pulled a thirty-seven percent market share and we're targeting roughly the same segments ... ANGLE ON SUSAN She sits upright in her chair, the only woman in the room. Susan looks over at Brad as he continues with his report. BRAD «+. I think we could see about a quarter of that, which would equal a fifth of our total revenue for all of last year. (he stops and smiles) Any questions? There are several seconds of silence, then ... JOSH I don't get it. WIDE ANGLE - ENTIRE ROOM A hushed murmur goes through the room, Every eye turns toward Josh, who holds the Mitor prototype. It is an epic confrontation. BRAD (tightly) What exactly don't you get? cOsH It turns from an office building into a robot? BRAD Precisely.64. Josh (innocertly) Well, what's fun about that? There is an even louder murmur. Susan glances back and forth between Josh and Brad, Brad's eyes narrow, BRAD If you'd read your Industry Breakdown, ycu'd see that our success in the Action Figure area has climbed from... An aide hands him the figures. BRAD (contd) (without looking at them) «++ twenty-seven percent to forty- five in the last two years. JOSH on. (beat) I still don't get it. MAC What don't you get, Josh? JOSH Well, I mean, a robot .., that's old.’ Couldn't it turn into a bug or something? BRAD A "bug"? JOSH Yeah, like this big prehistoric insect with really huge claws that can pick up a car and just crush it like that. FIRST EXECUTIVE A prehistoric transformer? MAC Interesting. BRAD Gentlemen, if you would just ... SECOND EXECUTIVE So the building turns into a monster.REVISED 8/20/87 65. 79 CONTINUED: 79 Josh I guess ... FIRST EXECUTIVE We could put out a whole species. JosH Yeah, you could hatch them out of houses. CLOSE UP - MACMILLAN As he nods slowly from his desk. MAC Maybe the eyes could blink. , cur To: 80 INT. BRAD'S APARTMENT - NIGHT go * They sit in his living room. Brad clutches his drink. BRAD He's vicious. Oo SUSAN He's not vicious. Oo BRAD Don't kid yourself, Susan, that man is a killer. SUSAN All he said was he didn't get it. BRAD Didn't get it! He tried to evicerate me, Susan. He went for my throat. (pause) Did you see MacMillan's face? SUSAN Uh huh. cur TO:al 82 a3 84 REVISED 7/28/87 66. INT. SOHO LOFT - DAY 81 It is vast and empty. Josh and Billy stand beside a well-dressed real estate agent. AGENT It's quite a unique space. The lines are so clean and you don't get any of the “partition” quality. (he strolls forward) Brand new bathroom, modern kitchen... (pointing) It's even got a trash compactor. BILLY We'll take it. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. SOHO STREET - MORNING a2 A large moving van pulls up to the curb with the words GORDON RENTS on the side of the truck. JOSH (VO) "Dear Mom..." Aman in a jumpsuit hops out of the truck and pushes an intercom button on the door of the building. MOVING MAN (into intercom) Baskin? A large water balloon splats next to him on the sidewalk. CUT TO: INT. JOSH'S LOFT 83 JOSH (VO) "...They said that I could write you and let you know I was okay..." Josh flies by on a skateboard, zigzagging through the columns. cur TO: EXT, STREET 84 two more trucks are parked in front of the building, blocking traffic. Josh and Billy play stoopball on the front steps as a pair of moving men wheel a pinballa5 AB6 87 86 38 REVISED 7/28/87 67. machine and full-sized basketball hoop down the ramp of the truck. : JosH (vo) So far they're treating me fine." * cur TO: OMIT 85 EXT. BUILDING ASE - Josh climbs out on the ledge of the loft to retrieve a 7 kite. * JosH (vO contd) "...r!ve got enough to eat and i'm perfectly safe. cur To: EXT. HARD ROCK CAFE a7 ‘They go into the club. JOSH (VO contd) "...They say I'll get out of here in’about a month." cur To: INT. FOCUS GROUP ~ MACMILLAN TOYS . 86 A group of four-year-olds with Josh in the center jump up and down on saturn-shaped “Pogo Balls." JOSH (VO contd) "...In the meantime, it's a lot like camp.” OTHER SIDE OF THE TWO-WAY MIRROR MacMillan, Brad and Susan all watch Josh as he bounces up and down in the middle of the focus group. CUT TO: INT. DINGY CORRIDOR cy Billy stands alone, without Josh, in front of a nondescript wall. He glances to his right as: WIDER89 REVISED 7/28/87 68. Josh enters the shot carrying two hot dogs. The CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM around a corner and up a long tunnel, as . YANKEE STADIUM is suddenly REVEALED in all its splendour. JOSH (VO contd) «I watch T.V. and even get outside once in a while.” EXT. YANKEE STADIUM - DAY Josh and Billy sit in the front row of the upper deck wearing their baseball nitts. Josh pounds his a couple of times. JOSH (VO contd) «I know you miss me but try not to worry." CUT TO: EXT. SOUVENIR STAND a9 Billy tries on a black satin Yankee jacket as Josh locks on admiringly. JOSH (VO contd) "2 think this experience might even be good for me." EXT. YANKEE STADIUM Josh and Billy, both wearing jackets, exit the turnstiles with the post-game throng. JOSH (VO contd) “I love you very much and I know I'll see you soon...” They start to get smaller as they move away from THE CAMERA, blending in with the crowd. JOSH (VO contd) ”...Your son Joshua." Soon Josh and Billy disappear entirely, until there is just a sea of people, JOSH (VO contd) .8....I stopped biting my nails." cuT TO:REVISED 7/28/87 68a. 5 900 «OMIT so * 91 INT. TUXEDO SHOP - DAY ole Josh and Billy enter through the front door. Several customers are in the store. (CONTD.)69. c BILLY MoD Why can't I come? sosH I told you, It's just for people in the company. BILLY I could be your assistant. A salesman walks up to them with a tape measure around his neck. SALESMAN Can I help you? JOSH I need to rent a tuxedo. SALESMAN I see. Is there any particular occasion? BILLY His company's having a party. SALESMAN Well, then, you'd probably. want something simple, Maybe a shawl collar with ... Jos This is neat. Josh moves over to a mannequin displaying a powder blue tux in crushed velvet. He reaches up, feeling the levels. JOSH (contd) Billy, whadda ya think? BILLY I like it. SALESMAN Uh, usually that type of tuxedo is’ popular with students. Senior proms and . BILLY Look at this one! } He runs over to a customer trying on a dark gray cutaway.va qd 92 REVISED 8/20/87 70, BILLY (contd) (to man) What kind of tuxedo is this? SALESMAN (quickly moving toward Billy) It's not a tuxedo. It's a morning coat. JOSH Hey ... Billy and the salesman turn toward Josh, who is pointing across the store, JOSH (contd) I've got it! INT: WALDORF ASTORIA BALLROOM - NIGHT 92 The walls are lined with a massive toy display. Living versions of top-line toys stroll amongst the guests. MacMillan Toys is throwing its annual black-tie bash to promote the fail line. SHOT - SUSAN AND BRAD They stand near the buffet with a small group of people. Brad wears a single breasted tuxedo. Susan's gown plunges down the back. BRAD Oh come on George. You can't a sell to the parents, you sell 0G to the kids. * GEORGE I disagree. BRAD Listen, you hit 'em at seven a.m, while their folks are still asleep. Then, you get ‘em good 'n jacked-up for a couple of hours so by ten, they're ripping the house apart. (he leans in) It's timing, George. You want that parent to wake up hearing little Jennifer screaming: "PUPPY-PAL” "PUPPY PAL". * CLOSE UP - SUSAN Brad's words blur into the undertone as she glances toward the door. There are just some waiters moving in and out.ne All at once, there is a familiar laugh behind her. HER POV - MACMILLAN He is sharing a joke with a group of people. They move along as Mac turns and heads for the bar. FULL SHOT - BAR Mac leans against the bar and orders a drink. He gets a double Scotch and turns to see Susan standing to his left. She flashes him a wide smile and touches his lapels. SUSAN I love your tux, MAC I think it's the same as the waiter's. Susan throws her head back in a trail of laughter, then comes right back to MacMillan, touching his arm. SUSAN Have you decided what you're doing on the Danberry line? MAC Not yet. SUSAN Well ... (lowering her voice) I think if you got everyone's input up front, I mean right at the very beginning ... MAC Susan, have a drink. SUSAN what? MAC Have a couple of drinks. She looks at him baffled. Mac smiles at her. MAC (contd) It's a party. He turns and walks away, leaving her alone at the ber.72. FULL SHOT ~ BRAD BRAD «++ And with the exchange rate down there you make out like a bandit. (leaning closer) I get two housekeepers and a cook for a hundred bucks a month, Now where else are you gonna -- All at once, a hush descends on the room, Brad glances around, then looks toward the door. FULL SHOT - DOORWAY Josh stands in the portico dressed from head to toe in white satin tails. The top hat is white. The shoes are white. He clutches white gloves and an ivory welking stick. FULL SHOT - MACMILLAN He lowers his drink and slowly starts to smile. Ali at once MacMillan begins to laugh. WIDE ANGLE They all stare at Mac as his laughter grows, He starts across the ballroom, smiling at Josh. MacMillan clinbs the stairs and clasps an arm around Josh's shoulder, grinning like a proud father. MAC Glad you could make it, Josh. A murmur goes up from the crowd as he escorts Jesh dcwn the stairs. ANOTHER ANGLE - PARTY - LATER Josh and Mac are standing by the buffet having a lively conversation, ANGLE ON BRAD He's on his fourth martini, Brad leans in close to the man he's talking to, oblivious of Susan as she glances across the room. BRAD The guy's a goddamn knock-off artist. "Amphibian"? That's G.I. Joe with gills.REVISED 8/20/87 72a. CONTINUED: 92 MAC My oldest brother told me it wasn't true and when my mother found out, she almost beat him within an inch of his life. JOSH Well-I figured it out ‘cause the chimney was too small. ANGLE ON BRAD He's on his fourth martini, Brad leans in close to the man he's talking to, oblivious of Susan as she glances across the room. BRAD +++ The guys 2 goddamn knock-off artist. "Anphibian”. He gets ten- thousand G.I. Joes, slaps some gills on ‘em, webs the feet and packages them with seaweed. Gimme a break. (CONTINUED)REVISED 7/28/87 73. Susan glances back at Brad, then touches his elbow. SUSAN Excuse me. She leaves before he can react and is off across the ballroom, brushing her hair back in two quick strokes. FULL SHOT - BUFFET Josh stands at the salmon mold, chatting with a MAN in his forties. MAN So what do you do? JOSH About what? The man walks away baffled as Josh pulls several grapes from the buffet and tosses them up in the air, catching them in his mouth. CLOSER SHOT - JOSH Susan slides up beside him, moving INTO THE SHOT. She pauses by the buffet then turns to face the party. SUSAN All the same people having all the same discussions.,.It's like they cloned some party in nineteen-eighty-three and kept spinning it out again and again. Josh looks at her like she's speaking Susan turns to face him. SUSAN (contd) I loved your ideas on the Squeezy Doll line. Josi Oh...Thanks. SUSAN They had such clarity. Josh mouths the word to himself trying to remember what it means. A waiter stops in front of them with a tray of canapes. Josh looks at them suspiciously. SUSAN (contd) (reassuring) It's Beluga.74, JOSH oh. He takes the canapé and pops it into his mouth. Josh chews twice before his eyes go wide in horror and he spits the entire mouthful all over the buffet. JOSH (contd) (spitting it out) Ach ... Thwa ... Twe «ee He lunges for a drink on a nearby waiter's tray. Josh takes a huge gulp, then sprays the martini all over the floor. JOsH (contd) Achaaa! SUSAN Are you alright? Josh continues to choke. SUSAN (contd) Do you want some water? JOSH (gasping) Please! She glances across the room at Brad for a moment, then comes right back to Jesh. SUSAN (lowering her voice) Good, I have the company car right outside, Let's get out of here. JOSH (still choking a little) Sounds good to me. She looks him in the eye, nodding slightly. SUSAN Terrific. Josh turns and walks quickly toward the exit. Susan follows a step or two behind as they head up the marble stairs, Josh pushes open the door and steps outside. SUSAN (brushing back her hair) Just seeing somebody in the office, you don't really get the chance to ...REVISED 8/20/87 78. 93 EXT. HOTEL - PARK AVENUE 93 Josh stops at the curb in front of a shiny new Subaru. Susan moves beside him. : JOSH Neat car. * SUSAN Do you want to drive? JOSH (pausing) Well ... I'd love to but I better not. Josh jumps into the passenger seat. The seat belt automatically slides up, wrapping itself around his shoulder. JOSH That's the coolest thing I've ever seen. 94 INT. SUSAN'S CAR - LATER 94 Josh is engrossed in the electronic console as Susan drives. He raises and lowers the windows, clicks the © electric door locks up and down, and plays with the lights on the vanity mirror. Susan stares straight ahead. There is a driven intensity to her speech. SUSAN Just seeing somebody in the office, * you don't really get the chance to... * Josh hits the switch that turns on the quadrophonic stereo, filling the car with sound. SUSAN (contd) * vee know them... * JOSH Neat! He presses the station scanner as classical segues to news and on to heavy netal. (CONTINUED)94 REVISED 8/20/87 75a. CONTINUED: 94 SUSAN It's hard in a business situation. I mean, there's that invisible line and even if you're attracted to somebody ... nee JOSH A phone! SUSAN Well, yes. She glances at him as Jcsh reaches for the receiver. SUSAN Uh, is there somebody you have to call before ... JOSH (into phone) Operator. Hey, I'm in a Subaru. Yeah, I'm ina car! Bye! SUSAN Actually, I'm feeling a little vulnerable right now. Josh suddenly opens his door a crack. His seatbelt slides back as a computer voice warns them: COMPUTER (VO) Your door is ajar. Your door is ajar. JosH (imitating voice) The jar is a door. The jar isa All at once the car hits a bump and Josh's door flies completely open. He reaches out to grab it. SHOT - CAR It flies down a street in the Village with Josh leaning out the door. He grabs the handle, then suddenly points to a building across the street. JOSH Hey ... INT. CAR JOSH (pulling the door shut) That was my apartment. (CONTINUED)94 95 REVISED 8/20/87 76. CONTINUED 94 EXT. CAR Tires screech as Susan pulls a U-turn in the middle of the block. SUSAN (VO) I'd love to see where you live. cur tT INT. HALLWAY 95 The elevator doors open and they walk out into the small hallway. SUSAN Have you always lived alone? JOSH Uh, no... net always. SUSAN Yes, well, it's hard coming off a relationship. It hurts. There's * no way around it. The pain, the i sleepless nights. But that's what * they invented Xanax for, right? * Josh just looks at her. SUSAN (contd) (facing him directly) Are you alright now? * JOSH (bewildered) Yeah, I'm fine. Susan stares up into his eyes and he stares back into hers. They stand like that for several seconds when Josh finally shrugs and fits his key in the door. (CONTINUED)77. SUSAN (grabbing his hand) I don't know if we should do this yet. JOSH Do what? SUSAN I mean, I like you and I want to spend the night with you... JOSH (surprised) Ya mean sleep over? SUSAN (taken aback) Well ... yes. He pauses for a moment and thinks about it. JOSH Okay, but I'm gonna be on top. CUT TO: FULL SHOT - BUNK BEDS 96 Two double bunk beds sit stacked in the middle of th> room. The CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL: A full child's paradise. Susan stands next to Josh in the doorway, with her mouth open in shock. There is a jungle of inflatable palm trees complete with blow-up flamingoes. The kitchen shelves are stocked with boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. There is a pinball machine in one corner with a Coke machine beside it. "THE REAL THING" flashes on and off while a fan in the shape of a spaceship orbits the top of the room. SUSAN You live here? Jos Yeah, isn't it great? She moves forward into the room, staring in bewilderment. JOSH (contd) Want a Coke? SUSAN (still amazed) Uh, sure ... that would be ...78. Josh spins around and bashes the side of the machine with his foot. A can spits out the bottom and he hands it to Susan, JOSH I rigged it up myself, You don't need any quarters. She takes the Coke and glances around the room in di: belief, Susan wanders over to a table and starts to pick up a model spaceship. JOSH (contd) Don't! She pulls her hand away. JOSH (contd) The glue's not dry. SUSAN (beat) Sorry. She looks over toward the corner. SUSAN (contd) (amazed) Is that a trampoline? JOSH Sure is, Wanna try it? SUSAN Oh -- no, I... JOSH (grabbing her arm) C'mon, It's fun. SUSAN No, I can't. JOSH Sure ya can, It's easy. Josh takes her by the arm and starts to pull her over to the trampoline. SUSAN My shoes ... JOSH Take ‘em off,