英文片名: pleasantville
中文片名: 欢乐谷
上映: 1998
pleasantville
a fairytale by gary ross
october 7, 1996
'he was part of my dream of course
but then i was part of his dream too.'
- lewis carroll 'through the looking glass'
fade in:
int. high school auditorium. day.
a college counselor stands at the podium lecturing the high
school seniors about their future.
college counselor
... for those of you going on to college
next year, the chance of finding a good
job will actually decrease by the time
you graduate. entry level jobs will drop
from thirty-one to twenty-six percent,
and the median income for those jobs
will go down as well ...
there is some rustling in the audience.
college counselor (cont)
obviously, my friends, it's a
competitive world and good grades are
your only ticket through. by the year
two thousand ...
int. high school. health class.
a different teacher lectures a different class of students.
health teacher
... the chance of contracting hiv from a
promiscuous lifestyle will climb to one
in one hundred and fifty. the odds of
dying in an auto accident are only one
in twenty-five hundred.
(beat)
now this marks a drastic increase ...
int. high school. science class.
same angle. different teacher.
science teacher
... from just four years ago when ozone
depletion was at ten percent of its
current level. by the time you are
twenty years old, average global
temperature will have risen two and a
half degrees. even a shift of one
degree can cause such catastrophic
consequences as typhoons, floods,
widespread drought and famine.
reverse angle. students.
they stare back in stunned silence. one of them, david
wagner, sits in the front row with a pencil in his mouth.
nobody moves ...
science teacher
(chipper classroom tone)
okay. who can tell me what famine is?
cut to:
1958.
birds are chirping. the sun is shining. all the hedges are
neatly pruned and the lawns are perfectly manicured. a sweet
stillness hangs over the suburban street, which is bathed in
beautiful black and white.
man's voice (os)
honey, i'm home.
suburban home.
george parker enters the front door and hangs his hat on the
coatrack. he sets his briefcase down and moves into the foyer
with a huge smile on his face. it's a frozen smile that
doesn't seem to be affected by too much in particular--like a
tour guide at disneyland.
woman's voice (os)
hello darling.
wider.
mrs. george parker (betty) enters, untying the back of her
apron. she is a vision of '50s beauty with a thin figure and
concrete hair. betty crosses to her husband and hands him a
fresh martini. she kisses him on the cheek.
betty
how was your day?
george
oh, swell. you know, mr. connel said
that if things keep going the way they
are, i might be seeing that promotion
sooner than i thought.
betty
oh darling that's wonderful!
(an adoring gaze)
i always knew you could do it.
wagner living room. night.
1996 -- (living color)
david wagner sits on his couch watching this entire action on
a sleek new sony t.v. he stares riveted at the set with a big
smile on his face. david wears black shoes, black pants,
black t-shirt and a black baseball cap, not a nerd exactly
... he reaches next to him into a huge bag of doritos, never
taking his eyes off the show.
george (os)
(on t.v.)
hey, pumpkin! what's that smell?
(sniffing)
is that your meat loaf?
david
(by rote)
'it might be ...'
betty (os)
(shy smile)
it might be.
he leans over and kisses her--again on the cheek.
george (os)
oh pumpkin! you sure know the way to
this man's heart.
there is a loud and inappropriate laugh track. david smiles
wider and is just about to reach for more corn chips, when
his real mother's voice rings out from the other room.
david's mom (os)
... bullshit barry, that wasn't the
deal
int. kitchen.
david's mom paces the room with the phone in her hand.
between the plastic surgery and the make-up it's hard to fix
her age.
david's mom
no--you have custody the first weekend
of every month and this is the first
weekend ...
(pause)
i don't care if yesterday was the
thirtieth, this is still the first
weekend.
int. living room.
her words drift in from the kitchen while david stares at the
show.
david's mom (os)
no i can't bail you out, i'm supposed to
go to la costa ...
(beat)
well if i want to get a mud bath, that's
really my business, isn't it?
he reaches out and turns up the sound. pleasantville plays at
an unnaturally high volume.
george
(on t.v.)
hey. where are those kids?
david
(reciting--a little louder)
'right behind you father.'
bud and mary sue together
(on t.v.)
right behind you father.
resume t.v. (black and white)
the parkers' son and daughter (bud and mary sue) enter the
foyer together. mary sue wears her hair in a pony tail. bud
has on a letterman's sweater.
marysue
mother ... father ... bud has a little
surprise for you.
betty
what's that bud?
bud hesitates for a moment, then folds up a shiny blue
ribbon.
bud
first prize at the science fair. there
were lots of swell projects--guess mine
was just the 'swellest'.
betty
darling that's wonderful. except there's
no such word as 'swellest'.
bud
well gee whizz, mom. lt wasn't the
'english' fair.
there is another jarring laugh track.
close up. david.
he smiles right along with it. david stares transfixed at the
set despite the continuing conversation in the other room.
david's mom (os)
well sure they can stay by themselves,
barry, but that's not the point. you
said you'd take them.
(beat)
well fine--they'll stay by themselves
then.
david
(quietly)
what's a mother to do?
betty(os)
(on t.v.)
oh--what's a mother to do?
close up. david.
he grabs another handful of doritos staring at the t.v ...
cut to:
ext. high school. (series of shots) day.
a cacophony of modem life. beepers and nose rings--blue hair
and tattoos. dissonant boom boxes compete with one another.
the hormones are running crazy.
school courtyard.
lt is a large open area, alive at lunchtime. groups of kids
hang out together, spanided by their various cliques. the
music pounds in the background.
close up. david.
he stands at one end of the courtyard beside a chain link
fence. beads of sweat form on david's forehead as he speaks
to someone in front of him.
david
hi. i mean ...
(pause)
... hi.
reverse angle.
a very pretty blonde girl smiles back at him. it's a warm,
welcoming smile.
close up. david.
david
look. you probably don't think i should
be asking you this. i mean--not knowing
you well and all ...
reverse angle. girl.
she smiles wider at him, inviting him to continue.
close up. david.
david
(pause ...)
i mean i know you--everybody knows you
... i just don't know you ...
technically.
reverse angle. girl.
she nods at him ...
close up. david.
david
well--i was just wondering--'cause i see
you all the time in algebra and i heard
you humming that van halen song and i
really like that song too ...
(pause)
anyhow, i don't know what you're doing
this weekend but my mom's leaving town
and she said i could use her car so ...
reverse angle. girl.
she positively beams. the girl flicks her blonde hair and
stares back at him adoringly.
close up. david.
instead of smiling back, david just stares, then looks at the
ground.
wide angle. schoolyard.
for the first time we see that she wasn't talking to him.
david stands a good hundred yards across the schoolyard,
rehearsing this speech while the young woman stands face to
face with a much cooler boy. he has a cell phone and a very
hip haircut.
angle. david.
david watches as the girl throws her arm around the boy's
waist and heads out of the playground ...
cut to:
ext. 'luncheon court'. day.
david and his friends are all gathered around the plastic
picnic tables and vending machines that form the luncheon
court. the chess club meets at one end and there are some
teachers at the other. all the cool kids are on the other
side of the fence but david and his friends eat lunch at the
same table every day.
howard
okay, whose window did bud break when he
was playing with his father's golf
clubs?
david
easy. mr. jenkins. what job did mr.
jenkins have?
howard looks at him, puzzled.
david (cont)
salesman. what did bud and mary sue name
the cat they found in the gutter?
howard
scout?
david
marmalade.
they all nod--and murmur with admiration.
david (cont)
okay--here's one: why did their parents
come home early from their weekend at
the lake?
everybody thinks.
nobody knows.
david (cont)
'cause bud didn't answer the phone and
they were worried about him.
it's quiet for a beat.
howard
you're unbelievable. you'll win this
thing for sure. when is it on?
david
marathon starts at 6:30. contest's
tomorrow at noon.
howard
(weighing it)
a thousand dollars ... and it's on all
night?
david
of course it is howard. that's why they
call it a marathon.
cut to:
the other side of the fence.
david's sister, jennifer, hangs out with her friends in the
parking lot. all the girls are dressed in the exact same
uniform: blue jeans, beeper on the belt, white v-neck t
shirt, car keys in their hand. (even the girls without a car
hold car keys in their hand). jennifer is by far the
prettiest and, thus, is the leader of the group. they all
look toward the luncheon court where david and his friends
are hanging out.
kimmy
omigod, it's so mortifying, being
related to him. i can't believe you're
like--
jennifer
only on my parent's side.
kimmy
i know, but you're like ... twins and
stuff.
(beat)
you must be from like, the cool side of
the uterus.
a group of very hip boys strut through the parking lot. they
bop up and down with the self-confidence of all cool sixteen
year olds. the girls freeze when they see them.
kimmy (cont)
omigod, omigod--here they come.
christin
don't do anything. just don't like--do
anything ...
jennifer
(cooly)
hi mark.
different angle.
he pauses then looks over at her. jennifer slides sinuously
off the fender of the car, flicking her hair like a young
racehorse. she has a perfect 16 year old body and the whole
parking lot knows it. mark heads over to her, followed by his
lackies. the two groups meet at the tail-gate of the nissan
pathfinder like a small summit conference.
mark
(to jennifer)
hey.
jennifer
(right back)
hey.
beat ...
mark's lackeys
(to jennifer's lackies)
hey.
jennifer's lackeys
(back to them)
hey.
mark
saw you at the mall yesterday.
jennifer
yeah ... saw you too.
everyone nods for a moment or two. no one says anything.
jennifer (cont)
so you watching pearl jam on mtv
tonight?
mark
yeah.
(beat)
jennifer pauses, weighing the next statement.
jennifer
my mom'll be out of town.
kimmy and christin positively gasp while mark's lackeys
mumble and glance around. the import of the thing isn't lost
on anybody. mark bobs up and down a little faster.
mark
so uh ... maybe we could uh ...
jennifer
(smiling)
cool.
mark
(nodding faster)
cool.
various lackeys
cool.
everybody bobs and shuffles for ?beat, when mark nods,
summoning his flock.
cut to:
ext. wagner house. dusk.
lt is a south-westem version of 'leave it to beaver.' the
uniformity of suburbia has been washed in earth tones. there
is a red tile roof gracing every home. all the houses have
the same anemic palm tree. it's a urban planner's version of
hell.
jennifer (vo)
... i know, i know--he's just like so
fine ... i'm still like: 'omigod.'
int. wagner home.
lt is just as sleek and impersonal as before. maybe more so
at night. jennifer crosses through the living room with the
cordless phone attached to her ear.
jennifer
it was amazing, daph ... i'm like:
'well my mom'll be out of town.' and
he's like 'well then, maybe we could--
you know ...' and i'm like 'yeah, sure.'
and he's like 'well, cool.'
(beat)
i know, he's just so smart.
(pause ...)
i don't know. maybe that black thing i
just got.
(pause ...)
it is not slutty, daph, it's cute.
(pause ... )
well, 'hello?' he's not coming over
here to study ...
(beat)
i know. well i'm jealous of you too
sometimes.
int. david's bedroom.
lt is studious and academic--not joyless, but not colorful
either. david stands at his bedroom window, staring outside
with a cordless phone in his hand.
david
... he's not homeless howard, they just
don't say where he lives.
(pause ...)
well it's a silly question.
(pause ...)
because nobody's homeless in
pleasantville.
reverse angle. his pov.
his mother loads the final louis vuitton bag into her
mercedes.
david
... because that's just not what it's
like.
she fires up the car and pulls out of the driveway...
david (cont)
listen howard--it's almost six-thirty.
i gotta go.
int. wagner living room.
the huge black tv sits like a monolith in the middle of the
room. all at once david comes bounding down the stairs making
a b-iine for the couch. jennifer enters just as quickly from
the other direction, fiddling with her clothes.
different angle.
they hit the coffee table and reach for the remote control at
exactly the same moment. both of them freeze then look up at
each other in shock.
jennifer
(stunned)
what are you doing?
david
what are you doing?
neither one moves. they clutch the remote together.
jennifer
david, cut it out. mark davis is gonna
like be here in five minutes.
david
well great. the pleasantville marathon
starts at six thirty.
jennifer
pleasantville marathon?
david
(almost reverently)
yeah. every episode ever.
jennifer
(getting hysterical)
omigod, i don't be-lieeeeve this! he's
gonna like beeeee here!
david
weil great. you can watch tv upstairs.
jennifer
upstairs! up-staiiirs! there isn't any
stereo!
jennifer gets panicked and yanks at the remote. david yanks
back and before they know it, the remote goes flying out of
their hands, crashing onto the hardwood floor. lt smashes
into a million tiny pieces.
david
(breathless)
oh my god ...
(sinking to his knees/
scooping up the remains)
oh my god ...
jennifer
david, stop stressing, you can like--
turn it on normally ...
david
no you can't, jen! it's a new tv. it
doesn't work without a remote.
david cradles the pieces like a fallen comrade, when the
doorbell rings behind him.
jennifer
oh my god! he's here!
jennifer sweeps some of the pieces frantically under the sofa
and tries to adjust her outfit on the way to the door. david
just stares in shock at the shattered plastic. jennifer
reaches the front door and wets her lips. she fluffs her hair
quickly, sticks out her chest then swings it open.
different angle. front door.
jennifer steps forward with her sexiest smile, but it isn't
mark davis on the other side. dick van dyke stands across the
threshold in a tv repairman's outfit. jennifer looks at him
puzzled. he steps forward, flashing her a chipper grin,
toolbox in hand.
dick van dyke
tv repair.
jennifer
(beat)
tv repair?
dick van dyke
yeah. tv busted?
jennifer
(pause ...)
yeah ...
dick van dyke
(smiling wider)
well here i am.
reverse angle. david's pov.
he glances out the front door toward a weird van parked at
the curb. it says tv repair on the side but looks like
something from a medicine show. the antenna on top resembles
a weather vane and the mural beneath it depicts a happy
family from the 1950s, gathered around their tv set. everyone
wears a smile, including the dog. the hand-painted motto
reads 'rob's tv repair--we'll fix you for good.'
int. living room.
david looks back at dick van dyke who smiles at him, then
crosses to the living room stepping nimbly around the
ottoman. he heads toward the tv.
dick van dyke
(seeing the smashed remote)
holy cow. look at that. had a little
disaster didn't ya fella.
david
yeah ... sort of ...
dick van dyke
(setting down the toolbox)
we'll get you fixed up in no time.
he pops the top of the tool box while jennifer and david just
stare. it's a strange looking box with the same happy family
painted on the side. dick van dyke pulls out another remote.
dick van dyke (cont)
i know how i'd feel if mine went out.
almost like losing a friend.
david
(tentatively)
you know, we didn't call any tv repair.
dick van dyke
well that makes it a lucky day for both
of us, hunh?
jennifer shuts the door and crosses down toward the living
room.
jennifer
you think you could do this like soon?
it's almost six thirty.
dick van dyke
what's the rush?
david
(cutting her off)
the pleasantville marathon starts at six
thirty.
at that moment there is a huge fork of lightning and a
booming clap of thunder. it literally rattles the walls of
the house as dick van dyke turns toward david.
dick van dyke
pleasantville?
david recoils slightly. dick van dyke flashes him a smile.
dick van dyke (cont)
gosh, i loved that show. watched it for
years.
jennifer
that's not the reason. i've got a date
at six thirty.
dick van dyke
(ignoring her/
leaning closer to david)
hey--who did muff in take to the
masquerade ball when her date came down
with the measles?
david
(stunned)
... her father.
dick van dyke
right. and how did she dress him?
david
(still staring)
... like prince charming.
dick van dyke
(studying david/
nodding)
nice ... nice ...
jennifer
um--hello? i've got like a social
emergency here.
dick van dyke
(ignoring her)
remember the one where bud lost his
cousin when he was s'posed to be
watching him?
david
yeah ...
dick van dyke
what department store did they go to?
david
mcintire's.
dick van dyke
mcginty's.
david
no. mcintire's. remember:
(sings)
'for the very best in men's attire,
head right down to mcintire's.'
dick van dyke
(stunned)
that's right.
he stares at david, speechless, for a moment, then smiles
fondly and reaches beside him for his tool kit.
dick van dyke (cont)
say--why don't you take this remote
instead. it's got a little more 'ooomph'
in it.
david
ooomph?
dick van dyke
sure. big beautiful set like this--you
want something that'll put you right in
the show.
jennifer
(quickly)
we'll take it.
closer.
he flashes them a big smile and holds out a weird looking
contraption that seems more primitive than space age. it's a
strange combination of an early transistor radio and flash
gordon ray gun. dick van dyke extends it with pride, while
jennifer and david stare at him warily ...
david
(beat)
how much does it cost?
dick van dyke
oh--couldn't charge you for something
like that. it's free.
jennifer
free?
dick van dyke
oh sure. big fan like yourself. it's the
least i could do.
there is a second clap of thunder even louder than the first.
the house rattles for a moment then is quiet.
dick van dyke (cont)
well, i better get going. your show's
almost on, and ...
(smiling at jennifer)
it's almost time for your date.
he places the remote control gingerly on the coffee table and
smiles at them. dick starts across the living room when he
suddenly catches his foot on the leg of the ottoman and
tumbles end over end. he rolls on the carpet, executes a
perfect somersault and comes right back to a standing
position. david and jennifer stare at him stunned when he
looks back at them and smiles.
dick van dyke (cont)
(grinning)
take care now.
there is another flash of lightning as he reaches for the
doorknob. david and jennifer look at one another while the
front door shuts with a thud. it's quiet for a second or two
before there is another clap of thunder. david cocks his
head.
different angle.
david glances down at the strange contraption sitting on the
coffee table. it looks a little scary. slowly, very slowy, he
reaches down and touches it. nothing seems to happen so he
picks it up.
closer.
david points the remote toward the tv set with an
apprehensive look on his face. he winces a little, then
pushes one of the buttons.
different angle.
the tv set turns on. oprah's face fills the screen as an
angry housewife screams at a transvestite!
david
hunh.
it ail seems normal as he pushes another button. this time
the channel changes.
david (cont)
(relaxing)
great.
he continues to press the button, flipping through the
channels. jennifer sees that everything is fine and reaches
for the remote.
jennifer
lemme see that.
david
no way.
he continues to flip through the channels, coming to rest on
the pleasantville marathon.
bud's voice fills the room.
bud (os)
(on tv)
gee whizz, mary sue--why can't i borrow
your transistor radio?
mary sue (os)
(on tv)
i promised betty jane she could use it
over the weekend.
full shot. tv set. 'pleasantville' (black and white)
bud and mary sue clutch either end of a small transistor
radio. they seem to be in the exact same position as david
and jennifer, who are struggling over the remote control.
angle. david and jennifer.
she tugs the remote while david yanks in the other direction.
jennifer
do you mind. this is like the most
important moment of my whole life.
david
forget it jen, i've waited a year for
this.
bud (os)
(on tv)
'but i told mr. miller i'd bring a
transistor in to electric shop.'
mary sue (os)
(on tv)
'and i told betty jean she could have it
for the picnic with roy.'
jennifer
(yanking at it)
god, david. just give it to me!
david
(yanking it back)
get lost!
jennifer
you get lost!
wider. living room.
she tugs at the remote trying to wrestle it out of his hands.
david pulls in the opposite direction as they point it
directly toward the tv.
different angle. special effect.
a huge white light emanates from the contraption, like their
own atomic blast wave. the entire room is filled with a
blinding aura for a second or two, before it actually gets
sucked into the tv.
wide angle. living room.
it is suddenly empty--illuminated only by the soft glow of
the picture tube. david and jennifer are nowhere in sight.
int. parker living room. (pleasantville) day.
david and jennifer are standing in the middle of the 1950's
living room, dressed in bud and mary sue's clothing. they
still clutch the remote control in the exact same position
that was occupied by their fictional counterparts. david and
jennifer glance at one another, then look horrified around
the room. the world has turned to black and white...
david
(a whisper)
oh my god.
jennifer
what happened?
david
i'm not sure.
wider
george parker (bud and mary sue's father) enters from the
landing whistling a happy tune. he's dressed in a gray suit
with a gray shirt, and a dark gray tie with little gray dots.
george
(as if to his own children)
hi sport, hi muffin ... better get a
move on, you're gonna be late for school.
he continues to cross through the living room whistling into
the kitchen ...
jennifer
(desperately)
what did you do?
david
i don't know.
jennifer
(examining her black and white skin)
uchh! look at me?! i'm like so ... pasty!
he glances down at the remote control that sits lifeless in
his hand. david frantically presses the buttons but nothing
happens. all at once, there is a voice behind them.
voice (os)
psst! over here.
different angle.
they whirl around to see dick van dyke's face smiling at them
from the tv set in the comer. it's an old '50s set with a big
round picture tube. they run over to him as he smiles. his
face is the only color in the room.
dick van dyke
(beaming)
told you it was your lucky day. bet you
thought i was just a fan or something.
jennifer
what happened?
dick van dyke
a miracle.
they stare stunned at the tv set.
dick van dyke (cont)
... see, every time i thought i'd found
someone they'd turn out to disappoint me.
they'd know the early episodes, but they
wouldn't know the later ones ... they'd
know all about muffin but they wouldn't
know about bud ...
david
(to the tv set)
what the hell's going on!
dick van dyke
shh! can't talk like that now. you're
in ...
(smiles)
you know ...
david glances around at his black and white surroundings. his
'mother's' voice rings out from the kitchen.
betty (os)
bud. mary sue ... breakfast is on the
table.
david
we're in pleasantville?
dick van dyke
(grinning)
dream come true, hunh?
jennifer
(panicking)
this isn't funny! i happen to have a
very important date in like five minutes!
dick van dyke
well, you don't have to worry about that
anymore.
full shot. television set. (color)
all at once the scene on the tv changes and dick van dyke's
picture gives way to a wide angle shot of the wagner house.
mark davis is standing at the front door, banging on the
brass knocker. he checks his watch, shifts restlessly for a
moment or two, then turns and heads down the flagstone walk
never looking back.
mark davis
(under his breath)
... bitch.
int. parker living room. (black and white again)
jennifer flings herself at the screen, as dick van dyke
appears all over again.
jennifer
noooooo!
david
you--you gotta get us out of here.
dick van dyke
(recoiling slightly)
why would i do that?
david
because we don't belong!
dick van dyke
oh sure you do ... 'mcintire's
department store' ... 'their father
dressed as prince charming.' that was
gorgeous bud.
david
my name's david.
jennifer
(wailing on the floor)
oh god ...
dick van dyke
(a little snippy)
you know--this is a pretty strange way
of showing your appreciation.
david
look--we appreciate it. we really do. we
just--we want to go home now.
dick van dyke
(hurt)
but you don't know how long i've been
looking for someone like you.
a long face slowly descends on him.
dick van dyke (cont)
i'm very disappointed ...
(deep breath)
in fact ... i'm starting to get a little
upset.
david moves toward the screen.
david
don't get upset.
dick van dyke
(snapping back)
weil wouldn't you! you look for someone
for years ... you pour your heart into
it ... this is a privilege you know.
(shakes his head)
i don't think i better talk about this
right now.
david
where are you going ...
dick van dyke
i don't think we should discuss this
until i'm a little bit more composed.
david
wait a minute!!
dick van dyke
(turning his back)
maybe in a day or so when i'm not so
emotional ...
david
come back!!!
dick van dyke shakes his head and walks out of the shot as
the screen goes completely black. it cuts out entirely as
jennifer and david just stare. david grabs the remote and
starts rapidly pushing buttons.
nothing happens.
david (cont)
(dropping the gizmo)
oh god.
jennifer
what's going to happen?
david
i don't know ... it's not possible ...
(looking at her)
is it possible?
betty (os)
bu-ud ... mary sue ... your breakfast is
getting cold.
david
it can't be possible.
different angle.
betty (their 'mother') sticks her head into the living room
wearing her black and white apron. she has a great big
pepsodent smile.
betty
well, come on kids. you're not going off
to school without a hot breakfast inside
you ...
they just stare at her.
betty (cont)
forward march.
they exchange a strange little glance then slowly rise to
their feet. jennifer waits for david who forces a smile then
starts toward the kitchen.
betty (cont)
i just love you in that sweater mary-sue.
it's so flattering.
jennifer
(dazed)
thanks.
int. kitchen.
david and jennifer walk two steps into the kitchen when they
suddenly freeze--agape at the spectacle in front of them:
their pov. parker kitchen.
every breakfast food imaginable has been laid upon the table.
there are hotcakes and sausages and biscuits and eggs.
pitchers of orange juice are dwarfed by the mountains of ham.
the table literally sags under the weight of the food. george
parker lowers his morning paper and smiles at his children.
george
(once again)
morning kids. better get a move on or
you're going to be late for school.
they nod, stunned, and wander forward into the room. bright
sunlight streams through the kitchen window as a gentle
symphony of songbirds sings outside. david and jennifer stare
straight ahead as their 'mother' adds some waffles to the
heap.
david
(under his breath)
i don't believe this.
jennifer
neither do i.
george
well, c'mon. dig in.
david and jennifer stare at her stunned as she puts two
heaping plates at their places. neither one moves.
betty
(to jennifer)
i put blueberries in them just the way
you like.
jennifer
actually--i'm not real ... hungry.
betty
(big smile)
oh nonsense young lady. you're going to
start your day with a nice big breakfast.
she takes jennifer by the shoulders and 'guides' her into the
chair. jennifer looks down at a huge plate of gray waffles.
betty (cont)
(oppressively chipper)
here. why don't you have some waffle
cakes.
(beat)
and there's sausage and eggs and some
good crisp bacon ...
(beat)
... and a ham steak.
betty drenches the waffles in syrup and slathers on a huge
slab of butter.
betty (cont)
... and of course, a nice big bowl of
oatmeal.
jennifer hesitates then glances over at her 'mother' who
looks at her expectantly. she glances at david who just looks
stunned. jennifer pauses then reaches down and takes a
forkful of the oozing mess ...
cut to:
full shot. pat boone.
he stands facing the camera in an actual kinescope from 1958.
the backdrop is a painted pastoral landscape and the
background singers are all white debutantes. he wears a
letterman's sweater and button down shirt ...
pat boone
'... tooty fruity--oh rooty. tooty fruity
... oh rooty.'
he continues his homogenized version of little richard's
nasty hit, (all the nastiness gone). it becomes a slow and
lilting melody ...
pat boone (cont)
'... tooty fruity--oh rooty ...'
series of shots. pleasantville.
the music continues as the camera cuts to image after image
of this strange 'utopia.' the effect is a weird, sanitizied
version of mtv--as if ronald reagan had shot a music video.
there are men tipping their hats and women walking their
dogs; cheery gas station attendants and smiling policemen.
pat boone (vo)
(slowly ...)
'... a wap bop a loo bop--a wap barn boom.'
pruned hedges. twin beds. big houses. the camera cranes down
in the middle of a beautiful tree lined street to find david
and jennifer walking up the sidewalk, holding their stomachs.
jennifer
i'm gonna hurl, david. i swear to god.
david
just take deep breaths.
jennifer
all that animal fat. i feel it in my
pores or something.
jennifer clutches her stomach, but david's glance darts from
side to side--totally absorbed.
jennifer (cont)
i still don't see why we're doing this.
david
we're supposed to be in school.
jennifer
we're supposed to be at home david! we're
supposed to be in color!
(wailing)
oh god ...
a man calls out from across the street.
mr. simpson
hello bud.
david
hello mr. simpson.
mr. simpson
hear your dad got a new car.
david
oh yeah. a buick. it's swell.
jennifer
you know him?
david
owns the hardware store.
jennifer
okay, now you listen to me! i don't know
what's going on but you'd better fix it!
i had a date with mark davis and i even
bought new underwear!
david
we just gotta play along for a little
while ... till that guy shows up again.
then i'll talk to him and ...
jennifer
play along?
david
well, yeah. i'm ... bud parker and
you're ... um--mary sue.
jennifer
(ripping the barette from her hair)
no! i'm not gonna do it! if i don't
dress like this for mom i'm sure as hell
not going to do it for you!
david
we don't have a choice jen. we're stuck
until he comes back.
jennifer
why can't we just explain it?
david
to who?
jen looks around this cheery little street, and the horror
starts to dawn on her. at that moment, they hear a screaming
siren and a bright gray fire engine comes racing up the
block.
wider.
jennifer and david step back on the curb as the firemen come
flying out of the truck, grabbing the ladder on the back.
different angle. (following the firemen)
they work in perfect precision. two firemen grab the base of
the ladder while a third takes the front. they go tearing
across one of the lawns, in full 'emergency response'
anchoring the ladder into the ground and winging it up into a
tree.
fireman
c'mere, kitty ...
he emerges a moment later with the cat who was stuck in the
tree. jennifer sinks to the curb as he carries the kitten by
them, petting it gently as he goes.
jennifer
oh god, we are. we're stuck in like
'nerdville'.
(shakes her head)
i always knew you'd pay a price for
this. i knew you couldn't be hopelessly
geekridden for this long without
suffering some like, really tragic
consequences.
(voice wavering)
... but it's just not fair. i mean--i'm
starting to get really--popular. debbi
russell transferred to another school
and my skin's been great since march and
mark davis is starting to come around
and ...
boy's voice (os)
hello mary sue.
jennifer turns to see a strapping blonde seventeen year old
driving by in his convertible. he is extremely handsome with
jack armstrong features and a letterman's sweater. despite
her crisis, jennifer's jaw drops open as he slows to a crawl.
biff martin flashes a huge pepsodent smile. the guy is a
'dreamboat'.
biff (cont)
what's all the commotion? where's the
cat?
jennifer
um ... it's ...
biff turns to see the fireman climb into the truck, with the
kitty in his arms.
biff
ah, right ...
(smiling at her again)
well--guess i'll see ya later mary sue.
he takes off down the street with the sun glinting on his
really keen convertible. jennifer gapes as he disappears
around the corner.
jennifer
who's that?
david
biff martin. captain of the basketball
team.
jennifer
(still gaping)
does he--you know--like 'me'?
david
as a matter of fact he does.
jennifer
(flicking her hair)
hunh.
cut to:
ext. pleasantville high school. day.
streams of impeccably kept youngsters file through the double
doors. all cheery and very pleasant looking. it looks like a
leni riefenstahl movie.
angle. from across the street.
david stands beside jennifer looking at the entrance to the
school. three girls huddle together by the front steps.
jennifer
those are my friends.
david
peggy jane, lisa anne and betty jean.
jennifer
(staring at them)
can we do any better?
david
i don't think so.
lisa anne
(seeing her)
mary sue. you're gonna be late for
geography.
jennifer
okay ...
she flicks her hair back--cops a first day of school
attitude, and heads across the street like she owns the
place.
cut to:
int. geography class. later ...
it looks like a propaganda film from the eisenhower
administration. the boys all wear crew cuts and short sleeve
button down shirts. the girls all have lacy dresses buttoned
to the neck. everyone stares straight ahead at the
blackboard.
angle. front of the room. teacher.
miss peters stands in front of the class with a pointer in
her hand. she indicates a diagram that spans the length of
the blackboard.
miss peters
last week class, we discussed the
geography of main street. this week,
we're going to be talking about elm
street. can anyone tell me one of the
differences between elm street and main
street?
(pointing)
tommy.
tommy
it's not as long?
jennifer looks stunned as several students nod.
miss peters
that's right, tommy. it's not as long.
also, it only has houses. so the
geography of main street is different
than the geography of elm street.
angle. jennifer.
she glances around at several students who seem to be nodding
in agreement. all at once, she thrusts her hand into the air.
miss peters
mary sue.
jennifer
what's outside of pleasantville?
the teacher looks at her with a puzzled frozen smile on her
face. she looks vaguely troubled.
miss peters
what?
(beat)
i don't understand ...
jennifer
outside of pleasantville ... what's at
the end of main street?
the class lets out a knowing groan--as if to say 'oh. we get
it now. boy what a stupid question.' miss peters gives a kind
but condescending look.
miss peters
oh, mary sue. you should know the answer
to that. the end of main street is just
the beginning again.
miss peters gives a big grin as a series of heads nod up and
down. jennifer stares straight ahead, dumbfounded ...
cut to:
int. gymnasium. day.
there are fifteen to twenty boys scattered around the gym.
each is dressed identically in white shorts and black socks
with a 'pleasantville' jersey.
shot. david.
he stands at the free throw line with a basketball in his
hand. (not exactly an athletic image.) david lets go of a
jump shot that swishes effortlessly through the net. he looks
a little surprised.
david
wow.
he stares at the backboard slightly intrigued. david
retrieves the ball and fires again, this time chucking it
up blind. the ball sails through the hoop again, hitting
nothing but net.
full shot. other side of the gym.
ten to twelve of his teammates fire simultaneously at the
hoop. all of the shots sail through the hoop, none even
nicking the rim. the boys retrieve their shots as the coach
claps his hands.
coach
that's it men. keep it up. big game
tomorrow.
angle. david.
he gets the ball and turns his back on the basket completely.
david flings the ball wildly over his shoulder. it bounces
off all the walls of the gym, then glides through the net as
smoothly as the others. he stares in amazement.
biff (os)
bud ...
wider.
biff martin (the boy in the convertible) approaches from the
other side of the gym. he is a classic all american hero--
somewhere between 4-h club member and a future astronaut.
biff
(a little nervous)
hi ya bud.
bud
hi ya biff.
he fidgets nervously for a moment looking down.
biff
can i ask you a question?
bud
sure.
biff
well ... if i was to ask your sister ...
what i mean is, if i was to go up to
mary sue ...
david
oh god! are we in that episode?
biff
what?
david
i don't believe it.
biff
what's the matter?
david
you want to ask her out tonight, right?
and then you want to give her your
school pin ...
biff
yeah ... how'd you know?
david
(shaking his head)
lucky guess.
(beat)
look, biff ... i don't think it's a real
good time for that right now ...
biff's expression falls. he stands crushed in front of david.
david (cont)
what i mean is ... mary sue's been a
little 'different' lately ...
biff
(stunned)
she won't go out with me?
david
i didn't say that. it's just that right
now ...
biff
i don't know what i'd do if she wouldn't
go out with me ...
all at once, biff takes the basketball he's been holding and
hurls it toward the hoop. the ball does a couple of
revolutions of the rim, and then amazingly pops out.
wide angle. gym.
play comes to a halt. all the players turn and stare,
dumbstruck at the sight of a missed shot.
shot. david.
he retrieves the ball quickly then hurries back to biff.
david pulls him aside as play slowly resumes on the other
side of the gym.
david
(under his breath)
look, i'm sure we'll work something out.
i'll talk to her or something.
biff looks at him, troubled.
david (cont)
honest. it'll be fine.
biff nods, a little confused, as david pats him on the back.
cut to:
int. corridor. later ...
david stands off to the side with his sister, while class
pours out around them.
jennifer
no way.
david
one date, jen--that's all i'm asking. if
you don't go out with this guy we could
throw their whole universe out of whack.
jennifer
it's too weird david. this place is
giving me the creeps. did you know all
the books are blank?
david
what?
jennifer
i looked in the library. they got covers
with nothing inside them.
david
what were you doing in a library?
jennifer
i got lost.
(beat)
oh here ... look at this!
she reaches into her purse and pulls out a book of matches.
jennifer tries to light a kleenex on fire.
david
jennifer!
jennifer
just watch. you know why those guys just
get cats out of trees? 'cause nothing
burns around here, that's why! they
don't need any firemen ...
sure enough the tissue has become flame retardant.
david
jen, listen ...
jennifer
(trembling)
i like--really need a cigarette, too.
david
(putting his arm around her)
i'll get us out of here. i really will.
but if we don't play along we could
alter their whole existence. we may
never get home.
she looks over at him, slowly.
jennifer
you really think anybody's gonna, like,
notice if i don't have a chocolate malt
with this guy.
at that moment, three of mary sue's 'friends' come tittering
around the comer. they skitter up to her like a group of
wind-up toys.
peggy jane
(high-pitched--rapid fire)
you won't believe what we just heard.
lisa anne
bif
