Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film
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Ordinary People
| Ordinary People | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Redford |
| Screenplay by | Alvin Sargent |
| Based on | Ordinary People by Judith Guest |
| Produced by | Ronald L. Schwary |
| Starring | Donald Sutherland Mary Tyler Moore Judd Hirsch Timothy Hutton |
| Cinematography | John Bailey |
| Edited by | Jeff Kanew |
| Music by | Marvin Hamlisch |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 124 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6.2 million[1] |
| Box office | $90 million |
Ordinary People is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his feature directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of a wealthy family in Lake Forest, Illinois, following the accidental death of one of their two sons and the attempted suicide of the other. It stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton.
Ordinary People was released theatrically on September 19, 1980, by Paramount Pictures to critical and commercial success. Reviewers praised Redford's direction, Sargent's screenplay, and the performances of the cast. The film, which grossed $90 million on a $6.2 million budget, was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 1980, and garnered six nominations at the 53rd Academy Awards, winning four: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Hutton (the youngest recipient at age 20).[2] In addition, the film won five awards at the 38th Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Actress (Moore), and Best Supporting Actor & New Star of the Year – Actor (Hutton).
Plot
The Jarretts are an upper-middle-class family in Lake Forest, a wealthy suburb north of Chicago. They are trying to return to normal life after experiencing the accidental death of their older teenage son, Buck, and the attempted suicide of their younger and surviving son, Conrad. Conrad has recently returned home after spending four months in a psychiatric hospital. He feels alienated from his friends and family and seeks help from a psychiatrist, Dr. Tyrone Berger, who discovers that Conrad was involved in the sailing accident that killed Buck. Conrad is now dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and is seeking help to cope with his emotions.
Conrad's father, Calvin, attempts to connect with his surviving son and understand his wife, while Conrad's mother, Beth, denies her loss, hoping to maintain her composure and restore her family to what it once was. She appears to have favored her older son and has grown cold toward Conrad due to his suicide attempt. Beth is determined to maintain the appearance of perfection and normality, and her efforts only serve to alienate Conrad further. Conrad works with Dr. Berger and begins to learn how to deal with his emotions rather than control them. He starts dating a fellow student, Jeannine, who helps him regain a sense of optimism. However, Conrad still struggles to communicate and establish normal relationships with his parents and schoolmates.
Beth and Conrad often argue while Calvin tries to referee, generally taking Conrad's side for fear of pushing him over the edge again. Tensions escalate near Christmas when Conrad becomes furious at Beth for not wanting to take a photo with him, swearing at her in front of his grandparents. Afterwards, Beth discovers Conrad has been lying about his after-school whereabouts. This leads to a heated confrontation between Conrad and Beth in which Conrad points out that Beth never visited him in the hospital; Conrad argues that if Buck had been hospitalized in his place, she would have gone to see him, to which Beth curtly replies that Buck would never have been in the hospital in the first place. Beth and Calvin take a trip to see Beth's brother Ward in Houston, where Calvin presses Beth about her evasive attitude.
Conrad suffers a setback when he learns that Karen, a friend from the psychiatric hospital, has taken her own life. A cathartic breakthrough session in the middle of the night with Dr. Berger allows Conrad to stop blaming himself for Buck's death and accept his mother's frailties. However, when Conrad tries to show affection, Beth is unresponsive, leading Calvin to emotionally confront her one last time. He questions their love and asks whether she is capable of truly loving anyone. Stunned, Beth packs her bags and goes back to Houston. Calvin and Conrad are left to come to terms with their new family situation, affirming their father-son love.
Cast
- Donald Sutherland as Calvin Jarrett
- Mary Tyler Moore as Beth Jarrett
- Judd Hirsch as Tyrone C. Berger
- Timothy Hutton as Conrad Jarrett
- Elizabeth McGovern as Jeannine Pratt
- M. Emmet Walsh as Salan
- Dinah Manoff as Karen Aldrich
- Fredric Lehne as Joe Lazenby
- James B. Sikking as Ray Hanley
- Basil Hoffman as Sloan
- Quinn Redeker as Ward Butler
- Mariclare Costello as Audrey Butler
- Richard Whiting as Howard Butler
- Meg Mundy as Ellen Butler
- Elizabeth Hubbard as Ruth
- Adam Baldwin as Kevin Stillman
- Scott Doebler as Buck Jarrett
Casting
Gene Hackman was originally cast as Calvin Jarrett but then later dropped out when he and the studio could not come to a financial agreement.[3]
A then-unknown Michael J. Fox, who had just moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, auditioned for the role of Conrad Jarrett but reportedly did not impress Redford, who flossed his teeth during Fox's audition.[4][5]
Natalie Wood was also considered for the role of Beth.[dead link]
Reception
Box office
The film was a box-office success, grossing $54.8 million in the United States and Canada[6] and approximately $36 million overseas[7] for a worldwide gross of $90 million.
Critical reception
Ordinary People received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 90%, based on 105 reviews, with an average rating of 8.50/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Robert Redford proves himself a filmmaker of uncommon emotional intelligence with Ordinary People, an auspicious debut that deftly observes the fractioning of a family unit through a quartet of superb performances."[8] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale.[9]
Roger Ebert gave it a full four stars and praised how the film's setting "is seen with an understated matter-of-factness. There are no cheap shots against suburban lifestyles or affluence or mannerisms: The problems of the people in this movie aren't caused by their milieu, but grow out of themselves. ... That's what sets the film apart from the sophisticated suburban soap opera it could easily have become."[10] He later named it the fifth best film of the year 1980; while colleague Gene Siskel ranked it the second best film of 1980.[11]
Writing for The New York Times, Vincent Canby called it "a moving, intelligent and funny film about disasters that are commonplace to everyone except the people who experience them."[12]
The film marked a career breakout for Mary Tyler Moore from the personalities of her other two famous roles: Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show and Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Moore's nuanced portrayal of the mother to Hutton's character was highly acclaimed, and earned her a Best Actress nomination.[13] Donald Sutherland's performance as the father was also well received and earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Despite his co-stars receiving nominations, Sutherland was overlooked for an Academy Award, which Entertainment Weekly has described as one of the biggest acting snubs in the history of the awards.[14]
Judd Hirsch's portrayal of Dr. Berger was a departure from his work on the sitcom Taxi, and drew praise from many in the psychiatric community as one of the rare times their profession is shown in a positive light in film.[15] Hirsch was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, losing out to co-star Hutton. Additionally, Ordinary People launched the career of Elizabeth McGovern who played Hutton's character's love interest, and who received special permission to film while attending Juilliard.
The film's prominent usage of Pachelbel's Canon, which had been relatively obscure for centuries, helped to usher the piece into mainstream popular culture.[16]
Analysis
Julia L. Hall, a journalist who has written extensively about narcissistic personality disorder, wrote in 2017 upon Moore's death that she "portrays her character's narcissism to a tee in turn after turn."[17] She praised Moore for taking such a career risk so soon after having played such a memorable and likable character on television, "scaffolding gaping emptiness with a persona of perfection, supported by denial, blame, rejection, and rage."[17]
Accolades
The film was nominated for six Academy Awards (winning four), including the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (for Hutton) in his first film role.[13]
Home media
Ordinary People was released on DVD in 2001.[28] It was released on Blu-ray in March 2022, featuring a 4K restoration of the film.[29]
See also
- List of directorial debuts
- List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest winners for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Ordinary People (play), a stage version of the novel by Judith Guest
References
- Harmetz, Aljean (May 30, 1981). "Pryor and Alda Proving Stars Still Sell Movies". The New York Times. p. 1.10. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- "Academy Awards: Best Director Facts and Trivia". filmsite.org. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
- Wuntch, Philip (November 14, 1985). "Gene Hackman Happy with his Career Despite 'Honorable Disappointments'". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 31, 2021. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
- Lang, Brent (May 11, 2023). "Michael J. Fox Looks Back on Hollywood Triumphs, Setbacks and Why 'Parkinson's Is the Gift That Keeps on Taking'". Variety. Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- Late Night with David Letterman. October 23, 1985. NBC. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VmnP-tSI-4 Archived June 20, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
- Ordinary People at Box Office Mojo
- Watkins, Roger (April 29, 1981). "CIC Sights a $235-Mil Global Windfall". Variety. p. 3.
- "Ordinary People (1980)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on May 23, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- "CinemaScore". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. January 30, 1981. p. 2C. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- Ebert, Roger (January 1, 1980). "Ordinary People review". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
- "Siskel and Ebert Top Ten Lists (1969–1998)". innermind.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
- Canby, Vincent (September 19, 1980). "Redford's Ordinary People". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
- Siegel, Scott and Barbara (1990). The Encyclopedia of Hollywood.
- "25 Biggest Oscar Snubs Ever: Donald Sutherland, Ordinary People". Entertainment Weekly. March 1, 2016. Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Martin, Linda B. (January 25, 1981). "The Psychiatrist in Today's Movies: He's Everywhere and He's in Deep Trouble". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 14, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2006.
- Fink, Robert (2010). "Prisoners of Pachelbel: An Essay in Post-Canonic Musicology". Hamburg Jahrbuch. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
- Hall, Julie L. (February 11, 2017). "Remembering Mary Tyler Moore as the Chilling Narcissist Mother in 'Ordinary People'". The Narcissist Family Files. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
- "The 53rd Academy Awards". oscars.org. October 5, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "Film in 1982". awards.bafta.org. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "Redford Wins Directors' Prize". The New York Times. March 17, 1981. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "1981 Golden Globe Awards". Golden Globes. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89". Kansas City Film Critics Circle. December 14, 2013. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- "6th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards". lafca.net. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "1980 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Maslin, Janet (January 7, 1981). "'Melvin and Howard' is Chosen as Best Film". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- "Ordinary People' Wins N.Y. Film Critics' Award". The Pittsburgh Press. December 31, 1980. p. 7. Archived from the original on October 5, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- O’Neil, Tom (March 2001). "And the Winners Were..." Written By. WGA. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- Redford, Robert (April 25, 2017), Ordinary People, retrieved July 30, 2022
- "Ordinary People (Paramount Presents) Blu-ray Review | High Def Digest". bluray.highdefdigest.com. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
External links
Wikiquote has quotations related to Ordinary People.
==
보통 사람들 (1980년 영화)
1980년대 KBS1 드라마에 대해서는 보통 사람들 (드라마) 문서를 참고하십시오. Ordinary People | |
|---|---|
| 감독 | 로버트 레드포드 |
| 각본 | 엘빈 사전트 |
| 제작 | 로널드 L. 슈워리 |
| 출연 | 도날드 서덜랜드, 매리 테일러 무어, 주드 허쉬, 티모시 허튼 |
| 촬영 | 존 베일리 |
| 편집 | 제프 카뉴 |
| 음악 | 마빈 햄리시 |
| 국가 | 미국 |
《보통 사람들》(Ordinary People)은 로버트 레드퍼드 감독의 데뷔작으로서, 1980년에 출시된 미국의 드라마 영화이다.
이 영화의 이야기는 아들이 보트 사고로 죽음을 당하게 되면서 벌어지는 일리노이주 레이크 포레스트의 상위 중산층 가족의 해체에 대하여 다룬다. 앨빈 사전트(Alvin Sargent)가 주디스 게스트의 1976년 소설 보통 사람들(Ordinary People)을 기초로 하여 각본을 맡았다.
이 영화는 티머시 허턴 등으로 말미암아 3개의 아카데미상에 더하여 아카데미 작품상을 받으면서 상업적인 성공을 거두었다.
줄거리
재럿 가족은 시카고 북부의 부유한 교외인 레이크포리스트에 사는 중상류층 가정이다. 그들은 십대 아들 벅의 사고사, 그리고 살아남은 어린 아들 콘래드의 자살 시도를 겪은 후 정상적인 삶으로 돌아가려 노력한다. 콘래드는 정신병원에서 4개월을 보낸 후 최근 집으로 돌아왔다. 그는 친구들과 가족에게서 소외감을 느끼고 정신과 의사 타이론 버거 박사의 도움을 구한다. 버거 박사는 콘래드가 벅을 죽게 한 항해 사고에 연루되었음을 알게 된다. 콘래드는 현재 외상 후 스트레스 장애를 겪고 있으며 자신의 감정을 다루기 위해 도움을 구하고 있다.
콘래드의 아버지 캘빈은 살아남은 아들과 소통하고 아내를 이해하려고 노력하는 반면, 콘래드의 어머니 베스는 침착함을 유지하고 가족을 예전의 모습으로 되돌리기를 바라며 자신의 상실을 부정한다. 그녀는 나이 많은 아들을 편애했던 것 같고 콘래드의 자살 시도로 인해 그에게 냉담해졌다. 베스는 완벽하고 정상적인 모습을 유지하기로 결심하며, 그녀의 노력은 콘래드를 더욱 소외시킬 뿐이다. 콘래드는 버거 박사와 함께 일하며 자신의 감정을 통제하기보다는 다루는 방법을 배우기 시작한다. 그는 동료 학생인 진과 데이트를 시작하며 낙관적인 태도를 되찾는 데 도움을 받는다. 그러나 콘래드는 여전히 부모와 학교 친구들과 정상적인 관계를 맺고 소통하는 데 어려움을 겪는다.
베스와 콘래드는 자주 말다툼을 하고 캘빈은 심판 역할을 하려 하는데, 콘래드를 다시 궁지로 몰아넣을까 봐 대개 콘래드의 편을 든다. 크리스마스 무렵 콘래드가 할아버지, 할머니 앞에서 베스와 함께 사진 찍기를 원치 않는다는 이유로 격분하여 그녀에게 욕설을 하면서 긴장이 고조된다. 그 후 베스는 콘래드가 방과 후 행방에 대해 거짓말을 했다는 것을 알게 된다. 이는 콘래드와 베스 사이의 격렬한 대립으로 이어지는데, 콘래드는 베스가 병원에 한 번도 방문하지 않았다는 점을 지적한다. 콘래드는 벅이 대신 입원했더라면 그녀가 그를 보러 갔을 것이라고 주장하고, 이에 베스는 벅은 애초에 병원에 입원할 일이 없었을 것이라고 퉁명스럽게 대답한다. 베스와 캘빈은 베스의 오빠 워드를 만나기 위해 휴스턴으로 여행을 가고, 거기서 캘빈은 베스의 회피적인 태도에 대해 압박한다.
콘래드는 정신병원 친구였던 캐런이 스스로 목숨을 끊었다는 사실을 알게 되면서 좌절을 겪는다. 한밤중에 버거 박사와의 카타르시스적인 돌파 세션을 통해 콘래드는 벅의 죽음에 대한 자신을 비난하는 것을 멈추고 어머니의 나약함을 받아들일 수 있게 된다. 그러나 콘래드가 애정을 표현하려 할 때 베스는 무반응이었고, 이는 캘빈이 마지막으로 그녀에게 감정적으로 맞서는 계기가 된다. 그는 그들의 사랑에 의문을 제기하며 그녀가 진정으로 누구를 사랑할 수 있는지 묻는다. 충격을 받은 베스는 짐을 싸서 휴스턴으로 돌아간다. 캘빈과 콘래드는 새로운 가족 상황을 받아들이며 부자간의 사랑을 재확인한다.
출연
==
==
Reviews
Ordinary People
Drama
125 minutes ‧ R ‧ 1980
Roger Ebert
January 1, 1980
Families can go along for years without ever facing the underlying problems in their relationships. But sometimes a tragedy can bring everything out in the open, all of sudden and painfully, just when everyone’s most vulnerable. Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” begins at a time like that for a family that loses its older son in a boating accident. That leaves three still living at home in a perfectly manicured suburban existence, and the movie is about how they finally have to deal with the ways they really feel about one another.
There’s the surviving son, who always lived in his big brother’s shadow, who tried to commit suicide after the accident, who has now just returned from a psychiatric hospital. There’s the father, a successful Chicago attorney who has always taken the love of his family for granted. There’s the wife, an expensively maintained, perfectly groomed, cheerful homemaker whom “everyone loves.” The movie begins just as all of this is falling apart.
The movie’s central problems circle almost fearfully around the complexities of love. The parents and their remaining child all “love” one another, of course. But the father’s love for the son is sincere yet also inarticulate, almost shy. The son’s love for his mother is blocked by his belief that she doesn’t really love him, she only loved the dead brother. And the love between the two parents is one of those permanent facts that both take for granted and neither has ever really tested.
“Ordinary People” begins with this three-way emotional standoff and develops it through the autumn and winter of one year. And what I admire most about the film is that it really does develop its characters and the changes they go through. So many family dramas begin with a “problem” and then examine its social implications in that frustrating semifactual, docudrama format that’s big on TV. “Ordinary People” isn’t a docudrama; it’s the story of these people and their situation, and it shows them doing what’s most difficult to show in fiction, it shows them changing, learning, and growing.
At the center of the change is the surviving son, Conrad, played by a wonderfully natural young actor named Timothy Hutton. He is absolutely tortured as the film begins; his life is ruled by fear, low self-esteem, and the correct perception that he is not loved by his mother. He starts going to a psychiatrist (Judd Hirsch) after school. Things are hard for this kid. He blames himself for his brother’s death. He’s a semi-outcast at school because of his suicide attempt and hospitalization. He does have a few friends, a girl he met at the hospital, and another girl who stands behind him at choir practice and who would, in a normal year, naturally become his girlfriend. But there’s so much turmoil at home.
The turmoil centers around the mother (Mary Tyler Moore, inspired casting for this particular role, in which the character masks her inner sterility behind a facade of cheerful suburban perfection). She does a wonderful job of running her house, which looks like it’s out of the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. She’s active in community affairs, she’s an organizer, she’s an ideal wife and mother, except that at some fundamental level she’s selfish, she can’t really give of herself, and she has, in fact, always loved the dead older son more. The father (Donald Sutherland) is one of those men who wants to do and feel the right things, in his own awkward way. The change he goes through during the movie is one of the saddest ones: Realizing his wife cannot truly care for others, he questions his own love for her for the first time in their marriage.
The sessions of psychiatric therapy are supposed to contain the moments of the film’s most visible insights, I suppose. But even more effective, for me, were the scenes involving the kid and his two teen-age girlfriends. The girl from the hospital (Dinah Manoff) is cheerful, bright, but somehow running from something. The girl from choir practice (Elizabeth McGovern) is straightforward, sympathetic, able to be honest. In trying to figure them out, Conrad gets help in figuring himself out.
Director Redford places all these events in a suburban world that is seen with an understated matter-of-factness. There are no cheap shots against suburban lifestyles or affluence or mannerisms: The problems of the people in this movie aren’t caused by their milieu, but grow out of themselves. And, like it or not, the participants have to deal with them. That’s what sets the film apart from the sophisticated suburban soap opera it could easily have become. Each character in this movie is given the dramatic opportunity to look inside himself, to question his own motives as well as the motives of others, and to try to improve his own ways of dealing with a troubled situation. Two of the characters do learn how to adjust; the third doesn’t. It’s not often we get characters who face those kinds of challenges on the screen, nor directors who seek them out. “Ordinary People” is an intelligent, perceptive, and deeply moving film.
==
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
==
https://www.americamagazine.org/film/2025/09/17/remembering-robert-redford-ordinary-people/
Remembering Robert Redford and ‘Ordinary People,’
Reviews
Ordinary People
Drama
125 minutes ‧ R ‧ 1980
Roger Ebert
January 1, 1980
Families can go along for years without ever facing the underlying problems in their relationships. But sometimes a tragedy can bring everything out in the open, all of sudden and painfully, just when everyone’s most vulnerable. Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People” begins at a time like that for a family that loses its older son in a boating accident. That leaves three still living at home in a perfectly manicured suburban existence, and the movie is about how they finally have to deal with the ways they really feel about one another.
There’s the surviving son, who always lived in his big brother’s shadow, who tried to commit suicide after the accident, who has now just returned from a psychiatric hospital. There’s the father, a successful Chicago attorney who has always taken the love of his family for granted. There’s the wife, an expensively maintained, perfectly groomed, cheerful homemaker whom “everyone loves.” The movie begins just as all of this is falling apart.
The movie’s central problems circle almost fearfully around the complexities of love. The parents and their remaining child all “love” one another, of course. But the father’s love for the son is sincere yet also inarticulate, almost shy. The son’s love for his mother is blocked by his belief that she doesn’t really love him, she only loved the dead brother. And the love between the two parents is one of those permanent facts that both take for granted and neither has ever really tested.
“Ordinary People” begins with this three-way emotional standoff and develops it through the autumn and winter of one year. And what I admire most about the film is that it really does develop its characters and the changes they go through. So many family dramas begin with a “problem” and then examine its social implications in that frustrating semifactual, docudrama format that’s big on TV. “Ordinary People” isn’t a docudrama; it’s the story of these people and their situation, and it shows them doing what’s most difficult to show in fiction, it shows them changing, learning, and growing.
At the center of the change is the surviving son, Conrad, played by a wonderfully natural young actor named Timothy Hutton. He is absolutely tortured as the film begins; his life is ruled by fear, low self-esteem, and the correct perception that he is not loved by his mother. He starts going to a psychiatrist (Judd Hirsch) after school. Things are hard for this kid. He blames himself for his brother’s death. He’s a semi-outcast at school because of his suicide attempt and hospitalization. He does have a few friends, a girl he met at the hospital, and another girl who stands behind him at choir practice and who would, in a normal year, naturally become his girlfriend. But there’s so much turmoil at home.
The turmoil centers around the mother (Mary Tyler Moore, inspired casting for this particular role, in which the character masks her inner sterility behind a facade of cheerful suburban perfection). She does a wonderful job of running her house, which looks like it’s out of the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. She’s active in community affairs, she’s an organizer, she’s an ideal wife and mother, except that at some fundamental level she’s selfish, she can’t really give of herself, and she has, in fact, always loved the dead older son more. The father (Donald Sutherland) is one of those men who wants to do and feel the right things, in his own awkward way. The change he goes through during the movie is one of the saddest ones: Realizing his wife cannot truly care for others, he questions his own love for her for the first time in their marriage.
The sessions of psychiatric therapy are supposed to contain the moments of the film’s most visible insights, I suppose. But even more effective, for me, were the scenes involving the kid and his two teen-age girlfriends. The girl from the hospital (Dinah Manoff) is cheerful, bright, but somehow running from something. The girl from choir practice (Elizabeth McGovern) is straightforward, sympathetic, able to be honest. In trying to figure them out, Conrad gets help in figuring himself out.
Director Redford places all these events in a suburban world that is seen with an understated matter-of-factness. There are no cheap shots against suburban lifestyles or affluence or mannerisms: The problems of the people in this movie aren’t caused by their milieu, but grow out of themselves. And, like it or not, the participants have to deal with them. That’s what sets the film apart from the sophisticated suburban soap opera it could easily have become. Each character in this movie is given the dramatic opportunity to look inside himself, to question his own motives as well as the motives of others, and to try to improve his own ways of dealing with a troubled situation. Two of the characters do learn how to adjust; the third doesn’t. It’s not often we get characters who face those kinds of challenges on the screen, nor directors who seek them out. “Ordinary People” is an intelligent, perceptive, and deeply moving film.
==
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
==
https://www.americamagazine.org/film/2025/09/17/remembering-robert-redford-ordinary-people/
Remembering Robert Redford and ‘Ordinary People,’
his devastating, nearly perfect film
by Joe Hoover, S.J. and Richard A. Blake
Robert Redford arrives at the 42nd annual Chaplin Award Gala on April 27, 2015, in New York. Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File
It feels so strange to tell someone that “Ordinary People” is my favorite movie. It’s like saying a hurricane is my favorite natural disaster, leukemia my favorite medical diagnosis. The film is just so hard, so painful and devastating and truthful. There is barely a false note to be found. To say that the 1980 movie about a Midwestern family caught in a slow-burn crisis “hit close to home” is a vast understatement. The movie knew my address. It ran its fingers over the brushed velvet stripes of our living-room wallpaper. It listened in on our conversations and recorded, especially, what was unspoken, silent.
And it was directed by Robert Redford! The archetypal ’70s and ’80s Hollywood leading man himself: the looks, the quiet grace, the down-home golden-haired cowboy baseball journalist American thing of him. And yet here he was also, crushing it from behind the camera with this nuanced, exquisite family drama that I only have the strength to watch every decade or so. Robert Redford made a nearly perfect movie.
Last night I wrote to my sister that I didn’t know Robert Redford could die. And it really wasn’t hyperbole. I just had never thought of the man departing our midst. Robert Redford just was. And of course in a certain way he hasn’t died and he never will. He will persist in pop-culture gems like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Natural” and his conservation work and the Sundance Film Festival; but none of them more profound or impacting than the sweet pain of a Lake Forest family falling apart. The movie is so universal and real that, in a way, maybe it knows where all of us live.
In America’s review from October of 1980, Richard Blake, S.J., captures the film wonderfully, though I would add one thing. While Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton are indeed splendid, Mary Tyler Moore as a mother whose grief doesn’t know where to go is stunning. – Joe Hoover, S.J.
“Deep down things,” the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins tells us, dwells “the dearest freshness.” Deep down dwells at times a pain too sharp to endure or an emptiness too terrifying to admit. In fear, or hope, some turn to God, some to psychiatry. Others develop elaborate strategies for living on surfaces, like motes on a bubble. For them survival depends on not looking deep down things.
“Ordinary People,” the brilliant directorial debut of actor Robert Redford, chronicles the strategy of retreat. On the surface the Jarretts are an ideal family. Calvin (Donald Sutherland), a tax attorney, has provided a beautiful home in Lake Forest, Il., an elegant suburb of Chicago. Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) plays golf and tennis at the club, shops at the right stores and socializes with only the right kind of people. Their son, Conrad (Timothy Hutton) is handsome, a member of the swimming team and glee club and will not have to worry about tuition bills at either Harvard or Michigan.
The appearances of tranquility are deceptive. Conrad has spent six months in a mental hospital after a suicide attempt. An older brother was killed in a boating accident, and Conrad blames himself. Death and blame cannot be discussed. Beth did not weep at the funeral, and, in fact, was cleareyed enough to correct her husband’s choice of clothes for the burial. She lives in a world of perfectly dusted living rooms and perfectly folded napkins, and nothing must disturb the illusion of order, not even death or hatred. Calvin, in turn, is a middle-aged cheerleader. If he says “That’s great!” often enough, he will begin to believe it.
Conrad has scars on his wrists and memories of the hospital; he knows something is wrong. On his own, he calls Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch), and together they begin to poke and probe the Jarretts’ Better Homes and Gardens world. There is progress, and the change in Conrad prompts his father to visit Dr. Berger. Beth will not discuss the matter. As they argue the matter in a fashionable restaurant, she smiles at the waitress to assure herself that the appearances remain. At the end of the conversation, she has her way. They will go to Houston for a golf vacation, leaving Conrad with Beth’s mother. One afternoon on the 18th green, she states quite defiantly that nothing matters to her but her own happiness.
The rich reds and golds of the autumn landscape and the polished woods of the dining room entomb the Jarretts in a china closet of pain. Privilege of birth and wealth have made them objects to be viewed from without, like a Belleek tea service. They, especially Beth, are fragile, and once removed from the shelf, they know that they risk shattering those delicate surfaces: Conrad in the clutter of the doctor’s office, Calvin as he jogs to the point of exhaustion in the woods and Beth, by contrast, as she fights to maintain her existence behind those glass, dust-proof doors until she can find another sanctuary.
The performances, especially by Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton, are splendid. The baroque music, adapted by Marvin Hamlisch, captures the elegance and perfection of Jarretts’ world, and the script by Alvin Sargent, an adaptation of the novel by Judith Guest, is deadly as it shows characters speaking without communicating. — Richard A. Blake, S.J., Oct. 18, 1980
Read next: Moira
=======================================
It feels so strange to tell someone that “Ordinary People” is my favorite movie. It’s like saying a hurricane is my favorite natural disaster, leukemia my favorite medical diagnosis. The film is just so hard, so painful and devastating and truthful. There is barely a false note to be found. To say that the 1980 movie about a Midwestern family caught in a slow-burn crisis “hit close to home” is a vast understatement. The movie knew my address. It ran its fingers over the brushed velvet stripes of our living-room wallpaper. It listened in on our conversations and recorded, especially, what was unspoken, silent.
And it was directed by Robert Redford! The archetypal ’70s and ’80s Hollywood leading man himself: the looks, the quiet grace, the down-home golden-haired cowboy baseball journalist American thing of him. And yet here he was also, crushing it from behind the camera with this nuanced, exquisite family drama that I only have the strength to watch every decade or so. Robert Redford made a nearly perfect movie.
Last night I wrote to my sister that I didn’t know Robert Redford could die. And it really wasn’t hyperbole. I just had never thought of the man departing our midst. Robert Redford just was. And of course in a certain way he hasn’t died and he never will. He will persist in pop-culture gems like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Natural” and his conservation work and the Sundance Film Festival; but none of them more profound or impacting than the sweet pain of a Lake Forest family falling apart. The movie is so universal and real that, in a way, maybe it knows where all of us live.
In America’s review from October of 1980, Richard Blake, S.J., captures the film wonderfully, though I would add one thing. While Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton are indeed splendid, Mary Tyler Moore as a mother whose grief doesn’t know where to go is stunning. – Joe Hoover, S.J.
“Deep down things,” the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins tells us, dwells “the dearest freshness.” Deep down dwells at times a pain too sharp to endure or an emptiness too terrifying to admit. In fear, or hope, some turn to God, some to psychiatry. Others develop elaborate strategies for living on surfaces, like motes on a bubble. For them survival depends on not looking deep down things.
“Ordinary People,” the brilliant directorial debut of actor Robert Redford, chronicles the strategy of retreat. On the surface the Jarretts are an ideal family. Calvin (Donald Sutherland), a tax attorney, has provided a beautiful home in Lake Forest, Il., an elegant suburb of Chicago. Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) plays golf and tennis at the club, shops at the right stores and socializes with only the right kind of people. Their son, Conrad (Timothy Hutton) is handsome, a member of the swimming team and glee club and will not have to worry about tuition bills at either Harvard or Michigan.
The appearances of tranquility are deceptive. Conrad has spent six months in a mental hospital after a suicide attempt. An older brother was killed in a boating accident, and Conrad blames himself. Death and blame cannot be discussed. Beth did not weep at the funeral, and, in fact, was cleareyed enough to correct her husband’s choice of clothes for the burial. She lives in a world of perfectly dusted living rooms and perfectly folded napkins, and nothing must disturb the illusion of order, not even death or hatred. Calvin, in turn, is a middle-aged cheerleader. If he says “That’s great!” often enough, he will begin to believe it.
Conrad has scars on his wrists and memories of the hospital; he knows something is wrong. On his own, he calls Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch), and together they begin to poke and probe the Jarretts’ Better Homes and Gardens world. There is progress, and the change in Conrad prompts his father to visit Dr. Berger. Beth will not discuss the matter. As they argue the matter in a fashionable restaurant, she smiles at the waitress to assure herself that the appearances remain. At the end of the conversation, she has her way. They will go to Houston for a golf vacation, leaving Conrad with Beth’s mother. One afternoon on the 18th green, she states quite defiantly that nothing matters to her but her own happiness.
The rich reds and golds of the autumn landscape and the polished woods of the dining room entomb the Jarretts in a china closet of pain. Privilege of birth and wealth have made them objects to be viewed from without, like a Belleek tea service. They, especially Beth, are fragile, and once removed from the shelf, they know that they risk shattering those delicate surfaces: Conrad in the clutter of the doctor’s office, Calvin as he jogs to the point of exhaustion in the woods and Beth, by contrast, as she fights to maintain her existence behind those glass, dust-proof doors until she can find another sanctuary.
The performances, especially by Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton, are splendid. The baroque music, adapted by Marvin Hamlisch, captures the elegance and perfection of Jarretts’ world, and the script by Alvin Sargent, an adaptation of the novel by Judith Guest, is deadly as it shows characters speaking without communicating. — Richard A. Blake, S.J., Oct. 18, 1980
Read next: Moira
=======================================
Ordinary People Screenplay
by Alvin Sargent from the novel by Judith Guest
A Robert Redford movie
with Timothy Hutton, Donald Sutherland, and Mary Tyler Moore.
1980
aka (French): Des gens comme les autres
Full Film Transcript by Pierre Gautard
====
January 2006
557
Cast
Donald Sutherland...Calvin Jarrett (the father), Tax attorney.
Mary Tyler Moore...Beth Jarrett (the mother)
Timothy Hutton...Conrad Jarrett (youngest son)
Judd Hirsch...Dr. Tyrone C. Berger (psychiatrist)
M. Emmet Walsh...Coach Salan (sports coach) Elizabeth McGovern...Jeannine Pratt (Conrad’s girlfriend)
Dinah Manoff...Karen (Conrad’s friend from psychiatric
hospital)
Scott Doebler...Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett (eldest son,
Jarrett’s brother, died in a boat accident)
Fredric Lehne...Lazenby (Conrad’s best school friend)
Adam Baldwin...Stillman (Conrad’s school friend, empty
head)
Carl DiTomasso... Dick Van Buren aka “Dickie” (Conrad’s
school friend)
James Sikking...Ray Hanley (Calvin’s business partner)
Basil Hoffman...Sloan
Quinn K. Redeker...Ward (Beth’s brother in Texas)
Mariclare Costello...Audrey (Ward’s wife)
Meg Mundy...Grandmother
Richard Whiting...Grandfather
Elizabeth Hubbard...Ruth
Tim Clarke...Truan
Ken Dishner...Genthe
Lisa Smyth...Gail
Ann Eggert...Mitzi
Randall Robbins...Bryce
Cynthia Baker...Ms. Mellon
John Stimpson...John
Liz Kinney...Liz
Rudy Hornish...Ed
Clarissa Downey...Chris
Cynthia Burke...Annie
Jane Alderman...Linda
Paul Preston...Dennis
Gustave Lachenauer...Gus
Marilyn Rockafellow...Sarah
Don Billett...Philip
Ronald Solomon...Joel
Virginia Long...Choir Director
Paula Segal...Shopper
Estelle Meyers...Saleslady
Stuart Shiff...Waiter
Rose Wool...Waitress
Douglas Kinney...Actor (in play, on stage, beginning of
movie)
Constance Addington...Actress (in play, on stage, beginning
of movie)
Edwin Bederman...McDonald's Manager
Bobby Coyne...Young Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Michael Creadon...Young Conrad Jarrett
Steven Hirsch...Mack
Allison Caine...Additional Voice
Randy De Troit...Man on Bridge
_____________________
ORDINARY PEOPLE
[Main Credits]
1 EXT. BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE, SMALL TOWN – DAY 1
Small beautiful country town in the fall, on the shore of a great lake. Close in on school. [Music: Canon in D by Pachelbel, and angel voices singing then: ]
CHOIR
(OS: young male voices)
In the silence of our souls,
O Lord, we contemplate Thy peace
2 INT. SCHOOL HALL, CHOIR – DAY 2
Students’ choir rehearsing Canon in D by Pachelbel (not originally written with lyrics). Among many, Conrad is singing. He is just behind Jeannine Pratt. They don’t know
each other yet.
CHOIR
(girls and boys together)
Free from all the world's desires
Free of fear and all anxiety
Ooooh. Ooooh
Ooooh. Ooooh
Alleluia
Alleluia Sing Alleluia!
[Close in on Conrad]
3 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 3
Conrad suddenly wakes up from nightmare
4 INT. THEATER PLAY - ON STAGE - NIGHT 4
A man of fifty is holding his wife’s hand over the breakfast table.
MAN
Do you know we've made love one hundred and thirteen times?
We hear laughter (numerous).
MAN (cont’d)
I figured it out on my Bowmar calculator.
4 4
Laughter again. The man and the woman are two actors on stage of the local theater. A very conventional play. The set represents an average American kitchen. A man and a woman are having coffee. Man is holding woman’s hand. We gradually discover the audience of the theater.
MAN (cont’d)
To know someone that well is a wonderful thing.
Pause
MAN (cont’d) Two lumps?
[ close in on two couples in the audience] Beth and Calvin and their friends. The women are amused, the men trying to keep awake.
WOMAN No, one.
MAN
So I don’t know everything about you. I don't know your favorite movie stars. I can't remember the name of your favorite perfume. I have racked my brain and I can’t remember.
WOMAN
That's funny. It's "My Sin."
Audience laughs, Alvin wakes up and behaves. Gives a conventional smile to his wife Beth.
MAN
But I do know, in the last twenty four years, that I have never been out of love with you.
5 EXT. THEATER – NIGHT 5
The four of them come out of the theater. The women walk together in front, men behind.
CALVIN Well, did we like it?
FRIEND’S WIFE I loved it.
BETH Bev Walsh was wonderful.
5 5
FRIEND’S WIFE I liked them all.
CALVIN It was funny.
FRIEND It was a comedy. Wasn't it? Essentially?
FRIEND’S WIFE
Well let’s face it: Clyde Banner's
getting fat.
BETH Yes.
FRIEND’S WIFE He should never turn profile.
CALVIN Most of us shouldn't turn profile.
6 INT. CAR. COUNTRY ROAD – NIGHT 6
Calvin seems stunned.
BETH
What was it you were you thinking about?
CALVIN When?
Calvin gives his wife a conventional smile. She coddles up against him, but it is cold.
7 INT. JARRETT’S HOME. – NIGHT 7
Car enters garage.
[car door Alarm On] / [car door Alarm Off] as car doors open and close.
Beth goes upstairs and directly into her bedroom. Calvin notices this, then notices the light under his son’s bedroom door. He knocks.
8 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – NIGHT 8
Conrad is lying on his stomach, on his bed, thinking. He composes himself, grabs his book as if he had been reading.
CONRAD Yeah?
8 8
Calvin opens the door, but does not enter the room, respecting his son’s privacy:
CALVIN You okay?
CONRAD Mmm, mm. Yeah.
How was the show? Calvin shrugs, as if to say “so and so…”
CALVIN Mmmh. Trouble sleeping?
CONRAD No.
CALVIN You're sure?
CONRAD Mm-hmm.
CALVIN Burning the midnight oil?
CONRAD Yeah.
CALVIN Okay.
Pause
CALVIN (cont’d)
You thought about calling that doctor?
CONRAD No.
CALVIN
Well, the month's up. I think we should stick to the plan.
CONRAD
The plan was if I needed to call him.
CALVIN Yeah. Okay. Don't worry about it.
Get some sleep. By the way, I am working on those Michigan State tickets.
8 8
CONRAD Okay.
Calvin closes the door. Conrad reflects, then shuts off light.
9 INT. PARENTS’ BEDROOM – NIGHT 9
Calvin shuts off bedside lamp. Then kisses Beth. They embrace.
10 INT. KITCHEN – MORNING 10
Beth prepares the breakfast table geometrically (CU).
11 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – MORNING 11
Conrad’s lies on his bed, fully dressed, full awake, thinking.
BETH
(OS, IN THE KITCHEN)
What about the Warrens, did you call them?
CALVIN
(OS, IN THE KITCHEN)
Yeah, they said they'll make it some evening soon.
Look at these people. Everybody I grew up with... is in the paper these days.
12 INT. KITCHEN – MORNING 12
Calvin is reading his newspaper. Beth is preparing the breakfast
CALVIN
"Joey Georgella. New football coach for Trinity."
13 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – MORNING 13
Conrad’s sits up on his bed.
CALVIN
(OS, downstairs)
Did you check with Jane for the Michigan State tickets?
14 INT. KITCHEN – MORNING 14
Calvin is reading his newspaper. Beth is cooking some French toast.
14 14
BETH Yes. She’ll talk to John.
Where's Conrad? This’ll get
cold.
CALVIN Con!
15 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – MORNING 15
Conrad’s sitting on his bed.
CALVIN
(OS, downstairs)
(to Beth)
Will you drop those suits at the
cleaners for me?
BETH They won't be back by Saturday.
16 INT. KITCHEN – MORNING 16
Beth still preparing breakfast.
CALVIN That's okay. Connie! Calvin goes to the stairs and calls upstairs.
CALVIN (cont’d) Conrad!
17 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – MORNING 17
CONRAD I’ll be right there!
18 INT. KITCHEN – MORNING 18
Calvin sits back at table. Conrad finally appears at the bottom of the stairs.
CALVIN Here he is!
CONRAD Morning.
BETH Morning.
CONRAD Morning.
18 18
CALVIN Did you sleep?
CONRAD Yeah.
CALVIN Hungry?
CONRAD
(wondering) Uh...uh… hungry, uh?
Beth slides a French toast onto Conrad’s plate.
BETH
It's French toast. It's your favorite.
CALVIN Yeah.
CONRAD Uh… I'm not really hungry.
CALVIN
Breakfast, pal, remember? Main meal. Energy!
Beth comes and takes away Calvin’s plate right away.
BETH
You're not hungry, you're not hungry!
Beth takes away the food and goes to throw it away.
CALVIN
Wait a minute, Beth, Hang on. He's gonna eat it. Come on.
(to Conrad) It's French toast.
Beth pushes the toast in the sink’s grinder. French toast disappears.
BETH
There's fresh fruit for you when you get home from school later.
Grinding noise of disposal.
CALVIN
What are you doing? What are you doing?
18 18
BETH You can't save French toast.
BETH (cont’d)
Listen, I've got to run. I’m playing at nine. Will you please call Mr. Herman about the shutters? I can’t get anywhere with that man.
Beth exits.
CALVIN
You have to charm Mr. Herman. Did you charm him?
(to Conrad)
You have to eat, Con. We just want you keep on getting stronger.
CONRAD Dad, I'm not hungry.
CALVIN Are you okay?
CONRAD
Yeah. I got to go. Lazenby's picking me up.
Calvin is strangely overenthusiastic.
CALVIN Oh. Is he? Great!
CONRAD Why is it great?
CALVIN
Well. I don't see the old gang much anymore. I miss them. Bring them around... Phil, Don, and Dick Van Buren. We'll play some touch football on the lawn.
CONRAD See you later.
Exit Conrad. Calvin resumes eating, reflects, then :
CALVIN Con!
But his son is gone.
19 EXT. JARRETT’S HOME – MORNING 19
Calvin walks up the alley to the street. [Horn honks]
Lazenby’s car stops, with music playing. Lazenby is driving,
Stillman is with him in the front and Dickie van Buren is at
the back.
LAZENBY
(to Stillman) It's called flake.
Conrad just stands there, waiting.
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Come on, Jarrett! We're late, let's go!
LAZENBY Jarrett. Come on!
Conrad gets in the car.
20 INT. LAZENBY’S CAR – MORNING 20
STILLMAN
Uh, we're late ‘cause little Dickie's mom had to pack his lunch.
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Christ, Stillman! You guys were late at my house. I been up all night studying for this poly-sci exam.
STILLMAN
That guy wants a goddamn personal analysis of it all. How do you make sense of that crap, anyway?
LAZENBY You read the crap!
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Oh, shit! When was the last time you read something?
STILLMAN
Yeah. Right! We swim our ass everyday, when are we supposed to study, uh?.
LAZENBY I swim and I study. 20 20
STILLMAN Get a sense of reality, Lazenby.
(to Conrad) ) What you reading?
DICKIE VAN BUREN
(to Lazenby and
Stillman) Meditation!
CONRAD Hardy.
DICKIE VAN BUREN You guys tried meditation?
STILLMAN Meditation?
LAZENBY It's just like thinking, Stillman.
No, I don’t do it too often.
STILLMAN
(to Conrad)
Ain’t that junior English? You got all junior classes this year? They didn't pass you on anything?
LAZENBY
Stillman, you know they don't pass you on… breathing in that dump if you don’t take the final.
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Hey, man, get something on that radio, really. You know, I gotta study.
Conrad stares at the barrier, then away.
DICKIE VAN BUREN (cont’d)
Get something lighter for your head.
Car stops at railroad crossing.
DICKIE VAN BUREN (cont’d)
(OS)
I hope it's a long train. I’ve got to get the stuff down. I'm gonna flunk this test.
LAZENBY We're going to be late.
20 20
Train passes, Conrad stares through it and as in a zoetrope
sees glimpses of a graveyard. .../...
Car slows down near school.
LAZENBY (cont’d)
Does my hair look like shit, doesn’t it?
DICKIE VAN BUREN Yeah.
LAZENBY Yes, it looks like shit. Thanks.
STILLMAN Hey, hey, hey! Hey, there's Pratt.
DICKIE VAN BUREN Look at that ass!
STILLMAN Let me out, I need a jump.
LAZENBY No dirty stuff out of the window.
DICKIE VAN BUREN No dirty stuff?
(to Janine, outside) Pratt! You have nice …knees!
Conrad looks at Jeannine seriously.
STILLMAN Hey. Interested in something.
Jarrett?
She looks back.
21 SCHOOL – MORNING 21
A crowd of students entering school.
22 INT. SCHOOL, CLASSROOM – MORNING 22
Conrad seems to be day-dreaming, looking outside. Female literature teacher questions about the character of Jude in the story of Jude the Obscure, written by Thomas Hardy.
TEACHER
How about we discuss some theory, here? Conrad, what's your theory on Jude Fawley? Conrad?
22 22
Conrad comes back to it
TEACHER (cont’d) What's your theory on Jude Fawley?
CONRAD
Uh…
TEACHER
Do you think he was powerless in the grip of circumstances... or could he have helped himself?
CONRAD
I don't... Uh…Powerless? I guess he thought he was, yeah.
JOEL
The guy was a real jerk. He was hung up on what was the moral thing to do. It didn’t make any sense.
TEACHER
I think that’s a little too easy, Joel. Paul? What do you think?
PAUL
I found the book hard to follow. I couldn’t figure it out.
23 EXT. SCHOOL STADIUM – DAY 23
Conrad eats on a bleacher, reflecting, looking at some students training.
24 INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR. PHONE BOOTH - DAY 24
[Telephone Rings OS] Conrad is calling Dr Berger.
DR BERGER
(OS) Hello?
CONRAD Hello.
DR BERGER Hello?
CONRAD Uh, Dr. Berger? 24 24
DR BERGER
(OS on phone) Yes?
CONRAD Hi. This is Conrad Jarrett calling.
DR BERGER Who?
CONRAD Conrad Jarrett!
Dr. Crawford at Hillsboro
Hospital gave me your number… and…
DR BERGER Oh, yes! I'm with a patient now.
Can you call back at two fifteen?
CONRAD I don't think I'll be free.
DR BERGER
Then give me your number. I'll call you tonite. Hello? Hello?
CONRAD
Uh, that’s OK, I'll try to call you back. Thanks.
Conrad hangs up.
25 INT. SWIMMING POOL – DAY 25
Conrad with goggles, ready to jump. Swimming training session. Conrad and six others dive. They swim in their lanes.
COACH SALAN Go!
OK, Come on, now! Move it, you guys! Move it! Keep it going! Keep it going! Keep it going!
Come on! Keep plugging! Plugging!
Use those legs! Use those legs!
Lazenby, get with it! Jarrett, keep your head down!
Work it out there! Work it! Come on, now! Come on! Push off! Get your head down. Jarrett! Come on! Keep it up! Keep it going! Dig!
Dig! Dig in there! Come on! Get at it! Push on. Jarrett! Push on!
26 INT. SWIMMING POOL, LOCKER ROOM - DAY
Conrad slams his locker’s door 26
27 INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT 27
BETH Was he actually a client of yours?
CALVIN Well. Regionally.
BETH It's too bad.
CALVIN I mean.. it's tragic. Really.
Look at him now. He's lost everything.
BETH Fish too dry?
CALVIN It's not too dry.
BETH They have a new mechanic at C&S.
CALVIN What happened to little Harry?
BETH
I don’t know. I think he took a job in Skokie. Anyway, this new mechanic is so …awkward.
(to Conrad) Is that shirt ripped?
Leave it on the table in the hallway.
CALVIN
That girl from the hospital, the one you painted with, she was from Skokie, wasn’t she?
CONRAD Uh, uh.
CALVIN What was her name?
CONRAD Karen.
27 27
CALVIN Sharon?
CONRAD Karen!
CALVIN Karen.
BETH
Conrad, do you want me to sign you up for round robin at the club?
CONRAD I haven't played in a year.
BETH
Well, don’t you think it’s time to start?
Silence
BETH (cont’d)
Also, Calvin, we have to go to the
Murrays on saturday, I couldn’t get out of it, it’s Clark’s birthday. I bought him that book on wine.
CALVIN
(aside)
Good god, not the Murrays…
28 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 28
Conrad is twisting in his bed under a nightmare
EXT. NIGHTMARE. STORM on LAKE - NIGHT
Conrad and Buck are fighting against the storm in their small sailboat
CONRAD Lift the rope off Bucky!
29 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 29
Conrad is twisting in his bed under his nightmare
EXT. NIGHTMARE. STORM on LAKE - NIGHT
Conrad and Buck are fighting against the storm in their small sailboat
BUCK We're going in! 30 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 30
Conrad is twisting in his bed under his nightmare
EXT. STORM on LAKE - NIGHT (NIGHTMARE)
Buck is overboard swimming, trying to cling at the overturned small sailboat
CONRAD
(OS) Give me your hand!
31 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 31
Conrad is twisting in his bed under his nightmare
EXT. STORM on LAKE - NIGHT (NIGHTMARE) Conrad is clingin at the keel of the overturned sailboat
CONRAD Bucky!
32 INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT 32
Conrad is twisting in his bed under his nightmare and muttering in his sleep.
CONRAD
Fuck! Fuck! Ha…
33 EXT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE BUILDING. STREET. – DAY 33
Conrad, sitting on a bench, looks at Dr Berger’s office windows on the other side of street, hesitating to go. He finally crosses the street and enters building.
34 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE BUILDING. LIFT – DAY 34
Conrad, kind of terrified, rehearses his meeting Dr. Berger:
CONRAD
Oh, hi. How are you? /…/ Oh. I'm fine /…/ Couldn't be better, really. Oh, terrific, yeah.
35 INT. DR. BERGER’S CORRIDOR - DAY 35
Conrad sees « Dr Berger » on a bell. He rings but another door opens behind him. Dr Berger motions him to come in.
DR BERGER
Ha! Hi! Come in. It’s OK, they all do that.
INT. Dr. BERGER’S OFFICE - DAY
Dr BERGER (cont’d) Jarrett?
Conrad nods.
Dr BERGER (cont’d) Come in. Sit down.
Dr Berger is fixing an amplifier
Dr BERGER (cont’d)
I just have to... wire some...
volume.
Music suddenly blares. Dr Berger stops it.
Dr BERGER (cont’d)
Ah… sorry. Sit down! You’ve had trouble finding the place?
CONRAD Not yet.
Dr Berger gives him a second look. Telephone Rings. Dr Berger sits at his desk, looks up file.
DR BERGER
Hmm…. Jarrett. How long since you've been out of the hospital?
CONRAD A month and a half.
DR BERGER Feeling depressed?
CONRAD No.
DR BERGER On stage?
CONRAD Pardon me?
DR BERGER
People nervous... treating you like you're …a dangerous character?
CONRAD Yeah. I guess a little.
DR BERGER Are you?
CONRAD I don't know.
Dr Berger sits at table, looks up another file.
DR BERGER How long were you in the hospital?
CONRAD Four months.
DR BERGER What did you do?
CONRAD
I tried to off myself. Isn’t it down there?
DR BERGER
It doesn't say what your method was.
CONRAD Double-edged Super Blue.
DR BERGER Oh.
Dr Berger closes file
Dr BERGER (cont’d) So how does it feel being home?
Everybody’s glad to see you?
CONRAD Yeah.
DR BERGER Friends?
CONRAD Yeah.
DR BERGER OK?
CONRAD Yeah.
DR BERGER
Everything…
CONRAD Yeah.
DR BERGER You're back in school?
Everything okay at school?
Teachers?
CONRAD Yeah.
DR BERGER No problems?
CONRAD Uh-uh.
DR BERGER So why are you here?
Pause
CONRAD
Uh... I'd like to be more in control, I guess.
DR BERGER Why?
CONRAD
So people can quit worrying about me.
DR BERGER Who's worried about you?
CONRAD
My father, mostly. This is his idea.
DR BERGER
What about your mother? Isn't she worried about you, too?
CONRAD
I don't know, listen. You… You’re a friend of Dr Crawford, so you’re probably all right, but I'll be straight with you, I don't like this already.
DR BERGER Well, as long as you're straight.
CONRAD
What do you know about me? Have you talked to Crawford?
DR BERGER
Yes. He called me on the phone. He told me your name and… he told me to look for you. And, uh… he said you had a brother who died. A… boating accident, wasn't it? Want to tell me about it?
Silence
Dr BERGER (cont’d)
Well I suppose you talked this over with Crawford at the hospital. Right?
CONRAD Right.
Conrad nods.
DR BERGER How did that go?
CONRAD It didn't change anything.
DR BERGER Why do you want to change?
CONRAD
I told you, I'd like to be more in control.
DR BERGER Why?
CONRAD
I told you, so people can quit worrying about me.
DR BERGER
Well. I'll tell you something. I'll be straight with you, okay? I'm not big on control. But it's your money.
CONRAD So to speak.
DR BERGER So to speak.
Okay… Dr Berger picks up his diary.
Dr BERGER (cont’d) How's Tuesdays... and Fridays?
Same time.
CONRAD Twice… a week?
DR BERGER Well. Control's a tough nut.
CONRAD I've got swim practice every night.
DR BERGER
Well. That's a problem. How do we solve that?
CONRAD
Guess I'll have to skip practice twice a week, and come here.
DR BERGER Well. It's up to you.
CONRAD
I don't like being here. I got to tell you I don't like being here at all.
Dr Berger nods.
DR BERGER Mm-mmm.
36 INT. DINING ROOM – NIGHT 36
Beth tidies up some napkins, neatly tied up in rolls in a drawer which she closes (CU). She is in the kitchen, Calvin speaks to her from the dining room table. Conrad is sitting there too, looking at his father.
CALVIN (OS) I saw Mort Swain. His sister died.
BETH The one from Idaho?
CALVIN The one with the restaurant.
BETH Did she die in Idaho?
CALVIN I guess so. Why?
36 36
BETH You said she was always traveling.
I just… wondered if she died in Idaho.
CALVIN
I don't know. Maybe she died in Idaho. Maybe Kansas City.
Conrad laughs. Calvin too. Calvin is first surprised, then pleased by his son’s reaction.
CONRAD I went to see Dr. Berger.
In the kitchen, Beth stops and listens.
CALVIN Berger?
CONRAD Yeah.
CALVIN Did you?
CONRAD Yeah.
CALVIN Good! You didn't say anything.
Good!
CONRAD I went.
CALVIN When?
CONRAD Today.
Beth comes closer
BETH
I didn't know you made an appointment.
CALVIN How did it go?
CONRAD
If it's too much money, I don’t have to go. It’s not necessary… 36 36
CALVIN
(enthusiastic)
Don’t worry about the money, it’s okay.
CONRAD
Well it's 50 $ an hour. Twice a week.
CALVIN Ah, it's okay. And it is necessary.
What did you talk about?
CONRAD Not much.
CALVIN
What about your schedule? Will that be all right?
CONRAD Well, it'll cut into swim practice.
BETH Where's his office?
CONRAD Highland Park.
37 INT. SWIMMING POOL, POOLSIDE - DAY 37
COACH SALAN
(screaming at a swimmer)
Keep that head straight Genthe! I don't want to tell you again!
Conrad is standing in front of him shivering from cold.
COACH SALAN (cont’d)
(to Conrad) Now, this is what I see.
I see you yawning, I see you come late. I don't see you having any fun out there. Are you getting enough sleep?
CONRAD Yeah.
COACH SALAN Well, are you having fun out there?
CONRAD Fun?
37 37
COACH SALAN
There's no point if you're not having fun. Right?
CONRAD Yeah. I guess so.
COACH SALAN
You guess so…? Are you on medication, Jarrett? Tranquilizers? Anything?
CONRAD No. No, sir.
COACH SALAN
Did I ask you if they gave you shock out there?
CONRAD Yeah.
COACH SALAN Yeah what?
CONRAD Yeah. You asked me. Yeah, they did.
COACH SALAN
Don't look at us, Lazenby! Get your ass in the water! Look at the bottom of the pool! You know, I'm no doctor, Jarrett. I would never have let them put electricity in my head.
38 EXT. SWIMMING POOL CORRIDOR – DAY 38
Students coming out of the pool. Lazenby and Dickie, followed by Conrad and Stillman
DICKIE VAN BUREN
God that Salan! He’s such a picky bastard! He drives me nuts!
STILLMAN Everybody drives you nuts.
STILLMAN (cont’d)
Don and Fenetch look good, don’t you think, Jarrett?
CONRAD They look very good. 38 38
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Hey, Con, is he giving you a hard time?
LAZENBY
He gives everybody a hard time, Dickie.
JEANNINE’S FRIEND
You guys don’t want a clarinet, do you?
STILLMAN Yeah, Van Buren wants a clarinet.
DICKIE VAN BUREN
I don’t need a clarinet. Who's selling it?
JEANNINE’S FRIEND My brother. He needs a motorcycle.
DICKIE VAN BUREN
Uh, uh… I need a new pair of shoes.
STILLMAN You need a new personality.
Dickie Van Buren and Stillman leave. Conrad and Lazenby stand in front of Jeannine and her friend.
JEANNINE
(points at Jarrett)
You, you stand behind me in the choir.
CONRAD Oh? I do? You do? Is that you?
JEANNINE You have a lot of energy.
CONRAD I do?
JEANNINE
Yeah. I mean, That's good. My name's Jeannine Pratt.
CONRAD Nice. Hi!
JEANNINE’S FRIEND You're Conrad Jarrett, remember? 38 38
CONRAD Right. Hum. Yeah. Um. Bye.
JEANNINE Bye-bye.
LAZENBY
"You've got a lot of energy."
39 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, ENTRANCE - NIGHT 39
Halloween : Beth opens door with a plate of candied apples
ready. Outside, five kids screaming.
CHILDREN (OS) Trick or treat!
BETH
You're the scariest ghost I've ever seen! And the tiger and the witch… You all look just wonderful. Take an apple.
CHILDREN Thank you.
BETH There you go. Be careful.
CHILDREN Thank you Mrs Jarrett, bye.
BETH Good-bye.
Children’s laughs. Beth closes the door.
BETH (cont’d)
The Cabbots. Little Julie's first time. God, she's so cute!
40 EXT. JARRETT’S HOUSE – NIGHT 40
The children run away, laughing.
CHILDREN Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
BETH (OS) Know what I've been thinking?
41 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM – NIGHT 41
Calvin is lying back on the couch. Beth is by his side, and talks to him seducingly.
41 41
CALVIN Mmm?
BETH
That Christmas in London would be like something out of Dickens. We've never done that before, right? Christmas in London?
CALVIN
Maybe we shouldn't plan to go away right now.
BETH
Yes, we talked about that. We decided on that.
CALVIN
Yeah. I know we talked about it, but the more I talk about it, the more the timing doesn't seem right.
BETH
(interrupting)
Calvin, we've always gone away at Christmas time.
CALVIN I know.
BETH
I think… I think it would be good for him too. Isn’t it time we got back to normal?
CALVIN He's just started with this doctor.
BETH Alright, so he'll miss three weeks.
Why interrupt it?
BETH (cont’d)
Because I want to get away! I think we all should. It's important.
CALVIN
No. If he doesn't go through with this now, he might change his mind.
BETH
Alright then if he changes his mind, maybe it’s not something that was right for him to do.
41 41
CALVIN
You talked to him about it? Does he want to go to London?
BETH
I don’t think he knows what he wants to do.
42 EXT. JARRETT’S HOUSE –DAY 42
Beth arrives in alley with car, takes out shopping, enters house.
43 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, BEDROOM’S LANDING –DAY 43
Beth goes upstairs with her shopping, knocks on Conrad’s door. No answer. She enters in an authoritarian way, then comes out and closes the door. She then goes to the next door on the landing (Buck’s bedroom), stops in front of it. She hesitates, then enters.
44 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, BUCK’S BEDROOM –DAY 44
Beth slowly enters Buck’s abandoned bedroom, all silent.
Everything has stayed like it was. Beth looks around, sits on bed. Stares at photos, prizes and objects. It’s like a museum.
45 EXT. JARRETT’S HOUSE –DAY 45
Conrad arrives on foot.
46 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, BUCK’S BEDROOM –DAY 46
Beth in Buck’s abandoned bedroom, all silent, sitting on bed.
Conrad appears at door, Beth is startled.
BETH HA!
CONRAD Oh, I’m sorry.
BETH Don’t do that!
CONRAD
I’m sorry, I…
BETH
Ha. I didn’t think you were here CONRAD
I’m sorry, I just got in. I didn’t… I didn’t know you were here.
46 BETH
I didn’t play golf, today. It’s too cold.
CONRAD How’s your golf game?
BETH I didn’t play.
CONRAD Oh… It did get colder today.
BETH
No, I mean, …for the year it's colder.
CONRAD Yeah.
Beth leaves Buck’s bedroom. 46
47 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, LANDING –DAY 47
BETH Weren't you swimming today?
CONRAD Uh-huh. Sorry I scared you.
BETH How'd it go?
CONRAD Good. I swam well, today.
BETH Good.
CONRAD Yeah.
Personaly I think I could swim the 50 if my timing got...
He leans back against a wardrobe. Beth sees it.
BETH Off.
CONRAD …my timing got better.
I'm a just a little… a little off with my… my timing.
BETH Well, you have to work at that. 47 47
CONRAD
Yeah. Oh, I got seventy four on a trig quiz.
BETH
Seventy four? Gee, I was awful at trig.
CONRAD Oh? Did you...? You took Trig?
Beth stares, trying to remember.
BETH Wait a minute… Did I take trig?
That’s… - uh…? I bought you two shirts. They're on your bed.
Beth enters parents’ bedroom and closes the door. Conrad just stands there, paralyzed.
48 INT. CAR – NIGHT 48
Beth and Calvin are going to the Murray’s birthday party, Calvin is driving.
CALVIN Who's gonna be there?
BETH
Well. The Murrays of course, and the Gunthers, and the Caines, and… the good old us.
CALVIN
Why don’t we just go to the movies instead?
BETH Don't be negative.
CALVIN
That's not negative. That's unpredictable. Come on. Let's really go to the movies.
BETH Okay.
Calvin smiles, thinking she agrees, not understanding she is taking this as a joke.
CALVIN Really?
48 48
BETH Okay. Yeah. Come on. Let's go.
What's our excuse?
CALVIN Beth wanted to go to the movies?
BETH Good. Very good.
She laughs strangely.
49 EXT. MURRAY’S HOUSE – NIGHT 49
The car is arriving at the Murrays’ house, we see in background
BETH All right now, smile.
And remember, not too many martinis.
50 INT. MURRAY’S HOUSE – NIGHT 50
Gladyce the maid goes open the door. Beth enters all smiles, followed by Calvin.
BETH
Hello Gladyce. Will you put that with the rest of them?
Several guests. Beth sees Mrs Murray coming down the stairs eyes wide open, showing off.
BETH (cont’d)
Oh, look, we're in time for the grand entrance!
MRS MURRAY
Hello! Look who's here! Three blocks away and the last to arrive.
They kiss.
MRS MURRAY (cont’d) Come on in.
While going to the dining room, they meet their host, Clark Murray a thin blond man.
BETH
Clark! Happy birthday! You look wonderful for a 75-year-old!
BETH (cont’d) Is that new?
MRS MURRAY Yes. It is. Do you like it?
BETH You did the mousse?
It turned out well?
CALVIN Hey. Partner. How are you?
Calvin meets his business associate Ray Hanley, and Man #2 (red tie striped cream, wearing glasses), and their wives.
RAY HANLEY Hey, pal!
Calvin kisses Ray’s wife. Beth is with two women : Woman #1 with dark hair (in green), the other, Woman #2, with grey hair (in orange).
BETH Hi there.
WOMAN #1 Hi. Beth.
BETH
Good to see you, and where were you at the lunch last week?
Man #3 is giving Clark Murray some financial advice
MAN #3
Call your bank and borrow the money.
MURRAY I was thinking of going public.
MAN #3
I wouldn't do that, I wouldn't do it now…
MURRAY Why not?
MAN #3 …because the market's low. Beth is talking to Woman #2 (with grey hair, orange dress)
BETH
Your hair looks wonderful. It's shorter, isn’t it? I like that.
Man #2 is telling a joke to two women
MAN #2
I said: "Would you please put out your cigar?" and he says: "Huh?”. I said: "Would you put out your cigar?", he says: "Huh?”. I said: "Would you please put out your cigar?", he says: " I don't have another one!"
The two women laugh.
BETH
Good to see you! You look beautiful. As ever.
MAN #4
(full grey hair)
It’s a macho factor. When these kids are at school, they just think they've got to walk on the edge of danger.
Beth joins the two women and man #2 :
BETH
What are these hushed tones all about?
WOMAN # He just told the funniest joke!
Calvin laughs with two male guests. MAN #4 (with grey hair) passes him
MAN #4 I'm not talking to you.
CALVIN Why?
Woman #2 with grey hair (in orange) is sitting on a couch talking to other guests
WOMAN #2
Obviously, you know, I have my fingers crossed on this merger.
Man #3 and Clark Murray are still talking financial advice.
MURRAY When can we have lunch?
MAN #3
Great. Fill me in the office, I have no idea of my schedule, but I'm free almost everyday.
Calvin talks with Man #2 (red tie striped cream, wearing glasses)
MAN #2
I ran into Billy white. Bob Mc Lean's leaving Coles and Johnson.
CALVIN Where is he going?
MAN #2 He doesn't know.
CALVIN Jesus. Beth is laughing, adressing MAN #4 (with grey hair)
BETH No. You didn't. You’re so mean. Isn't he the meanest man you've met?
A guest, Man #5, talks golf with a woman.
MAN #5
When a ball is in play, if a player, his partner, their equipment or their caddies accidentally move it...
Birthday cake comes in with candles (CU)
GUESTS
He’s a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
Won't regret, can't forget
What we did for love
Beth and other women and gathered around the piano. They are a little drunk are singing a little false.
Annie, a guest with red blouse, is sitting on the steps of the stairs, eating out of her plate. Calvin comes and sits next to her.
CALVIN
Hi. Annie. What's your boy up to these days?
ANNIE Oh. Who knows? They won’t tell.
How's Conrad doing?
CALVIN He's great. Just great.
ANNIE
I asked Donald, and he says they haven't talked much. I said maybe he's a little self-conscious.
A woman in green going upstairs, drunk, trips over Calvin
CALVIN Oh!
Calvin laughs. The woman goes upstairs.
CALVIN (cont’d) No, no. No. No. He's...
Beth, not far, listens.
CALVIN (cont’d)
There's a doctor in Highland
Park... that he sees a couple of times a week. That kinda cuts into his social life.
Beth, still.
CALVIN (cont’d) He's great. Just great.
ANNIE
Really? Is he still having some problems?
CALVIN
Oh, no, no. Nothing like that. No, no, just somebody to talk to... that’s all. Kind of polish off the rough edges, that’s all.
Beth joins in, to cut him off.
BETH
How are you. Darling? Is he falling asleep on you, yet?
ANNIE Nah. He's great.
CALVIN (Mimicking "Mr.
Wonderful") Mr. Great. That's me!
51 INT. CAR – NIGHT 51
Beth looks uptight and scornful. Calvin notices it.
CALVIN Hey?
BETH
You drink too much at parties, Calvin.
CALVIN I'm not drunk.
BETH
Why did you tell Annie Marshall that Conrad is seeing a psychiatrist?
CALVIN I dunno. Why not?
BETH
Well for one thing, I don’t think people hear that kind of thing very easily.
CALVIN
Come on, for most people, it's a status symbol, right up there with going to Europe.
BETH
Well, I thought your blurting it out like that was in very bad taste…
CALVIN
I did not think it was that…
BETH
Not to mention a violation of privacy!
CALVIN Whose privacy?
Beth is strangely vehement.
BETH Our privacy! The family's privacy!
I think it is a very private matter.
Calvin sighs.
INT. Dr. BERGER’S OFFICE – DAY Conrad sits in an armchair, very nervous, scratching his leg.
So what do I do… tell you my dreams?
DR BERGER I don't hold much stock in dreams.
CONRAD
What kind of a psychiatrist are you? They all believe in dreams.
DR BERGER Really? What's happening?
What's going on?
CONRAD I just feel... I feel so...
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD Jumpy. I don't know.
DR BERGER
Look. Kiddo... I lied. I do believe in dreams. Only sometimes I want to know what's happening when you're awake. Come on, something's bugging you, making you nervous. You’re making me nervous.
CONRAD Maybe I need a tranquilizer.
DR BERGER Tranquilizer?
CONRAD Yeah.
What do you think?
DR BERGER
I think you came in here looking like something out of The Body Snatchers. It's not my impression that you need a tranquilizer.
Conrad notices a cube on the table.
CONRAD What is this?
DR BERGER Clock.
Oh, I see. So you get to tell the time, but I can't. Is that it?
DR BERGER Mmm, mmm.
CONRAD So you know when the hour's up?
DR BERGER Right.
CONRAD Fifty minutes, fifty five minutes?
What is it?
Dr Berger doesn’t answer.
CONRAD (cont’d)
Maybe… Maybe I don't want to swim anymore. You know, I mean my timing is for shit. You know, he’s got two guys that swim the fifty, they’re better than me, and…
DR BERGER Ha, ha.
CONRAD
They're a bunch of boring ass jocks.
DR BERGER Ha, ha.
CONRAD
And him... I can't stand him. He’s a tight ass son of a bitch!
DR BERGER
Ah, ah?… Have you ever thought about quitting?
CONRAD Are you telling me to?
DR BERGER No.
CONRAD It wouldn't look good.
DR BERGER
Forget about how it looks! How does it feel?
How does it feel? How does it feel?
DR BERGER Yes!
CONRAD How does it feel?!
DR BERGER Yes! How does it feel?
CONRAD
It's the same thing that happened last year… It's the same damn thing I did last year.
DR BERGER
Are you the same person you were last year?
CONRAD I don’t know!
DR BERGER That's why you need a tranquilizer?
CONRAD You tell me!
DR BERGER No. It’s up to you!
CONRAD
Fifty bucks an hour, can’t you decide if I should have a pill or not? I mean, you're a doctor, I'm supposed to feel better! Right?
DR BERGER Not necessarily.
Conrad reflects.
Dr BERGER (cont’d)
How is it with your friends? Is it getting any easier?
CONRAD No. It's still hard.
DR BERGER Is anyplace easy?
CONRAD The hospital was.
DR BERGER It was? Why?
CONRAD Because nobody hid anything there.
DR BERGER
Was there anyone there you could talk to?
CONRAD Uh-huh.
DR BERGER I mean, besides Dr. Crawford?
CONRAD Uh-huh.
52 INT. RESTAURANT – DAY 52
Conrad is sitting, reflecting. A young woman’s hand blinds him for a second : Karen has arrived.
CONRAD Whoa!
KAREN Hi!
CONRAD Hey, Karen! Hi! How are you?
KAREN Good. Real good.
CONRAD Sit down. Please.
KAREN Thank you.
CONRAD Wow.
Long Pause. They laugh.
KAREN When did you get back?
CONRAD Uh… The end of August.
KAREN
God…
CONRAD It's great to see you.
KAREN
Oh, you too. Listen. I am not gonna be able to stay a real long time. I've got a meeting over at school.
Drama Club meeting. We're doing “A
Thousand Clowns” this year. You know it? Anyway. We're going so crazy trying to get it together. I am secretary this year too.
CONRAD Don't let me hang you up.
KAREN
No. Oh, no, you’re not hanging me up! No, I really wanted to see you.
I didn't know quite what to expect, though… I mean, you sounded…uh, you sounded sort of funny on the phone.
CONRAD
(interrupting)
No, no, I wasn’t. It was just a gray day, that’s all. Kind of… But everything's great, I'm back in school, I am on the swim team, and…
KAREN
Oh. You're swimming? Terrific,
Conrad! That’s… That's really wonderful.
CONRAD
We haven’t had any meets yet. I could end up on the bench all year, but…
KAREN
Come on, you'll do great. I'll bet your folks are real proud of you.
CONRAD Yeah, yeah.
WAITER What can I get you guys?
CONRAD You’re hungry, at all?
KAREN Uh… I just want a coke.
CONRAD Uh… two cokes, please.
KAREN You think we offended him?
CONRAD
Something I said? Definitely a low self-image day.
KAREN So. Uh...
CONRAD KAREN - Are you... - What did...
CONRAD KAREN
I can't believe how beautiful You know what I really wanted
you look. to…
CONRAD You really look beautiful.
KAREN So do you.
CONRAD Do you miss it?
KAREN Miss what?
CONRAD The hospital.
KAREN No.
Waiter brings two cokes
KAREN (cont’d) Thank you.
CONRAD You don't miss it? At all? Nothing?
Nothing about it?
KAREN No.
CONRAD You don't miss Leo's corny jokes?
Pause. She looks at him sternly.
KAREN Are you seeing a doctor?
CONRAD Yeah. I'm seeing a doctor. Are you?
KAREN
Uh… Uh, well, Dr. Crawford gave me a name, and I went for a while. But uh… I dunno.It just didn't work for me, I guess. He just kept telling me all the things I already knew, and , uh… finally, I decided... the only one who can help me is myself. At least, that's what my dad says.
I don’t mean it’s not right for you, Conrad. I mean I think that if it's something you want to do, that's what you should be doing.
CONRAD
Well, ya, I don't know how long
I'll keep it up. I sorta got shoved into it.
Pause
KAREN Your hair grew in.
CONRAD
Oh, yes. That was such a dumb thing to do.
KAREN I like it.
CONRAD You do?
KAREN Yeah!
CONRAD
I don't know, I just... Uh…
I miss it sometimes, the hospital. Really do.
KAREN Things have to change. You know?
CONRAD But that's where we had the laughs.
KAREN
But that was a hospital. This is the real world.
CONRAD Yeah, yeah, I… you're sure right.
Pause
KAREN
I really have to go. I'm sorry. I have a meeting over at the school. Drama Club meeting. We're doing “A Thousand Clowns”.
CONRAD I know, you told me.
KAREN Did I?
CONRAD Yeah.
KAREN
I better hurry. Don't wanna be late.
CONRAD Thanks for seeing me.
He clears his throat.
KAREN
Conrad? Let's have a great
Christmas! Okay? Let's have... a great year. Let's have the best year of our whole lives, OK? We can, you know. This could be the best year ever.
CONRAD Yeah… Yeah.
KAREN Yeah!
She gets up
KAREN (cont’d) Mmm… Will you call me?
CONRAD
Yeah…
KAREN You mean it?
CONRAD Yep!
KAREN You. Uh... You look good. Conrad.
CONRAD Yeah.
KAREN Bye.
CONRAD Bye-bye.
She leaves. Then stops a few steps away, and shouts :
KAREN Hey!
A customer is startled.
KAREN (cont’d) Would you cheer up?
Conrad sits there with a strange feeling of embarrassment, reflecting.
53 EXT. JARRETT’S HOUSE. GARDEN – DAY 53
From inside, Beth stares outside in the garden where Conrad is lying on a chaise lounge. She comes out.
BETH
It's cold out here. You should put that on, or do you want a sweater?
CONRAD Do I need one?
Beth is taken off guard by Conrad’s reaction, doesn’t know what to do.
BETH What are you doing?
CONRAD Nothing. Thinking.
53 53
BETH About what?
CONRAD Not about anything.
BETH Your hair is starting to grow out.
It's looking... looking better.
Pause
CONRAD I was thinking about the pigeon...
You know the one that used to hang around the garage. How it used to get on top of your car, and he take off when you pulled out of the driveway.
BETH
Oh. Yeah, I remember. I remember how scared I used to get... That whosssshhhhh! Flap, flap, flap, flap!... Every time I started the car.
CONRAD
Yeah. That was the closest we ever came to having a pet. You remember Buck asked you, he tried to talk you into… getting a dog. Do you remember that?
He said. "How about it, if it's the size of a little football?"
BETH
You know. Uh… That animal next door, that Pepper or Pippin, whatever its name is...
CONRAD Pippin. Pippin. Pippin!
BETH
He's not a very friendly dog... I…
I don’t care what Mr. McGreary says.
CONRAD BETH
- What he really wanted was a - Everytime time that dog retriever. It was down the comes into this backyard, I street for sale. That’s what try to get him out… he wanted. A retriever.
53 53
CONRAD
(he barks) Arf! Arf! Arf!
Beth stops in her tracks, startled, but doesn’t show it.
BETH
Put that on if you're gonna stay out here, okay?
Conrad stays alone a while and stares. Then goes inside.
54 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE. DINING ROOM – DAY 54
Conrad enters hesitantly, back from garden. Beth is busy dressing up the table.
CONRAD Can I help?
BETH Help what? Oh, you mean with this?
No.
CONRAD I will.
BETH
(casually)
No, I tell you what you can do though. You can go upstairs to that room of yours and clean out the closet.
CONRAD
Mom…
BETH Okay? Because it really is a mess.
They stand there, facing each other, uptight. The telephone rings. Beth goes over to it, picks it up, seems suddenly delighted.
BETH (cont’d)
Hello. /…/
Oh, hi! /…/
Yeah, , no, I didn't get there. I was swamped with work. How did it
go? /…/ No, no, I'm not doing anything, just getting ready for dinner. Uh-huh.
Beth laughs to a gossip. Conrad is devastated.
54 54
BETH (cont’d) Did she really?
Beth laughs again.
[echo effect to get into Flashback]
55 EXT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, GARDEN – DAY 55
Beth is laughing at Buck story. She is lying leisurely on a mattress on the lawn. Buck is standing, telling his story.
BUCK
Oh anyway, Mary Ann Ramon started to just scream, just cry, right? It was crazy. We got so drunk that we couldn't talk to each other. It was the last day... the last day of school.
A younger Conrad, sitting aside, is listening too, amused.
BUCK (cont’d)
We walked out of the building in the middle of the class!
Conrad laughs. Beth laughs.
BETH Oh, Bucky!
Beth laughs.
56 INT. JARRETT’S HOUSE, DINING ROOM - DAY 56
Beth laughs. Conrad stares at Beth laughing on the phone. The gossip gets too funny.
BETH No. Stop!
Beth laughs.
INT. Dr. BERGER’S OFFICE – EVENING
DR BERGER What do you expect from her?
CONRAD We just don't connect.
DR BERGER Why not?
CONRAD I don’t know. We just don't. 56 56
Silence
DR BERGER What are you thinking?
CONRAD That I jack off a lot.
DR BERGER So what else is new? Does it help?
CONRAD For a minute.
Silence
DR BERGER What now?
CONRAD John Boy.
DR BERGER Who?
CONRAD
You know, in “The Waltons”. John Boy?
DR BERGER Yeah. What about him?
CONRAD
My father came into my room and he didn't know what to say.
This is right after Buck died.
And he came over and sat on the bed next to me, put his arm around my shoulder. We just sat there. I remember I was watching his shoe.
And thinking...
Cos his shoe was turned over on its side.
I was thinking: “He's so uptight, it's gonna crack off.”
Dr Berger listens carefully.
CONRAD (cont’d)
And I knew I should have felt something.
But I didn't know what to feel.
I kept thinking what they say on TV, you know, stuff like:
(MORE)
56 56
CONRAD (cont’d)
"Oh, no, noo! Ooh, My god!"
But I didn't say that... because
I didn't feel sad... so much as...
Conrad sighs.
DR BERGER So much as what?
CONRAD
I dunno. I kept thinking that John
Boy would've said something...about the way he felt, you know. Something.
DR BERGER What would John Boy have said?
CONRAD I don't know.
DR BERGER Come on.
Conrad seems lost. Dr Berger is on to something.
Dr BERGER (cont’d) Come on.
CONRAD Come on what?
DR BERGER Don't hold back.
Silence
57 EXT. CITY BUSINESS CENTER – DAY 57
Calvin walks with his business partner Ray Hanley (seen at the party).
RAY HANLEY
Well. At least she's an improvement. She doesn’t crack gum in your face. That's what you get when your partner does the hiring and firing.
CALVIN Oh, I’m sorry. That's my fault.
I just can never seem to tell anybody that they're not making it.
57 57
RAY HANLEY Hold, hold it. Wait a minute.
That's not the problem.
Where are you?
CALVIN What?
RAY HANLEY I've been losing you these days.
CALVIN Oh, I'm sorry.
RAY HANLEY
That's okay. That's okay. You off the track?
CALVIN Huh?
They laugh.
RAY HANLEY
Come on. I've known you for twenty years. You think I can’t tell when something’s wrong? How's Connie?
CALVIN
Connie's all right. He is. He's okay.
RAY HANLEY
Look, I am sorry, it's none of my business, but I think you worry too much. You've been on the rack about him long enough. You’re making it a habit. You’ve gotta let him go sometime.
CALVIN I’m not on the rack about him.
RAY HANLEY
The thing about it is, in a year he'll be gone. Off to Michigan or Harvard or wherever in the hell he gets it in his head he wants to go. Maybe he'll decide to take a tour of Europe for a year and not even go to school at all. Who knows?
CALVIN
I can't argue with "Who knows."
57 57
RAY HANLEY
I'm just try giving you the benefit of my experience.
CALVIN Thanks.
RAY HANLEY
With Valerie, it’s more than her living away from home... She's gone. Got her own friends, her own life. She breezes in …for a couple of days on vacations, but… I don't know, maybe girls are different. Or maybe she was too aware of what was happening between Nance and me.
But they leave… And all that worrying doesn’t amount to a hill of crap. It’s just wasted energy.
Calvin is troubled.
58 INT. COMMUTER TRAIN – NIGHT 58
Going home on the commuter, Calvin is thoughtful. He remembers his sons when they were kids.
59 INT. JARRETT’S DINING ROOM - DAY 59
YOUNG CONRAD
Give me back my sweater! Come on, it’s my sweater!
YOUNG BUCK
Possession is nine tenths…
CALVIN Hang on!
YOUNG BUCK Dad, what's possession?
YOUNG CONRAD Give it to me!
YOUNG BUCK I can’t, it's already on me.
CALVIN Wait, hang on! Whose sweater is it?
YOUNG CONRAD It's my sweater!
59 59
YOUNG BUCK
OK! Alright! I'll give it back to you… as long as you give me back my hockey stick and my skis.
YOUNG CONRAD All right.
Calvin laughs
CALVIN That’s fair!
In the commuter train Calvin also remembers…
60 INT. JARRETT’S HOME. LANDING – NIGHT 60
Calvin knocks violently on Conrad’s bedroom door
CALVIN Conrad! Conrad!
BETH What is it?
61 EXT. JARRETT’S HOME. STREET – NIGHT 61
Conrad is taken away on a stretcher into an ambulance.
AMBULANCE MAN Watch your back. Cuts are vertical.
He really meant business.
WS on Beth, hand on mouth, astonished. Beth and Conrad have
overheard.
AMBULANCE MAN (cont’d) Let's go.
62 INT. COMMUTER TRAIN – NIGHT 62
CONDUCTOR Lake Forest is next. Lake Forest.
Calvin realizes he has to get off.
63 INT. SWIMMING POOL – NIGHT 63
Another training session at the swimming pool. Conrad is heavily swimming in his lane, although he looks tired and bored, not really fit for training. He stops, exhausted at the end of a row, looks at his friends happily discussing by the side of the pool, then at coach Salan in his office glass booth overlooking the swimming pool. Conrad reflects. 64 INT. SWIMMING POOL. COACH SALAN’S OFFICE BOOTH – NIGHT 64
Coach Salan is sermonning Conrad in his office glass booth overlooking the swimming pool.
COACH SALAN What it is you want?
I don't know what else to do for you.
CONRAD I'm not asking you for anything.
COACH SALAN
You gotta be kidding me. I don't get it. I excuse you from practice twice a week so you can see some shrink. I work with you every damn night at your convenience. What the hell more am I supposed to do for you?
CONRAD Nothing.
COACH SALAN
Bright kid like you, everything going for you. See, I don't get it. Why do you wanna keep messing up your life?
CONRAD
I don't think that …that quitting swimming will mess up my life. I… I really don’t.
COACH SALAN Okay. Okay. Now, this is it.
CONRAD Yeah.
COACH SALAN You're a big kid now.
CONRAD Uh, uh.
COACH SALAN Actions have consequences.
CONRAD Okay!
64 64
COACH SALAN I'm not taking you back again.
You’ll remember that?
CONRAD I won't ask you to …sir.
Conrad stands up and leaves. Coach Salan is disappointed.
65 INT. LOCKER ROOM – NIGHT 65
[Laughter] Conrad tidies his closet. Lazenby comes to him.
LAZENBY What happened? You all right?
CONRAD Yeah.
LAZENBY
Salan says you quit the swim team.
CONRAD Yeah.
LAZENBY Why?
CONRAD
I don’t know. I felt like it was a bore.
LAZENBY That's not a real reason!
CONRAD Well, that’s the way it is.
LAZENBY So what's going on?
CONRAD Nothing.
LAZENBY What happened?
CONRAD Nothing.
LAZENBY Connie, come on, talk to me.
65 65
CONRAD
Nothing. Swimming's a bore. That's all.
LAZENBY Well listen, I talked to Salan...
CONRAD Well, quit talking to people! Okay?
LAZENBY Holy shit! Yeah. Sure. Fuck you.
Jarrett.
Lazenby walks away to the others, waiting. They leave.
STILLMAN Ooh! Ohh!
LAZENBY Shut up. Leave it alone.
STILLMAN I told you. The guy's a flake.
They laugh. Conrad, angry with himself, slams his locker’s door.
66 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE – EVENING 66
Conrad reclining on couch. Dr Berger washes his hands in background room, then comes in.
DR BERGER So, what did your dad say about it?
CONRAD I haven't told him yet.
DR BERGER How come?
CONRAD
I don’t know. The timing isn't right, you know. He sweats everything so much, he'll just get worried about it.
DR BERGER Can you tell your mother?
CONRAD
My mother? My mother and I don’t connect. Don’t you listen? I told you that.
(MORE)
66 66
CONRAD (cont'd)
What do people have in common with mothers anyway? It's all surface junk. You know: "Clean your room, brush your teeth, get good grades,
nah, nah, nah, veh…"
Hey, look, I’m just wasting money today. I am not gonna feel anything. I'm sorry.
DR BERGER
No. Sorry's out. Come on, something's on your mind.
CONRAD What time is it?
DR BERGER No, no, never mind the time.
There's time. Look. Remember the contract? Control? Maybe there's some connection between control and uh... – what do we call it? - lack of feeling? Mmm?
CONRAD I said I feel things.
DR BERGER When?
CONRAD Ah, God... Come on.
DR BERGER When?
CONRAD Sometimes. I don't know.
DR BERGER
Come on, come on, Jarrett, I thought you didn't like to fool around.
CONRAD I don’t? I’m not.
DR BERGER Like to play games, do you?
CONRAD I don’t!
DR BERGER So?
66 66
CONRAD What do you want?
DR BERGER
I’ll tell you what I want. I want you to leave "I don't know" out there on the table with the magazines. Okay?
CONRAD
Yeah, and if I don’t have an answer you want me to make one up?
DR BERGER
Yeah. That would be nice. Make one up. Right now. About how there's no feelings in there.
CONRAD I said I have feelings.
DR BERGER Oh! Now you have, now you don’t!
Get it together, Jarrett.
CONRAD
Why you hassle me? Why are you trying to make me mad?
DR BERGER Are you mad?
CONRAD No!
DR BERGER Oh, cut the shit! You’re mad!
You’re mad as hell! You don't like being pushed. So why don’t you do something about it!
CONRAD What?
DR BERGER Tell me to fuck off! I don’t know.
CONRAD
Well, fuck off! No. No, I can't, I can't do this.
DR BERGER Why not?
66 66
CONRAD
I can't…
DR BERGER Why not?
CONRAD
I can't do this. It takes too much energy to get mad!
DR BERGER
Do you know how much energy it takes to hold it back?
CONRAD
When I let myself feel low, I feel as lousy.
DR BERGER
Oh! I beg your pardon! I never promised you a rose garden…
CONRAD Fuck you. Berger!
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD Fuck you.
DR BERGER Yeah?
CONRAD Fuck you!
DR BERGER That's it!
CONRAD
Jesus, you’re really weird! What about you? What do you feel, huh? Do you jack off or jerk off?
Whatever you call it?
DR BERGER What do you think?
CONRAD
(shouts at him)
What do I think? I think you married your fat lady... and you goona over fuck the daylights out of her!
66 66
DR BERGER Sounds good to me.
CONRAD
Ah! Ha! Ha… Conrad falls on the couch, out of breath.
DR BERGER
A little advice about feeling, kiddo... Don't expect it always to tickle.
67 INT. GRANDPARENTS’ LIVING ROOM – DAY 67
Beth, Grandfather (Beth’s father), Conrad and Calvin pose in front of Grandmother (Beth’s mother) aiming her camera to take a photo. Grandfather is very excited and noisy.
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
Ha! Ha! Mother do you know Be quiet. I have to
how to aim that thing? concentrate. Be quiet.
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
Is it in focus? Smile. Smile. Okay. Good.
Okay, now I want to take the
three young ones. Dad, will
you get out of there. Will
you get out of there?
GRANDFATHER Oh, all right, all right.
GRANDMOTHER And be quiet. Be quiet. Be quiet.
Conrad. Where are you?
GRANDFATHER Connie!
GRANDMOTHER Connie.
GRANDFATHER
Over in the middle between your mother and father.
CALVIN That’s good.
GRANDMOTHER
That’s great. All right, smile everybody.
67 67
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
You're taller than your Quiet! Will you be quiet? mother is! Really! All right, smile!
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
This is beautiful. Hold it Shut up! Wonderful. OK, now I level, would you? want to take Cal and Beth.
OK?
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
Great! Sure. Oh, come on. You Oh, hoooold it! can do better than that.
GRANDFATHER Ohhh!
CALVIN
Connie. I want one of Connie and his mother.
BETH
No, I tell you what. Let's get the three men in there, and I’ll take a picture of you.
CALVIN
Connie, move in a little closer to your mother. Okay... prize winner...
GRANDFATHER Yeah. That's great.
CALVIN
Portrait…
GRANDFATHER It's great.
BETH Do it.
CALVIN
Page one, Lake Forrester…
GRANDFATHER GRANDMOTHER
Ain’t it mother? Yes. It’s marvellous. I love
it.
Calvin clicks but it doesn’t work, the camera wasn’t cocked.
CALVIN (cont’d) Shoot, I didn’t cock it. 67 67
BETH Calvin...
CALVIN Hold it. Connie, smile!
BETH Calvin!
CALVIN Just a second, smile!
BETH Calvin, give me the camera.
CALVIN No, I didn’t get it yet , Beth.
BETH Come on, give me the camera.
CONRAD Dad, give her the camera.
CALVIN
I want a really good picture of the two of you, OK?
BETH
No but I really want a shot of the three of you men. Give me the camera, Calvin. Please…
CALVIN
Not until I get a picture of the two of you.
BETH Cal?
CONRAD
(shouts) GIVE-HER-THE-GODDAMN-CAMERA!
Calvin is startled. Conrad sits in an armchair. Calvin hands the camera to Beth. They exchange places.
BETH Smile.
Beth takes a photo of Calvin.
BETH (cont’d)
Who's hungry? I'll make the sandwiches.
67 67
Beth leaves for the kitchen, leaving the camera to her mother.
68 INT. GRANDPARENTS’ KITCHEN – DAY 68
[plate crashes]. We follow the grandmother going to the kitchen to see what’s happening. With her, we discover Beth kneeling, picking up a broken plate on the ground.
GRANDMOTHER Beth?!
BETH I think it can be saved.
Beth gets up, goes to the table and starts preparing the sandwiches.
BETH (cont’d) That was dumb. It was just so dumb.
I don't think he's happy in school.
GRANDMOTHER Have you talked to his teachers?
BETH
I don’t think people want to be with him. He provokes people.
GRANDMOTHER
Well. / Why don’t you do this? / It's an awkward age.
BETH Thank you.
GRANDMOTHER
Maybe he needs a change. Are you sure he’s eating enough?
BETH Yes, Mother, of course.
GRANDMOTHER
I think he'll be all right - if you're firm with him, mmm?
BETH
I think maybe he should go away to school. I just don’t know how to deal with him any more.
GRANDMOTHER Who would make that decision? 68 68
BETH
I don’t know. I suppose this doctor he's seeing.
GRANDMOTHER
What sort of doctor... would make that decision for you?
BETH A psychiatrist.
GRANDMOTHER
I thought we were all finished with that.
BETH No...
GRANDMOTHER What's his name?
BETH Berger.
GRANDMOTHER Jewish doctor?
BETH I dunno, I suppose he's Jewish.
Maybe just German.
GRANDMOTHER What does Cal say about all this?
Beth shows her mother the two pieces of the plate and puts
them together.
BETH
You know, I think this can be saved. It's a nice clean break.
69 INT. SCHOOL – EVENING 69
The choir is rehearsing.
CHOIR
Alleluia, Amen. Amen. Alleluia, Amen. Aaaaaamen.
(final)
CONDUCTOR
Okay. Altos, that last "E" natural could be just a little higher. Officers, don't forget your meeting tonight. That’s it.
69 69
Choir breaks. Jeannine looks at Conrad.
70 INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR – EVENING 70
Jeannine in school corridor still singing.
JEANNINE
Mmm mm mmm, Mmm mm mmm, Mmm mmm Mmm mm mmm.
Jeannine stops to drink some water at the tap of the fountain. Conrad see her when he is already too near, and has almost his coat on. Seeing an opportunity to talk to her, he steps back, takes off his coat while she is not looking, then passes her, putting on his coat as if he was naturally on his way out.
GIRLS Hi. Jeannine!
Jeannine notices Conrad passing by.
JEANNINE You are really a terrific tenor.
CONRAD Oh...
JEANNINE
In fact. You should be doing the solo in that Russian thing.
CONRAD Ha, no. I...
JEANNINE
No. I'm serious. You really sing well. I'm getting to know your voice.
CONRAD Yeah?
JEANNINE Yeah!
CONRAD
How can you hear me sing if you're singing?
JEANNINE Well... I don't always sing.
Sometimes I just listen.
CONRAD Oh?
70 70
JEANNINE
For instance, Marcia Blair can't sing a note.
CONRAD Uh, uh...
JEANNINE
Janet Fox only mouths the words and never sings.
CONRAD Ha, ha? Ha, a detective?
JEANNINE
Yeah…
71 EXT. PARK – EVENING 71
JEANNINE Do you like Vivaldi?
CONRAD Uh...
JEANNINE Telemann?
CONRAD Telemann? Um...
JEANNINE What kind of music do you like?
CONRAD
Oh. Uh... Modern jazz. I like. Folk rock. Spoon on a glass.
JEANNINE Spoon on a ...glass?
Conrad laughs.
JEANNINE (cont’d) Oh, you mean like ...tablespoon?
Oh, dear! Why do I ask dumb questions? I'm just showing off. Why is it so hard... the first time you talk to somebody?
Conrad shrugs.
CONRAD Mmmm. You make it look easy.
Jeannine is touched.
71 71
JEANNINE Really?
Jeannine looks at him, then:
JEANNINE (cont’d) Oh, that's my bus, I got to go!
She runs and gets into the bus. Conrad follows and see her gets into the bus.
JEANNINE (cont’d) I'll see you later!
And you're really a terrific tenor!
CONRAD
(singing like a tenor) Ah. You're just saying that?
Bus goes away.
CONRAD (cont’d) Alleluia! Alleluia!
72 EXT. PARK – EVENING 72
Conrad goes home through park.
CONRAD
Alleluia! Ah ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia, Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
73 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – EVENING 73
Conrad enters his room still singing in a low voice.
CONRAD Alleluia!
He browses quickly through a pocket book, finds the piece of paper inserted in it, picks up phone and dials the number written on the paper
KAREN’S MOTHER Hello?
CONRAD Hello. Is Karen there?
KAREN’S MOTHER Who's calling, please?
73 73
CONRAD
It’s a friend of hers from Hillsboro?
KAREN’S MOTHER
Oh... Well, she's ...not home from school yet.
CONRAD
Oh. Um...Hmm. Just tell her I called. This is Conrad. Calling. Just tell her I called and I'm feeling great, and I just wanted to talk to her.
KAREN’S MOTHER Yes. I will.
CONRAD OK. Thank you.
KAREN’S MOTHER Good bye.
Conrad walks nervously around to and fro for a while then looks up into directory. He finds Jeannine number, writes it down “Pratt 5556719”, then picks up the phone.
CONRAD
All right
Conrad hangs up, and rehearses what he is going to say, but he is yet too shy to call.
CONRAD (cont’d) Hello. Jeannine. This is Conrad.
Hello. Jeannine, this is Conrad.
Hello. Jeannine. This is Conrad.
Conrad. Conrad? What a dumb name.
Hello. Jeannine. This is Bill.
Uuuuurgh!
Conrad takes courage and dials Jeannine number.
JEANNINE Hello?
CONRAD
Hello. This is... Hello, this is Conrad calling. Jarrett?
JEANNINE
Oh…
(realizing, more enthusiastic)
Oh. Hi!
73 73
CONRAD
Hi. Listen. I was... I was wondering if maybe you'd like...to go out sometime?
JEANNINE You mean, with you? Like on a date?
CONRAD
Well, yeah, we wouldn't have to call it a real date. We could fake it sort of, to see how it goes..
Jeannine laughs.
JEANNINE
That was dumb. Forget it. Just forget it. Now start over.
CONRAD
Hi, this is Conrad Jarrett…
JEANNINE
(interrupting) ) I'd love to. When?
Conrad laughs.
74 EXT. STREET JARRETT’S HOME – DAY 74
[Happy music] Calvin and Conrad happily come back home with a Christmas tree on top of car.
75 INT. JARRETT’S LIVING ROOM – DAY 75
Christmas tree standing in living room ready to be decorated.
Bet silently comes in. Calvin finally notices she is here.
CALVIN
I didn't see you there. What do you think?
BETH
(cold) Fine.
CALVIN
Rawlins used to have such great Scotch pines. And they all look like skeletons this year.
Conrad comes in with a box of chritsmas tree decorations
CONRAD Hi. What do you think?
75 75
(cold) Very nice.
Conrad and Calvin stop at the tone of her voice.
CALVIN What’s wrong?
BETH
(cold) Why don’t you ask him what's wrong?
Maybe you won't have to hear it from Carol Lazenby.
CALVIN Hear what?
CONRAD Dad, I quit the swim team.
CALVIN What?
BETH
Carol thought I knew. Cos why wouldn’t I? It happened over a month ago.
CALVIN
Quit? When? Where have you been every night?
CONRAD
Nowhere. Around. The library mostly.
CALVIN Why didn’t you tell us, Connie?
CONRAD
I don’t know, I didn't think it mattered.
CALVIN
What do you mean? Why wouldn’t it matter? Of course it matters. And...
BETH
(interrupting) No, that was meant for me, Calvin.
CALVIN What was meant for you? 75 75
It's really important to try to hurt me. Isn’t it?
CONRAD Don’t you have that backwards?
BETH
Oh? And how do I hurt you? By embarrassing you in front of a friend? Poor Beth! She has no idea what her son is up to! He lies and she believes every word of it.
CONRAD I didn't lie!
BETH
You did! You lied everytime you came into this house at 6:30 ! If it’s starting all over again, the lying, the covering up, the disappearing for hours, I will not stand for it! I can't stand it! I really can’t!
CONRAD Well don’t then! Go to Europe!
CALVIN
Connie! Now, Connie! Connie!… CONRAD
Cos the only reason she cares, the only reason she gives a fuck about it…
CALVIN
Connie!…
CONRAD
…is because someone else knew about it first!
CALVIN
Just stop it, Connie! …
CONRAD
No! You tell her to stop it! You never tell her a godamn thing!
And I know why she never came to the hospital, she's busy going to goddamn Spain and... goddamn
Portugal! Why should she care if
I’m hung up by the balls out there?
75 75
Maybe this is how they sit around and talk at the hospital, but we're not at the hospital now.
CONRAD You never came to the hospital!
CALVIN How do you know she never came?
You know she came but she had the flu and couldn't come inside, but she came.
CONRAD
Yeah! She wouldn't have had any flu if Buck was in the hospital! She would have come if Buck was in the hospital!
BETH
Buck never would've been in the hospital!
Conrad takes his head between his hands and runs upstairs.
CALVIN That’s enough! That is enough!
BETH
I won't do it again. I really won’t do it.
CALVIN What in hell has happened?
Upstairs, Conrad’s bedroom door slams.
CALVIN (cont’d) Somebody better go up there.
BETH
Ah! Oh, god, that’s the pattern, isn’t it? He walks all over us and then you go up and apologize to him.
CALVIN I am not going to apologize...
BETH
Yes of course you are! You always do! You've been apologizing to him ever since he got home from the hospital, only you don’t see it!
75 75
CALVIN
I am not apologizing. I'm trying to goddamn understand him!
BETH
Don't talk to me that way. Don't you talk to me the way he talks to you!
CALVIN
Beth. Let's not fight. Okay? No fighting. Okay? Please. Let's go upstairs.
Calvin goes, but Beth doesn’t, and turns away.
76 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – EVENING 76
Calvin enters Conrad’s bedroom and closes the door. Conrad is lying on his stomach, feeling all crooked. His voice is muffled by his head between his arms.
CALVIN I want to talk to you.
CONRAD I need to sleep.
CALVIN
In a minute…
CONRAD
I didn't mean it. I didn't mean any of it. I am sorry. Please don't be mad.
CALVIN
I'm not mad ! I’m just trying to figure out what happened down there.
CONRAD
I don't know what happened! I am sorry about it all. I am sorry about the whole thing. What I said, I didn't mean it. Just please tell her. Tell her I'm sorry, will you?
CALVIN Why don't you tell her?
CONRAD
Oh, God, no, I can't! Don’t you see? I can’t talk to her!
CALVIN Why not?
CONRAD
Ha! Because it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the way she looks at me.
CALVIN
She was upset, Conrad. Your mother was hurt because you quit the swim team. I don’t understand it myself.
CONRAD
I don't mean just now. Don’t you see? I don't mean just today.
CALVIN What then? Explain it to me.
CONRAD
Ha! I can't! Everything is German pudding with you , dad. You don't see things!
CALVIN What things?
Conrad sighs.
CALVIN (cont’d)
What things? Please, I want you to tell me.
CONRAD
That she hates me! Can't you see that?
CALVIN
Your mother doesn't hate you, Conrad?
CONRAD All right, all right. You're right. She doesn't. Please leave me alone, now.
Silence. Then Calvin stands up and goes to the door.
CALVIN
What about this Dr. Berger? Do you think he's helping you?
CONRAD
Don’t blame it on Burger, it's not his fault!
Calvin opens the door.
CALVIN I'll be downstairs if you need me.
Exit Calvin. Conrad remains lying on his back with his arm over his eyes. INT. Dr. BERGER’S OFFICE – EVENING*
DR BERGER
Tuesday you felt great. You bought a Christmas tree, it was all hunkydory. Okay?
CONRAD You're the doctor.
DR BERGER
Don't take refuge in one-liners like “You're the doctor”. Okay? Because that pisses me off.
CONRAD Okay. Okay.
DR BERGER
So everything was fine till you had the fight with your mother, then everything was lousy.
CONRAD
Yeah, but I don't blame her. I mean, she's got... She’s got her reasons. It's impossible after all the shit I've pulled!
DR BERGER What shit have you pulled? Hey!
Remember! I'm talking proportion here. Now, what shit?
Conrad sighs.
DR BERGER (cont’d)
Come on. You must be able to come up with at least one example. And don't give me “I tried to kill myself”, that’s old turkey. What have you done lately?
CONRAD Lately?
DR BERGER Uh, uh.
CONRAD
Hey, come on, if you... Listen,
I'm never gonna be forgiven for that. Never! You know, you can't get it out, you know, all the blood in her towels, in her rug.
Everything had to be pitched.
Even the tiles in the bathroom had to be regrouted. Christ, she fired the godamn maid because she couldn't dust the living room right. If you think I’m gonna forgive... - that she's gonna forgive me...
Conrad stops. Dr. Berger looks at Conrad to signal him he just said something: Conrad realizes he just made a Freudian slip, looks at him,
DR BERGER What?
Conrad stands up, reflects, looks outside window.
CONRAD
I think I just figured something out.
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD Who it is who can't forgive who...
DR BERGER
Well a real problem... a real problem has a real solution.
CONRAD I've heard this all before.
DR BERGER Doesn't make it any less true.
CONRAD I'm so tired.
DR BERGER
Yeah, well... that’s a hell of a secret you've been keeping on yourself.
CONRAD So what do I do now?
DR BERGER Recognize her limitations.
CONRAD You mean, like she can't love me?
DR BERGER
Oh, kiddo, no. Like she can't love you enough. Like don't blame her for not loving you more than she's able.
CONRAD
But she loves my father. I know she loved my brother. It's me!
DR BERGER
Ha! Now we're back to the rotten kid routine! She can't love you because you're unlovable. Where does that leave your dad? How come he loves you? You’re a rottenkid, doesn’t he know that?
CONRAD
That’s different. He feels responsible. Besides, he loves everybody.
DR BERGER
Ho, I get it! The guy's got no taste! He loves you, but he's wrong.
Look... maybe she just can't express it the way you'd like her to. Maybe she's just afraid to show you what she feels.
CONRAD What do you mean?
DR BERGER
I mean there's someone besides your mother you've got to forgive.
CONRAD You mean me?
Conrad is wondering.
CONRAD (cont’d) For trying to off myself?
Don't you sit there and stare at me. What for?
DR BERGER
Why don't you give yourself a break? Let yourself off the hook?
CONRAD What did I do?
No answer.
CONRAD (cont’d) What did I do?
DR BERGER We'll talk about it on Thursday.
CONRAD Come on!
DR BERGER Time's up.
CONRAD
What do you mean? You’re gonna pull the plug... Come on! What did I do?
DR BERGER Come on, Con. You know the rules.
CONRAD
Rules? What rules? Can’t I have a few minutes?
DR BERGER
You think about it. Just think about it.
Silence
CONRAD Jesus!
Conrad is out of breath.
77 EXT. PARK – DAY 77
Calvin and Friend are jogging in sportswear. Calvin’s friend explains a stock market deal he made.
FRIEND
Say. After going to a new high, it falls to 112 1/4 and then rallies on good volume. I shoot an order to buy 4000 at the market. If I get the 4000 shares at 113 3/4, I know something's wrong.
(MORE)
FRIEND (cont'd)
But suppose the order to buy the
4000 shares I put in at the price of 113 3/4, I get 2000 at 114, 500 at 114 1/4, and the rest on the way up, so the last 500 shares I pay 115 1/2, then I know I'm right.I'm going to peel off here.
Friend leaves Calvin and runs toward his home.
CALVIN OK.
FRIEND I’ll see you, Cal.
CALVIN See you later.
Now Calvin is running through the park alone. Different voices are echoing off screen.
FRIEND
(OS)
Suppose the order to buy 4000 at
113 3/4…
BETH
(OS)
He walks all over us and you go up there and apologize to him…
FRIEND
(OS)
500 at 114…
CONRAD
(OS)
It’s all German pudding with you, dad, you don't see things.
BETH
(OS)
You've been apologizing to him ever since he came home from the hospital. And you just don’t see that!
CONRAD
(OS)
Tell her to stop it! You never tell her a godamn thing!
BETH
(OS)
Buck never would have been in the hospital!
CONRAD
(OS) She hates me! Can’t you see that?
Calvin trips, and falls in dead leaves. He sits up, thoughtfull.
CALVIN
(OS) I want to be clear.
INT. Dr. BERGER’S OFFICE – EVENING Calvin laughs nervously, all smiles.
DR BERGER
(OS) That's good.
CALVIN
In the car, I was thinking: "be clear.". I suppose that's what psychiatry's about. Being precise and clear. And honest, of course. I’ll level with you. I'm not a great believer in psychiatry.
DR BERGER Okay.
CALVIN
I know what happens here is only between you and him, and...I like that, I respect that.
And...he's better, I can see that. I am not trying to put you down, I just don't believe in psychiatry as a panacea for everybody.
DR BERGER Neither do I.
Calvin laughs.
CALVIN
I wish I knew what the hell I was doing here.
DR BERGER
Well, you said you... thought you could shed some light on some things. What did you mean by that?
I don’t know actually, I’m not sure, I think I meant in terms of Conrad. You see, I knew something was wrong even before he tried to... to kill himself. But I thought that... It's clear that he's very smart. He's been an "A" student ever since he started school, and naturally I thought that ...intelligent people could work out their own problems.
DR BERGER But you still feel responsible?
CALVIN Yeah, sure I do. It's hard not to.
It was luck. It was just luck that I happened to be there when he tried it. I could have been at a meeting. We both could've been away. It was luck!
DR BERGER
You think of yourself as a lucky man, then?
CALVIN
No! No. No. I used to. I used to think... that I was a lucky person… before... the “accident”. Mmm, I guess the whole of life is nothing but an accident, is it? What happens to you. I should do with it.
DR BERGER
That sounds more like the philosophy of a drifter than a tax attorney.
CALVIN
Yeah. Maybe, maybe I am drifting a little. I can see myself, ...and I can see the two of them drifting away from me, and I just stand there watching.
DR BERGER
What would you want to do about that?
CALVIN
Something. I gotta do something about it. I don't know what.
(MORE)
CALVIN (cont'd)
I feel like I'm sitting on a fence, and I don’t like it.
DR BERGER
And you see them as on ...opposite sides of this fence?
CALVIN
Yeah... No. I don't know. I see her not being able to forgive him.
DR BERGER For what?
CALVIN
Oh, I don't know exactly. Being too much like her. People always think that she and Buck are... were ...were alike. But it's really she and Conrad. They were the only two that didn't cry at the funeral, you know? It's not easy for me to admit this but, uh… she didn't... His mother doesn't show him a great deal of affection. I'm not trying to put her down in any way at all. She is a wonderful woman, huh…
DR BERGER
Did she give Buck much affection to ...Buck?
CALVIN Oh, god, yes, she loved Buck!
Bucky got so much... I think what she felt for him was special. You know, he was her first-born. That’s not unusual, is it?
DR BERGER And you?
CALVIN Me? I loved Buck.
DR BERGER
What I mean is, your wife's affection.
CALVIN For me you mean?
DR BERGER Yes.
Mmm. She's very... No. There's no problem with her for me. We've been… We've been married nearly twenty one years. Everybody loves Beth. But, huh... for Conrad, - it's been difficult. He didn't talk about that? We don't know what happens here. It doesn't come up. I guess that's what it is. It's private here. Isn't it?
DR BERGER Mm-hmm. Very private.
CALVIN
I think I know why I came here. I think I came here to talk about myself.
DR BERGER Okay. Why don't we?
78 INT. JARRETT’S HOME. GARAGE –NIGHT 78
Calvin sits in the dark in his car behind the wheel, not looking too happy. Door to garage opens and Beth appears.
BETH Hi!
Calvin slowly opens the door. Car Buzzer Alarm. Calvin heavily comes out.
BETH (cont’d) Calvin?
[Buzzing Continues]
BETH (cont’d) What's the matter?
Calvin heavily comes out of the car, and finally closes door.
Buzzing stops.
CALVIN This will sound strange.
What I'm gonna to say will sound strange.
BETH What happened?
Come inside.
78 78
Could we talk about Buck's funeral?
BETH What?
CALVIN
I know it'll seem trivial, but it's on my mind, or has been, and I'd just like to talk about it.
BETH Why?
CALVIN
When I was getting dressed for Buck's funeral, I was...
BETH Calvin, what’s the matter with you?
CALVIN Just let me get it off my chest,OK?
BETH
What could getting dressed for
Buck's funeral possibly have to do with anything right now?
CALVIN
I was wearing a blue shirt. And you said: - Wear a white shirt and the other shoes!
It was nothing at the time. But it’s always seemed to stay with me. And I, for some reason, been thinking about it and it suddenly occured to me what difference did it make what I wore at Buck's funeral?
BETH Ha, ha.
Beth retreats inside the house to the kitchen.
CALVIN
Just hear me out, Beth! It won’t hurt you to listen!
BETH
I won’t listen to that! No one in their right mind would listen to that.
78 78
I just want to talk about something I always remembered.
BETH Why do you want to remind me of it?
CALVIN
Because I've always wondered, in some needling way, what it mattered what I wore. I was crazy that day. We were going to our son's funeral.
And you were worried about what I wore on my feet. I’m sure it sounds like nothing to you, but it sticks with me and I just wanted to ...tell you about it.
She comes to him and takes him into her arms.
BETH It's all right.
79 INT. MALL – DAY 79
Two stairways, one going down, one up, cross each other in the middle space of the mall. On the one going down is Beth, Caroll, Beth’s friend, is on the other. They have to shout.
CAROLL Beth! Beth! Hi! How are you?
BETH Caroll! I’m fine. How are you?
CAROLL I haven't seen you!
BETH
I know. I’m so busy. I promise I'll call you soon and we’ll have lunch.
CAROLL Right!
BETH How's Brad? Give him my love.
CAROLL Fabulous! Is everything okay?
Beth gestures to the crowd in the mall.
BETH
Isn't this madness? It gets worse every year!
79 79
Good-bye!
CAROLL Good-bye!
80 INT. MALL SHOP – DAY 80
Beth is spacing, seemingly gazing at a dress.
SALESWOMAN May I show you this in your size?
BETH What?
SALESWOMAN
May I show you this dress in your size?
BETH Oh... No, no. No. Thanks.
81 INT. MALL DINER – DAY 81
Beth and Conrad are having lunch at a table in the diner.
Beth is summing up the birthday presents she bought.
BETH
We’ve got Bennett’s, and Grant’s and Foley’s. Ha, Conrad should get something for my mother and father. He's not supposed to get something for his doctor, is he?
CALVIN
I don’t think so. I think we should go see him, Beth. - Dr. Berger.
Beth laughs.
BETH What?
CALVIN
I think we could all go and see him together.
BETH Why?
CALVIN He thinks it's a good idea.
81 81
BETH Ho... He thinks it’s a good idea?
What does he know about me, about this family? I've never even met him.
CALVIN Exactly. That’s the point.
Wouldn't it be easier if we all talked about it? In the open.
BETH
About what? What are we gonna talk about? Don't try to change me, Calvin. I don’t want anymore changes in my life. For God’s sake, hasn’t enough happened? Let's just hold on to what we've got!
CALVIN Darling, that is what this is for.
Maybe you'll get a surprise.
BETH I don't want any surprises.
I know I'm not perfect. And if I can't go around hugging everybody all the time the way you do, then I'm sorry.
CALVIN
I am not asking you to be perfect, you're missing the point.
BETH
I don't want to see any doctors or counselors. I am me. This is my family. And if we have problems, then we will solve those problems in the privacy of our own home, not by running to some kind of specialist everytime something goes wrong...
WAITRESS
(interrupting) Are you folks ready to order?
CALVIN
Huh, no... Could you give me a couple of minutes, please?
WAITRESS Sure.
81 81
BETH
...running to experts every time something goes wrong.
Silence
BETH (cont’d)
I know you mean well. I want this to be a nice Christmas.
CALVIN
I do too. I want all of them to be nice Christmases
BETH
We need time together, Calvin. You and I. We have to get away. New Years'. We can spend some time in Houston with my brother and Audrey.
You know, play a little golf.
Relax.
Calvin seems doubtfull. Beth goes softly.
BETH (cont’d)
I have already talked to Mother about it, and Conrad can stay with them. Please don't worry about it. Please, for his sake, don't indulge him. We need time together. Okay?
CALVIN Okay. Okay.
Beth takes his hand but it seems almost like a handshake.
BETH I love you.
CALVIN I love you, too.
Beth stares at him.
BETH Let's just give things time. Okay?
Calvin doesn’t say anything.
82 EXT. JEANNINE’S HOME – EVENING NIGHT 82
Conrad came to pick her up, they both come out. Conrad fetches his car keys while she closes her door.
82 82
Conrad?
CONRAD Hmm?
JEANNINE
I don't bowl. I mean, I'm a horrible bowler.
CONRAD Oh, that's all right.
JEANNINE Yeah. Well...
Conrad wants to open the door on her side.
JEANNINE (cont’d)
I got it. That’s OK. Thing is, I'm a funny bowler.
CONRAD
Well, listen. We don't have to go bowling if you’d rather not, I'm not a bowling nut or anything. How funny are you?
JEANNINE On a scale from one to ten? ...
About a ten.
CONRAD
Hoo, that's pretty funny. Hey, well, listen, I promise you won't look silly.
JEANNINE Guarantee it?
CONRAD Guarantee it.
They get into the car.
83 INT. BOWLING ALLEY – NIGHT. 83
Jeannine enters frame looking very focused, ball in hand. Conrad looks. She shoots but the ball drops and goes into the gutter to the end. Conrad does not react. The skittles are intact.
84 INT. DINER – NIGHT. 84
Jeannine is eating a hamburger.
84 84
Can you ever break the ball?
CONRAD
Can't break the ball, can’t break the floor, can’t break anything in a bowling alley. And that's what I like about bowling alleys. Can't even break the record.
Jeannine giggles with laughing eyes.
CONRAD (cont’d) Anyway...
JEANNINE Hmm? What?
CONRAD
Just “anyway”, it's a conversation starter.
JEANNINE Catchy!
CONRAD You like it?
JEANNINE Mmm, mmm.
CONRAD
I thought it’d get to you. I've been working on it all day.
Jeannine laughs, then:
JEANNINE
Do you think people are punished for the things they do?
CONRAD You mean by God?
JEANNINE Yeah.
CONRAD Mmm, I don't believe in God.
JEANNINE Not at all?
CONRAD
No. Well, it’s not a question of degree. Either you do or you don't. 84 84
I believe in God.
CONRAD
So you’re afraid he'll punish you for something you did?
JEANNINE
I've done a lot of things I'm ashamed of.
CONRAD Yeah? So have I.
She looks up at him, then at his wrists.
JEANNINE Did it hurt?
CONRAD
No, I dunno, I don't remember really.
JEANNINE You don't want to talk about it?
CONRAD
Ah, I don’t know… I've never really talked about it. To doctors, but not to anyone else.
You're the first who's asked.
JEANNINE Why did you do it?
CONRAD
Uh... I don't know. It was like... falling into a hole.
It was like falling into a hole, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger, .and you can't get out, and then, .all of a sudden, it's inside...and you're the hole, and you're trapped, and it's all over. Something like that. And it's not really scary, except it is when you think back on it. 'Cause you know what you were feeling stange and new...
A group of noisy students enter the Diner.
STUDENTS
(singing and horsing around)
(MORE)
84 84
STUDENTS (cont'd)
Like McDonald's can, nobody can do it. Like McDonald's can, you deserve a break today. So get up and get away!
The manager tries to calm them down. A student comes to Conrad’s table and steals some fries.
STUDENT
Hey. Jarrett. How you doing? How about some fries?
Some students grab Jeannine and dance around, put a Mac donald’s hat on her head. She laughs.
JEANNINE What are you doing?
The manager pushes them towards the exit.
STUDENT
Hey, what’s your problem? Lighten up!
MANAGER Hey. I don't like your attitude.
Going out, a student pulls the manager’s ear. Jeannine laughs, a bit stupidly. Conrad notices it. She sees that.
85 INT. CAR – NIGHT 85
Conrad drives sadly. He is disappointed and acts as if he was sulking. Jeannine tries to make it up.
JEANNINE Energetic. Those guys.
CONRAD
(not believing) Yeah, they were pretty funny.
JEANNINE No...
CONRAD What? You thought they were funny?
JEANNINE No. I...
Silence
JEANNINE (cont’d) I'm sorry, I...
85 85
CONRAD What for?
JEANNINE Anyway...
Conrad does not find this funny. Finally car stops. Conrad sighs.
JEANNINE (cont’d) Do you want to talk?
CONRAD About what?
JEANNINE Are you okay?
CONRAD
Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Uh... I'll give you a call.
JEANNINE Will you? I want you to.
CONRAD Sure.
JEANNINE
Well... Guess I'll see you in choir.
CONRAD Okay. Yeah. Thanks.
JEANNINE Okay.
CONRAD I mean. Good night. Good night.
JEANNINE Good night.
Jeannine leaves the car.
86 INT. JET –DAY 86
Beth is all smiles, she succeeded with Calvin. They both are playing with their earphone
CALVIN Seven.
BETH Yes… It’s not even plugged in.
86 Stewardess’ voice in loudspeaker.
STEWARDESS
In preparation for our landing in
Houston, observe the fasten seat
belt sign…… 86
87 EXT. JET –DAY Jet lands on Huston’s airport runway.
STEWARDESS
……and please no smoking until well inside the terminal. Thank you. 87
88 EXT. HUSTON GOLF – AFTERNOON 88
Golf ball being wished out of sight by a club. Beth, Calvin, Ward (Beth’s brother) and his wife Audrey, are having drinks sitting at a table on a golf course under a parasol.
WARD lifts his golf club and demonstrates a clumsy hesitating swing, and how it misses.
WARD Watch this. Pessimistic golfer.
Pessimistic golfer.
Ward arms his club as if to strike, then stops.
WARD (cont’d) Oh. Damn!
They laugh.
WARD (cont’d) Are we two up? Two?
GOLF PLAYER
(OS) Two!
WARD
All right. Let's hustle up. We’re close here.
CALVIN
I’ll never get over how flat it is here. I’ll never get over...
WARD
I know it’s flat, but we decided to teach you to love it.
88 88
AUDREY
He is trying to get everybody to move down here.
BETH Really?
AUDREY
Gosh, you guys, it’s so good to see you. You look tired. Cal.
CALVIN Airplane scotch.
BETH
Would you tell me why it is I am still hungry?
WARD 'Cause you're in Texas, girl.
When we get done, we'll get you home. Get ya some steaks on the barbecue. Audrey will put together her famous salad.
BETH
With baked potatoe and sour cream, too, uh? How long has he had that drawl?
AUDREY
Ever since we joined the country club.
89 INT. SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT 89
Revolver fires upwards. Swimmers dive. It’s a swimming competition. Conrad is sitting on one of the top bleachers, fully dressed, uneasy, while down there, by the side of the pool, his friends, in swimming trunks and wet hair, watch the race. Lazenby sees him, Conrad looks down. In the audience, everyone is shouting for his team. .../...
Now the competition is finished. The swimming pool is empty and silent, except for someone sweeping the side of the pool, and Conrad sitting still, reflecting, looking around.
90 EXT. SWIMMING POOL EXIT - NIGHT 90
The group comes out of the pool. Conrad at the back, as if he wasn’t part of it.
90 90
LAZENBY
I am glad you can laugh about it, cos’ it sure as hell wasn't funny. Come on, we weren't that bad.
STILLMAN Let’s face it, we stunk.
I don’t know how you can listen to that lecture on Buck Jarrett one more time.
I know he is the world’s greatest swimmer, but it bugs the hell outa me when he does that.
LAZENBY Stillman, cut it.
STILLMAN
Think he’s ever gonna stop kissing the guy’s picture?
LAZENBY
Stillman, shut the hell up, would you? Hey, con, you want a ride?
CONRAD Oh. No. Thanks.
LAZENBY
We sure could've used you today, buddy.
CONRAD Oh, no, I don't think so.
LAZENBY
Yeah… I don’t think anybody could've helped us today.
STILLMAN
How’s it going, Jarrett? I hear you got eyes for Pratt these days. You in her pants yet?
CONRAD
Hey, do me a favor, Stillman, try not to be such a prick.
STILLMAN
You're the prick. Guys like you walk around like you’re king shit. You give me a goddamn pain in the ass, you think we owe you...
90 90
Conrad hits him hard with a jab, then jumps on him. They fall in the plastic bags of the disposal, Conrad still hitting.
Lazenby tries to stop him. Conrad pushes him away. Two students take hold of Conrad and pull him away, two others with Stillman.
LAZENBY
Come on! Connie. Come on! Cool it,
Jarrett! Connie! Connie. That's enough.
STUDENTS No, Stillman, no! No!
STILLMAN Let go! Let go!
LAZENBY
It's all right! He’s crazy! Just calm down, uh?
STILLMAN
You're crazy! You're crazy! You know that?
Conrad walks back to his car
STILLMAN (cont’d) Send him back where he came from!
OTHERS Now, now, it's over. It's over.
STILLMAN All right! Shit!
Stillman hits a garbage bag.
91 INT. CAR – NIGHT 91
Conrad opens the door and sits down in his car. Lazenby comes, opens the door and hands Conrad his hat.
LAZENBY Here's your hat.
Lazenby comes in and sits.
LAZENBY (cont’d)
You want to talk? The guy's a nothing. He's a zero upstairs. You used to know that about him,
Con. Ever since fourth grade, you've known it.
91 91
CONRAD So?
LAZENBY
So you just make yourself look stupid when you let him get to you like that!
CONRAD So I look stupid, is that it?
LAZENBY No, it isn’t. What is it with you?
Huh? I don’t know why you want to be in this alone? You know, I miss him too. Connie, the three of us were best friends!
CONRAD
I can’t help it, it hurts too much to be around you. I gotta go.
Lazenby looks at him, then opens the door and goes out.
LAZENBY Yeah. Okay.
Conrad remains alone and touches the horn by accident.
92 INT. GRANDPARENTS’ HOME, STAIRS & LANDING – NIGHT 92
Conrad gets home, climbs upstairs directly to his room, and closes the door. His grandmother hears him, opens her bedroom door, closes it.
93 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – NIGHT 93
Conrad reflects for a short time, then goes down to…
94 INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT 94
Conrad enters the kitchen, takes something in the fridge, goes to the phone to make a call. He dials.
KAREN’S MOTHER (OS) Hello?
CONRAD Hello. Is Karen there?
KAREN’S MOTHER (OS) She...uh... Ah!... Bill?
KAREN’S FATHER (OS) Hello.
94 94
CONRAD
Yes, hello. Is Karen there? This is
Conrad Jarrett, calling. I'm a friend of hers.
KAREN’S FATHER CONRAD Karen's... I called...
KAREN’S FATHER Karen's dead.
CONRAD What? What?
KAREN’S FATHER She killed herself.
Karen’s father hangs up. Conrad suffocates under the shock.
He hears Karen’s voice.
KAREN
(OS) Let's have the best Christmas ever.
95 INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT 95
Conrad rushes into the bathroom
CONRAD Ha!
96 INT. RESTAURANT – DAY 96
[Very short flashback on Karen]
KAREN We can. You know.
97 INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT 97
Conrad has rushed into the bathroom where he ends up sitting on the toilet and grabbing the washbowl, out of breath under the shock.
KAREN
(OS)
We could have the best year of our whole lives.
Conrad opens tap, water flows.
98 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 98
[Flashback to the boat accident on the lake] Conrad yells at Buck (who is holding tight the rope maintaining the sail up)
to have him get the sail down;
98 98
but Buck is stubborn and asks Conrad (who is at the helm) to maintain starboard course.[The result of opposites will overturn the small boat]. Waves of water
CONRAD Get the sail down! Get it down!
BUCK I can’t hold it! Keep it starboard!
99 INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT 99
Conrad stares at himself in the mirror
100 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 100
CONRAD Get the sail down! Get it down!
BUCK Keep it starboard!
101 INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT 101
Conrad takes water in his hands…
102 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 102
BUCK Go for it!
CONRAD I am trying! I can't! Let it out!
103 INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT 103
Conrad stares at the water in his hands
104 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 104
CONRAD Let it out!
BUCK Just keep it starboard!
CONRAD I can't!
Boat overturns.
CONRAD (cont’d) Ahh!
BUCK Ahh!
105 INT. STAIRS – NIGHT 105
Conrad rushes downstairs with his coat.
106 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 106
Conrad comes out from underwater, taking air in.
CONRAD Aaah!
107 INT. STAIRS – NIGHT 107
Conrad rushes downstairs with his coat.
108 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 108
CONRAD Bucky!
BUCK Give me your hand!
CONRAD Here!
109 EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT 109
Conrad rushes out of the house.
110 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 110
The boys are holding each other’s hands over the overturned boat’s hull.
BUCK We screwed up this time, Buddy!
Dad's gonna haul ass over this!
CONRAD It ain't so goddamned funny!
111 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 111
Conrad rushes.
112 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 112
BUCK Just don't let go!
CONRAD I won't, honest to God!
BUCK Everything gonna be okay!
113 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 113
Conrad rushes.
114 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 114
BUCK Hang on. Brother!
But Buck’s wet hand slips away. Buck tries to gain hold on the curved slippery surface of the hull, but he can’t make it and disappears into the water, while Conrad manages somehow to hold on.
CONRAD Stay with me! Stay with me!
Stay with me! Bucky! Where are you?
Buck disappears into water.
115 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 115
Conrad rushes.
116 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 116
CONRAD Bucky!
117 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 117
Conrad rushes.
118 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 118
Conrad holds on firmly to keel of boat
CONRAD Bucky!
119 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 119
Conrad rushes.
120 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 120
Conrad holds on firmly to keel of boat
CONRAD Buck!
121 EXT. STREET – NIGHT 121
Conrad rushes.
122 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Conrad holds on firmly to keel of boat
CONRAD Buck! 122
123 STREET – NIGHT 123
Conrad runs, gets to a phone booth, calls Dr Berger, out of breath.
DR BERGER
(OS, drowsy) Hello?
CONRAD This is Conrad!
DR BERGER What's going on?
CONRAD I need to see you!
DR BERGER What time is it?
CONRAD I don't know!
DR BERGER Where are you?
CONRAD I... I don't know!
DR BERGER
All right. Listen to me. Get to the office somehow, and I'll meet you there.
CONRAD Okay.
124 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE LIFT & CORRIDOR – NIGHT* 124
Dr Berger comes out of the lift and finds Conrad waiting in the dark corridor, in a state of emotional shock.
DR BERGER Oh, good. You're here.
CONRAD
Something happened…
124 124
Dr Berger fiddles for his keys in the dark to open his office’s door.
DR BERGER
Just wait, just hold on…
CONRAD I need... I need...
DR BERGER
Just wait till we get inside… Dr Berger finally opens the door. They enter.
DR BERGER (cont’d) There...
125 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 125
Dr Berger enters the dark office
DR BERGER
Shit. You'd think they'd assume there'd be an emergency now and then?!
DR BERGER (cont’d) Don't take it off. Just sit down.
Conrad cries.
CONRAD Something happened!
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD It's...
DR BERGER It's what?
CONRAD Oh. God! I need something.
DR BERGER What do you need? Tell me!
CONRAD
It just keeps coming! I can't... I can't make it stop!
DR BERGER Don't try.
125 CONRAD
I gotta... I gotta... I gotta get off the hook for it. I gotta get off the hook!
DR BERGER For what?
CONRAD For what I did!
DR BERGER What did you do?
CONRAD What I did to him!
DR BERGER What did you do?
CONRAD It’s something... It’s something...
Don’t you see? It’s gotta be somebody's fault or there's no godamm point!
DR BERGER Point? What point? It happened!
CONRAD
No, no... Oh, no. I don't mean that. It’s that... It's just that... Buck, Bucky, I didn't mean it! 125
126 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Flash of Buck in storm. 126
127 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE
CONRAD Bucky, I didn't mean it! 127
128 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Flash of Buck in storm. 128
129 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 129
CONRAD Bucky!
129 129
DR BERGER I know that, it wasn't your fault.
CONRAD
But it was: you said. "Get the sail down!" …
130 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 130
Flash on both hands of Conrad holding tight the rudder
CONRAD ...and I couldn't!
131 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 131
CONRAD
I couldn't! It jammed! And then the halyard, the halyard jammed! I couldn’t because the godamn halyard jammed! And then you're sittin' here, you’re screwing around…
132 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 132
Flash of Buck in water trying to hold on overturned boat.
133 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 133
CONRAD
...until it's too late to do anything! And I'm supposed to take care of it!
134 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 134
Flash of Conrad giving Buck a hand over the overturned hull
of the boat.
CONRAD
And I'm supposed to take care of it!
135 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 135
DR BERGER And that wasn't fair, was it?
CONRAD
No! And then you say …
136 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Flash of Conrad holding Buck’s hand.
CONRAD
(OS) "Hang on!"... 136
137 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE
CONRAD
..."Hang on!", and then you let go! 137
138 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 138
Flash : hands separating
139 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 139
CONRAD Why'd you let go?
DR BERGER Because I got tired!
CONRAD Yeah? Well. Screw you, you jerk!
Conrad breaks down and cries.
DR BERGER
It hurts to be mad at him, doesn’t it?
CONRAD
Yeah. He just wasn't careful. He just wouldn’t care. He didn't see how a bad thing might happen.
DR BERGER
Bad things happen even when people are careful.
CONRAD
We were screwing around out there,
we should've come in when it started to look bad.
DR BERGER OK, so you made a mistake.
CONRAD Why did he let go? Why?
(CONTINUED)
139 CONTINUED: 139
DR BERGER
Maybe you were stronger. Did it ever occur to you that you might have been stronger?
Conrad comes out of it and stares at him.
DR BERGER (cont’d) How long you gonna punish yourself?
When you gonna quit?
CONRAD Oh, God, I'd like to quit.
DR BERGER Why don't you?
CONRAD It's not easy. It's not that easy.
God... I loved him.
DR BERGER I know.
Dr Berger takes off his coat, sits down. Calvin cries.
DR BERGER (cont’d)
What happened? You said something happened. What started all this?
Calvin stutters with pain and cries.
CONRAD
Ka-ren. She killed herself! I just found out she's dead.
DR BERGER Jesus.
CONRAD And she was fine, she was OK.
DR BERGER No. She wasn't.
CONRAD
She was! She was! She told me! She said she was...
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD
She was busy, she was feeling good and she...
(CONTINUED)
139 CONTINUED: 139
DR BERGER And what?
Conrad cries.
DR BERGER (cont’d) What?
CONRAD
I just wish I'd known...I could've done something.
DR BERGER
You saw her once and now you' want to take her on too?
CONRAD No!
DR BERGER No?
CONRAD No. I just...
DR BERGER What?
CONRAD
That isn't it. I… I feel bad about this, I feel really bad about this. And just let me feel bad about this!
DR BERGER
Okay. Listen. I feel bad about it too.
CONRAD
Why do things have to happen to people? It isn't fair.
DR BERGER You're right. It isn't fair.
CONRAD
You just do one wrong thing... and...
DR BERGER Um-hmm.
And what was the one wrong thing you did?
140 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 140
Flash of Conrad looking around in the water for Buck.
CONRAD
(OS) Haaa...
141 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 141
DR BERGER You know.
Conrad looks at him and cries and sighs.
142 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 142
Flash of Conrad getting back on hull and clutching to the
keel.
CONRAD
(OS)
Haaa…
143 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 143
Conrad stares at Dr Berger.
CONRAD
Haaa…
DR BERGER You know.
144 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Flash of Conrad clutching to the keel.
CONRAD
(OS)
Haaa… 144
145 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 145
Conrad stares at Dr Berger.
CONRAD I hung on. I stayed with the boat.
DR BERGER Exactly.
Conrad cries.
Flash of Conrad clutching to the keel. Waves.
CONRAD
(OS)
Haaa…
149 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE 149
Conrad cries
CONRAD I'm scared! I'm scared.
DR BERGER
Feelings are scary. And sometimes they're painful. And if you can't feel pain, then you’re not gonna feel anything else either. You know
what I'm saying?
146 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT Flash of Conrad clutching to the keel.
CONRAD
(OS)
Haaa… 146
147 INT. DR BERGER’S OFFICE
DR BERGER
Now. You can live with that. Can't you? 147
148 EXT. LAKE – NIGHT 148
CONRAD I think so.
DR BERGER
You're here and you're alive. And don’t tell me you don't feel that.
CONRAD It doesn't feel good.
DR BERGER It is good. Believe me.
CONRAD How do you know?
DR BERGER Because I'm your friend.
(CONTINUED)
149 CONTINUED:
Conrad is out of breath.
CONRAD
I don't know what I would've done...if you hadn't been here. You're really my friend?
DR BERGER I am. Count on it.
Conrad falls into Dr Berger’s arms, crying. 149
150 EXT. JEANNINE’S HOME – EARLY MORNING 150
Jeannine opens her curtains, sees Conrad, outside her home, walking to and fro. She puts on a jacket and comes out to him.
CONRAD
Hi. I was gonna call but I didn't want to wake anyone.
JEANNINE
Might have been easier…
CONRAD
Listen, I want to say something about the other night. I mean I liked being with you but I didn't like myself.
JEANNINE Conrad. I was stupid.
That was dumb of me to laugh and it was my fault. I just didn’t know what to do. I was embarrassed.
CONRAD Really? You were embarrassed?
JEANNINE
Yes. When those boys came in, it was awful and awkward. That’s what I do when I get embarrassed. I laugh.
CONRAD
But they were all right. They were just up and they were having a good time, and I let them get in the way of what was happening. It was dumb. It was dumb. I've been doing lots of dumb things lately. I just didn't know wether or not you were being straight with me.
150 150
Jeannine is moved, she extends her hand to him then put it to her heart.
CONRAD (cont’d) Yeah?
Jeannine nods.
CONRAD (cont’d)
Anyway, I'd like to try it again. I thought it worked out okay. Well, except for the bowling.
Jeannine laughs, looks down, then looks up straight in his eyes.
JEANNINE Yes.
CONRAD Yes?
Jeannine nods.
JEANNINE Yes.
Conrad is moved.
CONRAD Uh… Are you going to school?
JEANNINE No, not on Sunday.
Conrad realizes. Laughs.
JEANNINE (cont’d) Have you eaten?
CONRAD No. I haven't.
JEANNINE Do you want some breakfast?
Conrad nods. She smiles at him.
CONRAD Okay.
They go up the steps and Jeannine opens the screen door.
JEANNINE Mom!
151 EXT. HUSTON GOLF – AFTERNOON 151
(CU) Golf ball falls into hole.
WARD
Oh !…
BETH All right. How about that?
CALVIN Boy, oh, boy.
Beth is beaming from her success at golf.
BETH Oh, I do love that.
CALVIN Oh, these holes sure do love you.
Oh boy, oh boy.
BETH
We should spend more time playing golf together, you know that? Maybe our next vacation, strictly golf. Pinehurst, Myrtle Beach...
CALVIN
Pinehurst would be nice. I think Connie would like Pinehurst.
She pulls back and looks at him.
BETH
Do you do that deliberately or is it just a reflex?
CALVIN
Well, you said “vacation”, so I just assumed you meant him too.
BETH
I'm surprised you haven't felt the
need to call him since we’ve been here.
CALVIN I was gonna call him tonight.
BETH
(to Ward and Audrey)
Hey, could we have a little drink before we head back?
WARD Drink, yes. Little, no.
(to Calvin)
What’d you get? Cal, what’d you get?
CALVIN
(to Ward) Six.
(to Beth) Let's finish this.
BETH What?
CALVIN What you started.
BETH What I started?
CALVIN What you started.
BETH Ha! There's no point discussing it.
CALVIN I think there is a point.
BETH
He controls you even when you are two thousand miles away.
CALVIN He isn't the problem.
BETH Isn't he?
CALVIN
No, he isn’t. Let's talk about what's really bothering you.
BETH
No, no. Let's talk about what's bothering you. Cos’ that’s what you want, isn’t it?
CALVIN
Jesus, what have I done to make you so angry with me?
BETH
It’s not what you’ve done, it’s what you think I’ve done. You blame me for the whole thing.
CALVIN
Can't you see anything except in terms of how it affects you?
BETH
No! I can't! And neither can you, and neither can anybody else! Only maybe I’m just a little more honest about it!
CALVIN
Well, stop being so godamn honest, and start being a little generous! And start thinking about him for a while!
BETH
I don’t know what he expects from me. I never have known.
CALVIN
Well, I’ll tell you what he expects!
BETH
What? He wants me to throw my arms around him everytime he passes an exam? Well, I can’t do it! I cannot respond when someone says: "Here, I just did this great thing.
Love me.". I can’t!
CALVIN
All he wants… All he wants is to know you don't hate him. That’s it.
BETH
Hate him? My God! How could I hate him? Mothers don't hate their sons! Is that what he told you? Do you see how you accept what he says with no questions, and you can’t do the same thing to me, can you?
CALVIN
I just try to keep this family together...
BETH
(she shouts)
I don’t know what everyone wants from me anymore!
AUDREY
Beth, nobody wants anything from you.
WARD
Beth, listen. We all just want…
Cal, Con, everybody, we just want you to be happy.
BETH Happy?
WARD Yes.
BETH
Ward, you tell me the definition of happy, uh? But first, you better make sure that your kids are good and safe, that no one's fallen off a horse, or been hit by a car, or drowned in that swimming pool you’re so proud of! And then you come to me and tell me how to be happy!
She leaves. Calvin follows. Ward and his wife just stand there.
152 INT. JET – DAY 152
Beth stares away from Calvin, as in a void. She sighs, closes her eyes; Calvin turns away from the window, looks at Beth and remembers… When they were happily dancing... [ to and fro twice] Calvin in his plane seat, reflects.
153 INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT 153
Beth checks a pile of mail. Conrad comes in.
CONRAD I think I'm gonna turn in.
Dinner was good.
Really good.
CALVIN It's pretty early. You tired?
153 153
CONRAD Yeah. It was kind of a rough week.
CALVIN
I hope your grandmother wasn't too tough on you?
CONRAD
No. She was fine. I'm glad you're back.
Conrad gives his mother a hug, but she is like made of stone.
Calvin sees it.
CONRAD (cont’d) Good night.
Beth remains transfixed as if she didn’t know what it was all about. Calvin sees it.
154 INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT 154
Beth is not sleeping, she looks up, sees her husband wrinkled pillow, but he is not in bed. She looks at the time, gets up, puts on a robe.
155 INT. STAIRS – NIGHT 155
Beth goes downstairs, tying up her robe. She stops, hearing someone sobbing in the dark, in the dining room.
156 INT. DINING ROOM – NIGHT 156
Beth enters the dining room in the dark.
BETH Calvin?
Calvin is sitting at table in the dark, sobbing, his head in his hands.
BETH (cont’d) Why are you crying?
Calvin doesn’t answer.
BETH (cont’d)
Can I, uh... Can I get you something?
Calvin mutters in a very low voice.
CALVIN I don't...
156 156
BETH What did you say?
Calvin sits back in his chair.
BETH (cont’d) Calvin. What did you say?
Calvin produces a very deep sigh.
BETH (cont’d) Tell me.
Calvin looks up at her with a sad expression.
CALVIN
You are beautiful. And you are unpredictable. But you're so cautious. You're determined, Beth. But you know something? You're not strong. And I don't know if you're really giving. Beth is looking at him not knowing what this is about.
CALVIN (cont’d) Tell me something. Do you love me?
Do you really love me?
BETH
I feel the way I've always felt about you.
Calvin is disappointed by the answer, but not surprised, just sad.
CALVIN
We would've been all right, if there hadn't been any …mess. But you can't handle mess.
You need everything neat and …easy.
I don't know. Maybe you can't love anybody. It was so much
Buck. And Buck died, it was as if you buried all your love with him, and I don't understand that. I just don’t know.
Calvin sighs.
CALVIN (cont’d) Maybe it wasn't even Buck.
Maybe it was just you.
Maybe, finally, it was the best of you that you buried.
(MORE)
156 156
CALVIN (cont’d)
But whatever it was, I don't know who you are. I don't know what we've been playing at. So I was crying.
Calvin is overcome by sadness
CALVIN (cont’d)
't know if I love you anymore. And I don't know what I am going to do without that.
Beth does not know what to say or do. She turns away and goes upstairs.
157 INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT 157
Beth enters, kind of reflects, then goes open a closet, takes out some luggage. A sudden burst of emotion overcomes her, she cries but does not seem to identify the emotion, then restrains it.
158 INT. CONRAD’S BEDROOM – DAWN 158
In his bed Conrad is not sleeping. He hears the door of the house close, then someone walking outside on the gravel. He gets up, go look out of the window. Ouside, a taxi leaves. He goes downstairs.
159 INT. STAIRS – DAWN 159
Conrad goes downstairs, curious. Looks around, sees nobody.
160 EXT. GARDEN – DAWN 160
From inside, Conrad finally sees his father in the garden, reflecting. Patches of snow. Conrad puts on his coat over his pyjamas, and joins him.
CONRAD Dad?
CALVIN
The yard looks smaller without leaves.
CONRAD Dad? What happened?
CALVIN
Your mother's going away for a while.
CONRAD Where? Why?
160 160
CALVIN Back to Houston.
Then I… I don't know.
CONRAD Why? What... I know why. It's me.
Isn't it?
CALVIN No.
CONRAD Yeah, it is. It's my fault.
CALVIN
Don't do that! Don't do that to yourself! It's nobody's fault! Things happen in this world, people don't always have answers for them, you know.
Calvin sits down.
CALVIN (cont’d)
I don't know why I'm yelling at you for…
CONRAD
No, that’s right! You’re right! You ought to do that more often.
CALVIN Oh, yeah?
CONRAD
Yeah, yeah, Haul my ass a little, you know. Get after me. The way you used to for him.
CALVIN
Oh, he needed it. You didn't. You were always so hard on yourself, I never had the heart.
CONRAD Oh, Dad. Don't.
CALVIN
No, it's the truth. I… I never worried about you. I just wasn't listening.
CONRAD
Well, I wasn't putting out many signals then. I don’t think you could have done anything.
160 160
CALVIN
No, no, no, I should …I should've got a handle on it somehow.
CONRAD
You know, I used to figure you had a handle for everything. You knew it all.
Calvin looks at him and laughs briefly at himself.
CONRAD (cont’d)
I know that wasn’t fair but you always made us feel like everything was gonna be all right. I thought about that a lot lately. I really admire you for it.
Calvin is moved.
CALVIN Well, don't admire people too much.
They'll disappoint you sometimes.
CONRAD I'm not disappointed.
I love you.
Calvin looks at him, cries and takes him in his arms.
CALVIN I love you too.
They hug each other. [ Camera pulls back / Canon in D by Pachelbel ]
Credits roll.
The End
===
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