FADE IN:
WHITE PAPER:
Black lines flow from the tip of an artist's pencil. His
fingers grip the pencil more firmly as his stroke lingers
on a robust curve which turns out to be the blooming rump
of a cartoon pin-up-girl.
Binoculars appear en-route to the unseen artist's eyes.
The artist erases the plump bottom and enlarges the curve,
hesitates, erases and enlarges again, creating a rump so
fat it strains cartoon skirts and credulity. The artist
writes "Another Saturday Night", and blows away erasures.
BINOCULAR VIEW
Through panes of glass, the interior of a 1950's era dress
shop springs into view.
With curves so full they over-reach lush and tipple solidly
into the realm of fat, LANA (30) applies red lipstick.
Wearing a dress circa 1959, Lana looks like what would
happen if Peter Paul Rubens and R. Crumb comingled their
fetishes: the perfect pin-up girl for the fat-fancier.
Lana sings [PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER].
LANA
(singing)
GROWING UP
I LOOKED AT PRETTY PICTURES
SAID I'LL TAKE ONE OF THOSE.
THAT DOESN'T WORK
IF YOU WANT LOVE TO FIND YOU
IMPORTANT THINGS DON'T SHOW
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT.
VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE - NIGHT
LANA plucks a stray eyebrow as she surveys herself in a
mirror. Porcelain décolletage threatens to erupt from her
sweet-heart neckline, and her hips gyrate majestically as
she dances and sings.
LANA
(singing)
ALL MY LIFE
I'M TOLD HE MUST BE HANDSOME
THAT PERFECT MAN OF MINE
(MORE)
2
LANA (CONT'D)
(singing)
I LET HIM HOLD
MY HEART FOR RANSOM
I'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED AND SOME
'TIL LOVE OPENED MY EYES
MARGIE DELLA ROCCA, a slim pretty woman (28) steps out of
the dressing room wearing a disapproving expression and an
ill-fitting party dress circa 1960. She strips to her longline bra and unnecessary girdle and joins Lana in song.
MARGIE and LANA
(singing)
TO THE BOY
IN THE PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER
HE'S HIDING HIS LIGHT
I'VE SEEN UNDER THAT
PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT
Lana hands Margie another dress. Margie goes to change.
Lana discovers that her zipper is gaping open. Contorting
and sucking-in she struggles and fails to zip the dress.
LANA
(singing)
WHO'S TO SAY
WHAT IS A THING OF BEAUTY
WHO GETS TO DECIDE
AND WHEN I LOOK
AT MY POOR GIRLFRIENDS
I WONDER WHAT THEY'RE HIDING.
SURE THEY HAVE SOME BRONZE ADONIS
STANDING BY THEIR SIDE,
THAT’S WHAT THEY WANTED RIGHT?
ME I'LL TAKE A BOY WHO'S HONEST
SOMEONE WHO CAN KEEP A PROMISE
Lana gives up and puts on a belt to hide the flaw.
Margie bursts forth modeling the new dress. They approve.
They dance. Their routine is elaborate and well rehearsed.
LANA and MARGIE
(singing)
SUPRISE SUPRISE SUPRISE
I'LL TAKE THE BOY
IN THE PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER ANYTIME
I'VE SEEN UNDER
THAT PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER
THERE ARE COLORS
Margie’s (CELL PHONE RINGS).
3
Margie stops singing and answers but the vocals continue
without her. Surprise. This has been the radio all along
and they were merely lip-syncing. This isn't 1959.
MARGIE
Hey, Babe, what’s up? ... I told
you I’d be a little late... I’m at
Lana’s... I am too...I AM TOO! Say
something, Lana.
LANA
Eat shit, Johnny!
MARGIE
No, she doesn’t. Why would she
hate you?...No, I’m not, we don’t
go on until 10 ...Picking out an
outfit, Babe! Come on...because, I
want to look nice ...because
people EXPECT me to look nice!
...Come on!
Lana switches off the lights, flips the opened sign to
closed, and clicks off the radio.
Lana regards herself in the darkened mirror and this time
finds fault. She's fat.
EXT.
LANA’S VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE – NIGHT
Deserted sidewalks glitter in the glow cast by antique gas
lamps. Salt mist clings to the mature palm trees which
stand sentinel against an almost starless urban sky.
LANA steps onto her stoop. Above her glows a sign: “Lana’s
Vintage Universe” which goes dark as she flicks a switch.
Quaint tile-roofed boutiques, darkened for the night,
nestle one after another up and down the hill.
LANA
(singing A capella)
I LET HIM HOLD MY HEART FOR RANSOM
I'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED AND SOME
'TIL LOVE OPENED MY EYES
TO THE BOY IN THE PLAIN BROWN
WRAPPER HE'S HIDING HIS LIGHT
I'VE SEEN UNDER THAT...
A black SUV cruises past with rap music throbbing.
Across the street stands a comic-book shop whose front
window glows beneath a sign which reads “Steve’s Comix”.
4
MARGIE hurries out. Lana locks up shop.
MARGIE
(on phone)
Babe, babe, come on... I’ll be
there in 10 minutes tops. But, I
got to hook up with my sister...
We’re trying out some new shit...
No, she doesn’t hate you. Why
would she hate you?...Please,
don’t be like that...shit.
Margie clicks her cell phone closed.
MARGIE
Sorry ‘bout that. Apparently we
were driving in together, which I
don’t understand, since the TipTop is just down the street.
LANA
Why do you put up with his shit?
MARGIE
I know he’s an ass, but so am I.
True.
LANA
MARGIE
Har-har. You coming tonight, ain’t
ya? Peggy’s trying out a new song.
LANA
Have I ever not come? I can’t
believe she finally wrote
something. What’s it like?
MARGIE
She wouldn’t show me.
LANA
She’s so secretive these days.
Maybe Peggy’s finally got a lovah!
Lana walks to a 1959 robin's-egg blue Ford Galaxie.
MARGIE
Lana! Tell me you are NOT driving.
LANA
I’m not walking down that hill in
these shoes.
MARGIE
It’s one little hill.
5
LANA
I’m not walking back up it at 2 am
either.
MARGIE
It'd be good for you.
LANA
Thank you, Jack La Lanne!
MARGIE
Okay okay. Hey, thanks for the
loaner. I won’t burn it with a
ciggy like last time, I promise.
LANA
I’m more concerned about your
funky pits.
MARGIE
Hey, my pits ain’t funky!
She sniffs herself.
MARGIE
Okay, little bit.
MARGIE!
What?!
LANA
MARGIE
LANA
I still love you!
MARGIE
I still love you!
INT. FORD GALAXIE - NIGHT
LANA turns her key in the ignition. She stops short as
something upsetting draws her attention.
Her headlights illuminate the bumper of a red 60's-model
muscle car with a bumper sticker: “No Fat Chicks.”
She claws paper and pen from her glove box and scribbles.
LANA
Dear No Fat Chicks,
So, let me see if I understand
your thesis. You hate fat women.
(MORE)
6
LANA (CONT'D)
Is that right? Wow. Exclamation
point. I never heard of this
before. Exclamation point. You've
saved me hours of anguish, as I'm
sure, charming as you are, I would
have wanted to climb atop your
face and smother you with mounds
and mounds of greasy flab.
Yours gratefully, “Fat Chick”.
EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT
LANA hustles over and tucks the note under the wiper then
scurries back to her car. She tries her latch. It's locked.
The keys dangle from the ignition.
LANA
Shit shit shit!!!
Lana circles the car, trying every door. She hears voices,
panics and dives into the bougainvillea.
EXT. BUSHES – NIGHT
JOSH and TORI, mostly concealed by branches, approach car.
TORI(OS)
You got something under your
wiper.
JOSH (OS)
I better not have a ticket.
TORI (OS)
I told you to feed the meter.
JOSH (OS)
You don’t have to feed the meter
after six on a Saturday, Einstein.
Jesus, you're stupid. Good thing
you're hot. Oh, my god, listen to
this, “Dear No Fat Chicks...”
Doors slam, engine throbs, red muscle car drives away.
EXT.
SIDEWALK – NIGHT
LANA emerges from the bushes, scratched and twiggy.
Swell!
LANA
7
Lana looks around, sees the lights on at Steve’s Comix, and
crosses the street; heels clattering, skirts swirling.
INT. COMIC-BOOK STORE – NIGHT
Flustered, STEVE (33) knocks over a glass of water as LANA
enters. A wiry guy dressed without irony, in plain
contemporary clothes; he swabs the spill with his sleeve.
STEVE
Cripes! You scared me. It’s been so quiet
all night, Jeez, what a dork.
LANA
Sorry. I was just wondering if...
STEVE
You work at Lana’s right?
Yeah.
LANA
STEVE
That your shop?
LANA
Yeah. You got a coat hanger?
STEVE
I’ve seen you around.
LANA
Yeah, me too. You got a coat
hanger?
STEVE
I’ve been meaning to come by and
check out your wares. I’m Steve.
LANA
Christ, I just need a hanger.
STEVE
I’d have thought you’d have a ton
of hangers.
LANA
I locked my keys in my car. Do you
have a hanger or not?
STEVE
Ah, that stinks.
LANA
So you don’t have a hanger?!
8
STEVE
I’ll look in the back.
Steve disappears in the back.
Lana discovers the sketchbook on the counter open to a
cartoon drawing of a fat woman in a vintage dress standing
on a cartoon sidewalk. The speech bubble above her head
shouts, "Thank you, Jack LaLanne!"
Lana turns to the previous page and recoils. She flips page
after page, seeing a parade of cartoon Lanas rendered with
a fixation on the maddening allure of the curve.
LANA notices the binoculars, brings them to her eyes and
points them out the front window. She gasps.
Lana panics and drops the binoculars as Steve reenters.
The binoculars clatter for a moment on the counter.
So...
LANA
STEVE
In my defense, I haven’t had a
customer since Wednesday.
Yeah.
LANA
STEVE
I couldn’t find a hanger.
Shit.
LANA
STEVE
But, I found this.
LANA
What is that?
STEVE
Slim Jim. May I give it a whirl?
I’ve always wanted to try my hand
with one of these.
Steve hustles ahead and opens and holds the door for her.
EXT.
COMIC-BOOK STORE - NIGHT
STEVE and LANA cross the street toward her car.
9
STEVE
That car’s been nothing but
trouble.
LANA
Trouble’s her middle name.
STEVE
So, what’re her first and last
names?
LANA
Ford and Galaxie.
STEVE
Still, she's burning oil.
LANA
How do you know she’s burning oil?
STEVE
I sit in front of that window for
12 hours at a stretch. Your car
follies are the highlight of my
day. Remember that time your
bumper got caught on Mrs. B's
planter and dragged her azaleas
halfway up the hill?
LANA
A little schadenfreude, to lighten
your day.
STEVE
Uh-oh. What’s schadenfreude? Am I
going to be ashamed?
LANA
Enjoyment of another person’s
suffering.
STEVE
Oh, no! I’m making a terrible
impression! I hate suffering.
LANA
Uh-huh, sure...and besides, they
were zinnias.
At the car, he slides the tool in place and works the lock.
LANA
That was me, right? In your book?
10
STEVE
In my defense it’s like solitary
confinement in there.
LANA
Well, at least they weren’t too
unflattering. Considering.
STEVE
Your type is good to draw.
LANA
The small business owner?
Steve laughs.
STEVE
I didn’t expect you to be so
funny.
LANA
I think you mean jolly. My type is
jolly. You some kind of artist?
STEVE
I dabble. Shoot! I almost had it.
LANA
Where’d you get that thing?
STEVE
Old owner was a hoarder. When I
bought the place the back-room was
filled with all kinds of crazy
stuff. Want to come see it?
LANA
Why would I want to do that?
STEVE
There’s a bunch of antiques back
there. You could come take your
pick, you know, for your shop.
(he buried the lead)
Also, the company.
Maybe.
LANA
STEVE
Maybe I could draw you in earnest
sometime.
In what?
LANA
11
Earnest.
STEVE
He looks at her earnestly. She fights the urge for cruelty.
LANA
I thought you said, ermine.
STEVE
Ermine wouldn't be bad either.
Hold on, I think I got it.
The lock clicks. He smiles.
I got it.
STEVE
LANA
Oh, my god! Thank you. Thank you.
He's in! Steve bows deeply at the waist.
STEVE
You are welcome.
He's out.
STEVE
Can I interest you in a
snicky-snack sometime?
A what?
A snack.
little
LANA
STEVE
LANA
What’re you trying to say?
STEVE
We could eat together. You do eat
right? I mean obviously you eat...
I did not mean obviously
obviously... Cripes!
I meant, co-ordinate our lunch
breaks.
LANA
Uh...I don't know. Let me think
about it.
STEVE
Alright! Well, then. Will I see
you later?
12
LANA
(as if joking)
Not if I see you first.
SONG [DON’T STOP ASKING] plays.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT. TIP-TOP NIGHT CLUB – NIGHT
Footlights shine. Tambourine rattles. Fingers climb an
upright bass.
PEGGY DELLA ROCCA, (33) dressed in a 50’s era dress and
strumming a guitar sings [DON'T STOP ASKING].
Peggy, unlike her sister Margie, has the face for Radio.
MARGIE sings and rattles her tambourine.
Sharing the bandstand and also dressed in vintage attire,
are the painfully sexy upright-bass-player, VAN (38) and
BENNY, the drummer, whose pork-pie hat is probably hiding a
bald spot.
PEGGY
(singing)
THANKS FOR ASKIN
IT'S EASY TO IMAGINE
YOU AND ME TOGETHER
IT SOUNDS LIKE FUN
BUT I'M UNDER THE GUN
OR MAYBE IT'S THE WEATHER
SORRY, SO SORRY [SONG CONTINUES]
The CROWD in this joint is small but fervent. Every last
one of them is dressed in 1950’s era clothes. Except for
the odd tattoo and random piercing, this could be '59.
PEGGY and MARGIE
(singing)
BUT TONIGHT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT
PLEASE DON'T STOP ASKING
THIS FEELING THAT YOU'VE GOT,
IT FLATTERS ME A LOT
CAN YOU PLEASE PRESERVE IT
DAMN CIRCUMSTANCE,
DO I GET ANOTHER CHANCE?
I MUST SAY I DESERVE IT
[SONG CONTINUES]
LANA enters and a cry of delight arises from the crowd near
the bar. Lana’s in her element. People greet her with hugs
and tugs at her elbow as she busily busses cheeks.
13
LOUIE, with a bar towel over the shoulder of his Hawaiian
shirt, places a drink unbidden on the bar and Lana drains
it. With a leathery face and a surf board over the bar it
seems likely bartending isn't Louie's first career.
Lana heads to the dance floor where she dances with
numerous men all the while making eyes at Van.
She's a terrific dancer, they all are. They swing, stroll
and jitterbug like it's 1959. Fedoras and pony-tails bob in
a sea of sweaty hipsters who've clearly spent years
refining their moves.
Lana flirts with an extremely handsome dancer, DEXTER (30).
PEGGY and MARGIE
(singing)
SORRY, SO SORRY
TONIGHT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT
BUT DON'T STOP ASKIN
DON'T STOP ASKIN' ME
[SONG CONTINUES]
Lana whispers something in Dexter's ear. He whispers back.
She nods. He drains his drink, tips his trilby and exits.
Lana counts to 10. Heads for the exit. She throws a look
back to Van to see if he's watching. He is.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT. BACKSEAT OF DEXTER’S CAR – PARKING LOT – MOMENTS LATER
LANA, on all fours, receives the final thrust from DEXTER
as the SONG [DON'T STOP ASKING] ENDS to distant applause.
He collapses on her. The Tip-Top’s neon sign casting a glow
through the window.
He cranks the window open a crack to let out the steam and
shoves himself back into his pants.
So.
So.
LANA
DEXTER
LANA
Coming back in?
DEXTER
Right, and have my buddies bust my
balls?
14
LANA
Want to blow this pop stand?
DEXTER
Yeah, I better. I’ve got to get up
in the morning.
LANA
(reaching down below)
I’ll get you up in the morning.
DEXTER
Oooow. Watch-out. That’s sensitive
right now.
LANA
Let me get my purse.
EXT.
TIP-TOP PARKING LOT – NIGHT
Steadying herself on Dexter’s car, Lana pulls her panties
back on. With skirts hiked she reattaches her garter straps
to her stockings. As she does, the illuminated sign above
STEVE’S COMIX, visible in the distance, switches off.
INT.
TIP-TOP – NIGHT
PEGGY and MARGIE perform [SHOW ME MORE].
PEGGY and MARGIE
(singing)
YOU MIGHT BE
SOMEBODY’S IDEA, BABY.
OF A PERFECT BOY
PARDON ME FOR DRAGGIN MY HEELS
BUT I’LL KEEP SEARCHING
ROUND THE WORLD
I NEED SOMEBODY WHO WILL
COVER ME, COVER ME
GOD’S GIFT TO WOMEN, BABY
THAT’S WHAT YOU MUST
THINK YOU ARE.
OH, YOU AINT SHOWIN ME NOTHING
OH, YOU AINT SHOWIN ME NOTHING
YOU GOTTA SHOW ME MORE BABY
FOR MORE TO LOVE YOU NOW.
[SONG CONTINUES]
A handsome man, JOHNNY (25), pool cue poised to shoot and
dressed like an extra from Grease, watches Margie.
Margie enters the crowd and flirts aggressively with
public, going so far as to sit on a lap or two.
her
15
MARGIE
(Singing)
YOU SAY WE’LL MAKE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC
LISTEN, I WHISTLE A DIFFERENT TUNE
NO I DON’T BE A PART IN YOUR DRAMA
AIN’T THAT YOUR MAMMA CALLIN YOU
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK
THAT I’M A PUSHOVER PUSHOVER
GOD’S GIFT TO WOMEN
THAT’S WHAT YOU MUST THINK YOU ARE
[SONG CONTINUES]
At the bandstand Lana tugs Peggy's hem. VAN watches.
LANA
I’m taking off with Dexter. I’ll
see you at home in the morning.
PEGGY
You’re going to miss my new song.
LANA
Play it for me later.
PEGGY
You can't wait one more song?
LANA
He’s idling.
They kiss, cheek-cheek, and wipe away lipstick smears.
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. TIP-TOP - PARKING LOT – NIGHT
LANA emerges from the TIP-TOP, crunching across the gravel
toward DEXTER’S parking spot as a muffled [SHOW ME MORE]
ends to applause. She stops short. His car is gone.
Lana scans the parking lot. His car is gone-gone.
Lana removes her compact from her purse, and in the light
cast from the TIP-TOP’s neon sign she repairs her lipstick.
She heads to the door of the Tip-Top. On the door is a
marquee advertising, “The Della Rocca Sisters: Every
Saturday at 10:00!” and a hand-written addendum adds “And
Tuesdays!” Lana regroups, smiles, and yanks the door open.
INT. TIP-TOP – NIGHT
LANA heads to the bandstand in a brief lull between songs.
16
LANA
Fuck him. I said, “Dexter, if you
can’t wait one song, then just go
on without me. She’s my friend.”
PEGGY
I’m so nervous. What if I lose
what’s left of my fans.
LANA
They’re gonna love it.
MARGIE steps up to the mic.
MARGIE
Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and
girls. Tina.
Margie gestures to a beautifully maintained cross-dresser,
TINA, who, lifts one white-gloved hand and pageant-waves.
MARGIE
Before we finish out this set,
we’re going to try something a
little bit different.
A DRUNK man, arm around his buddy, shouts from the back.
DRUNK
Hey! Margie! Settle a bet, which
one of us is a better kisser?!
MARGIE
Simmer down fanatics, I'm talking
here. For some screwball reason,
my lovely sister Peggy has decided
to mess with a perfectly good
musical formula –a formula which
has brought fame and fortune upon
the Della Rocca family for going
on a fortnight—
PEGGY
(laughing)
A fortnight?
MARGIE
Shit- how long is a fortnight?
TINA
Two weeks.
Ten days.
LOUIE
17
TINA
Don’t believe him, it’s two weeks.
MARGIE
Not twenty years?
No!
THE WHOLE CROWD
LOUIE
Twenty years is a score.
TINA
I thought Lana was the score.
BENNY does a rim shot. Only a careful observer would be
able to see the sting on Lana's face.
MARGIE
Anyway- She’s screwing with a
perfectly good formula which has
filled our pockets with gold for a
long fucking time now -how’s that,
assholes?-to fulfill her “creative
urge” and write a new song.
The audience boos good-naturedly. Margie and Peggy laugh.
MARGIE
I KNOW, right? So without further
ado, please put your hams together
for the lovely, the talented,
Peggy Della Rocca.
The audience whoops. Peggy sings a few bars of [TO DIE FOR]
The crowd devolves into conversation.
PEGGY
(singing)
SHE DREAMS OF TRUE LOVE
AND ALL THAT IT WILL BRING
EACH TIME SHE SEES HIM
HER LONELY HEART SINGS
SHE THINKS SHE KNOWS HIM
SHE DOESN’T KNOW A THING.
[SONG CONTINUES]
Margie hurries to Johnny and kisses him. He rebuffs her.
Lana watches them. Van approaches Lana and sits.
They watch Margie and Johnny bicker as Peggy sings.
Lana.
VAN
18
Van.
LANA
Nice set.
VAN
I could say the same to you.
He touches his glass to her glass. She drinks.
They watch as Johnny pinches Margie's arm. Margie winces,
yanks free and walks out the door. Johnny, sorry, follows.
VAN
That guy’s a prick.
LANA
No kidding.
VAN
I mean that prick you almost left
with.
Oh.
LANA
VAN
I’m glad you didn’t leave with
him.
LANA
How’s your wife?
VAN
Because he’s fucked about half the
women in here.
LANA
I didn’t know you cared.
Van leans way in, his mouth to her ear. He kills.
I do.
VAN
Van goes to the bar. Lana, overwrought, drains her drink.
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. TIP-TOP PARKING LOT – NIGHT
A Muffled [TO DIE FOR] can still be heard as MARGIE lights
a cigarette. She examines her arm where JOHNNY pinched her.
MARGIE
You hurt me, Johnny.
19
JOHNNY
Let me kiss it.
MARGIE
You gotta lay off my friends.
JOHNNY
They gotta lay off you.
MARGIE
I know you think I’m hot stuff,
Babe, but I promise you, Benny
wasn’t coming on to me, he’s been
in our band since we were kids.
You coulda broke his neck.
JOHNNY
His hip is more like it. “Help,
I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.”
MARGIE
You’re bad.
JOHNNY
So, you not still mad at me?
Now he tries to kiss her but she rebuffs him.
JOHNNY
You know you can’t stay mad at me.
He kisses her neck
JOHNNY
I’m the one for you, Babe.
His hands finds her breasts.
JOHNNY
I know you think I’m playin’, but
I ain’t.
His fingers work their way into her dress.
JOHNNY
I ain’t gonna share you with every
asshole who jacked off to your
poster when he was 13.
He unbuttons her dress a little as Peggy’s SONG ENDS to
sparse applause. Now, it’s quiet.
JOHNNY
I’m telling you, one day you’ll
push me too far and I’ll walk away
forever.
20
He lifts her skirts, grips her thighs and lifts her up on
the hood of a car. She yields completely to his kisses.
INT. TIP TOP – BANDSTAND - NIGHT
PEGGY, guitar in hand, hastens BENNY to her side.
PEGGY
Hey, Benny. What’d you think?
BENNY
You burned it up, Peggy-Sue.
PEGGY
Sometimes I think you're my only
real friend. Can I ask you a
favor?
BENNY
Yes, I’ll marry you.
PEGGY
Ha ha. Very funny.
(whispering)
I need some studio time. I wrote
something, and I wanted to know if
you’d get me into your friend’s
studio and help me lay it down.
BENNY
For the Della Roccas?
PEGGY
No. It’s just something I’m trying
for me.
BENNY
Awww. So...we’re finally cutting
the cord.
PEGGY
Shhh. Please, don’t tell Margie.
It’s nothing, really.
BENNY
Alright. I’ll book it. Tuesday ok?
PEGGY
Swell. Don’t tell Margie, ok?
BENNY
Listen to me whippersnapper;
Margie can make it without you.
PEGGY
Margie can’t even make the coffee
without me.
21
EXT.
TIP-TOP PARKING LOT - NIGHT
PEGGY emerges from the Tip Top.
MARGIE pulls free of JOHNNY and hastily buttons her dress.
PEGGY
Heavens to Betsy, Margie.
JOHNNY
Hello, Peggy.
Johnny.
PEGGY
JOHNNY
You still frigid?
BABE!
MARGIE
PEGGY
Well, you saved me havin’ to ask
my question—“you still an 'a'hole?”...
Peggy leads Margie away. As she pulls the Tip Top's door
open [PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER] starts and the crowd roars.
JOHNNY
Fuck you, Peggy, we’re not done.
MARGIE, give me 5 more minutes.
Margie lets herself be led inside, shrugging helplessly.
JOHNNY
Are you fucking kidding me?
INT. TIP-TOP – NIGHT
PEGGY pulls MARGIE toward the bandstand.
JOHNNY, hot on their heels, grabs Margie’s arm.
PEGGY
Get your hands off her.
LOUIE, comes forward and steps between Margie and Johnny.
LOUIE
That’s enough! Get out!
JOHNNY
Fine, you can fucking keep her.
22
Margie and Peggy trot to the bandstand and sing.
Louie escorts Johnny to the door, but Johnny shoves him off
sending Louie stumbling into a bar stool.
Asshole!
LOUIE
Johnny slams out the door, it catches in the open position.
He storms to his car, climbs in, and pounds the steering
wheel shouting what looks like “Fuck Fuck Fuck.” He swipes
at his eyes and lays his head on the steering wheel.
[SONG FADES]
INT. NURSING HOME - BUDDY DALE’S ROOM - DAY
An elderly man, BUDDY DALE (70something) is lying in a
hospital bed.
His free hand is groping the ass of a scrubs-clad NURSE who
feeds him medication. She calmly removes his hand.
NURSE
Aggressive and inappropriate
sexuality is an upsetting but
totally normal symptom of his
condition. It’s nothing personal.
Sorry.
LANA
NURSE
It’s not your fault, Sweetie.
Nurse leaves. LANA has a stack of headshots and a sharpie.
LANA
Just a couple more.
BUDDY DALE
Oh, fuck. You still here?
LANA
Just a couple more.
BUDDY DALE
I don’t want to.
LANA
You have to, if you want to keep
groping these nice nurses. The
cute ones don’t come cheap.
He takes the marker, but doesn’t seem to know what to do.
23
LANA
Just sign your name.
BUDDY DALE
I’m thinking, Fat-Ass.
LANA
Can I help you?
BUDDY DALE
Fuck-off, you think I can’t write
my own fucking name.
She waits. An ORDERLY, whose benefits apparently don't
include dental, enters and sets down a food tray.
LANA
Buddy Dale.
BUDDY DALE
I know my name.
ORDERLY
Man, I prolly shouldn't do this,
but, I love your work.
BUDDY
What kind of work do I do, Boy?
ORDERLY
You’re a singer, Sir.
BUDDY
Am I any good?
ORDERLY
Hell yeah. Mr. Blue Galaxy
himself.
BUDDY
God-damn right, I am! Good
Vibrations—pure genius.
LANA
That was the Beach Boys.
BUDDY DALE
Take a bath already; I can smell
your reeking cunt from here.
LANA
Sure it’s not your lunch? Look,
fish sticks.
24
BUDDY DALE
Look at me--the picture of health-you see that? And look at you,
you’re disgusting. You disgust me.
Lose some fucking weight.
She slowly closes her hand around his fist and guides his
hand to the paper. She helps him sign his name.
BUDDY DALE
(To the Orderly)
Hey you! Harley Davidson!
Who? Me?
ORDERLY
BUDDY DALE
She’d be a knock-out if she lost
50 pounds. Am I right?
ORDERLY
Oh, I don’t know about that.
BUDDY DALE
But you wouldn’t want to stick
your dick in it, would ya?
Buddy makes an obscene hand gesture as if he were jerkingoff. Lana wraps her hand around his flailing fist and
guides it back to the task at hand. The Orderly ducks out.
LANA
I just need 30 more. Can you do
some more? I know it's hard, but
don't give up.
BUDDY
You think I can’t sign an
autograph! I’m Buddy Dale the
greatest singer ever born. You
think Surf City sang itself?
LANA
No, I think Jan and Dean sang it.
Buddy flings a handful of food which Lana dodges easily.
LANA
Alright, we’ll finish tomorrow.
She leans in to kiss his face.
BUDDY DALE
Get the fuck off me you pig.
25
LANA
Bye Daddy, see you tomorrow.
Lana?
BUDDY DALE
LANA
Yes, Daddy?
BUDDY DALE
How’s my girl?
LANA
Fine, Daddy.
BUDDY DALE
Keeping her lubricated?
LANA
Yes, Daddy.
BUDDY DALE
She still burning oil?
LANA
No, Daddy. I took care of that.
Everything slows as Buddy takes Lana's hand into his.
She hates herself for liking this.
BUDDY DALE
That’s my, Girl.
LANA
You’re welcome, Daddy.
BUDDY DALE
You gonna go on a diet?
LANA
I’m already on one, Daddy. I lost
5 pounds since last week.
BUDDY DALE
Drop in the bucket.
LANA
Yes, Daddy.
INT. NURSING HOME - HALLWAY –
MOMENTS LATER
LANA walks out of Buddy’s room. BUDDY is still visible
through the window. ORDERLY, mop in hand, ambushes Lana.
26
ORDERLY
Hey, Miss, you shouldn’t take it
personal. He’s heavily medicated
and that Alzheimers makes people
act crazy. I see it all day long.
He’s not being himself.
Lana and Orderly look through window at Buddy who is
shaking his fist and unloading a silent tirade at no-one.
LANA
Trust me. He’s being himself.
Lana heads down the hall, but Orderly wasn't quite done.
ORDERLY
And you don’t stink.
What?
LANA
ORDERLY
He said you smell like...you
know...it. And I’m just saying I
can’t smell it. Not that I’d mind
if I could.
Ok.
LANA
They've reached the elevator and Lana jabs the button.
ORDERLY
And he’s wrong about another
thing; you’re a knock-out just
like you are. I prefer a woman
with a little meat on her bones.
Lana takes him in, his mop, his teeth, or lack of, the
grease stains on his beer-belly, his Crocs.
LANA
You think because I'm a fat pig
I'm gonna spread my god-damn legs
for you. You think I'm too fat to
notice that you're a fucking
janitor. I wouldn't fuck you if I
weighed 800 pounds.
Lana jabs the button again and the Orderly scurries away.
The elevator opens revealing the view of a brightly lit
stage from the wings.
27
BEGIN FLASHBACK
Chubby 12 year-old LANA watches from the wings as MARGIE
DELLA ROCCA an adorable pre-pubescent and PEGGY DELLA
ROCCA a gangly adolescent, play the last chords of PLAIN
BROWN WRAPPER to frenzied applause. Lana cheers.
CHILD MARGIE
Thank you! We love you, Kansas
City! And now, without further
ado, please, put your hands
together for Mr. Buddy Dale.
Child Margie gestures to the wings. The roar from the crowd
is deafening.
Lana looks up at a handsome younger BUDDY standing next to
her. He's smiling at the Della Roccas.
Lana reaches out and slides her hand into her father's
hand. But, he yanks his hand free as he's reaching out for
the exiting Della Roccas.
As Margie clears the curtain, Buddy swoops her up and
buries his face in her neck and twirls her. He sets her
down and ruffles Peggy's hair. And then he's on stage and
the roar doubles.
Now Margie watches Buddy with a flush of something more
than simple hero-worship.
Lana, no longer smiling turns and catches Peggy's eye.
Peggy isn't smiling either. The three watch Buddy play the
first few bars of USE IT OR LOSE IT.
YOUNG BUDDY
Kansas City, Did ya miss me?!
(singing over the roar)
HEY BRIGHT AND SUNNY
WHAT'S THAT DARK CLOUD
OVER YOUR HEAD.
SONG FADES as the elevator doors slide closed.
END FLASHBACK
WHITE PAPER.
Black lines. Cartoon LANA dresses a mannequin in her store
window under the word. “SUNDAY”
EXT. LANA’S VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE – DAY
Through the shop window LANA is seen dressing a mannequin.
28
STEVE watches from the side walk across the street. He
steps off the curb, toward her shop.
She sees him and dives down, hiding among mannequin legs.
INT. LANA’S VINTAGE CLOTHING STORE – MOMENTS LATER
The bell on her front door tinkles. STEVE waits patiently.
Moments pass, becoming painful.
Wedged in the window display, LANA pretends all is normal.
LANA
Oh, hello.
STEVE
I got you something.
Oh.
LANA
STEVE
Can I give it to you over lunch?
LANA
I’m so swamped in here today.
Steve pointedly takes in the store’s emptiness.
STEVE
It’s madness. Hope you'll get a
break.
Shut up.
LANA
Artlessly, Lana backs out of the window display, while
Steve watches. Finally upright, she smoothes her skirts.
STEVE
So... Anywho, I got you this.
He holds out a small, nicely wrapped gift.
Uh...
LANA
STEVE
It’s just a little thing.
LANA
Uh...I’m not sure...
29
STEVE
Choose wisely, because where I’m
from, when a woman accepts a gift
from a man it means they are
betrothed.
Pause. Then he laughs. She relaxes and accepts the gift.
LANA
What is it?
STEVE
I bet Christmas morning is a
nightmare for your folks.
Fine.
LANA
She opens the gift. It’s a tiny metal box. She’s confused.
STEVE
You put it under your bumper.
Ok...(?)
LANA
STEVE
With a spare key.
LANA
Ohhhh, Hey! That’s sweet. Thank
you.
He's in! Steve bows deeply at the waist.
STEVE
You are welcome.
He's out.
LANA
Ah...Well...
Steve sets his brown paper bag on the counter.
STEVE
Can I interest you in some lunch?
LANA
I’m not allowed to eat in here.
STEVE
Isn’t this your shop?
Nope.
LANA
30
STEVE
Hmm. I thought you said it was?
Nope.
LANA
STEVE
I thought I just read your name on
the door.
LANA
I mean... yep. It’s my shop. I was
lying.
The mood has shifted.
STEVE
I should go.
LANA
It’s ok. Stay. I’m being a bitch.
So, what’s for lunch?
STEVE
Mom made us meatloaf last night.
LANA
Tell me that’s a euphemism.
For what?
STEVE
LANA
Anything less scary.
STEVE
No, Mom literally made us
meatloaf. And will you get a load
of these cookies.
(Catching her expression)
Shoot, are you a vegetarian?
LANA
Look, fella, whatever your name
is—
Steve.
STEVE
LANA
Steve, this isn’t going to work
out.
STEVE
Because you’re not hungry?
31
LANA
No, I’m not. I’m not hungry.
STEVE
Where’d I go wrong?
LANA
It’s not you.
STEVE
(smiling)
Should have gone with the egg
salad.
LANA
I’m just not dating these days.
Hah!
STEVE
(Genuinely amused)
What?
LANA
Steve wraps up his sandwich. And the violence with which he
crams it in the paper bag betrays his calm voice.
STEVE
Please, I can see the Tip-top’s
parking lot from my shop’s window.
He goes to the door.
STEVE
Or don’t you consider that
“dating”?
He opens door a little too hard, the bell clatters. He's
gone.
INT. LANA AND THE GIRL’S APT. – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Sitting on a vintage sofa, PEGGY strums her guitar. She
tests tempos and keys of [ALL ABOUT LOVE].
PEGGY
(singing)
IF I COULD HAVE A NICKEL
TO PUT INTO MY POCKET
FOR EVERY MISTAKE THAT I’VE MADE.
HEY THAT’S JUST ME TALKING
I DON’T THINK A THING WOULD CHANGE
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I COULD PAY.
[SONG CONTINUES]
32
Behind her is a wall size poster of two children dressed in
somewhat risqué costumes. The big child holds a guitar and
the little one holds a tambourine. The Poster reads,
“Imperial County Fair. Featuring The Della Rocca Sisters.”
LANA staggers in from outside and heads to the restroom.
PEGGY
(singing)
THE THINGS THAT SEEMED SO RARE
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
WE MISS FOR SILLY THINGS
THAT SEEM IMPORTANT AT THE TIME.
LANA (OS)
Did I tell you what Van said?!
PEGGY
He’s married!
LANA (OS)
Obviously, not happily!
PEGGY
(singing)
NO YOU AND I CAN’T CHANGE,
THE WAY THAT THINGS UNWIND
IT’S SO HARD TO DEFINE.
Lana enters scrubbing her face, stripped to bra and girdle.
LANA
What do you think he meant?
PEGGY
So, are we sleeping with married
guys now?
LANA
Who invited you?
PEGGY
You’re better than that.
LANA
It’s not my vow.
PEGGY
You deserve better.
(Singing)
EVERYBODY NEEDS MORE THAN THEIR
LITTLE GUILTY PLEASURES.
THOUGH THEY’RE NOT
WITHOUT THEIR OWN APPEAL.
THE DEVIL OF YOUR CHOICE
HAS OPERATORS WAITING...
33
Lana retreats to restroom to rinse. MARGIE make-up smeared,
hair a disaster and wearing last-night’s dress stumbles in.
PEGGY
Where in the world have you been?
I almost called the police.
Margie tears off her shoes, strips to her bra and girdle
and collapses, on the sofa. Cleaned up Lana re-enters.
MARGIE
Well, you’ll be happy to know it’s
over.
PEGGY
Oh, no. what happened?
MARGIE
He broke up with me.
Margie rises and shambles to Lana's room, they follow.
LANA'S BEDROOM
Margie collapses on Lana's bed. Peggy and Lana crowd in.
LANA
He broke up with you?
MARGIE
Stop sounding so happy.
PEGGY
Oh, honey, it’s going to be ok. He
was never any good for you,
anyway.
MARGIE
You mean he was never good for
YOU.
PEGGY
What’s that supposed to mean?
MARGIE
You always hated him.
PEGGY
Because he treated you like dirt,
and you deserve better. Last week
he shoved Benny into his snare
because he said Benny was coming
on to you.
34
MARGIE
Benny was coming on to me.
PEGGY
Baloney! He was not.
MARGIE
Yes he was.
LANA
Benny’s old enough to be your dad.
MARGIE
What can I say, dads dig me.
Sudden total and complete silence. After a moment, Lana
crosses to the closet and absently selects a dress, and
joylessly dresses as Margie and Peggy watch.
Sorry.
MARGIE
The dynamic has changed. The room is bruised.
MARGIE
Ah, shit! And, I'm sorry I missed
your new song last night, Peggy.
PEGGY
It’s ok. It wasn’t any good.
Peggy climbs in bed with Margie and spoons her.
LANA
Bullshit. It was crazy. You gotta
play it again on Tuesday.
Lana climbs in bed and spoons both of them.
PEGGY
I don’t know. I messed up my
fingering.
MARGIE
Peggy said fingering.
Peggy pretend throttles Margie. They laugh.
LANA
Did I tell you what Van said?
YES!
PEGGY and MARGIE
LANA
Okay! Okay!
35
EXT.
TIP-TOP - NIGHT
Music pours out of the Tip-Top. LANA, PEGGY and MARGIE
climb out of the Blue Galaxie and cross the lot.
They encounter TINA who falls in step.
MARGIE
Damn, this lot is full. Do you see
his car?
LANA
Who’s playing tonight?
PEGGY
The Wolverines, they’re from
Oceanside.
TINA
Benny said they have a following.
Swell.
PEGGY
Tina opens the door as one song ends to a roar and the next
SONG [SHE WON'T LET ME] BEGINS.
INT.
TIP-TOP – NIGHT
PEGGY, LANA, MARGIE and TINA are stopped at the door by the
wall of backs.
They push through bodies to the dance floor where they
watch in horror as the dancers, dressed in miniskirts and
Nehru jackets, hop, swim and do the pony.
They watch the WOLVERINES play [SHE WON'T LET ME].
WOLVERINES
(singing)
IT'S A SAD SAD STORY
BOUT HOW I'M STILL IN LOVE
WITH HER
EVEN THOUGH SHE DON'T
LOVE ME ANYMORE
HAVE YOU HEARD THE ONE
HOW I'M STILL THE PERFECT FOOL
STOP ME IF YOU'VE
HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE
I CAN'T TAKE BACK WHAT I SAID
I WISH THAT I WAS DEAD
SHE WON'T LET ME
BREAK HER HEART AGAIN
36
Margie, Peggy, Lana and Tina flee. As they pass VAN, Lana
grabs him by the hand and drags him with her
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. TIP TOP - MOMENTS LATER
TINA, MARGIE, PEGGY, LANA and VAN tumble out the door.
TINA
Christ! It’s so MOD in there. Save
yourselves!
LANA
Holy Shit!
VAN
What was that?
PEGGY
Did you see that crowd?!
LANA
(to Van)
That was the jerk, Van.
TINA
I’m going to the Phone Booth, care
to join?
VAN
Who does the Jerk anymore?
MARGIE
Well, if he was in there, I didn’t
see him.
LANA
Do the Jerk!
Lana Does the Jerk with Van.
PEGGY
I thought their maximum occupancy
was 200. Are they breaking the
fire code?
MARGIE
Who cares!
TINA
Phone Booth? Anybody? Anybody?
MARGIE
Maybe later, baby.
37
Ta-ta.
TINA
Tina clatters off on her heels. Margie lights a cigarette.
PEGGY
Why must you smoke?
suffering.
Your voice is
MARGIE
Yes, Mommy.
The [SONG ENDS] to uproarious applause.
Shoot!
gig.
PEGGY
We’re going to lose our
MARGIE
Louie ain’t gonna fire us, who
else would ever play Tuesdays!-VAN
I like Tuesdays. Half-priced
drinks.
Lush.
LANA
PEGGY
--You know why we've still got
Saturdays? 'cause I went to Louie
and begged him. I said we'd play
Tuesdays if he let us keep
Saturdays. Wake up! We’re this
close to obsolete! Can you
understand that?! Or is your skull
too thick to penetrate?!
MARGIE
Oooow. Peggy said penetrate.
PEGGY
I didn’t mean it like that!
MARGIE
Jesus, don’t be such a killjoy.
LANA
Calm down, Peggy.
PEGGY
Who wants to go on listening to a
couple of washed-up one-hit childstars who can’t even book a gig at
the county-flippin-fair--
38
LANA
It's gonna be okay!
PEGGY
--And one of them is trying to get
lung cancer and take the other one
down with her!
Peggy yanks the cigarette out of Margie’s mouth.
MARGIE
OW! Fuck-it, Mary-Margaret, you
ripped a little piece of skin off
my lip.
LANA
Knock it off you two.
PEGGY
You don’t even give a care, you
barely show up to practice, I
write something new, you refuse to
try it. I’m trying to keep us
relevant, and you are trying to
ruin us.
MARGIE
OH MY GOD! I am so fucking SICK of
the “DELLA ROCCA SISTERS” I have
been choking on this bullshit
since before I could wipe my own
ass. This isn’t even my fucking
dream. You’re smothering me!
You guys!
LANA
PEGGY
I gave you a name, you ingrate.
MARGIE
When did I ever have a choice?
PEGGY
You’re throwing our future away.
MARGIE
Well, you stole my fucking
childhood, so we’re even.
Margie lights another cigarette.
PEGGY
Oh, you want out, you’re out, I’ll
cancel our gig. You can take more
shifts at the dry-cleaner.
39
Peggy storms off up the hill.
LANA
Peggy, don’t go. How you getting
home?!
VAN
I don’t think your voice is
suffering.
Van takes Margie’s cigarette and smokes a drag.
MARGIE
What the fuck is up her ass.
LANA
Don’t worry. She’ll be forcing you
to practice again by morning.
Steve is walking home from the store. He glances toward the
lot and sees Lana, Van and Margie.
Lana sees him. He lifts his hand in an easy hello as he
walks on.
STEVE
Evening, Lana!
MARGIE
Who’s that?
LANA
(To Margie)
Shhh, nobody.
(To Steve)
Evening Steve!
(after a moment)
Christ, hang on a minute you guys,
I’ll be right back.
VAN
Who is that?
LANA
(to Van)
It’s nobody.
(to Steve)
Hey, wait up!
She trots to catch up with Steve. Steve faces her.
LANA
Look, I wanted to thank you for
the gift.
40
STEVE
What you do in that parking lot
and to whom you do it, is none of
my business. And, I’m sorry for
what I said.
LANA
It’s ok. It was true.
STEVE
Maybe, but it wasn’t nice.
LANA
True trumps nice.
STEVE
I’m gonna write that down.
LANA
So, anyway, I wanted to thank you
for the gift and also I wanted to
apolo-MARGIE
Who IS that!?
LANA
(Shouting to Margie)
Nobody! Ok!? He’s Nobody!
(to Steve)
--to apologize.
(and then)
That was the worst apology ever.
STEVE
Don’t go in the greeting card
business.
LANA
Oh, my god. I am so sorry.
STEVE
Please, no more apologies, I’m not
sure my ego can handle it.
LANA
I can’t get this right with you.
Hey.
Hey.
VAN
STEVE
VAN
Can’t get what right?
41
Nothing.
LANA
Steve shakes Van's hand.
VAN
Van.
Nobody.
STEVE
The handshake persists as they size each other up.
VAN
Well, so long, Nobody.
STEVE
Good night. Take care, Lana.
Steve walks away. They watch him.
VAN
That your new boyfriend?
LANA
Can you just see us together.
Every time I see him he’s dressed
like a geometry teacher or a child
molester or both.
Ew.
MARGIE
Like Mr. Warnock?
LANA
Exactly. And that backpack!
VAN
EVERY time you see him? You're
going steady with teacher?
Eat me.
LANA
VAN
Oh, you’d like that.
Depends.
LANA
Are you any good?
MARGIE
Ew. Get a room.
LANA
He gave me this.
LANA digs in her purse and extracts the hide-a-key box.
42
VAN
Let me see that.
LANA
Give it back!
MARGIE
You guys are making me ill.
Margie enters the club, music briefly flares as the door
opens. Van inspects the box.
VAN
Why’d Teacher get you a Hide-akey?
LANA
Just romantic, I guess.
VAN
What’s this?
What.
LANA
VAN
A note or something. It was
inside.
LANA
Let me see that.
Hell no.
VAN
LANA
Give me that you, brat.
Lana pursues Van. He holds the little note above his head.
She reaches for it; pressing against him in the process.
He buries his face in her neck and embraces her. She kisses
him. They part. He holds her at arm's length.
VAN
Oh, Shit. What the hell are you
doing to me?
I know.
LANA
VAN
I’m married, honey.
I know.
LANA
43
VAN
I can’t do this.
I know.
LANA
VAN
Oh, shit. Come here.
Van catches Lana’s hair in his hand and draws her in.
He kisses her, solidly, meaningfully as inside the club the
Wolverines start a new song [KID STUFF]. He pushes away.
SHIIIT!
VAN
He shoves his hand in his pants and readjusts himself.
She laughs.
He pulls her in. They slow dance, bodies crushed together.
He sings with the music. She laughs. This is torture.
VAN
(singing)
NO IT AIN’T BEGGINERS LUCK
I’M SURE
THAT KEEPS ME HERE WITH YOU
OH BABY OH Baby
SOON THIS WILL ALL BE FUNNY
WE’LL BE PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY
AND THIS KID’S STUFF
WILL ALL BE GOOD ENOUGH
YES IT WILL [MUSIC CONTINUES]
He holds her face and kisses her again. The door to the Tip
Top slams open and Van and Lana separate in a hurry.
Margie, face stained with tears, storms the car.
MARGIE
We have to go!
Margie climbs into the car and slams the door.
MARGIE
Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!
INT. BLUE GALAXY - NIGHT
LANA climbs in the car and comforts a sobbing Margie.
44
MARGIE
Start the fucking car, Lana. We
have to go.
LANA
What happened?
MARGIE
He’s in there. And he’s with some
one else. So can we go?
LANA
He’s with another girl?
MARGIE
Yes, Lana! He’s practically dryhumping her on the pool table. Can
we please go!?
TORI (22) dressed in contemporary club attire comes out the
Tip-Top on JOHNNY'S arm.
MARGIE
SHIT! Get me out of here.
Johnny and Tori kiss and grope each other.
LANA
He’s just trying to make you
jealous.
MARGIE
Start the fucking car!
LANA
We just got here.
MARGIE
You’re not going to drive me home?
Margie.
LANA
MARGIE
You going to make me sit here and
watch him fuck another girl?
LANA
What do you care, you broke up
with him.
MARGIE
He broke up with me!
45
LANA
Look, you march back in there and
show him it doesn’t bother you.
There’re a dozen guys in there
waiting for a chance to be with
you. Go pick one and show that
asshole you’re happy to be rid of
him.
MARGIE
You’re breaking my heart.
Margie...
What?
LANA
MARGIE
LANA
He kissed me.
MARGIE
He’s married, you ass.
You’re not going to drive me home?
LANA
Please?! You know how long I've
waited for this.
MARGIE
I’m going up to the Phone Booth.
Have fun fucking a married man.
Margie climbs out of the car, Lana follows.
EXT. TIP TOP - NIGHT
JOHNNY looks up from kissing TORI, sees MARGIE, and pulls
Tori closer and kisses her again.
VAN steps out of the shadows.
MARGIE
Say hi to your wife for me, Van!
Margie storms off.
Lana strides toward Johnny.
LANA
You’re a fucking asshole, Johnny!
JOHNNY
What’d you say?
46
LANA
I said, Eat Shit, Johnny!
JOHNNY
Always got eating on your mind.
VAN
Hey! Hey! That’s enough.
JOHNNY
Oh, looky what we got here.
VAN
Nobody wants any trouble. Go on
about your business.
LANA
Yeah, fuck off, you piece of shit.
VAN
That’s enough, Lana!
JOHNNY
You better rein your heifer in,
before she bites off something she
can’t chew.
Johnny and Tori go back into the bar.
LANA
God, what a jerk!
VAN
Don't let that punk get to you.
LANA
Fuck. What'd she ever see in him?
Why do women get mixed up with
assholes like that? It's like she
wants to suffer.
VAN
Some women have no sense of their
real value.
It's sad.
It is.
LANA
VAN
LANA
So, where were we?
VAN
I can’t do this, sweetie.
47
I know.
LANA
She moves to seduce him, but he stops her.
VAN
No. I mean, I really can’t.
Van holds up his left hand and his gold wedding-band glints
in the neon light. She looks at his ring.
Oh.
LANA
VAN
I'm gonna be 39 next week, did you
know that? And look at me, I make
125 bucks a week gigging. I'm a
fucking joke. Livin' off my wife.
I feel like I'm already dead.
He notices he’s still holding the paper.
Here.
VAN
He hands her the note. She slowly unfolds it. It is one of
Steve’s sketches of Lana. He looks on.
VAN
I should kick his ass.
Jealous?
LANA
VAN
Where’s he get off slamming you
like that? Just because he's not
into you, you know. Doesn't mean
he's gotta dog the next guy.
She heard the meaning under that, even if he didn't.
LANA
Huh? I think he meant it as a
compliment.
VAN
Ah, Honey, no.
LANA
How do you know?
VAN
I’m a guy. I know how we think.
Don’t let him under your skin.
48
He pecks her once upon the cheek.
LANA
You going?
VAN
I have to before I do something I
can't undo.
LANA
Come on, we’ll just talk.
VAN
Even when we just talk, it’s never
just talk, is it?
LANA
Why’d you have to be married?
He catches her hair in his hand. They stare at each other.
VAN
I’ll see you soon.
LANA
Not if I see you first.
He draws her toward him and whispers in her ear.
VAN
Don’t fuck anybody.
LANA
YOU don’t fuck anybody.
SONG [LOVE JUST DOESN'T ADD UP] PLAYS.
INT.
THE PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
MARGIE strides past the neon side reading "The Phone Booth"
and into a piano bar with 80's décor. She crosses to a
shiny black piano being played by a PIANIST and stuffs some
dollars in the giant brandy snifter.
INT. BLUE GALAXY – TIP-TOP PARKING LOT - NIGHT
LANA looks at the drawing by the glow of her dome light.
PHONE BOOTH
MARGIE and TINA stand behind the mic. The lyrics to their
song are projected on the brick wall behind them.
49
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
NO, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU BABY,
WHEN YOU PROMISED ME.
THAT YOU WOULD BE GLAD
TO GIVE ME ALMOST ANYTHING.
IF I ONLY LOVE YOU HONEY,
WHAT A THING TO SAY.
NO, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU
UNTIL YOU TURNED ME AWAY.
NO, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU
UNTIL YOU TURNED ME AWAY.
EXT. TIP-TOP PARKING LOT -NIGHT
LANA climbs out of the car, closes the door and crosses
toward the Tip Top. The dome light still glows.
INT.
LANA AND THE GIRLS’ APT.
PEGGY is looking at the giant Della Rocca Sister's Poster.
PHONE BOOTH
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
MAYBE I BUILD MY HOPES TOO HIGH.
JUMP THE GUN, SHOOT THE MOON,
HOPE THIS TURKEY FLIES.
LOVE JUST DOESN’T ADD UP,
IT DOESN’T ADD UP.
LOVE JUST DOESN’T ADD UP.
IS IT ALL UP TO FATE?
IS IT ALL ABOUT LUCK?
LOVE JUST DOESN’T ADD UP.
INT. TIP-TOP
LANA flirts with an extremely handsome stranger, JOSH.
PHONE BOOTH
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
TAKE FOR INSTANCE THAT ODD COUPLE
WALKING DOWN THE STREET.
THEY HAVE MADE SOME REAL
CONNECTION,
HOW DO TRUE LOVERS MEET?
50
INT.
TIP-TOP
LANA and JOSH do another shot. There are several empties in
front of them. She puts her shot glass down, moves closer
and reaches down below. He arches his brow. She smiles.
EXT. TIP-TOP
JOSH and LANA make out ferociously against the back of his
red 60's model muscle car.
He turns her around, bends her over, shoves her skirt up
and her panties down and grabs a big handful of her ass.
She looks back over her shoulder at his handsome hostile
face and falls in love with him.
He unbuckles his belt and drops his jeans. He roughly
penetrates. At the rate he’s going, it won't take long.
Between their spread legs the bumper of his car is visible.
Pasted to his bumper: “No Fat Chicks”.
THE PHONE BOOTH
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
LOVE JUST DOESN’T ADD UP,
IT DOESN’T ADD UP.
LOVE JUST DOESN’T ADD UP.
EXT. TIP-TOP
LANA pulls her panties on. She loses her balance and
steadies herself against the car. She sees the “No Fat
Chicks” sticker. Her face falls.
THE PHONE BOOTH
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
IT’S THE CHAOS THEORY, BABY, IT’S
SOME FUZZY MATH.
LANA AND THE GIRLS’ APT.
On a chair Peggy takes down the poster. There is a clean
spot on the wall where the poster used to be.
51
EXT.
TIP-TOP
LANA watches the muscle car spray gravel as it peels off.
THE PHONE BOOTH
A COCKTAIL WAITRESS brings Margie a drink, and points to a
bright faced young man, BRADLEY who smiles.
MARGIE and TINA
(singing)
NO YOU CAN’T SEE CLEARLY, UN-UH,
IT’S A HIDDEN PATH.
IT’S THE OUTER LIMITS, BUDDY.
IT’S THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
INT.
BLUE GALAXIE
LANA tries to start the car. It won't start. She snatches
Steve's sketch and claws a pencil from the glove box and
defaces the drawing of herself.
THE PHONE BOOTH
BRADLEY approaches MARGIE. With TINA still singing, Margie
leans out from the mic and lifts her drink to Bradley.
BRADLEY
(shouting)
You’re Margie Della Rocca, right!?
MARGIE
The one and only.
BRADLEY
I had your poster on my wall when
I was a kid.
INT.
BLUE GALAXIE – NIGHT
LANA grips the little drawing, curls up and cries.
[SONG ENDS]
WHITE PAPER:
Black lines. Cartoon LANA sleeps curled up on the front
seat of a car beneath the word. “MONDAY”
52
INT./EXT.
BLUE GALAXIE – MORNING
STEVE knocks on Lana's window.
STEVE
Hey, you ok?
Sleeping LANA jumps, sits up unsteadily and holds her head.
She sees Steve, groans and rolls down her window.
Hey.
LANA
He can smell her.
STEVE
You sleeping one off?
LANA
My car wouldn’t start.
STEVE
Probably just as well. You don’t
want to drink and drive.
LANA
Can you give me a jump?
STEVE
I don’t drive. But I could give
you a push.
LANA
All the way home?
STEVE
So you can pop the clutch, smarty
pants.
What?
Here.
LANA
STEVE
He opens the passenger door and pushes the car.
STEVE
Take the brake off!
LANA
What are we doing?
53
STEVE
Trust me. Put it in first and do
as I tell you. Keep your foot on
the clutch and when I yell now,
pop it off fast. Ok? Here we go.
He gives the car a deep push. Feet digging in, face growing
red, groaning. At first it seems he won’t be able to move
it but then it starts to roll.
Slowly at first and then with more speed, it rolls down the
hill. He runs alongside and hustles to jump in.
INT. BLUE GALAXIE
Now!
STEVE
LANA pops the clutch. The engine fires.
LANA
HEY! It worked!
STEVE
We’re gonna want to drive it
around to build up the charge.
Let’s circle old-town.
LANA
You know a lot about cars for a
person who can’t drive.
STEVE
Won’t. Not can’t. You ever
consider getting rid of this
vehicle?
LANA
Why would I want to do that?
She's a beauty.
STEVE
Beauty's only skin deep. Didn't
anybody ever tell you that?
LANA
Skin deep you say? Fascinating.
I'm gonna write that down.
He rolls down the window, enjoying the novelty of the
crank. He watches the breeze worry her hair.
A piece of paper flutters in his lap. It’s the defaced
drawing. With her eyes still on the road, he slips it into
his back-pack.
54
LANA
You just go around rescuing
stranded motorists.
STEVE
Not typically.
LANA
Yet, you’ve saved me twice already
this week.
STEVE
I got lucky.
LANA
Sorry about that "nobody" crack
last night. I didn't mean it, I
just got nervous.
STEVE
Is that fella your boyfriend?
LANA
Van? No. He's married.
STEVE
And his wife doesn't mind him
hanging out with such a beautiful
woman?
LANA
I don't know, I never asked.
STEVE
What are these? Why you got all
these Buddy Dale Pictures? Hey, is
that his real autograph?
LANA
I sell them on E-bay.
STEVE
You have a computer?
LANA
I'm not Amish. You can have one if
you want.
STEVE
Thanks. We used to skate to “Use
it or Lose it” at Skate World. You
remember that song?
Yeah.
LANA
55
STEVE
(singing)
HEY, BRIGHT AND SUNNY
WHAT’S THAT DARK CLOUD
OVER YOUR HEAD?
LANA
I remember!
STEVE
Some people only like the old
Buddy, you know, Little Nicki,
Blue Galaxy, but I think I
actually preferred that later
stuff. Which do you like better?
Old Buddy or New Buddy?
LANA
I’m not a fan.
STEVE
So, why'd you get all these?
LANA
He’s my dad.
STEVE
Get out of town!
Yep.
LANA
STEVE
I LOVE Buddy Dale!
Lana stands on the brakes, tires squeal, Steve narrowly
misses the dashboard. There’s a palpable rage in the
silence which follows. Shaken, Steve mumbles about.
STEVE
This car could use some seat
belts.
LANA
Do you want to meet him?
STEVE
Are you kidding?
Let’s go.
LANA
Lana steps on the gas. Smiling. Bitter.
STEVE
Now? I have to open shop.
56
She doesn’t reply. She drives faster.
STEVE
Ok, sure. Now’s good.
EXT.
BLUE GALAXIE – DAY
LANA’s car zooms off down the road.
STEVE (O.S.)
Wait a minute. Is this THE Blue
Galaxie?
The SONG [USE IT OR LOSE IT]plays.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT.
NURSING HOME - HALLWAY – DAY
[USE IT OR LOSE IT] plays over the action.
Through the window in BUDDY'S room LANA can be seen
introducing STEVE.
Steve steps forward, hand outstretched, but Buddy does not
shake it.
Buddy says something which Steve takes to be a joke. Steve
laughs. Buddy says something else and Steve's face falls.
Buddy gestures for Steve to approach the bed. Buddy asks a
question which shocks Steve. Steve shakes his head.
Lana hides a smile behind her hand.
Buddy gestures for Steve to bend forward for a whisper.
Steve is becoming increasingly wary. Buddy seizes Steve's
shirt front and says something, the ugliness of which is
reflected on Steve's crumpling face.
Buddy shoves his hand down his pants, rubs it around and
holds it out for Steve to smell. Steve wrenches free and
retreats across the room.
Lana is practically laughing.
Buddy calls Lana forward. They exchange words.
Lana lifts the lid on Buddy's food tray. He turns away.
Lana takes a bite to demonstrate that it's not bad.
Buddy says something ugly. Steve is really struggling.
Buddy smears a handful of food in Lana's face.
57
She smiles at Steve with grim satisfaction.
Buddy seizes her and grinds another handful into her shirt
front, Lana just keeps on smiling.
Steve can't take it any longer and he springs forward and
grabs Lana by her sleeve and drags her from the room.
Steve slams out the door and strides down the hall. Lana,
still smiling, trots to keep up.
They stop in front of the elevator, He jabs the button.
They wait: him destroyed, her delighted.
They step into the elevator together. They turn to face the
front. He shakes his head. He jabs the button.
Steve's hand reaches out and seizes Lana's hand.
Everything slows as he winds his fingers between hers and
squeezes. She looks at his hand intertwined with hers.
Her smile falters, a look of confusion spreads over her,
and as the elevator closes the first flush of grief rises.
When the elevator opens again, tears are streaming down
Lana’s contorted face. Steve squeezes her hand.
He steps out the elevator and pulls Lana sobbing behind him
through the lobby toward the exit.
A gust of wind lifts Lana’s hair as they step into the
sunlight.
They walk toward the parking lot, getting smaller and
smaller, until they are gone from view.
[SONG ENDS]
INT. LANA’S BEDROOM - DAY
LANA in a bath-robe, mascara raccooned around her eyes,
sits at an antique vanity towel drying her hair.
LANA
I need coffee. You want one?
STEVE lays across Lana's chenille bedspread looking at her
photo album. He is fully dressed including his shoes.
Sure.
STEVE
When Lana walks from the room Steve rolls over and sniffs
her pillow.
58
MARGIE enters and begins rummaging around on Lana’s vanity
among the ornate antique bottles and knick-knacks.
MARGIE
(calling to Lana)
Where’s my Ruby Royale?
LANA (OS)
In my purse. Don’t go in my room.
Why?!
MARGIE
Margie notices Steve. She jumps.
MARGIE
Shit, you scared me. Excuse me.
She hurries out.
MARGIE (OS)
Lana, there’s a guy in there.
LANA (OS)
I know. Don’t bug him.
MARGIE (OS)
I’m not going to bug him.
(re-entering)
Hi. Who are you?
STEVE
Hi. I’m Steve.
He rises and shakes her hand.
MARGIE
Margie Della Rocca. Lana’s never
had a guy in here before, all the
years I’ve lived with her. So,
what’s happening here? You two
getting it on?
STEVE
We’re playing hooky.
MARGIE
You a teacher?
STEVE
We went to see her Dad.
MARGIE
Now you're recuperating.
59
STEVE
I take it you’ve met him?
MARGIE
I opened for him when I was a kid.
STEVE
Opened what?
My legs.
MARGIE
Nobody breathes. Then Margie explodes with laughter.
MARGIE
You should have seen your face.
Concerts. When he was on his
comeback tour. That's how we met
Lana.
Wow.
STEVE
MARGIE
The Della Rocca Sisters.
Neat.
STEVE
MARGIE
You know... Plain Brown Wrapper
(singing half-assed)
TO THE BOY
IN THE PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER
HE’S HIDING HIS LIGHT.
(Now trying too hard)
I KNOW UNDER THAT
PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER
IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
He's trying, but he can't remember.
MARGIE
Oh, my god. You never heard of us.
STEVE
In my defense, I was blacked-out
for most of the last decade and a
good portion of the previous one,
so I don’t count.
MARGIE
Oooo, a dark side, I like that,
Teacher.
Lana comes in with two coffees.
60
LANA
I told you not to bug him.
MARGIE
Was I bugging you, Steve?
STEVE
Not at all.
LANA
Ok, get out.
MARGIE
I like him. He’s nice.
Get out.
LANA
Lana pushes Margie out and locks the door.
MARGIE (OS)
Hey, what happened to the poster?
Lana gives Steve his coffee and sits near the window.
The light from the window is clean and lively, dancing
across Lana, as she uses her rob to wipe her eyes.
STEVE
I like your place. It’s much
better than mine. Tall ceilings,
big windows, the Della Rocca
Sisters. Wish I had a place like
this. Course, those stairs would
be a problem for my Mom. Hey, I
could draw you in that light.
He gets his sketchbook out of his bag.
Must you?
LANA
STEVE
No. But, I’d like to.
LANA
I look like shit.
STEVE
You look beautiful.
LANA
Beauty's only skin deep, haven't
you heard?
61
STEVE
Then how about if I only draw
what's under it.
LANA
Christ. Alright. Go ahead.
He flips to a free page, studies her and begins sketching.
STEVE
He always been like that?
LANA
No. He’s better now. He’s confined
to bed.
He’s looking at her, but in that vacant manner which
sketching requires, so she freely studies him.
LANA
When I was eleven he beat the crap
out of me in front of his road
manager and Peggy and Margie's mom
because he caught me eating M&M’s
from the green-room. And I was
supposed to be on a diet.
STEVE
What happened?
LANA
The road manager made sure we
never had M&M’s in the green room
again.
STEVE
Didn’t their mom do anything?
LANA
What’s she gonna do? The Della
Roccas were her meal ticket. And
they were finally off the county
fair circuit. Besides, she loved
him. Everybody loved him. Even I
love him. Even you love him.
STEVE
Well... not anymore.
You ever tell him how you feel?
LANA
What would be the point?
STEVE
So he knows how you feel.
62
LANA
Can you just see it? “Daddy, when
you had Margie pretend to be me
for the Rolling Stone
photographers, it hurt my
feewings.” “Then lose some
fucking weight, fat ass.”
He climbs off the bed and comes to her without speaking;
his gaze focused on some shape outside of language that
only the artist sees. Even though he's inches from her,
he's a million miles away. Lana freezes at his approach.
Standing above her he moves hair from her forehead, tucking
the tendril behind her shoulder.
Then, suddenly his gaze shifts and he's here, now, inches
away. Lana swallows from the proximity.
STEVE
When people have wronged you, you
should tell them, so they have a
chance to make amends, and so you
don't poison yourself with rage.
The moment breaks when he turns and climbs back on the bed
and begins to sketch again.
LANA
But, look at me, I’m fine.
STEVE
I don’t think you are fine. I
think you’re hurt.
LANA
(Laughing)
I think YOU’RE hurt. You’re just
mad at me because I stole your
musical hero.
STEVE
Do I look mad to you?
LANA
Sad. Whatever. You’re all, “boo
hoo, I can never listen to Buddy
Dale again.”
STEVE
You really think, out of all
the... everything that happened
today, that I’m sad about that?
Lana. Fathers aren't supposed to
treat their little girls like
that. You know that, right?
63
LANA
(Laughing)
Jeez—How...well—Christ!-- how the
hell do I know why you’re sad!
You're not gonna cry are you? I’m
just saying, it’s not me. I’m
fine. I’m over it. He's been this
way my whole life. Besides, it's
not really his fault, I mean,
you're attracted to who you're
attracted to, nobody can help
that, and besides he’s gonna die
soon anyway, so, what's the point?
He looks down at the drawing he's made. The cartoon LANA is
yielding to grief.
He looks at real LANA whose face is as smooth and hard as
stone.
STEVE
I am so sorry I didn’t stop him.
I stood there like a coward and
let him do that to you. I was
afraid.
Yeah.
LANA
STEVE
Afraid I'd tear his throat out
with my hands. I promise you, I'll
never stand by and let someone
treat you like that again.
Lana, suddenly completely overcome, stands, rips off her
robe and throws it to the floor. She is naked. Steve
freezes. Neither of them understands what's happening and
in his confusion, Steve makes the wrong sound.
Heh.
STEVE
Lana starts to apply lotion to her arms with unsettling
vigor. Steve looks at his sketch-book and doesn’t look up.
STEVE
If you don’t mind, you could drop
me at my house when we’re done
here. Otherwise, if that’s going
to be out of your way, then I
could take the bus.
LANA
Why don’t you just get a car?
64
STEVE
I don’t want one.
LANA
So, you’re just going to make
other people drive you around for
the rest of your life? That
doesn’t seem fair, does it, Steve.
STEVE
Should I go?
LANA
You want to go, go ahead, no one’s
stopping you.
STEVE
You’re scaring me.
LANA
You scared of a naked woman,
Steve.
STEVE
I don’t understand what you’re
doing.
LANA
I’m putting on lotion, Steve, does
lotion scare you?
STEVE
And yelling at me.
LANA
You can’t even look at me.
Calling her bluff, he looks at her.
STEVE
Did I do something?
No!
LANA
STEVE
I don’t understand.
LANA
Well, join the fucking club!
She turns and starts to dress.
LANA
Could you stop gawkin’ at me.
65
Sorry.
STEVE
He looks away. She dresses. Bravado lost to shame.
You ok?
STEVE
LANA
Apparently, I’m conflicted.
Steve laughs gently.
STEVE
You have a beautiful way with
understatement.
LANA
Come on, boy scout, I’ll take you
home.
INT.
BLUE GALAXIE – STEVE’S CURB – DAY
LANA sits gripping the steering wheel. STEVE’S hand is on
the handle but he's reluctant to open the door.
STEVE
Well. I’d invite you in, but I'm
thinking, under the circumstances
you'd probably say no.
Lana surprises everyone when she grabs the handle and
forces open the door.
EXT.
STEVE’S HOUSE - DAY
LANA steps out onto the sidewalk and strides toward his
front door.
Startled, STEVE clambers out of the car and trots.
They walk up the front walk without speaking.
Steve pauses with his hand on the knob.
STEVE
Mom’s going to love you.
He licks his thumb and wipes away a mascara smear near the
corner of her eye.
LANA
What am I doing?
66
STEVE
Let's find out.
INT. STEVE’S HOUSE – LATE AFTERNOON
STEVE and LANA enter a small cottage. It’s modest but
extremely clean and full of homey knick-knacks.
BETTY (OS)
Steven, that you?
STEVE
Hi, Mom. I have company.
Oh?
BETTY (OS)
BETTY enters the room from the kitchen. She’s in a wheel
chair. She’s remarkably fat, at least twice Lana's size.
BETTY
Well, Hello! Aren’t you adorable?
You going to a costume party?
STEVE
Mom, this is my... friend, the one
I told you owns that vintage
clothing store across the street
from mine.
BETTY
Oh, Lana. Of course. Steve’s told
me so much about you.
STEVE
(To LANA)
I really haven’t.
BETTY
Don’t be tricky, girls don’t like
that. Did you get rid of that car
yet?
LANA
(Glancing at Steve)
No, Ma’am.
BETTY
Lana, honey, I swear I had that
same dress in high-school. Turn
around.
Lana models the dress uncomfortably.
67
BETTY
You’re cute as a bug.
LANA
Thank you, Ma’am.
BETTY
She’s even more sultry than you
described.
Mom!
STEVE
(To LANA)
She’s just saying that— I
mean...Ah! Not that you’re
NOT...sultry, because you are—
(To BETTY)
Argh! Mom, you’re blowing it for
me here.
BETTY
I think you’re blowing it for
yourself, Honey.
Lana laughs.
BETTY
You hungry, Lana? I could fix a
little snicky-snack.
Lana looks at Steve.
LANA
No thank you.
STEVE
We’re going to be in my...
(to LANA)
Can I show you my room?
Lana nods.
STEVE
We’re gonna be in my room, if you
need me.
BETTY
Don’t get that girl in trouble
back there.
STEVE
Mom, look me in the eyes. Stop.
You’re killing me.
BETTY
You hear how he talks to me?
68
Steve crosses to Betty and kisses her cheek. She whispers.
BETTY
Who’s minding the shop?
STEVE
It’s gonna be ok, Mom.
Steve winks at Betty. Lana and Steve start to exit.
BETTY
Can you give me a hand with the
confabulator real quick?
STEVE
Sure.
(To LANA)
You want to head on back? Second
door on the right.
Lana takes a step toward his room but stops and watches as
Steve helps a scowling, confused Betty puzzle out the
multiple remote controls for the TV.
BETTY
She’s just lovely.
STEVE
I told you.
He kisses her cheek.
INT. STEVE’S ROOM – DAY
Steve’s room is incredibly spare; like a Monk lives here.
STEVE
Sorry ‘bout that. She doesn’t get
a lot of company. Have a seat. Was
that too weird?
LANA sits on the bed and watches STEVE put his sketch book
on the shelf among dozens of identical books.
She leans forward and unbuckles her shoes.
LANA
It was a little weird. I don’t
think I’ve ever met a guy-I’mwith’s mother before.
He heard the meaning of that even if she didn't.
Steve smiles and sits with her on the bed.
69
STEVE
A guy you’re with?
LANA
So, what’s wrong with her?
STEVE
(Incongruously cheerful)
She was partially paralyzed in a
car accident. If she’d been
younger—-better health—-she maybe
could’ve learned to walk again but
she just couldn’t make it back.
LANA
That sucks.
STEVE
Yes it does. So this is your
natural curl?
LANA
Where’s your dad?
STEVE
Who knows. Smells good, too.
He wraps a single curl around his finger lifts it to his
nose and sniffs it.
LANA
So, that’s why you can’t get your
own place, ‘cause there’s no-one
to take care of your mom.
STEVE
Something like that. So that’s
just your shampoo?
He leans way over and smells her hair.
LANA
That how she got so fat? Being
paralyzed?
STEVE
Moon Pies, Lana. Mashed Potatoes.
Meat loaf. Mom can put it away. I
can’t believe shampoo can smell
this good.
He scoots closer and when he does his knee touches hers. He
notices. She notices. Neither of them moves away.
70
LANA
So, unless she gets married again,
or something, you'll have to take
care of her for the rest of her
life.
STEVE
I wonder if I could kiss you.
LANA
Are you trying to get me in
trouble?
STEVE
Why? You going to tell my mom?
LANA
Yes, I think I will.
(Yelling)
Steve's Mom! Help! Steve's Mo-Steve clamps his hand over her mouth, laughing.
STEVE
Shhhhh! She's faster than she
looks. And she hates trouble.
He removes his hand.
LANA
(laughing)
STEVE'S MOM! Hel...
Steve covers her mouth again. She tugs at his hand.
STEVE
(laughing, begging)
Stop! She'll drag you out there
and show you her figurines.
Suddenly a knock at the door. Their eyes get huge.
STEVE
(whispering)
She has over seven hundred
figurines.
They laugh hysterically, but silently with mouths covered.
BETTY (OS)
You kids okay in there?
The knob turns, but luckily, the door is locked.
71
STEVE
(choking)
We're fine, Mom! Lana wants to
know if she can see your figu--Lana clamps her hand over Steve's mouth now. They fall back
on the bed laughing.
BETTY (OS)
Steven, don't start with me, I
know where you live.
They're laughing so hard it’s almost like crying. Lana uses
Steve’s shirt sleeve to clean up her mascara
STEVE
Hey, this is my good shirt.
This sends LANA into hysterics.
What?
STEVE
LANA
This...is...your...GOOD...shirt.
STEVE
What’s wrong with this shirt,
aside from this black stuff on the
sleeve?
LANA
This is not a GOOD shirt.
STEVE
What’s wrong with it?
LANA
This is a bad shirt, my friend.
This shirt is the devil.
STEVE
I love this shirt
LANA
Is that why every shirt you own
looks exactly like it?
Nuh-uh.
Yu-huh.
STEVE
LANA
Lana jumps up and runs to the closet She throws open the
door. She pulls the chain and light floods the closet.
72
There are about 8 shirts which look very similar to one
another but what stops her in her tracks is the porn.
Piled on the floor are hundreds of pornographic magazines.
She picks one up. On the cover of “Buxom” there is a plussized model wearing cheap lingerie. She drops it hastily.
She picks up another, “Thick Chick” which has an obese
model being spanked on her huge ass by another obese model
dressed like a lady cop.
She picks up a third which has a huge Latina woman in
nothing but knee socks cuddling a teddy-bear beneath the
word "Gordita". She drops it.
Ew.
LANA
Lana kills the light, steps out and closes the door. She
casts her eyes away from Steve who scrutinizes her.
LANA
You a Chubby Chaser, Steve?
STEVE
I guess. If by Chubby Chaser you
mean I prefer a woman with curves.
Pause. She cannot look at him.
LANA
I should have known.
STEVE
Is that bad?
LANA
Why are you turning out to be
icky? Don’t turn out to be icky.
STEVE
Don’t decide I’m icky.
LANA
God-dammit! Gordita!?
STEVE
That one's a collector's item.
LANA
Fuck! I was just starting to like
you.
Steve rushes to her, puts his hands on her shoulders, pins
her against the wall and forces her to look at him.
73
STEVE
Hey, Hey. Come on. Don’t do this.
Look, it’s not a big deal. Men
like to look at pictures of naked
women, ok?
LANA
Sure, naked women would be fine-but it’s like a circus side-show
in there.
STEVE
(Laughing)
Come on.
She escapes his grip and puts her shoes on.
STEVE
Don’t go! You were just starting
to like me, remember?
LANA
We don’t even know each other.
STEVE
PLEASE! Stop putting on your
shoes. Stop! Stop buckling! You’re
taking this wrong.
LANA
You live with your mother, you
don’t drive and you whack off to
pictures of fat chicks in what is
probably your childhood bedroom,
did I get anything wrong?
He considers this.
STEVE
Nope, that’s about right.
LANA
Look, it’s been real, but I need
to get back to my life.
Lana flings open the door and goes out. Steve pursues her.
HALLWAY--STEVE’S HOUSE
STEVE hurries after LANA.
STEVE
Please, don’t go.
They pass the living room and BETTY looks up at them.
74
BETTY
Leaving so soon.
LANA
(shouting as she walks)
You have a lovely home!
STEVE
LANA! Please, don’t go!
EXT. STEVE’S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
LANA reaches for the car handle but STEVE stops her.
STEVE
Lana, please, don't go.
Through the front window BETTY shouts.
BETTY
Tell her she’s pretty, Steve!
STEVE
MOM! I’ve GOT THIS!
BETTY
Tell her you like her just the way
she is.
STEVE
SHUT THE (-!-) WINDOW, MOM!
Betty shuts the window and there’s a beat as Steve fishes
for something to say.
STEVE
I like you just the way you are.
LANA
(Renewed repulsion)
You like me ONLY the way I am!
So?
STEVE
LANA
That’s not affection, that’s a
fetish! I don’t want to be
somebody’s fetish.
She tries to pry Steve’s hand from the handle, but he
slides between her and the door.
75
STEVE
It’s not a fetish, it’s a type.
OK? You’re my type. That’s all.
Everybody has a type. You’ve got a
type.
LANA
Oh, really, what’s my type?
STEVE
(Not cruelly)
Tall guys with greasy hair who
wear 60-year-old shirts and fuck
you in the parking lot.
She considers this.
LANA
Yeah, that’s my type all right.
He steps clear of the door, but she doesn't go.
Now what?
LANA
STEVE
We could go back in and I could
sketch you.
LANA
I can’t really face your Mom.
STEVE
Fair enough.
LANA
Let’s go to my shop and get you a
60 year-old shirt.
Steve’s eyebrows shoot up at the implication.
LANA
So you won’t embarrass me in front
of my friends.
Ouch.
STEVE
LANA
And then we’ll dance.
Sold.
STEVE
SONG (SENSITIVE GUY) plays.
76
INT. BLUE GALAXIE - NIGHT
STEVE and LANA drive with wind in their hair. Buddy's
headshots are liberated by the wind and blow calamitously
around the car. Steve corrals them.
INT. LANA'S VINTAGE UNIVERSE - NIGHT
STEVE comes out of the dressing room in a vintage shirt.
The sleeves are too short. LANA doubles over laughing.
Lana seizes his shirt and pulls it over his head.
Shirtless, hair rumpled, dangerous proximity, Steve
freezes. Lana hands him a new shirt.
INT. BLUE GALAXIE - NIGHT
Wind-whipped, they drive. STEVE wears a vintage shirt and
his hair is styled with products. He fusses with the itchy
collar.
He peeks at LANA and sees a smudge of mascara near her eye.
He tries to wipe it but she pushes his hand off.
INT.
THE PHONE BOOTH – NIGHT
LANA and STEVE enter. They watch TINA sing [SENSITIVE GUY]
into the mic near the piano.
A small ensemble of musicians, each with music stands and
cheat sheets, accompanies her. Behind Tina the lyrics are
projected onto a brick wall. A small CROWD dressed in
contemporary clothes watches and sings along.
TINA
(singing)
AND I'VE GOT FEELINGS
I CAN'T PUT INTO WORDS
WHEN WILL MY LONELY VOICE
IN THE WILDERNESS BE HEARD?
I NEED A SENSITIVE GUY
YES I DO.
Lana and Steve go to the bar. They must shout to be heard.
BARTENDER
Hey, Lana, what can I get you?!
LANA
I’ll have a Sidecar!
(to STEVE)
You want a Sidecar?!
77
STEVE
Does that have alcohol?!
LANA
Is brandy alcohol?!
STEVE
I better just have a sprite!
BARTENDER
Seven-up ok?!
LANA
You’re not drinking?!
STEVE
I don’t drink!
Swell!
LANA
STEVE
Anymore! I don’t drink anymore!
Margie comes by with Bradley.
MARGIE
Bradley this is my room-mate,
Lana, and her new boyfriend,
Steve.
LANA
He’s not my boyfriend!
STEVE
I’m just a guy she’s with!
LANA
Let’s go pick our songs!
STEVE
WHAT!? I thought we were gonna
dance?!
Later!
LANA
Tina’ song [SENSITIVE GUY] ends. The crowd claps. BENNY
takes the mic.
PIANO PLAYER
Shit, hold on.
The crowd boos as the piano player bangs on the projector.
Lana dumps a three ring binder on the table, they sit.
78
LANA
You been here before?
STEVE
It’s like my second home really.
Mom and I love this place.
LANA
Ok, smartass, what you do is look
through here and find a song, then
write your name on this paper and
wait to be called. It’s like
karaoke, but with a band.
Lana scribbles a song on a slip of paper.
Cripes!
STEVE
LANA
You’re not too afraid are you?
Yes.
STEVE
LANA
Liquid courage.
She lifts her glass and downs a big swig.
STEVE
I used to be a drunk.
Ok.
LANA
STEVE
I lost a substantial part of my
life to blackouts.
Ok.
LANA
STEVE
I did some terrible stuff when I
was drunk.
Ok.
LANA
STEVE
I fathered a child I’ll probably
never see again. I lost a
scholarship. I was fired from
countless jobs.
(MORE)
79
STEVE (CONT'D)
I started fights with strangers. I
totaled two cars. I paralyzed my
mother. Why I’m not dead or in
jail I do not know. I can never
ever drink again.
Ok.
LANA
STEVE
I just want to-(Lost beneath the shouts of
the piano player)
redeem myself.
Got it!
PIANO PLAYER
The music starts, the crowd cheers and Lana has to shout.
LANA
To WHAT yourself?!
STEVE
REDEEM myself!
Ok!
Ok!
LANA
STEVE
LANA
Ok! Now pick your song, Coward!
The opening of [PUSSY WHIPPED] plays.
BENNY
(singing)
HE’S WALKING DOWN THE HALL
THIS MORNING
THERE IT IS WITHOUT A WARNING
THAT OLD EVIL EYE.
WHAT DID I DO NOW, HE’S THINKIN’
OH WHAT THE HELL IT’S NOT
FORME TO WONDER WHY.
THAT’S USELESS. [SONG CONTINUES]
Margie whispers in Lana's ear. Lana whispers in Steve's
ear. Lana and Margie exit.
Bradley sits with Steve who looks anxiously through the
song book
80
BENNY
(singing)
TAKES IT ALL WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
SAYS HE’S SORRY, IT’S MY FAULT
TELLS A LITTLE LIE.
HE’S DAMNED IF HE DO
DAMNED IF HE DON’T
GOD FORBID HE DON’T GIVE IT A TRY
NO THAT OLD WARNFUL EYE.
REMEMBER WHO’S TO BLAME
FOR EVERYTHING BUT THE RAIN.
PUSSY WHIPPED [SONG CONTINUES]
The crowd sings along. Steve looks around and laughs.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT.
THE PHONE BOOTH – LADIE’S ROOM – NIGHT.
LANA and MARGIE do their lipstick.
MARGIE
What do you mean he's a chubby
chaser?
LANA
He gets off on fat chicks.
MARGIE
Really? How do you know?
LANA
Let’s just say his porn collection
is enormous...in more ways than
one.
Margie laughs. Tina barges into the Ladies Room.
MARGIE
Oh My God. He showed you his porn?
TINA
Who showed you his porn? Van? I
knew he was a perv.
MARGIE
No. Steve.
TINA
That guy you're with? He's hot in
that whole To Sir With Love way.
LANA
He didn't show me, I found it.
But, it's creepy, though, right?
81
Tina heads into a stall and lifts her skirt and pisses
sitting down on the toilet with the door standing open.
MARGIE
He seems alright. He's cute. And
no offense, but you are fat.
So?
LANA
MARGIE
So, you might as well go out with
someone who likes that. That’s
half the battle.
LANA
But I don’t want a guy who likes
me BECAUSE I’m fat.
MARGE
No, you want one who likes you in
spite of it.
So?
LANA
MARGIE
So, that’s dumb.
Tina washes her hands and then extracts a rat-tail comb
from her pocket-book and works a lump out of her bouffant.
TINA
She’s right, that’s dumb.
LANA
Why is that dumb? Look, you don't
know these losers. They don't want
me because they like me, they want
me because they think I'm trash,
so, how could I ever reject them.
MARGIE
What? That's bullshit.
LANA
Margie, how would you know. Every
fucking guy on earth wants to
sleep with you.
TINA
She's right. I would've done you.
LANA
Yesterday, a fucking janitor asked
if he could smell my pussy.
82
TINA
Did you let him?
MARGIE
I don't think Steve thinks you're
trash.
LANA
Look. I just want a guy to say,
"out of ALL the women on earth, I
pick YOU. Because you're the one
for me."
TINA
Me too, Sweet Pea, me too. You’re
on deck.
Tina turns to leave the restroom.
MARGIE
So, what do you think of Bradley.
LANA
Wonder Bread.
MARGIE
I think he’s cute. I’m gonna bring
him to the Tip-Top tomorrow. Two
can play this game. Johnny’s not
going to beat me on my own turf.
LANA
No, he’s gonna beat poor Wonder
Bread.
MARGIE
No he’s not!
LANA
You’re gonna get that kid’s ass
kicked, and he doesn’t even stand
a chance with you.
INT. THE PHONE BOOTH – NIGHT
SONG [JOLIE LAIDE] PLAYS. LANA takes the mic. STEVE claps
and whistles. Lana, motions for him to sit.
LANA
(singing)
TELL ME TELL ME
THAT THERE ARE SOME SIMPLE ANSWERS
IF I ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
Steve, gets out his sketch-book and starts to sketch her.
83
LANA
(singing)
HELP ME HELP ME
MAKE THE MOST OF SECOND CHANCES
I’M OPEN TO SUGGESTION
PLEASE HELP ME STOP GUESSING
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED
WHAT DO I REALLY KNOW FOR SURE
I HEAR THAT LOVE
MIGHT BE THE ONE AND ONLY CURE
FOR ALL THAT FAILS US
VAN enters and watches Lana.
LANA
(singing)
JOLEI LAIDE, UGLY BEAUTIFUL WORLD
JOLIE LAIDE, LE MONDE E
JOLIE LAIDE, LA VIE E
JOLIE LAIDE, UGLY BEAUTIFUL WORLD
Lana sees Van ordering at the bar. Now, she’s nervous.
LANA
(singing)
ALL THE MYTHS THAT WE GROW UP WITH
AND BELIEVE IN
SUCH SWEET MISINFORMATION
Steve notices that Lana is focused on something and looks
around to see what it is. Seeing nothing, he draws.
LANA
(singing)
NEVER SEEMS TO TURN OUT
QUITE LIKE WE IMAGINE
Van turns back from the bar and makes eye contact with
Lana.
He pats his heart like it’s racing. There's a sadness about
his eyes which galvanizes her.
LANA
(singing)
SO FULL OF CONTRADICTIONS
FUZZY FACTS AND FICTION
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED
WHAT DO I REALLY KNOW FOR SURE
Steve notices the change in Lana and looks around again,
this time he sees Van.
He turns back to Lana, hardened.
84
LANA
(singing)
I HEAR THAT LOVE
MIGHT BE THE ONE AND ONLY CURE
FOR ALL THAT FAILS US
JOLEI LAIDE, UGLY BEAUTIFUL WORLD
JOLIE LAIDE, LE MONDE E
JOLIE LAIDE, LA VIE E
JOLIE LAIDE, UGLY BEAUTIFUL WORLD
Van motions with his head toward the exit. He goes.
SONG ENDS.
The crowd claps. Lana comes to Steve.
STEVE
Oh, my God. That was...lovely.
You’re just lovely...lovely.
Recklessly, territorially, Steve pecks Lana on the cheek.
She’s surprised but doesn't move away. His mouth, lingers;
restraining desire, so much unsaid, afraid to act.
PIANO PLAYER
Steve! You're on.
Shaken, Lana pulls away. Looks around.
LANA
You’re on.
STEVE
Is there any way to hang on to
that little bit of affection
you’re harboring for me if I
chicken out.
No.
LANA
STEVE
Alrighty then. Please, have a
paramedic standing by because I’m
going to have a heart attack!
Steve suddenly abandons protocol and crushes Lana in an
embrace which belies how strongly he lusts for her.
STEVE
(Right in her ear)
I like you so much. I cannot wait
to dance with you.
He mounts the stage, and clowns around as the intro to
[SEMI PRECIOUS]plays.
Lana laughs, but she’s preoccupied.
85
He has to really watch the lyrics. His voice wavers.
STEVE
(singing)
WHILE YOU SETTLE FOR
A STRING OF COUNTERFEIT KISSES
FROM SOME STRANGER'S LIPS
SHE WAITS AROUND FOR YOU
IT'S NOT LIKE SHE'S HANGING
BY THE TELEPHONE
BUT YOU NEVER KNOW
WHEN SHE MIGHT BE HOME
HAPPY TO HAVE SOME COMPANY.
THANK GOD SHE DON'T FEEL
LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME
SHE'S NOT CUPID'S
TRAGIC VALENTINE, AND EITHER AM I
WHO BETTER THAN ME?
WHO BETTER THAN ME?
I ASK MYSELF
WHILE I WONDER WHY
NEVER MORE THAN SEMI PRECIOUS
LANA drains her drink.
STEVE
JUST WHEN SHE'S HAD ENOUGH
AND HER HEART’S TOO TIRED
FOR HANGING TOUGH
THAT'S WHEN YOU POUR IT ON
YOU BASTARD
CROWD
(Singing)
YOU BASTARD!
Surprised, Steve looks to share a laugh with Lana.
Her table is empty. The edge of anger colors his voice.
STEVE
(singing)
I GUESS IT SHOULD COME
AS NO BIG SURPRISE
SHE NO LONGER RECOGNIZES
AN OBVIOUS LIE
ME I'VE TAKEN TO MEMORIZING
EVERY CONVENIENT ALIBI
WHILE I LISTEN TO HER CRY
[SONG CONTINUES]
86
EXT.
PHONE BOOTH - PARKING LOT
LANA emerges from the bar. She looks around and sees VAN
step out of the shadow. Steve's SONG PLAYS under.
Van wraps his arms around Lana, but she doesn't hug him
back. He kisses her. He pulls her by the wrist toward the
corner of the lot. She digs in her heels.
He holds up his left hand. His ring finger is naked except
for the pale strip of skin.
Lana now sees his red eyes and swollen face. Van cries.
Lana yields. Now, he's sobbing. They kiss.
She pulls him toward the dark corner of the lot.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT.
PHONE BOOTH
Steve scans the crowd for Lana. She’s not there.
STEVE
(singing)
WHO BETTER THAN ME
WHO BETTER THAN ME
WE ASK OURSELVES
WHILE WE WONDER WHY,
WHY NEVER MORE THAN
SEMI PRECIOUS SEMI PRECIOUS.
[SONG ENDS]
He walks off stage.
BRADLEY takes the mic and asks the crowd.
BRADLEY
How 'bout a little Mr. Blue Galaxy
himself? Mr. Buddy Dale!?
The crowd WHOOPS and Bradley sings [USE IT OR LOSE IT].
Steve sits at his table, but only for a split second, he's
too agitated. He walks away forgetting his sketch book and
back-pack.
He walks through the bar.
He looks on the crowded dance floor. Lana's not there.
He asks MARGIE. She shakes her head.
He looks in the ladies room, under each stall.
87
The men’s room, slamming open every door.
The hat check.
He looks at the exit sign.
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. PHONE BOOTH - NIGHT
SONG [USE IT OR LOSE IT] PLAYS as STEVE slams out the Phone
Booth door. He looks around. Perhaps he hears something. He
looks toward the dark corner of the lot.
He walks toward the dark corner.
Lana is on her knees fellating Van.
Lana sees Steve and pulls away from Van. She stands,
stumbling and wipes her mouth and dusts the dirt and gravel
from her knees.
Steve looks at her for a long, long time.
Lana takes a step toward him but VAN grabs her wrist and
stops her.
STEVE turns and walks away.
Lana looks at Van and makes a decision.
She pulls free from his grip with some effort and trots to
catch up with him. She stops him with her hand on his
sleeve. He turns and looks at her. His face is stone.
Steve pulls the shirt he’s wearing over his head. He scrubs
it on his styled hair. He drops the shirt on the ground.
He walks away.
Lana follows him to the mouth of the parking lot. She
watches him walk away down the side-walk getting smaller
and smaller as [USE IT OR LOSE IT] fades away.
STEVE looks back over his shoulder one last time at Lana
who stands at the top of the hill, silhouetted by the
moonlight.
WHITE PAPER:
Black lines. A tiny Cartoon Lana stands atop a hill,
silhouetted by the moon, with the word "TUESDAY" printed
above her.
88
SONG[IN HER NEXT LIFE] plays.
INT.
PHONE BOOTH – NIGHT
LANA grabs Steve's back-pack and sketch book from where he
left them, and flees past Van who, drinking at the bar,
makes no effort to stop her.
INT.
MUSIC STUDIO – DAY
PEGGY sings [IN HER NEXT LIFE] into the mic inside a
recording studio. BENNY listens from the booth.
PEGGY
(Singing)
SHE WEARS HER
BLEEDING BROKEN HEART
ON HER SLEEVE
FOR EVERYONE TO SEE
SHE’LL NEVER KNOW
HOW MUCH SOME ONE COULD LOVE HER
WHILE SHE’S STILL MOURNING
FOR THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY
SHE CANT IMAGINE ANY OTHER LOVER
THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE
CAN DO OR SAY
IN HER NEXT LIFE SHE WILL LOVE HIM
HE’S GONNA LOVE HER TOO
INT. NURSING HOME – BUDDY DALE’S ROOM – DAY
LANA stands next to Buddy’s bed guiding a spoon of food
toward his lips. Her face is swollen from grief.
BUDDY’S free hand reaches out and gropes Lana’s ass.
She looks at his hand, surprised.
She puts her hand on it to remove it, but stops.
She looks toward the door to see if anyone else is
watching. They aren't. She lets go of his hand and it keeps
groping and exploring her ass.
She steals a bite from his food tray. And another.
She seizes his tray and shovels his food in her mouth as
his hand fondles her. She drops it, suddenly disgusted.
She snatches his hand from her ass and drops it onto a
pillow where it continues to squeeze absently, as if he
never knew the difference.
89
INT. MUSIC STUDIO - DAY
PEGGY and BENNY listen to the playback. His arm around her
shoulder.
INT.
BLUE GALAXIE – DAY
LANA is parked outside her shop. She watches Steve’s Store.
On the seat next to her is Steve's un-opened Back-pack.
She opens her purse and pulls out the hide-a-key box.
She opens the box, the sketch is not there. She claws
through the glove box, the pile of papers on the seat and
the floor board. As she fails to find it she cries again.
INT.
MUSIC STUDIO – BATHROOM - DAY
PEGGY regards herself in the mirror. She fixes her
lipstick.
INT.
LANA’S SHOP - DAY
With binoculars LANA is watching Steve's shop.
Laid out in front of her on the counter are the contents of
Steve's back-pack, including the defaced drawing of her.
STEVE emerges from his shop with his brown-bag lunch and a
cheerful looking FAT GIRL tucked under his arm. They walk
up the street. He never glances in Lana’s direction.
Lana throws binoculars.
INT. MUSIC STUDIO - DAY
BENNY takes PEGGY’S face in his hands and squeezes it
affectionately. SONG PLAYS under.
BENNY
One of these days you’re gonna
leave us all behind, Peggy Sue.
PEGGY
Then you’d be out of work.
BENNY
Good point. Grab a bite?
90
PEGGY
I better get home. I didn’t tell
Margie where I was going.
BENNY
Listen to me, little girl. What
happened to that kid when you guys
were on tour was not your fault.
Punishing yourself will never
change it. You gotta let her grow
up and take care of herself.
PEGGY
I know. See you at the Tip-Top.
INT.
LANA’S SHOP - DAY
LANA watches out her shop window.
On Steve's stoop is his back-pack. Coming back from lunch
with shop keys in hand, STEVE sees the back-pack and stops.
He looks at it for a long time, trying to decide. He picks
it up and, goes into the shop, never looking back.
Lana shoves over a rack of dresses.
INT. LANA AND THE GIRL’S APT. – DAY
MARGIE is on a chair trying to hang the giant Della Rocca
Sisters poster. PEGGY enters.
[SONG ENDS]
Peggy pulls over a chair to help Margie.
MARGIE
I know I said I didn’t like the
Della Rocca’s but I was just
saying that.
I know.
PEGGY
MARGIE
I won’t let you down.
I know.
PEGGY
MARGIE
Where you been all day, I almost
called the cops.
91
Nowhere.
PEGGY
MARGIE
I'm glad you're home, I couldn't
figure out the coffee maker.
INT.
TIP-TOP - NIGHT
The DELLA ROCCAS are performing [PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER].
LANA is seated at her usual table watching VAN.
Van keeps his eyes neutral and looks across the bar to the
back wall.
Lana follows his eyes.
A lone woman, CANDY, the only person not dressed in vintage
clothes, is texting on her blackberry.
MARGIE smiles at BRADLEY. Who, poor fool, beams back.
SONG ENDS. Applause from Audience.
MARGIE
Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen,
boys and girls, Tina.
TINA does her pageant wave, but today it's more like,
"leave me be."
Margie raises her glass.
MARGIE
We’re taking a little break. We’ll
be back in 10. Order a drink. Tip
the ‘tender. Grope a stranger.
Just don’t miss our next set,
because I’ll hunt you down and
drag your ass back, and I’m not
even kidding.
Margie drains her glass and leaves the band stand.
Lana watches Van cross to Candy.
He embraces her with more vigor than seems appropriate and
even the woman looks perplexed.
Lana, disgusted, crosses to the bar.
LOUIE
What can I get ya?
92
LANA
You got a gun?
Nope.
LOUIE
LANA
Then, how about the usual.
Margie pulls up a stool.
MARGIE
Did you see him?
LANA
Who, your little sacrificial lamb?
MARGIE
No, Johnny.
LANA
Jesus! Move on, you idiot. Look at
this place. It’s crawling with
guys who’ll treat you like shit,
if that’s what you really want.
Louie places a drink before Lana.
LANA
Present company excluded.
MARGIE
That’s right, I’m all kinds of
screwed up, ain’t I, Louie?
LOUIE
I’m stayin’ out of this.
Louie wanders off.
MARGIE
Not like Lana here, who’ll fuck
any guy that’ll have her, provided
he doesn’t actually want her.
You’re a paradigm of virtue.
LANA
Paragon. Idiot.
MARGIE
Fuck you, Lana.
Peggy appears.
93
PEGGY
I’m trying my new song in the next
set. You going to stay and listen
this time?
LANA
Would you LIKE me to stay and
listen this time?
PEGGY
What the heck is wrong with you?
LANA
What the heck is wrong with you?
MARGIE
Leave her alone, Lana, it’s not
her fault you’re a bitter loveless
bitch.
LANA
Oh, look at that, it cares about
someone other than itself.
PEGGY
Are we fighting?
MARGIE
Don’t worry about Lana, she’s just
hateful and whorish because her
daddy didn’t love her!
LANA
No, he didn’t. But he sure loved
you, didn’t he?
PEGGY
And, this again.
LANA
“Look at my Panties, Buddy. They
got the days of the week, ain’t
they cute?”
PEGGY
STOP! PLEASE! She didn't mean it!
LANA
Why couldn’t you just leave my
fucking father alone!
MARGIE
Do you want your Daddy to finger
fuck you in the back of a tour
bus? Because I’m sure it could be
arranged.
94
Fuck off.
LANA
PEGGY
She was just a kid!
LANA
I know she was, Peggy! How many
more god-dammed times do I have to
say I’m sorry? I’m sorry! Ok? I’m
sorry he did that to you. It’s not
my fucking fault!
Lana marches away.
EXT. TIP-TOP - NIGHT
LANA slams through the door and storms across the parking
lot. The neon casts a glow across her face.
She paces around; restless, angry, drunk.
She walks toward the mouth of the lot to get a good look at
Steve’s shop. The STEVE'S COMIX sign burns.
LANA
Fuck you, Steve.
Fuck who?
JOHNNY
Lana turns to see JOHNNY standing by her.
Fuck you.
Nice.
LANA
JOHNNY
LANA
Nobody wants you here.
JOHNNY
Believe it or not, Lana. Margie
called me and asked me to come.
LANA
OH! FUCK! She would! That lousy
bitch. You listen to me! Don’t you
TOUCH that kid, you hear me.
JOHNNY
I have no intention of hurting
her, Lana, despite what you might
think, we love each other.
95
LANA
I’m talking about her little
boyfriend. You leave that kid
alone. This isn’t his fault.
Inside the club a SONG [TOO MUCH BABY] STARTS.
JOHNNY
Whose little boyfriend?
LANA
Just leave him alone.
JOHNNY
Whose boyfriend, Lana?
LANA
Do whatever you want to that lousy
bitch, just leave that boy alone.
Johnny turns and strides toward the bar.
OH, shit!
INT.
LANA
TIP-TOP – NIGHT
PEGGY is blissfully performing [TOO MUCH BABY], blinded by
the footlights to the trouble brewing near the bar.
PEGGY
(singing)
WHEN I WAS A GIRL
IN MY HIGH-SCHOOL
WE OBSERVED ONE CARDINAL RULE
IT WAS ABOVE ALL ELSE
YOU MUST REMAIN COOL
NEVER EVER LET NOBODY
MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL
BACK IN THOSE DAYS
WE HAD A PHRASE THAT PAID
IT WENT "TOO MUCH BABY ALRIGHT"
TOO MUCH, BABY, BABY,
TOO MUCH BABY ALRIGHT
[SONG CONTINUES]
JOHNNY spots MARGIE at the bar near the door.
She sees him coming and quickly kisses Bradley.
Johnny grabs Margie by her hair and drags her off BRADLEY.
Bradley starts to object but he’s no match for Johnny who,
with his hand wound in Margie’s hair, takes a swing.
96
The scuffle draws Peggy’s attention, but she can’t see
what’s going on. She keeps singing.
LANA watches as Johnny drags Margie out the exit.
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. TIP-TOP – NIGHT
JOHNNY drags MARGIE by her hair through the gravel. The
SONG [TOO MUCH BABY] PLAYS on.
LANA
Leave her alone!
MARGIE
Let me go. Let me go.
Margie squeals as he pulls her by her hair to her feet and
slams her against a car whose alarm goes off.
JOHNNY
I’ll kill you, you fucking bitch,
you can’t fucking do this to me.
Johnny strips his belt out of his loops.
Stop it!
MARGIE
LANA
Let her go!
JOHNNY
I fucking love you, you stupid
fucking cunt.
Bradley opens the door and Johnny rushes him like a rabid
dog, arms and boots and belt flailing. Bradley retreats.
JOHNNY
Get the fuck out of here!
Margie crawls away. Johnny catches her and drags her back.
MARGIE
Help me! Help me! Somebody help
me!
Johnny whips Margie with his belt. Lana tries to stop it,
she manages to catch hold of his belt.
MARGIE
Stop! Stop! Nooooo!
97
Johnny administers an absolutely brutal beating. Lana tries
again and again to pull Johnny off, but it's like fighting
a tiger, when she gets close he turns his fists on her.
LANA
HELP!!!! SOMEBODY HEEEELP!!!!
SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!
EXT. STEVE’S BOOK STORE
STEVE yanks open his door, leaps over his stoop, and shirttails flying, runs toward the Tip-Top.
[SONG CONTINUES]
EXT. TIP-TOP -NIGHT
STEVE drags JOHNNY off MARGIE, and with fists flashing and
primal grunts punctuating the blows, beats Johnny.
LANA runs to Margie and tries to pick her up.
LANA
I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
I’m so sorry. Margie, Get up!
GET UP!
O my god oh my god oh my god!
GET UP!
We gotta get you to a doctor!
MARGIE! GET UP! STEVE, HELP ME!
Steve runs to help Lana. They lift Margie, slick with
blood, and carry her to Lana’s car.
LANA
It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.
It’s all my fault. Margie, I love
you. Please, forgive me. PLEASE,
don’t die!
BRADLEY re-emerges from the bar with PEGGY.
MARGIE!
PEGGY
They pile Margie in the back seat of Lana’s car.
[SONG CONTINUES]
INT/EXT. BLUE GALAXIE - NIGHT
PEGGY holds MARGIE in the back seat as LANA turns the key
in the ignition. Nothing happens.
98
LANA
FUUUUUUUCK!
STEVE yanks open the driver’s door.
STEVE
Scoot over. Scoot OVER!
Standing half in and half out, Steve pushes the car. He’s
grunting and screaming but he can’t do it alone.
Lana climbs out the passenger side and helps Steve. The car
starts to roll down hill. Steve jumps in.
STEVE
Get in! GET IN!
Lana's losing ground. She runs faster she jumps.
Steve pops the clutch. The engine fires. They slam doors.
[SONG ENDS]
SONG [PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER] plays through the radio.
PEGGY
Turn it off! Turn it off!
Lana switches off the radio. Silence.
Steve, flooded with adrenalin, pounds the steering wheel.
STEVE
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Lana, her face covered with the black streaks of mascara
and splattered blood turns to look at Margie.
Peggy holds Margie’s head and sobs silently. Margie’s face
is a horror scene. Her injuries are catastrophic.
Lana looks at Steve's bloody knuckles, at his ripped shirt
sleeve and reaches out to touch the tear. He yanks away.
STEVE
Get rid of this fucking car!
LANA
How are you supposed to get rid of
something that doesn't even belong
to you!?
EXT.
BLUE GALAXIE – NIGHT.
The Blue Galaxy zooms down the road, running red lights.
99
INT.
HOSPITAL – NIGHT
LANA, still bloody and wretched, comes through double
doors. She walks down the hallway toward the waiting room.
VAN, TINA, BENNY and BRADLEY stand when she enters.
She ok?
BENNY
LANA
They don’t know yet.
TINA
Oh, Christ!
BRADLEY
I was scared.
TINA
It's okay baby.
LANA
Where’s Steve?
Who?
STEVE!
VAN
LANA
Lana turns and walks away.
She walks to the lobby of the ER. He’s not there.
She goes out the double doors into the parking lot.
EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT
LANA sees STEVE sitting, head in hands, on the hood of her
car in the parking lot. She starts to sob.
He stands when he sees her coming.
When she reaches him she takes his face in her hands and
she kisses him on the mouth. For a moment he responds and
then he shoves her away.
She stumbles.
STEVE
You broke my fucking heart!
LANA
I know. I’m sorry.
100
She touches his sleeve but he wrenches away.
STEVE
NO! You broke my heart, LANA!
LANA
I know! I know! Please, forgive
me!
STEVE
I was fucking good to you!
LANA
I know you were and I didn’t
deserve it. PLEASE!
She tries to hold his face. He pushes her hands away.
STEVE
Don’t touch me! Don’t you fucking
touch me! I can’t fucking stand
it.
LANA
PLEASE! I am so sorry! I screwed
up. I was awful. PLEASE! Please,
give me another chance.
STEVE
I was a fool to fall for you!
LANA
Don’t say that.
STEVE
I’ve seen how you are, with my own
eyes. Screwing every fucking guy
who comes along.
LANA
I don’t want to be like that.
STEVE
How many guys have you fucked?
LANA
I never liked any of them.
STEVE
That's supposed to make it better?
You’re sick, LANA. Get some
fucking help.
LANA
I will! Just give me a chance.
101
STEVE
I can’t. I hate you.
LANA
You don’t hate me.
Yes I do!
STEVE
LANA
DON’T HATE ME!
She tries to kiss him again. He shoves her off.
STEVE
Get off me, you disgust me.
LANA
Please, don't say that.
STEVE
You made me love you-- God-damn
you-- and now I hate you!
LANA
Please, forgive me.
STEVE
I can’t. I can’t. I really fucking
wanted you. The first time I laid
eyes on you-- I swear I heard God
saying, Here you go, Son, I
forgive you-- I thought I’d
finally fucking found you.
LANA
You did. You found me! Please!
She falls to her knees and begs.
Please!!
Get up!
PLEASE!
GET UP!
LANA
STEVE
LANA
STEVE
LANA
Let me redeem myself!!
102
Steve bends in the middle like a runner after a marathon,
like a fighter who’s received a blow to the gut.
STEVE
GOD-DAMMIT, LANA! Get up!
He reaches out to her catches her wrist and pulls her to
her feet.
He crushes her body against his. He kisses her; her eyes,
her cheeks, her neck, her lips. She kisses him the same,
his mouth, his cheeks, his eyes, his forehead.
STEVE
Don’t you ever break my heart
again. You hear me?
LANA
I won’t. I swear. I won’t.
STEVE
Because, I’m the one for you.
I know.
LANA
STEVE
Because, you love me.
I know.
You do.
Yes.
LANA
STEVE
You do?
LANA
They kiss with twice the frenzy as before. She tries to
unbuckle his pants, but his hand traps hers.
He yanks at the driver's door.
Get in.
She does.
INT.
STEVE
STEVE
Scoot over.
BLUE GALAXIE – NIGHT
STEVE climbs in the driver’s seat. LANA kisses him again,
and tears at his shirt. He stops her.
103
Not here.
STEVE
He puts the key in the ignition and looks at her.
STEVE
Please, start.
The car starts. He smiles.
INT. LANA’S APT. – SHOWER – NIGHT
LANA pulls the shirt over STEVE'S head. He's naked now.
He steps into the shower. Water pours over him.
Pink water gathers near the drain.
He encircles her wrist and pulls her into the shower.
Now the water is soaking them both. Her dress becomes
transparent. He tears at her buttons to get to her skin.
LANA
(Almost a moan)
Who was that girl I saw you with?
STEVE
(Whispering)
When?
He kisses her collar bone like he’s saying a prayer.
LANA’S BEDROOM - LATER
LANA and STEVE are lying, in the clean white sheets of her
bed. Their faces are flushed, their lips swollen, their
hair disheveled. Lana kisses Steve's scraped knuckle. He
winds her hair around his finger and smells it.
LANA
(Whispering)
You were coming out of your store
with her, remember? Today. Was
that today?
STEVE
I don’t know what you’re talking
about.
He rolls on top of her and kisses her.
104
LATER
He kneels behind her and brushes her hair.
LANA
She was wearing jeans and a red
sweater set. She had no sense of
style. You took a three hour lunch
break with her.
STEVE
That’s not ringing a bell.
Fat girl.
LANA
STEVE
Oh yeah, her.
He lifts her hair aside and kisses her neck.
LATER
Gray light comes through the window. Almost overcome with
exhaustion, they are making love again, this time slowly;
looking into each other's eyes.
LANA
Just tell me, was she your cousin?
Steve collapses onto Lana gently laughing.
LANA
(genuinely distressed)
Well, was she?
He lies beside her, smoothing her hair away from her face.
STEVE
That girl is a lovely young woman
that I’ve... known, off and on for
years and today I...sought comfort
from her.
LANA
Did you find it?
STEVE
No. Comfort evaded me. Until now.
LANA
So, you didn’t sleep with her?
Pause, he smoothes her brow.
105
STEVE
Don’t make me tell you that.
LANA
True trumps nice.
Everything slows as he winds his fingers through hers and
kisses her hand.
STEVE
Yes, I slept with her. But, it
didn’t matter because you had
already ruined me and I can never
get over you.
Pause.
Where?
LANA
STEVE
It doesn’t matter.
LANA
In your bed?
Yes.
STEVE
A tear runs out the corner of her eye, he kisses it.
LANA
I know I don't have the right to
ask you this, but, I don't want
you to ever sleep with anyone else
again. Okay?
Ever?
Ever.
STEVE
LANA
He smiles.
Ok.
STEVE
He dives under the covers.[PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER] PLAYS.
[SONG CONTINUES]
106
INT. HOSPITAL – MARGIE’S ROOM - MORNING
[PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER] plays.
MARGIE lies in bed with bandages, tubes and wires
connecting her to medical machinery. PEGGY holds her hand.
As the song endures, the instrumentation falls away until
just the two naked artless voices of the children that
Margie and Peggy used to be remain.
Margie stirs. Peggy leans toward her sister.
The singing slows, slows and stops.
MARGIE
I need out.
PEGGY
Dr. said it’s going to be a few
days.
MARGIE
Of the Della Rocca’s.
Oh.
I’m
PEGGY
MARGIE
sorry.
PEGGY
Hey. I don’t care. Fuck the Della
Roccas.
MARGIE
Peggy said “Fuck”.
Peggy lays her head on her sister’s bed and weeps.
INT.
LANA’S BEDROOM - MORNING
LANA and STEVE sleep, at peace intertwined among the
rumpled white sheets.
The light from the open window, golden, molten, alive,
floods across the bed like a favor from Rumplestiltskin.
A breeze ruffles Lana’s hair. A tiny rivulet of sweat
trickles down Steve’s hairline.
They hold hands, fingers interlaced, as they sleep.
The rotary dial phone next to Lana’s bed rings.
107
Steve sits up. He answers the phone; voice husky with
sleep.
STEVE
Hello?... oh, hey, let me get her.
(To Lana)
Honey, wake up. It’s Peggy. Honey,
wake up.
Lana’s eyes open, flooding the world in light.
WHITE PAPER:
Black lines read "Another Saturday Night".
The page is turned and fresh lines flow from a pencil as
the following words are written.
"Own a piece of Rock-n-Roll History.
This beauty can be yours for $13,000
Or Best Offer. Very Clean, Runs Great.
A second hand, a woman's, points to the word "great". The
artist erases "great", puts a period after "runs" and
continues writing.
"Serious inquiries only.”
Erasures are blown away. The page is torn from the book.
EXT. TIP-TOP PARKING LOT - NIGHT
The for sale sign hangs in the window of the Blue Galaxie.
TINA, smokes a cigarette and reads it.
She tosses the butt and pulls her white glove back on as
she walks to the Tip-Top's entrance.
The marquee now reads, “Peggy Della Rocca. Every Friday and
Saturday at 10:00.” Tina pulls the door open.
INT. TIP-TOP - NIGHT
MARGIE stands at the Mic. On her cheek is a scar which is
almost concealed by makeup. There are no obvious visible
wounds, but there's a softness suggestive of change.
MARGIE
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and
Girls…
Tina!
CROWD
108
TINA waves.
MARGIE
Please, put your hands together
for the lovely, the talented Peggy
Della Rocca.
PEGGY holds a guitar. BENNY is on Bass. They sing [MEXICO].
PEGGY and BENNY
(singing)
THIS WINTER I'VE BEEN WORKING
WORKIN' MUCH TOO HARD
LOOK OUT MY BACK WINDOW AT MY
FROZEN YARD
I'D RATHER BE SURFIN
THAN STAYIN HOME PLAYIN CARDS
THIS WINTER I'M WORKIN,
I BEEN WORKIN MUCH TOO HARD
SO IT;'S AGREED WHAT WE NEED'S
A SHORT VACATION
YES PERHAPS A TRIAL HONEYMOON
AS SOON AS I CAN
SCRAPE THE CASH TOGETHER
MAN I HOPE IT'S SOON
I WISH WE COULD GO
DOWN TO MEXICO
FOR A WEEK OR SO,
FORGET THE RAIN & SNOW
I WISH I COULD GO DOWN SOUTH
DOWN TO MEXICO
As Peggy and Benny sing LANA dances with Margie.
BRADLEY and TINA dance by.
Lana taps Bradley on the shoulder and they all switch
partners. They are great dancers.
STEVE watches from Lana's regular table, sketching them.
Lana pulls Steve onto the dance floor.
Steve is an awkward dancer. But, Lana is patient because,
what he lacks in finesse, he makes up for with unabashed
appreciation for the feel of her body in his arms.
VAN stands in the back watching it all. He turns to leave.
EXT.
TIP-TOP PARKING LOT - NIGHT
VAN walks by LANA’s Blue Galaxie.
[MEXICO] fades and is replaced by a scratchy recording.
109
ANNOUNCER (VO)
Ladies and Gentlemen please, put
your hands together for Mr. Blue
Galaxy himself, Mr. Buddy Dale!
The recorded crowd roars as the music swells.
BUDDY (VO)
(singing)
TOP DOWN WEATHER
WHAT COULD BE BETTER
LET’S JUST DRIVE AROUND
THEN I THINK WE OUGHTA
GO DOWN BY THE WATER
WATCH THE SUN GO DOWN
LIKE THEY SAY WITHOUT A CARE
FEEL THE WIND BLOW IN YOUR HAIR
I CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE
IN MY BLUE GALAXY
IN MY BLUE GALAXY.
[SONG CONTINUES]
People come and go from the club, they dance around. Skirts
swirl, girls are pretty, boys are horny, life is good.
A small crowd of young men gather around the Blue Galaxie
to check her out.
The sky above the Tip-Top is inky black, a swollen moon
rises slowly as stars, one after another are born.
“Blue Galaxy” soars.
FADE OUT.