DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SANDWICH CAFE - BARI - DAY
Francesca sits at the outdoor cafe in Bari with shopping bags around her feet. She re-arranges them as the waiter passes by, mumbling something vulgar under his breath. When she looks up -- Robert is standing there. She smiles. He offers her hand. She takes it and rises. They leave the cafe.
MONTAGE:
Francesca and Robert together against the breathtaking backdrop of the Italian countryside.
EXT. BARI COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
On a lakefront, Robert and Francesca make love.
WE INTERCUT WITH:
INT. JOHNSON LIVING ROOM - EVENING
FRANCESCA AND ROBERT MAKING LOVE ONCE AGAIN.
Francesca looks at him and understands he is giving her full permission to explore whatever she wants. Hesitantly, she crosses to him and takes his plate away. She stands before him, leaning him back into his chair. She slowly, tentatively, opens her robe. She strokes his hair, then caresses his head and gently guides it between her legs.
1994
INT. SLOW BEND RESTAURANT - NIHT
C.U. on an ashtray filled with cigarette butts as Carolyn anxiously lights another. These last entries have over
stimulated her. She calls to the waitress abruptly.
CAROLYN
Can I get another cup of coffee, please?
When she looks up, she sees Michael has returned. He sits.
CAROLYN (cont'd)
Where did you go?
MICHAEL
Bar across the street.
CAROLYN
Have you called Betty?
(she shakes his head)
Maybe you should.
MICHAEL
I found out who Lucy Delaney is.
(she looks interested)
Remember the Delaneys from Hillcrest Road?
CAROLYN
Yeah. But I thought she died.
MICHAEL
He remarried. Apparently they were having an affair for years.
Apparently the first Mrs. Delaney was a bit of a stiff.
CAROLYN
You mean -- she didn't like sex?
MICHAEL
(nods, then simply:)
I bet mom could've helped her.
CAROLYN
Boy. All these years I've resented not living the wild life in some place like Paris and all the time I could've moved back to Iowa... Are you drunk?
MICHAEL
Not yet. You want to go?
CAROLYN
I think I better. Between the book and the coffee, I'm this close to raping the busboy.
17
EXT. IOWA LAKEFRONT - NIGHT
Michael and Carolyn have parked in a secluded area near a lake. Some place where the moonlight and the scenery create a beautiful backdrop. They sit on the ground, leaving the headlights and the radio on. They are getting drunk sharing
a bottle of whiskey.
MICHAEL
I used to love this place. I used to take Kathy Reynolds down here.
CAROLYN
You never dated Kathy Reynolds!
MICHAEL
Not officially. Her and Steve Kendall were pinned at birth. But I was crazy about her. And for about three months,
I managed to catch her during her "exploring" stage.
CAROLYN
I never knew that.
MICHAEL
(sadly)
Nobody did.
CAROLYN
Was this during Betty?
MICHAEL
Everything was during Betty. God we were so young. Why did we think we had to do it all so fast? I've never cheated on Betty. Not once we were married, I mean.
CAROLYN
Did we want to?
MICHAEL
Only about a thousand times. What do I do now? "What's good enough for mom is good enough for me?"
CAROLYN
(pissed off)
What gets me is I'm 46 years old. I've been in this crummy fucking marriage -
MICHAEL
Carolyn!
CAROLYN
(ignores him)
-- for over twenty years because that's what I was taught -- you stick with it! Normal people don't get divorced. I can't remember the last time my husband made love to me so intensely that he transported me to Europe, for Christ's sake -- quite frankly, I don't think he ever did! And now I find out in between bake sales, my mother was Anais Nin!
MICHAEL
What about me! I feel really weird. Like she cheated on me, not dad. Isn't that sick? I don't mean I wanted to sleep with her or anything but -- ya know -- being the only son. You're sort of made to feel like you're the prince of the kingdom, ya know? And in the back of your mind, you kind of think your mother doesn't need sex anymore because she has you.
CAROLYN
You're right -- that is sick.
They drink.
MICHAEL
If she was so unhappy, why didn't she leave?
They look to each other without an answer. Then simultaneously they reach for the notebooks.
MICHAEL (cont'd)
Can I read it now? I think I'm ready.
Carolyn offers him the book then lays back in a relaxed position in order to listen. Michael flips to an ear marked
page.
MICHAEL (cont'd)
What paragraph were you up to?
CAROLYN
(casually)
She just made him perform oral sex on the porch.
Michael freezes. He loses his nerve. Carolyn helps.
CAROLYN (cont'd)
Go ahead, Michael. You've got to do this. Just think, "Today I am a man."
Michael nods and takes another swig. He reads:
MICHAEL
"I'd never had a man make love to me that way before."
(stops)
Oh Jesus.
(continues)
"I couldn't believe the feelings bursting inside of me. As if I had opened some forbidden Pandora's box."
Camera begins to move to wide angle as Francesca takes over.
FRANCESCA
"It seems, thinking about it now, that in those few days I lived a completely different life as a completely different woman. What was recognizable as me before Robert was gone. We decided to spend Wednesday away from Winterset. Away from
Madison County. Away from pastures and bridges and people too familiar and reminders too painful. We let the day take us where it wanted..."
1965
INT. DES MOINES MOVIE THEATER - DAY
VIVIEN LEIGH is walking down a ships stairs in the 1965 film "SHIP OF FOOLS." She is alone on screen. She walks, slightly intoxicated. Suddenly, Charleston music plays out of nowhere and she begins to dance, by herself, without any self-consciousness.
In the movie theatre, Robert sits with his arm around Francesca like teenage lovers. Her head is nestled in his chest as she eats from a bag of popcorn. Robert barely keeps his eyes on the screen, staring at Francesca and stroking her hair.
EXT. DOWNTOWN DES MOINES STREET - DAY
Francesca and Robert walk hand-in-hand, window shopping and taking in the sights. For Francesca, it is as if she is
seeing everything for the first time.
INT. BOOK STORE - DAY
Robert introduces Francesca to the photography section, showing her a book of one of his favorite photographers, Walker Evans. Francesca admires one photograph in particular -- a mother and child during the depression.
FRANCESCA
On that one is beautiful. Look at their expressions. As if the camera weren't on them at all. As if they had no strength left to hide what they were feeling.
ROBERT
He's a genius. They're not photographs -- they're stories, entire histories captured in moments.
FRANCESCA
I bet you could do a book.
ROBERT
No. I couldn't.
FRANCESCA
Why do you say that?
ROBERT
Because I already tried once.
Francesca is surprised. She senses his disappointment.
ROBERT (cont'd)
It's no big deal. I know how to work a camera, how to make it "make pictures" -- but I don't know how to make it make art.
(laughs)
At least that's what six publishers said. To take what we see of this world and give it back with a bit of ourselves in it. It's a mystery to me.
FRANCESCA
(smiles, supportive)
But you don't mind.
ROBERT
(smiles)
No, I don't mind.
She brushes his hair away from his face affectionately. As he looks at another book, she notices their reflection in a mirror. She puts her arm through his. They look like a couple to her -- two people who belong together.
INT. FANCY RESTAURANT - DAY
Francesca and Robert have an elegant lunch.
FRANCESCA
What were you like when you were younger?
ROBERT
(smiles)
Trouble. Why?
FRANCESCA
(laughs)
I just wondered. Why were you trouble?
ROBERT
I had a temper.
FRANCESCA
What were your parents like?
Pause. Robert doesn't reply. She looks at him curiously.
ROBERT
I can't do this, honey.
FRANCESCA
What?
ROBERT
Try and live a lifetime before Friday. Cram it all in.
(shakes his head)
This is the first time either has mentioned their time clock. Francesca nods, understandingly.
Across the room, Francesca notices A MOTHER having dessert with her FIVE-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, a pretty little girl in a
fancy yellow dress. The mother rises and exits to the ladies room while the little girl continues eating a large sundae.
Francesca smiles. As the girl licks a spoon of fudge, she sees Francesca looking at her and smiles back. Robert watches
the silent exchange as he eats. Francesca makes a funny face at her. The little girl giggles as she spoons more ice-cream. Unfortunately, she spoons too much and the ice-cream falls on her pretty dress. She tries to take it off her, but she slips through her fingers and stains her even more. She looks at Francesca as if she's about to cry. Francesca smiles.
FRANCESCA
Excuse me a minute.
Robert watches her cross to the little girl and kneel beside her. He sees her consoling the little girl while taking a napkin and dabbing it in the water glass.
She helps the girl carefully wipe away the mess, all the while calming her. The mother re-enters the scene and shakes
her head at her daughter. The daughter is afraid of being reproached but the mother is smiling. She and Francesca begin talking. She thanks Francesca. Robert sees the two mothers exchanging a moment of common experience and brief friendship. The mother and daughter take their leave as Francesca says goodbye and returns to the table. Robert looks at her lovingly. Francesca returns to her meal, but suddenly she is no longer hungry. Robert senses something is upsetting
her.
ROBERT
You're somewhere else, where?
FRANCESCA
Just that it's been a perfect day and that I'd like to skip my fancy dessert and go home after this.
ROBERT
Uh-huh. And?
FRANCESCA
(beat)
You're right, you know. We don't have much time.
Uncomfortable silence hangs between them. A waiter passes by.
ROBERT
Check, please.
OS, as the MOTHER YELLS:
MOTHER
REBECCA! REBECCA!
Both Robert and Francesca look to the voice.
18
EXT. RESTAURANT - DAY
The mother stands on the street frantically calling for her daughter.
MOTHER
REBECCA!
The Maitre'd, Francesca and Robert exit the restaurant.
MOTHER
Oh my God...!
FRANCESCA
What happened?
MOTHER
I was paying the check. She ran outside. I told her to wait for me right here! Oh God, where is she?
Rebecca!
The sidewalk is filled with people. Francesca looks to Robert. He recognizes the concern in her expression. Going home will have to wait.
ROBERT
I'll check down here. Someone call the police.
The Maitre'd goes back inside. Francesca comforts the mother.
FRANCESCA
Think for a second. Is there someplace she said she wanted to go?
MOTHER
I don't remember!
EXT. STREET
Robert searches through the street, poking in and out of storefronts, looking across the street.
EXT. RESTAURANT
Francesca and the mother search in the opposite direction.
EXT. STREET
Through the crowd of people, Robert looks across the four lane Main Street to a LARGE CITY PARK. He crosses to it.
INT. RESTAURANT - AN HOUR LATER
Francesca sits with the mother as TWO POLICEMEN take down a description. The mother is crying. A waiter brings over some water for her. The Maitre'd stands by.
MOTHER
She was right outside. I turned my head for a second.
POLICEMAN
When was this?
FRANCESCA
About an hour ago.
MOTHER
They're not going to find her!
FRANCESCA
Yes, they are.
At that moment, the mother looks up and cries.
MOTHER
REBECCA!
She jumps out of her seat as all turn to see:
Robert holding the little girl in his arms, entering the restaurant. He carefully hands her over to the mother. The
two wrap their arms around each other. Francesca looks to Robert, loving him even more now.
FRANCESCA
Where was she?
ROBERT
Across the street. She went into the park and got turned around and didn't know her way out.
MOTHER
You crossed the street by yourself?!
REBECCA
(crying)
It was a green light.
The mother is too relieved to be mad. Robert sits down.
MOTHER
Thank you so much!
ROBERT
(frazzled)
I need a drink.
Everyone laughs out of relief. Francesca wraps her arm around his shoulder and kisses his forehead. He kisses her back.
INT. TRUCK - DUSK
Robert drives as Francesca sits inside his arm. Neither speaks.
INT. JOHNSON HOUSE - DUSK
Francesca calmly leads Robert up to her bedroom.
INT. JOHNSON BEDROOM
Naked, Francesca guides Robert into bed beneath the covers. They begin to make love -- softly, lovingly -- like a couple that are beyond the erotic, discovery stage; a couple that have been together and in love for years.
LATER -
Francesca puts her arm around him as he nestles his head to her breast. Francesca strokes his hair as Robert closes his
eyes.
ROBERT
I don't know why I'm so tired all of a sudden.
FRANCESCA
Long day. Go to sleep.
ROBERT
Am I too heavy for you?
FRANCESCA
No.
Robert settles into her. But Francesca is wide awake. Something is on her mind -- "Tomorrow? What happens after tomorrow?"
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Francesca is serving Robert breakfast, then sits down beside him. Silence. We can sense some tension between them -- this being their last day together.
Francesca seems ingeniously friendly. Robert is suspicious.
