Almost Famous Page #11

WILLIAM:

(lightening fast)

"He who jealously guards his fears,

quietly yearns to bring them about!"

Mrs. Deegan admires their high-strung intellectual parrying,

makes an impressed noise.

ELAINE:

(with compassion)

No. I have raised him to be an honor

student, which he is. We have agreed

on all our goals. We raised him to be

a lawyer, we moved here to be near the

finest law school in the West. Plus,

he has finals coming up, and in one

week he graduates with all his friends

-

DARRYL:

He's got no friends!!

WILLIAM:

Darryl. Please.

Nearby, having anticipated all of the above, William nods to

Mrs. Deegan, and stands.

MRS. DEEGAN

Elaine, may I present to you... your

own son.

William takes a lawyerly stroll, turns to face his mom.

WILLIAM:

Lady of the Jury.

(beat)

I wish to disprove the prevailing false

belief that rock music is based on drugs

and sex. True, perhaps at one time...

but rock music is different now. It is

now performed by hard-working

intellectuals, with... with blazing

intellectual pursuits, and I am going to

play for you a piece of music designed

to show you that my thesis is correct.

ELAINE:

This is going to be hell.

Across the room, Darryl takes his position near the stereo.

WILLIAM:

The song is based on the literature of

Tolkien... and it's mystical attempt

to elevate humanity has been successful

throughout the world... this song

will change your life.

Mom stifles a cough. William nods to Darryl, who reverentially

drops the needle with a thud. Mom is trapped, as we listen to

silent static... and then... the opening notes of Led Zeppelin's

"Stairway to Heaven." William gives his Mother the album

cover's inner-sleeve with lyrics.

WILLIAM (cont'd)

We ask you only to listen.

Camera passes across their serious and expectant faces. The

intro in not short. We listen, just watching their faces, as

Elaine becomes increasingly impatient.

ELAINEWILLIAM:

When is it going to start - Soon.

Immediately, overlapping, the vocal begins. ("There's a lady

who's sure all that glitters is gold.")

DISSOLVE TO:

48 SUN MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS THE SKY48

Sprinklers click across the lawns. ("... and it makes me

wonder... ")

49 INT. LIVING ROOM -- AFTERNOON49

Mom adjust herself in the chair, listens politely, checks her

watch. She looks at William.

50 EXT. HOME - AFTERNOON50

Sprinklers continue. ("If there's a bustle in your hedgerow...

")

51 INT. LIVING ROOM -- AFTERNOON51

Mom listens fitfully. The song continues.

DISSOLVE TO:

52 EXT. HOUSE -- STILL LATER AFTERNOON52

Sprinklers shut off. Music is now blasting. ("To be a rock,

and not to roll... ")

53 INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER AFTERNOON53

Mom's face remains stoic to the bitter end. ("... and she's

buying the Stairway to Heaven.") The song ends. Silence.

All look to Elaine. They wait on her response. We hear the

turntable arm return to its cradle.

ELAINE:

What am I supposed to say? You say

it's Tolkien, fine. They sound like

nice kids. Is it meant to elevate

humanity? "Sure, let's elevate

humanity. After we sell you drugs and

sex." All I have is my honesty. That's

what I believe, and that's what I know.

(flipping through magazine)

Oh. Here's a nice ad.

She holds up the magazine. And ad reads, in large bold type:

BUY THIS F***ING ALBUM.

ELAINE (cont'd)

You've clearly ganged up on me, and I

still say no. No no no no no no no.

She shuts her eyes, and blurts out something against her better

judgement.

ELAINE (cont'd)

NO MORE THAN FOUR DAYS AND I WANT A

PHONE NUMBER FOR WHERE YOU ARE EVERY

MINUTE AND I WANT YOU TO CALL ME TWICE

A DAY AND YOU'D BETTER NOT MISS ONE

TEST - AND NO DRUGS.

William nods gratefully, and exits frame. Hold on the empty

chair, as drums herald the beginning of the Allman Brothers

Band's "Trouble No More" from Live at Fillmore East.

SHOT MOVES IN ON ELAINE

who feels a very particular kind of loneliness. It's the

loneliness she got married, and then raised a family, to escape.

54 INT. STILLWATER TOUR BUS -- DAY54

An empty Heineken beer bottle rolls up and down the aisle,

taking us to William. William picks up the bottle and places

it in the seat back pocket in front of him. He has joined the

circus, and the feeling of being here is a lot more lonely and

forbidding than he expected. The bus struggles to make it up

the hill, back rows shuddering loudly, as music continues.

DICK:

C'mon, Doris! Darling Bus. You can

make it!

55 EXT. NEVADA DESERT HIGHWAY -- DAY55

The Stillwater Tour Bus rumbles down the desert highway. The

destination banner reads - ALMOST FAMOUS -- TOUR 73. Music

continues.

56 INT. BUS - DAY 56

William strains for a look at Russell five rows up. He plays

slide guitar, working out a part. Next to Russell is Penny

Lane. Penny raises an early-model Polaroid camera and - flash

- takes a picture of a nearby sleeping Jeff Bebe.

PENNY:

Gotcha.

Jeff grumbles from the depths of a hangover. Penny stuffs the

shot in her pocket. William watches, his private heart pounds.

Polexia appears and sits next to him, noticing his shyness.

POLEXIA:

Do you have any pot?

WILLIAM:

No. I'm a journalist.

POLEXIA:

Well, go do your job then. You're on

the road, man. It's all happening! Get

in there. Go talk to 'em!

Challenged, William rises and approaches Russell. He fixes

the charismatic guitarist in his sights. Shot takes him down

the aisle to the jamming star guitarist. He crouches in the

aisle and talks to Russell who immediately seems moody. His

mood is in the air.

WILLIAM:

(very professional)

Russell. Do you think we might be

able to find some time to talk when we

get to Phoenix? I want to interview

everyone separately... and I felt we'd

start with you and me.

Nearby, Jeff now listens in, feeling immediately jealous.

RUSSELL:

Absolutely.

Russell turns away. The kid squats uncomfortably in the aisle,

babbling on.

WILLIAM:

Because I've got a thing in a couple

days.

RUSSELL:

What.

WILLIAM:

(self-conscious)

It's a... thing where... uhm... you go

there to graduate. School.

RUSSELL:

(sharply)

I never graduated. And look what

happened. You're here interviewing me.

Good point. Laughs from everybody listening nearby. It's a

good line. William makes a quick jot in his notebook.

RUSSELL (cont'd)

No no no. Don't put that in Rolling

Stone. My bio says I graduated. We'll

come up with something better later.

Just enjoy the ride.

Russell eyes the notebook suspiciously before turning away.

Penny notices William's discomfort, laughing warmly, all while

grabbing a Coke and giving one to nearby bassist Larry.

LARRY:

How did you know I was thirsty?

He didn't even realize he was thirsty, but he is. He nods

thanks to Penny, the perfect road companion for all. And then

Penny gives the other Coke, her Coke, to William. He accepts

it too, and starts back to his seat. He's been blown off, and

he knows it, but before he exits Penny grabs his arm and

whispers in his ear:

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote