Almost Famous Page #13

WILLIAM:

(still wondrous, from phone

book)

Alex. Lowbatz.

SAPPHIRE:

(emerging from bathroom)

I was the one who told him what to

tattoo on his fingers, I was the one

who made his shirts... I was there

when his wife left him.

WILLIAM:

Charles. C. Swoop.

POLEXIA:

(on phone)

I CAN SEE THE EIFFELL TOWER. DO YOU

KNOW THERE ARE 578 STEPS TO THE TOP?

She's reading from a European tour book.

WILLIAM:

Paul and Debbie Finger.

ESTRELLA:

(looking out window)

Oh my God. Simon Kirke of Bad Company

is by the pool.

The girls mobilize by the window. William is increasingly

aware that he is an outsider in his own tiny room. He tries

to organize his stuff in the corner.

POLEXIA:

I GOTTA GO! I'LL CALL FROM ROME!

ESTRELLA:

Is anybody here as worried about Penny

and Russell as I am?

POLEXIA:

(the perfect daughter)

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAGGIE!!

I LOVE YOU!!

She winks at William, who looks away.

SAPPHIRE:

(to Polexia and William)

Ooo, watch out - whoever you look at

when you say that - that's who you

really mean.

Polexia hands up and throws a pillow at Sapphire, the kid

watches these girls like a tennis match.

60A IN. PENNY AND RUSSELL'S ROOM - SAME TIME60A

Russell puts down his guitar.

RUSSELL:

You know. We should talk about what

we don't talk about.

PENNY:

We don't have to.

RUSSELL:

No, I - I went to Catholic school. I

believe in guilt and... you know, if

there's any to be had, I pretty much

want to roll around in it.

PENNY:

I don't believe in attachments. No

boundaries. Just the music.

RUSSELL:

I'm just saying, it's okay to talk

about it.

Penny stands and turns. She speaks the word.

PENNY:

Leslie.

Russell nods. The name is out in the open.

PENNY (cont'd)

Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Leslie.

Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Leslie.

RUSSELL:

(somehow satisfied)

Alright - now we're talking.

But she continues, saying the name in a multitude of different

ways, in different accents, and with different degrees of

indifference and passion and lust and play-acting and mock-

drama.

PUSH IN ON HIS FACE

As he listens and studies this ethereal creature for meaning.

Is she mocking him? In love with him? Taunting him? Seducing

him?

PENNY:

Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Lesssssslie.

Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Leslie.

Leslie. Leslie. Leslie. Leslie.

LESlie. Leslie...

She continues saying it until it no longer has meaning. And

finally she sits next to him.

PENNY (cont'd)

(beat)

Now. Have I helped you get that off

your chest?

They kiss.

60B INT. WILLIAM'S HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME60B

The girls continue their settling-in process.

SAPPHIRE:

Opie, can I order room service?

The nickname "Opie" re-opens a nagging wound. Polexia hangs

up, and begins to dial again.

WILLIAM:

Okay. You guys. Wait. Put down the

phone, Polexia.

(she does, sadly)

First, this is my room...

SAPPHIRE:

Come on, you're a fan like us. You're

on our side of the line.

WILLIAM:

Second. I'm not Opie. Alright? Opie

is a little boy. I'm here to do a

job. I am a professional.

ESTRELLA:

(flipping luggage tag)

Ooooooo, sorry, Mr. 42.

WILLIAM:

Third!

(has their attention now)

... this phone is a big, big deal. In

a minute, I have to go interview

Russell. Do not answer this phone if it

rings. I have family members with

severe anxiety Problems. She will not

understand.

POLEXIA:

(wounded)

But what if Ozzy calls Sapphire? And

I gave Jimmy Page this number.

ESTRELLA:

Or a guy who looked like Jimmy Page.

William looks at their troubled faces, full of too much-longing

and too much make-up.

WILLIAM:

Okay. I have a solution. Answer the

phone. But if anyone without an English

accent is on the phone...

(winging it)

Just hang up. Or say it's the wrong

room.

They nod. It's a good plan.

61 EXT. HALLWAY -- NIGHT 61

The hanging sign on the door reads: DO NOT DISTURB. William

knocks on Russell's door. A maid pushes up against him with

her cart, which now blocks the hallway.

WILLIAM:

SHOULD I COME BY LATER?

A group of golf conventioneers are now trapped behind the maid

cart. They ease past William as he negotiates with Russell

through the door.

RUSSELL (O.S.)

YES, I'M IN TOO TRUTHFUL A MOOD!

WILLIAM:

MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD THING!!

RUSSELL (O.S.)

I'LL SEE YOU AT THE RADIO INTERVIEW

LATER!! TEN-THIRTY IN THE LOBBY.

WILLIAM:

OKAY!

RUSSELL:

GO AWAY!

WILLIAM:

OKAY!

We hear Penny's giggle. Then the door opens, and it's Penny

looking ravishing. In the background, Russell sits shirtless

at the table. He playfully pelts the kid with crumpled up

wads of hotel stationery.

PENNY:

Don't worry. Some to the radio

interview.

WILLIAM:

No, I'm fine. I'll just interview

Jeff Bebe some more.

RUSSELL:

(as in "you're on of us")

GO AWAY!

She shuts the door quickly. It hurts a little. He picks up

the wadded pieces of paper, stuffs them in his pocket. He

leaves the door and helps himself to some soap and pencils and

matches from the nearby maid's cart. Then he returns to

Russell's door. He can't help but listen to the muffled sounds

of laughter, just for a moment, escalating. He flips the sign

over:
HOUSEKEEPING PLEASE ENTER - CLEAN ROOM.

62 INT. OUTER RADIO STATION - NIGHT62

Humble Pie. "Thirty Days in the Hole." Russell and band enter

the radio station, passing through the now-empty front office.

As always, Russell sets the tone. He's feeling good.

Stillwater takes over -- they feel mighty, like the Beetles,

as they climb across chairs, rearrange wall hangings and gold

records and head down the small hallway to the control room

interview. Rolling with the flow are William and Penny in her

green coat. He tries to distance himself from her -- still a

little stung by the earlier hallway rebuff -- but she will

have none of it. She privately shares every great passing

moment with him. He tries not to succumb to these charms.

It's hard. Music segues to Stillwater's own "Fever Dog."

63 INT. RADIO CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT63

Stillwater's own record spins, and it sounds good to everyone

in this room. Russell takes a seat near the open mike. Jeff

Bebe is quick to take the other seat, arranging himself to be

just as close to the microphone as Russell. William watches

all as he sits at the dark back of this control booth.

Stillwater sits with late-night progressive disc-jockey QUINCE

ALLEN, 25.

Quince takes a long hit from a joint and does not pass it.

The entire Stillwater band is now collected in the studio and

ready for the interview. William can't avoid looking at Penny

Lane, who looks great tonight. She catches him, and he barely

looks away in time. Polexia, newly reconciled with Jeff,

notices. The very mellow disc-jockey eases up to the

microphone, as the finale of "Fever Dog" is just ending.

QUINCE ALLEN:

The guitar of Russell Hammond. "Fever

Dog"... The band is Stillwater.

(beat)

Watch with your mind as they

materialize.

Band members gets closer to the microphone, preparing to speak.

Quince lowers his head, shutting his eyes and getting into the

music as the song plays out.

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