As Good as It Gets Page #17

SIMON:

But you know where you're lucky?

MELVIN:

Absolutely not.

SIMON:

You know who you want. I'll take

your seat any day. So do

something... don't sleep on it...

go over there. I don't think

anybody should ever sleep on

anything -- it's not always good

to let things calm down.

MELVIN:

Hey... I'm charged here. But she

might kill me for showing up this

late.

SIMON:

Then get in your jammies and I'll

read you a story... I think you've

got a chance. The only real enemy

you have is her ability to think

logically -- the best thing you

have going for you is your

willingness to humiliate yourself

if it gives you one chance in

whatever -- so go catch her off-

guard.

MELVIN:

Okay. Thanks a lot. Here I go.

He moves for the door... stops suddenly, jolted.

SIMON:

What's wrong?

MELVIN:

I forgot to lock the door.

EXT. CAROL'S APARTMENT BUILDING (CAROL'S NEIGHBORHOOD) -

NIGHT:

As he parks. He exits the car -- now wary... looks at

his watch... hesitates... walks reluctantly into the

apartment house.

INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT BUILDING - VESTIBULE - NIGHT

As Melvin looks at Carol's doorbell with great

uncertainty.

INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Carol in a cotton wrap-around dress/bathrobe... sitting

directly in front of a fan... the windows open, reading

one of Melvin's books...

There is the briefest possible sound of a DOORBELL...

someone has jabbed her downstairs button ever so briefly

-- so briefly that she's not certain it's her DOORBELL --

until the same brief sound REPEATED... She walks to

her wide open window and looks over.

HER POV:

The convertible at the curb.

BACK TO SCENE:

She hesitates --

INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT BUILDING - VESTIBULE - NIGHT

As Melvin gives up and starts out... turning as the

sudden blast of being BUZZED into Carol's life sounds.

He bolts for the door and enters.

INT. CAROL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

She opens the door... she hears the sound of MELVIN

SOUNDING HEAVILY up the stairs... He reaches her side.

CAROL:

What do you want, Melvin?

MELVIN:

Were you asleep?

CAROL:

What do you want?

MELVIN:

'Cause if you were asleep -- I'm

sorry. And you could be grouchy.

CAROL:

Grouchy?

MELVIN:

... 'Cause of being woken up, and

it would make my job impossible.

So then I wouldn't even try.

CAROL:

What job?

MELVIN:

Were you asleep?

CAROL:

What are you doing here?

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Beverly in the hallway looking on --

BACK TO SCENE:

MELVIN:

I'm sorry I woke you -- some other

time.

He half turns to leave.

CAROL:

I wasn't asleep!!

MELVIN:

What a break...

CAROL:

(losing it a bit)

Is it a secret what you're doing

here?

MELVIN:

I had to see you...

CAROL:

Because...

MELVIN:

It relaxes me... I'd feel better

just sitting on the curb in front

of your house than anyplace else

I can think of or imagine.

Carol has not ever heard anything like that before...

it's sort of sexy in its sincerity.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

As we see in the b.g. that Beverly, standing near her

door down the hallway, has heard at least this last

part...

Melvin, of course, cannot leave well enough alone...

MELVIN:

(serious)

Wait a minute, I'm overstating

here, maybe the inside stairs. I

don't want to sit with my feet in

the gutter. What does that serve?

It only...

But suddenly Carl is shouting to the heavens.

CAROL:

Stop it!! Why can't I have a

normal boyfriend??? Why? Get out

of here. Just a regular boyfriend

who doesn't go nuts on me...

BEVERLY:

(butting in)

Everybody wants that, dear -- it

doesn't exit...

(as Carol turns

to her)

Sorry... didn't mean to interrupt.

She disappears into her room. Carol snorts a laugh --

gathers herself. A beat.

MELVIN:

(hopefully)

Boyfriend?

CAROL:

Oh, come on in and try not to ruin

everything by being you.

MELVIN:

Maybe we could live without the

wise cracks.

She looks at him -- then:

CAROL:

Maybe we could...

Melvin glances at the cracked pattern of Carol's kitchen

linoleum and stalls at the door.

MELVIN:

It feels a little confined here.

Let's take a walk.

CAROL:

See. It's four in the morning. A

walk sounds a little screwy to me,

if you don't mind.

MELVIN:

If you need an excuse, there's a

bakery on the corner. There's a

shot it'll open soon -- that way

we're not screwy -- we're just

two people who like warm rolls.

CAROL:

Okay.

EXT. STREET - NEAR BAKERY - NIGHT

They walk quietly -- Melvin still walking with his usual

attention to where he steps.

CAROL'S POV

Melvin walking -- and though we can see an improvement --

it is still decidedly strange as he conspicuously avoids

stepping on the lines.

BACK TO SCENE:

Carol sighs. It is the sound of possibilities crashing

down. Melvin looks at her -- embarrassed, self-conscious

-- his habits making him appear unworthy.

CAROL:

(gently; almost

lovingly)

I'm sorry, Melvin -- but whatever

this is -- is not going to work.

ON MELVIN:

He takes this hard. It forces him to half-whisper

something he hasn't at all said to himself... given his

history... this is an extraordinary intimacy.

MELVIN:

I'm feeling... I've been feeling

better.

CAROL:

Melvin, even though it may seem

that way now -- you don't know me

all that well...

(as he scoffs)

I'm not the answer for you.

She starts to turn. He tugs at her arm. As she turns

back to him.

MELVIN:

Hey, I've got a great compliment

for you.

CAROL:

You know what? I...

MELVIN:

Just let me talk.

(gathers himself

with uncertainty,

then:
)

I'm the only one on the face of

the earth who realizes that you're

the greatest woman on earth. I'm

the only one who appreciates how

amazing you are in every single

thing you do -- in every single

thought you have... in how you

are with Spencer -- Spence...

(he has reached

her)

... in how you say what you mean

and how you almost always mean

something that's all about being

straight and good...

ON CAROL:

She stands on the precipice of being transported away

from the logic which has been her lifeline.

MELVIN:

I think most people miss that

about you and I watch wondering

how they can watch you bring them

food and clear their dishes and

never get that they have just met

the greatest woman alive... And

the fact that I get it makes me

feel great... about me!

(a real question

filled with

concern for her)

You got a real good reason to walk

out on that?

That last question clearly a true question, not the least

rhetorical -- she considers her answer, then:

CAROL:

No! It's certainly not. No -- I

don't think so. No.

MELVIN:

(tentatively)

I'm gonna grab you.

(with conviction)

I didn't mean it to be a question.

I'm gonna grab you.

He kisses her. An awkward bomb of a kiss. They separate.

A tense beat. Then:

MELVIN:

I know I can do better.

They embrace again. He does indeed do much better. A

first-class smooch. CAMERA MOVES DOWN to see his foot

land squarely on a crack in the sidewalk without his

knowledge. They break -- look at each other without a

notion of where to take it from here, and the ALMOST in

unison begin to walk away FROM CAMERA, Melvin following a

path that avoids cracks. Suddenly the lights of the

bakery turn on as it opens for business.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes