Basquiat Page #10

The dealer palms something to Jean.

BASQUIAT:

I gotta go.

Jean steps away from Rockets, but is trapped in the crowd. Rockets

looks after him with disappointment.

Rene arrives with, Andy, Bruno, and a PHOTOGRAPHER.

RENE:

(edging his way in)

This guy wants a picture.

They shrug and crowd in – Jean, Andy, and Rene. The photographer

gets them to squeeze closer and closer.

PHOTOGRAPHER:

Of the painters, please.

There's not enough room. Rene accidentally gets pushed out of

frame.

Rene fumes. Albert Milo arrives with his parents (JACK AND ESTHER

MILO). They are a nice Jewish couple in their 70's.

BASQUIAT:

He said 'of the painters!' Hey – Albert!

Get in the picture!

Albert crowds in. The photographer SNAPS a picture and the FLASH

blinds everyone momentarily.

ALBERT MILO:

Hey, Jean, I'd like you to meet my

wife....and my parents. Mom, Dad, this is

Jean Michel Basquiat.

Jean pulls out a joint and lights it as if it were a cigarette. He

offers it to Albert, who takes a hit.

ESTHER MILO:

(frowning at her son)

Don't do that.

(beat)

Hello, Jean.

JACK MILO:

Hi, John... Are your parents here?

BASQUIAT:

Well.

(inhaling)

My dad's here with his wife. My mom

couldn't make it.

He offers the joint to Albert's mother.

ESTHER MILO:

(waving it away)

No thanks.

Everyone laughs.

BRUNO:

(to Jean)

I'd like to do a show with you.

(pointing to "Rene 5:11"

painting)

I'm especially interested in that one. I'd

like to buy it for myself.

Jean spots the very word on the painting ("Rene 5:11") and freezes

for a second.

BASQUIAT:

I wasn't gonna sell this one.

He looks around the room for Rene, but doesn't see him. Bruno

remains smiling, waiting for an answer.

BRUNO:

You shouldn't have put it in the show.

This is the one I absolutely have to have.

I really love it.

BASQUIAT:

Sure, ok..

Jean wants out. He feels compromised.

BASQUIAT (CONT'D)

Do you think I could borrow your

limousine? I'll get it back to you in an

hour.

BRUNO:

It's OK. Just have him bring you to dinner

at Mr. Chow's later. We'll be there.

ANDY WARHOL:

Bye, Jean.

Jean makes his way through the crowd, as we see images of the

crowd and fragments of paintings. As he nears the door, he feels

his arm pulled.

RENE:

(hissing)

You f***ing little whore! You sold my

painting! I'm gonna tell you something,

brother – when you're climbing up the

ladder of success, don't kick out the

rungs! Believe that sh*t.

BASQUIAT:

I'll make you another one.

RENE:

Forget it.

He pulls out a scrap of paper and starts writing.

BASQUIAT:

Rene –

Rene shushes him... He hisses loudly, like a cat.

RENE:

SHHHHHH. Later.

(speaking to himself)

"What is it about art, anyway......"

Jean pauses. He turns around and surveys the room once more.

A blink.

Silence.

We see the crowd in SLOW MOTION.

Everyone's eyes are shut.

RENE (O.S.; CONT'D)

... that we give it so much importance?

Artists are respected by the poor because

what they do is an honest way to get out

of the slum using one's sheer self as the

medium. The money earned is proof pure and

simple of the value of that individual...

The Artist.

INT. / EXT. GALLERY – NIGHT

The CAMERA rises higher and higher over the crowd and follows Jean

as he makes his way toward the street.

We begin to DISSOLVE into a MONTAGE of stills of ARTISTS:

RENE (O.S.CONT'D)

The picture a mother's son does in jail

hangs on her wall as proof that beauty is

possible even in the most wretched. And

this is a much different idea than the

fancier notion that art is a scam and a

rip-off. But you could never explain to

someone who uses God's gift to enslave

that you have used God's gift to be free."

EXT. STREET – NIGHT

Jean enters a waiting limo. It pulls away from the curb.

Rene finishes as the limo threads its way through the night-lit,

twinkling city.

INT. LIMO – NIGHT

The DRIVER is the young Rasta we saw earlier outside Ballato's

driving Bruno and Andy.

Jean slumps in the back seat.

The driver can't help staring in the rearview mirror.

DRIVER:

I really... admire you.

BASQUIAT:

Me? Why?

DRIVER:

You did it! You made it. I'm a painter,

too.

BASQUIAT:

That's great.

DRIVER:

Would you check out my studio some time?

BASQUIAT:

Sure. I'd be glad to.

The limo pulls over.

DRIVER:

Here?

Quickly, Jean gets out of the limo. He leaves the door open.

The DRIVER watches as Jean talks to two DRUG DEALERS.

Jean jumps back into the limo.

The driver pulls away. In the rearview mirror, he sees Jean

separate a bag from a bundle of ten. He rips it open and snorts

directly from it.

He lays his head back and takes a deep breath.

BASQUIAT:

(calm, relieved)

What's your name, man?

DRIVER:

They call me Steve, but I prefer Shenge.

BASQUIAT:

Nice to meet you, Shenge. Want a job?

INT. MR. CHOW'S RESTAURANT – NIGHT

An elegant Chinese restaurant on the Upper East Side. The dining

room is split level with a mezzanine reserved for celebrities and

special friends of the owner.

At the podium, the MAITRE'D approaches.

MAITRE'D

Good evening.

From behind the Maitre'd on the mezzanine we see Bruno waving to

Jean.

In the dining room on the lower level sit Annina and Rene. Nearby,

at another, smaller table, are seated DAVID MCDERMOTT and PETER

MCGOUGH, two artists dressed in Victorian attire.

Annina beckons him.

Rene looks away from him and talks to a WAITER. Jean waves to

Annina and continues towards Bruno's table.

Seated at a large table are Andy, Bruno, Albert Milo, his wife and

parents, Henry Geldzahler, MELINA PORTOS (a young heiress) and

FRANCESCO and ALBA CLEMENTE and Mary Boone. Dinner's already

served.

At the large table, everyone watches as Milo makes a portrait of

Francesco in a beautiful leatherbound book. It belongs to Mr.

Chow, who is nearby at the bar.

ANDY WARHOL:

Hi, Jean.

He motions to Mr. Chow to set a chair for Jean between Mary Boone

and himself.

BRUNO:

Jean, everyone loved your show.

As Jean is seated, Andy and Jack Milo resume conversation –

JACK MILO:

Nixon lives in Saddle River, New York.

ANDY WARHOL:

Saddle River's in New Jersey.

JACK MILO:

Saddle River, New York!

ANDY WARHOL:

It's in New Jersey.

JACK MILO:

New York.

ANDY WARHOL:

I think it's in New Jersey.

JACK MILO:

It's in New York.

ANDY WARHOL:

Oh, I didn't know that.

CLOSE UP:
Jean smiles at Andy's diplomacy.

Albert finishes drawing his portrait: it's Francesco with his arm

around a headless torso.

ALBERT MILO:

(to Francesco)

You finish it.

He pushes the book across the table.

Francesco begins to draw.

MARY BOONE:

(to Jean)

I hear your show was sold out already.

There's a very important collector who's

interested in some of your works.

BASQUIAT:

Bring him over sometime. I have some other

stuff to show him.

Annina watches from the other table as Jean talks to Mary.

Francesco finishes his drawing.

Albert takes the book and passes it to Jean.

ALBERT MILO (CONT'D)

Go on, take it..

Jean takes it. Mr. Chow watches his book change hands.

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