Basquiat Page #7

Jean pounds a nail into one of his pieces, nailing it directly

onto the wall. Everyone stares.

RENE:

Oh child... You got no respect. Didn't

anyone teach you how to mount paintings?

Rene smiles. Jean finishes pounding the last piece into the wall.

CAMERA pulls back to reveal several of Jean's paintings – found

objects with paint on them.

RENE (CONT'D)

This is a very important season in New

York. One's public appearance is absolute.

(beat – a man approaches)

Oh!!! Louise!!! I'd like you to meet Jean

Michel Basquiat –

(beat)

SAMO. This is Henry Geldzahler.

A crowd begins to gather around the work.

HENRY:

Ohh... SAMO. I've heard a lot about you. I

love your graffiti.

BASQUIAT:

I was a kid then.

HENRY:

(to Rene)

How much are these?

RENE:

You or the museum?

HENRY:

It's for me.

RENE:

Five.

HENRY:

I'll take it.

Henry leaves.

RENE:

That's five thousand dollars.

(hissing to Jean)

He's from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

so suck my p*ssy, you star.

LATER:

There seems to be a buzz about Jean already. People gather around

his paintings.

Gina arrives. She looks great.

BASQUIAT:

You look f***ing beautiful, beautiful.

GINA:

Well thanks!

ANNINA NOSEI, a sophisticated, well-groomed woman appears at

Jean's side. She takes in his paintings.

As Jean, Rene, and Annina talk, Gina is left out.

RENE:

This is Jean Michel, whose work I told you

about.

ANNINA NOSEI:

(to Jean)

Rene hasn't stopped talking about your

paintings. Haven't I seen you in my

gallery?

BASQUIAT:

No.

ANNINA NOSEI:

(to Rene)

You haven't been by lately.

RENE:

I didn't have the subway fare. My Medicare

ran out.

ANNINA NOSEI:

(to Jean)

How do you come up with all those words

you put over everything?

BASQUIAT:

I don't know.

Jean sees Bruno and turns his back to her.

Bruno looks at the paintings with a smile... He gives a cheerful

nod to Annina.

BRUNO:

You're doing well.

He leaves. Annina's impressed that Jean knows Bruno.

ANNINA NOSEI:

I'd love to see some more of your work...

Where's your studio?

BASQUIAT:

You name it, I paint there.

ANNINA NOSEI:

Well, I don't want to get mugged on a

Bowery street corner. Maybe I could find a

place for you to work. Take my card.

BASQUIAT:

You want a drink?

He produces a pint bottle in a paper sack.

ANNINA NOSEI:

No thanks.

(to Rene)

But I'd like one of these paintings.

She walks off.

GINA:

Who's that?

RENE:

You kidding? That's Annina Nosei. Jean's

been in her gallery a thousand times.

(to Jean)

You slut. How do you know Bruno

Bischofberger?

(to Gina)

He's only the biggest art dealer in

Europe.

BASQUIAT:

I had lunch with him once.

INT. GINA'S APARTMENT (BEDROOM) – NIGHT

Jean and Gina lay in bed.

BASQUIAT:

Which island of Hawaii do you want our

house to be on? Maui? Kaui? Molokai?

GINA:

(a little upset)

I hadn't thought about it.

BASQUIAT:

(in perfect Hawaiian)

Oahu, Lanai, Niihau, Kahoolawee –

GINA:

Staten Island would be ok.

Beat. Silence.

Jean can't sleep. He stares at the ceiling.

BASQUIAT:

Do you wanna marry me?

Beat.

No reply.

Gina's asleep.

INT. GINA'S APARTMENT (KITCHEN) – LATER (NIGHT)

Quietly, Jean kneels on the floor of the kitchen. He paints on an

old window.

He draws figures of three people sitting at a table – obviously a

family. He crosses out one person and paints a dog under the

table.

He crosses everything out.

He mixes the paint in a large bowl and starts again.

Again, he crosses everything out.

INT – GINA'S APARTMENT – MORNING

Jean continues to work. He's wearing pajamas and a bathrobe.

Gina enters, waking up.

She looks at the painting.

GINA:

Kind of a family portrait.

Jean moves to add something. She stops him.

GINA (CONT'D)

It looks done.

BASQUIAT:

Think so?

He pauses.

BASQUIAT (CONT'D)

... babies.

GINA:

You mean babies with you?

BASQUIAT:

What's wrong with me?

GINA:

You're your own baby.

Jean paints out the image.

There's a KNOCK at the door.

GINA:

Who is it?

ANNINA NOSEI (O.S)

Annina Nosei.

GINA:

Who?

Jean jumps up and locks himself in the bathroom. Gina goes to the

door, unlocks the chain, and looks out.

GINA (CONT'D)

(through the crack)

Hello? Oh. Come in.

She opens the door.

ANNINA NOSEI:

Is Jean Michel here?

GINA:

No.

Closed in the bathroom, Jean smiles while eavesdropping.

ANNINA NOSEI:

I'm here to see some work.

Annina starts noticing all the work around her. Gina hands her a

stack of drawings.

ANNINA NOSEI (CONT'D)

These are great.

GINA:

Aren't they?

ANNINA NOSEI:

How much for these five?

GINA:

You should talk to him about this.

Annina contains her excitement.

ANNINA NOSEI:

(continuing to stare at the

work)

Um... Do Rene and Jean have a contract

together?

We see Jean in the bathroom looking at himself in the mirror with

a bird's nest on his head.

ANNINA NOSEI (CONT'D)

I'm interested in showing Jean's work.

GINA:

I really think you should talk to him

about this.

Jean pops out of the bathroom.

BASQUIAT:

When?

ANNINA NOSEI:

How about right now?

She opens the door.

Unnoticed, Gina starts for the bedroom.

GINA:

(calling back)

Be ready in a minute!

CUT TO:

THE DOOR SLAMS:

As Jean exits with Annina.

INT. TAXI – DAY

Jean waits in a taxi in front of Benny's apartment.

BASQUIAT:

Honk the horn again, will you please?

The DRIVER obliges. The back of the cab is loaded with all his

belongings. Boxes piled with junk. Bags of new painting supplies.

Benny emerges from his building and jumps into the cab.

BASQUIAT (CONT'D)

(annoyed)

You're late.

(to cabby)

One-fourteen Prince.

The cab pulls out. Jean lights a joint. and smokes it furiously.

He doesn't pass it to Benny.

BENNY:

What's the rush, John Henry?

BASQUIAT:

I ain't John Henry.

BENNY:

Good.

BASQUIAT:

What's your f***in' problem, anyway?

Benny holds out his hand for the joint.

BENNY:

(inhaling)

I don't really have any problems.

BASQUIAT:

Good. What do you have?

BENNY:

What's your f***in' problem? You get a

girlfriend and a little attention and then

start acting all uppity with me.

BASQUIAT:

(mortified)

'Uppity?' Like as in 'uppity n*gger?'

He snaps his finger for the joint back.

BENNY:

That's not how I meant it.

(beat)

For all you know, you might just be a

flash in the pan! You can never tell.

BASQUIAT:

Hey f*** you! I deserve this sh*t. You're

just jealous 'cause it ain't happening to

you!

The cab stops for a red light. Benny gets out. He doesn't say a

word. Jean doesn't look at him. The cab sails off.

EXT. ANNINA NOSEI GALLERY – DAY

It stops in front of the gallery. From outside, we see Annina

conversing on the phone. She looks up and opens the door for him.

INT. STAIRWELL – BLACK.

Off screen we HEAR Jean walking down the stairs.

ANNINA NOSEI:

I've got to find the switch.

INT – BASEMENT, ANNINA'S – DAY

Annina flips on a light.

ANNINA NOSEI:

Here it is.

Jean looks around him. He's in a large, empty cement-floored room

lit by fluorescent lights.

INT. BASEMENT, ANNINA'S – (LATER) – DAY

Jean bends over, beginning several canvases. He pours paint on

them – kind of like photographs we've seen of Jackson Pollock. We

HEAR Miles Davis' "Flamenco Sketches."

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