Basquiat Page #9

CYNTHIA KRUGER:

I like this one, but that green...

Suddenly, we see LEGS coming down the stairs. It's Gina. Everyone

looks at her.

BASQUIAT:

Y'want me to make it a nice sh*t brown?

TOM KRUGER:

Beg pardon?

Gina hadn't expected to find herself in the middle of this scene.

BASQUIAT:

Hi. This is Gina.

Annina nods to her.

Gina nods to the group.

CYNTHIA KRUGER:

They're something like Dubuffet's...

That... childlike quality.

Gina tries to connect with Jean. He's cold.

CYNTHIA KRUGER (CONT'D)

(to her husband and Annina)

I can't make up my mind.

TOM KRUGER:

I like this one. If it were just another

color..

BASQUIAT:

Get a f***ing decorator. If you buy one,

you'll have to change your whole lives –

maybe even sell your kids!

(to Annina)

These paintings aren't even done yet!!!

He sets his brush down. As he leaves –

TOM KRUGER (O.S.)

I think we'll take the green one.

HOLD ON:

Gina, left standing in the middle of this.

INT. MCDONALDS – DAY

CLOSE ON McDonald's COUNTERMAN. He smiles.

BASQUIAT:

I'll take three big Macs, two chocolate

shakes, two orders of fries, and an apple

pie.

COUNTERMAN:

You want three Big Macs, two chocolate

shakes, two orders of fries, and an apple

pie.

A line begins forming behind Jean.

BASQUIAT:

Forget it .I'll take six, no, seven

chocolate shakes, an order of fries, a Big

Mac, and two apple pies.

COUNTERMAN:

You only want one Big Mac?

The people in line are beginning to get impatient.

BASQUIAT:

Yeah... And make it three apple pies.

EXT. SOHO STREET – DAY

Jean leans on a fire hydrant, eating a Big Mac.

A pink scarf blows on the wind right in front of his face. He

catches it.

A BOMBSHELL BLONDE arrives with her hand outstretched to retrieve

it.

BIG PINK:

How can I ever thank you?

BASQUIAT:

(with a smile)

I'd like to squeeze your titties.

He offers her a Big Mac.

BIG PINK:

Come on.

BASQUIAT:

Wanna Mac?

BIG PINK:

No, I'd like the scarf.

BASQUIAT:

Have a Mac.

BIG PINK:

I don't eat junk food.

BASQUIAT:

Oh. I didn't know. I'll take you to the

best restaurant in town.

(beat)

You'll miss a great meal and I'll keep the

scarf, anyway. What's your name?

BIG PINK:

You're a fast mover.

BASQUIAT:

No name? That's ok. I'll just call you Big

Pink.

A man sleeping on the ground with a beehive of paper bags on his

head and three overcoats sticks out into the sidewalk.

Jean leaves the McDonald's bag near his head as he walks down the

street with the girl.

INT. GINA'S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Jean enters the apartment.

GINA:

Hi.

BASQUIAT:

Hi.

GINA:

What's that?

BASQUIAT:

A present I picked up for you.

Gina holds the scarf up and looks at it.

GINA:

It's beautiful. Thanks.

As she holds it up he puts it around her neck and kisses her.

BASQUIAT:

(tenderly)

You look like an angel.

INT. ANNINA NOSEI GALLERY – NIGHT

Silence.

CLOSE UP PAINTING

We read the words:

"BOOM #2

A CAT POURING TACKS ON ITS TONGUE"

SOMEONE (the big red-haired dealer we met earlier) walks in front

of us.

CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal a crowd in a gallery. It is literally

filled with people. Again – all this takes place in silence.

We begin to HEAR Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" It colors the

motion of the crowd.

CUT TO:

EXT. PRINCE ST (BET. MERCER AND WOOSTER) – DUSK

Jean walks down the street. He's got on a new set of clothes and

he listens to a Walkman. We HEAR Miles Davis' "Flamenco Sketches."

JEAN'S POV

We MOVE down Prince St. and take a left on West Broadway. We

approach a huge crowd. We get closer and closer until we are

immersed in it.

The crowd realizes Jean's amongst them. People start approaching

him. Someone removes the headphones.

The DIN of the crowd replaces the music. Amongst the normal crowd

chatter, we hear friends' calling out:

VOICES IN CROWD:

Jean!!! Jean Michel!!!

INT. ANNINA NOSEI GALLERY

Annina beckons to him. Beyond her, he sees Albert, Andy, and

Bruno. He's being escorted or maybe just pushed – it's hard to

tell. Each step of the way, he's pounced upon by INDIVIDUALS we've

never met. The room is wall-to-wall with people. People are swept

along in currents.

MAN:

(wildly enthusiastic)

Jean, man!!! Let's make a record!

WOMAN:

(slyly, intimately)

You finally did it.

MAN #2

(pointing to Jean, sneering)

He's so fulla sh*t.

MAN #3 (O.S.)

How much is he getting for these?

Jean walks up to Andy Warhol.

BASQUIAT:

Andy, man, thanks for coming. I'd like to

paint your jacket.

ANDY WARHOL:

My jacket? Gee, great...

(he Polaroids Jean)

Your show looks great. Quite a turnout.

You look great. You kids. You drink red

wine with fish. You can do anything! Make

paintings in the basement of your gallery?

First time I've heard of that!

They are approached by Mary Boone, a short woman in high heels and

an Armani suit).

ANDY WARHOL (CONT'D)

Jean Michel, this is Mary Boone. She's got

the great new gallery.

BASQUIAT:

Yeah, I met her already.

MARY BOONE:

(shaking Jean's hand)

You should be pleased. It's a great

show...I'm having a dinner later at Mr.

Chow's for Albert. You should come.

In the background, we see Annina watching.

ANDY WARHOL:

You'll like it. Everyone'll be there.

Annina walks over to Jean with a COUPLE.

ANNINA NOSEI:

Jean, your parents are here.

BASQUIAT:

Hi Dad. Hi Nora.

NORA:

Congratulations.

BASQUIAT:

Thanks for coming.

Rene appears out of the crowd.

ANNINA NOSEI:

(continuing to Jean's

father)

You must be very proud.

FATHER:

I am!

RENE:

How does it feel to have a genius in the

family?

FATHER:

It feels... good!

Jean notices Benny across the room. He slows down and waves.

Jean sees Gina across the room wearing the scarf.

Just beyond her, he sees Big Pink approaching.

There must be ten people between them.

BASQUIAT:

(to Rene)

I'll be right back.

He moves towards her. Suddenly, directly in front of him are the

Krugers.

TOM KRUGER:

We love our painting.

BASQUIAT:

Which painting?

TOM KRUGER:

The green one.

BASQUIAT:

Oh yeah.

CYNTHIA KRUGER:

We got a couch to match.

TOM KRUGER:

She's only kidding!

Looking past the Krugers, Jean looks for Gina. He sees her. His

path is blocked.

He presses forward, looking for Gina, getting caught in the crowd.

Jean strains to keep an eye on Gina and Big Pink..

Benny arrives at Jean's side holding a bottle of Jack Daniels and

a shot glass.

BENNY:

Willie Mays. A Toast.

Jean brushes past him.

BASQUIAT:

Not now, ok?

Benny is left standing next to Andy holding the bottle.

Jean manages to advance a few more feet through the crowd, then

runs smack into Rockets, his drug dealer.

ROCKETS:

Jean Michel, my man. Nice party. Should we

step into my office?

Nearby, Benny sees this meeting and walks off, disgusted, thinking

this is why Jean gave him the brush off.

BASQUIAT:

That's alright. I'm cool now.

Jean looks off and sees Big Pink fingering the scarf, saying

something to Gina.

Gina slaps her in the face.

Jean tries to get around the dealer.

Gina turns to leave. She catches Jean's eye.

She walks out.

ROCKETS:

A gift! I was just trying to give you a

gift!

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