Bean Page #7

Shot from across the street, with all the house lights flashing off and

on madly.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. LOUNGE - NIGHT

BEAN stands in front of the television, looking a little annoyed about

the fact that the remote control in his hand is having no effect at

all. He stabs at it randomly.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE LEARY HOUSE - NIGHT

The garage doors are swinging open and closed rhythmically.

CUT TO:

INT. DAVID'S CAR - NIGHT

KEVIN and JENNIFER are asleep in the back. DAVID drives in silence,

Alison next to him. Uneasy atmosphere. DAVID stabs at buttons on the

car radio.

ALISON:

It isn't working any more, David.

DAVID:

I know - I'11 take it in to George tomorrow'- he'll fix it. Stupid

thing.

HE SWITCHES IT OFF.

29

ALISON:

No, US. It's not working any longer -you and me.

Pause. DAVID's now heard it completely. He takes his eyes off the

road and stares at ALISON a moment too long. A car's horn snatches

back his attention.

DAVID:

Jesus.

ALISON:

I need some time, David. A little time. It's not just you. It's

partly me.

DAVID:

But in general ... it's ... mostly me, right?

Pause. Single shot of Alison and David. She doesn't answer. He is

destitute.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. HALLWAY - NIGHT

BEAN wanders down the stairs in his pyjamas. He sees a walkman - and

puts it on happily. He moves to the rhythm. He locks the door, turns

on the alarm and turns off the

hall light.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE LEARY HOUSE - NIGHT

DAVID's car turns into the drive just as the hall light goes off. (For

the next few minutes, knife-edged timing 0 is all). The LEARYS

sleepily get out of the car and approach the house. DAVID brings out

his door key.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. UPSTAIRS LANDING - NIGHT

The exact moment the key turns in the lock, BEAN, still wearing

headphones, disappears into a bedroom with a little ceramic sign on it

saying:
'GUEST ROOM'.

The exhausted family enter an apparently untouched house. KEVIN turns

on the stairs light, climbs to his room off the landing and closes the

door on which a sign reads: 'KEVIN'.

30

At that instant BEAN walks out, looking for the bathroom with his wash

bag. He looks up at the light. It should not be on. He frowns, turns

it off and exits to bathroom. At which precise moment JENNIFER,

zombie-like, is halfway up the stairs

JENNIFER:

Thanks a lot, Kevin!

JENNIFER goes into her room. The sign reads: 'JENNIFER'.

ALISON turns on the light and climbs the stairs. David heads into the

kitchen. They exchange a sad look. She goes into their bedroom: the

sign reads:
'GRUPS'. At which instant, BEAN, still wearing headphones,

leaves the bathroom, and heads downstairs ....

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. KITCHEN - NIGHT

The light is on. DAVID takes a deep breath. Bad night. He picks up

an empty coffee jar, sighs and goes into the pantry a full one. BEAN

enters. He opens the refrigerator and he studies the food on offer.

Nothing he fancies ... then BINGO!

He sees a little plate of 3 strawberries. He eats one, then two, then

pops the third into his mouth. It tastes a bit off, so he takes it out

of his mouth, puts it back on the plate, closes the fridge door, and

exits ... just as DAVID comes out of the pantry. Close on BEAN's hand

as it comes round the door frame and turns off the light. DAVID, on

the move, stubs his toe on a chair. He groans in pain, limps to the

fridge. He spots the lone, already sucked strawberry and pops it into

his mouth.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. D & A'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

ALISON is watching T.V. in bed with the remote control. DAVID enters

with orange juice and puts it down by his side of the bed.

DAVID:

The lights blown in the kitchen. I'll fix it tomorrow.

They're not a happy couple. She concentrates on the TV even turns it

up a little.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. BATHROOM - NIGHT

BEAN turns on the basin's cold faucet. It gushes noisily.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. D & A'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Close on Letterman on the TV. The noise from it drowns out any noise

from the bathroom.(The bathroom has two doors - one into DAVID and

ALISON's bedroom, the other onto the landing)..

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. BATHROOM - NIGHT

BEAN can't hear the T.V. because of his headphones. He takes out his

toothbrush but notices an electric one on a shelf with spare brush

heads. He's intrigue. He swaps the heads and enjoys cleaning his

teeth with this clever modern implement.

-He puts the electric brush down and checks his teeth in the mirror.

He has forgotten to turn off the brush and so it vibrates off the sink

and lands in the toilet. Bean fishes it out and places it back on the

shelf where he found it. He turns off faucet, then exits, turning out

the light.

DAVID enters and turns the light on again. He takes down the

toothbrush and cleans his teeth. He calls through the bedroom door.

DAVID:

That poor guy, Bean ... He's probably still sitting at London Airport!

He finishes his teeth then runs the hot faucet. He exits to bedroom as

BEAN enters from hall with dirty socks.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. D & A'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

ALISON is still watching T.V. The volume is getting to DAVID.

DAVID:

Alison, please.

32

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARYS' HOUSE. BATHROOM ~ NIGHT

BEAN is just finishing washing his socks in David's water. He rings

the dirty water from them, and exits. DAVID enters in his under

shorts. He checks his tired eyes in the mirror then washes his face in

the basin water without looking.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. LANDING ~ NIGHT

BEAN notices a framed photograph on the wall. It is of the LEARY

family. They are grouped outside their house. It is a very happy

picture. BEAN smiles at it. He takes it off the wall and takes it

into a bedroom. As the door quietly closes we see the sign:

'JENNIFER'.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. D & A'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Lights are out. DAVID and ALISON in bed. The latter is facing away.

DAVID:

I need to make a confession. I know you're awake. Please, it's

important.

(Long pause)

ALISON:

(without stirring)

Go ahead.

DAVID:

I had the last strawberry in the refrigerator.

ALISON smiles in spite of herself. She turns over and puts her arm

around DAVID. She gets up close to his face.

ALISON:

There were three strawberries.

DAVID:

One.

33

ALISON:

Liar.

DAVID:

0h Ali we can work this thing out, you know.

ALISON smiles, sleepily, and goes to kiss him. She stops and sniffs.

Thoroughly put off, she rolls over and closes her eyes.

DAVID:

Ali? What's wrong?

ALISON:

Your face smells like a foot.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE LEARY HOUSE - DAY

The next morning. Shot from across the street: A newspaper boy

delivers. Birds sing. It's a lovely, peaceful, early morning. Then

... a terrifying girl's scream pierces the quiet.

CUT TO:

INT. THE LEARY HOUSE. UPSTAIRS LANDING - DAY

The whole family charges out onto the landing. JENNIFER hurtles out of

her room screaming. She barges through the family and locks herself in

the bathroom.

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