Beginners Page #13

HAL:

Yes, stop that.

HAL:

She proposed to me you know.

This draws Oliver back into the room.

HAL:

I said - look I love you and we’re

great buddies but you know what I

am. And then she says, that doesn’t

matter. I’ll fix that.

Oliver’s never heard this part of the story before.

`HAL

I thought. Oh, God. I’ll try

anything.

SCREEN FILLS SOLID PINK.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Sex.

SCREEN FILLS SOLID RED.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Life.

SOLID ORANGE.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Healing.

SOLID YELLOW.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Sunlight.

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 75.

CONTINUED:

GREEN.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Nature

TURQUOISE.

OLIVER (V.O.)

Spirit.

WE SEE STILL PHOTOS OF THE FIRST GAY PRIDE FLAG, THE 1977 SAN

FRANCISCO GAY PRIDE PARADE.

OLIVER (V.O.)

The first Gay Pride flag was made

in 1978 by a man named Gilbert

Baker. He gave a meaning to each

color.

NOW STILLS PHOTOS OF CARTER, A LEGO FIGURE, SUPERMAN, PETS:

OLIVER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

This man was President. This was

invented, this is what movies

looked like. Pets.

HISTORICAL FOOTAGE OF HARVEY MILK’S BODY BEING CARRIED AWAY

ON A STRETCHER.

OLIVER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

On November 27th, 1978. Harvey Milk

was shot and killed.

STILL PHOTOS OF THE MUSEUM EXHIBIT OF STUFFED ANIMALS.

OLIVER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

One week later, my father opened

his annual Museum Christmas

Exhibit. He collected stuffed

animals from people in the

community, and put them on display.

My father printed a quote from The

Velveteen Rabbit in large type on

the wall...

NOW A STILL PHOTO OF THE QUOTE ON THE WALL OF THE MUSEUM.

OLIVER V.O.

...‘The stuffed rabbit asked - What

is real? And the Horse said, “Real

isn’t how you’re made. It’s a thing

that happens to you. When a child

loves you for a long long time not

just to play with, but really loves

then you become real...

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 76.

CONTINUED:

NOW WE SEE HISTORICAL FOOTAGE OF GAY MEN BEING LOADED INTO

PATTY WAGONS BY THE VICE SQUAD IN THE 1950’S:

OLVIER (V.O.)

...And the rabbit asked, 'Does it

hurt?' And the horse said,

'Sometimes.' 'Does it happen all at

once like being wound up, or bit by

bit?'...

THEN HISTORICAL FOOTAGE OF CASTRO STREET DURING THE 1977 GAY

RIGHTS PARADE:

OLIVER (V.O.)

...'It takes a long time. That’s

why it doesn’t happen to people who

break easily...

INT. HAL’S LIVING ROOM

Oliver enters to find Hal and Andy dancing humorously to loud

opera music. Hal dances free, without restraint, full of

life.

OLIVER (V.O.)

...Generally by the time you are

real, most of your hair has been

loved off, and your eyes drop out

and you get loose in the joints.

But these things don’t matter at

all because you are real and you

can’t be ugly, except to people who

don’t understand.'”

The music blares as Arthur greets Oliver. Hal comes to

Oliver, Andy continues to dance.

HAL:

Andy's moving in.

OLIVER:

Yeah? Is that a good idea?

Hal hugs Oliver.

HAL:

Just be happy about it.

Oliver can’t just be happy about it.

CUT TO PRESENT:

10/29/07 77.

INT. OLIVER'S OFFICE

HARD CUT TO:
Oliver’s design for The Sads tacked on his wall -

a clumsy drawing of a man and a woman with the caption:

“First couple too in love to feel sad.”

Reveal a Sads band member looking at the design in disbelief.

The rest of the band looks at Oliver’s wall of designs -

there are no portraits of them. We cut into the meeting mid

melt-down.

OLIVER:

This is the idea, is that it’s the

history of sadness.

Oliver spreads out an impossible long CD panel design.

OLIVER:

Here, this could be your...

The panels go on and on.

OLIVER:

Your gonna need a big CD box.

JUMP CUT:
Later, Oliver’s still trying to talk the band into

his idea.

Four billion years ago, Earth

begins. And the idea is that

sadness has not been created yet.

JUMP CUT:
Oliver and the RECORD COMPANY REP now alone.

OLIVER:

I’m sorry.

RECORD COMPANY REP

I’m sorry too.

They shake hands and she leaves.

JUMP CUT:
Oliver’s now alone with Arthur in his lap.

OLIVER:

Well, that went well.

ARTHUR SUBTITLE:

Are we married yet?

EXT. OLIVER'S HOUSE

Oliver’s car stands in front of his house. He gets Anna’s

suitcase out of his car.

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 78.

CONTINUED:

OLIVER:

Come on Arthur.

INT. OLIVER'S FRONT DOOR

They enter his house, it’s her first time there. She’s

nervous, but tries to get over it.

OLIVER:

This is the living room.

He leads her into the dining room.

OLIVER:

Dining room.

Oliver points to a photo of his parents when they were in

their 50’s.

OLIVER:

There are my parents. My mom. Hal,

Georgia, this is Anna - Anna - Hal,

Georgia.

Anna’s overwhelmed feeling increases, she continues to try to

roll with it.

ANNA:

Hello.

INT. OLIVER’S STAIRWELL

Oliver continues his tour, leading her up the stairs to his

room.

OLIVER:

These’re the stairs.

ANNA:

Yeah?

OLIVER:

They go up.

INT. OLIVER'S BEDROOM

They enter, Anna’s churning, he shows her some drawers in his

dresser that he emptied out.

OLIVER:

I emptied these for you. I’ll get

your case.

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 79.

CONTINUED:

Anna looks around, not able to deal with the intimacy,

stability and generosity.

OLIVER:

Are you okay?

She want’s to be, she hides it all by initiating sex with

him, physical and fast.

INT. OLIVER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT (LATER)

They sleep.

INT. OLIVER'S BEDROOM - DAWN

Oliver wakes up, he figures out he's alone again. Feelings he

was trying to overlook come to the surface now.

INT. OLIVER'S LIVING ROOM - MORNING

Oliver comes into the living room finds Anna on the couch.

Feelings of hurt and mistrust well up in him.

Nervous at Oliver’s look, feeling in trouble, she tries to

reconnect.

ANNA:

You OK?

OLIVER:

Are you?

ANNE:

I couldn’t sleep, I didn’t want to

bug you.

Oliver can’t overcome his mistrust of her and the whole

situation. She tries to defend herself, honest and

vulnerable.

ANNA:

I was nervous, and excited. I kept

thinking, maybe I’m not so lost.

OLIVER:

Why were you crying yesterday?

They’re miles apart.

INT. OLIVER'S OFFICE - DAY

Oliver deep in thought, something building in him...

(CONTINUED)

10/29/07 80.

CONTINUED:

CUT TO PAST:

REPEAT MEMORY:
Young Oliver watches his mother and father go

through the motions of kissing.

CUT TO PRESENT:

EXT. OLIVER’S HOUSE- NIGHT

Oliver and Arthur stand outside his house at night.

INT. OLIVER’S BEDROOM

Oliver notices Anna’s drawers are still empty.

INT. OLIVER’S DINING ROOM

They eat, their connection is broken. Oliver is moody and

distant.

ANNA:

You okay?

OLIVER:

Yeah.

CUT TO:

INT. OLIVER'S KITCHEN ROOM - MORNING

Oliver alone in the kitchen, brooding. Anna enters in her

Kimono.

ANNA:

You seem so unhappy with me.

OLIVER:

Well are you happy here?

ANNA:

Maybe I’m not perfect at it. I

don’t really know what I’m doing...

but I want to be here.

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